Detection of Extended Red Emisson in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium

Extended Red Emission (ERE) has been detected in many dusty astrophysical objects and this raises the question: Is ERE present only in discrete objects or is it an observational feature of all dust, i.e. present in the diffuse interstellar medium? In order to answer this question, we determined the blue and red intensities of the radiation from the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) and examined the red intensity for the presence of an excess above that expected for scattered light. The diffuse ISM blue and red intensities were obtained by subtracting the integrated star and galaxy intensities from the blue and red measurements made by the Imaging Photopolarimeter (IPP) aboard the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft. The color of the diffuse ISM was found to be redder than the Pioneer intensities, contrary to that expected for scattered light (Diffuse Galactic Light [DGL]). The red DGL was calculated using the blue diffuse ISM intensities and the approximately invariant color of the DGL calculated with the DGL model. Subtracting the calculated red DGL from the red diffuse ISM intensities resulted in the detection of an excess red intensity. This represents the likely detection of ERE in the diffuse ISM since H-alpha emission cannot account for the strength of this excess and the only other known emission process applicable to the diffuse ISM is ERE. Thus, ERE appears to be a general characteristic of dust. From the correlation between N_HI and ERE intensity the ERE photon conversion efficiency was estimated at 10 +/- 3%.Comment: 44 pages (41 figures included), to be published in the ApJ, new version corrected for small error in fig. 2

Pregnancy outcomes and vaccine effectiveness during the period of omicron as the variant of concern, INTERCOVID-2022: a multinational, observational study.

BACKGROUND: In 2021, we showed an increased risk associated with COVID-19 in pregnancy. Since then, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has undergone genetic mutations. We aimed to examine the effects on maternal and perinatal outcomes of COVID-19 during pregnancy, and evaluate vaccine effectiveness, when omicron (B.1.1.529) was the variant of concern. METHODS: INTERCOVID-2022 is a large, prospective, observational study, involving 41 hospitals across 18 countries. Each woman with real-time PCR or rapid test, laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in pregnancy was compared with two unmatched women without a COVID-19 diagnosis who were recruited concomitantly and consecutively in pregnancy or at delivery. Mother and neonate dyads were followed until hospital discharge. Primary outcomes were maternal morbidity and mortality index (MMMI), severe neonatal morbidity index (SNMI), and severe perinatal morbidity and mortality index (SPMMI). Vaccine effectiveness was estimated, adjusted by maternal risk profile. FINDINGS: We enrolled 4618 pregnant women from Nov 27, 2021 (the day after WHO declared omicron a variant of concern), to June 30, 2022: 1545 (33%) women had a COVID-19 diagnosis (median gestation 36·7 weeks [IQR 29·0-38·9]) and 3073 (67%) women, with similar demographic characteristics, did not have a COVID-19 diagnosis. Overall, women with a diagnosis had an increased risk for MMMI (relative risk [RR] 1·16 [95% CI 1·03-1·31]) and SPMMI (RR 1·21 [95% CI 1·00-1·46]). Women with a diagnosis, compared with those without a diagnosis, also had increased risks of SNMI (RR 1·23 [95% CI 0·88-1·71]), although the lower bounds of the 95% CI crossed unity. Unvaccinated women with a COVID-19 diagnosis had a greater risk of MMMI (RR 1·36 [95% CI 1·12-1·65]). Severe COVID-19 symptoms in the total sample increased the risk of severe maternal complications (RR 2·51 [95% CI 1·84-3·43]), perinatal complications (RR 1·84 [95% CI 1·02-3·34]), and referral, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, or death (RR 11·83 [95% CI 6·67-20·97]). Severe COVID-19 symptoms in unvaccinated women increased the risk of MMMI (RR 2·88 [95% CI 2·02-4·12]) and referral, ICU admission, or death (RR 20·82 [95% CI 10·44-41·54]). 2886 (63%) of 4618 total participants had at least a single dose of any vaccine, and 2476 (54%) of 4618 had either complete or booster doses. Vaccine effectiveness (all vaccines combined) for severe complications of COVID-19 for all women with a complete regimen was 48% (95% CI 22-65) and 76% (47-89) after a booster dose. For women with a COVID-19 diagnosis, vaccine effectiveness of all vaccines combined for women with a complete regimen was 74% (95% CI 48-87) and 91% (65-98) after a booster dose. INTERPRETATION: COVID-19 in pregnancy, during the first 6 months of omicron as the variant of concern, was associated with increased risk of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, especially among symptomatic and unvaccinated women. Women with complete or boosted vaccine doses had reduced risk for severe symptoms, complications, and death. Vaccination coverage among pregnant women remains a priority. FUNDING: None

Liquid biopsies come of age: towards implementation of circulating tumour DNA

Improvements in genomic and molecular methods are expanding the range of potential applications for circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), both in a research setting and as a ‘liquid biopsy’ for cancer management. Proof-of-principle studies have demonstrated the translational potential of ctDNA for prognostication, molecular profiling and monitoring. The field is now in an exciting transitional period in which ctDNA analysis is beginning to be applied clinically, although there is still much to learn about the biology of cell-free DNA. This is an opportune time to appraise potential approaches to ctDNA analysis, and to consider their applications in personalized oncology and in cancer research.We would like to acknowledge the support of The University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK (grant numbers A11906, A20240, A15601) (to N.R., J.D.B.), the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013)/ERC Grant Agreement n. 337905 (to N.R.), the Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, and Hutchison Whampoa Limited (to N.R.), AstraZeneca (to R.B., S.P.), the Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) (to R.B., S.P.), and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) (to R.B., S.P.). J.G.C. acknowledges clinical fellowship support from SEOM

HEAVY METAL ACCUMULATION IN SOILS AROUND A SALT LAKE IN TURKEY

The heavy metal (Pb, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn and Cd) accumulation around soils of Salt Lake in Turkey were evaluated, accounting for major sources including atmospheric deposition, sewage systems, livestock manures, fertilizers, traffic and industrial by-product wastes. The heavy metal concentrations were determined by using Varian model Inductively Coupled Plasma and statistically evaluated with SPSS 11.5 statistical program. The heavy metal concentrations were investigated monthly except winter months. The lowest and the highest accumulation levels were observed in April and in August, respectively. The soils were also evaluated according to zonation around the lake and the relations between the four selected stations. There is a correlation between the heavy metals and their sources. There should be some precautions taken against the heavy metal pollution around Salt Lake because of the ecological, agricultural and economical importance of the area

An ecological and syntaxonomical overview of Castanea sativa and a new association in Turkey

Abstract: Castanea sativa Mill. is thought to be originated from Turkey. It is an important deciduous angiosperm with edible fruits and valuable wood. It has a wide distribution from east Black sea to Marmara and Aegean Regions. Because of its wide distribution, C. sativa grows on different ecological, geological, climatic and edaphic condition and these results in different associations with different companion species evaluated in different upper units. In this paper, the status of Turkish C. sativa forests, their ecological and syntaxonomical characteristics were overviewed. The C. sativa associations described so far and a new one from Black Sea region were grouped in various alliances of two distinct classes, Querco-Fagetea and Quercetea pubescentis

Adaptation and validation of the Michigan Incontinence Severity Index in a Turkish population

Mehmet Akif Sargin, Murat Yassa, Bilge Dogan Taymur, Emrah Ergun, Gizem Akca, Niyazi Tug Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey Objective: To translate and validate the Michigan Incontinence Severity Index (M-ISI) for its use in Turkish-speaking women with urinary incontinence.Methods: The translation and cross-cultural adaptation were based on international guidelines. Content validity by content validity ratio/content validity index, internal consistency by Cronbach’s alpha, test–retest reliability by Pearson’s correlation, and construct validity by using Spearman rank correlations to show the relationship between individual items and the relevant domains and subdomains were analyzed in 100 female participants with a chief complaint of urinary incontinence. Correlations between the relevant scores of M-ISI and The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Short Form scores were analyzed to indicate convergent validity. The Varimax rotation method was used to conduct exploratory factor analysis in order to investigate the factor structures/distribution of M-ISI items.Results: Content validity index and content validity ratio values increased to 0.97 and 1.00, respectively, showing sufficient content validity of the Turkish version of the M-ISI. The analysis formed three factors which was slightly different from original developers. In our proposed three-factor construct, all of the ten items demonstrated high correlations with their subdomains and lower correlations with the other domains, indicating good construct validity. Correlations between stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence (UUI) scores and The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Short Form scores were found high, which indicated convergent validity (r: 0.953, P<0.001). Good internal consistency of the scores for each subdomain was observed (stress urinary incontinence, 0.787; UUI, 0.862; pad usage and bother, 0.832). Test–retest reliability was shown for each subdomain (stress urinary incontinence, 0.973; UUI, 0.973; pad usage and bother, 0.979).Conclusion: The translated and cross-culturally adapted M-ISI showed good validity, reproducibility, and reliability that allow its use in Turkish-speaking populations with urinary incontinence. Its comprehensive structure means that it has become a practical instrument that is available for utilization in the primary health care setting, clinical research, and epidemiological trials in Turkey. Keywords: bother, questionnaires, pad use, reliability and validity, translations, urinary incontinenc