Search

We report on the search for the 7Be ii isotope in the outbursts of the classical nova V6595 Sgr by means of high-resolution Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) observations taken at the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in 2021 April, about two weeks after its discovery and under difficult circumstances due to the pandemic. Narrow absorption components with velocities at -2620 and-2820 km s-1, superposed on broader and shallow absorption, are observed in the outburst spectra for the 7Be ii λλ313.0583, 313.1228 nm doublet resonance lines, as well as in several other elements such as Ca ii, Fe i, Mg i, Na i, H i and Li i. Using the Ca ii K line as a reference element, we infer N(7Be)/N(H) ≈ 7.4 × 10-6, or ≈ 9.8 × 10-6 when the 7Be decay is taken into account. The 7Be abundance is about half of the value most frequently measured in novae. The possible presence of overionization in the layers where 7Be ii is detected is also discussed. Observations taken at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo in La Palma 91 days after discovery showed prominent emission lines of oxygen and neon, which allow us to classify the nova as ONe type. Therefore, although 7Be is expected to be higher in CO novae, it is found at comparable levels in both nova types., LI was supported by two grants from VILLUM FONDEN (project number 16599 and 25501). M. H. acknowledges support from grant PID2019-108709GB-100 from MICINN (Spain).

Introduction Health inequalities and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) present public health challenges. National guidance highlights the role of pharmacy professionals in reaching patients at risk of health inequalities.1 Pharmacy teams have the opportunity to involve their patients in shared decision-making and promote antimicrobial stewardship.2 An evidence gap exists regarding the association between factors that commonly contribute to health inequalities and antibiotic use amongst populations and risk of developing antibiotic-resistant infections. Aim To investigate the association between health inequalities, antibiotic use and risk of antibiotic-resistant infections in high-income countries, allowing pharmacy professionals to better understand the challenges and their role in tackling health inequalities and AMR. Methods Factors that commonly contribute to health inequalities and included in this review were: (i) Protected characteristics (age, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation); (ii) Socio-economic characteristics (employment status, deprivation, education, income, insurance); (iii) Vulnerable groups (migration status, sex workers, people who inject drugs (PWID), the homeless); (iv) Geography (region, urban or rural dwelling). The PRISMA-ScR was followed. Systematic literature searches were performed on OVID Embase and Medline and included published papers between January 2010 and April 2021. Exclusion criteria were research undertaken in low- or middle-income countries, viral (including COVID-19) and fungal infections and tuberculosis. Regular co-author meetings provided second checking of extracted data. Results Antibiotic use: Fifty-eight of 402 papers were included; most were from the USA (n=34) followed by the UK (n=12). Fifty papers focused on one or more protected characteristics, 37 on socio-economic characteristics, 21 on geography and 6 on migration status. Sample findings: In England, areas of high deprivation had increased antibiotic prescribing, with most deprived areas showing increased rates of broad-spectrum antibiotic use. In the USA, patients from rural areas were more likely to have nitrofurantoin for urinary tract infections inappropriately prescribed compared to urban dwellers. Antibiotic-resistant infections: Ten of 137 papers were included; the majority from the USA (n=6). Six papers focused on ethnicity, three on age and one each on deprivation, income, migration status, PWID and geography. Sample findings: In the USA, African American and Hispanic patients had higher rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) compared to patients of other ethnicities. Immigrants had lower rates of MRSA infections, but higher rates of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus wound infections, compared to USA-born citizens. Across Europe, E. coli infections resistant to aminoglycosides had strong association with income inequality. Discussion/Conclusion There is evidence for an association between health inequalities and antibiotic use, and health inequalities and risk of antibiotic-resistant infections. Further research is needed to understand how differences in antibiotic use affect AMR spread amongst populations. A study limitation includes addressing each health inequality individually without investigating how they may interact together to affect antibiotic use and infection resistance patterns. A strength is use of the PRISMA-ScR reporting guideline and systematic literature search. The pharmacy profession is trusted by the public3 and ideally placed in community and hospital settings to raise awareness of how health inequalities impact infection management and resistance rates, as well as advocate for equity of access in Core20PLUS populations. References 1. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Community pharmacies: promoting health and wellbeing. 2018: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng102/chapter/Recommendations 2. O'Hare A, Harvey E, and Ashiru-Oredope D. Patient safety spotlight: how pharmacy teams can help minimise antimicrobial resistance. Regulate. 2022 3. Crossley, K. Public perceives pharmacists as some of the most trusted professionals. Pharmacy Times. 2019;18

