On 2010 March 19, the Swift/Burst Alert Telescope triggered on a short burst with temporal and spectral characteristics similar to those of soft gamma repeater (SGR) bursts. The source location, ...however, did not coincide with any known SGR. Subsequent observations of the source error box with the Swift/X-Ray Telescope and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer led to the discovery of a new X-ray source with a spin period of 7.56 s, confirming SGR J1833-0832 as a new magnetar. Based on our detailed temporal and spectral analyses, we show that the new SGR is rapidly spinning down (4 x 10{sup -12} s s{sup -1}) and find an inferred dipole magnetic field of 1.8 x 10{sup 14} G. We also show that the X-ray flux of SGR J1833-0832 remained constant for approximately 20 days following the burst and then started to decline. We derived an accurate location of the source with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and we searched for a counterpart in deep optical and infrared observations of SGR J1833-0832, and for radio pulsed emission with the Westerbork Radio Synthesis Telescope. Finally, we compare the spectral and temporal properties of the source to other magnetar candidates.
We report on the long-term X-ray monitoring with Swift, RXTE, Suzaku, Chandra, and XMM-Newton of the outburst of the newly discovered magnetar Swift J1822.3-1606 (SGR 1822-1606), from the first ...observations soon after the detection of the short X-ray bursts which led to its discovery, through the first stages of its outburst decay (covering the time span from 2011 July until the end of 2012 April). We also report on archival ROSAT observations which detected the source during its likely quiescent state, and on upper limits on Swift J1822.3-1606's radio-pulsed and optical emission during outburst, with the Green Bank Telescope and the Gran Telescopio Canarias, respectively. Our X-ray timing analysis finds the source rotating with a period of P = 8.43772016(2) s and a period derivative P = 8.3(2) x 10 super(-14) s s super(-1), which implies an inferred dipolar surface magnetic field of B Asymptotically = to 2.7 x 10 super(13) G at the equator. This measurement makes Swift J1822.3-1606 the second lowest magnetic field magnetar (after SGR 0418+5729). Following the flux and spectral evolution from the beginning of the outburst, we find that the flux decreased by about an order of magnitude, with a subtle softening of the spectrum, both typical of the outburst decay of magnetars. By modeling the secular thermal evolution of Swift J1822.3-1606, we find that the observed timing properties of the source, as well as its quiescent X-ray luminosity, can be reproduced if it was born with a poloidal and crustal toroidal fields of B sub(p) ~ 1.5 x 10 super(14) G and B sub(tor) ~ 7 x 10 super(14) G, respectively, and if its current age is ~550 kyr.
The control of the morphology of fungi needs great attention for the optimal potential production of the product. For this purpose Aspergillus sojae ATCC 20235, which has no available literature ...report on the pectinase production, is used as a model in the determination of the optimum regions for maximum polygalacturonase synthesis and biomass formation with desired pellet morphology by using low cost carbon and nitrogen sources.
Küf morfolojisinin kontrolü, potansiyel ürünün en uygun düzeyde üretimi açısından çok önemlidir. Bu amaçla bu çalışmada, pektinaz üretimi üzerine herhangi bir çalışma bulunmayan Aspergillus sojae ATCC 20235, maliyeti düşük carbon ve nitrogen kaynakları kullanarak istenilen pellet morfolojisi ile maksimum poligalakturonaz sentezi ve biyokütle oluşumu için optimum koşulların belirlenmesi amacıyla model olarak alınmıştır.
Abstract
The basin and plateau regions of the Central Andes have undergone phases of rapid subsidence and uplift during the last ~20 Myr in addition to internal tectonic deformation. Paleoelevation ...data and the presence of high seismic wave speed anomalies beneath the Puna Plateau suggest that these tectonic events may be related to lithospheric foundering. Here, we study the geodynamic processes in the region using three dimensional, scaled, analogue models and high-resolution optical image correlation techniques. The analogue experiments show how a gravitational instability of the mantle lithosphere developing into a lithospheric drip may form a circular sedimentary basin in the crust that undergoes subsidence and subsequently reverses to uplift, while simultaneously undergoing internal crustal shortening. The model results reveal that drips may be “symptomatic” where the crust is well coupled to the sinking mantle lithosphere and manifests tectonic deformation at the surface, or poorly coupled “asymptomatic” drips with weak crustal surface manifestations. Overall, the physical models suggest that the formation of the Arizaro Basin and nearby Central Andean basins are caused by symptomatic lithospheric dripping events and highlight the significant role of non-subduction geodynamic mechanisms in driving surface tectonics.
