694 research outputs found
First detection of [N II] 205 micrometer absorption in interstellar gas
We present high resolution [NII] 205 micrometer ^3P_1-^3P_0 spectra obtained
with Herschel-HIFI towards a small sample of far-infrared bright star forming
regions in the Galactic plane: W31C (G10.6-0.4), W49N (G43.2-0.1), W51
(G49.5-0.4), and G34.3+0.1. All sources display an emission line profile
associated directly with the HII regions themselves. For the first time we also
detect absorption of the [NII] 205 micrometer line by extended low-density
foreground material towards W31C and W49N over a wide range of velocities. We
attribute this absorption to the warm ionised medium (WIM) and find
N(N^+)\approx 1.5x10^17 cm^-2 towards both sources. This is in agreement with
recent Herschel-HIFI observations of [CII] 158 micrometer, also observed in
absorption in the same sight-lines, if \approx7-10 % of all C^+ ions exist in
the WIM on average. Using an abundance ratio of [N]/[H] = 6.76x10^-5 in the gas
phase we find that the mean electron and proton volume densities are ~0.1-0.3
cm^-3 assuming a WIM volume filling fraction of 0.1-0.4 with a corresponding
line-of-sight filling fraction of 0.46-0.74. A low density and a high WIM
filling fraction are also supported by RADEX modelling of the [NII] 205
micrometer absorption and emission together with visible emission lines
attributed mainly to the WIM. The detection of the 205 micrometer line in
absorption emphasises the importance of a high spectral resolution, and also
offers a new tool for investigation of the WIM.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics, 11 June 201
The minimum wage in Germany: what brought the state in?
A statutory minimum wage has been introduced in Germany, in the face of business opposition but abetted by union support. The political coalition in favour of minimum wage regulation brought together the centre-left and the centre-right with the argument that regulation is needed to prevent disfunctional interaction between low wages and the social security system. Thus the dualization which characterises Germany’s inegalitarian form of coordinated capitalism has provoked a corrective political response. The paper traces the long path to government intervention and assesses why employers were unable, or unwilling, to pre-empt intervention by maintaining the coverage of collective bargaining. It is argued that market liberalization has had a paradoxical effect on employer power: intense domestic as well as international competition has reduced employers’ capacity to act strategically to fend off regulation by the government
Detection of a dense clump in a filament interacting with W51e2
In the framework of the Herschel/PRISMAS Guaranteed Time Key Program, the
line of sight to the distant ultracompact HII region W51e2 has been observed
using several selected molecular species. Most of the detected absorption
features are not associated with the background high-mass star-forming region
and probe the diffuse matter along the line of sight. We present here the
detection of an additional narrow absorption feature at ~70 km/s in the
observed spectra of HDO, NH3 and C3. The 70 km/s feature is not uniquely
identifiable with the dynamic components (the main cloud and the large-scale
foreground filament) so-far identified toward this region. The narrow
absorption feature is similar to the one found toward low-mass protostars,
which is characteristic of the presence of a cold external envelope. The
far-infrared spectroscopic data were combined with existing ground-based
observations of 12CO, 13CO, CCH, CN, and C3H2 to characterize the 70 km/s
component. Using a non-LTE analysis of multiple transitions of NH3 and CN, we
estimated the density (n(H2) (1-5)x10^5 cm^-3) and temperature (10-30 K) for
this narrow feature. We used a gas-grain warm-up based chemical model with
physical parameters derived from the NH3 data to explain the observed
abundances of the different chemical species. We propose that the 70 km/s
narrow feature arises in a dense and cold clump that probably is undergoing
collapse to form a low-mass protostar, formed on the trailing side of the
high-velocity filament, which is thought to be interacting with the W51 main
cloud. While the fortuitous coincidence of the dense clump along the line of
sight with the continuum-bright W51e2 compact HII region has contributed to its
non-detection in the continuum images, this same attribute makes it an
appropriate source for absorption studies and in particular for ice studies of
star-forming regions.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Single flux quantum circuits with damping based on dissipative transmission lines
We propose and demonstrate the functioning of a special Rapid Single Flux
Quantum (RSFQ) circuit with frequency-dependent damping. This damping is
achieved by shunting individual Josephson junctions by pieces of open-ended RC
transmission lines. Our circuit includes a toggle flip-flop cell, Josephson
transmission lines transferring single flux quantum pulses to and from this
cell, as well as DC/SFQ and SFQ/DC converters. Due to the desired
frequency-dispersion in the RC line shunts which ensures sufficiently low noise
at low frequencies, such circuits are well-suited for integrating with the
flux/phase Josephson qubit and enable its efficient control.Comment: 6 pages incl. 6 figure
Effects of oxidized lipids (4,5 (E)-epoxy-2(E)-heptenal and 4,5 (E)-epoxy-2 (E) -decenal) and lysine reaction products on zinc and calcium utilization: assays in Caco-2 cells
The influence of the presence of brown products from the reaction between two oxidized lipids (4,5 (E)-epoxy-2(E)-heptenal, EH, and 4,5 (E)-epoxy-2 (E)-decenal, ED) and lysine (EH-L and ED-L) on zinc and calcium utilization was studied, and compared with a fructosyl-lysine mixture (F-L). Assays were carried out in
Caco-2 cells grown in bicameral chambers. The Zn transported across the cell monolayer was significantly lower in the presence of the EH-L, ED-L and F-L samples, specially with EH-L. Significant decreases in Zn uptake were also observed, with no
differences between samples. However, calcium transport was not modified. Thus, the assayed lipid-aminoacid brown products seem to have negative effects on Zn availability, whereas Ca availability
appears to be unaffected.Se estudió la influencia de la presencia de productos obtenidos en la reacción de dos lípidos oxidados (4,5(E)-epoxy-2(E)- heptenal, EH, y 4,5(E)-epoxy-2(E)-decenal, ED) con el aminoácido lisina (EH-L y ED-L), sobre la absorción de zinc y calcio, comparándolos frente a una mezcla de fructosil-lisina (F-L). Los ensayos se realizaron con células Caco-2 sembradas en placas bicamerales. La adición de las muestras EH-L, ED-L y F-L al medio de cultivo supuso una reducción significativa en el Zn transportado a través de la monocapa de células, mucho más marcada ante la presencia de EH-L. También se redujo significativamente la captación celular de Zn, sin diferencias entre las distintas muestras ensayadas. Sin embargo, el transporte de Ca no se vio modificado. Por lo tanto, los productos pardos lípido-aminoacídicos ensayados parecen afectar negativamente la disponibilidad del Zn, sin tener efectos notables sobre la del Ca.Peer reviewe
Differentiation of irradiation and cetuximab induced skin reactions in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer undergoing radioimmunotherapy: the HICARE protocol (Head and neck cancer: ImmunoChemo and Radiotherapy with Erbitux) – a multicenter phase IV trial
BACKGROUND: In order to improve the clinical outcome of patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LASCCHN) not being capable to receive platinum-based chemoradiation, radiotherapy can be intensified by addition of cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The radioimmunotherapy with cetuximab is a feasible treatment option showing a favourable toxicity profile. The most frequent side effect of radiotherapy is radiation dermatitis, the most common side effect of treatment with cetuximab is acneiform rash. Incidence and severity of these frequent, often overlapping and sometimes limiting skin reactions, however, are not well explored. A clinical and molecular differentiation between radiogenic skin reactions and skin reactions caused by cetuximab which may correlate with outcome, have never been described before. METHODS/DESIGN: The HICARE study is a national, multicenter, prospective phase IV study exploring the different types of skin reactions that occur in patients with LASCCHN undergoing radioimmun(chemo)therapy with the EGFR inhibitor cetuximab. 500 patients with LASCCHN will be enrolled in 40 participating sites in Germany. Primary endpoint is the rate of radiation dermatitis NCI CTCAE grade 3 and 4 (v. 4.02). Radioimmunotherapy will be applied according to SmPC, i.e. cetuximab will be administered as loading dose and then weekly during the radiotherapy. Irradiation will be applied as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or 3D-dimensional radiation therapy. DISCUSSION: The HICARE trial is expected to be one of the largest trials ever conducted in head and neck cancer patients. The goal of the HICARE trial is to differentiate skin reactions caused by radiation from those caused by the monoclonal antibody cetuximab, to evaluate the incidence and severity of these skin reactions and to correlate them with outcome parameters. Besides, the translational research program will help to identify and confirm novel peripheral blood based molecular predictors and surrogates for treatment response and resistance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial Identifier, NCT01553032 (clinicaltrials.gov) EudraCT number: 2010-019748-3
