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Do specialist and generalist parasites differ in their prevalence and intensity of infection? A test of the niche breadth and trade-off hypotheses
No full textStudying host specificity is crucial to understanding the ability of parasites to spread to new hosts and trigger disease emergence events. The relationship between host specificity and parasite prevalence and infection intensity, has typically been studied in the context of two opposing hypotheses. According to the trade-off hypothesis generalist parasites, which can infect a broad range of hosts, will reach a lower prevalence and infection intensity than more specialist parasites due to the higher costs to adapt to multiple host immune systems. In contrast, the niche breadth hypothesis proposes that generalists' ability to infect more host species makes them more efficient in colonising host communities and thus they are found at higher prevalences and infection intensities. This study aims to test these hypotheses using the widespread avian malaria parasites of the genera Plasmodium and the related malaria-like parasite Haemoproteus. Overall, 1188 wild house sparrows from 17 localities in southwestern Spain were screened for parasite presence and intensity of infection. For each lineage found infecting house sparrows, we estimated host specificity as i) the number of different bird taxa infected by that lineage according to the MalAvi database and ii) an index that accounts for the phylogenetic relatedness between the host species. Parasite infections were recorded in 419 house sparrows, and eight Plasmodium and three Haemoproteus lineages were identified. Prevalence was positively associated with the number of host species. Lineages found in more localities showed both higher prevalence and host range. Overall, these results support the niche breadth hypothesis in relation to blood parasites infecting house sparrows.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science [projects PID2021-123761OB-I00, PLEC2021-007968 (acronym NEXTHREAT) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/5011000110333 and European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR funds] and Junta de Andalucía 2021 [Proyectos I + D + i 2021, project P21_00049]. SC was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities [FPU program, FPU20/03477]. MJRL was supported by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación [project PID2020-118921RJ-100/AEI/10.13039/501100011033].Peer reviewe
The little-studied cluster Berkeley 90: II. the foreground ISM
No full textContext. Nearly one century after their discovery, the carrier or carriers of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) is/are still unknown and there are few sightlines studied in detail for a large number of DIBs. Aims. We want to study the ISM sightlines toward LS III +46 11 and LS III +46 12, two early-O-type stellar systems, and LS III +46 11 B, a mid-B-type star. The three targets are located in the stellar cluster Berkeley 90 and have a high extinction. Methods. We used the multiepoch high-S/N optical spectra presented in Paper I, the extinction results derived there, and additional spectra. Results. We measured equivalent widths, velocities, and FWHMs for a large number of absorption lines in the rich ISM spectrum in front of Berkeley 90. The absorbing ISM has at least two clouds at different velocities, one with a lower column density (thinner) in the K i lines located away from Berkeley 90 and another with a higher column density (thicker) associated with the cluster. The first cloud has similar properties for both O-star sightlines, but the second is thicker for LS III +46 11. The comparison between species indicate that the cloud with a higher column density has a denser core, allowing us to classify the DIBs in a σ-ζ scale, some of these for the first time. The LS III +46 12 sightline also has a high-velocity redshifted component. © ESO, 2015.We would like to thank Nolan R. Walborn and Ignacio Negueruela for useful comments on a previous version of this manuscript. J.M.A. and A.S. acknowledge support from [a] the Spanish Government Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) through grants AYA2010-15081, AYA2010-17 631, and AYA2013-40 611-P and [b] the Consejería de Educación of the Junta de Andalucía through grant P08-TIC-4075. J.M.A. was also supported by the George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy. He is grateful to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University for their hospitality during some of the time this work was carried out. R.H.B. acknowledges support from FONDECYT Project 1 140 076. S.S.-D. acknowledges funding by [a] the Spanish Government Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) through grants AYA2010-21 697-C05-04, AYA2012-39 364-C02-01, and Severo Ochoa SEV-2011-0187 and [b] the Canary Islands Government under grant PID2 010 119. The data in this article were obtained with the 4.2 m William Hershel Telescope (WHT), the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), and the 2.6 m Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (Spain); the 2.2 m and the 3.5 m telescopes at the Calar Alto Observatory (Spain); and the 9.2 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) at McDonald Observatory (USA).With funding from the Spanish government through the "Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence" accreditation (SEV-2011-0187).Peer reviewe
The high-redshift gamma-ray burst GRB: A comprehensive X-ray and optical study
