| 1. |
- Cruz, Raquel, et al.
(författare)
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Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity
- 2022
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Ingår i: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press. - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 31:22, s. 3789-3806
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Here, we describe the results of a genome-wide study conducted in 11 939 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive cases with an extensive clinical information that were recruited from 34 hospitals across Spain (SCOURGE consortium). In sex-disaggregated genome-wide association studies for COVID-19 hospitalization, genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8) was crossed for variants in 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci only among males (P = 1.3 × 10−22 and P = 8.1 × 10−12, respectively), and for variants in 9q21.32 near TLE1 only among females (P = 4.4 × 10−8). In a second phase, results were combined with an independent Spanish cohort (1598 COVID-19 cases and 1068 population controls), revealing in the overall analysis two novel risk loci in 9p13.3 and 19q13.12, with fine-mapping prioritized variants functionally associated with AQP3 (P = 2.7 × 10−8) and ARHGAP33 (P = 1.3 × 10−8), respectively. The meta-analysis of both phases with four European studies stratified by sex from the Host Genetics Initiative (HGI) confirmed the association of the 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci predominantly in males and replicated a recently reported variant in 11p13 (ELF5, P = 4.1 × 10−8). Six of the COVID-19 HGI discovered loci were replicated and an HGI-based genetic risk score predicted the severity strata in SCOURGE. We also found more SNP-heritability and larger heritability differences by age (<60 or ≥60 years) among males than among females. Parallel genome-wide screening of inbreeding depression in SCOURGE also showed an effect of homozygosity in COVID-19 hospitalization and severity and this effect was stronger among older males. In summary, new candidate genes for COVID-19 severity and evidence supporting genetic disparities among sexes are provided.
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| 2. |
- Li, Jun, et al.
(författare)
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ALPPS for Locally Advanced Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Did Aggressive Surgery Lead to the Oncological Benefit? An International Multi-center Study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Annals of Surgical Oncology. - : SPRINGER. - 1068-9265 .- 1534-4681. ; 27, s. 1372-1384
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background ALPPS is found to increase the resectability of primary and secondary liver malignancy at the advanced stage. The aim of the study was to verify the surgical and oncological outcome of ALPPS for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Methods The study cohort was based on the ALPPS registry with patients from 31 international centers between August 2009 and January 2018. Propensity score matched patients receiving chemotherapy only were selected from the SEER database as controls for the survival analysis. Results One hundred and two patients undergoing ALPPS were recruited, 99 completed the second stage with median inter-stage duration of 11 days. The median kinetic growth rate was 23 ml/day. R0 resection was achieved in 87 (85%). Initially high rates of morbidity and mortality decreased steadily to a 29% severe complication rate and 7% 90-day morbidity in the last 2 years. Post-hepatectomy liver failure remained the main cause of 90-day mortality. Multivariate analysis revealed insufficient future liver remnant at the stage-2 operation (FLR2) to be the only risk factor for severe complications (OR 2.91, p = 0.02). The propensity score matching analysis showed a superior overall survival in the ALPPS group compared to palliative chemotherapy (median overall survival: 26.4 months vs 14 months; 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates: 82.4%, 70.5% and 39.6% vs 51.2%, 21.4% and 11.3%, respectively, p amp;lt; 0.01). The survival benefit, however, was not confirmed in the subgroup analysis for patients with insufficient FLR2 or multifocal ICC. Conclusion ALPPS showed high efficacy in achieving R0 resections in locally advanced ICC. To get the most oncological benefit from this aggressive surgery, ALPPS would be restricted to patients with single lesions and sufficient FLR2.
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| 3. |
- Azorin-Molina, Cesar, et al.
