410 research outputs found
Comparative study of nordihydroguaiaretic acid extraction methods from creosote bush (Larrea tridentata)
Galaxy properties from J-PAS narrow-band photometry
We study the consistency of the physical properties of galaxies retrieved
from SED-fitting as a function of spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR). Using a selection of physically motivated star formation histories, we
set up a control sample of mock galaxy spectra representing observations of the
local universe in high-resolution spectroscopy, and in 56 narrow-band and 5
broad-band photometry. We fit the SEDs at these spectral resolutions and
compute their corresponding the stellar mass, the mass- and luminosity-weighted
age and metallicity, and the dust extinction. We study the biases,
correlations, and degeneracies affecting the retrieved parameters and explore
the r\^ole of the spectral resolution and the SNR in regulating these
degeneracies. We find that narrow-band photometry and spectroscopy yield
similar trends in the physical properties derived, the former being
considerably more precise. Using a galaxy sample from the SDSS, we compare more
realistically the results obtained from high-resolution and narrow-band SEDs
(synthesized from the same SDSS spectra) following the same spectral fitting
procedures. We use results from the literature as a benchmark to our
spectroscopic estimates and show that the prior PDFs, commonly adopted in
parametric methods, may introduce biases not accounted for in a Bayesian
framework. We conclude that narrow-band photometry yields the same trend in the
age-metallicity relation in the literature, provided it is affected by the same
biases as spectroscopy; albeit the precision achieved with the latter is
generally twice as large as with the narrow-band, at SNR values typical of the
different kinds of data.Comment: 26 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
J-PLUS: analysis of the intracluster light in the Coma cluster
The intracluster light (ICL) is a luminous component of galaxy clusters
composed of stars that are gravitationally bound to the cluster potential but
do not belong to the individual galaxies. Previous studies of the ICL have
shown that its formation and evolution are intimately linked to the
evolutionary stage of the cluster. Thus, the analysis of the ICL in the Coma
cluster will give insights into the main processes driving the dynamics in this
highly complex system. Using a recently developed technique, we measure the ICL
fraction in Coma at several wavelengths, using the J-PLUS unique filter system.
The combination of narrow- and broadband filters provides valuable information
on the dynamical state of the cluster, the ICL stellar types, and the
morphology of the diffuse light. We use the Chebyshev-Fourier Intracluster
Light Estimator (CICLE) to disentangle the ICL from the light of the galaxies,
and to robustly measure the ICL fraction in seven J-PLUS filters. We obtain the
ICL fraction distribution of the Coma cluster at different optical wavelengths,
which varies from , showing the highest values in the narrowband
filters J0395, J0410, and J0430. This ICL fraction excess is distinctive
pattern recently observed in dynamically active clusters (mergers), indicating
a higher amount of bluer stars in the ICL compared to the cluster galaxies.
Both the high ICL fractions and the excess in the bluer filters are indicative
of a merging state. The presence of younger/lower-metallicity stars the ICL
suggests that the main mechanism of ICL formation for the Coma cluster is the
stripping of the stars in the outskirts of infalling galaxies and, possibly,
the disruption of dwarf galaxies during past/ongoing mergers.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in A&
J-PLUS: Identification of low-metallicity stars with artificial neural networks using SPHINX
We present a new methodology for the estimation of stellar atmospheric
parameters from narrow- and intermediate-band photometry of the Javalambre
Photometric Local Universe Survey (J-PLUS), and propose a method for target
pre-selection of low-metallicity stars for follow-up spectroscopic studies.
Photometric metallicity estimates for stars in the globular cluster M15 are
determined using this method. By development of a neural-network-based
photometry pipeline, we aim to produce estimates of effective temperature,
, and metallicity, [Fe/H], for a large subset of stars in the
J-PLUS footprint. The Stellar Photometric Index Network Explorer, SPHINX, is
developed to produce estimates of and [Fe/H], after training on a
combination of J-PLUS photometric inputs and synthetic magnitudes computed for
medium-resolution (R ~ 2000) spectra of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This
methodology is applied to J-PLUS photometry of the globular cluster M15.
Effective temperature estimates made with J-PLUS Early Data Release photometry
exhibit low scatter, \sigma() = 91 K, over the temperature range
4500 < (K) < 8500. For stars from the J-PLUS First Data Release
with 4500 < (K) < 6200, 85 3% of stars known to have [Fe/H]
<-2.0 are recovered by SPHINX. A mean metallicity of [Fe/H]=-2.32 0.01,
with a residual spread of 0.3 dex, is determined for M15 using J-PLUS
photometry of 664 likely cluster members. We confirm the performance of SPHINX
within the ranges specified, and verify its utility as a stand-alone tool for
photometric estimation of effective temperature and metallicity, and for
pre-selection of metal-poor spectroscopic targets.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figure
The contexts and early Acheulean archaeology of the EF-HR paleo-landscape (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania).
