EMCCD calibration for astronomical imaging: Wide FastCam at the Telescopio Carlos Sánchez

The evident benefits of Electron Multiplying CCDs (EMCCDs) -speed, high sensitivity, low noise and their capability of detecting single photon events whilst maintaining high quantum efficiency- are bringing these kinds of detectors to many state-of-the-art astronomical instruments (Velasco et al. 2016; Oscoz et al. 2008). The EMCCDs are the perfect answer to the need for great sensitivity levels as they are not limited by the readout noise of the output amplifier, while conventional CCDs are, even when operated at high readout frame rates. Here we present a quantitative on-sky method to calibrate EMCCD detectors dedicated to astronomical imaging, developed during the commissioning process (Velasco et al. 2016) and first observations (Ricci et al. 2016, in prep.) with Wide FastCam (Marga et al. 2014) at Telescopio Carlos Sánchez (TCS) in the Observatorio del Teide

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Supplementary Material for: Inter-Rater Agreement in the Clinical Diagnosis of Cognitive Status: Data from the Neurological Disorders in Central Spain 2 Pilot Study

<i>Background:</i> To assess the diagnostic agreement of cognitive status (dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), normal cognition) among neurologists in the field of neurological disorders in Central Spain 2 study. <i>Methods:</i> Full medical histories of 30 individuals were provided to 27 neurologists: 9 seniors, 10 juniors and 8 residents. For each case, we were asked to assign a diagnosis of dementia, MCI or normal cognition using the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroup (NIA-AA) core clinical criteria for all-cause dementia, Winblad et al. criteria for MCI, and analyze intensity and etiology if dementia was diagnosed. Inter-rater agreement was assessed both with percent concordance and non-weighted ? statistics. <i>Results:</i> Overall inter-rater agreement on cognitive status was ? = 0.76 (95% CI 0.65-0.86), being slightly higher among junior neurologists (? = 0.85, 95% CI 0.73-0.95) than among seniors (? = 0.71, 95% CI 0.59-0.83) and residents (? = 0.69, 95% CI 0.54-0.81) but without statistical significance among groups. Dementia severity showed an overall ? of 0.34, 0.44 and 0.64 for mild, moderate and severe dementia respectively. <i>Conclusions:</i>Substantial agreement was demonstrated for the diagnosis of cognitive status (dementia, MCI and normal cognition) among neurologists of different levels of experience in a population-based epidemiological study using NIA-AA and Winblad et al. criteria. The agreement rate was lower in the diagnosis of dementia severity

Microbial processing of plant remains is co‐limited by multiple nutrients in global grasslands

Microbial processing of aggregate‐unprotected organic matter inputs is key for soil fertility, long‐term ecosystem carbon and nutrient sequestration and sustainable agriculture. We investigated the effects of adding multiple nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium plus nine essential macro‐ and micro‐nutrients) on decomposition and biochemical transformation of standard plant materials buried in 21 grasslands from four continents. Addition of multiple nutrients weakly but consistently increased decomposition and biochemical transformation of plant remains during the peak‐season, concurrent with changes in microbial exoenzymatic activity. Higher mean annual precipitation and lower mean annual temperature were the main climatic drivers of higher decomposition rates, while biochemical transformation of plant remains was negatively related to temperature of the wettest quarter. Nutrients enhanced decomposition most at cool, high rainfall sites, indicating that in a warmer and drier future fertilized grassland soils will have an even more limited potential for microbial processing of plant remains