UBVRI Light Curves of 44 Type Ia Supernovae

We present UBVRI photometry of 44 type-Ia supernovae (SN Ia) observed from 1997 to 2001 as part of a continuing monitoring campaign at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. The data set comprises 2190 observations and is the largest homogeneously observed and reduced sample of SN Ia to date, nearly doubling the number of well-observed, nearby SN Ia with published multicolor CCD light curves. The large sample of U-band photometry is a unique addition, with important connections to SN Ia observed at high redshift. The decline rate of SN Ia U-band light curves correlates well with the decline rate in other bands, as does the U-B color at maximum light. However, the U-band peak magnitudes show an increased dispersion relative to other bands even after accounting for extinction and decline rate, amounting to an additional ~40% intrinsic scatter compared to B-band.Comment: 84 authors, 71 pages, 51 tables, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal. Version with high-res figures and electronic data at http://astron.berkeley.edu/~saurabh/cfa2snIa

Genetic underpinnings of increased BMI and its association with late midlife cognitive abilities

OBJECTIVES: First, we test for differences in various cognitive abilities across trajectories of body mass index (BMI) over the later life course. Second, we examine whether genetic risk factors for unhealthy BMIs-assessed via polygenic risk scores (PRS)-predict cognitive abilities in late-life. METHODS: The study used a longitudinal sample of Vietnam veteran males to explore the associations between BMI trajectories, measured across four time points, and later cognitive abilities. The sample of 977 individuals was drawn from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging. Cognitive abilities evaluated included executive function, abstract reasoning, episodic memory, processing speed, verbal fluency, and visual spatial ability. Multilevel linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between BMI trajectories and cognitive abilities. Then, BMI PRS was added to the models to evaluate polygenic associations with cognitive abilities. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in cognitive ability between any of the BMI trajectory groups. There was a significant inverse relationship between BMI-PRS and several cognitive ability measures. DISCUSSION: While no associations emerged for BMI trajectories and cognitive abilities at the phenotypic levels, BMI PRS measures did correlate with key cognitive domains. Our results suggest possible polygenic linkages cutting across key components of the central and peripheral nervous system.Published versio

Relationships Between Residence Characteristics and \u3ci\u3eNursing Home Compare\u3c/i\u3e Database Quality Measures

Objective: This study evaluated relationships between physical characteristics of nursing home residences and quality-of-care measures. Design: This was a cross-sectional ecologic study. The dependent variables were 5 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Nursing Home Compare database long-stay quality measures (QMs) during 2019: percentage of residents who displayed depressive symptoms, percentage of residents who were physically restrained, percentage of residents who experienced 1 or more falls resulting in injury, percentage of residents who received antipsychotic medication, and percentage of residents who received anti-anxiety medication. The independent variables were 4 residence characteristics: ownership type, size, occupancy, and region within the United States. We explored how different types of each residence characteristic compare for each QM. Setting, participants, and measurements: Quality measure values from 15,420 CMS-supported nursing homes across the United States averaged over the 4 quarters of 2019 reporting were used. Welch’s analysis of variance was performed to examine whether the mean QM values for groups within each residential characteristic were statistically different. Results: Publicly owned and low-occupancy residences had the highest mean QM values, indicating the poorest performance. Nonprofit and high-occupancy residences generally had the lowest (ie, best) mean QM values. There were significant differences in mean QM values among nursing home sizes and regions. Conclusion: This study suggests that residence characteristics are related to 5 nursing home QMs. Results suggest that physical characteristics may be related to overall quality of life in nursing homes

Beta1-adrenergic receptor polymorphisms and clinical efficacy of betaxolol hydrochloride in normal volunteers

To evaluate the relationship between polymorphisms in the gene encoding the beta1-adrenergic receptor (beta1-AR) and clinical response to betaxolol hydrochloride 0.25% in a small pilot study of normal volunteers. Prospective nonrandomized comparative trial. Forty-eight consecutive normal volunteers who met all eligibility requirements for inclusion into this study. Baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) was recorded. Subjects began treatment with betaxolol (1 drop both eyes twice daily) and underwent follow-up IOP recordings at 3 and 6 weeks. Peripheral blood was obtained for genetic analysis. Response to betaxolol was calculated as the change in mean IOP from baseline (averaged between both eyes and averaged between both follow-up visits). The beta1-AR genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphisms at codons 49 (serine [Ser] or glycine [Gly]) and 389 (arginine [Arg] or Gly). There were 32 Ser49 homozygotes and 16 Gly49 carriers. There were no statistically significant differences between the Ser49 homozygotes and the Gly49 carriers with respect to baseline IOP or response to betaxolol therapy. There were 25 Arg389 homozygotes and 23 Gly389 carriers (22 heterozygotes and 1 Gly389 homozygote). As compared with Gly389 carriers, the Arg389 homozygotes had a higher baseline IOP (15.8 mmHg vs. 13.7 mmHg; P = 0.009) and a greater magnitude of response to betaxolol therapy (-3.4 mmHg vs. -1.5 mmHg; P = 0.0009). The Ser49 homozygote genotype was not independently associated with baseline IOP (P = 0.47) or with a response to betaxolol (P = 0.99). The Arg389 homozygote genotype was independently associated with a higher baseline IOP (P = 0.03) and a greater response to betaxolol (P = 0.03), even after adjusting for baseline IOP. In this small pilot series, a single nucleotide polymorphism at codon 389 in the beta1-AR seems to correlate with a response to betaxolol therapy in normal, nonglaucomatous volunteers. There was no such correlation at codon 49. The polymorphism at codon 389 may predict short-term response to betaxolol and may serve as a determinant of response to betaxolol and other adrenergic agents in glaucomatous eyes requiring treatment