Disseminated infection by
species represents a common, often life-threatening condition. Increased resistance to current antifungal drugs has led to an urgent need to develop new antifungal drugs to ...treat this pathogen. However, in vivo screening of candidate antifungal compounds requires large numbers of animals and using immunosuppressive agents to allow for fungal dissemination. To increase the efficiency of screening, to use fewer mice, and to remove the need for immunosuppressive agents, which may interfere with the drug candidates, we tested the potential for a novel approach using in vivo imaging of a fluorescent strain of
, in a mouse strain deficient in the host defense peptide, murine β-defensin 1 (mBD-1). We developed a strain of
that expresses red fluorescent protein (RFP), which exhibits similar infectivity to the non-fluorescent parent strain. When this strain was injected into immunocompetent mBD-1-deficient mice, we observed a non-lethal disseminated infection. Further, we could quantify its dissemination in real time, and observe the activity of an antifungal peptide mimetic drug by in vivo imaging. This novel method will allow for the rapid in vivo screening of antifungal drugs, using fewer mice, and increase the efficiency of testing new antifungal agents.
We report results from the first search for \(\nu_\mu\to\nu_e\) transitions by the NOvA experiment. In an exposure equivalent to \(2.74\times10^{20}\) protons-on-target in the upgraded NuMI beam at ...Fermilab, we observe 6 events in the Far Detector, compared to a background expectation of \(0.99\pm0.11\) (syst.) events based on the Near Detector measurement. A secondary analysis observes 11 events with a background of \(1.07\pm0.14\) (syst.). The \(3.3\sigma\) excess of events observed in the primary analysis disfavors \(0.1\pi < \delta_{CP} < 0.5\pi\) in the inverted mass hierarchy at the 90% C.L.
This paper reports the first measurement using the NOvA detectors of \(\nu_\mu\) disappearance in a \(\nu_\mu\) beam. The analysis uses a 14 kton-equivalent exposure of \(2.74 \times 10^{20}\) ...protons-on-target from the Fermilab NuMI beam. Assuming the normal neutrino mass hierarchy, we measure \(\Delta m^{2}_{32}=(2.52^{+0.20}_{-0.18})\times 10^{-3}\) eV\(^{2}\) and \(\sin^2\theta_{23}\) in the range 0.38-0.65, both at the 68% confidence level, with two statistically-degenerate best fit points at \(\sin^2\theta_{23} = \) 0.43 and 0.60. Results for the inverted mass hierarchy are also presented.
Ocean colour applications from medium-resolution polar-orbiting satellite sensors have now matured and evolved into operational services. These applications are enabled by the Sentinel-3 OLCI space ...sensors of the European Earth Observation Copernicus programme and the VIIRS sensors of the US Joint Polar Satellite System programme. Key drivers for the Copernicus ocean colour services are the national obligations of the EU member states to report on the quality of marine, coastal and inland waters for the EU Water Framework Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Further applications include CO2 sequestration, carbon cycle and climate, fisheries and aquaculture management, near-real-time alerting to harmful algae blooms, environmental monitoring and forecasting, and assessment of sediment transport in coastal waters. Ocean colour data from polar-orbiting satellite platforms, however, suffer from fractional coverage, primarily due to clouds, and inadequate resolution of quickly varying processes. Ocean colour remote sensing from geostationary platforms can provide significant improvements in coverage and sampling frequency and support new applications and services. EUMETSAT's SEVIRI instrument on the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation platforms (MSG) is not designed to meet ocean colour mission requirements, however, it has been demonstrated to provide valuable contribution, particularly in combination with dedicated ocean colour polar observations. This paper describes the ongoing effort to develop operational ocean colour water turbidity and related products and user services from SEVIRI. SEVIRI's multi-temporal capabilities can benefit users requiring improved local-area coverage and frequent diurnal observations. A survey of user requirements and a study of technical capabilities and limitations of the SEVIRI instruments are the basis for this development and are described in this paper. The products will support monitoring of sediment transport, water clarity, and tidal dynamics by providing hourly coverage and long-term time series of the diurnal observations. Further products and services are anticipated from EUMETSAT's FCI instruments on Meteosat Third Generation satellites (MTG), including potential chlorophyll a products.
A 3D hydrodynamical model has been set up to describe the distribution and variability of the salinity in Belgian coastal waters. Particular attention was paid to determining the relative impact of ...the Scheldt and Rhine/Meuse freshwater plumes and testing the hypothesis that the salinity of Belgian waters is primarily a mix between salty offshore water and freshwater from the Scheldt Estuary. Attention was also paid to determining whether the Seine has significant impact on the Belgian zone.
The 3D hydrodynamical model, based on COHERENS, has been applied to the Channel and the Southern Bight of the North Sea using a 5′ (longitude) by 2.5′ (latitude) grid. The model has been run for the years 1991–2002. Real river runoffs have been taken into account for the main rivers within the domain: the Scheldt, the Rhine/Meuse, the Seine and the Thames.
Model tracers were used to characterise the signature of water masses in terms of Atlantic and riverine waters. Results indicate that the salinity of Belgian waters is dominated by inflow of the Channel water mass which mixes with freshwater originating mainly from the Rhine/Meuse with a much smaller contribution from the Scheldt Estuary. This conclusion is further supported by simulation results obtained when each river discharge is separately set to zero. Thus, the ‘generally accepted’ hypothesis of a ‘continental coastal river’ with fresher coastal water flowing north-eastward up the French-Belgian-Dutch coast and picking up freshwater from successive outflows seems inappropriate for Belgian waters where horizontal dispersion of Rhine/Meuse water in the opposite direction is significant.
