Measurement of atmospheric neutrino oscillations with very large volume neutrino telescopes

Neutrino oscillations have been probed during the last few decades using multiple neutrino sources and experimental set-ups. In the recent years, very large volume neutrino telescopes have started contributing to the field. First ANTARES and then IceCube have relied on large and sparsely instrumented volumes to observe atmospheric neutrinos for combinations of baselines and energies inaccessible to other experiments. Using this advantage, the latest result from IceCube starts approaching the precision of other established technologies, and is paving the way for future detectors, such as ORCA and PINGU. These new projects seek to provide better measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters, and eventually determine the neutrino mass ordering. The results from running experiments and the potential from proposed projects are discussed in this review, emphasizing the experimental challenges involved in the measurements.Comment: Review paper to appear in the special issue "Neutrino Masses and Oscillations" of Advances in High Energy Physics (accepted); 22 pages, 24 figure

Introduction and evaluation of the ACS BCon basic course in Zaragoza, Spain

Background: The American College of Surgeons Bleeding Control Basic (BCon) course aimed at teaching hemorrhage control techniques in the USA had not yet been taught in Spain. The purpose of this study is to assess its implementation among students and healthcare employees in the Lozano Blesa University Hospital of Zaragoza, a middle-sized Spanish city. Methods: The study was conducted in a University Hospital and at the University of Zaragoza, scheduling four free B-Con sessions from 2017 to 2018. Two groups were identified as forming the population: healthcare employees and medical students. An anonymous questionnaire was completed at the end of the course regarding content, applicability, usefulness, relevance, and satisfaction. Study variables were ranked from 0 to 10: poor (when graded from 0 to 3), fair (4 to 6) and good (7 to 10). Results were compared between the groups, expressed in percentages and ¿ 2 tested to analyze significant differences if any. Results: Among the 83 individuals who completed the course, 46 were medical students and 37 healthcare employees; 61% women and 39% men; aged 21 years to 52 years. Attendees evaluated satisfaction with the highest grade (84%), followed by usefulness (73%), applicability (70%), and relevance (66%). There was no variable graded as poor. The comparison of perceptions between groups did not reveal statistical differences based on a 0.05 significance level. Conclusion: We concluded that the B-Con course was valued as good for relevance, usefulness, applicability, and satisfaction by the majority of the studied population. Level of Evidence: Level III

Unexpected seasonality in quantity and composition of Amazon rainforest air reactivity

The hydroxyl radical (OH) removes most atmospheric pollutants from air. The loss frequency of OH radicals due to the combined effect of all gas-phase OH reactive species is a measureable quantity termed total OH reactivity. Here we present total OH reactivity observations in pristine Amazon rainforest air, as a function of season, time-of-day and height (0–80 m). Total OH reactivity is low during wet (10 s^(−1)) and high during dry season (62 s^(−1)). Comparison to individually measured trace gases reveals strong variation in unaccounted for OH reactivity, from 5 to 15% missing in wet-season afternoons to mostly unknown (average 79%) during dry season. During dry-season afternoons isoprene, considered the dominant reagent with OH in rainforests, only accounts for ~20% of the total OH reactivity. Vertical profiles of OH reactivity are shaped by biogenic emissions, photochemistry and turbulent mixing. The rainforest floor was identified as a significant but poorly characterized source of OH reactivity

N-methyl-N-((1-methyl-5-(3-(1-(2-methylbenzyl)piperidin-4-yl)propoxy)-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl)prop-2-yn-1-amine, a new cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase dual inhibitor

On the basis of N-((5-(3-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)propoxy)-1-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl)-N-methylprop-2-yn-1-amine (II, ASS234) and QSAR predictions, in this work we have designed, synthesized, and evaluated a number of new indole derivatives from which we have identified N-methyl-N-((1-methyl-5-(3-(1-(2-methylbenzyl)piperidin-4-yl)propoxy)-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl)prop-2-yn-1-amine (2, MBA236) as a new cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase dual inhibitor.PostprintPostprintPeer reviewe

