Presentation of the Same Glycolipid by Different CD1 Molecules

Five CD1 molecules are expressed in humans and it is unclear whether they have specialized or redundant functions. We found that sulfatide is a promiscuous CD1-binding ligand and have isolated T cell clones that are specific for sulfatide and restricted by distinct CD1 molecules. These clones have been used to compare the capacity of different CD1 to present the same glycolipid, to induce effector functions, and to form persistent immunogenic complexes. CD1a, CD1b, and CD1c molecules similarly load sulfatide on the cell surface without processing, and prime Th1 and Th2 responses. Stimulation by sulfatide-loaded CD1a persists much longer than that by CD1b and CD1c in living cells. Use of recombinant soluble CD1a confirmed the prolonged capacity to stimulate T cells. Moreover, other glycosphingolipids bind to all CD1, which suggests the presence of additional promiscuous ligands. Thus, group I CD1 molecules present an overlapping set of self-glycolipids, even though they are quite divergent from an evolutionary point of view

Vitamins C and E can Alleviate Adverse Effects of Heat Stress on Live Weight and Some Egg Quality Profiles of Layer Hens

An experiment was designed to investigate the effects of vitamins C and E on live weight and egg quality profile of layer hens subjected in situ to heat stress. Hybrid White Leghorn (L33) layer hens (n=720) and 39 weeks old, were randomly allotted to 4 treatments containing 0, 150 mg vitamin C, 150 mg (150 IU) vitamin E, and 150 mg vitamin C plus 150 mg vitamin E/kg of diet. Final live weight in supplemented groups were significantly (P<0.05) higher than control. Egg, egg yolk and egg albumen weight in groups administered with vitamins E and C+E were very significantly higher compared with control, meanwhile, the same indicators were only significantly (P<0.05) higher in vitamin C group compared with control. Similarly, eggshell weight was significantly (P<0.05) higher in all treated groups, with the highest value recorded in group supplemented with vitamins C+E compared with control. By sustaining bird’s live weight and increasing egg quality indicators, it is concluded that both antioxidants offered protective effect against the thermally stressful hot-humid condition

Laboratory estimation of black carbon emissions from cookstoves

Recent estimations show that residential solid fuel combustion accounts for 25% of global black carbon (BC) emissions (Lamarque et al., 2010). Thus, the control of these emissions through the implementation of cleaner cooking technologies could be crucial for climate change mitigation (Venkataraman et al., 2005). However, BC emission factors for biofuel cooking stoves have been poorly estimated due to the wide distribution and remote location of the stoves and the relatively complex existing assessment methods. This work presents results on BC emission factors (EF) estimation from combustion of biomass cooking systems in Western Africa (in Senegal). Three stones fire (traditional stove), Noflaye Jegg (rocket stove), Jambaar bois (ceramic improved stove) and a gasifier were analysed under laboratory conditions at the Centre de Recherche sur les Energies Renouvelables (CERER) in Dakar. Two types of fuels (wood species) were tested: Casuarina Equisetifolia (Filao) and Cordyla Pinnata (Dimb). Three replicates of the standardized Water Boiling Test with two phases (cold start and simmer) were conducted at the laboratory to test each cooking system. PM2.5 emissions were collected on quartz fibre filters, and BC content was subsequently analysed using three analytical methods: i) Nexleaf system, in which a photograph of the filter is compared with a calibrated reference scale; ii) the EEL43 Smoke Stain Reflectometer; and iii) the Sunset Laboratory OCEC Analyzer. The two first were compared with the third one, considered the internal reference

Predicting Global Irradiance Combining Forecasting Models Through Machine Learning

