GW190521: A Binary Black Hole Merger with a Total Mass of 150 M_{⊙}.

On May 21, 2019 at 03:02:29 UTC Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo observed a short duration gravitational-wave signal, GW190521, with a three-detector network signal-to-noise ratio of 14.7, and an estimated false-alarm rate of 1 in 4900 yr using a search sensitive to generic transients. If GW190521 is from a quasicircular binary inspiral, then the detected signal is consistent with the merger of two black holes with masses of 85_{-14}^{+21} M_{⊙} and 66_{-18}^{+17} M_{⊙} (90% credible intervals). We infer that the primary black hole mass lies within the gap produced by (pulsational) pair-instability supernova processes, with only a 0.32% probability of being below 65 M_{⊙}. We calculate the mass of the remnant to be 142_{-16}^{+28} M_{⊙}, which can be considered an intermediate mass black hole (IMBH). The luminosity distance of the source is 5.3_{-2.6}^{+2.4} Gpc, corresponding to a redshift of 0.82_{-0.34}^{+0.28}. The inferred rate of mergers similar to GW190521 is 0.13_{-0.11}^{+0.30} Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}.

Assessment of trace metal contamination of wetland sediments from eastern and western coastal region of India dominated with mangrove forest.

Ecosystem and biodiversity of India's coastal areas dominated with mangrove forest have been threatened by growing anthropogenic activities. The present work aims to investigate the contamination of wetland sediments with trace elements and assess the sediment quality at different sampling locations in eastern and western costal region dominated with mangrove forest. The longitudinal profile of trace elements in sediments from different sampling locations analyzed by employing Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer shows variations in distribution of elements like Al, Si, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb. The enrichment factor (EF) and Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) values suggested depletion of clay minerals and enrichment of heavy metals like Cr, Cu Fe and Mn. Depending on the variations in Igeo values, the elements are put into Igeo Class 0 to 3 levels of contamination. Contamination factor (Cf) and pollution load index (PLI) suggested deterioration of sediments analyzed in the present study. Assessment of ecological risk potential of elements suggests that few elements (Cr and Cu) are moderately contaminated and may cause environmental stress on the exposed flora and fauna.

Late erosions of mid-urethral tapes for stress urinary incontinence--need for long-term follow-up?

Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure has become one of the most common treatments of female urinary stress incontinence. Success rates as high as 81.3% were reported over a follow-up period of 7 years. Erosion of the synthetic mesh is a well-described complication. The mean time for the onset of erosion after sling insertion was 11.2 months. These case reports describe an erosion of a mid-urethral tape after 18 and 28 months, which is uncommon. There is a need for long-term follow-up of patients with TVT.

Effect of feeding on fatty acid composition of muscles and adipose tissues in young goats raised in the Argan tree forest of Morocco.

The characteristics of meat from goats raised in the Argan tree forest in the south-western part of Morocco were studied in two experiments. Each experiment was carried out on three groups of six male goats. They were reared either indoors (IC) and fed concentrate or outdoors where they grazed in the Argan tree forest and were offered concentrate (OC) or only Argan fruit pulp (OS). Outdoor-raised goats had a very low growth rate in the first experiment (34 g/d), whereas it was relatively high in the second experiment (64 g/d) in which herbaceous vegetation availability was higher. In each experiment, omental (OM) and perirenal (PR) weights were the lowest in the two groups of goats raised outdoors. Lipid and cholesterol contents in muscles were lower in goats raised in the Argan tree forest than in those raised indoors. Outdoor-raised goats had particularly high proportions of odd-chain fatty acids (FA), branched-chain (FA) of the iso and anteiso series in adipose tissues and muscles and higher n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) proportions and a lower n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio than indoor-raised goats. Indoor-raised goats had a higher proportion of palmitic acid and a lower proportion of archidic acid than outdoor-raised goats. In indoor-raised goats, the proportions of Δ9 straight-chain mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (C(16:1n-7) and cis C(18:1n-9)) were relatively higher than those of total MUFA, because of lower percentages of some MUFA, such as C(16:1n-9) and other isomers of oleic acid. The low fat content and FA profile of the meat from the goats reared in the Argan tree forest conveyed beneficial characteristics to this meat in regards to human health. The relatively high contents of branched-chain FA of iso and anteiso series and PUFA in the meat from goats raised in the Argan tree forest could be considered as a sign of typicity.