Filamentary Accretion Flows in the Embedded Serpens South Protocluster

One puzzle in understanding how stars form in clusters is the source of mass -- is all of the mass in place before the first stars are born, or is there an extended period when the cluster accretes material which can continuously fuel the star formation process? We use a multi-line spectral survey of the southern filament associated with the Serpens South embedded cluster-forming region in order to determine if mass is accreting from the filament onto the cluster, and whether the accretion rate is significant. Our analysis suggests that material is flowing along the filament's long axis at a rate of ~30Msol/Myr (inferred from the N2H+ velocity gradient along the filament), and radially contracting onto the filament at ~130Msol/Myr (inferred from HNC self-absorption). These accretion rates are sufficient to supply mass to the central cluster at a similar rate to the current star formation rate in the cluster. Filamentary accretion flows may therefore be very important in the ongoing evolution of this cluster.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables; accepted for publication in Ap

Rapid Bursts of \u3ci\u3eAndrogen-Binding Protein (Abp)\u3c/i\u3e Gene Duplication Occurred Independently in Diverse Mammals

Background The draft mouse (Mus musculus) genome sequence revealed an unexpected proliferation of gene duplicates encoding a family of secretoglobin proteins including the androgen-binding protein (ABP) α, β and γ subunits. Further investigation of 14 α-like (Abpa) and 13 β- or γ-like (Abpbg) undisrupted gene sequences revealed a rich diversity of developmental stage-, sex- and tissue-specific expression. Despite these studies, our understanding of the evolution of this gene family remains incomplete. Questions arise from imperfections in the initial mouse genome assembly and a dearth of information about the gene family structure in other rodents and mammals. Results Here, we interrogate the latest \u27finished\u27 mouse (Mus musculus) genome sequence assembly to show that the Abp gene repertoire is, in fact, twice as large as reported previously, with 30 Abpa and 34 Abpbg genes and pseudogenes. All of these have arisen since the last common ancestor with rat (Rattus norvegicus). We then demonstrate, by sequencing homologs from species within the Mus genus, that this burst of gene duplication occurred very recently, within the past seven million years. Finally, we survey Abp orthologs in genomes from across the mammalian clade and show that bursts of Abp gene duplications are not specific to the murid rodents; they also occurred recently in the lagomorph (rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus) and ruminant (cattle, Bos taurus) lineages, although not in other mammalian taxa. Conclusion We conclude that Abp genes have undergone repeated bursts of gene duplication and adaptive sequence diversification driven by these genes\u27 participation in chemosensation and/or sexual identification

Volatile chemicals of the ants Myrmica rubra L. and M. scabrinodis nyl.

The most volatile constituents of the sting apparatus of the ants Myrmica rubra L. and M. scabrlnodis Nyl. have been examined by reaction gas chromatography and found to contain nanogramme quantities of simple alcohols, aldehydes and ketones. A technique has been developed to permit the extraction of glandular liquid directly from the component glands of the sting apparatus. Essentially, for this technique, the appropriate gland was dissected from the ant, pierced with a fine glass tube and its contents withdrawn by capillary action. The filled portion of capillary was then sealed into a small glass ampoule and introduced into the gas chromatograph using an existing solid sampling technique. The technique was also used to calculate the volume and water content of the glandular liquid. In both species, Dufour's gland contains between 100 ng and 150 ng of oxygenated volatiles dissolved in anhydrous hydrocarbons. The principal components are ethanal, propanone, methylpropanal, butenone and butanone with smaller quantities of methanol, ethanol, butanol and propanal. The poison vesicle of both species also contains methanol, ethanal, ethanol, propanal, propanone, methylpropanal and butanone, together with 2- or 3-methylbutanal (probably the latter), butane, traces of methane, ethane and propane and three unidentified components. No butenone or butanol is present in this gland. The concentration of the volatiles in the poison vesicle, where they are in aqueous solution, is some five times less than in Dufour's gland, but is still about twenty times greater than in the haemolymph. It is suggested that these oxygenated compounds are deposited by older workers on their foraging area and are used as a recruitment pheromone to a freshly laid trail in the case of the poison vesicle secretion. In the Dufour's gland secretion the same compounds are volatilised relatively slowly from their hydrocarbon solution: they attract other workers and induce them to move in a rapid, sinuous and exploratory manner, thus serving as a recruitment and foraging pheromone for new territories. Ethological tests performed in another laboratory on M. rubra have shown that three effects recognised earlier for the Dufour's gland can be attributed to four of its components. Ethanal synergised by ethanol produces an attractive effect on foraging workers. Propanone induces an increased linear speed, and changes in sinuousity of movement are induced by ethanol synergised by butanone. Ethanol, butanone or mixtures of all four compounds induce the deposition of Dufour's gland secretion on the foraging area. The electrophysiological response of ants to these four compounds was assessed by recording their electroantennogram. The poison vesicle contents of each species will induce trail following in either species, but none of the volatiles which have been tested was found to elicit trail following behaviour

Two-Dimensional Temperature Analysis of Nuclear Fireballs Using Digitized Film

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have begun digitizing technical films spanning the atmospheric nuclear testing operations conducted by the United States from 1945 through 1962. Each atmospheric nuclear test was filmed by Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier, Inc., using between 20 to 40 cameras per test. These technical film test data represent a primary source for advancing the knowledge of nuclear weapon output as well as the understanding of nonnuclear high-temperature gases. This manuscript outlines the procedures followed in order to perform two-dimensional temperature calculations for early time nuclear fireballs using digitized film. The digitized optical densities of the film were converted into irradiance on the film that was then used to determine an effective power temperature. The events Wasp Prime and Tesla of Operation Teapot were analyzed using this technique. Film temperature results agreed within uncertainties with historic data collected by calorimeters. Results were also validated by comparison to a thermal heat flux solution that utilizes historic thermal yield values to normalize radiant flux. Additionally, digital imaging and remote sensing image generation was used to demonstrate that the two-dimensional temperature calculation was self-consistent

Alcohol abstinence reduces A-fib burden in drinkers

A recent Australian study demonstrated a significant reduction in A-fib recurrence and burden among regular drinkers who abstained from alcohol.Derrick J. Thiel, MD; Robert C. Marshall, MD, MPH, MISM, FAAFP, FAMIA; Tyler S. Rogers, MD, FAAFP, (Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA). Deputy Editor: Jennie B. Jarrett, PharmD, BCPS, MMedEd, FCCP (University of Illinois at Chicago)Includes bibliographical reference

Flame Tube Testing of a GEA TAPS Injector: Effects of Fuel Staging on Combustor Fuel Spray Patterns, Flow Structure, and Speciation

This paper presents results in which we compare fuel staging and its effect on fuel spray pattern, velocity and speciation during combustion for several inlet conditions using a GE TAPS injector configuration. Planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), particle image velocimetry (PIV) and phase Doppler interferometry (PDI) were used to investigate spray patterns and velocity. The 2D PIV provides slices in the flow of axial-vertical or axial horizontal velocity components. With 3D PDI, we obtained 3 components of velocity, and fuel drop sizes. Chemiluminescence imaging and spontaneous Raman scattering (SRS) were used to investigate flame structure, species location and relative species concentration. Phase Doppler and PIV data were acquired using scatter from fuel droplets; therefore, those data were obtained only at the pilot-only test points. Raman measurements were acquired only at 10/90 split points to avoid droplets

Optical Characterization of Fuel Injection in a Flame Tube Combustor Using a GE TAPS Injector Configuration

This paper presents results in which we compare fuel staging and its effect on fuel spray pattern, velocity and speciation during combustion for several inlet conditions using a GE TAPS injector configuration. Planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), particle image velocimetry (PIV) and phase Doppler interferometry (PDI) were used to investigate spray patterns and velocity. The 2D PIV provides slices in the flow of axial-vertical or axial horizontal velocity components. With 3D PDI, we obtained 3 components of velocity, and fuel drop sizes. Chemiluminescence imaging and spontaneous Raman scattering (SRS) were used to investigate flame structure, species location and relative species concentration. Phase Doppler and PIV data were acquired using scatter from fuel droplets; therefore, those data were obtained only at the pilot-only test points. Raman measurements were acquired only at 10/90 split points to avoid droplets

White Matter Abnormalities in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Genetic Generalized Epilepsies.

BACKGROUND Genetic generalized epilepsies (GGEs) are associated with microstructural brain abnormalities that can be evaluated with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Available studies on GGEs have conflicting results. Our primary goal was to compare the white matter structure in a cohort of patients with video/EEG-confirmed GGEs to healthy controls (HCs). Our secondary goal was to assess the potential effect of age at GGE onset on the white matter structure. MATERIAL AND METHODS A convenience sample of 23 patients with well-characterized treatment-resistant GGEs (13 female) was compared to 23 HCs. All participants received MRI at 3T. DTI indices, including fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), were compared between groups using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). RESULTS After controlling for differences between groups, abnormalities in DTI parameters were observed in patients with GGEs, including decreases in functional anisotropy (FA) in the hemispheric (left>right) and brain stem white matter. The examination of the effect of age at GGE onset on the white matter integrity revealed a significant negative correlation in the left parietal white matter region FA (R=-0.504; p=0.017); similar trends were observed in the white matter underlying left motor cortex (R=-0.357; p=0.103) and left posterior limb of the internal capsule (R=-0.319; p=0.148). CONCLUSIONS Our study confirms the presence of widespread white matter abnormalities in patients with GGEs and provides evidence that the age at GGE onset may have an important effect on white matter integrity

Examining MEDLINE Search Query Reproducibility and Resulting Variation in Search Results

The MEDLINE database is publicly available through the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed but the data file itself is also licensed to a number of vendors, who may offer their versions to institutional and other parties as part of a database platform. These vendors provide their own interface to the MEDLINE file and offer other technologies that attempt to make their version useful to subscribers. However, little is known about how vendor platforms ingest and interact with MEDLINE data files, nor how these changes influence the construction of search queries and the results they produce. This poster presents a longitudinal study of five MEDLINE databases involving 29 sets of logically and semantically consistent search queries (five search queries for each set). The goal is to understand whether it is possible to reproduce search queries by: a) analyzing search query syntax per database, and b) controlling for total search results. We also highlight the barriers to creating reproducible queries across MEDLINE databases

MEDLINE Search Retrieval Issues: A Longitudinal Query Analysis of Five Vendor Platforms

This study compared the results of data collected from a longitudinal query analysis of the MEDLINE database hosted on multiple platforms that include PubMed, EBSCOHost, Ovid, ProQuest, and Web of Science. The goal was to identify variations among the search results on the platforms after controlling for search query syntax. We devised twenty-nine cases of search queries comprised of five semantically equivalent queries per case to search against the five MEDLINE database platforms. We ran our queries monthly for a year and collected search result count data to observe changes. We found that search results varied considerably depending on MEDLINE platform. Reasons for variations were due to trends in scholarly publication such as publishing individual papers online first versus complete issues. Some other reasons were metadata differences in bibliographic records; differences in the levels of specificity of search fields provided by the platforms and large fluctuations in monthly search results based on the same query. Database integrity and currency issues were observed as each platform updated its MEDLINE data throughout the year. Specific biomedical bibliographic databases are used to inform clinical decision-making, create systematic reviews, and construct knowledge bases for clinical decision support systems. They serve as essential information retrieval and discovery tools to help identify and collect research data and are used in a broad range of fields and as the basis of multiple research designs. This study should help clinicians, researchers, librarians, informationists, and others understand how these platforms differ and inform future work in their standardization