774 research outputs found
SPYGLASS. III. The Fornax-Horologium Association and its Traceback History within the Austral Complex
The study of young associations is essential for building a complete record
of local star formation processes. The Fornax-Horologium association (FH),
including the Fornacis cluster, represents one of the nearest young
stellar populations to the Sun. This association has recently been linked to
the Tuc-Hor, Carina, and Columba associations, building an extensive "Austral
Complex" almost entirely within 150 pc. Using Gaia astrometry and photometry in
addition to new spectroscopic observations, we perform the deepest survey of FH
to date, identifying over 300 candidate members, nearly doubling the known
population. By combining this sample with literature surveys of the other
constituent populations, we produce a contiguous stellar population covering
the entire Austral Complex, allowing the definitions of sub-populations to be
re-assessed along with connections to external populations. This analysis
recovers new definitions for FH, Tuc-Hor, Columba, and Carina, while also
revealing a connection between the Austral complex and the Sco-Cen-affiliated
Platais 8 cluster. This suggests that the Austral complex may be just a small
component of a much larger and more diverse star formation event. Computing
ages and tracing stellar populations back to formation reveals two distinct
nodes of cospatial and continuous formation in the Austral Complex, one
containing Tuc-Hor, and the other containing FH, Carina, and Columba. This
mirrors recent work showing similar structure elsewhere, suggesting that these
nodes, which only emerge through the use of traceback, may represent the
clearest discrete unit of local star formation, and a key building block needed
to reconstruct larger star-forming events.Comment: Accepted to ApJ; 29 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables in two-column
AASTEX63 forma
The Wahlquist-Newman solution
Based on a geometrical property which holds both for the Kerr metric and for
the Wahlquist metric we argue that the Kerr metric is a vacuum subcase of the
Wahlquist perfect-fluid solution. The Kerr-Newman metric is a physically
preferred charged generalization of the Kerr metric. We discuss which geometric
property makes this metric so special and claim that a charged generalization
of the Wahlquist metric satisfying a similar property should exist. This is the
Wahlquist-Newman metric, which we present explicitly in this paper. This family
of metrics has eight essential parameters and contains the Kerr-Newman-de
Sitter and the Wahlquist metrics, as well as the whole Pleba\'nski limit of the
rotating C-metric, as particular cases. We describe the basic geometric
properties of the Wahlquist-Newman metric, including the electromagnetic field
and its sources, the static limit of the family and the extension of the
spacetime across the horizon.Comment: LaTeX, 18 pages, no figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Network-Based Analysis of Affected Biological Processes in Type 2 Diabetes Models
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a complex disorder associated with multiple genetic, epigenetic, developmental, and environmental factors. Animal models of type 2 diabetes differ based on diet, drug treatment, and gene knockouts, and yet all display the clinical hallmarks of hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in peripheral tissue. The recent advances in gene-expression microarray technologies present an unprecedented opportunity to study type 2 diabetes mellitus at a genome-wide scale and across different models. To date, a key challenge has been to identify the biological processes or signaling pathways that play significant roles in the disorder. Here, using a network-based analysis methodology, we identified two sets of genes, associated with insulin signaling and a network of nuclear receptors, which are recurrent in a statistically significant number of diabetes and insulin resistance models and transcriptionally altered across diverse tissue types. We additionally identified a network of protein–protein interactions between members from the two gene sets that may facilitate signaling between them. Taken together, the results illustrate the benefits of integrating high-throughput microarray studies, together with protein–protein interaction networks, in elucidating the underlying biological processes associated with a complex disorder
SPYGLASS. II. The Multi-Generational and Multi-Origin Star Formation History of Cepheus Far North
Young stellar populations provide a record of past star formation, and by
establishing their members' dynamics and ages, it is possible to reconstruct
the full history of star formation events. Gaia has greatly expanded the number
of accessible stellar populations, with one of the most notable
recently-discovered associations being Cepheus Far North (CFN), a population
containing hundreds of members spanning over 100 pc. With its proximity (d
200 pc), apparent substructure, and relatively small population, CFN
represents a manageable population to study in depth, with enough evidence of
internal complexity to produce a compelling star formation story. Using Gaia
astrometry and photometry combined with additional spectroscopic observations,
we identify over 500 candidate CFN members spread across 7 subgroups. Combining
ages from isochrones, asteroseismology, dynamics, and lithium depletion, we
produce well-constrained ages for all seven subgroups, revealing a largely
continuous 10 Myr star formation history in the association. By tracing back
the present-day populations to the time of their formation, we identify two
spatially and dynamically distinct nodes in which stars form, one associated
with Cephei which shows mostly co-spatial formation, and one associated
with EE Draconis with a more dispersed star formation history. This detailed
view of star formation demonstrates the complexity of the star formation
process, even in the smallest of regions.Comment: Accepted to ApJ; 34 pages, 15 figures, 6 tables in two-column
AASTEX63 forma
Altruism can proliferate through group/kin selection despite high random gene flow
The ways in which natural selection can allow the proliferation of
cooperative behavior have long been seen as a central problem in evolutionary
biology. Most of the literature has focused on interactions between pairs of
individuals and on linear public goods games. This emphasis led to the
conclusion that even modest levels of migration would pose a serious problem to
the spread of altruism in group structured populations. Here we challenge this
conclusion, by analyzing evolution in a framework which allows for complex
group interactions and random migration among groups. We conclude that
contingent forms of strong altruism can spread when rare under realistic group
sizes and levels of migration. Our analysis combines group-centric and
gene-centric perspectives, allows for arbitrary strength of selection, and
leads to extensions of Hamilton's rule for the spread of altruistic alleles,
applicable under broad conditions.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Supplementary material with 50 pages and 26
figure
Targeted genetic testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia using next generation sequencing:a population-based study
Background<p></p>
Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a common Mendelian condition which, untreated, results in premature coronary heart disease. An estimated 88% of FH cases are undiagnosed in the UK. We previously validated a method for FH mutation detection in a lipid clinic population using next generation sequencing (NGS), but this did not address the challenge of identifying index cases in primary care where most undiagnosed patients receive healthcare. Here, we evaluate the targeted use of NGS as a potential route to diagnosis of FH in a primary care population subset selected for hypercholesterolaemia.<p></p>
Methods<p></p>
We used microfluidics-based PCR amplification coupled with NGS and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) to detect mutations in LDLR, APOB and PCSK9 in three phenotypic groups within the Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study including 193 individuals with high total cholesterol, 232 with moderately high total cholesterol despite cholesterol-lowering therapy, and 192 normocholesterolaemic controls.<p></p>
Results<p></p>
Pathogenic mutations were found in 2.1% of hypercholesterolaemic individuals, in 2.2% of subjects on cholesterol-lowering therapy and in 42% of their available first-degree relatives. In addition, variants of uncertain clinical significance (VUCS) were detected in 1.4% of the hypercholesterolaemic and cholesterol-lowering therapy groups. No pathogenic variants or VUCS were detected in controls.<p></p>
Conclusions<p></p>
We demonstrated that population-based genetic testing using these protocols is able to deliver definitive molecular diagnoses of FH in individuals with high cholesterol or on cholesterol-lowering therapy. The lower cost and labour associated with NGS-based testing may increase the attractiveness of a population-based approach to FH detection compared to genetic testing with conventional sequencing. This could provide one route to increasing the present low percentage of FH cases with a genetic diagnosis
THE UNIQUENESS THEOREM FOR ROTATING BLACK HOLE SOLUTIONS OF SELF-GRAVITATING HARMONIC MAPPINGS
We consider rotating black hole configurations of self-gravitating maps from
spacetime into arbitrary Riemannian manifolds. We first establish the
integrability conditions for the Killing fields generating the stationary and
the axisymmetric isometry (circularity theorem). Restricting ourselves to
mappings with harmonic action, we subsequently prove that the only stationary
and axisymmetric, asymptotically flat black hole solution with regular event
horizon is the Kerr metric. Together with the uniqueness result for
non-rotating configurations and the strong rigidity theorem, this establishes
the uniqueness of the Kerr family amongst all stationary black hole solutions
of self-gravitating harmonic mappings.Comment: 18 pages, latex, no figure
Penalty Corner Routines in Elite Women’s Indoor Field Hockey: Prediction of Outcomes based on Tactical Decisions
Indoor hockey is a highly competitive international sport, yet no research to date has investigated the key actions within this sport. As with outdoor field hockey, penalty corners represent one of the most likely situations in which goals can be scored. All 36 matches of the round-robin phase of the 2010-2011 England Hockey League Women’s Premier Division ‘Super Sixes’ competition were analysed with the purpose of establishing which factors can predict the scoring of a goal using Binary Logistic Regression analysis. Seventy two (22.6%) of the 319 observed penalty corners resulted in a goal. The strongest predictor of scoring a goal was taking the penalty corner from the goalkeeper’s right. Based on the odds ratio (OR), the odds of the attacking team scoring were 2.27 (CI = 1.41 - 3.65) times higher with penalty corners taken from the goalkeeper’s right as opposed to the left. Additionally, if the goalkeeper decided to rush to the edge of the circle, the odds of the attacking team failing to score were 2.19 (CI = 1.18 - 4.08) times higher compared to when the goalkeeper remained near the goal line. These results suggest that strategic decisions from the players and coaches have an important part to play in the success of penalty corners. Future research should investigate the impact of goalkeepers’ movement and further examine the technical and tactical intricacies of penalty corners
Roles and practices of general practitioners and psychiatrists in management of depression in the community
BACKGROUND: Little is known about depressed patients' profiles and how they are managed. The aim of the study is to compare GPs and psychiatrists for 1°) sociodemographic and clinical profile of their patients considered as depressed 2°) patterns of care provision. METHODS: The study design is an observational cross-sectional study on a random sample of GPs and psychiatrists working in France. Consecutive inclusion of patients seen in consultation considered as depressed by the physician. GPs enrolled 6,104 and psychiatrists 1,433 patients. Data collected: sociodemographics, psychiatric profile, environmental risk factors of depression and treatment. All clinical data were collected by participating physicians; there was no direct independent clinical assessment of patients to check the diagnosis of depressive disorder. RESULTS: Compared to patients identified as depressed by GPs, those identified by psychiatrists were younger, more often urban (10.5% v 5.4% – OR = 2.4), educated (42.4% v 25.4% – OR = 3.9), met DSM-IV criteria for depression (94.6% v 85.6% – OR = 2.9), had been hospitalized for depression (26.1% v 15.6% – OR = 2.0) and were younger at onset of depressive problems (all adjusted p < .001). No difference was found for psychiatric and somatic comorbidity, suicide attempt and severity of current depression. Compared to GPs, psychiatrists more often prescribed tricyclics and very novel antidepressants (7.8% v 2.3% OR = 5.0 and 6.8% v 3.0% OR = 3.8) with longer duration of antidepressant treatment. GPs' patients received more "non-conventional" treatment (8.8% v 2.4% OR = 0.3) and less psychotherapy (72.2% v 89.1% OR = 3.1) (all adjusted p < .001). CONCLUSION: Differences between patients mainly concerned educational level and area of residence with few differences regarding clinical profile. Differences between practices of GPs and psychiatrists appear to reflect more the organization of the French care system than the competence of providers
Local CpG density affects the trajectory and variance of age-associated DNA methylation changes
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