Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) Structural Susceptibility in the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Spike Protein Exposed to a Pulsed Electric Field

SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for causing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has so far infected more than thirty million people and caused almost a million deaths. For this reason, it has been a priority to stop the transmission of the outbreak through preventive measures, such as surface disinfection, and to establish bases for the design of an effective disinfection technique without chemical components. In this study, we performed in silico analysis to identify the conformational alterations of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) caused by the effect of a pulsed electric field at two different intensities. We found that both stimuli, especially the one with the highest angular frequency and amplitude, modified the electrical charge distribution in the RBD surface and the number of hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the secondary structure was significantly affected, with a decrease of the structured regions, particularly the regions with residues involved in recognizing and interacting with the receptor ACE2. Since many regions suffered conformational changes, we calculated RMSF and ΔRMSF to identify the regions and residues with larger fluctuations and higher flexibility. We found that regions conformed by 353-372, 453-464, and 470-490 amino acid residues fluctuate the most, where the first is considered a therapeutic target, and the last has alreadybeen characterized for its flexibility. Our results indicate that a pulsed electric field can cause loss of stability in the Spike-RBD, and we were able to identify the vulnerable sites to be used as a starting point for the development of viral inhibition or inactivation mechanisms

Sperm Hyperactivation and Capacitation Induced By Light Stimuli in Cryopreserved Semen

In mammals, such as rabbits, there are some factors involved in possible fertilization, from complex changes in the membrane of the sperm to obstruction or non-existent of vas deferens, which creates problems in the number and quality of sperm. In this work, we report the effects of rabbit sperm motility and capacitation of cryopreserved semen samples under light stimuli. The sperm velocities were correlated with the percentage of capacitated and non-capacitated sperm seen with a fluorescent dye. Consequently, we analyzed the specific correlations between irradiation times, supplied energy, and fertility parameters. KEYWORDS THAT SEARCHED RELATED TO THE ARTICLE ON THE WEB sperm meaning, capacitation, human sperm, capacitation occurs in, what is sperm, capacitation of sperm, sperm lifetime, fertilization definition, fertilization meaning, capacitation meaning, mechanism of fertilization,sperm capacitation, capacitate meaning, fertilization takes place in, capacitate, capacitation of sperm occurs in, capacitation of sperms, capacitated, definition of fertilizatio

Gestión financiera y competitividad en Establecimientos de Hospedaje en la Región Junín

The objective of determine the statistical conclusion between financial management and competitiveness in lodging establishments in the Junín region. The methodology used was a quantitative approach, basic type, correlational level and non-experimental design. To determine the population and sample, the non-probabilistic documentation was applied for convenience in order to be able to access it more easily. Questionnaires with polytomous answers and processing of these in Excel and SPSS were applied. As a result, a medium-low positive confirmation of 0.212, but statistically significant between the two variables, in terms of the dimensions of financial management and the competitiveness variable, relationships were obtained between low and high and equally statistically significant, thus verifying what was proposed in the research. Finally, it can be concluded that applying a certain use of financial management such as financial statements, use of accounting records, among others, affects competitiveness since this variable is carried out based on the human factor and the company's own resources, which generate the activities for your organization. According to the results obtained, among the most significant we have financial analysis and control, obtaining 70% and 76.7% of good management.El objetivo fue determinar la correlación estadística entre gestión financiera y competitividad en establecimientos de hospedaje en la región Junín. La metodología utilizada fue de enfoque cuantitativo, tipo básico, nivel correlacional y diseño no experimental. Para determinar la población y muestra se aplicó el muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia con el fin de poder acceder con mayor facilidad a esta. Se aplicó cuestionarios con respuestas politómicas y procesamiento de estas en Excel y SPSS. Como resultado se determinó una fuerza de correlación estadística positiva media-baja de 0,212, pero estadísticamente significativas, con p-valor menor a 0,005 entre ambas variables, en cuanto a las dimensiones de gestión financiera y la variable competitividad se obtuvo relaciones entre bajas y altas, pero igualmente estadísticamente significativas comprobando de esta manera lo propuesto en la investigación. Por ende, se puede concluir que aplicar determinado uso de gestión financiera como estados financieros, uso de registros contables, entre otros, incide en la competitividad ya que esta variable se realiza en base al factor humano y recursos propios de la empresa las cuales generan las actividades favor de su organización. De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos, entre los más significativos tenemos al análisis y control financiero obteniendo un 70 % y 76.7 % de buena gestión

