1,261 research outputs found
Line-of-Sight Reddening Predictions: Zero Points, Accuracies, the Interstellar Medium, and the Stellar Populations of Elliptical Galaxies
Revised (B-V)_0-Mg_2 data for 402 elliptical galaxies are given to test
reddening predictions which can also tell us both what the intrinsic errors are
in this relationship among gE galaxy stellar populations, as well as details of
nearby structure in the interstellar medium (ISM) of our Galaxy and of the
intrinsic errors in reddening predictions. Using least-squares fits, the
explicit 1-sigma errors in the Burstein-Heiles (BH) and the Schlegel et al.
(IR) predicted reddenings are calculated, as well as the 1-sigma observational
error in the (B-V)_0-Mg_2 for gE galaxies. It is found that, in directions with
E(B-V)<0.100 mag (where most of these galaxies lie), 1-sigma errors in the IR
reddening predictions are 0.006 to 0.009 in E(B-V) mag, those for BH reddening
prediction are 0.011 mag, and the 1-sigma agreement between the two reddening
predictions is 0.007 mag. IR predictions have an accuracy of 0.010-0.011 mag in
directions with E(B-V)>= 0.100 mag, significantly better than those of the BH
predictions (0.024-0.025). Gas-to-dust variations that vary by a factor of 3,
both high and low, exist along many lines-of-sight in our Galaxy. The approx
0.02 higher reddening zero point in E(B-V) previously determined by Schlegel et
al. is confirmed, primarily at the Galactic poles. Despite this, both methods
also predict many directions with E(B-V)<0.015 mag. Independent evidence of
reddening at the North Galactic pole is reviewed, with the conclusion that
there still exists directions at the NGP that have E(B-V)<<0.01. Two lines of
evidence suggest that IR reddenings are overpredicted in directions with high
gas-to-dust ratios. As high gas-to-dust directions in the ISM also include the
Galactic poles, this overprediction is the likely cause of the E(B-V) = 0.02
mag larger IR reddening zero point.Comment: 5 figure
Supernova 1996L: evidence of a strong wind episode before the explosion
Observations of the type II SN 1996L reveal the presence of a slowly
expanding (V~700$ km/s) shell at ~ 10^(16) cm from the exploding star. Narrow
emission features are visible in the early spectra superposed on the normal SN
spectrum. Within about two months these features develop narrow symmetric
P-Cygni profiles. About 100 days after the explosion the light curve suddenly
flattens, the spectral lines broaden and the Halpha flux becomes larger than
what is expected from a purely radioactive model. These events are interpreted
as signatures of the onset of the interaction between the fast moving ejecta
and a slowly moving outer shell of matter ejected before the SN explosion. At
about 300 days the narrow lines disappear and the flux drops until the SN fades
away, suggesting that the interaction phase is over and that the shell has been
swept away. Simple calculations show that the superwind episode started 9 yr
before the SN explosion and lasted 6 yr, with an average dM/dt=10^(-3)
M_solar/yr. Even at very late epochs (up to day 335) the typical forbidden
lines of [OI], CaII], [FeII] remain undetected or very weak. Spectra after day
270 show relatively strong emission lines of HeI. These lines are narrower than
other emission lines coming from the SN ejecta, but broader than those from the
CSM. These high excitation lines are probably the result of non-thermal
excitation and ionization caused by the deposition of the gamma-rays emitted in
the decay of radioactive material mixed in the He layer.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, Latex, To appear in M.N.R.A.
Favorable outcome of early treatment of new onset child and adolescent migraine-implications for disease modification.
