Supernova 1996L: evidence of a strong wind episode before the explosion

Observations of the type II SN 1996L reveal the presence of a slowly expanding (V~700$ km/s) shell at ~ 10^(16) cm from the exploding star. Narrow emission features are visible in the early spectra superposed on the normal SN spectrum. Within about two months these features develop narrow symmetric P-Cygni profiles. About 100 days after the explosion the light curve suddenly flattens, the spectral lines broaden and the Halpha flux becomes larger than what is expected from a purely radioactive model. These events are interpreted as signatures of the onset of the interaction between the fast moving ejecta and a slowly moving outer shell of matter ejected before the SN explosion. At about 300 days the narrow lines disappear and the flux drops until the SN fades away, suggesting that the interaction phase is over and that the shell has been swept away. Simple calculations show that the superwind episode started 9 yr before the SN explosion and lasted 6 yr, with an average dM/dt=10^(-3) M_solar/yr. Even at very late epochs (up to day 335) the typical forbidden lines of [OI], CaII], [FeII] remain undetected or very weak. Spectra after day 270 show relatively strong emission lines of HeI. These lines are narrower than other emission lines coming from the SN ejecta, but broader than those from the CSM. These high excitation lines are probably the result of non-thermal excitation and ionization caused by the deposition of the gamma-rays emitted in the decay of radioactive material mixed in the He layer.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, Latex, To appear in M.N.R.A.

Size fractionation of trace elements in the surface water and groundwater of the Ganjiang River and Xiushui River basins, China

The research of trace element behaviour and size fractionation is significant to understand the processes in the water-rock system. Moreover, the aqueous speciation of trace elements is strongly related to their distribution and toxicity. In this research, trace elements behaviour and their size fractionation are investigated in the natural water (the surface water and shallow groundwater) of the Ganjiang River and Xiushui River basins. Trace element concentrations were measured by ICP-MS. The authors estimated the size fractionation of the trace elements between suspended forms (>0.45 [mu]m) and dissolved fractions, which included truly dissolved (1 kDa) and colloidal particles (0.45 [mu]m-1 kDa)), after filtration through a 0.45 [mu]m acetate cellulose membrane filter. The distinct features of the trace element size fractionation were identified. The size fractionation of the trace elements under different conditions (in the surface water and shallow groundwater) was studied

Comparison of preserved bimatoprost 0.01% with preservative-free tafluprost: A randomised, investigator-masked, 3-month crossover, multicentre trial, SPORT II

IMPORTANCE: This study compares the efficacy and tolerability of a preservative-free prostaglandin analogue (tafluprost 15 mg/ml) to a prostaglandin analogue that uses 0.02% of benzalkonium chloride (bimatoprost 0.1 mg/ml). BACKGROUND: Different prostaglandin analogues have been commercially approved, with differences in tolerability. DESIGN: Prospective, randomised, investigator-masked, 3-month crossover, multicentre trial. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-four patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma were randomised to two groups, after a 4-week washout period from their current topical drop regimen. METHODS: Participants were randomised to tafluprost (Group 1; n = 33) or bimatoprost (Group 2; n = 31). At month 3, each group switched to the opposite treatment. IOP was evaluated at multiple timepoints. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was difference in mean IOP between the two groups at the final visit. Secondary outcomes included change from baseline IOP at month 3 and month 6, difference in mean IOP at month 3 and difference in IOP at all timepoints. Safety outcomes included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), adverse events, ocular tolerability, optic nerve assessment and slit lamp biomicroscopy. RESULTS: Both medications significantly lowered IOP at month 6 compared to baseline: 5.4 mmHg (27%) for tafluprost and 6.8 mmHg (33%) for bimatoprost (p < 0.0001). No significant differences in any of the safety measures (including conjunctival hypearemia) were detected. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Bimatoprost produced a statistically significant greater IOP reduction compared to tafluprost with minimal to no difference in side effects. This should be borne in mind when weighing up the pros and cons of preserved versus preservative-free prostaglandin analogue therapy

Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) : galaxy close pairs, mergers and the future fate of stellar mass

ASGR acknowledges STFC and SUPA funding that were used to do this work. GAMA is funded by the STFC (UK), the ARC (Australia), the AAO and the participating institutions.We use a highly complete subset of the Galaxy And Mass Assembly II (GAMA-II) redshift sample to fully describe the stellar mass dependence of close pairs and mergers between 10(8) and 10(12)M(circle dot). Using the analytic form of this fit we investigate the total stellar mass accreting on to more massive galaxies across all mass ratios. Depending on how conservatively we select our robust merging systems, the fraction of mass merging on to more massive companions is 2.0-5.6 per cent. Using the GAMA-II data we see no significant evidence for a change in the close pair fraction between redshift z = 0.05 and 0.2. However, we find a systematically higher fraction of galaxies in similar mass close pairs compared to published results over a similar redshift baseline. Using a compendium of data and the function gamma(M) = A(1 + z)(m) to predict the major close pair fraction, we find fitting parameters of A = 0.021 +/- 0.001 and m = 1.53 +/- 0.08, which represents a higher low-redshift normalization and shallower power-law slope than recent literature values. We find that the relative importance of in situ star formation versus galaxy merging is inversely correlated, with star formation dominating the addition of stellar material below M* and merger accretion events dominating beyond M*. We find mergers have a measurable impact on the whole extent of the galaxy stellar mass function (GSMF), manifest as a deepening of the 'dip' in the GSMF over the next similar to Gyr and an increase in M* by as much as 0.01-0.05 dex.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Lower Neutrino Mass Bound from SN1987A Data and Quantum Geometry

A lower bound on the light neutrino mass $m_\nu$ is derived in the framework of a geometrical interpretation of quantum mechanics. Using this model and the time of flight delay data for neutrinos coming from SN1987A, we find that the neutrino masses are bounded from below by $m_\nu\gtrsim 10^{-4}-10^{-3}$eV, in agreement with the upper bound $m_\nu\lesssim$ $({\cal O}(0.1) - {\cal O} (1))$ eV currently available. When the model is applied to photons with effective mass, we obtain a lower limit on the electron density in intergalactic space that is compatible with recent baryon density measurements.Comment: 22 pages, 3 figure

Feminisation of success or successful femininities? Disentangling ‘new femininities’ under neoliberal conditions

This article critically examines what might be titled the feminisation of success that is ascribed to optimistic characterisations of new constructions of femininity for young women in the UK, particularly in relation to classed positions. In order to do this it is necessary to understand the complex relationship between feminism, post-feminism, neoliberalism and femininities, especially since the millennium. Young women have been positioned as the beneficiaries of successful social and political change which, together with ideas of individualism and reflexive constructions of identity, almost mandate young women to embody success. The article seeks to examine and assess the discursive constructions of ‘successful femininities’ in relation to their normative limitations and asks in particular whether the putative existence of ‘new femininities’ is attainable for all young women. With the impact of over a decade of neoliberal policies and austerity measures being felt by many, it is argued that the discourses of ‘successful femininities’ work to obscure the recalibrated inequalities that have been forged by neoliberal conditions

Are Patient Self-Reported Outcome Measures Sensitive Enough to Be Used as End Points in Clinical Trials?: Evidence from the United Kingdom Glaucoma Treatment Study

