Nearby supernova host galaxies from the CALIFA survey: II. Supernova environmental metallicity

The metallicity of a supernova progenitor, together with its mass, is one of the main parameters that can rule the progenitor's fate. We present the second study of nearby supernova (SN) host galaxies (0.005 10 dex) by targeted searches. We neither found evidence that the metallicity at the SN location differs from the average metallicity at the galactocentric distance of the SNe. By extending our SN sample with published metallicities at the SN location, we are able to study the metallicity distributions for all SN subtypes split into SN discovered in targeted and untargeted searches. We confirm a bias toward higher host masses and metallicities in the targeted searches. By combining data from targeted and untargeted searches, we found a sequence from higher to lower local metallicity: SN Ia, Ic, and II show the highest metallicity, which is significantly higher than those of SN Ib, IIb, and Ic-BL. Our results support the scenario according to which SN Ib result from binary progenitors. Additionally, at least part of the SN Ic are the result of single massive stars that were stripped of their outer layers by metallicity-driven winds. We studied several proxies of the local metallicity that are frequently used in the literature and found that the total host metallicity allows estimating the metallicity at the SN location with an accuracy better than 0.08 dex and very small bias. In addition, weak AGNs that cannot be seen in the total spectrum may weakly bias (by 0.04 dex) the metallicity estimate that is derived from the galaxy-integrated spectrum. © ESO, 2016.This work was partly funded by FCT with the research grant PTDC/CTE-AST/112582/2009. Support for L.G. is partially provided by FCT, by CONICYT through FONDECYT grant 3140566, and from the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism's Millennium Science Initiative through grant IC12009, awarded to The Millennium Institute of Astrophysics (MAS). V.S. acknowledges financial support from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) under program Ciencia 2008. C.J.W. acknowledges support through the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant 303912.Peer Reviewe

Characterization and functional analysis of the proteins Prohibitin 1 and 2 in Trypanosoma cruzi

Background Chagas disease is the third most important neglected tropical disease. There is no vaccine available, and only two drugs are generally prescribed for the treatment, both of which with a wide range of side effects. Our study of T. cruzi PHBs revealed a pleiotropic function in different stages of the parasite, participating actively in the transformation of the non-infective replicative epimastigote form into metacyclic trypomastigotes and also in the multiplication of intracellular amastigotes. Methodology/principal findings To obtain and confirm our results, we applied several tools and techniques such as electron microscopy, immuno-electron microscopy, bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology. We transfected T. cruzi clones with the PHB genes, in order to overexpress the proteins and performed a CRISPR/Cas9 disruption to obtain partially silenced PHB1 parasites or completely silenced PHB2 parasites. The function of these proteins was also studied in the biology of the parasite, specifically in the transformation rate from non-infective forms to the metacyclic infective forms, and in their capacity of intracellular multiplication. Conclusion/significance This research expands our understanding of the functions of PHBs in the life cycle of the parasite. It also highlights the protective role of prohibitins against ROS and reveals that the absence of PHB2 has a lethal effect on the parasite, a fact that could support the consideration of this protein as a possible target for therapeutic action

Optical and mid-infrared neon abundance determinations in star-forming regions

We have used observational spectroscopic data of star-forming regions compiled from the literature and photoionization models to analyse the neon ionic abundances obtained using both optical and mid-infrared emission lines. Comparing Ne++/H+ ionic abundances from distinct methods, we have found that, on average, the abundances obtained via infrared emission lines are higher than those obtained via optical lines, by a factor of 4. Photoionization models with abundance variations along the radius of the hypothetical nebula provide a possible explanation for a large part of the difference between ionic abundances via optical and infrared emission lines. The ionization correction factor (ICF) for the neon is obtained from direct determinations of ionic fractions using infrared emission lines. We derive a constant Ne/O ratio (log Ne/O ≈ -0.70) for a large range of metallicities, independently of the ICF used to compute the neon total abundance.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

CALIFA, the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area survey: III. Second public data release

García-Benito, R. et. al.© ESO, 2015. This paper describes the Second Public Data Release (DR2) of the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) survey. The data for 200 objects are made public, including the 100 galaxies of the First Public Data Release (DR1). Data were obtained with the integral-field spectrograph PMAS/PPak mounted on the 3.5 m telescope at the Calar Alto observatory. Two different spectral setups are available for each galaxy, (i) a low-resolution V500 setup covering the wavelength range 3745-7500 Å with a spectral resolution of 6.0 Å (FWHM); and (ii) a medium-resolution V1200 setup covering the wavelength range 3650-4840 Å with a spectral resolution of 2.3 Å (FWHM). The sample covers a redshift range between 0.005 and 0.03, with a wide range of properties in the color-magnitude diagram, stellar mass, ionization conditions, and morphological types. All the cubes in the data release were reduced with the latest pipeline, which includes improvedspectrophotometric calibration, spatial registration, and spatial resolution. The spectrophotometric calibration is better than 6% and the median spatial resolution is 2.4. In total, the second data release contains over 1.5 million spectra.R.G.B., R.G.D., and E.P. are supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion under grant AYA2010-15081. S.Z. is supported by the EU Marie Curie Integration Grant >SteMaGE> Nr. PCIG12-GA-2012-326466 (Call Identifier: FP7-PEOPLE-2012 CIG). J.F.B. acknowledges support from grants AYA2010-21322-C03-02 and AIB-2010-DE-00227 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), as well as from the FP7 Marie Curie Actions of the European Commission, via the Initial Training Network DAGAL under REA grant agreement number 289313. Support for L.G. is provided by the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism's Millennium Science Initiative through grant IC12009, awarded to The Millennium Institute of Astrophysics, M.A.S.L.G. also acknowledges support by CONICYT through FONDECYT grant 3140566. A.G. acknowledges support from the FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement n. 267251 (AstroFIt). J.M.G. acknowledges support from the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) through the Fellowship SFRH/BPD/66958/2009 from FCT (Portugal) and research grant PTDC/FIS-AST/3214/2012. RAM was funded by the Spanish programme of International Campus of Excellence Moncloa (CEI). J.M.A. acknowledges support from the European Research Council Starting Grant (SEDmorph; P.I. V. Wild). I.M., J.M. and A.d.O. acknowledge the support by the projects AYA2010-15196 from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion and TIC 114 and PO08-TIC-3531 from Junta de Andalucia. AMI acknowledges support from Agence Nationale de la Recherche through the STILISM project (ANR-12-BS05-0016-02). M.M. acknowledges financial support from AYA2010-21887-C04-02 from the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad. P.P. is supported by an FCT Investigador 2013 Contract, funded by FCT/MCTES (Portugal) and POPH/FSE (EC). P.P. acknowledges support by FCT under project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-029170 (Reference FCT PTDC/FIS-AST/3214/2012), funded by FCT-MEC (PIDDAC) and FEDER (COMPETE). T.R.L. thanks the support of the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte by means of the FPU fellowship. PSB acknowledges support from the Ramon y Cajal program, grant ATA2010-21322-C03-02 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). C.J.W. acknowledges support through the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant 303912. V.W. acknowledges support from the European Research Council Starting Grant (SEDMorph P.I. V. Wild) and European Career Re-integration Grant (Phiz-Ev P.I.V. Wild). Y.A. acknowledges financial support from the Ramon y Cajal programme (RyC-2011-09461) and project AYA2013-47742-C4-3-P, both managed by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, as well as the >Study of Emission-Line Galaxies with Integral-Field Spectroscopy> (SELGIFS) programme, funded by the EU (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IRSES-612701) within the Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions schemePeer Reviewe

Multifocus HDR VIS/NIR hyperspectral imaging and its application to works of art

The authors would like to thank Mr. Francisco Fernández Fábregas, owner of the Transfiguration of Christ for allowing us the privilege of studying this painting. We also acknowledge the collaboration of Angela Tate.This paper presents a complete framework for capturing and processing hyperspectral reflectance images of artworks in situ, using a hyperspectral line scanner. These capturing systems are commonly used in laboratory conditions synchronized with scanning stages specifically designed for planar surfaces. However, when the intended application domain does not allow for image capture in these controlled conditions, achieving useful spectral reflectance image data can be a very challenging task (due to uncontrolled illumination, high-dynamic range (HDR) conditions in the scene, and the influence of chromatic aberration on the image quality, among other factors). We show, for the first time, all the necessary steps in the image capturing and post-processing in order to obtain high-quality HDR-based reflectance in the visible and near infrared, directly from the data captured by using a hyperspectral line scanner coupled to a rotating tripod. Our results show that the proposed method outperforms the normal capturing process in terms of dynamic range, color and spectral accuracy. To demonstrate the potential interest of this processing strategy for on-site analysis of artworks, we applied it to the study of a vintage copy of the famous painting “Transfiguration” by Raphael, as well as a facsimile of “The Golden Haggadah” from the British Library of London. The second piece has been studied for the identification of highly reflective gold-foil covered areas.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, DPI2015-64571-R, ECQM2018-004952-

Optical and mid-infrared neon abundance determinations in star-forming regions

We have used observational spectroscopic data of star-forming regions compiled from the literature and photoionization models to analyse the neon ionic abundances obtained using both optical and mid-infrared emission lines. Comparing Ne++/H+ ionic abundances from distinct methods, we have found that, on average, the abundances obtained via infrared emission lines are higher than those obtained via optical lines, by a factor of 4. Photoionization models with abundance variations along the radius of the hypothetical nebula provide a possible explanation for a large part of the difference between ionic abundances via optical and infrared emission lines. The ionization correction factor (ICF) for the neon is obtained from direct determinations of ionic fractions using infrared emission lines. We derive a constant Ne/O ratio (log Ne/O ≈ -0.70) for a large range of metallicities, independently of the ICF used to compute the neon total abundance.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia del grupo andaluz para la reflexión e investigación en nutrición (Garin) para el manejo del paciente con síndrome de intestino corto

In order to develop evidence-based recommendations and expert consensus for the nutritional management of patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS), we conducted a systematic literature search using the PRISMA methodology plus a critical appraisal following the GRADE scale procedures. Pharmacological treatment with antisecretory drugs, antidiarrheal drugs, and somatostatin contributes to reducing intestinal losses. Nutritional support is based on parenteral nutrition; however, oral intake and/or enteral nutrition should be introduced as soon as possible. In the chronic phase, the diet should have as few restrictions as possible, and be adapted to the SBS type. Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) should be individualized. Single-lumen catheters are recommended and taurolidine should be used for locking the catheter. The HPN’s lipid content must be greater than 1 g/kg per week but not exceed 1 g/kg per day, and omega-6 fatty acids (ω6 FAs) should be reduced. Trace element vials with low doses of manganese should be used. Patients with chronic SBS who require long-term HPN/fluid therapy despite optimized treatment should be considered for teduglutide treatment. All patients require a multidisciplinary approach and specialized follow-up. These recommendations and suggestions regarding nutritional management in SBS patients have direct clinical applicability

The Falling Incidence of Hematologic Cancer After Heart Transplantation

[Abstract] Background. A number of changes in the management of heart transplantation (HT) patients have each tended to reduce the risk of post-HT hematologic cancer, but little information is available concerning the overall effect on incidence in the HT population. Methods. Comparison of data from the Spanish Post-Heart-Transplantation Tumour Registry for the periods 1991–2000 and 2001–2010. Results. The incidence among patients who underwent HT in the latter period was about half that observed in the former, with a particularly marked improvement in regard to incidence more than five yr post-HT. Conclusions. Changes in HT patient management have jointly reduced the risk of hematologic cancer in the Spanish HT population. Long-term risk appears to have benefited more than short-term risk

The dependence of oxygen and nitrogen abundances on stellar mass from the CALIFA survey

Context. The study of the integrated properties of star-forming galaxies is central to understand their formation and evolution. Some of these properties are extensive and therefore their analysis require totally covering and spatially resolved observations. Among these properties, metallicity can be defined in spiral discs by means of integral field spectroscopy (IFS) of individual H ii regions. The simultaneous analysis of the abundances of primary elements, as oxygen, and secondary, as nitrogen, also provides clues about the star formation history and the processes that shape the build-up of spiral discs. Aims. Our main aim is to analyse simultaneously O/H and N/O abundance ratios in H ii regions in different radial positions of the discs in a large sample of spiral galaxies to obtain the slopes and the characteristic abundance ratios that can be related to their integrated properties. Methods. We analysed the optical spectra of individual selected H ii regions extracted from a sample of 350 spiral galaxies of the CALIFA survey. We calculated total O/H abundances and, for the first time, N/O ratios using the semi-empirical routine Hii-Chi-mistry, which, according to Pérez-Montero (2014, MNRAS, 441, 2663), is consistent with the direct method and reduces the uncertainty in the O/H derivation using [N ii] lines owing to the dispersion in the O/H-N/O relation. Then we performed linear fittings to the abundances as a function of the de-projected galactocentric distances. Results. The analysis of the radial distribution both for O/H and N/O in the non-interacting galaxies reveals that both average slopes are negative, but a non-negligible fraction of objects have a flat or even a positive gradient (at least 10% for O/H and 4% for N/O). The slopes normalised to the effective radius appear to have a slight dependence on the total stellar mass and the morphological type, as late low-mass objects tend to have flatter slopes. No clear relation is found, however, to explain the presence of inverted gradients in this sample, and there is no dependence between the average slopes and the presence of a bar. The relation between the resulting O/H and N/O linear fittings at the effective radius is much tighter (correlation coefficient ρ = 0.80) than between O/H and N/O slopes (ρ = 0.39) or for O/H and N/O in the individual H ii regions (ρ = 0.37). These O/H and N/O values at the effective radius also correlate very tightly (less than 0.03 dex of dispersion) with total luminosity and stellar mass. The relation with other integrated properties, such as star formation rate, colour, or morphology, can be understood only in light of the found relation with mass.E.P.M., J.M.V., C.K., S.P., and J.I.P. acknowledge support from the Spanish MICINN through grants AYA2010-21887-C04-01 and AYA2013-47742-C4-1-P and the Junta de Andalucia for grant EXC/2011 FQM-7058. R.G.B., R.G.D., and E.P. acknowledge support from grants AYA2014-57490-P and JA-FQM-2828. Support for L.G. is provided by the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism's Millennium Science Initiative through grant IC120009, awarded to The Millennium Institute of Astrophysics, MAS. L.G. acknowledges support by CONICYT through FONDECYT grant 3140566Peer Reviewe