Zooniverse

Abstract:

We study the bar pattern speeds and corotation radii of 225 barred galaxies, using integral field unit data from MaNGA and the Tremaine–Weinberg method. Our sample, which is divided between strongly and weakly barred galaxies identified via Galaxy Zoo, is the largest that this method has been applied to. We find lower pattern speeds for strongly barred galaxies than for weakly barred galaxies. As simulations show that the pattern speed decreases as the bar exchanges angular momentum with its host, these results suggest that strong bars are more evolved than weak bars. Interestingly, the corotation radius is not different between weakly and strongly barred galaxies, despite being proportional to bar length. We also find that the corotation radius is significantly different between quenching and star-forming galaxies. Additionally, we find that strongly barred galaxies have significantly lower values for R, the ratio between the corotation radius and the bar radius, than weakly barred galaxies, despite a big overlap in both distributions. This ratio classifies bars into ultrafast bars (R < 1.0; 11 per cent of our sample), fast bars (1.0 < R < 1.4; 27 per cent), and slow bars (R > 1.4; 62 per cent). Simulations show that R is correlated with the bar formation mechanism, so our results suggest that strong bars are more likely to be formed by different mechanisms than weak bars. Finally, we find a lower fraction of ultrafast bars than most other studies, which decreases the recently claimed tension with Lambda cold dark matter. However, the median value of R is still lower than what is predicted by simulations.

Abstract:

<jats:p>Respiratory failure, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia and dehydration contribute to mortality in ALS / MND, and loss of verbal communication impacts quality of life. There are few interventions that help with the management of these symptoms alongside pharmacological ones. Neurologic music therapy protocols, which are biomedical interventions, have been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of human neurodegenerative disorders, but less so with ALS. Two case studies from a larger, published ALS study were selected for this new report to provide an insight into the practical aspects of music therapy treatment. The home-based protocol was designed to sustain bulbar and respiratory functions of persons with early and mid-stage onset. It was delivered to all participants twice-weekly for six weeks as a part of a 16-week ABA mixed methods study. Feasibility data (recruitment, retention, adherence, tolerability, self-motivation, personal impressions) and 34 biomedical outcome parameters for bulbar and respiratory changes were collected. The two studies highlight the differences in therapy process between participants – one with a spinal onset, slow progression ALS and another with a bulbar onset, rapid progression. In both cases, music therapy was tolerated well and perceived as pleasant, although moderately challenging. For both participants, developing the sense of agency played an essential role in the therapy process. Minor treatment protocol modifications were needed. Positive changes in the objective measures of respiration, cough, speech and swallowing were observed. Suggested individual adaptations of the experimental music therapy protocol included modifications of sitting posture, breathing technique, consonant changes in singing exercises, additional pauses and stretching, and changes to preferred song therapeutic performance. A pilot study utilising the modified protocol is called for, followed by an RCT to assess the clinical effectiveness of the innovative MT treatment.</jats:p>