94 research outputs found
Multiwavelength analysis of the TeV-radio galaxy 3C 84/NGC 1275
No full textThe radio galaxy 3C 84 is a well-studied source of radio emission and was detected as NGC1275 also in the MeV/TeV regime by gamma-ray detectors like MAGIC and Fermi-LAT.
It is still unclear where and how the gamma-ray emission is produced.
In this thesis, I will confine possible emission sites and exclude the region near the black hole as the origin of the gamma-ray production.
For this aim, I investigate the optical depth of the broad-line region using data published by MAGIC and Fermi-LAT.
Furthermore, a cross-correlation study is performed to find a possible correlation between the light curves of the two radio components in 3C84 detected by the VLBA and the gamma-ray light curve measured by Fermi-LAT.
A significant correlation between the core component and the gamma-ray emission is found, which is in line with the results I derive from analyzing the optical depth of the broad-line region.
For the first time, I perform a long-term analysis of NGC1275 for four years of MAGIC data, which reveals a short flare at the beginning of 2017 and a very low state of activity since then.
To perform this long-term analysis, the software framework autoMAGIC was developed in the course of this thesis.
autoMAGIC enables fully automatic and reproducible analyses of long-term data and can be used for the automatic processing of MAGIC data in the future.Der aktive galaktische Kern 3C84, bekannt als Quelle von Radiostrahlung, wurde in den letzten Jahren auch von Gammastrahlungsdetektoren wie MAGIC und Fermi-LAT detektiert.
Um die Entstehung der Gammastrahlung zu verstehen, grenze ich die Region ein, in der diese Strahlung entstehen kann, indem ich die Absorbtion der Gammastrahlung in der Broad-Line-Region berechne.
Aufgrund dieser Studie kann die direkte Umgebung des schwarzen Lochs als Entstehungsregion ausgeschlossen werden.
Außerdem führe ich eine Korrelationsanalyse der Lichtkurven der zwei bekannten radio-hellen Regionen mit der Lichtkurve im MeV/TeV-Bereich durch.
Diese Analyse findet eine signifikante Korrelation zwischen der Kernkomponente der Quelle und der Fermi-LAT Lichtkurve.
Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde außerdem die erste Langzeitstudie der von MAGIC gemessenen hochenergetischen Gammastrahlung von NGC1275 durchgeführt.
Die Ergebinisse dieser Analyse zeigen ein kurzes Aufleuchten der Quelle Anfang 2017 und danach lediglich einen sehr schwachen Fluss.
Um diese Langzeitanalyse durchzuführen, wurde autoMAGIC entwickelt, ein Programm zur automatischen und reproduzierbaren Analyse der von MAGIC gemessenen Daten.
autoMAGIC kann über diese Arbeit hinaus für alle Standardanalysen genutzt werden und wird maßgeblich dazu beitragen die Daten der MAGIC Kollaboration für die kommenden Jahrzehnte zu archivieren
Exploring experiences of “participation” among individuals living with chronic pain
No full textThe aim of this paper is to advance our understanding of participation and its relation to occupation, by analysing the daily occupational experiences of six men and women living with chronic pain. Open-ended interviews are used in conjunction with a constant comparative method of analysis. The findings are thematically presented as: “taking initiative and making choices”, doing something physical”, “doing something social”, and “doing something for others”. Furthermore, a short vignette is presented in which the authors attempt to juxtapose theoretical constructs with individual experiences in order to illustrate another level of contextual richness of the data. Methodological implications are discussed in relation to the findings, analytic presentation, and previous research. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)Source type: Electronic(1
User-involvement in the development of a culturally sensitive intervention in the safe pregnancy study to prevent intimate partner violence
No full textIntimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy has negative health impacts on the woman and the fetus. There is a lack of evidence supporting effective interventions to prevent IPV during pregnancy. This user-involvement study was conducted to get feedback on a culturally sensitive, tablet intervention containing questions about violence and safety-behaviors and a video promoting safety behaviors. This resulted in important feedback on the intervention content. Our findings show that women are in favor of disclosing IPV via a tablet. They suggested ways to address barriers for disclosure, such as safeguarding anonymity and creating a trustful relationship with the midwifeThe author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The Research Council of Norway Grant nr: 260355. Lena Henriksen was funded by Extrastiftelsen Grant nr: 2016/F076041.publishedVersio
The Alcoholic Wife and Her Family Facts About Wives Who Drink and Their Spouses, Derived From a Study of the Clinical Material of the State University Alcohol Clinic in Brooklyn, With Emphasis on a Case Analysis of Five Families Where the Mother Is Alcoholic
