Energy-based monitoring and correction to enhance the accuracy and stability of explicit co-simulation

[Abstract] The simulation of complex engineering applications often requires the consideration of component-level dynamics whose nature and time-scale differ across the elements of which the system is composed. Co-simulation offers an effective approach to deal with the modelling and numerical integration of such assemblies by assigning adequate description and solution methods to each component. Explicit co-simulation, in particular, is frequently used when efficient code execution is a requirement, for instance in real-time setups. Using explicit schemes, however, can lead to the introduction of energy artifacts at the discrete-time interface between subsystems. The resulting energy errors deteriorate the accuracy of the co-simulation results and may in some cases develop into the instability of the numerical integration process. This paper discusses the factors that influence the severity of the energy errors generated at the interface in explicit co-simulation applications, and presents a monitoring and correction methodology to detect and remove them. The method uses only the information carried by the variables exchanged between the subsystems and the co-simulation manager. The performance of this energy-correction technique was evaluated in multi-rate co-simulation of mechanical and multiphysics benchmark examples.Xunta de Galicia; ED431B2016/031Xunta de Galicia; ED431F2021/04Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad; RYC-2016-20222Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad; TRA2017-86488-

Fucoxanthin-Containing Cream Prevents Epidermal Hyperplasia and UVB-Induced Skin Erythema in Mice

Microalgae represent a source of bio-active compounds such as carotenoids with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We aimed to investigate the effects of fucoxanthin (FX) in both in vitro and in vivo skin models. Firstly, its anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages and TNF-α-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes, and its antioxidant activity in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. Next, in vitro and ex vivo permeation studies were developed to determine the most suitable formulation for in vivo FX topical application. Then, we evaluated the effects of a FX-containing cream on TPA-induced epidermal hyperplasia in mice, as well as on UVB-induced acute erythema in hairless mice. Our results confirmed the in vitro reduction of TNF-α, IL-6, ROS and LDH production. Since the permeation results showed that cream was the most favourable vehicle, FX-cream was elaborated. This formulation effectively ameliorated TPA-induced hyperplasia, by reducing skin edema, epidermal thickness, MPO activity and COX-2 expression. Moreover, FX-cream reduced UVB-induced erythema through down-regulation of COX-2 and iNOS as well as up-regulation of HO-1 protein via Nrf-2 pathway. In conclusion, FX, administered in a topical formulation, could be a novel natural adjuvant for preventing exacerbations associated with skin inflammatory pathologies as well as protecting skin against UV radiation

A Late Pleistocene coastal plain pertaining to MIS 5 in the Gulf of Cádiz (mouth of the Guadalquivir River, SW Iberia)

The geomorphological, sedimentological, topographical and chronological analysis of a large area located on the left bank of the Guadalquivir estuary (SW Iberian Peninsula), has enabled an extensive Late Pleistocene coastal plain to be defined, featuring a series of littoral strands. These rest uncomfortably on a rocky basal unit (BU) from the Lower Pleistocene, with an age of 1.1 Ma BP, showing shore platform morphology. The Late Pleistocene coastal plain presents a facies system where three stratigraphic units have been defined (CPU 1, 2 and 3). All units indicate the progradation of a littoral barrier system towards the sea and correspond to highstand MIS 5e2. Above these is located a red sands unit (RSU), interpreted as alluvial deposits, and indicative of a gradual drop in sea level and a progressive continentalization of the area. This unit was affected by karst processes. According to the topographic elevation of these littoral strands, the relative tectonic stability of the area and the regional correlation, the elevation of the deposits, about 7–8 m above the current mean sea level, could be considered as a reasonable representation of the eustatic level during MIS 5e2. This data could be useful for comparison with other regional determinations of MIS 5 sea level in Western Europe, and for future predictions of relative sea level rise in the area.The investigation has been made possible by the financial support of the Regional Government of Andalusia (Junta de Andalucía) to Research Groups RNM276, RNM328, and of the Science & Technology Centre (Centro Científico-Tecnológico) of Huelva to the Department of Applied Geoscience. The present paper contributes to Project IGCP 725, Forecasting coastal change. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Huelva / CBUA.Departamento de Geodinámica y Paleontologí

Content analysis and assessment of deontological codes of franchising associations

The objective of this work is to run the content analysis and assessment of deontological codes of national and international franchising associations. To do this, we compared the content of 46 deontological codes of franchising associations from five continents to the standards established in the so-called C-40 or model of franchising deontological codes. Results show that, in general, ethical content included in deontological codes of franchising associations are not very large, requiring progress in improving its structure and content. In any case, according to the contents of their deontological codes, there are two groups of franchising associations worldwide. On the one hand, those taking the archetype of the European Franchise Federation code (30 associations), which show a greater number of ethical issues and have a better structured code than the other group that do not follow the European Code (16 associations)

