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The past few decades have seen the burgeoning of wide-field, high-cadence surveys, the most formidable of which will be the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) to be conducted by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. So new is the field of systematic time-domain survey astronomy; however, that major scientific insights will continue to be obtained using smaller, more flexible systems than the LSST. One such example is the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) whose primary science objective is the optical follow-up of gravitational wave events. The amount and rate of data production by GOTO and other wide-area, high-cadence surveys presents a significant challenge to data processing pipelines which need to operate in near-real time to fully exploit the time domain. In this study, we adapt the Rubin Observatory LSST Science Pipelines to process GOTO data, thereby exploring the feasibility of using this ‘off-the-shelf’ pipeline to process data from other wide-area, high-cadence surveys. In this paper, we describe how we use the LSST Science Pipelines to process raw GOTO frames to ultimately produce calibrated coadded images and photometric source catalogues. After comparing the measured astrometry and photometry to those of matched sources from PanSTARRS DR1, we find that measured source positions are typically accurate to subpixel levels, and that measured L-band photometries are accurate to $\sim50$ mmag at $m_L\sim16$ and $\sim200$ mmag at $m_L\sim18$. These values compare favourably to those obtained using GOTO’s primary, in-house pipeline, gotophoto, in spite of both pipelines having undergone further development and improvement beyond the implementations used in this study. Finally, we release a generic ‘obs package’ that others can build upon, should they wish to use the LSST Science Pipelines to process data from other facilities.
A detailed numerical investigation of thermocapillary effects during the melting of phase-change materials in microgravity is presented. The phase-change transition is analysed for the high-Prandtl-number material n-octadecane, which is enclosed in a two-dimensional rectangular container subjected to isothermal conditions along the lateral walls. The progression of the solid/liquid front during the melting leaves a free surface, where the thermocapillary effect acts driving convection in the liquid phase. The nature of the flow found during the melting depends on the container aspect ratio, $\varGamma$, and on the Marangoni number, $Ma$. For large $\varGamma$, this flow initially adopts a steady return flow structure characterised by a single large vortex, which splits into a series of smaller vortices to create a steady multicellular structure (SMC) with increasing $Ma$. At larger values of $Ma$, this SMC undergoes a transition to oscillatory flow through the appearance of a hydrothermal travelling wave (HTW), characterised by the creation of travelling vortices near the cold boundary. For small $\varGamma$, the thermocapillary flow at small to moderate $Ma$ is characterised by an SMC that develops initially within a thin layer near the free surface. At larger times, the SMC evolves into a large-scale steady vortical structure. With increasing applied $Ma$, a complex oscillatory mode is observed. This state, referred to as an oscillatory standing wave (OSW), is characterised by the pulsation of the vortical structure. Finally, for an intermediate $\varGamma$ both HTW and OSW modes can be found depending on $Ma$.
In this paper, we study a family of binomial ideals defining monomial curves in the n-dimensional affine space determined by n hypersurfaces of the form
$x_i^{c_i} - x_1^{u_{i1}} \cdots x_n^{u_{1n}}$
in
$\Bbbk [x_1, \ldots , x_n]$
with
$u_{ii} = 0, \ i\in \{ 1, \ldots , n\}$
. We prove that the monomial curves in that family are set-theoretic complete intersections. Moreover, if the monomial curve is irreducible, we compute some invariants such as genus, type and Frobenius number of the corresponding numerical semigroup. We also describe a method to produce set-theoretic complete intersection semigroup ideals of arbitrary large height.
This is the first report on the association between trauma exposure and depression from the Advancing Understanding of RecOvery afteR traumA(AURORA) multisite longitudinal study of adverse post-traumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae (APNS) among participants seeking emergency department (ED) treatment in the aftermath of a traumatic life experience.
Methods
We focus on participants presenting at EDs after a motor vehicle collision (MVC), which characterizes most AURORA participants, and examine associations of participant socio-demographics and MVC characteristics with 8-week depression as mediated through peritraumatic symptoms and 2-week depression.
Results
Eight-week depression prevalence was relatively high (27.8%) and associated with several MVC characteristics (being passenger v. driver; injuries to other people). Peritraumatic distress was associated with 2-week but not 8-week depression. Most of these associations held when controlling for peritraumatic symptoms and, to a lesser degree, depressive symptoms at 2-weeks post-trauma.
Conclusions
These observations, coupled with substantial variation in the relative strength of the mediating pathways across predictors, raises the possibility of diverse and potentially complex underlying biological and psychological processes that remain to be elucidated in more in-depth analyses of the rich and evolving AURORA database to find new targets for intervention and new tools for risk-based stratification following trauma exposure.
Liquid phase electron microscopy is a new analytical method that has opened up a rapidly emerging field of research during the past decade. This article discusses this new microscopy modality within the context of imaging eukaryotic cells, bacteria, proteins, viruses, and biomineralization processes. The obtained resolution is typically not a function of the instrument, rather it is limited by the available electron dose within the limit of radiation damage. Therefore, different types of samples are best imaged with different electron microscopy (EM) modalities. The obtained information differs from that acquired with conventional EM as well as cryo-electron microscopy. This article gives an overview of achievements thus far in this area and the unique information that has been obtained. A discussion on potential future developments in the field, and technological advancements required to reach those goals conclude the article.
This paper investigates the steady axisymmetric structure of the cold boundary-layer flow surrounding fire whirls developing over localized fuel sources lying on a horizontal surface. The inviscid swirling motion found outside the boundary layer, driven by the entrainment of the buoyant turbulent plume of hot combustion products that develops above the fire, is described by an irrotational solution, obtained by combining Taylor's self-similar solution for the motion in the axial plane with the azimuthal motion induced by a line vortex of circulation
$2 {\rm \pi}\Gamma$
. The development of the boundary layer from a prescribed radial location is determined by numerical integration for different swirl levels, measured by the value of the radial-to-azimuthal velocity ratio
$\sigma$
at the initial radial location. As in the case
$\sigma =0$
, treated in the seminal boundary-layer analysis of Burggraf et al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 14, 1971, pp. 1821–1833), the pressure gradient associated with the centripetal acceleration of the inviscid flow is seen to generate a pronounced radial inflow. Specific attention is given to the terminal shape of the boundary-layer velocity near the axis, which displays a three-layered structure that is described by matched asymptotic expansions. The resulting composite expansion, dependent on the level of ambient swirl through the parameter
$\sigma$
, is employed as boundary condition to describe the deflection of the boundary-layer flow near the axis to form a vertical swirl jet. Numerical solutions of the resulting non-slender collision region for different values of
$\sigma$
are presented both for inviscid flow and for viscous flow with moderately large values of the controlling Reynolds number
$\Gamma /\nu$
. The velocity description provided is useful in mathematical formulations of localized fire-whirl flows, providing consistent boundary conditions accounting for the ambient swirl level.
Mesoscale features within the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) are known to influence zooplankton dynamics. Here we describe the composition of the zooplankton assemblage off shelf during summer in relation to environmental conditions, with emphasis on hyperiid amphipods and salps. Zooplankton samples were collected in summer of 2015 and 2016 in the central and southern GOM and in the Yucatan Channel in 2015. Two anticyclonic gyres were present in the north and less intense coupled cyclonic-anticyclonic gyres in the south. Zooplankton abundances differed temporally and spatially. Copepods were the dominant group (>55% of total abundance), while several less abundant taxa contributed to inter-annual and spatial differences. Amphipods and salps comprised <3% and their abundances were positively correlated. Fifty-six hyperiid and 10 salp species were identified. The dominant amphipod species were: Lestrigonus bengalensis (summer 2015), Anchylomera blossevillei and Primno spp. juveniles (summer 2016). Dominant salp species were Ihlea punctata, Iasis cylindrica and Thalia spp. Lower salp and amphipod species richness and abundance were associated with anticyclonic structures. Spatial and temporal differences were partly associated with symbiotic relationships between the groups. This study supports previous evidence of high spatial and temporal variability in zooplankton abundance in off-shelf waters of the GOM.
Studies have reported an inverse association between a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and type 2 diabetes (T2D), but data on high-risk ethnic minority groups is limited. We investigated whether serum carotenoids, as biomarkers for fruit and vegetable intake, mediate ethnic differences in the prevalence of T2D.