This paper has been presented at : 13th International Conference on Hybrid Artificial Intelligence Systems (HAIS 2018)Predicting solar irradiance is an active research problem, with many physical models having being designed to accurately predict Global Horizontal Irradiance. However, some of the models are better at short time horizons, while others are more accurate for medium and long horizons. The aim of this research is to automatically combine the predictions of four different models (Smart Persistence, Satellite, Cloud Index Advection and Diffusion, and Solar Weather Research and Forecasting) by means of a state-of-the-art machine learning method (Extreme Gradient Boosting). With this purpose, the four models are used as inputs to the machine learning model, so that the output is an improved Global Irradiance forecast. A 2-year dataset of predictions and measures at one radiometric station in Seville has been gathered to validate the method proposed. Three approaches are studied: a general model, a model for each horizon, and models for groups of horizons. Experimental results show that the machine learning combination of predictors is, on average, more accurate than the predictors themselves.The authors are supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, projects ENE2014-56126-C2-1-R and ENE2014-56126-C2-2-R and FEDER funds. Some of the authors are also funded by the Junta de Andalucía (research group TEP-220)

Progress towards the first measurement of charm baryon dipole moments

Electromagnetic dipole moments of short-lived particles are sensitive to physics within and beyond the Standard Model of particle physics but have not been accessible experimentally to date. To perform such measurements it has been proposed to exploit the spin precession of channeled particles in bent crystals at the LHC. Progress that enables the first measurement of charm baryon dipole moments is reported. In particular, the design and characterization on beam of silicon and germanium bent crystal prototypes, the optimization of the experimental setup, and advanced analysis techniques are discussed. Sensitivity studies show that first measurements of Λ+c and Ξ+c baryon dipole moments can be performed in two years of data taking with an experimental setup positioned upstream of the LHCb detector. Figur

Growth and nutrient absorption of Cape Gooseberry (Physalis Peruviana L.) in soilless culture

"This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in [include the complete citation information for the final version of the article as published in the Journal of Plant Nutrition 2015 March, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/01904167.2014.934474."Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) is a solanaceous plant. The growth and time-course of nutrient accumulation of the plant and its partitioning between roots, stems, leaves, and fruits were examined. The study was conducted analyzing two nutrient solutions in soilless culture under greenhouse conditions during two consecutive seasons. The macronutrient contents were analyzed. On average, the yield was 8.9 t.ha(-1). Growth of the plant until 90 d after transplanting obeys an exponential function of time and the relative growth rate for this period was determined. Nitrogen (N) was the element that showed the highest concentration, corresponding to leaves (4.67%), followed by potassium (K) in stems (4.46%). The highest accumulations of N, phosphorous (P), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were found in leaves and of K in the stems. Potassium showed the highest nutrient accumulation (29 g.plant(-1)) and the highest specific uptake rate.Torres Rubio, JF.; Pascual Seva, N.; San Bautista Primo, A.; Pascual España, B.; López Galarza, SV.; Alagarda Pardo, J.; Maroto Borrego, JV. (2015). Growth and nutrient absorption of Cape Gooseberry (Physalis Peruviana L.) in soilless culture. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 38(4):485-496. doi:10.1080/01904167.2014.934474S485496384Bellaloui, N., & Brown, P. H. (1998). Plant and Soil, 198(2), 153-158. doi:10.1023/a:1004343031242Bennett, J. P., Oshima, R. J., & Lippert, L. F. (1979). Effects of ozone on injury and dry matter partitioning in pepper plants. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 19(1), 33-39. doi:10.1016/0098-8472(79)90022-4CAUSTON, D. R. (1991). Plant Growth Analysis: The Variability of Relative Growth Rate Within a Sample. Annals of Botany, 67(2), 137-144. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a088112Convenio MAG-IICA (Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería. Institución Interamericana de Cooperación para la Agricultura). 2001. The cape gooseberry (Physalis peruvianaL.Physalis edulis). Subprograma de Cooperación Técnica, Ecuador. Available at: http://www.sica.gov.ec/agronegocios/Biblioteca/Convenio%20MAG%20IICA/productos/uvilla_mag.pdf (Accessed July 2007, in Spanish).El-Tohamy, W. A., El-Abagy, H. M., Abou-Hussein, S. D., & Gruda, N. (2009). Response of Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) to nitrogen application under sandy soil conditions. Gesunde Pflanzen, 61(3-4), 123-127. doi:10.1007/s10343-009-0211-0Fresquet, J., Pascual, B., López-Galarza, S., Bautista, S., Baixauli, C., Gisbert, J. M., & Maroto, J. V. (2001). Nutrient uptake of pepino plants in soilless cultivation. The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, 76(3), 338-343. doi:10.1080/14620316.2001.11511373Heuvelink, E., Bakker, M. J., Elings, A., Kaarsemaker, R. C., & Marcelis, L. F. M. (2005). EFFECT OF LEAF AREA ON TOMATO YIELD. Acta Horticulturae, (691), 43-50. doi:10.17660/actahortic.2005.691.2Leskovar, D. I., & Cantliffe, D. J. (1993). Comparison of Plant Establishment Method, Transplant, or Direct Seeding on Growth and Yield of Bell Pepper. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 118(1), 17-22. doi:10.21273/jashs.118.1.17Marcelis, L. F. M. (1993). Fruit growth and biomass allocation to the fruits in cucumber. 1. Effect of fruit load and temperature. Scientia Horticulturae, 54(2), 107-121. doi:10.1016/0304-4238(93)90059-yPuente, L. A., Pinto-Muñoz, C. A., Castro, E. S., & Cortés, M. (2011). Physalis peruviana Linnaeus, the multiple properties of a highly functional fruit: A review. Food Research International, 44(7), 1733-1740. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2010.09.034Radford, P. J. (1967). Growth Analysis Formulae - Their Use and Abuse1. Crop Science, 7(3), 171. doi:10.2135/cropsci1967.0011183x000700030001xRamadan, M. F., & Moersel, J. T. (2007). Impact of enzymatic treatment on chemical composition, physicochemical properties and radical scavenging activity of goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.) juice. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 87(3), 452-460. doi:10.1002/jsfa.2728Ramadan, M. F., & Moersel, J.-T. (2009). Oil extractability from enzymatically treated goldenberry (Physalis peruvianaL.) pomace: range of operational variables. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 44(3), 435-444. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.2006.01511.xSalazar, M. R., Jones, J. W., Chaves, B., & Cooman, A. (2008). A model for the potential production and dry matter distribution of Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.). Scientia Horticulturae, 115(2), 142-148. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2007.08.015Scholberg, J., McNeal, B. L., Jones, J. W., Boote, K. J., Stanley, C. D., & Obreza, T. A. (2000). Growth and Canopy Characteristics of Field-Grown Tomato. Agronomy Journal, 92(1), 152. doi:10.2134/agronj2000.921152xTrinchero, G. D., Sozzi, G. O., Cerri, A. M., Vilella, F., & Fraschina, A. A. (1999). Ripening-related changes in ethylene production, respiration rate and cell-wall enzyme activity in goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.), a solanaceous species. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 16(2), 139-145. doi:10.1016/s0925-5214(99)00011-3Turner, A. (1994). Dry Matter Assimilation and Partitioning in Pepper Cultivars Differing in Susceptibility to Stress-induced Bud and Flower Abscission. Annals of Botany, 73(6), 617-622. doi:10.1006/anbo.1994.1077WILLIAMS, R. F. (1946). The Physiology of Plant Growth with Special Reference to the Concept of Net Assimilation Rate. Annals of Botany, 10(1), 41-72. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a083119Zapata, J.L., A. Saldarriaga, M. Londoño, and C. Díaz. 2002. Cape gooseberry Management in Colombia. Antioquia, Colombia: Rionegro, Programa Nacional de Transferencia de Tecnología Agropecuaria - Corpoica Regional Cuatro (in Spanish).Zerihun, A. (2000). Compensatory Roles of Nitrogen Uptake and Photosynthetic N-use Efficiency in Determining Plant Growth Response to Elevated CO2: Evaluation Using a Functional Balance Model. Annals of Botany, 86(4), 723-730. doi:10.1006/anbo.2000.123

