Search

Temperature and twist characteristics of cascaded long period fiber gratings (LPFGs) written in PANDA polarization-maintaining fibers have been experimentally investigated. The temperature sensitivity of the proposed structure reaches 102:6 pm °C-1. The amplitude of the peak decreases as the structure is rotated clockwise, whereas it increases as the structure is rotated counterclockwise. The resonance wavelength responds linearly to the twist ratio with a sensitivity of 0.072 nm .rad m-1/-1 for a range of ±21 rad m-1. The proposed structure could be employed for twist and temperature sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  This paper discusses the effect of intensity pattern noise on the displacement measurement precision of digital image correlation (DIC). Through mathematical deduction, a formula is presented to estimate the displacement measurement error caused by intensity pattern noise. The resulting formula synthetically reflects the effects of the variance of noise, the intensity variance and the subset size on the displacement measurement precision. To verify the correctness of the resulting formula, two experiments are done. The first one is a real self-correlation experiment, and aims to analyze the effect of the subset size, while the second is a numerical self-correlation experiment, and is to analyze to the effect of the different noise levels. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their factor of ∼108 difference in black hole mass, several lines of evidence suggest possible similarities between black hole accretion flows in active galactic nuclei (AGN) and Galactic X-ray binaries. However, it is still unclear whether the geometry of the disk–corona system in X-ray binaries directly scales up to AGN and whether this analogy still holds in different accretion states. We test this AGN/X-ray binary analogy by comparing the observed correlations between the UV–to–X-ray spectral index (αOX) and Eddington ratio in AGN to those predicted from observations of X-ray binary outbursts. This approach probes the geometry of their disk–corona systems as they transition between different accretion states. We use new Chandra X-ray and ground-based rest-UV observations of faded “changing-look” quasars to extend this comparison to lower Eddington ratios of <10−2, where observations of X-ray binaries predict a softening of αOX in AGN. We find that the observed correlations between the αOX and Eddington ratio of AGN displays a remarkable similarity to accretion state transitions in prototypical X-ray binary outbursts, including an inversion of this correlation at a critical Eddington ratio of ∼10−2. Our results suggest that the structures of black hole accretion flows directly scale across a factor of ∼108 in black hole mass and across different accretion states, enabling us to apply theoretical models of X-ray binaries to explain AGN phenomenology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing-look (CL) quasars are a newly discovered class of luminous active galactic nuclei that undergo rapid (≲10 yr) transitions between Type 1 and Type 1.9/2, with an associated change in their continuum emission. We characterize the host galaxies of four faded CL quasars using broadband optical imaging. We use gri images obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on Gemini North to characterize the surface brightness profiles of the quasar hosts and search for [O iii] λ4959, λ5007 emission from spatially extended regions, or voorwerpjes, with the goal of using them to examine past luminosity history. Although we do not detect, voorwerpjes surrounding the four quasar host galaxies, we take advantage of the dim nuclear emission to characterize the colors and morphologies of the host galaxies. Three of the four galaxies show morphological evidence of merger activity or tidal features in their residuals. The three galaxies that are not highly distorted are fit with a single Sérsic profile to characterize their overall surface brightness profiles. The single-Sérsic fits give intermediate Sérsic indices between the n = 1 of disk galaxies and the n = 4 of ellipticals. On a color–magnitude diagram, our CL quasar host galaxies reside in the blue cloud, with other active galactic nucleus (AGN) host galaxies and star-forming galaxies. On a color-Sérsic index diagram the CL quasar hosts reside with other AGN hosts in the “green valley.” Our analysis suggests that the hosts of CL quasars are predominantly disrupted or merging galaxies that resemble AGN hosts, rather than inactive galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relativistic outflows are believed to be a common feature of black hole X-ray binaries (BHXBs) at the lowest accretion rates, when they are in their “quiescent” spectral state. However, we still lack a detailed understanding of how quiescent jet emission varies with time. Here we present 24 yr of archival radio observations (from the Very Large Array and the Very Long Baseline Array) of the BHXB V404 Cygni in quiescence (totaling 150 observations from 1.4 to 22 GHz). The observed flux densities follow lognormal distributions with means and standard deviations of and at 4.9 and 8.4 GHz, respectively (where fν is the flux density in units of mJy). As expected, the average radio spectrum is flat with a mean and standard deviation of , where . We find that radio flares that increase the flux density by factors of 2–4 over timescales as short as <10 minutes are commonplace, and that long-term variations (over 10–4000 day timescales) are consistent with shot-noise impulses that decay to stochastic variations on timescales ≲10 days (and perhaps as short as tens of minutes to several hr). We briefly compare the variability characteristics of V404 Cygni to jetted active galactic nuclei, and we conclude with recommendations on how to account for variability when placing quiescent BHXB candidates with radio luminosities comparable to V404 Cygni (LR ≈ 1028 erg s−1) onto the radio/X-ray luminosity plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that show strong rest-frame optical/UV variability in their blue continuum and broad line emission are classified as changing-look AGN, or at higher luminosities, changing-look quasars (CLQs). These surprisingly large and sometimes rapid transitions challenge accepted models of quasar physics and duty cycles, offer several new avenues for study of quasar host galaxies, and open a wider interpretation of the cause of differences between broad and narrow-line AGN. To better characterize extreme quasar variability, we present follow-up spectroscopy as part of a comprehensive search for CLQs across the full Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) footprint using spectroscopically confirmed quasars from the SDSS DR7 catalog. Our primary selection requires large-amplitude ( mag, mag) variability over any of the available time baselines probed by the SDSS and Pan-STARRS 1 surveys. We employ photometry from the Catalina Sky Survey to verify variability behavior in CLQ candidates where available, and confirm CLQs using optical spectroscopy from the William Herschel, MMT, Magellan, and Palomar telescopes. For our adopted signal-to-noise ratio threshold on variability of broad Hβ emission, we find 17 new CLQs, yielding a confirmation rate of ≳20%. These candidates are at lower Eddington ratio relative to the overall quasar population, which supports a disk-wind model for the broad line region. Based on our sample, the CLQ fraction increases from 10% to roughly half as the continuum flux ratio between repeat spectra at 3420 Å increases from 1.5 to 6. We release a catalog of more than 200 highly variable candidates to facilitate future CLQ searches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many modern and future particle accelerators employ high gradient superconducting RF (SRF) to generate beams of high energy, high intensity and high brightness for research in high energy and nuclear physics, basic energy sciences, etc. In this paper we report the record performance large-scale SRF system with average beam accelerating gradient matching the International Linear Collider (ILC) specification of 31.5 MV m−1. Design of the eight cavity 1.3 GHz SRF cryomodule, its performance without the beam and results of the system commissioning with high intensity electron beam at Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) facility are presented. We also briefly discuss opportunities for further beam studies and tests at FAST including those on even higher gradient and more efficient SRF acceleration, as well as exploration of the system performance with full ILC-type beam specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identify an object previously thought to be a star in the disk of M31, J0045+41, as a background active galactic nucleus (AGN) seen through a low-absorption region of M31. We present moderate resolution spectroscopy of J0045+41 obtained using GMOS at Gemini-North. The spectrum contains features attributable to the host galaxy. We model the spectrum to estimate the AGN contribution, from which we estimate the luminosity and virial mass of the central engine. Residuals to our fit reveal a blueshifted component to the broad Hα and Hβ at a relative velocity of ∼4800 km s−1. We also detect Na i absorption in the Milky Way rest-frame. We search for evidence of periodicity using g-band photometry from the Palomar Transient Factory and find evidence for multiple periodicities ranging from ∼80–350 days. Two of the detected periods are in a 1:4 ratio, which is identical to the predictions of hydrodynamical simulations of binary supermassive black hole systems. If these signals arise due to such a system, J0045+41 is well within the gravitational wave regime. We calculate the time until inspiral due to gravitational radiation, assuming reasonable values of the mass ratio of the two black holes. We discuss the implications of our findings and forthcoming work to identify other such interlopers in the light of upcoming photometric surveys such as the Zwicky Transient Facility or the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open reading frame 8 (ORF8) protein, encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 virus after infection, stimulates monocytes/macrophages to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that a positive ex vivo monocyte response to ORF8 protein pre-COVID-19 would be associated with subsequent severe