A clone-free, single molecule map of the domestic cow (Bos taurus) genome.

BackgroundThe cattle (Bos taurus) genome was originally selected for sequencing due to its economic importance and unique biology as a model organism for understanding other ruminants, or mammals. Currently, there are two cattle genome sequence assemblies (UMD3.1 and Btau4.6) from groups using dissimilar assembly algorithms, which were complemented by genetic and physical map resources. However, past comparisons between these assemblies revealed substantial differences. Consequently, such discordances have engendered ambiguities when using reference sequence data, impacting genomic studies in cattle and motivating construction of a new optical map resource--BtOM1.0--to guide comparisons and improvements to the current sequence builds. Accordingly, our comprehensive comparisons of BtOM1.0 against the UMD3.1 and Btau4.6 sequence builds tabulate large-to-immediate scale discordances requiring mediation.ResultsThe optical map, BtOM1.0, spanning the B. taurus genome (Hereford breed, L1 Dominette 01449) was assembled from an optical map dataset consisting of 2,973,315 (439 X; raw dataset size before assembly) single molecule optical maps (Rmaps; 1 Rmap = 1 restriction mapped DNA molecule) generated by the Optical Mapping System. The BamHI map spans 2,575.30 Mb and comprises 78 optical contigs assembled by a combination of iterative (using the reference sequence: UMD3.1) and de novo assembly techniques. BtOM1.0 is a high-resolution physical map featuring an average restriction fragment size of 8.91 Kb. Comparisons of BtOM1.0 vs. UMD3.1, or Btau4.6, revealed that Btau4.6 presented far more discordances (7,463) vs. UMD3.1 (4,754). Overall, we found that Btau4.6 presented almost double the number of discordances than UMD3.1 across most of the 6 categories of sequence vs. map discrepancies, which are: COMPLEX (misassembly), DELs (extraneous sequences), INSs (missing sequences), ITs (Inverted/Translocated sequences), ECs (extra restriction cuts) and MCs (missing restriction cuts).ConclusionAlignments of UMD3.1 and Btau4.6 to BtOM1.0 reveal discordances commensurate with previous reports, and affirm the NCBI's current designation of UMD3.1 sequence assembly as the "reference assembly" and the Btau4.6 as the "alternate assembly." The cattle genome optical map, BtOM1.0, when used as a comprehensive and largely independent guide, will greatly assist improvements to existing sequence builds, and later serve as an accurate physical scaffold for studies concerning the comparative genomics of cattle breeds

Desarrollo de Materiales para Aplicaciones Marítimas, Fluviales y Militares

A platform to design composite materials of a polymeric matrix, that are specifically for military applications on fluvial and naval navigation, has been developed using energy dissipation and storage mechanisms. Our composites are designed to generate synergy between the dissipation capacities of ceramics and high-performance fibers, which are used as the reinforced material in the lightweight laminates. The composite design is combined with processing tools and advanced characterization techniques that result in laminates with reliability, traceability and quality. The platform begins with the identification of energy dissipation mechanisms and the detailed characterization of the polymeric resin. It includes the Time – Temperature – Transformation Diagram (TTT- Diagram) that supplies the optimal processing conditions. Our designs open new paths for military applications including a wide spectrum of protective systems together with geometric versatility, high mechanical resistance and reliabilityUtilizando los múltiples mecanismos de disipación de la energía de impacto a alta velocidad, hemos desarrollado una plataforma de diseño de materiales compuestos de matriz polimérica, especiales para aplicaciones militares en navegación fluvial y marítima.  Nuestros compuestos pretenden hacer sinergia entre las capacidades de disipación de cerámicos y fibras de alto desempeño, los cuales son utilizados como los elementos de refuerzo en los laminados de bajo peso.  El diseño del material es combinado con herramientas de procesamiento y técnicas avanzadas de caracterización que resultan en laminados consistentes de alta repetibilidad, trazabilidad y alta calidad.  La plataforma parte de la identificación de los mecanismos de disipación y de una caracterización detallada de la resina polimérica, el cual incluye un diagrama de Tiempo-Temperatura-Transformación que provee las condiciones óptimas de procesamiento.  Nuestros diseños abren rutas novedosas para aplicaciones militares, los cuales incluyen amplios portafolios de protección, versatilidad geométrica, resistencia mecánica y confiabilida

Brain Interconnections

The interaction brain-machine is now an indissoluble fact. The repercussions this fact will have in future are presently unimaginable. As mentioned in [1] the nerve axon can now be modeled by a cable or a planar high speed interconnection, no matter what kind of interconnection will be used.  The brain development is clearly shown in a stupendous book of the SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE treating the brain and the nervous system. An extraction of the brain development chapter is here included to show the relationship among the physiological brain connections [2] and the high speed electrical connections [1]. On the other hand, because of the massive volume of information storage now a day the synchronization clock speeds are all in the range of GHz almost reaching the THz. At these very high frequencies the behavior of the interconnects are more like that of a transmission line, and hence distortion, delay, and phase shift-effects caused by phenomena like cross talk, ringing, and overshoot are present and may be undesirable for the performance of a circuit or system. Thus, the interconnects do not have to be considered like simple conductors or lumped elements. All this gives rise to a new emerging discipline known as signal integrity. This discipline is extremely important to maintain the signal quality on microstrip circuits [3]. In this discipline the correct timing and signal quality preservation preventing transients and false switching are studied in order to avoid excessive delays

The prognostic impact of SIGLEC5-induced impairment of CD8+ T cell activation in sepsis