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease that is prevalent among eastern Mediterranean populations, mainly non-Ashkenazi Jews, Armenians, Turks, and Arabs. Since a large ...proportion of all the FMF patients in the world live in Turkey, the Turkish FMF Study Group (FMF-TR) was founded to develop a patient registry database and analyze demographic, clinical, and genetic features. The cohort was composed of 2838 patients (mean age, 23.0 +/- 13.33 yr; range, 2-87 yr), with a male:female ratio of 1.2:1. There was a mean period of 6.9 +/- 7.65 years from disease onset to diagnosis; the period was about 2 years shorter for each decade since 1981. Ninety-four percent of patients were living in the central-western parts of the country; however, their familial origins (70% from the central-eastern and Black Sea regions) reflected not only the ongoing east to west migration, but also the historical roots of FMF in Turkey. Patients' clinical features included peritonitis (93.7%), fever (92.5%), arthritis (47.4%), pleuritis (31.2%), myalgia (39.6%), and erysipelas-like erythema (20.9%). Arthritis, arthralgia, myalgia, and erysipelas-like erythema were significantly more frequent (p < 0.001) among patients with disease onset before the age of 18 years. Genetic analysis of 1090 patients revealed that M694V was the most frequent mutation (51.4%), followed by M680I (14.4%) and V726A (8.6%). Patients with the M694V/M694V genotype were found to have an earlier age of onset and higher frequencies of arthritis and arthralgia compared with the other groups (both p < 0.001). In contrast to other reported studies, there was no correlation between amyloidosis and M694V homozygosity in this cohort. However, amyloidosis was still remarkably frequent in our patients (12.9%), and it was prevalent (27.8%) even among the 18 patients with a disease onset after age 40 years. Twenty-two patients (0.8%) had nonamyloid glomerular diseases. The high prevalence of vasculitides (0.9% for polyarteritis nodosa and 2.7% for Henoch-Schonlein purpura) and high frequency of pericarditis (1.4%) were striking findings in the cohort. Phenotype II cases (those patients with amyloidosis as the presenting or only manifestation of disease) were rare (0.3% or less). There was a high rate of a past diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever, which suggested a possible misdiagnosis in children with FMF presenting with recurrent arthritis. To our knowledge, this is the largest series of patients with FMF reported from 1 country. We describe the features of the disease in the Turkish population and show that amyloidosis is still a substantial problem.
Work disability is a major consequence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), associated not only with traditional disease activity variables, but also more significantly with demographic, functional, ...occupational, and societal variables. Recent reports suggest that the use of biologic agents offers potential for reduced work disability rates, but the conclusions are based on surrogate disease activity measures derived from studies primarily from Western countries.
The Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA) multinational database of 8,039 patients in 86 sites in 32 countries, 16 with high gross domestic product (GDP) (>24K US dollars (USD) per capita) and 16 low-GDP countries (<11K USD), was analyzed for work and disability status at onset and over the course of RA and clinical status of patients who continued working or had stopped working in high-GDP versus low-GDP countries according to all RA Core Data Set measures. Associations of work disability status with RA Core Data Set variables and indices were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses.
At the time of first symptoms, 86% of men (range 57%-100% among countries) and 64% (19%-87%) of women <65 years were working. More than one third (37%) of these patients reported subsequent work disability because of RA. Among 1,756 patients whose symptoms had begun during the 2000s, the probabilities of continuing to work were 80% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78%-82%) at 2 years and 68% (95% CI 65%-71%) at 5 years, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. Patients who continued working versus stopped working had significantly better clinical status for all clinical status measures and patient self-report scores, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. However, patients who had stopped working in high-GDP countries had better clinical status than patients who continued working in low-GDP countries. The most significant identifier of work disability in all subgroups was Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) functional disability score.
Work disability rates remain high among people with RA during this millennium. In low-GDP countries, people remain working with high levels of disability and disease activity. Cultural and economic differences between societies affect work disability as an outcome measure for RA.
We report on a time-resolved spectroscopy of the 63 brightest bursts of SGR J1550-5418, detected with the Fermi/Gamma-ray Burst Monitor during its 2008-2009 intense bursting episode. We performed ...spectral analysis down to 4 ms timescales to characterize the spectral evolution of the bursts. Using a Comptonized model, we find that the peak energy, E sub(peak), anti-correlates with flux, while the low-energy photon index remains constant at ~-0.8 up to a flux limit F approximately 10 super(-5) erg s super(-1) cm super(-2). Using a two blackbody model, we find that the areas and fluxes of the two emitting regions correlate positively. The area of the high-kT component increases with the flux while its temperature decreases, which we interpret as being due to an adiabatic cooling process. The area of the low-kT component, on the other hand, appears to saturate at the highest fluxes, toward R sub(max) approximately 30 km.
Soxhlet and microwave assisted extraction (MAE) methods were used to obtain non-polar compounds from pistachio hull. MAE parameters (liquid to solid ratio, microwave power, and extraction time) were ...studied to obtain maximum extraction yield. The optimal conditions were found to be liquid to solid ratio of 15:1 (v/w), microwave power of 250 W and extraction time of 12.5 min. The extraction yields were 9.81 and 9.50% for MAE and Soxhlet methods, respectively. The total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and tocopherol content of the extract obtained by MAE was found to be significantly higher than those of the Soxhlet extract (p < 0.05). The results showed that the extract contained α-tocopherols (567.65 mg/kg) and oleic acid (48.46%) as the major tocopherols and fatty acids. These findings propose that hull extracts can be considered as a good source of natural bioactive compounds and MAE can be a good alternative to the traditional Soxhlet method.
Many postulated lithospheric removal events occur in regions with an earlier history of subduction, but the relationship between the two processes has not been explored. In this work, we use ...physical‐scaled analogue experiments to investigate the evolution from ocean lithosphere subduction to collision and possible delamination of the mantle lithosphere from the crust. We test how varying the magnitude of plate convergence alters the behavior of the subduction‐delamination model. Our experiments show that a retreating ocean proplate can evolve to continental mantle lithosphere delamination. Negative surface topography is supported at the delamination hinge, and this migrates back with the peeling lithosphere. With high plate convergence, delamination is suppressed. Rather, the crust and mantle lithosphere split at the collision zone in a form of flake tectonics as oncoming procrust is accreted on top of the retroplate and the promantle lithosphere subducts below. Localized high topography develops at this zone of crustal accretion and thickening. The results suggest that delamination may be a continental continuation of plate retreat and that lithospheric removal is triggered by the transition from one process to another.
Key Points
Delamination may be a continental continuation of ocean plate retreat
The delaminating mantle lithosphere slab behaves similar to retreating slab
Delamination occurs relatively with slow plate convergence
In this study, we aimed to report the results of a retrospective study carried out at our institute regarding cases of patients who had suffered proximal femoral fractures between January 2002 and ...February 2007, and who were treated with a proximal femoral nail.
One hundred consecutive cases were included in the study. A case documentation form was used to obtain intraoperative data including age, sex, mechanism of injury, type of fracture according to Association for Osteosynthesis/Association for the Study of Internal Fixation (AO/ASIF) classification and the American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) physical status classification (ASA grade). Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed at the time of admission and at the 6th week; subsequent visits were organized on the 3rd month, 6th month, and 12th month, and in patients with longer follow-up and annually postoperatively. The Harris score of hip function was used, and any change in the position of the implants and the progress of the fracture union, which was determined radiologically, was noted.
The mean age of the patients was 77.66 years (range: 37-98 years), and the sex distribution was 32 males and 68 females. Seventy-three fractures were reduced by closed means, whereas 27 needed limited open reduction. The mean follow-up time for the study group was 31.3 months (range: 12-75 months). Postoperative radiographs showed a near-anatomical fracture reduction in 78% of patients. The Harris hip score was negatively correlated with the ASA score and patient age. No cases of implant failure were observed. Three patients died before discharge (one due to pulmonary embolism, two due to cardiac arrest), and five patients died due to unrelated medical conditions within the first 3 months of the follow-up.
Our study showed that proximal femoral nail is a reliable fixation with good fracture union, and it is not associated with major complications in any type of trochanteric femoral fracture.
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