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- Abadie, J., et al.
(author)
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Implementation and testing of the first prompt search for gravitational wave transients with electromagnetic counterparts
- 2012
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In: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 539
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. A transient astrophysical event observed in both gravitational wave (GW) and electromagnetic (EM) channels would yield rich scientific rewards. A first program initiating EM follow-ups to possible transient GW events has been developed and exercised by the LIGO and Virgo community in association with several partners. In this paper, we describe and evaluate the methods used to promptly identify and localize GW event candidates and to request images of targeted sky locations. Methods. During two observing periods (Dec. 17, 2009 to Jan. 8, 2010 and Sep. 2 to Oct. 20, 2010), a low-latency analysis pipeline was used to identify GW event candidates and to reconstruct maps of possible sky locations. A catalog of nearby galaxies and Milky Way globular clusters was used to select the most promising sky positions to be imaged, and this directional information was delivered to EM observatories with time lags of about thirty minutes. A Monte Carlo simulation has been used to evaluate the low-latency GW pipeline's ability to reconstruct source positions correctly. Results. For signals near the detection threshold, our low-latency algorithms often localized simulated GW burst signals to tens of square degrees, while neutron star/neutron star inspirals and neutron star/black hole inspirals were localized to a few hundred square degrees. Localization precision improves for moderately stronger signals. The correct sky location of signals well above threshold and originating from nearby galaxies may be observed with similar to 50% or better probability with a few pointings of wide-field telescopes.
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| 2. |
- Viljur, Mari-Liis, et al.
(author)
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The effect of natural disturbances on forest biodiversity : an ecological synthesis
- 2022
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In: Biological Reviews. - : Wiley. - 1464-7931 .- 1469-185X. ; 97:5, s. 1930-1947
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Disturbances alter biodiversity via their specific characteristics, including severity and extent in the landscape, which act at different temporal and spatial scales. Biodiversity response to disturbance also depends on the community characteristics and habitat requirements of species. Untangling the mechanistic interplay of these factors has guided disturbance ecology for decades, generating mixed scientific evidence of biodiversity responses to disturbance. Understanding the impact of natural disturbances on biodiversity is increasingly important due to human-induced changes in natural disturbance regimes. In many areas, major natural forest disturbances, such as wildfires, windstorms, and insect outbreaks, are becoming more frequent, intense, severe, and widespread due to climate change and land-use change. Conversely, the suppression of natural disturbances threatens disturbance-dependent biota. Using a meta-analytic approach, we analysed a global data set (with most sampling concentrated in temperate and boreal secondary forests) of species assemblages of 26 taxonomic groups, including plants, animals, and fungi collected from forests affected by wildfires, windstorms, and insect outbreaks. The overall effect of natural disturbances on α-diversity did not differ significantly from zero, but some taxonomic groups responded positively to disturbance, while others tended to respond negatively. Disturbance was beneficial for taxonomic groups preferring conditions associated with open canopies (e.g. hymenopterans and hoverflies), whereas ground-dwelling groups and/or groups typically associated with shady conditions (e.g. epigeic lichens and mycorrhizal fungi) were more likely to be negatively impacted by disturbance. Across all taxonomic groups, the highest α-diversity in disturbed forest patches occurred under moderate disturbance severity, i.e. with approximately 55% of trees killed by disturbance. We further extended our meta-analysis by applying a unified diversity concept based on Hill numbers to estimate α-diversity changes in different taxonomic groups across a gradient of disturbance severity measured at the stand scale and incorporating other disturbance features. We found that disturbance severity negatively affected diversity for Hill number q = 0 but not for q = 1 and q = 2, indicating that diversity–disturbance relationships are shaped by species relative abundances. Our synthesis of α-diversity was extended by a synthesis of disturbance-induced change in species assemblages, and revealed that disturbance changes the β-diversity of multiple taxonomic groups, including some groups that were not affected at the α-diversity level (birds and woody plants). Finally, we used mixed rarefaction/extrapolation to estimate biodiversity change as a function of the proportion of forests that were disturbed, i.e. the disturbance extent measured at the landscape scale. The comparison of intact and naturally disturbed forests revealed that both types of forests provide habitat for unique species assemblages, whereas species diversity in the mixture of disturbed and undisturbed forests peaked at intermediate values of disturbance extent in the simulated landscape. Hence, the relationship between α-diversity and disturbance severity in disturbed forest stands was strikingly similar to the relationship between species richness and disturbance extent in a landscape consisting of both disturbed and undisturbed forest habitats. This result suggests that both moderate disturbance severity and moderate disturbance extent support the highest levels of biodiversity in contemporary forest landscapes.
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| 6. |
- Kam, K., et al.
(author)
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Sleep oscillation-specific associations with Alzheimer's disease CSF biomarkers: novel roles for sleep spindles and tau
- 2019
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In: Molecular Neurodegeneration. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1750-1326. ; 14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundBased on associations between sleep spindles, cognition, and sleep-dependent memory processing, here we evaluated potential relationships between levels of CSF A(42), P-tau, and T-tau with sleep spindle density and other biophysical properties of sleep spindles in a sample of cognitively normal elderly individuals.MethodsOne-night in-lab nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) and morning to early afternoon CSF collection were performed to measure CSF A(42), P-tau and T-tau. Seven days of actigraphy were collected to assess habitual total sleep time.ResultsSpindle density during NREM stage 2 (N2) sleep was negatively correlated with CSF A(42), P-tau and T-tau. From the three, CSF T-tau was the most significantly associated with spindle density, after adjusting for age, sex and ApoE4. Spindle duration, count and fast spindle density were also negatively correlated with T-tau levels. Sleep duration and other measures of sleep quality were not correlated with spindle characteristics and did not modify the associations between sleep spindle characteristics and the CSF biomarkers of AD.ConclusionsReduced spindles during N2 sleep may represent an early dysfunction related to tau, possibly reflecting axonal damage or altered neuronal tau secretion, rendering it a potentially novel biomarker for early neuronal dysfunction. Given their putative role in memory consolidation and neuroplasticity, sleep spindles may represent a mechanism by which tau impairs memory consolidation, as well as a possible target for therapeutic interventions in cognitive decline.
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| 8. |
- Bigal, Marcelo E, et al.
(author)
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Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of TEV-48125 for preventive treatment of chronic migraine: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b study.
- 2015
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In: Lancet Neurology. - 1474-4465. ; 14:11, s. 1091-1100
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Benefits of calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP) inhibition have not been established in chronic migraine. Here we assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of two doses of TEV-48125, a monoclonal anti-CGRP antibody, in the preventive treatment of chronic migraine.
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| 9. |
- Grunberg, S, et al.
(author)
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Evaluation of new antiemetic agents and definition of antineoplastic agent emetogenicity-an update
- 2005
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In: Supportive Care in Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0941-4355 .- 1433-7339. ; 13:2, s. 80-84
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Development of effective antiemetic therapy depends upon an understanding of both the antiemetic agents and the emetogenic challenges these agents are designed to address. New potential antiemetic agents should be studied in an orderly manner, proceeding from phase I to phase II open-label trials and then to randomized double-blind phase III trials comparing new agents and regimens to best standard therapy. Use of placebos in place of antiemetic therapy against highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy is unacceptable. Nausea and vomiting should be evaluated separately and for both the acute and delayed periods. Defining the emetogenicity of new antineoplastic agents is a challenge, since such data are often not reliably recorded during early drug development. A four-level classification system is proposed for emetogenicity of intravenous antineoplastic agents. A separate four-level classification system for emetogenicity of oral antineoplastic agents, which are often given over an extended period of time, is also proposed.
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- Roila, F., et al.
(author)
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Prevention of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced emesis : Results of the 2004 Perugia International Antiemetic Consensus Conference
- 2006
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In: Annals of Oncology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0923-7534 .- 1569-8041. ; 17:1, s. 20-28
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: In the late 1990s, several professional organizations convened antiemetic guideline groups and published the findings of these expert panels. Each of these documents was based on analyses of the available published trials and provided nearly similar recommendations. Nonetheless, small differences in emetic risk categories and treatment recommendations led to confusion in antiemetics selection. With the emergence of new findings and agents since the guidelines were initially published, many of the oncology professional societies have updated the antiemetic guidelines. Materials and methods: A literature review up to March 2004 was carried out using MEDLINE with evaluation of the evidence by an expert panel composed of 23 oncology professionals in clinical medicine, medical oncology, radiation oncology, oncology nursing, statistics, pharmacy, medical policy and decision making, and pharmacology. The experts represented nine oncology professional societies and came from 11 different countries on four continents. Results: Recommendations on antiemetic regimens to prevent emesis induced by high, moderate, low and minimal risk chemotherapy were suggested as well as management of anticipatory emesis. Furthermore, recommendations for refractory emesis, emesis induced by high-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy and for antiemetics in children receiving chemotherapy were elaborated. Conclusions: Recommendations about antiemetic prophylaxis in patients receiving treatment with chemo- and radiotherapy have been updated by representatives of nine oncological organizations. © 2005 European Society for Medical Oncology.
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- Varga, A. W., et al.
(author)
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Reduced Slow-Wave Sleep Is Associated with High Cerebrospinal Fluid A beta 42 Levels in Cognitively Normal Elderly
- 2016
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In: Sleep. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0161-8105 .- 1550-9109. ; 39:11, s. 2041-2048
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Study Objectives: Emerging evidence suggests a role for sleep in contributing to the progression of Alzheimer disease (AD). Slow wave sleep (SWS) is the stage during which synaptic activity is minimal and clearance of neuronal metabolites is high, making it an ideal state to regulate levels of amyloid beta (A beta). We thus aimed to examine relationships between concentrations of A beta 42 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and measures of SWS in cognitively normal elderly subjects. Methods: Thirty-six subjects underwent a clinical and cognitive assessment, a structural MRI, a morning to early afternoon lumbar puncture, and nocturnal polysomnography. Correlations and linear regression analyses were used to assess for associations between CSF A beta 42 levels and measures of SWS controlling for potential confounders. Resulting models were compared to each other using ordinary least squared linear regression analysis. Additionally, the participant sample was dichotomized into "high" and "low" A beta 42 groups to compare SWS bout length using survival analyses. Results: A significant inverse correlation was found between CSF A beta 42 levels, SWS duration and other SWS characteristics. Collectively, total SWA in the frontal lead was the best predictor of reduced CSF A beta 42 levels when controlling for age and ApoE status. Total sleep time, time spent in NREM1, NREM2, or REM sleep were not correlated with CSF A beta 42. Conclusions: In cognitively normal elderly, reduced and fragmented SWS is associated with increases in CSF A beta 42, suggesting that disturbed sleep might drive an increase in soluble brain A beta levels prior to amyloid deposition.
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