An FFT based approach to account for elastic interactions in OkMC: Application to dislocation loops in iron

Object kinetic Montecarlo (OkMC) is a fundamental tool for modeling defect evolution in volumes and times far beyond atomistic models. The elastic interaction between defects is classically considered using a dipolar approximation but this approach is limited to simple cases and can be inaccurate for large and close interacting defects. In this work a novel framework is proposed to include "exact" elastic interactions between defects in OkMC valid for any type of defect and anisotropic media. In this method, the elastic interaction energy of a defect is computed by volume integration of its elastic strain multiplied by the stress created by all the other defects, being both fields obtained numerically using a FFT solver. The resulting interaction energies reproduce analytical elastic solutions and show the limited accuracy of dipole approaches for close and large defects. The OkMC framework proposed is used to simulate the evolution in space and time of self-interstitial atoms and dislocation loops in iron. It is found that including the anisotropy has a quantitative effect in the evolution of all the type of defects studied. Regarding dislocation loops, it is observed that using the "exact" interaction energy result in higher interactions than using the dipole approximation for close loops.Comment: Accepted in Journal of Nuclear Material

Assessment of an Aujeszky’s disease control strategy in a highly prevalent pig farm based on systematic vaccination with an inactivated gE-negative marker vaccine

Aujeszky's disease (AD) is endemic in Argentina. In 2016, an inactivated gE- negative marker Bartha K61 vaccine (AUSKIPRA® BK) was launched for use, making Argentina the only country to carry out a control strategy plan with it. In the present article, we describe the results of a control program in a farrow-to-finishing farm with high initial AD prevalence (33% in sows), based on the systematic vaccination, detection, and elimination of seropositive pigs, the replacement of sows with vaccinated gilts, and the instauration of artificial insemination. The program was suitable for diminishing the incidence and the prevalence at levels consistent with virus eradication. This situation has been sustained over time. This is the first report of AUSKIPRA® BK efficacy under field conditions.Instituto de PatobiologíaFil: Aznar, Maria Natalia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Bessone, Fernando Aní­bal. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; ArgentinaFil: Segurado, Rodrigo. Veterinario privado; ArgentinaFil: Duffy, Sergio. Consultor privado; Argentin

Water quantity and quality under future climate and societal scenarios: a basin-wide approach applied to the Sorraia river, Portugal

Water resources are impacted by several stressors like over-population and over consumption that compromises their availability. These stressors are expected to progressively intensify due to climate change in most regions of the world, with direct impact on watersheds and river systems. This study investigates the effect of different watershed pressure scenarios due to climate change in the hydrological regime of the Sorraia River basin, Portugal. This catchment includes one of the largest irrigated areas in the country, thus being strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities, associated to hydrological (irrigation, flow regulation, damming) and nutrient stressors. The SoilWater Assessment Tool has been used to simulate water flow and nutrient dynamics in the watershed while considering inputs from two climate models and three societal scenarios. Results have shown that the predicted rainfall reductions will have a significant impact on river flow and nutrient concentrations when compared to baseline conditions. River flow will expectably decrease by 75%, while nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in river water will expectably increase by 500% and 200%, respectively. These differences are more evident for storylines that consider increasing pressures such as population growth and agricultural expansion marked with unsustainable practices and increased reliance on technology. The results of this study indicate a possible future outcome and provide effective guidelines for the formulation of water management policies to counter the impacts of climate change and corresponding environmental pressures in the Sorraia River basininfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of the trophic status in a Mediterranean reservoir under climate change: an integrated modelling approach

This study describes an integrated modelling approach to better understand the trophic status of the Montargil reservoir (southern Portugal) under climate change scenarios. The SWAT and CE-QUAL-W2 models were applied to the basin and reservoir, respectively, for simulating water and nutrient dynamics while considering one climatic scenario and two decadal timelines (2025–2034 and 2055–2064). Model simulations showed that the dissolved oxygen concentration in the reservoir’s hypolimnion is expected to decrease by 60% in both decadal timelines, while the chlorophyll-a concentration in the reservoir’s epiliminion is expected to increase by 25%. The total phosphorus concentration (TP) is predicted to increase in the water column surface by 63% and in the hypolimion by 90% during the 2030 timeline. These results are even more severe during the 2060 timeline. Under this climate change scenario, the reservoir showed a eutrophic state during 70–80% of both timelines. Even considering measures that involve decreases in 30 to 35% of water use, the eutrophic state is not expected to improveinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Molecular characterization of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 full and partial genomes by Illumina massively parallel sequencing technology.

Background\ud \ud Here, we report on the partial and full-length genomic (FLG) variability of HTLV-1 sequences from 90 well-characterized subjects, including 48 HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (ACs), 35 HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and 7 adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) patients, using an Illumina paired-end protocol.\ud Methods\ud \ud Blood samples were collected from 90 individuals, and DNA was extracted from the PBMCs to measure the proviral load and to amplify the HTLV-1 FLG from two overlapping fragments. The amplified PCR products were subjected to deep sequencing. The sequencing data were assembled, aligned, and mapped against the HTLV-1 genome with sufficient genetic resemblance and utilized for further phylogenetic analysis.\ud Results\ud \ud A high-throughput sequencing-by-synthesis instrument was used to obtain an average of 3210- and 5200-fold coverage of the partial (n = 14) and FLG (n = 76) data from the HTLV-1 strains, respectively. The results based on the phylogenetic trees of consensus sequences from partial and FLGs revealed that 86 (95.5%) individuals were infected with the transcontinental sub-subtypes of the cosmopolitan subtype (aA) and that 4 individuals (4.5%) were infected with the Japanese sub-subtypes (aB). A comparison of the nucleotide and amino acids of the FLG between the three clinical settings yielded no correlation between the sequenced genotype and clinical outcomes. The evolutionary relationships among the HTLV sequences were inferred from nucleotide sequence, and the results are consistent with the hypothesis that there were multiple introductions of the transcontinental subtype in Brazil.\ud Conclusions\ud \ud This study has increased the number of subtype aA full-length genomes from 8 to 81 and HTLV-1 aB from 2 to 5 sequences. The overall data confirmed that the cosmopolitan transcontinental sub-subtypes were the most prevalent in the Brazilian population. It is hoped that this valuable genomic data will add to our current understanding of the evolutionary history of this medically important virus.This study was supported with funding from the Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (2011/12297-2). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Os Dois Leopardos Política, literatura e cinema em Lampedusa e Visconti

Este artigo tem por objetivo estabelecer uma compreensão acerca da temática da política a partir de uma obra literária, no caso o romance O Leopardo (1954) de Giuseppe Tomasi de Lampedusa e de um filme adaptado desta mesma obra, o homônimo O Leopardo (1963) de Luchino Visconti

Lack of evidence to support the association of a single IL28B genotype SNP rs12979860 with the HTLV-1 clinical outcomes and proviral load

Abstract Background The Interleukin 28B (IL28B) rs12979860 polymorphisms was recently reported to be associated with the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proviral load (PvL) and the development of the HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Methods In an attempt to examine this hypothesis, we assessed the association of the rs12979860 genotypes with HTLV-1 PvL levels and clinical status in 112 unrelated Brazilian subjects (81 HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers, 24 individuals with HAM/TSP and 7 with Adult T cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL)). Results All 112 samples were successfully genotyped and their PvLs compared. Neither the homozygote TT nor the heterozygote CT mutations nor the combination genotypes (TT/CT) were associated with a greater PvL. We also observed no significant difference in allele distribution between asymptomatic carriers and patients with HTLV-1 associated HAM/TSP. Conclusions Our study failed to support the previously reported positive association between the IL28B rs12979860 polymorphisms and an increased risk of developing HAM/TSP in the Brazilian population.</p

Comparison of the nucleotides of the transcontinental (A) and Japanese (B) sub-subtypes of the cosmopolitan genotype^*.

<p>*The intra- and intergroup comparisons were performed with the new sequences generated in this study.</p

Lack of evidence to support the association of a single IL28B genotype SNP rs12979860 with the HTLV-1 clinical outcomes and proviral load

Abstract Background The Interleukin 28B (IL28B) rs12979860 polymorphisms was recently reported to be associated with the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proviral load (PvL) and the development of the HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Methods In an attempt to examine this hypothesis, we assessed the association of the rs12979860 genotypes with HTLV-1 PvL levels and clinical status in 112 unrelated Brazilian subjects (81 HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers, 24 individuals with HAM/TSP and 7 with Adult T cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL)). Results All 112 samples were successfully genotyped and their PvLs compared. Neither the homozygote TT nor the heterozygote CT mutations nor the combination genotypes (TT/CT) were associated with a greater PvL. We also observed no significant difference in allele distribution between asymptomatic carriers and patients with HTLV-1 associated HAM/TSP. Conclusions Our study failed to support the previously reported positive association between the IL28B rs12979860 polymorphisms and an increased risk of developing HAM/TSP in the Brazilian population

Phylogenetic tree of HTLV-1 sub-subtypes based on Bayesian Inference analysis of the complete coding region sequences (7593 bp, nucleotide 804–8397 according to position in B1033-2009 “GenBank accession no. AB513134”) of 76 participant samples.

<p>Colored (blue, sub-subtype aA; red, sub-subtype aB) and black branches represent patient samples and reference sequences from all verified sub-subtypes, respectively. Sequences displayed simultaneous base substitutions over the complete coding region (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0093374#pone-0093374-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>) and formed a monophyletic cluster are indicated by yellow box. For clarity, the tree was midpoint rooted. Values at the nodes represent Bayesian probabilities.</p