The study of ionospheric anomalies in Japan area during 1998–2010 by Kon et al.: An inaccurate claim of earthquake-related signatures?

The problem of identifying precursory signals of earthquakes in the hope of mitigate the seismic hazard is a very important topic, but inaccurate documentations of precursory signatures decrease the credibility of this field of research. The statistical analysis by Kon et al. (2011) shows that there is tendency of positive total electron content (TEC) anomalies to occur 1–5 days before 52 M > 6 earthquakes which struck Japan during 1998–2010. Kon et al. (2011) also report in detail three selected case studies claiming the occurrence of TEC anomalies possibly related to large and destructive earthquakes. This paper casts doubts on the possibility that in the three cases the TEC disturbances were caused by seismic events suggesting that these TEC changes could be induced by normal variations of the global geomagnetic activity. As a consequence, also the results of the Superimposed Epoch Analysis performed by Kon et al. (2011) could be seriously influenced by global magnetospheric signals

In vivo cranial bone strain and bite force in the agamid lizard Uromastyx geyri

In vivo bone strain data are the most direct evidence of deformation and strain regimes in the vertebrate cranium during feeding and can provide important insights into skull morphology. Strain data have been collected during feeding across a wide range of mammals; in contrast, in vivo cranial bone strain data have been collected from few sauropsid taxa. Here we present bone strain data recorded from the jugal of the herbivorous agamid lizard Uromastyx geyri along with simultaneously recorded bite force. Principal and shear strain magnitudes in Uromastyx geyri were lower than cranial bone strains recorded in Alligator mississippiensis, but higher than those reported from herbivorous mammals. Our results suggest that variations in principal strain orientations in the facial skeleton are largely due to differences in feeding behavior and bite location, whereas food type has little impact on strain orientations. Furthermore, mean principal strain orientations differ between male and female Uromastyx during feeding, potentially because of sexual dimorphism in skull morphology

Effectiveness and safety of oral HIV preexposure prophylaxis for all populations.

ObjectivePreexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) offers a promising new approach to HIV prevention. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the evidence for use of oral PrEP containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate as an additional HIV prevention strategy in populations at substantial risk for HIV based on HIV acquisition, adverse events, drug resistance, sexual behavior, and reproductive health outcomes.DesignRigorous systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsA comprehensive search strategy reviewed three electronic databases and conference abstracts through April 2015. Pooled effect estimates were calculated using random-effects meta-analysis.ResultsEighteen studies were included, comprising data from 39 articles and six conference abstracts. Across populations and PrEP regimens, PrEP significantly reduced the risk of HIV acquisition compared with placebo. Trials with PrEP use more than 70% demonstrated the highest PrEP effectiveness (risk ratio = 0.30, 95% confidence interval: 0.21-0.45, P < 0.001) compared with placebo. Trials with low PrEP use did not show a significantly protective effect. Adverse events were similar between PrEP and placebo groups. More cases of drug-resistant HIV infection were found among PrEP users who initiated PrEP while acutely HIV-infected, but incidence of acquiring drug-resistant HIV during PrEP use was low. Studies consistently found no association between PrEP use and changes in sexual risk behavior. PrEP was not associated with increased pregnancy-related adverse events or hormonal contraception effectiveness.ConclusionPrEP is protective against HIV infection across populations, presents few significant safety risks, and there is no evidence of behavioral risk compensation. The effective and cost-effective use of PrEP will require development of best practices for fostering uptake and adherence among people at substantial HIV risk

Laurentian Provenance of Archean Mantle Fragments in the Proterozoic Baltic Crust of the Norwegian Caledonides

The Proterozoic gneisses of the Western Gneiss Region (WGR) of western Norway experienced HP-UHP metamorphism during the 435-390 Ma Caledonian (Scandian) orogeny, and locally enclose numerous large bodies of Archean peridotite. Competing models for the emplacement of these peridotites into the gneisses involve either (1) upthrusting of subcontinental mantle into overlying gneisses or (2) 'sinking emplacement' of peridotites from the Laurentian mantle wedge into the upper surface of the subducting Baltica plate. The first model implies the existence of Archean lower crust below the outcropping gneisses. To evaluate these models we have carried out a regional survey of the U-Pb age, Hf isotope composition and trace-element compositions of detrital zircon grains collected from drainages in the northern half of the WGR. The zircon data indicate that the gneisses that make up the crust of the WGR were originally generated during the 1·7-1·5 Ga Gothian orogeny. The Hf isotope signatures of these zircons indicate a juvenile (i.e. mantle) origin; there is no evidence, from either inherited zircons or the Hf isotope data, that Archean crustal materials were involved in the genesis of these gneisses. The Sveconorwegian orogeny (1·3 to < 1·0 Ga) that overprinted the Gothian gneisses involved both juvenile magmatic additions to the crust and remelting of the Gothian basement; these Sveconorwegian-age magmas also show no evidence of Archean contributions. A population of zircons collected from a drainage area containing large mantle-derived peridotite bodies includes anhedral to rounded grains with distinctive trace-element patterns consistent with derivation from depleted rocks; these are inferred to be derived from the peridotites and/or their enclosed eclogites and pyroxenites. These zircons give Archean Hf model ages, but 207Pb/206Pb ages ranging from Archean to Caledonian, suggesting that the younger ages reflect resetting during later thermal events. The Archean zircon ages are consistent with Archean Re-Os model ages previously obtained on the peridotites. In the absence of any evidence for Archean crust (and hence Archean mantle) beneath southern Baltica, we infer that the peridotite massifs represent fragments of the subcontinental lithosphere beneath Laurentia, and were introduced tectonically into the gneisses during the Caledonian subduction of Baltica beneath Laurentia

Precise calibration of LIGO test mass actuators using photon radiation pressure

Precise calibration of kilometer-scale interferometric gravitational wave detectors is crucial for source localization and waveform reconstruction. A technique that uses the radiation pressure of a power-modulated auxiliary laser to induce calibrated displacements of one of the ~10 kg arm cavity mirrors, a so-called photon calibrator, has been demonstrated previously and has recently been implemented on the LIGO detectors. In this article, we discuss the inherent precision and accuracy of the LIGO photon calibrators and several improvements that have been developed to reduce the estimated voice coil actuator calibration uncertainties to less than 2 percent (1-sigma). These improvements include accounting for rotation-induced apparent length variations caused by interferometer and photon calibrator beam centering offsets, absolute laser power measurement using temperature-controlled InGaAs photodetectors mounted on integrating spheres and calibrated by NIST, minimizing errors induced by localized elastic deformation of the mirror surface by using a two-beam configuration with the photon calibrator beams symmetrically displaced about the center of the optic, and simultaneously actuating the test mass with voice coil actuators and the photon calibrator to minimize fluctuations caused by the changing interferometer response. The photon calibrator is able to operate in the most sensitive interferometer configuration, and is expected to become a primary calibration method for future gravitational wave searches.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Classical and Quantum Gravit

Precise calibration of LIGO test mass actuators using photon radiation pressure

Precise calibration of kilometer-scale interferometric gravitational wave detectors is crucial for source localization and waveform reconstruction. A technique that uses the radiation pressure of a power-modulated auxiliary laser to induce calibrated displacements of one of the ~10 kg arm cavity mirrors, a so-called photon calibrator, has been demonstrated previously and has recently been implemented on the LIGO detectors. In this article, we discuss the inherent precision and accuracy of the LIGO photon calibrators and several improvements that have been developed to reduce the estimated voice coil actuator calibration uncertainties to less than 2 percent (1-sigma). These improvements include accounting for rotation-induced apparent length variations caused by interferometer and photon calibrator beam centering offsets, absolute laser power measurement using temperature-controlled InGaAs photodetectors mounted on integrating spheres and calibrated by NIST, minimizing errors induced by localized elastic deformation of the mirror surface by using a two-beam configuration with the photon calibrator beams symmetrically displaced about the center of the optic, and simultaneously actuating the test mass with voice coil actuators and the photon calibrator to minimize fluctuations caused by the changing interferometer response. The photon calibrator is able to operate in the most sensitive interferometer configuration, and is expected to become a primary calibration method for future gravitational wave searches.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Classical and Quantum Gravit

Pressure- and stress-induced fabric transition in olivine from peridotites in the Western Gneiss Region (Norway): implications for mantle seismic anisotropy (supporting files)

The effects of pressure, water and differential stress on the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of olivine were investigated by an integrated study on 13 peridotite samples from four areas in the Western Gneiss Region (WGR) of the Norwegian Caledonides. The highly depleted dunites are mantle residues after Archean melt extraction, while the garnet peridotites were formed by refertilization of the dunites via melt percolation in the Proterozoic. These orogenic peridotites were tectonically emplaced into Proterozoic gneisses and metasedimentary rocks of the WGR and were recrystallized under high-pressure (HP) to ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) conditions when the Baltic Shield was subducted beneath Laurentia during the 420–400 Ma Scandian orogeny. The CPOs of olivine, enstatite and diopside were measured using the electron backscatter diffraction technique. The weakly deformed garnet wehrlites and dunites from the HP central WGR (the Gurskøy, Almklovdalen and Tafjord areas) show the A-type olivine fabric defined by the [100] axis subparallel to the stretching lineation and the (010) plane subparallel to the foliation, which may be a relict fabric formed at high temperature and low strain rate in the mantle wedge prior to subduction. The [001](010) fabric (B-type) is observed in strongly sheared HP garnet peridotites and dunites from the Almklovdalen and Tafjord areas, suggesting the dominant activation of [001](010) slip system at high stress and high strain rate. Recrystallized fine olivine grains may develop a fabric different from porphyroclasts and record a gradual fabric transition. The olivine CPO in garnet lherzolites from Otrøy in the northernmost WGR is characterized by the concentration of [001] axes parallel to the stretching lineation and [100] axes normal to the foliation, indicating a prevailing [001](100) slip (C-type fabric) at P–T conditions of <6 GPa and 850–950 °C. Despite very different deformation microstructures, Fourier transform infrared analysis reveals very low water contents (<13 ppm H2O by the Paterson calibration) in olivine for both coarse porphyroclasts and recrystallized small grains, which is consistent with the high-degree partial melting of the peridotites during the Archean. Therefore, a combination of UHP and low temperature plays a more important role than water in promoting the C-type olivine fabric in a dry, cold and deeply subducted continental slab. With increasing subduction depths, the C-type olivine fabric will predominate over the A-type fabric and make the maximum P-wave velocity and shear wave splitting of peridotites normal to the foliation. However, the stress-induced fabric transition in olivine from the A-type to the B-type may be localized in shear zones and not distinguishable in seismic anisotropy observations

An immunotherapy survivor population: health-related quality of life and toxicity in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

© The Author(s) 2019. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.Purpose The immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have resulted in subgroups of patients with metastatic melanoma achievinghigh-quality durable responses. Metastatic melanoma survivors are a new population in the era of cancer survivorship. The aimofthis study was to evaluate metastatic melanoma survivors in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), immune-relatedadverse events (irAEs) and exposure to immunosuppressive agents in a large single centre in the UK.Methods We defined the survivor population as patients with a diagnosis of metastatic melanoma who achieved a durableresponse to an ICI and had been followed-up for a minimum of 12 months from initiation of ICI without disease progression.HRQoL was assessed using SF-36. Electronic health records were accessed to collect data on demographics, treatments, irAEsand survival. HRQoL data was compared with two norm-based datasets.Results Eighty-four metastatic melanoma survivors were eligible and 87% (N = 73) completed the SF-36. ICI-related toxicity ofany grade occurred in 92%of patients and 43%had experienced a grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Almost half (49%) of the patients requiredsteroids for the treatment of ICI-related toxicity, whilst 14% required treatment with an immunosuppressive agent beyondsteroids.Melanoma survivors had statistically significant lower HRQoL scores with regard to physical, social and physical rolefunctioning and general health compared with the normative population. There was a trend towards inferior scores in patientswith previous exposure to ipilimumab compared with those never exposed to ipilimumab.Conclusions Our results show that metastatic melanoma survivors have potentially experienced significant ICI-related toxicityand experience significant impairments in specific HRQoL domains. Future service planning is required to meet this population’sunique survivorship needs.Peer reviewe

Accurate calibration of test mass displacement in the LIGO interferometers

We describe three fundamentally different methods we have applied to calibrate the test mass displacement actuators to search for systematic errors in the calibration of the LIGO gravitational-wave detectors. The actuation frequencies tested range from 90 Hz to 1 kHz and the actuation amplitudes range from 1e-6 m to 1e-18 m. For each of the four test mass actuators measured, the weighted mean coefficient over all frequencies for each technique deviates from the average actuation coefficient for all three techniques by less than 4%. This result indicates that systematic errors in the calibration of the responses of the LIGO detectors to differential length variations are within the stated uncertainties.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, submitted on 31 October 2009 to Classical and Quantum Gravity for the proceedings of 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Wave