Reversing non-local transport through a superconductor by electromagnetic excitations

Superconductors connected to normal metallic electrodes at the nanoscale provide a potential source of non-locally entangled electron pairs. Such states would arise from Cooper pairs splitting into two electrons with opposite spins tunnelling into different leads. In an actual system the detection of these processes is hindered by the elastic transmission of individual electrons between the leads, yielding an opposite contribution to the non-local conductance. Here we show that electromagnetic excitations on the superconductor can play an important role in altering the balance between these two processes, leading to a dominance of one upon the other depending on the spatial symmetry of these excitations. These findings allow to understand some intriguing recent experimental results and open the possibility to control non-local transport through a superconductor by an appropriate design of the experimental geometry.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Shell structures in aluminum nanocontacts at elevated temperatures

Aluminum nanocontact conductance histograms are studied experimentally from room temperature up to near the bulk melting point. The dominant stable configurations for this metal show a very early crossover from shell structures at low wire diameters to ionic subshell structures at larger diameters. At these larger radii, the favorable structures are temperature-independent and consistent with those expected for ionic subshell (faceted) formations in face-centered cubic geometries. When approaching the bulk melting temperature, these local stability structures become less pronounced as shown by the vanishing conductance histogram peak structure

Integral strategy to supportive care in breast cancer survivors through occupational therapy and a m-health system: design of a randomized clinical trial

Background: Technological support using e-health mobile applications (m-health) is a promising strategy to improve the adherence to healthy lifestyles in breast cancer survivors (excess in energy intake or low physical activity are determinants of the risk of recurrence, second cancers and cancer mortality). Moreover, cancer rehabilitation programs supervised by health professionals are needed due to the inherent characteristics of these breast cancer patients. Our main objective is to compare the clinical efficacy of a m-health lifestyle intervention system alone versus an integral strategy to improve Quality of Life in breast cancer survivors. Methods: This therapeutic superiority study will use a two-arm, assessor blinded parallel RCT design. Women will be eligible if: they are diagnosed of stage I, II or III-A breast cancer; are between 25 and 75 years old; have a Body Mass Index > 25 kg/m2; they have basic ability to use mobile apps; they had completed adjuvant therapy except for hormone therapy; and they have some functional shoulder limitations. Participants will be randomized to one of the following groups: integral group will use a mobile application (BENECA APP) and will receive a face-to-face rehabilitation (8-weeks); m-health group will use the BENECA app for 2-months and will received usual care information. Study endpoints will be assessed after 8 weeks and 6 months. The primary outcome will be Quality of Life measured by The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core and breast module. The secondary outcomes: body composition; upper-body functionality (handgrip, Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, goniometry); cognitive function (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Trail Making Test); anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale); physical fitness (Short version of the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical Activity); accelerometry and lymphedema. Discussion: This study has been designed to seek to address the new needs for support and treatment of breast cancer survivors, reflecting the emerging need to merge new low cost treatment options with much-needed involvement of health professionals in this type of patients. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02817724 (date of registration: 22/06/2016).The study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Plan Estatal de I + D + I 2013-2016), Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria del Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI14/01627), Fondos Estructurales de la Unión Europea (FEDER) and by the Spanish Ministry of Education (FPU14/01069). This is part of a Ph.D. Thesis conducted in the Clinical Medicine and Public Health Doctoral Studies of the University of Granada, Spain

Combination antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common and potentially serious illness that is associated with morbidity and mortality. Although medical care has improved during the past decades, it is still potentially lethal. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequent microorganism isolated. Treatment includes mandatory antibiotic therapy and organ support as needed. There are several antibiotic therapy regimens that include β-lactams or macrolides or fluoroquinolones alone or in combination. Combination antibiotic therapy achieves a better outcome compared with monotherapy and it should be given in the following subset of patients with CAP: outpatients with comorbidities and previous antibiotic therapy, nursing home patients with CAP, hospitalized patients with severe CAP, bacteremic pneumococcal CAP, presence of shock, and necessity of mechanical ventilation. Better outcome is associated with combination therapy that includes a macrolide for wide coverage of atypical pneumonia, polymicrobial pneumonia, or resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. Macrolides have shown different properties other than antimicrobial activity, such as anti-inflammatory properties. Although this evidence comes from observational, most of them retrospective and nonblinded studies, the findings are consistent. Ideally, a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial should be performed to confirm these findings

Molecular Evolution of Ultraspiracle Protein (USP/RXR) in Insects

Ultraspiracle protein/retinoid X receptor (USP/RXR) is a nuclear receptor and transcription factor which is an essential component of a heterodimeric receptor complex with the ecdysone receptor (EcR). In insects this complex binds ecdysteroids and plays an important role in the regulation of growth, development, metamorphosis and reproduction. In some holometabolous insects, including Lepidoptera and Diptera, USP/RXR is thought to have experienced several important shifts in function. These include the acquisition of novel ligand-binding properties and an expanded dimerization interface with EcR. In light of these recent hypotheses, we implemented codon-based likelihood methods to investigate if the proposed shifts in function are reflected in changes in site-specific evolutionary rates across functional and structural motifs in insect USP/RXR sequences, and if there is any evidence for positive selection at functionally important sites. Our results reveal evidence of positive selection acting on sites within the loop connecting helices H1 and H3, the ligand-binding pocket, and the dimer interface in the holometabolous lineage leading to the Lepidoptera/Diptera/Trichoptera. Similar analyses conducted using EcR sequences did not indicate positive selection. However, analyses allowing for variation across sites demonstrated elevated non-synonymous/synonymous rate ratios (dN/dS), suggesting relaxed constraint, within the dimerization interface of both USP/RXR and EcR as well as within the coactivator binding groove and helix H12 of USP/RXR. Since the above methods are based on the assumption that dS is constant among sites, we also used more recent models which relax this assumption and obtained results consistent with traditional random-sites models. Overall our findings support the evolution of novel function in USP/RXR of more derived holometabolous insects, and are consistent with shifts in structure and function which may have increased USP/RXR reliance on EcR for cofactor recruitment. Moreover, these findings raise important questions regarding hypotheses which suggest the independent activation of USP/RXR by its own ligand

Research on Teaching and Learning Mathematics at the Tertiary Level:State-of-the-art and Looking Ahead

This topical survey focuses on research in tertiary mathematics education, a field that has experienced considerable growth over the last 10 years. Drawing on the most recent journal publication as well as the latest advances from recent high quality conference proceedings, our review culls out the following five emergent areas of interest: mathematics teaching at the tertiary level; the role of mathematics in other disciplines; textbooks, assessment and students’ studying practices; transition to the tertiary level; and theoretical-methodological advances. We conclude the survey with a discussion of some potential ways forward for future research in this new and rapidly developing domain of inquiry

RNA-seq analyses of blood-induced changes in gene expression in the mosquito vector species, Aedes aegypti

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hematophagy is a common trait of insect vectors of disease. Extensive genome-wide transcriptional changes occur in mosquitoes after blood meals, and these are related to digestive and reproductive processes, among others. Studies of these changes are expected to reveal molecular targets for novel vector control and pathogen transmission-blocking strategies. The mosquito <it>Aedes aegypti </it>(Diptera, Culicidae), a vector of Dengue viruses, Yellow Fever Virus (YFV) and Chikungunya virus (CV), is the subject of this study to look at genome-wide changes in gene expression following a blood meal.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Transcriptional changes that follow a blood meal in <it>Ae. aegypti </it>females were explored using RNA-seq technology. Over 30% of more than 18,000 investigated transcripts accumulate differentially in mosquitoes at five hours after a blood meal when compared to those fed only on sugar. Forty transcripts accumulate only in blood-fed mosquitoes. The list of regulated transcripts correlates with an enhancement of digestive activity and a suppression of environmental stimuli perception and innate immunity. The alignment of more than 65 million high-quality short reads to the <it>Ae. aegypti </it>reference genome permitted the refinement of the current annotation of transcript boundaries, as well as the discovery of novel transcripts, exons and splicing variants. <it>Cis</it>-regulatory elements (CRE) and <it>cis</it>-regulatory modules (CRM) enriched significantly at the 5'end flanking sequences of blood meal-regulated genes were identified.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provides the first global view of the changes in transcript accumulation elicited by a blood meal in <it>Ae. aegypti </it>females. This information permitted the identification of classes of potentially co-regulated genes and a description of biochemical and physiological events that occur immediately after blood feeding. The data presented here serve as a basis for novel vector control and pathogen transmission-blocking strategies including those in which the vectors are modified genetically to express anti-pathogen effector molecules.</p

