Purkinje cell-specific Grip1/2 knockout mice show increased repetitive self-grooming and enhanced mGluR5 signaling in cerebellum

Cerebellar Purkinje cell (PC) loss is a consistent pathological finding in autism. However, neural mechanisms of PC-dysfunction in autism remain poorly characterized. Glutamate receptor interacting proteins 1/2 (Grip1/2) regulate AMPA receptor (AMPAR) trafficking and synaptic strength. To evaluate role of PC-AMPAR signaling in autism, we produced PC-specific Grip1/2 knockout mice by crossing Grip2 conventional and Grip1 conditional KO with L7-Cre driver mice. PCs in the mutant mice showed normal morphology and number, and a lack of Grip1/2 expression. Rodent behavioral testing identified normal ambulation, anxiety, social interaction, and an increase in repetitive self-grooming. Electrophysiology studies revealed normal mEPSCs but an impaired mGluR-LTD at the Parallel Fiber-PC synapses. Immunoblots showed increased expression of mGluR5 and Arc, and enhanced phosphorylation of P38 and AKT in cerebellum of PC-specific Grip1/2 knockout mice. Results indicate that loss of Grip1/2 in PCs contributes to increased repetitive self-grooming, a core autism behavior in mice. Results support a role of AMPAR trafficking defects in PCs and disturbances of mGluR5 signaling in cerebellum in the pathogenesis of repetitive behaviors.University of Seville (V PPIT-US)Spain and an National Institute of Health (NIH) (NS085358

Postpartum specific anxiety in a French population: Validation of the French version of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale [PSAS-FR]

Purpose: This study aims to validate the Postpartum-Specific-Anxiety-Scale (PSAS) as a French-language instrument, which assesses maternal and infant-related anxieties during the postpartum period. Design and Methods: The methodology included six stages: preliminary French translation; selection of most articulate items and back-translation; rectification of discrepancies; pilot study (n = 257); reliability and validity studies (n = 258; n = 874); and test–retest reliability study (n = 231). Findings: The PSAS-FR demonstrated good acceptability, high internal consistency of the global scale (Cronbach's α = 0.93), and each of the factors; along with good validity, and test–retest reliability. The receiver operating characteristic analysis suggested a satisfactory screening tool. Practice Implications: The PSAS-FR appears to be a valid and reliable tool to screen for postpartum anxieties in the French-speaking population

The ALHAMBRA survey : Estimation of the clustering signal encoded in the cosmic variance

The relative cosmic variance ($\sigma_v$) is a fundamental source of uncertainty in pencil-beam surveys and, as a particular case of count-in-cell statistics, can be used to estimate the bias between galaxies and their underlying dark-matter distribution. Our goal is to test the significance of the clustering information encoded in the $\sigma_v$ measured in the ALHAMBRA survey. We measure the cosmic variance of several galaxy populations selected with $B-$band luminosity at $0.35 \leq z < 1.05$ as the intrinsic dispersion in the number density distribution derived from the 48 ALHAMBRA subfields. We compare the observational $\sigma_v$ with the cosmic variance of the dark matter expected from the theory, $\sigma_{v,{\rm dm}}$. This provides an estimation of the galaxy bias $b$. The galaxy bias from the cosmic variance is in excellent agreement with the bias estimated by two-point correlation function analysis in ALHAMBRA. This holds for different redshift bins, for red and blue subsamples, and for several $B-$band luminosity selections. We find that $b$ increases with the $B-$band luminosity and the redshift, as expected from previous work. Moreover, red galaxies have a larger bias than blue galaxies, with a relative bias of $b_{\rm rel} = 1.4 \pm 0.2$. Our results demonstrate that the cosmic variance measured in ALHAMBRA is due to the clustering of galaxies and can be used to characterise the $\sigma_v$ affecting pencil-beam surveys. In addition, it can also be used to estimate the galaxy bias $b$ from a method independent of correlation functions.Comment: Astronomy and Astrophysics, in press. 9 pages, 4 figures, 3 table

The ALHAMBRA survey: evolution of galaxy spectral segregation

We study the clustering of galaxies as a function of spectral type and redshift in the range $0.35 < z < 1.1$ using data from the Advanced Large Homogeneous Area Medium Band Redshift Astronomical (ALHAMBRA) survey. The data cover 2.381 deg$^2$ in 7 fields, after applying a detailed angular selection mask, with accurate photometric redshifts [$\sigma_z < 0.014(1+z)$] down to $I_{AB} < 24$. From this catalog we draw five fixed number density, redshift-limited bins. We estimate the clustering evolution for two different spectral populations selected using the ALHAMBRA-based photometric templates: quiescent and star-forming galaxies. For each sample, we measure the real-space clustering using the projected correlation function. Our calculations are performed over the range $[0.03,10.0] h^{-1}$ Mpc, allowing us to find a steeper trend for $r_p \lesssim 0.2 h^{-1}$ Mpc, which is especially clear for star-forming galaxies. Our analysis also shows a clear early differentiation in the clustering properties of both populations: star-forming galaxies show weaker clustering with evolution in the correlation length over the analysed redshift range, while quiescent galaxies show stronger clustering already at high redshifts, and no appreciable evolution. We also perform the bias calculation where similar segregation is found, but now it is among the quiescent galaxies where a growing evolution with redshift is clearer. These findings clearly corroborate the well known colour-density relation, confirming that quiescent galaxies are mainly located in dark matter halos that are more massive than those typically populated by star-forming galaxies.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, accepted by Ap

The ALHAMBRA survey : B−B-band luminosity function of quiescent and star-forming galaxies at 0.2≤z<10.2 \leq z < 1 by PDF analysis

Our goal is to study the evolution of the $B-$band luminosity function (LF) since $z=1$ using ALHAMBRA data. We used the photometric redshift and the $I-$band selection magnitude probability distribution functions (PDFs) of those ALHAMBRA galaxies with $I\leq24$ mag to compute the posterior LF. We statistically studied quiescent and star-forming galaxies using the template information encoded in the PDFs. The LF covariance matrix in redshift-magnitude-galaxy type space was computed, including the cosmic variance. That was estimated from the intrinsic dispersion of the LF measurements in the 48 ALHAMBRA sub-fields. The uncertainty due to the photometric redshift prior is also included in our analysis. We modelled the LF with a redshift-dependent Schechter function affected by the same selection effects than the data. The measured ALHAMBRA LF at $0.2\leq z<1$ and the evolving Schechter parameters both for quiescent and star-forming galaxies agree with previous results in the literature. The estimated redshift evolution of $M_B^* \propto Qz$ is $Q_{\rm SF}=-1.03\pm0.08$ and $Q_{\rm Q}=-0.80\pm0.08$, and of $\log \phi^* \propto Pz$ is $P_{\rm SF}=-0.01\pm0.03$ and $P_{\rm Q}=-0.41\pm0.05$. The measured faint-end slopes are $\alpha_{\rm SF}=-1.29\pm0.02$ and $\alpha_{\rm Q}=-0.53\pm0.04$. We find a significant population of faint quiescent galaxies, modelled by a second Schechter function with slope $\beta=-1.31\pm0.11$. We find a factor $2.55\pm0.14$ decrease in the luminosity density $j_B$ of star-forming galaxies, and a factor $1.25\pm0.16$ increase in the $j_B$ of quiescent ones since $z=1$, confirming the continuous build-up of the quiescent population with cosmic time. The contribution of the faint quiescent population to $j_B$ increases from 3% at $z=1$ to 6% at $z=0$. The developed methodology will be applied to future multi-filter surveys such as J-PAS.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 25 pages, 20 figures, 7 table

