“Oh, Another Overdose, for the Love of Pete”: First Responder Perspectives on Overdose Response Technology

Background: Overdose response applications and hotlines are novel overdose response technologies (ORT)/virtual harm reduction strategies that have recently emerged as a strategy to reduce the harms associated with the ongoing opioid epidemic. First responders are often the first point of contact for people who have overdosed and play a significant role in responses enacted by these services. In this study our aim was to explore the attitudes and perceptions of first responders on these novel technologies.  Methods: We recruited 17 participants using purposive sampling through the province of Alberta between February–April 2023 including 11 paramedics, two firefighters, and five emergency communications operators. To be included in the study, participants were required to be older than 18 years of age, have the ability to communicate effectively in English, provide verbal informed consent, and work in an emergency responder role. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by two evaluators. When reviewing interview transcripts we used thematic analysis to identify key themes and subthemes.  Results: Participants discussed their current operating procedures, their current perspectives on overdose response hotlines and apps, how they would best integrate them into their current workloads, and how to raise awareness of these services within first-responder communities. Participants were apprehensive about the integration of these services into their current workloads, including their potential benefits, and raised concerns about their efficacy within communities of people who use drugs. Key strategies were raised for the successful integration of these services into emergency responses including providing information to clients and the feasibility of overdose responses by the general public.  Conclusion: This study’s results add to the existing literature on the toll of the overdose epidemic seen within first-response communities. Furthermore, we explored the communities’ diverse perspectives on these novel technologies, including support and concerns, and propose additional strategies for their integration into emergency responses

Novel Space Alters Theta and Gamma Synchrony Across the Longitudinal Axis of the Hippocampus.

Hippocampal theta (6–10 Hz) and gamma (25–50 Hz and 65–100 Hz) local field potentials (LFPs) reflect the dynamic synchronization evoked by inputs impinging upon hippocampal neurons. Novel experience is known to engage hippocampal physiology and promote successful encoding. Does novelty synchronize or desynchronize theta and/or gamma frequency inputs across the septotemporal (long) axis of the hippocampus (HPC)? The present study tested the hypothesis that a novel spatial environment would alter theta power and coherence across the long axis. We compared theta and gamma LFP signals at individual (power) and millimeter distant electrode pairs (coherence) within the dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1 region while rats navigated a runway (1) in a familiar environment, (2) with a modified path in the same environment and (3) in a novel space. Locomotion in novel space was related to increases in theta and gamma power at most CA1 and DG sites. The increase in theta and gamma power was concurrent with an increase in theta and gamma coherence across the long axis of CA1; however, there was a significant decrease in theta coherence across the long axis of the DG. These findings illustrate significant shifts in the synchrony of entorhinal, CA3 and/or neuromodulatory afferents conveying novel spatial information to the dendritic fields of CA1 and DG targets across the long axis of the HPC. This shift suggests that the entire theta/gamma-related input to the CA1 network, and likely output, receives and conveys a more coherent message in response to novel sensory experience. Such may contribute to the successful encoding of novel sensory experience

Chemo-dynamics of outer halo dwarf stars, including \textit{Gaia}-Sausage and \textit{Gaia}-Sequoia candidates

The low-metallicity, kinematically interesting dwarf stars studied by Stephens \& Boesgaard (2002, SB02) are re-examined using Gaia DR2 astrometry, and updated model atmospheres and atomic line data. New stellar parameters are determined based on the Gaia DR2 parallactic distances and Dartmouth Stellar Evolution Database isochrones. These are in excellent agreement with spectroscopically determined stellar parameters for stars with [Fe/H]$>-2$; however, large disagreements are found for stars with [Fe/H]$\le-2$, with offsets as large as $\Delta$T$_{\rm eff}\sim+500$ K and $\Delta$log\,$g\sim+1.0$. A subset of six stars (test cases) are analysed ab initio using high resolution spectra with Keck HIRES and Gemini GRACES. This sub-sample is found to include two $\alpha$-challenged dwarf stars, suggestive of origins in a low mass, accreted dwarf galaxy. The orbital parameters for the entire SB02 sample are re-determined using \textit{Gaia} DR2 data. We find 11 stars that are dynamically coincident with the \textit{Gaia}-Sausage accretion event and another 17 with the \textit{Gaia}-Sequoia event in action space. Both associations include low-mass, metal-poor stars with isochrone ages older than 10 Gyr. Two dynamical subsets are identified within \textit{Gaia}-Sequoia. When these subsets are examined separately, a common knee in [$\alpha$/Fe] is found for the \textit{Gaia}-Sausage and high energy \textit{Gaia}-Sequoia stars. A lower metallicity knee is tentatively identified in the \textit{Gaia}-Sequoia low energy stars. If the metal-poor dwarf stars in these samples are true members of the \textit{Gaia}-Sausage and \textit{Gaia}-Sequoia events, then they present a unique opportunity to probe the earlier, more pristine, star formation histories of these systems.Comment: 20-21 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer Book 2018

(Abridged) This is the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer 2018 book. It is intended as a concise reference guide to all aspects of the scientific and technical design of MSE, for the international astronomy and engineering communities, and related agencies. The current version is a status report of MSE's science goals and their practical implementation, following the System Conceptual Design Review, held in January 2018. MSE is a planned 10-m class, wide-field, optical and near-infrared facility, designed to enable transformative science, while filling a critical missing gap in the emerging international network of large-scale astronomical facilities. MSE is completely dedicated to multi-object spectroscopy of samples of between thousands and millions of astrophysical objects. It will lead the world in this arena, due to its unique design capabilities: it will boast a large (11.25 m) aperture and wide (1.52 sq. degree) field of view; it will have the capabilities to observe at a wide range of spectral resolutions, from R2500 to R40,000, with massive multiplexing (4332 spectra per exposure, with all spectral resolutions available at all times), and an on-target observing efficiency of more than 80%. MSE will unveil the composition and dynamics of the faint Universe and is designed to excel at precision studies of faint astrophysical phenomena. It will also provide critical follow-up for multi-wavelength imaging surveys, such as those of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, Gaia, Euclid, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, the Square Kilometre Array, and the Next Generation Very Large Array.Comment: 5 chapters, 160 pages, 107 figure

Peeking beneath the precision floor I: metallicity spreads and multiple elemental dispersions in the globular clusters NGC 288 and NGC 362

The view of globular clusters (GCs) as simple systems continues to unravel, revealing complex objects hosting multiple chemical peculiarities. Using differential abundance analysis, we probe the chemistry of the Type I GC, NGC 288 and the Type II GC, NGC 362 at the 2\% level for the first time. We measure 20 elements and find differential measurement uncertainties on the order 0.01-0.02 dex in both clusters. The smallest uncertainties are measured for Fe I in both clusters, with an average uncertainty of $\sim$0.013 dex. Dispersion in the abundances of Na, Al, Ti I, Ni, Fe I, Y, Zr, Ba and Nd are recovered in NGC 288, none of which can be explained by a spread in He. This is the first time, to our knowledge, a statistically significant spread in $s$-process elements and a potential spread in metallicity has been detected in NGC 288. In NGC 362, we find significant dispersion in the same elements as NGC 288, with the addition of Co, Cu, Zn, Sr, La, Ce, and Eu. Two distinct groups are recovered in NGC 362, separated by 0.3 dex in average differential $s$-process abundances. Given strong correlations between Al and several $s$-process elements, and a significant correlation between Mg and Si, we propose that the $s$-process rich group is younger. This agrees with asymptotic giant branch star (AGB) enrichment between generations, if there is overlap between low- and intermediate-mass AGBs. In our scenario, the older population is dominated by the $r$-process with a $\Delta^{\mathrm{La}}-\Delta^{\mathrm{Eu}}$ ratio of $-0.16\pm0.06$. We propose that the $r$-process dominance and dispersion found in NGC 362 are primordial.Comment: First paper in a series. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Predicting metallicities and carbon abundances from Gaia XP spectra for (carbon-enhanced) metal-poor stars

Carbon-rich (C-rich) stars can be found at all metallicities and evolutionary stages. They are often the result of mass transfer from a companion, but some of the most metal-poor C-rich objects are likely carrying the imprint of the metal-free First Stars from birth. In this work, we employ a neural network to predict metallicities and carbon abundances for o v er 10 million stars with Gaia low-resolution XP spectra, down to [Fe / H] = −3 . 0 and up to [C / Fe] ≈+ 2. We identify ∼2000 high-confidence bright ( G &lt; 16) carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars with [Fe / H] &lt; −2 . 0 and [C / Fe] &gt; + 0 . 7. The majority of our C-rich candidates have [Fe / H] &gt; −2 . 0 and are expected to be binary mass-transfer products, supported by high barium abundances in the GALAH (GALactic Archaeology with HERMES) surv e y and/or their Gaia Renormalised Unit Weight Error (RUWE) and radial velocity variations. We confirm previous findings of an increase in C-rich stars with decreasing metallicity, adopting a definition of 3 σoutliers from the [C/Fe] distribution, although our frequency appears to flatten for −3 . 0 &lt; [Fe / H] &lt; −2 . 0 at a level of 6 −7 per cent . We also find that the fraction of C-rich stars is low among globular cluster stars (connected to their lower binary fraction), and that it decreases for field stars more tightly bound to the Milky W ay. W e interpret these last results as evidence that disrupted globular clusters contribute more in the inner Galaxy, supporting previous work. Homogeneous samples such as these are key to understanding the full population properties of C-rich stars, and this is just the beginning.</p

The GeMS/GSAOI Galactic Globular Cluster Survey (G4CS) II: Characterization of 47 Tuc with Bayesian Statistics

We present a photometric analysis of globular cluster 47 Tuc (NGC\,104), using near-IR imaging data from the GeMS/GSAOI Galactic Globular Cluster Survey (G4CS) which is in operation at Gemini-South telescope.~Our survey is designed to obtain AO-assisted deep imaging with near diffraction-limited spatial resolution of the central fields of Milky Way globular clusters.~The G4CS near-IR photometry was combined with an optical photometry catalog obtained from Hubble Space Telescope survey data to produce a high-quality color-magnitude diagram that reaches down to K$_s\approx$ 21 Vega mag.~We used the software suite BASE-9, which uses an adaptive Metropolis sampling algorithm to perform a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) Bayesian analysis, and obtained probability distributions and precise estimates for the age, distance and extinction cluster parameters.~Our best estimate for the age of 47 Tuc is 12.42$^{+0.05}_{-0.05}$ $\pm$ 0.08 Gyr, and our true distance modulus estimate is (m$-$M)$_0$=13.250$^{+0.003}_{-0.003}$ $\pm$ 0.028 mag, in tight agreement with previous studies using Gaia DR2 parallax and detached eclipsing binaries.Comment: 25 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

State Control and the Effects of Foreign Relations on Bilateral Trade

Do states use trade to reward and punish partners? WTO rules and the pressures of globalization restrict states’ capacity to manipulate trade policies, but we argue that governments can link political goals with economic outcomes using less direct avenues of influence over firm behavior. Where governments intervene in markets, politicization of trade is likely to occur. In this paper, we examine one important form of government control: state ownership of firms. Taking China and India as examples, we use bilateral trade data by firm ownership type, as well as measures of bilateral political relations based on diplomatic events and UN voting to estimate the effect of political relations on import and export flows. Our results support the hypothesis that imports controlled by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) exhibit stronger responsiveness to political relations than imports controlled by private enterprises. A more nuanced picture emerges for exports; while India’s exports through SOEs are more responsive to political tensions than its flows through private entities, the opposite is true for China. This research holds broader implications for how we should think about the relationship between political and economic relations going forward, especially as a number of countries with partially state-controlled economies gain strength in the global economy