Resonance line-profile calculations based on hydrodynamical models of cataclysmic variable winds

We present synthetic line profiles as predicted by the models of 2-D line- driven disk winds due to Proga, Stone & Drew. We compare the model line profiles with HST observations of the cataclysmic variable IX Vel. The model wind consists of a slow outflow that is bounded on the polar side by a fast stream. We find that these two components of the wind produce distinct spectral features. The fast stream produces profiles which show features consistent with observations. These include the appearance of the P-Cygni shape for a range of inclinations, the location of the maximum depth of the absorption component at velocities less than the terminal velocity, and the transition from absorption to emission with increasing inclination. However the model profiles have too little absorption or emission equivalent width. This quantitative difference between our models and observations is not a surprise because the line-driven wind models predict a mass loss rate that is lower than the rate required by the observations. We note that the model profiles exhibit a double-humped structure near the line center which is not echoed in observations. We identify this structure with a non-negligible redshifted absorption which is formed in the slow component of the wind where the rotational velocity dominates over expansion velocity. We conclude that the next generation of disk wind models, developed for application to CVs, needs to yield stronger wind driving out to larger disk radii than do the present models.Comment: LaTeX, 19 pages, to appear in Ap

A trio of month long flares in the nova-like variable V704 And

We present the discovery of an unusual set of flares in the nova-like variable V704 And. Using data from AAVSO, ASAS-SN, and ZTF, of the nova-like variable V704 And, we have discovered a trio of brightening events that occurred during the high state. These events elevate the optical brightness of the source from $\sim13.5$ magnitude to $\sim12.5$ magnitude. The events last for roughly a month, and exhibit the unusual shape of a slow rise and faster decay. Just after the third event we obtained data from regular monitoring with Swift, although by this time the flares had ceased and the source returned to its pre-flare level of activity in the high-state. The Swift observations confirm that during the high-state the source is detectable in the X-rays, and provide simultaneous UV and optical fluxes. As the source is already in the high-state prior to the flares, and thus the disc is expected to already be in the high-viscosity state, we conclude that the driver of the variations must be changes in the mass transfer rate from the companion star and we discuss possible mechanisms for such short-timescale mass transfer variations to occur.Comment: 5 pages + appendix. Accepted for publication in A&A Letter

The relevance of outsourcing and leagile strategies in performance optimization of an integrated process planning and scheduling

Over the past few years growing global competition has forced the manufacturing industries to upgrade their old production strategies with the modern day approaches. As a result, recent interest has been developed towards finding an appropriate policy that could enable them to compete with others, and facilitate them to emerge as a market winner. Keeping in mind the abovementioned facts, in this paper the authors have proposed an integrated process planning and scheduling model inheriting the salient features of outsourcing, and leagile principles to compete in the existing market scenario. The paper also proposes a model based on leagile principles, where the integrated planning management has been practiced. In the present work a scheduling problem has been considered and overall minimization of makespan has been aimed. The paper shows the relevance of both the strategies in performance enhancement of the industries, in terms of their reduced makespan. The authors have also proposed a new hybrid Enhanced Swift Converging Simulated Annealing (ESCSA) algorithm, to solve the complex real-time scheduling problems. The proposed algorithm inherits the prominent features of the Genetic Algorithm (GA), Simulated Annealing (SA), and the Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC). The ESCSA algorithm reduces the makespan significantly in less computational time and number of iterations. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm has been shown by comparing the results with GA, SA, Tabu, and hybrid Tabu-SA optimization methods

High Spectral Resolution Measurement of the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich Effect Null with Z-Spec

The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect spectrum crosses through a null where ΔT_CMB = 0 near ν_0 = 217 GHz. In a cluster of galaxies, ν0 can be shifted from the canonical thermal SZ effect value by corrections to the SZ effect scattering due to the properties of the inter-cluster medium. We have measured the SZ effect in the hot galaxy cluster RX J 1347.5 – 1145 with Z-Spec, an R ~ 300 grating spectrometer sensitive between 185 and 305 GHz. These data comprise a high spectral resolution measurement around the null of the SZ effect and clearly exhibit the transition from negative to positive ΔT_CMB over the Z-Spec band. The SZ null position is measured to be ν_0 = 225.8 ± 2.5(stat.) ± 1.2(sys.) GHz, which differs from the canonical null frequency by 3.0σ and is evidence for modifications to the canonical thermal SZ effect shape. Assuming the measured shift in ν0 is due only to relativistic corrections to the SZ spectrum, we place the limit kT_e = 17.1 ± 5.3 keV from the zero-point measurement alone. By simulating the response of the instrument to the sky, we are able to generate likelihood functions in {y_0, T_e, v_pec} space. For v_pec = 0 km s^(–1), we measure the best-fitting SZ model to be y_0 = 4.6^(+0.6)_(–0.9) × 10^(–4), T_e, 0 = 15.2^(+12)_(–7.4) keV. When v pec is allowed to vary, a most probable value of v_pec = + 450 ± 810 km s^(–1) is found

Code-Sharing in Cost-of-Illness Calculations: An Application to Antibiotic-Resistant Bloodstream Infections

