Electric-Field Gradient at Cd Impurities in In2o3. A FLAPW Study

We report an ab initio study of the electric-field gradient tensor (EFG) at Cd impurities located at both inequivalent cationic sites in the semiconductor In2O3. Calculations were performed with the FLAPW method, that allows us to treat the electronic structure of the doped system and the atomic relaxations introduced by the impurities in the host lattice in a fully self-consistent way. From our results for the EFG (in excellent agreement with the experiments), it is clear that the problem of the EFG at impurities in In2O3 cannot be described by the point-charge model and antishielding factors.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, and 2 table

XAS study of the local environment of impurities in doped TiO2 thin films

In this work we present an X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy characterization of the local environment of the impurity in room temperature ferromagnetic anatase TiO2 thin films doped with Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn, deposited on LaAlO3 substrate by Pulsed Laser Deposition. It was found that there is a considerable amount of impurity atoms substituting Ti in TiO2 anatase, although the presence of metal transition monoxide clusters can not be discarded. From our results we infer that the observed room temperature ferromagnetism of the samples could be assigned to the metal transition atoms replacing Ti in TiO2 anatase.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, Physica B (in press

Transient jets in the symbiotic prototype Z Andromedae

We present development of the collimated bipolar jets from the symbiotic prototype Z And that appeared and disappeared during its 2006 outburst. In 2006 July Z And reached its historical maximum at U ~ 8.0. During this period, rapid photometric variations with Dm ~ 0.06 mag on the timescale of hours developed. Simultaneously, high-velocity satellite components appeared on both sides of the H-alpha and H-beta emission line profiles. They were launched asymmetrically with the red/blue velocity ratio of 1.2 - 1.3. From about mid-August they became symmetric. Their spectral properties indicated ejection of bipolar jets collimated within an average opening angle of 6.1 degrees. We estimated average outflow rate via jets to dM(jet)/dt ~ 2xE10-6(R(jet)/1AU)**(1/2) M(Sun)/year, during their August - September maximum, which corresponds to the emitting mass in jets, M(jet, emitting) ~ 6xE-10(Rjet)/1AU)^{3/2} M(Sun). During their lifetime, the jets released the total mass of M(jet, total) approx 7.4x1E-7 M(Sun). Evolution in the rapid photometric variability and asymmetric ejection of jets around the optical maximum can be explained by a disruption of the inner parts of the disk caused by radiation-induced warping of the disk.Comment: 31 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables, accepted for Ap

Spectral Analysis of Forecast Error Investigated with an Observing System Simulation Experiment

The spectra of analysis and forecast error are examined using the observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) framework developed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (NASAGMAO). A global numerical weather prediction model, the Global Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) with Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) data assimilation, is cycled for two months with once-daily forecasts to 336 hours to generate a control case. Verification of forecast errors using the Nature Run as truth is compared with verification of forecast errors using self-analysis; significant underestimation of forecast errors is seen using self-analysis verification for up to 48 hours. Likewise, self analysis verification significantly overestimates the error growth rates of the early forecast, as well as mischaracterizing the spatial scales at which the strongest growth occurs. The Nature Run-verified error variances exhibit a complicated progression of growth, particularly for low wave number errors. In a second experiment, cycling of the model and data assimilation over the same period is repeated, but using synthetic observations with different explicitly added observation errors having the same error variances as the control experiment, thus creating a different realization of the control. The forecast errors of the two experiments become more correlated during the early forecast period, with correlations increasing for up to 72 hours before beginning to decrease

Chemical characterization and economic evaluation of the coal fly ash pre-washing and carbonation process

In the present laboratory-scale study, the combination of washing and carbonation processes was examined to evaluate the feasibility to reduce the environmental impact of coal power plants. Three different washing solutions (tap, distilled and sea water) were used to pre-treat coal fly ash and the corresponding effect on direct gas-solid carbonation and final metal leaching was evaluated. Finally, a preliminary economic evaluation of the process was performed. In terms of captured CO2, the results have shown that significant amounts can be captured, although, as expected, the leaching of soluble salts in water such as Ca and Mg reduce the CO2 uptake. In terms of heavy metal's leaching, the application of pre-washing and carbonation treatment significantly affected the metal immobilization on the final residue. The pre-washing with sea water allowed to reach a sensible improvement since only selenium, chlorides and sulphates resulted outside the range for disposing of the carbonated residue in landfill for non-hazardous waste

Biological and Molecular Factors Predicting Response to Adoptive Cell Therapies in Cancer

GF is recipient of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action individual fellowship (H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 - 896403). We thank CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya for institutional support. Work at ME laboratory is supported by the Health Department PERIS-project no. SLT/002/16/00374 and AGAUR-project no. 2017SGR1080 of the Catalan Government (Generalitat de Catalunya); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCI), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) project no. RTI2018-094049-B-I00; the Cellex Foundation; and "la Caixa" Banking Foundation (LCF/PR/GN18/51140001).Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) constitutes a major breakthrough in cancer management that has expanded in the past years due to impressive results showing durable and even curative responses for some patients with hematological malignancies. ACT leverages antigen specificity and cytotoxic mechanisms of the immune system, particularly relying on the patient's T lymphocytes to target and eliminate malignant cells. This personalized therapeutic approach exemplifies the success of the joint effort of basic, translational, and clinical researchers that has turned the patient's immune system into a great ally in the search for a cancer cure. ACTs are constantly improving to reach a maximum beneficial clinical response. Despite being very promising therapeutic options for certain types of cancers, mainly melanoma and hematological malignancies, these individualized treatments still present several shortcomings, including elevated costs, technical challenges, management of adverse side effects, and a limited population of responder patients. Thus, it is crucial to discover and develop reliable and robust biomarkers to specifically and sensitively pinpoint the patients that will benefit the most from ACT as well as those at higher risk of developing potentially serious toxicities. Although unique readouts of infused cell therapy success have not yet been identified, certain characteristics from the adoptive cells, the tumor, and/or the tumor microenvironment have been recognized to predict patients' outcome on ACT. Here, we comment on the importance of biomarkers to predict ACT chances of success to maximize efficacy of treatments and increase patients' survival

Some General and Fundamental Requirements for Designing Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs)

There is an increasing demand to provide OSSE support when seeking funding for new atmospheric observing instruments. Various individuals and groups are running or developing OSSEs with little experience in OSSEs in particular or DA in general. In this presentation we will describe some key issues that are often neglected and some of the poor practices to be avoided. These include issues regarding NR and OSSE validation, consideration of instrument, observation operator, and forecast model error, relationships between observations and synoptic conditions, and conflicts of interest

The Role of Model and Initial Condition Error in Numerical Weather Forecasting Investigated with an Observing System Simulation Experiment

A series of experiments that explore the roles of model and initial condition error in numerical weather prediction are performed using an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) framework developed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (NASA/GMAO). The use of an OSSE allows the analysis and forecast errors to be explicitly calculated, and different hypothetical observing networks can be tested with ease. In these experiments, both a full global OSSE framework and an 'identical twin' OSSE setup are utilized to compare the behavior of the data assimilation system and evolution of forecast skill with and without model error. The initial condition error is manipulated by varying the distribution and quality of the observing network and the magnitude of observation errors. The results show that model error has a strong impact on both the quality of the analysis field and the evolution of forecast skill, including both systematic and unsystematic model error components. With a realistic observing network, the analysis state retains a significant quantity of error due to systematic model error. If errors of the analysis state are minimized, model error acts to rapidly degrade forecast skill during the first 24-48 hours of forward integration. In the presence of model error, the impact of observation errors on forecast skill is small, but in the absence of model error, observation errors cause a substantial degradation of the skill of medium range forecasts

Some General and Fundamental Requirements for Designing Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs)

The intent of this white paper is to inform WMO projects and working groups, together with the broader weather research and general meteorology and oceanography communities, regarding the use of Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs). This paper is not intended to be either a critical or cursory review of past OSSE efforts. Instead, it describes some fundamental, but often neglected, aspects of OSSEs and prescribes important caveats regarding their design, validation, and application. Well designed, properly validated, and carefully conducted OSSEs can be invaluable for examining, understanding, and estimating impacts of proposed observing systems and new data assimilation techniques. Although significant imperfections and limitations should be expected, OSSEs either profoundly complement or uniquely provide both qualitative and quantitative characterizations of potential analysis of components of the earth system