Shape coexistence at the proton drip-line: First identification of excited states in 180Pb

Excited states in the extremely neutron-deficient nucleus, 180Pb, have been identified for the first time using the JUROGAM II array in conjunction with the RITU recoil separator at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyvaskyla. This study lies at the limit of what is presently achievable with in-beam spectroscopy, with an estimated cross-section of only 10 nb for the 92Mo(90Zr,2n)180Pb reaction. A continuation of the trend observed in 182Pb and 184Pb is seen, where the prolate minimum continues to rise beyond the N=104 mid-shell with respect to the spherical ground state. Beyond mean-field calculations are in reasonable correspondence with the trends deduced from experiment.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys.Rev.

Balanced anesthesia in pigeons (Columba livia): a protocol that ensures stable vital parameters and feasibility during long surgeries in cognitive neuroscience

In neuroscience, numerous experimental procedures in animal models require surgical interventions, such as the implantation of recording electrodes or cannulas before main experiments. These surgeries can take several hours and should rely on principles that are common in the field of research and medicine. Considering the characteristics of the avian respiratory physiology, the development of a safe and replicable protocol for birds is necessary to minimize side effects of anesthetic agents, circumvent technical limitations due to the insufficient availability of patient monitoring, and to maintain stable intraoperative anesthesia. Through the consistent and responsible implementation of the three R principle of animal welfare in science (“Replace, Reduce, Refine”), we aimed to optimize experimental methods to minimize the burden on pigeons (Columba livia) during surgical procedures. Here, surgeries were conducted under balanced anesthesia and perioperative monitoring of heart rate, oxygen saturation, body temperature, and the reflex state. The protocol we developed is based on the combination of injectable and inhalative anesthetic drugs [ketamine, xylazine, and isoflurane, supported by the application of an opiate for analgesia (e.g., butorphanol, buprenorphine)]. The combination of ketamine and xylazine with a pain killer is established in veterinary medicine across a vast variety of species. Practicability was verified by survival of the animals, fast and smooth recovery quantified by clinical examination, sufficiency, and stability of anesthesia. Independent of painful stimuli like incision or drilling, or duration of surgery, vital parameters were within known physiological ranges for pigeons. Our approach provides a safe and conservative protocol for surgeries of extended duration for scientific applications as well as for veterinary medicine in pigeons which can be adapted to other bird species

Track A Basic Science

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138319/1/jia218438.pd

Dimethyl fumarate in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) inhibits inflammasome-mediated inflammation and has been proposed as a treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. This randomised, controlled, open-label platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing multiple treatments in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 (NCT04381936, ISRCTN50189673). In this assessment of DMF performed at 27 UK hospitals, adults were randomly allocated (1:1) to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus DMF. The primary outcome was clinical status on day 5 measured on a seven-point ordinal scale. Secondary outcomes were time to sustained improvement in clinical status, time to discharge, day 5 peripheral blood oxygenation, day 5 C-reactive protein, and improvement in day 10 clinical status. Between 2 March 2021 and 18 November 2021, 713 patients were enroled in the DMF evaluation, of whom 356 were randomly allocated to receive usual care plus DMF, and 357 to usual care alone. 95% of patients received corticosteroids as part of routine care. There was no evidence of a beneficial effect of DMF on clinical status at day 5 (common odds ratio of unfavourable outcome 1.12; 95% CI 0.86-1.47; p = 0.40). There was no significant effect of DMF on any secondary outcome

Dimethyl fumarate in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) inhibits inflammasome-mediated inflammation and has been proposed as a treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. This randomised, controlled, open-label platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing multiple treatments in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 (NCT04381936, ISRCTN50189673). In this assessment of DMF performed at 27 UK hospitals, adults were randomly allocated (1:1) to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus DMF. The primary outcome was clinical status on day 5 measured on a seven-point ordinal scale. Secondary outcomes were time to sustained improvement in clinical status, time to discharge, day 5 peripheral blood oxygenation, day 5 C-reactive protein, and improvement in day 10 clinical status. Between 2 March 2021 and 18 November 2021, 713 patients were enroled in the DMF evaluation, of whom 356 were randomly allocated to receive usual care plus DMF, and 357 to usual care alone. 95% of patients received corticosteroids as part of routine care. There was no evidence of a beneficial effect of DMF on clinical status at day 5 (common odds ratio of unfavourable outcome 1.12; 95% CI 0.86-1.47; p = 0.40). There was no significant effect of DMF on any secondary outcome

Perovskite Phase Relations in the System CaO–MgO–TiO₂–SiO₂ and Implications for Deep Mantle Lithologies

Experiments at 20-97 GPa and 2000 K in the system CaO-MgO-TiO₂-SiO₂ constrain phase relations involving Mg-rich and Ca-rich perovskite solid solutions at conditions relevant to the Earth's deep Transition Zone and lower mantle. Bulk compositions were investigated with molar Ti/(Ti + Si) up to 0·5 within the quasi-ternary 'perovskite plane', which is defined by a reciprocal solution among the components MgSiO₃, MgTiO₃, CaSiO₃, and CaTiO₃. Multi-anvil experiments at 20 GPa and 2000 K on bulk compositions within the plane produce akimotoite coexisting with Ca-perovskites that lie close to the CaSiO₃-CaTiO₃ join. Higher-pressure experiments using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell constrain the position of a two-perovskite field that extends into the perovskite plane from the solvus along the MgSiO₃-CaSiO₃ binary join, where limited mutual solubility exists between MgSiO₃ and CaSiO₃ perovskites. On the join MgSiO₃-MgTiO₃, MgTiO₃ solubility in MgSiO₃ perovskite increases with pressure, with MgSi0·8Ti0·2O₃ perovskite stable at ∼50 GPa. Limited reciprocal solution at ∼25 GPa results in an expansive two-perovskite field that occupies much of the Si-rich portion of the perovskite plane. Solution of Ti into Mg-rich and Ca-rich perovskites enhances the solubility of reciprocal Ca and Mg components, respectively. Increase in pressure promotes reciprocal solution, and the two-phase field collapses rapidly with pressure toward the MgSiO₃-CaSiO₃ join. We find that a single-phase, orthorhombic perovskite with near equimolar Ca and Mg is stable in a composition with Ti/(Ti + Si) of only 0·05 at 97 GPa, requiring that by this pressure the two-phase field occupies a small area close to the MgSiO₃-CaSiO₃ join. On the basis of experiments at∼1500 K, temperature has only a mild effect on the position of the Ca-rich limb of the solvus. Ca(Ti,Si)O₃ mineral inclusions in deep sublithospheric diamonds could not have formed in equilibrium with Mg-perovskite owing to their virtual lack of MgSiO₃ component at pressures of Mg-perovskite stability, but may have equilibrated with Transition Zone MgSiO₃-rich phases at lower pressures; this observation can be extended generally to near-endmember CaSiO₃ inclusions. On an iron-free basis, the average bulk compositions of clinopyroxene-ilmenite and orthopyroxene-ilmenite megacrysts from kimberlites plot in single-perovskite fields at pressures greater than about 45 and 65 GPa, respectively, when projected onto the perovskite plane. We predict that the effect of iron will not be large, and estimate that single-phase perovskites may form at somewhat lower pressures than in the iron-free system. Thus, the origin of pyroxene-ilmenite megacrysts from single-phase perovskite solutions in the lower mantle is plausible on the basis of phase relations, although a lower pressure magmatic origin appears more likely. Deeply subducted Ti-rich lithologies such as ocean-island basalt will crystallize a single perovskite rather than a two-perovskite assemblage beginning at pressures of ∼80 GPa. Normal mid-ocean ridge basalt and primitive mantle peridotite are expected to remain within a two-phase perovskite field until Mg-perovskite transforms to post-perovskite.25 page(s

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs. Tai Chi for Late Life Insomnia and Inflammatory Risk: A Randomized Controlled Comparative Efficacy Trial

Study objectivesTo investigate the comparative efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Tai Chi Chih (TCC), and sleep seminar education control (SS) on the primary outcome of insomnia diagnosis, and secondary outcomes of sleep quality, fatigue, depressive symptoms, and inflammation in older adults with insomnia.DesignRandomized controlled, comparative efficacy trial.SettingLos Angeles community.Patients123 older adults with chronic and primary insomnia.InterventionsRandom assignment to CBT, TCC, or SS for 2-hour group sessions weekly over 4 months with follow-up at 7 and 16 months.MeasurementsInsomnia diagnosis, patient-reported outcomes, polysomnography (PSG), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.ResultsCBT performed better than TCC and SS in remission of clinical insomnia as ascertained by a clinician (P < 0.01), and also showed greater and more sustained improvement in sleep quality, sleep parameters, fatigue, and depressive symptoms than TCC and SS (all P values < 0.01). As compared to SS, CBT was associated with a reduced risk of high CRP levels (> 3.0 mg/L) at 16 months (odds ratio [OR], 0.26 [95% CI, 0.07-0.97] P < 0.05). Remission of insomnia was associated with lower levels of CRP (P < 0.05) at 16 months. TCC was associated with improvements in sleep quality, fatigue, and depressive symptoms as compared to SS (all P's < 0.05), but not insomnia remission. PSG measures did not change.ConclusionsTreatment of late-life insomnia is better achieved and sustained by cognitive behavioral therapies. Insomnia treatment and remission reduces a marker of inflammatory risk, which has implications for cardiovascular morbidity and diabetes observed with sleep disturbance in epidemiologic surveys