We compare detailed observations of multiple H2O maser transitions around the red supergiant star VY CMa with models to constrain the physical conditions in the complex outflows. The temperature profile is consistent with a variable mass loss rate but the masers are mostly concentrated in dense clumps. High-excitation lines trace localised outflows near the star.

The SPICA mid- and far-infrared telescope will address fundamental issues in our understanding of star formation and ISM physics in galaxies. A particular hallmark of SPICA is the outstanding sensitivity enabled by the cold telescope, optimised detectors, and wide instantaneous bandwidth throughout the mid- and far-infrared. The spectroscopic, imaging, and polarimetric observations that SPICA will be able to collect will help in clarifying the complex physical mechanisms which underlie the baryon cycle of galaxies. In particular, (i) the access to a large suite of atomic and ionic fine-structure lines for large samples of galaxies will shed light on the origin of the observed spread in star-formation rates within and between galaxies, (ii) observations of HD rotational lines (out to ~10 Mpc) and fine structure lines such as [C ii] 158 μm (out to ~100 Mpc) will clarify the main reservoirs of interstellar matter in galaxies, including phases where CO does not emit, (iii) far-infrared spectroscopy of dust and ice features will address uncertainties in the mass and composition of dust in galaxies, and the contributions of supernovae to the interstellar dust budget will be quantified by photometry and monitoring of supernova remnants in nearby galaxies, (iv) observations of far-infrared cooling lines such as [O i] 63 μm from star-forming molecular clouds in our Galaxy will evaluate the importance of shocks to dissipate turbulent energy. The paper concludes with requirements for the telescope and instruments, and recommendations for the observing strategy.

We present results of Herschel PACS imaging spectroscopy data toward ten massive young stellar objects taken as part of the WISH project. Our sample consists of four high mass protostellar objects (HMPOs), two hot molecular cores (HMCs), and four ultracompact HII regions (UCHIIs), and the spectra cover a broad range of wavelengths (55 to 210 μm) imaged over an ~50” field with 5×5 spaxels. By fitting the continua utilizing a modified black-body formula we estimate mass-weighted dust temperature and column density distributions of warm dust and find that UCHII regions are hottest and HMCs are most deeply embedded. We also estimate rotational temperature and column density distributions of warm CO gas using the rotational diagram analysis, which are comparable over targets in contrast to continuum results. By comparing high J CO line fluxes to the RATRAN estimates of centrally heated envelope models, we find that majority of warm CO originates from bipolar outflow shocks.

The Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team 90 GHz (MALT90) survey aims to characterise the physical and chemical evolution of high-mass star-forming clumps. Exploiting the unique broad frequency range and on-the-fly mapping capabilities of the Australia Telescope National Facility Mopra 22 m single-dish telescope1, MALT90 has obtained 3′ × 3′ maps towards ~2 000 dense molecular clumps identified in the ATLASGAL 870 μm Galactic plane survey. The clumps were selected to host the early stages of high-mass star formation and to span the complete range in their evolutionary states (from prestellar, to protostellar, and on to $\mathrm{H\,{\scriptstyle {II}}}$ regions and photodissociation regions). Because MALT90 mapped 16 lines simultaneously with excellent spatial (38 arcsec) and spectral (0.11 km s−1) resolution, the data reveal a wealth of information about the clumps’ morphologies, chemistry, and kinematics. In this paper we outline the survey strategy, observing mode, data reduction procedure, and highlight some early science results. All MALT90 raw and processed data products are available to the community. With its unprecedented large sample of clumps, MALT90 is the largest survey of its type ever conducted and an excellent resource for identifying interesting candidates for high-resolution studies with ALMA.

We characterise the Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team 90 GHz Survey (MALT90) and the Mopra telescope at 90 GHz. We combine repeated position-switched observations of the source G300.968+01.145 with a map of the same source in order to estimate the pointing reliability of the position-switched observations and, by extension, the MALT90 survey; we estimate our pointing uncertainty to be 8 arcsec. We model the two strongest sources of systematic gain variability as functions of elevation and time-of-day and quantify the remaining absolute flux uncertainty. Corrections based on these two variables reduce the scatter in repeated observations from 12%–25% down to 10%–17%. We find no evidence for intrinsic source variability in G300.968+01.145. For certain applications, the corrections described herein will be integral for improving the absolute flux calibration of MALT90 maps and other observations using the Mopra telescope at 90 GHz.

