Search for: All records

Abstract Cosmic voids may have novel effects on the propagation of high-energy photons. We consider the fraction of the line of sight that intersect voids (termed “voidiness”). A previous study showed that active galactic nuclei (AGN) detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) lie along voidier lines of sight than redshift-matched populations of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) optically detected quasars in the redshift range from 0.4 ≤z < 0.7. We explore this difference and various astrophysical explanations for it. Weaker intergalactic magnetic fields in voids would naturally enhance the gamma-ray cascading flux within the Fermi-LAT point-spread function. We find that line-of-sight interactions increasing the flux in the Fermi-LAT energy band by ∼0.1% Mpc^–1of void traversed may be sufficient to result in the observed difference in voidiness distributions. Voidiness comparisons between SDSS QSOs and AGN detected by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes at very high energies (VHEs) do not yield any conclusive statement, likely because of the limited VHE sample size, and therefore are inconclusive about the role of possibly weaker extragalactic background light within voids. Finally, we measure that 28% ± 3% of gamma-ray-detected sources exist within a void (consistent with random mock populations) compared to 19.1% ± 0.3% of SDSS quasars. We do not find any significant local void effect for gamma-ray sources that would explain the voidiness difference between Fermi-LAT gamma-ray and SDSS QSO sources. These results suggest that the observed difference in voidiness distributions may be due to line-of-sight interactions rather than the local emission environment of gamma-ray AGN. 

ABSTRACT: A convergent route toward the synthesis of leiodolide A (1) is described. Our studies explore reactions of the indium chloride-induced transmetallation of allylic stannane 32 for nucleophilic addition with nonracemic aldehyde 15. The stereoselective formation of the all-syn stereotriad was rationalized by in situ isomerization to produce the Z-allylindium reagent for subsequent anti-Felkin addition. The inversion of C17 stereochemistry led to an effective -allyl Stille cross cou-pling utilizing Z-alkenylstannane 11b. The Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction provides macrolactone 37 which exhibits discrepancies as compared to reported NMR data for purported leiodolide A. 

ABSTRACT: Studies have described a highly convergent plan toward the synthesis of leiodolide A (1), a potent cytotoxic sponge metabolite. The enantiocontrolled preparation of aldehyde 6 is achieved with the application of several advances of methodology for the synthesis of substituted 1,3-oxazoles. Efforts have examined the halogen dance reaction, the selectivity of Stille cross coupling reactions of 4-bromo-1,3-oxazoles, and nucleophilic displacement of the 2-phenylsulfonyl substitu-ent with organolithium reagents as preparatively useful reactions. These techniques have facilitated the efficient synthesis of 6 from the starting bromide 12, alkenylstannane 16 and the primary nonracemic alcohol 25. 

The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) is a ground-based observatory that will improve upon the sensitivities of the current generation of very-high-energy gamma-ray instruments. The Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (SCT) is a dual-mirror candidate design for a CTAO Medium-Sized Telescope (MST). The prototype Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (pSCT) was inaugurated in 2019 at Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO) in Arizona and observed significant gamma-ray emission from the Crab Nebula with a partially populated camera. The pSCT camera is currently being upgraded to fully instrument the focal plane with 11,328 silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) pixels split between 177 camera modules. In addition, the modules will feature upgraded electronics designed to reduce electronics crosstalk and noise. A module calibration procedure has been developed using a preproduction test module. Following this calibration procedure, performance testing shows that the upgrade module has low noise, minimal electronics crosstalk, and excellent charge resolution. After calibration and optimization, the 177 production modules will be installed in the pSCT camera for commissioning. This will be followed by observations of known VHE gamma-ray sources for camera performance validation. 

Abstract The large-scale universal structure comprises strands of dark matter and galaxies with large underdense volumes known as voids. We measure the fraction of the line of sight that intersects voids for active galactic nuclei (AGN) detected by Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). This “voidiness” fraction is a rudimentary proxy for the density along the line of sight to the galaxies. The voidiness of SDSS-observed quasars (QSOs) is distinctly different from randomly distributed source populations, with a medianp-value of 4.6 × 10⁻⁵and ≪1 × 10⁻⁷, when compared with 500 simulated populations with randomly simulated locations but matching redshifts in the 0.1 ≤z< 0.4 and 0.4 ≤z< 0.7 intervals, respectively. A similar comparison of the voidiness for LAT-detected AGN shows medianp-values greater than 0.05 in each redshift interval. When comparing the SDSS QSO population to the LAT-detected AGN, we mitigate potential bias from a relationship between redshift and voidiness by comparing the LAT-detected AGN to a “redshift-matched” set of SDSS QSOs. The LAT-detected AGN between a redshift of 0.4 and 0.7 show higher voidiness compared to the redshift-matched SDSS QSO populations, with a medianp-value of 2.3 × 10⁻⁵(a 4.1σdeviation). No deviation is found when comparing the same populations between redshifts of 0.1 and 0.4 (p> 0.05). We do not study possible causes of this voidiness difference. It might relate to propagation effects from lower magnetic or radiative background fields within voids or to an environment more favorable for gamma-ray production for AGN near voids. 

Abstract Growing demand for food coupled with climate commitments to reduce emissions will result in more land development for agriculture and renewable energy. Simultaneously, conserving land for biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people (NCP) is imperative for achieving international climate, sustainable development, and biodiversity goals. Meeting these interconnected objectives requires efficient land allocation across sectors. Here, we present a flexible, multiple-objective framework for strategically allocating land to mitigate threats to biodiversity and NCP under climate change while supporting development. Application of this framework at a global scale through country-level targets shows that if future development is planned without consideration of nature, demands for land could impact nearly 1 million km²of high-priority conservation areas. Multi-sector planning can mitigate potential conflict, reducing carbon loss and species exposure. Our findings underscore the need to conserve critical areas for nature, reduce land demand for food and energy, and intentionally coordinate land use across sectors. 

Background:The Glycemia Risk Index (GRI) was developed in adults with diabetes and is a validated metric of quality of glycemia. Little is known about the relationship between GRI and type 1 diabetes (T1D) self-management habits, a validated assessment of youths’ engagement in habits associated with glycemic outcomes. Method:We retrospectively examined the relationship between GRI and T1D self-management habits in youth with T1D who received care from a Midwest pediatric diabetes clinic network. The GRI was calculated using seven days of continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data, and T1D self-management habits were assessed ±seven days from the GRI score. A mixed-effects Poisson regression model was used to evaluate the total number of habits youth engaged in with GRI, glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), age, race, ethnicity, and insurance type as fixed effects and participant ID as a random effect to account for multiple clinic visits per individual. Results:The cohort included 1182 youth aged 2.5 to 18.0 years (mean = 13.8, SD = 3.5) comprising 50.8% male, 84.6% non-Hispanic White, and 64.8% commercial insurance users across a total of 6029 clinic visits. Glycemia Risk Index scores decreased as total number of habits performed increased, suggesting youth who performed more self-management habits achieved a higher quality of glycemia. Conclusions:In youth using CGMs, GRI may serve as an easily obtainable metric to help identify youth with above target glycemia, and engagement/disengagement in the T1D self-management habits may inform clinicians with suitable interventions for improving glycemic outcomes.