ALMA Observations of Circumnuclear Disks in Early Type Galaxies: 12CO(2-1) and Continuum Properties

We present results from an Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Cycle 2 program to map CO(2-1) emission in nearby early-type galaxies (ETGs) that host circumnuclear gas disks. We obtained $\sim0.3''-$resolution Band 6 observations of seven ETGs selected on the basis of dust disks in Hubble Space Telescope images. We detect CO emission in five at high signal-to-noise ratio with the remaining two only faintly detected. All CO emission is coincident with the dust and is in dynamically cold rotation. Four ETGs show evidence of rapid central rotation; these are prime candidates for higher-resolution ALMA observations to measure the black hole masses. In this paper we focus on the molecular gas and continuum properties. Total gas masses and H$_2$ column densities for our five CO-bright galaxies are on average $\sim10^8$ $M_\odot$ and $\sim10^{22.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ over the $\sim$kpc-scale disks, and analysis suggests that these disks are stabilized against gravitational fragmentation. The continuum emission of all seven galaxies is dominated by a central, unresolved source, and in five we also detect a spatially extended component. The $\sim$230 GHz nuclear continua are modeled as power laws ranging from $S_\nu \sim \nu^{-0.4}$ to $\nu^{1.6}$ within the observed frequency band. The extended continuum profiles of the two radio-bright (and CO-faint) galaxies are roughly aligned with their radio jet and suggests resolved synchrotron jets. The extended continua of the CO-bright disks are coincident with optically thick dust absorption and have spectral slopes that are consistent with thermal dust emission.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures; accepted for publication in Ap

Inducing hardening and healability in poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) via blending with complementary low molecular weight additives

The design and synthesis of low molecular weight additives based on self-assembling nitroarylurea units, and their compatibility with poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) copolymers are reported. The self-assembly properties of the low molecular weight additives have been demonstrated in a series of gelation studies. Upon blending at low percentage weights (≤ 5%) with poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) the additives were capable of increasing the stress and strain to failure when compared to the parent copolymer. By varying the percentage weight of the additive as well as the type of additive the mechanical properties of poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) could be tailored. Finally, the healability characteristics of the blends were improved when compared to the original polymer via the introduction of a supramolecular ‘network within a network’

Synthesis and analysis of a healable, poly(propylene glycol)-based supramolecular network

An investigation into healable supramolecular networks based upon branched poly(propylene) (PPG) oligomers that feature nitroarylurea chain ends is reported. A one-pot reaction utilising bis(toluene-1,4-diisocyanate)-terminated poly(propyleneglycol) (Mn ~ 2300), a nitroarylurea recognition motif, and tris(2-aminoethyl)amine was used to synthesise several branched PPG-based oligomers. The degree of oligomerization/branching was systematically varied by changing the stoichiometry of the starting materials in this one-pot reaction. The branched oligomers thus generated self-assemble into supramolecular networks, aided by association of the nitroarylurea end groups, and from this study a material that is capable of healing at ambient temperatures was realised. The healable supramolecular material formed from these studies exhibited effective autonomous healing (80% with respect to ultimate stress) up to 6 weeks after defect formation. Furthermore, elastic recovery was observed (80% with respect to yield stress) over a period of 24 hours after the samples were elongated beyond the region of uniform strain (50%)

Connecting With Clients in Later Life: The Use of Telebehavioral Health to Address Older Adults’ Mental Health Needs

Telebehavioral health offers a unique opportunity to expand access to mental health services for older clients by addressing systemic barriers that often render mental health care inaccessible in later life. Although health interventions facilitated by technology, including telebehavioral health approaches, proliferated at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, little guidance exists for counselors seeking to provide such services to clients in later life. In this manuscript, we describe challenges accessing mental health services, how telebehavioral health services can address these barriers, and practical consideration for delivering telebehavioral health approaches for counselors who work with older clients

Benefits of robotic cystectomy with intracorporeal diversion for patients with low cardiorespiratory fitness: a prospective cohort study

Background: Patients undergoing radical cystectomy have associated comorbidities resulting in reduced cardiorespiratory fitness. Preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) measures including anaerobic threshold (AT) can predict major adverse events (MAE) and hospital length of stay (LOS) for patients undergoing open and robotic cystectomy with extracorporeal diversion. Our objective was to determine the relationship between CPET measures and outcome in patients undergoing robotic radical cystectomy and intracorporeal diversion (intracorporeal robotic assisted radical cystectomy [iRARC]). Methods: A single institution prospective cohort study in patients undergoing iRARC for muscle invasive and high-grade bladder cancer. Inclusion: patients undergoing standardised CPET before iRARC. Exclusions: patients not consenting to data collection. Data on CPET measures (AT, ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide [VE/VCO2] at AT, peak oxygen uptake [VO2]), and patient demographics prospectively collected. Outcome measurements included hospital LOS; 30-day MAE and 90-day mortality data, which were prospectively recorded. Descriptive and regression analyses were used to assess whether CPET measures were associated with or predicted outcomes. Results: From June 2011 to March 2015, 128 patients underwent radical cystectomy (open cystectomy, n = 17; iRARC, n = 111). A total of 82 patients who underwent iRARC and CPET and consented to participation were included. Median (interquartile range): age = 65 (58–73); body mass index = 27 (23–30); AT = 10.0 (9–11), Peak VO2 = 15.0 (13–18.5), VE/VCO2 (AT) = 33.0 (30–38). 30-day MAE = 14/111 (12.6%): death = 2, multiorgan failure = 2, abscess = 2, gastrointestinal = 2, renal = 6; 90-day mortality = 3/111 (2.7%). AT, peak VO2, and VE/VCO2 (at AT) were not significant predictors of 30-day MAE or LOS. The results are limited by the absence of control group undergoing open surgery. Conclusions: Poor cardiorespiratory fitness does not predict increased hospital LOS or MAEs in patients undergoing iRARC. Overall, MAE and LOS comparable with other series

Nitroarylurea-terminated supramolecular polymers that exhibit facile thermal repair and aqueous swelling-induced sealing of defects

Bi- and tri-armed polyethylene glycol units endcapped with nitroaryl urea units have been synthesised. These endcapped polymers are able to self-assemble via complementary supramolecular interactions, specifically urea-urea and nitro-urea hydrogen bonding, to afford materials with dramatically increased mechanical and thermal properties when compared to those of the uncapped polyethylene glycol precursors. Thin films of the capped polymeric systems are able to self-repair following defect creation. Control over the mechanical and thermal characteristics (in terms of bulk viscosity) of the self-assembled networks was achieved by varying the proportion of tri-armed to bi-armed self-assembly units included in the polymer. These systems demonstrate water absorption and swelling capabilities that are also controllable by varying the ratio of the two types of unit. These physical properties have been optimised to realise a secondary pathway to puncture-repair as a result of swelling on water contact

Hydra: software for tailored processing of H/D exchange data from MS or tandem MS analyses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (H/DX-MS) experiments implemented to characterize protein interaction and protein folding generate large quantities of data. Organizing, processing and visualizing data requires an automated solution, particularly when accommodating new tandem mass spectrometry modes for H/DX measurement. We sought to develop software that offers flexibility in defining workflows so as to support exploratory treatments of H/DX-MS data, with a particular focus on the analysis of very large protein systems and the mining of tandem mass spectrometry data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We present a software package ("Hydra") that supports both traditional and exploratory treatments of H/DX-MS data. Hydra's software architecture tolerates flexible data analysis procedures by allowing the addition of new algorithms without significant change to the underlying code base. Convenient user interfaces ease the organization of raw data files and input of peptide data. After executing a user-defined workflow, extracted deuterium incorporation values can be visualized in tabular and graphical formats. Hydra also automates the extraction and visualization of deuterium distribution values. Manual validation and assessment of results is aided by an interface that aligns extracted ion chromatograms and mass spectra, while providing a means of rapidly reprocessing the data following manual adjustment. A unique feature of Hydra is the automated processing of tandem mass spectrometry data, demonstrated on a large test data set in which 40,000 deuterium incorporation values were extracted from replicate analysis of approximately 1000 fragment ions in one hour using a typical PC.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The customizable workflows and user-friendly interfaces of Hydra removes a significant bottleneck in processing and visualizing H/DX-MS data and helps the researcher spend more time executing new experiments and interpreting results. This increased efficiency will encourage the analysis of larger protein systems. The ability to accommodate the tandem MS dimension supports alternative data collection and analysis strategies, as well as higher resolution localization of deuteration where permitted by the fragmentation mechanism.</p

A Precision Measurement of the Mass of the Black Hole in NGC 3258 from High-Resolution ALMA Observations of its Circumnuclear Disk

We present $\sim0.10^{\prime\prime}-$resolution Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) CO(2$-$1) imaging of the arcsecond-scale ($r \approx 150$ pc) dusty molecular disk in the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 3258. The data provide unprecedented resolution of cold gas disk kinematics within the dynamical sphere of influence of a supermassive black hole, revealing a quasi-Keplerian central increase in projected rotation speed rising from 280 km s$^{-1}$ at the disk's outer edge to $>400$ km s$^{-1}$ near the disk center. We construct dynamical models for the rotating disk and fit beam-smeared model CO line profiles directly to the ALMA data cube. Our models incorporate both flat disks and tilted-ring disks that provide a better fit of the mildly warped structure in NGC 3258. We show that the exceptional angular resolution of the ALMA data makes it possible to infer the host galaxy's mass profile within $r=150$ pc solely from the ALMA CO kinematics, without relying on optical or near-infrared imaging data to determine the stellar mass profile. Our model therefore circumvents any uncertainty in the black hole mass that would result from the substantial dust extinction in the galaxy's central region. The best model fit yields $M_\mathrm{BH} = 2.249\times10^9$ $M_\odot$ with a statistical model-fitting uncertainty of just 0.18\%, and systematic uncertainties of 0.62\% from various aspects of the model construction and 12\% from uncertainty in the distance to NGC 3258. This observation demonstrates the full potential of ALMA for carrying out highly precise measurements of $M_\mathrm{BH}$ in early-type galaxies containing circumnuclear gas disksComment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 32 pages, 22 figure

MEASUREMENT OF THE BLACK HOLE MASS IN NGC 1332 FROM ALMA OBSERVATIONS AT 0.044 ARCSECOND RESOLUTION

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Cycle 3 observations of CO(2-1) emission from the circumnuclear disk in the E/S0 galaxy NGC 1332 at 0.″044 resolution. The disk exhibits regular rotational kinematics and central high-velocity emission (±500 km s ) consistent with the presence of a compact central mass. We construct models for a thin, dynamically cold disk in the gravitational potential of the host galaxy and black hole and fit the beam-smeared model line profiles directly to the ALMA data cube. Model fits successfully reproduce the disk kinematics out to r = 200 pc. Fitting models just to spatial pixels within projected r = 50 pc of the nucleus (two times larger than the black hole's gravitational radius of influence), we find M =(6.64 ) × 10 M . This observation demonstrates ALMA's powerful capability to determine the masses of supermassive black holes by resolving gas kinematics on small angular scales in galaxy nuclei. -1 +0.65 8 BH -0.63