Showing papers by "University of Arizona published in 2021"
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Daniel J. Klionsky1, Amal Kamal Abdel-Aziz2, Sara Abdelfatah3, Mahmoud Abdellatif4 +2980 more•Institutions (777)
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes.
Abstract: In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.
1,129 citations
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Daniel Taliun1, Daniel N. Harris2, Michael D. Kessler2, Jedidiah Carlson3 +202 more•Institutions (61)
TL;DR: The Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) project as discussed by the authors aims to elucidate the genetic architecture and biology of heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders, with the ultimate goal of improving diagnosis, treatment and prevention of these diseases.
Abstract: The Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) programme seeks to elucidate the genetic architecture and biology of heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders, with the ultimate goal of improving diagnosis, treatment and prevention of these diseases The initial phases of the programme focused on whole-genome sequencing of individuals with rich phenotypic data and diverse backgrounds Here we describe the TOPMed goals and design as well as the available resources and early insights obtained from the sequence data The resources include a variant browser, a genotype imputation server, and genomic and phenotypic data that are available through dbGaP (Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes)1 In the first 53,831 TOPMed samples, we detected more than 400 million single-nucleotide and insertion or deletion variants after alignment with the reference genome Additional previously undescribed variants were detected through assembly of unmapped reads and customized analysis in highly variable loci Among the more than 400 million detected variants, 97% have frequencies of less than 1% and 46% are singletons that are present in only one individual (53% among unrelated individuals) These rare variants provide insights into mutational processes and recent human evolutionary history The extensive catalogue of genetic variation in TOPMed studies provides unique opportunities for exploring the contributions of rare and noncoding sequence variants to phenotypic variation Furthermore, combining TOPMed haplotypes with modern imputation methods improves the power and reach of genome-wide association studies to include variants down to a frequency of approximately 001% The goals, resources and design of the NHLBI Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) programme are described, and analyses of rare variants detected in the first 53,831 samples provide insights into mutational processes and recent human evolutionary history
801 citations
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National Institutes of Health1, University of Cambridge2, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute3, Rockefeller University4, University of California, Davis5, Leibniz Association6, Seoul National University7, University of Southern California8, European Bioinformatics Institute9, Max Planck Society10, Dresden University of Technology11, Radboud University Nijmegen12, University of St Andrews13, University of Massachusetts Amherst14, University of Adelaide15, University of Missouri16, East Carolina University17, University of Queensland18, Clemson University19, University of Otago20, University of Arizona21, Natural History Museum22, Bangor University23, University of Konstanz24, Harvard University25, Northeastern University26, National Museum of Natural History27, University of Antwerp28, University of Graz29, University of Florida30, University of Basel31, University of California, Santa Cruz32, Zoological Society of San Diego33, Pacific Biosciences34, Pompeu Fabra University35, University of Maryland, College Park36, Harbin Institute of Technology37, University of Chicago38, Oregon Health & Science University39, Qatar Airways40, Monash University Malaysia Campus41, University of Milan42, Goethe University Frankfurt43, Pennsylvania State University44, University of Los Andes45, University of Copenhagen46, Norwegian University of Science and Technology47, Agency for Science, Technology and Research48, Royal Ontario Museum49, Smithsonian Institution50, Howard Hughes Medical Institute51, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research52, University of East Anglia53, University College Dublin54, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign55, La Trobe University56, University of California, San Diego57, Nova Southeastern University58
TL;DR: The Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP) as mentioned in this paper is an international effort to generate high quality, complete reference genomes for all of the roughly 70,000 extant vertebrate species and to help to enable a new era of discovery across the life sciences.
Abstract: High-quality and complete reference genome assemblies are fundamental for the application of genomics to biology, disease, and biodiversity conservation. However, such assemblies are available for only a few non-microbial species1-4. To address this issue, the international Genome 10K (G10K) consortium5,6 has worked over a five-year period to evaluate and develop cost-effective methods for assembling highly accurate and nearly complete reference genomes. Here we present lessons learned from generating assemblies for 16 species that represent six major vertebrate lineages. We confirm that long-read sequencing technologies are essential for maximizing genome quality, and that unresolved complex repeats and haplotype heterozygosity are major sources of assembly error when not handled correctly. Our assemblies correct substantial errors, add missing sequence in some of the best historical reference genomes, and reveal biological discoveries. These include the identification of many false gene duplications, increases in gene sizes, chromosome rearrangements that are specific to lineages, a repeated independent chromosome breakpoint in bat genomes, and a canonical GC-rich pattern in protein-coding genes and their regulatory regions. Adopting these lessons, we have embarked on the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP), an international effort to generate high-quality, complete reference genomes for all of the roughly 70,000 extant vertebrate species and to help to enable a new era of discovery across the life sciences.
647 citations
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TL;DR: The benefits of these vaccines for preventing asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection, particularly when administered in real-world conditions, is less well understood as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Messenger RNA (mRNA) BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in randomized placebo-controlled Phase III trials (1,2); however, the benefits of these vaccines for preventing asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection, particularly when administered in real-world conditions, is less well understood Using prospective cohorts of health care personnel, first responders, and other essential and frontline workers* in eight US locations during December 14, 2020-March 13, 2021, CDC routinely tested for SARS-CoV-2 infections every week regardless of symptom status and at the onset of symptoms consistent with COVID-19-associated illness Among 3,950 participants with no previous laboratory documentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, 2,479 (628%) received both recommended mRNA doses and 477 (121%) received only one dose of mRNA vaccine† Among unvaccinated participants, 138 SARS-CoV-2 infections were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) per 1,000 person-days§ In contrast, among fully immunized (≥14 days after second dose) persons, 004 infections per 1,000 person-days were reported, and among partially immunized (≥14 days after first dose and before second dose) persons, 019 infections per 1,000 person-days were reported Estimated mRNA vaccine effectiveness for prevention of infection, adjusted for study site, was 90% for full immunization and 80% for partial immunization These findings indicate that authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are effective for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of symptom status, among working-age adults in real-world conditions COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all eligible persons
576 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the population of 47 compact binary mergers detected with a false-alarm rate of 0.614 were dynamically assembled, and the authors found that the BBH rate likely increases with redshift, but not faster than the star formation rate.