Introduction Antimicrobial intravenous-to-oral switch (IVOS) is an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) strategy with patient safety and cost-effectiveness benefits. Studies show that IVOS decisions had no negative impact on patient outcomes,1 and pharmacist involvement brought about more appropriate antibiotic prescribing and 34% reduction in medication costs.2 Healthcare settings have developed individualised local IVOS checklists. Aim To collate IVOS criteria from local checklists, complete a rapid literature review to evaluate IVOS criteria and undertake a 3-step Delphi consensus-gathering process to agree evidence-based, UK-wide IVOS criteria for hospitalised adults. Methods Local IVOS checklists from the UK nations were sought through stratified sampling. The rapid review followed PRISMA guidance and is registered on PROSPERO [CRD42022320343]. Criteria with highest, or over 50%, appearance in checklists and literature were combined for Step 1 of the 3-step Delphi process. Step 1: Pilot/1st round questionnaire: An expert panel appraised each criterion via a 5-point Likert scale for relevance to safe and effective IVOS and ease of assessment in the clinical setting. Step 2: Virtual meeting: Step 1 respondents discussed questionnaire results and attained criteria consensus for Step 3. Step 3: 2nd round questionnaire: Healthcare professionals UK-wide stated level of agreement via a 5-point Likert scale regarding the need of each criterion for safe and effective IVOS. Results Forty-five local IVOS checklists were selected: 42 from English Acute Trusts, two from Scottish Health Boards and the All-Wales checklist. Sixteen of 477 papers were included in the rapid review. Criteria were synthesised into a 5-section framework: 1-Timing of IV antimicrobial review; 2-Clinical signs and symptoms; 3-Infection markers; 4-Enteral route; 5-Infection exclusions. Combination of IVOS criteria resulted in 41 criteria for Step 1. Step 1 had 24 respondents, 15 of those participated in Step 2. Thirty-five criteria went into Step 3, which had 242 respondents (England n=195, Northern Ireland n=18, Scotland n=18, Wales n=11). The majority were female (n=154; n=7 preferred not to say) and based in NHS Acute Teaching Trusts (n=121). Antimicrobial or infection specialist pharmacists were the highest respondents (n=65) followed by general physicians (n=55). Sixty-seven per cent of respondents (n=161) considered IVOS to have a positive impact on outcomes of clinically stable patients. Consensus was achieved for 27 IVOS criteria (66% of initial criteria). Examples of agreed criteria were: ‘IVOS should be considered within 48 hours of first dose of IV antimicrobial being administered’ and ‘Temperature between 36-38°C for past 24 hours’. Discussion/Conclusion Evidence-based consensus was achieved for IVOS criteria from a UK-wide multidisciplinary group and will be used to develop an IVOS tool for hospitalised adults. A study strength was use of the Delphi process to capture consensus; a limitation was no checklist from Northern Ireland was identified at time of the study, however Steps 1-3 had participation from Northern Ireland. Early IVOS initiatives led by ward pharmacists have previously been shown to reduce use of hospital intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics: co-amoxiclav (-27.9%) and cefuroxime (-46.5%).3 Further research is needed to operationalise the nationally agreed criteria in UK hospitals, expand AMS roles of pharmacy and nursing teams and assess impact. References 1. Wongkamhla T, Khan-Asa B, Tongsai S, Angkasekwinai N. Infectious Disease Team Review Using Antibiotic Switch and Discharge Criteria Shortens the Duration of Intravenous Antibiotic: A Single-Center Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial in Thailand. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2020;7(12):ofaa539. 2. Polidori P, Leonardi Vinci D, Adami S, Bianchi S, Faggiano ME, Provenzani A. Role of the hospital pharmacist in an Italian antimicrobial stewardship programme. Eur J Hosp Pharm. 2021;29:95-100. 3. Sze WT, Kong MC. Impact of printed antimicrobial stewardship recommendations on early intravenous to oral antibiotics switch practice in district hospitals. Pharm Pract. 2018;16(2):855.

The Orion laser facility at AWE provides multiple beams to target delivering synchronized pulses at both nanosecond and sub-picosecond duration. In the latter, the peak power approaches the petawatt level. This paper presents a conceptual design for potential development of these beamlines. This would deliver a significant enhancement of performance at the fundamental level. In addition, a new approach is described for the management of frequency conversion at high intensity, which may allow significantly enhanced performance at the second harmonic also.

The New Robotic Telescope is designed to conduct rapid target follow-up within 30 seconds of an ‘alert’ from survey facilities. To achieve this will require a quick settling time requirement for the mount structure and the mirrors. This means the structure shall be designed to be sufficiently rigid to achieve the mirror position within the ‘settle time’ after a quick slew operation. An optimization analysis using the finite element model is developed to conceptually design the mount structure that meets the mechanical and more importantly the NRT science requirements. The main objective of this study is to determine the required locked rotor resonance frequency (LRF) that provides enough rigidity for the telescope dynamic performance while minimizing the structural mass and cost.

The robotic 2-metre Liverpool Telescope (LT), located at Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma, has seen great success in its

Research into the processes of photoionised nebulae plays a significant part in our understanding of stellar evolution. It is extremely difficult to visually represent or model ionised nebula, requiring astronomers to employ sophisticated modelling code to derive temperature, density and chemical composition. Existing codes are available that often require steep learning curves and produce models derived from mathematical functions. In this article we will introduce PyCross: PyCloudy Rendering Of Shape Software. This is a pseudo 3D modelling application that generates photoionisation models of optically thin nebulae, created using the Shape software. Currently PyCross has been used for novae and planetary nebulae, and it can be extended to Active Galactic Nuclei or any other type of photoionised axisymmetric nebulae. Functionality, an operational overview, and a scientific pipeline will be described with scenarios where PyCross has been adopted for novae (V5668 Sagittarii (2015) & V4362 Sagittarii (1994)) and a planetary nebula (LoTr1). Unlike the aforementioned photoionised codes this application does not require any coding experience, nor the need to derive complex mathematical models, instead utilising the select features from Cloudy/PyCloudy and Shape. The software was developed using a formal software development lifecycle, written in Python and will work without the need to install any development environments or additional python packages. This application, Shape models and PyCross archive examples are freely available to students, academics and research community on GitHub for download (https://github.com/karolfitzgerald/PyCross_OSX_App)., 15 pages, 12 figures

Classical novae are thermonuclear explosions that occur on the surfaces of white dwarf stars in interacting binary systems (Bode & Evans 2008). It has long been thought that the luminosity of classical novae is powered by continued nuclear burning on the surface of the white dwarf after the initial runaway (Gallaher & Starrfield 1978). However, recent observations of GeV $\gamma$-rays from classical novae have hinted that shocks internal to the nova ejecta may dominate the nova emission. Shocks have also been suggested to power the luminosity of events as diverse as stellar mergers (Metzger & Pejcha 2017), supernovae (Moriya et al. 2018), and tidal disruption events (Roth et al. 2016), but observational confirmation has been lacking. Here we report simultaneous space-based optical and $\gamma$-ray observations of the 2018 nova V906 Carinae (ASASSN-18fv), revealing a remarkable series of distinct correlated flares in both bands. The optical and $\gamma$-ray flares occur simultaneously, implying a common origin in shocks. During the flares, the nova luminosity doubles, implying that the bulk of the luminosity is shock-powered. Furthermore, we detect concurrent but weak X-ray emission from deeply embedded shocks, confirming that the shock power does not appear in the X-ray band and supporting its emergence at longer wavelengths. Our data, spanning the spectrum from radio to $\gamma$-ray, provide direct evidence that shocks can power substantial luminosity in classical novae and other optical transients., Comment: 49 pages including supplementary information. Accepted and published in Nature Astronomy

Ultra-cool white dwarfs are among the oldest stellar remnants in the Universe. Their efficient gravitational settling and low effective temperatures are responsible for the smooth spectra they exhibit. For that reason, it is not possible to derive their radial velocities or to find the chemistry of the progenitors. The best that can be done is to infer such properties from associated sources, which are coeval. The simplest form of such a system is a common proper motion pair where one star is an evolved degenerate and the other a main-sequence star. In this work, we present the discovery of the first of such a system, the M dwarf LHS 6328 and the ultra-cool white dwarf PSO J1801+625, from the Pan-STARRS 1 3$��$ survey and the $Gaia$ Data Release 2. Follow-up spectra were collected covering a usable wavelength range of 3750-24500 ��. Their spectra show that the white dwarf has an effective temperature of 3550K and surface gravity of $\log g = 7.45 \pm 0.13$ or $\log g = 7.49 \pm 0.13$ for a CO or He core, respectively, when compared against synthetic spectra of ultra-cool white dwarf atmosphere models. The system has slightly subsolar metallicity with -0.25 < [Fe/H] < 0.0, and a spatial velocity of (U, V, W) = ($-114.26 \pm 0.24$, $222.94 \pm 0.60$, $10.25 \pm 0.34$) km s $^{-1}$ the first radial velocity and metallicity measurements of an ultra-cool white dwarf. This makes it the first and only benchmark of its kind to date., 11 pages, 4 figures, 5 tables. Some typographical changes

