Singularities in Horava-Lifshitz theory

Singularities in $(3+1)$-dimensional Horava-Lifshitz (HL) theory of gravity are studied. These singularities can be divided into scalar, non-scalar curvature, and coordinate singularities. Because of the foliation-preserving diffeomorphisms of the theory, the number of scalars that can be constructed from the extrinsic curvature tensor $K_{ij}$, the 3-dimensional Riemann tensor and their derivatives is much large than that constructed from the 4-dimesnional Riemann tensor and its derivatives in general relativity (GR). As a result, even for the same spacetime, it may be singular in the HL theory but not in GR. Two representative families of solutions with projectability condition are studied, one is the (anti-) de Sitter Schwarzschild solutions, and the other is the Lu-Mei-Pope (LMP) solutions written in a form satisfying the projectability condition - the generalized LMP solutions. The (anti-) de Sitter Schwarzschild solutions are vacuum solutions of both HL theory and GR, while the LMP solutions with projectability condition satisfy the HL equations coupled with an anisotropic fluid with heat flow. It is found that the scalars $K$ and $K_{ij}K^{ij}$ are singular only at the center for the de Sitter Schwarzschild solution, but singular at both the center and $r = (3M/|\Lambda|)^{1/3}$ for the anti-de Sitter Schwarzschild solution. The singularity at $r = (3M/|\Lambda|)^{1/3}$ is absent in GR. In addition, all the generalized LMP solutions have two scalar curvature singularities, located at either $r = 0$ and $r=r_{s} > 0$, or $r=r_{1}$ and $r= r_{2}$ with $r_{2} > r_{1} > 0$, or $r=r_{s} > 0$ and $r = \infty$, depending on the choice of the free parameter $\lambda$.Comment: Revtex4, six figures. Version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Selective and Irreversible Inhibitors of Aphid Acetylcholinesterases: Steps Toward Human-Safe Insecticides

Aphids, among the most destructive insects to world agriculture, are mainly controlled by organophosphate insecticides that disable the catalytic serine residue of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Because these agents also affect vertebrate AChEs, they are toxic to non-target species including humans and birds. We previously reported that a cysteine residue (Cys), found at the AChE active site in aphids and other insects but not mammals, might serve as a target for insect-selective pesticides. However, aphids have two different AChEs (termed AP and AO), and only AP-AChE carries the unique Cys. The absence of the active-site Cys in AO-AChE might raise concerns about the utility of targeting that residue. Herein we report the development of a methanethiosulfonate-containing small molecule that, at 6.0 µM, irreversibly inhibits 99% of all AChE activity extracted from the greenbug aphid (Schizaphis graminum) without any measurable inhibition of the human AChE. Reactivation studies using β-mercaptoethanol confirm that the irreversible inhibition resulted from the conjugation of the inhibitor to the unique Cys. These results suggest that AO-AChE does not contribute significantly to the overall AChE activity in aphids, thus offering new insight into the relative functional importance of the two insect AChEs. More importantly, by demonstrating that the Cys-targeting inhibitor can abolish AChE activity in aphids, we can conclude that the unique Cys may be a viable target for species-selective agents to control aphids without causing human toxicity and resistance problems

Perturbative instabilities in Horava gravity

We investigate the scalar and tensor perturbations in Horava gravity, with and without detailed balance, around a flat background. Once both types of perturbations are taken into account, it is revealed that the theory is plagued by ghost-like scalar instabilities in the range of parameters which would render it power-counting renormalizable, that cannot be overcome by simple tricks such as analytic continuation. Implementing a consistent flow between the UV and IR limits seems thus more challenging than initially presumed, regardless of whether the theory approaches General Relativity at low energies or not. Even in the phenomenologically viable parameter space, the tensor sector leads to additional potential problems, such as fine-tunings and super-luminal propagation.Comment: 21 pages, version published at Class. Quant. Gra

Epidemiology in Latin America and the Caribbean: current situation and challenges

Background This article analyses the epidemiological research developments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It integrates the series commissioned by the International Epidemiological Association to all WHO Regions to identify global opportunities to promote the development of epidemiology

Crossover inhibition generates sustained visual responses in the inner retina

In daylight, the input to the retinal circuit is provided primarily by cone photoreceptors acting as band-pass filters, but the retinal output also contains neuronal populations transmitting sustained signals. Using in vivo imaging of genetically encoded calcium reporters, we investigated the circuits that generate these sustained channels within the inner retina of zebrafish. In OFF bipolar cells, sustained transmission was found to depend on crossover inhibition from the ON pathway through GABAergic amacrine cells. In ON bipolar cells, the amplitude of low-frequency signals was regulated by glycinergic amacrine cells, while GABAergic inhibition regulated the gain of band-pass signals. We also provide the first functional description of a subset of sustained ON bipolar cells in which synaptic activity was suppressed by fluctuations at frequencies above ∼0.2 Hz. These results map out the basic circuitry by which the inner retina generates sustained visual signals and describes a new function of crossover inhibition

