The Gaia-ESO Survey: Empirical determination of the precision of stellar radial velocities and projected rotation velocities

Context. The Gaia-ESO Survey (GES) is a large public spectroscopic survey at the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope. Aims. A key aim is to provide precise radial velocities (RVs) and projected equatorial velocities (vsini) for representative samples of Galactic stars, which will complement information obtained by the Gaia astrometry satellite. Methods. We present an analysis to empirically quantify the size and distribution of uncertainties in RV and vsini using spectra from repeated exposures of the same stars. Results. We show that the uncertainties vary as simple scaling functions of signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and vsini, that the uncertainties become larger with increasing photospheric temperature, but that the dependence on stellar gravity, metallicity and age is weak. The underlying uncertainty distributions have extended tails that are better represented by Student’s t-distributions than by normal distributions. Conclusions. Parametrised results are provided, which enable estimates of the RV precision for almost all GES measurements, and estimates of the vsini precision for stars in young clusters, as a function of S/N, vsini and stellar temperature. The precision of individual high S/N GES RV measurements is 0.22–0.26 km s-1, dependent on instrumental configuration.

Precision medicine in patients with allergic diseases: Airway diseases and atopic dermatitis-PRACTALL document of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

In this consensus document we summarize the current knowledge on major asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis endotypes under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is an initiative of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology aiming to harmonize the European and American approaches to best allergy practice and science. Precision medicine is of broad relevance for the management of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in the context of a better selection of treatment responders, risk prediction, and design of disease-modifying strategies. Progress has been made in profiling the type 2 immune response-driven asthma. The endotype driven approach for non-type 2 immune response asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis is lagging behind. Validation and qualification of biomarkers are needed to facilitate their translation into pathway-specific diagnostic tests. Wide consensus between academia, governmental regulators, and industry for further development and application of precision medicine in management of allergic diseases is of utmost importance. Improved knowledge of disease pathogenesis together with defining validated and qualified biomarkers are key approaches to precision medicine.

Konventionelle Laparoskopie versus Handheld Roboter: eine Pelvitrainer Studie zum objektiven und subjektiven Vergleich des Terumo© Kymerax© Precision-Drive Articulating Surgical System mit konventionellen laparoskopischen Instrumenten

EINLEITUNG Anhand eines Pelvitrainer Modells wurde ein sogenannter „Handheld Roboter“ (Kymerax© Precision- Drive Articulating Surgical System von Terumo©) mit konventionellen laparoskopischen Instrumenten verglichen. Das Kymerax© System verfügt über eine Instrumentenspitze, welche durch Knöpfe am Handgriff zusätzlich abgewinkelt und rotiert werden kann. METHODE 45 Probanden wurden in 2 Erfahrungsgruppen aufgeteilt: 20 ExpertInnen (mehr als 50 selbstständig durchgeführte laparoskopische Operationen pro Jahr) und 25 StudentInnen (keine Erfahrung in der Laparoskopie). Sie führten 6 standardisierte Übungen durch, wobei die ersten beiden Übungen jeweils nur der Instrumenteninstruktion dienten und nicht ausgewertet wurden. In den restlichen 4 Übungen wurden Zeit, Fehleranzahl und Präzision erfasst. Es wurde in 2 Gruppen randomisiert. Eine Gruppe führte die Übungen zuerst mit dem konventionellen System und dann mit dem Kymerax© System durch. Bei der anderen Gruppe erfolgten die Übungen in umgekehrter Reihenfolge. Am Ende beantworteten die Teilnehmer Fragen zu den Übungen und den Operationssystemen. Die Daten wurden mittels Varianzanalyse ausgewertet. RESULTATE In allen 4 gemessenen Übungen brauchten die Probanden mit Kymerax© signifikant mehr Zeit (20%-40%). Vorteile des Kymerax© Systems waren eine bessere Nadelkontrolle bei einer auf den Operateur gerichteten Stichrichtung, eine geringere Abweichung beim Schneiden einer graden Linie, sowie ein geringeres Ausfransen der Schnittlinie beim graden wie beim runden Schneiden. Im Gegensatz zu den Experten kamen Studenten, welche das Kymerax© System in der zweiten Runde verwendeten, besser mit diesem zu Recht, als Ihre Studentenkollegen, die das Kymerax© System in der ersten Runde verwendeten. In der Befragung gaben über 90% der Teilnehmer an, dass das Kymerax© System bei der Durchführung der Übungen einen Vorteil bringt. Die Probanden empfanden jedoch die Bedienung als gewöhnungsbedürftig und erschöpften mit dem Kymerax© System schneller. Bemängelt wurde beim Kymerax© System die nicht freie Rotation, die eingeschränkte Abwinklung, die Sichteinschränkung durch den 7mm Schaft sowie die Ergonomie des Handgriffs. DISKUSSION Das Kymerax© System bringt Vorteile bei gewissen komplexen laparoskopischen Aufgaben. Der Preis hierfür ist die langsamere Durchführung der Aufgaben, die längere Angewöhnungszeit an das Instrument sowie die schnellere Ermüdung des Benutzers. Das System zeigt ein grosses Potential für die laparoskopische Chirurgie, jedoch sind weitere Verbesserungen notwendig. Von der Firma Terumo© wurde zwischenzeitlich das Operationssystem vom Markt genommen.

