Alternative symplectic structures for SO(3,1) and SO(4) four-dimensional BF theories

The most general action, quadratic in the B fields as well as in the curvature F, having SO(3,1) or SO(4) as the internal gauge group for a four-dimensional BF theory is presented and its symplectic geometry is displayed. It is shown that the space of solutions to the equations of motion for the BF theory can be endowed with symplectic structures alternative to the usual one. The analysis also includes topological terms and cosmological constant. The implications of this fact for gravity are briefly discussed.Comment: 13 pages, LaTeX file, no figure

Neurorrestauración tras la isquemia cerebral: papel de los neurotransmisores en la neurogénesis postisquémica

Introduction. Brain ischemia and reperfusion produce alterations in the microenvironment of the parenchyma, including ATP depletion, ionic homeostasis alterations, inflammation, release of multiple cytokines and abnormal release of neurotransmitters. As a consequence, the induction of proliferation and migration of neural stem cells towards the peri-infarct region occurs. Development. The success of new neurorestorative treatments for damaged brain implies the need to know, with greater accuracy, the mechanisms in charge of regulating adult neurogenesis, both under physiological and pathological conditions. Recent evidence demonstrates that many neurotransmitters, glutamate in particular, control the subventricular zone, thus being part of the complex signalling network that influences the production of new neurons. Conclusion. Neurotransmitters provide a link between brain activity and subventricular zone neurogenesis. Therefore, a deeper knowledge of the role of neurotransmitters systems, such as glutamate and its transporters, in adult neurogenesis, may provide a valuable tool to be used as a neurorestorative therapy in this pathology.Peer Reviewe

IAOx induces the SUR phenotype and differential signalling from IAA under different types of nitrogen nutrition in Medicago truncatula roots

Indole-3-acetaldoxime (IAOx) is a particularly relevant molecule as an intermediate in the pathway for tryptophan-dependent auxin biosynthesis. The role of IAOx in growth-signalling and root phenotype is poorly studied in cruciferous plants and mostly unknown in non-cruciferous plants. We synthesized IAOx and applied it to M. truncatula plants grown axenically with NO3 -, NH4 + or urea as the sole nitrogen source. During 14 days of growth, we demonstrated that IAOx induced an increase in the number of lateral roots, especially under NH4 + nutrition, while elongation of the main root was inhibited. This phenotype is similar to the phenotype known as superroot previously described in SUR1- and SUR2-defective Arabidopsis mutants. The effect of IAOx, IAA or the combination of both on the root phenotype was different and dependent on the type of N-nutrition. Our results also showed the endogenous importance of IAOx in a legume plant in relation to IAA metabolism, and suggested IAOx long-distance transport depending on the nitrogen source provided. Finally, our results point out to CYP71A as the major responsible enzymes for IAA synthesis from IAOx, while they exclude indole-3-acetaldehyde oxidases. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.This work was supported by the grants AGL2017-86293-P and CGL2017-84723-P from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) , AGL2014-52396-P from the Ministry of Science Innovation and Universities (MICINN) , and IT932-16 from the Basque Government, Spain . JB and PL-G are holders of PhD fellowships from the Public University of Navarre. ACh received a Juan de la Cierva initiation grant FJCI-2016-27905 and RE received a Juan de la Cierva incorporation grant IJCI-2014-21452. This research was also supported by the Basque Government through the BERC 2018-2021 program, and by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the BC3 María de Maeztu excellence accreditation (MDM-2017-0714)

Optical studies of gap, hopping energies and the Anderson-Hubbard parameter in the zigzag-chain compound SrCuO2

We have investigated the electronic structure of the zigzag ladder (chain) compound SrCuO2 combining polarized optical absorption, reflection, photoreflectance and pseudo-dielectric function measurements with the model calculations. These measurements yield an energy gap of 1.42 eV (1.77 eV) at 300 K along (perpendicular) to the Cu-O chains. We have found that the lowest energy gap, the correlation gap, is temperature independent. The electronic structure of this oxide is calculated using both the local-spin-density-approximation with gradient correction method, and the tight-binding theory for the correlated electrons. The calculated density of electronic states for non-correlated and correlated electrons shows quasi-one-dimensional character. The correlation gap values of 1.42 eV (indirect transition) and 1.88 eV (direct transition) have been calculated with the electron hopping parameters t = 0.30 eV (along a chain), t_yz = 0.12 eV (between chains) and the Anderson-Hubbard repulsion on copper sites U= 2.0 eV. We concluded that SrCuO_2 belongs to the correlated-gap insulators.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, to be published in Phys.Rev.

Relationship Between Glucocerebrosidase Activity and Clinical Response to Enzyme Replacement Therapy in Patients With Gaucher Disease Type I

The quantification of enzyme activity in the patient treated with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has been suggested as a tool for dosage individualization, so we conducted a study to evaluate the relationship between glucocerebrosidase activity and clinical response in patients with Gaucher disease type I (GD1) to ERT. The study included patients diagnosed with GD1, who were being treated with ERT, and healthy individuals. Markers based on glucocerebrosidase activity measurement in patients’ leucocytes were studied: enzyme activity at 15 min. post-infusion (Act75) reflects the amount of enzyme that is distributed in the body post-ERT infusion, and accumulated glucocerebrosidase activity during ERT infusion (Act75-0) indicates the total drug exposure during infusion. The clinical response was evaluated based on criteria established by Pastores et al. and Gaucher Severity Score Index. Statistical analysis included ROC analysis and area under the curve test. Act75 and Act75-0 were found to be moderate predictive markers of an optimal clinical response (area under the ROC of Act75 was 0.733 and Act75-0 was 0.817). Act75-0 showed statistical significance in its discriminative capacity (p < 0.05) for obtaining an optimal response to ERT. The cut-off point was 58% (RR = 1.800; 95% CI: 1.003–3.229; p < 0.05). Moreover, Act75 showed a significant and inverse correlation with the Gaucher Severity Score Index, and Act75 and Act75-0 presented a significant correlation with residual enzyme activity at diagnosis. Markers based on glucocerebrosidase activity have a good correlation with clinical response to ERT. Therefore, it could provide supporting clinical data for dose management in GD1 patients

Prospective multicenter study of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from 83 hospitals in Spain reveals high in vitro susceptibility to colistin and meropenem

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in Spain in 2013 by describing the prevalence, dissemination, and geographic distribution of CPE clones, and their population structure and antibi- otic susceptibility. From February 2013 to May 2013, 83 hospitals (about 40,000 hospital beds) prospectively collected nondupli- cate Enterobacteriaceae using the screening cutoff recommended by EUCAST. Carbapenemase characterization was performed by phenotypic methods and confirmed by PCR and sequencing. Multilocus sequencing types (MLST) were determined for Kleb- siella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. A total of 702 Enterobacteriaceae isolates met the inclusion criteria; 379 (54%) were CPE. OXA-48 (71.5%) and VIM-1 (25.3%) were the most frequent carbapenemases, and K. pneumoniae (74.4%), Enterobacter cloacae (10.3%), and E. coli (8.4%) were the species most affected. Susceptibility to colistin, amikacin, and meropenem was 95.5%, 81.3%, and 74.7%, respectively. The most prevalent sequence types (STs) were ST11 and ST405 for K. pneumoniae and ST131 for E. coli. Forty-five (54.1%) of the hospitals had at least one CPE case. For K. pneumoniae, ST11/OXA-48, ST15/OXA-48, ST405/ OXA-48, and ST11/VIM-1 were detected in two or more Spanish provinces. ST11 isolates carried four carbapenemases (VIM-1, OXA-48, KPC-2, and OXA-245), but ST405 isolates carried OXA-48 only. A wide interregional spread of CPE in Spain was ob- served, mainly due to a few successful clones of OXA-48-producing K. pneumoniae (e.g., ST11 and ST405). The dissemination of OXA-48-producing E. coli is a new finding of public health concern. According to the susceptibilities determined in vitro, most of the CPE (94.5%) had three or more options for antibiotic treatment

Fisheries and Prestige. Review and update of studies on the effects of the Prestige oil spill

The Prestige oil tanker sank in November 2002 and leaked around 60 000 mt. of heavy oil (type M-100) into the sea. Immediately after the accident, closed areas were established. Among the fleets affected by the closures were four of the most important in ICES Division VIIIc and Sub-division IXa North (bottom trawl, pair trawl, purse seine targeting sardine and hand line targeting mackerel) as they exploit considerable resources, some outside biological safety limits. A fall in effort was observed in all of them, mainly in the first quarter and in sub-divisions VIIIc West and IXa North, although it failed to lead to a very large reduction in the total annual effort of each of the fleets, with the exception of hand line. Pair trawlers can make two types of fishing trip, but differences in specific composition among the three years analysed were not found in either of them. In the case of trawl, five kinds of fishing trips were identified, and changes were only found in the type that targets Norway lobster, hake, megrim and monk (HMMN), with a fall in the presence of Norway lobster

Prospective multicenter study of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from 83 hospitals in Spain reveals high in vitro susceptibility to colistin and meropenem

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in Spain in 2013 by describing the prevalence, dissemination, and geographic distribution of CPE clones, and their population structure and antibiotic susceptibility. From February 2013 to May 2013, 83 hospitals (about 40,000 hospital beds) prospectively collected nonduplicate Enterobacteriaceae using the screening cutoff recommended by EUCAST. Carbapenemase characterization was performed by phenotypic methods and confirmed by PCR and sequencing. Multilocus sequencing types (MLST) were determined for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. A total of 702 Enterobacteriaceae isolates met the inclusion criteria; 379 (54%) were CPE. OXA-48 (71.5%) and VIM-1 (25.3%) were the most frequent carbapenemases, and K. pneumoniae (74.4%), Enterobacter cloacae (10.3%), and E. coli (8.4%) were the species most affected. Susceptibility to colistin, amikacin, and meropenem was 95.5%, 81.3%, and 74.7%, respectively. The most prevalent sequence types (STs) were ST11 and ST405 for K. pneumoniae and ST131 for E. coli. Forty-five (54.1%) of the hospitals had at least one CPE case. For K. pneumoniae, ST11/OXA-48, ST15/OXA-48, ST405/OXA-48, and ST11/VIM-1 were detected in two or more Spanish provinces. ST11 isolates carried four carbapenemases (VIM-1, OXA-48, KPC-2, and OXA-245), but ST405 isolates carried OXA-48 only. A wide interregional spread of CPE in Spain was observed, mainly due to a few successful clones of OXA-48-producing K. pneumoniae (e.g., ST11 and ST405). The dissemination of OXA-48-producing E. coli is a new finding of public health concern. According to the susceptibilities determined in vitro, most of the CPE (94.5%) had three or more options for antibiotic treatment.This work was supported by a grant from the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (grant PI12/01242); the Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Programme of the Spanish Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; the Plan Nacional de I+D+I 2008–2011; and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI RD12/0015), cofinanced by the European Development Regional Fund (ERDF) “A way to achieve Europe.”S

New cytotoxic benzo(b)thiophenilsulfonamide 1,1-dioxide derivatives inhibit a NADH oxidase located in plasma membranes of tumour cells

A series of benzo(b)thiophenesulfonamide 1,1-dioxide derivatives (BTS) have been designed and synthesized as candidate antineoplastic drugs. Several of these compounds have shown in vitro cytotoxic activity on leukaemic CCRF-CEM cells. The cytotoxic BTS, but not the inactive ones, were able to inhibit a tumour cell-specific NADH oxidase activity present in the membrane of CCRF-CEM cells. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaig