bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Slowness in Movement Initiation is Associated with Proactive Inhibitory Network Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Criaud Marion , Poisson Alice , Thobois Stéphane , Metereau Elise , Redouté Jérôme , Ibarrola Danièle , Baraduc Pierre , Broussolle Emmanuel , Strafella Antonio P. , Ballanger Bénédicte , Boulinguez Philippe
Published: May 2016

Background: Impairment in initiating movements in PD might be related to executive dysfunction associated with abnormal proactive inhibitory control, a pivotal mechanism consisting in gating movement initiation in uncertain contexts.

Objective: Testing this hypothesis on the basis of direct neural-based evidence.

Methods: Twelve PD patients on antiparkinsonian medication and fifteen matched healthy controls performed a simple reaction time task during event-related functional MRI scanning.

Results: For all subjects, the level of activation of SMA was found to predict RT on a trial-by-trial basis. The increase in movement initiation latency observed in PD patients with regard to controls was associated with pre-stimulus BOLD increases within several nodes of the proactive inhibitory network (caudate nucleus, precuneus, thalamus).

Conclusions: These results provide physiological data consistent with impaired control of proactive inhibition over motor initiation in PD. Patients would be locked into a mode of control maintaining anticipated inhibition over willed movements even when the situation does not require action restraint. The functional and neurochemical bases of brain activity associated with executive settings need to be addressed thoroughly in future studies to better understand disabling symptoms that have few therapeutic options like akinesia.
Cortical Implications of Advancing Age and Disease Duration in Parkinson’s Disease Patients with Postural Instability and Gait Dysfunction
Authors: Herb Joshua N. , Rane Swati , Isaacs David A. , Van Wouwe Nelleke , Roman Olivia C. , Landman Bennett A. , Dawant Benoit M. , Hedera Peter , Zald David H. , Neimat Joseph S. , Wylie Scott A. , Donahue Manus J. , Claassen Daniel O.
Published: May 2016

Background: Parkinson’s Disease patients with predominant gait dysfunction appear to have reduced cortical thickness compared to other motor phenotypes. The extent to which advancing age or disease duration impact the pattern of these distinctions is unclear.

Objective: We examine if PD patients with predominant signs of postural instability and gait dysfunction are distinguished by distinct patterns of cerebral atrophy, and how these differences are influenced by age and disease duration.

Methods: The Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Score (UPDRS) was administered to 196 PD patients (age = 61.4±8.9yrs) in the Off and On dopamine state. All completed a structural T1-weighted brain MRI. We defined 3 motor phenotypes: tremor dominant, akinetic-rigid, and postural instability with gait disorder. General linear modeling quantified cortical thickness in relation to disease duration, and motor improvement after dopaminergic therapy. Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were compared between the three motor subtypes, after controlling for disease duration and age.

Results: We identified 177/196 patients who met criteria for a motor subtype. When corrected for disease duration, postural-instability patients had marked cortical thinning of the bilateral frontal-temporal and posterior cortical regions (cuneus/precuneus). After regressing for age, reduced frontal thickness was evident in patients with gait dysfunction. Widespread cortical thinning was associated with increasing disease duration and reduced motor improvement to dopaminergic therapy.

Conclusions: Results emphasize that the profile of motor signs, especially prominent gait manifestations, relate to cortical thinning in distinct regions. Unique patterns of atrophy appear to be driven by advancing pathology related to age and disease duration.
Neuropsychological Profiles in Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases
Authors: Hessen Erik , Stav Ane Løvli , Auning Eirik , Selnes Per , Blomsø Linn , Holmeide Cathrine Emilie , Johansen Krisztina Kunszt , Eliassen Carl Fredrik , Reinvang Ivar , Fladby Tormod , Aarsland Dag
Published: May 2016

Background: Neuropsychological comparisons between patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Parkinson’s disease (MCI-PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (MCI-AD) is mostly based on indirect comparison of patients with these disorders and normal controls (NC).

Objective: The focus of this study was to make a direct comparison between patients with these diseases.

Methods: The study compared 13 patients with MCI-PD and 19 patients with MCI-AD with similar age, education and gender. The participants were recruited and assessed at the same university clinic with equal methods.

Results: The main finding was that on group level, MCI-AD scored significantly poorer on learning and memory tests than MCI-PD, whereas MCI-PD were impaired on 1 of 3 measures of executive functioning.

Conclusion: MCI-AD performed poorer learning and memory tests, whereas MCI-PD only scored below the employed cut-off on one single executive test. In general, MCI-PD was noticeably less cognitively impaired than MCI-AD.
APOE, MAPT, and COMT and Parkinson’s Disease Susceptibility and Cognitive Symptom Progression
Authors: Paul Kimberly C. , Rausch Rebecca , Creek Michelle M. , Sinsheimer Janet S. , Bronstein Jeff M. , Bordelon Yvette , Ritz Beate
Published: May 2016

Background: Cognitive decline is well recognized in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and a major concern for patients and caregivers. Apolipoprotein E ( APOE), catechol-O-methyl transferase ( COMT), and microtubule-associated protein tau ( MAPT) are of interest related to their contributions to cognitive decline or dementia in PD.

Objective: Here, we investigate whether APOE, COMT, or MAPT influence the rate of cognitive decline in PD patients.

Methods: We relied on 634 PD patients and 879 controls to examine gene-PD susceptibility associations, and nested longitudinal cohort of 246 patients from the case-control study, which followed patients on average 5 years and 7.5 years into disease. We repeatedly assessed cognitive symptom progression with the MMSE and conducted a full neuropsychological battery on a subset of 183 cognitively normal patients. We used repeated-measures regression analyses to assess longitudinal associations between genotypes and cognitive progression scores.

Results: The MAPT H1 haplotype was associated with PD susceptibility. APOE 4 carriers ( ɛ4+) ( p = 0.03) and possibly COMT Met/Met ( p = 0.06) carriers exhibited faster annual decline on the MMSE. Additionally, APOE ɛ4+ carriers showed faster decline in many of the neuropsychological test scores. No such differences in neuropsychological outcomes were seen for the COMT genotypes.

Conclusion: This work supports a growing set of research identifying overlapping etiology and pathology between synucleinopathies, such as PD, Alzheimer’s disease, and tauopathies, especially in the context of cognitive dysfunction in PD. We provide support for the argument that APOE ɛ4+ and COMT Met/Met genotypes can be used as predictors of faster cognitive decline in PD.
Development and Validation of the Parkinson’s Disease Medication Beliefs Scale (PD-Rx)
Authors: Fleisher Jori E. , Dahodwala Nabila A. , Xie Sharon X. , Mayo Mark , Weintraub Daniel , Chodosh Joshua , Shea Judy A.
Published: May 2016

Background: Medication non-adherence is common in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and is associated with increased disability and healthcare costs. Individuals’ beliefs regarding their medical conditions and treatments impact medication adherence. While instruments exist to measure patients’ beliefs about medications in general, no such tool exists for PD.

Objectives: Create an instrument eliciting medication beliefs of persons with PD; identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with beliefs; and examine whether beliefs are associated with dopaminergic therapy adherence.

Methods: We developed the Parkinson’s Disease Medication Beliefs Scale (PD-Rx) in four phases: focus groups of patients and caregivers to generate items, scale development, expert and patient revision of items, and a cross-sectional validation sample ( n = 75). Adherence was calculated using two approaches incorporating self-reported medication lists.

Results: The PD-Rx consists of 11 items covering benefits and risks of PD pharmacotherapies. The scale covers motor improvement, current adverse effects, and future concerns. Higher scores indicate more positive beliefs. Internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.67). Test-retest reliability was 0.47. Quality of life was associated with PD-Rx scores, and lower scores were associated with non-adherence.

Conclusions: Negative beliefs about PD treatments are associated with lower quality of life and may be related to medication non-adherence. Further study of any causal relationship between beliefs and medication non-adherence in PD will inform the design of future patient-centered interventions to improve adherence.
Reduction of Small Fibers of Thoracic Ventral Roots and Neurons of Intermediolateral Nucleus in Parkinson Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Authors: Hatsuta Hiroyuki , Takao Masaki , Nakano Yuta , Nogami Akane , Uchino Akiko , Sumikura Hiroyuki , Kanemaru Kazutomi , Arai Tomio , Itoh Yoshiaki , Murayama Shigeo
Published: May 2016

Background and objective: Loss of intermediolateral nucleus (IML) neurons is considered to play a major role in orthostatic hypotension (OH) of multiple system atrophy (MSA). In Parkinson disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), autonomic phenomena such as OH are common and attributed to dysfunction of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and visceral autonomic neurons. However, apart from MSA, few reports have focused on the neuropathologic aspects in PD and DLB. Here we assessed IML degeneration as well as the fine myelinated fibers (FFs; maximum diameter less than 3 μm) considered to be preganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers derived from IML neurons in PD, DLB, MSA, and age-matched normal controls (NC).

Methods: We counted IML neurons and measured the diameter and number of myelinated fibers of the ventral root at the level of the 12th thoracic segment.

Results: Compared to NC, number of IML neurons and density of FF were significantly reduced in PD (53% and 67%), DLB (47% and 71%) and MSA (27% and 42%). Compared to combined group of PD and DLB without OH (OH–), IML neurons in combined group of PD and DLB with OH (OH+) were significantly reduced (77%). Compared to NC, FF densities in OH–, OH+ were significantly reduced (74% and 59%). The mean ratio of small to large myelinated fibers in OH+ (1.18), but not that in OH–(1.58), was significantly lower than that in NC (3.17).

Conclusions: We present neuropathological evidence that IML neurons and FFs in the ventral root are reduced in PD and DLB and that the reduction was more severe in the combined group of OH+ than in OH–.
A new framework for RFID use cases in fashion and apparel retailing
Authors: Rizzi A. , Romagnoli G. , Thiesse F.
Published: May 2016

OBJECTIVE: This paper aims at proposing a new framework for the classification of RFID deployments in fashion and apparel retailing. The framework encompasses several different use cases (UCs) pursued by fashion and apparel retailers in the last decade, and updates, expands and goes beyond what has already been presented in the related literature.

DESIGN, METHODOLOGY, APPROACH: We carried out a comprehensive literature review on RFID deployments in fashion and apparel retail. We searched different sources of information, that is, scientific papers, conferences and seminars proceedings, websites, magazines, newspapers etc., up to 160 papers that were carefully analysed and organised in a structured database. This data set also comprehends information from confidential projects. We analyse contents on the level of single RFID projects, that is, feasibility studies, proofs of concept, pilots or deployments. For each project, we determine what specific UCs were at stake. Eventually, the framework of all possible RFID UCs emerged from the analysis, and we set up a panel of industry partners to validate the framework using the Delphi method.

