What does a change in the quark condensate say about restoration of chiral symmetry in matter?

The contribution of nucleons to the quark condensate in nuclear matter includes a piece of first order in $m_\pi$, arising from the contribution of low-momentum virtual pions to the $\pi N$ sigma commutator. Chiral symmetry requires that no term of this order appears in the $NN$ interaction. The mass of a nucleon in matter thus cannot depend in any simple way on the quark condensate alone. More generally, pieces of the quark condensate that arise from low-momentum pions should not be associated with partial restoration of chiral symmetry.Comment: 9 pages (RevTeX). Definition of effective mass changed; numerical value of leading nonanalytic term corrected, along with various misprint

Self-Assembling Ferritin Nanoplatform for Development of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) Vaccine

Self-assembling protein nanoparticles are used as a novel vaccine design platform to improve the stability and immunogenicity of safe subunit vaccines, while providing broader protection against viral infections. In this study, by genetically fusing the virus glycoprotein to the H. pylori ferritin as a scaffold (FerritVac), we constructed a self-assembling Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) nanovaccine. IHNV is a WOAH-listed disease for which there are currently no therapeutic treatments and no globally available commercial vaccine. Despite the introduction of an exogenous fragment, the FerritVac NPs show excellent stability same as Ferritin NPs under different storage, pH and temperature conditions, mimicking the harsh gastrointestinal condition of rainbow trout, the main IHNV host. MTT viability assays showed no cytotoxicity of FerritVac or Ferritin NPs in zebrafish cell culture incubated with different doses of up to 100 µg/mL for 14 hours. In trout head kidney macrophages, FerritVac NPs upregulated expression of innate antiviral immunity, IHNV and other fish rhabdovirus infection gene markers (mx, vig1, ifit5 and isg-15). This novel vaccine nano-self-assembly approach offers significant commercial potential for non-mammalian viruses and the control of fish viral diseases. In this study, we demonstrate the development of a soluble recombinant glycoprotein of IHNV in the E. coli system using the ferritin self-assembling nanoplatform, as a biocompatible, stable and effective foundation to rescue and produce soluble protein and enable oral administration and antiviral induction for development of a complete IHNV vaccine

Making Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptability Real in Africa with Conservation Agriculture

In this report, the authors have gathered essential information on how the agricultural sector can respond to climate change through Conservation Agriculture (CA). This document aims to serve as a basis for decision-making based on science and agricultural experimentation in Africa

Spallation Residues in the Reaction 56Fe + p at 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 A GeV

The spallation residues produced in the bombardment of 56}Fe at 1.5, 1.0, 0.75, 0.5 and 0.3 A GeV on a liquid-hydrogen target have been measured using the reverse kinematics technique and the Fragment Separator at GSI (Darmstadt). This technique has permitted the full identification in charge and mass of all isotopes produced with cross-sections larger than 10^{-2} mb down to Z=8. Their individual production cross-sections and recoil velocities at the five energies are presented. Production cross-sections are compared to previously existing data and to empirical parametric formulas, often used in cosmic-ray astrophysics. The experimental data are also extensively compared to different combinations of intra-nuclear cascade and de-excitation models. It is shown that the yields of the lightest isotopes cannot be accounted for by standard evaporation models. The GEMINI model, which includes an asymmetric fission decay mode, gives an overall good agreement with the data. These experimental data can be directly used for the estimation of composition modifications and damages in materials containing iron in spallation sources. They are also useful for improving high precision cosmic-ray measurements.Comment: Submited to Phys. Rev. C (10/2006

Interaction of HLA Class II rs9272219 and TMPO rs17028450 (Arg690Cys) Variants Affects Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Susceptibility in an Admixed Mexican Population

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) is a demyelinating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, more prevalent in individuals of non-European ancestry. Few studies have analyzed genetic risk factors in NMOSD, and HLA class II gene variation has been associated NMOSD risk in various populations including Mexicans. Thymopoietin (TMPO) has not been tested as a candidate gene for NMOSD or other autoimmune disease, however, experimental evidence suggests this gene may be involved in negative selection of autoreactive T cells and autoimmunity. We thus investigated whether the missense TMPO variant rs17028450 (Arg630Cys, frequent in Latin America) is associated with NMOSD, and whether this variant shows an interaction with HLA-class II rs9272219, previously associated with NMOSD risk. A total of 119 Mexican NMOSD patients, 1208 controls and 357 Native Mexican individuals were included. The HLA rs9272219 "T" risk allele frequency ranged from 21 to 68%, while the rs17028450 "T" minor allele frequency was as high as 18% in Native Mexican groups. Both rs9272219 and rs17028450 were significantly associated with NMOSD risk under additive models (OR = 2.48; p = 8 × 10(-10) and OR = 1.59; p = 0.0075, respectively), and a significant interaction between both variants was identified with logistic regression models (p = 0.048). Individuals bearing both risk alleles had an estimated 3.9-fold increased risk of NMOSD. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting an association of TMPO gene variation with an autoimmune disorder and the interaction of specific susceptibility gene variants, that may contribute to the genetic architecture of NMOSD in admixed Latin American populations