Purpose The United Kingdom Glaucoma Treatment Study (UKGTS) demonstrated the effectiveness of an intraocular pressure-lowering drug in patients with glaucoma using visual field progression as a primary outcome. The present study tested the hypothesis that responses on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs; secondary outcome measure) differ between patients receiving a topical prostaglandin analog (latanoprost) or placebo eye drops in UKGTS. Design Multicenter, randomized, triple-masked, placebo-controlled trial. Participants Newly diagnosed glaucoma patients in the UKGTS with baseline and exit PROMs (n = 182 and n = 168 patients from the treatment and placebo groups, respectively). Methods In the UKGTS (trial registration number, ISRCTN96423140), patients with open-angle glaucoma were allocated to receive latanoprost (treatment) or placebo; the observation period was 24 months. Patients completed general health PROMs (European Quality of Life in 5 Dimensions [EQ-5D] and 36-item Short Form [SF-36]) and PROMs specific to glaucoma (15-item Glaucoma Quality of Life [GQL-15] and 9-item Glaucoma Activity Limitation [GAL-9]) at baseline and exit from the trial. Percentage changes between measurement on PROMs were calculated for each patient and compared between treatment arms. In addition, differences between stable patients (n = 272) and those with glaucomatous progression (n = 78), as determined by visual field change (primary outcome), were assessed. Main Outcome Measure PROMs on health-related and vision-related quality of life. Results Average percentage change on PROMs was similar for patients in both arms of the trial, with no statistically significant differences between treatment and placebo groups (EQ-5D, P = 0.98; EQ-5D visual analog scale, P = 0.88; SF-36, P = 0.94, GQL-15, P = 0.66; GAL-9, P = 0.87). There were statistically significant differences between stable and progressing patients on glaucoma-specific PROMs (GQL-15, P = 0.02; GAL-9, P = 0.02), but not on general health PROMs (EQ-5D, P = 0.62; EQ-5D visual analog scale, P = 0.23; SF-36, P = 0.65). Conclusions Average change in PROMs on health-related and vision-related quality of life was similar for the treatment and placebo groups in the UKGTS. The PROMs used may not be sensitive enough to function as primary end points in clinical trials when participants have newly diagnosed early-stage glaucoma

A Spectroscopic Study of Type Ibc Supernova Host Galaxies from Untargeted Surveys

We present the largest spectroscopic study of the host environments of Type Ibc supernovae (SN Ibc) discovered exclusively by untargeted SN searches. Past studies of SN Ibc host environments have been biased towards high-mass, high-metallicity galaxies by focusing on SNe discovered in galaxy-targeted SN searches. Our new observations more than double the total number of spectroscopic stellar population age and metallicity measurements published for untargeted SN Ibc host environments, and extend to a median redshift about twice as large as previous statistical studies (z = 0.04). For the 12 SNe Ib and 21 SNe Ic in our metallicity sample, we find median metallicities of log(O/H)+12 = 8.48 and 8.61, respectively, but determine that the discrepancy in the full distribution of metallicities is not statistically significant. This median difference would correspond to only a small difference in the mass loss via metal-line driven winds (<30%), suggesting this does not play the dominant role in distinguishing SN Ib and Ic progenitors. However, the median metallicity of the 7 broad-lined SN Ic (SN Ic-BL) in our sample is significantly lower, log(O/H)+12 = 8.34. The age of the young stellar population of SN Ic-BL host environments also seems to be lower than for SN Ib and Ic, but our age sample is small. A synthesis of SN Ibc host environment spectroscopy to date does not reveal a significant difference in SN Ib and Ic metallicities, but reinforces the significance of the lower metallicities for SN Ic-BL. This combined sample demonstrates that galaxy-targeted SN searches introduce a significant bias for studies seeking to infer the metallicity distribution of SN progenitors, and we identify and discuss other systematic effects that play smaller roles. We discuss the path forward for making progress on SN Ibc progenitor studies in the LSST era.Comment: 27 pages, 12 Figures, V2 as accepted by ApJ, more information at http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~nsanders/papers/Ibchosts/summary.htm

Automatic Assignment of EC Numbers

A wide range of research areas in molecular biology and medical biochemistry require a reliable enzyme classification system, e.g., drug design, metabolic network reconstruction and system biology. When research scientists in the above mentioned areas wish to unambiguously refer to an enzyme and its function, the EC number introduced by the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) is used. However, each and every one of these applications is critically dependent upon the consistency and reliability of the underlying data for success. We have developed tools for the validation of the EC number classification scheme. In this paper, we present validated data of 3788 enzymatic reactions including 229 sub-subclasses of the EC classification system. Over 80% agreement was found between our assignment and the EC classification. For 61 (i.e., only 2.5%) reactions we found that their assignment was inconsistent with the rules of the nomenclature committee; they have to be transferred to other sub-subclasses. We demonstrate that our validation results can be used to initiate corrections and improvements to the EC number classification scheme