Diagnosis and modelling of a summer convective storm over Mediterranean Pyrenees

International audienceOver the Mediterranean Pyrenees and near coastal region there is a high frequency of convective storms during summertime. This fact determines a local maximum of precipitation at this season unlike the normal and general minimum over Mediterranean basin. The common synoptic and mesoscale patterns associated to convective phenomena are briefly analyzed and diagnosed with radar imagery, surface pressure and isobaric level fields and surface data. They usually involves a little distant through at medium levels, very weak pressure gradient at the surface and not significant instability, but a preferred Planetary Boundary Layer low-level convergence zones tied to the orography. As a result of this analysis two different kinds of circulations associated to recurrent convergence zones have been recognized: upvalley/upslope winds and sea breezes. High resolution simulations from a Numerical Weather Prediction model for a case study have carried out to analyze the role of the main key components, i.e. the orography, the sea and valley breeze and their influence to generate local convergence zones. Furthermore, the skills of the model to simulate the location and the intensity of the precipitation of these summer Mediterranean storms have been discussed

Probabilistic prediction of raw and BMA calibrated AEMET-SREPS: the 24 of January 2009 extreme wind event in Catalunya

At 00:00 UTC of 24 January 2009 (24Jan09) an explosive cyclogenesis placed at the Gulf of Vizcaya, reached its maximum intensity with observed surface pressures below 970 hPa on its center. During its path through the south of France there were strong westerly and north-westerly winds over Iberian Peninsula (above 150 km/h). These extreme winds leaved 8 casualties in Catalunya, the north-east region of Spain. <br><br> The aim of this work is validating the skill of the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) Short Range Ensemble Prediction System (SREPS) in forecasting this event. Two probabilistic forecasts of wind are compared, a non-calibrated (or raw) and a calibrated one using the Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA). <br><br> AEMET runs a daily experimental SREPS twice a day (00:00 and 12:00 UTC). This system consists on 25 members that are constructed by integrating five different Limited Area Models (LAMs) at 0.25 degrees of horizontal resolution. Each model uses five different initial and boundary conditions from five Global Models (GMs). Thus it is obtained a probabilistic forecast that takes into account initial, contour and model uncertainties. <br><br> BMA is a statistical tool for combining predictive Probability Distribution Functions (PDFs) from different sources. BMA predictive PDF is a weighted average of PDFs centered on the individual bias-corrected forecasts. Each weight is a measure of the corresponding forecast skill. Here BMA is applied to calibrate probabilistic forecasts of wind speed. <br><br> In this work two time forecast ranges (H+60 and H+36) of 10-m wind speed over Catalonia are verified subjectively at 12:00 UTC of 24Jan09 valid time. We focus on the location and intensity of 10-m wind speed maximum values. Observations at 29 automatic ground stations of AEMET are used for the verification. <br><br> On one hand results indicate that raw AEMET-SREPS is able to forecast 60 h ahead mean winds higher than 36 and 54 km/h and that it correctly locates them in three different areas. On the other hand, predicted probability loses its skill after BMA calibration of the ensemble. This is due to the fact that BMA bias correction underestimates the intensity of wind

The role of BAP in somatic embriogenesis induction from seed explants of Arachis species from Sections Erectoides and Procumbentes.

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Situational Awareness: Detecting Critical Dependencies and Devices in a Network

Large-scale networks consisting of thousands of connected devices are like a living organism, constantly changing and evolving. It is very difficult for a human administrator to orient in such environment and to react to emerging security threats. With such motivation, this PhD proposal aims to find new methods for automatic identification of devices, the services they provide, their dependencies and importance. The main focus of the proposal is to find novel approaches to building cyber situational awareness in an unknown network for the purpose of computer security incident response. Our research is at the initial phase and will contribute to a PhD thesis in four years

Involving research participants in a pan-European research initiative: the EPAD participant panel experience

Abstract: Background: Including participants in patient and public involvement activities is increasingly acknowledged as a key pillar of successful research activity. Such activities can influence recruitment and retention, as well as researcher experience and contribute to decision making in research studies. However, there are few established methodologies of how to set up and manage participant involvement activities. Further, there is little discussion of how to do so when dealing with collaborative projects that run across countries and operate in multiple linguistic and regulatory contexts. Methods: In this paper we describe the set-up, running and experiences of the EPAD participant panel. The EPAD study was a pan-European cohort study with the aim to understand risks for developing Alzheimer’s disease and build a readiness cohort for Phase 2 clinical trials. Due to the longitudinal nature of this study, combined with the enrolment of healthy volunteers and those with mild cognitive impairments, the EPAD team highlighted participant involvement as crucial to the success of this project. The EPAD project employed a nested model, with local panels meeting in England, France, Scotland, Spain and The Netherlands, and feeding into a central study panel. The local panels were governed by terms of reference which were adaptable to local needs. Results: The impact of the panels has been widespread, and varies from feedback on documentation, to supporting with design of media materials and representation of the project at national and international meetings. Conclusions: The EPAD panels have contributed to the success of the project and the model established is easily transferable to other disease areas investigating healthy or at-risk populations

Neutron capture measurement at the n TOF facility of the 204Tl and 205Tl s-process branching points

Neutron capture cross sections are one of the fundamental nuclear data in the study of the s (slow) process of nucleosynthesis. More interestingly, the competition between the capture and the decay rates in some unstable nuclei determines the local isotopic abundance pattern. Since decay rates are often sensible to temperature and electron density, the study of the nuclear properties of these nuclei can provide valuable constraints to the physical magnitudes of the nucleosynthesis stellar environment. Here we report on the capture cross section measurement of two thallium isotopes, 204Tl and 205Tl performed by the time-of-flight technique at the n TOF facility at CERN. At some particular stellar s-process environments, the decay of both nuclei is strongly enhanced, and determines decisively the abundance of two s-only isotopes of lead, 204Pb and 205Pb. The latter, as a long-lived radioactive nucleus, has potential use as a chronometer of the last s-process events that contributed to final solar isotopic abundances

Cannabis use selectively modulates circulating biomarkers in the blood of schizophrenia patients

Cannabis use disorder is frequent in schizophrenia patients, and it is associated with an earlier age of onset and poor schizophrenia prognosis. Serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT2AR) have been involved in psychosis and, like Akt kinase, are known to be modulated by THC. Likewise, endocannabinoid system dysregulation has been suggested in schizophrenia. The presence of these molecules in blood makes them interesting targets, as they can be evaluated in patients by a minimally invasive technique. The aim of the present study was to evaluate 5-HT2AR protein expression and the Akt functional status in platelet homogenates of subjects diagnosed with schizophrenia, cannabis use disorder, or both conditions, compared with age- and sex-matched control subjects. Additionally, endocannabinoids and pro-inflammatory interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were also measured in the plasma of these subjects. Results showed that both platelet 5-HT2AR and the active phospho (Ser473)Akt protein expression were significantly increased in schizophrenia subjects, whereas patients with a dual diagnosis of schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder did not show significant changes. Similarly, plasma concentrations of anandamide and other lipid mediators such as PEA and DEA, as well as the pro-inflammatory IL-6, were significantly increased in schizophrenia, but not in dual subjects. Results demonstrate that schizophrenia subjects show different circulating markers pattern depending on the associated diagnosis of cannabis use disorder, supporting the hypothesis that there could be different underlying mechanisms that may explain clinical differences among these groups. Moreover, they provide the first preliminary evidence of peripherally measurable molecules of interest for bigger prospective studies in these subpopulations.Eusko Jaurlaritza, Grant/Award Numbers: 2019111082, IT1512/22, ITIT1211-19; Ministerio de Sanidad, Grant/Award Number: PNSD2019I021; Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Grant/Award Number: PID2019-106404RB-I0

Preclinical Evaluation of an Imidazole-Linked Heterocycle for Alzheimer’s Disease

Humanity is facing a vast prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases, with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) being the most dominant, without efficacious drugs, and with only a few therapeutic targets identified. In this scenario, we aim to find molecular entities that modulate imidazoline I2 receptors (I2-IRs) that have been pointed out as relevant targets in AD. In this work, we explored structural modifications of well-established I2-IR ligands, giving access to derivatives with an imidazole-linked heterocycle as a common key feature. We report the synthesis, the affinity in human I2-IRs, the brain penetration capabilities, the in silico ADMET studies, and the three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) studies of this new bunch of I2-IR ligands. Selected compounds showed neuroprotective properties and beneficial effects in an in vitro model of Parkinson’s disease, rescued the human dopaminergic cell line SH-SY5Y from death after treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine, and showed crucial anti-inflammatory effects in a cellular model of neuroinflammation. After a preliminary pharmacokinetic study, we explored the action of our representative 2-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-1H-imidazole LSL33 in a mouse model of AD (5xFAD). Oral administration of LSL33 at 2 mg/Kg for 4 weeks ameliorated 5XFAD cognitive impairment and synaptic plasticity, as well as reduced neuroinflammation markers. In summary, this new I2-IR ligand that promoted beneficial effects in a well-established AD mouse model should be considered a promising therapeutic strategy for neurodegeneration

Entropy change caused by martensitic transformations of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys

In this paper, our most recent findings on the influence of magnetic order on the main transformational caloric and elastic properties of shape memory alloys (SMAs) are reviewed. It is argued that ferromagnetic order has a strong influence on the temperature interval of martensitic transformation (MT), the characteristics of stress-induced MT, and the shear elastic modulus of SMA. The problem of separation of the magnetic contributions to the entropy change ΔS and heat Q exchanged in the course of martensitic transformation (MT) of SMA is considered in general terms, and theoretical formulas enabling the solution of the problem are presented. As an example, the ΔS and Q values, which were experimentally determined for Ni-Mn-Ga and Ni-Fe-Ga alloys with different Curie temperatures TC and MT temperatures TM, are theoretically analyzed. It is shown that for Ni-Mn-Ga martensites with TM < TC, the ratio of elastic and magnetic contributions to the entropy change may be greater or smaller than unity, depending on the temperature difference TC – TM.Partial financial support from projects MAT2014-56116-C04-01-R and MAT2012-37923-C02-01 (AEI/FEDER, UE) is acknowledged. The financial support from project 0117U000433 of NASU and project 0117U004340 of MESU is also acknowledged

AEMET- γSREPS

El futuro de la predicción del tiempo se fundamentará en sistema(s) de predicción por conjuntos (SPC) que describan cada vez más detalladamente la atmósfera y sus interrelaciones con el resto de componentes del Sistema Climático: suelo, océanos, hielos y biosfera. Más detalladamente porque los modelos de predicción del tiempo representarán la atmósfera a escalas horizontales (y verticales) cada vez más pequeñas, desde muy pocos kilómetros a unos pocos metros. ¿Y por qué más detalladamente? Pues porque hay procesos de mesoescala (de 1 a 20 km en jerga de meteorólogos y modelizadores) que sólo se simulan adecuadamente con modelos detallados. Y que se simulen adecuadamente es determinante para poder hacer una buena predicción de eventos meteorológicos relevantes como por ejemplo precipitaciones intensas y/o copiosas que producen inundaciones. Y las incertidumbres inherentes a esas escalas y, por ende, su predecibilidad, sólo se podrán tener en cuenta con las predicciones de carácter probabilista basadas en SPC y no con una sola predicción determinista. En ese camino se enmarcan los actuales SPC de área limitada (una zona más o menos rectangular de la Tierra), de alta resolución (1-4 km), convection permitting (sin parametrizar la convección), anidados en modelos globales (todo el planeta), como el AEMET-γSREPS de AEMET