1,578 research outputs found
The properties of SCUBA cores in the Perseus molecular cloud: the bias of clump-finding algorithms
We present a new analysis of the properties of star-forming cores in the
Perseus molecular cloud, identified in SCUBA 850 micron data. Our goal is to
determine which core properties can be robustly identified and which depend on
the extraction technique. Four regions in the cloud are examined: NGC1333,
IC348/HH211, L1448 and L1455. We identify clumps of dust emission using two
popular automated algorithms, CLFIND and GAUSSCLUMPS, finding 85 and 122 clumps
in total respectively. Some trends are true for both populations: clumps become
increasingly elongated over time and are consistent with constant surface
brightness objects, with an average brightness ~4 to 10 times larger than the
surrounding molecular cloud; the clump mass distribution (CMD) resembles the
stellar intial mass function, with a slope alpha = -2.0+/-0.1 for CLFIND and
alpha = -3.15+/-0.08 for GAUSSCLUMPS, which straddle the Salpeter value. The
mass at which the slope shallows (similar for both algorithms at M~6 Msun)
implies a star-forming efficiency of between 10 and 20 per cent. Other trends
reported elsewhere depend on the clump-finding technique: we find protostellar
clumps are both smaller (for GAUSSCLUMPS) and larger (for CLFIND) than their
starless counterparts; the functional form, best-fitting to the CMD, is
different for the two algorithms. The GAUSSCLUMPS CMD is best-fitted with a
log-normal distribution, whereas a broken power law is best for CLFIND; the
reported lack of massive starless cores in previous studies can be seen in the
CLFIND but not the GAUSSCLUMPS data. Our approach highlights similarities and
differences between the clump populations, illustrating the caution that must
be exercised when comparing results from different studies and interpreting the
properties of continuum cores.Comment: 19 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA
Determinants of adults' intention to vaccinate against pandemic swine flu
This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Background: Vaccination is one of the cornerstones of controlling an influenza pandemic. To optimise vaccination rates in the general population, ways of identifying determinants that influence decisions to have or not to have a vaccination need to be understood. Therefore, this study aimed to predict intention to have a swine influenza
vaccination in an adult population in the UK. An extension of the Theory of Planned Behaviour provided the theoretical framework for the study.
Methods: Three hundred and sixty two adults from the UK, who were not in vaccination priority groups, completed either an online (n = 306) or pen and paper (n = 56) questionnaire. Data were collected from 30th October 2009, just after swine flu vaccination became available in the UK, and concluded on 31st December 2009. The main outcome of interest was future swine flu vaccination intentions.
Results: The extended Theory of Planned Behaviour predicted 60% of adults’ intention to have a swine flu vaccination with attitude, subjective norm, perceived control, anticipating feelings of regret (the impact of missing a vaccination opportunity), intention to have a seasonal vaccine this year, one perceived barrier: “I cannot be bothered to get a swine flu vaccination” and two perceived benefits: “vaccination decreases my chance of getting swine flu or its complications” and “if I get vaccinated for swine flu, I will decrease the frequency of having to consult my doctor,” being significant predictors of intention. Black British were less likely to intend to have a vaccination compared to Asian or White respondents.
Conclusions: Theoretical frameworks which identify determinants that influence decisions to have a pandemic influenza vaccination are useful. The implications of this research are discussed with a view to maximising any future pandemic influenza vaccination uptake using theoretically-driven applications.This article is available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund
Spectroscopic Constraints on the Form of the Stellar Cluster Mass Function
This contribution addresses the question of whether the initial cluster mass
function (ICMF) has a fundamental limit (or truncation) at high masses. The
shape of the ICMF at high masses can be studied using the most massive young
(<10 Myr) clusters, however this has proven difficult due to low-number
statistics. In this contribution we use an alternative method based on the
luminosities of the brightest clusters, combined with their ages. If a
truncation is present, a generic prediction (nearly independent of the cluster
disruption law adopted) is that the median age of bright clusters should be
younger than that of fainter clusters. In the case of an non-truncated ICMF,
the median age should be independent of cluster luminosity. Here, we present
optical spectroscopy of twelve young stellar clusters in the face-on spiral
galaxy NGC 2997. The spectra are used to estimate the age of each cluster, and
the brightness of the clusters is taken from the literature. The observations
are compared with the model expectations of Larsen (2009) for various ICMF
forms and both mass dependent and mass independent cluster disruption. While
there exists some degeneracy between the truncation mass and the amount of mass
independent disruption, the observations favour a truncated ICMF. For low or
modest amounts of mass independent disruption, a truncation mass of 5-6*10^5
Msun is estimated, consistent with previous determinations. Additionally, we
investigate possible truncations in the ICMF in the spiral galaxy M83, the
interacting Antennae galaxies, and the collection of spiral and dwarf galaxies
present in Larsen (2009) based on photometric catalogues taken from the
literature, and find that all catalogues are consistent with having a
(environmentally dependent) truncation in the cluster mass functions.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, in press, A&A Research Note
History of Premenstrual Mood Change and Postpartum Episodes are Associated with Perimenopausal Episodes in Women with Bipolar Disorder
Background and Aims: Reproductive life events are potential triggers of mood episodes in women with bipolar disorder. We aimed to establish whether a history of premenstrual mood change and postpartum episodes are associated with perimenopausal episodes in women who have bipolar disorder.
