Applied virtual reality at the Research Triangle Institute

Virtual Reality (VR) is a way for humans to use computers in visualizing, manipulating and interacting with large geometric data bases. This paper describes a VR infrastructure and its application to marketing, modeling, architectural walk through, and training problems. VR integration techniques used in these applications are based on a uniform approach which promotes portability and reusability of developed modules. For each problem, a 3D object data base is created using data captured by hand or electronically. The object's realism is enhanced through either procedural or photo textures. The virtual environment is created and populated with the data base using software tools which also support interactions with and immersivity in the environment. These capabilities are augmented by other sensory channels such as voice recognition, 3D sound, and tracking. Four applications are presented: a virtual furniture showroom, virtual reality models of the North Carolina Global TransPark, a walk through the Dresden Fraunenkirche, and the maintenance training simulator for the National Guard

Impacto de la altitud sobre la mortalidad por Covid-19 en Colombia: un estudio transversal

Objective. To estimate the proportion of deaths in confirmed cases according to altitude categories (low, medium, and high), and to evaluate a possible association between altitude and COVID-19 mortality in Colombia during the first two waves of the pandemic. Methods. Cross-sectional, analytical study. Adults residing in Colombia during 2020, with microbiological confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. We calculated CFR using a binomial confidence interval, dividing altitude in three categories. We also performed a logistic regression model to evaluate the association between altitude and COVID-19 mortality. Results. Data on confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the period from March 06, 2020, to December 15, 2020, reported in 1,112 municipalities in Colombia were analyzed. A total of 994,738 confirmed cases were reported, including 32,034 deaths (0,03%). The mean age of cases was 39,8 years and 504,476 (50,4%) were male. The altitude range varied between 0 m to 3,350 m. The CFR was 0,042 (CI 95% 0,042 - 0,043; p value <0.001); 0,027 (CI 95% 0,027 - 0,028; p value <0.001) and 0,026 (CI 95% 0,025 - 0.026; p value <0.001) for low, middle, and high altitude, respectively. We found that for each km increase in altitude, the probability of dying from COVID-19 decreases by 20% (OR 0.8; 95% CI 0.785 - 0.815; p value <0.001), controlled by biological sex, age and number of inhabitants per municipality. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate that the altitude is a potential protective factor against COVID-19 mortality according to data from a Colombian population during the first two waves of the epidemic.Objetivo. Estimar la proporción de muertes en los casos confirmados según las categorías de altitud (baja, media y alta) y evaluar una posible asociación entre el grado de altitud y la mortalidad por COVID-19 en Colombia, durante las dos primeras olas de la epidemia. Métodos. Estudio de corte transversal, analítico. La población de estudio fueron adultos residentes en Colombia durante 2020, con confirmación microbiológica de infección por SARS-CoV-2. Se calculó la tasa de letalidad utilizando un intervalo de confianza binomial, dividiendo la altitud en tres categorías. También se realizó un modelo de regresión logística para evaluar la asociación entre la altitud y la mortalidad por COVID-19. Resultados. Se analizaron los datos de casos confirmados de COVID-19 durante el periodo comprendido entre el 06 de marzo de 2020 y el 15 de diciembre de 2020, reportados en 1.112 municipios de Colombia. Se notificaron un total de 994.738 casos confirmados, incluidas 32.034 muertes (0,03%). La edad media de los casos fue de 39,8 años y 504.476 (50,4%) eran varones. El rango de altitud varió entre 0 m y 3.350 m. La tasa de letalidad estimada fue de 0,042 (IC 95% 0,042 - 0,043; valor de p <0,001); 0,027 (IC 95% 0,027 - 0,028; valor de p <0,001) y 0,026 (IC 95% 0,025 - 0,026; valor de p <0,001) para altitud baja, media y alta, respectivamente. Encontramos que, por cada km de aumento de altitud, la probabilidad de morir por COVID-19 disminuye un 20% (OR 0,8; IC 95% 0,785 - 0,815; valor de p <0,001), controlando por variables como sexo biológico, edad y número de habitantes por municipio. Conclusiones. Nuestros resultados demuestran que la altitud es un potencial factor protector frente a la mortalidad por COVID-19 de acuerdo con datos de población colombiana, durante las primeras dos olas de la pandemia

The C-terminal SH3 domain contributes to the intramolecular inhibition of Vav family proteins

