The R-Process Alliance: A Comprehensive Abundance Analysis of HD 222925, a Metal-Poor Star with an Extreme R-Process Enhancement of [Eu/H] = -0.14

We present a detailed abundance analysis of the bright (V = 9.02), metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -1.47 +/- 0.08) field red horizontal-branch star HD 222925, which was observed as part of an ongoing survey by the R-Process Alliance. We calculate stellar parameters and derive abundances for 46 elements based on 901 lines examined in a high-resolution optical spectrum obtained using the Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle spectrograph. We detect 28 elements with 38 <= Z <= 90; their abundance pattern is a close match to the Solar r-process component. The distinguishing characteristic of HD 222925 is an extreme enhancement of r-process elements ([Eu/Fe] = +1.33 +/- 0.08, [Ba/Eu] = -0.78 +/- 0.10) in a moderately metal-poor star, so the abundance of r-process elements is the highest ([Eu/H] = -0.14 +/- 0.09) in any known r-process-enhanced star. The abundance ratios among lighter (Z <= 30) elements are typical for metal-poor stars, indicating that production of these elements was dominated by normal Type II supernovae, with no discernible contributions from Type Ia supernovae or asymptotic giant branch stars. The chemical and kinematic properties of HD 222925 suggest it formed in a low-mass dwarf galaxy, which was enriched by a high-yield r-process event before being disrupted by interaction with the Milky Way.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal (17 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables

Celosia Cut Flower Production In Utah

Celosia is a warm-season annual that can be grown in a field or high tunnel in Utah. Transplant plugs after last frost in the field and 6 to 8 weeks before last frost in a high tunnel. Celosia benefit from trellising to promote straight stems and do best with moderate soil fertility and frequent harvesting. Peak harvest occurs from July – September in the field and begins nearly one month earlier in a high tunnel. Once established, celosia thrive in Utah’s hot summers and can be used in fresh or dried arrangements

Functional plasticity in the type IV secretion system of Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori causes clinical disease primarily in those individuals infected with a strain that carries the cytotoxin associated gene pathogenicity island (cagPAI). The cagPAI encodes a type IV secretion system (T4SS) that injects the CagA oncoprotein into epithelial cells and is required for induction of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-8 (IL-8). CagY is an essential component of the H. pylori T4SS that has an unusual sequence structure, in which an extraordinary number of direct DNA repeats is predicted to cause rearrangements that invariably yield in-frame insertions or deletions. Here we demonstrate in murine and non-human primate models that immune-driven host selection of rearrangements in CagY is sufficient to cause gain or loss of function in the H. pylori T4SS. We propose that CagY functions as a sort of molecular switch or perhaps a rheostat that alters the function of the T4SS and "tunes" the host inflammatory response so as to maximize persistent infection

Lack of school requirements and clinician recommendations for human papillomavirus vaccination

Background: A strong recommendation from a clinician is one of the best predictors of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among adolescents, yet many clinicians do not provide effective recommendations. The objective of this study was to understand how the lack of school entry requirements for HPV vaccination influences clinicians’ recommendations. Design and Methods: Semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 32 clinicians were conducted in 2015 in Connecticut USA. Data were analysed using an iterative thematic approach in 2016-2017. Results: Many clinicians described presenting HPV vaccination as optional or non-urgent because it is not required for school entry. This was noted to be different from how other required vaccines were discussed. Even strong recommendations were often qualified by statements about the lack of requirements. Furthermore, lack of requirements was often raised initially by clinicians and not by parents. Many clinicians agreed that requirements would simplify the recommendation, but that parents may not agree with requirements. Personal opinions about school entry requirements were mixed. Conclusions: The current lack of school entry requirements for HPV vaccination is an important influence on clinicians’ recommendations that are often framed as optional or non-urgent. Efforts are needed to strengthen the quality of clinicians’ recommendations in a way that remains strong and focused on disease prevention yet uncoupled from the lack of requirements that may encourage delays. Additionally, greater support for requirements among clinicians may be needed to successfully enact requirements in the future

Complexity challenges for transition policy: lessons from coastal shipping in Norway

This policy briefing discusses decarbonization policies of “hard-to-abate” sectors, emphasizing the implications of these sectors’ complexity. Specifically, we discuss two sources of complexity: (a) heterogeneity in the form of variation across and within technologies and user segments and (b) interdependencies between technologies (within and between their value chains) and between user segments and adopter groups. Based on research on coastal shipping in Norway, a global frontrunner in decarbonization of this sector, we suggest three guiding principles for developing policy mixes for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors: (1) employ technology-specific policies but aim at broad sectoral or general policies when suitable, (2) consider value chain interdependency and user segment heterogeneity when prioritizing technologies and user segments, and (3) translate (rather than transfer) successful policies to other settings (e.g. user segments)