No full textBackground of the Study. The impetus for this study arose when this student found, during the orientation program of her second year placement at Kings County Hospital, that a new research and treatment center known as the State University Alcohol Clinic had opened. With the help of clinic staff the writer learned that one area needing research was that concerning alcoholism among women. Since social work stresses social factors, the writer felt it would be of interest to study the alcoholic wife within her family group. During the research period the writer worked directly with some of the patients, thus acquiring first hand knowledge. The universal use of alcohol as the great deceiver, dates to early man, so that alcoholism is by no means a modern day problem. The brewing of beer can be traced to the beginning of agriculture in 5000 B.C. during the Neolithic or New Stone Age. In early societies a religious festival usually called for several days of celebration in which the men especially were permitted to drink. Tribal drinking was a communal affair and as typified in the Dionisian orgies, only men could participate. With the exception of the Moslem culture, which forbids drinking for all, most groups accept the use of alcohol by men whereas the use of it by women has always been forbidden or controlled. Despite restrictions placed on women in one form or another, Egyptian tombs of 4000 years ago bear imprints of women suffering from overindulgence in wine. In ancient Rome drinking for men under thirty was not permitted and any drinking by women was a serious crime. In order that husbands might detect the use of alcohol by their wives, kissing was sanctioned in a law by Romulus. Roman law also provided for the acquittal of a man if he murdered his wife for drinking. As the Roman empire expanded and life became more complex, drinking patterns spread to all classes as laws became less stringent. Similarly, as our culture becomes more complex, drinking seems to be spreading not only among classes but inclusive of both sexes. Although the use of spirits seems universal, the extent to which they are used and consumed depends on the group, for as one author claims, The use of alcoholic beverages in a group of society is primarily a cultural phenomena. Solitary drinking and individual intoxication, for example, are rare among primitive people
Urban wetland structure and its relationship to exotic plants, biodiversity, and West Nile virus risk
No full textWetlands provide crucial ecosystem functions that aid water security, stormwater management, and biodiversity conservation. However, the underlying mechanisms that influence headwater wetlands in urban landscapes are poorly understood. Further, biodiversity loss may reduce ecosystem function and increase the transmission risk for some enzootic diseases, such as West Nile virus (WNV). My research aimed to: 1) assess wetland vegetation structure and the importance of fragment size and landscape position on biodiversity; 2) test the importance of flooding conditions for mitigating invasive plant dominance in forested wetlands using Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) as my study system; and 3) identify relationships between vegetation structure, fragment size, and the relative abundance of competent avian WNV hosts and mosquito vectors. I used a combination of measurative and experimental research methods to address these objectives, the third of which was part of a collaborative interdisciplinary research grant. Vegetation structure was measured in 36 plots located in six forested wetlands and data loggers were used to monitor aboveground flooding. Avian and mosquito research teams coordinated iii with my sampling points. My results illustrate the capacity for urban headwater wetlands to support a diverse flora, as well as the complex interactions between human activities and wetland structure and function. Red maple, oak, sweetgum, and green ash were the dominant tree species. Half of the 287 plant species identified only occurred at 1-2 sample points. Groundcover composition reflected the confluence of hydrogeomorphology, and past and present human actions. Connectivity via nearby streams or ditches had a greater impact on exotic plant richness than did wetland patch size. Aboveground flooding prior to seedling emergence significantly reduced the distribution of Japanese stiltgrass. Avian species richness was positively correlated with plant richness. In contrast, mosquito richness was negatively correlated to plant richness. WNV hosts and vector abundance both increased with maple (Acer spp.) tree canopy dominance. Cumulative host abundance averaged 24% and was composed primarily of American Robin, which showed large interannual shifts in fragments <15 ha. The relative abundance of competent vectors ranged from 5 to 26% and their populations demonstrated less interannual variation than were observed in the host populations.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Laura Jean Shappel
From conflict to gender quota adoption: the cases of Burundi and Liberia
