Mass Values Research Articles

Electroweak metastability and Higgs inflation

AbstractExtrapolating the Standard Model Higgs potential at high energies, we study the barrier between the electroweak and Planck scale minima. The barrier arises by taking the central values of the relevant experimental inputs, that is the strong coupling constant and the top quark and Higgs masses. We then extend the Standard Model by including a non-minimal coupling to gravity, and explore the phenomenology of the Higgs inflation model. We point out that even configurations that would be metastable in the Standard Model, become viable for inflation if the non-minimal coupling is large enough to flatten the Higgs potential at field values below the barrier; we find that the required value of the non-minimal coupling is smaller than the one needed for the conventional Higgs inflation scenario (which relies on a stable Standard Model Higgs potential, without any barrier); in addition, values of the top mass which are larger than those required in the conventional scenario are allowed.

Surgical outcome in patients with lung adenocarcinoma with mucin.

Mucin-producing adenocarcinoma is a less common variant of lung adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma cells with mucin can spread through the airspace via mucus-mediated extension, leading to their implantation in distant normal lungs. Consequently, post-operative intrapulmonary recurrence frequently occurs. Mucin-producing adenocarcinomas include not only invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma but also papillary, acinar, and other subtypes. Despite increasing reports on surgical outcomes for invasive mucinous adenocarcinomas, the outcomes for total mucin-producing adenocarcinoma remain unclear. We clinically and pathologically evaluated 511 patients who underwent curative resection for lung adenocarcinoma at our institution. The patients were divided into adenocarcinoma with mucin and without mucin groups. Based on pathological findings, the adenocarcinoma with mucin was further classified into intracellular, extracellular, and mucus extension types. Additionally, the CT value of the tumor mass was analyzed using SYNAPSE VINCENT software. The 5year overall survival after surgery was 81.5% and 75.9% for patients with adenocarcinoma with versus without mucin (P = 0.774), respectively. The 5year intrapulmonary recurrence rate in patients with adenocarcinoma with mucin was 29.2%, significantly higher than 12.9% for patients without mucin. Mucus extension was a strong indicator (hazard ratio: 3.03) of intrapulmonary recurrence after surgery. According to SYNAPSE VINCENT analysis, a high volume rate of -400 HU indicated mucus extension. Our results demonstrated that intrapulmonary recurrence occurs approximately 2.3 times more often in adenocarcinoma with mucin than in adenocarcinoma without mucin. Mucus extension is a significant risk factor for intrapulmonary recurrence, and surgeons can predict it using SYNAPSE VINCENT analysis.

A multi-wavelength overview of the giant spiral UGC 2885

UGC 2885 ($z = 0.01935$) is one of the largest and most massive galaxies in the local Universe, yet it has an undisturbed spiral structure, which is unexpected for such an object and is not predicted by cosmological simulations. Understanding the detailed properties of extreme systems such as UGC 2885 can provide insight into the limits of scaling relations and the physical processes driving galaxy evolution. Our goal is to understand whether UGC 2885 has followed a similar evolutionary path as other high-mass galaxies by examining its place in the fundamental metallicity relation and on the star-forming main sequence. We present new observations of UGC 2885 with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and the Institut de radioastronomie millimétrique 30 m telescope. We used these novel data to calculate metallicity and molecular hydrogen mass values, respectively. We estimated the stellar mass (M$_ star $) and star formation rate (SFR) based on mid-infrared observations with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. We find global metallicities $Z = 9.28$, 9.08, and 8.74 at the 25 kpc ellipsoid from the N2O2, R23, and O3N2 indices, respectively. This puts UGC 2885 at the high end of the galaxy metallicity distribution. We find a molecular hydrogen mass of M$_ $ M$_ odot $, a SFR of $1.63 odot $ yr$^ $, and a stellar mass of $4.83 $ M$_ odot $, which gives a star formation efficiency ($ SFR $) of $8.67 $ yr$^ $. This indicates that UGC 2885 has an extremely high molecular gas content compared to known samples of star-forming galaxies ($ times more) and a relatively low SFR for its current gas content. We conclude that UGC 2885 has gone through cycles of star formation periods, which increased its stellar mass and metallicity to its current state. The mechanisms that are fuelling the current molecular gas reservoir and keeping the galaxy from producing stars remain uncertain. We discuss the possibility that a molecular bar is quenching star-forming activity.

QCD phase diagram in the T–eB plane for varying pion mass

We study the effect of a varying pion mass on the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) phase diagram in the presence of an external magnetic field, aiming to understand it, for the first time, using Nambu–Jona-Lasinio like effective models. We compare results from both its local and nonlocal versions. In both cases, we find that the inverse magnetic catalysis (IMC) near the crossover is eliminated with increasing pion mass, while the decreasing trend of crossover temperature with increasing magnetic field persists for pion mass values at least up to 440 MeV. Thus, the models are capable of capturing qualitatively the results found by lattice QCD (LQCD) for heavy (unphysical) pions. The key feature in the models is the incorporation of the effect of a reduction in the coupling constant with increasing energy. Along with reproducing the IMC effect, it enables models to describe the effects of heavier current quark masses without introducing additional parameters. For the local NJL model, this agreement depends on how the parameters of the model are fit at the physical point. In this respect, the nonlocal version, which, due to its formulation, automatically exhibits the IMC effect around the crossover region, captures the physics more naturally. We further use the nonlocal framework to determine the pion mass beyond which the IMC effect around the transition region does not exist anymore. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Improving Egg Production, Quality and Eggshell Hygiene by Supplementation of Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Essential Oils

ABSTRACT Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of sage (Salvia officinalis) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oils (EO) supplementation into drinking water on egg production, quality and eggshell hygiene in laying hens. Material and Methods: A total of 300 Nick Brown laying hens between 30 and 38 of age were used in a completely randomized design in three treatments and ten replicates. The treatments consisted of: control group, sage EO, lavender EO supplementation group. EOs were supplemented into drinking water (0.3 mL/L). Results: A lower value of egg production, egg weight, egg mass and deteriorations in feed efficiency, eggshell breaking strength and thickness were observed in lavender EO group (P

Changes in the sensory regions of the brain in patients with multiple sclerosis after complex neurorehabilitation according to resting functional magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis is the one of leading causes of non-traumatic disability in young adult patients. An in-depth understanding of the processes of neuroplasticity underlying rehabilitation measures will ensure full and effective recovery of patients with this disease. AIM: To evaluate changes in the brain connectome in patients with multiple sclerosis in response to complex rehabilitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study included 20 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (EDSS 1.5–6.5) in remission. All patients underwent comprehensive inpatient neurorehabilitation in a volume corresponding to individual rehabilitation needs for 5 weeks. To assess changes in the connectome, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was performed at three points: before the start of rehabilitation, immediately after its completion, and one month after discharge from the hospital. Statistical analysis is carried out using the CONN 7 (based on MathLab). Clinical neurological examination included examination using functional tests, passing questionnaires, and determining scores on the EDSS scale before and after rehabilitation. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients were examined, 13 of them at three control points. According to rs-fMRI data, clusters of decreased connectivity were identified between the left parahippocampal gyrus and the lateral cortex of the right occipital lobe, and between the right parahippocampal gyrus and the precuneus (p-FWE, p-FDR of cluster size and mass 0.05). Clusters of increased connectivity were determined between the left inferior temporal gyrus and the lateral occipital cortex of the left hemisphere, between the left middle temporal gyrus and the right frontal field, between the pole of the left temporal lobe and the lateral cortex of the left hemisphere (p-FWE, p-FDR of cluster size and mass 0.05). Other clusters of sufficient size demonstrated borderline statistical significance (individual adjusted p values for cluster size and mass exceeded 0.05). CONCLUSION: The identified changes indicate a functional reorganization of brain structures responsible for the perception of complex visual information, the functioning of executive control systems, as well as the implementation of memory and sequential action planning.