Full text linkHigh-redshift gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) offer several advantages when studying the distant Universe, providing unique information about the structure and properties of the galaxies in which they exploded. Spectroscopic identification with large ground-based telescopes has improved our knowledge of this kind of distant events. We present the multi-wavelength analysis of the high-zSwift GRB GRB€‰140515A (z = 6.327). The best estimate of the neutral hydrogen fraction of the intergalactic medium towards the burst is x≤ 0.002. The spectral absorption lines detected for this event are the weakest lines ever observed in GRB afterglows, suggesting that GRB€‰140515A exploded in a very low-density environment. Its circum-burst medium is characterised by an average extinction (A∼ 0.1) that seems to be typical of z ≥ 6 events. The observed multi-band light curves are explained either with a very hard injected spectrum (p = 1.7) or with a multi-component emission (p = 2.1). In the second case a long-lasting central engine activity is needed in order to explain the late time X-ray emission. The possible origin of GRB€‰140515A in a Pop III (or in a Pop II star with a local environment enriched by Pop III) massive star is unlikely. © ESO, 2015.We thank the anonymous referee for the valuable comments that contributed to improving the quality of the publication. This research has been supported by ASI grant INAF I/004/11/1. D.M. acknowledges support from the Instrument Center for Danish Astrophysics (IDA). The Dark Cosmology Centre is funded by the Danish National Research Foundation. This work made use of data supplied by the UK Swift Science Data Centre at the University of Leicester
[Dataset] Uterotonic agents for preventing postpartum haemorrhage: a network meta-analysis
No full textThe full data package associated with the review, including collected study data, risk of bias assessments, analyses, and references (ZIP file).Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. Prophylactic uterotonic agents can prevent PPH. The current World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation for preventing PPH is 10 IU (international units) of intramuscular or intravenous oxytocin. Several uterotonics prevent PPH, but there remains uncertainty about the most effective agent with the fewest side effects. This is an update of a review first published in April 2018, and incorporates trustworthiness screening of eligible trials.Peer reviewe
Health position paper and redox perspectives – Bench to bedside transition for pharmacological regulation of NRF2 in noncommunicable diseases
Full text linkThis review is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Karen T. Liby, who passed away during the final editing of the manuscript. During her academic career, Karen made numerous extensive contributions to the pharmacology of Nrf2 activators, particularly to the preclinical development of the cyanoenone triterpenoids as multifunctional agents for prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Karen’s untimely passing is a huge loss for the Nrf2 community worldwide. Her kind personality and scientific rigour will be greatly missed.Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a redox-activated transcription factor regulating cellular defense against oxidative stress, thereby playing a pivotal role in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Its dysregulation is implicated in the progression of a wide array of human diseases, making NRF2 a compelling target for therapeutic interventions. However, challenges persist in drug discovery and safe targeting of NRF2, as unresolved questions remain especially regarding its context-specific role in diseases and off-target effects. This comprehensive review discusses the dualistic role of NRF2 in disease pathophysiology, covering its protective and/or destructive roles in autoimmune, respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases, as well as diseases of the digestive system and cancer. Additionally, we also review the development of drugs that either activate or inhibit NRF2, discuss main barriers in translating NRF2-based therapies from bench to bedside, and consider the ways to monitor NRF2 activation in vivo.U.S. National Institutes of Health, R35 CA197222 (T.W.K.). PID- 2021-122766OB-1363 100 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033 and by ERDF/EU (A.M.V.). National Science Centre grant OPUS (2021/43/B/NZ4/02130) (A.G-P). Swiss National Science Foundation grants 310 030_212 558 and IZCOZ0_205 415 (G.P.S.). Lundbeck Foundation (grant R366-2021-270 (A.B.). Medical Research Council UK [MR/T014644/1 (J.D.H., B.B., A.T.D-K) and MR/ W023806/1 (A T.D-K)], Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council UK (BB/T508111/1 and BB/X00029X/1) (A.T.D-K), Tenovus Scotland (T22-08) (S.DN, A.T.D-K), and Reata Pharmaceuticals/Biogen (S.DN, A.T.D-K). Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (PID-2021-122766OB-100, PDC2021-121 421-I00, PDC2022-133 765-I00), CIBERNED/ISCIII (CB06/05/0010), and The Autonomous Community of Madrid (P2022/BMD-7230) (A.C., A.I.R.). FPU contract of MIU (Ministry of Universities FPU2021, FPU21/02505) (E.C.). Spanish Ministry of Science (grant PID2021-123481OB-I00), Comunidad de Madrid (grant P2022/BMD-7230-CAM-22), and Fundación Teófilo Hernando” (R.L.). Romania Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization through the Nucleu grant PN23.16.02.01 (G.M.). Spanish Ministry of science innovation and universities Refs PDC2022-133 809-I00 and PID2021-125986OB-I00 and General Council for Research and Innovation of the Community of Madrid Ref. P2022/BMD-7230 to (M.G.L.). NIH National Cancer Institute: NIH F31 CA275239 (J.A.M). Cancer Foundation Finland, Sigrid Juselius Foundation (A.L.L.)
