608 research outputs found
SiS in the circumstellar envelope of IRC +10126: maser and quasi-thermal emission
We present new Effelsberg-100 m, ATCA, and VLA observations of rotational SiS
transitions in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of IRC +10216. Thanks to the
high angular resolution achieved by the ATCA observations, we unambiguously
confirm that the molecule's J=1-0 transition exhibits maser action in this CSE,
as first suggested more than thirty years ago. The maser emission's radial
velocity peaking at a local standard of rest velocity of -39.8620.065 km/s
indicates that it arises from an almost fully accelerated shell. Monitoring
observations show time variability of the SiS (1-0) maser. The two lowest-
SiS quasi-thermal emission lines trace a much more extended emitting region
than previous high-J SiS observations. Their distributions show that the SiS
quasi-thermal emission consists of two components: one is very compact
(radius<1.5", corresponding to <3 cm), and the other extends
out to a radius >11". An incomplete shell-like structure is found in the
north-east, which is indicative of existing SiS shells. Clumpy structures are
also revealed in this CSE. The gain of the SiS (1-0) maser (optical depths of
about -5 at the blue-shifted side and, assuming inversion throughout the entire
line's velocity range, about -2 at the red-shifted side) suggests that it is
unsaturated. The SiS (1-0) maser can be explained in terms of ro-vibrational
excitation caused by infrared pumping, and we propose that infrared continuum
emission is the main pumping source.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. A high-resolution version can be
found at https://gongyan2444.github.io/pdf/cw-leo-sis.pdf 3D movies of SiS
cubes can be found at https://gongyan2444.github.io/movie/sis10-3d.avi and
https://gongyan2444.github.io/movie/sis21-3d.av
Correlations, deviations and expectations: the Extended Principle of the Common Cause
The Principle of the Common Cause is usually understood to provide causal explanations for probabilistic correlations obtaining between causally unrelated events. In this study, an extended interpretation of the principle is proposed, according to which common causes should be invoked to explain positive correlations whose values depart from the ones that one would expect to obtain in accordance to her probabilistic expectations. In addition, a probabilistic model for common causes is tailored which satisfies the generalized version of the principle, at the same time including the standard conjunctive-fork model as a special case
Ăkologische Untersuchungen zur Nitrifikation in Nord-und Ostsee
Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate were regularly estimated at several stations in the Kieler Bucht (western Baltic Sea) since November 1964. There are considerable seasonal changes in the contents of these 3 nitrogen compounds with impressive maxima of nitrite and nitrate in February or at the beginning of March. The great increase of nitrite and nitrate during the winter and also a smaller increase in summer are mainly caused by oxidation of ammonia, first to nitrite and then to nitrate, by nitrifying bacteria. In consequence chemoautotrophic nitrite- and nitratebacteria could be found in the water as well as in sediments all over the Kieler Bucht and also in the North Sea around the isle of Helgoland. These nitrifying bacteria are able to oxidize ammonia or nitrite in salinity conditions typical for the western Baltic Sea and the North Sea
Submesoscale physicochemical dynamics directly shape bacterioplankton community structure in space and time
Submesoscale eddies and fronts are important components of oceanic mixing and energy fluxes. These phenomena occur in the surface ocean for a period of several days, on scales between a few hundred meters and few tens of kilometers. Remote sensing and modeling suggest that eddies and fronts may influence marine ecosystem dynamics, but their limited temporal and spatial scales make them challenging for observation and in situ sampling. Here, the study of a submesoscale filament in summerly Arctic waters (depth 0â400âm) revealed enhanced mixing of Polar and Atlantic water masses, resulting in a ca. 4âkm wide and ca. 50âkm long filament with distinct physical and biogeochemical characteristics. Compared to the surrounding waters, the filament was characterized by a distinct phytoplankton bloom, associated with depleted inorganic nutrients, elevated chlorophyll a concentrations, as well as twofold higher phyto- and bacterioplankton cell abundances. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing of bacterioplankton communities revealed enrichment of typical phytoplankton bloom-associated taxonomic groups (e.g., Flavobacteriales) inside the filament. Furthermore, linked to the strong water subduction, the vertical export of organic matter to 400âm depth inside the filament was twofold higher compared to the surrounding waters. Altogether, our results show that physical submesoscale mixing can shape distinct biogeochemical conditions and microbial communities within a few kilometers of the ocean. Hence, the role of submesoscale features in polar waters for surface ocean biodiversity and biogeochemical processes need further investigation, especially with regard to the fate of sea ice in the warming Arctic Ocean
Pegfilgrastimâ±âciprofloxacin for primary prophylaxis with TAC (docetaxel/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide) chemotherapy for breast cancer. Results from the GEPARTRIO study
Background: TAC (docetaxel/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide) is associated with high incidences of grade 4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia (FN). This analysis compared the efficacies of four regimens for primary prophylaxis of FN and related toxic effects in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant TAC. Patients and methods: Patients with stage T2-T4 primary breast cancer were scheduled to receive 6-8 cycles of TAC. Primary prophylaxis was: ciprofloxacin 500 mg orally twice daily on days 5-14 (nâ=â253 patients; 1478 cycles), daily granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (filgrastim 5 ÎŒg/kg/day or lenograstim 150 ÎŒg/m2/day) on days 5-10 (nâ=â377; 2400 cycles), pegfilgrastim 6 mg on day 2 (nâ=â305; 1930 cycles), or pegfilgrastim plus ciprofloxacin (nâ=â321; 1890 cycles). Results: Pegfilgrastim with/without ciprofloxacin was significantly more effective than daily G-CSF or ciprofloxacin in preventing FN (5% and 7% versus 18% and 22% of patients; all Pâ<â0.001), grade 4 neutropenia, and leukopenia. Pegfilgrastim plus ciprofloxacin completely prevented first cycle FN (Pâ<â0.01 versus pegfilgrastim alone) and fatal neutropenic events. Conclusion: Ciprofloxacin alone, or daily G-CSF from day 5-10 (as in common practice), provided suboptimal protection against FN and related toxic effects in patients receiving TAC. Pegfilgrastim was significantly more effective in this setting, especially if given with ciprofloxaci
Bayesian D-Optimal Choice Designs for Mixtures
__Abstract__
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\nConsumer products and services can often be described as mixtures of ingredients. Examples are the mixture of ingredients in a cocktail and the mixture of different components of waiting time (e.g., in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle travel time) in a transportation setting. Choice experiments may help to determine how the respondents\' choice of a product or service is affected by the combination of ingredients. In such studies, individuals are confronted with sets of hypothetical products or services and they are asked to choose the most preferred product or service from each set.
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\nHowever, there are no studies on the optimal design of choice experiments involving mixtures. We propose a method for generating an optimal design for such choice experiments. To this end, we first introduce mixture models in the choice context and next present an algorithm to construct optimal experimental designs, assuming the multinomial logit model is used to analyze the choice data. To overcome the problem that the optimal designs depend on the unknown parameter values, we adopt a Bayesian D-optimal design approach. We also consider locally D-optimal designs and compare the performance of the resulting designs to those produced by a utility-neutral (UN) approach in which designs are based on the assumption that individuals are indifferent between all choice alternatives. We demonstrate that our designs are quite different and in general perform better than the UN designs
Submarine groundwater springs are characterized by distinct fish communities
The inflow of terrestrial groundwater into the ocean is increasingly recognized as an important local source of nutrients and pollutants to coastal ecosystems. Although there is evidence of a link between fresh submarine groundwater discharge (SGD)âderived nutrients and primary producer and primary consumer abundances, the effects of fresh SGD on the productivity of higher trophic levels such as ichthyofaunal communities remain unclear. To further investigate this relationship, we sampled three sites inside a coral reef lagoon in Mauritius: One site entailing six distinct groundwater springs, a site highly influenced by freshwater influx through the springs, and a strictly marine control site. Using remote underwater video surveys, we found that fish abundances were significantly higher at the groundwater springs than at the other two sampling sites.Principal component analyses showed that the springs and the springâinfluenced part of the lagoon were best described by elevated water nutrient loadings, whereas the control site was characterized by higher water salinity and pH. Macroalgae cover was highest at the control site and the springs. Herbivores and invertivores dominated the fish community at the springs, in contrast to generalists at the control site. At the springâinfluenced site, we mainly encountered high coral/turf algae cover and high abundances of associated fish feeding groups (territorial farmers, corallivores). Our results provide evidence of a fresh SGDâdriven relationship between altered hydrography and distinct fish communities with elevated abundances at groundwater springs in a coral reef lagoon. These findings suggest that the management and assessment of secondary consumer productivity in tropical lagoons should take into account the effects of groundwater springs
European consensus meeting of ARM-Net members concerning diagnosis and early management of newborns with anorectal malformations.
The ARM-Net (anorectal malformation network) consortium held a consensus meeting in which the classification of ARM and preoperative workup were evaluated with the aim of improving monitoring of treatment and outcome. The Krickenbeck classification of ARM and preoperative workup suggested by Levitt and Peña, used as a template, were discussed, and a collaborative consensus was achieved. The Krickenbeck classification is appropriate in describing ARM for clinical use. The preoperative workup was slightly modified. In males with a visible fistula, no cross-table lateral X-ray is needed and an anoplasty or (mini-) posterior sagittal anorectoplasty can directly be performed. In females with a small vestibular fistula (Hegar size 5 mm, and in the meantime, gentle painless dilatations can be performed. In both male and female perineal fistula and either a low birth weight (<2,000 g) or severe associated congenital anomalies, prolonged preoperative painless dilatations might be indicated to decrease perioperative morbidity caused by general anesthesia. The Krickenbeck classification is appropriate in describing ARM for clinical use. Some minor modifications to the preoperative workup by Levitt and Peña have been introduced in order to refine terminology and establish a comprehensive preoperative workup
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