Star formation and quenching among the most massive galaxies at z~1.7

We have conducted a detailed object-by-object study of a mass-complete (M*>10^11 M_sun) sample of 56 galaxies at 1.4 < z < 2 in the GOODS-South field, showing that an accurate de-blending in MIPS/24um images is essential to properly assign to each galaxy its own star formation rate (SFR), whereas an automatic procedure often fails. This applies especially to galaxies with SFRs below the Main Sequence (MS) value, which may be in their quenching phase. After that, the sample splits evenly between galaxies forming stars within a factor of 4 of the MS rate (~45%), and sub-MS galaxies with SFRs ~10-1000 times smaller (~55%). We did not find a well defined class of intermediate, transient objects below the MS, suggesting that the conversion of a massive MS galaxy into a quenched remnant may take a relatively short time (<1 Gyr), though a larger sample should be analyzed in the same way to set precise limits on the quenching timescale. X-ray detected AGNs represent a ~30% fraction of the sample, and are found among both star-forming and quenched galaxies. The morphological analysis revealed that ~50% of our massive objects are bulge-dominated, and almost all MS galaxies with a relevant bulge component host an AGN. We also found sub-MS SFRs in many bulge-dominated systems, providing support to the notion that bulge growth, AGN activity and quenching of star formation are closely related to each other.Comment: 27 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA

NIR Spectroscopy of Luminous Infrared Galaxies and the Hydrogen Recombination Photon Deficit

We report on near-infrared medium-resolution spectroscopy of a sample of luminous and ultra luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs-ULIRGs), carried out with SOFI at the ESO 3.5m New Technology Telescope. Because of wavelength dependence of the attenuation, the detection of the Pa_alfa or Br_gamma line in the Ks band should provide relevant constraints on SFR and the contribution of an AGN. We find, however, that the intensities of the Pa_alfa and Br_gamma lines, even corrected for slit losses, are on average only 10% and 40%, respectively, of that expected from a normal starburst of similar bolometric luminosity. The corresponding star formation rates, after correcting for the attenuation derived from the NIR-optical emission line ratios, are 14% and 60% of that expected if the far infrared luminosity were entirely powered by the starburst. This confirms the existence of a recombination photon deficit, particularly in the case of the Pa_alfa line, already found in the Br_gamma line in other infrared galaxies of similar luminosity. In discussing the possible causes of the discrepancy, we find unlikely that it is due to the presence of an AGN, though two objects show evidence of broadening of the Pa_alfa line and of the presence of coronal line emission. In fact, from our own observations and data collected from the literature we argue that the studied galaxies appear to be predominantly powered by a nuclear starburst. Two scenarios compatible with the present data are that either there exists a highly attenuated nuclear star forming region, and/or that a significant fraction of the ionizing photons are absorbed by dust within the HII regions. We suggest that observations in the Br_alpha spectral region could constitute a powerful tool to disentangle these two possibilities.Comment: 14 pages, accepted by A&

The project \u201cInteractive Topography of Dante\u2019s Inferno\u201d : transfer of knowledge and design of didactic tools

The project \u201ctopography of Dante\u2019s inferno\u201d is an experiment on alternative mode of access to a complex text relying on an evident topographical structure. The artifact (a website) is designed with the aim of introducing young students (11\u201314 years old) to a text usually read and studied by older students (16\u201319 years old). The design of the artifact was based on the theories of Sinsem\ueda applied to interaction design, and the testing focused on (1) usability and (2) on the understanding of the topography of the poem as a precondition for understanding the text

Southern Resident killer whales: from captivity to conservation

The endangered Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) (SRKW) population remains the only killer whale population listed under the United States Endangered Species Act in U.S. waters since it was listed in 2005. In the 1960s and 70s, the population was reduced by approximately 40% following intensive efforts to capture individuals for a growing marine park captivity industry. The first Northwest killer whale census (1974) found just 70 remaining individuals in the SRKW community. This population has struggled to return to pre-capture numbers, and in the face of new threats including prey depletion, toxic contamination, and vessel effects, fewer than 80 individuals remain today. Over the last 40 years, this unique killer whale community has transitioned from targets of the captivity industry to one of the most iconic wild species of the Pacific Northwest, but is now desperately in need of meaningful and effective conservation efforts. As threats to this population have changed, environmental and advocacy groups have revised their strategies from a focus on separate issues to a recognition of the need for an ecosystem approach to ensure the long-term recovery and survival of these iconic killer whales. Recent research indicates that ecosystem-based efforts drive quicker recovery of ecosystems and endangered species. This innovative method has led to new partnerships with groups from disparate backgrounds working together to address multiple issues in the Pacific Northwest to recover the SRKWs and their habitat - in particular addressing the threat of prey depletion for the SRKWs by working for salmon restoration. By focusing on the role of whales in the ecosystem and their needs, we can increase conservation efforts for the SRKWs and demonstrate the potential of ecosystem-based management

Sexual Violence and Alcohol Intake: A Population-Based Explorative Study in a Northwestern Italian Area

Background and Objectives: Sexual violence (SV) is a major global public health concern. While socioeconomic factors and familial relationships have been widely reported to contribute to SV, the role of alcohol consumption should not be ignored. Indeed, alcohol can impair cognition, distort reality, increase aggression, and ease drug-facilitated sexual assault. This retrospective study aims to explore the relationship between alcohol consumption and SV by examining the prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of violence episodes. Materials and Methods: A total of 1481 women accessed the Rape Centre “Centro Soccorso Violenza Sessuale” in Turin, Italy between 2008 and 2019, with 223 reporting alcohol consumption before the assault. Results: The alcohol group had a younger age profile, predominantly within the 18–25-year-old category. SV incidents involving alcohol consumers were more likely to occur in public places or in someone else’s home, while the non-alcoholconsuming group experienced more violence in their own homes. Acquaintances and unknown individuals were primarily responsible, whereas partners were the most common perpetrators of violence against non-alcohol-consuming women. Alcohol consumers sought medical attention sooner after the assault and exhibited more symptoms and injuries, particularly of neurological origin. Concurrent use of recreational drugs was higher among alcohol consumers. The logistic regression analysis revealed higher odds of injury for Italian women and those in the 18–35 age groups after consuming alcohol. Conclusions: This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between alcohol consumption and SV. The prevalence of alcohol-related sexual aggression is lower compared to that shown in previous studies. Nationality, age, and assailant identity influence SV dynamics. These findings can guide well-targeted interventions and prevention strategies to address SV and inform communities facing similar challenges

ErbB2 receptor over-expression improves post-traumatic peripheral nerve regeneration in adult mice.

In a transgenic mice (BALB-neuT) over-expressing ErbB2 receptor, we investigated the adult mouse median nerve in physiological and pathological conditions. Results showed that, in physiological conditions, the grip function controlled by the median nerve in BALB-neuT mice was similar to wild-type (BALB/c). Stereological assessment of ErbB2-overexpressing intact nerves revealed no difference in number and size of myelinated fibers compared to wild-type mice. By contrast, after a nerve crush injury, the motor recovery was significantly faster in BALB-neuT compared to BALB/c mice. Moreover, stereological assessment revealed a significant higher number of regenerated myelinated fibers with a thinner axon and fiber diameter and myelin thickness in BALB-neuT mice. At day-2 post-injury, the level of the mRNAs coding for all the ErbB receptors and for the transmembrane (type III) Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) isoforms significantly decreased in both BALB/c and BALB-neuT mice, as shown by quantitative real time PCR. On the other hand, the level of the mRNAs coding for soluble NRG1 isoforms (type I/II, alpha and beta) increased at the same post-traumatic time point though, intriguingly, this response was significantly higher in BALB-neuT mice with respect to BALB/c mice. Altogether, these results suggest that constitutive ErbB2 receptor over-expression does not influence the physiological development of peripheral nerves, while it improve

Sinsemia as a tool for designing interactive artifacts for teaching. The case study of The topography of Dante’s Inferno and the detailed definition of reference frame

“The Topography of Dante’s Inferno” is a synsemic interactive artifact which is designed for 11-14 years old students. The design process has been based on the fundamental concepts of synsemia, which lead to an artifact that includes and combines different didactic mediators; in particular, in this article is described more in detail the fundamental concept of reference frame. The reference frame can be described as the frame (consisting of graphic elements) which allows to contextualize the graphic elements of a synsemic text. The artifact has been qualitatively evaluated in two focus groups (one with 12 teachers in training and one with 12 teachers in service), in which some reflections emerged, like some misinterpretations due to a more or less correct design of the reference frame and the didactic mediators