Raman Scattered He II λ\lambda 6545 Line in the Symbiotic Star V1016 Cygni

We present a spectrum of the symbiotic star V1016 Cyg observed with the 3.6 m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, in order to illustrate a method to measure the covering factor of the neutral scattering region around the giant component with respect to the hot emission region around the white dwarf component. In the spectrum, we find broad wings around H$\alpha$ and a broad emission feature around 6545${\rm \AA}$ that is blended with the [N II]$\lambda$ 6548 line. These two features are proposed to be formed by Raman scattering by atomic hydrogen, where the incident radiation is proposed to be UV continuum radiation around Ly$\beta$ in the former case and He II $\lambda$ 1025 emission line arising from $n=6\to n=2$ transitions for the latter feature. We remove the H$\alpha$ wings by a template Raman scattering wing profile and subtract the [N II] $\lambda$ 6548 line using the 3 times stronger [N II] $\lambda$ 6583 feature in order to isolate the He II Raman scattered 6545 \AA line. We obtain the flux ratio $F_{6545}/F_{6560}=0.24$ of the He II $\lambda$ 6560 emission line and the 6545 \AA feature for V1016 Cyg. Under the assumption that the He II emission from this object is isotropic, this ratio is converted to the ratio $\Phi_{6545}/\Phi_{1025}=0.17$ of the number of the incident photons and that of the scattered photons. This implies that the scattering region with H I column density $N_{HI}\ge 10^{20}{\rm cm^{-2}}$ covers 17 per cent of the emission region. By combining the presumed binary period $\sim 100$ yrs of this system we infer that a significant fraction of the slow stellar wind from the Mira component is ionized and that the scattering region around the Mira extends a few tens of AU, which is closely associated with the mass loss process of the Mira component.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

The Globular Cluster System of M60 (NGC 4649). I. CFHT MOS Spectroscopy and Database

We present the measurement of radial velocities for globular clusters in M60, giant elliptical galaxy in the Virgo cluster. Target globular cluster candidates were selected using the Washington photometry based on the deep 16\arcmin \times 16\arcmin images taken at the KPNO 4m and using the $VI$ photometry derived from the HST/WFPC2 archive images. The spectra of the target objects were obtained using the Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). We have measured the radial velocity for 111 objects in the field of M60: 93 globular clusters (72 blue globular clusters with $1.0\le(C-T_1)<1.7$ and 21 red globular clusters with $1.7\le(C-T_1)<2.4$), 11 foreground stars, 6 small galaxies, and the nucleus of M60. The measured velocities of the 93 globular clusters range from $\sim 500$ km s$^{-1}$ to $\sim 1600$ km s$^{-1}$, with a mean value of $1070_{-25}^{+27}$ km s$^{-1}$, which is in good agreement with the velocity of the nucleus of M60 ($v_{\rm gal}=1056$ km s$^{-1}$). Combining our results with data in the literature, we present a master catalog of radial velocities for 121 globular clusters in M60. The velocity dispersion of the globular clusters in the master catalog is found to be $234_{-14}^{+13}$ km s$^{-1}$ for the entire sample, $223_{-16}^{+13}$ km s$^{-1}$ for 83 blue globular clusters, and $258_{-31}^{+21}$ km s$^{-1}$ for 38 red globular clusters.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures. To appear in Ap

Use of the Putamen/Caudate Volume Ratio for Early Differentiation between Parkinsonian Variant of Multiple System Atrophy and Parkinson Disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neuropathological studies have demonstrated that multiple system atrophy (MSA) produces selective atrophy of the putamen with sparing of the caudate nucleus, while both structures are spared in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study we evaluated the clinical efficacy of using putaminal atrophy in brain MRI to differentiate MSA and PD. METHODS: We measured the putamen/caudate volume ratio on brain MRI in 24 patients with MSA and 21 patients with PD. Two clinicians who were blinded to the patients' diagnoses and to each other's assessments measured the volume ratio using a computer program. RESULTS: The measured volume ratios of the two investigators were highly correlated (r=0.72, p<0.0001). The volume ratio was significantly lower in MSA (1.29+/-0.28) than PD (1.91+/-0.29, p<0.0001). Setting an arbitrary cutoff ratio of 1.6 resulted in about 90% of patients with MSA falling into the group with a lower ratio, whereas more than 80% of patients with PD belonged to the other group. CONCLUSIONS: The present results demonstrate that putaminal atrophy in MSA as measured on brain MRI represents an effective tool for differentiating MSA from PD.ope

Comparison of Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Parkinson's Disease Patients Treated with Levodopa and Levodopa/COMT Inhibitor

BACKGROUND: Levodopa treatment in Parkinson's disease (PD) increases in serum homocysteine levels due to its metabolism via catechol O-methyltransferase. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have the capacity to differentiate into mature endothelial cells and are markers for endothelial functions and cardiovascular risks. Along with traditional vascular risk factors, hyperhomocysteinemia is known to decrease the level of EPCs. In the present study, we hypothesized that that levodopa-induced hyperhomocysteinemia leads to a change in EPC levels. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We prospectively enrolled PD patients who had been prescribed either levodopa/carbidopa (PD-L group, n = 28) or levodopa/carbidopa/COMT inhibitor (PD-LC group, n = 25) for more than 1 year. The number of circulating EPCs was measured by flow cytometry using dual staining of anti-CD34 and anti-KDR antibodies. The EPCs were divided into tertiles based on their distributions and a logistic regression analysis was used to estimate independent predictors of the highest tertile of EPCs. The number of endothelial progenitor cells was significantly decreased in PD-L patients (118±99/mL) compared with either PD-LC patients (269±258/mL, p = 0.007) or controls (206±204/mL, p = 0.012). The level of homocysteine was significantly increased in PD-L patients (14.9±5.3 µmol/L) compared with either PD-LC patients (11.9±3.0 µmol/L, p = 0.028) or controls (11.1±2.5 µmol/L, p = 0.012). The level of homocysteine was negatively correlated with endothelial progenitor cell levels (r = -0.252, p = 0.028) and was an independent predictor of the highest tertile of endothelial progenitor cell levels (OR; 0.749 [95% CI: 0.584-0.961]). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These data indicate that a higher consumption of EPC for restoration of endothelial damage may be associated with chronic levodopa treatment in PD patients

Could Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test be Useful in Predicting Inhaled Corticosteroid Responsiveness in Chronic Cough? A Systematic Review

© 2016 Background Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a safe and convenient test for assessing T H 2 airway inflammation, which is potentially useful in the management of patients with chronic cough. Objective To summarize the current evidence on the diagnostic usefulness of FENO for predicting inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) responsiveness in patients with chronic cough. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to identify articles published in peer-reviewed journals up to February 2015, without language restriction. We included studies that reported the usefulness of FENO (index test) for predicting ICS responsiveness (reference standard) in patients with chronic cough (target condition). The data were extracted to construct a 2 × 2 accuracy table. Study quality was assessed with Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2. Results We identified 5 original studies (2 prospective and 3 retrospective studies). We identified considerable heterogeneities in study design and outcome definitions, and thus were unable to perform a meta-analysis. The proportion of ICS responders ranged from 44% to 59%. Sensitivity and specificity ranged from 53% to 90%, and from 63% to 97%, respectively. The reported area under the curve ranged from abou t 0.60 to 0.87; however, studies with a prospective design and a lower prevalence of asthma had lower area under the curve values. None measured placebo effects or objective cough frequency. Conclusions We did not find strong evidence to support the use of FENO tests for predicting ICS responsiveness in chronic cough. Further studies need to have a randomized, placebo-controlled design, and should use validated measurement tools for cough. Standardization would facilitate the development of clinical evidence

Super Helium-Rich Population and the Origin of Extreme Horizontal-Branch Stars in Globular Clusters

Recent observations for the color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of the massive globular cluster Omega Centauri have shown that it has a striking double main sequence (MS), with a minority population of bluer and fainter MS well separated from a majority population of MS stars. Here we confirm, with the most up-to-date Y2 isochrones, that this special feature can only be reproduced by assuming a large variation (Delta Y = 0.15) of primordial helium abundance among several distinct populations in this cluster. We further show that the same helium enhancement required for this special feature on the MS can by itself reproduce the extreme horizontal-branch (HB) stars observed in Omega Cen, which are hotter than normal HB stars. Similarly, the complex features on the HBs of other globular clusters, such as NGC 2808, are explained by large internal variations of helium abundance. Supporting evidence for the helium-rich population is also provided by the far-UV (FUV) observations of extreme HB stars in these clusters, where the enhancement of helium can naturally explain the observed fainter FUV luminosity for these stars. The presence of super helium-rich populations in some globular clusters suggests that the third parameter, other than metallicity and age, also influences CMD morphology of these clusters.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

Field measurements of sonic boom penetration into the ocean

Author Posting. © Acoustical Society of America, 2000. This article is posted here by permission of Acoustical Society of America for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 107 (2000): 3073-3083, doi:10.1121/1.429336.Six sonic booms, generated by F-4 aircraft under steady flight at a range of altitudes (610–6100 m) and Mach numbers (1.07–1.26), were measured just above the air/sea interface, and at five depths in the water column. The measurements were made with a vertical hydrophone array suspended from a small spar buoy at the sea surface, and telemetered to a nearby research vessel. The sonic boom pressure amplitude decays exponentially with depth, and the signal fades into the ambient noise field by 30–50 m, depending on the strength of the boom at the sea surface. Low-frequency components of the boom waveform penetrate significantly deeper than high frequencies. Frequencies greater than 20 Hz are difficult to observe at depths greater than about 10 m. Underwater sonic boom pressure measurements exhibit excellent agreement with predictions from analytical theory, despite the assumption of a flat air/sea interface. Significant scattering of the sonic boom signal by the rough ocean surface is not detected. Real ocean conditions appear to exert a negligible effect on the penetration of sonic booms into the ocean unless steady vehicle speeds exceed Mach 3, when the boom incidence angle is sufficient to cause scattering on realistic open ocean surfaces.This work was funded by the NASA Langley Research Center (Technical Monitor, Dr. Kevin Shepherd)

GALEX Ultraviolet Photometry of Globular Clusters in M31

We present ultraviolet photometry for globular clusters (GCs) in M31 from 15 square deg of imaging using the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). We detect 200 and 94 GCs with certainty in the near-ultraviolet (NUV; 1750 - 2750 Angstroms) and far-ultraviolet (FUV; 1350 - 1750 Angstroms) bandpasses, respectively. Our rate of detection is about 50% in the NUV and 23% in the FUV, to an approximate limiting V magnitude of 19. Out of six clusters with [Fe/H]>-1 seen in the NUV, none is detected in the FUV bandpass. Furthermore, we find no candidate metal-rich clusters with significant FUV flux, because of the contribution of blue horizontal-branch (HB) stars, such as NGC 6388 and NGC 6441, which are metal-rich Galactic GCs with hot HB stars. We show that our GALEX photometry follows the general color trends established in previous UV studies of GCs in M31 and the Galaxy. Comparing our data with Galactic GCs in the UV and with population synthesis models, we suggest that the age range of M31 and Galactic halo GCs are similar.Comment: This paper will be published as part of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) Astrophysical Journal Letters Special Issue. Links to the full set of papers will be available at http://www.galex.caltech.edu/PUBLICATIONS/ after November 22, 200