(författare)
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Biases in wind speed measurements due to anemometer changes
- 2023
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Research. - 0169-8095. ; 289
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This research presents a case study of the biases and discontinuities that were introduced in observed long-term mean wind-speed and gust data-series due to anemometer changes in a meteorological station in northern Spain, operated by the Spanish State Meteorological Agency: San Sebastian-Igueldo. Field and wind-tunnel experiments with predefined conditions have been presented in the literature, however this research uses a real case study to assess the impact of anemometer changes on wind speed measurements due to three factors being: (i) the 3-cup anemometer model (SEAC vs. THIES companies); (ii) sensor height (∼19.95 m vs. ∼20.45 m) and (iii) sensor age (20-years old vs. new). Our results show (a) substantial biases in the measured wind speed and daily peak wind gusts, with the new THIES anemometer reporting stronger surface winds than the old SEAC anemometer; (b) opposing biases under weak (negative) and moderate-strong (positive) winds; and (c) significant breakpoints in the long-term wind data-series, which highlight the importance of data homogenization. National Weather Services and climate assessment groups will benefit from these findings since errors in wind speed and gust measurements can be minimized by implementing systematic observation protocols. Robust anemometer observations provide a basis for accurate quantification of the magnitude of changes and the variability of surface winds.
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| 4. |
- Berne, Olivier, et al.
(författare)
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PDRs4All : A JWST Early Release Science Program on Radiative Feedback from Massive Stars
- 2022
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Ingår i: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. - : IOP Publishing. - 0004-6280 .- 1538-3873. ; 134:1035
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Massive stars disrupt their natal molecular cloud material through radiative and mechanical feedback processes. These processes have profound effects on the evolution of interstellar matter in our Galaxy and throughout the universe, from the era of vigorous star formation at redshifts of 1-3 to the present day. The dominant feedback processes can be probed by observations of the Photo-Dissociation Regions (PDRs) where the far-ultraviolet photons of massive stars create warm regions of gas and dust in the neutral atomic and molecular gas. PDR emission provides a unique tool to study in detail the physical and chemical processes that are relevant for most of the mass in inter- and circumstellar media including diffuse clouds, proto-planetary disks, and molecular cloud surfaces, globules, planetary nebulae, and star-forming regions. PDR emission dominates the infrared (IR) spectra of star-forming galaxies. Most of the Galactic and extragalactic observations obtained with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will therefore arise in PDR emission. In this paper we present an Early Release Science program using the MIRI, NIRSpec, and NIRCam instruments dedicated to the observations of an emblematic and nearby PDR: the Orion Bar. These early JWST observations will provide template data sets designed to identify key PDR characteristics in JWST observations. These data will serve to benchmark PDR models and extend them into the JWST era. We also present the Science-Enabling products that we will provide to the community. These template data sets and Science-Enabling products will guide the preparation of future proposals on star-forming regions in our Galaxy and beyond and will facilitate data analysis and interpretation of forthcoming JWST observations.
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| 5. |
- Chown, Ryan, et al.
(författare)
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PDRs4All: IV. An embarrassment of riches: Aromatic infrared bands in the Orion Bar
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 685
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Mid-infrared observations of photodissociation regions (PDRs) are dominated by strong emission features called aromatic infrared bands (AIBs). The most prominent AIBs are found at 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, and 11.2 µm. The most sensitive, highest-resolution infrared spectral imaging data ever taken of the prototypical PDR, the Orion Bar, have been captured by JWST. These high-quality data allow for an unprecedentedly detailed view of AIBs. Aims. We provide an inventory of the AIBs found in the Orion Bar, along with mid-IR template spectra from five distinct regions in the Bar: the molecular PDR (i.e. the three H2 dissociation fronts), the atomic PDR, and the H II region. Methods. We used JWST NIRSpec IFU and MIRI MRS observations of the Orion Bar from the JWST Early Release Science Program, PDRs4All (ID: 1288). We extracted five template spectra to represent the morphology and environment of the Orion Bar PDR. We investigated and characterised the AIBs in these template spectra. We describe the variations among them here. Results. The superb sensitivity and the spectral and spatial resolution of these JWST observations reveal many details of the AIB emission and enable an improved characterization of their detailed profile shapes and sub-components. The Orion Bar spectra are dominated by the well-known AIBs at 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, 11.2, and 12.7 µm with well-defined profiles. In addition, the spectra display a wealth of weaker features and sub-components. The widths of many AIBs show clear and systematic variations, being narrowest in the atomic PDR template, but showing a clear broadening in the H II region template while the broadest bands are found in the three dissociation front templates. In addition, the relative strengths of AIB (sub-)components vary among the template spectra as well. All AIB profiles are characteristic of class A sources as designated by Peeters (2022, A&A, 390, 1089), except for the 11.2 µm AIB profile deep in the molecular zone, which belongs to class B11.2. Furthermore, the observations show that the sub-components that contribute to the 5.75, 7.7, and 11.2 µm AIBs become much weaker in the PDR surface layers. We attribute this to the presence of small, more labile carriers in the deeper PDR layers that are photolysed away in the harsh radiation field near the surface. The 3.3/11.2 AIB intensity ratio decreases by about 40% between the dissociation fronts and the H II region, indicating a shift in the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) size distribution to larger PAHs in the PDR surface layers, also likely due to the effects of photochemistry. The observed broadening of the bands in the molecular PDR is consistent with an enhanced importance of smaller PAHs since smaller PAHs attain a higher internal excitation energy at a fixed photon energy. Conclusions. Spectral-imaging observations of the Orion Bar using JWST yield key insights into the photochemical evolution of PAHs, such as the evolution responsible for the shift of 11.2 µm AIB emission from class B11.2 in the molecular PDR to class A11.2 in the PDR surface layers. This photochemical evolution is driven by the increased importance of FUV processing in the PDR surface layers, resulting in a “weeding out” of the weakest links of the PAH family in these layers. For now, these JWST observations are consistent with a model in which the underlying PAH family is composed of a few species: the so-called ‘grandPAHs’.
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| 6. |
- de Jesus Beleno-Saenz, Kelvin, et al.
(författare)
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Non-Invasive Method to Detect Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex in Wild Boar by Measurement of Volatile Organic Compounds Obtained from Feces with an Electronic Nose System
- 2021
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Ingår i: Sensors. - : MDPI. - 1424-8220. ; 21:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- More effective methods to detect bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, in wildlife, is of paramount importance for preventing disease spread to other wild animals, livestock, and human beings. In this study, we analyzed the volatile organic compounds emitted by fecal samples collected from free-ranging wild boar captured in Donana National Park, Spain, with an electronic nose system based on organically-functionalized gold nanoparticles. The animals were separated by the age group for performing the analysis. Adult (>24 months) and sub-adult (12-24 months) animals were anesthetized before sample collection, whereas the juvenile (<12 months) animals were manually restrained while collecting the sample. Good accuracy was obtained for the adult and sub-adult classification models: 100% during the training phase and 88.9% during the testing phase for the adult animals, and 100% during both the training and testing phase for the sub-adult animals, respectively. The results obtained could be important for the further development of a non-invasive and less expensive detection method of bovine tuberculosis in wildlife populations.
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| 7. |
- Esquivel-Pena, Vicente, et al.
(författare)
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Hybrids based on borate-functionalized cellulose nanofibers and noble-metal nanoparticles as sustainable catalysts for environmental applications
- 2020
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2046-2069. ; 10:21, s. 12460-12468
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polymeric supports from renewable resources such as cellulose nanomaterials are having a direct impact on the development of heterogenous sustainable catalysts. Recently, to increase the potentiality of these materials, research has been oriented towards novel functionalization possibilities. In this study, to increase the stability of cellulose nanofiber films as catalytic supports, by limiting the solubility in water, we report the synthesis of new hybrid catalysts (HC) based on silver, gold, and platinum nanoparticles, and the corresponding bimetallic nanoparticles, supported on cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) cross-linked with borate ions. The catalysts were prepared from metal precursors reduced by the CNFs in an aqueous suspension. Metal nanoparticles supported on CNFs with a spherical shape and a mean size of 9 nm were confirmed by TEM, XRD, and SAXS. Functionalized films of HC-CNFs were obtained by adding a borate solution as a cross-linking agent. Solid-state B-11 NMR of films with different cross-linking degrees evidenced the presence of four different boron species of which the bis-chelate is responsible for the cross-linking of the CNFs. Also, it may be concluded that the bis-chelate and the mono-chelates modify the microstructure of the film increasing the water uptake and enhancing the catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol.
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| 8. |
- Gurvits, L. I., et al.
(författare)
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The science case and challenges of spaceborne sub-millimeter interferometry: the study case of TeraHertz Exploration and Zooming-in for Astrophysics (THEZA)
- 2021
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the International Astronautical Congress, IAC. - 0074-1795. ; A7
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ultra-high angular resolution in astronomy has always been an important vehicle for making fundamental discoveries. Recent results in direct imaging of the vicinity of the super-massive black hole in the nucleus of the radio galaxy M87 by the millimeter VLBI system Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) and various pioneering results of the Space VLBI mission RadioAstron provided new momentum in high angular resolution astrophysics. In both mentioned cases, the angular resolution reached the values of about 10−20 microrcseconds (0.05−0.1 nanoradian). Angular resolution is proportional to the observing wavelength and inversely proportional to the interferometer baseline length. In the case of Earth-based EHT, the highest angular resolution was achieved by combining the shortest possible wavelength of 1.3 mm with the longest possible baselines, comparable to the Earth’s diameter. For RadioAstron, operational wavelengths were in the range from 92 cm down to 1.3 cm, but the baselines were as long as ∼350,000 km. However, these two highlights of radio astronomy, EHT and RadioAstron do not”saturate” the interest to further increase in angular resolution. Quite opposite: the science case for further increase in angular resolution of astrophysical studies becomes even stronger. A natural and, in fact, the only possible way of moving forward is to enhance mm/sub-mm VLBI by extending baselines to extraterrestrial dimensions, i.e. creating a mm/sub-mm Space VLBI system. The inevitable move toward space-borne mm/sub-mm VLBI is a subject of several concept studies. In this presentation we will focus on one of them called TeraHertz Exploration and Zooming-in for Astrophysics (THEZA), prepared in response to the ESA’s call for its next major science program Voyage 2050 (Gurvits et al. 2021). The THEZA rationale is focused at the physics of spacetime in the vicinity of super-massive black holes as the leading science drive. However, it will also open up a sizable new range of hitherto unreachable parameters of observational radio astrophysics and create a multi-disciplinary scientific facility and offer a high degree of synergy with prospective “single dish” space-borne sub-mm astronomy (e.g., Wiedner et al. 2021) and infrared interferometry (e.g., Linz et al. 2021). As an amalgam of several major trends of modern observational astrophysics, THEZA aims at facilitating a breakthrough in high-resolution high image quality astronomical studies.
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| 9. |
- Gurvits,, et al.
(författare)
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The science case and challenges of space-borne sub-millimeter interferometry
- 2022
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Ingår i: Acta Astronautica. - : Elsevier BV. - 0094-5765. ; 196, s. 314-333
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ultra-high angular resolution in astronomy has always been an important vehicle for making fundamental discoveries. Recent results in direct imaging of the vicinity of the supermassive black hole in the nucleus of the radio galaxy M87 by the millimeter VLBI system Event Horizon Telescope and various pioneering results of the Space VLBI mission RadioAstron provided new momentum in high angular resolution astrophysics. In both mentioned cases, the angular resolution reached the values of about 10???20 microarcseconds (0.05???0.1 nanoradian). Further developments towards at least an order of magnitude ???sharper???values, at the level of 1 microarcsecond are dictated by the needs of advanced astrophysical studies. The paper emphasis that these higher values can only be achieved by placing millimeter and submillimeter wavelength interferometric systems in space. A concept of such the system, called Terahertz Exploration and Zooming-in for Astrophysics, has been proposed in the framework of the ESA Call for White Papers for the Voyage 2050 long term plan in 2019. In the current paper we present new science objectives for such the concept based on recent results in studies of active galactic nuclei and supermassive black holes. We also discuss several approaches for addressing technological challenges of creating a millimeter/sub-millimeter wavelength interferometric system in space. In particular, we consider a novel configuration of a space-borne millimeter/sub-millimeter antenna which might resolve several bottlenecks in creating large precise mechanical structures. The paper also presents an overview of prospective space-qualified technologies of low-noise analogue front-end instrumentation for millimeter/sub-millimeter telescopes. Data handling and processing instrumentation is another key technological component of a sub-millimeter Space VLBI system. Requirements and possible implementation options for this instrumentation are described as an extrapolation of the current state-of-the-art Earth-based VLBI data transport and processing instrumentation. The paper also briefly discusses approaches to the interferometric baseline state vector determination and synchronisation and heterodyning system. The technology-oriented sections of the paper do not aim at presenting a complete set of technological solutions for sub-millimeter (terahertz) space-borne interferometers. Rather, in combination with the original ESA Voyage 2050 White Paper, it sharpens the case for the next generation microarcsecond-level imaging instruments and provides starting points for further in-depth technology trade-off studies.
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| 10. |
- Habart, Emilie, et al.
(författare)
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PDRs4All II. JWST’s NIR and MIR imaging view of the Orion Nebula
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 685
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured the most detailed and sharpest infrared (IR) images ever taken of the inner region of the Orion Nebula, the nearest massive star formation region, and a prototypical highly irradiated dense photo-dissociation region (PDR). Aims. We investigate the fundamental interaction of far-ultraviolet (FUV) photons with molecular clouds. The transitions across the ionization front (IF), dissociation front (DF), and the molecular cloud are studied at high-angular resolution. These transitions are relevant to understanding the effects of radiative feedback from massive stars and the dominant physical and chemical processes that lead to the IR emission that JWST will detect in many Galactic and extragalactic environments. Methods. We utilized NIRCam and MIRI to obtain sub-arcsecond images over ∼150′′ and 42′′ in key gas phase lines (e.g., Pa α, Br α, [FeII] 1.64 µm, H2 1–0 S(1) 2.12 µm, 0–0 S(9) 4.69 µm), aromatic and aliphatic infrared bands (aromatic infrared bands at 3.3–3.4 µm, 7.7, and 11.3 µm), dust emission, and scattered light. Their emission are powerful tracers of the IF and DF, FUV radiation field and density distribution. Using NIRSpec observations the fractional contributions of lines, AIBs, and continuum emission to our NIRCam images were estimated. A very good agreement is found for the distribution and intensity of lines and AIBs between the NIRCam and NIRSpec observations. Results. Due to the proximity of the Orion Nebula and the unprecedented angular resolution of JWST, these data reveal that the molecular cloud borders are hyper structured at small angular scales of ∼0.1–1′′ (∼0.0002–0.002 pc or ∼40–400 au at 414 pc). A diverse set of features are observed such as ridges, waves, globules and photoevaporated protoplanetary disks. At the PDR atomic to molecular transition, several bright features are detected that are associated with the highly irradiated surroundings of the dense molecular condensations and embedded young star. Toward the Orion Bar PDR, a highly sculpted interface is detected with sharp edges and density increases near the IF and DF. This was predicted by previous modeling studies, but the fronts were unresolved in most tracers. The spatial distribution of the AIBs reveals that the PDR edge is steep and is followed by an extensive warm atomic layer up to the DF with multiple ridges. A complex, structured, and folded H0/H2 DF surface was traced by the H2 lines. This dataset was used to revisit the commonly adopted 2D PDR structure of the Orion Bar as our observations show that a 3D “terraced” geometry is required to explain the JWST observations. JWST provides us with a complete view of the PDR, all the way from the PDR edge to the substructured dense region, and this allowed us to determine, in detail, where the emission of the atomic and molecular lines, aromatic bands, and dust originate. Conclusions. This study offers an unprecedented dataset to benchmark and transform PDR physico-chemical and dynamical models for the JWST era. A fundamental step forward in our understanding of the interaction of FUV photons with molecular clouds and the role of FUV irradiation along the star formation sequence is provided.
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