Significant shift of footprint patterns and pollutant source contributions: insights from observations at Shanghuang observatory, East China

Abstract As two of the most important products of the combustion process, carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) are commonly used as tracers for combustion source assignment. Their relationship will help to better understand the regional carbon cycle and assess climate forcing effects. In this study, mixing ratios of CO2 and CO were continuously measured using a Picarro gas concentration analyzer at the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Eco-Environmental Shanghuang Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ABLECAS) throughout 2022–2023. The variability of the mixing ratio of CO to CO2 (ΔCO/ΔCO2) in a 1 h time interval was calculated based on linear slope analysis after background values were determined and subtracted. The results showed that the mixing ratio of CO had a clear seasonal variability with a moderate increase in the spring (249.1 ± 59.6 part per billion (ppb)) and winter (257.8 ± 90.3 ppb), mostly due to more frequent transport from north of the Yangtze River. ΔCO/ΔCO2 at the ABLECAS varied with air mass origin, with a linear slope 0%–1% on a 1 h basis. Relatively high ΔCO/ΔCO2 values for an air mass from the north in the winter indicate that the emission sources had lower combustion efficiency. In summer, the ΔCO/ΔCO2 ratio mostly reflected the background conditions for air masses from marine areas. The potential source regions and contribution assignments were evaluatedat the ABLECAS according to source–receptor relationship analysis using the FLEXPART model with CO as a pollutant tracer from 2015 to 2023. We found that the footprint of an air mass had a clear transition period between 2018 and 2019, and a synoptic anomaly, related to Arctic Oscillation strength and west Pacific subtropical high position, plays a key role in influencing the pollutant transport patterns. This study provides a scientific basis for the formulation of air quality regulation policy, and helps to implement the national carbon neutralization strategy.

Influence of mineral fertilizers and liming on the dynamics of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, crop yield and quality of crop products of crop rotation link

In the field experiment was investigated the effect of repeated lime application on CO2 emissions from the soil, yield and quality of plant products against the background of mineral fertilizers N90P90K90, on dark gray forest heavy loamy soil. As a result of liming and improvement of the acid regime in the soil, prerequisites are created to enhance the vital activity of beneficial microorganisms in the experiment. It was revealed that an increase in biological activity (carbon dioxide emissions) against the background of the application of mineral fertilizers N90P90K90 and CaCO3 ensures high yield and product quality, contributes to favorable conditions for preserving soil fertility and to a greater extent stimulates the development of microorganisms using mineral forms of nitrate nitrogen. With the systematic use of mineral fertilizers N90P90K90 at the stage of crop rotation, an increase in the quality of cultivated crops was noted (the nutritional value of the green mass of clover; the content of crude protein, protein, gluten, starch in barley grain; the nature of grain in winter wheat). In different years of research, according to weather conditions, grain with a high content of crude gluten, protein, nature in winter wheat grain, starch in barley, ash nutrition elements in clover was obtained. The best option turned out to be using dolomite flour and (N90P90K90). All the considered quality indicators of winter wheat improved under the influence of fertilizers and lime, and the difference with the control was: protein – 0,64–1,78%; crude gluten – 1,6–4,3%; grain nature – 11–26 g/l. The highest productivity was obtained when applying mineral fertilizers and lime: barley – 3,53 t/ha, clover hay of the first year of use – 77,53 t/ha, winter wheat – 7,89 t/ha, compared with the control without the use of fertilizers.

An analytical method for increasing the accuracy of the value of the Newtonian constant of gravitation

Despite hundreds of measurements of the Newtonian constant of gravitation, its accuracy remains very low. Over the past 55 years, it has improved by only one order of magnitude - from four to five digits after the decimal point. In this study, a new analytical method for improving the accuracy of estimating the value of the Newtonian constant of gravitation is proposed. Using the proposed method, its accuracy is increased by 7 orders of magnitude relative to the CODATA 2022 data. The method is based on the analytical estimate of the Planck mass, length, and time, with an accuracy of values ​​that is 5 orders of magnitude higher than their accuracy according to CODATA 2022. Such a significant increase in the accuracy of the Planck mass, length, and time values ​​was made possible by the integrated use of: 1) precision formulas for the Planck momentum; 2) representation of the speed of light in a vacuum through the Planck length and time; 3) the De Broglie principle: the moments of the Planck mass, leptons, and baryons are equal to each other; 4) high-precision characteristics of the proton. The method of analytical evaluation of Planck mass, length, and time allowed us to connect the main characteristics of the hypothetical virtual Planck particle with the main characteristics of the proton. Increasing the accuracy of the proton characteristics will entail increasing the accuracy of Planck mass, length, and time. Accordingly, the accuracy of the value of the Newtonian gravitational constant and all physical constants that can be represented through Planck mass, length, and time will be increased, which is especially important in light of the decisions of the 26th General Conference on Weights and Measures.

Analytical Solutions of PBTK Models for Evaluating the Impact of Surface Diffusion Characteristics on the Leaching Profile of Implant Bioproducts

Toxicokinetic or pharmacokinetic models, physiologically based or not, offer a unique avenue to understand the transport of toxins or pharmaceuticals in living organisms. The availability of analytical solutions to such models offers the means to engage in a plethora of applications. In the present work, we provide the framework to solve analytically such models using the matrix exponential, and we then apply this method to derive an explicit solution to four-to-five-compartment physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) models considering a single- and an infinite-exponential expression for the amount of mass released from an implantable device. We also offer the conditions that need to be met for analytical solutions to be obtained when the kinetic rates are time-dependent functions. Our analysis compares the computation time between analytical and numerical solutions and characterizes the dependency of the maximum substance mass value and the time it occurs in the various tissue compartments from the material surface diffusion characteristics. Our analytical solutions, which have several advantages over the solutions obtained using numerical solvers, can be incorporated into in silico tools and provide valuable information for human health risk assessment.

Dry mass grassland estimation using UAV ultra-wide RGB images

Abstract. Dry mass is an important parameter to optimise grassland management. Traditionally, dry mass values are estimated manually by cutting, drying, and weighing vegetation samples. In large areas of cultivation, this becomes a time-consuming and costly activity. In recent years, many researchers have studied different sensors embedded in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to collect spatial data and estimate biomass using machine learning algorithms for forest and agricultural applications. However, there needs to be more research dealing with estimating production indices for pasture, especially in Brazil, as stated. This study evaluates the feasibility of using the GoPro wide-angle RGB camera on UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) to estimate the dry mass of pastures. Different data analysis methods were compared, including the combination of vegetation indices (VIs) values and three-dimensional metrics (3D) extracted from the Canopy Height Model (CHM): all metrics (ALL), three VIs plus four 3D metrics (VI3 + CHM4) and only 3D metrics. Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm was used to estimate dry mass. The best results were obtained when merging all the variables from the two flight campaigns, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.80 for the model and a Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC) of 0.85 for validation, with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE%) of 20.5%. In summary, using RGB sensors embedded in UAVs is a promising technique for estimating farm grazing parameters.

An analysis of spectroscopic, seismological, astrometric, and photometric masses of pulsating white dwarf stars

Context. A central challenge in the field of stellar astrophysics lies in accurately determining the mass of stars, particularly when dealing with isolated ones. However, for pulsating white dwarf stars, the task becomes more tractable due to the availability of multiple approaches such as spectroscopy, asteroseismology, astrometry, and photometry, each providing valuable insights into the mass properties of white dwarf stars. Aims. Numerous asteroseismological studies of white dwarfs have been published, focusing on determining stellar mass using pulsational spectra and comparing it with spectroscopic mass, which uses surface temperature and gravity. The objective of this work is to compare these mass values in detail and, in turn, to compare them with the mass values derived using astrometric parallaxes or distances and photometry data from Gaia, employing astrometric and photometric methods. Methods. Our analysis involves a selection of pulsating white dwarfs with different surface chemical abundances that define the main classes of variable white dwarfs. We calculated their spectroscopic masses, compiled seismological masses, and determined astrometric masses. We also derived photometric masses, when possible. Subsequently, we compared all the sets of stellar masses obtained through these different methods. To ensure consistency and robustness in our comparisons, we used identical white dwarf models and evolutionary tracks across all four methods. Results. The analysis suggests a general consensus among the four methods regarding the masses of pulsating white dwarfs with hydrogen-rich atmospheres, known as DAV or ZZ Ceti stars, especially for objects with masses below approximately 0.75 M⊙, although notable disparities emerge for certain massive stars. For pulsating white dwarf stars with helium-rich atmospheres, called DBV or V777 Her stars, we find that astrometric masses generally exceed seismological, spectroscopic, and photometric masses. Finally, while there is agreement among the sets of stellar masses for pulsating white dwarfs with carbon-, oxygen-, and helium-rich atmospheres (designated as GW Vir stars), outliers exist, where mass determinations by various methods show significant discrepancies. Conclusions. Although a general agreement exists among different methodologies for estimating the mass of pulsating white dwarfs, significant discrepancies are prevalent in many instances. This shows the need to redo the determination of spectroscopic parameters and the parallax and/or improve asteroseismological models for many stars.

Prognostic value of left ventricular mass measured on coronary computed tomography angiography

BackgroundLeft ventricular (LV) mass is a well-established prognostic indicator for cardiovascular risk. Measurement of LV mass on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is considered optional. We aimed to assess for associations between LV mass measured on CCTA with all-cause mortality (ACM) risk and to determine age- and sex-specific distributions. MethodsWe evaluated patients without known coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent CCTA at a single center. We assessed age- and sex-specific distributions (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles) of LV mass index. ACM, the primary endpoint, was recorded over a median period of 5.1 [interquartile range: 1.4–8.4] years. The association between LV mass and mortality risk was assessed using multivariable Cox models adjusted for age, sex, medical history, coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and CCTA stenosis. Results4187 patients (mean age: 61.9 ​± ​11.7, 63 ​% male) were included. Male sex, African American ethnicity, Hypertension, CAC>400, and smoking were independent predictors of increased LV mass index. During the median 5.1 years of study follow, 265 (6.3 ​%) deaths occurred. Increased LV mass index percentiles were associated with increased risk of ACM. The addition of LV mass index percentiles improved discrimination and reclassification for mortality prediction over a model with age, sex, conventional risk factors, CAC score and CCTA stenosis severity (X2 improvement: 22.68, NRI: 28 ​%, both p ​< ​0.001). ConclusionIn a large sample of patients without known CAD who underwent CCTA, increased LV mass index provided independent and incremental prognostic value for all-cause mortality. Assessment of LV mass by CCTA, considering age and gender distribution, can be utilized clinically to identify patients with high myocardial mass.

A phenotypic comparison of the Romanian and French ATTRv cohorts: Glu54Gln founder pathogenic variant vs the most common variants in Western Europe

Aim and methodsWe conducted a retrospective observational study of the ATTRv heterozygous mutation frequency, phenotype, and all-cause mortality at two cardiac amyloidosis centers in Romania and France. Results291 patients were included: 26 Glu54Gln (all Romanian), 200 Val122Ile, 47 Val30Met and 18 Ser77Tyr. On diagnosis, Gu54Gln patients were younger than Val122Ile or late-onset Val30Met (median age: 46 [42–50], 76 [71–80] and 70 [61–76], respectively; p < 0.001) and had more autonomic dysfunction (50 %, 6.3 %, and 7.7 %, respectively; p < 0.001) and similar cardiac symptom profiles. They had fewer conduction disorders (11.5 %) than early-onset Val30Met (76.9 %, p < 0.001) and Ser77Tyr group, notably less cardiac pacemaker present on diagnosis: 3.8 % for Glu54Gln vs. 23.5 % for Ser77Tyr; p = 0.014. Glu54Gln, Val122Ile, late-onset Val30Met and Ser77Tyr patients had similar left ventricular mass and systolic function values. Median survival for Glu54Gln patients was 58.7 years (95 %CI 55.9 – upper bound indeterminable), significantly lower than that of Val122Ile (83.6 years 95 %CI 81.6–85.5, log-rank test p < 0.001), late-onset Val30Met (83.4 years 95 %CI 81.9–84.9, log-rank test p < 0.001) and Ser77Tyr (74.8 years 95 %CI 68.7–80.9, log-rank test p = 0.022). Median survival after diagnosis was 5.7 years for Glu54Gln patients (95 %CI 4.7–6.4). ConclusionWe established that the Glu54Gln variant has an aggressive, mixed phenotype, with an early onset of autonomic dysfunction and heart failure symptoms. We emphasize the need for systematic genetic testing in patients with ATTR as understanding genotype-phenotype correlations is key for the management and the counseling of patients and their family members.

Biometric Changes Up to 2 Years After Hip Arthroscopy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Athletes.

Patients who undergo hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) require lower extremity immobilization for an extended period of time. Periods of immobilization combined with surgery have been associated with decreased muscle mass and bone mineral density (BMD). The purpose of this study was to characterize postoperative body composition and BMD changes after arthroscopy for FAI. It was hypothesized that both lean mass and BMD would decrease postoperatively and then normalize over time. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. This was a retrospective review of 23 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy between 2017 and 2019 and had a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12, or 24 months postoperatively. Linear mixed-effects models were used to compare pre- with postoperative lean and fat mass values for the total body and total leg (both operative and nonoperative sides) as well as trunk, pelvic, and spinal BMD. For total-leg, femur, and femoral BMD, linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the influence of time, side (operative vs nonoperative), and their interaction on each outcome measure. Regarding pelvic BMD, compared with baseline (mean, 1.41 g/cm2 [95% CI, 1.33-1.49]), significant decreases were seen at postoperative 3 months (mean, 1.36 g/cm2 [95% CI, 1.28-1.45 g/cm2]; P < .001) and 6 months (mean, 1.39 g/cm2 [95% CI, 1.27-1.52 g/cm2]; P < .01) but not at 12 months (mean, 1.42 g/cm2 [95% CI, 1.33-1.51 g/cm2]; P = .319). Total-leg BMD for the operative side increased significantly from baseline (mean, 1.52 g/cm2 [95% CI, 1.43-1.61 g/cm2]) to ≥2 years postoperatively (mean, 1.56 g/cm2 [95% CI, 1.47-1.65 g/cm2]) (P = .005). Combined leg fat mass was increased from baseline (mean, 6427 g [95% CI, 4855-7999 g]) to ≥2 years (mean, 11645 g [95% CI, 7845-15,446 g]) (P < .01). There were no significant differences in total-body fat or lean mass or combined-leg lean mass. In this patient population, a postoperative decrease in pelvic BMD that resolved by 12 months and an increase in total-leg BMD on the operative side at ≥2 years were observed. While hip arthroscopy for FAI may have significant benefits for long-term body composition and bone mass, clinicians should be aware of the potential implications of decreased bone mass for up to 12 months postoperatively.

Weak field deflection angle and analytical parameter estimation of the Lorentz-violating Bumblebee parameter through the black hole shadow using EHT data

Abstract We explored how the Lorentz symmetry breaking parameter $\ell$ affects the Reissner-Nordst"{o}m BH solution in the context of weak field deflection angle, and the black hole shadow. We aim to derive the general expression for the weak deflection angle using the non-asymptotic version of the Gauss-Bonnet theorem, and we presented a way to simplify the calculations under the assumption that the distance of the source and the receiver are the same. \textcolor{blue}{Through the Solar System test, $\ell$ is constrained from around $-10^{-9}$ orders of magnitude to $0$, implying challenging detection of $\ell$ through the deflection of light rays from the Sun.} We also studied the black hole shadow in an analytic way, where we applied the EHT results under the far approximation in obtaining an estimate expression for $\ell$. Using the realistic values of the black hole mass and observer distance for Sgr. A* and M87*, it was shown that $M/r_{\rm o} \neq 1$ is satisfied, implying the relevance and potential promise of the spontaneous Lorentz symmetry breaking parameter's role on the shadow radius uncertainties as measured by the EHT. We find constraints for $\ell$ to be negatively valued, where the upper and lower bounds are $\sim -1.94$ and $\sim -2.04$, respectively.

T2 mapping as a marker of active myocardial injury in Anderson-Fabry disease patients

Abstract Background In Anderson-Fabry Disease (AFD) with cardiac involvement, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is often associated with myocardial scarring by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging. Myocardial inflammation, detected as increased T2 weighted/T2 mapping (T2m) signal, has also been reported, although its role in disease progression is still unclear. Purpose To investigate the relationship between T2m and LGE/LVH progression in AFD patients. Methods 67 paired CMR scans (1.5T) from 30 AFD patients were included. Three groups were defined according to LGE: no LGE at either scan (LGE-/-); LGE at baseline, unchanged at follow-up (LGE+/-); LGE at follow-up, appeared or increased compared to baseline (LGE+/+). T2m was measured in the infero-lateral basal segment in all scans; in LGE+ scans only, LGE was also manually contoured (ROI_LGE), and the ROI_LGE copied and pasted on the matching T2m image (T2m_ROI_LGE). See Figure 1. Troponin I (TnI) was also dosed at each scan. A univariate repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the groups and Tukey-Kramer correction was applied. Results As expected, the presence of LGE was strongly associated with older age, higher global and regional T2m, left ventricular (LV) mass and TnI values. As a novelty, in the LGE+/+ scans (scar appearance/progression) T2m in the ROI_LGE was higher than in the LGE+/- scans (scar unchanged) (p value 0.02). None of the other parameters, such as LV mass, TnI and global T2m values, differ between the the LGE+/+ compared to the LGE +/- group. See Table 1. Conclusions In our AFD patients’ cohort, scar progression was associated with focal increase in T2m values, i.e. T2m may identify patients with active myocardial injury. The potential implication on management/disease progression monitoring needs to be tested in future research, with longer follow-up. The role of sex, with females known to have higher average T2m values, will also need to be explored in a wider patient’s cohort.

Impact of cardiovascular risk factors in cardiac (reverse) remodelling induced by pregnancy

Abstract Introduction Haemodynamic overload during pregnancy induces cardiac remodelling, characterised by cardiac hypertrophy and chamber enlargement, associated with deterioration of diastolic function, despite preservation of the systolic function. After delivery, the woman's heart undergoes reverse remodelling(RR), and myocardial function and structure normalise to their pre-gravid state. The impact of cardiovascular risk factors(CRF) in cardiac remodelling and RR, namely, on cardiac function and structure, is variable and remains to be clarified. Purpose To characterise cardiac remodelling and RR during pregnancy and postpartum, respectively, and to investigate CRF's impact in these processes. Methods This prospective cohort study included volunteer pregnant women (healthy [H group] or obese and/or hypertensive and/or with gestational diabetes [CRF group]) recruited in two tertiary centres between 2019 and 2022. Women were evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography at the 1st trimester [1T,10-15 weeks, baseline], 3rd trimester [3T,30-35 weeks, peak of cardiac remodelling] of pregnancy as well as at the 1st, 6th and 12th month after delivery (during RR). Blood samples were collected in each evaluation moment to quantify plasma troponin I (cTnI), procollagen I COOH-terminal propeptide (PICP), ST2/IL33-receptor, C-reactive protein (CRP) and relaxin-2 by ELISA. Generalised linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the extent of RR and its potential predictors. Results We included 130 pregnant women with a median age of 33 [30,36] years, 41.5% with at least one CRF. As shown in Table 1, pregnant women developed cardiac hypertrophy with significant atrial and ventricular enlargement from 1T to 3T in both groups. A significant rise in filling pressures was also documented. During postpartum, a significant regression of cardiac hypertrophy and dilation was verified in the two study groups, accompanied by a significant decrease of E/e’ as soon as 1 month after delivery. These cardiac anatomical and functional adaptations induced by pregnancy were accompanied by a significant reduction in plasma cTnI, PICP, ST2/IL33-receptor, CRP and relaxin-2 levels from 3T to 6-months after delivery. Compared to the healthy pregnant women, the CRF group showed higher relative wall thickness (RWT) for all time points of the follow-up period, with similar values of indexed cardiac mass and volumes. Pregnant women with CRF revealed higher E/e’, contrasting with lower ejection fraction and worse global longitudinal strain. Conclusion The significant cardiac reverse remodelling occurred as soon as 1 month after delivery, returning to basal values 6 months postpartum, supported by a significant reduction of levels of plasma biomarkers related to myocardial injury, repair, fibrosis, and inflammation. Pregnant women with CRF showed higher RWT, impaired relaxation and subclinical LV dysfunction when compared with healthy women at all time points of the study.

Enhanced optoelectronic properties of spray deposited antimony-doped tin oxide thin films

Antimony-doped tin oxide (Sb:SnO2) thin films with varying Sb concentrations were deposited using the spray pyrolysis technique. A comprehensive analysis of the films' elemental, structural, and optoelectronic properties is presented. All films possess a polycrystalline single-phase nature and have a tetragonal rutile structure. As Sb concentration increases, the unit cell shrinks continuously, suggesting proper substitution of Sn4+ by Sb5+. This substitution causes a continuous increase in the concentration of charge carriers and a reduction in electron mobility. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations revealed the presence of asymmetric Sn 3d core-level peaks distinguished by peak splitting, which increases with increasing carrier concentration. Utilizing the plasmon absorption model, an effective mass value of (0.51 ± 0.07)me for the conduction electron at the fermi level is obtained. With increasing Sb concentration, the optical energy gap increases gradually from 3.84 eV for undoped SnO2 to 4.35 eV for 5.0 at. % Sb. After considering the Urbach tailing phenomenon as well as the Moss–Burstein effect, this increase was attributed to the increase in Moss–Burstein energy due to increased charge carrier concentration. Our study revealed that the film doped with 2.0 at. % Sb has the best optoelectronic properties, with a figure of merit of 4.18 (Ω/cm2)−1.

Efficient numerical approximations for a nonconservative nonlinear Schrödinger equation appearing in wind‐forced ocean waves

AbstractWe consider a nonconservative nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NCNLS) with time‐dependent coefficients, inspired by a water waves problem. This problem does not have mass or energy conservation, but instead mass and energy change in time under explicit balance laws. In this paper, we extend to the particular NCNLS two numerical schemes which are known to conserve energy and mass in the discrete level for the cubic nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Both schemes are second‐order accurate in time, and we prove that their extensions satisfy discrete versions of the mass and energy balance laws for the NCNLS. The first scheme is a relaxation scheme that is linearly implicit. The other scheme is a modified Delfour–Fortin–Payre scheme, and it is fully implicit. Numerical results show that both schemes capture robustly the correct values of mass and energy, even in strongly nonconservative problems. We finally compare the two numerical schemes and discuss their performance.