Laboratory tests of Lorentz and CPTCPT symmetry with muons

The prospects are explored for testing Lorentz and $CPT$ symmetry in the muon sector via the spectroscopy of muonium and various muonic atoms, and via measurements of the anomalous magnetic moments of the muon and antimuon. The effects of Lorentz-violating operators of both renormalizable and nonrenormalizable dimensions are included. We derive observable signals, extract first constraints from existing data on a variety of coefficients for Lorentz and $CPT$ violation, and estimate sensitivities attainable in forthcoming experiments. The potential of Lorentz violation to resolve the proton radius puzzle and the muon anomaly discrepancy is discussed

Comparative pan-genome analysis of Piscirickettsia salmonis reveals genomic divergences within genogroups

Indexación: Scopus.Piscirickettsia salmonis is the etiological agent of salmonid rickettsial septicemia, a disease that seriously affects the salmonid industry. Despite efforts to genomically characterize P. salmonis, functional information on the life cycle, pathogenesis mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment, and control of this fish pathogen remain lacking. To address this knowledge gap, the present study conducted an in silico pan-genome analysis of 19 P. salmonis strains from distinct geographic locations and genogroups. Results revealed an expected open pan-genome of 3,463 genes and a core-genome of 1,732 genes. Two marked genogroups were identified, as confirmed by phylogenetic and phylogenomic relationships to the LF-89 and EM-90 reference strains, as well as by assessments of genomic structures. Different structural configurations were found for the six identified copies of the ribosomal operon in the P. salmonis genome, indicating translocation throughout the genetic material. Chromosomal divergences in genomic localization and quantity of genetic cassettes were also found for the Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system. To determine divergences between core-genomes, additional pan-genome descriptions were compiled for the so-termed LF and EM genogroups. Open pan-genomes composed of 2,924 and 2,778 genes and core-genomes composed of 2,170 and 2,228 genes were respectively found for the LF and EM genogroups. The core-genomes were functionally annotated using the Gene Ontology, KEGG, and Virulence Factor databases, revealing the presence of several shared groups of genes related to basic function of intracellular survival and bacterial pathogenesis. Additionally, the specific pan-genomes for the LF and EM genogroups were defined, resulting in the identification of 148 and 273 exclusive proteins, respectively. Notably, specific virulence factors linked to adherence, colonization, invasion factors, and endotoxins were established. The obtained data suggest that these genes could be directly associated with inter-genogroup differences in pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions, information that could be useful in designing novel strategies for diagnosing and controlling P. salmonis infection. © 2017 Nourdin-Galindo, Sánchez, Molina, Espinoza-Rojas, Oliver, Ruiz, Vargas-Chacoff, Cárcamo, Figueroa, Mancilla, Maracaja-Coutinho and Yañez.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00459/ful

Photoacoustic Assessment Of The In Vivo Genotypical Response Of Corn To Toxic Aluminium

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)[No abstract available]1153341343ACRL; Association of College and Research Libraries; CAPES; Association of College and Research LibrariesCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Potential and limitations for monitoring of pesticide biodegradation at trace concentrations in water and soil

Pesticides application on agricultural fields results in pesticides being released into the environment, reaching soil, surface water and groundwater. Pesticides fate and transformation in the environment depend on environmental conditions as well as physical, chemical and biological degradation processes. Monitoring pesticides biodegradation in the environment is challenging, considering that traditional indicators, such as changes in pesticides concentration or identification of pesticide metabolites, are not suitable for many pesticides in anaerobic environments. Furthermore, those indicators cannot distinguish between biotic and abiotic pesticide degradation processes. For that reason, the use of molecular tools is important to monitor pesticide biodegradation-related genes or microorganisms in the environment. The development of targeted molecular (e.g., qPCR) tools, although laborious, allowed biodegradation monitoring by targeting the presence and expression of known catabolic genes of popular pesticides. Explorative molecular tools (i.e., metagenomics & metatranscriptomics), while requiring extensive data analysis, proved to have potential for screening the biodegradation potential and activity of more than one compound at the time. The application of molecular tools developed in laboratory and validated under controlled environments, face challenges when applied in the field due to the heterogeneity in pesticides distribution as well as natural environmental differences. However, for monitoring pesticides biodegradation in the field, the use of molecular tools combined with metadata is an important tool for understanding fate and transformation of the different pesticides present in the environment

