89 research outputs found
Large-scale analysis of the SDSS-III DR8 photometric luminous galaxies angular correlation function
We analyse the large-scale angular correlation function (ACF) of the CMASS
luminous galaxies (LGs), a photometric-redshift catalogue based on the Data
Release 8 (DR8) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III. This catalogue contains
over LGs in the range , which was split
into four redshift shells of constant width. First, we estimate the constraints
on the redshift-space distortion (RSD) parameters and ,
where is the galaxy bias, the growth rate and is the
normalization of the perturbations, finding that they vary appreciably among
different redshift shells, in agreement with previous results using DR7 data.
When assuming constant RSD parameters over the survey redshift range, we obtain
, which agrees at the level with Baryon
Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR9 spectroscopic results. Next, we performed
two cosmological analyses, where relevant parameters not fitted were kept fixed
at their fiducial values. In the first analysis, we extracted the baryon
acoustic oscillation peak position for the four redshift shells, and combined
with the sound horizon scale from 7-year \textit{Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy
Probe} to produce the constraints and
. In the second analysis, we used the ACF full shape
information to constrain cosmology using real data for the first time, finding
and .
These results are in good agreement with findings, showing that the ACF
can be efficiently applied to constrain cosmology in future photometric galaxy
surveys.Comment: MNRAS accepted. Minor corrections to match publish versio
A Regulatory Circuit Integrating Stress-Induced with Natural Leaf Senescence
Any condition that disrupts the ER homeostasis activates a cytoprotective signaling cascade, designated as the unfolded protein response (UPR), which is transduced in plant cells by a bipartite signaling module. Activation of IRE1/bZIP60 and bZIP28/bZIP17, which represent the bipartite signaling arms and serve as ER stress sensors and transducers, results in the upregulation of ER protein processing machinery-related genes to recover from stress. However, if the ER stress persists and the cell is unable to restore ER homeostasis, programmed cell death signaling pathways are activated for survival. Here, we describe an ER stress-induced plant-specific cell death program, which is a shared response to multiple stress signals. This signaling pathway was first identified through genome-wide expression profile of differentially expressed genes in response to combined ER stress and osmotic stress. Among them, the development and cell death domain-containing N-rich proteins (DCD/NRPs), NRP-A and NRP-B, and the transcriptional factor GmNAC81 were selected as mediators of cell death in plants. These genes were used as targets to identify additional components of the cell death pathway, which is described here as a regulatory circuit that integrates a stress-induced cell death program with leaf senescence via the NRP-A/NRP-B/GmNAC81:GmNAC30/VPE signaling module
INTERDISCIPLINARIDADE PROFISSIONAL E POTENCIALIZAÇÃO DAS AÇÕES PÚBLICAS: Contribuições do Serviço Social na elaboração de projetos sociais no município de Cambuquira - MG
TRANSOLECRANON FRACTURE-DISLOCATION: CONCEPTS AND FUNCTIONAL RESULTS OF SURGICAL TREATMENT
ABSTRACT Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the functional results of the treatment protocol for the treatment of transolecranon fracture-dislocation, by surgical reduction and osteosynthesis with plate and screws, in patients attended at a referral hospital for orthopedic trauma, with a minimum follow-up period of six months. Methods: Twenty-five individuals treated surgically from January 2014 to November 2018 were selected for a primary observational longitudinal study using questionnaires to assess upper limb and elbow function (DASH and MEPS), quality of life (SF-12), pain (visual analog scale - VAS), and radiographic evaluation in anteroposterior and lateral views of the elbow. Results: Fifteen patients were male, and the mean age was 46.8 years. All participants had their fractures consolidated, with no radiolgraphic signs of implant failure, or degenerative arthritis. Mean range of motion was reduced relative to the contralateral limb: 102.6º for flexion-extension and 132.8º for pronation-supination. The mean MEPS and DASH scores were 89.6 and 16.5 respectively. There was no residual pain in 84% of the cases according to the VAS. Conclusion: The surgical treatment proposed for transolecranon fracture-dislocations showed satisfactory results according to MEPS, DASH scores and quality of life measures. Evidence Level IV; Retrospective observational study
Ameliorating Systematic Uncertainties in the Angular Clustering of Galaxies: A Study using SDSS-III
We investigate the effects of potential sources of systematic error on the
angular and photometric redshift, z_phot, distributions of a sample of redshift
0.4 < z < 0.7 massive galaxies whose selection matches that of the Baryon
Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) constant mass sample. Utilizing over
112,778 BOSS spectra as a training sample, we produce a photometric redshift
catalog for the galaxies in the SDSS DR8 imaging area that, after masking,
covers nearly one quarter of the sky (9,913 square degrees). We investigate
fluctuations in the number density of objects in this sample as a function of
Galactic extinction, seeing, stellar density, sky background, airmass,
photometric offset, and North/South Galactic hemisphere. We find that the
presence of stars of comparable magnitudes to our galaxies (which are not
traditionally masked) effectively remove area. Failing to correct for such
stars can produce systematic errors on the measured angular auto-correlation
function, w, that are larger than its statistical uncertainty. We describe how
one can effectively mask for the presence of the stars, without removing any
galaxies from the sample, and minimize the systematic error. Additionally, we
apply two separate methods that can be used to correct the systematic errors
imparted by any parameter that can be turned into a map on the sky. We find
that failing to properly account for varying sky background introduces a
systematic error on w. We measure w, in four z_phot slices of width 0.05
between 0.45 < z_phot < 0.65 and find that the measurements, after correcting
for the systematic effects of stars and sky background, are generally
consistent with a generic LambdaCDM model, at scales up to 60 degrees. At
scales greater than 3 degrees and z_phot > 0.5, the magnitude of the
corrections we apply are greater than the statistical uncertainty in w.Comment: Accepted by MNRA
Pre-Operative Scapular Rehabilitation for Arthroscopic Repair of Traumatic Rotator Cuff Tear: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial
# Background
Pre-operative rehabilitation aims to improve the functional capacity of the individual to enable him/her to prepare for the period of inactivity associated with the surgical procedure.
