Formation Rate Research Articles

Determining empty seed formation and germination rates induced by Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heidemann) in coniferous species in Turkish forests

Determining empty seed formation and germination rates induced by Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heidemann) in coniferous species in Turkish forests

Comparison of the Physical Trace of Global Luminosity Emission at Multiwavelength and Star Formation Rates of Luminous Infrared Galaxies Using Extragalactic Distance Scale Techniques

This paper aims to study the rate of star formation (SFR) in luminous infrared galaxies at different wavelengths using distance measurement techniques (dl, dm) and to know which methods are the most accurate to determine the rate of star formation as we present through this research the results of the statistical analysis (descriptive statistics) for a sample of luminous infrared galaxies. The data used in this research were collected from the NASA Extragalactic Database (NED) and HYPERLEDA, then used to calculate the star formation rate and indicate the accuracy of the distance methods used (dl, dm). Two methods were tested on Hα, OII, FIR, radio continuum at 1.4 GHz, FUV, NUV, and total (FUV + FIR). The results showed that the dl measurement method has the most accuracy in calculating SFR as it depends on the redshift where the relationship between them is direct. while the other distance method (dm) depends on absolute blue magnitude (MB), it was somewhat less accurate, but the two methods are helpful for this type of calculation.

Comprehensive Analysis of Pair Galaxy UGC 8335 Using Multiple Filters

The two galaxies, UGC 8335 (East) E and (West) W, were investigated through the utilization of photometric and spectroscopic approaches, employing g, r, i, and z filters to gather the maximum amount of details feasible; the observed data ware obtained using the data releases (DR7 and DR17) provided by "The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)." Subsequently, the data were fitted to ellipsoids through the utilization of "the Images Reduction & Analysis Facilities (IRAF)" through implementation of the STSDAS ELLIPS tool. Multiple characteristics of the two galaxies UGC 8335 E and W, have been scrutinized, including surface brightness, magnitudes, both vertical and horizontal changes, accumulated flux, central axis position angles, ellipticities, isophotal shape parameters (B4), and star-forming rates (SFRs), together with their astronomical characteristics. The UGC 8335 galaxy pair has been confirmed to be an interacting pair that exhibits significant indications of interaction and is undergoing a merging process. Furthermore, this combination is categorized as an intermediate galaxy pair and represents a physical set with refined star formation rates.

Does the Fundamental Metallicity Relation Evolve with Redshift? II: The Evolution in Normalisation of the Mass-Metallicity Relation

Abstract The metal content of galaxies is a direct probe of the baryon cycle. A hallmark example is the relationship between a galaxy’s stellar mass, star formation rate (SFR), and gas-phase metallicity: the Fundamental Metallicity Relation (FMR). While low-redshift (z ≲ 4) observational studies suggest that the FMR is redshift-invariant, recent high-z JWST data indicate deviations from the FMR established at low-z. In this study, we utilize the FMR to predict the evolution of the normalisation of the mass-metallicity relation (MZR) using the cosmological simulations Illustris, IllustrisTNG, EAGLE, and SIMBA. Our findings demonstrate that a z = 0 calibrated FMR struggles to predict the evolution in the MZR of each simulation. To quantify the divergence of the predictions, we introduce the concepts of a “static” FMR, where the role of the SFR in setting the normalization of the MZR does not change with redshift, and a “dynamic” FMR, where the role of SFR evolves over time. We find static FMRs in SIMBA and dynamic FMRs in Illustris, IllustrisTNG and EAGLE. We suggest that the differences between these models likely points to the subtle differences in the implementation of the baryon cycle. Moreover, we echo recent JWST results at z > 4 by finding significant offsets from the FMR in IllustrisTNG and EAGLE, suggesting that the observed FMR may have a similar dynamic trend as these simulations. Overall, our findings imply that the current FMR framework neglects important time variations of these simulations’ baryon cycles.

Effects of dietary quercetin on retrieved mouse oocytes and in vitro fertilization outcomes.

To investigate the effects of dietary quercetin on the retrieved mouse oocytes and IVF outcomes. Female mice were divided into two groups. Mice were given 0.2 mL water without (control group) or with quercetin 30 mg/kg (quercetin group) orally via gavage, once a day for 21 consecutive days. After that female mice were superovulated for in vitro fertilization. We observed the effect of dietary quercetin on the number of retrieved oocytes, oocyte degeneration rate, fertilization rate, blastocyst formation rate, and blastocyst cell numbers. There was no difference in the number of retrieved oocytes per mouse (27.3±6.7 and 27.2±5.8), oocyte fragmentation rate (28.4% and 25.0%), fertilization rate (47.4% and 50.6%) and blastocyst formation rate (34.8% and 34.7%) in the quercetin group compared to the control group. The proportion of hatching and hatched blastocyst was significantly lower in the quercetin group (17.2% and 27.8%, p=0.004) and significantly lower numbers of cells in TE (47.4±15.3 and 57.2±17.7) and total cells (66.2±18.5 and 77.5±20.7) compared to the control group (p=0.001). Dietary quercetin supplementation has a detrimental effect on mouse embryo quality. Moreover, it did not show any beneficial effect on the ovary in both quantity and quality. This finding raises awareness of the general use of dietary quercetin supplements in infertile females.

X-ray AGN in Boötes: The lack of growth of the most massive black holes since z = 4

Abstract Supermassive Black Holes (BHs) are known to efficiently grow through gas accretion, but even sustained and intense mass build-up through this mechanism struggles to explain the assembly of the most massive BHs observed in the local Universe. Using the Chandra Deep-Wide Field Survey (CDFWS) in the Boötes field, we measure BH–galaxy assembly in massive galaxies ($M_\star \gtrsim 10^{10}\rm M_\odot$) through the AGN fraction and specific Black Hole accretion rate (sBHAR) distribution as a function of redshift and stellar mass. We determine stellar masses and star formation rates for a parent sample of optically selected galaxies as well as those with X-ray detections indicating the presence of an AGN through Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) fitting. We derive a redshift-dependent mass completeness limit and extract X-ray information for every galaxy as to provide a comprehensive picture of the AGN population in massive galaxies. While X-ray AGN samples are dominated by moderately massive host galaxies of $M_{\star } \geqslant 10^{10}\rm M_{\odot }$, we do not find a strong stellar mass dependence in AGN fraction (to limits in sBHAR), indicating a bias towards massive galaxies in the observed samples. We derive BH-galaxy growth tracks over time, which reveal that while most BH mass has been accumulated since z = 4 for lower mass BHs, the assembly of the most massive BHs is more complex, with little to no relative mass gain since z = 4, implying that rapid and intense growth episodes prior to z = 4 were necessary to form these massive BHs.

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.

Early Quality Prediction of Complex Double-Walled Hollow Turbine Blades Based on Improved Whale Optimization Algorithm

Abstract The precision in forming complex double-walled hollow turbine blades significantly influences their cooling efficiency, making the selection of appropriate casting process parameters critical for achieving fine-casting blade formation. However, the high cost associated with real blade casting necessitates strategies to enhance product formation rates and mitigate cost losses stemming from the overshoot phenomenon. We propose a machine learning (ML) data-driven framework leveraging an enhanced whale optimization algorithm (WOA) to estimate product formation under diverse process conditions to address this challenge. Complex double-walled hollow turbine blades serve as a representative case within our proposed framework. We constructed a database using simulation data, employed feature engineering to identify crucial features and streamline inputs, and utilized a whale optimization algorithm-back-propagation neural network (WOA-BP) as the foundational ML model. To enhance WOA-BP’s performance, we introduce an optimization algorithm, the improved chaos whale optimization-back-propagation (ICWOA-BP), incorporating cubic chaotic mapping adaptation. Experimental evaluation of ICWOA-BP demonstrated an average mean absolute error of 0.001995 mm, reflecting a 36.21% reduction in prediction error compared to conventional models, as well as two well-known optimization algorithms (particle swarm optimization (PSO), quantum-based avian navigation optimizer algorithm (QANA)). Consequently, ICWOA-BP emerges as an effective tool for early prediction of dimensional quality in complex double-walled hollow turbine blades.

CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol over In2O3 Decorated by Metals of the Iron Triad

The growing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is a serious problem, and efforts to counter this issue are thus highly important. One of the possible approaches to solving this problem is the conversion of waste CO2 into products with added economic value. Methanol is one of these products with vast potential usage. In this study, indium oxide prepared by a simple precipitation method and modified by nanoparticles of metals from the iron triad were tested as possible catalysts to produce methanol by the method of CO2 hydrogenation. The prepared catalysts demonstrated a strong dependence of their catalytic activity on used metal. The best selectivity for the production of CH3OH was observed for the Fe/In2O3 catalyst at the value of 54.7% at 300 °C. However, due to the higher value of CO2 conversion, the highest CH3OH formation rate was observed at a value of 11.3 mmol/(h*g) at 300 °C for a composite of Ni/In2O3.

Immobilization of arsenic wastes and retardation effect on cement hydration: Experimental and molecular dynamic analysis

AbstractThis work was designed to investigate the influence of arsenic dosage, variety on the mechanical properties, hydration, and solidification from the perspective of Portland cement (PC) performance evolution. The results demonstrate that using PC could solidify the arsenic wastes effectively, with arsenic leaching concentrations consistently below 5 mg/L. Arsenic wastes retard cement hydration, leading to a slower rate of hydrates formation, disrupting the calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) stacking structure, and thus detrimental to strength development especially at early age. The adverse effect is highly dependent on the arsenic variety. The insoluble calcium arsenate exhibits the least impact, while the arsenates show the largest challenging to immobilization due to the instability of hydrates. Molecular dynamic simulation indicates that arsenic can be chemically immobilized with Ca2+, and be physically adsorbed onto the positively charged C–S–H by forming As‐O···Ca···Si‐O units, accompanied by a significant reduction in adsorption energy by 46.5%. The arsenic solidification behavior provides a basis for the resource utilization of arsenic wastes in cementitious materials.

EXTH-10. TARGETING EPHA3 AND EPHRIN A5: ADVANCED PRECISION THERAPY FOR GBM

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain cancer and is associated with very poor prognosis. Standard treatment involves surgical resection, post-operative radiation and TMZ chemotherapy. Further research into new therapeutic approaches which target chemo-resistant tumor propagating cells, are urgently required. The EphA3 receptor is frequently elevated in GBM, particularly in the mesenchymal subtype and expressed on tumor-initiating cells (Day et al. Cancer Cell 2013). Our data in GBM tissue shows that tumor cells expressing the high-affinity EphA3 ligand, ephrin A5; are distinct from EphA3 expressing cells. The ephrin A5-positive cells express the glial differentiation marker GFAP, are less proliferative and less stem cell-like. EphA3 is expressed on the vimentin-positive, highly proliferative cell population. Single cell RNA-sequencing revealed that EphA3 and ephrin A5 are highly expressed in recurrent GBM, and are markers of MES-like and AC-like cell states respectively. Ephrin A5 over-expression in-vivo led to extension of survival in orthotopic xenograft animal models. GBM aggressiveness and downregulation of stem cell markers. Spatial transcriptomics of xenograft tumors revealed a reduction in proliferation markers including Ki67, MCM7 and PCNA. We detected an increase in expression of AC-like cell-state with a concomitant reduction of the MES-like and NPC-like cell-states. Consistently, over-expression of ephrin-A5 in primary GBM lines led to a reduction in neurosphere formation, Ki67 staining and growth rates. Thus we propose that dual targeting of EphA3 and ephrin-A5 might better capture GBM tumour heterogeneity and lead to an extension GBM patient survival. Whilst better understanding the biology of ephrinA5 expression, we also aim to validate antibody-based approaches to perform dual targeting of EphA3 and ephrin A5, leading to an extension GBM patient survival.

