393 research outputs found
Spectral properties of the largest asteroids associated with Taurid Complex
We obtained spectra of six of the largest asteroids (2201, 4183, 4486, 5143,
6063, and 269690) associated with Taurid complex. The observations were made
with the IRTF telescope equipped with the spectro-imager SpeX. Their taxonomic
classification is made using Bus-DeMeo taxonomy. The asteroid spectra are
compared with the meteorite spectra from the Relab database. Mineralogical
models were applied to determine their surface composition. All the spectral
analysis is made in the context of the already published physical data.
Five of the objects studied in this paper present spectral characteristics
similar to the S taxonomic complex. The spectra of ordinary chondrites
(spanning H, L, and LL subtypes) are the best matches for these asteroid
spectra. {\bf The asteroid} (269690) 1996 RG3 presents a flat featureless
spectrum which could be associated to a primitive C-type object. The increased
reflectance above 2.1 microns constrains its geometrical albedo to a value
around 0.03.
While there is an important dynamical grouping among the Taurid Complex
asteroids, the spectral data of the largest objects do not support a common
cometary origin. Furthermore, there are significant variations between the
spectra acquired until now.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Near-infrared colors of minor planets recovered from VISTA - VHS survey (MOVIS)
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
(WISE) provide information about the surface composition of about 100,000 minor
planets. The resulting visible colors and albedos enabled us to group them in
several major classes, which are a simplified view of the diversity shown by
the few existing spectra. We performed a serendipitous search in VISTA-VHS
observations using a pipeline developed to retrieve and process the data that
corresponds to solar system objects (SSo). The colors and the magnitudes of the
minor planets observed by the VISTA survey are compiled into three catalogs
that are available online: the detections catalog (MOVIS-D), the magnitudes
catalog (MOVIS-M), and the colors catalog (MOVIS-C). They were built using the
third data release of the survey (VISTA VHS-DR3). A total of 39,947 objects
were detected, including 52 NEAs, 325 Mars Crossers, 515 Hungaria asteroids,
38,428 main-belt asteroids, 146 Cybele asteroids, 147 Hilda asteroids, 270
Trojans, 13 comets, 12 Kuiper Belt objects and Neptune with its four
satellites. The colors found for asteroids with known spectral properties
reveal well-defined patterns corresponding to different mineralogies. The
distributions of MOVIS-C data in color-color plots shows clusters identified
with different taxonomic types. All the diagrams that use (Y-J) color separate
the spectral classes more effectively than the (J-H) and (H-Ks) plots used
until now: even for large color errors (<0.1), the plots (Y-J) vs (Y-Ks) and
(Y-J) vs (J-Ks) provide the separation between S-complex and C-complex. The end
members A, D, R, and V-types occupy well-defined regions.Comment: 19 pages, 16 figure
Incidental imaging findings of congenital rib abnormalities â a case series and review of developmental concepts
Background: Congenital rib abnormalities are found in approximately 2% of the general population. Usually, they occur in isolation and are rarely symptomatic, but they can also be associated with other malformations.
Materials and methods: We reviewed imaging examinations performed over a period of 2 years (2014â2015), enabling us to identify isolated rib abnormalities in 6 adult patients.
Results: The case series consisted in 3 cases with bilateral cervical ribs and 1 case each with bifid rib, costal fusion and rib pseudarthrosis. In all patients, the costal anomalies were discovered incidentally. All rib malformations were detected at thoracic radiography, except for the rib pseudarthrosis, which was identified at computed tomography (CT) scan. Differential diagnosis was made between cerÂvical ribs and abnormalities of the C7 transverse process and of the first rib, while the other costal malformations were distinguished from tumoural, traumatic or inflammatory lesions of the chest wall, lung and pleura. Considering the existing knowledge on rib development, we suggest a classification of the most common types of rib malformations in three categories: (I) results of homeotic transformaÂtion, referring to numerical aberrations; (II) segmentation errors, including costal fusion and bridging; (III) anomalies of resegmentation, resulting in bifid ribs.
Conclusions: It is important that radiologists are familiarised with the imaging features of rib abnormalities, since these anomalies can be misinterpreted as lesions with different implications. We are convinced that the developmental classification proposed in this paper can contribute to a better understanding of this pathology. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 2: 386â392
Early lung ultrasonography predicts the occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome in blunt trauma patients
PURPOSE: Extent of lung contusion on initial computed tomography (CT) scan predicts the occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in blunt chest trauma patients. We hypothesized that lung ultrasonography (LUS) on admission could also predict subsequent ARDS. METHODS: Forty-five blunt trauma patients were prospectively studied. Clinical examination, chest radiography, and LUS were performed on arrival at the emergency room. Lung contusion extent was quantified using a LUS score and compared to CT scan measurements. The ability of the LUS score to predict ARDS was tested using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). The diagnostic accuracy of LUS was compared to that of combined clinical examination and chest radiography for pneumothorax, lung contusion, and hemothorax, with thoracic CT scan as reference. RESULTS: Lung contusion extent assessed by LUS on admission was predictive of the occurrence of ARDS within 72 h (AUC-ROC = 0.78 [95 % CI 0.64-0.92]). The extent of lung contusion on LUS correlated well with CT scan measurements (Spearman\u27s coefficient = 0.82). A LUS score of 6 out of 16 was the best threshold to predict ARDS, with a 58 % [95 % CI 36-77] sensitivity and a 96 % [95 % CI 76-100] specificity. The diagnostic accuracy of LUS was higher than that of combined clinical examination and chest radiography: (AUC-ROC) 0.81 [95 % CI 0.50-1.00] vs. 0.74 [0.48-1.00] (p = 0.24) for pneumothorax, 0.88 [0.76-1.00] vs. 0.69 [0.47-0.92] (p < 0.05) for lung contusion, and 0.84 [0.59-1.00] vs. 0.73 [0.51-0.94] (p < 0.05) for hemothorax. CONCLUSIONS: LUS on admission identifies patients at risk of developing ARDS after blunt trauma. In addition, LUS allows rapid and accurate diagnosis of common traumatic thoracic injuries
Computationally designed libraries of fluorescent proteins evaluated by preservation and diversity of function
To determine which of seven library design algorithms best introduces new protein function without destroying it altogether, seven combinatorial libraries of green fluorescent protein variants were designed and synthesized. Each was evaluated by distributions of emission intensity and color compiled from measurements made in vivo. Additional comparisons were made with a library constructed by error-prone PCR. Among the designed libraries, fluorescent function was preserved for the greatest fraction of samples in a library designed by using a structure-based computational method developed and described here. A trend was observed toward greater diversity of color in designed libraries that better preserved fluorescence. Contrary to trends observed among libraries constructed by error-prone PCR, preservation of function was observed to increase with a library's average mutation level among the four libraries designed with structure-based computational methods
Optimizing end-labeled free-solution electrophoresis by increasing the hydrodynamic friction of the drag-tag
We study the electrophoretic separation of polyelectrolytes of varying
lengths by means of end-labeled free-solution electrophoresis (ELFSE). A
coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation model, using full electrostatic
interactions and a mesoscopic Lattice Boltzmann fluid to account for
hydrodynamic interactions, is used to characterize the drag coefficients of
different label types: linear and branched polymeric labels, as well as
transiently bound micelles.
It is specifically shown that the label's drag coefficient is determined by
its hydrodynamic size, and that the drag per label monomer is largest for
linear labels. However, the addition of side chains to a linear label offers
the possibility to increase the hydrodynamic size, and therefore the label
efficiency, without having to increase the linear length of the label, thereby
simplifying synthesis. The third class of labels investigated, transiently
bound micelles, seems very promising for the usage in ELFSE, as they provide a
significant higher hydrodynamic drag than the other label types.
The results are compared to theoretical predictions, and we investigate how
the efficiency of the ELFSE method can be improved by using smartly designed
drag-tags.Comment: 32 pages, 11 figures, submitted to Macromolecule
739 observed NEAs and new 2-4m survey statistics within the EURONEAR network
We report follow-up observations of 477 program Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs)
using nine telescopes of the EURONEAR network having apertures between 0.3 and
4.2 m. Adding these NEAs to our previous results we now count 739 program NEAs
followed-up by the EURONEAR network since 2006. The targets were selected using
EURONEAR planning tools focusing on high priority objects. Analyzing the
resulting orbital improvements suggests astrometric follow-up is most important
days to weeks after discovery, with recovery at a new opposition also valuable.
Additionally we observed 40 survey fields spanning three nights covering 11 sq.
degrees near opposition, using the Wide Field Camera on the 2.5m Isaac Newton
Telescope (INT), resulting in 104 discovered main belt asteroids (MBAs) and
another 626 unknown one-night objects. These fields, plus program NEA fields
from the INT and from the wide field MOSAIC II camera on the Blanco 4m
telescope, generated around 12,000 observations of 2,000 minor planets (mostly
MBAs) observed in 34 square degrees. We identify Near Earth Object (NEO)
candidates among the unknown (single night) objects using three selection
criteria. Testing these criteria on the (known) program NEAs shows the best
selection methods are our epsilon-miu model which checks solar elongation and
sky motion and the MPC's NEO rating tool. Our new data show that on average 0.5
NEO candidates per square degree should be observable in a 2m-class survey (in
agreement with past results), while an average of 2.7 NEO candidates per square
degree should be observable in a 4m-class survey (although our Blanco
statistics were affected by clouds). At opposition just over 100 MBAs (1.6
unknown to every 1 known) per square degree are detectable to R=22 in a 2m
survey based on the INT data, while our two best ecliptic Blanco fields away
from opposition lead to 135 MBAs (2 unknown to every 1 known) to R=23.Comment: Published in Planetary and Space Sciences (Sep 2013
- âŠ