Combined gravitational-wave (GW) and electromagnetic (EM) observations of compact binary mergers should enable detailed studies of astrophysical processes in the strong-field gravity regime. This decade, ground-based GW interferometers promise to routinely detect compact binary mergers. Unfortunately, networks of GW interferometers have poor angular resolution on the sky and their EM signatures are predicted to be faint. Therefore, a challenging goal will be to unambiguously pinpoint the EM counterparts to GW mergers. We perform the first comprehensive end-to-end simulation that focuses on: i) GW sky localization, distance measures and volume errors with two compact binary populations and four different GW networks, ii) subsequent EM detectability by a slew of multiwavelength telescopes and, iii) final identification of the merger counterpart amidst a sea of possible astrophysical false-positives. First, we find that double neutron star binary mergers can be detected out to a maximum distance of 400 Mpc (or 750 Mpc) by three (or five) detector GW networks respectively. Neutron Star -Black-Hole binary mergers can be detected a factor of 1.5 further out; their median to maximum sky localizations are 50-170 deg 2 (or 6-65 deg 2 ) for a three (or five) detector GW network. Second, by optimizing depth, cadence and sky area, we quantify relative fractions of optical counterparts that are detectable by a suite of different aperture-size telescopes across the globe. Third, we present five case studies to illustrate the diversity of scenarios in secure identification of the EM counterpart. We discuss the case of a typical binary, neither beamed nor nearby, and the challenges associated with identifying an EM counterpart both at low and high Galactic latitudes. For the first time, we demonstrate how construction of low-latency GW volumes in conjunction with local universe galaxy catalogs can help solve the problem of false positives. We conclude with strategies that would best prepare us for successfully identifying the elusive EM counterpart to a GW merger.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), comprises mild courses of disease as well as progression to severe disease, characterised by lung and other organ failure. The immune system is considered to play a crucial role for the pathogenesis of COVID-19, although especially the contribution of innate-like T cells remains poorly understood. Here, we analysed the phenotype and function of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, innate-like T cells with potent antimicrobial effector function, in patients with mild and severe COVID-19 by multicolour flow cytometry. Our data indicate that MAIT cells are highly activated in patients with COVID-19, irrespective of the course of disease, and express high levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-17A and TNFα ex vivo. Of note, expression of the activation marker HLA-DR positively correlated with SAPS II score, a measure of disease severity. Upon MAIT cell-specific in vitro stimulation, MAIT cells however failed to upregulate expression of the cytokines IL-17A and TNFα, as well as cytolytic proteins, that is, granzyme B and perforin. Thus, our data point towards an altered cytokine expression profile alongside an impaired antibacterial and antiviral function of MAIT cells in COVID-19 and thereby contribute to the understanding of COVID-19 immunopathogenesis.

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The paper presents the results of a comprehensive study on the optimization of independent amplitude and phase wavefront manipulation which is implemented using a binary digital micromirror device. The study aims to investigate the spatial resolution and quantization achievable using this approach and its optimization based on the parameters of the target complex wave and the modulation error estimation. Based on a statistical analysis of the data, an algorithm for selecting parameters (carrier frequency of binary pattern and aperture for the first diffraction order filtering) that ensures the optimal quality of the modulated wavefront was developed. The algorithm takes into account the type of modulation, that is, amplitude, phase, or amplitude-phase, the size of the encoded distribution, and its requirements for spatial resolution and quantization. The results of the study will greatly contribute to the improvement of modulated wavefront quality in various applications with different requirements for spatial resolution and quantization.