bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative effectiveness of different primary vaccination courses on mRNA-based booster vaccines against SARs-COV-2 infections: a time-varying cohort analysis using trial emulation in the Virus Watch community cohort
Authors: Nguyen Vincent Grigori , Yavlinsky Alexei , Beale Sarah , Hoskins Susan , Byrne Thomas E , Lampos Vasileios , Braithwaite Isobel , Fong Wing Lam Erica , Fragaszy Ellen , Geismar Cyril , Kovar Jana , Navaratnam Annalan M D , Patel Parth , Shrotri Madhumita , Weber Sophie , Hayward Andrew C , Aldridge Robert W
Published: January 2023

Background

The Omicron B.1.1.529 variant increased severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in doubly vaccinated individuals, particularly in the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (ChAdOx1) recipients. To tackle infections, the UK’s booster vaccination programmes used messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines irrespective of an individual’s primary course vaccine type, and prioritized the clinically vulnerable. These mRNA vaccines included the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2) the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1273). There is limited understanding of the effectiveness of different primary vaccination courses on mRNA booster vaccines against SARs-COV-2 infections and how time-varying confounders affect these evaluations.

Methods

Trial emulation was applied to a prospective community observational cohort in England and Wales to reduce time-varying confounding-by-indication driven by prioritizing vaccination based upon age, vulnerability and exposure. Trial emulation was conducted by meta-analysing eight adult cohort results whose booster vaccinations were staggered between 16 September 2021 and 05 January 2022 and followed until 23 January 2022. Time from booster vaccination until SARS-CoV-2 infection, loss of follow-up or end of study was modelled using Cox proportional hazard models and adjusted for age, sex, minority ethnic status, clinically vulnerability and deprivation.

Results

A total of 19 159 participants were analysed, with 11 709 ChAdOx1 primary courses and 7450 BNT162b2 primary courses. Median age, clinical vulnerability status and infection rates fluctuate through time. In mRNA-boosted adults, 7.4% (n = 863) of boosted adults with a ChAdOx1 primary course experienced a SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with 7.7% (n = 571) of those who had BNT162b2 as a primary course. The pooled adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) was 1.01 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of: 0.90 to 1.13.

Conclusion

After an mRNA booster dose, we found no difference in protection comparing those with a primary course of BNT162b2 with those with a ChAdOx1 primary course. This contrasts with pre-booster findings where previous research shows greater effectiveness of BNT162b2 than ChAdOx1 in preventing infection.
Addition ofTrichodermaconsortia to Chilean endemic flora compost teas strongly enhancesin vitroandin vivobiocontrol of phytopathogenic fungi
Authors: Carvajal Marcela , Olivares Makarena , Lobaina Esli , Vergara Alejandra , Velásquez Alexis , Jeldres Pamela , Meza Débora , Dorta Fernando , Jorquera Franco , Seeger Michael
Published: January 2023

Aim

To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antifungal capability of diverse compost teas of endemic Chilean flora inoculated with a consortium of fungal strains of Trichoderma spp. (biocontrol agent) against three important phytopathogens: Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, andLasiodiplodia theobromae.

Methods and results

Compost teas were obtained from the endemic flora of Chile (Azara celastrina, Citronella mucronate, Cryptocarya alba, Peumus boldus, and Quillaja saponaria). Eleven Trichoderma strains were isolated, and antagonism tests were performed to develop fungal consortiums with biocontrol properties. The biocontrol effect of compost teas inoculated with Trichoderma consortia was also analyzed. The results showed that the teas possess antifungal activity against B. cinerea and F. oxysporum and, to a lower degree, against L. theobromae. In vitro tests showed that Trichoderma consortiums improved the suppressive effect against B. cinerea (94–97%), F. oxysporum (89–92%), and L. theobromae (51–73%). Peumus boldus tea showed the highest suppressive effect against the plant pathogen L. theobromae. In addition, the in vivo assay showed that tomato plants treated only with Trichoderma or compost tea did not show differences in height with regard to control plants. However, when these two treatments were combined, the best performance in plant height and protection against pathogens was observed.

Conclusions

This study indicates that the addition of a consortium of Trichoderma strains with intra- and interspecific incompatibilities significantly improves the inhibitory effect of compost teas in in vitro tests against the plant pathogenic fungi, while in vivo it enhances tomato plant growth and reduces plant disease symptoms.
Earliness and Crop Morphological Traits Modulate Field Pest Infestation in Green Gram
Authors: Mulwa Georgina K , Kitonyo Onesmus M , Nderitu John H
Published: January 2023