Mechanical behaviour and microstructural characteristics of high-silicon ultra-strong bainitic steels for hot rolling practice
No full textHigh-silicon (1.5–2.5 wt%) steels were designed to achieve carbide-free bainitic matrices with retained austenite through industrial hot rolling, with coiling temperatures of 310 °C and 350 °C. The resulting ultrahigh strength steels (1409–1644 MPa) were characterized through tensile testing, Charpy impact toughness, and Kahn tear tests, while microstructural analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Both yield and tensile strengths correlated strongly with bainitic matrix characteristics, including phase fraction, dislocation density, carbon content, and plate thickness. Ductility showed dependence on film-type austenite content and M temperature, mechanical stability. The steels exhibited exceptional impact toughness meeting industrial requirements, with ductile fracture behaviour observed down to −100 °C, challenging previous findings. Crack resistance values matched or exceeded those of comparable ultrahigh strength steels. The lower coiling temperature (310 °C) produced retained austenite with higher mechanical stability, benefiting tensile properties and crack resistance, while impact toughness remained largely unaffected by austenite stability due to high strain rates.This research is funded by Research Fund for Coal and Steel, grant number RFCS-2019-899482Peer reviewe
Harnessing bacteriophages for sustainable crop protection in the face of climate change
No full textCrop pathogens represent a major challenge to global food security, causing over 40% yield losses in key crops and annual economic impacts estimated at up to US$290 billion. Microbial-based alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals offer sustainable solutions aligned with global initiatives like the European Union's Green Deal. Among these, bacteriophage (phage) therapy has gained attention for its specificity, effectiveness against plant pathogens and safety for crops. Here, we highlight recent research on phage therapy strategies and their potential utility in sustainable agriculture, showcasing its effectiveness in reducing phytopathogen densities, delaying plant disease onset, and enriching plant-associated bacterial taxa with biocontrol potential. Phage cocktails improve biocontrol, mitigate resistance, and synergize with other biological and chemical agents. Emerging technologies like engineered phages also promise enhanced efficacy. Addressing challenges like phytopathogen resistance, field inconsistencies, and regulatory hurdles is crucial to integrating phage therapy into sustainable agriculture under climate stress.This work was supported by Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation, RYC2019- 026481-I; Polish National Science Center, 2020/38/E/NZ9/00007; and Spanish Ministry for Science, Innovation and Universities, PID2023-146281NB-I0
Improving quantum metrology protocols with programmable photonic circuits
No full text11 pages, 5 figuresPhotonic quantum metrology enables the measurement of physical parameters with precision surpassing classical limits by using quantum states of light. However, generating states providing a large metrological advantage is hard because standard probabilistic methods suffer from low generation rates. Deterministic protocols using non-linear interactions offer a path to overcome this problem, but they are currently limited by the errors introduced during the interaction time. Thus, finding strategies to minimize the interaction time of these non-linearities is still a relevant question. In this work, we introduce and compare different deterministic strategies based on continuous and programmable Jaynes-Cummings and Kerr-type interactions, aiming to maximize the metrological advantage while minimizing the interaction time. We find that programmable interactions provide a larger metrological advantage than continuous operations at the expense of slightly larger interaction times. We show that while for Jaynes-Cummings non-linearities the interaction time grows with the photon number, for Kerr-type ones it decreases, favoring the scalability to big photon numbers. Finally, we also optimize different measurement strategies for the deterministically generated states based on photon-counting and homodyne detection.The authors acknowledge support from the Proyecto Sinérgico CAM 2020 Y2020/TCS-6545
(NanoQuCo-CM), the CSIC Research Platform on Quantum Technologies PTI-001 and from Spanish
projects PID2021-127968NB-I00 and TED2021-130552B-C22 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE and MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, respectively.
AMH acknowledges support from Fundación General CSIC’s ComFuturo program, which has received
funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie
Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 101034263. AGT also acknowledges support from the QUANTERA project MOLAR with reference PCI2024-153449 and funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union. This research was supported in part by grant no. NSF PHY-2309135 to the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP)Peer reviewe
Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data of Eu3Ta2ON5
No full textDatos de Intensidad de difracción de rayos X en función del ángulo de Bragg.-
Los datos se generaron en la línea MSPD de ALBA.-
Es un fichero de texto, que se puede leer con cualquier programa de procesador de texto, además de con los programas de tratamiento de datos de difracción de rayos X, como por ejemplo Fullprof, Match! etc.
.Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data of Eu3Ta2ON5 acquired at ALBA (experiment number AV-2024028275) with detailed information on acquisition conditions.With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2023-001263-S).N