Evaluation of direct immunofluerescence test for Campylobacter fetus in bull experimentally infected and commensal bacteria from the reproductive tract of bulls

Campylobacter fetus is a Gram negative bacterium, with 2 relevant subspecies for cattle health: C. fetus subsp. fetus (Cff) and C. fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv) which cause important reproductive losses. In the present work, four groups of bulls were used: one group to characterize the genital microbiota (G1; n=3) and the other three to evaluate the direct immunofluorescence (DIF) test for the diagnosis of bovine campylobacteriosis in preputial samples (PS) from experimentally infected bulls with Cff (G2; n=3) and Cfv (G3; n=3), and controls (G4; n=4). Seven bacterial strains of different genera were identified in the PS from G1. Other 11 laboratory bacterial strains were included: Cff, Cfv and Cfv biovar Intermedius, 3 Campylobacter non-fetus, 3 Gram negative and 2 Gram positive. Only the C. fetus strains presented positive immunostaining. The sensitivity and specificity of the DIF test were 79 % and 100 %, respectively. Concordance between DIF test and bacteriological culture was 83 % (Kappa index: 0.65). The present study shows the high specificity of the DIF test for detection of C. fetus using a fluorescent conjugate elaborated in Argentina, and highlights the relevance of no cross reaction against 15 bacterial strains normally present in bull preputial microbiota.Campylobacter fetus es una bacteria Gram negativa que incluye 2 subespecies de relevancia sanitaria para el bovino: C. fetus subsp. fetus (Cff) y C. fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv), causantes de importantes pérdidas reproductivas. En el presente estudio, se utilizaron cuatro grupos de toros: un grupo (G1) para caracterizar la microbiota genital, y otros tres (G2, G3, G4) (n=10) para evaluar el test de inmunofluorescencia directa (IFD) para el diagnóstico de la campilobacteriosis bovina en esmegma prepucial (EP) de toros experimentalmente infectados con Cff y Cfv. Se identificaron siete cepas bacterianas de distinto género del G1. Otras 11 cepas bacterianas de laboratorio fueron incluidas: Cff, Cfv, Cfv biovar Intermedius, 3 Campylobacter no-fetus, 3 Gram negativo y 2 Gram positivo. Solo las cepas de C. fetus presentaron inmunofluorescencia positiva. La sensibilidad y especificidad de la IFD fue de 79 % y 100 %, respectivamente. La concordancia entre la IFD y el cultivo bacteriológico fue de 83 % (Kappa: 0,65). Se demuestra la alta especificidad de la IFD para la detección de C. fetus con un conjugado fluorescente elaborado en Argentina, y se destaca la no reacción cruzada contra 15 cepas bacterianas normalmente presentes en la microbiota prepucial del toro.Fil: García, Juan Agustín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Soto, J.. Laboratorio Biologico de Tandil ; ArgentinaFil: Soto, P.. Laboratorio Biologico de Tandil Srl.; ArgentinaFil: Malena, Rosana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Morsella, Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Méndez, Maria Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Fiorentino, Maria Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Paz Acuña, Joaquín Roberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Lucchesi, Enrique. Laboratorio Biologico de Tandil ; ArgentinaFil: Paolicchi, Fernando Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentin

CVD Graphene Contacts for Lateral Heterostructure MoS2{_2} Field Effect Transistors

Intensive research is carried out on two-dimensional materials, in particular molybdenum disulfide, towards high-performance transistors for integrated circuits. Fabricating transistors with ohmic contacts is challenging due to the high Schottky barrier that severely limits the transistors' performance. Graphene-based heterostructures can be used in addition or as a substitute for unsuitable metals. We present lateral heterostructure transistors made of scalable chemical vapor-deposited molybdenum disulfide and chemical vapor-deposited graphene with low contact resistances of about 9 k{\Omega}{\mu}m and high on/off current ratios of 10${^8}. We also present a theoretical model calibrated on our experiments showing further potential for scaling transistors and contact areas into the few nanometers range and the possibility of a strong performance enhancement by means of layer optimizations that would make transistors promising for use in future logic circuits.Comment: 23 page