Abstract: We report on the population of 47 compact binary mergers detected with a false-alarm rate of 0.01 are dynamically assembled. Third, we estimate merger rates, finding RBBH = 23.9-+8.614.3 Gpc-3 yr-1 for BBHs and RBNS = 320-+240490 Gpc-3 yr-1 for binary neutron stars. We find that the BBH rate likely increases with redshift (85% credibility) but not faster than the star formation rate (86% credibility). Additionally, we examine recent exceptional events in the context of our population models, finding that the asymmetric masses of GW190412 and the high component masses of GW190521 are consistent with our models, but the low secondary mass of GW190814 makes it an outlier.
468 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors reported the observation of gravitational waves from two compact binary coalescences in LIGO's and Virgo's third observing run with properties consistent with neutron star-black hole (NSBH) binaries.
Abstract: We report the observation of gravitational waves from two compact binary coalescences in LIGO’s and Virgo’s third observing run with properties consistent with neutron star–black hole (NSBH) binaries. The two events are named GW200105_162426 and GW200115_042309, abbreviated as GW200105 and GW200115; the first was observed by LIGO Livingston and Virgo and the second by all three LIGO–Virgo detectors. The source of GW200105 has component masses 8.9−1.5+1.2 and 1.9−0.2+0.3M⊙ , whereas the source of GW200115 has component masses 5.7−2.1+1.8 and 1.5−0.3+0.7M⊙ (all measurements quoted at the 90% credible level). The probability that the secondary’s mass is below the maximal mass of a neutron star is 89%–96% and 87%–98%, respectively, for GW200105 and GW200115, with the ranges arising from different astrophysical assumptions. The source luminosity distances are 280−110+110 and 300−100+150Mpc , respectively. The magnitude of the primary spin of GW200105 is less than 0.23 at the 90% credible level, and its orientation is unconstrained. For GW200115, the primary spin has a negative spin projection onto the orbital angular momentum at 88% probability. We are unable to constrain the spin or tidal deformation of the secondary component for either event. We infer an NSBH merger rate density of 45−33+75Gpc−3yr−1 when assuming that GW200105 and GW200115 are representative of the NSBH population or 130−69+112Gpc−3yr−1 under the assumption of a broader distribution of component masses.
374 citations
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University of Manchester1, City University of New York2, Istanbul Technical University3, New York University4, Heidelberg University5, Niels Bohr Institute6, University of Edinburgh7, University of Bologna8, Academy of Athens9, Sapienza University of Rome10, University of Naples Federico II11, Stanford University12, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris13, University of Portsmouth14, Cardiff University15, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo16, University of Michigan17, Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics18, University of New Mexico19, University of Barcelona20, University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)21, Princeton University22, National Autonomous University of Mexico23, California Institute of Technology24, INAF25, University of Chicago26, Michigan Technological University27, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory28, University of Cambridge29, Imperial College London30, Ruhr University Bochum31, University of Oxford32, University of Waterloo33, Johns Hopkins University34, University of Pennsylvania35, University of California, Davis36, Birla Institute of Technology and Science37, RWTH Aachen University38, Université libre de Bruxelles39, University of Padua40, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur41, Spanish National Research Council42, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill43, University of Arizona44, University of Oslo45, Jamia Millia Islamia46, University of Southern Denmark47, National Institute for Space Research48, Fermilab49, Presidency University, Kolkata50, Université Paris-Saclay51, University of Montpellier52, University of Szczecin53, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute54, University of California, Los Angeles55, University of Paris56, Leiden University57, Swarthmore College58, University of Sheffield59, University of Amsterdam60, United College, Winnipeg61, Liaoning Normal University62
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the 4.4σ tension between the Planck estimate of the Hubble constant H0 and the SH0ES collaboration measurements and discuss how the next decade's experiments will be crucial.
322 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the effectiveness of the two-dose messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) was evaluated.
Abstract: Background Information is limited regarding the effectiveness of the two-dose messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) in preventing infection with ...
321 citations
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University of Utah1, University of Colorado Denver2, Oregon Health & Science University3, Harvard University4, University of California, San Diego5, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston6, Medical College of Wisconsin7, Medical University of South Carolina8, Northwestern University9, Emory University10, University of Pennsylvania11, University of São Paulo12, Sun Yat-sen University13, Ghent University14, Karolinska Institutet15, University of Chicago16, Rush University Medical Center17, University of Barcelona18, University of California, Los Angeles19, Vanderbilt University20, University of Arizona21, University of Kansas22, Université de Montréal23, University of Auckland24, Rutgers University25, University of Amsterdam26, Columbia University27, Eastern Virginia Medical School28, University of New South Wales29, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven30, Guy's Hospital31, Stanford University32, University of British Columbia33, Mayo Clinic34, Johns Hopkins University35, Korea University36, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences37, Jikei University School of Medicine38, University of Washington39, University of Siena40, University of East Anglia41, University of Adelaide42, Pusan National University43, University of Calgary44, University of Cincinnati45, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill46, Cleveland Clinic47, University of Winnipeg48, Chulalongkorn University49, Cornell University50, National University of Singapore51, University of Alabama at Birmingham52, University of Alberta53, Capital Medical University54
TL;DR: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in the understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease.
Abstract: I. Executive summary BACKGROUND: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR-RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR-RS-2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence-based findings of the document. Methods ICAR-RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence-based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence-based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results ICAR-RS-2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence-based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion This ICAR-RS-2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence-based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS.
299 citations
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Kazunori Akiyama1, Kazunori Akiyama2, Kazunori Akiyama3, Juan-Carlos Algaba4 +291 more•Institutions (72)
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a list of authors who have contributed to the work of the authors of this paper: Akiyama, Kazunori; Algaba, Juan Carlos; Alberdi, Antxon; Alef, Walter; Anantua, Richard; Asada, Keiichi; Azulay, Rebecca; Baczko, Anne-Kathrin; Ball, David; Balokovic, Mislav; Barrett, John; Benson, Bradford A.; Bintley, Dan; Blackburn, Lindy; Blundell
Abstract: Full list of authors: Akiyama, Kazunori; Algaba, Juan Carlos; Alberdi, Antxon; Alef, Walter; Anantua, Richard; Asada, Keiichi; Azulay, Rebecca; Baczko, Anne-Kathrin; Ball, David; Balokovic, Mislav; Barrett, John; Benson, Bradford A.; Bintley, Dan; Blackburn, Lindy; Blundell, Raymond; Boland, Wilfred; Bouman, Katherine L.; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Boyce, Hope Bremer, Michael; Brinkerink, Christiaan D.; Brissenden, Roger; Britzen, Silke; Broderick, Avery E.; Broguiere, Dominique; Bronzwaer, Thomas; Byun, Do-Young; Carlstrom, John E.; Chael, Andrew; Chan, Chi-kwan; Chatterjee, Shami; Chatterjee, Koushik; Chen, Ming-Tang; Chen, Yongjun; Chesler, Paul M.; Cho, Ilje; Christian, Pierre; Conway, John E.; Cordes, James M.; Crawford, Thomas M.; Crew, Geoffrey B.; Cruz-Osorio, Alejandro; Cui, Yuzhu; Davelaar, Jordy; De Laurentis, Mariafelicia; Deane, Roger; Dempsey, Jessica; Desvignes, Gregory; Dexter, Jason; Doeleman, Sheperd S.; Eatough, Ralph P.; Falcke, Heino; Farah, Joseph; Fish, Vincent L.; Fomalont, Ed; Ford, H. Alyson; Fraga-Encinas, Raquel; Friberg, Per; Fromm, Christian M.; Fuentes, Antonio; Galison, Peter; Gammie, Charles F.; Garcia, Roberto; Gelles, Zachary; Gentaz, Olivier; Georgiev, Boris; Goddi, Ciriaco; Gold, Roman; Gomez, Jose L.; Gomez-Ruiz, Arturo I.; Gu, Minfeng; Gurwell, Mark; Hada, Kazuhiro; Haggard, Daryl; Hecht, Michael H.; Hesper, Ronald; Himwich, Elizabeth; Ho, Luis C.; Ho, Paul; Honma, Mareki; Huang, Chih-Wei L.; Huang, Lei; Hughes, David H.; Ikeda, Shiro; Inoue, Makoto; Issaoun, Sara; James, David J.; Jannuzi, Buell T.; Janssen, Michael; Jeter, Britton; Jiang, Wu; Jimenez-Rosales, Alejandra; Johnson, Michael D.; Jorstad, Svetlana; Jung, Taehyun; Karami, Mansour; Karuppusamy, Ramesh; Kawashima, Tomohisa; Keating, Garrett K.; Kettenis, Mark; Kim, Dong-Jin; Kim, Jae-Young; Kim, Jongsoo; Kim, Junhan; Kino, Motoki; Koay, Jun Yi; Kofuji, Yutaro; Koch, Patrick M.; Koyama, Shoko; Kramer, Michael; Kramer, Carsten; Krichbaum, Thomas P.; Kuo, Cheng-Yu; Lauer, Tod R.; Lee, Sang-Sung; Levis, Aviad; Li, Yan-Rong; Li, Zhiyuan; Lindqvist, Michael; Lico, Rocco; Lindahl, Greg; Liu, Jun; Liu, Kuo; Liuzzo, Elisabetta; Lo, Wen-Ping; Lobanov, Andrei P.; Loinard, Laurent; Lonsdale, Colin; Lu, Ru-Sen; MacDonald, Nicholas R.; Mao, Jirong; Marchili, Nicola; Markoff, Sera; Marrone, Daniel P.; Marscher, Alan P.; Marti-Vidal, Ivan; Matsushita, Satoki; Matthews, Lynn D.; Medeiros, Lia; Menten, Karl M.; Mizuno, Izumi; Mizuno, Yosuke; Moran, James M.; Moriyama, Kotaro; Moscibrodzka, Monika; Muller, Cornelia; Musoke, Gibwa; Mus Mejias, Alejandro; Michalik, Daniel; Nadolski, Andrew; Nagai, Hiroshi; Nagar, Neil M.; Nakamura, Masanori; Narayan, Ramesh; Narayanan, Gopal; Natarajan, Iniyan; Nathanail, Antonios; Neilsen, Joey; Neri, Roberto; Ni, Chunchong; Noutsos, Aristeidis; Nowak, Michael A.; Okino, Hiroki; Olivares, Hector; Ortiz-Leon, Gisela N.; Oyama, Tomoaki; Ozel, Feryal; Palumbo, Daniel C. M.; Park, Jongho; Patel, Nimesh; Pen, Ue-Li; Pesce, Dominic W.; Pietu, Vincent; Plambeck, Richard; PopStefanija, Aleksandar; Porth, Oliver; Potzl, Felix M.; Prather, Ben; Preciado-Lopez, Jorge A.; Psaltis, Dimitrios; Pu, Hung-Yi; Ramakrishnan, Venkatessh; Rao, Ramprasad; Rawlings, Mark G.; Raymond, Alexander W.; Rezzolla, Luciano; Ricarte, Angelo; Ripperda, Bart; Roelofs, Freek; Rogers, Alan; Ros, Eduardo; Rose, Mel; Roshanineshat, Arash; Rottmann, Helge; Roy, Alan L.; Ruszczyk, Chet; Rygl, Kazi L. J.; Sanchez, Salvador; Sanchez-Arguelles, David; Sasada, Mahito; Savolainen, Tuomas; Schloerb, F. Peter; Schuster, Karl-Friedrich; Shao, Lijing; Shen, Zhiqiang; Small, Des; Sohn, Bong Won; SooHoo, Jason; Sun, He; Tazaki, Fumie; Tetarenko, Alexandra J.; Tiede, Paul; Tilanus, Remo P. J.; Titus, Michael; Toma, Kenji; Torne, Pablo; Trent, Tyler; Traianou, Efthalia; Trippe, Sascha; van Bemmel, Ilse; van Langevelde, Huib Jan; van Rossum, Daniel R.; Wagner, Jan; Ward-Thompson, Derek; Wardle, John; Weintroub, Jonathan; Wex, Norbert; Wharton, Robert; Wielgus, Maciek; Wong, George N.; Wu, Qingwen; Yoon, Doosoo; Young, Andre; Young, Ken; Younsi, Ziri; Yuan, Feng; Yuan, Ye-Fei; Zensus, J. Anton; Zhao, Guang-Yao; Zhao, Shan-Shan; Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.-- This is an open access article, original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
294 citations
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01 Jan 2021
TL;DR: In this paper, a multiscale channel attention module is proposed to better fuse features of inconsistent semantics and scales, which addresses issues that arise when fusing features given at different scales.
Abstract: Feature fusion, the combination of features from different layers or branches, is an omnipresent part of modern network architectures. It is often implemented via simple operations, such as summation or concatenation, but this might not be the best choice. In this work, we propose a uniform and general scheme, namely attentional feature fusion, which is applicable for most common scenarios, including feature fusion induced by short and long skip connections as well as within Inception layers. To better fuse features of inconsistent semantics and scales, we propose a multiscale channel attention module, which addresses issues that arise when fusing features given at different scales. We also demonstrate that the initial integration of feature maps can become a bottleneck and that this issue can be alleviated by adding another level of attention, which we refer to as iterative attentional feature fusion. With fewer layers or parameters, our models outperform state-of-the-art networks on both CIFAR-100 and ImageNet datasets, which suggests that more sophisticated attention mechanisms for feature fusion hold great potential to consistently yield better results compared to their direct counterparts. Our codes and trained models are available online1.
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University of Sydney1, University of Utah2, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization3, University of Glasgow4, University of California, Berkeley5, University of California, San Diego6, University of California, Davis7, Imperial College London8, Pennsylvania State University9, University of Melbourne10, Wellcome Trust11, University of Otago12, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University13, Texas A&M University14, King's College London15, Medical University of Vienna16, University of Pennsylvania17, University of Arizona18, Scripps Research Institute19, Tulane University20, University of Edinburgh21
TL;DR: In this article, a review of the current scientific evidence that may help clarify the origin of SARS-CoV-2 is presented, with a focus on how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 emerged in the human population.
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University of Maryland, Baltimore County1, University of Arizona2, Utrecht University3, Pennsylvania State University4, University of Queensland5, Max Planck Society6, National University of Cordoba7, University College London8, Northwest University (China)9, University of Maine10, University of Hong Kong11, United Nations Environment Programme12, University of Amsterdam13, Smithsonian Institution14, World Wide Fund for Nature15, Duke University16, Aarhus University17, Wildlife Conservation Society18
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors use the most up-to-date, spatially explicit global reconstruction of historical human populations and land use to show that this paradigm is likely wrong.
Abstract: Archaeological and paleoecological evidence shows that by 10,000 BCE, all human societies employed varying degrees of ecologically transformative land use practices, including burning, hunting, species propagation, domestication, cultivation, and others that have left long-term legacies across the terrestrial biosphere. Yet, a lingering paradigm among natural scientists, conservationists, and policymakers is that human transformation of terrestrial nature is mostly recent and inherently destructive. Here, we use the most up-to-date, spatially explicit global reconstruction of historical human populations and land use to show that this paradigm is likely wrong. Even 12,000 y ago, nearly three quarters of Earth’s land was inhabited and therefore shaped by human societies, including more than 95% of temperate and 90% of tropical woodlands. Lands now characterized as “natural,” “intact,” and “wild” generally exhibit long histories of use, as do protected areas and Indigenous lands, and current global patterns of vertebrate species richness and key biodiversity areas are more strongly associated with past patterns of land use than with present ones in regional landscapes now characterized as natural. The current biodiversity crisis can seldom be explained by the loss of uninhabited wildlands, resulting instead from the appropriation, colonization, and intensifying use of the biodiverse cultural landscapes long shaped and sustained by prior societies. Recognizing this deep cultural connection with biodiversity will therefore be essential to resolve the crisis.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the prevalence and dynamics of B.1.7 in the United States (US), tracking it back to its early emergence using S gene target failure (SGTF) and SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequencing.
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory1, University of New South Wales2, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich3, University of Arizona4, Stanford University5, Scripps Institution of Oceanography6, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center7, University of Sydney8, Max Planck Society9, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute10, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute11, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli12, University of Leeds13, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research14, Aix-Marseille University15, University of California, Santa Barbara16, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation17, Université Paris-Saclay18, Australian National University19, National University of Singapore20, ETH Zurich21, California Institute of Technology22, Imperial College London23, Northern Arizona University24, Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research25, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory26, University of California, Berkeley27, University of Basel28, Auckland University of Technology29, Indiana University30, University of Oxford31, Spanish National Research Council32, Umeå University33, University of Exeter34, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory35, University of California, Irvine36, United States Geological Survey37, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry38, Rutgers University39, Wageningen University and Research Centre40
TL;DR: A range of evidence supports a positive terrestrial carbon sink in response to iCO2, albeit with uncertain magnitude and strong suggestion of a role for additional agents of global change.
Abstract: Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2 ]) is increasing, which increases leaf-scale photosynthesis and intrinsic water-use efficiency. These direct responses have the potential to increase plant growth, vegetation biomass, and soil organic matter; transferring carbon from the atmosphere into terrestrial ecosystems (a carbon sink). A substantial global terrestrial carbon sink would slow the rate of [CO2 ] increase and thus climate change. However, ecosystem CO2 responses are complex or confounded by concurrent changes in multiple agents of global change and evidence for a [CO2 ]-driven terrestrial carbon sink can appear contradictory. Here we synthesize theory and broad, multidisciplinary evidence for the effects of increasing [CO2 ] (iCO2 ) on the global terrestrial carbon sink. Evidence suggests a substantial increase in global photosynthesis since pre-industrial times. Established theory, supported by experiments, indicates that iCO2 is likely responsible for about half of the increase. Global carbon budgeting, atmospheric data, and forest inventories indicate a historical carbon sink, and these apparent iCO2 responses are high in comparison to experiments and predictions from theory. Plant mortality and soil carbon iCO2 responses are highly uncertain. In conclusion, a range of evidence supports a positive terrestrial carbon sink in response to iCO2 , albeit with uncertain magnitude and strong suggestion of a role for additional agents of global change.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used daily satellite imagery at 250-metre resolution to estimate flood extent and population exposure for 913 large flood events from 2000 to 2018, and determined a total inundation area of 2.23 million square kilometres with 255-290 million people directly affected by floods.
Abstract: Flooding affects more people than any other environmental hazard and hinders sustainable development1,2. Investing in flood adaptation strategies may reduce the loss of life and livelihood caused by floods3. Where and how floods occur and who is exposed are changing as a result of rapid urbanization4, flood mitigation infrastructure5 and increasing settlements in floodplains6. Previous estimates of the global flood-exposed population have been limited by a lack of observational data, relying instead on models, which have high uncertainty3,7–11. Here we use daily satellite imagery at 250-metre resolution to estimate flood extent and population exposure for 913 large flood events from 2000 to 2018. We determine a total inundation area of 2.23 million square kilometres, with 255–290 million people directly affected by floods. We estimate that the total population in locations with satellite-observed inundation grew by 58–86 million from 2000 to 2015. This represents an increase of 20 to 24 per cent in the proportion of the global population exposed to floods, ten times higher than previous estimates7. Climate change projections for 2030 indicate that the proportion of the population exposed to floods will increase further. The high spatial and temporal resolution of the satellite observations will improve our understanding of where floods are changing and how best to adapt. The global flood database generated from these observations will help to improve vulnerability assessments, the accuracy of global and local flood models, the efficacy of adaptation interventions and our understanding of the interactions between landcover change, climate and floods. Satellite imagery for the period 2000–2018 reveals that population growth was greater in flood-prone regions than elsewhere, thus exposing a greater proportion of the population to floods.
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TL;DR: In this article, a double-blind, phase 1/2a, randomized, controlled trial was performed to determine safety and explore efficacy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) infusions in subjects with COVID-19 ARDS.
Abstract: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19 is associated with high mortality. Mesenchymal stem cells are known to exert immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects and could yield beneficial effects in COVID-19 ARDS. The objective of this study was to determine safety and explore efficacy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) infusions in subjects with COVID-19 ARDS. A double-blind, phase 1/2a, randomized, controlled trial was performed. Randomization and stratification by ARDS severity was used to foster balance among groups. All subjects were analyzed under intention to treat design. Twenty-four subjects were randomized 1:1 to either UC-MSC treatment (n = 12) or the control group (n = 12). Subjects in the UC-MSC treatment group received two intravenous infusions (at day 0 and 3) of 100 ± 20 × 106 UC-MSCs; controls received two infusions of vehicle solution. Both groups received best standard of care. Primary endpoint was safety (adverse events [AEs]) within 6 hours; cardiac arrest or death within 24 hours postinfusion). Secondary endpoints included patient survival at 31 days after the first infusion and time to recovery. No difference was observed between groups in infusion-associated AEs. No serious adverse events (SAEs) were observed related to UC-MSC infusions. UC-MSC infusions in COVID-19 ARDS were found to be safe. Inflammatory cytokines were significantly decreased in UC-MSC-treated subjects at day 6. Treatment was associated with significantly improved patient survival (91% vs 42%, P = .015), SAE-free survival (P = .008), and time to recovery (P = .03). UC-MSC infusions are safe and could be beneficial in treating subjects with COVID-19 ARDS.
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Norwegian University of Life Sciences1, University of Oxford2, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies3, University of Agder4, University of the Witwatersrand5, Norwegian Institute for Water Research6, Norwich University7, University of East Anglia8, University of Massachusetts Boston9, University of Arizona10, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology11, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences12, University of Oslo13, University of Canberra14, Queen's University15
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review the outcomes of internationally-funded interventions aimed at climate change adaptation and vulnerability reduction and highlight how some interventions inadvertently reinforce, redistribute or create new sources of vulnerability.
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Kazunori Akiyama1, Kazunori Akiyama2, Kazunori Akiyama3, Juan-Carlos Algaba4 +292 more•Institutions (73)
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a list of the authors who contributed to the development of this work, including: Akiyama, Kazunori; Algaba, Juan Carlos; Alberdi, Antxon; Anantua, Richard; Asada, Keiichi; Azulay, Rebecca; Baczko, Anne-Kathrin; Ball, David; Balokovic, Mislav; Barrett, John; Benson, Bradford A; Bintley, Dan; Bunderwood, Nissim; Bower, Geoffrey C;
Abstract: Full list of authors: Akiyama, Kazunori; Algaba, Juan Carlos; Alberdi, Antxon; Alef, Walter; Anantua, Richard; Asada, Keiichi; Azulay, Rebecca; Baczko, Anne-Kathrin; Ball, David; Balokovic, Mislav; Barrett, John; Benson, Bradford A.; Bintley, Dan; Blackburn, Lindy; Blundell, Raymond; Boland, Wilfred; Bouman, Katherine L.; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Boyce, Hope Bremer, Michael; Brinkerink, Christiaan D.; Brissenden, Roger; Britzen, Silke; Broderick, Avery E.; Broguiere, Dominique; Bronzwaer, Thomas; Byun, Do-Young; Carlstrom, John E.; Chael, Andrew; Chan, Chi-kwan; Chatterjee, Shami; Chatterjee, Koushik; Chen, Ming-Tang; Chen, Yongjun; Chesler, Paul M.; Cho, Ilje; Christian, Pierre; Conway, John E.; Cordes, James M.; Crawford, Thomas M.; Crew, Geoffrey B.; Cruz-Osorio, Alejandro; Cui, Yuzhu; Davelaar, Jordy; De Laurentis, Mariafelicia; Deane, Roger; Dempsey, Jessica; Desvignes, Gregory; Dexter, Jason; Doeleman, Sheperd S.; Eatough, Ralph P.; Falcke, Heino; Farah, Joseph; Fish, Vincent L.; Fomalont, Ed; Ford, H. Alyson; Fraga-Encinas, Raquel; Freeman, William T.; Friberg, Per; Fromm, Christian M.; Fuentes, Antonio; Galison, Peter; Gammie, Charles F.; Garcia, Roberto; Gentaz, Olivier; Georgiev, Boris; Goddi, Ciriaco; Gold, Roman; Gomez, Jose L.; Gomez-Ruiz, Arturo I.; Gu, Minfeng; Gurwell, Mark; Hada, Kazuhiro; Haggard, Daryl; Hecht, Michael H.; Hesper, Ronald; Ho, Luis C.; Ho, Paul; Honma, Mareki; Huang, Chih-Wei L.; Huang, Lei; Hughes, David H.; Ikeda, Shiro; Inoue, Makoto; Issaoun, Sara; James, David J.; Jannuzi, Buell T.; Janssen, Michael; Jeter, Britton; Jiang, Wu; Jimenez-Rosales, Alejandra; Johnson, Michael D.; Jorstad, Svetlana; Jung, Taehyun; Karami, Mansour; Karuppusamy, Ramesh; Kawashima, Tomohisa; Keating, Garrett K.; Kettenis, Mark; Kim, Dong-Jin; Kim, Jae-Young; Kim, Jongsoo; Kim, Junhan; Kino, Motoki; Koay, Jun Yi; Kofuji, Yutaro; Koch, Patrick M.; Koyama, Shoko; Kramer, Michael; Kramer, Carsten; Krichbaum, Thomas P.; Kuo, Cheng-Yu; Lauer, Tod R.; Lee, Sang-Sung; Levis, Aviad; Li, Yan-Rong; Li, Zhiyuan; Lindqvist, Michael; Lico, Rocco; Lindahl, Greg; Liu, Jun; Liu, Kuo; Liuzzo, Elisabetta; Lo, Wen-Ping; Lobanov, Andrei P.; Loinard, Laurent; Lonsdale, Colin; Lu, Ru-Sen; MacDonald, Nicholas R.; Mao, Jirong; Marchili, Nicola; Markoff, Sera; Marrone, Daniel P.; Marscher, Alan P.; Marti-Vidal, Ivan; Matsushita, Satoki; Matthews, Lynn D.; Medeiros, Lia; Menten, Karl M.; Mizuno, Izumi; Mizuno, Yosuke; Moran, James M.; Moriyama, Kotaro; Moscibrodzka, Monika; Muller, Cornelia; Musoke, Gibwa; Mejias, Alejandro Mus; Michalik, Daniel; Nadolski, Andrew; Nagai, Hiroshi; Nagar, Neil M.; Nakamura, Masanori; Narayan, Ramesh; Narayanan, Gopal; Natarajan, Iniyan; Nathanail, Antonios; Neilsen, Joey; Neri, Roberto; Ni, Chunchong; Noutsos, Aristeidis; Nowak, Michael A.; Okino, Hiroki; Olivares, Hector; Ortiz-Leon, Gisela N.; Oyama, Tomoaki; Ozel, Feryal; Palumbo, Daniel C. M.; Park, Jongho; Patel, Nimesh; Pen, Ue-Li; Pesce, Dominic W.; Pietu, Vincent; Plambeck, Richard; PopStefanija, Aleksandar; Porth, Oliver; Potzl, Felix M.; Prather, Ben; Preciado-Lopez, Jorge A.; Psaltis, Dimitrios; Pu, Hung-Yi; Ramakrishnan, Venkatessh; Rao, Ramprasad; Rawlings, Mark G.; Raymond, Alexander W.; Rezzolla, Luciano; Ricarte, Angelo; Ripperda, Bart; Roelofs, Freek; Rogers, Alan; Ros, Eduardo; Rose, Mel; Roshanineshat, Arash; Rottmann, Helge; Roy, Alan L.; Ruszczyk, Chet; Rygl, Kazi L. J.; Sanchez, Salvador; Sanchez-Arguelles, David; Sasada, Mahito; Savolainen, Tuomas; Schloerb, F. Peter; Schuster, Karl-Friedrich; Shao, Lijing; Shen, Zhiqiang; Small, Des; Sohn, Bong Won; SooHoo, Jason; Sun, He; Tazaki, Fumie; Tetarenko, Alexandra J.; Tiede, Paul; Tilanus, Remo P. J.; Titus, Michael; Toma, Kenji; Torne, Pablo; Trent, Tyler; Traianou, Efthalia; Trippe, Sascha; van Bemmel, Ilse; van Langevelde, Huib Jan; van Rossum, Daniel R.; Wagner, Jan; Ward-Thompson, Derek; Wardle, John; Weintroub, Jonathan; Wex, Norbert; Wharton, Robert; Wielgus, Maciek; Wong, George N.; Wu, Qingwen; Yoon, Doosoo; Young, Andre; Young, Ken; Younsi, Ziri; Yuan, Feng; Yuan, Ye-Fei; Zensus, J. Anton; Zhao, Guang-Yao; Zhao, Shan-Shan; Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.-- This is an open access article, original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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University of Saskatchewan1, Open University of Catalonia2, Bocconi University3, Clausthal University of Technology4, University of Reading5, Sandia National Laboratories6, University of Arizona7, University of Pavia8, Hohai University9, University of Oxford10, University of Manitoba11, University of Bergen12, Princeton University13, Imperial College London14, University of Adelaide15
TL;DR: A multidisciplinary group of researchers and practitioners revisit the current status of Sensitivity analysis, and outline research challenges in regard to both theoretical frameworks and their applications to solve real-world problems.
Abstract: Sensitivity analysis (SA) is en route to becoming an integral part of mathematical modeling. The tremendous potential benefits of SA are, however, yet to be fully realized, both for advancing mechanistic and data-driven modeling of human and natural systems, and in support of decision making. In this perspective paper, a multidisciplinary group of researchers and practitioners revisit the current status of SA, and outline research challenges in regard to both theoretical frameworks and their applications to solve real-world problems. Six areas are discussed that warrant further attention, including (1) structuring and standardizing SA as a discipline, (2) realizing the untapped potential of SA for systems modeling, (3) addressing the computational burden of SA, (4) progressing SA in the context of machine learning, (5) clarifying the relationship and role of SA to uncertainty quantification, and (6) evolving the use of SA in support of decision making. An outlook for the future of SA is provided that underlines how SA must underpin a wide variety of activities to better serve science and society.