RATIONALE FOR THE USE OF A HYDRATE FORMATION INHIBITOR IN PRODUCTION WELLS IN WESTERN SIBERIA

Operation of the gas transmission system under hydrate conditions leads to the risk of deposits, changes in operating modes and plugging of pipelines and gas transmission equipment. Inhibitors such as methanol and glycols are mainly used to prevent hydrate formation. Less commonly, small amounts of polymer compounds (kinetic inhibitors) are used, which instead of inhibiting formation work thermodynamically, slowing the rate of formation of gas hydrates. However, the problems associated with excessive methanol consumption and the production of products that do not meet the standards for the content of dissolved methanol remain unresolved. These problems can be solved by improving the technological scheme of gas collection and treatment. The article focuses on the use of methanol as a hydrate inhibitor, which effectively prevents this process. It has been shown that in order to optimize the flow rate of methanol, it is necessary to take into account the salinity of formation water. The urgency of the problem is due to the high risks for the normal operation of wells, since gas hydrates can lead to clogging of equipment and pipelines, which in turn can cause emergencies and shutdown of the entire production. The article describes the current status of field development in Western Siberia, including an analysis of reserves and an assessment of production potential. Seven pay zones have been identified in the field, two of which are associated with the Upper Cretaceous deposits, four with the Upper Jurassic and one with the Middle Jurassic. The authors proposed a method for calculating the optimal amount of methanol required to prevent the formation of gas hydrates. The calculations are based on data on the composition of Cenomanian gas, temperature and other conditions in the field under consideration. The study identified critical points where gas hydrates are most likely to form. This made it possible to accurately calculate the required amount of methanol to maintain the hydrate-free state of the wells. The results of testing in the field of Western Siberia showed that the dosing of methanol is an effective means to prevent hydrate formation.

TMOD-08. DETAILED GENERATION OF AN ORTHOTOPIC INTRACRANIAL GLIOBLASTOMA (GBM) PATIENT-DERIVED XENOGRAFT (PDX) MODEL FOR PRECLINICAL IMMUNOTHERAPEUTIC STUDIES

Abstract PURPOSE This study aimed to establish an orthotopic intracranial PDX mouse model using cryopreserved GBM tissues expanded in a heterotopic subcutaneous PDX model for immunotherapeutic studies. The model is designed to closely replicate human GBM, enabling the exploration of its pathophysiology and the development of effective immunotherapies for this type of cancer. METHODS Glioblastoma tissues from 16 fresh and cryopreserved samples were used to establish a heterotopic subcutaneous PDX mouse model for tumor expansion. Successful engraftments were then used to create an orthotopic intracranial PDX mouse model. The tumor formation rates and durations were estimated in both models. Tumor fidelity to the original GBM tumors was confirmed through immunohistology (GFAP, P53, and Ki67) and genetic analysis (whole exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and methylome analysis). The therapeutic effects of immunotherapy (allogenic NK cells) in combination with Avastin and Irinotecan were tested in the orthotopic intracranial PDX model. RESULTS The orthotopic intracranial GBM mouse model achieved 100% engraftment from successful tumor growth in the subcutaneous PDX model. The overall success rate was 81.25% (85.71% for cryopreserved tissues), with a median process duration of 26.5 weeks (19 weeks for the subcutaneous and 7.5 weeks for intracranial establishment). No significant differences in tumor formation were observed within one year for cryopreserved tissue in the subcutaneous model. Molecular and genetic analysis confirmed similar tumor characteristics between the intracranial PDX tumors and the original patient tumors. Additionally, NK cells combined with Avastin and Irinotecan demonstrated efficacy in this model. CONCLUSIONS We successfully established an orthotopic intracranial PDX mouse model using cryopreserved GBM tissues, with no observed differences within one year. These models accurately mirror patients’ tumor characteristics, promising advancements in glioblastoma research and treatment, particularly for immunotherapy studies. Keywords: Glioblastoma (GBM), cryopreserved GBM tissues, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model, NOD/SCID IL-12Rγnull (NSG) mice

Bipolar Membranes With Controlled, Microscale 3D Junctions Enhance the Rates of Water Dissociation and Formation

AbstractA soft lithographic method is developed for making bipolar membranes (BPMs) with catalytic junctions formed from arrays of vertically oriented microscale cylinders. The membranes are cast from reusable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molds made from silicon masters, which are fabricated on 2″ to 4″ wafer scales by nanosphere lithography. High‐aspect‐ratio junctions are made on a length scale similar to the thickness of optimized catalyst layers for water dissociation, creating a platform for probing the dual effects of catalysis and local electric field at the microscale BPM junction. Optimized polymer materials and nanoscale metal oxide catalysts are used in this study. 3D BPMs are tested under reverse and forward bias conditions, exhibiting superior performance relative to their 2D counterparts. Under forward bias in H2‐O2 fuel cells, 3D BPMs achieve a current density of 1500 mA cm−2, ≈7 times higher than 2D membranes made from the same materials.

Human oocyte zona pellucida abnormalities: evaluation of clinical impact for different zona pellucida abnormalities and role of using assisted hatching.

Zona pellucida (ZP) plays an important role in oocyte development and fertilisation, as well as in early embryo development. However, there is currently no exploration of systematic categorising and clinical treatment measures for patients with abnormal ZP, especially the fast and easy method that can be used clinically. In this study, 185 patients with abnormal ZP (ZPA) and 222 patients with normal ZP (ZPN) were enrolled and analysed. Patients with ZPA exhibited altered hormone levels and lower laboratory outcomes in in vitro fertilisation (IVF), such as reduced MII rate, cleavage rate, high-quality embryo rate, and blastocyst formation rate compared to ZPN group. ZPA patients were sub-categorised into ZPA-A/B/C/D group according to the status of oocyte polar body and the width of perivitelline space (PVS). There are also differences in the degree of sperm binding to ZP derived from different ZPA patients and the elasticity of the oocyte membrane. ZPA subgroup analysis revealed further disparities in various IVF parameters and pregnancy outcomes. In addition, by performing different treatments on oocytes derived from ZPA patients, we found that ZP assisted hatching before the first oocyte cleavage on D1 of embryonic development in the ZPA-A/B groups and before blastocyst expansion on D4 of embryonic development in the ZPA-C/D groups were beneficial to improve embryonic development. The degree of the impact on clinical outcomes is correlated with the types of ZPA, and laser-assisted hatching of the ZP helps to improve embryonic development in patients with ZPA.

Novel application of metabolic imaging of early embryos using a light-sheet on-a-chip device: a proof-of-concept study.

Is it feasible to safely determine metabolic imaging signatures of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide [NAD(P)H] associated auto-fluorescence in early embryos using a light-sheet on-a-chip approach? We developed an optofluidic device capable of obtaining high-resolution 3D images of the NAD(P)H autofluorescence of live mouse embryos using a light-sheet on-a-chip device as a proof-of-concept. Selecting the most suitable embryos for implantation and subsequent healthy live birth is crucial to the success rate of assisted reproduction and offspring health. Besides morphological evaluation using optical microscopy, a promising alternative is the non-invasive imaging of live embryos to establish metabolic activity performance. Indeed, in recent years, metabolic imaging has been investigated using highly advanced microscopy technologies such as fluorescence-lifetime imaging and hyperspectral microscopy. The potential safety of the system was investigated by assessing the development and viability of live embryos after embryo culture for 67 h post metabolic imaging at the two-cell embryo stage (n = 115), including a control for culture conditions and sham controls (system non-illuminated). Embryo quality of developed blastocysts was assessed by immunocytochemistry to quantify trophectoderm and inner mass cells (n = 75). Furthermore, inhibition of metabolic activity (FK866 inhibitor) during embryo culture was also assessed (n = 18). The microstructures were fabricated following a standard UV-photolithography process integrating light-sheet fluorescence microscopy into a microfluidic system, including on-chip micro-lenses to generate a light-sheet at the centre of a microchannel. Super-ovulated F1 (CBA/C57Bl6) mice were used to produce two-cell embryos and embryo culture experiments. Blastocyst formation rates and embryo quality (immunocytochemistry) were compared between the study groups. A convolutional neural network (ResNet 34) model using metabolic images was also trained. The optofluidic device was capable of obtaining high-resolution 3D images of live mouse embryos that can be linked to their metabolic activity. The system's design allowed continuous tracking of the embryo location, including high control displacement through the light-sheet and fast imaging of the embryos (<2 s), while keeping a low dose of light exposure (16 J · cm-2 and 8 J · cm-2). Optimum settings for keeping sample viability showed that a modest light dosage was capable of obtaining 30 times higher signal-noise-ratio images than images obtained with a confocal system (P < 0.00001; t-test). The results showed no significant differences between the control, illuminated and non-illuminated embryos (sham control) for embryo development as well as embryo quality at the blastocyst stage (P > 0.05; Yate's chi-squared test). Additionally, embryos with inhibited metabolic activity showed a decreased blastocyst formation rate of 22.2% compared to controls, as well as a 47% reduction in metabolic activity measured by metabolic imaging (P < 0.0001; t-test). This indicates that the optofluidic device was capable of producing metabolic images of live embryos by measuring NAD(P)H autofluorescence, allowing a novel and affordable approach. The obtained metabolic images of two-cell embryos predicted blastocyst formation with an AUC of 0.974. N/A. The study was conducted using a mouse model focused on early embryo development assessing illumination at the two-cell stage. Further safety studies are required to assess the safety and use of 405 nm light at the blastocyst stage by investigating any potential negative impact on live birth rates, offspring health, aneuploidy rates, mutational load, changes in gene expression, and/or effects on epigenome stability in newborns. This light-sheet on-a-chip approach is novel and after rigorous safety studies and a roadmap for technology development, potential future applications could be developed for ART. The overall cost-efficient fabrication of the device will facilitate scalability and integration into future devices if full-safety application is demonstrated. This work was partially supported by an Ideas Grant (no 2004126) from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), by the Education Program in Reproduction and Development (EPRD), Department Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, and by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University. The authors E.V-O, R.N., V.J.C., A.N., and F.H. have applied for a patent on the topic of this technology (PCT/AU2023/051132). The remaining authors have nothing to disclose.

INTEGRAL search for magnetar giant flares from the Virgo Cluster and in nearby galaxies with high star formation rate

Abstract Giant flares from magnetars can reach, for a fraction of a second, luminosities greater than 1047 erg s−1 in the hard X-ray/soft γ-ray range. This makes them visible at distances of several megaparsecs. However, at extragalactic distances (farther than the Magellanic Clouds) they are difficult to distinguish from the short γ-ray bursts, which occur much more frequently. Since magnetars are young neutron stars, nearby galaxies with a high rate of star formation are optimal targets to search for magnetar giant flares (MGFs). Here we report the results of a search for MGFs in observations of the Virgo cluster and in a small sample of nearby galaxies obtained with the IBIS instrument on the INTEGRAL satellite. From the currently known MGF sample we find that their energy distribution is well described by a power law with slope γ=2 (with 90 per cent c.l. interval [1.7-2.2]). From the lack of detections in this extensive data set (besides 231115A in M82) we derive a 90 per cent c.l. upper limit on the rate of MGF with E &amp;gt; 3 × 1045 erg of ∼2 × 10−3 yr−1 per magnetar and a lower limit of R(E) &amp;gt; ∼4 × 10−4 yr−1 magnetar−1 for E &amp;lt; 1045 erg.

Comparison of choroidal detachment with and without hypotony after Ahmed valve implantation.

To compare the clinical manifestations of and risk factors for choroidal detachment (CD) with or without hypotony after Ahmed valve implantation (AVI). Retrospective, consecutive case series. We enrolled patients with glaucoma who underwent AVI, and divided them into CD and non-CD groups. The patients with CD were divided into those with and without hypotony. Data collected from the chart review before and after AVI included patient demographics and ocular characteristics. We analyzed the risk factors for CD development. The relationship between hypotony and CD development was also analyzed. Among the 387 eyes, 63 developed CD. Among these 63 eyes, 42 had CD with hypotony and 21 had CD without hypotony. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that age (P < 0.001), lens status (P < 0.001), history of diabetes mellitus (DM) (P = 0.011), and history of hypertension (HTN) (P = 0.002) were significant predictors of CD development. Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) showed 42.9% of CD cases without hypotony. This rate was higher than primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and exfoliative glaucoma (XFG). The rate of anterior chamber formation as treatment of CD was significantly higher in CD with hypotony than in CD without hypotony. Older age, pseudophakic eyes, DM, and HTN are significantly associated with CD development after AVI. NVG has higher incidence rates of CD without hypotony compared with POAG and XFG. Therefore, clinicians should pay attention to CD development after AVI especially in NVG, even if a patient is not in a hypotonic state.

A hidden Active Galactic Nuclei population: the first radio luminosity functions constructed by physical process

Abstract Both star formation (SF) and Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) play an important role in galaxy evolution. Statistically quantifying their relative importance can be done using radio luminosity functions. Until now these relied on galaxy classifications, where sources with a mixture of radio emission from SF and AGN are labelled as either a star-forming galaxy or an AGN. This can cause the misestimation of the relevance of AGN. Brightness temperature measurements at 144 MHz with the International LOFAR telescope can separate radio emission from AGN and SF. We use the combination of sub-arcsec and arcsec resolution imaging of 7,497 sources in the Lockman Hole and ELAIS-N1 fields to identify AGN components in the sub-arcsec resolution images and subtract them from the total flux density, leaving flux density from SF only. We construct, for the first time, radio luminosity functions by physical process, either SF or AGN activity, revealing a hidden AGN population at L144MHz&amp;lt;1024 W Hz−1. This population is 1.56±0.06 more than expected for 0.5 &amp;lt; z &amp;lt; 2.0 when comparing to RLFs by galaxy classification. The star forming population has only 0.90±0.02 of the expected SF. These “hidden” AGN can have significant implications for the cosmic star formation rate and kinetic luminosity densities.

A 4D time-lapse morphometry method to quantify bone formation and resorption during distraction osteogenesis.

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is widely utilized for treating limb length discrepancy, nonunion, bone deformities and defects. This study sought to develop a 4D time-lapse morphometry method to quantify bone formation and resorption in mouse femur during DO based on image registration of longitudinal in vivo micro-CT scans. Female C57BL/6 mice (n = 7) underwent osteotomy, followed by 5 days of latency, 10 days of distraction and 35 days of consolidation. The mice were scanned with micro-CT at Days 5, 15, 25, 35, 45, and 50. Histological sectioning and Movat Pentachrome straining were performed at Day 50. After registration of two consecutive micro-CT images of the same bone (day x and day y), the spatially- and temporally-linked sequences of formation, resorption and quiescent bones at the distraction gap were identified and bone formation and resorption rates (BFRdayx-y and BRRdayx-y) were calculated. The overall percentage error of the registration method was 2.98% ± 0.89% and there was a strong correlation between histologically-measured bone area fraction and micro-CT-determined bone volume fraction at Day 50 (r = 0.89, p < 0.05). The 4D time-lapse morphometry indicated a rapid bone formation during the first 10 days of the consolidation phase (BFRday15-25 = 0.14 ± 0.05 mm3/day), followed by callus reshaping via equivalent bone formation and resorption rates. The 4D time-lapse morphometry method developed in this study allows for a continuous quantitative monitoring of the dynamic process of bone formation and resorption following distraction, which may offer a better understanding of the mechanism for mechano-regulated bone regeneration and aid for development of new treatment strategies of DO.