Application of the PCA to guided ultrasonic waves to evaluate tensile stress in a solid rod

Postprint (author's final draft

Investigating the Drivers of Electron Temperature Variations in H ii Regions with Keck-KCWI and VLT-MUSE

H ii region electron temperatures are a critical ingredient in metallicity determinations, and recent observations have revealed systematic variations in the temperatures measured using different ions. We present electron temperatures (T e ) measured using the optical auroral lines ([N ii]λ5756, [O ii]λ λ7320, 7330, [S ii]λ λ4069, 4076, [O iii]λ4363, and [S iii]λ6312) for a sample of H ii regions in seven nearby galaxies. We use observations from the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby Galaxies survey (PHANGS) obtained with integral field spectrographs on Keck (Keck Cosmic Web Imager) and the Very Large Telescope (Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer). We compare the different T e measurements with H ii region and ISM environmental properties such as electron density, ionization parameter, molecular gas velocity dispersion, and stellar association/cluster mass and age obtained from PHANGS. We find that the temperatures from [O ii] and [S ii] are likely overestimated due to the presence of electron density inhomogeneities in H ii regions. We measure high [O iii] temperatures in a subset of regions with high molecular gas velocity dispersion and low ionization parameter, which may be explained by the presence of low-velocity shocks. In agreement with previous studies, the T e–T e between [N ii] and [S iii] temperatures have the lowest observed scatter and follow predictions from photoionization modeling, which suggests that these tracers reflect H ii region temperatures across the various ionization zones better than [O ii], [S ii], and [O iii]

Quantifying the energy balance between the turbulent ionised gas and young stars

We investigate the ionised gas morphology, excitation properties, and kinematics in 19 nearby star-forming galaxies from the PHANGS-MUSE survey. We directly compare the kinetic energy of expanding superbubbles and the turbulent motions in the interstellar medium with the mechanical energy deposited by massive stars in the form of winds and supernovae, with the aim to answer whether the stellar feedback is responsible for the observed turbulent motions and to quantify the fraction of mechanical energy retained in the superbubbles. Based on the distribution of the flux and velocity dispersion in the H$\alpha$ line, we select 1484 regions of locally elevated velocity dispersion ($\sigma$(H$\alpha$)>45 km/s), including at least 171 expanding superbubbles. We analyse these regions and relate their properties to those of the young stellar associations and star clusters identified in PHANGS-HST data. We find a good correlation between the kinetic energy of the ionised gas and the total mechanical energy input from supernovae and stellar winds from the stellar associations, with a typical efficiency of 10-20%. The contribution of mechanical energy by the supernovae alone is not sufficient to explain the measured kinetic energy of the ionised gas, which implies that pre-supernova feedback in the form of radiation/thermal pressure and winds is necessary. We find that the gas kinetic energy decreases with metallicity for our sample covering Z=0.5-1.0 Zsun, reflecting the lower impact of stellar feedback. For the sample of superbubbles, we find that about 40% of the young stellar associations are preferentially located in their rims. We also find a slightly higher (by ~15%) fraction of the youngest (1-2.5 Myr) stellar associations in the rims of the superbubbles than in the centres, and the opposite for older associations, which implies possible propagation or triggering of star formation.Comment: 31 pages (including 5 pages in appendix), 19 figures, the abstract is abridged; submitted to A&A (in mid May; awaiting report

H α Emission and H ii Regions at the Locations of Recent Supernovae in Nearby Galaxies

We present a statistical analysis of the local, ≈50–100 pc scale, Hα emission at the locations of recent (≤125 yr) supernovae (SNe) in nearby star-forming galaxies. Our sample consists of 32 SNe in 10 galaxies that are targets of the PHANGS-MUSE survey. We find that 41% (13/32) of these SNe occur coincident with a previously identified H ii region. For comparison, H ii regions cover 32% of the area within ±1 kpc of any recent SN. Contrasting this local covering fraction with the fraction of SNe coincident with H ii regions, we find a statistical excess of 7.6% ± 8.7% of all SNe to be associated with H ii regions. This increases to an excess of 19.2% ± 10.4% when considering only core-collapse SNe (CCSNe). These estimates appear to be in good agreement with qualitative results from new, higher-resolution Hubble Space Telescope Hα imaging, which also suggests many CCSNe detonate near but not in H ii regions. Our results appear consistent with the expectation that only a modest fraction of stars explode during the first ≲5 Myr of the life of a stellar population when Hα emission is expected to be bright. Of the H ii region associated SNe, 85% (11/13) also have associated detected CO (2–1) emission, indicating the presence of molecular gas. The SNe associated with H ii regions have typical extinctions of A V ∼ 1 mag, consistent with a significant amount of pre-clearing of gas from the region before the SNe explode

Usefulness of bone turnover markers as predictors of mortality risk, disease progression and skeletal-related events appearance in patients with prostate cancer with bone metastases following treatment with zoledronic acid: TUGAMO study

