Transition to Chaotic Phase Synchronization through Random Phase Jumps

Phase synchronization is shown to occur between opposite cells of a ring consisting of chaotic Lorenz oscillators coupled unidirectionally through driving. As the coupling strength is diminished, full phase synchronization cannot be achieved due to random generation of phase jumps. The brownian dynamics underlying this process is studied in terms of a stochastic diffusion model of a particle in a one-dimensional medium.Comment: Accepted for publication in IJBC, 10 pages, 5 jpg figure

Uv-to-fir analysis of spitzer/irac sources in the extended groth strip i: Multi-wavelength photometry and spectral energy distributions

We present an IRAC 3.6+4.5 microns selected catalog in the Extended Groth Strip (EGS) containing photometry from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared and stellar parameters derived from the analysis of the multi-wavelength data. In this paper, we describe the method used to build coherent spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for all the sources. In a companion paper, we analyze those SEDs to obtain robust estimations of stellar parameters such as photometric redshifts, stellar masses, and star formation rates. The catalog comprises 76,936 sources with [3.6]<23.75 mag (85% completeness level of the IRAC survey in the EGS) over 0.48 square degrees. For approximately 16% of this sample, we are able to deconvolve the IRAC data to obtain robust fluxes for the multiple counterparts found in ground-based optical images. Typically, the SEDs of the IRAC sources in our catalog count with more than 15 photometric data points, spanning from the UV to the FIR. Approximately 95% and 90% of all IRAC sources are detected in the deepest optical and near-infrared bands. Only 10% of the sources have optical spectroscopy and redshift estimations. Almost 20% and 2% of the sources are detected by MIPS at 24 and 70 microns, respectively. We also cross-correlate our catalog with public X-ray and radio catalogs. Finally, we present the Rainbow Navigator public web-interface utility designed to browse all the data products resulting from this work, including images, spectra, photometry, and stellar parameters.Comment: 28 pages, 12 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ. Access the Rainbow Database at: http://rainbowx.fis.ucm.e

On the nature of the extragalactic number counts in the K-band

We investigate the causes of the different shape of the $K$-band number counts when compared to other bands, analyzing in detail the presence of a change in the slope around $K\sim17.5$. We present a near-infrared imaging survey, conducted at the 3.5m telescope of the Calar Alto Spanish-German Astronomical Center (CAHA), covering two separated fields centered on the HFDN and the Groth field, with a total combined area of $\sim0.27$deg$^{2}$ to a depth of $K\sim19$ ($3\sigma$,Vega). We derive luminosity functions from the observed $K$-band in the redshift range [0.25-1.25], that are combined with data from the references in multiple bands and redshifts, to build up the $K$-band number count distribution. We find that the overall shape of the number counts can be grouped into three regimes: the classic Euclidean slope regime ($d\log N/dm\sim0.6$) at bright magnitudes; a transition regime at intermediate magnitudes, dominated by $M^{\ast}$ galaxies at the redshift that maximizes the product $\phi^{\ast}\frac{dV_{c}}{d\Omega}$; and an $\alpha$ dominated regime at faint magnitudes, where the slope asymptotically approaches -0.4($\alpha$+1) controlled by post-$M^{\ast}$ galaxies. The slope of the $K$-band number counts presents an averaged decrement of $\sim50$ in the range $15.5<K<18.5$ ($d\log N/dm\sim0.6-0.30$). The rate of change in the slope is highly sensitive to cosmic variance effects. The decreasing trend is the consequence of a prominent decrease of the characteristic density $\phi^{\ast}_{K,obs}$ ($\sim60$ from $z=0.5$ to $z=1.5$) and an almost flat evolution of $M^{\ast}_{K,obs}$ (1$\sigma$ compatible with $M^{\ast}_{K,obs}=-22.89\pm0.25$ in the same redshift range).Comment: 18 pages, 22 figures, Accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic

CO72 357. Reconstrucción del cuerpo fibroso mitroaórtico: Resultados perioperatorios y supervivencia a largo plazo

ObjetivosDescribir las características clínicas, resultados perioperatorios y supervivencia a largo plazo de pacientes sometidos a sustitución valvular mitral y aórtica con reconstrucción de la fbrosa mitroaórtica según técnica de David.MétodosRevisión retrospectiva de pacientes sometidos a sustitución valvular y reconstrucción de la fibrosa mitroaórtica intervenidos en los últimos 14 años. Se incluyen 27 pacientes, 63% varones, edad 55,3±16,1 años, EuroSCORE 34,4±25,9. El 70,4% de los pacientes presentaban al menos una cirugía previa. La indicación para el procedimiento fue endocarditis infecciosa complicada con absceso de la unión mitroaórtica en el 74,1%; en el restante 25,9% la principal indicación fue la necesidad de ampliación del anillo aórtico en el seno de una valvulopatía mitroaórtica.ResultadosLa supervivencia perioperatoria (30 días) fue del 85,2%. No se observó mortalidad entre los pacientes sin endocarditis. Estancia media: 42,8±42,8 días. Complicaciones perioperatorias: accidente cerebrovascular agudo (ACVA) 3,1% (1), balón de contrapulsación intraaórtica (BCIA) 11,1% (3), insuficiencia renal aguda (IRA) 7,4% (2), infarto agudo de miocardio (IAM) 3,7% (1), reintervención por sangrado 14,8% (4), ventilación mecánica prolongada 11,1% (3), necesidad de marcapasos (MP) definitivo 22,2%. La supervivencia acumulada para los supervivientes a 1, 3 y 5 años fue de 85,9±7,6%, 75,8 ± 9,5% y 45,5 ± 11,1%, respectivamente. No se observó diferencia significativa al comparar la super-vivencia a 1, 3 y 5 años entre los grupos intervenidos por endocarditis y los no endocarditis (log rank 0,146).ConclusionesLa reconstrucción de la fibrosa mitroaórtica mediante técnica de David representa una alternativa terapéutica para el manejo de patología compleja que involucra esta estructura. Hemos observado buenos resultados perioperatorios y a largo plazo teniendo en cuenta el perfil de alto riesgo de los pacientes que requieren este tipo de intervención

On residual circulation of the Ria of Vigo, using a 3-D baroclinic model

The present paper studies circulation in the Ria of Vigo (northwest Spain) by means of a 3-D baroclinic model coupled with a Lagrangian model of dispersion. The model is examined to obtain the residual currents' underlying periodic tidal movements. These currents are related to the quality of water because they determine the residence time. The model is forced at the mouth of the estuary with the most important tidal harmonics, and at the innermost zone with the freshwater discharge due to the presence of the Oitaven River. Results show that the area under study has a two-layered circulation, where most of water enters the estuary through the southern mouth and leaves it through the northern one.Se estudia la circulación de la ría de Vigo (noroeste de España) por medio de un modelo tridimensional baroclínico acoplado a un modelo lagrangiano de dispersión. Los resultados provenientes del modelo se utilizan para la obtención de la corriente residual que subyace a los movimientos periódicos de marea. Esta corriente se relaciona con la calidad del agua, pues determina su tiempo de residencia. El modelo es forzado en la boca de la ría a través de las constituyentes armónicas de marea más importantes y con el agua dulce introducida en la parte interior del estuario por el río Oitaven. Los resultados obtenidos muestran una circulación en doble capa, además de una entrada principal del agua por la boca sur y una salida de ésta por la boca norte.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Effect of ground-cover management on predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in a Mediterranean vineyard

Most predatory mites belong to the family Phytoseiidae (Acari). Throughout the world, phytoseiids are involved in the biological control of phytophagous mites in vineyards. Conservative strategies, including cover-vegetation management, are essential to achieve environmentally friendly viticulture. The abundance and diversity of phytoseiid mites in the grapevine canopy and the vegetal ground cover of a Mediterranean vineyard were surveyed by weekly samplings, from early May until the end of September for two years (2016 and 2017). Three types of soil management without herbicide application were analysed and referred to as "Tillage", "Spontaneous Cover", and "Flower-driven Cover" treatments. Six phytoseiid species were collected on the grapevine canopy, with Typhlodromus pyri being the dominant species (99.5 %). Five phytoseiid species were recorded in the ground cover, with Typhlodromus and Neoseiulus as the major genera. The Flower-driven Cover treatment showed the highest abundance of phytoseiids in the grapevine canopy. However, both species richness and abundance of phytoseiid mites on the ground-cover vegetation were highest in the Spontaneous Cover treatment. These observations suggest that improving vegetation cover would promote both the abundance and diversity of phytoseiid mites in vineyards because the greater supply of pollen would enhance their survival. Therefore, the use of cover crops in vineyards represents a means of improving vineyard ecosystems by conservative biological control

UV-to-FIR analysis of Spitzer/IRAC sources in the Extended Groth Strip II: Photometric redshifts, Stellar masses and Star formation rates

Based on the ultraviolet to far-infrared photometry already compiled and presented in a companion paper (Barro et al. 2011a, Paper I), we present a detailed SED analysis of nearly 80,000 IRAC 3.6+4.5 micron selected galaxies in the Extended Groth Strip. We estimate photometric redshifts, stellar masses, and star formation rates separately for each galaxy in this large sample. The catalog includes 76,936 sources with [3.6] < 23.75 (85% completeness level of the IRAC survey) over 0.48 square degrees. The typical photometric redshift accuracy is Delta z/(1+z)=0.034, with a catastrophic outlier fraction of just 2%. We quantify the systematics introduced by the use of different stellar population synthesis libraries and IMFs in the calculation of stellar masses. We find systematic offsets ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 dex, with a typical scatter of 0.3 dex. We also provide UV- and IR-based SFRs for all sample galaxies, based on several sets of dust emission templates and SFR indicators. We evaluate the systematic differences and goodness of the different SFR estimations using the deep FIDEL 70 micron data available in the EGS. Typical random uncertainties of the IR-bases SFRs are a factor of two, with non-negligible systematic effects at z$\gtrsim$1.5 observed when only MIPS 24 micron data is available. All data products (SEDs, postage stamps from imaging data, and different estimations of the photometric redshifts, stellar masses, and SFRs of each galaxy) described in this and the companion paper are publicly available, and they can be accessed through our the web-interface utility Rainbow-navigatorComment: 39 pages, 22 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ. Access the Rainbow Database at: http://rainbowx.fis.ucm.e

Unmasking a new prognostic marker and therapeutic target from the GDNF-RET/PIT1/p14ARF/p53 pathway in acromegaly

Background: Acromegaly is produced by excess growth hormone secreted by a pituitary adenoma of somatotroph cells (ACRO). First-line therapy, surgery and adjuvant therapy with somatostatin analogs, fails in 25% of patients. There is no predictive factor of resistance to therapy. New therapies are investigated using few dispersed tumor cells in acute primary cultures in standard conditions where the cells do not grow, or using rat pituitary cell lines that do not maintain the full somatotroph phenotype. The RET/PIT1/p14ARF/p53 pathway regulates apoptosis in normal pituitary somatotrophs whereas the RET/GDNF pathway regulates survival, controlling PIT1 levels and blocking p14ARF (ARF) and p53 expression. Methods: We investigated these two RET pathways in a prospective series of 32 ACRO and 63 non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA), studying quantitative RNA and protein gene expression for molecular-clinical correlations and how the RET pathway might be implicated in therapeutic success. Clinical data was collected during post-surgical follow-up. We also established new'humanized’ pituitary cultures, allowing 20 repeated passages and maintaining the pituitary secretory phenotype, and tested five multikinase inhibitors (TKI: Vandetanib, Lenvatinib, Sunitinib, Cabozantinib and Sorafenib) potentially able to act on the GDNF-induced RET dimerization/survival pathway. Antibody arrays investigated intracellular molecular pathways. Findings: In ACRO, there was specific enrichment of all genes in both RET pathways, especially GDNF. ARF and GFRA4 gene expression were found to be opposing predictors of response to first-line therapy. ARF cut-off levels, calculated categorizing by GNAS mutation, were predictive of good response (above) or resistance (below) to therapy months later. Sorafenib, through AMPK, blocked the GDNF/AKT survival action without altering the RET apoptotic pathway. Interpretation: Tumor ARF mRNA expression measured at the time of the surgery is a prognosis factor in acromegaly. The RET inhibitor, Sorafenib, is proposed as a potential treatment for resistant ACRO. Fund: This project was supported by national grants from Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and Instituto Investigación Carlos III, with participation of European FEDER funds, to IB (PI150056) and CVA (BFU2016-76973-R). It was also supported initially by a grant from the Investigator Initiated Research (IIR) Program (WI177773) and by a non-restricted Research Grant from Pfizer Foundation to IB. Some of the pituitary acromegaly samples were collected in the framework of the Spanish National Registry of Acromegaly (REMAH), partially supported by an unrestricted grant from Novartis to the Spanish Endocrine Association (SEEN). CVA is also supported from a grant of Medical Research Council UK MR/M018539/1