Evaluation of superficial oxidation layer of Ti6Al4V laser cladding coatings

[ES] Se ha estudiado la in¿uencia de los parámetros de procesado sobre la oxidación super¿cial y propiedades mecánicas de diferentes recubrimientos de Ti6Al4V. La gran reactividad química del polvo de titanio junto a la elevada temperatura que se alcanza producen gran variedad de colores en los óxidos formados. Esta oxidación puede tener un efecto perjudicial sobre el comportamiento en servicio, por lo que su evaluación es fundamental. Aunque la in¿uencia del procesado en el color de los óxidos formados es clara, no existe una relación sencilla que explique sus propiedades mecánicas. Por ese motivo se ha seguido una metodología basada en la microscopia, microanálisis por espectroscopia de longitud de onda (WDS) y nanoindentación. Los resultados indican que no hay diferencias importantes en la dureza y módulo elástico entre dos recubrimientos que presentan diferentes colores de oxidación[EN] It has been studied the in¿uence of processing parameters on the super¿cial oxidation and mechanical properties of different coatings of Ti6Al4V. The high chemical reactivity of titanium powder, and the high temperature reached during laser processing, produces a great variety of colors in the oxides formed. This oxidation can have a detrimental effect on the behavior in service so that its evaluation is essential. Although the in¿uence of processing on the color of the oxides formed is clear, there is no simple relationship to explain its mechanical properties. For this reason it has been applied a methodology based on microscopy, microanalysis wavelength spectroscopy (WDS) and nanoindentation. The results indicate no signi¿cant differences in hardness and elastic modulus between two coatings with different colors of oxidation.Los autores agradecen al Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación por la financiación de esta investigación a través de los proyectos MAT2008-06882-C04-03/04 enmarcados en el Programa de Materiales del Plan Nacional.Amigó Borrás, V.; Candel Bou, JJ.; Amado, J.; Yañez, A. (2010). Evaluación de la oxidación superficial de recubrimientos de Ti6Al4V obtenidos por recubrimiento por láser. Revista de Metalurgia. 46(Extraordinario):13-18. https://doi.org/10.3989/revmetalm.02XIIPMSS131846Extraordinari

Caracterizacion ultra-estructural de metacercarias de Diplostomum sp en Orestias luteus del Lago Titicaca, Perú

The objective of the present work was the ultra-structural characterization of metacercariae of Diplostomum sp in Orestias luteus from Lake Titicaca, Puno, Peru. 35 fish collected through non-probabilistic sampling were anesthetized with tricaine monosulfonate (Tricaine-s®) and necropsied to determine the number of Diplostomum sp present per fish. The extracted parasites were fixed and preserved for study by scanning electron microscope. The frequency of parasitosis was 48.6% (IC 95%: 32.0-65.1) with a mean parasitic intensity of infection of 3.53 (low). The metacercaria of Diplostomum sp are lingui form in shape with papillae unevenly distributed on the surface of the body, have a posterior border with a slight conical prominence, and an extreme anterior circle where the oral suction cup is located. There is also an ellipsoidal acetabulum located in the anterior and ventral third of the posterior segment of the body; behind that is the ovoid-shaped tri bocytic organ. The morpho anatomic characteristics of the parasite under study coincide with Diplostomum mordax. The prevalence of Diplostomum sp in Lake Titicaca is high compared to previous years. However, the average intensity is low; suggesting that, for the moment, Diplostomum sp is not a threat to the health of O. luteus.El objetivo del presente trabajo fue la caracterización ultraestructural de metacercarias de Diplostomum sp en Orestias luteus del lago Titicaca, Puno, Perú. Se recolectaron 35 peces mediante muestreo no probabilístico los cuales fueron anestesiados con tricaina mono sulfonato (Tricaine-s®) y se les realizó necropsia para determinar el número de Diplostomum sp presente por pez. Los parásitos extraídos se fijaron y conservaron para su estudio mediante microscopía electrónica de barrido. La frecuencia de parasitosis fue de 48,6% (IC95%: 32,0-65,1) con una intensidad de infección parasitaria media de 3,53 (baja). La metacercaria de Diplostomum sp son de forma linguiforme con papilas distribuidas de manera desigual en la superficie del cuerpo, tienen un borde posterior con una ligera prominencia cónica y un círculo anterior extremo donde se ubica la ventosa oral. También hay un acetábulo elipsoidal ubicado en el tercio anterior y ventral del segmento posterior del cuerpo; detrás de eso está el órgano tribocítico de forma ovoide. Las características morfo-anatómicas del parásito en estudio coinciden con Diplostomum mordax. La prevalencia de Diplostomum sp en el lago Titicaca es alto en comparación con años anteriores. Sin embargo, la intensidad media es baja; sugiriendo que, por el momento, Diplostomum sp. no es una amenaza para la salud de O. luteus

Consecuencias de la implementación de técnicas anticonceptivas sobre la terminación de vacas descarte

Con el objeto de evaluar el aumento de peso vivo (APV) y la terminación en vacas de descarte, mediante la aplicación de métodos anticonceptivos cruentos e incruentos, se desarrolló un diseño en bloques completos al azar y tres tratamientos: control (C), Dutto (DT) y Diub (DB), con los bloques definidos por 48 vacas cruza Brangus (B1), y 30 vacas Hereford y Braford (B2). Los parámetros evaluados fueron: APV y terminación, utilizándose como fuente de variación: peso vivo (PV), condición corporal (CC) y espesor de grasa dorsal (GD). PV y CC se determinaron al inicio y cada 30 días, y GD al inicio y final del ensayo. El ANOVA no arrojó interacción bloques por tratamientos, ni tampoco hubo diferencias significativas entre tratamientos para APV y terminación, sin embargo al analizar por bloques, en B1 se observó un APV mayor en los lotes tratados (DB 67 kg y DT 62 kg) que en el lote C (59 kg). En B2 el APV fue mayor para DT (92 kg), mientras que para los demás tratamientos los resultados fueron similares (DB 80 kg, C 78 kg). Luego se realizó un análisis de regresión lineal del APV, comparando las pendientes de cada ecuación con el objetivo de predecir qué pasaría si el período de evaluación del APV fuese más prolongado. El B1 presentó diferencias significativas entre los coeficientes de las pendientes de APV a favor de DT respecto a C, y DT vs DB. En B2 las diferencias de APV fueron entre C con DT y DB. Es importante desde el punto de vista del manejo del rodeo en un establecimiento de cría, la aplicación de estos métodos anticonceptivos donde haya presencia de toros y la expectativa de producción de esta categoría animal sea vender vacas gordas como descarte, evitando preñeces no deseadas

