Minimal Scenarios for Leptogenesis and CP Violation

The relation between leptogenesis and CP violation at low energies is analyzed in detail in the framework of the minimal seesaw mechanism. Working, without loss of generality, in a weak basis where both the charged lepton and the right-handed Majorana mass matrices are diagonal and real, we consider a convenient generic parametrization of the Dirac neutrino Yukawa coupling matrix and identify the necessary condition which has to be satisfied in order to establish a direct link between leptogenesis and CP violation at low energies. In the context of the LMA solution of the solar neutrino problem, we present minimal scenarios which allow for the full determination of the cosmological baryon asymmetry and the strength of CP violation in neutrino oscillations. Some specific realizations of these minimal scenarios are considered. The question of the relative sign between the baryon asymmetry and CP violation at low energies is also discussed.Comment: 36 pages, 5 figures; minor corrections and references updated. Final version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Neutrino Masses, Mixing and New Physics Effects

We introduce a parametrization of the effects of radiative corrections from new physics on the charged lepton and neutrino mass matrices, studying how several relevant quantities describing the pattern of neutrino masses and mixing are affected by these corrections. We find that the ratio omega = sin theta / tan theta_atm is remarkably stable, even when relatively large corrections are added to the original mass matrices. It is also found that if the lightest neutrino has a mass around 0.3 eV, the pattern of masses and mixings is considerably more stable under perturbations than for a lighter or heavier spectrum. We explore the consequences of perturbations on some flavor relations given in the literature. In addition, for a quasi-degenerate neutrino spectrum it is shown that: (i) starting from a bi-maximal mixing scenario, the corrections to the mass matrices keep tan theta_atm very close to unity while they can lower tan theta_sol to its measured value; (ii) beginning from a scenario with a vanishing Dirac phase, corrections can induce a Dirac phase large enough to yield CP violation observable in neutrino oscillations.Comment: 14 pages, 21 figures. Uses RevTeX4. Added several comments and references. Final version to appear in PR

Identification of subclinical mastitis caused by Mycoplasma spp. from screenings of bulk tanks

ABSTRACT Mastitis caused by Mycoplasma spp., regardless of species, are considered highly contagious pathogens and, usually was not responsive to antimicrobial therapy. Five dairy herds, comprising 489 animals and 1,956 mammary glands, were used in this study. Milk samples were obtained from bulk tanks and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the identification of Mollicutes, Mycoplasma spp., and Mycoplasma bovis. Moreover, individual samples from cases of clinical and subclinical mastitis in quarters of the dairy herds’ animals that yielded a positive PCR upon bulk tank analysis were subjected to molecular analysis. Only one bulk tank was positive for class Mollicutes by PCR. All positive samples classified as mastitis teats had their DNA extracted and tested by PCR for both class Mollicutes and M. bovis. Of these, two (2.08%) were positive for Mycoplasma genus, although none was positive for M. bovis. This result suggests that the PCR of bulk tanks is a viable tool in monitoring and preventing mastitis infections caused by Mycoplasma spp

