Companions of low-redshift radio-quiet quasars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yee, H.K.C.

1987-01-01

Using imaging data from a relatively complete subset of low-redshift radio-quiet quasars, the frequency of finding associated companion galaxies of the quasars is determined statistically. With an average completeness limit of M/sub r/ of about -19, it is found that about 40 percent of the quasars have at least one close physical companion within a projected distance of 100 kpc. The percentage of quasars with detected companions is consistent with all quasars in the sample having a companion of luminosity brighter than about -16.5 mag. It is estimated that the frequency of finding close companions to quasars is about six times higher than that expected for field galaxies. This frequency is similar to that found for lower-luminosity Seyfert galaxies. The properties of the companions appear to be uncorrelated with the level of activity in the quasars. This suggests that, for radio-quiet quasars, the companions act mainly as triggers of the activity and are probably not a strong determining factor of the detailed properties of the quasars. 28 references

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…

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.

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;

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.

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...

Routledge companion to intelligence studies

CERN Document Server

Dover, Robert; Hillebrand, Claudia

2013-01-01

The Routledge Companion to Intelligence Studies provides a broad overview of the growing field of intelligence studies. The recent growth of interest in intelligence and security studies has led to an increased demand for popular depictions of intelligence and reference works to explain the architecture and underpinnings of intelligence activity. Divided into five comprehensive sections, this Companion provides a strong survey of the cutting-edge research in the field of intelligence studies: Part I: The evolution of intelligence studies; Part II: Abstract approaches to intelligence; Part III: Historical approaches to intelligence; Part IV: Systems of intelligence; Part V: Contemporary challenges. With a broad focus on the origins, practices and nature of intelligence, the book not only addresses classical issues, but also examines topics of recent interest in security studies. The overarching aim is to reveal the rich tapestry of intelligence studies in both a sophisticated and accessible way. This Companion...

Vacuum Outer-Gap Structure in Pulsar Outer Magnetospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gui-Fang, Lin; Li, Zhang

2009-01-01

We study the vacuum outer-gap structure in the outer magnetosphere of rotation-powered pulsars by considering the limit of trans-field height through a pair production process. In this case, the trans-field height is limited by the photon-photon pair production process and the outer boundary of the outer gap can be extended outside the light cylinder. By solving self-consistently the Poisson equation for electrical potential and the Boltzmann equations of electrons/positrons and γ-rays in a vacuum outer gap for the parameters of Vela pulsar, we obtain an approximate geometry of the outer gap, i.e. the trans-field height is limited by the pair-production process and increases with the radial distance to the star and the width of the outer gap starts at the inner boundary (near the null charge surface) and ends at the outer boundary which locates inside or outside the light cylinder depending on the inclination angle. (geophysics, astronomy, and astrophysics)

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.

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

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.

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.

Effects of a calm companion on fear reactions in naive test horses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Janne Winther; Malmkvist, Jens; Nielsen, Birte Lindstrøm

2008-01-01

: Minimally handled (n = 36), 2-year-old stallions were used, 18 as subjects and 18 as companions. Companion horses (n = 9) were habituated to an otherwise frightening, standardised test stimulus (calm companions), whereas the rest (n = 9) of the companion horses remained nonhabituated (control companions......). During the test, unique pairs of companion and subject horses were exposed to the test stimulus while heart rate and behavioural responses were registered. Subsequently, subject horses were exposed to the stimulus on their own (post test). Results: Subject horses, paired with a calm companion horse......, showed less fear-related behaviour and lower heart rate responses compared to subject horses with control companions. Results from the post test suggest that the difference between treatment groups remained in the subsequent absence of companion horses. Conclusions and potential relevance: It appears...

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...

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

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.

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.

Becoming "Undetectable": Longitudinal Narratives of Gay Men's Sex Lives After a Recent HIV Diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, Daniel; Chown, Sarah A; Kwag, Michael; Steinberg, Malcolm; Lim, Elgin; Gilbert, Mark

2015-08-01

We explore gay men's sex life narratives following their diagnosis with an acute or recent HIV infection. All participants received an acute (n = 13) or recent (n = 12) HIV diagnosis and completed a series of self-administered questionnaires and in-depth qualitative interviews over a one-year period or longer. Over the course of four qualitative interviews, participants frequently spoke of the role of medications (e.g., decisions to start treatment) and changing viral loads (e.g., discourses of becoming "undetectable") in relation to their sex lives since being diagnosed with HIV. Many men talked about milestones relating to initiating medication and viral load as informing their shifting sexual behaviors and identities as HIV-positive--or "undetectable"--gay men. The narratives of our participants provide insight regarding complex negotiations and processes of decision-making over time related to sex, counseling needs, treatment initiation, viral load, and the significance of undetectability as an emergent identity.

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).

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.

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

Optic nerve signals in a neuromorphic chip I: Outer and inner retina models.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaghloul, Kareem A; Boahen, Kwabena

2004-04-01

We present a novel model for the mammalian retina and analyze its behavior. Our outer retina model performs bandpass spatiotemporal filtering. It is comprised of two reciprocally connected resistive grids that model the cone and horizontal cell syncytia. We show analytically that its sensitivity is proportional to the space-constant-ratio of the two grids while its half-max response is set by the local average intensity. Thus, this outer retina model realizes luminance adaptation. Our inner retina model performs high-pass temporal filtering. It features slow negative feedback whose strength is modulated by a locally computed measure of temporal contrast, modeling two kinds of amacrine cells, one narrow-field, the other wide-field. We show analytically that, when the input is spectrally pure, the corner-frequency tracks the input frequency. But when the input is broadband, the corner frequency is proportional to contrast. Thus, this inner retina model realizes temporal frequency adaptation as well as contrast gain control. We present CMOS circuit designs for our retina model in this paper as well. Experimental measurements from the fabricated chip, and validation of our analytical results, are presented in the companion paper [Zaghloul and Boahen (2004)].

Using High-Dimensional Image Models to Perform Highly Undetectable Steganography

Science.gov (United States)

Pevný, Tomáš; Filler, Tomáš; Bas, Patrick

This paper presents a complete methodology for designing practical and highly-undetectable stegosystems for real digital media. The main design principle is to minimize a suitably-defined distortion by means of efficient coding algorithm. The distortion is defined as a weighted difference of extended state-of-the-art feature vectors already used in steganalysis. This allows us to "preserve" the model used by steganalyst and thus be undetectable even for large payloads. This framework can be efficiently implemented even when the dimensionality of the feature set used by the embedder is larger than 107. The high dimensional model is necessary to avoid known security weaknesses. Although high-dimensional models might be problem in steganalysis, we explain, why they are acceptable in steganography. As an example, we introduce HUGO, a new embedding algorithm for spatial-domain digital images and we contrast its performance with LSB matching. On the BOWS2 image database and in contrast with LSB matching, HUGO allows the embedder to hide 7× longer message with the same level of security level.

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.

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

Why Are Hot Jupiters So Lonely?

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-10-01

Spalding and Konstantin Batygin, propose an alternative picture in which both types of planets form through identical pathways. Instead, they argue, a hot Jupiters apparent loneliness arises over time through interactions with its host star.Stellar Interactions Impact CompanionsSemimajor axis for the outer companion (a2) vs that of the close-in giant planet (a1) at three different system ages. Outer companions within the shaded region will not encounter the resonance investigated by the authors, instead remaining coplanar with the inner giant. For this reason, warm Jupiters will have evident companions whereas hot Jupiters will not. [Spalding Batygin 2017]Whether giant planets form in situ near their hosts or migrate inward, they can still have close-in, co-transiting companions outside of their orbit shortly after their birth, Spalding and Batygin argue. But after the disk in which they were born dissipates, the orbits of their companions may be altered.The authors demonstrate that because hot Jupiters are so close to their hosts, these giants eventually encounter a resonance with their stellar hosts quadrupole moment, which arises because rotating stars arent perfectly spherical. This resonance tilts the orbits of the hot Jupiters outer, lower-mass companions, rendering the companions undetectable in transit surveys.Warm Jupiters, on the other hand, are located just far enough away from their hosts to avoid feeling the effects of this resonance which allows them to keep their outer companions in the same plane.Based on their model, Spalding and Batygin make direct predictions for the systems they expect to be observed in large upcoming surveys like the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) which means we should soon have a sense of whether their picture is correct. If it is, it will confirm that the non-sphericity of stars can have significant impact on the dynamics and architecture of exoplanetary systems.CitationChristopher Spalding and Konstantin Batygin 2017

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.

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

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.

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…

A and F stars as probes of outer Galactic disc kinematics

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, A.; Drew, J. E.; Farnhill, H. J.; Monguió, M.; Gebran, M.; Wright, N. J.; Drake, J. J.; Sale, S. E.

2018-04-01

Previous studies of the rotation law in the outer Galactic disc have mainly used gas tracers or clump giants. Here, we explore A and F stars as alternatives: these provide a much denser sampling in the outer disc than gas tracers and have experienced significantly less velocity scattering than older clump giants. This first investigation confirms the suitability of A stars in this role. Our work is based on spectroscopy of ˜1300 photometrically selected stars in the red calcium-triplet region, chosen to mitigate against the effects of interstellar extinction. The stars are located in two low Galactic latitude sightlines, at longitudes ℓ = 118°, sampling strong Galactic rotation shear, and ℓ = 178°, near the anticentre. With the use of Markov Chain Monte Carlo parameter fitting, stellar parameters and radial velocities are measured, and distances computed. The obtained trend of radial velocity with distance is inconsistent with existing flat or slowly rising rotation laws from gas tracers (Brand & Blitz 1993; Reid et al. 2014). Instead, our results fit in with those obtained by Huang et al. (2016) from disc clump giants that favoured rising circular speeds. An alternative interpretation in terms of spiral arm perturbation is not straight forward. We assess the role that undetected binaries in the sample and distance error may have in introducing bias, and show that the former is a minor factor. The random errors in our trend of circular velocity are within ±5 km s-1.

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.

Stellar Companions of Exoplanet Host Stars in K2

Science.gov (United States)

Matson, Rachel; Howell, Steve; Horch, Elliott; Everett, Mark

2018-01-01

Stellar multiplicity has significant implications for the detection and characterization of exoplanets. A stellar companion can mimic the signal of a transiting planet or distort the true planetary radii, leading to improper density estimates and over-predicting the occurrence rates of Earth-sized planets. Determining the fraction of exoplanet host stars that are also binaries allows us to better determine planetary characteristics as well as establish the relationship between binarity and planet formation. Using high-resolution speckle imaging to obtain diffraction limited images of K2 planet candidate host stars we detect stellar companions within one arcsec and up to six magnitudes fainter than the host star. By comparing our observed companion fraction to TRILEGAL star count simulations, and using the known detection limits of speckle imaging, we find the binary fraction of K2 planet host stars to be similar to that of Kepler host stars and solar-type field stars. Accounting for stellar companions in exoplanet studies is therefore essential for deriving true stellar and planetary properties as well as maximizing the returns for TESS and future exoplanet missions.

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.

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...

FRIENDS OF HOT JUPITERS. III. AN INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC SEARCH FOR LOW-MASS STELLAR COMPANIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piskorz, Danielle; Knutson, Heather A.; Ngo, Henry; Batygin, Konstantin [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Muirhead, Philip S. [Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, Boston, MA (United States); Crepp, Justin R. [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN (United States); Hinkley, Sasha [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Exeter (United Kingdom); Morton, Timothy D., E-mail: dpiskorz@gps.caltech.edu [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (United States)

2015-12-01

Surveys of nearby field stars indicate that stellar binaries are common, yet little is known about the effects that these companions may have on planet formation and evolution. The Friends of Hot Jupiters project uses three complementary techniques to search for stellar companions to known planet-hosting stars: radial velocity monitoring, adaptive optics imaging, and near-infrared spectroscopy. In this paper, we examine high-resolution K band infrared spectra of fifty stars hosting gas giant planets on short-period orbits. We use spectral fitting to search for blended lines due to the presence of cool stellar companions in the spectra of our target stars, where we are sensitive to companions with temperatures between 3500 and 5000 K and projected separations less than 100 AU in most systems. We identify eight systems with candidate low-mass companions, including one companion that was independently detected in our AO imaging survey. For systems with radial velocity accelerations, a spectroscopic non-detection rules out scenarios involving a stellar companion in a high inclination orbit. We use these data to place an upper limit on the stellar binary fraction at small projected separations, and show that the observed population of candidate companions is consistent with that of field stars and also with the population of wide-separation companions detected in our previous AO survey. We find no evidence that spectroscopic stellar companions are preferentially located in systems with short-period gas giant planets on eccentric and/or misaligned orbits.

FRIENDS OF HOT JUPITERS. III. AN INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC SEARCH FOR LOW-MASS STELLAR COMPANIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piskorz, Danielle; Knutson, Heather A.; Ngo, Henry; Batygin, Konstantin; Muirhead, Philip S.; Crepp, Justin R.; Hinkley, Sasha; Morton, Timothy D.

2015-01-01

Surveys of nearby field stars indicate that stellar binaries are common, yet little is known about the effects that these companions may have on planet formation and evolution. The Friends of Hot Jupiters project uses three complementary techniques to search for stellar companions to known planet-hosting stars: radial velocity monitoring, adaptive optics imaging, and near-infrared spectroscopy. In this paper, we examine high-resolution K band infrared spectra of fifty stars hosting gas giant planets on short-period orbits. We use spectral fitting to search for blended lines due to the presence of cool stellar companions in the spectra of our target stars, where we are sensitive to companions with temperatures between 3500 and 5000 K and projected separations less than 100 AU in most systems. We identify eight systems with candidate low-mass companions, including one companion that was independently detected in our AO imaging survey. For systems with radial velocity accelerations, a spectroscopic non-detection rules out scenarios involving a stellar companion in a high inclination orbit. We use these data to place an upper limit on the stellar binary fraction at small projected separations, and show that the observed population of candidate companions is consistent with that of field stars and also with the population of wide-separation companions detected in our previous AO survey. We find no evidence that spectroscopic stellar companions are preferentially located in systems with short-period gas giant planets on eccentric and/or misaligned orbits

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...

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.

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

Oscillations of the Outer Boundary of the Outer Radiation Belt During Sawtooth Oscillations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae-Hun Kim

2006-09-01

Full Text Available We report three sawtooth oscillation events observed at geosynchronous orbit where we find quasi-periodic (every 2-3 hours sudden flux increases followed by slow flux decreases at the energy levels of ˜50-400 keV. For these three sawtooth events, we have examined variations of the outer boundary of the outer radiation belt. In order to determine L values of the outer boundary, we have used data of relativistic electron flux observed by the SAMPEX satellite. We find that the outer boundary of the outer radiation belt oscillates periodically being consistent with sawtooth oscillation phases. Specifically, the outer boundary of the outer radiation belt expands (namely, the boundary L value increases following the sawtooth particle flux enhancement of each tooth, and then contracts (namely, the boundary L value decreases while the sawtooth flux decreases gradually until the next flux enhancement. On the other hand, it is repeatedly seen that the asymmetry of the magnetic field intensity between dayside and nightside decreases (increases due to the dipolarization (the stretching on the nightside as the sawtooth flux increases (decreases. This implies that the periodic magnetic field variations during the sawtooth oscillations are likely responsible for the expansion-contraction oscillations of the outer boundary of the outer radiation belt.

Undetected latent failures of safety-related systems. Preliminary survey of events in nuclear power plants 1980-1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lydell, B.

1998-03-01

This report summarizes results and insights from a preliminary survey of events involving undetected, latent failures of safety-related systems. The survey was limited to events where mispositioned equipment (e.g., valves, switches) remained undetected, thus rendering standby equipment or systems unavailable for short or long time periods. Typically, these events were symptoms of underlying latent errors (e.g., design errors, procedure errors, unanalyzed safety conditions) and programmatic errors. The preliminary survey identified well over 300 events. Of these, 95 events are documented in this report. Events involving mispositioned equipment are commonplace. Most events are discovered soon after occurrence, however. But as evidenced by the survey results, some events remained undetected beyond several shift changes. The recommendations developed by the survey emphasize the importance of applying modern root cause analysis techniques to the event analysis to ensure that the causes and implications of occurred events are fully understood

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.

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.

Imaginary Play Companions: Characteristics and Functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalyan-Masih, V.

1986-01-01

Investigates some of the following characteristics associated with young children playing with imaginary play companions (IPCs): intelligence, parental and socioeconomic and educational background, family size, and birth order. Compares these children to those without IPCs. (HOD)

Undetected latent failures of safety-related systems. Preliminary survey of events in nuclear power plants 1980-1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lydell, B. [RSA Technologies, Vista, CA (United States)

1998-03-01

This report summarizes results and insights from a preliminary survey of events involving undetected, latent failures of safety-related systems. The survey was limited to events where mispositioned equipment (e.g., valves, switches) remained undetected, thus rendering standby equipment or systems unavailable for short or long time periods. Typically, these events were symptoms of underlying latent errors (e.g., design errors, procedure errors, unanalyzed safety conditions) and programmatic errors. The preliminary survey identified well over 300 events. Of these, 95 events are documented in this report. Events involving mispositioned equipment are commonplace. Most events are discovered soon after occurrence, however. But as evidenced by the survey results, some events remained undetected beyond several shift changes. The recommendations developed by the survey emphasize the importance of applying modern root cause analysis techniques to the event analysis to ensure that the causes and implications of occurred events are fully understood. 7 refs, 4 tabs, 3 figs. Also available at the SKI Home page: //www.ski.se.

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."

Is the cervical spine clear? Undetected cervical fractures diagnosed only at autopsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, J F; Rosemurgy, A S; Gill, S; Albrink, M H

1992-10-01

Undetected cervical-spine injuries are a nemesis to both trauma surgeons and emergency physicians. Radiographic protocols have been developed to avoid missing cervical-spine fractures but are not fail-safe. Three case reports of occult cervical fractures documented at autopsy in the face of normal cervical-spine radiographs and computerized tomography scans are presented.

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.

Undetected error probability for data services in a terrestrial DAB single frequency network

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schiphorst, Roelof; Hoeksema, F.W.; Slump, Cornelis H.; Veldhuis, Raymond N.J.; Veldhuis, R.N.J.; Cronie, H.S.

2007-01-01

DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) is the European successor of FM radio. Besides audio services, other services such as traffic information can be provided. An important parameter for data services is the probability of non-recognized or undetected errors in the system. To derive this probability, we

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 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

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.

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

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

Outer magnetosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schardt, A.W.; Behannon, K.W.; Lepping, R.P.; Carbary, J.F.; Eviatar, A.; Siscoe, G.L.

1984-01-01

Similarities between the Saturnian and terrestrial outer magnetosphere are examined. Saturn, like earth, has a fully developed magnetic tail, 80 to 100 RS in diameter. One major difference between the two outer magnetospheres is the hydrogen and nitrogen torus produced by Titan. This plasma is, in general, convected in the corotation direction at nearly the rigid corotation speed. Energies of magnetospheric particles extend to above 500 keV. In contrast, interplanetary protons and ions above 2 MeV have free access to the outer magnetosphere to distances well below the Stormer cutoff. This access presumably occurs through the magnetotail. In addition to the H+, H2+, and H3+ ions primarily of local origin, energetic He, C, N, and O ions are found with solar composition. Their flux can be substantially enhanced over that of interplanetary ions at energies of 0.2 to 0.4 MeV/nuc

“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.

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

Undetectable inhibin B serum levels in men after testicular irradiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, P M; Andersson, A M; Rørth, M

1999-01-01

A group of men treated with testicular irradiation for carcinoma in situ in the remaining testis after orchidectomy for unilateral testicular germ cell cancer was used as a model to study of the effect of selective eradication of germ cells on the levels of serum inhibin B in the human male....... Thirteen men with verified spermatogenesis and detectable preirradiation levels of serum inhibin B (median, 55; range, 23-193 pg/mL) were investigated before and after testicular irradiation (14-20 Gy). All patients had undetectable levels of inhibin B 2-12 months (median, 5 months) after radiotherapy (...

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.

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...

Undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA during syphilis infection in two HIV/HCV-co-infected patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salado-Rasmussen, Kirsten; Knudsen, Andreas; Krarup, Henrik Bygum

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, elicits a vigorous immune response in the infected host. This study sought to describe the impact of syphilis infection on hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels in patients with HIV and chronic HCV infection. METHODS: Patients......-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and IFN-γ-inducible protein 10 kDa (IP-10). RESULTS: Undetectable HCV RNA at the time of early latent syphilis infection was observed in 2 patients with HIV and chronic HCV infection. After treatment of the syphilis infection, HCV RNA levels increased again in patient 1, whereas...... patient 2 initiated HCV therapy and remained HCV RNA-negative. Available plasma samples obtained before and after the episode with undetectable HCV RNA were phylogenetically identical, making the possibility of spontaneous clearance and HCV reinfection less likely. The IL-10, TNF-α, and IP-10 levels...

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.

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.

Turbine airfoil with outer wall thickness indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Marra, John J; James, Allister W; Merrill, Gary B

2013-08-06

A turbine airfoil usable in a turbine engine and including a depth indicator for determining outer wall blade thickness. The airfoil may include an outer wall having a plurality of grooves in the outer surface of the outer wall. The grooves may have a depth that represents a desired outer surface and wall thickness of the outer wall. The material forming an outer surface of the outer wall may be removed to be flush with an innermost point in each groove, thereby reducing the wall thickness and increasing efficiency. The plurality of grooves may be positioned in a radially outer region of the airfoil proximate to the tip.

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.

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.

Turbine airfoil with a compliant outer wall

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Christian X [Oviedo, FL; Morrison, Jay A [Oviedo, FL

2012-04-03

A turbine airfoil usable in a turbine engine with a cooling system and a compliant dual wall configuration configured to enable thermal expansion between inner and outer layers while eliminating stress formation in the outer layer is disclosed. The compliant dual wall configuration may be formed a dual wall formed from inner and outer layers separated by a support structure. The outer layer may be a compliant layer configured such that the outer layer may thermally expand and thereby reduce the stress within the outer layer. The outer layer may be formed from a nonplanar surface configured to thermally expand. In another embodiment, the outer layer may be planar and include a plurality of slots enabling unrestricted thermal expansion in a direction aligned with the outer layer.

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.

Microwave ablation assisted by a real-time virtual navigation system for hepatocellular carcinoma undetectable by conventional ultrasonography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Fangyi; Yu Xiaoling; Liang Ping; Cheng Zhigang; Han Zhiyu; Dong Baowei; Zhang Xiaohong

2012-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the efficiency and feasibility of microwave (MW) ablation assisted by a real-time virtual navigation system for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undetectable by conventional ultrasonography. Methods: 18 patients with 18 HCC nodules (undetectable on conventional US but detectable by intravenous contrast-enhanced CT or MRI) were enrolled in this study. Before MW ablation, US images and MRI or CT images were synchronized using the internal markers at the best timing of the inspiration. Thereafter, MW ablation was performed under real-time virtual navigation system guidance. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by the result of contrast-enhanced imagings after the treatment. Results: The target HCC nodules could be detected with fusion images in all patients. The time required for image fusion was 8–30 min (mean, 13.3 ± 5.7 min). 17 nodules were successfully ablated according to the contrast enhanced imagings 1 month after ablation. The technique effectiveness rate was 94.44% (17/18). The follow-up time was 3–12 months (median, 6 months) in our study. No severe complications occurred. No local recurrence was observed in any patients. Conclusions: MW ablation assisted by a real-time virtual navigation system is a feasible and efficient treatment of patients with HCC undetectable by conventional ultrasonography.

