105 research outputs found
The cosmic web connection to the dark matter halo distribution through gravity
In this letter we investigate the connection between the cosmic web and the
halo distribution through the gravitational potential. We combine three fields
of research, cosmic web classification, perturbation theory expansions of the
halo bias, and halo (galaxy) mock catalog making methods. In particular, we use
the invariants of the tidal field tensor as generating functions (dubbed
I-web), to reproduce the halo number counts of a reference catalog from full
gravity calculations, populating the dark matter field on a mesh well into the
non-linear regime ( Mpc scales). Our results show an unprecedented
agreement with the reference power spectrum within 0.5% up to
Mpc. By analysing the three point statistics on large scales
(configurations of up to Mpc), we find evidence for non-local
bias at the 4.8 confidence level (an information gain of 3.4
over the commonly used T-web), being fully compatible with the
reference catalog. In particular, we find that a detailed description of tidal
anisotropic clustering on large scales is crucial to achieve this accuracy. We
conclude that the I-web can potentially be useful to study the cosmic web, to
improve the generation of mock galaxy catalogs, to improve on halo mass
reconstructions, to study primordial non-Gaussianities, to develop new
effective Eulerian galaxy bias models at the field level, and to investigate
galaxy evolution improving on environmental studies.Comment: 5 pages, 3. figures and supplemental material with 11 page, 4
figuresand 2 table
Mightee-hi: Evolution of hi scaling relations of star-forming galaxies at z < 0.5*
We present the first measurements of H I galaxy scaling relations from a blind survey at z > 0.15. We perform
spectral stacking of 9023 spectra of star-forming galaxies undetected in H I at 0.23 < z < 0.49, extracted from
MIGHTEE-H I Early Science data cubes, acquired with the MeerKAT radio telescope. We stack galaxies in
bins of galaxy properties (stellar mass M*, star formation rateSFR, and specific star formation rate sSFR, with
sSFR ≡ M*/SFR), obtaining 5σ detections in most cases, the strongest H I-stacking detections to date in this
redshift range. With these detections, we are able to measure scaling relations in the probed redshift interval,
finding evidence for a moderate evolution from the median redshift of our sample zmed ∼ 0.37 to z ∼ 0. In
particular, low-M* galaxies ( ~ * log 9 10( ) M M ) experience a strong H I depletion (∼0.5 dex in
log10( ) M M H I ), while massive galaxies ( ~ * log 11 10( ) M M ) keep their H I mass nearly unchanged. When
looking at the star formation activity, highly star-forming galaxies evolve significantly in MH I ( fH I, where
fH I ≡ MH I/M*) at fixed SFR (sSFR), while at the lowest probed SFR (sSFR) the scaling relations show no
evolution
Neuroticism and Conscientiousness Moderate the Effect of Oral Medication Beliefs on Adherence of People with Mental Illness during the Pandemic
Background. After the declaration of the pandemic status in several countries, the continuity of face-to-face visits in psychiatric facilities has been delayed or even interrupted to reduce viral spread. Little is known about the personality factors associated with medication beliefs and adherence amongst individuals with mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief report describes a preliminary naturalistic longitudinal study that explored whether the Big Five personality traits prospectively moderate the effects of medication beliefs on changes in adherence during the pandemic for a group of outpatients with psychosis or bipolar disorder. Methods. Thirteen outpatients undergoing routine face-to-face follow-up assessments during the pandemic were included (41 observations overall) and completed the Revised Italian Version of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire, the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8-item and the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Results. Participants had stronger concerns about their psychiatric medications rather than beliefs about their necessity, and adherence to medications was generally low. Participants who had more necessity beliefs than concerns had better adherence to medications. People scoring higher in Conscientiousness and Neuroticism traits and more concerned about the medication side effects had poorer adherence. Conclusions. These preliminary data suggest the importance of a careful assessment of the adherence to medications amongst people with psychosis/bipolar disorder during the pandemic. Interventions aimed to improve adherence might focus on patients' medication beliefs and their Conscientiousness and Neuroticism personality traits
Clinical and virological findings in patients with Usutu virus infection, northern Italy, 2018
Background Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, which shares its transmission cycle with the phylogenetically related West Nile virus (WNV). USUV circulates in several European countries and its activity has increased over the last 5 years. Aim To describe human cases of USUV infection identified by surveillance for WNV and USUV infection in the Veneto Region of northern Italy in 2018. Methods From 1 June to 30 November 2018, all cases of suspected autochthonous arbovirus infection and blood donors who had a reactive WNV nucleic acid test were investigated for both WNV and USUV infection by in-house molecular methods. Anti-WNV and anti-USUV IgM and IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA and in-house immunofluorescence assay, respectively; positive serum samples were further tested by WNV and USUV neutralisation assays run in parallel. Results Eight cases of USUV infection (one with neuroinvasive disease, six with fever and one viraemic blood donor who developed arthralgia and myalgia) and 427 cases of WNV infection were identified. A remarkable finding of this study was the persistence of USUV RNA in the blood and urine of three patients during follow-up. USUV genome sequences from two patients shared over 99% nt identity with USUV sequences detected in mosquito pools from the same area and clustered within lineage Europe 2. Conclusions Clinical presentation and laboratory findings in patients with USUV infection were similar to those found in patients with WNV infection. Cross-reactivity of serology and molecular tests challenged the differential diagnosis
Residual Type 1 Immunity in Patients Genetically Deficient for Interleukin 12 Receptor β1 (IL-12Rβ1): Evidence for an IL-12Rβ1–Independent Pathway of IL-12 Responsiveness in Human T Cells
Genetic lack of interleukin 12 receptor β1 (IL-12Rβ1) surface expression predisposes to severe infections by poorly pathogenic mycobacteria or Salmonella and causes strongly decreased, but not completely abrogated, interferon (IFN)-γ production. To study IL-12Rβ1–independent residual IFN-γ production, we have generated mycobacterium–specific T cell clones (TCCs) from IL-12Rβ1–deficient individuals. All TCCs displayed a T helper type 1 phenotype and the majority responded to IL-12 by increased IFN-γ production and proliferative responses upon activation. This response to IL-12 could be further augmented by exogenous IL-18. IL-12Rβ2 was found to be normally expressed in the absence of IL-12Rβ1, and could be upregulated by IFN-α. Expression of IL-12Rβ2 alone, however, was insufficient to induce signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat)4 activation in response to IL-12, whereas IFN-α/IFN-αR ligation resulted in Stat4 activation in both control and IL-12Rβ1–deficient cells. IL-12 failed to upregulate cell surface expression of IL-18R, integrin α6, and IL-12Rβ2 on IL-12Rβ1–deficient cells, whereas this was normal on control cells. IL-12–induced IFN-γ production in IL-12Rβ1–deficient T cells could be inhibited by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP) kinase inhibitor SB203580 and the MAP kinase kinase (MEK) 1/2 inhibitor U0126, suggesting involvement of MAP kinases in this alternative, Stat4-independent, IL-12 signaling pathway
Case report: Senescence as mechanism of resistance to Pembrolizumab in a Lymphoma patient who failed CD19-Targeted CAR-T cell therapy
BackgroundT cells engineered to target CD19 antigen on neoplastic B cells represent the most striking example of CAR-T cell therapy. The success rate of this therapy is affected by several limitations: target antigen loss, and/or acquisition of a senescent/exhausted phenotype by CAR and non-CAR T cells. Case presentationWe report on a patient affected by refractory Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma who was resistant to CAR T-cell therapy and to two cycles post CAR-T of pembrolizumab (PBZ) due to the evolution into a B-cell Hodgkin-like lymphoma. Owing to the CD30 expression and the Hodgkin-like phenotype, the patient was ultimately treated with Brentuximab-Vedotin and finally underwent remission. Upon PBZ treatment, 100% of circulating CAR-T+ cells showed a persistent CD8(+) senescent/exhausted phenotype, while an increase in the percentage of senescent cells was found in the non-CAR CD8(+) T cells compartment. ConclusionsPBZ is not able to reinvigorate exhausted CAR(+) T cells and to confer durable clinical response. We hypothesize that the phenomenon is due to the senescent phenotype of CAR(+) T cells, which did not allow PBZ-induced reactivation and proliferative rescue. The phenomenon, together with the loss of CAR-T target CD19 and the shift of non-CAR CD8(+) T cells towards a senescent phenotype likely contributed to set up an immune landscape with poor antitumor capacity
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