SUB-DOPPLER SPECTROSCOPY OF THE ν3 BAND OF METHANE

Methane has been observed in brown dwarfs\footnote{B. Oppenheimer, S. Kulkarni, K. Matthews \textit{et al.}, \textit{Astrophys. J.} (1998), \textbf{502(2)}, 932-943.} and planetary atmospheres, including planets in our solar system\footnote{T. Owen, R. Cess, \textit{Astrophys. J.} (1975), \textbf{197}, L37-L40.} and extrasolar planets.\footnote{M. Swain, G. Vasisht, G Tinetti \textit{et al.}, \textit{Nature} (2008), \textbf{452}, 329-331.} Methane is also a potent greenhouse gas\footnote{M. Khalil, \textit{Annu. Rev. Energy Environ.} (1999), \textbf{24}, 645-661.} and relevant to ozone formation and depletion in Earth’s atmosphere.\footnote{O. Boucher, P. Friedlingstein, B. Collins \textit{et al.}, \textit{Environ. Res. Lett.} (2009), \textbf{4(4)}, 044007.} As the simplest stable hydrocarbon, methane is also a benchmark for state-of-the-art \textit{ab initio} calculations.\footnote{A. Nikitin, M. Rey, V. Tyuterev, \textit{J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf.} (2017), \textbf{200}, 90-99.} While methane is a strong absorber due to its characteristically large transition dipole moments, transition frequencies were historically limited by Doppler broadening, and many frequencies are still known only to Doppler-limited precision. We have constructed a double-pass saturation experiment to perform sub-Doppler spectroscopy of rovibrational transitions of methane. With the accuracy provided by optical frequency combs, we have measured 22 methane transitions from the $\nu_3$ band in the 3 $\mu$m region to MHz-level uncertainty, improving the accuracy of the rest frequencies by at least an order of magnitude. This data can be used for higher-precision models of methane as an \textit{ab initio} benchmark

SPIN-ORBIT STATE-SELECTIVE AUTODETACHMENT OF VIBRATIONALLY EXCITED CCP−

The linear dicarbon phosphide molecule (CCP) has a $^2\Pi$ ground electronic state with a small spin-orbit splitting into $^2\Pi_{1/2}$ and $^2\Pi_{3/2}$ states. It has a reasonably large dipole moment and has been observed in interstellar space. We have studied CCP$^-$ ion using high-resolution photoelectron imaging and observed dipole-bound excited states for CCP$^-$ right below the detachment threshold. Resonant photoelectron spectra have been obtained by exciting the anion to specific vibrational levels of the dipole-bound states. We have observed a dipole-bound state for each spin-orbit state and the vibrational autodetachment is state-selective, providing the first spectroscopic evidence that the dipole-bound electron does not couple to the neutral core

Social agents?:A systematic review of social identity formalizations

Simulating collective decision-making and behaviour is at the heart of many agent-based models (ABMs). However, the representation of social context and its influence on an agent’s behaviour remains challenging. Here, the Social Identity Approach (SIA) from social psychology, offers a promising explanation, as it describes how people behave while being part of a group, how groups interact and how these interactions and ingroup norms can change over time. SIA is valuable for various application domains while also being challenging to formalise. To address this challenge and enable modellers to learn from existing work, we took stock of ABM formalisations of SIA and present a systematic review of SIA in ABMs. Our results show a diversity of application areas and formalisations of (parts of) SIA without any converging practice towards a default formalisation. Models range from simple to (cognitively) rich, with a group of abstract models in the tradition of opinion dynamics employing SIA to specify group-based social influence. We also found some complex cognitive SIA formalisations incorporating contextual behaviour. When considering the function of SIA in the models, representing collectives, modelling group-based social influence and unpacking contextual behaviour all stood out. Our review was also an inventory of the formalisation challenge attached to using a very promising socialpsychological theory in ABMs, revealing a tendency for reference to domain-specific theories to remain vague

Torsade de pointes caused by polypharmacy and substance abuse in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus

Drug-induced QT prolongation is a potentially dangerous adverse effect of some medication combinations. When QT prolongation progresses to torsade de pointes, life-threatening or fatal outcomes may result. A 57-year-old man with a history of human immunodeficiency syndrome on abacavir, nevirapine, tenofovir, voriconazole, and methadone presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of new-onset seizures. The physical exam was unremarkable. The electrocardiogram demonstrated sinus bradycardia and a prolonged QTc interval of 690 ms. In the emergency department, he had several episodes of torsade de pointes (TdP) and ventricular tachycardia that resolved spontaneously. These episodes were accompanied by an alteration in mentation and generalized twitching. Magnesium and amiodarone were effective in terminating the dysrhythmia. The patient had multiple risk factors for prolonged QT syndrome including human immunodeficiency virus infection, methadone therapy, and polypharmacy leading to potential drug interactions. Physicians must be aware of multidrug interactions potentiating QT prolongation and leading to torsade de pointes

Beyond a consensus classification for idiopathic interstitial pneumonias: progress and controversies

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74699/1/j.1365-2559.2008.03173.x.pd

Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: Changes in Lung Function

Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) is a distinct clinical entity that may be accompanied by interstitial lung disease (ILD). The natural history of UCTD-ILD is unknown. We hypothesized that patients with UCTD-ILD would be more likely to have improvement in lung function than those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) during longitudinal follow-up. We identified subjects enrolled in the UCSF ILD cohort study with a diagnosis of IPF or UCTD. The primary outcome compared the presence or absence of a ≥5% increase in percent predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) in IPF and UCTD. Regression models were used to account for potential confounding variables. Ninety subjects were identified; 59 subjects (30 IPF, 29 UCTD) had longitudinal pulmonary function data for inclusion in the analysis. After accounting for baseline pulmonary function tests, treatment, and duration between studies, UCTD was associated with substantial improvement in FVC (odds ratio = 8.23, 95% confidence interval, 1.27–53.2; p = 0.03) during follow-up (median, 8 months) compared with IPF. Patients with UCTD-ILD are more likely to have improved pulmonary function during follow-up than those with IPF. These findings demonstrate the clinical importance of identifying UCTD in patients presenting with an “idiopathic” interstitial pneumonia

Azathioprine response in patients with fibrotic connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease

BACKGROUND: Azathioprine is a commonly prescribed therapy for connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). Combination therapy that included azathioprine was recently shown to increase the risk of death and hospitalization in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Whether azathioprine increases the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with fibrotic CTD-ILD, including those with CTD-associated usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), remains unknown. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed to determine the combined incidence rate of death, transplant and respiratory hospitalization associated with azathioprine exposure. A fibrotic CTD-ILD cohort treated with mycophenolate mofetil served as a comparator group. Incidence rates were compared with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) generated by negative binomial regression. Longitudinal pulmonary function response was then assessed using mixed effects linear regression models. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were treated with azathioprine and forty-three with mycophenolate. Medication discontinuation due to non-respiratory side effects occurred in 27% and 5% of the azathioprine and mycophenolate cohorts, respectively. The combined incidence rate of adverse outcomes was 0.013 and 0.015 for azathioprine and mycophenolate, respectively (IRR 1.23; 95% CI 0.49-3.12; p=0.66). Similar incidence rates were observed among those with CTD-UIP (IRR 0.83; 95% CI 0.21-3.31; p=0.79). Both groups demonstrated pulmonary function stability over time, with the azathioprine group demonstrating a marginal improvement. CONCLUSIONS: A significant minority of patients could not tolerate azathioprine due to non-respiratory side effects. Of those who did tolerate azathioprine, a similar incidence of adverse outcomes was observed as those treated with mycophenolate. Both therapies were associated with stability in pulmonary function

withdrawn 2017 hrs ehra ecas aphrs solaece expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation

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