Generation of high-confinement step-like optical waveguides in LiNbO3 by swift heavy ion-beam irradiation

3 pages, 4 figures, 1 table.We demonstrate a swift ion-beam irradiation procedure based on electronic (not nuclear) excitation to generate a large index jump step-like optical waveguide (Δn0 ≈ 0.2, Δne ≈ 0.1) in LiNbO3. The method uses medium-mass ions with a kinetic energy high enough to assure that their electronic stopping power Se(z) reaches a maximum value close to the amorphous (latent) track threshold inside the crystal. Fluorine ions of 20 and 22 MeV and fluences in the range (1–30)×1014 are used for this work. A buried amorphous layer having a low refractive index (2.10 at a wavelength of 633 nm) is then generated at a controlled depth in LiNbO3, whose thickness is also tuned by irradiation fluence. The layer left at the surface remains crystalline and constitutes the core of the optical waveguide which, moreover, is several microns far from the end of the ion range. The waveguides show, after annealing at 300 °C, low propagation losses ( ≈ 1 dB/cm) and a high second-harmonic generation coefficient (50%–80% of that for bulk unirradiated LiNbO3, depending on the fluence). The formation and structure of the amorphous layer has been monitored by additional Rutherford backscattering/channeling experiments.We acknowledge the funding of the project MAT2002– 03220 (MEC). A. García-Navarro acknowledges the financial support of the MEC through a FPU Fellowship and of the Madrid City Hall-Residencia de Estudiantes.Peer reviewe

Identifying Topics in Social Media Posts using DBpedia

This paper describes a method for identifying topics in text published in social media, by applying topic recognition techniques that exploit DBpedia. We evaluate such method for social media in Spanish and we provide the results of the evaluation performed

Phase spirals in cosmological simulations of Milky Way-sized galaxies

The authors wish to thank the anonymous Referee for her/his comments and suggestions that improved this work. BGC and SRF work has been supported by the Madrid Government (Comunidad de Madrid-Spain) under the Multiannual Agreement with Complutense University in the line Program to Stimulate Research for Young Doctors in the context of the V PRICIT. They also acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) under grant number AYA2016-75808-R, AYA2017-90589-REDT, and S2018/NMT-429, and from the CAMUCM under grant number PR65/19-22462. SRF acknowledges support from a Spanish postdoctoral fellowship, under grant number 2017-T2/TIC-5592. TA acknowledges the grant RYC2018-025968I funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by `ESF Investing in your future'. This work was (partially) funded by the Spanish MICIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by `ERDF A way of making Europe' by the `European Union' through grant RTI2018095076-B-C21, and the Institute of Cosmos Sciences University of Barcelona (ICCUB, Unidad de Excelencia 'María de Maeztu') through grant CEX2019-000918-M. PR acknowledges support by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR project SEGAL ANR19-CE31-0017 and project ANR-18-CE31-0006) as well as from the European Research Council (ERC grant agreement No. 834148). Simulations were performed on the MIZTLI supercomputer at the DGTIC, UNAM, within the research project LANCAD-UNAMDGTIC-151.We study the vertical perturbations in the galactic disc of the Milky Way-size high-resolution hydrodynamical cosmological simulation named GARROTXA. We detect phase spirals in the vertical projection Z - V-Z of disc's stellar particles for the first time in this type of simulations. Qualitatively similar structures were detected in the recent Gaia data, and their origin is still under study. In our model, the spiral-like structures in the phase space are present in a wide range of times and locations across the disc. By accounting for an evolving mix of stellar populations, we observe that, as seen in the data, the phase spirals are better observed in the range of younger-intermediate star particles. We measure the intensity of the spiral with a Fourier decomposition and find that these structures appear stronger near satellite pericentres. Current dynamical models of the phase spiral considering a single perturber required a mass at least of the order of 10(10) M-circle dot, but all three of our satellites have masses of the order of similar to 10(8) M-circle dot. We suggest that there are other mechanisms at play which appear naturally in our model such as the physics of gas, collective effect of multiple perturbers, and a dynamically cold population that is continuously renovated by the star formation. Complementing collisionless isolated N-body models with the use of fully cosmological simulations with enough resolution can provide new insights into the nature/origin of the phase spiral.Depto. de Física de la Tierra y AstrofísicaFac. de Ciencias FísicasTRUEUnión Europea. Horizonte 2020Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO)Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN)/FEDERComunidad de MadridUniversidad Complutense de Madrid/Comunidad de MadridInstitut de Ciènces del Cosmos (Universidad de Barcelona)Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) French National Research Agency (ANR)pu

