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| 2. |
- Abazajian, Kevork, et al.
(author)
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CMB-S4 : Forecasting Constraints on Primordial Gravitational Waves
- 2022
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 926:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- CMB-S4—the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment—is set to significantly advance the sensitivity of CMB measurements and enhance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the universe. Among the science cases pursued with CMB-S4, the quest for detecting primordial gravitational waves is a central driver of the experimental design. This work details the development of a forecasting framework that includes a power-spectrum-based semianalytic projection tool, targeted explicitly toward optimizing constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, in the presence of Galactic foregrounds and gravitational lensing of the CMB. This framework is unique in its direct use of information from the achieved performance of current Stage 2–3 CMB experiments to robustly forecast the science reach of upcoming CMB-polarization endeavors. The methodology allows for rapid iteration over experimental configurations and offers a flexible way to optimize the design of future experiments, given a desired scientific goal. To form a closed-loop process, we couple this semianalytic tool with map-based validation studies, which allow for the injection of additional complexity and verification of our forecasts with several independent analysis methods. We document multiple rounds of forecasts for CMB-S4 using this process and the resulting establishment of the current reference design of the primordial gravitational-wave component of the Stage-4 experiment, optimized to achieve our science goals of detecting primordial gravitational waves for r > 0.003 at greater than 5σ, or in the absence of a detection, of reaching an upper limit of r < 0.001 at 95% CL.
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| 10. |
- Patterson, Nick, et al.
(author)
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Large-scale migration into Britain during the Middle to Late Bronze Age
- 2022
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In: Nature. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; , s. 588-594
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Present-day people from England and Wales harbour more ancestry derived from Early European Farmers (EEF) than people of the Early Bronze Age1. To understand this, we generated genome-wide data from 793 individuals, increasing data from the Middle to Late Bronze and Iron Age in Britain by 12-fold, and Western and Central Europe by 3.5-fold. Between 1000 and 875 BC, EEF ancestry increased in southern Britain (England and Wales) but not northern Britain (Scotland) due to incorporation of migrants who arrived at this time and over previous centuries, and who were genetically most similar to ancient individuals from France. These migrants contributed about half the ancestry of Iron Age people of England and Wales, thereby creating a plausible vector for the spread of early Celtic languages into Britain. These patterns are part of a broader trend of EEF ancestry becoming more similar across central and western Europe in the Middle to Late Bronze Age, coincident with archaeological evidence of intensified cultural exchange2-6. There was comparatively less gene flow from continental Europe during the Iron Age, and Britain's independent genetic trajectory is also reflected in the rise of the allele conferring lactase persistence to ~50% by this time compared to ~7% in central Europe where it rose rapidly in frequency only a millennium later. This suggests that dairy products were used in qualitatively different ways in Britain and in central Europe over this period.
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| 11. |
- Zamora, Juan Carlos, et al.
(author)
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Considerations and consequences of allowing DNA sequence data as types of fungal taxa
- 2018
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In: IMA Fungus. - : INT MYCOLOGICAL ASSOC. - 2210-6340 .- 2210-6359. ; 9:1, s. 167-185
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nomenclatural type definitions are one of the most important concepts in biological nomenclature. Being physical objects that can be re-studied by other researchers, types permanently link taxonomy (an artificial agreement to classify biological diversity) with nomenclature (an artificial agreement to name biological diversity). Two proposals to amend the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), allowing DNA sequences alone (of any region and extent) to serve as types of taxon names for voucherless fungi (mainly putative taxa from environmental DNA sequences), have been submitted to be voted on at the 11th International Mycological Congress (Puerto Rico, July 2018). We consider various genetic processes affecting the distribution of alleles among taxa and find that alleles may not consistently and uniquely represent the species within which they are contained. Should the proposals be accepted, the meaning of nomenclatural types would change in a fundamental way from physical objects as sources of data to the data themselves. Such changes are conducive to irreproducible science, the potential typification on artefactual data, and massive creation of names with low information content, ultimately causing nomenclatural instability and unnecessary work for future researchers that would stall future explorations of fungal diversity. We conclude that the acceptance of DNA sequences alone as types of names of taxa, under the terms used in the current proposals, is unnecessary and would not solve the problem of naming putative taxa known only from DNA sequences in a scientifically defensible way. As an alternative, we highlight the use of formulas for naming putative taxa (candidate taxa) that do not require any modification of the ICN.
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| 12. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
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- 2015
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In: Journal of High Energy Physics. - : Springer-Verlag New York. - 1029-8479 .- 1126-6708. ; :9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 13. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
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- 2015
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 14. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
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- 2015
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In: Journal of High Energy Physics. - 1029-8479 .- 1126-6708. ; :10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 15. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
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- 2015
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In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114 .- 0031-9007. ; 115:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 16. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
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- 2015
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In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114 .- 0031-9007. ; 115:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 36. |
- Ambite, Ines, et al.
(author)
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Molecular Basis of Acute Cystitis Reveals Susceptibility Genes and Immunotherapeutic Targets
- 2016
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In: PLoS Pathogens. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7366 .- 1553-7374. ; 12:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tissue damage is usually regarded as a necessary price to pay for successful elimination of pathogens by the innate immune defense. Yet, it is possible to distinguish protective from destructive effects of innate immune activation and selectively attenuate molecular nodes that create pathology. Here, we identify acute cystitis as an Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)-driven, hyper-inflammatory condition of the infected urinary bladder and IL-1 receptor blockade as a novel therapeutic strategy. Disease severity was controlled by the mechanism of IL-1β processing and mice with intact inflammasome function developed a moderate, self-limiting form of cystitis. The most severe form of acute cystitis was detected in mice lacking the inflammasome constituents ASC or NLRP-3. IL-1β processing was hyperactive in these mice, due to a new, non-canonical mechanism involving the matrix metalloproteinase 7- (MMP-7). ASC and NLRP-3 served as transcriptional repressors of MMP7 and as a result, Mmp7 was markedly overexpressed in the bladder epithelium of Asc-/- and Nlrp3-/- mice. The resulting IL-1β hyper-activation loop included a large number of IL-1β-dependent pro-inflammatory genes and the IL-1 receptor antagonist Anakinra inhibited their expression and rescued susceptible Asc-/- mice from bladder pathology. An MMP inhibitor had a similar therapeutic effect. Finally, elevated levels of IL-1β and MMP-7 were detected in patients with acute cystitis, suggesting a potential role as biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets. The results reproduce important aspects of human acute cystitis in the murine model and provide a comprehensive molecular framework for the pathogenesis and immunotherapy of acute cystitis, one of the most common infections in man. Trial Registration: The clinical studies were approved by the Human Ethics Committee at Lund University (approval numbers LU106-02, LU236-99 and Clinical Trial Registration RTP-A2003, International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, www.clinicaltrials.gov).
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| 37. |
- Baloch, Ramen Munir, et al.
(author)
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Indoor air pollution, physical and comfort parameters related to schoolchildren's health : Data from the European SINPHONIE study
- 2020
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : ELSEVIER. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 739
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Substantial knowledge is available on the association of the indoor school environment and its effect among schoolchildren. In the same context, the SINPHONIE (School indoor pollution and health: Observatory network in Europe) conducted a study to collect data and determine the distribution of several indoor air pollutants (IAPs), physical and thermal parameters and their association with eye, skin, upper-, lower respiratory and systemic disorder symptoms during the previous three months. Finally, data from 115 schools in 54 European cities from 23 countries were collected and included 5175 schoolchildren using a harmonized and standardized protocol. The association between exposures and the health outcomes were examined using logistic regression models on the environmental stressors assessed in classroom while adjusting for several confounding factors; a VOC (volatile organic compound) score defined as the sum of the number of pollutants to which the children were highly exposed (concentration > median of the distribution) in classroom was also introduced to evaluate the mul tiexposu re - outcome association. Schoolchildren while adjusting for several confounding factors. Schoolchildren exposed to above or equal median concentration of PM2.5, benzene, limonene, ozone and radon were at significantly higher odds of suffering from upper, lower airways, eye and systemic disorders. Increased odds were also observed for any symptom (sick school syndrome) among schoolchildren exposed to concentrations of limonene and ozone above median values. Furthermore, the risks for upper and lower airways and systemic disorders significantly increased with the VOCs score. Results also showed that increased ventilation rate was significantly associated with decreased odds of suffering from eye and skin disorders whereas similar association was observed between temperature and upper airways symptoms. The present study provides evidence that exposure to IAPs in schools is associated with various health problems in children. Further investigations are needed to confirm our findings. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 38. |
- Butler, Daniel S.C., et al.