Results from a Prototype Proton-CT Head Scanner

We are exploring low-dose proton radiography and computed tomography (pCT) as techniques to improve the accuracy of proton treatment planning and to provide artifact-free images for verification and adaptive therapy at the time of treatment. Here we report on comprehensive beam test results with our prototype pCT head scanner. The detector system and data acquisition attain a sustained rate of more than a million protons individually measured per second, allowing a full CT scan to be completed in six minutes or less of beam time. In order to assess the performance of the scanner for proton radiography as well as computed tomography, we have performed numerous scans of phantoms at the Northwestern Medicine Chicago Proton Center including a custom phantom designed to assess the spatial resolution, a phantom to assess the measurement of relative stopping power, and a dosimetry phantom. Some images, performance, and dosimetry results from those phantom scans are presented together with a description of the instrument, the data acquisition system, and the calibration methods.Comment: Conference on the Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry, CAARI 2016, 30 October to 4 November 2016, Ft. Worth, TX, US

Toward an internally consistent astronomical distance scale

Accurate astronomical distance determination is crucial for all fields in astrophysics, from Galactic to cosmological scales. Despite, or perhaps because of, significant efforts to determine accurate distances, using a wide range of methods, tracers, and techniques, an internally consistent astronomical distance framework has not yet been established. We review current efforts to homogenize the Local Group's distance framework, with particular emphasis on the potential of RR Lyrae stars as distance indicators, and attempt to extend this in an internally consistent manner to cosmological distances. Calibration based on Type Ia supernovae and distance determinations based on gravitational lensing represent particularly promising approaches. We provide a positive outlook to improvements to the status quo expected from future surveys, missions, and facilities. Astronomical distance determination has clearly reached maturity and near-consistency.Comment: Review article, 59 pages (4 figures); Space Science Reviews, in press (chapter 8 of a special collection resulting from the May 2016 ISSI-BJ workshop on Astronomical Distance Determination in the Space Age

NR 27. Strategic nutritional management technologies for enhancing forage beef production in the tropical venezuelan llanos

The response in growth and carcass quality of 102 intact and 20 castrate males grazing dry season followed by irrigated dry season native (Lambedora) improved (Tanner grass) forages to selected strategic technologies was investigated. The key is to develop strategies to deliver these technologies in ways that will enhance fermentative rate and efficiency to allow greater intake and animal productivity. Nutritional strategies included 1) a macro/tracemineral supplement (MIN) or 2) a strategic (STRAT) supplement including key minerals, a slowly degrading protein source (feather meal) to provide a continuous nitrogen release, ionophore (Salocin), degradable fiber (rice polishings), and capsulized fat (whole cottonseed). Cattle initially were intensively grazed on flood and pump irrigated pastures until target weight (average 495 kg) and condition were achieved. Cattle were implanted initially with zeranol (72 mg) or Revalor followed by a second implant of zeranol (72 mg). Mineral supplement for MIN cattle was provided continuously and STRAT (comprised of feather meal, whole cottonseed, molasses, rice polishings, mineral mix and Salocin at 10, 0, 5, 77.9, 7, and 1 % for d 0-60 and 10, 49.9, 5, 28, 7, and 1 % for d 61-182), was hand-fed at 1 kg/hd daily. Total MIN or STRAT consumption was 15.3 vs. 172 kg/hd or 84 vs. 945 g/d through d 182. At 182 d, the first group was selected for slaughter and supplementation with STRAT was ceased. At this point, the MIN and STRAT cattle averaged 459.4 and 487.2 kg and differed (P<.001) in weight. Average daily gain to 182 d averaged 676 vs. 818 g (P<.001), for a 142 g/d response. Further, the STRAT supplement enhanced (P<.001) dressing percentage from 57.6 to 59.0 % at termination, and adjustment of d 182 response to a common dressing percentage yielded a 32.6 kg response in weight or 179 g response in daily gain