No full textTo investigate how the occurrence of high-intensity conflict affects the adoption of gender quotas, this study builds on different strands of research on conflict, peace processes, gender quota adoption, and female representation, and proposes a causal path linking high-intensity conflict to post-conflict gender quota adoption in developing countries post-1995 through distinct causal steps: gender relations change and women mobilize due to the conflict, peace negotiations provide a platform and open a window of opportunity, and women’s activists, relying on their gained experience and networks, finally push for gender quota adoption in the post-conflict period. Examining the typical case of Burundi and the deviant case of Liberia with process tracing, this study finds that the proposed causal mechanisms are mostly present and hold some explanatory value. However, the difference in outcome and a brief reference to two additional cases demonstrate that the mechanisms in the proposed causal path are neither necessary nor sufficient conditions. Instead, they constitute contributing factors making the outcome of gender quota adoption more likely, while equifinality and causal heterogeneity in this research area should be emphasized. The study furthermore identifies theoretical implications for existing research as well as potential research areas for future studies.M.A.Includes bibliographical reference
Evolutionary and demographic processes in the invasive weed Microstegium vimineum
No full textMicrostegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus (stiltgrass) is considered among the most invasive plants in the eastern United States. There has been considerable study of this species’ ecology and management though far less attention has been paid to its molecular ecology and the evolutionary processes which may influence its invasion success. Here, I describe a newly developed molecular marker system (microsatellite) which I used to examine M. vimineum’s genetic population structure and diversity in both its native and introduced ranges. I found clear signals that M. vimineum’s mating system is the most important determinant of the species’ population structure and variability. The invasive range had lower genetic diversity overall, probably due to founder effects. Also, population and regional genetic differentiation appeared to be ‘in process’ in the invasive range. Furthermore, M. vimineum’s mixed cleistogamous/chasmogamous mating system allowed for the near fixation of microsatellite genotypes in a given population by high rates of selfing, while still permitting the persistence of allelic diversity and generation of new genotypes at low frequency via occasional outcrossing. Thus, this mating system may confer adaptive advantage to the species as it settles upon fit genotypes in a given area while retaining evolutionary potential for range expansion into new habitats. I also attempted to discern adaptively significant phenotypes in M. vimineum through the measurement of phenological variation of plants originating from across the species’ invasive range under manipulated light treatments. Flowering time and biomass were both strongly correlated with the latitude of population origin such that populations collected from more northern latitudes flowered significantly earlier at lower biomass than populations from southern locations. This pattern suggests rapid adaptive evolution of phenology over a period of less than one hundred years, and such changes have likely promoted the northward range expansion of this species. Interestingly, barriers to gene flow, including bottlenecks and inbreeding, have apparently not forestalled adaptive processes for this plant. Based on literature review and these new data, I hypothesize that adaptive evolution of phenological traits may be widespread in many invasive plant species and an essential process during range expansion.Ph. D.Includes bibliographical referencesIncludes vitaby Ari E. Nov
Turkeys on the fringe: Variable husbandry in “marginal” areas of the prehistoric American Southwest
No full textAbstractPrevious research reporting stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values of prehistoric turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) remains from the American Southwest indicates that these birds were husbanded in consistent ways: the majority of samples suggest a diet dominated by maize, a domesticate that uses the C4 photosynthetic pathway. However, most of these studies have focused on turkey remains from locations where maize would likely have been readily available. Here we present isotope and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype data from turkey remains from the relatively high-elevation site of Tijeras Pueblo (LA 581), a location where maize production may have been marginal. The Tijeras Pueblo turkeys display a unique carbon isotope pattern in both bone collagen and bone apatite, with half the samples indicating a predominately C3 diet (a signature characteristic of modern wild turkeys) and the other half predominately C4, even though the majority of samples belong to the Southwestern domestic turkey mtDNA lineage identified by Speller et al. (2010). Comparative collagen samples from the Albuquerque Basin and the Gallina region do not follow this pattern. Apatite-collagen δ13C spacing in the Tijeras turkeys suggests these birds were acquiring carbohydrates and protein from a mixture of C3- and C4-based resources. We propose that the C3 Tijeras turkeys were free-ranged, and that the presence of two distinct turkey husbandry regimes at Tijeras Pueblo may reflect Tijeras' geographic location on a cultural boundary between the Plains and Pueblo regions
