Some gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have a tera-electron volt (TeV) afterglow, but the early onset of this has not been observed. We report observations with the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory ...(LHAASO) of the bright GRB 221009A, which serendipitously occurred within the instrument's field of view. More than 64,000 photons >0.2 TeV were detected within the first 3000 seconds. The TeV flux began several minutes after the GRB trigger and then rose to a peak ~10 seconds later. This was followed by a decay phase, which became more rapid ~650 seconds after the peak. We interpret the emission using a model of a relativistic jet with half-opening angle of ~0.8°. This is consistent with the core of a structured jet and could explain the high isotropic energy of this GRB.
The appropriate design and evaluation of a rainwater harvesting (RWH) system is necessary to improve system performance and the stability of the water supply. The main design parameters (DPs) of an ...RWH system are rainfall, catchment area, collection efficiency, tank volume and water demand. Its operational parameters (OPs) include rainwater use efficiency (RUE), water saving efficiency (WSE) and cycle number (CN). The sensitivity analysis of a rooftop RWH system’s DPs to its OPs reveals that the ratio of tank volume to catchment area (V/A) for an RWH system in Seoul, South Korea is recommended between 0.03 and 0.08 in terms of rate of change in RUE. The appropriate design value of V/A is varied with D/A. The extra tank volume up to V/A of 0.15∼0.2 is also available, if necessary to secure more water. Accordingly, we should figure out suitable value or range of DPs based on the sensitivity analysis to optimize design of an RWH system or improve operation efficiency. The operational data employed in this study, which was carried out to validate the design and evaluation method of an RWH system, were obtained from the system in use at a dormitory complex at Seoul National University (SNU) in Korea. The results of these operational data are in good agreement with those used in the initial simulation. The proposed method and the results of this research will be useful in evaluating and comparing the performance of RWH systems. It is found that RUE can be increased by expanding the variety of rainwater uses, particularly in the high rainfall season.
► We define the design and operation parameters (DPs & OPs) for rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS). ► The sensitivity analysis of DPs to its OPs should be emphasized to design a rooftop RWHS. ► The appropriate range or value of DPs can be recommended based on sensitivity analysis. ► Case study reveals the effectiveness of a water-balance based simulation model on RWHS design.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is a rare congenital defect manifesting with varying degrees of pituitary hormone deficiency. The signs and symptoms of PSIS during the neonatal period ...and infancy are often overlooked and therefore diagnosis is delayed. The typical manifestations of PSIS can be detected by magnetic resonance imaging. Several genes in the Wnt, Notch and Shh signalling pathways related to hypothalamic‐pituitary development, such as PIT1, PROP1, LHX3/LHX4, PROKR2, OTX2, TGIF and HESX1, have been found to be associated with PSIS. Nevertheless, the aetiology in the majority of cases still remains unknown. In the present review, we provide an overview of clinical features of PSIS and summarise our current understanding of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms for this rare syndrome. Furthermore, we propose future research directions that may help our understanding of the aetiology of PSIS.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
We report the discovery of an ultrahigh-energy (UHE) gamma-ray source, LHAASO J2108+5157, by analyzing the LHAASO-KM2A data of 308.33 live days. A significant excess of gamma ray–induced ...showers is observed in both energy bands of 25−100 and >100 TeV with 9.5
σ
and 8.5
σ
, respectively. This source is not significantly favored as an extended source with an angular extension smaller than the point-spread function of KM2A. The measured energy spectrum from 20 to 200 TeV can be approximately described by a power-law function with an index of −2.83 ± 0.18
stat
. A harder spectrum is demanded at lower energies considering the flux upper limit set by Fermi-LAT observations. The position of the gamma-ray emission is correlated with a giant molecular cloud, which favors a hadronic origin. No obvious counterparts have been found, and deeper multiwavelength observations will help to cast new light on this intriguing UHE source.
This triple-arm, double-blind, randomized clinical trial investigated the effect of multisession prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on social functioning in individuals with ...autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 105 individuals (age 14–21 years) diagnosed with ASD were randomized into the active-tDCS, sham-tDCS, and waitlist control groups. The experimental group received 20 min of 1.5 mA tDCS stimulation (cathode: F3; anode: Fp2) for 10 days with concurrent computerized cognitive remediation training. Changes in overall social functioning, social communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRB) were measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale-2nd edition (SRS-2). Two-level hierarchical linear mixed-model analysis showed significant group*time interactions for SRS-2 total F(2, 107.09) = 7.82; p = 0.001 and RRB F(2, 90.26) = 5.62; p = 0.005 T-scores. When compared with the waitlist control group, the changes in scores were only significant in active-tDCS (SRS-2 total T-score p < 0.001, d = 0.61; SRS-2 RRB T-score p = 0.002, d = 0.88), but not sham-tDCS (SRS-2 total T-score p < 0.12, d = 0.30; SRS-2 RRB T-score p = 0.54, d = 0.17) group. Multiple sessions of prefrontal tDCS coupled with cognitive training is a safe and effective treatment for improving social functioning in people with ASD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03814083; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03814083).
Lay abstract
Currently available pharmacological and behavioral interventions for adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) yield only modest effect in alleviating their core behavioral and cognitive symptoms, and some of these treatment options are associated with undesirable side effects. Hence, developing effective treatment protocols is urgently needed. Given emerging evidence shows that the abnormal connections of the frontal brain regions contribute to the manifestations of ASD behavioral and cognitive impairments, noninvasive treatment modalities that are capable in modulating brain connections, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have been postulated to be potentially promising for alleviating core symptoms in ASD. However, whether tDCS can reduce behavioral symptoms and enhance cognitive performance in ASD remains unclear. This randomized controlled trial involving 105 adolescents and young adults with ASD showed that multiple sessions of a tDCS protocol, which was paired up with computerized cognitive training, was effective in improving social functioning in adolescents and young adults with ASD. No prolonged and serious side effects were observed. With more future studies conducted in different clinical settings that recruit participants from a wider age range, this tDCS protocol may be potentially beneficial to a broad spectrum of individuals with autism.
Full text
Available for:
NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
ABSTRACT
High time resolution and accuracy are of critical importance in the studies of timing analysis and time delay localization of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) and ...pulsars. The Gravitational wave high-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) consisting of two micro-satellites, GECAM-A and GECAM-B, launched on 2020 December 10, is aimed at monitoring and locating X-ray and GRBs all over the sky. To achieve its scientific goals, GECAM is designed to have the highest time resolution (0.1 $\mu {\rm s}$) among all GRB detectors ever flown. Here, we make a comprehensive time calibration campaign including both on-ground and on-orbit tests to derive not only the relative time accuracy of GECAM satellites and detectors, but also the absolute time accuracy of GECAM-B. Using the on-ground calibration with a $\rm ^{22}Na$ radioactive source, we find that the relative time accuracy between GECAM-A and GECAM-B is about 0.15 $\mu {\rm s}$ (1σ). To measure the relative time accuracy between all detectors of a single GECAM satellite, cosmic-ray events detected on orbit are utilized since they could produce many secondary particles simultaneously record by multiple detectors. We find that the relative time accuracy among all detectors onboard GECAM-B is about 0.12 $\mu {\rm s}$ (1σ). Finally, we use the novel Li-CCF method to perform the absolute time calibration with Crab pulsar and SGR J1935+2154, both of which were jointly observed by GECAM-B and Fermi/GBM, and obtain that the time difference between GECAM-B and Fermi/GBM is 3.06 ± 6.04 $\mu {\rm s}$ (1σ).
Summary
Background
It has been suggested that the p300 transcriptional coactivator participates in the regulation of a wide range of cell biological processes, and mutations in p300 have been ...identified in various cancers.
Objectives
To investigate p300 expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) tissues and its effect on the outcome of patients with cSCC.
Methods
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on a tissue microarray to investigate p300 expression levels in cSCC tissues. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, Kaplan–Meier plots and a Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to analyse the data.
Results
Based on the ROC curves, we defined the cut‐off score for high p300 expression as > 55% of tumour cells positively stained. High expression of p300 was observed in 86 of 165 (52·1%) of the cSCC samples and six of 30 (20%) of the adjacent normal skin tissue samples (P < 0·001). High expression of p300 was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0·006) and advanced clinical stage (P < 0·001). In univariate survival analysis, high expression of p300 was correlated with poor patient outcomes in terms of recurrence‐free survival (P = 0·006) and overall survival (P < 0·001). Moreover, p300 expression was evaluated as an independent prognostic factor in a multivariate analysis (P = 0·004).
Conclusions
Our results indicate that high p300 expression is associated with aggressive features of cSCC and suggest that p300 expression, as examined by IHC, will be a promising biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with cSCC.
What's already known about this topic?
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is currently the second most common tumour type of nonmelanoma skin cancer.
The p300 transcriptional coactivator participates in the regulation of a wide range of cell biological processes, and mutations in p300 have been identified in various cancers.
What does this study add?
High expression of p300 protein was associated with aggressive features in cSCC.
The expression of p300, as examined by immunohistochemistry, will be a promising biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with cSCC.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show marked difficulties in reading comprehension, a complex cognitive skill fundamental to successful daily functioning that is associated with core ...executive functions. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying reading comprehension deficits in these children remain elusive. Twenty-one right-handed males with high-functioning ASD (mean age = 10.24 years) and 23 age-, IQ-, educational level-, sex- and handedness-matched typically developing (TD; mean age = 10.14 years) individuals underwent a reading comprehension test and the semantic verbal fluency test that tapped core executive functions underlying reading comprehension during concurrent prefrontal functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measurement. Participants’ information processing efficiency was also assessed. High-functioning ASD children exhibited general reading comprehension main effect of group:
F
(1,40)
= 7.58,
p
= 0.009, selective verbal fluency deficits Group × category interaction:
F
(1,42)
= 4.90,
p
= 0.032 and slower processing speed (
t
42
= 2.36,
p
= 0.023). Regarding the hemodynamics of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), although ASD individuals showed comparable patterns of PFC brain activation to their healthy counterparts, lower PFC intrahemispheric main effect of group:
F
(1,42)
= 11.36,
p
= 0.002 and interhemispheric main effect of group:
F
(1,42)
= 7.79,
p
= 0.008 functional connectivity were evident during the semantic verbal fluency test. At the whole-group level, poorer reading comprehension performance was associated with poorer performance in the semantic verbal fluency test (
r
42
= 0.508,
p
< 0.001). Moreover, poorer semantic verbal fluency test performance was associated with slower information processing speed (
r
42
= –0.312,
p
= 0.044), which is associated with reduced left medial PFC functional connectivity (
r
42
= –0.319,
p
= 0.040). Abnormal intrahemispheric and interhemispheric prefrontal hypoconnectivity is associated with deficits in executive processes essential for reading comprehension in ASD. Our study has provided important implications for the neuropsychological and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying reading comprehension deficits in ASD.
PDF
