ABSTRACT We present results from the fitting of infrared (IR) spectral energy distributions of 21 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with clumpy torus models. We compiled high spatial resolution (∼0.3-0.7 ...arcsec) mid-IR (MIR) N-band spectroscopy, Q-band imaging, and nuclear near- and MIR photometry from the literature. Combining these nuclear near- and MIR observations, far-IR photometry, and clumpy torus models enables us to put constraints on the torus properties and geometry. We divide the sample into three types according to the broad line region (BLR) properties: type-1s, type-2s with scattered or hidden broad line region (HBLR) previously observed, and type-2s without any published HBLR signature (NHBLR). Comparing the torus model parameters gives us the first quantitative torus geometrical view for each subgroup. We find that NHBLR AGNs have smaller torus opening angles and larger covering factors than HBLR AGNs. This suggests that the chance to observe scattered (polarized) flux from the BLR in NHBLR could be reduced by the dual effects of (a) less scattering medium due to the reduced scattering volume given the small torus opening angle and (b) the increased torus obscuration between the observer and the scattering region. These effects give a reasonable explanation for the lack of observed HBLR in some type-2 AGNs.
Natural climate solutions have been proposed as a way to mitigate climate change by removing CO 2 and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and increasing carbon storage in ecosystems. The ...adoption of such practices is required at large spatial and temporal scales, which means that local implementation across different land use and conservation sectors must be coordinated at landscape and regional levels. Here, we describe the spatiotemporal domains of research in the field of climate solutions and, as a first approximation, we use the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States as a model system to evaluate the potential for coordinated implementations. By combining estimates of soil organic carbon stocks and CO 2 fluxes with projected changes in climate, we show how land use may be prioritized to improve carbon drawdown and permanence across multiple sectors at local to regional scales. Our consideration of geographical context acknowledges some of the ecological and social challenges of climate change mitigation efforts for the implementation of scalable solutions.
Acute appendicitis is common in the adult emergency department (ED). Computed tomography (CT) scan is frequently used to diagnose this condition, but ultrasound (US)—commonly used in pediatric ...diagnosis—may also have a role.
Review the clinical utility and define the frequency and diagnostic accuracy of US to diagnose appendicitis in an adult population in the ED setting.
Retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent appendiceal US in an academic, tertiary ED from July 2013–October 2015.
There were 174 patients included, of which 39 (22%) had pathology-confirmed appendicitis. There were 25 patients who had an US scan that was positive for appendicitis, 146 (84%) were indeterminate, and 3 (1.7%) were negative. Among patients with a positive US, 25/25 (100%, 95% confidence interval CI 84–100%) had appendicitis, 32/146 (22%, 95% CI 16–29%) with an indeterminate US had appendicitis, and 0/3 (0%, 95% CI 0–6.2%) with a negative US had appendicitis. In the 28 definitive cases, US had a sensitivity of 64%, specificity of 2%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 100%. The likelihood ratio positive and negative were 173 and 0, respectively.
Our initial data suggest that an US that shows appendicitis seems to be reliable; however, a high prevalence of indeterminate studies limits the diagnostic utility as a universal approach in adult patients in the ED setting. Larger studies are needed to identify which patient populations would benefit from US as the initial imaging modality, what factors contribute to the large numbers of indeterminate results, and if any interventions may reduce the number of indeterminate results.
Research has examined pornography use on the extent of offending. However, virtually no work has tested whether other sex industry experiences affect sex crime. By extension, the cumulative effect of ...these exposures is unknown. Social learning theory predicts that exposure should amplify offending. Separately, the developmental perspective highlights that the timing of exposure matters.
Drawing on retrospective longitudinal data, we first test whether exposure during adolescence is associated with a younger age of onset; we also examine whether adulthood exposure is linked with greater frequency of offending.
Findings indicate that most types of adolescent exposures as well as total exposures were related to an earlier age of onset. Exposure during adulthood was also associated with an overall increase in sex offending, but effects were dependent on “type.”
There are nuances in the effect of sex industry exposure on offending patterns. Implications of results are discussed.
•Study tested whether offending patterns are affected by sex industry exposure.•Adolescent exposure was related to an earlier age of onset.•Adult exposure influenced greater frequency in offending, with caveats.•Research implications are discussed.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects and causes disease in infants and reinfects with reduced disease throughout life without significant antigenic change. In contrast, reinfection by influenza ...A virus (IAV) largely requires antigenic change. The adaptive immune response depends on antigen presentation by dendritic cells (DC), which may be too immature in young infants to induce a fully protective immune response against RSV reinfections. We therefore compared the ability of RSV and IAV to activate primary human cord blood (CB) and adult blood (AB) myeloid DC (mDC). While RSV and IAV infected with similar efficiencies, RSV poorly induced maturation and cytokine production in CB and AB mDC. This difference between RSV and IAV was more profound in CB mDC. While IAV activated CB mDC to some extent, RSV did not induce CB mDC to increase the maturation markers CD38 and CD86 or CCR7, which directs DC migration to lymphatic tissue. Low CCR7 surface expression was associated with high expression of CCR5, which keeps DC in inflamed peripheral tissues. To evaluate a possible inhibition by RSV, we subjected RSV-inoculated AB mDC to secondary IAV inoculation. While RSV-inoculated AB mDC responded to secondary IAV inoculation by efficiently upregulating activation markers and cytokine production, IAV-induced CCR5 downregulation was slightly inhibited in cells exhibiting robust RSV infection. Thus, suboptimal stimulation and weak and mostly reversible inhibition seem to be responsible for inefficient mDC activation by RSV. The inefficient mDC stimulation and immunological immaturity in young infants may contribute to reduced immune responses and incomplete protection against RSV reinfection.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes disease early in life and can reinfect symptomatically throughout life without undergoing significant antigenic change. In contrast, reinfection by influenza A virus (IAV) requires antigenic change. The adaptive immune response depends on antigen presentation by dendritic cells (DC). We used myeloid DC (mDC) from cord blood and adult blood donors to evaluate whether immunological immaturity contributes to the inability to mount a fully protective immune response to RSV. While IAV induced some activation and chemokine receptor switching in cord blood mDC, RSV did not. This appeared to be due to a lack of activation and a weak and mostly reversible inhibition of DC functions. Both viruses induced a stronger activation of mDC from adults than mDC from cord blood. Thus, inefficient stimulation of mDC by RSV and immunological immaturity may contribute to reduced immune responses and increased susceptibility to RSV disease and reinfection in young infants.
Abstract
Norovirus, a positive stranded RNA virus in the family Caliciviridae, is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis. Outbreaks occur primarily in locations such as schools, nursing homes, and ...cruise ships where individuals are in close proximity. An acute norovirus infection can become chronic in immunocompromised individuals, and an effective antiviral drug is needed. The 7.5 kb genome encodes a polyprotein in ORF1 that is co-translationally cleaved by the viral protease into six nonstructural proteins. The two structural proteins, VP1 and VP2, are encoded in ORF2 and ORF3, respectively. The viral proteins mediate replication and packaging of the genome into icosahedral capsids. The host cell provides additional proteins and building blocks for replication, but only a few essential host factors have been elucidated. To gain insight into the host response to norovirus infection, we performed next generation sequencing-based RNA sequencing on murine macrophages infected with murine norovirus. We obtained RNA from a time course of infection at 0, 8, 14, and 20 hours post infection with mock infections at 0 and 20 hours. Analysis of the host transcriptome reveals full activation of cellular immune response pathways, with NF-kβ, STAT1, and STAT3-based signaling evident. In addition, we observed transcriptional evidence of IRF3 activation with a transition to IRF3/IRF7 signaling. TNF-a-based activation is also clear with most downstream effectors up-regulated. These observations correlate well with the known cytokine response from patient serum samples, disease progression, and symptomatology of human norovirus. We are currently applying these findings toward drug discovery efforts.
Grain-size remote sensing presents an opportunity to address our poor understanding of the relationships among the patterns and processes of sediment sorting across spatial scales and advance the ...accessibility to riverscape mapping approaches. This thesis confronts the barriers to applying image-based grain-size mapping techniques by presenting a methodological framework that addresses the principal components of photosieving and their implications for the resulting grain-size dataset. This framework is leveraged to develop a protocol for mapping the spatial variability in coarse sediment within gravel bars and throughout a 12 km segment of the upper Sandy River, Oregon, USA. I analyze the grain-size variability at the river segment and bar scales in relation to active channel width. The results illustrate that bar scale variability in some cases is nearly equivalent to the grain-size variability observed within the 12 km reach. Additionally, the results show that grain-size is inversely correlated with channel width, but that this relationship is strongest for patches located at bar heads. These finding indicate that systematic patterns are modulated by local processes such as hydraulics or sediment supply, and that the application of downstream fining models may have limited application on the Upper Sandy River at scales finer than a few kilometers.
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