The physical mechanism driving mass ejection during a nova eruption is still poorly understood. Possibilities include ejection in a single ballistic event, a common envelope interaction, a continuous wind, or some combination of these processes. Here we present a study of 12 Galactic novae, for which we have pre-maximum high-resolution spectroscopy. All 12 novae show the same spectral evolution. Before optical peak, they show a slow P Cygni component. After peak a fast component quickly arises, while the slow absorption remains superimposed on top of it, implying the presence of at least two physically distinct flows. For novae with high-cadence monitoring, a third, intermediate-velocity component is also observed. These observations are consistent with a scenario where the slow component is associated with the initial ejection of the accreted material and the fast component with a radiation-driven wind from the white dwarf. When these flows interact, the slow flow is swept up by the fast flow, producing the intermediate component. These colliding flows may produce the gamma-ray emission observed in some novae. Our spectra also show that the transient heavy element absorption lines seen in some novae have the same velocity structure and evolution as the other lines in the spectrum, implying an association with the nova ejecta rather than a pre-existing circumbinary reservoir of gas or material ablated from the secondary. While this basic scenario appears to qualitatively reproduce multi-wavelength observations of classical novae, substantial theoretical and observational work is still needed to untangle the rich diversity of nova properties., Comment: 39 pages, 35 figures, submitted to ApJ

Among older adults who have recently sustained a fracture, there is substantial adoption of mobile technology. Furthermore, health and eHealth literacy level reported by participants supports the development of interactive eHealth interventions toward fostering better patient engagement in skeletal health management.Electronic health resources are increasingly used in the self-management of medical conditions. We aimed to identify the current level of technology adoption, health, and eHealth literacy among older adults with a recent fracture, to determine if the use of electronic interventions would be feasible and acceptable in this population.Adults ≥ 50 years with recent fractures were invited to complete a self-administered survey composed of 21 questions, including an 8-item perceived eHealth literacy scale.A total of 401 participants completed the survey (women, 64%; ≥ 65 years, 59%; university education, 32%). Most participants reported no difficulty in reading printed health material (67%) and felt confident in filling out medical forms (65%). Younger age and higher levels of education were associated with higher health literacy. Most respondents (81%) owned at least one mobile device (smartphone, 49%; tablet, 45%). eHEALS scores were similar among men (29, IQR 24-32) and women (29, IQR 25-33), and between younger age group categories (50-64 years, 30; IQR 26-33; and 65-74 years, 29; IQR 25-32), but lower in the oldest age group (≥ 75 years, 24; IQR 21-29; p 0.05). Compared with the youngest group, those ≥ 75 years had higher odds of an eHEALS 26 (odds ratio, 4.2; 95% confidence interval 2.0-8.9) after adjusting for sex and education level.There is significant adoption of mobile technology among older adults. Health and eHealth literacy reported by this study population supports the development of interactive eHealth interventions toward fostering better patient engagement in skeletal health management.

Work Package 2 of the THERAMIN project provides a framework to support decision making on the potential use of thermal technologies to treat various radioactive wastes. To do this, a methodology based on multi-attribute decision analysis has been devised to identify the benefits of applying thermal treatment techniques to a range of radioactive waste streams. The value assessment methodology used in THERAMIN follows an attribute-based approach with the potential benefits of the treatment technology assessed against different criteria, considering performance over the whole waste management lifecycle, from pre-treatment through to final disposal. The attribute groups considered are: operational safety, environmental impact, impact on disposability/long term safety, implementation, timescale, technical readiness, and cost impact. To guide the decision maker, each attribute in split into data categories (sub-criteria) and a summary of topics to be considered under each attribute is provided. The assessment attributes have been compiled by drawing on knowledge from across the THERAMIN partner organisations to make them as comprehensive as possible. Consideration is given to the whole of the waste lifecycle and to different European regulatory contexts.

