4,504 research outputs found
Outstanding problems in the phenomenology of hard diffractive scattering
This paper is a summary of the discussion within the Diffractive and Low-x
Physics Working Group at the 1999 Durham Collider Workshop of the
interpretation of the Tevatron and HERA measurements of inclusive hard
diffraction.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure. Talks and discussions from the UK Phenomenology
Workshop on Collider Physics, Durham, September 199
LEGUS and Halpha-LEGUS Observations of Star Clusters in NGC 4449: Improved Ages and the Fraction of Light in Clusters as a Function of Age
We present a new catalog and results for the cluster system of the starburst
galaxy NGC 4449 based on multi-band imaging observations taken as part of the
LEGUS and Halpha-LEGUS surveys. We improve the spectral energy fitting method
used to estimate cluster ages and find that the results, particularly for older
clusters, are in better agreement with those from spectroscopy. The inclusion
of Halpha measurements, the role of stochasticity for low mass clusters, the
assumptions about reddening, and the choices of SSP model and metallicity all
have important impacts on the age-dating of clusters. A comparison with ages
derived from stellar color-magnitude diagrams for partially resolved clusters
shows reasonable agreement, but large scatter in some cases. The fraction of
light found in clusters relative to the total light (i.e., T_L) in the U, B,
and V filters in 25 different ~kpc-size regions throughout NGC 4449 correlates
with both the specific Region Luminosity, R_L, and the dominant age of the
underlying stellar population in each region. The observed cluster age
distribution is found to decline over time as dN/dt ~ t^g, with g=-0.85+/-0.15,
independent of cluster mass, and is consistent with strong, early cluster
disruption. The mass functions of the clusters can be described by a power law
with dN/dM ~ M^b and b=-1.86+/-0.2, independent of cluster age. The mass and
age distributions are quite resilient to differences in age-dating methods.
There is tentative evidence for a factor of 2-3 enhancement in both the star
and cluster formation rate ~100 - 300 Myr ago, indicating that cluster
formation tracks star formation generally. The enhancement is probably
associated with an earlier interaction event
The properties, origin and evolution of stellar clusters in galaxy simulations and observations
We investigate the properties and evolution of star particles in two simulations of isolated spiral galaxies, and two galaxies from cosmological simulations. Unlike previous numerical work, where typically each star particle represents one ‘cluster’, for the isolated galaxies we are able to model features we term ‘clusters’ with groups of particles. We compute the spatial distribution of stars with different ages, and cluster mass distributions, comparing our findings with observations including the recent LEGUS survey. We find that spiral structure tends to be present in older (100s Myrs) stars and clusters in the simulations compared to the observations. This likely reflects differences in the numbers of stars or clusters, the strength of spiral arms, and whether the clusters are allowed to evolve. Where we model clusters with multiple particles, we are able to study their evolution. The evolution of simulated clusters tends to follow that of their natal gas clouds. Massive, dense, long-lived clouds host massive clusters, whilst short-lived clouds host smaller clusters which readily disperse. Most clusters appear to disperse fairly quickly, in basic agreement with observational findings. We note that embedded clusters may be less inclined to disperse in simulations in a galactic environment with continuous accretion of gas onto the clouds than isolated clouds and correspondingly, massive young clusters which are no longer associated with gas tend not to occur in the simulations. Caveats of our models include that the cluster densities are lower than realistic clusters, and the simplistic implementation of stellar feedback
An agrogeophysical modelling framework for the detection of soil compaction spatial variability due to grazing using field-scale electromagnetic induction data.
Soil compaction is a regarded as a major environmental and economical hazard, degrading soils across the world. Changes in soil properties due to compaction are known to lead to decrease in biomass and increase in greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient leaching and soil erosion. Quantifying adverse impacts of soil compaction and developing strategies for amelioration relies on an understanding of soil compaction extent and temporal variability. The main indicators of soil compaction (i.e., reduction of pore space, increase in bulk density and decrease in soil transport properties) are relatively easy to quantify in laboratory conditions but such traditional point-based methods offer little information on soil compaction extent at the field scale. Recently, geophysical methods have been proposed to provide non-invasive information about soil compaction. In this work, we developed an agrogeophysical modelling framework to help address the challenges of characterizing soil compaction across grazing paddocks using electromagnetic induction (EMI) data. By integrative modelling of grazing, soil compaction, soil processes and EMI resistivity anomalies, we demonstrate how spatial patterns of EMI observations can be linked to management leading to soil compaction and concurrent modifications of soil functions. The model was tested in a dairy farm in the midlands of Ireland that has been grazed for decades and shows clear signatures of grazing-induced compaction. EMI data were collected in the summer of 2021 and autumn of 2022 under dry and wet soil moisture conditions, respectively. For both years, we observed decreases of apparent electrical resistivity at locations that with visible signatures of compaction such as decreased vegetation and water ponding (e.g., near the water troughs and gates). A machine learning algorithm was used to cluster EMI data with three unique cluster signatures assumed to be representative of heavy, moderately, and non-compacted field zones. We conducted 1D process-based simulations corresponding to non-compacted and compacted soils. The modelled EMI signatures agree qualitatively and quantitatively with the measured EMI data, linking decreased electrical resistivities to zones that were visibly compacted. By providing a theoretical framework based on mechanistic modelling of soil management and compaction, our work may provide a strategy for utilizing EMI data for detection of soil degradation due to compaction
Mannose binding lectin is required for alphavirus-induced arthritis/myositis
Mosquito-borne alphaviruses such as chikungunya virus and Ross River virus (RRV) are emerging pathogens capable of causing large-scale epidemics of virus-induced arthritis and myositis. The pathology of RRV-induced disease in both humans and mice is associated with induction of the host inflammatory response within the muscle and joints, and prior studies have demonstrated that the host complement system contributes to development of disease. In this study, we have used a mouse model of RRV-induced disease to identify and characterize which complement activation pathways mediate disease progression after infection, and we have identified the mannose binding lectin (MBL) pathway, but not the classical or alternative complement activation pathways, as essential for development of RRV-induced disease. MBL deposition was enhanced in RRV infected muscle tissue from wild type mice and RRV infected MBL deficient mice exhibited reduced disease, tissue damage, and complement deposition compared to wild-type mice. In contrast, mice deficient for key components of the classical or alternative complement activation pathways still developed severe RRV-induced disease. Further characterization of MBL deficient mice demonstrated that similar to C3(-/-) mice, viral replication and inflammatory cell recruitment were equivalent to wild type animals, suggesting that RRV-mediated induction of complement dependent immune pathology is largely MBL dependent. Consistent with these findings, human patients diagnosed with RRV disease had elevated serum MBL levels compared to healthy controls, and MBL levels in the serum and synovial fluid correlated with severity of disease. These findings demonstrate a role for MBL in promoting RRV-induced disease in both mice and humans and suggest that the MBL pathway of complement activation may be an effective target for therapeutic intervention for humans suffering from RRV-induced arthritis and myositis.This work was supported by NIH/NIAMS R01 AR 047190 awarded to MTH
Multicenter study of lumbar discectomy with Barricaid annular closure device for prevention of lumbar disc reherniation in US patients: A historically controlled post-market study protocol
BACKGROUND: Patients with large defects in the annulus fibrosus following lumbar discectomy have high rates of symptomatic reherniation. The Barricaid annular closure device provides durable occlusion of the annular defect and has been shown to significantly lower the risk of symptomatic reherniation in a large European randomized trial. However, the performance of the Barricaid device in a United States (US) population has not been previously reported.
DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a historically controlled post-market multicenter study to determine the safety and efficacy of the Barricaid device when used in addition to primary lumbar discectomy in a US population. A total of 75 patients with large annular defects will receive the Barricaid device following lumbar discectomy at up to 25 sites in the US and will return for clinical and imaging follow-up at 4 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year. Trial oversight will be provided by a data safety monitoring board and imaging studies will be read by an independent imaging core laboratory. Patients treated with the Barricaid device in a previous European randomized trial with comparable eligibility criteria, surgical procedures, and outcome measures will serve as historical controls. Main outcomes will include back pain severity, leg pain severity, Oswestry Disability Index, health utility on the EuroQol-5 Dimension questionnaire, complications, symptomatic reherniation, and reoperation. Propensity score adjustment using inverse probability of treatment weighting will be used to adjust for differences in baseline patient characteristics between the US trial participants and European historical controls.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by a central institutional review board. The study results of this trial will be widely disseminated at conference proceedings and published in peer-reviewed journals. The outcomes of this study will have important clinical and economic implications for all stakeholders involved in treating patients with lumbar discectomy in the US.
STUDY REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov): NCT03986580.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3
Hierarchical Structure Formation and Modes of Star Formation in Hickson Compact Group 31
The handful of low-mass, late-type galaxies that comprise Hickson Compact
Group 31 is in the midst of complex, ongoing gravitational interactions,
evocative of the process of hierarchical structure formation at higher
redshifts. With sensitive, multicolor Hubble Space Telescope imaging, we
characterize the large population of <10 Myr old star clusters that suffuse the
system. From the colors and luminosities of the young star clusters, we find
that the galaxies in HCG 31 follow the same universal scaling relations as
actively star-forming galaxies in the local Universe despite the unusual
compact group environment. Furthermore, the specific frequency of the globular
cluster system is consistent with the low end of galaxies of comparable masses
locally. This, combined with the large mass of neutral hydrogen and tight
constraints on the amount of intragroup light, indicate that the group is
undergoing its first epoch of interaction-induced star formation. In both the
main galaxies and the tidal-dwarf candidate, F, stellar complexes, which are
sensitive to the magnitude of disk turbulence, have both sizes and masses more
characteristic of z=1-2 galaxies. After subtracting the light from compact
sources, we find no evidence for an underlying old stellar population in F --
it appears to be a truly new structure. The low velocity dispersion of the
system components, available reservoir of HI, and current star formation rate
of ~10 solar masses per year, indicate that HCG31 is likely to both exhaust its
cold gas supply and merge within ~1 Gyr. We conclude that the end product will
be an isolated, X-ray-faint, low-mass elliptical.Comment: 24 pages, 14 figures (including low resolution versions of color
images), latex file prepared with emulateapj. Accepted for publication by the
Astronomical Journa
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