64 research outputs found
Nine differentially expressed genes from a post mortem study and their association with suicidal status in a sample of suicide completers, attempters and controls
No full textSeveral lines of evidence indicate that suicidal behaviour is partly heritable, with multiple genes implicated in its aetiology. We focused on nine genes (S100A13, EFEMP1, PCDHB5, PDGFRB, CDCA7L, SCN2B, PTPRR, MLC1 and ZFP36) which we previously detected as differentially expressed in the cortex of suicide victims compared to controls. We investigated 84 variants within these genes in 495 suicidal subjects (299 completers and 196 attempters) and 1513 controls (109 post-mortem and 1404 healthy). We evaluated associations with: 1) suicidal phenotype; 2) possible endophenotypes for suicidal behaviour. Overall positive results did not survive the correction threshold. However, we found a nominally different distribution of EFEMP1 genotypes, alleles and haplotypes between suicidal subjects and controls, results that were partially replicated when we separately considered the subgroup of suicide completers and post-mortem controls. A weaker association emerged also for PTPRR. Both EFEMP1 and PTPRR genes were also related to possible endophenotypes for suicidal behaviour such as anger, depression-anxiety and fatigue. Because of the large number of analyses performed and the low significance values further replication are mandatory. Nevertheless, neurotrophic gene variants, in particular EFEMP1 and PTPRR, may have a role in the pathogenesis of suicidal behaviour
UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) PoS(EXPReS09)018 Correlated radio/X-ray behaviour of Cyg X-3 * PoS(EXPReS09)018 PoS(EXPReS09)018
No full textCorrelated radio/X-ray behaviour of Cyg X-3 Tudose, V.M.; Miller Jones, J.C.A.; Fender, R.P.; Paragi, Z.; Sakari, C.; Szostek, A.; Garrett, M.; Dhawan, V.; Rushton, A.; Spencer, R.; van der Klis, M.B.M. Published in: Proceedings of Science Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Tudose, V., Miller-Jones, J., Fender, R., Paragi, Z., Sakari, C., Szostek, A., ... van der Klis, M. (2009). Correlated radio/X-ray behaviour of Cyg X-3. Proceedings of Science, 82, 018. General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. PoS(EXPReS09)018 In order to test the recently proposed classification of the radio/X-ray states of the X-ray binary Cyg X-3, we present an analysis of the radio data available for the system at much higher spatial resolutions than used for defining the states. The radio data set consists of archival VLBA data at 5 and 15 GHz and new e-EVN data at 5 GHz. In the X-ray regime we use data that are quasi-simultaneous with radio, monitoring and pointed RXTE observations. We find that when the radio emission from both jet and core is globally considered, the behaviour of Cyg X-3 at milliarcsecond scales is consistent with that described at arcsecond scales. However, when the radio emission is disentangled in a core component and a jet component the situation changes. It becomes clear that in active states the radio emission from the jet is dominating that from the core. This shows that in these states the overall radio flux cannot be used as a direct tracer of the accretion state
Multi-scale Radio and X-Ray Structure of the High-redshift Quasar PMN J0909+0354
No full textThe high-redshift quasar PMN J0909+0354 (z = 3.288) is known to have a parsec-scale compact jet structure, based on global 5 GHz very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations performed in 1992. Its kiloparsec-scale structure was studied with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in the radio and the Chandra space telescope in X-rays. Apart from the north-northwestern jet component seen in both the VLA and Chandra images at 2.″3 separation from the core, there is another X-ray feature at 6.″48 in the northeastern (NE) direction. To uncover more details and possible structural changes in the inner jet, we conducted new observations at 5 GHz using the European VLBI Network in 2019. These data confirm the northward direction of the one-sided inner jet already suspected from the 1992 observations. A compact core and multiple jet components were identified that can be traced up to ∼0.25 kpc projected distance toward the north, where the structure becomes more and more diffuse. A comparison with arcsecond-resolution imaging with the VLA shows that the radio jet bends by ∼30 between the two scales. The direction of the parsec-scale jet as well as the faint optical counterpart found for the newly detected X-ray point source (NE) favors the nature of the latter as being a background or foreground object in the field of view. However, the extended (∼160 kpc) emission around the positions of the quasar core and NE detected by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer in the mid-infrared might suggest a physical interaction of the two objects. Accepted Author ManuscriptsAstrodynamics & Space Mission
Very long baseline interferometry with the SKA
No full textAdding VLBI capability to the SKA arrays will greatly broaden the science of the SKA, and is feasible within the current specifications. SKA-VLBI can be initially implemented by providing phased-array outputs for SKA1-MID and SKA1-SUR and using these extremely sensitive stations with other radio telescopes, and in SKA2 by realising a distributed configuration providing baselines up to thousands of km, merging it with existing VLBI networks. The motivation for and the possible realization of SKA-VLBI is described in this paper.Space EngineeringAerospace Engineerin
Correlation between Antibiotic Consumption and Resistance of Invasive <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>
No full textThere is a lack of long-term studies that correlate different metrics of antibiotic consumption and resistance of invasive S. pneumoniae. The present study aims to investigate the correlation between national outpatients total antibiotic, penicillin and broad spectrum penicillins consumption expressed in daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID) with the ATC/DDDs, WHO version of 2019 (new version) and 2018 (old version), number of prescriptions per 1000 inhabitants per year (RxIDs) and number of packages per 1000 inhabitant per day (PIDs) with the resistance of invasive S. pneumoniae in Slovenia in the period from 2000 to 2018. The prevalence of penicillin resistance of invasive S. pneumoniae decreased by 47.13%, from 19.1% to 10.1%. Decline of resistance showed the highest correlation (R = 0.86) between RxIDs followed by PID (R = 0.85) and resistance of S. pneumoniae. Higher correlation between total use of antibiotics expressed in DID WHO version 2019 (R = 0.80) than for WHO version 2018 (R = 0.78) was found. Very high (R = 0.84) correlation between use of β-lactams expressed in PID, and RxIDs (R = 0.82) and reasonable (R = 0.59) correlation expressed in DIDs version 2019 was shown as well. The consumption of broad -spectrum penicillins (J01CA and J01CR02) expressed in PID (R = 0.72) and RxIDs (0.57) correlated significantly with the resistance of S. pneumoniae as well. A new finding of this study is that RxIDs correlated better with the resistance of S. pneumoniae than total consumption of antibiotics expressed in DID and significant correlations exist between use of broad-spectrum penicillins expressed in PID and RxIDs
Into the central 10 pc of the most distant known radio quasar
No full textThere are about 60 quasars known at redshifts z > 5.7 to date. Only three of them are detected in the radio above 1 mJy flux density at 1.4 GHz frequency. Among them, J1429+5447 (z = 6.21) is the highest-redshift radio quasar known at present. These rare, distant, and powerful objects provide important insight into the activity of the supermassive black holes in the Universe at early cosmological epochs and into the physical conditions of their environment. Aims. We studied the compact radio structure of J1429+5447 on the milli-arcsecond (mas) angular scale to compare the structural and spectral properties with those of another two z ? 6 radio-loud quasars, J0836+0054 (z = 5.77) and J1427+3312 (z = 6.12). Methods. We performed Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) imaging observations of J1429+5447 with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 1.6 GHz on 2010 June 8, and at 5 GHz on 2010 May 27. Results. Based on its observed radio properties, the compact but somewhat resolved structure on linear scales of 6.Space EngineeringAerospace Engineerin
J1026+2542: Proper motion in a blazar jet at z=5.27
No full textThe radio-loud AGN J1026+2542 has recently been classified as the second most distant blazar, based on its broad-band spectral energy distribution and X-ray spectrum. The source with a prominent one-sided jet extending to at least ?20 mas was earlier observed with the VLBA at 5 GHz in January 2006. With our new EVN observation (May 2013), we detected the displacement and directly measured the apparent proper motion of the jet components, for the first time at such a high redshift. The 1.6-GHz EVN observation provided additional information on the extent and the spectral properties of the jet. The VLBI results are consistent with the picture in which J1026+2542 has its jet oriented close to the line of sight, with significant Doppler boosting and a large bulk Lorentz factor.Space EngineeringAerospace Engineerin
Nasopharyngeal carriage of <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> and serotypes indentified among nursing home residents in comparison to the elderly and patients younger than 65 years living in domestic environment
No full textAbstract
Introduction
In Slovenia, there is little data available on pneumococcal vaccination rates and no data on asymptomatic NPCR and serotypes in the population of nursing home residents in comparison to the elderly living in domestic environment, therefore the goal was to gain these data.
Methods
A cross sectional epidemiological study was performed. Nasopharyngeal swabs from 151 nursing home residents, 150 elderly living in domestic environment, and 38 adults less than 65 years old were collected twice (in two consecutive years). The swabs were analysed for pneumococcal identification and serotyping. Patient data were collected from medical files and medical history.
Results
No statistically significant differences in NPCR were seen between compared groups in two consecutive years. An average NPCR in two consecutive years in nursing home residents was 1.45%, in the elderly living in domestic environment 0.85%, and in adults less than 65 years old 7.05%. Serotypes identified among nursing home residents were 6B and 9N, among the group of elderly living in domestic environment, 6A and among adults less than 65 years old, 35F, 18C and 3. Pneumococcal vaccination rates were low (3.3% in nursing home residents, 6% in the elderly from domestic environment and 0% in the group of adults less than 65 years old).
Conclusions
Our data suggests that NPCR and the proportion of people vaccinated with pneumococcal vaccine among the elderly are low. We identified different serotypes in all groups, only one person was a chronic carrier (serotype 35F).
</jats:sec
Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from human samples in Slovenia
No full textBACKGROUND
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or
Vero cytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) are
characterised by the ability to produce either one
or both cytotoxins referred to as Shiga toxin 1
(Stx1) and Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2). VTEC infection
may result in life-threatening conditions such as
haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and thrombotic
thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Due to
different methods of monitoring and identification
of these bacteria in recent years, the existing
data on reported cases of VTEC infections probably
do not reflect reality. Our study of VTEC
strains isolated in different regions of Slovenia,
showed serogroups, major virulence factors and
specific epidemiological data that can serve as a
basis for further laboratory and epidemiological
surveillance of VTEC infections.
METHODS
A total of 66 VTEC strains, isolated
from stool samples of patients with diarrhoea
from the year 1993 to 2009, were collected at
NIPH (National Institute of Public Health). The
data of patient’s age and gender, onset of illness
and clinical manifestation of disease were gathered.
The serogroups of isolated strains were
determined with antisera following manufacturer’s
instructions. The ability to produce verocytotoxins
was tested using the reversed passive
latex agglutination method. The presence
of genes for intimin (eae), enterohaemolysin
(ehxA) and verotoxins (vtx1 and vtx2) were determined
by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
RESULTS
Infection with VTEC was encountered
throughout the year, but most people were ill
in the summer and autumn months. More than
half of patients (57.6 %) were younger than five
years. Collected VTEC strains belonged to serogroups
O17, O26, O91, O103, O111, O113, O126,
O128, O145, O148 and O157 (the most frequent
were O157 and O26). A high percentage of VTEC strains showed the presence of intimin (86.4 %)
and enterohaemolysin (86.4 %) genes. The gene
for vtx1 was found in 22.7 % of strains, the vtx2 in
57.6 % of strains, while the presence of both genes
was determined in 19.7 % of strains. The presence
of the vtx2 gene was determined in all strains associated
with HUS and TTP, most of them possessed
the eae and ehxA genes too. These patients
were mostly older people and young children.
CONCLUSIONS
Most infections with VTEC occurred
in the warmer months of the year, most
patient were small children. The severity of
VTEC infection is determined by several factors
such as the E. coli serogroup, the type of Shiga
toxin produced and presence of other virulence
genes. The most common serogroups among the
study strains were O157 and O26. VTEC O26 has
been the most commonly isolated serogroup in
recent years, nevertheless more and more different
serological groups began to emerge. In all
strains associated with HUS and TTP, the vtx2
gene was determined. Further typing of verocytotoxin
encoding genes will contribute to assess
the risk for complications with VTEC infection.
The study provides insights about the age of the
patients, seasonal distribution of disease, serogroups
and genotypes of the agent
Structural and spectral properties of Galactic plane variable radio sources
No full textIn the time domain, the radio sky in particular along the Galactic plane direction may vary significantly because of various energetic activities associated with stars, stellar, and supermassive black holes. Multi-epoch Very Large Array surveys of the Galactic plane at 5.0 GHz enabled the finding of a catalogue of 39 variable radio sources in the flux density range 1-70 mJy. To probe their radio structures and spectra, we observed 17 sources with the very-long-baseline interferometric (VLBI) imaging technique and collected additional multifrequency data from the literature. We detected all of the sources at 5 GHz with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, but only G23.6644-0.0372 with the European VLBI Network (EVN). Together with its decadal variability and multifrequency radio spectrum, we interpret it as an extragalactic peaked-spectrum source with a size of less than or similar to 10 pc. The remaining sources were resolved out by the long baselines of the EVN because of either strong scatter broadening at the Galactic latitude < 1 degrees or intrinsically very extended structures on centi-arcsec scales. According to their spectral and structural properties, we find that the sample has a diverse nature. We notice two young H ii regions and spot a radio star and a candidate planetary nebula. The rest of the sources are very likely associated with radio active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Two of them also display arcsec-scale faint jet activity. The sample study indicates that AGNs are common place even among variable radio sources in the Galactic plane
- …