FINDINGS: We structured the new framework along two levels: first, 6 categories were identified (i.e., level 1 use cases). Each category was then detailed, resulting in a total of 18 specific UCs (i.e., level 2 use cases). Each level 2 UC corresponds to a very specific objective pursued by an RFID implementation. For each UC, we propose a set of business metrics to evaluate deployment success as well as benefits achieved.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: From a practitioner’s perspective, the framework offers a comprehensive and well-structured overview of the cost- and the revenue-related potentials of RFID implementations in the industry. Researchers, on the other hand, may use the framework to identify opportunities for further research regarding RFID deployments in retailing.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Our framework is based on the current body of literature, and complements prior studies, which served as the starting point for our research.
Analysis of time variant reliability information used in a multilevel decoding scheme for RFID and sensor signals
Authors: Jacobi Rebekka Carmen , vom Bögel Gerd , Grabmaier Anton , Kolossa Dorothea
Published: May 2016

In medicine and other high-tech sectors, mobile RFID or sensor transponder systems are designed with high-Q antenna coils to increase the energy efficiency. Hence, the range of inductively coupled systems is improved; however, the bandwidth is decreased by 1 over Q. As a result, the reading performance is not limited by the energy supply, but instead by a high bit error rate.

In this paper, we describe how the data detection in such narrow-band systems can be improved by a multilevel decoding scheme composed of an advanced maximum-likelihood receiver in the ?rst stage and a soft Viterbi decoding scheme utilizing time variant reliability information in the second stage. An analysis of potential time-variant reliability information is given. The analysis relies on an underlying Bayesian model, which provides an a-posteriori probability indicating the reliability of the received input. As the final building block, a last decoding stage is discussed, which can be composed of a forward error correction that further exploits the reliability information at the second decoder output.

Overall, the suggested system architecture results in a notable improvement of both bit and packet error rate, thus allowing the use of high-quality-factor antennas for efficient and reliable mobile RFID systems.
State of the science on prevention and screening to reduce melanoma incidence and mortality: The time is now
Authors: Tripp Mary K. , Watson Meg , Balk Sophie J. , Swetter Susan M. , Gershenwald Jeffrey E.
Published: May 2016

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE

Although overall cancer incidence rates are decreasing, melanoma incidence rates continue to increase about 3% annually. Melanoma is a significant public health problem that exacts a substantial financial burden. Years of potential life lost from melanoma deaths contribute to the social, economic, and human toll of this disease. However, most cases are potentially preventable. Research has clearly established that exposure to ultraviolet radiation increases melanoma risk. Unprecedented antitumor activity and evolving survival benefit from novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies are now available for patients with unresectable and/or metastatic melanoma. Still, prevention (minimizing sun exposure that may result in tanned or sunburned skin and avoiding indoor tanning) and early detection (identifying lesions before they become invasive or at an earlier stage) have significant potential to reduce melanoma incidence and melanoma‐associated deaths. This article reviews the state of the science on prevention and early detection of melanoma and current areas of scientific uncertainty and ongoing debate. The US Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer and US Preventive Services Task Force reviews on skin cancer have propelled a national discussion on melanoma prevention and screening that makes this an extraordinary and exciting time for diverse disciplines in multiple sectors—health care, government, education, business, advocacy, and community—to coordinate efforts and leverage existing knowledge to make major strides in reducing the public health burden of melanoma in the United States. CA Cancer J Clin 2016;66:460–480. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Genome-Wide Approaches to Drosophila Heart Development
Authors: Frasch Manfred
Published: May 2016

The development of the dorsal vessel in Drosophila is one of the first systems in which key mechanisms regulating cardiogenesis have been defined in great detail at the genetic and molecular level. Due to evolutionary conservation, these findings have also provided major inputs into studies of cardiogenesis in vertebrates. Many of the major components that control Drosophila cardiogenesis were discovered based on candidate gene approaches and their functions were defined by employing the outstanding genetic tools and molecular techniques available in this system. More recently, approaches have been taken that aim to interrogate the entire genome in order to identify novel components and describe genomic features that are pertinent to the regulation of heart development. Apart from classical forward genetic screens, the availability of the thoroughly annotated Drosophila genome sequence made new genome-wide approaches possible, which include the generation of massive numbers of RNA interference (RNAi) reagents that were used in forward genetic screens, as well as studies of the transcriptomes and proteomes of the developing heart under normal and experimentally manipulated conditions. Moreover, genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments have been performed with the aim to define the full set of genomic binding sites of the major cardiogenic transcription factors, their relevant target genes, and a more complete picture of the regulatory network that drives cardiogenesis. This review will give an overview on these genome-wide approaches to Drosophila heart development and on computational analyses of the obtained information that ultimately aim to provide a description of this process at the systems level.
Modeling Cyclic Fatigue Hysteresis Loops of 2D Woven Ceramic Matrix Composites at Elevated Temperatures in Steam
Authors: Li Longbiao
Published: May 2016

