1. |
-
- 2017
-
In: Physical Review D. - 2470-0010 .- 2470-0029. ; 96:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
2. |
- Petroff, E., et al.
(author)
-
A polarized fast radio burst at low Galactic latitude
- 2017
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford Academic. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 469:4, s. 4465-4482
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the discovery of a new fast radio burst (FRB), FRB 150215, with the Parkes radio telescope on 2015 February 15. The burst was detected in real time with a dispersion measure (DM) of 1105.6 +/- 0.8 pc cm(-3), a pulse duration of 2.8(-0.5)(+1.2) ms, and a measured peak flux density assuming that the burst was at beam centre of 0.7(-0.1)(+0.2) Jy. The FRB originated at a Galactic longitude and latitude of 24.66 degrees, 5.28 degrees and 25 degrees away from the Galactic Center. The burst was found to be 43 +/- 5 per cent linearly polarized with a rotation measure (RM) in the range -9 < RM < 12 rad m(-2) (95 per cent confidence level), consistent with zero. The burst was followed up with 11 telescopes to search for radio, optical, X-ray, gamma-ray and neutrino emission. Neither transient nor variable emission was found to be associated with the burst and no repeat pulses have been observed in 17.25 h of observing. The sightline to the burst is close to the Galactic plane and the observed physical properties of FRB 150215 demonstrate the existence of sight lines of anomalously low RM for a given electron column density. The Galactic RM foreground may approach a null value due to magnetic field reversals along the line of sight, a decreased total electron column density from the Milky Way, or some combination of these effects. A lower Galactic DM contribution might explain why this burst was detectable whereas previous searches at low latitude have had lower detection rates than those out of the plane.
|
|
3. |
- Adrian-Martinez, S., et al.
(author)
-
The First Combined Search For Neutrino Point-Sources In The Southern Hemisphere With The Antares And Icecube Neutrino Telescopes
- 2016
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 823:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the results of searches for point-like sources of neutrinos based on the first combined analysis of data from both the ANTARES and IceCube neutrino telescopes. The combination of both detectors, which differ in size and location, forms a window in the southern sky where the sensitivity to point sources improves by up to a factor of 2 compared with individual analyses. Using data recorded by ANTARES from 2007 to 2012, and by IceCube from 2008 to 2011, we search for sources of neutrino emission both across the southern sky and from a preselected list of candidate objects. No significant excess over background has been found in these searches, and flux upper limits for the candidate sources are presented for E-2.5 and E-2 power-law spectra with different energy cut-offs.
|
|
4. |
|
|
5. |
|
|
6. |
- Hanstock, Helen, 1989-, et al.
(author)
-
Tear Fluid SIgA as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Mucosal Immunity and Common Cold Risk
- 2016
-
In: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. - 0195-9131 .- 1530-0315. ; 48:3, s. 569-577
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: Research has not convincingly demonstrated the utility of saliva secretory Immunoglobulin-A (SIgA) as a biomarker of upper-respiratory-tract-infection (URTI) risk and disagreement exists about the influence of heavy exercise ('open-window-theory') and dehydration on saliva SIgA. Prompted by the search for viable alternatives, we compared the utility of tear and saliva SIgA to predict URTI prospectively (study-one) and assessed the influence of exercise (study-two) and dehydration (study-three) using a repeated-measures-crossover design.Methods: In study-one, forty subjects were recruited during the common-cold season. Subjects provided tear and saliva samples weekly and recorded upper-respiratory-symptoms (URS) daily for 3-weeks. RT-PCR confirmed common-cold pathogens in 9 of 11 subjects reporting URS (82%). Predictive utility of tear and saliva SIgA was explored by comparing healthy samples with those collected the week pre-URS. In study-two, thirteen subjects performed a 2-hour run at 65% VO2peak. In study-three, thirteen subjects performed exercise-heat-stress to 3% body-mass-loss followed by overnight fluid restriction.Results: Tear SIgA concentration and secretion rate were 48% and 51% lower respectively during URTI and 34% and 46% lower the week pre-URS (P<0.05) but saliva SIgA remained unchanged. URS risk the following week increased 9-fold (95% CI: 1.7 to 48) when tear SIgA secretion rate <5.5 μg[BULLET OPERATOR]min and 6-fold (95% CI: 1.2 to 29) when tear SIgA secretion rate decreased >30%. Tear SIgA secretion rate >5.5 μg[BULLET OPERATOR]min or no decrease >30% predicted subjects free of URS in >80% of cases. Tear SIgA concentration decreased post-exercise (-57%: P<0.05) in line with the 'open-window-theory' but was unaffected by dehydration. Saliva flow rate decreased and saliva SIgA concentration increased post-exercise and during dehydration (P<0.05).Conclusion: Tear SIgA has utility as a non-invasive biomarker of mucosal immunity and common-cold risk.
|
|
7. |
- Zhao, Chaoyang, et al.
(author)
-
A massive expansion of effector genes underlies gall-formation in the wheat pest Mayetiola destructor
- 2015
-
In: Current Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-0445 .- 0960-9822. ; 25:5, s. 613-620
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gall-forming arthropods are highly specialized herbivores that, in combination with their hosts, produce extended phenotypes with unique morphologies [1]. Many are economically important, and others have improved our understanding of ecology and adaptive radiation [2]. However, the mechanisms that these arthropods use to induce plant galls are poorly understood. We sequenced the genome of the Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor; Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a plant parasitic gall midge and a pest of wheat (Triticum spp.), with the aim of identifying genic modifications that contribute to its plant-parasitic lifestyle. Among several adaptive modifications, we discovered an expansive reservoir of potential effector proteins. Nearly 5% of the 20,163 predicted gene models matched putative effector gene transcripts present in the M. destructor larval salivary gland. Another 466 putative effectors were discovered among the genes that have no sequence similarities in other organisms. The largest known arthropod gene family (family SSGP-71) was also discovered within the effector reservoir. SSGP-71 proteins lack sequence homologies to other proteins, but their structures resemble both ubiquitin E3 ligases in plants and E3-ligase-mimicking effectors in plant pathogenic bacteria. SSGP-71 proteins and wheat Skp proteins interact in vivo. Mutations in different SSGP-71 genes avoid the effector-triggered immunity that is directed by the wheat resistance genes H6 and H9. Results point to effectors as the agents responsible for arthropod-induced plant gall formation.
|
|
8. |
- Kappos, Ludwig, et al.
(author)
-
Siponimod versus placebo in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (EXPAND): a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 study
- 2018
-
In: The Lancet. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 391, s. 1263-1273
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2018 Elsevier Ltd Background: No treatment has consistently shown efficacy in slowing disability progression in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). We assessed the effect of siponimod, a selective sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor 1,5 modulator, on disability progression in patients with SPMS. Methods: This event-driven and exposure-driven, double-blind, phase 3 trial was done at 292 hospital clinics and specialised multiple sclerosis centres in 31 countries. Using interactive response technology to assign numbers linked to treatme nt arms, patients (age 18–60 years) with SPMS and an Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 3·0–6·5 were randomly assigned (2:1) to once daily oral siponimod 2 mg or placebo for up to 3 years or until the occurrence of a prespecified number of confirmed disability progression (CDP) events. The primary endpoint was time to 3-month CDP. Efficacy was assessed for the full analysis set (ie, all randomly assigned and treated patients); safety was assessed for the safety set. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01665144. Findings: 1651 patients were randomly assigned between Feb 5, 2013, and June 2, 2015 (1105 to the siponimod group, and 546 to the placebo group). One patient did not sign the consent form, and five patients did not receive study drug, all of whom were in the siponimod group. 1645 patients were included in the analyses (1099 in the siponimod group and 546 in the placebo). At baseline, the mean time since first multiple sclerosis symptoms was 16·8 years (SD 8·3), and the mean time since conversion to SPMS was 3·8 years (SD 3·5); 1055 (64%) patients had not relapsed in the previous 2 years, and 918 (56%) of 1651 needed walking assistance. 903 (82%) patients receiving siponimod and 424 (78%) patients receiving placebo completed the study. 288 (26%) of 1096 patients receiving siponimod and 173 (32%) of 545 patients receiving placebo had 3-month CDP (hazard ratio 0·79, 95% CI 0·65–0·95; relative risk reduction 21%; p=0·013). Adverse events occurred in 975 (89%) of 1099 patients receiving siponimod versus 445 (82%) of 546 patients receiving placebo; serious adverse events were reported for 197 (18%) patients in the siponimod group versus 83 (15%) patients in the placebo group. Lymphopenia, increased liver transaminase concentration, bradycardia and bradyarrhythmia at treatment initiation, macular oedema, hypertension, varicella zoster reactivation, and convulsions occurred more frequently with siponimod than with placebo. Initial dose titration mitigated cardiac first-dose effects. Frequencies of infections, malignancies, and fatalities did not differ between groups. Interpretation: Siponimod reduced the risk of disability progression with a safety profile similar to that of other S1P modulators and is likely to be a useful treatment for SPMS. Funding: Novartis Pharma AG.
|
|
9. |
|
|
10. |
- Shrewsbury, Vanessa A, et al.
(author)
-
Update of the best practice dietetic management of overweight and obese children and adolescents: a systematic review protocol
- 2018
-
In: The JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports. - 2202-4433. ; 16:7, s. 1495-1502
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE: To update an existing systematic review series of randomized controlled trials (RCT) that include a dietary intervention for the management of overweight or obesity in children or adolescents. Specifically, the review questions are: In randomized controlled trials of interventions which include a dietary intervention for the management of overweight or obesity in children or adolescents.
|
|