A 1500 deg2 near infrared proper motion catalogue from the UKIDSS Large Area Survey

The United Kingdom Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS) began in 2005, with the start of the UKIDSS programme as a 7 year effort to survey roughly 4000 deg2 at high Galactic latitudes in Y, J, H and K bands. The survey also included a significant quantity of two epoch J band observations, with an epoch baseline greater than 2 years to calculate proper motions. We present a near-infrared proper motion catalogue for the 1500 deg2 of the two epoch LAS data, which includes 135 625 stellar sources and a further 88 324 with ambiguous morphological classifications, all with motions detected above the 5σ level. We developed a custom proper motion pipeline which we describe here. Our catalogue agrees well with the proper motion data supplied for a 300 deg2 subset in the current Wide Field Camera Science Archive (WSA) 10th data release (DR10) catalogue, and in various optical catalogues, but it benefits from a larger matching radius and hence a larger upper proper motion detection limit. We provide absolute proper motions, using LAS galaxies for the relative to absolute correction. By using local second-order polynomial transformations, as opposed to linear transformations in the WSA, we correct better for any local distortions in the focal plane, not including the radial distortion that is removed by the UKIDSS pipeline. We present the results of proper motion searches for new brown dwarfs and white dwarfs. We discuss 41 sources in the WSA DR10 overlap with our catalogue with proper motions >300 mas yr−1, several of which are new detections. We present 15 new candidate ultracool dwarf binary systems

Who is My Partner and How Do We Dance? Technological Collaboration and Patenting Speed in US Biotechnology

In settings where patents and intellectual property provide a strong regime of appropriability, the race to be the first firm to patent a product or a process is a central feature of competition. In this context, we hypothesize that cooperative arrangements that only gain access to external knowledge contribute less to heterogeneity between firms and have a much weaker influence on patenting than alliances that transfer highly firm-specific knowledge, residing in individual and social relationships. We also hypothesize that cooperations between private firms and public organizations accelerate the rate of patenting to a higher degree than cooperations among private firms. We develop and test these ideas on the population of 839 US biotechnology firms between 1973 and 2003. We discuss the importance of our findings on the debate about the value of knowledge access versus knowledge transfer in strategic alliances

CMB-S4: Forecasting Constraints on Primordial Gravitational Waves

CMB-S4---the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment---is set to significantly advance the sensitivity of CMB measurements and enhance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the Universe, from the highest energies at the dawn of time through the growth of structure to the present day. Among the science cases pursued with CMB-S4, the quest for detecting primordial gravitational waves is a central driver of the experimental design. This work details the development of a forecasting framework that includes a power-spectrum-based semi-analytic projection tool, targeted explicitly towards optimizing constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, $r$, in the presence of Galactic foregrounds and gravitational lensing of the CMB. This framework is unique in its direct use of information from the achieved performance of current Stage 2--3 CMB experiments to robustly forecast the science reach of upcoming CMB-polarization endeavors. The methodology allows for rapid iteration over experimental configurations and offers a flexible way to optimize the design of future experiments given a desired scientific goal. To form a closed-loop process, we couple this semi-analytic tool with map-based validation studies, which allow for the injection of additional complexity and verification of our forecasts with several independent analysis methods. We document multiple rounds of forecasts for CMB-S4 using this process and the resulting establishment of the current reference design of the primordial gravitational-wave component of the Stage-4 experiment, optimized to achieve our science goals of detecting primordial gravitational waves for $r > 0.003$ at greater than $5\sigma$, or, in the absence of a detection, of reaching an upper limit of $r < 0.001$ at $95\%$ CL.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, 9 tables, submitted to ApJ. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1907.0447

Home-owned versus foreign-owned firms in the UK automotive industry : exploring the microfoundations of ambidextrous production and supply chain positioning

The UK automotive industry is home to a large number of foreign firms, demonstrating the open nature of competition. However, the industry necessitates both exploitative and explorative capabilities. Contingency theory suggests that firms align their internal structure with contextual factors. As such, the aims of this study were to investigate whether it was possible to distinguish home-owned (UK) and foreign-owned firms based upon: a) the microfoundations of ambidextrous production, which are conceptualised as lean and agile routines; and b) the tier at which these firms operate in the automotive supply chain. Survey data were collected from 85 home-owned and 55 foreign-owned firms within the UK Midlands automotive industry. Logistic regression results revealed that home-owned firms were significantly more likely to be implementing explorative (agile) production methods, whereas foreign-owned firms were significantly more likely to be implementing exploitative (lean) production. Home-owned and foreign-owned firms were found to be significantly more likely to be operating upstream and downstream in the automotive supply chain respectively. Thus, the findings support a contingency theory explanation, suggesting that firms align their performance priorities with contextual factors, but we argue that home-owned and foreign-owned firms have evolved to compete based on their different innovative capabilities, which are located at different tiers of the automotive supply chain. On this basis, although neither home-owned nor foreign-owned firms were found to be endogenously ambidextrous, we argue that foreign-owned firms internationalise into the UK automotive sector to exploit the explorative capabilities acquired by home-owned firms operating upstream in automotive supply chains, thus enabling ambidextrous capabilities at an exogenous, industrial level

High value manufacturing : capability, appropriation, and governance

Manufacturing competitiveness is on many policy agendas, born out of a concern for firms in high-cost economies finding themselves outcompeted by low-cost rivals. Government policy makers and manufacturing firm strategists have put their faith in what we label as high value manufacturing (HVM). We see HVM as an incipient phenomenon currently in a situation of prescience, as something that is still “in-the-making,” with manufacturing firms trying to find ways to be able to step away from having to compete on price. This paper consults relevant strategy theories with the purpose to pinpoint the issues and problems that need to be accommodated for bringing HVM into being and for creating the effects that are anticipated. We found that HVM must be seen as a distributed activity, thus realizing complex functionality for a system-of-use, while being subjected to path constitution. For HVM to function, the firms involved need to find solutions to the capability problem, the appropriation problem, and the governance problem. We suggest that further research needs to involve itself in problem-solving activity to assist in bringing HVM about while simultaneously further developing strategy theory geared toward firms that are involved in a distributed activity like HVM

CMB-S4: Forecasting Constraints on Primordial Gravitational Waves

Abstract: CMB-S4—the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment—is set to significantly advance the sensitivity of CMB measurements and enhance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the universe. Among the science cases pursued with CMB-S4, the quest for detecting primordial gravitational waves is a central driver of the experimental design. This work details the development of a forecasting framework that includes a power-spectrum-based semianalytic projection tool, targeted explicitly toward optimizing constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, in the presence of Galactic foregrounds and gravitational lensing of the CMB. This framework is unique in its direct use of information from the achieved performance of current Stage 2–3 CMB experiments to robustly forecast the science reach of upcoming CMB-polarization endeavors. The methodology allows for rapid iteration over experimental configurations and offers a flexible way to optimize the design of future experiments, given a desired scientific goal. To form a closed-loop process, we couple this semianalytic tool with map-based validation studies, which allow for the injection of additional complexity and verification of our forecasts with several independent analysis methods. We document multiple rounds of forecasts for CMB-S4 using this process and the resulting establishment of the current reference design of the primordial gravitational-wave component of the Stage-4 experiment, optimized to achieve our science goals of detecting primordial gravitational waves for r > 0.003 at greater than 5σ, or in the absence of a detection, of reaching an upper limit of r < 0.001 at 95% CL

Quantitative data analysis and functional testicular evaluation using PET/CT and FDG

Le but de cette thèse est d'évaluer l'utilisation de la TEP/CT avec le 18F-FDG pour l'évaluation de la fonction testiculaire et d'optimiser et de standardiser le protocole d'acquisition et l'analyse du volume testiculaire pour ce faire. Dans le chapitre I, nous donnons un aperçu de la littérature où nous établissons que l'absorption de 18F-FDG est corrélée avec la spermatogenèse en raison de la présence des transporteurs GLUT 3 sur les cellules de Sertoli et les spermatides et non sur les cellules de Leydig qui sont responsables de la stéroïdogenèse. Nous donnons ensuite un aperçu du problème de santé publique que pose la stérilité masculine en indiquant les différentes applications cliniques possibles de l'imagerie fonctionnelle des testicules. Dans le chapitre II, nous examinons la corrélation significative entre l'absorption de 18F-FDG en termes d'intensité et de volume d'absorption et la fonction testiculaire via les paramètres de l'analyse du sperme. Dans le chapitre III, nous nous concentrons sur la standardisation du protocole d'acquisition pour cette indication spécifique, après un bref aperçu technique de la TEP/TDM et de ses limites. La première étude ayant été réalisée par le biais d'un volume testiculaire délimité manuellement, nous avons ré-analysé la corrélation avec une méthode de segmentation adaptative solide et reproductible du volume dans un deuxième article. Nous nous sommes également concentrés sur l'optimisation du protocole d'acquisition en évaluant l'impact de l'activité urinaire intense sur l'absorption testiculaire. Nous avons d'abord examiné cet impact à l'aide d'études de fantômes dans lesquelles nous avons simulé la vessie et les testicules. Nous avons ensuite procédé à une étude clinique visant à évaluer et à comparer deux protocoles de diurétiques. Dans le chapitre IV, nous abordons le sujet important, et encore plus dans ce contexte andrologique, des problèmes liés à la radioprotection d'une TEP/CT avec le 18F-FDG. Enfin, dans le chapitre V, nous donnons un aperçu de certaines des questions qui restent à traiter et des perspectives futures de cette nouvelle orientation dans le domaine de la médecine nucléaire que nous pourrions appeler "andrologie nucléaire".The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the use of PET/CT with 18F-FDG for an assessment of the testicular function and to optimise and standardise the acquisition protocol and the testicular volume analysis in order to do that. In chapter I we provide a literature overview where we establish that the 18F-FDG uptake is correlated with the spermatogenesis because of the presence of GLUT 3 transporters on the Sertoli cells and the spermatides and not on the Leydig cells which are responsible for the steroidogenesis. We then provide an overview of the public health problem of male infertility where we point out different possible clinical applications for testicular functional imaging. In chapter II we examine the significant correlation between 18F-FDG uptake in terms of intensity and volume of uptake and the testicular function via the parameters of the sperm analysis. In chapter III, we focus on the standardisation of the acquisition protocol for this specific indication, after a brief technical overview of the PET/CT and of its limitations. Because the first study was done via a manually delineated testicular volume, we re-analysed the correlation with a solid and reproducible adaptive volume segmentation method in a second article. We further focussed on optimising the acquisition protocol by evaluating the impact of the intense urinary activity on the testicular uptake. First we examined this impact with phantom studies where we simulated the bladder and the testes. We proceeded with a clinical study where we aimed to evaluate and compare 2 diuretic protocols. In chapter IV we address the overall important subject, and even more so in this andrological context, of the radioprotection related issues of a PET/CT with 18F-FDG. Finally, in chapter V we provide an overview of some of the issues still to be addressed and the future perspectives for this new direction in the field of nuclear medicine that we could name 'nuclear andrology'

Analyse quantitative et évaluation de la fonction testiculaire en utilisant TEP-TDM au FDG

Le but de cette thèse est d'évaluer l'utilisation de la TEP/CT avec le 18F-FDG pour l'évaluation de la fonction testiculaire et d'optimiser et de standardiser le protocole d'acquisition et l'analyse du volume testiculaire pour ce faire. Dans le chapitre I, nous donnons un aperçu de la littérature où nous établissons que l'absorption de 18F-FDG est corrélée avec la spermatogenèse en raison de la présence des transporteurs GLUT 3 sur les cellules de Sertoli et les spermatides et non sur les cellules de Leydig qui sont responsables de la stéroïdogenèse. Nous donnons ensuite un aperçu du problème de santé publique que pose la stérilité masculine en indiquant les différentes applications cliniques possibles de l'imagerie fonctionnelle des testicules. Dans le chapitre II, nous examinons la corrélation significative entre l'absorption de 18F-FDG en termes d'intensité et de volume d'absorption et la fonction testiculaire via les paramètres de l'analyse du sperme. Dans le chapitre III, nous nous concentrons sur la standardisation du protocole d'acquisition pour cette indication spécifique, après un bref aperçu technique de la TEP/TDM et de ses limites. La première étude ayant été réalisée par le biais d'un volume testiculaire délimité manuellement, nous avons ré-analysé la corrélation avec une méthode de segmentation adaptative solide et reproductible du volume dans un deuxième article. Nous nous sommes également concentrés sur l'optimisation du protocole d'acquisition en évaluant l'impact de l'activité urinaire intense sur l'absorption testiculaire. Nous avons d'abord examiné cet impact à l'aide d'études de fantômes dans lesquelles nous avons simulé la vessie et les testicules. Nous avons ensuite procédé à une étude clinique visant à évaluer et à comparer deux protocoles de diurétiques. Dans le chapitre IV, nous abordons le sujet important, et encore plus dans ce contexte andrologique, des problèmes liés à la radioprotection d'une TEP/CT avec le 18F-FDG. Enfin, dans le chapitre V, nous donnons un aperçu de certaines des questions qui restent à traiter et des perspectives futures de cette nouvelle orientation dans le domaine de la médecine nucléaire que nous pourrions appeler "andrologie nucléaire".The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the use of PET/CT with 18F-FDG for an assessment of the testicular function and to optimise and standardise the acquisition protocol and the testicular volume analysis in order to do that. In chapter I we provide a literature overview where we establish that the 18F-FDG uptake is correlated with the spermatogenesis because of the presence of GLUT 3 transporters on the Sertoli cells and the spermatides and not on the Leydig cells which are responsible for the steroidogenesis. We then provide an overview of the public health problem of male infertility where we point out different possible clinical applications for testicular functional imaging. In chapter II we examine the significant correlation between 18F-FDG uptake in terms of intensity and volume of uptake and the testicular function via the parameters of the sperm analysis. In chapter III, we focus on the standardisation of the acquisition protocol for this specific indication, after a brief technical overview of the PET/CT and of its limitations. Because the first study was done via a manually delineated testicular volume, we re-analysed the correlation with a solid and reproducible adaptive volume segmentation method in a second article. We further focussed on optimising the acquisition protocol by evaluating the impact of the intense urinary activity on the testicular uptake. First we examined this impact with phantom studies where we simulated the bladder and the testes. We proceeded with a clinical study where we aimed to evaluate and compare 2 diuretic protocols. In chapter IV we address the overall important subject, and even more so in this andrological context, of the radioprotection related issues of a PET/CT with 18F-FDG. Finally, in chapter V we provide an overview of some of the issues still to be addressed and the future perspectives for this new direction in the field of nuclear medicine that we could name 'nuclear andrology'