11,905 research outputs found
Do OB Runaway Stars Have Pulsar Companions?
We have conducted a VLA search for radio pulsars at the positions of 44
nearby OB runaway stars. The observations involved both searching images for
point sources of continuum emission and a time series analysis. Our mean flux
sensitivity to pulsars slower than 50 ms was 0.2 mJy. No new pulsars were found
in the survey. The size of the survey, combined with the high sensitivity of
the observations, sets a significant constraint on the probability, , of a
runaway OB star having an observable pulsar companion. We find \%
with 95\% confidence, if the general pulsar luminosity function is applicable
to OB star pulsar companions. If a pulsar beaming fraction of \onethird\ is
assumed, then we estimate that fewer than 20\% of runaway OB stars have neutron
star companions, unless pulsed radio emission is frequently obscured by the OB
stellar wind. Our result is consistent with the dynamical (or cluster) ejection
model for the formation of OB runaways. The supernova ejection model is not
ruled out, but is constrained by these observations to allow only a small
binary survival fraction, which may be accommodated if neutron stars acquire
significant natal kicks. According to Leonard, Hills and Dewey (1994), a 20\%
survival fraction corresponds to a 3-d kick velocity of 420 km s. This
value is in close agreement with recent revisions of the pulsar velocity
distribution.Comment: Submitted to the Astronomical Journal. 16 pages. Latex uses
aaspp4.sty. 3 postscript figures. Address correspondence to Colin Philp
([email protected]). Revision was to replace .ps file with latex fil
Disc Clearing of Young Stellar Objects: Evidence for Fast Inside-out Dispersal
The time-scale over which and the modality by which young stellar objects
(YSOs) disperse their circumstellar discs dramatically influences the eventual
formation and evolution of planetary systems. By means of extensive radiative
transfer (RT) modelling, we have developed a new set of diagnostic diagrams in
the infrared colour-colour plane (K-[24] vs. K-[8]), to aid with the
classification of the evolutionary stage of YSOs from photometric observations.
Our diagrams allow the differentiation of sources with unevolved (primordial)
discs from those evolving according to different clearing scenarios (e.g.
homologous depletion vs. inside-out dispersal), as well as from sources that
have already lost their disc. Classification of over 1500 sources in 15 nearby
star-forming regions reveals that approximately 39 % of the sources lie in the
primordial disc region, whereas between 31 % and 32 % disperse from the
inside-out and up to 22 % of the sources have already lost their disc. Less
than 2 % of the objects in our sample lie in the homogeneous draining regime.
Time-scales for the transition phase are estimated to be typically a few 10^5
years independent of stellar mass. Therefore, regardless of spectral type, we
conclude that currently available infrared photometric surveys point to fast
(of order 10 % of the global disc lifetime) inside-out clearing as the
preferred mode of disc dispersal.Comment: 31 pages, 21 figures, 6 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA
Critical care provision after colorectal cancer surgery
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 2nd largest cause of cancer related mortality in the UK with 40 000
new patients being diagnosed each year. Complications of CRC surgery can occur in the perioperative period that
leads to the requirement of organ support. The aim of this study was to identify pre-operative risk factors that
increased the likelihood of this occurring.
Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of all 6441 patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery
within the West of Scotland Region between 2005 and 2011. Logistic regression was employed to determine
factors associated with receiving postoperative organ support.
Results: A total of 610 (9 %) patients received organ support. Multivariate analysis identified age ≥65, male gender,
emergency surgery, social deprivation, heart failure and type II diabetes as being independently associated with
organ support postoperatively. After adjusting for demographic and clinical factors, patients with metastatic disease
appeared less likely to receive organ support (p = 0.012).
Conclusions: Nearly one in ten patients undergoing CRC surgery receive organ support in the post operative
period. We identified several risk factors which increase the likelihood of receiving organ support post operatively.
This is relevant when consenting patients about the risks of CRC surgery
On-Orbit Validation of a Framework for Spacecraft-Initiated Communication Service Requests with NASA's SCaN Testbed
We design, analyze, and experimentally validate a framework for demand-based allocation of high-performance space communication service in which the user spacecraft itself initiates a request for service. Leveraging machine-to-machine communications, the automated process has potential to improve the responsiveness and efficiency of space network operations. We propose an augmented ground station architecture in which a hemispherical-pattern antenna allows for reception of service requests sent from any user spacecraft within view. A suite of ground-based automation software acts upon these direct-to-Earth requests and allocates access to high-performance service through a ground station or relay satellite in response to immediate user demand. A software-defined radio transceiver, optimized for reception of weak signals from the helical antenna, is presented. Design and testing of signal processing equipment and a software framework to handle service requests is discussed. Preliminary results from on-orbit demonstrations with a testbed onboard the International Space Station are presented to verify feasibility of the concept
Out With the Old, In With the New: Are Western Commodity Producers Ready for Buyouts?
Agricultural and Food Policy,
Unilateral and Exclusionary/Strategic Effects of Common Agency: Price Impacts in a Repeated Common Value English Auction
The business justification for multiple principals to hire a common agent is efficiency. Our empirical study demonstrates that the creation of the common agent unilaterally depresses winning bids. Additionally, the common agent was not only observed to be the dominant bidder but also paid significantly lower prices than fringe competitors (price/quantity differential). The observed price/quantity differential is consistent with the almost common value English auction theory developed by Rose and Kagel (2008) in which a cost advantaged bidder is able to reduce competition by credibly raising the costs of disadvantaged rivals associated with the winner’s curse.Common Value Auctions, Common Agency, Antitrust, Industrial Organization, D44, K21, K23,
Helping Russian Students See the Invisible Hand
Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,
SUPPLY AND DEMAND RISKS IN LABORATORY FORWARD AND SPOT MARKETS: IMPLICATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE
Laboratory experimental methods are used to investigate the impacts of supply and/or demand risks on prices, quantities traded, and earnings within forward and spot market institutions. Random demand and/or supply shifts can be as much as 25 percent of the expected equilibrium outcome. Nevertheless, results suggest that the spot or forward trading institution itself has a greater influence on market outcomes than the presence of risk within the trading institutions. Sellers tend to have relatively higher earnings in a spot market than buyers, regardless of the risk. Total surplus, however, generally is greater in a forward market.laboratory markets, forward market, spot market, supply and/or demand risks, Demand and Price Analysis, Marketing,
SUPPLY AND DEMAND RISKS IN FORWARD AND SPOT MARKETS: IMPLICATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE
Laboratory methods are used to investigate the impacts of supply and/or demand risks on prices, quantities traded, and earnings within forward and spot market institutions. Results suggest that the spot or forward trading institution itself has a greater influence on market outcomes than supply/demand risks within the institution.Marketing,
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