Why do different early-type-galaxies have different amounts of rotational support?

Early-type galaxies (ETGs, i.e. elliptical and lenticular galaxies) differ in their amount of rotational support -- some are purely supported by velocity dispersion, while others show pronounced ordered rotation. Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations show that the progenitors of all ETGs were first rotating quickly, but then mergers decreased their rotational support. In the presented work, we studied this process using an observational archaeological approach. Namely, we inspected the correlations of 23 merger-sensitive characteristics of local ETGs with a parameter quantifying the rotational support. We used a volume-limited sample of local ETGs, that are not in galaxy clusters, from the MATLAS survey. We found, for example, that slowly rotating galaxies have tidal features and kinematically distinct components more often and have lower metallicities. We sought for mutual interpretation of the correlations among all 23 quantities, together with literature results on high-redshift massive galaxies. There seems to be only one interpretation possible: on average, ETGs lose their rotational support through multiple minor wet mergers happening at the redshifts above about two.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, 1 table. Submitted to the Proceedings of the XX Serbian Astronomical Conference. Invited Lectur

Origin of the differences in rotational support among early-type galaxies: The case of galaxies outside clusters

Context: Early-type galaxies (ETGs) are divided into slow and fast rotators (FRs and SRs) according to the degree of ordered rotation of their stellar populations. Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations indicate that galaxies form as FRs before their rotational support decreases, usually because of mergers. Aims: We aimed to investigate this process observationally for galaxies outside of clusters. Methods: We made use of the fact that different merger types leave different traces that have different lifetimes. We statistically analyzed multiple characteristics of galaxies that are expected to be influenced by mergers, such as tidal features, kinematically distinct cores, and stellar ages. They were taken from the MATLAS and ATLAS$^\mathrm{3D}$ databases. Through multilinear regression we identified the quantities that, at a fixed mass and environmental density of the galaxy, significantly correlate with a measure of the ordered rotation of the galaxy, $\lambda_{R_e}^N$. Results: We found a negative correlation of the rotational support with the occurrence of tidal disturbances and kinematic substructures, and a positive correlation with metallicity and metallicity gradients. For massive galaxies, the rotational support correlates negatively with the abundance of alpha elements, and for the galaxies in low-density environments, it correlates negatively with the central photometric cuspiness. These and additional literature observational constraints are explained the easiest if the mergers that decreased the rotational support of ETGs were typically minor, wet, and happening at $z\approx 2$. They did not form the currently observed tidal features. The observed frequency of tidal features implies a merging rate of 0.07-0.2 per Gyr. This is insufficient to explain the observed growth of the radii of ETGs with redshift by mergers.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 26 pages, 7 figures, 7 table

Disseny d’un banc per caracteritzar amortidors

Aquest Projecte Fi de Carrera té com a objectiu el disseny d’un banc d’assaig per caracteritzar amortidors, obtenint les seves corresponents corbes força-desplaçament i forçavelocitat. El projecte inclou el disseny i càlcul de tots els elements mecànics, així com també el càlcul de l’accionament que incorpora. D’altra banda, també inclou un anàlisis de mercat, la selecció de materials i de les tecnologies de fabricació, la selecció dels sensors, la simulació del comportament del banc, la realització del muntatge, el funcionament, el manteniment, i finalment un estudi econòmic i d’impacte mediambiental. No s’inclou l’estudi de la part referida al programa d’adquisició de dades proporcionades pels sensors ni el seu tractament posterior. La metodologia que es segueix per dissenyar el banc es basa en realitzar un anàlisis de mercat per conèixer les característiques i els preus dels bancs d’assaig que es comercialitzen actualment per amortidors. Per altra banda, com que l’amortidor és el principal element a assajar, és necessari estudiar les característiques de longitud i cursa de diferents models d’amortidors. Posteriorment es decideixen quines prestacions i quines possibilitats d’assaig pot tenir el banc. A partir d’aquí, es calcula l’accionament, i es dissenya i calcula l’estructura i el mecanisme del banc. Es seleccionen els components, els materials i es decideixen les tecnologies de fabricació de les diferents peces. També es seleccionen els sensors que incorpora el banc per captar informació per la caracterització dels amortidors. L’elaboració de tots els plànols es realitza amb el programari en 3D SolidWorks2006. Seguidament es realitzen diverses simulacions per ordinador per comprovar el comportament i funcionament del banc, i d’aquesta manera poder validar el disseny. Finalment s’exposen aspectes de muntatge, funcionament, manteniment, així com també un estudi econòmic i medi ambiental del projecte

Modifications of hepatic fibrosis assessed by transient elastometry in patients with sustained virological response after treatment of hepatitis C in monoinfected (VHC) and coinfected patients(VHC – VIH)

Introducción: Se ha observado que los pacientes infectados por el virus de la hepatitis C (VHC), que ya han desarrollado un grado de fibrosis significativo, son capaces de disminuir ese grado de fibrosis, al alcanzar una respuesta viral sostenida (RVS) tras el tratamiento con interferón pegilado (PEG-IFN) y ribavirina (RBV). Objetivo: Evaluar la modificación de la fibrosis, medida por elastometría transitoria, al erradicar el VHC tanto en pacientes tratados con PEG-IFN y RBV, con Boceprevir/Telaprevir, como con agentes de acción directa (AAD) y determinar la asociación entre la variación de la fibrosis y el grado de fibrosis previo al tratamiento tanto en pacientes monoinfectados (VHC), como en coinfectados (VIH/VHC). Métodos: Estudio observacional prospectivo, en el que se estudiaron 50 pacientes y se evaluó su grado de fibrosis previo y posterior al tratamiento. Resultados: De los 62 pacientes, un 45,2% disminuyeron su fibrosis, con una media de descenso de 9,45kPa y un 45,2% disminuyeron al menos un estadio en la escala Metavir. Se observó una asociación entre un menor grado de fibrosis previo al tratamiento y un mayor descenso de la misma (p<0,001). Sin embargo no se observaron diferencias (p=0,713) entre la monoinfección y la coinfección con VIH; tampoco se detectó asociación significativa, entre los tres tipos de tratamientos y la modificación de la fibrosis (p=0,445). Conclusiones:En nuestro estudio, la consecución de la RVS en los pacientes con hepatitis crónica por VHC facilita la reducción de la fibrosis producida por la enfermedad, tanto en pacientes monoinfectados, como en coinfectados (VIH/VHC), independientemente del tratamiento usado.Introduction: It has been shown that patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), who have already developed a significant degree of fibrosis, are able to reduce that degree of fibrosis by achieving a sustained virological response (SVR) after treatment with Pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV). Objective: To evaluate the modification of fibrosis, measured by transient elastometry, after HCV eradication in patients treated with PEG-IFN and RBV, with Boceprevir / Telaprevir, and with direct acting agents (AAD) and to determine the association between the variation in fibrosis and the degree of pre-treatment fibrosis in both monoinfected (HCV) and coinfected (HIV / HCV) patients. Methods: This work is a prospective observational study. 50 patients were studied and their degree of fibrosis before and after treatment was evaluated. Results: 45.2% of patients decreased their fibrosis, with a mean decrease of 9.45kPa and 45.2% decreased at least one stage on the Metavir scale. There was an association between a lower degree of fibrosis before treatment and a greater decrease in fibrosis (p <0.001). However, no differences were observed between monoinfection and HIV coinfection (p = 0.713). No significant association was detected between the three types of treatments and the modification of fibrosis (p = 0.445). Conclusions: In our study, SVR in patients with chronic HCV hepatitis facilitates the reduction of fibrosis produced by the disease, both in monoinfected patients and in coinfected patients (HIV / HCV), regardless of the treatment used

Response to direct acting agents against the hepatitis C virus in real life conditions.

Objetivos: La infección por el Virus de la Hepatitis C (VHC) es un problema de salud pública tanto a nivel mundial como en España. Los tratamientos utilizados en los años precedentes tenían una limitada eficacia que no superaba de media el 50% de éxitos. La introducción de los agentes de acción directa (AAD) libres de interferón ha cambiado la tasa de respuestas de forma significativa. Nuestros objetivos han sido comparar la tasa de respuestas a AAD en vida real de los diferentes genotipos del VHC, frente a los resultados obtenidos en los ensayos clínicos y estudios de cohortes, así como comparar la tasa de respuesta con AAD en monoinfectados por el VHC respecto a coinfectados por VIH en los mismos escenarios. Métodos: En 147 de pacientes, de los cuales eran monoinfectados 61 (25,2%) y coinfectados 86 (74,8%) que acudieron a consultas de la Unidad Enfermedades Infecciosas del Hospital Virgen de las Nieves de Granada, se evaluó el genotipo del VHC y grado de fibrosis previa al tratamiento con AAD. Resultados: En el estudio realizado se obtuvo una respuesta viral sostenida (RVS) a las 12 semanas de finalizar el tratamiento en 137 de ellos, lo que supone el 93.2%, siendo en los monoinfectados del 94,7% y en los coinfectados de 93%. Conclusiones: En las condiciones de uso en la vida real los AAD alcanzan tasas de respuesta viral sostenida (RVS) iguales a los ensayos clínicos tanto en el global de pacientes como en monoinfectados o coinfectados con el VIH. Estos mismos resultados se repiten al compararlos con los estudios de cohortes.Objectives: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide public health problem. The treatments used in previous years had a limited efficacy that did not reach 50% of success. The introduction of interferon-free direct acting agents (DAA) has significantly changed the response rate. Our objectives have been to compare the response rate to reallife DAA of the different HCV genotypes, versus the results obtained in clinical trials and cohort studies, as well as to compare the response rate with DAA in monoinfected by HCV respect to coinfected by HIV in the same circumstances. Methods: 147 patients, 61 (25.2%) monoinfected and 86 (74.8%) coinfected, who visited the Infectious Diseases Unit of the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital in Granada, were evaluated for HCV genotype and degree of fibrosis previous to treatment with DAA. Results: In the study, a sustained virologic response (SVR) was obtained 12 weeks after the end of treatment in 137 of them, representing 93.2%, 94% in monoinfected patients and 93% in coinfected patients. Conclusions: In real-life conditions, DAA achieve sustained virologic response rates (SVRs) equal to clinical trials both in the global patient population and in monoinfected or HIV coinfected patients. These same results are in concordance when compared with cohort studies

Evaluation of treatment response in adults with relapsing MOG-Ab-associated disease

Background: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (MOG-Ab) are related to several acquired demyelinating syndromes in adults, but the therapeutic approach is currently unclear. We aimed to describe the response to different therapeutic strategies in adult patients with relapsing MOG-Ab-associated disease. Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted in France and Spain including 125 relapsing MOG-Ab patients aged ≥ 18 years. First, we performed a survival analysis to investigate the relapse risk between treated and non-treated patients, performing a propensity score method based on the inverse probability of treatment weighting. Second, we assessed the annualised relapse rates (ARR), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and visual acuity pre-treatment and on/end-treatment. Results: Median age at onset was 34.1 years (range 18.0-67.1), the female to male ratio was 1.2:1, and 96% were Caucasian. At 5 years, 84% (95% confidence interval [CI], 77.1-89.8) patients relapsed. At the last follow-up, 66 (52.8%) received maintenance therapy. Patients initiating immunosuppressants (azathioprine, mycophenolate mophetil [MMF], rituximab) were at lower risk of new relapse in comparison to non-treated patients (HR, 0.41; 95CI%, 0.20-0.82; p = 0.011). Mean ARR (standard deviation) was reduced from 1.05(1.20) to 0.43(0.79) with azathioprine (n = 11; p = 0.041), from 1.20(1.11) to 0.23(0.60) with MMF (n = 11; p = 0.033), and from 1.08(0.98) to 0.43(0.89) with rituximab (n = 26; p = 0.012). Other immunosuppressants (methotrexate/mitoxantrone/cyclophosphamide; n = 5), or multiple sclerosis disease-modifying drugs (MS-DMD; n = 9), were not associated with significantly reduced ARR. Higher rates of freedom of EDSS progression were observed with azathioprine, MMF or rituximab. Conclusion: In adults with relapsing MOG-Ab-associated disease, immunosuppressant therapy (azathioprine, MMF and rituximab) is associated with reduced risk of relapse and better disability outcomes. Such an effect was not found in the few patients treated with MS-DMD

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis

[Background and purpose] Prognosis of myasthenia gravis (MG) in patients with thymoma is not well established. Moreover, it is not clear whether thymoma recurrence or unresectable lesions entail a worse prognosis of MG.[Methods] This multicenter study was based on data from a Spanish neurologist-driven MG registry. All patients were aged >18 years at onset and had anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. We compared the clinical data of thymomatous and nonthymomatous patients. Prognosis of patients with recurrent or nonresectable thymomas was assessed.[Results] We included 964 patients from 15 hospitals; 148 (15.4%) had thymoma-associated MG. Median follow-up time was 4.6 years. At onset, thymoma-associated MG patients were younger (52.0 vs. 60.4 years, p < 0.001), had more generalized symptoms (odds ratio [OR]: 3.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.95–4.68, p < 0.001) and more severe clinical forms according to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) scale (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.15–2.21, p = 0.005). Disease severity based on MGFA postintervention status (MGFA-PIS) was higher in thymomatous patients at 1 year, 5 years, and the end of follow-up. Treatment refractoriness and mortality were also higher (OR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.43–3.63, p = 0.001; hazard ratio: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.47–4.14, p = 0.001). Myasthenic symptoms worsened in 13 of 27 patients with recurrences, but differences in long-term severity were not significant. Fifteen thymomatous patients had nonresectable thymomas with worse MGFA-PIS and higher mortality at the end of follow-up.[Conclusions] Thymoma-associated MG patients had more severe myasthenic symptoms and worse prognosis. Thymoma recurrence was frequently associated with transient worsening of MG, but long-term prognosis did not differ from nonrecurrent thymoma. Patients with nonresectable thymoma tended to present severe forms of MG.This work is supported by Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS) grant FIS19/01774, Instituto de Salud Carlos III and cofunded by the European Union (ERDF/ESF, A Way to Make Europe/Investing in Your Future). Rodrigo Álvarez-Velasco was supported by a PhD for Medical Doctors grant from the Pla Estratègic de Recerca i Innovació en Salut (PERIS), Generalitat de Catalunya (SLT008/18/00207). Elena Cortés-Vicente was supported by a Juan Rodés grant (JR19/00037) from the Fondo de Investigación en Salud, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Health (Spain).Peer reviewe

DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;2.05, 95%CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.39–3.02, p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.42, 95%CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.18–0.99, p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio