Cold gas and a Milky Way-type 2175 {\AA} bump in a metal-rich and highly depleted absorption system

We report the detection of a strong Milky Way-type 2175 \AA$$ extinction bump at $z$ = 2.1166 in the quasar spectrum towards SDSS J121143.42+083349.7 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 10. We conduct follow up observations with the Echelle Spectrograph and Imager (ESI) onboard the Keck-II telescope and the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) on the VLT. This 2175 \AA$$ absorber is remarkable in that we simultaneously detect neutral carbon (C I), neutral chlorine (Cl I), and carbon monoxide (CO). It also qualifies as a damped Lyman alpha system. The J1211+0833 absorber is found to be metal-rich and has a dust depletion pattern resembling that of the Milky Way disk clouds. We use the column densities of the C I fine structure states and the C II/C I ratio (under the assumption of ionization equilibrium) to derive the temperature and volume density in the absorbing gas. A Cloudy photoionization model is constructed, which utilizes additional atoms/ions to constrain the physical conditions. The inferred physical conditions are consistent with a canonical cold (T $\sim$ 100 K) neutral medium with a high density ($n$(H I) $\sim$ 100 cm$^{-3}$) and a slightly higher pressure than the local interstellar medium. Given the simultaneous presence of C I, CO, and the 2175 \AA$$ bump, combined with the high metallicity, high dust depletion level and overall low ionization state of the gas, the absorber towards J1211+0833 supports the scenario that the presence of the bump requires an evolved stellar population.Comment: 18 pages, 17 figures, to be published in MNRA

Consumer perspectives on the use of Artificial Intelligence technology and automation in crisis support services: Mixed methods study

BACKGROUND: Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), have the potential to enhance service responsiveness and quality, improve reach to underserved groups, and help address the lack of workforce capacity in health and mental health care. However, little research has been conducted on the acceptability of AI, particularly in mental health and crisis support, and how this may inform the development of responsible and responsive innovation in the area. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the level of support for the use of technology and automation, such as AI, in Lifeline’s crisis support services in Australia; the likelihood of service use if technology and automation were implemented; the impact of demographic characteristics on the level of support and likelihood of service use; and reasons for not using Lifeline’s crisis support services if technology and automation were implemented in the future. METHODS: A mixed methods study involving a computer-assisted telephone interview and a web-based survey was undertaken from 2019 to 2020 to explore expectations and anticipated outcomes of Lifeline’s crisis support services in a nationally representative community sample (n=1300) and a Lifeline help-seeker sample (n=553). Participants were aged between 18 and 93 years. Quantitative descriptive analysis, binary logistic regression models, and qualitative thematic analysis were conducted to address the research objectives. RESULTS: One-third of the community and help-seeker participants did not support the collection of information about service users through technology and automation (ie, via AI), and approximately half of the participants reported that they would be less likely to use the service if automation was introduced. Significant demographic differences were observed between the community and help-seeker samples. Of the demographics, only older age predicted being less likely to endorse technology and automation to tailor Lifeline’s crisis support service and use such services (odds ratio 1.48-1.66, 99% CI 1.03-2.38; P<.001 to P=.005). The most common reason for reluctance, reported by both samples, was that respondents wanted to speak to a real person, assuming that human counselors would be replaced by automated robots or machine services. CONCLUSIONS: Although Lifeline plans to always have a real person providing crisis support, help-seekers automatically fear this will not be the case if new technology and automation such as AI are introduced. Consequently, incorporating innovative use of technology to improve help-seeker outcomes in such services will require careful messaging and assurance that the human connection will continue

Machine Learning for Holistic Evaluation of Scientific Essays

Abstract. In the US in particular, there is an increasing emphasis on the importance of science in education. To better understand a scien-tific topic, students need to compile information from multiple sources and determine the principal causal factors involved. We describe an ap-proach for automatically inferring the quality and completeness of causal reasoning in essays on two separate scientific topics using a novel, two-phase machine learning approach for detecting causal relations. For each core essay concept, we initially trained a window-based tagging model to predict which individual words belonged to that concept. Using the predictions from this first set of models, we then trained a second stacked model on all the predicted word tags present in a sentence to predict in-ferences between essay concepts. The results indicate we could use such a system to provide explicit feedback to students to improve reasoning and essay writing skills

Fulminant hyperpyrexia induced by bleomycin

Mild and self-limiting fever following bleomycin use is common, and a fatal hyperpyrexial response occurs rarely. In previously reported cases, such hyperpyrexia occurred either after the initial administration of the drug or during subsequent therapy following an initial pyrexial response. We describe a fatal hyperpyrexial reaction after bleomycin in a patient with T-cell lymphoma who had had no febrile response when she received her initial injection 3 weeks earlier. Since the occurrence of this hyperpyrexial response is unpredictable, health care workers as well as patients and relatives should always be alert to this potentially lethal complication and prompt measures should be taken in any patient who develops fever after bleomycin use.published_or_final_versio

A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of "booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods

Background: Systematic reviews have identified a range of brief interventions which increase physical activity in previously sedentary people. There is an absence of evidence about whether follow up beyond three months can maintain long term physical activity. This study assesses whether it is worth providing motivational interviews, three months after giving initial advice, to those who have become more active. Methods/Design: Study candidates (n = 1500) will initially be given an interactive DVD and receive two telephone follow ups at monthly intervals checking on receipt and use of the DVD. Only those that have increased their physical activity after three months (n = 600) will be randomised into the study. These participants will receive either a "mini booster" (n = 200), "full booster" (n = 200) or no booster (n = 200). The "mini booster" consists of two telephone calls one month apart to discuss physical activity and maintenance strategies. The "full booster" consists of a face-to-face meeting with the facilitator at the same intervals. The purpose of these booster sessions is to help the individual maintain their increase in physical activity. Differences in physical activity, quality of life and costs associated with the booster interventions, will be measured three and nine months from randomisation. The research will be conducted in 20 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Sheffield, which have large, ethnically diverse populations, high levels of economic deprivation, low levels of physical activity, poorer health and shorter life expectancy. Participants will be recruited through general practices and community groups, as well as by postal invitation, to ensure the participation of minority ethnic groups and those with lower levels of literacy. Sheffield City Council and Primary Care Trust fund a range of facilities and activities to promote physical activity and variations in access to these between neighbourhoods will make it possible to examine whether the effectiveness of the intervention is modified by access to community facilities. A one-year integrated feasibility study will confirm that recruitment targets are achievable based on a 10% sample.Discussion: The choice of study population, study interventions, brief intervention preceding the study, and outcome measure are discussed

Galaxy clustering in the NEWFIRM Medium Band Survey: the relationship between stellar mass and dark matter halo mass at 1 < z < 2

We present an analysis of the clustering of galaxies as a function of their stellar mass at 1 < z < 2 using data from the NEWFIRM Medium Band Survey (NMBS). The precise photometric redshifts and stellar masses that the NMBS produces allows us to define a series of mass limited samples of galaxies more massive than 0.7, 1 and 3x10^10 Msun in redshift intervals centered on z = 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9 respectively. In each redshift interval we show that there exists a strong dependence of clustering strength on the stellar mass limit of the sample, with more massive galaxies showing a higher clustering amplitude on all scales. We further interpret our clustering measurements in the LCDM cosmological context using the halo model of galaxy clustering. We show that the typical halo mass of central and satellite galaxies increases with stellar mass, whereas the satellite fraction decreases with stellar mass, qualitatively the same as is seen at z < 1. We see little evidence of any redshift dependence in the stellar mass-to-halo mass relationship over our narrow redshift range. However, when we compare with similar measurements at z~0, we see clear evidence for a change in this relation. If we assume a universal baryon fraction, the ratio of stellar mass to halo mass reveals the fraction of baryons that have been converted to stars. We see that the peak in this star formation efficiency for central galaxies shifts to higher halo masses at higher redshift, moving from ~7x10^11 Msun at z~0 to ~3x10^12 Msun at z~1.5, revealing evidence of `halo downsizing'. Finally we show that for highly biased galaxy populations at z > 1 there may be a discrepancy between the measured space density and clustering and that predicted by the halo model. This could imply that there is a problem with one or more ingredients of the halo model at these redshifts, for instance the halo bias relation or the halo profile.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Correction made to typo in halo masses in conclusion

Mre11 modulates the fidelity of fusion between short telomeres in human cells

The loss of telomere function can result in the fusion of telomeres with other telomeric loci, or non-telomeric double-stranded DNA breaks. Sequence analysis of fusion events between short dysfunctional telomeres in human cells has revealed that fusion is characterized by a distinct molecular signature consisting of extensive deletions and micro-homology at the fusion points. This signature is consistent with alternative error-prone end-joining processes. We have examined the role that Mre11 may play in the fusion of short telomeres in human cells; to do this, we have analysed telomere fusion events in cells derived from ataxia-telangiectasia-like disorder (ATLD) patients that exhibit hypomorphic mutations in MRE11. The telomere dynamics of ATLD fibroblasts were indistinguishable from wild-type fibroblasts and they were proficient in the fusion of short telomeres. However, we observed a high frequency of insertion of DNA sequences at the fusion points that created localized sequence duplications. These data indicate that Mre11 plays a role in the fusion of short dysfunctional telomeres in human cells and are consistent with the hypothesis that as part of the MRN complex it serves to stabilize the joining complex, thereby controlling the fidelity of the fusion reaction

Management of asthma in pregnant women by general practitioners: A cross sectional survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Poorly controlled asthma can lead to maternal and fetal complications. Despite the known risks of poorly controlled asthma during pregnancy and the need for stepping up therapy when appropriate, there are concerns that management is suboptimal in primary care.</p> <p>Our objective was to investigate the management of asthma during pregnancy by general practitioners providing shared maternity care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A pre-piloted, anonymous mail survey was sent to all general practitioners (n = 842) involved in shared maternity care at six maternity hospitals in Victoria, Australia. Respondents were asked about their perceived safety of individual asthma medications during pregnancy. Approach to asthma management during pregnancy was further explored using scenarios of pregnant women with stable and deteriorating asthma and poor medication adherence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) were perceived to be the safest and were the preferred preventive medication in first trimester (74.1%), whilst leukotriene receptor antagonists were the least preferred (2.9%). A quarter (25.8%) of respondents would stop or decrease patients' ICS doses during pregnancy, even when their asthma was well controlled by current therapy. In addition, 12.1% of respondents were not sure how to manage deteriorating asthma during pregnancy and opted to refer to another health professional. Almost half the respondents (48.9%) reported encountering medication nonadherence during pregnancy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A lack of confidence and/or knowledge among general practitioners in managing deteriorating asthma in pregnancy was observed despite a good understanding of the safety of asthma medications during pregnancy, compliance with evidence-based guidelines in the selection of preventive medications, and self reported good asthma knowledge.</p

Toxic gas removal – metal–organic frameworks for the capture and degradation of toxic gases and vapours

The release of anthropogenic toxic pollutants into the atmosphere is a worldwide threat of growing concern. In this regard, it is possible to take advantage of the high versatility of MOFs materials in order to develop new technologies for environmental remediation purposes. Consequently, one of the main scientific challenges to be achieved in the field of MOF research should be to maximize the performance of these solids towards the sensing, capture and catalytic degradation of harmful gases and vapors by means of a rational control of size and reactivity of the pore walls that are directly accessible to guest molecules.The authors are grateful for the generous support by the Spanish Ministries of Economy (project: CTQ2011-22787) and Defense (COINCIDENTE Program) as well as Junta de Andalucia (P09-FQM-4981)

Monoubiquitination of syntaxin 3 leads to retrieval from the basolateral plasma membrane and facilitates cargo recruitment to exosomes

Syntaxin 3 (Stx3), a SNARE protein located and functioning at the apical plasma membrane of epithelial cells, is required for epithelial polarity. A fraction of Stx3 is localized to late endosomes/lysosomes, although how it traffics there and its function in these organelles is unknown. Here we report that Stx3 undergoes monoubiquitination in a conserved polybasic domain. Stx3 present at the basolateral—but not the apical—plasma membrane is rapidly endocytosed, targeted to endosomes, internalized into intraluminal vesicles (ILVs), and excreted in exosomes. A nonubiquitinatable mutant of Stx3 (Stx3-5R) fails to enter this pathway and leads to the inability of the apical exosomal cargo protein GPRC5B to enter the ILV/exosomal pathway. This suggests that ubiquitination of Stx3 leads to removal from the basolateral membrane to achieve apical polarity, that Stx3 plays a role in the recruitment of cargo to exosomes, and that the Stx3-5R mutant acts as a dominant-negative inhibitor. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) acquires its membrane in an intracellular compartment and we show that Stx3-5R strongly reduces the number of excreted infectious viral particles. Altogether these results suggest that Stx3 functions in the transport of specific proteins to apical exosomes and that HCMV exploits this pathway for virion excretion