# Objective
To evaluate the impact of preoperative scapular rehabilitation before arthroscopic repair of traumatic rotator cuff injury, regarding pain, range of motion of the shoulder, and functional activity.
# Study Design
Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) – pilot.
# Methods
Twenty adult individuals (age range: 47-69 years), with a diagnosis of traumatic rotator cuff tear and arthroscopic surgical repair, were randomized and allocated into two groups: experimental (EG) (n = 10) and control group (CG) (n = 10). All participants underwent preoperative rehabilitation for six weeks, consisting of mobility exercises of the cervical spine, elbow, wrist, and hand, and analgesics education. The EG also performed scapular and core stabilization exercises, which were not performed by the CG. Exercise instruction was performed by the same physiotherapist and the surgical team was blinded to group participation in the preoperative period. After arthroscopic repair, the patients followed the same protocol of postoperative rehabilitation for 16 weeks, and functional evaluation was conducted after three months and in a follow-up of at least one year.
# Results
Compared to the CG, the EG presented with a significant decrease in pain between the preoperative period and after one year (p < 0.05). In relation to the preoperative period, flexion and external rotation increased significantly in both groups after three months (p<0.05), and abduction was significantly higher in the EG (p < 0.05). Compared to CG, the EG presented a significantly higher SF-12 physical component after three months (48.47 vs. 40.33, p < 0.05), and a significantly lower Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) total after one year (85.00 vs. 1130.00, p < 0.05).
# Conclusion
Preoperative scapular rehabilitation had a positive impact on recovery after arthroscopic repair of traumatic rotator cuff injury, in the assessment of pain, range of motion of the shoulder, and quality of life.
# Levels of Evidence
Level
Acoustic scale from the angular power spectra of SDSS-III DR8 photometric luminous galaxies
We measure the acoustic scale from the angular power spectra of the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III) Data Release 8 imaging catalog that includes
872,921 galaxies over ~ 10,000 deg^2 between 0.45<z<0.65. The extensive
spectroscopic training set of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey
(BOSS) luminous galaxies allows precise estimates of the true redshift
distributions of galaxies in our imaging catalog. Utilizing the redshift
distribution information, we build templates and fit to the power spectra of
the data, which are measured in our companion paper, Ho et al. 2011, to derive
the location of Baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) while marginalizing over
many free parameters to exclude nearly all of the non-BAO signal. We derive the
ratio of the angular diameter distance to the sound horizon scale D_A/r_s=
9.212 + 0.416 -0.404 at z=0.54, and therefore, D_A= 1411+- 65 Mpc at z=0.54;
the result is fairly independent of assumptions on the underlying cosmology.
Our measurement of angular diameter distance D_A is 1.4 \sigma higher than what
is expected for the concordance LCDM (Komatsu et al. 2011), in accordance to
the trend of other spectroscopic BAO measurements for z >~ 0.35. We report
constraints on cosmological parameters from our measurement in combination with
the WMAP7 data and the previous spectroscopic BAO measurements of SDSS
(Percival et al. 2010) and WiggleZ (Blake et al. 2011). We refer to our
companion papers (Ho et al. 2011; de Putter et al. 2011) for investigations on
information of the full power spectrum.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, 3 tables, submitted to Ap
The AZFc region of the Y chromosome: at the crossroads between genetic diversity and male infertility
BACKGROUND: The three azoospermia factor (AZF) regions of the Y chromosome represent genomic niches for spermatogenesis genes. Yet, the most distal region, AZFc, is a major generator of large-scale variation in the human genome. Determining to what extent this variability affects spermatogenesis is a highly contentious topic in human reproduction.
METHODS: In this review, an extensive characterization of the molecular mechanisms responsible for AZFc genotypical variation is undertaken. Such data are complemented with the assessment of the clinical consequences for male fertility imputable to the different AZFc variants. For this, a critical re-evaluation of 23 association studies was performed in order to extract unifying conclusions by curtailing methodological heterogeneities.
RESULTS: Intrachromosomal homologous recombination mechanisms, either crossover or non-crossover based, are the main drivers for AZFc genetic diversity. In particular, rearrangements affecting gene dosage are the most likely to introduce phenotypical disruptions in the spermatogenic profile. In the specific cases of partial AZFc deletions, both the actual existence and the severity of the spermatogenic defect are dependent on the evolutionary background of the Y chromosome.
CONCLUSIONS: AZFc is one of the most genetically dynamic regions in the human genome. This property may serve as counter against the genetic degeneracy associated with the lack of a meiotic partner. However, such strategy comes at a price: some rearrangements represent a risk factor or a de-facto causative agent of spermatogenic disruption. Interestingly, this precarious balance is modulated, among other yet unknown factors, by the evolutionary history of the Y chromosome
Protective role of chaperone-mediated autophagy against atherosclerosis
Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) contributes to regulation of energy homeostasis by timely degradation of enzymes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism. Here, we report reduced CMA activity in vascular smooth muscle cells and macrophages in murine and human arteries in response to atherosclerotic challenges. We show that in vivo genetic blockage of CMA worsens atherosclerotic pathology through both systemic and cell-autonomous changes in vascular smooth muscle cells and macrophages, the two main cell types involved in atherogenesis. CMA deficiency promotes dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells and a proinflammatory state in macrophages. Conversely, a genetic mouse model with up-regulated CMA shows lower vulnerability to proatherosclerotic challenges. We propose that CMA could be an attractive therapeutic target against cardiovascular diseases
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