567 research outputs found
Low-Mass Eclipsing Binaries in the Initial Kepler Data Release
We identify 231 objects in the newly released Cycle 0 dataset from the Kepler
Mission as double-eclipse, detached eclipsing binary systems with Teff < 5500 K
and orbital periods shorter than ~32 days. We model each light curve using the
JKTEBOP code with a genetic algorithm to obtain precise values for each system.
We identify 95 new systems with both components below 1.0 M_sun and eclipses of
at least 0.1 magnitudes, suitable for ground-based follow-up. Of these, 14 have
periods less than 1.0 day, 52 have periods between 1.0 and 10.0 days, and 29
have periods greater than 10.0 days. This new sample of main-sequence,
low-mass, double-eclipse, detached eclipsing binary candidates more than
doubles the number of previously known systems, and extends the sample into the
completely heretofore unexplored P > 10.0 day period regime. We find
preliminary evidence from these systems that the radii of low-mass stars in
binary systems decrease with period. This supports the theory that binary
spin-up is the primary cause of inflated radii in low-mass binary systems,
although a full analysis of each system with radial-velocity and multi-color
light curves is needed to fully explore this hypothesis. As well, we present 7
new transiting planet candidates that do not appear among the recently released
list of 706 candidates by the Kepler team, nor in the Kepler False Positive
Catalog, along with several other new and interesting systems. We also present
novel techniques for the identification, period analysis, and modeling of
eclipsing binaries.Comment: 22 pages in emulateapj format. 9 figures, 4 tables, 2 appendices.
Accepted to AJ. Includes a significant addition of new material since last
arXiv submission and an updated method for estimating masses and radi
Meditation experts try Virtual Reality Mindfulness: a pilot study evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of Virtual Reality to facilitate mindfulness practice in people attending a Mindfulness conference
Regular mindfulness practice benefits people both mentally and physically, but many populations who could benefit do not practice mindfulness. Virtual Reality (VR) is a new technology that helps capture participants’ attention and gives users the illusion of “being there” in the 3D computer generated environment, facilitating sense of presence. By limiting distractions from the real world, increasing sense of presence and giving people an interesting place to go to practice mindfulness, Virtual Reality may facilitate mindfulness practice. Traditional Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT®) mindfulness skills training was specifically designed for clinical treatment of people who have trouble focusing attention, however severe patients often show difficulties or lack of motivation to practice mindfulness during the training. The present pilot study explored whether a sample of mindfulness experts would find useful and recommend a new VR Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT®) mindfulness skills training technique and whether they would show any benefit. Forty four participants attending a mindfulness conference put on an Oculus Rift DK2 Virtual Reality helmet and floated down a calm 3D computer generated virtual river while listening to digitized DBT® mindfulness skills training instructions. On subjective questionnaires completed by the participants before and after the VR DBT® mindfulness skills training session, participants reported increases/improvements in state of mindfulness, and reductions in negative emotional states. After VR, participants reported significantly less sadness, anger, and anxiety, and reported being significantly more relaxed. Participants reported a moderate to strong illusion of going inside the 3D computer generated world (i.e., moderate to high “presence” in VR) and showed high acceptance of VR as a technique to practice mindfulness. These results show encouraging preliminary evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of using VR to practice mindfulness based on clinical expert feedback. VR is a technology with potential to increase computerized dissemination of DBT® skills training modules. Future research is warranted
Hydrodynamics of high-redshift galaxy collisions: From gas-rich disks to dispersion-dominated mergers and compact spheroids
Disk galaxies at high redshift (z~2) are characterized by high fractions of
cold gas, strong turbulence, and giant star-forming clumps. Major mergers of
disk galaxies at high redshift should then generally involve such turbulent
clumpy disks. Merger simulations, however, model the ISM as a stable,
homogeneous, and thermally pressurized medium. We present the first merger
simulations with high fractions of cold, turbulent, and clumpy gas. We discuss
the major new features of these models compared to models where the gas is
artificially stabilized and warmed. Gas turbulence, which is already strong in
high-redshift disks, is further enhanced in mergers. Some phases are
dispersion-dominated, with most of the gas kinetic energy in the form of
velocity dispersion and very chaotic velocity fields, unlike merger models
using a thermally stabilized gas. These mergers can reach very high star
formation rates, and have multi-component gas spectra consistent with
SubMillimeter Galaxies. Major mergers with high fractions of cold turbulent gas
are also characterized by highly dissipative gas collapse to the center of
mass, with the stellar component following in a global contraction. The final
galaxies are early-type with relatively small radii and high Sersic indices,
like high-redshift compact spheroids. The mass fraction in a disk component
that survives or re-forms after a merger is severely reduced compared to models
with stabilized gas, and the formation of a massive disk component would
require significant accretion of external baryons afterwards. Mergers thus
appear to destroy extended disks even when the gas fraction is high, and this
lends further support to smooth infall as the main formation mechanism for
massive disk galaxies.Comment: ApJ accepte
A functional definition to distinguish ponds from lakes and wetlands
Ponds are often identified by their small size and shallow depths, but the lack of a universal evidence-based definition hampers science and weakens legal protection. Here, we compile existing pond definitions, compare ecosystem metrics (e.g., metabolism, nutrient concentrations, and gas fluxes) among ponds, wetlands, and lakes, and propose an evidence-based pond definition. Compiled definitions often mentioned surface area and depth, but were largely qualitative and variable. Government legislation rarely defined ponds, despite commonly using the term. Ponds, as defined in published studies, varied in origin and hydroperiod and were often distinct from lakes and wetlands in water chemistry. We also compared how ecosystem metrics related to three variables often seen in waterbody definitions: waterbody size, maximum depth, and emergent vegetation cover. Most ecosystem metrics (e.g., water chemistry, gas fluxes, and metabolism) exhibited nonlinear relationships with these variables, with average threshold changes at 3.7 ± 1.8 ha (median: 1.5 ha) in surface area, 5.8 ± 2.5 m (median: 5.2 m) in depth, and 13.4 ± 6.3% (median: 8.2%) emergent vegetation cover. We use this evidence and prior definitions to define ponds as waterbodies that are small (< 5 ha), shallow (< 5 m), with < 30% emergent vegetation and we highlight areas for further study near these boundaries. This definition will inform the science, policy, and management of globally abundant and ecologically significant pond ecosystems.Fil: Richardson, David C.. State University of New York at New Paltz; Estados UnidosFil: Holgerson, Meredith A.. Cornell University; Estados UnidosFil: Farragher, Matthew J.. University of Maine; Estados UnidosFil: Hoffman, Kathryn K.. No especifíca;Fil: King, Katelyn B. S.. Michigan State University; Estados UnidosFil: Alfonso, María Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: Andersen, Mikkel R.. No especifíca;Fil: Cheruveil, Kendra Spence. Michigan State University; Estados UnidosFil: Coleman, Kristen A.. University of York; Reino UnidoFil: Farruggia, Mary Jade. University of California at Davis; Estados UnidosFil: Fernandez, Rocio Luz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Hondula, Kelly L.. No especifíca;Fil: López Moreira Mazacotte, Gregorio A.. Leibniz - Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries; AlemaniaFil: Paul, Katherine. No especifíca;Fil: Peierls, Benjamin L.. No especifíca;Fil: Rabaey, Joseph S.. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Sadro, Steven. University of California at Davis; Estados UnidosFil: Sánchez, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Smyth, Robyn L.. No especifíca;Fil: Sweetman, Jon N.. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados Unido
Advanced Technologies for Oral Controlled Release: Cyclodextrins for oral controlled release
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are used in oral pharmaceutical formulations, by means of inclusion complexes formation, with the following advantages for the drugs: (1) solubility, dissolution rate, stability and bioavailability enhancement; (2) to modify the drug release site and/or time profile; and (3) to reduce or prevent gastrointestinal side effects and unpleasant smell or taste, to prevent drug-drug or drug-additive interactions, or even to convert oil and liquid drugs into microcrystalline or amorphous powders. A more recent trend focuses on the use of CDs as nanocarriers, a strategy that aims to design versatile delivery systems that can encapsulate drugs with better physicochemical properties for oral delivery. Thus, the aim of this work was to review the applications of the CDs and their hydrophilic derivatives on the solubility enhancement of poorly water soluble drugs in order to increase their dissolution rate and get immediate release, as well as their ability to control (to prolong or to delay) the release of drugs from solid dosage forms, either as complexes with the hydrophilic (e.g. as osmotic pumps) and/ or hydrophobic CDs. New controlled delivery systems based on nanotechonology carriers (nanoparticles and conjugates) have also been reviewed
Study of Leading Hadrons in Gluon and Quark Fragmentation
The study of quark jets in e+e- reactions at LEP has demonstrated that the
hadronisation process is reproduced well by the Lund string model. However, our
understanding of gluon fragmentation is less complete. In this study enriched
quark and gluon jet samples of different purities are selected in three-jet
events from hadronic decays of the Z collected by the DELPHI experiment in the
LEP runs during 1994 and 1995. The leading systems of the two kinds of jets are
defined by requiring a rapidity gap and their sum of charges is studied. An
excess of leading systems with total charge zero is found for gluon jets in all
cases, when compared to Monte Carlo Simulations with JETSET (with and without
Bose-Einstein correlations included) and ARIADNE. The corresponding leading
systems of quark jets do not exhibit such an excess. The influence of the gap
size and of the gluon purity on the effect is studied and a concentration of
the excess of neutral leading systems at low invariant masses (<~ 2 GeV/c^2) is
observed, indicating that gluon jets might have an additional hitherto
undetected fragmentation mode via a two-gluon system. This could be an
indication of a possible production of gluonic states as predicted by QCD.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures, Accepted by Phys. Lett.
Does the resistance to glyphosate herbicide affect the competitive ability of ryegrass with soybean?
Mental Health and Wellbeing Implications of the COVID-19 Quarantine for Disabled and Disadvantaged Children and Young People: Evidence from a Cross-cultural Study in Zambia and Sierra Leone
Background
The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantining on children and young people (CYP) living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has yet to be fully comprehended. CYP in LMICs are at utmost risk, given the COVID-19-related restrictions and social distancing measures, resulting in reduced access to school-based services for nutritional and mental health needs. This study examined mental health of CYP during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Zambia and Sierra Leone.
Method
A total of 468 disabled and disadvantaged CYP aged 12 to 25 completed a planning tool that comprised the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), as well as open-ended questions covering social connectedness, physical distancing and educational challenges during the lockdown. The community coaches screened individuals and families who could be eligible to receive emergency aid, and based on a convenience sample following distribution of aid, recipients were invited to complete the online planning tool.
Results
The data showed that participants in the global south have increasing anxieties and fears centred on accessing offline educational resources and income loss in the family effecting food security and their ability to return to education. Mean (SD) SWEMWBS scores for all participants in Zambia and Sierra Leone, were 19.61 (3.45) and 21.65 (2.84), respectively. Mental well-being scores were lower in females, children aged 12-14 and participants with two or more disabilities. Factors significantly associated with poor mental wellbeing in the sample were: type of disability, nationality, peer relationships, connection to others during the pandemic, knowledge about COVID-19, worry about the long-term impact of COVID-19, and the types of self-isolating.
Conclusion
The study shows that participants who self-reported low levels of COVID-19 health literacy also scored low on the mental wellbeing self-assessment. Yet, despite undoubted limited resources, these CYP are doing well in identifying their needs and maintaining hope in the face of the problems associated with COVID-19 in countries where stigma persists around mental ill-health
The role of cold gas and environment on the stellar mass - metallicity relation of nearby galaxies
We investigate the relationship between stellar mass, metallicity and gas
content for a magnitude- and volume-limited sample of 260 nearby late-type
galaxies in different environments, from isolated galaxies to Virgo cluster
members. We derive oxygen abundance estimates using new integrated, drift-scan
optical spectroscopy and the base metallicity calibrations of Kewley & Ellison
(2008). Combining these measurements with ultraviolet to near-infrared
photometry and HI 21 cm line observations, we examine the relations between
stellar mass, metallicity, gas mass fraction and star formation rate. We find
that, at fixed stellar mass, galaxies with lower gas fractions typically also
possess higher oxygen abundances. We also observe a relationship between gas
fraction and metal content, whereby gas-poor galaxies are typically more
metal-rich, and demonstrate that the removal of gas from the outskirts of
spirals increases the observed average metallicity by approximately 0.1 dex.
Although some cluster galaxies are gas-deficient objects, statistically the
stellar-mass metallicity relation is nearly invariant to the environment, in
agreement with recent studies. These results indicate that internal
evolutionary processes, rather than environmental effects, play a key role in
shaping the stellar mass-metallicity relation. In addition, we present
metallicity estimates based on observations of 478 nearby galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 28 pages, including 10 figures and 3
table
Can’t get you out of my mind: empathy, distress, and recurring thoughts about a person in need
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