Abundance Profiles and Kinematics of Damped Lyman-alpha Absorbing Galaxies at z < 0.65

We present a spectroscopic study of six damped Lya absorption (DLA) systems at z<0.65, based on moderate-to-high resolution spectra of the galaxies responsible for the absorbers. Combining known metallicity measurements of the absorbers with known optical properties of the absorbing galaxies, we confirm that the low metal content of the DLA population can arise naturally as a combination of gas cross-section selection and metallicity gradients commonly observed in local disk galaxies. We also study the Tully-Fisher relation of the DLA-selected galaxies and find little detectable evidence for evolution in the disk population between z=0 and z~0.5. Additional results of our analysis are as follows. (1) The DLA galaxies exhibit a range of spectral properties, from post-starburst, to normal disks, and to starburst systems, supporting the idea that DLA galaxies are drawn from the typical field population. (2) Large rotating HI disks of radius 30 h^{-1} kpc and of dynamic mass M_dyn > 10^{11} h^{-1} M_sun appear to be common at intermediate redshifts. (3) Using an ensemble of six galaxy-DLA pairs, we derive an abundance profile that is characterized by a radial gradient of -0.041 +/- 0.012 dex per kiloparsec (or equivalently a scale length of 10.6 h^{-1} kpc) from galactic center to 30 h^{-1} kpc radius. (4) Adopting known N(HI) profiles of nearby galaxies and the best-fit radial gradient, we further derive an N(HI)-weighted mean metallicity _weighted = -0.50 +/- 0.07 for the DLA population over 100 random lines of sight, consistent with _weighted = -0.64 (-0.86, +0.40) observed for z~1 DLA systems from Prochaska et al. Our analysis demonstrates that the low metal content of DLA systems does not rule out the possibility that the DLA population trace the field galaxy population.Comment: 57 pages, 17 figures, to appear in the ApJ 20 February 2005 issue; a pdf version of the paper with full-resolution figures is available at http://falcon.mit.edu/~hchen/public/tmp/dlachem.pd

Quality of Monitoring for Cellular Networks

5G networks and beyond introduce a larger number of Network Elements (NEs) and functions than former cellular generations. The increase in NEs will, thus, result in significantly increasing the Management-Plane (M-Plane) data collected from the NEs. Therefore, the conventional centralized Network Management Systems (NMSs) will face fundamental challenges in processing the M-Plane data. In this paper, we present the concept of Quality of Monitoring (QoM) as a solution, which is able to reduce the M-Plane data already at the NEs. First, QoM aggregates the raw M-Plane data into Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). To these KPIs, the QoM applies a data-driven algorithm to define information loss limits for QoM classes specific for each KPI time series. Then, the QoM applies the classes for compressing the KPI data utilizing a lossy-compression method, which is a derivative of the Piece-Wise Constant Approximation (PWCA) algorithm. To evaluate the performance of the QoM solution, we use M-Plane raw data from a live LTE network and calculate four KPIs, while each KPI has different statistical characteristics. We also define three QoM classes named Exact, Optimized, and Sharp. For all KPIs, the class Optimized has a higher compression rate than the class Exact, while the class Sharp has the highest compression rate. Assuming that, for example, NEs of a network produce 280 MB of raw data containing information that needs to be transferred to the network operations center; we use KPIs to represent the information contents of the data, and QoM solution to transfer the data over the network. As a result, the QoM solution achieves an estimated 95% compression gain from the raw data in transfer.Peer reviewe

IN VITRO EQUIVALENCE STUDY OF GENERIC METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE TABLETS UNDER BIOWAIVER CONDITIONS

Background: Generic drugs are smarter alternative to expensive brands, it is bio- equivalent formula of any branded drug. FDA approved that generic drugs are the safest to consume, the medicines meet the similar manufacturing standards followed while producing an innovator drug, however, the color, shape, taste and packaging of generics is different from the innovator product. In short, a generic drug should be bioequivalent to its brand counterpart. Metformin was initially marketed under the name of Glucophage®, and now the market is loaded by generics of different origin, and price variability. Method: Our study was conducted to determine whether metformin generics are bioequivalent to the innovator drug Glucophage®. In-vitro bioequivalence testing under Biowaiver conditions can predict bioequivalence in a safe, fast, and less expensive method. Thus, study was performed on Metformin tablets to assess whether generics are bioequivalent to the innovator and hence be interchangeable. Results: The quality control results of the thickness, hardness, friability, disintegration, weight uniformity, content uniformity, and assay showed that most metformin tablets complied with the USP 34 NF29 2011 specifications. Dissolution testing under biowaiver conditions showed different results. All tablets of the generics and innovator Glucophage® were able to dissolve by more than 85% within 15 min. Two generics were bioequivalent to the innovator Glucophage® having f2≥ 50 in the three dissolution media. The rest of generics showed variable results. Conclusion: Generics of metformin varied in their bioequivalency to the innovator Gluocophage®. This variation could be explained by different excipients, and manufacturing conditions. In-vivo bioequivalence testing should be conducted to confirm that the innovator could be safely interchangeable with the brand and this variation won’t affect the safety and efficacy of the drug

