865 research outputs found
Detection of HI 21 cm-line absorption in the Warm Neutral Medium and in the Outer Arm of the Galaxy
Using the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, we have detected HI 21
cm-line absorption in the Warm Neutral Medium of the Galaxy toward the
extragalactic source 3C147. This absorption, at an LSR velocity of -29+/-4 km/s
with a full width at half maximum of 53+/-6 km/s, is associated with the
Perseus Arm of the Galaxy. The observed optical depth is (1.9+/-0.2)*10**(-3).
The estimated spin temperature of the gas is 3600+/-360 K. The volume density
is 0.4 per cc assuming pressure equilibrium. Toward two other sources, 3C273
and 3C295, no wide HI 21 cm-line absorption was detected. The highest of the
3sigma lower limits on the spin temperature of the Warm Neutral Medium is 2600
K. In addition, we have also detected HI 21 cm-line absorption from high
velocity clouds in the Outer Arm toward 3C147 and 3C380 at LSR velocities of
-117.3, -124.5 and -113.7 km/s respectively. We find two distinct temperature
components in the high velocity clouds with spin temperatures of greater than
1000 K and less than 200 K, respectively.Comment: 21 pages inclusive of 7 figures and 2 table
The safety of double- and triple-drug community mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis: A multicenter, open-label, cluster-randomized study
Linear independence of Gamma values in positive characteristic
We investigate the arithmetic nature of special values of Thakur's function
field Gamma function at rational points. Our main result is that all linear
independence relations over the field of algebraic functions are consequences
of the known relations of Anderson and Thakur arising from the functional
equations of the Gamma function.Comment: 51 page
Impact of annual versus semiannual mass drug administration with ivermectin and albendazole on helminth infections in southeastern Liberia
We compared the impact of three rounds of annual and five rounds of semiannual mass drug administration (MDA) with albendazole plus ivermectin on helminthic infections in Liberia. Repeated annual cross-sectional community surveys were conducted between 2013 and 2019 in individuals of 5 years and older. Primary outcome was the change of infection prevalence estimates from baseline to month 36 (12 months after the last treatment). After three rounds of annual MDA, Wuchereria bancrofti circulating filarial antigen (CFA) and microfilaria (Mf) prevalence estimates decreased from 19.7% to 4.3% and from 8.6% to 0%, respectively; after semiannual MDA, CFA and Mf prevalences decreased from 37.8% to 16.8% and 17.9% to 1%, respectively. Mixed effects logistic regression models indicated that the odds of having Mf decreased by 97% (P \u3c 0.001) at month 36 (similar odds for annual and semiannual MDA zones). A parallel analysis showed that the odds of CFA were reduced by 83% and 69% at 36 months in the annual and semiannual treatment zones, respectively (P \u3c 0.001). Onchocerca volvulus Mf prevalence decreased slightly after multiple MDA rounds in both treatment zones. Reductions in hookworm and Trichuris trichiura prevalences and intensities were slightly greater in the annual treatment zone. Ascaris lumbricoides prevalence rates were relatively unchanged, although infection intensities decreased sharply throughout. Results show that annual and semiannual MDA were equally effective for reducing LF and soil-transmitted helminth infection parameters over a 3-year period, and reductions recorded at month 36 were sustained by routine annual MDA through month 72
Impact of annual and semi-annual mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis on hookworm infection in Côte d\u27Ivoire
Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programs to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) in western Africa use the anthelminthics ivermectin plus albendazole. These drugs have the potential to impact also Soil-Transmitted Helminth (STH) infections, since the drugs have a broad range of anthelminthic activity. Integration of preventive chemotherapy efforts for LF, onchocerciasis and STH is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to avoid duplication of MDA and to reduce costs. The objective of the current study was to determine whether five semi-annual rounds of community-wide MDA to eliminate LF and onchocerciasis have a greater impact on STH than three annual rounds of MDA with similar compliance. The effects of MDA using ivermectin (IVM, 0.2 mg/kg) combined with albendazole (ALB, 400 mg) on the prevalence and intensity of hookworm infection were evaluated in the Abengourou (annual MDA) and Akoupé (semi-annual MDA) health Districts in eastern Côte d\u27Ivoire from 2014 to 2017. A cross-sectional approach was used together with mixed logistic regression, and mixed linear models. Subjects were tested for STH using the Kato-Katz technique before the first round of MDA and 12, 24, and 36 months after the first round of MDA. The mean self-reported MDA compliance assessed during the survey was 65%, and no difference was observed between treatment areas. These results were confirmed by an independent coverage survey as recommended by WHO. Hookworm was the most prevalent STH species in both areas (23.9% vs 12.4%) and the prevalence of other STH species was less than 1%. The crude prevalence of hookworm dropped significantly, from 23.9% to 5.5% (p \u3c0.001, 77% reduction) in the annual MDA treatment area and from 12.4% to 1.9% (p \u3c0.001, 85% reduction) in the semi-annual treatment area. The average intensity of hookworm infection decreased in the annual MDA area (406.2 epg to 118.3 epg), but not in the semi-annual MDA area (804.9 epg to 875.0 epg). Moderate and heavy infections (1% and 1.3% at baseline) were reduced to 0% and 0.4% in the annual and semi-annual treatment areas, respectively. Using a mixed logistic regression model, and after adjusting for baseline prevalence, only the year 2 re-examination showed a difference in prevalence between treatments (OR: 2.26 [95% CI: 1.03, 4.98], p = 0.043). Analysis of intensity of hookworm infection indicated also that treatment differences varied by follow-up visit. In conclusion twelve months after the last treatment cycle, three annual and five semi-annual rounds of community-wide MDA with the combination of IVM and ALB showed strong, but similar impact on hookworm prevalence and intensity in eastern Côte d\u27Ivoire. Therefore, an annual MDA regimen seems to be an efficient strategy to control hookworm infection in endemic areas with low and moderate infection prevalence. Trial registration: The study was registered at ClinicalTrial.gov under the number NTC02032043
On the Origin of the Wide HI Absorption Line Toward Sgr A*
We have imaged a region of about 5' extent surrounding Sgr A* in the HI 21
cm-line absorption using the Very Large Array. A Gaussian decomposition of the
optical depth spectra at positions within about 2' (approx. 5 pc at 8.5 kpc) of
Sgr A* detects a wide line underlying the many narrow absorption lines. The
wide line has a mean peak optical depth of 0.32 +/- 0.12 centered at a mean
velocity of V(lsr) = -4 +/- 15 km/s. The mean full width at half maximum is 119
+/- 42 km/s. Such a wide line is absent in the spectra at positions beyond
about 2' from Sgr A*. The position-velocity diagrams in optical depth reveal
that the wide line originates in various components of the circumnuclear disk
(radius approx. 1.3') surrounding Sgr A*. These components contribute to the
optical depth of the wide line in different velocity ranges. The
position-velocity diagrams do not reveal any diffuse feature which could be
attributed to a large number of HI clouds along the line of sight to Sgr A*.
Consequently, the wide line has no implications either to a global population
of shocked HI clouds in the Galaxy or to the energetics of the interstellar
medium as was earlier thought.Comment: LaTeX, 12 pages and 9 figures, accepted for publication in J.
Astrophys. Ast
Localization and Characterization of STRO-1+ Cells in the Deer Pedicle and Regenerating Antler
The annual regeneration of deer antlers is a unique developmental event in mammals, which as a rule possess only a very limited capacity to regenerate lost appendages. Studying antler regeneration can therefore provide a deeper insight into the mechanisms that prevent limb regeneration in humans and other mammals, and, with regard to medical treatments, may possibly even show ways how to overcome these limitations. Traditionally, antler regeneration has been characterized as a process involving the formation of a blastema from de-differentiated cells. More recently it has, however, been hypothesized that antler regeneration is a stem cell-based process. Thus far, direct evidence for the presence of stem cells in primary or regenerating antlers was lacking. Here we demonstrate the presence of cells positive for the mesenchymal stem cell marker STRO-1 in the chondrogenic growth zone and the perivascular tissue of the cartilaginous zone in primary and regenerating antlers as well as in the pedicle of fallow deer (Dama dama). In addition, cells positive for the stem cell/progenitor cell markers STRO-1, CD133 and CD271 (LNGFR) were isolated from the growth zones of regenerating fallow deer antlers as well as the pedicle periosteum and cultivated for extended periods of time. We found evidence that STRO-1+ cells isolated from the different locations are able to differentiate in vitro along the osteogenic and adipogenic lineages. Our results support the view that the annual process of antler regeneration might depend on the periodic activation of mesenchymal progenitor cells located in the pedicle periosteum. The findings of the present study indicate that not only limited tissue regeneration, but also extensive appendage regeneration in a postnatal mammal can occur as a stem cell-based process
VLA Detection of RRLs from the radio nucleus of NGC 253 : Ionization by a weak AGN, an obscured SSC or a compact SNR ?
We have imaged the H92alpha and H75alpha radio recombination line (RRL)
emissions from the starburst galaxy NGC 253 with a resolution of ~4 pc. The
peak of the RRL emission at both frequencies coincides with the unresolved
radio nucleus. Both lines observed towards the nucleus are extremely wide, with
FWHM of ~200 km /s. Modeling the RRL and radio continuum data for the radio
nucleus shows that the lines arise in gas whose density is ~10^4 \cc and mass
is few thousand Msun, which requires an ionizing flux of (6-20)x10^{51} photons
/s. We consider a SNR expanding in a dense medium, a star cluster and also an
AGN as potential ionizing sources. Based on dynamical arguments, we rule out an
SNR as a viable ionizing source. A star cluster model was considered and the
dynamics of the ionized gas in a stellar-wind driven structure was
investigated. Such a model is consistent with the properties of the ionized gas
only for a cluster younger than ~10^5 years. The existence of such a young
cluster at the nucleus seems improbable. The third model assumes the ionizing
source to be an AGN at the nucleus. In this model, it was shown that the
observed X-ray flux is too weak to account for the required ionizing photon
flux. However, the ionization requirement can be explained if the accretion
disk is assumed to have a Big Blue Bump in its spectrum. Hence, we favor an AGN
at the nucleus as the source responsible for ionizing the observed RRLs. A
hybrid model consisting of a inner ADAF disk and an outer thin disk is
suggested, which could explain the radio, UV and the X-ray luminosities of the
nucleus.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap
Detection of HI 21cm Absorption by the Warm Neutral Medium
We have detected HI 21cm line absorption by the Warm Neutral Medium (WNM)
using the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. The absorption was detected
toward Cygnus A at LSR velocities of -40 and -70 km s^{-1}. These two velocity
ranges were previously identified as being relatively free of cold absorbing
clouds. The measured optical depth for the WNM along the line of sight to
Cygnus A is 8.9+/-1.9 x10^{-4} at -70 km s^{-1}, and 8.5+/-2.0 x10^{-4} at -40
km s^{-1}, with corresponding spin temperatures of 6000+/-1700 K and
4800+/-1600 K, respectively. The volume filling factor for the WNM appears to
be fairly high (f = 0.4)
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