Black hole-wormhole collisions and the emergence of islands

We use ray-tracing techniques to determine the evolution of the event horizon of a large black hole that ``gobbles'' a tiny, traversable wormhole. This calculation has physical meaning in the extreme mass ratio limit. Two setups are considered: a single-mouth wormhole connecting two otherwise independent universes, and a double-mouth zero-length wormhole within the same universe. In the first setting it turns out that, at early times, there exist two disconnected horizons, one in each universe, which then merge as the wormhole falls into the large black hole. In the second setup, we observe the appearance of an `island', a region of spacetime that is spatially disconnected from the exterior of the black hole, but in causal contact with future null infinity. The island shrinks as time evolves and eventually disappears after sufficient time has elapsed, as compared to the distance between the two mouths. This provides a communication channel with the interior of the large black hole for a certain time interval. We compute numerically the lifetime of the island and verify that it depends linearly on the inter-mouth distance. Extending the analysis to wormholes with finite length, we show that the achronal averaged null energy condition prevents the appearance of islands.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure

B-Cell Reconstitution After Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Sclerosis

Background and objectives: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) is increasingly used to treat aggressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). This procedure is believed to result in an immune reset and restoration of a self-tolerant immune system. Immune reconstitution has been extensively studied for T cells, but only to a limited extent for B cells. As increasing evidence suggests an important role of B cells in MS pathogenesis, we sought here to better understand reconstitution and the extent of renewal of the B-cell system after aHSCT in MS. Methods: Using longitudinal multidimensional flow cytometry and immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) repertoire sequencing following aHSCT with BCNU + Etoposide + Ara-C + Melphalan anti-thymocyte globulin, we analyzed the B-cell compartment in a cohort of 20 patients with MS in defined intervals before and up to 1 year after aHSCT and compared these findings with data from healthy controls. Results: Total B-cell numbers recovered within 3 months and increased above normal levels 1 year after transplantation, successively shifting from a predominantly transitional to a naive immune phenotype. Memory subpopulations recovered slowly and remained below normal levels with reduced repertoire diversity 1 year after transplantation. Isotype subclass analysis revealed a proportional shift toward IgG1-expressing cells and a reduction in IgG2 cells. Mutation analysis of IgH sequences showed that highly mutated memory B cells and plasma cells may transiently survive conditioning while the analysis of sequence cluster overlap, variable (IGHV) and joining (IGHJ) gene usage and repertoire diversity suggested a renewal of the late posttransplant repertoire. In patients with early cytomegalovirus reactivation, reconstitution of naive and memory B cells was delayed. Discussion: Our detailed characterization of B-cell reconstitution after aHSCT in MS indicates a reduced reactivation potential of memory B cells up to 1 year after transplantation, which may leave patients susceptible to infection, but may also be an important aspect of its mechanism of action

Superresolution and pulse-chase imaging reveal the role of vesicle transport in polar growth of fungal cells

Polarized growth of filamentous fungi requires continuous transport of biomolecules to the hyphal tip. To this end, construction materials are packaged in vesicles and transported by motor proteins along microtubules and actin filaments. We have studied these processes with quantitative superresolution localization microscopy of live Aspergillus nidulans cells expressing the photoconvertible protein mEosFPthermo fused to the chitin synthase ChsB. ChsB is mainly located at the Spitzenkörper near the hyphal tip and produces chitin, a key component of the cell wall. We have visualized the pulsatory dynamics of the Spitzenkörper, reflecting vesicle accumulation before exocytosis and their subsequent fusion with the apical plasma membrane. Furthermore, high-speed pulse-chase imaging after photoconversion of mEosFPthermo in a tightly focused spot revealed that ChsB is transported with two different speeds from the cell body to the hyphal tip and vice versa. Comparative analysis using motor protein deletion mutants allowed us to assign the fast movements (7 to 10 μm s−1) to transport of secretory vesicles by kinesin-1, and the slower ones (2 to 7 μm s−1) to transport by kinesin-3 on early endosomes. Our results show how motor proteins ensure the supply of vesicles to the hyphal tip, where temporally regulated exocytosis results in stepwise tip extension

