Time perspective as a predictor of smoking status: findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Surveys in Scotland, France, Germany, China, and Malaysia

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have demonstrated that time perspective-the propensity to consider short-versus long-term consequences of one\u27s actions-is a potentially important predictor of health-related behaviors, including smoking. However, most prior studies have been conducted within single high-income countries. The aim of this study was to examine whether time perspective was associated with the likelihood of being a smoker or non-smoker across five countries that vary in smoking behavior and strength of tobacco control policies. METHODS: The data were from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Surveys in five countries with large probability samples of both smokers (N=10,341) and non-smokers (N=4,955): Scotland, France, Germany, China, and Malaysia. The surveys were conducted between 2005-2008. Survey respondents indicated their smoking status (smoker vs. non-smoker) and time perspective (future oriented vs. not future-oriented) and provided demographic information. RESULTS: Across all five countries, non-smokers were significantly more likely to be future-oriented (66%) than were smokers (57%), χ(2)(1, N = 15,244) = 120.64, p < .001. This bivariate relationship between time perspective and smoking status held in a multivariate analysis. After controlling for country, age, sex, income, education, and ethnicity (language in France), those who were future-oriented had 36% greater odds of being a non-smoker than a smoker (95% CI: 1.22 to 1.51, p<.001). CONCLUSION: These findings establish time perspective as an important predictor of smoking status across multiple countries and suggest the potential value of incorporating material to enhance future orientation in smoking cessation interventions

Mapping Obscured Star Formation in the Host Galaxy of FRB 20201124A

We present high-resolution 1.5--6 GHz Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and $\textit{Hubble Space Telescope}$ ($\textit{HST}$) optical and infrared observations of the extremely active repeating fast radio burst (FRB) FRB$\,$20201124A and its barred spiral host galaxy. We constrain the location and morphology of star formation in the host and search for a persistent radio source (PRS) coincident with FRB$\,$20201124A. We resolve the morphology of the radio emission across all frequency bands and measure a star formation rate SFR $\approx 8.9\,M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, a factor of $\approx 4-6$ larger than optically-inferred SFRs, demonstrating dust-obscured star formation throughout the host. Compared to a sample of all known FRB hosts with radio emission, the host of FRB$\,$20201124A has the most significant obscured star formation. While ${\it HST}$ observations show the FRB to be offset from the bar or spiral arms, the radio emission extends to the FRB location. We propose that the FRB progenitor could have formed $\textit{in situ}$ (e.g., a magnetar central engine born from the explosion of a massive star). It is still plausible, although less likely, that the progenitor of FRB$\,$20201124A migrated from the central bar of the host, e.g., via a runaway massive star. We further place a limit on the luminosity of a putative PRS at the FRB position of $L_{\rm 6.0 \ GHz}$$\lesssim$2.6$\times$$10^{27}$erg s$^{-1}$Hz$^{-1}$, two orders of magnitude below any PRS known to date. However, this limit is still broadly consistent with both magnetar nebulae and hypernebulae models assuming a constant energy injection rate of the magnetar and an age of$\gtrsim 10^{5}$ yr in each model, respectively.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, Submitte

Short GRB Host Galaxies I: Photometric and Spectroscopic Catalogs, Host Associations, and Galactocentric Offsets

We present a comprehensive optical and near-infrared census of the fields of 90 short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) discovered in 2005-2021, constituting all short GRBs for which host galaxy associations are feasible ($\approx$ 60% of the total Swift short GRB population). We contribute 245 new multi-band imaging observations across 49 distinct GRBs and 25 spectra of their host galaxies. Supplemented by literature and archival survey data, the catalog contains 335 photometric and 40 spectroscopic data sets. The photometric catalog reaches $3\sigma$ depths of $\gtrsim 24-27$ mag and $\gtrsim 23-26$ mag for the optical and near-infrared bands, respectively. We identify host galaxies for 84 bursts, in which the most robust associations make up 54% (49/90) of events, while only a small fraction, 6.7%, have inconclusive host associations. Based on new spectroscopy, we determine 17 host spectroscopic redshifts with a range of $z\approx 0.15-1.6$ and find that $\approx$ 25-44% of Swift short GRBs originate from $z>1$. We also present the galactocentric offset catalog for 83 short GRBs. Taking into account the large range of individual measurement uncertainties, we find a median of projected offset of $\approx 7.9$ kpc, for which the bursts with the most robust associations have a smaller median of $\approx 4.9$ kpc. Our catalog captures more high-redshift and low-luminosity hosts, and more highly-offset bursts than previously found, thereby diversifying the population of known short GRB hosts and properties. In terms of locations and host luminosities, the populations of short GRBs with and without detectable extended emission are statistically indistinguishable. This suggests that they arise from the same progenitors, or from multiple progenitors which form and evolve in similar environments. All of the data products are available on the BRIGHT website.Comment: 53 pages, 9 figures, 6 tables, submitte

A Radio Flare in the Long-Lived Afterglow of the Distant Short GRB 210726A: Energy Injection or a Reverse Shock from Shell Collisions?

We present the discovery of the radio afterglow of the short $\gamma$-ray burst (GRB) 210726A, localized to a galaxy at a photometric redshift of $z\sim 2.4$. While radio observations commenced $\lesssim 1~$day after the burst, no radio emission was detected until $\sim11$~days. The radio afterglow subsequently brightened by a factor of $\sim 3$ in the span of a week, followed by a rapid decay (a ``radio flare''). We find that a forward shock afterglow model cannot self-consistently describe the multi-wavelength X-ray and radio data, and underpredicts the flux of the radio flare by a factor of $\approx 5$. We find that the addition of substantial energy injection, which increases the isotropic kinetic energy of the burst by a factor of $\approx 4$, or a reverse shock from a shell collision are viable solutions to match the broad-band behavior. At $z\sim 2.4$, GRB\,210726A is among the highest redshift short GRBs discovered to date as well as the most luminous in radio and X-rays. Combining and comparing all previous radio afterglow observations of short GRBs, we find that the majority of published radio searches conclude by $\lesssim 10~$days after the burst, potentially missing these late rising, luminous radio afterglows.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Ap

Serum Amyloid A Stimulates Vascular and Renal Dysfunction in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice Fed a Normal Chow Diet

Elevated serum amyloid A (SAA) levels may promote endothelial dysfunction, which is linked to cardiovascular and renal pathologies. We investigated the effect of SAA on vascular and renal function in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice. Male ApoE−/− mice received vehicle (control), low-level lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or recombinant human SAA by i.p. injection every third day for 2 weeks. Heart, aorta and kidney were harvested between 3 days and 18 weeks after treatment. SAA administration increased vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 expression and circulating monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 and decreased aortic cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), consistent with SAA inhibiting nitric oxide bioactivity. In addition, binding of labeled leukocytes to excised aorta increased as monitored using an ex vivo leukocyte adhesion assay. Renal injury was evident 4 weeks after commencement of SAA treatment, manifesting as increased plasma urea, urinary protein, oxidized lipids, urinary kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1 and multiple cytokines and chemokines in kidney tissue, relative to controls. Phosphorylation of nuclear-factor-kappa-beta (NFκB-p-P65), tissue factor (TF), and macrophage recruitment increased in kidneys from ApoE−/− mice 4 weeks after SAA treatment, confirming that SAA elicited a pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic phenotype. These data indicate that SAA impairs endothelial and renal function in ApoE−/− mice in the absence of a high-fat diet

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Mechanisms of neuroprotection by capsaicin, a red pepper extract

Background: Capsaicin is a natural compound isolated from red peppers that is currently used in the management of pain due to its ability to desensitise TRPV1 channels to further noxious stimuli following high or repeated doses (De Silva et al. 2011; Derry et al. 2013; Sharma et al. 2013). Recent studies have shown that capsaicin can also upregulate expression of the neuroprotective protein neuroglobin (Ngb), activate cell survival signalling pathways and diminish oxidative stress and inflammation (Kim et al. 2003; Dairam et al. 2008; Guo et al. 2008; Luqman et al. 2011; Lee et al. 2012). Therefore, it was hypothesised that capsaicin pre-treatment could protect neurons in a model of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Aim: To test whether capsaicin prevents neuronal loss and restores motor function in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of PD. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were pre-treated with vehicle or capsaicin (1 mg/kg) prior to saline or MPTP (25 mg/kg/day) treatment over two consecutive days. Gait was assessed on a subset of mice six days after the onset of treatment. Serum and various organs were harvested for biochemical and histological analyses that assessed dopaminergic neuron (DN) counts, apoptosis and necrosis (using caspase-3/7 and LDH assays, respectively), alterations in kinase signalling (PI3K/Akt, ERK, mTOR and p38 MAPK), markers of inflammation (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and MCP-1), antioxidant activity (SOD, GPx and CAT) and oxidative damage (3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT)). The ability for capsaicin to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and accumulate within the brain was also assessed by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionisation imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS). Results: The major daughter fragment (m/z 137.03 a.m.u.) of capsaicin appeared abundantly in capsaicin-treated brains and predominantly accumulated in the cerebral cortex. Mice exposed to MPTP experienced a 25% loss in DN viability with a concomitant increase in xi | P a g e caspase-3/7 activity. MPTP treatment also induced phosphorylation of Akt, ERK and p38 while mTOR remained unchanged. MPTP treatment increased SOD and decreased CAT activity and elevated 3-NT expression in the substantia nigra (SN). Cerebral levels of the pro-inflammatory markers TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β and MCP-1 and expression of leukocytes markers, CD45 and Iba-1, were also elevated in MPTP-treated mice. In contrast, capsaicin pre-treatment elevated Akt and ERK phosphorylation and reduced p38 activation. Capsaicin pre-treatment also reversed the MPTP-induced increase in SOD and decrease in CAT activity and concomitantly reduced 3-NT expression. Furthermore, capsaicin pre-treatment reversed the MPTP-induced increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, however no obvious improvement in neuronal viability was observed. Conclusions: Capsaicin was able to cross the BBB and accumulate within the brain. Although capsaicin pre-treatment did not improve neuronal viability in this MPTP model of PD, it did reverse the MPTP-induced increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and decrease in antioxidant activity. Capsaicin-mediated protection may involve both TRPV1-dependent and -independent mechanisms and activation of various kinase signalling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt and p38 MAPK. Further studies are required to elucidate the precise mechanism of capsaicin-mediated protection but should also consider the possibility that capsaicin may generate toxic metabolites under oxidative stress