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TL;DR: Zhang et al. as discussed by the authors proposed a de novo domestication of wild allotetraploid rice by screening a wild rice inventory, and identified one genotype of Oryza alta (CCDD), polyploid Rice 1 (PPR1), and established two important resources for its de-no-vovo domestication: (1) an efficient tissue culture, transformation, and genome editing system and (2) a high-quality genome assembly discriminated into two subgenomes of 12 chromosomes apiece.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed a new source of micro-data on union membership, opinion polls primarily from Gallup (N â 980,000), to look at the effects of unions on inequality from 1936 to the present.
Abstract: It is well-documented that, since at least the early twentieth century, U.S. income inequality has varied inversely with union density. But moving beyond this aggregate relationship has proven difficult, in part because of the absence of micro-level data on union membership prior to 1973. We develop a new source of micro-data on union membership, opinion polls primarily from Gallup (N â 980,000), to look at the effects of unions on inequality from 1936 to the present. First, we present a new time series of household union membership from this period. Second, we use these data to show that, throughout this period, union density is inversely correlated with the relative skill of union members. When density was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, union members were relatively less-skilled, whereas today and in the pre-World War II period, union members are equally skilled as non-members. Third, we estimate union household income premiums over this same period, finding that despite large changes in union density and selection, the premium holds steady, at roughly 15-20 log points, over the past eighty years. Finally, we present a number of direct results that, across a variety of identifying assumptions, suggest unions have had a significant, equalizing effect on the income distribution over our long sample period.
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Joint Global Change Research Institute1, German Aerospace Center2, University of Bremen3, ETH Zurich4, University of Exeter5, École Polytechnique6, Met Office7, University of Leeds8, University of Denver9, Centre national de la recherche scientifique10, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency11, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis12, University of Melbourne13, University of Maryland, College Park14, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research15, National Center for Atmospheric Research16, Goddard Institute for Space Studies17, University of Paris18, University of Hamburg19, Max Planck Society20, Korea Meteorological Administration21, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation22, Central Maine Community College23, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory24, Korean Ocean Research and Development Institute25, Pukyong National University26, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology27, Norwegian Meteorological Institute28, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology29, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources30, University of Toulouse31, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research32, Oak Ridge National Laboratory33, Deutscher Wetterdienst34, University of Arizona35, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology36, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory37, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute38, China Meteorological Administration39, Danish Meteorological Institute40, Chinese Academy of Sciences41
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a range of its outcomes by synthesizing results from the participating global coupled Earth system models for concentration driven simulations, focusing mainly on the analysis of strictly geophysical outcomes: mainly global averages and spatial patterns of change for surface air temperature and precipitation.
Abstract: . The Scenario Model Intercomparison Project (ScenarioMIP) defines and coordinates the primary future climate projections within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). This paper presents a range of its outcomes by synthesizing results from the participating global coupled Earth system models for concentration driven simulations. We limit our scope to the analysis of strictly geophysical outcomes: mainly global averages and spatial patterns of change for surface air temperature and precipitation. We also compare CMIP6 projections to CMIP5 results, especially for those scenarios that were designed to provide continuity across the CMIP phases, at the same time highlighting important differences in forcing composition, as well as in results. The range of future temperature and precipitation changes by the end of the century encompassing the Tier 1 experiments (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5) and SSP1-1.9 spans a larger range of outcomes compared to CMIP5, due to higher warming (by 1.15 °C) reached at the upper end of the 5–95 % envelope of the highest scenario, SSP5-8.5. This is due to both the wider range of radiative forcing that the new scenarios cover and to higher climate sensitivities in some of the new models compared to their CMIP5 predecessors. Spatial patterns of change for temperature and precipitation averaged over models and scenarios have familiar features, and an analysis of their variations confirms model structural differences to be the dominant source of uncertainty. Models also differ with respect to the size and evolution of internal variability as measured by individual models' initial condition ensembles' spread, according to a set of initial condition ensemble simulations available under SSP3-7.0. The same experiments suggest a tendency for internal variability to decrease along the course of the century, a new result that will benefit from further analysis over a larger set of models. Benefits of mitigation, all else being equal in terms of societal drivers, appear clearly when comparing scenarios developed under the same SSP, but to which different degrees of mitigation have been applied. It is also found that a mild overshoot in temperature of a few decades in mid-century, as represented in SSP5-3.4OS, does not affect the end outcome in terms of temperature and precipitation changes by 2100, which return to the same level as those reached by the gradually increasing SSP4-3.4. Central estimates of the time at which the ensemble means of the different scenarios reach a given warming level show all scenarios reaching 1.5 °C of warming compared to the 1850–1900 baseline in the second half of the current decade, with the time span between slow and fast warming covering 20–28 years from present. 2 °C of warming is reached as early as the late '30s by the ensemble mean under SSP5-8.5, but as late as the late '50s under SSP1-2.6. The highest warming level considered, 5 °C, is reached only by the ensemble mean under SSP5-8.5, and not until the mid-90s.
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University of Pennsylvania1, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania2, University of Arizona3, National University of Cuyo4, Stanford University5, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute6, University of Guadalajara7, Duke University8, Karolinska Institutet9, University of Miami10, University of Michigan11
TL;DR: The REPLACE COVID trial as mentioned in this paper evaluated whether continuing versus discontinuing renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (ANGI-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotENSin receptor blockers) affects outcomes in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.
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TL;DR: In this article, de novo genome assemblies, transcriptomes, annotations, and methylomes for the 26 inbreds that serve as the founders for the maize nested association mapping population were reported.
Abstract: We report de novo genome assemblies, transcriptomes, annotations, and methylomes for the 26 inbreds that serve as the founders for the maize nested association mapping population. The number of pan-genes in these diverse genomes exceeds 103,000, with approximately a third found across all genotypes. The results demonstrate that the ancient tetraploid character of maize continues to degrade by fractionation to the present day. Excellent contiguity over repeat arrays and complete annotation of centromeres revealed additional variation in major cytological landmarks. We show that combining structural variation with single-nucleotide polymorphisms can improve the power of quantitative mapping studies. We also document variation at the level of DNA methylation and demonstrate that unmethylated regions are enriched for cis-regulatory elements that contribute to phenotypic variation.
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TL;DR: In this article, wastewater-based epidemiology has potential as an early warning tool for determining the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in a community, and a case study demonstrated the value of WBE as a tool to efficiently utilize resources for COVID-19 prevention and response.
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University of Manchester1, City University of New York2, Istanbul Technical University3, New York University4, Heidelberg University5, Niels Bohr Institute6, University of Edinburgh7, University of Bologna8, Academy of Athens9, Sapienza University of Rome10, University of Naples Federico II11, Stanford University12, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris13, University of Portsmouth14, Cardiff University15, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo16, University of Michigan17, Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics18, University of New Mexico19, University of Barcelona20, Centre national de la recherche scientifique21, Princeton University22, National Autonomous University of Mexico23, Jet Propulsion Laboratory24, INAF25, University of Chicago26, Michigan Technological University27, University of Cambridge28, Imperial College London29, Ruhr University Bochum30, University of Waterloo31, Johns Hopkins University32, University of Pennsylvania33, University of California, Davis34, Birla Institute of Technology and Science35, RWTH Aachen University36, Université libre de Bruxelles37, University of Padua38, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur39, Spanish National Research Council40, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill41, University of Arizona42, University of Oslo43, Jamia Millia Islamia44, National Institute for Space Research45, Fermilab46, Presidency University, Kolkata47, Université Paris-Saclay48, University of Montpellier49, University of Szczecin50, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute51, University of California, Los Angeles52, Leiden University53, University of Southern Denmark54, Swarthmore College55, University of Sheffield56, University of Amsterdam57, United College, Winnipeg58, Liaoning Normal University59
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the tension between Planck data and weak lensing measurements and redshift surveys, and discuss the importance of trying to fit multiple cosmological datasets with complete physical models, rather than fitting individual datasets with a few handpicked theoretical parameters.
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University of Arizona1, Max Planck Society2, University of California, Santa Barbara3, University of California, Irvine4, European Southern Observatory5, Carnegie Learning6, California Institute of Technology7, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory8, INAF9, Massachusetts Institute of Technology10, Peking University11, University of Michigan12
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reported the discovery of a luminous quasar at $z=7.642, J0313$-$1806, the most distant quasar yet known.
Abstract: Distant quasars are unique tracers to study the formation of the earliest supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and the history of cosmic reionization. Despite extensive efforts, only two quasars have been found at $z\ge7.5$, due to a combination of their low spatial density and the high contamination rate in quasar selection. We report the discovery of a luminous quasar at $z=7.642$, J0313$-$1806, the most distant quasar yet known. This quasar has a bolometric luminosity of $3.6\times10^{13} L_\odot$. Deep spectroscopic observations reveal a SMBH with a mass of $(1.6\pm0.4) \times10^9M_\odot$ in this quasar. The existence of such a massive SMBH just $\sim$670 million years after the Big Bang challenges significantly theoretical models of SMBH growth. In addition, the quasar spectrum exhibits strong broad absorption line (BAL) features in CIV and SiIV, with a maximum velocity close to 20% of the speed of light. The relativistic BAL features, combined with a strongly blueshifted CIV emission line, indicate that there is a strong active galactic nucleus (AGN) driven outflow in this system. ALMA observations detect the dust continuum and [CII] emission from the quasar host galaxy, yielding an accurate redshift of $7.6423 \pm 0.0013$ and suggesting that the quasar is hosted by an intensely star-forming galaxy, with a star formation rate of $\rm\sim 200 ~M_\odot ~yr^{-1}$ and a dust mass of $\sim7\times10^7~M_\odot$. Followup observations of this reionization-era BAL quasar will provide a powerful probe of the effects of AGN feedback on the growth of the earliest massive galaxies.
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University of Chicago1, Massachusetts Institute of Technology2, Purdue University3, Colorado School of Mines4, Sandia National Laboratories5, Virginia Tech6, California Institute of Technology7, Stanford University8, University of Arizona9, BBN Technologies10, Harvard University11, Duke University12, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign13, University of Maryland, College Park14, National Institute of Standards and Technology15, IBM16, University of Oregon17, University of Colorado Boulder18
TL;DR: It is the position of the community represented by participants of the NSF workshop on Quantum Interconnects that accelerating QuIC research is crucial for sustained development of a national quantum science and technology program.
Abstract: Just as classical information technology rests on a foundation built of interconnected information-processing systems, quantum information technology (QIT) must do the same. A critical component of such systems is the interconnect, a device or process that allows transfer of information between disparate physical media, for example, semiconductor electronics, individual atoms, light pulses in optical fiber, or microwave fields. While interconnects have been well engineered for decades in the realm of classical information technology, quantum interconnects (QuICs) present special challenges, as they must allow the transfer of fragile quantum states between different physical parts or degrees of freedom of the system. The diversity of QIT platforms (superconducting, atomic, solid-state color center, optical, etc.) that will form a quantum internet poses additional challenges. As quantum systems scale to larger size, the quantum interconnect bottleneck is imminent, and is emerging as a grand challenge for QIT. For these reasons, it is the position of the community represented by participants of the NSF workshop on Quantum Interconnects that accelerating QuIC research is crucial for sustained development of a national quantum science and technology program. Given the diversity of QIT platforms, materials used, applications, and infrastructure required, a convergent research program including partnership between academia, industry and national laboratories is required.
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TL;DR: This commentary is a call to action for the hydrology community to focus on developing a quantitative understanding of where and when hydrological process understanding is valuable in a modeling discipline increasingly dominated by machine learning.
Abstract: We suggest that there is a potential danger to the hydrological sciences community in not recognizing how transformative machine learning will be for the future of hydrological modeling. Given the recent success of machine learning applied to modeling problems, it is unclear what the role of hydrological theory might be in the future. We suggest that a central challenge in hydrology right now should be to clearly delineate where and when hydrological theory adds value to prediction systems. Lessons learned from the history of hydrological modeling motivate several clear next steps toward integrating machine learning into hydrological modeling workflows.