Viral Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Europe, 1995–2000

To gain understanding of surveillance and epidemiology of viral gastroenteritis outbreaks in Europe, we compiled data from 10 surveillance systems in the Foodborne Viruses in Europe network. Established surveillance systems found Norovirus to be responsible for >85% (N=3,714) of all nonbacterial outbreaks of gastroenteritis reported from 1995 to 2000. However, the absolute number and population-based rates of viral gastroenteritis outbreaks differed markedly among European surveillance systems. A wide range of estimates of the importance of foodborne transmission were also found. We review these differences within the context of the sources of outbreak surveillance information, clinical definitions, and structures of the outbreak surveillance systems

Multi-omics Analyses of Starvation Responses Reveal a Central Role for Lipoprotein Metabolism in Acute Starvation Survival in <i>C. elegans</i>

Starvationcauses comprehensivemetabolicchanges, which are still not fully understood. Here, we used quantitative proteomics and RNA sequencing to examine the temporal starvation responses in wildtype Caenorhabditis elegans and animals lacking the transcription factor HLH-30. Our findings show that starvation alters the abundance of hundreds of proteins and mRNAs in a temporal manner, many of which are involved in central metabolic pathways, including lipoprotein metabolism. We demonstrate that premature death of hlh-30 animals under starvation can be prevented by knockdown of either vit-1 or vit-5, encoding two different lipoproteins. We further showthat the size and number of intestinal lipid droplets under starvation are altered in hlh-30 animals, which can be rescued by knockdown of vit-1. Taken together, this indicates that survival of hlh-30 animals under starvation is closely linked to regulation of intestinal lipid stores. We provide the most detailed poly-omic analysis of starvation responses to date, which serves as a resource for further mechanistic studies of starvation

Proteins of nucleotide and base excision repair pathways interact in mitochondria to protect from loss of subcutaneous fat, a hallmark of aging

Defects in the DNA repair mechanism nucleotide excision repair (NER) may lead to tumors in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) or to premature aging with loss of subcutaneous fat in Cockayne syndrome (CS). Mutations of mitochondrial (mt)DNA play a role in aging, but a link between the NER-associated CS proteins and base excision repair (BER)-associated proteins in mitochondrial aging remains enigmatic. We show functional increase of CSA and CSB inside mt and complex formation with mtDNA, mt human 8-oxoguanine glycosylase (mtOGG)-1, and mt single-stranded DNA binding protein (mtSSBP)-1 upon oxidative stress. MtDNA mutations are highly increased in cells from CS patients and in subcutaneous fat of aged Csbm/m and Csa−/− mice. Thus, the NER-proteins CSA and CSB localize to mt and directly interact with BER-associated human mitochondrial 8-oxoguanine glycosylase-1 to protect from aging- and stress-induced mtDNA mutations and apoptosis-mediated loss of subcutaneous fat, a hallmark of aging found in animal models, human progeroid syndromes like CS and in normal human aging

A mass vaccination campaign targeting adults and children to prevent typhoid fever in Hechi; Expanding the use of Vi polysaccharide vaccine in Southeast China: A cluster-randomized trial

BACKGROUND: One of the goals of this study was to learn the coverage, safety and logistics of a mass vaccination campaign against typhoid fever in children and adults using locally produced typhoid Vi polysaccharide (PS) and group A meningococcal PS vaccines in southern China. METHODS: The vaccination campaign targeted 118,588 persons in Hechi, Guangxi Province, aged between 5 to 60 years, in 2003. The study area was divided into 107 geographic clusters, which were randomly allocated to receive one of the single-dose parenteral vaccines. All aspects regarding vaccination logistics, feasibility and safety were documented and systematically recorded. Results of the logistics, feasibility and safety are reported. RESULTS: The campaign lasted 5 weeks and the overall vaccination coverage was 78%. On average, the 30 vaccine teams gave immunizations on 23 days. Vaccine rates were higher in those aged ≤ 15 years (90%) than in adolescents and young adults (70%). Planned mop-up activities increased the coverage by 17%. The overall vaccine wastage was 11%. The cold chain was maintained and documented. 66 individuals reported of adverse events out of all vaccinees, where fever (21%), malaise (19%) and local redness (19%) were the major symptoms; no life-threatening event occurred. Three needle-sharp events were reported. CONCLUSION: The mass immunization proved feasible and safe, and vaccine coverage was high. Emphasis should be placed on: injection safety measures, community involvement and incorporation of mop-up strategies into any vaccination campaign. School-based and all-age Vi mass immunizations programs are potentially important public health strategies for prevention of typhoid fever in high-risk populations in southern China