2,451 research outputs found
Editorial: Controversies and solutions in environmental sciences: Addressing toxicity of sediments and soils
This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2007 Ecomed Publishers
3D NMR spectroscopy for resonance assignment and structure elucidation of proteins under MAS: novel pulse schemes and sensitivity considerations
A BeppoSAX observation of the super-soft source CAL87
We report on a BeppoSAX Concentrator Spectrometer observation of the
super-soft source (SSS) CAL87. The X-ray emission in SSS is believed to arise
from nuclear burning of accreted material on the surface of a white dwarf (WD).
An absorbed blackbody spectral model gives a chi^2_v of 1.18 and a temperature
of 42 +/- ^13 _11 eV. However, the derived luminosity and radius are greater
than the Eddington limit and radius of a WD. Including an O viii edge at 0.871
keV gives a significantly better fit (at > 95% confidence) and results in more
realistic values of the source luminosity and radius. We also fit WD atmosphere
models to the CAL87 spectrum. These also give reasonable bolometric
luminosities and radii in the ranges 2.7-4.8 10^{36} erg/s and 8-20 10^7 cm,
respectively. These results support the view that the X-ray emission from CAL87
results from nuclear burning in the atmosphere of a WD.Comment: 4 pages. Accepted for publication in A&A (Letters
Discovery of a Second Millisecond Accreting Pulsar: XTE J1751-305
We report the discovery by the RXTE PCA of a second transient accreting
millisecond pulsar, XTE J1751-305, during regular monitoring observations of
the galactic bulge region. The pulsar has a spin frequency of 435 Hz, making it
one of the fastest pulsars. The pulsations contain the signature of orbital
Doppler modulation, which implies an orbital period of 42 minutes, the shortest
orbital period of any known radio or X-ray millisecond pulsar. The mass
function, f_x = (1.278 +/- 0.003) x 10^{-6} M_sun, yields a minimum mass for
the companion of between 0.013 and 0.017 M_sun, depending on the mass of the
neutron star. No eclipses were detected. A previous X-ray outburst in June,
1998, was discovered in archival All-Sky Monitor data. Assuming mass transfer
in this binary system is driven by gravitational radiation, we constrain the
orbital inclination to be in the range 30-85 deg, and the companion mass to be
0.013-0.035 M_sun. The companion is most likely a heated helium dwarf. We also
present results from the Chandra HRC-S observations which provide the best
known position of XTE J1751-305.Comment: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Accepted, (AASTeX
Can the UNAIDS modes of transmission model be improved? A comparison of the original and revised model projections using data from a setting in west Africa.
OBJECTIVE: The UNAIDS modes of transmission model (MoT) is a user-friendly model, developed to predict the distribution of new HIV infections among different subgroups. The model has been used in 29 countries to guide interventions. However, there is the risk that the simplifications inherent in the MoT produce misleading findings. Using input data from Nigeria, we compare projections from the MoT with those from a revised model that incorporates additional heterogeneity. METHODS: We revised the MoT to explicitly incorporate brothel and street-based sex-work, transactional sex, and HIV-discordant couples. Both models were parameterized using behavioural and epidemiological data from Cross River State, Nigeria. Model projections were compared, and the robustness of the revised model projections to different model assumptions, was investigated. RESULTS: The original MoT predicts 21% of new infections occur in most-at-risk-populations (MARPs), compared with 45% (40-75%, 95% Crl) once additional heterogeneity and updated parameterization is incorporated. Discordant couples, a subgroup previously not explicitly modelled, are predicted to contribute a third of new HIV infections. In addition, the new findings suggest that women engaging in transactional sex may be an important but previously less recognized risk group, with 16% of infections occurring in this subgroup. CONCLUSION: The MoT is an accessible model that can inform intervention priorities. However, the current model may be potentially misleading, with our comparisons in Nigeria suggesting that the model lacks resolution, making it challenging for the user to correctly interpret the nature of the epidemic. Our findings highlight the need for a formal review of the MoT
Moleculare-level secondary structure, polymorphism, and dynamics of full-length alpha-synuclein fibrils studies by solid-state NMR
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