Bar fractions depend on the properties of the host galaxies, which are closely related to the formation and evolution of bars. However, observational studies do not provide consistent results. We investigate the bar fraction and its dependence on the properties of the host galaxies by using three bar classification methods: visual inspection, ellipse fitting method, and Fourier analysis. Our volume-limited sample consists of 1,698 spiral galaxies brighter than M r = −15.2 with z < 0.01 from SDSS/DR7 visually classified by Ann et al. (2015). We first compare the consistency of classification among the three methods. Automatic classifications detect visually determined strongly barred galaxies with the concordance of 74% ∼ 85%. However, they have some difficulty in identifying bars, in particular, in bulgedominated galaxies, which affects the distribution of bar fraction as a function of the Hubble type. We obtain, for the same sample, different bar fractions of 63%, 48%, and 36% by visual inspection, ellipse fitting, and Fourier analysis, respectively. The difference is mainly due to how many weak bars are included. Moreover, we find the different dependence of bar fraction on the Hubble type for strong versus weak bars: SBs are preponderant in early-type spirals whereas SABs in late-type spirals. This causes a contradictory dependence on host galaxy properties when different classification methods are used. We propose that strong bars and weak bars experience different processes for their formation, growth, and dissipation by interacting with different inner galactic structures of early-type and late-type spirals.

We introduce a new approach to classify barred galaxies that utilizes the transverse-to-radial force ratio map (ratio map, hereafter) in a different manner from previous studies. When we display the ratio map in polar coordinates, barred galaxies appear as four aligned, horizontal thick slabs. This characteristic feature enables us to successfully classify barred and nonbarred galaxies with an accuracy of 87%. It yields a bar fraction of 53%, including both SBs and SABs, when applied to 884 nearby (z < 0.01) spiral galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey/DR7. It also provides the bar strength and length measurements, in particular, separated from the spiral arms. They show good correlations with the measures estimated from ellipse fitting and Fourier analysis. However, we find different tendencies of the bar strength measurements in terms of the Hubble sequence: as the Hubble sequence increases (toward late types), the bar strength and bar ellipticity increase, whereas the dipole Fourier amplitude decreases. We show that the bulge affects the estimation of the bar strength differently, depending on the classification methods. The bulge causes the bar length to be overestimated in all three methods. Meanwhile, we find that barred galaxies show two types of radial profiles of the angle-averaged force ratio: one has a maximum peak (type M) and the other a plateau (type P). Comparison with numerical simulations suggests that type-M bars are more mature than type-P bars in terms of evolutionary stage.

We test the idea that bar pattern speeds decrease with time owing to angular momentum exchange with a dark matter halo. If this process actually occurs, then the radii of the corotation resonance and other resonances should generally increase with time. We therefore derive the angular velocity Ω and epicyclic frequency κ as functions of galactocentric radius for 85 barred galaxies using photometric data. Mass maps are constructed by assuming a dynamical mass-to-light ratio and then solving the Poisson equation for the gravitational potential. The locations of Lindblad resonances and the corotation resonance radius are then derived using the standard precession frequency curves in conjunction with bar pattern speeds recently estimated from the Tremaine–Weinberg method as applied to integral field spectroscopy data. Correlations between physical properties of bars and their host galaxies indicate that bar length and the corotation radius depend on the disk circular velocity while bar strength and pattern speed do not. As the bar pattern speed decreases, bar strength, length, and corotation radius increase, but when bars are subclassified into fast, medium, and slow domains, no significant change in bar length is found. Only a hint of an increase in bar strength from fast to slow bars is found. These results suggest that bar length in a galaxy undergoes little evolution, and is determined instead mainly by the size of the host galaxy.

We explore the cosmic evolution of the bar length, strength, and light deficit around the bar for 379 barred galaxies at 0.2 < z ≤ 0.835 using F814W images from the COSMOS survey. Our sample covers galaxies with stellar masses 10.0 ≤ log ( M * / M ⊙ ) ≤ 11.4 and various Hubble types. The bar length is strongly related to the galaxy mass, the disk scale length (h), R 50, and R 90, where the last two are the radii containing 50% and 90% of total stellar mass, respectively. Bar length remains almost constant, suggesting little or no evolution in bar length over the last 7 Gyr. The normalized bar lengths (R bar/h, R bar/R 50, and R bar/R 90) do not show any clear cosmic evolution. Also, the bar strength (A 2 and Q b ) and the light deficit around the bar reveal little or no cosmic evolution. The constancy of the normalized bar lengths over cosmic time implies that the evolution of bars and of disks is strongly linked over all times. We discuss our results in the framework of predictions from numerical simulations. We conclude there is no strong disagreement between our results and up-to-date simulations.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the risk factors of cognitive decline in older adults living alone in local communities and to find cognitive nursing methods by the area of residence. Methods: The participants were 164 people living alone for 12 years. The data were analyzed using a generalized estimating equations method. Results: The following factors were identified as statistically significant predictors that increased cognitive decline in older adults living alone: 1) rural areas: age (odds ratio [OR]=1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.01~1.02), low education (OR=1.53, 95% CI=1.13~2.07), number of diseases (OR=1.07, 95% CI=1.01~1.14), 2) urban areas: women (OR=1.27, 95% CI=1.09~1.49), age (OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.01~1.03), low education (OR=1.26, 95% CI=1.14~1.40), body mass index (OR=0.98, 95% CI=0.96~0.99), instrumental activities of daily living (OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.00~1.04), depressive symptom (OR=1.14, 95% CI=1.03~1.25). Conclusion: The older adults who lived alone had different risk factors for cognitive decline depending on their areas of residence. Preventive management for cognitive decline should be presented according to the areas of residence among older adults living alone.