167 research outputs found
High-energy X-rays from the Crab Nebula
Balloon measurement of high energy X-ray spectrum from Crab Nebul
Feasibility study of lunar neutron albedo experiment Final scientific report
Effects of water concentration on neutron counting rate of lunar simulato
Study of the plutino object (208996) 2003 AZ84 from stellar occultations: size, shape and topographic features
We present results derived from four stellar occultations by the plutino
object (208996) 2003~AZ, detected at January 8, 2011 (single-chord
event), February 3, 2012 (multi-chord), December 2, 2013 (single-chord) and
November 15, 2014 (multi-chord). Our observations rule out an oblate spheroid
solution for 2003~AZ's shape. Instead, assuming hydrostatic equilibrium,
we find that a Jacobi triaxial solution with semi axes ~km % axis ratios and
, can better account for all our occultation observations.
Combining these dimensions with the rotation period of the body (6.75~h) and
the amplitude of its rotation light curve, we derive a density ~g~cm a geometric albedo . A grazing chord
observed during the 2014 occultation reveals a topographic feature along
2003~AZ's limb, that can be interpreted as an abrupt chasm of width
~km and depth ~km or a smooth depression of width ~km
and depth ~km (or an intermediate feature between those two extremes)
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Eye movements during visual search in patients with glaucoma
Background: Glaucoma has been shown to lead to disability in many daily tasks including visual search. This study aims to determine whether the saccadic eye movements of people with glaucoma differ from those of people with normal vision, and to investigate the association between eye movements and impaired visual search.
Methods: Forty patients (mean age: 67 [SD: 9] years) with a range of glaucomatous visual field (VF) defects in both eyes (mean best eye mean deviation [MD]: â5.9 (SD: 5.4) dB) and 40 age-related people with normal vision (mean age: 66 [SD: 10] years) were timed as they searched for a series of target objects in computer displayed photographs of real world scenes. Eye movements were simultaneously recorded using an eye tracker. Average number of saccades per second, average saccade amplitude and average search duration across trials were recorded. These response variables were compared with measurements of VF and contrast sensitivity.
Results: The average rate of saccades made by the patient group was significantly smaller than the number made by controls during the visual search task (P = 0.02; mean reduction of 5.6% (95% CI: 0.1 to 10.4%). There was no difference in average saccade amplitude between the patients and the controls (P = 0.09). Average number of saccades was weakly correlated with aspects of visual function, with patients with worse contrast sensitivity (PR logCS; Spearmanâs rho: 0.42; P = 0.006) and more severe VF defects (best eye MD; Spearmanâs rho: 0.34; P = 0.037) tending to make less eye movements during the task. Average detection time in the search task was associated with the average rate of saccades in the patient group (Spearmanâs rho = â0.65; P < 0.001) but this was not apparent in the controls.
Conclusions: The average rate of saccades made during visual search by this group of patients was fewer than those made by people with normal vision of a similar average age. There was wide variability in saccade rate in the patients but there was an association between an increase in this measure and better performance in the search task. Assessment of eye movements in individuals with glaucoma might provide insight into the functional deficits of the disease
Integrating Omic Technologies into Aquatic Ecological Risk Assessment and Environmental Monitoring: Hurdles, Achievements, and Future Outlook
Background: In this commentary we present the findings from an international consortium on fish toxicogenomics sponsored by the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council (Fish ToxicogenomicsâMoving into Regulation and Monitoring, held 21â23 April 2008 at the Pacific Environmental Science Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada).
Objectives: The consortium from government agencies, academia, and industry addressed three topics: progress in ecotoxicogenomics, regulatory perspectives on roadblocks for practical implementation of toxicogenomics into risk assessment, and dealing with variability in data sets.
Discussion: Participants noted that examples of successful application of omic technologies have been identified, but critical studies are needed to relate molecular changes to ecological adverse outcome. Participants made recommendations for the management of technical and biological variation. They also stressed the need for enhanced interdisciplinary training and communication as well as considerable investment into the generation and curation of appropriate reference omic data.
Conclusions: The participants concluded that, although there are hurdles to pass on the road to regulatory acceptance, omics technologies are already useful for elucidating modes of action of toxicants and can contribute to the risk assessment process as part of a weight-of-evidence approach
Vision in high-level football officials
YesOfficiating in football depends, at least to some extent, upon adequate visual function. However, there is no vision standard for football officiating and the nature of the relationship between officiating performance and level of vision is unknown. As a first step in characterising this relationship, we report on the clinically-measured vision and on the perceived level of vision in elite-level, Portuguese football officials. Seventy-one referees (R) and assistant referees (AR) participated in the study, representing 92% of the total population of elite level football officials in Portugal in the 2013/2014 season. Nine of the 22 Rs (40.9%) and ten of the 49 ARs (20.4%) were international-level. Information about visual history was also gathered. Perceived vision was assessed using the preference-values-assigned-to-global-visual-status (PVVS) and the Quality-of-Vision (QoV) questionnaire. Standard clinical vision measures (including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and stereopsis) were gathered in a subset (n = 44, 62%) of the participants. Data were analysed according to the type (R/AR) and level (international/national) of official, and Bonferroni corrections were applied to reduce the risk of type I errors. Adopting criterion for statistical significance of p<0.01, PVVS scores did not differ between R and AR (p = 0.88), or between national- and international-level officials (p = 0.66). Similarly, QoV scores did not differ between R and AR in frequency (p = 0.50), severity (p = 0.71) or bothersomeness (p = 0.81) of symptoms, or between international-level vs national-level officials for frequency (p = 0.03) or bothersomeness (p = 0.07) of symptoms. However, international-level officials reported less severe symptoms than their national-level counterparts (p<0.01). Overall, 18.3% of officials had either never had an eye examination or if they had, it was more than 3 years previously. Regarding refractive correction, 4.2% had undergone refractive surgery and 23.9% wear contact lenses when officiating. Clinical vision measures in the football officials were similar to published normative values for young, adult populations and similar between R and AR. Clinically-measured vision did not differ according to officiating level. Visual acuity measured with and without a pinhole disc indicated that around one quarter of participants may be capable of better vision when officiating, as evidenced by better acuity (â„1 line of letters) using the pinhole. Amongst the clinical visual tests we used, we did not find evidence for above-average performance in elite-level football officials. Although the impact of uncorrected mild to moderate refractive error upon officiating performance is unknown, with a greater uptake of eye examinations, visual acuity may be improved in around a quarter of officials.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UID/FIS/04650/2013
The 2017 May 20 stellar occultation by the elongated centaur (95626) 2002 GZ
We predicted a stellar occultation of the bright star Gaia DR1
4332852996360346368 (UCAC4 385-75921) (m= 14.0 mag) by the centaur
2002 GZ for 2017 May 20. Our latest shadow path prediction
was favourable to a large region in Europe. Observations were arranged in a
broad region inside the nominal shadow path. Series of images were obtained
with 29 telescopes throughout Europe and from six of them (five in Spain and
one in Greece) we detected the occultation. This is the fourth centaur, besides
Chariklo, Chiron and Bienor, for which a multi-chord stellar occultation is
reported. By means of an elliptical fit to the occultation chords we obtained
the limb of 2002 GZ during the occultation, resulting in an ellipse with
axes of 305 17 km 146 8 km. From this limb, thanks to a
rotational light curve obtained shortly after the occultation, we derived the
geometric albedo of 2002 GZ ( = 0.043 0.007) and a 3-D
ellipsoidal shape with axes 366 km 306 km 120 km. This shape
is not fully consistent with a homogeneous body in hydrostatic equilibrium for
the known rotation period of 2002 GZ. The size (albedo) obtained from
the occultation is respectively smaller (greater) than that derived from the
radiometric technique but compatible within error bars. No rings or debris
around 2002 GZ were detected from the occultation, but narrow and thin
rings cannot be discarded.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS (8-Dec.-2020), 15 pages, 9 figure
Comparação do percentual de gordura obtido por bioimpedùncia, ultrassom e dobras cutùneas em adultos jovens
Latanoprost for open-angle glaucoma (UKGTS): a randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled trial
Background:
Treatments for open-angle glaucoma aim to prevent vision loss through lowering of intraocular pressure, but to our knowledge no placebo-controlled trials have assessed visual function preservation, and the observation periods of previous (unmasked) trials have typically been at least 5 years. We assessed vision preservation in patients given latanoprost compared with those given placebo.
Methods:
In this randomised, triple-masked, placebo-controlled trial, we enrolled patients with newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma at ten UK centres (tertiary referral centres, teaching hospitals, and district general hospitals). Eligible patients were randomly allocated (1:1) with a website-generated randomisation schedule, stratified by centre and with a permuted block design, to receive either latanoprost 0·005% (intervention group) or placebo (control group) eye drops. Drops were administered from identical bottles, once a day, to both eyes. The primary outcome was time to visual field deterioration within 24 months. Analyses were done in all individuals with follow-up data. The Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC) recommended stopping the trial on Jan 6, 2011 (last patient visit July, 2011), after an interim analysis, and suggested a change in primary outcome from the difference in proportions of patients with incident progression between groups to time to visual field deterioration within 24 months. This trial is registered, number ISRCTN96423140.
Findings:
We enrolled 516 individuals between Dec 1, 2006, and March 16, 2010. Baseline mean intraocular pressure was 19·6 mm Hg (SD 4·6) in 258 patients in the latanoprost group and 20·1 mm Hg (4·8) in 258 controls. At 24 months, mean reduction in intraocular pressure was 3·8 mm Hg (4·0) in 231 patients assessed in the latanoprost group and 0·9 mm Hg (3·8) in 230 patients assessed in the placebo group. Visual field preservation was significantly longer in the latanoprost group than in the placebo group: adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0·44 (95% CI 0·28â0·69; p=0·0003). We noted 18 serious adverse events, none attributable to the study drug.
Interpretation:
This is the first randomised placebo-controlled trial to show preservation of the visual field with an intraocular-pressure-lowering drug in patients with open-angle glaucoma. The study design enabled significant differences in vision to be assessed in a relatively short observation period
ExoClock Project. III. 450 New Exoplanet Ephemerides from Ground and Space Observations
The ExoClock project has been created to increase the efficiency of the Ariel mission. It will achieve this by continuously monitoring and updating the ephemerides of Ariel candidates, in order to produce a consistent catalog of reliable and precise ephemerides. This work presents a homogenous catalog of updated ephemerides for 450 planets, generated by the integration of âŒ18,000 data points from multiple sources. These sources include observations from ground-based telescopes (the ExoClock network and the Exoplanet Transit Database), midtime values from the literature, and light curves from space telescopes (Kepler, K2, and TESS). With all the above, we manage to collect observations for half of the postdiscovery years (median), with data that have a median uncertainty less than 1 minute. In comparison with the literature, the ephemerides generated by the project are more precise and less biased. More than 40% of the initial literature ephemerides had to be updated to reach the goals of the project, as they were either of low precision or drifting. Moreover, the integrated approach of the project enables both the monitoring of the majority of the Ariel candidates (95%), and also the identification of missing data. These results highlight the need for continuous monitoring to increase the observing coverage of the candidate planets. Finally, the extended observing coverage of planets allows us to detect trends (transit-timing variations) for a sample of 19 planets. All the products, data, and codes used in this work are open and accessible to the wider scientific community
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