The spectral catalogue of INTEGRAL gamma-ray bursts: results of the joint IBIS/SPI spectral analysis

We present the updated INTEGRAL catalogue of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) observed between December 2002 and February 2012. The catalogue contains the spectral parameters for 59 GRBs localized by the INTEGRAL Burst Alert System (IBAS). We used the data from the two main instruments on board the INTEGRAL satellite: the spectrometer SPI (SPectrometer on INTEGRAL) nominally covering the energy range 18 keV - 8 MeV, and the imager IBIS (the Imager on Board the INTEGRAL Satellite) operating in the range from 15 keV to 10 MeV. For the spectral analysis we applied a new data extraction technique, developed in order to explore the energy regions of highest sensitivity for both instruments, SPI and IBIS. It allowed us to perform analysis of the GRB spectra over a broad energy range and to determine the bursts' spectral peak energies. The spectral analysis was performed on the whole sample of GRBs triggered by IBAS, including all the events observed in period December 2002 - February 2012. The catalogue contains the trigger times, burst coordinates, positional errors, durations and peak fluxes for 28 unpublished GRBs observed between September 2008 and February 2012. The light curves in 20 - 200 keV energy band of these events were derived using IBIS data. We compare the prompt emission properties of the INTEGRAL GRB sample with the BATSE and Fermi samples.Comment: 16 pages, 40 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Estrus Induction in Sexually Mature Gilts with Different Hormonal Treatments

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the synchronized estrus induction in sexually mature gilts, after treatment with different hormonal treatments, given in the unknown phase of a spontaneous estrus cycle. Sexually mature gilts were used, with at least one spontaneous estrous cycle. A total of 90 gilts were treated with single i/m injection of 1,000 IU eCG (Folligon®), 40 gilts were treated with two separate i/m injection of 1 ml PGF2α (Dinolytic®), at an interval of 11 days, and 40 gilts were treated orally (within diet) with 20 mg of synthetic progestagen preparation Altrenogest (Regumate®), during 18 days. Estrus was detected twice daily, in the 10h to 12h intervals, by direct contact with the teaser boar. The best induction of synchronized estrus (in 90% of gilts), which appeared within the first 7 days (mean 5.3 days) after treatment, was found in gilts treated with progestagen preparations. In the three repetitions of treatment with eCG, within the first 7 days (mean 4.2 days) after the treatment, estrus was detected in 65%, 40% or 33% of the treated gilts. After treatment with luteolytic preparation PGF2α (Dynolitic®), estrus was detected in 40% of gilts, on average 5.5 days after treatment. The obtained results clearly show that the successful induction of synchronized estrus in sexually mature gilts can be done only by the method for prolongation of the luteal phase of the spontaneous estrous cycles, using progestagen preparations

The Effects of Shopping Well-Being and Shopping Ill-Being on Consumer Life Satisfaction

Individuals hold two distinct sets of beliefs about shopping activities: Positive beliefs regarding the degree to which shopping contributes to quality of life (shopping well-being), and negative beliefs related to the degree to which shopping activities result in overspending time, effort, and money (shopping ill-being). Shopping well-being and shopping ill-being are conceptualized as independent constructs in that shopping ill-being is not treated as negative polar of a single dimension. That is, one can experience both shopping well-being as well as shopping ill-being, simultaneously. We hypothesized that (1) shopping well-being is a positive predictor of life satisfaction, (2) shopping ill-being is a negative predictor of life satisfaction, and (3) shopping well-being does contribute to life satisfaction under conditions of low than high shopping ill-being. The study surveyed 1035 respondents in the UK. The study results supported hypotheses 1 and 3, not Hypothesis 2. The paper discusses the implications of these findings for retailers, macro-marketers, and policy makers. © 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht and The International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS

Spectral evolution of Fermi/GBM short Gamma-Ray Bursts

We study the spectral evolution of 13 short duration Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) detected by the Gamma Burst Monitor (GBM) on board Fermi. We study spectra resolved in time at the level of 2-512 ms in the 8 keV-35 MeV energy range. We find a strong correlation between the observed peak energy Ep and the flux P within individual short GRBs. The slope of the Ep P^s correlation for individual bursts ranges between ~0.4 and ~1. There is no correlation between the low energy spectral index and the peak energy or the flux. Our results show that in our 13 short GRBs Ep evolves in time tracking the flux. This behavior is similar to what found in the population of long GRBs and it is in agreement with the evidence that long GRBs and (the still few) short GRBs with measured redshifts follow the same rest frame Ep-Liso correlation. Its origin is most likely to be found in the radiative mechanism that has to be the same in both classes of GRBs.Comment: 5 pages, 1 table, 3 figures. Accepted by MNRA

A Template for Preregistration of Quantitative Research in Psychology: Report of the Joint Psychological Societies Preregistration Task Force

Recent years have seen dramatic changes in research practices in psychological science. In particular, preregistration of study plans before conducting a study has been identified as an important tool to help increase the transparency of science and to improve the robustness of psychological research findings. This article presents the Psychological Research Preregistration-Quantitative (PRP-QUANT) Template produced by a Joint Psychological Societies Preregistration Task Force consisting of the American Psychological Association (APA), the British Psychological Society (BPS), and the German Psychological Society (DGPs), supported by the Center for Open Science (COS) and the Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID). The goal of the Task Force was to provide the psychological community with a consensus template for the preregistration of quantitative research in psychology, one with wide coverage and the ability, if necessary, to adapt to specific journals, disciplines, and researcher needs. This article covers the structure and use of the PRP-QUANT template, while outlining and discussing the benefits of its use for researchers, authors, funders, and other relevant stakeholders. We hope that by introducing this template and by demonstrating the support of preregistration by major academic psychological societies, we will facilitate an increase in preregistration practices and also the further advancement of transparency and knowledge-sharing in the psychological sciences

Antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals: results from the second point prevalence survey (PPS) of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use, 2016 to 2017

Antimicrobial agents used to treat infections are life-saving. Overuse may result in more frequent adverse effects and emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. In 2016-17, we performed the second point-prevalence survey (PPS) of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals. We included 1,209 hospitals and 310,755 patients in 28 of 31 European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries. The weighted prevalence of antimicrobial use in the EU/EEA was 30.5% (95% CI: 29.2-31.9%). The most common indication for prescribing antimicrobials was treatment of a community-acquired infection, followed by treatment of HAI and surgical prophylaxis. Over half (54.2%) of antimicrobials for surgical prophylaxis were prescribed for more than 1 day. The most common infections treated by antimicrobials were respiratory tract infections and the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents were penicillins with beta-lactamase inhibitors. There was wide variation of patients on antimicrobials, in the selection of antimicrobial agents and in antimicrobial stewardship resources and activities across the participating countries. The results of the PPS provide detailed information on antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals, enable comparisons between countries and hospitals, and highlight key areas for national and European action that will support efforts towards prudent use of antimicrobials

The Connection Between Thermal and Non-Thermal Emission in Gamma-ray Bursts: General Considerations and GRB090902B as a Case Study

Photospheric (thermal) emission is inherent to the gamma-ray burst (GRB) "fireball" model. We show here, that inclusion of this component in the analysis of the GRB prompt emission phase naturally explains some of the prompt GRB spectra seen by the Fermi satellite over its entire energy band. The sub-MeV peak is explained as multi-color black body emission, and the high energy tail, extending up to the GeV band, results from roughly similar contributions of synchrotron emission, synchrotron self Compton(SSC) and Comptonization of the thermal photons by energetic electrons originating after dissipation of the kinetic energy above the photosphere. We show how this analysis method results in a complete, self consistent picture of the physical conditions at both emission sites of the thermal and non-thermal radiation. We study the connection between the thermal and non-thermal parts of the spectrum, and show how the values of the free model parameters are deduced from the data. We demonstrate our analysis method on GRB090902B: We deduce a Lorentz factor in the range 920 <= \eta <= 1070, photospheric radius r_{ph} ~ 7.2 - 8.4 * 10^{11} cm and dissipation radius r_\gamma >= 3.5 - 4.1 * 10^{15} cm. By comparison to afterglow data, we deduce that a large fraction, epsilon_d ~85% - 95% of the kinetic energy is dissipated, and that large fraction, ~equipartition of this energy is carried by the electrons and the magnetic field. This high value of epsilon_d questions the "internal shock" scenario as the main energy dissipation mechanism for this GRB.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures; minor revisions, typos corrected. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Gamma Ray Bursts as standard candles to constrain the cosmological parameters

Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are among the most powerful sources in the Universe: they emit up to 10^54 erg in the hard X-ray band in few tens of seconds. The cosmological origin of GRBs has been confirmed by several spectroscopic measurements of their redshifts, distributed in the range 0.1-6.3. These two properties make GRBs very appealing to investigate the far Universe. The energetics implied by the observed fluences and redshifts span at least four orders of magnitudes. Therefore, at first sight, GRBs are all but standard candles. But there are correlations among some observed quantities which allow us to know the total energy or the peak luminosity emitted by a specific burst with a great accuracy. Through these correlations, GRBs become "known" candles to constrain the cosmological parameters. One of these correlation is between the rest frame peak spectral energy E_peak and the total energy emitted in gamma--rays E_gamma, properly corrected for the collimation factor. Another correlation, discovered very recently, relates the total GRB luminosity L_iso, its peak spectral energy E_peak and a characteristic timescale T_0.45, related to the variability of the prompt emission. It is based only on prompt emission properties, it is completely phenomenological, model independent and assumption--free. The constraints found through these correlations on the Omega_M and Omega_Lambda parameters are consistent with the concordance model. The present limited sample of bursts and the lack of low redshift events, necessary to calibrate these correlations, makes the cosmological constraints obtained with GRBs still large compared to those obtained with other cosmological probes (e.g. SNIa or CMB). However, the newly born field of GRB--cosmology is very promising for the future.Comment: 39 pages, 23 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in the New Journal of Physics focus issue, "Focus on Gamma--Ray bursts in the Swift Era" (Eds. D. H. Hartmann, C. D. Dermer, J. Greiner