Perturbations in growth trajectory due to early diet affect age-related deterioration in performance

Fluctuations in early developmental conditions can cause changes in growth trajectories that subsequently affect the adult phenotype. Here, we investigated whether compensatory growth has long-term consequences for patterns of senescence. Using three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), we show that a brief period of dietary manipulation in early life affected skeletal growth rate not only during the manipulation itself, but also during a subsequent compensatory phase when fish caught up in size with controls. However, this growth acceleration influenced swimming endurance and its decline over the course of the breeding season, with a faster decline in fish that had undergone faster growth compensation. Similarly, accelerated growth led to a more pronounced reduction in the breeding period (as indicated by the duration of sexual ornamentation) over the following two breeding seasons, suggesting faster reproductive senescence. Parallel experiments showed a heightened effect of accelerated growth on these age-related declines in performance if the fish were under greater time stress to complete their compensation prior to the breeding season. Compensatory growth led to a reduction in median life span of 12% compared to steadily growing controls. While life span was independent of the eventual adult size attained, it was negatively correlated with the age-related decline in swimming endurance and sexual ornamentation. These results, complementary to those found when growth trajectories were altered by temperature rather than dietary manipulations, show that the costs of accelerated growth can last well beyond the time over which growth rates differ and are affected by the time available until an approaching life-history event such as reproduction

Eternal Black Holes in AdS

We propose a dual non-perturbative description for maximally extended Schwarzschild Anti-de-Sitter spacetimes. The description involves two copies of the conformal field theory associated to the AdS spacetime and an initial entangled state. In this context we also discuss a version of the information loss paradox and its resolution.Comment: v4: New section added on black holes with only one asymptotic boundary, v5,6: More references adde

Precocious Natural Mummification in a Temperate Climate (Western Cape, South Africa)

The general process and pattern of decomposition is well-documented and understood. However, specific environmental conditions may alter this pattern and prematurely terminate the decay process. An example of this is natural mummification – a preservative process characterized by desiccation, brittleness and shrinkage of the skin and body tissues. It is important to understand how, when, and where such variations may occur, and for this reason environmentally-specific studies of decay are required. The aim of the present study was the establish baseline data on soft-tissue decomposition in two terrestrial habitats in the Western Cape. A total of 16 pig carcasses serving as analogues for humans were deployed in these habitats during two successive winters and summers between 2014 and 2016. The rate and pattern of decomposition were assessed via measurement of weight loss over time and scoring the decomposition process using Megyesi et al. (2005) Total Body Score system and study-specific criteria for mummification. Carcasses typically followed the expected pattern of decay with a few exceptions, most notably instances of rapid natural mummification. Natural mummification, as defined by Megyesi et al. (2005), was observed to occur as early as 17 days postmortem, with five carcasses mummifying in less than one month. The timing of natural mummification varies widely, from a few days to several years, averaging around three months in temperate regions. Natural mummification occurring in less than one month is termed precocious mummification and is rarely observed in temperate regions. With only three reports globally, this study’s findings are globally significant, highlighting the importance of regionally-specific decomposition studies. Two local forensic cases wherein precocious mummification has been observed are also presented and, considered together with the study’s results, a possible mechanism driving this process is proposed

A search for resonances decaying into a Higgs boson and a new particle X in the XH → qqbb final state with the ATLAS detector

A search for heavy resonances decaying into a Higgs boson (H) and a new particle (X) is reported, utilizing 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at collected during 2015 and 2016 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The particle X is assumed to decay to a pair of light quarks, and the fully hadronic final state is analysed. The search considers the regime of high XH resonance masses, where the X and H bosons are both highly Lorentz-boosted and are each reconstructed using a single jet with large radius parameter. A two-dimensional phase space of XH mass versus X mass is scanned for evidence of a signal, over a range of XH resonance mass values between 1 TeV and 4 TeV, and for X particles with masses from 50 GeV to 1000 GeV. All search results are consistent with the expectations for the background due to Standard Model processes, and 95% CL upper limits are set, as a function of XH and X masses, on the production cross-section of the resonance

