Molecular gas in nearby powerful radio galaxies

We report the detection of CO(1-0) and CO(2-1) emission from the central region of nearby 3CR radio galaxies (z$<$ 0.03). Out of 21 galaxies, 8 have been detected in, at least, one of the two CO transitions. The total molecular gas content is below 10$^9$ \msun. Their individual CO emission exhibit, for 5 cases, a double-horned line profile that is characteristic of an inclined rotating disk with a central depression at the rising part of its rotation curve. The inferred disk or ring distributions of the molecular gas is consistent with the observed presence of dust disks or rings detected optically in the cores of the galaxies. We reason that if their gas originates from the mergers of two gas-rich disk galaxies, as has been invoked to explain the molecular gas in other radio galaxies, then these galaxies must have merged a long time ago (few Gyr or more) but their remnant elliptical galaxies only recently (last 10$^7$ years or less) become active radio galaxies. Instead, we argue the the cannibalism of gas-rich galaxies provide a simpler explanation for the origin of molecular gas in the elliptical hosts of radio galaxies (Lim et al. 2000). Given the transient nature of their observed disturbances, these galaxies probably become active in radio soon after the accretion event when sufficient molecular gas agglomerates in their nuclei.Comment: 6 pages, including 2 figures,in "QSO Hosts and Their Environments", ed. I. Marquez, in pres

Institutional Identity and Self-Esteem among African American Males in College

This article explores the relationship between self-esteem and institutional identity among 411 Black male college freshmen. Institutional identity, especially a sense of belonging, did correlate with self-esteem at both Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominately White Institutions (PWIs), though for different reasons

Mechanical response of plectonemic DNA: an analytical solution

We consider an elastic rod model for twisted DNA in the plectonemic regime. The molecule is treated as an impenetrable tube with an effective, adjustable radius. The model is solved analytically and we derive formulas for the contact pressure, twisting moment and geometrical parameters of the supercoiled region. We apply our model to magnetic tweezer experiments of a DNA molecule subjected to a tensile force and a torque, and extract mechanical and geometrical quantities from the linear part of the experimental response curve. These reconstructed values are derived in a self-contained manner, and are found to be consistent with those available in the literature.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Genic regions of a large salamander genome contain long introns and novel genes

BACKGROUND: The basis of genome size variation remains an outstanding question because DNA sequence data are lacking for organisms with large genomes. Sixteen BAC clones from the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum: c-value = 32 x 10(9) bp) were isolated and sequenced to characterize the structure of genic regions. RESULTS: Annotation of genes within BACs showed that axolotl introns are on average 10x longer than orthologous vertebrate introns and they are predicted to contain more functional elements, including miRNAs and snoRNAs. Loci were discovered within BACs for two novel EST transcripts that are differentially expressed during spinal cord regeneration and skin metamorphosis. Unexpectedly, a third novel gene was also discovered while manually annotating BACs. Analysis of human-axolotl protein-coding sequences suggests there are 2% more lineage specific genes in the axolotl genome than the human genome, but the great majority (86%) of genes between axolotl and human are predicted to be 1:1 orthologs. Considering that axolotl genes are on average 5x larger than human genes, the genic component of the salamander genome is estimated to be incredibly large, approximately 2.8 gigabases! CONCLUSION: This study shows that a large salamander genome has a correspondingly large genic component, primarily because genes have incredibly long introns. These intronic sequences may harbor novel coding and non-coding sequences that regulate biological processes that are unique to salamanders

e-MERLIN and VLBI observations of the luminous infrared galaxy IC883: a nuclear starburst and an AGN candidate revealed

The high star formation rates of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) make them ideal places for core-collapse supernova (CCSN) searches. At radio frequencies, free from dust extinction, it is possible to detect compact components within the innermost LIRG nuclear regions, such as SNe and SN remnants, as well as AGN buried deep in the LIRG nuclei. We studied the LIRG IC883 aiming at: (i) investigating its (circum-)nuclear regions using the e-EVN at 5GHz, and e-MERLIN at 6.9GHz, complemented by archival VLBI data; (ii) detecting at radio frequencies the two recently reported circumnuclear SNe 2010cu and 2011hi, which were discovered by near-IR (NIR) adaptive optics observations of IC883; and (iii) further investigating the nature of SN2011hi at NIR by means of observations with Gemini-North. The circumnuclear regions traced by e-MERLIN at 6.9GHz have an extension of ~1kpc, and show a striking double-sided structure, which very likely corresponds to a warped rotating ring, in agreement with previous studies. Our e-EVN observations at 5GHz and complementary archival VLBI data at 5GHz and 8.4GHz, reveal the presence of various milliarcsec compact components in the nucleus of IC883. A single compact source, an AGN candidate, dominates the emission at both nuclear and circumnuclear scales, as imaged with the e-EVN and e-MERLIN, respectively. The other milliarcsec components are very suggestive of ongoing nuclear CCSN activity. Our e-EVN observations also resulted in upper limits to the radio luminosity of the two SNe in IC883 recently discovered at NIR. We refine the classification of SN2011hi as a Type IIP SN according to our latest Gemini-North epoch from 2012, in agreement with a low-luminosity radio SN nature. We estimate a CCSN rate lower limit of 1.1_{-0.6}^{+1.3} yr^{-1} for the entire galaxy, based on three nuclear radio SNe and the circumnuclear SNe 2010cu and 2011hi. (abridged)Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures and 2 tables. Accepted for publication in A&

The UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey

'The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com .' Copyright Blackwell Publishing DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13924.xThe UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey (GPS) is one of the five near-infrared Public Legacy Surveys that are being undertaken by the UKIDSS consortium, using the Wide Field Camera on the United Kingdom Infrared TelescopePeer reviewe

The Nab Experiment: A Precision Measurement of Unpolarized Neutron Beta Decay

Neutron beta decay is one of the most fundamental processes in nuclear physics and provides sensitive means to uncover the details of the weak interaction. Neutron beta decay can evaluate the ratio of axial-vector to vector coupling constants in the standard model, $\lambda = g_A / g_V$, through multiple decay correlations. The Nab experiment will carry out measurements of the electron-neutrino correlation parameter $a$ with a precision of $\delta a / a = 10^{-3}$ and the Fierz interference term $b$ to $\delta b = 3\times10^{-3}$ in unpolarized free neutron beta decay. These results, along with a more precise measurement of the neutron lifetime, aim to deliver an independent determination of the ratio $\lambda$ with a precision of $\delta \lambda / \lambda = 0.03\%$ that will allow an evaluation of $V_{ud}$ and sensitively test CKM unitarity, independent of nuclear models. Nab utilizes a novel, long asymmetric spectrometer that guides the decay electron and proton to two large area silicon detectors in order to precisely determine the electron energy and an estimation of the proton momentum from the proton time of flight. The Nab spectrometer is being commissioned at the Fundamental Neutron Physics Beamline at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Lab. We present an overview of the Nab experiment and recent updates on the spectrometer, analysis, and systematic effects.Comment: Presented at PPNS201

Addressing men's health policy concerns in Australia: what can be done?

There is a lack of consensus about what men's health constitutes in Australia. The absence of a widely accepted definition has been problematic for establishing state and national men's health policies. I consider that one impediment to the implementation of state and federal men's health policies has been a lack of willingness to approach men's health from a broad public health perspective. In particular, scant attention has been paid to exploring lay perspectives of how men define and understand health, and in turn, how these relate to significant policy problems such as men's health service use. I conclude by suggesting that a focus on men's lay perspectives of their health emerging from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland provides a useful framework to guide men's health policy discussion in Australia