Validation of microsatellite markers for cytotype discrimination in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon

Brachypodium distachyon (2n = 2x = 10) is a small annual grass species where the existence of three different cytotypes (10, 20 and 30 chromosomes) has long been regarded as a case of autopolyploid series, with x = 5. However, it has been demonstrated that the cytotypes assumed to be polyploids represent two separate Brachypodium species recently named as B. stacei (2n = 2x = 20) and B. hybridum (2n = 4x = 30). The aim of this study was to find a PCR-based alternative approach that could replace standard cytotyping methods (i. e., chromosome counting and flow cytometry) to characterize each of the three Brachypodium species. We have analyzed with four microsatellite (SSR) markers eighty-three Brachypodium distachyon-type lines from varied locations in Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands. Within this set of lines, 64, 4 and 15 had 10, 20 and 30 chromosomes, respectively. The surveyed markers produced cytotype-specific SSR profiles. So, a single amplification product was generated in the diploid samples, with non-overlapping allelic ranges between the 2n = 10 and 2n = 20 cytotypes, whereas two bands, one in the size range of each of the diploid cytotypes, were amplified in the 2n = 30 lines. Furthermore, the remarkable size difference obtained with the SSR ALB165 allowed the identification of the Brachypodium species by simple agarose gel electrophoresis

The band spectrum of periodic potentials with PT-symmetry

A real band condition is shown to exist for one dimensional periodic complex non-hermitian potentials exhibiting PT-symmetry. We use an exactly solvable ultralocal periodic potential to obtain the band structure and discuss some spectral features of the model, specially those concerning the role of the imaginary parameters of the couplings. Analytical results as well as some numerical examples are provided.Comment: 14 pages, 19 included figures (13 coloured). Submitted to J. Phys.

Control of magnetic domain wall motion in Co microwires by tridimensional e-beam lithographied structures

Resumen del póster presentado al 6th Spanish Workshop in Nanolithography celebrado en Zaragoza (España) del 28 al 30 de octubre de 2014.Work supported by the Spanish MICINN FIS2008-06249 and CSIC JAE Predoc grants.Peer Reviewe

Automatic decision support system based on SAR data for oil spill detection

This is the accepted manuscript of the following article: Mera, D., Cotos, J., Varela-Pet, J., G. Rodríguez, P. and Caro, A. (2014). Automatic decision support system based on SAR data for oil spill detection. Computers & Geosciences, 72, pp.184-191Global trade is mainly supported by maritime transport, which generates important pollution problems. Thus, effective surveillance and intervention means are necessary to ensure proper response to environmental emergencies. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has been established as a useful tool for detecting hydrocarbon spillages on the oceans surface. Several Decision Support Systems have been based on this technology. This paper presents an automatic oil spill detection system based on SAR data which was developed on the basis of confirmed spillages and it was adapted to an important international shipping route off the Galician coast (northwest Iberian Peninsula). The system was supported by an adaptive segmentation process based on wind data as well as a shape oriented characterization algorithm. Moreover, two classifiers were developed and compared. Thus, image testing revealed up to 95.1% candidate labeling accuracy. Shared-memory parallel programming techniques were used to develop algorithms in order to improve above a 25% of the system processing timeThe authors wish to thank the financial support provided by the ‘Deputación da Coruña’ under the ‘Bolsas de Investigación 2013’ programmeS

Paleoseismological analysis of late Miocene lacustrine successions in the Prebetic Zone, SE Spain

El estudio paleosismológico en las cuencas neógenas (Mioceno superior) lacustres del Prebético de Albacete ha sido abordado mediante un enfoque multidisciplinar para poder extrapolar los datos paleosímicos a la actualidad. Dicho enfoque integra las siguientes disciplinas: estratigrafía, análisis estructural, análisis de la sismicidad y paleosismología. El estudio paleosismológico se ha realizado en depósitos de facies someras y profundas, ya que los sedimentos de ambas zonas presentan un comportamiento diferente frente a la deforrmación. Las sismitas localizadas en sedimentos someros fueron generadas por fenómenos de licuefacción y son: diques de arena, estructuras en almohadilla y licuefacción y fracturación en gr avas. Las zonas profundas presentan estructuras más diversas: loop bedding, alteración de la estructura planar de va rvas, niveles de mezcla y pseudonódulos. Las sismitas estudiadas se pueden utilizar como indicadores de intervalos de magnitudes sísmicas. Las estructuras se orientan sistemáticamente según los campos de esfuerzo reciente y actual (que se mantienen desde el Mioceno superior hasta la actualidad): NW-SE y NE-SW. Éste es un punto que permite relacionar genéticamente la tectónica y las sismitas. Se ha utilizado el carácter anual de la sedimentación va rvada para datar de forma relativa las estructuras y establecer periodos de recurrencia de paleoterremotos. El intervalo de recurrencia medio está próximo a los 130 años (9.446 años de registro total y 73 eventos datados), el intervalo máximo es de 454 años y el mínimo de 23 años y la magnitud media estimada es de 5,1. Se ha aplicado la ley de Gutenberg-Richter a los datos paleosísmicos y de sismicidad actual y se obtienen valores del parámetro "b" muy similares, próximos a 0,86. Todas estas premisas indican que las condiciones de la sismicidad en el Mioceno superior fueron muy similares a las actuales.A paleoseismological study of late Miocene lacustrine sediments was carried out in the Neogene basins of the Prebetic Zone in Albacete (Spain). We developed a multidisciplinary methodology which could be used to extrapolate the paleoseismic data to the present day. This multidisciplinary approach includes different disciplines, i.e. stratigraphy, structural analysis, seismological analysis and paleoseismology. Paleoseismological analysis was focussed on both shallow and deep lake deposits given that these sediments behave differently in different deformation fields. The seismites formed in shallow sediments were generated by liquefaction and include: sand dikes, pillow structures and intruded and fractured gr avels. The deep lake deposits show varied structures, such as loop bedding, disturbed varved lamination, mixed layers and pseudonodules. Seismites indicate paleoearthquake magnitude intervals. The trends of the seismites are usually oriented ve ry close to the stress field trends (from the late Miocene to the Present): NW-SE and NE-SW trends. This constitutes a link between tectonics and seismites. The va rved annual sedimentation evidenced by the deep lake facies was used as a relative dating method. Mixed layers were employed as paleoseismic indicators to calculate the earthquake recurrence interval. The mean recurrence interval is close to 130 years (9446 years of total record with 73 dated events), one maximum interval of 454 years and one minimum interval of 23 years and the mean estimated magnitude value is 5.1. The Gutenberg-Richter relationship shows similar "b" values close to 0.86 from paleoseismological and seismological data. This suggests that the seismic conditions have been similar since the late Miocene

Alliance free and alliance cover sets

A \emph{defensive} (\emph{offensive}) $k$-\emph{alliance} in $\Gamma=(V,E)$ is a set $S\subseteq V$ such that every $v$ in $S$ (in the boundary of $S$) has at least $k$ more neighbors in $S$ than it has in $V\setminus S$. A set $X\subseteq V$ is \emph{defensive} (\emph{offensive}) $k$-\emph{alliance free,} if for all defensive (offensive) $k$-alliance $S$, $S\setminus X\neq\emptyset$, i.e., $X$ does not contain any defensive (offensive) $k$-alliance as a subset. A set $Y \subseteq V$ is a \emph{defensive} (\emph{offensive}) $k$-\emph{alliance cover}, if for all defensive (offensive) $k$-alliance $S$, $S\cap Y\neq\emptyset$, i.e., $Y$ contains at least one vertex from each defensive (offensive) $k$-alliance of $\Gamma$. In this paper we show several mathematical properties of defensive (offensive) $k$-alliance free sets and defensive (offensive) $k$-alliance cover sets, including tight bounds on the cardinality of defensive (offensive) $k$-alliance free (cover) sets

Toward an Integrated Model of Pathological Personality Traits: Common Hierarchical Structure of the PID-5 and the DAPP-BQ

A dimensional classification seems to be the next move in the personality disorders field. However, it is not clear whether we have one dimensional model or many, or whether the currently available dimensional instruments measure the same traits. To help clarify these issues, we administered the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology (DAPP-BQ) to 414 psychiatric outpatients. Factor analyses showed that a common hierarchical structure underlies both instruments, and that both cover every aspect of this structure equally well. Furthermore, disattenuated correlations indicated that two thirds of the PID and DAPP facets measure essentially the same traits, although the pairings were not exactly as predicted. Among higher-order domains, only PID Negative Affectivity and Detachment converged unambiguously with DAPP Emotional Dysregulation and Inhibition. Overall, the PID-5 and the DAPP-BQ reflect one and the same structure of personality pathology and can be used interchangeably

Numerical Simulations And Laboratory Measurements In Hydraulic Jumps

Hydraulic jump is one of the most extended and effective mechanism for hydraulic energy dissipation. Usually, hydraulic jump characteristics have been studied through physical models. Nowadays, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are an important tool that can help to analyze and to understand complex phenomena that involve high turbulence and air entrainment cases. Free and submerged hydraulic jumps with Froude numbers from 2.9 to 5.5 are studied in a rectangular channel downstream a sluice gate. Velocity measurements with different flow rates are carried out by using Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) and Particle Image Velocimeter (PIV) instrumentations. In this paper, laboratory measurements are used to calibrate and to validate open source and commercial CFD programs. Air-water two-phase flows are considered in the simulations. The closure problem is solved by using different turbulence models. Water depths, hydraulic jumps lengths, velocity profiles and energy dissipation rates are compared with laboratory measurements and other referenced results