COVID-19. We tested ORF8 ex vivo on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 26 anonymous healthy blood donors and measured intracellular cytokine/chemokine levels in monocytes by flow cytometry. The % monocytes staining positive in the sample and change in mean fluorescence intensity (ΔMFI) after ORF8 were used to calculate the adjusted MFI for each cytokine. We then tested pre-COVID-19 PBMC samples from 60 CLL patients who subsequently developed COVID-19 infection. Severe COVID-19 was defined as hospitalization due to COVID-19. In the 26 normal donor samples, the adjusted MFI for interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and CCL-2 were significantly different with ORF8 stimulation vs controls. We next analyzed monocytes from pre-COVID-19 PBMC samples from 60 CLL patients. The adjusted MFI to ORF8 stimulation of monocyte intracellular IL-1β was associated with severe COVID-19 and a reactive ORF8 monocyte response was defined as an IL- 1β adjusted MFI ≥ 0.18 (sensitivity 67%, specificity 75%). The median time to hospitalization after infection in CLL patients with a reactive ORF8 response was 12 days versus not reached for patients with a non-reactive ORF8 response with a hazard ratio of 7.7 (95% CI: 2.4-132, p=0.005). These results provide new insight on the monocyte inflammatory response to virus with implications in a broad range of disorders involving monocytes.

Supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHs) are expected to result from galaxy mergers, and thus are natural byproducts (and probes) of hierarchical structure formation in the universe. They are also the primary expected source of low-frequency gravitational wave emission. We search for binary BHs using time-variable velocity shifts in broad Mg ii emission lines of quasars with multi-epoch observations. First, we inspect velocity shifts of the binary SMBH candidates identified in Ju et al., using Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra with an additional epoch of data that lengthens the typical baseline to ∼10 yr. We find variations in the line of sight velocity shifts over 10 yr that are comparable to the shifts observed over 1–2 yr, ruling out the binary model for the bulk of our candidates. We then analyze 1438 objects with eight-year median time baselines, from which we would expect to see velocity shifts >1000 from sub-parsec binaries. We find only one object with an outlying velocity of 448 , indicating—based on our modeling—that ≲1% (the value varies with different assumptions) of SMBHs that are active as quasars reside in binaries with ∼0.1 pc separations. Binaries either sweep rapidly through these small separations or stall at larger radii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncertain origin of the recently discovered “changing-look” quasar phenomenon—in which a luminous quasar dims significantly to a quiescent state in repeat spectroscopy over ∼10-year timescales—may present unexpected challenges to our understanding of quasar accretion. To better understand this phenomenon, we take a first step toward building a sample of changing-look quasars with a systematic but simple archival search for these objects in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12. By leveraging the >10-year baselines for objects with repeat spectroscopy, we uncover two new changing-look quasars and a third discovered previously. Decomposition of the multiepoch spectra and analysis of the broad emission lines suggest that the quasar accretion disk emission dims because of rapidly decreasing accretion rates (by factors of ≳2.5), while disfavoring changes in intrinsic dust extinction for the two objects where these analyses are possible. Broad emission line energetics also support intrinsic dimming of quasar emission as the origin for this phenomenon rather than transient tidal disruption events or supernovae. Although our search criteria included quasars at all redshifts and transitions from either quasar-like to galaxy-like states or the reverse, all of the clear cases of changing-look quasars discovered were at relatively low redshift () and only exhibit quasar-like to galaxy-like transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Time-Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS) is an SDSS-IV eBOSS subproject primarily aimed at obtaining identification spectra of ∼220,000 optically variable objects systematically selected from SDSS/Pan-STARRS1 multi-epoch imaging. We present a preview of the science enabled by TDSS, based on TDSS spectra taken over ∼320 deg2 of sky as part of the SEQUELS survey in SDSS-III, which is in part a pilot survey for eBOSS in SDSS-IV. Using the 15,746 TDSS-selected single-epoch spectra of photometrically variable objects in SEQUELS, we determine the demographics of our variability-selected sample and investigate the unique spectral characteristics inherent in samples selected by variability. We show that variability-based selection of quasars complements color-based selection by selecting additional redder quasars and mitigates redshift biases to produce a smooth quasar redshift distribution over a wide range of redshifts. The resulting quasar sample contains systematically higher fractions of blazars