14,731 research outputs found
Further ALMA observations and detailed modeling of the Red Rectangle
We present new high-quality ALMA observations of the Red Rectangle (a well
known post-AGB object) in C17O J=6-5 and H13CN J=4-3 line emission and results
from a new reduction of already published 13CO J=3-2 data. A detailed model
fitting of all the molecular line data, including previous maps and single-dish
spectra, was performed using a sophisticated code. These observations and the
corresponding modeling allowed us to deepen the analysis of the nebular
properties. We also stress the uncertainties in the model fitting.
We confirm the presence of a rotating equatorial disk and an outflow, which
is mainly formed of gas leaving the disk. The mass of the disk is ~ 0.01 Mo,
and that of the CO-rich outflow is ~ 10 times smaller. High temperatures of ~
100 K are derived for most components. From comparison of the mass values, we
roughly estimate the lifetime of the rotating disk, which is found to be of
about 10000 yr. Taking data of a few other post-AGB composite nebulae into
account, we find that the lifetimes of disks around post-AGB stars typically
range between 5000 and more than 20000 yr. The angular momentum of the disk is
found to be high, ~ 9 Mo AU km/s, which is comparable to that of the stellar
system at present. Our observations of H13CN show a particularly wide velocity
dispersion and indicate that this molecule is only abundant in the inner
Keplerian disk, at ~ 60 AU from the stellar system. We suggest that HCN is
formed in a dense photodissociation region (PDR) due to the UV excess known to
be produced by the stellar system, following chemical mechanisms that are well
established for interstellar medium PDRs and disks orbiting young stars. We
further suggest that this UV excess could lead to the efficient formation and
excitation of PAHs and other C-bearing macromolecules, whose emission is very
intense in the optical counterpart.Comment: Astronomy & Astrohysics, in press; 17 pages, 18 figures, 1 tabl
ALMA observations of the Red Rectangle, a preliminary analysis
We aim to study equatorial disks in rotation and axial outflows in post-AGB
objects, as to disclose the formation and shaping mechanisms in planetary
nebulae. So far, both disks and outflows had not been observed simultaneously.
We have obtained high-quality ALMA observations of 12CO and 13CO J=3-2 and
12CO J=6-5 line emission in the Red Rectangle, the only post-AGB/protoplanetary
object in which a disk in rotation has been mapped up to date.
These observations provide an unprecedented description of the complex
structure of this source. Together with an equatorial disk in rotation, we find
a low-velocity outflow that occupies more or less the region placed between the
disk and the optical X-shaped nebula. From our observations and preliminary
modeling of the data, we confirm the previously known properties of the disk
and obtain a first description of the structure, dynamics, and physical
conditions of the outflow.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Thermoelectric Figure of Merit of Strongly Correlated Superlattice Semiconductors
We solved the Anderson Lattice Hamiltonian to get the energy bands of a
strongly correlated semiconductor by using slave boson mean field theory. The
transport properties were calculated in the relaxation-time approximation,and
the thermoelectric figure of merit was obtained for the strongly correlated
semiconductor and its superlattice structures. We found that at room
temperature can reach nearly 2 for the quantum wire lattice structure.We
believe that it is possible to find high values of thermoelectric figure of
merit from strongly correlated semiconductor superlattice systems.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Recommended from our members
Implementation research for the prevention of antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections; 2017 Geneva infection prevention and control (IPC)-think tank (part 1)
Background
Around 5–15% of all hospital patients worldwide suffer from healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and years of excessive antimicrobial use in human and animal medicine have created emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A considerable amount of evidence-based measures have been published to address these challenges, but the largest challenge seems to be their implementation.
Methods
In June 2017, a total of 42 experts convened at the Geneva IPC-Think Tank to discuss four domains in implementation science: 1) teaching implementation skills; 2) fostering implementation of IPC and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) by policy making; 3) national/international actions to foster implementation skills; and 4) translational research bridging social sciences and clinical research in infection prevention and control (IPC) and AMR.
Results
Although neglected in the past, implementation skills have become a priority in IPC and AMS. They should now be part of any curriculum in health care, and IPC career paths should be created. Guidelines and policies should be aligned with each other and evidence-based, each document providing a section on implementing elements of IPC and AMS in patient care. International organisations should be advocates for IPC and AMS, framing them as patient safety issues and emphasizing the importance of implementation skills. Healthcare authorities at the national level should adopt a similar approach and provide legal frameworks, guidelines, and resources to allow better implementation of patient safety measures in IPC and AMS. Rather than repeating effectiveness studies in every setting, we should invest in methods to improve the implementation of evidence-based measures in different healthcare contexts. For this, we need to encourage and financially support collaborations between social sciences and clinical IPC research.
Conclusions
Experts of the 2017 Geneva Think Tank on IPC and AMS, CDC, and WHO agreed that sustained efforts on implementation of IPC and AMS strategies are required at international, country, and hospital management levels, to provide an adequate multimodal framework that addresses (not exclusively) leadership, resources, education and training for implementing IPC and AMS. Future strategies can build on this agreement to make strategies on IPC and AMS more effective
Similarity-based predictive models: Sensitivity analysis and a biological application with multi-attributes
Predictive models based on empirical similarity are instrumental in biology and data science, where the premise is to measure the likeness of one observation with others in the same dataset. Biological datasets often encompass data that can be categorized. When using empirical similarity-based predictive models, two strategies for handling categorical covariates exist. The first strategy retains categorical covariates in their original form, applying distance measures and allocating weights to each covariate. In contrast, the second strategy creates binary variables, representing each variable level independently, and computes similarity measures solely through the Euclidean distance. This study performs a sensitivity analysis of these two strategies using computational simulations, and applies the results to a biological context. We use a linear regression model as a reference point, and consider two methods for estimating the model parameters, alongside exponential and fractional inverse similarity functions. The sensitivity is evaluated by determining the coefficient of variation of the parameter estimators across the three models as a measure of relative variability. Our results suggest that the first strategy excels over the second one in effectively dealing with categorical variables, and offers greater parsimony due to the use of fewer parameters.ANCD -Agenția Națională pentru Cercetare și Dezvoltare(UIDB/00013/2020
On the generation of asymmetric warps in disk galaxies
The warps in many spiral galaxies are now known to asymmetric. Recent
sensitive observations have revealed that asymmetry of warps may be the norm
rather than exception. However there exists no generic mechanism to generate
these asymmetries in warps. We have derived the dispersion relation in a
compact form for the S-shaped warps(described by the m=1 mode) and the
bowl-shaped distribution(described by the m=0 mode) in galactic disk embedded
in a dark matter halo. We then performed the numerical modal analysis and used
the linear and time-dependent superposition principle to generate asymmetric
warps in the disk. On doing the modal analysis we find the frequency of the
mode is much larger than that of the mode. The linear and
time-dependent superposition of these modes with their unmodulated
amplitudes(that is, the coefficients of superposition being unity) results in
an asymmetry in warps of ~ 20 - 40 %, whereas a smaller coefficient for the m=0
mode results in a smaller asymmetry. The resulting values agree well with the
recent observations. We study the dependence of the asymmetry index on the dark
matter halo parameters. This approach can also naturally produce U-shaped warps
and L-shaped warps. We show that a rich variety of possible asymmetries in the
z-distribution of the spiral galaxies can naturally arise due to a dynamical
wave interference between the first two bending modes(i.e. m=0 and m=1) in the
disk. This is a simple but general method for generating asymmetric warps that
is independent of how the individual modes arise in the disk.Comment: Accepted for publication in A &
Photothermal effect by 808-nm laser irradiation of melanin: A proof-of-concept study of photothermal therapy using b16-f10 melanotic melanoma growing in BALB/c mice
The photothermal effect is undergoing great interest due to advances in new photosensitizing materials and better-suited light sources, but studies are frequently hampered by the need to employ exogenous photothermal agents and expensive irradiation devices. Here we present a simple strategy based on direct NIR irradiation of the melanin pigment with a commercial 808-nm laser pointer. Proof-of-concept studies showed efficient photothermal effects on melanin in vitro and in vivo. After NIR irradiation, BALB/c mice bearing B16-F10 melanotic melanoma tumors revealed severe histopathological damage and massive necrosis in melanin-containing tumor tissue, while surrounding healthy tissues showed no damage. Therefore, the feasibility of this approach may allow implementing direct procedures for photothermal therapy of pigmented tumors.Fil: Colombo, Lucas Luis. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Vanzulli, Silvia I.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Blázquez Castro, Alfonso. Universidad Nacional de Educacion A Distancia. Facultad de Ciencias.; EspañaFil: Terrero, Clara Sanchez. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Stockert, Juan C.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Investigacion y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal; Argentin
- …