Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA), the cryogenic infrared space telescope recently pre-selected for a ‘Phase A’ concept study as one of the three remaining candidates for European Space Agency (ESA's) fifth medium class (M5) mission, is foreseen to include a far-infrared polarimetric imager [SPICA-POL, now called B-fields with BOlometers and Polarizers (B-BOP)], which would offer a unique opportunity to resolve major issues in our understanding of the nearby, cold magnetised Universe. This paper presents an overview of the main science drivers for B-BOP, including high dynamic range polarimetric imaging of the cold interstellar medium (ISM) in both our Milky Way and nearby galaxies. Thanks to a cooled telescope, B-BOP will deliver wide-field 100–350 $\mu$m images of linearly polarised dust emission in Stokes Q and U with a resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and both intensity and spatial dynamic ranges comparable to those achieved by Herschel images of the cold ISM in total intensity (Stokes I). The B-BOP 200 $\mu$m images will also have a factor $\sim $30 higher resolution than Planck polarisation data. This will make B-BOP a unique tool for characterising the statistical properties of the magnetised ISM and probing the role of magnetic fields in the formation and evolution of the interstellar web of dusty molecular filaments giving birth to most stars in our Galaxy. B-BOP will also be a powerful instrument for studying the magnetism of nearby galaxies and testing Galactic dynamo models, constraining the physics of dust grain alignment, informing the problem of the interaction of cosmic rays with molecular clouds, tracing magnetic fields in the inner layers of protoplanetary disks, and monitoring accretion bursts in embedded protostars.

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.

The W43 region is one of the most massive star forming regions in our Galaxy. It is subject to a large IRAM 30m project that observes high spectral resolution maps of the complete complex in the 13CO (2–1) and C18O (2–1) lines. We find a variety of different sources of which we calculate excitation temperature, H2 column density and mass. We find the total mass of dense clouds in the complex to be 1.2×106 M⊙.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011.

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 Rosette molecular cloud has a characteristic morphology, where the central OB cluster NGC 2244 has blown a circular-shaped cavity into the cloud and the expanding HII-region now interacts with the cloud. We use continuum data obtained with the PACS (70 and 160 μm) and SPIRE instruments (250, 350, 500 μm) of the Herschel telescope to investigate the spatial distribution of cold and warm gas and to locate all star-forming sites in Rosette. We detected a clear negative temperature gradient and a positive density gradient (running from the HII-region/molecular cloud interface into the cloud), and an age-sequence (from more evolved to younger) with increasing distance to the cluster NGC 2244. The existence of such temperature and density gradients and the observed age-sequence imply that star formation in Rosette may indeed be influenced by the radiative impact of the central NGC 2244 cluster.

A systematic, high angular-resolution study of IR-quiet Massive Dense Cores (MDCs) of Cygnus-X in continuum and high-density molecular tracers is presented. The results are compared with the quasi-static and the dynamical evolutionary scenario. We find that the fragmentation properties are not compatible with the quasi-static, monolithic collapse scenario, nor are they entirely compatible with the formation of a cluster of mostly low-mass stars. The kinematics of MDCs shows individual velocity components appearing as coherent flows, which indicate important dynamical processes at the scale of the mass reservoir around high-mass protostars.

Submillimeter 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. Here we present the scope, current status and first results of ATLASGAL, an ongoing survey of the Galactic plane using the Large APEX Bolometer Camera (LABOCA) on the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope at the Chajnantor plateau in Chile. Aimed at mapping 360 square degrees at 870 μm, with a uniform sensitivity of 50 mJy/beam, this survey will provide the first unbiased sample of cold dusty clumps in the Galaxy at submillimeter wavelengths. These will be targets for molecular line follow-up observations and high resolution studies with ALMA and the EVLA.

A number of authors have demonstrated that the schistosomicidal compound, Praziquantel (Pzq), depends for its action upon the immune status of the host (Sabah et al. 1985; Brindley & Sher, 1987; Doenhoff et al. 1987). We have attempted to define the synergistic interaction between immuno- and chemotherapy further, using the murine irradiated vaccine model of schistosomiasis mansoni. In vaccinated mice, resistance operates in the skin but not the lungs; drug targeted towards lung-stage worms exacerbates lung-phase immunity, however, as depicted by the increased number and size of inflammatory reactions in the pulmonary tissues. Parasites are often found trapped within such foci. In the present investigation, light and ultrastructural studies have been utilized to examine the nature and extent of damage inflicted upon lung-stage larvae recovered from day 6 Pzq-treated vaccinated mice. Such studies have revealed that damage involves muscle disorganization, internal disruption and occasionally, loss of the tegument; in the latter case, cells are often seen attached to the denuded lung worms. To identify the crucial cellular effector cell(s) involved in the synergy between immuno- and chemotherapy, cell depletion studies have been performed in vivo. It would appear from these experiments that eosinophils or lymphocytes rather than neutrophils or macrophages are important effector cells in this synergy. Histological studies argue in favour of eosinophils being the key effector cells.

We review the theories and observations of high-mass star formation emphasizing the differences with those of low-mass star formation. We hereafter describe the progress expected to be achieved with Herschel, thanks notably to Key Programmes dedicated to the earliest phases of high-mass star formation.

We review the theories and the observations relevant for the formation of low-mass stars, particularly emphasizing the aspects that Herschel will contribute to develop.

L134N is a cold, starless cloud, very high above the galactic plane, close to us and well delineated in continuum dust emission maps. This cloud is considered to be representative of oxygen rich dark clouds (with the presence of SO, SO2, NO, ...). It is thus a good reference together with TMC-1 to test astrochemical models. Thanks to ISO, SCUBA and near IR wide field cameras, the detailed study of the dust has become possible in such cold and dark clouds. In parallel, progress in radiotelescope receiver sensitivity now allows to map weak lines on large surfaces. We have thus started a project to study both dust and a few gaseous key species (CO, CS, SO and N2H+) to address several questions. We want to assess the quantity of dust and gas all over the cloud, study possible C18O and/or C17O depletion towards dense cores, evaluate the structure of the gas, the abundance of CS and SO to possibly estimate the chemical age of the cloud (time dependent models show that the CS/SO ratio diminishes with time) and evaluate the rare isotope abundances, especially 17O and 34S in a first step. To constrain the molecular abundances with the highest possible confidence, we have observed several transitions for each species and each isotopomer. Though we have observed far less species than Dickens et al. [1], we have done it on a larger area, including thus the strongest C18O peak and two other peaks, with a better signal-to-noise ratio. Most of the data are already acquired. We present here preliminary results.

Optical limiting in a solution of tetrabenzporphyrin (TBP) dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF) was measured in an f/5 optical focusing arrangement using 532 nm wavelength laser light with a 9 ns pulse duration. The performance of this solution was compared to a variety of other materials. In order to better understand the nonlinear behavior of this material, apertured and unapertured Z-scans were performed. From these measurements it was determined that the excited-state cross section and its ratio to ground-state cross section were large. The nonlinear refraction of this material is made up of contributions from thermal density change and population redistribution. Limiter performance was modeled in an f/64 limiter. The limiter behavior of a slightly modified compound and an additional solvent were measured.

This list reports routine measurements made at thislaboratory since the preparation of Texas IV.Samples numbered through Tx-309 were counted underthe supervision of Pearson, who left the laboratoryearly in 1966. Valastro, Associate Director sinceAugust, 1966, is responsible for samples beginningwith Tx-310. Laboratory administration and samplescreening have been handled by Davis, M. A. Tamers,formerly Director, resigned in 1966.

This list reports routine measurements made at this laboratory since the preparation of the last list (Texas III). It also includes measurements made on bone samples earlier as part of a study of the suitability of bone for C14 dating (Tamers and Pearson, 1965). In the absence of the laboratory director, M. A. Tamers, who has been on leave at the Caracas (IVIC) laboratory since October, 1963, laboratory operation and the selection and description of geologic samples have been handled by Pearson, and laboratory administration and archaeologic samples by Davis.