On the Nature of Fossil Galaxy Groups: Are they really fossils ?

We use SDSS-DR4 photometric and spectroscopic data out to redshift z~0.1 combined with ROSAT All Sky Survey X-ray data to produce a sample of twenty-five fossil groups (FGs), defined as bound systems dominated by a single, luminous elliptical galaxy with extended X-ray emission. We examine possible biases introduced by varying the parameters used to define the sample and the main pitfalls are discussed. The spatial density of FGs, estimated via the V/V_ MAX} test, is 2.83 x 10^{-6} h_{75}^3 Mpc^{-3} for L_x > 0.89 x 10^42 h_{75}^-2 erg/s consistent with Vikhlinin et al. (1999), who examined an X-ray overluminous elliptical galaxy sample (OLEG). We compare the general properties of FGs identified here with a sample of bright field ellipticals generated from the same dataset. These two samples show no differences in the distribution of neighboring faint galaxy density excess, distance from the red sequence in the color-magnitude diagram, and structural parameters such as a$_{4}$ and internal color gradients. Furthermore, examination of stellar populations shows that our twenty-five FGs have similar ages, metallicities, and $\alpha$-enhancement as the bright field ellipticals, undermining the idea that these systems represent fossils of a physical mechanism that occurred at high redshift. Our study reveals no difference between FGs and field ellipticals, suggesting that FGs might not be a distinct family of true fossils, but rather the final stage of mass assembly in the Universe.Comment: 18 pages, Accepted to A

Studies on variation of carotenoid-proteins content in Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) storage root reveal implications for breeding and the use of induced mutations.

Carotenoid-Protein content in cassava storage root (CSR) is low but variable, and characterization of this variability is lacking. Accumulation of carotenoids occurs in chromoplast and depends on a broad class of proteins named carotenoid associated proteins (CAP), lipids and the biosynthesis of carotenoids. Twenty-nine landraces and progeny of 200 individuals were accessed for CAP and carotenoid content varied in two ways. First, related to landrace diversity, total buffer extractable proteins (TBEP), buffer insoluble proteins (BIP) and total carotenoid and ?-carotene content were assessed. Significant differences were observed in the tested genotypes. Secondly, analyses related to storage root tissue age were assessed by TBEP. This showed protein content decreased and total carotenoid content increased as secondary growth proceeds. Further carotenoid-proteins complex (CPC) identified in carotenoid contrasting landraces showed different proteins profile in SDS-PAGE with proteins size of 18 and 33 kDa in low carotenoid (IAC12.829) and 18-20-30-33 kDa in a high total carotenoid landrace (Cas74.1). Progeny analysis for TBEP and total carotenoid content confirmed the interdependence of carotenoid-proteins association by correlation analysis, estimated heritability of individual traits and grouping clones for carotenoid-proteins content. Results allow us to conclude that: natural carotenoid-protein content varies due to differential genetic background and storage root tissue age; carotenoid-protein complex showed variation in protein and carotenoid types; estimated heritability of proteins and carotenoids traits showed different values. The establishment of a genetic component allows future strategies including traditional breeding and the use of induced mutations to create novel variation for the nutritional improvement of cassava tubers

Two formation channels of UCDs in Hickson Compact Groups

The formation of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) is believed to be interaction driven, and UCDs are abundant in the cores of galaxy clusters, environments that mark the end-point of galaxy evolution. Nothing is known about the properties of UCDs in compact groups of galaxies, environments where most of galaxy evolution and interaction is believed to occur and where UCDs in intermediate state of evolution may be expected. The main goal of this study is to detect and characterize, for the first time, the UCD population of compact groups. For that, 2 groups in different evolutionary stages, HCG 22 and HCG 90, were targeted with VLT/FORS2/MXU. We detect 16 and 5 objects belonging to HCG 22 and HCG 90, respectively, covering the magnitude range -10.0 > M_R > -11.5 mag. Their colours are consistent with old ages covering a broad range in metallicities. Photometric mass estimates put 4 objects in HCG 90 and 9 in HCG 22 in the mass range of UCDs (>2x10^6 M_Sun) for an assumed age of 12 Gyr. These UCDs are on average 2-3 times larger than typical Galactic GCs, covering a range of 2 >~ r_h >~ 21 pc. The UCDs in HCG 22 are more concentrated around the central galaxy than in HCG 90, at the 99% confidence level. They cover a broad range in [alpha/Fe] abundances from sub- to super-solar. The spectra of 3 UCDs show tentative evidence for intermediate age stellar populations. We calculate the specific frequency (S_N) of UCDs for both groups, finding that HCG 22 has about three times higher S_N than HCG 90. The ensemble properties of the detected UCDs supports 2 co-existing formation channels: a star cluster origin and an origin as tidally stripped dwarf nuclei. Our results imply that the UCDs detected in both groups do not, in their majority, originate from relatively recent galaxy interactions. Most of the detected UCDs have likely been brought into the group with their host galaxies.[abridged]Comment: Accepted for publication at A&A, 17 pages, 9 figures + 2 additional figure

Diseases of the nervous system of cattle in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil : 1082 cases

Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo de janeiro de 2008 a dezembro de 2012 com base nos laudos de necropsia do Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica (LAP) da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FAMEZ), Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), com o intuito de descrever quais as doenças que afetam o sistema nervoso de bovinos que ocorrem no Mato Grosso do Sul. Os casos consistiam de acompanhados por técnicos do LAP e encaminhados por médicos veterinários que atuam no campo (autônomos ou do serviço veterinário oficial). De 1082 materiais analisados, 588 apresentavam histórico de sinais clínicos neurológicos. Destes, 341 (53,75%) tiveram diagnóstico correspondente a doenças neurológicas e 247 (46,25%) tiveram diagnóstico inconclusivos. As fichas clínico epidemiológicas foram revisadas para determinar dados referentes a epidemiologia, aos sinais clínicos e às alterações macroscópicas e microscópicas. O botulismo (16,67%), a raiva (15,92%), a polioencefalomalacia (8,05%) e a encefalite por herpesvirus bovino (4,31%) foram as enfermidade de maior frequência. Outras doenças como meningoencefalite não supurativa (2,62%), meningoencefalite supurativa (1,50%), abscessos cerebrais e osteomielite por compressão medular (1,31%), tétano (1,12%), hipotermia (0,94%), babesiose cerebral (0,75%), febre catarral maligna (0,37%) e lesões sugestivas de intoxicação por oxalato (0,19%) foram ocasionalmente diagnosticadas. Em nenhum dos casos foram observadas lesões que pudessem sugerir encefalopatia espongiforme bovina.The aim of this study was to describe the types of diseases that affect the nervous system of cattle from the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. A retrospective study from January 2008 to December 2012 was perfomed, based on reports of cattle autopsies autopsy carried out by the Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica (LAP), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FAMEZ), Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS). The material came from cases attended and forwarded to LAP by practicing veterinarians autonomous and from the official veterinary service. From 1028 cases studied, 588 presented a history of neurological clinical signs, 341 (53.75%) of which were diagnosed as affected bytrue neurological disease, and 247 (46.25%) had inconclusive diagnosis. The clinical records were reviewed to determine epidemiology, clinical signs, and gross and histopathological features. The most frequent diseases were botulism (16.67%), rabies (15.92%), polioencephalomalacia (8.05%), and herpesviral meningoencephalitis (4.31%). Other conditions were diagnosed occasionally, and included non suppurative meningoencephalitis (2.62%), suppurative meningoencephalitis (1.50%), brain abscesses and osteomyelitis caused by spinal cord compression (1.31%), tetanus (1.12%), hypothermia (0.94%), cerebral babesiosis (0.75%), malignant catarrhal fever (0.37%), and cases suggestive of oxalate poisoning (0.19%). No cases with lesions that may suggest of bovine spongiform encephalopathy were observed

Smoothed universal correlations in the two-dimensional Anderson model

We report on calculations of smoothed spectral correlations in the two-dimensional Anderson model for weak disorder. As pointed out in (M. Wilkinson, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 21, 1173 (1988)), an analysis of the smoothing dependence of the correlation functions provides a sensitive means of establishing consistency with random matrix theory. We use a semiclassical approach to describe these fluctuations and offer a detailed comparison between numerical and analytical calculations for an exhaustive set of two-point correlation functions. We consider parametric correlation functions with an external Aharonov-Bohm flux as a parameter and discuss two cases, namely broken time-reversal invariance and partial breaking of time-reversal invariance. Three types of correlation functions are considered: density-of-states, velocity and matrix element correlation functions. For the values of smoothing parameter close to the mean level spacing the semiclassical expressions and the numerical results agree quite well in the whole range of the magnetic flux.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures submitted to Phys. Rev.

Regularity Properties and Pathologies of Position-Space Renormalization-Group Transformations

We reconsider the conceptual foundations of the renormalization-group (RG) formalism, and prove some rigorous theorems on the regularity properties and possible pathologies of the RG map. Regarding regularity, we show that the RG map, defined on a suitable space of interactions (= formal Hamiltonians), is always single-valued and Lipschitz continuous on its domain of definition. This rules out a recently proposed scenario for the RG description of first-order phase transitions. On the pathological side, we make rigorous some arguments of Griffiths, Pearce and Israel, and prove in several cases that the renormalized measure is not a Gibbs measure for any reasonable interaction. This means that the RG map is ill-defined, and that the conventional RG description of first-order phase transitions is not universally valid. For decimation or Kadanoff transformations applied to the Ising model in dimension $d \ge 3$, these pathologies occur in a full neighborhood $\{ \beta > \beta_0 ,\, |h| < \epsilon(\beta) \}$ of the low-temperature part of the first-order phase-transition surface. For block-averaging transformations applied to the Ising model in dimension $d \ge 2$, the pathologies occur at low temperatures for arbitrary magnetic-field strength. Pathologies may also occur in the critical region for Ising models in dimension $d \ge 4$. We discuss in detail the distinction between Gibbsian and non-Gibbsian measures, and give a rather complete catalogue of the known examples. Finally, we discuss the heuristic and numerical evidence on RG pathologies in the light of our rigorous theorems.Comment: 273 pages including 14 figures, Postscript, See also ftp.scri.fsu.edu:hep-lat/papers/9210/9210032.ps.

Limits on WWgamma and WWZ Couplings from W Boson Pair Production

The results of a search for W boson pair production in pbar-p collisions at sqrt{s}=1.8 TeV with subsequent decay to emu, ee, and mumu channels are presented. Five candidate events are observed with an expected background of 3.1+-0.4 events for an integrated luminosity of approximately 97 pb^{-1}. Limits on the anomalous couplings are obtained from a maximum likelihood fit of the E_T spectra of the leptons in the candidate events. Assuming identical WWgamma and WWZ couplings, the 95 % C.L. limits are -0.62<Delta_kappa<0.77 (lambda = 0) and -0.53<lambda<0.56 (Delta_kappa = 0) for a form factor scale Lambda = 1.5 TeV.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, submitted to Physical Review