Bladder cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up

Disclosure TP has received research funding from Merck Serono, Merck, Sharp & Dohme (MSD), Roche, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), AstraZeneca, Astellas, Novartis, Johnson and Johnson, Seattle Genetics, Pfizer, Exelixis and Eisai and honoraria from Merck Serono, MSD, Roche, BMS, AstraZeneca, Astellas, Novartis, Johnson and Johnson, Seattle Genetics, Pfizer, Exelixis and Eisai; JB has received honoraria for participation in advisory boards from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck and BMS, invited speaker fees from Merck, Genentech and MSD, royalties from UpToDate, institutional research funding as principal investigator (PI) for MSD and Pfizer, research funding from Takeda and non-remunerated activities as steering committee member of the IMvigor 011 study; EC has received honoraria from Jansen for invited speaker and non-remunerated activities in an advisory role for the EAU guidelines; MDS has received honoraria for participation in advisory boards and as an invited speaker for 4D, AAA, Amgen, Astellas, AstraZeneca, Basilea, Bayer, Bioclin, BMS, EISAI, Ferring, Immunomedics, Ipsen, Janssen, MSD, Merck Serono, Novartis, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre Oncology, Roche, Sandoz, Sanofi, SeaGen and Amgen and institutional research as PI and steering committee member for Basilea, AstraZeneca, MSD, Merck, EISAI, Astellas, SeaGen, Exelixis, Ipsen, Roche, Immunomedics, Janssen and Calithera; RH has received honoraria for participation in advisory boards for Roche, Nektar, BMS, MSD and Astellas, expert testimony for National Institute of Clinical Excellence and partnership in the Cancer Centre London, institutional royalties received from Janssen, research grants from MSD and Roche, local PI for Roche, MSD, Basilea and Cancer Research UK; patient funding from Astellas and steering committee member with Cancer Research UK; YL has received honoraria for lectures, presentations, speaker’s bureau, manuscript writing or educational events from BMS, Pfizer, Merck KGaA, MSD, AstraZeneca, Roche, Jansen, Astellas, Seattle Genetics and Immunomedics and support for attending meetings and/or travel grants from BMS, Roche, AstraZeneca, MSD and Pfizer; AN has received institutional research grants from Merck, AstraZeneca, Ipsen and BMS and has undertaken personal research as a steering committee member for Roche, Janssen, Bayer, Astellas, AstraZeneca, Merck and Clovis Oncology; BPV has received honoraria for advisory boards for Pfizer, Astellas Pharma, BMS, Ipsen, EUSA Pharma, Sanofi-Aventis and Merck and has been an invited speaker for Janssen, Pfizer, BMS, Roche, Bayer, EUSA Pharma, MSD and Merck; AR has received honoraria for advisory boards for Pfizer, Merck GA, BMS, Ipsen, MSD and AstraZeneca and has been an invited speaker for Pfizer, Merck GA, BMS, Ipsen and MSD and has received institutional grants from Pfizer, Merck GA and Ipsen; SFS has received honoraria for participation in advisory boards for Astellas, Janssen, MSD, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BMS, Cepheid, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Ipsen, Lilly, Olympus, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Richard Wolf, Roche, Sanochemia, Sanofi, Takeda and UroGen; BS has received honoraria from Ellipses, Ipsen, Merck, Pfizer and Roche and has received travel and research funding from BMS, Genentech, MSD, Pfizer and Roche; MSvdH has received honoraria (paid to institute) for participation in advisory boards for BMS, Roche, Seagen, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Pfizer and MSD, stock ownership with Gilead; and institutional research funding from BMS, Roche, AstraZeneca and 4SC; SG has received personal honoraria for participation in advisory boards for Sanofi, Orion, Roche, Amgen, MSD and Aranda; other honoraria from RSI Televisione Svizzera Italiana); has been an invited speaker for ESMO, SAKK, SAMO, Orikata and CACA-GU, speaker’s bureau for Janssen Cilag; travel grant from ProteoMEdiX, institutional honoraria for advisory boards for Bayer, Janssen Cilag, Roche and AAA International including Independent Data Monitoring Committee; steering committee for Amgen, Menarini Silicon Biosystems, Astellas Pharma, Tolero Pharmaceuticals, MSD, Pfizer, Telixpharma, BMS and Orion and has received a patent, royalties and other intellectual property from Method for Biomarker WO2009138392

Abortion and fetal death in bitches due anemia caused by vector-borne diseases

RESUMO Doenças infecciosas são as maiores responsáveis por falhas reprodutivas (FR) em cadelas, causando aborto, morte fetal e natimortalidade. Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar a associação entre agentes infecciosos, FR inexplicáveis e anemia em cadelas. Todas as amostras maternas e fetais foram negativas para a presença dos principais agentes infecciosos causadores de FR: herpes vírus canino 1, Neospora caninum, Brucella spp. e B. canis, enquanto agentes como o de Leishmania spp., parvovírus canino, Ehrlichia canis e Anaplasma platys foram encontrados em sangue materno. Coinfecções de A. platys/E. canis e A. platys/Leishmania spp. foram diagnosticadas. Os resultados indicam que os animais com anemia causadas por doenças transmitidas por vetores podem ser mais suscetíveis a sofrerem FR do que animais com valores hematológicos normais

Castration-resistant prostate cancer: new science and therapeutic prospects

There is a growing number of new therapies targeting different pathways that will revolutionize patient management strategies in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients. Today there are more clinical trial options for CRPC treatment than ever before, and there are many promising agents in late-stage clinical testing. The hypothesis that CRPC frequently remains driven by a ligand-activated androgen receptor (AR) and that CRPC tissues exhibit substantial residual androgen levels despite gonadotropin-releasing hormone therapy, has led to the evaluation of new oral compounds such as abiraterone and MDV 3100. Their results, coupled with promising recent findings in immunotherapy (eg sipuleucel-T) and with agents targeting angiogenesis (while awaiting the final results of the CALGB trial 90401) will most probably impact the management of patients with CRPC in the near future. Other new promising agents need further development. With our increased understanding of the biology of this disease, further trial design should incorporate improved patient selection so that patient populations are those who may be most likely to benefit from treatment