An Overview of the 2014 ALMA Long Baseline Campaign

A major goal of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is to make accurate images with resolutions of tens of milliarcseconds, which at submillimeter (submm) wavelengths requires baselines up to ~15 km. To develop and test this capability, a Long Baseline Campaign (LBC) was carried out from September to late November 2014, culminating in end-to-end observations, calibrations, and imaging of selected Science Verification (SV) targets. This paper presents an overview of the campaign and its main results, including an investigation of the short-term coherence properties and systematic phase errors over the long baselines at the ALMA site, a summary of the SV targets and observations, and recommendations for science observing strategies at long baselines. Deep ALMA images of the quasar 3C138 at 97 and 241 GHz are also compared to VLA 43 GHz results, demonstrating an agreement at a level of a few percent. As a result of the extensive program of LBC testing, the highly successful SV imaging at long baselines achieved angular resolutions as fine as 19 mas at ~350 GHz. Observing with ALMA on baselines of up to 15 km is now possible, and opens up new parameter space for submm astronomy.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters; this version with small changes to affiliation

High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to analyze the gut microbiome in juvenile and adult tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus)

Tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus) is freshwater and estuarine fish, inhabiting the Earth since the Mesozoic era and undergoing limited physiological variation ever since. Besides its recognized cultural and scientific relevance, the species has seen remarkable growth in its economic impact due to pisciculture. In this study, we present the first report of the whole taxonomic composition of microbial communities in gut contents in juveniles and adults of A. tropicus, by sex and origin (wild and cultivated). For this study, 508 genera were identified, with the most and least abundant being Cetobacterium and Paludibacter, respectively. Fusobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes phyla are the core gut microbiome of A. tropicus juvenile and adult by sex and origin. Deinococcus-Thermus phylum sequence was only identified in wild-type males. In the phylogenetic trees reconstruction Lactococcus lactis strains CAU929 and CAU6600, Cp6 and CAU9951, Cetobacterium strain H69, Aeromonas hydrophila strain P5 and WR-5-3-2, Aeromonas sobria strain CP DC28 and Aeromonas hydrophila were identified, some of them with probiotic potential within the three dominant phyla in core gut microbiome in A. tropicus adults, especially in wild-type organisms. Myroides genus was recognized in microbiota gut of the cultivated juvenile A. tropicus. Nevertheless, Alpha diversity indicated that the highest gut microbiota abundance and richness is found in cultivated juvenile and wild-type adult A. tropicus female, rather than adult wild-type males and the least gut microbiota abundance and richness is found in a cultivated adult of A. tropicus for both sexes.The authors thank the Mexican National Council of Science and Technology for the postgraduate studies thesis scholarship and the mixed scholarship granted to carry out the research internship at the University of Valencia (Spain). This research received external funding from the Mexican National Council of Science and Technology "Strengthening of the Master's Degree in Environmental Sciences for its Permanence in the National Register of Quality Graduates of CONACYT" Reg. No. TAB-2014-C29-245836 and the Project "Estudio de la fisiología digestiva en larvas y juveniles de pejelagarto (Atractosteus tropicus) con base en técnicas histológicas, bioquímicas y moleculares" Reg. No. CB-2016-01-282765.Peer reviewe

Rede de Aerobiologia da Extremadura

The development of aerobiological networks in Spain has been made at the level of the autonomous communities. In Extremadura the sampling is conducted by the University of Extremadura. It began in 1993 with a station in Badajoz (BA). Two towns have had sampling on a temporary basis: Cáceres (CC 1996-2001) and Merida (ME 1996-1998). Currently there are 3 more sampling stations, which have been running since 2011: Plasencia (PL), Don Benito (DB) and Zafra (ZA), and CC again recently. The Annual Pollen Index (annual daily amounts) has shown an average of more than 50.000 pollen grains/m3 (23.532-92.655). In Badajoz (23 years) the results show a downward trend. The maximum daily concentration peaks were reached in 1997, with values of 6.102 grains/ m3 (CC 21/3) and 5.041 grains/m3 (BA 23/3). The five most important pollen types represent 78% of all the pollen registered. Their importance varies from one station to another. Quercus, Poaceae, Olea, Cupressaceae and Platanus, in this order, are the most abundant pollen types in all stations, except Platanus, which is the second most abundant in DB, and Olea, which is second in ZA. The data have been available on the research group’s website (www.aerouex.es) since 2006, and the record of visitors to the site shows a signi cant correlation with the concentration of pollen. Extremadura stands out for its high pollen concentrations of Poaceae and Quercus, due to its wide expanses of oak and cork trees. Pollen from ornamental sources –Cupressaceae and Platanus— shows a strong dependence on their abundance and distribution.El desarrollo de redes aerobiológicas en España se ha realizado a nivel de las comunidades autónomas. En Extremadura el muestreo llevado a cabo por la Universidad de Extremadura comenzó en 1993 con la estación de Badajoz (BA). Dos localidades han tenido muestreo de forma temporal, Cáceres (CC 1996-2001) y Mérida (ME 1996-1998). En la actualidad se cuenta con 3 estaciones de muestreo más, funcionando desde 2011: Plasencia (PL), Don Benito (DB) y Zafra (ZA) y, de forma reciente, nuevamente CC. El Índice Polínico Anual (la suma de las concentraciones de polen diarias para un año) ha mostrado un promedio de más de 50.000 granos/m3 (23.532-92.655). Para Badajoz (23 años) se aprecia una tendencia a la reducción. Los picos de concentración diaria máxima se alcanzaron en 1997 con valores de 6.102 granos/m3 (CC 21/3) y 5.041 granos/m3 (BA 23/3). Los cinco tipos polínicos más relevantes representan el 78% del total de polen registrado. Su importancia varía de una estación a otra. Quercus, Poaceae, Olea, Cupressaceae y Platanus, en este orden, son los tipos más abundantes en todas las estaciones, excepto Platanus que es el segundo en DB y Olea que es el segundo en ZA. Desde 2006 los datos están disponibles a través de la página web del grupo de investigación (www.aerouex.es) y el registro de los accesos a dicho sitio muestra una correlación significativa con la concentración de polen. Extremadura se destaca por los altos valores de concentración de polen de Quercus y Poaceae, debido a la gran extensión de encinares y alcornocales. El polen de fuentes ornamentales, Cupressaceae y Platanus, muestra una importante dependencia de su abundancia y distribución en las localidades estudiadas.O desenvolvimento das redes de aerobiologia em Espanha foi realizado ao nível das comunidades autónomas. Na Extremadura a amostragem levada a cabo pela Universidade de Extremadura começou em 1993 com a estação de Badajoz (BA). Duas localidades foram temporariamente estudadas como pontos de amostragem, Cáceres (CC 1996-2001) e Mérida (ME 1996-1998). Existem, atualmente, em execução desde 2011, mais 3 estações de amostragem: Plasencia (PL), Don Benito (DB) e Zafra (ZA) e, recentemente, de novo CC. O Índice Polínico Anual (somas diárias anuais) mostrou uma média de mais de 50.000 grãos/m3 (23.532-92.655). Em Badajoz (23 anos) verifica-se uma tendência para a redução da concentração. Os picos de concentração máximos diários foram alcançados em 1997 com os valores de 6.102 grãos/m3 (CC 21/3) e 5.041 grãos/m3 (BA 23/3). Os cinco tipos polínicos mais importantes representam 78% de pólen total registrado. A sua importância varia de uma estação para outra. Quercus, Poaceae, Olea, Cupressaceae e Platanus, nesta ordem, são os tipos mais abundantes em todas as estações, exceto Platanus que é o segundo em DB e Olea que é o segundo em ZA. Os dados estão disponíveis desde 2006 através do site do grupo de investigação (www. aerouex.es) e o registro de acessos mostra uma correlação significativa com a concentração de pólen. A Extremadura destaca-se pelos valores elevados de concentração de pólen de Poaceae e de Quercus, devido à grande extensão de azinheiras e sobreiros. O pólen de origens ornamentais, Cupressaceae e Platanus, mostra uma dependência significativa de sua abundância e distribuição nas localidades estudadas

A Proof-Of-Principle Study of Epigenetic Therapy Added to Neoadjuvant Doxorubicin Cyclophosphamide for Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND: Aberrant DNA methylation and histone deacetylation participate in cancer development and progression; hence, their reversal by inhibitors of DNA methylation and histone deacetylases (HDACs) is at present undergoing clinical testing in cancer therapy. As epigenetic alterations are common to breast cancer, in this proof-of-concept study demethylating hydralazine, plus the HDAC inhibitor magnesium valproate, were added to neoadjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in locally advanced breast cancer to assess their safety and biological efficacy. METHODOLOGY: This was a single-arm interventional trial on breast cancer patients (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00395655). After signing informed consent, patients were typed for acetylator phenotype and then treated with hydralazine at 182 mg for rapid-, or 83 mg for slow-acetylators, and magnesium valproate at 30 mg/kg, starting from day –7 until chemotherapy ended, the latter consisting of four cycles of doxorubicin 60 mg/m(2) and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m(2) every 21 days. Core-needle biopsies were taken from primary breast tumors at diagnosis and at day 8 of treatment with hydralazine and valproate. MAIN FINDINGS: 16 patients were included and received treatment as planned. All were evaluated for clinical response and toxicity and 15 for pathological response. Treatment was well-tolerated. The most common toxicity was drowsiness grades 1–2. Five (31%) patients had clinical CR and eight (50%) PR for an ORR of 81%. No patient progressed. One of 15 operated patients (6.6%) had pathological CR and 70% had residual disease <3 cm. There was a statistically significant decrease in global 5(m)C content and HDAC activity. Hydralazine and magnesium valproate up- and down-regulated at least 3-fold, 1,091 and 89 genes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hydralazine and magnesium valproate produce DNA demethylation, HDAC inhibition, and gene reactivation in primary tumors. Doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide treatment is safe, well-tolerated, and appears to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. A randomized phase III study is ongoing to support the efficacy of so-called epigenetic or transcriptional cancer therapy

Obstetric history and mammographic density: a population-based cross-sectional study in Spain (DDM-Spain)

High mammographic density (MD) is used as a phenotype risk marker for developing breast cancer. During pregnancy and lactation the breast attains full development, with a cellular-proliferation followed by a lobular-differentiation stage. This study investigates the influence of obstetric factors on MD among pre- and post-menopausal women. We enrolled 3,574 women aged 45–68 years who were participating in breast cancer screening programmes in seven screening centers. To measure MD, blind anonymous readings were taken by an experienced radiologist, using craniocaudal mammography and Boyd’s semiquantitative scale. Demographic and reproductive data were directly surveyed by purpose-trained staff at the date of screening. The association between MD and obstetric variables was quantified by ordinal logistic regression, with screening centre introduced as a random effect term. We adjusted for age, number of children and body mass index, and stratified by menopausal status. Parity was inversely associated with density, the probability of having high MD decreased by 16% for each new birth (P value < 0.001). Among parous women, a positive association was detected with duration of lactation [>9 months: odds ratio (OR) = 1.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02–1.72] and weight of first child (>3,500 g: OR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.12–1.54). Age at first birth showed a different effect in pre- and post-menopausal women (P value for interaction = 0.030). No association was found among pre-menopausal women. However, in post-menopausal women the probability of having high MD increased in women who had their first child after the age of 30 (OR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.17–2.00). A higher risk associated with birth of twins was also mainly observed in post-menopausal women (OR = 2.02; 95% CI = 1.18–3.46). Our study shows a greater prevalence of high MD in mothers of advanced age at first birth, those who had twins, those who have breastfed for longer periods, and mothers whose first child had an elevated birth weight. These results suggest the influence of hormones and growth factors over the proliferative activity of the mammary gland

Planck 2015 results. XXVII. The second Planck catalogue of Sunyaev-Zeldovich sources

We present the all-sky Planck catalogue of Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) sources detected from the 29 month full-mission data. The catalogue (PSZ2) is the largest SZ-selected sample of galaxy clusters yet produced and the deepest systematic all-sky surveyof galaxy clusters. It contains 1653 detections, of which 1203 are confirmed clusters with identified counterparts in external data sets, and is the first SZ-selected cluster survey containing >103 confirmed clusters. We present a detailed analysis of the survey selection function in terms of its completeness and statistical reliability, placing a lower limit of 83% on the purity. Using simulations, we find that the estimates of the SZ strength parameter Y5R500are robust to pressure-profile variation and beam systematics, but accurate conversion to Y500 requires the use of prior information on the cluster extent. We describe the multi-wavelength search for counterparts in ancillary data, which makes use of radio, microwave, infra-red, optical, and X-ray data sets, and which places emphasis on the robustness of the counterpart match. We discuss the physical properties of the new sample and identify a population of low-redshift X-ray under-luminous clusters revealed by SZ selection. These objects appear in optical and SZ surveys with consistent properties for their mass, but are almost absent from ROSAT X-ray selected samples

Jet properties in PbPb and pp collisions at sN N=5.02 \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{N}\;\mathrm{N}}}=5.02 TeV

Modifications of the properties of jets in PbPb collisions, relative to those in pp collisions, are studied at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of s NN − − − − √ =5.02 sNN=5.02 TeV via correlations of charged particles with the jet axis in relative pseudorapidity (Δη), relative azimuth (Δϕ), and relative angular distance from the jet axis Δr=(Δη) 2 +(Δϕ) 2 − − − − − − − − − − − − √ Δr=(Δη)2+(Δϕ)2 . This analysis uses data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 404 μb−1 and 27.4 pb−1 for PbPb and pp collisions, respectively. Charged particle number densities, jet fragmentation functions, and jet shapes are presented as a function of PbPb collision centrality and charged-particle track transverse momentum, providing a differential description of jet modifications due to interactions with the quark-gluon plasma

Evidence for associated production of a Higgs boson with a top quark pair in final states with electrons, muons, and hadronically decaying τ leptons at s=13 \sqrt{s}=13 TeV

Results of a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a top quark pair (tt¯H) in final states with electrons, muons, and hadronically decaying τ leptons are presented. The analyzed data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1 recorded in proton-proton collisions at s√=13 TeV by the CMS experiment in 2016. The sensitivity of the search is improved by using matrix element and machine learning methods to separate the signal from backgrounds. The measured signal rate amounts to 1.23 − 0.43 + 0.45 times the production rate expected in the standard model, with an observed (expected) significance of 3.2σ (2.8σ), which represents evidence for tt¯H production in those final states. An upper limit on the signal rate of 2.1 times the standard model production rate is set at 95% confidence level

Search for third-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying to a top quark and a tau lepton at root s=13 TeV

A search for pair production of heavy scalar leptoquarks (LQs), each decaying into a top quark and a tau lepton, is presented. The search considers final states with an electron or a muon, one or two tau leptons that decayed to hadrons, and additional jets. The data were collected in 2016 in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.9fb(-1). No evidence for pair production of LQs is found. Assuming a branching fraction of unity for the decay LQ -> t tau, upper limits on the production cross section are set as a function of LQ mass, excluding masses below 900 GeV at 95% confidence level. These results provide the most stringent limits to date on the production of scalar LQs that decay to a top quark and a tau lepton.Peer reviewe