Critical behavior of a Ginzburg-Landau model with additive quenched noise

We address a mean-field zero-temperature Ginzburg-Landau, or \phi^4, model subjected to quenched additive noise, which has been used recently as a framework for analyzing collective effects induced by diversity. We first make use of a self-consistent theory to calculate the phase diagram of the system, predicting the onset of an order-disorder critical transition at a critical value {\sigma}c of the quenched noise intensity \sigma, with critical exponents that follow Landau theory of thermal phase transitions. We subsequently perform a numerical integration of the system's dynamical variables in order to compare the analytical results (valid in the thermodynamic limit and associated to the ground state of the global Lyapunov potential) with the stationary state of the (finite size) system. In the region of the parameter space where metastability is absent (and therefore the stationary state coincide with the ground state of the Lyapunov potential), a finite-size scaling analysis of the order parameter fluctuations suggests that the magnetic susceptibility diverges quadratically in the vicinity of the transition, what constitutes a violation of the fluctuation-dissipation relation. We derive an effective Hamiltonian and accordingly argue that its functional form does not allow to straightforwardly relate the order parameter fluctuations to the linear response of the system, at odds with equilibrium theory. In the region of the parameter space where the system is susceptible to have a large number of metastable states (and therefore the stationary state does not necessarily correspond to the ground state of the global Lyapunov potential), we numerically find a phase diagram that strongly depends on the initial conditions of the dynamical variables.Comment: 8 figure

Determinación del periodo de retiro de enrofloxacina en cuyes (Cavia porcellus)

The aim of this study was to determine the period of withdrawal of enrofloxacin in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). In total, 51 guinea pigs (25 females and 26 males) of the Peru breed from a farm located in the district of Maranganí (Cusco, Peru) were used. For this, 10% enrofloxacin was administered orally at a rate of 10 mg/kg (0.1 ml/kg BW) every 24 hours for a period of 10 days. Immediately after the last administration of the antibiotic (hour 0), three guinea pigs were randomly selected and slaughtered every 2 hours until 32 hours after drug withdrawal, taking samples of the diaphragm muscle. The analysis and quantification of antibiotic residues in the muscle was performed using the commercial Max Signal® Enrofloxacin ELISA Kit. The maximum concentration of enrofloxacin (1425 ± 53.4 µg/kg) was determined 12 h after withdrawal, falling to 80.8 ± 6 µg/kg at 28 h, value below 100 µg/kg considered as the reference maximum residue limit. Under the conditions of this study, a withdrawal period of two days is suggested for guinea pigs treated with enrofloxacin.El objetivo del estudio fue determinar el periodo de retiro de enrofloxacina en cuyes (Cavia porcellus). Se utilizaron 51 cuyes (25 hembras y 26 machos) de la raza Perú de una granja ubicada en el distrito de Maranganí (Cusco, Perú). Para ello, se administró enrofloxacina al 10%, vía oral, a razón de 10 mg/kg (0.1 ml/kg PV) cada 24 horas por un periodo de 10 días. Inmediatamente después de la última administración del antibiótico (hora 0), tres cuyes fueron seleccionados en forma aleatoria y sacrificados cada dos horas hasta las 32 horas del retiro del fármaco, tomándose muestras del músculo diafragma. El análisis y cuantificación de los residuos del antibiótico en el diafragma se realizó empleando el kit comercial Max Signal® Enrofloxacin ELISA Kit. La concentración máxima de enrofloxacina (1425 ± 53.4 µg/kg) se determinó a las 12 horas del retiro, descendiendo hasta 80.8 ± 6 µg/kg a las 28 h, valor por debajo de 100 µg/kg considerado como límite máximo de referencia. Bajo las condiciones de este estudio, se sugiere un periodo de retiro de dos días para cuyes tratados con enrofloxacina

Human Coronavirus Virulence Motifs and Virulence

Trabajo presentado en el XIV International Nidovirus Symposium (Nido2017), celebrado en Kansas City, Missouri (Estados Unidos), del 4 al 9 de junio de 2017We have shown that SARS-CoV E protein is a virulence factor that includes at least two virulence motifs: its ion channel (IC) activity encoded within the transmembrane domain and a PDZ binding motif (PBM) located at its carboxy-terminus. We showed that E protein pathogenicity was caused by the activation of different host signaling pathways. One of them was the activation of inflammasome, a process mediated by the conductance of Ca++ byEprotein IC activity, leading to an increased expression of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels. Another signaling pathway implied the activation of a proinflammatory response mediated by NF-kB activation. This activation was a consequence of E protein-syntenin binding mediated by PBM-PDZ interactions. This binding caused an increase of p38MAPK phosphorylation promoting the induction of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), edema and death of mice infected with a mouse adapted SARS-CoV. The relevance of p38 MAPK activation after infection with the mouse adapted SARS-CoV was confirmed by the protection of mice in the presence of an inhibitor of p38 MAPK, but not in its absence. These results illustrated the identification of an efficient coronavirus (CoV) antiviral. The presence of a virulence factor such as the PBM motif in E protein allows the virus to interact with more than 400 cell proteins containing PDZ motifs, conferring the virus the potential to control a high number of cell-signaling pathways increasing its replication and virulence. In fact, we are analyzing the proteome of the viral PBM-cellular PDZ interactions using system biology approaches. Frequently, the ARDS caused by lung infection with mild respiratory viruses is resolved before it evolves to serious edema. In contrast, after SARS-CoV infection frequently this resolution does not take place. We have shown the binding of E protein to a main mediator of edema resolution, the Na+ /K+ ATPase, and proposed that this may be one of the procedures by which edema recovery is prevented after SARS-CoV infection, either by inhibition of Na+ /K+ ATPase activity or by relocating this enzyme to another subcellular compartment. Deadly human CoVs as SARS- and MERS-CoVs have at least two viral proteins with IC activity and PBM motifs. Studies on the relevance of E and 3a SARS-CoV proteins in replication and virulence, and the interdependence among them have shown that the presence in the virus of at least E or 3a proteins was needed for virus viability. In fact, we have shown that the complementation between E and 3a proteins is mediated by the PBM motifs located at the carboxy-terminus of these proteins. Our studies on the interaction of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV with the host, and the engineering of reverse genetics systems for each of these viruses, led us to the development of genetically stable vaccine candidates that provided full-protection against the challenge with the homologous virulent virus using mice models

The Fornax Cluster through S-PLUS

The Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS) aims to map ≈ 9300 deg2of the southernsky using the Javalambre filter system of 12 optical bands, 5 Sloan-like filters and 7 narrow-band filters centeredon several prominent stellar features ([OII], Ca H+K, D4000, Hδ, Mgb, Hα and CaT). S-PLUS is carried outwith the T80-South, a new robotic 0.826 m telescope located on CTIO, equipped with a wide field of view camera(2 deg2). In this poster we introduce project #59 of the S-PLUS collaboration aimed at studying the Fornaxgalaxy cluster covering an sky area of ≈ 11 × 7 deg2, and with homogeneous photometry in the 12 optical bandsof S-PLUS (Coordinator: A. Smith Castelli).Fil: Smith Castelli, Analia Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Mendez de Olivera, C.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Herpic, F.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Barbosa, C.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Escudero, Carlos Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Grossi, M.. Observatorio de Valongo; BrasilFil: Sodré, L.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: de Bom, .. Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas; BrasilFil: Zenocratti, Lucas Jesús. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: de Rossi, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio(i); ArgentinaFil: Cortesi, A.. Observatorio de Valongo; BrasilFil: Cid Fernandes, R.. Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; BrasilFil: Lopes, A.. Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología E Innovacao. Observatorio Nacional. Departamento Astronomia y Astrofísica; BrasilFil: Telles, E.. Ministério de Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacao. Observatorio Nacional; BrasilFil: Oliveira Schwarz, G. B.. Universidade Anhembi Morumbi; BrasilFil: Dantas, M. L. L.. Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center; PoloniaFil: Faifer, Favio Raúl. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Chies Santos, A.. Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; BrasilFil: Saponara, Juliana. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía; ArgentinaFil: Reynaldi, María Victoria. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Andruchow, Ileana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Sesto, Leandro Alberto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Mestre, M.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: de Amorim, A. L.. Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; BrasilFil: de Lima, E. V. R.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Abboud, J.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Cernic, V.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Souza de Almeida Garcia, I.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; Brasil62° Reunión Anual de la Asociación Argentina de AstronomíaRosarioArgentinaUniversidad Nacional de RosarioComplejo Astronómico Municipal Galileo Galile

