3,848 research outputs found
ISO observations toward the reflection nebula NGC 7023: A nonequilibrium ortho- to para-H2 ratio
We have observed the S(0), S(1), S(2), S(3), S(4) and S(5) rotational lines
of molecular hydrogen (H2) towards the peak of the photodissociation region
(PDR) associated with the reflection nebula NGC 7023. The observed H2 line
ratios show that they arise in warm gas with kinetic temperatures ~300 - 700 K.
However, the data cannot be fitted by an ortho- to para- (OTP) ratio of 3. An
OTP ratio in the range ~1.5 - 2 is necessary to explain our observations. This
is the first detection of a non-equilibrium OTP ratio measured from the H2
pure-rotational lines in a PDR. The existence of a dynamical PDR is discussed
as the most likely explanation for this low OTP ratio.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Effect of trampling and digging from shell shing on Zostera noltei (Zosteraceae) intertidal seagrass beds
Seagrass beds are among the most valuable ecosystems in the world but they are also among the ones most affected by human activities, and they have decreased significantly in recent decades. In many areas, such as in the Basque Country (northern Spain), seagrass beds occupy areas that are also of interest for human activities such as recreation and shellfishing. They may therefore face a number of pressures that cause damage or irreversible states. Taking into account the limited distribution of seagrass beds in the Basque Country and the interest in their conservation, an eight-month field experiment focusing on the Zostera noltei growing season was carried out to evaluate the effect of shellfish gathering. We used generalized linear models to assess different intensities of trampling and digging, as the most important pressures of shellfishing applied to Zostera noltei beds. The results indicated that shoot density of Z. noltei was negatively altered by trampling treatments and positively affected (as a recovery) by digging treatments. This finding suggests that shellfishing adversely affects seagrass abundance and is potentially responsible for its low density in the Oka estuary. Our findings are important for management and should be taken into account in seagrass conservation and restoration programmes
N-methyl-N-((1-methyl-5-(3-(1-(2-methylbenzyl)piperidin-4-yl)propoxy)-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl)prop-2-yn-1-amine, a new cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase dual inhibitor
On the basis of N-((5-(3-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)propoxy)-1-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl)-N-methylprop-2-yn-1-amine (II, ASS234) and QSAR predictions, in this work we have designed, synthesized, and evaluated a number of new indole derivatives from which we have identified N-methyl-N-((1-methyl-5-(3-(1-(2-methylbenzyl)piperidin-4-yl)propoxy)-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl)prop-2-yn-1-amine (2, MBA236) as a new cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase dual inhibitor.PostprintPostprintPeer reviewe
Baryonic symmetries and M5 branes in the AdS_4/CFT_3 correspondence
We study U(1) symmetries dual to Betti multiplets in the AdS_4/CFT_3
correspondence for M2 branes at Calabi-Yau four-fold singularities. Analysis of
the boundary conditions for vector fields in AdS_4 allows for a choice where
wrapped M5 brane states carrying non-zero charge under such symmetries can be
considered. We begin by focusing on isolated toric singularities without
vanishing six-cycles, and study in detail the cone over Q^{111}. The boundary
conditions considered are dual to a CFT where the gauge group is U(1)^2 x
SU(N)^4. We find agreement between the spectrum of gauge-invariant
baryonic-type operators in this theory and wrapped M5 brane states. Moreover,
the physics of vacua in which these symmetries are spontaneously broken
precisely matches a dual gravity analysis involving resolutions of the
singularity, where we are able to match condensates of the baryonic operators,
Goldstone bosons and global strings. We also argue more generally that theories
where the resolutions have six-cycles are expected to receive non-perturbative
corrections from M5 brane instantons. We give a general formula relating the
instanton action to normalizable harmonic two-forms, and compute it explicitly
for the Q^{222} example. The holographic interpretation of such instantons is
currently unclear.Comment: 92 pages, 10 figure
Alterations of antitumor and metabolic responses in L5178Y-R lymphoma-bearing mice after only 30-minute daily chronic stress exposure
Aim: In stress research, reducing times of stress induction may contribute to improving the well-being of experimental animals, especially in cancer models, already under physiological distress. To support this idea, we evaluated the effects of a short-timed stress protocol on endocrine, metabolic and immune indicators in mice bearing the L5178Y-R lymphoma. Materials and Methods: A 30-minute daily stress protocol was applied for 28 days to healthy and lymphoma-bearing BALB/c mice; body weight, plasma levels of corticosterone, norepinephrine, Th1/Th2 cytokines, insulin, and leptin, were measured. Results: We found a 12% significant decrease in body weight in non-tumor bearing mice under stress (p < 0.007). The disruption of weight evolution was accompanied by a stress induced 85% decrease in plasmatic leptin (p < 0.01) and total reduction of insulin. Tumor burden alone was associated to an increase in more than two-fold of plasmatic levels of norepinephrine (p < 0.008). Neither stress nor tumor or their combination, resulted in an elevation of systemic IL-6. IFN-γ levels were 20 times higher in lymphoma-bearing animals when compared with non-tumor bearing mice (p < 0.01); however, under stress, this response was reduced by half, indicating a suppressing effect of chronic stress on the antitumor immune response. Conclusion: A short-timed stress induction is enough to cause significant alterations in the metabolism and immunity of healthy and tumor-bearing mice, supporting the use of short-timed protocols as an efficient way to induce chronic stress that also considers concerns regarding the well-being of experimental animals in biomedical research
First Measurements of the Electron Density Enhancements Expected in C-shocks
Magnetic precursors of C-shocks accelerate, compress and heat molecular ions,
modifying the kinematics and the physical conditions of the ion fluid with
respect to the neutral one. Electron densities are also expected to be
significantly enhanced in shock precursors. In this Letter, we present
observations of strongly polar ion and neutral molecules such as SiO, H13CO+,
HN13C and H13CN, which reveal the electron density enhancements associated with
the precursor of the young L1448-mm outflow. While in the ambient gas the
excitation of the ions and neutrals is explained by collisional excitation by
H2 with a single density of 10E5cmE-3, H13CO+ shows an over excitation in the
