The yellow fever virus (YFV) epidemic in Brazil is the largest in decades. The recent discovery of YFV in Brazilian
species mosquitos highlights a need to monitor the risk of reestablishment of urban ...YFV transmission in the Americas. We use a suite of epidemiological, spatial, and genomic approaches to characterize YFV transmission. We show that the age and sex distribution of human cases is characteristic of sylvatic transmission. Analysis of YFV cases combined with genomes generated locally reveals an early phase of sylvatic YFV transmission and spatial expansion toward previously YFV-free areas, followed by a rise in viral spillover to humans in late 2016. Our results establish a framework for monitoring YFV transmission in real time that will contribute to a global strategy to eliminate future YFV epidemics.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced policy makers to decree urgent confinements to stop a rapid and massive contagion. However, after that stage, societies are being forced to find an equilibrium ...between the need to reduce contagion rates and the need to reopen their economies. The experience hitherto lived has provided data on the evolution of the pandemic, in particular the population dynamics as a result of the public health measures enacted. This allows the formulation of forecasting mathematical models to anticipate the consequences of political decisions. Here we propose a model to do so and apply it to the case of Portugal. With a mathematical deterministic model, described by a system of ordinary differential equations, we fit the real evolution of COVID-19 in this country. After identification of the population readiness to follow social restrictions, by analyzing the social media, we incorporate this effect in a version of the model that allow us to check different scenarios. This is realized by considering a Monte Carlo discrete version of the previous model coupled via a complex network. Then, we apply optimal control theory to maximize the number of people returning to "normal life" and minimizing the number of active infected individuals with minimal economical costs while warranting a low level of hospitalizations. This work allows testing various scenarios of pandemic management (closure of sectors of the economy, partial/total compliance with protection measures by citizens, number of beds in intensive care units, etc.), ensuring the responsiveness of the health system, thus being a public health decision support tool.
The hadronic width of the ground state of pionic hydrogen has been redetermined by X-ray spectroscopy to be
Γ
1
s
π
H
=
(
856
±
16
stat
±
22
sys
)
meV. The experiment was performed at the ...high-intensity low-energy pion beam of the Paul Scherrer Institute by using the cyclotron trap and a high-resolution Bragg spectrometer with spherically bent crystals. Coulomb de-excitation was studied in detail by comparing its influence on the line shape by measuring the three different transitions K
α
, K
β
, and K
γ
at various hydrogen densities. The pion-nucleon scattering lengths and other physical quantities extracted from pionic-atom data are in good agreement with the results obtained from pion-nucleon and nucleon-nucleon scattering experiments and confirm that a consistent picture is achieved for the low-energy pion-nucleon sector with respect to the expectations of chiral perturbation theory.
Lipase from
Rhizomucor miehei
(RML) was immobilized onto chitosan support in the presence of some surfactants added at low levels using two different strategies. In the first approach, the enzyme was ...immobilized in the presence of surfactants on chitosan supports previously functionalized with glutaraldehyde. In the second one, after prior enzyme adsorption on chitosan beads in the presence of surfactants, the complex chitosan beads-enzyme was then cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. The effects of surfactant concentrations on the activities of free and immobilized RML were evaluated. Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) promoted an inhibition of enzyme activity while the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 caused a slight increase in the catalytic activity of the free enzyme and the derivatives produced in both methods of immobilization. The best derivatives were achieved when the lipase was firstly adsorbed on chitosan beads at 4 °C for 1 h, 220 rpm followed by cross-link the complex chitosan beads-enzyme with glutaraldehyde 0.6% v.v
−1
at pH 7. The derivatives obtained under these conditions showed high catalytic activity and excellent thermal stability at 60° and 37 °C. The best derivative was also evaluated in the synthesis of two flavor esters namely methyl and ethyl butyrate. At non-optimized conditions, the maximum conversion yield for methyl butyrate was 89%, and for ethyl butyrate, the esterification yield was 92%. The results for both esterifications were similar to those obtained when the commercial enzyme Lipozyme® and free enzyme were used in the same reaction conditions and higher than the one achieved in the absence of the selected surfactant.
Stroke-related disruptions in functional connectivity (FC) often spread beyond lesioned areas and, given the localized nature of lesions, it is unclear how the recovery of FC is orchestrated on a ...global scale. Since recovery is accompanied by long-term changes in excitability, we propose excitatory-inhibitory (E-I) homeostasis as a driving mechanism. We present a large-scale model of the neocortex, with synaptic scaling of local inhibition, showing how E-I homeostasis can drive the post-lesion restoration of FC and linking it to changes in excitability. We show that functional networks could reorganize to recover disrupted modularity and small-worldness, but not network dynamics, suggesting the need to consider forms of plasticity beyond synaptic scaling of inhibition. On average, we observed widespread increases in excitability, with the emergence of complex lesion-dependent patterns related to biomarkers of relevant side effects of stroke, such as epilepsy, depression and chronic pain. In summary, our results show that the effects of E-I homeostasis extend beyond local E-I balance, driving the restoration of global properties of FC, and relating to post-stroke symptomatology. Therefore, we suggest the framework of E-I homeostasis as a relevant theoretical foundation for the study of stroke recovery and for understanding the emergence of meaningful features of FC from local dynamics.