In this paper, the cyclic fatigue hysteresis loops of 2D woven SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) at elevated temperatures in steam have been investigated. The interface slip between fibers and the matrix existing in matrix cracking modes 3 and 5, in which matrix cracking and interface debonding occurred in longitudinal yarns, is considered as the major reason for hysteresis loops of 2D woven CMCs. The hysteresis loops of 2D SiC/SiC composites corresponding to different peak stresses, test conditions, and loading frequencies have been predicted using the present analysis. The damage parameter, i.e., the proportion of matrix cracking mode 3 in the entire matrix cracking modes of the composite, and the hysteresis dissipated energy increase with increasing fatigue peak stress. With increasing cycle number, the interface shear stress in the longitudinal yarns decreases, leading to transition of interface slip types of matrix cracking modes 3 and 5.
Variations on Soil Salinity and Sodicity and Its Driving Factors Analysis under Microtopography in Different Hydrological Conditions
Authors: Yang Fan , An Fenghua , Ma Hongyuan , Wang Zhichun , Zhou Xia , Liu Zhijun
Published: May 2016

Over three million hectares of salt-affected soils characterized with high salinity and sodicity caused serious land degradation in Songnen Plain, northeast China. Soil salinity–sodicity heterogeneous distribution under microtopography is usually influenced by several environmental factors. The side direction movement of soil water driven by water from depression is the key factor that aggravates the soil salinization under microtopography in dry condition. In this study, the differences in surface soil salinity–sodicity (0–10 cm) between dry year and wet year were compared, and the relationship between soil salinity–sodicity and environment factors such as ground elevation, surface ponding time, surface ponding depth, and soil moisture at four soil layers (0–10, 10–30, 30–60, and 60–100 cm) were analyzed using redundancy analysis (RDA) and simple correlation analysis (Pearson analysis) for two different hydrological years. Analyzed soil salinity–sodicity parameters include soluble ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, CO32−, HCO3−, Cl− and SO42−), salt content (SC), electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and pH. Results showed that values of SAR, Cl−, and SO42− were significantly higher in dry year than in wet year, while Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and HCO3− showed the opposite results. Values of Na+, CO32−, and EC were significantly higher at higher ground elevation gradient (20–40 cm) in dry year than wet year. Redundancy analysis indicated that spatial distributions and variations of salinity and sodicity in surface soil layer were related with environmental factors of ponding depth, ponding time and ground elevation in wet year, and they were related with ground elevation, ponding depth, ponding time, and soil moisture at 30–60 and 60–100 cm soil layer in dry year. Ponding depth and ground elevation rank first and second as the influential factors of the spatial distribution and variation of soil salinity–sodicity in wet year. However in dry year, primary and secondary influential factors are ground elevation and soil moisture at 60–100 cm soil layer.
Efficient syntheses of climate relevant isoprene nitrates and (1R,5S)-(−)-myrtenol nitrate
Authors: Bew Sean P , Hiatt-Gipson Glyn D , Mills Graham P , Reeves Claire E
Published: May 2016

Here we report the chemoselective synthesis of several important, climate relevant isoprene nitrates using silver nitrate to mediate a ’halide for nitrate’ substitution. Employing readily available starting materials, reagents and Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons chemistry the synthesis of easily separable, synthetically versatile ‘key building blocks’ (E)- and (Z)-3-methyl-4-chlorobut-2-en-1-ol as well as (E)- and (Z)-1-((2-methyl-4-bromobut-2-enyloxy)methyl)-4-methoxybenzene has been achieved using cheap, ’off the shelf’ materials. Exploiting their reactivity we have studied their ability to undergo an ‘allylic halide for allylic nitrate’ substitution reaction which we demonstrate generates (E)- and (Z)-3-methyl-4-hydroxybut-2-enyl nitrate, and (E)- and (Z)-2-methyl-4-hydroxybut-2-enyl nitrates (‘isoprene nitrates’) in 66–80% overall yields. Using NOESY experiments the elucidation of the carbon–carbon double bond configuration within the purified isoprene nitrates has been established. Further exemplifying our ‘halide for nitrate’ substitution chemistry we outline the straightforward transformation of (1R,2S)-(−)-myrtenol bromide into the previously unknown monoterpene nitrate (1R,2S)-(−)-myrtenol nitrate.
SECOND EPOCH VLBA CALIBRATOR SURVEY OBSERVATIONS: VCS-II
Authors: Gordon David , Jacobs Christopher , Beasley Anthony , Peck Alison , Gaume Ralph , Charlot Patrick , Fey Alan , Ma Chopo , Titov Oleg , Boboltz David
Published: May 2016

Six very successful Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) calibrator survey campaigns were run between 1994 and 2007 to build up a large list of compact radio sources with positions precise enough for use as very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) phase reference calibrators. We report on the results of a second epoch VLBA Calibrator Survey campaign (VCS-II) in which 2400 VCS sources were re-observed in the X and S bands in order to improve the upcoming third realization of the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF3) as well as to improve their usefulness as VLBI phase reference calibrators. In this survey, some 2062 previously detected sources and 324 previously undetected sources were detected and revised positions are presented. Average position uncertainties for the re-observed sources were reduced from 1.14 and 1.98 mas to 0.24 and 0.41 mas in R.A. and decl., respectively, or by nearly a factor of 5. Minimum detected flux values were approximately 15 and 28 mJy in the X and S bands, respectively, and median total fluxes are approximately 230 and 280 mJy. The vast majority of these sources are flat-spectrum sources, with ∼82% having spectral indices greater than −0.5.
THE COMPOSITE SPECTRUM OF BOSS QUASARS SELECTED FOR STUDIES OF THE Lyα FOREST
Authors: Harris David W. , Jensen Trey W. , Suzuki Nao , Bautista Julian E. , Dawson Kyle S. , Vivek M. , Brownstein Joel R. , Ge Jian , Hamann Fred , Herbst H. , Jiang Linhua , Moran Sarah E. , Myers Adam D. , Olmstead Matthew D. , Schneider Donald P.
Published: May 2016

