579 research outputs found
SAMplus: adaptive optics at optical wavelengths for SOAR
Adaptive Optics (AO) is an innovative technique that substantially improves
the optical performance of ground-based telescopes. The SOAR Adaptive Module
(SAM) is a laser-assisted AO instrument, designed to compensate ground-layer
atmospheric turbulence in near-IR and visible wavelengths over a large Field of
View. Here we detail our proposal to upgrade SAM, dubbed SAMplus, that is
focused on enhancing its performance in visible wavelengths and increasing the
instrument reliability. As an illustration, for a seeing of 0.62 arcsec at 500
nm and a typical turbulence profile, current SAM improves the PSF FWHM to 0.40
arcsec, and with the upgrade we expect to deliver images with a FWHM of
arcsec -- up to 0.23 arcsec FWHM PSF under good seeing
conditions. Such capabilities will be fully integrated with the latest SAM
instruments, putting SOAR in an unique position as observatory facility.Comment: To appear in Proc. SPIE 10703 (Ground-based and Airborne
Instrumentation for Astronomy VII; SPIEastro18
Measurements and analysis of the upper critical field on an underdoped and overdoped compounds
The upper critical field is one of the many non conventional
properties of high- cuprates. It is possible that the
anomalies are due to the presence of inhomogeneities in the local charge
carrier density of the planes. In order to study this point, we
have prepared good quality samples of polycrystalline
using the wet-chemical method, which has demonstrated to produce samples with a
better cation distribution. In particular, we have studied the temperature
dependence of the second critical field, , through the magnetization
measurements on two samples with opposite average carrier concentration
() and nearly the same critical temperature, namely
(underdoped) and (overdoped). The results close to do not
follow the usual Ginzburg-Landau theory and are interpreted by a theory which
takes into account the influence of the inhomogeneities.Comment: Published versio
Plasmodium translocon component EXP2 facilitates hepatocyte invasion
Plasmodium parasites possess a translocon that exports parasite proteins into the infected erythrocyte. Although the translocon components are also expressed during the mosquito and liver stage of infection, their function remains unexplored. Here, using a combination of genetic and chemical assays, we show that the translocon component Exported Protein 2 (EXP2) is critical for invasion of hepatocytes. EXP2 is a pore-forming protein that is secreted from the sporozoite upon contact with the host cell milieu. EXP2-deficient sporozoites are impaired in invasion, which can be rescued by the exogenous administration of recombinant EXP2 and alpha-hemolysin (an S. aureus pore-forming protein), as well as by acid sphingomyelinase. The latter, together with the negative impact of chemical and genetic inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase on invasion, reveals that EXP2 pore-forming activity induces hepatocyte membrane repair, which plays a key role in parasite invasion. Overall, our findings establish a novel and critical function for EXP2 that leads to an active participation of the host cell in Plasmodium sporozoite invasion, challenging the current view of the establishment of liver stage infection
GLUT1-mediated glucose uptake plays a crucial role during Plasmodium hepatic infection.
Intracellular pathogens have evolved mechanisms to ensure their survival and development inside their host cells. Here, we show that glucose is a pivotal modulator of hepatic infection by the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei and that glucose uptake via the GLUT1 transporter is specifically enhanced in P. berghei-infected cells. We further show that ATP levels of cells containing developing parasites are decreased, which is known to enhance membrane GLUT1 activity. In addition, GLUT1 molecules are translocated to the membrane of the hepatic cell, increasing glucose uptake at later stages of infection. Chemical inhibition of GLUT1 activity leads to a decrease in glucose uptake and the consequent impairment of hepatic infection, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results reveal that changes in GLUT1 conformation and cellular localization seem to be part of an adaptive host response to maintain adequate cellular nutrition and energy levels, ensuring host cell survival and supporting P. berghei hepatic development
Results of two multi-chord stellar occultations by dwarf planet (1) Ceres
We report the results of two multi-chord stellar occultations by the dwarf
planet (1) Ceres that were observed from Brazil on 2010 August 17, and from the
USA on 2013 October 25. Four positive detections were obtained for the 2010
occultation, and nine for the 2013 occultation. Elliptical models were adjusted
to the observed chords to obtain Ceres' size and shape. Two limb fitting
solutions were studied for each event. The first one is a nominal solution with
an indeterminate polar aspect angle. The second one was constrained by the pole
coordinates as given by Drummond et al. Assuming a Maclaurin spheroid, we
determine an equatorial diameter of 972 6 km and an apparent oblateness
of 0.08 0.03 as our best solution. These results are compared to all
available size and shape determinations for Ceres made so far, and shall be
confirmed by the NASA's Dawn space mission.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Quality assessment of a large multi-center flow cytometric dataset of acute myeloid leukemia patients—A EuroFlow study
Flowcytometric analysis allows for detailed identification and characterization of large numbers of cells in blood, bone marrow, and other body fluids and tissue samples and therefore contributes to the diagnostics of hematological malignancies. Novel data analysis tools allow for multidimensional analysis and comparison of patient samples with reference databases of normal, reactive, and/or leukemia/lymphoma patient samples. Building such reference databases requires strict quality assessment (QA) procedures. Here, we compiled a dataset and developed a QA methodology of the EuroFlow Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) database, based on the eight-color EuroFlow AML panel consisting of six different antibody combinations, including four backbone markers. In total, 1142 AML cases and 42 normal bone marrow samples were included in this analysis. QA was performed on 803 AML cases using multidimensional analysis of backbone markers, as well as tube-specific markers, and data were compared using classical analysis employing median and peak expression values. Validation of the QA procedure was performed by re-analysis of >300 cases and by running an independent cohort of 339 AML cases. Initial evaluation of the final cohort confirmed specific immunophenotypic patterns in AML subgroups; the dataset therefore can reliably be used for more detailed exploration of the immunophenotypic variability of AML. Our data show the potential pitfalls and provide possible solutions for constructing large flowcytometric databases. In addition, the provided approach may facilitate the building of other databases and thereby support the development of novel tools for (semi)automated QA and subsequent data analysis.The EuroFlow Consortium received support from the FP6-2004-LIFESCIHEALTH-5 program of the European Commission (grant LSHB-CT-2006-018708) as a Specific Targeted Research Project (STREP). The EuroFlow Consortium is part of the European Scientific Foundation for Hemato Oncology (ESLHO), a Scientific Working Group (SWG) of the European Hematology Association (EHA). S.M. was supported by Acción Estratégica en Salud (AES) (Grant PI21_01115) and the grant of CIBERONC of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Madrid, Spain and FONDOS FEDER (no. CB16/12/00400)
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