584 research outputs found
Spitzer View of Massive Star Formation in the Tidally Stripped Magellanic Bridge
The Magellanic Bridge is the nearest low-metallicity, tidally stripped
environment, offering a unique high-resolution view of physical conditions in
merging and forming galaxies. In this paper we present analysis of candidate
massive young stellar objects (YSOs), i.e., {\it in situ, current} massive star
formation (MSF) in the Bridge using {\it Spitzer} mid-IR and complementary
optical and near-IR photometry. While we definitely find YSOs in the Bridge,
the most massive are , found in the Large
Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The intensity of MSF in the Bridge also appears
decreasing, as the most massive YSOs are less massive than those formed in the
past. To investigate environmental effects on MSF, we have compared properties
of massive YSOs in the Bridge to those in the LMC. First, YSOs in the Bridge
are apparently less embedded than in the LMC: 81% of Bridge YSOs show optical
counterparts, compared to only 56% of LMC sources with the same range of mass,
circumstellar dust mass, and line-of-sight extinction. Circumstellar envelopes
are evidently more porous or clumpy in the Bridge's low-metallicity
environment. Second, we have used whole samples of YSOs in the LMC and the
Bridge to estimate the probability of finding YSOs at a given \hi\ column
density, N(HI). We found that the LMC has higher probability than
the Bridge for N(HI) cm, but the trend reverses at
lower N(HI). Investigating whether this lower efficiency relative to HI is due
to less efficient molecular cloud formation, or less efficient cloud collapse,
or both, will require sensitive molecular gas observations.Comment: 41 pages, 20 figures, 6 tables; accepted for publication in ApJ;
several figures are in low resolution due to the size limit here and a high
resolution version can be downloaded via
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~cc5ye/ms_bridge20140215.pd
The Role of Video in Early Field Experiences
The purpose of this investigation was to explore the influence of video models on teacher candidates\u27 capacity to self-evaluate their teaching performance in early fieldwork. This was examined by providing video models along with evaluation rubrics that represented desired performance standard to one group of pre-service teacher candidates, while another group was provided the descriptions of these lessons and corresponding evaluation rubrics. Participants then video recorded their teaching and self-evaluated this performance. Results indicated that the introduction of video models reduced inflation of scores in self-evaluation and enhanced candidates\u27 understanding of the expectations for the performance assessment of teaching
Performance of two Askaryan Radio Array stations and first results in the search for ultra-high energy neutrinos
Ultra-high energy neutrinos are interesting messenger particles since, if
detected, they can transmit exclusive information about ultra-high energy
processes in the Universe. These particles, with energies above
, interact very rarely. Therefore, detectors that
instrument several gigatons of matter are needed to discover them. The ARA
detector is currently being constructed at South Pole. It is designed to use
the Askaryan effect, the emission of radio waves from neutrino-induced cascades
in the South Pole ice, to detect neutrino interactions at very high energies.
With antennas distributed among 37 widely-separated stations in the ice, such
interactions can be observed in a volume of several hundred cubic kilometers.
Currently 3 deep ARA stations are deployed in the ice of which two have been
taking data since the beginning of the year 2013. In this publication, the ARA
detector "as-built" and calibrations are described. Furthermore, the data
reduction methods used to distinguish the rare radio signals from overwhelming
backgrounds of thermal and anthropogenic origin are presented. Using data from
only two stations over a short exposure time of 10 months, a neutrino flux
limit of is
calculated for a particle energy of 10^{18}eV, which offers promise for the
full ARA detector.Comment: 21 pages, 34 figures, 1 table, includes supplementary materia
Ice chemistry in embedded young stellar objects in the Large Magellanic Cloud
We present spectroscopic observations of a sample of 15 embedded young
stellar objects (YSOs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). These observations
were obtained with the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) as part of the
SAGE-Spec Legacy program. We analyze the two prominent ice bands in the IRS
spectral range: the bending mode of CO_2 ice at 15.2 micron and the ice band
between 5 and 7 micron that includes contributions from the bending mode of
water ice at 6 micron amongst other ice species. The 5-7 micron band is
difficult to identify in our LMC sample due to the conspicuous presence of PAH
emission superimposed onto the ice spectra. We identify water ice in the
spectra of two sources; the spectrum of one of those sources also exhibits the
6.8 micron ice feature attributed to ammonium and methanol. We model the CO_2
band in detail, using the combination of laboratory ice profiles available in
the literature. We find that a significant fraction (> 50%) of CO_2 ice is
locked in a water-rich component, consistent with what is observed for Galactic
sources. The majority of the sources in the LMC also require a pure-CO_2
contribution to the ice profile, evidence of thermal processing. There is a
suggestion that CO_2 production might be enhanced in the LMC, but the size of
the available sample precludes firmer conclusions. We place our results in the
context of the star formation environment in the LMC.Comment: Minor corrections to Table 2. Accepted for publication in ApJ, 66
pages, 9 figures (some in color), 4 table
Phenoloxidase activity acts as a mosquito innate immune response against infection with semliki forest virus
Several components of the mosquito immune system including the RNA interference (RNAi), JAK/STAT, Toll and IMD pathways have previously been implicated in controlling arbovirus infections. In contrast, the role of the phenoloxidase (PO) cascade in mosquito antiviral immunity is unknown. Here we show that conditioned medium from the Aedes albopictus-derived U4.4 cell line contains a functional PO cascade, which is activated by the bacterium Escherichia coli and the arbovirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) (Togaviridae; Alphavirus). Production of recombinant SFV expressing the PO cascade inhibitor Egf1.0 blocked PO activity in U4.4 cell- conditioned medium, which resulted in enhanced spread of SFV. Infection of adult female Aedes aegypti by feeding mosquitoes a bloodmeal containing Egf1.0-expressing SFV increased virus replication and mosquito mortality. Collectively, these results suggest the PO cascade of mosquitoes plays an important role in immune defence against arboviruses
Acute kidney disease and renal recovery : consensus report of the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) 16 Workgroup
Consensus definitions have been reached for both acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and these definitions are now routinely used in research and clinical practice. The KDIGO guideline defines AKI as an abrupt decrease in kidney function occurring over 7 days or less, whereas CKD is defined by the persistence of kidney disease for a period of > 90 days. AKI and CKD are increasingly recognized as related entities and in some instances probably represent a continuum of the disease process. For patients in whom pathophysiologic processes are ongoing, the term acute kidney disease (AKD) has been proposed to define the course of disease after AKI; however, definitions of AKD and strategies for the management of patients with AKD are not currently available. In this consensus statement, the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) proposes definitions, staging criteria for AKD, and strategies for the management of affected patients. We also make recommendations for areas of future research, which aim to improve understanding of the underlying processes and improve outcomes for patients with AKD
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