shock precursor component that requires H2 densities of a factor of >10 larger
than those derived from the neutral species. This over excitation in H13CO+ can
be explained if we consider an additional excitation by collisions with
electrons and an electron density enhancement in the precursor stage by a
factor of 500, i.e. a fractional ionization of 5x10E-5. These results show that
multiline observations can be used to study the evolution of the ion and
electron fluids at the first stages of the C-shock interaction.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ
Sperm storage reduces the strength of the mate‐finding Allee effect
Mate searching is a key component of sexual reproduction that can have important implications for population viability, especially for the mate‐finding Allee effect. Interannual sperm storage by females may be an adaptation that potentially attenuates mate limitation, but the demographic consequences of this functional trait have not been studied. Our goal is to assess the effect of female sperm storage durability on the strength of the mate‐finding Allee effect and the viability of populations subject to low population density and habitat alteration. We used an individual‐based simulation model that incorporates realistic representations of the demographic and spatial processes of our model species, the spur‐thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca). This allowed for a detailed assessment of reproductive rates, population growth rates, and extinction probabilities. We also studied the relationship between the number of reproductive males and the reproductive rates for scenarios combining different levels of sperm storage durability, initial population density, and landscape alteration. Our results showed that simulated populations parameterized with the field‐observed demographic rates collapsed for short sperm storage durability, but were viable for a durability of one year or longer. In contrast, the simulated populations with a low initial density were only viable in human‐altered landscapes for sperm storage durability of 4 years. We find that sperm storage is an effective mechanism that can reduce the strength of the mate‐finding Allee effect and contribute to the persistence of low‐density populations. Our study highlights the key role of sperm storage in the dynamics of species with limited movement ability to facilitate reproduction in patchy landscapes or during population expansion. This study represents the first quantification of the effect of sperm storage durability on population dynamics in different landscapes and population scenarios.Financial support was granted by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, and by the European Regional Development Fund (Projects CGL2012-33536, CGL2015-64144; MINECO/FEDER, UE). M.V.J.F. was supported by a “Juan de la Cierva-formación” postdoctoral grant of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (reference JCI-2015-23508), a José Castillejo travel fund (reference CAS17/00225) from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and a postdoctoral grant funded by the Regional Valencian Government and the European Social Fund (APOSTD/2018/043). A.S.A. was supported by a Vicenç Mut contract co-funded by the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands and the European Social Fund (PD/003/2016). A.S.A and J.D.A were supported by a Ramón y Cajal contracts (RYC-2017-22796 and RYC-2017-22783 respectively) co-funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the State Research Agency and the European Social Fund. E.G. was supported by the Regional Valencian Government with a postdoctoral grant (APOSTD/2015/048)
Non BPS noncommutative vortices
We construct exact vortex solutions to the equations of motion of the Abelian
Higgs model defined in non commutative space, analyzing in detail the
properties of these solutions beyond the BPS point. We show that our solutions
behave as smooth deformations of vortices in ordinary space time except for
parity symmetry breaking effects induced by the non commutative parameter
.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure
Massive star-formation toward G28.87+0.07 (IRAS 18411-0338) investigated by means of maser kinematics and radio to infrared, continuum observations
We used the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) and the European VLBI Network
(EVN) to perform phase-referenced VLBI observations of the three most powerful
maser transitions associated with the high-mass star-forming region
G28.87+0.07: the 22.2 GHz HO, 6.7 GHz CHOH, and 1.665 GHz OH lines.
We also performed VLA observations of the radio continuum emission at 1.3 and
3.6 cm and Subaru observations of the continuum emission at 24.5 m. Two
centimeter continuum sources are detected and one of them (named "HMC") is
compact and placed at the center of the observed distribution of HO,
CHOH and OH masers. The bipolar distribution of line-of-sight (l.o.s)
velocities and the pattern of the proper motions suggest that the water masers
are driven by a (proto)stellar jet interacting with the dense circumstellar
gas. The same jet could both excite the centimeter continuum source named "HMC"
(interpreted as free-free emission from shocked gas) and power the molecular
outflow observed at larger scales -- although one cannot exclude that the
free-free continuum is rather originating from a hypercompact \ion{H}{2}
region. At 24.5 m, we identify two objects separated along the north-south
direction, whose absolute positions agree with those of the two VLA continuum
sources. We establish that 90% of the luminosity of the region
(\times10^{5} L_\sun$) is coming from the radio source "HMC", which
confirms the existence of an embedded massive young stellar object (MYSO)
exciting the masers and possibly still undergoing heavy accretion from the
surrounding envelope.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Chloride Nutrition Regulates development, Water Balance and Drought Resistance in Plants
6 páginas.-- 5 figuras.-- 9 referencias.-- Poster presentado en el XII Luso-Spanish Symposium on Plant Water Relations – Water to Feed the World. 30th of September – 3rd of October (Evora) PortugalCl- is a strange micronutrient since actual Cl- concentration in plants is about two orders of magnitude higher than the content required as essential micronutrient. This accumulation requires a high cost of energy, and since Cl- is a major osmotically active solute in the vacuole, we propose that Cl- plays a role in the regulation of water balance in plants. We show here that, when accumulated to macronutrient levels, Cl- specifically regulates leaf cell elongation and water balance parameters, improving water relations at both the leaf tissue and the whole plant levels, increasing drought resistance in higher plants.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation-FEDER grant AGL2009-08339/AGR.Peer Reviewe
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