Burden of paediatric Rotavirus Gastroenteritis (RVGE) and potential benefits of a universal Rotavirus vaccination programme with a pentavalent vaccine in Spain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rotavirus is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. The aim of the study was to assess the health outcomes and the economic impact of a universal rotavirus vaccination programme with RotaTeq, the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine, versus no vaccination programme in Spain.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A birth cohort was followed up to the age of 5 using a cohort model. Epidemiological parameters were taken from the REVEAL study (a prospective epidemiological study conducted in Spain, 2004-2005) and from the literature. Direct and indirect costs were assessed from the national healthcare payer and societal perspectives by combining health care resource utilisation collected in REVEAL study and unit costs from official sources. RotaTeq per protocol efficacy data was taken from a large worldwide rotavirus clinical trial (70,000 children). Health outcomes included home care cases, General Practioner (GP)/Paediatrician, emergency department visits, hospitalisations and nosocomial infections.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The model estimates that the introduction of a universal rotavirus vaccination programme with RotaTeq (90% coverage rate) would reduce the rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) burden by 75% in Spain; 53,692 home care cases, 35,187 GP/Paediatrician visits, 34,287 emergency department visits, 10,987 hospitalisations and 2,053 nosocomial infections would be avoided. The introduction of RotaTeq would avoid about 76% of RVGE-related costs from both perspectives: €22 million from the national health system perspective and €38 million from the societal perspective.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A rotavirus vaccination programme with RotaTeq would reduce significantly the important medical and economic burden of RVGE in Spain.</p

Overexpression of Reelin Prevents the Manifestation of Behavioral Phenotypes Related to Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

Despite the impact of schizophrenia and mood disorders, which in extreme cases can lead to death, recent decades have brought little progress in the development of new treatments. Recent studies have shown that Reelin, an extracellular protein that is critical for neuronal development, is reduced in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients. However, data on a causal or protective role of Reelin in psychiatric diseases is scarce. In order to study the direct influence of Reelin's levels on behavior, we subjected two mouse lines, in which Reelin levels are either reduced (Reelin heterozygous mice) or increased (Reelin overexpressing mice), to a battery of behavioral tests: open-field, black–white box, novelty-suppressed-feeding, forced-swim-test, chronic corticosterone treatment followed by forced-swim-test, cocaine sensitization and pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) deficits induced by N-methyl--aspartate (NMDA) antagonists. These tests were designed to model some aspects of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, mood, and anxiety disorders. We found no differences between Reeler heterozygous mice and their wild-type littermates. However, Reelin overexpression in the mouse forebrain reduced the time spent floating in the forced-swim-test in mice subjected to chronic corticosterone treatment, reduced behavioral sensitization to cocaine, and reduced PPI deficits induced by a NMDA antagonist. In addition, we demonstrate that while stress increased NMDA NR2B-mediated synaptic transmission, known to be implicated in depression, Reelin overexpression significantly reduced it. Together, these results point to the Reelin signaling pathway as a relevant drug target for the treatment of a range of psychiatric disorders