Breeding has significantly improved drought tolerance in green gram but marked yield losses continue due to damage by insect pests. Important pests of green gram are pod borers, Maruca vitrata (F.), aphids, Aphis gossypii Glover and whiteflies, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood). Management of these pests has partly been constrained by the limited understanding of crop traits that modulate their infestation. Field experiments were conducted in southeastern Kenya to evaluate a collection of old and new green gram varieties for tolerance to field pests, and to identify traits that confer resistance. The old varieties were KS20 and N26, both released in 1990s whereas the modern counterparts were Biashara, Karembo, and Ndengu-Tosha. Results showed significant differences among the varieties in maturity, leaf area, leaf hair density, leaf moisture content, and pod wall thickness. Earliness significantly reduced pest infestation, whereby KS20 matured early while N26 was late, and the new varieties were intermediate. On average, across the three environments, leaf area (R2 ≥ 0.32) and leaf moisture content (R2 ≥ 0.18) positively correlated with pest infestation while leaf hair density (R2 ≥ 0.30), and pod wall thickness (R2 ≥ 0.54) showed a negative association with pod borer and aphid counts. However, results did not reveal any particular traits that associated with the varieties, which implied that breeding of green gram in Kenya has not selected for tolerance to field pests. Nonetheless, green gram field pest management practices could select for varieties with early maturity, open plant canopy, pubescent leaves, and thicker pod walls.
Robotic assisted transabdominal preperitoneal approach for repair of Morgagni hernia in elderly female
Authors: Schubert Alec , Ramos Michael Gonzalez
Published: January 2023

Morgagni hernia’s are relatively rare congenital diaphragmatic hernias that are typically described in pediatric populations. It is rare for patients to present with symptoms related to this defect in adulthood. Several techniques have been successfully utilized. This case report offers the successful utilization of the robotic assisted transabdominal preperitoneal approach (r-TAPP) for primary repair of a symptomatic Morgagni hernia in a high risk patient. To date, there are few publications describing the r-TAPP technique for Morgagni hernia repair, and no publications were found in the context described in our case. From this, we are able to provide increasing evidence of the efficacy and deployment of r-TAPP in age variable presentation of this pathology.
Sexual dysfunction, depression, and marital dissatisfaction among Brazilian couples
Authors: Galati Maria Cristina Romualdo , Hollist Cody S , do Egito Julia Horta Tabosa , Osório Ana Alexandra Caldas , Parra Gilbert R , Neu Christopher , de Moraes Horta Ana Lucia
Published: January 2023

Background

Health professionals treating sexual dysfunction and relational dissatisfaction recognize that they are multifactorial phenomena, and depression can be bidirectionally associated with both.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to investigate sexual dysfunction in heterosexual couples in relation to the quality of their marital relationship and depression symptoms.

Methods

The sample consisted of 100 heterosexual couples recruited in Brazil. Both partners of each couple completed the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction and the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Marital Satisfaction, which were translated and adapted, and the Beck Depression Inventory, which was validated for the Brazilian population. Both partners completed their questionnaires separately, and the couple’s surveys were linked to preserve conjugal data for dyadic analysis. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model was used to understand how sexual dysfunction in couples is related to depression and relationship quality among and between partners.

Results

Sexual dysfunction was found to be strongly associated with dissatisfaction in the relationship (husbands, β = 0.57, P < 0.001; wives, β = 0.60, P < 0.001), and a positive association was found between depressive symptoms and marital dissatisfaction (husbands, β = .32, P < .001; wives β = .40, P < .001).

Clinical Implication

The results suggest that it is important for health professionals to be aware of the dyadic impact of struggles with both sex and the relationship and the presence of depression symptoms in patients who seek care for sexual complaints or depression and who are in a marital relationship.

Strengths and Limitations

The different results found for men and women may shed light on the biopsychosocial dimensions of human sexuality. When treated as a purely physical experience, sex is myopic. In this study we demonstrated psychosocial aspects associated with gender and sexuality, and the partner’s variables were found to have a greater impact on women than they did on the men. A limitation of this study is that the sample is not generalizable as it is not demographically representative of all socioeconomic groups in Brazil. Furthermore, the participants in this sample did not have clinical levels of depression, so the results cannot be extended to couples in which one or both spouses have depressive disorder.

Conclusion

It was found that sexual dysfunction is strongly associated with the quality of the couple relationship, and that the quality of relationship plays a mediating role between depression and marital quality, especially for the women.
A qualitative analysis of female Reddit users’ experiences with low libido: how do women perceive their changes in sexual desire?
Authors: Belcher Rachael E , Sim Danielle , Meykler Marcella , Owens-Walton Jeunice , Hassan Naeemul , Rubin Rachel S , Malik Rena D
Published: January 2023

Background

The true prevalence of low sexual desire among women is disputed among researchers due to the complex nature and presentation of women’s sexual problems.

Aim

To qualitatively analyze the aspects of libido/sexual desire frequently discussed by Reddit users and compare them with the current understanding of female sexual well-being and sexual desire disorders.

Methods

By using the Reddit application programming interface, the TwoXChromosomes subreddit was queried for posts with the keywords libido and sex drive. Posts that were deleted or unrelated to themes of libido/sex drive were excluded. A total of 85 threads—63 queried from the keyword libido and 22 from sex drive—and approximately 2900 comments were qualitatively analyzed per the grounded theory approach. Five independent researchers read and coded each thread to identify dominant themes and emergent concepts.

Outcomes

Outcomes of interest included codes related to sexual dysfunction, libido, orgasm, masturbation, types of sex, psychology, relationships, intimacy, treatment, medications, and health care.

