Reverse Transcriptase and Retroviral Replication

1421113

Operation and performance of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter in Run 1

The Tile Calorimeter is the hadron calorimeter covering the central region of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Approximately 10,000 photomultipliers collect light from scintillating tiles acting as the active material sandwiched between slabs of steel absorber. This paper gives an overview of the calorimeter’s performance during the years 2008–2012 using cosmic-ray muon events and proton–proton collision data at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8TeV with a total integrated luminosity of nearly 30 fb−1. The signal reconstruction methods, calibration systems as well as the detector operation status are presented. The energy and time calibration methods performed excellently, resulting in good stability of the calorimeter response under varying conditions during the LHC Run 1. Finally, the Tile Calorimeter response to isolated muons and hadrons as well as to jets from proton–proton collisions is presented. The results demonstrate excellent performance in accord with specifications mentioned in the Technical Design Report

Decoding the Duality of Antinutrients: Assessing the Impact of Protein Extraction Methods on Plant-Based Protein Sources

This review aims to provide an updated overview of the effects of protein extraction/recovery on antinutritional factors (ANFs) in plant protein ingredients, such as protein-rich fractions, protein concentrates, and isolates. ANFs mainly include lectins, trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, phenolic compounds, oxalates, saponins, tannins, and cyanogenic glycosides. The current technologies used to recover proteins (e.g., wet extraction, dry fractionation) and novel technologies (e.g., membrane processing) are included in this review. The mechanisms involved during protein extraction/recovery that may enhance or decrease the ANF content in plant protein ingredients are discussed. However, studies on the effects of protein extraction/recovery on specific ANFs are still scarce, especially for novel technologies such as ultrasound- and microwave-assisted extraction and membrane processing. Although the negative effects of ANFs on protein digestibility and the overall absorption of plant proteins and other nutrients are a health concern, it is also important to highlight the potential positive effects of ANFs. This is particularly relevant given the rise of novel protein ingredients in the market and the potential presence or absence of these factors and their effects on consumers’ health

Measurement of four-jet differential cross sections in s = 8 s=8 \sqrt{s}=8 TeV proton-proton collisions using the ATLAS detector

Differential cross sections for the production of at least four jets have been measured in proton-proton collisions at s√=8 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider using the ATLAS detector. Events are selected if the four anti-ktR = 0.4 jets with the largest transverse momentum (pT) within the rapidity range |y| < 2.8 are well separated (ΔR4jmin > 0.65), all have pT > 64 GeV, and include at least one jet with pT > 100 GeV. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb−1. The cross sections, corrected for detector effects, are compared to leading-order and next-to-leading-order calculations as a function of the jet momenta, invariant masses, minimum and maximum opening angles and other kinematic variables

Investigating the phytotoxic potential of Carlina acaulis essential oil against the weed Bidens pilosa through a physiological and metabolomic approach

Essential oils (EOs) are widely studied as possible candidates for new eco-friendly herbicides for weed management due to their phytotoxicity. In this study we tested the phytotoxic potential of the EO obtained from the roots of Carlina acaulis L. (Apiaceae) against the weed Bidens pilosa L. This EO, containing 98% of the polyacetylene carlina oxide, showed strong phytotoxic effects on the plant metabolism, such as leaf necrosis, reduction of relative water content and total leaf area, and an increase in the dry weight/fresh weight ratio, suggesting a water status alteration. The EO also damaged the photosynthetic machinery, as evidenced by the significant reduction of the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (ΦII) and the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). In addition, the non-photochemical quenching (ΦNPQ) significantly increased after spraying with C. acaulis EO. Damage to photosystem II was further demonstrated through the reduction of manganese and calcium concentrations, possibly due to an alteration in the correct functionality of the Mn4Ca cluster of the PSII. Metabolomics analysis revealed an accumulation of branched-chain amino acids, such as isoleucine and valine, which is commonly related to osmotic alterations under drought stress situations and a general reduction in sugar content (fructose, glucose, mannose, among others), suggesting reduction of the photosynthetic efficiency too. Overall, these findings suggest C. acaulis EO as a promising natural product with phytotoxic potential against weeds that deserves further investigation