A cross-sectional study of Leishmania infantum infection in stray cats in the city of Zaragoza (Spain) using serology and PCR

Background: Feline leishmaniosis is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by Leishmania spp. Leishmania infection in dogs is prevalent in the Mediterranean basin, but in other animals, such as cats, it could also play a role in the epidemiology of the disease. Information on the geographical distribution and epidemiological features of L. infantum infection in cats is scarce, particularly in urban stray cats living in regions where canine leishmaniosis is endemic. As diagnosis can be challenging, combining different serological and molecular methods is a useful approach. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of infection of L. infantum in apparently healthy stray cats in an endemic region of Spain (Zaragoza city) using serological and molecular methods, and to compare the results of the different techniques. Methods: The prevalence of Leishmania infection was studied in stray cats captured in urban and peri-urban areas of Zaragoza. Blood was collected from each animal for serology and molecular analysis. Three serological methods, namely the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot (WB), were used to detect L. infantum antibodies and a real-time PCR (qPCR) assay was used to detect L. infantum DNA. The results were analyzed by Fisher’s exact test and Cohen’s kappa statistic (¿) to assess the level of agreement between the diagnostic techniques. Results: Serological analysis of blood samples from 180 stray cats revealed 2.2% (4/179) Leishmania infection positivity by IFAT, 2.8% (5/179) by ELISA and 14.5% (26/179) by WB. Leishmania DNA was detected by qPCR in 5.6% (10/179) of the cats. Sixteen cats (8.9%) tested positive by only one serological technique and four tested positive by all three serological methods used. The overall rate of infected cats (calculated as the number of cats seropositive and/or qPCR positive) was 15.6%, and only two cats tested positive by all the diagnostic methods. A significant association was found between male cats and a positive qPCR result. Comparison of the techniques revealed a fair agreement in seropositivity between blood qPCR and IFAT (¿ = 0.26), blood qPCR and ELISA (¿ = 0.24), WB and ELISA (¿ = 0.37) and WB and IFAT (¿ = 0.40). The highest agreement between seropositive results was between IFAT and ELISA (¿ = 0.89), and the lowest was between blood qPCR and WB (¿ = 0.19). The prevalence of the feline leukemia virus antigen was 4.49% (8/178 cats) and that of the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibody was 6.74% (12/178), while co-infection with both retroviruses was observed in one female cat (1/178). Leishmania ELISA and IFAT seropositivity were statistically associated with FIV status by the chi-square test. Conclusions: The results obtained in this study, using serological tests and qPCR, indicate the existence of L. infantum asymptomatic infection in apparently healthy stray cats in the city of Zaragoza, an endemic area in Spain. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Understanding the selective area growth of GaN nanocolumns by MBE using Ti nanomasks

The influence of the substrate temperature, III/V flux ratio, and mask geometry on the selective area growth of GaN nanocolumns is investigated. For a given set of growth conditions, the mask design (diameter and pitch of the nanoholes) is found to be crucial to achieve selective growth within the nanoholes. The local III/V flux ratio within these nanoholes is a key factor that can be tuned, either by modifying the growth conditions or the mask geometry. On the other hand, some specific growth conditions may lead to selective growth but not be suitable for subsequent vertical growth. With optimized conditions, ordered GaN nanocolumns can be grown with a wide variety of diameters. In this work, ordered GaN nanocolumns with diameter as small as 50 nm are shown

Reproduction and respiration of a climate change indicator species: effect of temperature and variable food in the copepod Centropages chierchiae

The abundance of the calanoid copepod Centropages chierchiae has increased at the northern limits of its distribution in recent decades, mainly due to oceanic climate forcing, suggesting this as a key species in monitoring climate change. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the combined effect of temperature, food type and concentration on the egg production rate (EPR) and hatching success (HS) of C. chierchiae. Females were fed on two monoalgal diets (Gymnodinium sp. and Phaeodactylum tricornutum) at two food concentrations and at three different temperatures (13, 19, 24C). Respiration rates of both genders were measured at four different temperatures (8, 13, 19, 24C). EPR was significantly different between temperatures and food concentrations, the maximum EPR being attained when the copepods were exposed to high food levels and at 19C. Prey type significantly influenced EPR; feeding on P. tricornutum resulted in higher egg production than Gymnodinium sp. HS was significantly lower at 13C than at 19 and 24C and higher with Gymnodinium sp. Respiration rates were sex independent and increased exponentially with temperature. To maintain basal metabolism, the minimum food intake of P. tricornutum ranged between 0.4 and 1.8 g C and for Gymnodinium sp. between 0.03 and 0.13 g C. Food intake was always higher than the metabolic demands, except for the highest temperature tested (24C). The present results confirm the sensitivity of C. chierchiae to temperature variations and may help in understanding the successful expansion of its distribution towards northern latitudes.Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) [PTDC/MAR/098643/2008, PTDC/MAR/111304/2009, PTDC/MAR/0908066/2008]; FCT [SFRH/BD/28198/2006]; [SFRH/BPD/38332/2007

Observation of a New Excited Ds+ Meson in B0 →d-D+K+π-Decays

Using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb−1 collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, the B0 → D−DþKþπ− decay is studied. A new excited Dþ s meson is observed decaying into the DþKþπ− final state with large statistical significance. The pole mass and width, and the spin parity of the new state are measured with an amplitude analysis to be mR ¼ 2591 6 7 MeV, ΓR ¼ 89 16 12 MeV, and JP ¼ 0−, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. Fit fractions for all components in the amplitude analysis are also reported. The new resonance, denoted as Ds0ð2590Þþ, is a strong candidate to be the Dsð21 S0Þþ state, the radial excitation of the pseudoscalar ground-state Dþ s meson

Observation of Multiplicity Dependent Prompt χc1 (3872) and ψ (2S) Production in pp Collisions

The production of χc1(3872) and ψ(2S) hadrons is studied as a function of charged particle multiplicity in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2 fb−1 . For both states, the fraction that is produced promptly at the collision vertex is found to decrease as charged particle multiplicity increases. The ratio of χc1(3872) to ψ(2S) cross-sections for promptly produced particles is also found to decrease with multiplicity, while no significant dependence on multiplicity is observed for the equivalent ratio of particles produced away from the collision vertex in b-hadron decays. This behavior is consistent with a calculation that models the χc1(3872) structure as a compact tetraquark. Implications for the binding energy of the χc1(3872) state are discussed

Measurement of CP observables in B± → D(*)K± and B± → D(*) π ± decays using two-body D final states

Measurements of CP observables in B± → D(∗)K± and B± → D(∗)π ± decays are presented, where D(∗) indicates a neutral D or D∗ meson that is an admixture of meson and anti-meson states. Decays of the D(∗) meson to the Dπ0 and Dγ final states are partially reconstructed without inclusion of the neutral pion or photon. Decays of the D meson are reconstructed in the K±π ∓, K+K−, and π +π − final states. The analysis uses a sample of charged B mesons produced in proton-proton collisions and collected with the LHCb experiment, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 2.0, 1.0, and 5.7 fb−1 taken at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, respectively. The measurements of partially reconstructed B± → D(∗)K± and B± → D(∗)π ± with D → K∓π ± decays are the first of their kind, and a first observation of the B± → (Dπ0 )D∗ π ± decay is made with a significance of 6.1 standard deviations. All CP observables are measured with world-best precision, and in combination with other LHCb results will provide strong constraints on the CKM angle

Search for CP violation in D(s)+→h+π0 and D(s)+→h+η decays

Searches for CP violation in the two-body decays D + (s) → h +π 0 and D + (s) → h +η (where h + denotes a π + or K+ meson) are performed using pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment corresponding to either 9 fb−1 or 6 fb−1 of integrated luminosity. The π 0 and η mesons are reconstructed using the e +e −γ final state, which can proceed as three-body decays π 0 → e +e −γ and η → e +e −γ, or via the two-body decays π 0 → γγ and η → γγ followed by a photon conversion. The measurements are made relative to the control modes D + (s)→ K0 S h + to cancel the production and detection asymmetries. The CP asymmetries are measured to b