Vav proteins are phosphorylation-dependent guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that catalyze the activation of members of the Rho family of guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases). The current regulatory model holds that the nonphosphorylated, catalytically inactive state of these GEFs is maintained by intramolecular interactions among the amino-terminal domains and the central catalytic core, which block the binding of Vav proteins to GTPases. We showed that this autoinhibition is mechanistically more complex, also involving the bivalent association of the carboxyl-terminal Src homology 3 (SH3) region of Vav with its catalytic and pleckstrin homology (PH) domains. Such interactions occurred through proline-rich region-independent mechanisms. Full release from this double-locked state required synergistic weakening effects from multiple phosphorylated tyrosine residues, thus providing an optimized system to generate gradients of Vav GEF activity depending on upstream signaling inputs. This mechanism is shared by mammalian and Drosophila melanogaster Vav proteins, suggesting that it may be a common regulatory feature for this protein family.Work in the laboratory of X.R.B. has been funded by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (SAF2009-07172, SAF2012-3171, RD06/0020/0001, and RD12/0036/0002), the Castilla-León Autonomous Government (CSI039A12-1), and the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC). O.L. has been supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (SAF2011-22988 and RD06/0020/1001). The salary of M.B. has been partially supported by a JAE-Predoc contract (CSIC), the AECC, and grant RD06/0020/0001. S.F. is supported by a graduate student FPI contract from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BES-2010-031386). Spanish funding is cosponsored by the European Regional Development Fund.Peer Reviewe

Nuevas políticas tributarias e informalidad en el nuevo régimen único simplificado en Cajamarca (2017 – 2019)

Objetivo: Demostrar que las nuevas políticas tributarias, inducen a la informalidad de los contribuyentes del NRUS. Metodología: Se aplicó el análisis documental. Asimismo, se usó de datos secundarios proporcionados por la SUNAT, cartillas con contenido de parámetros para comparación y fenomenología de contribuyentes. Resultados: En el año 2016, existe decremento de S/. 933,430 de la recaudación fiscal, incremento del 21.05% de contribuyentes. Sin embargo, se evidencia la inexistencia de correlación significativa entre los resultados con la aplicación de los D. L. N°s 937 y 1270, relación no significativa entre la aplicación de los D. L. N°s 937 y 1270 y la cantidad de contribuyentes, diferencia altamente significativa entre las medias de la recaudación con estos Decretos. Conclusión: El cambio de régimen del NRUS al RMT, no cumplen con los parámetros del artículo 7° (D. L. 1270); los contribuyentes que están acogidos al NRUS, han disminuido en 18% el grado de cumplimiento de las obligaciones formales y sustanciales mensuales

Development of Silica-Immobilized Vaccines for Improving Thermo-Tolerance and Shelf-Life

Introduction. It is estimated that 50% of vaccines produced annu- ally are wasted because effectivity is dependent on protein structure and heat exposure disrupts the intermolecular interactions that maintain this structure. Since 90% of vaccines require a temperature- controlled supply chain, it is necessary to create a cold chain system to minimize vaccine waste. We have developed a more sustainable technology via the adsorption of Invasion Plasmid Antigen D (IpaD) onto mesoporous silica gels, improving the thermal stability of pro- tein-based therapeutics. Methods.xThe solution depletion method using UV-Vis was uti- lized to study the adsorption of IpaD onto silica gels. The silica-IpaD complex is heated above the denaturing temperature of the protein and then the IpaD is removed using N,N-Dimethyldodecylamine N-oxide (LDAO) and their secondary structure is tested using cir- cular dichroism (CD). Results. Pore diameter, pore volume and surface area were charac- terized for seven different silica gels. Silica gels designated as 6389, 6378, and 6375 had an adsorption percentage above 95% at pore volumes of 2.2, 2.8 and 3.8 cm3 mg-1, respectively. CD analyses con- firmed that the adsorbed IpaD after the heat treatment displayed a similar “W” shape CD signal as the native IpaD, indicating the con- servation of α-helices. In contrast, the unprotected IpaD after being exposed to high temperature shows a flat CD signal, demonstrating the loss of secondary structure. Conclusion. We have successfully increased the thermo-tolerance for IpaD using mesoporous silica and continue to further optimize mesoporous silica’s physiochemical properties to improve adsorption and desorption yields

Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analysis of palm oil fatty acid composition in an interspecific pseudo-backcross from Elaeis oleifera (HBK) Cort,s and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

