GLOBULAR CLUSTER POPULATIONS: RESULTS INCLUDING S(4)G LATE-TYPE GALAXIES

Using 3.6 and 4.5 mu m images of 73 late-type, edge-on galaxies from the S(4)G survey, we compare the richness of the globular cluster populations of these galaxies to those of early-type galaxies that we measured previously. In general, the galaxies presented here fill in the distribution for galaxies with lower stellar mass, M-*, specifically log(M-*/M-circle dot) &lt; 10, overlap the results for early-type galaxies of similar masses, and, by doing so, strengthen the case for a dependence of the number of globular clusters per 10(9)M(circle dot) of galaxy stellar mass, T-N, on M-*. For 8.5 &lt; log(M-*/M-circle dot) &lt; 10.5 we find the relationship can be satisfactorily described as T-N = (M-*/10(6.7))(-0.56) M-* is expressed in solar masses. The functional form of the relationship is only weakly constrained, and extrapolation outside this range is not advised. Our late-type galaxies, in contrast to our early types, do not show the tendency for low-mass galaxies to split into two T-N families. Using these results and a galaxy stellar mass function from the literature, we calculate that, in a volume-limited, local universe sample, clusters are most likely to be found around fairly massive galaxies (M-* similar to 10(10.8)M(circle dot)) and present a fitting function for the volume number density of clusters as a function of parent-galaxy stellar mass. We find no correlation between T-N and large-scale environment, but we do find a tendency for galaxies of fixed M-* to have larger T-N if they have converted a larger proportion of their baryons into stars.</p

Controls on explosive-effusive volcanic eruption styles

One of the biggest challenges in volcanic hazard assessment is to understand how and why eruptive style changes within the same eruptive period or even from one eruption to the next at a given volcano. This review evaluates the competing processes that lead to explosive and effusive eruptions of silicic magmas. Eruptive style depends on a set of feedbacks involving interrelated magmatic properties and processes. Foremost of these are magma viscosity, gas loss, and external properties such as conduit geometry. Ultimately, these parameters control the speed at which magmas ascend, decompress and outgas en route to the surface, and thus determine eruptive style and evolution

Immunoglobulin, glucocorticoid, or combination therapy for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: a propensity-weighted cohort study

Background Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a hyperinflammatory condition associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, has emerged as a serious illness in children worldwide. Immunoglobulin or glucocorticoids, or both, are currently recommended treatments. Methods The Best Available Treatment Study evaluated immunomodulatory treatments for MIS-C in an international observational cohort. Analysis of the first 614 patients was previously reported. In this propensity-weighted cohort study, clinical and outcome data from children with suspected or proven MIS-C were collected onto a web-based Research Electronic Data Capture database. After excluding neonates and incomplete or duplicate records, inverse probability weighting was used to compare primary treatments with intravenous immunoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, or glucocorticoids alone, using intravenous immunoglobulin as the reference treatment. Primary outcomes were a composite of inotropic or ventilator support from the second day after treatment initiation, or death, and time to improvement on an ordinal clinical severity scale. Secondary outcomes included treatment escalation, clinical deterioration, fever, and coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN69546370. Findings We enrolled 2101 children (aged 0 months to 19 years) with clinically diagnosed MIS-C from 39 countries between June 14, 2020, and April 25, 2022, and, following exclusions, 2009 patients were included for analysis (median age 8·0 years [IQR 4·2–11·4], 1191 [59·3%] male and 818 [40·7%] female, and 825 [41·1%] White). 680 (33·8%) patients received primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, 698 (34·7%) with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, 487 (24·2%) with glucocorticoids alone; 59 (2·9%) patients received other combinations, including biologicals, and 85 (4·2%) patients received no immunomodulators. There were no significant differences between treatments for primary outcomes for the 1586 patients with complete baseline and outcome data that were considered for primary analysis. Adjusted odds ratios for ventilation, inotropic support, or death were 1·09 (95% CI 0·75–1·58; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids and 0·93 (0·58–1·47; corrected p value=1·00) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Adjusted average hazard ratios for time to improvement were 1·04 (95% CI 0·91–1·20; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, and 0·84 (0·70–1·00; corrected p value=0·22) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Treatment escalation was less frequent for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids (OR 0·15 [95% CI 0·11–0·20]; p<0·0001) and glucocorticoids alone (0·68 [0·50–0·93]; p=0·014) versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Persistent fever (from day 2 onward) was less common with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids compared with either intravenous immunoglobulin alone (OR 0·50 [95% CI 0·38–0·67]; p<0·0001) or glucocorticoids alone (0·63 [0·45–0·88]; p=0·0058). Coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution did not differ significantly between treatment groups. Interpretation Recovery rates, including occurrence and resolution of coronary artery aneurysms, were similar for primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin when compared to glucocorticoids or intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids appears to be a safe alternative to immunoglobulin or combined therapy, and might be advantageous in view of the cost and limited availability of intravenous immunoglobulin in many countries. Funding Imperial College London, the European Union's Horizon 2020, Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Foundation, UK National Institute for Health and Care Research, and National Institutes of Health

Patterns of ecosystem development in glacial foreland chronosequences: a comparative analysis of Chile and New Zealand

After catastrophic disturbances, depleted substrates are readily colonised by organisms that capture nitrogen from the atmosphere and extract phosphorus from minerals. Our main objective was to compare the pattern of ecosystem development following deglaciation in Chile and New Zealand. Results show a similar pattern of C and N accumulation and decline in soil chronosequences, similar decline in biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and similar &delta;15N-enriched signal at later stages, providing evidence for the existence of progressive, maximal and retrogressive phases of ecosystem development. However, contrasting patterns between Chilean and New Zealand sites are evident during the progressive phase, when higher C/N, C/P and N/P ratios are found in soils and leaves in Chile than in New Zealand, suggesting a higher nutrient limitation and nutrient use efficiency in the former. Highest rates of BNF were found at the early stages of both the Chilean and New Zealand chronosequences. Contrasting patterns across regions were the lack of a decline in soil total P, and the depleted values in soils of 15N during the progressive phase in the Chilean chronosequences, but enriched values, suggesting an open nitrogen cycle, during retrogression in both the Chilean and the New Zealand chronosequences. Overall, these results provide evidence for the existence of retrogression with ecosystem development in the sub-Antarctic region of the world, even when comparing contrasting biomes, climatic regions and geological substrates

The complex of PAMAM-OH dendrimer with Angiotensin (1&ndash;7) prevented the disuse-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in mice

Valeria M&aacute;rquez-Miranda,1,2,* Johanna Abrigo,3,4,* Juan Carlos Rivera,3,4 Ingrid Araya-Dur&aacute;n,1 Javier Aravena,3,4 Felipe Simon,3,4 Nicol&aacute;s Pacheco,1 Fernando Danilo Gonz&aacute;lez-Nilo,1,2,5 Claudio Cabello-Verrugio3,4 1Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology (CBIB), Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, 2Fundaci&oacute;n Fraunhofer Chile Research, Las Condes, 3Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas &amp; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andres Bello, 4Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Santiago, 5Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valpara&iacute;so, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valpara&iacute;so, Valpara&iacute;so, Chile *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Angiotensin (1&ndash;7) (Ang-(1&ndash;7)) is a bioactive heptapeptide with a short half-life and has beneficial effects in several tissues &ndash; among them, skeletal muscle &ndash; by preventing muscle atrophy. Dendrimers are promising vehicles for the protection and transport of numerous bioactive molecules. This work explored the use of a neutral, non-cytotoxic hydroxyl-terminated poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM-OH) dendrimer as an Ang-(1&ndash;7) carrier. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the Ang-(1&ndash;7)-binding capacity of the dendrimer presented a 2:1 molar ratio. Molecular dynamics simulation analysis revealed the capacity of neutral PAMAM-OH to protect Ang-(1&ndash;7) and form stable complexes. The peptide coverage ability of the dendrimer was between ~50% and 65%. Furthermore, an electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that neutral PAMAM-OH effectively bonded peptides. Experimental results showed that the Ang-(1&ndash;7)/PAMAM-OH complex, but not Ang-(1&ndash;7) alone, had an anti-atrophic effect when administered intraperitoneally, as evaluated by muscle strength, fiber diameter, myofibrillar protein levels, and atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 expressions. The results of the Ang-(1&ndash;7)/PAMAM-OH complex being intraperitoneally injected were similar to the results obtained when Ang-(1&ndash;7) was systemically administered through mini-osmotic pumps. Together, the results suggest that Ang-(1&ndash;7) can be protected for PAMAM-OH when this complex is intraperitoneally injected. Therefore, the Ang-(1&ndash;7)/PAMAM-OH complex is an efficient delivery method for Ang-(1&ndash;7), since it improves the anti-atrophic activity of this peptide in skeletal muscle. Keywords: muscle wasting, peptide delivery, carrier, anti-atrophic peptid