5,909 research outputs found

    Retired galaxies: not to be forgotten in the quest of the star formation -- AGN connection

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    We propose a fresh look at the Main Galaxy Sample of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey by packing the galaxies in stellar mass and redshift bins. We show how important it is to consider the emission-line equivalent widths, in addition to the commonly used emission-line ratios, to properly identify retired galaxies (i.e. galaxies that have stopped forming stars and are ionized by their old stellar populations) and not mistake them for galaxies with low-level nuclear activity. We find that the proportion of star-forming galaxies decreases with decreasing redshift in each mass bin, while that of retired galaxies increases. Galaxies with M⋆>1011.5M⊙M_\star > 10^{11.5} M_\odot have formed all their stars at redshift larger than 0.4. The population of AGN hosts is never dominant for galaxy masses larger than 1010M⊙10^{10} M_\odot. We warn about the effects of stacking galaxy spectra to discuss galaxy properties. We estimate the lifetimes of active galactic nuclei (AGN) relying entirely on demographic arguments --- i.e. without any assumption on the AGN radiative properties. We find upper-limit lifetimes of about 1--5 Gyr for detectable AGN in galaxies with masses between 101010^{10}--1012M⊙10^{12} M_\odot. The lifetimes of the AGN-dominated phases are a few 10810^8 yr. Finally, we compare the star-formation histories of star-forming, AGN and retired galaxies as obtained by the spectral synthesis code STARLIGHT. Once the AGN is turned on it inhibits star formation for the next ∼\sim 0.1 Gyr in galaxies with masses around 1010M⊙10^{10} M_\odot, ∼\sim 1 Gyr in galaxies with masses around 1011M⊙10^{11} M_\odot.Comment: accepted for MNRAS figure resolution has been degraded with respect to what will be published in MNRA

    Use of strategies to improve retention in primary care randomised trials: a qualitative study with in-depth interviews

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    Objective To explore the strategies used to improve retention in primary care randomised trials.<p></p> Design Qualitative in-depth interviews and thematic analysis.<p></p> Participants 29 UK primary care chief and principal investigators, trial managers and research nurses.<p></p> Methods In-depth face-to-face interviews.<p></p> Results Primary care researchers use incentive and communication strategies to improve retention in trials, but were unsure of their effect. Small monetary incentives were used to increase response to postal questionnaires. Non-monetary incentives were used although there was scepticism about the impact of these on retention. Nurses routinely used telephone communication to encourage participants to return for trial follow-up. Trial managers used first class post, shorter questionnaires and improved questionnaire designs with the aim of improving questionnaire response. Interviewees thought an open trial design could lead to biased results and were negative about using behavioural strategies to improve retention. There was consensus among the interviewees that effective communication and rapport with participants, participant altruism, respect for participant's time, flexibility of trial personnel and appointment schedules and trial information improve retention. Interviewees noted particular challenges with retention in mental health trials and those involving teenagers.<p></p> Conclusions The findings of this qualitative study have allowed us to reflect on research practice around retention and highlight a gap between such practice and current evidence. Interviewees describe acting from experience without evidence from the literature, which supports the use of small monetary incentives to improve the questionnaire response. No such evidence exists for non-monetary incentives or first class post, use of which may need reconsideration. An exploration of barriers and facilitators to retention in other research contexts may be justified.<p></p&gt
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