The Outer Space Treaty

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Christopher Daniel

2018-01-01

Negotiated at the United Nations and in force since 1967, the Outer Space Treaty has been ratified by over 100 countries and is the most important and foundational source of space law. The treaty, whose full title is "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies," governs all of humankind's activities in outer space, including activities on other celestial bodies and many activities on Earth related to outer space. All space exploration and human spaceflight, planetary sciences, and commercial uses of space—such as the global telecommunications industry and the use of space technologies such as position, navigation, and timing (PNT), take place against the backdrop of the general regulatory framework established in the Outer Space Treaty. A treaty is an international legal instrument which balances rights and obligations between states, and exists as a kind of mutual contract of shared understandings, rights, and responsibilities between them. Negotiated and drafted during the Cold War era of heightened political tensions, the Outer Space Treaty is largely the product of efforts by the United States and the USSR to agree on certain minimum standards and obligations to govern their competition in "conquering" space. Additionally, the Outer Space Treaty is similar to other treaties, including treaties governing the high seas, international airspace, and the Antarctic, all of which govern the behavior of states outside of their national borders. The treaty is brief in nature and only contains 17 articles, and is not comprehensive in addressing and regulating every possible scenario. The negotiating states knew that the Outer Space Treaty could only establish certain foundational concepts such as freedom of access, state responsibility and liability, non-weaponization of space, the treatment of astronauts in distress, and the prohibition of non-appropriation of

Exploring the brown dwarf desert: new substellar companions from the SDSS-III MARVELS survey

Science.gov (United States)

Grieves, Nolan; Ge, Jian; Thomas, Neil; Ma, Bo; Sithajan, Sirinrat; Ghezzi, Luan; Kimock, Ben; Willis, Kevin; De Lee, Nathan; Lee, Brian; Fleming, Scott W.; Agol, Eric; Troup, Nicholas; Paegert, Martin; Schneider, Donald P.; Stassun, Keivan; Varosi, Frank; Zhao, Bo; Jian, Liu; Li, Rui; Porto de Mello, Gustavo F.; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Pan, Kaike; Dutra-Ferreira, Letícia; Lorenzo-Oliveira, Diego; Santiago, Basílio X.; da Costa, Luiz N.; Maia, Marcio A. G.; Ogando, Ricardo L. C.; del Peloso, E. F.

2017-06-01

Planet searches using the radial velocity technique show a paucity of companions to solar-type stars within ˜5 au in the mass range of ˜10-80 MJup. This deficit, known as the brown dwarf desert, currently has no conclusive explanation. New substellar companions in this region help assess the reality of the desert and provide insight to the formation and evolution of these objects. Here, we present 10 new brown dwarf and 2 low-mass stellar companion candidates around solar-type stars from the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-Area Survey (MARVELS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III. These companions were selected from processed MARVELS data using the latest University of Florida Two Dimensional pipeline, which shows significant improvement and reduction of systematic errors over previous pipelines. The 10 brown dwarf companions range in mass from ˜13 to 76 MJup and have orbital radii of less than 1 au. The two stellar companions have minimum masses of ˜98 and 100 MJup. The host stars of the MARVELS brown dwarf sample have a mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.03 ± 0.08 dex. Given our stellar sample we estimate the brown dwarf occurrence rate around solar-type stars with periods less than ˜300 d to be ˜0.56 per cent.

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.

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.

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.

Clinically undetected retinal breaks causing retinal detachment: A review of options for management.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Deepak; Ching, Jared; Tornambe, Paul E

2017-08-12

The successful detection of retinal breaks is a critical step in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgery in order to prevent persistent/recurrent retinal detachments. Not all retinal breaks causing retinal detachments are obvious. Retinal breaks may be obscured by opacities that are either anterior segment related, lens related, or posterior segment related. Rules to identify breaks based on subretinal fluid configuration are more difficult to apply in pseudophakic, aphakic, and scleral buckle encircled eyes-and in eyes with repeat detachments and those with proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Exudative detachments exhibit characteristic features and must be ruled out. A thorough clinical examination preoperatively is important even if a vitrectomy is planned. We review the incidence and causes of undetected breaks, along with preoperative/clinical issues that may hinder break detection. We review the literature with respect to investigative approaches and techniques that are available to the vitreoretinal surgeon when primary breaks remain clinically undetected during the preoperative examination. We broadly divide the surgical approaches into ones where the surgeon utilizes techniques to pursue actively a search for breaks versus adopting a purely speculative approach. Advantages and disadvantages of various techniques are appraised. Intuitively one might argue that an encircling scleral buckle combined with vitrectomy would give higher single operation success than pars plana vitrectomy alone because "undetected" retinal breaks would be addressed by a 360° plombage. We could not confirm this concept. Newer techniques, such as pars plana vitrectomy augmented with dye extrusion or endoscopic-assisted pars plana vitrectomy, show encouraging results. Technological advances such as intraoperative optical coherence tomography will also help to broaden the vitreoretinal surgeon's armamentarium. At this time, there is no gold standard in terms of the recommended

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.

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.

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.

A Be-type star with a black-hole companion.

Science.gov (United States)

Casares, J; Negueruela, I; Ribó, M; Ribas, I; Paredes, J M; Herrero, A; Simón-Díaz, S

2014-01-16

Stellar-mass black holes have all been discovered through X-ray emission, which arises from the accretion of gas from their binary companions (this gas is either stripped from low-mass stars or supplied as winds from massive ones). Binary evolution models also predict the existence of black holes accreting from the equatorial envelope of rapidly spinning Be-type stars (stars of the Be type are hot blue irregular variables showing characteristic spectral emission lines of hydrogen). Of the approximately 80 Be X-ray binaries known in the Galaxy, however, only pulsating neutron stars have been found as companions. A black hole was formally allowed as a solution for the companion to the Be star MWC 656 (ref. 5; also known as HD 215227), although that conclusion was based on a single radial velocity curve of the Be star, a mistaken spectral classification and rough estimates of the inclination angle. Here we report observations of an accretion disk line mirroring the orbit of MWC 656. This, together with an improved radial velocity curve of the Be star through fitting sharp Fe II profiles from the equatorial disk, and a refined Be classification (to that of a B1.5-B2 III star), indicates that a black hole of 3.8 to 6.9 solar masses orbits MWC 656, the candidate counterpart of the γ-ray source AGL J2241+4454 (refs 5, 6). The black hole is X-ray quiescent and fed by a radiatively inefficient accretion flow giving a luminosity less than 1.6 × 10(-7) times the Eddington luminosity. This implies that Be binaries with black-hole companions are difficult to detect in conventional X-ray surveys.

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

Adverse pathology and undetectable ultrasensitive prostate-specific antigen after radical prostatectomy: is adjuvant radiation warranted?

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Ross M; Howard, Lauren E; Freedland, Stephen J; Aronson, William J; Terris, Martha K; Kane, Christopher J; Amling, Christopher L; Cooperberg, Matthew R; Vidal, Adriana C

2016-06-01

To determine if men with adverse pathology but undetectable ultrasensitive (<0.01 ng/mL) PSA are at high-risk for biochemical recurrence (BCR), or if there is a subset of patients at low-risk for whom the benefit of adjuvant radiation therapy might be limited. We evaluated 411 patients treated with RP from 2001 to 2013 without adjuvant radiation who had an undetectable (<0.01 ng/mL) PSA level after RP but with adverse pathology [positive surgical margins (PSMs), extraprostatic extension (EPE), and/or seminal vesicle invasion (SVI)]. Multivariable Cox regression analyses tested the relationship between pathological characteristics and BCR to identify groups of men at highest risk of early BCR. On multivariable analysis, only pathological Gleason 7 (4 + 3), Gleason ≥8, and SVI independently predicted BCR (P = 0.019, P < 0.001, and P = 0.001, respectively), although on two-way analysis men with Gleason 7 (4 + 3) did not have significantly higher rates of BCR compared with patients with Gleason ≤6 (log-rank, P = 0.074). Men with either Gleason ≥8 (with PSMs or EPE) or SVI (15% of the cohort) defined a high-risk group vs men without these characteristics (3-year BCR risk of 50.4% vs 11.9%, log-rank, P < 0.001). Among men with adverse pathology but an undetectable (<0.01 ng/mL) PSA level after RP, the benefits of adjuvant radiation are probably limited except for men with Gleason 8-10 (with PSMs or EPE) or SVI who are at high-risk of early BCR. © 2015 The Authors BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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.

Saturn's outer magnetosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Schardt, A. W.; Behannon, K. W.; Carbary, J. F.; Eviatar, A.; Lepping, R. P.; Siscoe, G. L.

1983-01-01

Similarities between the Saturnian and terrestrial outer magnetosphere are examined. Saturn, like Earth, has a fully developed magnetic tail, 80 to 100 RS in diameter. One major difference between the two outer magnetospheres is the hydrogen and nitrogen torus produced by Titan. This plasma is, in general, convected in the corotation direction at nearly the rigid corotation speed. Energies of magnetospheric particles extend to above 500 keV. In contrast, interplanetary protons and ions above 2 MeV have free access to the outer magnetosphere to distances well below the Stormer cutoff. This access presumably occurs through the magnetotail. In addition to the H+, H2+, and H3+ ions primarily of local origin, energetic He, C, N, and O ions are found with solar composition. Their flux can be substantially enhanced over that of interplanetary ions at energies of 0.2 to 0.4 MeV/nuc.

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

Outer Synchronization of Complex Networks by Impulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Wen; Yan Zizong; Chen Shihua; Lü Jinhu

2011-01-01

This paper investigates outer synchronization of complex networks, especially, outer complete synchronization and outer anti-synchronization between the driving network and the response network. Employing the impulsive control method which is uncontinuous, simple, efficient, low-cost and easy to implement in practical applications, we obtain some sufficient conditions of outer complete synchronization and outer anti-synchronization between two complex networks. Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed impulsive control scheme. (general)

Severe hemolytic disease of fetus and newborn caused by red blood cell antibodies undetected at first-trimester screening (CME).

Science.gov (United States)

Dajak, Slavica; Stefanović, Vedran; Capkun, Vesna

2011-07-01

The objective was to determine clinical consequences of anti-D and non-D antibodies undetected at first-trimester screening for infant or fetus. This retrospective cohort study included all pregnant women with red blood cell (RBC) antibodies who were tested between 1993 and 2008. Data were obtained from the forms for tracking immunization at the transfusion department. Each form was analyzed for three data sets: the order of screening at which the antibodies were detected (initial or repeated screening), the order of pregnancy (first pregnancy or higher), and whether the antibodies caused severe hemolytic disease of fetus and newborn (HDFN). In D- women, anti-D was detected in 1.3% of cases. The anti-D was undetected in 72 (37%) cases on the first-trimester screening, of which eight cases were complicated by severe HDFN. In this group, three patients were primigravidae. An overall non-D incidence of 0.2% was observed. In 16 cases, non-D were undetected on the first-trimester screening (10 anti-c, two anti-E, two anti-C, one anti-S, and one case of anti-Rh17). Non-D antibodies undetected on initial screening caused 11 cases of severe HDFN (27% of all severe non-D HDFN). Ten of them were in multiparous women. Seven of 11 cases with severe HDFN that were missed were caused by anti-c. The third-trimester screening may detect RBC antibodies that were not present or detected on the first-trimester screening. Such screening may be especially relevant in D+ multiparous women due to the risk of HDFN. © 2010 American Association of Blood Banks.

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.

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...

Usefulness of radioiodine scanning in patients with moderate/high risk differentiated thyroid carcinoma in whom thyroglobulin after thyroxin withdrawal is undetectable after initial treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosario, Pedro Weslley S.; Cardoso, Ludmilla David; Fagundes, Tales Alvarenga; Reis, Janice Sepulveda; Maia, Frederico F. Ribeiro; Purisch, Saulo

2004-01-01

We selected 92 patients without anti thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), in whom thyroglobulin (Tg) after L-thyroxin withdrawal was undetectable ( 1.5 cm; and lymph nodes metastases in 43 (46.7%), local invasion in 26 (28.2%) or distant metastases in 23 (25%). Control whole-body scanning was negative in 78.2% of the cases and showed cervical uptake in the others. Cases presenting thyroid bed uptake in the absence of tumor recurrence did not receive radioiodine and Tg remained undetectable one year after the initial evaluation in all. Cervical uptake was not observed in 4/13 cases on repeated scan. In contrast, even in the absence of uptake and with undetectable Tg, 7 patients with recurrence confirmed by ultrasound (US) received surgical treatment. US showed 92.8% sensitivity for the detection of local-regional disease. The present study suggests that even moderate/high-risk patients without TgAb and with undetectable T g levels (off T 4 ) do not require radioiodine scanning after initial treatment and can be evaluated by cervical US. (author)

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.

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

THE STRUCTURE OF SPIRAL SHOCKS EXCITED BY PLANETARY-MASS COMPANIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Zhaohuan; Stone, James M.; Rafikov, Roman R.; Dong, Ruobing

2015-01-01

Direct imaging observations have revealed spiral structures in protoplanetary disks. Previous studies have suggested that planet-induced spiral arms cannot explain some of these spiral patterns, due to the large pitch angle and high contrast of the spiral arms in observations. We have carried out three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamical simulations to study spiral wakes/shocks excited by young planets. We find that, in contrast with linear theory, the pitch angle of spiral arms does depend on the planet mass, which can be explained by the nonlinear density wave theory. A secondary (or even a tertiary) spiral arm, especially for inner arms, is also excited by a massive planet. With a more massive planet in the disk, the excited spiral arms have larger pitch angle and the separation between the primary and secondary arms in the azimuthal direction is also larger. We also find that although the arms in the outer disk do not exhibit much vertical motion, the inner arms have significant vertical motion, which boosts the density perturbation at the disk atmosphere. Combining hydrodynamical models with Monte-Carlo radiative transfer calculations, we find that the inner spiral arms are considerably more prominent in synthetic near-IR images using full 3D hydrodynamical models than images based on two-dimensional models assuming vertical hydrostatic equilibrium, indicating the need to model observations with full 3D hydrodynamics. Overall, companion-induced spiral arms not only pinpoint the companion’s position but also provide three independent ways (pitch angle, separation between two arms, and contrast of arms) to constrain the companion’s mass

THE STRUCTURE OF SPIRAL SHOCKS EXCITED BY PLANETARY-MASS COMPANIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Zhaohuan; Stone, James M.; Rafikov, Roman R. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Dong, Ruobing, E-mail: zhzhu@astro.princeton.edu, E-mail: rdong2013@berkeley.edu [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2015-11-10

Direct imaging observations have revealed spiral structures in protoplanetary disks. Previous studies have suggested that planet-induced spiral arms cannot explain some of these spiral patterns, due to the large pitch angle and high contrast of the spiral arms in observations. We have carried out three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamical simulations to study spiral wakes/shocks excited by young planets. We find that, in contrast with linear theory, the pitch angle of spiral arms does depend on the planet mass, which can be explained by the nonlinear density wave theory. A secondary (or even a tertiary) spiral arm, especially for inner arms, is also excited by a massive planet. With a more massive planet in the disk, the excited spiral arms have larger pitch angle and the separation between the primary and secondary arms in the azimuthal direction is also larger. We also find that although the arms in the outer disk do not exhibit much vertical motion, the inner arms have significant vertical motion, which boosts the density perturbation at the disk atmosphere. Combining hydrodynamical models with Monte-Carlo radiative transfer calculations, we find that the inner spiral arms are considerably more prominent in synthetic near-IR images using full 3D hydrodynamical models than images based on two-dimensional models assuming vertical hydrostatic equilibrium, indicating the need to model observations with full 3D hydrodynamics. Overall, companion-induced spiral arms not only pinpoint the companion’s position but also provide three independent ways (pitch angle, separation between two arms, and contrast of arms) to constrain the companion’s mass.

Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data represents geographic terms used within the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA or Act). The Act defines the United States outer continental shelf...

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

Effect of undetected gravitational lenses on statistical measures of quasar evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, E.L.

1980-01-01

Brightness amplifications by undetected gravitational lenses could be responsible in part for the apparent evolution of quasars, particularly for those which appear to be of high luminosity. It is shown that values of Vover-bar/over-barVover-bar/sub M/> or =0.6 and number-magnitude slopes > or =0.9 need not necessarily imply source density evolution if lensing events are common. Quasar samples which are defined by flux limits and minimum luminosities will preferentially include gravitational lens systems. Even if lensing events are quite rare, a large fraction of the lensed quasars will appear more luminous than the most luminous unlensed quasar

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.

27 CFR 9.207 - Outer Coastal Plain.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Outer Coastal Plain. 9.207... Outer Coastal Plain. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “Outer Coastal Plain”. For purposes of part 4 of this chapter, “Outer Coastal Plain” is a term of viticultural...

Teenage motherhood: its relationship to undetected learning problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Rauch-Elnekave, H

1994-01-01

This study describes characteristics of a group of 64 adolescent mothers and their infants who participated in a program for teenage mothers run by a local health department. A majority of the girls for whom California Achievement Test (CAT) scores were available scored one or more years below grade level in reading and in language skills. Relative delays in infant development (language and social domains) were also documented. High levels of self-esteem as well as general social acceptance (by adults and peers) of early out-of-wedlock parenting suggest that early motherhood may represent an alternative avenue to experiencing success for girls who are having academic difficulties. These findings, which suggest the likelihood of a high incidence of undetected learning problems in this population, indicate that these difficulties may have a significant relationship to the high rate of school dropout associated with adolescent motherhood. The findings bring into question the notion of "unintended pregnancies" and the wisdom of current federal policies for preventing adolescent parenthood that rely on the promotion of abstinence.

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…

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...

THE FORNAX DWARF GALAXY AS A REMNANT OF RECENT DWARF-DWARF MERGING IN THE LOCAL GROUP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yozin, C.; Bekki, K.

2012-01-01

We present results from the first numerical analysis to support the hypothesis, first proposed in Coleman et al., that the Fornax dwarf galaxy was formed from the minor merging of two dwarfs about 2 Gyr ago. Using orbits for the Fornax dwarf that are consistent with the latest proper motion measurements, our dynamical evolution models show that the observed asymmetric shell-like substructures can be formed from the remnant of a smaller dwarf during minor merging. These models also predict the formation of diffuse stellar streams. We discuss how these stellar substructures depend on model parameters of dwarf-dwarf merging, and how the intermediate-age subpopulations found in the vicinity of these substructures may be formed from gas accretion in past merger events. We also suggest that one of Fornax's globular clusters originates from a merged dwarf companion, and demonstrate where as yet undetected tidal streams or H I gas formed from the dwarf merging may be found in the outer halo of the Galaxy.

VERY LOW MASS STELLAR AND SUBSTELLAR COMPANIONS TO SOLAR-LIKE STARS FROM MARVELS. I. A LOW-MASS RATIO STELLAR COMPANION TO TYC 4110-01037-1 IN A 79 DAY ORBIT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wisniewski, John P.; Agol, Eric; Barnes, Rory; Ge, Jian; De Lee, Nathan; Fleming, Scott W.; Lee, Brian L.; Chang, Liang; Crepp, Justin R.; Eastman, Jason; Gaudi, B. Scott; Esposito, Massimiliano; Gonzalez Hernandez, Jonay I.; Prieto, Carlos Allende; Ghezzi, Luan; Da Costa, Luiz N.; Porto De Mello, G. F.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Cargile, Phillip; Bizyaev, Dmitry

2012-01-01

TYC 4110-01037-1 has a low-mass stellar companion, whose small mass ratio and short orbital period are atypical among binary systems with solar-like (T eff ∼ ☉ and radius of 0.99 ± 0.18 R ☉ . We analyze 32 radial velocity (RV) measurements from the SDSS-III MARVELS survey as well as 6 supporting RV measurements from the SARG spectrograph on the 3.6 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo telescope obtained over a period of ∼2 years. The best Keplerian orbital fit parameters were found to have a period of 78.994 ± 0.012 days, an eccentricity of 0.1095 ± 0.0023, and a semi-amplitude of 4199 ± 11 m s –1 . We determine the minimum companion mass (if sin i = 1) to be 97.7 ± 5.8 M Jup . The system's companion to host star mass ratio, ≥0.087 ± 0.003, places it at the lowest end of observed values for short period stellar companions to solar-like (T eff ∼< 6000 K) stars. One possible way to create such a system would be if a triple-component stellar multiple broke up into a short period, low q binary during the cluster dispersal phase of its lifetime. A candidate tertiary body has been identified in the system via single-epoch, high contrast imagery. If this object is confirmed to be comoving, we estimate it would be a dM4 star. We present these results in the context of our larger-scale effort to constrain the statistics of low-mass stellar and brown dwarf companions to FGK-type stars via the MARVELS survey.

"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.

T cells recognizing a peptide contaminant undetectable by mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brezar, Vedran; Culina, Slobodan; Østerbye, Thomas

2011-01-01

Synthetic peptides are widely used in immunological research as epitopes to stimulate their cognate T cells. These preparations are never completely pure, but trace contaminants are commonly revealed by mass spectrometry quality controls. In an effort to characterize novel major histocompatibility...... complex (MHC) Class I-restricted ß-cell epitopes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, we identified islet-infiltrating CD8+ T cells recognizing a contaminating peptide. The amount of this contaminant was so small to be undetectable by direct mass spectrometry. Only after concentration by liquid...... chromatography, we observed a mass peak corresponding to an immunodominant islet-specific glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit-related protein (IGRP)(206-214) epitope described in the literature. Generation of CD8+ T-cell clones recognizing IGRP(206-214) using a novel method confirmed the identity...

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....

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.

Outer grid strap protruding spring repair apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widener, W.H.

1987-01-01

This patent describes a nuclear fuel assembly grid spring repair apparatus for repairing a spring formed on an outer strap of a fuel assembly grid and having a portion protruding outwardly beyond the strap, the apparatus comprising: (a) a support frame defining an opening and having means defining a guide channel extending along the opening in a first direction; (b) means mounted on the frame and being adjustable for attaching the frame to the outer strap of the support grid so that the frame opening is aligned with the outwardly protruding spring on the outer strap; (c) an outer slide having a passageway defined therethrough and being mounted in the guide channel for reciprocable movement along the frame opening in the first direction for aligning the passageway with the outwardly protruding portion of the spring on the outer strap. The outer slide also has means defining a guide way extending along the passageway in a second direction generally orthogonal to the first direction; (d) a spring reset mechanism being operable for resetting the protruding spring to a nonprotruding position relative to the outer strap when the mechanism is aligned with the protruding portion of the spring; and (e) an inner slide supporting the spring reset mechanism and being mounted to the guide way for reciprocable movement along the passageway of the outer slide in the second direction for aligning the spring reset mechanism with the protruding portion of the spring on the outer strap

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.

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.

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.

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.

Incorporation of squalene into rod outer segments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, R.K.; Fliesler, S.J.

1990-01-01

We have reported previously that squalene is the major radiolabeled nonsaponifiable lipid product derived from [ 3 H]acetate in short term incubations of frog retinas. In the present study, we demonstrate that newly synthesized squalene is incorporated into rod outer segments under similar in vitro conditions. We show further that squalene is an endogenous constituent of frog rod outer segment membranes; its concentration is approximately 9.5 nmol/mumol of phospholipid or about 9% of the level of cholesterol. Pulse-chase experiments with radiolabeled precursors revealed no metabolism of outer segment squalene to sterols in up to 20 h of chase. Taken together with our previous absolute rate studies, these results suggest that most, if not all, of the squalene synthesized by the frog retina is transported to rod outer segments. Synthesis of protein is not required for squalene transport since puromycin had no effect on squalene incorporation into outer segments. Conversely, inhibition of isoprenoid synthesis with mevinolin had no effect on the incorporation of opsin into the outer segment. These latter results support the conclusion that the de novo synthesis and subsequent intracellular trafficking of opsin and isoprenoid lipids destined for the outer segment occur via independent mechanisms

Poor Government Oversight of Anham and Its Subcontracting Procedures Allowed Questionable Costs To Go Undetected

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-30

contractor purchasing system review of Anham. Management Comments and Audit Response The Defense Contract Mangement Agency and the U.S. Central... Introduction 1  Background 1  Government Agency Roles and Oversight Responsibilities 4  Objectives 7  Weak Government Oversight Resulted in Significant...Subcontracting Procedures Allowed Questionable Costs To Go Undetected SIGIR 11-022 July 30, 2011 Introduction Since 2003, the United States Government

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.

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.

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).

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

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.

Small RNAs controlling outer membrane porins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Valentin-Hansen, Poul; Johansen, Jesper; Rasmussen, Anders A

2007-01-01

are key regulators of environmental stress. Recent work has revealed an intimate interplay between small RNA regulation of outer membrane proteins and the stress-induced sigmaE-signalling system, which has an essential role in the maintenance of the integrity of the outer membrane.......Gene regulation by small non-coding RNAs has been recognized as an important post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism for several years. In Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella, these RNAs control stress response and translation of outer membrane proteins and therefore...

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....

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

Mitochondrial dysfunction underlying outer retinal diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lefevere, Evy; Toft-Kehler, Anne Katrine; Vohra, Rupali

2017-01-01

Dysfunction of photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) or both contribute to the initiation and progression of several outer retinal disorders. Disrupted Müller glia function might additionally subsidize to these diseases. Mitochondrial malfunctioning is importantly associated with outer...

Effects of Motivation: Rewarding Hackers for Undetected Attacks Cause Analysts to Perform Poorly.

Science.gov (United States)

Maqbool, Zahid; Makhijani, Nidhi; Pammi, V S Chandrasekhar; Dutt, Varun

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine how monetary motivations influence decision making of humans performing as security analysts and hackers in a cybersecurity game. Cyberattacks are increasing at an alarming rate. As cyberattacks often cause damage to existing cyber infrastructures, it is important to understand how monetary rewards may influence decision making of hackers and analysts in the cyber world. Currently, only limited attention has been given to this area. In an experiment, participants were randomly assigned to three between-subjects conditions ( n = 26 for each condition): equal payoff, where the magnitude of monetary rewards for hackers and defenders was the same; rewarding hacker, where the magnitude of monetary reward for hacker's successful attack was 10 times the reward for analyst's successful defense; and rewarding analyst, where the magnitude of monetary reward for analyst's successful defense was 10 times the reward for hacker's successful attack. In all conditions, half of the participants were human hackers playing against Nash analysts and half were human analysts playing against Nash hackers. Results revealed that monetary rewards for human hackers and analysts caused a decrease in attack and defend actions compared with the baseline. Furthermore, rewarding human hackers for undetected attacks made analysts deviate significantly from their optimal behavior. If hackers are rewarded for their undetected attack actions, then this causes analysts to deviate from optimal defend proportions. Thus, analysts need to be trained not become overenthusiastic in defending networks. Applications of our results are to networks where the influence of monetary rewards may cause information theft and system damage.

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

Where are the Binaries? Results of a Long-term Search for Radial Velocity Binaries in Proto-planetary Nebulae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hrivnak, Bruce J.; Lu, Wenxian [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN 46383 (United States); Steene, Griet Van de [Royal Observatory of Belgium, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Ringlaan 3, Brussels (Belgium); Winckel, Hans Van [Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, K.U. Leuven University, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Sperauskas, Julius [Vilnius University Observatory, Ciurlionio 29 Vilnius 2009 (Lithuania); Bohlender, David, E-mail: bruce.hrivnak@valpo.edu, E-mail: wen.lu@valpo.edu, E-mail: g.vandesteene@oma.be, E-mail: Hans.VanWinckel@ster.kuleuven.be, E-mail: julius.sperauskas@ff.vu.lt, E-mail: David.Bohlender@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca [National Research Council of Canada, Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC V9E 2E7 (Canada)

2017-09-10

We present the results of an expanded, long-term radial velocity search (25 years) for evidence of binarity in a sample of seven bright proto-planetary nebulae (PPNe). The goal is to investigate the widely held view that the bipolar or point-symmetric shapes of planetary nebulae (PNe) and PPNe are due to binary interactions. Observations from three observatories were combined from 2007 to 2015 to search for variations on the order of a few years and then combined with earlier observations from 1991 to 1995 to search for variations on the order of decades. All seven show velocity variations due to periodic pulsation in the range of 35–135 days. However, in only one PPN, IRAS 22272+5435, did we find even marginal evidence for multi-year variations that might be due to a binary companion. This object shows marginally significant evidence of a two-year period of low semi-amplitude, which could be due to a low-mass companion, and it also displays some evidence of a much longer period of >30 years. The absence of evidence in the other six objects for long-period radial velocity variations due to a binary companion sets significant constraints on the properties of any undetected binary companions: they must be of low mass, ≤0.2 M {sub ⊙}, or long period, >30 years. Thus the present observations do not provide direct support for the binary hypothesis to explain the shapes of PNe and PPNe and severely constrains the properties of any such undetected companions.

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.

Utilizing the GentleWave® System for Debridement of Undetected Apical Anatomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Michael W

2018-03-01

Debriding and disinfecting complex anatomies within the root canal system pose a major challenge during root canal therapy. Even with current chemomechanical techniques, debris and bacterial remnants are commonly left behind, which are generally believed to increase the risk of endodontic failure. This case details the use of a new technique to debride complex apical anatomy in a maxillary molar. A 48-year-old female presented to the clinic with a chief complaint of increasing pain in her tooth. Clinical examination of the right first maxillary molar (#3) revealed moderate sensitivity to percussion and mild sensitivity to palpation. A pulpal diagnosis of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis and a periapi-cal diagnosis of symptomatic apical periodontitis were made. Mechanical instrumentation was performed using rotary file size #25/.04 for the mesiobuccal and distobuccal canals and size #25/.06 for the palatal canal to create a fluid path and enable obturation of the root canal system following the GentleWave® Procedure. The GentleWave Procedure was completed using Multisonic Ultracleaning™ for complete debridement and disinfection of the root canal system. The tooth was obturated using a warm vertical continuous wave obturation technique. Postoperative radiographs revealed complex anatomy within the apical third that was undetected both during pre-operative radiography and mechanical instrumentation. The palatal canal exhibited a complex apical delta with multiple points of exit, and the mesiobuccal canal revealed an undetected lateral canal within the apical third that had a separate and distinct egress. Conclusion and clinical significance: It is important for the clinician to debride and disinfect complex anatomy within the root canal system to reduce the risk of endodontic failure. This case report highlights the clinical significance of utilizing the GentleWave Procedure for detecting complex apical anatomy during endodontic therapy.

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.

The CMS Outer Hadron Calorimeter

CERN Document Server

Acharya, Bannaje Sripathi; Banerjee, Sunanda; Banerjee, Sudeshna; Bawa, Harinder Singh; Beri, Suman Bala; Bhandari, Virender; Bhatnagar, Vipin; Chendvankar, Sanjay; Deshpande, Pandurang Vishnu; Dugad, Shashikant; Ganguli, Som N; Guchait, Monoranjan; Gurtu, Atul; Kalmani, Suresh Devendrappa; Kaur, Manjit; Kohli, Jatinder Mohan; Krishnaswamy, Marthi Ramaswamy; Kumar, Arun; Maity, Manas; Majumder, Gobinda; Mazumdar, Kajari; Mondal, Naba Kumar; Nagaraj, P; Narasimham, Vemuri Syamala; Patil, Mandakini Ravindra; Reddy, L V; Satyanarayana, B; Sharma, Seema; Singh, B; Singh, Jas Bir; Sudhakar, Katta; Tonwar, Suresh C; Verma, Piyush

2006-01-01

The CMS hadron calorimeter is a sampling calorimeter with brass absorber and plastic scintillator tiles with wavelength shifting fibres for carrying the light to the readout device. The barrel hadron calorimeter is complemented with a outer calorimeter to ensure high energy shower containment in CMS and thus working as a tail catcher. Fabrication, testing and calibrations of the outer hadron calorimeter are carried out keeping in mind its importance in the energy measurement of jets in view of linearity and resolution. It will provide a net improvement in missing $\\et$ measurements at LHC energies. The outer hadron calorimeter has a very good signal to background ratio even for a minimum ionising particle and can hence be used in coincidence with the Resistive Plate Chambers of the CMS detector for the muon trigger.

The Dwarf Spheroidal Companions to M31: WFPC2 Observations of Andromeda III

OpenAIRE

Da Costa, G. S.; Armandroff, T. E.; Caldwell, Nelson

2002-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 camera has been used to image Andromeda III, a dwarf spheroidal companion (dSph) to M31. The resulting color-magnitude (c-m) diagrams reveal the morphology of the horizontal branch (HB) in this dwarf galaxy. We find that like Andromeda I and Andromeda II, and like most of the Galactic dSph companions, the HB morphology of And III is predominantly red, redder than that of both And I and And II despite And III having a lower mean metallicity. We interpret this r...

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.

Issues concerning outer space investments in international law ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Issues concerning outer space investments in international law. ... Recent improvements in technology have in essence increased the viability of outer space as the next frontier for international investment and development. In addition to ... Key words: Outer Space, Investments, International Law, International Space Station ...

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...

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.

Plasmas in the outer heliosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Belcher, J. W.; Richardson, J. D.; Lazarus, A. J.; Gazis, P. R.; Barnes, A.

1995-01-01

We review the observed properties of the solar wind in the outer heliosphere, including observations from Voyager and the Pioneers, as well as from inner heliospheric probes as appropriate. These observations are crucial to modeling of the heliosphere and its interactions with the interstellar medium, since the wind ram pressure and its temporal variations are important in understanding the distance to the termination shock and heliopause and how those boundaries might vary in time. We focus on results since Solar Wind 7. Among the issues we will discuss are: (1) the time scales for and statistical properties of variations in the ram pressure in the outer heliosphere, and how those variations might affect the morphology of the heliospheric/interstellar medium interface; (2) the question of possible solar wind slowing in the outer heliosphere due to the pick-up of interstellar ions; (3) the issue of whether there is bulk heating of the solar wind associated either with interstellar ion pick-up or with continued heating due to stream-stream interactions; (4) evidence for latitudinal variations in solar wind properties; and (5) the 1.3 year periodicities apparent in the outer heliosphere, and the close correspondence with similar variations seen with inner heliospheric probes.

Origin of Outer Solar System

Science.gov (United States)

Holman, Matthew J.; Lindstrom, David (Technical Monitor)

2005-01-01

Our ongoing research program combines extensive deep and wide-field observations using a variety of observational platforms with numerical studies of the dynamics of small bodies in the outer solar system in order to advance the main scientific goals of the community studying the Kuiper belt and the outer solar system. These include: (1) determining the relative populations of the known classes of KBOs as well as other possible classes; ( 2 ) determining the size distributions or luminosity function of the individual populations or the Kuiper belt as a whole; (3) determining the inclinations distributions of these populations; (4) establishing the radial extent of the Kuiper belt; ( 5 ) measuring and relating the physical properties of different types of KBOs to those of other solar system bodies; and, (6) completing our systematic inventory of the satellites of the outer planets.

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.

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.

Idiopathic Acquired Hemophilia A with Undetectable Factor VIII Inhibitor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas B. Abt

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. We present the case of a 73-year-old female, with no family or personal history of a bleeding disorder, who had a classic presentation for acquired hemophilia A. Factor VIII activity was low but detectable and a factor VIII inhibitor was undetectable. Methods. The patient’s plasma was comprehensively studied to determine the cause of the acquired coagulopathy. Using the Nijmegen modification of the Bethesda assay, no factor VIII autoantibody was measureable despite varying the incubation time from 1 to 3 hours. Results. The aPTT was prolonged at 46.8 seconds, which did not correct in the 4 : 1 mix but did with 1 : 1 mix. Using a one stage factor VIII activity assay, the FVIII activity was 16% and chromogenic FVIII activity was also 16%. The patient was treated with recombinant FVII and transfusion, significantly reducing bleeding. Long-term therapy was initiated with cyclophosphamide and prednisone with normalization of FVIII activity. Conclusions. Physicians can be presented with the challenging clinical picture of an acquired factor VIII inhibitor without a detectable inhibitor by the Bethesda assay. Standard therapy for an acquired hemophilia A should be considered.

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 ...

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.

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

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.

On the Origin of the Spiral Morphology in the Elias 2–27 Circumstellar Disk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meru, Farzana; Juhász, Attila; Ilee, John D.; Clarke, Cathie J.; Rosotti, Giovanni P.; Booth, Richard A., E-mail: farzana.meru@ast.cam.ac.uk, E-mail: juhasz@ast.cam.ac.uk, E-mail: jdilee@ast.cam.ac.uk [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2017-04-20

The young star Elias 2–27 has recently been observed to posses a massive circumstellar disk with two prominent large-scale spiral arms. In this Letter, we perform three-dimensional Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics simulations, radiative transfer modeling, synthetic ALMA imaging, and an unsharped masking technique to explore three possibilities for the origin of the observed structures—an undetected companion either internal or external to the spirals, and a self-gravitating disk. We find that a gravitationally unstable disk and a disk with an external companion can produce morphology that is consistent with the observations. In addition, for the latter, we find that the companion could be a relatively massive planetary-mass companion (≲10–13 M {sub Jup}) and located at large radial distances (between ≈300–700 au). We therefore suggest that Elias 2–27 may be one of the first detections of a disk undergoing gravitational instabilities, or a disk that has recently undergone fragmentation to produce a massive companion.

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.

The signature of undetected change: an exploratory electrotomographic investigation of gradual change blindness.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiat, John E; Dodd, Michael D; Belli, Robert F; Cheadle, Jacob E

2018-05-01

Neuroimaging-based investigations of change blindness, a phenomenon in which seemingly obvious changes in visual scenes fail to be detected, have significantly advanced our understanding of visual awareness. The vast majority of prior investigations, however, utilize paradigms involving visual disruptions (e.g., intervening blank screens, saccadic movements, "mudsplashes"), making it difficult to isolate neural responses toward visual changes cleanly. To address this issue in this present study, high-density EEG data (256 channel) were collected from 25 participants using a paradigm in which visual changes were progressively introduced into detailed real-world scenes without the use of visual disruption. Oscillatory activity associated with undetected changes was contrasted with activity linked to their absence using standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA). Although an insufficient number of detections were present to allow for analysis of actual change detection, increased beta-2 activity in the right inferior parietal lobule (rIPL), a region repeatedly associated with change blindness in disruption paradigms, followed by increased theta activity in the right superior temporal gyrus (rSTG) was noted in undetected visual change responses relative to the absence of change. We propose the rIPL beta-2 activity to be associated with orienting attention toward visual changes, with the subsequent rise in rSTG theta activity being potentially linked with updating preconscious perceptual memory representations. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study represents the first neuroimaging-based investigation of gradual change blindness, a visual phenomenon that has significant potential to shed light on the processes underlying visual detection and conscious perception. The use of gradual change materials is reflective of real-world visual phenomena and allows for cleaner isolation of signals associated with the neural registration of change relative to the

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…

Orbital misalignment of the Neptune-mass exoplanet GJ 436b with the spin of its cool star

Science.gov (United States)

Bourrier, Vincent; Lovis, Christophe; Beust, Hervé; Ehrenreich, David; Henry, Gregory W.; Astudillo-Defru, Nicola; Allart, Romain; Bonfils, Xavier; Ségransan, Damien; Delfosse, Xavier; Cegla, Heather M.; Wyttenbach, Aurélien; Heng, Kevin; Lavie, Baptiste; Pepe, Francesco

2018-01-01

The angle between the spin of a star and the orbital planes of its planets traces the history of the planetary system. Exoplanets orbiting close to cool stars are expected to be on circular, aligned orbits because of strong tidal interactions with the stellar convective envelope. Spin–orbit alignment can be measured when the planet transits its star, but such ground-based spectroscopic measurements are challenging for cool, slowly rotating stars. Here we report the three-dimensional characterization of the trajectory of an exoplanet around an M dwarf star, derived by mapping the spectrum of the stellar photosphere along the chord transited by the planet. We find that the eccentric orbit of the Neptune-mass exoplanet GJ 436b is nearly perpendicular to the stellar equator. Both eccentricity and misalignment, surprising around a cool star, can result from dynamical interactions (via Kozai migration) with a yet-undetected outer companion. This inward migration of GJ 436b could have triggered the atmospheric escape that now sustains its giant exosphere.

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

Quantum optical measurements with undetected photons through vacuum field indistinguishability.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sun Kyung; Yoon, Tai Hyun; Cho, Minhaeng

2017-07-26

Quantum spectroscopy and imaging with undetected idler photons have been demonstrated by measuring one-photon interference between the corresponding entangled signal fields from two spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) crystals. In this Report, we present a new quantum optical measurement scheme utilizing three SPDC crystals in a cascading arrangement; here, neither the detection of the idler photons which interact with materials of interest nor their conjugate signal photons which do not interact with the sample is required. The coherence of signal beams in a single photon W-type path-entangled state is induced and modulated by indistinguishabilities of the idler beams and crucially the quantum vacuum fields. As a result, the optical properties of materials or objects interacting with the idler beam from the first SPDC crystal can be measured by detecting second-order interference between the signal beams generated by the other two SPDC crystals further down the set-up. This gedankenexperiment illustrates the fundamental importance of vacuum fields in generating an optical tripartite entangled state and thus its crucial role in quantum optical measurements.

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.

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

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...

Nuclear fuel grid outer strap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duncan, R.; Craver, J.E.

1989-01-01

This patent describes a nuclear reactor fuel assembly grid. It comprises a first outer grip strap segment end. The first end having a first tab arranged in substantially the same plane as the plane defined by the first end; a second outer grip strap end. The second end having a second slot arranged in substantially the same plane as the plane defined by the second end, with the tab being substantially disposed in the slot, defining a socket therebetween; and a fort tine interposed substantially perpendicularly in the socket

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 ...

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.

Will Outer Tropical Cyclone Size Change due to Anthropogenic Warming?

Science.gov (United States)

Schenkel, B. A.; Lin, N.; Chavas, D. R.; Vecchi, G. A.; Knutson, T. R.; Oppenheimer, M.

2017-12-01

Prior research has shown significant interbasin and intrabasin variability in outer tropical cyclone (TC) size. Moreover, outer TC size has even been shown to vary substantially over the lifetime of the majority of TCs. However, the factors responsible for both setting initial outer TC size and determining its evolution throughout the TC lifetime remain uncertain. Given these gaps in our physical understanding, there remains uncertainty in how outer TC size will change, if at all, due to anthropogenic warming. The present study seeks to quantify whether outer TC size will change significantly in response to anthropogenic warming using data from a high-resolution global climate model and a regional hurricane model. Similar to prior work, the outer TC size metric used in this study is the radius in which the azimuthal-mean surface azimuthal wind equals 8 m/s. The initial results from the high-resolution global climate model data suggest that the distribution of outer TC size shifts significantly towards larger values in each global TC basin during future climates, as revealed by 1) statistically significant increase of the median outer TC size by 5-10% (p<0.05) according to a 1,000-sample bootstrap resampling approach with replacement and 2) statistically significant differences between distributions of outer TC size from current and future climate simulations as shown using two-sample Kolmogorov Smirnov testing (p<<0.01). Additional analysis of the high-resolution global climate model data reveals that outer TC size does not uniformly increase within each basin in future climates, but rather shows substantial locational dependence. Future work will incorporate the regional mesoscale hurricane model data to help focus on identifying the source of the spatial variability in outer TC size increases within each basin during future climates and, more importantly, why outer TC size changes in response to anthropogenic warming.

Prevention of an arms race in outer space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1990-01-01

The space age may be the to have begun in 1957, when for the first time a man-made object was lofted into orbit round the Earth. Since that date, the new problems of outer space have been discussed in the United Nations, particularly in the General Assembly, in the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its subsidiary bodies, and in the Conference on Disarmament. The discussions have contributed to the conclusion of a number of international agreements concerning both military and peaceful aspects of the use of outer space. This paper reports that according to the 1967 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, known as the outer space Treaty, outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means (article II), and the parties undertake not to place in orbit around the earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of ass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner (article IV). Detailed norms for States' actions in this environment are included in the 1979 Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and other Celestial Bodies to ensure that the Moon and other celestial bodies within the solar system, other than Earth, are used exclusively for peaceful purposes

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.

Radioiodination of an outer membrane protein in intact Rickettsia prowazekii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, D.K.; Winkler, H.H.

1980-01-01

Intact Rickettsia prowazekii was radiolabeled with the glucose oxidase-lactoperoxidase method of iodination. Separation of the rickettsial extract into cytoplasmic, outer and inner membrane fractions demonstrated that the outer membrane was preferentially labeled. Analysis of the polypeptides of these fractions on high-resolution slab polyacrylamide gels showed that most of the 125 I was in polypeptide T49, an outer membrane constituent. Additional outer membrane polypeptides were iodinated in broken envelope preparations, demonstrating that T49 is uniquely accessible to the external environment and the asymmetric polypeptide organization of the outer membrane

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

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

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...

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)

IMAGING THE INNER AND OUTER GAPS OF THE PRE-TRANSITIONAL DISK OF HD 169142 AT 7 mm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osorio, Mayra; Anglada, Guillem; Macías, Enrique; Gómez, José F.; Mayen-Gijon, Juan M. [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada (Spain); Carrasco-González, Carlos; Rodríguez, Luis F.; D' Alessio, Paola [Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, Apartado Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico); Torrelles, José M. [Institut de Ciències de l' Espai (CSIC)-Institut de Ciències del Cosmos (UB)/IEEC, Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Calvet, Nuria [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 825 Dennison Building, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Nagel, Erick [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Gto 36240 (Mexico); Dent, William R. F. [ALMA SCO, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); Quanz, Sascha P.; Reggiani, Maddalena, E-mail: osorio@iaa.es [Institute for Astronomy, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland)

2014-08-20

We present Very Large Array observations at 7 mm that trace the thermal emission of large dust grains in the HD 169142 protoplanetary disk. Our images show a ring of enhanced emission of radius ∼25-30 AU, whose inner region is devoid of detectable 7 mm emission. We interpret this ring as tracing the rim of an inner cavity or gap, possibly created by a planet or a substellar companion. The ring appears asymmetric, with the western part significantly brighter than the eastern one. This azimuthal asymmetry is reminiscent of the lopsided structures that are expected to be produced as a consequence of trapping of large dust grains. Our observations also reveal an outer annular gap at radii from ∼40 to ∼70 AU. Unlike other sources, the radii of the inner cavity, the ring, and the outer gap observed in the 7 mm images, which trace preferentially the distribution of large (millimeter/centimeter sized) dust grains, coincide with those obtained from a previous near-infrared polarimetric image, which traces scattered light from small (micron-sized) dust grains. We model the broadband spectral energy distribution and the 7 mm images to constrain the disk physical structure. From this modeling we infer the presence of a small (radius ∼0.6 AU) residual disk inside the central cavity, indicating that the HD 169142 disk is a pre-transitional disk. The distribution of dust in three annuli with gaps in between them suggests that the disk in HD 169142 is being disrupted by at least two planets or substellar objects.

Health-related quality of life is not impaired in children with undetected as well as diagnosed celiac disease: a large population based cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Knowledge regarding the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with celiac disease remains limited and inconclusive. We investigated the HRQoL of three groups of 12-year-olds with: i) undetected celiac disease ii) clinically diagnosed celiac disease, and iii) without celiac disease. Methods A school-based cross-sectional multicenter screening study invited 18 325 children, whereof 68% consented to participate. Participants provided a blood sample, which was later analyzed for anti-tissue-tranglutaminase antibodies, and alongside filled in a questionnaire. When anti-tissue-tranglutaminase antibodies were elevated, a small intestinal biopsy verified the screening-detected celiac disease diagnosis. Self-reported HRQoL was measured using Kidscreen, a generic 52 items instrument with proven reliability and validity. Scores were linearly transformed into a 0–100 scale with higher values indicating better HRQoL. Mean values with standard deviations (mean ± SD) were compared, and uni- and multivariate logistic regression models tested the odds of a low HRQoL among children with undetected or diagnosed celiac disease, respectively. Results Children with undetected celiac disease (n = 238) reported similar HRQoL as children without celiac disease (n = 12 037) (83.0 ± 11.0 vs. 82.5 ± 11.3, P = 0.51), and also similar HRQoL (82.2 ± 12.2, P = 0.28) to that of children with diagnosed celiac disease (n = 90), of whom 92% were adherent to treatment. Having undetected celiac disease did not increase the odds of low overall HRQoL, independent of sex, area of residence, study year and occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.54-1.10). Comparable results were seen for diagnosed celiac disease cases (adjusted odds ratio 1.11, 95% CI 0.67-1.85). Conclusion Children with undetected celiac disease reported comparable HRQoL as their peers with diagnosed celiac disease, and those without celiac disease

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.

Selected Legal Challenges Relating to the Military use of Outer Space, with Specific Reference to Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anél Ferreira-Snyman

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Since the end of the Second World War the potential use of outer space for military purposes persisted to be intrinsically linked to the development of space technology and space flight. The launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, by the USSR in 1957 made Western states realise that a surprise attack from space was a real possibility, resulting in the so-called "space-race" between the USA and the USSR. During the Cold War space activities were intrinsically linked to the political objectives, priorities and national security concerns of the USA and the Soviet Union. After the Cold War the political relevance and benefits of space continued to be recognised by states. In view of the recent emergence of new major space powers such as China, the focus has again shifted to the military use of outer space and the potential that a state with advanced space technology may use it for military purposes in order to dominate other states. Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty prohibits the installation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction in outer space and determines that the moon and other celestial bodies shall be used for peaceful purposes only. Due to the dual-use character of many space assets, the distinction between military and non-military uses of outer space is becoming increasingly blurred. This article discusses a number of legal challenges presented by article IV of the Outer Space Treaty, relating specifically to the term peaceful, the distinction between the terms militarisation and weaponisation and the nature of a space weapon. It is concluded that article IV is in many respects outdated and that it cannot address the current legal issues relating to the military use of outer space. The legal vacuum in this area may have grave consequences not only for maintaining peace and security in outer space, but also on earth. Consequently, an international dialogue on the military uses of outer space should be

Autofluorescence from the outer retina and subretinal space: hypothesis and review.

Science.gov (United States)

Spaide, Richard

2008-01-01

To review the pathophysiologic principles underlying increased autofluorescence from the outer retina and subretinal space using selected diseases as examples. The ocular imaging information and histopathologic features, when known, were integrated for diseases causing increased autofluorescence from the outer retina and subretinal space. Inferences were taken from this information and used to create a classification scheme. These diseases are principally those that cause separation of the outer retina from the retinal pigment epithelium, thereby preventing proper phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments. The separation can arise from increased exudation into the subretinal space or inadequate removal of fluid from the subretinal space. Lack of normal outer segment processing initially leads to increased accumulation of outer segments on the outer retina and subretinal space. Over time, this material is visible as an increasingly thick coating on the outer retina, is yellow, and is autofluorescent. Over time, atrophy develops with thinning of the deposited material and decreasing autofluorescence. The accumulated material is ultimately capable of inducing damage to the retinal pigment epithelium. Diseases causing accumulation of the material include central serous chorioretinopathy, vitelliform macular dystrophy, acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy, choroidal tumors, and vitreomacular traction syndrome. The physical separation of the retinal outer segments from the retinal pigment epithelium hinders proper phagocytosis of the outer segments. Accumulation of the shed but not phagocytized outer segments plays a role in disease manifestations for a number of macular diseases.

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

OGLE-2005-BLG-071Lb, the Most Massive M-Dwarf Planetary Companion?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, S; Gould, A; Udalski, A; Anderson, J; Christie, G W; Gaudi, B S; Jaroszynski, M; Kubiak, M; Szymanski, M K; Pietrzynski, G; Soszynski, I; Szewczyk, O; Ulaczyk, K; Wyrzykowski, L; DePoy, D L; Fox, D B; Gal-Yam, A; Han, C; Lepine, S; McCormick, J; Ofek, E; Park, B; Pogge, R W; Abe, F; Bennett, D P; Bond, I A; Britton, T R; Gilmore, A C; Hearnshaw, J B; Itow, Y; Kamiya, K; Kilmartin, P M; Korpela, A; Masuda, K; Matsubara, Y; Motomura, M; Muraki, Y; Nakamura, S; Ohnishi, K; Okada, C; Rattenbury, N; Saito, T; Sako, T; Sasaki, M; Sullivan, D; Sumi, T; Tristram, P J; Yanagisawa, T; Yock, P M; Yoshoika, T; Albrow, M D; Beaulieu, J P; Brillant, S; Calitz, H; Cassan, A; Cook, K H; Coutures, C; Dieters, S; Prester, D D; Donatowicz, J; Fouque, P; Greenhill, J; Hill, K; Hoffman, M; Horne, K; J?rgensen, U G; Kane, S; Kubas, D; Marquette, J B; Martin, R; Meintjes, P; Menzies, J; Pollard, K R; Sahu, K C; Vinter, C; Wambsganss, J; Williams, A; Bode, M; Bramich, D M; Burgdorf, M; Snodgrass, C; Steele, I; Doublier, V; Foelmi, C

2008-04-18

We combine all available information to constrain the nature of OGLE-2005-BLG-071Lb, the second planet discovered by microlensing and the first in a high-magnification event. These include photometric and astrometric measurements from Hubble Space Telescope, as well as constraints from higher-order effects extracted from the ground-based light curve, such as microlens parallax, planetary orbital motion and finite-source effects. Our primary analysis leads to the conclusion that the host of Jovian planet OGLE-2005-BLG-071Lb is a foreground M dwarf, with mass M = 0.46 {+-} 0.04M{sub {circle_dot}}, distance D{sub l} = 3.3 {+-} 0.4 kpc, and thick-disk kinematics {nu}{sub LSR} {approx} 103 km s{sup -1}. From the best-fit model, the planet has mass M{sub p} = 3.5 {+-} 0.3 M{sub Jupiter}, lies at a projected separation r{sub {perpendicular}} = 3.6 {+-} 0.2 AU from its host and has an equilibrium temperature of T {approx} 50 K, i.e., similar to Neptune. A degenerate model less favored by {Delta}{sub {chi}}{sup 2} {approx} 4 gives essentially the same planetary mass M{sub p} = 3.3 {+-} 0.3 M{sub Jupiter} with a smaller projected separation, r{sub {perpendicular}} = 2.1 {+-} 0.1 AU, and higher equilibrium temperature T {approx} 68 K. These results from the primary analysis suggest that OGLE-2005-BLG-071Lb is likely to be the most massive planet yet discovered that is hosted by an M dwarf. However, the formation of such high-mass planetary companions in the outer regions of M-dwarf planetary systems is predicted to be unlikely within the core-accretion scenario. There are a number of caveats to this analysis, but these could mostly be resolved by a single astrometric measurement a few years after the event.

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

Structural Aspects of Bacterial Outer Membrane Protein Assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Calmettes, Charles; Judd, Andrew; Moraes, Trevor F

2015-01-01

The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is predominantly populated by β-Barrel proteins and lipid anchored proteins that serve a variety of biological functions. The proper folding and assembly of these proteins is essential for bacterial viability and often plays a critical role in virulence and pathogenesis. The β-barrel assembly machinery (Bam) complex is responsible for the proper assembly of β-barrels into the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, whereas the localization of lipoproteins (Lol) system is required for proper targeting of lipoproteins to the outer membrane.

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

75 FR 1076 - Outer Continental Shelf Civil Penalties

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-08

... initiate civil penalty proceedings; however, violations that cause injury, death, or environmental damage... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Minerals Management Service Outer Continental Shelf Civil Penalties... daily civil penalty assessment. SUMMARY: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act requires the MMS to...

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.

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.

Profiling the outer membrane proteome during growth and development of the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus by selective biotinylation and analyses of outer membrane vesicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahnt, Jörg; Aguiluz, Kryssia; Koch, Jürgen; Treuner-Lange, Anke; Konovalova, Anna; Huntley, Stuart; Hoppert, Michael; Søgaard-Andersen, Lotte; Hedderich, Reiner

2010-10-01

Social behavior in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus relies on contact-dependent activities involving cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions. To identify outer membrane proteins that have a role in these activities, we profiled the outer membrane proteome of growing and starving cells using two strategies. First, outer membrane proteins were enriched by biotinylation of intact cells using the reagent NHS (N-hydroxysuccinimide)-PEO(12) (polyethylene oxide)-biotin with subsequent membrane solubilization and affinity chromatography. Second, the proteome of outer membrane vesicles (OMV) was determined. Comparisons of detected proteins show that these methods have different detection profiles and together provide a comprehensive view of the outer membrane proteome. From 362 proteins identified, 274 (76%) were cell envelope proteins including 64 integral outer membrane proteins and 85 lipoproteins. The majority of these proteins were of unknown function. Among integral outer membrane proteins with homologues of known function, TonB-dependent transporters comprise the largest group. Our data suggest novel functions for these transporters. Among lipoproteins with homologues of known function, proteins with hydrolytic functions comprise the largest group. The luminal load of OMV was enriched for proteins with hydrolytic functions. Our data suggest that OMV have functions in predation and possibly in transfer of intercellular signaling molecules between cells.

"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.

Long-Lived Glass Mirrors For Outer Space

Science.gov (United States)

Bouquet, Frank L.; Maag, Carl R.; Heggen, Philip M.

1988-01-01

Paper summarizes available knowledge about glass mirrors for use in outer space. Strengths and weaknesses of various types of first and second reflective surfaces identified. Second-surface glass mirrors used in outer space designed to different criteria more stringent for terrestrial mirrors. Protons, electrons, cosmic rays, meteorites, and orbiting space debris affect longevities of components. Contamination also factor in space.

Improved method of measurement for outer leak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Guang

2012-01-01

Pneumatic pipeline is installed for the airborne radioactivity measurement equipment, air tightness and outer leak rate are essential for the testing of the characteristics, both in the national criteria and ISO standards, an improved practical method is available for the measurement of the outer air leak rate based on the engineering experiences for the equipment acceptance and testing procedure. (authors)

Ohmic losses in coaxial resonators with longitudinal inner-outer corrugation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shenyong Hou, A. [Terahertz Science and Technology Research Center, University of Electronics Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Yangtze Normal University, Chongqing 408001 (China); Sheng Yu, B.; Hongfu Li, C.; Qixiang Zhao, D. [Terahertz Science and Technology Research Center, University of Electronics Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Xiang Li, E. [Terahertz Science and Technology Research Center, University of Electronics Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS (United Kingdom)

2013-05-15

In this paper, a coaxial resonator with longitudinal inner-outer corrugation is introduced. Its eigen-equation and expression of ohmic losses are derived. Ohmic losses in the cavity are investigated. Results show that ohmic losses in the outer and inner conductors share a similar variation trend, while the former is larger than the later. What's more, changes of the inner and outer slot depth and width induce different variations of ohmic losses on the surface of the inner and outer conductors.

Prognostic value of serum Epstein-Barr virus antibodies in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and undetectable pretreatment Epstein-Barr virus DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Ji-Jin; Lin, Li; Jin, Ya-Nan; Wang, Si-Yang; Zhang, Wang-Jian; Zhang, Fan; Zhou, Guan-Qun; Cheng, Zhi-Bin; Qi, Zhen-Yu; Sun, Ying

2017-08-01

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is closely associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Serum IgA antibodies against early antigen (EA-IgA) and viral capsid antigen (VCA-IgA) are the most commonly used to screen for NPC in endemic areas. However, the prognostic value of serum EA-IgA and VCA-IgA in patients with NPC is less clear. We hypothesize that serum EA-IgA and VCA-IgA levels have prognostic impact for survival outcomes in NPC patients with undetectable pretreatment EBV (pEBV) DNA. In this series, 334 patients with non-metastatic NPC and undetectable pEBV DNA were included. Serum EA-IgA and VCA-IgA were determined by ELISA. After analysis, serum EA-IgA and VCA-IgA loads correlated positively with T, N, and overall stage (all P 1:120 had significantly inferior 5-year progression-free survival (80.4% vs 89.6%, P = 0.025), distant metastasis-free survival (88.4% vs 94.8%, P = 0.050), and locoregional relapse-free survival (88.4% vs 95.6%, P = 0.023; log-rank test). Multivariable analyses revealed that N stage was the only independent prognostic factor (all P < 0.05), but the VCA-IgA became insignificant. Further analyses revealed that serum VCA-IgA was not an independent prognostic factor in early N (N0-1) or advanced N (N2-3) stage NPC. In summary, although both EA-IgA and VCA-IgA correlate strongly with TNM stage, our analyses do not suggest that these antibodies are prognostic biomarkers in patients with NPC and undetectable pEBV DNA. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

A case of moderate liver enzyme elevation after acute acetaminophen overdose despite undetectable acetaminophen level and normal initial liver enzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bebarta, Vikhyat S; Shiner, Drew C; Varney, Shawn M

2014-01-01

Liver function test (LFT) increase is an early sign of acetaminophen (APAP) toxicity. Typically, when an acute overdose patient is evaluated and has an initial undetectable APAP level and normal liver enzymes, the patient is not treated with N-acetylcysteine, and liver enzymes are not expected to increase later. We report a case of moderate LFT increase despite normal LFTs and an undetectable APAP level after delayed presentation of an APAP ingestion. A 22-year-old male with no medical history ingested 15-25 hydrocodone/APAP tablets (5 mg/500 mg). His suicide note and his bunkmate corroborated the overdose time. He arrived at the emergency department 16 hours after ingestion. At that time, his APAP level was enzymes were normal [aspartate transaminase (AST) 31 U/L and alanine transaminase (ALT) 34 U/L]. Twenty-nine hours after ingestion, the psychiatry team obtained LFTs (AST 45, ALT 61). He had persistent nausea and diffuse abdominal pain. On repeat analysis, the APAP level at 36 hours was found to be <10 μg/mL, AST 150, and ALT 204. After 2 more days of increasing LFTs and persistent abdominal pain and nausea, the toxicology department was consulted, the patient was transferred to the medicine department, and intravenous N-acetylcysteine was started 66 hours after ingestion. He was treated for 16 hours and had a significant decline in LFTs and symptom resolution. His prothrombin time, bilirubin, lactate, creatinine, and mental status were normal throughout the admission. Other cases of LFT increase were excluded. Our case report illustrates that a moderate increase in liver transaminase may occur despite an initial undetectable APAP level and normal transaminases after a delayed presentation. In our case, no serious clinical effects were reported.

New neighbours. III. 21 new companions to nearby dwarfs, discovered with adaptive optics

Science.gov (United States)

Beuzit, J.-L.; Ségransan, D.; Forveille, T.; Udry, S.; Delfosse, X.; Mayor, M.; Perrier, C.; Hainaut, M.-C.; Roddier, C.; Roddier, F.; Martín, E. L.

2004-10-01

We present some results of a CFHT adaptive optics search for companions to nearby dwarfs. We identify 21 new components in solar neighbourhood systems, of which 13 were found while surveying a volume-limited sample of M dwarfs within 12 pc. We are obtaining complete observations for this subsample, to derive unbiased multiplicity statistics for the very-low-mass disk population. Additionally, we resolve for the first time 6 known spectroscopic or astrometric binaries, for a total of 27 newly resolved companions. A significant fraction of the new binaries has favourable parameters for accurate mass determinations. The newly resolved companion of Gl 120.1C was thought to have a spectroscopic minimum mass in the brown-dwarf range (Duquennoy & Mayor \\cite{duquennoy91}), and it contributed to the statistical evidence that a few percent of solar-type stars might have close-in brown-dwarf companions. We find that Gl 120.1C actually is an unrecognised double-lined spectroscopic pair. Its radial-velocity amplitude had therefore been strongly underestimated by Duquennoy & Mayor (\\cite{duquennoy91}), and it does not truly belong to their sample of single-lined systems with minimum spectroscopic mass below the substellar limit. We also present the first direct detection of Gl 494B, an astrometric brown-dwarf candidate. Its luminosity straddles the substellar limit, and it is a brown dwarf if its age is less than ˜300 Myr. A few more years of observations will ascertain its mass and status from first principles. Based on observations made at Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique de France and the University of Hawaii. 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

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

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…

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...

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.

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)

Acute Zonal Cone Photoreceptor Outer Segment Loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Aleman, Tomas S; Sandhu, Harpal S; Serrano, Leona W; Traband, Anastasia; Lau, Marisa K; Adamus, Grazyna; Avery, Robert A

2017-05-01

The diagnostic path presented narrows down the cause of acute vision loss to the cone photoreceptor outer segment and will refocus the search for the cause of similar currently idiopathic conditions. To describe the structural and functional associations found in a patient with acute zonal occult photoreceptor loss. A case report of an adolescent boy with acute visual field loss despite a normal fundus examination performed at a university teaching hospital. Results of a complete ophthalmic examination, full-field flash electroretinography (ERG) and multifocal ERG, light-adapted achromatic and 2-color dark-adapted perimetry, and microperimetry. Imaging was performed with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), near-infrared (NIR) and short-wavelength (SW) fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and NIR reflectance (REF). The patient was evaluated within a week of the onset of a scotoma in the nasal field of his left eye. Visual acuity was 20/20 OU, and color vision was normal in both eyes. Results of the fundus examination and of SW-FAF and NIR-FAF imaging were normal in both eyes, whereas NIR-REF imaging showed a region of hyporeflectance temporal to the fovea that corresponded with a dense relative scotoma noted on light-adapted static perimetry in the left eye. Loss in the photoreceptor outer segment detected by SD-OCT co-localized with an area of dense cone dysfunction detected on light-adapted perimetry and multifocal ERG but with near-normal rod-mediated vision according to results of 2-color dark-adapted perimetry. Full-field flash ERG findings were normal in both eyes. The outer nuclear layer and inner retinal thicknesses were normal. Localized, isolated cone dysfunction may represent the earliest photoreceptor abnormality or a distinct entity within the acute zonal occult outer retinopathy complex. Acute zonal occult outer retinopathy should be considered in patients with acute vision loss and abnormalities on NIR-REF imaging, especially if

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

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…

Solitary recurrence of castration-resistant prostate cancer with low or undetectable levels of prostate specific antigen salvaged with local ablative radiation therapy: A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chiachien Jake; Ying, James; Kapur, Payal; Wohlfeld, Bryan; Roehrborn, Claus; Kim, Dong W Nathan

2016-01-01

Prostate cancer recurrences are usually first detected by increased levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), and systemic therapy is often initiated if distant metastasis is confirmed. However, low or nearly undetectable levels of PSA in the modern era of ultrasensitive PSA assay may be difficult to interpret in patients with a history of prostate cancer. Deciding whether to initiate additional systemic therapy in limited indolent metastatic disease while balancing the quality of life of the patient and ensuring the oncologic control of the disease may be challenging. In the present study, the case of a biopsy-confirmed solitary spine recurrence of prostate cancer with nearly undetectable but persistent levels of PSA (0.05 ng/ml) is reported. Treatment of the recurrence with local ablative radiotherapy improved the pain experienced by the patient, and reduced his levels of PSA to undetectable limits (<0.05 ng/ml). Repeated imaging analysis, PSA assay and clinical assessment demonstrated durable control of the disease without the requirement for additional systemic treatments. The present case highlighted the importance of initiating appropriate work-up according to the clinical scenario. Local treatment for solitary or oligometastatic recurrence of prostate cancer may enhance the effectiveness of current therapeutic strategies and benefit certain patients.

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.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Dolan, Robert; Lins, Harry F.; Smith, Jodi Jones

2016-12-27

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are excellent examples of the nearly 300 barrier islands rimming the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. These low, sandy islands are among the most dynamic natural landscapes occupied by man. Beach sands move offshore, onshore, and along the shore in the direction of the prevailing longshore currents. In this way, sandy coasts continuously adjust to different tide, wave, and current conditions and to rising sea level that causes the islands to migrate landward.Despite such changes, barrier islands are of considerable environmental importance. The Outer Banks are home to diverse natural ecosystems that are adapted to the harsh coastal environment. Native species tend to be robust and many are specifically adapted to withstand salt spray, periodic saltwater flooding, and the islands’ well-drained sandy soil. The Outer Banks provide an important stopover for birds on the Atlantic flyway, and many species inhabit the islands year round. In addition, Outer Banks beaches provide an important nesting habitat for five endangered or threatened sea turtle species.European explorers discovered North Carolina’s barrier islands in the 16th century, although the islands were not permanently settled until the middle 17th century. By the early 19th century, shipbuilding and lumber industries were among the most successful, until forest resources were depleted. Commercial fishing eventually followed, and it expanded considerably after the Civil War. By the Great Depression, however, little industry existed on the Outer Banks. In response to the effects of a severe hurricane in 1933, the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps proposed a massive sand-fixation program to stabilize the moving sand and prevent storm waves from sweeping across the entire width of some sections of the islands. Between 1933 and 1940, this program constructed sand fencing on 185 kilometers (115 miles) of beach and planted grass seedlings

HIV RNA and proviral HIV DNA can be detected in semen after 6 months of antiretroviral therapy although HIV RNA is undetectable in blood.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Peiwei; Liu, An; Jiao, Yanmei; Liu, Cuie; Jiang, Taiyi; Zhu, Weijun; Zhu, Yunxia; Wu, Hao; Sun, Lijun

2016-03-01

The risk of sexual transmission of HIV is strongly correlated with amounts of genital HIV RNA. Few studies have reported amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA in semen in HIV-infected Chinese patients undergoing antiviral treatment (ART). In this observational study, the amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA in semen were assessed after six months of ART in HIV-infected Chinese individuals, when HIV RNA was undetectable in blood . This study included 19 HIV-infected Chinese men undergoing ART for six months. Amounts of HIV in paired semen and blood samples were assessed using real-time PCR. The C2-V5 region of the HIV envelope (env) genes was cloned and sequenced and genotype and co-receptor usage predicted based on the sequence. It was found that HIV RNA was undetectable in the plasma of most patients (17/19), whereas HIV RNA could be detected in the semen of most patients (16/19). HIV DNA could be detected in both semen and blood. Genetic diversity of HIV between the seminal and blood compartments was identified. Thus, amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA remain high in semen of HIV-infected Chinese patients after six months of ART treatment, even when HIV RNA was undetectable in blood. © 2016 The Societies and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

THE OUTER MEMBRANE OF PATHOGENIC REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LEPTOSPIRA GENIUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. N. Vaganova

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Pathogenic leptospires can infect wide spectrum of hosts and they can survive in the environment long time. The outer membrane is the cellular component participated in interaction of microorganisms and environment. In present time several proteins located in the outer membrane of leptospires which are responsible for colonization of host organism, protection from influence of immune system of host, transport of substances in to the cell and other processes have been described. The outer membrane contains proteins and lipopolysaccharide molecules which have citotoxic effect. It was shown that regulation of protein composition of membranes depends on several factors of environment such as temperature, osmolarity, presence of certain substances in environment. Lipopolysaccharide and protein molecules of outer membranes have antigenic properties. These molecules can be used in practice as the components of vaccine against leptospiroses and diagnostic tools. Current review summarize information concerning structural organization of the outer membrane of leptospires, diversities of incoming parts of molecules and regulation of their synthesis. Moreover, perspectives of practical using of the outer membrane components in diagnostics and prevention of leptospiroses are presented.

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.

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…

Management of outer space

Science.gov (United States)

Perek, Lubos

1993-10-01

Various aspects of space-environment management are discussed. Attention is called to the fact that, while space radio communications are already under an adequate management by the International Communications Union, the use of nuclear power sources is regulated by the recently adopted set of principles, and space debris will be discussed in the near future at the UN COPUOS, other aspects of management of outer space received little or no attention of the international community. These include the competency of crews and technical equipment of spacecraft launched by newcomers to space exploration; monitoring of locations and motions of space objects (now in national hands), with relevant data made accessible through a computer network; and the requirement to use space only for beneficial purposes and not for promoting narrow and debatable interests damaging the outer space environment and impeding on astronomical observations. It is suggested that some of these tasks would be best performed by an international space agency within the UN system of organizations.

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.

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.

46 CFR 154.170 - Outer hull steel plating.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Outer hull steel plating. 154.170 Section 154.170... STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Design, Construction and Equipment Hull Structure § 154.170 Outer hull steel plating. (a) Except as required in paragraph (b) of this section, the...

Radiofrequency Ablation Assisted by Real-Time Virtual Sonography and CT for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undetectable by Conventional Sonography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakai, Motoki; Sato, Morio; Sahara, Shinya; Takasaka, Isao; Kawai, Nobuyuki; Minamiguchi, Hiroki; Tanihata, Hirohiko; Kimura, Masashi; Takeuchi, Nozomu

2009-01-01

Real-time virtual sonography (RVS) is a diagnostic imaging support system, which provides the same cross-sectional multiplanar reconstruction images as ultrasound images on the same monitor screen in real time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate radiofrequency ablation (RFA) assisted by RVS and CT for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undetectable with conventional sonography. Subjects were 20 patients with 20 HCC nodules not detected by conventional sonography but detectable by CT or MRI. All patients had hepatitis C-induced liver cirrhosis; there were 13 males and 7 females aged 55-81 years (mean, 69.3 years). RFA was performed in the CT room, and the tumor was punctured with the assistance of RVS. CT was performed immediately after puncture, and ablation was performed after confirming that the needle had been inserted into the tumor precisely. The mean number of punctures and success rates of the first puncture were evaluated. Treatment effects were evaluated with dynamic CT every 3 months after RFA. RFA was technically feasible and local tumor control was achieved in all patients. The mean number of punctures was 1.1, and the success rate of the first puncture was 90.0%. This method enabled safe ablation without complications. The mean follow-up period was 13.5 month (range, 9-18 months). No local recurrence was observed at the follow-up points. In conclusion, RFA assisted by RVS and CT is a safe and efficacious method of treatment for HCC undetectable by conventional sonography.

Outer space and nuclear deterrence: problems and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gasparini Alves, P.

1993-01-01

The presentation deals with the role of outer-space applications and prospects for near future developments in nuclear deterrence. Outer space capabilities of United Sates, Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, China, and United Kingdom as well as other states are analyzed. Conceptual problems of offensive and defensive doctrines are reviewed together with legal implications

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.

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

Inner and Outer Recursive Neural Networks for Chemoinformatics Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Urban, Gregor; Subrahmanya, Niranjan; Baldi, Pierre

2018-02-26

Deep learning methods applied to problems in chemoinformatics often require the use of recursive neural networks to handle data with graphical structure and variable size. We present a useful classification of recursive neural network approaches into two classes, the inner and outer approach. The inner approach uses recursion inside the underlying graph, to essentially "crawl" the edges of the graph, while the outer approach uses recursion outside the underlying graph, to aggregate information over progressively longer distances in an orthogonal direction. We illustrate the inner and outer approaches on several examples. More importantly, we provide open-source implementations [available at www.github.com/Chemoinformatics/InnerOuterRNN and cdb.ics.uci.edu ] for both approaches in Tensorflow which can be used in combination with training data to produce efficient models for predicting the physical, chemical, and biological properties of small molecules.

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…

Low-Mass Stars and Their Companions

Science.gov (United States)

Montet, Benjamin Tyler

In this thesis, I present seven studies aimed towards better understanding the demographics and physical properties of M dwarfs and their companions. These studies focus in turn on planetary, brown dwarf, and stellar companions to M dwarfs. I begin with an analysis of radial velocity and transit timing analyses of multi-transiting planetary systems, finding that if both signals are measured to sufficiently high precision the stellar and planetary masses can be measured to a high precision, eliminating a need for stellar models which may have systematic errors. I then combine long-term radial velocity monitoring and a direct imaging campaign to measure the occurrence rate of giant planets around M dwarfs. I find that 6.5 +/- 3.0% of M dwarfs host a Jupiter mass or larger planet within 20 AU, with a strong dependence on stellar metallicity. I then present two papers analyzing the LHS 6343 system, which contains a widely separated M dwarf binary (AB). Star A hosts a transiting brown dwarf (LHS 6343 C) with a 12.7 day period. By combining radial velocity data with transit photometry, I am able to measure the mass and radius of the brown dwarf to 2% precision, the most precise measurement of a brown dwarf to date. I then analyze four secondary eclipses of the LHS 6343 AC system as observed by Spitzer in order to measure the luminosity of the brown dwarf in both Spitzer bandpasses. I find the brown dwarf is consistent with theoretical models of an 1100 K T dwarf at an age of 5 Gyr and empirical observations of field T5-6 dwarfs with temperatures of 1070 +/- 130 K. This is the first non-inflated brown dwarf with a measured mass, radius, and multi-band photometry, making it an ideal test of evolutionary models of field brown dwarfs. Next, I present the results of an astrometric and radial velocity campaign to measure the orbit and masses of both stars in the GJ 3305 AB system, an M+M binary comoving with 51 Eridani, a more massive star with a directly imaged planetary

Normal Mode Derived Models of the Physical Properties of Earth's Outer Core

Science.gov (United States)

Irving, J. C. E.; Cottaar, S.; Lekic, V.; Wu, W.

2017-12-01

Earth's outer core, the largest reservoir of metal in our planet, is comprised of an iron alloy of an uncertain composition. Its dynamical behaviour is responsible for the generation of Earth's magnetic field, with convection driven both by thermal and chemical buoyancy fluxes. Existing models of the seismic velocity and density of the outer core exhibit some variation, and there are only a small number of models which aim to represent the outer core's density.It is therefore important that we develop a better understanding of the physical properties of the outer core. Though most of the outer core is likely to be well mixed, it is possible that the uppermost outer core is stably stratified: it may be enriched in light elements released during the growth of the solid, iron enriched, inner core; by elements dissolved from the mantle into the outer core; or by exsolution of compounds previously dissolved in the liquid metal which will eventually be swept into the mantle. The stratified layer may host MAC or Rossby waves and it could impede communication between the chemically differentiated mantle and outer core, including screening out some of the geodynamo's signal. We use normal mode center frequencies to estimate the physical properties of the outer core in a Bayesian framework. We estimate the mineral physical parameters needed to best produce velocity and density models of the outer core which are consistent with the normal mode observations. We require that our models satisfy realistic physical constraints. We create models of the outer core with and without a distinct uppermost layer and assess the importance of this region.Our normal mode-derived models are compared with observations of body waves which travel through the outer core. In particular, we consider SmKS waves which are especially sensitive to the uppermost outer core and are therefore an important way to understand the robustness of our models.

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.

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

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

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...

The cosmic gorilla effect or the problem of undetected non terrestrial intelligent signals

Science.gov (United States)

G. De la Torre, Gabriel; Garcia, Manuel A.

2018-05-01

This article points to a long lasting problem in space research and cosmology, the problem of undetected signs of non terrestrial life and civilizations. We intentionally avoid the term extraterrestrial as we consider other possibilities that may arise but not fall strictly within the extraterrestrial scope. We discuss the role of new physics including dark matter and string theory in the search for life and other non terrestrial intelligence. A new classification for non terrestrial civilizations with three types and five dimensions is also provided. We also explain how our own neurophysiology, psychology and consciousness can play a major role in this search of non terrestrial civilizations task and how they have been neglected up to this date. To test this, 137 adults were evaluated using the cognitive reflection test, an attention/awareness questionnaire and a visuospatial searching task with aerial view images to determine the presence of inattentional blindness.

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...

Outer- and middle-ear contributions to presbycusis in the Brown Norway rat.

Science.gov (United States)

Gratton, Michael Anne; Bateman, Kristin; Cannuscio, Joseph F; Saunders, James C

2008-01-01

This paper examines the contribution of the outer and middle ears to the hearing loss associated with presbycusis in Brown Norway rats. Animals were formed into two groups; young adults (2-3 months old) and aged animals (approximately 34 months old). Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds were obtained with the outer ear intact or surgically removed. Tympanic membrane (TM) velocity transfer functions were measured from the umbo with the outer ear removed. The length of the auditory meatus, TM surface area, and TM thickness were quantified. The ABR thresholds were 17-26 dB less sensitive in the aged animals between 8.0 and 40.0 kHz when the outer ear was intact. A significant and reliable reduction in the aged rat velocity transfer function of 5-8 dB occurred between 10.0 and 32.0 kHz, while the low frequency velocity response was only a few decibels greater in the younger animals. The ABR threshold differences between young adult and aged ears were compensated by removing the outer/middle ear effects of aging to reveal a purely sensorineural component of presbycusis. The outer and middle ear effects were calculated directly when the ABR and TM velocity data were obtained with the outer ear removed. The outer ear intact condition was modeled in order to compare the ABR data obtained with the outer ear intact with the TM velocity data obtained with the outer removed. With either procedure, removal of the age-related contributions of the outer and middle ear to the ABR threshold resulted in similar age-related ABR threshold shifts between the two age groups. The pure sensorineural threshold shift component of the ABR response was restricted to frequencies between 5.0 and 20.0 kHz and reached a maximum of approximately 15 dB. These results support the conclusion that there is an outer- and middle-ear contribution to the threshold loss defining presbycusis. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

33 CFR 165.1402 - Apra Outer Harbor, Guam-regulated navigation area.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Apra Outer Harbor, Guam-regulated....1402 Apra Outer Harbor, Guam—regulated navigation area. (a) The following is a regulated navigation area—The waters of the Pacific Ocean and Apra Outer Harbor enclosed by a line beginning at latitude 13...

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....

The Effects of Urethane on Rat Outer Hair Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingyu Fu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The cochlea converts sound vibration into electrical impulses and amplifies the low-level sound signal. Urethane, a widely used anesthetic in animal research, has been shown to reduce the neural responses to auditory stimuli. However, the effects of urethane on cochlea, especially on the function of outer hair cells, remain largely unknown. In the present study, we compared the cochlear microphonic responses between awake and urethane-anesthetized rats. The results revealed that the amplitude of the cochlear microphonic was decreased by urethane, resulting in an increase in the threshold at all of the sound frequencies examined. To deduce the possible mechanism underlying the urethane-induced decrease in cochlear sensitivity, we examined the electrical response properties of isolated outer hair cells using whole-cell patch-clamp recording. We found that urethane hyperpolarizes the outer hair cell membrane potential in a dose-dependent manner and elicits larger outward current. This urethane-induced outward current was blocked by strychnine, an antagonist of the α9 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Meanwhile, the function of the outer hair cell motor protein, prestin, was not affected. These results suggest that urethane anesthesia is expected to decrease the responses of outer hair cells, whereas the frequency selectivity of cochlea remains unchanged.

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

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.

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

Related factors to atazanavir plasma levels in a cohort of HIV positive individuals with undetectable viral load

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Júlia Luz

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the factors associated with plasma concentrations of atazanavir (ATV in a cohort of well-controlled HIV infected subjects (undetectable viremia. Design: Cross-sectional study where 69 subjects were consecutively enrolled between April and November, 2011. METHODS: Patients had to be on atazanavir for at least six months, undetectable viral load for a period equal to or longer than 12 months, T CD4+ lymphocyte count higher than 200 cells/mm³, and aged between 18 years and 70 years old. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, any neurologic disease, active opportunistic disease, hepatitis or cancer. Atazanavir plasma levels were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Overall, 54 patients (mean age of 47 years and 50% women were included in the analysis. Those without ritonavir (unboosted atazanavir had statistically lower plasma concentrations than those with ritonavir boosted atazanavir (p = 0.001 and total and indirect bilirubin were statistically associated with plasma concentration of atazanavir (r = 0.32 and r = 0.33 respectively; p < 0.05 in both cases. no statistical association was found among gender, ethnicity, age, weight, body mass index (BMI, lipid profile, and the plasma concentration of atazanavir. CONCLUSION: in summary, as expected, concomitant ritonavir use was the only factor associated with atazanavir plasma levels. prospective studies with a larger sample size might help to observe an association of atazanavir concentrations to other characteristics such as body weight, since the p-value showed to be close to significance (p = 0.068.

Software alignment of the LHCb Outer Tracker chambers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deissenroth, Marc

2010-04-21

This work presents an alignment algorithm that was developed to precisely determine the positions of the LHCb Outer Tracker detector elements. The algorithm is based on the reconstruction of tracks and exploits that misalignments of the detector change the residual between a measured hit and the reconstructed track. It considers different levels of granularities of the Outer Tracker geometry and fully accounts for correlations of all elements which are imposed by particle trajectories. In extensive tests, simulated shifts and rotations for different levels of the detector granularity have been used as input to the track reconstruction and alignment procedure. With about 260 000 tracks the misalignments are recovered with a statistical precision of O(10 - 100 {mu}m) for the translational degrees of freedom and of O(10{sup -2} - 10{sup -1} mrad) for rotations. A study has been performed to determine the impact of Outer Tracker misalignments on the performance of the track reconstruction algorithms. It shows that the achieved statistical precision does not decrease the track reconstruction performance in a significant way. During the commissioning of the LHCb detector, cosmic ray muon events have been collected. The events have been analysed and used for the first alignment of the 216 Outer Tracker modules. The module positions have been determined within {proportional_to} 90 {mu}m. The developed track based alignment algorithm has demonstrated its reliability and is one of the core algorithms which are used for the precise determination of the positions of the LHCb Outer Tracker elements. (orig.)

Software alignment of the LHCb Outer Tracker chambers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deissenroth, Marc

2010-01-01

This work presents an alignment algorithm that was developed to precisely determine the positions of the LHCb Outer Tracker detector elements. The algorithm is based on the reconstruction of tracks and exploits that misalignments of the detector change the residual between a measured hit and the reconstructed track. It considers different levels of granularities of the Outer Tracker geometry and fully accounts for correlations of all elements which are imposed by particle trajectories. In extensive tests, simulated shifts and rotations for different levels of the detector granularity have been used as input to the track reconstruction and alignment procedure. With about 260 000 tracks the misalignments are recovered with a statistical precision of O(10 - 100 μm) for the translational degrees of freedom and of O(10 -2 - 10 -1 mrad) for rotations. A study has been performed to determine the impact of Outer Tracker misalignments on the performance of the track reconstruction algorithms. It shows that the achieved statistical precision does not decrease the track reconstruction performance in a significant way. During the commissioning of the LHCb detector, cosmic ray muon events have been collected. The events have been analysed and used for the first alignment of the 216 Outer Tracker modules. The module positions have been determined within ∝ 90 μm. The developed track based alignment algorithm has demonstrated its reliability and is one of the core algorithms which are used for the precise determination of the positions of the LHCb Outer Tracker elements. (orig.)

Positive Reinforcement Training for Blood Collection in Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) Results in Undetectable Elevations in Serum Cortisol Levels: A Preliminary Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce-Zuniga, Nicole M; Newberry, Ruth C; Robbins, Charles T; Ware, Jasmine V; Jansen, Heiko T; Nelson, O Lynne

2016-01-01

Training nonhuman animals in captivity for participation in routine husbandry procedures is believed to produce a lower stress environment compared with undergoing a general anesthetic event for the same procedure. This hypothesis rests largely on anecdotal evidence that the captive subjects appear more relaxed with the trained event. Blood markers of physiological stress responses were evaluated in 4 captive grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) who were clicker-trained for blood collection versus 4 bears who were chemically immobilized for blood collection. Serum cortisol and immunoglobulin A (IgA) and plasma β-endorphin were measured as indicators of responses to stress. Plasma β-endorphin was not different between the groups. Serum IgA was undetectable in all bears. Serum cortisol was undetectable in all trained bears, whereas chemically immobilized bears had marked cortisol elevations (p bears with extensive recent immobilization experience. These findings support the use of positive reinforcement training for routine health procedures to minimize anxiety.

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

Exploring bacterial outer membrane barrier to combat bad bugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghai, Ishan; Ghai, Shashank

2017-01-01

One of the main fundamental mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria comprises an effective change in the membrane permeability to antibiotics. The Gram-negative bacterial complex cell envelope comprises an outer membrane that delimits the periplasm from the exterior environment. The outer membrane contains numerous protein channels, termed as porins or nanopores, which are mainly involved in the influx of hydrophilic compounds, including antibiotics. Bacterial adaptation to reduce influx through these outer membrane proteins (Omps) is one of the crucial mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance. Thus to interpret the molecular basis of the outer membrane permeability is the current challenge. This review attempts to develop a state of knowledge pertinent to Omps and their effective role in antibiotic influx. Further, it aims to study the bacterial response to antibiotic membrane permeability and hopefully provoke a discussion toward understanding and further exploration of prospects to improve our knowledge on physicochemical parameters that direct the translocation of antibiotics through the bacterial membrane protein channels.

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.

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…

Cryovolcanism in the outer solar system

Science.gov (United States)

Geissler, Paul E.

2015-01-01

Cryovolcanism is defined as the extrusion of liquids and vapors of materials that would be frozen solid at the planetary surface temperatures of the icy bodies of the outer solar system. Active cryovolcanism is now known to occur on Saturn's moon Enceladus and on Neptune's moon Triton and is suspected on Jupiter's moon Europa, while evidence for past cryovolcanic activity is widespread throughout the outer solar system. This chapter examines the mechanisms and manifestations of cryovolcanism, beginning with a review of the materials that make up these unusual ‘‘magmas’’ and the means by which they might erupt and concluding with a volcanologist's tour of the farthest reaches of the solar system.

The Outer Planets and their Moons Comparative Studies of the Outer Planets prior to the Exploration of the Saturn System by Cassini-Huygens

CERN Document Server

Encrenaz, T; Owen, T. C; Sotin, C

2005-01-01

This volume gives an integrated summary of the science related to the four giant planets in our solar system. It is the result of an ISSI workshop on «A comparative study of the outer planets before the exploration of Saturn by Cassini-Huygens» which was held at ISSI in Bern on January 12-16, 2004. Representatives of several scientific communities, such as planetary scientists, astronomers, space physicists, chemists and astrobiologists have met with the aim to review the knowledge on four major themes: (1) the study of the formation and evolution processes of the outer planets and their satellites, beginning with the formation of compounds and planetesimals in the solar nebula, and the subsequent evolution of the interiors of the outer planets, (2) a comparative study of the atmospheres of the outer planets and Titan, (3) the study of the planetary magnetospheres and their interactions with the solar wind, and (4) the formation and properties of satellites and rings, including their interiors, surfaces, an...

Getting Sloshed in Outer Space

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 12; Issue 12. Getting Sloshed in Outer Space - Liquid Behavior in Microgravity. N Ananthkrishnan. General Article Volume 12 Issue 12 December 2007 pp 40-45. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

Ultrasonic examination of defects close to the outer surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benoist, P.; Serre, M.; Champigny, F.

1986-11-01

During the examination of a pressurized water reactor vessel with an in Service Inspection Machine (MIS), various welds are scanned with immersion ultrasonic focused transducers from the inside of the vessel. Defects close to the outer surface are sometimes detected, and sizing with the successive 6 dB drop method leads to oversize some indications; this is caused by various reflections on the outer wall; the corner echo is of particular importance here. CEA and EDF have started an experimental program in order to study the response of volumetric and planar defects located near the outer surface. We present here the first results obtained with artificial defects. 2 refs

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.

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.

Earth's Outer Core Properties Estimated Using Bayesian Inversion of Normal Mode Eigenfrequencies

Science.gov (United States)

Irving, J. C. E.; Cottaar, S.; Lekic, V.

2016-12-01

The outer core is arguably Earth's most dynamic region, and consists of an iron-nickel liquid with an unknown combination of lighter alloying elements. Frequencies of Earth's normal modes provide the strongest constraints on the radial profiles of compressional wavespeed, VΦ, and density, ρ, in the outer core. Recent great earthquakes have yielded new normal mode measurements; however, mineral physics experiments and calculations are often compared to the Preliminary reference Earth model (PREM), which is 35 years old and does not provide uncertainties. Here we investigate the thermo-elastic properties of the outer core using Earth's free oscillations and a Bayesian framework. To estimate radial structure of the outer core and its uncertainties, we choose to exploit recent datasets of normal mode centre frequencies. Under the self-coupling approximation, centre frequencies are unaffected by lateral heterogeneities in the Earth, for example in the mantle. Normal modes are sensitive to both VΦ and ρ in the outer core, with each mode's specific sensitivity depending on its eigenfunctions. We include a priori bounds on outer core models that ensure compatibility with measurements of mass and moment of inertia. We use Bayesian Monte Carlo Markov Chain techniques to explore different choices in parameterizing the outer core, each of which represents different a priori constraints. We test how results vary (1) assuming a smooth polynomial parametrization, (2) allowing for structure close to the outer core's boundaries, (3) assuming an Equation-of-State and adiabaticity and inverting directly for thermo-elastic parameters. In the second approach we recognize that the outer core may have distinct regions close to the core-mantle and inner core boundaries and investigate models which parameterize the well mixed outer core separately from these two layers. In the last approach we seek to map the uncertainties directly into thermo-elastic parameters including the bulk

More efficient integrated safeguards by applying a reasonable detection probability for maintaining low presence probability of undetected nuclear proliferating activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otsuka, Naoto

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A theoretical foundation is presented for more efficient Integrated Safeguards (IS). • Probability of undetected nuclear proliferation activities should be maintained low. • For nations under IS, the probability to start proliferation activities is very low. • The fact can decrease the detection probability of IS by dozens of percentage points. • The cost of IS per nation can be cut down by reducing inspection frequencies etc. - Abstract: A theoretical foundation is presented for implementing more efficiently the present International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) integrated safeguards (ISs) on the basis of fuzzy evaluation of the probability that the evaluated nation will continue peaceful activities. It is shown that by determining the presence probability of undetected nuclear proliferating activities, nations under IS can be maintained at acceptably low proliferation risk levels even if the detection probability of current IS is decreased by dozens of percentage from the present value. This makes it possible to reduce inspection frequency and the number of collected samples, allowing the IAEA to cut costs per nation. This will contribute to further promotion and application of IS to more nations by the IAEA, and more efficient utilization of IAEA resources from the viewpoint of whole IS framework

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Generation of a genetically encoded marker of rod photoreceptor outer segment growth and renewal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John J. Willoughby

2011-10-01

Vertebrate photoreceptors are specialized light sensing neurons. The photoreceptor outer segment is a highly modified cilium where photons of light are transduced into a chemical and electrical signal. The outer segment has the typical cilary axoneme but, in addition, it has a large number of densely packed, stacked, intramembranous discs. The molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to vertebrate photoreceptor outer segment morphogenesis are still largely unknown. Unlike typical cilia, the outer segment is continuously regenerated or renewed throughout the life of the animal through the combined process of distal outer segment shedding and proximal outer segment growth. The process of outer segment renewal was discovered over forty years ago, but we still lack an understanding of how photoreceptors renew their outer segments and few, if any, molecular mechanisms that regulate outer segment growth or shedding have been described. Our lack of progress in understanding how photoreceptors renew their outer segments has been hampered by the difficulty in measuring rates of renewal. We have created a new method that uses heat-shock induction of a fluorescent protein that can be used to rapidly measure outer segment growth rates. We describe this method, the stable transgenic line we created, and the growth rates observed in larval and adult rod photoreceptors using this new method. This new method will allow us to begin to define the genetic and molecular mechanisms that regulate rod outer segment renewal, a crucial aspect of photoreceptor function and, possibly, viability.

Performance of the LHCb Outer Tracker

CERN Document Server

Arink, R; Bachmann, S.; Bagaturia, Y.; Band, H.; Bauer, Th.; Berkien, A.; Farber, Ch.; Bien, A.; Blouw, J.; Ceelie, L.; Coco, V.; Deckenhoff, M.; Deng, Z.; Dettori, F.; van Eijk, D.; Ekelhof, R.; Gersabeck, E.; Grillo, L.; Hulsbergen, W.D.; Karbach, T.M.; Koopman, R.; Kozlinskiy, A.; Langenbruch, Ch.; Lavrentyev, V.; Linn, Ch.; Merk, M.; Merkel, J.; Meissner, M.; Michalowski, J.; Morawski, P.; Nawrot, A.; Nedos, M.; Pellegrino, A.; Polok, G.; van Petten, O.; Rovekamp, J.; Schimmel, F.; Schuylenburg, H.; Schwemmer, R.; Seyfert, P.; Serra, N.; Sluijk, T.; Spaan, B.; Spelt, J.; Storaci, B.; Szczekowski, M.; Swientek, S.; Tolk, S.; Tuning, N.; Uwer, U.; Wiedner, D.; Witek, M.; Zeng, M.; Zwart, A.

2014-01-01

The LHCb Outer Tracker is a gaseous detector covering an area of 5x6 m2 with 12 double layers of straw tubes. The detector with its services are described together with the commissioning and calibration procedures. Based on data of the first LHC running period from 2010 to 2012, the performance of the readout electronics and the single hit resolution and efficiency are presented. The efficiency to detect a hit in the central half of the straw is estimated to be 99.2%, and the position resolution is determined to be approximately 200 um. The Outer Tracker received a dose in the hottest region corresponding to 0.12 C/cm, and no signs of gain deterioration or other ageing effects are observed.

Effect of outer stagnation pressure on jet structure in supersonic coaxial jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Myoung Jong; Woo, Sang Woo; Lee, Byeong Eun; Kwon, Soon Bum

2001-01-01

The characteristics of dual coaxial jet which composed of inner supersonic nozzle of 26500 in constant expansion rate with 1.91 design Mach number and outer converging one with 40 .deg. C converging angle with the variation of outer nozzle stagnation pressure are experimentally investigated in this paper. In which the stagnation pressure for the inner supersonic nozzle is 750kPa thus, the inner jet leaving the nozzle is slightly underexpanded. The plenum pressure of outer nozzle are varied from 200 to 600kPa. Flow visualizations by shadowgraph method, impact pressure and centerline static pressure measurements of dual coaxial jet are presented. The results show that the presence of outer jet affects significantly the structures and pressure distributions of inner jet. And outer jet causes Mach disk which does not appear for the case of single jet stream. As the stagnation pressure of outer jet increases, impact pressure undulation is severe, but the average impact pressure keeps high far downstream

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...

Outer planet probe cost estimates: First impressions

Science.gov (United States)

Niehoff, J.

1974-01-01

An examination was made of early estimates of outer planetary atmospheric probe cost by comparing the estimates with past planetary projects. Of particular interest is identification of project elements which are likely cost drivers for future probe missions. Data are divided into two parts: first, the description of a cost model developed by SAI for the Planetary Programs Office of NASA, and second, use of this model and its data base to evaluate estimates of probe costs. Several observations are offered in conclusion regarding the credibility of current estimates and specific areas of the outer planet probe concept most vulnerable to cost escalation.

A New Strain Collection for Improved Expression of Outer Membrane Proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ina Meuskens

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Almost all integral membrane proteins found in the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria belong to the transmembrane β-barrel family. These proteins are not only important for nutrient uptake and homeostasis, but are also involved in such processes as adhesion, protein secretion, biofilm formation, and virulence. As surface exposed molecules, outer membrane β-barrel proteins are also potential drug and vaccine targets. High production levels of heterologously expressed proteins are desirable for biochemical and especially structural studies, but over-expression and subsequent purification of membrane proteins, including outer membrane proteins, can be challenging. Here, we present a set of deletion mutants derived from E. coli BL21(DE3 designed for the over-expression of recombinant outer membrane proteins. These strains harbor deletions of four genes encoding abundant β-barrel proteins in the outer membrane (OmpA, OmpC, OmpF, and LamB, both single and in all combinations of double, triple, and quadruple knock-outs. The sequences encoding these outer membrane proteins were deleted completely, leaving only a minimal scar sequence, thus preventing the possibility of genetic reversion. Expression tests in the quadruple mutant strain with four test proteins, including a small outer membrane β-barrel protein and variants thereof as well as two virulence-related autotransporters, showed significantly improved expression and better quality of the produced proteins over the parent strain. Differences in growth behavior and aggregation in the presence of high salt were observed, but these phenomena did not negatively influence the expression in the quadruple mutant strain when handled as we recommend. The strains produced in this study can be used for outer membrane protein production and purification, but are also uniquely useful for labeling experiments for biophysical measurements in the native membrane environment.

Prevalence of undetected cognitive impairment and depression in residents of an elderly care home.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Jawad, M; Rashid, A K; Narayan, K A

2007-12-01

The elderly population in Malaysia is growing rapidly. Some of the most vulnerable are in residential care. Research is needed into the characteristics of this population to aid clinicians and policy makers in addressing the needs of this group. This observational, cross-sectional study aims to determine prevalence of undetected cognitive impairment and depression in elderly care home residents in Malaysia. One hundred and sixty-seven people over 60 years of age living in a state run residential home were interviewed. Validated assessment tools were used to measure dependency, cognitive impairment and depression. The prevalence of probable dementia is 36.5%, with increasing prevalence with age and level of dependence. Prevalence of depression is 67.0% (major depression 13.2%), with more depression in males and in the Indian population. None of the identified cases had been previously investigated or treated for dementia or depression.

AN OUTER ARM IN THE SECOND GALACTIC QUADRANT: STRUCTURE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du, Xinyu; Xu, Ye; Yang, Ji; Sun, Yan; Li, Facheng; Zhang, Shaobo; Zhou, Xin, E-mail: xydu@pmo.ac.cn, E-mail: xuye@pmo.ac.cn [Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Science, Nanjing 210008 (China)

2016-05-01

The lack of arm tracers, especially remote tracers, is one of the most difficult problems preventing us from studying the structure of the Milky Way. Fortunately, with its high-sensitivity CO survey, the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting (MWISP) project offers such an opportunity. Since completing about one-third of its mission, an area of l = [100, 150]°, b = [−3, 5]° has nearly been covered. The Outer arm of the Milky Way first clearly revealed its shape in the second galactic quadrant in the form of molecular gas—this is the first time that the Outer arm has been reported in such a large-scale mapping of molecular gas. Using the 115 GHz {sup 12}CO(1–0) data of MWISP at the LSR velocity ≃[−100, −60] km s{sup −1} and in the area mentioned above, we have detected 481 molecular clouds in total, and among them 332 (about 69%) are newly detected and 457 probably belong to the Outer arm. The total mass of the detected Outer arm clouds is ∼3.1 × 10{sup 6} M {sub ⊙}. Assuming that the spiral arm is a logarithmic spiral, the pitch angle is fitted as ∼13.°1. Besides combining both the CO data from MWISP and the 21 cm H i data from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey (CGPS), the gas distribution, warp, and thickness of the Outer arm are also studied.

The outer magnetosphere. [composition and comparison with earth

Science.gov (United States)

Schardt, A. W.; Behannon, K. W.; Lepping, R. P.; Carbary, J. F.; Eviatar, A.; Siscoe, G. L.

1984-01-01

Similarities between the Saturnian and terrestrial outer magnetosphere are examined. Saturn, like earth, has a fully developed magnetic tail, 80 to 100 RS in diameter. One major difference between the two outer magnetospheres is the hydrogen and nitrogen torus produced by Titan. This plasma is, in general, convected in the corotation direction at nearly the rigid corotation speed. Energies of magnetospheric particles extend to above 500 keV. In contrast, interplanetary protons and ions above 2 MeV have free access to the outer magnetosphere to distances well below the Stormer cutoff. This access presumably occurs through the magnetotail. In addition to the H+, H2+, and H3+ ions primarily of local origin, energetic He, C, N, and O ions are found with solar composition. Their flux can be substantially enhanced over that of interplanetary ions at energies of 0.2 to 0.4 MeV/nuc.

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.

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.

Outer hair cell piezoelectricity: frequency response enhancement and resonance behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Weitzel, Erik K; Tasker, Ron; Brownell, William E

2003-09-01

Stretching or compressing an outer hair cell alters its membrane potential and, conversely, changing the electrical potential alters its length. This bi-directional energy conversion takes place in the cell's lateral wall and resembles the direct and converse piezoelectric effects both qualitatively and quantitatively. A piezoelectric model of the lateral wall has been developed that is based on the electrical and material parameters of the lateral wall. An equivalent circuit for the outer hair cell that includes piezoelectricity shows a greater admittance at high frequencies than one containing only membrane resistance and capacitance. The model also predicts resonance at ultrasonic frequencies that is inversely proportional to cell length. These features suggest all mammals use outer hair cell piezoelectricity to support the high-frequency receptor potentials that drive electromotility. It is also possible that members of some mammalian orders use outer hair cell piezoelectric resonance in detecting species-specific vocalizations.

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.

Outer Planet Missions with Electric Propulsion Systems—Part I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Renato Huaura Solórzano

2010-01-01

Full Text Available For interplanetary missions, efficient electric propulsion systems can be used to increase the mass delivered to the destination. Outer planet exploration has experienced new interest with the launch of the Cassini and New Horizons Missions. At the present, new technologies are studied for better use of electric propulsion systems in missions to the outer planets. This paper presents low-thrust trajectories using the method of the transporting trajectory to Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. They use nuclear and radio isotopic electric propulsion. These direct transfers have continuous electric propulsion of low power along the entire trajectory. The main goal of the paper is to optimize the transfers, that is, to provide maximum mass to be delivered to the outer planets.

Turbine exhaust diffuser with region of reduced flow area and outer boundary gas flow

Science.gov (United States)

Orosa, John

2014-03-11

An exhaust diffuser system and method for a turbine engine. The outer boundary may include a region in which the outer boundary extends radially inwardly toward the hub structure and may direct at least a portion of an exhaust flow in the diffuser toward the hub structure. At least one gas jet is provided including a jet exit located on the outer boundary. The jet exit may discharge a flow of gas downstream substantially parallel to an inner surface of the outer boundary to direct a portion of the exhaust flow in the diffuser toward the outer boundary to effect a radially outward flow of at least a portion of the exhaust gas flow toward the outer boundary to balance an aerodynamic load between the outer and inner boundaries.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Contribution from Belgium - Belgian contribution to the PWG1 Generic Study on Undetected Failures of Safety systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vincke, Marc

1997-01-01

In the frame of its participation to the PWG 1 generic study on 'Undetected Failures of Safety Systems', AVN performed a search of such cases among the Belgian plants, using the proposed criterion: to find significant events where equipment remained inoperable, or would have been unable to fulfil correctly its safety function for an extended period of time until their condition was discovered. An extended period of time means one cycle duration or several test interval periods at least; if unknown, it has to be estimated w.r.t. plant lifetime. Note that non safety systems preventing safety systems to perform their function are to be included. As a first information source, a screening of AVN's DIANE (Domestic Information about Nuclear Events) database, for undetected failures of safety systems was performed. This database is used to store and retrieve information on a selection of events which have occurred in the Belgian NPPs since 1985. The sources of information are the incident reports which AVN receives from the utilities, completed with the reports of our inspectors on site. The coding system used within this database is based on the IRS Coding Manual. This coding system does not always allow for an easy retrieval of events related to a specific subject. In addition the DIANE-coding system does not allow for direct retrieval of undetected failures. In a first step, the following systems were scanned: reactor coolant system, reactor heat removal system, emergency core cooling system, chemical and volume control, containment spray, main and auxiliary feedwater, component cooling water, control rod drives. For each system, records were selected by examining their title. Careful reading of the 64 reports selected this way finally led to two cases compatible with the criteria. The decennial revision studies formed a second set of information sources. An inquiry to AVN's engineers responsible for the decennial revision projects allowed to

Thermographic studies of outer target heat fluxes on KSTAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.H. Lee

2017-08-01

Full Text Available A new infra-red (IR thermography system with high spatial resolution has been installed on KSTAR and is now mainly applied to measure the outer divertor heat load profile. The first measurement results of the outer divertor heat load profiles between ELMs have been applied to characterize the inter-ELMs outer divertor heat loads in KSTAR H-mode plasmas. In particular, the power decay length (λq of the divertor heat load profile has been determined by fitting the profile to a convolution of an exponential decay and a Gaussian function. The analysis on the power decay length shows a good agreement with the recent multi-machine λq scaling, which predicts λq of the inter-ELMs divertor heat load to be ∼1 mm under the standard H-mode scenario in ITER. The divertor IR thermography system has also successfully measured the strike point splitting of the outer divertor heat flux during the application of resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP fields. In addition, it has provided a clear evidence that the strike point splitting pattern depends on the RMP fields configuration.

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.

Self-optimizing Uplink Outer Loop Power Control for WCDMA Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. G. Markoc

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The increasing demands for high data rates, drives the efforts for more efficient usage of the finite natural radio spectrum resources. Existing wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA uplink outer loop power control has difficulty to answer to the new load on air interface. The main reason is that the maximum allowed noise rise per single user is fixed value. In worst case uplink load can be so high that all services, including conversational service, could be blocked. In this paper investigation has been performed to present correlation of main system parameters, used by uplink outer loop power control, to uplink load. Simulation has been created and executed to present difference in current implementation of uplink outer loop power control against proposed changes. Proposed solution is self-optimizing uplink outer loop power control in a way that maximum allowed noise rise per single user would be dynamically changed based on current uplink load on cell.

Study on residual stress across the pipes' thickness using outer surface rapid heating. Development of pipe outer surface irradiated laser stress improvement process (L-SIP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohta, Takahiro; Terasaki, Toshio

2009-01-01

The new process called L-SIP (outer surface irradiated Laser Stress Improvement Process) is developed to improve the tensile residual stress of the inner surface near the butt welded joints of pipes in the compression stress. The temperature gradient occurs in the thickness of pipes in heating the outer surface rapidly by laser beam. By the thermal expansion difference between the inner surface and the outer surface, the compression plastic strain generates near the outer surface and the tensile plastic strain generates near the inner surface of pipes. The compression stress occurs near the inner surface of pipes by the plastic deformation. In this paper, the theoretical equation which calculates residual stress distribution from the inherent strain distribution in the thickness of pipes is derived. And, the relation between the distribution of temperature and the residual stress in the thickness is examined for various pipes size. (1) By rapidly heating from the outer surface, the residual stress near the inner surface of the pipe is improved to the compression stress. (2) Pipes size hardly affects the distribution of the residual stress in the stainless steel pipes for piping (JISG3459). (3) The temperature rising area from the outside is smaller, the area of the compression residual stress near the inner surface becomes wider. (author)

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 ...

Sorting of bacterial lipoproteins to the outer membrane by the Lol system.

Science.gov (United States)

Narita, Shin-ichiro; Tokuda, Hajime

2010-01-01

Bacterial lipoproteins comprise a subset of membrane proteins with a lipid-modified cysteine residue at their amino termini through which they are anchored to the membrane. In Gram-negative bacteria, lipoproteins are localized on either the inner or the outer membrane. The Lol system is responsible for the transport of lipoproteins to the outer membrane.The Lol system comprises an inner-membrane ABC transporter LolCDE complex, a periplasmic carrier protein, LolA, and an outer membrane receptor protein, LolB. Lipoproteins are synthesized as precursors in the cytosol and then translocated across the inner membrane by the Sec translocon to the outer leaflet of the inner membrane, where lipoprotein precursors are processed to mature lipoproteins. The LolCDE complex then mediates the release of outer membrane-specific lipoproteins from the inner membrane while the inner membrane-specific lipoproteins possessing Asp at position 2 are not released by LolCDE because it functions as a LolCDE avoidance signal, causing the retention of these lipoproteins in the inner membrane. A water-soluble lipoprotein-LolA complex is formed as a result of the release reaction mediated by LolCDE. This complex traverses the hydrophilic periplasm to reach the outer membrane, where LolB accepts a lipoprotein from LolA and then catalyzes its incorporation into the inner leaflet of the outer membrane.

TPS for Outer Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Venkatapathy, Ethiraj; Ellerby, D.; Gage, P.; Gasch, M.; Hwang, H.; Prabhu, D.; Stackpoole, M.; Wercinski, Paul

2018-01-01

This invited talk will provide an assessment of the TPS needs for Outer Planet In-situ missions to destinations with atmosphere. The talk will outline the drivers for TPS from destination, science, mission architecture and entry environment. An assessment of the readiness of the TPS, both currently available and under development, for Saturn, Titan, Uranus and Neptune are provided. The challenges related to sustainability of the TPS for future missions are discussed.

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.

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.