Dynamic Precision Phenotyping Reveals Mechanism of Crop Tolerance to Root Herbivory

The western corn rootworm (WCR) is a major pest of maize that is well adapted to most crop management strategies. Breeding for tolerance is a promising alternative to combat WCR, but is currently constrained by a lack of physiological understanding and phenotyping tools. We developed dynamic precision phenotyping approaches using carbon-11 with positron emission tomography, root autoradiography and radiometabolite flux analysis to understand maize tolerance to WCR. Our results reveal that WCR attack induces specific patterns of lateral root growth which are associated with a shift in auxin biosynthesis from indole-3-pyruvic acid to indole-3-acetonitrile. WCR attack also increases transport of newly synthesized amino acids to the roots, including the accumulation of glutamine. Finally, the regrowth zones of WCR attacked roots show an increase in glutamine turnover which strongly correlates with the induction of indole-3-acetonitrile-dependent auxin biosynthesis. In summary, our findings identify local changes in the auxin flux network as a promising marker for induced WCR tolerance.

Isotopic geochemistry of lavas at DSDP Holes 81-553 and 81-555

It is demonstrated by K-Ar analyses that the age of reversely magnetized basalts, which immediately predate magnetic Anomaly 24B, is 53.5 ± 1.9 m.y. Samples from deep levels appear to be grossly contaminated by an extraneous argon component with a uniform argon-40/argon-36 ratio 440. This component is thought to have been derived from fluids circulating in the lava pile during burial. The age result corroborates the assignment previously made to Anomaly 24B by Hailwood et al. (1979) and Lowrie and Alvarez (1981). It additionally suggests that lava extrusion formed part of a much larger magmatic event, which affected wide areas of the North Atlantic margins around the Paleocene/Eocene boundary, and can therefore probably be considered a good estimate of the age of this boundary. Initial 143Nd/144Nd ratios lie in the very restricted range 0.512920 ± 19 to 0.513026 ± 24 and initial 8 7Sr/86Sr ratios from ca. 0.703 to ca. 0.705. Acid leaching reduces the latter range to 0.70264 ± 4 to 0.70384 ± 4, suggesting that the higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios resulted from interaction with seawater. The array of data for treated samples is closely conformable on a 143Nd/144Nd-87Sr/86Sr diagram with the main oceanic mantle array and with previously published fields for Atlantic Ocean basalts. No evidence for any continental crustal contamination has been found. This suggests, but does not prove, that continental crust played no part in the genesis of these rocks.

10Be/9Be-based chronostratigraphy of ODP Hole 181-1121B from the Southwest Pacific Ocean

