Spectroscopy of transiting exoplanets can be used to investigate their atmospheric properties
and habitability. Combining radial velocity (RV) and transit data provides additional information
on ...exoplanet physical properties. We detect a transiting rocky planet with an orbital period
of 1.467 days around the nearby red dwarf star Gliese 486. The planet Gliese 486 b is
2.81 Earth masses and 1.31 Earth radii, with uncertainties of 5%, as determined from RV data
and photometric light curves. The host star is at a distance of ~8.1 parsecs, has a J-band magnitude of ~7.2, and is observable from both hemispheres of Earth. On the basis of these properties and the planet’s short orbital period and high equilibrium temperature, we show that this terrestrial planet is suitable for emission and transit spectroscopy.
Hyperlipidemia is associated with endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory disorders. Adenosine and adenosine deaminase (ADA) modulate immune responses and lipid metabolism. Curcumin and rutin are ...polyphenols with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic effects. We evaluated the action of rutin and curcumin in the lipid levels and inflammation, as well as their effect on ADA activity in serum, lymphocytes, platelets, and neutrophils of hyperlipidemic rats. Adult male Wistar rats pretreated with curcumin and/or rutin for 30 days were submitted to Poloxamer-407- induced hyperlipidemia. Biochemical, hematological, and oxidative stress parameters, as well as serum and extracellular ADA activity, were performed 36h post-induction. Hyperlipidemia was confirmed by the increase in total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG). Hematological alterations, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) and ADA activities were observed in hyperlipidemic rats. Curcumin and the curcumin/rutin association decreased TG and increased high-density lipids (HDL) levels. The pretreatments prevented changes in the hematological parameters, decreased the activities of MPO in plasma and ADA in serum and cells. Cholesterol and ROS levels were not altered by the pretreatments. Our results show that pretreatments with rutin and/or curcumin prevent the hyperlipidemia-induced inflammation. Pretreatments with curcumin and/or rutin are potential complementary therapies in the prevention of hypertriglyceridemia and inflammation.
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Using the total radiation belt electron content calculated from Van Allen Probe phase space density, the time‐dependent and global response of the outer radiation belt during storms is statistically ...studied. Using phase space density reduces the impacts of adiabatic changes in the main phase, allowing a separation of adiabatic and nonadiabatic effects and revealing a clear modality and repeatable sequence of events in storm time radiation belt electron dynamics. This sequence exhibits an important first adiabatic invariant (μ)‐dependent behavior in the seed (150 MeV/G), relativistic (1,000 MeV/G), and ultrarelativistic (4,000 MeV/G) populations. The outer radiation belt statistically shows an initial phase dominated by loss followed by a second phase of rapid acceleration, while the seed population shows little loss and immediate enhancement. The time sequence of the transition to the acceleration is also strongly μ dependent and occurs at low μ first, appearing to be repeatable from storm to storm.
Plain Language Summary
The Earth's outer radiation belt is a region of near‐Earth space composed of highly energetic electrons. Typically, the outer radiation belt is in a quiet state; however, during geomagnetic storms the outer radiation belt becomes extremely dynamic. During these storms rapid changes in the number of energetic electrons in the outer radiation belt can lead to satellite failures. Our new research has found a level repeatability in storm time outer radiation belt dynamics not previously appreciated and offers important insights into radiation belt modeling and forecasting. This new work can be used to mitigate the negative effects radiation belt electrons can have on satellite infrastructure.
Key Points
Statistical assessment of the global and repeatable response of the outer radiation belt to storms
Using radiation belt content derived from phase space density reduces impacts from adiabatic changes revealing a clear sequence of events
The statistical response is characterized by a fast genuine‐loss dominated phase followed by a clear acceleration phase
Abstract Emerging evidence suggests that motivational deficits are a central component of negative symptoms in schizophrenia, and linked to functional impairment characterizing this illness. This ...study extends previous cross-sectional findings by examining the concurrent contributions of baseline motivational deficits, other negative symptoms, and other symptom domains on longitudinal functional outcomes in schizophrenia. Results of this longitudinal examination of 18 patients from our previous pilot study reveal that amotivation accounts for 74% and 72% of the variance in functional outcomes at baseline and 6-month follow-up, respectively. These findings further suggest a fundamental role for motivational deficits in predicting functional outcomes in schizophrenia.
The aim of this study was to improve the neuropathologic recognition and provide criteria for the pathological diagnosis in the neurodegenerative diseases grouped as frontotemporal lobar degeneration ...(FTLD); revised criteria are proposed. Recent advances in molecular genetics, biochemistry, and neuropathology of FTLD prompted the Midwest Consortium for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration and experts at other centers to review and revise the existing neuropathologic diagnostic criteria for FTLD. The proposed criteria for FTLD are based on existing criteria, which include the tauopathies FTLD with Pick bodies, corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, sporadic multiple system tauopathy with dementia, argyrophilic grain disease, neurofibrillary tangle dementia, and FTD with microtubule-associated tau (MAPT) gene mutation, also called FTD with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17). The proposed criteria take into account new disease entities and include the novel molecular pathology, TDP-43 proteinopathy, now recognized to be the most frequent histological finding in FTLD. TDP-43 is a major component of the pathologic inclusions of most sporadic and familial cases of FTLD with ubiquitin-positive, tau-negative inclusions (FTLD-U) with or without motor neuron disease (MND). Molecular genetic studies of familial cases of FTLD-U have shown that mutations in the progranulin (PGRN) gene are a major genetic cause of FTLD-U. Mutations in valosin-containing protein (VCP) gene are present in rare familial forms of FTD, and some families with FTD and/or MND have been linked to chromosome 9p, and both are types of FTLD-U. Thus, familial TDP-43 proteinopathy is associated with defects in multiple genes, and molecular genetics is required in these cases to correctly identify the causative gene defect. In addition to genetic heterogeneity amongst the TDP-43 proteinopathies, there is also neuropathologic heterogeneity and there is a close relationship between genotype and FTLD-U subtype. In addition to these recent significant advances in the neuropathology of FTLD-U, novel FTLD entities have been further characterized, including neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease. The proposed criteria incorporate up-to-date neuropathology of FTLD in the light of recent immunohistochemical, biochemical, and genetic advances. These criteria will be of value to the practicing neuropathologist and provide a foundation for clinical, clinico-pathologic, mechanistic studies and in vivo models of pathogenesis of FTLD.
Measurements of neutrino oscillations using the disappearance of muon neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI neutrino beam as observed by the two MINOS detectors are reported. New analysis methods have ...been applied to an enlarged data sample from an exposure of 7.25×10(20) protons on target. A fit to neutrino oscillations yields values of |Δm(2)|=(2.32(-0.08)(+0.12))×10(-3) eV(2) for the atmospheric mass splitting and sin(2)(2θ)>0.90 (90% C.L.) for the mixing angle. Pure neutrino decay and quantum decoherence hypotheses are excluded at 7 and 9 standard deviations, respectively.
Our previous work identified deficits in interference processing and learning/memory in past suicide attempters who were currently depressed and medication-free. In this study, we extend this work to ...an independent sample studied at various stages of illness and treatment (mild symptoms, on average) to determine if these deficits in past suicide attempters are evident during a less severe clinical state.
A total of 80 individuals with a past history of major depression and suicide attempt were compared with 81 individuals with a history of major depression and no lifetime suicide attempts on a battery of neurocognitive measures assessing attention, memory, abstract/contingent learning, working memory, language fluency and impulse control.
Past attempters performed more poorly in attention, memory and working memory domains, but also in an estimate of pre-morbid intelligence. After correction for this estimate, tests that had previously distinguished past attempters - a computerized Stroop task and the Buschke Selective Reminding Test - remained significantly worse in attempters. In a secondary analysis, similar differences were found among those with the lowest levels of depression (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score <10), suggesting that these deficits may be trait markers independent of current symptomatology.
Deficits in interference processing and learning/memory constitute an enduring defect in information processing that may contribute to poor adaptation, other higher-order cognitive impairments and risk for suicidal behavior.
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