Planet Hunters: New Kepler planet candidates from analysis of quarter 2

We present new planet candidates identified in NASA Kepler quarter two public release data by volunteers engaged in the Planet Hunters citizen science project. The two candidates presented here survive checks for false-positives, including examination of the pixel offset to constrain the possibility of a background eclipsing binary. The orbital periods of the planet candidates are 97.46 days (KIC 4552729) and 284.03 (KIC 10005758) days and the modeled planet radii are 5.3 and 3.8 R_Earth. The latter star has an additional known planet candidate with a radius of 5.05 R_Earth and a period of 134.49 which was detected by the Kepler pipeline. The discovery of these candidates illustrates the value of massively distributed volunteer review of the Kepler database to recover candidates which were otherwise uncatalogued.Comment: Accepted to A

Planet Hunters: Assessing the Kepler Inventory of Short Period Planets

We present the results from a search of data from the first 33.5 days of the Kepler science mission (Quarter 1) for exoplanet transits by the Planet Hunters citizen science project. Planet Hunters enlists members of the general public to visually identify transits in the publicly released Kepler light curves via the World Wide Web. Over 24,000 volunteers reviewed the Kepler Quarter 1 data set. We examine the abundance of \geq 2 R\oplus planets on short period (< 15 days) orbits based on Planet Hunters detections. We present these results along with an analysis of the detection efficiency of human classifiers to identify planetary transits including a comparison to the Kepler inventory of planet candidates. Although performance drops rapidly for smaller radii, \geq 4 R\oplus Planet Hunters \geq 85% efficient at identifying transit signals for planets with periods less than 15 days for the Kepler sample of target stars. Our high efficiency rate for simulated transits along with recovery of the majority of Kepler \geq 4 R\oplus planets suggest suggests the Kepler inventory of \geq 4 R\oplus short period planets is nearly complete.Comment: 41 pages,13 figures, 8 tables, accepted to Ap

Probing potassium in the atmosphere of HD 80606b with tunable filter transit spectrophotometry from the Gran Telescopio Canarias

We report observations of HD 80606 using the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) and the OSIRIS tunable filter imager. We acquired very-high-precision, narrow-band photometry in four bandpasses around the K I absorption feature during the January 2010 transit of HD 80606b and during out-of-transit observations conducted in January and April of 2010. We obtained differential photometric precisions of \sim 2.08e-4 for the in-transit flux ratio measured at 769.91-nm, which probes the K I line core. We find no significant difference in the in-transit flux ratio between observations at 768.76 and 769.91 nm. Yet, we find a difference of \sim 8.09 \pm 2.88e-4 between these observations and observations at a longer wavelength that probes the K I wing (777.36 nm). While the presence of red noise in the transit data has a non-negligible effect on the uncertainties in the flux ratio, the 777.36-769.91 nm colour during transit shows no effects from red noise and also indicates a significant colour change, with a mean value of \sim 8.99\pm0.62e-4. This large change in the colour is equivalent to a \sim 4.2% change in the apparent planetary radius with wavelength, which is much larger than the atmospheric scale height. This implies the observations probed the atmosphere at very low pressures as well as a dramatic change in the pressure at which the slant optical depth reaches unity between \sim770 and 777 nm. We hypothesize that the excess absorption may be due to K I in a high-speed wind being driven from the exoplanet's exosphere. We discuss the viability of this and alternative interpretations, including stellar limb darkening, starspots, and effects from Earth's atmosphere. We strongly encourage follow-up observations of HD 80606b to confirm the signal measured here. Finally, we discuss the future prospects for exoplanet characterization using tunable filter spectrophotometry.Comment: Accepted to MNRAS; revised version includes some major updates; now 21 pages, with 14 figures and 9 table

Salivary and lacrimal dysfunction after radioactive iodine for differentiated thyroid cancer: American Head and Neck Society Endocrine Surgery Section and Salivary Gland Section joint multidisciplinary clinical consensus statement of otolaryngology, ophthalmology, nuclear medicine and endocrinology

BackgroundPostoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) administration is widely utilized in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. While beneficial in select patients, it is critical to recognize the potential negative sequelae of this treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and management of the salivary and lacrimal complications of RAI exposure are addressed in this consensus statement.MethodsA multidisciplinary panel of experts was convened under the auspices of the American Head and Neck Society Endocrine Surgery and Salivary Gland Sections. Following a comprehensive literature review to assess the current best evidence, this group developed six relevant consensus recommendations.ResultsConsensus recommendations on RAI were made in the areas of patient assessment, optimal utilization, complication prevention, and complication management.ConclusionSalivary and lacrimal complications secondary to RAI exposure are common and need to be weighed when considering its use. The recommendations included in this statement provide direction for approaches to minimize and manage these complications.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163491/2/hed26417.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163491/1/hed26417_am.pd

Pathogenic variants in glutamyl-tRNAGln amidotransferase subunits cause a lethal mitochondrial cardiomyopathy disorder.

Mitochondrial protein synthesis requires charging mt-tRNAs with their cognate amino acids by mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, with the exception of glutaminyl mt-tRNA (mt-tRNAGln). mt-tRNAGln is indirectly charged by a transamidation reaction involving the GatCAB aminoacyl-tRNA amidotransferase complex. Defects involving the mitochondrial protein synthesis machinery cause a broad spectrum of disorders, with often fatal outcome. Here, we describe nine patients from five families with genetic defects in a GatCAB complex subunit, including QRSL1, GATB, and GATC, each showing a lethal metabolic cardiomyopathy syndrome. Functional studies reveal combined respiratory chain enzyme deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction. Aminoacylation of mt-tRNAGln and mitochondrial protein translation are deficient in patients' fibroblasts cultured in the absence of glutamine but restore in high glutamine. Lentiviral rescue experiments and modeling in S. cerevisiae homologs confirm pathogenicity. Our study completes a decade of investigations on mitochondrial aminoacylation disorders, starting with DARS2 and ending with the GatCAB complex

Protein profiling of the dimorphic, pathogenic fungus, Penicillium marneffei

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Penicillium marneffei </it>is a pathogenic fungus that afflicts immunocompromised individuals having lived or traveled in Southeast Asia. This species is unique in that it is the only dimorphic member of the genus. Dimorphism results from a process, termed phase transition, which is regulated by temperature of incubation. At room temperature, the fungus grows filamentously (mould phase), but at body temperature (37°C), a uninucleate yeast form develops that reproduces by fission. Formation of the yeast phase appears to be a requisite for pathogenicity. To date, no genes have been identified in <it>P. marneffei </it>that strictly induce mould-to-yeast phase conversion. In an effort to help identify potential gene products associated with morphogenesis, protein profiles were generated from the yeast and mould phases of <it>P. marneffei</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Whole cell proteins from the early stages of mould and yeast development in <it>P. marneffei </it>were resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Selected proteins were recovered and sequenced by capillary-liquid chromatography-nanospray tandem mass spectrometry. Putative identifications were derived by searching available databases for homologous fungal sequences. Proteins found common to both mould and yeast phases included the signal transduction proteins cyclophilin and a RACK1-like ortholog, as well as those related to general metabolism, energy production, and protection from oxygen radicals. Many of the mould-specific proteins identified possessed similar functions. By comparison, proteins exhibiting increased expression during development of the parasitic yeast phase comprised those involved in heat-shock responses, general metabolism, and cell-wall biosynthesis, as well as a small GTPase that regulates nuclear membrane transport and mitotic processes in fungi. The cognate gene encoding the latter protein, designated <it>RanA</it>, was subsequently cloned and characterized. The <it>P. marneffei </it>RanA protein sequence, which contained the signature motif of Ran-GTPases, exhibited 90% homology to homologous <it>Aspergillus </it>proteins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study clearly demonstrates the utility of proteomic approaches to studying dimorphism in <it>P. marneffei</it>. Moreover, this strategy complements and extends current genetic methodologies directed towards understanding the molecular mechanisms of phase transition. Finally, the documented increased levels of RanA expression suggest that cellular development in this fungus involves additional signaling mechanisms than have been previously described in <it>P. marneffei</it>.</p

Mutations in DCC cause isolated agenesis of the corpus callosum with incomplete penetrance

Brain malformations involving the corpus callosum are common in children with developmental disabilities. We identified DCC mutations in four families and five sporadic individuals with isolated agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) without intellectual disability. DCC mutations result in variable dominant phenotypes with decreased penetrance, including mirror movements and ACC associated with a favorable developmental prognosis. Possible phenotypic modifiers include the type and location of mutation and the sex of the individual

Re-defining reproductive coercion using a socio-ecological lens: a scoping review

Abstract Background Reproductive coercion is a significant public health issue in Australia which has mainly been conceptualised as a form of violence at the interpersonal level. This limited scope ignores the role of the gendered drivers of violence and fails to encompass a socio-ecological lens which is necessary to consider the multiple interacting layers that create the context in which reproductive coercion occurs. The aim of the scoping review was to explore how the reproductive coercion is defined by international research. Specifically, how is reproductive coercion defined at the social-cultural-systems-structural levels, and are the definitions of reproductive coercion inclusive of the conditions and contexts in which reproductive coercion occurs? Methods A scoping review was undertaken to explore existing definitions of reproductive coercion. Searches were conducted on Embase, Cochrane Library, Informit Health Collection, and the EBSCOHost platform. Google was also searched for relevant grey literature. Articles were included if they were: theoretical research, reviews, empirical primary research, grey literature or books; published between January 2018 and May 2022; written in English; and focused on females aged 18–50 years. Data from eligible articles were deductively extracted and inductively thematically analysed to identify themes describing how reproductive coercion is defined. Results A total of 24 articles were included in the scoping review. Most research defined reproductive coercion at the interpersonal level with only eight articles partially considering and four articles fully considering the socio-cultural-systems-structural level. Thematic analysis identified four main themes in reproductive coercion definitions: Individual external exertion of control over a woman’s reproductive autonomy; Systems and structures; Social and cultural determinants; and Freedom from external forces to achieve reproductive autonomy. Conclusions We argue for and propose a more inclusive definition of reproductive coercion that considers the gendered nature of reproductive coercion, and is linked to power, oppression and inequality, which is and can be perpetrated and/or facilitated at the interpersonal, community, organisational, institutional, systems, and societal levels as well as by the state

Additional file 1 of Re-defining reproductive coercion using a socio-ecological lens: a scoping review

Supplementary Material