Heavy element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST

The mergers of binary compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes are of central interest to several areas of astrophysics, including as the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)1, sources of high-frequency gravitational waves (GW)2 and likely production sites for heavy element nucleosynthesis via rapid neutron capture (the r-process)3. Here we present observations of the exceptionally bright gamma-ray burst GRB 230307A. We show that GRB 230307A belongs to the class of long-duration gamma-ray bursts associated with compact object mergers4–6, and contains a kilonova similar to AT2017gfo, associated with the gravitational-wave merger GW1708177–12. We obtained James Webb Space Telescope mid-infrared (mid-IR) imaging and spectroscopy 29 and 61 days after the burst. The spectroscopy shows an emission line at 2.15 microns which we interpret as tellurium (atomic mass A=130), and a very red source, emitting most of its light in the mid-IR due to the production of lanthanides. These observations demonstrate that nucleosynthesis in GRBs can create r-process elements across a broad atomic mass range and play a central role in heavy element nucleosynthesis across the Universe

Geological and hydrochemical sensitivity of the eastern United States to acid precipitation

A new analysis of bedrock geology maps of the eastern US constitutes a simple model for predicting areas which might be impacted by acid precipitation and it allows much greater resolution for detecting sensitivity than has previously been available for the region. Map accuracy has been verified by examining current alkalinities and pH's of waters in several test states, including Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Virginia and North Carolina. In regions predicted to be highly sensitive, alkalinities in upstream sites were generally low. Many areas of the eastern US are pinpointed in which some of the surface waters, especially upstream reaches, may be sensitive to acidification. Pre-1970 data were compared to post-1975 data, revealing marked declines in both alkalinity and pH of sensitive waters of two states tested, North Carolina, where pH and alkalinity have decreased in 80% of 38 streams and New Hampshire, where pH in 90% of 49 streams and lakes has decreased since 1949. These sites are predicted to be sensitive by the geological map on the basis of their earlier alkalinity values. The map is to be improved by the addition of a soils component

Comparison of central and extended left pancreatectomy for lesions of the pancreatic neck.

BACKGROUND: Central pancreatectomy (CP) is a parenchyma-sparing alternative to extended left pancreatectomy (ELP) for tumors of the pancreatic neck. We compared short- and long-term outcomes for the two approaches. METHODS: Patients who underwent CP or ELP from 2000-2007 for neoplasms of the neck were identified. Charts were reviewed for patient, treatment, and outcome data. Long-term and quality-of-life (QoL) data were gathered through Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved telephone interviews and questionnaires European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30, and QLQ-PAN26. RESULTS: 31 patients were identified; 13 underwent CP and 18 underwent ELP. Median follow-up was 29 months (range 5-90). Groups did not differ in age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, or preexisting diabetes mellitus (DM). CP patients had less gland resected (5.7 +/- 2.1 cm versus 10.8 +/- 2.8 cm) and lower postoperative mean blood glucose levels (120 +/- 15 mg/dl versus 136 +/- 24 mg/dl). CP patients experienced more complications (92% versus 39%), but no significant difference in major complications (38%, CP versus 17%, ELP; P = 0.17) or hospital stay (9 +/- 3 days, CP versus 7.5 +/- 4 days, ELP). There was one perioperative death in the CP group, unrelated to surgical technique. Questionnaire analysis showed no differences in functional or symptom scales. New-onset exocrine insufficiency was not significantly different between the groups (10%, CP versus 27%, ELP; P = 0.62), but the ELP group had a higher rate of new-onset DM (57% versus 11%; P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: CP is associated with more complications than ELP, but no difference in long-term QoL. Due to the lower incidence of postoperative DM, CP can be recommended for healthy patients with indolent tumors of the pancreatic neck