We establish new constraints on f(T) gravity models by using cosmological data. In particular, we investigate the restrictions given by the gas mass fraction measurements of galaxy clusters and ...transversal BAO data. Both data sets are regarded as weakly dependent on a fiducial cosmology. In addition, we also include a CMB measurement of the temperature power spectrum first peak, along with H(z) values from cosmic chronometers and supernovae data from the Pantheon data set. We also perform a forecast for future constraints on the deviation of f(T) models from the
Λ
CDM scenario by following the specifications of the J-PAS and Euclid surveys and find significant improvements on the constraints of the b-parameter, when compared to the results of the statistical analysis.
Abstract Baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) is recognized as a widespread Brazilian tree species, and its almonds and pulp have gained commercial prominence due to their nutritional value. All parts of the ...baru are important for the environment and are used by traditional communities to treat various diseases. This review provides a comprehensive and current overview of the nutritional composition, human food applications, ethnopharmacological uses, and chemical and biological properties of Dipteryx alata, “baru” (Fabaceae). This study followed the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Studies were searched in the Medline (PubMed), Scopus, SciELO, and ScienceDirect databases using the descriptors “Dipteryx alata” OR “baru nut” OR “baru almond” OR “cumaru” OR “Coumarouna”. The exclusion criteria included duplicate articles, review articles, case reports, short communications, conference documents, incomplete access to the text, and articles not related to the objective of this review. The initial search yielded 822 results, 127 of which met the inclusion criteria. The almond was the most extensively studied part (59.8%), whereas leaves received the least attention (1.6%). Baru almond is a rich source of proteins (19 to 30 g.100 g-1), unsaturated fatty acids (75 to 81%), and essential amino acids, while the pulp is rich in carbohydrates (22.5 to 75.4%), dietary fiber (4.4 to 41.6 g.100 g-1) and vitamin C (113.48 and 224.5 mg.100 g-1). Phenolic compounds were the main metabolites, with a greater content in the almond (3.1 to 1.306,34 mg GAE g-1) than in the pulp (186 to 477 mg GAE g-1). Terpenes were also detected in the almond, pulp, and bark. The most evaluated biological activity was the antioxidant activity (n = 32.1%), followed by effects on oxidative stress (n = 12.5%). Therefore, emphasis on baru cultivation and bioprospecting could benefit human nutrition and health, strengthen family farming in various regions of the country and favour the achievement of Zero Hunger and Sustainable Agriculture and Health and Well-Being in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
Resumo O baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel), Fabaceae, é reconhecido como uma espécie brasileira de ampla distribuição, e suas amêndoas e polpa ganharam destaque comercial devido ao seu valor nutricional. Todas as partes do baru são importantes para o meio ambiente e são utilizadas por comunidades tradicionais no tratamento de várias doenças. Esta revisão fornece uma visão abrangente e atualizada da composição nutricional, aplicações alimentares humanas, usos etnofarmacológicos e propriedades químicas e biológicas de Dipteryx alata, “baru”. Este estudo seguiu as recomendações da metodologia Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Estudos foram buscados nas bases de dados Medline (PubMed), Scopus, SciELO e ScienceDirect usando os descritores “Dipteryx alata” OU “baru nut” OU “baru almond” OU “cumaru” OU “Coumarouna”. Os critérios de exclusão incluíram artigos duplicados, artigos de revisão, relatos de casos, comunicações breves, documentos de conferências, acesso incompleto ao texto e artigos não relacionados ao objetivo desta revisão. A busca inicial resultou em 822 artigos, dos quais 127 atenderam aos critérios de inclusão. A amêndoa foi a parte mais extensivamente estudada (59,8%), enquanto as folhas receberam menos atenção (1,6%). A amêndoa de baru é uma fonte rica em proteínas (19 a 30 g.100 g-1), ácidos graxos insaturados (75 a 81%) e aminoácidos essenciais, enquanto a polpa é rica em carboidratos (22,5 a 75,4%), fibra alimentar (4,4 a 41,6 g.100 g-1) e vitamina C (113,48 e 224,5 mg.100 g-1). Compostos fenólicos foram os principais metabólitos, com um maior conteúdo na amêndoa (3,1 a 1.306,34 mg GAE g-1) do que na polpa (186 a 477 mg GAE g-1). Terpenos também foram detectados na amêndoa, polpa e casca. A atividade biológica mais avaliada foi a atividade antioxidante (n = 32,1%), seguida pelos efeitos sobre o estresse oxidativo (n = 12,5%). Portanto, o destaque para o cultivo de baru e a bioprospecção poderiam beneficiar a nutrição e a saúde humana, fortalecer a agricultura familiar em várias regiões do país e favorecer o alcance da Fome Zero e Agricultura Sustentável e Saúde e Bem-Estar na Agenda 2030 da ONU para os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável.
We report results of a search for light (≲10 GeV) particle dark matter with the XENON10 detector. The event trigger was sensitive to a single electron, with the analysis threshold of 5 electrons ...corresponding to 1.4 keV nuclear recoil energy. Considering spin-independent dark matter-nucleon scattering, we exclude cross sections σ(n)>7×10(-42) cm(2), for a dark matter particle mass m(χ)=7 GeV. We find that our data strongly constrain recent elastic dark matter interpretations of excess low-energy events observed by CoGeNT and CRESST-II, as well as the DAMA annual modulation signal.