Assessing Human Exposure to SVOCs in Materials, Products, and Articles : A Modular Mechanistic Framework

A critical review of the current state of knowledge of chemical emissions from indoor sources, partitioning among indoor compartments, and the ensuing indoor exposure leads to a proposal for a modular mechanistic framework for predicting human exposure to semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Mechanistically consistent source emission categories include solid, soft, frequent contact, applied, sprayed, and high temperature sources. Environmental compartments are the gas phase, airborne particles, settled dust, indoor surfaces, and clothing. Identified research needs are the development of dynamic emission models for several of the source emission categories and of estimation strategies for critical model parameters. The modular structure of the framework facilitates subsequent inclusion of new knowledge, other chemical classes of indoor pollutants, and additional mechanistic processes relevant to human exposure indoors. The framework may serve as the foundation for developing an open-source community model to better support collaborative research and improve access for application by stakeholders. Combining exposure estimates derived using this framework with toxicity data for different end points and toxicokinetic mechanisms will accelerate chemical risk prioritization, advance effective chemical management decisions, and protect public health.Peer reviewe

Search for gravitational-lensing signatures in the full third observing run of the LIGO-Virgo network

Gravitational lensing by massive objects along the line of sight to the source causes distortions of gravitational wave-signals; such distortions may reveal information about fundamental physics, cosmology and astrophysics. In this work, we have extended the search for lensing signatures to all binary black hole events from the third observing run of the LIGO--Virgo network. We search for repeated signals from strong lensing by 1) performing targeted searches for subthreshold signals, 2) calculating the degree of overlap amongst the intrinsic parameters and sky location of pairs of signals, 3) comparing the similarities of the spectrograms amongst pairs of signals, and 4) performing dual-signal Bayesian analysis that takes into account selection effects and astrophysical knowledge. We also search for distortions to the gravitational waveform caused by 1) frequency-independent phase shifts in strongly lensed images, and 2) frequency-dependent modulation of the amplitude and phase due to point masses. None of these searches yields significant evidence for lensing. Finally, we use the non-detection of gravitational-wave lensing to constrain the lensing rate based on the latest merger-rate estimates and the fraction of dark matter composed of compact objects

Search for eccentric black hole coalescences during the third observing run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass M>70 M⊙) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities 0<e≤0.3 at 0.33 Gpc−3 yr−1 at 90\% confidence level

Ultralight vector dark matter search using data from the KAGRA O3GK run

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for U(1)B−L gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the stochastic nature of ultralight DM, upper bounds on the coupling strength between the U(1)B−L gauge boson and ordinary matter are obtained for a range of DM masses. While our constraints are less stringent than those derived from previous experiments, this study demonstrates the applicability of our method to the lower-mass vector DM search, which is made difficult in this measurement by the short observation time compared to the auto-correlation time scale of DM

QUAL O PAPEL DOS FATORES AMBIENTAIS E DE PAISAGEM NAS DIVERSIDADES TAXONÔMICA, FUNCIONAL E FILOGENÉTICA DE BRIÓFITAS NA FLORESTA ATLÂNTICA NORDESTINA?

O entendimento das causas da diversidade de briófitas é extremamente relevante para a Floresta Atlântica, particularmente da porção Nordestina, a mais fragmentada e com menos áreas integralmente protegidas. Objetivou-se avaliar as relações entre a riqueza de espécies e os componentes da diversidade taxonômico, funcional e filogenético, bem como o papel das condições ambientais e da estrutura da paisagem nos padrões observados. Em 13 localidades de Floresta Atlântica Nordestina foram realizadas coletas exploratórias de briófitas e compiladas a temperatura e a precipitação média anual e a variação na elevação, além de métricas de paisagem. Foram elaboradas uma árvore filogenética e uma matriz funcional das espécies. Identificaram-se 196 espécies; a riqueza das localidades variou de 12 a 102 espécies. Observou-se relação positiva entre os componentes de diversidade, indicando que a redução regional de espécies está intimamente relacionada com a perda de diversidade nos variados componentes. Os padrões de riqueza e diversidade foram explicados pelas variações na elevação e temperatura média anual, apontando a importância do grupo como indicador ambiental. Assim, devido a sua sensibilidade às alterações de temperatura, as briófitas podem contribuir para responder questões do quão rápido o aumento da temperatura global afeta as espécies e os ecossistemas, o que deve ser considerado em trabalhos futuros

Combined search for anti–β2-glycoprotein i and anticardiolipin antibodies in antiphospholipid syndrome: Contribution to diagnosis

International audienc

Freud et la philosophie

La philosophie ne s'oppose pas à la science ; se comportant elle-même comme une science, elle en emprunte aussi parfois les méthodes, mais s’en éloigne en se cramponnant à des chimères, en prétendant offrir un tableau cohérent et sans lacunes de l’univers, prétention dont tout nouveau progrès de la connaissance nous permet de constater l’inanité. Au point de vue de la méthode, la philosophie s’égare en surestimant la valeur cognitive de nos opérations logiques et en admettant la réalité d’autre sources de la connaissance, telle, que par exemple, l’intuition. ? Assez souvent, l’on approuve la boutade du poète (Henri Heine) qui a dit en parlant du philosophe «Avec ses bonnets de nuit et des lambeaux de sa robe de chambre, il bouche les trous de l’édifice universel.» Mais la philosophie n’exerce aucune influence sur la masse et n’intéresse qu’un nombre infime de personnes, même parmi celles qui forment le petit clan des intellectuels. Sigmund Freud, Nouvelle conférence sur la psychanalyse, Paris, Gallimard, 1936

Freud et la philosophie

La philosophie ne s'oppose pas à la science ; se comportant elle-même comme une science, elle en emprunte aussi parfois les méthodes, mais s’en éloigne en se cramponnant à des chimères, en prétendant offrir un tableau cohérent et sans lacunes de l’univers, prétention dont tout nouveau progrès de la connaissance nous permet de constater l’inanité. Au point de vue de la méthode, la philosophie s’égare en surestimant la valeur cognitive de nos opérations logiques et en admettant la réalité d’autre sources de la connaissance, telle, que par exemple, l’intuition. ? Assez souvent, l’on approuve la boutade du poète (Henri Heine) qui a dit en parlant du philosophe «Avec ses bonnets de nuit et des lambeaux de sa robe de chambre, il bouche les trous de l’édifice universel.» Mais la philosophie n’exerce aucune influence sur la masse et n’intéresse qu’un nombre infime de personnes, même parmi celles qui forment le petit clan des intellectuels. Sigmund Freud, Nouvelle conférence sur la psychanalyse, Paris, Gallimard, 1936