A 10Be/9Be-based chronostratigraphy has been determined for ODP 181, Site 1121 sediment core, recovered from the foot of the Campbell Plateau, Southwest Pacific Ocean. This core was drilled through the Campbell 'skin drift' in ca. 4500 m water depth on the mid-western margin of the extensive Campbell Nodule Field, beneath the flow of the major cold-water Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC). In the absence of detailed biostratigraphy, beryllium isotopes have provided essential time information to allow palaeo-environmental interpretation to be undertaken on the upper 7 m of the core. Measured 10Be/9Be ratios of sediment, and of ferromanganese nodules entrapped in the sediment, decrease systematically with depth in the core, in accordance with radioactive decay. However, the 10Be/9Be data diverge from ca. 3 m below the seafloor (mbsf) to the top of the core, giving rise to several possible geochronological models. The preferred model assumes that the measured 10Be/9Be ratios of the nodule rims reflect initial 10Be/9Be ratios equivalent to contemporary seawater, and that these can be used to derive the true age of the sediment where the nodules occur. The nodule rim ages can be then used to interpret the sediment 10Be/9Be data, which indicate an overall age to ca. 7 mbsf of ca. 17.5 Ma. The derived chronology is consistent with diatom biostratigraphy, which indicates an age of 2.2-3.6 Ma at 1 mbsf. Calculated sedimentation rates range from 8 to 95 cm m.y.**-1, with an overall rate to 7 mbsf of ca. 39 cm m.y.**-1. The lowest rates generally coincide with the occurrence of entrapped nodules, and reflect periods of increased bottom current flow causing net sediment loss. Growth rates of individual nodules decrease towards the top of the sediment core, similar to the observed decrease in growth rate from core to rim of seafloor nodules from the Campbell Nodule Field. This may be related to an overall increase in the vigour of the DWBC from ca. 10 Ma to the present.

Iron isotope and chemical compositions of sediments and basalts drilled seaward of the Mariana Trench

The purpose of this work is to study the mobility and budget of Fe isotopes in the oceanic crust and in particular during low-temperature interaction of seawater with oceanic basalt. We carried out this investigation using samples from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 801C drilled during Leg 129 and Leg 185 in Jurassic Pacific oceanic crust seaward of the Mariana Trench. The site comprises approximately 450 m of sediment overlying a section of 500 m of basalt, which includes intercalated pelagic and chemical sediments in the upper basaltic units and two low-temperature (10-30°C) ocherous Si-Fe hydrothermal deposits. Fe was chemically separated from 70 selected samples, and 57Fe/54Fe ratios were measured by MC-ICP-MS Isoprobe. The isotopic ratios were measured relative to an internal standard solution and are reported relative to the international Fe-standard IRMM-14. Based on duplicate measurements of natural samples, an external precision of 0.2? (2 sigma) has been obtained. The results indicate that the deep-sea sediment section has a restricted range of d57Fe, which is close to the igneous rock value. In contrast, large variations are observed in the basaltic section with positive d57Fe values (up to 2.05?) for highly altered basalts and negative values (down to ?2.49?) for the associated alteration products and hydrothermal deposits. Secondary Fe-minerals, such as Fe-oxyhydroxides or Fe-bearing clays (celadonite and saponite), have highly variable d57Fe values that have been interpreted as resulting from the partial oxidation of Fe(2+) leached during basalt alteration and precipitated as Fe(3+)-rich minerals. In contrast, altered basalts at Site 801C, which are depleted in Fe (up to 80%), display an increase in d57Fe values relative to fresh values, which suggest a preferential leaching of light iron during alteration. The apparent fractionation factor between dissolved Fe(2+) and Fe remaining in the mineral is from 0.5? to 1.3? and may be consistent with a kinetic isotope fractionation where light Fe is stripped from the minerals. Alternatively, the formation of secondary clays minerals, such as celadonite during basalt alteration may incorporate preferentially the heavy Fe isotopes, resulting in the loss of light Fe isotopes in the fluids. Because microbial processes within the oceanic crust are of potential importance in controlling rates of chemical reactions, Fe redox state and Fe-isotope fractionation, we evaluated the possible effect of this deep biosphere on Fe-isotope signatures. The Fe-isotope systematics presented in this study suggest that, even though iron behavior during seafloor weathering may be mediated by microbes, such as iron-oxidizers, d57Fe variations of more than 4? may also be explained by abiotic processes. Further laboratory experiments are now required to distinguish between various processes of Fe-isotope fractionation during seafloor weathering.

Leaching of radioactive isotopes from waste solids /

"January 1981"--Cover.

Compilation and evaluation of leaching test methods /

Mode of access: Internet.

Leaching and selected hydraulic properties of processed oil shales /

Mode of access: Internet.

Precision and accuracy assessments for state and local air monitoring networks, 1981-1986 /

Mode of access: Internet.

Comparison of three waste leaching tests /

Mode of access: Internet.

Background study on the development of a standard leaching test /

Mode of access: Internet.

Improvement of mathematical models for simulation of vehicle handling. Volume 5: programmers' guide for the vehicle model. Part 3: documentation for subroutines SLPCLC through OUTPUT and a double precision listing. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.