The properties of early-type galaxies in the Ursa Major cluster

Using SDSS-DR7 and NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database spectroscopic data, we identify 166 galaxies as members of the Ursa Major cluster with Mr < -13.5 mag. We morphological classify all galaxies by means of carefully inspecting g-, r-, i-band colour and monochromatic images. We show that the Ursa Major cluster is dominated by late-type galaxies, but also contains a significant number of early- type galaxies, particularly in the dwarf regime. We present further evidence for the existence of several subgroups in the cluster, consistent with previous findings. The early-type fraction is found to correlate with the mass of the subgroup. We also investigate environmental effects by comparing the properties of the Ursa Major early-type dwarf galaxies to those of the Virgo cluster. In contrast to the Virgo, the red sequence of the Ursa Major cluster is only sparsely populated in the optical and ultraviolet colour-magnitude relations. It also shows a statistically significant gap between -18 < Mr < -17 mag, i.e. the Ursa Major cluster lacks early-type dwarf galaxies at the bright end of their luminosity function. We discover that the majority of early-type dwarf galaxies in the Ursa Major cluster have blue cores with hints of recent or ongoing star formation. We suggest that gravitational tidal interactions can trigger central blue star forming regions in early-type dwarfs. After that, star formation would only fade completely when the galaxies experience ram pressure stripping or harassment, both of which are nearly absent in the Ursa Major cluster.Comment: 19 pages, 18 figures, 2 tables, Accepted for publication in MNRA

IC 4200: a gas-rich early-type galaxy formed via a major merger

We present the result of radio and optical observations of the S0 galaxy IC 4200. We find that the galaxy hosts 8.5 billion solar masses of HI rotating on a ~90 deg warped disk extended out to 60 kpc from the centre of the galaxy. Optical spectroscopy reveals a simple-stellar-population-equivalent age of 1.5 Gyr in the centre of the galaxy and V- and R-band images show stellar shells. Ionised gas is observed within the stellar body and is kinematically decoupled from the stars and characterised by LINER-like line ratios.We interpret these observational results as evidence for a major merger origin of IC 4200, and date the merger back to 1-3 Gyr ago.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics; 18 pages, 13 figures; the tables of Appendix C can be downloaded at http://www.astro.rug.nl/~pserra/IC420

Genetically engineered minipigs model the major clinical features of human neurofibromatosis type 1.

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disease caused by mutations in Neurofibromin 1 (NF1). NF1 patients present with a variety of clinical manifestations and are predisposed to cancer development. Many NF1 animal models have been developed, yet none display the spectrum of disease seen in patients and the translational impact of these models has been limited. We describe a minipig model that exhibits clinical hallmarks of NF1, including café au lait macules, neurofibromas, and optic pathway glioma. Spontaneous loss of heterozygosity is observed in this model, a phenomenon also described in NF1 patients. Oral administration of a mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor suppresses Ras signaling. To our knowledge, this model provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the complex biology and natural history of NF1 and could prove indispensable for development of imaging methods, biomarkers, and evaluation of safety and efficacy of NF1-targeted therapies

Cultural Integration and English Language Learning of Chinese Students in Canadian Contexts

Canada has an increasing number of Chinese international students, and although they demonstrate advanced language skills in English standardized tests, they encounter various cultural integration problems. This paper focuses on Chinese students studying in Canadian universities and analyzes the potential problems with English language education in China based on Chinese international students’ cultural integration experiences. The findings suggest that although cultural awareness is currently being emphasized in the English educational reforms in China, it will take time for its advantages to be noticed. The problems with English language education in China have led to a relatively weak cultural awareness of English learners in China who are affected by the traditional exam-oriented English language education. Secondly, traditional English instruction does not provide an understanding of cultural interactions. Now, the understanding of culture has developed to the stage of cultural reciprocity, but Chinese students’ understanding of culture in their English language learning is still at the stage of cultural integration through imitation. Finally, driven by external motivations, Chinese students have no clear understanding of their real learning motivation and are unwilling to integrate into Canadian social contexts due to language barriers and other reasons

The Role of Neoliberal Ideology and Globalization in Limiting Citizen Access to a Quality Education in Mexico

The aim of this study is to apply a content analysis to both ‘Keeping Kids in School’ (KKIS) and ‘The Youth Connection’ (TYC), grass-roots charities that fundraise educational resources and encourage Mexican students to stay in school, in order to identify recurring themes and collectivities of the Mexican education system. This study poses the question, “How has neoliberal globalization played a role in devaluing and minimizing citizenry access to a quality education in Mexico”? The two charities were chosen because their specific coordinating efforts—on behalf of shared interests to improve education in Mexico—reveals discursive constructions grounded on experiential knowledge from volunteering in Mexican schools. This study argues that Mexico’s insufficiencies in education cannot be analyzed in isolation from superior political and economic transformations within the state and, in turn, are a result of neoliberal globalization. Nonetheless, this approach goes beyond Marxian analysis. Instead it takes a modernist skeptical approach and utilizes post-structural feminist analysis to understand how intersectional subjective identities are constituted and produce collectivities. These collectivities formed specifically by KKIS and TYC, but also the communities they aid, and scholarship focused around them, reveal collective opinions regarding perceived classed, gendered and racialized subjective identities, institutionalizations and standpoints in the Mexican education system. This research paper argues that the normalization of inexperienced cheap labor is a main reason young Mexicans choose employment over school, a finding that is corroborated from an analysis of the media accounts of the KKIS and the TYC

A Tale of Two Westphalia: The Narrative Evolution of a Historiographical Mythos from Nationalist History to Political Theory, 1808-1948

This paper examines the evolution of narratives on the Westphalian Treaties (1648) from nationalist German historiography in the nineteenth and early twentieth century to a political theory in the mid-twentieth century. Juxtaposing the narratives popularized by German Historians such as Karl Woltmann, Leopold von Ranke, and Heinrich von Treitschke to that of the Political Scientists Leo Gross and Hans Morgenthau, the Author seeks to explore how, and most importantly why, the narrative evolved. The paper demonstrates that the author’s personal experiences and political ideals, as well as contemporary realities are the primary drivers behind the evolution of a historical narrative, by focusing on shifts in the narrative tone and historical interpretation of Westphalia. The historical narrative thus resembles a kaleidoscopic image intertwining the past it seeks to depict with the authors’ realities. It also illustrates that historical narratives can transform dramatically and quickly once the ideological factors sustaining the narrative no longer resonate with an audience

A Warmer, Green Golden Rule

The goal of this paper is to analyse the impact of temperature changes on the green golden rule. The green golden rule is the maximization of consumer utility based on consumer preference between consumption and environmental stock. The trade-off between environmental stock and consumption which is found to be negative. With temperature change being very prevalent in our era, we look at temperature change in the form of a damage function. By looking at both an increasing and decreasing damage function, along with changing variables in the green golden rule, we see that when the average global temperature deviates from the mean, be it above or below the mean, there is a decrease or increase in the damage function respectively

Inquiry-Based Learning as a Strategy to Support Student Success

In this paper, I look at inquiry-based learning within mathematics and science in the Ontario educational system while making connections to Ontario’s 21st Century Competencies foundation document. Further to this, I researched whether it might be beneficial for English Language Learners to integrate language and content through inquiry, and also review recommendations on how to best implement this approach. I endeavored to uncover what the current research says about how this pedagogical strategy might be used to support all learners in mathematics and science, and also the associated challenges with implementation of an inquiry approach. This was done through the lens of constructivist theory, with connections made to Ontario educational documents