Characterizing RecA-Independent Induction of Shiga toxin2-encoding Phages by EDTA Treatment

The bacteriophage life cycle has an important role in Shiga toxin (Stx) expression. The induction of Shiga toxin-encoding phages (Stx phages) increases toxin production as a result of replication of the phage genome, and phage lysis of the host cell also provides a means of Stx toxin to exit the cell. Previous studies suggested that prophage induction might also occur in the absence of SOS response, independently of RecA

Compound orbits break-up in constituents: an algorithm

In this paper decomposition of periodic orbits in bifurcation diagrams are derived in unidimensional dynamics system $x_{n+1}=f(x_{n};r)$, being $f$ an unimodal function. We proof a theorem which states the necessary and sufficient conditions for the break-up of compound orbits in their simpler constituents. A corollary to this theorem provides an algorithm for the computation of those orbits. This process closes the theoretical framework initiated in (Physica D, 239:1135--1146, 2010)

Advanced architectural descriptors in foams: novel 3D computational methods

This work presents 3D computational strategies aimed at providing foam de-structuration of the basic components of a cellular material (struts and cell walls) offering the possibility of analysing separately the structural elements that play an important role in the physical properties of thee materials. Two different methodologies have been used depending on the topological similarities existing between the struts and cell walls: 3D erosion-dilation procedure (thick struts) and solid classification algorithm (thin struts). In a second step, analysis of cell walls is performed in order to show the advantages of analysing separately the two foams components. Particularly, cell wall thickness distribution reveals differences that could not be found prior to the de-structuration

A first step to accelerating fingerprint matching based on deformable minutiae clustering

Fingerprint recognition is one of the most used biometric methods for authentication. The identification of a query fingerprint requires matching its minutiae against every minutiae of all the fingerprints of the database. The state-of-the-art matching algorithms are costly, from a computational point of view, and inefficient on large datasets. In this work, we include faster methods to accelerating DMC (the most accurate fingerprint matching algorithm based only on minutiae). In particular, we translate into C++ the functions of the algorithm which represent the most costly tasks of the code; we create a library with the new code and we link the library to the original C# code using a CLR Class Library project by means of a C++/CLI Wrapper. Our solution re-implements critical functions, e.g., the bit population count including a fast C++ PopCount library and the use of the squared Euclidean distance for calculating the minutiae neighborhood. The experimental results show a significant reduction of the execution time in the optimized functions of the matching algorithm. Finally, a novel approach to improve the matching algorithm, considering cache memory blocking and parallel data processing, is presented as future work.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Asombro y conocimiento : una mirada al pathos platónico

Se analiza el papel del pathos como condición de emergencia tanto del logos como de la episteme, lo cual nos lleva reconocer que a la par de una concepción “intelectualista” de la teoría platónica del conocimiento, en la que es necesaria la supresión de todos los elementos irracionales que nublan el juicio, existe otra perspectiva, sobre todo sustentada en el Fedro, en la cual el pathos, expresado como manía amorosa, no es solamente una etapa a superar para acceder a la intuición de las Formas, sino que ella misma se convierte en una experiencia cognitiva que devuelve al conocimiento su carácter humano.We analyze the role of pathos as emergency condition for both, logos and episteme, which leads us to recognize that along with an intellectual conception of the Platonic theory of knowledge, that demands to abolish all irrational elements that cloud the judgment, there is another perspective, especially supported by the Phaedrus, in which pathos, understood as love like madness, is not just a stage to overcome in order to arrive at the intuition of Forms, but it becomes itself a cognitive experience that gives back to knowledge its human nature

Asombro y conocimiento : una mirada al pathos platónico

Se analiza el papel del pathos como condición de emergencia tanto del logos como de la episteme, lo cual nos lleva reconocer que a la par de una concepción "intelectualista" de la teoría platónica del conocimiento, en la que es necesaria la supresión de todos los elementos irracionales que nublan el juicio, existe otra perspectiva, sobre todo sustentada en el Fedro, en la cual el pathos, expresado como manía amorosa, no es solamente una etapa a superar para acceder a la intuición de las Formas, sino que ella misma se convierte en una experiencia cognitiva que devuelve al conocimiento su carácter humano.We analyze the role of pathos as emergency condition for both, logos and episteme, which leads us to recognize that along with an intellectual conception of the Platonic theory of knowledge, that demands to abolish all irrational elements that cloud the judgment, there is another perspective, especially supported by the Phaedrus, in which pathos, understood as love like madness, is not just a stage to overcome in order to arrive at the intuition of Forms, but it becomes itself a cognitive experience that gives back to knowledge its human nature

Spontaneous R-Parity Breaking and Left-Right Symmetry

We propose a simple renormalizable left-right theory where R-parity is spontaneously broken and neutrino masses are generated through the Type I seesaw mechanism and R-parity violation. In this theory R-parity and the gauge symmetry are broken by the sneutrino vacuum expectation values and there is no Majoron problem. The SU(2)_R and R-parity violation scales are determined by the SUSY breaking scale making the model very predictive. We discuss the spectrum and possible tests of the theory through the neutralinos, charginos, Z^' and W_R decays at the Large Hadron Collider.Comment: 4 pages, minor corrections, title changed, to appear in Physics Letters

Algebraic description of anharmonic stretching vibrations

A U(2) algebraic model is presented to describe stretching vibrations of XY$_n$ (n=2, 3, and 4) systems, where anharmonic interactions between the bond modes are considered. This model in a limit corresponds to an anharmonically coupled local mode model. As an example, the model for a molecule XY$_4$ is applied to recently observed spectra of methane in both gas and liquid phases, and the results obtained are in good agreement with the experiments

Phages in the human body

Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, have re-emerged as powerful regulators of bacterial populations in natural ecosystems. Phages invade the human body, just as they do other natural environments, to such an extent that they are the most numerous group in the human virome. This was only revealed in recent metagenomic studies, despite the fact that the presence of phages in the human body was reported decades ago. The influence of the presence of phages in humans has yet to be evaluated; but as in marine environments, a clear role in the regulation of bacterial populations could be envisaged, that might have an impact on human health. Moreover, phages are excellent vehicles of genetic transfer, and they contribute to the evolution of bacterial cells in the human body by spreading and acquiring DNA horizontally. The abundance of phages in the human body does not pass unnoticed and the immune system reacts to them, although it is not clear to what extent. Finally, the presence of phages in human samples, which most of the time is not considered, can influence and bias microbiological and molecular results; and, in view of the evidences, some studies suggest that more attention needs to be paid to their interference