Impaired Fasting Glucose Is Associated With Renal Hyperfiltration in the General Population

Increased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), also called hyperfiltration, is a proposed mechanism for renal injury in diabetes. The causes of hyperfiltration in individuals without diabetes are largely unknown, including the possible role of borderline hyperglycemia. We assessed whether impaired fasting glucose (IFG; 5.6–6.9 mmol/L), elevated HbA1c, or hyperinsulinemia are associated with hyperfiltration in the general middle-aged population. A total of 1,560 individuals, aged 50–62 years without diabetes, were included in the Renal Iohexol Clearance Survey in Tromsø 6 (RENIS-T6). GFR was measured as single-sample plasma iohexol clearance. Hyperfiltration was defined as GFR >90th percentile, adjusted for sex, age, weight, height, and use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. Participants with IFG had a multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of 1.56 (95% CI 1.07–2.25) for hyperfiltration compared with individuals with normal fasting glucose. Odds ratios (95% CI) of hyperfiltration calculated for a 1-unit increase in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c, after multivariable-adjustment, were 1.97 (1.36–2.85) and 2.23 (1.30–3.86). There was no association between fasting insulin levels and hyperfiltration. A nonlinear association between FPG and GFR was observed (df = 3, P < 0.0001). GFR increased with higher glucose levels, with a steeper slope beginning at FPG ≥5.4 mmol/L. Borderline hyperglycemia was associated with hyperfiltration, whereas hyperinsulinemia was not. Longitudinal studies are needed to investigate whether the hyperfiltration associated with IFG is a risk factor for renal injury in the general population

Extinction Curves of Lensing Galaxies out to z=1

We present a survey of the extinction properties of ten lensing galaxies, in the redshift range z = 0.04 - 1.01, using multiply lensed quasars imaged with the ESO VLT in the optical and near infrared. The multiple images act as 'standard light sources' shining through different parts of the lensing galaxy, allowing for extinction studies by comparison of pairs of images. We explore the effects of systematics in the extinction curve analysis, including extinction along both lines of sight and microlensing, using theoretical analysis and simulations. In the sample, we see variation in both the amount and type of extinction. Of the ten systems, seven are consistent with extinction along at least one line of sight. The mean differential extinction for the most extinguished image pair for each lens is A(V) = 0.56 +- 0.04, using Galactic extinction law parametrization. The corresponding mean R_V = 2.8 +- 0.4 is consistent with that of the Milky Way at R_V = 3.1, where R_V = A(V)/E(B-V). We do not see any strong evidence for evolution of extinction properties with redshift. Of the ten systems, B1152+199 shows the strongest extinction signal of A(V) = 2.43 +- 0.09 and is consistent with a Galactic extinction law with R_V = 2.1 +- 0.1. Given the similar redshift distribution of SN Ia hosts and lensing galaxies, a large space based study of multiply imaged quasars would be a useful complement to future dark energy SN Ia surveys, providing independent constraints on the statistical extinction properties of galaxies up to z~1

(Sub)millimetre interferometric imaging of a sample of COSMOS/AzTEC submillimetre galaxies

We investigate the environment of 23 submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) drawn from a signal-to-noise (S/N)-limited sample of SMGs originally discovered in the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT)/AzTEC 1.1 mm continuum survey of a Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) subfield and then followed up with the Submillimetre Array and Plateau de Bure Interferometer at 890 mu m and 1.3 mm, respectively. These SMGs already have well-defined multiwavelength counterparts and redshifts. We also analyse the environments of four COSMOS SMGs spectroscopically confirmed to lie at redshifts z(spec) > 4 : 5, and one at z(spec) = 2 : 49 resulting in a total SMG sample size of 28. We search for overdensities using the COSMOS photometric redshifts based on over 30 UV-NIR photometric measurements including the new UltraVISTA data release 2 and Spitzer/SPLASH data, and reaching an accuracy of sigma(Delta z/(1+z)) = (1 + z) = 0 : 0067 (0 : 0155) at z 3.5). To identify overdensities we apply the Voronoi tessellation analysis, and estimate the redshift-space overdensity estimator delta(g) as a function of distance from the SMG and/or overdensity centre. We test and validate our approach via simulations, X-ray detected groups or clusters, and spectroscopic verifications using VUDS and zCOSMOS catalogues which show that even with photometric redshifts in the COSMOS field we can e ffi ciently retrieve overdensities out to z approximate to 5. Our results yield that 11 out of 23 (48%) JCMT/AzTEC 1.1 mm SMGs occupy overdense environments. Considering the entire JCMT/AzTEC 1.1 mm S = N >= 4 sample and taking the expected fraction of spurious detections into account, this means that 35-61% of the SMGs in the S/N-limited sample occupy overdense environments. We perform an X-ray stacking analysis in the 0.5-2 keV band using a 32 '' aperture and our SMG positions, and find statistically significant detections. For our z 2 subsample yields an average flux of (1.3 +/- 0.5) x 10(-16) erg s(-1) cm(-2) and a corresponding total mass of M-200 = 2 x 10(13) M-circle dot. Our results suggest a higher occurrence of SMGs occupying overdense environments at z >= 3 than at z <3. This may be understood if highly star-forming galaxies can only be formed in the highest peaks of the density field tracing the most massive dark matter haloes at early cosmic epochs, while at later times cosmic structure may have matured su ffi ciently that more modest overdensities correspond to su ffi ciently massive haloes to form SMGs.Peer reviewe

