Radboud University Nijmegen

About: Radboud University Nijmegen is a education organization based out in Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Randomized controlled trial. The organization has 35417 authors who have published 83035 publications receiving 3285064 citations. The organization is also known as: Catholic University of Nijmegen & Radboud University.

The effects of air‐borne nitrogen pollutants on species diversity in natural and semi‐natural European vegetation

Abstract: Summary The effects of increased atmospheric nitrogen inputs, from both NOy and NHx, on diversity in various semi-natural and natural ecosystems are reviewed The severity of these impacts depends on abiotic conditions (eg buffering capacity, soil nutrient status and soil factors that influence the nitrification potential and nitrogen immobilization rate) in the particular system The sensitivity of fresh water ecosystems, wetlands and bogs, species-rich grasslands, heathlands and field layer of forests, all of which have conservational value, are discussed in detail The most important effects of nitrogen deposition are: (i) accumulation of nitrogenous compounds resulting in enhanced availability of nitrate or ammonium; (ii) soil-mediated effects of acidification; and (iii) increased susceptibility to secondary stress factors Long-term nitrogen enrichment has gradually increased the availability of nitrogen in several vegetation types, leading to competitive exclusion of characteristic species by more nitrophilic plants, especially under oligo- to mesotrophic soil conditions Soil acidification (with losses of buffering capacity and increased concentrations of toxic metals) is especially important after nitrification of ammonium in weakly buffered environments: acid-resistant plant species then become dominant at the expense of the often rare plants typical of intermediate pH The related change in the balance between ammonium and nitrate may also affect the performance of several species The susceptibility of plant species to secondary stress factors (pathogens; frost and drought) may be affected by air-borne nitrogen but data are only available for a few communities (eg dry heathlands) Most global biodiversity is contained within natural and semi-natural vegetation It is thus crucial to control emissions of nitrogenous compounds to the atmosphere, in order to reduce or prevent effects on diversity in these systems Most research has focused on acidification in forestry stands and lakes and on the effects on trees We highlight serious gaps in knowledge of other ecosystems

GW190425: Observation of a Compact Binary Coalescence with Total Mass ∼ 3.4 M O

Abstract: On 2019 April 25, the LIGO Livingston detector observed a compact binary coalescence with signal-to-noise ratio 12.9. The Virgo detector was also taking data that did not contribute to detection due to a low signal-to-noise ratio, but were used for subsequent parameter estimation. The 90% credible intervals for the component masses range from to if we restrict the dimensionless component spin magnitudes to be smaller than 0.05). These mass parameters are consistent with the individual binary components being neutron stars. However, both the source-frame chirp mass and the total mass of this system are significantly larger than those of any other known binary neutron star (BNS) system. The possibility that one or both binary components of the system are black holes cannot be ruled out from gravitational-wave data. We discuss possible origins of the system based on its inconsistency with the known Galactic BNS population. Under the assumption that the signal was produced by a BNS coalescence, the local rate of neutron star mergers is updated to 250-2810.

Epigenetic programming of monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and trained innate immunity

Abstract: Monocyte differentiation into macrophages represents a cornerstone process for host defense. Concomitantly, immunological imprinting of either tolerance or trained immunity determines the functional fate of macrophages and susceptibility to secondary infections. We characterized the transcriptomes and epigenomes in four primary cell types: monocytes and in vitro-differentiated naive, tolerized, and trained macrophages. Inflammatory and metabolic pathways were modulated in macrophages, including decreased inflammasome activation, and we identified pathways functionally implicated in trained immunity. β-glucan training elicits an exclusive epigenetic signature, revealing a complex network of enhancers and promoters. Analysis of transcription factor motifs in deoxyribonuclease I hypersensitive sites at cell-type-specific epigenetic loci unveiled differentiation and treatment-specific repertoires. Altogether, we provide a resource to understand the epigenetic changes that underlie innate immunity in humans.