Design, Performance, and Calibration of the CMS Hadron-Outer Calorimeter

CERN Document Server

Abdullin, Salavat; Acharya, Bannaje Sripathi; Adam, Nadia; Adams, Mark Raymond; Akchurin, Nural; Akgun, Ugur; Albayrak, Elif Asli; Anderson, E Walter; Antchev, Georgy; Arcidy, M; Ayan, S; Aydin, Sezgin; Aziz, Tariq; Baarmand, Marc M; Babich, Kanstantsin; Baden, Drew; Bakirci, Mustafa Numan; Banerjee, Sunanda; Banerjee, Sudeshna; Bard, Robert; Barnes, Virgil E; Bawa, Harinder Singh; Baiatian, G; Bencze, Gyorgy; Beri, Suman Bala; Berntzon, Lisa; Bhatnagar, Vipin; Bhatti, Anwar; Bodek, Arie; Bose, Suvadeep; Bose, Tulika; Budd, Howard; Burchesky, Kyle; Camporesi, Tiziano; Cankocak, Kerem; Carrell, Kenneth Wayne; Cerci, Salim; Chendvankar, Sanjay; Chung, Yeon Sei; Clarida, Warren; Cremaldi, Lucien Marcus; Cushman, Priscilla; Damgov, Jordan; De Barbaro, Pawel; Debbins, Paul; Deliomeroglu, Mehmet; Demianov, A; de Visser, Theo; Deshpande, Pandurang Vishnu; Díaz, Jonathan; Dimitrov, Lubomir; Dugad, Shashikant; Dumanoglu, Isa; Duru, Firdevs; Efthymiopoulos, I; Elias, John E; Elvira, D; Emeliantchik, Igor; Eno, Sarah Catherine; Ershov, Alexander; Erturk, Sefa; Esen, Selda; Eskut, Eda; Fenyvesi, Andras; Fisher, Wade Cameron; Freeman, Jim; Ganguli, Som N; Gaultney, Vanessa; Gamsizkan, Halil; Gavrilov, Vladimir; Genchev, Vladimir; Gleyzer, Sergei V; Golutvin, Igor; Goncharov, Petr; Grassi, Tullio; Green, Dan; Gribushin, Andrey; Grinev, B; Gurtu, Atul; Murat Güler, A; Gülmez, Erhan; Gümüs, K; Haelen, T; Hagopian, Sharon; Hagopian, Vasken; Halyo, Valerie; Hashemi, Majid; Hauptman, John M; Hazen, Eric; Heering, Arjan Hendrix; Heister, Arno; Hunt, Adam; Ilyina, N; Ingram, D; Isiksal, Engin; Jarvis, Chad; Jeong, Chiyoung; Johnson, Kurtis F; Jones, John; Kaftanov, Vitali; Kalagin, Vladimir; Kalinin, Alexey; Kalmani, Suresh Devendrappa; Karmgard, Daniel John; Kaur, Manjit; Kaya, Mithat; Kaya, Ozlem; Kayis-Topaksu, A; Kellogg, Richard G; Khmelnikov, Alexander; Kim, Heejong; Kisselevich, I; Kodolova, Olga; Kohli, Jatinder Mohan; Kolossov, V; Korablev, Andrey; Korneev, Yury; Kosarev, Ivan; Kramer, Laird; Krinitsyn, Alexander; Krishnaswamy, Marthi Ramaswamy; Krokhotin, Andrey; Kryshkin, V; Kuleshov, Sergey; Kumar, Arun; Kunori, Shuichi; Laasanen, Alvin T; Ladygin, Vladimir; Laird, Edward; Landsberg, Greg; Laszlo, Andras; Lawlor, C; Lazic, Dragoslav; Lee, Sang Joon; Levchuk, Leonid; Linn, Stephan; Litvintsev, Dmitri; Lobolo, L; Los, Serguei; Lubinsky, V; Lukanin, Vladimir; Ma, Yousi; Machado, Emanuel; Maity, Manas; Majumder, Gobinda; Mans, Jeremy; Marlow, Daniel; Markowitz, Pete; Martínez, German; Mazumdar, Kajari; Merlo, Jean-Pierre; Mermerkaya, Hamit; Mescheryakov, G; Mestvirishvili, Alexi; Miller, Michael; Möller, A; Mohammadi-Najafabadi, M; Moissenz, P; Mondal, Naba Kumar; Mossolov, Vladimir; Nagaraj, P; Narasimham, Vemuri Syamala; Norbeck, Edwin; Olson, Jonathan; Onel, Yasar; Onengüt, G; Ozkan, Cigdem; Ozkurt, Halil; Ozkorucuklu, Suat; Ozok, Ferhat; Paktinat, S; Pal, Andras; Patil, Mandakini Ravindra; Penzo, Aldo; Petrushanko, Sergey; Petrosian, A; Pikalov, Vladimir; Piperov, Stefan; Podrasky, V; Polatoz, A; Pompos, Arnold; Popescu, Sorina; Posch, C; Pozdnyakov, Andrey; Qian, Weiming; Ralich, Robert; Reddy, L; Reidy, Jim; Rogalev, Evgueni; Roh, Youn; Rohlf, James; Ronzhin, Anatoly; Ruchti, Randy; Ryazanov, Anton; Safronov, Grigory; Sanders, David A; Sanzeni, Christopher; Sarycheva, Ludmila; Satyanarayana, B; Schmidt, Ianos; Sekmen, Sezen; Semenov, Sergey; Senchishin, V; Sergeyev, S; Serin, Meltem; Sever, Ramazan; Singh, B; Singh, Jas Bir; Sirunyan, Albert M; Skuja, Andris; Sharma, Seema; Sherwood, Brian; Shumeiko, Nikolai; Smirnov, Vitaly; Sogut, Kenan; Sonmez, Nasuf; Sorokin, Pavel; Spezziga, Mario; Stefanovich, R; Stolin, Viatcheslav; Sudhakar, Katta; Sulak, Lawrence; Suzuki, Ichiro; Talov, Vladimir; Teplov, Konstantin; Thomas, Ray; Tonwar, Suresh C; Topakli, Huseyin; Tully, Christopher; Turchanovich, L; Ulyanov, A; Vanini, A; Vankov, Ivan; Vardanyan, Irina; Varela, F; Vergili, Mehmet; Verma, Piyush; Vesztergombi, Gyorgy; Vidal, Richard; Vishnevskiy, Alexander; Vlassov, E; Vodopiyanov, Igor; Volobouev, Igor; Volkov, Alexey; Volodko, Anton; Wang, Lei; Werner, Jeremy Scott; Wetstein, Matthew; Winn, Dave; Wigmans, Richard; Whitmore, Juliana; Wu, Shouxiang; Yazgan, Efe; Yetkin, Taylan; Zálán, Peter; Zarubin, Anatoli; Zeyrek, Mehmet

2008-01-01

The CMS hadron calorimeter is a sampling calorimeter with brass absorber and plastic scintillator tiles with wavelength shifting fibres for carrying the light to the readout device. The barrel hadron calorimeter is complemented with an outer calorimeter to ensure high energy shower containment in the calorimeter. Fabrication, testing and calibration of the outer hadron calorimeter are carried out keeping in mind its importance in the energy measurement of jets in view of linearity and resolution. It will provide a net improvement in missing $\\et$ measurements at LHC energies. The outer hadron calorimeter will also be used for the muon trigger in coincidence with other muon chambers in CMS.

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.

Stability of marginally outer trapped surfaces and symmetries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrasco, Alberto; Mars, Marc, E-mail: acf@usal.e, E-mail: marc@usal.e [Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, Plaza de la Merced s/n, 37008 Salamanca (Spain)

2009-09-07

We study the properties of stable, strictly stable and locally outermost marginally outer trapped surfaces in spacelike hypersurfaces of spacetimes possessing certain symmetries such as isometries, homotheties and conformal Killings. We first obtain results for general diffeomorphisms in terms of the so-called metric deformation tensor and then particularize to different types of symmetries. In particular, we find restrictions at the surfaces on the vector field generating the symmetry. Some consequences are discussed. As an application, we present a result on non-existence of stable marginally outer trapped surfaces in slices of FLRW.

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…

Outer space structure and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeldovich, J.; Novikov, I.

1975-01-01

A brief account is presented answering the question of what in fact the outer space we observe consists of. The principle of spatial homogeneity of the universe and the idea of non-stationary cosmology are discussed. The origin and the future development of the universe are explained using the two above mentioned and some other hypotheses. (J.K.)

Outer space structure and development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeldovich, J; Novikov, I

1975-10-01

A brief account is presented answering the question of what in fact the outer space we observe consists of. The principle of spatial homogeneity of the universe and the idea of non-stationary cosmology are discussed. The origin and the future development of the universe are explained using the two above mentioned and some other hypotheses.

Outer-2-independent domination in graphs

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Outer-2-independent domination in graphs. MARCIN KRZYWKOWSKI1,2,∗, DOOST ALI MOJDEH3 and MARYEM RAOOFI4. 1Department of Pure and Applied Mathematics, University of Johannesburg,. Johannesburg, South Africa. 2Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdansk University.

Outer-2-independent domination in graphs

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

independent dominating set of a graph is a set of vertices of such that every vertex of ()\\ has a neighbor in and the maximum vertex degree of the subgraph induced by ()\\ is at most one. The outer-2-independent domination ...

78 FR 29091 - Safety Zone; Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival; Shallowbag Bay, Manteo, NC

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-17

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival; Shallowbag Bay, Manteo, NC AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival. This action is necessary to protect the life and property of the... vessels from a portion of Shallowbag Bay River during the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival Fireworks display...

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.

Exploring bacterial outer membrane barrier to combat bad bugs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghai I

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Ishan Ghai,1 Shashank Ghai2 1School of Engineering and Life Sciences, Jacobs University, Bremen, 2Leibniz University, Hannover, Germany Abstract: One of the main fundamental mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria comprises an effective change in the membrane permeability to antibiotics. The Gram-negative bacterial complex cell envelope comprises an outer membrane that delimits the periplasm from the exterior environment. The outer membrane contains numerous protein channels, termed as porins or nanopores, which are mainly involved in the influx of hydrophilic compounds, including antibiotics. Bacterial adaptation to reduce influx through these outer membrane proteins (Omps is one of the crucial mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance. Thus to interpret the molecular basis of the outer membrane permeability is the current challenge. This review attempts to develop a state of knowledge pertinent to Omps and their effective role in antibiotic influx. Further, it aims to study the bacterial response to antibiotic membrane permeability and hopefully provoke a discussion toward understanding and further exploration of prospects to improve our knowledge on physicochemical parameters that direct the translocation of antibiotics through the bacterial membrane protein channels. Keywords: antibiotics, Gram-negative bacteria, cell envelope, protein channels, nanopores, influx, antibiotic resistance

Usher syndrome type 1-associated cadherins shape the photoreceptor outer segment.

Science.gov (United States)

Schietroma, Cataldo; Parain, Karine; Estivalet, Amrit; Aghaie, Asadollah; Boutet de Monvel, Jacques; Picaud, Serge; Sahel, José-Alain; Perron, Muriel; El-Amraoui, Aziz; Petit, Christine

2017-06-05

Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1) causes combined hearing and sight defects, but how mutations in USH1 genes lead to retinal dystrophy in patients remains elusive. The USH1 protein complex is associated with calyceal processes, which are microvilli of unknown function surrounding the base of the photoreceptor outer segment. We show that in Xenopus tropicalis , these processes are connected to the outer-segment membrane by links composed of protocadherin-15 (USH1F protein). Protocadherin-15 deficiency, obtained by a knockdown approach, leads to impaired photoreceptor function and abnormally shaped photoreceptor outer segments. Rod basal outer disks displayed excessive outgrowth, and cone outer segments were curved, with lamellae of heterogeneous sizes, defects also observed upon knockdown of Cdh23 , encoding cadherin-23 (USH1D protein). The calyceal processes were virtually absent in cones and displayed markedly reduced F-actin content in rods, suggesting that protocadherin-15-containing links are essential for their development and/or maintenance. We propose that calyceal processes, together with their associated links, control the sizing of rod disks and cone lamellae throughout their daily renewal. © 2017 Schietroma et al.

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.

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

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

The urgency of outer territories anthropology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miloš Milenković

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In the context of transforming a part of Serbian anthropology into social theoretic management of identity, I suggest both comparative historiographic and ethnographic learning from societies with similar post-colonial experience, with the aim to include the discipline into an urgent defense of Serbia and Belgrade from further ethno-profiteering interests of elites in/from outer territories, left over on the ruins of our ill judged, resource incompatible, exaggerated or immoral twentieth century adventures. Serbian anthropology, written by anthropologists to whom Serbia and Belgrade are "homeland" by origin or civilized choice, should play the key role in the defense of Serbian citizens from the interest of elites in/from the outer "homelands", particularly by revealing the processes for which it is, as a discipline, most expert at – the professionalization of ethnicity, interactive and hybrid nature of identity, instrumental nature of tradition and the identity politics in general. Having in mind the latest attempt, a particularly successful one, conducted by the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century that the lives, health, well-being, dignity and future of persons born in and loyal to the interest of Serbia and Belgrade, in large scale, thoroughly and long term be sacrificed and dedicated to the interests of ethno-profiteering elites in/from outer territories, in this article I point to the possibility to, along with the comparative learning from the above mentioned post-colonial experiences, delicate experiences of urgent anthropology be applied as well as the rich tradition of collective research. This text analyzes the results of first such research, that represenst the initial, praiseworthy and a brave step in the wise striving to engage social sciences and humanities in a search of expert and not mythical/daily-political solutions of the key problem of the Serbian nation – that of how to settle the interests of the

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…

Proposal for the LHCb outer tracker front-end electronics

CERN Document Server

Deppe, H; Feuerstack-Raible, M; Srowig, A; Stange, U; Hommels, B; Sluijk, T

2001-01-01

A market survey on available TDCs for reading out the LHCb Outer Tracker has left over only one TDC, which is not optimal for this purpose. Hence, a new readout architecture which is based on a TDC to be developed anew has been defined. This system fits optimal the requirements of the LHCb Outer Tracker and also should be much cheaper. The system and its main issues are described in this paper.

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...

Newborns' Face Recognition: Role of Inner and Outer Facial Features

Science.gov (United States)

Turati, Chiara; Macchi Cassia, Viola; Simion, Francesca; Leo, Irene

2006-01-01

Existing data indicate that newborns are able to recognize individual faces, but little is known about what perceptual cues drive this ability. The current study showed that either the inner or outer features of the face can act as sufficient cues for newborns' face recognition (Experiment 1), but the outer part of the face enjoys an advantage…

Differential Response to Heat Stress in Outer and Inner Onion Bulb Scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Galsurker, Ortal; Doron-Faigenboim, Adi; Teper-Bamnolker, Paula; Daus, Avinoam; Lers, Amnon; Eshel, Dani

2018-05-18

Brown protective skin formation in onion bulbs can be induced by rapid postharvest heat treatment. Onions that were peeled to different depths and were exposed to heat stress showed that only the outer scale formed dry brown skin, whereas the inner scales maintained high water content and did not change color. Our results reveal that browning of the outer scale during heat treatment is due to an enzymatic process that is associated with high levels of oxidation components, such as peroxidase and quercetin glucoside. De-novo transcriptome analysis revealed differential molecular responses of the outer and inner scales to the heat stress. Genes involved in lipid metabolism, oxidation pathways and cell-wall modification were highly expressed in the outer scale during heating. Defense-response-related genes such as those encoding heat-shock proteins, antioxidative stress defense or production of osmoprotectant metabolites were mostly induced in the inner scale in response to the heat exposure. These transcriptomic data led to a conceptual model that suggests sequential processes for browning development and desiccation of the outer scales versus processes associated with defense response and heat tolerance in the inner scale. Thus, the observed physiological differences between the outer and inner scales is supported by the identified molecular differences.

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

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...

Spheres of influence: Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane vesicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Gui, M J; Dashper, S G; Slakeski, N; Chen, Y-Y; Reynolds, E C

2016-10-01

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are asymmetrical single bilayer membranous nanostructures produced by Gram-negative bacteria important for bacterial interaction with the environment. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen associated with chronic periodontitis, produces OMVs that act as a virulence factor secretion system contributing to its pathogenicity. Despite their biological importance, the mechanisms of OMV biogenesis have not been fully elucidated. The ~14 times more curvature of the OMV membrane than cell outer membrane (OM) indicates that OMV biogenesis requires energy expenditure for significant curvature of the OMV membrane. In P. gingivalis, we propose that this may be achieved by upregulating the production of certain inner or outer leaflet lipids, which causes localized outward curvature of the OM. This results in selection of anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS) and associated C-terminal domain (CTD) -family proteins on the outer surface due to their ability to accommodate the curvature. Deacylation of A-LPS may further enable increased curvature leading to OMV formation. Porphyromonas gingivalis OMVs that are selectively enriched in CTD-family proteins, largely the gingipains, can support bacterial coaggregation, promote biofilm development and act as an intercessor for the transport of non-motile bacteria by motile bacteria. The P. gingivalis OMVs are also believed to contribute to host interaction and colonization, evasion of immune defense mechanisms, and destruction of periodontal tissues. They may be crucial for both micro- and macronutrient capture, especially heme and probably other assimilable compounds for its own benefit and that of the wider biofilm community. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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

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.

The Outer Space as an Educational Motivation

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Pérez, Melquíades; Hernández-López, Montserrat

2017-06-01

STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. The end results are students who take thoughtful risks, engage in experiential learning, persist in problem-solving, embrace collaboration, and work through the creative process. The Outer Space is a window to the past and the future of our travel around the history of the Universe and can be used as a educational tool in primary and secondary education. This paper talks about the integration of the resources of European Space Agency, Space Awareness, Nuclio, Scientix and Schoolnet as motivation to integrate STEAM methodology in secondary education. Keywords: STEAM, outer space, motivation, methodology

Outer crust of nonaccreting cold neutron stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruester, Stefan B.; Hempel, Matthias; Schaffner-Bielich, Juergen

2006-01-01

The properties of the outer crust of nonaccreting cold neutron stars are studied by using modern nuclear data and theoretical mass tables, updating in particular the classic work of Baym, Pethick, and Sutherland. Experimental data from the atomic mass table from Audi, Wapstra, and Thibault of 2003 are used and a thorough comparison of many modern theoretical nuclear models, both relativistic and nonrelativistic, is performed for the first time. In addition, the influences of pairing and deformation are investigated. State-of-the-art theoretical nuclear mass tables are compared to check their differences concerning the neutron drip line, magic neutron numbers, the equation of state, and the sequence of neutron-rich nuclei up to the drip line in the outer crust of nonaccreting cold neutron stars

Reliability modeling of digital RPS with consideration of undetected software faults

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khalaquzzaman, M.; Lee, Seung Jun; Jung, Won Dea [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Man Cheol [Chung Ang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

This paper provides overview of different software reliability methodologies and proposes a technic for estimating the reliability of RPS with consideration of undetected software faults. Software reliability analysis of safety critical software has been challenging despite spending a huge effort for developing large number of software reliability models, and no consensus yet to attain on an appropriate modeling methodology. However, it is realized that the combined application of BBN based SDLC fault prediction method and random black-box testing of software would provide better ground for reliability estimation of safety critical software. Digitalizing the reactor protection system of nuclear power plant has been initiated several decades ago and now full digitalization has been adopted in the new generation of NPPs around the world because digital I and C systems have many better technical features like easier configurability and maintainability over analog I and C systems. Digital I and C systems are also drift-free and incorporation of new features is much easier. Rules and regulation for safe operation of NPPs are established and has been being practiced by the operators as well as regulators of NPPs to ensure safety. The failure mechanism of hardware and analog systems well understood and the risk analysis methods for these components and systems are well established. However, digitalization of I and C system in NPP introduces some crisis and uncertainty in reliability analysis methods of the digital systems/components because software failure mechanisms are still unclear.

Topological analysis of Chlamydia trachomatis L2 outer membrane protein 2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mygind, P; Christiansen, Gunna; Birkelund, Svend

1998-01-01

Using monospecific polyclonal antisera to different parts of Chlamydia trachomatis L2 outer membrane protein 2 (Omp2), we show that the protein is localized at the inner surface of the outer membrane. Omp2 becomes immunoaccessible when Chlamydia elementary bodies are treated with dithiothreitol...

Are Elias 2-27's Spiral Arms Driven by Self-gravity, or by a Companion? A Comparative Spiral Morphology Study

Science.gov (United States)

Forgan, Duncan H.; Ilee, John D.; Meru, Farzana

2018-06-01

The spiral waves detected in the protostellar disk surrounding Elias 2-27 have been suggested as evidence of the disk being gravitationally unstable. However, previous work has shown that a massive, stable disk undergoing an encounter with a massive companion are also consistent with the observations. We compare the spiral morphology of smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations modeling both cases. The gravitationally unstable disk produces symmetric, tightly wound spiral arms with constant pitch angle, as predicted by the literature. The companion disk’s arms are asymmetric, with pitch angles that increase with radius. However, these arms are not well-fitted by standard analytic expressions, due to the high disk mass and relatively low companion mass. We note that differences (or indeed similarities) in morphology between pairs of spirals is a crucial discriminant between scenarios for Elias 2-27, and hence future studies must fit spiral arms individually. If Elias 2-27 continues to show symmetric tightly wound spiral arms in future observations, then we posit that it is the first observed example of a gravitationally unstable protostellar disk.

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.

Children with Imaginary Companions Focus on Mental Characteristics When Describing Their Real-life Friends

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Paige E.; Meins, Elizabeth; Fernyhough, Charles

2014-01-01

Relations between having an imaginary companion (IC) and (i) descriptions of a real-life friend, (ii) theory of mind performance, and (iii) reported prosocial behaviour and behavioural difficulties were investigated in a sample of 5-year-olds (N?=?159). Children who had an IC were more likely than their peers without an IC to describe their best…

Turnover of rod photoreceptor outer segments. II. Membrane addition and loss in relationship to light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Besharse, J.C.; Hollyfield, J.G.; Rayborn, M.E.

1977-01-01

The rate of disk addition to rod outer segments (ROS) varies widely in Xenopus laevis tadpoles kept in cyclic light (12L:12D). When measured as radioactive band ( 3 H-band) displacement during the 2nd day after injection of [ 3 H]leucine, 75% of the daily increment of displacement occurred during the first 8 h of light. During the same interval, the number of open disks at the ROS base increased more than threefold. During the last 8 h of darkness, 3 H-band displacement was undetectable and the number of open disks was reduced. These observations suggest the possibility that disk addition may occur discontinuously. During the 3rd and 4th days after injection of [ 3 H]leucine, maximal displacement of the 3 H-band occurred later in the day than on the 2nd day, its movement no longer corresponding to the increase in open disks. This delay in 3 H-band displacement may reflect a time delay as a result of propagation of compressive stress in an elastic ROS system. Maximal disk loss from ROS as reflected in counts of phagosomes in the pigment epithelium occurred within 1 h of light exposure, and phagosome counts remained high for 4 h before declining to a low level in darkness. Modified lighting regimes affected the daily rhythms of shedding and disk addition differently, suggesting that control mechanisms for the two processes are not directly coupled. During 3 days in darkness, disk addition was reduced 50% compared to controls (12L:12D), whereas shedding was reduced by about 40%. Although reduced in level, shedding occurred as a free-running circadian rhythm

Heating of the outer solar atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, E.N.

1983-01-01

The author discusses the idea that there must be a source of magnetic fields somewhere below the solar surface. He starts by considering present day ideas about the sun's internal structure. The sun has a radius of approximately 700,000 km, of which the outer 100,000 km or so is the convective zone, according to mixing-length models. The dynamo is believed to operate in the convective zone, across which there may be a 5-10% variation in the angular velocity. There are the stretched east-west fields similar to the ones in the earth's core. Associated with these are poloidal fields which contribute to a net dipole moment of the sun and are generated by a dynamo. The author shows that essentially no magnetic field configuration has an equilibrium; they dissipate quickly in spite of the high conductivity in fluid motions and heating. This is probably the major part of the heating of the sun's outer atmosphere. (Auth.)

Fatigue Analysis of an Outer Bearing Bush of a Kaplan Turbine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doina Frunzaverde

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the fatigue analysis of an outer bearing bush of aKaplan turbine. This outer bush, together with an inner one, bear thepin lever - trunion - blade subassembly of the runner blade operatingmechanism. For modeling and simulation, SolidWorks software is used.

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.

Inner and outer cylinders of the CMS vacuum tank.

CERN Multimedia

Patrice Loïez

2002-01-01

The vacuum tank of the CMS magnet system consists of inner and outer stainless-steel cylinders and houses the superconducting coil. The inner cylinder contains all the barrel sub-detectors, which it supports via a system of horizontal rails. The cylinder is pictured here in the vertical position on a yellow platform mounted on the ferris-wheel support structure. This will allow it to be pivoted and inserted into the already installed outer cylinder, through which this photo was taken.

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.

Water and Volatiles in the Outer Solar System

Science.gov (United States)

Grasset, O.; Castillo-Rogez, J.; Guillot, T.; Fletcher, L. N.; Tosi, F.

2017-10-01

Space exploration and ground-based observations have provided outstanding evidence of the diversity and the complexity of the outer solar system. This work presents our current understanding of the nature and distribution of water and water-rich materials from the water snow line to the Kuiper Belt. This synthesis is timely, since a thorough exploration of at least one object in each region of the outer solar system has now been achieved. Next steps, starting with the Juno mission now in orbit around Jupiter, will be more focused on understanding the processes at work than on describing the general characteristics of each giant planet systems. This review is organized in three parts. First, the nature and the distribution of water and volatiles in giant and intermediary planets are described from their inner core to their outer envelopes. A special focus is given to Jupiter and Saturn, which are much better understood than the two ice giants (Uranus and Neptune) thanks to the Galileo and Cassini missions. Second, the icy moons will be discussed. Space missions and ground-based observations have revealed the variety of icy surfaces in the outer system. While Europa, Enceladus, and maybe Titan present past or even active tectonic and volcanic activities, many other moons have been dead worlds for more than 3 billion years. Ice compositions found at these bodies are also complex and it is now commonly admitted that icy surfaces are never composed of pure ices. A detailed review of the distribution of non-ice materials on the surfaces and in the tenuous atmospheres of the moons is proposed, followed by a more focused discussion on the nature and the characteristics of the liquid layers trapped below the cold icy crusts that have been suggested in the icy Galilean moons, and in Enceladus, Dione, and Titan at Saturn. Finally, the recent observations collected by Dawn at Ceres and New Horizons at Pluto, as well as the state of knowledge of other transneptunian objects

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.

Knitted outer gloves in primary hip and knee arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, J; Wraighte, P; Howard, P

2006-01-01

A randomised trial was carried out to determine the rate of perforation to inner gloves when comparing latex with knitted gloves during hip and knee arthroplasty. Members of the surgical team were randomised to wear either two pairs of latex gloves (standard double gloving) or a knitted glove on top of a latex glove. In addition, participants completed a visual analogue assessment of their overall satisfaction with the gloves. A total of 406 inner gloves were tested for perforations over a four-month period: 23% of inner gloves were perforated when latex outer gloves were used and 6% of inner gloves were perforated when knitted outer gloves were used. In total, there were 64 perforations to the inner gloves; only one of these perforations was detected by the glove wearer. Wearing knitted outer gloves during hip and knee arthroplasty statistically significantly reduces the risk of perforation to inner latex gloves (p<0.0001).

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

Undetected rheumatic heart disease revealed using portable echocardiography in a population of school students in Tairawhiti, New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Cramp, Geoffrey; Stonehouse, Mary; Webb, Rachel; Webb, Rachel; Chaffey-Aupouri, Gina; Wilson, Nigel

2012-10-12

The aim of this programme was to find undetected rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in students from selected schools in the Tairawhiti region (eastern part of the North Island) of New Zealand. Portable echocardiography was used to scan students in 5 urban and rural schools in Tairawhiti where the population is predominantly Maori. The age range of students in the urban schools was 10-13 years and in the rural schools 5-17 years. Those with abnormal echocardiograms were referred for a paediatric consultation, with hospital-based echocardiography if required for the clarification of diagnoses and further management. A total of 685 students, representing over 95% of the schools' students, consented to having echocardiographic scanning. After repeat hospital based echocardiography for 11 students, a total of 52 scans were regarded as abnormal. In this population definite (n=4) or probable (n=7) RHD was found in 11 students a prevalence of 1.61% (95%CIs 0.80-2.85). Possible RHD was found in 19 students. Previously undetected confirmed (n=1) or probable (n=7) RHD was found in 8 students a prevalence of 1.17% (95%CIs 0.51-2.29). Congenital heart defects (CHD) were found in 22 students a prevalence of 3.21% (95%CIs 2.02-4.83). Echocardiography was a popular modality and detected a significant burden of previously unknown RHD in this young Maori population who are now receiving penicillin. However, echocardiography detected a greater prevalence of possible RHD for which optimum management is at present uncertain. Echocardiography also detected students with a range of severity of CHD. Screening with echocardiography for RHD would involve a significant use of public health, paediatric and cardiac resources with 7.6% of students and their families requiring clinical consultations and ongoing management of the abnormal echocardiographic results.

NIF Double Shell outer/inner shell collision experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Merritt, E. C.; Loomis, E. N.; Wilson, D. C.; Cardenas, T.; Montgomery, D. S.; Daughton, W. S.; Dodd, E. S.; Desjardins, T.; Renner, D. B.; Palaniyappan, S.; Batha, S. H.; Khan, S. F.; Smalyuk, V.; Ping, Y.; Amendt, P.; Schoff, M.; Hoppe, M.

2017-10-01

Double shell capsules are a potential low convergence path to substantial alpha-heating and ignition on NIF, since they are predicted to ignite and burn at relatively low temperatures via volume ignition. Current LANL NIF double shell designs consist of a low-Z ablator, low-density foam cushion, and high-Z inner shell with liquid DT fill. Central to the Double Shell concept is kinetic energy transfer from the outer to inner shell via collision. The collision determines maximum energy available for compression and implosion shape of the fuel. We present results of a NIF shape-transfer study: two experiments comparing shape and trajectory of the outer and inner shells at post-collision times. An outer-shell-only target shot measured the no-impact shell conditions, while an `imaging' double shell shot measured shell conditions with impact. The `imaging' target uses a low-Z inner shell and is designed to perform in similar collision physics space to a high-Z double shell but can be radiographed at 16keV, near the viable 2DConA BL energy limit. Work conducted under the auspices of the U.S. DOE by LANL under contract DE-AC52-06NA25396.

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...

Colors of Outer Solar System Objects Measured with VATT

Science.gov (United States)

Romanishin, William; Tegler, S. C.; Consolmagno, G. J.

2010-10-01

Over the past 7 years, we have measured optical B-V and V-R colors for about 40 minor outer solar system objects using the 1.8-m Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT) located on Mt. Graham in southeast Arizona. We will present these colors and use them to update the discussion of colors of minor bodies in the outer solar system. We gratefully acknowledge funding from the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program to Northern Arizona University and the U. of Oklahoma which helped support this work.

The Association between Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Risk of Undetected Prediabetes

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jia; Wu, Yili; Ning, Feng; Zhang, Chaoying

2017-01-01

Aims. The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of leisure-time physical activity on undetected prediabetes. Methods. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2012 were used in our analyses. Logistic regression was conducted to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of prediabetes associated with leisure-time physical activity. Results. A total of 8204 subjects were eligible for our analyses. For all subjects, high level of total leisure-time physical activity (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.94) and low level of vigorous leisure-time physical activity (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.90) were inversely associated with the risk of prediabetes in multivariate-adjusted model. For subjects under 45 years of age, high level of total leisure-time physical activity (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.99) and low (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.45, 0.83) and high (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.53, 1.00) level of vigorous leisure-time physical activity were associated with a decreased risk of prediabetes. In the 45 to 65 age group, only high level of total leisure-time physical activity (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.95) had protective effect on prediabetes. Conclusions. Leisure-time physical activity may be associated with a decreased risk of prediabetes. PMID:28367452

Star laws: legal controls on armed conflict in outer space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephens, Dale

2016-01-01

An undeclared military space race is unfolding yet there is no clear understanding of how international las operates in the field of armed conflict in outer space. In conjunction with McGill University Law School, Montreal, Canada, a 'Manual on international law applicable to military uses of outer space' has been drafted. This article looks at types of space weapons, previous space treaties and discusses humanitarian law.

Usher syndrome type 1–associated cadherins shape the photoreceptor outer segment

Science.gov (United States)

Parain, Karine; Aghaie, Asadollah; Picaud, Serge

2017-01-01

Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1) causes combined hearing and sight defects, but how mutations in USH1 genes lead to retinal dystrophy in patients remains elusive. The USH1 protein complex is associated with calyceal processes, which are microvilli of unknown function surrounding the base of the photoreceptor outer segment. We show that in Xenopus tropicalis, these processes are connected to the outer-segment membrane by links composed of protocadherin-15 (USH1F protein). Protocadherin-15 deficiency, obtained by a knockdown approach, leads to impaired photoreceptor function and abnormally shaped photoreceptor outer segments. Rod basal outer disks displayed excessive outgrowth, and cone outer segments were curved, with lamellae of heterogeneous sizes, defects also observed upon knockdown of Cdh23, encoding cadherin-23 (USH1D protein). The calyceal processes were virtually absent in cones and displayed markedly reduced F-actin content in rods, suggesting that protocadherin-15–containing links are essential for their development and/or maintenance. We propose that calyceal processes, together with their associated links, control the sizing of rod disks and cone lamellae throughout their daily renewal. PMID:28495838

Model of alpha particle diffusion in the outer limiter shadow of TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.; Academia Sinica, Hefei, Anhui; Zweben, S.J.

1996-05-01

A new code, Monte Carlo Collisional Stochastic Orbit Retracing (MCCSOR), has been developed to model the alpha particle loss signal as measured by the outer midplane scintillator detector in TFTR. The shadowing effects due to the outer limiters and the detector itself have been included, along with a pitch angle scattering and stochastic ripple diffusion. Shadowing by the outer limiters has a strong effect on both the magnitude and pitch angle distribution of the calculated loss. There is at least qualitative agreement between the calculated results and the experimental data

Outer Measures on a Commutative Ring Induced by Measures on Its Spectrum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dudzik Dariusz

2017-09-01

Full Text Available On a commutative ring R we study outer measures induced by measures on Spec(R. The focus is on examples of such outer measures and on subsets of R that satisfy the Carathéodory condition.

HIV DNA Is Frequently Present within Pathologic Tissues Evaluated at Autopsy from Combined Antiretroviral Therapy-Treated Patients with Undetectable Viral Loads.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamers, Susanna L; Rose, Rebecca; Maidji, Ekaterina; Agsalda-Garcia, Melissa; Nolan, David J; Fogel, Gary B; Salemi, Marco; Garcia, Debra L; Bracci, Paige; Yong, William; Commins, Deborah; Said, Jonathan; Khanlou, Negar; Hinkin, Charles H; Sueiras, Miguel Valdes; Mathisen, Glenn; Donovan, Suzanne; Shiramizu, Bruce; Stoddart, Cheryl A; McGrath, Michael S; Singer, Elyse J

2016-10-15

HIV infection treatment strategies have historically defined effectiveness through measuring patient plasma HIV RNA. While combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) can reduce plasma viral load (pVL) to undetectable levels, the degree that HIV is eliminated from other anatomical sites remains unclear. We investigated the HIV DNA levels in 229 varied autopsy tissues from 20 HIV-positive (HIV(+)) cART-treated study participants with low or undetectable plasma VL and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) VL prior to death who were enrolled in the National Neurological AIDS Bank (NNAB) longitudinal study and autopsy cohort. Extensive medical histories were obtained for each participant. Autopsy specimens, including at least six brain and nonbrain tissues per participant, were reviewed by study pathologists. HIV DNA, measured in tissues by quantitative and droplet digital PCR, was identified in 48/87 brain tissues and 82/142 nonbrain tissues at levels >200 HIV copies/million cell equivalents. No participant was found to be completely free of tissue HIV. Parallel sequencing studies from some tissues recovered intact HIV DNA and RNA. Abnormal histological findings were identified in all participants, especially in brain, spleen, lung, lymph node, liver, aorta, and kidney. All brain tissues demonstrated some degree of pathology. Ninety-five percent of participants had some degree of atherosclerosis, and 75% of participants died with cancer. This study assists in characterizing the anatomical locations of HIV, in particular, macrophage-rich tissues, such as the central nervous system (CNS) and testis. Additional studies are needed to determine if the HIV recovered from tissues promotes the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, such as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, cancer, and atherosclerosis. It is well-known that combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) can reduce plasma HIV to undetectable levels; however, cART cannot completely clear HIV infection. An ongoing question is

Wisps in the outer edge of the Keeler Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Tiscareno, Matthew S.; Arnault, Ethan G.

2015-11-01

Superposed upon the relatively smooth outer edge of the Keeler Gap are a system of "wisps," which appear to be ring material protruding inward into the gap, usually with a sharp trailing edge and a smooth gradation back to the background edge location on the leading side (Porco et al. 2005, Science). The radial amplitude of wisps is usually 0.5 to 1 km, and their azimuthal extent is approximately a degree of longitude (~2400 km). Wisps are likely caused by an interplay between Daphnis (and perhaps other moons) and embedded moonlets within the ring, though the details remain unclear.Aside from the wisps, the Keeler Gap outer edge is the only one of the five sharp edges in the outer part of Saturn's A ring that is reasonably smooth in appearance (Tiscareno et al. 2005, DPS), with occultations indicating residuals less than 1 km upon a possibly non-zero eccentricity (R.G. French, personal communication, 2014). The other four (the inner and outer edges of the Encke Gap, the inner edge of the Keeler Gap, and the outer edge of the A ring itself) are characterized by wavy structure at moderate to high spatial frequencies, with amplitudes ranging from 2 to 30 km (Tiscareno et al. 2005, DPS).We will present a catalogue of wisp detections in Cassini images. We carry out repeated gaussian fits of the radial edge location in order to characterize edge structure and visually scan those fitted edges in order to detect wisps. With extensive coverage in longitude and in time, we will report on how wisps evolve and move, both within an orbit period and on longer timescales. We will also report on the frequency and interpretation of wisps that deviate from the standard morphology. We will discuss the implications of our results for the origin and nature of wisps, and for the larger picture of how masses interact within Saturn's rings.

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.

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.

Possible origin of Saturn's newly discovered outer ring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moehlmann, D.

1986-01-01

Within a planetogonic model the self-gravitationally caused formation of pre-planetary and pre-satellite rings from an earlier thin disk is reported. The theoretically derived orbital radii of these rings are compared with the orbital levels in the planetary system and the satellite systems of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. From this comparison it is concluded that at the radial position of Saturn's newly discovered outer ring an early pre-satellite ring of more or less evolved satellites could have existed. These satellites should have been disturbed in their evolution by the gravitation of the neighbouring massive satellite Titan. The comparison also may indicate similarities between the asteroidal belt and the newly discovered outer ring of Saturn

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

Periplasmic quality control in biogenesis of outer membrane proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyu, Zhi Xin; Zhao, Xin Sheng

2015-04-01

The β-barrel outer membrane proteins (OMPs) are integral membrane proteins that reside in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and perform a diverse range of biological functions. Synthesized in the cytoplasm, OMPs must be transported across the inner membrane and through the periplasmic space before they are assembled in the outer membrane. In Escherichia coli, Skp, SurA and DegP are the most prominent factors identified to guide OMPs across the periplasm and to play the role of quality control. Although extensive genetic and biochemical analyses have revealed many basic functions of these periplasmic proteins, the mechanism of their collaboration in assisting the folding and insertion of OMPs is much less understood. Recently, biophysical approaches have shed light on the identification of the intricate network. In the present review, we summarize recent advances in the characterization of these key factors, with a special emphasis on the multifunctional protein DegP. In addition, we present our proposed model on the periplasmic quality control in biogenesis of OMPs.

The carbon budget in the outer solar nebula.

Science.gov (United States)

Simonelli, D P; Pollack, J B; McKay, C P; Reynolds, R T; Summers, A L

1989-01-01

Detailed models of the internal structures of Pluto and Charon, assuming rock and water ice as the only constituents, indicate that the mean silicate mass fraction of this two-body system is on the order of 0.7; thus the Pluto/Charon system is significantly "rockier" than the satellites of the giant planets (silicate mass fraction approximately 0.55). This compositional contrast reflects different formation mechanisms: it is likely that Pluto and Charon formed directly from the solar nebula, while the circumplanetary nebulae that produced the giant planet satellites were derived from envelopes that surrounded the forming giant planets (envelopes in which icy planetesimals dissolved more readily than rocky planetesimals). Simple cosmic abundance calculations, and the assumption that the Pluto/Charon system formed directly from solar nebula condensates, strongly suggest that the majority of the carbon in the outer solar nebula was in the form of carbon monoxide; these results are consistent with (1) inheritance from the dense molecular clouds in the interstellar medium (where CH4/CO nebula chemistry. Theoretical predictions of the C/H enhancements in the atmospheres of the giant planets, when compared to the actual observed enhancements, suggest that 10%, or slightly more, of the carbon in the outer solar nebula was in the form of condensed materials (although the amount of condensed C may have dropped slightly with increasing heliocentric distance). Strict compositional limits computed for the Pluto/Charon system using the densities of CH4 and CO ices indicate that these pure ices are at best minor components in the interiors of these bodies, and imply that CH4 and CO ices were not the dominant C-bearing solids in the outer nebula. Clathrate-hydrates could not have appropriated enough CH4 or CO to be the major form of condensed carbon, although such clathrates may be necessary to explain the presence of methane on Pluto after its formation from a CO-rich nebula

Lateral release of proteins from the TOM complex into the outer membrane of mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Harner, Max; Neupert, Walter; Deponte, Marcel

2011-07-15

The TOM complex of the outer membrane of mitochondria is the entry gate for the vast majority of precursor proteins that are imported into the mitochondria. It is made up by receptors and a protein conducting channel. Although precursor proteins of all subcompartments of mitochondria use the TOM complex, it is not known whether its channel can only mediate passage across the outer membrane or also lateral release into the outer membrane. To study this, we have generated fusion proteins of GFP and Tim23 which are inserted into the inner membrane and, at the same time, are spanning either the TOM complex or are integrated into the outer membrane. Our results demonstrate that the TOM complex, depending on sequence determinants in the precursors, can act both as a protein conducting pore and as an insertase mediating lateral release into the outer membrane.

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.

Inner- and outer-sphere complexation of ions at the goethite-solution interface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rahnemaie, R.; Hiemstra, T.; Riemsdijk, van W.H.

2006-01-01

Formation of inner- and outer-sphere complexes of environmentally important divalent ions on the goethite surface was examined by applying the charge distribution CD model for inner- and outer-sphere complexation. The model assumes spatial charge distribution between the surface (0-plane) and the

Contamination of RR Lyrae stars from Binary Evolution Pulsators

Science.gov (United States)

Karczmarek, Paulina; Pietrzyński, Grzegorz; Belczyński, Krzysztof; Stępień, Kazimierz; Wiktorowicz, Grzegorz; Iłkiewicz, Krystian

2016-06-01

Binary Evolution Pulsator (BEP) is an extremely low-mass member of a binary system, which pulsates as a result of a former mass transfer to its companion. BEP mimics RR Lyrae-type pulsations but has different internal structure and evolution history. We present possible evolution channels to produce BEPs, and evaluate the contamination value, i.e. how many objects classified as RR Lyrae stars can be undetected BEPs. In this analysis we use population synthesis code StarTrack.

Developments for the outer tracking system of the LHCb experiment

CERN Document Server

Bachmann, S; Haas, T; Uwer, U; Walter, M; Wiedner, D

2004-01-01

The outer tracking system of the LHCb experiment is discussed. The outer tracking system (OT) is made of three stations and every station is made up of four detecting planes with a double layer of straw tubes. The straw tubes are mounted in detector module boxes made up of sandwich panels. The use of a counting gas with a high drift velocity is suggested to cope with high bunch crossing rate at the LHCb experiment. (Edited abstract) 3 Refs.

Grain Size Data from the NOAA Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains grain size data from samples acquired under the NOAA Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) from the Outer...

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

Protection of nuclear facilities against outer aggressions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aussourd, P.; Candes, P.; Le Quinio, R.

1976-01-01

The various types of outer aggressions envisaged in safety analysis for nuclear facilities are reviewed. These outer aggressions are classified as natural and non-natural phenomena, the latter depending on the human activities in the vicinity of nuclear sites. The principal natural phenomena able to constitute aggressions are atmospheric phenomena (strong winds, snow storms, hail, frosting mists), hydrologie phenomena such as tides, surges, flood, low waters, and geologic phenomena such as earthquakes. Artificial phenomena are concerned with aircraft crashes, projectiles, fire, possible ruptures of dams, and intentional human aggressions. The protection against intentional human aggressions is of two sorts: first, the possibility of access to the installations mostly sensitive to sabotage are to be prevented or reduced, secondly redundant circuits and functions must be separated for preventing their simultaneous destruction in the case when sabotage actors have reach the core of the facility [fr

Selective imipenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa associated with diminished outer membrane permeability.

OpenAIRE

Studemeister, A E; Quinn, J P

1988-01-01

The permeability of the outer membranes of imipenem-susceptible and imipenem-resistant clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated by the liposome swelling assay. Sugars and cephaloridine penetrated rapidly, whereas imipenem penetrated poorly into liposomes constructed from porin-rich outer membrane fractions of the resistant isolates.

Star Formation Activity Beyond the Outer Arm. I. WISE -selected Candidate Star-forming Regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Izumi, Natsuko; Yasui, Chikako; Saito, Masao [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1, Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Kobayashi, Naoto; Hamano, Satoshi, E-mail: natsuko.izumi@nao.ac.jp [Laboratory of Infrared High-resolution spectroscopy (LIH), Koyama Astronomical Observatory, Kyoto Sangyo University, Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555 (Japan)

2017-10-01

The outer Galaxy beyond the Outer Arm provides a good opportunity to study star formation in an environment significantly different from that in the solar neighborhood. However, star-forming regions in the outer Galaxy have never been comprehensively studied or cataloged because of the difficulties in detecting them at such large distances. We studied 33 known young star-forming regions associated with 13 molecular clouds at R {sub G} ≥ 13.5 kpc in the outer Galaxy with data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) mid-infrared all-sky survey. From their color distribution, we developed a simple identification criterion of star-forming regions in the outer Galaxy with the WISE color. We applied the criterion to all the WISE sources in the molecular clouds in the outer Galaxy at R {sub G} ≥ 13.5 kpc detected with the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory (FCRAO) {sup 12}CO survey of the outer Galaxy, of which the survey region is 102.°49 ≤  l  ≤ 141.°54, −3.°03 ≤  b  ≤ 5.°41, and successfully identified 711 new candidate star-forming regions in 240 molecular clouds. The large number of samples enables us to perform the statistical study of star formation properties in the outer Galaxy for the first time. This study is crucial to investigate the fundamental star formation properties, including star formation rate, star formation efficiency, and initial mass function, in a primordial environment such as the early phase of the Galaxy formation.

The properties of the outer membrane localized Lipid A transporter LptD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haarmann, Raimund; Ibrahim, Mohamed; Stevanovic, Mara; Bredemeier, Rolf; Schleiff, Enrico

2010-01-01

Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a cell wall including the outer membrane. The outer membrane is composed of two distinct monolayers where the outer layer contains lipopolysaccharides (LPS) with the non-phospholipid Lipid A as the core. The synthesis of Lipid A is initiated in the cytosol and thereby the molecule has to be transported across the inner and outer membranes. The β-barrel lipopolysaccharide-assembly protein D (LptD) was discovered to be involved in the transfer of Lipid A into the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. At present the molecular procedure of lipid transfer across the outer membrane remains unknown. Here we approached the functionality of the transfer system by an electrophysiological analysis of the outer membrane protein from Escherichia coli named ecLptD. In vitro the protein shows cation selectivity and has an estimated pore diameter of about 1.8 nm. Addition of Lipid A induces a transition of the open state to a sub-conductance state with two independent off-rates, which might suggest that LptD is able to bind and transport the molecule in vitro. To generalize our findings with respect to the Lipid A transport system of other Gram-negative bacteria we have explored the existence of the proteins involved in this pathway by bioinformatic means. We were able to identify the membrane-inserted components of the Lipid A transport system in all Gram-negative bacteria, whereas the periplasmic components appear to be species-specific. The LptD proteins of different bacteria are characterized by their periplasmic N-terminal domain and a C-terminal barrel region. The latter shows distinct sequence properties, particularly in LptD proteins of cyanobacteria, and this specific domain can be found in plant proteins as well. By electrophysiological experiments on LptD from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 we are able to confirm the functional relation of anaLptD to Lipid A transport.

The carbon budget in the outer solar nebula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonelli, D.P.; Pollack, J.B.; Mckay, C.P.; Reynolds, R.T.; Summers, A.L.

1989-01-01

The compositional contrast between the giant-planet satellites and the significantly rockier Pluto/Charon system is indicative of different formation mechanisms; cosmic abundance calculations, in conjunction with an assumption of the Pluto/Charon system's direct formation from solar nebula condensates, strongly suggest that most of the carbon in the outer solar nebula was in CO form, in keeping with both the inheritance from the dense molecular clouds in the interstellar medium, and/or the Lewis and Prinn (1980) kinetic-inhibition model of solar nebula chemistry. Laboratory studies of carbonaceous chondrites and Comet Halley flyby studies suggest that condensed organic material, rather than elemental carbon, is the most likely candidate for the small percentage of the carbon-bearing solid in the outer solar nebula. 71 refs

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...