5,350 research outputs found

    Analysis of galactic tides and stars on CDM microhalos

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    A special purpose N-body simulation has been built to understand the tidal heating of the smallest dark matter substructures (10^{-6}\msun and 0.01pc) from the grainy potential of the Milky Way due to individual stars in the disk and the bulge. To test the method we first run simulations of single encounters of microhalos with an isolated star, and compare with analytical predictions of the dark particle bound fraction as a function of impact parameter. We then follow the orbits of a set of microhalos in a realistic flattened Milky Way potential. We concentrate on (detectable) microhalos passing near the Sun with a range of pericenter and apocenter. Stellar perturbers near the orbital path of a microhalo would exert stochachstic impulses, which we apply in a Monte Carlo fashion according to the Besancon model for the distribution of stars of different masses and ages in our Galaxy. Also incorporated are the usual pericenter tidal heating and disk-shocking heating. We give a detailed diagnosis of typical microhalos and find microhalos with internal tangential anisotropy are slightly more robust than the ones with radial anisotropy. In addition, the dark particles generally go through of a random walk in velocity space and diffuse out of the microhalos. We show that the typical destruction time scales are strongly correlated with the stellar density averaged along a microhalo's orbit over the age of the stellar disk. We also present the morphology of a microhalo at several epochs which may hold the key to dark matter detections.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figure

    Frequency and type of adverse analytical findings in athletics: Differences among disciplines.

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    Athletics is a highly diverse sport that contains a set of disciplines grouped into jumps, throws, races of varying distances, and combined events. From a physiological standpoint, the physical capabilities linked to success are quite different among disciplines, with varying involvements of muscle strength, muscle power, and endurance. Thus, the use of banned substances in athletics might be dictated by physical dimensions of each discipline. Thus, the aim of this investigation was to analyse the number and distribution of adverse analytical findings per drug class in athletic disciplines. The data included in this investigation were gathered from the Anti-Doping Testing Figure Report made available by the World Anti-Doping Agency (from 2016 to 2018). Interestingly, there were no differences in the frequency of adverse findings (overall, 0.95%, range from 0.77 to 1.70%) among disciplines despite long distance runners having the highest number of samples analysed per year ( 9812 samples/year). Sprinters and throwers presented abnormally high proportions of adverse analytical findings within the group of anabolic agents (p < 0.01); middle- and long-distance runners presented atypically high proportions of findings related to peptide hormones and growth factors (p < 0.01); racewalkers presented atypically high proportions of banned diuretics and masking agents (p = 0.05). These results suggest that the proportion of athletes that are using banned substances is similar among the different disciplines of athletics. However, there are substantial differences in the class of drugs more commonly used in each discipline. This information can be used to effectively enhance anti-doping testing protocols in athletics.post-print1.911 K

    Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a lifestyle modification programme in the prevention and treatment of subclinical, mild and moderate depression in primary care: A randomised clinical trial protocol

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    Introduction Major depression is a highly prevalent pathology that is currently the second most common cause of disease-induced disability in our society. The onset and continuation of depression may be related to a wide variety of biological and psychosocial factors, many of which are linked to different lifestyle aspects. Therefore, health systems must design and implement health promotion and lifestyle modification programmes (LMPs), taking into account personal factors and facilitators. The main objective of this protocol is to analyse the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and cost utility of an LMP and an LMP with information and communication technologies (ICTs) as adjunctive treatment for depression in primary care patients. The secondary objectives are to analyse the clinical effectiveness in the subgroup that presents comorbidity and to analyse the correlation between personal factors on health behaviour and lifestyle patterns. Methods and analysis A randomised, multicenter pragmatic clinical trial with three parallel groups consisting of primary healthcare patients suffering from subclinical, mild or moderate depression. The following interventions will be used: (1) Usual antidepressant treatment with psychological advice and/or psychotropic drugs prescribed by the general practitioner (treatment as usual (TAU)). (2) TAU+LMP. A programme to be imparted in six weekly 90-minute group sessions, intended to improve the following aspects: behavioural activation+daily physical activity+adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern+sleep hygiene+careful exposure to sunlight. (3) TAU+LMP+ICTs: healthy lifestyle recommendations (TAU+LMP)+monitoring using ICTs (a wearable smartwatch). The primary outcome will be the depressive symptomatology and the secondary outcomes will be the quality of life, the use of health and social resources, personal factors on health behaviour, social support, lifestyle patterns and chronic comorbid pathology. Data will be collected before and after the intervention, with 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Aragón (approval number: C.P.-C.I. PI18/286) and the Research Ethics Committee of the Balearic Islands (IB3950/19 PI). Data distribution will be anonymous. Results will be disseminated via conferences and papers published in peer-reviewed, open-access journals. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT03951350)