Vaccine breakthrough hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs

Life-threatening `breakthrough' cases of critical COVID-19 are attributed to poor or waning antibody response to the SARS- CoV-2 vaccine in individuals already at risk. Pre-existing autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing type I IFNs underlie at least 15% of critical COVID-19 pneumonia cases in unvaccinated individuals; however, their contribution to hypoxemic breakthrough cases in vaccinated people remains unknown. Here, we studied a cohort of 48 individuals ( age 20-86 years) who received 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine and developed a breakthrough infection with hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia 2 weeks to 4 months later. Antibody levels to the vaccine, neutralization of the virus, and auto- Abs to type I IFNs were measured in the plasma. Forty-two individuals had no known deficiency of B cell immunity and a normal antibody response to the vaccine. Among them, ten (24%) had auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs (aged 43-86 years). Eight of these ten patients had auto-Abs neutralizing both IFN-a2 and IFN-., while two neutralized IFN-omega only. No patient neutralized IFN-ss. Seven neutralized 10 ng/mL of type I IFNs, and three 100 pg/mL only. Seven patients neutralized SARS-CoV-2 D614G and the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) efficiently, while one patient neutralized Delta slightly less efficiently. Two of the three patients neutralizing only 100 pg/mL of type I IFNs neutralized both D61G and Delta less efficiently. Despite two mRNA vaccine inoculations and the presence of circulating antibodies capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2, auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs may underlie a significant proportion of hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia cases, highlighting the importance of this particularly vulnerable population

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Measurement of the Splitting Function in &ITpp &ITand Pb-Pb Collisions at root&ITsNN&IT=5.02 TeV

Data from heavy ion collisions suggest that the evolution of a parton shower is modified by interactions with the color charges in the dense partonic medium created in these collisions, but it is not known where in the shower evolution the modifications occur. The momentum ratio of the two leading partons, resolved as subjets, provides information about the parton shower evolution. This substructure observable, known as the splitting function, reflects the process of a parton splitting into two other partons and has been measured for jets with transverse momentum between 140 and 500 GeV, in pp and PbPb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV per nucleon pair. In central PbPb collisions, the splitting function indicates a more unbalanced momentum ratio, compared to peripheral PbPb and pp collisions.. The measurements are compared to various predictions from event generators and analytical calculations.Peer reviewe

Measurement of nuclear modification factors of gamma(1S)), gamma(2S), and gamma(3S) mesons in PbPb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

The cross sections for ϒ(1S), ϒ(2S), and ϒ(3S) production in lead-lead (PbPb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV have been measured using the CMS detector at the LHC. The nuclear modification factors, RAA, derived from the PbPb-to-pp ratio of yields for each state, are studied as functions of meson rapidity and transverse momentum, as well as PbPb collision centrality. The yields of all three states are found to be significantly suppressed, and compatible with a sequential ordering of the suppression, RAA(ϒ(1S)) > RAA(ϒ(2S)) > RAA(ϒ(3S)). The suppression of ϒ(1S) is larger than that seen at √sNN = 2.76 TeV, although the two are compatible within uncertainties. The upper limit on the RAA of ϒ(3S) integrated over pT, rapidity and centrality is 0.096 at 95% confidence level, which is the strongest suppression observed for a quarkonium state in heavy ion collisions to date. © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Funded by SCOAP3.Peer reviewe