960 research outputs found
Non-circular motion evidences in the circumnuclear region of M100 (NGC 4321)
We analyse new integral field spectroscopy of the inner region (central 2.5
kpc) of the spiral galaxy NGC 4321 to study the peculiar kinematics of this
region. Fourier analysis of the velocity residuals obtained by subtracting an
axisymmetric rotation model from the velocity field, indicates
that the distortions are {\em global} features generated by an
perturbation of the gravitational potential which can be explained by the
nuclear bar. This bar has been previously observed in the near-infrared but not
in the optical continuum dominated by star formation. We detect the optical
counterpart of this bar in the 2D distribution of the old stellar population
(inferred from the equivalent width map of the stellar absorption lines). We
apply the Tremaine--Weinberg method to the stellar velocity field to calculate
the pattern speed of the inner bar, obtaining a value of
=160. This value is considerably la
rger than the one obtained when a simple bar model is considered. However the
uncertainties in the pattern speed determination prevent us to give support to
alternative scenarios.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
BVRI Surface Photometry of Isolated Spiral Galaxies
A release of multicolor broad band (BVRI) photometry for a subsample of 44
isolated spirals drawn from the Catalogue of Isolated Galaxies (CIG) is
presented. Total magnitudes and colors at various circular apertures, as well
as some global structural/morphological parameters are estimated. Morphology is
reevaluated through optical and sharp/filtered R band images, (B-I) color index
maps, and archive near-IR JHK images from the Two-Micron Survey. The CAS
structural parameters (Concentration, Asymmetry, and Clumpiness) were
calculated from the images in each one of the bands. The fraction of galaxies
with well identified optical/near-IR bars (SB) is 63%, while a 17% more shows
evidence of weak or suspected bars (SAB). The sample average value of the
maximum bar ellipticity is 0.4. Half of the galaxies in the sample shows rings.
We identify two candidates for isolated galaxies with disturbed morphology. The
structural CAS parameters change with the observed band, and the tendencies
they follow with the morphological type and global color are more evident in
the redder bands. In any band, the major difference between our isolated
spirals and a sample of interacting spirals is revealed in the A-S plane. A
deep and uniformly observed sample of isolated galaxies is intended for various
purposes including (i) comparative studies of environmental effects, (ii)
confronting model predictions of galaxy evolution and (iii) evaluating the
change of galaxy properties with redshift.Comment: 44 pages, 9 figures and 7 tables included. To appear in The
Astronomical Journal. For the 43 appendix figures 4.1-4.43 see
http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/~avila/Figs4.1_4.43.tar.gz (7.2 Mb tar.gz file
A subarcsecond resolution near-infrared study of Seyfert and `normal' galaxies: II. Morphology
We present a detailed study of the bar fraction in the CfA sample of Seyfert
galaxies, and in a carefully selected control sample of non-active galaxies, to
investigate the relation between the presence of bars and of nuclear activity.
To avoid the problems related to bar classification in the RC3, e.g.,
subjectivity, low resolution and contamination by dust, we have developed an
objective bar classification method, which we conservatively apply to our new
sub-arcsecond resolution near-infrared imaging data set (Peletier et al. 1999).
We are able to use stringent criteria based on radial profiles of ellipticity
and major axis position angle to determine the presence of a bar and its axial
ratio. Concentrating on non-interacting galaxies in our sample for which
morphological information can be obtained, we find that Seyfert hosts are
barred more often (79% +/- 7.5%) than the non-active galaxies in our control
sample (59% +/- 9%), a result which is at the 2.5 sigma significance level. The
fraction of non-axisymmetric hosts becomes even larger when interacting
galaxies are taken into account. We discuss the implications of this result for
the fueling of central activity by large-scale bars. This paper improves on
previous work by means of imaging at higher spatial resolution and by the use
of a set of stringent criteria for bar presence, and confirms that the use of
NIR is superior to optical imaging for detection of bars in disk galaxies.Comment: Latex, 3 figures, includes aaspptwo.sty, accepted for publication in
the Astrophysical Journa
Stellar population synthesis models between 2.5 and 5 {\mu}m based on the empirical IRTF stellar library
We present the first single-burst stellar population models in the infrared
wavelength range between 2.5 and 5 {\mu}m which are exclusively based on
empirical stellar spectra. Our models take as input 180 spectra from the
stellar IRTF (Infrared Telescope Facility) library. Our final single-burst
stellar population models are calculated based on two different sets of
isochrones and various types of initial mass functions of different slopes,
ages larger than 1 Gyr and metallicities between [Fe/H] = -0.70 and 0.26. They
are made available online to the scientific community on the MILES web page. We
analyse the behaviour of the Spitzer [3.6]-[4.5] colour calculated from our
single stellar population models and find only slight dependences on both
metallicity and age. When comparing to the colours of observed early-type
galaxies, we find a good agreement for older, more massive galaxies that
resemble a single-burst population. Younger, less massive and more metal-poor
galaxies show redder colours with respect to our models. This mismatch can be
explained by a more extended star formation history of these galaxies which
includes a metal-poor or/and young population. Moreover, the colours derived
from our models agree very well with most other models available in this
wavelength range. We confirm that the mass-to-light ratio determined in the
Spitzer [3.6] {\mu}m band changes much less as a function of both age and
metallicity than in the optical bands.Comment: 25 pages, 19 figures, published in MNRAS, models can be downloaded
from http://miles.iac.e
A Dissociation of Attention and Awareness in Phase-sensitive but Not Phase-insensitive Visual Channels
The elements most vivid in our conscious awareness are the ones to which we direct our attention. Scientific study confirms the impression of a close bond between selective attention and visual awareness, yet the nature of this association remains elusive. Using visual afterimages as an index, we investigate neural processing of stimuli as they enter awareness and as they become the object of attention. We find evidence of response enhancement accompanying both attention and awareness, both in the phase-sensitive neural channels characteristic of early processing stages and in the phase-insensitive channels typical of higher cortical areas. The effects of attention and awareness on phase-insensitive responses are positively correlated, but in the same experiments, we observe no correlation between the effects on phase-sensitive responses. This indicates independent signatures of attention and awareness in early visual areas yet a convergence of their effects at more advanced processing stages
MILES extended: Stellar population synthesis models from the optical to the infrared
We present the first single-burst stellar population models which covers the
optical and the infrared wavelength range between 3500 and 50000 Angstrom and
which are exclusively based on empirical stellar spectra. To obtain these joint
models, we combined the extended MILES models in the optical with our new
infrared models that are based on the IRTF (Infrared Telescope Facility)
library. The latter are available only for a limited range in terms of both age
and metallicity. Our combined single-burst stellar population models were
calculated for ages larger than 1 Gyr, for metallicities between [Fe/H] = -0.40
and 0.26, for initial mass functions of various types and slopes, and on the
basis of two different sets of isochrones. They are available to the scientific
community on the MILES web page. We checked the internal consistency of our
models and compared their colour predictions to those of other models that are
available in the literature. Optical and near infrared colours that are
measured from our models are found to reproduce the colours well that were
observed for various samples of early-type galaxies. Our models will enable a
detailed analysis of the stellar populations of observed galaxies.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, published in A&
The extinction by dust in the outer parts of spiral galaxies
To investigate the distribution of dust in Sb and Sc galaxies we have
analyzed near-infrared and optical surface photometry for an unbiased sample of
37 galaxies. Since light in the -band is very little affected by extinction
by dust, the colour is a good indicator of the amount of extinction, and
using the colour-inclination relation we can statistically determine the
extinction for an average Sb/Sc galaxy. We find in general a considerable
amount of extinction in spiral galaxies in the central regions, all the way out
to their effective radii. In the outer parts, at D, or at 3 times the
typical exponential scale lengths of the stellar distribution , we find a
maximum optical depth of 0.5 in for a face-on galaxy. If we impose the
condition that the dust is distributed in the same way as the stars, this upper
limit would go down to 0.1.Comment: 4 pages, postscript, gzip-compressed, uuencoded, includes 2 figures.
Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, Letter
The puzzling interpretation of NIR indices: The case of NaI2.21
We present a detailed study of the Na I line strength index centered in the
-band at , {\AA} (NaI2.21 hereafter) relying on different samples of
early-type galaxies. Consistent with previous studies, we find that the
observed line strength indices cannot be fit by state-of-art scaled-solar
stellar population models, even using our newly developed models in the NIR.
The models clearly underestimate the large NaI2.21 values measured for most
early-type galaxies. However, we develop a Na-enhanced version of our newly
developed models in the NIR, which - together with the effect of a bottom-heavy
initial mass function - yield NaI2.21 indices in the range of the observations.
Therefore, we suggest a scenario in which the combined effect of [Na/Fe]
enhancement and a bottom-heavy initial mass function are mainly responsible for
the large NaI2.21 indices observed for most early-type galaxies. To a smaller
extent, also [C/Fe] enhancement might contribute to the large observed NaI2.21
values.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
A novel bead-based assay to detect specific antibody responses against Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spiralis simultaneously in sera of experimentally infected swine
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A novel, bead-based flow cytometric assay was developed for simultaneous determination of antibody responses against <it>Toxoplasma gondii </it>and <it>Trichinella spiralis </it>in pig serum. This high throughput screening assay could be an alternative for well known indirect tests like ELISA. One of the advantages of a bead-based assay over ELISA is the possibility to determine multiple specific antibody responses per single sample run facilitated by a series of antigens coupled to identifiable bead-levels. Furthermore, inclusion of a non-coupled bead-level in the same run facilitates the determination of, and correction for non-specific binding. The performance of this bead-based assay was compared to one <it>T. spiralis </it>and three <it>T. gondii </it>ELISAs. For this purpose, sera from <it>T. gondii </it>and <it>T. spiralis </it>experimentally infected pigs were used. With the experimental infection status as gold standard, the area under the curve, Youden Index, sensitivity and specificity were determined through receiver operator curve analysis. Marginal homogeneity and inter-rater agreement between bead-based assay and ELISAs were evaluated using McNemar's Test and Cohen's kappa, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Results indicated that the areas under the curve of the bead-based assay were 0.911 and 0.885 for <it>T. gondii </it>and <it>T. spiralis</it>, respectively, while that of the <it>T. gondii </it>ELISAs ranged between 0.837 and 0.930 and the <it>T. spiralis </it>ELISA was 0.879. Bead-based <it>T. gondii </it>assay had a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 96%, while the ELISAs ranged between 64-84% and 93-99%, respectively. The bead-based <it>T. spiralis </it>assay had a sensitivity of 68% and specificity of 100% while the ELISA scored 72% and 95%, respectively. Marginal homogeneity was found between the <it>T. gondii </it>bead-based test and one of the <it>T. gondii </it>ELISAs. Moreover, in this test combination and between <it>T. spiralis </it>bead-based assay and respective ELISA, an excellent inter-rater agreement was found. When results of samples before expected seroconversion were removed from evaluation, notably higher test specifications were found.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This new bead-based test, which detects <it>T. gondii </it>and <it>T. spiralis </it>antibodies simultaneously within each sample, can replace two indirect tests for the determination of respective antibodies separately, while performing equally well or better.</p
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