Father for the first time - development and validation of a questionnaire to assess fathers’ experiences of first childbirth (FTFQ)
No full textABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: A father's experience of the birth of his first child is important not only for their birth-giving partner but also for the father himself, his relationship with the mother and the newborn. No validated questionnaire assessing first-time fathers' experiences during childbirth is currently available. Hence, the aim of this study was to develop and validate an instrument to assess first-time fathers' experiences of childbirth. METHOD: Domains and items were initially derived from interviews with first-time fathers, and supplemented by a literature search and a focus group interview with midwives. The comprehensibility, comprehensiveness and relevance of the items were evaluated by four paternity research experts and a preliminary questionnaire was pilot tested in eight first-time fathers. A revised questionnaire was completed by 200 first- time fathers (response rate = 81%) Exploratory factor analysis using principal component analysis with varimax rotation was performed and multitrait scaling analysis was used to test scaling assumptions. External validity was assessed by means of known-groups analysis. RESULTS: Factor analysis yielded four factors comprising 22 items and accounting 48% of the variance. The domains found were Worry, Information, Emotional support and Acceptance. Multitrait analysis confirmed the convergent and discriminant validity of the domains; however, Cronbach's alpha did not meet conventional reliability standards in two domains. The questionnaire was sensitive to differences between groups of fathers hypothesized to differ on important socio demographic or clinical variables CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire adequately measures important dimensions of first-time fathers' childbirth experience and may be used to assess aspects of fathers' experiences during childbirth. To obtain the FTFQ and permission for its use, please contact the corresponding author
Effect of topical local anaesthesia on injection pain associated with administration of sterile water injections - a randomized controlled trial
No full textBackground Sterile water injections can provide effective pain relief during childbirth, particularly for low back pain related to childbirth. However, the pain associated administering the injections can negatively impact women’s impressions of the procedure. It may discourage women from considering repeat doses despite the quality of analgesia experienced. Determining strategies to reduce the pain related to the administration of sterile water injections would improve the acceptability of the technique. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical local anesthesia on the pain associated with administration of sterile water injections. Methods The study was designed as a multi-arm single-blind, randomized, controlled trial and 120 female healthy students were randomly divided according to one of four groups. The Intervention group received sterile water injections with topical local anesthesia. Control group 1 received sterile water injections without topical local anesthesia, control group 2 received injections of isotonic saline 0.9% with topical local anesthesia and control group 3 received injections of isotonic saline 0.9% without topical local anesthesia. Pain Immediately after the injections and subsidence in pain were recorded using a visual analogue scale. Sensations in the injection area were reported 15 min and the day after the injections. Results The main finding of this study was that local anesthesia with EMLA® reduces the pain associated with the administration of intracutaneous sterile water injections. There was a significant difference in the self-assessed pain score immediately following the injections between the control (73.3 mm) and intervention groups (50.0 mm), p = 0.001. No adverse side effects were reported. Conclusion Local anesthesia with EMLA® reduces the pain associated with intracutaneous administration of sterile water injections.CC BY 4.0© The Author(s) 2022. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http:// creat iveco mmons. org/ licen ses/ by/4. 0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creat ivecommons. org/ publi cdoma in/ zero/1. 0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.Correspondence: [email protected] School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, P.O. Box 408, SE‑541 28 Skövde, SwedenOpen access funding provided by University of Skövde. Financial support for the study was provided by the University of Skövde, the School of Health Sciences, the research environment Digital Health Research (DHEAR) and the research group Family‑Centered Health (FamCeH).The study was registered 08/07/2014 at ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02213185.</p
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