Onset of Constituent Quark Number Scaling in Heavy-Ion Collisions at RHIC.

Partonic collectivity is one of the necessary signatures for the formation of quark-gluon plasma in high-energy nuclear collisions. Number of constituent quarks (NCQ) scaling has been observed for hadron elliptic flow v_{2} in top energy nuclear collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the LHC, and this has been theoretically suggested as strong evidence for partonic collectivity. In this Letter, a systematic analysis of v_{2} of π^{±}, K^{±}, K_{S}^{0}, p, and Λ in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3.

Rapid Parameter Estimation for Pulsar-Timing-Array Datasets with Variational Inference and Normalizing Flows.

In the gravitational-wave analysis of pulsar-timing-array datasets, parameter estimation is usually performed using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to explore posterior probability densities. We introduce an alternative procedure that instead relies on stochastic gradient-descent Bayesian variational inference, whereby we obtain the weights of a neural-network-based approximation of the posterior by minimizing the Kullback-Leibler divergence of the approximation from the exact posterior. This technique is distinct from simulation-based inference with normalizing flows since we train the network for a single dataset, rather than the population of all possible datasets, and we require the computation of the data likelihood and its gradient.

Structural Evidence for the Spin Collapse in High Pressure Solid Oxygen.

Single crystal x-ray diffraction measurements have been carried out on epsilon oxygen up to 30 GPa to examine the behavior of the constituent (O_{2})_{4} units. An isostructural phase transition is evidenced by lattice parameter and intracluster (O_{8}) distance discontinuities and clear changes in the equation of state at 18.1±0.

Utility of GERAADA score for predicting long-term survival following surgical repair of aortic dissection.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the long-term survival following surgical repair because of type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) and the correlation with the preoperative GERAADA-score value.

Methods: We enrolled patients who underwent emergent aortic surgery because of ATAAD from 2010 to 2022 from 9 hospitals. Follow-up information was obtained by matching the clinical patient data with a national administrative database.

Late peritoneal carcinomatosis from cutaneous melanoma mimicking ovarian cancer.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis represents an exceptionally rare metastatic pattern of cutaneous malignant melanoma, occurring in fewer than 1% of cases with distant spread and typically within the first few years after primary treatment. This report presents an unusual case with a markedly prolonged disease-free interval, clinically mimicking advanced ovarian carcinoma. We report the case of a 53-year-old woman treated more than 10 years ago for stage IIB nodular melanoma with surgery and adjuvant therapy.

Plug-based vascular closure device in transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Objectives: Failure of vascular closure device (VCD) is the most common cause of access-site vascular complications in transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The authors sought to determine if the systematic use of arteriotomy-site ballooning with concomitant manual compression following the delivery of a plug-based VCD (MANTA, Teleflex) can optimize toggle-plug assembly apposition to the common femoral artery (CFA) wall and improve the final hemostatic efficacy.

Methods: In this prospective, observational, single-center study, 323 consecutive patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI from October 2021 to December 2024 underwent access closure with the MANTA VCD.

Multiproxy analysis unwraps origin and fabrication biographies of Sardinian figurines: On the trail of metal-driven interaction and mixing practices in the early first millennium BCE.

This article presents a multiproxy investigation of metal samples obtained from 48 Nuragic figurines (so-called bronzetti) and three copper bun ingots. These objects originate from three prominent Sardinian sanctuaries and one unidentified site, dating to the late Nuragic period of the early first millennium BCE. The dataset significantly expands the existing scientific database and unwraps the complex fabrication biographies of the figurines from ore to finished object.

Structural evolution of microfibers in seawater and freshwater under simulated sunlight: A small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering study.

Microfibers are pollutants of increasing concern, as they accumulate in aquatic environments and pose risks to living organisms. Once released, they undergo degradation processes that reduce their size and enhance their ability to interact with biological systems. Among these processes, photodegradation is a key driver, leading to fiber fragmentation and structural shrinkage.

Management of recurrent varicose veins: Redo open surgery versus endovascular approaches.

ObjectiveRecurrent varicose veins (RVVs) following open surgical procedures are common and present significant treatment challenges. Redo open surgery (rOS) presents risks leading to a need for alternative treatment options. This study compares the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS), used to treat recurrent reflux and remove neovascular and tributary venous networks in the thigh, to redo open surgery (rOS) for the treatment of C2r.

An Overview of Destroying SARS-CoV-2 and Proof of the Relationship Between Climate Changes and Airborne Dust on SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence.

In view of Corona pandemic, scientists have taken significant efforts to study and recognize the peculiarities of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in order to prevent it from spreading. It was discovered that the virus is spreading in many places and nations that have made significant progress in addressing environmental pollution or are not subject to dusty storms. Infections are growing again in the same country, with varied densities of sick persons depending on the weather and windy season.

Bioinspired Vacuum Generation via Pressure-to-Vacuum Conversion for Manipulating all Phases of Matter.

Animal diaphragm-lung systems are soft organs that generate a controllable vacuum. Elephants, as rare land animals, can manipulate all three states of matter using their lung-generated vacuum. In soft robotics, however, current vacuum generation relies on rigid components, and no single soft device effectively handles all states of matter.

Defense mechanisms and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in bereaved individuals: A network analysis.

This study explored the network relationships between defense mechanisms and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of 327 Italian bereaved adults (M = 46.92, SD = 14.66).

Bridging feeling and motion: Insula-premotor dynamics in the processing of action vitality forms.

Typically, people perform actions in a valenced-positive or negative-way, depending on their attitudes or desires. These forms of action are named vitality forms (VFs). While it is well established that action goals are mediated by a parieto-frontal network, less is known about the processing of VFs.

Critical exponents of the spin-glass transition in a field at zero temperature.

We analyze the spin-glass transition in a field in finite dimension [Formula: see text] below the upper critical dimension directly at zero temperature using a recently introduced perturbative loop expansion around the Bethe lattice solution. The expansion is generated by the so-called [Formula: see text]-layer construction, and it has [Formula: see text] as the associated small parameter. Computing analytically and numerically these nonstandard diagrams at first order in the [Formula: see text] expansion, we construct an [Formula: see text]-expansion around the upper critical dimension [Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text].

Predicting cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease: A real-life proof-of-principle study on multimodal assessment.

BackgroundAlzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder. While AD diagnosis traditionally relies on clinical criteria, recent trends favor a precise biological definition. Existing biomarkers efficiently detect AD pathology but inadequately reflect the extent of cognitive impairment or disease heterogeneity.

Biparametric vs Multiparametric MRI for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: The PRIME Diagnostic Clinical Trial.

Importance: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with or without prostate biopsy, has become the standard of care for diagnosing clinically significant prostate cancer. Resource capacity limits widespread adoption. Biparametric MRI, which omits the gadolinium contrast sequence, is a shorter and cheaper alternative offering time-saving capacity gains for health systems globally.

Comparative Safety of JAK Inhibitors vs TNF Antagonists in Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are highly effective medications for several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). However, safety concerns have led to regulatory restrictions.

Objective: To compare the risk of adverse events with JAK inhibitors vs tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists in patients with IMIDs in head-to-head comparative effectiveness studies.

Oral immunotherapy in children with allergic diseases: past, present and future.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only treatment capable of modifying the natural history of allergic diseases by promoting immune tolerance. Initially developed for respiratory allergies, AIT has expanded to include food allergies, particularly through oral immunotherapy (OIT). This review explores the historical evolution, current applications, and future directions of AIT in pediatric patients.

Compositionality in the semantic network: a model-driven representational similarity analysis.

Semantic composition allows us to construct complex meanings (e.g., "dog house", "house dog") from simpler constituents ("dog", "house").

Eustachian tube dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea patients: implications for a multimodal treatment approach. A systematic review.

Introduction: It is well known that Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a complex disease characterized by an Upper Airway (UA) collapse during sleep, with potential consequences on ENT districts. Recent evidence suggests a possible association with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD). However, the potential effects of both surgical and non-surgical therapeutic strategies on ET function remain poorly explored in the current literature.

Estimated fracture risk in osteopenic patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Background: While osteoporosis in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is widely studied, PHPT patients with osteopenia remain less characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, biochemical features, and estimated fracture risk of osteopenic PHPT patients in a real-life cohort.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a consecutive series of PHPT patients with available densitometric data at three sites.

The plastid genome of the critically endangered Valeriana trinervis (= Centranthus trinervis) and insights from comparison with other Valeriana plastomes (Caprifoliaceae).

The first complete plastid genome of the critically endangered species Valeriana trinervis was sequenced, assembled and compared with other published Valeriana plastomes. In this study, we assembled the plastid genome of the critically endangered, endemic species Valeriana trinervis (= Centranthus trinervis) and compare it with all published plastomes of Valeriana. We found not only differences in the inverted repeats boundaries, in the type and abundance of repeats, but also similarities in codon usage and microsatellite numbers.

What happens when the network fails? A response to telesurgery recommendations and a proposal for a new class of intraoperative complications in telesurgery.

This Letter to the Editor responds to the recent publication by Patel et al. (J Robot Surg. Jul 11;19(1):370, 2025), which outlines a framework and recommendations for telesurgery.