Data Availability Statement: The linked JANIS-DPC dataset analyzed for this study is not fully available due to patient identifiable data being present. However, JANIS does provide surveillance data in its open report available. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to https://janis.mhlw.go.jp/english/about/index.html.Copyright © 2020 Naylor, Yamashita, Iwami, Kunisawa, Mizuno, Castro-Sánchez, Imanaka, Ahmad and Holmes. Background: More data-driven evidence is needed on the cost of antibiotic resistance. Both Japan and England have large surveillance and administrative datasets. Code sharing of costing models enables reduced duplication of effort in research. Objective: To estimate the burden of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (BSIs) in Japan, utilizing code that was written to estimate the hospital burden of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli BSIs in England. Additionally, the process in which the code-sharing and application was performed is detailed, to aid future such use of code-sharing in health economics. Methods: National administrative data sources were linked with voluntary surveillance data within the Japan case study. R software code, which created multistate models to estimate the excess length of stay associated with different exposures of interest, was adapted from previous use and run on this dataset. Unit costs were applied to estimate healthcare system burden in 2017 international dollars (I$). Results: Clear supporting documentation alongside open-access code, licensing, and formal communication channels, helped the re-application of costing code from the English setting within the Japanese setting. From the Japanese healthcare system perspective, it was estimated that there was an excess cost of I$6,392 per S. aureus BSI, whilst oxacillin resistance was associated with an additional I$8,155. Conclusions: S. aureus resistance profiles other than methicillin may substantially impact hospital costs. The sharing of costing models within the field of antibiotic resistance is a feasible way to increase burden evidence efficiently, allowing for decision makers (with appropriate data available) to gain rapid cost-of-illness estimates.HPRU-2012-1004

Code-sharing in Cost-of-illness Calculations: An Application to Antibiotic-Resistant Bloodstream Infections

Background: More data-driven evidence is needed on the cost of antibiotic resistance. Both Japan and England have large surveillance and administrative datasets. Code sharing of costing models enables reduced duplication of effort in research. Objective: To estimate the burden of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (BSIs) in Japan, utilizing code that was written to estimate the hospital burden of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli BSIs in England. Additionally, the process in which the code-sharing and application was performed is detailed, to aid future such use of code-sharing in health economics. Methods: National administrative data sources were linked with voluntary surveillance data within the Japan case study. R software code, which created multistate models to estimate the excess length of stay associated with different exposures of interest, was adapted from previous use and run on this dataset. Unit costs were applied to estimate healthcare system burden in 2017 international dollars (I$). Results: Clear supporting documentation alongside open-access code, licensing and formal communication channels, helped the re-application of costing code from the English setting within the Japanese setting. From the Japanese healthcare system perspective, it was estimated that there was an excess cost of I$6,392 per S. aureus BSI, whilst oxacillin resistance was associated with an additional I$8,155. Conclusions: S. aureus resistance profiles other than methicillin may substantially impact hospital costs. The sharing of costing models within the field of antibiotic resistance is a feasible way to increase burden evidence efficiently, allowing for decision makers (with appropriate data available) to gain rapid cost-of-illness estimates

Detection of an ultra-bright submillimeter galaxy in the Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Field using AzTEC/ASTE

We report the detection of an extremely bright ($\sim$37 mJy at 1100 $\mu$m and $\sim$91 mJy at 880 $\mu$m) submillimeter galaxy (SMG), AzTEC-ASTE-SXDF1100.001 (hereafter referred to as SXDF1100.001 or Orochi), discovered in 1100 $\mu$m observations of the Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Field using AzTEC on ASTE. Subsequent CARMA 1300 $\mu$m and SMA 880 $\mu$m observations successfully pinpoint the location of Orochi and suggest that it has two components, one extended (FWHM of $\sim$ 4$^{\prime\prime}$) and one compact (unresolved). Z-Spec on CSO has also been used to obtain a wide band spectrum from 190 to 308 GHz, although no significant emission/absorption lines are found. The derived upper limit to the line-to-continuum flux ratio is 0.1--0.3 (2 $\sigma$) across the Z-Spec band. Based on the analysis of the derived spectral energy distribution from optical to radio wavelengths of possible counterparts near the SMA/CARMA peak position, we suggest that Orochi is a lensed, optically dark SMG lying at $z \sim 3.4$ behind a foreground, optically visible (but red) galaxy at $z \sim 1.4$. The deduced apparent (i.e., no correction for magnification) infrared luminosity ($L_{\rm IR}$) and star formation rate (SFR) are $6 \times 10^{13}$ $L_{\odot}$ and 11000 $M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, respectively, assuming that the $L_{\rm IR}$ is dominated by star formation. These values suggest that Orochi will consume its gas reservoir within a short time scale ($3 \times 10^{7}$ yr), which is indeed comparable to those in extreme starbursts like the centres of local ULIRGs.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figure

Clostridium perfringens α-toxin interaction with red cells and model membranes.

The effects of Clostridium perfringens α-toxin on host cells have previously been studied extensively but the biophysical processes associated with toxicity are poorly understood. The work reported here shows that the initial interaction between the toxin and lipid membrane leads to measurable changes in the physical properties and morphology of the membrane. A Langmuir monolayer technique was used to assess the response of different lipid species to toxin. Sphingomyelin and unsaturated phosphatidylcholine showed the highest susceptibility to toxin lypolitic action, with a two stage response to the toxin (an initial, rapid hydrolysis stage followed by the insertion and/or reorganisation of material in the monolayer). Fluorescence confocal microscopy on unsaturated phosphatidylcholine vesicles shows that the toxin initially aggregates at discrete sites followed by the formation of localised "droplets" accumulating the hydrolysis products. This process is accompanied by local increases in the membrane dipole potential by about 50 (±42) mV. In contrast, red blood cells incubated with the toxin suffered a decrease of the membrane dipole potential by 50 (±40) mV in areas of high toxin activity (equivalent to a change in electric field strength of 10(7) V m(-1)) which is sufficient to affect the functioning of the cell membrane. Changes in erythrocyte morphology caused by the toxin are presented, and the early stages of interaction between toxin and membrane are characterised using thermal shape fluctuation analysis of red cells which revealed two distinct regimes of membrane-toxin interaction.Royal Society University Research Fellowshi