Bayesian Methods for Exoplanet Science

Exoplanet research is carried out at the limits of the capabilities of current telescopes and instruments. The studied signals are weak, and often embedded in complex systematics from instrumental, telluric, and astrophysical sources. Combining repeated observations of periodic events, simultaneous observations with multiple telescopes, different observation techniques, and existing information from theory and prior research can help to disentangle the systematics from the planetary signals, and offers synergistic advantages over analysing observations separately. Bayesian inference provides a self-consistent statistical framework that addresses both the necessity for complex systematics models, and the need to combine prior information and heterogeneous observations. This chapter offers a brief introduction to Bayesian inference in the context of exoplanet research, with focus on time series analysis, and finishes with an overview of a set of freely available programming libraries.Comment: Invited revie

Sustainable Sources of Biomass for Bioremediation of Heavy Metals in Waste Water Derived from Coal-Fired Power Generation

Biosorption of heavy metals using dried algal biomass has been extensively described but rarely implemented. We contend this is because available algal biomass is a valuable product with a ready market. Therefore, we considered an alternative and practical approach to algal bioremediation in which algae were cultured directly in the waste water stream. We cultured three species of algae with and without nutrient addition in water that was contaminated with heavy metals from an Ash Dam associated with coal-fired power generation and tested metal uptake and bioremediation potential. All species achieved high concentrations of heavy metals (to 8% dry mass). Two key elements, V and As, reached concentrations in the biomass of 1543 mg.kg−1 DW and 137 mg.kg−1 DW. Growth rates were reduced by more than half in neat Ash Dam water than when nutrients were supplied in excess. Growth rate and bioconcentration were positively correlated for most elements, but some elements (e.g. Cd, Zn) were concentrated more when growth rates were lower, indicating the potential to tailor bioremediation depending on the pollutant. The cosmopolitan nature of the macroalgae studied, and their ability to grow and concentrate a suite of heavy metals from industrial wastes, highlights a clear benefit in the practical application of waste water bioremediation

Nonurgent patients in the emergency department? A French formula to prevent misuse

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Overcrowding in emergency department (EDs) is partly due to the use of EDs by nonurgent patients. In France, the authorities responded to the problem by creating primary care units (PCUs): alternative structures located near hospitals. The aims of the study were to assess the willingness of nonurgent patients to be reoriented to a PCU and to collect the reasons that prompted them to accept or refuse.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We carried out a cross sectional survey on patients' use of EDs. The study was conducted in a French hospital ED. Patients were interviewed about their use of health services, ED visits, referrals, activities of daily living, and insurance coverage status. Patients' medical data were also collected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>85 patients considered nonurgent by a triage nurse were asked to respond to a questionnaire. Sex ratio was 1.4; mean age was 36.3 +/- 11.7 years.</p> <p>Most patients went to the ED autonomously (76%); one third (31.8%) had consulted a physician. The main reasons for using the ED were difficulty to get an appointment with a general practitioner (22.3%), feelings of pain (68.5%), and the availability of medical services in the ED, like imaging, laboratory tests, and drug prescriptions (37.6%). Traumatisms and wounds were the main medical reasons for going to the ED (43.5%).</p> <p>More than two-thirds of responders (68%) were willing to be reoriented towards PCUs. In the multivariate analysis, only employment and the level of urgency perceived by the patient were associated with the willingness to accept reorientation. Employed persons were 4.5 times more likely to accept reorientation (OR = 4.5 CI (1.6-12.9)). Inversely, persons who perceived a high level of urgency were the least likely to accept reorientation (OR = 0.9 CI (0.8-0.9).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study provides information on the willingness of ED patients to accept reorientation and shows the limits of its feasibility. Alternative structures such as PCUs near the ED seem to respond appropriately to the growing demands of nonurgent patients. Reorientation, however, will be successful only if the new structures adapt their opening hours to the needs of nonurgent patients and if their physicians can perform specific technical skills.</p

Heat capacity and phase equilibria of hollandite polymorph of KAlSi 3 O 8

The low-temperature heat capacity ( C p ) of KAlSi 3 O 8 with a hollandite structure was measured over the range of 5–303 K with a physical properties measurement system. The standard entropy of KAlSi 3 O 8 hollandite is 166.2±0.2 J mol −1  K −1 , including an 18.7 J mol −1  K −1 contribution from the configurational entropy due to disorder of Al and Si in the octahedral sites. The entropy of K 2 Si 4 O 9 with a wadeite structure (Si-wadeite) was also estimated to facilitate calculation of phase equilibria in the system K 2 O–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 . The calculated phase equilibria obtained using Perple_x are in general agreement with experimental studies. Calculated phase relations in the system K 2 O–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 confirm a substantial stability field for kyanite–stishovite/coesite–Si-wadeite intervening between KAlSi 3 O 8 hollandite and sanidine. The upper stability of kyanite is bounded by the reaction kyanite (Al 2 SiO 5 ) = corundum (Al 2 O 3 )  + stishovite (SiO 2 ), which is located at 13–14 GPa for 1,100–1,400 K. The entropy and enthalpy of formation for K-cymrite (KAlSi 3 O 8 ·H 2 O) were modified to better fit global best-fit compilations of thermodynamic data and experimental studies. Thermodynamic calculations were undertaken on the reaction of K-cymrite to KAlSi 3 O 8 hollandite +  H 2 O, which is located at 8.3–10.0 GPa for the temperature range 800–1,600 K, well inside the stability field of stishovite. The reaction of muscovite to KAlSi 3 O 8 hollandite + corundum + H 2 O is placed at 10.0–10.6 GPa for the temperature range 900–1,500 K, in reasonable agreement with some but not all experiments on this reaction.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46910/1/269_2006_Article_63.pd