Epidemics in Networks of Spatially Correlated Three-dimensional Root Branching Structures

Using digitized images of the three-dimensional, branching structures for root systems of bean seedlings, together with analytical and numerical methods that map a common 'SIR' epidemiological model onto the bond percolation problem, we show how the spatially-correlated branching structures of plant roots affect transmission efficiencies, and hence the invasion criterion, for a soil-borne pathogen as it spreads through ensembles of morphologically complex hosts. We conclude that the inherent heterogeneities in transmissibilities arising from correlations in the degrees of overlap between neighbouring plants, render a population of root systems less susceptible to epidemic invasion than a corresponding homogeneous system. Several components of morphological complexity are analysed that contribute to disorder and heterogeneities in transmissibility of infection. Anisotropy in root shape is shown to increase resilience to epidemic invasion, while increasing the degree of branching enhances the spread of epidemics in the population of roots. Some extension of the methods for other epidemiological systems are discussed.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figure

External Load Demands and Positional Differences in Elite Futsal Using UWB Technology

Las exigencias condicionales a las que están sometidos los deportistas profesionales en competición han sido objeto de estudio durante las últimas décadas. El presente estudio tiene como primer objetivo describir las demandas de carga externa a las que están sometidos los jugadores de élite de fútbol sala para posteriormente comprobar si existen diferencias entre las posiciones específicas de juego. 14 jugadores profesionales de primera división de la Liga Nacional de Fútbol Sala española fueron categorizados en tres grupos de acuerdo con su posición específica en el campo: cierre (C), ala (A) y pívot (P). Los porteros no fueron incluidos en el estudio. Durante la temporada 2017-2018, se registraron un total de 15 partidos oficiales de la liga mediante la tecnología de banda ultraancha (ultra wideband, UWB), con los dispositivos WIMU PRO. Las variables analizadas fueron las siguientes: distancia total recorrida (DT); distancia total recorrida por encima de 18 km·h-1 (DTAI: > 18 km·h-1); carga del jugador (CJ); número de aceleraciones y desaceleraciones de alta intensidad (> / < 2 m·s-²). C, A y P no presentaron diferencias substanciales en DT y CJ, pero sí en DTAI, donde A y C recorren más metros a alta intensidad (A = 274 ± 118 m; C = 249 ± 85 m) que los P (P = 195 ± 60 m), en número de aceleraciones de alta intensidad (A = 134 ± 46; C = 139 ± 40; P = 118 ± 21) y número de desaceleraciones de alta intensidad (A = 128 ± 46; C = 131 ± 36; P = 116 ± 23). Los resultados obtenidos en este estudio podrían servir de apoyo a entrenadores, técnicos y preparadores físicos para planificar, diseñar y ajustar las cargas de entrenamiento de sus jugadores

On the observability of resonant structures in planetesimal disks due to planetary migration

We present a thorough study of the impact of a migrating planet on a planetesimal disk, by exploring a broad range of masses and eccentricities for the planet. We discuss the sensitivity of the structures generated in debris disks to the basic planet parameters. We perform many N-body numerical simulations, using the symplectic integrator SWIFT, taking into account the gravitational influence of the star and the planet on massless test particles. A constant migration rate is assumed for the planet. The effect of planetary migration on the trapping of particles in mean motion resonances is found to be very sensitive to the initial eccentricity of the planet and of the planetesimals. A planetary eccentricity as low as 0.05 is enough to smear out all the resonant structures, except for the most massive planets. The planetesimals also initially have to be on orbits with a mean eccentricity of less than than 0.1 in order to keep the resonant clumps visible. This numerical work extends previous analytical studies and provides a collection of disk images that may help in interpreting the observations of structures in debris disks. Overall, it shows that stringent conditions must be fulfilled to obtain observable resonant structures in debris disks. Theoretical models of the origin of planetary migration will therefore have to explain how planetary systems remain in a suitable configuration to reproduce the observed structures.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

Naturally presented HLA class I-restricted epitopes from the neurotrophic factor S100-? are targets of the autoimmune response in type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from the destruction of pancreatic beta-cells by the immune system, and CD8(+) T lymphocytes are critical actors in this autoimmune response. Pancreatic islets are surrounded by a mesh of nervous cells, the peri-insular Schwann cells, which are also targeted by autoreactive T lymphocytes and express specific antigens, such as the neurotrophic factor S100-beta. Previous work has shown increased proliferative responses to whole S100-beta in both human T1D patients and the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse model. We describe for the first time naturally processed and presented epitopes (NPPEs) presented by class I human leukocyte antigen-A*02:01 (A2.1) molecules derived from S100-beta. These NPPEs triggered IFN-gamma responses more frequently in both newly diagnosed and long-term T1D patients compared with healthy donors. Furthermore, the same NPPEs are recognized during the autoimmune response leading to diabetes in A2.1-transgenic NOD mice as early as 4 wk of age. Interestingly, when these NPPEs are used to prevent diabetes in this animal model, an acceleration of the disease is observed together with an exacerbation in insulitis and an increase in S100-beta-specific cytotoxicity in vaccinated animals. Whether these can be used in diabetes prevention needs to be carefully evaluated in animal models before use in future clinical assays.-Calvino-Sampedro, C., Gomez-Tourino, I., Cordero, O. J., Reche, P. A., Gomez-Perosanz, M., Sanchez-Trincado, J. L., Rodriguez, M. A., Sueiro, A. M., Vinuela, J. E., Calvino, R. V. Naturally presented HLA class I-restricted epitopes from the neurotrophic factor S100-beta are targets of the autoimmune response in type 1 diabetes

Fine Structure of Avalanches in the Abelian Sandpile Model

We study the two-dimensional Abelian Sandpile Model on a square lattice of linear size L. We introduce the notion of avalanche's fine structure and compare the behavior of avalanches and waves of toppling. We show that according to the degree of complexity in the fine structure of avalanches, which is a direct consequence of the intricate superposition of the boundaries of successive waves, avalanches fall into two different categories. We propose scaling ans\"{a}tz for these avalanche types and verify them numerically. We find that while the first type of avalanches has a simple scaling behavior, the second (complex) type is characterized by an avalanche-size dependent scaling exponent. This provides a framework within which one can understand the failure of a consistent scaling behavior in this model.Comment: 10 page

Secondary organic aerosol origin in an urban environment: Influence of biogenic and fuel combustion precursors

Source contributions of organic aerosol (OA) are still not fully understood, especially in terms of quantitative distinction between secondary OA formed from anthropogenic precursors vs. that formed from natural precursors. In order to investigate the OA origin, a field campaign was carried out in Barcelona in summer 2013, including two periods characterized by low and high traffic conditions. Volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations were higher during the second period, especially aromatic hydrocarbons related to traffic emissions, which showed a marked daily cycle peaking during traffic rush hours, similarly to black carbon (BC) concentrations. Biogenic VOC (BVOC) concentrations showed only minor changes from the low to the high traffic period, and their intra-day variability was related to temperature and solar radiation cycles, although a decrease was observed for monoterpenes during the day. The organic carbon (OC) concentrations increased from the first to the second period, and the fraction of non-fossil OC as determined by C analysis increased from 43% to 54% of the total OC. The combination of C analysis and Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) OA source apportionment showed that the fossil OC was mainly secondary (>70%) except for the last sample, when the fossil secondary OC only represented 51% of the total fossil OC. The fraction of non-fossil secondary OC increased from 37% of total secondary OC for the first sample to 60% for the last sample. This enhanced formation of non-fossil secondary OA (SOA) could be attributed to the reaction of BVOC precursors with NO emitted from road traffic (or from its nocturnal derivative nitrate that enhances night-time semi-volatile oxygenated OA (SV-OOA)), since NO concentrations increased from 19 to 42 μg m from the first to the last sample

Thermodynamic analysis of the binding of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate to thymidylate synthase over a range of temperatures

The binding of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate (FdUMP) to Lactobacillus casei recombinant thymidylate synthase has been studied by isothermal titration microcalorimetry at pH 7.1 over the temperature range 16-35 degrees C. Calorimetric measurements in various buffer systems with different heats of ionization suggest that a proton uptake is involved in the binding process of the nucleotide. In the temperature range investigated, the mol protons bound/mol nucleotide increases as the temperature decreases. A model of two equal and independent sites fits well with the binding isotherms for thymidylate synthase. The binding constants, the changes in Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy/site for FdUMP binding were calculated at each temperature. The results show that the binding is driven by both enthalpy and entropy contributions in the range 16-35 degrees C. The enthalpy changes become more negative as the temperature increases, with delta Cp = -170 +/- 20 J.K-1.(mol FdUMP bound)-1. The behavior of the system supports the observation that FdUMP binds to thymidylate synthase without producing profound conformational changes in the protein dimer

Hot exozodiacal dust resolved around Vega with IOTA/IONIC

Although debris discs have been detected around a significant number of main-sequence stars, only a few of them are known to harbour hot dust in their inner part where terrestrial planets may have formed. Thanks to infrared interferometric observations, it is possible to obtain a direct measurement of these regions, which are of prime importance for preparing future exo-Earth characterisation missions. In this context, we have resolved the exozodiacal dust disc around Vega with the help of infrared stellar interferometry and estimated the integrated H-band flux originating from the first few AUs of the debris disc. Using precise H-band interferometric measurements obtained with the 3-telescope IOTA/IONIC interferometer (Mount Hopkins, Arizona), thorough modelling of both interferometric data (squared visibility and closure phase) and spectral energy distribution was performed to constrain the nature of the near-infrared excess emission. The most straightforward scenario consists in a compact dust disc producing a thermal emission that is largely dominated by small grains located between 0.1 and 0.3 AU from Vega and accounting for 1.23 +/- 0.45% of the near-infrared stellar flux for our best-fit model. This flux ratio is shown to vary slightly with the geometry of the model used to fit our interferometric data (variations within +/-0.19%). Initially revealed by K-band CHARA/FLUOR observations, the presence of hot exozodiacal dust in the vicinity of Vega is confirmed by our H-band IOTA/IONIC measurements at the 3-sigma level. Whereas the origin of the dust is still uncertain, its presence and the possible connection with the outer disc suggest that the Vega system is currently undergoing major dynamical perturbations.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&