1,389 research outputs found
Lopsided Galaxies, Weak Interactions and Boosting the Star Formation Rate
To investigate the link between weak tidal interactions in disk galaxies and
the boosting of their recent star formation, we obtain images and spatially
integrated spectra (3615A < lambda < 5315A) for 40 late-type spiral galaxies
(Sab-Sbc) with varying degrees of lopsidedness (a dynamical indicator of weak
interactions). We quantify lopsidedness as the amplitude of the m=1
Fourier component of the azimuthal surface brightness distribution, averaged
over a range of radii. We compare the young stellar content, quantified by
EW(H\delta_abs) and the strength of the 4000 Angstrom break (D_4000), with
lopsidedness and find a 3-4 sigma correlation between the two. We also find a
3.2 sigma correlation between EW(H\beta_emission) and lopsidedness. Using the
evolutionary population synthesis code of Bruzual & Charlot we model the
spectra as an ``underlying population'' and a superimposed ``boost population''
with the aim of constraining the fractional boost in the SFR averaged over the
past 0.5 Gyr (the characteristic lifetime of lopsidedness). From the difference
in both EW(H\delta_abs) and D_4000 between the most and least symmetric thirds
of our sample, we infer that ~ 1x10^9 M_solar of stars are formed over the
duration of a lopsided event in addition to the ``underlying'' SFH (assuming a
final galactic stellar mass of 10^10 M_solar). This corresponds to a factor of
8 increase in the SFR over the past 5x10^8 years. For the nuclear spectra, all
of the above correlations except D_4000 vs. are weaker than for the disk,
indicating that in lopsided galaxies, the SF boost is not dominated by the
nucleus.Comment: 35 pages, including 10 figures, to appear in the Astrophysical
Journal, abridged abstrac
Inhibition of DNA methyltransferase activates tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced monocytic differentiation in acute myeloid leukemia cells.
Calculation of AGARD Wing 445.6 Flutter Using Navier-Stokes Aerodynamics
An unsteady, 3D, implicit upwind Euler/Navier-Stokes algorithm is here used to compute the flutter characteristics of Wing 445.6, the AGARD standard aeroelastic configuration for dynamic response, with a view to the discrepancy between Euler characteristics and experimental data. Attention is given to effects of fluid viscosity, structural damping, and number of structural model nodes. The flutter characteristics of the wing are determined using these unsteady generalized aerodynamic forces in a traditional V-g analysis. The V-g analysis indicates that fluid viscosity has a significant effect on the supersonic flutter boundary for this wing
Constitutive nuclear factor-kappa B mRNA, protein overexpression and enhanced DNA-binding activity in thymidylate synthase inhibitor-resistant tumour cells
In this study, the gene copy number, mRNA and protein expression levels and nuclear DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) were compared in a panel of five pairs of thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor-resistant and wild-type parent cancer cell lines. High constitutive NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity was detected in all chemoresistant cell lines. The upregulated NF-kappaB activity was composed of NF-kappaB subunits p50 and p65. Four out of five resistant cell lines constitutively overexpressed NF-kappaB p50 and p63 mRNA and protein. One resistant cell line with the highest NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity showed normal p50 and p65 protein expression. No NF-kappaB gene amplification was detected in resistant cell lines. Transient exposure of wild-type RKOWT and H630(WT) cells to 5-FU induced NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity but had no effect on NF-kappaB protein expression in these cells, Our results indicate that high constitutive NF-kappaB activity caused by its gene overexpression is an intrinsic character of TS inhibitor-resistant cells. NF-kappaB can antagonise anticancer drug-induced apoptosis. High NF-kappaB expression and nuclear activity in TS inhibitor-resistant cancer cells may play an important role in the chemoresistance
Electroporation-Mediated Delivery of a Naked DNA Plasmid Expressing VEGF to the Porcine Heart Enhances Protein Expression
Gene therapy is an attractive method for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. However, using current strategies, induction of gene expression at therapeutic levels is often inefficient. In this study, we show a novel electroporation (EP) method to enhance the delivery of a plasmid expressing an angiogenic growth factor (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF), which is a molecule previously documented to stimulate revascularization in coronary artery disease. DNA expression plasmids were delivered in vivo to the porcine heart with or without coadministered EP to determine the potential effect of electrically mediated delivery. The results showed that plasmid delivery through EP significantly increased cardiac expression of VEGF compared with injection of plasmid alone. This is the first report showing successful intracardiac delivery, through in vivo EP, of a protein expressing plasmid in a large animal
Modern optical astronomy: technology and impact of interferometry
The present `state of the art' and the path to future progress in high
spatial resolution imaging interferometry is reviewed. The review begins with a
treatment of the fundamentals of stellar optical interferometry, the origin,
properties, optical effects of turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere, the
passive methods that are applied on a single telescope to overcome atmospheric
image degradation such as speckle interferometry, and various other techniques.