The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) has collected more than 150,000 2.1 ≤ z ≤ 3.5 quasar spectra since 2009. Using this unprecedented sample, we create a composite spectrum in the rest-frame of 102,150 quasar spectra from 800–3300 Å at a signal-to-noise ratio close to 1000 per pixel (Δv of 69 km s−1). Included in this analysis is a correction to account for flux calibration residuals in the BOSS spectrophotometry. We determine the spectral index as a function of redshift of the full sample, warp the composite spectrum to match the median spectral index, and compare the resulting spectrum to Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) photometry used in target selection. The quasar composite matches the color of the quasar population to 0.02 mag in g − r, 0.03 mag in r − i, and 0.01 mag in i − z over the redshift range 2.2 < z < 2.6. The composite spectrum deviates from the imaging photometry by 0.05 mag around z = 2.7, likely due to differences in target selection as the quasar colors become similar to the stellar locus at this redshift. Finally, we characterize the line features in the high signal-to-noise composite and identify nine faint lines not found in the previous composite spectrum from SDSS.
ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEMATIC CHROMATIC ERRORS THAT IMPACT SUB-1% PHOTOMETRIC PRECISION IN LARGE-AREA SKY SURVEYS
Authors: Li T. S. , DePoy D. L. , Marshall J. L. , Tucker D. , Kessler R. , Annis J. , Bernstein G. M. , Boada S. , Burke D. L. , Finley D. A. , James D. J. , Kent S. , Lin H. , Marriner J. , Mondrik N. , Nagasawa D. , Rykoff E. S. , Scolnic D. , Walker A. R. , Wester W. , Abbott T. M. C. , Allam S. , Benoit-Lévy A. , Bertin E. , Brooks D. , Capozzi D. , Rosell A. Carnero , Kind M. Carrasco , Carretero J. , Crocce M. , Cunha C. E. , D’Andrea C. B. , Costa L. N. da , Desai S. , Diehl H. T. , Doel P. , Flaugher B. , Fosalba P. , Frieman J. , Gaztanaga E. , Goldstein D. A. , Gruen D. , Gruendl R. A. , Gutierrez G. , Honscheid K. , Kuehn K. , Kuropatkin N. , Maia M. A. G. , Melchior P. , Miller C. J. , Miquel R. , Mohr J. J. , Neilsen E. , Nichol R. C. , Nord B. , Ogando R. , Plazas A. A. , Romer A. K. , Roodman A. , Sako M. , Sanchez E. , Scarpine V. , Schubnell M. , Sevilla-Noarbe I. , Smith R. C. , Soares-Santos M. , Sobreira F. , Suchyta E. , Tarle G. , Thomas D. , Vikram V. ,   (The DES Collaboration)
Published: May 2016

Meeting the science goals for many current and future ground-based optical large-area sky surveys requires that the calibrated broadband photometry is both stable in time and uniform over the sky to 1% precision or better. Past and current surveys have achieved photometric precision of 1%–2% by calibrating the survey’s stellar photometry with repeated measurements of a large number of stars observed in multiple epochs. The calibration techniques employed by these surveys only consider the relative frame-by-frame photometric zeropoint offset and the focal plane position-dependent illumination corrections, which are independent of the source color. However, variations in the wavelength dependence of the atmospheric transmission and the instrumental throughput induce source color-dependent systematic errors. These systematic errors must also be considered to achieve the most precise photometric measurements. In this paper, we examine such systematic chromatic errors (SCEs) using photometry from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) as an example. We first define a natural magnitude system for DES and calculate the systematic errors on stellar magnitudes when the atmospheric transmission and instrumental throughput deviate from the natural system. We conclude that the SCEs caused by the change of airmass in each exposure, the change of the precipitable water vapor and aerosol in the atmosphere over time, and the non-uniformity of instrumental throughput over the focal plane can be up to 2% in some bandpasses. We then compare the calculated SCEs with the observed DES data. For the test sample data, we correct these errors using measurements of the atmospheric transmission and instrumental throughput from auxiliary calibration systems. The residual after correction is less than 0.3%. Moreover, we calculate such SCEs for Type Ia supernovae and elliptical galaxies and find that the chromatic errors for non-stellar objects are redshift-dependent and can be larger than those for stars at certain redshifts.
TRIPPy: TRAILED IMAGE PHOTOMETRY IN PYTHON
Authors: Fraser Wesley , Alexandersen Mike , Schwamb Megan E. , Marsset Michaël , Pike Rosemary E. , Kavelaars J. J. , Bannister Michele T. , Benecchi Susan , Delsanti Audrey
Published: May 2016

Photometry of moving sources typically suffers from a reduced signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) or flux measurements biased to incorrect low values through the use of circular apertures. To address this issue, we present the software package, TRIPPy: TRailed Image Photometry in Python. TRIPPy introduces the pill aperture, which is the natural extension of the circular aperture appropriate for linearly trailed sources. The pill shape is a rectangle with two semicircular end-caps and is described by three parameters, the trail length and angle, and the radius. The TRIPPy software package also includes a new technique to generate accurate model point-spread functions (PSFs) and trailed PSFs (TSFs) from stationary background sources in sidereally tracked images. The TSF is merely the convolution of the model PSF, which consists of a moffat profile, and super-sampled lookup table. From the TSF, accurate pill aperture corrections can be estimated as a function of pill radius with an accuracy of 10 mmag for highly trailed sources. Analogous to the use of small circular apertures and associated aperture corrections, small radius pill apertures can be used to preserve S/Ns of low flux sources, with appropriate aperture correction applied to provide an accurate, unbiased flux measurement at all S/Ns.
PLANET HUNTERS. X. SEARCHING FOR NEARBY NEIGHBORS OF 75 PLANET AND ECLIPSING BINARY CANDIDATES FROM THE K2 KEPLER EXTENDED MISSION
Authors: Schmitt Joseph R. , Tokovinin Andrei , Wang Ji , Fischer Debra A. , Kristiansen Martti H. , LaCourse Daryll M. , Gagliano Robert , Tan Arvin Joseff V. , Schwengeler Hans Martin , Omohundro Mark R. , Venner Alexander , Terentev Ivan , Schmitt Allan R. , Jacobs Thomas L. , Winarski Troy , Sejpka Johann , Jek Kian J. , Boyajian Tabetha S. , Brewer John M. , Ishikawa Sascha T. , Lintott Chris , Lynn Stuart , Schawinski Kevin , Schwamb Megan E. , Weiksnar Alex
Published: May 2016

We present high-resolution observations of a sample of 75 K2 targets from Campaigns 1–3 using speckle interferometry on the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) telescope and adaptive optics imaging at the Keck II telescope. The median SOAR I-band and Keck K

s
-band detection limits at

1
″

were

Δ

m

I

=
4.4

mag and

Δ

m

K

s

=
6.1

mag, respectively. This sample includes 37 stars likely to host planets, 32 targets likely to be eclipsing binaries (EBs), and 6 other targets previously labeled as likely planetary false positives. We find nine likely physically bound companion stars within

3
″

of three candidate transiting exoplanet host stars and six likely EBs. Six of the nine detected companions are new discoveries. One of these new discoveries, EPIC 206061524, is associated with a planet candidate. Among the EB candidates, companions were only found near the shortest period ones (

P
<
3

days), which is in line with previous results showing high multiplicity near short-period binary stars. This high-resolution data, including both the detected companions and the limits on potential unseen companions, will be useful in future planet vetting and stellar multiplicity rate studies for planets and binaries.
A CHANDRA STUDY OF THE INTERSTELLAR METALLICITY IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD USING SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
Authors: Schenck Andrew , Park Sangwook , Post Seth
Published: May 2016

We report on the results from our measurements of the interstellar medium (ISM) abundances for the elements O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We used the archival Chandra data for sixteen supernova remnants (SNRs) in the LMC (0453-68.5, DEM L71, N23, 0519-69.0, N49B, N132D, N49, N206, 0534-69.9, DEM L238, N63A, Honeycomb, N157B, 0540-69.3, DEM L316B, and 0548-70.4). Our results represent LMC abundance measurements based on the modern Chandra data. We place tight constraints on our measured elemental abundances and find lower abundances than previous measurements by Hughes et al. (by a factor of approximately two on average except for Si) who utilized similar methods based on a smaller sample of ASCA data of SNRs in the LMC. We discuss the origins of the discrepancy between our Chandra and the previous ASCA measurements. We also discuss our results in comparison with the LMC abundance measurements in the literature.
A NON-LTE STUDY OF SILICON ABUNDANCES IN GIANT STARS FROM THE Si i INFRARED LINES IN THE zJ-BAND*
Authors: Tan Kefeng , Shi Jianrong , Takada-Hidai Masahide , Takeda Yoichi , Zhao Gang
Published: May 2016

We investigate the feasibility of Si i infrared (IR) lines as Si abundance indicators for giant stars. We find that Si abundances obtained from the Si i IR lines based on the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) analysis show large line-to-line scatter (mean value of 0.13 dex), and are higher than those from the optical lines. However, when non-LTE effects are taken into account, the line-to-line scatter reduces significantly (mean value of 0.06 dex), and the Si abundances are consistent with those from the optical lines. The typical average non-LTE correction of [Si/Fe] for our sample stars is about −0.35 dex. Our results demonstrate that the Si i IR lines could be reliable abundance indicators, provided that the non-LTE effects are properly taken into account.
HIDDEN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES
Authors: Paggi Alessandro , Fabbiano Giuseppina , Civano Francesca , Pellegrini Silvia , Elvis Martin , Kim Dong-Woo
Published: May 2016

