352 research outputs found
Graffiti, greenery, and obesity in adults: secondary analysis of European cross sectional survey
Obesity levels are high and increasing worldwide. Being overweight is linked with increased death rates and contributes to a wide range of conditions, including ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, certain cancers, and diseases of the gall bladder.1 The principal cause of obesity is an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. And there is growing recognition that, independently of individual characteristics, place of residence may be associated with health outcomes, including body size2 and health related behaviours, such as level of physical exercise.3
Few studies have explored which features of the local neighbourhood might be related to these outcomes or behaviours, although perceived attractiveness has been found to be related to levels of physical activity.4 Levels of incivilities, such as litter and graffiti, are associated with poorer health outcomes such as general wellbeing but not, to our knowledge, with levels of physical activity. Few studies use objectively measured indicators of the residential environment or similar research instruments across different settings. Based on our previous work, we hypothesised that areas which are pleasant with lots of greenery and few incivilities might encourage people to take exercise and thereby influence levels of obesity
A brown dwarf companion to the intermediate-mass star HR6037
In the course of an imaging survey we have detected a visual companion to the
intermediate-mass star HR 6037. In this letter, we present two epoch
observations of the binary with NACO/VLT, and near-IR spectroscopy of the
secondary with ISAAC/VLT. The NACO observations allow us to confirm HR 6037B as
a co-moving companion. Its J and H band ISAAC spectra suggest the object has an
spectral type of M9+-1, with a surface gravity intermediate between that of 10
Myr dwarfs and field dwarfs with identical spectral type. The comparison of its
Ks-band photometry with evolutionary tracks allows us to derive a mass,
effective temperature, and surface gravity of 62+-20 MJup, Teff = 2330+-200 K,
and log g = 5.1+-0.2, respectively. The small mass ratio of the binary, -0.03,
and its long orbital period, -5000 yr, makes HR 6037 a rare and uncommon binary
system.Comment: (5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letters
Keeping it credible in cohort multiple Randomised Controlled Trials: the Community Ageing Research 75+ (CARE 75+) study model of patient and public involvement and engagement
Background There is increasing guidance on how to make the most of the rich seam of data provided by large cohort studies, and growing recognition of the benefits of cohort multiple Randomised Controlled Trials (cmRCT) in health research. In contrast, there is a lack of discussion about patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) in these large and complex research infrastructures. Methods Our aim was to create a structure to enable meaningful, sustainable public involvement within the cmRCT framework. We have established a core reference group of four key individuals with extensive links to other relevant local community structures and individuals. Results Using the CARE 75+ model we have engaged with a wide variety of patients and the public in a relatively short space of time. Activities have included scrutiny of protocols and assessment tools, and process evaluations; resulting in system efficiencies, increased recruitment and a more focused research agenda. Conclusions There is a need for strong public oversight and flexible models of PPIE in cmRCTs. The model of PPIE developed in the Community Ageing Research 75+ study presents one potential way to foster expertise and enable diversity
Building an international network for a primary care research program: reflections on challenges and solutions in the set-up and delivery of a prospective observational study of acute cough in 13 European countries
BACKGROUND: Implementing a primary care clinical research study in several countries can make it possible to recruit sufficient patients in a short period of time that allows important clinical questions to be answered. Large multi-country studies in primary care are unusual and are typically associated with challenges requiring innovative solutions. We conducted a multi-country study and through this paper, we share reflections on the challenges we faced and some of the solutions we developed with a special focus on the study set up, structure and development of Primary Care Networks (PCNs).METHOD: GRACE-01 was a multi-European country, investigator-driven prospective observational study implemented by 14 Primary Care Networks (PCNs) within 13 European Countries. General Practitioners (GPs) recruited consecutive patients with an acute cough. GPs completed a case report form (CRF) and the patient completed a daily symptom diary. After study completion, the coordinating team discussed the phases of the study and identified challenges and solutions that they considered might be interesting and helpful to researchers setting up a comparable study.RESULTS: The main challenges fell within three domains as follows:i) selecting, setting up and maintaining PCNs;ii) designing local context-appropriate data collection tools and efficient data management systems; andiii) gaining commitment and trust from all involved and maintaining enthusiasm.The main solutions for each domain were:i) appointing key individuals (National Network Facilitator and Coordinator) with clearly defined tasks, involving PCNs early in the development of study materials and procedures.ii) rigorous back translations of all study materials and the use of information systems to closely monitor each PCNs progress;iii) providing strong central leadership with high level commitment to the value of the study, frequent multi-method communication, establishing a coherent ethos, celebrating achievements, incorporating social events and prizes within meetings, and providing a framework for exploitation of local data.CONCLUSIONS: Many challenges associated with multi-country primary care research can be overcome by engendering strong, effective communication, commitment and involvement of all local researchers. The practical solutions identified and the lessons learned in implementing the GRACE-01 study may assist in establishing other international primary care clinical research platforms
