Trouble in virtual heaven : Origin and consequences of social conflict in online consumption communities

This paper analyzes social conflicts among amateur computer gamers who are playing online multiplayer games. Whereas prior research tends to focus on the passion and fun of consumption community, or negative individual consequences of gaming, our research contributes with theorization of the role of social conflicts within and across gaming communities. The empirical data consists of two data collecting phases. We develop our understanding of gaming communities and culture through virtual ethnography and netnography. Then we conduct interviews with young adult gamers who belong to six communities. Our findings show four types of social conflicts; those between casual versus competitive logics, depending on skills and power, immoral behavior, and troubles of team alignment, which are related to routinized, prerogative or transgressive conflict cultures. We discuss how the study contributes with new knowledge on consumption mediated social conflicts and suggest a model of the relationship between conflict cultures, conflict types and implications.publishedVersio

Dark neutrino interactions make gravitational waves blue

New interactions of neutrinos can stop them from free streaming in the early Universe even after the weak decoupling epoch. This results in the enhancement of the primordial gravitational wave amplitude on small scales compared to the standard $\Lambda$CDM prediction. In this paper we calculate the effect of dark matter neutrino interactions in CMB tensor $B$-modes spectrum. We show that the effect of new neutrino interactions generates a scale or $\ell$ dependent imprint in the CMB $B$-modes power spectrum at $\ell \gtrsim 100$. In the event that primordial $B$-modes are detected by future experiments, a departure from scale invariance, with a blue spectrum, may not necessarily mean failure of simple inflationary models but instead may be a sign of non-standard interactions of relativistic particles. New interactions of neutrinos also induce a phase shift in the CMB B-mode power spectrum which cannot be mimicked by simple modifications of the primordial tensor power spectrum. There is rich information hidden in the CMB $B$-modes spectrum beyond just the tensor to scalar ratio.Comment: 31 pages, 10 figures. Version published in Phys. Rev.

Trafikksikkerhetstiltak for leasede kjøretøy i Forsvaret

Med bakgrunn i den aktuelle trafikkskadestatistikken for Forsvaret, og tendensen til økning i antallet trafikkulykker for Forsvarets leasede kjøretøyer, har vi valgt å se på tiltak som kan bidra til å motvirke denne trenden. Spesielt verdt å merke seg er antallet rygge- og utforkjøringsulykker, og den kostnaden disse fører med seg. I vårt arbeid har vi lett etter tiltak som kan tenkes å ha effekt på denne typen ulykker, samt tiltak som kan tenkes å ha en generell ulykkesreduserende effekt. Vi har i hovedsak fokusert på erfaringer fra sammenlignbare virksomheter, og vurdert hvorvidt deres tiltak kan antas å ha effekt hvis de iverksettes i Forsvaret. Det viser seg at det er vanskelig å finne tiltak som gir en entydig effekt på enkelte typer ulykker. Utfordringen synes å være at hvis tiltakene rettes inn mot en mot en isolert ulykkesårsak, bli de uten tilstrekkelig effekt. Det kan altså synes at man må favne bredere, og iverksette flere tiltak samtidig. De tiltak vi foreslår, er blant annet en betydelig grad av selektering av Forsvarets sjåfører. Vi anbefaler i tillegg at det velges ut prøveavdelinger, at det iverksettes tiltak i disse avdelingene, og at arbeidet evalueres grundig i etterkant. Av aktuelle tiltak som kan prøves ut er teknologiske løsninger, praktiske og teoretiske kurs. Vi ser også at det kan være fornuftig med en eller annen form for belønningssystemer for en avdelingsvis reduksjon i antallet trafikkulykker, og tydeligere økonomiske sanksjoner ved skade på kjøretøy. Vi antar at dette kan være et virkemiddel for å styrke avdelingenes holdninger til trafikksikkerhet, og dermed også en styrkning av trafikksikkerhetskulturen i avdelingen

Salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) transcriptomes during post molting maturation and egg production, revealed using EST-sequencing and microarray analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Lepeophtheirus salmonis </it>is an ectoparasitic copepod feeding on skin, mucus and blood from salmonid hosts. Initial analysis of EST sequences from pre adult and adult stages of <it>L. salmonis </it>revealed a large proportion of novel transcripts. In order to link unknown transcripts to biological functions we have combined EST sequencing and microarray analysis to characterize female salmon louse transcriptomes during post molting maturation and egg production.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>EST sequence analysis shows that 43% of the ESTs have no significant hits in GenBank. Sequenced ESTs assembled into 556 contigs and 1614 singletons and whenever homologous genes were identified no clear correlation with homologous genes from any specific animal group was evident. Sequence comparison of 27 <it>L. salmonis </it>proteins with homologous proteins in humans, zebrafish, insects and crustaceans revealed an almost identical sequence identity with all species.</p> <p>Microarray analysis of maturing female adult salmon lice revealed two major transcription patterns; up-regulation during the final molting followed by down regulation and female specific up regulation during post molting growth and egg production. For a third minor group of ESTs transcription decreased during molting from pre-adult II to immature adults. Genes regulated during molting typically gave hits with cuticula proteins whilst transcripts up regulated during post molting growth were female specific, including two vitellogenins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The copepod <it>L.salmonis </it>contains high a level of novel genes. Among analyzed <it>L.salmonis </it>proteins, sequence identities with homologous proteins in crustaceans are no higher than to homologous proteins in humans. Three distinct processes, molting, post molting growth and egg production correlate with transcriptional regulation of three groups of transcripts; two including genes related to growth, one including genes related to egg production. The function of the regulated transcripts is discussed in relation to post molting morphological changes in adult female salmon louse. There is clear evidence that transcription of the major yolk proteins is not induced before some of the post molting growth of abdomen and the genital segment has occurred. A hallmark for the observed growth is transcription of many putative cuticula proteins prior to the size increase.</p

An investigation of trachoma vaccine regimens by the chlamydia vaccine CTH522 administered with cationic liposomes in healthy adults (CHLM-02): a phase 1, double-blind trial

