2,652 research outputs found

    Variable broad lines and outflow in the weak blazar PBC J2333.9-2343

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    Indexación: Scopus; Scielo.Funding text #1 1Instituto de Física y Astronomía, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1111, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile 2INAF – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali di Roma (IAPS-INAF), Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Roma, Italy 3INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, I-00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy 4Excellence Cluster Universe, Technische Universität München, Boltzmannstr. 2, D-85748, Garching, Germany 5European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str 2, D-85748 Garching b. München, Germany 6Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Apartado Postal 51-216, 72000 Puebla, México 7Argelander Institute for Astronomy, University of Bonn, Auf dem Hügel 71, D-53121 Bonn, Germany 8International Max Planck Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, Germany 9INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, via Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bo...View all Funding text #2 We acknowledge the referee, M. Villar Martín, for her comments and suggestions that helped to improve the paper. This work made use of data supplied by the UK Swift Science Data Centre at the University of Leicester, the NASA/IPAC extragalactic database (NED), the STARLIGHT code, and the IRAF software. Based upon observations carried out at the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional on the Sierra San Pedro Mártir (OAN-SPM), Baja California, México. LHG and FP acknowledge the ASI/INAF agreement number 2013-023-R1, LHG partial support from FONDECYT through grant 3170527, MP from ESSTI under the MoST, and from MINECO through research projects AYA2013-42227-P and AYA2016-76682-C3-1-P (AEI/FEDER, UE), LHG and SC from the Spanish grant AYA2013-42227-P, VC by CONACyT research grant 280789, EFJA from the Collaborative Research Center 956, subproject A1, funded by DFG, and GV from the DFG Cluster of Excellence ‘Origin and Structure of the Universe’ (www.universe-cluster.de).PBC J2333.9-2343 is a peculiar active nucleus with two giant radio lobes and a weak blazarlike nucleus at their centre. In this work we show new optical, ultraviolet (UV), and X-ray data taken from the San Pedro Mártir telescope, the New Technology Telescope, NTT/EFOSC2, and the Swift/XRT satellite. The source is highly variable at all frequencies, in particular the strongest variations are found in the broad Hα component with a flux increase of 61±4 per cent between 2009 and 2016, following the X-ray flux increase of 62±6 per cent between 2010 and 2016. We also detected a broad Hβ component in 2016, making the optical classification change from type 1.9 to type 1.8 in 1 yr. We have also detected a broad component of the [OIII]λ5007 line, which is blue-shifted and of high velocity, suggesting an origin from a highly disturbed medium, possibly an outflow. The line flux variability and broad widths are indicative of a jet that is, at least in part, responsible for the ionization of the broad line region (BLR) and narrow line region (NLR). © 2018 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/478/4/4634/4999938?redirectedFrom=fulltex

    On human-in-the-loop CPS in healthcare: a cloud-enabled mobility assistance service

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    Despite recent advancements on cloud-enabled and human-in-the-loop cyber-physical systems, there is still a lack of understanding of how infrastructure-related quality of service (QoS) issues affect user-perceived quality of experience (QoE). This work presents a pilot experiment over a cloud-enabled mobility assistive device providing a guidance service and investigates the relationship between QoS and QoE in such a system. In our pilot experiment, we employed the CloudWalker, a system linking smart walkers and cloud platforms, to physically interact with users. Different QoS conditions were emulated to represent an architecture in which control algorithms are performed remotely. Results point out that users report satisfactory interaction with the system even under unfavorable QoS conditions. We also found statistically significant data linking QoE degradation to poor QoS conditions. We finalize discussing the interplay between QoS requirements, the human-in-the-loop effect, and the perceived QoE in healthcare applications

    Querying phenotype-genotype relationships on patient datasets using semantic web technology: the example of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis

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    Background: Semantic Web technology can considerably catalyze translational genetics and genomics research in medicine, where the interchange of information between basic research and clinical levels becomes crucial. This exchange involves mapping abstract phenotype descriptions from research resources, such as knowledge databases and catalogs, to unstructured datasets produced through experimental methods and clinical practice. This is especially true for the construction of mutation databases. This paper presents a way of harmonizing abstract phenotype descriptions with patient data from clinical practice, and querying this dataset about relationships between phenotypes and genetic variants, at different levels of abstraction. Methods: Due to the current availability of ontological and terminological resources that have already reached some consensus in biomedicine, a reuse-based ontology engineering approach was followed. The proposed approach uses the Ontology Web Language (OWL) to represent the phenotype ontology and the patient model, the Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) to bridge the gap between phenotype descriptions and clinical data, and the Semantic Query Web Rule Language (SQWRL) to query relevant phenotype-genotype bidirectional relationships. The work tests the use of semantic web technology in the biomedical research domain named cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX), using a real dataset and ontologies. Results: A framework to query relevant phenotype-genotype bidirectional relationships is provided. Phenotype descriptions and patient data were harmonized by defining 28 Horn-like rules in terms of the OWL concepts. In total, 24 patterns of SWQRL queries were designed following the initial list of competency questions. As the approach is based on OWL, the semantic of the framework adapts the standard logical model of an open world assumption. Conclusions: This work demonstrates how semantic web technologies can be used to support flexible representation and computational inference mechanisms required to query patient datasets at different levels of abstraction. The open world assumption is especially good for describing only partially known phenotype-genotype relationships, in a way that is easily extensible. In future, this type of approach could offer researchers a valuable resource to infer new data from patient data for statistical analysis in translational research. In conclusion, phenotype description formalization and mapping to clinical data are two key elements for interchanging knowledge between basic and clinical research.The work presented in this paper has been developed in the funded national project Gestión de Terminologías Médicas para Arquetipos (TIN2009-14159-C05-05) by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. This work was partly supported by the network REGENPSI (2009/019) from the Program of Consolidation and Structure of Competitive Units, Consellería de Educación e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia, and by FEDER funds for regional development. PNR was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFGRO2005/4-2)S

    Efecto de las características del biorreactor y de su manejo sobre el desarrollo de cultivos embriogénicos de alcornoque

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    En el marco del proyecto SEFEAL-2, liderado por TRAGSA, se aplican protocolos de embriogénesis somática (ES) para desarrollar variedades de alcornoque de alta calidad y productividad. Al mismo tiempo se mejora la técnica de ES para abaratar los costes y permitir su aplicación a escala comercial. En el alcornoque, como en otras especies, el desarrollo comercial de la embriogénesis como técnica de multiplicación masiva se basa en el uso de biorreactores y medios líquidos agitados. El diseño del biorreactor, su sistema de cierre y el nivel de agitación determinan el grado de mezclado, el estrés hidrodinámico y el intercambio gaseoso, y por ello afectan tanto al crecimiento como al desarrollo de los cultivos embriogénicos. Mediante un ensayo factorial se testaron 3 tipos de envase y tres niveles de agitación. Los efectos sobre el intercambio gaseoso se estimaron a través de la tasa de transferencia de O2 (OTR) y su coeficiente volumétrico de transferencia de masa (KLa), y los efectos sobre el nivel de mezclado mediante el “shear force index” (SFI), un indicador de estrés hidrodinámico. El tipo de envase afectó básicamente al número total de agregados embriogénicos y a la frecuencia de formación de los agregados de mayor tamaño. El nivel de agitación tuvo mayores efectos que el tipo de envase tanto sobre el número como sobre el tamaño de los agregados. Para las condiciones ensayadas, que dieron lugar a valores de KLa comprendidos entre 0,11 h-1 y 1,47 h-1, la disponibilidad de oxígeno no pareció limitante. En cualquier caso, los efectos del tipo de envase y del nivel de agitación sobre los procesos de crecimiento y desarrollo de los materiales embriogénicos de alcornoque fueron complejos resultando muy significativa la interacción tipo de envase por nivel de agitación

    Vision-Based distraction analysis tested on a realistic driving simulator

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    Abstract-This paper presents a non intrusive approach to obtain driver's face pose estimation based on stereo graylevel image processing. Face pose estimation is based on an automatic and incremental 3D model creation and its correct tracking. From this information, gaze focalization in the scene is calculated in order to detect driver distraction. Different distraction activities are inferred in a realistic simulator and a study of the incidence of these distracting activities in the driver's behaviour is carried out. Some experimental results and conclusions are presented

