Circumnuclear structure and kinematics in the active galaxy NGC 6951

A study is presented of the central structure and kinematics of the galaxy NGC 6951, by means of broad band B'IJK images and high resolution high dispersion longslit spectroscopy, together with archival HST WFPC2 V and NICMOS2 J and H images. We find that there is evidence of two modes of star formation, in bursts and continuously. The equivalent width of the CaII triplet absorption lines show that, in the metal rich central region, the continuum is dominated by a population of red supergiants. The gaseous and stellar kinematics along three slit position angles, suggest the existence of a hierarchy of disks within disks, whose dynamics are decoupled at the two ILRs, that we find at 180 pc and at 1100 pc. This is supported by the structure seen in the high resolution HST images. The nucleus is spatially resolved within a radius of 1.5 arcsec, just inside the innermost ILR. Outside the iILR, the stellar CaT velocity profile is resolved into two components, associated with the bar and the disk. Several results indicate that this is a dynamically old system. It is thus possible that a nuclear bar has existed in NGC 6951 that drove the gas towards the nucleus, as in the bars within bars scenario, but that this bar has already dissolved by the gas accumulated within the circumnuclear region. We discuss the possibility that the kinematical component inside the iILR could be due to a nuclear outflow produced by the combined effects of SN and SN remnants, or to a nuclear disk, as in the disk within disk scenario that we propose for the fueling of the AGN in NGC 6951.Comment: 14 pages, 16 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. High resolution images in http://www.iaa.es/~eperez/research/degas.htm

Economic crisis and attitudes towards democracy : How ideology moderates reactions to economic downturns

This paper studies the extent to which economic crises bust different reactions depending on individual ideological identity. Our argument is that individual left-right identification shapes how citizens evaluate the functioning of democracy, and consequently, it moderates the impact of economic crises on democratic discontent. We argue that left-wing individuals’ views on democratic performance would be more heavily affected by economic results and strongly shaped by the (in)capacity of a democracy to represent its citizens in its reaction to the economic crisis. After testing our argument with data from the ESS, we provide evidence from a survey experiment conducted in Spain. Both analyses show that economic crises are relevant in explaining democratic dissatisfaction, but the strength of their impact depends on ideological identities. Economic results have a stronger effect on the satisfaction with democracy of left-wing individuals by negatively affecting their perception of the functioning of democratic representation

Sintonización automática de filtros de microondas mediante motores a pasos

Este artículo describe un sistema para sintonizar filtros de microondas de manera automática. Se presentan los resultados obtenidos de la sintonización automática de un resonador de microondas mediante un sistema diseñado específicamente para tal propósito. Este sistema es extrapolable a filtros de microondas que requieren múltiples tornillos de sintonización. El sistema diseñado se encarga de pedir al usuario los datos necesarios, procesar las medidas realizadas y finalmente hacer girar un motor a pasos para conseguir el ajuste deseado de frecuencia de resonancia. El tornillo de sintonización está unido al motor a pasos, y al girar el motor se hace variar la frecuencia del resonador. Dependiendo del paso del motor se podrá conseguir mayor precisión en el ajuste, pero lo que se mejora sustancialmente es el tiempo invertido en la sintonía y la velocidad a la que se puede cambiar la respuesta del dispositivo.Peer Reviewe

Marine forests of the Mediterranean-Atlantic Cystoseira tamariscifolia complex show a southern Iberian genetic hotspot and no reproductive isolation in parapatry

Climate-driven range-shifts create evolutionary opportunities for allopatric divergence and subsequent contact, leading to genetic structuration and hybrid zones. We investigate how these processes influenced the evolution of a complex of three closely related Cystoseira spp., which are a key component of the Mediterranean-Atlantic seaweed forests that are undergoing population declines. The C. tamariscifolia complex, composed of C. tamariscifolia s.s., C. amentacea and C. mediterranea, have indistinct boundaries and natural hybridization is suspected. Our aims are to (1) infer the genetic structure and diversity of these species throughout their distribution ranges using microsatellite markers to identify ancient versus recent geographical populations, contact zones and reproductive barriers, and (2) hindcast past distributions using niche models to investigate the influence of past range shifts on genetic divergence at multiple spatial scales. Results supported a single, morphologically plastic species the genetic structure of which was incongruent with a priori species assignments. The low diversity and low singularity in northern European populations suggest recent colonization after the LGM. The southern Iberian genetic hotspot most likely results from the role of this area as a climatic refugium or a secondary contact zone between differentiated populations or both. We hypothesize that life-history traits (selfing, low dispersal) and prior colonization effects, rather than reproductive barriers, might explain the observed genetic discontinuities.Pew Charitable Trusts (USA); MARINERA, Spain [CTM2008-04183-E/MAR]; FCT (Portugal) [FCT-BIODIVERSA/004/2015, CCMAR/Multi/04326/2013, SFRH/BPD/107878/2015, SFRH/BPD/85040/2012]; FPU fellowship of the Spanish Ministry of Education; European Community ASSEMBLE visiting grant [00399/2012]; University of Cadi

Determination of color, antioxidant activity and phenolic profile of different fruit tissue of Spanish ‘Verde Doncella’ apple cultivar

27 Pag., 1 Fig., 4 Tab. Accepted author version posted online 16 January 2014. Published online: 14 Jul 2014. This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in International Journal of Food Properties, published online 16 Jan 2014, copyright Taylor & Francis, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10942912.2013.792829The polyphenolic profile and antioxidant activity of peel, pomace, and juice of ‘Verde Doncella’, a Spanish apple cultivar is presented. Phenolic profile of the worldwide cultivated, ‘Red Delicious’ cultivar was used for comparison. Flavanols, hydroxycinamic acids, flavonols, phloridzin, procyanidin B2, and gallic acid were quantified by HPLC. Larger concentrations of polyphenolics were found in the peel, which is in agreement with the Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (FRAP) values. ‘Verde Doncella’ expressed lower concentrations of flavanols and quercetin derivates in peel, pomace, and juice when compared to ‘Red Delicious’. ‘Verde Doncella’ was richer in p-coumaric acid and procyanidn B2 in the peel.This study was supported by the projects AGL2009-59 08501 (Programa Nacional de Proyectos de Investigación Fundamental), co-financed by the European Social Fund and by the Departamento de Ciencia, Tecnología y Universidad del Gobierno de Aragón, Research Group “Foods from Plant Origin”. Fellowship funding JAE-Predoc/CSIC was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICCIM).Peer reviewe

Evaluación del alumno, técnicas y elementos en el proceso de aprendizaje de segundas lenguas

Este artículo se ocupa de la evaluación como un medio de información sobre el proceso de aprendizaje de segundas lenguas. Se consideran tres aspectos fundamentales: los distintos tipos de evaluación del alumno (inicial, formativa y final), las técnicas correspondientes: autoevaluación, con especial referencia al sistema DIALANG desarrollado dentro del Marco Común Europeo de Referencia, y la corrección por parte del compañero o del grupo, así como por parte del profesor, mencionando técnicas para cada una de las cuatro destrezas. Finalmente se ocupa de la evaluación de los demás elementos del proceso de aprendizaje, tales como los materiales o recursos didácticos empleados, y el papel del profesor.This paper deals with assessment as a means of obtaining information about the second language learning process. Three main issues are considered, the different types of assessment: initial, formative and summative and their main characteristics, the techniques: self-assessment with special reference to DIALANG, the system developed in the Common European Framework of Reference, peer evaluation and teacher assessment, mentioning different techniques for each of the four skills. Finally, it is concerned with the assessment of other elements in the learning process such as language learning materials and the teacher's role

Obesity-Induced Peritoneal Dissemination of Ovarian Cancer and Dominant Recruitment of Macrophages in Ascites

One-fifth of cancer deaths are associated with obesity. Because the molecular mechanisms by which obesity affects the progression of ovarian cancer (OC) are poorly understood, we investigated if obesity could promote the progression of OC cells using the postmenopausal ob/ob mouse model and peritoneal dissemination of mouse ID8 OC cells. Compared to lean mice, obese mice had earlier OC occurrence, greater metastasis throughout the peritoneal cavity, a trend toward shorter survival, and higher circulating glucose and proinflammatory chemokine CXCL1 levels. Ascites in obese mice had higher levels of macrophages (Mφ) and chemokines including CCL2, CXCL12, CXCL13, G-CSF and M-CSF. Omental tumor tissues in obese mice had more adipocytes than lean mice. Our data suggest that obesity may accelerate the peritoneal dissemination of OC through higher production of pro-inflammatory chemokines and Mφ recruitment

Coronary and carotid artery dysfunction and KV7 overexpression in a mouse model of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an extremely rare genetic disease caused by expression of progerin, a lamin A variant that is also expressed at low levels in non-HGPS individuals. Although HGPS patients die predominantly from myocardial infarction and stroke, the mechanisms that provoke pathological alterations in the coronary and cerebral arteries in HGPS remain ill defined. Here, we assessed vascular function in the coronary arteries (CorAs) and carotid arteries (CarAs) of progerin-expressing LmnaG609G/G609G mice (G609G), both in resting conditions and after hypoxic stimulus. Wire myography, pharmacological screening, and gene expression studies demonstrated vascular atony and stenosis, as well as other functional alterations in progeroid CorAs and CarAs and aorta. These defects were associated with loss of vascular smooth muscle cells and overexpression of the KV7 family of voltage-dependent potassium channels. Compared with wild-type controls, G609G mice showed reduced median survival upon chronic isoproterenol exposure, a baseline state of chronic cardiac hypoxia characterized by overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and 3α genes, and increased cardiac vascularization. Our results shed light on the mechanisms underlying progerin-induced coronary and carotid artery disease and identify KV7 channels as a candidate target for the treatment of HGPS.Work supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCIN) and Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) (MCIN/AEI/https:// doi. org/ 10. 13039/ 50110 00110 33 grants SAF2016-79490-R and PID2019-108489RB-I00), with cofunding from Fondo Social Europeo (“El FSE invierte en tu futuro”), and a donation from Asociación Progeria Alexandra Peraut. Microscopy was conducted at the Microscopy & Dynamic Imaging Unit, CNIC, ICTS-ReDib, co-funded by MCIN/AEI/https:// doi. org/ 10. 13039/ 50110 00110 33. R.M.N was supported by the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (pre-doctoral contract FPU16/05027), and I.B. is supported by the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (grants 2017- T1/BMD-5247 and 2021-5A/BMD-20944), and the Ramón y Cajal contract (RYC2021-033805-I) funded by MCIN/ AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union “Next- GenerationEU”/PRTR. The CNIC is supported by the MCIN, the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the Pro-CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (grant number CEX2020-001041-S funded by MCIN/AEI/https:// doi. org/ 10. 13039/ 50110 00110 33).N