Toward the Evidence of the Accretion Disk Emission in the Symbiotic Star RR Tel

In this paper, we argue that in the symbiotic star RR Tel the existence of an accretion disk around the hot companion is strongly implied by the characteristic features exhibited by the Raman-scattered O VI lines around 6830 \AA and 7088 \AA. High degrees of polarization and double-peaked profiles in the Raman-scattered lines and single-peak profiles for other emission lines are interpreted as line-of-sight effects, where the H I scatterers near the giant see an incident double-peaked profile and an observer with a low inclination sees single-peak profiles. It is predicted that different mass concentrations around the accretion disk formed by a dusty wind may lead to the disparate ratios of the blue peak strength to the red counterpart observed in the 6830 and 7088 features. We discuss the evolutionary links between symbiotic stars and bipolar protoplanetary nebulae and conclude that the Raman scattering processes may play an important role in investigation of the physical properties of these objects.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ Letter

Thermal Properties of Two-Dimensional Advection Dominated Accretion Flow

We study the thermal structure of the widely adopted two-dimensional advection dominated accretion flow (ADAF) of Narayan & Yi (1995a). The critical radius for a given mass accretion rate, outside of which the optically thin hot solutions do not exist in the equatorial plane, agrees with one-dimensional study. However, we find that, even within the critical radius, there always exists a conical region of the flow, around the pole, which cannot maintain the assumed high electron temperature, regardless of the mass accretion rate, in the absence of radiative heating. This could lead to torus-like advection inflow shape since, in general, the ions too will cool down. We also find that Compton preheating is generally important and, if the radiative efficiency, defined as the luminosity output divided by the mass accretion rate times the velocity of light squared, is above sim 4x10^-3, the polar region of the flow is preheated above the virial temperature by Compton heating and it may result in time-dependent behaviour or outflow while accretion continues in the equatorial plane. Thus, under most relevant circumstances, ADAF solutions may be expected to be accompanied by polar outflow winds. While preheating instabilities exist in ADAF, as for spherical flows, the former are to some extent protected by their characteristically higher densities and higher cooling rates, which reduce their susceptibility to Compton driven overheating.Comment: 18 pages including 4 figures. AASTEX. Submitted to Ap

Vortex Dynamics in Selfdual Maxwell-Higgs Systems with Uniform Background Electric Charge Density

We introduce selfdual Maxwell-Higgs systems with uniform background electric charge density and show that the selfdual equations satisfied by topological vortices can be reduced to the original Bogomol'nyi equations without any background. These vortices are shown to carry no spin but to feel the Magnus force due to the shielding charge carried by the Higgs field. We also study the dynamics of slowly moving vortices and show that the spin-statistics theorem holds to our vortices.Comment: 24 pages + 2 figures ( not included), Cu-TP-611, IASSNS-HEP-93/33, NSF-ITP-93-13

Preheated Advection Dominated Accretion Flow

All high temperature accretion solutions including ADAF are physically thick, so outgoing radiation interacts with the incoming flow, sharing as much or more resemblance with classical spherical accretion flows as with disk flows. We examine this interaction for the popular ADAF case. We find that without allowance for Compton preheating, a very restricted domain of ADAF solution is permitted and with Compton preheating included a new high temperature PADAF branch appears in the solution space. In the absence of preheating, high temperature flows do not exist when the mass accretion rate mdot == Mdot c^2 / L_E >~ 10^-1.5. Below this mass accretion rate, a roughly conical region around the hole cannot sustain high temperature ions and electrons for all flows having mdot >~ 10^-4, which may lead to a funnel possibly filled with a tenuous hot outgoing wind. If the flow starts at large radii with the usual equilibrium temperature ~10^4 K, the critical mass accretion rate is much lower, mdot \~10^-3.7 above which level no self-consistent ADAF (without preheating) can exist. However, above this critical mass accretion rate, the flow can be self-consistently maintained at high temperature if Compton preheating is considered. These solutions constitute a new branch of solutions as in spherical accretion flows. High temperature PADAF flows can exist above the critical mass accretion rate in addition to the usual cold thin disk solutions. We also find solutions where the flow near the equatorial plane accretes normally while the flow near the pole is overheated by Compton preheating, possibly becoming, a polar wind, solutions which we designate WADAF.Comment: 41 pages with 10 postscript figures (aastex5). Submitted to Ap

Does moxibustion work? An overview of systematic reviews

Abstract Background Several systematic reviews (SRs) have assessed the effectiveness of moxibustion for a range of conditions, often with contradictory conclusions. Our aim was to provide a critical evaluation and summary of these data. Methods Electronic searches were conducted to locate all SRs of moxibustion for any condition. Data were extracted by two authors according to predefined criteria. Results Ten SRs met our inclusion criteria, which related to the following conditions: cancer, ulcerative colitis, stroke rehabilitation, constipation, hypertension, pain conditions and breech presentation. Their conclusions were contradictory in several instances. Relatively clear evidence emerged to suggest that moxibustion is effective for breech presentation. Conclusions Based on evidence from the currently available SRs, the effectiveness of moxibustion has been demonstrated for several conditions; however, due to the poor quality of the primary studies, there remains considerable uncertainty.</p

Development and external validation of a deep learning algorithm for prognostication of cardiovascular outcomes

Background and Objectives: We aim to explore the additional discriminative accuracy of a deep learning (DL) algorithm using repeated-measures data for identifying people at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), compared to Cox hazard regression. Methods: Two CVD prediction models were developed from National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS): A Cox regression model and a DL model. Performance of each model was assessed in the internal and 2 external validation cohorts in Koreans (National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort; NHIS-NSC) and in Europeans (Rotterdam Study). A total of 412,030 adults in the NHIS-HEALS; 178,875 adults in the NHIS-NSC; and the 4,296 adults in Rotterdam Study were included. Results: Mean ages was 52 years (46% women) and there were 25,777 events (6.3%) in NHIS-HEALS during the follow-up. In internal validation, the DL approach demonstrated a C-statistic of 0.896 (95% confidence interval, 0.886-0.907) in men and 0.921 (0.908-0.934) in women and improved reclassification compared with Cox regression (net reclassification index [NRI], 24.8% in men, 29.0% in women). In external validation with NHIS-NSC, DL demonstrated a C-statistic of 0.868 (0.860-0.876) in men and 0.889 (0.876-0.898) in women, and improved reclassification compared with Cox regression (NRI, 24.9% in men, 26.2% in women). In external validation applied to the Rotterdam Study, DL demonstrated a C-statistic of 0.860 (0.824-0.897) in men and 0.867 (0.830-0.903) in women, and improved reclassification compared with Cox regression (NRI, 36.9% in men, 31.8% in women). Conclusions: A DL algorithm exhibited greater discriminative accuracy than Cox model approaches

From BASE-ASIA Toward 7-SEAS: A Satellite-Surface Perspective of Boreal Spring Biomass-Burning Aerosols and Clouds in Southeast Asia

In this paper, we present recent field studies conducted by NASA's SMART-COMMIT (and ACHIEVE, to be operated in 2013) mobile laboratories, jointly with distributed ground-based networks (e.g., AERONET, http://aeronet.gsfc.nasa.gov/ and MPLNET, http://mplnet.gsfc.nasa.gov/) and other contributing instruments over northern Southeast Asia. These three mobile laboratories, collectively called SMARTLabs (cf. http://smartlabs.gsfc.nasa.gov/, Surface-based Mobile Atmospheric Research & Testbed Laboratories) comprise a suite of surface remote sensing and in-situ instruments that are pivotal in providing high spectral and temporal measurements, complementing the collocated spatial observations from various Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites. A satellite-surface perspective and scientific findings, drawn from the BASE-ASIA (2006) field deployment as well as a series of ongoing 7-SEAS (2010-13) field activities over northern Southeast Asia are summarized, concerning (i) regional properties of aerosols from satellite and in situ measurements, (ii) cloud properties from remote sensing and surface observations, (iii) vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds, and (iv) regional aerosol radiative effects and impact assessment. The aerosol burden over Southeast Asia in boreal spring, attributed to biomass burning, exhibits highly consistent spatial and temporal distribution patterns, with major variability arising from changes in the magnitude of the aerosol loading mediated by processes ranging from large-scale climate factors to diurnal meteorological events. Downwind from the source regions, the tightly coupled-aerosolecloud system provides a unique, natural laboratory for further exploring the micro- and macro-scale relationships of the complex interactions. The climatic significance is presented through large-scale anti-correlations between aerosol and precipitation anomalies, showing spatial and seasonal variability, but their precise cause-and-effect relationships remain an open-ended question. To facilitate an improved understanding of the regional aerosol radiative effects, which continue to be one of the largest uncertainties in climate forcing, a joint international effort is required and anticipated to commence in springtime 2013 in northern Southeast Asia

