The Genome of Anopheles darlingi, the main neotropical malaria vector

Anopheles darlingi is the principal neotropical malaria vector, responsible for more than a million cases of malaria per year on the American continent. Anopheles darlingi diverged from the African and Asian malaria vectors ∼100 million years ago (mya) and successfully adapted to the New World environment. Here we present an annotated reference A. darlingi genome, sequenced from a wild population of males and females collected in the Brazilian Amazon. A total of 10 481 predicted protein-coding genes were annotated, 72% of which have their closest counterpart in Anopheles gambiae and 21% have highest similarity with other mosquito species. In spite of a long period of divergent evolution, conserved gene synteny was observed between A. darlingi and A. gambiae. More than 10 million single nucleotide polymorphisms and short indels with potential use as genetic markers were identified. Transposable elements correspond to 2.3% of the A. darlingi genome. Genes associated with hematophagy, immunity and insecticide resistance, directly involved in vectorhuman and vectorparasite interactions, were identified and discussed. This study represents the first effort to sequence the genome of a neotropical malaria vector, and opens a new window through which we can contemplate the evolutionary history of anopheline mosquitoes. It also provides valuable information that may lead to novel strategies to reduce malaria transmission on the South American continent. The A. darlingi genome is accessible at www.labinfo.lncc.br/index.php/anopheles- darlingi. © 2013 The Author(s)

Project and Implementation of the Control System for the Microtron Accelerator

O acelerador de elétrons recirculado do tipo microtron, que está sendo construído no Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, possui algumas centenas de parâmetros a serem monitorados e controlados. Estes parâmetros pertencem a vários subsistemas, tais como: transporte; vácuo; RF; e diagnóstico. Para diminuir a carga cognitiva do operador e auxiliá-lo no controle da máquina, foi construído um sistema de controle computadorizado, capaz de permear os diversos subsistemas e que permite ao operador medir e alterar os parâmetros de interesse, além de alertá-lo quando algum destes parâmetros exceder um valor pré-determinado. Este sistema de controle foi construído usando-se a metodologia do modelo das três camadas lógicas, a saber: camada dos dispositivos de entrada e saída; camada dos servidores de dispositivos; e camada da interface com o usuário. Na camada dos dispositivos de entrada e saída foram utilizados vários equipamentos, comerciais ou construídos no Laboratório do Acelerador Linear (LAL), possuindo interfaces de comunicação diversas. Na camada dos servidores de dispositivos foram utilizados PCs industriais. A camada da interface com o usuário utiliza um PC convencional executando uma interface humano-computador construída com o auxílio do software LabWindows/CVI (National Instruments). O sistema de controle deve apresentar características associadas à flexibilidade, escalabilidade e custo, para que seja passível de utilização durante todo o tempo de vida útil do acelerador e suporte manutenção pela equipe do próprio LAL.The racetrack microtron under construction at the Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, is a recirculated electron accelerator that has a few hundred parameters to be monitored and controlled. These parameters belong to several subsystems like transport, vacuum, RF, and diagnostics. To decrease the cognitive burden of the operator and help him to control the machine a computerized control system was built, pervading all subsystems. This system allows the operator to measure and change the parameters of interest, or alerts him when some of these parameters exceed a pre-defined value. The system was built using the three-layer model methodology: input and output device layer; device server layer; and the user interface layer. In the input and output device layer, several instruments with different communication interfaces were used, either commercial or in-house built. In the device server layer industrial PCs were used. The user interface layer uses a conventional PC running a human-computer interface built with assistance of the LabWindows/CVI software (National Instruments). The control system must satisfy requirements of flexibility, up-gradability and cost, must stand during the accelerator lifetime and allow maintenance by the Lab\'s technical support

Optical transition radiation used in the diagnostic of low energy and low current electron beams in particle accelerators

Optical transition radiation (OTR) plays an important role in beam diagnostics for high energy particle accelerators. Its linear intensity with beam current is a great advantage as compared to fluorescent screens, which are subject to saturation. Moreover, the measurement of the angular distribution of the emitted radiation enables the determination of many beam parameters in a single observation point. However, few works deals with the application of OTR to monitor low energy beams. In this work we describe the design of an OTR based beam monitor used to measure the transverse beam charge distribution of the 1.9-MeV electron beam of the linac injector of the IFUSP microtron using a standard vision machine camera. The average beam current in pulsed operation mode is of the order of tens of nano-Amps. Low energy and low beam current make OTR observation difficult. To improve sensitivity, the beam incidence angle on the target was chosen to maximize the photon flux in the camera field-of-view. Measurements that assess OTR observation (linearity with beam current, polarization, and spectrum shape) are presented, as well as a typical 1.9-MeV electron beam charge distribution obtained from OTR. Some aspects of emittance measurement using this device are also discussed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4748519]FAPESPFAPESPCNPqCNPqCAPESCAPE