Perspectives and experiences with COVID-19 vaccines in people with MS

Background: People with MS may have unique perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines due to their condition and/or medications. Objective: Assess perspectives and experiences with COVID-19 vaccination, and quantify variables impacting COVID-19 vaccine willingness in people with MS. Methods: A survey captured demographics, MS characteristics, and COVID-19 infection and exposures data; opinions on COVID-19 vaccine safety, side effects, and efficacy; and experiences following vaccination. Chi-square tests and a logistic regression model were used to denote between-group differences and variables predicting vaccine willingness, respectively. Results: Most (87.8%) of the 237 participants were willing to receive the vaccine. Fifteen percent held or delayed a DMT dose for vaccination. MS symptoms worsened in a minority (7.6% first/only dose; 14.7% second dose), and most side effects were mild (80.0%; 55.3%). Those not planning to receive the vaccine were primarily concerned with long-term safety (70.4%). Medical comorbidities (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=5.222; p=0.04) and following infection prevention precautions (aOR=6.330; p=0.008) were associated with vaccine willingness. Conclusion: Most individuals with MS surveyed plan to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. People with MS experience similar side effects to the general population, and few experience transient MS symptom worsening. These results can inform conversations on vaccination between providers and people with MS

Type Ia Supernova Properties as a Function of the Distance to the Host Galaxy in the SDSS-II SN Survey

We use type-Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) discovered by the SDSS-II SN Survey to search for dependencies between SN Ia properties and the projected distance to the host galaxy center, using the distance as a proxy for local galaxy properties (local star-formation rate, local metallicity, etc.). The sample consists of almost 200 spectroscopically or photometrically confirmed SNe Ia at redshifts below 0.25. The sample is split into two groups depending on the morphology of the host galaxy. We fit light-curves using both MLCS2k2 and SALT2, and determine color (AV, c) and light-curve shape (delta, x1) parameters for each SN Ia, as well as its residual in the Hubble diagram. We then correlate these parameters with both the physical and the normalized distances to the center of the host galaxy and look for trends in the mean values and scatters of these parameters with increasing distance. The most significant (at the 4-sigma level) finding is that the average fitted AV from MLCS2k2 and c from SALT2 decrease with the projected distance for SNe Ia in spiral galaxies. We also find indications that SNe in elliptical galaxies tend to have narrower light-curves if they explode at larger distances, although this may be due to selection effects in our sample. We do not find strong correlations between the residuals of the distance moduli with respect to the Hubble flow and the galactocentric distances, which indicates a limited correlation between SN magnitudes after standardization and local host metallicity.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal (33 pages, 5 figures, 8 tables

Assessing the uncertainties of model estimates of primary productivity in the tropical Pacific Ocean

Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2009. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Marine Systems 76 (2009): 113-133, doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2008.05.010.Depth-integrated primary productivity (PP) estimates obtained from satellite ocean color based models (SatPPMs) and those generated from biogeochemical ocean general circulation models (BOGCMs) represent a key resource for biogeochemical and ecological studies at global as well as regional scales. Calibration and validation of these PP models are not straightforward, however, and comparative studies show large differences between model estimates. The goal of this paper is to compare PP estimates obtained from 30 different models (21 SatPPMs and 9 BOGCMs) to a tropical Pacific PP database consisting of ~1000 14C measurements spanning more than a decade (1983- 1996). Primary findings include: skill varied significantly between models, but performance was not a function of model complexity or type (i.e. SatPPM vs. BOGCM); nearly all models underestimated the observed variance of PP, specifically yielding too few low PP (< 0.2 gC m-2d-2) values; more than half of the total root-mean-squared model-data differences associated with the satellite-based PP models might be accounted for by uncertainties in the input variables and/or the PP data; and the tropical Pacific database captures a broad scale shift from low biomass-normalized productivity in the 1980s to higher biomass-normalized productivity in the 1990s, which was not successfully captured by any of the models. This latter result suggests that interdecadal and global changes will be a significant challenge for both SatPPMs and BOGCMs. Finally, average root-mean-squared differences between in situ PP data on the equator at 140°W and PP estimates from the satellite-based productivity models were 58% lower than analogous values computed in a previous PP model comparison six years ago. The success of these types of comparison exercises is illustrated by the continual modification and improvement of the participating models and the resulting increase in model skill.This research was supported by a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Agency Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry program (NNG06GA03G), as well as by numerous other grants to the various participating investigator