Genomic tools for the enhancement of vegetable crops: a case in eggplant

[EN] Dramatic advances in genomics during the last decades have led to a revolution in the field of vegetable crops breeding. Some vegetables, like tomato, have served as model crops in the application of genomic tools to plant breeding but other important crops, like eggplant (Solanum melongena), lagged behind. The advent of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and the continuous decrease of the sequencing costs have allowed to develop genomic tools with a greatly benefit for no-model plants such as eggplant. In this review we present the currently available genomic resources in eggplant and discuss their interest for breeding. The first draft of eggplant genome sequence and the new upcoming improved assembly, as well as the transcriptomes and RNA-based studies represent important genomic tools. The transcriptomes of cultivated eggplant and several wild relatives of eggplant are also available and have provided relevant information for the development of markers and understanding biological processes in eggplant. In addition, a historical overview of the eggplant genetic mapping studies, performed with different types of markers and experimental populations, provides a picture of the increase over time of the precision and resolution in the identification of candidate genes and QTLs for a wide range of stresses, and morphoagronomic and domestication traits. Finally, we discuss how the development of new genetic and genomic tools in eggplant can pave the way for increasing the efficiency of eggplant breeding for developing improved varieties able to cope with the old and new challenges in horticultural production.This work has been funded in part by the initiative "Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change: Collecting, Protecting and Preparing Crop Wild Relatives", which is supported by the Government of Norway. This project is managed by the Global Crop Diversity Trust with the Millennium Seed Bank of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and implemented in partnership with national and international gene banks and plant breeding institutes around the world. For further information see the project website: http://www.cwrdiversity.org/. Funding has also been received from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No 677379 (G2P-SOL project: Linking genetic resources, genomes and phenotypes of Solanaceous crops) and from Spanish Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (grant AGL2015-64755-R from MINECO / FEDER). Pietro Gramazio is grateful to Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for a pre-doctoral (Programa FPI de la UPV-Subprograma 1/2013 call) contract. Mariola Plazas is grateful to Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad for a post-doctoral grant within the Juan de la Cierva programme (FCJI-2015-24835). Giulio Mangino is grateful to Conselleria d'Educacio, Investigacio, Cultura i Esport de la Generalitat Valenciana for a pre-doctoral grant within the Santiago Grisolia programme (GRISOLIAP / 2016/012).Gramazio, P.; Prohens Tomás, J.; Plazas Ávila, MDLO.; Mangino, G.; Herraiz García, FJ.; García-Fortea, E.; Vilanova Navarro, S. (2018). Genomic tools for the enhancement of vegetable crops: a case in eggplant. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca. 46(1):1-13. https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha46110936S11346

Efectividad de la terapia combinada a dosis fijas en una cohorte de hipertensos no controlados con monoterapia

