Specific Class Research Articles

Quantum state engineering by steering in the presence of errors

Quantum state engineering plays a vital role in various applications in the field of quantum information. Different strategies, including drive-and-dissipation, adiabatic cooling, and measurement-based steering, have been proposed for state generation and manipulation, each with its upsides and downsides. Here, we address a class of measurement-based state engineering protocols where a sequence of generalized measurements is employed to steer a quantum system toward a desired (pure or mixed) target state. Previously studied measurement-based protocols relied on idealized procedures and avoided exploration of the effects of various errors stemming from imperfections of experimental realizations and external noise. We employ the quantum trajectory formalism to provide a detailed analysis of the robustness of these steering protocols against multiple classes of errors. We study a set of realistic errors that can be classified as dynamic or static, depending on whether they remain unchanged while running the protocol. More specifically, we investigate the impact of the erroneous choice of detector-system coupling, erroneous re-initialization of the detector state following a measurement step, fluctuating steering directions, and environmentally induced errors in the detector-system interaction. We show that the protocol remains fully robust against the erroneous choice of detector-system coupling parameters and presents reasonable robustness against other types of errors. Our analysis employs various quantifiers such as fidelity, trace distance, and linear entropy to characterize the protocol's robustness and provide analytical results for these quantifiers against various errors. We introduce averaging hierarchies of stochastic equations describing individual quantum trajectories associated with detector readouts. Subsequently, we demonstrate the commutation between the classical expectation value and the time-ordering operator of the exponential of a Hamiltonian with multiplicative white noise, as well as the commutation of the expectation value and the partial trace with respect to detector outcomes. Our ideas are implemented and demonstrated for a specific class of steering platforms, addressing a single qubit. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Safety and Efficacy of Anti-Hypertensive Medications in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Hypertension (HTN) is a co-morbidity that is commonly associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, it remains unclear whether treatment of hypertension in HFpEF patients is associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the association of anti-hypertensive medical therapy with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with HFpEF. We performed a database search for studies reporting on the association of anti-hypertensive medications with cardiovascular outcomes and safety endpoints in patients with HFpEF. The databases searched include OVID Medline, Web of Science, and Embase. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints include cardiovascular (CV) mortality, worsening heart failure (HF), CV hospitalization, composite major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), hyperkalemia, worsening renal function, and hypotension. A total of 12 studies with 14062 HFpEF participants (7010 treated with medical therapy versus 7052 treated with placebo) met inclusion criteria. Use of anti-hypertensive medications was not associated with lower all-cause mortality, CV mortality or CV hospitalization compared to treatment with placebo (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.77-1.35; p=0.9, OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.73-1.06; p=0.19, OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.87-1.12; p=0.83, OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.79-1.03; p=0.11). Anti-hypertensive medications were not associated with lower risk of subsequent acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.07-3.73; p=0.5). Use of anti-hypertensive medications was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of MACE (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83-0.98; p=0.02). While treatment with anti-hypertensive medications was not associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality, their use may be associated with reduce risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with HFpEF regardless of whether they have HTN. Additional high quality studies are required to clarify this association and determine the effect based on specific classes of medications.

Retrospective evaluation of the causes and distribution of lameness in beef and dairy cattle evaluated by ambulatory and in-house clinical services at a North American veterinary teaching hospital

Since lameness occurs so commonly and has such significant effects on cattle productivity and farm profitability, manage­ment and prevention of lameness is essential to the design of effective health and husbandry programs. Unfortunately, the causes and distribution of lameness lesions between beef and dairy cattle, as well as the different management groups within a specific production class, can differ dramatically. A recent report analyzing data from 17 dairies found infectious condi­tions, specifically digital dermatitis and foot rot, were the most common cause of lameness in first-lactation cattle. In contrast, non-infectious lesions, namely white line disease and sole and toe ulcers, were the most common cause of lameness in cows in their second or greater lactation. A report evaluating the inci­dence of specific causes of lameness in cattle on 6 commercial beef feedlots found that the most frequently identified causes of lameness were upper limb issues and deep digital sepsis. How­ever, when characterizing different causes of lameness in beef cattle outside of feedlots, there exists a dearth of published data. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the different causes and distribution of lameness in beef and dairy cattle presenting to either a primary care ambulatory service or in house referral services at a veterinary teaching hospital in the southeastern United States.

Optical fractional solitonic structures to decoupled nonlinear Schrödinger equation arising in dual-core optical fibers

This paper explores a specific class of equations that model the propagation of optical pulses in dual-core optical fibers. The decoupled nonlinear Schrödinger equation with properties of M fractional derivatives is considered as the governing equation. The proposed model consists of group-velocity mismatch and dispersion, nonlinear refractive index and linear coupling coefficient. Different types of solutions, including mixed, dark, singular, bright-dark, bright, complex and combined solitons are extracted by using the integration methods known as fractional modified Sardar subequation method and modified F-expansion method. Optical soliton propagation in optical fibers is currently a subject of great interest due to the multiple prospects for ultrafast signal routing systems and short light pulses in communications. In nonlinear dispersive media, optical solitons are stretched electromagnetic waves that maintain their intensity due to a balance between the effects of dispersion and nonlinearity. Furthermore, hyperbolic, periodic and exponential solutions are generated. A fractional complex transformation is applied to reduce the governing model into the ordinary differential equation and then by the assistance of balance principle the methods are used, depending upon the balance number. Also, we plot the different graphs with the associated parameter values to visualize the solutions behaviours with different parameter values. The findings of this work will help to identify and clarify some novel soliton solutions and it is expected that the solutions obtained will play a vital role in the fields of physics and engineering.

Exploring the diversity and evolutionary strategies of prophages in Hyphomicrobiales, comparing animal-associated with non-animal-associated bacteria

The Hyphomicrobiales bacterial order (previously Rhizobiales) exhibits a wide range of lifestyle characteristics, including free-living, plant-association, nitrogen-fixing, and association with animals (Bartonella and Brucella). This study explores the diversity and evolutionary strategies of bacteriophages within the Hyphomicrobiales order, comparing animal-associated (AAB) with non-animal-associated bacteria (NAAB). We curated 560 high-quality complete genomes of 58 genera from this order and used the PHASTER server for prophage annotation and classification. For 19 genera with representative genomes, we curated 96 genomes and used the Defense-Finder server to summarize the type of anti-phage systems (APS) found in this order. We analyzed the genetic repertoire and length distributions of prophages, estimating evolutionary rates and comparing intact, questionable, and incomplete prophages in both groups. Analyses of best-fit parameters and bootstrap sensitivity were used to understand the evolutionary processes driving prophage gene content. A total of 1860 prophages distributed in Hyphomicrobiales were found, 695 in AAB and 1165 in the NAAB genera. The results revealed a similar number of prophages per genome in AAB and NAAB and a similar length distribution, suggesting shared mechanisms of genetic acquisition of prophage genes. Changes in the frequency of specific gene classes were observed between incomplete and intact prophages, indicating preferential loss or enrichment in both groups. The analysis of best-fit parameters and bootstrap sensitivity tests indicated a higher selection coefficient, induction rate, and turnover in NAAB genomes. We found 68 types of APS in Hyphomicrobiales; restriction modification (RM) and abortive infection (Abi) were the most frequent APS found for all Hyphomicrobiales, and within the AAB group. This classification of APS showed that NAAB genomes have a greater diversity of defense systems compared to AAB, which could be related to the higher rates of prophage induction and turnover in the latter group. Our study provides insights into the distributions of both prophages and APS in Hyphomicrobiales genomes, demonstrating that NAAB carry more defense systems against phages, while AAB show increased prophage stability and an increased number of incomplete prophages. These results suggest a greater role for domesticated prophages within animal-associated bacteria in Hyphomicrobiales.

Antidepressant exposure and long-term dementia risk in a nationwide retrospective study on US veterans with midlife major depressive disorder.

The use of antidepressants in major depressive disorder (MDD) has been reported to influence long-term risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (AD/ADRD), but studies are conflicting. We used inverse probability weighted (IPW) Cox models with time-varying covariates in a retrospective cohort study among midlife veterans with MDD within the US Veterans Affairs healthcare system from January 1, 2000 to June 1, 2022. A total of 35,200 patients with MDD were identified. No associations were seen regarding the effect of being exposed to any antidepressant versus no exposure on AD/ADRD risk (events=1,056, hazard ratio=0.94, 95% confidence interval: 0.81 to 1.09) or the exposure to specific antidepressant classes versus no exposure. A risk reduction was observed for female patients in a stratified analysis; however, the number of cases was small. Our study suggests that antidepressant exposure has no effect on AD/ADRD risk. The association in female patients should be interpreted with caution and requires further attention. We studied whether antidepressant use was associated with future dementia risk. We specifically focused on patients after their first-ever diagnosis of depression. We used IPW Cox models with time-varying covariates and a large observation window. Our study did not identify an effect of antidepressant use on dementia risk. A risk reduction was observed in female patients, but the number of cases was small.

C-reactive protein concentrations diverge as a function of substance use disorder: A pre-registered replication in a clinical sample

BackgroundInflammatory biomarkers may differentiate clinical disorders, which could lead to more targeted interventions. Analyses within a clinical sample (May et al., 2021) revealed that females with substance use disorders (SUD) exhibited lower C-reactive protein (CRP) and higher interleukin (IL)-8 and −10 concentrations than females without SUD who met criteria for mood/anxiety disorders. We aimed to replicate these findings in a new sample. MethodsHypotheses and analyses were preregistered. Treatment-seeking individuals with mood/anxiety disorders and/or SUD (N = 184) completed a blood draw, clinical interview, and questionnaires. Participants were categorized as SUD+ (45F, 43M) and SUD- (78F, 18M). Principal component analysis (PCA) of questionnaire data resulted in two factors reflecting appetitive and aversive emotional states. SUD group and nuisance covariates (PCA factors, age, body mass index [BMI], medication, nicotine [and hormones in females]) predicted biomarker concentrations (CRP, IL-8, and IL-10) in regressions. ResultsIn females, the omnibus CRP model [F(8, 114) = 8.02, p <.001, R²-adjusted =.32] indicated that SUD+ exhibited lower CRP concentrations than SUD- (β = −.33, t = −3.09, p =.002, 95% CI [-.54, −.12]) and greater BMI was associated with higher CRP levels (β =.58, t = 7.17, p <.001, 95% CI [.42,.74]). SUD+ exhibited higher IL-8 levels than SUD- in simple but not omnibus regression models. ConclusionFindings across two samples bolster confidence that females with SUD show attenuated CRP-indexed inflammation. As SUD+ comorbidity was high, replication is warranted with respect to specific SUD classes (i.e., stimulants versus cannabis).

Naphthoquinones and anthraquinones: Exploring their impact on acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity.

The identification of novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitors holds significant relevance in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the prevailing form of dementia. The exploration of alternative inhibitors to the conventional acetylcholinesterase inhibitors is steadily gaining prominence. Quinones, categorized as plant metabolites, represent a specific class of compounds. In this study, the inhibitory effects of various naphthoquinone derivatives, along with anthraquinone and its derivatives, on the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme were investigated for this purpose. An in vitro investigation was conducted to examine the effects of these compounds in order to clarify the possible mechanism of inhibition in the interaction between the enzyme and chemicals. In addition, an in silico investigation was carried out to understand the conceivable inhibitor binding process to the enzyme's active site. The acquired outcomes corroborated the in vitro results. The AChE enzyme was found to be effectively inhibited by both naphthoquinones and anthraquinones, with inhibition constant (KI) values ranging from 0.014 to 0.123μM (micormolar). The AChE enzyme was inhibited differently by this quinone and its derivatives. Although derivatives of naphthoquinone and anthraquinone exhibited a competitive inhibitory effect, derivatives of anthraquinone exhibited a noncompetitive inhibition effect. Furthermore, because it had the lowest KI value of any of these substances, 1,5-dihydroxyanthraquinone (1c) was shown to be the most potent inhibitor. The findings will add to the body of knowledge on the creation of fresh, potent, and successful treatment approaches.

Performance of Rotation‐Symmetric Bosonic Codes in a Quantum Repeater Network

Performance of Rotation‐Symmetric Bosonic Codes in a Quantum Repeater Network

Effect of Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 Virus on Blood Cellular Composition

Relevance. The new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is still a public health problem and a threat to socio-economic well-being. Most studies have focused predominantly on humoral immunity, and there are no data on the cellular composition of blood in dynamics. Aim. To study the dynamics of changes in blood cellular composition depending on the type of immunity formed (natural, hybrid, breakthrough, postvaccinal) to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Materials and Methods. A total of 130 volunteers participated in the study. Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood leukocytes using flow cytometry was performed. The presence of specific IgG antibodies to N-protein SARS-CoV-2, total IgA and cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α) was assessed in serum by ELISA. Results and Discussion. A statistically significant increase in BL was recorded in volunteers with hybrid immunity 1 month (14,0% (12,3–16,4%)) after vaccination compared to healthy volunteers (9,1% (6,4–10,2%), p = 0,0007) and people with primary COVID-19 infection (10,2% (8,3–12,1%), p = 0,0134). In volunteers with natural and hybrid immunity, as well as in revaccinated people, an increase in B1-cells (CD3-CD19+CD5+CD27-) was observed during 3–9 months of observation. It is shown that the increase of B-lymphocytes with «switched» class of synthesized antibodies was detected in people with breakthrough immunity. Increased levels of T-lymphocytes expressing HLA-DR were recorded in all individuals during 6–9 months of follow-up. Volunteers with breakthrough immunity showed a significant increase in the positivity index when assessing the presence of specific IgG class antibodies to the coronavirus N-protein compared with volunteers with natural and hybrid immunity. Conclusions. Vaccination promotes protective immunity sufficient for timely activation of memory T- and B-cells in breakthrough immunity and maintenance of immunologic efficacy in hybrid immunity against COVID-19. The results help to assess the strain of innate and adaptive immunity in novel coronavirus infection and to fill gaps in the understanding of immunopathogenesis in COVID-19.

Abstract PO4-05-01: Clinical outcomes of breast cancer and its relationship with access to health care in Brazil: prospective study in HER2 negative/hormone receptor positive metastatic disease - BREAST (BRazilian outcomE for metAStatic breasT cancer)

Abstract Background: Cancer survival is one of the key measures of the effectiveness of cancer services and captures whether people have access to effective treatment. The survival rate of breast cancer in low and middle-income countries is notably different from high-income countries; this disparity in survival reflects limited access to first-line systemic therapy for advanced and metastatic tumors. Recent studies have shown benefit of combining cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK 4/6) with endocrine therapies in hormone receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer. However, in Brazil, the population has limited access to these drugs, mainly in the public health service. The commercialization of CDK 4/6 inhibitors was only released in the national territory in 2018, but until nowadays it is not accessible for most patients. Objective: The aim of this project is to assess whether patients without private health insurance may experience worse outcomes compared to women with private insurance, primarily due to limited access to a specific class of medication during their treatments. The study seeks to gain insights into the clinical outcomes of patients with HR+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer based on their access to health insurance coverage within a real-world setting. Methods: Multicenter, prospective observational study, with patients divided into two groups: one with patients from the public health system and the second with patients treated at the private service. Whereas that the hazard ratio for the primary outcome in the private system compared to the public health system is like that observed in the PALOMA study (0.58), and that event rates after 18 months of follow-up are also similar (approximately 45% and 35%), then a total of 298 patients will provide the study power of 80%, significance level of 5%. This calculation considers a sample size ratio of 1 patient in the private health system for every 2 patients in the public health system. The inclusion criteria specify women with HR+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer who initiated first-line treatment from 2019. Patients will be followed for 24 months and stratified based on the use or non-use of CDK 4/6 inhibitors. The study was approved by the local ethics committee and registered with Clinical Trials (NCT05559528). Results: A total of 300 patients were evaluated, with 199 (66.3%) in the public health system and 101 (33.7%) in the private service. The mean age was 58 years, and 76.2% were postmenopausal. In terms of metastasis site, 84.7% had non-visceral disease, predominantly with bone metastasis (75.7%), which is an expected characteristic of this type of tumor. The use of CDK 4/6 inhibitors at any point in the treatment of metastatic disease was 7.0% in the public health system versus 90.1% in the private service. As a preliminary outcome, with a median time since the diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer of 22.8 months, a mortality rate of 10% was identified in the public health system group compared to 5% in the private service group. Conclusions: The results of our study highlight the disparity in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer among patients in relation to access to healthcare. Patients dependent on the public health system experience higher mortality rates. These findings are crucial for supporting discussions on improving local policies regarding access to medications that have been proven to enhance the prognosis of these patients. Citation Format: Vanessa Sanvido, Lucíola Pontes, Rachel Machado, Marina Nicola, Jackeline Gomes, Letícia Barbante, Nanci Valeis, Alexandre Cavalcanti, Afonso Nazário. Clinical outcomes of breast cancer and its relationship with access to health care in Brazil: prospective study in HER2 negative/hormone receptor positive metastatic disease - BREAST (BRazilian outcomE for metAStatic breasT cancer) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-05-01.

Prescription medication use among patients with type 2 diabetes in the United States: 1999-2020.

We aimed toexamine trends in overall prescription medication use among patients with type 2 diabetes in the United States to provide insights for patient care. We used nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2020 and included adult patients with type 2 diabetes. We examined the use of prescription drugs, overall and by drug class, polypharmacy (use of ≥5 medications), and number of medications attributed to specific classes. In the period 2015-2020, the mean patient age was 59.6 (51.0-70.0) years, with 46.8% (43.6-49.9) being female and 57.8% (52.8-62.8) being non-Hispanic White. Among 9489 adults with type 2 diabetes, the prevalence of polypharmacy was high and increased from 35.1% (31.6-38.6) in 1999-2002 to 47.2% (43.7-50.7) in 2003-2006, and further to 51.1% (48.3-53.9) in 2015-2020 (p for trend <0.001). Increasing trends of polypharmacy were found across all population subgroups and across the majority of therapeutic classes. Use of non-cardiometabolic medications was common. Among them, the most common were antidepressants (19.8%), proton pump inhibitors (19.0%) and analgesics (16.2%). Among patients with polypharmacy, approximately 40% of medication use was attributed to non-cardiometabolic medications. Prescription medication burden and complexity increased substantially among patients with type 2 diabetes, with more than 50% of patients with polypharmacy. Attention should be paid to this escalating medication use and regimen complexity, which requires multidisciplinary and coordinated care.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies IFIH1 and HLA-DQB1*05:02 Loci Associated With Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis.

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a rare autoimmune neurologic disorder, the genetic etiology of which remains poorly understood. Our study aims to investigate the genetic basis of this disease in the Chinese Han population. We performed a genome-wide association study and fine-mapping study within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region of 413 Chinese patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis recruited from 6 large tertiary hospitals and 7,127 healthy controls. Our genome-wide association analysis identified a strong association at the IFIH1 locus on chromosome 2q24.2 (rs3747517, p = 1.06 × 10-8, OR = 1.55, 95% CI, 1.34-1.80), outside of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region. Furthermore, through a fine-mapping study of the MHC region, we discovered associations for 3 specific HLA class I and II alleles. Notably, HLA-DQB1*05:02 (p = 1.43 × 10-12; OR, 2.10; 95% CI 1.70-2.59) demonstrates the strongest association among classical HLA alleles, closely followed by HLA-A*11:01 (p = 4.36 × 10-7; OR, 1.52; 95% CI 1.29-1.79) and HLA-A*02:07 (p = 1.28 × 10-8; OR, 1.87; 95% CI 1.50-2.31). In addition, we uncovered 2 main HLA amino acid variation associated with anti-NMDAR encephalitis including HLA-DQβ1-126H (p = 1.43 × 10-12; OR, 2.10; 95% CI 1.70-2.59), exhibiting a predisposing effect, and HLA-B-97R (p = 3.40 × 10-8; OR, 0.63; 95% CI 0.53-0.74), conferring a protective effect. Computational docking analysis suggested a close relationship between the NR1 subunit of NMDAR and DQB1*05:02. Our findings indicate that genetic variation in IFIH1, involved in the type I interferon signaling pathway and innate immunity, along with variations in the HLA class I and class II genes, has substantial implications for the susceptibility to anti-NMDAR encephalitis in the Chinese Han population.

