The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for the CMB

We investigate the statistics of the cosmic microwave background using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. We show that, when we correctly de-correlate the data, the partition function of the Kolmogorov stochasticity parameter is compatible with the Kolmogorov distribution and, contrary to previous claims, the CMB data are compatible with Gaussian fluctuations with the correlation function given by standard Lambda-CDM. We then use the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to derive upper bounds on residual point source power in the CMB, and indicate the promise of this statistics for further datasets, especially Planck, to search for deviations from Gaussianity and for detecting point sources and Galactic foregrounds.Comment: Improved significance of the results (which remain unchanged) by using patches instead of ring segments in the analysis. Added sky maps of the Kolmogorov-parameter for original and de-correlated CMB ma

Viscoelastic Phase Separation in Shear Flow

We numerically investigate viscoelastic phase separation in polymer solutions under shear using a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model. The gross variables in our model are the polymer volume fraction and a conformation tensor. The latter represents chain deformations and relaxes slowly on the rheological time giving rise to a large viscoelastic stress. The polymer and the solvent obey two-fluid dynamics in which the viscoelastic stress acts asymmetrically on the polymer and, as a result, the stress and the diffusion are dynamically coupled. Below the coexistence curve, interfaces appear with increasing the quench depth and the solvent regions act as a lubricant. In these cases the composition heterogeneity causes more enhanced viscoelastic heterogeneity and the macroscopic stress is decreased at fixed applied shear rate. We find steady two-phase states composed of the polymer-rich and solvent-rich regions, where the characteristic domain size is inversely proportional to the average shear stress for various shear rates. The deviatoric stress components exhibit large temporal fluctuations. The normal stress difference can take negative values transiently at weak shear.Comment: 16pages, 16figures, to be published in Phys.Rev.

Synthesis and structural characterization of 2-D layered copper(II) styrylphosphonate coordination polymers

We report the synthesis, physicochemical characterization, and crystal structure of Cu-SP (SP = styrylphosphonic acid, H2O3PCH=CH2(C6H5)), the first reported example of a metal derivative of SP. The starting SP acid was fully characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffractometry, elemental analysis (C and H), 31P-NMR, 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, HPLC, UV–vis, MS, TG, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The copper(II) derivative was synthesized and characterized by DTA-TG and FT-IR, and also its structure was determined from powder data. The crystal structure was refined by the Rietveld method. The crystal structure of Cu-SP shows a layered 2-D architecture, where the organic moieties are pointed toward the interlamellar space. The inorganic layers are composed of Cu2+ dimers, where the coordination geometry of Cu2+ can be described as distorted trigonal bipyramid. The three coplanar oxygens (O2, O3, and O3) have bond distances of 2.165(9), 1.982(9), and 2.103(11) Å, respectively. The bond lengths for the apical oxygens (O1 and O2) are 1.908(13) and 1.996(11) Å, respectively.Proyecto nacional MAT2010-1517

Fitting the integrated Spectral Energy Distributions of Galaxies

Fitting the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of galaxies is an almost universally used technique that has matured significantly in the last decade. Model predictions and fitting procedures have improved significantly over this time, attempting to keep up with the vastly increased volume and quality of available data. We review here the field of SED fitting, describing the modelling of ultraviolet to infrared galaxy SEDs, the creation of multiwavelength data sets, and the methods used to fit model SEDs to observed galaxy data sets. We touch upon the achievements and challenges in the major ingredients of SED fitting, with a special emphasis on describing the interplay between the quality of the available data, the quality of the available models, and the best fitting technique to use in order to obtain a realistic measurement as well as realistic uncertainties. We conclude that SED fitting can be used effectively to derive a range of physical properties of galaxies, such as redshift, stellar masses, star formation rates, dust masses, and metallicities, with care taken not to over-interpret the available data. Yet there still exist many issues such as estimating the age of the oldest stars in a galaxy, finer details ofdust properties and dust-star geometry, and the influences of poorly understood, luminous stellar types and phases. The challenge for the coming years will be to improve both the models and the observational data sets to resolve these uncertainties. The present review will be made available on an interactive, moderated web page (sedfitting.org), where the community can access and change the text. The intention is to expand the text and keep it up to date over the coming years.Comment: 54 pages, 26 figures, Accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space Scienc