Intra- and interobserver agreement with regard to describing adnexal masses using International Ovarian Tumor Analysis terminology: reproducibility study involving seven observers

To estimate intraobserver repeatability and interobserver agreement in assessing the presence of papillary projections in adnexal masses and in classifying adnexal masses using the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis terminology for ultrasound examiners with different levels of experience. We also aimed to identify ultrasound findings that cause confusion and might be interpreted differently by different observers, and to determine if repeatability and agreement change after consensus has been reached on how to interpret 'problematic' ultrasound images

Relation of prenatal and postnatal PM_2.5 exposure with cognitive and motor function among preschool-aged children

The literature informing susceptible periods of exposure on children's neurodevelopment is limited. We evaluated the impacts of pre- and postnatal fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on children's cognitive and motor function among 1303 mother-child pairs in the Spanish INMA (Environment and Childhood) Study. Random forest models with temporal back extrapolation were used to estimate daily residential PM2.5 exposures that we averaged across 1-week lags during the prenatal period and 4-week lags during the postnatal period. The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) were administered around 5 years to assess general cognitive index (GCI) and several subscales (verbal, perceptual-performance, memory, fine motor, gross motor). We applied distributed lag nonlinear models within the Bayesian hierarchical framework to explore periods of susceptibility to PM2.5 on each MSCA outcome. Effect estimates were calculated per 5 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and aggregated across adjacent statistically significant lags using cumulative β (βcum) and 95% Credible Intervals (95%CrI). We evaluated interactions between PM2.5 with fetal growth and child sex. We did not observe associations of PM2.5 exposure with lower GCI scores. We found a period of susceptibility to PM2.5 on fine motor scores in gestational weeks 1–9 (βcum = −2.55, 95%CrI = −3.53,-1.56) and on gross motor scores in weeks 7–17 (βcum = −2.27,95%CrI = −3.43,-1.11) though the individual lags for the latter were only borderline statistically significant. Exposure in gestational week 17 was weakly associated with verbal scores (βcum = −0.17, 95%CrI = −0.26,-0.09). In the postnatal period (from age 0.5–1.2 years), we observed a window of susceptibility to PM2.5 on lower perceptual-performance (β = −2.42, 95%CrI = −3.37,-1.46). Unexpected protective associations were observed for several outcomes with exposures in the later postnatal period. We observed no evidence of differences in susceptible periods by fetal growth or child sex. Preschool-aged children's motor function may be particularly susceptible to PM2.5 exposures experienced in utero whereas the first year of life was identified as a period of susceptibility to PM2.5 for children's perceptual-performance.</p

Relation of prenatal and postnatal PM_2.5 exposure with cognitive and motor function among preschool-aged children

The literature informing susceptible periods of exposure on children's neurodevelopment is limited. We evaluated the impacts of pre- and postnatal fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on children's cognitive and motor function among 1303 mother-child pairs in the Spanish INMA (Environment and Childhood) Study. Random forest models with temporal back extrapolation were used to estimate daily residential PM2.5 exposures that we averaged across 1-week lags during the prenatal period and 4-week lags during the postnatal period. The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) were administered around 5 years to assess general cognitive index (GCI) and several subscales (verbal, perceptual-performance, memory, fine motor, gross motor). We applied distributed lag nonlinear models within the Bayesian hierarchical framework to explore periods of susceptibility to PM2.5 on each MSCA outcome. Effect estimates were calculated per 5 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and aggregated across adjacent statistically significant lags using cumulative β (βcum) and 95% Credible Intervals (95%CrI). We evaluated interactions between PM2.5 with fetal growth and child sex. We did not observe associations of PM2.5 exposure with lower GCI scores. We found a period of susceptibility to PM2.5 on fine motor scores in gestational weeks 1–9 (βcum = −2.55, 95%CrI = −3.53,-1.56) and on gross motor scores in weeks 7–17 (βcum = −2.27,95%CrI = −3.43,-1.11) though the individual lags for the latter were only borderline statistically significant. Exposure in gestational week 17 was weakly associated with verbal scores (βcum = −0.17, 95%CrI = −0.26,-0.09). In the postnatal period (from age 0.5–1.2 years), we observed a window of susceptibility to PM2.5 on lower perceptual-performance (β = −2.42, 95%CrI = −3.37,-1.46). Unexpected protective associations were observed for several outcomes with exposures in the later postnatal period. We observed no evidence of differences in susceptible periods by fetal growth or child sex. Preschool-aged children's motor function may be particularly susceptible to PM2.5 exposures experienced in utero whereas the first year of life was identified as a period of susceptibility to PM2.5 for children's perceptual-performance.</p

Development of organic livestock production in Romania

The paper is a sythesis regarding multiple aspects concerning the development and future prospects of organic livestock production in Romania. It focuses on livestock statistics, the legislation, the inspection and certification, the pre-accesion programmes and some subsidizing aspects

The Ophiuchus DIsc Survey Employing ALMA (ODISEA). II. The effect of stellar multiplicity on disc properties

We present Adaptive Optics (AO) near infrared (NIR) observations using VLT/NACO and Keck/NIRC2 of ODISEA targets. ODISEA is an ALMA survey of the entire population of circumstellar discs in the Ophiuchus molecular cloud. From the whole sample of ODISEA we select all the discs that are not already observed in the NIR with AO and that are observable with NACO or NIRC2. The NIR-ODISEA survey consists of 147 stars observed in NIR AO imaging for the first time, as well as revisiting almost all the binary systems of Ophiuchus present in the literature (20 out of 21). In total, we detect 20 new binary systems and one triple system. For each of them we calculate the projected separation and position angle of the companion, as well as their NIR and millimeter flux ratios. From the NIR contrast we derived the masses of the secondaries, finding that 9 of them are in the sub-stellar regime (30-50 \MJup). Discs in multiple systems reach a maximum total dust mass of $\sim$ 50 M$_{\oplus}$, while discs in single stars can reach a dust mass of 200 M$_{\oplus}$. Discs with masses above 10 M$_{\oplus}$ are found only around binaries with projected separations larger than $\sim$ 110 au. The maximum disc size is also larger around single star than binaries. However, since most discs in Ophiuchus are very small and low-mass, the effect of visual binaries is relatively weak in the general disc population.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables. Published in MNRA

Susceptible windows of prenatal and postnatal fine particulate matter exposures and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in early childhood

Few prior studies have explored windows of susceptibility to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in both the prenatal and postnatal periods and children's attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. We analyzed data from 1416 mother-child pairs from the Spanish INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente) Study (2003–2008). Around 5 years of age, teachers reported the number of ADHD symptoms (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity) using the ADHD Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Around 7 years of age, parents completed the Conners' Parent Rating Scales, from which we evaluated the ADHD index, cognitive problems/inattention, hyperactivity, and oppositional subscales, reported as age- and sex-standardized T-scores. Daily residential PM2.5 exposures were estimated using a two-stage random forest model with temporal back-extrapolation and averaged over 1-week periods in the prenatal period and 4-week periods in the postnatal period. We applied distributed lag non-linear models within the Bayesian hierarchical model framework to identify susceptible windows of prenatal or postnatal exposure to PM2.5 (per 5-μg/m3) for ADHD symptoms. Models were adjusted for relevant covariates, and cumulative effects were reported by aggregating risk ratios (RRcum) or effect estimates (βcum) across adjacent susceptible windows. A similar susceptible period of exposure to PM2.5 (1.2–2.9 and 0.9–2.7 years of age, respectively) was identified for hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms assessed ~5 years (RRcum = 2.72, 95% credible interval [CrI] = 1.98, 3.74) and increased hyperactivity subscale ~7 years (βcum = 3.70, 95% CrI = 2.36, 5.03). We observed a susceptibility period to PM2.5 on risk of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms ~5 years in gestational weeks 16–22 (RRcum = 1.36, 95% CrI = 1.22, 1.52). No associations between PM2.5 exposure and other ADHD symptoms were observed. We report consistent evidence of toddlerhood as a susceptible window of PM2.5 exposure for hyperactivity in young children. Although mid-pregnancy was identified as a susceptible period of exposure on hyperactivity symptoms in preschool-aged children, this association was not observed at the time children were school-aged.</p