We present a stacking analysis of the complete sample of early-type galaxies (ETGs) in the Chandra COSMOS (C-COSMOS) survey, to explore the nature of the X-ray luminosity in the redshift and stellar luminosity ranges

and

. Using established scaling relations, we subtract the contribution of X-ray binary populations to estimate the combined emission of hot ISM and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). To discriminate between the relative importance of these two components, we (1) compare our results with the relation observed in the local universe

for hot gaseous halos emission in ETGs, and (2) evaluate the spectral signature of each stacked bin. We find two regimes where the non-stellar X-ray emission is hard, consistent with AGN emission. First, there is evidence of hard, absorbed X-ray emission in stacked bins including relatively high z (∼1.2) ETGs with average high X-ray luminosity (

). These luminosities are consistent with the presence of highly absorbed “hidden” AGNs in these ETGs, which are not visible in their optical–IR spectra and spectral energy distributions. Second, confirming the early indication from our C-COSMOS study of X-ray detected ETGs, we find significantly enhanced X-ray luminosity in lower stellar mass ETGs (

), relative to the local

relation. The stacked spectra of these ETGs also suggest X-ray emission harder than expected from gaseous hot halos. This emission is consistent with inefficient accretion

onto

.
SPECTROSCOPIC DETERMINATION OF MASSES (AND IMPLIED AGES) FOR RED GIANTS
Authors: Ness M. , Hogg David W. , Rix H.-W. , Martig M. , Pinsonneault Marc H. , Ho A. Y. Q.
Published: May 2016

The mass of a star is arguably its most fundamental parameter. For red giant stars, tracers luminous enough to be observed across the Galaxy, mass implies a stellar evolution age. It has proven to be extremely difficult to infer ages and masses directly from red giant spectra using existing methods. From the Kepler and apogee surveys, samples of several thousand stars exist with high-quality spectra and asteroseismic masses. Here we show that from these data we can build a data-driven spectral model using The Cannon, which can determine stellar masses to ∼0.07 dex from apogee dr12 spectra of red giants; these imply age estimates accurate to ∼0.2 dex (40%). We show that The Cannon constrains these ages foremost from spectral regions with CN absorption lines, elements whose surface abundances reflect mass-dependent dredge-up. We deliver an unprecedented catalog of 70,000 giants (including 20,000 red clump stars) with mass and age estimates, spanning the entire disk (from the Galactic center to

kpc). We show that the age information in the spectra is not simply a corollary of the birth-material abundances

and

, and that, even within a monoabundance population of stars, there are age variations that vary sensibly with Galactic position. Such stellar age constraints across the Milky Way open up new avenues in Galactic archeology.
A CHANDRA STUDY OF THE IMAGE POWER SPECTRA OF 41 COOL CORE AND NON-COOL CORE GALAXY CLUSTERS
Authors: Zhang Chenhao , Xu Haiguang , Zhu Zhenghao , Li Weitian , Hu Dan , Wang Jingying , Gu Junhua , Gu Liyi , Zhang Zhongli , Liu Chengze , Zhu Jie , Wu Xiang-Ping
Published: May 2016

In this work we propose a new diagnostic to segregate cool core (CC) clusters from non-CC (NCC) clusters by studying the two-dimensional power spectra of the X-ray images observed with the Chandra X-ray observatory. Our sample contains 41 members (

) which are selected from the Chandra archive when a high photon count, an adequate angular resolution, a relatively complete detector coverage, and coincident CC–NCC classifications derived with three traditional diagnostics are simultaneously guaranteed. We find that in the log–log space the derived image power spectra can be well represented by a constant model component at large wavenumbers, while at small wavenumbers a power excess beyond the constant component appears in all clusters, with a clear tendency that the excess is stronger in CC clusters. By introducing a new CC diagnostic parameter, i.e., the power excess index (PEI), we classify the clusters in our sample and compare the results with those obtained with three traditional CC diagnostics. We find that the results agree with each other very well. By calculating the PEI values of the simulated clusters, we find that the new diagnostic works well at redshifts up to 0.5 for intermediately sized and massive clusters with a typical Chandra or XMM-Newton pointing observation. The new CC diagnostic has several advantages over its counterparts, e.g., it is free of the effects of the commonly seen centroid shift of the X-ray halo caused by merger event, and the corresponding calculation is straightforward, almost irrelevant to the complicated spectral analysis.
DISTANCE TO THE IBEX RIBBON SOURCE INFERRED FROM PARALLAX
Authors: Swaczyna P. , Bzowski M. , Christian E. R. , Funsten H. O. , McComas D. J. , Schwadron N. A.
Published: May 2016

Maps of energetic neutral atom (ENA) fluxes obtained from observations made by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) revealed a bright structure extending over the sky, subsequently dubbed the IBEX ribbon. The ribbon had not been expected from the existing models and theories prior to IBEX, and a number of mechanisms have since been proposed to explain the observations. In these mechanisms, the observed ENAs emerge from source plasmas located at different distances from the Sun. Since each part of the sky is observed by IBEX twice during the year from opposite sides of the Sun, the apparent position of the ribbon as observed in the sky is shifted due to parallax. To determine the ribbon’s parallax, we found the precise location of the maximum signal of the ribbon observed in each orbital arc. The apparent positions obtained were subsequently corrected for the Compton–Getting effect, gravitational deflection, and radiation pressure. Finally, we selected a part of the ribbon where its position is similar in the different IBEX energy passbands. We compared the apparent positions obtained from the viewing locations on the opposite sides of the Sun, and found that they are shifted by a parallax angle of 0.°41 ± 0.°15, which corresponds to a distance of

