Finite Larmor radius effects on non-diffusive tracer transport in a zonal flow

Finite Larmor radius (FLR) effects on non-diffusive transport in a prototypical zonal flow with drift waves are studied in the context of a simplified chaotic transport model. The model consists of a superposition of drift waves of the linearized Hasegawa-Mima equation and a zonal shear flow perpendicular to the density gradient. High frequency FLR effects are incorporated by gyroaveraging the ExB velocity. Transport in the direction of the density gradient is negligible and we therefore focus on transport parallel to the zonal flows. A prescribed asymmetry produces strongly asymmetric non- Gaussian PDFs of particle displacements, with L\'evy flights in one direction but not the other. For zero Larmor radius, a transition is observed in the scaling of the second moment of particle displacements. However, FLR effects seem to eliminate this transition. The PDFs of trapping and flight events show clear evidence of algebraic scaling with decay exponents depending on the value of the Larmor radii. The shape and spatio-temporal self-similar anomalous scaling of the PDFs of particle displacements are reproduced accurately with a neutral, asymmetric effective fractional diffusion model.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Physics of Plasma

Adsorption of Metal Clusters on Graphene and Their Effect on the Electrical Conductivity

When adsorbates are introduced in graphene, the electric conductivity is highly modified. This chapter discusses how to estimate the electrical conductivity of graphene sheets with adsorbates, using electronic structure calculations and some theoretical approaches. Also, we discussed how the clustering of adsorbates attached to the graphene can impact electrical conductivity. We will focus in using metallic clusters as adsorbates (Mn; M = Ag, Au, Pt, and Pd; n = 1, 2, 3, and 4). The electrical conductivity is found using theoretical approaches, which are summarized in this chapter. We compare these approaches between each other to determine which is the most appropriate for each system

Second and Third Harmonic Generation in Metal-Based Nanostructures

We present a new theoretical approach to the study of second and third harmonic generation from metallic nanostructures and nanocavities filled with a nonlinear material, in the ultrashort pulse regime. We model the metal as a two-component medium, using the hydrodynamic model to describe free electrons, and Lorentz oscillators to account for core electron contributions to both the linear dielectric constant and to harmonic generation. The active nonlinear medium that may fill a metallic nanocavity, or be positioned between metallic layers in a stack, is also modeled using Lorentz oscillators and surface phenomena due to symmetry breaking are taken into account. We study the effects of incident TE- and TM-polarized fields and show that a simple re-examination of the basic equations reveals additional exploitable dynamical features of nonlinear frequency conversion in plasmonic nanostructures.Comment: 33 pages, including 11 figures and 74 references; corrected affiliations and some typo

Modeling tree-growth: Assessing climate suitability of temperate forests growing in Moncayo Natural Park (Spain)

In the past few decades, temperate forests have been negatively altered by numerous anthropogenic activities and by the impact of ongoing climate change. These changes may require management actions to help preserve some forest tree species. In this sense, highly-detailed knowledge of tree growth and survival across territorial and climatic gradients will be important for forest conservation. We developed a novel approach to determine the optimal zones of forest growth and expansion through climate suitability maps, using a dense tree-ring network of four forest species in Moncayo Natural Park and high-resolution climate data. Our results showed that the mixed-effects models developed using climate data and tree size were able to predict between 65 and 80% of growth variability along the climatic gradient. All studied species were influenced by climate, and the relationship between growth and climate significantly differed along the prevailing climate gradient. Moreover, the suitability maps showed that the current species distribution is limited, and their application may serve as a tool for adaptive management in forests subjected to climate change

Enhancing dendritic cell immunotherapy for melanoma using a simple mathematical model

ABSTRACT Background: The immunotherapy using dendritic cells (DCs) against different varieties of cancer is an approach that has been previously explored which induces a specific immune response. This work presents a mathematical model of DCs immunotherapy for melanoma in mice based on work by Experimental Immunotherapy Laboratory of the Medicine Faculty in the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). Method: The model is a five delay differential equation (DDEs) which represents a simplified view of the immunotherapy mechanisms. The mathematical model takes into account the interactions between tumor cells, dendritic cells, naive cytotoxic T lymphocytes cells (inactivated cytotoxic cells), effector cells (cytotoxic T activated cytotoxic cells) and transforming growth factor β cytokine (TGF − β). The model is validated comparing the computer simulation results with biological trial results of the immunotherapy developed by the research group of UNAM. Results: The results of the growth of tumor cells obtained by the control immunotherapy simulation show a similar amount of tumor cell population than the biological data of the control immunotherapy. Moreover, comparing the increase of tumor cells obtained from the immunotherapy simulation and the biological data of the immunotherapy applied by the UNAM researchers obtained errors of approximately 10 %. This allowed us to use the model as a framework to test hypothetical treatments. The numerical simulations suggest that by using more doses of DCs and changing the infusion time, the tumor growth decays compared with the current immunotherapy. In addition, a local sensitivity analysis is performed; the results show that the delay in time “τ ”, the maximal growth rate of tumor “r” and the maximal efficiency of tumor cytotoxic cells rate “aT” are the most sensitive model parameters. Conclusion: By using this mathematical model it is possible to simulate the growth of the tumor cells with or without immunotherapy using the infusion protocol of the UNAM researchers, to obtain a good approximation of the biological trials data. It is worth mentioning that by manipulating the different parameters of the model the effectiveness of the immunotherapy may increase. This last suggests that different protocols could be implemented by the Immunotherapy Laboratory of UNAM in order to improve their results

Virulence properties and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting of Candida albicans isolates obtained from Monastir dental hospital, Tunisia

