The antenna DSA 3 and its potential use for Radio Astronomy

The European Space Agency (ESA) will inaugurate its third Deep Space Antenna (DSA 3) by the end of 2012. DSA 3 will be located in Argentina near the city of Malarg"ue in the Mendoza province. While the instrument will be primarily dedicated to communications with interplanetary missions, the characteristics of its antenna and receivers will also enable standalone leading scientific contributions, with a high scientific-technological return. We outline here scientific proposals for a radio astronomical use of DSA 3.Comment: 4 pages, submitted as Proceedings for the BAA

An Alternative Scenario on the Origin of Ultra-High Pressure (UHP) and Super-Reduced (SuR) Minerals in Ophiolitic Chromitites: A Case Study from the Mercedita Deposit (Eastern Cuba)

The origin of the assemblage of ultra-high pressure (UHP), super-reduced (SuR) and several crustally derived phases in ophiolitic chromitites is still hotly debated. In this paper, we report, for the first time, this assemblage of phases in ophiolitic chromitites of the Caribbean. We studied the Mercedita chromitite deposit in the eastern Cuban ophiolitic complexes. The mineral phases were characterized using microRaman spectroscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy with a scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDS), X-ray microdiffraction and electron microprobe analyses. Mineral concentrates were prepared using hydroseparation techniques. We have identified oriented clinopyroxene lamellae in chromite, oriented rutile lamellae in chromite, moissanite hosted in the altered matrix of the chromitite, graphite-like amorphous carbon, corundum and SiO2 hosted in healed fractures in chromite grains, and native Cu and Fe–Mn alloy recovered in heavy-mineral concentrates obtained by hydroseparation. This assemblage may correspond to UHP-SuR conditions, implying recycling of chromitite in the mantle or formation of the chromite grains at deep mantle depths, followed by emplacement at a shallow level in the mantle. However, the chromitite bodies contain gabbro sills oriented parallel to the elongation of the chromitite lenses, and these show no evidence of HP/UHP metamorphism. Therefore, the identified “exotic” phases may not be indicative of UHP. They formed independently as oriented clinopyroxene lamellae in chromite during cooling (clinopyroxene and rutile), in super-reduced microenvironments during the serpentinization processes, and by transference of subducted crustal material to the mantle wedge via cold plumes.This research was financially supported by the Spanish Project CGL2015-65824 granted by the Spanish “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” to J.A.P., the Ramón y Cajal Fellowship RYC-2015-17596 to J.M.G.-J. and a FPU Ph.D grant to N.P.-S. by the Ministerio de Educación of the Spanish Government

Predicting Acorn-Grass Weight Gain Index using non-destructive Near Infrared Spectroscopy in order to classify Iberian pig carcasses according to feeding regime

The classification of Iberian pig carcasses into different commercial categories according to feeding regime was evaluated by means of a non-destructive analysis of the subcutaneous adipose tissue using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). A quantitative approach was used to predict the Acorn-Grass Weight Gain Index (AGWGI), and a set of criteria was established for commercial classification purposes. A total of 719 animals belonging to various batches, reflecting a wide range of feeding regimes, production systems and years, were analyzed with a view to developing and evaluating quantitative NIRS models. Results for the external validation of these models indicate that NIRS made clear differentiation of batches as a function of three feeding regimes possible with high accuracy (<i>Acorn, Recebo</i> and <i>Feed</i>), on the basis of the mean representative spectra of each batch. Moreover, individual analysis of the animals showed a broad consensus between field inspection information and the classification based on the AGWGI NIRS prediction, especially for extreme categories (<i>Acorn</i> and <i>Feed</i>).<br><br>La clasificación en distintas categorías comerciales según régimen alimenticio de canales de cerdo Ibérico fue evaluada mediante el análisis no destructivo de muestras de tejido adiposo subcutáneo por Espectroscopía del Infrarrojo Cercano (NIRS). Partiendo de una aproximación cuantitativa para predecir el Índice de Reposición en Montanera (IRM) se establecieron una serie de criterios para proceder a su clasificación comercial. Se analizaron un total de 719 animales pertenecientes a diversas partidas, que recogen una amplia variabilidad de muestras de distintos regímenes alimenticios, campañas y sistemas productivos, para el desarrollo y evaluación de los modelos NIRS cuantitativos. Los resultados de validación externa de los modelos indicaron que es posible discriminar con una gran exactitud entre partidas de distintos categorías (<i>Bellota, Recebo</i> y <i>Cebo</i>), en base al espectro medio representativo de cada partida. Además, el análisis individualizado de los animales mostró un amplio consenso entre la información recibida de campo y la clasificación en base a la predicción del parámetro IRM por NIRS, sobre todo para categorías con características extremas (<i>Bellota</i> y <i>Cebo</i>)

