2,098 research outputs found
X-ray Observations of XSS J12270-4859 in a New Low State: A Transformation to a Disk-Free Rotation-Powered Pulsar Binary
We present XMM-Newton and Chandra observations of the low-mass X-ray binary
XSS J12270--4859, which experienced a dramatic decline in optical/X-ray
brightness at the end of 2012, indicative of the disappearance of its accretion
disk. In this new state, the system exhibits previously absent
orbital-phase-dependent, large-amplitude X-ray modulations with a decline in
flux at superior conjunction. The X-ray emission remains predominantly
non-thermal but with an order of magnitude lower mean luminosity and
significantly harder spectrum relative to the previous high flux state. This
phenomenology is identical to the behavior of the radio millisecond pulsar
binary PSR J1023+0038 in the absence of an accretion disk, where the X-ray
emission is produced in an intra-binary shock driven by the pulsar wind. This
further demonstrates that XSS J12270-4859 no longer has an accretion disk and
has transformed to a full-fledged eclipsing "redback" system that hosts an
active rotation-powered millisecond pulsar. There is no evidence for diffuse
X-ray emission associated with the binary that may arise due to outflows or a
wind nebula. An extended source situated 1.5' from XSS J12270--4859 is unlikely
to be associated, and is probably a previously uncatalogued galaxy cluster.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Development of PDT/PET theranostics: synthesis and biological evaluation of an ÂčâžF-radiolabeled water soluble porphyrin
Synthesis of the first water-soluble porphyrin radiolabeled with fluorine-18 is described: a new molecular theranostic agent which integrates the therapeutic selectivity of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with the imaging efficacy of positron emission tomography (PET). Generation of the theranostic was carried out through the conjugation of a cationic water-soluble porphyrin bearing an azide functionality to a fluorine-18 radiolabeled prosthetic bearing an alkyne functionality through click conjugation, with excellent yields obtained in both cold and hot synthesis. Biological evaluation of the synthesized structures shows the first example of an 18 F-radiolabeled porphyrin retaining photocytotoxicity following radiolabeling and demonstrable conjugate uptake and potential application as a radiotracer in vivo. The promising results gained from biological evaluation demonstrate the potential of this structure as a clinically relevant theranostic agent, offering exciting possibilities for the simultaneous imaging and photodynamic treatment of tumors
Forage from cropping systems as dry season supplements for sheep
Information on the utilisation of legume hays from an intercropping system as a feed supplement is limited. Three forage legume hays (Stylosanthes guianensis, Lablab purpureus and Aeschynomene histrix) were compared by feeding them as supplements for yearling West African Dwarf rams (LWt 18.0±2.2 kg) fed a basal diet of mature guinea grass (Panicum maximum). The performance of the rams was evaluated in a 60-day growth trial, using a completely randomised design with 6 rams per treatment. Organic matter digestibility and nitrogen retention were assessed in a separate trial using the same design; but with 4 animals per treatment. In the growth trial, rams supplemented with S. guianensis and A. histrix gained more weight (P<0.05) than those on the L. purpureus supplemented diet. Average total weight gains were 33.3, 13.2 and 31.2 g/d for S. guianensis-, L. purpureus- and A. histrix-supplemented diets, respectively. Organic matter digestibility was 643, 568 and 523 g/kg for S. guianensis-, A. histrix- and L. purpureus-supplemented groups, respectively. All treatments resulted in positive nitrogen balance. We concluded that feeding forage legumes from cereal-based cropping systems as a supplement can maintain liveweight in sheep and even achieve modest weight gains during the critical dry period when feed quality is poor
Knowledge Translation of Interprofessional Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice: The Working Together Project Experience
The Working Together (WT) project involved the design and delivery of an online learning resource for healthcare teams in long-term care (LTC) so that knowledge regarding interprofessional collaborative patient-centred practice (ICPCP) could be readily accessed and then transferred to the workplace. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the process of knowledge translation in continuing education for healthcare professionals by documenting our experiences using Lavis et al.âs (2003) organizing framework for knowledge transfer, and highlighting the impact this approach had on the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of the WT program. Fifty-nine pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners from 17 LTC homes across Ontario, Canada participated in this project. The effectiveness of the knowledge translation of ICPCP through the WT project was evaluated using the Demand-Driven Learning Model (DDLM) evaluation tool (MacDonald, Breithaupt, Stodel, Farres, & Gabriel, 2002) to assess learnersâ reactions to the learning resource. Data from quantitative pre-post surveys and qualitative interviews revealed that learners found using the WT online resource to be a satisfactory learning experience, obtained new knowledge and skills regarding ICPCP, transferred knowledge to the workplace, and reported that learning had a positive effect on the residents they cared for.Le projet Working Together (WT) comprend la conception et la production dâune ressource dâapprentissage en ligne pour les Ă©quipes de professionnels prodiguant des soins de santĂ© de longue durĂ©e (SLD) afin que les connaissances relatives Ă la pratique interprofessionnelle en collaboration axĂ©e sur le patient (PICAP) puissent ĂȘtre facilement accessibles, puis transfĂ©rĂ©es dans le milieu de travail. Lâobjectif de cet article est de mieux comprendre le processus dâapplication des connaissances dans la formation continue des professionnels de la santĂ© en documentant notre expĂ©rience Ă lâaide de Lavis et coll. (2003), en Ă©tablissant un cadre thĂ©orique pour le transfert des connaissances et en mettant en Ă©vidence lâincidence de cette approche sur la conception, le dĂ©veloppement, la rĂ©alisation et lâĂ©valuation du programme WT. Cinquante-neuf pharmaciens, mĂ©decins, infirmiers et infirmiĂšres, infirmiers et infirmiĂšres praticiens de 17 centres de SLD en Ontario, au Canada, ont participĂ© Ă ce projet. LâefficacitĂ© de lâapplication des connaissances de la PICAP Ă lâĂ©chelle du projet WT a Ă©tĂ© Ă©valuĂ©e Ă lâaide du modĂšle dâapprentissage axĂ© sur la demande (DDLM) (MacDonald, Breithaupt, Stodel, Farres et Gabriel, 2002) afin de dĂ©terminer les rĂ©actions des apprenants Ă la ressource dâapprentissage. Des donnĂ©es tirĂ©es de prĂ©test et de postest quantitatifs ainsi que dâentrevues qualitatives ont rĂ©vĂ©lĂ© que les apprenants Ă©taient satisfaisants de lâexpĂ©rience dâapprentissage que procure la ressource en ligne WT, quâils ont acquis de nouvelles connaissances et aptitudes concernant la PICAP et mis en application ces connaissances dans leur milieu de travail, et que lâapprentissage a eu un effet positif sur les pensionnaires dont ils prennent soin
How does iron interact with sporopollenin exine capsules? An X-ray absorption study including microfocus XANES and XRF imaging
Sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) derived from plant spores and pollen grains have been proposed as adsorption, remediation and drug delivery agents. Despite many studies there is scant structural data available. This X-ray absorption investigation represents the first direct structural data on the interaction of metals with SECs and allows elucidation of their structureâproperty relationships. Fe K-edge XANES and EXAFS data have shown that the iron local environment in SECs (derived from Lycopodium clavatum) reacted with aqueous ferric chloride solutions is similar to that of ferrihydrite (FeOOH) and by implication ferritin. Fe Kα XRF micro-focus experiments show that there is a poor correlation between the iron distribution and the underlying SEC structure indicating that the SEC is coated in the FeOOH material. In contrast, the Fe Kα XRF micro-focus experiments on SECs reacted with aqueous ferrous chloride solutions show that there is a very high correlation between the iron distribution and the SEC structure, indicating a much more specific form of interaction of the iron with the SEC surface functional groups. Fe K-edge XANES and EXAFS data show that the FeII can be easily oxidised to give a structure similar to, but not identical to that in the FeIII case, and that even if anaerobic conditions are used there is still partial oxidation to FeIII
What Limits Fire? An Examination of Driver\u27s of Burnt Area in Southern Africa
The factors controlling the extent of fire in Africa south of the equator were investigated using moderate resolution (500 m) satellite-derived burned area maps and spatial data on the environmental factors thought to affect burnt area. A random forest regression tree procedure was used to determine the relative importance of each factor in explaining the burned area fraction and to address hypotheses concerned with human and climatic influences on the drivers of burnt area. The model explained 68% of the variance in burnt area. Tree cover, rainfall in the previous 2 years, and rainfall seasonality were the most important predictors. Human activities â represented by grazing, roads per unit area, population density, and cultivation fraction â were also shown to affect burnt area, but only in parts of the continent with specific climatic conditions, and often in ways counter to the prevailing wisdom that more human activity leads to more fire. The analysis found no indication that ignitions were limiting total burnt area on the continent, and most of the spatial variation was due to variation in fuel load and moisture. Split conditions from the regression tree identified (i) low rainfall regions, where fire is rare; (ii) regions where fire is under human control; and (iii) higher rainfall regions where burnt area is determined by rainfall seasonality. This study provides insights into the physical, climatic, and human drivers of fire and their relative importance across southern Africa, and represents the beginnings of a predictive framework for burnt area
Evidence of strong stabilizing effects on the evolution of boreoeutherian (Mammalia) dental proportions.
The dentition is an extremely important organ in mammals with variation in timing and sequence of eruption, crown morphology, and tooth size enabling a range of behavioral, dietary, and functional adaptations across the class. Within this suite of variable mammalian dental phenotypes, relative sizes of teeth reflect variation in the underlying genetic and developmental mechanisms. Two ratios of postcanine tooth lengths capture the relative size of premolars to molars (premolar-molar module, PMM), and among the three molars (molar module component, MMC), and are known to be heritable, independent of body size, and to vary significantly across primates. Here, we explore how these dental traits vary across mammals more broadly, focusing on terrestrial taxa in the clade of Boreoeutheria (Euarchontoglires and Laurasiatheria). We measured the postcanine teeth of NÂ =Â 1,523 boreoeutherian mammals spanning six orders, 14 families, 36 genera, and 49 species to test hypotheses about associations between dental proportions and phylogenetic relatedness, diet, and life history in mammals. Boreoeutherian postcanine dental proportions sampled in this study carry conserved phylogenetic signal and are not associated with variation in diet. The incorporation of paleontological data provides further evidence that dental proportions may be slower to change than is dietary specialization. These results have implications for our understanding of dental variation and dietary adaptation in mammals
Comment on ``Measurement of the He mass diffusion coefficient in superfluid He over the 0.45--0.95 K temperature range
The role of 3He-3He collisions in our diffusion experiment is addressed and
shown to not be relevant to the measurement of 3He diffusion against phonons in
superfluid helium.Comment: Two pages, in Europhysics Letters forma
NuSTAR Observations of the Magnetar 1E 2259+586
We report on new broad band spectral and temporal observations of the
magnetar 1E 2259+586, which is located in the supernova remnant CTB 109. Our
data were obtained simultaneously with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope
Array (NuSTAR) and Swift, and cover the energy range from 0.5-79 keV. We
present pulse profiles in various energy bands and compare them to previous
RXTE results. The NuSTAR data show pulsations above 20 keV for the first time
and we report evidence that one of the pulses in the double-peaked pulse
profile shifts position with energy. The pulsed fraction of the magnetar is
shown to increase strongly with energy. Our spectral analysis reveals that the
soft X-ray spectrum is well characterized by an absorbed double-blackbody or
blackbody plus power-law model in agreement with previous reports. Our new hard
X-ray data, however, suggests that an additional component, such as a
power-law, is needed to describe the NuSTAR and Swift spectrum. We also fit the
data with the recently developed coronal outflow model by Beloborodov for hard
X-ray emission from magnetars. The outflow from a ring on the magnetar surface
is statistically preferred over outflow from a polar cap.Comment: 37 pages, 9 figures, corresponding author, [email protected]
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