156 research outputs found
ALMA-IMF. VII. First release of the full spectral line cubes: Core kinematics traced by DCN J=(3-2)
ALMA-IMF is an Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Large
Program designed to measure the core mass function (CMF) of 15 protoclusters
chosen to span their early evolutionary stages. It further aims to understand
their kinematics, chemistry, and the impact of gas inflow, accretion, and
dynamics on the CMF. We present here the first release of the ALMA-IMF line
data cubes (DR1), produced from the combination of two ALMA 12m-array
configurations. The data include 12 spectral windows, with eight at 1.3mm and
four at 3mm. The broad spectral coverage of ALMA-IMF (~6.7 GHz bandwidth
coverage per field) hosts a wealth of simple atomic, molecular, ionised, and
complex organic molecular lines. We describe the line cube calibration done by
ALMA and the subsequent calibration and imaging we performed. We discuss our
choice of calibration parameters and optimisation of the cleaning parameters,
and we demonstrate the utility and necessity of additional processing compared
to the ALMA archive pipeline. As a demonstration of the scientific potential of
these data, we present a first analysis of the DCN (3-2) line. We find that DCN
traces a diversity of morphologies and complex velocity structures, which tend
to be more filamentary and widespread in evolved regions and are more compact
in the young and intermediate-stage protoclusters. Furthermore, we used the DCN
(3-2) emission as a tracer of the gas associated with 595 continuum cores
across the 15 protoclusters, providing the first estimates of the core systemic
velocities and linewidths within the sample. We find that DCN (3-2) is detected
towards a higher percentage of cores in evolved regions than the young and
intermediate-stage protoclusters and is likely a more complete tracer of the
core population in more evolved protoclusters. The full ALMA 12m-array cubes
for the ALMA-IMF Large Program are provided with this DR1 release.Comment: 75 pages (21 main body; 54 appendix), 37 figures. The ALMA-IMF DR1
line release is hosted at https://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataverse/alma-im
Copula-based probabilistic assessment of intensity and duration of cold episodes: A case study of Malayer vineyard region
Frost, particularly during the spring, is one of the most damaging weather phenomena for vineyards, causing significant economic losses to vineyards around the world each year. The risk of tardive frost damage in vine-yards due to changing climate is considered as an important threat to the sustainable production of grapes. Therefore, the cold monitoring strategies is one of the criteria with significant impacts on the yields and prosperity of horticulture and raisin factories. Frost events can be characterized by duration and severity. This paper investigates the risk and impacts of frost phenomenon in the vineyards by modeling the joint distribution of duration and severity factors and analyzing the influential parameterâs dependency structure using capabilities of copula functions. A novel mathematical framework is developed within this study to understand the risk and uncertainties associate with frost events and the impacts on yields of vineyards by analyzing the non-linear dependency structure using copula functions as an efficient tool. The developed model was successfully vali-dated for the case study of vineyard in Malayer city of Iran. The copula model developed in this study was shown to be a robust tool for predicting the return period of the frost events
Applications of lignin in the agri-food industry
Of late, valorization of agri-food industrial by-products and their sustainable utilization is
gaining much contemplation world-over. Globally, 'Zero Waste Concept' is promoted with
main emphasis laid towards generation of minimal wastes and maximal utilization of plantbased
agri-food raw materials. One of the wastes/by-products in the agri-food industry are the
lignin, which occurs as lignocellulosic biomass. This biomass is deliberated to be an
environmental pollutant as they offer resistance to natural biodegradation. Safe disposal of this
biomass is often considered a major challenge, especially in low-income countries. Hence, the
application of modern technologies to effectively reduce these types of wastes and maximize
their potential use/applications is vital in the present day scenario. Nevertheless, in some of the
high-income countries, attempts have been made to efficiently utilize lignin as a source of fuel, as a raw material in the paper industry, as a filler material in biopolymer based packaging and
for producing bioethanol. However, as of today, agri-food industrial applications remains
significantly underexplored. Chemically, lignin is heterogeneous, bio-polymeric, polyphenolic
compound, which is present naturally in plants, providing mechanical strength and rigidity.
Reports are available wherein purified lignin is established to possess therapeutic values; and
are rich in antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-carcinogenic, antidiabetic properties, etc.
