Absolute magnitudes and kinematics of CP stars from Hipparcos data

The position in the HR diagram and the kinematic characteristics of different kinds of CP stars of the upper main sequence are obtained using the LM method (Luri et al., 1996). Most of the CP stars are main sequence stars occupying the whole width of the sequence. From a kinematic point of view, they belong to the young disk population (ages < 1.5 Gyr). It has also been found that, on kinematic grounds, the behaviour of lambda Bootis stars is similar to the one observed for normal stars of the same spectral range. On the other hand, roAp and noAp stars show the same kinematic characteristics. The peculiar velocity distribution function has been decomposed into a sum of three dimensional gaussians and the presence of Pleiades, Sirius and Hyades moving groups has been clearly established. Finally, a small number of CP stars are found to be high-velocity objects.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, to appear in: Proc. of the 26th workshop of the European Working Group on CP stars, eds. P. North, A. Schnell and J. Ziznovsky, Contrib. Astr. Obs. Skalnate Pleso Vol. 27, No

Stroke in Patients with Schistosomiasis: Review of Cases in Literature

Introduction. Cerebral vascular comorbidities may occur in patients with schistosomiasis, as described in case reports. Aim and Methods. We have summarized general clinical and neurological features in patients with stroke associated with schistosomiasis, through a review of case reports in the literature. Investigation Outcomes. A total of eight case reports were retrieved. The mean age of patients was 36.42 +/- 16.7 (19 to 56 years), four females, three males, and one anonymous sex. Eosinophilia was the most frequent feature at presentation, followed by cardiac abnormalities, confusion, fever, ataxia, hemiplegia, headache, urticaria, dysphasia, and memory impairment. Patients usually present with watershed infarction or intracranial vasculitis. In one case, extracranial carotid arteries presented with inflammation and stenosis. The patient's serology was positive on admission in five cases. Full neurological recovery was reported in three cases, and partial improvement in another three. In two cases, information on neurological outcomes was incomplete. Stroke in schistosomiasis can be caused by haemodynamic impairment, direct lesion to the arterial wall, vasa vasorum obliterative endarteritis, contiguity with a focus of inflamed tissue, or inflammatory intimal damage. Schistosomiasis needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of stroke in people living or coming back from endemic areas. Conclusions. Further studies addressing the noncommunicable comorbidity issues related to this condition are needed

Recovery practice in community mental health teams: national survey

Background There is consensus about the importance of ‘recovery’ in mental health services, but the link between recovery orientation of mental health teams and personal recovery of individuals has been underresearched. Aims To investigate differences in team leader, clinician and service user perspectives of recovery orientation of community adult mental health teams in England. Method In six English mental health National Health Service (NHS) trusts, randomly chosen community adult mental health teams were surveyed. A random sample of ten patients, one team leader and a convenience sample of five clinicians were surveyed from each team. All respondents rated the recovery orientation of their team using parallel versions of the Recovery Self Assessment (RSA). In addition, service users also rated their own personal recovery using the Questionnaire about Processes of Recovery (QPR). Results Team leaders (n = 22) rated recovery orientation higher than clinicians (n = 109) or patients (n = 120) (Wald(2) = 7.0, P = 0.03), and both NHS trust and team type influenced RSA ratings. Patient-rated recovery orientation was a predictor of personal recovery (b = 0.58, 95% CI 0.31–0.85, P50.001). Team leaders and clinicians with experience of mental illness (39%) or supporting a family member or friend with mental illness (76%) did not differ in their RSA ratings from other team leaders or clinicians. Conclusions Compared with team leaders, frontline clinicians and service users have less positive views on recovery orientation. Increasing recovery orientation may support personal recovery

Impact of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder on Quality of Life from the Patients' Perspective : An Observational Cross-Sectional Study

Altres ajuts: Medical Department of Roche Farma, Spain (ML41397).Introduction: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is associated with a reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of NMOSD on HRQoL from the patients' perspective and its relationship with other disease factors. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at 13 neuroimmunology clinics in Spain. Patients with NMOSD diagnosis (2015 Wingerchuk criteria) were included. The 29-item Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29) was used to assess the HRQoL. Different questionnaires were used to measure symptom severity, stigma, mood disorders, pain, fatigue, and difficulties in the workplace. Factors that impact HRQoL were identified by Spearman's correlation and multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: Seventy-one patients were included (mean age 47.4 ± 14.9 years, 80.3% female, mean time since disease onset 9.9 ± 8.1 years). The median Expanded Disability Status Scale score was 3.0 (1.5-4.5). The mean (± SD) physical and psychological MSIS-29 sub-scores were 41.9 ± 16.8 and 20.9 ± 8.3, respectively. Fatigue and body pain were the most prevalent symptoms. Depressive symptoms were found in 44.3% (n = 31) of patients. The physical MSIS-29 dimension showed the highest correlation with symptom severity (ρ = 0.85584, p < 0.0001), whereas the highest correlations for psychological MSIS-29 dimension were pain, MSIS-29 physical dimension, and depression (ρ = 0.76487, 0.72779, 0.71380; p < 0.0001, respectively). Pain was a predictor of both dimensions of MSIS-29. Conclusion: Fatigue, pain, and depressive symptoms are frequent problems among patients with NMOSD, impacting on their quality of life. Assessment of patient-oriented outcomes may be useful to achieve a holistic approach, allowing early specific interventions

Determination Of The Initial Mass Function In The Solar Neighbourhood Between 1.2 And 4

Galactic evolution models rely, among other things, on the Initial Mass Function (IMF) and on the Star Formation Rate (SFR). The high accuracy of positions, parallaxes and proper motions together with the completeness of Hipparcos data allow us to get a new insight into IMF and SFR. In particular, the Mass-Luminosity relationship, which is uncertain for the type of stars considered here is avoided. In this work a complete sample of B5 \Gamma F5 stars with apparent magnitudes V 6:5 observed by Hipparcos is studied. The absolute magnitudes are computed using Hipparcos parallaxes. For stars with oeß ß ? 0:15, a weighted mean is calculated between astrometric and photometric parallaxes. This sample is modelled by assuming the IMF to be of the form ¸(M) = M \Gamma(1+x) . Taking different forms for the SFR (constant or decreasing exponentially), we compare the simulated sample with the observed one with a Ø 2 -test. The slope of the IMF is then determined in the 1:2 \Gamma 4M fi range ..

Radial velocities of Hipparcos southern B8-F2 type stars

Radial velocities have been determined for a sample of B8-F2 type stars observed by the Hipparcos satellite. Observations were obtained within the framework of an ESO key-program. Radial velocities have been measured using a cross-correlation method, the templates being a grid of synthetic spectra. The obtained precision depends on effective temperature and projected rotational velocity of the star as well as on a possible asymmetry of the correlation peak generally due to secondary components. New spectroscopic binaries have been detected from these asymmetries and the variability of the measured radial velocity. Simulations of binary and triple systems have been performed. For binaries our results have been compared with Hipparcos binary data. Adding the variable radial velocities, the minimum binary fraction has been found 60% for physical systems. Radial velocities have been determined for 581 B8-F2 stars, 159 being new. Taking into account published radial velocities, 39% south A-type stars with V magnitude lower than 7.5 have a radial velocity

KINEMATICS OF DISK STARS IN THE SOLAR NEIGHBOURHOOD A.E. G&apos;omez

Using Hipparcos parallaxes and proper motions together with radial velocity complementary data (Coravel for late type stars and new ground-based data for early type stars) for several thousand B-F type stars, the velocity ellipsoid has been determined as a function of age. The variations with age of the ratio of the velocity dispersions, of the vertex deviation and the age-velocity dispersion relation (AVR) have been estimated. Our results confirm that mixing is not complete at about 0:8 \Gamma 1 Gyr. The shape of the velocity ellipsoid changes with time, getting rounder from oe U /oe V /oe W = 1=0:63=0:42 \Sigma 0:04 at about 1 Gyr to 1=0:7=0:62 \Sigma 0:04 at 4 \Gamma 5 Gyr. The AVR rises to a maximum, thereafter remaining roughly constant; there is no dynamically significant evolution of the disk after about 4 \Gamma 5 Gyr. The velocity dispersion in the direction perpendicular to the galactic plane saturates at about 15 \Gamma 17 km s \Gamma1 for thin disk stars. The vertex devi..

Radial velocities of Hipparcos southern B8-F2 type stars

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