Galaxy clusters and groups in the ALHAMBRA Survey

We present a catalogue of 348 galaxy clusters and groups with $0.2<z<1.2$ selected in the 2.78 $deg^2$ ALHAMBRA Survey. The high precision of our photometric redshifts, close to $1\%$, and the wide spread of the seven ALHAMBRA pointings ensure that this catalogue has better mass sensitivity and is less affected by cosmic variance than comparable samples. The detection has been carried out with the Bayesian Cluster Finder (BCF), whose performance has been checked in ALHAMBRA-like light-cone mock catalogues. Great care has been taken to ensure that the observable properties of the mocks photometry accurately correspond to those of real catalogues. From our simulations, we expect to detect galaxy clusters and groups with both $70\%$ completeness and purity down to dark matter halo masses of $M_h\sim3\times10^{13}\rm M_{\odot}$ for $z<0.85$. Cluster redshifts are expected to be recovered with $\sim0.6\%$ precision for $z<1$. We also expect to measure cluster masses with $\sigma_{M_h|M^*_{CL}}\sim0.25-0.35\, dex$ precision down to $\sim3\times10^{13}\rm M_{\odot}$, masses which are $50\%$ smaller than those reached by similar work. We have compared these detections with previous optical, spectroscopic and X-rays work, finding an excellent agreement with the rates reported from the simulations. We have also explored the overall properties of these detections such as the presence of a colour-magnitude relation, the evolution of the photometric blue fraction and the clustering of these sources in the different ALHAMBRA fields. Despite the small numbers, we observe tentative evidence that, for a fixed stellar mass, the environment is playing a crucial role at lower redshifts (z$<$0.5).Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Catalogues and figures available online and under the following link: http://bascaso.net46.net/ALHAMBRA_clusters.htm

A Ks-band-selected catalogue of objects in the ALHAMBRA survey

The original ALHAMBRA catalogue contained over 400,000 galaxies selected using a synthetic F814W image, to the magnitude limit AB(F814W)$\approx$24.5. Given the photometric redshift depth of the ALHAMBRA multiband data (=0.86) and the approximately $I$-band selection, there is a noticeable bias against red objects at moderate redshift. We avoid this bias by creating a new catalogue selected in the $K_s$ band. This newly obtained catalogue is certainly shallower in terms of apparent magnitude, but deeper in terms of redshift, with a significant population of red objects at $z>1$. We select objects using the $K_s$ band images, which reach an approximate AB magnitude limit $K_s \approx 22$. We generate masks and derive completeness functions to characterize the sample. We have tested the quality of the photometry and photometric redshifts using both internal and external checks. Our final catalogue includes $\approx 95,000$ sources down to $K_s \approx 22$, with a significant tail towards high redshift. We have checked that there is a large sample of objects with spectral energy distributions that correspond to that of massive, passively evolving galaxies at $z > 1$, reaching as far as $z \approx 2.5$. We have tested the possibility of combining our data with deep infrared observations at longer wavelengths, particularly Spitzer IRAC data

The ALHAMBRA survey: evolution of galaxy clustering since z ~ 1

We study the clustering of galaxies as function of luminosity and redshift in the range 0.35 < z < 1.25 using data from the Advanced Large Homogeneous Area Medium-Band Redshift Astronomical (ALHAMBRA) survey. The ALHAMBRA data used in this work cover 2.38 deg2 in seven independent fields, after applying a detailed angular selection mask, with accurate photometric redshifts, σz ≲ 0.014(1 + z), down to IAB < 24. Given the depth of the survey, we select samples in B-band luminosity down to Lth ≃ 0.16L* at z = 0.9. We measure the real-space clustering using the projected correlation function, accounting for photometric redshifts uncertainties. We infer the galaxy bias, and study its evolution with luminosity. We study the effect of sample variance, and confirm earlier results that the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) and European Large Area ISO Survey North 1 (ELAIS-N1) fields are dominated by the presence of large structures. For the intermediate and bright samples, Lmed ≳ 0.6L*, we obtain a strong dependence of bias on luminosity, in agreement with previous results at similar redshift. We are able to extend this study to fainter luminosities, where we obtain an almost flat relation, similar to that observed at low redshift. Regarding the evolution of bias with redshift, our results suggest that the different galaxy populations studied reside in haloes covering a range in mass between log10[Mh/( h−1 M⊙)] ≳ 11.5 for samples with Lmed ≃ 0.3L* and log10[Mh/( h−1 M⊙)] ≳ 13.0 for samples with Lmed ≃ 2L*, with typical occupation numbers in the range of ∼1–3 galaxies per halo

