Seasonal cycle of precipitation variability in South America on intraseasonal timescales

The seasonal cycle of the intraseasonal (IS) variability of precipitation in South America is described through the analysis of bandpass filtered outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) anomalies. The analysis is discriminated between short (10--30 days) and long (30--90 days) intraseasonal timescales. The seasonal cycle of the 30--90-day IS variability can be well described by the activity of first leading pattern (EOF1) computed separately for the wet season (October--April) and the dry season (May--September). In agreement with previous works, the EOF1 spatial distribution during the wet season is that of a dipole with centers of actions in the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ) and southeastern South America (SESA), while during the dry season, only the last center is discernible. In both seasons, the pattern is highly influenced by the activity of the Madden--Julian Oscillation (MJO). Moreover, EOF1 is related with a tropical zonal-wavenumber-1 structure superposed with coherent wave trains extended along the South Pacific during the wet season, while during the dry season the wavenumber-1 structure is not observed. The 10--30-day IS variability of OLR in South America can be well represented by the activity of the EOF1 computed through considering all seasons together, a dipole but with the stronger center located over SESA. While the convection activity at the tropical band does not seem to influence its activity, there are evidences that the atmospheric variability at subtropical-extratropical regions might have a role. Subpolar wavetrains are observed in the Pacific throughout the year and less intense during DJF, while a path of wave energy dispersion along a subtropical wavetrain also characterizes the other seasons. Further work is needed to identify the sources of the 10--30-day-IS variability in South America

Accretions of Various Types of Dark Energies onto Morris-Thorne Wormhole

In this work, we have studied accretion of the dark energies onto Morris-Thorne wormhole. For quintessence like dark energy, the mass of the wormhole decreases and phantom like dark energy, the mass of wormhole increases. We have assumed two types of dark energy like variable modified Chaplygin gas (VMCG) and generalized cosmic Chaplygin gas (GCCG). We have found the expression of wormhole mass in both cases. We have found the mass of the wormhole at late universe and this is finite. For our choices the parameters and the function $B(a)$, these models generate only quintessence dark energy (not phantom) and so wormhole mass decreases during evolution of the universe. Next we have assumed 5 kinds of parametrizations of well known dark energy models. These models generate both quintessence and phantom scenarios. So if these dark energies accrete onto the wormhole, then for quintessence stage, wormhole mass decreases upto a certain value (finite value) and then again increases to infinite value for phantom stage during whole evolution of the universe. We also shown these results graphically.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1112.615

Antitumor effectiveness of different amounts of electrical charge in Ehrlich and fibrosarcoma Sa-37 tumors

BACKGROUND: In vivo studies were conducted to quantify the effectiveness of low-level direct electric current for different amounts of electrical charge and the survival rate in fibrosarcoma Sa-37 and Ehrlich tumors, also the effect of direct electric in Ehrlich tumor was evaluate through the measurements of tumor volume and the peritumoral and tumoral findings. METHODS: BALB/c male mice, 7–8 week old and 20–22 g weight were used. Ehrlich and fibrosarcoma Sa-37 cell lines, growing in BALB/c mice. Solid and subcutaneous Ehrlich and fibrosarcoma Sa-37 tumors, located dorsolaterally in animals, were initiated by the inoculation of 5 × 10(6 )and 1 × 10(5 )viable tumor cells, respectively. For each type of tumor four groups (one control group and three treated groups) consisting of 10 mice randomly divided were formed. When the tumors reached approximately 0.5 cm(3), four platinum electrodes were inserted into their bases. The electric charge delivered to the tumors was varied in the range of 5.5 to 110 C/cm(3 )for a constant time of 45 minutes. An additional experiment was performed in BALB/c male mice bearing Ehrlich tumor to examine from a histolological point of view the effects of direct electric current. A control group and a treated group with 77 C/cm(3 )(27.0 C in 0.35 cm(3)) and 10 mA for 45 min were formed. In this experiment when the tumor volumes reached 0.35 cm(3), two anodes and two cathodes were inserted into the base perpendicular to the tumor long axis. RESULTS: Significant tumor growth delay and survival rate were achieved after electrotherapy and both were dependent on direct electric current intensity, being more marked in fibrosarcoma Sa-37 tumor. Complete regressions for fibrosarcoma Sa-37 and Ehrlich tumors were observed for electrical charges of 80 and 92 C/cm(3), respectively. Histopathological and peritumoral findings in Ehrlich tumor revealed in the treated group marked tumor necrosis, vascular congestion, peritumoral neutrophil infiltration, an acute inflammatory response, and a moderate peritumoral monocyte infiltration. The morphologic pattern of necrotic cell mass after direct electric current treatment is the coagulative necrosis. These findings were not observed in any of the untreated tumors. CONCLUSION: The data presented indicate that electrotherapy with low-level DEC is feasible and effective in the treatment of the Ehrlich and fibrosarcoma Sa-37 tumors. Our results demonstrate that the sensitivity of these tumors to direct electric current and survival rates of the mice depended on both the amount of electrical charge and the type of tumor. Also the complete regression of each type of tumor is obtained for a threshold amount of electrical charge

Discretization of the Region of Interest

[EN]The meccano method was recently introduced to construct simultaneously tetrahedral meshes and volumetric parameterizations of solids. The method requires the information of the solid geometry that is defined by its surface, a meccano, i.e., an outline of the solid defined by connected polyhedral pieces, and a tolerance that fixes the desired approximation of the solid surface. The method builds an adaptive tetrahedral mesh of the solid (physical domain) as a deformation of an appropriate tetrahedral mesh of the meccano (parametric domain). The main stages of the procedure involve an admissible mapping between the meccano and the solid boundaries, the nested Kossaczký’s refinement, and our simultaneous untangling and smoothing algorithm. In this chapter, we focus on the application of the method to build tetrahedral meshes over complex terrain, that is interesting for simulation of environmental processes. A digital elevation map of the terrain, the height of the domain, and the required orography approximation are given as input data. In addition, the geometry of buildings or stacks can be considered. In these applications, we have considered a simple cuboid as meccano.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Gobierno de España; Fondos FEDER; Departamento de Educación, Junta de Castilla y León; CONACYT-SENER, Fondo Sectorial CONACYT SENER HIDROCARBUROS

PERCEPCIÓN DEL ESFUERZO EN ENTRENAMIENTO DE FUTBOLISTAS CATEGORÍA SUB 15 - PERCEPTION OF EFFORT IN TRAINING OF ATHLETES CATEGORY SUB 15

RESUMEN Desde hace un tiempo las ciencias aplicadas al deporte han fijado sus intereses en investigar patrones físicos y mentales en los deportistas, lo que ha permitido tener un mejoramiento a nivel competitivo, al mejorar resultados en los entrenamientos y en las competiciones debido a la pronta intervención de los aspectos negativos en los procesos de entrenamiento, en este caso  el futbol tolimense. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó la observación y la verificación de resultados con la real percepción del entrenador, además en el proceso se midieron 13 deportistas de la categoría sub 15 de futbol durante un periodo de 15 sesiones de entrenamiento; para realizar el estudio de la percepción del esfuerzo en entrenamiento se observaron y valoraron en la población objeto del proyecto los siguientes indicadores: condición física, utilizando el test de Ruffier para la aptitud física y el índice de fatiga, con la escala de esfuerzo percibido de Borg; para determinar una posible carga de entrenamiento adecuada según cada uno de sus integrantes, obteniendo como resultado que las cargas desarrolladas por los deportistas del seleccionado tolimense coinciden en su gran mayoría con las cargas percibidas por el entrenador en su planificación deportiva.Palabras clave: condición física, índice de fatiga, percepción del esfuerzo y procesos de entrenamiento.  ABSTRACTFor a time sciences applied to the sport they have been fixing its interests to investigating physical and mental patterns in the sportsmen, which has allowed to have an improvement at competitive level, when improving results in the training and the competitions due to the quick intervention of the negative aspects in the training processes, in this case in the football. For the accomplishment of the study, the methodology of data collection that I am used was the observation, the interview and the verification of results with the real perception of the trainer, in the present work were moderate 13 sportsmen of the category sub 15 of football with great interventions in championships at national level, during a period of 15 sessions of training; in order to make the study of the perception of the effort in training they were observed and they valued in the population object of the project the following indicators: physical training conditions, using the test of Ruffier for the medical fitness and the index of fatigue, with the scale of effort perceived of Borg; in order to determine a possible load of training adapted according to each one of its members.Key words: physical training conditions, index of fatigue, perception of the effort and processes of training

GABAA-Mediated Inhibition Modulates Stimulus-Specific Adaptation in the Inferior Colliculus

The ability to detect novel sounds in a complex acoustic context is crucial for survival. Neurons from midbrain through cortical levels adapt to repetitive stimuli, while maintaining responsiveness to rare stimuli, a phenomenon called stimulus-specific adaptation (SSA). The site of origin and mechanism of SSA are currently unknown. We used microiontophoretic application of gabazine to examine the role of GABAA-mediated inhibition in SSA in the inferior colliculus, the midbrain center for auditory processing. We found that gabazine slowed down the process of adaptation to high probability stimuli but did not abolish it, with response magnitude and latency still depending on the probability of the stimulus. Blocking GABAA receptors increased the firing rate to high and low probability stimuli, but did not completely equalize the responses. Together, these findings suggest that GABAA-mediated inhibition acts as a gain control mechanism that enhances SSA by modifying the responsiveness of the neuron

Predicting the onset and persistence of episodes of depression in primary health care. The predictD-Spain study: Methodology

Background: The effects of putative risk factors on the onset and/or persistence of depression remain unclear. We aim to develop comprehensive models to predict the onset and persistence of episodes of depression in primary care. Here we explain the general methodology of the predictD-Spain study and evaluate the reliability of the questionnaires used. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study. A systematic random sample of general practice attendees aged 18 to 75 has been recruited in seven Spanish provinces. Depression is being measured with the CIDI at baseline, and at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. A set of individual, environmental, genetic, professional and organizational risk factors are to be assessed at each follow-up point. In a separate reliability study, a proportional random sample of 401 participants completed the test-retest (251 researcher-administered and 150 self-administered) between October 2005 and February 2006. We have also checked 118,398 items for data entry from a random sample of 480 patients stratified by province. Results: All items and questionnaires had good test-retest reliability for both methods of administration, except for the use of recreational drugs over the previous six months. Cronbach's alphas were good and their factorial analyses coherent for the three scales evaluated (social support from family and friends, dissatisfaction with paid work, and dissatisfaction with unpaid work). There were 191 (0.16%) data entry errors. Conclusion: The items and questionnaires were reliable and data quality control was excellent. When we eventually obtain our risk index for the onset and persistence of depression, we will be able to determine the individual risk of each patient evaluated in primary health car

Socio-economic variation in CT scanning in Northern England, 1990-2002

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Socio-economic status is known to influence health throughout life. In childhood, studies have shown increased injury rates in more deprived settings. Socio-economic status may therefore be related to rates of certain medical procedures, such as computed tomography (CT) scans. This study aimed to assess socio-economic variation among young people having CT scans in Northern England between 1990 and 2002 inclusive.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Electronic data were obtained from Radiology Information Systems of all nine National Health Service hospital Trusts in the region. CT scan data, including sex, date of scan, age at scan, number and type of scans were assessed in relation to quintiles of Townsend deprivation scores, obtained from linkage of postcodes with census data, using χ²tests and Spearman rank correlations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the study period, 39,676 scans were recorded on 21,089 patients, with 38,007 scans and 19,485 patients (11344 male and 8132 female) linkable to Townsend scores. The overall distributions of both scans and patients by quintile of Townsend deprivation scores were significantly different to the distributions of Townsend scores from the census wards included in the study (p < 0.0001). There was a significant association between type of scan and deprivation quintile (p < 0.0001), primarily due to the higher proportions of head scans in the three most deprived quintiles, and slightly higher proportions of chest scans and abdomen and pelvis scans in the least deprived groups. There was also a significant association (p < 0.0001) between the patient's age at the time of the CT scan and Townsend deprivation quintiles, with slightly increasing proportions of younger children with increasing deprivation. A similar association with age (p < 0.0001) was seen when restricting the data to include only the first scan of each patient. The number of scans per patient was also associated with Townsend deprivation quintiles (p = 0.014).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Social inequalities exist in the numbers of young people undergoing CT scans with those from deprived areas more likely to do so. This may reflect the rates of injuries in these individuals and implies that certain groups within the population may receive higher radiation doses than others due to medical procedures.</p

SUMOylation regulates AKT1 activity

Serine threonine kinase AKT has a central role in the cell, controlling survival, proliferation, metabolism and angiogenesis. Deregulation of its activity underlies a wide range of pathological situations, including cancer. Here we show that AKT is post-translationally modified by the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) protein. Interestingly, neither SUMO conjugation nor activation of SUMOylated AKT is regulated by the classical AKT targeting to the cell membrane or by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway. We demonstrate that SUMO induces the activation of AKT, whereas, conversely, down-modulation of the SUMO machinery diminishes AKT activation and cell proliferation. Furthermore, an AKT SUMOylation mutant shows reduced activation, and decreased anti-apoptotic and pro-tumoral activities in comparison with the wild-type protein. These results identify SUMO as a novel key regulator of AKT phosphorylation and activity