The CH out-of-plane bending modes of PAH molecules in astrophysical environments

We present 10-15 micron spectra of a sample of H II regions, YSOs and evolved stars that show strong unidentified infrared emission features, obtained with the ISO/SWS spectrograph on-board ISO. These spectra reveal a plethora of emission features with bands at 11.0, 11.2, 12.0, 12.7, 13.5 and 14.2 micron. These features are observed to vary considerably in relative strength to each-other from source to source. In particular, the 10-15 micron spectra of the evolved stars are dominated by the 11.2 micron band while for H II regions the 12.7 is typically as strong as the 11.2 micron band. Analysing the ISO data we find a good correlation between the 11.2 micron band and the 3.3 micron band, and between the 12.7 micron and the 6.2 micron band. There is also a correlation between the ratio of the UIR bands to the total dust emission and the 12.7 over 11.2 micron ratio. Bands in the 10-15 micron spectral region are due to CH out-of-plane (OOP) bending modes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). We summarise existing laboratory data and theoretical quantum chemical calculations of these modes for neutral and cationic PAHs. Due to mode coupling, the exact peak position of these bands depends on the number of adjacent CH groups and hence the observed interstellar 10-15 micron spectra can be used to determine the molecular structure of the interstellar PAHs emitting in the different regions. We conclude that evolved stars predominantly inject compact ~100-200 C-atom PAHs into the ISM where they are subsequently processed, resulting in more open and uneven PAH structures.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, accepted for A&

Fragmentation processes of ionized 5-fluorouracil in the gas phase and within clusters

We have measured mass spectra for positive ions produced from neutral 5-fluorouracil by electron impact at energies from 0 to 100 eV. Fragment ion appearance energies of this (radio-)chemotherapy agent have been determined for the first time and we have identified several new fragment ions of low abundance. The main fragmentations are similar to uracil, involving HNCO loss and subsequent HCN loss, CO loss, or FCCO loss. The features adjacent to these prominent peaks in the mass spectra are attributed to tautomerization preceding the fragmentation and/or the loss of one or two additional hydrogen atoms. A few fragmentions are distinct for 5-fluorouracil compared to uracil, most notably the production of the reactive moiety CF+. Finally, multiphoton ionization mass spectra are compared for 5-fluorouracil from a laser thermal desorption source and from a supersonic expansion source. The detection of a new fragment ion at 114 u in the supersonic expansion experiments provides the first evidence for a clustering effect on the radiation response of 5-fluorouracil. By analogy with previous experiments and calculations on protonated uracil, this is assigned to NH3 loss from protonated 5-fluorouracil

Multi-photon and electron impact ionisation studies of reactivity in adenine–water clusters

Multi-photon ionisation (MPI) and electron impact ionisation (EII) mass spectrometry experiments have been carried out to probe unimolecular and intermolecular reactivities in hydrated adenine clusters. The effects of clustering with water on fragment ion production from adenine have been studied for the first time. While the observation of NH4+ fragments indicated the dissociation of protonated adenine, the dominant hydration effects were enhanced C4H4N4+ production and the suppression of dissociative ionisation pathways with high activation energies. These observations can be attributed to energy removal from the excited adenine radical cation via cluster dissociation. Comparisons of MPI and EII measurements provided the first experimental evidence supporting hypoxanthine formation in adenine–water clusters via theoretically predicted barrierless deamination reactions in closed shell complexes

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

Background: The EMPA KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population. Methods: EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5–2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62–0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16–1·59), representing a 50% (42–58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1). Interpretation: In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council

Collateral Damage: Educational Attainment and Labor Market Outcomes Among German War and Post-War Cohorts

We use data from the West German 1970 census to explore the link between being born during or shortly after World War II and educational and labor market outcomes 25 years later. We document, for the first time, that men and women born in the relatively short period between November 1945 and May 1946 have significantly and substantially lower educational attainment and occupational status than cohorts born shortly before or after. Several alternative explanations for this new finding are put to test. Most likely, a short but severe spell of quantitative and qualitative malnutrition immediately around the end of the war has impaired intrauterine conditions in first trimester pregnancies and resulted in longterm detriments among the affected cohorts. This conjecture is corroborated by evidence from Austria