Low mass dimuons within a hybrid approach

We analyse dilepton emission from hot and dense hadronic matter using a hybrid approach based on the Ultrarelativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics (UrQMD) transport model with an intermediate hydrodynamic stage for the description of heavy-ion collisions at relativistic energies. Focusing on the enhancement with respect to the contribution from long-lived hadron decays after freeze-out observed at the SPS in the low mass region of the dilepton spectra (often referred to as "the excess"), the relative importance of the emission from the equilibrium and the non-equilibrium stages is discussed.Comment: Proceedings of Hot Quarks 2010, 21-26 June 2010 Las Londe Les Maures; v2: Corrected typos and added a commen

Antagonists of the Receptor-G Protein Interface Block Gi-coupled Signal Transduction

The carboxyl terminus of heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunits plays an important role in receptor interaction. We demonstrate that peptides corresponding to the last 11 residues of Galphai1/2 or Galphao1 impair agonist binding to A1 adenosine receptors, whereas Galphas or Galphat peptides have no effect. Previously, by using a combinatorial library we identified a series of Galphat peptide analogs that bind rhodopsin with high affinity (Martin, E. L., Rens-Domiano, S., Schatz, P. J., and Hamm, H. E. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 361-366). Native Galphai1/2 peptide as well as several analogs were tested for their ability to modulate agonist binding or antagonist-agonist competition using cells overexpressing human A1 adenosine receptors. Three peptide analogs decreased the Ki, suggesting that they disrupt the high affinity receptor-G protein interaction and stabilize an intermediate affinity state. To study the ability of the peptides to compete with endogenous Galphai proteins and block signal transduction in a native setting, we measured activation of G protein-coupled K+ channels through A1 adenosine or gamma-aminobutyric acid, type B, receptors in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Native Galphai1/2, peptide, and certain analog peptides inhibited receptor-mediated K+ channel gating, dependent on which receptor was activated. This differential perturbation of receptor-G protein interaction suggests that receptors that act on the same G protein can be selectively disrupted

Slug monitoring and impacts on the ground beetle community in the frame of sustainable pest control in conventional and conservation agroecosystems

In conservation agriculture, slugs are considered significant pests and their monitoring is a key option in the integrated pest management framework. Together with molluscicide applications, predators such as ground beetles can offer a tool for slug control in the field. Through the evaluation of slug and ground beetle monitoring strategies, this work compared their presence in conventional and conservation agricultural plots. The invasive Deroceras invadens was the dominant slug species to occur in all sampling periods. Among Carabidae, Poecilus cupreus and Pterostichus melas were the most abundant species, and Bembidion spp., Brachinus spp., and Harpalus spp. were also common. Beer-baited pitfall traps, whatever their alcoholic content, caught more slugs and ground beetles than wooden boards used as shelters. Slugs were more abundant in conventional plots than in conservation plots, possibly due to the lower presence of natural enemies such as ground beetles. Despite possible impacts on Carabidae, beer-baited pitfall traps should be considered a useful tool for slug monitoring and for the planning of molluscicide applications. Soil management such as minimum-or no-tillage and the presence of cover crops are important elements influencing both slug and ground beetle presence, possibly playing a key role in the maintenance of natural enemy populations

Commissioning of the electron injector for the AWAKE experiment

The advanced wakefield experiment (AWAKE) at CERN is the first proton beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration experiment. The main goal of AWAKE RUN 1 was to demonstrate seeded self-modulation (SSM) of the proton beam and electron witness beam acceleration in the plasma wakefield. For the AWAKE experiment, a 10-meter-long Rubidium-vapor cell together with a high-power laser for ionization was used to generate the plasma. The plasma wakefield is driven by a 400 GeV/c proton beam extracted from the super proton synchrotron (SPS), which undergoes a seeded self-modulation process in the plasma. The electron witness beam used to probe the wakefields is generated from an S-band RF photo-cathode gun and then accelerated by a booster structure up to energies between 16 and 20 MeV. The first run of the AWAKE experiment revealed that the maximum energy gain after the plasma cell is 2 GeV, and the SSM mechanism of the proton beam was verified. In this paper, we will present the details of the AWAKE electron injector. A comparison of the measured electron beam parameters, such as beam size, energy, and normalized emittance, with the simulation results was performed

Focus on Human Monoamine Transporter Selectivity. New Human DAT and NET Models, Experimental Validation, and SERT Affinity Exploration

The most commonly used antidepressant drugs are the serotonin transporter inhibitors. Their effects depend strongly on the selectivity for a single monoamine transporter compared to other amine transporters or receptors, and the selectivity is roughly influenced by the spatial protein structure. Here, we provide a computational study on three human monoamine transporters, i.e., DAT, NET, and SERT. Starting from the construction of hDAT and hNET models, whose three-dimensional structure is unknown, and the prediction of the binding pose for 19 known inhibitors, 3D-QSAR models of three human transporters were built. The training set variability, which was high in structure and activity profile, was validated using a set of in-house compounds. Results concern more than one aspect. First of all, hDAT and hNET three-dimensional structures were built, validated, and compared to the hSERT one; second, the computational study highlighted the differences in binding site arrangement statistically correlated to inhibitor selectivity; third, the profiling of new inhibitors pointed out a conservation of the inhibitory activity trend between rabbit and human SERT with a difference of about 1 order of magnitude; fourth, binding and functional studies confirmed 4-(benzyloxy)-4-phenylpiperidine 20a-d and 21a-d as potent SERT inhibitors. In particular, one of the compounds (compound 20b) revealed a higher affinity for SERT than paroxetine in human platelets

Exercise Intervention to Improve Functional Capacity in Older Adults After Acute Coronary Syndrome

More than one-half of patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are age $70 years. Mobility limitations and sedentary behavior are common in older ACS patients and contribute to high risk of recurrence and mortality (1). Although older ACS patients may benefit the most from participation in exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention programs (CR/SP), they are less likely to participate in such programs (2). Whether an early, individualized, and low-cost physical activity (PA) intervention including a few supervised sessions and a home-based program might be feasible and effective for improving functional capacity in this high-risk and undertreated population is unknown. The HULK (Physical Activity Intervention for Patients With Reduced Physical Performance After Acute Coronary Syndrome; NCT03021044) trial is a multicenter, randomized clinical trial. A detailed study outline and statistical plan have been previously published (3). Inclusion criteria were age$70 years, hospitalization for ACS, and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score between 4 and 9 at the inclusion visit (30 5 days after hospital discharge). The SPPB is a scale that combines gait speed, chair stand, and balance tests. It ranges from 0 (worst) to 12 (best) and has predictive validity for mortality (4). Participants were randomized to usual care and health education (control group) or usual care and PA intervention (intervention group). The control group received a 20-min session and a detailed brochure stressing the importance of PA in cardiovascular health. The PA intervention consisted of four supervised sessions (1, 2, 3, and 4 months after hospital discharge), combined with an individualized home-based PA program. Centerbased sessions included a moderate standardized treadmill-walk, strength, and balance exercises (3). After the practice sessions, patients received a tailored PA home program (3). Weekly energy expenditure from PA was determined by a selfreported 7-day physical activity recall (kcal/week), and objectively measured by wearing an accelerometer (min/week). The primary endpoint was the 6- month SPPB. Secondary endpoints were 1-year SPPB and time engaged in PA. From January 2017 to April 2018, 235 patients were randomized (n ¼ 117, control group; n ¼ 118, intervention group). The median age was 76 (interquartile range [IQR]: 73 to 81) years, and 23% were female. Before the hospitalization, light and moderateintensive PA was performed by 66% and 14% of patients, respectively. Baseline characteristics, as well as baseline SPPB value (Figure 1), did not differ between groups. The adherence rates of the PA intervention group to the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-month scheduled supervised sessions were 100%, 89%, 85%, and 72%, respectively. The time engaged in PA progressively and significantly increased in the intervention group (Figure 1). At 6 months, the SPPB score was significantly higher in the intervention group (median: 9 [IQR: 8 to 11] vs. 7 [IQR: 5 to 8]; p < 0.001) (Figure 1). This improvement was supported by a significant increase in SPPB components of walking and chair rise (balance remained unchanged). The number of patients showing an increase of at least 1 point in SPPB score was 86 (74%) in the intervention group versus 46 (40%) in the control group (p < 0.001). The SPPB increase was maintained at the 1-year visit (Figure 1) and independent of sex and educational status. Typical CR/SP includes 3 weekly supervised exercise and educational sessions for 12 weeks. Despite the health benefits associated with these interventions, few eligible patients are referred or complete such programs (1). Our novel PA intervention was designed to address this issue. The attendance rate was high (72% [95% confidence interval: 64% to 80%]). The average weekly energy expenditure from PA in the intervention group increased 3.4 times, and SPPB score showed a mean increment of 2.0 points. This finding is notable given that an SPPB improvement of 1.0 point is generally considered a substantial clinically meaningful change (2). In addition, despite the absence of supervised sessions after the sixth month, the achievements were maintained until 1-year visit. If confirmed in future studies, our PA intervention model might help to mitigate the challenges related to limited health care resources and might increase the number of older adults receiving CR/SP

The effect of the sterile insect technique on vibrational communication: the case of Bagrada hilaris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

The painted bug, Bagrada hilaris, is an agricultural pest in its original areas (Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East), and it has recently been recorded as an invasive species in southwestern part of the US, Chile, Mexico, and two islands in the Mediterranean basin. Its polyphagous diet causes severe damage to economically important crops. The control of this pest is primarily achieved by means of synthetic pesticides, which are often expensive, ineffective, and harmful to the ecosystem. Recent physiological bioassays to assess its potential control through the sterile insect technique demonstrated that mating between untreated females and males irradiated at doses of 64 and 100 Gy, respectively, resulted in 90% and 100% sterility of the eggs produced by the females. In this study, the mating abilities of virgin males irradiated at 60 and 100 Gy with virgin females were measured through a study of short-range courtship mediated by vibrational communication. The results indicate that males irradiated at 100 Gy emit signals with lower peak frequencies, mate significantly less than unirradiated males do, and do not surpass the early stages of courtship. Conversely, males irradiated at 60 Gy present vibrational signal frequencies that are comparable to those of the control and successfully mated males. Our findings suggest that B. hilaris individuals irradiated at 60 Gy are good candidates for the control of this species, given that they retain sexual competitiveness regardless of their sterility, through an area-wide program that incorporates the sterile insect technique

Does immediate dentin sealing influence postoperative sensitivity in teeth restored with indirect restorations? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: This study comprehensively reviewed clinical trials that investigated the effect of immediate dentin sealing (IDS) technique on postoperative sensitivity (POS) and clinical performance of indirect restorations. Materials and methods: The systematic review was conducted according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement, and was guided by the PICOS strategy. Clinical trials in which adult patients received at least one indirect restoration cemented with IDS approach and one restoration cemented following the delayed dentin sealing (DDS) were considered. Results: Following title screening and full-text reading, four studies met the inclusion criteria and were included for qualitative synthesis, while two studies were selected for quantitative synthesis. According to Risk of bias-2 tool, two studies were classified as “some concerns” for the outcome POS. No statistically significant differences were found between teeth restored with indirect restorations using the IDS and DDS approach for POS (p > 0.05), neither at the baseline (very low certainty of evidence according to GRADE) nor after 2 years of follow-up (low certainty of evidence according to GRADE). Conclusion: There is low-certainty evidence that IDS does not reduce POS in teeth restored with indirect restorations. Clinical significance: There is no clinical evidence to favor IDS over DDS when restoring teeth with indirect restorations