89 research outputs found
V474 Car: A Rare Halo RS CVn Binary in Retrograde Galactic Orbit
We report the discovery that the star V474 Car is an extremely active, high
velocity halo RS CVn system. The star was originally identified as a possible
pre-main sequence star in Carina, given its enhanced stellar activity, rapid
rotation (10.3 days), enhanced Li, and absolute magnitude that places it above
the main sequence. However, its extreme radial velocity (264 km s)
suggested that this system was unlike any previously known pre-MS system. Our
detailed spectroscopic analysis of echelle spectra taken with the CTIO 4-m
finds that V474 Car is both a spectroscopic binary with orbital period similar
to the photometric rotation period, and metal poor ([Fe/H] 0.99). The
star's Galactic orbit is extremely eccentric (e 0.93) with
perigalacticon of only 0.3 kpc of the Galactic center - and its
eccentricity and smallness of its perigalacticon are only surpassed by
0.05%, of local F/G-type field stars. The observed characteristics are
consistent with V474 Car being a high velocity, metal poor, tidally-locked
chromospherically active binary (CAB), i.e.\ a halo RS CVn binary, and one of
only a few such specimens known.Comment: Accepted to Astronomical Journa
High resolution elemental abundance analysis of the Hyades Supercluster
The existence of a kinematically defined moving group of stars centred at U =
-40, V = -17 km/s referred to as the Hyades Supercluster, has been suggested as
the debris of an originally large star forming event, with its core being the
present day Hyades open cluster. Using high-resolution UVES spectra, we present
elemental abundances for a range of alpha, Fe-peak and neutron-capture elements
for 26 proposed supercluster stars. Our results show that the sample stars
display a heterogeneous abundance distribution, with a clump around [Fe/H] =
+0.15. We also calculate stellar radial velocities and U,V,W space velocities.
Enforcing a strict chemical and kinematical membership criteria, we find 4
supercluster stars share the Hyades open cluster abundances and kinematics,
while many of the remaining stars fit the disc field kinematics and abundance
range. We discuss our findings in the context of the Hyades supercluster being
a dispersed star-forming remnant, a stellar stream of purely dynamical origin
or a result of several processes.Comment: accepted by MNRA
Activation of Ventral Tegmental Area 5-HT2C Receptors Reduces Incentive Motivation
FUNDING AND DISCLOSURE The research was funded by Wellcome Trust (WT098012) to LKH; and National Institute of Health (DK056731) and the Marilyn H. Vincent Foundation to MGM. The University of Michigan Transgenic Core facility is partially supported by the NIH-funded University of Michigan Center for Gastrointestinal Research (DK034933). The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Dr Celine Cansell, Ms Raffaella Chianese and the staff of the Medical Research Facility for technical assistance. We thank Dr Vladimir Orduña for the scientific advice and technical assistance.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
The corona and companion of CoRoT-2A. Insights from X-rays and optical spectroscopy
CoRoT-2 is one of the most unusual planetary systems known to date. Its host
star is exceptionally active, showing a pronounced, regular pattern of optical
variability caused by magnetic activity. The transiting hot Jupiter, CoRoT-2b,
shows one of the largest known radius anomalies. We analyze the properties and
activity of CoRoT-2A in the optical and X-ray regime by means of a high-quality
UVES spectrum and a 15 ks Chandra exposure both obtained during planetary
transits. The UVES data are analyzed using various complementary methods of
high-resolution stellar spectroscopy. We characterize the photosphere of the
host star by deriving accurate stellar parameters such as effective
temperature, surface gravity, and abundances. Signatures of stellar activity,
Li abundance, and interstellar absorption are investigated to provide
constraints on the age and distance of CoRoT-2. Furthermore, our UVES data
confirm the presence of a late-type stellar companion to CoRoT-2A that is
gravitationally bound to the system. The Chandra data provide a clear detection
of coronal X-ray emission from CoRoT-2A, for which we obtain an X-ray
luminosity of 1.9e29 erg/s. The potential stellar companion remains undetected
in X-rays. Our results indicate that the distance to the CoRoT-2 system is
approximately 270 pc, and the most likely age lies between 100 and 300 Ma. Our
X-ray observations show that the planet is immersed in an intense field of
high-energy radiation. Surprisingly, CoRoT-2A's likely coeval stellar
companion, which we find to be of late-K spectral type, remains X-ray dark.
Yet, as a potential third body in the system, the companion could account for
CoRoT-2b's slightly eccentric orbit.Comment: accepted for publication by A&
Chemically tagging the Hyades Supercluster: A homogeneous sample of F6-K4 kinematically selected northern stars
Stellar kinematic groups are kinematical coherent groups of stars that might
have a common origin. These groups are dispersed throughout the Galaxy over
time by the tidal effects of both Galactic rotation and disc heating, although
their chemical content remains unchanged. The aim of chemical tagging is to
establish that the abundances of every element in the analysis are homogeneus
among the members. We study the case of the Hyades Supercluster to compile a
reliable list of members (FGK stars) based on our chemical tagging analysis.