The chemistry of C3 & Carbon Chain Molecules in DR21(OH)
(Abridged) We have observed velocity resolved spectra of four ro-vibrational
far-infrared transitions of C3 between the vibrational ground state and the
low-energy nu2 bending mode at frequencies between 1654--1897 GHz using HIFI on
board Herschel, in DR21(OH), a high mass star forming region. Several
transitions of CCH and c-C3H2 have also been observed with HIFI and the IRAM
30m telescope. A gas and grain warm-up model was used to identify the primary
C3 forming reactions in DR21(OH). We have detected C3 in absorption in four
far-infrared transitions, P(4), P(10), Q(2) and Q(4). The continuum sources MM1
and MM2 in DR21(OH) though spatially unresolved, are sufficiently separated in
velocity to be identified in the C3 spectra. All C3 transitions are detected
from the embedded source MM2 and the surrounding envelope, whereas only Q(4) &
P(4) are detected toward the hot core MM1. The abundance of C3 in the envelope
and MM2 is \sim6x10^{-10} and \sim3x10^{-9} respectively. For CCH and c-C3H2 we
only detect emission from the envelope and MM1. The observed CCH, C3, and
c-C3H2 abundances are most consistent with a chemical model with
n(H2)\sim5x10^{6} cm^-3 post-warm-up dust temperature, T_max =30 K and a time
of \sim0.7-3 Myr. Post warm-up gas phase chemistry of CH4 released from the
grain at t\sim 0.2 Myr and lasting for 1 Myr can explain the observed C3
abundance in the envelope of DR21(OH) and no mechanism involving
photodestruction of PAH molecules is required. The chemistry in the envelope is
similar to the warm carbon chain chemistry (WCCC) found in lukewarm corinos.
The observed lower C3 abundance in MM1 as compared to MM2 and the envelope
could be indicative of destruction of C3 in the more evolved MM1. The timescale
for the chemistry derived for the envelope is consistent with the dynamical
timescale of 2 Myr derived for DR21(OH) in other studies.Comment: 11 Pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Beyond the pseudo-time-dependent approach: chemical models of dense core precursors
Context: Chemical models of dense cloud cores often utilize the so-called
pseudo-time-dependent approximation, in which the physical conditions are held
fixed and uniform as the chemistry occurs. In this approximation, the initial
abundances chosen, which are totally atomic in nature except for molecular
hydrogen, are artificial. A more detailed approach to the chemistry of dense
cold cores should include the physical evolution during their early stages of
formation. Aims: Our major goal is to investigate the initial synthesis of
molecular ices and gas-phase molecules as cold molecular gas begins to form
behind a shock in the diffuse interstellar medium. The abundances calculated as
the conditions evolve can then be utilized as reasonable initial conditions for
a theory of the chemistry of dense cores. Methods: Hydrodynamic shock-wave
simulations of the early stages of cold core formation are used to determine
the time-dependent physical conditions for a gas-grain chemical network. We
follow the cold post-shock molecular evolution of ices and gas-phase molecules
for a range of visual extinction up to AV ~ 3, which increases with time. At
higher extinction, self-gravity becomes important. Results: As the newly
condensed gas enters its cool post-shock phase, a large amount of CO is
produced in the gas. As the CO forms, water ice is produced on grains, while
accretion of CO produces CO ice. The production of CO2 ice from CO occurs via
several surface mechanisms, while the production of CH4 ice is slowed by
gas-phase conversion of C into CO.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 2 table
Connecting Berry's phase and the pumped charge in a Cooper pair pump
The properties of the tunnelling-charging Hamiltonian of a Cooper pair pump
are well understood in the regime of weak and intermediate Josephson coupling,
i.e. when . It is also known that
Berry's phase is related to the pumped charge induced by the adiabatical
variation of the eigenstates. We show explicitly that pumped charge in Cooper
pair pump can be understood as a partial derivative of Berry's phase with
respect to the phase difference across the array. The phase fluctuations
always present in real experiments can also be taken into account, although
only approximately. Thus the measurement of the pumped current gives reliable,
yet indirect, information on Berry's phase. As closing remarks, we give the
differential relation between Berry's phase and the pumped charge, and state
that the mathematical results are valid for any observable expressible as a
partial derivative of the Hamiltonian.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, RevTeX, Presentation has been clarifie
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