Results

Posters were primarily heterosexual women in their 20s and 30s. The code categories with the highest frequency were relationships (22.7%, n = 272), libido (22.2%, n = 210), psychological (20.2%, n = 191), medications (7.29%, n = 69), and intimacy (6.0%, n = 57). Users frequently described a decrease in libido secondary to medications, particularly antidepressants and hormonal birth control. Many users discussed the challenges of navigating a relationship with low sexual desire and the resulting sexual distress. Posters described feelings of sadness, anxiety, and guilt due to their low desire. Additionally, users discussed the role that sex plays in relationships, whether as a way to develop intimacy between partners or to achieve orgasm. Finally, posters expressed dissatisfaction with health care addressing their concerns surrounding sexual desire.

Clinical Implications

The study findings—namely, the impact of medications on sexual health, the interaction of sexual desire and mental health, and cited examples of inadequate sexual health care—can help guide sexual well-being research, diagnosis, and public policy.

Strengths and Limitations

Using Reddit as a data source allowed for the analysis of women’s experiences outside the preestablished concepts of female sexual desire. Limitations to the study include the potential for posts to be deleted by moderator guidelines, the young demographic distribution of Reddit users, and the popularity-based structure of subreddit threads.

Conclusion

Our results emphasize the psychosocial aspects of sexual desire and the need to redefine sexual problems to encompass the complex nature of female sexual well-being.
Laboratory Strategies to Improve Allergy First-Line Screening in Primary Care
Authors: Flores Emilio , López-Garrigos Maite , Blasco Álvaro , Fernández Javier , Leiva-Salinas Carlos , Salinas María
Published: January 2023

Background

There are nonestablished protocols in use for first-line allergy screening based on IgE testing. These protocols attempt to address an unmet need for sustainability of clinical laboratories, at a time when demand is increasing. 

Objective

To present a novel protocol for first-line allergy screening and to evaluate the implementation benefits for patients, the health care system, and payers.

Methods

We carried out an observational retrospective study analyzing 4359 interventions on primary care testing requests. Interventions included overriding redundant serum IgE (sIgE) testing for allergen mixes, extracts included in mixes, low-prevalence extracts, and milk and egg molecular components without previous positive results when exposed to extracts. We also added prevalent allergen testing.

Results

The strategy saved 683 tests from being performed unnecessarily. Test volume decline was primarily driven by the cancelation of 2186 egg and milk components tests; 561 tests were added for mixes, together with 942 allergen extracts tests.

Discussion

The results of this study show how the allergy laboratory plays a key role in actively managing demand for sIgE testing, leading to optimized diagnosis.
Lactulose in combination with soybean lecithin has a cryoprotective effect on probiotic taxa of bifidobacteria and Lactobacillaceae
Authors: Killer Jiří , Bunešová Věra Neužil , Modráčková Nikol , Vlková Eva , Pechar Radko , Šplíchal Igor
Published: January 2023

Lactulose is commonly used in pharmacy for constipation and hepatic encephalopathy treatment. The prebiotic effect of lactulose is also often mentioned. However, its cryoprotective effect in combination with lecithin on the main representatives of probiotics has not been tested yet. The 12 taxa of bifidobacteria and Lactobacillaceae members were used for the purpose. These were mixed in a ratio of 1:1 with lactulose + lecithin (finally 5.0% and 1.25%, respectively; LL). The 25% glycerol (G+) solution and cultures themselves were applied as positive and negative controls, respectively. Bacterial suspensions were stored at a mild freezing temperature (−20°C) until the end of the experiment (210th day). The LL solution had a comparable (insignificant difference at the P-value = 0.05) cryoprotective effect as the positive control in five of six bifidobacteria and in three of six representatives of Lactobacillaceae. The better cryoprotective effect was revealed in other Lactobacillaceae. At the end of the experiment, the generally accepted therapeutic minimum (>107 Colony Forming Units/mL) was determined in LL solution in five bifidobacteria and four Lactobacillaceae strains. The presented results improve knowledge about long-term mild cryopreservation of the most commonly used probiotics and could contribute to developing new forms of (nutri)synbiotics.
AfSec1 is a signal peptidase and removes signal peptides of 1,3-β-glucanosyltransferases in Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Kim Ki-Hwan , Kang Suzie , Seo Hyewon , Yun Cheol-Won
Published: January 2023

To identify the infection mechanism of Aspergillus fumigatus, which is an opportunistic fungal pathogen, we analyzed the expression profile of the whole genome of A. fumigatus during the infection of murine macrophages. A previously reported RNA-seq data analysis showed that many genes involved in cell wall synthesis were upregulated during the infection process. Interestingly, AfSec1 (3g12840), which encodes a putative signal peptidase, was upregulated dramatically, and its putative target protein Gel1, which encodes a 1,3-β-glucanosyltransferase, was also upregulated. Instead of the AfSec1 deletion strain, the AfSec1-ΔP strain was constructed, in which the promoter region of AfSec1 was deleted, and AfSec1 expression was not detected in the AfSec1-ΔP strain. The expression of AfSec1 was recovered by the introduction of the promoter region (the AfSec1-ΔP/P strain). The nonprocessed form of Gel1 was identified in the AfSec1-ΔP strain, which lacked the promoter, but mature forms of Gel1 were found in the wild-type and in AfSec1-ΔP/P, which was the promoter complementation strain. In the plate assay, the AfSec1-ΔP strain showed higher sensitivity against caspofungin than the wild-type. However, compared with the wild-type, the deletion strain showed no difference in the sensitivity to other antifungal drugs, such as amphotericin B and voriconazole, which inhibit different targets compared with caspofungin. The AfSec1-ΔP strain exhibited ∼20% lower levels of β-glucan in the cell wall than the wild-type. Finally, the virulence decreased when the promoter region of AfSec1 was deleted, as observed in the murine infection test and conidia-killing assay using human macrophages and neutrophils. These results suggest that AfSec1 exerts signal peptidase activity on its target Gel1 and has an important role in fungal pathogenesis.
Gravitational lensing in the presence of plasma scattering with application to Fast Radio Bursts
Authors: Kumar Pawan , Beniamini Paz
Published: January 2023

We describe how gravitational lensing of fast radio bursts (FRBs) is affected by a plasma screen in the vicinity of the lens or somewhere between the source and the observer. Wave passage through a turbulent medium affects gravitational image magnification, lensing probability (particularly for strong magnification events), and the time delay between images. The magnification is suppressed because of the broadening of the angular size of the source due to scattering by the plasma. The time delay between images is modified as the result of different dispersion measures (DM) along photon trajectories for different images. Each of the image light curves is also broadened due to wave scattering so that the images could have distinct temporal profiles. The first two effects are most severe for stellar and sub-stellar mass lens, and the last one (scatter broadening) for lenses and plasma screens at cosmological distances from the source/observer. This could limit the use of FRBs to measure their cosmic abundance. On the other hand, when the time delay between images is large, such that the light curve of a transient source has two or more well-separated peaks, the different DMs along the wave paths of different images can probe density fluctuations in the IGM on scales ≲10−6 rad and explore the patchy reionization history of the universe using lensed FRBs at high redshifts. Different rotation measures (RM) along two-image paths can convert linearly polarized radiation from a source to partial circular polarization.
On the origin of the lump in circumbinary discs
Authors: Mignon-Risse Raphaël , Varniere Peggy , Casse Fabien
Published: January 2023

Accreting binary black holes (BBHs) are multimessenger sources, emitting copious electromagnetic (EM) and gravitational waves. One of their most promising EM signatures is the light-curve modulation caused by a strong unique and extended azimuthal overdensity structure orbiting at the inner edge of the circumbinary disc (CBD), dubbed ‘lump’. In this paper, we investigate the origin of this structure using 2D general-relativistic (GR) hydrodynamical simulations of a CBD in an approximate BBH space–time. First, we use the symmetric mass-ratio case to study the transition from the natural m = 2 mode to m = 1. The asymmetry with respect to m = 2 grows exponentially, pointing to an instability origin. We indeed find that the CBD edge is prone to a (magneto)hydrodynamical instability owing to the disc edge density sharpness: the Rossby Wave Instability (RWI). The RWI criterion is naturally fulfilled at the CBD edge and we report the presence of vortices, which are typical structures of the RWI. The RWI is also at work in the asymmetric mass-ratio cases (from 0.1 to 0.5). However, the CBD edge sharpness decreases with a decreasing mass ratio, and so the lump. By proposing a scenario for this lump formation, our work further supports its existence in astrophysical CBDs and potential source for an EM signature of BBHs. Finally, because the RWI is not caused by GR effects, it is also a robust candidate for the lump origin in CBDs around non-compact objects, e.g. binary protostars.
Mapping progenitors of binary black holes and neutron stars with binary population synthesis
Authors: Weller Miqaela K , Johnson Jennifer A
Published: January 2023

The first directly observed gravitational wave event, GW150914, featuring the merger of two massive black holes, highlighted the need to determine how these systems of compact remnant binaries are formed. We use the binary population synthesis code Compact Object Synthesis and Monte Carlo Investigation Code (COSMIC) to predict the types of massive stars that will show significant radial velocity (RV) variations, indicative of a potential compact object (i.e. a black hole or neutron star) orbiting the star. We ‘observe’ the binaries generated in the populations with a similar number of epochs and RV accuracy as planned for the Milky Way Mapper (MWM) survey. In this analysis, we are especially interested in systems where a compact remnant is orbiting a massive O or B star as these systems survived the first supernova and neutron star kick. We test the ability of the Milky Way Mapper observing strategy to distinguish among different mass-loss and kick prescriptions. We find that Wolf–Rayet stars or hot subdwarfs in binaries could be detectable (i.e. luminous, high ΔRVmax), viable progenitors of such objects, while the different prescriptions primarily affect the number of sources.
Carbon depletion in the early Solar system
Authors: Binkert Fabian , Birnstiel Til
Published: January 2023

Earth and other rocky objects in the inner Solar system are depleted in carbon compared to objects in the outer Solar system, the Sun, or the ISM. It is believed that this is a result of the selective removal of refractory carbon from primordial circumstellar material. In this work, we study the irreversible release of carbon into the gaseous environment via photolysis and pyrolysis of refractory carbonaceous material during the disc phase of the early Solar system. We analytically solve the one-dimensional advection equation and derive an explicit expression that describes the depletion of carbonaceous material in solids under the influence of radial and vertical transport. We find both depletion mechanisms individually fail to reproduce Solar system abundances under typical conditions. While radial transport only marginally restricts photodecomposition, it is the inefficient vertical transport that limits carbon depletion under these conditions. We show explicitly that an increase in the vertical mixing efficiency, and/or an increase in the directly irradiated disc volume, favours carbon depletion. Thermal decomposition requires a hot inner disc (>500 K) beyond 3 au to deplete the formation region of Earth and chondrites. We find FU Ori-type outbursts to produce these conditions such that moderately refractory compounds are depleted. However, such outbursts likely do not deplete the most refractory carbonaceous compounds beyond the innermost disc region. Hence, the refractory carbon abundance at 1 au typically does not reach terrestrial levels. Nevertheless, under specific conditions, we find photolysis and pyrolysis combined to reproduce Solar system abundances.
Single-pulse studies of three millisecond pulsars
Authors: Palliyaguru N T , Perera B B P , McLaughlin M A , Osłowski S , Siebert G L
Published: January 2023

Single-pulse studies are important to understand the pulsar emission mechanism and the noise floor in precision timing. We study total intensity and polarimetry properties of three bright millisecond pulsars – PSRs J1022+1001, J1713+0747, and B1855+09 – that have detectable single pulses at multiple frequencies. We report for the first time the detection of single pulses from PSRs J1022+1001 and J1713+0747 at 4.5 GHz. In addition, for those two pulsars, the fraction of linear polarization in the average profile is significantly reduced at 4.5 GHz, compared to 1.38 GHz, which could support the expected deviation from a dipolar field closer to the pulsar surface. There is a hint of orthogonal modes in the single pulses of PSR J1713+0747. More sensitive multifrequency observations may be useful to confirm these findings. The jitter noise contributions at 1.38 GHz, scaled to one hour, for PSRs J1022+1001, J1713+0747, and B1855+09 are ≈135, ≈45, and ≈60 ns, respectively and are consistent with previous studies. We also show that selective bright-pulse timing of PSR J1022+1001 yields improved root-mean-square residuals of ≈22 $\mu$s, which is a factor of ≈3 better than timing using single pulses alone.
Binary microlensing with plasma environment – star and planet
Authors: Sun Jiarui , Er Xinzhong , Tsupko Oleg Yu
Published: January 2023

Galactic microlensing has been widely used to study stars and planets. The stellar wind plays an important role in the formation, environment, and habitability of the planet. In this work, we study a binary microlensing system including the stellar wind, i.e. a star with a plasma environment plus a planet. Plasma surrounding the main lens causes chromatic deflection of the light rays, in addition to the gravitational one. As a result, such a lensing system can generate complicated caustics that depend on the different lensing parameters. In this work, we study the magnification curves for different traces of the background source and compare the transitions of the formation of ‘hill and hole’ in the magnification curves. We find that the plasma will cause extra caustic, shrink the central caustics generated by the star, and push the caustic by the planet outwards. Observations and modelling of binary microlensing curves with taking plasma effect into account can provide a potential method to study the plasma environment of the stars. In case of a high plasma density of the stellar wind, the plasma lensing effects will be observable in the sub-mm band.
Intrinsic correlations of galaxy sizes in a hydrodynamical cosmological simulation
Authors: Johnston Harry , Westbeek Dana Sophia , Weide Sjoerd , Chisari Nora Elisa , Dubois Yohan , Devriendt Julien , Pichon Christophe
Published: January 2023

Residuals between measured galactic radii and those predicted by the Fundamental Plane (FP) are possible tracers of weak lensing magnification. However, observations have shown these to be systematically correlated with the large-scale structure. We use the Horizon-AGN hydrodynamical cosmological simulation to analyse these intrinsic size correlations (ISCs) for both elliptical (early-type) and spiral (late-type) galaxies at $z$ = 0.06. We fit separate FPs to each sample, finding similarly distributed radius residuals, λ, in each case. We find persistent λλ correlations over three-dimensional separations $0.5\hbox{--}17\, h^{-1}\, {\rm {Mpc}}$ in the case of spiral galaxies, at >3σ significance. When relaxing a mass-selection, applied for better agreement with galaxy clustering constraints, the spiral λλ detection strengthens to 9σ; we detect a 5σ density-λ correlation; and we observe intrinsically-large spirals to cluster more strongly than small spirals over scales ${\lesssim}10\, h^{-1}\, {\rm {Mpc}}$ at >5σ significance. Conversely, and in agreement with the literature, we observe lower-mass, intrinsically-small ellipticals to cluster more strongly than their large counterparts over scales $0.5\hbox{--}17\, h^{-1}\, {\rm {Mpc}}$ at >5σ significance. We model λλ correlations using a phenomenological non-linear size model, and predict the level of contamination for cosmic convergence analyses. We find the systematic contribution to be of similar order to, or dominant over the cosmological signal. We make a mock measurement of an intrinsic, systematic contribution to the projected surface mass density Σ(r), and find statistically significant low-amplitude, positive (negative) contributions from lower-mass spirals (ellipticals), which may be of concern for large-scale (${\gtrsim}7\, h^{-1}$ Mpc) measurements.
Matching the mass function of Milky Way satellites in competing dark matter models
Authors: Lovell Mark R , Zavala Jesús
Published: January 2023

Any successful model of dark matter must explain the diversity of observed Milky Way (MW) satellite density profiles, from very dense ultrafaints to low-density satellites so large that they could be larger than their inferred dark matter haloes. Predictions for these density profiles are complicated by the limitations of simulation resolution in the stripping of subhaloes by the MW system. We consider cold dark matter (CDM), warm dark matter (WDM, 3.3 keV thermal relic power spectrum), and a self-interacting dark matter model (SIDM) that induces gravothermal collapse in low-mass subhaloes. Using N-body simulations combined with a halo stripping algorithm, we find that most CDM and WDM subhaloes of mass >108 ${\, \rm M_\odot }$ are large enough after stripping to fit most satellites; however, the required amount of stripping often requires a stronger tidal field than is available on the subhalo’s orbit. The lower concentrations of WDM subhaloes enable more stripping to take place, even on orbits with large pericentres. SIDM cores offer the best fits to massive, low-density satellites at the expense of predicting >109 ${\, \rm M_\odot }$ subhaloes to host low-density satellites with no observed analogue. The agreement of the total number of satellites with observations in CDM and WDM depends strongly on the assumptions made to draw the observational estimates. We conclude that an SIDM model must have a very high velocity-dependent cross-section in order to match all satellites, and that WDM offers a marginally better fit than CDM to the MW satellite mass function.
A mixed stirring mechanism for debris discs with giant and dwarf planetary perturbations
Authors: Muñoz-Gutiérrez Marco A , Marshall Jonathan P , Peimbert Antonio
Published: January 2023

Debris discs consist of belts of bodies ranging in size from dust grains to planetesimals; these belts are visible markers of planetary systems around other stars that can reveal the influence of extrasolar planets through their shape and structure. Two key stirring mechanisms – self-stirring by planetesimals and secular perturbation by an external giant planet – have been identified to explain the dynamics of planetesimal belts; their relative importance has been studied independently, but are yet to be considered in combination. In this work, we perform a suite of 286 N-body simulations exploring the evolution of debris discs over 1 Gyr, combining the gravitational perturbations of both dwarf planets embedded in the discs, and an interior giant planet. Our systems were somewhat modelled after the architecture of the outer Solar system: a Solar mass star, a single massive giant planet at 30 au (MGP = 10 to 316 M⊕), and a debris disc formed by 100 massive dwarf planets and 1000 massless particles (MDD = 3.16 to 31.6 M⊕). We present the evolution of both the disc and the giant planet after 1 Gyr. The time evolution of the average eccentricity and inclination of the disc is strongly dependent on the giant planet mass as well as on the remaining disc mass. We also found that efficient stirring is achieved even with small disc masses. In general, we find that a mixed mechanism is more efficient in the stirring of cold debris discs than either mechanism acting in isolation.
Quantifying the redshift space distortion of the bispectrum III : detection prospects of the multipole moments
Authors: Mazumdar Arindam , Sarkar Debanjan , Bharadwaj Somnath
Published: January 2023

The redshift space anisotropy of the bispectrum is generally quantified using multipole moments. The possibility of measuring these multipoles in any survey depends on the level of statistical fluctuations. We compute the statistical fluctuations in the measurement of bispectrum multipoles for a Euclid like galaxy survey based on second-order perturbation theory and present two quantities: the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) which quantifies the detectability of a multipole and the rank correlation which quantifies the correlation in measurement errors between any two multipoles. Based on SNR values, we find that Euclid can potentially measure the bispectrum multipoles up to ℓ = 4 across various triangle shapes, formed by the three k vectors in Fourier space. In general, SNR is maximum for the linear triangles. SNR values also depend on the scales and redshifts of observation. While, ℓ ≤ 2 multipoles can be measured with SNR > 5 even at linear/quasi-linear ($k_1 \lesssim 0.1 \, {\rm Mpc}^{-1}$) scales, for ℓ > 2 multipoles, we require to go to small scales or need to increase bin sizes. These estimates are based on bins of extent Δln k1 = 0.1, Δμ = 0.05, and Δt = 0.05, where k1 is the length of the largest side, and (μ, t), respectively, quantify the size and shape of the triangles. For most multipole pairs, the errors are only weakly correlated across much of the triangle shapes barring a few in the vicinity of squeezed and stretched triangles. This makes it possible to combine the measurements of different multipoles to increase the effective SNR.
Cis- andTrans-variations of Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase Provide New Insights into the Mechanisms of Diverged Pattern of Phenotypic Plasticity for Temperature Adaptation in Two Congeneric Oyster Species
Authors: Wang Chaogang , Li Ao , Cong Rihao , Qi Haigang , Wang Wei , Zhang Guofan , Li Li
Published: January 2023

The evolution of phenotypic plasticity plays an essential role in adaptive responses to climate change; however, its regulatory mechanisms in marine organisms which exhibit high phenotypic plasticity still remain poorly understood. The temperature-responsive trait oleic acid content and its major gene stearoyl-CoA desaturase (Scd) expression have diverged in two allopatric congeneric oyster species, cold-adapted Crassostrea gigas and warm-adapted Crassostrea angulata. In this study, genetic and molecular methods were used to characterize fatty acid desaturation and membrane fluidity regulated by oyster Scd. Sixteen causative single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the promoter/cis-region of the Scd between wild C. gigas and C. angulata. Further functional experiments showed that an SNP (g.-333C [C. gigas allele] >T [C. angulata allele]) may influence Scd transcription by creating/disrupting the binding motif of the positive trans-factor Y-box factor in C. gigas/C. angulata, which mediates the higher/lower constitutive expression of Scd in C. gigas/C. angulata. Additionally, the positive trans-factor sterol-regulatory element–binding proteins (Srebp) were identified to specifically bind to the promoter of Scd in both species, and were downregulated during cold stress in C. gigas compared to upregulated in C. angulata. This partly explains the relatively lower environmental sensitivity (plasticity) of Scd in C. gigas. This study serves as an experimental case to reveal that both cis- and trans-variations shape the diverged pattern of phenotypic plasticity, which provides new insights into the formation of adaptive traits and the prediction of the adaptive potential of marine organisms to future climate change.
Depletion assisted hemin affinity (DAsHA) proteomics reveals an expanded landscape of heme-binding proteins in the human proteome
Authors: Kim Hyojung , Moore Courtney M , Mestre-Fos Santi , Hanna David A , Williams Loren Dean , Reddi Amit R , Torres Matthew P
Published: January 2023

Heme b (iron protoporphyrin IX) plays important roles in biology as a metallocofactor and signaling molecule. However, the targets of heme signaling and the network of proteins that mediate the exchange of heme from sites of synthesis or uptake to heme dependent or regulated proteins are poorly understood. Herein, we describe a quantitative mass spectrometry (MS)-based chemoproteomics strategy to identify exchange labile hemoproteins in human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells that may be relevant to heme signaling and trafficking. The strategy involves depleting endogenous heme with the heme biosynthetic inhibitor succinylacetone (SA), leaving putative heme-binding proteins in their apo-state, followed by the capture of those proteins using hemin–agarose resin, and finally elution and identification by MS. By identifying only those proteins that interact with high specificity to hemin–agarose relative to control beaded agarose in an SA-dependent manner, we have expanded the number of proteins and ontologies that may be involved in binding and buffering labile heme or are targets of heme signaling. Notably, these include proteins involved in chromatin remodeling, DNA damage response, RNA splicing, cytoskeletal organization, and vesicular trafficking, many of which have been associated with heme through complementary studies published recently. Taken together, these results provide support for the emerging role of heme in an expanded set of cellular processes from genome integrity to protein trafficking and beyond.
Acute kidney injury in bortezomib-treated patients with multiple myeloma
Authors: Song Seung Min , Jeon Junseok , Jang Hye Ryoun , Kim Kihyun , Huh Wooseong , Kim Yoon-Goo , Lee Jung Eun
Published: January 2023

Background

The nephrotoxicity of bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, has not yet been elucidated, although tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) associated with multiple myeloma (MM) has been reported to increase after introduction of the drug. This study compared the incidence and risk factors for acute kidney injury (AKI) and TLS in patients with MM after bortezomib-based chemotherapy to investigate drug-related nephrotoxicity.

Methods

From 2006 to 2017, 276 patients who underwent a first cycle of bortezomib-based chemotherapy for MM were identified in a single tertiary hospital. Laboratory TLS was defined according to the Cairo-Bishop definition. Development of AKI was assessed by AKI Network criteria within 7 days of the first chemotherapy.

Results

The median (interquartile range) age was 65 (56–72) years, and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 61.3 (34.1–89.1) mL/min/1.73 m2. The incidences of AKI and laboratory TLS were 17% (n = 47) and 13% (n = 36), respectively. Ten (3.6%) subjects met both AKI and TLS criteria. Multivariate analyses showed that lower eGFR category [30–59, odds ratio (OR) 3.005 (95% confidence interval 1.163–7.976); 15–29, OR 4.225 (1.183–15.000); <15, OR 16.154 (3.831–70.920) vs ≥60, P < .001], lower serum albumin level [per 1 increase, OR 0.479 (0.256–0.871), P = .018], renal amyloidosis [OR 13.039 (4.108–44.041), P < .001] and use of acyclovir during bortezomib treatment [OR 3.689 (1.133–14.469), P = .042] were predictors of AKI. MM stages and β-2-microglobulin were not associated with increased risk of AKI. Regarding laboratory TLS, MM stage and β-2-microglobulin were higher in those with TLS than in others. In multivariate analyses, β-2-microglobulin level [OR 1.204 (1.005–1.461), P = .038] and absence of high-risk chromosome abnormalities [OR 0.143 (0.022–0.588), P = .016] were associated with higher risk of TLS.

Conclusions

Development of AKI was often observed in the absence of TLS in patients with MM after treatment with bortezomib. In addition, the risk factors for AKI and TLS varied widely. These findings indicate the potential nephrotoxicity of bortezomib irrespective of TLS in patients with decreased kidney function.
The Grand Bargain
Authors: Brakman Reiser Dana , Dean Steven A.
Published: January 2023

This chapter looks back to the last major US effort to broker a truce between elites and the public: the Tax Reform Act of 1969. Gilded-age industrialists like Rockefeller and Carnegie pioneered the concept of a philanthropic foundation, designed to manage and give away capital as a charitable antithesis of a hedge fund. By mid-century, public skepticism ran high, fueled by perceived abuses within these organizations. High-profile inquiries paved the way to major reform legislation. This Grand Bargain offered wealthy donors an opportunity to make robust commitments to do good through “private foundations” while retaining the privilege of perpetual life and considerable autonomy along with valuable promises of tax forbearance at the cost of government regulation and transparency. The regulatory regime that emerged from this Grand Bargain channeled philanthropic activity toward public-regarding activities and at least some significant current spending and away from entanglements with business interests and politics.
In Search of Lost Trust
Authors: Brakman Reiser Dana , Dean Steven A.
Published: January 2023

This chapter explores the risks of undermining the delicate truce the Grand Bargain employed to bolster public trust in philanthropy. A look at adjacent innovations in social enterprise governance and ESG investing reveals the dangers in undermining that trust, whether it be feast or famine. The tepid embrace of social enterprise forms reminds us there are limits to the public’s willingness to take the powerful at their word. When philanthropy limited liability companies, commercially affiliated donor-advised funds, or strategic corporate philanthropists exaggerate their impact, or conflate self-interest with the public interest, blowback may not be limited to these innovative players. In contrast, investors flooding into ESG funds appear convinced trust is irrelevant; financial return and social and environmental progress neatly coincide. For-profit philanthropy’s embrace of the same cavalier attitude toward trust risks crowding out charitable efforts that fail to neatly align with commerce, and the halo of the entire philanthropic sector along with it.
Private Ordering Solutions
Authors: Brakman Reiser Dana , Dean Steven A.
Published: January 2023

This chapter invites wealthy elites to act strategically to reinforce the trust the Grand Bargain once secured, even without government enforcement. The private sector has, after all, fueled the innovation on display in the rise of philanthropy limited liability companies (LLCs), commercially affiliated donor-advised funds, and strategic corporate philanthropy. Perhaps it can also tame those creations to build a more accountable for-profit philanthropy to forestall the risk that public skepticism will smother it. Much of charity law can be described as tools to demonstrate trustworthiness. Rather than relying on policymakers to supply the trust for-profit philanthropy needs, careful private ordering could reveal corporate philanthropists, commercially affiliated donor-advised funds, and philanthropy LLCs to be uniquely capable of saving themselves. A precisely tailored corporate governance scheme for strategic corporate philanthropy, a contractual dead man’s switch for donor-advised funds, and self-enforcing transparency agreements for philanthropy LLCs could mitigate the risks they impose while unleashing their potential value.
A More Perfect Bargain
Authors: Brakman Reiser Dana , Dean Steven A.
Published: January 2023

This chapter’s three visions for systemic reform all combat the pervasive timing, transparency, and targeting threats posed by the rise of for-profit philanthropy. First, it tests the lens of income. A return to steeply progressive mid-century tax rates combined with tempering the myriad tax loopholes that favor wealthy taxpayers represents one path toward reining in elite influence. The second systemic reform approach views inequality not as a function of income but of wealth. Threatening wealth with a new tax creates new opportunities to encourage accountable philanthropy. Finally, acknowledging that the Grand Bargain ultimately represented a strategic compromise with—rather than a tax on—elites, the last approach turns in an entirely new direction. Redistributing political power rather than revenues could create a new partnership between elites and the public. The More Perfect Bargain it describes would aim to do just that.
Contexts, Cultures, and Constraints
Authors: Lawson Robert
Published: January 2023

Chapter 1 introduces the main focus of the book, outlining the background of the book and explaining how a linguistic analysis of male-dominated media contexts can shed light on processes of discrimination, inequality, and affiliation in different online and offline media spaces, including newspapers, forums, social media sites, and television shows. The chapter goes on to situate the book against the broader backdrop of masculinities studies and relates later chapters to existing work in the field, such as hegemonic masculinity, toxic masculinity, caring masculinity, and other relevant frameworks. The chapter then introduces the rationale and motivation for the book, before ending with an overview of the remaining chapters.
“Man, woman, birth, death, infinity”Drama
Authors: Burlingame Jon
Published: January 2023

Television drama has inspired a wide variety of styles and colors of music. Nelson Riddle and Jerry Goldsmith enjoyed chart hits from their Route 66 and Dr. Kildare themes; a Moog synthesizer was used in the Medical Center theme, and the entire pilot of St. Elsewhere was created using electronic means; ER had both synths and electric guitar. Lawyer shows range from a mild R&B treatment (Perry Mason) to fanfares for the law (The Defenders) to dignified French horns meet sexy saxophone (L.A. Law). War series merit dissonance (Combat), an anthem (12 O’Clock High), and even gentle guitars (M*A*S*H). Anthologies are where John Williams learned his trade (Alcoa Premiere, Kraft Suspense Theatre). Homespun Americana served The Waltons, while dignified contemporary Americana worked for The West Wing; Dallas and Dynasty, meanwhile, merited a touch of disco and a lot of elegance. In the new century, a hint of irony via orchestra and choir seemed right for Desperate Housewives. Umbrella themes attracted such major musical names as Burt Bacharach, Isaac Hayes, and Henry Mancini.