and broad absorption line quasars than from color-selected samples. Similarly, we show that M dwarfs in the TDSS-selected stellar sample have systematically higher chromospheric active fractions than the underlying M-dwarf population based on their Hα emission. TDSS also contains a large number of RR Lyrae and eclipsing binary stars with main-sequence colors, including a few composite-spectrum binaries. Finally, our visual inspection of TDSS spectra uncovers a significant number of peculiar spectra, and we highlight a few cases of these interesting objects. With a factor of ∼15 more spectra, the main TDSS survey in SDSS-IV will leverage the lessons learned from these early results for a variety of time-domain science applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the selection algorithm and anticipated results for the Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS). TDSS is an Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-IV Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) subproject that will provide initial identification spectra of approximately 220,000 luminosity-variable objects (variable stars and active galactic nuclei across 7500 deg2 selected from a combination of SDSS and multi-epoch Pan-STARRS1 photometry. TDSS will be the largest spectroscopic survey to explicitly target variable objects, avoiding pre-selection on the basis of colors or detailed modeling of specific variability characteristics. Kernel Density Estimate analysis of our target population performed on SDSS Stripe 82 data suggests our target sample will be 95% pure (meaning 95% of objects we select have genuine luminosity variability of a few magnitudes or more). Our final spectroscopic sample will contain roughly 135,000 quasars and 85,000 stellar variables, approximately 4000 of which will be RR Lyrae stars which may be used as outer Milky Way probes. The variability-selected quasar population has a smoother redshift distribution than a color-selected sample, and variability measurements similar to those we develop here may be used to make more uniform quasar samples in large surveys. The stellar variable targets are distributed fairly uniformly across color space, indicating that TDSS will obtain spectra for a wide variety of stellar variables including pulsating variables, stars with significant chromospheric activity, cataclysmic variables, and eclipsing binaries. TDSS will serve as a pathfinder mission to identify and characterize the multitude of variable objects that will be detected photometrically in even larger variability surveys such as Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are well-known to exhibit flux variability across a wide range of wavelength regimes, but the precise origin of the variability at different wavelengths remains unclear. To investigate the relatively unexplored near-IR (NIR) variability of the most luminous AGNs, we conduct a search for variability using well sampled JHKs-band light curves from the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) calibration fields. Our sample includes 27 known quasars with an average of 924 epochs of observation over three years, as well as one spectroscopically confirmed blazar (SDSS J14584479+3720215) with 1972 epochs of data. This is the best-sampled NIR photometric blazar light curve to date, and it exhibits correlated, stochastic variability that we characterize with continuous auto-regressive moving average (CARMA) models. None of the other 26 known quasars had detectable variability in the 2MASS bands above the photometric uncertainty. A blind search of the 2MASS calibration field light curves for active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates based on fitting CARMA(1,0) models (damped-random walk) uncovered only seven candidates. All seven were young stellar objects within the ρ Ophiuchus star forming region, five with previous X-ray detections. A significant γ-ray detection (5σ) for the known blazar using 4.5 yr of Fermi photon data is also found. We suggest that strong NIR variability of blazars, such as seen for SDSS J14584479+3720215, can be used as an efficient method of identifying previously unidentified γ-ray blazars, with low contamination from other AGNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poorly understood feedback processes associated with highly luminous black hole accretion in quasars may dramatically affect the properties of their host galaxies. We search for the effect of quasar feedback on surrounding gas using Planck maps of the thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect (tSZ). By stacking tSZ Compton-y maps centered on the locations of 26,686 spectroscopic quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we detect a strong but unresolved tSZ Compton-y signal at >5σ significance that likely originates from a combination of virialized halo atmosphere gas and quasar feedback effects. We show that the feedback contribution to our detected quasar tSZ signal is likely to dominate over virialized halo gas by isolating the feedback tSZ component for high- and low-redshift quasars. We find that this quasar tSZ signal also scales with black hole mass and bolometric luminosity, all consistent with general expectations of quasar feedback. We estimate the mean angularly integrated Compton-y of quasars at z ≃ 1.5 to be 3.5 × 10−6 Mpc2, corresponding to mean total thermal energies in feedback and virialized halo gas of erg, and discuss the implications for quasar feedback. If confirmed, the large total thermal feedback energetics we estimate to be 5% (±1% statistical uncertainty) of the black hole mass will have important implications for the effects of quasar feedback on the host galaxy, as well as the surrounding intergalactic medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In kilonovae, freshly synthesized r -process elements imprint features on optical spectra, as observed in AT2017gfo, the counterpart to the GW170817 binary neutron star merger. However, measuring the r -process compositions of the merger ejecta is computationally challenging. Vieira et al. introduced Spectroscopic r -process Abundance Retrieval for Kilonovae ( SPARK ), a software tool to infer elemental abundance patterns of the ejecta and associate spectral features with particular species. Previously, we applied SPARK to the 1.4-day spectrum of AT2017gfo and inferred its abundance pattern for the first time, characterized by electron fraction Y _e = 0.31, a substantial abundance of strontium, and a dearth of lanthanides and heavier elements. This ejecta is consistent with wind from a remnant hypermassive neutron star and/or accretion disk. We now extend our inference to spectra at 2.4 and 3.4 days and test the need for multicomponent ejecta, where we stratify the ejecta in composition. The ejecta at 1.4 and 2.4 days is described by the same single blue component. At 3.4 days, a new redder component with lower Y _e = 0.16 and a significant abundance of lanthanides emerges. This new redder component is consistent with dynamical ejecta and/or neutron-rich ejecta from a magnetized accretion disk. As expected from photometric modeling, this component emerges as the ejecta expands, the photosphere recedes, and the earlier bluer component dims. At 3.4 days, we find an ensemble of lanthanides, with the presence of cerium most concrete. This presence of lanthanides has important implications for the contribution of kilonovae to the r -process abundances observed in the Universe.

Kilonovae are likely a key site of heavy r -process element production in the Universe, and their optical/infrared spectra contain insights into both the properties of the ejecta and the conditions of the r -process. However, the event GW170817/AT2017gfo is the only kilonova so far with well-observed spectra. To understand the diversity of absorption features that might be observed in future kilonovae spectra, we use the TARDIS Monte Carlo radiative transfer code to simulate a suite of optical spectra spanning a wide range of kilonova ejecta properties and r -process abundance patterns. To identify the most common and prominent absorption lines, we perform dimensionality reduction using an autoencoder, and we find spectra clusters in the latent space representation using a Bayesian Gaussian Mixture model. Our synthetic kilonovae spectra commonly display strong absorption by strontium _38 Sr ii , yttrium _38 Y ii , and zirconium _40 Zr i–ii , with strong lanthanide contributions at low electron fractions ( Y _e ≲ 0.25). When a new kilonova is observed, our machine-learning framework will provide context on the dominant absorption lines and key ejecta properties, helping to determine where this event falls within the larger “zoo” of kilonovae spectra.

Low-frequency gravitational-wave experiments such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna and pulsar timing arrays are expected to detect individual massive black hole (MBH) binaries and mergers. However, secure methods of identifying the exact host galaxy of each MBH merger among the large number of galaxies in the gravitational-wave localization region are currently lacking. We investigate the distinct morphological signatures of MBH merger host galaxies, using the Romulus25 cosmological simulation. We produce mock telescope images of 201 simulated galaxies in Romulus25 hosting recent MBH mergers through stellar population synthesis and dust radiative transfer. Based on comparisons to mass- and redshift-matched control samples, we show that combining multiple morphological statistics via a linear discriminant analysis enables identification of the host galaxies of MBH mergers, with accuracies that increase with chirp mass and mass ratio. For mergers with high chirp masses (≳10 ^8.2 M _⊙ ) and high mass ratios (≳0.5), the accuracy of this approach reaches ≳80%, and does not decline for at least ∼1 Gyr after numerical merger. We argue that these trends arise because the most distinctive morphological characteristics of MBH merger and binary host galaxies are prominent classical bulges, rather than relatively short-lived morphological disturbances from their preceding galaxy mergers. Since these bulges are formed though major mergers of massive galaxies, they lead to (and become permanent signposts for) MBH binaries and mergers that have high chirp masses and mass ratios. Our results suggest that galaxy morphology can aid in identifying the host galaxies of future MBH binaries and mergers.

Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, requires dynamic expansion, assembly and stabilization of vascular endothelial cells in response to proangiogenic stimuli. Antiangiogenic strategies have become an important therapeutic modality for solid tumors. While many aspects of postnatal pathological angiogenesis have been extensively studied in the context of nonhematopoietic neoplasms, the precise role of these processes in lymphoma pathogenesis is under active investigation. Lymphoma growth and progression is potentiated by at least two distinct angiogenic mechanisms: autocrine stimulation of tumor cells via expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptors by lymphoma cells, as well as paracrine influences of proangiogenic tumor microenvironment on both local neovascular transformation and recruitment of circulating bone marrow-derived progenitors. Lymphoma-associated infiltrating host cells including hematopoietic monocytes, T cells and mesenchymal pericytes have increasingly been associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of lymphoma, in part providing perivascular guidance and support to neoangiogenesis. Collectively, these distinct angiogenic mechanisms appear to be important therapeutic targets in selected non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) subtypes. Understanding these pathways has led to the introduction of antiangiogenic treatment strategies into the clinic where they are currently under assessment in several ongoing studies of NHL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adlay (Coix lacryma-jobi L.), a crop closed related to maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), originated in tropical/subtropical regions of Asia and Africa; southwest China primary center of this plant’s origin, evolution and migration. Adlay is a traditional high-value minor crop used for both medicinal and dietary purposes. Adlay has anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, blood sugar-lowering, and blood lipid-lowering effects. To clarify the main bioactive components and phytochemical compounds and to fully explore their utility, this review summarizes the research done on the main functional ingredients of adlay, including amino acids and proteins, oils, vitamins and minerals, polysaccharides, and polyphenols. This study also highlighted the application of genome sequencing to tailor nutrient-rich adlay cultivars and nutraceutical product development. Additionally, the acquisition of high-density genomic data combined with next-generation phenotypic analysis will undoubtedly improve our understanding of the potential genetic regulation of adlay nutraceutical traits. This review provides new insights and ideas for the research of adlay in comparison and evolutionary genomics, and a useful reference for molecular breeding and genetic improvement of this important minor crop.

Objective: To distinguish between sepsis only vs progressive lymphoma in patients with a history of lymphoma who present to the hospital with lactic acidosis. Patients and Methods: We identified patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) or Hodgkin lymphoma from January 2014 to December 2015. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: sepsis only or progressive lymphoma. Two-sided Wilcoxon rank sum test and χ1/Fisher exact test were used to compare the continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 51 patients were identified; 33 (65%) patients were categorized into the sepsis only group, and 18 (35%), into the progressive lymphoma group. Values for serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) drawn during hospitalization were statistically different between the sepsis only and progressive lymphoma groups (median, 262 vs 665 U/L; P=.005), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of serum LDH level 2 or more times the upper limit of normal for progressive lymphoma were 56% (95% CI, 33% to 79%) and 85% (95% CI, 73% to 97%), respectively. Serum LDH level was independently predictive of inferior OS (hazard ratio, 27.8; 95% CI, 4.0 to 160.1; P

Abstract Magnesium is an essential element that is involved in critical metabolic pathways. A diet deficient in magnesium is associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. Few studies have reported whether a serum magnesium level below the reference range (RR) is associated with prognosis in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Using a retrospective approach in DLBCL patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplant (AHSCT), we evaluated the association of hypomagnesemia with survival. Totally, 581 patients eligible for AHSCT with a serum magnesium level during the immediate pre-transplant period were identified and 14.1% (82/581) had hypomagnesemia. Hypomagnesemia was associated with an inferior event-free (EFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to patients with a serum magnesium level within RR; median EFS: 3.9 years (95% CI: 1.63–8.98 years) versus 6.29 years (95% CI: 4.73–8.95 years) with HR 1.63 (95% CI: 1.09–2.43, p = 0.017) for EFS, and median OS: 7.3 years (95% CI: 2.91—upper limit not estimable) versus 9.7 years (95% CI: 6.92–12.3 years) with HR 1.90 (95% CI: 1.22–2.96, p = 0.005) for OS months 0–12, respectively. These findings suggest a potentially actionable prognostic factor for patients with DLBCL undergoing AHSCT.

Freshly synthesized r -process elements in kilonovae ejecta imprint absorption features on optical spectra, as observed in the GW170817 binary neutron star merger. These spectral features encode insights into the physical conditions of the r -process and the origins of the ejected material, but associating features with particular elements and inferring the resultant abundance pattern is computationally challenging. We introduce Spectroscopic r -Process Abundance Retrieval for Kilonovae ( SPARK ), a modular framework to perform Bayesian inference on kilonova spectra with the goals of inferring elemental abundance patterns and identifying absorption features at early times. SPARK inputs an atomic line list and abundance patterns from reaction network calculations into the TARDIS radiative transfer code. It then performs fast Bayesian inference on observed kilonova spectra by training a Gaussian process surrogate for the approximate posteriors of kilonova ejecta parameters, via active learning. We use the spectrum of GW170817 at 1.4 days to perform the first inference on a kilonova spectrum, and recover a complete abundance pattern. Our inference shows that this ejecta was generated by an r -process with either (1) high electron fraction Y _e ∼ 0.35 and high entropy s / k _B ∼ 25, or, (2) a more moderate Y _e ∼ 0.30 and s / k _B ∼ 14. These parameters are consistent with a shocked, polar dynamical component, and a viscously driven outflow from a remnant accretion disk, respectively. We also recover previous identifications of strontium absorption at ∼8000 Å, and tentatively identify yttrium and/or zirconium at ≲4500 Å. Our approach will enable computationally tractable inference on the spectra of future kilonovae discovered through multimessenger observations.

Phytopathogenic fungi decrease crop yield and quality and cause huge losses in agricultural production. To prevent the occurrence of crop diseases and insect pests, farmers have to use many synthetic chemical pesticides. The extensive use of these pesticides has resulted in a series of environmental and ecological problems, such as the increase in resistant weed populations, soil compaction, and water pollution, which seriously affect the sustainable development of agriculture. This review discusses the main advances in research on plant-pathogenic fungi in terms of their pathogenic factors such as cell wall-degrading enzymes, toxins, growth regulators, effector proteins, and fungal viruses, as well as their application as biocontrol agents for plant pests, diseases, and weeds. Finally, further studies on plant-pathogenic fungal resources with better biocontrol effects can help find new beneficial microbial resources that can control diseases.

In this paper, we present an idea for performing matrix-vector multiplication by using Network-on-Chip (NoC) architecture. In traditional IC design on-chip communications have been designed with dedicated point-to-point interconnections. Therefore, regular local data transfer is the major concept of many parallel implementations. However, when dealing with the parallel implementation of sparse matrix-vector multiplication (SMVM), which is the main step of all iterative algorithms for solving systems of linear equation, the required data transfers depend on the sparsity structure of the matrix and can be extremely irregular. Using the NoC architecture makes it possible to deal with arbitrary structure of the data transfers; i.e. with the irregular structure of the sparse matrices. So far, we have already implemented the proposed SMVM-NoC architecture with the size 4×4 and 5×5 in IEEE 754 single float point precision using FPGA.

Background: Reported median overall survival (OS) in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has been reported to be just 3–4 years. As a consequence, first-line treatment has become more aggressive. Single-center studies with R-Hyper-CVAD and/or autologous stem-cell transplant (ASCT) have produced 3-year OS rates >80%, prompting many to adopt their use. We evaluated outcomes from a single-center cohort managed in a more traditional fashion. Methods: We identified patients with MCL evaluated at Weill Cornell Medical Center since 1997, and included those with known date of diagnosis. An online social security database was used to verify survival. Results: We identified 181 patients with MCL, and date of diagnosis could be determined in 111. Three-year OS from diagnosis was 86% [95% confidence interval (CI) 78% to 92%]. Median OS was 7.1 years (95% CI 63–98 months). Adequate information on therapy was available for 75 patients. Only five were treated upfront with (R)-Hyper-CVAD or ASCT while an additional four patients received one of these regimens subsequently. Treatment type had no significant effect on OS. Conclusion: Outcomes with standard approaches can yield similar survival to that achieved with more intensive approaches. Biases may account for the perceived superiority of aggressive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mushroom poisoning poses a significant global health concern, with high morbidity and mortality rates. The primary lethal toxins responsible for this condition are alpha-amanitin (ɑ-AMA) and beta-amanitin (β-AMA). As a promising bio-recognition molecules in biosensors, aptamers, have been broadly used in the field of food detection. However, the current SELEX-based methods for screening aptamers for structurally similar small molecules were limited by the labelling or salt ion induction. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel label-free SELEX strategy for the screening of aptamers with high affinity and constructed new aptasensors for the detection of ɑ-AMA and β-AMA., Results: A novel label-free SELEX strategy based on the positively charged gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was proposed to simultaneous screening of aptamers for ɑ-AMA and β-AMA. Only 18 rounds of SELEX were required to obtain new aptamers. The candidate aptamers were analyzed by colloidal gold assay, and the sequences of ɑ-30 and β-37 displayed great affinity with Kd values of 22.26 nM and 23.32 nM, respectively, without interference from botanical toxins. Notably, the truncated aptamers ɑ-30-2 (50 bp) and β-37-2 (57 bp) exhibited higher affinity than their original counterpart (79 bp). Subsequently, the selected aptamers were utilized to construct recognition probes for electrochemical aptasensors based on hairpin cyclic cleavage of substrates by Cu 2+ dependent DNAzyme and Exo I-triggered recycling cascades. The detection platform showed excellent analytical performance with limits of detection as low as 4.57 pg/mL (ɑ-AMA) and 8.49 pg/mL (β-AMA). Moreover, the aptasensors exhibited superior performance in mushroom and urine samples., Significance: This work developed a simple and efficient label-free SELEX method for screening new aptamers for ɑ-AMA and β-AMA, which employed the positively charged AuNPs as the screening medium, without the need for chemical labelling of libraries or induction of salt ions. Furthermore, two novel electrochemical aptasensors were developed based on our newly obtained aptamers, which offer the new biosensing tool for ultrasensitive detection of the AMA poisoning, showing great potential in practical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In order to understand the organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) pollution and evaluate the inhalation exposure risk in formal e-waste recycling facilities, the air concentrations, particle size distribution and gas-particle partitioning of OPFRs in four typical workshops were investigated. The total Σ 15 OPFR concentrations inside workshops were in the range of 64.7-682 ng/m 3 , with 5.80-23.4 ng/m 3 in gas phase and 58.8-658 ng/m 3 in particle phase. Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) and tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) were main analogs, both of which contributed to 49.0-85.7% of total OPFRs. In the waste printed circuit boards thermal treatment workshop, the OPFRs concentration was the highest, and particle-bound OPFRs mainly distributed in 0.7-1.1 μm particles. The proportions of TPHP in different size particles increased as the decrease of particle size, while TCIPP presented an opposite trend. The gas-particle partitioning of OPFR analogs was dominated by absorption process, and did not reach equilibrium state due to continuous emission of OPFRs from the recycling activities. The deposition fluxes of OPFRs in respiratory tract were 65.7-639 ng/h, and the estimated daily intake doses of OPFRs were 8.52-76.9 ng/(kg·day) in four workshops. Inhalation exposure was an important exposure pathway for e-waste recycling workers, and deposition fluxes of size-segregated OPFRs were mainly in head airways region., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Jie Guo reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)