Genotypic and phenotypic characterization as well as studies on the virulence factors of Candida albicans isolates obtained from oral cavity of patients was carried out using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting and epithelial cells adherence assay, respectively. RAPD patterns revealed the presence of 13 C. albicans genotypes separated into two clusters at 75% ofsimilarity when they were combined. Results also showed the presence of haemolytic protease activity as virulence factors with 88% of the C. albicans strains been able to adhere to Caco-2 cells and only 64% to Hep-2. RAPD-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a molecular tool used to differentiate the isolates into various genotypes based on their virulence properties.Key words: Candida albicans, stomatitis, random amplified polymorphic DNA, Hep-2, Caco-2 cells

Physical capacity in youth football players of a profesional club

Las características físicas del fútbol son muy diversas, aunque se reconocen como muy importantes la capacidad de realizar esfuerzos de alta intensidad y la de retrasar la fatiga en la mayor medida posible en esfuerzos intermitentes. Son diversos los trabajos que analizan dichas características en el fútbol profesional, aunque son menores los que analizan las categorías de formación. En el presente estudio se analiza la evolución por categorías de pruebas de salto, velocidad, agilidad y resistencia aeróbica específica, en jugadores de fútbol jóvenes de la cantera de un club profesional de la liga española. Se produjo un incremento de las marcas con la edad, aunque no se observaron diferencias significativas en grupos de edad cercanos, produciéndose una meseta en el rendimiento en la fuerza explosiva y velocidad de aceleración a partir de los 17 años y en la velocidad de desplazamiento y agilidad a los 15 añosPhysical characteristics of football are very different, but are recognized as very important the ability to perform high-intensity efforts and to delay fatigue as much as possible in intermittent efforts. There are several studies that analyze these characteristics in professional football but are less those who analyze the categories of training. In the present study analyzes the evolution of categories of jumping, speed, agility and specific endurance in young soccer players from a professional club of the Spanish league. There was an increase of the marks with age, although no significant differences in age groups encircle. Producing a plateau in performance in explosive strength and acceleration speed from 17 years and in speed and agility at age of 1

Summer drought and spring frost, but not their interaction, constrain European beech and Silver fir growth in their southern distribution limits

Climate warming has lengthened the growing season by advancing leaf unfolding in many temperate tree species. However, an earlier leaf unfolding increases also the risk of frost damage in spring which may reduce tree radial growth. In equatorward populations of temperate tree species, both late frosts and summer droughts impose two constraints to tree growth, but their effects on growth are understudied. We used a tree-ring network of 71 forests to evaluate the potential influence of late frosts and summer droughts on growth in two tree species that reach their southern distribution limits in north-eastern Spain: the deciduous European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and the evergreen Silver fir (Abies alba Mill). The occurrence of late frost events and summer drought was quantified by using a high-resolution daily temperature and precipitation dataset considering the period 1950 2012. Late frosts were defined as days with average temperature below 0 °C in the site-specific frost-free period, whereas drought was quantified using the 18 month-long August Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). The growth of European beech and Silver fir was reduced by the occurrence of both late frost events and summer drought. However, we did not find a significant interaction on growth of these two climate extremes. Beech was more negatively impacted by late frosts, whereas Silver fir was more impacted by summer drought. Further studies could use remote-sensing information or in situ phenological records to refine our frost index and better elucidate how late frosts affect growth, whether they interact with drought to constrain growth, and how resilience mechanisms related to post-frost refoliation operate in beech. © 2019 Elsevier B.V

Monitoring of the arterial pressure in effort. dominant, not dominant arm or both?

Objetivo: evaluar la diferencia de los valores de Presión arterial (PA) entre ambos brazos, medida simultáneamente, durante una prueba de esfuerzo. Diseño del estudio: estudio transversal. Series de casos. Nivel de evidencia: 3 Material y Métodos: La población se compone de 225 deportistas sanos que realizaron una prueba de esfuerzo en nuestro centro. 128 hombres y 97 mujeres. Edad: 17± 5,5 años. Resultados: La PA tanto sistólica como diastólica no difiere significativamente entre ambos miembros superiores. No obstante, hemos encontrado casos de variabilidad individual donde la PA predomina en un brazo durante el reposo y en el otro brazo durante el máximo esfuerzo. Los valores de TA son independientes del brazo dominante. Conclusiones: La posibilidad que el brazo donde predomina la PA de Reposo no coincida durante el máximo esfuerzo, hace necesario, en nuestra opinión, que se mida la PA en ambos miembros superiores durante la prueba de esfuerzoObjective: To evaluate different blood pressure readings between both arms. Study design: cross-sectional study. Case series. Level of evidence: 3. Methods: a population of 225 healthy athletes underwent stress tests in our center: 128 males and 97 females. Age range: 17 +/- 5.5 years. Results: no significant differences in systolic or diastolic blood pressure readings were found between the right or left arm. We did, however, find cases where blood pressure is higher in one arm while resting and in the other arm during maximal exercise. Blood pressure readings were not associated with the dominant arm. Conclusions: The possibility that the arm in which there is a predominant rest blood pressure does not coincide during maximum stress, makes it necessary, according to our judgment, to measure blood pressure in both upper limbs during stress test

Long-time discrete particle effects versus kinetic theory in the self-consistent single-wave model

The influence of the finite number N of particles coupled to a monochromatic wave in a collisionless plasma is investigated. For growth as well as damping of the wave, discrete particle numerical simulations show an N-dependent long time behavior resulting from the dynamics of individual particles. This behavior differs from the one due to the numerical errors incurred by Vlasov approaches. Trapping oscillations are crucial to long time dynamics, as the wave oscillations are controlled by the particle distribution inhomogeneities and the pulsating separatrix crossings drive the relaxation towards thermal equilibrium.Comment: 11 pages incl. 13 figs. Phys. Rev. E, in pres