Design:
Age-adjusted serum carotenoid concentrations were compared using ANCOVA. A cross-sectional analysis was performed using Cox regression to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95 % CI of the association between serum carotenoid concentrations and T2D. To study whether serum carotenoids potentially mediate the differences in the prevalence of T2D across ethnic groups, we compared PR of the model including known risk factors and the model additionally adjusted for serum carotenoid concentrations using the Dutch group as reference.
Setting:
A study among six ethnic groups living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Participants:
Data on 204 Dutch, 203 South Asian Surinamese, 204 African Surinamese, 203 Turkish and 200 Moroccan-origin participants from the Healthy Life in an Urban Setting (HELIUS) study were used.
Results:
Serum carotenoid concentrations differed across ethnic groups. After adjusting for confounders, the serum concentrations of total carotenoids (PR 0·67, 95 % CI 0·54, 0·84), α-carotene (PR 0·57, 95 % CI 0·42, 0·77), β-carotene (PR 0·45, 95 % CI 0·32, 0·63) and β-cryptoxanthin (PR 0·73, 95 % CI 0·58, 0·92) were inversely associated with T2D. Despite the associations, serum carotenoids did not mediate the ethnic differences in the prevalence of T2D.
Conclusions:
The limited contribution of serum carotenoids to ethnic differences in T2D suggests that a focus on increasing fruit and vegetable intake alone will not likely eliminate ethnic differences in T2D prevalence.
To evaluate the long-term tolerability and effectiveness of aripiprazole adjunctive to lithium or valproate in bipolar mania.
Methods
Completers of a 6-week double-blind comparison of adjunctive aripiprazole versus placebo in bipolar mania partially responsive to monotherapy were followed up over 46-weeks on open-label aripiprazole plus lithium (ARI+LI) or valproate (ARI+VAL).
Results
283 (ARI+LI n=108; ARI+VAL n=175) patients entered and 146 (ARI+LI n=55; ARI+VAL n=91) completed the 46-week extension. Safety results for both combinations were consistent with the known tolerability profile of aripiprazole, lithium and valproate. No clinically significant changes in lipids or glucose were observed with either ARI+LI or ARI+VAL. Mean (SE) weight change from double-blind endpoint to Week 46 (LOCF) was 2.3 (0.6) kg with ARI+LI and 2.0 (0.4) kg with ARI+VAL. Temporal analysis of the time of first onset of adverse events showed that akathisia and insomnia tended to occur early in treatment, with few new cases in patients previously treated with aripiprazole during the 6-week study.
Significant improvements from baseline in YMRS total score and MADRS total score were sustained over the 52 weeks with both ARI+LI and ARI+VAL treatment.
Mean reduction from baseline at Week 52 LOCF[95%CI], p value vs baseline
ARI+LI
ARI+VAL
YMRS total score
-16.5 [-18.1; -14.8], p<0.001
-17.6 [-18.9; -16.3] p<0.001
MADRS total score
-1.7 [-3.3; -0.1] p<0.05
-2.7 [-4.0; -1.4] p<0.001
Conclusions
Long-term aripiprazole adjunctive to lithium/valproate in bipolar mania was safe and well-tolerated. Improvements in manic and depressive symptoms observed during the first 6 weeks of treatment were maintained.
One of the most important prognostic factors in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia is the number of hospitalizations they need during their life. In this work we describe risk factors which determinate psychotic relapse.
Methods
Retrospective review of the clinical histories of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who needed hospitalization during the year 2008 using Hospital Ramon Cajal's history software. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software 15.0 version.
Results
- Socio-demographic: We collected a total of 57 patients, 60% were men and 77,2% were single who lived with their families. 52,8% only had Primary education and 14% had been to University. 38,6% were pensioner and 12,3% workers.
- Risk factors: 54,4% had abandoned their medication, 7% had had recent modifications in their medication, and 35,1% received long acting antipsychotic. 42,1% were identified as substance users.
- 40,4% had been diagnosed with schizophrenia more than three years ago; 57,9% had had less than 3 previous hospitalizations, and 54,4% need hospitalization the previous year.
Conslusions
Male under 30 years old have more risk of needing more hospitalizations. The main risk factor for suffering new psychotic episodes is the medication nonadherence, modifying medication only causes new episodes in few patients. Patients receiving long-acting antipsychotic agents suffer less psychotic relapse. Substance abuse among schizophrenia patients is a major complicating factor since almost half of the hospitalizations are related to it.
Course and outcome in schizophrenia are heterogeneous. Numerous studies have shown an association between the presence of negative symptoms and psychosocial and occupational functioning of patients.
Objectives
To analyse the prevalence of negative symptoms in the course of illness in first episode psychosis and chronic schizophrenia and to establish its relation with the functional outcome.
Methods
43 patients with a first-episode psychosis (FEP) from our area were compared with 43 chronic schizophrenic patients and 43 normal controls from a parallel area. They were matched one on one for age, gender and years of education. All subjects were compared regarding psychopathology and functional outcome terms. Patients were examined with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for clinical symptom. Longitudinal functionality was prospectively assessed with the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) rating scales.
Results
We found significant differences between FEP and chronic patients in negative symptom severity (t = -4.97, p< 0.001) and global assessment of functioning (t = 7.58, p< 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in PANSS positive and general components or Clinical Global Impression. Negative symptom severity was associated with poorer GAF ratings in first episode psychosis and chronic schizophrenia.
Conclusions
Negative symptoms appear to be persistent. In our study negative symptom severity was associated with social and functional impairment, defined as Global Assessment of Functioning Scale score of less than or equal to 60.
Natural polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) are low molecular weight highly protonated aliphatic molecules that physiologically modulate NMDA, AMPA/kainate glutamatergic receptors and limbic dopaminergic neurotransmission. Previous studies had demonstrated that polyamine metabolism might be disrupted in schizophrenia, what could potentially be linked to glutamatergic dysfunction. In particular, polyamine levels in blood and fibroblast cultures from patients with schizophrenia had previously been found to be higher than in healthy controls. Indeed, a significant positive correlation between blood polyamine levels and severity of illness may exist.
Methods
In order to test potential differences in blood polyamine levels between drug-free schizophrenia in-patients (n = 12), and healthy controls (n = 26, blood donors), spermidine (spd), spermine (spm), and spermidine/spermine index (spd/spm) were determined using HPLC after dansylation.
Results
No significant differences were found between groups (t = 0,974; df = 36; P = 0,337 for spd, t = l0, 52; df = 36; P = 0,959 for Spm, and, t = 0, 662; df = 36; P = 0,512 for spd/spm).
Conclusions
Though we couldn’t replicate previous findings suggesting disturbances in blood polyamine levels in schizophrenia, this issue may be a promising target. Future research should take into account possible factors such as sex, nutritional state, and stress.
Suicide is a major and preventable public health problem. Risk factors may vary with age, gender, or ethnic group, being substance abuse one of the most frequent.
Objectives
To investigate the relation of substance related disorder and suicide attempt.
Methods
Review of the suicidal attempts of patients with personal history of substance related disorder attended during the year 2010.
Results
We identified 85 cases.
Alcohol (64″3%) and cocaine (47″7%) were the two most identified substances. Cannabis (17″2%) and heroin (23″06%) were less consumed. Benzodiacepines abuse was very frequent among the patients attended (38″2%).
Previous attempts were found in 43″8% of the patients.
Drug overdose was the most commonly method used (98″4%), especially with benzodiacepines and antidepressants, but non psychiatric drugs were also frequent. Substance overdosage or intoxication was the second most frequent method used (23%), and poisoning the third (9%). Most of times these methods were presented with concomitant drug overdose.
Defenestration threats were very rare (2″34%), and always associated with hospitalization request by the patient.
We did find significant differences when studying triggers (family, partnership, economical or others) compared with non substance abusers suicidal attempts.
Conclusions
- Chronic substance misuse and acute substance abuse is associated with a higher risk of suicide, what may be explained by the disinhibiting effects of psychoactive substances.
- As benzodiazepine misuse is associated with suicide, special care must be taken when prescribing to at risk patients such as substance abusers
Voluntary drug overdoses are an important part of psychiatric demand in the emergency service. Nevertheless, a protocolized attention for these cases does not exist. Therefore, its management only depends on doctors’ personal criteria. Many of these cases have been previously diagnosed as Personality Disorder.
Objectives
Studying the differences in management of drug overdosing depending on previous diagnosis of personality disorder. Also, we look for associated factors that can influence the final decision.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective analysis of 112 drug overdoses attended from July to December 2009. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.
Results
34 attended patients (30,4%) have previous diagnosis of personality disorder. In these, the most frequent diagnosis was parasuicide attempt in the Emergency Service. In contrast, the rest of the patients were diagnosed as suicidal attempt.
We found statistically significant differences (p < 0,05) in the destination after Emergency evaluation (ambulatory or hospitalization) depending on a previous personality disorder diagnosis.
The media of previous overdoses in personality disorder group was significantly higher (3,29 Vs 0,64; P < 0,01).
We found that humor and anxiety disease comorbility, associated toxicomany, alcohol or cocaine use during the overdose, were more frequent in the group with personality disorder.
Conclusion
Although drug overdoses in patients with personality disorder have less letal intention, these patients were hospitalized more frequently than the others. This finding could be explained because of the presence of other associated factors that contribute to the global risk of overdosing. Previous overdoses seem to have significant influence in final decision.
We aimed to identify best predictors of cognitive and functional disability in chronic schizophrenia over time.
Method:
We examined 95 hospitalised patients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV criteria) in a long stage unit and 53 healthy controls (matched for age, gender, and years of education). Neuropsychological assessment included tests for Verbal Memory, Working Memory, Executive Functioning and Processing Speed. Functional Disability was assessed with the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS-WHO) both at baseline and 6 months after.
Results:
As expected, patients" performance was significantly lower than healthy comparison subjects on all neurocognitive variables at baseline. Most, but not all, neurocognitive measures were positively correlated with the Functional Disability domains at follow up, including Self Care Management, Vocational Outcome, Family Contact and Social Competence. Results of mediation analyses suggest that all significant relationships identified between cognitive measures and functional outcome were significantly mediated by the Index Processing Speed (PS) with various effects ((between p < 0.05 for PS (z = -2.06) and p < 0.01 for PS (z = -3.01)).
Conclusions:
Our data show that Processing Speed plays a determinant role in the relationship among neurocognitive symptoms and Self Care, Vocational Outcome and Social Competence. the model emphasizes the role of PS as the best longitudinal predictor of the level of autonomy in chronic patients with schizophrenia. PS acts as a pathway through which VM, EF and WM predict the course of patients’ functional ability over time.
The prevalence of anxiety disorders and associated DSM-III-R diagnoses were measured in a sample of 80 female adolescents aged between 15 to 20 years consulting an outpatient psychiatric service for adolescents. The suicide attempt group (SA) included 40 patients evaluated within 24 h after attempted suicide. This is compared to 40 consecutive patients consulting the same center but without any history of suicide attempt (the no attempt group, NA).
The global prevalence of anxiety disorders was similar in both groups (SA: 65% vs. NA: 60%, NS) as was the relative importance of the different disorders in each group, generalized anxiety being the most frequent specific anxiety disorder. The most striking difference between the two groups was in the prevalence of affective disorders in 90% (SA) vs. 32.5% (NA) (P < 0.001), leading to high rates of comorbidity on axis I in the SA group. Of the 24 patients with anxiety disorders who attempted suicide, 21 (95%) fulfilled criteria for associated major depression, compared to five out of 21 (24%) patients with anxiety disorders who had not attempted suicide.
Adolescents with anxiety disorders developing major depression are at a high risk for suicide. The depression may be of short duration (less than two weeks) when compared to that of the anxiety disorder (greater than six months). To improve suicide prevention, our findings if confirmed should encourage clinicians to perform a close follow-up of adolescents with anxiety disorders for an early detection of sudden depressive breakdowns.
The prevalence of cerebro-vascular disease in patients with Alzheimer disease varies widely among studies depending on being autopsy-based or clinical-pathology or neuro-image based.
AD+CVD patients may show some degree of variability on the diagnoses and therapeutic approach across different clinical specialists.
Aims:
To observe potential differences among physicians on the diagnosis and therapeutic approach of patients with AD+CVD.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional, multi-center, nation-wide study performed in Spain.
The investigators participants worked in three clinical specialties: neurologists, geriatricians and psychiatrists.
Results:
A total of 107 investigators were involved in this study. Three out of four doctors (76%) were neurologists (81), 14% were geriatricians (15), and 8.4% were psychiatrists (9). The investigators included 720 patients diagnosed with AD+CVD.
Neuro-image techniques (NIT) and medical history (MH) were the most common methods of diagnosis. The scanner was performed in 69% AD+CVD patients, and magnetic resonance image was performed in 45%.
There were significant differences among physicians on the frequency of use of MH (98% of neurologists/geriatricians used MH vs. 85% of psychiatrists (p<0,04)), and also on the use of NIT (99% of neurologists/geriatricians vs. 84% of psychiatrists (p<0,0001)).
Galantamine (60%) and memantine+donepezil (19%)were the most common prescribed drugs by psychiatrists.
Discussion:
Psychiatrists used primarily MH to diagnose patients with AD+CVD, while neurologists used more frequently NIT. Geriatricians used both methods and vascular risk factors for the diagnosis of AD+CVD.
More than a half of physicians used galantamine as first-election treatment in patients with AD+CVD.
To examine the relative contributions of psychiatric symptoms, functional disability, neuropsychological functioning and sociodemographic variables to quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic schizophrenia.
Method:
We examined 165 hospitalised patients with long term schizophrenia (DSM-IV). Measures of psychiatric symptoms included depression (Calgary depression Scale), insight (David Insight Scale), symptom severity (BPRS) and PANSS (Positive and Negative Symptom Scale). Neuropsychological battery included tests for verbal memory, executive functioning, verbal fluency, working memory, motor speed and processing speed. Functional disability was assessed with the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS-WHO) and Quality of life was assessed with the Quality of Life Scale.
Results:
Age, years of evolution, negative symptoms, insight and neuropsychological variables (except motor speed) all were significantly related to level of quality of life. in a multiple regression analysis, entering the neuropsychological functioning, functional disability and negative symptoms generated a model which accounted for a 74.9% of the variance in QOL. Functional disability, as expected, accounted for 56% of the variance, whereas Processing Speed explained an additional 6.2%. Symptom Severity and Verbal Fluency predicted 3.7% and 3.5% of the variance, respectively. Negative symptoms, Verbal Memory and Vocabulary, were also significant predictors in the model, but had less predictive value. However, Positive Symptoms and Sociodemographic Variables did not significantly contribute to predict quality of life.
Conclusion:
Our findings support the predictive value of neuropsychological functioning, functional disability and severity of negative symptoms in long term quality of life in schizophrenia.
Child and adolescent sleepiness is an important public health issue with potentially serious consequences on attention, learning, behaviour, and quality of life. For some individuals, sleepiness may be due to a sleep disorder which requires clinical investigation and subsequent treatment. A reliable measure of child and adolescent sleepiness is needed and a version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale has been adapted for use in child and adolescent populations.
The adapted Epworth Scale is a questionnaire which aims to identify the chance of falling asleep in 10 different situtations. This questionnaire is normally used in a clinical context as a diagnostic tool. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the adapted Epworth Scale could be used to screen for sleep disorders in a similar manner to the adult scale. This presentation describes a validation study of the adapted Epworth Scale in a population of college students. 9,005 Parisian college students (50.4% female) completed an on-line questionnaire. The mean age was 12.7 years (sd = 1.35). The response rate was greater than 95% for each item of the adapted Epworth score. The mean score was 8.6 / 30 (sd = 4.62).
We suggest that the adapted Epworth Scale could be used as a tool for case finding of excessive daytime sleepiness in schools. If the adapted scale is to be used for this purpose, subjects with high scores should be offered investigation to exclude underlying sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, primary hypersomnia or ADHD.