Performance of a spaghetti calorimeter prototype with tungsten absorber and garnet crystal fibres

A spaghetti calorimeter (SPACAL) prototype with scintillating crystal fibres was assembled and tested with electron beams of energy from 1 to 5 GeV. The prototype comprised radiation-hard Cerium-doped GdAlGaO (GAGG:Ce) and YAlO (YAG:Ce) embedded in a pure tungsten absorber. The energy resolution was studied as a function of the incidence angle of the beam and found to be of the order of 10%/E⊕1%, in line with the LHCb Shashlik technology. The time resolution was measured with metal channel dynode photomultipliers placed in contact with the fibres or coupled via a light guide, additionally testing an optical tape to glue the components. Time resolution of a few tens of picosecond was achieved for all the energies reaching down to (18.5 ± 0.2) ps at 5 GeV.We acknowledge support by the CERN Strategic Programme on Technologies for Future Experiments, https://ep-rnd.web.cern.ch/, by the MCIN/AEI, GenCat and GVA (Spain), and by the NSFC (China) under grant Nos. 12175005, 12061141007. The measurements were performed at the Test Beam Facility at DESY Hamburg (Germany), a member of the Helmholtz Association (HGF). The authors would like to thank T. Schneider, H. Gerwig, N. Siegrist, and D. Deyrail (CERN) for their help in designing and assembling the prototype and the set-up, A. Barnyakov, Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (BINP), Novosibirsk, for kindly providing the MCPs, and the ITEP ATLAS group for the DWCs

Impact of brassinosteroids and ethylene on ascorbic acid accumulation in tomato leaves

Plant steroid hormones brassinosteroids (BRs) and the gaseous hormone ethylene (ET) alter the ascorbic acid–glutathione (AA–GSH) levels in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants. The interaction of these hormones in regulating antioxidant metabolism is however unknown. The combined use of genetics (BR-mutants) and chemical application (BR/ET-related chemicals) shows that BRs and ET signalling pathways interact, to regulate leaf AA content and synthesis. BR-deficient (dx) leaves display low total AA but BR-accumulating (35S:D) leaves show normal total AA content. Leaves with either BR levels lower or higher than wild type plants showed a higher oxidised AA redox state. The activity of l-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (l-GalLDH), the mitochondrial enzyme that catalyses the last step in AA synthesis is lower in dx and higher in 35S:D plants. BR-deficient mutants show higher ET production but it is restored to normal levels when BR content is increased in 35S:D plants. Suppression of ET signalling using 1-methylcyclopropene in dx and 35S:D plants restored leaf AA content and l-GalLDH activity, to the values observed in wild type. The suppression of ET action in dx and 35S:D leaves leads to the respective decreasing and increasing respiration, indicating an opposite response compared to AA synthesis. This inverse relationship is lacking in ET suppressed dx plants in response to external BRs. The modifications in the in vivo activity of l-GalLDH activity do not correlate with changes in the level of the enzyme. Taken together, these data suggest that ET suppresses and BRs promote AA synthesis and accumulation.Instituto de Fisiología Vegeta

RD50-MPW: a series of monolithic High Voltage CMOS pixel chips with high granularity and towards high radiation tolerance

Abstract A series of monolithic High Voltage CMOS (HV-CMOS) pixel sensor prototypes have been developed by the CERN-RD50 CMOS working group for potential use in future high luminosity experiments. The aim is to further improve the performance of HV-CMOS sensors, especially in terms of pixel granularity, timing resolution and radiation tolerance. The evaluation of one of this series, RD50-MPW3, is presented in this contribution, including laboratory and test beam measurements. The design of the latest prototype, RD50-MPW4, which resolves issues found in RD50-MPW3 and implements further improvements, is described. </jats:p