360 degree domain wall generation in the soft layer of magnetic tunnel junctions

High spatial resolution X-ray photo-emission electron microscopy technique has been used to study the influence of the dipolar coupling taking place between the NiFe and the Co ferromagnetic electrodes of micron sized, elliptical shaped magnetic tunnel junctions. The chemical selectivity of this technique allows to observe independently the magnetic domain structure in each ferromagnetic electrode. The combination of this powerful imaging technique with micromagnetic simulations allows to evidence that a 360 degree domain wall can be stabilized in the NiFe soft layer. In this letter, we discuss the origin and the formation conditions of those 360 degree domain walls evidenced experimentally and numerically

Resolvin D2 Attenuates Cardiovascular Damage in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension.

Background: Resolution of inflammation is orchestrated by specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs), and this would be impaired in some cardiovascular diseases. Among SPMs, resolvins (Rv) have beneficial effects in cardiovascular pathologies, but little is known about their effect on cardiovascular damage in hypertension. Methods: Aorta, small mesenteric arteries, heart, and peritoneal macrophages were taken from C57BL/6J mice, infused or not with angiotensin II (AngII; 1.44 mg/kg/day, 14 days) in presence or absence of resolvin D2 (RvD2) (100 ng/mice, every second day) starting 1 day before or 7 days after AngII infusion. Results: Enzymes and receptors involved in SPMs biosynthesis and signaling were increased in aorta or heart from AngII-infused mice. We also observed a differential regulation of SPMs in heart from these mice. Preventive treatment with RvD2 partially avoided AngII-induced hypertension and protected the heart and large and small vessels against functional and structural alterations induced by AngII. RvD2 increased the availability of vasoprotective factors, modified SPMs profile, decreased cardiovascular fibrosis, and increased the infiltration of pro-resolving macrophages. When administered in hypertensive animals with established cardiovascular damage, RvD2 partially improved cardiovascular function and structure, decreased fibrosis, reduced the infiltration of neutrophils, and shifted macrophage phenotype toward a pro-resolving phenotype. Conclusions: There is a disbalance between proinflammatory and resolution mediators in hypertension. RvD2 protects cardiovascular function and structure when administered before and after the development of hypertension by modulating vascular factors, fibrosis and inflammation. Activating resolution mechanisms by treatment with RvD2 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of hypertensive cardiovascular disease.pre-print362 K

Myliobatis freminvillii, bullnose eagle ray

The Bullnose Eagle Ray (Myliobatis freminvillii) is a medium-sized (to 106 cm disc width) demersal coastal eagle ray that occurs in the Northwest, Western Central, and Southwest Atlantic Oceans from Massachussetts, USA to the Texas coast of the Gulf of Mexico and from Venezuela to Buenos Aires, Argentina and inhabits continental shelves from the surface to a depth of 122 m. Its is captured by artisanal longlines, gillnets, beach seines and also in industrial shrimp trawls. In the Northwest Atlantic, population trend data are available from a deep-water trawl survey in the northern Gulf of Mexico that reveal steep increases in abundance over 2002-2013. There are no known threats in the Northwest and Western Central Atlantic, but in the Southwest Atlantic artisanal fisheries are intense. Further, there are largely unmanaged commercial trawl and longline fisheries in this area. This inshore eagle ray is exposed to intense and often unmanaged fishing pressure throughout the Southwest Atlantic portion of its range, and it has no refuge at depth. Due to the level of exploitation by widespread artisanal fisheries which lack adequate management, it is suspected that this species has undergone a population reduction of >80% over the past three generation lengths (44 years) in the Atlantic South American part of its range, but is stable in the Northwest and Western Central Atlantic. Overall, based on its range, with almost all threats found in the Southwest Atlantic, and the suspected low productivity of the species, the Bullnose Eagle Ray is suspected to have undergone a population reduction of 30-49% in the past three generation lengths (44 years) due to levels of exploitation, and it is assessed as Vulnerable A2bd.Fil: Carlson, J.. National Marine Fisheries Service; Estados UnidosFil: Charvet, P.. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Avalos, C.. Fundacion Mundo Azul; GuatemalaFil: Blanco Parra, M. P.. Universidad de Quintana Roo; MéxicoFil: Briones Bell lloch, A.. Direccion de Regulaciones Pesqueras y Ciencias; CubaFil: Cardeñosa, D.. Florida International University; Estados UnidosFil: Chiaramonte, Gustavo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia". Estación Hidrobiológica de Puerto Quequén (sede Quequén); ArgentinaFil: Cuevas, J.M.. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Derrick, D.. University Fraser Simon; CanadáFil: Espinoza, E.. Direccion Parque Nacional Galapagos; EcuadorFil: Mejía Falla, P. A.. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Morales Saldaña, J. M.. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: Motta, F.. Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Naranjo Elizondo, B.. Universidad de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: Pacoureau, N.. University Fraser Simon; CanadáFil: Paesch, L.. Dirección Nacional de Recursos Acuáticos; UruguayFil: Perez Jiménez, J. C.. El Colegio de la Frontera del Sur; MéxicoFil: Rincon, G.. Universidade Federal Do Maranhao.; BrasilFil: Schneider, E. V. C.. Cape Eleuthera Institute; BahamasFil: Simpson, N. J.. Salvageblue; San Vicente y las GranadinasFil: Talwar, B. S.. Florida International University; Estados UnidosFil: Pollom, R.. University Fraser Simon; Canad