Neurohormonal activation induces intracellular iron deficiency and mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiac cells

Cèl·lula cardíaca; Deficiència de ferro; Activació neurohormonalCardiac cell; Iron deficiency; Neurohormonal activationCélula cardíaca; Deficiencia de hierro; Activación neurohormonalBackground Iron deficiency (ID) is common in patients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with poor outcomes, yet its role in the pathophysiology of HF is not well-defined. We sought to determine the consequences of HF neurohormonal activation in iron homeostasis and mitochondrial function in cardiac cells. Methods HF was induced in C57BL/6 mice by using isoproterenol osmotic pumps and embryonic rat heart-derived H9c2 cells were subsequently challenged with Angiotensin II and/or Norepinephrine. The expression of several genes and proteins related to intracellular iron metabolism were assessed by Real time-PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. The intracellular iron levels were also determined. Mitochondrial function was analyzed by studying the mitochondrial membrane potential, the accumulation of radical oxygen species (ROS) and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Results Hearts from isoproterenol-stimulated mice showed a decreased in both mRNA and protein levels of iron regulatory proteins, transferrin receptor 1, ferroportin 1 and hepcidin compared to control mice. Furthermore, mitoferrin 2 and mitochondrial ferritin were also downregulated in the hearts from HF mice. Similar data regarding these key iron regulatory molecules were found in the H9c2 cells challenged with neurohormonal stimuli. Accordingly, a depletion of intracellular iron levels was found in the stimulated cells compared to non-stimulated cells, as well as in the hearts from the isoproterenol-induced HF mice. Finally, neurohormonal activation impaired mitochondrial function as indicated by the accumulation of ROS, the impaired mitochondrial membrane potential and the decrease in the ATP levels in the cardiac cells. Conclusions HF characteristic neurohormonal activation induced changes in the regulation of key molecules involved in iron homeostasis, reduced intracellular iron levels and impaired mitochondrial function. The current results suggest that iron could be involved in the pathophysiology of HF.This work was funded by the following Grants: unrestricted grant from Vifor Pharma and Basic Research Competitive Grant in Cardiology from the Spanish Society of Cardiology 2015

Three strongly correlated charged bosons in a one-dimensional harmonic trap: natural orbital occupancies

We study a one-dimensional system composed of three charged bosons confined in an external harmonic potential. More precisely, we investigate the ground-state correlation properties of the system, paying particular attention to the strong-interaction limit. We explain for the first time the nature of the degeneracies appearing in this limit in the spectrum of the reduced density matrix. An explicit representation of the asymptotic natural orbitals and their occupancies is given in terms of some integral equations.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, To appear in European Physical Journal

On-Line Temperature Measurement Inside a Thermal Barrier Sensor Coating During Engine Operation

Existing thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) can be adapted enhancing their functionalities such that they not only protect critical components from hot gases but also can sense their own material temperature or other physical properties. The self-sensing capability is introduced by embedding optically active rare earth ions into the thermal barrier ceramic. When illuminated by light, the material starts to phosphoresce and the phosphorescence can provide in situ information on temperature, phase changes, corrosion, or erosion of the coating subject to the coating design. The integration of an on-line temperature detection system enables the full potential of TBCs to be realized due to improved accuracy in temperature measurement and early warning of degradation. This in turn will increase fuel efficiency and will reduce CO 2 emissions. This paper reviews the previous implementation of such a measurement system into a Rolls-Royce jet engine using dysprosium doped yttrium-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) as a single layer and a dual layer sensor coating material. The temperature measurements were carried out on cooled and uncooled components on a combustion chamber liner and on nozzle guide vanes (NGVs), respectively. The paper investigates the interpretation of those results looking at coating thickness effects and temperature gradients across the TBC. For the study, a specialized cyclic thermal gradient burner test rig was operated and instrumented using equivalent instrumentation to that used for the engine test. This unique rig enables the controlled heating of the coatings at different temperature regimes. A long-wavelength pyrometer was employed detecting the surface temperature of the coating in combination with the phosphorescence detector. A correction was applied to compensate for changes in emissivity using two methods. A thermocouple was used continuously measuring the substrate temperature of the sample. Typical gradients across the coating are less than 1 K/lm. As the excitation laser penetrates the coating, it generates phosphorescence from several locations throughout the coating and hence provides an integrated signal. The study successfully proved that the temperature indication from the phosphorescence coating remains between the surface and substrate temperature for all operating conditions. This demonstrates the possibility to measure inside the coating closer to the bond coat. The knowledge of the bond coat temperature is relevant to the growth of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) which is linked to the delamination of the coating and hence determines its life. Further, the data are related to a one-dimensional phosphorescence model determining the penetration depth of the laser and the emission