Immune checkpoint; Sepsis; T-cell exhaustionPunto de control inmunológico; Septicemia; Agotamiento de células TPunt de control immunitari; Sèpsia; Esgotament de cèl·lules TBackground Sepsis is associated with T-cell exhaustion, which significantly reduces patient outcomes. Therefore, targeting of immune checkpoints (ICs) is deemed necessary for effective sepsis management. Here, we evaluated the role of SIGLEC5 as an IC ligand and explored its potential as a biomarker for sepsis. Methods In vitro and in vivo assays were conducted to both analyse SIGLEC5's role as an IC ligand, as well as assess its impact on survival in sepsis. A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the plasmatic soluble SIGLEC5 (sSIGLEC5) as a mortality predictor in the first 60 days after admission in sepsis patients. Recruitment included sepsis patients (n = 346), controls with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (n = 80), aneurism (n = 11), stroke (n = 16), and healthy volunteers (HVs, n = 100). Findings SIGLEC5 expression on monocytes was increased by HIF1α and was higher in septic patients than in healthy volunteers after ex vivo LPS challenge. Furthermore, SIGLEC5-PSGL1 interaction inhibited CD8+ T-cell proliferation. Administration of sSIGLEC5r (0.8 mg/kg) had adverse effects in mouse endotoxemia models. Additionally, plasma sSIGLEC5 levels of septic patients were higher than HVs and ROC analysis revealed it as a mortality marker with an AUC of 0.713 (95% CI, 0.656–0.769; p < 0.0001). Kaplan–Meier survival curve showed a significant decrease in survival above the calculated cut-off (HR of 3.418, 95% CI, 2.380–4.907, p < 0.0001 by log-rank test) estimated by Youden Index (523.6 ng/mL). Interpretation SIGLEC5 displays the hallmarks of an IC ligand, and plasma levels of sSIGLEC5 have been linked with increased mortality in septic patients.This work was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and “Fondos FEDER” to ELC (PIE15/00065, PI18/00148, PI14/01234, PI21/00869), to PP (20859/PI/18) and to CdF (PI21/01178), and received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowaska-Curie grant agreement to KMH (No. 713673; “laCaixa”). R.L.-R. was supported by “Predoctotales de formación en Investigación” (PFIS) grant FI19/00334 and J.A.-O. by Sara Borrell grant CD21/00059 from ISCIII. The Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and Vall d’Hebron Research Institute were supported by Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2013–2016, the ISCIII and Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI RD16/0016/0003)—co-financed by European Development Regional Fund “A way to achieve Europe”, and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (JCRR, RF, JJGL, AF). Authors thank Emilio Llanos for his technical assistance

Variación intraespecífica e individual de los pelos de mamíferos del Estado de México: implicaciones en la identificación interespecífica

Se determinó la variación del pelo de guardia dorsal entre individuos de la misma especie y se comparó la variación de un individuo en diferentes regiones. Se midió la longitud total y diámetro de la médula, además se determinó el patrón de tonalidad y tipo de médula. En la comparación intraespecífica se caracterizaron 530 pelos de guardia dorsales de 53 organismos. A pesar de las variaciones en la longitud y diámetro de la médula, puede realizarse una identificación exitosa de los organismos en un plano específico utilizando la guía de identificación de mamíferos terrestres a partir del pelo de guardia, excepto para Canis latrans y Liomys irroratus. En la comparación individual se describieron 560 pelos de guardia de 14 especies. Se encontraron diferencias en la longitud total del pelo, en el diámetro de la médula y en la coloración; el único carácter que permaneció constante fue la médula.Se determinó la variación del pelo de guardia dorsal entre individuos de la misma especie y se comparó la variación de un individuo en diferentes regiones. Se midió la longitud total y diámetro de la médula, además se determinó el patrón de tonalidad y tipo de médula. En la comparación intraespecífica se caracterizaron 530 pelos de guardia dorsales de 53 organismos. A pesar de las variaciones en la longitud y diámetro de la médula, puede realizarse una identificación exitosa de los organismos en un plano específico utilizando la guía de identificación de mamíferos terrestres a partir del pelo de guardia, excepto para Canis latrans y Liomys irroratus. En la comparación individual se describieron 560 pelos de guardia de 14 especies. Se encontraron diferencias en la longitud total del pelo, en el diámetro de la médula y en la coloración; el único carácter que permaneció constante fue la médula

Diffusion and spatial correlations in suspensions of swimming particles

Populations of swimming microorganisms produce fluid motions that lead to dramatically enhanced diffusion of tracer particles. Using simulations of suspensions of swimming particles in a periodic domain, we capture this effect and show that it depends qualitatively on the mode of swimming: swimmers ``pushed'' from behind by their flagella show greater enhancement than swimmers that are ``pulled'' from the front. The difference is manifested by an increase, that only occurs for pushers, of the diffusivity of passive tracers and the velocity correlation length with the size of the periodic domain. A physical argument supported by a mean field theory sheds light on the origin of these effects.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. Let

Liquid crystal relaxation in three dimensions: the effect of hydrodynamic interactions

We investigate the relaxation of two line defects of opposite strength in a confined nematic liquidcrystal by solving the coupled tensor order parameter evolution and momentum balance equations in three dimensions. The inclusion of hydrodynamic interactions causes the defects to move at different velocities and slows the overall relaxation process, but this effect is suppressed by increasing the degree of confinement. The most notable flow features that develop in the system are large vortices that surround and follow the defects as they approach each other