Fire mediated geochemical alterations in Andosol’s SOM under Canarian Pine (Pinus canariensis) forest

4 páginas, 1 figura, 2 tablas, 26 referencias.-- FUEGORED 2010.-- Jornadas Internacionales celebradas del 6-10 de octubre 2010, en Santiago de Compostela, España.Peer reviewe

Higher prevalence of X-ray selected AGN in intermediate age galaxies up to z~1

We analyse the stellar populations in the host galaxies of 53 X-ray selected optically dull active galactic nuclei (AGN) at 0.34<z<1.07 with ultra-deep (m=26.5) optical medium-band (R~50) photometry from the Survey for High-z Absorption Red and Dead Sources (SHARDS). The spectral resolution of SHARDS allows us to consistently measure the strength of the 4000 AA break, Dn(4000), a reliable age indicator for stellar populations. We confirm that most X-ray selected moderate-luminosity AGN (L_X<10^44 erg/s) are hosted by massive galaxies (typically M*>10^10.5 M_sun) and that the observed fraction of galaxies hosting an AGN increases with the stellar mass. A careful selection of random control samples of inactive galaxies allows us to remove the stellar mass and redshift dependencies of the AGN fraction to explore trends with several stellar age indicators. We find no significant differences in the distribution of the rest-frame U-V colour for AGN hosts and inactive galaxies, in agreement with previous results. However, we find significantly shallower 4000 AA breaks in AGN hosts, indicative of younger stellar populations. With the help of a model-independent determination of the extinction, we obtain extinction-corrected U-V colours and light-weighted average stellar ages. We find that AGN hosts have younger stellar populations and higher extinction compared to inactive galaxies with the same stellar mass and at the same redshift. We find a highly significant excess of AGN hosts with Dn(4000)~1.4 and light weighted average stellar ages of 300-500 Myr, as well as a deficit of AGN in intrinsic red galaxies. We interpret failure in recognising these trends in previous studies as a consequence of the balancing effect in observed colours of the age-extinction degeneracy.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 12 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl

Multiciliated ependyma recovery through a sequential cell therapy in posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus.

Posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) is a significant cause for premature children’s morbidity, mortality, and peri/postnatal neurodevelopmental impairment. PHH is mainly triggered by germinal matrix hemorrhages (GMH) and causes germinal matrix and ependyma disfunction. Ependyma constitutes a relevant tissue barrier with roles in cerebrospinal fluid homeostasis, circulation, and neurogenesis, hence situating ependyma as a main target when treating PHH. Clinical treatments are directed to eliminate immediate inflammatory condition triggered by the bleeding, to drain excess of CSF if needed, but not to treat or recover ependyma structure. Ependymal progenitors were obtained from P0 mice. Cells were cultured under specific conditions to enhance either ependymal proliferation or differentiation status. Different GMH/IVH neuroinflammatory conditions were mimed in the ependyma cultures, different stem cell therapies tested and effect on the ependymal differentiation measured. Additionally, ventricular wall explants from mice with induced PHH were obtained and cultured as ex-vivo system of PHH. A combination of stem cells was applied on the tissue to probe its regenerative capabilities on the multiciliated ependyma. All samples were analyzed through immunofluorescence and laser confocal microscopy and quantified. Results show that (i) ependymal progenitors’ maturation is hindered under neuroinflammatory conditions, showing no multiciliated ependyma and (ii) the tested stem cell combination promotes ependymal progenitors’ survival albeit does not alter the differentiation of the selfsame. In summary, it can be stated that the final differentiation of the ependyma is disrupted by the molecular conditions triggered by GMH/IVH, which our proposed cell therapy is able to counteract through increased survival and differentiation in a murine model of experimental PHHJunta de Andalucia (UMA18-FEDERJA-277) and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI19/00778), Spain; co-financed by FEDER funds from the European Union, Spain. Also, II-PPITD, Universidad de Malaga, Spain (to JL-dSS); and I-PPITD, Universidad de Málaga, Spain (to LMR-P) Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Shards: An optical spectro-photometric survey of distant galaxies

Pérez-González et al.We present the Survey for High-z Absorption Red and Dead Sources (SHARDS), an ESO/GTC Large Program carried out using the OSIRIS instrument on the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). SHARDS is an ultra-deep optical spectro-photometric survey of the GOODS-N field covering 130 arcmin2 at wavelengths between 500 and 950 nm with 24 contiguous medium-band filters (providing a spectral resolution R ∿ 50). The data reach an AB magnitude of 26.5 (at least at a 3σ level) with sub-arcsec seeing in all bands. SHARDS' main goal is to obtain accurate physical properties of intermediate- and high-z galaxies using well-sampled optical spectral energy distributions (SEDs) with sufficient spectral resolution to measure absorption and emission features, whose analysis will provide reliable stellar population and active galactic nucleus (AGN) parameters. Among the different populations of high-z galaxies, SHARDS' principal targets are massive quiescent galaxies at z > 1, whose existence is one of the major challenges facing current hierarchical models of galaxy formation. In this paper, we outline the observational strategy and include a detailed discussion of the special reduction and calibration procedures which should be applied to the GTC/OSIRIS data. An assessment of the SHARDS data quality is also performed. We present science demonstration results on the detection and study of emission-line galaxies (star-forming objects and AGNs) at z = 0-5. We also analyze the SEDs for a sample of 27 quiescent massive galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts in the range 1.0 < z ≲ 1.4. We discuss the improvements introduced by the SHARDS data set in the analysis of their star formation history and stellar properties. We discuss the systematics arising from the use of different stellar population libraries, typical in this kind of study. Averaging the results from the different libraries, we find that the UV-to-MIR SEDs of the massive quiescent galaxies at z = 1.0-1.4 are well described by an exponentially decaying star formation history with scale Ï„ = 100-200 Myr, age around 1.5-2.0 Gyr, solar or slightly sub-solar metallicity, and moderate extinction, A(V) ∿ 0.5 mag. We also find that galaxies with masses above M* are typically older than lighter galaxies, as expected in a downsizing scenario of galaxy formation. This trend is, however, model dependent, i.e., it is significantly more evident in the results obtained with some stellar population synthesis libraries, and almost absent in others. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.We acknowledge support from the Spanish Programa Nacional de Astronomía y Astrofísica under grants AYA2009-07723-E and AYA2009-10368. SHARDS has been funded by the Spanish MICINN/MINECO under the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program grant CSD2006-00070: First Science with the GTC. O.G.-M., C.M.-T., J.M.R.-E., and J.R.-Z. wish to acknowledge support from grant AYA2010-21887-C04-04. A.A.-H. and A.H.-C. acknowledge financial support from the Universidad de Cantabria through the Augusto G. Linares Program.Peer Reviewe

Synthesis of Vlasouliolides, a Pathway Towards Guaiane-Eudesmane C17/C15 Dimers by Photochemical and Michael Additions

Vladimiria souliei es una planta procedente de China que se aplica en medicina tradicional. Recientes estudios de aislamiento han llevado al descubrimiento de las vlasouliolidas, dímeros sesquiterpénicos naturales. Sin embargo, los rendimientos obtenidos del aislamiento han resultado ser realmente bajos (<0,01%) dificultando enormemente el estudio de estas moléculas. En este trabajo, proponemos una ruta sintética sencilla para obtener diferentes vlasouliolidas en buenos rendimientos a partir de deshidrocostuslactona y costunolido, lo que permitirá el estudio de su bioactividad a mayor escala

Optical absorption and raman spectroscopy of CuWO4

The electronic absorption and Raman spectra of CuWO4 are studied as a function of pressure in the 0 – 20 GPa range. The below-gap absorption bands at 1.15, 1.38 and 1.56 eV correspond to Cu2+ d-transitions split by the Jahn-Teller distortion of CuO6 (Req = 1.98 Å; Rax = 2.39 Å; Qθ = 0.47 Å). Pressure induces a strong reduction of the JT distortion up to 10 GPa. Above this pressure we observe, by optical absorption and Raman spectroscopy, a first-order phase transition at 11 GPa with phase coexistence in the 10–12 GPa range, as it is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. The absorption spectra suggest that two different Cu2+ sites are formed in the high pressure phase, each having rather different CuO6 distortion. The more JT distorted CuO6 centre is stable up to 20 GPa. Rather than JT reduction, pressure induces reorientations of the CuO6 octahedra in the high-pressure phase.Financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Projects No. MAT2008- 06873-C02-01, MAT2008-06873-C02-02 and MAT2007-65990-C03-01) and the MALTA– Consolider Ingenio 2010 Programme (Ref. CSD2007-00045) are acknowledged. MNSO thanks the MEC for a FPU research grant (Ref. AP-2004-5954). JRF thanks the MEC for a FPI research grant (Ref. BES-2008-002043)