Searching For Low-mass Companions Of Cepheids

Science.gov (United States)

Remage Evans, Nancy; Bond, H.; Schaefer, G.; Karovska, M.; Mason, B.; DePasquale, J.; Pillitteri, I.; Guinan, E.; Engle, S.

2011-05-01

The role played by binary and multiple stars in star formation is receiving a great deal of attention, both theoretically and observationally. Two questions under discussion are how wide physical companions can be and how frequently massive stars have low mass companions. An important new observational tool is the development of high resolution imaging, both from space and from the ground (Adaptive Optics and interferometry). We are conducting a snapshot survey of the nearest Cepheids using the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). The aim is to discover possible resolved low mass companions. Results from this survey will be discussed, including images of Eta Aql. X-ray luminosity can confirm or refute that putative low mass companions are young enough to be physical companions. This project tests the reality of both wide and low mass companions of these intermediate-mass stars.

Imaginary Companions of Preschool Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Gleason, Tracy R.; Sebanc, Anne M.; Hartup, Willard W.

2000-01-01

Interviewed mothers to examine the developmental significance of preschoolers' imaginary companions. Found that relationships with invisible companions were described as sociable and friendly, whereas personified objects were usually nurtured. Object personification frequently occurred as a result of acquiring a toy; invisible friends were viewed…

Comparing immediate-type food allergy in humans and companion animals-revealing unmet needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Pali-Schöll, I; De Lucia, M; Jackson, H; Janda, J; Mueller, R S; Jensen-Jarolim, E

2017-11-01

Adverse food reactions occur in human as well as veterinary patients. Systematic comparison may lead to improved recommendations for prevention and treatment in both. In this position paper, we summarize the current knowledge on immediate-type food allergy vs other food adverse reactions in companion animals, and compare this to the human situation. While the prevalence of food allergy in humans has been well studied for some allergens, this remains to be investigated for animal patients, where owner-reported as well as veterinarian-diagnosed food adverse reactions are on the increase. The characteristics of the disease in humans vs dogs, cats, and horses are most often caused by similar, but sometimes species-dependent different pathophysiological mechanisms, prompting the specific clinical symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. Furthermore, little is known about the allergen molecules causative for type I food allergy in animals, which, like in human patients, could represent predictive biomarkers for risk evaluation. The definite diagnosis of food allergy relies-as in humans-on elimination diet and provocation tests. Besides allergen avoidance in daily practice, novel treatment options and tolerization strategies are underway. Taken together, numerous knowledge gaps were identified in veterinary food allergy, which need to be filled by systematic comparative studies. © 2017 The Authors. Allergy Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Companion diagnostics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Jan Trøst; Hersom, Maria

2016-01-01

of disease mechanisms, things are slowly changing. Within the last few years, we have seen an increasing number of predictive biomarker assays being developed to guide the use of targeted cancer drugs. This type of assay is called companion diagnostics and is developed in parallel to the drug using the drug-diagnostic...... co-development model. The development of companion diagnostics is a relatively new discipline and in this review, different aspects will be discussed including clinical and regulatory issues. Furthermore, examples of drugs, such as the ALK and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, that have been approved recently....... Despite having discussed personalized medicine for more than a decade, we still see that most drug prescriptions for severe chronic diseases are largely based on 'trial and error' and not on solid biomarker data. However, with the advance of molecular diagnostics and a subsequent increased understanding...

Classical Cepheid luminosities from binary companions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, N.R.

1991-01-01

Luminosities for the classical Cepheids Eta Aql, W Sgr, and SU Cas are determined from IUE spectra of their binary companions. Spectral types of the companions are determined from the spectra by comparison with the spectra of standard stars. The absolute magnitude inferred from these spectral types is used to determine the absolute magnitude of the Cepheid, either directly or from the magnitude difference between the two stars. For the temperature range of the companions (A0 V), distinctions of a quarter of a spectral subclass can be made in the comparison between the companions and standard stars. The absolute magnitudes for Eta Aql and W Sgr agree well with the period-luminosity-color relation of Feast and Walker (1987). Random errors are estimated to be 0.3 mag. SU Cas, however, is overluminous for pulsation in the fundamental mode, implying that it is pulsating in an overtone. 58 refs

LOW-MASS VISUAL COMPANIONS TO NEARBY G-DWARFS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokovinin, Andrei

2011-01-01

A complete census of wide visual companions to nearby G-dwarf stars can be achieved by selecting candidates from the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) Point-Source Catalog and checking their status by second-epoch imaging. Such data are obtained for 124 candidates with separations up to 20'', 47 of which are shown to be new physical low-mass stellar companions. A list of visual binaries with G-dwarf primaries is produced by combining newly found companions with historical data. Maximum likelihood analysis leads to a companion frequency of 0.13 ± 0.015 per decade of separation. The mass ratio is distributed almost uniformly, with a power-law index between -0.4 and 0. The remaining uncertainty in the index is related to modeling of the companion detection threshold in 2MASS. These findings are confirmed by an alternative analysis of wider companions in 2MASS, removing the contamination by background stars statistically. Extension of this work will lead to a complete detection of visual companions-a necessary step toward reaching unbiased multiplicity statistics over the full range of orbital periods and, eventually, understanding the origin of multiple systems.

A Substellar Companion to Pleiades HII 3441

Science.gov (United States)

Konishi, Mihoko; Matsuo, Taro; Yamamoto, Kodai; Samland, Matthias; Sudo, Jun; Shibai, Hiroshi; Itoh, Yoichi; Fukagawa, Misato; Sumi, Takhiro; Kudo, Tomoyuki;

Most sub-arcsecond companions of Kepler exoplanet candidate host stars are gravitationally bound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horch, Elliott P.; Howell, Steve B.; Everett, Mark E.; Ciardi, David R.

2014-01-01

Using the known detection limits for high-resolution imaging observations and the statistical properties of true binary and line-of-sight companions, we estimate the binary fraction of Kepler exoplanet host stars. Our speckle imaging programs at the WIYN 3.5 m and Gemini North 8.1 m telescopes have observed over 600 Kepler objects of interest and detected 49 stellar companions within ∼1 arcsec. Assuming binary stars follow a log-normal period distribution for an effective temperature range of 3000-10,000 K, then the model predicts that the vast majority of detected sub-arcsecond companions are long period (P > 50 yr), gravitationally bound companions. In comparing the model predictions to the number of real detections in both observational programs, we conclude that the overall binary fraction of host stars is similar to the 40%-50% rate observed for field stars.

FIRST DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT BARIUM DWARFS HAVE WHITE DWARF COMPANIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, R. O.; McGahee, C. E.; Griffin, R. E. M.; Corbally, C. J.

2011-01-01

Barium II (Ba) stars are chemically peculiar F-, G-, and K-type objects that show enhanced abundances of s-process elements. Since s-process nucleosynthesis is unlikely to take place in stars prior to the advanced asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stage, the prevailing hypothesis is that each present Ba star was contaminated by an AGB companion which is now a white dwarf (WD). Unless the initial mass ratio of such a binary was fairly close to unity, the receiving star is thus at least as likely to be a dwarf as a giant. So although most known Ba stars appear to be giants, the hypothesis requires that Ba dwarfs be comparably plentiful and moreover that they should all have WD companions. However, despite dedicated searches with the IUE satellite, no WD companions have been directly detected to date among the classical Ba dwarfs, even though some 90% of those stars are spectroscopic binaries, so the contamination hypothesis is therefore presently in some jeopardy. In this paper, we analyze recent deep, near-UV and far-UV Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) exposures of four of the brightest of the class (HD 2454, 15360, 26367, and 221531), together with archived GALEX data for two newly recognized Ba dwarfs: HD 34654 and HD 114520 (which also prove to be spectroscopic binaries). The GALEX observations of the Ba dwarfs as a group show a significant far-UV excess compared to a control sample of normal F-type dwarfs. We suggest that this ensemble far-UV excess constitutes the first direct evidence that Ba dwarfs have WD companions.

CHANDRA OBSERVATION OF POLARIS: CENSUS OF LOW-MASS COMPANIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remage Evans, Nancy; Wolk, Scott J.; Karovska, Margarita; Spitzbart, Bradley; Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott; Schlegel, Eric; Mason, Brian D.

2010-01-01

We have observed Cepheid Polaris (α UMi A: F7 Ib [Aa] + F6 V [Ab]) with Chandra ACIS-I for 10 ks. An X-ray source was found at the location of Polaris with log L X = 28.89 erg s -1 (0.3-8 keV) and kT = 0.6 keV. A spectrum this soft could come from either the supergiant or the dwarf, as shown by comparable coronal stars. Two resolved low-mass visual companions, 'C' and 'D', are not physical members of the system based on the lack of X-rays (indicating an age older than the Cepheid) and inconsistent proper motions. Polaris B is not an X-ray source, consistent with its early F spectral type, and probably does not have a lower mass companion itself. A possible more distant member is identified, and an additional less plausible one. This provides a complete census of companions out to 0.1 pc covering a mass ratio range of an order of magnitude and a ΔV of nearly 15 mag.

Microsporidiosis in Vertebrate Companion Exotic Animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claire Vergneau-Grosset

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Veterinarians caring for companion animals may encounter microsporidia in various host species, and diagnosis and treatment of these fungal organisms can be particularly challenging. Fourteen microsporidial species have been reported to infect humans and some of them are zoonotic; however, to date, direct zoonotic transmission is difficult to document versus transit through the digestive tract. In this context, summarizing information available about microsporidiosis of companion exotic animals is relevant due to the proximity of these animals to their owners. Diagnostic modalities and therapeutic challenges are reviewed by taxa. Further studies are needed to better assess risks associated with animal microsporidia for immunosuppressed owners and to improve detection and treatment of infected companion animals.

Designing Socially Intelligent Virtual Companions

OpenAIRE

Yu, Han; Shen, Zhiqi; Wu, Qiong; Miao, Chunyan

2014-01-01

Virtual companions that interact with users in a socially complex environment require a wide range of social skills. Displaying curiosity is simultaneously a factor to improve a companion's believability and to unobtrusively affect the user's activities over time. Curiosity represents a drive to know new things. It is a major driving force for engaging learners in active learning. Existing research work pays little attention in curiosity. In this paper, we enrich the social skills of a virtua...

The AECL operator companion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lupton, L.R.; Anderson, L.L.; Basso, R.A.J.

1989-11-01

As CANDU plants become more complex, and are operated under tighter constraints and for longer periods between outages, plant operations staff will have to absorb more information to correctly and rapidly respond to upsets. A development program is underway at AECL to use expert systems and interactive media tools to assist operations staff of existing and future CANDU plants. The complete system for plant information access and display, on-line advice and diagnosis, and interactive operating procedures is called the Operator Companion. A prototype, consisting of operator consoles, expert systems and simulation modules in a distributed architecture, is currently being developed to demonstrate the concepts of the Operator Companion

Spectroscopic confirmation of young planetary-mass companions on wide orbits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bowler, Brendan P. [California Institute of Technology, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Liu, Michael C.; Mann, Andrew W. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai' i, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Kraus, Adam L., E-mail: bpbowler@caltech.edu [Astronomy Department, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. (United States)

2014-03-20

We present moderate-resolution (R ∼ 4000-5000) near-infrared integral field spectroscopy of the young (1-5 Myr) 6-14 M {sub Jup} companions ROXs 42B b and FW Tau b obtained with Keck/OSIRIS and Gemini-North/NIFS. The spectrum of ROXs 42B b exhibits clear signs of low surface gravity common to young L dwarfs, confirming its extreme youth, cool temperature, and low mass. Overall, it closely resembles the free-floating 4-7 M {sub Jup} L-type Taurus member 2MASS J04373705+2331080. The companion to FW Tau AB is more enigmatic. Our optical and near-infrared spectra show strong evidence of outflow activity and disk accretion in the form of line emission from [S II], [O I], Hα, Ca II, [Fe II], Paβ, and H{sub 2}. The molecular hydrogen emission is spatially resolved as a single lobe that stretches ≈0.''1 (15 AU). Although the extended emission is not kinematically resolved in our data, its morphology resembles shock-excited H{sub 2} jets primarily seen in young Class 0 and Class I sources. The near-infrared continuum of FW Tau b is mostly flat and lacks the deep absorption features expected for a cool, late-type object. This may be a result of accretion-induced veiling, especially in light of its strong and sustained Hα emission (EW(Hα) ≳ 290 Å). Alternatively, FW Tau b may be a slightly warmer (M5-M8) accreting low-mass star or brown dwarf (0.03-0.15 M {sub ☉}) with an edge-on disk. Regardless, its young evolutionary stage is in stark contrast to its Class III host FW Tau AB, indicating a more rapid disk clearing timescale for the host binary system than for its wide companion. Finally, we present near-infrared spectra of the young (∼2-10 Myr) low-mass (12-15 M {sub Jup}) companions GSC 6214-210 B and SR 12 C and find they best resemble low-gravity M9.5 and M9 substellar templates.

COMPANIONS TO NEARBY STARS WITH ASTROMETRIC ACCELERATION. II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokovinin, Andrei; Hartung, Markus; Hayward, Thomas L.

2013-01-01

Hipparcos astrometric binaries were observed with the NICI adaptive optics system at Gemini-S, completing the work of Paper I. Among the 65 F, G, and K dwarfs within 67 pc of the Sun studied here, we resolve 18 new subarcsecond companions, remeasure 7 known astrometric pairs, and establish the physical nature of yet another 3 wider companions. The 107 astrometric binaries targeted at Gemini so far have 38 resolved companions with separations under 3''. Modeling shows that bright enough companions with separations on the order of an arcsecond can perturb the Hipparcos astrometry when they are not accounted for in the data reduction. However, the resulting bias of parallax and proper motion is generally below formal errors and such companions cannot produce fake acceleration. This work contributes to the multiplicity statistics of nearby dwarfs by bridging the gap between spectroscopic and visual binaries and by providing estimates of periods and mass ratios for many astrometric binaries.

“HE MADE ME SPECIAL”: IMAGINARY COMPANIONS, FUNCTIONS AND PARENTAL ATTITUDES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natália Benincasa Velludo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Imaginary companions are one especially elaborated form of pretend play, so frequent in their creators’ daily lives that they can actually serve the function of keeping them company. The characteristics of these types of fantasy creations, as well as their possible functions, were investigated in a sample of 18 children between 6 and 7 years of age (M = 85 months, SD = 4,82; range = 76 – 94 months; 10 girls e 8 boys who had imaginary companions. These children participated in a larger study that aimed at comparing sociocognitive and language development in children with (n = 18 and without imaginary companions (n = 22. In order to investigate parental attitudes toward the phenomenon, parents/caretakers of children (from both groups from the first study were invited to participate, and 11 (10 mothers and 1 grandmother accepted the invitation. The reported characteristics of imaginary companions were diverse (i.e., physical appearance, type, age, for how long they have been friends, and their functions were associated with different needs, such as company, fun or emotional comfort. Whereas the majority of parents associated the phenomenon with an exercise of imagination, some believed the experience could be indicative of problems, for example, a loss of contact with reality or the influence of evil entities. The findings of the present research are consistent with international studies on imaginary companions. We hope these results may contribute to advancing this line of investigation in Brazil.

DISCOVERY OF THE COLDEST IMAGED COMPANION OF A SUN-LIKE STAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thalmann, C.; Carson, J.; Goto, M.; Feldt, M.; Henning, T.; Klahr, H.; Mordasini, C.; Janson, M.; McElwain, M.; Egner, S.; Hayano, Y.; Suzuki, R.; Hashimoto, J.; Kandori, R.; Kudo, T.; Kusakabe, N.; Morino, J.-I.; Suto, H.; Tamura, M.; Hodapp, K. W.

2009-01-01

We present the discovery of a brown dwarf or possible planet at a projected separation of 1.''9 = 29 AU around the star GJ 758, placing it between the separations at which substellar companions are expected to form by core accretion (∼5 AU) or direct gravitational collapse (typically ∼>100 AU). The object was detected by direct imaging of its thermal glow with Subaru/HiCIAO. At 10-40 times the mass of Jupiter and a temperature of 550-640 K, GJ 758 B constitutes one of the few known T-type companions, and the coldest ever to be imaged in thermal light around a Sun-like star. Its orbit is likely eccentric and of a size comparable to Pluto's orbit, possibly as a result of gravitational scattering or outward migration. A candidate second companion is detected at 1.''2 at one epoch.

Resolved Companions of Cepheids as Seen by HST and XMM

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Bond, Howard E.; Schaefer, Gail; Mason, Brian D.; Tingle, Evan; Karovska, Margarita; Pillitteri, Ignazio; Wolk, Scott J.; Guinan, Edward F.; Engle, Scott G.

2016-01-01

We have conducted a survey of 70 classical Cepheids with the Hubble Wide Field Camera3 (WFC3) to identify possible resolved companions. Data cover the range of 0.3" to 20" which typically corresponds to 200 AU to 0.1 pc. At present only possible companions greater than 5" from the Cepheid are discussed, since closer companions require a sophisticated point spread correction for the light of the much brighter Cepheid. We have followed up a subset of the possible resolved companions with XMM observations to determine whether they are young (X-ray active) enough to be physical companions of the Cepheids. We estimate that 4% of the Cepheids have a physical resolved companion, with the widest having a separation of 4000 AU. The one wider young star is in the field of S Nor, but since it is a cluster member, the companion is not assumed to be gravitationally bound to the Cepheid.

Runaway companions of supernova remnants with Gaia

Science.gov (United States)

Boubert, Douglas; Fraser, Morgan; Evans, N. Wyn

2018-04-01

It is expected that most massive stars have companions and thus that some core-collapse supernovae should have a runaway companion. The precise astrometry and photometry provided by Gaia allows for the systematic discovery of these runaway companions. We combine a prior on the properties of runaway stars from binary evolution with data from TGAS and APASS to search for runaway stars within ten nearby supernova remnants. We strongly confirm the existing candidate HD 37424 in S147, propose the Be star BD+50 3188 to be associated with HB 21, and suggest tentative candidates for the Cygnus and Monoceros Loops.

Modeling companion diagnostics in economic evaluations of targeted oncology therapies: systematic review and methodological checklist.

Science.gov (United States)

Doble, Brett; Tan, Marcus; Harris, Anthony; Lorgelly, Paula

2015-02-01

The successful use of a targeted therapy is intrinsically linked to the ability of a companion diagnostic to correctly identify patients most likely to benefit from treatment. The aim of this study was to review the characteristics of companion diagnostics that are of importance for inclusion in an economic evaluation. Approaches for including these characteristics in model-based economic evaluations are compared with the intent to describe best practice methods. Five databases and government agency websites were searched to identify model-based economic evaluations comparing a companion diagnostic and subsequent treatment strategy to another alternative treatment strategy with model parameters for the sensitivity and specificity of the companion diagnostic (primary synthesis). Economic evaluations that limited model parameters for the companion diagnostic to only its cost were also identified (secondary synthesis). Quality was assessed using the Quality of Health Economic Studies instrument. 30 studies were included in the review (primary synthesis n = 12; secondary synthesis n = 18). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios may be lower when the only parameter for the companion diagnostic included in a model is the cost of testing. Incorporating the test's accuracy in addition to its cost may be a more appropriate methodological approach. Altering the prevalence of the genetic biomarker, specific population tested, type of test, test accuracy and timing/sequence of multiple tests can all impact overall model results. The impact of altering a test's threshold for positivity is unknown as it was not addressed in any of the included studies. Additional quality criteria as outlined in our methodological checklist should be considered due to the shortcomings of standard quality assessment tools in differentiating studies that incorporate important test-related characteristics and those that do not. There is a need to refine methods for incorporating the characteristics

Chandra Observation of Polaris: Census of Low-mass Companions

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott; Wolk, Scott J.; Schlegel, Eric; Mason, Brian D.; Karovska, Margarita; Spitzbart, Bradley

2010-05-01

We have observed Cepheid Polaris (α UMi A: F7 Ib [Aa] + F6 V [Ab]) with Chandra ACIS-I for 10 ks. An X-ray source was found at the location of Polaris with log LX = 28.89 erg s-1 (0.3-8 keV) and kT = 0.6 keV. A spectrum this soft could come from either the supergiant or the dwarf, as shown by comparable coronal stars. Two resolved low-mass visual companions, "C" and "D," are not physical members of the system based on the lack of X-rays (indicating an age older than the Cepheid) and inconsistent proper motions. Polaris B is not an X-ray source, consistent with its early F spectral type, and probably does not have a lower mass companion itself. A possible more distant member is identified, and an additional less plausible one. This provides a complete census of companions out to 0.1 pc covering a mass ratio range of an order of magnitude and a ΔV of nearly 15 mag. Based on observations made with the NASA Chandra Satellite.

A COMPARISON OF SPECTROSCOPIC VERSUS IMAGING TECHNIQUES FOR DETECTING CLOSE COMPANIONS TO KEPLER OBJECTS OF INTEREST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teske, Johanna K.; Everett, Mark E.; Hirsch, Lea; Furlan, Elise; Ciardi, David R.; Horch, Elliott P.; Howell, Steve B.; Gonzales, Erica; Crepp, Justin R.

2015-01-01

Kepler planet candidates require both spectroscopic and imaging follow-up observations to rule out false positives and detect blended stars. Traditionally, spectroscopy and high-resolution imaging have probed different host star companion parameter spaces, the former detecting tight binaries and the latter detecting wider bound companions as well as chance background stars. In this paper, we examine a sample of 11 Kepler host stars with companions detected by two techniques—near-infrared adaptive optics and/or optical speckle interferometry imaging, and a new spectroscopic deblending method. We compare the companion effective temperatures (T eff ) and flux ratios (F B /F A , where A is the primary and B is the companion) derived from each technique and find no cases where both companion parameters agree within 1σ errors. In 3/11 cases the companion T eff values agree within 1σ errors, and in 2/11 cases the companion F B /F A values agree within 1σ errors. Examining each Kepler system individually considering multiple avenues (isochrone mapping, contrast curves, probability of being bound), we suggest two cases for which the techniques most likely agree in their companion detections (detect the same companion star). Overall, our results support the advantage that the spectroscopic deblending technique has for finding very close-in companions (θ ≲ 0.″02–0.″05) that are not easily detectable with imaging. However, we also specifically show how high-contrast AO and speckle imaging observations detect companions at larger separations (θ ≥ 0.″02–0.″05) that are missed by the spectroscopic technique, provide additional information for characterizing the companion and its potential contamination (e.g., position angle, separation, magnitude differences), and cover a wider range of primary star effective temperatures. The investigation presented here illustrates the utility of combining the two techniques to reveal higher-order multiples in known

A COMPARISON OF SPECTROSCOPIC VERSUS IMAGING TECHNIQUES FOR DETECTING CLOSE COMPANIONS TO KEPLER OBJECTS OF INTEREST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teske, Johanna K. [Carnegie DTM, 5241 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015 (United States); Everett, Mark E. [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Hirsch, Lea [Astronomy Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Furlan, Elise; Ciardi, David R. [NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, California Institute of Technology, 770 South Wilson Ave., Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Horch, Elliott P. [Department of Physics, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515 (United States); Howell, Steve B. [NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Gonzales, Erica; Crepp, Justin R., E-mail: jteske@carnegiescience.edu [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, 225 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States)

2015-11-15

Kepler planet candidates require both spectroscopic and imaging follow-up observations to rule out false positives and detect blended stars. Traditionally, spectroscopy and high-resolution imaging have probed different host star companion parameter spaces, the former detecting tight binaries and the latter detecting wider bound companions as well as chance background stars. In this paper, we examine a sample of 11 Kepler host stars with companions detected by two techniques—near-infrared adaptive optics and/or optical speckle interferometry imaging, and a new spectroscopic deblending method. We compare the companion effective temperatures (T{sub eff}) and flux ratios (F{sub B}/F{sub A}, where A is the primary and B is the companion) derived from each technique and find no cases where both companion parameters agree within 1σ errors. In 3/11 cases the companion T{sub eff} values agree within 1σ errors, and in 2/11 cases the companion F{sub B}/F{sub A} values agree within 1σ errors. Examining each Kepler system individually considering multiple avenues (isochrone mapping, contrast curves, probability of being bound), we suggest two cases for which the techniques most likely agree in their companion detections (detect the same companion star). Overall, our results support the advantage that the spectroscopic deblending technique has for finding very close-in companions (θ ≲ 0.″02–0.″05) that are not easily detectable with imaging. However, we also specifically show how high-contrast AO and speckle imaging observations detect companions at larger separations (θ ≥ 0.″02–0.″05) that are missed by the spectroscopic technique, provide additional information for characterizing the companion and its potential contamination (e.g., position angle, separation, magnitude differences), and cover a wider range of primary star effective temperatures. The investigation presented here illustrates the utility of combining the two techniques to reveal higher

Expertise, motivation and teaching in learning companion systems

OpenAIRE

Uresti, Jorge Adolfo Ramirez; du Boulay, Benedict

2004-01-01

This paper describes work carried out to explore the role of a learning companion as a teachable student of the human student. A LCS for Binary Boolean Algebra has been developed to explore the hypothesis that a learning companion with less expertise than the human student would be beneficial if the student taught it. The system implemented two companions with different expertise and two types of motivational conditions. An empirical evaluation was conducted. Although significant differential...

The Gemini NICI planet-finding campaign: The companion detection pipeline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wahhaj, Zahed [European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago (Chile); Liu, Michael C.; Nielsen, Eric L.; Chun, Mark; Ftaclas, Christ [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Biller, Beth A. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Close, Laird M. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Hayward, Thomas L.; Hartung, Markus [Gemini Observatory, Southern Operations Center, c/o AURA, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Toomey, Douglas W. [Mauna Kea Infrared, LLC, 21 Pookela St., Hilo, HI 96720 (United States)

2013-12-10

We present high-contrast image processing techniques used by the Gemini NICI Planet-Finding Campaign to detect faint companions to bright stars. The Near-Infrared Coronographic Imager (NICI) is an adaptive optics instrument installed on the 8 m Gemini South telescope, capable of angular and spectral difference imaging and specifically designed to image exoplanets. The Campaign data pipeline achieves median contrasts of 12.6 mag at 0.''5 and 14.4 mag at 1'' separation, for a sample of 45 stars (V = 4.3-13.9 mag) from the early phase of the campaign. We also present a novel approach to calculating contrast curves for companion detection based on 95% completeness in the recovery of artificial companions injected into the raw data, while accounting for the false-positive rate. We use this technique to select the image processing algorithms that are more successful at recovering faint simulated point sources. We compare our pipeline to the performance of the Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI) algorithm for NICI data and do not find significant improvement with LOCI.

Various appearances of rib companion shadow mimicking a pathologic condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Yo Won; Yoo, Shi Joon; Im, Jung Gil

1992-01-01

We have observed that the companion shadow of the upper rib may be misinterpreted as a small pneumothorax or pleural plaque associated with asbestosis. To observe the radiographic characteristics of the normal companion shadow, we analyzed, on the posteroanterior(PA) chest radiographs, the companion shadow of 50 normal cases. Factors such as occurrence on each rib, the sharpness of the margin, the relative position to the rib, the shape and the thickness were observed. Also, we analyzed the displaced pleura of 4 pneumothorax cases to differentiate their findings from the findings of normal companion shadows. On 50 normal chest radiographs, 192 companion shadows were observed on the first to fourth ribs. In 173 of those shadows, the visceral margin of the companion shadow on the second rib simulated pneumothorax more closely than those on any other ribs due to its apical location and thinness. In six of 50 normal cases, the companion shadow in the first or second rib showed an inwardly convex lower margin, mimicking pleural plaque. The companion shadow was suggested on the plain chest radiograph by the following characteristics imultiplicity (47/50), thicker than normal pleura (3/4), persistent on serial films with the same shape and specific location(4/4)

NEW BROWN DWARF COMPANIONS TO YOUNG STARS IN SCORPIUS-CENTAURUS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janson, Markus [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (United States); Jayawardhana, Ray; Bonavita, Mariangela [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Girard, Julien H. [European Southern Observatory, Santiago (Chile); Lafreniere, David [Department of Physics, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC (Canada); Gizis, John [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States); Brandeker, Alexis, E-mail: janson@astro.princeton.edu [Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, Stockholm (Sweden)

2012-10-10

We present the discoveries of three faint companions to young stars in the Scorpius-Centaurus region, imaged with the NICI instrument on Gemini South. We have confirmed all three companions through common proper motion tests. Follow-up spectroscopy has confirmed two of them, HIP 65423 B and HIP 65517 B, to be brown dwarfs, while the third, HIP 72099 B, is more likely a very low mass star just above the hydrogen burning limit. The detection of wide companions in the mass range of {approx}40-100 M{sub jup} complements previous work in the same region, reporting detections of similarly wide companions with lower masses, in the range of {approx}10-30 M{sub jup}. Such low masses near the deuterium burning limit have raised the question of whether those objects formed like planets or stars. The existence of intermediate objects as reported here could represent a bridge between lower-mass companions and stellar companions, but in any case demonstrate that mass alone may not provide a clear-cut distinction for the formation of low-mass companions to stars.

The current and future state of companion diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Amit; Ressler, Dan; Snyder, Glenn

2015-01-01

Companion diagnostics are an indispensable part of personalized medicine and will likely continue to rapidly increase in number and application to disease areas. The first companion diagnostics were launched in the 1980s and in the face of significant initial skepticism from drug developers as to whether segmenting a drug’s market through a diagnostic was advisable. The commercial success of drugs such as Herceptin® (trastuzumab) and Gleevec® (imatinib), which both require testing with companion diagnostics before they can be prescribed, has moved the entire companion diagnostic field forward. From an initial start of a handful of oncology drugs with corresponding diagnostics, the field has expanded to include multiple therapeutic areas, and the number of combinations has grown by 12-fold. Based on drugs in clinical trials, the rapid growth will likely continue for the foreseeable future. This expansion of companion diagnostics will also have a global component as markets in Europe will evolve in a similar but not identical pattern as the US. One of the greatest challenges to future growth in companion diagnostics is aligning the incentives of all stakeholders. A major driver of growth will continue to be the economic incentives for drug developers to pair their products with diagnostics. However, diagnostic companies are caught between the conflicting demands of two major stakeholders, pharmaceutical companies on one hand and payers/providers on the other. Regulators are also becoming more demanding in aligning development time lines between drugs and diagnostics. In order to survive and prosper, diagnostic companies will need to think more broadly about companion diagnostics than the historical match between a specific drug and a single diagnostic. They will also have to continue the process of consolidation and global expansion that the industry has already begun. Despite these potential obstacles, companion diagnostics have become one of the hottest areas

Social Environment and Control Status of Companion Animal-Borne Zoonoses in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi-Omoe, Hiromi; Omoe, Katsuhiko

2012-01-01

Simple Summary The risk of companion animal-borne zoonoses has been rising in Japan with the tendency for increasing number of households to ever-growing numbers and varieties of animals as pets. In response, the Japanese government has implemented measures for the domestic and border control of zoonoses. However, it is impossible to determine whether these measures have adequately controlled the transmission of companion animal-borne zoonoses, due to a lack of (i) direct evidence linking companion animal involvement in disease and (ii) understanding of current trends in disease outbreak. Active surveillance should be conducted on a national level to collect the data necessary to make this determination and identify these trends. Abstract Changing social and environmental factors have been the cause of an increase in the number and variety of animals are being imported into Japan. Moreover, the number of Japanese households are keeping companion animals has also risen. These factors, along with the high density of the Japanese population and the low percentage of registered dogs, have increased the risk of animal-to-human transmission of zoonoses. To control zoonosis outbreaks, the Japanese government has implemented a three-stage approach for the border control of zoonoses and has stipulated the monitoring and reporting of eight companion animal-borne zoonoses under the Rabies Prevention Law and the Infectious Diseases Control Law. The fact that no case of human and animal rabies has been reported over the past 50 years indicates that these measures are highly effective in preventing rabies transmission. Although it is known that the total number of possible companion animal-borne zoonosis outbreaks decreased between 2005 and 2009 when compared with numbers between 2001 and 2004, the number of zoonosis cases that can be attributed to transmission by companion animals remains unclear. Active surveillance should be conducted on a national level to collect the data

The physics companion

CERN Document Server

Fischer-Cripps, Anthony C

2014-01-01

Updated and expanded with new topics, The Physics Companion, 2nd Edition offers a unique and educational approach to learning physics at a level suitable for first-year science students. This new edition expands the presentation to include senior topics, such as statistical mechanics, quantum physics, and nuclear physics.

Social Environment and Control Status of Companion Animal-Borne Zoonoses in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiromi Takahashi-Omoe

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Changing social and environmental factors have been the cause of an increase in the number and variety of animals are being imported into Japan. Moreover, the number of Japanese households are keeping companion animals has also risen. These factors, along with the high density of the Japanese population and the low percentage of registered dogs, have increased the risk of animal-to-human transmission of zoonoses. To control zoonosis outbreaks, the Japanese government has implemented a three-stage approach for the border control of zoonoses and has stipulated the monitoring and reporting of eight companion animal-borne zoonoses under the Rabies Prevention Law and the Infectious Diseases Control Law. The fact that no case of human and animal rabies has been reported over the past 50 years indicates that these measures are highly effective in preventing rabies transmission. Although it is known that the total number of possible companion animal-borne zoonosis outbreaks decreased between 2005 and 2009 when compared with numbers between 2001 and 2004, the number of zoonosis cases that can be attributed to transmission by companion animals remains unclear. Active surveillance should be conducted on a national level to collect the data necessary to determine this number and identify trends in companion-animal transmitted diseases. Using the data collected, regulation systems should be evaluated to determine whether they have met reasonable goals and policy planning conducted for the control of emerging diseases.

Companion Animals, Natural Disasters and the Law: An Australian Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Steven

2012-08-27

This article examines the regulation of companion animal welfare during disasters, with some context provided by two recent major disaster events in Australia. Important general lessons for improved disaster management were identified in subsequent inquiries. However, the interests of companion animals continue to be inadequately addressed. This is because key assumptions underpinning disaster planning for companion animals-the primacy of human interests over animal interests and that individuals will properly address companion animal needs during times of disaster-are open to question. In particular these assumptions fail to recognise the inherent value of companion animals, underestimate the strong bond shared by some owners and their animals and, at the same time, overestimate the capacity of some owners to adequately meet the needs of their animals.

RESOLVED COMPANIONS OF CEPHEIDS: TESTING THE CANDIDATES WITH X-RAY OBSERVATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Pillitteri, Ignazio; Wolk, Scott; Karovska, Margarita; Tingle, Evan [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, MS 4, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Ave., Villanova, PA 19085 (United States); Bond, Howard E. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Schaefer, Gail H. [The CHARA Array of Georgia State University, Mount Wilson, California 91023 (United States); Mason, Brian D., E-mail: nevans@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: heb11@psu.edu, E-mail: schaefer@chara-array.org [US Naval Observatory, 3450 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20392-5420 (United States)

2016-04-15

We have made XMM-Newton observations of 14 Galactic Cepheids that have candidate resolved (≥5″) companion stars based on our earlier HST Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) imaging survey. Main-sequence stars that are young enough to be physical companions of Cepheids are expected to be strong X-ray producers in contrast to field stars. XMM-Newton exposures were set to detect essentially all companions hotter than spectral type M0 (corresponding to 0.5 M{sub ⊙}). The large majority of our candidate companions were not detected in X-rays, and hence are not confirmed as young companions. One resolved candidate (S Nor #4) was unambiguously detected, but the Cepheid is a member of a populous cluster. For this reason, it is likely that S Nor #4 is a cluster member rather than a gravitationally bound companion. Two further Cepheids (S Mus and R Cru) have X-ray emission that might be produced by either the Cepheid or the candidate resolved companion. A subsequent Chandra observation of S Mus shows that the X-rays are at the location of the Cepheid/spectroscopic binary. R Cru and also V659 Cen (also X-ray bright) have possible companions closer than 5″ (the limit for this study) which are the likely sources of X-rays. One final X-ray detection (V473 Lyr) has no known optical companion, so the prime suspect is the Cepheid itself. It is a unique Cepheid with a variable amplitude. The 14 stars that we observed with XMM constitute 36% of the 39 Cepheids found to have candidate companions in our HST/WFC3 optical survey. No young probable binary companions were found with separations of ≥5″ or 4000 au.

RESOLVED COMPANIONS OF CEPHEIDS: TESTING THE CANDIDATES WITH X-RAY OBSERVATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Pillitteri, Ignazio; Wolk, Scott; Karovska, Margarita; Tingle, Evan; Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott; Bond, Howard E.; Schaefer, Gail H.; Mason, Brian D.

2016-01-01

We have made XMM-Newton observations of 14 Galactic Cepheids that have candidate resolved (≥5″) companion stars based on our earlier HST Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) imaging survey. Main-sequence stars that are young enough to be physical companions of Cepheids are expected to be strong X-ray producers in contrast to field stars. XMM-Newton exposures were set to detect essentially all companions hotter than spectral type M0 (corresponding to 0.5 M ⊙ ). The large majority of our candidate companions were not detected in X-rays, and hence are not confirmed as young companions. One resolved candidate (S Nor #4) was unambiguously detected, but the Cepheid is a member of a populous cluster. For this reason, it is likely that S Nor #4 is a cluster member rather than a gravitationally bound companion. Two further Cepheids (S Mus and R Cru) have X-ray emission that might be produced by either the Cepheid or the candidate resolved companion. A subsequent Chandra observation of S Mus shows that the X-rays are at the location of the Cepheid/spectroscopic binary. R Cru and also V659 Cen (also X-ray bright) have possible companions closer than 5″ (the limit for this study) which are the likely sources of X-rays. One final X-ray detection (V473 Lyr) has no known optical companion, so the prime suspect is the Cepheid itself. It is a unique Cepheid with a variable amplitude. The 14 stars that we observed with XMM constitute 36% of the 39 Cepheids found to have candidate companions in our HST/WFC3 optical survey. No young probable binary companions were found with separations of ≥5″ or 4000 au

Microlensing Binaries with Candidate Brown Dwarf Companions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shin, I.-G; Han, C.; Gould, A.

2012-01-01

masses of the brown dwarf companions are 0.02 ± 0.01 M⊙ and 0.019 ± 0.002 M⊙ for MOA-2011-BLG-104/OGLE-2011-BLG-0172 and MOA-2011-BLG-149, respectively, and both companions are orbiting low-mass M dwarf host stars. More microlensing brown dwarfs are expected to be detected as the number of lensing events...

Companion Animals, Natural Disasters and the Law: An Australian Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven White

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This article examines the regulation of companion animal welfare during disasters, with some context provided by two recent major disaster events in Australia. Important general lessons for improved disaster management were identified in subsequent inquiries. However, the interests of companion animals continue to be inadequately addressed. This is because key assumptions underpinning disaster planning for companion animals—the primacy of human interests over animal interests and that individuals will properly address companion animal needs during times of disaster—are open to question. In particular these assumptions fail to recognise the inherent value of companion animals, underestimate the strong bond shared by some owners and their animals and, at the same time, overestimate the capacity of some owners to adequately meet the needs of their animals.

Absence of young white dwarf companions to five technetium stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, V.V.; Lambert, D.L.

1987-10-01

A search for hot companions to five stars of type MS and S has been carried out using the IUE satellite. No hot companions were detected for the MS stars HR 85, 4647, 6702, and 8062, and the S star HR 8714. Limits on the luminosities of possible white dwarf companions provide lower limits of 2-5x10 to the 8th yr to the ages of any degenerate companions. All five stars exhibit strong Tc I lines, and the presence of technetium, with a half-life of 2.1x10 to the 5th yr, signifies recent nucleosynthesis. The limits on the ages of possible white dwarf companions that are equal to or greater than 1000 half-lives of Tc exclude the possibility that the s-process elemental enhancement seen in these MS and S stars resulted from mass transfer from a more highly evolved companion (as is probably the mechanism by which barium stars are created). These MS and S stars represent a sample of true thermally pulsing asymptotic giant-branch stars. 41 references.

Resolved Companions of Cepheids: Testing the Candidates with X-Ray Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Pillitteri, Ignazio; Wolk, Scott; Karovska, Margarita; Tingle, Evan; Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott; Bond, Howard E.; Schaefer, Gail H.; Mason, Brian D.

2016-04-01

We have made XMM-Newton observations of 14 Galactic Cepheids that have candidate resolved (≥5″) companion stars based on our earlier HST Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) imaging survey. Main-sequence stars that are young enough to be physical companions of Cepheids are expected to be strong X-ray producers in contrast to field stars. XMM-Newton exposures were set to detect essentially all companions hotter than spectral type M0 (corresponding to 0.5 M⊙). The large majority of our candidate companions were not detected in X-rays, and hence are not confirmed as young companions. One resolved candidate (S Nor #4) was unambiguously detected, but the Cepheid is a member of a populous cluster. For this reason, it is likely that S Nor #4 is a cluster member rather than a gravitationally bound companion. Two further Cepheids (S Mus and R Cru) have X-ray emission that might be produced by either the Cepheid or the candidate resolved companion. A subsequent Chandra observation of S Mus shows that the X-rays are at the location of the Cepheid/spectroscopic binary. R Cru and also V659 Cen (also X-ray bright) have possible companions closer than 5″ (the limit for this study) which are the likely sources of X-rays. One final X-ray detection (V473 Lyr) has no known optical companion, so the prime suspect is the Cepheid itself. It is a unique Cepheid with a variable amplitude. The 14 stars that we observed with XMM constitute 36% of the 39 Cepheids found to have candidate companions in our HST/WFC3 optical survey. No young probable binary companions were found with separations of ≥5″ or 4000 au. Based on observations obtained with XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and the USA (NASA).

Basolateral amygdalar D2 receptor activation is required for the companions-exerted suppressive effect on the cocaine conditioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Tzeng, Wen-Yu; Cherng, Chian-Fang G; Yu, Lung; Wang, Ching-Yi

2017-01-01

The presence of companions renders decreases in cocaine-stimulated dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) magnitude. Limbic systems are widely believed to underlie the modulation of accumbal dopamine release and cocaine conditioning. Thus, this study aimed to assess whether intact basolateral nucleus of amygdala (BLA), dorsal hippocampus (DH), and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) is required for the companions-exerted suppressive effect on the cocaine-induced CPP. Three cage mates, serving as companions, were arranged to house with the experimental mice in the cocaine conditioning compartment throughout the cocaine conditioning sessions. Approximately 1week before the conditioning procedure, intracranial ibotenic acid infusions were done in an attempt to cause excitotoxic lesions targeting bilateral BLA, DH and DLS. Albeit their BLA, DH, and DLS lesions, the lesioned mice exhibited comparable cocaine-induced CPP magnitudes compared to the intact and sham lesion controls. Bilateral BLA, but not DH or DLS, lesions abolished the companions-exerted suppressive effect on the cocaine-induced CPP. Intact mice receiving intra-BLA infusion of raclopride, a selective D2 antagonist, 30min prior to the cocaine conditioning did not exhibit the companions-exerted suppressive effect on the cocaine-induced CPP. Intra-BLA infusion of Sch23390, a selective D1 antagonist, did not affect the companions-exerted suppressive effect on the CPP. These results, taken together, prompt us to conclude that the intactness of BLA is required for the companions-exerted suppressive effect on the cocaine-induced CPP. Importantly, activation of D2 receptor in the BLA is required for such suppressive effect on the CPP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of companion diagnostics on efficacy and safety of targeted anti-cancer drugs: systematic review and meta-analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Ocana, Alberto; Ethier, Josee-Lyne; Díez-González, Laura; Corrales-Sánchez, Verónica; Srikanthan, Amirrtha; Gascón-Escribano, María J; Templeton, Arnoud J; Vera-Badillo, Francisco; Seruga, Bostjan; Niraula, Saroj; Pandiella, Atanasio; Amir, Eitan

2015-11-24

Companion diagnostics aim to identify patients that will respond to targeted therapies, therefore increasing the clinical efficacy of such drugs. Less is known about their influence on safety and tolerability of targeted anti-cancer agents. Randomized trials evaluating targeted agents for solid tumors approved by the US Food and Drug Administration since year 2000 were assessed. Odds ratios (OR) and and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed for treatment-related death, treatment-discontinuation related to toxicity and occurrence of any grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs). The 12 most commonly reported individual AEs were also explored. ORs were pooled in a meta-analysis. Analysis comprised 41 trials evaluating 28 targeted agents. Seventeen trials (41%) utilized companion diagnostics. Compared to control groups, targeted drugs in experimental arms were associated with increased odds of treatment discontinuation, grade 3/4 AEs, and toxic death irrespective of whether they utilized companion diagnostics or not. Compared to drugs without available companion diagnostics, agents with companion diagnostics had a lower magnitude of increased odds of treatment discontinuation (OR = 1.12 vs. 1.65, p diagnostics were greatest for diarrhea (OR = 1.29 vs. 2.43, p diagnostics are associated with improved safety, and tolerability. Differences were most marked for gastrointestinal, cutaneous and neurological toxicity.

Companion Animals in Natural Disasters: A Scoping Review of Scholarly Sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Travers, Cheryl; Degeling, Chris; Rock, Melanie

2017-01-01

During a disaster, people may make evacuation decisions based on their companion animal's welfare, therefore exposing themselves, their companion animals, and emergency responders to increased risk for injury or death. The loss and suffering of companion animals in disasters causes deep distress, diminishing people's capacity to rebuild their lives. This scoping review presents scholarly research studies and reviews relating to people and their companion animals in the context of disasters, with an aim of informing researchers, policymakers, and practitioners and providing direction for future research. Using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, articles in scholarly journals from 2004 to 2014 are discussed. Analysis included 38 articles: 20 research studies, 12 reviews, and 6 editorials. Findings revealed 2 central themes: companion animals as a risk factor to human health and safety and companion animals being "at risk" themselves. An emerging theme was "responsibility": Who is responsible for companion animals in disasters and how? Understanding the implications of human-nonhuman animal relationships for disaster response and having a broader public consensus on what is owed to animals at times of emergency are important to community preparedness and resilience.

PLANETS AROUND LOW-MASS STARS. III. A YOUNG DUSTY L DWARF COMPANION AT THE DEUTERIUM-BURNING LIMIT ,

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Liu, Michael C.; Shkolnik, Evgenya L.; Dupuy, Trent J.

2013-01-01

We report the discovery of an L-type companion to the young M3.5V star 2MASS J01225093-2439505 at a projected separation of 1.''45 (≈52 AU) as part of our adaptive optics imaging search for extrasolar giant planets around young low-mass stars. 2MASS 0122-2439 B has very red near-infrared colors similar to the HR 8799 planets and the reddest known young/dusty L dwarfs in the field. Moderate-resolution (R ≈ 3800) 1.5-2.4 μm spectroscopy reveals a near-infrared spectral type of L4-L6 and an angular H-band shape, confirming its cool temperature and young age. The kinematics of 2MASS 0122-2439 AB are marginally consistent with members of the ∼120 Myr AB Dor young moving group based on the photometric distance to the primary (36 ± 4 pc) and our radial velocity measurement of 2MASS 0122-2439 A from Keck/HIRES. We adopt the AB Dor group age for the system, but the high energy emission, lack of Li I λ6707 absorption, and spectral shape of 2MASS 0122-2439 B suggest a range of ∼10-120 Myr is possible. The age and luminosity of 2MASS 0122-2439 B fall in a strip where ''hot-start'' evolutionary model mass tracks overlap as a result of deuterium burning. Several known substellar companions also fall in this region (2MASS J0103-5515 ABb, AB Pic b, κ And b, G196-3 B, SDSS 2249+0044 B, LP 261-75 B, HD 203030 B, and HN Peg B), but their dual-valued mass predictions have largely been unrecognized. The implied mass of 2MASS 0122-2439 B is ≈12-13 M Jup or ≈22-27 M Jup if it is an AB Dor member, or possibly as low as 11 M Jup if the wider age range is adopted. Evolutionary models predict an effective temperature for 2MASS 0122-2439 B that corresponds to spectral types near the L/T transition (≈1300-1500 K) for field objects. However, we find a mid-L near-infrared spectral type, indicating that 2MASS 0122-2439 B represents another case of photospheric dust being retained to cooler temperatures at low surface gravities, as seen in the spectra of young (8-30 Myr

B-ducted Heating of Black Widow Companions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez, Nicolas; Romani, Roger W., E-mail: rwr@astro.stanford.edu [Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4060 (United States)

2017-08-10

The companions of evaporating binary pulsars (black widows and related systems) show optical emission suggesting strong heating. In a number of cases, large observed temperatures and asymmetries are inconsistent with direct radiative heating for the observed pulsar spindown power and expected distance. Here we describe a heating model in which the pulsar wind sets up an intrabinary shock (IBS) against the companion wind and magnetic field, and a portion of the shock particles duct along this field to the companion magnetic poles. We show that a variety of heating patterns, and improved fits to the observed light curves, can be obtained at expected pulsar distances and luminosities, at the expense of a handful of model parameters. We test this “IBS-B” model against three well-observed binaries and comment on the implications for system masses.

THE MASS DISTRIBUTION OF COMPANIONS TO LOW-MASS WHITE DWARFS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrews, Jeff J.; Price-Whelan, Adrian M.; Agüeros, Marcel A.

2014-01-01

Measuring the masses of companions to single-line spectroscopic binary stars is (in general) not possible because of the unknown orbital plane inclination. Even when the mass of the visible star can be measured, only a lower limit can be placed on the mass of the unseen companion. However, since these inclination angles should be isotropically distributed, for a large enough, unbiased sample, the companion mass distribution can be deconvolved from the distribution of observables. In this work, we construct a hierarchical probabilistic model to infer properties of unseen companion stars given observations of the orbital period and projected radial velocity of the primary star. We apply this model to three mock samples of low-mass white dwarfs (LMWDs; M ≲ 0.45 M ☉ ) and a sample of post-common-envelope binaries. We use a mixture of two Gaussians to model the WD and neutron star (NS) companion mass distributions. Our model successfully recovers the initial parameters of these test data sets. We then apply our model to 55 WDs in the extremely low-mass (ELM) WD Survey. Our maximum a posteriori model for the WD companion population has a mean mass μ WD = 0.74 M ☉ , with a standard deviation σ WD = 0.24 M ☉ . Our model constrains the NS companion fraction f NS to be <16% at 68% confidence. We make samples from the posterior distribution publicly available so that future observational efforts may compute the NS probability for newly discovered LMWDs

Encouraging Student Reflection and Articulation Using a Learning Companion: A Commentary

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Bradley; Linton, Frank; Gaimari, Robert

2016-01-01

Our 1998 paper "Encouraging Student Reflection and Articulation using a Learning Companion" (Goodman et al. 1998) was a stepping stone in the progression of learning companions for intelligent tutoring systems (ITS). A simulated learning companion, acting as a peer in an intelligent tutoring environment ensures the availability of a…

[The presence of a companion in the primary care consultation].

Science.gov (United States)

Turabián, J L; Pérez Franco, B

2015-01-01

The presence of an adult accompanying the patient in the consulting room is a significant fact that deserves the attention of the physician. Some types of companions and their presence in the consultation have been described and may improve communication, patient management, and participatory decision making, achieving greater patient satisfaction. Consultations with companion are generally longer, and patients accompanied are often elderly, women, less educated, and with poorer physical and mental health. But it is not known exactly what is the significance of a consultation with a companion. It may be a semiological fact to keep in mind for the family diagnosis, or it may be the risks of their presence, the influence of medication, or the importance of the doctors themselves that are the cause of the presence of a companion. Different communication skills must be achieved during the interview with the companion in the consultation, rather than with the patient alone. Copyright © 2014. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

WIDE COMPANIONS TO HIPPARCOS STARS WITHIN 67 pc OF THE SUN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokovinin, Andrei; Lépine, Sébastien

2012-01-01

A catalog of common-proper-motion (CPM) companions to stars within 67 pc of the Sun is constructed based on the SUPERBLINK proper-motion survey. It contains 1392 CPM pairs with angular separations 30'' –1 , and magnitudes and colors of the secondaries consistent with those of dwarfs in the (M V , V – J) diagram. In addition, we list 21 candidate white dwarf CPM companions with separations under 300'', about half of which should be physical. We estimate a 0.31 fraction of pairs with red dwarf companions to be physical systems (about 425 objects), while the rest (mostly wide pairs) are chance alignments. For each candidate companion, the probability of a physical association is evaluated. The distribution of projected separations s of the physical pairs between 2 kAU and 64 kAU follows f(s)∝s –1.5 , which decreases faster than Öpik's law. We find that solar-mass dwarfs have no less than 4.4% ± 0.3% companions with separations larger than 2 kAU, or 3.8% ± 0.3% per decade of orbital separation in the 2-16 kAU range. The distribution of mass ratio of those wide companions is approximately uniform in the 0.1 < q < 1.0 range, although we observe a dip at q ≅ 0.5 which, if confirmed, could be evidence of bimodal distribution of companion masses. New physical CPM companions to two exoplanet host stars are discovered.

Evolution of the solar system in the presence of a solar companion star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hut, P.

1986-01-01

A review is presented of the dynamical implications of a companion star in a wide orbit around the sun, with a semimajor axis of about half a parsec. The motivation behind the hypothesis of a solar companion star is reviewed briefly along with alternative hypotheses, and the general problem of solar system dynamics with a solar companion star is discussed. Four principal questions are posed and answered concerning the consistency of the solar companion theory in providing the required modulation in comet arrival times: (1) What is the expected lifetime of a solar companion? (2) How stable is the orbital period? (3) Does a single perihelion passage of a solar companion perturb enough comets? (4) Do repeated perihelion passages of a solar companion perturb too many comets? Some applications outside the solar system involving wide binaries, interstellar clouds, and dark matter in the Galactic disk are discussed, and the viability of the solar companion theory is critically assessed

PSR J1740-3052: a pulsar with a massive companion

Science.gov (United States)

Stairs, I. H.; Manchester, R. N.; Lyne, A. G.; Kaspi, V. M.; Camilo, F.; Bell, J. F.; D'Amico, N.; Kramer, M.; Crawford, F.; Morris, D. J.; Possenti, A.; McKay, N. P. F.; Lumsden, S. L.; Tacconi-Garman, L. E.; Cannon, R. D.; Hambly, N. C.; Wood, P. R.

2001-08-01

We report on the discovery of a binary pulsar, PSR J1740-3052, during the Parkes multibeam survey. Timing observations of the 570-ms pulsar at Jodrell Bank and Parkes show that it is young, with a characteristic age of 350kyr, and is in a 231-d, highly eccentric orbit with a companion whose mass exceeds 11Msolar. An accurate position for the pulsar was obtained using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Near-infrared 2.2-μm observations made with the telescopes at the Siding Spring observatory reveal a late-type star coincident with the pulsar position. However, we do not believe that this star is the companion of the pulsar, because a typical star of this spectral type and required mass would extend beyond the orbit of the pulsar. Furthermore, the measured advance of periastron of the pulsar suggests a more compact companion, for example, a main-sequence star with radius only a few times that of the Sun. Such a companion is also more consistent with the small dispersion measure variations seen near periastron. Although we cannot conclusively rule out a black hole companion, we believe that the companion is probably an early B star, making the system similar to the binary PSR J0045-7319.

An Orbital Stability Study of the Proposed Companions of SW Lyncis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. C. Hinse

2014-09-01

Full Text Available We have investigated the dynamical stability of the proposed companions orbiting the Algol type short-period eclipsing binary SW Lyncis (Kim et al. 2010. The two candidate companions are of stellar to substellar nature, and were inferred from timing measurements of the system’s primary and secondary eclipses. We applied well-tested numerical techniques to accurately integrate the orbits of the two companions and to test for chaotic dynamical behavior. We carried out the stability analysis within a systematic parameter survey varying both the geometries and orientation of the orbits of the companions, as well as their masses. In all our numerical integrations we found that the proposed SW Lyn multi-body system is highly unstable on time-scales on the order of 1000 years. Our results cast doubt on the interpretation that the timing variations are caused by two companions. This work demonstrates that a straightforward dynamical analysis can help to test whether a best-fit companion-based model is a physically viable explanation for measured eclipse timing variations. We conclude that dynamical considerations reveal that the proposed SW Lyncis multi-body system most likely does not exist or the companions have significantly different orbital properties from those conjectured in Kim et al. (2010.

Hubble Space Telescope Snapshot Survey for Resolved Companions of Galactic Cepheids

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Bond, Howard E.; Schaefer, Gail H.; Mason, Brian D.; Tingle, Evan; Karovska, Margarita; Pillitteri, Ignazio

2016-05-01

We have conducted an imaging survey with the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) of 70 Galactic Cepheids, typically within 1 kpc, with the aim of finding resolved physical companions. The WFC3 field typically covers the 0.1 pc area where companions are expected. In this paper, we identify 39 Cepheids having candidate companions, based on their positions in color-magnitude diagrams, and having separations ⩾ 5'' from the Cepheids. We use follow-up observations of 14 of these candidates with XMM-Newton, and of one of them with ROSAT, to separate X-ray-active young stars (probable physical companions) from field stars (chance alignments). Our preliminary estimate, based on the optical and X-ray observations, is that only 3% of the Cepheids in the sample have wide companions. Our survey easily detects resolved main-sequence companions as faint as spectral type K. Thus the fact that the two most probable companions (those of FF Aql and RV Sco) are earlier than type K is not simply a function of the detection limit. We find no physical companions having separations larger than 4000 au in the X-ray survey. Two Cepheids are exceptions in that they do have young companions at significantly larger separations (δ Cep and S Nor), but both belong to a cluster or a loose association, so our working model is that they are not gravitationally bound binary members, but rather cluster/association members. All of these properties provide constraints on both star formation and subsequent dynamical evolution. The low frequency of true physical companions at separations > 5'' is confirmed by examination of the subset of the nearest Cepheids and also the density of the fields. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

Close companions to two high-redshift quasars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGreer, Ian D.; Fan, Xiaohui; Bian, Fuyan [Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065 (United States); Strauss, Michael A. [Princeton University Observatory, Peyton Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Haiman, Zoltàn [Department of Astronomy, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Richards, Gordon T. [Department of Physics, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Jiang, Linhua [School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 (United States); Schneider, Donald P., E-mail: imcgreer@as.arizona.edu [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2014-10-01

We report the serendipitous discoveries of companion galaxies to two high-redshift quasars. SDSS J025617.7+001904 is a z = 4.79 quasar included in our recent survey of faint quasars in the SDSS Stripe 82 region. The initial MMT slit spectroscopy shows excess Lyα emission extending well beyond the quasar's light profile. Further imaging and spectroscopy with LBT/MODS1 confirms the presence of a bright galaxy (i {sub AB} = 23.6) located 2'' (12 kpc projected) from the quasar with strong Lyα emission (EW{sub 0} ≈ 100 Å) at the redshift of the quasar, as well as faint continuum. The second quasar, CFHQS J005006.6+344522 (z = 6.25), is included in our recent HST SNAP survey of z ∼ 6 quasars searching for evidence of gravitational lensing. Deep imaging with ACS and WFC3 confirms an optical dropout ∼4.5 mag fainter than the quasar (Y {sub AB} = 25) at a separation of 0.''9. The red i {sub 775} – Y {sub 105} color of the galaxy and its proximity to the quasar (5 kpc projected if at the quasar redshift) strongly favor an association with the quasar. Although it is much fainter than the quasar, it is remarkably bright when compared to field galaxies at this redshift, while showing no evidence for lensing. Both systems may represent late-stage mergers of two massive galaxies, with the observed light for one dominated by powerful ongoing star formation and for the other by rapid black hole growth. Observations of close companions are rare; if major mergers are primarily responsible for high-redshift quasar fueling then the phase when progenitor galaxies can be observed as bright companions is relatively short.

A companion matrix for 2-D polynomials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boudellioua, M.S.

1995-08-01

In this paper, a matrix form analogous to the companion matrix which is often encountered in the theory of one dimensional (1-D) linear systems is suggested for a class of polynomials in two indeterminates and real coefficients, here referred to as two dimensional (2-D) polynomials. These polynomials arise in the context of 2-D linear systems theory. Necessary and sufficient conditions are also presented under which a matrix is equivalent to this companion form. (author). 6 refs

THE MASS DISTRIBUTION OF COMPANIONS TO LOW-MASS WHITE DWARFS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrews, Jeff J.; Price-Whelan, Adrian M.; Agüeros, Marcel A. [Department of Astronomy, Columbia University, 550 W 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 (United States)

2014-12-20

Measuring the masses of companions to single-line spectroscopic binary stars is (in general) not possible because of the unknown orbital plane inclination. Even when the mass of the visible star can be measured, only a lower limit can be placed on the mass of the unseen companion. However, since these inclination angles should be isotropically distributed, for a large enough, unbiased sample, the companion mass distribution can be deconvolved from the distribution of observables. In this work, we construct a hierarchical probabilistic model to infer properties of unseen companion stars given observations of the orbital period and projected radial velocity of the primary star. We apply this model to three mock samples of low-mass white dwarfs (LMWDs; M ≲ 0.45 M {sub ☉}) and a sample of post-common-envelope binaries. We use a mixture of two Gaussians to model the WD and neutron star (NS) companion mass distributions. Our model successfully recovers the initial parameters of these test data sets. We then apply our model to 55 WDs in the extremely low-mass (ELM) WD Survey. Our maximum a posteriori model for the WD companion population has a mean mass μ{sub WD} = 0.74 M {sub ☉}, with a standard deviation σ{sub WD} = 0.24 M {sub ☉}. Our model constrains the NS companion fraction f {sub NS} to be <16% at 68% confidence. We make samples from the posterior distribution publicly available so that future observational efforts may compute the NS probability for newly discovered LMWDs.

Exterior Companions to Hot Jupiters Orbiting Cool Stars Are Coplanar

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Juliette C.; Vanderburg, Andrew; Adams, Fred C.; Khain, Tali; Bryan, Marta

2017-12-01

The existence of hot Jupiters has challenged theories of planetary formation since the first extrasolar planets were detected. Giant planets are generally believed to form far from their host stars, where volatile materials like water exist in their solid phase, making it easier for giant planet cores to accumulate. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how giant planets can migrate inward from their birth sites to short-period orbits. One such mechanism, called Kozai-Lidov migration, requires the presence of distant companions in orbits inclined by more than ˜40° with respect to the plane of the hot Jupiter’s orbit. The high occurrence rate of wide companions in hot-Jupiter systems lends support to this theory for migration. However, the exact orbital inclinations of these detected planetary and stellar companions is not known, so it is not clear whether the mutual inclination of these companions is large enough for the Kozai-Lidov process to operate. This paper shows that in systems orbiting cool stars with convective outer layers, the orbits of most wide planetary companions to hot Jupiters must be well aligned with the orbits of the hot Jupiters and the spins of the host stars. For a variety of possible distributions for the inclination of the companion, the width of the distribution must be less than ˜20° to recreate the observations with good fidelity. As a result, the companion orbits are likely well aligned with those of the hot Jupiters, and the Kozai-Lidov mechanism does not enforce migration in these systems.

Search for white dwarf companions of cool stars with peculiar element abundances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boehm-Vitense, E.

1984-01-01

A search for a white dwarf companions of cool stars with peculiar element abundances was undertaken. One additional star the xi Cet, was found with a white dwarf companion. It was found that HR 1016, 56Uma, 16 Ser, have high excitation emission lines which indicate a high temperature object in the system. It is suggested that since these indications for high temperature companions were seen for all nearby Ba stars, it is highly probable that all Ba stars have white dwarf companions, and that the peculiar element abundances seen in the Ba stars are due to mass transfer. Observations, arguments and conclusions are presented. White dwarf companions were not found. Together with the Li and Be abundances and the chromospheric emission line spectra in these stars were studied. No white dwarf companions were seen for subgiant CH stars.

Search for white dwarf companions of cool stars with peculiar element abundances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boehm-Vitense, E.

1984-01-01

A search for a white dwarf companions of cool stars with peculiar element abundances was undertaken. One additional star the xi Cet, was found with a white dwarf companion. It was found that HR 1016, 56Uma, 16 Ser, have high excitation emission lines which indicate a high temperature object in the system. It is suggested that since these indications for high temperature companions were seen for all nearby Ba stars, it is highly probable that all Ba stars have white dwarf companions, and that the peculiar element abundances seen in the Ba stars are due to mass transfer. Observations, arguments and conclusions are presented. White dwarf companions were not found. Together with the Li and Be abundances and the chromospheric emission line spectra in these stars were studied. No white dwarf companions were seen for subgiant CH stars

Comparative Genotypes, Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec (SCCmec) Genes and Antimicrobial Resistance amongst Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus Isolates from Infections in Humans and Companion Animals

OpenAIRE

McManus, Brenda A.; Coleman, David C.; Deasy, Emily C.; Brennan, Gráinne I.; O’ Connell, Brian; Monecke, Stefan; Ehricht, Ralf; Leggett, Bernadette; Leonard, Nola; Shore, Anna C.

2015-01-01

This study compares the characteristics of Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE) and Staphylococcus haemolyticus (SH) isolates from epidemiologically unrelated infections in humans (Hu) (28 SE-Hu; 8 SH-Hu) and companion animals (CpA) (12 SE-CpA; 13 SH-CpA). All isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing, multilocus sequence typing and DNA microarray profiling to detect antimicrobial resistance and SCCmec-associated genes. All methicillin-resistant (MR) isolates (33/40 SE, 20/21 SH) und...

Lansoprazole as a rescue agent in chemoresistant tumors: a phase I/II study in companion animals with spontaneously occurring tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Spugnini, Enrico P; Baldi, Alfonso; Buglioni, Sabrina; Carocci, Francesca; de Bazzichini, Giulia Milesi; Betti, Gianluca; Pantaleo, Ilaria; Menicagli, Francesco; Citro, Gennaro; Fais, Stefano

2011-12-28

The treatment of human cancer has been seriously hampered for decades by resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Mechanisms underlying this resistance are far from being entirely known. A very efficient mechanism of tumor resistance to drugs is related to the modification of tumour microenvironment through changes in the extracellular and intracellular pH. The acidification of tumor microenvironment depends on proton pumps that actively pump protons outside the cells, mostly to avoid intracellular acidification. In fact, we have shown in pre-clinical settings as pre-treatment with proton-pumps inhibitors (PPI) increase tumor cell and tumor responsiveness to chemotherapeutics. In this study pet with spontaneously occurring cancer proven refractory to conventional chemotherapy have been recruited in a compassionate study. Thirty-four companion animals (27 dogs and 7 cats) were treated adding to their chemotherapy protocols the pump inhibitor lansoprazole at high dose, as suggested by pre-clinical experiments. Their responses have been compared to those of seventeen pets (10 dogs and 7 cats) whose owners did not pursue any other therapy than continuing the currently ongoing chemotherapy protocols. The drug was overall well tolerated, with only four dogs experiencing side effects due to gastric hypochlorhydria consisting with vomiting and or diarrhea. In terms of overall response twenty-three pets out of 34 had partial or complete responses (67.6%) the remaining patients experienced no response or progressive disease however most owners reported improved quality of life in most of the non responders. On the other hand, only three animals in the control group (17%) experienced short lived partial responses (1-3 months duration) while all the others died of progressive disease within two months. high dose proton pump inhibitors have been shown to induce reversal of tumor chemoresistance as well as improvement of the quality of life in pets with down staged cancer and in

BINARY FORMATION MECHANISMS: CONSTRAINTS FROM THE COMPANION MASS RATIO DISTRIBUTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reggiani, Maddalena M.; Meyer, Michael R.

2011-01-01

We present a statistical comparison of the mass ratio distribution of companions, as observed in different multiplicity surveys, to the most recent estimate of the single-object mass function. The main goal of our analysis is to test whether or not the observed companion mass ratio distribution (CMRD) as a function of primary star mass and star formation environment is consistent with having been drawn from the field star initial mass function (IMF). We consider samples of companions for M dwarfs, solar-type stars, and intermediate-mass stars, both in the field as well as clusters or associations, and compare them with populations of binaries generated by random pairing from the assumed IMF for a fixed primary mass. With regard to the field we can reject the hypothesis that the CMRD was drawn from the IMF for different primary mass ranges: the observed CMRDs show a larger number of equal-mass systems than predicted by the IMF. This is in agreement with fragmentation theories of binary formation. For the open clusters α Persei and the Pleiades we also reject the IMF random-pairing hypothesis. Concerning young star-forming regions, currently we can rule out a connection between the CMRD and the field IMF in Taurus but not in Chamaeleon I. Larger and different samples are needed to better constrain the result as a function of the environment. We also consider other companion mass functions and we compare them with observations. Moreover the CMRD both in the field and clusters or associations appears to be independent of separation in the range covered by the observations. Combining therefore the CMRDs of M (1-2400 AU) and G (28-1590 AU) primaries in the field and intermediate-mass primary binaries in Sco OB2 (29-1612 AU) for mass ratios, q = M 2 /M 1 , from 0.2 to 1, we find that the best chi-square fit follows a power law dN/dq∝q β , with β = -0.50 ± 0.29, consistent with previous results. Finally, we note that the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test gives a ∼1

26 CFR 31.3506-1 - Companion sitting placement services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

....3506-1 Companion sitting placement services. (a) Definitions—(1) Companion sitting placement service... agency that places babysitters with individuals who desire babysitting services. X furnishes all the.... B performs the services four days a week in A's home and follows specific instructions given by A...

A Companion to the Philosophy of Technology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis, Jan Kyrre Berg O.; Pedersen, Stig Andur; Hendricks, Vincent F.

The aim of philosophy of technology is to help us understand technology's complex interrelationships with the environment, society, culture - and with our very existence. A Companion to the Philosophy of Technology is the first comprehensive, authoritative reference source for this burgeoning...... those of the humanities, social studies, natural science, sociology, psychology, and engineering sciences and reflect a diversity of philosophical traditions such as pragmatism, analytical philosophy, and phenomenology. Erudite and authoritative, A Companion to the Philosophy of Technology is a major...

Uusi raamatuid : a companion to the history of the book

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2010-01-01

Tutvustus: A companion to the history of the book / edited by Simon Eliot and Jonathan Rose. - Malden, MA : Blackwell Pub., 2007. - xvi, 599 lk. : ill. - (Blackwell companions to literature and culture ; 48)

Wide cool and ultracool companions to nearby stars from Pan-STARRS 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deacon, Niall R.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Best, William M. J.; Bowler, Brendan P.; Burgett, William S.; Chambers, Kenneth C.; Flewelling, H.; Kaiser, Nick; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Morgan, Jeff S.; Tonry, John L.; Dupuy, Trent; Mann, Andrew W.; Redstone, Joshua A.; Draper, Peter W.; Metcalfe, Nigel; Hodapp, Klaus W.; Price, Paul A.

2014-01-01

We present the discovery of 57 wide (>5'') separation, low-mass (stellar and substellar) companions to stars in the solar neighborhood identified from Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) data and the spectral classification of 31 previously known companions. Our companions represent a selective subsample of promising candidates and span a range in spectral type of K7-L9 with the addition of one DA white dwarf. These were identified primarily from a dedicated common proper motion search around nearby stars, along with a few as serendipitous discoveries from our Pan-STARRS 1 brown dwarf search. Our discoveries include 23 new L dwarf companions and one known L dwarf not previously identified as a companion. The primary stars around which we searched for companions come from a list of bright stars with well-measured parallaxes and large proper motions from the Hipparcos catalog (8583 stars, mostly A-K dwarfs) and fainter stars from other proper motion catalogs (79170 stars, mostly M dwarfs). We examine the likelihood that our companions are chance alignments between unrelated stars and conclude that this is unlikely for the majority of the objects that we have followed-up spectroscopically. We also examine the entire population of ultracool (>M7) dwarf companions and conclude that while some are loosely bound, most are unlikely to be disrupted over the course of ∼10 Gyr. Our search increases the number of ultracool M dwarf companions wider than 300 AU by 88% and increases the number of L dwarf companions in the same separation range by 82%. Finally, we resolve our new L dwarf companion to HIP 6407 into a tight (0.''13, 7.4 AU) L1+T3 binary, making the system a hierarchical triple. Our search for these key benchmarks against which brown dwarf and exoplanet atmosphere models are tested has yielded the largest number of discoveries to date.

PLANETS AROUND LOW-MASS STARS. III. A YOUNG DUSTY L DWARF COMPANION AT THE DEUTERIUM-BURNING LIMIT ,

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Liu, Michael C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai' i, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Shkolnik, Evgenya L. [Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Dupuy, Trent J., E-mail: bpbowler@ifa.hawaii.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2013-09-01

We report the discovery of an L-type companion to the young M3.5V star 2MASS J01225093-2439505 at a projected separation of 1.''45 ( Almost-Equal-To 52 AU) as part of our adaptive optics imaging search for extrasolar giant planets around young low-mass stars. 2MASS 0122-2439 B has very red near-infrared colors similar to the HR 8799 planets and the reddest known young/dusty L dwarfs in the field. Moderate-resolution (R Almost-Equal-To 3800) 1.5-2.4 {mu}m spectroscopy reveals a near-infrared spectral type of L4-L6 and an angular H-band shape, confirming its cool temperature and young age. The kinematics of 2MASS 0122-2439 AB are marginally consistent with members of the {approx}120 Myr AB Dor young moving group based on the photometric distance to the primary (36 {+-} 4 pc) and our radial velocity measurement of 2MASS 0122-2439 A from Keck/HIRES. We adopt the AB Dor group age for the system, but the high energy emission, lack of Li I {lambda}6707 absorption, and spectral shape of 2MASS 0122-2439 B suggest a range of {approx}10-120 Myr is possible. The age and luminosity of 2MASS 0122-2439 B fall in a strip where ''hot-start'' evolutionary model mass tracks overlap as a result of deuterium burning. Several known substellar companions also fall in this region (2MASS J0103-5515 ABb, AB Pic b, {kappa} And b, G196-3 B, SDSS 2249+0044 B, LP 261-75 B, HD 203030 B, and HN Peg B), but their dual-valued mass predictions have largely been unrecognized. The implied mass of 2MASS 0122-2439 B is Almost-Equal-To 12-13 M{sub Jup} or Almost-Equal-To 22-27 M{sub Jup} if it is an AB Dor member, or possibly as low as 11 M{sub Jup} if the wider age range is adopted. Evolutionary models predict an effective temperature for 2MASS 0122-2439 B that corresponds to spectral types near the L/T transition ( Almost-Equal-To 1300-1500 K) for field objects. However, we find a mid-L near-infrared spectral type, indicating that 2MASS 0122-2439 B represents another case

Evidence for a solar companion star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, R.A.

1984-08-01

Periodicity seen in both the mass extinctions and large impact cratering on earth can be explained if one postulates that the sun has a companion star, orbiting in a moderately eccentric orbit with a major axis of 2.8 light-years. No other explanations that have been suggested are compatible with known facts of physics and astronomy. If the companion is a red dwarf star, the most common kind in the galaxy, then no previous astronomical observations would have found it. A search for red objects with large parallax is now underway at Berkeley, and has a good chance of identifying the star in the near future

Close companion to α Ursae Majoris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondo, Y.; Morgan, T.H.; Modisette, J.L.

1977-01-01

After our recent article on the chromospheric emission features of the Mg II resonance doublet near 2800 A observed in α UMa, Bidelman pointed out to us that this star's close companion is considerably brighter than is stated in the Yale Catalogue of Bright Stars. We have synthesized the Mg II feature for this star from the Mg II observations obtained in other single stars. The results show that the close companion to α UMa is late A in type, in general agreement with the spectroscopic studies. This explains the apparent discrepancy in the Mg II doublet emission strengths between α UMa and β Gem

Evidence for a solar companion star

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muller, R.A.

1984-08-01

Periodicity seen in both the mass extinctions and large impact cratering on earth can be explained if one postulates that the sun has a companion star, orbiting in a moderately eccentric orbit with a major axis of 2.8 light-years. No other explanations that have been suggested are compatible with known facts of physics and astronomy. If the companion is a red dwarf star, the most common kind in the galaxy, then no previous astronomical observations would have found it. A search for red objects with large parallax is now underway at Berkeley, and has a good chance of identifying the star in the near future.

Promoting childbirth companions in South Africa: a randomised pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smith Helen

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most women delivering in South African State Maternity Hospitals do not have a childbirth companion; in addition, the quality of care could be better, and at times women are treated inhumanely. We piloted a multi-faceted intervention to encourage uptake of childbirth companions in state hospitals, and hypothesised that lay carers would improve the behaviour of health professionals. Methods We conducted a pilot randomised controlled trial of an intervention to promote childbirth companions in hospital deliveries. We promoted evidence-based information for maternity staff at 10 hospitals through access to the World Health Organization Reproductive Health Library (RHL, computer hardware and training to all ten hospitals. We surveyed 200 women at each site, measuring companionship, and indicators of good obstetric practice and humanity of care. Five hospitals were then randomly allocated to receive an educational intervention to promote childbirth companions, and we surveyed all hospitals again at eight months through a repeat survey of postnatal women. Changes in median values between intervention and control hospitals were examined. Results At baseline, the majority of hospitals did not allow a companion, or access to food or fluids. A third of women were given an episiotomy. Some women were shouted at (17.7%, N = 2085, and a few reported being slapped or struck (4.3%, N = 2080. Despite an initial positive response from staff to the childbirth companion intervention, we detected no difference between intervention and control hospitals in relation to whether a companion was allowed by nursing staff, good obstetric practice or humanity of care. Conclusion The quality and humanity of care in these state hospitals needs to improve. Introducing childbirth companions was more difficult than we anticipated, particularly in under-resourced health care systems with frequent staff changes. We were unable to determine whether the presence

Promoting childbirth companions in South Africa: a randomised pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Heather; Hofmeyr, G Justus; Nikodem, V Cheryl; Smith, Helen; Garner, Paul

2007-01-01

Background Most women delivering in South African State Maternity Hospitals do not have a childbirth companion; in addition, the quality of care could be better, and at times women are treated inhumanely. We piloted a multi-faceted intervention to encourage uptake of childbirth companions in state hospitals, and hypothesised that lay carers would improve the behaviour of health professionals. Methods We conducted a pilot randomised controlled trial of an intervention to promote childbirth companions in hospital deliveries. We promoted evidence-based information for maternity staff at 10 hospitals through access to the World Health Organization Reproductive Health Library (RHL), computer hardware and training to all ten hospitals. We surveyed 200 women at each site, measuring companionship, and indicators of good obstetric practice and humanity of care. Five hospitals were then randomly allocated to receive an educational intervention to promote childbirth companions, and we surveyed all hospitals again at eight months through a repeat survey of postnatal women. Changes in median values between intervention and control hospitals were examined. Results At baseline, the majority of hospitals did not allow a companion, or access to food or fluids. A third of women were given an episiotomy. Some women were shouted at (17.7%, N = 2085), and a few reported being slapped or struck (4.3%, N = 2080). Despite an initial positive response from staff to the childbirth companion intervention, we detected no difference between intervention and control hospitals in relation to whether a companion was allowed by nursing staff, good obstetric practice or humanity of care. Conclusion The quality and humanity of care in these state hospitals needs to improve. Introducing childbirth companions was more difficult than we anticipated, particularly in under-resourced health care systems with frequent staff changes. We were unable to determine whether the presence of a lay carer impacted

WIDE COMPANIONS TO HIPPARCOS STARS WITHIN 67 pc OF THE SUN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tokovinin, Andrei [Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Lepine, Sebastien, E-mail: atokovinin@ctio.noao.edu, E-mail: lepine@amnh.org [Department of Astrophysics, Division of Physical Sciences, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 (United States)

2012-10-01

A catalog of common-proper-motion (CPM) companions to stars within 67 pc of the Sun is constructed based on the SUPERBLINK proper-motion survey. It contains 1392 CPM pairs with angular separations 30'' < {rho} < 1800'', relative proper motion between the two components less than 25 mas yr{sup -1}, and magnitudes and colors of the secondaries consistent with those of dwarfs in the (M{sub V} , V - J) diagram. In addition, we list 21 candidate white dwarf CPM companions with separations under 300'', about half of which should be physical. We estimate a 0.31 fraction of pairs with red dwarf companions to be physical systems (about 425 objects), while the rest (mostly wide pairs) are chance alignments. For each candidate companion, the probability of a physical association is evaluated. The distribution of projected separations s of the physical pairs between 2 kAU and 64 kAU follows f(s){proportional_to}s {sup -1.5}, which decreases faster than Oepik's law. We find that solar-mass dwarfs have no less than 4.4% {+-} 0.3% companions with separations larger than 2 kAU, or 3.8% {+-} 0.3% per decade of orbital separation in the 2-16 kAU range. The distribution of mass ratio of those wide companions is approximately uniform in the 0.1 < q < 1.0 range, although we observe a dip at q {approx_equal} 0.5 which, if confirmed, could be evidence of bimodal distribution of companion masses. New physical CPM companions to two exoplanet host stars are discovered.

The Senior Companion Program Plus: A culturally tailored psychoeducational training program (innovative practice).

Science.gov (United States)

Fields, Noelle L; Xu, Ling; Richardson, Virginia E; Parekh, Rupal; Ivey, Dorothea; Feinhals, Gretchen; Calhoun, Melanie

2016-01-01

A purposive sample of African American Senior Companions ( N = 23) participated in a 5-day, 20-hour psychoeducational training designed to address the unique cultural needs of African American dementia caregivers. Previous studies have not utilized lay caregiver volunteers such as Senior Companions in dementia research in the United States. Pre- and post-tests were administered to determine whether African American Senior Companions increased their knowledge of Alzheimer's disease after participating in the Senior Companion Program Plus. Results from both the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that participants improved their understanding of Alzheimer's disease. Findings from the Senior Companion Program Plus pilot warrant further study for its potential as cost effective, culturally tailored training for Senior Companions who serve persons with dementia and their family caregivers.

Oral delivery of medications to companion animals: palatability considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Thombre, Avinash G

2004-06-23

There is an increased need for highly palatable solid oral dosage forms for companion animals, which are voluntarily accepted by the dog or cat, either from a feeding bowl or from the outstretched hand of the pet owner. Such dosage forms represent an emerging trend in companion animal formulations with major impact on medical needs such as convenience and compliance, particularly for chronically administered medications, and on marketing needs such as product differentiation. This review focuses on the science of taste, food and flavor preferences of dogs and cats, and palatability testing, in the context of applying these principles to the development of an oral palatable tablet for companion animals.

Companion Animals. [Information Packet.

Science.gov (United States)

National Anti-Vivisection Society, Chicago, IL.

This collection of articles reprinted from other National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) publications was compiled to educate the public on issues of importance to NAVS concerning companion animals. Topics covered include spaying and neutering, animal safety, pet theft, and the use of cats and dogs in research. The article on spaying and…

Public health risk of antimicrobial resistance transfer from companion animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomba, Constança; Rantala, Merja; Greko, Christina; Baptiste, Keith Edward; Catry, Boudewijn; van Duijkeren, Engeline; Mateus, Ana; Moreno, Miguel A; Pyörälä, Satu; Ružauskas, Modestas; Sanders, Pascal; Teale, Christopher; Threlfall, E John; Kunsagi, Zoltan; Torren-Edo, Jordi; Jukes, Helen; Törneke, Karolina

2017-04-01

Antimicrobials are important tools for the therapy of infectious bacterial diseases in companion animals. Loss of efficacy of antimicrobial substances can seriously compromise animal health and welfare. A need for the development of new antimicrobials for the therapy of multiresistant infections, particularly those caused by Gram-negative bacteria, has been acknowledged in human medicine and a future corresponding need in veterinary medicine is expected. A unique aspect related to antimicrobial resistance and risk of resistance transfer in companion animals is their close contact with humans. This creates opportunities for interspecies transmission of resistant bacteria. Yet, the current knowledge of this field is limited and no risk assessment is performed when approving new veterinary antimicrobials. The objective of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on the use and indications for antimicrobials in companion animals, drug-resistant bacteria of concern among companion animals, risk factors for colonization of companion animals with resistant bacteria and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (bacteria and/or resistance determinants) between animals and humans. The major antimicrobial resistance microbiological hazards originating from companion animals that directly or indirectly may cause adverse health effects in humans are MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, VRE, ESBL- or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and Gram-negative bacteria. In the face of the previously recognized microbiological hazards, a risk assessment tool could be applied in applications for marketing authorization for medicinal products for companion animals. This would allow the approval of new veterinary medicinal antimicrobials for which risk levels are estimated as acceptable for public health. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For

Google+ companion

CERN Document Server

Hattersley, Mark

2012-01-01

Get the inside scoop on the newest social networking site: Google+ If you think you've seen it all when it comes to social networking sites, you haven't seen Google+ yet! Built from the ground up to be useful to both desktop and mobile users, Google+ offers the same great features as other popular social network sites?yet, Google+ goes one step further by integrating popular Google technologies and introducing exciting new and unique features such as "Circles," "Hang," and "Sparks." Using clear, step-by-step instructions, Google+ Companion helps you master this amazing new social networking te

THE RUNAWAY WHITE DWARF LP400-22 HAS A COMPANION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilic, Mukremin; Brown, Warren R.; Kenyon, S. J.; Allende Prieto, Carlos; Swift, B.; Liebert, J.; Agueeros, M. A.

2009-01-01

We report the detection of a radial velocity companion to the extremely low-mass white dwarf (WD) LP400-22. The radial velocity of the WD shows variations with a semiamplitude of 119 km s -1 and a 0.98776 day period, which implies a companion mass of M ≥ 0.37 M sun . The optical photometry rules out a main-sequence companion. Thus the invisible companion is another WD or a neutron star. Using proper-motion measurements and the radial velocity of the binary system, we find that it has an unusual Galactic orbit. LP400-22 is moving away from the Galactic center with a velocity of 396 ± 43 km s -1 , which is very difficult to explain by supernova runaway ejection mechanisms. Dynamical interactions with a massive black hole like that in the Galactic center can in principle explain its peculiar velocity, if the progenitor was a triple star system comprised of a close binary and a distant tertiary companion. Until better proper motions become available, we consider LP400-22 to be most likely a halo star with a very unusual orbit.

A METAL-RICH LOW-GRAVITY COMPANION TO A MASSIVE MILLISECOND PULSAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplan, D. L.; Bhalerao, V. B.; Van Kerkwijk, M. H.; Koester, D.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Stovall, K.

2013-01-01

Most millisecond pulsars with low-mass companions are in systems with either helium-core white dwarfs or non-degenerate (''black widow'' or ''redback'') stars. A candidate counterpart to PSR J1816+4510 was identified by Kaplan et al. whose properties were suggestive of both types of companions although identical to neither. We have assembled optical spectroscopy of the candidate companion and confirm that it is part of the binary system with a radial velocity amplitude of 343 ± 7 km s –1 , implying a high pulsar mass, M psr sin 3 i = 1.84 ± 0.11 M ☉ , and a companion mass M c sin 3 i = 0.193 ± 0.012 M ☉ , where i is the inclination of the orbit. The companion appears similar to proto-white dwarfs/sdB stars, with a gravity log 10 (g) = 4.9 ± 0.3, and effective temperature 16, 000 ± 500 K. The strongest lines in the spectrum are from hydrogen, but numerous lines from helium, calcium, silicon, and magnesium are present as well, with implied abundances of roughly 10 times solar (relative to hydrogen). As such, while from the spectrum the companion to PSR J1816+4510 is superficially most similar to a low-mass white dwarf, it has much lower gravity, is substantially larger, and shows substantial metals. Furthermore, it is able to produce ionized gas eclipses, which had previously been seen only for low-mass, non-degenerate companions in redback or black widow systems. We discuss the companion in relation to other sources, but find that we understand neither its nature nor its origins. Thus, the system is interesting for understanding unusual stellar products of binary evolution, as well as, independent of its nature, for determining neutron-star masses.

A SUBSTELLAR COMPANION TO THE DUSTY PLEIADES STAR HD 23514

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez, David R.; Zuckerman, B.; Marois, Christian; Macintosh, Bruce; Melis, Carl

2012-01-01

With adaptive optics imaging at Keck observatory, we have discovered a substellar companion to the F6 Pleiades star HD 23514, one of the dustiest main-sequence stars known to date (L IR /L * ∼ 2%). This is one of the first brown dwarfs discovered as a companion to a star in the Pleiades. The 0.06 M ☉ late-M secondary has a projected separation of ∼360 AU. The scarcity of substellar companions to stellar primaries in the Pleiades combined with the extremely dusty environment make this a unique system to study.

SUB-STELLAR COMPANIONS AND STELLAR MULTIPLICITY IN THE TAURUS STAR-FORMING REGION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daemgen, Sebastian; Bonavita, Mariangela; Jayawardhana, Ray; Lafrenière, David; Janson, Markus

2015-01-01

We present results from a large, high-spatial-resolution near-infrared imaging search for stellar and sub-stellar companions in the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. The sample covers 64 stars with masses between those of the most massive Taurus members at ∼3 M ☉ and low-mass stars at ∼0.2 M ☉ . We detected 74 companion candidates, 34 of these reported for the first time. Twenty-five companions are likely physically bound, partly confirmed by follow-up observations. Four candidate companions are likely unrelated field stars. Assuming physical association with their host star, estimated companion masses are as low as ∼2 M Jup . The inferred multiplicity frequency within our sensitivity limits between ∼10-1500 AU is 26.3 −4.9 +6.6 %. Applying a completeness correction, 62% ± 14% of all Taurus stars between 0.7 and 1.4 M ☉ appear to be multiple. Higher order multiples were found in 1.8 −1.5 +4.2 % of the cases, in agreement with previous observations of the field. We estimate a sub-stellar companion frequency of ∼3.5%-8.8% within our sensitivity limits from the discovery of two likely bound and three other tentative very low-mass companions. This frequency appears to be in agreement with what is expected from the tail of the stellar companion mass ratio distribution, suggesting that stellar and brown dwarf companions share the same dominant formation mechanism. Further, we find evidence for possible evolution of binary parameters between two identified sub-populations in Taurus with ages of ∼2 Myr and ∼20 Myr, respectively

SUB-STELLAR COMPANIONS AND STELLAR MULTIPLICITY IN THE TAURUS STAR-FORMING REGION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daemgen, Sebastian [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5H 3H4 (Canada); Bonavita, Mariangela [The University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Jayawardhana, Ray [Physics and Astronomy, York University, Toronto, Ontario L3T 3R1 (Canada); Lafrenière, David [Department of Physics, University of Montréal, Montréal, QC (Canada); Janson, Markus, E-mail: daemgen@astro.utoronto.ca [Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, Stockholm (Sweden)

2015-02-01

We present results from a large, high-spatial-resolution near-infrared imaging search for stellar and sub-stellar companions in the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. The sample covers 64 stars with masses between those of the most massive Taurus members at ∼3 M {sub ☉} and low-mass stars at ∼0.2 M {sub ☉}. We detected 74 companion candidates, 34 of these reported for the first time. Twenty-five companions are likely physically bound, partly confirmed by follow-up observations. Four candidate companions are likely unrelated field stars. Assuming physical association with their host star, estimated companion masses are as low as ∼2 M {sub Jup}. The inferred multiplicity frequency within our sensitivity limits between ∼10-1500 AU is 26.3{sub −4.9}{sup +6.6}%. Applying a completeness correction, 62% ± 14% of all Taurus stars between 0.7 and 1.4 M {sub ☉} appear to be multiple. Higher order multiples were found in 1.8{sub −1.5}{sup +4.2}% of the cases, in agreement with previous observations of the field. We estimate a sub-stellar companion frequency of ∼3.5%-8.8% within our sensitivity limits from the discovery of two likely bound and three other tentative very low-mass companions. This frequency appears to be in agreement with what is expected from the tail of the stellar companion mass ratio distribution, suggesting that stellar and brown dwarf companions share the same dominant formation mechanism. Further, we find evidence for possible evolution of binary parameters between two identified sub-populations in Taurus with ages of ∼2 Myr and ∼20 Myr, respectively.

"SPEAKING-FOR" AND "SPEAKING-AS": PSEUDO-SURROGACY IN PHYSICIANPATIENT-COMPANION MEDICAL ENCOUNTERS ABOUT ADVANCED CANCER

Science.gov (United States)

Mazer, Benjamin L.; Cameron, Rachel A.; DeLuca, Jane M.; Mohile, Supriya G.; Epstein, Ronald M.

2014-01-01

Objective To examine using audio-recorded encounters the extent and process of companion participation when discussing treatment choices and prognosis in the context of a life-limiting cancer diagnosis. Methods Qualitative analysis of transcribed outpatient visits between 17 oncologists, 49 patients with advanced cancer, and 34 companions. Results 46 qualifying companion statements were collected from a total of 28 conversations about treatment choices or prognosis. We identified a range of companion positions, from “pseudo-surrogacy” (companion speaking as if the patient were not able to speak for himself), “hearsay”, “conflation of thoughts”, “co-experiencing”, “observation as an outsider”, and “facilitation”. Statements made by companions were infrequently directly validated by the patient. Conclusions Companions often spoke on behalf of patients during discussions of prognosis and treatment choices, even when the patient was present and capable of speaking on his or her own behalf. Practice Implications The conversational role of companions as well as whether the physician checks with the patient can determine whether a companion facilitates or inhibits patient autonomy and involvement. Physicians can reduce ambiguity and encourage patient participation by being aware of the when and how companions may speak on behalf of patients and by corroborating the companion's statement with the patient. PMID:24862913

On the absence of young white dwarf companions to five technetium stars

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Verne V.; Lambert, David L.

1987-01-01

A search for hot companions to five stars of type MS and S has been carried out using the IUE satellite. No hot companions were detected for the MS stars HR 85, 4647, 6702, and 8062, and the S star HR 8714. Limits on the luminosities of possible white dwarf companions provide lower limits of 2-5x10 to the 8th yr to the ages of any degenerate companions. All five stars exhibit strong Tc I lines, and the presence of technetium, with a half-life of 2.1x10 to the 5th yr, signifies recent nucleosynthesis. The limits on the ages of possible white dwarf companions that are equal to or greater than 1000 half-lives of Tc exclude the possibility that the s-process elemental enhancement seen in these MS and S stars resulted from mass transfer from a more highly evolved companion (as is probably the mechanism by which barium stars are created). These MS and S stars represent a sample of true thermally pulsing asymptotic giant-branch stars.

New Clues to the Mysterious Origin of Wide-Separation Planetary-Mass Companions

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, Marta

2018-01-01

Over the past decade, direct imaging searches for young gas giant planets have revealed a new population of young planetary-mass companions with extremely wide orbital separations (>50 AU) and masses near or at the deuterium-burning limit. These companions pose significant challenges to standard formation models, including core accretion, disk instability, and turbulent fragmentation. In my talk I will discuss new results from high-contrast imaging and high-resolution infrared spectroscopy of a sample of directly imaged wide-separation companions that can be used to directly test these three competing formation mechanisms. First, I use high-contrast imaging to strongly discount scattering as a hypothesis for the origin of wide-separation companions. Second, I measure rotation rates of a subset of these companions using their near-IR spectra, and place the first constraints on the angular momentum evolution of young planetary-mass objects. Finally, I explore the ability of high-resolution spectroscopy to constrain the atmospheric C/O ratios of these companions, providing a complementary test of competing formation scenarios.

A Quantitative Assessment of Factors Affecting the Technological Development and Adoption of Companion Diagnostics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dee eLuo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Rapid innovation in (epigenetics and biomarker sciences is driving a new drug development and product development pathway, with the personalized medicine era dominated by biologic therapeutics and companion diagnostics. Companion diagnostics (CDx are tests and assays that detect biomarkers and specific mutations to elucidate disease pathways, stratify patient populations, and target drug therapies. CDx can substantially influence the development and regulatory approval for certain high-risk biologics. However, despite the increasingly important role of companion diagnostics in the realization of personalized medicine, in the United States, there are only twenty-three Food and Drug Administration (FDA approved companion diagnostics on the market for eleven unique indications. Personalized medicines have great potential, yet their use is currently constrained. A major factor for this may lie in the increased complexity of the companion diagnostic and corresponding therapeutic development and adoption pathways. Understanding the market dynamics of companion diagnostic/therapeutic (CDx/Rx pairs is important to further development and adoption of personalized medicine. Therefore, data collected on a variety of factors may highlight incentives or disincentives driving the development of companion diagnostics. Statistical analysis for thirty-six hypotheses resulted in two significant relationships and thirty-four non-significant relationships. The sensitivity of the companion diagnostic was the only factor that significantly correlated with the price of the companion diagnostic. This result indicates that while there is regulatory pressure for the diagnostic and pharmaceutical industry to collaborate and co-develop companion diagnostics for the approval of personalized therapeutics, there seems to be a lack of parallel economic collaboration to incentivize development of companion diagnostics.

A Quantitative Assessment of Factors Affecting the Technological Development and Adoption of Companion Diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Dee; Smith, James A; Meadows, Nick A; Schuh, A; Manescu, Katie E; Bure, Kim; Davies, Benjamin; Horne, Rob; Kope, Mike; DiGiusto, David L; Brindley, David A

2015-01-01

Rapid innovation in (epi)genetics and biomarker sciences is driving a new drug development and product development pathway, with the personalized medicine era dominated by biologic therapeutics and companion diagnostics. Companion diagnostics (CDx) are tests and assays that detect biomarkers and specific mutations to elucidate disease pathways, stratify patient populations, and target drug therapies. CDx can substantially influence the development and regulatory approval for certain high-risk biologics. However, despite the increasingly important role of companion diagnostics in the realization of personalized medicine, in the USA, there are only 23 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved companion diagnostics on the market for 11 unique indications. Personalized medicines have great potential, yet their use is currently constrained. A major factor for this may lie in the increased complexity of the companion diagnostic and corresponding therapeutic development and adoption pathways. Understanding the market dynamics of companion diagnostic/therapeutic (CDx/Rx) pairs is important to further development and adoption of personalized medicine. Therefore, data collected on a variety of factors may highlight incentives or disincentives driving the development of companion diagnostics. Statistical analysis for 36 hypotheses resulted in two significant relationships and 34 non-significant relationships. The sensitivity of the companion diagnostic was the only factor that significantly correlated with the price of the companion diagnostic. This result indicates that while there is regulatory pressure for the diagnostic and pharmaceutical industry to collaborate and co-develop companion diagnostics for the approval of personalized therapeutics, there seems to be a lack of parallel economic collaboration to incentivize development of companion diagnostics.

How Japanese companion dog and cat owners’ degree of attachment relates to the attribution of emotions to their animals

Science.gov (United States)

Koda, Naoko; Martens, Pim

2018-01-01

Recently, studies in the United States and European countries have shown that the degree of attachment is associated with the attribution of emotions to companion animals. These studies imply that investigating the degree of attachment to companion animals is a good way for researchers to explore animal emotions and then improve animal welfare. Although a promising area of study, in Japan, no empirical studies have examined the correlation between the degree of attachment and the attribution of emotions to companion animals. In this research, we aimed to assess companion animal owners’ attribution of six primary (anger, joy, sadness, disgust, fear and surprise) and four secondary (shame, jealousy, disappointment and compassion) emotions to their dogs and cats, as well as how the degree of attachment related to such attribution of emotions from a Japanese cultural perspective. The “Pet Bonding Scale” (PBS), which is used to determine the level of bonding between humans and animals, was introduced to measure respondents’ degree of attachment to their companion animals. The results of a questionnaire (N = 546) distributed throughout Japan showed that respondents attributed a wide range of emotions to their animals. Companion animals’ primary emotions, compared to secondary emotions, were more commonly attributed by their owners. The attribution of compassion and jealousy was reported at a high level (73.1% and 56.2%, respectively), which was surprising as compassion and jealousy are generally defined as secondary emotions. All participants were highly attached to their companion animals, and this attachment was positively associated with the attribution of emotions (9/10) to companion animals (all p animal emotions by analyzing the bonding between companion animals and owners in Japan, and it can therefore provide knowledge to increase Japanese people’s awareness of animal welfare. PMID:29304166

How Japanese companion dog and cat owners' degree of attachment relates to the attribution of emotions to their animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Bingtao; Koda, Naoko; Martens, Pim

2018-01-01

Recently, studies in the United States and European countries have shown that the degree of attachment is associated with the attribution of emotions to companion animals. These studies imply that investigating the degree of attachment to companion animals is a good way for researchers to explore animal emotions and then improve animal welfare. Although a promising area of study, in Japan, no empirical studies have examined the correlation between the degree of attachment and the attribution of emotions to companion animals. In this research, we aimed to assess companion animal owners' attribution of six primary (anger, joy, sadness, disgust, fear and surprise) and four secondary (shame, jealousy, disappointment and compassion) emotions to their dogs and cats, as well as how the degree of attachment related to such attribution of emotions from a Japanese cultural perspective. The "Pet Bonding Scale" (PBS), which is used to determine the level of bonding between humans and animals, was introduced to measure respondents' degree of attachment to their companion animals. The results of a questionnaire (N = 546) distributed throughout Japan showed that respondents attributed a wide range of emotions to their animals. Companion animals' primary emotions, compared to secondary emotions, were more commonly attributed by their owners. The attribution of compassion and jealousy was reported at a high level (73.1% and 56.2%, respectively), which was surprising as compassion and jealousy are generally defined as secondary emotions. All participants were highly attached to their companion animals, and this attachment was positively associated with the attribution of emotions (9/10) to companion animals (all p animal emotions by analyzing the bonding between companion animals and owners in Japan, and it can therefore provide knowledge to increase Japanese people's awareness of animal welfare.

How Japanese companion dog and cat owners' degree of attachment relates to the attribution of emotions to their animals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bingtao Su

Full Text Available Recently, studies in the United States and European countries have shown that the degree of attachment is associated with the attribution of emotions to companion animals. These studies imply that investigating the degree of attachment to companion animals is a good way for researchers to explore animal emotions and then improve animal welfare. Although a promising area of study, in Japan, no empirical studies have examined the correlation between the degree of attachment and the attribution of emotions to companion animals. In this research, we aimed to assess companion animal owners' attribution of six primary (anger, joy, sadness, disgust, fear and surprise and four secondary (shame, jealousy, disappointment and compassion emotions to their dogs and cats, as well as how the degree of attachment related to such attribution of emotions from a Japanese cultural perspective. The "Pet Bonding Scale" (PBS, which is used to determine the level of bonding between humans and animals, was introduced to measure respondents' degree of attachment to their companion animals. The results of a questionnaire (N = 546 distributed throughout Japan showed that respondents attributed a wide range of emotions to their animals. Companion animals' primary emotions, compared to secondary emotions, were more commonly attributed by their owners. The attribution of compassion and jealousy was reported at a high level (73.1% and 56.2%, respectively, which was surprising as compassion and jealousy are generally defined as secondary emotions. All participants were highly attached to their companion animals, and this attachment was positively associated with the attribution of emotions (9/10 to companion animals (all p < 0.05. This study is one of the first to investigate animal emotions by analyzing the bonding between companion animals and owners in Japan, and it can therefore provide knowledge to increase Japanese people's awareness of animal welfare.

Artificial companions as personal coach for children: The Interactive Drums Teacher

OpenAIRE

Courgeon , Matthieu; Duhaut , Dominique

2015-01-01

International audience; The MOCA Project that aims at designing and studying the interaction and relationship between artificial companions and children in everyday life at home activities. Artificial companions are digital embodied entities that can be either robotic or virtual. In this paper, we focus on a single activity, subpart of the whole project: a coaching application that uses two artificial companions to teach the basics of drums to children. One device is a Nao robot, the other is...

Close Companions to Two High-redshift Quasars

Science.gov (United States)

McGreer, Ian D.; Fan, Xiaohui; Strauss, Michael A.; Haiman, Zoltàn; Richards, Gordon T.; Jiang, Linhua; Bian, Fuyan; Schneider, Donald P.

2014-10-01

We report the serendipitous discoveries of companion galaxies to two high-redshift quasars. SDSS J025617.7+001904 is a z = 4.79 quasar included in our recent survey of faint quasars in the SDSS Stripe 82 region. The initial MMT slit spectroscopy shows excess Lyα emission extending well beyond the quasar's light profile. Further imaging and spectroscopy with LBT/MODS1 confirms the presence of a bright galaxy (i AB = 23.6) located 2'' (12 kpc projected) from the quasar with strong Lyα emission (EW0 ≈ 100 Å) at the redshift of the quasar, as well as faint continuum. The second quasar, CFHQS J005006.6+344522 (z = 6.25), is included in our recent HST SNAP survey of z ~ 6 quasars searching for evidence of gravitational lensing. Deep imaging with ACS and WFC3 confirms an optical dropout ~4.5 mag fainter than the quasar (Y AB = 25) at a separation of 0.''9. The red i 775 - Y 105 color of the galaxy and its proximity to the quasar (5 kpc projected if at the quasar redshift) strongly favor an association with the quasar. Although it is much fainter than the quasar, it is remarkably bright when compared to field galaxies at this redshift, while showing no evidence for lensing. Both systems may represent late-stage mergers of two massive galaxies, with the observed light for one dominated by powerful ongoing star formation and for the other by rapid black hole growth. Observations of close companions are rare; if major mergers are primarily responsible for high-redshift quasar fueling then the phase when progenitor galaxies can be observed as bright companions is relatively short. Based in part on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with programs #12184 and #12493. Observations were also made with the LBT and MMT.

Companion of choice at birth: factors affecting implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabakian-Khasholian, Tamar; Portela, Anayda

2017-08-31

Two recent recommendations made by the World Health Organization confirm the benefits of companion of choice at birth on labour outcomes; however institutional practices and policies do not always support its implementation in different settings around the world. We conducted a review to determine factors that affect implementation of this intervention considering the perspectives and experiences of different stakeholders and other institutional, systemic barriers and facilitators. Forty one published studies were included in this review. Thirty one publications were identified from a 2013 Cochrane review on the effectiveness of companion of choice at birth. We also reviewed 10 qualitative studies conducted alongside the trials or other interventions on labour and birth companionship identified through electronic searches. The SURE (Supporting the Use of Research Evidence) framework was used to guide the thematic analysis of implementation factors. Women and their families expressed appreciation for the continuous presence of a person to provide support during childbirth. Health care providers were concerned about the role of the companion and possible interference with activities in the labour ward. Allocation of resources, organization of care, facility-related constraints and cultural inclinations were identified as implementation barriers. Prior to introducing companion of choice at birth, understanding providers' attitudes and sensitizing them to the evidence is necessary. The commitment of the management of health care facilities is also required to change policies, including allocation of appropriate physical space that respects women's privacy. Implementation research to develop models for different contexts which could be scaled up would be useful, including documentation of factors that affected implementation and how they were addressed. Future research should also focus on documenting the costs related to implementation, and on measuring the impact of

A low-temperature companion to a white dwarf star

Science.gov (United States)

Becklin, E. E.; Zuckerman, B.

1988-01-01

An infrared object located about 120 AU from the white dwarf GD165 has been discovered. With the exception of the possible brown dwarf companion to Giclas 29-38 reported last year, the companion to GD165 is the coolest (2100 K) dwarf star ever reported and, according to some theoretical models, it should be a substellar brown dwarf with a mass between 0.06 and 0.08 solar mass. These results, together with newly discovered low-mass stellar companions to white dwarfs, change the investigation of very low-mass stars from the study of a few chance objects to that of a statistical distribution. In particular, it appears that very low-mass stars and perhaps even brown dwarfs could be quite common in the Galaxy.

Searching for Low-mass Companions of Cepheids, Part II

Science.gov (United States)

Remage Evans, Nancy; Tingle, E.; Bond, H. E.; Schaefer, G. H.; Mason, B.; Karovska, M.; Wolk, S.; Pillitteri, I.; DePasquale, J.; Guinan, E.; Engle, S.

2012-01-01

The formation of a binary/multiple system is an effective way to manipulate angular momentum during the star-formation process. The properties of binary systems (separations and mass ratios) are thus the ``fingerprints" of the process. Low mass companions are the most difficult to identify particularly for massive stars. We are conducting a snapshot survey of the nearest Cepheids (5 Msun stars) using the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) to discover possible resolved low mass companions. The color-magnitude combination is the first approach to identifying probable physical companions. The distributions of mass and separation for these stars will be discussed. Financial suppoet was provided by Hubble grant GO-12215.01-A and the Chandra X-ray Center NASA contract NAS8-03060.

Historical Companion to Postcolonial Thought

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

  The Companion contains 240 entries written by more than 150 acknowledged scholars of postcolonial history and literature, and covers major events, ideas, movements, and figures in postcolonial histories.  In addition, for each region, there are long survey essays on historiography and women's h...

Lansoprazole as a rescue agent in chemoresistant tumors: a phase I/II study in companion animals with spontaneously occurring tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spugnini Enrico P

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The treatment of human cancer has been seriously hampered for decades by resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Mechanisms underlying this resistance are far from being entirely known. A very efficient mechanism of tumor resistance to drugs is related to the modification of tumour microenvironment through changes in the extracellular and intracellular pH. The acidification of tumor microenvironment depends on proton pumps that actively pump protons outside the cells, mostly to avoid intracellular acidification. In fact, we have shown in pre-clinical settings as pre-treatment with proton-pumps inhibitors (PPI increase tumor cell and tumor responsiveness to chemotherapeutics. In this study pet with spontaneously occurring cancer proven refractory to conventional chemotherapy have been recruited in a compassionate study. Methods Thirty-four companion animals (27 dogs and 7 cats were treated adding to their chemotherapy protocols the pump inhibitor lansoprazole at high dose, as suggested by pre-clinical experiments. Their responses have been compared to those of seventeen pets (10 dogs and 7 cats whose owners did not pursue any other therapy than continuing the currently ongoing chemotherapy protocols. Results The drug was overall well tolerated, with only four dogs experiencing side effects due to gastric hypochlorhydria consisting with vomiting and or diarrhea. In terms of overall response twenty-three pets out of 34 had partial or complete responses (67.6% the remaining patients experienced no response or progressive disease however most owners reported improved quality of life in most of the non responders. On the other hand, only three animals in the control group (17% experienced short lived partial responses (1-3 months duration while all the others died of progressive disease within two months. Conclusions high dose proton pump inhibitors have been shown to induce reversal of tumor chemoresistance as well as improvement of

Cost Implications of Value-Based Pricing for Companion Diagnostic Tests in Precision Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaric, Gregory S

2016-07-01

Many interpretations of personalized medicine, also referred to as precision medicine, include discussions of companion diagnostic tests that allow drugs to be targeted to those individuals who are most likely to benefit or that allow treatment to be designed in a way such that individuals who are unlikely to benefit do not receive treatment. Many authors have commented on the clinical and competitive implications of companion diagnostics, but there has been relatively little formal analysis of the cost implications of companion diagnostics, although cost reduction is often cited as a significant benefit of precision medicine. We investigate the potential impact on costs of precision medicine implemented through the use of companion diagnostics. We develop a framework in which the costs of companion diagnostic tests are determined by considerations of profit maximization and cost effectiveness. We analyze four scenarios that are defined by the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the new drug in the absence of a companion diagnostic test. We find that, in most scenarios, precision medicine strategies based on companion diagnostics should be expected to lead to increases in costs in the short term and that costs would fall only in a limited number of situations.

A Semi-analytical Model for Wind-fed Black Hole High-mass X-Ray Binaries: State Transition Triggered by Magnetic Fields from the Companion Star

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yaji, Kentaro; Yamada, Shinya; Masai, Kuniaki [Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Minami-Osawa 1-1, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397 (Japan)

2017-10-01

We propose a mechanism of state transition in wind-fed black hole (BH) binaries (high-mass X-ray binaries) such as Cyg X-1 and LMC X-1. Modeling a line-driven stellar wind from the companion by two-dimensional hydrodynamical calculations, we investigate the processes of wind capture by, and accretion onto, the BH. We assume that the wind acceleration is terminated at the He ii ionization front because ions responsible for line-driven acceleration are ionized within the front, i.e., the He iii region. It is found that the mass accretion rate inferred from the luminosity is remarkably smaller than the capture rate. Considering the difference, we construct a model for the state transition based on the accretion flow being controlled by magnetorotational instability. The outer flow is torus-like, and plays an important role to trigger the transition. The model can explain why state transition does occur in Cyg X-1, while not in LMC X-1. Cyg X-1 exhibits a relatively low luminosity, and then the He ii ionization front is located and can move between the companion and BH, depending on its ionizing photon flux. On the other hand, LMC X-1 exhibits too high luminosity for the front to move considerably; the front is too close to the companion atmosphere. The model also predicts that each state of high-soft or low-hard would last fairly long because the luminosity depends weakly on the wind velocity. In the context of the model, the state transition is triggered by a fluctuation of the magnetic field when its amplitude becomes comparable to the field strength in the torus-like outer flow.

Artificial companions: empathy and vulnerability mirroring in human-robot relations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coeckelbergh, Mark

2010-01-01

Under what conditions can robots become companions and what are the ethical issues that might arise in human-robot companionship relations? I argue that the possibility and future of robots as companions depends (among other things) on the robot’s capacity to be a recipient of human empathy, and

Grief and Bereavement Issues and the Loss of a Companion Animal: People Living with a Companion Animal, Owners of Livestock, and Animal Support Workers

Science.gov (United States)

Chur-Hansen, Anna

2010-01-01

Companion animals play various roles in people's lives and these roles can impact on loss, grief, bereavement and mourning when the animal has been lost, whether that is through death, when missing, or when relinquished. This paper considers not only companion animal owners, but also those who own farm animals and those who work in animal service…

"Speaking-for" and "speaking-as": pseudo-surrogacy in physician-patient-companion medical encounters about advanced cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazer, Benjamin L; Cameron, Rachel A; DeLuca, Jane M; Mohile, Supriya G; Epstein, Ronald M

2014-07-01

To examine using audio-recorded encounters the extent and process of companion participation when discussing treatment choices and prognosis in the context of a life-limiting cancer diagnosis. Qualitative analysis of transcribed outpatient visits between 17 oncologists, 49 patients with advanced cancer, and 34 companions. 46 qualifying companion statements were collected from a total of 28 conversations about treatment choices or prognosis. We identified a range of companion positions, from "pseudo-surrogacy" (companion speaking as if the patient were not able to speak for himself), "hearsay", "conflation of thoughts", "co-experiencing", "observation as an outsider", and "facilitation". Statements made by companions were infrequently directly validated by the patient. Companions often spoke on behalf of patients during discussions of prognosis and treatment choices, even when the patient was present and capable of speaking on his or her own behalf. The conversational role of companions as well as whether the physician checks with the patient can determine whether a companion facilitates or inhibits patient autonomy and involvement. Physicians can reduce ambiguity and encourage patient participation by being aware of when and how companions may speak on behalf of patients and by corroborating the companion's statement with the patient. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

DISCOVERY OF A LOW-MASS COMPANION TO A METAL-RICH F STAR WITH THE MARVELS PILOT PROJECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleming, Scott W.; Ge Jian; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Lee, Brian; Cuong Nguyen, Duy; Morehead, Robert C.; Wan Xiaoke; Zhao Bo; Liu Jian; Guo Pengcheng; Kane, Stephen R.; Eastman, Jason D.; Siverd, Robert J.; Scott Gaudi, B.; Niedzielski, Andrzej; Sivarani, Thirupathi; Stassun, Keivan G.; Gary, Bruce; Wolszczan, Alex; Barnes, Rory

2010-01-01

We report the discovery of a low-mass companion orbiting the metal-rich, main sequence F star TYC 2949-00557-1 during the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS) pilot project. The host star has an effective temperature T eff = 6135 ± 40 K, logg = 4.4 ± 0.1, and [Fe/H] = 0.32 ± 0.01, indicating a mass of M = 1.25 ± 0.09 M sun and R = 1.15 ± 0.15 R sun . The companion has an orbital period of 5.69449 ± 0.00023 days and straddles the hydrogen burning limit with a minimum mass of 64 M J , and thus may be an example of the rare class of brown dwarfs orbiting at distances comparable to those of 'Hot Jupiters'. We present relative photometry that demonstrates that the host star is photometrically stable at the few millimagnitude level on time scales of hours to years, and rules out transits for a companion of radius ∼>0.8 R J at the 95% confidence level. Tidal analysis of the system suggests that the star and companion are likely in a double synchronous state where both rotational and orbital synchronization have been achieved. This is the first low-mass companion detected with a multi-object, dispersed, fixed-delay interferometer.

A HST/WFC3 Search for Substellar Companions in the Orion Nebula Cluster

Science.gov (United States)

Strampelli, Giovanni Maria; Aguilar, Jonathan; Aparicio, Antonio; Piotto, Giampaolo; Pueyo, Laurent; Robberto, Massimo

2018-01-01

We present new results relative to the population of substellar binaries in the Orion Nebula Cluster. We reprocessed HST/WFC3 data using an analysis technique developed to detect close companions in the wings of the stellar PSFs, based on the PyKLIP implementation of the KLIP PSF subtraction algorithm. Starting from a sample of ~1200 stars selected over the range J=11-15 mag, we were able to uncover ~80 candidate companions in the magnitude range J=16-23 mag. We use the presence of the 1.4 micron H2O absorption feature in the companion photosphere to discriminate 32 bona-fide substellar candidates from a population of reddened background objects. We derive an estimate of the companion mass assuming a 2Myr isochrone and the reddening of their primary. With 8 stellar companions, 19 brown dwarfs and 5 planetary mass objects, our study provide us with an unbiased sample of companions at the low-mass end of the IMF, probing the transition from binary to planetary systems.

Role and influence of the patient′s companion in family medicine consultations: "The patient′s perspective"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Andrades

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Companions often accompany the patient in family medicine clinics and may influence the consultation. This study aims to determine the patients′ perspective regarding the role and influence of the companion in the consultation process. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the family medicine clinics of a university hospital. Adult patients accompanied by companions during the consultation were interviewed through a structured questionnaire. Attributes with respect to role and influence of companion on the consultation were assessed. Data was entered and analyzed through IBM Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS software version 18 using the Chi-square test. Results: A total of 100 patients accompanied by companions participated in the study. Majority of companions were present to either provide company (90% and/or emotional support (90%. Immediate relatives had a role in mobility (P = 0.016 and decision making (P = 0.006. Most companions remained passive and did not contribute to the doctor patient relationship (P = 0.058. Male companions were relatively helpful (54% vs. 25%, P = 0.008 in achieving the expectations from the visit. The companion played a supportive role in 62% of the consultations. Conclusion: This study signifies a supportive role of companion in a consultation which emphasizes the need of consultation models to include the "companion."

A dual-mask coronagraph for observing faint companions to binary stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cady, E.; McElwain, M.; Kasdin, N.J.; Thalmann, C.

2011-01-01

Observations of binary stars for faint companions with conventional coronagraphic methods are challenging, as both targets will be bright enough to obscure any nearby faint companions if their scattered light is not suppressed. We propose coronagraphic examination of binary stars using an

THE ABSENCE OF EX-COMPANIONS IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA REMNANTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Di Stefano, R. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kilic, Mukremin, E-mail: rd@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: kilic@ou.edu [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks Street, Norman, OK 73019 (United States)

2012-11-01

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play important roles in our study of the expansion and acceleration of the universe, but because we do not know the exact nature or natures of the progenitors, there is a systematic uncertainty that must be resolved if SNe Ia are to become more precise cosmic probes. No progenitor system has ever been identified either in the pre- or post-explosion images of a Ia event. There have been recent claims for and against the detection of ex-companion stars in several SNe Ia remnants. These studies, however, usually ignore the angular momentum gain of the progenitor white dwarf (WD), which leads to a spin-up phase and a subsequent spin-down phase before explosion. For spin-down timescales greater than 10{sup 5} years, the donor star could be too dim to detect by the time of explosion. Here we revisit the current limits on ex-companion stars to SNR 0509-67.5, a 400-year-old remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. If the effects of possible angular momentum gain on the WD are included, a wide range of single-degenerate progenitor models are allowed for this remnant. We demonstrate that the current absence of evidence for ex-companion stars in this remnant, as well as other SNe Ia remnants, does not necessarily provide the evidence of absence for ex-companions. We discuss potential ways to identify such ex-companion stars through deep imaging observations.

THE ABSENCE OF EX-COMPANIONS IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA REMNANTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Stefano, R.; Kilic, Mukremin

2012-01-01

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play important roles in our study of the expansion and acceleration of the universe, but because we do not know the exact nature or natures of the progenitors, there is a systematic uncertainty that must be resolved if SNe Ia are to become more precise cosmic probes. No progenitor system has ever been identified either in the pre- or post-explosion images of a Ia event. There have been recent claims for and against the detection of ex-companion stars in several SNe Ia remnants. These studies, however, usually ignore the angular momentum gain of the progenitor white dwarf (WD), which leads to a spin-up phase and a subsequent spin-down phase before explosion. For spin-down timescales greater than 10 5 years, the donor star could be too dim to detect by the time of explosion. Here we revisit the current limits on ex-companion stars to SNR 0509-67.5, a 400-year-old remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. If the effects of possible angular momentum gain on the WD are included, a wide range of single-degenerate progenitor models are allowed for this remnant. We demonstrate that the current absence of evidence for ex-companion stars in this remnant, as well as other SNe Ia remnants, does not necessarily provide the evidence of absence for ex-companions. We discuss potential ways to identify such ex-companion stars through deep imaging observations.

Introducing the ESAT-6 free IGRA, a companion diagnostic for TB vaccines based on ESAT-6

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruhwald, Morten; de Thurah, Lena; Kuchaka, Davis

2017-01-01

tests unspecific after vaccination. This challenge has prompted the development of a companion diagnostic for ESAT-6 based vaccines, an ESAT-6 free IGRA. We screened a panel of seven potential new diagnostic antigens not recognized in BCG vaccinated individuals. Three highly recognized antigens Esp......C, EspF and Rv2348c were identified and combined with CFP10 in an ESAT-6 free antigen cocktail. The cocktail was prepared in a field-friendly format, lyophilized with heparin in ready-to-use vacutainer tubes. The diagnostic performance of the ESAT-6 free IGRA was determined in a cross-validation study....... Compared IGRA, the ESAT-6 free IGRA induced a comparable magnitude of IFN-γ release, and the diagnostic performance was on par with Quantiferon (sensitivity 84% vs 79%; specificity 99% vs 97%). The comparable performance of the ESAT-6 free IGRA to IGRA suggests potential as companion diagnostic for ESAT-6...

The third person in the room: frequency, role, and influence of companions during primary care medical encounters.

Science.gov (United States)

Schilling, Lisa M; Scatena, Lisa; Steiner, John F; Albertson, Gail A; Lin, C T; Cyran, Lisa; Ware, Lindsay; Anderson, Robert J

2002-08-01

We wanted to characterize patient accompaniment to medical encounters and to explore the rationale and influence of the companion on the primary care medical encounter. This was a descriptive study. Academic general internal medicine physicians, patients, and patient companions participated. We measured the frequency of waiting and examination room companions, the reasons for accompaniment, the influence on the encounter, and the overall helpfulness of the companion as assessed by patients and companions. We also determined the physicianamprsquos assessment of the companionamprsquos influence, helpfulness, and behavior during the encounter. Companions were in the examination room for 16% of visits; 93% were family members. The rationales for waiting and examination room companions were to help with transportation, provide emotional support, and provide company. Examination room companions helped communicate concerns to the physician, remember the physicianamprsquos advice, make decisions, and communicate their own concerns to the physician. Patients believed that examination room companions influenced 75% of medical encounters, mainly by improving communication between physician and patient. Physicians agreed that examination room companions favorably influenced physician and patient understanding (60% and 46% of encounters, respectively). Patients indicated that waiting and examination room companions were very helpful for 71% and 83% of visits, respectively. Companions frequently accompany patients to their primary care medical encounters. They are often family members, and they assume important roles in enhancing patient and physician understanding.

Companion Cognitive Systems: A Step toward Human-Level AI

OpenAIRE

Forbus, Kenneth D.; Hinrichs, Thomas R.

2006-01-01

We are developing Companion Cognitive Systems, a new kind of software that can be effectively treated as a collaborator. Aside from their potential utility, we believe this effort is important because it focuses on three key problems that must be solved to achieve human-level AI: Robust reasoning and learning, interactivity, and longevity. We describe the ideas we are using to develop the first architecture for Companions: analogical processing, grounded in cognitive science for reasoning and...

NO NEUTRON STAR COMPANION TO THE LOWEST MASS SDSS WHITE DWARF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agueeros, Marcel A.; Camilo, Fernando; Heinke, Craig; Kilic, Mukremin; Anderson, Scott F.; Silvestri, Nicole M.; Freire, Paulo; Kleinman, Scot J.; Liebert, James W.

2009-01-01

SDSS J091709.55+463821.8 (hereafter J0917+4638) is the lowest surface gravity white dwarf (WD) currently known, with log g = 5.55 ± 0.05 (M ∼ 0.17 M sun ). Such low-mass white dwarfs (LMWDs) are believed to originate in binaries that evolve into WD/WD or WD/neutron star (NS) systems. An optical search for J0917+4638's companion showed that it must be a compact object with a mass ≥0.28 M sun . Here we report on Green Bank Telescope 820 MHz and XMM-Newton X-ray observations of J0917+4638 intended to uncover a potential NS companion to the LMWD. No convincing pulsar signal is detected in our radio data. Our X-ray observation also failed to detect X-ray emission from J0917+4638's companion, while we would have detected any of the millisecond radio pulsars in 47 Tuc. We conclude that the companion is almost certainly another WD.

Operator companion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natalizio, A.; Anderson, J.W.D.; Sills, H.E.

1988-01-01

Abundant, cheap computing power has provided industry with a far greater opportunity than was available one or two decades ago to automate industrial processes and to improve the man-machine interface. Exciting innovations in knowledge representation methods arising from artificial intelligence research pave the way for advanced support systems for assisting plant operators. AECL has recognized the importance of knowledge based system technology, particularly expert systems, in the achievement of this objective and also, as a strategic technology to be fully exploited in the next generation of CANDU reactors. Operator Companion, an expert system intended to diagnose plant faults and advise the operator on appropriate restoring or corrective actions, is a major undertaking which is receiving support within the research and engineering groups of AECL

A Statistical Study of Brown Dwarf Companions from the SDSS-III MARVELS Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Grieves, Nolan; Ge, Jian; Thomas, Neil; Ma, Bo; De Lee, Nathan M.; Lee, Brian L.; Fleming, Scott W.; Sithajan, Sirinrat; Varosi, Frank; Liu, Jian; Zhao, Bo; Li, Rui; Agol, Eric; MARVELS Team

2016-01-01

We present 23 new Brown Dwarf (BD) candidates from the Multi-object APO Radial-Velocity Exoplanet Large-Area Survey (MARVELS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III). The BD candidates were selected from the processed MARVELS data using the latest University of Florida 2D pipeline, which shows significant improvement and reduction of systematic errors over the 1D pipeline results included in the SDSS Data Release 12. This sample is the largest BD yield from a single radial velocity survey. Of the 23 candidates, 18 are around main sequence stars and 5 are around giant stars. Given a giant contamination rate of ~24% for the MARVELS survey, we find a BD occurrence rate around main sequence stars of ~0.7%, which agrees with previous studies and confirms the BD desert, while the BD occurrence rate around the MARVELS giant stars is ~0.6%. Preliminary results show that our new candidates around solar type stars support a two population hypothesis, where BDs are divided at a mass of ~42.5 MJup. BDs less massive than 42.5 MJup have eccentricity distributions consistent with planet-planet scattering models, where BDs more massive than 42.5 MJup have both period and eccentricity distributions similar to that of stellar binaries. Special Brown Dwarf systems such as multiple BD systems and highly eccentric BDs will also be presented.

76 FR 39361 - AmeriCorps State/National, Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents, and Retired and Senior...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-06

... AmeriCorps State/National, Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents, and Retired and Senior Volunteer...) on Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents, Retired Senior Volunteer Program grant-funded staff, Learn... X ....... X X ....... Senior Companions Yes X ....... ....... X X ....... X X ....... X X X No...

A SUBSTELLAR COMMON PROPER-MOTION COMPANION TO THE PLEIAD H II 1348

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geißler, Kerstin; Metchev, Stanimir A.; Pham, Alfonse; Larkin, James E.; McElwain, Michael; Hillenbrand, Lynne A.

2012-01-01

We announce the identification of a proper-motion companion to the star H II 1348, a K5 V member of the Pleiades open cluster. The existence of a faint point source 1.''1 away from H II 1348 was previously known from adaptive optics imaging by Bouvier et al. However, because of a high likelihood of background star contamination and in the absence of follow-up astrometry, Bouvier et al. tentatively concluded that the candidate companion was not physically associated with H II 1348. We establish the proper-motion association of the pair from adaptive optics imaging with the Palomar 5 m telescope. Adaptive optics spectroscopy with the integral field spectrograph OSIRIS on the Keck 10 m telescope reveals that the companion has a spectral type of M8 ± 1. According to substellar evolution models, the M8 spectral type resides within the substellar mass regime at the age of the Pleiades. The primary itself is a known double-lined spectroscopic binary, which makes the resolved companion, H II 1348B, the least massive and widest component of this hierarchical triple system and the first substellar companion to a stellar primary in the Pleiades.

[Influence of waiting time on patient and companion satisfaction].

Science.gov (United States)

Fontova-Almató, A; Juvinyà-Canal, D; Suñer-Soler, R

2015-01-01

To evaluate patient and companion satisfaction of a hospital Emergency Department and its relationship with waiting time. Prospective, observational study. Hospital de Figueres Emergency Department (Girona, Spain). sociodemographic characteristics, satisfaction level, real and perceived waiting time for triage and being seen by a physician. A total of 285 responses were received from patients and companions. The mean age of the patients and companions (n=257) was 54.6years (SD=18.3). The mean overall satisfaction (n=273) was 7.6 (SD=2.2). Lower perceived waiting time until nurse triage was related to higher overall satisfaction (Spearman rho (ρ)=-0.242, P<.001), and lower perceived waiting time until being seen by physician, with a higher overall satisfaction (ρ=-0.304; P<.001). Users who were informed about estimated waiting time showed higher satisfaction than those who were not informed (P=.001). Perceived waiting time and the information about estimated waiting time determined overall satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

A Historical Companion to Postcolonial Literatures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

This is the first reference guide to the political, cultural and economic histories that form the subject-matter of postcolonial literatures written in English. The focus of the Companion is principally on the histories of postcolonial literatures in the Anglophone world - Africa, the Middle East...

Neural correlates for perception of companion animal photographs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayama, Sara; Chang, Linda; Gumus, Kazim; King, George R; Ernst, Thomas

2016-05-01

Anthrozoological neuroscience, which we propose as the use of neuroscience techniques to study human-animal interaction, may help to elucidate mechanisms underlying the associated psychological, physiological, and other purported health effects. This preliminary study investigates the neural response to animal photographs in pet owners and non-pet owners, and both attraction and attachment to companion animals as modulators of human perception of companion animal photographs. Thirty male participants, 15 "Pet Owners" (PO) and 15 "Non-Pet Owners" (NPO), viewed photographs of companion animals during functional MRI (fMRI) scans at 3 T and provided ratings of attraction to the animal species represented in the photographs. Fourteen subjects additionally submitted and viewed personal pet photographs during fMRI scans, and completed the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS). PO exhibited greater activation than NPO during the viewing of animal photographs in areas of the insula, and frontal and occipital cortices. Moreover, ratings of attraction to animals correlated positively with neural activation in the cingulate gyrus, precentral gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and superior temporal gyrus during the viewing of representative photographs. For subjects with household pets, scores on the LAPS correlated positively with neural activation during the viewing of owned pet photographs in the precuneus, cuneus, and superior parietal lobule. Our preliminary findings suggest that human perception of companion animals involve the visual attention network, which may be modulated at the neural level by subjective experiences of attraction or attachment to animals. Our understanding of human-animal interactions through anthrozoological neuroscience may better direct therapeutic applications, such as animal-assisted therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Companion Protease Inhibitors for the In Situ Protection of Recombinant Proteins in Plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert, Stéphanie; Jutras, Philippe V; Khalf, Moustafa; D'Aoust, Marc-André; Goulet, Marie-Claire; Sainsbury, Frank; Michaud, Dominique

2016-01-01

We previously described a procedure for the use of plant protease inhibitors as "companion" accessory proteins to prevent unwanted proteolysis of clinically useful recombinant proteins in leaf crude protein extracts (Benchabane et al. Methods Mol Biol 483:265-273, 2009). Here we describe the use of these inhibitors for the protection of recombinant proteins in planta, before their extraction from leaf tissues. A procedure is first described involving inhibitors co-expressed along-and co-migrating-with the protein of interest in host plant cells. An alternative, single transgene scheme is then described involving translational fusions of the recombinant protein and companion inhibitor. These approaches may allow for a significant improvement of protein steady-state levels in leaves, comparable to yield improvements observed with protease-deficient strains of less complex protein expression hosts such as E. coli or yeasts.

European multicenter study on antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from companion animal urinary tract infections

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marques, Cátia; Gama, Luís Telo; Belas, Adriana; Bergström, Karin; Beurlet, Stéphanie; Briend-Marchal, Alexandra; Broens, Els M|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/314627723; Costa, Marta; Criel, Delphine; Damborg, Peter; van Dijk, Marloes A M|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/413392058; van Dongen, A.M.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/097672637; Dorsch, Roswitha; Espada, Carmen Martin; Gerber, Bernhard; Kritsepi-Konstantinou, Maria; Loncaric, Igor; Mion, Domenico; Misic, Dusan; Movilla, Rebeca; Overesch, Gudrun; Perreten, Vincent; Roura, Xavier; Steenbergen, Joachim; Timofte, Dorina; Wolf, Georg; Zanoni, Renato Giulio; Schmitt, Sarah; Guardabassi, Luca; Pomba, Constança

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is a growing concern regarding the increase of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in companion animals. Yet, there are no studies comparing the resistance levels of these organisms in European countries. The aim of this study was to investigate geographical and temporal trends of

Efficacy of an educational manual for childbirth companions: pilot study of a randomized clinical trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liana Mara Rocha Teles

2018-05-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational manual in the instrumentalization of companions to provide support to the parturients and check its influence on the satisfaction of companions and women during vaginal delivery. Method: pilot study of a randomized controlled clinical trial with 65 companions and puerperal women (intervention = 21 and control = 44. The previous knowledge of the companions was evaluated at baseline. The Evaluation Form for Companions in the Delivery Room was used to measure the actions provided and the satisfaction with the experience, and the Questionnaire for Evaluation of the Experience and Satisfaction of Puerperal Women with Labor and Delivery was used to evaluate the satisfaction of women with childbirth. The Student’s t-test or Wilcoxon, chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used. Results: the companions in the intervention group performed a greater number of support actions (7.2 vs 4.6, p: 0.001 and had higher satisfaction scores (72.4 vs 64.2; p = 0.00. Puerperal women in the intervention group had higher satisfaction with childbirth (119.6 vs 107.9; p: 0.000. Conclusion: the manual was effective for the instrumentalization of companions, contributed to support actions to the parturients and had repercussions on the satisfaction of companions and women with the birthing process. RBR-776d9s

An Improved Technique for the Photometry and Astrometry of Faint Companions

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Daniel; Gladysz, Szymon; Roberts, Lewis; Devaney, Nicholas; Dainty, Chris

2009-07-01

We propose a new approach to differential astrometry and photometry of faint companions in adaptive optics images. It is based on a prewhitening matched filter, also referred to in the literature as the Hotelling observer. We focus on cases where the signal of the companion is located within the bright halo of the parent star. Using real adaptive optics data from the 3 m Shane telescope at the Lick Observatory, we compare the performance of the Hotelling algorithm with other estimation algorithms currently used for the same problem. The real single-star data are used to generate artificial binary objects with a range of magnitude ratios. In most cases, the Hotelling observer gives significantly lower astrometric and photometric errors. In the case of high Strehl ratio (SR) data (SR ≈ 0.5), the differential photometry of a binary star with a Δm = 4.5 and a separation of 0.6″ is better than 0.1 mag a factor of 2 lower than the other algorithms considered.

Emission - line theoretical profiles for Wolf- Rayet stars with low-mass companions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antokhin, I.I.

1986-01-01

Profiles of the resonant line λ 765 A and the subordinate line λ 4058 of N4 have been calculated for a binary system medel consisting of the Wolf-Rayet star and the low-mass companion (possibly, a relativistic object) by means of Sobolev approximation. The equations of statistical equilibrium have been solved for the first 32 levels of N4. Two cases have been considered: 1) detached zone of N5 surrounding the Wolf-Rayet star and the companion; 2) common zone of N5. The criteria for detection of presence of a companion in line profile observations have been formulated

45 CFR 2551.46 - What cost reimbursements are provided to Senior Companions?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What cost reimbursements are provided to Senior..., and Cost Reimbursements § 2551.46 What cost reimbursements are provided to Senior Companions? Cost reimbursements include: (a) Stipend. Senior Companions who are income eligible will receive a stipend in an...

SOUTHERN MASSIVE STARS AT HIGH ANGULAR RESOLUTION: OBSERVATIONAL CAMPAIGN AND COMPANION DETECTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sana, H. [European Space Agency/Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Le Bouquin, J.-B.; Duvert, G.; Zins, G. [Université Grenoble Alpes, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Lacour, S.; Gauchet, L.; Pickel, D. [LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, UPMC, Université Paris-Diderot, Paris Sciences et Lettres, 5 Place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon (France); Berger, J.-P. [European Southern Observatory, Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching bei München (Germany); Norris, B. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Olofsson, J. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Absil, O. [Département d' Astrophysique, Géophysique et Océanographie, Université de Liège, 17 Allée du Six Août, B-4000 Liège (Belgium); De Koter, A. [Astrophysical Institute Anton Pannekoek, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kratter, K. [JILA, 440 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440 (United States); Schnurr, O. [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam, An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam (Germany); Zinnecker, H., E-mail: hsana@stsci.edu [Deutsches SOFIA Instituut, SOFIA Science Center, NASA Ames Research Center, Mail Stop N232-12, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States)

2014-11-01

Multiplicity is one of the most fundamental observable properties of massive O-type stars and offers a promising way to discriminate between massive star formation theories. Nevertheless, companions at separations between 1 and 100 milliarcsec (mas) remain mostly unknown due to intrinsic observational limitations. At a typical distance of 2 kpc, this corresponds to projected physical separations of 2-200 AU. The Southern MAssive Stars at High angular resolution survey (SMaSH+) was designed to fill this gap by providing the first systematic interferometric survey of Galactic massive stars. We observed 117 O-type stars with VLTI/PIONIER and 162 O-type stars with NACO/Sparse Aperture Masking (SAM), probing the separation ranges 1-45 and 30-250 mas and brightness contrasts of ΔH < 4 and ΔH < 5, respectively. Taking advantage of NACO's field of view, we further uniformly searched for visual companions in an 8'' radius down to ΔH = 8. This paper describes observations and data analysis, reports the discovery of almost 200 new companions in the separation range from 1 mas to 8'' and presents a catalog of detections, including the first resolved measurements of over a dozen known long-period spectroscopic binaries. Excluding known runaway stars for which no companions are detected, 96 objects in our main sample (δ < 0°; H < 7.5) were observed both with PIONIER and NACO/SAM. The fraction of these stars with at least one resolved companion within 200 mas is 0.53. Accounting for known but unresolved spectroscopic or eclipsing companions, the multiplicity fraction at separation ρ < 8'' increases to f {sub m} = 0.91 ± 0.03. The fraction of luminosity class V stars that have a bound companion reaches 100% at 30 mas while their average number of physically connected companions within 8'' is f {sub c} = 2.2 ± 0.3. This demonstrates that massive stars form nearly exclusively in multiple systems. The nine non-thermal radio

Transmission and epidemiology of zoonotic protozoal diseases of companion animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Esch, Kevin J; Petersen, Christine A

2013-01-01

Over 77 million dogs and 93 million cats share our households in the United States. Multiple studies have demonstrated the importance of pets in their owners' physical and mental health. Given the large number of companion animals in the United States and the proximity and bond of these animals with their owners, understanding and preventing the diseases that these companions bring with them are of paramount importance. Zoonotic protozoal parasites, including toxoplasmosis, Chagas' disease, babesiosis, giardiasis, and leishmaniasis, can cause insidious infections, with asymptomatic animals being capable of transmitting disease. Giardia and Toxoplasma gondii, endemic to the United States, have high prevalences in companion animals. Leishmania and Trypanosoma cruzi are found regionally within the United States. These diseases have lower prevalences but are significant sources of human disease globally and are expanding their companion animal distribution. Thankfully, healthy individuals in the United States are protected by intact immune systems and bolstered by good nutrition, sanitation, and hygiene. Immunocompromised individuals, including the growing number of obese and/or diabetic people, are at a much higher risk of developing zoonoses. Awareness of these often neglected diseases in all health communities is important for protecting pets and owners. To provide this awareness, this review is focused on zoonotic protozoal mechanisms of virulence, epidemiology, and the transmission of pathogens of consequence to pet owners in the United States.

PSR J1755-2550: a young radio pulsar with a massive, compact companion

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, C.; Kruckow, M. U.; Tauris, T. M.; Lyne, A. G.; Freire, P. C. C.; Ridolfi, A.; Caiazzo, I.; Heyl, J.; Kramer, M.; Cameron, A. D.; Champion, D. J.; Stappers, B.

2018-06-01

Radio pulsars found in binary systems with short orbital periods are usually fast spinning as a consequence of recycling via mass transfer from their companion stars; this process is also thought to decrease the magnetic field of the neutron star being recycled. Here, we report on timing observations of the recently discovered binary PSR J1755-2550 and find that this pulsar is an exception: with a characteristic age of 2.1 Myr, it is relatively young; furthermore, with a spin period of 315 ms and a surface magnetic field strength at its poles of 0.88 × 1012 G, the pulsar shows no sign of having been recycled. Based on its timing and orbital characteristics, the pulsar either has a massive white dwarf (WD) or a neutron star (NS) companion. To distinguish between these two cases, we searched radio observations for a potential recycled pulsar companion and analysed archival optical data for a potential WD companion. Neither work returned conclusive detections. We apply population synthesis modelling and find that both solutions are roughly equally probable. Our population synthesis also predicts a minimum mass of 0.90 M⊙ for the companion star to PSR J1755-2550 and we simulate the systemic runaway velocities for the resulting WDNS systems which may merge and possibly produce Ca-rich supernovae. Whether PSR J1755-2550 hosts a WD or a NS companion star, it is certainly a member of a rare subpopulation of binary radio pulsars.

The role of companions in aiding older cancer patients to recall medical information.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, J.; Weert, J.C.M. van; Wijngaards-de Meij, L.; Dulmen, S. van; Heeren, T.J.; Bensing, J.M.

2010-01-01

Objectives: This study investigates information recall in unaccompanied and accompanied older cancer patients and their companions.Methods: One hundred cancer patients (aged >/=65 years) and 71 companions completed a recall questionnaire after a nursing consultation preceding chemotherapy treatment.

The circuit designer's companion

CERN Document Server

Williams, Tim

1991-01-01

The Circuit Designer's Companion covers the theoretical aspects and practices in analogue and digital circuit design. Electronic circuit design involves designing a circuit that will fulfill its specified function and designing the same circuit so that every production model of it will fulfill its specified function, and no other undesired and unspecified function.This book is composed of nine chapters and starts with a review of the concept of grounding, wiring, and printed circuits. The subsequent chapters deal with the passive and active components of circuitry design. These topics are foll

DISCOVERY OF A LOW-MASS COMPANION TO THE SOLAR-TYPE STAR TYC 2534-698-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kane, Stephen R.; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Sivarani, Thirupathi; Cochran, William D.; Street, Rachel A.; Henry, Gregory W.; Williamson, Michael H.

2009-01-01

Brown dwarfs and low-mass stellar companions are interesting objects to study since they occupy the mass region between deuterium and hydrogen burning. We report here the serendipitous discovery of a low-mass companion in an eccentric orbit around a solar-type main-sequence star. The stellar primary, TYC 2534-698-1, is a G2V star that was monitored both spectroscopically and photometrically over the course of several months. Radial velocity observations indicate a minimum mass of 0.037 M sun and an orbital period of ∼103 days for the companion. Photometry outside of the transit window shows the star to be stable to within ∼6 millimags. The semimajor axis of the orbit places the companion in the 'brown dwarf desert' and we discuss potential follow-up observations that could constrain the mass of the companion.

Coexistence of two different genotypes of Sarcoptes scabiei derived from companion dogs and wild raccoon dogs in Gifu, Japan: The genetic evidence for transmission between domestic and wild canids.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuyama, Ryota; Yabusaki, Toshihiro; Kuninaga, Naotoshi; Morimoto, Tomoya; Okano, Tsukasa; Suzuki, Masatsugu; Asano, Makoto

2015-09-15

Sarcoptes scabiei is the causal agent of sarcoptic mange in domestic/companion dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides). Although there have been successful cases of experimental transmission of S. scabiei from mangy wild Canidae hosts to healthy dogs, and suspected cases of transmission between raccoon dogs and companion dogs, no clear-cut evidence has been obtained. In the present study, the genetic relationships between Sarcoptes mites from raccoon dogs and companion dogs living in the same region were elucidated.One hundred and thirty Sarcoptes mites from 22 raccoon dogs and 5 companion dogs were collected from the Gifu area in Japan. Using 9 microsatellite markers, the genotypes were compared, and the genetic structure of these mites was analyzed. In 6 pairs of companion dog- and raccoon dog-derived mites, 17 out of the 18 alleles analyzed were identical. Using a Bayesian approach, these 130 mites were separated into at least two groups, and companion dog- and raccoon dog-derived mites were segregated into both groups. In addition, comparatively large numbers of alleles at these loci were revealed by comparison with data from past studies. These results demonstrated that the host specificity at the 9 microsatellite-level could not be confirmed, strongly suggesting the transmission of Sarcoptes mites between raccoon dogs and companion dogs. This is the first report to provide a genetic evidence of Sarcoptes transmission between domestic and wild mammals in the natural environment. The possibility of a prior introduction of mites with novel genotypes (e.g., spillover of sarcoptic mange from domestic/companion dogs to raccoon dogs) could not be eliminated when considering the cause of the large number of alleles, and the coexistence of 2 mite groups in sympatric raccoon dogs and companion dogs in this local area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lithium in Open Cluster Red Giants Hosting Substellar Companions

Science.gov (United States)

Carlberg, Joleen K.; Smith, Verne V.; Cunha, Katia; Carpenter, Kenneth G.

2016-02-01

We have measured stellar parameters, [Fe/H], lithium abundances, rotation, and 12C/13C in a small sample of red giants (RGs) in three open clusters that are each home to a RG star that hosts a substellar companion (SSC) (NGC 2423 3, NGC 4349 127, and BD+12 1917 in M67). Our goal is to explore whether the presence of SSCs influences the Li content. Both 12C/13C and stellar rotation are measured as additional tracers of stellar mixing. One of the companion hosts, NGC 2423 3, is found to be Li-rich with A(Li){}{{NLTE}} = 1.56 dex, and this abundance is significantly higher than the A(Li) of the two comparison stars in NGC 2423. All three SSC hosts have the highest A(Li) and 12C/13C when compared to the control RGs in their respective clusters; however, except for NGC 2423 3, at least one control star has similarly high abundances within the uncertainties. Higher A(Li) could suggest that the formation or presence of planets plays a role in the degree of internal mixing on or before the RG branch. However, a multitude of factors affect A(Li) during the RG phase, and when the abundances of our sample are compared with the abundances of RGs in other open clusters available in the literature, we find that they all fall well within a much larger distribution of A(Li) and 12C/13C. Thus, even the high Li in NGC 2423 3 cannot be concretely tied to the presence of the SSC.

THE EFFECTS OF CLOSE COMPANIONS (AND ROTATION) ON THE MAGNETIC ACTIVITY OF M DWARFS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, Dylan P.; West, Andrew A.; Dhital, Saurav; Fuchs, Miriam; Garcés, Ane; Catalán, Silvia; Silvestri, Nicole M.

2012-01-01

We present a study of close white dwarf and M dwarf (WD+dM) binary systems and examine the effect that a close companion has on the magnetic field generation in M dwarfs. We use a base sample of 1602 white dwarf main-sequence binaries from Rebassa-Mansergas et al. to develop a set of color cuts in GALEX, SDSS, UKIDSS, and 2MASS color space. Then using the SDSS Data Release 8 spectroscopic database, we construct a sample of 1756 WD+dM high-quality pairs from our color cuts and previous catalogs. We separate the individual WD and dM from each spectrum using an iterative technique that compares the WD and dM components to best-fit templates. Using the absolute height above the Galactic plane as a proxy for age, and the Hα emission line as an indicator for magnetic activity, we investigate the age-activity relation for our sample for spectral types ≤ M7. Our results show that early-type M dwarfs (≤M4) in close binary systems are more likely to be active and have longer activity lifetimes compared to their field counterparts. However, at a spectral type of M5 (just past the onset of full convection in M dwarfs), the activity fraction and lifetimes of WD+dM binary systems become more comparable to that of the field M dwarfs. One of the implications of having a close binary companion is presumed to be increased stellar rotation through disk disruption, tidal effects, or angular momentum exchange. Thus, we interpret the similarity in activity behavior between late-type dMs in WD+dM pairs and late-type field dMs to be due to a decrease in sensitivity in close binary companions (or stellar rotation), which has implications for the nature of magnetic activity in fully convective stars. Using the WD components of the pairs, we find WD cooling ages to use as an additional constraint on the age-activity relation for our sample. We find that, on average, active early-type dMs tend to be younger and that active late-type dMs span a much broader age regime making them

Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Companions

Science.gov (United States)

van Oost, Ellen; Reed, Darren

While Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) have, in the past, primarily mediated or facilitated emotional bonding between humans, contemporary robot technologies are increasingly making the bond between human and robots the core issue. Thinking of robots as companions is not only a development that opens up huge potential for new applications, it also raises social and ethical issues. In this paper we will argue that current conceptions of human-robot companionship are primarily rooted in cognitive psychological traditions and provide important, yet limited understanding of the companion relationship. Elaborating on a sociological perspective on the appropriation of new technology, we will argue for a richer understanding of companionship that takes the situatedness (in location, network and time) of the use-context into account.

High dose lansoprazole combined with metronomic chemotherapy: a phase I/II study in companion animals with spontaneously occurring tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Spugnini, Enrico P; Buglioni, Sabrina; Carocci, Francesca; Francesco, Menicagli; Vincenzi, Bruno; Fanciulli, Maurizio; Fais, Stefano

2014-08-21

The treatment of human cancer has been seriously hampered for decades by resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. A very efficient mechanism of tumor resistance to drugs is the proton pumps-mediated acidification of tumor microenvironment. Metronomic chemotherapy has shown efficacy in adjuvant fashion as well as in the treatment of pets with advanced disease. Moreover, we have shown in veterinary clinical settings that pre-treatment with proton-pumps inhibitors (PPI) increases tumor responsiveness to chemotherapeutics. In this study pet with spontaneously occurring cancer have been recruited to be treated by a combination of metronomic chemotherapy and high dose PPIs and their responses have been matched to those of a historical control of ten patients treated with metronomic chemotherapy alone. Single arm, non randomized phase II open study, with historical control group, evaluating safety and efficacy of the combination of metronomic chemotherapy and alkalization. Twenty-four companion animals (22 dogs and 2 cats) were treated adding to their metronomic chemotherapy protocol the pump inhibitor lansoprazole at high dose, and a water alkalizer. Their responses have been evaluated by clinical and instrumental evaluation and matched to those of the control group. The protocol was overall well tolerated, with only two dogs experiencing side effects due to gastric hypochlorhydria consisting with vomiting and or diarrhea. In terms of overall response, in the alkalized cohort, 18 out of 24 had partial or complete responses (75%), two patients had a stable disease and the remaining patients experienced no response or progressive disease. On the other hand, only one patient in the control group experienced a complete response (10%) and three other experienced short lived responses. Median time to terminal event was 34 weeks for the experimental group versus 2 weeks in the controls (p= 0.042). Patient alkalization has shown to be well tolerated and to increase tumor response

The effect of D123 wheat as a companion crop on soil enzyme activities, microbial biomass and microbial communities in the rhizosphere of watermelon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Hui Xu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The growth of watermelon is often threatened by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon in successively monocultured soil, which results in economic loss. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of D123 wheat as a companion crop on soil enzyme activities, microbial biomass and microbial communities in the rhizosphere of watermelon and to explore the relationship between the effect and the incidence of wilt caused by Fon. The results showed that the activities of soil polyphenol oxidase, urease and invertase were increased, the microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN and microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP were significantly increased, and the ratio of MBC/MBN was decreased (P<0.05. Real-time PCR analysis showed that the Fon population declined significantly in the watermelon/wheat companion system compared with the monoculture system (P<0.05. The analysis of microbial communities showed that the relative abundance of microbial communities was changed in the rhizosphere of watermelon. Compared with the monoculture system, the relative abundances of Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes and Sordariomycetes were increased, and the relative abundances of Gammaproteobacteria, Sphingobacteria, Cytophagia, Pezizomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes were decreased in the rhizosphere of watermelon in the watermelon/wheat companion system; importantly, the incidence of Fusarium wilt was also decreased in the watermelon/wheat companion system. In conclusion, this study indicated that D123 wheat as a companion crop increased soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass, decreased the Fon population, and changed the relative abundance of microbial communities in the rhizosphere of watermelon, which may be related to the reduction of Fusarium wilt in the watermelon/wheat companion system.

Are emotionally attached companion animal caregivers conscientious and neurotic? Factors that affect the human-companion animal relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Reevy, Gretchen M; Delgado, Mikel M

2015-01-01

Few studies have examined how personality traits may be related to the amounts and types of attachments humans have toward companion animals (pets). In this study, 1,098 companion animal guardians (owners) completed a survey that included the Big Five Inventory, the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale, and the Pet Attachment Questionnaire. Each participant chose whether he or she identified as a Cat Person, Dog Person, Both, or Neither. Results indicated that neuroticism, conscientiousness, choosing a dog as a favorite pet, and identifying as a Cat Person, Dog Person, or Both predicted affection for a pet. Conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness decreased avoidant attachment to pets, and neuroticism increased anxious attachment to pets. Both dogs and cats could benefit from pet owners who are conscientious, and there may be some benefits of neuroticism in pet owners. The findings of this study will advance understanding of the human-animal bond. As this understanding increases, measurements of human attachment and personality may be useful for the development of tools that could assist shelter employees and veterinarians in counseling people about pet ownership.

The little-studied cluster Berkeley 90. I. LS III +46 11: a very massive O3.5 If* + O3.5 If* binary

Science.gov (United States)

Maíz Apellániz, J.; Negueruela, I.; Barbá, R. H.; Walborn, N. R.; Pellerin, A.; Simón-Díaz, S.; Sota, A.; Marco, A.; Alonso-Santiago, J.; Sanchez Bermudez, J.; Gamen, R. C.; Lorenzo, J.

2015-07-01

Context. It appears that most (if not all) massive stars are born in multiple systems. At the same time, the most massive binaries are hard to find owing to their low numbers throughout the Galaxy and the implied large distances and extinctions. Aims: We want to study LS III +46 11, identified in this paper as a very massive binary; another nearby massive system, LS III +46 12; and the surrounding stellar cluster, Berkeley 90. Methods: Most of the data used in this paper are multi-epoch high S/N optical spectra, although we also use Lucky Imaging and archival photometry. The spectra are reduced with dedicated pipelines and processed with our own software, such as a spectroscopic-orbit code, CHORIZOS, and MGB. Results: LS III +46 11 is identified as a new very early O-type spectroscopic binary [O3.5 If* + O3.5 If*] and LS III +46 12 as another early O-type system [O4.5 V((f))]. We measure a 97.2-day period for LS III +46 11 and derive minimum masses of 38.80 ± 0.83 M⊙ and 35.60 ± 0.77 M⊙ for its two stars. We measure the extinction to both stars, estimate the distance, search for optical companions, and study the surrounding cluster. In doing so, a variable extinction is found as well as discrepant results for the distance. We discuss possible explanations and suggest that LS III +46 12 may be a hidden binary system where the companion is currently undetected.

Comparative analysis of SLB for OPR1000 by using MEDUSA and CESEC-III codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jong Cheol; Park, Chan Eok; Kim, Shin Whan

2005-01-01

The MEDUSA is a system thermal hydraulics code developed by Korea Power Engineering Company (KOPEC) for Non-LOCA and LOCA analysis, using two fluid, three-field governing equations for two phase flow. The detailed descriptions for the MEDUSA code are given in Reference. A lot of effort is now being made to investigate the applicability of the MEDUSA code especially to Non-LOCA analysis, by comparing the analysis results with those from the current licensing code, CESEC-III: The comparative simulations of Pressurizer Level Control System(PLCS) Malfunction and Feedwater Line Break(FLB), which have been accomplished by C.E.Park and M.T.Oh, respectively, already showed that the MEDUSA code is applicable to the analysis of Non-LOCA events. In this paper, detailed thermal hydraulic analyses for Steam Line Break(SLB) without loss of off-site power were performed using the MEDUSA code. The calculation results were also compared with the CESEC-III, 1000(OPR1000), for the purpose of the code verification

The Wiley Blackwell companion to political geography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Agnew, J.; Mamadouh, V.; Secor, A.J.; Sharp, J.

2015-01-01

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Political Geography aims to account for the intellectual and worldly developments that have taken place in and around political geography in the last 10 years. Bringing together established names in the field as well as new scholars, it highlights provocative

Organizational and leadership perceptions assessment: opportunities and challenges using the Baldrige companion surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Colombo, Lisa M; Perla, Rocco J; Carifio, James; Bernhardt, Jean M; Slayton, Val W

2011-01-01

Combining the use of employee perception surveys with sound analytical techniques and models is critical to capturing high quality data from which effective decisions can be made in complex healthcare settings. This study used the Baldrige Award companion surveys with an analysis of variance (ANOVA) framework to identify discordant perceptions of hospital staff and leadership in the areas of customer focus, knowledge management, and results that were significant at the 0.05 and 0.01 levels. Senior leaders in the organization found the ANOVA framework helpful as they interpreted results from the Baldrige companion surveys and planned future improvement activities. During the execution of our study a number of difficulties and challenges arose that are not uncommon to survey administration in smaller settings, such as community hospitals, or in larger hospital settings with no research staff or research staff with relevant psychometric expertise. Our experience suggests that the Baldrige companion survey process would be enhanced by providing organizations with general guidance and protocols for optimal survey administration and data analysis. The purpose of this article is to outline the ANOVA model we used with the Baldrige companion surveys and to provide guidance related to the administration and analysis of these companion surveys for those that use them. © 2010 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

REFERENCE-LESS DETECTION, ASTROMETRY, AND PHOTOMETRY OF FAINT COMPANIONS WITH ADAPTIVE OPTICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gladysz, Szymon; Christou, Julian C.

2009-01-01

We propose a complete framework for the detection, astrometry, and photometry of faint companions from a sequence of adaptive optics (AO) corrected short exposures. The algorithms exploit the difference in statistics between the on-axis and off-axis intensity of the AO point-spread function (PSF) to differentiate real sources from speckles. We validate the new approach and illustrate its performance using moderate Strehl ratio data obtained with the natural guide star AO system on the Lick Observatory's 3 m Shane Telescope. We obtain almost a 2 mag gain in achievable contrast by using our detection method compared to 5σ detectability in long exposures. We also present a first guide to expected accuracy of differential photometry and astrometry with the new techniques. Our approach performs better than PSF-fitting in general and especially so for close companions, which are located within the uncompensated seeing (speckle) halo. All three proposed algorithms are self-calibrating, i.e., they do not require observation of a calibration star. One of the advantages of this approach is improved observing efficiency.

Friends of hot Jupiters. I. A radial velocity search for massive, long-period companions to close-in gas giant planets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knutson, Heather A.; Ngo, Henry; Johnson, John Asher [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Fulton, Benjamin J.; Howard, Andrew W. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States); Montet, Benjamin T.; Kao, Melodie; Hinkley, Sasha; Morton, Timothy D.; Muirhead, Philip S. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Crepp, Justin R. [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN (United States); Bakos, Gaspar Á. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (United States); Batygin, Konstantin, E-mail: hknutson@caltech.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States)

2014-04-20

In this paper we search for distant massive companions to known transiting gas giant planets that may have influenced the dynamical evolution of these systems. We present new radial velocity observations for a sample of 51 planets obtained using the Keck HIRES instrument, and find statistically significant accelerations in fifteen systems. Six of these systems have no previously reported accelerations in the published literature: HAT-P-10, HAT-P-22, HAT-P-29, HAT-P-32, WASP-10, and XO-2. We combine our radial velocity fits with Keck NIRC2 adaptive optics (AO) imaging data to place constraints on the allowed masses and orbital periods of the companions responsible for the detected accelerations. The estimated masses of the companions range between 1-500 M {sub Jup}, with orbital semi-major axes typically between 1-75 AU. A significant majority of the companions detected by our survey are constrained to have minimum masses comparable to or larger than those of the transiting planets in these systems, making them candidates for influencing the orbital evolution of the inner gas giant. We estimate a total occurrence rate of 51% ± 10% for companions with masses between 1-13 M {sub Jup} and orbital semi-major axes between 1-20 AU in our sample. We find no statistically significant difference between the frequency of companions to transiting planets with misaligned or eccentric orbits and those with well-aligned, circular orbits. We combine our expanded sample of radial velocity measurements with constraints from transit and secondary eclipse observations to provide improved measurements of the physical and orbital characteristics of all of the planets included in our survey.

Mini-Review: Limbal Stem Cells Deficiency in Companion Animals: Time to Give Something Back?

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Rick F; Daniels, Julie T

2016-04-01

Experimental animals have been used extensively in the goal of developing sight-saving therapies for humans. One example is the development of transplantation of cultured limbal epithelial stem cells (LESC) to restore vision following ocular surface injury or disease. With clinical trials of cultured LESC therapy underway in humans and a potential companion animal population suffering from similar diseases, it is perhaps time to give something back. Comparatively to humans, what is known about the healthy limbus and corneal surface physiology of companion animals is still very little. Blinding corneal diseases in animals such as symblepharon in cats with Feline Herpes Virus-1 infections require a basic understanding of the functional companion animal limbus and corneal stem cells. Our understanding of many other vision threatening conditions such as scarring of the cornea post-inflammation with lymphocytic-plasmacytic infiltrate in dogs (aka chronic superficial keratitis) or pigment proliferation with Pigmentary Keratitis of Pugs would benefit from a better understanding of the animal cornea in health and disease. This is also vital when new therapeutic approaches are considered. This review will explore the current challenges and future research directions that will be required to increase our understanding of corneal diseases in animals and consider the potential development and delivery of cultured stem cell therapy to veterinary ocular surface patients.

Training young horses to social separation: Effect of a companion horse on training efficiency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartmann, E.; Christensen, Janne Winther; Keeling, LJ

2011-01-01

: To investigate whether the initial presence of a familiar companion horse modifies responses to separation from the group, lowers stress levels (as measured by heart rate) and increases training efficiency. Hypothesis: Habituation to separation proceeds more quickly if the horse is first trained with a companion......Reasons for performing study: The intensity with which a horse responds to separation from its group and subsequently to being alone is relevant for both horse and handler safety. Identification of training methods that may reduce responses to separation would be useful in practice. Objectives......, and heart rate is lower when the horse is subsequently trained alone, compared to control horses trained individually from the start. Methods: Young mares (n = 32), kept in groups of 4 were exposed to social separation: 2 horses of the group were trained singly (S1, n = 16) and the remaining 2 horses (n...

Benefits and Risks for People and Livestock of Keeping Companion Animals: Searching for a Healthy Balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Sterneberg-van der Maaten, T; Turner, D; Van Tilburg, J; Vaarten, J

2016-07-01

The mission of the CALLISTO (Companion Animals multisectoriaL interprofessionaL Interdisciplinary Strategic Think tank On zoonoses) project was to provide an overview of the current situation on the role of companion animals as a source of infectious diseases for people and food animals. It also aimed to identify knowledge and technology gaps for the most important zoonoses and propose targeted actions to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases transmitted via companion animals. After a 3-year study, its members have developed practical recommendations for improved data collection on companion animal numbers and the mechanisms for disease surveillance in companion animals. They highlight the importance of introducing a system for the unique identification of dogs and other companion animals with an implanted microchip transponder and storage of the details it contains on an internationally accessible online database. Their report also emphasises the need for balanced communication with the public on the risks and benefits of pet ownership and the value of the 'One Health' concept to encourage closer collaboration between veterinary and human medical professionals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole genome sequencing of Escherichia coli encoding blaNDM isolated from humans and companion animals in Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Companion animals are a source of zoonotic infections and especially important considering the potential of companion animals to harbor antibiotic resistant pathogens. In this study, blaNDM positive Escherichia coli from companion animals, humans, and the environment from Mansoura, Egypt were charac...

Cancer drug development and the evolving regulatory framework for companion diagnostics in the European union.

Science.gov (United States)

Pignatti, Francesco; Ehmann, Falk; Hemmings, Robert; Jonsson, Bertil; Nuebling, Micha; Papaluca-Amati, Marisa; Posch, Martin; Rasi, Guido

2014-03-15

The European Union (EU) legal framework for medical device regulation is currently under revision. The European Commission has proposed a new framework to ensure that medical devices serve the needs and ensure the safety of European citizens, aiming for a framework that is fit for purpose, more transparent, and better adapted to scientific and technological progress. The proposed new framework is described as an evolution of the current regime keeping the same legal approach. An important proposed change is that companion diagnostics will no longer be considered as low risk and subject to self-certification by the manufacturer. According to the new proposal, companion diagnostics will be classified as high individual risk or moderate public health risk (category C) and require conformity assessment by a notified body. It has also been proposed that evidence of the clinical utility of the device for the intended purpose should be required for companion diagnostics. In this article, we review the EU legal framework relevant for companion diagnostics, describe the proposed changes, and summarize the available scientific guidance from the European Medicines Agency and its regulatory experience with cancer drug development including companion diagnostics. See all articles in this CCR Focus section, "The Precision Medicine Conundrum: Approaches to Companion Diagnostic Co-development." ©2014 AACR.

A RADIO SEARCH FOR PULSAR COMPANIONS TO SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY LOW-MASS WHITE DWARFS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agueeros, Marcel A.; Camilo, Fernando; Silvestri, Nicole M.; Anderson, Scott F.; Kleinman, S. J.; Liebert, James W.

2009-01-01

We have conducted a search for pulsar companions to 15 low-mass white dwarfs (LMWDs; M sun ) at 820 MHz with the NRAO Green Bank Telescope (GBT). These LMWDs were spectroscopically identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and do not show the photometric excess or spectroscopic signature associated with a companion in their discovery data. However, LMWDs are believed to evolve in binary systems and to have either a more massive white dwarf (WD) or a neutron star (NS) as a companion. Indeed, evolutionary models of low-mass X-ray binaries, the precursors of millisecond pulsars (MSPs), produce significant numbers of LMWDs, suggesting that the SDSS LMWDs may have NS companions. No convincing pulsar signal is detected in our data. This is consistent with the findings of van Leeuwen et al., who conducted a GBT search for radio pulsations at 340 MHz from unseen companions to eight SDSS WDs (five are still considered LMWDs; the three others are now classified as 'ordinary' WDs). We discuss the constraints our nondetections place on the probability P MSP that the companion to a given LMWD is a radio pulsar in the context of the luminosity and acceleration limits of our search; we find that P MSP +4 -2 %.

Characterizing a New Candidate Benchmark Brown Dwarf Companion in the β Pic Moving Group

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Caprice; Bowler, Brendan; Liu, Michael C.; Mace, Gregory N.; Sokal, Kimberly R.

2018-01-01

Benchmark brown dwarfs are objects that have at least two measured fundamental quantities such as luminosity and age, and therefore can be used to test substellar atmospheric and evolutionary models. Nearby, young, loose associations such as the β Pic moving group represent some of the best regions in which to identify intermediate-age benchmark brown dwarfs due to their well-constrained ages and metallicities. We present a spectroscopic study of a new companion at the hydrogen-burning limit orbiting a low-mass star at a separation of 9″ (650 AU) in the 23 Myr old β Pic moving group. The medium-resolution near-infrared spectrum of this companion from IRTF/SpeX shows clear signs of low surface gravity and yields an index-based spectral type of M6±1 with a VL-G gravity on the Allers & Liu classification system. Currently, there are four known brown dwarf and giant planet companions in the β Pic moving group: HR 7329 B, PZ Tel B, β Pic b, and 51 Eri b. Depending on its exact age and accretion history, this new object may represent the third brown dwarf companion and fifth substellar companion in this association.

Trends and molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in clinical staphylococci isolated from companion animals over a 16 year period.

Science.gov (United States)

Couto, Natacha; Monchique, Cláudia; Belas, Adriana; Marques, Cátia; Gama, Luís T; Pomba, Constança

2016-06-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the evolution of resistance to antimicrobials, corresponding mechanisms and molecular characteristics of Staphylococcus spp., between 1999 and 2014. Susceptibility to 38 antimicrobials was determined for 632 clinical staphylococcal isolates obtained from companion animals (dogs, cats, horses and other animals). Twenty antimicrobial resistance genes, including mecA and mecC, were screened by PCR. Methicillin-resistant staphylococci were characterized by spa (Staphylococcus aureus), SCCmec, MLST and PFGE typing. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS v9.3 and differences were considered relevant if P ≤ 0.05. The mecA gene was identified in 74 staphylococcal isolates (11.6%): 11 MRSA (40.7%), 40 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP; 8.7%) and 23 methicillin-resistant CoNS (26.7%). Resistance to the majority of antimicrobials and the number of mecA-positive isolates increased significantly over time. Eighteen spa types were identified, including two new ones. MRSA isolates were divided into three PFGE clusters that included ST22-IV, ST105-II, ST398-V and ST5-VI. Most methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates were of clonal complex (CC) 5, including a new ST, and clustered in eight PFGE clusters. MRSP were grouped into five PFGE clusters and included ST45-NT, ST71-II-III, ST195-III, ST196-V, ST339-NT, ST342-IV and the new ST400-III. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus clustered in two PFGE clusters. The significant increase in antimicrobial-resistant and mecA-positive isolates in recent years is worrying. Furthermore, several isolates are MDR, which complicates antimicrobial treatment and increases the risk of transfer to humans or human isolates. Several clonal lineages of MRSA and methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis circulating in human hospitals and the community were found, suggesting that companion animals can become infected with and contribute to the

AN M DWARF COMPANION AND ITS INDUCED SPIRAL ARMS IN THE HD 100453 PROTOPLANETARY DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Ruobing [Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Zhu, Zhaohuan [Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Fung, Jeffrey; Chiang, Eugene [Department of Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Rafikov, Roman [Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ 08540 (United States); Wagner, Kevin, E-mail: rdong2013@berkeley.edu [Department of Astronomy/Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2016-01-01

Recent VLT/SPHERE near-infrared imaging observations revealed two spiral arms with a near m = 2 rotational symmetry in the protoplanetary disk around the ∼1.7 M{sub ⊙} Herbig star HD 100453. A ∼0.3 M{sub ⊙} M dwarf companion, HD 100453 B, was also identified at a projected separation of 120 AU from the primary. In this Letter, we carry out hydrodynamic and radiative transfer simulations to examine the scattered light morphology of the HD 100453 disk as perturbed by the companion on a circular and coplanar orbit. We find that the companion truncates the disk at ∼45 AU in scattered light images, and excites two spiral arms in the remaining (circumprimary) disk with a near m = 2 rotational symmetry. Both the truncated disk size and the morphology of the spirals are in excellent agreement with the SPHERE observations at Y, J, H, and K1-bands, suggesting that the M dwarf companion is indeed responsible for the observed double-spiral-arm pattern. Our model suggests that the disk is close to face on (inclination angle ∼5°), and that the entire disk-companion system rotates counterclockwise on the sky. The HD 100453 observations, along with our modeling work, demonstrate that double spiral arm patterns in near-infrared scattered light images can be generically produced by companions, and support future observations to identify the companions responsible for the arms observed in the MWC 758 and SAO 206462 systems.

Effects of gravitational lensing and companion motion on the binary pulsar timing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rafikov, Roman R.; Lai Dong

2006-01-01

The measurement of the Shapiro time delay in binary pulsar systems with highly-inclined orbit can be affected both by the motion of the pulsar's companion because of the finite time it takes a photon to cross the binary, and by the gravitational light bending if the orbit is sufficiently edge-on relative to the line of sight. Here we calculate the effect of retardation due to the companion's motion on various time delays in pulsar binaries, including the Shaipro delay, the geometric lensing delay, and the lens-induced delays associated with the pulsar rotation. Our results can be applied to systems so highly inclined that near conjunction gravitational lensing of the pulsar radiation by the companion becomes important (the recently discovered double pulsar system J0737-3039 may exemplify such a system). To the leading order, the effect of retardation is to shift all the delay curves backward in time around the orbit conjunction, without affecting the shape and amplitude of the curves. The time shift is of order the photon orbit crossing time, and ranges from a second to a few minutes for the observed binary pulsar systems. In the double pulsar system J0737-3039, the motion of the companion may also affect the interpretation of the recent correlated interstellar scintillation measurements. Finally, we show that lensing sets an upper limit on the magnitude of the frame-dragging time delay caused by the companion's spin, and makes this delay unobservable in stellar-mass binary pulsar systems

NEW M, L, AND T DWARF COMPANIONS TO NEARBY STARS FROM THE WIDE-FIELD INFRARED SURVEY EXPLORER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luhman, Kevin L.; Loutrel, Nicholas P.; McCurdy, Nicholas S.; Melso, Nicole D.; Star, Kimberly M.; Terrien, Ryan C. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Mace, Gregory N.; McLean, Ian S. [UCLA Division of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Young, Michael D.; Rhode, Katherine L. [Department of Astronomy, Indiana University, Swain West 319, 727 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405 (United States); Davy Kirkpatrick, J., E-mail: kluhman@astro.psu.edu [Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, MS 100-22, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2012-12-01

We present 11 candidate late-type companions to nearby stars identified with data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). Eight of the candidates are likely to be companions based on their common proper motions with the primaries. The remaining three objects are rejected as companions, one of which is a free-floating T7 dwarf. Spectral types are available for five of the companions, which consist of M2V, M8.5V, L5, T8, and T8. Based on their photometry, the unclassified companions are probably two mid-M dwarfs and one late-M/early-L dwarf. One of the T8 companions, WISE J142320.84+011638.0, has already been reported by Pinfield and coworkers. The other T8 companion, ULAS J095047.28+011734.3, was discovered by Burningham and coworkers through the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Infrared Deep Sky Survey, but its companionship has not been previously recognized in the literature. The L5 companion, 2MASS J17430860+8526594, is a new member of a class of L dwarfs that exhibit unusually blue near-IR colors. Among the possible mechanisms that have been previously proposed for the peculiar colors of these L dwarfs, low metallicity does not appear to be a viable explanation for 2MASS J17430860+8526594 since our spectrum of the primary suggests that its metallicity is not significantly subsolar.

NEW M, L, AND T DWARF COMPANIONS TO NEARBY STARS FROM THE WIDE-FIELD INFRARED SURVEY EXPLORER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luhman, Kevin L.; Loutrel, Nicholas P.; McCurdy, Nicholas S.; Melso, Nicole D.; Star, Kimberly M.; Terrien, Ryan C.; Mace, Gregory N.; McLean, Ian S.; Young, Michael D.; Rhode, Katherine L.; Davy Kirkpatrick, J.

2012-01-01

We present 11 candidate late-type companions to nearby stars identified with data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). Eight of the candidates are likely to be companions based on their common proper motions with the primaries. The remaining three objects are rejected as companions, one of which is a free-floating T7 dwarf. Spectral types are available for five of the companions, which consist of M2V, M8.5V, L5, T8, and T8. Based on their photometry, the unclassified companions are probably two mid-M dwarfs and one late-M/early-L dwarf. One of the T8 companions, WISE J142320.84+011638.0, has already been reported by Pinfield and coworkers. The other T8 companion, ULAS J095047.28+011734.3, was discovered by Burningham and coworkers through the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Infrared Deep Sky Survey, but its companionship has not been previously recognized in the literature. The L5 companion, 2MASS J17430860+8526594, is a new member of a class of L dwarfs that exhibit unusually blue near-IR colors. Among the possible mechanisms that have been previously proposed for the peculiar colors of these L dwarfs, low metallicity does not appear to be a viable explanation for 2MASS J17430860+8526594 since our spectrum of the primary suggests that its metallicity is not significantly subsolar.

Companion Animals as a Source of Viruses for Human Beings and Food Production Animals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.A. Reperant (Leslie); I.H. Brown (Ian); Haenen, O.L.; M.D. de Jong (Menno); A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert); A. Papa (Anna); Rimstad, E.; Valarcher, J.-F.; T. Kuiken (Thijs)

2016-01-01

textabstractCompanion animals comprise a wide variety of species, including dogs, cats, horses, ferrets, guinea pigs, reptiles, birds and ornamental fish, as well as food production animal species, such as domestic pigs, kept as companion animals. Despite their prominent place in human society,

SHADOWS OF OUR FORMER COMPANIONS: HOW THE SINGLE-DEGENERATE BINARY TYPE IA SUPERNOVA SCENARIO AFFECTS REMNANTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, William J.; Raskin, Cody; Owen, J. Michael

2016-01-01

Here we present three-dimensional high-resolution simulations of Type Ia supernova in the presence of a non-degenerate companion. We find that the presence of a nearby companion leaves a long-lived hole in the supernova ejecta. In particular, we aim to study the long-term evolution of this hole as the supernova ejecta interacts with the surrounding interstellar medium (ISM). Using estimates for the X-ray emission, we find that the hole generated by the companion remains for many centuries after the interaction between the ejecta and the ISM. We also show that the hole is discernible over a wide range of viewing angles and companion masses.

SHADOWS OF OUR FORMER COMPANIONS: HOW THE SINGLE-DEGENERATE BINARY TYPE IA SUPERNOVA SCENARIO AFFECTS REMNANTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gray, William J.; Raskin, Cody; Owen, J. Michael [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, L-038, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States)

2016-12-10

Here we present three-dimensional high-resolution simulations of Type Ia supernova in the presence of a non-degenerate companion. We find that the presence of a nearby companion leaves a long-lived hole in the supernova ejecta. In particular, we aim to study the long-term evolution of this hole as the supernova ejecta interacts with the surrounding interstellar medium (ISM). Using estimates for the X-ray emission, we find that the hole generated by the companion remains for many centuries after the interaction between the ejecta and the ISM. We also show that the hole is discernible over a wide range of viewing angles and companion masses.

Owners' Perceptions of Their Animal's Behavioural Response to the Loss of an Animal Companion.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Jessica K; Waran, Natalie K; Phillips, Clive J C

2016-11-03

The loss of a companion animal is recognised as being associated with experiences of grief by the owner, but it is unclear how other animals in the household may be affected by such a loss. Our aim was to investigate companion animals' behavioural responses to the loss of a companion through owner-report. A questionnaire was distributed via, and advertised within, publications produced by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) across Australia and New Zealand, and through a selection of veterinary clinics within New Zealand. A total of 279 viable surveys were returned pertaining to 159 dogs and 152 cats. The two most common classes of behavioural changes reported for both dogs and cats were affectionate behaviours (74% of dogs and 78% of cats) and territorial behaviours (60% of dogs and 63% of cats). Both dogs and cats were reported to demand more attention from their owners and/or display affiliative behaviour, as well as spend time seeking out the deceased's favourite spot. Dogs were reported to reduce the volume (35%) and speed (31%) of food consumption and increase the amount of time spent sleeping (34%). Cats were reported to increase the frequency (43%) and volume (32%) of vocalisations following the death of a companion. The median duration of reported behavioural changes in both species was less than 6 months. There was consensus that the behaviour of companion animals changed in response to the loss of an animal companion. These behavioural changes suggest the loss had an impact on the remaining animal.

Companion Animals as a Source of Viruses for Human Beings and Food Production Animals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reperant, L. A.; Brown, I. H.; Haenen, O. L.; de Jong, M. D.; Osterhaus, A. D. M. E.; Papa, A.; Rimstad, E.; Valarcher, J.-F.; Kuiken, T.

2016-01-01

Companion animals comprise a wide variety of species, including dogs, cats, horses, ferrets, guinea pigs, reptiles, birds and ornamental fish, as well as food production animal species, such as domestic pigs, kept as companion animals. Despite their prominent place in human society, little is known

Pallet Users State Their Preferences For Used Pallets - Companion Stringers Cited as Biggest

Science.gov (United States)

Robert J. Bush; Ronen Roudik; Philip A. Araman

1995-01-01

A study recently completed by VA Tech in Blacksburg, VA, found that half companion stringers have the greatest negative impact on purchasers of used pallets, followed by split deckboards, protruding nails, and full companion stringers. Repairs using metal plates had relatively little affect on the value of the pallet. The study provides new information concerning the...

THE PALOMAR/KECK ADAPTIVE OPTICS SURVEY OF YOUNG SOLAR ANALOGS: EVIDENCE FOR A UNIVERSAL COMPANION MASS FUNCTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metchev, Stanimir A.; Hillenbrand, Lynne A.

2009-01-01

We present results from an adaptive optics survey for substellar and stellar companions to Sun-like stars. The survey targeted 266 F5-K5 stars in the 3 Myr-3 Gyr age range with distances of 10-190 pc. Results from the survey include the discovery of two brown dwarf companions (HD 49197B and HD 203030B), 24 new stellar binaries, and a triple system. We infer that the frequency of 0.012-0.072 M sun brown dwarfs in 28-1590 AU orbits around young solar analogs is 3.2 +3.1 -2.7 % (2σ limits). The result demonstrates that the deficiency of substellar companions at wide orbital separations from Sun-like stars is less pronounced than in the radial velocity 'brown dwarf desert'. We infer that the mass distribution of companions in 28-1590 AU orbits around solar-mass stars follows a continuous dN/dM 2 ∝ M -0.4 2 relation over the 0.01-1.0 M sun secondary mass range. While this functional form is similar to that for isolated objects less than 0.1 M sun , over the entire 0.01-1.0 M sun range, the mass functions of companions and of isolated objects differ significantly. Based on this conclusion and on similar results from other direct imaging and radial velocity companion surveys in the literature, we argue that the companion mass function follows the same universal form over the entire range between 0 and 1590 AU in orbital semimajor axis and ∼ 0.01-20 M sun in companion mass. In this context, the relative dearth of substellar versus stellar secondaries at all orbital separations arises naturally from the inferred form of the companion mass function.

Synergistic Effects of Agronet Covers and Companion Cropping on Reducing Whitefly Infestation and Improving Yield of Open Field-Grown Tomatoes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stella Mutisya

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill are one of the biggest vegetable crops in the world, supplying a wide range of vitamins, minerals and fibre in human diets. In the tropics, tomatoes are predominantly grown under sub-optimal conditions by subsistence farmers, with exposure to biotic and abiotic stresses in the open field. Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius is one of the major pests of the tomato, potentially causing up to 100% yield loss. To control whitefly, most growers indiscriminately use synthetic insecticides which negatively impact the environment, humans, and other natural pest management systems, while also increasing cost of production. This study sought to investigate the effectiveness of agronet covers and companion planting with aromatic basil (Ocimum basilicum L. as an alternative management strategy for whitefly in tomatoes and to evaluate the use of these treatments ontomato growth and yield. Two trials were conducted at the Horticulture Research and Training Field, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya. Treatments comprised a combination of two factors, (1 growing environment (agronet and no agronet and (2 companion planting with a row of basil surrounding tomato plants, a row of basil in between adjacent rows of tomato, no companion planting. Agronet covers and companion cropping with a row of basil planted between adjacent tomato rows significantly lowered B. tabaci infestation in tomatoes by 68.7%. Better tomato yields were also recorded in treatments where the two treatments were used in combination. Higher yield (13.75 t/ha was obtained from tomatoes grown under agronet cover with a basil row planted in between adjacent rows of the tomato crop compared to 5.9 t/ha in the control. Non-marketable yield was also lowered to5.9 t/ha compared to 9.8 t/ha in the control following the use of the two treatments in combination. The results of this study demonstrate the potential viability of using companion cropping and agronet

The new Cambridge companion to Shakespeare

OpenAIRE

2015-01-01

Written by a team of leading international scholars, this Companion is designed to illuminate Shakespeare's works through discussion of the key topics of Shakespeare studies. Twenty-one brand new essays provide lively and authoritative approaches to recent scholarship and criticism for readers keen to expand their knowledge and appreciation of Shakespeare. The book contains stimulating chapters on traditional topics such as Shakespeare's biography and the transmission of his texts. Individual...

TWO PLANETARY COMPANIONS AROUND THE K7 DWARF GJ 221: A HOT SUPER-EARTH AND A CANDIDATE IN THE SUB-SATURN DESERT RANGE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arriagada, Pamela; Minniti, Dante [Department of Astronomy, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Casilla 306, Santiago 22 (Chile); Anglada-Escude, Guillem; Butler, R. Paul [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington, DC 20015-1305 (United States); Crane, Jeffrey D.; Shectman, Stephen A.; Thompson, Ian [The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Wende, Sebastian, E-mail: parriaga@astro.puc.cl [Institut fuer Astrophysik, Universitaet Goettingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, D-37077 Goettingen (Germany)

2013-07-01

We report two low-mass companions orbiting the nearby K7 dwarf GJ 221 that have emerged from reanalyzing 4.4 yr of publicly available HARPS spectra complemented with 2 years of high-precision Doppler measurements with Magellan/PFS. The HARPS measurements alone contain the clear signal of a low-mass companion with a period of 125 days and a minimum mass of 53.2 M{sub Circled-Plus} (GJ 221b), falling in a mass range where very few planet candidates have been found (sub-Saturn desert). The addition of 17 PFS observations allows the confident detection of a second low-mass companion (6.5 M{sub Circled-Plus }) in a hot orbit (3.87 day period, GJ 221c). Spectroscopic and photometric calibrations suggest that GJ 221 is slightly depleted ([Fe/H] {approx} -0.1) compared to the Sun, so the presence of two low-mass companions in the system confirms the trend that slightly reduced stellar metallicity does not prevent the formation of planets in the super-Earth to sub-Saturn mass regime.

Comparing acquired angioedema with hereditary angioedema (types I/II): findings from the Icatibant Outcome Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Longhurst, H J; Zanichelli, A; Caballero, T; Bouillet, L; Aberer, W; Maurer, M; Fain, O; Fabien, V; Andresen, I

2017-04-01

Icatibant is used to treat acute hereditary angioedema with C1 inhibitor deficiency types I/II (C1-INH-HAE types I/II) and has shown promise in angioedema due to acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-AAE). Data from the Icatibant Outcome Survey (IOS) were analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of icatibant in the treatment of patients with C1-INH-AAE and compare disease characteristics with those with C1-INH-HAE types I/II. Key medical history (including prior occurrence of attacks) was recorded upon IOS enrolment. Thereafter, data were recorded retrospectively at approximately 6-month intervals during patient follow-up visits. In the icatibant-treated population, 16 patients with C1-INH-AAE had 287 attacks and 415 patients with C1-INH-HAE types I/II had 2245 attacks. Patients with C1-INH-AAE versus C1-INH-HAE types I/II were more often male (69 versus 42%; P = 0·035) and had a significantly later mean (95% confidence interval) age of symptom onset [57·9 (51·33-64·53) versus 14·0 (12·70-15·26) years]. Time from symptom onset to diagnosis was significantly shorter in patients with C1-INH-AAE versus C1-INH-HAE types I/II (mean 12·3 months versus 118·1 months; P = 0·006). Patients with C1-INH-AAE showed a trend for higher occurrence of attacks involving the face (35 versus 21% of attacks; P = 0·064). Overall, angioedema attacks were more severe in patients with C1-INH-HAE types I/II versus C1-INH-AAE (61 versus 40% of attacks were classified as severe to very severe; P types I/II, respectively. © 2016 British Society for Immunology.

Mining free-text medical records for companion animal enteric syndrome surveillance.

Science.gov (United States)

Anholt, R M; Berezowski, J; Jamal, I; Ribble, C; Stephen, C

2014-03-01

Large amounts of animal health care data are present in veterinary electronic medical records (EMR) and they present an opportunity for companion animal disease surveillance. Veterinary patient records are largely in free-text without clinical coding or fixed vocabulary. Text-mining, a computer and information technology application, is needed to identify cases of interest and to add structure to the otherwise unstructured data. In this study EMR's were extracted from veterinary management programs of 12 participating veterinary practices and stored in a data warehouse. Using commercially available text-mining software (WordStat™), we developed a categorization dictionary that could be used to automatically classify and extract enteric syndrome cases from the warehoused electronic medical records. The diagnostic accuracy of the text-miner for retrieving cases of enteric syndrome was measured against human reviewers who independently categorized a random sample of 2500 cases as enteric syndrome positive or negative. Compared to the reviewers, the text-miner retrieved cases with enteric signs with a sensitivity of 87.6% (95%CI, 80.4-92.9%) and a specificity of 99.3% (95%CI, 98.9-99.6%). Automatic and accurate detection of enteric syndrome cases provides an opportunity for community surveillance of enteric pathogens in companion animals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Companion Animals as a Source of Viruses for Human Beings and Food Production Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Reperant, L A; Brown, I H; Haenen, O L; de Jong, M D; Osterhaus, A D M E; Papa, A; Rimstad, E; Valarcher, J-F; Kuiken, T

2016-07-01

Companion animals comprise a wide variety of species, including dogs, cats, horses, ferrets, guinea pigs, reptiles, birds and ornamental fish, as well as food production animal species, such as domestic pigs, kept as companion animals. Despite their prominent place in human society, little is known about the role of companion animals as sources of viruses for people and food production animals. Therefore, we reviewed the literature for accounts of infections of companion animals by zoonotic viruses and viruses of food production animals, and prioritized these viruses in terms of human health and economic importance. In total, 138 virus species reportedly capable of infecting companion animals were of concern for human and food production animal health: 59 of these viruses were infectious for human beings, 135 were infectious for food production mammals and birds, and 22 were infectious for food production fishes. Viruses of highest concern for human health included hantaviruses, Tahyna virus, rabies virus, West Nile virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, Aichi virus, European bat lyssavirus, hepatitis E virus, cowpox virus, G5 rotavirus, influenza A virus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Viruses of highest concern for food production mammals and birds included bluetongue virus, African swine fever virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus, lumpy skin disease virus, Rift Valley fever virus, porcine circovirus, classical swine fever virus, equine herpesvirus 9, peste des petits ruminants virus and equine infectious anaemia virus. Viruses of highest concern for food production fishes included cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (koi herpesvirus), viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus and infectious pancreatic necrosis virus. Of particular concern as sources of zoonotic or food production animal viruses were domestic carnivores, rodents and food production animals kept as companion animals. The current list of viruses provides an objective

SUBSTELLAR-MASS COMPANIONS TO THE K-GIANTS HD 240237, BD +48 738, AND HD 96127

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gettel, S.; Wolszczan, A.; Niedzielski, A.; Nowak, G.; Adamów, M.; Zieliński, P.; Maciejewski, G.

2012-01-01

We present the discovery of substellar-mass companions to three giant stars by the ongoing Penn State-Toruń Planet Search conducted with the 9.2 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The most massive of the three stars, K2-giant HD 240237, has a 5.3 M J minimum mass companion orbiting the star at a 746 day period. The K0-giant BD +48 738 is orbited by a ≥0.91 M J planet which has a period of 393 days and shows a nonlinear, long-term radial velocity (RV) trend that indicates a presence of another, more distant companion, which may have a substellar mass or be a low-mass star. The K2-giant HD 96127 has a ≥4.0 M J mass companion in a 647 day orbit around the star. The two K2-giants exhibit a significant RV noise that complicates the detection of low-amplitude, periodic variations in the data. If the noise component of the observed RV variations is due to solar-type oscillations, we show, using all the published data for the substellar companions to giants, that its amplitude is anti-correlated with stellar metallicity.

Companion cropping with potato onion enhances the disease resistance of tomato against Verticillium dahliae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuepeng eFu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Intercropping could alleviate soil-borne diseases, however, few studies focused on the immunity of the host plant induced by the interspecific interactions. To test whether or not intercropping could enhance the disease resistance of host plant, we investigated the effect of companion cropping with potato onion on tomato Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae (V. dahliae. To investigate the mechanisms, the root exudates were collected from tomato and potato onion which were grown together or separately, and were used to examine the antifungal activities against V. dahliae in vitro, respectively. Furthermore, RNA-seq was used to examine the expression pattern of genes related to disease resistance in tomato companied with potato onion compared to that in tomato grown alone, under the condition of infection with V. dahliae. The results showed that companion cropping with potato onion could alleviate the incidence and severity of tomato Verticillium wilt. The further studies revealed that the root exudates from tomato companied with potato onion significantly inhibited the mycelia growth and spore germination of V. dahliae. However, there were no significant effects on these two measurements for the root exudates from potato onion grown alone or from potato onion grown with tomato. RNA-seq data analysis showed the disease defense genes associated with pathogenesis-related proteins, biosynthesis of lignin, hormone metabolism and signal transduction were expressed much higher in the tomato companied with potato onion than those in the tomato grown alone, which indicated that these defense genes play important roles in tomato against V. dahliae infection, and meant that the disease resistance of tomato against V. dahliae was enhanced in the companion copping with potato onion. We proposed that companion cropping with potato onion could enhance the disease resistance of tomato against V. dahliae by regulating the expression of genes related

The Creative Use of Companion Values in Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development: Exploring the Educative Moment

Science.gov (United States)

Garrison, Jim; Östman, Leif; Håkansson, Michael

2015-01-01

Our paper addresses the emergence and evolution of values in educational settings. It builds upon and extends earlier work on companion meanings to develop a theory of the creative use of companion values and meanings in education. The recognition of companion values in educational practices highlight epistemological, ethical, and aesthetic…

Searching for Dual AGNs in Galaxy Mergers: Understanding Double-Peaked [O III] and Ultra Hard X-rays as Selection Method

Science.gov (United States)

McGurk, Rosalie C.; Max, Claire E.; Medling, Anne; Shields, Gregory A.

2015-01-01

When galaxies merge, gas accretes onto both central supermassive black holes. Thus, one expects to see close pairs of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), or dual AGNs, in a fraction of galaxy mergers. However, finding them remains a challenge. The presence of double-peaked [O III] or of ultra hard X-rays have been proposed as techniques to select dual AGNs efficiently. We studied a sample of double-peaked narrow [O III] emitting AGNs from SDSS DR7. By obtaining new and archival high spatial resolution images taken with the Keck 2 Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics system and the near-infrared (IR) camera NIRC2, we showed that 30% of double-peaked [O III] emission line SDSS AGNs have two spatial components within a 3' radius. However, spatially resolved spectroscopy or X-ray observations are needed to confirm these galaxy pairs as systems containing two AGNs. We followed up these spatially-double candidate dual AGNs with integral field spectroscopy from Keck OSIRIS and Gemini GMOS and with long-slit spectroscopy from Keck NIRSPEC and Shane Kast Double Spectrograph. We find double-peaked emitters are caused sometimes by dual AGN and sometimes by outflows or narrow line kinematics. We also performed Chandra X-ray ACIS-S observations on 12 double-peaked candidate dual AGNs. Using our observations and 8 archival observations, we compare the distribution of X-ray photons to our spatially double near-IR images, measure X-ray luminosities and hardness ratios, and estimate column densities. By assessing what fraction of double-peaked emission line SDSS AGNs are true dual AGNs, we can better determine whether double-peaked [O III] is an efficient dual AGN indicator and constrain the statistics of dual AGNs. A second technique to find dual AGN is the detection of ultra hard X-rays by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope. We use CARMA observations to measure and map the CO(1-0) present in nearby ultra-hard X-ray Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) merging with either a quiescent companion

Implementation of a companion diagnostic in the clinical laboratory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mancini, Irene; Pinzani, Pamela; Simi, Lisa

2015-01-01

A companion diagnostic test provides information that is essential for the safe and effective use of a corresponding therapeutic product as indicated in the drug instructions. The implementation of a companion diagnostic follows the rules of a molecular test for somatic mutations in a routine...... clinical laboratory environment and needs guidance on practical aspects, including the choice of the proper analytical method and the procedures for internal and external quality controls. Selection of the appropriate assay for detection of genetic alterations depends on several factors: the type...... on restrictions of the method used. In relation to these aspects herein we report an opinion paper of the Working Group Personalized Laboratory Medicine jointly constituted by the European Federation of Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) and by the European Society of Pharmacogenomics and Theranostics (ESPT) using...

The role of companions in aiding older cancer patients to recall medical information.

OpenAIRE

Jansen, J.; Weert, J.C.M. van; Wijngaards-de Meij, L.; Dulmen, S. van; Heeren, T.J.; Bensing, J.M.

2010-01-01

Objectives: This study investigates information recall in unaccompanied and accompanied older cancer patients and their companions.Methods: One hundred cancer patients (aged >/=65 years) and 71 companions completed a recall questionnaire after a nursing consultation preceding chemotherapy treatment. Recall was checked against the actual communication in video-recordings of the consultations. Patients also completed measures of anxiety and memory-related beliefs.Results: Findings revealed that...

A comparison of companion matrix methods to find roots of a trigonometric polynomial

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, John P.

2013-08-01

A trigonometric polynomial is a truncated Fourier series of the form fN(t)≡∑j=0Naj cos(jt)+∑j=1N bj sin(jt). It has been previously shown by the author that zeros of such a polynomial can be computed as the eigenvalues of a companion matrix with elements which are complex valued combinations of the Fourier coefficients, the "CCM" method. However, previous work provided no examples, so one goal of this new work is to experimentally test the CCM method. A second goal is introduce a new alternative, the elimination/Chebyshev algorithm, and experimentally compare it with the CCM scheme. The elimination/Chebyshev matrix (ECM) algorithm yields a companion matrix with real-valued elements, albeit at the price of usefulness only for real roots. The new elimination scheme first converts the trigonometric rootfinding problem to a pair of polynomial equations in the variables (c,s) where c≡cos(t) and s≡sin(t). The elimination method next reduces the system to a single univariate polynomial P(c). We show that this same polynomial is the resultant of the system and is also a generator of the Groebner basis with lexicographic ordering for the system. Both methods give very high numerical accuracy for real-valued roots, typically at least 11 decimal places in Matlab/IEEE 754 16 digit floating point arithmetic. The CCM algorithm is typically one or two decimal places more accurate, though these differences disappear if the roots are "Newton-polished" by a single Newton's iteration. The complex-valued matrix is accurate for complex-valued roots, too, though accuracy decreases with the magnitude of the imaginary part of the root. The cost of both methods scales as O(N3) floating point operations. In spite of intimate connections of the elimination/Chebyshev scheme to two well-established technologies for solving systems of equations, resultants and Groebner bases, and the advantages of using only real-valued arithmetic to obtain a companion matrix with real-valued elements

"You're dealing with an emotionally charged individual...": an industry perspective on the challenges posed by medical tourists' informal caregiver-companions.

Science.gov (United States)

Casey, Victoria; Crooks, Valorie A; Snyder, Jeremy; Turner, Leigh

2013-07-26

Patients engage in medical tourism when they privately obtain a medical care abroad. Previous research shows that many medical tourists travel abroad with friends and family members who provide support and assistance. Meanwhile, very little is known about this important stakeholder group, referred to here as caregiver-companions. In this article we examine the challenges that can be posed by caregiver-companions and the overall practice of informal caregiving in medical tourism from an industry perspective. Specifically, we report on the findings of interviews conducted with international patient coordinators (IPCs) who work at destination facilities. IPCs come into regular contact with caregiver-companions in their professional positions and thus are ideally suited to comment on trends they have observed among this stakeholder group as well as the challenges they can pose to medical tourists, health workers, and facilities. We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with 21 IPCs from 16 different facilities across nine countries. Topics probed in the interviews included caregiver-companion roles, IPCs' and others' interaction with caregiver-companions, and potential health and safety risks posed to medical tourists and caregiver-companions. Thematic analysis of the verbatim transcripts was employed. Although most participants encouraged medical tourists to travel with a caregiver-companion, many challenges associated with caregiver-companions were identified. Three themes best characterize the challenges that emerged: (1) caregiver-companions require time, attention and resources; (2) caregiver-companions can disrupt the provision of quality care; and (3) caregiver-companions can be exposed to risks. IPCs pointed out that caregiver-companions may, for example, have a negative impact on the patient through cost of accompaniment or inadequate care provision. Caregiver-companions may also create unanticipated or extra work for IPCs, as additional clients and by

Owners’ Perceptions of Their Animal’s Behavioural Response to the Loss of an Animal Companion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica K. Walker

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The loss of a companion animal is recognised as being associated with experiences of grief by the owner, but it is unclear how other animals in the household may be affected by such a loss. Our aim was to investigate companion animals’ behavioural responses to the loss of a companion through owner-report. A questionnaire was distributed via, and advertised within, publications produced by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA across Australia and New Zealand, and through a selection of veterinary clinics within New Zealand. A total of 279 viable surveys were returned pertaining to 159 dogs and 152 cats. The two most common classes of behavioural changes reported for both dogs and cats were affectionate behaviours (74% of dogs and 78% of cats and territorial behaviours (60% of dogs and 63% of cats. Both dogs and cats were reported to demand more attention from their owners and/or display affiliative behaviour, as well as spend time seeking out the deceased’s favourite spot. Dogs were reported to reduce the volume (35% and speed (31% of food consumption and increase the amount of time spent sleeping (34%. Cats were reported to increase the frequency (43% and volume (32% of vocalisations following the death of a companion. The median duration of reported behavioural changes in both species was less than 6 months. There was consensus that the behaviour of companion animals changed in response to the loss of an animal companion. These behavioural changes suggest the loss had an impact on the remaining animal.

European multicenter study on antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from companion animal urinary tract infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marques, Cátia; Gama, Luís Telo; Belas, Adriana

2016-01-01

for fluoroquinolone-resistant Proteus spp. isolated from companion animals from Belgium. CONCLUSIONS: This work brings new insights into the current status of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from companion animals with UTI in Europe and reinforces the need for strategies aiming to reduce resistance....

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bordetella bronchiseptica Isolates from Swine and Companion Animals and Detection of Resistance Genes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Prüller

Full Text Available Bordetella bronchiseptica causes infections of the respiratory tract in swine and other mammals and is a precursor for secondary infections with Pasteurella multocida. Treatment of B. bronchiseptica infections is conducted primarily with antimicrobial agents. Therefore it is essential to get an overview of the susceptibility status of these bacteria. The aim of this study was to comparatively analyse broth microdilution susceptibility testing according to CLSI recommendations with an incubation time of 16 to 20 hours and a longer incubation time of 24 hours, as recently proposed to obtain more homogenous MICs. Susceptibility testing against a panel of 22 antimicrobial agents and two fixed combinations was performed with 107 porcine isolates from different farms and regions in Germany and 43 isolates obtained from companion animals in Germany and other European countries. Isolates with increased MICs were investigated by PCR assays for the presence of resistance genes. For ampicillin, all 107 porcine isolates were classified as resistant, whereas only a single isolate was resistant to florfenicol. All isolates obtained from companion animals showed elevated MICs for β-lactam antibiotics and demonstrated an overall low susceptibility to cephalosporines. Extension of the incubation time resulted in 1-2 dilution steps higher MIC50 values of porcine isolates for seven antimicrobial agents tested, while isolates from companion animals exhibited twofold higher MIC50/90 values only for tetracycline and cefotaxime. For three antimicrobial agents, lower MIC50 and MIC90 values were detected for both, porcine and companion animal isolates. Among the 150 isolates tested, the resistance genes blaBOR-1 (n = 147, blaOXA-2, (n = 4, strA and strB (n = 17, sul1 (n = 10, sul2 (n = 73, dfrA7 (n = 3 and tet(A (n = 8 were detected and a plasmid localisation was identified for several of the resistance genes.

The Moessbauer effect in Fe(III) HEDTA, Fe(III) EDTA, and Fe(III) CDTA compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prado, F.R.

1989-01-01

The dependence of Moessbauer spectra with pH value of Fe(III)HEDTA and Fe(III)CDTA compounds is studied. Informations on formation processes of LFe-O-FeL (L=ligand) type dimers by the relation of titration curves of Fe(III)EDTA, Fe(III)HEDTA and Fe(III)CDTA compounds with the series of Moessbauer spectra, are obtained. Some informations on Fe-O-Fe bond structure are also obtained. Comparing the titration curves with the series of Moessbauer spectra, it is concluded that the dimerization process begins when a specie of the form FeXOH α (X = EDTA, HEDTA, CDTA; α = -1, -2) arises. (M.C.K.) [pt

The Elgar companion to social economics : Second edition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Davis, John B.; Dolfsma, Wilfred

2015-01-01

Social economics is a dynamic and growing field that emphasizes the key roles social values play in the economy and economic life. This second edition of the Elgar Companion to Social Economics revises all chapters from the first edition, and adds important new chapters to reflect the expansion and

Discovery of a wide planetary-mass companion to the young M3 star GU PSC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naud, Marie-Eve; Artigau, Étienne; Malo, Lison; Albert, Loïc; Doyon, René; Lafrenière, David; Gagné, Jonathan; Boucher, Anne [Département de physique and Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic, Université de Montréal, Montréal H3C 3J7 (Canada); Saumon, Didier [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Morley, Caroline V. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Allard, France; Homeier, Derek [Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon, UMR 5574 CNRS, Université de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d' Italie, F-69364 Lyon Cedex 07 (France); Beichman, Charles A.; Gelino, Christopher R., E-mail: naud@astro.umontreal.ca [Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, MS 100-22, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2014-05-20

We present the discovery of a comoving planetary-mass companion ∼42'' (∼2000 AU) from a young M3 star, GU Psc, a likely member of the young AB Doradus Moving Group (ABDMG). The companion was first identified via its distinctively red i – z color (>3.5) through a survey made with Gemini-S/GMOS. Follow-up Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope/WIRCam near-infrared (NIR) imaging, Gemini-N/GNIRS NIR spectroscopy and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer photometry indicate a spectral type of T3.5 ± 1 and reveal signs of low gravity which we attribute to youth. Keck/Adaptive Optics NIR observations did not resolve the companion as a binary. A comparison with atmosphere models indicates T {sub eff} = 1000-1100 K and log g = 4.5-5.0. Based on evolution models, this temperature corresponds to a mass of 9-13 M {sub Jup} for the age of ABDMG (70-130 Myr). The relatively well-constrained age of this companion and its very large angular separation to its host star will allow its thorough characterization and will make it a valuable comparison for planetary-mass companions that will be uncovered by forthcoming planet-finder instruments such as Gemini Planet Imager and SPHERE 9.

Three new massive companions in the planet-brown dwarf boundary detected with SOPHIE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santerne A.

2011-02-01

Full Text Available We report the detection of three new massive companions to mainsequence stars based on precise radial velocities obtained with the SOPHIE spectrograph, as part of an ongoing programme to search for extrasolar planets. The minimum masses of the detected companions range from around 16 Mjup to around 60 Mjup, and therefore lie at both sides of the boundary between massive extrasolar planets and brown dwarves.

Evaluation of a Digital Companion for Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Demiris, George; Thompson, Hilaire J; Lazar, Amanda; Lin, Shih-Yin

2016-01-01

Study Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of a digital companion system used by older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We utilized a commercially available system that is comprehensive in its functionalities (including conversation ability, use of pictures and other media, and reminders) to explore the system's impact on older adults ' social interactions, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and acceptance of the system. Study Design: We conducted a three-month mixed methods evaluation study of the digital companion. Results: Ten female community-dwelling older adults (average age 78.3 years) participated in the study. Overall, participants utilized the tool regularly and appreciated its presence and their interactions. Participants scored higher at the end of the study in cognition and social support scales, and lower in presence of depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Findings indicate the feasibility of a digital companion for people with MCI and inform the need for additional research.

The Endurance of Love: Passionate and Companionate Love in Newlywed and Long-term Marriages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Utne O’Brien

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Most theorists assume that the passage of time will have a very different impact on passionate versus companionate love. Passionate love is said to decline fairly quickly, while companionate love is thought to remain fairly stable (or actually increase over time.This hypothesis was tested in two studies. In Study 1, we interviewed 53 newlywed couples soon after their marriages and again one year later, when presumably (for some the “honeymoon was over.” In Study 2, we interviewed a random sample of 240 older women, ranging in age from 50-82, who had been married varying lengths of time. (The median length of marriage was 33 years. We asked about their passionate and companionate love for their partners and their partner’s love for them. In Study 1, it was found that although newlywed men and women loved with equal passion, women tended to love their partners more companionately than they were loved in return. (This is in accord with previous research with dating couples. The results for people married many years were more complex.Finally, we turned to the question with which we are most concerned: What impact does time have on love? In both Study 1 and Study 2, time did have a corrosive effect on love—but to our surprise it appeared to have an equally detrimental effect on both passionate and companionate love.

Mandibular dimensions of subjects with asymmetric skeletal class III malocclusion and normal occlusion compared with cone-beam computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, HyoYeon; Bayome, Mohamed; Kim, Seong-Hun; Kim, Ki Beom; Behrents, Rolf G; Kook, Yoon-Ah

2012-08-01

The purpose of this study was to use cone-beam computed tomography to compare mandibular dimensions in subjects with asymmetric skeletal Class III malocclusion and those with normal occlusion. Cone-beam computed tomography scans of 38 subjects with normal occlusion and 28 patients with facial asymmetry were evaluated and digitized with Invivo software (Anatomage, San Jose, Calif). Three midsagittal and 13 right and left measurements were taken. The paired t test was used to compare the right and left sides in each group. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the midsagittal variables and the differences between the 2 sides of the group with normal occlusion with those of asymmetry patients. The posterior part of the mandibular body showed significant differences between the deviated and nondeviated sides in asymmetric Class III patients. The difference of the asymmetry group was significantly greater than that of the normal occlusion group for the mediolateral ramal and the anteroposterior condylar inclinations (P = 0.007 and P = 0.019, respectively). The asymmetric skeletal Class III group showed significant differences in condylar height, ramus height, and posterior part of the mandibular body compared with the subjects with normal occlusion. These results might be useful for diagnosis and treatment planning of asymmetric Class III patients. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Murray Pittock, ed., The Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Romanticism.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manfred Malzahn

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Murray Pittock, ed., The Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Romanticism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2011. Pp. 251. ISBN 978-0-7486-3845-1 (hardback. £ 65.00. ISBN 978-0-7486-3846-8 (paperback. £ 21.99.

Disease Risk Assessments Involving Companion Animals : an Overview for 15 Selected Pathogens Taking a European Perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rijks, J M|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/151266093; Cito, F; Cunningham, A A; Rantsios, A T; Giovannini, A

Prioritization of companion animal transmissible diseases was performed by the Companion Animals multisectoriaL interprofessionaL Interdisciplinary Strategic Think tank On zoonoses (CALLISTO) project. The project considered diseases occurring in domesticated species commonly kept as pets, such as

The Evolving Role of Companion Diagnostics for Breast Cancer in an Era of Next-Generation Omics.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenbaum, Jason N; Weisman, Paul

2017-10-01

A companion diagnostic is a test for a specific biomarker-approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration-qualifying a patient to receive a specific, associated therapy. As interest has grown in precision medicine over the past decade, the principle of companion diagnostics has gained increasing purchase among laboratory professionals, clinicians, regulators, and even patients. The evolution of the biomarkers used to stratify and treat breast cancer illustrates the history of companion diagnostics and provides a lens through which to examine potential challenges. As new targeted therapies and corresponding biomarkers accumulate, algorithms for diagnosis and treatment necessarily become lengthier and more complex. To accommodate future needs of breast cancer patients, the companion diagnostic model will continue to adapt and evolve. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inferring the Composition of Super-Jupiter Mass Companions of Pulsars with Radio Line Spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ray, Alak; Loeb, Abraham, E-mail: akr@tifr.res.in, E-mail: aloeb@cfa.harvard.edu [Institute of Theory and Computation, Center for Astrophysics, Harvard University 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2017-02-10

We propose using radio line spectroscopy to detect molecular absorption lines (such as OH at 1.6–1.7 GHz) before and after the total eclipse of black widow and other short orbital period binary pulsars with low-mass companions. The companion in such a binary may be ablated away by energetic particles and high-energy radiation produced by the pulsar wind. The observations will probe the eclipsing wind being ablated by the pulsar and constrain the nature of the companion and its surroundings. Maser emission from the interstellar medium stimulated by a pulsar beam might also be detected from the intrabinary medium. The short temporal resolution allowed by the millisecond pulsars can probe this medium with the high angular resolution of the pulsar beam.

Teetering Stars: Resonant Excitation of Stellar Obliquities by Hot and Warm Jupiters with External Companions

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Kassandra; Lai, Dong

2018-04-01

Stellar spin-orbit misalignments (obliquities) in hot Jupiter systems have been extensively probed in recent years thanks to Rossiter-McLaughlin observations. Such obliquities may reveal clues about hot Jupiter dynamical and migration histories. Common explanations for generating stellar obliquities include high-eccentricity migration, or primordial disk misalignment. This talk investigates another mechanism for producing stellar spin-orbit misalignments in systems hosting a close-in giant planet with an external, inclined planetary companion. Spin-orbit misalignment may be excited due to a secular resonance, occurring when the precession rate of the stellar spin axis (due to the inner orbit) becomes comparable to the precession rate of the inner orbital axis (due to the outer companion). Due to the spin-down of the host star via magnetic braking, this resonance may be achieved at some point during the star's main sequence lifetime for a wide range of giant planet masses and orbital architectures. We focus on both hot Jupiters (with orbital periods less than ten days) and warm Jupiters (with orbital periods around tens of days), and identify the outer perburber properties needed to generate substantial obliquities via resonant excitation, in terms of mass, separation, and inclination. For hot Jupiters, the stellar spin axis is strongly coupled to the orbital axis, and resonant excitation of obliquity requires a close perturber, located within 1-2 AU. For warm Jupiters, the spin and orbital axes are more weakly coupled, and the resonance may be achieved for more distant perturbers (at several to tens of AU). Resonant excitation of the stellar obliquity is accompanied by a decrease in the planets' mutual orbital inclination, and can thus erase high mutual inclinations in two-planet systems. Since many warm Jupiters are known to have outer planetary companions at several AU or beyond, stellar obliquities in warm Jupiter systems may be common, regardless of the

Molecular Pathology and Personalized Medicine: The Dawn of a New Era in Companion Diagnostics-Practical Considerations about Companion Diagnostics for Non-Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Plönes, Till; Engel-Riedel, Walburga; Stoelben, Erich; Limmroth, Christina; Schildgen, Oliver; Schildgen, Verena

2016-01-15

Companion diagnostics (CDx) have become a major tool in molecular pathology and assist in therapy decisions in an increasing number of various cancers. Particularly, the developments in lung cancer have been most impressing in the last decade and consequently lung cancer mutation testing and molecular profiling has become a major business of diagnostic laboratories. However, it has become difficult to decide which biomarkers are currently relevant for therapy decisions, as many of the new biomarkers are not yet approved as therapy targets, remain in the status of clinical studies, or still have not left the experimental phase. The current review is focussed on those markers that do have current therapy implications, practical implications arising from the respective companion diagnostics, and thus is focused on daily practice.

MARVELS-1b: A SHORT-PERIOD, BROWN DWARF DESERT CANDIDATE FROM THE SDSS-III MARVELS PLANET SEARCH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Brian L.; Ge Jian; Fleming, Scott W.; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Sivarani, Thirupathi; Stassun, Keivan G.; Gary, Bruce; Pepper, Joshua; Gaudi, B. Scott; Eastman, Jason D.; Siverd, Robert J.; Barnes, Rory; Laws, Chris; Wisniewski, John P.; Wright, Jason; Ghezzi, Luan; Ogando, Ricardo L. C.; Maia, Marcio A. G.; Da Costa, Luiz Nicolaci; Porto de Mello, G. F.

2011-01-01

We present a new short-period brown dwarf (BD) candidate around the star TYC 1240-00945-1. This candidate was discovered in the first year of the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanets Large-area Survey (MARVELS), which is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) III, and we designate the BD as MARVELS-1b. MARVELS uses the technique of dispersed fixed-delay interferometery to simultaneously obtain radial velocity (RV) measurements for 60 objects per field using a single, custom-built instrument that is fiber fed from the SDSS 2.5 m telescope. From our 20 RV measurements spread over a ∼370 day time baseline, we derive a Keplerian orbital fit with semi-amplitude K = 2.533 ± 0.025 km s -1 , period P = 5.8953 ± 0.0004 days, and eccentricity consistent with circular. Independent follow-up RV data confirm the orbit. Adopting a mass of 1.37 ± 0.11 M sun for the slightly evolved F9 host star, we infer that the companion has a minimum mass of 28.0 ± 1.5 M Jup , a semimajor axis 0.071 ± 0.002 AU assuming an edge-on orbit, and is probably tidally synchronized. We find no evidence for coherent intrinsic variability of the host star at the period of the companion at levels greater than a few millimagnitudes. The companion has an a priori transit probability of ∼14%. Although we find no evidence for transits, we cannot definitively rule them out for companion radii ∼ Jup .

THE SEARCH FOR PLANETARY MASS COMPANIONS TO FIELD BROWN DWARFS WITH HST/NICMOS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stumpf, M. B.; Brandner, W.; Joergens, V.; Henning, Th.; Bouy, H.; Koehler, R.; Kasper, M.

2010-01-01

We present the results of a high-resolution spectral differential imaging survey of 12 nearby, relatively young field L dwarfs (≤1 Gyr) carried out with the Hubble Space Telescope/NICMOS to search for planetary mass companions at small physical separations from their host. The survey resolved two brown dwarf binaries: the L dwarf system Kelu-1 AB and the newly discovered L/T transition system 2MASS 031059+164815 AB. For both systems, common proper motion has already been confirmed in follow-up observations which have been published elsewhere. The derived separations of the binaries are smaller than 6 AU and consistent with previous brown dwarf binary statistics. Their mass ratios of q ≥ 0.8 confirm the preference for equal-mass systems similar to a large number of other surveys. Furthermore, we found tentative evidence for a companion to the L4 dwarf 2MASSW 033703-175807, straddling the brown dwarf/planetary mass boundary and revealing an uncommonly low-mass ratio system (q ∼ 0.2) compared to the vast majority of previously found brown dwarf binaries. With a derived minimum mass of 10-15 M Jup a planetary nature of the secondary cannot be ruled out yet. However, it seems more likely to be a very low mass brown dwarf secondary at the border of the spectral T/Y transition regime, primarily due to its similarities to recently found very cool T dwarfs. This would make it one of the closest resolved brown dwarf binaries (0.''087 ± 0.''015, corresponding to 2.52 ± 0.44 AU at a distance of 29 pc) with the coolest (T eff ∼ 600-630 K) and least massive companion to any L or T dwarf.

Using Tangible Companions for Enhancing Learning English Conversation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi Hsuan; Young, Shelley S.-C.; Jang, Jyh-Shing Roger

2013-01-01

In this study, the researchers attempted to extend the concept of learning companions from the virtual world to the real physical environment and made a breakthrough in technique development of tangible learning robots. The aim of this study was to explore an innovative way by combining the speech recognition technology with educational robots in…

VizieR Online Data Catalog: KOIs companions from high-resolution imaging (Hirsch+, 2017)

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsch, L. A.; Ciardi, D. R.; Howard, A. W.; Everett, M. E.; Furlan, E.; Saylors, M.; Horch, E. P.; Howell, S. B.; Teske, J.; Marcy, G. W.

2017-07-01

We report on 176 close (<2'') stellar companions detected with high-resolution imaging near 170 hosts of Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs). Our sample consists of 170 stellar hosts of Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs) observed with various high-resolution imaging campaigns. This sample was drawn from the overall sample of KOI stars observed with high-resolution imaging, described in the imaging compilation paper by Furlan et al. 2017 (Cat. J/AJ/153/71). We choose targets for this study by requiring that at least one companion was detected within 2'', and that the companion was detected in two or more filters, providing color information. We choose the 2'' separation limit to include all companions falling on the same Kepler pixel as the primary KOI host star. Furlan et al. 2017 (Cat. J/AJ/153/71) details the observations and measured differential magnitudes (Δm=m2-m1) for stars with high-resolution imaging, including our target systems. Each companion within 2'' must have at least two measured Δm values from the full set of filters used for follow-up observations, in order to be included in our sample. These filters include J-band, H-band, and K-band from adaptive optics imaging from the Keck/NIRC2, Palomar/PHARO, Lick/IRCAL, and MMT/Aries instruments; 562, 692 and 880nm filters from the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument (DSSI) at the Gemini North and WIYN telescopes; i and z bands from the AstraLux lucky imaging campaign at the Calar Alto 2.2m telescope; and LP600 and i bands from Palomar/RoboAO. We also include seeing-limited observations in the U-, B-, and V-bands from the UBV survey (Everett et al.) and "secure" detections (noise probability <10%) in the J-band from the UKIRT Kepler field survey. (3 data files).

VERY-LOW-MASS STELLAR AND SUBSTELLAR COMPANIONS TO SOLAR-LIKE STARS FROM MARVELS. III. A SHORT-PERIOD BROWN DWARF CANDIDATE AROUND AN ACTIVE G0IV SUBGIANT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma Bo; Ge Jian; De Lee, Nathan; Fleming, Scott W.; Lee, Brian L.; Wang Ji [Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, 211 Bryant Space Science Center, Gainesville, FL 32611-2055 (United States); Barnes, Rory; Agol, Eric [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195-1580 (United States); Crepp, Justin R. [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, 225 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Dutra-Ferreira, Leticia; Porto de Mello, G. F. [Observatorio do Valongo, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ladeira do Pedro Antonio, 43, CEP: 20080-090, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Esposito, Massimiliano; Femenia, Bruno; Gonzalez Hernandez, Jonay I. [Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, C/Via Lctea S/N, E-38200 La Laguna (Spain); Gaudi, B. Scott [Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Ghezzi, Luan [Laboratorio Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia (LIneA), Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20921-400 (Brazil); Hebb, Leslie; Stassun, Keivan G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States); Wisniewski, John P. [Homer L Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 W Brooks St, Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Bizyaev, Dmitry, E-mail: boma@astro.ufl.edu [Apache Point Observatory, P.O. Box 59, Sunspot, NM 88349-0059 (United States); and others

2013-01-01

We present an eccentric, short-period brown dwarf candidate orbiting the active, slightly evolved subgiant star TYC 2087-00255-1, which has effective temperature T{sub eff} = 5903 {+-} 42 K, surface gravity log (g) = 4.07 {+-} 0.16 (cgs), and metallicity [Fe/H] = -0.23 {+-} 0.07. This candidate was discovered using data from the first two years of the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanets Large-area Survey, which is part of the third phase of Sloan Digital Sky Survey. From our 38 radial velocity measurements spread over a two-year time baseline, we derive a Keplerian orbital fit with semi-amplitude K = 3.571 {+-} 0.041 km s{sup -1}, period P = 9.0090 {+-} 0.0004 days, and eccentricity e = 0.226 {+-} 0.011. Adopting a mass of 1.16 {+-} 0.11 M{sub Sun} for the subgiant host star, we infer that the companion has a minimum mass of 40.0 {+-} 2.5 M{sub Jup}. Assuming an edge-on orbit, the semimajor axis is 0.090 {+-} 0.003 AU. The host star is photometrically variable at the {approx}1% level with a period of {approx}13.16 {+-} 0.01 days, indicating that the host star spin and companion orbit are not synchronized. Through adaptive optics imaging we also found a point source 643 {+-} 10 mas away from TYC 2087-00255-1, which would have a mass of 0.13 M{sub Sun} if it is physically associated with TYC 2087-00255-1 and has the same age. Future proper motion observation should be able to resolve if this tertiary object is physically associated with TYC 2087-00255-1 and make TYC 2087-00255-1 a triple body system. Core Ca II H and K line emission indicate that the host is chromospherically active, at a level that is consistent with the inferred spin period and measured v{sub rot}sin i, but unusual for a subgiant of this T{sub eff}. This activity could be explained by ongoing tidal spin-up of the host star by the companion.

Two active galaxies with tidal tails and companions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keel, W.C.

1985-01-01

Spectroscopic, imaging, and radio observations of the tidally disturbed active systems VV 144 and I Zw 96 are presented, and indicate that the prominent optical extensions seen in both cases represent tidal tails rather than matter ejected from their nuclei (jets). This conclusion is based on the presence of stellar spectral features in the tails, lack of significant ionized gas over most of their length, and lack of radio emission outside the nuclei. Discrete knots in these tails are identified with remnant cores of the companion galaxies responsible for the morphological disturbances of the main galaxies and perhaps contributing to their nuclear activity. In both cases, the dynamics of the interactions are unusual in nature or viewing geometry. VV 144 is seen in the common plane of interaction and disk rotation, appearing strongly foreshortened. I Zw 96 shows tails associated with two companions; each is accompanied by changes in tail structure. This may be the result of a binary system of spirals colliding with a giant elliptical galaxy. 18 references

HOW SPIRALS AND GAPS DRIVEN BY COMPANIONS IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS APPEAR IN SCATTERED LIGHT AT ARBITRARY VIEWING ANGLES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Ruobing; Fung, Jeffrey; Chiang, Eugene

2016-01-01

Direct imaging observations of protoplanetary disks at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths have revealed structures of potentially planetary origin. Investigations of observational signatures from planet-induced features have so far focused on disks viewed face-on. Combining 3D hydrodynamics and radiative transfer simulations, we study how the appearance of the spiral arms and the gap produced in a disk by a companion varies with inclination and position angle in NIR scattered light. We compare the cases of a 3 M J and a 0.1 M ⊙ companion, and make predictions suitable for testing with Gemini/GPI, Very Large Telescope/NACO/SPHERE, and Subaru/HiCIAO/SCExAO. We find that the two trailing arms produced by an external perturber can have a variety of morphologies in inclined systems—they may appear as one trailing arm; two trailing arms on the same side of the disk; or two arms winding in opposite directions. The disk ring outside a planetary gap may also mimic spiral arms when viewed at high inclinations. We suggest potential explanations for the features observed in HH 30, HD 141569 A, AK Sco, HD 100546, and AB Aur. We emphasize that inclined views of companion-induced features cannot be converted into face-on views using simple and commonly practiced image deprojections.

Comparing the utility of DSM-5 Section II and III antisocial personality disorder diagnostic approaches for capturing psychopathic traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Few, Lauren R; Lynam, Donald R; Maples, Jessica L; MacKillop, James; Miller, Joshua D

2015-01-01

The current study compares the 2 diagnostic approaches (Section II vs. Section III) included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) for diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in terms of their relations with psychopathic traits and externalizing behaviors (EBs). The Section III approach to ASPD, which is more explicitly trait-based than the Section II approach, also includes a psychopathy specifier (PS) that was created with the goal of making the diagnosis of ASPD more congruent with psychopathy. In a community sample of individuals currently receiving mental health treatment (N = 106), ratings of the 2 DSM-5 diagnostic approaches were compared in relation to measures of psychopathy, as well as indices of EBs. Both DSM-5 ASPD approaches were significantly related to the psychopathy scores, although the Section III approach accounted for almost twice the amount of variance when compared with the Section II approach. Relatively little of this predictive advantage, however, was due to the PS, as these traits manifested little evidence of incremental validity in relation to existing psychopathy measures and EBs, with the exception of a measure of fearless dominance. Overall, the DSM-5 Section III diagnostic approach for ASPD is more convergent with the construct of psychopathy, from which ASPD was originally derived. These improvements, however, are due primarily to the new trait-based focus in the Section III ASPD diagnosis rather than the assessment of personality dysfunction or the inclusion of additional "psychopathy-specific" traits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceptions among university students in Seville (Spain of the rabbit as livestock and as a companion animal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro González-Redondo

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The rabbit has various utilities and roles, mainly as a meat-producing animal, game species, companion animal, laboratory animal or pest. Among these roles, rabbit breeding for meat has traditionally prevailed in the Mediterranean countries. However, in recent decades the practice of keeping this species as a companion animal has been on the rise; a factor that could be changing public perception of the rabbit. A survey of 492 university students from Seville, Andalusia, Spain, was conducted to determine young people’s perceptions of the rabbit as livestock and as a companion species. The rabbit received the lowest score when regarded as livestock compared to the pig, cow, goat, sheep and hen. Regarding companion animals, young Spanish people preferred the dog and cat, respectively. The rabbit and the hamster were rated at the same level as a pet, while the budgerigar was rated lower than these two mammals by women and higher by men. The goldfish occupied the last position among the pet species in the women’s perceptions. With regard to the perception of various rabbit breeds and varieties when evaluated as pets, it was found that the pet Lop Dwarf, Netherland Dwarf, Angora and Lionhead breeds were rated higher than a typical meat breed (New Zealand White and than the wild rabbit. The gender of the young people surveyed influenced their perception of the rabbit. Women rated the rabbit lower as livestock while they rated it higher as a pet, also rating the pet rabbit breeds higher than men did. It is proposed that, in keeping with the rabbit’s attributes related to its cuteness, conceptually linked with pets, young Andalusian people’s perception of the rabbit is ambivalent and this perception might partly be shifting from perceiving it as livestock to regarding it as a pet.

DGNB Building Certification Companion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Renate Skovgaard; Rhodes, Michael K.; Larsen, Tine Steen

2017-01-01

for sustainable buildings. The literature describes several barriers of entry preventing actors in the industry from seeking sustainability certifications and prioritizing design methods, supporting sustainability in greater numbers. In the newly developed tool, “DGNB building certification companion: Sustainable......-language, easily digestible summaries of various topics regarding sustainability and the DGNB certification scheme. The identified barriers are described in the tool followed by a solution to overcome them. The tool, tested at multiple stages of development and moulded by many individuals both within and outside...... was that this is a desired product on the market. This new approach is expected to dramatically reduce misunderstandings, conflicts, and mistakes during a sustainable design process, helping the design team plan a project to possibly obtain the highest DGNB score if desired and properly documented....

DGNB BUILDING CERTIFICATION COMPANION

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Renate Skovgaard; Rhodes, Michael K.; Larsen, Tine Steen

2018-01-01

for sustainable buildings. The literature describes several barriers of entry preventing actors in the industry from seeking sustainability certifications and prioritizing design methods, supporting sustainability in greater numbers. In the newly developed tool, “DGNB building certification companion: Sustainable......-language, easily digestible summaries of various topics regarding sustainability and the DGNB certification scheme. The identified barriers are described in the tool followed by a solution to overcome them. The tool, tested at multiple stages of development and moulded by many individuals both within and outside...... was that this is a desired product on the market. This new approach is expected to dramatically reduce misunderstandings, conflicts, and mistakes during a sustainable design process, helping the design team plan a project to possibly obtain the highest DGNB score if desired and properly documented....

COMPANION ANIMALS SYMPOSIUM: Future aspects and perceptions of companion animal nutrition and sustainability.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, P; Swanson, K S

2015-03-01

Companion animals play an important role in our lives and are now considered to be and treated as family members in a majority of households in the United States. Because of the high number of pets that now exist, an increasingly stronger pet-human bond, and the importance placed on health and longevity, the pet food industry has realized steady growth over the last few decades. Despite past successes and opportunities that exist in the future, there are also challenges that must be considered. This review will present a brief overview of the current pet food industry and address some of the key issues moving forward. In regards to companion animal research, recent advances and future needs in the areas of canine and feline metabolism, aging, clinical disease, and the gut microbiome using molecular and high-throughput assays; chemical, in vitro, and in vivo testing of feed ingredients; and innovative pet food processing methods is discussed. Training the future workforce for the pet food industry is also of great importance. Recent trends on student demographics and their species and careers of interest, changing animal science department curricula, and technology's impact on instruction are provided. Finally, the sustainability of the pet food industry is discussed. Focus was primarily placed on the disconnect that exists between opinions and trends of consumers and the nutrient recommendations for dogs and cats, the desire for increasing use of animal-based and human-grade products, the overfeeding of pets and the pet obesity crisis, and the issues that involve the evaluation of primary vs. secondary products in terms of sustainability. Moving forward, the pet food industry will need to anticipate and address challenges that arise, especially those pertaining to consumer expectations, the regulatory environment, and sustainability. Given the already strong and increasingly dynamic market for pet foods and supplies, an academic environment primed to supply a

Stars of type MS with evidence of white dwarf companions. [IUE, Main Sequence (MS)

Science.gov (United States)

Peery, Benjamin F., Jr.

1986-01-01

A search for white dwarf companions of MS-type stars was conducted, using IUE. The overendowments of these stars in typical S-process nuclides suggest that they, like the Ba II stars, may owe their peculiar compositions to earlier mass transfer. Short-wavelength IUE spectra show striking emission line variability in HD35155, HD61913, and 4 Ori; HD35155 and 4 Ori show evidence of white dwarf companions.

Sparkle/PM3 for the modeling of europium(III), gadolinium(III), and terbium(III) complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freire, Ricardo O.; Rocha, Gerd B.; Simas, Alfredo M.

2009-01-01

The Sparkle/PM3 model is extended to europium(III), gadolinium(III), and terbium(III) complexes. The validation procedure was carried out using only high quality crystallographic structures, for a total of ninety-six Eu(III) complexes, seventy Gd(III) complexes, and forty-two Tb(III) complexes. The Sparkle/PM3 unsigned mean error, for all interatomic distances between the trivalent lanthanide ion and the ligand atoms of the first sphere of coordination, is: 0.080 A for Eu(III); 0.063 A for Gd(III); and 0.070 A for Tb(III). These figures are similar to the Sparkle/AM1 ones of 0.082 A, 0.061 A, and 0.068 A respectively, indicating they are all comparable parameterizations. Moreover, their accuracy is similar to what can be obtained by present-day ab initio effective core potential full geometry optimization calculations on such lanthanide complexes. Finally, we report a preliminary attempt to show that Sparkle/PM3 geometry predictions are reliable. For one of the Eu(III) complexes, BAFZEO, we created hundreds of different input geometries by randomly varying the distances and angles of the ligands to the central Eu(III) ion, which were all subsequently fully optimized. A significant trend was unveiled, indicating that more accurate local minima geometries cluster at lower total energies, thus reinforcing the validity of sparkle model calculations. (author)

A Population Study of Wide-Separation Brown Dwarf Companions to Main Sequence Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jeffrey J.

2005-01-01

Increased interest in infrared astronomy has opened the frontier to study cooler objects that shed significant light on the formation of planetary systems. Brown dwarf research provides a wealth of information useful for sorting through a myriad of proposed formation theories. Our study combines observational data from 2MASS with rigorous computer simulations to estimate the true population of long-range (greater than 1000 AU) brown dwarf companions in the solar neighborhood (less than 25 pc from Earth). Expanding on Gizis et al. (2001), we have found the margin of error in previous estimates to be significantly underestimated after we included orbit eccentricity, longitude of pericenter, angle of inclination, field star density, and primary and secondary luminosities as parameters influencing the companion systems in observational studies. We apply our simulation results to current L- and T-dwarf catalogs to provide updated estimates on the frequency of wide-separation brown dwarf companions to main sequence stars.

Accessing Cultural Artifacts Through Digital Companions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rehm, Matthias; Jensen, Martin Lynge

2015-01-01

This paper presents a study that explores how the introduction of a digital companion agent for a museum exploration game changes children’s engagement with the presented artworks. To this end, a mobile application was developed featuring a monster agent that has eaten the artworks, which...... the children had now to find in the museum. Results show that in comparison to the paper-based version of the exploration game, children engaged in more interactions with the actual cultural artifacts and showed a significantly higher retention rate for details of the involved artworks....

Low-Mass Stars and Their Companions

Science.gov (United States)

Montet, Benjamin Tyler

companion. I compare the masses of both stars to largely untested theoretical models of young M dwarfs, finding that the models are consistent with the measured mass of star A but slightly overpredict the luminosity of star B. In the final two science chapters I focus on space-based transit surveys, present and future. First, I present the first catalog of statistically validated planets from the K2 mission, as well as updated stellar and planetary parameters for all systems with candidate planets in the first K2 field. The catalog includes K2-18b, a ``mini-Neptune'' planet that receives a stellar insolation consistent with the level that the Earth receives from the Sun, making it a useful comparison against planets of a similar size that are highly irradiated, such as GJ 1214 b. Finally, I present predictions for the WFIRST mission. While designed largely as a microlensing mission, I find it will be able to detect as many as 30,000 transiting planets towards the galactic bulge, providing information about how planet occurrence changes across the galaxy. These planets will be able to be confirmed largely through direct detection of their secondary eclipses. Moreover, I find that more than 50% of the planets it detects smaller than Neptune will be found around M dwarf hosts.

Disease Risk Assessments Involving Companion Animals: an Overview for 15 Selected Pathogens Taking a European Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Rijks, J M; Cito, F; Cunningham, A A; Rantsios, A T; Giovannini, A

2016-07-01

Prioritization of companion animal transmissible diseases was performed by the Companion Animals multisectoriaL interprofessionaL Interdisciplinary Strategic Think tank On zoonoses (CALLISTO) project. The project considered diseases occurring in domesticated species commonly kept as pets, such as dogs and cats, but also included diseases occurring in captive wild animals and production animal species. The prioritization process led to the selection of 15 diseases of prime public health relevance, agricultural economic importance, or both. An analysis was made of the current knowledge on the risk of occurrence and transmission of these diseases among companion animals, and from companion animals to man (zoonoses) or to livestock. The literature was scanned for risk assessments for these diseases. Studies were classified as import risk assessments (IRAs) or risk factor analyses (RFAs) in endemic areas. For those pathogens that are absent from Europe, only IRAs were considered; for pathogens present throughout Europe, only RFAs were considered. IRAs were identified for seven of the eight diseases totally or partially absent from Europe. IRAs for classical rabies and alveolar echinococcosis found an increased risk for introduction of the pathogen into officially disease-free areas as a consequence of abandoning national rules and adopting the harmonized EU rules for pet travel. IRAs for leishmaniosis focused on risk associated with the presence of persistently infected dogs in new geographical areas, taking into consideration the risk of disease establishment should a competent vector arise. IRAs for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and West Nile fever indicated that the likelihood of introduction via companion animals was low. IRAs for bluetongue paid no attention to the risk of introduction via companion animals, which was also the case for IRAs for foot-and-mouth disease, the only disease considered to be absent from Europe. RFAs dealing with the risk factors for

Molecular Pathology and Personalized Medicine: The Dawn of a New Era in Companion Diagnostics—Practical Considerations about Companion Diagnostics for Non-Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Till Plönes

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Companion diagnostics (CDx have become a major tool in molecular pathology and assist in therapy decisions in an increasing number of various cancers. Particularly, the developments in lung cancer have been most impressing in the last decade and consequently lung cancer mutation testing and molecular profiling has become a major business of diagnostic laboratories. However, it has become difficult to decide which biomarkers are currently relevant for therapy decisions, as many of the new biomarkers are not yet approved as therapy targets, remain in the status of clinical studies, or still have not left the experimental phase. The current review is focussed on those markers that do have current therapy implications, practical implications arising from the respective companion diagnostics, and thus is focused on daily practice.

“You’re dealing with an emotionally charged individual…”: an industry perspective on the challenges posed by medical tourists’ informal caregiver-companions

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Patients engage in medical tourism when they privately obtain a medical care abroad. Previous research shows that many medical tourists travel abroad with friends and family members who provide support and assistance. Meanwhile, very little is known about this important stakeholder group, referred to here as caregiver-companions. In this article we examine the challenges that can be posed by caregiver-companions and the overall practice of informal caregiving in medical tourism from an industry perspective. Specifically, we report on the findings of interviews conducted with international patient coordinators (IPCs) who work at destination facilities. IPCs come into regular contact with caregiver-companions in their professional positions and thus are ideally suited to comment on trends they have observed among this stakeholder group as well as the challenges they can pose to medical tourists, health workers, and facilities. Methods We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with 21 IPCs from 16 different facilities across nine countries. Topics probed in the interviews included caregiver-companion roles, IPCs’ and others’ interaction with caregiver-companions, and potential health and safety risks posed to medical tourists and caregiver-companions. Thematic analysis of the verbatim transcripts was employed. Results Although most participants encouraged medical tourists to travel with a caregiver-companion, many challenges associated with caregiver-companions were identified. Three themes best characterize the challenges that emerged: (1) caregiver-companions require time, attention and resources; (2) caregiver-companions can disrupt the provision of quality care; and (3) caregiver-companions can be exposed to risks. IPCs pointed out that caregiver-companions may, for example, have a negative impact on the patient through cost of accompaniment or inadequate care provision. Caregiver-companions may also create unanticipated or extra work for IPCs, as

Comparative studies of neodymium (III)-selective PVC membrane sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Vinod K., E-mail: vinodfcy@iitr.ernet.in [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India); Goyal, Rajendra N.; Sharma, Ram A. [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India)

2009-08-04

Sensors based on two neutral ionophores, N,N'-bis((1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methylene)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (L{sub 1}) and 3,3'-(cyclohexane-1,2-diylbis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene) bis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene)bis(5-hydroxymethyl)pyridine-2-ol) (L{sub 2}) are described for quantification of neodymium (III). Effect of various plasticizers; 2-nitrophenyloctylether (o-NPOE), dibutyl butylphosphonate (DBBP), tri-n-butyl phosphates (TBP), dioctylpthalate (DOP) and chloronapthalen (CN) and anion excluder, sodiumtetraphenylborate (NaTPB) has been studied. The membrane composition of PVC:o-NPOE:ionophore (L{sub 1}):NaTPB (w/w; mg) of 150:300:5:5 exhibited best performance. The sensor with ionophore (L{sub 1}) exhibits significantly enhanced selectivity towards neodymium (III) in the concentration range 5.0 x 10{sup -7} to 1.0 x 10{sup -2} M with a detection limit of 1.0 x 10{sup -7} M and a Nernstian compliance (19.8 {+-} 0.3 mV decade{sup -1} of activity) within pH range 4.0-8.0. The response time of sensor was found as 10 s. The influence of the membrane composition and possible interfering ions has also been investigated on the response properties of the electrode. The fast and stable response, good reproducibility and long-term stability of the sensor are observed. The sensor has been found to work satisfactorily in partially non-aqueous media up to 20% (v/v) content of methanol, ethanol or acetonitrile and could be used for a period of 3 months. The selectivity coefficients determined by using fixed interference method (FIM) indicate high selectivity for neodymium. The proposed electrode shows fairly good discrimination of neodymium (III) from other cations. The application of prepared sensor has been demonstrated in the determination of neodymium (III) in spiked water samples.

Prioritization of Companion Animal Transmissible Diseases for Policy Intervention in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Cito, F; Rijks, J; Rantsios, A T; Cunningham, A A; Baneth, G; Guardabassi, L; Kuiken, T; Giovannini, A

2016-07-01

A number of papers have been published on the prioritization of transmissible diseases in farm animals and wildlife, based either on semiquantitative or truly quantitative methods, but there is no published literature on the prioritization of transmissible diseases in companion animals. In this study, available epidemiological data for diseases transmissible from companion animals to man were analysed with the aim of developing a procedure suitable for their prioritization within a European framework. A new method and its associated questionnaire and scoring system were designed based on methods described by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Modifications were applied to allow for the paucity of specific information on companion animal transmissible diseases. The OIE method was also adapted to the subject and to the regional scope of the interprofessional network addressing zoonotic diseases transmitted via companion animals in Europe: the Companion Animals multisectoriaL interprofessionaL Interdisciplinary Strategic Think tank On zoonoses (CALLISTO). Adaptations were made based on information collected from expert groups on viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases using a structured questionnaire, in which all questions were closed-ended. The expert groups were asked to select the most appropriate answer for each question taking into account the relevance and reliability of the data available in the scientific literature. Subsequently, the scoring of the answers obtained for each disease covered by the questionnaire was analysed to obtain two final overall scores, one for human health impact and one for agricultural economic impact. The adapted method was then applied to select the 15 most important pathogens (five for each pathogen group: viral, bacterial and parasitic) on the basis of their overall impact on public health and agriculture. The result of the prioritization exercise was a joint priority list (available at www.callistoproject.eu) of

The convective noise floor for the spectroscopic detection of low mass companions to solar type stars

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, D.; Espenak, F.; Jennings, D. E.; Brault, J. W.

1986-01-01

The threshold mass for the unambiguous spectroscopic detection of low mass companions to solar type stars is defined here as the time when the maximum acceleration in the stellar radial velocity due to the Doppler reflex of the companion exceeds the apparent acceleration produced by changes in convection. An apparent acceleration of 11 m/s/yr in integrated sunlight was measured using near infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. This drift in the apparent solar velocity is attributed to a lessening in the magnetic inhibition of granular convection as solar minimum approaches. The threshold mass for spectroscopic detection of companions to a one solar mass star is estimated at below one Jupiter mass.

KELT-19Ab: A P ∼ 4.6-day Hot Jupiter Transiting a Likely Am Star with a Distant Stellar Companion

Science.gov (United States)

Siverd, Robert J.; Collins, Karen A.; Zhou, George; Quinn, Samuel N.; Gaudi, B. Scott; Stassun, Keivan G.; Johnson, Marshall C.; Bieryla, Allyson; Latham, David W.; Ciardi, David R.; Rodriguez, Joseph E.; Penev, Kaloyan; Pinsonneault, Marc; Pepper, Joshua; Eastman, Jason D.; Relles, Howard; Kielkopf, John F.; Gregorio, Joao; Oberst, Thomas E.; Aldi, Giulio Francesco; Esquerdo, Gilbert A.; Calkins, Michael L.; Berlind, Perry; Dressing, Courtney D.; Patel, Rahul; Stevens, Daniel J.; Beatty, Thomas G.; Lund, Michael B.; Labadie-Bartz, Jonathan; Kuhn, Rudolf B.; Colón, Knicole D.; James, David; Yao, Xinyu; Johnson, John A.; Wright, Jason T.; McCrady, Nate; Wittenmyer, Robert A.; Johnson, Samson A.; Sliski, David H.; Jensen, Eric L. N.; Cohen, David H.; McLeod, Kim K.; Penny, Matthew T.; Joner, Michael D.; Stephens, Denise C.; Villanueva, Steven, Jr.; Zambelli, Roberto; Stockdale, Christopher; Evans, Phil; Tan, Thiam-Guan; Curtis, Ivan A.; Reed, Phillip A.; Trueblood, Mark; Trueblood, Patricia

2018-01-01

We present the discovery of the giant planet KELT-19Ab, which transits the moderately bright (V∼ 9.9) A8V star TYC 764-1494-1 with an orbital period of 4.61 days. We confirm the planetary nature of the companion via a combination of radial velocities, which limit the mass to ≲ 4.1 {M}{{J}} (3σ ), and a clear Doppler tomography signal, which indicates a retrograde projected spin–orbit misalignment of λ =-{179.7}-3.8+3.7 degrees. Global modeling indicates that the {T}{eff}=7500+/- 110 K host star has {M}\\star ={1.62}-0.20+0.25 {M}ȯ and {R}\\star =1.83+/- 0.10 {R}ȯ . The planet has a radius of {R}P=1.91+/- 0.11 {R}{{J}} and receives a stellar insolation flux of ∼ 3.2× {10}9 {erg} {{{s}}}-1 {{cm}}-2, leading to an inferred equilibrium temperature of {T}{eq}∼ 1935 K assuming zero albedo and complete heat redistribution. With a v\\sin {I}* =84.8+/- 2.0 {km} {{{s}}}-1, the host is relatively slowly rotating compared to other stars with similar effective temperatures, and it appears to be enhanced in metallic elements but deficient in calcium, suggesting that it is likely an Am star. KELT-19A would be the first detection of an Am host of a transiting planet of which we are aware. Adaptive optics observations of the system reveal the existence of a companion with late-G9V/early-K1V spectral type at a projected separation of ≈ 160 {au}. Radial velocity measurements indicate that this companion is bound. Most Am stars are known to have stellar companions, which are often invoked to explain the relatively slow rotation of the primary. In this case, the stellar companion is unlikely to have caused the tidal braking of the primary. However, it may have emplaced the transiting planetary companion via the Kozai–Lidov mechanism.

Comparative genomics and transcriptomics of lineages I, II, and III strains of Listeria monocytogenes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hain Torsten

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that causes infections with a high-mortality rate and has served as an invaluable model for intracellular parasitism. Here, we report complete genome sequences for two L. monocytogenes strains belonging to serotype 4a (L99 and 4b (CLIP80459, and transcriptomes of representative strains from lineages I, II, and III, thereby permitting in-depth comparison of genome- and transcriptome -based data from three lineages of L. monocytogenes. Lineage III, represented by the 4a L99 genome is known to contain strains less virulent for humans. Results The genome analysis of the weakly pathogenic L99 serotype 4a provides extensive evidence of virulence gene decay, including loss of several important surface proteins. The 4b CLIP80459 genome, unlike the previously sequenced 4b F2365 genome harbours an intact inlB invasion gene. These lineage I strains are characterized by the lack of prophage genes, as they share only a single prophage locus with other L. monocytogenes genomes 1/2a EGD-e and 4a L99. Comparative transcriptome analysis during intracellular growth uncovered adaptive expression level differences in lineages I, II and III of Listeria, notable amongst which was a strong intracellular induction of flagellar genes in strain 4a L99 compared to the other lineages. Furthermore, extensive differences between strains are manifest at levels of metabolic flux control and phosphorylated sugar uptake. Intriguingly, prophage gene expression was found to be a hallmark of intracellular gene expression. Deletion mutants in the single shared prophage locus of lineage II strain EGD-e 1/2a, the lma operon, revealed severe attenuation of virulence in a murine infection model. Conclusion Comparative genomics and transcriptome analysis of L. monocytogenes strains from three lineages implicate prophage genes in intracellular adaptation and indicate that gene loss and decay may have led to the emergence

EFFECT OF A STELLAR COMPANION ON THE MODELING OF HD 142527 INFRARED SED

OpenAIRE

Erick Nagel

2014-01-01

The discovery of a companion of the Herbig Ae/Be star HD 142527 motivates the study of the effect that it produces on the SED. The main change on the system configuration is the formation of a gap in the disk. Due to this change, a wall (outer edge of the gap), which is frontally illuminated by stellar radiation is formed. We present a model for the SED, considering all the components: a disk with two gaps (one produced by the stellar companion and the other by potential planets), three walls...

Vegetarian versus Meat-Based Diets for Companion Animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Knight

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Companion animal owners are increasingly concerned about the links between degenerative health conditions, farm animal welfare problems, environmental degradation, fertilizers and herbicides, climate change, and causative factors; such as animal farming and the consumption of animal products. Accordingly, many owners are increasingly interested in vegetarian diets for themselves and their companion animals. However, are vegetarian canine and feline diets nutritious and safe? Four studies assessing the nutritional soundness of these diets were reviewed, and manufacturer responses to the most recent studies are provided. Additional reviewed studies examined the nutritional soundness of commercial meat-based diets and the health status of cats and dogs maintained on vegetarian and meat-based diets. Problems with all of these dietary choices have been documented, including nutritional inadequacies and health problems. However, a significant and growing body of population studies and case reports have indicated that cats and dogs maintained on vegetarian diets may be healthy—including those exercising at the highest levels—and, indeed, may experience a range of health benefits. Such diets must be nutritionally complete and reasonably balanced, however, and owners should regularly monitor urinary acidity and should correct urinary alkalinisation through appropriate dietary additives, if necessary.

SEARCHING FOR SCATTERERS: HIGH-CONTRAST IMAGING OF YOUNG STARS HOSTING WIDE-SEPARATION PLANETARY-MASS COMPANIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bryan, Marta L.; Mawet, Dimitri [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Bowler, Brendan P.; Kraus, Adam L. [McDonald Observatory and Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Knutson, Heather A. [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Hinkley, Sasha [University of Exeter, Physics Department, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL (United Kingdom); Nielsen, Eric L.; Blunt, Sarah C. [SETI Institute, Carl Sagan Center, 189 Bernardo Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94043 (United States)

2016-08-20

We have conducted an angular differential imaging survey with NIRC2 at Keck in search of close-in substellar companions to a sample of seven systems with confirmed planetary-mass companions (PMCs) on wide orbits (>50 au). These wide-separation PMCs pose significant challenges to all three possible formation mechanisms: core accretion plus scattering, disk instability, and turbulent fragmentation. We explore the possibility that these companions formed closer in and were scattered out to their present-day locations by searching for other massive bodies at smaller separations. The typical sensitivity for this survey is Δ K ∼ 12.5 at 1″. We identify eight candidate companions, whose masses would reach as low as one Jupiter mass if gravitationally bound. From our multi-epoch astrometry we determine that seven of these are conclusively background objects, while the eighth near DH Tau is ambiguous and requires additional monitoring. We rule out the presence of >7 M {sub Jup} bodies in these systems down to 15–50 au that could be responsible for scattering. This result combined with the totality of evidence suggests that dynamical scattering is unlikely to have produced this population of PMCs. We detect orbital motion from the companions ROXs 42B b and ROXs 12 b, and from this determine 95% upper limits on the companions’ eccentricities of 0.58 and 0.83 respectively. Finally, we find that the 95% upper limit on the occurrence rate of additional planets with masses between 5 and 15 M {sub Jup} outside of 40 au in systems with PMCs is 54%.

SEARCHING FOR SCATTERERS: HIGH-CONTRAST IMAGING OF YOUNG STARS HOSTING WIDE-SEPARATION PLANETARY-MASS COMPANIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bryan, Marta L.; Mawet, Dimitri; Bowler, Brendan P.; Kraus, Adam L.; Knutson, Heather A.; Hinkley, Sasha; Nielsen, Eric L.; Blunt, Sarah C.

2016-01-01

We have conducted an angular differential imaging survey with NIRC2 at Keck in search of close-in substellar companions to a sample of seven systems with confirmed planetary-mass companions (PMCs) on wide orbits (>50 au). These wide-separation PMCs pose significant challenges to all three possible formation mechanisms: core accretion plus scattering, disk instability, and turbulent fragmentation. We explore the possibility that these companions formed closer in and were scattered out to their present-day locations by searching for other massive bodies at smaller separations. The typical sensitivity for this survey is Δ K ∼ 12.5 at 1″. We identify eight candidate companions, whose masses would reach as low as one Jupiter mass if gravitationally bound. From our multi-epoch astrometry we determine that seven of these are conclusively background objects, while the eighth near DH Tau is ambiguous and requires additional monitoring. We rule out the presence of >7 M Jup bodies in these systems down to 15–50 au that could be responsible for scattering. This result combined with the totality of evidence suggests that dynamical scattering is unlikely to have produced this population of PMCs. We detect orbital motion from the companions ROXs 42B b and ROXs 12 b, and from this determine 95% upper limits on the companions’ eccentricities of 0.58 and 0.83 respectively. Finally, we find that the 95% upper limit on the occurrence rate of additional planets with masses between 5 and 15 M Jup outside of 40 au in systems with PMCs is 54%.

The κ Andromedae system: new constraints on the companion mass, system age, and further multiplicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinkley, Sasha; David, Trevor; Hillenbrand, Lynne A. [Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Pueyo, Laurent [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Faherty, Jacqueline K. [Department of Astronomy, Universidad de Chile Cerro Calan, Las Condes (Chile); Oppenheimer, Ben R.; Brenner, Douglas; Veicht, Aaron; Nilsson, Ricky [Astrophysics Department, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 (United States); Mamajek, Eric E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0171 (United States); Kraus, Adam L. [Harvard-Smithsonian CfA, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02140 (United States); Rice, Emily L. [Department of Engineering Science and Physics, College of Staten Island, City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314 (United States); Ireland, Michael J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 (Australia); Vasisht, Gautam; Cady, Eric; Roberts, Jennifer E. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Zimmerman, Neil [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Parry, Ian R. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Beichman, Charles [NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Dekany, Richard [Caltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); and others

2013-12-20

κ Andromedae is a B9IVn star at 52 pc for which a faint substellar companion separated by 55 ± 2 AU was recently announced. In this work, we present the first spectrum of the companion, 'κ And B,' using the Project 1640 high-contrast imaging platform. Comparison of our low-resolution YJH-band spectra to empirical brown dwarf spectra suggests an early-L spectral type. Fitting synthetic spectra from PHOENIX model atmospheres to our observed spectrum allows us to constrain the effective temperature to ∼2000 K as well as place constraints on the companion surface gravity. Further, we use previously reported log(g) and T {sub eff} measurements of the host star to argue that the κ And system has an isochronal age of 220 ± 100 Myr, older than the 30 Myr age reported previously. This interpretation of an older age is corroborated by the photometric properties of κ And B, which appear to be marginally inconsistent with other 10-100 Myr low-gravity L-dwarfs for the spectral type range we derive. In addition, we use Keck aperture masking interferometry combined with published radial velocity measurements to rule out the existence of any tight stellar companions to κ And A that might be responsible for the system's overluminosity. Further, we show that luminosity enhancements due to a nearly 'pole-on' viewing angle coupled with extremely rapid rotation is unlikely. κ And A is thus consistent with its slightly evolved luminosity class (IV), and we propose here that κ And, with a revised age of 220 ± 100 Myr, is an interloper to the 30 Myr Columba association with which it was previously associated. The photometric and spectroscopic evidence for κ And B combined with our reassessment of the system age implies a substellar companion mass of 50{sub −13}{sup +16} M {sub Jup}, consistent with a brown dwarf rather than a planetary-mass companion.

HOW SPIRALS AND GAPS DRIVEN BY COMPANIONS IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS APPEAR IN SCATTERED LIGHT AT ARBITRARY VIEWING ANGLES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Ruobing [Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Fung, Jeffrey; Chiang, Eugene, E-mail: rdong2013@berkeley.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2016-07-20

Direct imaging observations of protoplanetary disks at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths have revealed structures of potentially planetary origin. Investigations of observational signatures from planet-induced features have so far focused on disks viewed face-on. Combining 3D hydrodynamics and radiative transfer simulations, we study how the appearance of the spiral arms and the gap produced in a disk by a companion varies with inclination and position angle in NIR scattered light. We compare the cases of a 3 M {sub J} and a 0.1 M {sub ⊙} companion, and make predictions suitable for testing with Gemini/GPI, Very Large Telescope/NACO/SPHERE, and Subaru/HiCIAO/SCExAO. We find that the two trailing arms produced by an external perturber can have a variety of morphologies in inclined systems—they may appear as one trailing arm; two trailing arms on the same side of the disk; or two arms winding in opposite directions. The disk ring outside a planetary gap may also mimic spiral arms when viewed at high inclinations. We suggest potential explanations for the features observed in HH 30, HD 141569 A, AK Sco, HD 100546, and AB Aur. We emphasize that inclined views of companion-induced features cannot be converted into face-on views using simple and commonly practiced image deprojections.

ASSERT FY16 Analysis of Feedstock Companion Markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamers, Patrick [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Hansen, Jason [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Jacobson, Jacob J. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Nguyen, Thuy [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Nair, Shyam [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Searcy, Erin [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Hess, J. Richard [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-09-01

Meeting Co-Optima biofuel production targets will require large quantities of mobilized biomass feedstock. Mobilization is of key importance as there is an abundance of biomass resources, yet little is available for purchase, let alone at desired quantity and quality levels needed for a continuous operation, e.g., a biorefinery. Therefore Co-Optima research includes outlining a path towards feedstock production at scale by understanding routes to mobilizing large quantities of biomass feedstock. Continuing along the vertically-integrated path that pioneer cellulosic biorefineries have taken will constrain the bioenergy industry to high biomass yield areas, limiting its ability to reach biofuel production at scale. To advance the cellulosic biofuels industry, a separation between feedstock supply and conversion is necessary. Thus, in contrast to the vertically integrated supply chain, two industries are required: a feedstock industry and a conversion industry. The split is beneficial for growers and feedstock processers as they are able to sell into multiple markets. That is, depots that produce value-add feedstock intermediates that are fully fungible in both the biofuels refining and other, so-called companion markets. As the biofuel industry is currently too small to leverage significant investment in up-stream infrastructure build-up, it requires an established (companion) market to secure demand, which de-risks potential investments and makes a build-up of processing and other logistics infrastructure more likely. A common concern to this theory however is that more demand by other markets could present a disadvantage for biofuels production as resource competition may increase prices leading to reduced availability of low-cost feedstock for biorefineries. To analyze the dynamics across multiple markets vying for the same resources, particularly the potential effects on resource price and distribution, the Companion Market Model (CMM) has been developed in this

ASSERT FY16 Analysis of Feedstock Companion Markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamers, Patrick; Hansen, Jason; Jacobson, Jacob J.; Nguyen, Thuy; Nair, Shyam; Searcy, Erin; Hess, J. Richard

2016-01-01

Meeting Co-Optima biofuel production targets will require large quantities of mobilized biomass feedstock. Mobilization is of key importance as there is an abundance of biomass resources, yet little is available for purchase, let alone at desired quantity and quality levels needed for a continuous operation, e.g., a biorefinery. Therefore Co-Optima research includes outlining a path towards feedstock production at scale by understanding routes to mobilizing large quantities of biomass feedstock. Continuing along the vertically-integrated path that pioneer cellulosic biorefineries have taken will constrain the bioenergy industry to high biomass yield areas, limiting its ability to reach biofuel production at scale. To advance the cellulosic biofuels industry, a separation between feedstock supply and conversion is necessary. Thus, in contrast to the vertically integrated supply chain, two industries are required: a feedstock industry and a conversion industry. The split is beneficial for growers and feedstock processers as they are able to sell into multiple markets. That is, depots that produce value-add feedstock intermediates that are fully fungible in both the biofuels refining and other, so-called companion markets. As the biofuel industry is currently too small to leverage significant investment in up-stream infrastructure build-up, it requires an established (companion) market to secure demand, which de-risks potential investments and makes a build-up of processing and other logistics infrastructure more likely. A common concern to this theory however is that more demand by other markets could present a disadvantage for biofuels production as resource competition may increase prices leading to reduced availability of low-cost feedstock for biorefineries. To analyze the dynamics across multiple markets vying for the same resources, particularly the potential effects on resource price and distribution, the Companion Market Model (CMM) has been developed in this

76 FR 41506 - Draft Guidance for Industry and FDA Staff on In Vitro Companion Diagnostic Devices; Availability

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-14

...., Bldg. 51, rm. 2201, Silver Spring, MD 20993- 0002, or Office of Communication, Outreach and Development... help make critical treatment decisions. FDA oversight of companion diagnostics will protect patients... current thinking on companion diagnostic devices. It does not create or confer any rights for or on any...

Deriving the true mass of an unresolved Brown Dwarf companion to an M-Dwarf with AO aided astrometry*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kürster M.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available From radial velocity (RV detections alone one does not get all orbital parameters needed to derive the true mass of a non-transiting, unresolved substellar companion to a star. Additional astrometric measurements are needed to calculate the inclination and the longitude of the ascending node. Until today only few true substellar companion masses have been determined by this method with the HST fine guidance sensor [1, 2]. We aim to derive the true mass of a brown dwarf candidate companion to an early M 2.5V dwarf with groundbased high-resolution astrometry aided by adaptive optics. We found this unique brown dwarf desert object, whose distance to the host star is only 0.42 AU, in our UVES precision RV survey of M dwarfs, inferring a minimum companion mass of 27 Jupiter masses [3]. Combining the data with HIPPARCOS astrometry, we found a probability of only 2.9% that the companion is stellar. We therefore observed the host star together with a reference star within a monitoring program with VLT/NACO to derive the true mass of the companion and establish its nature (brown dwarf vs. star. Simultaneous observations of a reference field in a globular cluster are performed to determine the stability of the adaptive optics (AO plus detector system and check its suitability for such high-precision astrometric measurements over several epochs which are needed to find and analyse extrasolar planet systems.

ACOUSTIC SCALE FROM THE ANGULAR POWER SPECTRA OF SDSS-III DR8 PHOTOMETRIC LUMINOUS GALAXIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Hee-Jong [Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics, LBL and Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Ho, Shirley; White, Martin; Reid, Beth; Schlegel, David J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Cuesta, Antonio J.; Padmanabhan, Nikhil [Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (United States); Ross, Ashley J.; Percival, Will J.; Nichol, Robert C. [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, Dennis Sciama Building, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3FX (United Kingdom); Saito, Shun [Department of Astronomy, 601 Campbell Hall, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); De Putter, Roland [Instituto de Fisica Corpuscular, Valencia (Spain); Eisenstein, Daniel J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS 20, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Xu Xiaoying; Skibba, Ramin [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Schneider, Donald P. [Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Verde, Licia [Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats, Barcelona (Spain); Bizyaev, Dmitry; Brewington, Howard; Brinkmann, J. [Apache Point Observatory, 2001 Apache Point Road, Sunspot, NM 88349 (United States); and others

2012-12-10

We measure the acoustic scale from the angular power spectra of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III) Data Release 8 imaging catalog that includes 872, 921 galaxies over {approx}10,000 deg{sup 2} between 0.45 < z < 0.65. The extensive spectroscopic training set of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey luminous galaxies allows precise estimates of the true redshift distributions of galaxies in our imaging catalog. Utilizing the redshift distribution information, we build templates and fit to the power spectra of the data, which are measured in our companion paper, to derive the location of Baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) while marginalizing over many free parameters to exclude nearly all of the non-BAO signal. We derive the ratio of the angular diameter distance to the sound horizon scale D{sub A} (z)/r{sub s} = 9.212{sup +0.416}{sub -{sub 0.404}} at z = 0.54, and therefore D{sub A} (z) = 1411 {+-} 65 Mpc at z = 0.54; the result is fairly independent of assumptions on the underlying cosmology. Our measurement of angular diameter distance D{sub A} (z) is 1.4{sigma} higher than what is expected for the concordance {Lambda}CDM, in accordance to the trend of other spectroscopic BAO measurements for z {approx}> 0.35. We report constraints on cosmological parameters from our measurement in combination with the WMAP7 data and the previous spectroscopic BAO measurements of SDSS and WiggleZ. We refer to our companion papers (Ho et al.; de Putter et al.) for investigations on information of the full power spectrum.

Companion animals and well-being in palliative care nursing: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, Julie M; Barrett, David

2016-02-01

To evaluate and critique current knowledge regarding the role of animals in palliative care. To explore the impact that animals may have on the well-being of individuals and to identify gaps in the evidence base. There is recognition that having a companion animal will affect patient experience. Similarly, there has been some previous exploration on the use of specific animal assisted therapies for patients with different healthcare needs. A literature review was conducted to identify published and unpublished research about companion animals or animal-assisted therapy in palliative and/or end-of-life care. The primary objective was to explore the impact of animals on well-being at the end of life. A search for literature was carried out using a variety of databases and different combinations of search terms linked to animals in palliative care. Included works were critically appraised and thematically analysed. A limited range of literature was identified. From the small number of studies included in the review (n = 4), it appears that there is some evidence of animals (either companion animals or those used specifically to enhance care) having a positive impact on the patient experience. This study suggests that animals play a large part in the lives of people receiving palliative care. Using animals to support care may also offer some benefits to the patient experience. However, there appears to be a dearth of high-quality literature in this area. More research is therefore required. Nurses providing palliative care need to be aware of the part that a companion animal may play in the life of patients. There may also be the opportunity for nurses in some settings to integrate animal therapy into their provision of palliative care. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

KNOW THE STAR, KNOW THE PLANET. V. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE STELLAR COMPANION TO THE EXOPLANET HOST STAR HD 177830

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, Lewis C. Jr.; Beichman, Charles; Burruss, Rick; Cady, Eric; Lockhart, Thomas G. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena CA 91109 (United States); Oppenheimer, Rebecca; Brenner, Douglas; Luszcz-Cook, Statia; Nilsson, Ricky [American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 (United States); Crepp, Justin R. [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, 225 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Baranec, Christoph [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Hilo, HI 96720-2700 (United States); Dekany, Richard; Hillenbrand, Lynne [Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Hinkley, Sasha [School of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QL (United Kingdom); King, David; Parry, Ian R. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road., Cambridge, CB3 OHA (United Kingdom); Pueyo, Laurent [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Soummer, Rémi [Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova University Center, Roslagstullsbacken 21, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Rice, Emily L., E-mail: lewis.c.roberts@jpl.nasa.gov [Department of Engineering Science and Physics, College of Staten Island, City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314 (United States); and others

2015-10-15

HD 177830 is an evolved K0IV star with two known exoplanets. In addition to the planetary companions it has a late-type stellar companion discovered with adaptive optics imagery. We observed the binary star system with the PHARO near-IR camera and the Project 1640 coronagraph. Using the Project 1640 coronagraph and integral field spectrograph we extracted a spectrum of the stellar companion. This allowed us to determine that the spectral type of the stellar companion is a M4 ± 1 V. We used both instruments to measure the astrometry of the binary system. Combining these data with published data, we determined that the binary star has a likely period of approximately 800 years with a semimajor axis of 100–200 AU. This implies that the stellar companion has had little or no impact on the dynamics of the exoplanets. The astrometry of the system should continue to be monitored, but due to the slow nature of the system, observations can be made once every 5–10 years.

PSYM-WIDE: A Survey for Large-separation Planetary-mass Companions to Late Spectral Type Members of Young Moving Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Naud, Marie-Eve; Artigau, Étienne; Doyon, René; Malo, Lison; Gagné, Jonathan; Lafrenière, David; Wolf, Christian; Magnier, Eugene A.

2017-09-01

We present the results of a direct imaging survey for very large separation (>100 au), low-mass companions around 95 nearby young K5-L5 stars and brown dwarfs. They are high-likelihood candidates or confirmed members of the young (≲150 Myr) β Pictoris and AB Doradus moving groups (ABDMG) and the TW Hya, Tucana-Horologium, Columba, Carina, and Argus associations. Images in I\\prime and z\\prime filters were obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South to search for companions down to an apparent magnitude of z\\prime ˜ 22-24 at separations ≳20″ from the targets and in the remainder of the wide 5.‧5 × 5.‧5 GMOS field of view. This allowed us to probe the most distant region where planetary-mass companions could be gravitationally bound to the targets. This region was left largely unstudied by past high-contrast imaging surveys, which probed much closer-in separations. This survey led to the discovery of a planetary-mass (9-13 {M}{Jup}) companion at 2000 au from the M3V star GU Psc, a highly probable member of ABDMG. No other substellar companions were identified. These results allowed us to constrain the frequency of distant planetary-mass companions (5-13 {M}{Jup}) to {0.84}-0.66+6.73% (95% confidence) at semimajor axes between 500 and 5000 au around young K5-L5 stars and brown dwarfs. This is consistent with other studies suggesting that gravitationally bound planetary-mass companions at wide separations from low-mass stars are relatively rare.

EVOLUTIONARY TRAJECTORIES OF ULTRACOMPACT 'BLACK WIDOW' PULSARS WITH VERY LOW MASS COMPANIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benvenuto, O. G.; De Vito, M. A. [Facultad de Ciencias Astronomicas y Geofisicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata and Instituto de Astrofisica de La Plata (IALP), CCT-CONICET-UNLP, Paseo del Bosque S/N (B1900FWA), La Plata (Argentina); Horvath, J. E., E-mail: obenvenu@fcaglp.unlp.edu.ar, E-mail: adevito@fcaglp.unlp.edu.ar, E-mail: foton@astro.iag.usp.br [Instituto de Astronomia, Geofisica e Ciencias Atmosfericas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, R. do Matao 1226 (05508-090), Cidade Universitaria, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2012-07-10

The existence of millisecond pulsars with planet-mass companions in close orbits is challenging from the stellar evolution point of view. We calculate in detail the evolution of binary systems self-consistently, including mass transfer, evaporation, and irradiation of the donor by X-ray feedback, demonstrating the existence of a new evolutionary path leading to short periods and compact donors as required by the observations of PSR J1719-1438. We also point out the alternative of an exotic nature of the companion planet-mass star.

Massive Star Formation: Accreting from Companion X. Chen1 ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. We report the possible accretion from companion in the mas- sive star forming region (G350.69–0.49). This region seems to be a binary system composed of a diffuse object (possible nebulae or UC HII region) and a Massive Young Stellar Object (MYSO) seen in Spitzer IRAC image. The diffuse object and MYSO ...

A Population-Based Comparative Effectiveness Study of Radiation Therapy Techniques in Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harris, Jeremy P. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Murphy, James D. [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Science, University of California– San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California (United States); Hanlon, Alexandra L. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Le, Quynh-Thu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Loo, Billy W., E-mail: BWLoo@Stanford.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Diehn, Maximilian, E-mail: diehn@Stanford.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States)

2014-03-15

Purpose: Concerns have been raised about the potential for worse treatment outcomes because of dosimetric inaccuracies related to tumor motion and increased toxicity caused by the spread of low-dose radiation to normal tissues in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). We therefore performed a population-based comparative effectiveness analysis of IMRT, conventional 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), and 2-dimensional radiation therapy (2D-RT) in stage III NSCLC. Methods and Materials: We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database to identify a cohort of patients diagnosed with stage III NSCLC from 2002 to 2009 treated with IMRT, 3D-CRT, or 2D-RT. Using Cox regression and propensity score matching, we compared survival and toxicities of these treatments. Results: The proportion of patients treated with IMRT increased from 2% in 2002 to 25% in 2009, and the use of 2D-RT decreased from 32% to 3%. In univariate analysis, IMRT was associated with improved overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.90, P=.02) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR 0.89, P=.02). After controlling for confounders, IMRT was associated with similar OS (HR 0.94, P=.23) and CSS (HR 0.94, P=.28) compared with 3D-CRT. Both techniques had superior OS compared with 2D-RT. IMRT was associated with similar toxicity risks on multivariate analysis compared with 3D-CRT. Propensity score matched model results were similar to those from adjusted models. Conclusions: In this population-based analysis, IMRT for stage III NSCLC was associated with similar OS and CSS and maintained similar toxicity risks compared with 3D-CRT.

Hypoxia-inducible factors - regulation, role and comparative aspects in tumourigenesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, A E; Kristensen, A T; Law, I

2011-01-01

important prognostic information and may help identify potential hypoxia circumventing and targeting strategies. This review summarizes current knowledge on HIF regulation and function in tumour cells and discusses the aspects of using companion animals as comparative spontaneous cancer models. Spontaneous...... tumours in companion animals hold a great research potential for the evaluation and understanding of tumour hypoxia and in the development of hypoxia-targeting therapeutics....

45 CFR 2551.71 - What requirements govern the assignment of Senior Companions?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...: (1) Result in person-to-person supportive relationships with each client served. (2) Support the.... Senior Companions with special skills or demonstrated leadership ability may assist newer Senior...

Companion animal veterinarians' use of clinical communication skills.

Science.gov (United States)

McArthur, M L; Fitzgerald, J R

2013-09-01

To describe the communication techniques used by clients and veterinarians during companion animal visits in Australia. A cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 64 veterinary consultations were audiotaped and analysed with the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS); clients completed appointment level measures, including their satisfaction and perceptions of relational communication. Participants were 24 veterinarians and 64 clients. Statements intended to reassure clients were expressed frequently in the consultations, but in 59% of appointments empathy statements were not expressed towards either the client or the patient. In 10% of appointments, veterinarians did not used any open-ended questions. Overall client satisfaction was high and veterinarians' expressions of empathy directed to the client resulted in higher levels of client satisfaction. Clients' perceptions of relational communication were related to several veterinarian and client nonverbal scales. A focus on developing evidence-based clinical communication skills is expected to further enhance the veterinarian-client-patient relationship and associated clinical outcomes. Particular recommendations include the development of a broader emotion-handling repertoire, increased emphasis on the use of open-ended enquiry, including assessment of the client's perspective, as well as attention to aspects of nonverbal communication. The study provides preliminary evidence for the importance of verbal expressions of empathy during the companion animal consultation. © 2013 Australian Veterinary Association.

Detection limits for close eclipsing and transiting sub-stellar and planetary companions to white dwarfs in the WASP survey

OpenAIRE

Faedi, F.; West, R. G.; Burleigh, M. R.; Goad, M. R.; Hebb, L.

2010-01-01

We have performed extensive simulations to explore the possibility of detecting eclipses and transits of close, sub-stellar and planetary companions to white dwarfs in WASP light-curves. Our simulations cover companions $\\sim0.3\\Re

Companion Cropping as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Component for Management of Flower Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in French Beans (Phasealous Vulgaris L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasina, J.

2002-01-01

Six companion crops, (Tagetes spp L. (African marigold), Daucus carota L. (carrot), Coriandrum sativum L. (coriander), Brassica spp. L. kale), capsicum spp L. (chilli) and Zea mays (maize) were evaluated for their efficacy in suppressing field populations of the French bean flower thrips, (Frankliniella occidentals (Pergande), Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) and Megalurothrips sjostedti (trybom). The companion crops were compared to two insecticides, Labda cyhalothrin (Karate 1.75% EC) and Methiocarb (Mesurol 500 SC) and untreated mono-crop of French beans. Three of the treatments, coriander, maize and African marigold were found to be effective in that order, by repelling the pest away from the crop. It is concluded that these crops could be recommended to farmers for use and therefore are able to minimise the high use of chemical insecticides

FRIENDS OF HOT JUPITERS. II. NO CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN HOT-JUPITER SPIN-ORBIT MISALIGNMENT AND THE INCIDENCE OF DIRECTLY IMAGED STELLAR COMPANIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ngo, Henry; Knutson, Heather A.; Hinkley, Sasha; Batygin, Konstantin [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Crepp, Justin R.; Bechter, Eric B. [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN (United States); Howard, Andrew W. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States); Johnson, John A. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States); Morton, Timothy D. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Muirhead, Philip S., E-mail: hngo@caltech.edu [Department of Astronomy, Boston University, Boston, MA (United States)

2015-02-20

Multi-star systems are common, yet little is known about a stellar companion's influence on the formation and evolution of planetary systems. For instance, stellar companions may have facilitated the inward migration of hot Jupiters toward to their present day positions. Many observed short-period gas giant planets also have orbits that are misaligned with respect to their star's spin axis, which has also been attributed to the presence of a massive outer companion on a non-coplanar orbit. We present the results of a multi-band direct imaging survey using Keck NIRC2 to measure the fraction of short-period gas giant planets found in multi-star systems. Over three years, we completed a survey of 50 targets ('Friends of Hot Jupiters') with 27 targets showing some signature of multi-body interaction (misaligned or eccentric orbits) and 23 targets in a control sample (well-aligned and circular orbits). We report the masses, projected separations, and confirmed common proper motion for the 19 stellar companions found around 17 stars. Correcting for survey incompleteness, we report companion fractions of 48% ± 9%, 47% ± 12%, and 51% ± 13% in our total, misaligned/eccentric, and control samples, respectively. This total stellar companion fraction is 2.8σ larger than the fraction of field stars with companions approximately 50-2000 AU. We observe no correlation between misaligned/eccentric hot Jupiter systems and the incidence of stellar companions. Combining this result with our previous radial velocity survey, we determine that 72% ± 16% of hot Jupiters are part of multi-planet and/or multi-star systems.

Limits on stellar companions to exoplanet host stars with eccentric planets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kane, Stephen R.; Hinkel, Natalie R.; Howell, Steve B.; Horch, Elliott P.; Feng, Ying; Wright, Jason T.; Ciardi, David R.; Everett, Mark E.; Howard, Andrew W.

2014-01-01

Though there are now many hundreds of confirmed exoplanets known, the binarity of exoplanet host stars is not well understood. This is particularly true of host stars that harbor a giant planet in a highly eccentric orbit since these are more likely to have had a dramatic dynamical history that transferred angular momentum to the planet. Here we present observations of four exoplanet host stars that utilize the excellent resolving power of the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument on the Gemini North telescope. Two of the stars are giants and two are dwarfs. Each star is host to a giant planet with an orbital eccentricity >0.5 and whose radial velocity (RV) data contain a trend in the residuals to the Keplerian orbit fit. These observations rule out stellar companions 4-8 mag fainter than the host star at passbands of 692 nm and 880 nm. The resolution and field of view of the instrument result in exclusion radii of 0.''05-1.''4, which excludes stellar companions within several AU of the host star in most cases. We further provide new RVs for the HD 4203 system that confirm that the linear trend previously observed in the residuals is due to an additional planet. These results place dynamical constraints on the source of the planet's eccentricities, place constraints on additional planetary companions, and inform the known distribution of multiplicity amongst exoplanet host stars.

Investigating Valence and Autonomy in Children's Relationships with Imaginary Companions

Science.gov (United States)

McInnis, Melissa A.; Pierucci, Jillian M.; Gilpin, Ansley Tullos

2013-01-01

Little research has explored valence and autonomy in children's imaginary relationships. In the present study, a new interview (modeled after an existing measure for real relationships) was designed to elicit descriptions of both positive and negative interactions with imaginary companions and to provide a measure of relationship valence and…

The routledge companion to the new cosmology

CERN Document Server

Coles, Peter

2004-01-01

Just what is Einstein's Theory of Relativity? The Big Bang Theory? Curvature of Spacetime? What do astronomers mean when they talk of a 'flat universe'?This approachable and authoritative guide to the cosmos answers these questions, and more. Taking advantage of the distinctive Companion format, readers can use the extensive, cross-referenced background chapters as a fascinating and accessible introduction to the current state of cosmological knowledge - or, they can use the convenient A-Z body of entries as a quick reference to a wide range of terms and concepts. Entries include topics su

Control of DEMETER DNA demethylase gene transcription in male and female gamete companion cells in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jin-Sup; Frost, Jennifer M; Park, Kyunghyuk; Ohr, Hyonhwa; Park, Guen Tae; Kim, Seohyun; Eom, Hyunjoo; Lee, Ilha; Brooks, Janie S; Fischer, Robert L; Choi, Yeonhee

2017-02-21

The DEMETER (DME) DNA glycosylase initiates active DNA demethylation via the base-excision repair pathway and is vital for reproduction in Arabidopsis thaliana DME-mediated DNA demethylation is preferentially targeted to small, AT-rich, and nucleosome-depleted euchromatic transposable elements, influencing expression of adjacent genes and leading to imprinting in the endosperm. In the female gametophyte, DME expression and subsequent genome-wide DNA demethylation are confined to the companion cell of the egg, the central cell. Here, we show that, in the male gametophyte, DME expression is limited to the companion cell of sperm, the vegetative cell, and to a narrow window of time: immediately after separation of the companion cell lineage from the germline. We define transcriptional regulatory elements of DME using reporter genes, showing that a small region, which surprisingly lies within the DME gene, controls its expression in male and female companion cells. DME expression from this minimal promoter is sufficient to rescue seed abortion and the aberrant DNA methylome associated with the null dme-2 mutation. Within this minimal promoter, we found short, conserved enhancer sequences necessary for the transcriptional activities of DME and combined predicted binding motifs with published transcription factor binding coordinates to produce a list of candidate upstream pathway members in the genetic circuitry controlling DNA demethylation in gamete companion cells. These data show how DNA demethylation is regulated to facilitate endosperm gene imprinting and potential transgenerational epigenetic regulation, without subjecting the germline to potentially deleterious transposable element demethylation.

Imaginary companions, theory of mind and emotion understanding in young children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Giménez-Dasí, Marta; Pons, Francisco; Bender, Patrick Karl

2016-01-01

The phenomenon of imaginary companions (ICs) has received little attention in developmental psychology, even though it can be observed in approximately 25% of preschool-aged children. Only a few studies have investigated the effect of ICs on children's theory of mind and emotion understanding......, and the results are partial or inconsistent. This study used comprehensive measures to assess emotional understanding and theory of mind in children aged four to six with ICs (N = 24) and compared their performance to that of children without ICs (N = 24). Results showed that children with ICs, regardless of age...... and gender, have a better theory of mind and emotion understanding than children without ICs. The greatest impact of ICs was on girls' emotion understanding. The results are discussed in relation to gender differences....

Effects of fertilizer types and different companion crops on the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A field experiment was conducted in 2002 and 2003 cropping seasons, at the University of Ibadan Teaching and Research Farm to evaluate the effects of fertilizer types and different companion crops on the performance of sweet potato. The results obtained showed that the growth and yield of sweet potato were ...

Animal Companions: Fostering Children's Effort-Making by Nurturing Virtual Pets

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhi-Hong; Liao, Calvin; Chien, Tzu-Chao; Chan, Tak-Wai

2011-01-01

Virtual character is a significant application in the research field of technology-enhanced learning. In this study, the concept of animal companions, "non-smart" virtual characters, is proposed as a way to encourage students to promote effort-making learning behaviours. The two underpinning design rationales are first discussed followed by the…

Typology of Interpretive Narratives of the followers of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)

OpenAIRE

Fatemeh Shariati

2013-01-01

A large quantity of narratives in interpretation of the Holy Quran is related to the followers of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) s of companions of the Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH) .Investigating those narratives we see a kind of variation in His interpretations of the verses of the Holy Quran . Some narratives investigate the lexicology of the Holy Quran denotatively. They have also mentioned the reasons for the fall of the verses, the news of the nations and past events, the definiti...

The Routledge Companion to Media, Sex and Sexuality

OpenAIRE

2018-01-01

The Routledge Companion to Media, Sex and Sexuality is a vibrant and authoritative exploration of the ways in which sex and sexualities are mediated in modern media and everyday life.\\ud \\ud The 40 chapters in this volume offer a snapshot of the remarkable diversification of approaches and research within the field, bringing together a wide range of scholars and researchers from around the world and from different disciplinary backgrounds including cultural studies, education, history, media ...

A randomized controlled trial to establish effects of short-term rapamycin treatment in 24 middle-aged companion dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Urfer, Silvan R; Kaeberlein, Tammi L; Mailheau, Susan; Bergman, Philip J; Creevy, Kate E; Promislow, Daniel E L; Kaeberlein, Matt

2017-04-01

Age is the single greatest risk factor for most causes of morbidity and mortality in humans and their companion animals. As opposed to other model organisms used to study aging, dogs share the human environment, are subject to similar risk factors, receive comparable medical care, and develop many of the same age-related diseases humans do. In this study, 24 middle-aged healthy dogs received either placebo or a non-immunosuppressive dose of rapamycin for 10 weeks. All dogs received clinical and hematological exams before, during, and after the trial and echocardiography before and after the trial. Our results showed no clinical side effects in the rapamycin-treated group compared to dogs receiving the placebo. Echocardiography suggested improvement in both diastolic and systolic age-related measures of heart function (E/A ratio, fractional shortening, and ejection fraction) in the rapamycin-treated dogs. Hematological values remained within the normal range for all parameters studied; however, the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was decreased in rapamycin-treated dogs. Based on these results, we will test rapamycin on a larger dog cohort for a longer period of time in order to validate its effects on cardiac function and to determine whether it can significantly improve healthspan and reduce mortality in companion dogs.

Intellectual property considerations for molecular diagnostic development with emphasis on companion diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Glorikian, Harry; Warburg, Richard Jeremy; Moore, Kelly; Malinowski, Jennifer

2018-02-01

The development of molecular diagnostics is a complex endeavor, with multiple regulatory pathways to consider and numerous approaches to development and commercialization. Companion diagnostics, devices which are "essential for the safe and effective use of a corresponding drug or diagnostic product" (see U.S. Food & Drug Administration, In Vitro Diagnostics - Companion Diagnostics, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services(2016), available at https://www.fda.gov/medicaldevices/productsandmedicalprocedures/invitrodiagnostics/ucm407297.htm ) and complementary diagnostics, which are more broadly associated with a class of drug, are becoming increasingly important as integral components of the implementation of precision medicine. Areas covered: The following article will highlight the intellectual property ('IP') considerations pertinent to molecular diagnostics development with special emphasis on companion diagnostics. Expert opinion/commentary Summary: For all molecular diagnostics, intellectual property (IP) concerns are of paramount concern, whether the device will be marketed only in the United States or abroad. Taking steps to protect IP at each stage of product development is critical to optimize profitability of a diagnostic product. Also the legal framework around IP protection of diagnostic technologies has been changing over the previous few years and can be expected to continue to change in the foreseeable near future, thus, a comprehensive IP strategy should take into account the fact that changes in the law can be expected.

ACOUSTIC SCALE FROM THE ANGULAR POWER SPECTRA OF SDSS-III DR8 PHOTOMETRIC LUMINOUS GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Hee-Jong; Ho, Shirley; White, Martin; Reid, Beth; Schlegel, David J.; Cuesta, Antonio J.; Padmanabhan, Nikhil; Ross, Ashley J.; Percival, Will J.; Nichol, Robert C.; Saito, Shun; De Putter, Roland; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Xu Xiaoying; Skibba, Ramin; Schneider, Donald P.; Verde, Licia; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Brewington, Howard; Brinkmann, J.

2012-01-01

We measure the acoustic scale from the angular power spectra of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III) Data Release 8 imaging catalog that includes 872, 921 galaxies over ∼10,000 deg 2 between 0.45 A (z)/r s = 9.212 +0.416 – 0 .404 at z = 0.54, and therefore D A (z) = 1411 ± 65 Mpc at z = 0.54; the result is fairly independent of assumptions on the underlying cosmology. Our measurement of angular diameter distance D A (z) is 1.4σ higher than what is expected for the concordance ΛCDM, in accordance to the trend of other spectroscopic BAO measurements for z ∼> 0.35. We report constraints on cosmological parameters from our measurement in combination with the WMAP7 data and the previous spectroscopic BAO measurements of SDSS and WiggleZ. We refer to our companion papers (Ho et al.; de Putter et al.) for investigations on information of the full power spectrum.

Setting the One Health Agenda and the Human–Companion Animal Bond

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregg K. Takashima

2014-10-01

Full Text Available “One Health”, also called “One Medicine”, began as an initiative advocating greater integration of human and animal medicine, in the 1800s. This concept has recently come to prominence, driven by the recognition that 75% of the newly emerging infectious diseases will arise from animal reservoirs, and that successful control and prevention will require a coordinated human medical and veterinary approach. Consequently, many One Health discussions have centered on the surveillance of animals in order to anticipate the potential emergence of new zoonotic diseases. An area that has been given only cursory mention, are the many ways that small companion animals benefit individual, community and possibly world health. The goal of this paper is to briefly review some of the evidenced-based data concerning the benefits of having companion animals in our lives, focusing on four major areas; cancer, heart disease, autism spectrum disorder (ASD, and the potential positive economic effects of the human-companion animal bond on One Health. Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, while ASD is a growing concern, not only for its individual effects, but also for its effect on family units, educational institutions, and its social implications for the community. In addition, these diseases can greatly affect the national and global cost of healthcare, as well as the economic output of a nation. It is therefore important to include and build on the concept of the Human-Animal Bond (HAB as it relates to healthcare in these areas.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization and infection risks from companion animals: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petinaki E

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Efthimia Petinaki,1 Iris Spiliopoulou21Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Thessalia, Larissa, 2Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, GreeceAbstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA remains one of the most virulent human pathogens and has also recently been recognized as such in the veterinary settings. Companion animals, including dogs, cats, horses, small exotic animals, wildlife animals, and livestock, may constitute a reservoir for MRSA transmission to humans and vice versa. The evolution, emergence, and risk factors for MRSA transmission among colonized or infected animals are reviewed in the present paper, and infection control practices are discussed.Keywords: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, companion animals, close contacts

The companion dog as a unique translational model for aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzatenta, Andrea; Carluccio, Augusto; Robbe, Domenico; Giulio, Camillo Di; Cellerino, Alessandro

2017-10-01

The dog is a unique species due to its wide variation among breeds in terms of size, morphology, behaviour and lifespan, coupled with a genetic structure that facilitates the dissection of the genetic architecture that controls these traits. Dogs and humans co-evolved and share recent evolutionary selection processes, such as adaptation to digest starch-rich diets. Many diseases of the dog have a human counterpart, and notably Alzheimer's disease, which is otherwise difficult to model in other organisms. Unlike laboratory animals, companion dogs share the human environment and lifestyle, are exposed to the same pollutants, and are faced with pathogens and infections. Dogs represented a very useful model to understand the relationship between size, insulin-like growth factor-1 genetic variation and lifespan, and have been used to test the effects of dietary restriction and immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease. Very recently, rapamycin was tested in companion dogs outside the laboratory, and this approach where citizens are involved in research aimed at the benefit of dog welfare might become a game changer in geroscience. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EMPIRICAL CONSTRAINTS ON TROJAN COMPANIONS AND ORBITAL ECCENTRICITIES IN 25 TRANSITING EXOPLANETARY SYSTEMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madhusudhan, N.; Winn, Joshua N.

2009-01-01

We present a search for Trojan companions to 25 transiting exoplanets. We use the technique of Ford and Gaudi, in which a difference is sought between the observed transit time and the transit time that is calculated by fitting a two-body Keplerian orbit to the radial-velocity data. This technique is sensitive to the imbalance of mass at the L4/L5 points of the planet-star orbit. No companions were detected above 2σ confidence. The median 2σ upper limit is 56 M + , and the most constraining limit is 2.8 M + for the case of GJ 436. A similar survey using forthcoming data from the Kepler satellite mission, along with the radial-velocity data that will be needed to confirm transit candidates, will be sensitive to 10-50 M + Trojan companions in the habitable zones of their parent stars. As a by-product of this study, we present empirical constraints on the eccentricities of the planetary orbits, including those which have previously been assumed to be circular. The limits on eccentricity are of interest for investigations of tidal circularization and for bounding possible systematic errors in the measured planetary radii and the predicted times of secondary eclipses.

The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers

CERN Document Server

Story, Derrick

2009-01-01

"Derrick shows that Photoshop can be friendly as well as powerful. In part, he does that by focusing photographers on the essential steps of an efficient workflow. With this guide in hand, you'll quickly learn how to leverage Photoshop CS4's features to organize and improve your pictures."-- John Nack, Principal Product Manager, Adobe Photoshop & BridgeMany photographers -- even the pros -- feel overwhelmed by all the editing options Photoshop provides. The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers pares it down to only the tools you'll need most often, and shows you how to use those tools as

Halophytic Companion Plants Improve Growth and Physiological Parameters of Tomato Plants Grown under Salinity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karakas, S.; Cullu, M. A.; Kaya, C.; Dikilitas, M.

2016-01-01

Salinity becomes a major concern when soil salt concentration becomes excessive in growth medium. Halophytes are capable of accumulating high concentrations of NaCl in their tissues, thus using halophytic plants in crop rotations or even in mixed cropping systems may be a promising management practices to mitigate salt stress related yield loses. Salinity induced yield losses and related physiological parameters on tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. SC2121) grown with or without halophytic companion plants (SalsolasodaL. and Portulacaoleracea L.) were investigated in pot experiment. Treatments consist of four soil type (collected from Harran plain-Turkey) with similar physical properties but varying in salinity level: electrical conductivity (EC): 0.9, 4.2, 7.2, and 14.1 dS m/sup -1/. The reduction in plant total dry weight was 24, 19, and 48 percent in soils with slight (4.2dS m/sup -1/), moderate (7.2 dS m/sup -1/) and high (14.1 dS m/sup -1/) salinity as compared to non-saline soil (0.9 dS m/sup -1/), respectively. Leaf content of proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) enzyme activity increased with increasing level of salinity. In tomato plants grown in consociation with Salsolasoda, salinity induced DM decrease was only 6, 12 and 28% in soils with slight, moderate and high salinity as compared to non-saline soil, respectively. However, when Portulaca oleracea used as companion plant, no significant change in biomass or fruit yield was observed. This study showed that mixed planting with Salsolasodain high saline soils may be an effective phyto-remediation technique that may secure yield formation and quality of tomato. (author)

K-KIDS: K Dwarfs and Their Companions. First Results from Radial Velocity Survey with CHIRON Spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, Leonardo; Henry, Todd; Nusdeo, Daniel; Winters, J.; Dincer, Tolga

2018-01-01

We present the K-KIDS project, an effort to survey a large sample of K dwarfs and their companions, the KIDS. We are observing a carefully vetted equatorial sample (DEC = -30 to +30) of more than 1000 K dwarfs within 50 pc to make a comprehensive assessment of stellar, substellar and planetary companions with separations of 0.1 to 10,000 AU.The initial sample of 1048 stars has been compiled using astrometric data from Hipparcos and photometric data from Tycho-2 and 2MASS. Four different imaging and spectroscopic surveys are underway. Here we present the strategy and initial results for our high-precision radial velocity survey for the closest companions using the CHIRON spectrograph on the CTIO/SMARTS 1.5m telescope. Individual measurements with CHIRON at R = 80,000 using ThAr wavelength calibration, indicate that for K dwarf radial velocity standards with V = 5.8, 7.0 and 8.0 yield precisions over 6 weeks of observing of 7.4 m/s, 9.8 m/s and 5.7 m/s. In the first two months, a core sample of 42 K dwarfs, including carefully selected calibration systems as well as previously unobserved stars, was observed every few nights to detect the radial velocity signals of close companions. In our calibration stellar systems, we have confirmed the suitability of CHIRON for our studies, by having found periodic radial velocity perturbations consistent with hot Jupiter and stellar companions previously detected. This set forms the foundation of our one-year survey of 100 K dwarfs with magnitudes as faint as V = 11.5, for which we should detect companions with masses as low as Jupiter.In light of the promising performance and efficiency of the CHIRON spectrograph for a long-term radial velocity survey, we have expanded our initial sample using Gaia Data Release 1 to 1824 K dwarfs within 50 pc. Ultimately, the combination of all four surveys will provide an unprecedented portrait of K dwarfs and their kids.This effort has been supported by the NSF through grant AST-1517413, and

OXA-23 and ISAba1-OXA-66 class D β-lactamases in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from companion animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewers, Christa; Klotz, Peter; Leidner, Ursula; Stamm, Ivonne; Prenger-Berninghoff, Ellen; Göttig, Stephan; Semmler, Torsten; Scheufen, Sandra

2017-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is recognised as a major pathogen of nosocomial infections that frequently show resistance to last-resort antimicrobials. To investigate whether A. baumannii from companion animals harbour carbapenem resistance mechanisms, 223 clinical isolates obtained from veterinary clinics between 2000 and 2013 in Germany were screened for carbapenem-non-susceptibility employing meropenem-containing Mueller-Hinton agar plates. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) data were obtained using the VITEK ® 2 system. Assignment to international clones (ICs) was done by multiplex PCR or repetitive sequence-based PCR employing the DiversiLab system. Clonality was studied using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Genes encoding carbapenemases and aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes were detected by PCR. In three samples from dogs, carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii carrying the bla OXA-23 gene on plasmids and located on transposon Tn2008 were identified. The isolates belonged to sequence type ST1 P (clonal complex CC1/IC1/pulsotype II) and ST10 P (CC10/IC8/pulsotype IV) according to the Pasteur MLST scheme, and to ST231 Ox (CC109) and ST585 Ox (CC447) following the Oxford scheme. Insertion sequence ISAba1 was identified upstream of bla OXA-66 in 58 A. baumannii isolates. MLST referred them to ST2 P (CC2/IC2/pulsotypes I and III), ST208 Ox , ST350 Ox and ST556 Ox (all CC118), respectively. PFGE suggested nosocomial spread of these highly related strains, which frequently demonstrated a multidrug-resistant phenotype, in one veterinary clinic. These data show that A. baumannii from companion animals reveal resistance determinants and clonal lineages of strains globally emerging in humans. This suggests an interspecies transmission and warrants molecular surveillance of A. baumannii in veterinary clinics to mitigate its further spread. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights

Nitrato-complexes of Y(III), La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III), Tb(III), Dy(III) and Ho(III) with 2-(2'-pyridyl) benzimidazole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishra, A; Singh, M P; Singh, V K

1982-05-01

The nitrato-complexes, (Y(PyBzH)/sub 2/(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/)NO/sub 3/.H/sub 2/O and Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho ; n=1-3, m=0-0.5 ; PyBzh=2-(2 -pyridyl)benzimidazole) are formed on interaction of the ligand with metal nitrates in ethanol. The electrical conductance values (116-129 ohm/sup -1/cm/sup 2/mol/sup -1/) suggest 1:1 electrolyte-nature of the complexes. Magnetic moment values of Ce(2.53 B.M.), Pr(3.62 B.M.), Nd(3.52 B.M.), Sm(1.70 B.M.), Gd(8.06 B.M.), Tb(9.44 B.M.), Dy(10.56 B.M.) and Ho(10.51 B.M.) in the complexes confirm the positive state of the metals. Infrared evidences are obtained for the existance of both coordinated (C/sub 2/v) and uncoordinated (D/sub 3/h) nitrate groups. Electronic absorption spectra of Pr(III)-, Nd(III)-, Sm(III)-, Tb(III)-, Dy(III)- and Ho(III)-complexes have been analysed in the light of LSJ terms.

Nitrato-complexes of Y(III), La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III), Tb(III), Dy(III) and Ho(III) with 2-(2'-pyridyl) benzimidazole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, A.; Singh, M.P.; Singh, V.K.

1982-01-01

The nitrato-complexes, [Y(PyBzH) 2 (NO 3 ) 2 ]NO 3 .H 2 O and Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho ; n=1-3, m=0-0.5 ; PyBzh=2-(2 -pyridyl)benzimidazole] are formed on interaction of the ligand with metal nitrates in ethanol. The electrical conductance values (116-129 ohm -1 cm 2 mol -1 ) suggest 1:1 electrolyte-nature of the complexes. Magnetic moment values of Ce(2.53 B.M.), Pr(3.62 B.M.), Nd(3.52 B.M.), Sm(1.70 B.M.), Gd(8.06 B.M.), Tb(9.44 B.M.), Dy(10.56 B.M.) and Ho(10.51 B.M.) in the complexes confirm the terpositive state of the metals. Infrared evidences are obtained for the existance of both coordinated (C 2 v) and uncoordinated (D 3 h) nitrate groups. Electronic absorption spectra of Pr(III)-, Nd(III)-, Sm(III)-, Tb(III)-, Dy(III)- and Ho(III)-complexes have been analysed in the light of LSJ terms. (author)

Environmental enrichment in farm, zoo, companion and experimental animals

OpenAIRE

Vučinić Marijana

2009-01-01

The paper deals with environmental enrichment for domestic animals at farms, animals in zoos, experimental animals and pet animals. Also, the paper defines and describes different strategies of environmental enrichment. Environmental enrichment is a simple and effective mean of prevention of boredom, behavioral disorders as well as an effective mean of improving animal welfare in farm, zoo, companion and experimental animals. Different items and materials may be used for environmental enrichm...

Comparative analyses of the internal radiation exposures due to food chain pathway using food III code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Yong Ho; Chung, Kyu Hoi; Kim, Jin Kyu; Lee, Jeong Ho

1988-01-01

In order to develop a food-chain computer code suitable to the environmental conditions of Korea, the FOOD III code was partially modified. The execution results for Korean male-adult were compared to those from the Canadian version of FOOD III to deduce a more realistic approach in dose assessment. The amounts of Mn-54, Co-50, Co-60, I-131 and I-132 released from Kori unit 1 in 1984 were used as the source terms for the sample calculation. The maximum atmospheric dispersion factor(X/Q) value on the site boundary was applied. Through the code modification, organ doses decreased by about 20∼70% and the effective committed dose equivalent by about 40% to be 7.935x10 -6 Sv/y which is 0.16% of the ICRP limit, 5x10 -3 Sv/y. (Author)

A comparative study of boron and arsenic (III) rejection from brackish water by reverse osmosis membranes

KAUST Repository

Teychene, Benoî t; Collet, Gaelle; Gallard, Hervé ; Croue, Jean Philippe

2013-01-01

This study aims to compare at lab-scale the rejection efficiency of several reverse osmosis membranes (RO) toward arsenic (III) and boron during the filtration of a synthetic brackish water. The effect of pH and operating conditions on the rejection of each RO membrane was studied. Two types of membrane were investigated: "brackish water" and "sea water" membranes. Our results showed that the metalloid rejection depends on the membrane type, pH and transmembrane pressure applied. Increasing pH above the dissociation constant (pKa) of each specie improves significantly the metalloid rejection by RO membranes, whatever the membrane type. Moreover, at identical operating conditions (pH, transmembrane pressure), results showed that the brackish water membranes have a higher water flux and exhibit lower metalloid rejection. The highest As(III) rejection value for the tested brackish water membranes was 99% obtained at pH = 9.6 and 40 bars, whereas it was found that the sea water RO membranes could highly reject As(III), more than 99%, even at low pH and low pressure (pH = 7.6 and 24 bars).Regarding Boron rejection, similar conclusions could be drawn. The sea water RO membranes exert higher removal, with a high rejection value above 96% over the tested conditions. More generally, this study showed that, whatever the operating conditions or the tested membranes, the boron and As(III) permeate concentrations are below the WHO guidelines. In addition, new data about the boron and arsenic permeability of each tested RO membrane was brought thanks to a theoretical calculation. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

A comparative study of boron and arsenic (III) rejection from brackish water by reverse osmosis membranes

KAUST Repository

Teychene, Benoît

2013-02-01

This study aims to compare at lab-scale the rejection efficiency of several reverse osmosis membranes (RO) toward arsenic (III) and boron during the filtration of a synthetic brackish water. The effect of pH and operating conditions on the rejection of each RO membrane was studied. Two types of membrane were investigated: "brackish water" and "sea water" membranes. Our results showed that the metalloid rejection depends on the membrane type, pH and transmembrane pressure applied. Increasing pH above the dissociation constant (pKa) of each specie improves significantly the metalloid rejection by RO membranes, whatever the membrane type. Moreover, at identical operating conditions (pH, transmembrane pressure), results showed that the brackish water membranes have a higher water flux and exhibit lower metalloid rejection. The highest As(III) rejection value for the tested brackish water membranes was 99% obtained at pH = 9.6 and 40 bars, whereas it was found that the sea water RO membranes could highly reject As(III), more than 99%, even at low pH and low pressure (pH = 7.6 and 24 bars).Regarding Boron rejection, similar conclusions could be drawn. The sea water RO membranes exert higher removal, with a high rejection value above 96% over the tested conditions. More generally, this study showed that, whatever the operating conditions or the tested membranes, the boron and As(III) permeate concentrations are below the WHO guidelines. In addition, new data about the boron and arsenic permeability of each tested RO membrane was brought thanks to a theoretical calculation. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Discourse Features Among Providers, Patients, and Companions and Their Effect on Outcomes of Dementia Diagnosis Disclosure.

Science.gov (United States)

Wynn, Matthew J; Carpenter, Brian D

2017-12-13

Receiving a diagnosis of dementia has major implications. Although protocols for disclosing difficult information have been developed for other health conditions, no such evidence-based method exists for dementia. As a step toward that goal, this study analyzed the discourse within dementia diagnosis disclosure sessions to identify conversational features associated with psychological outcomes. The Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) was used to code the discourse among patients, their companions, and providers during 84 dementia diagnosis disclosure sessions following an initial evaluation at an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Providers dominated the conversation in terms of overall time spent talking. With more severe dementia, patients spoke less and companions spoke more. Provider-positive rapport building was associated with lower patient depression and anxiety following the disclosure session. Patient-positive rapport building was associated with higher companion anxiety, but only when the patient was not suspected to have dementia. No associations were found between other types of discourse and patient or companion psychological outcomes. A relatively small amount of positive rapport building by providers can lead to reduced distress following dementia disclosure. Dementia disclosure best practices should emphasize patient-centered communication techniques in order to minimize psychological distress following diagnosis. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A likely candidate of type Ia supernova progenitors: the X-ray pulsating companion of the hot subdwarf HD 49798

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Bo; Han Zhanwen

2010-01-01

HD 49798 is a hydrogen depleted subdwarf O6 star and has an X-ray pulsating companion (RX J0648.0-4418). The X-ray pulsating companion is a massive white dwarf. Employing Eggleton's stellar evolution code with the optically thick wind assumption, we find that the hot subdwarf HD 49798 and its X-ray pulsating companion could produce a type Ia supernova (SN Ia) in future evolution. This implies that the binary system is a likely candidate of an SN Ia progenitor. We also discuss the possibilities of some other WD + He star systems (e.g. V445 Pup and KPD 1930+2752) for producing SNe Ia. (research papers)

A Refined Search for Pulsations in White Dwarf Companions to Millisecond Pulsars

Science.gov (United States)

Kilic, Mukremin; Hermes, J. J.; Córsico, A. H.; Kosakowski, Alekzander; Brown, Warren R.; Antoniadis, John; Calcaferro, Leila M.; Gianninas, A.; Althaus, Leandro G.; Green, M. J.

2018-06-01

We present optical high-speed photometry of three millisecond pulsars with low-mass (<0.3 M⊙) white dwarf companions, bringing the total number of such systems with follow-up time-series photometry to five. We confirm the detection of pulsations in one system, the white dwarf companion to PSR J1738+0333, and show that the pulsation frequencies and amplitudes are variable over many months. A full asteroseismic analysis for this star is under-constrained, but the mode periods we observe are consistent with expectations for a M⋆ = 0.16 - 0.19M⊙ white dwarf, as suggested from spectroscopy. We also present the empirical boundaries of the instability strip for low-mass white dwarfs based on the full sample of white dwarfs, and discuss the distinction between pulsating low-mass white dwarfs and subdwarf A/F stars.

Live imaging of companion cells and sieve elements in Arabidopsis leaves.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thibaud Cayla

Full Text Available The phloem is a complex tissue composed of highly specialized cells with unique subcellular structures and a compact organization that is challenging to study in vivo at cellular resolution. We used confocal scanning laser microscopy and subcellular fluorescent markers in companion cells and sieve elements, for live imaging of the phloem in Arabidopsis leaves. This approach provided a simple framework for identifying phloem cell types unambiguously. It highlighted the compactness of the meshed network of organelles within companion cells. By contrast, within the sieve elements, unknown bodies were observed in association with the PP2-A1:GFP, GFP:RTM1 and RTM2:GFP markers at the cell periphery. The phloem lectin PP2-A1:GFP marker was found in the parietal ground matrix. Its location differed from that of the P-protein filaments, which were visualized with SEOR1:GFP and SEOR2:GFP. PP2-A1:GFP surrounded two types of bodies, one of which was identified as mitochondria. This location suggested that it was embedded within the sieve element clamps, specific structures that may fix the organelles to each another or to the plasma membrane in the sieve tubes. GFP:RTM1 was associated with a class of larger bodies, potentially corresponding to plastids. PP2-A1:GFP was soluble in the cytosol of immature sieve elements. The changes in its subcellular localization during differentiation provide an in vivo blueprint for monitoring this process. The subcellular features obtained with these companion cell and sieve element markers can be used as landmarks for exploring the organization and dynamics of phloem cells in vivo.

Role of nuclear medicine in imaging companion animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Currie, Geoffrey M.; Wheat, Janelle M.

2005-01-01

The role of equine nuclear medicine in Australia has been previously described in this journal and more recently, Lyall et al. provided a general overview of demographics of veterinary nuclear medicine departments in Australia. Lyall et al. discuss the main clinical applications of nuclear medicine scintigraphy in companion animals; dogs and cats. The aim of this article is to discuss in brief the applications of commonly performed nuclear medicine procedures in humans with respect to veterinary applications. More detailed discussion will also be offered for investigation of pathologies unique to veterinary nuclear medicine or which are more common in animals than humans. Companion animals are living longer today due to advances in both veterinary and human medicine. The problem is, like humans, longevity brings higher incidence of old age morbidity. As a pet owner, one might be initially motivated to extend life expectancy which is followed by the realisation that one also demands quality of life for pets. Early detection through advanced diagnostic tools, like nuclear medicine scintigraphy, allows greater efficacy in veterinary disease. There are limited veterinary nuclear medicine facilities in Australia due to cost and demand. Not surprisingly then, the growth of veterinary nuclear medicine in Australia, and overseas, has been integrally coupled to evaluation of race horses. While these facilities are generally specifically designed for race horses, racing greyhounds, lame family horses and companion animals are being investigated more frequently. In the USA, the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVC) is very active clinically and in research. The ACVC journal, Journal of Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound, is published quarterly and includes a Nuclear Medicine section. Within the ACVR is the Society of Veterinary Nuclear Medicine. Proliferation of veterinary nuclear medicine centres in the USA has been associated with insurance and lifestyle changes

Assistive technology design and development for acceptable robotics companions for ageing years

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amirabdollahian, F.; op den Akker, R.; Bedaf, S.; Bormann, R.; Draper, H.; Evers, V.; Gallego Pérez, J.; Gelderblom, G.J.; Gutierrez Ruiz, C.; Hewson, D.; Hu, N.; Kröse, B.; Lehmann, H.; Marti, P.; Michel, H.; Prevot-Huille, H.; Reiser, U.; Saunders, J.; Sorell, T.; Stienstra, J.; Syrdal, D.; Walters, M.; Dautenhahn, K.

2013-01-01

A new stream of research and development responds to changes in life expectancy across the world. It includes technologies which enhance well-being of individuals, specifically for older people. The ACCOMPANY project focuses on home companion technologies and issues surrounding technology

Assistive technology design and development for acceptable robotics companions for ageing years.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amirabdollahian, F.; Akker, op den R.; Bedaf, S.; Bormann, R.; Draper, H.; Gelderblom, G.J.; Gutierrez Ruiz, C.; Hewson, D.; Hu, N.; Koay, K.L.; Kröse, B.; Lehmann, H.; Marti, P.; Michel, H.; Prevot-Huille, H.; Reiser, U.; Saunders, J.; Sorell, T.; Stienstra, J.T.; Syrdal, D.; Walters, M.; Dautenhahn, K.

2013-01-01

A new stream of research and development responds to changes in life expectancy across the world. It includes technologies which enhance well-being of individuals, specifically for older people. The ACCOMPANY project focuses on home companion technologies and issues surrounding technology

Communication patterns in audiologic rehabilitation history-taking: audiologists, patients, and their companions.

Science.gov (United States)

Grenness, Caitlin; Hickson, Louise; Laplante-Lévesque, Ariane; Meyer, Carly; Davidson, Bronwyn

2015-01-01

The nature of communication between patient and practitioner influences patient outcomes. Specifically, the history-taking phase of a consultation plays a role in the development of a relationship and in the success of subsequent shared decision making. There is limited research investigating patient-centered communication in audiology, and this study may be the first to investigate verbal communication in an adult audiologic rehabilitation context. This research aimed, first, to describe the nature of verbal communication involving audiologists, patients, and companions in the history-taking phase of initial audiology consultations and, second, to determine factors associated with communication dynamics. Sixty-three initial audiology consultations involving patients over the age of 55, their companions when present, and audiologists were audio-video recorded. Consultations were coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System and divided into three consultation phases: history, examination, and counseling. This study analyzed only the history-taking phase in terms of opening structure, communication profiles of each speaker, and communication dynamics. Associations between communication dynamics (verbal dominance, content balance, and communication control) and 11 variables were evaluated using Linear Mixed Model methods. The mean length of the history-taking phase was 8.8 min (range 1.7 to 22.6). A companion was present in 27% of consultations. Results were grouped into three areas of communication: opening structure, information exchange, and relationship building. Examination of the history opening structure revealed audiologists' tendency to control the agenda by initiating consultations with a closed-ended question 62% of the time, followed by interruption of patient talk after 21.3 sec, on average. The aforementioned behaviors were associated with increased verbal dominance throughout the history and increased control over the content of questions. For the

VERY LOW MASS STELLAR AND SUBSTELLAR COMPANIONS TO SOLAR-LIKE STARS FROM MARVELS. IV. A CANDIDATE BROWN DWARF OR LOW-MASS STELLAR COMPANION TO HIP 67526

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang Peng; Ge Jian; De Lee, Nathan; Fleming, Scott W.; Lee, Brian L.; Ma Bo; Wang, Ji [Astronomy Department, University of Florida, 211 Bryant Space Science Center, P.O. Box 112055, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Cargile, Phillip; Hebb, Leslie; Stassun, Keivan G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States); Crepp, Justin R. [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, 225 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Porto de Mello, Gustavo F.; Ferreira, Leticia D. [Observatorio do Valongo, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ladeira do Pedro Antonio, 43, CEP: 20080-090, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Esposito, Massimiliano; Femenia, Bruno; Gonzalez Hernandez, Jonay I. [Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, C/Via Lactea S/N, E-38200 La Laguna (Spain); Gaudi, B. Scott [Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Ghezzi, Luan [Laboratorio Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia (LIneA), Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20921-400 (Brazil); Wisniewski, John P. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks Street, Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Agol, Eric, E-mail: jpaty@mail.ustc.edu.cn [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195-1580 (United States); and others

2013-09-15

We report the discovery of a candidate brown dwarf (BD) or a very low mass stellar companion (MARVELS-5b) to the star HIP 67526 from the Multi-object Apache point observatory Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS). The radial velocity curve for this object contains 31 epochs spread over 2.5 yr. Our Keplerian fit, using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach, reveals that the companion has an orbital period of 90.2695{sup +0.0188}{sub -0.0187} days, an eccentricity of 0.4375 {+-} 0.0040, and a semi-amplitude of 2948.14{sup +16.65}{sub -16.55} m s{sup -1}. Using additional high-resolution spectroscopy, we find the host star has an effective temperature T{sub eff} = 6004 {+-} 34 K, a surface gravity log g (cgs) =4.55 {+-} 0.17, and a metallicity [Fe/H] =+0.04 {+-} 0.06. The stellar mass and radius determined through the empirical relationship of Torres et al. yields 1.10 {+-} 0.09 M{sub Sun} and 0.92 {+-} 0.19 R{sub Sun }. The minimum mass of MARVELS-5b is 65.0 {+-} 2.9M{sub Jup}, indicating that it is likely to be either a BD or a very low mass star, thus occupying a relatively sparsely populated region of the mass function of companions to solar-type stars. The distance to this system is 101 {+-} 10 pc from the astrometric measurements of Hipparcos. No stellar tertiary is detected in the high-contrast images taken by either FastCam lucky imaging or Keck adaptive optics imaging, ruling out any star with mass greater than 0.2 M{sub Sun} at a separation larger than 40 AU.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) vs laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) for the treatment of Type III achalasia in 75 patients: a multicenter comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumbhari, Vivek; Tieu, Alan H; Onimaru, Manabu; El Zein, Mohammad H; Teitelbaum, Ezra N; Ujiki, Michael B; Gitelis, Matthew E; Modayil, Rani J; Hungness, Eric S; Stavropoulos, Stavros N; Shiwaku, Hiro; Kunda, Rastislav; Chiu, Philip; Saxena, Payal; Messallam, Ahmed A; Inoue, Haruhiro; Khashab, Mouen A

2015-06-01

Type III achalasia is characterized by rapidly propagating pressurization attributable to spastic contractions. Although laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) is the current gold standard management for type III achalasia, peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is conceivably superior because it allows for a longer myotomy. Our aims were to compare the efficacy and safety of POEM with LHM for type III achalasia patients. A retrospective study of 49 patients who underwent POEM for type III achalasia across eight centers were compared to 26 patients who underwent LHM at a single institution. Procedural data were abstracted and pre- and post-procedural symptoms were recorded. Clinical response was defined by improvement of symptoms and decrease in Eckardt stage to ≤ 1. Secondary outcomes included length of myotomy, procedure duration, length of hospital stay, and rate of adverse events. Clinical response was significantly more frequent in the POEM cohort (98.0 % vs 80.8 %; P = 0.01). POEM patients had significantly shorter mean procedure time than LHM patients (102 min vs 264 min; P myotomy (16 cm vs 8 cm; P myotomy than LHM, which may result in improved clinical outcomes. POEM appears to be an effective and safe alternative to LHM in patients with type III achalasia.

The Substellar Companion ROXs12 B: Near-Infrared Spectrum, System Architecture, and Spin-Orbit Misalignment

Science.gov (United States)

Bowler, Brendan; Kraus, Adam L.; Bryan, Marta; Knutson, Heather; Brogi, Matteo; Rizzuto, Aaron; Mace, Gregory N.; Vanderburg, Andrew; Liu, Michael C.; Hillenbrand, Lynne; Cieza, Lucas

2018-01-01

ROXs 12 B is a substellar companion near the deuterium-burning limit orbiting a young star in Ophiuchus/Upper Scorpius. We present moderate-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy of this little-studied object, which shows clear evidence of low surface gravity and youth. Although ROXs 12 B does not possess obvious signs of a circumplanetary disk, we find that at least half of young (alignment in this system. The rotation axis of ROXs 12 A and the orbital axis of ROXs 12 B are likely misaligned, suggesting this companion formed more akin to fragmenting binary stars than planets in an equatorial disk.

"Let him speak:" a descriptive qualitative study of the roles and behaviors of family companions in primary care visits among older adults with cognitive impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Vick, Judith B; Amjad, Halima; Smith, Katherine C; Boyd, Cynthia M; Gitlin, Laura N; Roth, David L; Roter, Debra L; Wolff, Jennifer L

2018-01-01

Cognitive impairment poses communication challenges in primary care. Although family "companions" commonly attend primary care visits of older adults with cognitive impairment, little is known about how their involvement affects communication. Therefore, we sought to understand how companion involvement affects the quality of primary care visit communication for older adults with cognitive impairment. Cross-sectional, descriptive qualitative study participants were as follows: (1) English-speaking adults age 65 or older with mild, moderate, or severe cognitive impairment; (2) family members or other unpaid companions who accompany older adults to primary care visits; and (3) primary care clinicians. Twenty semi-structured and in-depth qualitative interviews of older adults and their companions (N = 20 dyads) and two focus groups (N = 10 primary care clinicians) were conducted. Interviews and focus groups were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Family companions commonly facilitate communication by advocating for patients, ensuring the accuracy of information exchange and understanding, and preserving rapport. Significant communication challenges were also identified, including patient and companion role ambiguity, competing visit agendas, and primary care clinician confusion regarding the most accurate source of information. Patients, companions, and clinicians each identified strategies to improve communication, chief among them being to identify, differentiate, and respect both patient and companion priorities and perspectives. Family companions actively participate in primary care visits of older adults with cognitive impairment in ways that promote and inhibit effective communication. Findings suggest the need for strategies that more effectively and purposefully involve family in the care of primary care patients with cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The night sky companion a yearly guide to sky-watching 2008-2009

CERN Document Server

Plotner, Tammy

2007-01-01

The Night Sky Companion is a comprehensive guide to what can be explored in the heavens on a nightly basis. Designed to appeal to readers at all skill levels, it provides a digest for sky watchers interested in all types of astronomical information.

Robot companions and ethics a pragmatic approach of ethical design.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornet, Gérard

2013-12-01

From his experience as ethical expert for two Robot Companion prototype projects aiming at empowering older MCI persons to remain at home and to support their family carers, Gerard Cornet, Gerontologist, review the ethical rules, principles and pragmatic approaches in different cultures. The ethical process of these two funded projects, one European, Companionable (FP7 e-inclusion call1), the other French, Quo vadis (ANR tecsan) are described from the inclusion of the targeted end users in the process, to the assessment and ranking of their main needs and whishes to design the specifications, test the performance expected. Obstacles to turn round and limits for risks evaluation (directs or implicit), acceptability, utility, respect of intimacy and dignity, and balance with freedom and security and frontiers to artificial intelligence are discussed As quoted in the discussion with the French and Japanese experts attending the Toulouse Robotics and medicine symposium (March 26th 2011), the need of a new ethical approach, going further the present ethical rules is needed for the design and social status of ethical robots, having capacity cas factor of progress and global quality of innovation design in an ageing society.

The nature of the companion star in Circinus X-1

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Helen M.; Soria, Roberto; Gibson, Joel

2016-02-01

We present optical spectra and images of the X-ray binary Circinus X-1. The optical light curve of Cir X-1 is strongly variable, changing in brightness by 1.2 mag in the space of four days. The shape of the light curve is consistent with that seen in the 1980s, when the X-ray and radio counterparts of the source were at least ten times as bright as they are currently. We detect strong, variable H α emission lines, consisting of multiple components which vary with orbital phase. We estimate the extinction to the source from the strength of the diffuse interstellar bands and the Balmer decrement; the two methods give AV = 7.6 ± 0.6 mag and AV > 9.1 mag, respectively. The optical light curve can be modelled as arising from irradiation of the companion star by the central X-ray source, where a low-temperature star fills its Roche lobe in an orbit of moderate eccentricity (e ˜ 0.4). We suggest that the companion star is overluminous and underdense, due to the impact of the supernova which occurred less than 5000 yr ago.

Lyme disease: the promise of Big Data, companion diagnostics and precision medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Stricker, Raphael B; Johnson, Lorraine

2016-01-01

Lyme disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi has become a major worldwide epidemic. Recent studies based on Big Data registries show that >300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year in the USA, and up to two-thirds of individuals infected with B. burgdorferi will fail conventional 30-year-old antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease. In addition, animal and human evidence suggests that sexual transmission of the Lyme spirochete may occur. Improved companion diagnostic tests for Lyme disease need to be implemented, and novel treatment approaches are urgently needed to combat the epidemic. In particular, therapies based on the principles of precision medicine could be modeled on successful “designer drug” treatment for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C virus infection featuring targeted protease inhibitors. The use of Big Data registries, companion diagnostics and precision medicine will revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. PMID:27672336

Using informatics and the electronic medical record to describe antimicrobial use in the clinical management of diarrhea cases at 12 companion animal practices.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Michele Anholt

Full Text Available Antimicrobial drugs may be used to treat diarrheal illness in companion animals. It is important to monitor antimicrobial use to better understand trends and patterns in antimicrobial resistance. There is no monitoring of antimicrobial use in companion animals in Canada. To explore how the use of electronic medical records could contribute to the ongoing, systematic collection of antimicrobial use data in companion animals, anonymized electronic medical records were extracted from 12 participating companion animal practices and warehoused at the University of Calgary. We used the pre-diagnostic, clinical features of diarrhea as the case definition in this study. Using text-mining technologies, cases of diarrhea were described by each of the following variables: diagnostic laboratory tests performed, the etiological diagnosis and antimicrobial therapies. The ability of the text miner to accurately describe the cases for each of the variables was evaluated. It could not reliably classify cases in terms of diagnostic tests or etiological diagnosis; a manual review of a random sample of 500 diarrhea cases determined that 88/500 (17.6% of the target cases underwent diagnostic testing of which 36/88 (40.9% had an etiological diagnosis. Text mining, compared to a human reviewer, could accurately identify cases that had been treated with antimicrobials with high sensitivity (92%, 95% confidence interval, 88.1%-95.4% and specificity (85%, 95% confidence interval, 80.2%-89.1%. Overall, 7400/15,928 (46.5% of pets presenting with diarrhea were treated with antimicrobials. Some temporal trends and patterns of the antimicrobial use are described. The results from this study suggest that informatics and the electronic medical records could be useful for monitoring trends in antimicrobial use.

Imaginary Companions, Theory of Mind and Emotion Understanding in Young Children

Science.gov (United States)

Giménez-Dasí, Marta; Pons, Francisco; Bender, Patrick K.

2016-01-01

The phenomenon of imaginary companions (ICs) has received little attention in developmental psychology, even though it can be observed in approximately 25% of preschool-aged children. Only a few studies have investigated the effect of ICs on children's theory of mind and emotion understanding, and the results are partial or inconsistent. This…

Looking for the Coldest Atmospheres: a Search for Planetary Mass Companions around T and Y Brown Dwarfs

Science.gov (United States)

Fontanive, Clemence

2017-08-01

We propose to obtain WFC3/IR imaging of the very coolest brown dwarfs (T planetary-mass companions to these objects. Companions discovered by this program would likely be analogues of the 250 K brown dwarf WISE 0855 and would provide vital benchmark objects for theoretical models, closing the gap in mass and temperature between brown dwarfs and planets. Finding such an object as a member of a binary system would be even more valuable as it would allow for the measurement of dynamical masses. We recently placed the first constraints to date on the binary frequency for brown dwarfs with spectral types >T8. This program will triple our current sample size, a requirement in order to confirm our current results and compare substellar binary properties for various spectral type and age populations. The WFC3/IR plate will allow us to probe near equal-mass binaries down to separations of 0.2 (2-3 AU for the typical distances of our targets). True cool companions should show strong absorption around 1.4 um as a result of the deep water absorption band observed at that wavelength in substellar spectra. We therefore propose observations in the WFC3 F127M and F139M filters which will allow us to robustly identify bona fide candidates and distinguish them from background stars based on this spectral feature. Most of our targets lack suitable NGS AO guide stars or LGS AO tip-tilt stars to be observed with ground-based telescopes, and the 1.4 um water band is often unobservable from the ground due to telluric water absorption. WFC3 on HST is thus the only instrument suitable for these observations.

Companion for “Statistics for Business and Economics” by Paul Newbold, William L. Carlson and Betty Thorne

OpenAIRE

Mynbaev, Kairat

2010-01-01

This is a mathematical companion for “Statistics for Business and Economics” by Paul Newbold, William L. Carlson and Betty Thorne, London: Prentice-Hall, 2003, 6th edition. It contains derivations of most formulas from the first 12 chapters of that textbook. Most importantly, the companion provides methodological recommendations as to how statistics should be studied and teaches the reader to learn algebra from scratch. There are 21 examples, 57 exercises, 16 figures and 30 tables. Step-by...

Comparative study of the influence of antimony oxide additives (III) and nickel hydroxide (II) on electrochemical behavior of cadmium electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadnikova, N.V.; Lvova, L.A.; Ryabskaya, I.A.

1983-01-01

Comparative study of the influence of additives indicated that with partial or complete replacement in the active mass of the cadmium electrode of nickel hydroxide (II) by antimony oxide (III), the electrochemical characteristics do not significantly change. During prolonged storage of charged cadmium electrodes the presence of nickel hydroxide (II) and intermetal compound (IMC) of cadmium with nickel is formed and the specific surface increases. In the case of adding antimony (III) formation of noticeable quantities of IMC of cadmium with antimony is not observed. The specific surface is reduced during storage.

SPECTRAL TYPING OF LATE-TYPE STELLAR COMPANIONS TO YOUNG STARS FROM LOW-DISPERSION NEAR-INFRARED INTEGRAL FIELD UNIT DATA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, Lewis C.; Beichman, Charles A.; Burruss, Rick; Ligon, E. Robert; Lockhart, Thomas G.; Roberts, Jennifer E.; Shao, Michael [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Rice, Emily L.; Brenner, Douglas; Oppenheimer, Ben R. [American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 (United States); Crepp, Justin R.; Dekany, Richard G.; Hillenbrand, Lynne A.; Hinkley, Sasha [California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); King, David; Parry, Ian R. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OHA (United Kingdom); Metchev, Stanimir [Department of Physics and Astronomy, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3800 (United States); Pueyo, Laurent; Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Soummer, Remi, E-mail: lewis.c.roberts@jpl.nasa.gov [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); and others

2012-07-15

We used the Project 1640 near-infrared coronagraph and integral field spectrograph to observe 19 young solar-type stars. Five of these stars are known binary stars and we detected the late-type secondaries and were able to measure their JH spectra with a resolution of R {approx} 30. The reduced, extracted, and calibrated spectra were compared to template spectra from the IRTF spectral library. With this comparison, we test the accuracy and consistency of spectral-type determination with the low-resolution near-infrared spectra from P1640. Additionally, we determine effective temperature and surface gravity of the companions by fitting synthetic spectra calculated with the PHOENIX model atmosphere code. We also present several new epochs of astrometry of each of the systems. Together, these data increase our knowledge and understanding of the stellar make up of these systems. In addition to the astronomical results, the analysis presented helps validate the Project 1640 data reduction and spectral extraction processes and the utility of low-resolution, near-infrared spectra for characterizing late-type companions in multiple systems.

Quasars, companion galaxies and Poisson statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webster, A.

1982-01-01

Arp has presented a sample of quasars lying close to the companion galaxies of bright spirals, from which he estimates a value of 10 -17 for the probability that the galaxies and quasars are sited independently on the celestial sphere; Browne, however, has found a simple fallacy in the statistics which accounts for about 10 of the 17 orders of magnitude. Here we draw attention to an obscure part of Arp's calculation which we have been unable to repeat; if it is carried out in what seems to be the most straightforward way, about five more orders may be accounted for. In consequence, it is not clear that the sample contains any evidence damaging to the popular notion that the redshifts of quasars indicate distance through the Hubble Law. (author)

Comparing a combination of validated questionnaires and level III portable monitor with polysomnography to diagnose and exclude sleep apnea.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Effie J; Driver, Helen S; Stewart, Steven C; Fitzpatrick, Michael F

2013-12-15

Questionnaires have been validated as screening tools in adult populations at risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Portable monitors (PM) have gained acceptance for confirmation of OSA in some patients with a high pretest probability of the disorder. We evaluated the combined diagnostic utility of 3 validated questionnaires and a Level III PM in the diagnosis and exclusion of OSA, as compared with in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) derived apnea hypopnea index (AHI). Consecutive patients referred to the Sleep Disorders Clinic completed 3 testing components: (1) 3 questionnaires (Berlin, STOP-Bang, and Sleep Apnea Clinical Score [SACS]); (2) Level III at-home PM (MediByte) study; and (3) Level I in-laboratory PSG. The utility of individual questionnaires, the Level III device alone, and the combination of questionnaires and the Level III device were compared with the PSG. One hundred twenty-eight patients participated in the study (84M, 44F), mean ± SD age 50 ± 12.3years, BMI 31 ± 6.6 kg/m(2). At a PSG threshold AHI = 10, the PM derived respiratory disturbance index (RDI) had a sensitivity and specificity of 79% and 86%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for the other screening tools were: Berlin 88%, 25%; STOP-Bang 90%, 25%; SACS 33%, 75%. The sensitivity and specificity at a PSG AHI = 15 were: PM 77%, 95%; Berlin 91%, 28%; STOP-Bang 93%, 28%; SACS 35%, 78%. Questionnaires alone, possibly given a reliance on sleepiness as a symptom, cannot reliably rule out the presence of OSA. Objective physiological measurement is critical for the diagnosis and exclusion of OSA.

Characterisation of extended-spectrum β-lactamase and AmpC β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated from companion animals in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Karkaba, A; Grinberg, A; Benschop, J; Pleydell, E

2017-03-01

To assess the occurrence of, and characterise, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and AmpC β-lactamase (AmpC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated by veterinary diagnostic laboratories from infection sites in companion animals in New Zealand. Selected Enterobacteriaceae isolates were submitted by seven New Zealand veterinary diagnostic laboratories. They were isolated from infection sites in companion animals between June 2012 and June 2013, and were resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, fluoroquinolones, or any combination of two or more antimicrobials. Based on disk diffusion test results, the isolates were phenotypically categorised according to production of ESBL and AmpC. Genes for ESBL and AmpC production were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Escherichia coli isolates were also typed by multilocus sequence typing. A total of 115 isolates matching the inclusion criteria were obtained from the participating laboratories, of which 74 (64%) originated from dogs and 29 (25%) from cats. Seven bacterial species were identified, of which E. coli was the most common (87/115, 76%). Of the 115 isolates, 10 (9%) expressed the ESBL phenotype, 43 (37%) the AmpC phenotype, and seven (6%) both ESBL and AmpC phenotypes. Of the 60 ESBL and AmpC-producing isolates, 36 (60%) were E. coli. Amongst these isolates, 27/60 (45%) were classified as multidrug resistant, compared with 15/55 (27%) non-ESBL or AmpC-producing isolates (pEnterobacteriaceae isolated by one laboratory network over the study period. ESBL and AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae were associated with clinical infections in companion animals in New Zealand, and were often multidrug resistant. In this study, these organisms accounted for Enterobacteriaceae isolated from infection sites by one laboratory network, but their prevalence among isolates resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was 61%. Therefore routine secondary testing for ESBL and AmpC production by Enterobacteriaceae that are resistant to

An astrometric search for a stellar companion to the sun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perlmutter, S.

1986-01-01

A companion star within 0.8 pc of the Sun has been postulated to explain a possible 26 Myr periodicity in mass extinctions of species on the Earth. Such a star would already be catalogued in the Yale Bright Star catalogue unless it is fainter than m/sub nu/ = 6.5; this limits the possible stellar types for an unseen companion to red dwarfs, brown dwarfs, or compact objects. Red dwarfs account for about 75% of these possible stars. We describe here the design and development of an astrometric search for a nearby red dwarf companion with a six-month peak-to-peak parallax of ≥2.5 arcseconds. We are measuring the parallax of 2770 candidate faint red stars selected from the Dearborn Observatory catalogue. An automated 30-inch telescope and CCD camera system collect digitized images of the candidate stars, along with a 13' x 16' surrounding field of background stars. Second-epoch images, taken a few months later, are registered to the first epoch images using the background stars as fiducials. An apparent motion, m/sub a/, of the candidate stars is found to a precision of σ/sub m//sub a/ ≅ 0.08 pixel ≅ 0.2 arcseconds for fields with N/sub fiducial/ ≥ 10 fiducial stars visible above the background noise. This precision is sufficient to detect the parallactic motion of a star at 0.8 pc with a two month interval between the observation epochs. Images with fewer fiducial stars above background noise are observed with a longer interval between epochs. If a star is found with high parallactic motion, we will confirm its distance with further parallax measurements, photometry, and spectral studies, and will measure radial velocity and proper motion to establish its orbit. We have demonstrated the search procedure with observations of 41 stars, and have shown that none of these is a nearby star. 37 refs., 16 figs., 3 tabs

MAPPING THE SHORES OF THE BROWN DWARF DESERT. III. YOUNG MOVING GROUPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, T. M.; Ireland, M. J.; Stewart, P.; Tuthill, P. G.; Lacour, S. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA), School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Kraus, A. L. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Martinache, F. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Subaru Telescope, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Carpenter, J. M.; Hillenbrand, L. A., E-mail: tom.evans@astro.ox.ac.uk [Department of Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, MC 105-24, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2012-01-10

We present the results of an aperture-masking interferometry survey for substellar companions around 67 members of the young ({approx}8-200 Myr) nearby ({approx}5-86 pc) AB Doradus, {beta} Pictoris, Hercules-Lyra, TW Hya, and Tucana-Horologium stellar associations. Observations were made at near-infrared wavelengths between 1.2 and 3.8 {mu}m using the adaptive optics facilities of the Keck II, Very Large Telescope UT4, and Palomar Hale Telescopes. Typical contrast ratios of {approx}100-200 were achieved at angular separations between {approx}40 and 320 mas, with our survey being 100% complete for companions with masses below {approx}0.25 M{sub Sun} across this range. We report the discovery of a 0.52 {+-} 0.09 M{sub Sun} companion to HIP 14807, as well as the detections and orbits of previously known stellar companions to HD 16760, HD 113449, and HD 160934. We show that the companion to HD 16760 is in a face-on orbit, resulting in an upward revision of its mass from M{sub 2}sin i {approx} 14 M{sub J} to M{sub 2} = 0.28 {+-} 0.04 M{sub Sun }. No substellar companions were detected around any of our sample members, despite our ability to detect companions with masses below 80 M{sub J} for 50 of our targets: of these, our sensitivity extended down to 40 M{sub J} around 30 targets, with a subset of 22 subject to the still more stringent limit of 20 M{sub J}. A statistical analysis of our non-detection of substellar companions allows us to place constraints on their frequency around {approx}0.2-1.5 M{sub Sun} stars. In particular, considering companion mass distributions that have been proposed in the literature, we obtain an upper limit estimate of {approx}9%-11% for the frequency of 20-80 M{sub J} companions between 3 and 30 AU at 95% confidence, assuming that their semimajor axes are distributed according to dN/da{proportional_to}a{sup -1} in this range.

Prosocial Behaviors in Context: Examining the Role of Children's Social Companions

Science.gov (United States)

de Guzman, Maria Rosario T.; Carlo, Gustavo; Edwards, Carolyn Pope

2008-01-01

This study examines the role of immediate social companions in the prosocial behaviors of children from two cultural communities from the USA and the Philippines. Materials for this study comprised behavioral observations drawn from the Six Cultures Study--with 612 five-minute observations of 23 children (12 girls, 11 boys) from Orchard Town, MA…

On the Observability of Individual Population III Stars and Their Stellar-mass Black Hole Accretion Disks through Cluster Caustic Transits

Science.gov (United States)

Windhorst, Rogier A.; Wyithe, Stuart; Alpaslan, Mehmet; Timmes, F. X.; Andrews, Stephen K.; Kim, Duho; Kelly, Patrick; Coe, Dan A.; Diego, Jose M.; Driver, Simon P.; Dijkstra, Mark

2018-06-01

We summarize panchromatic Extragalactic Background Light data to place upper limits on the integrated near-IR surface brightness (SB) that may come from Population III stars and possible accretion disks around their stellar-mass black holes (BHs) in the epoch of First Light, broadly taken from z=7-17.We outline the physical properties of zero-metallicity Population III stars from MESA stellar evolution models through helium depletion and of BH accretion disks at z>7. We assume that second-generation non-zero-metallicity stars can form at higher multiplicity, so that BH accretion disks may be fed by Roche-lobe overflow from lower-mass companions.We use these near-infrared SB constraints to calculate the number of caustic transits behind lensing clusters that the James Webb Space Telescope and the next-generation ground-based telescopes may observe for both Population III stars and their BH accretion disks. Typical caustic magnifications can be 10^4-10^5x, with rise times of hours and decline times of z~Economia y Competitividad of Spain Consolider Project CSD2010-00064.

Comparative genomic analysis of the WRKY III gene family in populus, grape, arabidopsis and rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yiyi; Feng, Lin; Zhu, Yuxin; Li, Yuan; Yan, Hanwei; Xiang, Yan

2015-09-08

WRKY III genes have significant functions in regulating plant development and resistance. In plant, WRKY gene family has been studied in many species, however, there still lack a comprehensive analysis of WRKY III genes in the woody plant species poplar, three representative lineages of flowering plant species are incorporated in most analyses: Arabidopsis (a model plant for annual herbaceous dicots), grape (one model plant for perennial dicots) and Oryza sativa (a model plant for monocots). In this study, we identified 10, 6, 13 and 28 WRKY III genes in the genomes of Populus trichocarpa, grape (Vitis vinifera), Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the WRKY III proteins could be divided into four clades. By microsynteny analysis, we found that the duplicated regions were more conserved between poplar and grape than Arabidopsis or rice. We dated their duplications by Ks analysis of Populus WRKY III genes and demonstrated that all the blocks were formed after the divergence of monocots and dicots. Strong purifying selection has played a key role in the maintenance of WRKY III genes in Populus. Tissue expression analysis of the WRKY III genes in Populus revealed that five were most highly expressed in the xylem. We also performed quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR analysis of WRKY III genes in Populus treated with salicylic acid, abscisic acid and polyethylene glycol to explore their stress-related expression patterns. This study highlighted the duplication and diversification of the WRKY III gene family in Populus and provided a comprehensive analysis of this gene family in the Populus genome. Our results indicated that the majority of WRKY III genes of Populus was expanded by large-scale gene duplication. The expression pattern of PtrWRKYIII gene identified that these genes play important roles in the xylem during poplar growth and development, and may play crucial role in defense to drought

Insight into the Extraction Mechanism of Americium(III) over Europium(III) with Pyridylpyrazole: A Relativistic Quantum Chemistry Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Xiang-He; Wu, Qun-Yan; Wang, Cong-Zhi; Lan, Jian-Hui; Chai, Zhi-Fang; Nie, Chang-Ming; Shi, Wei-Qun

2018-05-10

Separation of trivalent actinides (An(III)) and lanthanides (Ln(III)) is one of the most important steps in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. However, it is very difficult and challenging to separate them due to their similar chemical properties. Recently the pyridylpyrazole ligand (PypzH) has been identified to show good separation ability toward Am(III) over Eu(III). In this work, to explore the Am(III)/Eu(III) separation mechanism of PypzH at the molecular level, the geometrical structures, bonding nature, and thermodynamic behaviors of the Am(III) and Eu(III) complexes with PypzH ligands modified by alkyl chains (Cn-PypzH, n = 2, 4, 8) have been systematically investigated using scalar relativistic density functional theory (DFT). According to the NBO (natural bonding orbital) and QTAIM (quantum theory of atoms in molecules) analyses, the M-N bonds exhibit a certain degree of covalent character, and more covalency appears in Am-N bonds compared to Eu-N bonds. Thermodynamic analyses suggest that the 1:1 extraction reaction, [M(NO 3 )(H 2 O) 6 ] 2+ + PypzH + 2NO 3 - → M(PypzH)(NO 3 ) 3 (H 2 O) + 5H 2 O, is the most suitable for Am(III)/Eu(III) separation. Furthermore, the extraction ability and the Am(III)/Eu(III) selectivity of the ligand PypzH is indeed enhanced by adding alkyl-substituted chains in agreement with experimental observations. Besides this, the nitrogen atom of pyrazole ring plays a more significant role in the extraction reactions related to Am(III)/Eu(III) separation compared to that of pyridine ring. This work could identify the mechanism of the Am(III)/Eu(III) selectivity of the ligand PypzH and provide valuable theoretical information for achieving an efficient Am(III)/Eu(III) separation process for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.

Banyan. X. Discovery of a Wide, Low-gravity L-type Companion to a Fast-rotating M3 Dwarf

Science.gov (United States)

Desrochers, Marie-Eve; Artigau, Étienne; Gagné, Jonathan; Doyon, René; Malo, Lison; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Lafrenière, David

2018-01-01

We report the discovery of a substellar-mass co-moving companion to 2MASS J22501512+2325342, an M3 candidate member of the young (130–200 Myr) AB Doradus Moving Group (ABDMG). This L3 β companion was discovered in a 2MASS search for companions at separations of 3″–18″ from a list of 2812 stars suspected to be young (≲500 Myr) in the literature, and was confirmed with follow-up astrometry and spectroscopy. Evolutionary models yield a companion mass of {30}-4+11 {M}{Jup} at the age of ABDMG. The 2MASS J22501512+2325342 AB system appears to be a spatial outlier to the bulk of ABDMG members, similarly to the young 2MASS J22362452+4751425 AB system. Future searches for young objects around these two systems would make it possible to determine whether they are part of a spatial extension of the known ABDMG distribution. Based on observations obtained at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), which is operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientique of France, and the University of Hawaii.

Living with companion animals after stroke: experiences of older people in community and primary care nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Maria; Ahlström, Gerd; Jönsson, Ann-Cathrin

2014-12-01

Older people often have companion animals, and the significance of animals in human lives should be considered by nurses-particularly in relation to older people's health, which can be affected by diseases. The incidence of stroke increases with age and disabilities as a result of stroke are common. This study aimed to explore older people's experiences of living with companion animals after stroke, and their life situation with the animals in relation to the physical, psychological and social aspects of recovery after stroke. The study was performed using individual interviews approximately 2 years after stroke with 17 participants (10 women and 7 men) aged 62-88 years. An overarching theme arising from the content analysis was contribution to a meaningful life. This theme was generated from four categories: motivation for physical and psychosocial recovery after stroke; someone to care for who cares for you; animals as family members; and providers of safety and protection. The main conclusion was that companion animals are experienced as physical and psychosocial contributors to recovery and a meaningful life after stroke.

The Search for Binaries in Post-Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars: Do Binary Companions Shape the Nebulae?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce J. Hrivnak

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Binary companions are often invoked to explain the axial and point symmetry seen in the majority of planetary nebulae and proto-planetary nebulae (PPNs. To explore this hypothesis, we have undertaken a long-term (20 year study of light and velocity variations in PPNs. From the photometric study of 24 PPNs, we find that all vary in brightness, and from a subset of 12 carbon-rich PPNs of F-G spectral type we find periods of 35-155 days, with the cooler having the longer periods. The variations are seen to be due to pulsation; no photometric evidence for binarity is seen. A radial velocity study of a sub-sample of seven of the brightest of these shows that they all vary with the pulsation periods. Only one shows evidence of a longer-term variation that we tentatively identify as being due to a binary companion. We conclude that the present evidence for the binary nature of these PPNs is meager and that any undetected companions of these PPNs must be of low mass ( 30 years.

Veterinarians’ role in clients’ decision‑making regarding seriously ill companion animal patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Stine B.; Kristensen, Annemarie Thuri; Lassen, Jesper

2016-01-01

Background: When companion animals become seriously ill clients may have doubts about treatment choices, if any, and turn to veterinarians for help. But how should veterinarians reply? Influence on clients’ decision-making may or may not be acceptable—depending on one’s attitude to principles suc...

Learning Companion Systems, Social Learning Systems, and the Global Social Learning Club.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Tak-Wai

1996-01-01

Describes the development of learning companion systems and their contributions to the class of social learning systems that integrate artificial intelligence agents and use machine learning to tutor and interact with students. Outlines initial social learning projects, their programming languages, and weakness. Future improvements will include…

Detection of a white dwarf companion to the Hyades stars HD 27483

Science.gov (United States)

Boehm-Vitense, Erika

1993-01-01

We observed with IUE a white dwarf (WD) companion to the Hyades F6 V binary stars HD 27483. This system is known to be a close binary of two nearly equal stars with an orbital period of 3.05 days. Our IUE observations revealed the presence of a third star, a white dwarf with an effective temperature of 23,000 +/- 1000 K and a mass of approximately 0.6 solar mass. Its presence in the Hyades cluster with a known age permits me to derive the mass of its progenitor, which must have been about 2.3 solar masses. The presence of the white dwarf in a binary system opens the possibility that some of the envelope material, which was expelled by the WD progenitor, may have been collected by the F6 stars. We may thus be able to study abundance anomalies of the WD progenitor with known mass on the surface of the F6 companions.

Polarized Light Imaging of the HD 142527 Transition Disk with the Gemini Planet Imager: Dust around the Close-in Companion

Science.gov (United States)

Rodigas, Timothy J.; Follette, Katherine B.; Weinberger, Alycia; Close, Laird; Hines, Dean C.

2014-08-01

When giant planets form, they grow by accreting gas and dust. HD 142527 is a young star that offers a scaled-up view of this process. It has a broad, asymmetric ring of gas and dust beyond ~100 AU and a wide inner gap. Within the gap, a low-mass stellar companion orbits the primary star at just ~12 AU, and both the primary and secondary are accreting gas. In an attempt to directly detect the dusty counterpart to this accreted gas, we have observed HD 142527 with the Gemini Planet Imager in polarized light at Y band (0.95-1.14 μm). We clearly detect the companion in total intensity and show that its position and photometry are generally consistent with the expected values. We also detect a point source in polarized light that may be spatially separated by ~ a few AU from the location of the companion in total intensity. This suggests that dust is likely falling onto or orbiting the companion. Given the possible contribution of scattered light from this dust to previously reported photometry of the companion, the current mass limits should be viewed as upper limits only. If the dust near the companion is eventually confirmed to be spatially separated, this system would resemble a scaled-up version of the young planetary system inside the gap of the transition disk around LkCa 15. Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), Ministrio da Cincia, Tecnologia e Inovao (Brazil), and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnologa e Innovacin Productiva (Argentina).

Close-In Substellar Companions and the Formation of sdB-Type Close Binary Stars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Y. Zhu

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The sdB-type close binaries are believed to have experienced a common-envelope phase and may evolve into cataclysmic binaries (CVs. About 10% of all known sdB binaries are eclipsing binaries consisting of very hot subdwarf primaries and low-mass companions with short orbital periods. The eclipse profiles of these systems are very narrow and deep, which benefits the determination of high precise eclipsing times and makes the detection of small and close-in tertiary bodies possible. Since 2006 we have monitored some sdB-type eclipsing binaries to search for the close-in substellar companions by analyzing the light travel time effect. Here some progresses of the program are reviewed and the formation of sdB-type binary is discussed.

QATAR-2: A K DWARF ORBITED BY A TRANSITING HOT JUPITER AND A MORE MASSIVE COMPANION IN AN OUTER ORBIT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bryan, Marta L.; Alsubai, Khalid A.; Latham, David W.; Quinn, Samuel N.; Carter, Joshua A.; Berlind, Perry; Brown, Warren R.; Calkins, Michael L.; Esquerdo, Gilbert A.; Fűrész, Gábor; Stefanik, Robert P.; Torres, Guillermo; Parley, Neil R.; Collier Cameron, Andrew; Horne, Keith D.; Fulton, Benjamin J.; Street, Rachel A.; Buchhave, Lars A.; Jørgensen, Uffe Gråe; West, Richard G.

2012-01-01

We report the discovery and initial characterization of Qatar-2b, a hot Jupiter transiting a V = 13.3 mag K dwarf in a circular orbit with a short period, P b = 1.34 days. The mass and radius of Qatar-2b are M P = 2.49 M J and R P = 1.14 R J , respectively. Radial-velocity monitoring of Qatar-2 over a span of 153 days revealed the presence of a second companion in an outer orbit. The Systemic Console yielded plausible orbits for the outer companion, with periods on the order of a year and a companion mass of at least several M J . Thus, Qatar-2 joins the short but growing list of systems with a transiting hot Jupiter and an outer companion with a much longer period. This system architecture is in sharp contrast to that found by Kepler for multi-transiting systems, which are dominated by objects smaller than Neptune, usually with tightly spaced orbits that must be nearly coplanar.

DISCOVERY OF A COMPANION CANDIDATE IN THE HD 169142 TRANSITION DISK AND THE POSSIBILITY OF MULTIPLE PLANET FORMATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reggiani, Maddalena; Quanz, Sascha P.; Meyer, Michael R.; Amara, Adam; Avenhaus, Henning; Meru, Farzana [Institute for Astronomy, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Pueyo, Laurent; Wolff, Schuyler [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Absil, Olivier [Département d' Astrophysique, Géophysique et Océanographie, Université de Liège, 17 Allée du Six Août, B-4000 Liège (Belgium); Anglada, Guillem; Osorio, Mayra [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada (Spain); Girard, Julien H.; Mawet, Dimitri; Milli, Julien [European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Casilla 19001 Vitacura, Santiago 19 (Chile); Gonzalez, Carlos Carrasco [Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica (UNAM), Apartado Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia (Mexico); Graham, James [University of California, 644 Campbell Hall, Berkeley, CA (United States); Torrelles, Jose-Maria, E-mail: reggiani@phys.ethz.ch [Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio (CSIC)-UB/IEEC, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2014-09-01

We present L'- and J-band high-contrast observations of HD 169142, obtained with the Very Large Telescope/NACO AGPM vector vortex coronagraph and the Gemini Planet Imager, respectively. A source located at 0.''156 ± 0.''032 north of the host star (P.A. = 7.°4 ± 11.°3) appears in the final reduced L' image. At the distance of the star (∼145 pc), this angular separation corresponds to a physical separation of 22.7 ± 4.7 AU, locating the source within the recently resolved inner cavity of the transition disk. The source has a brightness of L' = 12.2 ± 0.5 mag, whereas it is not detected in the J band (J >13.8 mag). If its L' brightness arose solely from the photosphere of a companion and given the J – L' color constraints, it would correspond to a 28-32 M {sub Jupiter} object at the age of the star, according to the COND models. Ongoing accretion activity of the star suggests, however, that gas is left in the inner disk cavity from which the companion could also be accreting. In this case, the object could be lower in mass and its luminosity enhanced by the accretion process and by a circumplanetary disk. A lower-mass object is more consistent with the observed cavity width. Finally, the observations enable us to place an upper limit on the L'-band flux of a second companion candidate orbiting in the disk annular gap at ∼50 AU, as suggested by millimeter observations. If the second companion is also confirmed, HD 169142 might be forming a planetary system, with at least two companions opening gaps and possibly interacting with each other.

DISCOVERY OF A COMPANION CANDIDATE IN THE HD 169142 TRANSITION DISK AND THE POSSIBILITY OF MULTIPLE PLANET FORMATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reggiani, Maddalena; Quanz, Sascha P.; Meyer, Michael R.; Amara, Adam; Avenhaus, Henning; Meru, Farzana; Pueyo, Laurent; Wolff, Schuyler; Absil, Olivier; Anglada, Guillem; Osorio, Mayra; Girard, Julien H.; Mawet, Dimitri; Milli, Julien; Gonzalez, Carlos Carrasco; Graham, James; Torrelles, Jose-Maria

2014-01-01

We present L'- and J-band high-contrast observations of HD 169142, obtained with the Very Large Telescope/NACO AGPM vector vortex coronagraph and the Gemini Planet Imager, respectively. A source located at 0.''156 ± 0.''032 north of the host star (P.A. = 7.°4 ± 11.°3) appears in the final reduced L' image. At the distance of the star (∼145 pc), this angular separation corresponds to a physical separation of 22.7 ± 4.7 AU, locating the source within the recently resolved inner cavity of the transition disk. The source has a brightness of L' = 12.2 ± 0.5 mag, whereas it is not detected in the J band (J >13.8 mag). If its L' brightness arose solely from the photosphere of a companion and given the J – L' color constraints, it would correspond to a 28-32 M Jupiter object at the age of the star, according to the COND models. Ongoing accretion activity of the star suggests, however, that gas is left in the inner disk cavity from which the companion could also be accreting. In this case, the object could be lower in mass and its luminosity enhanced by the accretion process and by a circumplanetary disk. A lower-mass object is more consistent with the observed cavity width. Finally, the observations enable us to place an upper limit on the L'-band flux of a second companion candidate orbiting in the disk annular gap at ∼50 AU, as suggested by millimeter observations. If the second companion is also confirmed, HD 169142 might be forming a planetary system, with at least two companions opening gaps and possibly interacting with each other

Pedagogical Agents as Learning Companions: The Impact of Agent Emotion and Gender

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yanghee; Baylor, A. L.; Shen, E.

2007-01-01

The potential of emotional interaction between human and computer has recently interested researchers in human-computer interaction. The instructional impact of this interaction in learning environments has not been established, however. This study examined the impact of emotion and gender of a pedagogical agent as a learning companion (PAL) on…

Operant Conditioning Concepts in Introductory Psychology Textbooks and Their Companion Web Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Sheldon, Jane P.

2002-01-01

Psychology instructors and textbook authors rate operant conditioning as one of the most essential concepts for students to learn, yet textbook writers, as well as students, can fall prey to misconceptions. This study is a content analysis of the presentation of operant conditioning in introductory psychology textbooks and their companion Web…

APPLICATION OF A DAMPED LOCALLY OPTIMIZED COMBINATION OF IMAGES METHOD TO THE SPECTRAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FAINT COMPANIONS USING AN INTEGRAL FIELD SPECTROGRAPH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pueyo, Laurent; Crepp, Justin R.; Hinkley, Sasha; Hillenbrand, Lynne; Dekany, Richard; Bouchez, Antonin; Roberts, Jenny; Vasisht, Gautam; Roberts, Lewis C.; Shao, Mike; Burruss, Rick; Brenner, Douglas; Oppenheimer, Ben R.; Zimmerman, Neil; Parry, Ian; Beichman, Charles; Soummer, Rémi

2012-01-01

High-contrast imaging instruments are now being equipped with integral field spectrographs (IFSs) to facilitate the detection and characterization of faint substellar companions. Algorithms currently envisioned to handle IFS data, such as the Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI) algorithm, rely on aggressive point-spread function (PSF) subtraction, which is ideal for initially identifying companions but results in significantly biased photometry and spectroscopy owing to unwanted mixing with residual starlight. This spectrophotometric issue is further complicated by the fact that algorithmic color response is a function of the companion's spectrum, making it difficult to calibrate the effects of the reduction without using iterations involving a series of injected synthetic companions. In this paper, we introduce a new PSF calibration method, which we call 'damped LOCI', that seeks to alleviate these concerns. By modifying the cost function that determines the weighting coefficients used to construct PSF reference images, and also forcing those coefficients to be positive, it is possible to extract companion spectra with a precision that is set by calibration of the instrument response and transmission of the atmosphere, and not by post-processing. We demonstrate the utility of this approach using on-sky data obtained with the Project 1640 IFS at Palomar. Damped LOCI does not require any iterations on the underlying spectral type of the companion, nor does it rely on priors involving the chromatic and statistical properties of speckles. It is a general technique that can readily be applied to other current and planned instruments that employ IFSs.

Evaluating Checklist Use in Companion Animal Wellness Visits in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital: A Preliminary Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nappier, Michael T; Corrigan, Virginia K; Bartl-Wilson, Lara E; Freeman, Mark; Werre, Stephen; Tempel, Eric

2017-01-01

The number of companion animal wellness visits in private practice has been decreasing, and one important factor cited is the lack of effective communication between veterinarians and pet owners regarding the importance of preventive care. Checklists have been widely used in many fields and are especially useful in areas where a complex task must be completed with multiple small steps, or when cognitive fatigue is evident. The use of checklists in veterinary medical education has not yet been thoroughly evaluated as a potential strategy to improve communication with pet owners regarding preventive care. The authors explored whether the use of a checklist based on the American Animal Hospital Association/American Veterinary Medical Association canine and feline preventive care guidelines would benefit senior veterinary students in accomplishing more complete canine and feline wellness visits. A group of students using provided checklists was compared to a control group of students who did not use checklists on the basis of their medical record notes from the visits. The students using the checklists were routinely more complete in several areas of a wellness visit vs. those who did not use the checklists. However, neither group of students routinely discussed follow-up care recommendations such as frequency or timing of follow-up visits. The study authors recommend considering checklist use for teaching and implementing wellness in companion animal primary care veterinary clinical teaching settings.

Pedagogical Agents as Learning Companions: Building Social Relations with Learners

OpenAIRE

Kim, Yanghee

2005-01-01

This study examined the potential of pedagogical agents as learning companions (PALs) to build social relations with learners and, consequently, to motivate learning. The study investigated the impact of PAL affect (positive vs. negative vs. neutral), PAL gender (male vs. female), and learner gender (male vs. female) on learners’ social judgments, motivation, and learning in a controlled experiment. Participants were 142 college students in a computer-literacy course. Overall, the results ind...

Retired A Stars and Their Companions. III. Comparing the Mass-Period Distributions of Planets Around A-Type Stars and Sun-Like Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Johnson, John Asher; Marcy, Geoffrey W.; Henry, Gregory W.; Peek, Kathryn M. G.; Fischer, Debra A.; Clubb, Kelsey I.; Liu, Michael C.; Reffert, Sabine; Schwab, Christian; Lowe, Thomas B.

2010-01-01

We present an analysis of ~5 years of Lick Observatory radial velocity measurements targeting a uniform sample of 31 intermediate-mass (IM) subgiants (1.5 lsim M */M sunlsim 2.0) with the goal of measuring the occurrence rate of Jovian planets around (evolved) A-type stars and comparing the distributions of their orbital and physical characteristics to those of planets around Sun-like stars. We provide updated orbital solutions incorporating new radial velocity measurements for five known planet-hosting stars in our sample; uncertainties in the fitted parameters are assessed using a Markov-Chain Monte Carlo method. The frequency of Jovian planets interior to 3 AU is 26+9 -8%, which is significantly higher than the 5%-10% frequency observed around solar-mass stars. The median detection threshold for our sample includes minimum masses down to {0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.6, 1.3} M Jup within {0.1, 0.3, 0.6, 1.0, 3.0} AU. To compare the properties of planets around IM stars to those around solar-mass stars we synthesize a population of planets based on the parametric relationship dN vprop M α P β dlnMdlnP, the observed planet frequency, and the detection limits we derived. We find that the values of α and β for planets around solar-type stars from Cumming et al. fail to reproduce the observed properties of planets in our sample at the 4σ level, even when accounting for the different planet occurrence rates. Thus, the properties of planets around A stars are markedly different than those around Sun-like stars, suggesting that only a small (~50%) increase in stellar mass has a large influence on the formation and orbital evolution of planets. Based on observations obtained at the Lick Observatory, which is operated by the University of California.

Comparative study on the treatment of Rockwood type III acute acromioclavicular dislocation: Clinical results from the TightRope® technique vs. K-wire fixation.

Science.gov (United States)

Horst, K; Garving, C; Thometzki, T; Lichte, P; Knobe, M; Dienstknecht, T; Hofman, M; Pape, H-C

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to address the inconsistency regarding the operative treatment of Rockwood type III acromioclavicular joint separation. We compared results after single- and double TightRope ® reduction with results after acromioclavicular transfixation via K-wires only and additional ligament augmentation in acute acromioclavicular (AC) joint separations graded Rockwood type III, and hypothesized that the TightRope ® technique leads to better clinical and radiological results. We conducted a retrospective clinical cohort study and included 42 consecutive patients (mean age 43 years [24-66]) diagnosed and operatively treated between 2004 and 2012 (mean follow-up was 54.6 months [15-118]). Specific shoulder scores as well as scores reflecting the patients' overall mental and physical health status were used. Radiological evaluation was also performed. The SF12 test revealed comparability between all subgroups. Specific shoulder tests and a visual analogue scale demonstrated comparable results. Radiographic measurements showed a significant reduction in the AC distance and CC distance after surgery in all subgroups. The early complication rate was 9.5% for all patients, while late complications occurred in 14.3% of all cases. Compared to the established methods, the operative TightRope ® procedures represent a safe alternative in Rockwood III injuries. All investigated techniques predominantly led to good and excellent clinical results in acute Rockwood type III AC joint instabilities. Avoidance of material removal and shorter hospital stays appear to speak in favour for the TightRope ® technique. IV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A Search for Pulsar Companions to OB Runaway Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Kaspi, V. M.

1995-01-01

We have searched for radio pulsar companions to 40 nearby OB runaway stars. Observations were made at 474 and 770 MHz with the NRAO 140 ft telescope. The survey was sensitive to long- period pulsars with flux densities of 1 mJy or more. One previously unknown pulsar was discovered, PSRJ2044+4614, while observing towards target O star BD+45,3260. Follow-up timing observations of the pulsar measured its position to high precision, revealing a 9' separation between the pulsar and the target star, unequivocally indicating they are not associated.

A MATLAB companion for multivariable calculus

CERN Document Server

Cooper, Jeffery

2001-01-01

Offering a concise collection of MatLab programs and exercises to accompany a third semester course in multivariable calculus, A MatLab Companion for Multivariable Calculus introduces simple numerical procedures such as numerical differentiation, numerical integration and Newton''s method in several variables, thereby allowing students to tackle realistic problems. The many examples show students how to use MatLab effectively and easily in many contexts. Numerous exercises in mathematics and applications areas are presented, graded from routine to more demanding projects requiring some programming. Matlab M-files are provided on the Harcourt/Academic Press web site at http://www.harcourt-ap.com/matlab.html.* Computer-oriented material that complements the essential topics in multivariable calculus* Main ideas presented with examples of computations and graphics displays using MATLAB * Numerous examples of short code in the text, which can be modified for use with the exercises* MATLAB files are used to implem...

Prioritization of Companion Animal Transmissible Diseases for Policy Intervention in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cito, F.; Rijks, J.; Rantsios, A.T.

2016-01-01

A number of papers have been published on the prioritization of transmissible diseases in farm animals and wildlife, based either on semiquantitative or truly quantitative methods, but there is no published literature on the prioritization of transmissible diseases in companion animals. In this s...... reptiles. The methodology presented in this paper can be used to generate accurate priority lists according to narrower and more specific objectives....

KOI 1224: A FOURTH BLOATED HOT WHITE DWARF COMPANION FOUND WITH KEPLER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breton, R. P.; Van Kerkwijk, M. H.; Rappaport, S. A.; Carter, J. A.

2012-01-01

We present an analysis and interpretation of the Kepler binary system KOI 1224. This is the fourth binary found with Kepler that consists of a thermally bloated, hot white dwarf in a close orbit with a more or less normal star of spectral class A or F. As we show, KOI 1224 contains a white dwarf with T eff = 14, 700 ± 1000 K, mass = 0.22 ± 0.02 M ☉ , and radius = 0.103 ± 0.002 R ☉ , and an F-star companion of mass 1.59 ± 0.06 M ☉ that is somewhat beyond its terminal-age main sequence. The orbital period is quite short at 2.69802 days. The ingredients that are used in the analysis are the Kepler binary light curve, including the detection of the Doppler boosting effect; the NUV and FUV fluxes from the GALEX images of this object; an estimate of the spectral type of the F-star companion; and evolutionary models of the companion designed to match its effective temperature and mean density. The light curve is modeled with a new code named Icarus which we describe in detail. Its features include the full treatment of orbital phase-resolved spectroscopy, Doppler boosting, irradiation effects, and transits/eclipses, which are particularly suited to irradiated eclipsing binaries. We interpret the KOI 1224 system in terms of its likely evolutionary history. We infer that this type of system, containing a bloated hot white dwarf, is the direct descendant of an Algol-type binary. In spite of this basic understanding of the origin of KOI 1224, we discuss a number of problems associated with producing a system with an orbital period this short.

Clinical and radiological diagnostic of foreign bodies in companion birds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kummerfeld, N.; Erhorn, I.

1991-01-01

Sometimes curious foreign bodies placed in the proventriculus/ventriculus of companion birds are causes of single case diseases. Clinical signs include untypical symptoms such as distress, lameness, vomiting and diarrhoe. In cases of heavy metal intoxication, e.g. lead poisoning, CNS-disorders are found. Radiographs taken in a ventro-dorsal and a latero-lateral view show the presence of foreign bodies in suspicion. In most cases of foreign bodies in birds a surgical intervention (Gastrotomy) is indicated

Confining hot spots in 3C 196 - implications for QSO-companion galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, R.L.; Broderick, J.J.; Mitchell, K.J.; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg; NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD)

1986-01-01

VLBI observations of the extremely compact hot spot in the northern radio lobe of the QSO 3C 196 reveal the angular size of its smallest substructure to be 0.065 arcsec x 0.045 arcsec or about 300 pc at the redshift distance. The morphology of the hot spot and its orientation relative to the more diffuse radio emission suggest that it is formed by an oblique interaction between the nuclear QSO jet and circum-QSO cloud. The inferred density in this cloud, together with its apparent size, imply that the cloud contains a galactic mass, greater than a billion solar masses of gas. The effect of the jet will be to hasten gravitational collapse of the cloud. If many QSOs such as 3C 196 are formed or found in gas-rich environments, the QSO radio phase may commonly stimulate the metamorphosis of circum-QSO gas to QSO-companion galaxies or it may play a significant part in catalyzing star formation in existing companions. 30 references

Isothiocyanato complexes of Gd(III), Tb(III), Dy(III) and Ho(III) with 2-(2'-pyridyl)benzimidazole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishra, A; Singh, V K

1982-01-01

Six-coordinated complexes of the type (Ln(PyBzH)/sub 2/NCS.H/sub 2/O) (NCS)/sub 2/.nH/sub 2/O/mC/sub 2/H/sub 5/OH (Ln = Gd(III), Tb(III), Dy(III) and Ho(III), n=1-2; m=1) have been prepared from Ln(NCS)/sub 6//sup 3 -/. The room temperature magnetic moment values confirm the terpositive state of the lanthanide ions. Infrared spectra suggest the N-coordination of thiocyanate group. Electronic spectral studies of Tb(III), Dy(III) and Ho(III) complexes have been made in terms of LSJ term energies. 13 refs.

Experiences of early labour management from perspectives of women, labour companions and health professionals: A systematic review of qualitative evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Beake Rm Ma Research Associate, Sarah; Chang Ba MPhil PhD Lecturer, Yan-Shing; Cheyne Rm Rgn MSc PhD Professor Of Midwifery, Helen; Spiby MPhil Rn Rm Professor Of Midwifery, Helen; Sandall Rm MSc PhD Professor Of Social Science And Women's Health, Jane; Bick, Debra

2018-02-01

to examine evidence of women's, labour companions' and health professionals' experiences of management of early labour to consider how this could be enhanced to better reflect women's needs. a systematic review of qualitative evidence. women in early labour with term, low risk singleton pregnancies, not booked for a planned caesarean birth or post-dates induction of labour, their labour companions, and health professionals responsible for early labour care (e.g. midwives, nurse-midwives, obstetricians, family doctors). Studies from high and middle income country settings were considered. 21 publications were included from the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, USA, Italy and New Zealand. Key findings included the impact of communication with health professionals (most usually midwives) on women's decision making; women wanting to be listened to by sympathetic midwives who could reassure that symptoms and signs of early labour were 'normal' and offer clear advice on what to do. Antenatal preparation which included realistic information on what to expect when labour commenced was important and appreciated by women and labour companions. Views of the optimal place for women to remain and allow early labour to progress differed and the perceived benefit of support and help offered by labour companions varied. Some were supportive and helped women to relax, while others were anxious and encouraged women to seek early admission to the planned place of birth. Web-based sources of information are increasingly used by women, with mixed views of the value of information accessed. women, labour companions and health professionals find early labour difficult to manage well, with women unsure of how decisions about admission to their planned place of birth are taken. It is unclear why women are effectively left to manage this aspect of their labour with minimal guidance or support. Tailoring management to meet individual needs, with provision of effective communication could reassure

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Suture-Fixation Mucopexy and Doppler-Guided Hemorrhoidal Artery Ligation in Patients with Grade III Hemorrhoids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Zhai

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a suture-fixation mucopexy procedure by comparing with Doppler-guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation (DGHAL in the management of patients with grade III hemorrhoids. Methods. This was a randomized controlled trial. One hundred patients with grade III hemorrhoids were randomly assigned to receive suture-fixation mucopexy (n=50 or DGHAL (n=50. Outcome assessments were performed at 2 weeks, 12 months, and 24 months. Assessments included resolution of clinical symptoms, postoperative complications, duration of hospitalization, and total costs. Results. At 2 weeks, one (2% patient in suture-fixation group and four (8% patients in DGHAL group had persistent prolapsing hemorrhoids. Postoperative bleeding was observed in two patients (4% in suture-fixation group and one patient in DGHAL group. There was no significant difference in short-term recurrence between groups. Postoperative complications and duration of hospitalization were comparable between the two groups. Rates of recurrence of prolapse or bleeding at 12 months did not differ between groups. However, recurrence of prolapse at 24 months was significantly more common in DGHAL group (19.0% versus 2.3%, p=0.030. Conclusions. Compared with DGHAL, the suture-fixation mucopexy technique had comparable short-term outcomes and favorable long-term outcomes.

Targeted therapies with companion diagnostics in the management of breast cancer: current perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Meagan B

2016-01-01

Breast cancer is a multifaceted disease exhibiting both intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity as well as variable disease course. Over 2 decades of research has advanced the understanding of the molecular substructure of breast cancer, directing the development of new therapeutic strategies against these actionable targets. In vitro diagnostics, and specifically companion diagnostics, have been integral in the successful development and implementation of these targeted therapies, such as those directed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Lately, there has been a surge in the development, commercialization, and marketing of diagnostic assays to assist in breast cancer patient care. More recently, multigene signature assays, such as Oncotype DX, MammaPrint, and Prosigna, have been integrated in the clinical setting in order to tailor decisions on adjuvant endocrine and chemotherapy treatment. This review provides an overview of the current state of breast cancer management and the use of companion diagnostics to direct personalized approaches in the treatment of breast cancer.

Direct imaging and new technologies to search for substellar companions around MGs cool dwarfs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burningham B.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available We describe here our project based in a search for sub-stellar companions (brown dwarfs and exo-planets around young ultra-cool dwarfs (UCDs and characterise their properties. We will use current and future technology (high contrast imaging, high-precision Doppler determinations from the ground and space (VLT, ELT and JWST, to find companions to young objects. Members of young moving groups (MGs have clear advantages in this field. We compiled a catalogue of young UCD objects and studied their membership to five known young moving groups: Local Association (Pleiades moving group, 20–150 Myr, Ursa Mayor group (Sirius supercluster, 300 Myr, Hyades supercluster (600 Myr, IC 2391 supercluster (35 Myr and Castor moving group (200 Myr. To assess them as members we used different kinematic and spectroscopic criteria.

Computed Tomography Imaging of Solid Tumors Using a Liposomal-Iodine Contrast Agent in Companion Dogs with Naturally Occurring Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaghada, Ketan B; Sato, Amy F; Starosolski, Zbigniew A; Berg, John; Vail, David M

2016-01-01

Companion dogs with naturally occurring cancer serve as an important large animal model in translational research because they share strong similarities with human cancers. In this study, we investigated a long circulating liposomal-iodine contrast agent (Liposomal-I) for computed tomography (CT) imaging of solid tumors in companion dogs with naturally occurring cancer. The institutional animal ethics committees approved the study and written informed consent was obtained from all owners. Thirteen dogs (mean age 10.1 years) with a variety of masses including primary and metastatic liver tumors, sarcomas, mammary carcinoma and lung tumors, were enrolled in the study. CT imaging was performed pre-contrast and at 15 minutes and 24 hours after intravenous administration of Liposomal-I (275 mg/kg iodine dose). Conventional contrast-enhanced CT imaging was performed in a subset of dogs, 90 minutes prior to administration of Liposomal-I. Histologic or cytologic diagnosis was obtained for each dog prior to admission into the study. Liposomal-I resulted in significant (p contrast agent was demonstrated. Liposomal-I enabled visualization of primary and metastatic liver tumors. Sub-cm sized liver lesions grossly appeared as hypo-enhanced compared to the surrounding normal parenchyma with improved lesion conspicuity in the post-24 hour scan. Large liver tumors (> 1 cm) demonstrated a heterogeneous pattern of intra-tumoral signal with visibly higher signal enhancement at the post-24 hour time point. Extra-hepatic, extra-splenic tumors, including histiocytic sarcoma, anaplastic sarcoma, mammary carcinoma and lung tumors, were visualized with a heterogeneous enhancement pattern in the post-24 hour scan. The long circulating liposomal-iodine contrast agent enabled prolonged visualization of small and large tumors in companion dogs with naturally occurring cancer. The study warrants future work to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the Liposomal-I agent in various types of

Close Companion Friends, Self-Expression, and Psychological Well-Being in Late Life

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Neal

2010-01-01

This study has two central aims. Both are associated with self-expression, which is defined as the ability to fully utilize one's own talents and abilities. The first goal is to see if self-expression reduces depressive symptoms over time whereas the second aim is to see whether close companion friends help older people more fully utilize their…

Radiation protection in category III large gamma irradiators; Radioprotecao em irradiadores de grande porte de categoria III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Neivaldo; Furlan, Gilberto Ribeiro, E-mail: neivaldo@cena.usp.b, E-mail: gilfurlan@cena.usp.b [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/USP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil); Itepan, Natanael Marcio, E-mail: natanael.itepan@unianhanguera.edu.b [Universidade Anhanguera, Goiania, GO (Brazil)

2011-07-01

This article discusses the advantages of category III large gamma irradiator compared to the others, with emphasis on aspects of radiological protection, in the industrial sector. This category is a kind of irradiators almost unknown to the regulators authorities and the industrial community, despite its simple construction and greater radiation safety intrinsic to the model, able to maintain an efficiency of productivity comparable to those of category IV. Worldwide, there are installed more than 200 category IV irradiators and there is none of a category III irradiator in operation. In a category III gamma irradiator, the source remains fixed in the bottom of the tank, always shielded by water, negating the exposition risk. Taking into account the benefits in relation to radiation safety, the category III large irradiators are highly recommended for industrial, commercial purposes or scientific research. (author)

The GAPS Programme with HARPS-N at TNG. XV. A substellar companion around a K giant star identified with quasi-simultaneous HARPS-N and GIANO measurements

Science.gov (United States)

González-Álvarez, E.; Affer, L.; Micela, G.; Maldonado, J.; Carleo, I.; Damasso, M.; D'Orazi, V.; Lanza, A. F.; Biazzo, K.; Poretti, E.; Gratton, R.; Sozzetti, A.; Desidera, S.; Sanna, N.; Harutyunyan, A.; Massi, F.; Oliva, E.; Claudi, R.; Cosentino, R.; Covino, E.; Maggio, A.; Masiero, S.; Molinari, E.; Pagano, I.; Piotto, G.; Smareglia, R.; Benatti, S.; Bonomo, A. S.; Borsa, F.; Esposito, M.; Giacobbe, P.; Malavolta, L.; Martinez-Fiorenzano, A.; Nascimbeni, V.; Pedani, M.; Rainer, M.; Scandariato, G.

2017-10-01

Context. Identification of planetary companions of giant stars is made difficult because of the astrophysical noise, that may produce radial velocity variations similar to those induced by a companion. On the other hand any stellar signal is wavelength dependent, while signals due to a companion are achromatic. Aims: Our goal is to determine the origin of the Doppler periodic variations observed in the thick disk K giant star TYC 4282-605-1 by HARPS-N at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) and verify if they can be due to the presence of a substellar companion. Methods: Several methods have been used to exclude the stellar origin of the observed signal including detailed analysis of activity indicators and bisector and the analysis of the photometric light curve. Finally we have conducted an observational campaign to monitor the near infrared (NIR) radial velocity with GIANO at the TNG in order to verify whether the NIR amplitude variations are comparable with those observed in the visible. Results: Both optical and NIR radial velocities show consistent variations with a period at 101 days and similar amplitude, pointing to the presence of a companion orbiting the target. The main orbital properties obtained for our giant star with a derived mass of M = 0.97 ± 0.03M⊙ are MPsini = 10.78 ± 0.12MJ; P = 101.54 ± 0.05 days; e = 0.28 ± 0.01 and a = 0.422 ± 0.009 AU. The chemical analysis shows a significant enrichment in the abundance of Na I, Mg I, Al I and Si I while the rest of analyzed elements are consistent with the solar value demonstrating that the chemical composition corresponds with an old K giant (age = 10.1 Gyr) belonging to local thick disk. Conclusions: We conclude that the substellar companion hypothesis for this K giant is the best explanation for the observed periodic radial velocity variation. This study also shows the high potential of multi-wavelength radial velocity observations for the validation of planet candidates. Based on

On the signatures of companion formation in the spectral energy distributions of Sz54 and Sz59—the young stars with protoplanetary disks

Science.gov (United States)

Zakhozhay, O. V.

2017-07-01

We study spectral energy distributions of two young systems Sz54 and Sz59, that belong to Chameleon II star forming region. The results of the modeling indicate that protoplanetary disks of these systems contain gaps in the dust component. These gaps could be a result of a planetary or brown dwarf companion formation, because the companion would accumulate a disk material, moving along its orbit. In a present work we have determined physical characteristics of the disks. We also discuss possible companion characteristics, based on the geometrical parameters of the gaps.

Complexation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides with hydrophilic N-donor ligands for Am(III)/Cm(III) and An(III)/Ln(III) separation; Komplexierung von trivalenten Actiniden und Lanthaniden mit hydrophilen N-Donorliganden zur Am(III)/Cm(III)- bzw. An(III)/Ln(III)-Trennung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wagner, Christoph

2017-07-24

The implementation of actinide recycling processes is considered in several countries, aiming at the reduction of long-term radiotoxicity and heat load of used nuclear fuel. This requires the separation of the actinides from the fission and corrosion products. The separation of the trivalent actinides (An(III)) Am(III) and Cm(III), however, is complicated by the presence of the chemically similar fission lanthanides (Ln(III)). Hydrophilic N-donor ligands are employed as An(III) or Am(III) selective complexing agents in solvent extraction to strip An(III) or Am(III) from an organic phase loaded with An(III) and Ln(III). Though they exhibit excellent selectivity, the complexation chemistry of these ligands and the complexes formed during solvent extraction are not sufficiently characterized. In the present thesis the complexation of An(III) and Ln(III) with hydrophilic N-donor ligands is studied by time resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS), UV/Vis, vibronic sideband spectroscopy and solvent extraction. TRLFS studies on the complexation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) with the Am(III) selective complexing agent SO{sub 3}-Ph-BTBP (tetrasodium 3,3{sup '},3'',3{sup '''}-([2,2{sup '}-bipyridine]-6,6{sup '}-diylbis(1,2,4-triazine-3,5,6-triyl)) tetrabenzenesulfonate) revealed the formation of [M(SO{sub 3}-Ph-BTBP){sub n}]{sup (4n-3)-} complexes (M = Cm(III), Eu(III); n = 1, 2). The conditional stability constants were determined in different media yielding two orders of magnitude larger β{sub 2}-values for the Cm(III) complexes, independently from the applied medium. A strong impact of ionic strength on the stability and stoichiometry of the formed complexes was identified, resulting from the stabilization of the pentaanionic [M(SO{sub 3}-Ph-BTBP){sub 2}]{sup 5-} complex with increasing ionic strength. Thermodynamic studies of Cm(III)-SO{sub 3}-Ph-BTBP complexation showed that the proton concentration of the applied medium impacts

Multidimensional Models of Type Ia Supernova Nebular Spectra: Strong Emission Lines from Stripped Companion Gas Rule Out Classic Single-degenerate Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Botyánszki, János; Kasen, Daniel; Plewa, Tomasz

2018-01-01

The classic single-degenerate model for the progenitors of Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) predicts that the supernova ejecta should be enriched with solar-like abundance material stripped from the companion star. Spectroscopic observations of normal SNe Ia at late times, however, have not resulted in definite detection of hydrogen. In this Letter, we study line formation in SNe Ia at nebular times using non-LTE spectral modeling. We present, for the first time, multidimensional radiative transfer calculations of SNe Ia with stripped material mixed in the ejecta core, based on hydrodynamical simulations of ejecta–companion interaction. We find that interaction models with main-sequence companions produce significant Hα emission at late times, ruling out these types of binaries being viable progenitors of SNe Ia. We also predict significant He I line emission at optical and near-infrared wavelengths for both hydrogen-rich or helium-rich material, providing an additional observational probe of stripped ejecta. We produce models with reduced stripped masses and find a more stringent mass limit of M st ≲ 1 × 10‑4 M ⊙ of stripped companion material for SN 2011fe.

Evaluating Checklist Use in Companion Animal Wellness Visits in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital: A Preliminary Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael T. Nappier

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The number of companion animal wellness visits in private practice has been decreasing, and one important factor cited is the lack of effective communication between veterinarians and pet owners regarding the importance of preventive care. Checklists have been widely used in many fields and are especially useful in areas where a complex task must be completed with multiple small steps, or when cognitive fatigue is evident. The use of checklists in veterinary medical education has not yet been thoroughly evaluated as a potential strategy to improve communication with pet owners regarding preventive care. The authors explored whether the use of a checklist based on the American Animal Hospital Association/American Veterinary Medical Association canine and feline preventive care guidelines would benefit senior veterinary students in accomplishing more complete canine and feline wellness visits. A group of students using provided checklists was compared to a control group of students who did not use checklists on the basis of their medical record notes from the visits. The students using the checklists were routinely more complete in several areas of a wellness visit vs. those who did not use the checklists. However, neither group of students routinely discussed follow-up care recommendations such as frequency or timing of follow-up visits. The study authors recommend considering checklist use for teaching and implementing wellness in companion animal primary care veterinary clinical teaching settings.

Do some x-ray stars have white dwarf companions

Science.gov (United States)

Mccollum, Bruce

1995-01-01

Some Be stars which are intermittent X-ray sources may have white dwarf companions rather than neutron stars. It is not possible to prove or rule out the existence of Be + WD systems using X-ray or optical data. However, the presence of a white dwarf could be established by the detection of its EUV continuum shortward of the Be star's continuum turnover at 100 A. Either the detection or the nondetection of Be + WD systems would have implications for models of Be star variability, models of Be binary system formation and evolution, and models of wind-fed accretion.

Ectoparasites of livestock and companion animals in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, Acg

2002-01-01

Abstract Extract Principal livestock species in New Zealand, namely sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, horses and deer, are hosts, collectively to at least 45 species of ectoparasites, whereas companion animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets, share about 30 species. Tenquist and Charleston (2001) provide a host/parasite checklist of all species, together with limited information on distribution and aspects of nomenclature. Many of the parasites are not host-specific and none is restricted to New Zealand. There is only one recorded eradication, that of the sheep scab mite, Psoroptes ovis, but the sheep ked, Melophagus ovinus, is very rare.

Complexes of 4-chlorophenoxyacetates of Nd(III), Gd(III) and Ho(III)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferenc, W.; Bernat, M; Gluchowska, H.W.; Sarzynski, J.

2010-01-01

The complexes of 4-chlorophenoxyacetates of Nd(III), Gd(III) and Ho(III) have been synthesized as polycrystalline hydrated solids, and characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopy, magnetic studies and also by X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric measurements. The analysed complexes have the following colours: violet for Nd(III), white for Gd(III) and cream for Ho(III) compounds. The carboxylate groups bind as bidentate chelating (Ho) or bridging ligands (Nd, Gd). On heating to 1173K in air the complexes decompose in several steps. At first, they dehydrate in one step to form anhydrous salts, that next decompose to the oxides of respective metals. The gaseous products of their thermal decomposition in nitrogen were also determined and the magnetic susceptibilities were measured over the temperature range of 76-303K and the magnetic moments were calculated. The results show that 4-chlorophenoxyacetates of Nd(III), Gd(III) and Ho(III) are high-spin complexes with weak ligand fields. The solubility value in water at 293K for analysed 4-chlorophenoxyacetates is in the order of 10 -4 mol/dm 3 . (author)

Students' opinions on welfare and ethics issues for companion animals in Australian and New Zealand veterinary schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Degeling, C; Fawcett, A; Collins, T; Hazel, S; Johnson, J; Lloyd, J; Phillips, Cjc; Stafford, K; Tzioumis, V; McGreevy, P

2017-06-01

To determine what veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand consider important competences in companion animal welfare and ethics (AWE) required on their first day of practice, and to explore how their priorities relate to gender and stage of study. Undergraduate students at all veterinary schools in Australia and New Zealand were sent an online survey. A subset of questions required participants to rank the importance of preselected AWE topics pertaining to companion animals. Data were analysed to determine differences in the way students of different gender or academic stage prioritised each of these AWE topics. Of 3220 currently enrolled students, 851 participated in the survey: 79% were female, 17% male, 4% unspecified. Ranking of the AWE topics, from highest to lowest importance, was: neutering, companion animal husbandry, euthanasia, behaviour and training, animal breeding, over-servicing in relation to animal needs and cosmetic surgery. Female students consistently ranked competency in AWE issues surrounding neutering more highly than male students (P = 0.006). Students in senior years of study ranked the importance of competency in animal abuse/hoarding (P = 0.048), shelter medicine (P = 0.012) and animal breeding (P = 0.002) less highly than those in junior years. Australasian veterinary students placed more importance on competency in AWE issues associated with clinical practice (such as neutering and euthanasia) than on professional behaviours (such as over-servicing and animal breeding). However, we consider that emphasis should still be placed on developing graduate competency in the latter categories to reflect growing societal concerns about companion animal over-supply and inappropriate professional conduct. © 2017 Australian Veterinary Association.

The Orbit of the Companion to HD 100453A: Binary-driven Spiral Arms in a Protoplanetary Disk

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Kevin; Dong, Ruobing; Sheehan, Patrick; Apai, Dániel; Kasper, Markus; McClure, Melissa; Morzinski, Katie M.; Close, Laird; Males, Jared; Hinz, Phil; Quanz, Sascha P.; Fung, Jeffrey

2018-02-01

HD 100453AB is a 10 ± 2 Myr old binary whose protoplanetary disk was recently revealed to host a global two-armed spiral structure. Given the relatively small projected separation of the binary (1.″05, or ∼108 au), gravitational perturbations by the binary seemed to be a likely driving force behind the formation of the spiral arms. However, the orbit of these stars remained poorly understood, which prevented a proper treatment of the dynamical influence of the companion on the disk. We observed HD 100453AB between 2015 and 2017, utilizing extreme adaptive optics systems on the Very Large Telescope and the Magellan Clay Telescope. We combined the astrometry from these observations with published data to constrain the parameters of the binary’s orbit to a = 1.″06 ± 0.″09, e = 0.17±0.07, and i = 32.°5 ± 6.°5. We utilized publicly available ALMA 12CO data to constrain the inclination of the disk, {i}{{disk}}∼ 28^\\circ , which is relatively coplanar with the orbit of the companion and consistent with previous estimates from scattered light images. Finally, we input these constraints into hydrodynamic and radiative transfer simulations to model the structural evolution of the disk. We find that the spiral structure and truncation of the circumprimary disk in HD 100453 are consistent with a companion-driven origin. Furthermore, we find that the primary star’s rotation, its outer disk, and the companion exhibit roughly the same direction of angular momentum, and thus the system likely formed from the same parent body of material.

Prose Fiction as a Narrative Companion for a Vegetable Parenting Videogame.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Leah; Beltran, Alicia; Buday, Richard; O'Connor, Teresia; Hughes, Sheryl; Baranowski, Janice; Diep, Cassandra; Lu, Amy Shirong; Baranowski, Tom

2015-08-01

The purpose of this research is to explore the capacity of story to connect to a health-related videogame, as well as the qualities that may increase efficacy by making the story compelling. Parents of 3-5-year-old children often report difficulty getting their children to eat vegetables, which are protective against chronic illnesses. Videogames may be vehicles for training parenting practices for successful vegetable consumption outcomes but often rely on stories to provide context and details. Unfortunately, storytelling may interrupt immersion and player agency. Delivering stories outside of gameplay may provide an understanding of game situations while maintaining immersion. Two companion storylines (one a romantic adventure and the other a suspenseful fantasy) were generated for a vegetable parenting game, "Mommio," targeting mothers of preschool children. Mothers of 3-5-year-old children (n=18) read both storylines and completed semistructured interviews. Mothers preferred the romantic adventure, which featured strong characters, relatable issues, and an engaging plot. Most mothers were interested in playing the "Mommio" videogame after reading the stories. Results suggest that it is possible for prose literature to both motivate gameplay and be an immersive narrative companion to, but separate from, games for health. This literature should include engaging, realistic stories and relatable strong characters.

Gd(III)-nanodiamond conjugates for MRI contrast enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Manus, Lisa M.; Mastarone, Daniel J.; Waters, Emily A.; Zhang, Xue-Qing; Schultz-Sikma, Elise A.; MacRenaris, Keith W.; Ho, Dean

2010-01-01

A Gd(III)-nanodiamond conjugate [Gd(III)-ND] was prepared and characterized, enabling detection of nanodiamonds by MR imaging. The Gd(III)-ND particles significantly reduced the T1 of water protons with a per-Gd(III) relaxivity of 58.82 ± 1.18 mM−1s−1 at 1.5 Tesla (60 MHz). This represents a tenfold increase compared to the monomer Gd(III) complex (r1 = 5.42 ± 0.20 mM−1s−1) and is among the highest per-Gd(III) relaxivities reported. PMID:20038088

NMR and TRLFS studies of Ln(iii) and An(iii) C5-BPP complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Christian; Beele, Björn B; Geist, Andreas; Müllich, Udo; Kaden, Peter; Panak, Petra J

2015-02-01

C5-BPP is a highly efficient N-donor ligand for the separation of trivalent actinides, An(iii), from trivalent lanthanides, Ln(iii). The molecular origin of the selectivity of C5-BPP and many other N-donor ligands of the BTP-type is still not entirely understood. We present here the first NMR studies on C5-BPP Ln(iii) and An(iii) complexes. C5-BPP is synthesized with 10% 15 N labeling and characterized by NMR and LIFDI-MS methods. 15 N NMR spectroscopy gives a detailed insight into the bonding of C5-BPP with lanthanides and Am(iii) as a representative for trivalent actinide cations, revealing significant differences in 15 N chemical shift for coordinating nitrogen atoms compared to Ln(iii) complexes. The temperature dependence of NMR chemical shifts observed for the Am(iii) complex indicates a weak paramagnetism. This as well as the observed large chemical shift for coordinating nitrogen atoms show that metal-ligand bonding in Am(C5-BPP) 3 has a larger share of covalence than in lanthanide complexes, confirming earlier studies. The Am(C5-BPP) 3 NMR sample is furthermore spiked with Cm(iii) and characterized by time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS), yielding important information on the speciation of trace amounts of minor complex species.

Articulación de fones en individuos clase esqueletal I,II y III Speech patterns in skeletal class I, II and III subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pía Villanueva

2009-09-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: determinar los patrones de articulación de fones consonánticos en sujetos de habla española chilena clases I, II y III esqueletal; comparar las diferencias fonéticas que existan entre clases esqueletales. MÉTODOS: se seleccionaron 54 individuos que cumplían con los criterios de inclusión determinados mediante un examen clínico intraoral y a través del análisis de Ricketts, y se conformaron los grupos de estudio de pacientes clases esqueletales I, II y III. Se les realizó un examen fonoarticulatorio estandarizado para determinar los fones modificados y el patrón articulatorio compensatorio realizado. RESULTADOS: se observaron cambios en el punto de articulación de fones consonánticos en las tres clases esqueletales, con diferencias significativas en los grupos de fones anteriores y medios entre pacientes clases I y II, sólo en el grupo de los fones anteriores entre pacientes I y III. Entre pacientes clases II y III no se observaron diferencias significativas. Se reportan modificaciones y compensaciones cualitativamente distintas entre las clases esqueletales. CONCLUSIONES: en relación a pacientes clase I, los pacientes clase II o III, presentan distinto grado de modificación en el punto de articulación de fones consonánticos. Las diferencias observadas se relacionan con los patrones esqueletales propios de cada clase.PURPOSE: to determine the consonant phonemes articulation patterns in Chilean skeletal class I, II and III Spanish speakers and compare their phonetic differences. METHODS: fifty-four skeletal class I, II and III subjects were selected, based on intraoral clinical examination and Ricketts cephalometric analysis, constituting the study groups. A standardized phonoarticulatory test was applied to each patient to determine the modified phonemes and their compensatory patterns. RESULTS: the findings indicate changes in articulation in all three groups. Significant differences were found in anterior and medium

Is one's usual dinner companion associated with greater odds of depression? Using data from the 2014 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang Ah; Park, Eun-Cheol; Ju, Yeong Jun; Nam, Jin Young; Kim, Tae Hyun

2016-09-01

Support from one's family has been reported to have a positive effect on depression severity. Hence, family dinnertimes, when whole family can gather together, can be effective to depression by providing support from family. We investigate the association between the dinner companion and depression, and the differences in this association by gender, living arrangement and household composition. We used the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014 data. A total of 4,181 individuals were included. We classified participants by their dinner companions as follows: dinner with family, dinner with others and eating alone. Depression was measured by using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association. Those who ate dinner alone (odds ratio (OR): 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-2.25) had higher depression rate compared to those who had dinner with family. The subgroup analysis indicated that men, those who live with others and those living in a second-generation household who ate dinner alone had greater odds of having depressive symptoms. Those who usually eat dinner alone have greater odds of developing depression compared to those who have dinner with their family. As such, family dinnertimes may help to alleviate depressive moods. © The Author(s) 2016.

PLANETS AROUND LOW-MASS STARS (PALMS). I. A SUBSTELLAR COMPANION TO THE YOUNG M DWARF 1RXS J235133.3+312720

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Liu, Michael C.; Cieza, Lucas A.; Kraus, Adam L. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai' i, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Shkolnik, Evgenya L. [Lowell Observatory, 1400 W. Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Dupuy, Trent J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Tamura, Motohide, E-mail: bpbowler@ifa.hawaii.edu [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

2012-07-10

We report the discovery of a brown dwarf companion to the young M dwarf 1RXS J235133.3+312720 as part of a high contrast imaging search for planets around nearby young low-mass stars with Keck-II/NIRC2 and Subaru/HiCIAO. The 2.''4 ({approx}120 AU) pair is confirmed to be comoving from two epochs of high-resolution imaging. Follow-up low- and moderate-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy of 1RXS J2351+3127 B with IRTF/SpeX and Keck-II/OSIRIS reveals a spectral type of L0{sup +2}{sub -1}. The M2 primary star 1RXS J2351+3127 A exhibits X-ray and UV activity levels comparable to young moving group members with ages of {approx}10-100 Myr. UVW kinematics based the measured radial velocity of the primary and the system's photometric distance (50 {+-} 10 pc) indicate it is likely a member of the {approx}50-150 Myr AB Dor moving group. The near-infrared spectrum of 1RXS J2351+3127 B does not exhibit obvious signs of youth, but its H-band morphology shows subtle hints of intermediate surface gravity. The spectrum is also an excellent match to the {approx}200 Myr M9 brown dwarf LP 944-20. Assuming an age of 50-150 Myr, evolutionary models imply a mass of 32 {+-} 6 M{sub Jup} for the companion, making 1RXS J2351+3127 B the second lowest-mass member of the AB Dor moving group after the L4 companion CD-35 2722 B and one of the few benchmark brown dwarfs known at young ages.

PLANETS AROUND LOW-MASS STARS (PALMS). V. AGE-DATING LOW-MASS COMPANIONS TO MEMBERS AND INTERLOPERS OF YOUNG MOVING GROUPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Montet, Benjamin T.; Riddle, Reed [California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Shkolnik, Evgenya L.; Flagg, Laura [Lowell Observatory, 1400 W. Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Liu, Michael C.; Howard, Andrew W.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Best, William M. J.; Kotson, Michael C.; Baranec, Christoph [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Schlieder, Joshua E. [NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow, NASA Ames Research Center, MS-245-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Mann, Andrew W.; Dupuy, Trent J. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, TX (United States); Hinkley, Sasha [Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, EX4 4QL Exeter (United Kingdom); Crepp, Justin R. [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, 225 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Johnson, John Asher [Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Weinberger, Alycia J. [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015 (United States); Allers, Katelyn N. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837 (United States); Herczeg, Gregory J., E-mail: bpbowler@caltech.edu [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Yi He Yuan Lu 5, Hai Dian Qu, Beijing 100871 (China); and others

2015-06-10

We present optical and near-infrared adaptive optics (AO) imaging and spectroscopy of 13 ultracool (>M6) companions to late-type stars (K7–M4.5), most of which have recently been identified as candidate members of nearby young moving groups (YMGs; 8–120 Myr) in the literature. Three of these are new companions identified in our AO imaging survey, and two others are confirmed to be comoving with their host stars for the first time. The inferred masses of the companions (∼10–100 M{sub Jup}) are highly sensitive to the ages of the primary stars; therefore we critically examine the kinematic and spectroscopic properties of each system to distinguish bona fide YMG members from old field interlopers. The new M7 substellar companion 2MASS J02155892–0929121 C (40–60 M{sub Jup}) shows clear spectroscopic signs of low gravity and, hence, youth. The primary, possibly a member of the ∼40 Myr Tuc-Hor moving group, is visually resolved into three components, making it a young low-mass quadruple system in a compact (≲100 AU) configuration. In addition, Li i λ6708 absorption in the intermediate-gravity M7.5 companion 2MASS J15594729+4403595 B provides unambiguous evidence that it is young (≲200 Myr) and resides below the hydrogen-burning limit. Three new close-separation (<1″) companions (2MASS J06475229–2523304 B, PYC J11519+0731 B, and GJ 4378 Ab) orbit stars previously reported as candidate YMG members, but instead are likely old (≳1 Gyr) tidally locked spectroscopic binaries without convincing kinematic associations with any known moving group. The high rate of false positives in the form of old active stars with YMG-like kinematics underscores the importance of radial velocity and parallax measurements to validate candidate young stars identified via proper motion and activity selection alone. Finally, we spectroscopically confirm the cool temperature and substellar nature of HD 23514 B, a recently discovered M8 benchmark brown dwarf orbiting the

PLANETS AROUND LOW-MASS STARS (PALMS). V. AGE-DATING LOW-MASS COMPANIONS TO MEMBERS AND INTERLOPERS OF YOUNG MOVING GROUPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Montet, Benjamin T.; Riddle, Reed; Shkolnik, Evgenya L.; Flagg, Laura; Liu, Michael C.; Howard, Andrew W.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Best, William M. J.; Kotson, Michael C.; Baranec, Christoph; Schlieder, Joshua E.; Mann, Andrew W.; Dupuy, Trent J.; Hinkley, Sasha; Crepp, Justin R.; Johnson, John Asher; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Allers, Katelyn N.; Herczeg, Gregory J.

2015-01-01

We present optical and near-infrared adaptive optics (AO) imaging and spectroscopy of 13 ultracool (>M6) companions to late-type stars (K7–M4.5), most of which have recently been identified as candidate members of nearby young moving groups (YMGs; 8–120 Myr) in the literature. Three of these are new companions identified in our AO imaging survey, and two others are confirmed to be comoving with their host stars for the first time. The inferred masses of the companions (∼10–100 M Jup ) are highly sensitive to the ages of the primary stars; therefore we critically examine the kinematic and spectroscopic properties of each system to distinguish bona fide YMG members from old field interlopers. The new M7 substellar companion 2MASS J02155892–0929121 C (40–60 M Jup ) shows clear spectroscopic signs of low gravity and, hence, youth. The primary, possibly a member of the ∼40 Myr Tuc-Hor moving group, is visually resolved into three components, making it a young low-mass quadruple system in a compact (≲100 AU) configuration. In addition, Li i λ6708 absorption in the intermediate-gravity M7.5 companion 2MASS J15594729+4403595 B provides unambiguous evidence that it is young (≲200 Myr) and resides below the hydrogen-burning limit. Three new close-separation (<1″) companions (2MASS J06475229–2523304 B, PYC J11519+0731 B, and GJ 4378 Ab) orbit stars previously reported as candidate YMG members, but instead are likely old (≳1 Gyr) tidally locked spectroscopic binaries without convincing kinematic associations with any known moving group. The high rate of false positives in the form of old active stars with YMG-like kinematics underscores the importance of radial velocity and parallax measurements to validate candidate young stars identified via proper motion and activity selection alone. Finally, we spectroscopically confirm the cool temperature and substellar nature of HD 23514 B, a recently discovered M8 benchmark brown dwarf orbiting the dustiest

DETECTION OF WHITE DWARF COMPANIONS TO BLUE STRAGGLERS IN THE OPEN CLUSTER NGC 188: DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR RECENT MASS TRANSFER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gosnell, Natalie M.; Mathieu, Robert D. [Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 475 N. Charter St., Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Geller, Aaron M. [Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL 60208 (United States); Sills, Alison [Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1 (Canada); Leigh, Nathan [Department of Physics, University of Alberta, CCIS 4-183, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1 (Canada); Knigge, Christian, E-mail: gosnell@astro.wisc.edu [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 IBJ (United Kingdom)

2014-03-01

Several possible formation pathways for blue straggler stars have been developed recently, but no one pathway has yet been observationally confirmed for a specific blue straggler. Here we report the first findings from a Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys/Solar Blind Channel far-UV photometric program to search for white dwarf companions to blue straggler stars. We find three hot and young white dwarf companions to blue straggler stars in the 7 Gyr open cluster NGC 188, indicating that mass transfer in these systems ended less than 300 Myr ago. These companions are direct and secure observational evidence that these blue straggler stars were formed through mass transfer in binary stars. Their existence in a well-studied cluster environment allows for observational constraints of both the current binary system and the progenitor binary system, mapping the entire mass transfer history.

Comparative study of design of piping supports class 1, 2 and 3 considering german code KTA and ASME III - NF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faloppa, Altair A.; Fainer, Gerson; Mattar Neto, Miguel; Elias, Marcos V.

2013-01-01

The objective of this paper is developing a comparative study of the design criteria for class 1, 2, 3 piping supports considering the American Code ASME Section III - NF and the German Code KTA 3205.1 to the Primary Circuit, KTA 3205.2 to the others systems and KTA 3205.3 series-production standards supports of a PWR nuclear power plant. An additional purpose of the paper is a general analysis of the main design concepts of the American Code ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Division 1 and German Nuclear Design Code KTA that was performed in order to aid the comparative study proposed. The relevance of this study is to show the differences between codes ASME and KTA since they were applied in the design of the Nuclear Power Plants Angra 1 and Angra 2, and to the design of Angra 3, which is at the moment under construction. It is also considered their use in the design of nuclear installations such as RMB - Reator MultiProposito Brasileiro and LABGENE - Laboratorio de Geracao Nucleoeletrica. (author)

Formation constants of Sm(III), Dy(III), Gd(III), Pr(III) and Nd(III) complexes of tridentate schiff base, 2-[(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl-methylene) amino] phenol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omprakash, K.L.; Chandra Pal, A.V.; Reddy, M.L.N.

1982-01-01

A new tridentate schiff base, 2- (1H-benzimidazol-2-yl-methylene)amino phenol derived from benzimididazole-2-carbo-xaldehyde and 2-aminophenol has been synthesised and characterised by spectral and analytical data. Proton-ligand formation constants of the schiff base and metal-ligand formation constants of its complexes with Sm(III), Dy(III), Gd(III), Nd(III) and Pr(III) have been determined potentiometrically in 50% (v/v) aqueous dioxane at an ionic strength of 0.1M (NaClO 4 ) and at 25deg C using the Irving-Rossotti titration technique. The order of stability constants (logβ 2 ) is found to be Sm(III)>Dy(III)>Gd(III)>Pr(III)>Nd(III). (author)

Formation constants of Sm(III), Dy(III), Gd(III), Pr(III) and Nd(III) complexes of tridentate schiff base, 2-((1H-benzimidazol-2-yl-methylene) amino) phenol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omprakash, K L; Chandra Pal, A V; Reddy, M L.N. [Osmania Univ., Hyderabad (India). Dept. of Chemistry

1982-03-01

A new tridentate schiff base, 2- (1H-benzimidazol-2-yl-methylene)amino phenol derived from benzimididazole-2-carbo-xaldehyde and 2-aminophenol has been synthesised and characterised by spectral and analytical data. Proton-ligand formation constants of the schiff base and metal-ligand formation constants of its complexes with Sm(III), Dy(III), Gd(III), Nd(III) and Pr(III) have been determined potentiometrically in 50% (v/v) aqueous dioxane at an ionic strength of 0.1M (NaClO/sub 4/) and at 25deg C using the Irving-Rossotti titration technique. The order of stability constants (log..beta../sub 2/) is found to be Sm(III)>Dy(III)>Gd(III)>Pr(III)>Nd(III).

A comparative study of external radiotherapy alone versus external radiotherapy + brachytherapy in carcinoma cervix stage III B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bardia, M.R.; Bhargava, S.C.; Chaudhary, R.K.; Agrawal, V.K.; Singh, K.; Vyas, R.

1987-01-01

Carcinoma of the cervix is the commonest cancer seen in women at Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner (Rajasthan). In the present study external radio-therapy and brachytherapy are used in carcinoma cervix stage III B. After 4000 to 4500 rads to pelvis by external radio-therapy, patient was assessed for intra cavitary application. Total given dose to point A was 7500 rads, to point B was 5000 rads. If patient was not suitable a split course was given where patient was asked to come after 3 weeks for intracavitary application. A comparative study of both methods was done. There was significant improvement in the control of central disease by applying intracavitary source. Radiation reactions were comparable. (author). 4 tables, 10 refs

Quality of Life in Prodromal HD: Qualitative Analyses of Discourse from Participants and Companions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca E. Ready

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Persons who are at risk for Huntington's Disease (HD can be tested for the HD gene expansion before symptom onset. People with the gene expansion, but no clinical diagnosis, are in the prodromal phase of HD. This study explored quality of life (QOL in prodromal HD. Interviews about QOL, conducted with 9 prodromal HD participants and 6 companions, were transcribed. Discourse was coded for emotional valence, content (e.g., coping, spirituality, interpersonal relationships, HD in others, and employment, and time frame (e.g., current, past, and future. Respondents were more positive than negative about the present, which was their major focus. The most common statements were about positive attitudes. Positive statements were made about spirituality, and negative statements were made about HD in other people. Relationships, employment, and coping with HD reflected both positivity and negativity. Participants and companions spoke of the future with different concerns. Applicability of findings to the clinical management of HD are discussed.

Spectrophotometric and pH-Metric Studies of Ce(III, Dy(III, Gd(III,Yb(III and Pr(III Metal Complexes with Rifampicin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. N. Sonar

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The metal-ligand and proton-ligand stability constant of Ce(III, Dy(III, Gd(III,Yb(III and Pr(III metals with substituted heterocyclic drug (Rifampicin were determined at various ionic strength by pH metric titration. NaClO4 was used to maintain ionic strength of solution. The results obtained were extrapolated to the zero ionic strength using an equation with one individual parameter. The thermodynamic stability constant of the complexes were also calculated. The formation of complexes has been studied by Job’s method. The results obtained were of stability constants by pH metric method is confirmed by Job’s method.

Complexes of lanthanum(III), cerium(III), samarium(III) and dysprosium(III) with substituted piperidines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manhas, B S; Trikha, A K; Singh, H; Chander, M

1983-11-01

Complexes of the general formulae M/sub 2/Cl/sub 6/(L)/sub 3/.C/sub 2/H/sub 5/OH and M/sub 2/(NO/sub 3/)/sub 6/(L)/sub 2/.CH/sub 3/OH have been synthesised by the reactions of chlorides and nitrates of La(III), Ce(III), Sm(III) and Dy(III) with 2-methylpiperidine, 3-methylpiperidine and 4-methylpiperidine. These complexes have been characterised on the basis of their elemental analysis, and IR and electronic reflectance spectra. IR spectral data indicate the presence of coordinated ethanol and methanol molecules and bidentate nitrate groups. Coordination numbers of the metal ions vary from 5 to 8. 19 refs.

Statistics of Low-Mass Companions to Stars: Implications for Their Origin

Science.gov (United States)

Stepinski, T. F.; Black, D. C.

2001-01-01

One of the more significant results from observational astronomy over the past few years has been the detection, primarily via radial velocity studies, of low-mass companions (LMCs) to solar-like stars. The commonly held interpretation of these is that the majority are "extrasolar planets" whereas the rest are brown dwarfs, the distinction made on the basis of apparent discontinuity in the distribution of M sin i for LMCs as revealed by a histogram. We report here results from statistical analysis of M sin i, as well as of the orbital elements data for available LMCs, to rest the assertion that the LMCs population is heterogeneous. The outcome is mixed. Solely on the basis of the distribution of M sin i a heterogeneous model is preferable. Overall, we find that a definitive statement asserting that LMCs population is heterogeneous is, at present, unjustified. In addition we compare statistics of LMCs with a comparable sample of stellar binaries. We find a remarkable statistical similarity between these two populations. This similarity coupled with marked populational dissimilarity between LMCs and acknowledged planets motivates us to suggest a common origin hypothesis for LMCs and stellar binaries as an alternative to the prevailing interpretation. We discuss merits of such a hypothesis and indicate a possible scenario for the formation of LMCs.

The Development of a Robot-Based Learning Companion: A User-Centered Design Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Yi-Zeng; Su, Mu-Chun; Chen, Sherry Y.; Chen, Gow-Dong

2015-01-01

A computer-vision-based method is widely employed to support the development of a variety of applications. In this vein, this study uses a computer-vision-based method to develop a playful learning system, which is a robot-based learning companion named RobotTell. Unlike existing playful learning systems, a user-centered design (UCD) approach is…

?You?re dealing with an emotionally charged individual??: an industry perspective on the challenges posed by medical tourists? informal caregiver-companions

OpenAIRE

Casey, Victoria; Crooks, Valorie A; Snyder, Jeremy; Turner, Leigh

2013-01-01

Background Patients engage in medical tourism when they privately obtain a medical care abroad. Previous research shows that many medical tourists travel abroad with friends and family members who provide support and assistance. Meanwhile, very little is known about this important stakeholder group, referred to here as caregiver-companions. In this article we examine the challenges that can be posed by caregiver-companions and the overall practice of informal caregiving in medical tourism ...

Synthesis, characterization and stability of Cr(III) and Fe(III) hydroxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papassiopi, N.; Vaxevanidou, K.; Christou, C.; Karagianni, E.; Antipas, G.S.E.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Fe(III)–Cr(III) hydroxides enhance groundwater quality better than pure Cr(III) compounds. • Crystalline Cr(OH) 3 ·3H 2 O was unstable, with a solubility higher than 50 μg/l. • Amorphous Cr(OH) 3 (am) was stable with a solubility lower than 50 μg/l in the range 5.7 0.75 Cr 0.25 (OH) 3 , the stability region was extended to 4.8 3 ·xH 2 O whereas in the presence of iron the precipitate is a mixed Fe (1−x) Cr x (OH) 3 phase. In this study, we report on the synthesis, characterisation and stability of mixed (Fe x ,Cr 1−x )(OH) 3 hydroxides as compared to the stability of Cr(OH) 3 . We established that the plain Cr(III) hydroxide, abiding to the approximate molecular formula Cr(OH) 3 ·3H 2 O, was crystalline, highly soluble, i.e. unstable, with a tendency to transform into the stable amorphous hydroxide Cr(OH) 3 (am) phase. Mixed Fe 0.75 Cr 0.25 (OH) 3 hydroxides were found to be of the ferrihydrite structure, Fe(OH) 3 , and we correlated their solubility to that of a solid solution formed by plain ferrihydrite and the amorphous Cr(III) hydroxide. Both our experimental results and thermodynamic calculations indicated that mixed Fe(III)–Cr(III) hydroxides are more effective enhancers of groundwater quality, in comparison to the plain amorphous or crystalline Cr(III) hydroxides, the latter found to have a solubility typically higher than 50 μg/l (maximum EU permitted Cr level in drinking water), while the amorphous Cr(OH) 3 (am) phase was within the drinking water threshold in the range 5.7 0.75 Cr 0.25 (OH) 3 hydroxides studied were of extended stability in the 4.8 < pH < 13.5 range

CMPO-calix[4]arenes and the influence of structural modifications on the Eu(III), Am(III), Cm(III) separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, C.; Braekers, D.; Desreux, J.F.; Kasyan, O.; Miroshnichenko, S.; Rudzevich, V.; Boehmer, V.

2008-01-01

The syntheses of new calix[4]arenes featuring CMPO groups on the wide rim are reported and the extraction of Am(III) and Eu(III) from concentrated HNO 3 aqueous phases are discussed with reference to the properties of the symmetric tetra-CMPO derivative 1. All extraction studies were conducted in the same experimental conditions which allows to directly compare the dependence of the distribution coefficients of various calixarenes on the acid concentration (0.1 M 3 ] < 5 M). Calix[4]arene 1 becomes a very poor extractant if the length of the aliphatic chain between the amide and phosphine oxide groups of CMPO is increased, if the bridging methylene groups are replaced by sulfur atoms or if the macrocyclic cavity size is increased. By contrast, mixed amide - CMPO calix[4]arenes are nearly as effective than 1. Moreover, Am(III)/Cm(III) separation coefficients between 1.5 and 3 have been obtained with unsymmetrical calix[4]arenes of type 1 with different aliphatic chains grafted on the narrow rim. Guidelines to anticipate the extraction ability of calix[4]arenes remain elusive because of the intricate solution behavior of these compounds. (orig.)

Inner-sphere and outer-sphere complexes of yttrium(III), lanthanum (III), neodymium(III), terbium(III) and thulium(III) with halide ions in N,N-dimethylformamide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Ryouta; Ishiguro, Shin-ichi

1991-01-01

The formation of chloro, bromo and iodo complexes of yttrium(III), and bromo and iodo complexes of lanthanum(III), neodymium(III), terbium(III) and thulium(III) has been studied by precise titration calorimetry in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) at 25 o C. The formation of [YCl] 2+ , [YCl 2 ] + , [YCl 3 ] and [YCl 4 ] - , and [MBr] 2+ and [MBr 2 ] + (M = Y, La, Nd, Tb, Tm) was revealed, and their formation constants, enthalpies and entropies were determined. It is found that the formation enthalpies change in the sequence ΔH o (Cl) > ΔH o (l), which is unusual for hard metal (III) ions. This implies that, unlike the chloride ion, the bromide ion forms outer-sphere complexes with the lanthanide(III) and yttrium(III) ions in DMF. Evidence for either an inner- or outer-sphere complex was obtained from 89 Y NMR spectra for Y(ClO 4 ) 3 , YCl 3 and YBr 3 DMF solutions at room temperature. (author)

A mass transfer origin for blue stragglers in NGC 188 as revealed by half-solar-mass companions.

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Aaron M; Mathieu, Robert D

2011-10-19

In open star clusters, where all members formed at about the same time, blue straggler stars are typically observed to be brighter and bluer than hydrogen-burning main-sequence stars, and therefore should already have evolved into giant stars and stellar remnants. Correlations between blue straggler frequency and cluster binary star fraction, core mass and radial position suggest that mass transfer or mergers in binary stars dominates the production of blue stragglers in open clusters. Analytic models, detailed observations and sophisticated N-body simulations, however, argue in favour of stellar collisions. Here we report that the blue stragglers in long-period binaries in the old (7 × 10(9)-year) open cluster NGC 188 have companions with masses of about half a solar mass, with a surprisingly narrow mass distribution. This conclusively rules out a collisional origin, as the collision hypothesis predicts a companion mass distribution with significantly higher masses. Mergers in hierarchical triple stars are marginally permitted by the data, but the observations do not favour this hypothesis. The data are highly consistent with a mass transfer origin for the long-period blue straggler binaries in NGC 188, in which the companions would be white dwarfs of about half a solar mass.

Diagnostic imaging in companion animal theriogenology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Root, C.R.; Spaulding, K.A.

1994-01-01

Clinical assessment of reproductive problems in companion animals is greatly enhanced by the availability of various imaging modalities. Specifically, survey radiography, contrast radiography, real-time ultrasonography, and ultrasound-guided biopsy and/or aspiration cytology, alone or in various combinations, offer sophisticated methods of extension of the physical examination of the reproductive systems of dogs and cats. In particular, real-time ultrasonography offers invaluable assistance. It is nonionizing, largely noninvasive, rapid, and capable of providing certain dynamic information that is not conveniently available in any other way. Judging from its rapid growth in recent years, it has apparently become an integral part of the complete reproductive assessment of domestic animals. This is not to slight the importance of some of the contrast radiographic procedures that have been developed and refined. Some of them, such as maximum distention retrograde urothrocystography, provide unique information not available with presently routinely used ultrasound techniques. Other imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging, have heretofore provided limited benefit to theriogenology; that will probably change in years to come

Characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from Austrian companion animals and horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginders, Maximilian; Leschnik, Michael; Künzel, Frank; Kampner, Doris; Mikula, Claudia; Steindl, Georg; Eichhorn, Inga; Feßler, Andrea T; Schwarz, Stefan; Spergser, Joachim; Loncaric, Igor

2017-11-14

The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic relatedness and the antimicrobial resistance profiles of a collection of Austrian Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from companion animals and horses. A total of 12 non-repetitive isolates presumptively identified as S. pneumoniae were obtained during routinely diagnostic activities between March 2009 and January 2017. Isolates were confirmed as S. pneumoniae by bile solubility and optochin susceptibility testing, matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and sequence analysis of a part recA and the 16S rRNA genes. Isolates were further characterized by pneumolysin polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genotyped by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed and resistance genes were detected by specific PCR assays. All isolates were serotyped. Four sequence types (ST) (ST36, ST3546, ST6934 and ST6937) and four serotypes (3, 19A, 19F and 23F) were detected. Two isolates from twelve displayed a multidrug-resistance pheno- and genotype. This study represents the first comprehensive investigation on characteristics of S. pneumoniae isolates recovered from Austrian companion animals and horses. The obtained results indicate that common human sero- (23F) and sequence type (ST36) implicated in causing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) may circulate in dogs. Isolates obtained from other examined animals seem to be host-adapted.

A spectroscopic and photometric study of MSP companions in Galactic Globular Clusters

OpenAIRE

Cocozza, Gabriele

2008-01-01

This Thesis is devoted to the study of the optical companions of Millisecond Pulsars in Galactic Globular Clusters (GCs) as a part of a large project started at the Department of Astronomy of the Bologna University, in collaboration with other institutions (Astronomical Observatory of Cagliari and Bologna, University of Virginia), specifically dedicated to the study of the environmental effects on passive stellar evolution in galactic GCs. Globular Clusters are very efficien...

A search for a distant companion to the sun with the wide-field infrared survey explorer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luhman, K. L.

2014-01-01

I have used multi-epoch astrometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer to perform a search for a distant companion to the Sun via its parallactic motion. I have not found an object of this kind down to W2 = 14.5. This limit corresponds to analogs of Saturn and Jupiter at 28,000 and 82,000 AU, respectively, according to models of the Jovian planets by Fortney and coworkers. Models of brown dwarfs by Burrows and coworkers predict fainter fluxes at a given mass for the age of the solar system, producing a closer distance limit of 26,000 AU for a Jupiter-mass brown dwarf. These constraints exclude most combinations of mass and separation at which a solar companion has been suggested to exist by various studies over the years.

On the Observability of Individual Population III Stars and Their Stellar-mass Black Hole Accretion Disks through Cluster Caustic Transits

Science.gov (United States)

Windhorst, Rogier A.; Timmes, F. X.; Wyithe, J. Stuart B.; Alpaslan, Mehmet; Andrews, Stephen K.; Coe, Daniel; Diego, Jose M.; Dijkstra, Mark; Driver, Simon P.; Kelly, Patrick L.; Kim, Duho

2018-02-01

We summarize panchromatic Extragalactic Background Light data to place upper limits on the integrated near-infrared surface brightness (SB) that may come from Population III stars and possible accretion disks around their stellar-mass black holes (BHs) in the epoch of First Light, broadly taken from z ≃ 7–17. Theoretical predictions and recent near-infrared power spectra provide tighter constraints on their sky signal. We outline the physical properties of zero-metallicity Population III stars from MESA stellar evolution models through helium depletion and of BH accretion disks at z≳ 7. We assume that second-generation non-zero-metallicity stars can form at higher multiplicity, so that BH accretion disks may be fed by Roche-lobe overflow from lower-mass companions. We use these near-infrared SB constraints to calculate the number of caustic transits behind lensing clusters that the James Webb Space Telescope and the next-generation ground-based telescopes may observe for both Population III stars and their BH accretion disks. Typical caustic magnifications can be μ ≃ {10}4{--}{10}5, with rise times of hours and decline times of ≲ 1 year for cluster transverse velocities of {v}T≲ 1000 km s‑1. Microlensing by intracluster-medium objects can modify transit magnifications but lengthen visibility times. Depending on BH masses, accretion-disk radii, and feeding efficiencies, stellar-mass BH accretion-disk caustic transits could outnumber those from Population III stars. To observe Population III caustic transits directly may require monitoring 3–30 lensing clusters to {AB}≲ 29 mag over a decade.

RETIRED A STARS AND THEIR COMPANIONS. III. COMPARING THE MASS-PERIOD DISTRIBUTIONS OF PLANETS AROUND A-TYPE STARS AND SUN-LIKE STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Johnson, John Asher; Liu, Michael C.; Marcy, Geoffrey W.; Peek, Kathryn M. G.; Henry, Gregory W.; Fischer, Debra A.; Clubb, Kelsey I.; Reffert, Sabine; Schwab, Christian; Lowe, Thomas B.

2010-01-01

We present an analysis of ∼5 years of Lick Observatory radial velocity measurements targeting a uniform sample of 31 intermediate-mass (IM) subgiants (1.5 ∼ * /M sun ∼ +9 -8 %, which is significantly higher than the 5%-10% frequency observed around solar-mass stars. The median detection threshold for our sample includes minimum masses down to {0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.6, 1.3} M Jup within {0.1, 0.3, 0.6, 1.0, 3.0} AU. To compare the properties of planets around IM stars to those around solar-mass stars we synthesize a population of planets based on the parametric relationship dN ∝ M α P β dlnMdlnP, the observed planet frequency, and the detection limits we derived. We find that the values of α and β for planets around solar-type stars from Cumming et al. fail to reproduce the observed properties of planets in our sample at the 4σ level, even when accounting for the different planet occurrence rates. Thus, the properties of planets around A stars are markedly different than those around Sun-like stars, suggesting that only a small (∼50%) increase in stellar mass has a large influence on the formation and orbital evolution of planets.

Pedagogical Agents as Learning Companions: The Role of Agent Competency and Type of Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yanghee; Baylor, Amy L.

2006-01-01

This study was designed to examine the effects of the competency (low vs. high) and interaction type (proactive vs. responsive) of pedagogical agents as learning companions (PALs) on learning, self-efficacy, and attitudes. Participants were 72 undergraduates in an introductory computer-literacy course who were randomly assigned to one of four…

Fusion Power Demonstration III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J.D.

1985-07-01

This is the third in the series of reports covering the Fusion Power Demonstration (FPD) design study. This volume considers the FPD-III configuration that incorporates an octopole end plug. As compared with the quadrupole end-plugged designs of FPD-I and FPD-II, this octopole configuration reduces the number of end cell magnets and shortens the minimum ignition length of the central cell. The end-cell plasma length is also reduced, which in turn reduces the size and cost of the end cell magnets and shielding. As a contiuation in the series of documents covering the FPD, this report does not stand alone as a design description of FPD-III. Design details of FPD-III subsystems that do not differ significantly from those of the FPD-II configuration are not duplicated in this report

Evidence for Companion-induced Secular Changes in the Turbulent Disk of a Be Star in the Large Magellanic Cloud MACHO Database

Science.gov (United States)

Struble, Mitchell F.; Galatola, Anthony; Faccioli, Lorenzo; Alcock, Charles; Cruz, Kelle

2006-04-01

The light curve of a blue variable in the MACHO LMC database (FTS ID 78.5979.72) appeared nearly unvarying for about 4 yr (the quasi-flat segment) but then rapidly changed to become periodic with noisy minima for the remaining 4 yr (the periodic segment); there are no antecedent indications of a gradual approach to this change. Lomb periodogram analyses indicate the presence of two distinct periods of ~61 and 8 days in both the quasi-flat and the periodic segments. Minima of the periodic segment cover at least 50% of the orbital period and contain spikes of light with the 8 day period; maxima do not show this short period. The system typically shows maxima to be redder than minima. The most recent OGLE-III light curve shows only a 30 day periodicity. The variable's V and R magnitudes and color are those of a Be star, and recent sets of near-infrared spectra 4 days apart, secured during the time of the OGLE-III data, show Hα emission near and at a maximum, confirming its Be star characteristics. The model that best fits the photometric behavior consists of a thin ringlike circumstellar disk of low mass with four obscuring sectors orbiting the central B star in unison at the 61 day period. The central star peers through the three equispaced separations between the four sectors producing the 8 day period. These sectors could be dusty vortices comprised of particles larger than typical interstellar dust grains that dim but selectively scatter the central star's light, while the remainder of the disk contains hydrogen in emission, making maxima appear redder. A companion star of lower mass in an inclined and highly eccentric orbit produces an impulsive perturbation near its periastron to change the disk's orientation, changing eclipses from partial to complete within ~10 days. The most recent change to a 30 day period observed in the OGLE-III data may be caused by obscuring sectors that have coalesced into larger ones and spread out along the disk.

The nutritional management of gastrointestinal tract disorders in companion animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Guilford, W G; Matz, M E

2003-12-01

Dietary protein, carbohydrates, fats and fibre have marked influences on gastrointestinal tract function and dysfunction. This article reviews the nutritional management of common gastrointestinal disorders in companion animals and introduces some of the current areas of research including probiotics, prebiotics, protein-hydrolysate diets, immunonutrition and dietary fibre. Nutritional management of oesophageal disease revolves around varying the consistency of the diet and feeding the animal from an elevated container. Provision of bowel rest remains the mainstay of the management of acute gastroenteritis but food-based oral rehydration solutions are a useful adjunct. The recommended diet for chronic small bowel diarrhoea is a highly digestible, hypoallergenic, gluten-free, low-lactose and low-fat diet with modest amounts of fermentable fibre. The use of probiotics in the management of diarrhoea in companion animals has not yet been shown to be beneficial. It is likely that prebiotics will prove more effective than probiotics in the prevention of enteropathogenic infections. Approximately 50% of cats in New Zealand that suffer from chronic idiopathic vomiting or diarrhoea will respond to a novel-protein-elimination diet and approximately 30% meet the diagnostic criteria for food sensitivity. Growing evidence supports the use of protein-hydrolysate diets in the management of inflammatory bowel disease and further advances in immunonutrition are expected. The dietary management of colitis should include a hypoallergenic diet with a fermentable fibre source. Manipulation of the diet provides clinicians a powerful therapeutic strategy to be used alone or concurrently with drug therapy in the management of gastrointestinal disorders.

A COMPANION AS THE CAUSE OF LATITUDE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS IN THE WIND OF ETA CARINAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groh, J. H.; Madura, T. I.; Weigelt, G.; Hillier, D. J.; Kruip, C. J. H.

2012-01-01

We analyze spatially resolved spectroscopic observations of the Eta Carinae binary system obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope/STIS. Eta Car is enshrouded by the dusty Homunculus nebula, which scatters light emitted by the central binary and provides a unique opportunity to study a massive binary system from different vantage points. We investigate the latitudinal and azimuthal dependence of Hα line profiles caused by the presence of a wind-wind collision (WWC) cavity created by the companion star. Using two-dimensional radiative transfer models, we find that the wind cavity can qualitatively explain the observed line profiles around apastron. Regions of the Homunculus which scatter light that propagated through the WWC cavity show weaker or no Hα absorption. Regions scattering light that propagated through a significant portion of the primary wind show stronger P Cygni absorption. Our models overestimate the Hα absorption formed in the primary wind, which we attribute to photoionization by the companion, not presently included in the models. We can qualitatively explain the latitudinal changes that occur during periastron, shedding light on the nature of Eta Car's spectroscopic events. Our models support the idea that during the brief period of time around periastron when the primary wind flows unimpeded toward the observer, Hα absorption occurs in directions toward the central object and Homunculus SE pole, but not toward equatorial regions close to the Weigelt blobs. We suggest that observed latitudinal and azimuthal variations are dominated by the companion star via the WWC cavity, rather than by rapid rotation of the primary star.

SUBSTELLAR-MASS COMPANIONS TO THE K-DWARF BD+14 4559 AND THE K-GIANTS HD 240210 AND BD+20 2457

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niedzielski, A.; Nowak, G.; Adamow, M.; Wolszczan, A.

2009-01-01

We present the discovery of substellar-mass companions to three stars by the ongoing Penn State-Torun Planet Search conducted with the 9.2 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The K2-dwarf, BD+14 4559, has a 1.5 M J minimum mass companion with the orbital period of 269 days and shows a non-linear, long-term radial velocity (RV) trend, which indicates a possible presence of another planet-mass body in the system. The K3-giant, HD 240210, exhibits RV variations that require modeling with multiple orbits, but the available data are not yet sufficient to do it unambiguously. A tentative, one-planet model calls for a 5.2 M J minimum mass planet in a 502 day orbit around the star. The most massive of the three stars, the K2-giant, BD+20 2457, whose estimated mass is 2.8 ± 1.5 M sun , has two companions with the respective minimum masses of 21.4 M J and 12.5 M J and orbital periods of 380 and 622 days. Depending on the unknown inclinations of the orbits, the currently very uncertain mass of the star, and the dynamical properties of the system, it may represent the first detection of two brown dwarf-mass companions orbiting a giant. The existence of such objects will have consequences for the interpretation of the so-called brown dwarf desert known to exist in the case of solar-mass stars.

The effect of D123 wheat as a companion crop on soil enzyme activities, microbial biomass and microbial communities in the rhizosphere of watermelon.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Weihui; Wang, Zhigang; Wu, Fengzhi

2015-01-01

The growth of watermelon is often threatened by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon) in successively monocultured soil, which results in economic loss. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of D123 wheat as a companion crop on soil enzyme activities, microbial biomass and microbial communities in the rhizosphere of watermelon and to explore the relationship between the effect and the incidence of wilt caused by Fon. The results showed that the activities of soil polyphenol oxidase, urease and invertase were increased, the microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) and microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) were significantly increased, and the ratio of MBC/MBN was decreased (P Fusarium wilt was also decreased in the watermelon/wheat companion system. In conclusion, this study indicated that D123 wheat as a companion crop increased soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass, decreased the Fon population, and changed the relative abundance of microbial communities in the rhizosphere of watermelon, which may be related to the reduction of Fusarium wilt in the watermelon/wheat companion system.

ACCOMPANY: ACceptable robotiCs COMPanions for AgeiNg Years: multidimensional aspects of human-system interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amirabdollahian, Farshid; op den Akker, Hendrikus J.A.; Bedaf, Sandra; Bormann, Richard; Draper, Heather; Gelderblom, Gert Jan; Evers, Vanessa; Gutierrez Ruiz, Carolina; Hewson, David; Iacono, Iolanda; Koay, Kheng Lee; Krose, Ben; Marti, Patrizia; Prevot-Huille, Helene; Reiser, Ulrich; Saunders, Joe; Sorell, Tom; Dautenhahn, Kerstin

2013-01-01

With changes in life expectancy across the world, technologies enhancing well-being of individuals, specifically for older people, are subject to a new stream of research and development. In this paper we present the ACCOMPANY project, a pan-European project which focuses on home companion

Accompany: Acceptable robotiCs COMPanions for AgeiNg Years - Multidimensional Aspects of Human-System Interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amirabdollahian, F.; Akker, op den R.; Bedaf, S.; Bormann, R.; Draper, H.; Gelderblom, G.J.; Gutierrez Ruiz, C.; Hewson, D.; Iacono, I.; Koay, K.L.; Kröse, B.; Marti, P.; Prevot-Huille, H.; Reiser, U.; Saunders, J.; Sorell, T.; Dautenhahn, K.; Paja, W.A.; Wilamowski, B.M.

2013-01-01

With changes in life expectancy across the world, technologies enhancing well-being of individuals, specifically for older people, are subject to a new stream of research and development. In this paper we present the ACCOMPANY project, a pan-European project which focuses on home companion

How I Learned to Swim: The Visual Journal as a Companion to Creative Inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Scott Shields, Sara

2016-01-01

In this paper, I discuss my engagement with a visual journal as a companion to creative research practice during my dissertation research. Grounded in arts based research methodologies; I explore visual journals in relationship to research, reflection and analytic processes. I begin with a discussion of the visual journal as an artifact of…

Evaluation of the hybrid III and Q-series pediatric ATD upper neck loads as compared to pediatric volunteers in low-speed frontal crashes.

Science.gov (United States)

Seacrist, Thomas; Mathews, Emily A; Balasubramanian, Sriram; Maltese, Matthew R; Arbogast, Kristy B

2013-11-01

Debate exists in the automotive community regarding the validity of the pediatric ATD neck response and corresponding neck loads. Previous research has shown that the pediatric ATDs exhibit hyper-flexion and chin-to-chest contact resulting in overestimations of neck loads and neck injury criteria. Our previous work comparing the kinematics of the Hybrid III and Q-series 6 and 10-year-old ATDs to pediatric volunteers in low-speed frontal sled tests revealed decreased ATD cervical and thoracic spine excursions. These kinematic differences may contribute to the overestimation of upper neck loads by the ATD. The current study compared upper neck loads of the Hybrid III and Q-series 6 and 10-year-old ATDs against size-matched male pediatric volunteers in low-speed frontal sled tests. A 3-D near-infrared target tracking system quantified the position of markers on the ATD and pediatric volunteers (head top, nasion, bilateral external auditory meatus). Shear force (F x ), axial force (F z ), bending moment (M y ), and head angular acceleration ([Formula: see text]) were calculated about the upper neck using standard equations of motion. In general, the ATDs underestimated axial force and overestimated bending moment compared to the human volunteers. The Hybrid III 6, Q6, and Q10 exhibited reduced head angular acceleration and modest increases in upper neck shear compared to the pediatric volunteers. The reduction in axial force and bending moment has important implications for neck injury predictions as both are used when calculating N ij . These analyses provide insight into the biofidelity of the pediatric ATD upper neck loads in low-speed crash environments.

An Architecture for Emotional and Context-Aware Associative Learning for Robot Companions

OpenAIRE

Rizzi Raymundo, C.; Johnson, C. G.; Vargas, P. A.

2015-01-01

This work proposes a theoretical architectural model based on the brain's fear learning system with the purpose of generating artificial fear conditioning at both stimuli and context abstraction levels in robot companions. The proposed architecture is inspired by the different brain regions involved in fear learning, here divided into four modules that work in an integrated and parallel manner: the sensory system, the amygdala system, the hippocampal system and the working memory. Each of the...

Magazine "Companion Websites" and the Demand for Newsstand Sales and Subscriptions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaiser, Ulrich; Kongsted, H.C.

2012-01-01

analysis finds some support for the widespread belief that the Internet cannibalizes print media. On average, a 1% increase in companion website traffic is associated with a weakly significant decrease in total print circulation by 0.15%. This association is mainly driven by a statistically significant...... and negative mapping between website visits and kiosk sales, although they do not find any statistically significant relationship between website visits and subscriptions. The latter finding is reassuring for publishers because advertisers value a large subscriber base. Moreover, the authors show...

Evidence for Nemesis: a solar companion star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, R.A.

1985-01-01

The evidence that the sun has a companion star ''Nemesis'' responsible for periodic mass extinctions is reviewed. A gaussian ideogram of the rates of family extinctions in the oceans shows periods of 26 and 30 Myr. Analysis of impact cratering on the earth shows a period of either 28.4 or 30 Myr, depending on the crater selection. Models which attempt to explain these periods with either oscillations through the galactic plane, or through the effects of a tenth planet, are seriously flawed. If the periods seen in the data are real (and not a spurious result of a statistical fluctuation) then the ''Nemesis hypothesis'' is the only suggested explanation that has survived close scrutiny. The Nemesis model predicts that the impacts took place during brief storms of several million years duration, perhaps accounting for the ''extended'' nature of the mass extinctions. A search for Nemesis is under way at Berkeley. 18 refs., 4 figs

Hubble Space Telescope Trigonometric Parallax of Polaris B, Companion of the Nearest Cepheid

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Howard E.; Nelan, Edmund P.; Remage Evans, Nancy; Schaefer, Gail H.; Harmer, Dianne

2018-01-01

Polaris, the nearest and brightest Cepheid, is a potential anchor point for the Leavitt period–luminosity relation. However, its distance is a matter of contention, with recent advocacy for a parallax of ∼10 mas, in contrast with the Hipparcos measurement of 7.54 ± 0.11 mas. We report an independent trigonometric parallax determination, using the Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) on the Hubble Space Telescope. Polaris itself is too bright for FGS, so we measured its eighth-magnitude companion Polaris B, relative to a network of background reference stars. We converted the FGS relative parallax to absolute, using estimated distances to the reference stars from ground-based photometry and spectral classification. Our result, 6.26 ± 0.24 mas, is even smaller than that found by Hipparcos. We note other objects for which Hipparcos appears to have overestimated parallaxes, including the well-established case of the Pleiades. We consider possible sources of systematic error in the FGS parallax, but find no evidence they are significant. If our “long” distance is correct, the high luminosity of Polaris indicates that it is pulsating in the second overtone of its fundamental mode. Our results raise several puzzles, including a long pulsation period for Polaris compared to second-overtone pulsators in the Magellanic Clouds, and a conflict between the isochrone age of Polaris B (∼2.1 Gyr) and the much younger age of Polaris A. We discuss possibilities that B is not a physical companion of A, in spite of the strong evidence that it is, or that one of the stars is a merger remnant. These issues may be resolved when Gaia provides parallaxes for both stars. Based in part on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained by the Space Telescope Science Institute. STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

Solvent extraction of anionic chelate complexes of lanthanum(III), europium(III), lutetium(III), scandium(III), and indium(III) with 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone as ion-pairs with tetrabutylammonium ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noro, Junji; Sekine, Tatsuya.

1992-01-01

The solvent extraction of lanthanum(III), europium(III), lutetium(III), scandium(III), and indium(III) in 0.1 mol dm -3 sodium nitrate solutions with 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone (Htta) in the absence and presence of tetrabutylammonium ions (tba + ) into carbon tetrachloride was measured. The extraction of lanthanum(III), europium(III), and lutetium(III) was greatly enhanced by the addition of tba + ; this could be explained in terms of the extraction of a ternary complex, M(tta) 4 - tba + . However, the extractions of scandium(III) and indium(III) were nearly the same when tba + was added. The data were treated on the basis of the formation equilibrium of the ternary complex from the neutral chelate, M(tta) 3 , with the extracted ion-pairs of the reagents, tta - tba + , in the organic phase. It was concluded that the degree of association of M(tta) 3 with the ion-pair, tta - tba + , is greater in the order La(tta) 3 ≅ Eu(tta) 3 > Lu(tta) 3 , or that the stability of the ternary complex in the organic phase is higher in the order La(tta) 4 - tba + ≅ Eu(tta) 4 - tba + > Lu(tta) 4 - tba + . This is similar to those of adduct metal chelates of Htta with tributylphosphate (TBP) in synergistic extraction systems. (author)

DISCOVERY OF A GAS-RICH COMPANION TO THE EXTREMELY METAL-POOR GALAXY DDO 68

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cannon, John M.; Alfvin, Erik D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105 (United States); Johnson, Megan; Koribalski, Baerbel [Australia Telescope National Facility, CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, P.O. Box 76, NSW 1710, Epping (Australia); McQuinn, Kristen B. W.; Skillman, Evan D. [Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Bailin, Jeremy [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama, P.O. Box 870324, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0324 (United States); Ford, H. Alyson [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 2, Green Bank, WV 24944 (United States); Girardi, Léo [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova—INAF, Vicolo dell' Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Hirschauer, Alec S.; Janowiecki, Steven; Salzer, John J.; Van Sistine, Angela [Department of Astronomy, Indiana University, 727 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405 (United States); Dolphin, Andrew [Raytheon Company, 1151 E. Hermans Road, Tucson, AZ 85756 (United States); Elson, E. C. [Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravity Centre (ACGC), Department of Astronomy, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701 (South Africa); Marigo, Paola; Rosenfield, Philip [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia Galileo Galilei, Universitá degli Studi di Padova, Vicolo dell' Osservatorio 3, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Rosenberg, Jessica L. [School of Physics, Astronomy, and Computational Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030 (United States); Venkatesan, Aparna [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 (United States); Warren, Steven R., E-mail: jcannon@macalester.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, CSS Bldg., Rm. 1024, Stadium Drive, College Park, MD 20742-2421 (United States)

2014-05-20

We present H I spectral-line imaging of the extremely metal-poor galaxy DDO 68. This system has a nebular oxygen abundance of only ∼3% Z {sub ☉}, making it one of the most metal-deficient galaxies known in the local volume. Surprisingly, DDO 68 is a relatively massive and luminous galaxy for its metal content, making it a significant outlier in the mass-metallicity and luminosity-metallicity relationships. The origin of such a low oxygen abundance in DDO 68 presents a challenge for models of the chemical evolution of galaxies. One possible solution to this problem is the infall of pristine neutral gas, potentially initiated during a gravitational interaction. Using archival H I spectral-line imaging obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, we have discovered a previously unknown companion of DDO 68. This low-mass (M{sub H} {sub I} = 2.8 × 10{sup 7} M {sub ☉}), recently star-forming (SFR{sub FUV} = 1.4 × 10{sup –3} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}, SFR{sub Hα} < 7 × 10{sup –5} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}) companion has the same systemic velocity as DDO 68 (V {sub sys} = 506 km s{sup –1}; D = 12.74 ± 0.27 Mpc) and is located at a projected distance of ∼42 kpc. New H I maps obtained with the 100 m Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope provide evidence that DDO 68 and this companion are gravitationally interacting at the present time. Low surface brightness H I gas forms a bridge between these objects.

A white dwarf companion to the main-sequence star 4 Omicron(1) Orionis and the binary hypothesis for the origin of peculiar red giants

Science.gov (United States)

Ake, Thomas B.; Johnson, Hollis R.

1988-01-01

Ultraviolet spectra of the peculiar red giants (PRGs) called MS stars are investigated, and the discovery of a white dwarf (WD) companion to the MS star 4 Omicron(1) Orionis is reported. The observations and data analysis are discussed and compared with those for field WDs in order to derive parameters for the WD and the luminosity of the primary. Detection limits for the other MS stars investigated are derived, and the binary hypothesis for PRGs is reviewed.

Evaluation of cross-protection by immunization with an experimental trivalent companion animal periodontitis vaccine in the mouse periodontitis model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardham, John; Sfintescu, Cornelia; Evans, Richard T

2008-03-01

Companion animal periodontal disease is one of the most prevalent diseases seen by veterinarians. The goal of this study was to evaluate the vaccine performance of a trivalent canine periodontitis vaccine in the mouse oral challenge model of periodontitis. Mice vaccinated subcutaneously with an inactivated, whole-cell vaccine preparation of Porphyromonas denticanis, Porphyromonas gulae, and Porphyromonas salivosa displayed significantly reduced alveolar bone loss in response to heterologous and cross-species challenges as compared to sham vaccinated animals. Based on the results of these studies, a periodontitis vaccine may be a useful tool in preventing the initiation and progression of periodontitis caused by the most commonly isolated pigmenting anaerobic bacteria in animals.

Radiation protection in category III large gamma irradiators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, Neivaldo; Furlan, Gilberto Ribeiro; Itepan, Natanael Marcio

2011-01-01

This article discusses the advantages of category III large gamma irradiator compared to the others, with emphasis on aspects of radiological protection, in the industrial sector. This category is a kind of irradiators almost unknown to the regulators authorities and the industrial community, despite its simple construction and greater radiation safety intrinsic to the model, able to maintain an efficiency of productivity comparable to those of category IV. Worldwide, there are installed more than 200 category IV irradiators and there is none of a category III irradiator in operation. In a category III gamma irradiator, the source remains fixed in the bottom of the tank, always shielded by water, negating the exposition risk. Taking into account the benefits in relation to radiation safety, the category III large irradiators are highly recommended for industrial, commercial purposes or scientific research. (author)

Community perceptions towards the new role of traditional birth attendants as birth companions and nutrition advocates in Kakamega County, Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Anono, Esther L; Ochola, Sophie; Wawire, Salome; Ogada, Irene; Ndedda, Crispin; Kung'u, Jacqueline K

2018-02-01

Delivery with skilled birth attendants is important for reducing maternal mortality in developing countries. However, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) are abundant in such settings, managing deliveries without the skills and resources necessary to prevent mortality in this situations. Interventions that have been proposed to mitigate the situation include redefining the role of TBAs to nutrition advocates and birth companions for pregnant women to health facilities. We thus explored community perceptions on these new roles of TBAs, as birth companions and nutrition advocates, and their influence on health facility deliveries in Kakamega County, Kenya. Qualitative data was collected through key informant interviews with health workers and focus group discussions with lactating mothers, pregnant women, husbands, community leaders, community health volunteers, and TBA. Content analysis was conducted; data was organized into subthemes and conclusions made from each subtheme using Atlas.ti software. TBAs adopted their birth companion role as the majority offered companionship to mothers delivering at health facilities. Mothers were happy with this role as TBAs continued providing companionship even after delivery. The community members were happy with the new role of TBAs and reported increased deliveries at the health facilities. In contrast, TBAs did not adopt the nutrition advocacy role sufficiently. We found that redefining the role of the TBAs into birth companions to support facility-based delivery is thus feasible and acceptable. Nutrition advocacy by the TBAs should be strengthened to maximize on the opportunity provided by the close association between TBAs and mothers and the community. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An unsuccessful search for brown dwarf companions to white dwarf stars

Science.gov (United States)

Shipman, Harry L.

1986-01-01

The results of a survey to detect excess infrared emission from white dwarf stars which would be attributable to a low mass companion are reviewed. Neither a simple comparison of spectroscopically identified white dwarf stars with the IRAS Point Source Catalog nor the coadding of IRAS survey data resulted in a detection of a brown dwarf. The seven nearest stars where the most stringent limits to the presence of a brown dwarf were obtained are listed, and an effort to detect brown dwarfs in the solar neighborhood is discussed.

The Young Substellar Companion ROXs 12 B: Near-infrared Spectrum, System Architecture, and Spin-Orbit Misalignment

Science.gov (United States)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Kraus, Adam L.; Bryan, Marta L.; Knutson, Heather A.; Brogi, Matteo; Rizzuto, Aaron C.; Mace, Gregory N.; Vanderburg, Andrew; Liu, Michael C.; Hillenbrand, Lynne A.; Cieza, Lucas A.

2017-10-01

ROXs 12 (2MASS J16262803-2526477) is a young star hosting a directly imaged companion near the deuterium-burning limit. We present a suite of spectroscopic, imaging, and time-series observations to characterize the physical and environmental properties of this system. Moderate-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy of ROXs 12 B from Gemini-North/NIFS and Keck/OSIRIS reveals signatures of low surface gravity including weak alkali absorption lines and a triangular H-band pseudocontinuum shape. No signs of Paβ emission are evident. As a population, however, we find that about half (46% ± 14%) of young (≲15 Myr) companions with masses ≲20 M Jup possess actively accreting subdisks detected via Paβ line emission, which represents a lower limit on the prevalence of circumplanetary disks in general, as some are expected to be in a quiescent phase of accretion. The bolometric luminosity of the companion and age of the host star ({6}-2+4 Myr) imply a mass of 17.5 ± 1.5 M Jup for ROXs 12 B based on hot-start evolutionary models. We identify a wide (5100 au) tertiary companion to this system, 2MASS J16262774-2527247, that is heavily accreting and exhibits stochastic variability in its K2 light curve. By combining v sin I * measurements with rotation periods from K2, we constrain the line-of-sight inclinations of ROXs 12 A and 2MASS J16262774-2527247 and find that they are misaligned by {{60}-11+7}^\\circ . In addition, the orbital axis of ROXs 12 B is likely misaligned from the spin axis of its host star, ROXs 12 A, suggesting that ROXs 12 B formed akin to fragmenting binary stars or in an equatorial disk that was torqued by the wide stellar tertiary. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The observatory was made possible by the generous financial support

NEW EXTINCTION AND MASS ESTIMATES FROM OPTICAL PHOTOMETRY OF THE VERY LOW MASS BROWN DWARF COMPANION CT CHAMAELEONTIS B WITH THE MAGELLAN AO SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Ya-Lin; Close, Laird M.; Males, Jared R.; Morzinski, Katie M.; Follette, Katherine B.; Bailey, Vanessa; Rodigas, Timothy J.; Hinz, Philip [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Barman, Travis S. [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Puglisi, Alfio; Xompero, Marco; Briguglio, Runa, E-mail: yalinwu@email.arizona.edu [INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze (Italy)

2015-03-01

We used the Magellan adaptive optics system and its VisAO CCD camera to image the young low mass brown dwarf companion CT Chamaeleontis B for the first time at visible wavelengths. We detect it at r', i', z', and Y{sub S}. With our new photometry and T {sub eff} ∼ 2500 K derived from the shape of its K-band spectrum, we find that CT Cha B has A{sub V} = 3.4 ± 1.1 mag, and a mass of 14-24 M{sub J} according to the DUSTY evolutionary tracks and its 1-5 Myr age. The overluminosity of our r' detection indicates that the companion has significant Hα emission and a mass accretion rate ∼6 × 10{sup –10} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}, similar to some substellar companions. Proper motion analysis shows that another point source within 2'' of CT Cha A is not physical. This paper demonstrates how visible wavelength adaptive optics photometry (r', i', z', Y{sub S}) allows for a better estimate of extinction, luminosity, and mass accretion rate of young substellar companions.

Uranium (III)-Plutonium (III) co-precipitation in molten chloride

Science.gov (United States)

Vigier, Jean-François; Laplace, Annabelle; Renard, Catherine; Miguirditchian, Manuel; Abraham, Francis

2018-02-01

Co-management of the actinides in an integrated closed fuel cycle by a pyrochemical process is studied at the laboratory scale in France in the CEA-ATALANTE facility. In this context the co-precipitation of U(III) and Pu(III) by wet argon sparging in LiCl-CaCl2 (30-70 mol%) molten salt at 705 °C is studied. Pu(III) is prepared in situ in the molten salt by carbochlorination of PuO2 and U(III) is then introduced as UCl3 after chlorine purge by argon to avoid any oxidation of uranium up to U(VI) by Cl2. The oxide conversion yield through wet argon sparging is quantitative. However, the preferential oxidation of U(III) in comparison to Pu(III) is responsible for a successive conversion of the two actinides, giving a mixture of UO2 and PuO2 oxides. Surprisingly, the conversion of sole Pu(III) in the same conditions leads to a mixture of PuO2 and PuOCl, characteristic of a partial oxidation of Pu(III) to Pu(IV). This is in contrast with coconversion of U(III)-Pu(III) mixtures but in agreement with the conversion of Ce(III).

A Comparative Test of the Interval-Scale Properties of Magnitude Estimation and Case III Scaling and Recommendations for Equal-Interval Frequency Response Anchors.

Science.gov (United States)

Schriesheim, Chester A.; Novelli, Luke, Jr.

1989-01-01

Differences between recommended sets of equal-interval response anchors derived from scaling techniques using magnitude estimations and Thurstone Case III pair-comparison treatment of complete ranks were compared. Differences in results for 205 undergraduates reflected differences in the samples as well as in the tasks and computational…

Synthesis, characterization and stability of Cr(III) and Fe(III) hydroxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papassiopi, N.; Vaxevanidou, K.; Christou, C.; Karagianni, E.; Antipas, G.S.E., E-mail: gantipas@metal.ntua.gr

2014-01-15

Highlights: • Fe(III)–Cr(III) hydroxides enhance groundwater quality better than pure Cr(III) compounds. • Crystalline Cr(OH){sub 3}·3H{sub 2}O was unstable, with a solubility higher than 50 μg/l. • Amorphous Cr(OH){sub 3}(am) was stable with a solubility lower than 50 μg/l in the range 5.7 < pH < 11. • For mixed Fe{sub 0.75}Cr{sub 0.25}(OH){sub 3}, the stability region was extended to 4.8 < pH < 13.5. -- Abstract: Chromium is a common contaminant of soils and aquifers and constitutes a major environmental problem. In nature, chromium usually exists in the form of two oxidation states, trivalent, Cr(III), which is relatively innocuous for biota and for the aquatic environment, and hexavalent, Cr(VI) which is toxic, carcinogenic and very soluble. Accordingly, the majority of wastewater and groundwater treatment technologies, include a stage where Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III), in order to remove chromium from the aqueous phase and bind the element in the form of environmentally stable solid compounds. In the absence of iron the final product is typically of the form Cr(OH){sub 3}·xH{sub 2}O whereas in the presence of iron the precipitate is a mixed Fe{sub (1−x)}Cr{sub x}(OH){sub 3} phase. In this study, we report on the synthesis, characterisation and stability of mixed (Fe{sub x},Cr{sub 1−x})(OH){sub 3} hydroxides as compared to the stability of Cr(OH){sub 3}. We established that the plain Cr(III) hydroxide, abiding to the approximate molecular formula Cr(OH){sub 3}·3H{sub 2}O, was crystalline, highly soluble, i.e. unstable, with a tendency to transform into the stable amorphous hydroxide Cr(OH){sub 3}(am) phase. Mixed Fe{sub 0.75}Cr{sub 0.25}(OH){sub 3} hydroxides were found to be of the ferrihydrite structure, Fe(OH){sub 3}, and we correlated their solubility to that of a solid solution formed by plain ferrihydrite and the amorphous Cr(III) hydroxide. Both our experimental results and thermodynamic calculations indicated that mixed Fe(III)–Cr(III

Diglycolic acid modified zirconium phosphate and studies on the extraction of Am(III) and Eu(III) from dilute nitric acid medium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selvan, B. Robert; Suneesh, A.S.; Venkatesan, K.A.; Antony, M.P. [Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam (India). Fuel Chemistry Division; Dasthaiah, K.; Gardas, R.L. [Indian Institute of Technology - Madras, Chennai (India). Dept. of Chemistry

2017-06-01

Diglycolic acid modified zirconium phosphate (ZrP-DGA) was prepared and studied for the extraction of Am(III) and Eu(III) from dilute nitric acid medium. The distribution coefficient (K{sub d}, mL.g{sup -1}) of Am(III) and Eu(III) was measured as a function of time, pH and concentration of Eu(III) ion etc. The K{sub d} of Am(III) and Eu(III) increased with increase of pH, reached a maximum value of distribution coefficient at pH 1.5 - 2, followed by decrease in K{sub d} values. Rapid extraction of Am(III) and Eu(III) in ZrP-DGA was observed followed by the establishment of equilibrium occurred in 100 min. Kinetics of extraction was fitted in to pseudo second order rate equation. The amount of Eu(III) loaded in ZrP-DGA increased with increase in the concentration of Eu(III) ion in aqueous phase and the isotherm was fitted in to Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. The extraction of Am(III) in ZrP-DGA was higher as compared to Eu(III) and the interference of Eu(III) on the extraction of Am(III) was studied. The distribution coefficient of some lanthanides in ZrP-DGA was measured and the K{sub d} of lanthanides increased across the lanthanide series. The extracted trivalent metal ions were recovered in three contacts of loaded ZrP-DGA with 0.5 M nitric acid.

Phase III randomized clinical trial comparing tremelimumab with standard-of-care chemotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ribas, Antoni; Kefford, Richard; Marshall, Margaret A.; Punt, Cornelis J. A.; Haanen, John B.; Marmol, Maribel; Garbe, Claus; Gogas, Helen; Schachter, Jacob; Linette, Gerald; Lorigan, Paul; Kendra, Kari L.; Maio, Michele; Trefzer, Uwe; Smylie, Michael; McArthur, Grant A.; Dreno, Brigitte; Nathan, Paul D.; Mackiewicz, Jacek; Kirkwood, John M.; Gomez-Navarro, Jesus; Huang, Bo; Pavlov, Dmitri; Hauschild, Axel

2013-01-01

In phase I/II trials, the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4-blocking monoclonal antibody tremelimumab induced durable responses in a subset of patients with advanced melanoma. This phase III study evaluated overall survival (OS) and other safety and efficacy end points in patients with

Phase III randomized clinical trial comparing tremelimumab with standard-of-care chemotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ribas, A.; Kefford, R.; Marshall, Martin; Punt, C.J.A.; Haanen, J.B.; Marmol, M.; Garbe, C.; Gogas, H.; Schachter, J.; Linette, G.; Lorigan, P.; Kendra, K.L.; Maio, M.; Trefzer, U.; Smylie, M.; McArthur, G.A.; Dreno, B.; Nathan, P.D.; Mackiewicz, J.; Kirkwood, J.M.; Gomez-Navarro, J.; Huang, B.; Pavlov, D.; Hauschild, A.

2013-01-01

PURPOSE: In phase I/II trials, the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4-blocking monoclonal antibody tremelimumab induced durable responses in a subset of patients with advanced melanoma. This phase III study evaluated overall survival (OS) and other safety and efficacy end points in patients

Binary and ternary chelates of scandium (III), Yttrium (III) and lanthanum (III) with ethyleneglycol-bis(. beta. -aminoethylether)-tetraacetic acid as primary and substituted salicylic acids as secondary ligands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pandey, A K; Chandra, M; Agarwala, B V; Dey, A K [Allahabad Univ. (India). Chemical Labs.

1980-01-01

Formation constants of binary and ternary complexes of the systems of the type: M-L and M-egta-L (M = scandium(III), yttrium(III) and lanthanum(III), egta = ethylene glycol-bis(..beta..-aminoethylether)-tetra acetic acid, L = o-cresotic acid (o-ca), m-cresotic acid (m-ca), 5-chlorosalicyclic acid(csa), and 3,5-dibromosalicylic acid (dbsa)) have been determined pH-metrically at 25deg and ..mu.. = 0.1M (KNO/sub 3/) in 50% (v/v) aqueous-ethanol medium. The order of stabilities of ternary complexes has been compared with those of corresponding binary complexes, and results discussed on the basis of coulombic interactions.

Automated Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Treatment Planning for Stage III Lung Cancer: How Does It Compare With Intensity-Modulated Radio Therapy?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quan, Enzhuo M. [Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Chang, Joe Y.; Liao Zhongxing [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Xia Tingyi [Department of Radiation Oncology, Beijing 301 Hospital, Beijing (China); Yuan Zhiyong [Department of Radiation Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Tianjin (China); Liu Hui [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhongshan University Hospital, Guangzhou (China); Li, Xiaoqiang; Wages, Cody A.; Mohan, Radhe [Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Zhang Xiaodong, E-mail: xizhang@mdanderson.org [Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States)

2012-09-01

Purpose: To compare the quality of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans generated by an automated inverse planning system with that of dosimetrist-generated IMRT treatment plans for patients with stage III lung cancer. Methods and Materials: Two groups of 8 patients with stage III lung cancer were randomly selected. For group 1, the dosimetrists spent their best effort in designing IMRT plans to compete with the automated inverse planning system (mdaccAutoPlan); for group 2, the dosimetrists were not in competition and spent their regular effort. Five experienced radiation oncologists independently blind-reviewed and ranked the three plans for each patient: a rank of 1 was the best and 3 was the worst. Dosimetric measures were also performed to quantitatively evaluate the three types of plans. Results: Blind rankings from different oncologists were generally consistent. For group 1, the auto-VMAT, auto-IMRT, and manual IMRT plans received average ranks of 1.6, 2.13, and 2.18, respectively. The auto-VMAT plans in group 1 had 10% higher planning tumor volume (PTV) conformality and 24% lower esophagus V70 (the volume receiving 70 Gy or more) than the manual IMRT plans; they also resulted in more than 20% higher complication-free tumor control probability (P+) than either type of IMRT plans. The auto- and manual IMRT plans in this group yielded generally comparable dosimetric measures. For group 2, the auto-VMAT, auto-IMRT, and manual IMRT plans received average ranks of 1.55, 1.75, and 2.75, respectively. Compared to the manual IMRT plans in this group, the auto-VMAT plans and auto-IMRT plans showed, respectively, 17% and 14% higher PTV dose conformality, 8% and 17% lower mean lung dose, 17% and 26% lower mean heart dose, and 36% and 23% higher P+. Conclusions: mdaccAutoPlan is capable of generating high-quality VMAT and IMRT treatment plans for stage III lung cancer. Manual IMRT plans could achieve quality

Automated Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Treatment Planning for Stage III Lung Cancer: How Does It Compare With Intensity-Modulated Radio Therapy?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quan, Enzhuo M.; Chang, Joe Y.; Liao Zhongxing; Xia Tingyi; Yuan Zhiyong; Liu Hui; Li, Xiaoqiang; Wages, Cody A.; Mohan, Radhe; Zhang Xiaodong

2012-01-01

Purpose: To compare the quality of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans generated by an automated inverse planning system with that of dosimetrist-generated IMRT treatment plans for patients with stage III lung cancer. Methods and Materials: Two groups of 8 patients with stage III lung cancer were randomly selected. For group 1, the dosimetrists spent their best effort in designing IMRT plans to compete with the automated inverse planning system (mdaccAutoPlan); for group 2, the dosimetrists were not in competition and spent their regular effort. Five experienced radiation oncologists independently blind-reviewed and ranked the three plans for each patient: a rank of 1 was the best and 3 was the worst. Dosimetric measures were also performed to quantitatively evaluate the three types of plans. Results: Blind rankings from different oncologists were generally consistent. For group 1, the auto-VMAT, auto-IMRT, and manual IMRT plans received average ranks of 1.6, 2.13, and 2.18, respectively. The auto-VMAT plans in group 1 had 10% higher planning tumor volume (PTV) conformality and 24% lower esophagus V70 (the volume receiving 70 Gy or more) than the manual IMRT plans; they also resulted in more than 20% higher complication-free tumor control probability (P+) than either type of IMRT plans. The auto- and manual IMRT plans in this group yielded generally comparable dosimetric measures. For group 2, the auto-VMAT, auto-IMRT, and manual IMRT plans received average ranks of 1.55, 1.75, and 2.75, respectively. Compared to the manual IMRT plans in this group, the auto-VMAT plans and auto-IMRT plans showed, respectively, 17% and 14% higher PTV dose conformality, 8% and 17% lower mean lung dose, 17% and 26% lower mean heart dose, and 36% and 23% higher P+. Conclusions: mdaccAutoPlan is capable of generating high-quality VMAT and IMRT treatment plans for stage III lung cancer. Manual IMRT plans could achieve quality

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in companion dogs with diarrhea in Beijing, China, and genetic characteristics of Giardia and Cryptosporidium species.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhongjia; Ruan, Yang; Zhou, Mengjie; Chen, Siyuan; Zhang, Yinxin; Wang, Liya; Zhu, Guan; Yu, Yonglan

2018-01-01

Companion animals including dogs are one of the important components in One Health. Parasites may cause not only diseases in pet animals but also many zoonotic diseases infecting humans. In this study, we performed a survey of intestinal parasites in fecal specimens (n = 485) collected from outpatient pet dogs with diarrhea in Beijing, China, for the entire year of 2015 by microscopic examination (all parasites) and SSU rRNA-based nested PCR detection (Giardia and Cryptosporidium). We observed a total of 124 (25.6%) parasite-positive specimens that contained one or more parasites, including Giardia duodenalis (12.8%), Cryptosporidium spp. (4.9%), Cystoisospora spp. (4.3%), trichomonads (4.3%), Toxocara canis (3.5%), Trichuris vulpis (0.6%), and Dipylidium caninum (0.2%). Among the 55 dog breeds, infection rates were significantly higher in border collies and bulldogs, but lower in poodles (p PCR, 20 PCR amplicons could be sequenced and identified as Cryptosporidium canis (n = 20). Collectively, this study indicates that parasites are a significant group of pathogens in companion dogs in Beijing, and companion dogs may potentially transmit certain zoonotic parasites to humans, particularly those with weak or weakened immunity.

A LIKELY CLOSE-IN LOW-MASS STELLAR COMPANION TO THE TRANSITIONAL DISK STAR HD 142527

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biller, Beth; Benisty, Myriam; Chauvin, Gael; Olofsson, Johan; Pott, Jörg-Uwe; Müller, André; Bonnefoy, Mickaël; Henning, Thomas; Lacour, Sylvestre; Thebault, Philippe; Juhász, Attila; Sicilia-Aguilar, Aurora; Tuthill, Peter; Crida, Aurelien

2012-01-01

With the uniquely high contrast within 0.''1 (Δmag(L') = 5-6.5 mag) available using Sparse Aperture Masking with NACO at Very Large Telescope, we detected asymmetry in the flux from the Herbig Fe star HD 142527 with a barycenter emission situated at a projected separation of 88 ± 5 mas (12.8 ± 1.5 AU at 145 pc) and flux ratios in H, K, and L' of 0.016 ± 0.007, 0.012 ± 0.008, and 0.0086 ± 0.0011, respectively (3σ errors), relative to the primary star and disk. After extensive closure-phase modeling, we interpret this detection as a close-in, low-mass stellar companion with an estimated mass of ∼0.1-0.4 M ☉ . HD 142527 has a complex disk structure, with an inner gap imaged in both the near and mid-IR as well as a spiral feature in the outer disk in the near-IR. This newly detected low-mass stellar companion may provide a critical explanation of the observed disk structure.

K-KIDS: The Imaging Survey for Stellar Companions at Solar System Scales Around More than 1000 K Dwarfs

Science.gov (United States)

Nusdeo, Daniel A.

2018-01-01

An initial sample of 1048 K dwarfs, hereafter known as the “K-KIDS” targets, was built from the Hipparcos and 2MASS catalogs in order to construct a robust list for a multiplicity survey. There have been two recent comprehensive stellar multiplicity surveys of low mass stars: Raghavan et. al. (2010) searched 454 solar-type stars and found a stellar multiplicity rate of 50%, and Winters et. al. (2017) surveyed 1121 M dwarfs and found a rate of 27%. A gap still remains in our understanding of the multiplicity rate of K dwarfs.For observational purposes, K-KIDS is confined equatorally to -30 < DEC < +30 to ensure that all stars are observable from either hemisphere, thereby creating a legacy sample that can be investigated for decades for stellar, brown dwarf, and planetary companions of various types. The RECONS team is conducting four companion surveys of these 1048 stars, including imaging surveys at various separations --- large (10+ arcseconds), medium (2–10 arcseconds), and small (0.02–2 arcseconds) --- and a radial velocity survey for the closest companions. Here we report on the small separation survey that targets scales similar to our Solar System, 0.1-100 AU, carried out using the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument on the Gemini and WIYN telescopes. To date, we have observed 964 out of 1048 systems, already finding 135 companions. We present a sample of K dwarf double stars with separations less than 100 AU, of which the vast majority are new discoveries. Further progress on the medium and large separation regimes ensures that a statistically significant stellar multiplicity rate for K dwarfs will soon be in achieved, which can then be investigated for dependences on, for example, stellar age and metallicity.This effort has been supported by the NSF through grant AST-1517413 and via observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory (North and South telescopes), which is operated by AURA under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the

Aqueous phase complexation of Cm(III) and Cf(III) with ionizable macrocyclic ligands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manchanda, V.K.; Mohapatra, P.K.

1995-01-01

Complexation behaviour of Cm(III) and Cf(III) with 1,7-diaza-4,10,13-trioxacyclopentadecane-N,N'-diacetic acid (K21DA), 1,10-diaza-4,7,13,16-tetraoxacyclooctadecane-N,N'-diacetic acid (K22DA) and ethylene diamine N,N'- diacetic acid (EDDA) has been investigated using dinonyl naphthalene sulphonic acid (DNNS), in tetramethyl ammonium form as liquid cation exchanger. The aqueous phase complex formation constants are computed from the distribution data. Though larger complex formation constants are observed with K21DA as well as K22DA compared to those with the acyclic analog EDDA, no size correlation is observed. (author). 5 refs., 1 tab

Analogues of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI-III) with elastase inhibitory activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Rózycki, J; Kupryszewski, G; Rolka, K; Ragnarsson, U; Zbyryt, T; Krokoszyńska, I; Wilusz, T

1994-04-01

Three new CMTI-III analogues containing the Val residue in the reactive site (position 5) were synthesized by the solid-phase method. The analogues displayed an elastase inhibitory activity. It is shown that the removal of the N-terminal Arg residue and the introduction of the Gly-Pro-Gln tripeptide in the region 23-25 decreases the antielastase activity by two orders of magnitude. The removal of the disulfide bridge in positions 16-28 and the substitution of Ala for Cys16 and Gly for Cys28 decreases the activity (measured as Ka with HLE) by five orders of magnitude as compared with [Val5]CMTI-III.

Characterization of the atmosphere of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-32Ab and the M-dwarf companion HAT-P-32B

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Ming; Wright, Jason T.; Curtis, Jason [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, PA 16802 (United States); O' Rourke, Joseph G.; Knutson, Heather A.; Ngo, Henry [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Burrows, Adam [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 4 Ivy Lane, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Fortney, Johnathan [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Fulton, Benjamin J.; Baranec, Christoph [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai' i at Mānoa, Hilo, HI 96720-2700 (United States); Riddle, Reed; Hinkley, Sasha [Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Law, Nicholas M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255 (United States); Muirhead, Philip S. [Department of Astronomy, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Showman, Adam P. [Department of Planetary Sciences and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Burruss, Rick, E-mail: mingzhao@psu.edu [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, CA 91109 (United States)

2014-12-01

We report secondary eclipse photometry of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-32Ab, taken with Hale/Wide-field Infra-Red Camera (WIRC) in H and K{sub S} bands and with Spitzer/IRAC at 3.6 and 4.5 μm. We carried out adaptive optics imaging of the planet host star HAT-P-32A and its companion HAT-P-32B in the near-IR and the visible. We clearly resolve the two stars from each other and find a separation of 2.''923 ± 0.''004 and a position angle 110.°64 ± 0.°12. We measure the flux ratios of the binary in g'r'i'z' and H and K{sub S} bands, and determine T {sub eff}= 3565 ± 82 K for the companion star, corresponding to an M1.5 dwarf. We use PHOENIX stellar atmosphere models to correct the dilution of the secondary eclipse depths of the hot Jupiter due to the presence of the M1.5 companion. We also improve the secondary eclipse photometry by accounting for the non-classical, flux-dependent nonlinearity of the WIRC IR detector in the H band. We measure planet-to-star flux ratios of 0.090% ± 0.033%, 0.178% ± 0.057%, 0.364% ± 0.016%, and 0.438% ± 0.020% in the H, K{sub S} , 3.6 and 4.5 μm bands, respectively. We compare these with planetary atmospheric models, and find they prefer an atmosphere with a temperature inversion and inefficient heat redistribution. However, we also find that the data are equally well described by a blackbody model for the planet with T {sub p} = 2042 ± 50 K. Finally, we measure a secondary eclipse timing offset of 0.3 ± 1.3 minutes from the predicted mid-eclipse time, which constrains e = 0.0072{sub −0.0064}{sup +0.0700} when combined with radial velocity data and is more consistent with a circular orbit.

Planets around Low-mass Stars (PALMS). I. A Substellar Companion to the Young M Dwarf 1RXS J235133.3+312720

Science.gov (United States)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Liu, Michael C.; Shkolnik, Evgenya L.; Dupuy, Trent J.; Cieza, Lucas A.; Kraus, Adam L.; Tamura, Motohide

2012-07-01

We report the discovery of a brown dwarf companion to the young M dwarf 1RXS J235133.3+312720 as part of a high contrast imaging search for planets around nearby young low-mass stars with Keck-II/NIRC2 and Subaru/HiCIAO. The 2farcs4 (~120 AU) pair is confirmed to be comoving from two epochs of high-resolution imaging. Follow-up low- and moderate-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy of 1RXS J2351+3127 B with IRTF/SpeX and Keck-II/OSIRIS reveals a spectral type of L0+2 -1. The M2 primary star 1RXS J2351+3127 A exhibits X-ray and UV activity levels comparable to young moving group members with ages of ~10-100 Myr. UVW kinematics based the measured radial velocity of the primary and the system's photometric distance (50 ± 10 pc) indicate it is likely a member of the ~50-150 Myr AB Dor moving group. The near-infrared spectrum of 1RXS J2351+3127 B does not exhibit obvious signs of youth, but its H-band morphology shows subtle hints of intermediate surface gravity. The spectrum is also an excellent match to the ~200 Myr M9 brown dwarf LP 944-20. Assuming an age of 50-150 Myr, evolutionary models imply a mass of 32 ± 6 M Jup for the companion, making 1RXS J2351+3127 B the second lowest-mass member of the AB Dor moving group after the L4 companion CD-35 2722 B and one of the few benchmark brown dwarfs known at young ages. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Companion diagnostics for the targeted therapy of gastric cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Changhoon; Park, Young Soo

2015-10-21

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer and represents a major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. With recent biomedical advances in our understanding of the molecular characteristics of gastric cancer, many genetic alterations have been identified as potential targets for its treatment. Multiple novel agents are currently under development as the demand for active agents that improve the survival of gastric cancer patients constantly increases. Based on lessons from previous trials of targeted agents, it is now widely accepted that the establishment of an optimal diagnostic test to select molecularly defined patients is of equal importance to the development of active agents against targetable genetic alterations. Herein, we highlight the current status and future perspectives of companion diagnostics in the treatment of gastric cancer.

Jet creation in post-AGB binaries: the circum-companion accretion disk around BD+46°442

Science.gov (United States)

Bollen, Dylan; Van Winckel, Hans; Kamath, Devika

2017-11-01

Aims: We aim at describing and understanding binary interaction processes in systems with very evolved companions. Here, we focus on understanding the origin and determining the properties of the high-velocity outflow observed in one such system. Methods: We present a quantitative analysis of BD+46°442, a post-AGB binary that shows active mass transfer that leads to the creation of a disk-driven outflow or jet. We obtained high-resolution optical spectra from the HERMES spectrograph, mounted on the 1.2 m Flemish Mercator Telescope. By performing a time-series analysis of the Hα profile, we identified the different components of the system. We deduced the jet geometry by comparing the orbital phased data with our jet model. In order to image the accretion disk around the companion of BD+46°442, we applied the technique of Doppler tomography. Results: The orbital phase-dependent variations in the Hα profile can be related to an accretion disk around the companion, from which a high-velocity outflow or jet is launched. Our model shows that there is a clear correlation between the inclination angle and the jet opening angle. The latitudinally dependent velocity structure of our jet model shows a good correspondence to the data, with outflow velocities higher than at least 400 km s-1. The intensity peak in the Doppler map might be partly caused by a hot spot in the disk, or by a larger asymmetrical structure in the disk. Conclusions: We show that BD+46°442 is a result of a binary interaction channel. The origin of the fast outflow in this system might be to a gaseous disk around the secondary component, which is most likely a main-sequence star. Our analysis suggests that the outflow has a rather wide opening angle and is not strongly collimated. Our time-resolved spectral monitoring reveals the launching site of the jet in the binary BD+46°442. Similar orbital phase-dependent Hα profiles are commonly observed in post-AGB binaries. Post-AGB binaries provide ideal

LUT REVEALS AN ALGOL-TYPE ECLIPSING BINARY WITH THREE ADDITIONAL STELLAR COMPANIONS IN A MULTIPLE SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, L.-Y.; Zhou, X.; Qian, S.-B.; Li, L.-J.; Liao, W.-P.; Tian, X.-M.; Wang, Z.-H. [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), P.O. Box 110, 650011 Kunming (China); Hu, J.-Y., E-mail: zhuly@ynao.ac.cn [National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100012 Beijing (China)

2016-04-15

A complete light curve of the neglected eclipsing binary Algol V548 Cygni in the UV band was obtained with the Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope in 2014 May. Photometric solutions are obtained using the Wilson–Devinney method. It is found that solutions with and without third light are quite different. The mass ratio without third light is determined to be q = 0.307, while that derived with third light is q = 0.606. It is shown that V548 Cygni is a semi-detached binary where the secondary component is filling the critical Roche lobe. An analysis of all available eclipse times suggests that there are three cyclic variations in the O–C diagram that are interpreted by the light travel-time effect via the presence of three additional stellar companions. This is in agreement with the presence of a large quantity of third light in the system. The masses of these companions are estimated as m sin i′ ∼ 1.09, 0.20, and 0.52 M{sub ⊙}. They are orbiting the central binary with orbital periods of about 5.5, 23.3, and 69.9 years, i.e., in 1:4:12 resonance orbit. Their orbital separations are about 4.5, 13.2, and 26.4 au, respectively. Our photometric solutions suggest that they contribute about 32.4% to the total light of the multiple system. No obvious long-term changes in the orbital period were found, indicating that the contributions of the mass transfer and the mass loss due to magnetic braking to the period variations are comparable. The detection of three possible additional stellar components orbiting a typical Algol in a multiple system make V548 Cygni a very interesting binary to study in the future.

Spectroscopic and thermodynamic study of the complexation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) with hydrophilic bis-triazinyl pyridines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruff, Christian

2013-01-01

In the present work the complexation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) with a hydrophilic 2,6-bis-(1,2,4-triazinyl)-pyridine (aq-BTP) is studied. Aq-BTP complexes actinides(III) selectively over lanthanides(III) in nitric acid solution. The object of this work is the identification and the spectroscopic and thermodynamic characterization of the Cm(III) and Eu(III) complex species present in solution. The results should contribute to a better fundamental understanding of the driving force behind BTPs selectivity towards trivalent actinides on a molecular level. Time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS), luminescence and UV/Vis spectroscopy are applied. Information on the structure of M(III)-aq-BTP complex species is obtained from density functional theory. Three different M(III) complex species containing one, two or three aq-BTP ligands are identified in H 2 O at pH 3.0. Relative fluorescence intensity factors are determined for each of the [M(aq-BTP) n ] complexes (M = Cm(III)/Eu(III), n = 1 - 3). These factors are required to quantify the complexes. The stability constant logβ 3 of the [Cm(aq-BTP) 3 ] complex (which is the one relevant to extraction processes) is two orders of magnitude higher than that of the corresponding Eu(III) complex. This difference is in agreement with the separation factor (SF Am(III)/Eu(III) = 150) determined experimentally by liquid-liquid extraction. The difference in the stability constants originates from the different reaction enthalpies for the formation of the [M(aq-BTP) 3 ] complexes. These results represent the thermodynamic driving force for the aq-BTPs selectivity towards trivalent actinides over lanthanides. Comparing the stability constants of the [M(aq-BTP) n ] species (M = Cm(III)/Eu(III), n = 1 - 3) shows an increasing selectivity with increasing number of coordinated aq-BTP ligands. Hence, high selectivity is achieved if the f-element ions are fully coordinated by nine N-donor atoms (three aq-BTP ligands). A less

Thermodecomposition of lanthanides (III) and ytrium (III) glucoheptonates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giolito, J.

1987-01-01

The lanthanides (III) and yttrium (III) glucoheptonates as well the D-glucoheptono 1-4 lactone were studied using common analytical methods, elemental microanalysis of carbon and hydrogen, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. These compounds were prepared from the reaction between the lanthanides (III) and yttrium (III) hydroxides and glucoheptonic acid aqueous solution obtained by means of the delta lactone hydrolysis of this acid. After stoichiometric reaction the compounds were precipitated by the addition of absolute ethanol, washed with the same solvent and dried in desiccator. Thermogravimetric the (TG) curves of the lanthanides glucoheptonates of the ceric group present thermal profiles with enough differences permitting an easy caracterization of each compound and the yttrium (III) glucoheptonate TG curve showed a great similarity with the erbium (III) compound TG curve. The differential scanning calometry (DSC) curves showed endothermic and exothermic peaks by their shape, height and position (temperature) permit an easy and rapid identification of each compound specially if DSC and TG curves were examined simultaneously. (author) [pt

Gender differences in Class III malocclusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Baccetti, Tiziano; Reyes, Brian C; McNamara, James A

2005-07-01

This study evaluated gender differences in the cephalometric records of a large-scale cross-sectional sample of Caucasian subjects with Class III malocclusion at different developmental ages. The purpose also was to provide average age-related and sex-related data for craniofacial measures in untreated Class III subjects that are used as reference in the diagnostic appraisal of the patient with Class III disharmony. The sample examined consisted of 1094 pretreatment lateral cephalometric records (557 female subjects and 537 male subjects) of Caucasian Class III individuals. The age range for female subjects was between three years six months and 57 years seven months. The male subject group ranged from three years three months to 48 years five months. Twelve age groups were identified. Skeletal maturity at different age periods also was determined using the stage of cervical vertebral maturation. Gender differences for all cephalometric variables were analyzed using parametric statistics. The findings of the study indicated that Class III malocclusion is associated with a significant degree of sexual dimorphism in craniofacial parameters, especially from the age of 13 onward. Male subjects with Class III malocclusion present with significantly larger linear dimensions of the maxilla, mandible, and anterior facial heights when compared with female subjects during the circumpubertal and postpubertal periods.

SPECTROSCOPY OF THE INNER COMPANION OF THE PULSAR PSR J0337+1715

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplan, David L.; Van Kerkwijk, Marten H.; Koester, Detlev; Stairs, Ingrid H.; Ransom, Scott M.; Archibald, Anne M.; Hessels, Jason W. T.; Boyles, Jason

2014-01-01

The hierarchical triple system PSR J0337+1715 offers an unprecedented laboratory to study secular evolution of interacting systems and to explore the complicated mass-transfer history that forms millisecond pulsars and helium-core white dwarfs. The latter in particular, however, requires knowledge of the properties of the individual components of the system. Here we present precise optical spectroscopy of the inner companion in the PSR J0337+1715 system. We confirm it as a hot, low-gravity DA white dwarf with T eff = 15, 800 ± 100 K and log 10 (g) = 5.82 ± 0.05. We also measure an inner mass ratio of 0.1364 ± 0.0015, entirely consistent with that inferred from pulsar timing, and a systemic radial velocity of 29.7 ± 0.3 km s –1 . Combined with the mass (0.19751 M ☉ ) determined from pulsar timing, our measurement of the surface gravity implies a radius of 0.091 ± 0.005 R ☉ ; combined further with the effective temperature and extinction, the photometry implies a distance of 1300 ± 80 pc. The high temperature of the companion is somewhat puzzling: with current models, it likely requires a recent period of unstable hydrogen burning, and suggests a surprisingly short lifetime for objects at this phase in their evolution. We discuss the implications of these measurements in the context of understanding the PSR J0337+1715 system, as well as of low-mass white dwarfs in general

Comparing the prevalence rates of social phobia in a community according to ICD-10 and DSM-III-R Comparando estimativas de prevalência da fobia social na comunidade empregando-se a CID-10 e a DSM-III-R

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio Lopes Rocha

2005-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This population-based study aimed to compare the prevalence rates of social phobia using DSM-III-R and CID-10, based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI, in a Brazilian community. METHODS: This survey was carried out in a representative sample of 1,041 residents from Bambuí, Minas Gerais, Brazil (attrition rate = 14.7%. The Brazilian version of the CIDI was used. One-month, one-year and lifetime social phobia prevalence rates were estimated, employing the DSM-III-R and ICD-10 classifications, using the CIDI computer program. RESULTS: One-month, one-year, and life prevalence rates of social phobia, based on the DSM-III-R (7.9, 9.0 and 11.7% respectively were higher than those based on the ICD-10 (4.7, 5.2 and 6.7% respectively; p OBJETIVO: Este estudo populacional visa comparar estimativas de prevalência de fobia social empregando-se a CID-10 e a DSM-III-R em uma comunidade brasileira. MÉTODOS: O levantamento foi realizado em uma amostra representativa de 1.041 residentes de Bambuí, Minas Gerais, Brasil (perda = 14,7%. Foi utilizada a versão brasileira da Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI. As prevalências de 1 mês, 1 ano e vida foram estimadas empregando-se as classificações CID-10 e DSM-III-R, utilizando-se o programa de computador da CIDI. RESULTADOS: As prevalências de 1 mês, 1 ano e vida da fobia social, baseadas na DSM-III-R (7,9, 9,0 e 11,7% respectivamente foram mais elevadas que aquelas baseadas na CID-10 (4,7, 5,2 e 6,7%, respectivamente; p < 0,01 para todos. CONCLUSÃO: Nossos resultados reforçam a hipótese de que as taxas de prevalência de fobia social são mais elevadas quando baseadas na DSM-III-R em comparação com a CID-10.

Do Magazines' "Companion  Websites" Cannibalize the Demand for the Print Version?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaiser, Ulrich; Kongsted, Hans Christian

We analyze the extent to which visits to a magazine's companion website affects total circulation, subscription, kiosk sales and foreign sales using Granger causality tests on the basis of monthly data for the German magazine market spanning the period January 1998 to September 2005. We find...... evidence for positive effects of website visits on magazine subscription but negative effects on magazine kiosk sales. Contrary to the widespread belief that the Internet will cannibalize print media markets, our results do not, however, provide evidence for website visits adversely affecting total...

Anatomy and Disorders of the Oral Cavity of Miscellaneous Exotic Companion Mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Lennox, Angela M; Miwa, Yasutsugu

2016-09-01

Unusual mammalian species such as the hedgehog, sugar glider, and miniature pig are encountered with increasing frequency in exotic companion medicine. Disease of the oral cavity can occur in any species; although occasionally encountered in exotic mammalian species, it is rarely described in the literature. Anatomy and dentition vary significantly; diagnosis and treatment are often extrapolated from that known in other species. The best-documented disease of the oral cavity in this group of species is oral neoplasia in the hedgehog. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutritional ecology of obesity: from humans to companion animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Raubenheimer, David; Machovsky-Capuska, Gabriel E; Gosby, Alison K; Simpson, Stephen

2015-01-01

We apply nutritional geometry, a framework for modelling the interactive effects of nutrients on animals, to help understand the role of modern environments in the obesity pandemic. Evidence suggests that humans regulate the intake of protein energy (PE) more strongly than non-protein energy (nPE), and consequently will over- and under-ingest nPE on diets with low or high PE, respectively. This pattern of macronutrient regulation has led to the protein leverage hypothesis, which proposes that the rise in obesity has been caused partly by a shift towards diets with reduced PE:nPE ratios relative to the set point for protein regulation. We discuss potential causes of this mismatch, including environmentally induced reductions in the protein density of the human diet and factors that might increase the regulatory set point for protein and hence exacerbate protein leverage. Economics--the high price of protein compared with fats and carbohydrates--is one factor that might contribute to the reduction of dietary protein concentrations. The possibility that rising atmospheric CO₂ levels could also play a role through reducing the PE:nPE ratios in plants and animals in the human food chain is discussed. Factors that reduce protein efficiency, for example by increasing the use of ingested amino acids in energy metabolism (hepatic gluconeogenesis), are highlighted as potential drivers of increased set points for protein regulation. We recommend that a similar approach is taken to understand the rise of obesity in other species, and identify some key gaps in the understanding of nutrient regulation in companion animals.

Extraction of Am (III) and Nd (III): comparison of TODGA and TEHDGA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gujar, R.B.; Murali, M.S.; Ansari, S.A.; Manchanda, V.K.

2009-01-01

Belonging to the class of extractants, diglycolamides which are recently explored and promising for actinide partitioning, two reagents (N, N, N', N'-tetraoctyl diglycolamide) TODGA and its isomerically substituted counterpart, (N, N, N', N'- tetraethylhexyl diglycolamide) TEHDGA after addition of suitable phase modifiers, Dihexyoctanamide and isodecanol respectively in dodecane have been compared in their extraction abilities for Am (III) and Nd (III) from nitric acid as well as simulated high-level waste solutions (SHLW) equivalent to HLW arising from PHWR fuel reprocessing. Both 0.1M TODGA + 0.5M DHOA and 0.2M TEHDGA + 30% isodecanol in dodecane display high distribution ratios for the trivalent metal ions of f-elements. Similarities and differences in their extraction are discussed. (author)

The legal status of cats in New Zealand: a perspective on the welfare of companion, stray, and feral domestic cats (Felis catus).

Science.gov (United States)

Farnworth, Mark J; Dye, Nicholson G; Keown, Natasha

2010-01-01

Pinpointing and safeguarding the welfare status of domestic cats is problematic, especially in New Zealand where cats are introduced predators with significant impact on indigenous fauna. Usually the identification of welfare status depends on conservational, legal, and public attitudes that are often contrasting. Cats may rapidly transgress definitions placed on them, confounding attempts to categorize them. In 1 generation, cats can move from a human-dependent state ("stray" or "companion") to wild ("feral"). Often this categorization uses arbitrary behavioral and or situational parameters; consequent treatment and welfare protection for these cats are similarly affected. Terminology used to describe cats is not equitable across research. However, the New Zealand Animal Welfare (Companion Cats) Code of Welfare 2007 seeks to create a new definition of the terms companion, stray, and feral. It distinguishes between cats who live within and without human social constructs. This legislation mandates that cats in human environments or indirectly dependent on humans cannot be classified as feral. Such definitions may prove vital when safeguarding the welfare of free-living domestic cats and cat colonies.

76 FR 51993 - Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff on In Vitro Companion...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-19

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2011-D-0215] Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff on In Vitro Companion Diagnostic Devices; Extension of Comment Period AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice; extension...

A DISK AROUND THE PLANETARY-MASS COMPANION GSC 06214-00210 b: CLUES ABOUT THE FORMATION OF GAS GIANTS ON WIDE ORBITS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowler, Brendan P.; Liu, Michael C.; Kraus, Adam L.; Mann, Andrew W.; Ireland, Michael J.

2011-01-01

We present Keck OSIRIS 1.1-1.8 μm adaptive optics integral field spectroscopy of the planetary-mass companion to GSC 06214-00210, a member of the ∼5 Myr Upper Scorpius OB association. We infer a spectral type of L0 ± 1, and our spectrum exhibits multiple signs of youth. The most notable feature is exceptionally strong Paβ emission (EW = –11.4 ± 0.3 Å), which signals the presence of a circumplanetary accretion disk. The luminosity of GSC 06214-00210 b combined with its age yields a model-dependent mass of 14 ± 2 M Jup , making it the lowest-mass companion to show evidence of a disk. With a projected separation of 320 AU, the formation of GSC 06214-00210 b and other very low mass companions on similarly wide orbits is unclear. One proposed mechanism is formation at close separations followed by planet-planet scattering to much larger orbits. Since that scenario involves a close encounter with another massive body, which is probably destructive to circumplanetary disks, it is unlikely that GSC 06214-00210 b underwent a scattering event in the past. This implies that planet-planet scattering is not solely responsible for the population of gas giants on wide orbits. More generally, the identification of disks around young planetary companions on wide orbits offers a novel method to constrain the formation pathway of these objects, which is otherwise notoriously difficult to do for individual systems. We also refine the spectral type of the primary from M1 to K7 and detect a mild (2σ) excess at 22 μm using Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer photometry.

Archform comparisons between skeletal class II and III malocclusions.

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Wei Zou

Full Text Available The purpose of this cross-sectional research was to explore the relationship of the mandibular dental and basal bone archforms between severe Skeletal Class II (SC2 and Skeletal Class III (SC3 malocclusions. We also compared intercanine and intermolar widths in these two malocclusion types. Thirty-three virtual pretreatment mandibular models (Skeletal Class III group and Thirty-five Skeletal Class II group pretreatment models were created with a laser scanning system. FA (the midpoint of the facial axis of the clinical crownand WALA points (the most prominent point on the soft-tissue ridgewere employed to produce dental and basal bone archforms, respectively. Gained scatter diagrams of the samples were processed by nonlinear regression analysis via SPSS 17.0. The mandibular dental and basal bone intercanine and intermolar widths were significantly greater in the Skeletal Class III group compared to the Skeletal Class II group. In both groups, a moderate correlation existed between dental and basal bone arch widths in the canine region, and a high correlation existed between dental and basal bone arch widths in the molar region. The coefficient of correlation of the Skeletal Class III group was greater than the Skeletal Class II group. Fourth degree, even order power functions were used as best-fit functions to fit the scatter plots. The radius of curvature was larger in Skeletal Class III malocclusions compared to Skeletal Class II malocclusions (rWALA3>rWALA2>rFA3>rFA2. In conclusion, mandibular dental and basal intercanine and intermolar widths were significantly different between the two groups. Compared with Skeletal Class II subjects, the mandibular archform was more flat for Skeletal Class III subjects.

Sorption of trace amounts of gallium (III) on iron (III) oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Music, S.; Gessner, M.; Wolf, R.H.H.

1979-01-01

The sorption of trace amounts of gallium(III) on iron(III) oxide has been studied as a function of pH. Optimum conditions have been found for the preconcentration of traces of gallium(III) by iron(III) oxide. The influence of surface active substances and of complexing agents on the sorption of trace amounts of gallium(III) on iron(III) oxide has been also studied. (orig.) [de

Sorption of trace amounts of gallium (III) on iron (III) oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Music, S; Gessner, M; Wolf, R H.H. [Institut Rudjer Boskovic, Zagreb (Yugoslavia)

1979-01-01

The sorption of trace amounts of gallium(III) on iron(III) oxide has been studied as a function of pH. Optimum conditions have been found for the preconcentration of traces of gallium(III) by iron(III) oxide. The influence of surface active substances and of complexing agents on the sorption of trace amounts of gallium(III) on iron(III) oxide has been also studied.

Alarming Proportions of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Wound Samples from Companion Animals, Germany 2010–2012

Science.gov (United States)

Vincze, Szilvia; Stamm, Ivonne; Kopp, Peter A.; Hermes, Julia; Adlhoch, Cornelia; Semmler, Torsten; Wieler, Lothar H.; Lübke-Becker, Antina; Walther, Birgit

2014-01-01

Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is an important cause of wound infections in companion animals, and infections with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are of particular concern due to limited treatment options and their zoonotic potential. However, comparable epidemiological data on MRSA infections in dogs, cats and horses is scarce, also limiting the knowledge about possible links to MRSA isolates from human populations. To gain more knowledge about the occurrence and genotypic variation of MRSA among wound swabs of companion animal origin in Germany we performed a survey (2010–2012) including 5,229 samples from 1,170 veterinary practices. S. aureus was identified in 201 (5.8%) canine, 140 (12.2%) feline and 138 (22.8%) equine swabs from a total of 3,479 canine, 1,146 feline and 604 equine wounds, respectively. High MRSA rates were identified with 62.7%, 46.4% and 41.3% in S. aureus of canine, feline and equine origin, respectively. Further genotyping including spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) revealed a comparable distribution of spa types among canine and feline MRSA with CC22 (47.6%; 49.2%) and CC5 (30.2%; 29.2%) as predominant lineages followed by CC398 (13.5%; 7.7%) and CC8 (4.0%; 9.2%). In contrast, the majority of equine MRSA belonged to CC398 (87.7%). Our data highlight the importance of S. aureus and MRSA as a cause of wound infections, particularly in cats and horses in Germany. While “human-associated” MRSA lineages were most common in dogs and cats, a remarkable number of CC398-MRSA was detected in horses, indicating a replacement of CC8-MRSA as the predominant lineage within horses in Germany. These data enforce further longitudinal epidemiological approaches to examine the diversity and temporal relatedness of MRSA populations in humans and animals to assess probable sources of MRSA infections. This would enable a sound risk assessment and establishment of intervention strategies to limit the additional spread of MRSA. PMID

WISC-III e WAIS-III na avaliação da inteligência de cegos WISC-III/WAIS-III en ciegos WISC-III and WAIS-III in intellectual assessment of blind people

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth do Nascimento

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Diante da escassez de pesquisas nacionais e de testes psicológicos destinados a avaliar pessoas cegas, desenvolveu-se um estudo psicométrico com as escalas verbais dos testes WISC-III e WAIS-III. Após as adaptações de alguns estímulos e das instruções, os testes foram aplicados em crianças (N = 120 e adultos (N = 52 residentes em Belo Horizonte. Os resultados indicaram que as escalas verbais modificadas apresentam uma boa consistência interna (alfa> 0,80. Além disso, a investigação da validade fatorial identifica a presença clara de apenas um componente. Este componente explica 81% e 64% para o WISC-III e WAIS-III, respectivamente. Conclui-se que as adaptações a que se procedeu não afetaram a estrutura fatorial das escalas. Deste modo, os profissionais poderão utilizar as escalas modificadas para avaliar a inteligência de pessoas cegas.Frente a la escasez de investigaciones nacionales asi como la ausencia de tests psicológicos que evaluen personas ciegas, se ha desarrollado un estudio psicometrico com la escalas verbales del WISC-III y WAIS-III. Posteriormente a las adaptaciones de algunos estímulos y de las instrucciones, las escalas fueron aplicadas a una muestra de niños (n=120 y de adultos (n=52 residentes en la ciudad de Belo Horizonte-Brasil. Los resultados indican que las escalas verbales modificadas presentan una alta fiabilidad (alpha >0,80 asi como la presencia clara de un unico componente responsable por 81% y 64% de la variancia del WIC-III e WAIS-III respectivamente. Se ha concluido que las modificaciones efectuadas no han comprometido la estructura factorial de las escalas verbales. Por tanto, los profesionales psicólogos pueden utilizar las escalas modificadas para la evaluación de la inteligencia de personas portadoras de ceguera.Owing to the almost lack of a national research on psychological testing for the evaluation of blind people, a psychometric study has been developed with the WISC-III and WAIS-III

Environmentally-relevant concentrations of Al(III) and Fe(III) cations induce aggregation of free DNA by complexation with phosphate group.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Chao; Kang, Fuxing; Zhang, Wei; Shou, Weijun; Hu, Xiaojie; Gao, Yanzheng

2017-10-15

Environmental persistence of free DNA is influenced by its complexation with other chemical species and its aggregation mechanisms. However, it is not well-known how naturally-abundant metal ions, e.g., Al(III) and Fe(III), influence DNA aggregation. This study investigated aggregation behaviors of model DNA from salmon testes as influenced by metal cations, and elucidated the predominant mechanism responsible for DNA aggregation. Compared to monovalent (K + and Na + ) and divalent (Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ) cations, Al(III) and Fe(III) species in aqueous solution caused rapid DNA aggregations. The maximal DNA aggregation occurred at 0.05 mmol/L Al(III) or 0.075 mmol/L Fe(III), respectively. A combination of atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that Al(III) and Fe(III) complexed with negatively charged phosphate groups to neutralize DNA charges, resulting in decreased electrostatic repulsion and subsequent DNA aggregation. Zeta potential measurements and molecular computation further support this mechanism. Furthermore, DNA aggregation was enhanced at higher temperature and near neutral pH. Therefore, DNA aggregation is collectively determined by many environmental factors such as ion species, temperature, and solution pH. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indication of the Hanle Effect by Comparing the Scattering Polarization Observed by CLASP in the Ly α and Si iii 120.65 nm Lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishikawa, R.; Kubo, M.; Kano, R.; Narukage, N.; Bando, T.; Katsukawa, Y.; Giono, G.; Suematsu, Y.; Hara, H. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Institutes of Natural Science, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Bueno, J. Trujillo [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Uitenbroek, H. [National Solar Observatory, 3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Tsuneta, S.; Ishikawa, S.; Shimizu, T.; Sakao, T. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Goto, M. [National Institute for Fusion Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Winebarger, A.; Kobayashi, K. [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, ZP 13, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Cirtain, J. [University of Virginia, Department of Astronomy, 530 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Champey, P. [University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); and others

2017-05-20

The Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter is a sounding rocket experiment that has provided the first successful measurement of the linear polarization produced by scattering processes in the hydrogen Ly α line (121.57 nm) radiation of the solar disk. In this paper, we report that the Si iii line at 120.65 nm also shows scattering polarization and we compare the scattering polarization signals observed in the Ly α and Si iii lines in order to search for observational signatures of the Hanle effect. We focus on four selected bright structures and investigate how the U / I spatial variations vary between the Ly α wing, the Ly α core, and the Si iii line as a function of the total unsigned photospheric magnetic flux estimated from Solar Dynamics Observatory /Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager observations. In an internetwork region, the Ly α core shows an antisymmetric spatial variation across the selected bright structure, but it does not show it in other more magnetized regions. In the Si iii line, the spatial variation of U / I deviates from the above-mentioned antisymmetric shape as the total unsigned photospheric magnetic flux increases. A plausible explanation of this difference is the operation of the Hanle effect. We argue that diagnostic techniques based on the scattering polarization observed simultaneously in two spectral lines with very different sensitivities to the Hanle effect, like Ly α and Si iii, are of great potential interest for exploring the magnetism of the upper solar chromosphere and transition region.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DEGRADATION OF ISOPROTURON (3-(4-isopropylphenyl-1,1dimethylurea PHOTOINDUCED BY FE(III AND FE(III-PHOTOINDUCED SONOCHEMICAL IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

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S Azizi

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The degradation of isoproturon 3-(4-isopropylphenyl-1,1dimethylurea photoinduced by Fe(III in aqueous solution has been investigated. The rate of degradation depends on the concentration of Fe(OH2+, the most photoreactive species in terms of .OH radical formation. These .OH radicals are able to degrade isoproturon until total mineralisation. The formation  of  Fe(II in the irradiated solution was monitored. The sonophotochemical degradation of isoproturon has been found to be dependent on the intensity of sonication. The combination of ultrasound and photochemistry has been used to degrade an aqueous solution of Isoproturon (IP. The degradation of IP in aqueous solution was investigated under sonolysis at         500 kHz and in the presence of Fe(III, as well as under simultaneous sonolysis and photoinduced Fe(III. Coupling photolysis with ultrasound for degradation of IP has been developed. The photosonochemical decomposition rate constant is greater than the additive rate constants of the two processes. Degradation products were analysed by CG/MS performed in the electron-impact (EI mode, at 70 eV potential using full scan mode. Degradation photoproducts were identified and a mechanism of degradation is proposed for two processes.

Dramatic improvement in photostability of luminescent Eu(III) complexes with tetraphenylimidodiphosphinate ligand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Wei; Li, Shu-Jing; Li, Cheng-Hui; Zheng, You-Xuan; You, Xiao-Zeng

2014-01-01

In this paper, we synthesized and characterized a new Eu(III) tetraphenylimidodiphosphinate complex with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as co-ligand. Moreover, we compared the photostability of a series of Eu(III) complexes containing tetraphenylimidodiphosphinate ligands, Eu(tpip) 3 , Eu(tpip) 3 Phen, Eu(tpip) 3 DMSO, with their analogs of 1,3-dibenzoylmethanate, Eu(dbm) 3 ∙2H 2 O, Eu(dbm) 3 Phen, Eu(dbm) 3 (DMSO) 2 . We found that the photostability of the luminescent Eu(III) complexes was significantly improved upon substitution of the 1,3-diketones with tetraphenylimidodiphosphinate ligands. -- Highlights: • We synthesized and characterized a new Eu(III) tetraphenylimidodiphosphinate complexes with dimethyl sulfoxide. • We compared the photostability of Eu(III) complex with tetraphenylimidodiphosphinate and 1,3-dibenzoylmethanate ligands. • The photostability is significantly improved in Eu(III) complexes with tetraphenylimidodiphosphinate ligands

John E. King (ed.), The Elgar Companion to Post Keynesian Economics (Second edition)

OpenAIRE

Forges Davanzati, Guglielmo

2015-01-01

This book—an extended version of the first Companion (2002, 405)—presents a wide range of studies falling within Post Keynesian economics, for the main purpose of establishing the basic features of this line of thought. With respect to the previous edition, 43 new entries have been added, dealing, in particular, with some important national traditions of Post Keynesian Economics, the role of financial markets and the crises. New entries are motivated both because of the recent historical fact...

Clonal spread of highly successful ST15-CTX-M-15 Klebsiella pneumoniae in companion animals and horses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ewers, Christa; Stamm, Ivonne; Pfeifer, Yvonne

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical relevance and molecular epidemiology of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella species in animals. METHODS: Antimicrobial susceptibilities and presence of ESBLs were examined among Klebsiella spp. (n = 1519) from clinical samples (>1200...... senders from Germany and other European countries) mainly from companion animals and horses from October 2008 to March 2010. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and PFGE were performed including human isolates for comparative purposes. RESULTS: The overall ESBL rate was 8% for Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp....... pneumoniae. Most K. pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae ESBL producers were isolated from soft tissue infections (29.3%) and urinary tract infections (14.9%). The major ESBL type was CTX-M-15 (85.4%), located on different plasmid scaffolds (HI2, I1, FIA, FIB, FII, A/C, R and N). Other ESBL genes, such as bla...

Quantification of plasmodesmatal endoplasmic reticulum coupling between sieve elements and companion cells using fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martens, Helle; Roberts, Alison G.; Oparka, Karl J.

2006-01-01

retrieval along the pathway is an integral component of phloem function. GFP fluorescence was limited to CCs where it was visualized as a well-developed ER network in close proximity to the plasma membrane. ER coupling between CC and SEs was tested in wild-type tobacco using an ER-specific fluorochrome......Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) was studied to localize the activity of phloem loading during development and to establish whether the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of the companion cell (CC) and the sieve element (SE) reticulum is continuous by using a SUC2 promoter-green fluorescent protein...... and fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching (FRAP), and showed that the ER is continuous via pore-plasmodesma units. ER coupling between CC and SE was quantified by determining the mobile fraction and half-life of fluorescence redistribution and compared with that of other cell types. In all tissues...

Complexation of Cucurbit(7)uril with Eu(III)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kar, Aishwarya; Rawat, Neetika; Rao, Ankita; Tomar, B.S.; Nayak, S.K.; Ray, Alok

2014-01-01

Cucurbiturils (CBs) CB(n)s are macrocyclic molecules with carbonyl groups at the portals, which bind cations through ion dipole interactions and the cavity which stabilize hydrophobic moieties. The size of the portal and the volume of the interior cavities of CB(n)s are dependent on the number of glycoluril units present in CBs. CBs are widely used as supramolecular host systems in applications, such as formation of supramolecular hydrogels, drug delivery systems. Though the binding of CBs with organic guest molecules have been studied extensively where as metal complexation studies are very few. In the present work, complexation studies of Cucurbit(7)uril (with seven glycouril units, CB7) with Eu(III) were carried out using fluorescence, UV-vis spectrophotometry. The stability constant for 1:1 complex CB7-Eu(III) complex determined by monitoring the change in CB7 UV- vis absorption spectra on addition of Eu(III) was found to be 2.99 ± 0.08. The fluorescence spectra of increasing ligand to metal ratio exhibited the increase in the intensity ratio of peak at 616 and 592 which is the measure of complexation of Eu(III) with CB7 and was used to deduce the stability constant and the value (2.82 ± 0.07) obtained was in good agreement with that obtained from UV vis spectroscopy. Further, the life time of Eu(III) ion, which increased with CB7 to Eu(III) ratio, was used to deduce number of water molecules around Eu(III) metal ion which were found to decrease from 9 to 3 thereby suggesting inner sphere complexation. The stability constant of CB7 with Eu(III) is one order of magnitude less than CB5, derived in separate study by authors. The smaller cavity of CB5 (2.4 A 0 ) favors its interactions with Eu(III) ion of comparable diameter (2.16 A 0 ) leading to higher stability constant compared to CB7 (5.4 A 0 ) having larger cavity

Extraction and separation studies of Ga(III, In(III and Tl(III using the neutral organophosphorous extractant, Cyanex-923

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. M. DHADKE

2003-07-01

Full Text Available The neutral extractant, Cyanes-923 has been used for the extraction and separation of gallium(III, indium(III and thallium(III from acidic solution. These metal ions were found to be quantitatively extracted with Cyanex-923 in toluene in the pH range 4.5–5.5, 5.0–6.5 and 1.5–3.0, respectively, and from the organic phase they can be stripped with 2.0 mol dm-3 HNO3, 3.0 mol dm-3 HNO3 and 3.0 mol dm-3 HCl, respectively. The effect of pH equilibration period, diluents, diverse ions and stripping agents on the extraction of Ga(III, In(III and Tl(III has been studied. The stroichiometry of the extracted species of these metal ions was determined on the basis of the slope analysis method. The reaction proceed by solvation and the probable extracted species found were [MCl3. 3Cyanex-923] [where M = Ga(III or In(III ] and [HTlCl4. 3Cyanex-923]. Based on these results a sequential procedure for the separation of Ga(III, In(III and Tl(III from each other was developed.

Radio emissions from pulsar companions: a refutable explanation for galactic transients and fast radio bursts

Science.gov (United States)

Mottez, F.; Zarka, P.

2014-09-01

Context. The six known highly dispersed fast radio bursts are attributed to extragalactic radio sources that are of unknown origin but extremely energetic. We propose here a new explanation that does not require an extreme release of energy and involves a body (planet, asteroid, white dwarf) orbiting an extragalactic pulsar. Aims: We investigate a theory of radio waves associated with such pulsar-orbiting bodies. We focus our analysis on the waves emitted from the magnetic wake of the body in the pulsar wind. After deriving their properties, we compare them with the observations of various transient radio signals to determine whether they could originate from pulsar-orbiting bodies. Methods: The analysis is based on the theory of Alfvén wings: for a body immersed in a pulsar wind, a system of two stationary Alfvén waves is attached to the body, provided that the wind is highly magnetised. When they are destabilised through plasma instabilities, Alfvén wings can be the locus of strong radio sources that are convected with the pulsar wind. By assuming a cyclotron maser instability operating in the Alfvén wings, we make predictions about the shape, frequencies, and brightness of the resulting radio emissions. Results: Because of the beaming by relativistic aberration, the signal is seen only when the companion is perfectly aligned between its parent pulsar and the observer, as is the case for occultations. For pulsar winds with a high Lorentz factor (≥104), the whole duration of the radio event does not exceed a few seconds, and it is composed of one to four peaks that last a few milliseconds each and are detectable up to distances of several Mpc. The Lorimer burst, the three isolated pulses of PSR J1928+15, and the recently detected fast radio bursts are all compatible with our model. According to it, these transient signals should repeat periodically with the companion's orbital period. Conclusions: The search of pulsar-orbiting bodies could be an exploration

Evaluation of faecal sampling methods for the analysis of Giardia sp. in companion animals

OpenAIRE

Santos, Ana Rita Ruas dos

2016-01-01

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária Giardiosis is a zoonosis with a worldwide distribution, responsible for gastrointestinal disease in both humans and animals. Transmitted by contaminated water and food, Giardia represents a risk to veterinary and public health. Because of its prevalence in companion animals, veterinarians and animal owners awareness of the importance of its identification and treatment in infected animals, made it an important part of th...

Pedagogical Agents as Learning Companions: The Role of Agent Competency and Type of Interaction

OpenAIRE

Kim, Yanghee; Baylor, Amy L.; PALS Group,

2006-01-01

This study was designed to examine the effects of the competency (low vs. high) and interaction type (proactive vs. responsive) of pedagogical agents as learning companions (PALs) on learning, self-efficacy, and attitudes. Participants were 72 undergraduates in an introductory computer-literacy course who were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: Low-Proactive, Low-Responsive, High-Proactive, and High-Responsive. Results indicated a main effect for PAL competency. Students who worked ...

Genome Sequence of Bacillus endophyticus and Analysis of Its Companion Mechanism in the Ketogulonigenium vulgare-Bacillus Strain Consortium.

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Nan Jia

Full Text Available Bacillus strains have been widely used as the companion strain of Ketogulonigenium vulgare in the process of vitamin C fermentation. Different Bacillus strains generate different effects on the growth of K. vulgare and ultimately influence the productivity. First, we identified that Bacillus endophyticus Hbe603 was an appropriate strain to cooperate with K. vulgare and the product conversion rate exceeded 90% in industrial vitamin C fermentation. Here, we report the genome sequencing of the B. endophyticus Hbe603 industrial companion strain and speculate its possible advantage in the consortium. The circular chromosome of B. endophyticus Hbe603 has a size of 4.87 Mb with GC content of 36.64% and has the highest similarity with that of Bacillus megaterium among all the bacteria with complete genomes. By comparing the distribution of COGs with that of Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus cereus and B. megaterium, B. endophyticus has less genes related to cell envelope biogenesis and signal transduction mechanisms, and more genes related to carbohydrate transport and metabolism, energy production and conversion, as well as lipid transport and metabolism. Genome-based functional studies revealed the specific capability of B. endophyticus in sporulation, transcription regulation, environmental resistance, membrane transportation, extracellular proteins and nutrients synthesis, which would be beneficial for K. vulgare. In particular, B. endophyticus lacks the Rap-Phr signal cascade system and, in part, spore coat related proteins. In addition, it has specific pathways for vitamin B12 synthesis and sorbitol metabolism. The genome analysis of the industrial B. endophyticus will help us understand its cooperative mechanism in the K. vulgare-Bacillus strain consortium to improve the fermentation of vitamin C.

Potentiometric studies on some ternary complexes of Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III) and Ho(III) with cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid as primary ligand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marathe, D.G.; Munshi, K.N.

1983-01-01

The formation constants of the ternary complexes of neodymium(III), samarium(III), gadlonium(III) and holmium(III) with cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CyDTA) as primary ligand and dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN), dihydroxynaphthalene-6-sulphonic acid (DHNSA) and cateechol-3,5-disulphonic acid (CDSA) as secondary ligands have been investigated by potentiometric titration technique. The secondary ligands have been investigated by potentiometric titration technique. The values of formation constants of 1:1:1 ternary chelates are reported at three different temperatures, and at a fixed ionic strength, μ = 0.1 M (NaClO 4 ). (author)

Orthodontic camouflage versus orthognathic surgery for class III deformity: comparative cephalometric analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, P; Bellot-Arcís, C; Llamas, J M; Cibrian, R; Gandia, J L; Paredes-Gallardo, V

2017-04-01

The objective of this study was to compare different cephalometric variables in adult patients with class III malocclusions before and after treatment, in order to determine which variables are indicative of orthodontic camouflage or orthognathic surgery. The cases of 156 adult patients were assessed: 77 treated with orthodontic camouflage and 79 treated with orthodontics and orthognathic surgery. The following cephalometric variables were measured on pre-treatment (T1) and post-treatment (T2) lateral cephalograms: sella-nasion-A-point (SNA), sella-nasion-B-point (SNB), and A-point-nasion-B-point (ANB) angles, Wits appraisal, facial axis angle, mandibular plane angle, upper and lower incisor inclination, and inter-incisal angle. There were statistically significant differences in cephalometric variables before and after treatment between the two groups. The percentage of normal pre-treatment measurements in the camouflage orthodontics group was 30.7%, which worsened slightly to 28.4% post-treatment. However in the group receiving surgery, this was 24.5% pre-treatment, improving to 33.5% after surgery. SNA, SNB, Wits appraisal, lower incisor inclination, and inter-incisal angle showed differences between the two groups before and after treatment. Wits appraisal, lower incisor inclination, and inter-incisal angle were indicative of one or other treatment. Upper and lower incisor decompensation in both groups did not reach ideal values, which impeded complete skeletal correction in 52% of surgical cases. Copyright © 2016 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NEW CONSTRAINTS ON COMPANIONS AND DUST WITHIN A FEW AU OF VEGA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mennesson, B.; Serabyn, E.; Martin, S. R.; Liewer, K.; Mawet, D.; Hanot, C.

2011-01-01

We report on high contrast near-infrared (∼2.2 μm) observations of Vega obtained with the Palomar Fiber Nuller, a dual sub-aperture rotating coronagraph installed at the Palomar Hale telescope. The data show consistent astrophysical null depth measurements at the ≅ 10 -3 level or below for three different baseline orientations spanning 60 deg in azimuth, with individual 1σ uncertainties ≤7 x 10 -4 . These high cancellation and accuracy levels translate into a dynamic range greater than 1000:1 inside the diffraction limit of the 5 m telescope beam. Such high contrast performance is unprecedented in the near-infrared and provides improved constraints on Vega's immediate (≅20 to 250 mas, or ≅0.15 to 2 AU) environment. In particular, our measurements rule out any potential companion in the [0.25-1 AU] region contributing more than 1% of the overall near-infrared stellar flux, with limits as low as 0.2% near 0.6 AU. These are the best upper limits established so far by direct detection for a companion to Vega in this inner region. We also conclude that any dust population contributing a significant (≥1%) near-infrared thermal excess can arise only within 0.2 AU of the star, and that it must consist of much smaller grains than in the solar zodiacal cloud. Dust emission from farther than ≅2 AU is also not ruled out by our observations, but would have to originate in strong scattering, pointing again to very small grains.

Solvent effects on extraction of aluminum(III), gallium(III), and indium(III), with decanoic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Hiromichi; Hayashi, Hisao; Fujii, Yukio; Mizuta, Masateru

1986-01-01

Extraction of aluminum(III) and indium(III) with decanoic acid in 1-octanol was carried out at 25 deg C and at an aqueous ionic strength of 0.1 mol dm -3 (NaClO 4 ). Monomeric and tetrameric aluminum(III) decanoates and monomeric indium(III) decanoate are responsible for the extraction. From a comparison of the present results with those obtained from the previous works, the polymerization of the extracted species was found to be more extensive in benzene than in 1-octanol, and the metal decanoates were highly polymerized in the following order in both solvents: Al > Ga > In. (author)

Spectroscopic investigations on the complexation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) with organic model ligands and their binding mode in human urine (in vitro); Spektroskopische Untersuchungen zur Komplexbildung von Cm(III) und Eu(III) mit organischen Modellliganden sowie ihrer chemischen Bindungsform in menschlichem Urin (in vitro)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heller, Anne

2011-10-26

In case of incorporation, trivalent actinides (An(III)) and lanthanides (Ln(III)) pose a serious health risk to humans. An(III) are artificial, highly radioactive elements which are mainly produced during the nuclear fuel cycle in nuclear power plants. Via hazardous accidents or nonprofessional storage of radioactive waste, they can be released in the environment and enter the human food chain. In contrast, Ln(III) are nonradioactive, naturally occurring elements with multiple applications in technique and medicine. Consequently it is possible that humans get in contact and incorporate both, An(III) and Ln(III). Therefore, it is of particular importance to elucidate the behaviour of these elements in the human body. While macroscopic processes such as distribution, accumulation and excretion are studied quite well, knowledge about the chemical binding form (speciation) of An(III) and Ln(III) in various body fluids is still sparse. In the present work, for the first time, the speciation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) in natural human urine (in vitro) has been investigated spectroscopically and the formed complex identified. For this purpose, also basic investigations on the complex formation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) in synthetic model urine as well as with the urinary relevant, organic model ligands urea, alanine, phenylalanine, threonine and citrate have been performed and the previously unknown complex stability constants determined. Finally, all experimental results were compared to literature data and predictions calculated by thermodynamic modelling. Since both, Cm(III) and Eu(III), exhibit unique luminescence properties, particularly the suitability of time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) could be demonstrated as a method to investigate these metal ions in untreated, complex biofluids. The results of this work provide new scientific findings on the biochemical reactions of An(III) and Ln(III) in human body fluids on a molecular scale and

Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Agonists and Other Contraceptive Medications in Exotic Companion Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoemaker, Nico J

2018-05-01

The use of a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist slow-release implant (GnRH A-SRI) has become increasingly popular as an alternative for surgical contraception in many species. Although these implants have proven to be very effective in some species (eg, ferrets, rats, chicken, psittacines, and iguanas), they have been found less effective in other species (eg, male guinea pigs and rabbits, veiled chameleons, slider turtles, and leopard geckos). This review provides an overview of the available literature on the effects of GnRH A-SRIs in companion exotic animals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Crusading and Chronicle Writing on the Medieval Baltic Frontier: A Companion to the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia] / Michael Amundsen

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Amundsen, Michael

2012-01-01

Arvustus: Crusading and chronicle writing on the medieval Baltic frontier : a companion to the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia / edited by Marek Tamm, Linda Kaljundi, Carsten Selch Jensen. Farnham : Ashgate, 2011

9,10-phenanthrenesemiquinone radical complexes of ruthenium(III), osmium(III) and rhodium(III) and redox series.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Manas Kumar; Patra, Sarat Chandra; Maity, Amarendra Nath; Ke, Shyue-Chu; Weyhermüller, Thomas; Ghosh, Prasanta

2013-05-14

Reactions of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (PQ) in toluene with [M(II)(PPh3)3X2] at 298 K afford green complexes, trans-[M(PQ)(PPh3)2X2] (M = Ru, X = Cl, 1; M = Os, X = Br, 2) in moderate yields. Reaction of anhydrous RhCl3 with PQ and PPh3 in boiling ethanol affords the dark brown paramagnetic complex, cis-[Rh(PQ)(PPh3)2Cl2] (3) in good yields. Diffusion of iodine solution in n-hexane to the trans-[Os(PQ) (PPh3)2(CO)(Br)] solution in CH2Cl2 generates the crystals of trans-[Os(PQ)(PPh3)2(CO)(Br)](+)I3(-), (4(+))I3(-)), in lower yields. Single crystal X-ray structure determinations of 1·2toluene, 2·CH2Cl2 and 4(+)I3(-), UV-vis/NIR absorption spectra, EPR spectra of 3, electrochemical activities and DFT calculations on 1, 2, trans-[Ru(PQ)(PMe3)2Cl2] (1Me), trans-[Os(PQ)(PMe3)2Br2] (2Me), cis-[Rh(PQ)(PMe3)2Cl2] (3Me) and their oxidized and reduced analogues including trans-[Os(PQ)(PMe3)2(CO)(Br)](+) (4Me(+)) substantiated that 1-3 are the 9,10-phenanthrenesemiquinone radical (PQ(˙-)) complexes of ruthenium(III), osmium(III) and rhodium(III) and are defined as trans/cis-[M(III)(PQ(˙-))(PPh3)2X2] with a minor contribution of the resonance form trans/cis-[M(II)(PQ)(PPh3)2X2]. Two comparatively longer C-O (1.286(4) Å) and the shorter C-C lengths (1.415(7) Å) of the OO-chelate of 1·2toluene and 2·CH2Cl2 and the isotropic fluid solution EPR signal at g = 1.999 of 3 are consistent with the existence of the reduced PQ(˙-) ligand in 1-3 complexes. Anisotropic EPR spectra of the frozen glasses (g11 = g22 = 2.0046 and g33 = 1.9874) and solids (g11 = g22 = 2.005 and g33 = 1.987) instigate the contribution of the resonance form, cis-[Rh(II)(PQ)(PPh3)2Cl2] in 3. DFT calculations established that the closed shell singlet (CSS) solutions of 1Me and 2Me are unstable due to open shell singlet (OSS) perturbation. However, the broken symmetry (BS) (1,1) Ms = 0 solutions of 1Me and 2Me are respectively 22.6 and 24.2 kJ mole(-1) lower in energy and reproduced the experimental bond

Effects of Cognitive Styles on an MSN Virtual Learning Companion System as an Adjunct to Classroom Instructions

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Sheng-Wen

2011-01-01

This study designed a chatbot system, Confucius, as a MSN virtual learning companion to examine how specific application design variables within educational software affect the learning process of subjects as defined by the cognitive continuum of field-dependent and field-independent learners. 104 college students participated in a 12 week…

Kepler-424 b: A "Lonely" Hot Jupiter that Found a Companion

Science.gov (United States)

Endl, Michael; Caldwell, Douglas A.; Barclay, Thomas; Huber, Daniel; Isaacson, Howard; Buchhave, Lars A.; Brugamyer, Erik; Robertson, Paul; Cochran, William D.; MacQueen, Phillip J.; Havel, Mathieu; Lucas, Phillip; Howell, Steve B.; Fischer, Debra; Quintana, Elisa; Ciardi, David R.

2014-11-01

Hot Jupiter systems provide unique observational constraints for migration models in multiple systems and binaries. We report on the discovery of the Kepler-424 (KOI-214) two-planet system, which consists of a transiting hot Jupiter (Kepler-424b) in a 3.31 day orbit accompanied by a more massive outer companion in an eccentric (e = 0.3) 223 day orbit. The outer giant planet, Kepler-424c, is not detected transiting the host star. The masses of both planets and the orbital parameters for the second planet were determined using precise radial velocity (RV) measurements from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) and its High Resolution Spectrograph (HRS). In stark contrast to smaller planets, hot Jupiters are predominantly found to be lacking any nearby additional planets; they appear to be "lonely". This might be a consequence of these systems having a highly dynamical past. The Kepler-424 planetary system has a hot Jupiter in a multiple system, similar to \\upsilon Andromedae. We also present our results for Kepler-422 (KOI-22), Kepler-77 (KOI-127), Kepler-43 (KOI-135), and Kepler-423 (KOI-183). These results are based on spectroscopic data collected with the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), the Keck 1 telescope, and HET. For all systems, we rule out false positives based on various follow-up observations, confirming the planetary nature of these companions. We performed a comparison with planetary evolutionary models which indicate that these five hot Jupiters have heavy element contents between 20 and 120 M ⊕. Based on observations obtained with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, which is a joint project of the University of Texas at Austin, the Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

Comparative Genomics Identifies a Novel Conserved Protein, HpaT, in Proteobacterial Type III Secretion Systems that Do Not Possess the Putative Translocon Protein HrpF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Céline Pesce

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Xanthomonas translucens is the causal agent of bacterial leaf streak, the most common bacterial disease of wheat and barley. To cause disease, most xanthomonads depend on a highly conserved type III secretion system, which translocates type III effectors into host plant cells. Mutagenesis of the conserved type III secretion gene hrcT confirmed that the X. translucens type III secretion system is required to cause disease on the host plant barley and to trigger a non-host hypersensitive response (HR in pepper leaves. Type III effectors are delivered to the host cell by a surface appendage, the Hrp pilus, and a translocon protein complex that inserts into the plant cell plasma membrane. Homologs of the Xanthomonas HrpF protein, including PopF from Ralstonia solanacearum and NolX from rhizobia, are thought to act as a translocon protein. Comparative genomics revealed that X. translucens strains harbor a noncanonical hrp gene cluster, which rather shares features with type III secretion systems from Ralstonia solanacearum, Paraburkholderia andropogonis, Collimonas fungivorans, and Uliginosibacterium gangwonense than other Xanthomonas spp. Surprisingly, none of these bacteria, except R. solanacearum, encode a homolog of the HrpF translocon. Here, we aimed at identifying a candidate translocon from X. translucens. Notably, genomes from strains that lacked hrpF/popF/nolX instead encode another gene, called hpaT, adjacent to and co-regulated with the type III secretion system gene cluster. An insertional mutant in the X. translucens hpaT gene, which is the first gene of a two-gene operon, hpaT-hpaH, was non-pathogenic on barley and did not cause the HR or programmed cell death in non-host pepper similar to the hrcT mutant. The hpaT mutant phenotypes were partially complemented by either hpaT or the downstream gene, hpaH, which has been described as a facilitator of translocation in Xanthomonas oryzae. Interestingly, the hpaT mutant was also complemented

Efficacy of the semiempirical sparkle model as compared to ECP ab-initio calculations for the prediction of ligand field parameters of europium (III) complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freire, Ricardo O.; Rocha, Gerd B.; Albuquerque, Rodrigo Q.; Simas, Alfredo M.

2005-01-01

The second version of the sparkle model for the calculation of lanthanide complexes (SMLC II) as well as ab-initio calculations (HF/STO-3G and HF/3-21G) have been used to calculate the geometries of a series of europium (III) complexes with different coordination numbers (CN=7, 8 and 9), ligating atoms (O and N) and ligands (mono, bi and polydentate). The so-called ligand field parameters, Bqk's, have been calculated from both SMLC II and ab-initio optimized structures and compared to the ones calculated from crystallographic data. The results show that the SMLC II model represents a significant improvement over the previous version (SMLC) and has given good results when compared to ab-initio methods, which demand a much higher computational effort. Indeed, ab-initio methods take around a hundred times more computing time than SMLC. As such, our results indicate that our sparkle model can be a very useful and a fast tool when applied to the prediction of both ground state geometries and ligand field parameters of europium (III) complexes

Children's experiences of companion animal maltreatment in households characterized by intimate partner violence.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Shelby Elaine; Collins, Elizabeth A; Nicotera, Nicole; Hageman, Tina O; Ascione, Frank R; Williams, James Herbert; Graham-Bermann, Sandra A

2015-12-01

Cruelty toward companion animals is a well-documented, coercive tactic used by abusive partners to intimidate and control their intimate partners. Experiences of co-occurring violence are common for children living in families with intimate partner violence (IPV) and surveys show that more than half are also exposed to abuse of their pets. Given children's relationships with their pets, witnessing such abuse may be traumatic for them. Yet little is known about the prevalence and significance of this issue for children. The present study examines the experiences of children in families with co-occurring pet abuse and IPV. Using qualitative methods, 58 children ages 7-12 who were exposed to IPV were asked to describe their experiences of threats to and harm of their companion animals. Following the interviews, template analysis was employed to systematically develop codes and themes. Coding reliability was assessed using Randolph's free-marginal multirater kappa (kfree=.90). Five themes emerged from the qualitative data, the most common being children's exposure to pet abuse as a power and control tactic against their mother in the context of IPV. Other themes were animal maltreatment to discipline or punish the pet, animal cruelty by a sibling, children intervening to prevent pet abuse, and children intervening to protect the pet during a violent episode. Results indicate that children's experiences of pet abuse are multifaceted, potentially traumatic, and may involve multiple family members with diverse motives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural Properties of the Cr(III)-Fe(III) (Oxy)Hydroxide Compositional Series: Insights for a Nanomaterial 'Solid Solution'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Y.; Zhang, L.; Michel, F.M.; Harrington, R.; Parise, J.B.; Reeder, R.J.

2010-01-01

Chromium(III) (oxy)hydroxide and mixed Cr(III)-Fe(III) (oxy)hydroxides are environmentally important compounds for controlling chromium speciation and bioaccessibility in soils and aquatic systems and are also industrially important as precursors for materials and catalyst synthesis. However, direct characterization of the atomic arrangements of these materials is complicated because of their amorphous X-ray properties. This study involves synthesis of the complete Cr(III)-Fe(III) (oxy)hydroxide compositional series, and the use of complementary thermal, microscopic, spectroscopic, and scattering techniques for the evaluation of their structural properties. Thermal analysis results show that the Cr end member has a higher hydration state than the Fe end member, likely associated with the difference in water exchange rates in the first hydration spheres of Cr(III) and Fe(III). Three stages of weight loss are observed and are likely related to the loss of surface/structural water and hydroxyl groups. As compared to the Cr end member, the intermediate composition sample shows lower dehydration temperatures and a higher exothermic transition temperature. XANES analysis shows Cr(III) and Fe(III) to be the dominant oxidation states. XANES spectra also show progressive changes in the local structure around Cr and Fe atoms over the series. Pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of synchrotron X-ray total scattering data shows that the Fe end member is nanocrystalline ferrihydrite with an intermediate-range order and average coherent domain size of ∼27 (angstrom). The Cr end member, with a coherent domain size of ∼10 (angstrom), has only short-range order. The PDFs show progressive structural changes across the compositional series. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results also show the loss of structural order with increasing Cr content. These observations provide strong structural evidence of chemical substitution and progressive structural

Cross-sectional survey on the use and impact of the Danish national antibiotic use guidelines for companion animal practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jessen, Lisbeth Rem; Møller Sørensen, Tina; Lilja, Zenia Littau

2017-01-01

Background: The Danish antibiotic use guidelines for companion animal practice were published by the Danish Veterinary Association in 2012. Since then, national surveillance data indicate a 10% reduction in the total use of antibiotics for companion animals, particularly a marked reduction...... in the use of third generation cephalosporins. The aim of the study was to assess if and how the guidelines have impacted diagnostic and antibiotic prescription habits of the users, and to identify user perceived barriers to implementation. Results: An online questionnaire was sent to all 882 members...... cent indicated that the guidelines had influenced their habits in one or more of the areas being investigated, i.e. perioperative use of antibiotics, use of first line antibiotics for the treatment of pyoderma or UTI, and/or use of microbiological diagnostics. Perioperative use of antibiotics for clean...

Point Source Polarimetry with the Gemini Planet Imager: Sensitivity Characterization with T5.5 Dwarf Companion HD 19467 B

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen-Clem, Rebecca; Millar-Blanchaer, Max; Mawet, Dimitri; Graham, James R.; Wallace, J. Kent; Macintosh, Bruce; Hinkley, Sasha; Wiktorowicz, Sloane J.; Perrin, Marshall D.; Marley, Mark S.;

Very Low-mass Stellar and Substellar Companions to Solar-like Stars from MARVELS. VI. A Giant Planet and a Brown Dwarf Candidate in a Close Binary System HD 87646

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Bo; Ge, Jian; Wolszczan, Alex; Muterspaugh, Matthew W.; Lee, Brian; Henry, Gregory W.; Schneider, Donald P.; Martín, Eduardo L.; Niedzielski, Andrzej; Xie, Jiwei; Fleming, Scott W.; Thomas, Neil; Williamson, Michael; Zhu, Zhaohuan; Agol, Eric; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Nicolaci da Costa, Luiz; Jiang, Peng; Martinez Fiorenzano, A. F.; González Hernández, Jonay I.; Guo, Pengcheng; Grieves, Nolan; Li, Rui; Liu, Jane; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Mazeh, Tsevi; Nguyen, Duy Cuong; Paegert, Martin; Sithajan, Sirinrat; Stassun, Keivan; Thirupathi, Sivarani; van Eyken, Julian C.; Wan, Xiaoke; Wang, Ji; Wisniewski, John P.; Zhao, Bo; Zucker, Shay

2016-11-01

We report the detections of a giant planet (MARVELS-7b) and a brown dwarf (BD) candidate (MARVELS-7c) around the primary star in the close binary system, HD 87646. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first close binary system with more than one substellar circumprimary companion that has been discovered. The detection of this giant planet was accomplished using the first multi-object Doppler instrument (KeckET) at the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) telescope. Subsequent radial velocity observations using the Exoplanet Tracker at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, the High Resolution Spectrograph at the Hobby Eberley telescope, the “Classic” spectrograph at the Automatic Spectroscopic Telescope at the Fairborn Observatory, and MARVELS from SDSS-III confirmed this giant planet discovery and revealed the existence of a long-period BD in this binary. HD 87646 is a close binary with a separation of ˜22 au between the two stars, estimated using the Hipparcos catalog and our newly acquired AO image from PALAO on the 200 inch Hale Telescope at Palomar. The primary star in the binary, HD 87646A, has {T}{eff} = 5770 ± 80 K, log g = 4.1 ± 0.1, and [Fe/H] = -0.17 ± 0.08. The derived minimum masses of the two substellar companions of HD 87646A are 12.4 ± 0.7 {M}{Jup} and 57.0 ± 3.7 {M}{Jup}. The periods are 13.481 ± 0.001 days and 674 ± 4 days and the measured eccentricities are 0.05 ± 0.02 and 0.50 ± 0.02 respectively. Our dynamical simulations show that the system is stable if the binary orbit has a large semimajor axis and a low eccentricity, which can be verified with future astrometry observations.

SPECKLE IMAGING EXCLUDES LOW-MASS COMPANIONS ORBITING THE EXOPLANET HOST STAR TRAPPIST-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howell, Steve B.; Scott, Nicholas J.; Everett, Mark E.; Horch, Elliott P.; Winters, Jennifer G.; Hirsch, Lea; Nusdeo, Dan

2016-01-01

We have obtained the highest-resolution images available of TRAPPIST-1 using the Gemini-South telescope and our speckle imaging camera. Observing at 692 and 883 nm, we reached the diffraction limit of the telescope providing a best resolution of 27 mas or, at the distance of TRAPPIST-1, a spatial resolution of 0.32 au. Our imaging of the star extends from 0.32 to 14.5 au. We show that to a high confidence level, we can exclude all possible stellar and brown dwarf companions, indicating that TRAPPIST-1 is a single star.

SPECKLE IMAGING EXCLUDES LOW-MASS COMPANIONS ORBITING THE EXOPLANET HOST STAR TRAPPIST-1

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