These topics include differential speckle interferometry, speckle spectroscopy
and polarimetry, phase diversity, wavefront shearing interferometry,
phase-closure methods, dark speckle imaging, as well as the limitations imposed
by the detectors on the performance of speckle imaging. A brief account is
given of the technological innovation of adaptive-optics (AO) to compensate
such atmospheric effects on the image in real time. A major advancement
involves the transition from single-aperture to the dilute-aperture
interferometry using multiple telescopes. Therefore, the review deals with
recent developments involving ground-based, and space-based optical arrays.
Emphasis is placed on the problems specific to delay-lines, beam recombination,
polarization, dispersion, fringe-tracking, bootstrapping, coherencing and
cophasing, and recovery of the visibility functions. The role of AO in
enhancing visibilities is also discussed. The applications of interferometry,
such as imaging, astrometry, and nulling are described. The mathematical
intricacies of the various `post-detection' image-processing techniques are
examined critically. The review concludes with a discussion of the
astrophysical importance and the perspectives of interferometry.Comment: 65 pages LaTeX file including 23 figures. Reviews of Modern Physics,
2002, to appear in April issu
The alpha 7 nicotinic receptor agonist PHA-543613 hydrochloride inhibits <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i>-induced expression of interleukin-8 by oral keratinocytes
Objective:
The alpha 7 nicotinic receptor (α7nAChR) is expressed by oral keratinocytes. α7nAChR activation mediates anti-inflammatory responses. The objective of this study was to determine if α7nAChR activation inhibited pathogen-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression by oral keratinocytes.<p></p>
Materials and methods:
Periodontal tissue expression of α7nAChR was determined by real-time PCR. OKF6/TERT-2 oral keratinocytes were exposed to <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i> in the presence and absence of a α7nAChR agonist (PHA-543613 hydrochloride) alone or after pre-exposure to a specific α7nAChR antagonist (α-bungarotoxin). Interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression was measured by ELISA and real-time PCR. Phosphorylation of the NF-ÎșB p65 subunit was determined using an NF-ÎșB p65 profiler assay and STAT-3 activation by STAT-3 in-cell ELISA. The release of ACh from oral keratinocytes in response to <i>P. gingivalis</i> lipopolysaccharide was determined using a GeneBLAzer M3 CHO-K1-blacell reporter assay.<p></p>
Results:
Expression of α7nAChR mRNA was elevated in diseased periodontal tissue. PHA-543613 hydrochloride inhibited <i>P. Gingivalis</i>-induced expression of IL-8 at the transcriptional level. This effect was abolished when cells were pre-exposed to a specific α7nAChR antagonist, α-bungarotoxin. PHA-543613 hydrochloride downregulated NF-ÎșB signalling through reduced phosphorylation of the NF-ÎșB p65-subunit. In addition, PHA-543613 hydrochloride promoted STAT-3 signalling by maintenance of phosphorylation. Furthermore, oral keratinocytes upregulated ACh release in response to <i>P. Gingivalis</i> lipopolysaccharide.<p></p>
Conclusion:
These data suggest that α7nAChR plays a role in regulating the innate immune responses of oral keratinocytes.<p></p>
Can retired galaxies mimic active galaxies? Clues from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
The classification of galaxies as star forming or active is generally done in
the ([O III]/Hbeta, [N II]/Halpha) plane. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)
has revealed that, in this plane, the distribution of galaxies looks like the
two wings of a seagull. Galaxies in the right wing are referred to as
Seyfert/LINERs, leading to the idea that non-stellar activity in galaxies is a
very common phenomenon. Here, we argue that a large fraction of the systems in
the right wing could actually be galaxies which stopped forming stars. The
ionization in these "retired" galaxies would be produced by hot post-AGB stars
and white dwarfs. Our argumentation is based on a stellar population analysis
of the galaxies via our STARLIGHT code and on photoionization models using the
Lyman continuum radiation predicted for this population. The proportion of
LINER galaxies that can be explained in such a way is however uncertain. We
further show how observational selection effects account for the shape of the
right wing. Our study suggests that nuclear activity may not be as common as
thought. If retired galaxies do explain a large part of the seagull's right
wing, some of the work concerning nuclear activity in galaxies, as inferred
from SDSS data, will have to be revised.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
Plasma Dynamics
Contains reports on two research projects.National Science Foundation under Grant G-9330WADD Contract AF33(616)-7624 with Flight Accessories Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OhioAtomic Energy Commission under Contract AT(30-1)-1842Air Force Command and Control Development Division under Contract AF19(604)-599
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