AU. This finding supports models of the ribbon with the source located just outside the heliopause.
PARALLAX AND ORBITAL EFFECTS IN ASTROMETRIC MICROLENSING WITH BINARY SOURCES
Authors: Nucita A. A. , Paolis F. De , Ingrosso G. , Giordano M. , Manni L.
Published: May 2016

In gravitational microlensing, binary systems may act as lenses or sources. Identifying lens binarity is generally easy, in particular in events characterized by caustic crossing since the resulting light curve exhibits strong deviations from a smooth single-lensing light curve. In contrast, light curves with minor deviations from a Paczyński behavior do not allow one to identify the source binarity. A consequence of gravitational microlensing is the shift of the position of the multiple image centroid with respect to the source star location — the so-called astrometric microlensing signal. When the astrometric signal is considered, the presence of a binary source manifests with a path that largely differs from that expected for single source events. Here, we investigate the astrometric signatures of binary sources taking into account their orbital motion and the parallax effect due to the Earth’s motion, which turn out not to be negligible in most cases. We also show that considering the above-mentioned effects is important in the analysis of astrometric data in order to correctly estimate the lens-event parameters.
SWING AMPLIFICATION OF GALACTIC SPIRAL ARMS: PHASE SYNCHRONIZATION OF STELLAR EPICYCLE MOTION
Authors: Michikoshi Shugo , Kokubo Eiichiro
Published: May 2016

We revisit the swing amplification model of galactic spiral arms proposed by Toomre. We describe the derivation of the perturbation equation in detail and investigate the amplification process of stellar spirals. We find that the elementary process of the swing amplification is the phase synchronization of the stellar epicycle motion. Regardless of the initial epicycle phase, the epicycle phases of stars in a spiral are synchronized during the amplification. Based on the phase synchronization, we explain the dependence of the pitch angle of spirals on the epicycle frequency. We find the most amplified spiral mode and calculate its pitch angle, wavelengths, and amplification factor, which are consistent with those obtained by the more rigorous model based on the Boltzmann equation by Julian & Toomre.
THE 2 Ms CHANDRA DEEP FIELD-NORTH SURVEY AND THE 250 Ks EXTENDED CHANDRA DEEP FIELD-SOUTH SURVEY: IMPROVED POINT-SOURCE CATALOGS
Authors: Xue Y. Q. , Luo B. , Brandt W. N. , Alexander D. M. , Bauer F. E. , Lehmer B. D. , Yang G.
Published: May 2016

We present improved point-source catalogs for the 2 Ms Chandra Deep Field-North (CDF-N) and the 250 ks Extended Chandra Deep Field-South (E-CDF-S) Surveys, implementing a number of recent improvements in Chandra source-cataloging methodology. For CDF-N/E-CDF-S, we provide a main catalog that contains 683/1003 X-ray sources detected with wavdetect at a false-positive probability threshold of 10−5 that also satisfy a binomial-probability source-selection criterion of

/P < 0.002. Such an approach maximizes the number of reliable sources detected: a total of 196/275 main-catalog sources are new compared to the Alexander et al. CDF-N/Lehmer et al. E-CDF-S main catalogs. We also provide CDF-N/E-CDF-S supplementary catalogs that consist of 72/56 sources detected at the same wavdetect threshold and having P of 0.004–0.1/0.002–0.1 and

mag counterparts. For all

CDF-N and E-CDF-S sources, including the

newly detected ones (these being generally fainter and more obscured), we determine X-ray source positions utilizing centroid and matched-filter techniques; we also provide multiwavelength identifications, apparent magnitudes of counterparts, spectroscopic and/or photometric redshifts, basic source classifications, and estimates of observed active galactic nucleus and galaxy source densities around respective field centers. Simulations show that both the CDF-N and E-CDF-S main catalogs are highly reliable and reasonably complete. Background and sensitivity analyses indicate that the on-axis mean flux limits reached represent a factor of

–2.0 improvement over the previous CDF-N and E-CDF-S limits. We make our data products publicly available.
Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Chalcidoidea and Mymarommatoidea
Authors: Dale-Skey Natalie , Askew Richard , Noyes John , Livermore Laurence , Broad Gavin
Published: May 2016

Background

A revised checklist of the British and Irish Chalcidoidea and Mymarommatoidea substantially updates the previous comprehensive checklist, dating from 1978. Country level data (i.e. occurrence in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man) is reported where known.

New information

A total of 1754 British and Irish Chalcidoidea species represents a 22% increase on the number of British species known in 1978.
Ordre moral et droits de l’homme
Authors: Sacchi Paola
Published: May 2016

Cet article se fonde sur une documentation tirée des actes d’un procès pénal et du discours médiatique qui l’a accompagné, d’où se dégage une image de « familles musulmanes » répressives et fondamentalistes, dont les choix et les actions quotidiennes seraient l’expression d’une tradition niant les droits des femmes et des jeunes. Mettant en évidence les ingrédients et les modalités d’une représentation qui se fait l’instrument d’une exclusion sociale, cette analyse permet de réfléchir sur l’idéologie des droits de l’homme fondamentaux. En particulier, sur l’écart qui se creuse entre la reconnaissance de principe du pluralisme culturel et la tendance à estimer que les droits universels ne se réalisent que dans les pratiques « occidentales » et « modernes ».