    La gestión de tecnologías emergentes en el ámbito universitario

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    El carácter emergente de algunas tecnologías hace que tengan un alto grado de incertidumbre, lo que a su vez conlleva particularidades en su manejo respecto a las tecnologías maduras. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la gestión de tecnologías emergentes en el contexto internacional, con énfasis en el ámbito universitario; para ello, se aplican técnicas cienciométricas a información obtenida de bases de datos de artículos científicos y técnicos. Así mismo, se examina el papel de las universidades, para lo cual se hace un análisis comparativo de algunos casos de reconocido impacto en el nivel mundial. Entre los resultados obtenidos está la identificación de áreas relevantes como la nanotecnología y la telefonía móvil, y la caracterización del manejo de las tecnologías emergentes en las universidades seleccionadas. Esto da la base para plantear algunas conclusiones y consideraciones, como la necesidad de que las universidades colombianas lideren el desarrollo tecnológico en el país promoviendo su impacto en el sector productivo, para lo cual requieren consolidar estructuras y políticas claras en el tema, así como una cultura en propiedad intelectual.Some technologies considered emerging, have high uncertainly and particularities in their management respect to mature technologies. The aim of this paper is to analyze the management of emerging technologies, focused on the university context. For this purpose, scientometric techniques are applied to information from databases of technical papers. The role of universities is studied through a comparative analysis of some internationally recognized cases. As a result, relevant areas were identified, as nanotechnology and mobile communications, and management of emerging technologies in selected cases was characterized. These results are the base to formulate some conclusions and proposals for Colombian universities: They must lead technological development in the country through their impact on the industrial sectors, but these institutions need structures and clear policies, as well as an Intellectual Property culture

    Chemical abundance of the LINER galaxy UGC 4805 with SDSS-IV MaNGA

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    Chemical abundance determinations in Low-Ionization Nuclear Line Regions (LINERs) are especially complex and uncertain because the nature of the ionizing source of this kind of object is unknown. In this work, we study the oxygen abundance in relation to the hydrogen abundance (O/H) of the gas phase of the UGC 4805 LINER nucleus. Optical spectroscopic data from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies (MaNGA) survey was employed to derive the O/H abundance of the UGC 4805 nucleus based on the extrapolation of the disk abundance gradient, on calibrations between O/H abundance and strong emission-lines for Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) as well as on photoionization models built with the Cloudy code, assuming gas accretion into a black hole (AGN) and post-Asymptotic Giant Branch (p-AGB) stars with different effective temperatures. We found that abundance gradient extrapolations, AGN calibrations, AGN and p-AGB photoionization models produce similar O/H values for the UGC 4805 nucleus and similar ionization parameter values. The study demonstrated that the methods used to estimate the O/H abundance using nuclear emission-line ratios produce reliable results, which are in agreement with the O/H values obtained from the independent method of galactic metallicity gradient extrapolation. Finally, the results from the WHAN diagram combined with the fact that the high excitation level of the gas has to be maintained at kpc scales, we suggest that the main ionizing source of the UGC 4805 nucleus probably has a stellar origin rather than an AGN.Fil: Krabbe, Angela. Universidade Do Vale Do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Oliveira, C. B.. Universidade Do Vale Do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Zinchenko, I. A.. Universitat Ulm. Faculty Of Natural Sciences. Institute Of Theoretical Physics; AlemaniaFil: Hernández Jiménez, J. A.. Universidad Andrés Bello; ChileFil: Dors, Oli L.. Universidade Do Vale Do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Hägele, Guillermo Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Cardaci, Monica Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Telles, N. R.. Universidade Do Vale Do Paraíba; Brasi

    GSK-3β orchestrates the inhibitory innervation of adult-born dentate granule cells in vivo

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    Adult hippocampal neurogenesis enhances brain plasticity and contributes to the cognitive reserve during aging. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is impaired in neurological disorders, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating the maturation and synaptic integration of new neurons have not been fully elucidated. GABA is a master regulator of adult and developmental neurogenesis. Here we engineered a novel retrovirus encoding the fusion protein Gephyrin:GFP to longitudinally study the formation and maturation of inhibitory synapses during adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo. Our data reveal the early assembly of inhibitory postsynaptic densities at 1 week of cell age. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 Beta (GSK-3β) emerges as a key regulator of inhibitory synapse formation and maturation during adult hippocampal neurogenesis. GSK-3β-overexpressing newborn neurons show an increased number and altered size of Gephyrin+ postsynaptic clusters, enhanced miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents, shorter and distanced axon initial segments, reduced synaptic output at the CA3 and CA2 hippocampal regions, and impaired pattern separation. Moreover, GSK-3β overexpression triggers a depletion of Parvalbumin+ interneuron perineuronal nets. These alterations might be relevant in the context of neurological diseases in which the activity of GSK-3β is dysregulatedPID2020-113007RB-I00, SAF-2017-82185-R, PID2020-112824GB-10

    Cyano-and ketone-containing selenoesters as multi-target compounds against resistant cancers

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    Fifteen selenocompounds, comprising of eight ketone-containing selenoesters (K1–K8, also known as oxoselenoesters) and seven cyano-containing selenoesters (N1–N7, known also as cyanoselenoesters), have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated as novel anticancer agents. These compounds are derivatives of previously reported active selenoesters and were prepared following a three-step one-pot synthetic route. The following evaluations were performed in their biological assessment: cytotoxicity determination, selectivity towards cancer cells in respect to non-cancer cells, checkerboard combination assay, ABCB1 inhibition and inhibition of ABCB1 ATPase activity, apoptosis induction, and wound healing assay. As key results, all the compounds showed cytotoxicity against cancer cells at low micromolar concentrations, with cyanoselenoesters being strongly selective. All of the oxoselenoesters, except K4, were potent ABCB1 inhibitors, and two of them, namely K5 and K6, enhanced the activity of doxorubicin in a synergistic manner. The majority of these ketone derivatives modulated the ATPase activity, showed wound healing activity, and induced apoptosis, with K3 being the most potent, with a potency close to that of the reference compound. To summarize, these novel derivatives have promising multi-target activity, and are worthy to be studied more in-depth in future works to gain a greater understanding of their potential applications against cancer.The study was supported by the projects SZTE ÁOK-KKA 2018/270-62-2 of the University of Szeged, Faculty of Medicine and GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00038 (Hungary); and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, Spain, project LINKA20285). This research was funded by VISEGRAD FUND, grant number 22010090; and by the mobility project from the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports INTER-COST, grant number LTC19007. This article is based upon work from COST Action 17104 , supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), (http://www.cost.eu, accessed on 17 September 2021). The study was supported also by two cultural associations: “Trevinca” and “Iniciativas Ropelanas”

    Tomographic findings and mortality in patients with severe and critical pneumonia with COVID-19 diagnosis

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    Introduction: A high percentage of patients with non-severe (17.9%) and severe (2.9%) atypical pneumonia do not display pulmonary tomographic findings upon hospital admission; furthermore, lesion associated with COVI-19 are peripherally distributed in a multifocal ground-glass pattern, as well as displaying an irregular consolidation pattern, with a posterior or lower lobe predilection. The main objective of this study was to identify the pulmonary radiological patterns in patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, the factors associated with the need for mechanical ventilation, as well as their survival rates at 30 days. Methods: We report the pulmonary tomographic findings of 490 consecutive patients with severe and critical pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2. The patients were classified according to the tomography and demographic findings, sepsis severity prognostic scales, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE IV). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival distributions. Results: 89.80% of patients had ground-glass opacities, 81.63% radiologic consolidation sign, 42.45% vascular thickening pattern, 37.55% lymphadenopathies, 14.90% pleural effusion, and 2.65% pulmonary thrombosis; meanwhile, 91.02% had bilateral lesions, 85.51% had peripheral lesions, and 75.92% had basal lobe lesions. APACHE IV (HR, 1.191, 95% CI [1.126, 1.260]), SOFA (HR, 5.178, 95%CI [3.103, 8.641]), and CCI (HR, 0.673, 95%CI [0.510, 0.889]), as well as the pulmonary damage severity index (HR, 1.282, 95%CI [1.151, 1.428]), predict the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. Only moderate ARDS patients with mild and severe lung disease showed different 30-day mortality distributions (χ2 = 7.00, p = 0.008). Discussion: Although the survival distributions did not vary significantly, an overwhelming majority of patients (i.e., 84.35%) with a higher pulmonary damage severity index (i.e., 23>) died within 30 days of hospital admission, while only 25.91% with moderate lung damage and 2.42% with mild lung damage
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