The coordinated radio and infrared survey for high-mass star formation – IV. A new radio-selected sample of compact galactic planetary nebulae

We present a new radio-selected sample of PNe from the CORNISH survey. This is a radio continuum survey of the inner Galactic plane covering Galactic longitude, 10 1000 K) and located closer than 7 kpc. Within this sample is a water-maser PN with a spectral index of - 0.55 ± 0.08, which indicates non-thermal radio emission. Such a radio-selected sample, unaffected by extinction, will be particularly useful to compare with population synthesis models and should contribute to the understanding of the formation and evolution of PNe

The RMS survey: a census of massive YSO multiplicity in the K −band

Close to 100 per cent of massive stars are thought to be in binary systems. The multiplicity of massive stars seems to be intrinsically linked to their formation and evolution, and Massive Young Stellar Objects are key in observing this early stage of star formation. We have surveyed three samples totalling hundreds of MYSOs (>8M⊙) across the Galaxy from the RMS catalogue, using UKIDSS and VVV point source data, and UKIRT K −band imaging to probe separations between 0.8-9 arcsec (approx 1000-100,000 au). We have used statistical methods to determine the binary statistics of the samples, and we find binary fractions of 64 ± 4 per cent for the UKIDSS sample, 53 ± 4 per cent for the VVV sample, and 49 ± 8 per cent for the RMS imaging sample. Also we use the J − and K −band magnitudes as a proxy for the companion mass, and a significant fraction of the detected systems have estimated mass ratios greater than 0.5, suggesting a deviation from the capture formation scenario which would be aligned with random IMF sampling. Finally, we find that YSOs located in the outer Galaxy have a higher binary fraction than those in the inner Galaxy. This is likely due to a lower stellar background density than observed towards the inner Galaxy, resulting in higher probabilities for visual binaries to be physical companions. It does indicate a binary fraction in the probed separation range of close to 100 per cent without the need to consider selection biases

Uterine-artery embolization versus surgery for symptomatic uterine fibroids

<p><b>Background</b></p> <p>The efficacy and safety of uterine-artery embolization, as compared with standard surgical methods, for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids remain uncertain.</p> <p><b>Methods</b></p> <p>We conducted a randomized trial comparing uterine-artery embolization and surgery in women with symptomatic uterine fibroids. The primary outcome was quality of life at 1 year of follow-up, as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-36).</p> <p><b>Results</b></p> <p>Patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to undergo either uterine-artery embolization or surgery, with 106 patients undergoing embolization and 51 undergoing surgery (43 hysterectomies and 8 myomectomies). There were no significant differences between groups in any of the eight components of the SF-36 scores at 1 year. The embolization group had a shorter median duration of hospitalization than the surgical group (1 day vs. 5 days, P<0.001) and a shorter time before returning to work (P<0.001). At 1 year, symptom scores were better in the surgical group (P=0.03). During the first year of follow-up, there were 13 major adverse events in the embolization group (12%) and 10 in the surgical group (20%) (P=0.22), mostly related to the intervention. Ten patients in the embolization group (9%) required repeated embolization or hysterectomy for inadequate symptom control. After the first year of follow-up, 14 women in the embolization group (13%) required hospitalization, 3 of them for major adverse events and 11 for reintervention for treatment failure.</p> <p><b>Conclusions</b></p> <p>In women with symptomatic fibroids, the faster recovery after embolization must be weighed against the need for further treatment in a minority of patients.</p&gt