Moxibustion for ulcerative colitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly used for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Acupuncture-type treatments are among the most popular options. Several studies have reported that moxibustion is effective in ulcerative colitis (UC). The objective of this review was to assess the clinical evidence for or against moxibustion as a treatment for UC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched the literature using 18 databases from their inception to February 10, 2010, without language restrictions. We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs), in which human patients with UC were treated with moxibustion. Studies were included if they were placebo-controlled or controlled against a drug therapy or no treatment group. The methodological quality of all RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In total, five RCTs were included. All were of low methodological quality. They compared the effects of moxibustion with conventional drug therapy. Three tested moxibustion against sulfasalazine and two against sulfasalazine plus other drugs. A meta-analysis of five RCTs showed favorable effects of moxibustion on the response rate compared to conventional drug therapy (n = 407; risk ratio = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.38; P < 0.0001; heterogeneity: I²= 16%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Current evidence is insufficient to show that moxibustion is an effective treatment of UC. Most of included trials had high risk of bias. More rigorous studies seem warranted.</p

Moxibustion for hypertension: a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Moxibustion is a traditional East Asian medical therapy that uses the heat generated by burning herbal preparations containing <it>Artemisia vulgaris </it>to stimulate acupuncture points. The aim of this review was to evaluate previously published clinical evidence for the use of moxibustion as a treatment for hypertension.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched 15 databases without language restrictions from their respective dates of inception until March 2010. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing moxibustion to either antihypertensive drugs or no treatment. The risk of bias was assessed for each RCT.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the course of our search, we identified 519 relevant articles. A total of 4 RCTs met all the inclusion criteria, two of which failed to report favorable effects of moxibustion on blood pressure (BP) compared to the control (antihypertensive drug treatment alone). However, a third RCT showed significant effects of moxibustion as an adjunct treatment to antihypertensive drug therapy for lowering BP compared to antihypertensive drug therapy alone. The fourth RCT included in this review addressed the immediate BP-lowering effects of moxibustion compared to no treatment. None of the included RCTs reported the sequence generation, allocation concealment and evaluator blinding.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is insufficient evidence to suggest that moxibustion is an effective treatment for hypertension. Rigorously designed trials are warranted to answer the many remaining questions.</p

Lactobacillus sakei suppresses collagen-induced arthritis and modulates the differentiation of T helper 17 cells and regulatory B cells

Abstract Background To evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of Lactobacillus sakei in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in human immune cells. Methods We evaluated whether L. sakei reduced the severity of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and modulated interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-10 levels, as well as whether it affected the differentiation of CD4+ T cells and regulatory B cells. We evaluated osteoclastogenesis after culturing bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells with L. sakei. Results The differentiation of T helper 17 cells and the serum level of IL-17 were suppressed by L. sakei in both human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and mouse splenocytes. The serum level of IL-10 was significantly increased in the L. sakei-treated group, whereas the regulatory T cell population was unchanged. The population of regulatory B cells significantly increased the in L. sakei-treated group. Oral administration of L. sakei reduced the arthritis incidence and score in mice with CIA. Finally, osteoclastogenesis and the mRNA levels of osteoclast-related genes were suppressed in the L. sakei-treated group. Conclusion L. sakei exerted an anti-inflammatory effect in an animal model of RA, regulated Th17 and regulatory B cell differentiation, and suppressed osteoclastogenesis. Our findings suggest that L. sakei has therapeutic potential for RA