HSC-CLAUDS survey: The star formation rate functions since z ~ 2 and comparison with hydrodynamical simulations

Star formation rate functions (SFRFs) give an instantaneous view of the distribution of star formation rates (SFRs) in galaxies at different epochs. They are a complementary and more stringent test for models than the galaxy stellar mass function, which gives an integrated view of the past star formation activity. However, the exploration of SFRFs has been limited thus far due to difficulties in assessing the SFR from observed quantities and probing the SFRF over a wide range of SFRs. We overcome these limitations thanks to an original method that predicts the infrared luminosity from the rest-frame UV/optical color of a galaxy and then its SFR over a wide range of stellar masses and redshifts. We applied this technique to the deep imaging survey HSC-CLAUDS combined with near-infrared and UV photometry. We provide the first SFR functions with reliable measurements in the high- and low-SFR regimes up to $z=2$ and compare our results with previous observations and four state-of-the-art hydrodynamical simulations.Comment: 29 pages, 19 figure

Primordialists and Constructionists: a typology of theories of religion

This article adopts categories from nationalism theory to classify theories of religion. Primordialist explanations are grounded in evolutionary psychology and emphasize the innate human demand for religion. Primordialists predict that religion does not decline in the modern era but will endure in perpetuity. Constructionist theories argue that religious demand is a human construct. Modernity initially energizes religion, but subsequently undermines it. Unpacking these ideal types is necessary in order to describe actual theorists of religion. Three distinctions within primordialism and constructionism are relevant. Namely those distinguishing: a) materialist from symbolist forms of constructionism; b) theories of origins from those pertaining to the reproduction of religion; and c) within reproduction, between theories of religious persistence and secularization. This typology helps to make sense of theories of religion by classifying them on the basis of their causal mechanisms, chronology and effects. In so doing, it opens up new sightlines for theory and research

Physical properties of z>4 submillimeter galaxies in the COSMOS field

We study the physical properties of a sample of 6 SMGs in the COSMOS field, spectroscopically confirmed to lie at z>4. We use new GMRT 325 MHz and 3 GHz JVLA data to probe the rest-frame 1.4 GHz emission at z=4, and to estimate the sizes of the star-forming (SF) regions of these sources, resp. Combining our size estimates with those available in the literature for AzTEC1 and AzTEC3 we infer a median radio-emitting size for our z>4 SMGs of (0.63"+/-0.12")x(0.35"+/-0.05") or 4.1x2.3 kpc^2 (major times minor axis; assuming z=4.5) or lower if we take the two marginally resolved SMGs as unresolved. This is consistent with the sizes of SF regions in lower-redshift SMGs, and local normal galaxies, yet higher than the sizes of SF regions of local ULIRGs. Our SMG sample consists of a fair mix of compact and more clumpy systems with multiple, perhaps merging, components. With an average formation time of ~280 Myr, derived through modeling of the UV-IR SEDs, the studied SMGs are young systems. The average stellar mass, dust temperature, and IR luminosity we derive are M*~1.4x10^11 M_sun, T_dust~43 K, and L_IR~1.3x10^13L_sun, resp. The average L_IR is up to an order of magnitude higher than for SMGs at lower redshifts. Our SMGs follow the correlation between dust temperature and IR luminosity as derived for Herschel-selected 0.1=1.95+/-0.26 for our sample, compared to q~2.6 for IR luminous galaxies at z4 SMGs put them at the high end of the L_IR-T_dust distribution of SMGs, and that our SMGs form a morphologically heterogeneous sample. Thus, further in-depth analyses of large, statistical samples of high-redshift SMGs are needed to fully understand their role in galaxy formation and evolution

Electric quadrupole moments of the 21+_{1}^{+} states in 100,102,104^{100,102,104}Cd

Using the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN the Coulomb excitation cross sections for the 0gs+→21+ transition in the β-unstable isotopes 100,102,104Cd have been measured for the first time. Two different targets were used, which allows for the first extraction of the static electric quadrupole moments Q(21+) in 102,104Cd. In addition to the B(E2) values in 102,104Cd, a first experimental limit for the B(E2) value in 100Cd is presented. The data was analyzed using the maximum likelihood method. The provided probability distributions impose a test for theoretical predictions of the static and dynamic moments. The data are interpreted within the shell-model using realistic matrix elements obtained from a G-matrix renormalized CD-Bonn interaction. In view of recent results for the light Sn isotopes the data are discussed in the context of a renormalization of the neutron effective charge. This study is the first to use the reorientation effect for post-accelerated short-lived radioactive isotopes to simultaneously determine the B(E2) and the Q(21+) values

Effects of gestational age at birth on cognitive performance : a function of cognitive workload demands

Objective: Cognitive deficits have been inconsistently described for late or moderately preterm children but are consistently found in very preterm children. This study investigates the association between cognitive workload demands of tasks and cognitive performance in relation to gestational age at birth. Methods: Data were collected as part of a prospective geographically defined whole-population study of neonatal at-risk children in Southern Bavaria. At 8;5 years, n = 1326 children (gestation range: 23–41 weeks) were assessed with the K-ABC and a Mathematics Test. Results: Cognitive scores of preterm children decreased as cognitive workload demands of tasks increased. The relationship between gestation and task workload was curvilinear and more pronounced the higher the cognitive workload: GA2 (quadratic term) on low cognitive workload: R2 = .02, p<0.001; moderate cognitive workload: R2 = .09, p<0.001; and high cognitive workload tasks: R2 = .14, p<0.001. Specifically, disproportionally lower scores were found for very (<32 weeks gestation) and moderately (32–33 weeks gestation) preterm children the higher the cognitive workload of the tasks. Early biological factors such as gestation and neonatal complications explained more of the variance in high (12.5%) compared with moderate (8.1%) and low cognitive workload tasks (1.7%). Conclusions: The cognitive workload model may help to explain variations of findings on the relationship of gestational age with cognitive performance in the literature. The findings have implications for routine cognitive follow-up, educational intervention, and basic research into neuro-plasticity and brain reorganization after preterm birth

ISM masses and the star formation law at Z = 1 to 6: ALMA observations of dust continuum in 145 galaxies in the COSMOS survey field

ALMA Cycle 2 observations of long-wavelength dust emission in 145 star-forming galaxies are used to probe the evolution of the star-forming interstellar medium (ISM). We also develop a physical basis and empirical calibration (with 72 low-z and z ~ 2 galaxies) for using the dust continuum as a quantitative probe of ISM masses. The galaxies with the highest star formation rates (SFRs) at = 2.2 and 4.4 have gas masses up to 100 times that of the Milky Way and gas mass fractions reaching 50%–80%, i.e., gas masses 1-4× their stellar masses. We find a single high-z star formation law: SFR = 35 M^(0.89)_(mol) x (1 + z)^(0.95)_(z=2) x (sSFR)^(0.23)_(MS) M⊙yr^(−1)—an approximately linear dependence on the ISM mass and an increased star formation efficiency per unit gas mass at higher redshift. Galaxies above the main sequence (MS) have larger gas masses but are converting their ISM into stars on a timescale only slightly shorter than those on the MS; thus, these "starbursts" are largely the result of having greatly increased gas masses rather than an increased efficiency of converting gas to stars. At z > 1, the entire population of star-forming galaxies has ~2–5 times shorter gas depletion times than low-z galaxies. These shorter depletion times indicate a different mode of star formation in the early universe—most likely dynamically driven by compressive, high-dispersion gas motions—a natural consequence of the high gas accretion rates

Improved constraints on the expansion rate of the Universe up to z~1.1 from the spectroscopic evolution of cosmic chronometers

We present new improved constraints on the Hubble parameter H(z) in the redshift range 0.15 < z < 1.1, obtained from the differential spectroscopic evolution of early-type galaxies as a function of redshift. We extract a large sample of early-type galaxies (\sim11000) from several spectroscopic surveys, spanning almost 8 billion years of cosmic lookback time (0.15 < z < 1.42). We select the most massive, red elliptical galaxies, passively evolving and without signature of ongoing star formation. Those galaxies can be used as standard cosmic chronometers, as firstly proposed by Jimenez & Loeb (2002), whose differential age evolution as a function of cosmic time directly probes H(z). We analyze the 4000 {\AA} break (D4000) as a function of redshift, use stellar population synthesis models to theoretically calibrate the dependence of the differential age evolution on the differential D4000, and estimate the Hubble parameter taking into account both statistical and systematical errors. We provide 8 new measurements of H(z) (see Tab. 4), and determine its change in H(z) to a precision of 5-12% mapping homogeneously the redshift range up to z \sim 1.1; for the first time, we place a constraint on H(z) at z \neq 0 with a precision comparable with the one achieved for the Hubble constant (about 5-6% at z \sim 0.2), and covered a redshift range (0.5 < z < 0.8) which is crucial to distinguish many different quintessence cosmologies. These measurements have been tested to best match a \Lambda CDM model, clearly providing a statistically robust indication that the Universe is undergoing an accelerated expansion. This method shows the potentiality to open a new avenue in constrain a variety of alternative cosmologies, especially when future surveys (e.g. Euclid) will open the possibility to extend it up to z \sim 2.Comment: 34 pages, 15 figures, 6 tables, published in JCAP. It is a companion to Moresco et al. (2012b, http://arxiv.org/abs/1201.6658) and Jimenez et al. (2012, http://arxiv.org/abs/1201.3608). The H(z) data can be downloaded at http://www.physics-astronomy.unibo.it/en/research/areas/astrophysics/cosmology-with-cosmic-chronometer