Integron-associated genes are reliable indicators of antibiotic resistance in wastewater despite treatment- and seasonality-driven fluctuations

The present study aims to characterize the bacterial community, resistome and integron abundance of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) over the course of 12 months and evaluate the year-long performance of integron-related genes as potential indicators of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in influents and effluents. For that, total DNA was extracted and subjected to 16S rRNA-targeted metabarcoding, high-throughput (HT) qPCR (48 targets) and standard qPCR (5 targets). Targets included integrase genes, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and putative pathogenic groups. A total of 16 physicochemical parameters determined in the wastewater samples were also considered. Results revealed that the WWTP treatment significantly impacted the bacterial community, as well as the content in ARGs and integrase genes. Indeed, there was a relative enrichment from influent to effluent of 13 pathogenic groups (e.g., Legionella and Mycobacterium) and genes conferring resistance to sulphonamides, aminoglycosides and disinfectants. Effluent samples (n=25) also presented seasonal differences, with an increase of the total ARGs’ concentration in summer, and differences between winter and summer on relative abundance of sulphonamide and disinfectant resistance mechanisms. From the eight putative integron-related genes selected, all were positively correlated with the total ARGs’ content in wastewater and the relative abundance of resistance to most of the specific antibiotic classes. The genes intI1, blaGES and qacE∆1 were the most strongly correlated with the total concentration of ARGs. Genes blaGES and blaVIM, were better correlated to resistance to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides and tetracyclines. This study supports the use of integron-related genes as powerful indicators of antibiotic resistance in wastewater, being robust despite the variability caused by wastewater treatment and seasonality.

A General Multi-objective Bayesian Optimization Framework for the Design of Hybrid Schemes towards Adaptive Complex Flow Simulations

Achieving accuracy with underresolved simulation of complex compressible flows with multiscale flow structures is a challenge. Either the numerical dissipation or the resolution and thereby the numerical cost is impractically high. Also, in the design of numerical solvers, the application of a solver for specific flow classes is balanced by robustness allowing the study of a broad range of flows. In this study, we propose a hybrid fifth-order targeted essentially non-oscillatory (TENO5)-based scheme tailored to optimally simulate compressible flows with underresolved dilatational and vortical multiscale structures. For optimal design, three data-driven objectives are defined. A novel objective that derives from the numerical dissipation rate analysis is a key element to deal with underresolved complex flows in practical applications. The optimization process employs a multi-objective Bayesian optimization framework with an expected hypervolume improvement and three flow configurations representative for a broad range of two- and three-dimensional flows with genuine and non-genuine subgrid scales. The optimized hybrid scheme is validated by comparing with shock-capturing schemes of the weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO)- and TENO- families with flows of complex shock interactions, Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, shock-vortex interactions, vortical and turbulent flows

Analytical insights into constant-roll condition: extending the paradigm to non-canonical models

In this work, we explore the prospect of generalizing the constant-roll condition in canonical inflationary model to non-canonical models. To find a natural generalization, we focus on three manifestations of this condition and construct constant-roll models corresponding to each manifestation. These models are not equivalent but reduce to the familiar constant-roll model in canonical limit. To showcase the applicability of our generalized mechanism, we examine a specific class of non-canonical models, which can be viewed as extensions of k/G inflation. In these models sound speed is constant. We conduct a comparative study, and with an analytical examination of the model, specify instances when our constant-roll conditions yield dissimilar outcomes and when they exhibit analogies. We also apply our findings to scrutinize another kinetically driven inflationary model with varying sound speed. We demonstrate that each of our constant-roll conditions leads to a unique set of solutions. Afterward, we construct a four-stage constant-roll kinetically driven inflation that complies with CMB constraints, it sustains for a sufficiently long period of time, and finally gracefully exits. In this model the spectrum of curvature perturbations is enhanced in a brief phase of non-slow-roll inflationary evolution. Employing numerical methods, we analyse this scenario to elucidate how altering the constant-roll condition impacts the power spectrum and the model's dynamics.

Pulsar timing anomalies: a window into baryon number violation

We investigate the influence of a specific class of slow Baryon Number Violation (BNV)—one that induces quasi-equilibrium evolution — on pulsar spin characteristics. This work reveals how BNV can potentially alter observable parameters, including spin-down rates, the second derivative of spin frequency, and braking indices of pulsars. Moreover, we demonstrate that BNV could lead to anomalies in pulsar timing, along with a wide array of braking indices, both positive and negative. In addition, we examine the possibility of pulsar spin-up due to BNV, which may result in a novel mechanism for the revival of “dead” pulsars. We conclude by assessing the sensitivity required for future pulsar timing efforts to detect such BNV effects, thus highlighting the potential for pulsars to serve as laboratories for testing fundamental physics.

Persistent organonickel complexes as general platforms for Csp2-Csp3 coupling reactions.

The importance of constructing Csp2-Csp3 bonds has motivated the development of electrochemical, photochemical and thermal activation methods to reductively couple abundant aryl and alkyl electrophiles. However, these methodologies are limited to couplings of very specific substrate classes and require specialized sets of catalysts and reaction set-ups. Here we show a consolidation of these myriad strategies into a single set of conditions that enable reliable alkyl-aryl couplings, including those that were previously unknown. These reactions rely on the discovery of unusually persistent organonickel complexes that serve as stoichiometric platforms for C(sp2)-C(sp3) coupling. Aryl, heteroaryl or vinyl complexes of Ni can be inexpensively prepared on a multigram scale by mild electroreduction from the corresponding C(sp2) electrophile. Organonickel complexes can be isolated and stored or telescoped directly to reliably diversify drug-like molecules. Finally, the procedure was miniaturized to micromole scales by integrating soluble battery chemistries as redox initiators, enabling a high-throughput exploration of substrate diversity.

Unstable Statives – An Observational Study: How British Popular Culture Reveals What is Happening to A Specific Verb Class, and the Possible Reasons for This Development

That a certain class of verb commonly known as ‘statives’ is undergoing change in terms of the way in which certain verbs of this type are being used in everyday speech is nothing new to the field of linguistics. Much has been written about it, and the author of this paper alone has been preoccupied with the subject for many years now. However, notwithstanding that this change has been fairly widely documented for well over half a century, the present paper has been motivated by the desire to capture the root cause of this change in writing and to establish the linguistic conditions that have enabled it to occur. This is not so much a reductionist venture, negatively conceived, as a quest to determine the primary factors involved in what can seem at times to be a most peculiar phenomenon. The method employed to delimit these causal factors proceeds by a process of elimination, while the provision of evidence adopts the traditional, tried-and-tested method of ‘observation and collection’. The stative-specific research papers that examine the current variation constituting the focus of this paper are all from the present century.

Paralympic Versus Olympic Canoe Sprint: Comprehension of the Development Trajectory of the Kayak 200 Meters.

Improvements in race times for male and female Para canoe athletes across different sports classes have led to a reduction in relative differences between classes over time. However, there is a lack of research examining the comparative developmental trajectories between high-performance Paralympic (PCS) and Olympic (OCS) canoe sprint. In this study, we compared the developmental trajectories of 200-meter kayak performances among PCS and OCS athletes. In total, we analyzed 628 race results obtained from public online databases, for nine competitions between 2015 and 2023. Race times were reduced over the years except in specific sports classes (KL3-M, K1-M, and K1-F; KL: Kayak Level, M: male, F: female), with a poor positive correlation (r = 0.17 to 0.33) between time and the years. For the remaining sports classes, these correlations ranged from poor to fair (r = -0.58 to -0.13). OCS K1 athletes outperformed their Paralympic counterparts. Among Paralympic classes, KL1 had slower times than KL2 and KL3 (p ≤ .05), with KL2 times significantly lower than KL3 in the female category. OCS athletes exhibited less variability in race times compared to PCS athletes. In the male category, there were no significant differences in the coefficients of variation (CV) and amplitude of race times between sport classes, except for KL1-M, which had a larger CV than K1 (p ≤ .05). In the female category, the CV and amplitude of race times were significantly higher in KL1-F compared to KL3-F and K1-F. OCS times remained stable from 2015, with KL3-M following a similar trend. PCS displayed greater race time variability, particularly in higher impairment classes, notably KL1. This underscores the existence of distinct developmental stages within the canoe sprint modality, particularly emphasizing the early developmental phase of KL1. It also provides valuable insights for coaches and sports selection, especially concerning athletes with more severe impairments, including those in Rehabilitation Centers and during athlete recruitment.