A healthcare-associated group A Streptococcus outbreak involving six patients, four healthcare workers, and one household contact occurred in the labor and delivery unit of an academic medical center. Isolates were highly related by whole genome sequencing. Infection prevention measures, healthcare worker screening, and chemoprophylaxis of those colonized halted further transmission.

To provide a greater understanding of the crystallization of iron oxides under natural aqueous conditions, the combined effect of an inorganic ion (Mn2+) and a reducing organic ligand (L-cysteine) on the conversion of noncrystalline ferric hydroxide to goethite and/or hematite was investigated at pH 8.

At cysteine: Fe ratios ≥ 0.2, L-cysteine caused noncrystalline iron(III) hydroxide to transform rapidly into goethite at pH 8; in the absence of the organic ligand, hematite was the predominant reaction product. The presence of Mn (≥9 mole %) in the cysteine-ferric hydroxide system retarded crystallization and reduced the goethite-promoting effect of cysteine.

Polarographic measurements showed that the adsorption of cysteine on noncrystalline iron(III) hydroxide was immediately followed by the oxidation of cysteine to the disulfide with simultaneous reduction of a proportion of the interracial ferric ions. The partly reduced noncrystalline iron(III) hydroxide dissolved at pH 8 more rapidly than the original material, thus facilitating the formation of goethite. In Mn(II)-noncrystalline iron(III) hydroxide coprecipitates, the interfacial oxidation/reduction reaction with cysteine (and hence the partial reduction of the noncrystalline phase) was reduced, due to replacement of some interfacial Fe(III) by non-reducible Mn.

At pH 8, uptake of Mn by crystalline iron oxides was low (< 5 mole %). Mn precipitated preferentially as pure Mn phases, either rhodochrosite (in NaHCO3 buffer) or hausmannite (in NH4Cl/NH3 buffer).

Stable water isotope records of six firn cores retrieved from two adjacent plateaus on the northern Antarctic Peninsula between 2014 and 2016 are presented and investigated for their connections with firn-core glacio-chemical data, meteorological records and modelling results. Average annual accumulation rates of 2500 kg m−2 a−1 largely reduce the modification of isotopic signals in the snowpack by post-depositional processes, allowing excellent signal preservation in space and time. Comparison of firn-core and ECHAM6-wiso modelled δ18O and d-excess records reveals a large agreement on annual and sub-annual scales, suggesting firn-core stable water isotopes to be representative of specific synoptic situations. The six firn cores exhibit highly similar isotopic patterns in the overlapping period (2013), which seem to be related to temporal changes in moisture sources rather than local near-surface air temperatures. Backward trajectories calculated with the HYSPLIT model suggest that prominent δ18O minima in 2013 associated with elevated sea salt concentrations are related to long-range moisture transport dominated by westerly winds during positive SAM phases. In contrast, a broad δ18O maximum in the same year accompanied by increased concentrations of black carbon and mineral dust corresponds to the advection of more locally derived moisture with northerly flow components (South America) when the SAM is negative.

A solid body in a viscous fluid undergoing oscillatory motion naturally produces a steady secondary flow due to convective inertia. This phenomenon is embodied in the streaming flow generated by a sphere in an unbounded fluid executing rectilinear oscillations. We review the considerable literature on this canonical problem and summarise exact and asymptotic formulas in the small-amplitude limit. These analytical formulas are used to explore the characteristic flow structure of this problem and clarify previously unreported features. A single, toroidal-shaped vortex exists in each hemisphere regardless of the oscillation frequency, which can drive a counter-flow away from the sphere. The vortex centre moves monotonically away from the sphere with decreasing oscillation frequency, and engulfs the entire flow domain for $\beta \equiv \omega R^2/\nu < 16.317$, where $\omega$ is the angular oscillation frequency, $R$ the sphere radius, and $\nu$ the fluid kinematic viscosity. This seemingly abrupt change in flow structure at the critical frequency $\beta _{critical} =16.317$, and its quantification, appear to have not been reported previously. We perform a direct numerical simulation of the Navier–Stokes equations, to (1) confirm existence of this critical frequency at finite amplitude, and (2) examine its variation with amplitude. This reveals a universal relationship between the critical frequency and oscillation amplitude, clarifying previous reports on the structure of this streaming flow. The critical frequency is shown to be identical for the streaming flow and the cycle-averaged particle paths, establishing that the critical frequency is accessible directly using standard measurements.

This paper advocates for the value of open science in many areas of research. However, after briefly reviewing the fundamental principles underlying open science practices and their use and justification, the paper identifies four incompatibilities between those principles and scientific progress through applied research. The incompatibilities concern barriers to sharing and disclosure, limitations and deficiencies of overidentifying with hypothetico-deductive methods of inference, the paradox of replication efforts resulting in less robust findings, and changes to the professional research and publication culture such that it will narrow in favor of a specific style of research. Seven recommendations are presented to maximize the value of open science while minimizing its adverse effects on the advancement of science in practice.

Large-scale societal issues such as public health crises highlight the need to communicate scientific information, which is often uncertain, accurately to the public and policy makers. The challenge is to communicate the inherent scientific uncertainty — especially about the underlying quality of the evidence — whilst supporting informed decision making. Little is known about the effects that such scientific uncertainty has on people’s judgments of the information. In three experimental studies (total N=6,489), we investigate the influence of scientific uncertainty about the quality of the evidence on people’s perceived trustworthiness of the information and decision making. We compare the provision of high, low, and ambiguous quality-of-evidence indicators against providing no such cues. Results show an asymmetric relationship: people react more strongly to cues of low quality of evidence than they do to high quality of evidence compared to no cue. While responses to a cue of high quality of evidence are not significantly different from no cue; a cue of low or uncertain quality of evidence is accompanied by lower perceived trustworthiness and lower use of the information in decision making. Cues of uncertain quality of evidence have a similar effect to those of low quality. These effects do not change with the addition of a reason for the indicated quality level. Our findings shed light on the effects of the communication of scientific uncertainty on judgment and decision making, and provide insights for evidence-based communications and informed decision making for policy makers and the public.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition characterized by emotion dysregulation, interpersonal impairment, and high suicidality. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is the most widely studied psychotherapeutic treatment for BPD. To date, the vast majority of DBT research has focused on cisgender women, with a notable lack of systematic investigation of sex and/or gender differences in treatment response. In order to encourage effective, equitable treatment of BPD, further investigation into treatment targets in this population is critical. Here, we employed a systematic strategy to delineate gaps in the DBT literature pertaining to sex and gender differences and propose directions for future research. Findings demonstrate a significant discrepancy in measurement of sex and gender, particularly among gender-diverse individuals. Exploring DBT treatment response across the full spectrum of genders will facilitate the provision of more tailored, impactful care to all individuals who suffer from BPD.

By transforming from a manufacturer into a PSS provider, the business model of a company changes. In particular with service-oriented business models, the importance of tangible products alters. Instead of selling products, PSS providers need product fleets that enable the provision of services. If the manufacturer of the product and the provider of the PSS fleet are identical, the products can be designed specifically for the PSS. This paper introduces a framework that supports the design of modular PSS fleets so that the product architecture is optimised for the requirements of the fleet.

Mergers of neutron stars and black holes are nowadays observed routinely thanks to gravitational-wave astronomy. In the isolated, binary-evolution channel, a common-envelope phase of a red supergiant and a compact object is crucial to sufficiently shrink the orbit and thereby enable a merger via gravitational-wave emission. Here, we use the outcome of three-dimensional hydrodynamic common-envelope simulations of a 9.4 solar mass red supergiant and a 5 solar mass black-hole to explore the further evolution and final fate of the remnant binary. The binary system undergoes another phase of mass transfer during which it is visible as an X-ray binary. We find that the donor star does not explode as an ultra-stripped supernova because of the large remaining envelope mass, but as a Type Ib/c supernova. Supernova kicks are actually required to sufficiently perturb the orbit and thus facilitate a merger within a Hubble time via gravitational-wave emission.

Stellar mergers produce more massive, rejuvenated (strongly magnetic) stars, with potentially peculiar properties, and can be detected as luminous red novae. Using a grid of detailed 1D binary evolution models, we aim to determine which binary systems are likely to merge and at what evolutionary stage. This will tell us more about the merger products, and might help us understand some of the trends found in observed single- and multiple-star populations.

The core of the cluster R136 in the Large Magellanic Cloud hosts the most massive stars known. The high mass-loss rates of these stars strongly impact their surroundings, as well as the evolution of the stars themselves. To quantify this impact accurate mass-loss rates are needed, however, uncertainty about the degree of inhomogeneity of the winds (‘wind clumping’), makes mass-loss measurements uncertain. We combine optical and ultraviolet HST/STIS spectroscopy of 56 stars in the core of R136 in order to put constraints on the wind structure, improving the accuracy of the mass-loss rate measurements. We find that the winds are highly clumped, and use our measured mass-loss rates to test theoretical predictions. Furthermore we find, for the first time, tentative trends in the wind-structure parameters as a function of mass-loss rate, suggesting that the winds of stars with higher mass-loss rates are less clumped than those with lower mass-loss rates.

The first magnetic field in a star other than the Sun was detected in 1947 in the star 78 Vir. Today, we know that about 10% of these intermediate-mass and high-mass stars have strong, large-scale surface magnetic fields whose origin has remained a mystery till today. It has been suggested that merging of main-sequence and pre-main-sequence stars could produce such strong fields. The massive star τ Sco is a well-known member of the group of magnetic stars and is a blue straggler given its apparently young age compared to that of other members of the Upper Scorpius association. Here, we present 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the coalescence of two massive main-sequence stars and 1D stellar evolution computations of the subsequent evolution of the merger product that can explain τ Sco’s magnetic field, apparent youth and other observed characteristics. We argue that field amplification in stellar mergers is a general mechanism to form strongly-magnetised massive stars. Such stars are promising progenitors of magnetars, which may give rise to some of the enigmatic fast radio bursts, and their supernova explosions may be affected by the strong magnetic fields.

Background: Nutrition in early life plays a critical role in the growth and neurodevelopment of preterm neonates. However, whether early nutrition modified the association of white matter injury (WMI) with brain maturation and neurodevelopmental outcomes remains unclear. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, very preterm neonates were recruited from the NICU at BC Women’s Hospital. MRI and measures of NAA/choline were obtained. Energy intake was recorded over the first two weeks of life and the cohort was dichotomized. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at 4.5 years of age using WPPSI-III. Results: Neonates in the high lipid group had higher levels of NAA/choline in the basal ganglia. When accounting for confounders, this relationship was only significant in neonates without WMI (p=0.04).

Overall, neonates with larger WMI volumes had lower IQ scores at 4.5 years (p<0.001). However, this relationship was attenuated in the high lipid group (p=0.002) relative to the lower lipid intake group. Conclusions: In this cohort, higher energy intake is associated with increased brain maturation. Similarly, neonates with large WMI had higher full-scale IQ if they received greater lipid intake in the neonatal period, suggesting that greater early lipid intake may contribute to blunting the deleterious effects of WMI on neurodevelopmental outcomes.