(author)
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Neuroepithelial control of mucosal inflammation in acute cystitis
- 2018
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 8, s. 1-15
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The nervous system is engaged by infection, indirectly through inflammatory cascades or directly, by bacterial attack on nerve cells. Here we identify a neuro-epithelial activation loop that participates in the control of mucosal inflammation and pain in acute cystitis. We show that infection activates Neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) and Substance P (SP) expression in nerve cells and bladder epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo in the urinary bladder mucosa. Specific innate immune response genes regulated this mucosal response, and single gene deletions resulted either in protection (Tlr4−/− and Il1b−/− mice) or in accentuated bladder pathology (Asc−/− and Nlrp3−/− mice), compared to controls. NK1R/SP expression was lower in Tlr4−/− and Il1b−/− mice than in C56BL/6WT controls but in Asc−/− and Nlrp3−/− mice, NK1R over-activation accompanied the exaggerated disease phenotype, due, in part to transcriptional de-repression of Tacr1. Pharmacologic NK1R inhibitors attenuated acute cystitis in susceptible mice, supporting a role in disease pathogenesis. Clinical relevance was suggested by elevated urine SP levels in patients with acute cystitis, compared to patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria identifying NK1R/SP as potential therapeutic targets. We propose that NK1R and SP influence the severity of acute cystitis through a neuro-epithelial activation loop that controls pain and mucosal inflammation.
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| 39. |
- Calvert, Clara, et al.
(author)
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Changes in preterm birth and stillbirth during COVID-19 lockdowns in 26 countries
- 2023
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In: Nature Human Behaviour. - : Springer Nature. - 2397-3374. ; 7:4, s. 529-544
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide. Changes in PTB rates, ranging from -90% to +30%, were reported in many countries following early COVID-19 pandemic response measures ('lockdowns'). It is unclear whether this variation reflects real differences in lockdown impacts, or perhaps differences in stillbirth rates and/or study designs. Here we present interrupted time series and meta-analyses using harmonized data from 52 million births in 26 countries, 18 of which had representative population-based data, with overall PTB rates ranging from 6% to 12% and stillbirth ranging from 2.5 to 10.5 per 1,000 births. We show small reductions in PTB in the first (odds ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.95-0.98, P value <0.0001), second (0.96, 0.92-0.99, 0.03) and third (0.97, 0.94-1.00, 0.09) months of lockdown, but not in the fourth month of lockdown (0.99, 0.96-1.01, 0.34), although there were some between-country differences after the first month. For high-income countries in this study, we did not observe an association between lockdown and stillbirths in the second (1.00, 0.88-1.14, 0.98), third (0.99, 0.88-1.12, 0.89) and fourth (1.01, 0.87-1.18, 0.86) months of lockdown, although we have imprecise estimates due to stillbirths being a relatively rare event. We did, however, find evidence of increased risk of stillbirth in the first month of lockdown in high-income countries (1.14, 1.02-1.29, 0.02) and, in Brazil, we found evidence for an association between lockdown and stillbirth in the second (1.09, 1.03-1.15, 0.002), third (1.10, 1.03-1.17, 0.003) and fourth (1.12, 1.05-1.19, <0.001) months of lockdown. With an estimated 14.8 million PTB annually worldwide, the modest reductions observed during early pandemic lockdowns translate into large numbers of PTB averted globally and warrant further research into causal pathways.
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| 40. |
- Charatsidou, Elina, et al.
