The Diverse Nature of Optical Emission Lines in Brightest Cluster Galaxies: IFU Observations of the Central Kiloparsecs

We present integral field spectroscopy of the nebular line emission in a sample of 9 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs). The sample was chosen to probe both cooling flow and non-cooling flow clusters, as well as a range of cluster X-ray luminosities. The line emission morphology and velocity gradients suggest a great diversity in the properties of the line emitting gas. While some BGCs show evidence for filamentary or patchy emission (Abell 1060, Abell 1668 and MKW3s), others have extended emission (Abell 1204, Abell 2199), while still others have centrally concentrated emission (Abell 2052). We examine diagnostic line ratios to determine the dominant ionization mechanisms in each galaxy. Most of the galaxies show regions with AGN-like spectra, however for two BCGs, Abell 1060 and Abell 1204, the emission line diagnostics suggest regions which can be described by the emission from young stellar populations. The diversity of emission line properties in our sample of BCGs suggests that the emission mechanism is not universal, with different ionization processes dominating different systems. Given this diversity, there is no evidence for a clear distinction of the emission line properties between cooling flow and non-cooling flow BCGs. It is not always cooling flow BCGs which show emission (or young stellar populations), and non-cooling flow BCGs which do not.Comment: 23 pages, 23 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS. Full resolution images are online http://web.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/louis

Galaxy Zoo: Passive Red Spirals

We study the spectroscopic properties and environments of red spiral galaxies found by the Galaxy Zoo project. By carefully selecting face-on, disk dominated spirals we construct a sample of truly passive disks (not dust reddened, nor dominated by old stellar populations in a bulge). As such, our red spirals represent an interesting set of possible transition objects between normal blue spirals and red early types. We use SDSS data to investigate the physical processes which could have turned these objects red without disturbing their morphology. Red spirals prefer intermediate density regimes, however there are no obvious correlations between red spiral properties and environment - environment alone is not sufficient to determine if a spiral will become red. Red spirals are a small fraction of spirals at low masses, but are a significant fraction at large stellar masses - massive galaxies are red independent of morphology. We confirm that red spirals have older stellar popns and less recent star formation than the main spiral population. While the presence of spiral arms suggests that major star formation cannot have ceased long ago, we show that these are not recent post-starbursts, so star formation must have ceased gradually. Intriguingly, red spirals are ~4 times more likely than normal spirals to host optically identified Seyfert or LINER, with most of the difference coming from LINERs. We find a curiously large bar fraction in the red spirals suggesting that the cessation of star formation and bar instabilities are strongly correlated. We conclude by discussing the possible origins. We suggest they may represent the very oldest spiral galaxies which have already used up their reserves of gas - probably aided by strangulation, and perhaps bar instabilities moving material around in the disk.Comment: MNRAS in press, 20 pages, 15 figures (v3

The Impact of Asthma Management Guideline Dissemination on the Control of Asthma in the Community

OBJECTIVE: To measure the impact of asthma management education on the control of asthma in the community

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Snail coprophagy: the encounter filter, food preferences, and rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) prevalence

Understanding the factors driving infection prevalence among host species is crucial for effective disease mitigation. Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm, causes neuroangiostrongyliasis and serves as an excellent model for studying infection dynamics across hosts. This study investigates the relative impact of encounter rates on A. cantonensis prevalence in snail hosts by assessing their coprophagic tendencies. Multiple-choice feeding assays were conducted with four snail species (Parmarion martensi, Laevicaulis alte, Lissachatina fulica, and Veronicella cubensis) differing in A. cantonensis prevalence. The snails were offered romaine lettuce, hibiscus flowers, papaya, and rat feces. The relative intake ratios (RIR) were calculated and used to evaluate 1) feces preference among the snail species, and 2) correlation between feces preference and A. cantonensis prevalence. We also compared preferences for feces from rats fed high-fat and balanced diets; no significant difference was observed. Feces made up the highest proportion of the diet of P. martensi (11.6%), followed by V. cubensis (7.8%), L. fulica (5.9%), and L. alte (5.1%). Additionally, P. martensi showed a significantly higher preference (RIR) than all other species. The correlation between feces preference and A. cantonensis prevalence among species was weakly positive. These findings suggest that the level of coprophagy influences encounter rates with A. cantonensis, contributing to variation in infection prevalence among snail species. However, other factors may also play a role, as preference and prevalence were only weakly correlated. Understanding these dynamics can inform strategies for managing the spread of A. cantonensis and mitigating its health impacts

Rapid spatiotemporal variations in rift structure during development of the Corinth Rift, central Greece

The Corinth Rift, central Greece, enables analysis of early rift development as it is young (<5Ma) and highly active and its full history is recorded at high resolution by sedimentary systems. A complete compilation of marine geophysical data, complemented by onshore data, is used to develop a high-resolution chronostratigraphy and detailed fault history for the offshore Corinth Rift, integrating interpretations and reconciling previous discrepancies. Rift migration and localization of deformation have been significant within the rift since inception. Over the last circa 2Myr the rift transitioned from a spatially complex rift to a uniform asymmetric rift, but this transition did not occur synchronously along strike. Isochore maps at circa 100kyr intervals illustrate a change in fault polarity within the short interval circa 620-340ka, characterized by progressive transfer of activity from major south dipping faults to north dipping faults and southward migration of discrete depocenters at ~30m/kyr. Since circa 340ka there has been localization and linkage of the dominant north dipping border fault system along the southern rift margin, demonstrated by lateral growth of discrete depocenters at ~40m/kyr. A single central depocenter formed by circa 130ka, indicating full fault linkage. These results indicate that rift localization is progressive (not instantaneous) and can be synchronous once a rift border fault system is established. This study illustrates that development processes within young rifts occur at 100kyr timescales, including rapid changes in rift symmetry and growth and linkage of major rift faults

Multiculturalism and moderate secularism

What is sometimes talked about as the ‘post-secular’ or a ‘crisis of secularism’ is, in Western Europe, quite crucially to do with the reality of multiculturalism. By which I mean not just the fact of new ethno-religious diversity but the presence of a multiculturalist approach to this diversity, namely: the idea that equality must be extended from uniformity of treatment to include respect for difference; recognition of public/private interdependence rather than dichotomized as in classical liberalism; the public recognition and institutional accommodation of minorities; the reversal of marginalisation and a remaking of national citizenship so that all can have a sense of belonging to it. I think that equality requires that this ethno-cultural multiculturalism should be extended to include state-religion connexions in Western Europe, which I characterise as ‘moderate secularism’, based on the idea that political authority should not be subordinated to religious authority yet religion can be a public good which the state should assist in realising or utilising. I discuss here three multiculturalist approaches that contend this multiculturalising of moderate secularism is not the way forward. One excludes religious groups and secularism from the scope of multiculturalism (Kymlicka); another largely limits itself to opposing the ‘othering’ of groups such as Jews and Muslims (Jansen); and the third argues that moderate secularism is the problem not the solution (Bhargava)

Serologische Studien über mit Formalin vorbehandelte rote Blutkörperchen und Serum (II. Mitteilung.) Über den Einfluss des Formalin auf die Antigenität der roten Blutkörperchen

In der ersten Mitteilung habe ich hauptsächlich den direkten Formalin-einfluss auf die roten Blutkörperchen in bezug auf die Resistenzänderung behandelt. Hier will ich in diesem Teil die Antigenität der mit Formalin vorbehandelten roten als Antigene sowohl zur Reaktion als auch zur Antikörperbildung berühren. Zweitens will ich über die Komplementbindung zwischen vorbehandelten Roten und Hämolysinen handeln, weil stark formalisierte Rote bei der Hämolysinwirkung unverändert bleiben. 1) Die Bindung zwischen Hämolysin oder Hämoagglutinin und 10% Formol-fixierten roten Blutkörperchen ist schwächer als die mit unbehandelten Erythrocyten, doch kann man durch Immunisierung mit Formol-fixierten Roten Hämolysine oder Hämoagglutinine bei Kaninchen erzeugen. 2) Auf 10% Formol-fixierte rote Blutkörperchen reagieren die Hämolysine ganz negativ bei Anwesenheit des Komplementes, bei der Agglutination sieht man jedoch eine, wenn auch sehr schwache Reaktion. 3) 10% Formol-fixierte rote Blutkörperchen absorbiert das Hämolysin, besonders der damit gebildete Antikörper, welcher bei der Hämolysinwirkung ganz intakt bleibt. Man kann daher bei diesem Versuch durch die Formalin-wirkung auf die Zustandsspezifität schliessen. 4) 10% Formol-fixierte rote Blutkörperchen habe ich in folgender Weise als Antigene für die Komplementbindungsreaktion verwandt; Ich liess 10% Formol-fixierte rote Blutkörperchen Emulsion, Komplement und Hämolysine, bei 37°C. 1 Stunde lang stehen und nahm nach der Zentrifugierung die Abgusse vor. Zu diesen Abgüssen fügte ich wieder ein hämolytisches System und digerierte bei 37°C. 2 Stunden lang. Nach dieser Behandlung konnte ich die Reaktion wie bei der gewöhnlichen Komplementbindung beurteilen. Die Formol-fixierten roten Blutkörperchen von 5%iger Emulsion brechen sich mit dem Komplement bei Anwesenheit des entsprechenden Antigens (Hämolysin) am stärksten. Der Titer der Komplementbindung steht etwas niedriger (zirca 1/4) als der Hämolysintiter bei dem gleichen Immumserum. 5) Mit 10% Formol-fixierten Stroma kann man auch bei Kaninchenimmunisierung Hämolysin und Hämoagglutinin erzeugen

Über den Einfluss des Guanidins und einiger seiner zyklischen Derivate auf den Calciumgehalt im Blute

Die Anschauungen über die Ca-Ionenverschiebung im Blute bei der Guanidinvergiftung gehen noch auseinander, trotzdem pharmakologische Untersuchungen darüber vierfach veröffentlicht worden sind. Die Angaben über den Einfluss auf den Calciumstoffwechsel durch Derivate des Guanidins sind aber spärlich, sogar in der Literatur liegen meines Wissens keine Angaben hinsichtlich dieses. Einflusses durch zyklische Guanidinabkömmlinge vor. Im folgenden finden sich die vom Verf. angestellten Experimente, in denen der Einfluss verschiedener und auch zyklischer Guanidinderivate auf den Calciumstoffwechsel untersucht wurde. Zum Versuche wurden Guanidin, Benzylguanidin (Benzyl), Pentamethylenguanidin (Penta), Phenyläthylguanidin (Phenyl), Dekamethylendiguanidin (Deka), Piperonylguanidin (Pipero), Cyclohexylguanidin (Cyclo), Methylguanidin (Methy), Kreatin, Kreatinin und Arginin herangezogen. 1) Guanidin zeigt in kleineren Dosen keine deutliche Wirkung und wirkt in höheren Dosen auf den Calciumgehalt vermehrend. Hingegen wirken die genannten Guanidinderivate beim Kaninchen in kleinen Dosen die noch keine Vergiftungserscheinungen verursachen, auf den Calciumgehalt im Blute herabsetzend. Aber die Wirkung ist je nach den Substanzen nicht gleich. 2) Benzyl und Penta wirken in mittleren bis grossen Gaben auf den Blutkalk vermehrend, während, Deka, Phenyl, Pipero, Cyclo und Methyl auch in grösseren Dosen immer herabsetzend wirken. Kreatinin und Arginin führen erst in grossen Dosen zur Vermehrung des Blutkalkes, Kreatin wirkt auch erst in grossen Gaben verminernd. 3) Bezl. der Wirkungen, die eine Blutkalkverminderung verursachen, ordnen sich die Guanidinderivate in der folgenden Reihe: Penta am stärksten, und dann folgen Phenyl, Pipero und Benzyl, endlich Cyclo, das am schwächsten wirksam ist. 4) Bei täglicher Einverleibung von Guanidin und Benzyl in kleinen Mengen wird eine leichte Verminderung des Blutkalkes beobachtet, während das bei Guanidin bei einmaliger Injektion nicht der Fall ist. Bei wiederholter Anwendung von grossen Gaben beider Substanzen wird auch eine merkliche Verminderung desselben während und nach der Injektion konstatiert, im Gegensatz zum Verhalten bei einmaliger Darreichung. 5) Guanidin und seine Derivate üben auf den Blutkalkgehalt des spranchnikotomierten Kaninchens in allen Dosen, die beim normalen eine beträchtliche Veränderung bewirken, keinen Einfluss aus. 6) Aus den Ergebnissen und aus den Resultaten Shinozakis ersieht man, dass die genannten Veränderungen des Blutkalkspiegels mit denjenigen der Gerinnbarkeit des Blutes durch die Guanidinderivate keineswegs parallel gehen