IATE Axe 4 : Biotechnologie microbienne et enzymatique des lipides et des agropolymèresWe chose an Elaeis interspecific pseudo-backcross of first generation (E. oleifera x E. guineensis) x E. guineensis to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for fatty acid composition of palm oil. A dense microsatellite linkage map of 362 loci spanned 1.485 cM, representing the 16 pairs of homologous chromosomes in the Elaeis genus from which we traced segregating alleles from both E. oleifera and E. guineensis grandparents. The relative linear orders of mapped loci suggested the probable absence of chromosome rearrangements between the E. oleifera and E. guineensis genomes. A total of 19 QTL associated to the palm oil fatty acid composition were evidenced. The QTL positions and the species origin as well as the estimated effects of the QTL marker alleles were in coherence with the knowledge of the oil biosynthesis pathway in plants and with the individual phenotypic correlations between the traits. The mapping of chosen Elaeis key genes related to oleic acid C18:1, using intra-gene SNPs, supported several QTLs underlying notably FATA and SAD enzymes. The high number of hyper-variable SSR loci of known relative linear orders and the QTL information make these resources valuable for such mapping study in other Elaeis breeding materials

First Early Pliocene micromammal faunas from Venta del Moro (Cabriel Basin, Spain): new data on the Messinian dispersal of Debruijnimys

Based on the study of the micromammal assemblages from the localities of La Bullana 2B and La Bullana 3 (Valencia, E Spain) we propose an Early Pliocene age (MN14) for both sites. The presence of a form related to the gerbillid Debruijnimys julii in La Bullana 2B allows extending the stratigraphical range of this taxon to the MN14 zone, opening new questions about the phylogenetic relationship between Debruijnimys species from the Early and Late Pliocene of the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, preliminary paleomagnetic data indicate an age of 4.816 Ma for La Bullana 2B, and between 4.896 and 4.997 Ma for La Bullana 3.Las localidades de La Bullana 3 y La Bullana 2B (Valencia, E Spain) han cedido restos de Apodemus gorafensis, Paraethomys aff. abaigari, Stephanomys dubari, Apocricetus barrierei, Sciuridae indet. y Asoriculus cf. gibberodon la primera, y Apodemus gorafensis, Paraethomys aff. abaigari, Stephanomys dubari, Apocricetus barrierei, Sciuridae indet., Asoriculus cf. gibberodon, Castillomys gracilis, Occitanomys brailloni, Occitanomys sp., Paraethomys meini, Ruscinomys sp., Eliomys intermedius, Debruijnimys cf. julii y Atlantoxerus sp. la segunda. Basándonos en el estudio de estas ascociaciones de micromamíferos, proponemos una edad correspondiente al Plioceno inferior (MN14) para ambos yacimientos. La presencia de un gerbílido relacionado con Debruijnimys julii en La Bullana 2B plantea nuevas preguntas acerca de la relación filogenética entre las especies de Debruijnimys del Mioceno y Plioceno. Además, datos paleomagnéticos preliminares indican una edad entre 4.997 Ma y 4.896 Ma para La Bullana 2B, y entre 5.235 Ma y 4.997 Ma para La Bullan

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu channel in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu decay channel, where l = e or mu, in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The data were collected at the LHC, with the CMS detector, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 inverse femtobarns. No significant excess is observed above the background expectation, and upper limits are set on the Higgs boson production cross section. The presence of the standard model Higgs boson with a mass in the 270-440 GeV range is excluded at 95% confidence level.Comment: Submitted to JHE

Combined search for the quarks of a sequential fourth generation

Results are presented from a search for a fourth generation of quarks produced singly or in pairs in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 inverse femtobarns recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2011. A novel strategy has been developed for a combined search for quarks of the up and down type in decay channels with at least one isolated muon or electron. Limits on the mass of the fourth-generation quarks and the relevant Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix elements are derived in the context of a simple extension of the standard model with a sequential fourth generation of fermions. The existence of mass-degenerate fourth-generation quarks with masses below 685 GeV is excluded at 95% confidence level for minimal off-diagonal mixing between the third- and the fourth-generation quarks. With a mass difference of 25 GeV between the quark masses, the obtained limit on the masses of the fourth-generation quarks shifts by about +/- 20 GeV. These results significantly reduce the allowed parameter space for a fourth generation of fermions.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO