The MIPSGAL View of Supernova Remnants in the Galactic Plane

We report the detection of Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) in the mid-infrared (at 24 and 70 μm), in the coordinate ranges 10° < l < 65° and 285° < l < 350°, |b| < 1°, using MIPS aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. We search for infrared counterparts to SNRs in Green's catalog and identify 39 out of 121, i.e., a detection rate of about 32%. Such a relatively low detection fraction is mainly due to confusion with nearby foreground/background sources and diffuse emission. The SNRs in our sample show a linear trend in [F_8/F_(24)] versus [F_(70)/F_(24)]. We compare their infrared fluxes with their corresponding radio flux at 1.4 GHz and find that most remnants have a ratio of 70 μm to 1.4 GHz which is similar to those found in previous studies of SNRs (with the exception of a few that have ratios closer to those of H II regions). Furthermore, we retrieve a slope close to unity when correlating infrared (24 and 70 μm) with 1.4 GHz emission. Our survey is more successful in detecting remnants with bright X-ray emission, which we find is well correlated with the 24 μm morphology. Moreover, by comparing the power emitted in the X-ray, infrared, and radio, we conclude that the energy released in the infrared is comparable to the cooling in the X-ray range

The Raman spectra of serine and 3,3-dideutero-serine in aqueous solution

The Raman spectra of serine [[alpha]-amino-[beta]-hydroxypropionic acid; HOCH2CH(NH3)+COO-] and 3,3-dideutero-serine [HOCD2CH(NH3)+COO-] in aqueous solution were studied in the range 4000-300 cm-1. The data obtained for the deuterated compound are novel and provide compelling evidence that previously reported assignments for the undeuterated amino acid should be revised.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6THW-4KNMB16-1/1/19da7b30f32b5efeacb053228a66c4a

Psychiatric disorders and general medical conditions: implications for the clinician

Patients with severe mental illness have higher than expected prevalence rates of co-morbid general medical conditions, particularly metabolic and cardiovascular disease. They are also at increased risk of contracting HIV. Conversely, these and other medical disorders also increase the risk of developing mental disorders. Mental illness and general medical conditions have mutually adverse effects on long-term outcome. This interaction of diseases contributes significantly to the excess morbidity in and higher than expected standard mortality ratios for patients with mental illness. As medical practice becomes more specialized and arguably compartmentalized it may increasingly fail to integrate health care for patients with severe mental illness. In this paper we discuss the high co-morbidity of mental illness with other medical disorders as well some of the potential mechanisms involved. We furthermore argue that the bidirectional relationship between mental and medical disorders should be considered in the planning of treatment for either group of disorders. The central role of the psychiatrist in co-ordinating and integrating the health care of patients with severe mental illness is emphasized.African Journal of Psychiatry Vol. 11 (1) 2008: pp. 18-2

Infrared and Raman spectroscopic characterization of the hydrogen-bonding network in l-serine crystal

The IR spectra (4000-400 cm-1) of neat and isotopically substituted (ND/OD <= 10% D and [congruent with]30% D) polycrystalline l-serine ([alpha]-amino-[beta]-hydroxypropionic acid; HO-CH2-CH(NH3)+-COO-) were recorded in the temperature range 300-10 K and assigned. The isotopic-doping/low-temperature methodology, which allows for decoupling of individual proton vibrational modes from the crystal bulk vibrations, was used for estimating the lengths and energies of the different H-bonds present in l-serine crystal. To this end, the frequency shifts observed in both the NH/OH stretching and out-of-plane bending spectral regions (relatively to reference values for these vibrations in non-hydrogen-bonded l-serine molecules) were used, together with previously developed empirical correlations between these spectral parameters and the H-bond properties. In addition, the room-temperature Raman spectrum (4000-150 cm-1) of a single crystal of neat l-serine was also recorded and interpreted. A systematic comparison was made between the spectroscopic data obtained currently for l-serine and previously for dl-serine, revealing that the vibrational spectra of the two crystals reflect well the different characteristics of their hydrogen-bond networks, and also correlate accurately with the different susceptibility of the two crystals to pressure-induced strain.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6THW-4K4WMR3-2/1/211ac428c09ebc9eb45cf3b81d93fcb

GALEX Observations of CS and OH Emission in Comet 9P/Tempel 1 During Deep Impact

GALEX observations of comet 9P/Tempel 1 using the near ultraviolet (NUV) objective grism were made before, during and after the Deep Impact event that occurred on 2005 July 4 at 05:52:03 UT when a 370 kg NASA spacecraft was maneuvered into the path of the comet. The NUV channel provides usable spectral information in a bandpass covering 2000 - 3400 A with a point source spectral resolving power of approximately 100. The primary spectral features in this range include solar continuum scattered from cometary dust and emissions from OH and CS molecular bands centered near 3085 and 2575 A, respectively. In particular, we report the only cometary CS emission detected during this event. The observations allow the evolution of these spectral features to be tracked over the period of the encounter. In general, the NUV emissions observed from Tempel 1 are much fainter than those that have been observed by GALEX from other comets. However, it is possible to derive production rates for the parent molecules of the species detected by GALEX in Tempel 1 and to determine the number of these molecules liberated by the impact. The derived quiescent production rates are Q(H2O) = 6.4e27 molecules/s and Q(CS2) = 6.7e24 molecules/s, while the impact produced an additional 1.6e32 H2O molecules and 1.3e29 CS2 molecules, a similar ratio as in quiescent outgassing.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Applications of the group SU(1,1) for quantum computation and tomography

This paper collects miscellaneous results about the group SU(1,1) that are helpful in applications in quantum optics. Moreover, we derive two new results, the first is about the approximability of SU(1,1) elements by a finite set of elementary gates, and the second is about the regularization of group identities for tomographic purposes.Comment: 11 pages, no figure

Separation of the first- and second-order contributions in magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry of epitaxial FeMn/NiFe bilayers

The influence of second-order magneto-optic effects on Kerr effect magnetometry of epitaxial exchange coupled FeMn/NiFe-bilayers is investigated. A procedure for separation of the first- and second-order contributions is presented. The full angular dependence of both contributions during the magnetization reversal is extracted from the experimental data and presented using gray scaled magnetization reversal diagrams. The theoretical description of the investigated system is based on an extended Stoner-Wohlfarth model, which includes an induced unidirectional and fourfold anisotropy in the ferromagnet, caused by the coupling to the antiferromagnet. The agreement between the experimental data and the theoretical model for both the first- and second-order contributions are good, although a coherent reversal of the magnetization is assumed in the model.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, submitted to J. Appl. Phy

Low-temperature infrared spectra and hydrogen bonding in polycrystalline dl-serine and deuterated derivatives

The FT-IR spectra of polycrystalline dl-serine [[alpha]-amino-[beta]-hydroxypropionic acid; HO-CH2-CH(NH3)+-COO-] and isotopically substituted [ND/ODAlcohol (90% D); CD2 (>98% D)] dl-serine were recorded in the range 4000-500 cm-1 in the temperature range 300-10 K, and fully assigned. The isotopic-doping/low-temperature methodology, which allows for decoupling of individual proton vibrational modes from the crystal bulk vibrations, was used to estimate the energies of the different H-bonds present in dl-serine crystal. To this end, the frequency shifts observed in both the NH/OH stretching and out-of-plane bending spectral regions (relatively to reference values for these vibrations in non-hydrogen-bonded dl-serine molecules) were used, together with previously developed empirical correlations. The results are compared with available structural data on this amino acid.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6THW-4J91R39-2/1/f8f35f435466c8a5204879d330cbade