12 New Galactic Wolf-Rayet Stars Identified via 2MASS+Spitzer/GLIMPSE

We report new results from our effort to identify obscured Wolf-Rayet stars in the Galaxy. Candidates were selected by their near-infrared (2MASS) and mid-infrared (Spitzer/GLIMPSE) color excesses, which are consistent with free-free emission from ionized stellar winds and thermal excess from hot dust. We have confirmed 12 new Wolf-Rayet stars in the Galactic disk, including 9 of the nitrogen subtype (WN), and 3 of the carbon subtype (WC); this raises the total number of Wolf-Rayet stars discovered with our approach to 27. We classify one of the new stars as a possible dust-producing WC9d+OBI colliding-wind binary, as evidenced by an infrared excess resembling that of known WC9d stars, the detection of OBI features superimposed on the WC9 spectrum, and hard X-ray emission detected by XMM-Newton. A WC8 star in our sample appears to be a member of the stellar cluster Danks 1, in contrast to the rest of the confirmed Wolf-Rayet stars that generally do not appear to reside within dense stellar clusters. Either the majority of the stars are runaways from clusters, or they formed in relative isolation. We briefly discuss prospects for the expansion and improvement of the search for Wolf-Rayet stars throughout the Milky Way Galaxy.Comment: Submitted to PASP March 12, 2009; Accepted on May 14, 200

Discovery of Twin Wolf-Rayet Stars Powering Double Ring Nebulae

We have spectroscopically discovered a pair of twin, nitrogen-type, hydrogen-rich, Wolf-Rayet stars (WN8-9h) that are both surrounded by circular, mid-infrared-bright nebulae detected with the Spitzer Space Telescope and MIPS instrument. The emission is probably dominated by a thermal continuum from cool dust, but also may contain contributions from atomic line emission. There is no counterpart at shorter Spitzer/IRAC wavelengths, indicating a lack of emission from warm dust. The two nebulae are probably wind-swept stellar ejecta released by the central stars during a prior evolutionary phase. The nebulae partially overlap on the sky and we speculate on the possibility that they are in the early stage of a collision. Two other evolved massive stars have also been identified within the area subtended by the nebulae, including a carbon-type Wolf-Rayet star (WC8) and an O7-8 III-I star, the latter of which appears to be embedded in one of the larger WN8-9h nebulae. The derived distances to these stars imply that they are coeval members of an association lying 4.9 (1.2) kpc from Earth, near the intersection of the Galaxy's Long Bar and the Scutum-Centaurus spiral arm. This new association represents an unprecedented display of complex interactions between multiple stellar winds, outflows, and the radiation fields of evolved massive stars.Comment: Accepted to ApJ Letters on Friday, September 3, 2010; 15 pages, 4 figure

Istraživanje sivog puha (Glis glis) u Britaniji

The fat dormouse (Glis glis) was introduced to Britain in 1902. The species is still confined to a relatively restricted area. Its legal status is confused, being both legally protected, but at the same time an alien species and significant pest. Licences may be granted to trap Glis, but they may not then be released into the wild because they are not a native species in Britain. The total British population is unlikely to be less than 10,000. Nobody seems to be regularly monitoring Glis in Britain, but some small studies have now begun aimed at understanding more about population density, movements and potential ways of controlling this animal.The fat dormouse (Glis glis) was introduced to Britain in 1902. The species is still confined to a relatively restricted area. Its legal status is confused, being both legally protected, but at the same time an alien species and significant pest. Licences may be granted to trap Glis, but they may not then be released into the wild because they are not a native species in Britain. The total British population is unlikely to be less than 10,000. Nobody seems to be regularly monitoring Glis in Britain, but some small studies have now begun aimed at understanding more about population density, movements and potential ways of controlling this animal

Properties of Hot Stars in the Wolf-Rayet galaxy NGC5253 from ISO Spectroscopy

ISO-SWS spectroscopy of the WR galaxy NGC5253 is presented, and analysed to provide estimates of its hot young star population. Our approach differs from previous investigations in that we are able to distinguish between the regions in which different infrared fine-structure lines form, using complementary ground-based observations. The high excitation nebular [SIV] emission is formed in a very compact region, which we attribute to the central super-star-nucleus, and lower excitation [NeII] nebular emission originates in the galactic core. We use photo-ionization modelling coupled with the latest theoretical O-star flux distributions to derive effective stellar temperatures and ionization parameters of Teff>38kK, logQ=8.25 for the compact nucleus, with Teff=35kK, logQ<8 for the larger core. Results are supported by more sophisticated calculations using evolutionary synthesis models. We assess the contribution that Wolf-Rayet stars may make to highly ionized nebular lines (e.g. [OIV]). From our Br(alpha) flux, the 2" nucleus contains the equivalent of approximately 1000 O7V star equivalents and the starburst there is 2-3Myr old; the 20" core contains about 2500 O7V star equivalents, with a representative age of 5Myr. The Lyman ionizing flux of the nucleus is equivalent to the 30 Doradus region. These quantities are in good agreement with the observed mid-IR dust luminosity of 7.8x10^8 L(sun) Since this structure of hot clusters embedded in cooler emission may be common in dwarf starbursts, observing a galaxy solely with a large aperture may result in confusion. Neglecting the spatial distribution of nebular emission in NGC5253, implies `global' stellar temperatures (or ages) of 36kK (4.8Myr) and 39kK (2.9 or 4.4Myr) from the observed [NeIII/II] and [SIV/III] line ratios, assuming logQ=8.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, uses mn.sty, to appear in MNRA

The plaza and palace complex.

234 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.This volume represents the first in a series of publications detailing the archaeological research conducted by Craig Morris and his colleagues at Huánuco Pampa, an Inka provincial administrative center located in highland Peru. The site offers a unique opportunity to study Inka urbanism, and the present publication discusses the form and function of Inka cities, as well as the extent to which the Andean urban form could be coopted by the Spanish empire after the conquest of the Inkas. Open spaces and special state compounds were key components of Inka administrative centers, and attention is given to the archaeological remains found in and around the central plaza at Huánuco Pampa. Buildings on the plaza were probably used by local provincial groups for festive and ceremonial activities presided over by Inka officials. While the central plaza provided space for a broad provincial constituency, a series of smaller open spaces in the Zone IIB administrative palace offered more exclusive areas for encounters between provincial and Inka elites. After discussing Inka palace compounds, the archaeological focus turns to excavations inside structures and in exterior spaces in the palace, revealing patterns of access and degrees of status in the transit from accessible administrative spaces to restricted residential ones. An appendix to the volume provides a detailed description of the analysis of ceramic artifacts from excavations at Huánuco Pampa. CONTENTS: Introduction : Reconstructing Inka urbanism and provincial administration -- Interdisciplinary perspectives on the Inka city -- Inka central plazas -- The colonial occupation of the central plaza at Huánuco Pampa -- Form and function of Inka palace complexes -- An administrative palace at Huánuco Pampa -- Building summaries from Zone IIB-1 -- Building summaries from Zone IIB-2a -- Building summaries from Zone IIB-2b and IIB-2c -- Building summaries from Zone IIB-3 -- Building summaries from Zone IIB-4 -- Comparing plaza spaces at Huánuco Pampa -- References -- Appendix : The ceramics of Huánuco Pampa

Perinatal outcomes after admission with COVID-19 in pregnancy:a UK national cohort study

There are few population-based studies of sufficient size and follow-up duration to have reliably assessed perinatal outcomes for pregnant women hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The United Kingdom Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) covers all 194 consultant-led UK maternity units and included all pregnant women admitted to hospital with an ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here we show that in this large national cohort comprising two years’ active surveillance over four SARS-CoV-2 variant periods and with near complete follow-up of pregnancy outcomes for 16,627 included women, severe perinatal outcomes were more common in women with moderate to severe COVID-19, during the delta dominant period and among unvaccinated women. We provide strong evidence to recommend continuous surveillance of pregnancy outcomes in future pandemics and to continue to recommend SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in pregnancy to protect both mothers and babies