Superluminal motion of a relativistic jet in the neutron star merger GW170817

The binary neutron star merger GW170817 was accompanied by radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum and localized to the galaxy NGC 4993 at a distance of 41+/-3 Mpc. The radio and X-ray afterglows of GW170817 exhibited delayed onset, a gradual rise in the emission with time as t^0.8, a peak at about 150 days post-merger, followed by a relatively rapid decline. To date, various models have been proposed to explain the afterglow emission, including a choked-jet cocoon and a successful-jet cocoon (a.k.a. structured jet). However, the observational data have remained inconclusive as to whether GW170817 launched a successful relativistic jet. Here we show, through Very Long Baseline Interferometry, that the compact radio source associated with GW170817 exhibits superluminal motion between two epochs at 75 and 230 days post-merger. This measurement breaks the degeneracy between the models and indicates that, while the early-time radio emission was powered by a wider-angle outflow (cocoon), the late-time emission was most likely dominated by an energetic and narrowly-collimated jet, with an opening angle of <5 degrees, and observed from a viewing angle of about 20 degrees. The imaging of a collimated relativistic outflow emerging from GW170817 adds substantial weight to the growing evidence linking binary neutron star mergers and short gamma-ray bursts.Comment: 42 pages, 4 figures (main text), 2 figures (supplementary text), 2 tables. Referee and editor comments incorporate

Evaluating Retinal Function in Age-Related Maculopathy with the ERG Photostress Test

PURPOSE. To evaluate the diagnostic potential of the electroretinogram (ERG) photostress test and the focal cone ERG in age-related maculopathy (ARM). METHODS. The cohort comprised 31 patients with ARM and 27 age-matched control subjects. The ERG photostress test was used to monitor cone adaptation after intense light adaptation. Focal 41- and 5-Hz cone ERGs were recorded monocularly (central 20°) to assess steady state retinal function. Univariate analysis identified electrophysiological parameters that differed between groups, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to assess their diagnostic potential. Logistic regression analysis determined the diagnostic potential of a model incorporating several independent predictors of ARM. RESULTS. The rate of recovery of the ERG photostress test was reduced (recovery was slower) in subjects with ARM. The parameter exhibited good diagnostic potential (P = 0.002, area under ROC curve = 0.74). The implicit times of the 5-Hz (a-wave, P = 0.002; b-wave, P < 0.001) and the 41-Hz (P < 0.001) focal cone ERGs were increased, and the 41-Hz focal cone ERG amplitude (P = 0.003) and focal to full-field amplitude ratio (P = 0.001) were reduced in the ARM group. Logistic regression analysis identified three independent predictors of ARM, including the rate of recovery of the ERG photostress test. CONCLUSIONS. Early ARM has a marked effect on the kinetics of cone adaptation. The clinical application of the ERG photostress test increases the sensitivity and specificity of a model for the diagnosis of ARM. Improved assessment of the functional integrity of the central retina will facilitate early diagnosis and evaluation of therapeutic interventions

Quality of anticoagulation and use of warfarin-interacting medications in long-term care: A chart review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Maintenance of therapeutic International Normalized Ratio (INR) in the community is generally poor. The supervised environment in long-term care facilities may represent a more ideal setting for warfarin therapy since laboratory monitoring, compliance, dose adjustment, and interacting medications can all be monitored and controlled. The objectives of this study were to determine how effectively warfarin was administered to a cohort of residents in long-term care facilities, to identify the proportion of residents prescribed warfarin-interacting drugs and to ascertain factors associated with poor INR control.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A chart review of 105 residents receiving warfarin therapy in five long-term care facilities in Hamilton, Ontario was performed. Data were collected on INR levels, warfarin prescribing and monitoring practices, and use of interacting medications.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Over a 12 month period (28,555 resident-days, 78.2 resident years) 3065 INR values were available. Residents were within, below and above the therapeutic range 54%, 35% and 11% of the time, respectively. Seventy-nine percent of residents were prescribed at least one warfarin-interacting medication during the period in review. Residents receiving interacting medications spent less time in the therapeutic range (53.0% vs. 58.2%, OR = 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.88 to 0.97, P = 0.002). Adequacy of anticoagulation varied significantly between physicians (time in therapeutic range 45.9 to 63.9%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this group of long-term care residents, warfarin control was suboptimal. Both prescriber and co-prescription of interacting medications were associated with poorer INR control. Future studies should seek strategies to improve prescriber skill and decrease use of interacting medications.</p

The emerging structure of the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis: where does Evo-Devo fit in?

The Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES) debate is gaining ground in contemporary evolutionary biology. In parallel, a number of philosophical standpoints have emerged in an attempt to clarify what exactly is represented by the EES. For Massimo Pigliucci, we are in the wake of the newest instantiation of a persisting Kuhnian paradigm; in contrast, Telmo Pievani has contended that the transition to an EES could be best represented as a progressive reformation of a prior Lakatosian scientific research program, with the extension of its Neo-Darwinian core and the addition of a brand-new protective belt of assumptions and auxiliary hypotheses. Here, we argue that those philosophical vantage points are not the only ways to interpret what current proposals to ‘extend’ the Modern Synthesis-derived ‘standard evolutionary theory’ (SET) entail in terms of theoretical change in evolutionary biology. We specifically propose the image of the emergent EES as a vast network of models and interweaved representations that, instantiated in diverse practices, are connected and related in multiple ways. Under that assumption, the EES could be articulated around a paraconsistent network of evolutionary theories (including some elements of the SET), as well as models, practices and representation systems of contemporary evolutionary biology, with edges and nodes that change their position and centrality as a consequence of the co-construction and stabilization of facts and historical discussions revolving around the epistemic goals of this area of the life sciences. We then critically examine the purported structure of the EES—published by Laland and collaborators in 2015—in light of our own network-based proposal. Finally, we consider which epistemic units of Evo-Devo are present or still missing from the EES, in preparation for further analyses of the topic of explanatory integration in this conceptual framework

Ecology: a prerequisite for malaria elimination and eradication

* Existing front-line vector control measures, such as insecticide-treated nets and residual sprays, cannot break the transmission cycle of Plasmodium falciparum in the most intensely endemic parts of Africa and the Pacific * The goal of malaria eradication will require urgent strategic investment into understanding the ecology and evolution of the mosquito vectors that transmit malaria * Priority areas will include understanding aspects of the mosquito life cycle beyond the blood feeding processes which directly mediate malaria transmission * Global commitment to malaria eradication necessitates a corresponding long-term commitment to vector ecolog

The impact of point mutations in the human androgen receptor : classification of mutations on the basis of transcriptional activity

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Hadronic-vacuum-polarization contribution to the muon's anomalous magnetic moment from four-flavor lattice QCD

19 pages, 12 figures, 6 tabesWe calculate the contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment hadronic vacuum polarization from the connected diagrams of up and down quarks, omitting electromagnetism. We employ QCD gauge-field configurations with dynamical $u$, $d$, $s$, and $c$ quarks and the physical pion mass, and analyze five ensembles with lattice spacings ranging from a~0.06-0.15 fm. The up- and down-quark masses in our simulations have equal masses $m_l$. We obtain, in this world where all pions have the mass of the $\pi^0$, $10^{10} a_\mu^{ll}({\rm conn.}) = 630.1(8.3)$, in agreement with independent lattice-QCD calculations. We then combine this value with published lattice-QCD results for the connected contributions from strange, charm, and bottom quarks, and an estimate of the uncertainty due to the fact that our calculation does not include strong-isospin breaking, electromagnetism, or contributions from quark-disconnected diagrams. We obtain for the total order $(\alpha^2)$ hadronic-vacuum polarization to the muon's anomalous magnetic moment $10^{10} a_\mu^{\rm HVP,LO} = 691(8)_{u,d}(1)_{s,c,b} (13)_{\rm other}$, where the errors are from the light-quark connected contribution, heavy-flavor connected contributions, and omitted effects listed above, respectively. Our result agrees with both $ab-initio$ lattice-QCD calculations and phenomenological determinations from experimental $e^+e^-$-scattering data. It is 1.7$\sigma$ below the "no new physics" value of the hadronic-vacuum-polarization contribution inferred from combining the BNL E821 measurement of $a_\mu$ with theoretical calculations of the other contributions

Knowledge of human papillomavirus infection and its prevention among adolescents and parents in the greater Milan area, Northern Italy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In order to be widely accepted by users, the implementation of a new health intervention requires them to be adequately informed about its clinical importance, benefits and risks. The aim of this study was to provide data on the knowledge of Italian adolescents and parents concerning human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and its prevention in order to allow the development of adequate training programmes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between 2 May and 15 June 2008, we made a cross-sectional survey of 863 high school students and 2,331 parents of middle and high school students using two anonymously completed questionnaires covering the knowledge of HPV infection and related diseases, and attitudes to vaccinations. The approached schools were a convenience sample of the schools of the greater Milan area, Northern Italy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>More mothers than fathers were aware that HPV infection could concern their children (58% <it>vs </it>53%; p = 0.004) and were favourable towards vaccinating their children against HPV (68% <it>vs </it>65%; p = 0.03); among the students, more females than males were aware that HPV infection could concern themselves (45% <it>vs </it>26%; p < 0.001) and would undergo vaccination against HPV (68% <it>vs </it>40%; p < 0.001). The parents' propensity to vaccinate their children against HPV was significantly associated with professing the Catholic religion (odds ratio - OR = 0.61, 95% confidence interval - CI 0.46-0.82, being atheist), the gender of the offspring (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.53-2.30, having at least one daughter), a propensity to vaccinations in general (OR = 23.1, 95% CI 13.7-38.8), a knowledge that HPV vaccine is aimed at preventing cervical cancer (OR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.69-3.16), and an awareness that HPV could affect their own children (OR = 3.52, 95% CI 2.89-4.29). The students who were aware that HPV infection could affect themselves were more in favour of to HPV vaccination, regardless of whether they were male (OR = 5.73, 95% CI 2.85-11.5) or female (OR = 2.39, 95% CI 1.66-3.46).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Both students and parents seem to underestimate the likelihood of HPV infection, and this is associated with a lower propensity for vaccination. This is an important indication for future training programmes concerning HPV prevention designed to increase the acceptance of HPV vaccine in families.</p