Renewed fieldwork at the early Acheulean site of EF-HR (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania) has included detailed stratigraphic studies of the sequence, extended excavations in the main site, and has placed eleven additional trenches within an area of nearly 1 km2, to sample the same stratigraphic interval as in the main trench across the broader paleo-landscape. Our new stratigraphic work suggests that EF-HR is positioned higher in the Bed II sequence than previously proposed, which has implications for the age of the site and its stratigraphic correlation to other Olduvai Middle Bed II sites. Geological research shows that the main EF-HR site was situated at the deepest part of an incised valley formed through river erosion. Archaeological excavations at the main site and nearby trenches have unearthed a large new assemblage, with more than 3000 fossils and artefacts, including a hundred handaxes in stratigraphic position. In addition, our test-trenching approach has detected conspicuous differences in the density of artefacts across the landscape, with a large cluster of archaeological material in and around the main trench, and less intense human activity at the same level in the more distant satellite trenches. All of these aspects are discussed in this paper in the light of site formation processes, behavioral contexts, and their implications for our understanding of the early Acheulean at Olduvai Gorge
Therapeutic concentrations of varenicline increases exocytotic release of catecholamines from human and rat adrenal chromaffin cells in the presence of nicotine
Cardiovascular side effects of varenicline and a case report of a hypertensive crisis in a varenicline-prescribed patient with pheochromocytoma have been reported. The goal of the present study was to determine whether such side effects might derive, in part, from increased exocytosis of secretory vesicles and subsequent catecholamine release triggered by varenicline in human chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland. In this study, we performed electrophysiological plasma membrane capacitance and carbon fiber amperometry experiments to evaluate the effect of varenicline on exocytosis and catecholamine release, respectively, at concentrations reached during varenicline therapy (100 nM). Experiments were conducted in the absence or presence of nicotine, at plasma concentrations achieved right after smoking (250 nM) or steady-state concentrations (110 nM), in chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland obtained from human organ donors. Cells were stimulated with short pulses (10 ms) of acetylcholine (ACh; 300 μM) applied at 0.2 Hz, in order to closer mimic the physiological situation at the splanchnic nerve-chromaffin cell synapse. In addition, rat chromaffin cells were used to compare the effects obtained in cells from a more readily available species. Varenicline increased the exocytosis of secretory vesicles in human and rat chromaffin cells in the presence of nicotine, effects that were not due to an increase of plasma membrane capacitance or currents triggered by the nicotinic agonists alone. These results should be considered in nicotine addiction therapies when varenicline is usedThis work was supported by grants
from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [grant number
BFU2015-69092 to A.A.] and the U.S. National Institutes of Health
[GM136430 and GM103801 to J.M.M
Bulk dynamics for interfacial growth models
We study the influence of the bulk dynamics of a growing cluster of particles
on the properties of its interface. First, we define a {\it general bulk growth
model} by means of a continuum Master equation for the evolution of the bulk
density field. This general model just considers arbitrary addition of
particles (though it can be easily generalized to consider substraction) with
no other physical restriction. The corresponding Langevin equation for this
bulk density field is derived where the influence of the bulk dynamics is
explicitly shown. Finally, when it is assumed a well-defined interface for the
growing cluster, the Langevin equation for the height field of this interface
for some particular bulk dynamics is written. In particular, we obtain the
celebrated Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation. A Monte Carlo simulation
illustrates the theoretical results.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure
Gramine derivatives targeting Ca2+ channels and Ser/Thr phosphatases: A new dual strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases
This document is the unedited author's version of a Submitted Work that was subsequently accepted for publication in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry , copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review. To access the final edited and published work, see http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00478We describe the synthesis of gramine derivatives and their pharmacological evaluation as multipotent drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. An innovative multitarget approach is presented, targeting both voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, classically studied for neurodegenerative diseases, and Ser/Thr phosphatases, which have been marginally aimed, even despite their key role in protein τ dephosphorylation. Twenty-five compounds were synthesized, and mostly their neuroprotective profile exceeded that offered by the head compound gramine. In general, these compounds reduced the entry of Ca2+ through VGCC, as measured by Fluo-4/AM and patch clamp techniques, and protected in Ca2+ overload-induced models of neurotoxicity, like glutamate or veratridine exposures. Furthermore, we hypothesize that these compounds decrease τ hyperphosphorylation based on the maintenance of the Ser/Thr phosphatase activity and their neuroprotection against the damage caused by okadaic acid. Hence, we propose this multitarget approach as a new and promising strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseasesThis work was supported by the following grant: Proyectos de Investigación en Salud (PI13/00789, IS Carlos III). R.L.C is granted by Universidad Autónoma de Madri
Topology driven g-factor tuning in type-II quantum dots
We investigate how the voltage control of the exciton lateral dipole moment induces a transition from singly to doubly connected topology in type-II In As/Ga Asx Sb1−x quantum dots. The latter causes visible Aharonov-Bohm oscillations and a change of the exciton g factor, which are modulated by the applied bias. The results are explained in the frame of realistic →k⋅ →p and effective Hamiltonian models and could open a venue for new spin quantum memories beyond the In As/Ga As realm
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