Connection between genetic polymorphism of interleukin -1 beta with chronic periodontitis in peruvian adults

Objectives. To determine the connection between polymorphism IL-1B C(+3953/4)T and chronic periodontitis in adults. Materials and Methods. Case and control study. Individuals between 18 and 64 years of age were included; they were recruited through healthcare campaigns carried out in 2012 in different areas of the city of Lima with similar socio-economic characteristics. Dentists specialized in periodontics performed the diagnosis of the periodontal state of participants; genotyping was made through the PCR-RFLP technique. The data were analyzed by logistic regression. Results. The factors associated with chronic periodontitis were: age over 46 years (OR: 7.50, CI 95%: 1.85-6.37), higher education level achieved (OR: 0.43, CI 95%: 0.27-0.98), the presence of allele 2 in the polymorphism of IL-1B. The positive genotype (2-2) was associated with the presence of chronic periodontitis (OR: 2.06, CI 95%: 1.01-4.21). Conclusions. The presence of allele 2 in the polymorphism of IL-1B and the positive genotype (2-2) confers greater risk for the development of chronic periodontitis in the population of Peruvian adults under study

The Extended Cleavage Specificity of Human Thrombin

Thrombin is one of the most extensively studied of all proteases. Its central role in the coagulation cascade as well as several other areas has been thoroughly documented. Despite this, its consensus cleavage site has never been determined in detail. Here we have determined its extended substrate recognition profile using phage-display technology. The consensus recognition sequence was identified as, P2-Pro, P1-Arg, P1′-Ser/Ala/Gly/Thr, P2′-not acidic and P3′-Arg. Our analysis also identifies an important role for a P3′-arginine in thrombin substrates lacking a P2-proline. In order to study kinetics of this cooperative or additive effect we developed a system for insertion of various pre-selected cleavable sequences in a linker region between two thioredoxin molecules. Using this system we show that mutations of P2-Pro and P3′-Arg lead to an approximate 20-fold and 14-fold reduction, respectively in the rate of cleavage. Mutating both Pro and Arg results in a drop in cleavage of 200–400 times, which highlights the importance of these two positions for maximal substrate cleavage. Interestingly, no natural substrates display the obtained consensus sequence but represent sequences that show only 1–30% of the optimal cleavage rate for thrombin. This clearly indicates that maximal cleavage, excluding the help of exosite interactions, is not always desired, which may instead cause problems with dysregulated coagulation. It is likely exosite cooperativity has a central role in determining the specificity and rate of cleavage of many of these in vivo substrates. Major effects on cleavage efficiency were also observed for residues as far away as 4 amino acids from the cleavage site. Insertion of an aspartic acid in position P4 resulted in a drop in cleavage by a factor of almost 20 times

Opuntia in México: Identifying Priority Areas for Conserving Biodiversity in a Multi-Use Landscape

BACKGROUND: México is one of the world's centers of species diversity (richness) for Opuntia cacti. Yet, in spite of their economic and ecological importance, Opuntia species remain poorly studied and protected in México. Many of the species are sparsely but widely distributed across the landscape and are subject to a variety of human uses, so devising implementable conservation plans for them presents formidable difficulties. Multi-criteria analysis can be used to design a spatially coherent conservation area network while permitting sustainable human usage. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Species distribution models were created for 60 Opuntia species using MaxEnt. Targets of representation within conservation area networks were assigned at 100% for the geographically rarest species and 10% for the most common ones. Three different conservation plans were developed to represent the species within these networks using total area, shape, and connectivity as relevant criteria. Multi-criteria analysis and a metaheuristic adaptive tabu search algorithm were used to search for optimal solutions. The plans were built on the existing protected areas of México and prioritized additional areas for management for the persistence of Opuntia species. All plans required around one-third of México's total area to be prioritized for attention for Opuntia conservation, underscoring the implausibility of Opuntia conservation through traditional land reservation. Tabu search turned out to be both computationally tractable and easily implementable for search problems of this kind. CONCLUSIONS: Opuntia conservation in México require the management of large areas of land for multiple uses. The multi-criteria analyses identified priority areas and organized them in large contiguous blocks that can be effectively managed. A high level of connectivity was established among the prioritized areas resulting in the enhancement of possible modes of plant dispersal as well as only a small number of blocks that would be recommended for conservation management

Identification and reconstruction of low-energy electrons in the ProtoDUNE-SP detector

