Star Formation in the Trifid Nebula

We have obtained maps of the 1.25mm thermal dust emission and the molecular gas emission over a region of 20' by 10' arcmin around the Trifid Nebula (M20), with the IRAM 30m and the CSO telescopes as well as in the mid-infrared wavelength with ISO and SPITZER. Our survey is sensitive to features down to N(H2) \sim 10^{22} cm-2 in column density. The cloud material is distributed in fragmented dense gas filaments (n(H2) \sim 1000 cm-3) with sizes ranging from 1 to 10 pc. A massive filament, WF, with properties typical of Infra Red Dark Clouds, connects M20 to the W28 supernova remnant. These filaments pre-exist the formation of the Trifid and were originally self-gravitating. The fragments produced are very massive (100 Msun or more) and are the progenitors of the cometary globules observed at the border of the HII region. We could identify 33 cores, 16 of which are currently forming stars. They are usually gravitationally unbound and have low masses of a few Msun. The densest starless cores (several 10^5 cm-3) may be the site for the next generation of stars. The physical gas and dust properties of the cometary globules have been studied in detail and have been found very similar. They all are forming stars. Several intermediate-mass protostars have been detected in the cometary globules and in the deeply embedded cores. Evidence of clustering has been found in the shocked massive cores TC3-TC4-TC5. M20 is a good example of massive-star forming region in a turbulent, filamentary molecular cloud. Photoionization appears to play a minor role in the formation of the cores. The observed fragmentation is well explained by MHD-driven instabilities and is usually not related to M20. We propose that the nearby supernova remnant W28 could have triggered the formation of protostellar clusters in nearby dense cores of the Trifid.Comment: 16 pages, 24 figures, 5 Tables To appear in Astronomy and Astrophysic

High-J v=0 SiS Maser Emission in IRC+10216: A New Case of Infrared Overlaps

We report on the first detection of maser emission in the J=11-10, J=14-13 and J=15-14 transitions of the v=0 vibrational state of SiS toward the C-rich star IRC+10216. These masers seem to be produced in the very inhomogeneous region between the star and the inner dust formation zone, placed at 5-7 R*, with expansion velocities below 10 km/s. We interpret the pumping mechanism as due to overlaps between v=1-0 ro-vibrational lines of SiS and mid-IR lines of C2H2, HCN and their 13C isotopologues. The large number of overlaps found suggests the existence of strong masers for high-J v=0 and v=1 SiS transitions, located in the submillimeter range. In addition, it could be possible to find several rotational lines of the SiS isotopologues displaying maser emission.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, published in the ApJ Letter

Theoretical and experimental study of AC loss in HTS single pancake coils

The electromagnetic properties of a pancake coil in AC regime as a function of the number of turns is studied theoretically and experimentally. Specifically, the AC loss, the coil critical current and the voltage signal are discussed. The coils are made of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10/Ag (BiSCCO) tape, although the main qualitative results are also applicable to other kinds of superconducting tapes, such as coated conductors. The AC loss and the voltage signal are electrically measured using different pick up coils with the help of a transformer. One of them avoids dealing with the huge coil inductance. Besides, the critical current of the coils is experimentally determined by conventional DC measurements. Furthermore, the critical current, the AC loss and the voltage signal are simulated, showing a good agreement with the experiments. For all simulations, the field dependent critical current density inferred from DC measurements on a short tape sample is taken into account.Comment: 22 pages, 15 figures; contents extended (sections 3.2 and 4); one new figure (figure 5) and two figures replaced (figures 3 and 8); typos corrected; title change

Dual Fabry-Perot filter for measurement of CO rotational spectra: design and application to the CO spectrum of Venus

We present the design of a harmonic resonant filter that can be used with a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) for simultaneous measurement of a series of lines in the CO rotational ladder. To enable studies of both broad CO absorptions in Venus and modestly red-shifted CO emission from external galaxies, relatively broad (approximately 10-30-GHz FWHM) transmission passbands are desirable. Because a single low-finesse Fabry Perot (FP) etalon has insufficient interline rejection, a dual-FP etalon was considered. Such a design provides significantly better interband rejection and somewhat more flattopped transmission spikes. A prototype filter of this type, made of two thin silicon disks spaced by an air gap, has been constructed and used with our FTS at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory for simultaneous measurement of the four submillimeter CO transitions in the atmosphere of Venus that are accessible from the ground

A methodology for unified hardware-software design

Unified hardware-software design for digital computer

The extended hypergeometric class of L\'evy processes

With a view to computing fluctuation identities related to stable processes, we review and extend the class of hypergeometric L\'evy processes explored in Kuznetsov and Pardo (arXiv:1012.0817). We give the Wiener-Hopf factorisation of a process in the extended class, and characterise its exponential functional. Finally, we give three concrete examples arising from transformations of stable processes.Comment: 22 page

Detection of circumstellar CH2CHCN, CH2CN, CH3CCH and H2CS

We report on the detection of vinyl cyanide (CH2CHCN), cyanomethyl radical (CH2CN), methylacetylene (CH3CCH) and thioformaldehyde (H2CS) in the C-rich star IRC +10216. These species, which are all known to exist in dark clouds, are detected for the first time in the circumstellar envelope around an AGB star. The four molecules have been detected trough pure rotational transitions in the course of a 3 mm line survey carried out with the IRAM 30-m telescope. The molecular column densities are derived by constructing rotational temperature diagrams. A detailed chemical model of the circumstellar envelope is used to analyze the formation of these molecular species. We have found column densities in the range 5 x 10^(12)- 2 x 10^(13) cm^(-2), which translates to abundances relative to H2 of several 10^(-9). The chemical model is reasonably successful in explaining the derived abundances through gas phase synthesis in the cold outer envelope. We also find that some of these molecules, CH2CHCN and CH2CN, are most probably excited trough infrared pumping to excited vibrational states. The detection of these species stresses the similarity between the molecular content of cold dark clouds and C-rich circumstellar envelopes. However, some differences in the chemistry are indicated by the fact that in IRC +10216 partially saturated carbon chains are present at a lower level than those which are highly unsaturated, while in TMC-1 both types of species have comparable abundances.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in A&

Interventions for promoting reintegration and reducing harmful behaviour and lifestyles in street-connected children and young people (Review)

Background Millions of street-connected children and young people worldwide live or work in street environments. They are vulnerable to many risks, whether or not they remain connected to families of origin, and despite many strengths and resiliencies, they are excluded from mainstream social structures and opportunities. Objectives Primary research objectives To evaluate and summarise the effectiveness of interventions for street-connected children and young people that aim to: • promote inclusion and reintegration; • increase literacy and numeracy; • facilitate access to education and employment; • promote mental health, including self esteem; • reduce harms associated with early sexual activity and substance misuse. Secondary research objectives • To explore whether effects of interventions differ within and between populations, and whether an equity gradient influences theseeffects, by extrapolating from all findings relevance for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Peters 2004). • To describe other health, educational, psychosocial and behavioural effects, when appropriate outcomes are reported. • To explore the influence of context in design, delivery and outcomes of interventions. Interventions for promoting reintegration and reducing harmful behaviour and lifestyles in street-connected children and young people 1 (Review) Copyright © 2016 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. To explore the relationship between numbers of components and duration and effects of interventions. • To highlight implications of these findings for further research and research methods to improve evidence in relation to the primary research objective. • To consider adverse or unintended outcomes. Search methods We searched the following bibliographic databases, searched for the original review, from inception to 2012, and various relevant non-governmental and organisational websites: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); MEDLINE and PreMEDLINE;EMBASE and EMBASE Classic; Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL); PsycINFO; Education Resource Information Center (ERIC); Sociological Abstracts; Social Services Abstracts; Social Work Abstracts; Healthstar; Latin American Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS); System for Grey literature in Europe (OpenGrey); ProQuest Dissertations and Theses; EconLit; IDEAS Economics and Finance Research; JOLIS Library Catalog of the holdings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Libraries; British Library for Development Studies (BLDS); Google and Google Scholar. We updated the search in April 2015 for the review update, using the same methods. Selection criteria This review includes data from harm reduction or reintegration intervention studies that used a comparison group study design; all were randomised or quasi-randomised studies. Studies were included if they evaluated interventions provided for street-connected children and young people, from birth to 24 years, in all contexts. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias and other factors presented in the Discussion and Summary quality assessment (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE)). We extracted data on intervention delivery, context, process factors, equity and outcomes, and grouped outcomes into psychosocial outcomes, risky sexual behaviours or substance use. We conducted meta-analyses for outcomes where the outcome measures were sufficiently similar. We evaluated other outcomes narratively. Main results We included 13 studies evaluating 19 interventions from high-income countries (HICs). We found no sufficiently robust evaluations conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Study quality overall was low and measurements used by studies variable. Participants were classified as drop-in and shelter-based. No studies measured the primary outcome of reintegration and none reported on adverse effects.We found no consistent results on a range of relevant outcomes within domains of psychosocial health, substance misuse and sexually risky behaviours . Interventions evaluated consisted of time-limited therapeutically based programmes that proved no more effective than standard shelter or drop-in services and other control interventions used for most outcomes in most studies. Favourable changes from baseline were reported for outcomes for most participants following therapy interventions and standard services. We noted considerable heterogeneity between studies and inconsistent reporting of equity data. No studies measured the primary outcome of reintegration or reported on adverse effects. Authors’ conclusions Analysis revealed no consistently significant benefit for focused therapeutic interventions compared with standard services such as dropin centres, case management and other comparable interventions for street-connected children and young people. Commonly available services, however, were not rigorously evaluated. Robust evaluation of interventions, including comparison with no intervention, would establish a more reliable evidence base to inform service implementation. More robust research is needed in LMICs to examine interventions for street-connected children and young people with different backgrounds and service needs

Engagement-related process factors in services for street-connected children and young people in low and middle income countries: a thematic synthesis

A recent Cochrane/ Campbell systematic review of interventions for promoting reintegration and reducing harmful behaviour and lifestyles in street-connected children and young people, supported by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), identified 11 studies evaluating 12 different interventions which met the inclusion criteria (Coren et al. 2013). The research studies had to contain a comparison group and look at street-connected children and young people between the ages of 0 and 24. None of the included studies were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), or involved process evaluations. The current thematic synthesis focused on engagement processes and strategies in studies pertaining to LMICs but excluded from the review on methodological grounds, complemented by studies identified through a search update conducted in March 2013. We included twenty-seven qualitative or mixed methods studies, which examined broad range of interventions and services adopted in 21 LMICs. The synthesis methods were primarily qualitative. On the basis of our findings, we conceptualised engagement as consisting of outreach and sustaining phases. Three separate dimensions emerged in the sustaining phases: meeting multiple needs, relations to adult service users, and community and family engagement. Our synthesis outlines challenges and dilemmas of engagement in each of these areas. The data also highlighted some common shortcomings in the service sector in LMICs, including lack of appropriate professional training and service development, lack of funding, and lack of co-operation with other relevant agencies. Innovative approaches to engagement, such as participatory initiatives and partnerships with universities, are also discussed