Mechanochemical Synthesis and Magnetic Characterization of Nanosized Cubic Spinel FeCr₂S₄ Particles

Nanosized samples of the cubic thiospinel FeCr2S4 were synthesized by ball milling of FeS and Cr2S3 precursors followed by a distinct temperature treatment between 500 and 800 °C. Depending on the applied temperature, volume weighted mean (Lvol) particle sizes of 56 nm (500 °C), 86 nm (600 °C), and 123 nm (800 °C) were obtained. All samples show a transition into the ferrimagnetic state at a Curie temperature TC of ∼ 167 K only slightly depending on the annealing temperature. Above TC, ferromagnetic spin clusters survive and Curie–Weiss behavior is observed only at T ≫ TC, with T depending on the heat treatments and the external magnetic field applied. Zero-field-cooled and field-cooled magnetic susceptibilities diverge significantly below TC in contrast to what is observed for conventionally solid-state-prepared polycrystalline samples. In the low-temperature region, all samples show a transition into the orbital ordered state at about 9 K, which is more pronounced for the samples heated to higher temperatures. This observation is a clear indication that the cation disorder is very low because a pronounced disorder would suppress this magnetic transition. The unusual magnetic properties of the samples at low temperatures and different external magnetic fields can be clearly related to different factors like structural microstrain and magnetocrystalline anisotropy

The R-Process Alliance: Chemical Abundances for a Trio of R-Process-Enhanced Stars -- One Strong, One Moderate, One Mild

We present detailed chemical abundances of three new bright (V ~ 11), extremely metal-poor ([Fe/H] ~ -3.0), r-process-enhanced halo red giants based on high-resolution, high-S/N Magellan/MIKE spectra. We measured abundances for 20-25 neutron-capture elements in each of our stars. J1432-4125 is among the most r-process rich r-II stars, with [Eu/Fe]= +1.44+-0.11. J2005-3057 is an r-I star with [Eu/Fe] = +0.94+-0.07. J0858-0809 has [Eu/Fe] = +0.23+-0.05 and exhibits a carbon abundance corrected for evolutionary status of [C/Fe]_corr = +0.76, thus adding to the small number of known carbon-enhanced r-process stars. All three stars show remarkable agreement with the scaled solar r-process pattern for elements above Ba, consistent with enrichment of the birth gas cloud by a neutron star merger. The abundances for Sr, Y, and Zr, however, deviate from the scaled solar pattern. This indicates that more than one distinct r-process site might be responsible for the observed neutron-capture element abundance pattern. Thorium was detected in J1432-4125 and J2005-3057. Age estimates for J1432-4125 and J2005-3057 were adopted from one of two sets of initial production ratios each by assuming the stars are old. This yielded individual ages of 12+-6 Gyr and 10+-6 Gyr, respectively.Comment: 30 pages, includes a long table, 5 figure

Lisianthus Cut Flower Production in Utah

Lisianthus is a florist staple and excellent crop for local farms. Its limited cool-storage period, long vase-life, and broad range of pastel- to jewel-tone colors are superior to wholesale imports. This fact sheet reviews lisianthus groups, site preparation, germination, transplanting, fertilizing, and irrigation and disease and pest management. It also provides information on trellising, harvest and storage, and economics as a specialty crop option for local farms

Liquid-Liquid Phase Transition for an Attractive Isotropic Potential with Wide Repulsive Range

Recent experimental and theoretical results have shown the existence of a liquid-liquid phase transition in isotropic systems, such as biological solutions and colloids, whose interaction can be represented via an effective potential with a repulsive soft-core and an attractive part. We investigate how the phase diagram of a schematic general isotropic system, interacting via a soft-core squared attractive potential, changes by varying the parameters of the potential. It has been shown that this potential has a phase diagram with a liquid-liquid phase transition in addition to the standard gas-liquid phase transition and that, for a short-range soft-core, the phase diagram resulting from molecular dynamics simulations can be interpreted through a modified van der Waals equation. Here we consider the case of soft-core ranges comparable with or larger than the hard-core diameter. Because an analysis using molecular dynamics simulations of such systems or potentials is too time-demanding, we adopt an integral equation approach in the hypernetted-chain approximation. Thus we can estimate how the temperature and density of both critical points depend on the potential's parameters for large soft-core ranges. The present results confirm and extend our previous analysis, showing that this potential has two fluid-fluid critical points that are well separated in temperature and in density only if there is a balance between the attractive and repulsive part of the potential. We find that for large soft-core ranges our results satisfy a simple relation between the potential's parameters