Star clusters near and far; tracing star formation across cosmic time

© 2020 Springer-Verlag. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-020-00690-x.Star clusters are fundamental units of stellar feedback and unique tracers of their host galactic properties. In this review, we will first focus on their constituents, i.e.\ detailed insight into their stellar populations and their surrounding ionised, warm, neutral, and molecular gas. We, then, move beyond the Local Group to review star cluster populations at various evolutionary stages, and in diverse galactic environmental conditions accessible in the local Universe. At high redshift, where conditions for cluster formation and evolution are more extreme, we are only able to observe the integrated light of a handful of objects that we believe will become globular clusters. We therefore discuss how numerical and analytical methods, informed by the observed properties of cluster populations in the local Universe, are used to develop sophisticated simulations potentially capable of disentangling the genetic map of galaxy formation and assembly that is carried by globular cluster populations.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), far detector technical design report, volume III: DUNE far detector technical coordination

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay—these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector technical design report (TDR) describes the DUNE physics program and the technical designs of the single- and dual-phase DUNE liquid argon TPC far detector modules. Volume III of this TDR describes how the activities required to design, construct, fabricate, install, and commission the DUNE far detector modules are organized and managed. This volume details the organizational structures that will carry out and/or oversee the planned far detector activities safely, successfully, on time, and on budget. It presents overviews of the facilities, supporting infrastructure, and detectors for context, and it outlines the project-related functions and methodologies used by the DUNE technical coordination organization, focusing on the areas of integration engineering, technical reviews, quality assurance and control, and safety oversight. Because of its more advanced stage of development, functional examples presented in this volume focus primarily on the single-phase (SP) detector module

Fatigue in sarcoidosis: American versus Dutch patients

Background. Fatigue is a major problem in sarcoidosis. Fatigue has mainly been examined in patients from the Netherlands. Objective: The aims of the study were to establish the prevalence of fatigue in US and Dutch patients and to determine whether fatigue was related to the common demographic and clinical parameters. Design: Two patients groups were studied: Dutch outpatients at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands (n = 121) and US patients at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the USA (n = 126). Both groups completed the Fatigue Assessment Scale. Clinical data were gathered from the patients' medical files. Results: The prevalence of fatigue was similar in the US and Dutch patients, but more severe in the latter group. Fatigue was unrelated to demographic and clinical parameters in the total group. However, when examining the US and Dutch patients separately, fatigue was associated with age, extrapulmonary involvement and drug use in the US group. Conclusions: Dutch patients report more severe fatigue compared with US patients. Interestingly, fatigue was related to clinical and demographical parameters in the US patients, although no such relationships was found in the Dutch patients. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2009; 26: 92-97

Fatigue in sarcoidosis: American versus Dutch patients

Background. Fatigue is a major problem in sarcoidosis. Fatigue has mainly been examined in patients from the Netherlands. Objective: The aims of the study were to establish the prevalence of fatigue in US and Dutch patients and to determine whether fatigue was related to the common demographic and clinical parameters. Design: Two patients groups were studied: Dutch outpatients at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands (n = 121) and US patients at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the USA (n = 126). Both groups completed the Fatigue Assessment Scale. Clinical data were gathered from the patients' medical files. Results: The prevalence of fatigue was similar in the US and Dutch patients, but more severe in the latter group. Fatigue was unrelated to demographic and clinical parameters in the total group. However, when examining the US and Dutch patients separately, fatigue was associated with age, extrapulmonary involvement and drug use in the US group. Conclusions: Dutch patients report more severe fatigue compared with US patients. Interestingly, fatigue was related to clinical and demographical parameters in the US patients, although no such relationships was found in the Dutch patients. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2009; 26: 92-97

Relative versus absolute change in forced vital capacity in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) over time reliably predicts mortality in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The use of this measure in clinical practice is recommended by current evidence-based guidelines. It is unknown if the method of calculating decline in FVC (relative vs. absolute change) impacts its frequency or its ability to predict mortality.METHODS: Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis from two prospective cohorts were included if they had a baseline and 12-month follow-up FVC. A ?10% decline in FVC from baseline was calculated in two ways: a relative decline of 10% (e.g., from 60% predicted to 54% predicted) and an absolute decline of 10% (e.g., from 60% predicted to 50% predicted). The frequency of a ?10% decline in FVC and its ability to predict 2-year transplant-free survival were compared between these two methods. Declines in FVC of ?5% and ?15% were similarly compared. Analyses were performed unadjusted and adjusted for age, gender, use of oxygen, baseline FVC and baseline diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide.RESULTS: The frequency of any given FVC decline was significantly greater using the relative change in FVC method. For ?10% decline, both methods predicted 2-year transplant-free survival with similar accuracy, and remained significant predictors after adjusting for baseline characteristics. The absolute change method appeared more predictive for ?5% decline.CONCLUSIONS: Using the relative change in FVC maximises the chance of identifying a ?10% decline in FVC without sacrificing prognostic accuracy. This may not hold true for ?5% decline in FVC. These findings have important implications for clinical practice and the design of clinical trials.<br/

Seasonal changes in the diel surfacing behaviour of the bimodally respiring turtle Rheodytes leukops

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship existed between the diel surfacing trends of the bimodally respiring freshwater turtle Rheodytes leukops and daily fluctuations in specific biotic and abiotic factors: The, diel surfacing behaviour of adult R. leukops was recorded over four consecutive seasons (Austral autumn 2000 - summer 2001) within Marlborough Creek, central Queensland, Australia, using pressure-sensitive time-depth recorders. Additionally, diurnal variations in water temperature and aquatic Po-2 level, as well as the turtle's behavioural state (i.e., active versus resting), were monitored. In autumn and summer, surfacing frequency increased significantly during the daylight hours, with peak levels normally occurring around dawn (0500-0700) and. dusk (1700-1900). However, no consistent diel surfacing trend was recorded, for the turtles in winter or spring, owing to considerable variation among individual R. leukops. Diurnal surfacing trends recorded for R. leukops in, autumn and summer are attributed to periods of increased activity (possibly associated with foraging) during the daylight hours and not to daily variations in water temperature or aquatic Po-2 level. Turtles generally remained at a depth greater than 1 m throughout the day, where the effect of diel fluctuations in water temperature,