Retrieval of optical and microphysical properties of transported Saharan dust over Athens and Granada based on multi-wavelength Raman lidar measurements: Study of the mixing processes

In this paper we extract the aerosol microphysical properties for a collection of mineral dust cases measured by multi-wavelength depolarization Raman lidar systems located at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA, Athens, Greece) and the Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA, Granada, Spain). The lidar-based retrievals were carried out with the Spheroidal Inversion eXperiments software tool (SphInX) developed at the University of Potsdam (Germany). The software uses regularized inversion of a two-dimensional enhancement of the Mie model based on the spheroid-particle approximation with the aspect ratio determining the particle shape. The selection of the cases was based on the transport time from the source regions to the measuring sites. The aerosol optical depth as measured by AERONET ranged from 0.27 to 0.54 (at 500 nm) depending on the intensity of each event. Our analysis showed the hourly mean particle linear depolarization ratio and particle lidar ratio values at 532 nm ranging from 11 to 34% and from 42 to 79 sr respectively, depending on the mixing status, the corresponding air mass pathways and their transport time. Cases with shorter transport time showed good agreement in terms of the optical and SphInX-retrieved microphysical properties between Athens and Granada providing a complex refractive index value equal to 1.4 + 0.004i. On the other hand, the results for cases with higher transport time deviated from the aforementioned ones as well as from each other, providing, in particular, an imaginary part of the refractive index ranging from 0.002 to 0.005. Reconstructions of two-dimensional shape-size distributions for each selected layer showed that the dominant effective particle shape was prolate with diverse spherical contributions. The retrieved volume concentrations reflect overall the intensity of the episodes.Spanish Ministry of Sciences, Innovation and Universities through project CGL2016-81092,Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports through grant FPU14/0368

Evolution of the use of corticosteroids for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in Spain between March and November 2020: SEMI-COVID national registry

Objectives: Since the results of the RECOVERY trial, WHO recommendations about the use of corticosteroids (CTs) in COVID-19 have changed. The aim of the study is to analyse the evolutive use of CTs in Spain during the pandemic to assess the potential influence of new recommendations. Material and methods: A retrospective, descriptive, and observational study was conducted on adults hospitalised due to COVID-19 in Spain who were included in the SEMI-COVID- 19 Registry from March to November 2020. Results: CTs were used in 6053 (36.21%) of the included patients. The patients were older (mean (SD)) (69.6 (14.6) vs. 66.0 (16.8) years; p < 0.001), with hypertension (57.0% vs. 47.7%; p < 0.001), obesity (26.4% vs. 19.3%; p < 0.0001), and multimorbidity prevalence (20.6% vs. 16.1%; p < 0.001). These patients had higher values (mean (95% CI)) of C-reactive protein (CRP) (86 (32.7-160) vs. 49.3 (16-109) mg/dL; p < 0.001), ferritin (791 (393-1534) vs. 470 (236- 996) µg/dL; p < 0.001), D dimer (750 (430-1400) vs. 617 (345-1180) µg/dL; p < 0.001), and lower Sp02/Fi02 (266 (91.1) vs. 301 (101); p < 0.001). Since June 2020, there was an increment in the use of CTs (March vs. September; p < 0.001). Overall, 20% did not receive steroids, and 40% received less than 200 mg accumulated prednisone equivalent dose (APED). Severe patients are treated with higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation </=90%. Conclusions: Patients with greater comorbidity, severity, and inflammatory markers were those treated with CTs. In severe patients, there is a trend towards the use of higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation </=90%

Volume I. Introduction to DUNE

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay—these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector technical design report (TDR) describes the DUNE physics program and the technical designs of the single- and dual-phase DUNE liquid argon TPC far detector modules. This TDR is intended to justify the technical choices for the far detector that flow down from the high-level physics goals through requirements at all levels of the Project. Volume I contains an executive summary that introduces the DUNE science program, the far detector and the strategy for its modular designs, and the organization and management of the Project. The remainder of Volume I provides more detail on the science program that drives the choice of detector technologies and on the technologies themselves. It also introduces the designs for the DUNE near detector and the DUNE computing model, for which DUNE is planning design reports. Volume II of this TDR describes DUNE\u27s physics program in detail. Volume III describes the technical coordination required for the far detector design, construction, installation, and integration, and its organizational structure. Volume IV describes the single-phase far detector technology. A planned Volume V will describe the dual-phase technology

Phylogenomics and the rise of the angiosperms

Angiosperms are the cornerstone of most terrestrial ecosystems and human livelihoods1,2. A robust understanding of angiosperm evolution is required to explain their rise to ecological dominance. So far, the angiosperm tree of life has been determined primarily by means of analyses of the plastid genome3,4. Many studies have drawn on this foundational work, such as classification and first insights into angiosperm diversification since their Mesozoic origins5,6,7. However, the limited and biased sampling of both taxa and genomes undermines confidence in the tree and its implications. Here, we build the tree of life for almost 8,000 (about 60%) angiosperm genera using a standardized set of 353 nuclear genes8. This 15-fold increase in genus-level sampling relative to comparable nuclear studies9 provides a critical test of earlier results and brings notable change to key groups, especially in rosids, while substantiating many previously predicted relationships. Scaling this tree to time using 200 fossils, we discovered that early angiosperm evolution was characterized by high gene tree conflict and explosive diversification, giving rise to more than 80% of extant angiosperm orders. Steady diversification ensued through the remaining Mesozoic Era until rates resurged in the Cenozoic Era, concurrent with decreasing global temperatures and tightly linked with gene tree conflict. Taken together, our extensive sampling combined with advanced phylogenomic methods shows the deep history and full complexity in the evolution of a megadiverse clade

Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), far detector technical design report, volume III: DUNE far detector technical coordination

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay—these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector technical design report (TDR) describes the DUNE physics program and the technical designs of the single- and dual-phase DUNE liquid argon TPC far detector modules. Volume III of this TDR describes how the activities required to design, construct, fabricate, install, and commission the DUNE far detector modules are organized and managed. This volume details the organizational structures that will carry out and/or oversee the planned far detector activities safely, successfully, on time, and on budget. It presents overviews of the facilities, supporting infrastructure, and detectors for context, and it outlines the project-related functions and methodologies used by the DUNE technical coordination organization, focusing on the areas of integration engineering, technical reviews, quality assurance and control, and safety oversight. Because of its more advanced stage of development, functional examples presented in this volume focus primarily on the single-phase (SP) detector module

Valoración no invasiva de los niveles de ?-carotenos en piel en adultos colombianos

Introduction: Carotenoid pigments have antioxidant properties beneficial for human health. Use of resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) as a reliable method for measuring carotenoid levels in tissues such as dermis has been suggested. However, data about the variability and reproducibility of this technique should be collected before it can be used. Objective: To assess reproducibility of RRS for detection of total ?-carotene levels in the skin of Colombian adults. Design: Forty-eight healthy men and 30 healthy women with various pigmentation levels were enrolled into the study. Measurements by RRS were performed in the palmar region and medial and lateral aspects of the arms. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, adjusting for confounding factors: body mass index, waist circumference, percent body fat, age, race, smoking, and sex. Reproducibility of the technique was estimated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Mean ?-carotene levels were 29.9±11.9 in men and 30.6±8.6 in women (. P=.787). No differences or significant associations were found of ?-carotene levels with confounding factors assessed by sex. ICCs were 0.89 in the palmar region, 0.85 in the medial aspect of arm, and 0.82 in the external aspect of arm. Conclusion: RRS spectroscopy is a reliable method for non-invasive measurement of ?-carotene levels in skin, and may be used as an important biomarker of antioxidant status in nutritional and health studies in humans. © 2012 SEEN

Valoración no invasiva de los niveles de ?-carotenos en piel en adultos colombianos

Introduction: Carotenoid pigments have antioxidant properties beneficial for human health. Use of resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) as a reliable method for measuring carotenoid levels in tissues such as dermis has been suggested. However, data about the variability and reproducibility of this technique should be collected before it can be used. Objective: To assess reproducibility of RRS for detection of total ?-carotene levels in the skin of Colombian adults. Design: Forty-eight healthy men and 30 healthy women with various pigmentation levels were enrolled into the study. Measurements by RRS were performed in the palmar region and medial and lateral aspects of the arms. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, adjusting for confounding factors: body mass index, waist circumference, percent body fat, age, race, smoking, and sex. Reproducibility of the technique was estimated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Mean ?-carotene levels were 29.9±11.9 in men and 30.6±8.6 in women (. P=.787). No differences or significant associations were found of ?-carotene levels with confounding factors assessed by sex. ICCs were 0.89 in the palmar region, 0.85 in the medial aspect of arm, and 0.82 in the external aspect of arm. Conclusion: RRS spectroscopy is a reliable method for non-invasive measurement of ?-carotene levels in skin, and may be used as an important biomarker of antioxidant status in nutritional and health studies in humans. © 2012 SEEN

TrkA receptor activation by nerve growth factor induces shedding of the p75 neurotrophin receptor followed by endosomal gamma-secretase-mediated release of the p75 intracellular domain

Neurotrophins are trophic factors that regulate important neuronal functions. They bind two unrelated receptors, the Trk family of receptor-tyrosine kinases and the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75). p75 was recently identified as a new substrate for gamma-secretase-mediated intramembrane proteolysis, generating a p75-derived intracellular domain (p75-ICD) with signaling capabilities. Using PC12 cells as a model, we studied how neurotrophins activate p75 processing and where these events occur in the cell. We demonstrate that activation of the TrkA receptor upon binding of nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates the metalloprotease-mediated shedding of p75 leaving a membrane-bound p75 C-terminal fragment (p75-CTF). Using subcellular fractionation to isolate a highly purified endosomal fraction, we demonstrate that p75-CTF ends up in endosomes where gamma-secretase-mediated p75-CTF cleavage occurs, resulting in the release of a p75-ICD. Moreover, we show similar structural requirements for gamma-secretase processing of p75 and amyloid precursor protein-derived CTFs. Thus, NGF-induced endocytosis regulates both signaling and proteolytic processing of p75