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Spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting has been extensively used to determine the nature of the faint radio source population. Recent efforts have combined fits from multiple SED-fitting codes to account for the host galaxy and any active nucleus that may be present. We show that it is possible to produce similar-quality classifications using a single energy-balance SED fitting code, prospector , to model up to 26 bands of UV–far-infrared aperture-matched photometry for ∼31 000 sources in the ELAIS-N1 field from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) deep fields first data release. One of a new generation of SED-fitting codes, prospector accounts for potential contributions from radiative active galactic nuclei (AGN) when estimating galaxy properties, including star formation rates (SFRs) derived using non-parametric star formation histories. Combining this information with radio luminosities, we classify 92 per cent of the radio sources as a star-forming galaxy, high-/low-excitation radio galaxy, or radio-quiet AGN and study the population demographics as a function of 150 MHz flux density, luminosity, SFR, stellar mass, redshift, and apparent r -band magnitude. Finally, we use prospector SED fits to investigate the SFR–150 MHz luminosity relation for a sample of ∼133 000 3.6 μm-selected z < 1 sources, finding that the stellar mass dependence is significantly weaker than previously reported, and may disappear altogether at |$\log _{10} (\mathrm{SFR}/M_\odot \, \mathrm{yr}^{-1}) \gt 0.5$|⁠. This approach makes it significantly easier to classify radio sources from LoTSS and elsewhere, and may have important implications for future studies of star-forming galaxies at radio wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the environments of massive galaxies at high redshift is crucial to understanding galaxy evolution and the conditions that gave rise to the distribution of matter we see in the Universe today. While high- z radio galaxies (H z RGs) and quasars tend to reside in protocluster-like systems, the environments of their radio-quiet counterparts are relatively unexplored, particularly in the submillimetre, which traces dust-obscured star formation. In this study, we search for 850  μ m-selected submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) in the environments of massive (⁠|$M_{\star }$| |$\gt 10^{11}$| |${\rm M}_{\odot }$|⁠), radio-quiet (⁠|$L_{500 {\rm MHz}}$| |$\lesssim 10^{25}$|  WHz |$^{-1}$|⁠) galaxies at |$z \sim 1\!-\!3$| using data from the SCUBA-2 COSMOS (S2COSMOS) survey. By constructing number counts in circular regions of radius 1–6 arcmin and comparing with blank-field measurements, we find no significant overdensities of SMGs around massive radio-quiet galaxies at any of these scales, despite being sensitive down to overdensities of |$\delta \sim 0.4$|⁠. To probe deeper than the catalogue we also examine the distribution of peaks in the SCUBA-2 signal-to-noise (SNR) map, which reveals only tentative signs of any difference in the SMG densities of the radio-quiet galaxy environments compared to the blank field, and only on smaller scales (1 arcmin radii, corresponding to |$\sim 0.5$|  Mpc) and higher SNR thresholds. We conclude that massive, radio-quiet galaxies at cosmic noon are typically in environments with |$\delta \lesssim 0.4$|⁠ , which are either consistent with the blank field or contain only weak overdensities spanning sub-Mpc scales. The contrast between our results and studies of H z RGs with similar stellar masses and redshifts implies an intrinsic link between the wide-field environment and the radio luminosity of the active galactic nucleus at high redshift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Data on modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine effectiveness against mpox in real-world settings are limited. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort analysis using Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the association between vaccination and laboratory-confirmed mpox incidence. Study subjects included all men who have sex with men seen in a sexual health clinic in Seattle, Washington, between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022. Subjects' receipt of vaccine and diagnosis with mpox were ascertained from public health vaccine registry and surveillance data. Analyses were adjusted for demographic factors, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status, and sexual risk behaviors. Results The incidence of mpox per 100 person-years was 8.83 among patients with 0 doses, 3.32 among patients with 1 dose, and 0.78 among patients with 2 doses of MVA vaccine. Mpox diagnosis was significantly associated with age category 30–39 and 40–51 years, HIV positivity, syphilis diagnosis in the prior year, >10 sex partners in the last year, and having a clinic visit in the last year. In the multivariate model adjusting for these factors, vaccine effectiveness was 81% for 1 dose and 83% for 2 doses. Conclusions These data support the effectiveness of the MVA vaccine—including a single dose of the vaccine—in preventing mpox disease and highlight the appropriateness of risk factor-based prioritization of immunization early in the epidemic. The durability of MVA vaccine-induced immunity is unknown, and at-risk persons should receive 2 doses of MVA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) are a large family of plasma membrane-bound receptors ubiquitous in higher plants. However, despite their prominence, their biological roles have remained largely elusive so far. In this study we report the characterization of an Arabidopsis mutant named crk10-A397T in which alanine 397 has been replaced by a threonine in the αC helix of the kinase domain of CRK10, known to be a crucial regulatory module in mammalian kinases. The crk10-A397T mutant is a dwarf that displays collapsed xylem vessels in the root and hypocotyl, whereas the vasculature of the inflorescence develops normally. In situ phosphorylation assays with His-tagged wild type and crk10-A397T versions of the CRK10 kinase domain revealed that both alleles are active kinases capable of autophosphorylation, with the newly introduced threonine acting as an additional phosphorylation site in crk10-A397T. Transcriptomic analysis of wild type and crk10-A397T mutant hypocotyls revealed that biotic and abiotic stress-responsive genes are constitutively up-regulated in the mutant, and a root-infection assay with the vascular pathogen Fusarium oxysporum demonstrated that the mutant has enhanced resistance to this pathogen compared with wild type plants. Taken together our results suggest that crk10-A397T is a gain-of-function allele of CRK10 , the first such mutant to have been identified for a CRK in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Survey for Distant Solar Twins aims to find stars very similar to the Sun at distances of 1– |$4\, {\rm kpc}$|⁠ , several times more distant than any currently known solar twins and analogues. The goal is to identify the best stars with which to test whether the fine-structure constant, α, varies with dark matter density in our Galaxy. Here, we use epic , our line-by-line differential technique, to measure the stellar parameters – effective temperature T eff, surface gravity log  g , and metallicity [Fe/H] – from moderate-resolution (R ≲ 32 000) spectra of 877 solar twin and analogue candidates (547 at 1– |$4\, {\rm kpc}$|⁠) observed with the High Efficiency and Resolution Multi-Element Spectrograph (HERMES) on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. These are consistent with expectations for T eff and log  g from photometry, and for [Fe/H] from the Besançon stellar population model. epic provides small enough uncertainties (⁠|$\sim 90\, {\rm K}$|⁠ , |$0.08\, {\rm dex}$|⁠ , and |$0.05\, {\rm dex}$|⁠ , respectively), even at the low signal-to-noise ratios available (⁠|${\rm S/N}\gtrsim$| 25 per pixel), to identify 299 new solar analogues (⁠|$\ge 90~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| confidence) and 20 solar twins (≥50 per cent confidence), 206 and 12 of which are at 1– |$4\, {\rm kpc}$|⁠. By extending epic to measure line broadening and lithium abundance from HERMES spectra, and with ages derived from isochrone fitting with our stellar parameters, we identify 174 solar analogues at 1– |$4\, {\rm kpc}$| that are relatively inactive, slowly rotating, and with no evidence of spectroscopic binarity. These are the preferred targets for follow-up spectroscopy to measure α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One widely derided aspect of autocratic regimes is that they frequently feature nepotistic systems for political organization and management of power transfers, with inexperienced or unqualified individuals taking power solely because of their familial relation to the prior ruler. Such systems are thought to be more unstable and ineffective, reducing desirable outcomes for autocratic leaders, as well as the states they govern. We argue that this characterization ignores several important features of autocratic governance: rulers must constantly negotiate with other elites and rely on political networks based around loyalty and agreed-upon divisions of power, spoils, and prestige. Beneficiaries of nepotism enter office with many advantages that should make their reigns more stable and effective than those of less connected rulers. Specifically, we find evidence from the backgrounds and tenures of Roman emperors that dynastic relation to the previous ruler explains the likelihood of an emperor surviving in office without deposal as well as their effectiveness while in office. Rulers with close familial ties to their predecessor enjoyed longer rules and were associated with periods of imperial prosperity. Moreover, we also find that youth in autocratic office is a strong predictor of longevity without deposal, and that young rulers came to power owing to their dynastic relation to a predecessor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Non-random selection of analytic subsamples could introduce selection bias in observational studies. We explored the potential presence and impact of selection in studies of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 prognosis. Methods We tested the association of a broad range of characteristics with selection into COVID-19 analytic subsamples in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and UK Biobank (UKB). We then conducted empirical analyses and simulations to explore the potential presence, direction and magnitude of bias due to this selection (relative to our defined UK-based adult target populations) when estimating the association of body mass index (BMI) with SARS-CoV-2 infection and death-with-COVID-19. Results In both cohorts, a broad range of characteristics was related to selection, sometimes in opposite directions (e.g. more-educated people were more likely to have data on SARS-CoV-2 infection in ALSPAC, but less likely in UKB). Higher BMI was associated with higher odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection and death-with-COVID-19. We found non-negligible bias in many simulated scenarios. Conclusions Analyses using COVID-19 self-reported or national registry data may be biased due to selection. The magnitude and direction of this bias depend on the outcome definition, the true effect of the risk factor and the assumed selection mechanism; these are likely to differ between studies with different target populations. Bias due to sample selection is a key concern in COVID-19 research based on national registry data, especially as countries end free mass testing. The framework we have used can be applied by other researchers assessing the extent to which their results may be biased for their research question of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives There is significant evidence from large-scale, industrial and post-industrial societies that greater income and wealth inequality is negatively associated with both population health and increasing health inequalities. However, whether such relationships are inevitable and should be expected to impact the health of small-scale societies as they become more market-integrated is less clear. Methodology Here, using mixed-effect models, we explore the relationship between health, wealth, wealth inequality and health inequalities in a small-scale foraging population from the Philippines, the Agta. Results Across 11 camps, we find small to moderate degrees of wealth inequality (maximal Gini Coefficient 0.44) which is highest in the most permanent camps, where individuals engage more heavily in the formal market. However, in both adults (n = 161) and children (n = 215), we find little evidence that either wealth or wealth inequality associates with ill health, except for one measure of nutritional condition—red blood cell count. Conclusions and implications We interpret these results in the light of high levels of cooperation among the Agta which may buffer against the detrimental effects of wealth inequality documented in industrial and post-industrial societies. We observe little intergenerational wealth transmission, highlighting the fluid nature of wealth, and thus wealth inequality, particularly in mobile communities. The deterioration of nutritional status, as indicated by red blood cell counts, requires further investigation before concluding the Agta's extensive cooperation networks may be beginning to breakdown in the face of increasing inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of solar twins have key impacts on the astronomical community, but only ∼100–200 nearby solar twins (<1 kpc) have been reliably identified over the last few decades. The aim of our survey (SDST) is to identify ∼150–200 distant solar twins and analogues (up to ≲4 kpc) closer to the Galactic Centre. We took advantage of the precise Gaia and Skymapper surveys to select Sun-like candidates in a 2-deg field, which were observed with the HERMES spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. We successfully built up the required signal-to-noise ratio (25-per-pixel in the HERMES red band) for most targets as faint as Gaia G of 17.4 mag. The stellar photometric/astrometric parameters (e.g. T eff, log  g , mass) of our candidates are derived in this paper, while the spectroscopic parameters will be presented in the third paper in this SDST series. The selection success rate – the fraction of targets which belong to solar twins or analogues – was estimated from simulated survey data and the Besançon stellar population model, and compared with the actual success rate of the survey. We find that expected and actual success rates agree well, indicating that the numbers of solar twins and analogues we discover in SDST are consistent with expectations, affirming the survey approach. These distant solar analogues are prime targets for testing for any variation in the strength of electromagnetism in regions of higher dark matter density, and can make additional contributions to our understanding of, e.g. Galactic chemical evolution in the inner Milky Way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Might elite cues affect how we vote? Extant literature focuses on effects of elite cues on candidate evaluation or policy preference, but we know little about how they might affect vote method preferences. Drawing on a large survey of validated Florida voters, including those who regularly vote by mail, we find that retrospective and prospective misreporting of vote method prior to the 2020 General Election was driven primarily by support for Trump. The president's supporters who were most politically aware were most likely to disavow their own voting by mail and misreport their anticipated vote method in the November election. Understanding the effects—and limits—of elite cues on the politicization of self-reported political behavior has important implications for pollsters and campaigns, election administrators, voters, and the broader democratic electoral process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New-generation radio telescopes like LOFAR are conducting extensive sky surveys, detecting millions of sources. To maximize the scientific value of these surveys, radio source components must be properly associated into physical sources before being cross-matched with their optical/infrared counterparts. In this paper, we use machine learning to identify those radio sources for which either source association is required or statistical cross-matching to optical/infrared catalogues is unreliable. We train a binary classifier using manual annotations from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS). We find that, compared to a classification model based on just the radio source parameters, the addition of features of the nearest-neighbour radio sources, the potential optical host galaxy, and the radio source composition in terms of Gaussian components, all improve model performance. Our best model, a gradient boosting classifier, achieves an accuracy of 95 per cent on a balanced data set and 96 per cent on the whole (unbalanced) sample after optimizing the classification threshold. Unsurprisingly, the classifier performs best on small, unresolved radio sources, reaching almost 99 per cent accuracy for sources smaller than 15 arcsec, but still achieves 70 per cent accuracy on resolved sources. It flags 68 per cent more sources than required as needing visual inspection, but this is still fewer than the manually developed decision tree used in LoTSS, while also having a lower rate of wrongly accepted sources for statistical analysis. The results have an immediate practical application for cross-matching the next LoTSS data releases and can be generalized to other radio surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback from low-excitation radio galaxies (LERGs) plays a key role in the lifecycle of massive galaxies in the local Universe; their evolution, and the impact of these active galactic nuclei on early galaxy evolution, however, remain poorly understood. We use a sample of 10 481 LERGs from the first data release of the LOFAR two-metre Sky Survey Deep Fields, covering ∼25 deg2, to present the first measurement of the evolution of the radio luminosity function (LF) of LERGs out to z ∼ 2.5; this shows relatively mild evolution. We split the LERGs into those hosted by quiescent and star-forming galaxies, finding a new dominant population of LERGs hosted by star-forming galaxies at high redshifts. The incidence of LERGs in quiescent galaxies shows a steep dependence on stellar mass out to z ∼ 1.5, consistent with local Universe measurements of accretion occurring from cooling of hot gas haloes. The quiescent-LERGs dominate the LFs at z < 1, showing a strong decline in space density with redshift, tracing that of the available host galaxies, while there is an increase in the characteristic luminosity. The star-forming LERG LF increases with redshift, such that this population dominates the space densities at most radio-luminosities by z ∼ 1. The incidence of LERGs in star-forming galaxies shows a much weaker stellar-mass dependence, and increases with redshift, suggesting a different fuelling mechanism compared to their quiescent counterparts, potentially associated with the cold gas supply present in the star-forming galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Adult vaccination programs are suboptimal. Methods Pneumococcal vaccination history, and healthcare contact were assessed in patients with invasive pneumococcal disease. Results Of the 229 cases, 14% were vaccinated. Observed mortality was 20.1%. Conclusions Numerous missed vaccination opportunities were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptococcus neoformans is a facultative intracellular pathogen that can replicate and disseminate in mammalian macrophages. In this study, we analyzed fungal proteins identified in murine macrophage-like cells after infection with C. neoformans. To accomplish this, we developed a protocol to identify proteins released from cryptococcal cells inside macrophage-like cells; we identified 127 proteins of fungal origin in infected macrophage-like cells. Among the proteins identified was urease, a known virulence factor, and others such as transaldolase and phospholipase D, which have catalytic activities that could contribute to virulence. This method provides a straightforward methodology to study host–pathogen interactions. We chose to study further Yeast Oligomycin Resistance (Yor1), a relatively uncharacterized protein belonging to the large family of ATP binding cassette transporter (ABC transporters). These transporters belong to a large and ancient protein family found in all extant phyla. While ABC transporters have an enormous diversity of functions across varied species, in pathogenic fungi they are better studied as drug efflux pumps. Analysis of C. neoformans yor1Δ strains revealed defects in nonlytic exocytosis, capsule size, and dimensions of extracellular vesicles, when compared to wild-type strains. We detected no difference in growth rates and cell body size. Our results indicate that C. neoformans releases a large suite of proteins during macrophage infection, some of which can modulate fungal virulence and are likely to affect the fungal–macrophage interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A prediction interval represents a clinical interpretation of heterogeneity. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of prediction interval reporting in orthodontic random effect meta-analyses. The corroboration between effect size estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and prediction intervals were also explored. Materials and methods Systematic reviews (SRs) published between 1 January 2010 and 31 January 2021 containing at least one random effects meta-analysis (minimum of three trials) were identified electronically. SR and meta-analyses characteristics were extracted and prediction intervals, where possible, were calculated. Descriptive statistics and the percentage of meta-analyses where the prediction interval changed the interpretation based on the 95% CI were calculated. Fisher's exact test was used to examine associations between the study variables and reporting of prediction intervals. Results One hundred and twenty-one SRs were included. The median number of SR authors was 5 (interquartile range: 4–6). The reporting of prediction intervals was undertaken in only 19.0% (N = 23/121) of meta-analyses. Out of 95 meta-analyses, only in 6 (6.3%, N = 6/95) were the 95% CI corroborated by the prediction interval. In 60 meta-analyses (63.3%, N = 60/95) despite a 95% CI indicating a statistically significant result, this was not corroborated by the corresponding prediction interval. Conclusions Within the study timeframe, reporting of prediction intervals is not routinely undertaken in orthodontic meta-analyses possibly due to a lack of awareness. In future orthodontic random effects models containing a minimum of three trials, reporting of prediction intervals is advocated as this gives an indication of the range of the expected effect of treatment interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background At the clinical trial design stage, assumptions regarding the treatment effects to be detected should be appropriate so that the required sample size can be calculated. There is evidence in the medical literature that sample size assumption can be overoptimistic. The aim of this study was to compare the distribution of the assumed effects versus that of the observed effects as a proxy for overoptimistic treatment effect assumptions at the study design stage. Materials and method Systematic reviews (SRs) published between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019 containing at least one meta-analysis on continuous outcomes were identified electronically. SR and primary study level characteristics were extracted from the SRs and the individual trials. Details on the sample size calculation process and assumptions and the observed treatment effects were extracted. Results Eighty-five SRs with meta-analysis containing 347 primary trials were included. The median number of SR authors was 5 (interquartile range: 4–7). At the primary study level, the majority were single centre (78.1%), utilized a parallel design (52%), and rated as an unclear/moderate level of risk of bias (34.3%). A sample size was described in only 31.7% (110/347) of studies. From this cohort of 110 studies, in only 37 studies was the assumed clinical difference that the study was designed to detect reported (37/110). The assumed treatment effect was recalculated for the remaining 73 studies (73/110). The one-sided exact signed rank test showed a significant difference between the assumed and observed treatment effects (P < 0.001) suggesting greater values for the assumed effect sizes. Conclusions Careful consideration of the assumptions at the design stage of orthodontic studies are necessary in order to reduce the unreliability of clinical study results and research waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The reported initial strong treatment effects reported in early trials that are refuted in subsequent future studies assessing the same interventions have been attributed to novelty bias. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is any evidence of novelty bias in the reported treatment effects of orthodontics interventions. Materials and methods Relevant orthodontic systematic review (SRs) topics containing at least one meta-analysis on either binary or continuous outcomes with a minimum of three trials considered important areas in the field of orthodontic practice were identified. SR, meta-analysis, and primary study-level characteristics were extracted. Descriptive statistics were calculated at the SRs, meta-analysis, and at the individual study level. All SR and trial-level data were imported into the statistical software and all meta-analyses were replicated using the cumulative random-effects meta-analysis approach. Changes in the size and direction of the estimates between the first trial and the cumulative effect over time were recorded. Results Forty-seven meta-analyses were included. The total number of primary studies included within these meta-analyses was 408 (N = 408). Overall, the final effect size estimate decreased in 29 (61.7%, N = 29/47) cumulative meta-analyses whilst it increased in the remaining 18 (38.3%, N = 18/47). No association between the level of risk of bias and the cumulative absolute effect size was evident (OR 1.00; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.03; P = 0.717) after adjusting for year of the primary study (P = 0.22). Conclusions Clinicians should be wary of the results of trials reporting the effectiveness of new interventions as there is a possibility that the reported effect size will be often exaggerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) have emerged as a model system to explore experimental aspects of fungal pathogenesis. The benefits of the G. mellonella model include being faster, cheaper, higher throughput and easier compared with vertebrate models. Additionally, as invertebrates, their use is subject to fewer ethical and regulatory issues. However, for G. mellonella models to provide meaningful insight into fungal pathogenesis, the G. mellonella –fungal interactions must be comparable to mammalian–fungal interactions. Indeed, as discussed in the review, studies suggest that G. mellonella and mammalian immune systems share many similarities, and fungal virulence factors show conserved functions in both hosts. While the moth model has opened novel research areas, many comparisons are superficial and leave large gaps of knowledge that need to be addressed concerning specific mechanisms underlying G. mellonella –fungal interactions. Closing these gaps in understanding will strengthen G. mellonella as a model for fungal virulence in the upcoming years. In this review, we provide comprehensive comparisons between fungal pathogenesis in mammals and G. mellonella from immunological and virulence perspectives. When information on an antifungal immune component is unknown in G. mellonella , we include findings from other well-studied Lepidoptera. We hope that by outlining this information available in related species, we highlight areas of needed research and provide a framework for understanding G. mellonella immunity and fungal interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia is a heritable neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by neuroanatomical changes in the brain, but exactly how increased genetic burden for schizophrenia influences brain structure is unknown. Similarly, how environmental risk factors for schizophrenia impact brain structure is not fully understood. Here we investigated how genetic burden for schizophrenia (indexed by a poly-genic risk score, PRS-SCZ) was associated with cortical thickness (CT), surface area (SA), cortical volume (CV), and subcortical structures within 18 088 White British ancestry participants with derived brain phenotypes from UK Biobank. We also explored whether environmental risk factors for schizophrenia (childhood trauma, cannabis use, birth weight, season of birth, and Townsend social deprivation index) exacerbated the impact of PRS-SCZ on brain structure. We found that PRS-SCZ was associated with lower CT in the frontal lobe, insula lobe, lateral orbito-frontal cortex, medial orbitofrontal cortex, posterior cin-gulate cortex, and inferior frontal cortex, and reduced SA and CV in the supramarginal and superior temporal cortex, but not with subcortical volumes. When models included environmental risk factors as covariates, PRS-SCZ was only associated with lower SA/CV within the supramarginal cortex, superior temporal cortex, and inferior frontal cortex. Moreover, no interactions were observed between PRS-SCZ and each of the environmental risk factors on brain structure. Overall, we identified brain structural correlates of PRS-SCZ predominantly within frontal and temporal regions and some of these associations were independent of environmental risk factors, suggesting that they may represent vulnerable biomarkers of genetic risk for schizophrenia. Future research is warranted to establish these associations beyond older White British individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are popular tools for identifying appropriate adjustment strategies for epidemiological analysis. However, a lack of direction on how to build them is problematic. As a solution, we propose using a combination of evidence synthesis strategies and causal inference principles to integrate the DAG-building exercise within the review stages of research projects. We demonstrate this idea by introducing a novel protocol: 'Evidence Synthesis for Constructing Directed Acyclic Graphs' (ESC-DAGs)'.Methods: ESC-DAGs operates on empirical studies identified by a literature search, ideally a novel systematic review or review of systematic reviews. It involves three key stages: (i) the conclusions of each study are 'mapped' into a DAG; (ii) the causal structures in these DAGs are systematically assessed using several causal inference principles and are corrected accordingly; (iii) the resulting DAGs are then synthesised into one or more 'integrated DAGs'. This demonstration article didactically applies ESC-DAGs to the literature on parental influences on offspring alcohol use during adolescence.Conclusions: ESC-DAGs is a practical, systematic and transparent approach for developing DAGs from background knowledge. These DAGs can then direct primary data analysis and DAG-based sensitivity analysis. ESC-DAGs has a modular design to allow researchers who are experienced DAG users to both use and improve upon the approach. It is also accessible to researchers with limited experience of DAGs or evidence synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eye-tracking—the process of capturing and measuring human eye movement—is becoming an increasingly prevalent tool in the cultural heritage sector to understand visual processing and audience behaviours. Yet, most applications to date have focused on individual artworks and distinctions between representative/non-representative topics, with little prior work on the effects of differing written interpretations on the visual exploration of collections of artworks, particularly with devotional themes. This article reports on an eye-tracking study that explored responses to the unique collection of Francisco de Zurbarán paintings in County Durham. Using eye-tracking technology in a laboratory setting, we evaluated the viewing behaviour of three participant groups to determine whether the accompanying written context influences how digital reproductions are experienced. In addition to demonstrating statistically significant variations in aesthetic appreciation, the experiments showed that the gaze can be redirected towards areas of conceptual significance. Most importantly, we were able to challenge the assumption that viewers always look at faces (Bindemann et al. , 2005). Our findings make an important new contribution to the scholarly understanding of how audiences view, appreciate, and understand artworks and to museum and heritage practices relevant to the display of art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Telomere length is associated with several physical and mental health conditions, but whether it is a marker of multimorbidity is unclear. We investigated associations between telomere length and multimorbidity by sex. Methods Data from adults (N = 5,495) aged ≥50 years were taken from the US Health and Retirement Study (2008–14). Telomere length was measured in 2008 from salivary samples. The cross-sectional associations between telomere length and eight chronic health conditions were explored using logistic regression, adjusting for confounders and stratified by sex. Logistic, ordinal and multinomial regression models were calculated to explore relationships between telomere length and multimorbidity (using a binary variable and a sum of the number of health conditions) and the type of multimorbidity (no multimorbidity, physical multimorbidity, or multimorbidity including psychiatric problems). Using multilevel logistic regression, prospective relationships between telomere length and incident multimorbidity were also explored. Results In cross-sectional analyses, longer telomeres were associated with reduced likelihood of lung disease and psychiatric problems among men, but not women. Longer telomeres were associated with lower risk of multimorbidity that included psychiatric problems among men (OR=0.521, 95% CI: 0.284 to 0.957), but not women (OR=1.188, 95% CI: 0.771 to 1.831). Prospective analyses suggested little association between telomere length and the onset of multimorbidity in men (OR=1.378, 95% CI: 0.931 to 2.038) nor women (OR=1.224, 95% CI: 0.825 to 1.815). Conclusions Although telomere length does not appear to be a biomarker of overall multimorbidity, further exploration of the relationships is merited particularly for multimorbidity including psychiatric conditions among men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cannabis use in young people is common and associated with psychiatric disorders. However, the prospective link between cannabis use and bipolar disorder symptoms has rarely been investigated. The study hypothesis was that adolescent cannabis use is associated with hypomania in early adulthood via several potential etiological pathways. Methods Data were used from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a UK birth cohort study. The prospective link between cannabis use at age 17 and hypomania at age 22–23 years was tested using regression analysis, adjusted for gender, early environmental risk factors, alcohol and drug use, and depression and psychotic symptoms at age 18 years. Path analysis examined direct and indirect effects of the link and whether gender, childhood family adversity, or childhood abuse are associated with hypomania via an increased risk of cannabis use. Results Data were available on 3370 participants. Cannabis use at least 2–3 times weekly was associated with later hypomania (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.49–3.28) after adjustment. There was a dose–response relationship (any use vs weekly). Cannabis use mediated the association of both childhood sexual abuse and hypomania, and male gender and hypomania. The cannabis use-hypomania link was not mediated by depression or psychotic symptoms. Conclusions Adolescent cannabis use may be an independent risk factor for future hypomania, and the nature of the association suggests a potential causal link. Cannabis use mediates the link between childhood abuse and future hypomania. As such it might be a useful target for indicated prevention of hypomania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examination of the process by which consumers form decision criteria and subsequently evaluate and choose product-level alternatives when purchase goals are well defined indicates that decision criteria are formulated in a goal-driven, top-down fashion rather than a product-driven, bottom-up fashion. Evaluation of alternatives follows a within-product strategy, as opposed to a within-attribute strategy, and is characterized by less reliance on price information than reported in previous research. Even without a specific goal for product decisions, the formation and utilization of decision criteria did not follow the bottom-up process. Alternative explanations are offered for these contrasts along with implications for future research on product-level decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a field experiment to explore the effects of two situational factors. store knowledge and time available for shopping, on consumers' grocery shopping behavior. The results indicate that these two factors have an impact on such shopping behaviors as failure to make the intended purchases, unplanned buying, brand and product class switching, and purchase volume deliberation. The findings also suggest that the information processing activities that mediate these relationships differ across shopping conditions. Implications for managing the grocery store environment that may advance current practice are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a previously unknown manuscript copy of a satirical book-list in Latin by John Donne, known as the Catalogus librorum satyricus or The Courtier's Library. The manuscript (which we call WA2) was discovered at Westminster Abbey in autumn 2016, and is the earliest surviving witness of the Catalogus. A transcription of the new copy is supplied, with textual and bibliographical observations, an examination of its provenance, and the history of the work's publication in print and manuscript; we also speculate on WA2's arrival into the Abbey. The article argues for an original composition date of late summer 1603 to late autumn 1604, the most precise yet proposed for this work. It includes a new translation of Donne's only surviving Latin letter, to Sir Henry Goodere, which refers directly to the Catalogus. This letter is used to explicate the place of the Catalogus in Donne's life and writing, and to clarify issues of dating and circulation. The discovery of WA2 also provokes the reappraisal of another Catalogus manuscript at Trinity College, Cambridge (CT2). Previous scholars have identified this as an authorial revision and linked it to Donne's association with the Drury family in 1610-1611. The textual and circumstantial evidence of WA2 is marshalled to reject not only this later date and the Drury association, but the notion that Donne himself made the revision recorded in CT2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We test the efficacy of the energy-balance spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting code MAGPHYS for recovering the spatially resolved properties of a simulated isolated disc galaxy, for which it was not designed. We perform 226 950 MAGPHYS SED fits to regions between 0.2 and 25 kpc in size across the galaxy's disc, viewed from three different sight-lines, to probe how well MAGPHYS can recover key galaxy properties based on 21 bands of UV-far-infrared model photometry. MAGPHYS yields statistically acceptable fits to >99 per cent of the pixels within the r-band effective radius and between 59 and 77 percent of pixels within 20 kpc of the nucleus. MAGPHYS is able to recover the distribution of stellar mass, star formation rate (SFR), specific SFR, dust luminosity, dust mass, and V-band attenuation reasonably well, especially when the pixel size is ≳1 kpc, whereas non-standard outputs (stellar metallicity and mass-weighted age) are recovered less well. Accurate recovery is more challenging in the smallest sub-regions of the disc (pixel scale ≲1 kpc), where the energy balance criterion becomes increasingly incorrect. Estimating integrated galaxy properties by summing the recovered pixel values, the true integrated values of all parameters considered except metallicity and age are well recovered at all spatial resolutions, ranging from 0.2 kpc to integrating across the disc, albeit with some evidence for resolution-dependent biases. These results must be considered when attempting to analyse the structure of real galaxies with actual observational data, for which the 'ground truth' is unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interferometric observations have demonstrated that a significant fraction of single-dish sub-millimetre (submm) sources are blends of multiple submm galaxies (SMGs), but the nature of this multiplicity, i.e. whether the galaxies are physically associated or chance projections, has not been determined. We performed spectroscopy of 11 SMGs in six multicomponent submm sources, obtaining spectroscopic redshifts for nine of them. For an additional two component SMGs, we detected continuum emission but no obvious features. We supplement our observed sources with four single-dish submm sources from the literature. This sample allows us to statistically constrain the physical nature of single-dish submm source multiplicity for the first time. In three (3/7, or 43-33+39 per cent at 95 per cent confidence) of the single-dish sources for which the nature of the blending is unambiguous, the components for which spectroscopic redshifts are available are physically associated, whereas 4/7 (57-39+33 per cent) have at least one unassociated component. When components whose spectra exhibit continuum but no features and for which the photometric redshift is significantly different from the spectroscopic redshift of the other component are also considered, 6/9 (67-37+26 per cent) of the single-dish sources are comprised of at least one unassociated component SMG. The nature of the multiplicity of one single-dish source is ambiguous. We conclude that physically associated systems and chance projections both contribute to the multicomponent single-dish submm source population. This result contradicts the conventional wisdom that bright submm sources are solely a result of merger-induced starbursts, as blending of unassociated galaxies is also important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Obesity is a risk factor for cancer incidence and cancer mortality. The association of obesity and cancer is attributed to multiple factors, but the tightest linkage is with the chronic, low‐grade inflammation that accompanies obesity. Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are known facilitators of cancer progression that act by suppressing the activation and function of tumor‐reactive T cells. Because MDSC quantity and function are driven by chronic inflammation, we hypothesized that MDSC may accumulate in obese individuals and facilitate tumor growth by suppressing antitumor immunity. To test this hypothesis, tumor‐bearing mice on a high fat or low fat diet (HFD or LFD) were assessed for tumor progression and the metabolic dysfunction associated with obesity. HFD enhanced the accumulation of MDSC, and the resulting MDSC had both beneficial and detrimental effects. HFD‐induced MDSC protected mice against diet‐induced metabolic dysfunction and reduced HFD‐associated inflammation, but also increased the accumulation of fat, enhanced tumor progression, and spontaneous metastasis and reduced survival time. HFD‐induced MDSC facilitated tumor growth by limiting the activation of tumor‐reactive CD8+ T cells. Leptin, an adipokine that regulates appetite satiety and is overexpressed in obesity, undergoes crosstalk with MDSC in which leptin drives the accumulation of MDSC while MDSC down‐regulate the production of leptin. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that although MDSC protect against some metabolic dysfunction associated with HFD they enhance tumor growth in HFD mice and that leptin is a key regulator linking HFD, chronic inflammation, immune suppression, and tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acarbose, an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor used in treating type 2 diabetes, impairs complex carbohydrate digestion and absorption and extends life span in mice (without a requisite reduction in food intake). To assess sex-differential effects coincident with calorie restriction versus a nonrestricted longevity enhancing intervention, we evaluated the metabolite profiles (by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy) from livers and cecal contents of C57BL/6J mice (n = 4/sex/group), which were maintained for 10 months under one of the three diet treatments: ad libitum control diet (CON), ad libitum control diet containing 0.1% acarbose (ACA), or 40% calorie restriction using the control diet (CR). Principal component analysis revealed sex-differential profiles with ACA in livers. Of the identified metabolites (n = 621) in liver, CR significantly altered ~44% (males:187↑/131↓, females:74↑/148↓) compared with CON, in contrast with ACA (M:165↑/61↓, F:52↑/60↓). Dissimilarity in ACA-F liver metabolites was observed for ~50% of common metabolites from ACA-M and CR-M/F. CR resulted in fewer significant cecal metabolite differences (n = 615 metabolites; M:86↑/66↓, F:51↑/48↓ vs CON), relative to ACA treatment (M:32↑/189↓, F:36↑/137↓). Metabolomic profiling identifies sex-differential and tissue-specific effects with amino acid metabolism sub-pathways including those involving tryptophan, branch-chain and sulfur amino acids, and the urea cycle, as well as bile acid, porphyrin, and cofactor metabolism pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of photometric redshift performance for galaxies and active galactic nuclei detected in deep radio continuum surveys. Using two multiwavelength data sets, over the NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey Boötes and COSMOS fields, we assess photometric redshift (photo-z) performance for a sample of ∼4500 radio continuum sources with spectroscopic redshifts relative to those of ∼63 000 non-radio-detected sources in the same fields. We investigate the performance of three photometric redshift template sets as a function of redshift, radio luminosity and infrared/X-ray properties.We find that no single template library is able to provide the best performance across all subsets of the radio-detected population, with variation in the optimum template set both between subsets and between fields. Through a hierarchical Bayesian combination of the photo-z estimates from all three template sets, we are able to produce a consensus photo-z estimate that equals or improves upon the performance of any individual template set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinship often continues to play an important role in determining the ruling class even under modern democratic elections in a wide range of countries. In recent years, academic interest in the causes and consequences of such dynasties has been rapidly expanding. In this introduction to the Feature, we review existing work on political dynasties' formation and potential implications for socio-economic outcomes (such as economic growth, distributive policy, and gender representation), and outline a number of questions and challenges that remain important avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Cardiometabolic diseases (hypertension, coronary artery disease [CAD] and diabetes are known to associate with poorer cognitive ability but there are limited data on whether having more than one of these conditions is associated with additive effects. We aimed to quantify the magnitude of their associations with non-demented cognitive abilities and determine the extent to which these associations were additive. Methods and results We examined cognitive test scores in domains of reasoning, information processing speed and memory, included as part of the baseline UK Biobank cohort assessment (N = 474 129 with relevant data), adjusting for a range of potentially confounding variables. The presence of hypertension, CAD and diabetes generally associated with poorer cognitive scores on all tests, compared with a control group that reported none of these diseases. There was evidence of an additive deleterious dose effect of an increasing number of cardiometabolic diseases, for reasoning scores (unstandardized additive dose beta per disease = −0.052 score points out of 13, 95% CI [confidence intervals] −0.063 to − 0.041, P < 0.001), log reaction time scores (exponentiated beta = 1.005, i.e. 0.5% slower, 95% CI 1.004–1.005, P < 0.001) and log memory errors (exponentiated beta = 1.005 i.e. 0.5% more errors; 95% CI 1.003–1.008). Conclusion Cardiometabolic diseases are associated with worse cognitive abilities, and the potential effect of an increasing number of cardiometabolic conditions appears additive. These results reinforce the notion that preventing or delaying cardiovascular disease or diabetes may delay cognitive decline and possible dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on various literary works on the Victorian period. The book, "Studies in Victorian and Modern Literature: A Tribute to John Sutherland," edited by William Baker, includes twenty-six essays on Sutherland's intellectual interests. Baker also present essays that explore dimensions of the Victorian publishing industry.

Little is known about ionic and osmotic stress tolerance in tardigrades. Here, we examine salt stress tolerance in Ramazzottius oberhaeuseri and Echiniscus testudo from Nivå (Denmark) and address whether limno-terrestrial tardigrades can enter a state of quiescence (osmobiosis) in the face of high external osmolyte concentrations. Direct transfers into NaCl solutions showed an upper tolerance level of around 600 mOsm kg−1 in R. oberhaeuseri and 200 mOsm kg−1 in E. testudo. During salt exposures, R. oberhaeuseri contracted into a 'tun', whereas E. testudo remained active leaving it more susceptible to acute effects of the ions. Further experiments focused on the more resilient R. oberhaeuseri, which entered a tun and readily regained activity when directly exposed to polyethylene glycol and sucrose of up to 872 ± 0 and 813 ± 3 mOsm kg−1, respectively, revealing a higher tolerance towards non-ionic osmolytes as compared to NaCl. Ramazzottius oberhaeuseri furthermore readily regained activity following gradual increases in non-ionic osmolytes and NaCl of up to 2434 ± 28 and 1905 ± 3 mOsm kg−1, respectively, showing that short-term acclimation promoted salt stress tolerance. Our results suggest that the limno-terrestrial R. oberhaeuseri enters a state of quiescence in the face of high external osmotic pressure and that it, in this state, is highly tolerant of ionic and osmotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain metastasis poses a major treatment challenge and remains an unmet clinical need. Finding novel therapies to prevent and treat brain metastases requires an understanding of the biology and molecular basis of the process, which currently is constrained by a dearth of experimental models and specific therapeutic targets.Methods: Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-labeled breast cancer cells were injected via tail vein into SCID/Beige mice (n = 10-15 per group), and metastatic colonization to the brain and lung was evaluated eight weeks later. Knockdown and overexpression of miR-141 were achieved with lentiviral vectors. Serum levels of miR-141 were measured from breast cancer patients (n = 105), and the association with clinical outcome was determined by Kaplan-Meier method. All statistical tests were two-sided.Results: Novel brain metastasis mouse models were developed via tail vein injection of parental triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing inflammatory breast cancer lines. Knockdown of miR-141 inhibited metastatic colonization to brain (miR-141 knockdown vs control: SUM149, 0/8 mice vs 6/9 mice,P= .009; MDA-IBC3, 2/14 mice vs 10/15 mice,P= .007). Ectopic expression of miR-141 in nonexpressing MDA-MB-231 enhanced brain metastatic colonization (5/9 mice vs 0/10 mice,P= .02). Furthermore, high miR-141 serum levels were associated with shorter brain metastasis-free survival (P= .04) and were an independent predictor of progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.61 to 8.71,P< .001) and overall survival (HR = 7.22, 95% CI = 3.46 to 15.06,P< .001).Conclusions: Our study suggests miR-141 is a regulator of brain metastasis from breast cancer and should be examined as a biomarker and potential target to prevent and treat brain metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: the apolipoprotein (APOE) e4 locus is a genetic risk factor for dementia. Carriers ofthe e4 allele may be more vulnerable to conditions that are independent risk factors for cognitive decline, such as cardiometabolic diseases. Objective: we tested whether any association with APOE e4 status on cognitive ability was larger in older ages or in those with cardiometabolic diseases. Subjects: UK Biobank includes over 500,000 middle- and older aged adults who have undergone detailed medical and cognitive phenotypic assessment. Around 150,000 currently have genetic data. We examined 111,739 participants with complete genetic and cognitive data. Methods: baseline cognitive data relating to information processing speed, memory and reasoning were used. We tested for interactions with age and with the presence versus absence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), coronary artery disease (CAD) and hypertension. Results: in several instances, APOE e4 dosage interacted with older age and disease presence to affect cognitive scores. When adjusted for potentially confounding variables, there was no APOE e4 effect on the outcome variables. Conclusions: future research in large independent cohorts should continue to investigate this important question, which has potential implications for aetiology related to dementia and cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is thought that a class of broad absorption line (BAL) QSOs, characterized by Fe absorption features in their UV spectra (called 'FeLoBALs'), could mark a transition stage between the end of an obscured starburst event and a youthful QSO beginning to shed its dust cocoon, where Fe has been injected into the interstellar medium by the starburst. To test this hypothesis, we have undertaken deep Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array 2 (SCUBA-2) 850 µm observations of a sample of 17 FeLoBAL QSOs with 0.89 ≤ z ≤ 2.78 and -23.31 ≤ MB ≤ -28.50 to directly detect an excess in the thermal emission of the dust which would probe enhanced star formation activity. We find that FeLoBALs are not luminous sources in the sub-mm, none of them are individually detected at 850 μm, nor as a population through stacking (Fs = 1.14 ± 0.58 mJy). Statistical and survival analyses reveal that FeLoBALs have sub-mm properties consistent with BAL and non-BAL QSOs with matched redshifts and magnitudes. An Spectral Energy Distribution fitting analysis shows that the far-infrared emission is dominated by active galactic nuclei activity, and a starburst component is required only in 6/17 sources of our sample; moreover the integrated total luminosity of 16/17 sources is L = 1012 L⊙, high enough to classify FeLoBALs as infrared luminous. In conclusion, we do not find any evidence in support of FeLoBAL QSOs being a transition population between an ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) and an unobscured QSO; in particular, FeLoBALs are not characterized by a cold starburst which would support this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new results on the evolution of the cosmic star formation rate as a function of stellar mass in the Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Survey-Ultra Deep Survey field. We make use of narrow-band-selected emission line galaxies in four redshift slices between z = 1.46 and 0.63, and compute stellar masses by fitting a series of templates to recreate each galaxy's star formation history. We determine mass-binned luminosity functions in each redshift slice, and derive the star formation rate density (ρSFR) as a function of mass using the [OIII] or [OII] emission lines. We calculate dust extinction and metallicity as a function of stellar mass, and investigate the effect of these corrections on the shape of the overall ρSFR(M).We find that both these corrections are crucial for determining the shape of the ρSFR(M), and its evolution with redshift. The fully corrected ρSFR(M) is a relatively flat distribution, with the normalization moving towards lower values of ρSFR with increasing cosmic time/decreasing redshift, and requiring star formation to be truncated across all masses studied here. The peak of ρSFR(M) is found in the 1010.5 ๏ <1011.0 mass bin at z=1.46. In the lower redshift slices, the location of the peak is less certain; however, low-mass galaxies in the range 107.0 < M๏ < 108.0 play an important part in the overall ρSFR(M) out to at least z ~ 1.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panchromatic spectral energy distribution fitting is a critical tool for determining the physical properties of distant galaxies, such as their stellarmass and star formation rate. Onewidely used method is the publicly available MAGPHYS code. We build on our previous analysis by presenting some modifications which enable MAGPHYS to automatically estimate galaxy star formation histories (SFHs), including uncertainties, based on ultraviolet to far-infrared photometry. We use state-of-the art synthetic photometry derived by performing three-dimensional dust radiative transfer on hydrodynamic simulations of isolated disc and merging galaxies to test how well the modified MAGPHYS is able to recover SFHs under idealized conditions, where the true SFH is known. We find that while the SFH of the model with the best fit to the synthetic photometry is a poor representation of the true SFH (showing large variations with the line of sight to the galaxy and spurious bursts of star formation), median-likelihood SFHs generated by marginalizing over the default MAGPHYS libraries produce robust estimates of the smoothly varying isolated disc simulation SFHs. This preference for the median-likelihood SFH is quantitatively underlined by our estimates of X²SFH (analogous to the X² goodness-of-fit estimator) and ΔM/M (the integrated absolute mass discrepancy between the model and true SFH) that strongly prefer the median-likelihood SFHs over those that best fit the UV-to-far-IR photometry. In contrast, we are unable to derive a good estimate of the SFH for the merger simulations (either best fit or median likelihood) despite being able to obtain a reasonable fit to the simulated photometry, likely because the analytic SFHs with bursts superposed in the standard MAGPHYS library are insufficiently general/realistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporal variability of the human microbiome may be an important factor in determining its relationship with health and disease. In this study, the saliva of 40 participants was collected every 2 months over a one-year period to determine the temporal variability of the human salivary microbiome. Salivary pH and 16S rRNA gene copy number were measured for all participants, with the microbiome of 10 participants assessed through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. In February 2013, 16S rRNA gene copy number was significantly (P < 0.001) higher, with individual changes between time points significant (P = 0.003). Salivary pH levels were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in December 2012 than in October 2012 and February 2013, with significant (P < 0.001) individual variations seen throughout. Bacterial α-diversity showed significant differences between participants (P < 0.001), but not sampling periods (P = 0.801), and a significant positive correlation with salivary pH (R2 = 7.8%; P = 0.019). At the phylum level, significant differences were evident between participants in the Actinobacteria (P < 0.001), Bacteroidetes (P < 0.001), Firmicutes (P = 0.008), Fusobacteria (P < 0.001), Proteobacteria (P < 0.001), Synergistetes (P < 0.001) and Spirochaetes (P = 0.003) phyla. This study charted the temporal variability of the salivary microbiome, suggesting that bacterial diversity is stable, but that 16S rRNA gene copy number may be subject to seasonal flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we present IRAM 30-m telescope observations of a sample of bulge-dominated galaxies with large dust lanes, which have had a recent minor merger. We find these galaxies are very gas rich, with H2 masses between 4 × 108 and 2 × 1010 M☉. We use these molecular gas masses, combined with atomic gas masses from an accompanying paper, to calculate gas-to-dust and gas-to-stellar-mass ratios. The gas-to-dust ratios of our sample objects vary widely (between ≈50 and 750), suggesting many objects have low gas-phase metallicities, and thus that the gas has been accreted through a recent merger with a lower mass companion. We calculate the implied minor companion masses and gas fractions, finding a median predicted stellar mass ratio of ≈40:1. The minor companion likely had masses between ≈107 and 1010 M☉. The implied merger mass ratios are consistent with the expectation for low-redshift gas-rich mergers from simulations. We then go on to present evidence that (no matter which star formation rate indicator is used) our sample objects have very low star formation efficiencies (star formation rate per unit gas mass), lower even than the early-type galaxies from ATLAS3D which already show a suppression. This suggests that minor mergers can actually suppress star formation activity. We discuss mechanisms that could cause such a suppression, include dynamical effects induced by the minor merger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galaxy spectral energy distribution (SED) modelling is a powerful tool, but constraining how well it is able to infer the true values for galaxy properties (e.g. the star formation rate) is difficult because independent determinations are often not available. However, galaxy simulations can provide a means of testing SED modelling techniques. Here, we present a numerical experiment in which we apply the SED modelling code MAGPHYS to ultraviolet-millimetre synthetic photometry generated from hydrodynamical simulations of an isolated disc galaxy and a major galaxy merger by performing three-dimensional dust radiative transfer. We compare the properties inferred from the SED modelling with the true values and find that MAGPHYS recovers most physical parameters of the simulated galaxies well. In particular, it recovers consistent parameters irrespective of the viewing angle, with smoothly varying results for neighbouring time steps of the simulation, even though each viewing angle and time step is modelled independently. The notable exception to this rule occurs when we use a Small Magellanic Cloud-type intrinsic dust extinction curve in the radiative transfer calculations. In this case, the two-component dust model used by MAGPHYS is unable to effectively correct for the attenuation of the simulated galaxies, which leads to potentially significant errors (although we obtain only marginally acceptable fits in this case). Overall, our results give confidence in the ability of SED modelling to infer physical properties of galaxies, albeit with some caveats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African Americans and Latinos are underrepresented in clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to elicit solutions to participation barriers from African Americans and Latinos. Fifty-seven adults (32 African Americans, 25 Latinos) ages 50 years and older participated. The Institute of Medicine's Unequal Treatment conceptual framework was used. Six racially/ ethnically homogenous focus groups were conducted at five sites in three counties. Themes within groups and cross-cutting themes were identified. The NVIVO program was used for data classification. The data were reviewed for final coding and consensus. Shared solutions included addressing costs, recruiting in community contexts, conducting community and individualized patient education, and sharing patient safety information. Participants were unanimously in favor of clinical trials navigation recruitment interventions. Solutions specific to African Americans included diversifying research teams, recognizing past research abuses, and increasing community trust. Solutions specific to Latinos included providing low-literacy materials, providing Spanish-speaking clinicians and advocates, and clarifying that immigration status would neither be documented nor prevent participation. Solutions from African Americans and Latinos reflect their cultural backgrounds and historical experiences. The results suggest the importance of developing a tailored, barriers-focused navigation intervention to improve participation among diverse racial and ethnic populations. , •¦. ¦ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myoclonus dystonia syndrome is a childhood onset hyperkinetic movement disorder characterized by predominant alcohol responsive upper body myoclonus and dystonia. A proportion of cases are due to mutations in the maternally imprinted SGCE gene. Previous studies have suggested that patients with SGCE mutations may have an increased rate of psychiatric disorders. We established a cohort of patients with myoclonus dystonia syndrome and SGCE mutations to determine the extent to which psychiatric disorders form part of the disease phenotype. In all, 89 patients with clinically suspected myoclonus dystonia syndrome were recruited from the UK and Ireland. SGCE was analysed using direct sequencing and for copy number variants. In those patients where no mutation was found TOR1A (GAG deletion), GCH1, THAP1 and NKX2-1 were also sequenced. SGCE mutation positive cases were systematically assessed using standardized psychiatric interviews and questionnaires and compared with a disability-matched control group of patients with alcohol responsive tremor. Nineteen (21%) probands had a SGCE mutation, five of which were novel. Recruitment of family members increased the affected SGCE mutation positive group to 27 of whom 21 (77%) had psychiatric symptoms. Obsessive–compulsive disorder was eight times more likely (P < 0.001) in mutation positive cases, compulsivity being the predominant feature (P < 0.001). Generalized anxiety disorder (P = 0.003) and alcohol dependence (P = 0.02) were five times more likely in mutation positive cases than tremor controls. SGCE mutations are associated with a specific psychiatric phenotype consisting of compulsivity, anxiety and alcoholism in addition to the characteristic motor phenotype. SGCE mutations are likely to have a pleiotropic effect in causing both motor and specific psychiatric symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The role of telomere attrition in limiting the replicative capacity of cells in culture is well established. In humans, epidemiologic evidence suggests telomere length (TL) in leukocytes is highly variable at birth and inversely related to age. Although calorie restriction (CR) significantly increases life span in most rodent models, its association with TL is unknown. Using linear regression analysis, TLs (as measured by Southern blot analysis) of skeletal muscle (a postmitotic tissue that largely represents early development TL), fat, leukocytes, and skin were tested for effects of age, sex, and diet in 48 control and 23 calorie restriction rhesus monkeys. After controlling for the individual's muscle mean TL, differences between leukocytes muscle and skin muscle were significantly associated with age (p = .002; p = .002) and sex (p = .003; p = .042), but not calorie restriction (p = .884; p = .766). Despite an age-dependent shortening of TL in leukocytes and skin, calorie restriction did not significantly affect TL dynamics in these samples. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article examines a curious series of letters between the younger John Donne (1604–1663), son of the famous poet, and Edward, second Viscount Conway and Killultagh (1594–1655), one of the most important book collectors of the seventeenth century. It gives brief biographical sketches of Donne and Conway, including new material about the former. It offers the most sustained survey to date of Donne junior’s activities in the middle of the seventeenth century when, as literary executor of the elder John Donne, he was printing many of his father’s works. By presenting previously unpublished manuscript material and making new arguments about the younger Donne’s printed works, the article attempts to salvage Donne from the common view that he was simply a scoundrel or libertine. The article includes full transcripts of four autograph Donne letters not previously printed, partial transcripts of two such letters, and extracts from other documents that help explicate Donne’s role as an agent, a newsgatherer and a supplicant for patronage. Donne’s position as Conway’s client, circulating manuscripts, books and luxury goods, helps explain the workings of late Renaissance patronage and gift-culture. Donne was also a witty coterie poet; the article presents new evidence about the circumstances surrounding the publication of William Davenant’s Gondibert, and the reaction it caused among John Denham’s circle. Finally, using apparently innocuous comments about birds, doctors and court gossip, the article explores the possibility that Donne played a role in the circulation of intelligence among Cavalier social circles during the Civil War. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many rodent experiments have assessed effects of diets, drugs, genes, and other factors on life span. A challenge with such experiments is their long duration, typically over 3.5 years given rodent life spans, thus requiring significant time costs until answers are obtained. We collected longevity data from 15 rodent studies and artificially truncated them at 2 years to assess the extent to which one will obtain the same answer regarding mortality effects. When truncated, the point estimates were not significantly different in any study, implying that in most cases, truncated studies yield similar estimates. The median ratio of variances of coefficients for truncated to full-length studies was 3.4, implying that truncated studies with roughly 3.4 times as many rodents will often have equivalent or greater power. Cost calculations suggest that shorter studies will be more expensive but perhaps not so much to not be worth the reduced time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]