4 research outputs found

    Optical and mid-infrared line emission in nearby Seyfert galaxies

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    Line ratio diagnostics provide valuable clues on the source of ionizing radiation in galaxies with intense black hole accretion and starbursting events, such as local Seyfert or galaxies at the peak of the star formation history. We aim to provide a reference joint optical and mid-IR analysis for studying AGN identification via line ratios and testing predictions from photoionization models. We obtained homogenous optical spectra with the Southern Africa Large Telescope for 42 Seyfert galaxies with Spitzer/IRS spectroscopy and X-ray to mid-IR multiband data available. After confirming the power of the main optical ([OIII]) and mid-IR ([NeV], [OIV], [NeIII]) emission lines in tracing AGN activity, we explore diagrams based on ratios of optical and mid-IR lines by exploiting photoionization models of different ionizing sources (AGN, star formation and shocks). We find that pure AGN photoionization models are good at reproducing observations of Seyfert galaxies with an AGN fractional contribution to the mid-IR (5-40 micron) emission larger than 50 per cent. For targets with a lower AGN contribution these same models do not fully reproduce the observed mid-IR line ratios. Mid-IR ratios like [NeV]/[NeII], [OIV]/[NeII] and [NeIII]/[NeII] show a dependence on the AGN fractional contribution to the mid-IR unlike optical line ratios. An additional source of ionization, either from star formation or radiative shocks, can help explain the observations in the mid-IR. Among combinations of optical and mid-IR diagnostics in line ratio diagrams, only those involving the [OI]/Halpha ratio are promising diagnostics for simultaneously unraveling the relative role of AGN, star formation and, shocks. A proper identification of the dominant ionizing source would require the exploitation of analysis tools based on advanced statistical techniques as well as spatially resolved data.Comment: 31 pages, 15 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in A&

    Perceptions of nurses working in mental health services regarding the recovery‐oriented care approach: Findings from Africa

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    Abstract Background The recovery‐oriented care approach in mental health is recognised as the vision for mental health. People with a diagnosis of mental illness value the support and the individualistic approach emphasised in the recovery‐oriented mental health care approach as they believe it facilitates their recovery. However, as a developing country, Botswana has a long way to go in availing mental health care resources to people with mental illness, let alone adopting new mental health approaches such as recovery. Aim The study aimed to explore the perceptions of nurses working in mental health care facilities of recovery‐oriented mental health care. Methods Four mental health facilities from Botswana consented to participate in the study. A descriptive qualitative approach was utilised to explore nurses' views on how they perceive recovery from mental illness. Thirty nurses participated in the focus group discussions across the four study sites. All participants consented to participate and to be recorded. Tesch's (in Qualitative enquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. 3th ed. SAGE, 2013:198) thematic analysis was used for this study. Results Three main themes were identified in participants' perceptions of recovery‐oriented care mental health: Recovery from mental illness is possible, the Meaning of recovery from mental illness and Factors facilitating recovery from mental illness. Public Contribution The study offers a perspective into how nurses perceive recovery‐oriented approaches from a developing country and add to the gap existing in recovery‐oriented mental health care approach from the African context

    Probiotic engineering: towards development of robust probiotic strains with enhanced functional properties and for targeted control of enteric pathogens

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