Strain driven migration of In during the growth of InAs/GaAs quantum posts

Using the mechano-optical stress sensor technique, we observe a counter-intuitive reduction of the compressive stress when InAs is deposited on GaAs (001) during the growth of quantum posts. Through modelling of the strain fields, we find that such anomalous behaviour can be related to the strain-driven detachment of In atoms from the crystal and their surface diffusion towards the self-assembled nanostructures.We acknowledge the financial support by Spanish MINECO through Grant Nos. ENE2012-37804-C02-02 and TEC2011-29120-C05-04, and by Spanish CAM through Grant Nos. S2009/ESP-1503 and S2009/ENE-1477.Peer Reviewe

Discovery of potent and selective inhibitors of the Escherichia coli M1-aminopeptidase via multicomponent solid-phase synthesis of tetrazole-peptidomimetics

The Escherichia coli neutral M1-aminopeptidase (ePepN) is a novel target identified for the development of antimicrobials. Here we describe a solid-phase multicomponent approach which enabled the discovery of potent ePepN inhibitors. The on-resin protocol, developed in the frame of the Distributed Drug Discovery (D3) program, comprises the implementation of parallel Ugi-azide four-component reactions with resin-bound amino acids, thus leading to the rapid preparation of a focused library of tetrazole-peptidomimetics (TPMs) suitable for biological screening. By dose-response studies, three compounds were identified as potent and selective ePepN inhibitors, as little inhibitory effect was exhibited for the porcine ortholog aminopeptidase. The study allowed for the identification of the key structural features required for a high ePepN inhibitory activity. The most potent and selective inhibitor (TPM 11) showed a non-competitive inhibition profile of ePepN. We predicted that both diastereomers of compound TPM 11 bind to a site distinct from that occupied by the substrate. Theoretical models suggested that TPM 11 has an alternative inhibition mechanism that doesn't involve Zn coordination. On the other hand, the activity landscape analysis provided a rationale for our findings. Of note, compound TMP 2 showed in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. Furthermore, none of the three identified inhibitors is a potent haemolytic agent, and only two compounds showed moderate cytotoxic activity toward the murine myeloma P3X63Ag cells. These results point to promising compounds for the future development of rationally designed TPMs as antibacterial agents

Association of weight change with cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and amyloid positron emission tomography in preclinical Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND: Recognizing clinical manifestations heralding the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related cognitive impairment could improve the identification of individuals at higher risk of AD who may benefit from potential prevention strategies targeting preclinical population. We aim to characterize the association of body weight change with cognitive changes and AD biomarkers in cognitively unimpaired middle-aged adults. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included data from cognitively unimpaired adults from the ALFA study (n = 2743), a research platform focused on preclinical AD. Cognitive and anthropometric data were collected at baseline between April 2013 and November 2014. Between October 2016 and February 2020, 450 participants were visited in the context of the nested ALFA+ study and underwent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) extraction and acquisition of positron emission tomography images with [18F]flutemetamol (FTM-PET). From these, 408 (90.1%) were included in the present study. We used data from two visits (average interval 4.1 years) to compute rates of change in weight and cognitive performance. We tested associations between these variables and between weight change and categorical and continuous measures of CSF and neuroimaging AD biomarkers obtained at follow-up. We classified participants with CSF data according to the AT (amyloid, tau) system and assessed between-group differences in weight change. RESULTS: Weight loss predicted a higher likelihood of positive FTM-PET visual read (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.00-1.61, p = 0.049), abnormal CSF p-tau levels (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.19-1.89, p = 0.001), and an A+T+ profile (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.25-2.20, p = 0.001) and was greater among participants with an A+T+ profile (p < 0.01) at follow-up. Weight change was positively associated with CSF Aβ42/40 ratio (β = 0.099, p = 0.032) and negatively associated with CSF p-tau (β = - 0.141, p = 0.005), t-tau (β = - 0.147 p = 0.004) and neurogranin levels (β = - 0.158, p = 0.002). In stratified analyses, weight loss was significantly associated with higher t-tau, p-tau, neurofilament light, and neurogranin, as well as faster cognitive decline in A+ participants only. CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss predicts AD CSF and PET biomarker results and may occur downstream to amyloid-β accumulation in preclinical AD, paralleling cognitive decline. Accordingly, it should be considered as an indicator of increased risk of AD-related cognitive impairment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01835717 , NCT02485730 , NCT02685969

An 8-mm diameter fibre robot positioner for massive spectroscopy surveys

This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of Royal Astronomical Society © 2015 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reservedMassive spectroscopic survey are becoming trendy in astrophysics and cosmology, as they can address new fundamental knowledge such as understanding the formation of the Milky Way and probing the nature of the mysterious dark energy. To enable massive spectroscopic surveys, new technology has been developed to place thousands of optical fibres at a given position on a focal plane. This technology needs to be: (1) accurate, with micrometer positional accuracy; (2) fast to minimize overhead; (3) robust to minimize failure; and (4) low cost. In this paper, we present the development, properties, and performance of a new single 8-mm in diameter fibre positioner robot, using two 4-mm DC-brushless gearmotors, that allows us to achieve accuracies up to 0.07 arcsec (5 μm). This device has been developed in the context of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic InstrumentWe acknowledge support from the Spanish MICINNs Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program me under grant MultiDark CSD2009-00064, HEPHACOS S2009/ESP-1473, and MINECO Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa Programme under grant SEV-2012-0249. We also thank the support from a CSIC-AVS contract through MICINN grant AYA2010-21231-C02- 01, and CDTI grant IDC-20101033; and support from the Spanish MINECO research grants AYA2012-31101 and FPA2012-34694. JPK, PH and LM acknowledge support from the ERC advanced grant LIDA and from an SNF Interdisciplinary grant

Evaluación del contenido de carbono orgánico en suelos del cultivo intensivo de nopal (<i>Opuntia ficus indica</i> L.) en la delegación de Milpa Alta México D.F.

Existen algunas prácticas agrícolas orientadas a la captura de carbono en suelos que pueden disminuir algunos problemas ambientales, algunas de estas son la labranza mínima y cobertura orgánica. El cultivo de nopal verdura de la delegación Milpa Alta cumple con estas características. Se espera que el cultivo de nopal tenga valores altos en niveles de carbono orgánico en suelo (COS). El objetivo fue evaluar los niveles de COS en nopaleras y un cultivo de maíz para su comparación. Se muestrearon suelos de 3 parcelas de nopal y una de maíz a dos profundidades. El análisis estadístico mostró diferencia significativa en el COS entre cultivos a profundidad de 0 a 20 cm y para profundidad de 20 a 40 cm no se encontró. Los niveles COS en las parcelas de nopal resultaron considerablemente superiores a los de maíz. Siendo el nopal un cultivo perenne su suelo es más estable y por tanto, también el COS. Con esto puede considerárseles a los suelos de nopal un sumidero de carbono.Some agricultural practices exist aimed to carbon sequestration in soils that may reduce some environment problems, some of these practices are minimum tillage and organic cover. The nopal verdure crop present in Milpa Alta delegation is a crop that meets with these characteristics. It is expected that nopal crops contain high values in levels of soil organic carbon (SOC). The aim was to evaluate the levels of SOC in nopal crops and a corn crop to compare. The soil of 3 plots of nopal and one of corn at two depths were sampled. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in SOC between crops at depth of 0 to 20 cm and to the depth of 20 to 40 cm there was no significant difference. The COS levels in the plots of nopal were considerably higher than those of corn. Being the nopal a perennial crop its soil stability is better and thus the SOC too. With this nopal crop soil can consider a carbon sinking.Eje A1 Sistemas de producción de base agroecológica (Trabajos científicos)Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Evaluación del contenido de carbono orgánico en suelos del cultivo intensivo de nopal (<i>Opuntia ficus indica</i> L.) en la delegación de Milpa Alta México D.F.

Existen algunas prácticas agrícolas orientadas a la captura de carbono en suelos que pueden disminuir algunos problemas ambientales, algunas de estas son la labranza mínima y cobertura orgánica. El cultivo de nopal verdura de la delegación Milpa Alta cumple con estas características. Se espera que el cultivo de nopal tenga valores altos en niveles de carbono orgánico en suelo (COS). El objetivo fue evaluar los niveles de COS en nopaleras y un cultivo de maíz para su comparación. Se muestrearon suelos de 3 parcelas de nopal y una de maíz a dos profundidades. El análisis estadístico mostró diferencia significativa en el COS entre cultivos a profundidad de 0 a 20 cm y para profundidad de 20 a 40 cm no se encontró. Los niveles COS en las parcelas de nopal resultaron considerablemente superiores a los de maíz. Siendo el nopal un cultivo perenne su suelo es más estable y por tanto, también el COS. Con esto puede considerárseles a los suelos de nopal un sumidero de carbono.Some agricultural practices exist aimed to carbon sequestration in soils that may reduce some environment problems, some of these practices are minimum tillage and organic cover. The nopal verdure crop present in Milpa Alta delegation is a crop that meets with these characteristics. It is expected that nopal crops contain high values in levels of soil organic carbon (SOC). The aim was to evaluate the levels of SOC in nopal crops and a corn crop to compare. The soil of 3 plots of nopal and one of corn at two depths were sampled. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in SOC between crops at depth of 0 to 20 cm and to the depth of 20 to 40 cm there was no significant difference. The COS levels in the plots of nopal were considerably higher than those of corn. Being the nopal a perennial crop its soil stability is better and thus the SOC too. With this nopal crop soil can consider a carbon sinking.Eje A1 Sistemas de producción de base agroecológica (Trabajos científicos)Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

All-particle cosmic ray energy spectrum measured by the HAWC experiment from 10 to 500 TeV

We report on the measurement of the all-particle cosmic ray energy spectrum with the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory in the energy range 10 to 500 TeV. HAWC is a ground based air-shower array deployed on the slopes of Volcan Sierra Negra in the state of Puebla, Mexico, and is sensitive to gamma rays and cosmic rays at TeV energies. The data used in this work were taken from 234 days between June 2016 to February 2017. The primary cosmic-ray energy is determined with a maximum likelihood approach using the particle density as a function of distance to the shower core. Introducing quality cuts to isolate events with shower cores landing on the array, the reconstructed energy distribution is unfolded iteratively. The measured all-particle spectrum is consistent with a broken power law with an index of $-2.49\pm0.01$ prior to a break at $(45.7\pm0.1$) TeV, followed by an index of $-2.71\pm0.01$. The spectrum also respresents a single measurement that spans the energy range between direct detection and ground based experiments. As a verification of the detector response, the energy scale and angular resolution are validated by observation of the cosmic ray Moon shadow's dependence on energy.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables, submission to Physical Review

Cognitive impairment induced by delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol occurs through heteromers between cannabinoid CB1 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound of marijuana, induces numerous undesirable effects, including memory impairments, anxiety, and dependence. Conversely, THC also has potentially therapeutic effects, including analgesia, muscle relaxation, and neuroprotection. However, the mechanisms that dissociate these responses are still not known. Using mice lacking the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A, we revealed that the analgesic and amnesic effects of THC are independent of each other: while amnesia induced by THC disappears in the mutant mice, THC can still promote analgesia in these animals. In subsequent molecular studies, we showed that in specific brain regions involved in memory formation, the receptors for THC and the 5-HT2A receptors work together by physically interacting with each other. Experimentally interfering with this interaction prevented the memory deficits induced by THC, but not its analgesic properties. Our results highlight a novel mechanism by which the beneficial analgesic properties of THC can be dissociated from its cognitive side effects

Constraining the pˉ/p\bar{p}/p Ratio in TeV Cosmic Rays with Observations of the Moon Shadow by HAWC

An indirect measurement of the antiproton flux in cosmic rays is possible as the particles undergo deflection by the geomagnetic field. This effect can be measured by studying the deficit in the flux, or shadow, created by the Moon as it absorbs cosmic rays that are headed towards the Earth. The shadow is displaced from the actual position of the Moon due to geomagnetic deflection, which is a function of the energy and charge of the cosmic rays. The displacement provides a natural tool for momentum/charge discrimination that can be used to study the composition of cosmic rays. Using 33 months of data comprising more than 80 billion cosmic rays measured by the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory, we have analyzed the Moon shadow to search for TeV antiprotons in cosmic rays. We present our first upper limits on the $\bar{p}/p$ fraction, which in the absence of any direct measurements, provide the tightest available constraints of $\sim1\%$ on the antiproton fraction for energies between 1 and 10 TeV.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures. Accepted by Physical Review