Building damage survey and microtremor measurements for the source region of the 2015 Gorkha, Nepal, earthquake
A short-period super-Earth orbiting the M2.5 dwarf GJ3634. Detection with Harps velocimetry and transit search with Spitzer photometry
We report on the detection of GJ3634b, a super-Earth of mass m sin i = 7.0
+/-0.9 Mearth and period P = 2.64561 +/- 0.00066 day. Its host star is a M2.5
dwarf, has a mass of 0.45+/-0.05 Msun, a radius of 0.43+/-0.03 Rsun and lies
19.8+/-0.6 pc away from our Sun. The planet is detected after a radial-velocity
campaign using the ESO/Harps spectrograph. GJ3634b had an a priori geometric
probability to undergo transit of ~7% and, if telluric in composition, a
non-grazing transit would produce a photometric dip of <~0.1%. We therefore
followed-up upon the RV detection with photometric observations using the
4.5-micron band of the IRAC imager onboard Spitzer. Our six-hour long light
curve excludes that a transit occurs for 2 sigma of the probable transit
window, decreasing the probability that GJ3634b undergoes transit to ~0.5%.Comment: A&A, accepted. Radial-velocity and photometric tables are available
in electronic form at the CD
First direct detection of an exoplanet by optical interferometry; Astrometry and K-band spectroscopy of HR8799 e
To date, infrared interferometry at best achieved contrast ratios of a few
times on bright targets. GRAVITY, with its dual-field mode, is now
capable of high contrast observations, enabling the direct observation of
exoplanets. We demonstrate the technique on HR8799, a young planetary system
composed of four known giant exoplanets. We used the GRAVITY fringe tracker to
lock the fringes on the central star, and integrated off-axis on the HR8799e
planet situated at 390 mas from the star. Data reduction included
post-processing to remove the flux leaking from the central star and to extract
the coherent flux of the planet. The inferred K band spectrum of the planet has
a spectral resolution of 500. We also derive the astrometric position of the
planet relative to the star with a precision on the order of 100as. The
GRAVITY astrometric measurement disfavors perfectly coplanar stable orbital
solutions. A small adjustment of a few degrees to the orbital inclination of HR
8799 e can resolve the tension, implying that the orbits are close to, but not
strictly coplanar. The spectrum, with a signal-to-noise ratio of
per spectral channel, is compatible with a late-type L brown dwarf. Using
Exo-REM synthetic spectra, we derive a temperature of \,K and a
surface gravity of cm/s. This corresponds to a radius
of and a mass of , which is an independent confirmation of mass estimates from evolutionary
models. Our results demonstrate the power of interferometry for the direct
detection and spectroscopic study of exoplanets at close angular separations
from their stars.Comment: published in A&
Apoptotic Effects of Antilymphocyte Globulins on Human Pro-inflammatory CD4+CD28− T-cells
BACKGROUND: Pro-inflammatory, cytotoxic CD4(+)CD28(-) T-cells with known defects in apoptosis have been investigated as markers of premature immuno-senescence in various immune-mediated diseases. In this study we evaluated the influence of polyclonal antilymphocyte globulins (ATG-Fresenius, ATG-F) on CD4(+)CD28(-) T-cells in vivo and in vitro. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Surface and intracellular three colour fluorescence activated cell sorting analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 16 consecutive transplant recipients and short-term cell lines were performed. In vivo, peripheral levels of CD3(+)CD4(+)CD28(-) T-cells decreased from 3.7 ± 7.1% before to 0 ± 0% six hours after ATG-F application (P = 0.043) in 5 ATG-F treated but not in 11 control patients (2.9 ± 2.9% vs. 3.9 ± 3.0%). In vitro, ATG-F induced apoptosis even in CD4(+)CD28(-) T-cells, which was 4.3-times higher than in CD4(+)CD28(+) T-cells. ATG-F evoked apoptosis was partially reversed by the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz)-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe)-fluoromethylketone (zVAD-fmk) and prednisolon-21-hydrogensuccinate. ATG-F triggered CD25 expression and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and induced down-regulation of the type 1 chemokine receptors CXCR-3, CCR-5, CX3CR-1 and the central memory adhesion molecule CD62L predominately in CD4(+)CD28(-) T-cells. CONCLUSION: In summary, in vivo depletion of peripheral CD3(+)CD4(+)CD28(-) T-cells by ATG-F in transplant recipients was paralleled in vitro by ATG-F induced apoptosis. CD25 expression and chemokine receptor down-regulation in CD4(+)CD28(-) T-cells only partly explain the underlying mechanism
Limits to dark matter annihilation cross-section from a combined analysis of MAGIC and Fermi-LAT observations of dwarf satellite galaxies
We present the first joint analysis of gamma-ray data from the MAGIC
Cherenkov telescopes and the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) to search for
gamma-ray signals from dark matter annihilation in dwarf satellite galaxies. We
combine 158 hours of Segue 1 observations with MAGIC with 6-year observations
of 15 dwarf satellite galaxies by the Fermi-LAT. We obtain limits on the
annihilation cross-section for dark matter particle masses between 10 GeV and
100 TeV - the widest mass range ever explored by a single gamma-ray analysis.
These limits improve on previously published Fermi-LAT and MAGIC results by up
to a factor of two at certain masses. Our new inclusive analysis approach is
completely generic and can be used to perform a global, sensitivity-optimized
dark matter search by combining data from present and future gamma-ray and
neutrino detectors.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures. V2: Few typos corrected and references added.
Matches published version JCAP 02 (2016) 03
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