Myliobatis goodei, southern eagle ray

The Southern Eagle Ray (Myliobatis goodei) is a medium-sized (to at least 115 cm DW) coastal eagle ray that occurs in the Western Central and Southwest Atlantic Oceans from South Carolina and Florida, USA and Quintana Roo, Mexico to San Jorge Gulf, Santa Cruz, Argentina. It inhabits continental shelves from inshore to depths of 181 m. It is captured using artisanal longlines, gillnets, beach seines, and in industrial shrimp trawls. This species is inferred to be stable or increasing in the Western Central Atlantic, based on its similarity to the Bullnose Eagle Ray (Myliobatis freminvillei). In the Southwest Atlantic artisanal fisheries are intense, further there are largely unmanaged commercial trawl and longline fisheries in many areas. In Brazil, landings of eagle rays have been reduced by 60% over 2000?2012 in Santa Catarina State, and a reduction of 91% in Rio Grande do Sul since the 1980s. This inshore eagle ray has no refuge at depth and is exposed to intense and often unmanaged fishing pressure throughout the Atlantic South American portion of its range and there it is suspected that this species has undergone a population reduction of >80% over the past three generation lengths (44 years), but is stable in the Western Central Atlantic. Overall, based its range with the almost all threats found in the Southwest Atlantic, the suspected low productivity of the species, this species is suspected to have undergone a population reduction of 30 49% in three generation lengths (44 years) due to levels of exploitation, and it is assessed as Vulnerable A2d.Fil: Carlson, J.. National Marine Fisheries Service; Estados UnidosFil: Charvet, P.. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Avalos Castillo, C.. Fundación Mundo Azul; GuatemalaFil: Blanco Parra, M. P.. Universidad de Quintana Roo; MéxicoFil: Briones Bell lloch, A.. Dirección de Regulaciones Pesqueras y Ciencias; CubaFil: Cardeñosa, D.. Florida International University; Estados UnidosFil: Chiaramonte, Gustavo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia". Estación Hidrobiológica de Puerto Quequén (sede Quequén); ArgentinaFil: Cuevas, J.M.. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Derrick, D.. University Fraser Simon; CanadáFil: Espinoza, E.. Galapagos National Park Directorate; EcuadorFil: Mejía Falla, P. A.. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Morales Saldaña, J. M.. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: Motta, F.. Universidade Federal Do Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Naranjo Elizondo, B.. Universidad de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: Pacoureau, N.. University Fraser Simon; CanadáFil: Paesch, L.. Direccion Nacional de Recursos Acuaticos ; UruguayFil: Pérez Jiménez, J. C.. El Colegio de la Frontera del Sur; MéxicoFil: Rincon, G.. Universidade Federal Do Maranhao.; BrasilFil: Schneider, E. V. C.. Cape Eleuthera Institute; BahamasFil: Simpson, N. J.. Salvageblue; San Vicente y las GranadinasFil: Talwar, B. S.. Florida International University; Estados UnidosFil: Pollom, R.. University Fraser Simon; Canad

Midgut microbiota of the malaria mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae and Interactions with plasmodium falciparum Infection

The susceptibility of Anopheles mosquitoes to Plasmodium infections relies on complex interactions between the insect vector and the malaria parasite. A number of studies have shown that the mosquito innate immune responses play an important role in controlling the malaria infection and that the strength of parasite clearance is under genetic control, but little is known about the influence of environmental factors on the transmission success. We present here evidence that the composition of the vector gut microbiota is one of the major components that determine the outcome of mosquito infections. A. gambiae mosquitoes collected in natural breeding sites from Cameroon were experimentally challenged with a wild P. falciparum isolate, and their gut bacterial content was submitted for pyrosequencing analysis. The meta-taxogenomic approach revealed a broader richness of the midgut bacterial flora than previously described. Unexpectedly, the majority of bacterial species were found in only a small proportion of mosquitoes, and only 20 genera were shared by 80% of individuals. We show that observed differences in gut bacterial flora of adult mosquitoes is a result of breeding in distinct sites, suggesting that the native aquatic source where larvae were grown determines the composition of the midgut microbiota. Importantly, the abundance of Enterobacteriaceae in the mosquito midgut correlates significantly with the Plasmodium infection status. This striking relationship highlights the role of natural gut environment in parasite transmission. Deciphering microbe-pathogen interactions offers new perspectives to control disease transmission.Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD); French Agence Nationale pour la Recherche [ANR-11-BSV7-009-01]; European Community [242095, 223601]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Asset or Liability: Transnational Links and Political Participation of Foreign-Born Citizens in Taiwan

Viewed as outsiders clinging onto links with their country of origin, immigrants do not often feature positively in electoral politics in their host society. Challenging this conventional view, this paper examines how immigrants make use of their transnational ties to foster their political participation in the host state. This exploration is conducted through our study of the political participation of Vietnamese and Chinese immigrants in Taiwan. Our research finds that transnational ties are politicised by the mainstream political parties. However, such politicisation does not necessarily restrict immigrants’ agency and their socio-political space for political participation. Their transnational ties constitute a dynamic socio-political field in which these maintained connections are acted upon and give rise to a variety of strategies for responding to issues affecting their interests

Genome of the Avirulent Human-Infective Trypanosome—Trypanosoma rangeli

Background: Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite infecting humans and other wild and domestic mammals across Central and South America. It does not cause human disease, but it can be mistaken for the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. We have sequenced the T. rangeli genome to provide new tools for elucidating the distinct and intriguing biology of this species and the key pathways related to interaction with its arthropod and mammalian hosts.  Methodology/Principal Findings: The T. rangeli haploid genome is ,24 Mb in length, and is the smallest and least repetitive trypanosomatid genome sequenced thus far. This parasite genome has shorter subtelomeric sequences compared to those of T. cruzi and T. brucei; displays intraspecific karyotype variability and lacks minichromosomes. Of the predicted 7,613 protein coding sequences, functional annotations could be determined for 2,415, while 5,043 are hypothetical proteins, some with evidence of protein expression. 7,101 genes (93%) are shared with other trypanosomatids that infect humans. An ortholog of the dcl2 gene involved in the T. brucei RNAi pathway was found in T. rangeli, but the RNAi machinery is non-functional since the other genes in this pathway are pseudogenized. T. rangeli is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, a phenotype that may be explained by a smaller number of anti-oxidant defense enzymes and heatshock proteins.  Conclusions/Significance: Phylogenetic comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial genes indicates that T. rangeli and T. cruzi are equidistant from T. brucei. In addition to revealing new aspects of trypanosome co-evolution within the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, comparative genomic analysis with pathogenic trypanosomatids provides valuable new information that can be further explored with the aim of developing better diagnostic tools and/or therapeutic targets

Multicenter phase II study of plitidepsin in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

This phase II clinical trial evaluated the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of plitidepsin 3.2 mg/m2 administered as a 1-hour intravenous infusion weekly on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks in 67 adult patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Patients were divided into two cohorts: those with non-cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma (n=34) and those with other lymphomas (n=33). Efficacy was evaluated using the International Working Group criteria (1999). Of the 29 evaluable patients with non-cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma, six had a response (overall response rate 20.7%; 95% confidence interval, 8.0%-39.7%), including two complete responses and four partial responses. No responses occurred in the 30 evaluable patients with other lymphomas (including 27 B-cell lymphomas). The most common plitidepsin-related adverse events were nausea, fatigue and myalgia (grade 3 in <10% of cases). Severe laboratory abnormalities (lymphopenia, anemia, thrombo- cytopenia, and increased levels of transaminase and creatine phosphokinase) were transient and easily managed by plitidepsin dose adjustments. The pharmacokinetic profile did not differ from that previously reported in patients with solid tumors. In conclusion, plitidepsin monotherapy has clinical activity in relapsed/refractory T-cell lymphomas. Combinations of plitidepsin with other chemotherapeutic drugs deserve further evaluation in patients with non-cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma. (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00884286)