This chapter is divided into four sub-categories focusing on various technological
aspects related to isolation and characterization of lignin; established uses of lignin; proved
bioactivities and therapeutic potentials of lignin, and finally on identifying the existing research
gaps followed by future recommendations for potential use from agri-food industrial wastes.Theme of this chapter is based on our ongoing project- Valortech,
which has received funding from the European Unionâs Horizon 2020 research and innovation
program under grant agreement No 810630
Old lineage on an old island : Pixibinthus, a new cricket genus endemic to New Caledonia shed light on gryllid diversification in a hotspot of biodiversity
Few studies have focused on the early colonization of New Caledonia by insects, after the re-emergence of the main island, 37 Myr ago. Here we investigate the mode and tempo of evolution of a new endemic cricket genus, Pixibinthus, recently discovered in southern New Caledonia. First we formally describe this new monotypic genus found exclusively in the open shrubby vegetation on metalliferous soils, named 'maquis minier', unique to New Caledonia. We then reconstruct a dated molecular phylogeny based on five mitochondrial and four nuclear loci in order to establish relationships of Pixibinthus within Eneopterinae crickets. Pixibinthus is recovered as thesister clade of the endemic genus Agnotecous, mostly rainforest-dwellers. Dating results show that the island colonization by their common ancestor occurred around 34.7 Myr, shortly after New Caledonia re-emergence. Pixibinthus and Agnotecous are then one of the oldest insect lineages documented so far for New Caledonia. This discovery highlights for the first time two clear-cut ecological specializations between sister clades, as Agnotecous is mainly found in rainforests with 19 species, whereas Pixibinthus is found in open habitats with a single documented species. The preference of Pixibinthus for open habitats and of Agnotecous for forest habitats nicely fits an acoustic specialization, either explained by differences in body size or in acoustic properties of their respective habitats. We hypothesize that landscape dynamics, linked to major past climatic events and recent change in fire regimes are possible causes for both present-day low diversity and rarity in genus Pixibinthus. The unique evolutionary history of this old New Caledonian lineage stresses the importance to increase our knowledge on the faunal biodiversity of 'maquis minier', in order to better understand the origin and past dynamics of New Caledonian biota
Adaptive Value of Phenological Traits in Stressful Environments: Predictions Based on Seed Production and Laboratory Natural Selection
Phenological traits often show variation within and among natural populations of annual plants. Nevertheless, the adaptive value of post-anthesis traits is seldom tested. In this study, we estimated the adaptive values of pre- and post-anthesis traits in two stressful environments (water stress and interspecific competition), using the selfing annual species Arabidopsis thaliana. By estimating seed production and by performing laboratory natural selection (LNS), we assessed the strength and nature (directional, disruptive and stabilizing) of selection acting on phenological traits in A. thaliana under the two tested stress conditions, each with four intensities. Both the type of stress and its intensity affected the strength and nature of selection, as did genetic constraints among phenological traits. Under water stress, both experimental approaches demonstrated directional selection for a shorter life cycle, although bolting time imposes a genetic constraint on the length of the interval between bolting and anthesis. Under interspecific competition, results from the two experimental approaches showed discrepancies. Estimation of seed production predicted directional selection toward early pre-anthesis traits and long post-anthesis periods. In contrast, the LNS approach suggested neutrality for all phenological traits. This study opens questions on adaptation in complex natural environment where many selective pressures act simultaneously
Ty1-copia elements reveal diverse insertion sites linked to polymorphisms among flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) accessions
Low incidence of SARS-CoV-2, risk factors of mortality and the course of illness in the French national cohort of dialysis patients
Effect of magnesium and vitamin B6 supplementation on mental health and quality of life in stressed healthy adults: Postâhoc analysis of a randomised controlled trial
Magnesium status and vitamin B6 intake have been linked to mental health and/or quality of life (QoL). In an 8âweek Phase IV randomised controlled study in individuals with low magnesemia and severe/extremely severe stress but who were otherwise healthy, greater stress reduction was achieved with magnesium combined with vitamin B6 than with magnesium alone. We present a previously unreported secondary analysis of the effect of magnesium, with and without vitamin B6, on depression, anxiety, and QoL. Adults with Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASSâ42) stress subscale score >18 were randomised 1:1 to magnesium + vitamin B6 combination (Magne B6Âź; daily dose 300 and 30 mg, respectively) or magnesium alone (MagnespasmylÂź; daily dose 300 mg). Outcomes included changes from baseline in DASSâ42 depression and anxiety scores, and QoL (Short Formâ36 Health Survey). DASSâ42 anxiety and depression scores significantly improved from baseline to week 8 with both treatments, particularly during the first 4 weeks. Improvement in QoL continued over 8 weeks. Participants' perceived capacity for physical activity in daily life showed greater improvement with magnesium + vitamin B6 than magnesium alone (Week 4). In conclusion, magnesium supplementation, with or without vitamin B6, could provide a meaningful clinical benefit in daily life for individuals with stress and low magnesemia
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