IDE ‑OTALEX C: A Primeira Infraestrutura de Dados Espaciais transfronteiriça entre Portugal e Espanha

Em 2007 criou ‑se a primeira Infraestrutura de Dados Espaciais transfronteiriça entre Portugal e Espanha (IDE ‑OTALEX – www.ideotalex.eu), que constituiu o Observatório Territorial e Ambiental Alentejo e Extremadura, ao qual se incorporou, em 2011, a região Centro de Portugal, que no total abrange uma superfície de 92.500 km2. Assim, surgiu o Observatório Territorial Alentejo ‑Extremadura ‑Centro (OTALEX C), possibilitando a integração da informação produzida pelas diversas instituições que desenvolvem as suas competências de planeamento e gestão territorial, nestas três regiões. Tendo como objetivo a monitorização e análise de alterações decorrentes de fenómenos naturais e da atividade humana sobre o território, bem como a disponibilização de dados e indicadores aos agentes que atuam neste território, foi desenvolvido um sistema de indicadores comuns, distribuídos por cinco vetores (territorial, ambiental, social, económico e de sustentabilidade). Os dados sofreram trabalhos de homogeneização e estandardização antes de serem integrados tendo em vista facilitar a visualização de mapas, consulta de topónimos e de catálogo, no âmbito da Diretiva INSPIRE. A IDE ‑OTALEX C é o resultado do esforço, do compromisso e da colaboração entre instituições da fronteira, com implicação aos três níveis administrativos: Nacional, Regional e Local. Concede uma visão sobre a situação real do território, ao mesmo tempo que faculta instrumentos adequados para as políticas de ação, que contribuem para apoiar o planeamento e ordenamento do território, a fim de alcançar um desenvolvimento sustentável.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Observation of the decay Λb0 → χc1pπ−

The Cabibbo-suppressed decay Λ 0 b → χc1pπ − is observed for the first time using data from proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6 fb−1 , collected with the LHCb detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Evidence for the Λ 0 b → χc2pπ − decay is also found. Using the Λ 0 b → χc1pK− decay as normalisation channel, the ratios of branching fractions are measured to be B Λ 0 b → χc1pπ − B Λ0 b → χc1pK− = (6.59 ± 1.01 ± 0.22) × 10−2 , B Λ 0 b → χc2pπ − B Λ0 b → χc1pπ− = 0.95 ± 0.30 ± 0.04 ± 0.04 , B Λ 0 b → χc2pK− B Λ0 b → χc1pK− = 1.06 ± 0.05 ± 0.04 ± 0.04 , where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic and the third is due to the uncertainties in the branching fractions of χc1,2 → J/ψγ decays. Keywords: B physics, Branching fraction, Hadron-Hadron scattering (experiments), QCD, Qua

Angular analysis of B0→D∗−D∗+s with D∗+s→D+sγ decays

The first full angular analysis of the B0 → D∗−D∗+ s decay is performed using 6 fb−1 of pp collision data collected with the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The D∗+ s → D+ s γ and D∗− → D 0 π − vector meson decays are used with the subsequent D+ s → K+K−π + and D 0 → K+π − decays. All helicity amplitudes and phases are measured, and the longitudinal polarisation fraction is determined to be fL = 0.578±0.010±0.011 with world-best precision, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The pattern of helicity amplitude magnitudes is found to align with expectations from quark-helicity conservation in B decays. The ratio of branching fractions [B(B0 → D∗−D∗+ s ) × B(D∗+ s → D+ s γ)]/B(B0 → D∗−D+ s ) is measured to be 2.045 ± 0.022 ± 0.071 with world-best precision. In addition, the first observation of the Cabibbo-suppressed Bs → D∗−D+ s decay is made with a significance of seven standard deviations. The branching fraction ratio B(Bs → D∗−D+ s )/B(B0 → D∗−D+ s ) is measured to be 0.049 ± 0.006 ± 0.003 ± 0.002, where the third uncertainty is due to limited knowledge of the ratio of fragmentation fractions