Acute aortic syndrome. Two-case report and literature review

The Acute Aortic Syndrome (ASS) imposes a diagnosis challenge for emergency physicians. Its very variable clinical presentation and poor symptomatic specificity makes it very difficult to diagnose, being the high clinical-suspicion index the clue for attaining it. Aortic dissection is the most common form of AAS,followed by intramural hematoma (IMH) and penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU). Congenital cardiovascular defects, genetic syndromes, and nonsyndromic genetic variants have all been linked with the development of AAS. The diagnosis of AAS in the clinic can be made using imaging modalities such as CT,echocardiography, and MRI. Medical and/or surgical treatment must be provided depending of the compromised aortic segment. We report two cases of AAS received medical care at the Emergency Department of Clínica Delgado during 2015.La presentación clínica del síndrome aórtico agudo (SAA) impone un reto diagnóstico para los médicos emergenciólogos. Su muy variable forma de presentación y pobre especificidad sintomática tornan el diagnóstico muy difícil, siendo la clave para su diagnóstico el alto índice de sospecha clínica. La disección aórtica es la forma más frecuente de síndrome aórtico agudo, seguido del hematoma intramural y la úlcera penetrante aórtica. Los defectos cardiovasculares congénitos, síndromes genéticos, y variantes genéticas no sindrómicas han sido asociadas al desarrollo de síndrome aórtico agudo. El diagnóstico del SAA puede ser realizado utilizando modalidades imagenológicas tales como la Tomografía, Ultrasonografía y Resonancia Magnética. Dependiendo del segmento aórtico comprometido, el manejo puede ser médico y/o quirúrgico. Se reportan dos casos de SAA atendidos en el Departamento de emergencia de la Clínica Delgado durante el año 2015

Virulence genes and intimin types of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolated from cattle and beef products in Argentina

A total of 153 Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates from feces of cattle and beef products (hamburgers and ground beef) in Argentina were characterized in this study. PCR showed that 22 (14%) isolates carried stx1 genes, 113 (74%) possessed stx2 genes and 18 (12%) both stx1 and stx2. Intimin (eae), enterohemolysin (ehxA), and STEC autoagglutinating adhesin (saa) virulence genes were detected in 36 (24%), 70 (46%) and in 34 (22%) of the isolates, respectively. None of 34 saa-positive isolates carried the gene eae, and 31 were ehxA-positive. Fourteen (7 of serotype O26:H11 and 4 of serotype O5:H-) isolates had intimin β1, 16 isolates possessed intimin γ1 (11 of serotype O145:Hand 5 of serotype O157:H7), 5 isolates had intimin type ε1 (4 of serotypes O103:Hand O103:H2), and one isolate O111:H- showed intimin type θ/γ2. Although the 153 STEC isolates belonged to 63 different seropathotypes, only 12 accounted for 58% of isolates. Seropathotype ONT:H- stx2 (18 isolates) was the most common, followed by O171:H2 stx2 (12 isolates), etc. The majority (84%) of STEC isolates belonged to serotypes previously found in human STEC and 56% to serotypes associated with STEC isolated from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Thus, this study confirms that cattle are a major reservoir of STEC pathogenic for humans. To our knowledge, this is the first study that described the presence of saa gene in STEC of serotypes O20:H19, O39:H49, O74:H28, O79:H19, O116:H21, O120:H19, O141:H7, O141:H8, O174:H21, and ONT:H21. The serotypes O120:H19 and O185:H7 were not previously reported in bovine STEC. [Int Microbiol 2004; 7(4):269-276

Small bowel (jejunal) perforation as a suspected extrapulmonary manifestation of COVID-19

El SARS-CoV-2 (Síndrome respiratorio agudo severo relacionado a coronavirus 2) es un nuevo patógeno descubierto relacionado con la familia de los beta-coronavirus. Su enfermedad se denominó COVID-19 (Enfermedad por coronavirus 2019). Se informó por primera vez en la ciudad de Wuhan, provincia de Hubei, República Democrática de China a fines de diciembre de 2019, y es el responsable de la pandemia actual declarada por OMS en marzo de 2020. SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related Coronavirus 2) is a new discovered pathogen belonged to the beta-coronavirus family. Its disease was named COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). It had been first reported on the city of Wuhan, Province of Hubei, Democratic Republic of China by the end of December of 2019, and it is the responsible of the current pandemic declared by WHO by March 2020

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 25 cases of COVID-19 treated at the Delgado Clinic in Lima

 Objetivo: Presentar las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de los pacientes con COVID-19 atendidos en un hospital privado de Lima. Material y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo y seccional. Se presenta a los 25 casos atendidos desde el día 9 de marzo al 27 de marzo del presente año, durante la pandemia actual, que fueron atendidos en el Departamento de Emergencia de la Clínica Delgado, Miraflores, Lima. Todos ellos fueron positivos para rRT-PCR para coronavirus, realizados en el Instituto Nacional de Salud. Resultados: Casos importados, 24% o primeros contactos de ellos, 48%. Doce (48%) fueron varones. La mediana de edad fue de 38 años (rango: 11-67 años) para varones y 44 años (rango: 33-71 años) para mujeres; y una mediana global de 40 años (rango: 11-71 años). Las manifestaciones clínicas fueron: fiebre 84%, tos seca 84%, disnea 56%, odinofagia 56%, coriza 32%, cefalea 24%, dolor torácico 24%, diarrea 16%, mialgia 8%, y fatiga 4%. Las comorbilidades se hallaron en el 16% (hipertensión arterial, diabetes mellitus tipo 2, cáncer, asma e hipotiroidismo). Requirió hospitalización el 40% (10/25) de los casos, y sólo 8% (2/25) necesitó ser admitido a la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI). No hubo ningún paciente fallecido. Conclusiones: Encontramos que la mayoría fueron casos importados o relacionados, no hubo diferencias en el sexo, mayor frecuencia entre la cuarta y quinta década de la vida, cuadro clínico característico (fiebre, tos y disnea), presencia de comorbilidades, menos de la mitad requirió hospitalización, hallazgos característicos en la TEM pulmonar y muy pocos requirieron ingresar a la unidad de cuidados intensivos.Objective: To present the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with COVID-19 treated in a private hospital in Lima. Material and Methods: A descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study is  shown. There were 25 cases attended from March 9 to March 27 this year, during the current pandemic, which were treated at the Emergency Service of the Clinic Delgado, Miraflores, Lima. All of them were positive for rRT-PCR testing for coronavirus, performed at the Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima. Results: Imported cases, 24% or their first contacts, 48%. Twelve (48%) were male. The median age was 38 year-old (range: 11-67 year-old) for males and 44 year-old (range: 33-71 year-old) for women; and, a global median of 40 year-old (range: 11- 71 year-old). Clinical manifestations were: fever 84%, dry cough 84%, dyspnea 56%, odynophagia 56%, coryza 32%, headache 24%, chest pain 24%, diarrhea 16%, myalgia 8%, and fatigue 4%. Comorbidities were found in 16% (high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus type 2, cancer, asthma and hypothyroidism). Forty per cent of cases required hospitalization, and only 8% needed to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). There was no deceased patient. Conclusions: We found that imported and related cases were majority, there were no differences in sex, more frequency between the fourth and fifth decade of life, characteristic clinical picture was present (fever, cough and dyspnea), comorbidities were found, less than a half required hospitalization, characteristic findings in pulmonary TEM were found and very few required entry into the ICU

Measurement of the Lifetime Difference Between B_s Mass Eigenstates

We present measurements of the lifetimes and polarization amplitudes for B_s --> J/psi phi and B_d --> J/psi K*0 decays. Lifetimes of the heavy (H) and light (L) mass eigenstates in the B_s system are separately measured for the first time by determining the relative contributions of amplitudes with definite CP as a function of the decay time. Using 203 +/- 15 B_s decays, we obtain tau_L = (1.05 +{0.16}/-{0.13} +/- 0.02) ps and tau_H = (2.07 +{0.58}/-{0.46} +/- 0.03) ps. Expressed in terms of the difference DeltaGamma_s and average Gamma_s, of the decay rates of the two eigenstates, the results are DeltaGamma_s/Gamma_s = (65 +{25}/-{33} +/- 1)%, and DeltaGamma_s = (0.47 +{0.19}/-{0.24} +/- 0.01) inverse ps.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables; as published in Physical Review Letters on 16 March 2005; revisions are for length and typesetting only, no changes in results or conclusion

Quantum Computing for High-Energy Physics: State of the Art and Challenges. Summary of the QC4HEP Working Group

Quantum computers offer an intriguing path for a paradigmatic change of computing in the natural sciences and beyond, with the potential for achieving a so-called quantum advantage, namely a significant (in some cases exponential) speed-up of numerical simulations. The rapid development of hardware devices with various realizations of qubits enables the execution of small scale but representative applications on quantum computers. In particular, the high-energy physics community plays a pivotal role in accessing the power of quantum computing, since the field is a driving source for challenging computational problems. This concerns, on the theoretical side, the exploration of models which are very hard or even impossible to address with classical techniques and, on the experimental side, the enormous data challenge of newly emerging experiments, such as the upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider. In this roadmap paper, led by CERN, DESY and IBM, we provide the status of high-energy physics quantum computations and give examples for theoretical and experimental target benchmark applications, which can be addressed in the near future. Having the IBM 100 x 100 challenge in mind, where possible, we also provide resource estimates for the examples given using error mitigated quantum computing

Physics case for an LHCb Upgrade II - Opportunities in flavour physics, and beyond, in the HL-LHC era

The LHCb Upgrade II will fully exploit the flavour-physics opportunities of the HL-LHC, and study additional physics topics that take advantage of the forward acceptance of the LHCb spectrometer. The LHCb Upgrade I will begin operation in 2020. Consolidation will occur, and modest enhancements of the Upgrade I detector will be installed, in Long Shutdown 3 of the LHC (2025) and these are discussed here. The main Upgrade II detector will be installed in long shutdown 4 of the LHC (2030) and will build on the strengths of the current LHCb experiment and the Upgrade I. It will operate at a luminosity up to 2×1034 cm−2s−1, ten times that of the Upgrade I detector. New detector components will improve the intrinsic performance of the experiment in certain key areas. An Expression Of Interest proposing Upgrade II was submitted in February 2017. The physics case for the Upgrade II is presented here in more depth. CP-violating phases will be measured with precisions unattainable at any other envisaged facility. The experiment will probe b → sl+l−and b → dl+l− transitions in both muon and electron decays in modes not accessible at Upgrade I. Minimal flavour violation will be tested with a precision measurement of the ratio of B(B0 → μ+μ−)/B(Bs → μ+μ−). Probing charm CP violation at the 10−5 level may result in its long sought discovery. Major advances in hadron spectroscopy will be possible, which will be powerful probes of low energy QCD. Upgrade II potentially will have the highest sensitivity of all the LHC experiments on the Higgs to charm-quark couplings. Generically, the new physics mass scale probed, for fixed couplings, will almost double compared with the pre-HL-LHC era; this extended reach for flavour physics is similar to that which would be achieved by the HE-LHC proposal for the energy frontier

LHCb upgrade software and computing : technical design report

This document reports the Research and Development activities that are carried out in the software and computing domains in view of the upgrade of the LHCb experiment. The implementation of a full software trigger implies major changes in the core software framework, in the event data model, and in the reconstruction algorithms. The increase of the data volumes for both real and simulated datasets requires a corresponding scaling of the distributed computing infrastructure. An implementation plan in both domains is presented, together with a risk assessment analysis