(author)
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Proton irradiation-induced cracking and microstructural defects in UN and (U,Zr)N composite fuels
- 2024
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In: Journal of Materiomics. - : Elsevier. - 2352-8478 .- 2352-8486. ; 10:4, s. 906-918
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Proton irradiation with a primary ion energy of 2 MeV was used to simulate radiation damage in UN and (U,Zr)N fuel pellets. The pellets, nominally at room temperature, were irradiated to peak levels of 0.1, 1, 10 dpa and 100.0 dpa resulting in a peak hydrogen concentration of at most 90 at. %. Microstructure and mechanical properties of the samples were investigated and compared before and after irradiation. The irradiation induced an increase in hardness, whereas a decrease in Young’s modulus was observed for both samples. Microstructural characterization revealed irradiation-induced cracking, initiated in the bulk of the material, where the peak damage was deposited, propagating towards the surface. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy was used to study irradiation defects. Dislocation loops and fringes were identified and observed to increase in density with increasing dose levels. The high density of irradiation defects and hydrogen implanted are proposed as the main cause of swelling and consequent sample cracking, leading simultaneously to increased hardening and a decrease in Young's modulus.
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| 41. |
- Collste, O., et al.
(author)
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Myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries is common and associated with normal findings on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging: results from the Stockholm Myocardial Infarction with Normal Coronaries study
- 2013
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In: Journal of Internal Medicine. - : Wiley. - 1365-2796 .- 0954-6820. ; 273:2, s. 189-196
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Collste O, Sorensson P, Frick M, Agewall S, Daniel M, Henareh L, Ekenback C, Eurenius L, Guiron C, Jernberg T, Hofman-Bang C, Malmqvist K, Nagy E, Arheden H, Tornvall P (Sodersjukhuset, Stockholm; Karolinska Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Sankt Goran Hospital Capio, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; Huddinge, Stockholm; Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Skane University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden). Myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries is common and associated with normal findings on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging: results from the Stockholm Myocardial Infarction with Normal Coronaries study. J Intern Med 2013; 273: 189-196. Objectives Myocardial infarction with angiographically normal coronary arteries (MINCA) is an important subtype of myocardial infarction; however, the prevalence, underlying pathophysiology, prognosis and optimal management of this condition are still largely unknown. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has the potential to clarify the underlying pathology in patients with MINCA. The objective of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of CMR imaging in this group of patients. Design The prospective, multicentre, observational Stockholm Myocardial Infarction with Normal Coronaries (SMINC) study. Setting Coronary care units in the Stockholm metropolitan area. Subjects Patients between 35 and 70 years of age with MINCA were consecutively included in the screening phase of the SMINC study. All patients had a typical clinical presentation, fulfilling the universal definition of myocardial infarction and had normal coronary angiography finding. Patients with known structural or coronary heart disease or other known causes of elevated troponin levels were excluded. Results In total, 176 patients with MINCA were screened from 2007 to 2011. Of these, 152 underwent CMR imaging. The investigation was performed a median of 12 (interquartile range 628) days after hospital admission; 67% of the findings were normal, whereas 19% of patients had signs of myocardial necrosis and 7% had signs of myocarditis. The remaining patients (7%) had either unrecognized hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or could not be classified. Conclusion In this consecutive series of patients with MINCA, CMR imaging may help to differentiate between those with myocarditis, myocardial necrosis and normal myocardium. The incidence of MINCA was higher than previously reported. After excluding cases of myocarditis, MINCA consists of a large group of patients with normal CMR imaging results and a smaller group with myocardial necrosis. The aetiologies of these different imaging findings need to be explored.
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| 42. |
- Dessauges-Zavadsky, Miroslava, et al.
(author)
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Molecular gas cloud properties at z ≃ 1 revealed by the superb angular resolution achieved with ALMA and gravitational lensing
- 2023
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 519:4, s. 6222-6238
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Current observations favour that the massive ultraviolet-bright clumps with a median stellar mass of ∼107M⊙, ubiquitously observed in z ∼ 1–3 galaxies, are star-forming regions formed in situ in galaxies. It has been proposed that they result from gas fragmentation due to gravitational instability of gas-rich, turbulent, and high-redshift discs. We bring support to this scenario by reporting the new discovery of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in the strongly lensed, clumpy, main-sequence galaxy, A521-sys1, at z = 1.043. Its CO(4–3) emission was mapped with the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) at an angular resolution of 0.19 × 0.16 arcsec2, reading down to 30 pc, thanks to gravitational lensing. We identified 14 GMCs, most being virialized, with 105.9−107.9M⊙ masses and a median 800M⊙ pc−2 molecular gas mass surface density, that are, respectively, 100 and 10 times higher than for nearby GMCs. They are also characterized by 10 times higher supersonic turbulence with a median Mach number of 60. They end up to fall above the Larson scaling relations, similarly to the GMCs in another clumpy z ≃ 1 galaxy, the Cosmic Snake, although differences between the two sets of high-redshift GMCs exist. Altogether they support that GMCs form with properties that adjust to the ambient interstellar medium conditions prevalent in the host galaxy whatever its redshift. The detected A521-sys1 GMCs are massive enough to be the parent gas clouds of stellar clumps, with a relatively high star formation efficiency per free-fall time of ∼11 per cent.
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| 43. |
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| 44. |
- El Jamal, Ghada, et al.
(author)
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A scalable, resource-efficient process for synthesis of self-supporting germanium nanomembranes
- 2024
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In: Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing. - : Elsevier. - 1369-8001 .- 1873-4081. ; 172
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The design of self-supporting membranes is gaining high interest in a broad range of applications, from nanodevices, optoelectronics, sensing, separation, and catalysis. In this report, we demonstrate a synthesis pathway for high quality ultrathin self-supporting germanium membranes using a highly scalable and resource-efficient process. We discuss the process flow, the compatibility between the materials and the processing chemicals, the important details for achieving the pure membranes and potential anomalies related to the etching process. Comprehensive characterization using SEM, EDX, TEM and nuclear microprobe analysis is employed for revealing the physical and structural properties of the synthesized membranes. The outcome of the fabrication process is large-area Ge nanomembranes with extremely flat and clean surfaces.
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| 45. |
- Gangaprasad Rao, Smita, et al.
(author)
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Low temperature epitaxial growth of Cantor-nitride thin films by magnetic field assisted magnetron sputtering
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. A. Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films. - : American Institute of Physics (AIP). - 0734-2101 .- 1520-8559. ; 41:5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Low-temperature epitaxial growth of multicomponent alloy-based thin films remains an outstanding challenge in materials science and is important for established fundamental properties of these complex materials. Here, Cantor nitride (CrMnFeCoNi)N thin films were epitaxially grown on MgO(100) substrates at low deposition temperature by magnetic-field-assisted dc-magnetron sputtering, a technique where a magnetic field is applied to steer the dense plasma to the substrate thereby influencing the flux of Ar-ions bombarding the film during growth. Without ion bombardment, the film displayed textured growth. As the ion flux was increased, the films exhibited epitaxial growth. The epitaxial relationship between film and substrate was found to be cube on cube (001)film parallel to(001)MgO, [100]film parallel to[100]MgO. The epitaxy was retained up to a thickness of approximately similar to 100 nm after which the growth becomes textured with a 002 out-of-plane orientation. The elastic constants determined by Brillouin inelastic light scattering were found to be C-11 = 320 GPa, C-12 = 125 GPa, and C-44 = 66 GPa, from which the polycrystalline Young's modulus was calculated as 204 GPa and Poisson's ratio = 0.32, whereas available elastic properties still remained very scarce.
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| 46. |
- Gangaprasad Rao, Smita, et al.
(author)
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Phase formation in CrFeCoNi nitride thin films
- 2023
-
In: Physical Review Materials. - : AMER PHYSICAL SOC. - 2475-9953. ; 7:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As a single-phase alloy, CrFeCoNi is a face centered cubic (fcc) material related to the archetypical highentropy Cantor alloy CrFeCoNiMn. For thin films, CrFeCoNi of approximately equimolar composition tends to assume an fcc structure when grown at room temperature by magnetron sputtering. However, the single-phase solid solution state is typically not achieved for thin films grown at higher temperatures. The same holds true for Cantor alloy-based ceramics (nitrides and oxides), where phase formation is extremely sensitive to process parameters such as the amount of reactive gas. This study combines theoretical and experimental methods to understand the phase formation in nitrogen-containing CrFeCoNi thin films. Density functional theory calculations considering three competing phases (CrN, Fe-Ni and Co) show that the free energy of mixing, Delta G of (CrFeCoNi)(1-x)N-x solid solutions has a maximum at x = 0.20-0.25, and AG becomes lower when x < 0.20 and x > 0.25. Thin films of (CrFeCoNi)1-xNx (0.14 >= x <= 0.41) grown by magnetron sputtering show stabilization of the metallic fcc when x <= 0.22 and the stabilization of the NaCl B1 structure when x > 0.33, consistent with the theoretical prediction. In contrast, films with intermediate amounts of nitrogen (x = 0.22) grown at higher temperatures show segregation into multiple phases of CrN, Fe-Ni-rich and Co. These results offer an explanation for the requirement of kinetically limited growth conditions at low temperature for obtaining single-phase CrFeCoNi Cantor-like nitrogen-containing thin films and are of importance for understanding the phase-formation mechanisms in multicomponent ceramics. The results from the study further aid in making correlations between the observed mechanical properties and the crystal structure of the films.
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| 47. |
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| 48. |
- KC, Ashish, 1982-, et al.
(author)
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Changes in preterm birth and stillbirth during COVID-19 lockdowns in 26 countries.
- 2023
-
In: Nature human behaviour. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-3374. ; 7:4, s. 529-544
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide. Changes in PTB rates, ranging from -90% to +30%, were reported in many countries following early COVID-19 pandemic response measures ('lockdowns'). It is unclear whether this variation reflects real differences in lockdown impacts, or perhaps differences in stillbirth rates and/or study designs. Here we present interrupted time series and meta-analyses using harmonized data from 52 million births in 26 countries, 18 of which had representative population-based data, with overall PTB rates ranging from 6% to 12% and stillbirth ranging from 2.5 to 10.5 per 1,000 births. We show small reductions in PTB in the first (odds ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.95-0.98, P value <0.0001), second (0.96, 0.92-0.99, 0.03) and third (0.97, 0.94-1.00, 0.09) months of lockdown, but not in the fourth month of lockdown (0.99, 0.96-1.01, 0.34), although there were some between-country differences after the first month. For high-income countries in this study, we did not observe an association between lockdown and stillbirths in the second (1.00, 0.88-1.14, 0.98), third (0.99, 0.88-1.12, 0.89) and fourth (1.01, 0.87-1.18, 0.86) months of lockdown, although we have imprecise estimates due to stillbirths being a relatively rare event. We did, however, find evidence of increased risk of stillbirth in the first month of lockdown in high-income countries (1.14, 1.02-1.29, 0.02) and, in Brazil, we found evidence for an association between lockdown and stillbirth in the second (1.09, 1.03-1.15, 0.002), third (1.10, 1.03-1.17, 0.003) and fourth (1.12, 1.05-1.19, <0.001) months of lockdown. With an estimated 14.8 million PTB annually worldwide, the modest reductions observed during early pandemic lockdowns translate into large numbers of PTB averted globally and warrant further research into causal pathways.
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| 49. |
- Kis, Loránd L., et al.
(author)
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The STAT6 signaling pathway activated by the cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 induces expression of the Epstein-Barr virus-encoded protein LMP-1 in absence of EBNA-2 : implications for the type II EBV latent gene expression in Hodgkin lymphoma
- 2011
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In: Blood. - : American Society of Hematology. - 0006-4971 .- 1528-0020. ; 117:1, s. 165-174
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In line with the B-lymphotropic nature of EBV, the virus is present in several types of B cell lymphomas. EBV expresses a different set of latent genes in the associated tumors, such as EBNA-1 and LMPs (type II latency) in the classical Hodgkin lymphomas (cHL). We have previously reported that exposure of the in vitro EBV-converted, HL-derived cell line KMH2-EBV to CD40-ligand and IL-4 induced the expression of LMP-1. Here we show that exposure to IL-4 or IL-13 alone induced LMP-1 in the absence of EBNA-2. The induction of LMP-1 by IL-4 and IL-13 was mediated by the signal transducer STAT6 and a newly defined high-affinity STAT6-binding site in the LMP-1 promoter. IL-4 induced LMP-1 also in Burkitt lymphoma-derived lines and in tonsillar B cells infected with the EBNA-2-deficient EBV strain P3HR-1. Furthermore, co-culture of EBV-carrying BL cells with activated CD4(+) T cells resulted in the induction of LMP-1 in the absence of EBNA-2. As the Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg are known to secrete IL-13, to have constitutively activated STAT6, and to be closely surrounded by CD4+ T cells, these mechanisms may be involved in the expression of LMP-1 in the EBV-positive cHLs.
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