The VISTA (Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy) survey of the Magellanic Clouds System (VMC) is collecting deep K sub(s)-band time-series photometry of the pulsating variable stars ...hosted in the system formed by the two Magellanic Clouds and the Bridge connecting them. In this paper, we have analysed a sample of 130 Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) Type II Cepheids (T2CEPs) found in tiles with complete or near-complete VMC observations for which identification and optical magnitudes were obtained from the OGLE III (Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment) survey. We present J and K sub(s) light curves for all 130 pulsators, including 41 BL Her, 62 W Vir (12 pW Vir) and 27 RV Tau variables. We complement our near-infrared photometry with the V magnitudes from the OGLE III survey, allowing us to build a variety of period-luminosity (PL), period-luminosity-colour (PLC) and period-Wesenheit (PW) relationships, including any combination of the V, J, K sub(s) filters and valid for BL Her and W Vir classes. These relationships were calibrated in terms of the LMC distance modulus, while an independent absolute calibration of the PL(K sub(s)) and the PW(K sub(s), V) was derived on the basis of distances obtained from Hubble Space Telescope parallaxes and Baade-Wesselink technique. When applied to the LMC and to the Galactic globular clusters hosting T2CEPs, these relations seem to show that (1) the two Population II standard candles RR Lyrae and T2CEPs give results in excellent agreement with each other; (2) there is a discrepancy of similar to 0.1 mag between Population II standard candles and classical Cepheids when the distances are gauged in a similar way for all the quoted pulsators. However, given the uncertainties, this discrepancy is within the formal 1 sigma uncertainties.
Assessing the feasibility of 2030 as a target date for global elimination of trachoma, and identification of districts that may require enhanced treatment to meet World Health Organization (WHO) ...elimination criteria by this date are key challenges in operational planning for trachoma programmes. Here we address these challenges by prospectively evaluating forecasting models of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) prevalence, leveraging ensemble-based approaches. Seven candidate probabilistic models were developed to forecast district-wise TF prevalence in 11 760 districts, trained using district-level data on the population prevalence of TF in children aged 1-9 years from 2004 to 2022. Geographical location, history of mass drug administration treatment, and previously measured prevalence data were included in these models as key predictors. The best-performing models were included in an ensemble, using weights derived from their relative likelihood scores. To incorporate the inherent stochasticity of disease transmission and challenges of population-level surveillance, we forecasted probability distributions for the TF prevalence in each geographic district, rather than predicting a single value. Based on our probabilistic forecasts, 1.46% (95% confidence interval CI: 1.43-1.48%) of all districts in trachoma-endemic countries, equivalent to 172 districts, will exceed the 5% TF control threshold in 2030 with the current interventions. Global elimination of trachoma as a public health problem by 2030 may require enhanced intervention and/or surveillance of high-risk districts.
Abstract
Background
The International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) provides azithromycin for mass drug administration (MDA) to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. Azithromycin is given as ...tablets for adults and powder for oral suspension (POS) is recommended for children aged <7 y, children <120 cm in height (regardless of age) or anyone who reports difficulty in swallowing tablets. An observational assessment of MDA for trachoma was conducted to determine the frequency with which children aged 6 mo through 14 y received the recommended dose and form of azithromycin according to current dosing guidelines and to assess risk factors for choking and adverse swallowing events (ASEs).
Methods
MDA was observed in three regions of Ethiopia and data were collected on azithromycin administration and ASEs.
Results
A total of 6477 azithromycin administrations were observed; 97.9% of children received the exact recommended dose. Of children aged 6 mo to <7 y or <120 cm in height, 99.6% received POS. One child experienced choking and 132 (2%) experienced ≥1 ASEs. Factors significantly associated with ASEs included age 6–11 mo or 1–6 y, non-calm demeanor and requiring coaxing prior to drug administration.
Conclusions
There is a high level of adherence to the revised azithromycin dosing guidelines and low incidence of choking and ASEs.
The VMC survey Tatton, B L; van Loon, J Th; Cioni, M-R ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
06/2013, Letnik:
554
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The details of how galaxies have evolved over cosmological times are imprinted in their star formation history, chemical enrichment and morpho-kinematic structure. Parameters behind these, such as ...effective temperature and metallicity, can be measured by combining photometric techniques with modelling. In this paper we present a detailed reddening map of the central 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud; for both community use and as a test of the methods used for future use on a wider area. The reddening, a measurement of dust extinction, acts as a tracer of the interstellar medium (ISM). This new reddening map shows correlation with equivalent maps in the literature, validating the method of red clump star selection. We make our reddening map available for community use. In terms of ISM the red clump stars appear to be more affected by the cooler dust measured by 70 mu m emission because there is stronger correlation between increasing emission and extinction due to red clump stars not being located near hot stars that would heat the dust.
The development of a robust manufacturing process to relebactam, a potent β-lactamase inhibitor, is described. The origin and control strategy of oligomer impurities formed during hydrogenolysis of ...benzyl urea intermediate 9 and deprotection of Boc-sulfate intermediate 11 have been thoroughly studied and developed. The optimal manufacturing process has been successfully implemented for commercialization, preparing relebactam (1) in >99% purity with a non-detectable level of oligomers.
The new generation of IR surveys are revealing and quantifying Galactic features that provide an improved 3D interpretation of our own Galaxy. We present an analysis of the global distribution of ...dust clouds in the bulge using the near-IR photometry of 157 million stars from the VVV survey. We investigate the color-magnitude diagram of the Milky Way bulge, which shows a red giant clump of core He burning stars that is split into two color components, with a mean color difference of (Z - K sub(s)) = 0.55 mag that is equivalent to A sub(V) = 2.0 mag. We conclude that there is an optically thick dust lane at intermediate latitudes above and below the plane that stretches across several square degrees from l = -10degrees to l = +10degrees We call this feature the great dark lane. Although its exact distance is uncertain, it is located in front of the bulge. The evidence for a large-scale great dark lane within the Galactic bulge is important for constraining models of the barred Milky Way bulge and for comparing our galaxy with external barred galaxies in which these types of features are prominent. We discuss two other potential implications of the great dark lane for microlensing and bulge stellar populations studies.
Context. The ESO Public Survey "VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea" (VVV) provides deep multi-epoch infrared observations for an unprecedented 562 sq. degrees of the Galactic bulge, and adjacent ...regions of the disk. Nearly 150 new open clusters and cluster candidates have been discovered in this survey. Aims. This is the second in a series of papers about young, massive open clusters observed using the VVV survey. We present the first study of six recently discovered clusters. These clusters contain at least one newly discovered Wolf-Rayet (WR) star. Methods. Following the methodology presented in the first paper of the series, wide-field, deep JHK sub(s) VVV observations, combined with new infrared spectroscopy, are employed to constrain fundamental parameters for a subset of clusters. Results. We find that the six studied stellar groups are real young (2-7 Myr) and massive (between 0.8 and 2.2 x 10 super(3) M sub(middot in circle)) clusters. They are highly obscured (Av ~ 5-24 mag) and compact (1-2 pc). In addition to WR stars, two of the six clusters also contain at least one red supergiant star, and one of these two clusters also contains a blue supergiant. We claim the discovery of 8 new WR stars, and 3 stars showing WR-like emission lines which could be classified WR or OIf. Preliminary analysis provides initial masses of ~30-50 M sub(middot in circle) for the WR stars. Finally, we discuss the spiral structure of the Galaxy using the six new clusters as tracers, together with the previously studied VVV clusters.
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