Methods: Participants were 339 post-menopausal women with DSM-IV bipolar disorder recruited into the Bipolar Disorder Research Network (www.bdrn.org). Women self-reported presence (N = 200) or absence (N = 139) of an illness episode during the perimenopausal period. History of premenstrual mood change was measured using the self-report Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST), and history of postpartum episodes was measured via semi-structured interview (Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, SCAN) and inspection of case-notes.
Results: History of a postpartum episode within 6 months of delivery (OR = 2.13, p = 0.03) and history of moderate/severe premenstrual syndrome (OR = 6.33, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of the presence of a perimenopausal episode, even after controlling for demographic factors. When we narrowed the definition of premenstrual mood change to premenstrual dysphoric disorder, it remained significant (OR = 2.68, p = 0.007).
Conclusions: Some women who have bipolar disorder may be particularly sensitive to reproductive life events. Previous mood episodes in relation to the female reproductive lifecycle may help clinicians predict individual risk for women with bipolar disorder approaching the menopause. There is a need for prospective longitudinal studies of women with bipolar disorder providing frequent contemporaneous ratings of their mood to overcome the limitations of retrospective self-report data
The Early Expansion of Cluster Cores
The observed properties of young star clusters, such as the core radius and
luminosity profile, change rapidly during the early evolution of the clusters.
Here we present observations of 6 young clusters in M51 where we derive their
sizes using HST imaging and ages using deep Gemini-North spectroscopy. We find
evidence for a rapid expansion of the cluster cores during the first 20 Myr of
their evolution. We confirm this trend by including data from the literature of
both Galactic and extra-galactic embedded and young clusters, and possible
mechanisms (rapid gas removal, stellar evolutionary mass-loss, and internal
dynamical heating) are discussed. We explore the implications of this result,
focussing on the fact that clusters were more concentrated in the past,
implying that their stellar densities were much higher and relaxation times
correspondingly shorter. Thus, when estimating if a particular cluster is
dynamically relaxed, (i.e. when determining if a cluster's mass segregation is
due to primordial or dynamical processes), the current relaxation time is only
an upper-limit, with the relaxation time likely being significantly shorter in
the past.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted MNRA
Individual particle morphology, coatings, and impurities of black carbon aerosols in Antarctic ice and tropical rainfall
© 2016 American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. Black carbon (BC) aerosols are a large source of climate warming, impact atmospheric chemistry, and are implicated in large-scale changes in atmospheric circulation. Inventories of BC emissions suggest significant changes in the global BC aerosol distribution due to human activity. However, little is known regarding BC's atmospheric distribution or aged particle characteristics before the twentieth century. Here we investigate the prevalence and structural properties of BC particles in Antarctic ice cores from 1759, 1838, and 1930 Common Era (C.E.) using transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The study revealed an unexpected diversity in particle morphology, insoluble coatings, and association with metals. In addition to conventionally occurring BC aggregates, we observed single BC monomers, complex aggregates with internally, and externally mixed metal and mineral impurities, tar balls, and organonitrogen coatings. The results of the study show BC particles in the remote Antarctic atmosphere exhibit complexity that is unaccounted for in atmospheric models of BC
Spin-ice physics in cadmium cyanide
Spin-ices are frustrated magnets that support a particularly rich variety of emergent physics. Typically, it is the interplay of magnetic dipole interactions, spin anisotropy, and geometric frustration on the pyrochlore lattice that drives spin-ice formation. The relevant physics occurs at temperatures commensurate with the magnetic interaction strength, which for most systems is 1–5 K. Here, we show that non-magnetic cadmium cyanide, Cd(CN)2, exhibits analogous behaviour to magnetic spin-ices, but does so on a temperature scale that is nearly two orders of magnitude greater. The electric dipole moments of cyanide ions in Cd(CN)2 assume the role of magnetic pseudospins, with the difference in energy scale reflecting the increased strength of electric vs magnetic dipolar interactions. As a result, spin-ice physics influences the structural behaviour of Cd(CN)2 even at room temperature.ISSN:2041-172
Daily adaptive radiotherapy for patients with prostate cancer using a high field MR-linac: Initial clinical experiences and assessment of delivered doses compared to a C-arm linac.
Introduction:MR-guided adapted radiotherapy (MRgART) using a high field MR-linac has recently become available. We report the estimated delivered fractional dose of the first five prostate cancer patients treated at our centre using MRgART and compare this to C-Arm linac daily Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT). Methods:Patients were treated using adapted treatment plans shaped to their daily anatomy. The treatments were recalculated on an MR image acquired immediately prior to treatment delivery in order to estimate the delivered fractional dose. C-arm linac non-adapted VMAT treatment plans were recalculated on the same MR images to estimate the fractional dose that would have been delivered using conventional radiotherapy techniques using a daily IGRT protocol. Results:95% and 93% of mandatory target coverage objectives and organ at risk dose constraints were achieved by MRgART and C-arm linac delivered dose estimates, respectively. Both delivery techniques were estimated to have achieved 98% of mandatory Organ At Risk (OAR) dose constraints whereas for the target clinical goals, 86% and 80% were achieved by MRgART and C-arm linac delivered dose estimates. Conclusions:Prostate MRgART can be delivered using the a high field MR-linac. Radiotherapy performed on a C-arm linac offers a good solution for prostate cancer patients who present with favourable anatomy at the time of reference imaging and demonstrate stable anatomy throughout the course of their treatment. For patients with critical OARs abutting target volumes on their reference image we have demonstrated the potential for a target dose coverage improvement for MRgART compared to C-arm linac treatment
Risk of Diabetes in U.S. Military Service Members in Relation to Combat Deployment and Mental Health
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