Two parallel pathways connect glutamine metabolism and mTORC1 activity to regulate glutamoptosis.

Glutamoptosis is the induction of apoptotic cell death as a consequence of the aberrant activation of glutaminolysis and mTORC1 signaling during nutritional imbalance in proliferating cells. The role of the bioenergetic sensor AMPK during glutamoptosis is not defined yet. Here, we show that AMPK reactivation blocks both the glutamine-dependent activation of mTORC1 and glutamoptosis in vitro and in vivo. We also show that glutamine is used for asparagine synthesis and the GABA shunt to produce ATP and to inhibit AMPK, independently of glutaminolysis. Overall, our results indicate that glutamine metabolism is connected with mTORC1 activation through two parallel pathways: an acute alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent pathway; and a secondary ATP/AMPK-dependent pathway. This dual metabolic connection between glutamine and mTORC1 must be considered for the future design of therapeutic strategies to prevent cell growth in diseases such as cancer.This work was supported by funds from the following institutions: Agencia Estatal de Investigación/European Regional Development Fund, European Union (PGC2018-096244- B-I00, SAF2016-75442-R), Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain, Spanish National Research Council—CSIC, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale —INSERM, Université de Bordeaux, Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, the Conseil Régional d’Aquitaine, SIRIC-BRIO, Fondation ARC, and Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie. C.B. was recipient of fellowships from the Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (France) and the Fondation ARC (France). We thank Prof. Patricia Boya (Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas, Madrid, Spain) for kindly providing with the ATG5+/+ and ATG5−/− MEFs. We thank Prof. Benoit Viollet (Institute Cochin, Paris, France) for kindly providing with the AMPK+/+ and AMPK−/− MEFs, and the CA-AMPK plasmid

NEXT-100 Technical Design Report (TDR). Executive Summary

In this Technical Design Report (TDR) we describe the NEXT-100 detector that will search for neutrinoless double beta decay (bbonu) in Xe-136 at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC), in Spain. The document formalizes the design presented in our Conceptual Design Report (CDR): an electroluminescence time projection chamber, with separate readout planes for calorimetry and tracking, located, respectively, behind cathode and anode. The detector is designed to hold a maximum of about 150 kg of xenon at 15 bar, or 100 kg at 10 bar. This option builds in the capability to increase the total isotope mass by 50% while keeping the operating pressure at a manageable level. The readout plane performing the energy measurement is composed of Hamamatsu R11410-10 photomultipliers, specially designed for operation in low-background, xenon-based detectors. Each individual PMT will be isolated from the gas by an individual, pressure resistant enclosure and will be coupled to the sensitive volume through a sapphire window. The tracking plane consists in an array of Hamamatsu S10362-11-050P MPPCs used as tracking pixels. They will be arranged in square boards holding 64 sensors (8 times8) with a 1-cm pitch. The inner walls of the TPC, the sapphire windows and the boards holding the MPPCs will be coated with tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB), a wavelength shifter, to improve the light collection.Comment: 32 pages, 22 figures, 5 table