Classical novae are eruptions on the surface of a white dwarf in a binary system. The material ejected from the white dwarf surface generally forms an axisymmetric shell of gas and dust around the system. The three-dimensional structure of these shells is difficult to untangle when viewed on the plane of the sky. In this work a geometrical model is developed to explain new observations of the 2015 nova V5668 Sagittarii. To understand the ionisation structure in terms of the nova shell morphology and estimate the emission distribution directly following the light-curve's dust-dip. High-cadence optical polarimetry and spectroscopy observations of a nova are presented. The ejecta is modelled in terms of morpho-kinematics and photoionisation structure. Initially observational results are presented, including broadband polarimetry and spectroscopy of V5668 Sgr nova during eruption. Variability over these observations provides clues towards the evolving structure of the nova shell. The position angle of the shell is derived from polarimetry, which is attributed to scattering from small dust grains. Shocks in the nova outflow are suggested in the photometry and the effect of these on the nova shell are illustrated with various physical diagnostics. Changes in density and temperature as the super soft source phase of the nova began are discussed. Gas densities are found to be of the order of 10$^{9}$ cm$^{-3}$ for the nova in its auroral phase. The blackbody temperature of the central stellar system is estimated to be around $2.2\times10^{5}$ K at times coincident with the super soft source turn-on. It was found that the blend around 4640 $\rm{\AA}$ commonly called `nitrogen flaring' is more naturally explained as flaring of the O~{\sc ii} multiplet (V1) from 4638 - 4696 $\rm{\AA}$, i.e. `oxygen flaring'., Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables, Accepted A&A 22 Nov 2017

GK Persei (1901, the 'Firework Nebula') is an old but bright nova remnant that offers a chance to probe the physics and kinematics of nova shells. The kinematics in new and archival longslit optical echelle spectra were analysed using the shape software. New imaging from the Aristarchos telescope continues to track the proper motion, extinction and structural evolution of the knots, which have been observed intermittently over several decades. We present for the first time, kinematical constraints on a large faint 'jet' feature, that was previously detected beyond the shell boundary. These observational constraints allow for the generation of models for individual knots, interactions within knot complexes, and the 'jet' feature. Put together, and taking into account dwarf-nova accelerated winds emanating from the central source, these data and models give a deeper insight into the GK Per nova remnant as a whole., Comment: Conference Proceedings, EAS Publication Series, The Physics of Evolved Stars: A Conference Dedicated to the Memory of Olivier Chesneau, 5 Pages, 2 Figures

Here we report that the most rapidly recurring nova, M31N 2008-12a, which erupts annually, is surrounded by a "nova super-remnant" which demonstrates that M31N 2008-12a has erupted with high frequency for millions of years., Comment: 30 pages, 8 figures

We present a comparative study on the ultrafast nonlinear optical response of a novel conjugated zinc porphyrin system. The linear optical absorption spectra of these molecules all show the Q‐band and B‐band transitions of the basic porphyrin unit. We have taken spectrally resolved ultrafast pump–probe measurements on monomer, dimer, and polymer solutions, which allows us to compare their excited state dynamics and relate these to their linear optical absorption. The spectra show several common features, but these features have markedly different decay dynamics. The bleaching is preferential in the Q band for the polymer and the B band for the monomer. The polymer Q‐band bleaching shows a two‐component decay, of approximately 700 fs and 170±50 ps time constants in a biexponential fit, which we attribute to both exciton–exciton annihilation and exciton diffusion to recombination centers on the polymer chain. The Q band of the dimer also has a two‐component decay with 13±5 and 1250±70 ps time constants whic...

The unique Honeycomb nebula, most likely a peculiar supernova remnant, lies in 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Due to its proximity to SN1987A, it has been serendipitously and intentionally observed at many wavelengths. Here, an optical spectral analysis of forbidden line ratios is performed in order to compare the Honeycomb high-speed gas with supernova remnants in the Galaxy and the LMC, with Galactic Wolf-Rayet nebulae and with the optical line emission from the interaction zone of the SS433 microquasar and W50 supernova remnant system. An empirical spatiokinematic model of the images and spectra for the Honeycomb reveals that its striking appearance is most likely due to a fortuitous viewing angle. The Honeycomb nebula is more extended in soft X-ray emission and could in fact be a small part of the edge of a giant LMC shell revealed for the first time in this short wavelength domain. It is also suggested that a previously unnoticed region of optical emission may in fact be an extension of the Honeycomb around the edge of this giant shell. A secondary supernova explosion in the edge of a giant shell is considered for the creation of the Honeycomb nebula. A microquasar origin of the Honeycomb nebula as opposed to a simple supernova origin is also evaluated.

The mechanisms underlying transcriptional inhibition by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) are poorly understood despite the existence of a large number of genes that are regulated in this manner and the key role of this cytokine in inflammatory disorders such as atherosclerosis. We have previously identified a novel mechanism for transcriptional inhibition by IFN-gamma that involves a reduction in the binding of transcription factors Sp1 and Sp3 to regulatory sequences in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene. In the present study, we have investigated the signalling pathways that impact on the IFN-gamma-mediated regulation of Sp1/Sp3 binding and LPL gene transcription in macrophages. The IFN-gamma-mediated inhibition of LPL promoter activity was prevented by expression of dominant negative forms of casein kinase 2 (CK2) and protein kinase B (PKB), a key downstream component of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. IFN-gamma activated both the catalytic subunits of CK2 without affecting their expression. CK2 interacted with both Sp1 and Sp3 and this association was increased by IFN-gamma. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that a CK2-mediated phosphorylation of either cellular extracts or recombinant Sp1 reduced binding to the regulatory region in the LPL gene. The action of PKB was potentially mediated through mammalian target for rapamycin proteins. Taken together, these results suggest a key role for CK2 and PI3K signalling pathways in the IFN-gamma-mediated inhibition of macrophage LPL gene transcription through the regulation of Sp1/Sp3 binding.

Objective— The interferon-γ (IFN-γ)–mediated regulation of macrophage gene expression is of crucial importance in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The mechanisms underlying the actions of IFN-γ signaling in macrophages were investigated using monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 as a model gene. Methods and Results— The IFN-γ–induced expression of MCP-1 in macrophages was attenuated by inhibitors of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), casein kinase 2 (CK2), and Janus kinase (JAK)-2. AKT was the downstream target for PI3K action. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-1 interacted with IFN-γ responsive elements in the MCP-1 gene promoter. The IFN-γ–induced activity of the MCP-1 gene promoter and an artificial promoter containing STAT1 responsive elements was inhibited by expression of dominant negative forms of JAK-1 and -2, STAT1, CK2, and AKT. The action of CK2 and AKT on STAT1 activation was mediated, at least in part, through the regulation of serine 727 phosphorylation. Analysis of a number of other genes regulated by this cytokine and implicated in atherosclerosis revealed a gene-specific action for PI3K/AKT in IFN-γ signaling. Conclusions— These studies provide novel insights into the role of PI3K/AKT and CK2 in IFN-γ signaling relevant to changes in macrophage gene expression during atherosclerosis.

Context. Complex bipolar shapes can be generated either as a planetary nebula or a symbiotic system. The origin of the material ionised by the white dwarf is very different in these two scenarios, and it complicates the understanding of the morphologies of planetary nebulae. Aims. The physical properties, structure, and dynamics of the bipolar nebulae, M 2-9, Mz 3, and Hen 2-104, are investigated in detail with the aim of understanding their nature, shaping mechanisms, and evolutionary history. Methods. Long-slit optical echelle spectra are used to investigate the morpho-kinematics of M 2-9, Mz 3, and Hen 2-104. Near-infrared (NIR) data, as well as optical, spectra are used to separate Galactic symbiotic-type nebulae from genuine planetary nebulae by means of a 2MASS J-H/H-Ks diagram and a {\lambda}4363/H{\gamma} vs. {\lambda}5007/H\b{eta} diagnostic diagram, respectively. Results. The best-fitted 3-D models for M 2-9, Mz 3, and Hen 2-104 provide invaluable kinematical information on the expansion velocity of its nebular components by means of synthetic spectra. Kinematical ages of the different structures of M 2-9 and Mz 3 have also been determined. Both diagnostic diagrams show M 2-9 and Hen 2-104 to fall well within the category of having a symbiotic source, whereas Mz 3 borders the region of symbiotic and young planetary nebulae in the optical diagram. The optical diagnostic diagram is shown to successfully separate the two types of nebulae. Conclusions. The morphology, kinematics, and evolutionary history of M 2-9, Mz 3, and Hen 2-104 are better understood using the interactive 3-D modelling tool shape. The optical and NIR diagnostic diagrams used are important techniques for separating Galactic symbiotic-type nebulae from genuine planetary nebulae., Comment: 15 pages, 7 tables, 9 figures. Accepted for publication by A&A

Atherosclerosis is considered to be a form of chronic inflammation governed by a complex network of inter- and intra-cellular signaling pathways. The pleiotropic cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is a key pro-inflammatory mediator that is expressed at high levels in atherosclerotic lesions. IFN-gamma regulates the function and properties of all the cell types in the vessel wall. The precise role of IFN-gamma in atherogenesis is complex, with both pro- and anti-atherogenic actions being identified. This review will discuss these actions of the cytokine along with recent findings that have emerged from mouse models of atherosclerosis that are deficient in IFN-gamma signaling.

International audience; V1280 Sco is one of the slowest dust-forming nova ever historically observed. We performed multi-epoch high-spatial resolution observations of the circumstellar dusty environment of V1280 Sco to investigate the level of asymmetry of the ejecta We observed V1280 Sco in 2009, 2010 and 2011 using unprecedented high angular resolution techniques. We used the NACO/VLT adaptive optics system in the J, H and K bands, together with contemporaneous VISIR/VLT mid-IR imaging that resolved the dust envelope of V1280 Sco, and SINFONI/VLT observations secured in 2011. We report the discovery of a dusty hourglass-shaped bipolar nebula. The apparent size of the nebula increased from 0.30" x 0.17" in July 2009 to 0.64" x 0.42" in July 2011. The aspect ratio suggests that the source is seen at high inclination. The central source shines efficiently in the K band and represents more than 56+/-5% of the total flux in 2009, and 87+/-6% in 2011. A mean expansion rate of 0.39+/-0.03 mas per day is inferred from the VISIR observations in the direction of the major axis, which represents a projected upper limit. Assuming that the dust shell expands in that direction as fast as the low-excitation slow ejecta detected in spectroscopy, this yields a lower limit distance to V1280 Sco of 1kpc; however, the systematic errors remain large due to the complex shape and velocity field of the dusty ejecta. The dust seems to reside essentially in the polar caps and no infrared flux is detected in the equatorial regions in the latest dataset. This may imply that the mass-loss was dominantly polar.

There is no consensually accepted recommendation for optimum surgical treatment of unstable fractures of the proximal humerus.Locked and minimally-invasive plating is a promising treatment option.The aim of this prospective, multicentric study is to describe a recently introduced surgical technique for proximal humeral fractures and to evaluate the radiographic and clinical outcomes of this operation. Closed and minimally-invasive reduction is first performed. A proximal humerus specific locking plate featuring multiple-angle screws is secondly implanted. Proper identification and protection of the axillary nerve with the index finger during plate insertion on the lateral humeral side is highly advisable. If it can't be palpated, a classic delto-pectoral approach should be preferred. Thirty-four patients were included in this study with a 1-year minimal postoperative follow-up. Twenty-two patients presented a two-part surgical neck fracture according to the Neer classification and 12 patients had a three-part valgus-impacted fracture. DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) and Constant scoring systems were used for functional evaluation.Specifically, no axillary nerve injury and no loss of reduction were observed. The median Constant score and the mean DASH score were 82 and 26 respectively at 1-year follow-up. The age-adjusted functional scores values were satisfactory. Two of the patients (6%) required surgical revision for intra-articular screw penetration.Our study suggests that percutaneous plating with angular screw fixation of proximal humeral fractures is a safe and effective method, which produces good functional and radiologic outcomes. These minimally-invasive techniques allowing a better preservation of soft-tissues help promote early functional recovery. This more friendly approach combined to upgraded implants and instruments will also improve early and long-term outcomes of these fractures.

We retrospectively reviewed a prospectively followed cohort of 105 patients with 110 open tibia fractures treated with external fixator or intramedullary nail to determine whether smoking affects fracture healing. Severe open tibia-shaft fractures treated at a tertiary-care medical center were included. Patients with type II, IIIA, or IIIB tibia fractures were eligible. Treatment for all patients was similar, except that they were randomized to receive external fixator or intramedullary nail. Time to fracture healing was the main outcome measurement. Smokers had a union rate of 84% (52/62), and nonsmokers had a union rate of 94% (45/48), P = .10. For smokers in one arm of the study, time to union was significantly longer (P = .01), and there were more complications (P = .04). Smoking decreased unions, slowed healing, and increased complications.

The purpose of this study was to compare, with regard to fixation of the implant and femoral bone resorption, two fully porous-coated stems of different stiffnesses in a canine total hip arthroplasty model. A bilateral arthroplasty was carried out with insertion of a titanium-alloy stem (which had stiffness properties comparable with those of the canine femur) on one side and with insertion of a composite stem (which was three to fivefold more flexible than the canine femur) on the contralateral side. Eight femora were evaluated at six months and eight, at eighteen months after the operation, to determine the extent of bone ingrowth, periprosthetic cortical area, intracortical porosity, and bone-remodeling. Despite the markedly greater flexibility of the composite stems, no significant difference could be detected (with the numbers available), with regard to the overall degree of femoral stress-shielding, cortical area, or cortical porosity, between these stems and the stiffer, titanium-alloy stems at either time-period. However, the composite stems had less bone ingrowth and more formation of radiopaque lines than did the titanium-alloy stems. At eighteen months, the values for bone ingrowth were 9.7 +/- 5.38 percent (mean and standard deviation) for the composite stems compared with 28.1 +/- 5.31 percent for the titanium-alloy stems (p = 0.003). Furthermore, the histological sections from the femora containing a composite stem showed radiopaque lines indicative of fibrous ingrowth approximately threefold more often than did those from the femora containing a titanium-alloy stem (p = 0.02).

The mode of cell death of two strains of mouse lymphoma L5178Y cells was studied following photodynamic therapy (PDT) sensitized by chloroaluminum phthalocyanine. Strains LY-R and LY-S differ in their relative sensitivities to UVC radiation, X-radiation, and PDT; both responded to PDT by undergoing apoptosis. The DNA was degraded into fragments with lengths which are multiples of approximately 180-190 base pairs (i.e., oligonucleosome size), a biochemical marker of apoptosis. The DNA fragmentation was dose and time dependent which indicates this response to be an enzymic process related to cell killing. Cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, and actinomycin D, an RNA synthesis inhibitor, enhanced the endonucleolytic DNA fragmentation. Transmission electron microscopy revealed chromatin condensation around the periphery of the nucleus, which is also characteristic of apoptosis. The induction of apoptosis in L5178Y cells by PDT was rapid, with marked degradation of DNA occurring in as little as 30 min. The rapidity of the response to PDT suggests that cellular damage produced by PDT can directly activate endonucleolysis and chromatin condensation, thereby by-passing many of the early steps in the signal transduction program which are acted upon by other agents causing apoptosis.

Background and aims: Although the control of macrophage gene expression by cytokines is of crucial importance in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying cytokine-regulated expression of key genes implicated in atherosclerosis [e.g. lipoprotein lipase (LPL), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP- 1), apolipoprotein E (apoE), ATP-binding cassette transporter-1 (ABCA1)] with emphasis on the actions of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). Methods: Gene expression was investigated by a combination of RTPCR, western blot analysis, transient transfection assays using promoterluciferase DNA constructs and expression profiling. Signaling pathways were studied using pharmacological agents, small interfering RNAs and biochemical analysis. Results: Investigation of mechanisms underlying IFN-gamma-inhibited expression of the LPL gene identified a potentially novel pathway involving activation of casein kinase 2 (CK2) and phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) leading to decreased binding of transcription factors Sp1 and Sp3 to regulatory sequences in the LPL gene. Further studies on MCP-1 along with RT-PCR and gene expression profiling of many atherosclerosis markers revealed key roles for CK2 and PI3K in the IFN-gamma-regulated expression of large number of genes implicated in atherosclerosis. TGF-beta also inhibited LPL gene transcription through Sp1 and Sp3 but required the actions of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. The JNK pathway was also involved in the TGF-beta-mediated induction of apoE and ABCA1 expression. Conclusions: These studies provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cytokine-regulated expression of key genes in macrophages implicated in atherosclerosis.

To gain a more complete understanding of the dynamics of the GK Per (1901) remnant faint-object high-resolution echelle spectroscopic observations and imaging were undertaken covering the knots which comprise the nova shell and the surrounding nebulosity. New imaging from the Aristarchos telescope in Greece and long-slit spectra from the MES instrument at the San Pedro Martir observatory in Mexico were obtained, supplemented with archival observations from several other optical telescopes. Position-velocity arrays are produced of the shell, and also individual knots, and are then used for morpho-kinematic modelling with the shape code. Evidence is found for the interaction of knots with each other and with a wind component, most likely the periodic fast wind emanating from the central binary system. We find that a cylindrical shell with a lower velocity polar structure gives the best model fit to the spectroscopy and imaging. We show in this work that the previously seen jet-like feature is of low velocity. The individual knots have irregular tail shapes; we propose here that they emanate from episodic winds from ongoing dwarf nova outbursts by the central system. The nova shell is cylindrical and the symmetry axis relates to the inclination of the central binary system. Furthermore, the cylinder axis is aligned with the long axis of the bipolar planetary nebula in which it is embedded. Thus, the central binary system is responsible for the bipolarity of the planetary nebula and the cylindrical nova shell. The gradual planetary nebula ejecta versus sudden nova ejecta is the reason for the different degrees of bipolarity. We propose that the 'jet' feature is an illuminated lobe of the fossil planetary nebula that surrounds the nova shell., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics 30 August 2016. 14 pages, 14 Figures, 5 Tables. Key words. Intermediate Polars: individual: GK Persei - Stars: Classical Novae, binaries: kinematics - Stars: winds, outflows, jets - Stars: circumstellar matter - spectroscopy: general