2,384 research outputs found
Temporal heterogeneity in microregional erythrocyte flux in experimental solid tumours.
Using a multichannel laser Doppler system equipped with custom-developed microprobes, we have evaluated real-time fluctuations in microregional blood flow in two experimental murine tumour systems. The results show that in both the sarcoma F and the carcinoma NT over 50% of the microregions evaluated show a fluctuation in red blood cell flux by at least a factor of 2 over a 60 min time period. Approximately 20% of the regions monitored demonstrated a change in flow by a factor of 5 or more. Within the 1 h monitoring period, approximately 20% of the changes were reversed (SaF, 21%; CaNT, 19%). The duration of change for these regions ranged from 6 to 45 min. Similar temporal fluctuations in flow were seen in anaesthetised and unanaesthetised animals, indicating that artifacts due to probe movement were minimal. These findings clearly demonstrate that fluctuations in microregional erythrocyte flux are a common feature of the experimental tumours studied
NGC 6819: testing the asteroseismic mass scale, mass loss, and evidence for products of non-standard evolution
We present an extensive peakbagging effort on Kepler data of 50 red
giant stars in the open star cluster NGC 6819. By employing sophisticated
pre-processing of the time series and Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques we
extracted individual frequencies, heights and linewidths for hundreds of
oscillation modes.
We show that the "average" asteroseismic parameter , derived
from these, can be used to distinguish the stellar evolutionary state between
the red giant branch (RGB) stars and red clump (RC) stars.
Masses and radii are estimated using asteroseismic scaling relations, both
empirically corrected to obtain self-consistency as well as agreement with
independent measures of distance, and using updated theoretical corrections.
Remarkable agreement is found, allowing the evolutionary state of the giants to
be determined exclusively from the empirical correction to the scaling
relations. We find a mean mass of the RGB stars and RC stars in NGC 6819 to be
and ,
respectively. The difference is
almost insensitive to systematics, suggesting very little RGB mass loss, if
any.
Stars that are outliers relative to the ensemble reveal overmassive members
that likely evolved via mass-transfer in a blue straggler phase. We suggest
that KIC 4937011, a low-mass Li-rich giant, is a cluster member in the RC phase
that experienced very high mass-loss during its evolution. Such over- and
undermassive stars need to be considered when studying field giants, since the
true age of such stars cannot be known and there is currently no way to
distinguish them from normal stars.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figure
Proportion of infiltrating IgG-binding immune cells predict for tumour hypoxia
Macrophages can account for up to 50% of tumour mass and secrete many angiogenic factors. Furthermore, tumour hypoxia is thought to play a major role in the activation of macrophages and the regulation of angiogenesis. In this paper, we demonstrate a strong correlation between hypoxia and the recruitment of immune cells binding to IgG in 8 experimental tumours. We provide evidence that IgG binding immune cells in 3 tumour lines are predominately composed of macrophages. Reduced oxygenation may act as a stimulus for recruitment of immune cells to the tumour mass, and the detection of either IgG-positive host cells or macrophages may offer an alternative method for monitoring tumour hypoxia. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co
Variation in the frequency separations with activity and impact on stellar parameter determination
Frequency separations used to infer global properties of stars through
asteroseismology can change depending on the strength and at what epoch of the
stellar cycle the p-mode frequencies are measured. In the Sun these variations
have been seen, even though the Sun is a low-activity star. In this paper, we
discuss these variations and their impact on the determination of the stellar
parameters (radius, mass and age) for the Sun. Using the data from maximum and
minimum activity, we fitted an age for the Sun that differs on average by 0.2
Gyr: slightly older during minimum activity. The fitted radius is also lower by
about 0.5% for the solar effective temperature during minimum.Comment: to be published in JPCS to be published in JPC
About the p-mode frequency shifts in HD 49933
We study the frequency dependence of the frequency shifts of the low-degree p
modes measured in the F5V star HD 49933, by analyzing the second run of
observations collected by the CoRoT satellite. The 137-day light curve is
divided into two subseries corresponding to periods of low and high stellar
activity. The activity-frequency relationship is obtained independently from
the analysis of the mode frequencies extracted by both a local and a global
peak-fitting analyses, and from a cross-correlation technique in the frequency
range between 1450 microHz and 2500 microHz. The three methods return
consistent results. We show that the frequency shifts measured in HD 49933
present a frequency dependence with a clear increase with frequency, reaching a
maximal shift of about 2 microHz around 2100 microHz. Similar variations are
obtained between the l=0 and l=1 modes. At higher frequencies, the frequency
shifts show indications of a downturn followed by an upturn, consistent between
the l=0 and 1 modes. We show that the frequency variation of the p-mode
frequency shifts of the solar-like oscillating star HD 49933 has a comparable
shape to the one observed in the Sun, which is understood to arise from changes
in the outer layers due to its magnetic activity.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, Accepted for publication in A\&
The onset of solar cycle 24: What global acoustic modes are telling us
We study the response of the low-degree, solar p-mode frequencies to the
unusually extended minimum of solar surface activity since 2007. A total of
4768 days of observations collected by the space-based, Sun-as-a-star
helioseismic GOLF instrument are analyzed. A multi-step iterative
maximum-likelihood fitting method is applied to subseries of 365 days and 91.25
days to extract the p-mode parameters. Temporal variations of the l=0, 1, and 2
p-mode frequencies are then obtained from April 1996 to May 2009. While the
p-mode frequency shifts are closely correlated with solar surface activity
proxies during the past solar cycles, the frequency shifts of the l=0 and l=2
modes show an increase from the second half of 2007, when no significant
surface activity is observable. On the other hand, the l=1 modes follow the
general decreasing trend of the solar surface activity. The different
behaviours between the l=0 and l=2 modes and the l=1 modes can be interpreted
as different geometrical responses to the spatial distribution of the solar
magnetic field beneath the surface of the Sun. The analysis of the low-degree,
solar p-mode frequency shifts indicates that the solar activity cycle 24
started late 2007, despite the absence of activity on the solar surface.Comment: To be accepted by A&A (with minor revisions), 4 pages, 3 figures, 1
tabl
Screening and diagnostic assessment of neurodevelopmental disorders in a male prison
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify neurodevelopmental disorders and difficulties (NDD) in a male prison. The study used standardised tools to carry out screening and diagnostic assessment of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID).
Design/methodology/approach
The ADHD self-report scale, 20-item autism quotient and the Learning Disability Screening Questionnaire were used to screen 240 male prisoners. Prisoners who screened positive on one or more of these scales or self-reported a diagnosis of ADHD, ASD or ID were further assessed using the diagnostic interview for ADHD in adults, adapted Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and the Quick Test.
Findings
Of the 87 prisoners who screened positive for NDD and were further assessed, 70 met the studyâs diagnostic criteria for ADHD, ASD or ID. Most of those with NDD (51 per cent) had previously gone unrecognised and a high proportion (51 per cent) were identified through staff- or self-referral to the study.
Originality/value
The study demonstrated that improving awareness and providing access to skilled, standardised assessment within a male prison can result in increased recognition and identification of NDD
- âŠ