Tuberculosis in a shopping centre, Portugal, 2004-5

Genotyping enables to confirm or exclude a tuberculosis (TB) cluster. Excluding the link between cases is particularly important in countries with intermediate/high incidence of TB where the emergence of several TB cases in a particular location in space or time (higher than the expected) could be explained by chance alone. During 2004 and 2005, five TB cases occurred in five shops of a Portuguese shopping centre which employed a total of about 1000 workers. After an epidemiological survey, 52 close contacts were identified and screened. Latent tuberculosis infection was diagnosed in 10 contacts (eight family members and two work colleagues of cases). Genotyping of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates revealed no link between the cases. For this reason no screening of all staff of the shopping centre was carried out. However, close contacts (52) and all fellow workers (1000) were kept under surveillance for two years, and no additional cases were diagnosed. The present analysis demonstrates that the exclusion of a chain of ongoing transmission by genotyping for the investigation of a cluster is cost-effective from the perspective of the public health service, because it allows to avoid unnecessary large scale screening operation and instead to direct resources to more effective measures of TB control.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Interpreting a Diagnosis of Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance in Cervical Cytology and its Association with Human Papillomavirus: A retrospective analysis of 180 cases in Kuwait

Objectives: Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) represent a diagnostic challenge during cervical cytology. This study aimed to review and identify high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) genotypes among previously diagnosed ASC-US cases in Kuwait. Methods: This retrospective study analysed 180 cases diagnosed as ASC-US between June 2017 and May 2018 at the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait. Cervical specimens were assayed to determine the presence of HR-HPV DNA; subsequently, positive cases underwent genotyping and were categorised into three groups (HPV 16, HPV 18/45 and other HR-HPV types). Results: In total, ASC-US was confirmed in only 105 cases (58.3%), with the remaining cases reclassified as negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancy (NILM; 32.2%) and epithelial cell abnormalities (ECA; 9.4%). Of these, HRHPV DNA was present in 20 ASC-US (19%), one NILM (1.7%) and six ECA (35.3%) cases. There were 62 Kuwaiti and 43 non-Kuwaiti women with confirmed ASC-US; of these, three (4.8%), six (9.7%) and four (6.5%) Kuwaitis and one (2.3%), one (2.3%) and five (11.6%) non-Kuwaitis had HPV 16, both HPV 16 and 18/45 and other HRHPV genotypes, respectively. Of those with HR-HPV DNA, the NILM case had the HPV 18/45 genotype, while the six ECA cases had the HPV 16 (n = 1), both HPV 16 and 18/45 (n = 1) and other HR-HPV (n = 4) genotypes. Conclusion: Overall, HR-HPV DNA was present in 19% of ASC-US cases compared to 1.7% of NILM cases initially misdiagnosed as ASC-US. Re-review of cervical cytology diagnoses may reduce unnecessary costs associated with HR-HPV genotyping. Keywords: Cervical Smears; Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance; Human Papilloma Virus; Cytological Techniques; Papanicolaou Test; Kuwait

Star Formation and X-ray Emission in Distant Star Forming Galaxies

About 45% of the point sources detected in the 2 Ms Chandra exposure of the HDF-N can be matched with moderately bright galaxies with z<1.4 that have been studied by the Caltech Faint Galaxy Redshift Survey. Although the optical spectra of these galaxies appear normal, based on their X-ray properties ~20% of them appear to contain weak AGNs. More than 90% of the X-ray photons detected by Chandra from galaxies within the redshift regime 0.4 < z < 1.1 are powered by accretion onto massive black holes. For the sample of galaxies in common, we use their emitted luminosity in the 3727 A line of [OII] to estimate their star formation rate (SFR). The X-ray emitting galaxies are not those with the highest rest frame equivalent width in this emission line, but rather are among those with the highest SFR. With SFR corrected for inclination effects, the distant galaxies show a L(X) -- SFR relationship that is comparable to that of local galaxies. The HDF sample has a significantly higher median SFR and median SFR/galaxy stellar mass than does a sample of local star forming galaxies. We demonstrate that the observed SFR for most of the galaxies at z~1 in the HDF sample, if maintained as constant over their ages, suffices to produce the stellar mass observed in these galaxies. A rise in SFR at still earlier times is not required. We provide further evidence to support the conclusion that, once AGNs are eliminated, X-ray emission in these distantstar forming galaxies is related to the SFR through the same physical mechanisms that prevail locally.Comment: Accepted for the Astrophysical Journa

Recombination Line vs. Forbidden Line Abundances in Planetary Nebulae

Recombination lines (RLs) of C II, N II, and O II in planetary nebulae (PNs) have been found to give abundances that are much larger in some cases than abundances from collisionally-excited forbidden lines (CELs). The origins of this abundance discrepancy are highly debated. We present new spectroscopic observations of O II and C II recombination lines for six planetary nebulae. With these data we compare the abundances derived from the optical recombination lines with those determined from collisionally-excited lines. Combining our new data with published results on RLs in other PNs, we examine the discrepancy in abundances derived from RLs and CELs. We find that there is a wide range in the measured abundance discrepancy Delta(O+2) = log O+2(RL) - log O+2(CEL), ranging from approximately 0.1 dex up to 1.4 dex. Most RLs yield similar abundances, with the notable exception of O II multiplet V15, known to arise primarily from dielectronic recombination, which gives abundances averaging 0.6 dex higher than other O II RLs. We compare Delta(O+2) against a variety of physical properties of the PNs to look for clues as to the mechanism responsible for the abundance discrepancy. The strongest correlations are found with the nebula diameter and the Balmer surface brightness. An inverse correlation of Delta(O+2) with nebular density is also seen. Similar results are found for carbon in comparing C II RL abundances with ultraviolet measurements of C III].Comment: 48 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Supplemen

Consideration for Scaffolding Open-Ended Engineering Problems: Instructor Reflections After Three Years

This full research-to-practice paper is a collaboration between researchers and instructors to examine the scaffolding of open-ended problems. Most assigned homework problems are closed-ended with one correct answer and are unlike the ill-defined problems practicing engineers solve in the workplace. To begin bridging this gap, our research team of engineering education researchers and instructors have been designing and implementing ill-defined, open-ended homework problems for the past three years. This study presents instructor reflections on considerations for scaffolding open-ended problems, made after examining survey data from their own students. We present the results in six practices of scaffolding that better support students in their solving of the problems

HST/WFPC2 morphologies and color maps of distant luminous infrared galaxies

Using HST/WFPC2 imaging in F606W (or F450W) and F814W filters, we obtained the color maps in observed frame for 36 distant (0.4<z<1.2) luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), with average star formation rates of ~100 M_sun/yr. Stars and compact sources are taken as references to align images after correction of geometric distortion. This leads to an alignment accuracy of 0.15 pixel, which is a prerequisite for studying the detailed color properties of galaxies with complex morphologies. A new method is developed to quantify the reliability of each pixel in the color map without any bias against very red or blue color regions.Based on analyses of two-dimensional structure and spatially resolved color distribution, we carried out morphological classification for LIRGs. About 36% of the LIRGs were classified as disk galaxies and 22% as irregulars. Only 6 (17%) systems are obvious ongoing major mergers. An upper limit of 58% was found for the fraction of mergers in LIRGs with all the possible merging/interacting systems included. Strikingly, the fraction of compact sources is as high as 25%, similar to that found in optically selected samples. From their K band luminosities, LIRGs are relatively massive systems, with an average stellar mass of about 1.1x10^11 solar mass. They are related to the formation of massive and large disks, from their morphologies and also from the fact that they represent a significant fraction of distant disks selected by their sizes. The compact LIRGs show blue cores, which could be associated with the formation of the central region of these galaxies. We suggest that there are many massive disks still forming a large fraction of their stellar mass since z=1. For most of them, their central parts (bulge?) were formed prior to the formation of their disks.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Changes in high sensitivity serum CRP under periodontal therapy and its association with the depth of pathological periodontal pocket

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease, elicited by a complex mixture of anaerobic, Gram-negative bacteria that result in the destruction of the supporting structures of the dentition (Pihlstrom et al, 2005). This disease affects the majority of population (Brown et al, 1996) and the periodontal tooth mortality was reported by Ong, 1998 to be associated with the loss of periodontal attachment. C-reactive protein, as an acute-phase reactant, currently being labelled as a possible risk indicator for future cardiac events, and it is elevated in periodontitis patients compared to controls (Ebersole et al, 1997). Despite the fact for effectiveness of periodontal treatment in modifying the level of serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (Ebersole et al., 1997, Mattila et al., 2002), incomplete or inadequate treatment of extensive periodontal disease will not be expected to have a significant impact on systemic mediators (Ioannidou et al., 2006). The aim of this study was to explore the outcomes of periodontal therapy in terms of changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) and its effect on the depth of pathological periodontal defect. Following protocol review and approval by Institutional Review Board of Jordan university of science and technology, a total of fifty five periodontitis patients randomly distributed into either a treatment group (37 patients) received non-surgical periodontal therapy with intensive oral hygiene nstructions and repeated therapy course for residual bleeding periodontal pockets or control group (18 patients) received delayed periodontal treatment after completion of clinical trial evaluation. Medical history, demographic data and clinical periodontal parameters and C-reactive protein were collected at baseline and three months at reassessment appointments. The results showed statistically significant improvements for all periodontal clinical parameters, and significant reduction of hs-CRP levels (p=0.003) after the treatment regime within the tested treatment group compared to control patients, and there was a significant positive correlation (p=0.006, r=0.411) between elevated serum levels of CRP and deep pathological periodontal pockets