The ALHAMBRA survey: Estimation of the clustering signal encoded in the cosmic variance

[Aims]: The relative cosmic variance (σv) is a fundamental source of uncertainty in pencil-beam surveys and, as a particular case of count-in-cell statistics, can be used to estimate the bias between galaxies and their underlying dark-matter distribution. Our goal is to test the significance of the clustering information encoded in the σv measured in the ALHAMBRA survey. [Methods]: We measure the cosmic variance of several galaxy populations selected with B-band luminosity at 0.35 ≤ z< 1.05 as the intrinsic dispersion in the number density distribution derived from the 48 ALHAMBRA subfields. We compare the observational σv with the cosmic variance of the dark matter expected from the theory, σv,dm. This provides an estimation of the galaxy bias b. [Results]: The galaxy bias from the cosmic variance is in excellent agreement with the bias estimated by two-point correlation function analysis in ALHAMBRA. This holds for different redshift bins, for red and blue subsamples, and for several B-band luminosity selections. We find that b increases with the B-band luminosity and the redshift, as expected from previous work. Moreover, red galaxies have a larger bias than blue galaxies, with a relative bias of brel = 1.4 ± 0.2. [Conclusions]: Our results demonstrate that the cosmic variance measured in ALHAMBRA is due to the clustering of galaxies and can be used to characterise the σv affecting pencil-beam surveys. In addition, it can also be used to estimate the galaxy bias b from a method independent of correlation functions.This work has been mainly funded by the FITE (Fondos de Inversiones de Teruel) and the projects AYA2012-30789, AYA2006-14056, and CSD2007-00060. We also acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness and FEDER funds through grants AYA2010-15081, AYA2010-15169, AYA2010-22111-C03-01, AYA2010-22111-C03-02, AYA2011-29517-C03-01, AYA2012-39620, AYA2013-40611-P, AYA2013-42227-P, AYA2013-43188-P, AYA2013-48623-C2-1, AYA2013-48623-C2-2, ESP2013-48274, AYA2014-58861-C3-1, Aragon Government Research Group E103, Generalitat Valenciana projects Prometeo 2009/064 and PROMETEOII/2014/060, Junta de Andalucia grants TIC114, JA2828, P10-FQM-6444, and Generalitat de Catalunya project SGR-1398. A.J.C. and C.H.-M. are Ramon y Cajal fellows of the Spanish government. A. M. acknowledges the financial support of the Brazilian funding agency FAPESP (Post-doc fellowship - process number 2014/11806-9). M.P. acknowledges financial support from JAE-Doc program of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), co-funded by the European Social Fund.Peer Reviewe

A validation of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale 12-item research short-form for use during global crises with five translations.

BACKGROUND: Global crises inevitably increase levels of anxiety in postpartum populations. Effective and efficient measurement is therefore essential. This study aimed to create a 12-item research short form of the 51-item Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale [PSAS] and validate it for use in rapid response research at a time of global crises [PSAS-RSF-C]. We also present the same 12-items, in five other languages (Italian, French, Chinese, Spanish, Dutch) to increase global accessibility of a psychometric tool to assess maternal mental health. METHODS: Twelve items from the PSAS were selected on the basis of a review of their factor loadings. An on-line sample of UK mothers (N = 710) of infants up to 12 weeks old completed the PSAS-RSF-C during COVID-19 'lockdown'. RESULTS: Principal component analyses on a randomly split sample (n = 344) revealed four factors, identical in nature to the original PSAS, which in combination explained 75% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analyses (n = 366) demonstrated the four-factor model fit the data well. Reliability of the overall scale and of the underlying factors in both samples proved excellent. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest the PSAS-RSF-C may prove useful as a clinical screening tool and is the first postpartum-specific psychometric scale to be validated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This offers psychometrically sound assessment of postpartum anxiety. By increasing the accessibility of the PSAS, we aim to enable researchers the opportunity to measure maternal anxiety, rapidly, at times of global crisis