    P67 195. Cirugía del tromboembolismo pulmonar masivo en el enfermo crítico

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    La extracción de los trombos pulmonares en el tromboembolismo pulmonar masivo antes de 1953 (operación de Trendelenburg) cosechó fracaso tras fracaso. Desde el advenimiento de la circulación extracorpórea (CEC) el porcentaje de éxito de esta operación mejoró notablemente, no habiendo dejado de aumentar hasta la actualidad, existiendo series que reflejan porcentajes de hasta el 94% de supervivencia inmediata, con 86 y 83% de supervivencia actuarial a 1 y 3años.Presentamos un caso de paciente varón de 35años sin enfermedad previa ni antecedentes familiares de enfermedad tromboembólica. Consulta por insuficiencia respiratoria, siendo diagnosticado por tomografía computarizada de tromboembolismo en AP izquierda, la cual ocluye. El ECO-Doppler de MMII descarta trombosis venosa profunda (TVP). Una nueva tomografía computarizada informa de persistencia de la obstrucción de AP izquierda y sus ramas, que parece haber aumentado. En ecocardiografía transtorácica (ETT) dilatación de cavidades derechas con función de ventrículo derecho (VD) normal y presión sistólica de la arteria pulmonar (PSAP) de 70 mmHg. Los estudios para investigar trombofilia fueron negativos.Tras unos días empeora su situación, produciéndose dos paradas cardiorrespiratorias, de las que es reanimado y tratado inmediatamente con TNK. La tomografía computarizada muestra la existencia de nuevo episodio de tromboembolismo pulmonar que afecta a la AP derecha gravemente.Es intervenido quirúrgicamente bajo CEC sin parada circulatoria, extrayéndose molde trombótico de tronco y ambas ramas de la AP. La evolución postoperatoria fue favorable. En tomografía computarizada de control se observan limpios el tronco y las ramas de la AP, con cierto compromiso en ramas subsegmentarias de la AP izquierda.Se muestran imágenes de la intervención y tomografía computarizada pre y posquirúrgicas

    Slow evolution of elliptical galaxies induced by dynamical friction III. Role of density concentration and pressure anisotropy

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    In this paper we study the infall, by dynamical friction, of rigid "satellites" taken in a variety of initial configurations and models. We thus measure how dynamical friction depends on the density concentration and on the pressure anisotropy of the host galaxy and, separately, the response of the galaxy during the process. The investigation is carried out by using a numerical laboratory set up in previous papers of this series. We find that the pressure anisotropy present in the host galaxy has little effect on dynamical friction. Instead, the shape of the galaxy density profile is very important. The classical idealized description appears to be applicable to galaxy models characterized by a small density gradient but not to concentrated models. In contrast to the behavior found in small density gradient models, the orbits of satellites captured in concentrated models are not circularized by dynamical friction. The induced evolution in the host galaxy reflects the initial conditions adopted for the captured satellite. Satellites spiraling in on quasi-circular orbits tend to modify the pressure tensor of the host galaxy in the tangential direction and the galaxy shape from spherical to oblate, while satellites captured along quasi-radial orbits tend to induce pressure anisotropy in the radial direction and to generate a prolate shape. This result suggests that the shape of early-type galaxies may result from occasional mergers rather than being directly related to the effectiveness of the radial-orbit instability during the process of formation via collisionless collapse, as often argued in the past.Comment: 16 pages, 18 figures, accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic

    Brain Sci

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    Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (amnestic or non-amnestic) has different clinical and neuropsychological characteristics, and its evolution is heterogeneous. Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), such as hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia, and the presence of the Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 (ApoE epsilon4) polymorphism have been associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias but the relationship is inconsistent worldwide. We aimed to establish the association between the ApoE epsilon4 carrier status and CVRF on MCI subtypes (amnestic and non-amnestic) in Mexican older adults. Cross-sectional study including 137 older adults (n = 63 with normal cognition (NC), n = 24 with amnesic, and n = 50 with non-amnesic MCI). Multinomial logistic regression models were performed in order to determine the association between ApoE epsilon4 polymorphism carrier and CVRF on amnestic and non-amnestic-MCI. ApoE epsilon4 carrier status was present in 28.8% participants. The models showed that ApoE epsilon4 carrier status was not associated neither aMCI nor naMCI condition. The interaction term ApoE epsilon4 x CVRF was not statistically significant for both types of MCI. However, CVRF were associated with both types of MCI and the association remained statistically significant after adjustment by sex, age, and education level. The carrier status of the ApoE genotype does not contribute to this risk

    Indirect signals from light neutralinos in supersymmetric models without gaugino mass unification

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    We examine indirect signals produced by neutralino self-annihilations, in the galactic halo or inside celestial bodies, in the frame of an effective MSSM model without gaugino-mass unification at a grand unification scale. We compare our theoretical predictions with current experimental data of gamma-rays and antiprotons in space and of upgoing muons at neutrino telescopes. Results are presented for a wide range of the neutralino mass, though our discussions are focused on light neutralinos. We find that only the antiproton signal is potentially able to set constraints on very low-mass neutralinos, below 20 GeV. The gamma-ray signal, both from the galactic center and from high galactic latitudes, requires significantly steep profiles or substantial clumpiness in order to reach detectable levels. The up-going muon signal is largely below experimental sensitivities for the neutrino flux coming from the Sun; for the flux from the Earth an improvement of about one order of magnitude in experimental sensitivities (with a low energy threshold) can make accessible neutralino masses close to O, Si and Mg nuclei masses, for which resonant capture is operative.Comment: 17 pages, 1 tables and 5 figures, typeset with ReVTeX4. The paper may also be found at http://www.to.infn.it/~fornengo/papers/indirect04.ps.gz or through http://www.astroparticle.to.infn.it/. Limit from BR(Bs--> mu+ mu-) adde

    Warped Radion Dark Matter

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    Warped scenarios offer an appealing solution to the hierarchy problem. We consider a non-trivial deformation of the basic Randall-Sundrum framework that has a KK-parity symmetry. This leads to a stable particle beyond the Standard Model, that is generically expected to be the first KK-parity odd excitation of the radion field. We consider the viability of the KK-radion as a DM candidate in the context of thermal and non-thermal production in the early universe. In the thermal case, the KK-radion can account for the observed DM density when the radion decay constant is in the natural multi-TeV range. We also explore the effects of coannihilations with the first KK excitation of the RH top, as well as the effects of radion-Higgs mixing, which imply mixing between the KK-radion and a KK-Higgs (both being KK-parity odd). The non-thermal scenario, with a high radion decay constant, can also lead to a viable scenario provided the reheat temperature and the radion decay constant take appropriate values, although the reheat temperature should not be much higher than the TeV scale. Direct detection is found to be feasible if the DM has a small (KK-parity odd) Higgs admixture. Indirect detection via a photon signal from the galactic center is an interesting possibility, while the positron and neutrino fluxes from KK-radion annihilations are expected to be rather small. Colliders can probe characteristic aspects of the DM sector of warped scenarios with KK-parity, such as the degeneracy between the radion and the KK-radion (DM) modes.Comment: 43 pages, 16 figures; added reference

    Cosmic Ray Anomalies from the MSSM?

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    The recent positron excess in cosmic rays (CR) observed by the PAMELA satellite may be a signal for dark matter (DM) annihilation. When these measurements are combined with those from FERMI on the total (e++ee^++e^-) flux and from PAMELA itself on the pˉ/p\bar p/p ratio, these and other results are difficult to reconcile with traditional models of DM, including the conventional mSUGRA version of Supersymmetry even if boosts as large as 103410^{3-4} are allowed. In this paper, we combine the results of a previously obtained scan over a more general 19-parameter subspace of the MSSM with a corresponding scan over astrophysical parameters that describe the propagation of CR. We then ascertain whether or not a good fit to this CR data can be obtained with relatively small boost factors while simultaneously satisfying the additional constraints arising from gamma ray data. We find that a specific subclass of MSSM models where the LSP is mostly pure bino and annihilates almost exclusively into τ\tau pairs comes very close to satisfying these requirements. The lightest τ~\tilde \tau in this set of models is found to be relatively close in mass to the LSP and is in some cases the nLSP. These models lead to a significant improvement in the overall fit to the data by an amount Δχ21/\Delta \chi^2 \sim 1/dof in comparison to the best fit without Supersymmetry while employing boosts 100\sim 100. The implications of these models for future experiments are discussed.Comment: 57 pages, 31 figures, references adde

    Factors influencing citrus fruit scarring caused by Pezothrips kellyanus

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    [EN] Kelly s citrus thrips (KCT) Pezothrips kellyanus (Bagnall) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a recently recorded cosmopolitan citrus pest, causing fruit scarring that results in downgrading of fruit. Due to the detrimental effects caused on fruits by KCT, we wanted to study some of the factors influencing fruit scarring. Specifically, the objectives were: (1) to determine the fruit development stage when citrus fruits are damaged by KCT and the population structure of KCT during this period, (2) to study the influence of temperature on intensity of damage, and finally, (3) to identify alternative host plants. KCT populations on flowers and fruitlets and alternate plant hosts were sampled in four citrus orchards from 2008 to 2010. The percentage of damaged fruits was also recorded. The exotic vine Araujia sericifera (Apocynaceae) was recorded as a new host for KCT. Thrips scarring started to increase at 350 650 degree-days (DD) above 10.2 C, coinciding with a peak abundance of the second instar larval stages over all 3 years of the study. The maximum percentage of larval stages of KCT was observed in the 3 years at about 500 DD, a period which corresponds to the end of May or early June. Variation in the severity of fruit scarring appeared to be related to air temperature. Temperature likely affects the synchronisation between the peak in abundance of KCT larvae, and the period when fruitlets are susceptible to thrips damage. Temperature can also influence the survival and development of KCT populations in citrus and other host plants in the citrus agro-ecosystem.The authors thank Alejandro Tena for his valuable suggestions and two anonymous referees for their careful review and helpful comments. We also extend our thanks to the owners of the commercial orchards for giving us permission to use their citrus orchards. 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