For a total of 61 stars from the Hyades Supercluster, stellar atmospheric
parameters (Teff, logg, xi, and [Fe/H]) are determined using our code called
StePar, which is based on the sensitivity to the stellar atmospheric parameters
of the iron EWs measured in the spectra. We derive the chemical abundances of
20 elements and find that their [X/Fe] ratios are consistent with Galactic
abundance trends reported in previous studies. The chemical tagging method is
applied with a carefully developed differential abundance analysis of each
candidate member of the Hyades Supercluster, using a well-known member of the
Hyades cluster as a reference (vB 153). We find that only 28 stars (26 dwarfs
and 2 giants) are members, i.e. that 46% of our candidates are members based on
the differential abundance analysis. This result confirms that the Hyades
Supercluster cannot originate solely from the Hyades cluster.Comment: A&A, in pres
5-HT2C Receptors Localize to Dopamine and GABA Neurons in the Rat Mesoaccumbens Pathway
The serotonin 5-HT2C receptor (5-HT2CR) is localized to the limbic-corticostriatal circuit, which plays an integral role in mediating attention, motivation, cognition, and reward processes. The 5-HT2CR is linked to modulation of mesoaccumbens dopamine neurotransmission via an activation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). However, we recently demonstrated the expression of the 5-HT2CR within dopamine VTA neurons suggesting the possibility of a direct influence of the 5-HT2CR upon mesoaccumbens dopamine output. Here, we employed double-label fluorescence immunochemistry with the synthetic enzymes for dopamine (tyrosine hydroxylase; TH) and GABA (glutamic acid decarboxylase isoform 67; GAD-67) and retrograde tract tracing with FluoroGold (FG) to uncover whether dopamine and GABA VTA neurons that possess 5-HT2CR innervate the nucleus accumbens (NAc). The highest numbers of FG-labeled cells were detected in the middle versus rostral and caudal levels of the VTA, and included a subset of TH- and GAD-67 immunoreactive cells, of which >50% also contained 5-HT2CR immunoreactivity. Thus, we demonstrate for the first time that the 5-HT2CR colocalizes in DA and GABA VTA neurons which project to the NAc, describe in detail the distribution of NAc-projecting GABA VTA neurons, and identify the colocalization of TH and GAD-67 in the same NAc-projecting VTA neurons. These data suggest that the 5-HT2CR may exert direct influence upon both dopamine and GABA VTA output to the NAc. Further, the indication that a proportion of NAc-projecting VTA neurons synthesize and potentially release both dopamine and GABA adds intriguing complexity to the framework of the VTA and its postulated neuroanatomical roles
Uniform Atmospheric Retrieval Analysis of Ultracool Dwarfs I : Characterizing Benchmarks, Gl570D and HD3651B
Michael Line, et al, 'UNIFORM ATMOSPHERIC RETRIEVAL ANALYSIS OF ULTRACOOL DWARFS. I. CHARACTERIZING BENCHMARKS, Gl 570D AND HD 3651B', The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 802 (2), July 2015, doi: https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/807/2/183, published by IOP.Interpreting the spectra of brown dwarfs is key to determining the fundamental physical and chemical processes occurring in their atmospheres. Powerful Bayesian atmospheric retrieval tools have recently been applied to both exoplanet and brown dwarf spectra to tease out the thermal structures and molecular abundances to understand those processes. In this manuscript we develop a significantly upgraded retrieval method and apply it to the SpeX spectral library data of two benchmark late T-dwarfs, Gl570D and HD3651B, to establish the validity of our upgraded forward model parameterization and Bayesian estimator. Our retrieved metallicities, gravities, and effective temperature are consistent with the metallicity and presumed ages of the systems. We add the carbon-to-oxygen ratio as a new dimension to benchmark systems and find good agreement between carbon-to-oxygens ratio derived in the brown dwarfs and the host stars. Furthermore, we have for the first time unambiguously determined the presence of ammonia in the low-resolution spectra of these two late T-dwarfs. We also show that the retrieved results are not significantly impacted by the possible presence of clouds, though some quantities are significantly impacted by uncertainties in photometry. This investigation represents a watershed study in establishing the utility of atmospheric retrieval approaches on brown dwarf spectra.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio
Nicotinic receptors
Regulation of normal or abnormal behaviour is critically controlled by the central serotonergic systems. Recent evidence has suggested that serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission dysfunction contributes to a variety of pathological conditions, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disorders. There is also a great amount of evidence indicating that 5-HT signalling may affect the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse by the interaction and modulation of dopamine (DA) function. This chapter is focused on one of the more addictive drugs, nicotine. It is widely recognised that the effects of nicotine are strongly associated with the stimulatory action it exhibits on mesolimbic DAergic function. We outline the role of 5-HT and its plethora of receptors, focusing on 5-HT2 subtypes with relation to their involvement in the neurobiology of nicotine addiction. We also explore the novel pharmacological approaches using 5-HT agents for the treatment of nicotine dependence. Compelling evidence shows that 5-HT2C receptor agonists may be possible therapeutic targets for smoking cessation, although further investigation is required.peer-reviewe
- …