The effects of surface fossil magnetic fields on massive star evolution: II. Implementation of magnetic braking in MESA and implications for the evolution of surface rotation in OB stars

The time evolution of angular momentum and surface rotation of massive stars is strongly influenced by fossil magnetic fields via magnetic braking. We present a new module containing a simple, comprehensive implementation of such a field at the surface of a massive star within the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) software instrument. We test two limiting scenarios for magnetic braking: distributing the angular momentum loss throughout the star in the first case, and restricting the angular momentum loss to a surface reservoir in the second case. We perform a systematic investigation of the rotational evolution using a grid of OB star models with surface magnetic fields ($M_\star=5-60$ M$_\odot$, $\Omega/\Omega_{\rm crit} =0.2-1.0$, $B_{\rm p} =1-20$ kG). We then employ a representative grid of B-type star models ($M_\star=5, 10, 15$ M$_\odot$, $\Omega/\Omega_{\rm crit} =0.2 , 0.5, 0.8$, $B_{\rm p} = 1, 3 ,10, 30$ kG) to compare to the results of a recent self-consistent analysis of the sample of known magnetic B-type stars. We infer that magnetic massive stars arrive at the zero age main sequence with a range of rotation rates, rather than with one common value. In particular, some stars are required to have close-to-critical rotation at the ZAMS. However, magnetic braking yields surface rotation rates converging to a common low value, making it difficult to infer the initial rotation rates of evolved, slowly-rotating stars.Comment: accepted for publication in MNRAS, a zenodo record is available at: https://zenodo.org/record/325041

Two randomized crossover multicenter studies investigating gastrointestinal symptoms after bread consumption in individuals with noncoeliac wheat sensitivity: do wheat species and fermentation type matter?

Background: Many individuals reduce their bread intake due to the belief that wheat is the cause of their gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Different grains and processing methods may impact tolerability. Objective: We investigated the effects of six different types of bread on GI symptoms in individuals with self-reported non-coeliac wheat sensitivity (NCWS). Methods: Two parallel randomised double-blind crossover multicentre studies were conducted. NCWS individuals, in whom coeliac disease and wheat allergy were ruled out, received five slices of (study A, n=20) yeast fermented (YF) or (study B, n=20) sourdough fermented (SF) bread made of bread wheat, spelt or emmer on three separate intervention days. Each test day was preceded by a run-in period of 3 days and separated by a wash-out period of at least 7 days. GI symptoms were evaluated by change in symptom score (test day minus average of the 3-day run-in period) on a 0-100mm visual analogue scale (delta VAS). Responders were defined as an increase in delta VAS of at least 15mm for overall GI symptoms, abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, bloating and/or flatulence. Results: The overall change in GI symptoms did not differ between breads of different grains (YF p=0.267; SF p=0.144). The number of responders was also comparable for both YF (6 to wheat, 5 to spelt, and 7 to emmer, p=0.761) and SF breads (9 to wheat, 7 to spelt, and 8 to emmer, p=0.761). Conclusion: The majority of NCWS individuals experienced GI symptoms for at least one of the breads, but on a group level, no differences were found between different grain types for either YF or SF breads. Clinical Trial Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT0408447

NEUTRINOS FROM PRIMORDIAL BLACK HOLES

The emission of particles from black holes created in the early Universe has detectable astrophysical consequences. The most stringent bound on their abundance has been obtained from the absence of a detectable diffuse flux of 100 MeV photons. Further scrutiny of these bounds is of interest as they, for instance, rule out primordial black holes as a dark matter candidate. We here point out that these bounds can, in principle, be improved by studying the diffuse cosmic neutrino flux. Measurements of near-vertical atmospheric neutrino fluxes in a region of low geomagnetic latitude can provide a competitive bound. The most favorable energy to detect a possible diffuse flux of primordial black hole origin is found to be a few MeV. We also show that measurements of the diffuse $\nu _\tau$ flux is the most promising to improve the existing bounds deduced from gamma-ray measurements. Neutrinos from individual black hole explosions can be detected in the GeV-TeV energy region. We find that the kilometer-scale detectors, recently proposed, are able to establish competitive bounds.Comment: 19 pages plus 9 uuencoded and compressed postscript figure

The white collar complex is essential for sexual reproduction but dispensable for conidiation and invasive growth in Fusarium verticillioides

