Kappa-mechanism excitation of retrograde mixed modes in rotating B-type stars

I examine the stability of retrograde mixed modes in rotating B-type stars. These modes can be regarded as a hybrid between the Rossby modes that arise from conservation of vorticity, and the Poincare modes that are gravity waves modified by the Coriolis force. Using a non-adiabatic pulsation code based around the traditional approximation, I find that the modes are unstable in mid- to late-B type stars, due to the same iron-bump opacity mechanism usually associated with SPB and $\beta$ Cep stars. At one half of the critical rotation rate, the instability for $m=1...4$ modes spans the spectral types B4 to A0. Inertial-frame periods of the unstable modes range from 100 days down to a fraction of a day, while normalized growth rates can reach in excess of $10^{-5}$. I discuss the relevance of these findings to SPB and pulsating Be stars, and to the putative Maia class of variable star. I also outline some of the questions raised by this discovery of a wholly-new class of pulsational instability in early-type stars.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, accepted by MNRA

Catalog of Galactic Beta Cephei Stars

We present an extensive and up-to-date catalog of Galactic Beta Cephei stars. This catalog is intended to give a comprehensive overview of observational characteristics of all known Beta Cephei stars. 93 stars could be confirmed to be Beta Cephei stars. For some stars we re-analyzed published data or conducted our own analyses. 61 stars were rejected from the final Beta Cephei list, and 77 stars are suspected to be Beta Cephei stars. A list of critically selected pulsation frequencies for confirmed Beta Cephei stars is also presented. We analyze the Beta Cephei stars as a group, such as the distributions of their spectral types, projected rotational velocities, radial velocities, pulsation periods, and Galactic coordinates. We confirm that the majority of these stars are multiperiodic pulsators. We show that, besides two exceptions, the Beta Cephei stars with high pulsation amplitudes are slow rotators. We construct a theoretical HR diagram that suggests that almost all 93 Beta Cephei stars are MS objects. We discuss the observational boundaries of Beta Cephei pulsation and their physical parameters. We corroborate that the excited pulsation modes are near to the radial fundamental mode in frequency and we show that the mass distribution of the stars peaks at 12 solar masses. We point out that the theoretical instability strip of the Beta Cephei stars is filled neither at the cool nor at the hot end and attempt to explain this observation

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Bowen’s disease – a review of newer treatment options

Thorsten Neubert, Percy LehmannZentrum für Dermatologie, Allergologie und Umweltmedizin, Helios Klinikum Wuppertal, Klinikum der Universität Witten-Herdecke, Wuppertal, GermanyAbstract: Bowen’s disease (squamous cell carcinoma in situ) has a 3%–5% risk to develop into invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common cancer among Caucasians and its incidence has increased during the last decades dramatically. Multiple treatment options for Bowen’s disease have been described and are established with advantages and disadvantages. Bowen’s disease occurs more often in elderly patients (with a higher risk of comorbidities) and is frequently located on body sites with poor wound healing. Therefore there is need for non-invasive/non-destructive but effective treatment options. We would like to give an overview of established therapies and more detailed information about the newer treatment options for Bowen’s disease with topical diclofenac, topical imiquimod and photodynamic therapy.Keywords: Bowen’s disease, photodynamic therapy, imiquimod, diclofena

Do not Forget the Art of Phototherapy and Photodiagnostic Test Procedures! Increase of Malpractice Claims at the Expert Committee for Medical Malpractice of the North Rhine Medical Association due to Incorrect Applications of Phototherapy and Photodiagnostic Test Procedures

UV-phototherapy is still part of various guideline recommendations despite the development of highly effective biologicals. The performance of the various forms of phototherapy requires profound training in order to avoid harm to patients. This is reflected in an increasing number of malpractice claims, for example at the Expert Committee for Medical Malpratice of the North Rhine Medical Association. In the following, typical errors in UV-phototherapy and photodiagnostics are shown on the basis of four examples. In summary, all of the cases described involved treatment errors that could have been avoided with sound training and knowledge of the relevant literature. This manuscript should also be understood as an appeal to the instructors to pass on the art of phototherapy and photodiagnostics to the trainees entrusted to them