The gravitational-wave signal GW190521 is consistent with a binary black hole (BBH) merger source at redshift 0.8 with unusually high component masses, 85 − 14 + 21 M and 66 − 18 + 17 M , compared to ...previously reported events, and shows mild evidence for spin-induced orbital precession. The primary falls in the mass gap predicted by (pulsational) pair-instability supernova theory, in the approximate range 65-120 M . The probability that at least one of the black holes in GW190521 is in that range is 99.0%. The final mass of the merger ( 142 − 16 + 28 M ) classifies it as an intermediate-mass black hole. Under the assumption of a quasi-circular BBH coalescence, we detail the physical properties of GW190521's source binary and its post-merger remnant, including component masses and spin vectors. Three different waveform models, as well as direct comparison to numerical solutions of general relativity, yield consistent estimates of these properties. Tests of strong-field general relativity targeting the merger-ringdown stages of the coalescence indicate consistency of the observed signal with theoretical predictions. We estimate the merger rate of similar systems to be 0.13 − 0.11 + 0.30 Gpc − 3 yr − 1 . We discuss the astrophysical implications of GW190521 for stellar collapse and for the possible formation of black holes in the pair-instability mass gap through various channels: via (multiple) stellar coalescences, or via hierarchical mergers of lower-mass black holes in star clusters or in active galactic nuclei. We find it to be unlikely that GW190521 is a strongly lensed signal of a lower-mass black hole binary merger. We also discuss more exotic possible sources for GW190521, including a highly eccentric black hole binary, or a primordial black hole binary.
Northern high-latitude carbon sources and sinks, including those resulting from degrading permafrost, are thought to be sensitive to the rapidly warming climate. Because the near-surface atmosphere ...integrates surface fluxes over large ( ∼ 500–1000 km) scales, atmospheric monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) mole fractions in the daytime mixed layer is a promising method for detecting change in the carbon cycle throughout boreal Alaska. Here we use CO2 and CH4 measurements from a NOAA tower 17 km north of Fairbanks, AK, established as part of NASA's Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE), to investigate regional fluxes of CO2 and CH4 for 2012–2014. CARVE was designed to use aircraft and surface observations to better understand and quantify the sensitivity of Alaskan carbon fluxes to climate variability. We use high-resolution meteorological fields from the Polar Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport model (hereafter, WRF-STILT), along with the Polar Vegetation Photosynthesis and Respiration Model (PolarVPRM), to investigate fluxes of CO2 in boreal Alaska using the tower observations, which are sensitive to large areas of central Alaska. We show that simulated PolarVPRM–WRF-STILT CO2 mole fractions show remarkably good agreement with tower observations, suggesting that the WRF-STILT model represents the meteorology of the region quite well, and that the PolarVPRM flux magnitudes and spatial distribution are generally consistent with CO2 mole fractions observed at the CARVE tower. One exception to this good agreement is that during the fall of all 3 years, PolarVPRM cannot reproduce the observed CO2 respiration. Using the WRF-STILT model, we find that average CH4 fluxes in boreal Alaska are somewhat lower than flux estimates by Chang et al. (2014) over all of Alaska for May–September 2012; we also find that enhancements appear to persist during some wintertime periods, augmenting those observed during the summer and fall. The possibility of significant fall and winter CO2 and CH4 fluxes underscores the need for year-round in situ observations to quantify changes in boreal Alaskan annual carbon balance.
Genome-wide scans were conducted for tuberculosis and leprosy per se in Brazil. At stage 1, 405 markers (10 cM map) were typed in 16 (178 individuals) tuberculosis and 21 (173 individuals) leprosy ...families. Nonparametric multipoint analysis detected 8 and 9 chromosomal regions respectively with provisional evidence (P<0.05) for linkage. At stage 2, 58 markers from positive regions were typed in a second set of 22 (176 individuals) tuberculosis families, with 22 additional markers typed in all families; 42 positive markers in 50 (192 individuals) new leprosy families, and 30 additional markers in all families. Three regions (10q26.13, 11q12.3, 20p12.1) retained suggestive evidence (peak LOD scores 1.31, 1.85, 1.78; P=0.007, 0.0018, 0.0021) for linkage to tuberculosis, 3 regions (6p21.32, 17q22, 20p13) to leprosy (HLA-DQA, 3.23, P=5.8 x 10(-5); D17S1868, 2.38, P=0.0005; D20S889, 1.51, P=0.004). The peak at D20S889 for leprosy is 3.5 Mb distal to that reported at D20S115 for leprosy in India. (151 words).
The medicinal benefits of Echinacea sp. plants in several disease conditions, including insect bites, respiratory ailments, and even cancer and AIDS, have been touted for decades. Echinacea sp.-based ...phytoceuticals are among the top selling herbals in the Western marketplace today. However, evidence is very scant concerning the effects of using Echinacea species herbals during pregnancy. While available data indicates that fetal malformations do not occur during pregnancy in humans consuming this herb, there are no formal studies aimed at assessing the possibility that consuming Echinacea herbals may promote spontaneous abortions, thereby reducing the number of live births upon which to assess the presence or absence of malformations.
We undertook a study in which pregnant mice were fed daily Echinacea purpurea from pregnancy onset until gestational days 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.
Maternal spleen and bone marrow were taken for enumeration of cells in each of five separate hemopoietic lineages/organ, and fetal status was recorded.
The data indicate that the significant, pregnancy-induced elevation in splenic lymphocytes and nucleated erythroid cells was all but eliminated in those females which consumed E. purpurea daily throughout their pregnancy. Moreover, consuming E. purpurea during pregnancy reduced the number of viable fetuses.
The data may be extrapolated to suggest that in humans, abstention from consuming Echinacea products during the early/mid stages of pregnancy, may be prudent.
To evaluate the plasma leptin levels approximately 24 h post-exercise in control and type 2 diabetic subjects and to establish if observed changes in leptin concentrations were acute or chronic ...effects of a resistance training program.
Thirty men and women (17 controls and 13 type 2, obese diabetics, age 40-55 y) had resting blood samples drawn at 08:00 h (12 h postprandial) at the beginning of the study (pre-training), 24 h after a three repetition maximal weight lifting bout (acute) and 72 h after their last training bout of 6 weeks of resistance training (chronic). The two groups were not matched with respect to body mass index and the control subjects were not normal weight. Subjects weight-trained three times a week, for 6 weeks, for 1 h, training both the upper and lower body.
Serum leptin concentrations were significantly higher in the type 2 diabetics than in the control group at pre-training (41.4+/-8.9 vs 11.4+/-3.0 ng/ml, P<0.05, respectively). Compared to pre-training, the leptin levels decreased significantly (P<0.01) after acute exercise in the diabetics but not in the control subjects (diabetics 30.9+/-7.1 vs controls 10.6+/-2.6 ng/ml). Approximately 72 h after 6 weeks of exercise training, the leptin concentrations were no longer lower than the pre-training values in either group (36.9+/-8.8 vs 11.9+/-8.8 ng/ml, respectively, P=NS). When leptin concentrations were log transformed and adjusted for fat mass there were still significant changes in leptin levels over time and between the control and diabetic group (P<0.05).
The type 2 diabetics showed a significant 30% reduction in resting leptin levels 24 h after a single bout of resistance exercise. This was an acute response to resistance exercise and not a chronic training effect (no difference between pre-training and chronic). The decreased resting leptin concentrations approximately 24 h post-acute exercise may be due to reduced glucose availability to the adipose tissue, particularly in the diabetic subjects. There is no chronic effect of resistance exercise on leptin concentrations.
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the effectiveness of warm solutions of acidic calcium sulfate (ACS), lactic acid (LA), ε‐polylysine (EPL), ACS plus EPL and sterile distilled water (W) applied to the ...surface of fresh, pre‐rigor beef rounds for reducing Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes applied as a cocktail at a level of 6.4 log cfu/ 50 cm2. All treatments were applied for 15 to 20 s using a stainless steel spray cabinet at 50–55C under a constant pressure. Sequential application of warm ACS, followed by EPL significantly reduced inoculated levels of S. Typhimurium, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes, with an extended effect over seven storage days. This combination was more effective than single treatments of ACS, LA, EPL or W alone. From these results, it appears that a sequential application of ACS and EPL could be a better strategy for pathogen reduction in meat plants than a single decontamination treatment.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
A sequential application by spray of acidified calcium sulfate (ACS) followed by ε‐polylysine (EPL) reduced pathogens on pre‐rigor beef rounds more effectively than a single treatment of ACS, EPL, lactic acid or water. This indicates that multiple interventions can be a better strategy for pathogen reduction than single treatments, and could also provide a more “fail‐safe” pathogen reduction strategy. It also appears that combinations of antimicrobial agents that have different modes of action for suppressing pathogen growth, and the sequential application of different decontamination sprays are significant factors for obtaining greater reductions in pathogen numbers on beef carcasses at slaughter.
Longitudinal studies in Sudan show ethnic differences in incidence and clinical phenotypes associated with Leishmania donovani. Immunologically, bias in type 1 vs type 2 cytokine responses is ...important. To determine whether polymorphisms at IL4/IL9 or IFNGR1 contribute to susceptibility, we examined 59 multicase families of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) with/without post Kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). Multipoint nonparametric analysis (Allegro) linked IL4/IL9 to VL per se (P=0.002). Transmission disequilibrium testing with robust variance estimates confirmed association in the presence of linkage between VL per se and IL4 (P=0.008) but not IL9. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed both IL4RP2 and IL4RP1 markers contributed significantly to the association, suggesting a common disease-associated haplotype. In contrast, IFNGR1 was linked (P=0.031) and associated (P=0.007) to PKDL but not VL or VL per se. Hence, polymorphism in a type 2 cytokine gene influences underlying susceptibility to VL, whereas IFNGR1 is specifically related to susceptibility to PKDL.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Project was designed to improve our understanding of the relationship between clouds and solar ...and longwave radiation. This is achieved using satellite broad-band instruments to map the top-of-atmosphere radiation fields with coincident data from satellite narrow-band imagers employed to retrieve the properties of clouds associated with those fields. This paper documents the CERES Edition-2 cloud property retrieval system used to analyze data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Visible and Infrared Scanner and by the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectrometer instruments on board the Terra and Aqua satellites covering the period 1998 through 2007. Two daytime retrieval methods are explained: the Visible Infrared Shortwave-infrared Split-window Technique for snow-free surfaces and the Shortwave-infrared Infrared Near-infrared Technique for snow or ice-covered surfaces. The Shortwave-infrared Infrared Split-window Technique is used for all surfaces at night. These methods, along with the ancillary data and empirical parameterizations of cloud thickness, are used to derive cloud boundaries, phase, optical depth, effective particle size, and condensed/frozen water path at both pixel and CERES footprint levels. Additional information is presented, detailing the potential effects of satellite calibration differences, highlighting methods to compensate for spectral differences and correct for atmospheric absorption and emissivity, and discussing known errors in the code. Because a consistent set of algorithms, auxiliary input, and calibrations across platforms are used, instrument and algorithm-induced changes in the data record are minimized. This facilitates the use of the CERES data products for studying climate-scale trends.
PDF