Fvwc1 and Fvwc2, orthologues of the wc-1 and wc-2 genes encoding for proteins of the white collar complex (WCC) in Neurospora crassa were cloned from Fusarium verticillioides and lack-of-function wc mutants were obtained by targeted gene disruption. Photo-conidiation was found to be absent in F. verticillioides, on the contrary, the wild type strain produced less conidia under continuous illumination than in the dark. Inactivation of any of the wc genes led to total female sterility, without affecting male fertility or asexual conidiation. No loss in colonization capability/invasive growth of the wc mutants was observed, when assessed on tomato fruits. Both Fvwc1 and Fvwc2 showed constitutive expression in the wild type cultures incubated in the dark and exposure to light caused only negligible increases in their transcription. Both Fvwc1 and Fvwc2 were down-regulated in a ΔFvmat1-2-1 gene disruption mutant, lacking a functional mating type (mat1-2-1) gene, suggesting that the MAT1-2-1 product has a positive regulatory effect on the white collar genes

Infliximab plus methotrexate is superior to methotrexate alone in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis in methotrexate-naive patients: the RESPOND study

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of treatment with infliximab plus methotrexate with methotrexate alone in methotrexate-naive patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods: In this open-label study, patients 18 years and older with active PsA who were naive to methotrexate and not receiving disease-modifying therapy (N=115) were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either infliximab (5 mg/kg) at weeks 0, 2, 6 and 14 plus methotrexate (15 mg/week); or methotrexate (15 mg/week) alone. The primary assessment was American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 response at week 16. Secondary outcome measures included psoriasis area and severity index (PASI), disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) and dactylitis and enthesitis assessments. Results: At week 16, 86.3% of patients receiving infliximab plus methotrexate and 66.7% of those receiving methotrexate alone achieved an ACR20 response (p<0.02). Of patients whose baseline PASI was 2.5 or greater, 97.1% receiving infliximab plus methotrexate compared with 54.3% receiving methotrexate alone experienced a 75% or greater improvement in PASI (p<0.0001). Improvements in C-reactive protein levels, DAS28 response and remission rates, dactylitis, fatigue and morning stiffness duration were also significantly greater in the group receiving infliximab. In the infliximab plus methotrexate group, 46% (26/57) had treatment-related adverse events (AE) and two patients had serious AE, compared with 24% with AE (13/54) and no serious AE in the methotrexate-alone group. Conclusions: Treatment with infliximab plus methotrexate in methotrexate-naive patients with active PsA demonstrated significantly greater ACR20 response rates and PASI75 improvement compared with methotrexate alone and was generally well tolerated. This trial is registered in the US National Institutes of Health clinicaltrials.gov database, identifier NCT00367237

Ultraviolet spectropolarimetry with Polstar: using Polstar to test magnetospheric mass-loss quenching

peer reviewe

A mixed-methods study to define Textbook Outcome for the treatment of patients with uncomplicated symptomatic gallstone disease with hospital variation analyses in Dutch trial data

Background: International consensus on the ideal outcome for treatment of uncomplicated symptomatic gallstone disease is absent. This mixed-method study defined a Textbook Outcome (TO) for this large group of patients. Methods: First, expert meetings were organised with stakeholders to design the survey and identify possible outcomes. To reach consensus, results from expert meetings were converted in a survey for clinicians and for patients. During the final expert meeting, clinicians and patients discussed survey outcomes and a definitive TO was formulated. Subsequently, TO-rate and hospital variation were analysed in Dutch hospital data from patients with uncomplicated gallstone disease. Results: First expert meetings returned 32 outcomes. Outcomes were distributed in a survey among 830 clinicians from 81 countries and 645 Dutch patients. Consensus-based TO was defined as no more biliary colic, no biliary and surgical complications, and the absence or reduction of abdominal pain. Analysis of individual patient data showed that TO was achieved in 64.2% (1002/1561). Adjusted-TO rates showed modest variation between hospitals (56.6-74.9%). Conclusion: TO for treatment of uncomplicated gallstone disease was defined as no more biliary colic, no biliary and surgical complications, and absence or reduction of abdominal pain.TO may optimise consistent outcome reporting in care and guidelines for treating uncomplicated gallstone disease