ObjetivoEvaluar la efectividad de lisinoprilhidroclorotiazida a dosis fijas en el control de la presión arterial en hipertensos tratados con monoterapia y mal controlados.DiseñoEstudio observacional, prospectivo.EmplazamientoAtención primaria.ParticipantesCiento noventa y nueve médicos de atención primaria que incluyeron a 931 pacientes (56,7% mujeres), con edad media de 62,0 ± 10,3 años. Finalizaron el estudio 915 pacientes (98%) que se incluyeron en el análisis.Mediciones principalesSe siguieron las recomendaciones de la OMS/SIH en la medición de la presión arterial y el diagnóstico de mal control. Además, se evaluaron presión del pulso, índice de masa corporal y parámetros analíticos básicos. Se realizaron 4 visitas durante 6 meses de seguimiento.ResultadosLisinopril-hidroclorotiazida (20/12,5mg) disminuyó significativamente la PAS (24,6 ± 3,5mmHg) y la PAD (14,3 ± 0,7mmHg) (p < 0,001). El control de la presión arterial aumentó hasta el 52,8% (p < 0,001). La edad fue la única variable que influyó en el control de la presión arterial (OR, 0,81; IC del 95%, 0,71-0,92%; p = 0,001). La presión del pulso disminuyó 10,4 ± 4,3mmHg (p < 0,001). A las 24 semanas de tratamiento, se observó una mejoría en el perfil glucémico y lipídico, y de la HbA1c en los diabéticos.ConclusionesEn atención primaria, lisinopril-hidroclorotiazida (20/12,5mg), controló la presión arterial del 52,8% los de hipertensos mal controlados con monoterapia. Además, disminuyó la presión del pulso y mejoró el perfil lipídico y el glucémico.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of the fixed dose of a lisinoprilhydrochlorothiazide combination treatment in the control of blood pressure, in poorly controlled high blood pressure people, treated with monotherapy.DesignProspective observational study.SettingPrimary care frame.Participants931 patients (56.7% women) with an average age of 62.0±10.3 years, were included by 199 primary care physicians. 915 patients (98%) ended the study and finally they were included for the statistical analysis.Main measurementsOMS/SIH recommendations on blood pressure measurement and diagnose of poor control were followed. Pulse pressure, body mass index and basic clinical analyses were assessed. Four continuation visits were made during six months.ResultsLisinopril–hidrochlorothiazide (20/12.5mg) reduced significantly SBP (24.6±3.5mm Hg) and DBP (14,3±0.7mm Hg) (P<.001). Blood pressure control was only influenced by age (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.71-0.92; P=.001). Pulse pressure was reduced in 10.4±4.3mm Hg (P<.001). After 24 weeks of treatment, glycemic and lipidic profiles showed an improvement, as well as HbA1c in diabetic people.ConclusionsIn Primary care, a 52.8% of poorly controlled with monotherapy high blood pressure people were controlled by a combination of lisinoprilhydrochlorothiazide (20/12.5mg). In addition, pulse pressure was decreased and both lipid and glucose blood profiles improved

Event selection for dynamical downscaling: a neural network approach for physically-constrained precipitation events

This study presents a new dynamical downscaling strategy for extreme events. It is based on a combination of statistical downscaling of coarsely resolved global model simulations and dynamical downscaling of specific extreme events constrained by the statistical downscaling part. The method is applied to precipitation extremes over the upper Aare catchment, an area in Switzerland which is characterized by complex terrain. The statistical downscaling part consists of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) framework trained in a reference period. Thereby, dynamically downscaled precipitation over the target area serve as predictands and large-scale variables, received from the global model simulation, as predictors. Applying the ANN to long term global simulations produces a precipitation series that acts as a surrogate of the dynamically downscaled precipitation for a longer climate period, and therefore are used in the selection of events. These events are then dynamically downscaled with a regional climate model to 2 km. The results show that this strategy is suitable to constraint extreme precipitation events, although some limitations remain, e.g., the method has lower efficiency in identifying extreme events in summer and the sensitivity of extreme events to climate change is underestimated

A zonal approach for estimating pressure ratio at compressor extreme off-design conditions