Host galaxy identification for supernova surveys

Host galaxy identification is a crucial step for modern supernova (SN) surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), which will discover SNe by the thousands. Spectroscopic resources are limited, so in the absence of real-time SN spectra these surveys must rely on host galaxy spectra to obtain accurate redshifts for the Hubble diagram and to improve photometric classification of SNe. In addition, SN luminosities are known to correlate with host-galaxy properties. Therefore, reliable identification of host galaxies is essential for cosmology and SN science. We simulate SN events and their locations within their host galaxies to develop and test methods for matching SNe to their hosts. We use both real and simulated galaxy catalog data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys General Catalog and MICECATv2.0, respectively. We also incorporate "hostless" SNe residing in undetected faint hosts into our analysis, with an assumed hostless rate of 5%. Our fully automated algorithm is run on catalog data and matches SNe to their hosts with 91% accuracy. We find that including a machine learning component, run after the initial matching algorithm, improves the accuracy (purity) of the matching to 97% with a 2% cost in efficiency (true positive rate). Although the exact results are dependent on the details of the survey and the galaxy catalogs used, the method of identifying host galaxies we outline here can be applied to any transient survey

Towards enhanced functionality of vagus neuroprostheses through in silico optimized stimulation

Abstract Bioelectronic therapies modulating the vagus nerve are promising for cardiovascular, inflammatory, and mental disorders. Clinical applications are however limited by side-effects such as breathing obstruction and headache caused by non-specific stimulation. To design selective and functional stimulation, we engineered VaStim, a realistic and efficient in-silico model. We developed a protocol to personalize VaStim in-vivo using simple muscle responses, successfully reproducing experimental observations, by combining models with trials conducted on five pigs. Through optimized algorithms, VaStim simulated the complete fiber population in minutes, including often omitted unmyelinated fibers which constitute 80% of the nerve. The model suggested that all Aα-fibers across the nerve affect laryngeal muscle, while heart rate changes were caused by B-efferents in specific fascicles. It predicted that tripolar paradigms could reduce laryngeal activity by 70% compared to typically used protocols. VaStim may serve as a model for developing neuromodulation therapies by maximizing efficacy and specificity, reducing animal experimentation

Quelle biodiversité en ville? <br>: Colloque "Biodiversité urbaine" (ODBU, Bobigny 2008).

Fonds audiovisuel du programme "ESCoM-AAR" (Equipe Sémiotique Cognitive et nouveaux Médias - Archives Audiovisuelles de la Recherche. Paris, France, 2000 - 2016).Certains questionnements alimentent le débat autour des enjeux de la biodiversité en ville : • Quelle place fait-on actuellement à cette biodiversité en ville au sein des institutions internationales, européennes ou nationales, parmi les scientifiques, les associations, les services des collectivités territoriales, les architectes-paysagistes, les urbanistes, les aménageurs et opérateurs du territoire ?• La biodiversité urbaine est-elle suffisamment connue à ce jour ? Comment est-elle abordée par les observatoires ?• Quel(s) rôle(s) pense-t-on que cette biodiversité peut jouer dans la conservation de la nature en général ?• Quels professionnels s’y intéressent ? Quelles sont leurs motivations ? Sont-ils reconnus en tant qu’experts ?• La biodiversité urbaine est-elle un enjeu pour les aménageurs du territoire ? Pourquoi ? Comment ne pas limiter la prise en compte de cette richesse dans les seuls pôles de biodiversité ?Dans le cadre de la biennale de l'environnement "Terre en Tête", l'Observatoire Départemental de la Biodiversité Urbaine (ODBU) de Seine-Saint-Denis, avec le concours du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, nous invitent à découvrir l'état des connaissances sur la biodiversité en ville. À côté du minéral, du bâti, la biodiversité représente le « tissu vivant » de la ville. Dans un monde de plus en plus urbanisé, la biodiversité urbaine ouvre des défis majeurs dans les enjeux de conservation de la nature. L’objectif de ce colloque est d’aborder un certain nombre de questions soulevées par la préservation et la gestion de la biodiversité en milieu urbain dont : la place faite à la biodiversité en ville, les dynamiques de la biodiversité urbaine, les enjeux de la "trame verte" en ville, la biodiversité et les citadins. L’urbanisation, l’industrialisation et les coupures que constituent les diverses infrastructures morcellent les espaces naturels et font disparaître des milieux naturels et des espèces de la faune, de la flore et de la fonge. D’un autre côté, notamment par la création et la gestion écologique d’espaces verts, une nouvelle nature reprend progressivement ses droits. Il est alors légitime de se poser la question de la place de la biodiversité urbaine dans la ville mais également face à la nature en général

Quelle biodiversité en ville? <br>: Colloque "Biodiversité urbaine" (ODBU, Bobigny 2008).

Fonds audiovisuel du programme "ESCoM-AAR" (Equipe Sémiotique Cognitive et nouveaux Médias - Archives Audiovisuelles de la Recherche. Paris, France, 2000 - 2016).Certains questionnements alimentent le débat autour des enjeux de la biodiversité en ville : • Quelle place fait-on actuellement à cette biodiversité en ville au sein des institutions internationales, européennes ou nationales, parmi les scientifiques, les associations, les services des collectivités territoriales, les architectes-paysagistes, les urbanistes, les aménageurs et opérateurs du territoire ?• La biodiversité urbaine est-elle suffisamment connue à ce jour ? Comment est-elle abordée par les observatoires ?• Quel(s) rôle(s) pense-t-on que cette biodiversité peut jouer dans la conservation de la nature en général ?• Quels professionnels s’y intéressent ? Quelles sont leurs motivations ? Sont-ils reconnus en tant qu’experts ?• La biodiversité urbaine est-elle un enjeu pour les aménageurs du territoire ? Pourquoi ? Comment ne pas limiter la prise en compte de cette richesse dans les seuls pôles de biodiversité ?Dans le cadre de la biennale de l'environnement "Terre en Tête", l'Observatoire Départemental de la Biodiversité Urbaine (ODBU) de Seine-Saint-Denis, avec le concours du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, nous invitent à découvrir l'état des connaissances sur la biodiversité en ville. À côté du minéral, du bâti, la biodiversité représente le « tissu vivant » de la ville. Dans un monde de plus en plus urbanisé, la biodiversité urbaine ouvre des défis majeurs dans les enjeux de conservation de la nature. L’objectif de ce colloque est d’aborder un certain nombre de questions soulevées par la préservation et la gestion de la biodiversité en milieu urbain dont : la place faite à la biodiversité en ville, les dynamiques de la biodiversité urbaine, les enjeux de la "trame verte" en ville, la biodiversité et les citadins. L’urbanisation, l’industrialisation et les coupures que constituent les diverses infrastructures morcellent les espaces naturels et font disparaître des milieux naturels et des espèces de la faune, de la flore et de la fonge. D’un autre côté, notamment par la création et la gestion écologique d’espaces verts, une nouvelle nature reprend progressivement ses droits. Il est alors légitime de se poser la question de la place de la biodiversité urbaine dans la ville mais également face à la nature en général

Challenges of modeling depth-integrated marine primary productivity over multiple decades: A case study at BATS and HOT

The performance of 36 models (22 ocean color models and 14 biogeochemical ocean circulation models (BOGCMs)) that estimate depth-integrated marine net primary productivity (NPP) was assessed by comparing their output to in situ 14C data at the Bermuda Atlantic Time series Study (BATS) and the Hawaii Ocean Time series (HOT) over nearly two decades. Specifically, skill was assessed based on the models' ability to estimate the observed mean, variability, and trends of NPP. At both sites, more than 90% of the models underestimated mean NPP, with the average bias of the BOGCMs being nearly twice that of the ocean color models. However, the difference in overall skill between the best BOGCM and the best ocean color model at each site was not significant. Between 1989 and 2007, in situ NPP at BATS and HOT increased by an average of nearly 2% per year and was positively correlated to the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation index. The majority of ocean color models produced in situ NPP trends that were closer to the observed trends when chlorophyll-a was derived from high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), rather than fluorometric or SeaWiFS data. However, this was a function of time such that average trend magnitude was more accurately estimated over longer time periods. Among BOGCMs, only two individual models successfully produced an increasing NPP trend (one model at each site). We caution against the use of models to assess multiannual changes in NPP over short time periods. Ocean color model estimates of NPP trends could improve if more high quality HPLC chlorophyll-a time series were available

A comparison of global estimates of marine primary production from ocean color

The third primary production algorithm round robin (PPARR3) compares output from 24 models that estimate depth-integrated primary production from satellite measurements of ocean color, as well as seven general circulation models (GCMs) coupled with ecosystem or biogeochemical models. Here we compare the global primary production fields corresponding to eight months of 1998 and 1999 as estimated from common input fields of photosynthetically-available radiation (PAR), sea-surface temperature (SST), mixed-layer depth, and chlorophyll concentration. We also quantify the sensitivity of the ocean-color-based models to perturbations in their input variables. The pair-wise correlation between ocean-color models was used to cluster them into groups or related output, which reflect the regions and environmental conditions under which they respond differently. The groups do not follow model complexity with regards to wavelength or depth dependence, though they are related to the manner in which temperature is used to parameterize photosynthesis. Global average PP varies by a factor of two between models. The models diverged the most for the Southern Ocean, SST under , and chlorophyll concentration exceeding 1 mg Chl m-3. Based on the conditions under which the model results diverge most, we conclude that current ocean-color-based models are challenged by high-nutrient low-chlorophyll conditions, and extreme temperatures or chlorophyll concentrations. The GCM-based models predict comparable primary production to those based on ocean color: they estimate higher values in the Southern Ocean, at low SST, and in the equatorial band, while they estimate lower values in eutrophic regions (probably because the area of high chlorophyll concentrations is smaller in the GCMs). Further progress in primary production modeling requires improved understanding of the effect of temperature on photosynthesis and better parameterization of the maximum photosynthetic rate