ERP evidence suggests executive dysfunction in ecstasy polydrug users

Background: Deficits in executive functions such as access to semantic/long-term memory have been shown in ecstasy users in previous research. Equally, there have been many reports of equivocal findings in this area. The current study sought to further investigate behavioural and electro-physiological measures of this executive function in ecstasy users. Method: Twenty ecstasy–polydrug users, 20 non-ecstasy–polydrug users and 20 drug-naïve controls were recruited. Participants completed background questionnaires about their drug use, sleep quality, fluid intelligence and mood state. Each individual also completed a semantic retrieval task whilst 64 channel Electroencephalography (EEG) measures were recorded. Results: Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed no between-group differences in behavioural performance on the task. Mixed ANOVA on event-related potential (ERP) components P2, N2 and P3 revealed significant between-group differences in the N2 component. Subsequent exploratory univariate ANOVAs on the N2 component revealed marginally significant between-group differences, generally showing greater negativity at occipito-parietal electrodes in ecstasy users compared to drug-naïve controls. Despite absence of behavioural differences, differences in N2 magnitude are evidence of abnormal executive functioning in ecstasy–polydrug users

Predicción del Índice de Reposición en Montanera para la clasificación de canales de cerdo Ibérico según régimen alimenticio mediante el análisis no destructivo por Espectroscopía del Infrarrojo Cercano

The classification of Iberian pig carcasses into different commercial categories according to feeding regime was evaluated by means of a non-destructive analysis of the subcutaneous adipose tissue using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). A quantitative approach was used to predict the Acorn-Grass Weight Gain Index (AGWGI), and a set of criteria was established for commercial classification purposes. A total of 719 animals belonging to various batches, reflecting a wide range of feeding regimes, production systems and years, were analyzed with a view to developing and evaluating quantitative NIRS models. Results for the external validation of these models indicate that NIRS made clear differentiation of batches as a function of three feeding regimes possible with high accuracy (Acorn, Recebo and Feed), on the basis of the mean representative spectra of each batch. Moreover, individual analysis of the animals showed a broad consensus between field inspection information and the classification based on the AGWGI NIRS prediction, especially for extreme categories (Acorn and Feed).La clasificación en distintas categorías comerciales según régimen alimenticio de canales de cerdo Ibérico fue evaluada mediante el análisis no destructivo de muestras de tejido adiposo subcutáneo por Espectroscopía del Infrarrojo Cercano (NIRS). Partiendo de una aproximación cuantitativa para predecir el Índice de Reposición en Montanera (IRM) se establecieron una serie de criterios para proceder a su clasificación comercial. Se analizaron un total de 719 animales pertenecientes a diversas partidas, que recogen una amplia variabilidad de muestras de distintos regímenes alimenticios, campañas y sistemas productivos, para el desarrollo y evaluación de los modelos NIRS cuantitativos. Los resultados de validación externa de los modelos indicaron que es posible discriminar con una gran exactitud entre partidas de distintos categorías (Bellota, Recebo y Cebo), en base al espectro medio representativo de cada partida. Además, el análisis individualizado de los animales mostró un amplio consenso entre la información recibida de campo y la clasificación en base a la predicción del parámetro IRM por NIRS, sobre todo para categorías con características extremas (Bellota y Cebo)

Potential use of near-infrared spectroscopy to predict fatty acid profile of meat from different european autochthonous pig breeds

Autochthonous pig breeds provide products of differentiated quality, among which quality control is difficult to perform and insufficient for current market requirements. The present research evaluates the predictive ability of near?infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, combined with chemometric methods as a rapid and affordable tool to assure traceability and quality control. Thus, NIR technology was assessed for intact and minced muscle Longissimus thoracis et lumborum samples collected from 12 European autochthonous pig breeds for the quantification of lipid content and fatty acid composition. Different tests were performed using different numbers of samples for calibration and validation. The best predictive ability was found using minced presentation and set with 80% of the samples for the calibration and the remaining 20% for the external validation test for the following traits: lipid content and saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which attained both the highest determination coefficients (0.89, 0.61, and 0.65, respectively) and the lowest root mean square errors in external validation (0.62, 1.82, and 1.36, respectively). Lower predictive ability was observed for intact muscles. These results could contribute to improve the management of autochthonous breeds and to ensure quality of their products by traditional meat industry chains.FE1B-06B2-126F | Jos? Pedro Pinto de Ara?joN/

Determination of fatty acid groups in intramuscular fat of various local pig breeds by FT-NIRS

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the potential use of FT-NIRS for predicting intramuscular fat (IMF) and fatty acid groups (MUFA; PUFA; PUFA n-3, PUFA n-6; SFA) on pig grounded muscles. The research considered 160 fresh samples of Longissimus collected from 12 European local pig breeds (TREASURE* project). For every sample, lipids were extracted from IMF and fatty acid profile was determinate by gas chromatography. Two aliquots of each sample were scanned using FT-NIRS Antaris II model. Mathematical pre-treatments (multiplicative scatter correction, 1st and 2nd derivate) were applied and outliers’ spectra were identified and removed when necessary. Partial least square regression was used on the average spectrum and the models validated using an external data set. Results are evaluated in terms of coefficient of regression and root mean square errors in calibration (R2-RMSE) and validation (Rp2-RMSEP). As expected, the best results were obtained for IMF with R2 higher than 0.99 and RMSE lower than 0.2. Unsaturated fatty acids, probably due to the absorption of the cis double bond in a specific region of near infrared spectra, obtain acceptable R2 (0.89 for MUFA and 0.75 for PUFA n-3 and PUFA n-6). SFA achieved a R2 of 0.81 that is lower than values reported in other studies probably because of the large variability of genotypes used. The validation models achieved both lower coefficients of determination and higher RMSEP than the calibration models; however, R2 differences between calibration and validation were smaller than 5%, except for SFA. Hence, the FT-NIRS seems promising to estimate the principal parameters of fatty acid groups on muscle samples from different European autochthonous pig breeds. Inclusion of other samples can improve the accuracy and the robustness of the models, especially considering the high variability of the samples. *Funded by European Union’s H2020 program (grant agreement No 634476)

Spatial and temporal variation of fish assemblage associated with aquatic macrophyte patches in the littoral zone of the Ayapel Swamp Complex, Colombia

ABSTRACT: Aim: The purpose of the present study was to examine spatial and temporal variation in fish assemblage structure associated with aquatic macrophytes in the littoral zone of the ASC. Methods: Specimens were caught between January 2008 and February 2009, over four limnimetric moments, using both cast net and seine net. Data on the temperature, electrical conductivity, pH and dissolved oxygen was recorded for the characterization of the water mass in the sites. Results: A total of 34,151 specimens from 44 species were collected. The most abundant species were Eigenmannia virescens, Astyanax caucanus, Astyanax fasciatus, Roeboides dayi and Cyphocharax magdalenae, which together accounted for more than 75% of the sample. Temporal and spatial comparisons showed variation in the environmental conditions and highlighted the existence of heterogeneous abiotic conditions (p0.05) regarding the fish assemblage structure. The multivariate analysis showed no significant relationship between existing environmental conditions and the fish assemblage (p=0.04). The analysis also showed the absence of a relationship between the fish assemblage and environmental variables with respect to the flood pulse and sampling sites (p>0.05). Conclusion: The uniformity of the fish communities that inhabit aquatic macrophyte patches in the littoral region of the ASC may be related to the availability of suitable habitat in structural terms, that probably supports a more abundant and varied wildlife

An inhomogeneous lepto-hadronic model for the radiation of relativistic jets. Application to XTE J1118+480

Conceptually reconstructing the physical conditions in relativistic jets, given the observed electromagnetic spectrum, poses a complex inverse problem. We aim to obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms operating in relativistic jets through the modeling of their broadband electromagnetic spectrum. We develop an inhomogeneous jet model where the injection of relativistic primary and secondary particles takes place in a spatially extended region. We calculate the contribution of all particles species to the jet emissivity due to several processes, and assess the effect of gamma-ray absorption in internal and external photon fields. A number of specific models with different parameters are computed to explore the possibilities of this scenario. We obtain a variety of spectral shapes depending on the model parameters, some of them predicting significant gamma-ray emission. The observed broadband spectrum of the low-mass microquasar XTE J1118+480 can be satisfactorily reproduced by the model. Our results indicate that outbursts similar to those displayed in the past by XTE J1118+480 might be detected with present-day gamma-ray instruments.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. Language edition and updated reference

On the Functional Significance of the P1 and N1 Effects to Illusory Figures in the Notch Mode of Presentation

The processing of Kanizsa figures have classically been studied by flashing the full “pacmen” inducers at stimulus onset. A recent study, however, has shown that it is advantageous to present illusory figures in the “notch” mode of presentation, that is by leaving the round inducers on screen at all times and by removing the inward-oriented notches delineating the illusory figure at stimulus onset. Indeed, using the notch mode of presentation, novel P1and N1 effects have been found when comparing visual potentials (VEPs) evoked by an illusory figure and the VEPs to a control figure whose onset corresponds to the removal of outward-oriented notches, which prevents their integration into one delineated form. In Experiment 1, we replicated these findings, the illusory figure was found to evoke a larger P1 and a smaller N1 than its control. In Experiment 2, real grey squares were placed over the notches so that one condition, that with inward-oriented notches, shows a large central grey square and the other condition, that with outward-oriented notches, shows four unconnected smaller grey squares. In response to these “real” figures, no P1 effect was found but a N1 effect comparable to the one obtained with illusory figures was observed. Taken together, these results suggest that the P1 effect observed with illusory figures is likely specific to the processing of the illusory features of the figures. Conversely, the fact that the N1 effect was also obtained with real figures indicates that this effect may be due to more global processes related to depth segmentation or surface/object perception