MONITORAMENTO OVARIANO AO ABATE DE LEITOAS DESCARTADAS POR ANESTRO OU ESTRO ATÍPICO

Granjas , manejadas dentro de intenso fluxo de produção, trabalham com taxas anuais de descarte relativamente elevadas (35-50%). Muitas fêmeas são descartadas por problemas irreais. Esses podem ser oriundos de falhas humanas durante sua determinação, levando a um aumento na taxa de renovação do plantel, diminuição da produtividade e, conseqüentemente, aumento dos dias não produtivos e elevados custos. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar uma análise observacional dos ovários de leitoas descartadas por anestro ou estro atípico. O experimento foi realizado em dois frigoríficos de abate de suínos, onde foram avaliados macroscopicamente os ovários de 145 leitoas descartadas por anestro ou estro atípico. Os ovários foram classificados em lisos ou com folículos; com corpos lúteos, e com corpos albicans e corpos lúteos. Das 83 leitoas descartadas por anestro, 13% apresentaram ovários lisos ou com folículos, indicando que essas não haviam ciclado na granja. Por outro lado, 83% das fêmeas apresentaram ovários com corpos lúteos e/ou corpos albicans, indicando que já haviam ciclado na granja. Algumas fêmeas (4%) apresentaram ovários policísticos. Das 62 fêmeas descartadas por estro atípico na granja, 2, 24% não haviam ciclado na granja e 76% haviam ciclado, segundo a avaliação de seus ovários. Os resultados mostram que o acompanhamento ao abate, de fêmeas descartadas por falhas reprodutivas, permite verificar se as razões do descarte condizem ou não com o status fisiológico do trato reprodutivo. Ovarian monitorament at slaughter of gilts culled by anoestrus or atypic oestrus Abstract Intensively managed pig farms work with relatively high annual culling rate, between 35-50%. Many females are culled by causes unrelated to the suspected diagnosis. The problems can arise from human failure, leading to an increased herd replacement rate, decrease on productivity and consequent increase in non-productive days and raised costs. The objective of the present work was to perform an observational analysis of the ovaries of gilts culled by anoestrus or atypical oestrus. The experiment was carried out in two swine slaughterhouses where 145 ovaries of gilts, culled by anoestrus or atypical oestrus, were macroscopically evaluated. The ovaries were classified in: inactive or with follicles; with corpora lutea; and with corpora albicantia and corpora lutea. From 83 gilts culled by anoestrus, 13% presented inactive ovaries or with follicles, indicating that they had not cycled on the farm. On the other hand, 83% presented ovaries with corpora lutea and/or corpora albicantia, indicating that they had previously cycled. Some gilts (4%) presented policystic ovaries. From 62 females culled by atypical oestrus on farm 2, 24% did not cycle on the farm and 76% cycled, according to the ovary examination. The results show that a slaughter examination of gilts culled by reproductive causes, allow to assess if culling reasons correspond to the physiological status of the reproductive tract

Patterns of eukaryotic diversity from the surface to the deep-ocean sediment

Remote deep-ocean sediment (DOS) ecosystems are among the least explored biomes on Earth. Genomic assessments of their biodiversity have failed to separate indigenous benthic organisms from sinking plankton. Here, we compare global-scale eukaryotic DNA metabarcoding datasets (18S-V9) from abyssal and lower bathyal surficial sediments and euphotic and aphotic ocean pelagic layers to distinguish plankton from benthic diversity in sediment material. Based on 1685 samples collected throughout the world ocean, we show that DOS diversity is at least threefold that in pelagic realms, with nearly two-thirds represented by abundant yet unknown eukaryotes. These benthic communities are spatially structured by ocean basins and particulate organic carbon (POC) flux from the upper ocean. Plankton DNA reaching the DOS originates from abundant species, with maximal deposition at high latitudes. Its seafloor DNA signature predicts variations in POC export from the surface and reveals previously overlooked taxa that may drive the biological carbon pump

Empirical calibration of the near-IR Ca II triplet - III. Fitting functions

Using a near-IR stellar library of 706 stars with a wide coverage of atmospheric parameters, we study the behaviour of the Ca II triplet strength in terms of effective temperature, surface gravity and metallicity. Empirical fitting functions for recently defined line-strength indices, namely CaT*, CaT and PaT, are provided. These functions can be easily implemented into stellar populations models to provide accurate predictions for integrated Ca II strengths. We also present a thorough study of the various error sources and their relation to the residuals of the derived fitting functions. Finally, the derived functional forms and the behaviour of the predicted Ca II are compared with those of previous works in the field.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures (two of them in colour), LaTeX. For associated software, see http://www.ucm.es/info/Astrof/ellipt/CATRIPLET.html or http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~ppzrfp/CATRIPLET.htm

Search for Doubly-Charged Higgs Boson Production at HERA

A search for the single production of doubly-charged Higgs bosons H^{\pm \pm} in ep collisions is presented. The signal is searched for via the Higgs decays into a high mass pair of same charge leptons, one of them being an electron. The analysis uses up to 118 pb^{-1} of ep data collected by the H1 experiment at HERA. No evidence for doubly-charged Higgs production is observed and mass dependent upper limits are derived on the Yukawa couplings h_{el} of the Higgs boson to an electron-lepton pair. Assuming that the doubly-charged Higgs only decays into an electron and a muon via a coupling of electromagnetic strength h_{e \mu} = \sqrt{4 \pi \alpha_{em}} = 0.3, a lower limit of 141 GeV on the H^{\pm\pm} mass is obtained at the 95% confidence level. For a doubly-charged Higgs decaying only into an electron and a tau and a coupling h_{e\tau} = 0.3, masses below 112 GeV are ruled out.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl