Alien Registration- Murphy, Jessie C. (Oakfield, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/34313/thumbnail.jp

IceCube search for neutrinos from GRB 221009A

GRB 221009A is the brightest Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) ever observed. The observed extremely high flux of high and very-high-energy photons provide a unique opportunity to probe the predicted neutrino counterpart to the electromagnetic emission. We have used a variety of methods to search for neutrinos in coincidence with the GRB over several time windows during the precursor, prompt and afterglow phases of the GRB. MeV scale neutrinos are studied using photo-multiplier rate scalers which are normally used to search for galactic core-collapse supernovae neutrinos. GeV neutrinos are searched starting with DeepCore triggers. These events don't have directional localization, but instead can indicate an excess in the rate of events. 10 GeV - 1 TeV and >TeV neutrinos are searched using traditional neutrino point source methods which take into account the direction and time of events with DeepCore and the entire IceCube detector respectively. The >TeV results include both a fast-response analysis conducted by IceCube in real-time with time windows of T$_0 - 1$ to T$_0 + 2$ hours and T$_0 \pm 1$ day around the time of GRB 221009A, as well as an offline analysis with 3 new time windows up to a time window of T$_0 - 1$ to T$_0 + 14$ days, the longest time period we consider. The combination of observations by IceCube covers 9 orders of magnitude in neutrino energy, from MeV to PeV, placing upper limits across the range for predicted neutrino emission.Comment: Presented at the 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2023). See arXiv:2307.13047 for all IceCube contribution

Essential Oils from Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) and Passionflower fruit (Passiflora incarnata): Studies on Cognition, Coordination, and Chemical Components.

Plant essential oils (EO) are used as perfumes, lotions and air fresheners because of their pleasant aromas, but EO also have the ability to elicit changes in mood and behavior. These activities are influenced by the mode of administration and by multiple signaling pathways. The EO aromas from organically grown apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) and passionflower fruit (Passiflora incarnata) were assessed for their effects on cognition and coordination. Participants completed two tasks designed to test working memory and bimanual task efficiency in rooms infused with apple mint, passionflower fruit or control EO. Bimanual coordination was assessed using the Intercept2 program and the Memory Span component of CogLab 2.0 was utilized as a test of working memory. Then, the EO were analyzed by GC-MS, resulting in the identification of several compounds with affinity towards olfactory receptors and neurotransmitter systems. For specific memory subtests within CogLab, EO from apple mint aided number recall, whereas passionflower fruit hindered recall of numbers and letters that sound similar. Passionflower fruit EO slightly enhanced bimanual task coordination. The results indicate that specific aromas may differentially affect task performance

Sarcopenia: Prevalence, and Impact on Operative and Oncologic Outcomes in the Multimodal Management of Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer

Objective: The aim of this article was to study the prevalence and significance of sarcopenia in the multimodal management of locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC), and to assess its independent impact on operative and oncologic outcomes. Summary of background data: Sarcopenia in cancer may confer negative outcomes, but its prevalence and impact on modern multimodal regimens for LAEC have not been systematically studied. Methods: Two hundred fifty-two consecutive patients were studied. Lean body mass (LBM), skeletal muscle index (SMI), and fat mass (FM) were determined pre-treatment, preoperatively, and 1 year postoperatively. Sarcopenia was defined by computed tomography (CT) at L3 as SMI \u3c 52.4 cm/m for males and SMI \u3c 38.5 cm/m for females. All complications were recorded prospectively, including comprehensive complications index (CCI), Clavien-Dindo complication (CDC), and pulmonary complications (PPCs). Multivariable linear, logistic, and Cox regression analysis was performed. Results: In-hospital mortality was 1%, and CCI was 21 ± 19. Sarcopenia increased (P = 0.02) from 16% at diagnosis to 31% post-neoadjuvant therapy, with loss of LBM (-3.0 ± 5.4 kg, P \u3c 0.0001), but not FM (-0.3 ± 2.7 kg, P= 0.31) during treatment. On multivariable analysis, preoperative sarcopenia was associated with CCI (P = 0.043), and CDC ≥IIIb (P = 0.003). PPCs occurred in 36% nonsarcopenic versus 55% sarcopenic patients (P = 0.01). Sarcopenia did not impact disease-specific (P = 0.14) or overall survival (P = 0.11) after resection. At 1 year, 35% had sarcopenia, significantly associated with pre-treatment BMI (P = 0.013) but not complications (P = 0.20). Conclusions: Sarcopenia increases through multimodal therapy, is associated with an increased risk of major postoperative complications, and is prevalent in survivorship. These data highlight a potentially modifiable marker of risk that should be assessed and targeted in modern multimodal care pathways

Efficacy of personalized cognitive counseling in men of color who have sex with men: secondary data analysis from a controlled intervention trial.

In a previous report, we demonstrated the efficacy of a cognitively based counseling intervention compared to standard counseling at reducing episodes of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) seeking HIV testing. Given the limited number of efficacious prevention interventions for MSM of color (MOC) available, we analyzed the data stratified into MOC and whites. The sample included 196 white MSM and 109 MOC (23 African Americans, 36 Latinos, 22 Asians, eight Alaskan Natives/Native Americans/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 20 of mixed or other unspecified race). Among MOC in the intervention group, the mean number of episodes of UAI declined from 5.1 to 1.6 at six months and was stable at 12 months (1.8). Among the MOC receiving standard counseling, the mean number of UAI episodes was 4.2 at baseline, 3.9 at six months and 2.1 at 12 months. There was a significant treatment effect overall (relative risk 0.59, 95% confidence interval 0.35-0.998). These results suggest that the intervention is effective in MOC

Stochastic Coherence in an Oscillatory Gene Circuit Model

We show that noise-induced oscillations in a gene circuit model display stochastic coherence, that is, a maximum in the regularity of the oscillations as a function of noise amplitude. The effect is manifest as a system-size effect in a purely stochastic molecular reaction description of the circuit dynamics. We compare the molecular reaction model behavior with that predicted by a rate equation version of the same system. In addition, we show that commonly used reduced models that ignore fast operator reactions do not capture the full stochastic behavior of the gene circuit. Stochastic coherence occurs under conditions that may be physiologically relevant

A Mediterranean Diet and Walking Intervention to Reduce Cognitive Decline and Dementia Risk in Independently Living Older Australians:The MedWalk Randomized Controlled Trial Experimental Protocol, Including COVID-19 Related Modifications and Baseline Characteristics.

Background:Several clinical trials have examined diet and physical activity lifestyle changes as mitigation strategies for risk factors linked to cognitive decline and dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, the ability to modify these behaviors longer term, to impact cognitive health has remained elusive.Objective:The MedWalk trial’s primary aim is to investigate whether longer-term adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet and regular walking, delivered through motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy (MI-CBT), can reduce age-associated cognitive decline and other dementia risk factors in older, independently living individuals without cognitive impairment.Methods:MedWalk, a one-year cluster-randomized controlled trial across two Australian states, recruited 60–90-year-old people from independent living retirement villages and the wider community. Participants were assigned to either the MedWalk intervention or a control group (maintaining their usual diet and physical activity). The primary outcome is 12-month change in visual memory and learning assessed from errors on the Paired Associates Learning Task of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Secondary outcomes include cognition, mood, cardiovascular function, biomarkers related to nutrient status and cognitive decline, MI-CBT effectiveness, Mediterranean diet adherence, physical activity, quality of life, cost-effectiveness, and health economic evaluation.Progress and Discussion:Although COVID-19 impacts over two years necessitated a reduced timeline and sample size, MedWalk retains sufficient power to address its aims and hypotheses. Baseline testing has been completed with 157 participants, who will be followed over 12 months. If successful, MedWalk will inform interventions that could substantially reduce dementia incidence and ameliorate cognitive decline in the community.<br/

Design Specification for a Thrust-Vectoring, Actuated-Nose-Strake Flight Control Law for the High-Alpha Research Vehicle

Specifications for a flight control law are delineated in sufficient detail to support coding the control law in flight software. This control law was designed for implementation and flight test on the High-Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV), which is an F/A-18 aircraft modified to include an experimental multi-axis thrust-vectoring system and actuated nose strakes for enhanced rolling (ANSER). The control law, known as the HARV ANSER Control Law, was designed to utilize a blend of conventional aerodynamic control effectors, thrust vectoring, and actuated nose strakes to provide increased agility and good handling qualities throughout the HARV flight envelope, including angles of attack up to 70 degrees

Sepsis: when a simple infection becomes deadly

The immune system plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy body by working around the clock to recognize and respond to infection. Inflammation is part of the immune system’s protective response to an infection. The inflammatory response is incredibly powerful, so much so that it can damage the body’s cells if it is not tightly controlled. Sometimes, inflammation affects the whole body—this is called sepsis. The powerful and complex mechanisms in place to wipe out the infection can cause serious damage to healthy cells and tissues. Uncontrolled inflammation can cause irreversible damage to the body’s organs, such as the kidneys, eventually causing organs to shut down. If sepsis is not treated rapidly, it can lead to death. In this article, we describe the symptoms and diagnosis of sepsis and some of the current research being performed to better understand this dangerous process