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- Cruz, Raquel, et al.
(author)
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Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity
- 2022
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press. - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 31:22, s. 3789-3806
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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- Ablyasova, Olesya S., et al.
(author)
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Electronic Structure of the Complete Series of Gas-Phase Manganese Acetylacetonates by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy
- 2023
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry A. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1089-5639 .- 1520-5215. ; 127:34, s. 7121-7131
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Metal centers in transition metal–ligand complexes occur in a variety of oxidation states causing their redox activity and therefore making them relevant for applications in physics and chemistry. The electronic state of these complexes can be studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which is, however, due to the complex spectral signature not always straightforward. Here, we study the electronic structure of gas-phase cationic manganese acetylacetonate complexes Mn(acac)1–3+ using X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the metal center and ligand constituents. The spectra are well reproduced by multiconfigurational wave function theory, time-dependent density functional theory as well as parameterized crystal field and charge transfer multiplet simulations. This enables us to get detailed insights into the electronic structure of ground-state Mn(acac)1–3+ and extract empirical parameters such as crystal field strength and exchange coupling from X-ray excitation at both the metal and ligand sites. By comparison to X-ray absorption spectra of neutral, solvated Mn(acac)2,3 complexes, we also show that the effect of coordination on the L3 excitation energy, routinely used to identify oxidation states, can contribute about 40–50% to the observed shift, which for the current study is 1.9 eV per oxidation state.
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4. |
- Albentosa, Ezequiel, et al.
(author)
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Current Status of the EU-VGOS Project
- 2023
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In: International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry 2022 General Meeting Proceedings. ; NASA/ CP–20220018789, s. 85-89
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The EU-VGOS project began in 2018 with the aim of using the VGOS infrastructure in Europe to investigate methods for VGOS data processing. The project is now structured into Working Groups dealing with operations (stations), e-transfer, correlation and post-processing, and analysis. This is a report on the status of the project.
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5. |
- Alberini, Andrew, et al.
(author)
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Investigating the stability of aromatic carboxylic acids in hydrated magnesium sulfate under UV irradiation to assist detection of organics on Mars
- 2024
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Research. - 2045-2322. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC) instrument onboard the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover detected so far some of the most intense fluorescence signals in association with sulfates analyzing abraded patches of rocks at Jezero crater, Mars. To assess the plausibility of an organic origin of these signals, it is key to understand if organics can survive exposure to ambient Martian UV after exposure by the Perseverance abrasion tool and prior to analysis by SHERLOC. In this work, we investigated the stability of organo-sulfate assemblages under Martian-like UV irradiation and we observed that the spectroscopic features of phthalic and mellitic acid embedded into hydrated magnesium sulfate do not change for UV exposures corresponding to at least 48 Martian sols and, thus, should still be detectable in fluorescence when the SHERLOC analysis takes place, thanks to the photoprotective properties of magnesium sulfate. In addition, different photoproduct bands diagnostic of the parent carboxylic acid molecules could be observed. The photoprotective behavior of hydrated magnesium sulfate corroborates the hypothesis that sulfates might have played a key role in the preservation of organics on Mars, and that the fluorescence signals detected by SHERLOC in association with sulfates could potentially arise from organic compounds.
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- Alcolombri, Uria, et al.
(author)
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Sinking enhances the degradation of organic particles by marine bacteria
- 2021
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In: Nature Geoscience. - : Springer Nature. - 1752-0894 .- 1752-0908. ; 14:10, s. 775-780
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The sinking of organic particles in the ocean and their degradation by marine microorganisms is one of the main drivers of the biological pump. Yet, the mechanisms determining the magnitude of the pump remain poorly understood, limiting our ability to predict this carbon flux in future ocean scenarios. Current ocean models assume that the biological pump is governed by the competition between sinking speed and degradation rate, with the two processes independent from one another. Contrary to this paradigm, we show that sinking itself is a primary determinant of the rate at which bacteria degrade particles. Heterotrophic bacterial degradation rates were obtained from a laboratory study on model surface-colonized particles at atmospheric pressure under a range of flow speeds to mimic different sinking velocities. We find that even modest sinking speeds of 8 m day−1 enhance degradation rates more than 10-fold compared with degradation rates of non-sinking particles. We discovered that the molecular mechanism underlying this sinking-enhanced degradation is the flow-induced removal from the particles of the oligomeric breakdown products, which otherwise compete for enzymatic activity. This mechanism applies across several substrates and bacterial strains, suggesting its potentially broad occurrence under natural marine conditions. Integrating our findings into a mathematical model of particulate carbon flux, we propose that the coupling of sinking and degradation may contribute, in conjunction with other processes, to determining the magnitude of the vertical carbon flux in the ocean.
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- Alef, Walter, et al.
(author)
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Geodetic data analysis of VGOS experiments
- 2021
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In: 2021 34th General Assembly and Scientific Symposium of the International Union of Radio Science, URSI GASS 2021.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) serves as one of the common geodetic methods to define the global reference frames and monitor Earth's orientation variations. The technical upgrade of the VLBI method known as the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS) includes a critical re-design of the observed frequencies from the dual band mode (S and X band, i.e. 2 GHz and 8 GHz) to observations in a broadband (2-14 GHz). Since 2019 the first VGOS experiments are available for the geodetic analysis in free access at the International VLBI service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS). Also regional-only subnetworks such as European VLBI stations have succeeded already in VGOS mode. Based on these brand-new observations we review the current geodetic data analysis workflow to build a bridge between geodetic observed delays derived from different bands.
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8. |
- Alves, C. A., et al.
(author)
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Physical and chemical properties of non-exhaust particles generated from wear between pavements and tyres
- 2020
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In: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 224
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A road simulator was used to generate wear particles from the interaction between two tyre brands and a composite pavement. Particle size distributions were monitored using a scanning mobility particle sizer and an aerosol particle sizer. Continuous measurements of particle mass concentrations were also made. Collection of inhalable particles (PM10) was conducted using a high-volume sampler equipped with quartz filters, which were then analysed for organic and elemental carbon, organic constituents and elemental composition. Tyre fragments chopped into tiny chips were also subjected to detailed organic and elemental speciation. The number concentration was dominated by particles <0.5 μm, whereas most of the mass was found in particles >0.5 μm. The emission factor from wear between pavements and tyres was of the order of 2 mg km−1 veh−1. Organic carbon represented about 10% of the PM10 mass, encompassing multiple aliphatic compounds (n-alkanes, alkenes, hopanes, and steranes), PAHs, thiazols, n-alkanols, polyols, some fragrant compounds, sugars, triterpenoids, sterols, phenolic constituents, phthalate plasticisers and several types of acids, among others. The relationship between airborne particulate organic constituents and organic matter in tyre debris is discussed. The detection of compounds that have been extensively used as biomass burning tracers (e.g. retene, dehydroabietic acid and levoglucosan) in both the shredded tiny tyre chips and the wear particles from the interaction between tyres and pavement puts into question their uniqueness as markers of wood combustion. Trace and major elements accounted for about 5% of the mass of the tyre fragments but represented 15–18% of the PM10 from wear, denoting the contribution of mineral elements from the pavement. Sulphur and zinc were abundant constituents in all samples.
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9. |
- Anderson, Anders, et al.
(author)
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Measuring the Added Value of Stock Recommendations
- 2020
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In: Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP): HSS Journals. - 0022-1090. ; 55:6, s. 1915-1945
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using data from the Stockholm Stock Exchange (SSE), we study the value added by (as distinct from the abnormal returns to) analysts' recommendations. Recommending brokers' clients trade profitably around positive recommendations at the expense of other brokers' clients. Significant profits come from transactions before recommendation dates. Value added is greatest for upgrades to large caps, and largely insignificant for downgrades and recommendations of small caps, despite high abnormal returns. Brokers making profitable recommendations generate abnormally high commission income, recouping much of their clients' abnormal profits, and their abnormal commission income varies in line with the abnormal profits for their clients.
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10. |
- Andren, Henrik, et al.
(author)
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Season rather than habitat affects lynx survival and risk of mortality in the human-dominated landscape of southern Sweden
- 2022
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In: Wildlife Biology. - : Wiley. - 0909-6396 .- 1903-220X. ; 2022
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Landscapes are mosaics of habitat associated with different risks and resources, including human activities, which can affect individual survival in wildlife. Different relationships between habitat characteristics and human-caused and natural mortality can result in attractive sinks. We used individual-based data from 97 Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx monitored for 160 exposure-years to link adult survival and the risk of mortality to home range habitat characteristics in the human-dominated landscape of southern Sweden. Human-caused mortality (i.e. legal hunting, poaching and vehicle accidents) dominated mortality causes (24 out of 37 deaths). We did not detect any strong effects of habitat characterises explaining the variation in mortality risk in lynx. Although the density of roe deer affects several aspects of lynx ecology, we could not detect any effects of roe deer density on lynx survival, probably because roe deer density was sufficiently high in our study area. Instead, seasonal variation was the main factor influencing mortality in lynx. Mortality was highest during the hunting season for lynx (16 February-31 March), as well as during autumn and winter, probably because lynx poaching occurs opportunistically during the hunting season for moose and roe deer. We did not find any indication that human activity created attractive sinks for lynx, since there were no contrasting patterns between human-caused and natural mortality in terms of habitat characteristics. One explanation for the limited influence of the home range characteristics may be that lynx in our study died from multiple causes. Therefore, it is less likely that one or a few habitat characteristics could explain the risk of mortality at the home range scale. There is strong evidence that lynx can coexist with humans in multi-use and human-dominated landscapes, even without large protected areas, if the management regimes are favourable.
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