Impact of DM direct searches and the LHC analyses on branon phenomenology

Dark Matter direct detection experiments are able to exclude interesting parameter space regions of particle models which predict an important amount of thermal relics. We use recent data to constrain the branon model and to compute the region that is favored by CDMS measurements. Within this work, we also update present colliders constraints with new studies coming from the LHC. Despite the present low luminosity, it is remarkable that for heavy branons, CMS and ATLAS measurements are already more constraining than previous analyses performed with TEVATRON and LEP data.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

Valorization of wastewater from table olives: NMR identification of antioxidant phenolic fraction and microwave single-phase reaction of sugary fraction

The table olive industry is producing a huge amount of wastewater, which is a post-processing cost and an environmental concern. The present study aims to valorize this processing by-product to obtain a value-added product, thereby enhancing resource efficiency and contributing to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). In this sense, a chemical reaction-based platform was developed to obtain valuable components, such as levulinic acid (LA) and 5-hydromethylfurfural (HMF). The products were then analyzed using NMR identification of the antioxidant phenolic fraction and microwave single-phase reaction of the sugary fraction. According to the results, the highest concentration of phenolic compounds does not correspond to the sample directly obtained from NaOH treatment (S1), indicating that water washing steps (S2-S5) are fundamental to recover phenolic substances. Moreover, glucose was presented in the sugary fraction that can be transformed into levulinic acid by a single-phase reaction under microwave irradiation. The information provided in this manuscript suggests that the wastewater from the olive processing industry can be valorized to obtain valuable products

Bioinformatics approach to mRNA markers discovery for detection of circulating tumor cells in patients with gastrointestinal cancer

[Abstract] Background: Detection of tumor cells in the blood, or minimal deposits in distant organs as bone marrow, could be important to identify cancer patients at high risk of relapse or disease progression. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of tissue or tumor selective mRNA is the most powerful tool for the detection of this circulating or occult metastatic cells. Our study aims to identify novel gastrointestinal cancer-specific markers for circulating tumor cell detection. Method: Phase I preclinical study was performed by means of computational tools for expression analysis. In silico data were used to identify and prioritize molecular markers highly expressed in gastrointestinal cancers but absent in hematopoietic-derived libraries. Selected genes were evaluated by means of qRT-PCR in gastrointestinal cancer and hematopoietic cell-lines, normal human bone marrows and bloods, tumor tissue, and blood from cancer patients. Results: Novel and known mRNA markers for circulating tumor cell detection in gastrointestinal cancer have been identified. Among all the genes assessed, PKP3, AGR2, S100A16, S100A6, LGALS4, and CLDN3 were selected and assays based on blood qRT-PCR were developed. Reliably qRT-PCR assays for the novel targets plakophilin 3 (PKP3) and anterior gradient-2 (AGR2) to identify blood-borne cells in cancer patients were developed. Conclusions: Novel and known gastrointestinal-specific mRNA markers for circulating tumor cells have been identified through in silico analysis and validated in clinical material. qRT-PCR assay targeted to PKP3 and AGR2 mRNAs might be helpful to detect circulating tumor cells in patients with gastrointestinal cancer

Evaluation of Plakophilin-3 mRNA as a biomarker for detection of circulating tumor cells in gastrointestinal cancer patients

[Abstract] Background: This study aims to assess Plakophilin-3 (PKP3) as a surrogate biomarker of circulating tumor cells in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Methods: The primary aim is to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of PKP3 real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR in blood. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed. Correlations between the blood PKP3 levels and the clinicopathologic features of the study subjects were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to predict outcomes based on PKP3. Results: Sixty-four patients with gastrointestinal cancer and 23 controls were included. The mean relative PKP3 mRNA expression was 48.45 in cancer patients and 2.8 in controls (P < 0.0001). Comparing the PKP3 levels in patients and controls, the area under the curve was 0.852 (95% confidence interval, 0.76-0.94; P < 0.0001) in receiver operating characteristic analysis. A higher blood level of PKP3 mRNA was associated with a more advanced stage (P = 0.025), pT3-4 tumors (P = 0.028), metastasis (P = 0.021), and residual (R2) disease (P = 0.037). Higher PKP3 mRNA was associated with the risk of cancer progression and death (odds ratio, 3.875; 95% confidence interval, 1.781-8.430; P = 0.001). Conclusions: Increased PKP3 mRNA was detected in the blood of gastrointestinal cancer patients. Significant correlations were found with advanced stage, pT3-4, metastatic disease, and the residual disease status. PKP3 mRNA in blood was associated with the risk of cancer progression and death.Rede Galega de Investigación sobre Cancro Colorrectal; Grant 509025250

Análisis de programas de mejora continua. Un estudio longitudinal en una empresa industrial

Las empresas han utilizado diversas herramientas que permiten que los operarios contribuyan al proceso de mejora continua. Entre las herramientas más usadas podemos destacar los sistemas de sugerencias tanto individuales como en grupo. En esta comunicación haremos un repaso de las principales características de ambos sistemas y los modos habituales de implantación. Nuestra ponencia pretende intentar responder a estas preguntas de investigación. ¿Qué resultados se derivan de la implantación de sistemas de sugerencias individuales o en grupo? ¿Cuál de los dos sistemas es más beneficioso para la empresa? ¿Qué problemas surgen durante el funcionamiento de estos programas? Para ello, analizaremos los datos de un caso de empresa industrial donde hemos recogido los datos históricos de 5 años de aplicación de un programa de mejora continua. Ambos programas han demostrado ser provechosos para la empresa, aunque las posibilidades de los sistemas de grupo parecen ser significativamente mayores

GCN5 modulates salicylic acid homeostasis by regulating H3K14ac levels at the 5ʹ and 3ʹ ends of its target genes

The modification of histones by acetyl groups has a key role in the regulation of chromatin structure and transcription. The Arabidopsis thaliana histone acetyltransferase GCN5 regulates histone modifications as part of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5 Acetyltransferase (SAGA) transcriptional coactivator complex. GCN5 was previously shown to acetylate lysine 14 of histone 3 (H3K14ac) in the promoter regions of its target genes even though GCN5 binding did not systematically correlate with gene activation. Here, we explored the mechanism through which GCN5 controls transcription. First, we fine-mapped its GCN5 binding sites genome-wide and then used several global methodologies (ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq and RNA-seq) to assess the effect of GCN5 loss-of-function on the expression and epigenetic regulation of its target genes. These analyses provided evidence that GCN5 has a dual role in the regulation of H3K14ac levels in their 5′ and 3′ ends of its target genes. While the gcn5 mutation led to a genome-wide decrease of H3K14ac in the 5′ end of the GCN5 down-regulated targets, it also led to an increase of H3K14ac in the 3′ ends of GCN5 up-regulated targets. Furthermore, genome-wide changes in H3K14ac levels in the gcn5 mutant correlated with changes in H3K9ac at both 5′ and 3′ ends, providing evidence for a molecular link between the depositions of these two histone modifications. To understand the biological relevance of these regulations, we showed that GCN5 participates in the responses to biotic stress by repressing salicylic acid (SA) accumulation and SA-mediated immunity, highlighting the role of this protein in the regulation of the crosstalk between diverse developmental and stress-responsive physiological programs. Hence, our results demonstrate that GCN5, through the modulation of H3K14ac levels on its targets, controls the balance between biotic and abiotic stress responses and is a master regulator of plant-environmental interactions

Anisotropy and chemical composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Collaboration has reported evidence for anisotropy in the distribution of arrival directions of the cosmic rays with energies $E>E_{th}=5.5\times 10^{19}$ eV. These show a correlation with the distribution of nearby extragalactic objects, including an apparent excess around the direction of Centaurus A. If the particles responsible for these excesses at $E>E_{th}$ are heavy nuclei with charge $Z$, the proton component of the sources should lead to excesses in the same regions at energies $E/Z$. We here report the lack of anisotropies in these directions at energies above $E_{th}/Z$ (for illustrative values of $Z=6,\ 13,\ 26$). If the anisotropies above $E_{th}$ are due to nuclei with charge $Z$, and under reasonable assumptions about the acceleration process, these observations imply stringent constraints on the allowed proton fraction at the lower energies

Pleosporales

One hundred and five generic types of Pleosporales are described and illustrated. A brief introduction and detailed history with short notes on morphology, molecular phylogeny as well as a general conclusion of each genus are provided. For those genera where the type or a representative specimen is unavailable, a brief note is given. Altogether 174 genera of Pleosporales are treated. Phaeotrichaceae as well as Kriegeriella, Zeuctomorpha and Muroia are excluded from Pleosporales. Based on the multigene phylogenetic analysis, the suborder Massarineae is emended to accommodate five families, viz. Lentitheciaceae, Massarinaceae, Montagnulaceae, Morosphaeriaceae and Trematosphaeriaceae

Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above 4×10184{\times}10^{18} eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding $4{\times}10^{18}$ eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers with zenith angles greater than $60^{\circ}$ detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above $5.3{\times}10^{18}$ eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law $E^{-\gamma}$ with index $\gamma=2.70 \pm 0.02 \,\text{(stat)} \pm 0.1\,\text{(sys)}$ followed by a smooth suppression region. For the energy ($E_\text{s}$) at which the spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence of suppression, we find $E_\text{s}=(5.12\pm0.25\,\text{(stat)}^{+1.0}_{-1.2}\,\text{(sys)}){\times}10^{19}$ eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO