An inquiry into the nature of the gamma-ray source 3EG J1828+0142

The unidentified, low-latitude, $\gamma$-ray source 3EG J1828+0142 presents high levels of variability and a steep spectral index $\Gamma\sim2.7$. Here we propose a model for this source where the high-energy emission is produced by a galactic Kerr-Newman black hole. The model takes into account electron-positron annihilation losses in the calculation of the expected spectral energy distribution and can reproduce the observational features, including the absence of a strong radio counterpart. We also report the discovery of a nearby supernova remnant that could be associated with the original supernova explosion that created the black hole. Several faint radio sources were also detected in the radio field within the inner $\gamma$-ray confidence contour and their spectral index estimated. Some of these sources could be the expected weak radio counterpart.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Ybp1 and Gpx3 signaling in Candida albicans govern hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidation of the Cap1 transcription factor and macrophage escape

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Weight loss dynamics during combined fluoxetine and olanzapine treatment

BACKGROUND: Fluoxetine and olanzapine combination therapy is rapidly becoming an effective strategy for managing symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. Determining drug-drug interactions, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics is of particular interest for revealing potential liabilities associated with drug augmentation in special patient populations. In the current studies, we chronically administered fluoxetine and olanzapine in non-stressed rats to extend our previous findings regarding body weight dynamics. RESULTS: Chronic fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) and olanzapine (5 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg) treatment decreased weight gain irrespective of olanzapine dosing. At the 10 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg dose, respectively, fluoxetine and olanzapine also significantly reduced food and water consumption. This pharmacodynamic event-related effect, however, was not observed at the 10 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg dosing paradigm suggesting differences in tolerability rates as a function of olanzapine dose. The decrease in weight gain was not associated with apparent changes in glucose metabolism as vehicle- and drug-treated rats showed undistinguishable serum glucose levels. The combination of fluoxetine and olanzapine in rats yielded drug plasma concentrations that fell within an expected therapeutic range for these drugs in psychiatric patients. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that fluoxetine and olanzapine treatment decreases weight gain in rats; a pharmacodynamic event-related effect that differs considerably from what is observed in the clinical condition. The possibility of mismatched models regarding body weight changes during drug augmentation therapy should be seriously considered

Sin Nombre Virus Infection in Field Workers, Colorado, USA

We report 2 cases of Sin Nombre virus (SNV) infection in field workers, possibly contracted through rodent bites. Screening for antibodies to SNV in rodents trapped in 2 seasons showed that 9.77% were seropositive. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that 2 of 79 deer mice had detectable titers of SNV RNA

Selectively bred oysters can alter their biomineralization pathways, promoting resilience to environmental acidification

Commercial shellfish aquaculture is vulnerable to the impacts of ocean acidification driven by increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption by the ocean as well as to coastal acidification driven by land run off and rising sea level. These drivers of environmental acidification have deleterious effects on biomineralization. We investigated shell biomineralization of selectively bred and wild‐type families of the Sydney rock oyster Saccostrea glomerata in a study of oysters being farmed in estuaries at aquaculture leases differing in environmental acidification. The contrasting estuarine pH regimes enabled us to determine the mechanisms of shell growth and the vulnerability of this species to contemporary environmental acidification. Determination of the source of carbon, the mechanism of carbon uptake and use of carbon in biomineral formation are key to understanding the vulnerability of shellfish aquaculture to contemporary and future environmental acidification. We, therefore, characterized the crystallography and carbon uptake in the shells of S. glomerata, resident in habitats subjected to coastal acidification, using high‐resolution electron backscatter diffraction and carbon isotope analyses (as δ13C). We show that oyster families selectively bred for fast growth and families selected for disease resistance can alter their mechanisms of calcite crystal biomineralization, promoting resilience to acidification. The responses of S. glomerata to acidification in their estuarine habitat provide key insights into mechanisms of mollusc shell growth under future climate change conditions. Importantly, we show that selective breeding in oysters is likely to be an important global mitigation strategy for sustainable shellfish aquaculture to withstand future climate‐driven change to habitat acidification

Limb-state information encoded by peripheral and central somatosensory neurons:Implications for an afferent interface

A major issue to be addressed in the development of neural interfaces for prosthetic control is the need for somatosensory feedback. Here, we investigate two possible strategies: electrical stimulation of either dorsal root ganglia (DRG) or primary somatosensory cortex (S1). In each approach, we must determine a model that reflects the representation of limb state in terms of neural discharge. This model can then be used to design stimuli that artificially activate the nervous system to convey information about limb state to the subject. Electrically activating DRG neurons using naturalistic stimulus patterns, modeled on recordings made during passive limb movement, evoked activity in S1 that was similar to that of the original movement. We also found that S1 neural populations could accurately discriminate different patterns of DRG stimulation across a wide range of stimulus pulse-rates. In studying the neural coding in S1, we also decoded the kinematics of active limb movement using multi-electrode recordings in the monkey. Neurons having both proprioceptive and cutaneous receptive fields contributed equally to this decoding. Some neurons were most informative of limb state in the recent past, but many others appeared to signal upcoming movements suggesting that they also were modulated by an efference copy signal. Finally, we show that a monkey was able to detect stimulation through a large percentage of electrodes implanted in area 2. We discuss the design of appropriate stimulus paradigms for conveying time-varying limb state information, and the relative merits and limitations of central and peripheral approaches

Degradation of hexacyanoferrate (III) ion by the coupling of the ultraviolet light and the activation of persulfate at basic pH

The ultraviolet light activation of persulfate (PS) under alkaline conditions was evaluated for treating hexacyanoferrate (III) ion ([Fe(CN)6]3-). The effect of the wavelength type (i.e., UVA and UVC), initial PS concentration (0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 g L−1), and pH value (11 and 13) on the degradation of 50 mg L−1 of [Fe(CN)6]3- were studied. Finally, the role of the main degrading agents (SO4•-, O2•-, or HO•) involved in the degradation process was determined using scavengers and a degradation pathway for [Fe(CN)6]3- was proposed. Results show that [Fe(CN)6]3- can be decomposed by UVC light, while UVA is not effective neither in [Fe(CN)6]3- photolysis nor in the activation of PS. Alkaline activation alone at pH 13 can also not degrade the cyanocomplex. However, the combination of UVC with PS (0.3 g L−1) at pH 13 showed high efficiency in the elimination of [Fe(CN)6]3-, achieving 93.3% of removal after 125 min of treatment. The highest CN- release and Fe dissolved removal also occurs at pH 13 and 0.3 g L−1 PS. Further increases in initial PS concentrations may lead to an excess of radicals in solution, resulting in detrimental recombination reactions that affect the efficiency of the process. Quenching tests showed that the importance of radicals involved in the degradation of [Fe(CN)6]3- follows the order: HO• > O2•- >>> 1O2 or SO4•-, and allowed to demonstrate that singlet oxygen could participate in the UVC photolysis of [Fe(CN)6]3-. All these results suggest the feasibility of this technology to treat this type of industrial wastewater efficiently