First results from the JWST Early Release Science Program Q3D: Ionization cone, clumpy star formation and shocks in a z=3z=3 extremely red quasar host

Massive galaxies formed most actively at redshifts $z=1-3$ during the period known as `cosmic noon.' Here we present an emission-line study of an extremely red quasar SDSSJ165202.64+172852.3 host galaxy at $z=2.94$, based on observations with the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) integral field unit (IFU) on board JWST. We use standard emission-line diagnostic ratios to map the sources of gas ionization across the host and a swarm of companion galaxies. The quasar dominates the photoionization, but we also discover shock-excited regions orthogonal to the ionization cone and the quasar-driven outflow. These shocks could be merger-induced or -- more likely, given the presence of a powerful galactic-scale quasar outflow -- these are signatures of wide-angle outflows that can reach parts of the galaxy that are not directly illuminated by the quasar. Finally, the kinematically narrow emission associated with the host galaxy presents as a collection of 1 kpc-scale clumps forming stars at a rate of at least 200 $M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$. The ISM within these clumps shows high electron densities, reaching up to 3,000 cm$^{-3}$ with metallicities ranging from half to a third solar with a positive metallicity gradient and V band extinctions up to 3 magnitudes. The star formation conditions are far more extreme in these regions than in local star-forming galaxies but consistent with that of massive galaxies at cosmic noon. JWST observations reveal an archetypical rapidly forming massive galaxy undergoing a merger, a clumpy starburst, an episode of obscured near-Eddington quasar activity, and an extremely powerful quasar outflow simultaneously.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap

First results from the JWST Early Release Science Program Q3D: The Warm Ionized Gas Outflow in z ~ 1.6 Quasar XID 2028 and its Impact on the Host Galaxy

Quasar feedback may regulate the growth of supermassive black holes, quench coeval star formation, and impact galaxy morphology and the circumgalactic medium. However, direct evidence for quasar feedback in action at the epoch of peak black hole accretion at z ~ 2 remains elusive. A good case in point is the z = 1.6 quasar WISEA J100211.29+013706.7 (XID 2028) where past analyses of the same ground-based data have come to different conclusions. Here we revisit this object with the integral field unit of the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as part of Early Release Science program Q3D. The excellent angular resolution and sensitivity of the JWST data reveal new morphological and kinematic sub-structures in the outflowing gas plume. An analysis of the emission line ratios indicates that photoionization by the central quasar dominates the ionization state of the gas with no obvious sign for a major contribution from hot young stars anywhere in the host galaxy. Rest-frame near-ultraviolet emission aligned along the wide-angle cone of outflowing gas is interpreted as a scattering cone. The outflow has cleared a channel in the dusty host galaxy through which some of the quasar ionizing radiation is able to escape and heat the surrounding interstellar and circumgalactic media. The warm ionized outflow is not powerful enough to impact the host galaxy via mechanical feedback, but radiative feedback by the AGN, aided by the outflow, may help explain the unusually small molecular gas mass fraction in the galaxy host.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Uptake, engagement and acceptance, barriers and facilitators of a text essaging intervention for postnatal care of mother and child in India—a mixed methods feasibility study

This study aimed to test the feasibility and to identify barriers and facilitators towards adherence of a text messaging intervention for postnatal care in India. Mixed methods research involving both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. A survey questionnaire for feasibility and focus group interviews to identify the barriers and facilitators to the intervention were conducted. The top three reasons for activation of service were: helped the new mother to understand the changes (95%); provided continuation of care (90%) and clarified conflicting information (89%). Over 90% read the messages daily. 80% were happy with the message frequency. About 75% shared the content with others. The main reasons for non-activation were: 30% had technical issues, 15% did not think it would be useful, 17% did not have time to activate and for 5%, husbands made the decision. These findings were triangulated through the qualitative focus groups. The main themes identified via the focus groups were: (1) reliable, current information; (2) issues and themes well aligned with new mothers’ needs and priorities; (3) expanded the repertoire of information sources available; and (4) high-quality accessible information. The satisfaction and trust rates were high. This technology may be useful for health information intervention in specific postnatal areas

Big Data Mining and Classification of Intelligent Material Science Data Using Machine Learning

There is a high need for a big data repository for material compositions and their derived analytics of metal strength, in the material science community. Currently, many researchers maintain their own excel sheets, prepared manually by their team by tabulating the experimental data collected from scientific journals, and analyzing the data by performing manual calculations using formulas to determine the strength of the material. In this study, we propose a big data storage for material science data and its processing parameters information to address the laborious process of data tabulation from scientific articles, data mining techniques to retrieve the information from databases to perform big data analytics, and a machine learning prediction model to determine material strength insights. Three models are proposed based on Logistic regression, Support vector Machine SVM and Random Forest Algorithms. These models are trained and tested using a 10-fold cross validation approach. The Random Forest classification model performed better on the independent dataset, with 87% accuracy in comparison to Logistic regression and SVM with 72% and 78%, respectively

Augmented Efficacy of Uttroside B over Sorafenib in a Murine Model of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

We previously reported the remarkable potency of uttroside B (Utt-B), saponin-isolated and characterized in our lab from Solanum nigrum Linn, against HCC. Recently, the U.S. FDA approved Utt-B as an ‘orphan drug’ against HCC. The current study validates the superior anti-HCC efficacy of Utt-B over sorafenib, the first-line treatment option against HCC. The therapeutic efficacies of Utt-B vs. sorafenib against HCC were compared in vitro, using various liver cancer cell lines and in vivo, utilizing NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/J mice bearing human HCC xenografts. Our data indicate that Utt-B holds an augmented anti-HCC efficacy over sorafenib. Our previous report demonstrated the pharmacological safety of Utt-B in Chang Liver, the normal immortalized hepatocytes, and in the acute and chronic toxicity murine models even at elevated Utt-B concentrations. Here, we show that higher concentrations of sorafenib induce severe toxicity, in Chang Liver, as well as in acute and chronic in vivo models, indicating that, apart from the superior therapeutic benefit over sorafenib, Utt-B is a pharmacologically safer molecule, and the drug-induced undesirable effects can, thus, be substantially alleviated in the context of HCC chemotherapy. Clinical studies in HCC patients utilizing Utt-B, is a contiguous key step to promote this drug to the clinic

First results from the JWST Early Release Science Program Q3D: The Warm Ionized Gas Outflow in z ~ 1.6 Quasar XID 2028 and its Impact on the Host Galaxy

International audienceQuasar feedback may regulate the growth of supermassive black holes, quench coeval star formation, and impact galaxy morphology and the circumgalactic medium. However, direct evidence for quasar feedback in action at the epoch of peak black hole accretion at z ~ 2 remains elusive. A good case in point is the z = 1.6 quasar WISEA J100211.29+013706.7 (XID 2028) where past analyses of the same ground-based data have come to different conclusions. Here we revisit this object with the integral field unit of the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as part of Early Release Science program Q3D. The excellent angular resolution and sensitivity of the JWST data reveal new morphological and kinematic sub-structures in the outflowing gas plume. An analysis of the emission line ratios indicates that photoionization by the central quasar dominates the ionization state of the gas with no obvious sign for a major contribution from hot young stars anywhere in the host galaxy. Rest-frame near-ultraviolet emission aligned along the wide-angle cone of outflowing gas is interpreted as a scattering cone. The outflow has cleared a channel in the dusty host galaxy through which some of the quasar ionizing radiation is able to escape and heat the surrounding interstellar and circumgalactic media. The warm ionized outflow is not powerful enough to impact the host galaxy via mechanical feedback, but radiative feedback by the AGN, aided by the outflow, may help explain the unusually small molecular gas mass fraction in the galaxy host

First Results from the JWST Early Release Science Program Q3D: Benchmark Comparison of Optical and Mid-infrared Tracers of a Dusty, Ionized Red Quasar Wind at z = 0.435

The [O iii ] 5007 Å emission line is the most common tracer of warm, ionized outflows in active galactic nuclei across cosmic time. JWST newly allows us to use mid-IR spectral features at both high spatial and spectral resolution to probe these same winds. Here we present a comparison of ground-based, seeing-limited [O iii ] and space-based, diffraction-limited [S iv ] 10.51 μ m maps of the powerful, kiloparsec-scale outflow in the Type 1 red quasar SDSS J110648.32+480712.3. The JWST data are from the Mid-InfraRed Instrument. There is a close match in resolution between the data sets (∼0.″6), in ionization potential of the O ^+2 and S ^+3 ions (35 eV) and in line sensitivity (1–2 × 10 ^−17 erg s ^−1 cm ^−2 arcsec ^−2 ). The [O iii ] and [S iv ] line shapes match in velocity and line width over much of the 20 kpc outflowing nebula, and [S iv ] is the brightest line in the rest-frame 3.5–19.5 μ m range, demonstrating its usefulness as a mid-IR probe of quasar outflows. [O iii ] is nevertheless intrinsically brighter and provides better contrast with the point-source continuum, which is strong in the mid-IR. There is a strong anticorrelation of [O iii ]/[S iv ] with average velocity, which is consistent with a scenario of differential obscuration between the approaching (blueshifted) and receding (redshifted) sides of the flow. The dust in the wind may also obscure the central quasar, consistent with models that attribute red quasar extinction to dusty winds

Evaluation of the Xpert MTB Host Response assay for the triage of patients with presumed pulmonary tuberculosis: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study in Viet Nam, India, the Philippines, Uganda, and South Africa

BackgroundNon-sputum-based triage tests for tuberculosis are a priority for ending tuberculosis. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the late-prototype Xpert MTB Host Response (Xpert HR) blood-based assay.MethodsWe conducted a prospective diagnostic accuracy study among outpatients with presumed tuberculosis in outpatient clinics in Viet Nam, India, the Philippines, Uganda, and South Africa. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older and reported cough lasting at least 2 weeks. We excluded those receiving tuberculosis treatment in the preceding 12 months and those who were unwilling to consent. Xpert HR was performed on capillary or venous blood. Reference standard testing included sputum Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and mycobacterial culture. We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to identify the optimal cutoff value for the Xpert HR to achieve the target sensitivity of 90% or more while maximising specificity, then calculated diagnostic accuracy using this cutoff value. This study was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04923958.FindingsBetween July 13, 2021, and Aug 15, 2022, 2046 adults with at least 2 weeks of cough were identified, of whom 1499 adults (686 [45·8%] females and 813 [54·2%] males) had valid Xpert HR and reference standard results. 329 (21·9%) had microbiologically confirmed tuberculosis. Xpert HR had an area under the ROC curve of 0·89 (95% CI 0·86-0·91). The optimal cutoff value was less than or equal to -1·25, giving a sensitivity of 90·3% (95% CI 86·5-93·3; 297 of 329) and a specificity of 62·6% (95% CI 59·7-65·3; 732 of 1170). Sensitivity was similar across countries, by sex, and by subgroups, although specificity was lower in people living with HIV (45·1%, 95% CI 37·8-52·6) than in those not living with HIV (65·9%, 62·8-68·8; difference of 20·8%, 95% CI 13·0-28·6; p<0·0001). Xpert HR had high negative predictive value (95·8%, 95% CI 94·1-97·1), but positive predictive value was only 40·1% (95% CI 36·8-44·1). Using the Xpert HR as a triage test would have reduced confirmatory sputum testing by 57·3% (95% CI 54·2-60·4).InterpretationXpert HR did not meet WHO minimum specificity targets for a non-sputum-based triage test for pulmonary tuberculosis. Despite promise as a rule-out test that could reduce confirmatory sputum testing, further cost-effectiveness modelling and data on acceptability and usability are needed to inform policy recommendations.FundingNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the US National Institutes of Health.TranslationsFor the Vietnamese and Tagalog translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section