Measurements of electrons from $\nu_e$ interactions are crucial for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) neutrino oscillation program, as well as searches for physics beyond the standard model, supernova neutrino detection, and solar neutrino measurements. This article describes the selection and reconstruction of low-energy (Michel) electrons in the ProtoDUNE-SP detector. ProtoDUNE-SP is one of the prototypes for the DUNE far detector, built and operated at CERN as a charged particle test beam experiment. A sample of low-energy electrons produced by the decay of cosmic muons is selected with a purity of 95%. This sample is used to calibrate the low-energy electron energy scale with two techniques. An electron energy calibration based on a cosmic ray muon sample uses calibration constants derived from measured and simulated cosmic ray muon events. Another calibration technique makes use of the theoretically well-understood Michel electron energy spectrum to convert reconstructed charge to electron energy. In addition, the effects of detector response to low-energy electron energy scale and its resolution including readout electronics threshold effects are quantified. Finally, the relation between the theoretical and reconstructed low-energy electron energy spectrum is derived and the energy resolution is characterized. The low-energy electron selection presented here accounts for about 75% of the total electron deposited energy. After the addition of lost energy using a Monte Carlo simulation, the energy resolution improves from about 40% to 25% at 50~MeV. These results are used to validate the expected capabilities of the DUNE far detector to reconstruct low-energy electrons.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figure

Snowmass Neutrino Frontier: DUNE Physics Summary

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with a primary physics goal of observing neutrino and antineutrino oscillation patterns to precisely measure the parameters governing long-baseline neutrino oscillation in a single experiment, and to test the three-flavor paradigm. DUNE's design has been developed by a large, international collaboration of scientists and engineers to have unique capability to measure neutrino oscillation as a function of energy in a broadband beam, to resolve degeneracy among oscillation parameters, and to control systematic uncertainty using the exquisite imaging capability of massive LArTPC far detector modules and an argon-based near detector. DUNE's neutrino oscillation measurements will unambiguously resolve the neutrino mass ordering and provide the sensitivity to discover CP violation in neutrinos for a wide range of possible values of $\delta_{CP}$. DUNE is also uniquely sensitive to electron neutrinos from a galactic supernova burst, and to a broad range of physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM), including nucleon decays. DUNE is anticipated to begin collecting physics data with Phase I, an initial experiment configuration consisting of two far detector modules and a minimal suite of near detector components, with a 1.2 MW proton beam. To realize its extensive, world-leading physics potential requires the full scope of DUNE be completed in Phase II. The three Phase II upgrades are all necessary to achieve DUNE's physics goals: (1) addition of far detector modules three and four for a total FD fiducial mass of at least 40 kt, (2) upgrade of the proton beam power from 1.2 MW to 2.4 MW, and (3) replacement of the near detector's temporary muon spectrometer with a magnetized, high-pressure gaseous argon TPC and calorimeter.Comment: Contribution to Snowmass 202

Snowmass Neutrino Frontier: DUNE Physics Summary

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with a primary physics goal of observing neutrino and antineutrino oscillation patterns to precisely measure the parameters governing long-baseline neutrino oscillation in a single experiment, and to test the three-flavor paradigm. DUNE's design has been developed by a large, international collaboration of scientists and engineers to have unique capability to measure neutrino oscillation as a function of energy in a broadband beam, to resolve degeneracy among oscillation parameters, and to control systematic uncertainty using the exquisite imaging capability of massive LArTPC far detector modules and an argon-based near detector. DUNE's neutrino oscillation measurements will unambiguously resolve the neutrino mass ordering and provide the sensitivity to discover CP violation in neutrinos for a wide range of possible values of δCP. DUNE is also uniquely sensitive to electron neutrinos from a galactic supernova burst, and to a broad range of physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM), including nucleon decays. DUNE is anticipated to begin collecting physics data with Phase I, an initial experiment configuration consisting of two far detector modules and a minimal suite of near detector components, with a 1.2 MW proton beam. To realize its extensive, world-leading physics potential requires the full scope of DUNE be completed in Phase II. The three Phase II upgrades are all necessary to achieve DUNE's physics goals: (1) addition of far detector modules three and four for a total FD fiducial mass of at least 40 kt, (2) upgrade of the proton beam power from 1.2 MW to 2.4 MW, and (3) replacement of the near detector's temporary muon spectrometer with a magnetized, high-pressure gaseous argon TPC and calorimeter