The inter-outburst behavior of cataclysmic variables

Existing International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) and American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) archive data was used to accomplish a large scale study of what happens to the ultraviolet flux of accretion disk systems during the quiescent intervals between outbursts and how it relates to the preceding outburst characteristics of amplitude and width. The data sample involved multiple IUE observations for 16 dwarf novae and 8 novae along with existing optical coverage. Results indicate that most systems show correlated ultraviolet (UV) flux behavior with interoutburst phase, with 60 percent of the dwarf novae and 50 percent of the novae having decreasing flux trends while 33 percent of the dwarf novae and 38 percent of the novae show rising UV flux during the quiescent interval. All of the dwarf novae with decreasing UV fluxes at 1475A have orbital periods longer than 4.4 hours, while all (except BV Cen) with flat or rising fluxes at 1475A have orbital periods less than two hours. There are not widespread correlations of the UV fluxes with the amplitude of the preceding outburst and no correlations with the width of the outburst. From a small sample (7) that have relatively large quiescent V magnitude changes between the IUE observations, most show a strong correlation between the UV and optical continuum. Interpretation of the results is complicated by not being able to determine how much the white dwarf contributes to the ultraviolet flux. However, it is now evident that noticeable changes are occurring in the hot zones in accreting systems long after the outburst, and not only for systems that are dominated by the white dwarf. Whether these differences are due to different outburst mechanisms or to changes on white dwarfs which provide varying contributions to the UV flux remains to be determined

Flickering in FU Orionis

We analyze new and published optical photometric data of FU Orionis, an eruptive pre-main sequence star. The outburst consists of a 5.5 mag rise at B with an e-folding timescale of roughly 50 days. The rates of decline at B and V are identical, 0.015 +- 0.001 mag per yr. Random fluctuations superimposed on this decline have an amplitude of 0.035 +- 0.005 mag at V and occur on timescales of 1 day or less. Correlations between V and the color indices U-B, B-V, and V-R indicate that the variable source has the optical colors of a G0 supergiant. We associate this behavior with small amplitude flickering of the inner accretion disk.Comment: 19 pages of text, 3 tables, and 6 figures to be published in the Astrophysical Journal, 10 March 200

The October 1985 Long Outburst of U Geminorum: Revealing the Viscous Time Scale in Long Orbital Period Dwarf Novae

We examine the AAVSO light curve of U Geminorum from 1908 to 2002, with particular focus on the October 1985 outburst. This outburst was longer than any other seen in U Gem by about a factor of 2, and appears to be unique among all dwarf nova outbursts seen in systems with orbital periods longer than 3 hr in that one can measure the decay time scale during the initial slow decay. This rate is ~26+-6 d/mag. Using estimates of the rate of accretion during outburst taken from Froning et al., one can show that ~1e24 g of gas was accreted onto the white dwarf during the outburst. When coupled with the viscous time inferred from the (short orbital period) SU UMa stars, the U Gem viscous time scale lends support to the standard model in which the decays in dwarf novae can either be viscous or thermal, with the ratio between them being roughly h/r where h is the vertical pressure scale height in the disk.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

The X-ray and extreme-ultraviolet flux evolution of SS Cygni throughout outburst

We present the most complete multiwavelength coverage of any dwarf nova outburst: simultaneous optical, Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer, and Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations of SS Cygni throughout a narrow asymmetric outburst. Our data show that the high-energy outburst begins in the X-ray waveband 0.9--1.4d after the beginning of the optical rise and 0.6d before the extreme-ultraviolet rise. The X-ray flux drops suddenly, immediately before the extreme-ultraviolet flux rise, supporting the view that both components arise in the boundary layer between the accretion disc and white dwarf surface. The early rise of the X-ray flux shows the propagation time of the outburst heating wave may have been previously overestimated. The transitions between X-ray and extreme-ultraviolet dominated emission are accompanied by intense variability in the X-ray flux, with timescales of minutes. As detailed by Mauche & Robinson, dwarf nova oscillations are detected throughout the extreme-ultraviolet outburst, but we find they are absent from the X-ray lightcurve. X-ray and extreme-ultraviolet luminosities imply accretion rates of 3e15g/s in quiescence, 1e16g/s when the boundary layer becomes optically thick, and \~1e18g/s at the peak of the outburst. The quiescent accretion rate is two and a half orders of magnitude higher than predicted by the standard disc instability model, and we suggest this may be because the inner accretion disc in SS Cyg is in a permanent outburst state.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures; accepted for publication in MNRA

Period and chemical evolution of SC stars

The SC and CS stars are thermal-pulsing AGB stars with C/O ratio close to unity. Within this small group, the Mira variable BH Cru recently evolved from spectral type SC (showing ZrO bands) to CS (showing weak C2). Wavelet analysis shows that the spectral evolution was accompanied by a dramatic period increase, from 420 to 540 days, indicating an expanding radius. The pulsation amplitude also increased. Old photographic plates are used to establish that the period before 1940 was around 490 days. Chemical models indicate that the spectral changes were caused by a decrease in stellar temperature, related to the increasing radius. There is no evidence for a change in C/O ratio. The evolution in BH Cru is unlikely to be related to an on-going thermal pulse. Periods of the other SC and CS stars, including nine new periods, are determined. A second SC star, LX Cyg, also shows evidence for a large increase in period, and one further star shows a period inconsistent with a previous determination. Mira periods may be intrinsically unstable for C/O ~ 1; possibly because of a feedback between the molecular opacities, pulsation amplitude, and period. LRS spectra of 6 SC stars suggest a feature at wavelength > 15 micron, which resembles one recently attributed to the iron-sulfide troilite. Chemical models predict a large abundance of FeS in SC stars, in agreement with the proposed association.Comment: 14 pages, 20 figures. MNRAS, 2004, accepted for publication. Janet Mattei, one of the authors, died on 22 March, 2004. This paper is dedicated to her memor

Genomic, Pathway Network, and Immunologic Features Distinguishing Squamous Carcinomas

This integrated, multiplatform PanCancer Atlas study co-mapped and identified distinguishing molecular features of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) from five sites associated with smokin

Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use in early acute respiratory distress syndrome : Insights from the LUNG SAFE study

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background: Concerns exist regarding the prevalence and impact of unnecessary oxygen use in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We examined this issue in patients with ARDS enrolled in the Large observational study to UNderstand the Global impact of Severe Acute respiratory FailurE (LUNG SAFE) study. Methods: In this secondary analysis of the LUNG SAFE study, we wished to determine the prevalence and the outcomes associated with hyperoxemia on day 1, sustained hyperoxemia, and excessive oxygen use in patients with early ARDS. Patients who fulfilled criteria of ARDS on day 1 and day 2 of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure were categorized based on the presence of hyperoxemia (PaO2 > 100 mmHg) on day 1, sustained (i.e., present on day 1 and day 2) hyperoxemia, or excessive oxygen use (FIO2 ≥ 0.60 during hyperoxemia). Results: Of 2005 patients that met the inclusion criteria, 131 (6.5%) were hypoxemic (PaO2 < 55 mmHg), 607 (30%) had hyperoxemia on day 1, and 250 (12%) had sustained hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use occurred in 400 (66%) out of 607 patients with hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use decreased from day 1 to day 2 of ARDS, with most hyperoxemic patients on day 2 receiving relatively low FIO2. Multivariate analyses found no independent relationship between day 1 hyperoxemia, sustained hyperoxemia, or excess FIO2 use and adverse clinical outcomes. Mortality was 42% in patients with excess FIO2 use, compared to 39% in a propensity-matched sample of normoxemic (PaO2 55-100 mmHg) patients (P = 0.47). Conclusions: Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use are both prevalent in early ARDS but are most often non-sustained. No relationship was found between hyperoxemia or excessive oxygen use and patient outcome in this cohort. Trial registration: LUNG-SAFE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02010073publishersversionPeer reviewe

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P &lt; 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Professional-Amateur Collaborations - The AAVSO Experience

The American Association of Variable Stars Observers coordinates, collects, evaluates, and archives variable star observations made largely by amateur astronomers around the world and publishes and disseminates these observations to researchers and educators worldwide. Its database of nearly 10 million observations is the largest and longest running in the world. The AAVSO website (http://www.aavso.org) is quite extensive. The AAVSO has a long history of collaborations between its amateur astronomer observers and professional astronomers. Many of the 250- 300 requests received yearly from astronomers for AAVSO data and services result in collaborative projects - particularly to help schedule observing runs with ground-based telescopes or with instruments aboard multiwavelength satellites, to provide simultaneous optical coverage of observing targets and to correlate multiwavelength data. The AAVSO, its observing programs and database are described and various successful AAVSO collaborations between professional astronomers and amateur astronomer observers involving space satellites are summarized