823 research outputs found

    Discriminating among theories of spiral structure using Gaia DR2

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    We compare the distribution in position and velocity of nearby stars from the Gaia DR2 radial velocity sample with predictions of current theories for spirals in disc galaxies. Although the rich substructure in velocity space contains the same information, we find it more revealing to reproject the data into action-angle variables, and we describe why resonant scattering would be more readily identifiable in these variables. We compute the predicted changes to the phase space density, in multiple different projections, that would be caused by a simplified isolated spiral pattern, finding widely differing predictions from each theory. We conclude that the phase space structure present in the Gaia data shares many of the qualitative features expected in the transient spiral mode model. We argue that the popular picture of apparently swing-amplified spirals results from the superposition of a few underlying spiral modes.Comment: Revised version accepted to appear in MNRAS. Some significant improvements. A full resolution version of Fig 4 is available from http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~sellwood/mult_res.pd

    Ground-truthing airborne EM - Hydrochemical characterization of a coal mine plume

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    A trial airborne EM (AEM) survey was carried out across a 13 x 9 km area of the northern Nottinghamshire (UK) coalfield. One of the objectives was to examine the influence of collieries situated above the Triassic Sherwood Sandstone aquifer. The conductivity models obtained from the AEM survey revealed extensive zones of enhanced subsurface conductivity in the vicinity of all the collieries in the survey area. The purpose of the present study is to provide information regarding subsequent investigations (ground geophysics and borehole) to confirm the AEM results and to investigate the geochemical nature of the conductive zone identified in the vicinity of one of the collieries

    The Effects of Task Load and Vehicle Heterogeneity on Performance in the Multiple-Vehicle Tracking Task

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    When crossing traffic at busy intersections, drivers must keep track of the changing positions of cyclists, pedestrians and other vehicles to avoid collision. Multiple-object tracking is the ability to monitor the positions of a number of selected moving objects (targets) among others (distractors) in a complex scene. Most young adults can track 3-5 items at once but older adults cannot track as many, a finding that may partially explain older drivers’ increased risk at intersections. Because tracking represents an important component of driving, a variant of the multiple-object tracking task called multiple-vehicle was created to measure tracking performance in a driving simulator. However, it is unclear whether tracking while driving works the same as tracking carried out on its own. Laboratory studies suggest that tracking improves when the moving items are heterogeneous, and on the road, it is far more typical that vehicles differ from one another rather than being all the same. Drivers were given the task of tracking the positions of 4 vehicles in a field of 8 on a highway, and the effects of task load (tracking alone, tracking while driving) on tracking performance were measured as a function of whether the target and distractor vehicles were homogeneous. Steering and headway maintenance variability were also assessed. The results indicated that heterogeneity only enabled better tracking when drivers were tracking in isolation. Heterogeneity had no significant effect on tracking when participants were tracking while driving though it did significantly reduce their steering variability

    Transients Analysis Of Distributed Systems

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    An isomorphic relation exists between the transient response of systems whose transfer functions are of the form H(s)=B and the transient response of systems whose transfer functions are of the form [formula omitted]. Several interesting conclusions are drawn from this relationship concerning the transient response of distributed systems. Copyright © 1969 by The Insitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc

    The effects of acute inflammation on cognitive functioning and emotional processing in humans: A systematic review of experimental studies

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    This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record Objective The cognitive neuropsychological model of depression proposes that negative biases in the processing of emotionally salient information have a central role in the development and maintenance of depression. We have conducted a systematic review to determine whether acute experimental inflammation is associated with changes to cognitive and emotional processing that are thought to cause and maintain depression. Methods We identified experimental studies in which healthy individuals were administered an acute inflammatory challenge (bacterial endotoxin/vaccination) and standardised tests of cognitive function were performed. Results Fourteen references were identified, reporting findings from 12 independent studies on 345 participants. Methodological quality was rated strong or moderate for 11 studies. Acute experimental inflammation was triggered using a variety of agents (including endotoxin from E. coli, S. typhi, S. abortus Equi and Hepatitis B vaccine) and cognition was assessed over hours to months, using cognitive tests of i) attention/executive functioning, ii) memory and iii) social/emotional processing. Studies found mixed evidence that acute experimental inflammation caused changes to attention/executive functioning (2 of 6 studies showed improvements in attention executive function compared to control), changes in memory (3 of 5 studies; improved reaction time: reduced memory for object proximity: poorer immediate and delayed memory) and changes to social/emotional processing (4 of 5 studies; reduced perception of emotions, increased avoidance of punishment/loss experiences, and increased social disconnectedness). Conclusions Acute experimental inflammation causes negative biases in social and emotional processing that could explain observed associations between inflammation and depression.National Institute for Health Research (NIHR

    Interrater reliability of surveillance for ventilator-associated events and pneumonia