This is the author s version of a work that was accepted for publication in International Journal of Engine Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published as https://doi.org/10.1177/1468087418754899[EN] Zero-dimensional/one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics codes are used to simulate the performance of complete internal combustion engines. In such codes, the operation of a turbocharger compressor is usually addressed employing its performance map. However, simulation of engine transients may drive the compressor to work at operating conditions outside the region provided by the manufacturer map. Therefore, a method is required to extrapolate the performance map to extended off-design conditions. This work examines several extrapolating methods at the different off-design regions, namely, low-pressure ratio zone, low-speed zone and high-speed zone. The accuracy of the methods is assessed with the aid of compressor extreme off-design measurements. In this way, the best method is selected for each region and the manufacturer map is used in design conditions, resulting in a zonal extrapolating approach aiming to preserve accuracy. The transitions between extrapolated zones are corrected, avoiding discontinuities and instabilities.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Daniel Tari is partially supported through contract FPI-S2-2015-1095 of Programa de Apoyo para la Investigacion y Desarrollo (PAID) of Universitat Politecnica de Valencia.Galindo, J.; Navarro, R.; García-Cuevas González, LM.; Tarí, D.; Tartoussi, H.; Guilain, S. (2019). A zonal approach for estimating pressure ratio at compressor extreme off-design conditions. International Journal of Engine Research. 20(4):393-404. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468087418754899S393404204Mezher, H., Chalet, D., Migaud, J., Raimbault, V., & Chesse, P. (2014). Wave dynamics measurement and characterization of a charge air cooler at the intake of an internal combustion engine with integration into a nonlinear code. International Journal of Engine Research, 15(6), 664-683. doi:10.1177/1468087413513584Lavoie, G. A., Ortiz-Soto, E., Babajimopoulos, A., Martz, J. B., & Assanis, D. N. (2012). Thermodynamic sweet spot for high-efficiency, dilute, boosted gasoline engines. International Journal of Engine Research, 14(3), 260-278. doi:10.1177/1468087412455372Dolz, V., Novella, R., García, A., & Sánchez, J. (2012). HD Diesel engine equipped with a bottoming Rankine cycle as a waste heat recovery system. Part 1: Study and analysis of the waste heat energy. Applied Thermal Engineering, 36, 269-278. doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2011.10.025Serrano, J. R., Dolz, V., Novella, R., & García, A. (2012). HD Diesel engine equipped with a bottoming Rankine cycle as a waste heat recovery system. Part 2: Evaluation of alternative solutions. Applied Thermal Engineering, 36, 279-287. doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2011.10.024Bousquet, Y., Carbonneau, X., Dufour, G., Binder, N., & Trebinjac, I. (2014). Analysis of the Unsteady Flow Field in a Centrifugal Compressor from Peak Efficiency to Near Stall with Full-Annulus Simulations. International Journal of Rotating Machinery, 2014, 1-11. doi:10.1155/2014/729629Broatch, A., Galindo, J., Navarro, R., & García-Tíscar, J. (2016). Numerical and experimental analysis of automotive turbocharger compressor aeroacoustics at different operating conditions. International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 61, 245-255. doi:10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2016.04.003Semlitsch, B., & Mihăescu, M. (2016). Flow phenomena leading to surge in a centrifugal compressor. Energy, 103, 572-587. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2016.03.032Hung, K.-S., Chung, J.-C., Liu, C.-C., & Huang, J.-M. (2017). A study of off-design performance improvement for a centrifugal refrigerant compressor. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 9(3), 168781401769622. doi:10.1177/1687814017696224Leufvén, O., & Eriksson, L. (2014). Measurement, analysis and modeling of centrifugal compressor flow for low pressure ratios. International Journal of Engine Research, 17(2), 153-168. doi:10.1177/1468087414562456Serrano, J. R., Tiseira, A., García-Cuevas, L. M., Inhestern, L. B., & Tartoussi, H. (2017). Radial turbine performance measurement under extreme off-design conditions. Energy, 125, 72-84. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2017.02.118Serrano, J. R., Olmeda, P., Tiseira, A., García-Cuevas, L. M., & Lefebvre, A. (2013). Theoretical and experimental study of mechanical losses in automotive turbochargers. Energy, 55, 888-898. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2013.04.042Galindo, J., Tiseira, A., Navarro, R., Tarí, D., & Meano, C. M. (2017). Effect of the inlet geometry on performance, surge margin and noise emission of an automotive turbocharger compressor. Applied Thermal Engineering, 110, 875-882. doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.08.099Casey, M., & Robinson, C. (2012). A Method to Estimate the Performance Map of a Centrifugal Compressor Stage. Journal of Turbomachinery, 135(2). doi:10.1115/1.4006590Martin, G., Talon, V., Higelin, P., Charlet, A., & Caillol, C. (2009). Implementing Turbomachinery Physics into Data Map-Based Turbocharger Models. SAE International Journal of Engines, 2(1), 211-229. doi:10.4271/2009-01-0310Serrano, J. R., Olmeda, P., Arnau, F. J., Dombrovsky, A., & Smith, L. (2014). Analysis and Methodology to Characterize Heat Transfer Phenomena in Automotive Turbochargers. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 137(2). doi:10.1115/1.4028261Olmeda, P., Tiseira, A., Dolz, V., & García-Cuevas, L. M. (2015). Uncertainties in power computations in a turbocharger test bench. Measurement, 59, 363-371. doi:10.1016/j.measurement.2014.09.05

MicroRNA-mediated differential expression of TRMU, GTPBP3 and MTO1 in cell models of mitochondrial-DNA diseases