Owing to the limited validity of clinical data on the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) and bone metastases, biochemical markers are a promising tool for predicting survival, disease progression and skeletal-related events (SREs) in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive capacity of biochemical markers of bone turnover for mortality risk, disease progression and SREs in patients with PCa and bone metastases undergoing treatment with zoledronic acid (ZA). Methods: This was an observational, prospective and multicenter study in which ninety-eight patients were included. Patients were treated with ZA (4mg every 4 weeks for 18 months). Data were collected at baseline and 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months after the beginning of treatment. Serum levels of bone alkaline phosphtase (BALP), aminoterminal propeptide of procollagen type I (P1NP) and beta-isomer of carboxiterminal telopeptide of collagen I (b-CTX) were analysed at all points in the study. Data on disease progression, SREs development and survival were recorded. Results: Cox regression models with clinical data and bone markers showed that the levels of the three markers studied were predictive of survival time, with b-CTX being especially powerful, in which a lack of normalisation in visit 1 (3 months after the beginning of treatment) showed a 6.3-times more risk for death than in normalised patients. Levels of these markers were also predictive for SREs, although in this case BALP and P1NP proved to be better predictors. We did not find any relationship between bone markers and disease progression. Conclusion: In patients with PCa and bone metastases treated with ZA, b-CTX and P1NP can be considered suitable predictors for mortality risk, while BALP and P1NP are appropriate for SREs. The levels of these biomarkers 3 months after the beginning of treatment are especially importantThis study was supported by Novartis Oncology Spai

Age Distribution of Multiple Functionally Relevant Subsets of CD4+T Cells in Human Blood Using a Standardized and Validated 14-Color EuroFlow Immune Monitoring Tube

CD4+ T cells comprise multiple functionally distinct cell populations that play a key role in immunity. Despite blood monitoring of CD4+ T-cell subsets is of potential clinical utility, no standardized and validated approaches have been proposed so far. The aim of this study was to design and validate a single 14-color antibody combination for sensitive and reproducible flow cytometry monitoring of CD4+ T-cell populations in human blood to establish normal age-related reference values and evaluate the presence of potentially altered profiles in three distinct disease models-monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL), systemic mastocytosis (SM), and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Overall, 145 blood samples from healthy donors were used to design and validate a 14-color antibody combination based on extensive reagent testing in multiple cycles of design-testing-evaluation-redesign, combined with in vitro functional studies, gene expression profiling, and multicentric evaluation of manual vs. automated gating. Fifteen cord blood and 98 blood samples from healthy donors (aged 0-89 years) were used to establish reference values, and another 25 blood samples were evaluated for detecting potentially altered CD4 T-cell subset profiles in MBL (n = 8), SM (n = 7), and CVID (n = 10). The 14-color tube can identify >= 89 different CD4+ T-cell populations in blood, as validated with high multicenter reproducibility, particularly when software-guided automated (vs. manual expert-based) gating was used. Furthermore, age-related reference values were established, which reflect different kinetics for distinct subsets: progressive increase of naive T cells, T-helper (Th)1, Th17, follicular helper T (TFH) cells, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) from birth until 2 years, followed by a decrease of naive T cells, Th2, and Tregs in older children and a subsequent increase in multiple Th-cell subsets toward late adulthood. Altered and unique CD4+ T-cell subset profiles were detected in two of the three disease models evaluated (SM and CVID). In summary, the EuroFlow immune monitoring TCD4 tube allows fast, automated, and reproducible identification of >= 89 subsets of CD4+ blood T cells, with different kinetics throughout life. These results set the basis for in-depth T-cell monitoring in different disease and therapeutic conditions

The wide-field, multiplexed, spectroscopic facility WEAVE: Survey design, overview, and simulated implementation

WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility for the William Herschel Telescope, will see first light in late 2022. WEAVE comprises a new 2-degree field-of-view prime-focus corrector system, a nearly 1000-multiplex fibre positioner, 20 individually deployable 'mini' integral field units (IFUs), and a single large IFU. These fibre systems feed a dual-beam spectrograph covering the wavelength range 366$-$959\,nm at $R\sim5000$, or two shorter ranges at $R\sim20\,000$. After summarising the design and implementation of WEAVE and its data systems, we present the organisation, science drivers and design of a five- to seven-year programme of eight individual surveys to: (i) study our Galaxy's origins by completing Gaia's phase-space information, providing metallicities to its limiting magnitude for $\sim$3 million stars and detailed abundances for $\sim1.5$ million brighter field and open-cluster stars; (ii) survey $\sim0.4$ million Galactic-plane OBA stars, young stellar objects and nearby gas to understand the evolution of young stars and their environments; (iii) perform an extensive spectral survey of white dwarfs; (iv) survey $\sim400$ neutral-hydrogen-selected galaxies with the IFUs; (v) study properties and kinematics of stellar populations and ionised gas in $z<0.5$ cluster galaxies; (vi) survey stellar populations and kinematics in $\sim25\,000$ field galaxies at $0.3\lesssim z \lesssim 0.7$; (vii) study the cosmic evolution of accretion and star formation using $>1$ million spectra of LOFAR-selected radio sources; (viii) trace structures using intergalactic/circumgalactic gas at $z>2$. Finally, we describe the WEAVE Operational Rehearsals using the WEAVE Simulator.Comment: 41 pages, 27 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA

The eighteenth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys : targeting and first spectra from SDSS-V

The eighteenth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys (SDSS) is the first one for SDSS-V, the fifth generation of the survey. SDSS-V comprises three primary scientific programs, or "Mappers": Milky Way Mapper (MWM), Black Hole Mapper (BHM), and Local Volume Mapper (LVM). This data release contains extensive targeting information for the two multi-object spectroscopy programs (MWM and BHM), including input catalogs and selection functions for their numerous scientific objectives. We describe the production of the targeting databases and their calibration- and scientifically-focused components. DR18 also includes ~25,000 new SDSS spectra and supplemental information for X-ray sources identified by eROSITA in its eFEDS field. We present updates to some of the SDSS software pipelines and preview changes anticipated for DR19. We also describe three value-added catalogs (VACs) based on SDSS-IV data that have been published since DR17, and one VAC based on the SDSS-V data in the eFEDS field.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe