1,317 research outputs found

    Immunogenicity of Streptococcus equisimilis

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    INTEGRAL high energy detection of the transient IGR J11321-5311

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    Context: The transient hard X-ray source IGR J11321-5311 was discovered by INTEGRAL on June 2005, during observations of the Crux spiral arm. To date, this is the only detection of the source to be reported by any X/gamma-ray mission. Aims: To characterize the behaviour and hence the nature of the source through temporal and spectral IBIS analysis. Methods: Detailed spectral and temporal analysis has been performed using standard INTEGRAL software OSA v.5.1. Results: To date, IGR J11321-5311 has been detected only once. It was active for about 3.5 hours, a short and bright flare lasting about 1.5 hours is evident in the IBIS light curve. It reached a peak flux of about 80 mCrab or 2.2x10E-9 erg cmE-2 sE-1 (20--300 keV),corresponding to a peak luminosity of 1.1x10E37 erg sE-1 (assuming a distance of 6.5 kpc). During the outburst, the source was detected with a significance of 18 sigma (20--300 keV) and 8 sigma (100--300 keV). The spectrum of the total outburst activity (17--300 keV) is best fitted by the sum of a power law (Gamma=0.55+/-0.18) plus a black body (kT=1.0{+0.2}_{-0.3} keV), with no evidence for a break up to 300 keV. A spectral analysis at Science Window level revealed an evident hardening of the spectrum through the outburst. The IBIS data were searched for pulsations with no positive result. Conclusions: The X-ray spectral shape and the flaring behaviour favour the hypothesis that IGR J11321-5311 is an Anomalous X-ray Pulsar, though a different nature can not be firmly rejected at the present stage.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A letter, 4 pages, 6 figure

    An observational cohort study to evaluate the use of serum Raman spectroscopy in a rapid diagnosis center setting

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    Cancer presenting with non-specific vague symptoms remains a clinical challenge. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of serum Raman spectroscopy for cancer detection in a rapid diagnosis center (RDC) setting. The primary aim was to identify significant spectral peaks of change in sera from cancer patients and the secondary aim was to assign molecular species at Raman peaks.In this prospective observation study of a secondary care RDC, patients referred with vague cancer-related symptoms were recruited. Raman spectra of blood sera of 54 patients was obtained. Of these, 10 patients were diagnosed with cancer, and 44 no significant pathology (control). Common spectral increase/decrease between control and cancer was seen in spectral peaks 830 cm−1, 878 cm−1, 1031 cm−1, 1174 cm−1, 1397 cm−1 tentatively attributed to amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and proteins. Individual differences between cancer and control via statistical analysis identifies 3 peaks with significance for all 10 of the cancer patients. The peaks are 878 cm−1, 1449 cm−1 and 1519 cm−1, tentatively attributed to proteins, amino acids, lipids, fatty acids, glycoproteins, carbohydrates, and carotenoids. Differences are also seen for at least 9 of the cancers in the peaks at 830 cm−1, 851 cm−1, 1127 cm−1, 1174 cm−1, 1270 cm−1, and 1656 cm−1, tentatively attributed to amino acids, lactate, lipids, triglycerides, carbohydrates, and proteins.Raman spectroscopy has the potential to enhance RDC referral criteria through the detection of peak differences seen commonly with different cancer types. Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) based models could enable rapid detection and discrimination of different cancer types with more data availability

    Line Shape of the Raman 2D Peak of Graphene in Van Der Waals Heterostructures

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    The Raman 2D line of graphene is widely used for device characterization and during device fabrication as it contains valuable information on e.g. the direction and magnitude of mechanical strain and doping. Here we present systematic asymmetries in the 2D line shape of exfoliated graphene and graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition. Both graphene crystals are fully encapsulated in van der Waals heterostructures, where hexagonal boron nitride and tungsten diselenide are used as substrate materials. In both material stacks, we find very low doping values and extremely homogeneous strain distributions in the graphene crystal, which is a hall mark of the outstanding electronic quality of these samples. By fitting double Lorentzian functions to the spectra to account for the contributions of inner and outer processes to the 2D peak, we find that the splitting of the sub-peaks, 6.6±0.56.6 \pm 0.5 cm−1^{-1}(hBN-Gr-WSe2) and 8.9±1.08.9 \pm 1.0 cm−1^{-1} (hBN-Gr-hBN), is significantly lower than the values reported in previous studies on suspended graphene

    Investigations Into Whole Water, Prototropic and Amide Proton Exchange in Lanthanide(III) DOTA-Tetraamide Chelates

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    Lanthanide(III) chelates of DOTA-tetraamide ligands have been an area of particular interest since the discovery that water exchange kinetics are dramatically affected by the switch from acetate to amide side-chain donors. More recently these chelates have attracted interest as potential PARACEST agents for use in MRI. In this paper we report the results of studies using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) and some more recently reported chelates to re-examine the exchange processes in this class of chelate. We find that the conclusions of Parker and Aime are, for the most part, solid; water exchange is slow and a substantial amount of prototropic exchange occurs in aqueous solution. The extent of prototropic exchange increases as the pH increases above 8, leading to higher relaxivities at high pH. However, amide protons are found to contribute only a small amount to the relaxivity at high pH

    Systemwide Clinical Ultrasound Program Development: An Expert Consensus Model.

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    Clinical ultrasound (CUS) is integral to the practice of an increasing number of medical specialties. Guidelines are needed to ensure effective CUS utilization across health systems. Such guidelines should address all aspects of CUS within a hospital or health system. These include leadership, training, competency, credentialing, quality assurance and improvement, documentation, archiving, workflow, equipment, and infrastructure issues relating to communication and information technology. To meet this need, a group of CUS subject matter experts, who have been involved in institution- and/or systemwide clinical ultrasound (SWCUS) program development convened. The purpose of this paper was to create a model for SWCUS development and implementation

    Fermion zero-mode influence on neutron-star magnetic field evolution

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    The quantum phenomenon of spectral flow which has been observed in laboratory superfluids, such as 3He-B, controls the drift velocity of proton type II superconductor vortices in the liquid core of a neutron star and so determines the rate at which magnetic flux can be expelled from the core to the crust. In the earliest and most active phases of the anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft-gamma repeaters, the rates are low and consistent with a large fraction of the active crustal flux not linking the core. If normal neutrons are present in an appreciable core matter-density interval, the spectral flow force limits flux expulsion in cases of rapid spin-down, such as in the Crab pulsar or in the propeller phase of binary systems.Comment: Additional references and extended explanation: to be published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

    Multiplier analysis for agriculture and other industries

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    The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

    Minneapolis Without Policing: Understanding History to Building the Future

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    Black people have always known that systems of criminalization and surveillance are designed to destroy. The overwhelming sadness and rage we feel when one of us is murdered by the police yet again is the same sadness and rage that our ancestors felt. They knew that if they wanted justice, they had to build their own communities centered in love, accountability, and care. Now more than ever, we must follow in their footsteps. As we write this, we are surviving in a police state, during a pandemic that disproportionately kills and disables Black people, with a recession looming and a clear expiration date for our planet. The moment for transformation is upon us; will you step into it with us? We give this resource guide to you as a gift and an invitation. Our hope is that these pages will empower you to take your next step in embracing community-led safety. We offer guidance about starting and leading these conversations, context to help you understand how far-reaching police violence is, and resources across the Twin Cities to support your work. The work to transform the world we live in isn't easy, but we love you, ourselves, and our communities too much to not fully invest in this movement. Consider this an invitation to join us on this journey, to one day reach the liberation we dream of

    Performativity, fabrication and trust: exploring computer-mediated moderation

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    Based on research conducted in an English secondary school, this paper explores computer mediated moderation as a performative tool. The Module Assessment Meeting (MAM) was the moderation approach under investigation. I mobilise ethnographic data generated by a key informant, and triangulated with that from other actors in the setting, in order to examine some of the meanings underpinning moderation within a performative environment. Drawing on the work of Ball (2003), Lyotard (1979) and Foucault (1977, 1979), I argue that in this particular case performativity has become entrenched in teachers’ day-to-day practices, and not only affects those practices but also teachers’ sense of self. I suggest that MAM represented performative and fabricated conditions and (re)defined what the key participant experienced as a vital constituent of her educational identities - trust. From examining the case in point, I hope to have illustrated for those interested in teachers’ work some of the implications of the interface between technology and performativity
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