Testing the methods to reconstruct and model the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations of different tracers using N-body simulations

The accelerated expansion of the Universe and the nature of the Dark Energy are still open questions in cosmology. One of the most powerful ways to investigate these issues is to map the large-scale structure of the Universe, to constrain its expansion history and growth of structures. In particular, baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) occurred at recombination make a peak in the correlation function of galaxies at the characteristic scale of the sound horizon (a sufficiently large scale to “protect” the signal from strong non-linearities), or alternatively a series of oscillations in the power spectrum. Since the sound horizon can be estimated with a great precision from the position of the first peak in the angular power spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background (which has the same physical origin of BAO, oscillations of the baryons-photons plasma), the BAO peak in the correlation function can be used as a standard ruler, providing paramount cosmological information. The aim of this thesis is to systematically test and possibly improve the state-of- the-art statistical methods to model the BAO peak, taking into account the non-linear evolution of matter overdensities, redshift-space distortions and the bias of cosmic tracers. To do that, we analyse mock samples of galaxies, quasars and galaxy clusters extracted from one of the largest available cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. We extract cosmological constraints from the BAO peak through different statistical tools in the redshift range 0.2 < z < 2. Although the BAO peak is at large scales, non-linear growth and galaxy peculiar velocities make the BAO signal smoothed and broader with respect to linear predictions, especially at low redshifts. A possible method to overcome these issues is the so-called reconstruction of the density field: one of the primary goals of this work is to implement a reconstruction method, to check its performances as a function of sample selections and redshift

Determining the Baryon Impact on the Matter Power Spectrum with Galaxy Clusters

The redistribution of baryonic matter in massive halos through processes like active galactic nuclei feedback and star formation leads to a suppression of the matter power spectrum on small scales. This redistribution can be measured empirically via the gas and stellar mass fractions in galaxy clusters, and leaves imprints on their electron density profiles. We constrain two semi-analytical baryon correction models with a compilation of recent Bayesian population studies of galaxy groups and clusters sampling a mass range above $\sim 3 \times 10^{13}$ $M_\odot$, and with cluster gas density profiles derived from deep, high-resolution X-ray observations. We are able to fit all the considered observational data, but highlight some anomalies in the observations. The constraints allow us to place precise, physically informed priors on the matter power spectrum suppression. At a scale of $k=1 h$ Mpc$^{-1}$ we find a suppression of $0.042^{+0.012}_{-0.014}$ ($0.049^{+0.016}_{-0.012}$), while at $k=3h$ Mpc$^{-1}$ we find $0.184^{+0.026}_{-0.031}$ ($0.179^{+0.018}_{-0.020}$), depending on the model used. We also predict at 97.5 percent credibility, that at scales $k<0.37h$ Mpc$^{-1}$ baryon feedback impacts the matter power less than $1\%$. This puts into question if baryon feedback is the driving factor for the discrepancy between cosmic shear and primary CMB results. We independently confirm results on this suppression from small-scale cosmic shear studies, while we exclude some hydro-dynamical simulations with too strong and too weak baryonic feedback. Our empirical prediction of the power spectrum suppression shows that studies of galaxy groups and clusters will be instrumental in unlocking the cosmological constraining power of future cosmic shear experiments like \textit{Euclid} and Rubin-LSST.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, submitted to MNRA

Cosmology with baryons: modelling the cosmic matter distribution for Large-Scale Structure analyses.

La interacción entre las fuerzas gravitatorias e hidrodinámicas en la formación de la estructura del Universo es compleja y aún se desconoce en gran medida. Las fuerzas gravitatorias son dominantes a gran escala, donde las perturbaciones de la densidad son pequeñas y, por tanto, se pueden describir mediante una teoría lineal. Sin embargo, en las escalas pequeñas surgen no linealidades y, por lo tanto, la teoría analítica no es suficiente. El gas es perturbado tanto por las fuerzas hidrodinámicas como por la gravedad, y tienen lugar varios procesos astrofísicos. La formación de galaxias desencadena explosiones de supernovas y la inyección de energía de los agujeros negros supermasivos que se acrecientan, perturbando la distribución de la masa y remodelando el potencial gravitatorio, lo que provoca posteriormente una reacción inversa en la materia oscura.La falta de una modelización precisa de estos procesos bariónicos es una de las principales fuentes de incertidumbre en los actuales estudios de lentes gravitatorias débiles, y se espera que su impacto aumente drásticamente en las próximas campañas de observación previstas.En esta tesis, queremos desarrollar un marco para modelar de forma consistente la distribución espacial y la evolución temporal de la materia oscura, el gas y las galaxias, en la Estructura a Gran Escala del Universo. Utilizamos un enfoque basado en simulaciones, variando simultáneamente la cosmología y los procesos astrofísicos. El núcleo de nuestro marco está dado por grandes simulaciones de alta resolución, que garantizan una modelización robusta de las no linealidades a pequeñas escalas, y predicciones precisas a grandes escalas. En una fase de posprocesamiento, desplazamos las partículas en nuestras simulaciones para explorar diferentes escenarios cosmológicos y bariónicos, mediante la combinación de dos algoritmos de última generación: el modelo de escalado cosmológico y el de corrección bariónica. Implementamos versiones extendidas y optimizadas de ambos algoritmos, para alcanzar la precisión requerida por los estudios de próxima generación, y los probamos sistemáticamente por separado y en combinación. Por último, utilizamos técnicas modernas de aprendizaje automático, y en concreto redes neuronales artificiales, entrenadas para aprender las conexiones entre los parámetros cosmológicos y astrofísicos y las estadísticas relevantes del campo de materia cósmica, tal y como se miden en nuestras simulaciones. De este modo, nuestras predicciones pueden realizarse con un coste computacional insignificante, y la contribución lineal, no lineal y bariónica puede calcularse por separado. Nuestros emuladores de redes neuronales están disponibles públicamente y pueden incorporarse fácilmente a una análisis de lentes gravitatorias débiles. Utilizando nuestro marco de trabajo, la modelización de la densidad cosmica puede extenderse a escalas pequeñas sin precedentes, de forma muy precisa y con una aceleración consistente en el tiempo de cálculo. Esperamos que las técnicas desarrolladas y los resultados presentados aquí sean útiles para una amplia gama de aplicaciones en los análisis de estructuras a gran escala, y en particular en studios de lentes gravitatorias débiles y galaxias.<br /

The Bacco Simulation Project: Bacco Hybrid Lagrangian Bias Expansion Model in Redshift Space

We present an emulator that accurately predicts the power spectrum of galaxies in redshift space as a function of cosmological parameters. Our emulator is based on a 2nd-order Lagrangian bias expansion that is displaced to Eulerian space using cosmological $N$-body simulations. Redshift space distortions are then imprinted using the non-linear velocity field of simulated particles and haloes. We build the emulator using a forward neural network trained with the simulations of the BACCO project, which covers an 8-dimensional parameter space including massive neutrinos and dynamical dark energy. We show that our emulator provides unbiased cosmological constraints from the monopole, quadrupole, and hexadecapole of a mock galaxy catalogue that mimics the BOSS-CMASS sample down to nonlinear scales ($k\sim0.6$[$h/$Mpc]$^{3}$). This work opens up the possibility of robustly extracting cosmological information from small scales using observations of the large-scale structure of the Universe.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure

Materia degenere: Fisica e applicazioni astrofisiche

Con la presente Tesi si vuole trattare lo Stato Degenere della materia. Nella prima parte si presenteranno le caratteristiche fisiche principali: limite di non degenerazione, differenze tra bosoni e fermioni, equazioni di stato e distribuzioni di velocità. Nella seconda parte si introdurranno i risvolti astrofisici più interessanti: pressione negli interni stellari, nane bianche, stelle di neutroni e Supernovae di tipo Ia

UNUSUAL SECONDARY TUMORS AFTER CHILDHOOD LYMPHOID MALIGNANCY

Second malignant neoplasms (SMN) in individuals who survived childhood cancer have been reported with increasing frequency during the last decades. The overall probability of developing second malignancy for children treated for cancer was estimated at about 2-5% at 25 years. In children, the tumors most often associated with the development of SMN are retinoblastoma and Hodgkin's disease. We report two cases of unusual second tumors in two patients cured of lymphoid malignancy: one boy cured of acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed mediastinal ganglioneuroma nine years later and one girl had gastric carcinoma seven years after Hodgkin's disease. Both developed a tumor in nonirradiated areas. Gastric carcinoma and ganglioneuroma are not reported as recurrent SMN in survivors after childhood cancer, with one single case of gastric carcinoma and one of ganglioneuroblastoma having been reported as second tumor in survivors after childhood cancer

Body Composition and Bone Mineral Quality in Phenylketonuria: Influence of Pubertal Development

Background/Objectives: Early diagnosis and a low-Phe diet significantly improved prognosis of PKU patients whose management is now-a-day mostly focused on preventing nutritional imbalances and resulting comorbidities. Puberty is a turning point for the risk to develop overweight and bone quality impairment. The present study aims to evaluate body composition and bone quality in prepubertal and pubertal PKU patients. Subjects/Methods: This is an observational, prospective study on an historical cohort of patients with PKU aged between 4.1 and 18 years, with early diagnosis and continuous protein-restrictive diet treatment. Bioimpedance, weight measurements, height, body mass index calculation, and quantitative ultrasound were collected. Sexual maturity was evaluated by using the Tanner staging. Results: Thirty PKU patients (14 prepubertal, 16 pubertal) were included in the study. Mean BMI was within the normal range in both groups, although fat content was higher in prepubertal, whereas lean mass was higher in the pubertal group who had also a higher total protein content. Among QUS parameters, bone quality index and broadband ultrasound were lower in prepubertal children than in adolescents, with a Z-score BQI within the osteopenia range in both of them. Conclusions: Pubertal patients with PKU develop a higher lean mass and protein content. If on one hand the high non-Phe protein intake in the pubertal period may promote increase in bone mineral quality, on the other hand the higher protein retention, typical of this period, may increase the risk for hyperinsulinism and glucose intolerance in later life. Adjusting dietary management by modulating total protein intake in the peripubertal period could result in better management of PKU patients

Is alcohol a risk factor for liver cirrhosis in HBsAg and anti-HCV negative subjects?

Abstract: Background/Aims: in order to evaluate the association between alcohol intake and the risk of liver cirrhosis in the absence of B and C hepatitis viruses, we analyzed data from three hospital-based case-control studies performed in various Italian areas. Methods: From the case and control series we excluded HBsAg and/or anti-HCV positive patients. eases were 221 cirrhotic patients admitted for the first time to hospital for liver decompensation. Controls were 614 patients admitted to the same hospitals during the same period as the cases for acute diseases unrelated to alcohol. Alcohol consumption was expressed as lifetime daily alcohol intake (LDAI). Results: We found a dose-effect relationship between LDAI and the risk of liver cirrhosis (LC). Considering the extreme LDAI categories (LDAI=0 g: lifetime teetotallers and LDAI greater than or equal to 100 g), the EC odds ratio (OR) increased from 1.0 (reference category) to 44.7 (95% confidence interval: 95% CI: 20.0-99.9). An increased risk of LC associated with the female gender independent of alcohol consumption was also observed (OR=2.9; 95% CI: 1.8-4.6). Conclusions: Alcohol intake acts as a risk factor for symptomatic liver cirrhosis also in the absence of HBV and/or MCV infection. Besides alcohol and viruses, some unknown gender-related factors might he involved in the occurrence of the diseas

A novel mutation of the extracellular matrix protein 1 gene (ECM1) in a patient with lipoid proteinosis (Urbach-Wiethe disease) from Sicily

BACKGROUND: Lipoid proteinosis (LP), also known as Urbach-Wiethe disease, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a hoarse voice, warty skin infiltration and scarring. Mutations within the extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) gene cause LP. OBJECTIVES: We report the molecular analysis of the ECM1 gene in a Sicilian patient with LP in order to extend the mutation spectrum of this genodermatosis. METHODS: We studied a 32-year-old female born from consanguineous parents who was diagnosed at the age of 11 years as having LP. She has a clinical phenotype corresponding to Urbach-Wiethe disease characterized by papules/nodules, indurated plaques and sometimes ulcerated lesions primarily involving the skin and mucous membranes, and extracutaneous features such as epilepsy, hoarseness of the voice and neuropsychiatric abnormalities. Samples of clinically affected skin obtained by biopsies were analysed after staining with haematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), and PAS-diastase. The whole ECM1 gene was analysed by direct sequencing. RESULTS: We identified a homozygous nonsense mutation in exon 6 of the ECM1 gene, C589T (Q197Ter). CONCLUSIONS: Over 60% of mutations occur in exons 6 and 7. Exon 7 is alternatively spliced and frameshift mutations in exon 7 lead to ablation of the ECM1a transcript, but not the shorter ECM1b transcript that normally lacks this exon. Homozygous nonsense or frameshift mutations in exon 6 are predicted to affect both full-length ECM1a and ECM1b transcripts, whereas ECM1b should be unaffected for similar types of mutation in exon 7. It has been suggested that individuals with mutations in exon 7 have a slightly milder phenotype than those with exon 6 mutations. This is the first report with respect to a novel mutation of the ECM1 gene responsible for recessive LP in Sicily