Mitochondrial diseases due to mutations in the mitochondrial (mt) DNA are heterogeneous in clinical manifestations but usually include OXPHOS dysfunction. Mechanisms by which OXPHOS dysfunction contributes to the disease phenotype invoke, apart from cell energy deficit, maladaptive responses to mitochondria-to-nucleus retrograde signaling. Here we used five different cybrid models of mtDNA diseases to demonstrate that the expression of the nuclear-encoded mt-tRNA modification enzymes TRMU, GTPBP3 and MTO1 varies in response to specific pathological mtDNA mutations, thus altering the modification status of mt-tRNAs. Importantly, we demonstrated that the expression of TRMU, GTPBP3 and MTO1 is regulated by different miRNAs, which are induced by retrograde signals like ROS and Ca2+ via different pathways. Our data suggest that the up- or down-regulation of the mt-tRNA modification enzymes is part of a cellular response to cope with a stoichiometric imbalance between mtDNA- and nuclear-encoded OXPHOS subunits. However, this miRNA-mediated response fails to provide full protection from the OXPHOS dysfunction; rather, it appears to aggravate the phenotype since transfection of the mutant cybrids with miRNA antagonists improves the energetic state of the cells, which opens up options for new therapeutic approaches

Molecular and functional characterisation of a putative elovl4 gene and its expression in response to dietary fatty acid profile in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Elongation of very long-chain fatty acid 4 (Elovl4) proteins are involved in the biosynthesis of very long-chain (> C24) fatty acids and in many teleost fish species they are key enzymes in the pathway for the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3). Therefore, Elovl4 may be particularly important in Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT; Thunnus thynnus) characterised by having high DHA to EPA ratios. The present study cloned and characterised both the function and expression of an elovl4 cDNA from ABT. The Elovl4 had an open reading frame of 915 base pairs encoding a putative protein of 304 amino acids. Alignment and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the Elovl4 isoform identified in the present study was an Elovl4b. Functional characterisation demonstrated that the Elovl4b enzyme had elongase activity towards all the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) substrates assayed. The ABT Elovl4b contributed to DHA biosynthesis by elongation of EPA and DPA to 24:5n-3, the latter being desaturated to 24:6n-3 by the action of fads2 (Δ6 desaturase). Additionally, the ABT Elovl4b has a role in the biosynthesis of very long-chain PUFA up to C34, compounds of key structural roles in neural tissues such as eye and brain, which had high levels of elovl4b transcripts. Surprisingly, while the relative expression of fads2, required for the production of DHA from EPA, was increased in liver of ABT fed a diet with reduced levels of EPA and DHA, expression of elovl4b was reduced. Results indicated that ABT has enzymes necessary for endogenous production of DHA from EPA and demonstrate that Elovl4b can effectively compensate for absence of Elovl2.Versión del edito

Fruit composition diversity in land races and modern pepino (Solanum muricatum) varieties and wild related species

[EN] Pepino (Solanum muricatum) fruits from 15 accessions of cultivated pepino as well as six accessions from wild relatives were evaluated for contents in dry matter, protein, b-carotene, chlorophylls and seven minerals. Several-fold differences among accessions were found for most traits. Average values obtained were similar to those of melon and cucumber, but the phenolic contents were much higher. Wild species had significantly higher average contents for all traits vs. the cultivated pepino accessions. And, the comparisons among the cultivated pepino varieties showed that the modern varieties were more uniform in composition, and they possessed significantly lower concentrations of protein, P, K, and Zn than local land races. Most of the significant correlations among composition traits were positive. Our studies show that regular consumption of pepino fruits could make a significant contribution to the recommended daily intake of P, K, Fe and Cu as well as to the average daily intake of phenolics. Furthermore, the higher values for most nutrients measured in the wild species and in the local land races indicate that new pepino varieties with improved fruit contents in nutrient and bioactive compounds can be developed.Pietro Gramazio is grateful to Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for a pre-doctoral (Programa FPI de la UPV-Subprograma 1/2013 call) contract.Herraiz García, FJ.; Raigón Jiménez, MD.; Vilanova Navarro, S.; García-Martínez, MD.; Gramazio, P.; Plazas Ávila, MDLO.; Rodríguez Burruezo, A.... (2016). Fruit composition diversity in land races and modern pepino (Solanum muricatum) varieties and wild related species. Food Chemistry. 203:49-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.02.035S495820