310 research outputs found
LmjF.22.0810 from Leishmania major Modulates the Th2-Type Immune Response and Is Involved in Leishmaniasis Outcome
A novel serine/threonine protein kinase, LmjF.22.0810, was recently described in Leishmania
major. After generating an L. major cell line overexpressing LmjF.22.0810 (named LmJ3OE), the ability
of this novel protein to modulate the Th2-type immune response was analyzed. Our results suggest
that the protein kinase LmjF.22.0810 might be involved in leishmaniasis outcomes. Indeed, our study
outlined the LmJ3OE parasites infectivity in vitro and in vivo. Transgenic parasites displayed lower
phagocytosis rates in vitro, and their promastigote forms exhibited lower expression levels of virulence
factors compared to their counterparts in control parasites. In addition, LmJ3OE parasites developed
significantly smaller footpad swelling in susceptible BALB/c mice. Hematoxylin–eosin staining
allowed the observation of a lower inflammatory infiltrate in the footpad from LmJ3OE-infected mice
compared to animals inoculated with control parasites. Gene expression of Th2-associated cytokines
and effectors revealed a dramatically lower induction in interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and arginase 1 (ARG1)
mRNA levels at the beginning of the swelling; no expression change was found in Th1-associated
cytokines except forIL-12. Accordingly, such results were validated by immunohistochemistry studies,
illustrating a weaker expression of ARG1 and a similar induction for inducible NO synthase (iNOS)
in footpads from LmJ3OE-infected mice compared to control L. major infected animals. Furthermore,
the parasite burden was lower in footpads from LmJ3OE-infected mice. Our analysis indicated
that such significant smaller footpad swellings might be due to an impairment of the Th2 immune
response that subsequently benefits Th1 prevalence. Altogether, these studies depict LmjF.22.0810 as
a potential modulator of host immune responses to Leishmania. Finally, this promising target might
be involved in the modulation of infection outcome
Magnetism in the dilute Kondo lattice model
The one dimensional dilute Kondo lattice model is investigated by means of
bosonization for different dilution patterns of the array of impurity spins.
The physical picture is very different if a commensurate or incommensurate
doping of the impurity spins is considered. For the commensurate case, the
obtained phase diagram is verified using a non-Abelian density-matrix
renormalization-group algorithm. The paramagnetic phase widens at the expense
of the ferromagnetic phase as the -spins are diluted. For the incommensurate
case, antiferromagnetism is found at low doping, which distinguishes the dilute
Kondo lattice model from the standard Kondo lattice model.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure
Sucrose digestion capacity in birds shows convergent coevolution with nectar composition across continents
The major lineages of nectar-feeding birds (hummingbirds, sunbirds, honey-eaters, flowerpiercers, and lorikeets) are considered examples of convergentevolution. We compared sucrose digestion capacity and sucrase enzymatic activ-ity per unit intestinal surface area among 50 avian species from the New World,Africa, and Australia, including 20 nectarivores. With some exceptions, nectari-vores had smaller intestinal surfaces, higher sucrose hydrolysis capacity, andgreater sucrase activity per unit intestinal area. Convergence analysis showedhigh values for sucrose hydrolysis and sucrase activity per unit intestinal surfacearea in specialist nectarivores, matching the high proportion of sucrose in thenectar of the plants they pollinate. Plants pollinated by generalist nectar-feedingbirds in the Old and New Worlds secrete nectar in which glucose and fructose arethe dominant sugars. Matching intestinal enzyme activity in birds and nectarcomposition in flowers appears to be an example of convergent coevolution be-tween plants and pollinators on an intercontinental scale.Todd J. McWhorter, Jonathan A. Rader, Jorge E. Schondube, Susan W. Nicolson, Berry Pinshow, Patricia A. Fleming, Yocelyn T. Gutie, rrez-Guerrero, and Carlos Martı, nez del Ri
Form Factors in the radiative pion decay
We perform an analysis of the form factors that rule the structure-dependent
amplitude in the radiative pion decay. The resonance contributions to pion -> e
nu_e gamma decays are computed through the proper construction of the vector
and axial-vector form factors by setting the QCD driven asymptotic properties
of the three-point Green functions VVP and VAP, and by demanding the smoothing
of the form factors at high transfer of momentum. A comparison between
theoretical and experimental determinations of the form factors is also carried
out. We also consider and evaluate the role played by a non-standard tensor
form factor. We conclude that, at present and due to the hadronic incertitudes,
the search for New Physics in this process is not feasible.Comment: 14 pages, no figures. Typos corrected. Accepted for publication in
The European Physical Journal
Report from the OECI Oncology Days 2014
The 2014 OECI Oncology Days was held at the ‘Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta’ Oncology Institute in Cluj, Romania, from 12 to 13 June. The focus of this year’s gathering was on developments in personalised medicine and other treatment advances which have made the cost of cancer care too high for many regions throughout Europe
K pi vector form factor, dispersive constraints and tau -> nu_tau K pi decays
Recent experimental data for the differential decay distribution of the decay
by the Belle collaboration are described by a
theoretical model which is composed of the contributing vector and scalar form
factors and . Both form factors are constructed
such that they fulfil constraints posed by analyticity and unitarity. A good
description of the experimental measurement is achieved by incorporating two
vector resonances and working with a three-times subtracted dispersion relation
in order to suppress higher-energy contributions. The resonance parameters of
the charged meson, defined as the pole of in the
complex -plane, can be extracted, with the result MeV and MeV. Finally, employing the
three-subtracted dispersion relation allows to determine the slope and
curvature parameters and
of the vector form factor
directly from the data.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure, version to appear in Eur. Phys. J.
Impact of previous tobacco use with or without cannabis on first psychotic experiences in patients with first-episode psychosis
Objective: There is high prevalence of cigarette smoking in individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) prior to psychosis onset. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of previous tobacco use with or without cannabis on first psychotic experiences in FEP and the impact of this use on age of onset of symptoms, including prodromes. Methods: Retrospective analyses from the naturalistic, longitudinal, multicentre, “Phenotype-Genotype and Environmental Interaction. Application of a Predictive Model in First Psychotic Episodes (PEPs)” Study. The authors analysed sociodemographic/clinical data of 284 FEP patients and 231 matched healthy controls, and evaluated first psychotic experiences of patients using the Symptom Onset in Schizophrenia Inventory. Results: FEP patients had significantly higher prevalence of tobacco, cannabis, and cocaine use than controls. The FEP group with tobacco use only prior to onset (N = 56) had more sleep disturbances (42.9% vs 18.8%, P = 0.003) and lower prevalence of negative symptoms, specifically social withdrawal (33.9% vs 58%, P = 0.007) than FEP with no substance use (N = 70), as well as lower prevalence of ideas of reference (80.4% vs 92.4%, P = 0.015), perceptual abnormalities (46.4% vs 67.4%, P = 0.006), hallucinations (55.4% vs 71.5%, P = 0.029), and disorganised thinking (41.1% vs 61.1%, P = 0.010) than FEP group with previous tobacco and cannabis use (N = 144). FEP patients with cannabis and tobacco use had lower age at first prodromal or psychotic symptom (mean = 23.73 years [SD = 5.09]) versus those with tobacco use only (mean = 26.21 [SD = 4.80]) (P = 0.011). Conclusions: The use of tobacco alone was not related to earlier age of onset of a first psychotic experience, but the clinical profile of FEP patients is different depending on previous tobacco use with or without cannabis. © 2021 The Author
Aplicação aérea de fungicidas com diferentes equipamentos e volumes sobre a produtividade, qualidade de grãos e controle de doenças em arroz irrigado
Transitions of cardio-metabolic risk factors in the Americas between 1980 and 2014
Describing the prevalence and trends of cardiometabolic risk factors that are associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is crucial for monitoring progress, planning prevention, and providing evidence to support policy efforts. We aimed to analyse the transition in body-mass index (BMI), obesity, blood pressure, raised blood pressure, and diabetes in the Americas, between 1980 and 2014
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