Submillimeter dust continuum emission traces high molecular column densities and, thus, dense cloud regions in which new stars are forming. Surveys of the Galactic plane in such emission have the potential of delivering an unbiased view of high-mass star formation throughout the Milky Way. The location of the APEX telescope on the Chajnantor plateau in Chile is ideally suited for mapping the inner Galaxy. ATLASGAL, The APEX Telescope Large Area Survey of the Galaxy at 870 μm, is a survey of the Galactic plane using the Large APEX Bolometer Camera (LABOCA), in the Galactic longitude and latitude ranges of  ±60 and  ±1.5°, respectively. This survey is providing an unbiased sample of cold dusty clumps in the Galaxy at submillimeter wavelength and a variety of molecular line follow-up observations have been started to characterize the physical and chemical conditions in the newly found clumps. Here, first results from this survey and its follow-up programs are described.

The understanding of the star formation is still on progress. Especially, the formation of high-mass stars is much less understood than the low-mass case. Water, one of the most important molecules in the Universe, might elucidate key episodes in the process of stellar birth, and especially could be a major role in the formation of high-mass stars. We present here the first results of the WISH program, dedicated to the water study in star-forming regions with Herschel, concerning the massive star-forming regions.

This paper reviews the first results of observations of H2O line emission with Herschel-HIFI towards high-mass star-forming regions, obtained within the WISH guaranteed time program. The data reveal three kinds of gas-phase H2O: “cloud water” in cold tenuous foreground clouds, “envelope water” in dense protostellar envelopes, and “outflow water” in protostellar outflows. The low H2O abundance (10-10−10-9) in foreground clouds and protostellar envelopes is due to rapid photodissociation and freeze-out on dust grains, respectively. The outflows show higher H2O abundances (10-7−10-6) due to grain mantle evaporation and (probably) neutral-neutral reactions.

Genetic trends for body composition and blood plasma parameters of newborn piglets were estimated through the comparison of two groups of pigs (G77 and G98, respectively) produced by inseminating Large White (LW) sows with semen from LW boars born either in 1977 or in 1998. Random samples of 18 G77 and 19 G98 newborn piglets were used for whole carcass and tissue sampling. Plasma concentrations of glucose, albumin and IGF-1 were determined on 75 G77 and 90 G98 piglets from 18 litters. The G98 piglets had less carcass dry matter, protein and energy (P < 0.01) than their G77 counterparts. When expressed in g/kg birth weight, livers were lighter (P < 0.001) and contained less glycogen (P < 0.01) in G98 piglets, with no difference in the activity of the hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase between G98 and G77 piglets. Concentrations of protein, DNA, RNA in longissimus dorsi muscle were unaffected by selection. Plasma concentrations of glucose (P < 0.05) and IGF-1 (P < 0.01) were lower in G98 than in G77 piglets. On the whole, the results suggest that the improvement in lean growth rate and in sow prolificacy from 1977 to 1998 has resulted in a lower maturity of piglets at birth.

To determine to what extent exposure to high ambient temperature and feeding level affect tissue energy metabolism in piglets, regional blood flow and oxidative capacity of tissues were evaluated in sixteen 21.8 ± 2.8 kg pigs. At 5 weeks of age, littermates were divided into three groups and acclimated to the treatment for 25 days. One group was reared at 33°C and fed ad libitum (33AL, n = 6) while the other two groups were maintained at 23°C and either pair-fed on the basis of the food consumption of their 33AL littermates (23PF, n = 5), or fed ad libitum (23AL, n = 5). Regional blood flow was determined in conscious pigs by injection of coloured microspheres, which were recovered in different tissues after slaughter. Activities of cytochrome oxidase and cytochrome aa3 content were measured in tissue homogenates of heart, longissimus dorsi and rhomboideus muscles, liver and small intestine. There was decreased blood flow to internal adipose tissue (42 %) and increased blood flow to peripheral tissues (skin, 44 %) and tissues implicated in respiratory evaporative heat loss (diaphragm, 45 %, lungs, 59 %) at 33°C compared to 23°C, which can be viewed as an effective mechanism for increasing heat loss at high temperature. In addition, the concomitant decrease in blood flow (49 %) and slight reduction of oxidative capacities in both muscles at 33°C might contribute to the reduction in thermogenesis, but these effects were also observed when the feeding level was reduced at thermal neutrality (23PF group). In the viscera (intestine, liver), blood flow was decreased in the two groups on a restricted food intake (about 50 % of 23AL), independently of environmental temperature. The results suggest that most of the mechanisms associated with the reduction in energy expenditure during warm acclimation are related to the adaptive reduction in food intake. Experimental Physiology (2001) 86.1, 83-91.