Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Prenylation Inhibition-Induced Cell Death in Melanoma: Reduced Sensitivity in BRAF Mutant/PTEN Wild-Type Melanoma Cells.

While targeted therapy brought a new era in the treatment of BRAF mutant melanoma, therapeutic options for non-BRAF mutant cases are still limited. In order to explore the antitumor activity of prenylation inhibition we investigated the response to zoledronic acid treatment in thirteen human melanoma cell lines with known BRAF, NRAS and PTEN mutational status. Effect of zoledronic acid on proliferation, clonogenic potential, apoptosis and migration of melanoma cells as well as the activation of downstream elements of the RAS/RAF pathway were investigated in vitro with SRB, TUNEL and PARP cleavage assays and videomicroscopy and immunoblot measurements, respectively. Subcutaneous and spleen-to-liver colonization xenograft mouse models were used to evaluate the influence of zoledronic acid treatment on primary and disseminated tumor growth of melanoma cells in vivo. Zoledronic acid more efficiently decreased short-term in vitro viability in NRAS mutant cells when compared to BRAF mutant and BRAF/NRAS wild-type cells. In line with this finding, following treatment decreased activation of ribosomal protein S6 was found in NRAS mutant cells. Zoledronic acid demonstrated no significant synergism in cell viability inhibition or apoptosis induction with cisplatin or DTIC treatment in vitro. Importantly, zoledronic acid could inhibit clonogenic growth in the majority of melanoma cell lines except in the three BRAF mutant but PTEN wild-type melanoma lines. A similar pattern was observed in apoptosis induction experiments. In vivo zoledronic acid did not inhibit the subcutaneous growth or spleen-to-liver colonization of melanoma cells. Altogether our data demonstrates that prenylation inhibition may be a novel therapeutic approach in NRAS mutant melanoma. Nevertheless, we also demonstrated that therapeutic sensitivity might be influenced by the PTEN status of BRAF mutant melanoma cells. However, further investigations are needed to identify drugs that have appropriate pharmacological properties to efficiently target prenylation in melanoma cells

Implications of improved representation of convection for the East Africa water budget using a convection-permitting model

The precipitation and diabatic heating resulting from moist convection make it a key component of the atmospheric water budget in the tropics. With convective parametrisation being a known source of uncertainty in global models, convection-permitting (CP) models are increasingly being used to improve understanding of regional climate. Here, a new 10-year CP simulation is used to study the characteristics of rainfall and atmospheric water budget for East Africa and the Lake Victoria basin. The explicit representation of convection leads to a widespread improvement in the intensities and diurnal cycle of rainfall when compared with a parametrised simulation. Differences in large-scale moisture fluxes lead to a shift in the mean rainfall pattern from the Congo to Lake Victoria basin in the CP simulation - highlighting the important connection between local changes in the representation of convection and larger scale dynamics and rainfall. Stronger lake-land contrasts in buoyancy in the CP model lead to a stronger nocturnal land breeze over Lake Victoria, increasing evaporation and moisture flux convergence (MFC), and likely unrealistically high rainfall. However, for the mountains east of the lake, the CP model produces a diurnal rainfall cycle much more similar to satellite estimates, which is related to differences in the timing of MFC. Results here demonstrate that, whilst care is needed regarding lake forcings, a CP approach offers a more realistic representation of several rainfall characteristics through a more physically-based realisation of the atmospheric dynamics around the complex topography of East Africa

Performance of Anaerobic Co‑digestion of Pig Slurry with Pineapple (Ananas comosus) Bio‑waste Residues

Agro-food industries produce large amounts of bio-waste, challenging innovative valorisation strategies in the framework of circular economy principles. Anaerobic digestion technology is an interesting route to stabilise organic matter and produce biogas as a renewable energy source. This paper aimed to study the optimal performance conditions for anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) of pig slurry with pineapple (Ananas comosus) peel bio-waste. The anaerobic digestion (AD) trials were performed at lab scale, in a continuous stirred reactor, for 16 days’ hydraulic retention time in mesophilic conditions (37 ± 1 °C). Three hydraulic retention time were performed, one for the reference scenario ( T0) and two for AcoD trials ( T1, T2). Feeding mixtures (20:80; v:v) of pineapple peel liquor and pig slurry, with an OLR of 1.46 ± 0.04 g TVS L− 1 reactor day− 1 were used during AD/AcoD trials, presenting high values for soluble chemical oxygen demand and C/N ratio. This operational conditions highlight bioenergy recovery up to 0.58 L CH4 g TVSadded −1, in comparison with that obtained with pig slurry substrate (0.31 L CH4 g VSadded −1). The AD performance showed a total volatile solids and chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 23% to 47% and 26% to 48%, comparing T0 with the average of T1 and T2, respectively. The digester stability, evaluated by specific energetic loading rate, was below the limit (0.4 day−1) throughout the trials. Pig slurry co-digestion with pineapple peel liquor seems to be a promising approach for potential bioenergy recovery.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Vocal Communications and the Maintenance of Population Specific Songs in a Contact Zone

Bird song has been hypothesized to play a role in several important aspects of the biology of songbirds, including the generation of taxonomic diversity by speciation; however, the role that song plays in speciation within this group may be dependent upon the ability of populations to maintain population specific songs or calls in the face of gene flow and external cultural influences. Here, in an exploratory study, we construct a spatially explicit model of population movement to examine the consequences of secondary contact of populations singing distinct songs. We concentrate on two broad questions: 1) will population specific songs be maintained in a contact zone or will they be replaced by shared song, and 2) what spatial patterns in the distribution of songs may result from contact? We examine the effects of multiple factors including song-based mating preferences and movement probabilities, oblique versus paternal learning of song, and both cultural and genetic mutations. We find a variety of conditions under which population specific songs can be maintained, particularly when females have preferences for their population specific songs, and we document many distinct patterns of song distribution within the contact zone, including clines, banding, and mosaics

Informing the development of an online self-management program for men living with HIV: a needs assessment

Background: The aim of this mixed methods study was to conduct a multifaceted needs assessment to inform the development of an online self-management program for men living with HIV. The objectives were to describe the health-related quality of life for men living with HIV, the impact of living with HIV, and the perceived problem areas and service and support needs of these men. The needs assessment was conducted in accordance with the PRECEDE model for health promotion program planning.Methods: A survey assessing the quality of life of men living with HIV (n = 72) was conducted and results were compared to Australian normative data. Focus groups were also undertaken with men living with HIV (n = 11) and a multidisciplinary team of service providers working in the area of HIV (n = 11). Focus groups enabled an in-depth description of the impact of HIV on quality of life and perceived problem areas in daily life.Results: HIV-positive men experience significantly lower quality of life when compared with Australian normative data, particularly in those domains concerned with social and emotional aspects of quality of life. Qualitative focus groups yielded an overarching theme ‘The psychosocial impact of HIV’ which contained three sub-themes; (1) Life before and after HIV – a changed identity and its repercussions; (2) Resilience and the importance of social support; (3) Negotiating the practicalities – intimate relationships and disclosure.Conclusions: The findings from this needs assessment highlight the need to target socio-emotional contexts of HIV positive men’s daily lives to improve quality of life and well-being. Intervention priorities for the proposed online self-management program include: (1) managing the emotional impact of HIV; (2) disclosing HIV status to family and friends; (3) maintaining social connectedness; (4) managing HIV within intimate relationships; and (5) disclosure of HIV status to intimate partners

California Men's Health Study (CMHS): a multiethnic cohort in a managed care setting

BACKGROUND: We established a male, multiethnic cohort primarily to study prostate cancer etiology and secondarily to study the etiologies of other cancer and non-cancer conditions. METHODS/DESIGN: Eligible participants were 45-to-69 year old males who were members of a large, prepaid health plan in California. Participants completed two surveys on-line or on paper in 2002 – 2003. Survey content included demographics; family, medical, and cancer screening history; sexuality and sexual development; lifestyle (diet, physical activity, and smoking); prescription and non-prescription drugs; and herbal supplements. We linked study data with clinical data, including laboratory, hospitalization, and cancer data, from electronic health plan files. We recruited 84,170 participants, approximately 40% from minority populations and over 5,000 who identified themselves as other than heterosexual. We observed a wide range of education (53% completed less than college) and income. PSA testing rates (75% overall) were highest among black participants. Body mass index (BMI) (median 27.2) was highest for blacks and Latinos and lowest for Asians, and showed 80.6% agreement with BMI from clinical data sources. The sensitivity and specificity can be assessed by comparing self-reported data, such as PSA testing, diabetes, and history of cancer, to health plan data. We anticipate that nearly 1,500 prostate cancer diagnoses will occur within five years of cohort inception. DISCUSSION: A wide variety of epidemiologic, health services, and outcomes research utilizing a rich array of electronic, biological, and clinical resources is possible within this multiethnic cohort. The California Men's Health Study and other cohorts nested within comprehensive health delivery systems can make important contributions in the area of men's health

Hydrating softwood and hardwood samples using pure and modified supercritical carbon dioxide

This article describes an in-progress research project that looks to investigate the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) for the addition of water to historic and modern, softwood and hardwood samples. The experiments were carried out at 20 MPa and 50 °C, the effects of co-solvent addition, methanol (MeOH), were examined. A three point bend test provided mechanical data for the wood samples treated with both pure and modified scCO2. All the wood samples, with only one exception, saw an increase in Modulus of Rupture (MOR) after being treated with scCO2. Thereby indicating an increased resistance to force in the treated samples. Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy was performed to help deduce if any trends in the OH/CH and OH/Cellulose peak area ratios could be established with the nature of the treatment and the type of wood used. The development of this technique seeks to be relevant and safe for applications within modern conservation practices, where dry and fragile materials are prevalent

Transcriptomic profile of host response in Japanese encephalitis virus infection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Japanese encephalitis (JE) is one of the leading causes of acute encephalopathy with the highest mortality rate of 30-50%. The purpose of this study was to understand complex biological processes of host response during the progression of the disease. Virus was subcutaneously administered in mice and brain was used for whole genome expression profiling by cDNA microarray.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The comparison between viral replication efficiency and disease progression confirms the active role of host response in immunopathology and disease severity. The histopathological analysis confirms the severe damage in the brain in a time dependent manner. Interestingly, the transcription profile reveals significant and differential expression of various pattern recognition receptors, chemotactic genes and the activation of inflammasome. The increased leukocyte infiltration and aggravated CNS inflammation may be the cause of disease severity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first report that provides a detailed picture of the host transcriptional response in a natural route of exposure and opens up new avenues for potential therapeutic and prophylactic strategies against Japanese encephalitis virus.</p

Surface engineering of wood substrates to impart barrier properties: a photochemical approach

In this study, sugar maple and white pine, two species of wood commonly used in indoor and outdoor applications, were treated by photo-initiated chemical vapor deposition to impart barrier properties. After treatment, wood wettability decreased significantly, as evidenced by water contact angle measurements (from 50° to 113° for sugar maple and 87° to 172° for white pine). Further, beyond being able to repel water, the coating shows the ability to breathe, evidenced by standardized vapor sorption tests. However, accelerated weathering via ASTM G155 testing determined that the treatment could not protect the wood from photo-degradation, or retain its properties post-weathering. This treatment could therefore be best suited for wood pre-treatment in combination with other coatings