Background There is no vaccine against the major global pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis; its different serovars cause trachoma in the eye or chlamydia in the genital tract. We did a clinical trial administering CTH522, a recombinant version of the C trachomatis major outer membrane molecule, in different dose concentrations with and without adjuvant, to establish its safety and immunogenicity when administered intramuscularly, intradermally, and topically into the eye, in prime-boost regimens. Methods CHLM-02 was a phase 1, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at the National Institute for Health Research Imperial Clinical Research Facility, London, UK. Participants were healthy men and non-pregnant women aged 18–45 years, without pre-existing C trachomatis genital infection. Participants were assigned into six groups by the electronic database in a pre-prepared randomisation list (A–F). Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1:1) to each of the groups A–E (12 participants each) and 6 were randomly assigned to group F. Investigators were masked to treatment allocation. Groups A–E received investigational medicinal product and group F received placebo only. Two liposomal adjuvants were compared, CAF01 and CAF09b. The groups were intramuscular 85 μg CTH522-CAF01, or placebo on day 0 and two boosters or placebo at day 28 and 112, and a mucosal recall with either placebo or CTH522 topical ocularly at day 140 (A); intramuscular 85 μg CTH522-CAF01, two boosters at day 28 and 112 with additional topical ocular administration of CTH522, and a mucosal recall with either placebo or CTH522 topical ocularly at day 140 (B); intramuscular 85 μg CTH522-CAF01, two boosters at day 28 and 112 with additional intradermal administration of CTH522, and a mucosal recall with either placebo or CTH522 topical ocularly at day 140 (C); intramuscular 15 μg CTH522-CAF01, two boosters at day 28 and 112, and a mucosal recall with either placebo or CTH522 topical ocularly at day 140 (D); intramuscular 85 μg CTH522-CAF09b, two boosters at day 28 and 112, and a mucosal recall with either placebo or CTH522 topical ocularly at day 140 (E); intramuscular placebo (F). The primary outcome was safety; the secondary outcome (humoral immunogenicity) was the percentage of trial participants achieving anti-CTH522 IgG seroconversion, defined as four-fold and ten-fold increase over baseline concentrations. Analyses were done as intention to treat and as per protocol. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03926728, and is complete. Findings Between Feb 17, 2020 and Feb 22, 2022, of 154 participants screened, 65 were randomly assigned, and 60 completed the trial (34 [52%] of 65 women, 46 [71%] of 65 White, mean age 26·8 years). No serious adverse events occurred but one participant in group A2 discontinued dosing after having self-limiting adverse events after both placebo and investigational medicinal product doses. Study procedures were otherwise well tolerated; the majority of adverse events were mild to moderate, with only seven (1%) of 865 reported as grade 3 (severe). There was 100% four-fold seroconversion rate by day 42 in the active groups (A–E) and no seroconversion in the placebo group. Serum IgG anti-CTH522 titres were higher after 85 μg CTH522-CAF01 than 15 μg, although not significantly (intention-to-treat median IgG titre ratio groups A–C:D=5·6; p=0·062), with no difference after three injections of 85 μg CTH522-CAF01 compared with CTH522-CAF09b (group E). Intradermal CTH522 (group C) induced high titres of serum IgG anti-CTH522 neutralising antibodies against serovars B (trachoma) and D (urogenital). Topical ocular CTH522 (group B) at day 28 and 112 induced higher total ocular IgA compared with baseline (p<0·001). Participants in all active vaccine groups, particularly groups B and E, developed cell mediated immune responses against CTH522. Interpretation CTH522, adjuvanted with CAF01 or CAF09b, is safe and immunogenic, with 85 μg CTH522-CAF01 inducing robust serum IgG binding titres. Intradermal vaccination conferred systemic IgG neutralisation breadth, and topical ocular administration increased ocular IgA formation. These findings indicate CTH522 vaccine regimens against ocular trachoma and urogenital chlamydia for testing in phase 2, clinical trials. Funding The EU Horizon Program TRACVAC

Nationwide Survival Benefit after Implementation of First-Line Immunotherapy for Patients with Advanced NSCLC—Real World Efficacy

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The expected change in overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after the clinical implementation of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (ICI) has not been substantially investigated in large real-world cohorts outside randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In this nationwide study, we compared OS before and after the implementation of ICI and found that 3-year OS tripled from 6% to 18%. Patients receiving ICI had a lower OS than demonstrated in RCTs, except for patients with performance status (PS) 0. More than a fifth of the patients progressed early within the first six ICI cycles. Adverse prognostic factors were PS ≥ 1 and metastases to the bone and liver. ABSTRACT: Background The selection of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment remains challenging. This real-world study aimed to compare the overall survival (OS) before and after the implementation of ICIs, to identify OS prognostic factors, and to assess treatment data in first-line (1L) ICI-treated patients without epidermal growth factor receptor mutation or anaplastic lymphoma kinase translocation. Methods Data from the Danish NSCLC population initiated with 1L palliative antineoplastic treatment from 1 January 2013 to 1 October 2018, were extracted from the Danish Lung Cancer Registry (DLCR). Long-term survival and median OS pre- and post-approval of 1L ICI were compared. From electronic health records, additional clinical and treatment data were obtained for ICI-treated patients from 1 March 2017 to 1 October 2018. Results The OS was significantly improved in the DLCR post-approval cohort (n = 2055) compared to the pre-approval cohort (n = 1658). The 3-year OS rates were 18% (95% CI 15.6–20.0) and 6% (95% CI 5.1–7.4), respectively. On multivariable Cox regression, bone (HR = 1.63) and liver metastases (HR = 1.47), performance status (PS) 1 (HR = 1.86), and PS ≥ 2 (HR = 2.19) were significantly associated with poor OS in ICI-treated patients. Conclusion OS significantly improved in patients with advanced NSCLC after ICI implementation in Denmark. In ICI-treated patients, PS ≥ 1, and bone and liver metastases were associated with a worse prognosis