There is evidence that the prevalence of migraine in children and adolescents may be increasing. Current theories of migraine pathophysiology in adults suggest activation of central cortical and brainstem pathways in conjunction with the peripheral trigeminovascular system, which ultimately results in release of neuropeptides, facilitation of central pain pathways, neurogenic inflammation surrounding peripheral vessels, and vasodilatation. Although several risk factors for frequent episodic, chronic, and refractory migraine have been identified, the causes of migraine progression are not known. Migraine pathophysiology has not been fully evaluated in children. In this review, we will first discuss the evidence that early therapeutic interventions in the child or adolescent new onset migraineur, may halt or limit progression and disability. We will then review the evidence suggesting that many adults with chronic or refractory migraine developed their migraine as children or adolescents and may not have been treated adequately with migraine-specific therapy. Finally, we will show that early, appropriate and optimal treatment of migraine during childhood and adolescence may result in disease modification and prevent progression of this disease
Biological and behavioral markers of pain following nerve injury in humans
The evolution of peripheral and central changes following a peripheral nerve injury imply the onset of afferent signals that affect the brain. Changes to inflammatory processes may contribute to peripheral and central alterations such as altered psychological state and are not well characterized in humans. We focused on four elements that change peripheral and central nervous systems following ankle injury in 24 adolescent patients and 12 age-sex matched controls. Findings include (a) Changes in tibial, fibular, and sciatic nerve divisions consistent with neurodegeneration; (b) Changes within the primary motor and somatosensory areas as well as higher order brain regions implicated in pain processing; (c) Increased expression of fear of pain and pain reporting; and (d) Significant changes in cytokine profiles relating to neuroinflammatory signaling pathways. Findings address how changes resulting from peripheral nerve injury may develop into chronic neuropathic pain through changes in the peripheral and central nervous system
The young stellar population at the center of NGC 205
Context. NGC 205 is a peculiar dwarf elliptical galaxy hosting in its center
a population of young blue stars. Their origin is still matter of debate, the
central fresh star formation activity possibly being related to dynamical
interactions between NGC 205 and M31. Aims. The star formation history in the
central 30\arcsec (120 pc) around the NGC 205 central nucleus is
investigated in order to obtain clues to the origin of the young stellar
population. Methods. Deep HST/ACS CCD photometry is compared with theoretical
isochrones and luminosity functions to characterize the stellar content of the
region under study and compute the recent SF rate. Results. Our photometry
reveals a previously undetected blue plume of young stars clearly
distinguishable down to I26. Our analysis suggests that 1.9
M were produced between approximately 62 Myr and 335 Myr ago in the NGC
205 inner regions, with a latest minor episode occurring 25 Myr ago. This
implies a star formation rate of M/yr over this
period. Conclusions. The excellent fit of the observed luminosity function of
young main sequence stars obtained with a model having a constant star
formation rate argues against a tidally triggered star formation activity over
the last 300 Myr. Rather, a constant SF may be consistent with NGC 205
being on its first interaction with M 31.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in A&A letter
Detection of diffuse interstellar bands in M31
We investigate the diffuse interstellar band (DIB) spectrum in the
interstellar medium of M31. The DEIMOS spectrograph of the W. M. Keck
observatory was used to make optical spectroscopic observations of two
supergiant stars, MAG 63885 and MAG 70817, in the vicinity of the OB78
association in M31 where the metallicity is approximately equal to solar. The
5780, 5797, 6203, 6283 and 6613 DIBs are detected in both sightlines at
velocities matching the M31 interstellar Na I absorption. The spectra are
classified and interstellar reddenings are derived for both stars. Diffuse
interstellar band (DIB) equivalent widths and radial velocities are presented.
The spectrum of DIBs observed in M31 towards MAG 63885 is found to be similar
to that observed in the Milky Way. Towards MAG 70817 the DIB equivalent widths
per unit reddening are about three times the Galactic average. Compared to
observations elsewhere in the Universe, relative to reddening the M31 ISM in
the vicinity of OB78 is apparently a highly favourable environment for the
formation of DIB carriers
Discovery of a Supernova Explosion at Half the Age of the Universe and its Cosmological Implications
The ultimate fate of the universe, infinite expansion or a big crunch, can be
determined by measuring the redshifts, apparent brightnesses, and intrinsic
luminosities of very distant supernovae. Recent developments have provided
tools that make such a program practicable: (1) Studies of relatively nearby
Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have shown that their intrinsic luminosities can be
accurately determined; (2) New research techniques have made it possible to
schedule the discovery and follow-up observations of distant supernovae,
producing well over 50 very distant (z = 0.3 -- 0.7) SNe Ia to date. These
distant supernovae provide a record of changes in the expansion rate over the
past several billion years. By making precise measurements of supernovae at
still greater distances, and thus extending this expansion history back far
enough in time, we can distinguish the slowing caused by the gravitational
attraction of the universe's mass density Omega_M from the effect of a possibly
inflationary pressure caused by a cosmological constant Lambda. We report here
the first such measurements, with our discovery of a Type Ia supernova (SN
1997ap) at z = 0.83. Measurements at the Keck II 10-m telescope make this the
most distant spectroscopically confirmed supernova. Over two months of
photometry of SN 1997ap with the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based
telescopes, when combined with previous measurements of nearer SNe Ia, suggests
that we may live in a low mass-density universe. Further supernovae at
comparable distances are currently scheduled for ground and space-based
observations.Comment: 12 pages and 4 figures (figure 4 is repeated in color and black and
white) Nature, scheduled for publication in the 1 January, 1998 issue. Also
available at http://www-supernova.lbl.go
The Legionella effector WipB is a translocated Ser/Thr phosphatase that targets the host lysosomal nutrient sensing machinery
Legionella pneumophila infects human alveolar macrophages and is responsible for Legionnaire’s disease, a severe form of pneumonia. L. pneumophila encodes more than 300 putative effectors, which are translocated into the host cell via the Dot/Icm type IV secretion system. These effectors highjack the host’s cellular processes to allow bacterial intracellular growth and replication. Here we adopted a multidisciplinary approach to investigate WipB, a Dot/Icm effector of unknown function. The crystal structure of the N-terminal domain at 1.7 Å resolution comprising residues 25 to 344 revealed that WipB harbours a Ser/Thr phosphatase domain related to the eukaryotic phospho-protein phosphatase (PPP) family. The C-terminal domain (residues 365–524) is sufficient to pilot the effector to acidified LAMP1-positive lysosomal compartments, where WipB interacts with the v-ATPase and the associated LAMTOR1 phosphoprotein, key components of the lysosomal nutrient sensing (LYNUS) apparatus that controls the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTORC1) kinase complex at the lysosomal surface. We propose that WipB is a lysosome-targeted phosphatase that modulates cellular nutrient sensing and the control of energy metabolism during Legionella infection
Radial kinematics of brightest cluster galaxies
This is the first of a series of papers devoted to the investigation of a large sample of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), their kinematic and stellar population properties, and the relationships between those and the properties of the cluster. We have obtained high signal-to-noise ratio, long-slit spectra of these galaxies with Gemini and William Herschel Telescope with the primary purpose of investigating their stellar population properties. This paper describes the selection methods and criteria used to compile a new sample of galaxies, concentrating on BCGs previously classified as containing a halo (cD galaxies), together with the observations and data reduction. Here, we present the full sample of galaxies, and the measurement and interpretation of the radial velocity and velocity dispersion profiles of 41 BCGs. We find clear rotation curves for a number of these giant galaxies. In particular, we find rapid rotation (>100 km s−1) for two BCGs, NGC 6034 and 7768, indicating that it is unlikely that they formed through dissipationless mergers. Velocity substructure in the form of kinematically decoupled cores is detected in 12 galaxies, and we find five galaxies with velocity dispersion increasing with radius. The amount of rotation, the velocity substructure and the position of BCGs on the anisotropy–luminosity diagram are very similar to those of ‘ordinary’ giant ellipticals in high-density environments
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