2,786 research outputs found
A FLAMINGOS Deep Near Infrared Imaging Survey of the Rosette Complex I: Identification and Distribution of the Embedded Population
We present the results of a deep near-infrared imaging survey of the Rosette
Complex. We studied the distribution of young embedded sources using a
variation of the Nearest Neighbor Method applied to a carefully selected sample
of near-infrared excess (NIRX) stars which trace the latest episode of star
formation in the complex. Our analysis confirmed the existence of seven
clusters previously detected in the molecular cloud, and identified four more
clusters across the complex. We determined that 60% of the young stars in the
complex and 86% of the stars within the molecular cloud are contained in
clusters, implying that the majority of stars in the Rosette formed in embedded
clusters. We compare the sizes, infrared excess fractions and average
extinction towards individual clusters to investigate their early evolution and
expansion. We found that the average infrared excess fraction of clusters
increases as a function of distance from NGC 2244, implying a temporal sequence
of star formation across the complex. This sequence appears to be primordial,
possibly resulting from the formation and evolution of the molecular cloud and
not from the interaction with the HII region.Comment: Accepted by Astrophysical Journa
Genetic diversity of Aedes aegypti in the Central-Upper Paraná cross-border axis in Paraguay
Correspondence: Nilsa González Brítez; [email protected]: To determine the genetic diversity of Aedes aegypti in the Central-Alto Paraná cross-border road corridor of Paraguay, an area that has reports of dengue cases. Materials and methods: Twenty adult females were selected from hatching Ae. aegypti eggs from households geolocated in the departments of Alto Paraná, Caaguazú, Cordillera and Central, between 2018 and 2019. DNA was extracted from the tissue of females for amplifying their polymorphic patterns by random amplification of polymorphic DNA by PCR (RAPD-PCR), using primers H3 and B03 in order to identify genetic parameters of population diversity. The relationships between mosquito populations according to locality were observed by unpaired arithmetic mean analysis. We used DIVA-GIS 7.3.0 and MAXENT to analyze the suitable areas of actual and potential geographic distribution of these Ae. aegypti populations. Results: Forty loci were identified by RAPD-PCR profiling, with moderate gene differentiation (Gst = 0.12). The cross-border corridor presented bioclimatic conditions for the presence of variant populations of Ae. aegypti, with precipitation in the warmest quarter and mean temperature in the driest quarter being determinant in the distribution. Conclusions: There is evidence of moderate genetic diversity in Ae. aegypti populations from areas that have reported dengue cases in the cross-border road corridor linking the Central and Alto Paraná departments of Paraguay. The study of genetic variability of Ae. aegypti is very useful for entomo-epidemiological surveillance and evaluation of possible resistance to chemical control.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de investigación y desarroll
Leishmania infantum AS A CAUSATIVE AGENT OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN THE STATE OF MATO GROSSO DO SUL, BRAZIL
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is caused by different species of theLeishmania genus. Leishmania(Leishmania) infantum, causing cutaneous leishmaniasis, has been described in patients living in areas where visceral leishmaniasis is endemic. In this study, it was possible to characterize this species in seven slides from cutaneous tissue imprints from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Testing the Cosmic Coincidence Problem and the Nature of Dark Energy
Dark energy models which alter the relative scaling behavior of dark energy
and matter could provide a natural solution to the cosmic coincidence problem -
why the densities of dark energy and dark matter are comparable today. A
generalized class of dark energy models is introduced which allows
non-canonical scaling of the ratio of dark matter and dark energy with the
Robertson-Walker scale factor a(t). Upcoming observations, such as a high
redshift supernova survey, application of the Alcock-Paczynski test to quasar
pairs, and cluster evolution, will strongly constrain the relative scaling of
dark matter and dark energy as well as the equation of state of the dark
energy. Thus, whether there actually is a coincidence problem, and the extent
of cosmic coincidence in the universe's recent past can be answered
observationally in the near future. Determining whether today is a special time
in the history of the universe will be a SNAP.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, revtex4, submitted to PR
An Erythropoietin-Independent Mechanism of Erythrocytic Precursor Proliferation Underlies Hypoxia Tolerance in Sea Nomads
The Bajau Sea Nomads were recently demonstrated to have evolved larger spleens as an adaptation to millennia of a marine foraging lifestyle. The large-spleen phenotype appears to derive from increases in thyroid hormone (TH) production as a result of reduced expression of phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A), though the exact mechanism remains unknown. Through pharmacological inhibition of PDE10A using the selective inhibitor MP-10 in mice, we were able to mimic the Bajau adaptation and show that treated mice had significantly larger spleens than control animals. This difference appears connected to an excess of early stage erythrocytes and an apparent increase in red blood cell (RBC) precursor proliferation in response to increased TH. However, we determined that the stimulation of RBC production in the mouse model via TH is Erythropoietin (EPO)-independent, unlike in the altitude (chronic hypoxemia) response. We confirmed this using human GWAS data; although the Bajau PDE10A variants are significantly associated with increased TH levels and RBC count, they are not associated with EPO levels, nor are other strongly thyroid-associated SNPs. We therefore suggest that an EPO-independent mechanism of stimulating RBC precursor proliferation via TH upregulation underlies the increase in spleen size observed in Sea Nomad populations
Idosos com e sem plano de saúde e características socioepidemiológicas associadas
OBJETIVO: Analizar factores epidemiológicos y sociodemográficos asociados a la salud de ancianos con o sin seguro de salud. MÉTODOS: Se realizaron entrevistas con 2.143 personas de 60 años y más, en el municipio de Sao Paulo, en 2000 y 2006. La variable dependiente, dicotómica, fue tener o no póliza de salud. Las variables independientes abarcaron características sociodemográficas y de condición de salud. Se describieron las proporciones encontradas para las variables analizadas y se desarrolló modelo de regresión logística que consideró significantes las variables con p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Hubo diferencias, favorables a los titulares de pólizas, para renta y escolaridad. El grupo sin seguros privados realizó menos prevención contra neoplasias y más contra enfermedades respiratorias; esperó más para tener acceso a consultas de salud; realizó menos exámenes post-consulta; refirió menor número de enfermedades; tuvo mayor proporción de evaluación negativa de la propia salud y relató más episodios de caídas. Los titulares de pólizas relataron menor adhesión a la vacunación y, entre los que fueron internados, 11,1%, en 2000 y 17,9% en 2006 tuvieron ese procedimiento costeado por el Sistema Único de Salud Brasileño. La única enfermedad asociada a la condición de titular de seguro privado fue la osteoporosis. CONCLUSIONES: Hay diferencias representadas por la renta y por la escolaridad favorables a los titulares de pólizas y seguros privados, y estas están relacionadas con el uso de servicios y con los determinantes sociales de salud.OBJETIVO: Analisar fatores epidemiológicos e sociodemográficos associados à saúde de idosos com ou sem plano de saúde. MÉTODOS: Foram realizadas entrevistas com 2.143 pessoas de 60 anos e mais, no município de São Paulo, em 2000 e 2006. A variável dependente, dicotômica, foi ter ou não plano de saúde. As variáveis independentes abrangeram características sociodemográficas e de condição de saúde. Foram descritas as proporções encontradas para as variáveis analisadas e desenvolvido modelo de regressão logística que considerou significantes as variáveis com p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Houve diferenças, favoráveis aos titulares de planos, para renda e escolaridade. O grupo sem planos privados realizou menos prevenção contra neoplasias e mais contra doenças respiratórias; esperou mais para ter acesso a consultas de saúde; realizou menos exames pós-consulta; referiu menor número de doenças; teve maior proporção de avaliação negativa da própria saúde e relatou mais episódios de queda. Os titulares de planos relataram menor adesão à vacinação e, dentre os que foram internados, 11,1% em 2000 e 17,9% em 2006 tiveram esse procedimento custeado pelo Sistema Único de Saúde. A única doença associada à condição de titular de plano privado foi a osteoporose. CONCLUSÕES: Há diferenças representadas pela renda e pela escolaridade favoráveis aos titulares de planos e seguros privados, as quais estão relacionadas com o uso de serviços e com os determinantes sociais de saúde.OBJECTIVE: To examine sociodemographic and epidemiological factors associated with private health insurance coverage in the elderly. METHODS: A total of 2,143 individuals aged 60 years or more were interviewed in the city of São Paulo in 2000 and 2006. Having private health insurance was the dichotomous dependent variable. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported health status. The proportions of the variables studied were described and a logistic regression model considering those variables significant at p < 0.05 was constructed. RESULTS: The elderly with private insurance coverage had significantly higher income and education. The elderly with no private insurance were screened less for cancer and more for respiratory diseases; they waited longer for appointments; they performed less medical tests; they reported fewer conditions and more falls and had a more negative self-rated health. The insured respondents reported lower vaccination rates and, among those hospitalized, 11.1% had their medical costs covered by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) in 2000 and 17.9% in 2006. Osteoporosis was the single condition associated with private health insurance. CONCLUSIONS: The elderly with private insurance coverage had significantly higher income and education than those with no private coverage, and these differences were associated with service utilization and social determinants of health
Searching for non-Gaussianity in the VSA data
We have tested Very Small Array (VSA) observations of three regions of sky
for the presence of non-Gaussianity, using high-order cumulants, Minkowski
functionals, a wavelet-based test and a Bayesian joint power
spectrum/non-Gaussianity analysis. We find the data from two regions to be
consistent with Gaussianity. In the third region, we obtain a 96.7% detection
of non-Gaussianity using the wavelet test. We perform simulations to
characterise the tests, and conclude that this is consistent with expected
residual point source contamination. There is therefore no evidence that this
detection is of cosmological origin. Our simulations show that the tests would
be sensitive to any residual point sources above the data's source subtraction
level of 20 mJy. The tests are also sensitive to cosmic string networks at an
rms fluctuation level of (i.e. equivalent to the best-fit observed
value). They are not sensitive to string-induced fluctuations if an equal rms
of Gaussian CDM fluctuations is added, thereby reducing the fluctuations due to
the strings network to rms . We especially highlight the usefulness
of non-Gaussianity testing in eliminating systematic effects from our data.Comment: Minor corrections; accepted for publication to MNRA
AMI observations of unmatched Planck ERCSC LFI sources at 15.75 GHz
The Planck Early Release Compact Source Catalogue includes 26 sources with no
obvious matches in other radio catalogues (of primarily extragalactic sources).
Here we present observations made with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager Small
Array (AMI SA) at 15.75 GHz of the eight of the unmatched sources at
declination > +10 degrees. Of the eight, four are detected and are associated
with known objects. The other four are not detected with the AMI SA, and are
thought to be spurious.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 4 table
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