The coastal areas of the Southern North Sea (SNS) experience eutrophication problems resulting from freshwater nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs from rivers. In particular, massive blooms of
...Phaeocystis colonies occur in Belgian waters. In this region, water masses result from the mixing of Western Channel (WCH) waters transported through the Straits of Dover with nutrient-rich freshwater from the Scheldt, the Rhine and Meuse, the Seine, the Thames and other smaller rivers. However, the relative contribution of the WCH and each river to the inorganic nutrient pool and the impact on the phytoplankton community structure (diatoms and
Phaeocystis) are not known. In order to effectively manage the eutrophication problems, it is necessary to know: (i) the relative contribution of the WCH and of each river impacting the region and (ii) the relative effect of a N and/or P nutrient reduction on the
Phaeocystis blooms. To answer these questions, sensitivity tests (1% nutrient reduction) and nutrient reduction scenarios (50% nutrient reduction) have been performed with a three-dimensional (3D) coupled physical–biogeochemical model (MIRO&CO-3D).
MIRO&CO-3D results from the coupling of the COHERENS 3D hydrodynamic model with the ecological model MIRO. The model has been set up for the region between 48.5°N, 4°W and 52.5°N, 4.5°E and run to simulate the annual cycle of carbon, inorganic and organic nutrients, phytoplankton (diatoms and
Phaeocystis), bacteria and zooplankton (microzooplankton and copepods) in the SNS under realistic forcing (meteorology and river inputs) for the period 1991–2003. The relative contribution of the WCH waters and of the different rivers on the inorganic nutrient pool available for phytoplankton (diatoms and
Phaeocystis) growth is assessed by decreasing by 1% the nutrient (dissolved inorganic nitrogen, DIN and inorganic phosphate, PO
4) inputs from the WCH and from, respectively, the Scheldt (and smaller Belgian rivers), the Rhine/Meuse and the Seine (and smaller French rivers) sensitivity tests. The relative role of N and P reduction on the diatoms/
Phaeocystis distribution is further explored by simulations with 50% reduction of the total (inorganic and organic) N and total P river inputs nutrient reduction scenarios. These scenarios allow assessing the impact of the expected 50% reduction of river nutrient inputs resulting from the implementation of nutrient reduction policy.
Results of the sensitivity tests suggest that the impact of a 1% reduction of river nutrient inputs on surface nutrients (DIN and PO
4) over the Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) area is similar for the Seine and the Scheldt, which are in turn greater than for the Rhine. However, a hypothetical 1% reduction of nutrient input from the WCH boundary would have a higher impact than for the Scheldt. The impact of nutrient reduction is higher for DIN than for PO
4 whatever the river (contrary to the WCH). DIN is more sensitive to riverine nutrient reduction because the rivers are over enriched in DIN compared to PO
4. The sensitivity tests suggest also that a PO
4 river input reduction would result in a N:P increase and a DIN river input reduction would result in a N:P decrease but that a combined (PO
4 and DIN) input reduction would reduce the N:P ratio at sea.
From 50% nutrient reduction scenarios, model results suggest that a total P reduction would induce a significant decrease of diatoms and a small (coast) to negligible (offshore) decrease of
Phaeocystis biomass. On the contrary, a total N reduction would induce a significant decrease of
Phaeocystis biomass and a moderate increase of diatoms. When N and P river input reductions are combined, the model predicts a significant decrease of
Phaeocystis biomass in Belgian waters and a significant decrease of diatom biomass in the coastal waters and a small increase offshore. A future management plan aiming at
Phaeocystis reduction should thus prioritise N reduction.
A search for the nonconservation of lepton flavor in the decay tau+/--->e+/-gamma has been performed with 2.07x10(8) e+e--->tau+tau- events collected by the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP II storage ...ring at a center-of-mass energy near 10.58 GeV. We find no evidence for a signal and set an upper limit on the branching ratio of Beta(tau+/--->e+/-gamma)<1.1x10(-7) at 90% confidence level.
The rate of high energy cosmic ray muons as measured underground is shown to be strongly correlated with upper‐air temperatures during short‐term atmospheric (10‐day) events. The effects are seen by ...correlating data from the MINOS underground detector and temperatures from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts during the winter periods from 2003–2007. This effect provides an independent technique for the measurement of meteorological conditions and presents a unique opportunity to measure both short and long‐term changes in this important part of the atmosphere.
Observation of Upsilon(4S) decays to pi(+)pi(-)C and pi(+)pi(-)Upsilon(2S)We present the first measurement of Upsilon(4S) decays to pi(+)pi(-)Upsilon(1S) based on a sample of 230 x 106(4S) mesons ...collected with the BABAR detector. We measure the product branching fractions Beta(Upsilon(4S) --> pi(+)pi(-)Upsilon(1S)) x BetaUpsilon(1S) --> mu(+)mu(-) = (2.23 +/- 0.25(stat) +/- 0.27(syst))x 10(-6) and Beta(Upsilon(4S) --> pi(+)pi(-)Upsilon(2S) x Beta(Upsilon(2S) --> mu(+)mu(-))=(1.69 +/-0.26(stat) +/- 0.20(syst)) x 10(-)6, from which we derive the partial widths Gamma(Upsilon(4S) --> pi(+)pi(-)Upsilon(1S))=(1.8 +/-0.4) keV and Gamma(Upsilon(4S) --> pi(+)pi(-)Upsilon(2S))=(2.7 +/- 0.8) keV.
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