We study the properties of kinematically disturbed galaxies in the Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral field spectrograph (SAMI) Galaxy Survey using a quantitative criterion, based on kinemetry ...(Krajnovic et al.). The approach, similar to the application of kinemetry by Shapiro et al., uses ionized gas kinematics, probed by H alpha emission. By this method, 23 plus or minus 7 per cent of our 360-galaxy sub-sample of the SAMI Galaxy Survey are kinematically asymmetric. Visual classifications agree with our kinemetric results for 90 per cent of asymmetric and 95 per cent of normal galaxies. We find that stellar mass and kinematic asymmetry are inversely correlated and that kinematic asymmetry is both more frequent and stronger in low-mass galaxies. This builds on previous studies that found high fractions of kinematic asymmetry in low-mass galaxies using a variety of different methods. Concentration of star formation and kinematic disturbance are found to be correlated, confirming results found in previous work. This effect is stronger for high-mass galaxies (log(M*) > 10) and indicates that kinematic disturbance is linked to centrally concentrated star formation. Comparison of the inner (within 0.5Re) and outer H alpha equivalent widths of asymmetric and normal galaxies shows a small but significant increase in inner equivalent width for asymmetric galaxies.
Using new integral field observations of 106 galaxies in three nearby clusters, we investigate how the intrinsic scatter of the Fundamental Plane depends on the way in which the velocity dispersion ...and effective radius are measured. Our spatially resolved spectroscopy, combined with a cluster sample with negligible relative distance errors, allows us to derive a Fundamental Plane with minimal systematic uncertainties. From the apertures we tested, we find that velocity dispersions measured within a circular aperture with radius equal to one effective radius minimizes the intrinsic scatter of the Fundamental Plane. Using simple yet powerful Jeans dynamical models, we determine dynamical masses for our galaxies. Replacing luminosity in the Fundamental Plane with dynamical mass, we demonstrate that the resulting Mass Plane has further reduced scatter, consistent with zero intrinsic scatter. Using these dynamical models, we also find evidence for a possibly non-linear relationship between dynamical mass-to-light ratio and velocity dispersion.
Line-of-sight velocities of gas and stars can constrain dark matter (DM) within rotationally supported galaxies if they trace circular orbits extensively. Photometric asymmetries may signify ...non-circular motions, requiring spectra with dense spatial coverage. Our integral-field spectroscopy of 178 galaxies spanned the mass range of the Sydney-AAO Multi-object integral field spectrograph (SAMI) Galaxy Survey. We derived circular speed curves (CSCs) of gas and stars from non-parametric fits out to r ∼ 2r
e. For 12/14 with measured H i profiles, ionized gas and H i maximum velocities agreed. We fitted mass-follows-light models to 163 galaxies by approximating the radial light profile as nested, very flattened mass homeoids viewed as a Sérsic form. Fitting broad-band spectral energy distributions to Sloan Digital Sky Survey images gave median stellar mass/light 1.7 assuming a Kroupa initial mass function (IMF) versus 2.6 dynamically. Two-thirds of the dynamical mass/light measures were consistent with star+remnant IMFs. One-fifth required upscaled starlight to fit, hence comparable mass of unobserved baryons and/or DM distributed like starlight across the SAMI aperture that came to dominate motions as the starlight CSCs declined rapidly. The rest had mass distributed differently from light. Subtracting fits of Sérsic radial profiles to 13 VIKING Z-band images revealed residual weak bars. Near the bar major axis, we assessed m = 2 streaming velocities, and found deviations usually <30 km s−1 from the CSC; three showed no deviation. Thus, asymmetries rarely influenced the CSC despite colocated shock-indicating, emission-line flux ratios in more than 2/3 of our sample.
ABSTRACT Galaxy mergers are important events that can determine the fate of a galaxy by changing its morphology, star formation activity and mass growth. Merger systems have commonly been identified ...from their disturbed morphologies, and we now can employ integral field spectroscopy to detect and analyze the impact of mergers on stellar kinematics as well. We visually classified galaxy morphology using deep images ( ) taken by the Blanco 4 m telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. In this paper we investigate 63 bright ( ) spectroscopically selected galaxies in Abell 119, of which 53 are early type and 20 show a disturbed morphology by visual inspection. A misalignment between the major axes in the photometric image and the kinematic map is conspicuous in morphologically disturbed galaxies. Our sample is dominated by early-type galaxies, yet it shows a surprisingly tight Tully-Fisher relation except for the morphologically disturbed galaxies which show large deviations. Three out of the eight slow rotators in our sample are morphologically disturbed. The morphologically disturbed galaxies are generally more asymmetric, visually as well as kinematically. Our findings suggest that galaxy interactions, including mergers and perhaps fly-bys, play an important role in determining the orientation and magnitude of a galaxy's angular momentum.
To use a standardized videotape stimulus to assess the effect of physician compassion on viewers' anxiety, information recall, treatment decisions, and assessment of physician characteristics.
One ...hundred twenty-three healthy female breast cancer survivors and 87 women without cancer were recruited for this study. A randomized pretest/posttest control group design with a standardized videotape intervention was used. Participants completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), an information recall test, a compassion rating, and physician attribute rating scales.
Women who saw an "enhanced compassion" videotape rated the physician as warmer and more caring, sensitive, and compassionate than did women who watched the "standard" videotape. Women who saw the enhanced compassion videotape were significantly less anxious after watching it than the women in the other group. Nevertheless, information recall was relatively low for both groups, and enhanced compassion did not influence patient decisions. Those who saw the enhanced compassion videotape rated the doctor significantly higher on other positive attributes, such as wanting what was best for the patient and encouraging the patient's questions and involvement in decisions.
The enhanced compassion segment was short, simple, and effective in decreasing viewers' anxiety. Further research is needed to translate these findings to the clinical setting, where reducing patient anxiety is a therapeutic goal.
Summary
Background
Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in melanoma is affected by cancer stage. Previous studies have reported limited data on utility‐based HRQOL.
Objectives
To determine pooled ...estimates of utility‐based HRQOL (utilities) for people with American Joint Cancer Committee stage I/II, III or IV melanoma for use in economic evaluations.
Methods
We performed a systematic review, meta‐analysis and metaregression of utilities for patients with melanoma. HRQOL scores reported with the QLQ‐C30, SF‐36, SF‐12, FACT‐G and FACT‐M instruments were converted to utilities using published mapping algorithms. Meta‐analysis was used to calculate mean utilities. Metaregression was used to examine the effects of baseline patient and study characteristics.
Results
We identified 33 studies reporting 213 utilities. From meta‐analyses, the mean utility for stage I/II melanoma was 0·97 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·90–0·98; for stage III melanoma it was 0·77 (95% CI 0·70–0·83); for stage III/IV 0·76 (95% CI 0·76–0·77); and for stage IV melanoma 0·76 (95% CI 0·71–0·81). The difference in utility between stage III and stage IV was not statistically significant (P = 0·52). For patients with stage I/II, the utility estimate at the time of surgery was 0·77 (95% CI 0·75–0·79), and at 3–12 months postsurgery it was 0·85 (95% CI 0·84–0·86). Utility estimates for patients with stage IV melanoma were 0·65 (95% CI 0·62–0·69) during the first 3 months of treatment and 0·83 (95% CI 0·81–0·86) at 4–12 months on treatment. For patients with stage IV melanoma treated with chemotherapy, the utility estimate was 0·52 (95% CI 0·51–0·52), while for those treated with targeted therapy it was 0·83 (95% CI 0·82–0·85).
Conclusions
These robust, evidence‐based estimates of health state utility can be used in economic evaluations of new treatments for patients with early‐stage or advanced‐stage melanoma.
What's already known about this topic?
Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in melanoma is affected by cancer stage: it is higher at stages 0, I and II and lower at stage III/IV.
HRQOL is lower at the time of surgery or initiating treatment but higher after completing treatment.
HRQOL studies contained limited data on utility‐based HRQOL.
Previous reviews focused on interferon and chemotherapy treatments but not targeted therapies.
What does this study add?
This large review, meta‐analysis and metaregression of contemporary melanoma treatments has found utility‐based quality‐of‐life for stage I/II melanoma to be 0·97, for stage III 0·77, for stage III/IV 0·76 and for stage IV alone 0·76.
Among people with stage I/II melanoma, higher utility was observed for men and those older than 55 years.
Utility was lowest in the first 3 months following surgery for stage I/II melanoma, or during initial treatment with chemotherapies for stage IV melanoma.
ABSTRACT We present Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer observations of AM1354-250, confirming its status as a collisional ring galaxy that has recently undergone an interaction, creating its ...distinctive shape. We analyze the stellar and gaseous emission throughout the galaxy finding direct evidence that the gaseous ring is expanding with a velocity of ∼70 km s−1 and that star formation is occurring primarily in H ii regions associated with the ring. This star formation activity is likely triggered by this interaction. We find evidence for several excitation mechanisms in the gas, including emission consistent with shocked gas in the expanding ring and a region of LINER-like emission in the central core of the galaxy. Evidence of kinematic disturbance in both the stars and gas, possibly also triggered by the interaction, can be seen in all of the velocity maps. The ring galaxy retains a weak spiral structure, strongly suggesting the progenitor galaxy was a massive spiral prior to the collision with its companion an estimated 140 12 Myr ago.
We present the discovery of a luminous unresolved H ii complex on the edge of dwarf galaxy GAMA J141103.98-003242.3 using data from the Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral field spectrograph (SAMI) ...Galaxy Survey. This dwarf galaxy is situated at a distance of ~100 Mpc and contains an unresolved region of H ii emission that contributes ~70 per cent of the galaxy's H... luminosity, located at the top end of established H ii region luminosity functions. For the H ii complex, we measure a star formation rate of 0.147 plus or minus 0.041 M... yr... and a metallicity of 12+log(O/H) = 8.01 plus or minus 0.05 that is lower than the rest of the galaxy by ~0.2 dex. Data from the H i Parkes All-Sky Survey (HIPASS) indicate the likely presence of neutral hydrogen in the galaxy to potentially fuel ongoing and future star-forming events. We discuss various triggering mechanisms for the intense star formation activity of this H ii complex, where the kinematics of the ionized gas are well described by a rotating disc and do not show any features indicative of interactions. We show that SAMI is an ideal instrument to identify similar systems to GAMA J141103.98-003242.3, and the SAMI Galaxy Survey is likely to find many more of these systems to aid in the understanding of their formation and evolution. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae/symbols omitted.)
To describe the history, clinical findings, and possible etiologies of ophthalmic findings discovered in 7 astronauts after long-duration space flight, and document vision changes in approximately ...300 additional astronauts.
Retrospective, observational examination of ophthalmic findings in 7 astronauts and analysis of postflight questionnaires regarding in-flight vision changes in approximately 300 additional astronauts.
Seven astronauts with ophthalmic anomalies upon return from long-duration space missions to the International Space Station and 300 additional astronauts who completed postflight questionnaires regarding in-flight vision changes.
Before and after long-duration space flight, all 7 subjects underwent complete eye examinations, including cycloplegic and/or manifest refraction and fundus photography. Six underwent postmission optical coherence tomography (OCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); 4 had lumbar punctures (LP). Approximately 300 astronauts were queried regarding visual changes during space missions.
Refractive change, fundus photograph examination, retina OCT, orbital MRI, LP opening pressures, and examination of visual acuity data.
After 6 months of space flight, 7 astronauts had ophthalmic findings, consisting of disc edema in 5, globe flattening in 5, choroidal folds in 5, cotton wool spots (CWS) in 3, nerve fiber layer thickening by OCT in 6, and decreased near vision in 6 astronauts. Five of 7 with near vision complaints had a hyperopic shift ≥+0.50 diopters (D) between pre/postmission spherical equivalent refraction in 1 or both eyes (range, +0.50 to +1.75 D). These 5 showed globe flattening on MRI. Lumbar punctures performed in the 4 with disc edema documented opening pressures of 22, 21, 28, and 28.5 cm H(2)O performed 60, 19, 12, and 57 days postmission, respectively. The 300 postflight questionnaires documented that approximately 29% and 60% of astronauts on short and long-duration missions, respectively, experienced a degradation in distant and near visual acuity. Some of these vision changes remain unresolved years after flight.
We hypothesize that the optic nerve and ocular changes we describe may result from cephalad fluid shifts brought about by prolonged microgravity exposure. The findings we report may represent parts of a spectrum of ocular and cerebral responses to extended microgravity exposure.
The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any of the materials discussed in this article.