A Cerenkov - ΔE/ΔX Experiment for Measuring Cosmic-Ray Isotopes from Neon Through Iron

A ballon-borne cosmic-ray experiment has been constructed to measure cosmic-ray isotope masses, It employs a pair of Cerenkov counters and a NaI scintillator stack to determine changes in ΔE in energy and Δγ in Lorentz factor for a traversing or stopping particle. Mass M = ΔE/Δγ. Mass resolution better than 0.3 a.m.u. is expected for incident elements from neon through iron, with incident Lorentz gammas ranging from 2.4 to 3.1, depending on the element. Using data obtained at the Berkeley Bevalac, the mass resolution ∂M ≈ 2 a.m.u., measured for ^(55)Mn ions with incident γ = 2.5

Local Chirality of Low-Lying Dirac Eigenmodes and the Instanton Liquid Model

The reasons for using low-lying Dirac eigenmodes to probe the local structure of topological charge fluctuations in QCD are discussed, and it is pointed out that the qualitative double-peaked behavior of the local chiral orientation probability distribution in these modes is necessary, but not sufficient for dominance of instanton-like fluctuations. The results with overlap Dirac operator in Wilson gauge backgrounds at lattice spacings ranging from a~0.04 fm to a~0.12 fm are reported, and it is found that the size and density of local structures responsible for double-peaking of the distribution are in disagreement with the assumptions of the Instanton Liquid Model. More generally, our results suggest that vacuum fluctuations of topological charge are not effectively dominated by locally quantized (integer-valued) lumps in QCD.Comment: 29 pages, 13 figures; v2: minor improvements in presentation, results and conclusions unchanged, version to appear in PR

Spectra from the shocked nebulae revealing turbulence near the Galactic Centre

The spectra emitted from clouds near the Galactic Centre are investigated calculating the UV-optical-IR lines using the physical parameters and the element abundances constrained by the fit of mid-IR observations. The characteristic line ratios are compared with those observed in active galaxies. We have found that the physical conditions in the nebulae near the GC are different from those of starburst galaxies and AGN, namely, gas velocities and densities as well as the photoionization fluxes are relatively low. The geometrical thickness of the emitting nebulae is particularly small suggesting that matter is strongly fragmented by instabilities leading to an underlying shock-generated turbulence.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, 4 Tables. MNRAS, accepte

Impact of socioeconomic deprivation on rate and cause of death in severe mental illness

Background: Socioeconomic status has important associations with disease-specific mortality in the general population. Although individuals with Severe Mental Illnesses (SMI) experience significant premature mortality, the relationship between socioeconomic status and mortality in this group remains under investigated.<p></p> Aims: To assess the impact of socioeconomic status on rate and cause of death in individuals with SMI (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) relative to the local (Glasgow) and wider (Scottish) populations.<p></p> Methods: Cause and age of death during 2006-2010 inclusive for individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder registered on the Glasgow Psychosis Clinical Information System (PsyCIS) were obtained by linkage to the Scottish General Register Office (GRO). Rate and cause of death by socioeconomic status, measured by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), were compared to the Glasgow and Scottish populations.<p></p> Results: Death rates were higher in people with SMI across all socioeconomic quintiles compared to the Glasgow and Scottish populations, and persisted when suicide was excluded. Differences were largest in the most deprived quintile (794.6 per 10,000 population vs. 274.7 and 252.4 for Glasgow and Scotland respectively). Cause of death varied by socioeconomic status. For those living in the most deprived quintile, higher drug-related deaths occurred in those with SMI compared to local Glasgow and wider Scottish population rates (12.3% vs. 5.9%, p = <0.001 and 5.1% p = 0.002 respectively). A lower proportion of deaths due to cancer in those with SMI living in the most deprived quintile were also observed, relative to the local Glasgow and wider Scottish populations (12.3% vs. 25.1% p = 0.013 and 26.3% p = <0.001). The proportion of suicides was significantly higher in those with SMI living in the more affluent quintiles relative to Glasgow and Scotland (54.6% vs. 5.8%, p = <0.001 and 5.5%, p = <0.001). Discussion and conclusions: Excess mortality in those with SMI occurred across all socioeconomic quintiles compared to the Glasgow and Scottish populations but was most marked in the most deprived quintiles when suicide was excluded as a cause of death. Further work assessing the impact of socioeconomic status on specific causes of premature mortality in SMI is needed

Do readers use character information when programming return-sweep saccades?

Reading saccades that occur within a single line of text are guided by the size of letters. However, readers occasionally need to make longer saccades (known as return-sweeps) that take their eyes from the end of one line of text to the beginning of the next. In this study, we tested whether return-sweep saccades are also guided by font size information and whether this guidance depends on visual acuity constraints. To do this, we manipulated the font size of letters (0.29 vs 0.39 deg. per character) and the length of the first line of text (16 vs 26 deg.). The larger font resulted in return-sweeps that landed further to the right of the line start and in a reduction of corrective saccades compared to the smaller font. This suggests that font size information is used when programming return-sweeps and corrective saccades. Return-sweeps in the longer line condition landed further to the right of the line start and the proportion of corrective saccades increased compared to the short line condition. This likely reflects an increase in saccadic range error with the increase in saccade size. Critically, however, there was no interaction between font size and line length. This suggests that when programming return-sweeps, the use of font size information does not depend on visual acuity at the saccade target. Instead, it appears that readers rely on global typographic properties of the text in order to maintain an optimal number of characters to the left of their first fixation on a new line

Morphology, phylogeny, and taxonomy of Microthlaspi (Brassicaceae: Coluteocarpeae) and related genera

The genus Thlaspi has been variously subdivided since its description by Linnaeus in 1753, but due to similarities in fruit shape several segregates have still not gained broad recognition, despite the fact that they are not directly related to Thlaspi. This applies especially to segregates now considered to belong to the tribe Coluteocarpeae, which includes several well-studied taxa, e.g., Noccaea caerulescens (syn. Thlaspi caerulescens), and the widespread Microthlaspi perfoliatum (syn. Thlaspi perfoliatum). The taxonomy of this tribe is still debated, as a series of detailed monographs on Coluteocarpeae was not published in English and a lack of phylogenetic resolution within this tribe was found in previous studies. The current study presents detailed phylogenetic investigations and a critical review of morphological features, with focus on taxa previously placed in Microthlaspi. Based on one nuclear (ITS) and two chloroplast (matK, trnL-F) loci, four strongly supported major groups were recovered among the Coluteocarpeae genera included, corresponding to Ihsanalshehbazia gen. nov., Friedrichkarlmeyeria gen. nov., Microthlaspi s.str., and Noccaea s.l. In addition, two new species of Microthlaspi, M. sylvarum-cedri sp. nov. and M. mediterraneo-orientale sp. nov., were discovered, which are well supported by both morphological and molecular data. Furthermore, M. erraticum comb. nov. (diploid) and M. perfoliatum s.str. (polyploid) were shown to be distinct species, phylogenetically widely separate, but with some overlap in several morphological characters. Detailed descriptions, notes on taxonomy, geographical distribution, and line drawings for the new species and each species previously included in Microthlaspi are provided. In addition, the current taxonomic state of the tribe Coluteocarpeae is briefly discussed and it is concluded that while several annual taxa are clearly distinct from Noccaea, many perennial taxa, after thorough phylogenetic and morphological investigations, may have to be merged with this genus. © International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) 2016