Cluster Density and the IMF

Observed variations in the IMF are reviewed with an emphasis on environmental density. The remote field IMF studied in the LMC by several authors is clearly steeper than most cluster IMFs, which have slopes close to the Salpeter value. Local field regions of star formation, like Taurus, may have relatively steep IMFs too. Very dense and massive clusters, like super star clusters, could have flatter IMFs, or inner-truncated IMFs. We propose that these variations are the result of three distinct processes during star formation that affect the mass function in different ways depending on mass range. At solar to intermediate stellar masses, gas processes involving thermal pressure and supersonic turbulence determine the basic scale for stellar mass, starting with the observed pre-stellar condensations, and they define the mass function from several tenths to several solar masses. Brown dwarfs require extraordinarily high pressures for fragmentation from the gas, and presumably form inside the pre-stellar condensations during mutual collisions, secondary fragmentations, or in disks. High mass stars form in excess of the numbers expected from pure turbulent fragmentation as pre-stellar condensations coalesce and accrete with an enhanced gravitational cross section. Variations in the interaction rate, interaction strength, and accretion rate among the primary fragments formed by turbulence lead to variations in the relative proportions of brown dwarfs, solar to intermediate mass stars, and high mass stars.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, to be published in ``IMF@50: A Fest-Colloquium in honor of Edwin E. Salpeter,'' held at Abbazia di Spineto, Siena, Italy, May 16-20, 2004. Kluwer Academic Publishers; edited by E. Corbelli, F. Palla, and H. Zinnecke

Hypoxia-related microRNA-210 is a diagnostic marker for discriminating osteoblastoma and osteosarcoma

MTG6Molecular tumour pathology - and tumour genetic

Validation of a questionnaire on patient satisfaction with the dispensing service in community pharmacies

Este trabajo fue presentado en forma de póster en el XVII Congreso Farmacéutico Argentino, celebrado en Carlos Paz (Provincia de Córdoba) en octubre de 2006.Objetivo: Analizar la validez y fiabilidad de un cuestionario de satisfacción de pacientes con el servicio de dispensación en las farmacias comunitarias argentinas. Diseño: Descriptivo, de corte transversal. Emplazamiento: Farmacias comunitarias de Argentina que voluntariamente aceptaron participar en el estudio. Participantes: Todos los pacientes o sus cuidadores que concurrieron a las farmacias durante el período de estudio (marzo y abril de 2006) y que supieran leer y escribir. Mediciones principales: Puntuaciones de la escala de satisfacción del cuestionario. Resultados: Participaron 27 farmacias, pertenecientes a 6 provincias de Argentina. Se consiguieron 473 cuestionarios, con un porcentaje de respuesta del 72,4%. El análisis factorial reveló un único componente que explicaba el 54,8% de la varianza total. Se obtuvo un coeficiente alfa de Cronbach de 0,90 y la correlación de Pearson entre cada uno de los ítems y la puntuación total de la escala mostró que todos los ítems están correlacionados entre sí (p < 0,01). Los pacientes expresaron comentarios adicionales en 124 cuestionarios (26,2%) que se relacionaron con la calidad de la atención recibida y con otros aspectos, tales como agradecimiento, coste de los medicamentos, insuficiente stock y amabilidad. Conclusiones: El cuestionario mostró evidencias de la validez de contenido, validez como estructura interna, validez relacionada con otras variables y fiabilidad para valorar la satisfacción de los pacientes con el servicio de dispensación en las farmacias comunitarias argentinas.Objective: To analyze the validity and reliability of a patient satisfaction questionnaire about drug dispensing in Argentine community pharmacies. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. Setting: Community pharmacies of Argentina that voluntarily agreed to take part in the study. Participants: All patients or their careers who attended the pharmacies during the period of the study (March and April, 2006) and knew how to read and write. Main measurements: Scores on the satisfaction scale of the questionnaire. Results: Twenty-seven pharmacies from 6 provinces of Argentina took part; 473 questionnaires were obtained with a 72.4% response rate. Factorial analysis revealed one single component that explained 54.8% of total variance. A 0.90 Cronbach's alpha coefficient was obtained and Pearson's correlation between each of the items and the total score on the scale showed that all items correlated with each other (P<.01). Patients expressed additional comments in 124 questionnaires (26.2%). These concerned the quality of care received and other aspects, such as gratitude, cost of medicines, insufficient stock, and friendliness. Conclusions: The questionnaire, in showing evidence of content validity, validity as internal structure, validity related to other variables, and reliability, could assess patient satisfaction with the drug dispensing service in the community pharmacies of Argentina

Physical Processes in Star Formation

© 2020 Springer-Verlag. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-020-00693-8.Star formation is a complex multi-scale phenomenon that is of significant importance for astrophysics in general. Stars and star formation are key pillars in observational astronomy from local star forming regions in the Milky Way up to high-redshift galaxies. From a theoretical perspective, star formation and feedback processes (radiation, winds, and supernovae) play a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of the physical processes at work, both individually and of their interactions. In this review we will give an overview of the main processes that are important for the understanding of star formation. We start with an observationally motivated view on star formation from a global perspective and outline the general paradigm of the life-cycle of molecular clouds, in which star formation is the key process to close the cycle. After that we focus on the thermal and chemical aspects in star forming regions, discuss turbulence and magnetic fields as well as gravitational forces. Finally, we review the most important stellar feedback mechanisms.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio