Observation of Seven Astrophysical Tau Neutrino Candidates with IceCube

We report on a measurement of astrophysical tau neutrinos with 9.7 yr of IceCube data. Using convolutional neural networks trained on images derived from simulated events, seven candidate ν_{τ} events were found with visible energies ranging from roughly 20 TeV to 1 PeV and a median expected parent ν_{τ} energy of about 200 TeV. Considering backgrounds from astrophysical and atmospheric neutrinos, and muons from π^{±}/K^{±} decays in atmospheric air showers, we obtain a total estimated background of about 0.5 events, dominated by non-ν_{τ} astrophysical neutrinos. Thus, we rule out the absence of astrophysical ν_{τ} at the 5σ level. The measured astrophysical ν_{τ} flux is consistent with expectations based on previously published IceCube astrophysical neutrino flux measurements and neutrino oscillations.

How Interoperability Challenges Are Addressed in Healthcare IoT Projects

The rapid development and implementation of Internet of Medical Things has made interoperability a serious challenge. In this scoping review, we provide an overview of the interoperability challenge, as reported in the health literature, and highlight the proposed solutions. After searching between January 2018 and June 2023 in Compendex via Engineering Village and PubMed, we found 18 publications. The interoperability challenges identified were device heterogeneity, system heterogeneity, data standardization, security and safety, system and architecture standard, system and workflow integration and regulatory and compliance requirements. Solutions included ontology approaches, conceptual semantic frameworks, improved standards, design of middleware, and using blockchain technology.

Clinical Decision Support Systems for Brain Tumour Diagnosis and Prognosis: A Systematic Review

CDSSs are being continuously developed and integrated into routine clinical practice as they assist clinicians and radiologists in dealing with an enormous amount of medical data, reduce clinical errors, and improve diagnostic capabilities. They assist detection, classification, and grading of brain tumours as well as alert physicians of treatment change plans. The aim of this systematic review is to identify various CDSSs that are used in brain tumour diagnosis and prognosis and rely on data captured by any imaging modality. Based on the 2020 preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) protocol, the literature search was conducted in PubMed and Engineering Village Compendex databases. Different types of CDSSs identified through this review include Curiam BT, FASMA, MIROR, HealthAgents, and INTERPRET, among others. This review also examines various CDSS tool types, system features, techniques, accuracy, and outcomes, to provide the latest evidence available in the field of neuro-oncology. An overview of such CDSSs used to support clinical decision-making in the management and treatment of brain tumours, along with their benefits, challenges, and future perspectives has been provided. Although a CDSS improves diagnostic capabilities and healthcare delivery, there is lack of specific evidence to support these claims. The absence of empirical data slows down both user acceptance and evaluation of the actual impact of CDSS on brain tumour management. Instead of emphasizing the advantages of implementing CDSS, it is important to address its potential drawbacks and ethical implications. By doing so, it can promote the responsible use of CDSS and facilitate its faster adoption in clinical settings.

Observation of high-energy neutrinos from the Galactic plane

The origin of high-energy cosmic rays, atomic nuclei that continuously impact Earth's atmosphere, is unknown. Because of deflection by interstellar magnetic fields, cosmic rays produced within the Milky Way arrive at Earth from random directions. However, cosmic rays interact with matter near their sources and during propagation, which produces high-energy neutrinos. We searched for neutrino emission using machine learning techniques applied to 10 years of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. By comparing diffuse emission models to a background-only hypothesis, we identified neutrino emission from the Galactic plane at the 4.5σ level of significance. The signal is consistent with diffuse emission of neutrinos from the Milky Way but could also arise from a population of unresolved point sources.

A5 A MOUSE MODEL TO UNRAVEL THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL LINK BETWEEN CROHN’S DISEASE AND TYPE-2 DIABETES-ASSOCIATED METABOLIC DISORDERS

Background

Crohn’s disease (CD), an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), has been recently shown to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). Moreover, treatment with anti-diabetic drugs has a protective role in preventing the severity and course of CD progression. However, the pathophysiological basis of T2D development in CD remains unclear. Findings have highlighted the contribution of adipose tissue (AT) to the development of chronic inflammatory diseases and have identified parallels between T2D and CD that may provide hints to common mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. Typically, microbial dysbiosis, hyperpermeable intestinal barrier, and intra-abdominal AT accumulation are the common features of both diseases, yet how the interplay of these factors contribute to pathogenesis is not known. Therefore, common pathogenic paradigms underlying both T2D and CD have led us to hypothesize that chronic intestinal inflammation serves as an initiator of AT dysfunction in CD, predisposing individuals to T2D. Further, the lack of appropriate animal models of CD with chronic intestinal inflammation that manifests accumulation of intra-abdominal AT, and extra-intestinal metabolic disorder as observed in CD and T2D patients has been a limitation.

Purpose

To develop a genetic mouse model to investigate if gut inflammation-mediated microbial dysbiosis and metabolic dysregulation of AT are at the nexus that cause T2D in CD.

Method

We developed a CD-mouse model, where we challenged Nod2-deficient mice (NOD2 being the strongest genetic risk factor contributing to CD) with a chronic inflammatory insult regime, using dextran sulfate sodium (cDSS) for 3 cycles. Subsequently, intraperitoneal insulin and oral glucose tolerance tests, metabolic caging, and MRI imaging of mice were performed. Changes in AT metabolism and microbial infiltration into AT were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and/or immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Result(s)

Our new CD-mouse model revealed increased gut inflammation (TNF and type-I IFN) in Nod2-deficient mice compared to wild-type control mice post-cDSS. Surprisingly, Nod2-deficient mice gained body weight, which was at least in part accounted for by an increased intra-abdominal AT accumulation along with decreased AT fatty-acid metabolism (Cpt1a, Fabp4 expression) and AT browning (Ucp1, Cidea expression, and UCP-1 staining), reduced intestinal goblet cell numbers, increased gut bacterial infiltration within the fat, more insulin resistance and energy expenditure.

Conclusion(s)

This experimental mouse model mimicking CD-associated T2D will provide insights into how the microbiome-AT axis fuel chronic inflammation-mediated extra-intestinal metabolic disorder and immune dysregulation. Understanding these connections will be transformative, as it will help us devise novel therapeutic strategies to prevent T2D development in progressive CD patients.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Vapor Pressure versus Temperature Relations of Common Elements

The vapor pressure values of common elements are available in the literature over a limited temperature range and the accuracy and reliability of the reported data are not generally available. We evaluate the reliability and uncertainty of the available vapor pressure versus temperature data of fifty common pure elements and recommend vapor pressure versus temperature relations. By synthesizing the vapor pressure values from measurements reported in the literature with the values computed using the Clausius Clapeyron relation beyond the boiling point, we extend the vapor pressure range from 10^-8 atm to 10 atm. We use a genetic algorithm to optimize the fitting of the vapor pressure data as a function of temperature over the extended vapor pressure range for each element. The recommended vapor pressure values are compared with the corresponding literature values to examine the reliability of the recommended values.

Search for Unstable Sterile Neutrinos with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

We present a search for an unstable sterile neutrino by looking for a resonant signal in eight years of atmospheric ν_{μ} data collected from 2011 to 2019 at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. Both the (stable) three-neutrino and the 3+1 sterile neutrino models are disfavored relative to the unstable sterile neutrino model, though with p values of 2.8% and 0.81%, respectively, we do not observe evidence for 3+1 neutrinos with neutrino decay. The best-fit parameters for the sterile neutrino with decay model from this study are Δm_{41}^{2}=6.7_{-2.5}^{+3.9}  eV^{2}, sin^{2}2θ_{24}=0.33_{-0.17}^{+0.20}, and g^{2}=2.5π±1.5π, where g is the decay-mediating coupling. The preferred regions of the 3+1+decay model from short-baseline oscillation searches are excluded at 90% C.L.

A systematic review considering risk factors for mortality of patients discharged from hospital with a diagnosis of diabetes

AIM

To identify known risk factors for mortality for adult patients, discharged from hospital with diabetes.

METHOD

The systematic review was based on the PRISMA protocol. Studies were identified through EMBASE & MEDLINE databases. The inclusion criteria were papers that were published over the last 6 years, in English language, and focused on risk factors of mortality in adult patients with diabetes, after they were discharged from hospitals. This was followed by data extraction "with quality assessment and semi-quantitative synthesis according to PRISMA guidelines".

RESULTS

There were 35 studies identified, considering risk factors relating to mortality for patients, discharged from hospital with diabetes. These studies are distributed internationally. 48 distinct statistically significant risk factors for mortality can be identified. Risk factors can be grouped into the following categories; demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, patient medical, inpatient stay, medication related, laboratory results, and gylcaemic status. These risk factors can be further divided into risk factors identified in generalized populations of patients with diabetes, compared to specific sub-populations of people with diabetes.

CONCLUSION

A relatively small number of studies have considered risk factors relating to mortality for patients, discharged from hospital with a diagnosis of diabetes. Mortality is an important outcome, when considering discharge from hospital with diabetes. However, there has only been limited consideration within the research literature.

Staged complex abdominal wall hernia repair in morbidly obese patients

PURPOSE

The repair of complex abdominal wall hernias in morbidly obese patients is often associated with a higher risk of complications and hernia recurrences. Improvement in obesity and its associated metabolic complications are hypothesized to improve hernia repair outcomes. This study analyzes outcomes from morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery with staged complex abdominal wall reconstruction at Creighton University Medical Center (CUMC).

METHODS

This retrospective study included morbidly obese patients with complex abdominal wall hernia, who underwent bariatric surgery with staged abdominal wall reconstruction. Data points collected included patient demographics, obesity-related co-morbidities, pre-operative BMI, EBMIL at 12 months, hernia characteristics, postoperative complications, BMI at time of hernia repair, and hernia recurrence.

RESULTS

Twelve patients with an average BMI of 48 and complex abdominal wall hernias (mean width 14.0 cm) met inclusion criteria. Seven patients (58%) had significant loss of domain. Bariatric procedures included six laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomies (LSG), three laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses (LRNYGB), and three revisional procedures (2 vertical band gastroplasties to LRNYGB and 1 LRNYGB revision). At 12-month follow-up, the mean excess BMI loss (EBMIL) was 64.6%. The average time to staged complex abdominal wall reconstruction was 22.3 months. Two non-elective hernia repairs were performed due to one incarceration and one strangulation. There were no recurrences after an average follow-up of 21.9 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, staged mesh repair of complex abdominal wall hernias after bariatric surgery in morbidly obese patients was associated with acceptable morbidity and no hernia recurrences at approximately 1.5 year follow-up.

Genetic evidence for allopatric speciation of the Siberian ibex Capra sibirica in India

Montane systems, formed by a series of climatic oscillations and temporal topographic metamorphoses, have broken up the contiguous distribution of widespread species and accelerated allopatric speciation. We used a partial fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene to address speciation across the entire range of the Siberian ibex Capra sibirica. We demonstrated that the Siberian ibex is a polytypic species, plausibly formed by a combination of at least 2 species and/or 3 to 4 sub-species. Bayesian phylogeny showed that the Indian-Tajikistan (I-T) clade is adequately diverged from the other clades based on the mean intra-specific distance criterion, and warrants recognition as a distinct species. We provide pragmatic evidence for the endorsement of the I-T clade as a distinct species of Siberian ibex and urge prioritization of the conservation of this species at global and regional scales.

Numerical simulations of different sectoral contributions to post monsoon pollution over Delhi

The National Capital Region (NCR) of India, Delhi, has experienced high post-monsoon pollution along with several peak pollution episodes in recent years. Diwali, the festival of lights, which is among the biggest festivals of India celebrated during the post-monsoon season, is also considered a pollution event associated as it is with the lighting of a large number of firecrackers. 2016 Diwali pollution episode continued for a week creating severe discomfort to residents of Delhi, prompting the judiciary to ban the sale and use of firecrackers in Delhi from 2017 onwards. The current study analyzes different sectoral and temporal emissions contribution to the 2016 post monsoonal pollution episode over Delhi using a fully coupled chemical transport model. The findings of the study indicate that aerosols produced from crop residue open burning at the northwestern states contributed more than 60% of the total simulated surface concentration during the period under study. Model experimental simulations show that despite emissions from within the city, what explains the severity of pollution over Delhi during the period under consideration is an additional pollution load emanating from these intense crop open burning sessions from nearby areas. Further, model simulations show that while Diwali emissions can elevate the pollution load over Delhi, the effects do not last beyond 48 h. It is found that the stagnation of the pollutants several days beyond the 2016 Diwali day was due to favorable meteorological conditions like low surface temperature, lower boundary layer height, and weak northwesterly winds. The study shows that in order to improve air quality in Delhi during the post-monsoon period, mitigation efforts should target the adjacent rural areas, especially when there is massive burning of crop residue in those areas.

Electronic structure of twisted and planar rubrene molecules: a density functional study

X-ray absorption spectra (XAS), the density of states (DOS) and the electron density distribution of the HOMO and LUMO for flat and twisted rubrene molecules have been calculated using density functional theory (DFT).

A Comparison of Practice Pattern and Outcome of Twice-weekly and Thrice-weekly Hemodialysis Patients

Renal replacement therapy (RRT) options and practice varies in countries worldwide and is influenced by patients' choice, nephrologists' practice patterns, health system, payer practice, public policy, and socioeconomic factors. In India, hemodialysis (HD) remains the dominant RRT modality, and the practice is largely influenced by socioeconomics of the region of practice since third party payer is limited. Resource stretch to maximize outcome benefit is essential and HD session twice weekly is an improvized and cost-effective clinical practice. However, within the country, the patient characteristics, practice patterns, and outcomes of twice-weekly HD compared against patients dialyzed thrice weekly remain unclear. We did a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent twice- and thrice-weekly HD in a single center under similar settings. The patients on thrice a week dialysis were older and with a higher proportion of diabetics and were insured by private payers. Weight gain, ultrafiltration rates, blood pressures, and hemoglobin remained more favorable in the thrice-weekly patients. There was no significant difference in the hospitalization rates or mortality rates in the two groups. Patients who undergo twice-weekly HD have poorer intermediate measures of the outcome; although, morbidity and survival were not different in a small study population with short follow-up. The small sample size and the short duration of follow-up may limit the scope of findings of our study.

Developing the 'gripes' tool for junior doctors to report concerns: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Junior doctors often have concerns about quality and safety but show low levels of engagement with incident reporting systems. We aimed to develop and pilot a web-based reporting tool for junior doctors to proactively report concerns about quality and safety of care, and optimise it for future use.

METHODS

We developed the gripes tool with input from junior doctors and piloted it at a large UK teaching hospital trust. We evaluated the tool through an analysis of concerns reported over a 3-month pilot period, and through interviews with five stakeholders and two focus groups with medical students and junior doctors about their views of the tool.

RESULTS

Junior doctors reported 111 concerns during piloting, including a number of problems previously unknown to the trust. Junior doctors felt the tool was easy to use and encouraged them to report. Barriers to engagement included lack of motivation of junior doctors to report concerns, and fear of repercussions. Ensuring transparency about who would see reported concerns, and providing feedback across whole cohorts of junior doctors about concerns raised and how these had been addressed to improve patient safety at the trust, were seen having the potential to mitigate against these barriers. Sustainability of the tool was seen as requiring a revised model of staffing to share the load for responding to concerns and ongoing efforts to integrate the tool and data with other local systems for gathering intelligence about risks and incidents. Following piloting the trust committed to continuing to operate the gripes tool on an ongoing basis.

CONCLUSIONS

The gripes tool has the potential to enable trusts to proactively monitor and address risks to patient safety, but sustainability is likely to be dependent on organisational commitment to staffing the system and perceptions of added value over the longer term.

Printability of alloys for additive manufacturing

Although additive manufacturing (AM), or three dimensional (3D) printing, provides significant advantages over existing manufacturing techniques, metallic parts produced by AM are susceptible to distortion, lack of fusion defects and compositional changes. Here we show that the printability, or the ability of an alloy to avoid these defects, can be examined by developing and testing appropriate theories. A theoretical scaling analysis is used to test vulnerability of various alloys to thermal distortion. A theoretical kinetic model is used to examine predisposition of different alloys to AM induced compositional changes. A well-tested numerical heat transfer and fluid flow model is used to compare susceptibilities of various alloys to lack of fusion defects. These results are tested and validated with independent experimental data. The findings presented in this paper are aimed at achieving distortion free, compositionally sound and well bonded metallic parts.

Oxidation of rubrene thin films: an electronic structure study

The performances of organic semiconductor devices are crucially linked with their stability at the ambient atmosphere. The evolution of electronic structures of 20 nm thick rubrene films exposed to ambient environment with time has been studied by UV and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (UPS and XPS), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT). XPS, NEXAFS data, and DFT calculated values suggest the formation of rubrene-epoxide and rubrene-endoperoxide through reaction of tetracene backbone with oxygen of ambient environment. Angle dependent XPS measurement indicates that the entire probed depth of the films reacts with oxygen by spending only about 120 min in ambient environment. The HOMO peak of pristine rubrene films almost disappears by exposure of 120 min to ambient environment. The evolution of the valence band (occupied states) and NEXAFS (unoccupied states) spectra indicates that the films become more insulating with exposure as the HOMO-LUMO gap increases on oxidation. Oxygen induced chemical reaction completely destroys the delocalized nature of the electron distribution in the tetracene backbone of rubrene. The results are relevant to the performance and reliability of rubrene based devices in the environment.

Investigation on the adsorption characteristics of anserine on the surface of colloidal silver nanoparticles

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies of anserine (beta-alanyl-N-methylhistidine) was carried out on colloidal silver nanoparticles to understand its adsorption characteristics. The experimentally observed Raman bands were assigned based on the results of DFT calculations. The studies suggest that the interaction of anserine is primarily through the carboxylate group with the imidazole ring in an upright position with respect to the silver surface. Concentration dependent SERS studies suggest a change in orientation at sub-monolayer concentration.

Core dysfunction in schizophrenia: electrophysiology trait biomarkers

OBJECTIVE

Core symptoms of schizophrenia, particularly in the cognitive domain are hypothesized to be due to an abnormality in neural connectivity. Biomarkers of connectivity may therefore be a promising tool in exploring the aetiology of schizophrenia. We used electrophysiological methods to demonstrate abnormal visual information processing during in patients performing a simple cognitive task.

METHOD

Electrophysiological recordings were acquired from 20 chronically ill, medicated patients diagnosed with either schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder and 20 healthy volunteers while they conducted a working memory (WM) task.

RESULTS

The patient group had significantly lower accuracy on the WM task and a trend for slower responses. An early visual evoked response potential was reduced in patients. Analysis of the electroencephalographic oscillations showed a decreased phase-locking factor (in the theta, beta and gamma bands) and signal power (theta frequency band). The beta and gamma oscillatory abnormalities were confined to two sets of correlated fronto and occipital electrodes.

CONCLUSION

The findings of event-related potential and oscillatory abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia confirm the sensitivity of early visual information processing measurements for identification of schizophrenia phenotype. The fronto-occipital distribution of the oscillatory abnormalities replicates our findings from a schizotypal sample and implicates a possible top-down dysfunction as a vulnerability trait.

Antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging reactions of gentisic acid: in-vitro and pulse radiolysis studies

Abstract Antioxidant activity of gentisic acid has been studied using fast chemical kinetics and two in vitro models, namely the isolated rat liver mitochondria (RLM) and the human erythrocytes. The presence of gentisic acid (GA) during irradiation significantly reduced the levels of gamma radiation induced damages to lipids and proteins in RLM. Further, GA imparted protection to the human erythrocytes against exposure to gamma radiation. Molecular mechanism of free radical scavenging reactions has been evaluated with the help of rate constants and transients obtained from gentisic acid using pulse radiolysis technique. GA efficiently scavenged hydroxyl radical (k = 1.1 × 10(10) dm(3)mol(-1)s(-1)) to produce reducing adduct radical (~76%) and oxidizing phenoxyl radical (~24%). GA has also scavenged organohaloperoxyl radical (k = 9.3 × 10(7) dm(3) mol(-1)s(-1)). Ascorbate has been found to repair phenoxyl radical of GA (k = 1.0 × 10(7) dm(3)mol(-1)s(-1)). Redox potential value of GA(•)/GA couple (0.774 V vs NHE) obtained by cyclic voltammetry is less than those of physiologically important oxidants, which supports the observed antioxidant capacity of GA. We, therefore, propose that the antioxidant and radioprotective properties of GA are exerted by its phenoxyl group.