Caracterización teórica y comprobación experimental de un nuevo motivo social: el quijotismo

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Psicología, Departamento de Psicología Social y Metodología. Fecha de lectura: 27 de febrero de 200

Quark production and thermalization of the quark-gluon plasma

We first assemble a full set of the Boltzmann Equation in Diffusion Approximation (BEDA) for studying thermalization/hydrodynamization as well as the production of massless quarks and antiquarks in out of equilibrium systems. In the BEDA, the time evolution of a generic system is characterized by the following space-time dependent quantities: the jet quenching parameter, the effective temperature, and two more for each quark flavor that describe the conversion between gluons and quarks/antiquarks via the $2\leftrightarrow2$ processes. Out of the latter two quantities, an effective net quark chemical potential is defined, which equals the net quark chemical potential after thermal equilibration. We then study thermalization and the production of three flavors of massless quarks and antiquarks in spatially homogeneous systems initially filled only with gluons. A parametric understanding of thermalization and quark production is obtained for either initially very dense or dilute systems, which are complemented by detailed numerical simulations for intermediate values of initial gluon occupancy $f_0$. For a wide range of $f_0$, the final equilibration time is determined to be about one order of magnitude longer than that in the corresponding pure gluon systems. Moreover, during the final stage of the thermalization process for $f_0\geq 10^{-4}$, gluons are found to thermalize earlier than quarks and antiquarks, undergoing the top-down thermalization.Comment: 47 pages, 17 figure

Does BIC Estimate and Forecast Better than AIC?

We test two questions: (i) Is the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) more parsimonious than Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)?, and (ii) Is BIC better than AIC for forecasting purposes? By using simulated data, we provide statistical inference of both hypotheses individually and then jointly with a multiple hypotheses testing procedure to control better for type-I error. Both testing procedures deliver the same result: The BIC shows an in- and out-of-sample superiority over AIC only in a long-sample context

Does BIC Estimate and Forecast Better than AIC?

We test two questions: (i) Is the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) more parsimonious than Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)?, and (ii) Is BIC better than AIC for forecasting purposes? By using simulated data, we provide statistical inference of both hypotheses individually and then jointly with a multiple hypotheses testing procedure to control better for type-I error. Both testing procedures deliver the same result: The BIC shows an in- and out-of-sample superiority over AIC only in a long-sample context

Evolving Lorentzian wormholes supported by phantom matter and cosmological constant

In this paper we study the possibility of sustaining an evolving wormhole via exotic matter made of phantom energy in the presence of a cosmological constant. We derive analytical evolving wormhole geometries by supposing that the radial tension of the phantom matter, which is negative to the radial pressure, and the pressure measured in the tangential directions have barotropic equations of state with constant state parameters. In this case the presence of a cosmological constant ensures accelerated expansion of the wormhole configurations. More specifically, for positive cosmological constant we have wormholes which expand forever and, for negative cosmological constant we have wormholes which expand to a maximum value and then recolapse. At spatial infinity the energy density and the pressures of the anisotropic phantom matter threading the wormholes vanish; thus these evolving wormholes are asymptotically vacuum $\Lambda$-Friedmann models with either open or closed or flat topologies.Comment: 8 pages. To appear in Physical Review

Viscous cosmologies in scalar-tensor theories for Kasner type metrics

In a viscous Bianchi type I metric of the Kasner form, it is well known that it is not possible to describe an anisotropic physical model of the universe, which satisfies the second law of thermodynamics and the dominant energy condition (DEC) in Einstein's theory of gravity. We examine this problem in scalar-tensor theories of gravity. In this theory we show that it is possible to describe the growth of entropy, keeping the thermodynamics and the dominant energy condition.Comment: 6 pages, Latex, accepted in Phys. Rev.

Combined microbiological test to assess changes in an organic matrix used to avoid agricultural soil contamination, exposed to an insecticide

Combined microbiological test (Biolog Ecoplate, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and Real Time PCR (qPCR)) were developed to evaluate the impact of repeated diazinon (DZN) applications at high concentration (40 mg kg-1) on microbial communities in a microcosm simulating the organic matrix (straw (50%): peat (25%): soil (25%) vv-1) of an pesticide biopurification system (PBS). Moreover, pesticide dissipation was also evaluated. After three successive exposition of DZN, dissipation efficiency was high; achieved 87%, 93% and 96% after each application, respectively showing a clear accelerated dissipation of this pesticide in the organic matrix. The results obtained with Biolog Ecoplate showed that community level physiological profiles were no affected by the addition of DZN. On the other hand, molecular assays (DGGE and QPCR) demonstrated that the microbial structure (bacteria and fungi) remained relatively stable over time with high DZN doses compared to control. Therefore, the results of the present study, clearly, demonstrate the high dissipation capacity of this biomixture and highlight the microbiological robustness of this biological system.Fil: Tortella, G. R.. Universidad de la Frontera. Nucleo Cientifico y Tecnologico En Recursos Naturales (bioren-ufro). Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas y Recursos Naturales; ChileFil: Salgado, E.. Universidad de la Frontera. Nucleo Cientifico y Tecnológico En Recursos Naturales; ChileFil: Cuozzo, Sergio Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (i); ArgentinaFil: Mella Herrera, R. A.. Universidad de la Frontera. Nucleo Cientifico y Tecnológico En Recursos Naturales; ChileFil: Parra, L.. Universidad de la Frontera. Núcleo Científico y Tecnológico en Recursos Naturales; ChileFil: Diez, M. C.. Universidad de la Frontera. Nucleo Cientifico y Tecnológico En Recursos Naturales; ChileFil: Rubilar, O.. Universidad de la Frontera. Nucleo Cientifico y Tecnológico En Recursos Naturales; Chil

Mercury Pollution History in Tropical and Subtropical American Lakes: Multiple Impacts and the Possible Relationship with Climate Change

Sediment cores obtained from 11 tropical and subtropical American lakes revealed that local human activities significantly increased mercury (Hg) inputs and pollution levels. Remote lakes also have been contaminated by anthropogenic Hg through atmospheric depositions. Long-term sediment-core profiles revealed an approximately 3-fold increase in Hg fluxes to sediments from c. 1850 to 2000. Generalized additive models indicate that c. 3-fold increases in Hg fluxes also occurred since 2000 in the remote sites, while Hg emissions from anthropogenic sources have remained relatively stable. The tropical and subtropical Americas are vulnerable to extreme weather events. Air temperatures in this region have shown a marked increase since the 1990s, and extreme weather events arising from climate change have increased. When comparing Hg fluxes to recent (1950-2016) climatic changes, results show marked increases in Hg fluxes to sediments during dry periods. The Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) time series indicate a tendency toward more extreme drier conditions across the study region since the mid-1990s, suggesting that instabilities in catchment surfaces caused by climate change are responsible for the elevated Hg flux rates. Drier conditions since c. 2000 appear to be promoting Hg fluxes from catchments to lakes, a process that will likely be exacerbated under future climate-change scenarios

Accelerated closed universes in scalar-tensor theories

We describe an accelerating universe model in the context of a scalar-tensor theory. This model is intrinsically closed, and is filled with quintessence-like scalar field components, in addition to the Cold Dark Matter component. With a background geometry specified by the Friedman-Robertson-Walker metric, we establish conditions under which this closed cosmological model, described in a scalar-tensor theory, may look flat in a genuine Jordan-Brans-Dicke theory. Both models become indistinguishable at low enough redshift.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, in press (CQG

MHC Hammer reveals genetic and non-genetic HLA disruption in cancer evolution

Disruption of the class I human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules has important implications for immune evasion and tumor evolution. We developed major histocompatibility complex loss of heterozygosity (LOH), allele-specific mutation and measurement of expression and repression (MHC Hammer). We identified extensive variability in HLA allelic expression and pervasive HLA alternative splicing in normal lung and breast tissue. In lung TRACERx and lung and breast TCGA cohorts, 61% of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), 76% of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and 35% of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) cancers harbored class I HLA transcriptional repression, while HLA tumor-enriched alternative splicing occurred in 31%, 11% and 15% of LUAD, LUSC and ER+ cancers. Consistent with the importance of HLA dysfunction in tumor evolution, in LUADs, HLA LOH was associated with metastasis and LUAD primary tumor regions seeding a metastasis had a lower effective neoantigen burden than non-seeding regions. These data highlight the extent and importance of HLA transcriptomic disruption, including repression and alternative splicing in cancer evolution