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    OBJECTIVETo compare interrater reliabilities for ventilator-associated event (VAE) surveillance, traditional ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) surveillance, and clinical diagnosis of VAP by intensivists.DESIGNA retrospective study nested within a prospective multicenter quality improvement study.SETTINGIntensive care units (ICUs) within 5 hospitals of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epicenters.PATIENTSPatients who underwent mechanical ventilation.METHODSWe selected 150 charts for review, including all VAEs and traditionally defined VAPs identified during the primary study and randomly selected charts of patients without VAEs or VAPs. Each chart was independently reviewed by 2 research assistants (RAs) for VAEs, 2 hospital infection preventionists (IPs) for traditionally defined VAP, and 2 intensivists for any episodes of pulmonary deterioration. We calculated interrater agreement using κ estimates.RESULTSThe 150 selected episodes spanned 2,500 ventilator days. In total, 93–96 VAEs were identified by RAs; 31–49 VAPs were identified by IPs, and 29–35 VAPs were diagnosed by intensivists. Interrater reliability between RAs for VAEs was high (κ, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59–0.81). Agreement between IPs using traditional VAP criteria was slight (κ, 0.12; 95% CI, −0.05–0.29). Agreement between intensivists was slight regarding episodes of pulmonary deterioration (κ 0.22; 95% CI, 0.05–0.39) and was fair regarding whether episodes of deterioration were attributable to clinically defined VAP (κ, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.17–0.51). The clinical correlation between VAE surveillance and intensivists’ clinical assessments was poor.CONCLUSIONSProspective surveillance using VAE criteria is more reliable than traditional VAP surveillance and clinical VAP diagnosis; the correlation between VAEs and clinically recognized pulmonary deterioration is poor.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:172–178</jats:sec

    Hymn to Mary, Loving Mother

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    Hymn to Mar

    Computer-Aided Design of Broad-Band Amplifiers with Complex Loads

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    Coordinated Science Laboratory was formerly known as Control Systems LaboratoryJoint Services Electronics Program / DAAB 07-67-C-019

    Effects of Trace Metal Limitation on Oxidative Stress in Zooxanthellae and Its Role in Coral Bleaching

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    Coral bleaching has increased dramatically in frequency, severity, and geographic extent since the 1980s and this trend is anticipated to continue, causing major environmental and economic impacts in tropical regions. This bleaching - the loss by corals of their photosynthetic endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae; Symbiodinium spp.) - involves increased oxidative stress arising from the combined effects of elevated temperature at high light intensities. Although the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in corals and phytoplankton is routine during daylight hours, the failure of antioxidant defenses in zooxanthellae becomes catastrophic under comparatively small changes in environmental temperature, because reef corals live close to their upper thermal limits. The mechanisms underlying this failure are not understood, but fall into two categories: (1) the temperature/irradiance conditions lie beyond the capacity for thermal acclimatization by corals and their endo-symbionts, or (2) the necessary enhancement of antioxidant defenses in zooxanthellae is hindered by nutrient deficiencies. In this project, the working hypothesis is that low ambient concentrations of dissolved iron, zinc, copper and perhaps manganese (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) in oligotrophic tropical surface waters, combined with regulation of metal supply to zooxanthellae by the coral host, restrict the compensatory elevation of metal-dependent antioxidant enzymes with rising ROS production, and this resource limitation contributes to coral bleaching. This hypothesis will be investigated in three stages: with pure clonal cultures of zooxanthella isolates; in coral colony culture experiments; and in samples on areas of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, observed to be susceptible or resistant to coral bleaching. The primary goals of the pure culture experiments are to 1) identify which of the known metals involved in antioxidant enzymes (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn) are important in zooxanthellae, 2) determine the thresholds of metal nutrition (both in supply and intracellular metal quotas) below which onset of uncontrolled oxidative stress occurs in the zooxanthellae, and 3) ascertain whether these relationships differ significantly among bleaching sensitive and insensitive Symbiodinium species. In addition to verifying the findings in coral/algal symbioses, coral experiments will be used to determine whether the timing and magnitude of bleaching indicators change with metal nutrition, and whether bleaching-sensitive corals can become more resistant by increasing their metal quotas. The linkage between trace metals and antioxidant enzymes is well established in other biological systems but has not been examined in coral/zooxanthellar associations. The proposed work brings together experts in trace metal/ phytoplankton interactions, phytoplankton photo-physiology and oxidative stress, photo-oxidative defenses in reef corals, and molecular biology of marine symbioses to provide mechanistic understanding of coral bleaching, increasing predictive insights to the global trend of coral bleaching. This project will support the education and research training of two Ph.D. students who would test hypotheses integral to the work as parts of their dissertations. Two postdoctoral scientists will participate in the planning, management, and research of the project, providing opportunities to refine their professional development and their mentoring skills necessary for career success. Public lectures on corals and global climate change are planned. The findings will provide insights to the factors influencing the severity of bleaching events, and may suggest realistic mitigation strategies to minimize bleaching in localized environmentally or economically sensitive regions
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