Gipsy 3D: Analysis, Visualization and Vo-Tools

The scientific goals of the AMIGA project are based on the analysis of a significant amount of spectroscopic 3D data. In order to perform this work we present an initiative to develop a new VO compliant package, including present core applications and tasks offered by the Groningen Image Processing System (GIPSY), and new ones based on use cases elaborated in collaboration with ad- vanced users. One of the main goals is to provide local interoperability between GIPSY (visualization and data analysis) and other VO software. The connectivity with the Virtual Observatory environment will provide general access to 3D data VO archives and services, maximizing the potential for scientific discovery.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the proceedings of the "Multi-wavelength Astronomy and Virtual Observatory" Workshop held at ESAC 1-3 Dec 200

Effects of the environment on galaxies in the Catalogue of Isolated Galaxies: physical satellites and large scale structure

We aim to identify and quantify the effects of the satellite distribution around a sample of galaxies in the Catalogue of Isolated Galaxies (CIG), as well as the effects of the Large Scale Structure (LSS) using the SDSS-DR9. To recover the physically bound galaxies we focus on the satellites which are within the escape speed of each CIG galaxy. We also propose a more conservative method using the stacked Gaussian distribution of the velocity difference of the neighbours. The tidal strengths affecting the primary galaxy are estimated to quantify the effects of the local and LSS environments. We also define the projected number density parameter at the 5$^{\rm th}$ nearest neighbour to characterise the LSS around the CIG galaxies. Out of the 386 CIG galaxies considered in this study, at least 340 (88\% of the sample) have no physically linked satellite. Out of the 386 CIG galaxies, 327 (85\% of the sample) have no physical companion within a projected distance of 0.3 Mpc. The CIG galaxies are distributed following the LSS of the local Universe, although presenting a large heterogeneity in their degree of connection with it. A clear segregation appears between early-type CIG galaxies with companions and isolated late-type CIG galaxies. Isolated galaxies are in general bluer, with likely younger stellar populations and rather high star formation with respect to older, redder CIG galaxies with companions. Reciprocally, the satellites are redder and with an older stellar populations around massive early-type CIG galaxies, while they have a younger stellar content around massive late-type CIG galaxies. This suggests that the CIG is composed of a heterogeneous population of galaxies, sampling from old to more recent, dynamical systems of galaxies.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Study of the Bcl-2 Interactome by BiFC reveals differences in the activation mechanism of Bax and Bak

Evasion of apoptosis is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. Proteins of the Bcl-2 family are key regulators of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, and alterations in some of these proteins are frequently found in cancer cells. Permeabilization of the outer mitochondrial membrane, regulated by pro- and antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, is essential for the release of apoptogenic factors leading to caspase activation, cell dismantlement, and death. Mitochondrial permeabilization depends on the formation of oligomers of the effector proteins Bax and Bak after an activation event mediated by BH3-only proteins and regulated by antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family. In the present work, we have studied interactions between different members of the Bcl-2 family in living cells via the BiFC technique. Despite the limitations of this technique, present data suggest that native proteins of the Bcl-2 family acting inside living cells establish a complex network of interactions, which would fit nicely into “mixed” models recently proposed by others. Furthermore, our results point to differences in the regulation of Bax and Bak activation by proteins of the antiapoptotic and BH3-only subfamilies. We have also applied the BiFC technique to explore the different molecular models proposed for Bax and Bak oligomerization. Bax and Bak’s mutants lacking the BH3 domain were still able to associate and give BiFC signals, suggesting the existence of alternative surfaces of interaction between two Bax or Bak molecules. These results agree with the widely accepted symmetric model for the dimerization of these proteins and also suggest that other regions, different from the α6 helix, could be involved in the oligomerization of BH3-in groove dimers

A detailed experimental and theoretical study of the femtosecond A -band photodissociation of C H3I

The real time photodissociation dynamics of C H3I from the A band has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Femtosecond pump-probe experiments in combination with velocity map imaging have been carried out to measure the reaction times (clocking) of the different (nonadiabatic) channels of this photodissociation reaction yielding ground and spin-orbit excited states of the I fragment and vibrationless and vibrationally excited (symmetric stretch and umbrella modes) C H3 fragments. The measured reaction times have been rationalized by means of a wave packet calculation on the available ab initio potential energy surfaces for the system using a reduced dimensionality model. A 40 fs delay time has been found experimentally between the channels yielding vibrationless CH3(ν=0) and I(2P3/2) and I*(2P1/2) that is well reproduced by the calculations. However, the observed reduction in delay time between the I and I* channels when the C H3 fragment appears with one or two quanta of vibrational excitation in the umbrella mode is not well accounted for by the theoretical model. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.This work has been financed by the Spanish MEC through Grant Nos. CTQ2005-08493-C02-01, FIS-2007- 62002, and Consolider program “Science and Applications of Ultrafast Ultraintense Lasers” No. CSD2007-00013.Peer Reviewe

Tsunami Resonance in Palma Bay and Harbor, Majorca Island, as induced by the 2003 Western Mediterranean Earthquake

ABSTRACT: he tsunami induced by the May 21, 2003, Algerian Boumerde`s-Zemmouri earthquake (moment magnitude Mw=6.9) propagated across the western Mediterranean Basin, thereby causing material damages in some harbors and coastal areas. This was the case in the Balearic Islands and particularly the Palma harbor. Attempts to simulate the 2003 tsunami event found discrepancies between tsunami arrival times and wave amplitude when comparing tide gauge records with results from numerical models. To date, all published model results of the amplitude of the tsunami are underestimations, attributed to numerical limitations due to the lack of high-resolution bathymetry and poor definition of harbor geometry. Other views suggest the nappropriateness of the available seismic source parameterizations and the possible occurrence of submarine landsliding triggered by the earthquake that has not been included in the numerical simulations. In this article we present the results of a numerical study aimed at better understanding the response of the interacting Palma bay and harbor under the impact of the 2003 western Mediterranean tsunami. The transference of the tsunami energy from the generation area to the continental shelf, the bay, and the harbor has been studied and compared with the natural oscillation modes of the bay and harbor water bodies. Our work includes a sensitivity analysis of the source parameterization and the bathymetry grid size for the bay and harbor as a way to explain the discrepancies between simulations and observations. The Palma harbor tide gauge shows that energy from the tsunami concentrated mainly in periods that fitted to the natural modes of oscillations of the bay. Therefore, the significant wave amplification observed inside the harbor, mainly in its northern basin, was generated by a resonance effect induced by Palma bay. The improvement of the bathymetry grid resolution in the bay and harbor domains and the inclusion in the simulations of the exact harbor geometry and internal configuration result in a slight wave-high increment that is much below the wave height recorded in the tide gauge. Our results strongly point to a necessary revision of the tsunami seismic source parameters

Development and kinematic verification of a finite element model for the lumbar spine: Application to disc degeneration

The knowledge of the lumbar spine biomechanics is essential for clinical applications. Due to the difficulties to experiment on living people and the irregular results published, simulation based on finite elements (FE) has been developed, making it possible to adequately reproduce the biomechanics of the lumbar spine. A 3D FE model of the complete lumbar spine (vertebrae, discs, and ligaments) has been developed. To verify the model, radiological images (X-rays) were taken over a group of 25 healthy, male individuals with average age of 27.4 and average weight of 78.6 kg with the corresponding informed consent. A maximum angle of 34.40° is achieved in flexion and of 35.58° in extension with a flexion-extension angle of 69.98°. The radiological measurements were 33.94 ± 4.91°, 38.73 ± 4.29°, and 72.67°, respectively. In lateral bending, the maximum angles were 19.33° and 23.40 ± 2.39, respectively. In rotation a maximum angle of 9.96° was obtained. The model incorporates a precise geometrical characterization of several elements (vertebrae, discs, and ligaments), respecting anatomical features and being capable of reproducing a wide range of physiological movements. Application to disc degeneration (L5-S1) allows predicting the affection in the mobility of the different lumbar segments, by means of parametric studies for different ranges of degeneration

The prognostic role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in lung cancer

© 2018 Kapeleris, Kulasinghe, Warkiani, Vela, Kenny, O'Byrne and Punyadeera. Lung cancer affects over 1. 8 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of cancer related mortality globally. Currently, diagnosis of lung cancer involves a combination of imaging and invasive biopsies to confirm histopathology. Non-invasive diagnostic techniques under investigation include "liquid biopsies" through a simple blood draw to develop predictive and prognostic biomarkers. A better understanding of circulating tumor cell (CTC) dissemination mechanisms offers promising potential for the development of techniques to assist in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Enumeration and characterization of CTCs has the potential to act as a prognostic biomarker and to identify novel drug targets for a precision medicine approach to lung cancer care. This review will focus on the current status of CTCs and their potential diagnostic and prognostic utility in this setting

Traumatic brain injury: Failure of the intravenous route for the administration of bone marrow stromal stem cells as treatment of chronic neurological sequels

Objetivo: Estudiar el posible efecto terapéutico de la administración intravenosa de células madre estromales (CME) obtenidas de médula ósea para tratar las secuelas neurológicas en fase crónica tras una lesión cerebral traumática. Material y método: Se realizó un modelo de lesión cerebral traumática en ratas Wistar adultas y se estudió el déficit neurológico inducido en el curso de los dos meses siguientes, por medio del test mNSS y el test Smart. Tras ese tiempo, en fase de secuelas crónicamente establecidas, se administraron intravenosamente 15 x 106 CME (n:10) o suero fisiológico (n:10). En los dos meses siguientes se estudió la posible modificación de las secuelas neurológicas. Resultados: Cuando se compararon los resultados de la valoración funcional entre ambos grupos experimentales, no se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas. Conclusión: Nuestros resultados sugieren que el trasplante de CME por vía intravenosa, en una fase de secuelas crónicamente establecidas tras una lesión traumática cerebral grave, no tiene efecto terapéuticoObjective: We studied the possible therapeutic effect of intravenous administration (noninvasive method) of BMSCs to treat neurological sequels in a chronic stage after TBI. Material and method: A model of TBI in adult Wistar rats was performed and we studied the neurological deficit induced in the course of two months, through the mNSS and Smart tests. After this time, with established sequels, 15 x 106 BMSCs (n = 10) or saline (n = 10) were administered intravenously. Changes in the neurological deficits were studied in two months. Results: Comparison of functional changes between both experimental groups showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusions: Our results suggest that transplantation of BMSCs intravenously, at a stage of established sequels after severe TBI, has no therapeutic effectEsta investigación ha sido financiada por FUNDACIÓN MAPFR