261 research outputs found
The Mission Accessible Near-Earth Objects Survey: Four years of photometry
Over 4.5 years, the Mission Accessible Near-Earth Object Survey (MANOS)
assembled 228 Near-Earth Object (NEO) lightcurves. We report rotational
lightcurves for 82 NEOs, constraints on amplitudes and periods for 21 NEOs,
lightcurves with no detected variability within the image signal to noise and
length of our observing block for 30 NEOs, and 10 tumblers. We uncovered 2
ultra-rapid rotators with periods below 20s; 2016MA with a potential rotational
periodicity of 18.4s, and 2017QG rotating in 11.9s, and estimate the
fraction of fast/ultra-rapid rotators undetected in our project plus the
percentage of NEOs with a moderate/long periodicity undetectable during our
typical observing blocks. We summarize the findings of a simple model of
synthetic NEOs to infer the object morphologies distribution using the measured
distribution of lightcurve amplitudes. This model suggests a uniform
distribution of axis ratio can reproduce the observed sample. This suggests
that the quantity of spherical NEOs (e.g., Bennu) is almost equivalent to the
quantity of highly elongated objects (e.g., Itokawa), a result that can be
directly tested thanks to shape models from Doppler delay radar imaging
analysis. Finally, we fully characterized 2 NEOs as appropriate targets for a
potential robotic/human mission: 2013YS and 2014FA due to their
moderate spin periods and low .Comment: Accepted for Publication, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Serie
Carbon and Oxygen Isotopic Ratios. II. Semiregular Variable M Giants
Carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios are reported for a sample of 51 SRb- and
Lb-type variable asymptotic giant branch stars. Vibration-rotation first- and
second-overtone CO lines in 1.5-2.5 mum spectra were measured to derive
isotopic ratios for 12C/13C, 16O/17O, and 16O/18O. Comparisons with previous
measurements for individual stars and with various samples of evolved stars, as
available in the extant literature, are discussed. Using the oxygen isotopic
ratios, the masses of the SRb stars can be derived. Combining the masses with
Gaia luminosities, the SRb stars are shown to be antecedents of the Mira
variables. The limiting parameters where plane-parallel, hydrostatic
equilibrium model atmospheres can be used for abundance analysis of M giants
are explored
Oxygen isotopic ratios in cool R Coronae Borealis stars
We investigate the relationship between R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars and
hydrogen-deficient carbon (HdC) stars by measuring precise 16O/18O ratios for
five cool RCB stars. The 16O/18O ratios are derived by spectrum synthesis from
high-resolution (R=50,000) K-band spectra. Lower limits to the 16O/17O and
14N/15}N ratios as well as Na and S abundances (when possible) are also given.
RCB stars in our sample generally display less 18O than HdC stars - the derived
16O/18O ratios range from 3 to 20. The only exception is the RCB star WX CrA,
which seems to be a HdC-like star with 16O/18O=0.3. Our result of a higher
16O/18O ratio for the RCB stars must be accounted for by a theory of the
formation and evolution of HdC and RCB stars. We speculate that a late
dredge-up of products of He-burning, principally 12C and 16O, may convert a
18O-rich HdC star into a 18O-poor RCB star as the H-deficient star begins its
final evolution from a cool supergiant to the top of the white dwarf cooling
track.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal; 21 pages, 3
Tables, 11 Figure
Moxifloxacin Concentration and Proteomic Analysis of Aqueous Humor in Human Uveitis Associated with Oral Moxifloxacin Therapy
PURPOSE: The aim was to report the aqueous humor moxifloxacin concentration and proteome profile of an individual with bilateral uveitis-like syndrome with pigment dispersion.
METHODS: Multiple reactions monitoring mass spectrometry quantified the aqueous concentration of moxifloxacin in the affected individual. Shotgun proteomic analysis performed via liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) defined the protein profile in the affected individual and unaffected control samples.
RESULTS: Moxifloxacin was present at higher than expected levels in aqueous humor 18 days following oral administration. One-third of the proteins were identified by significantly lower spectral counts in the aqueous of the individual with moxifloxacin associated uveitis compared to the unaffected control.
CONCLUSION: Moxifloxacin was detected in aqueous humor 18 days following the completion of oral administration. These results suggest that moxifloxacin toxicity may be responsible for the uveitis-like syndrome with pigment dispersion syndrome induced by moxifloxacin therapy
Infrared High-Resolution Spectroscopy of Post-AGB Circumstellar Disks. I. HR 4049 - The Winnowing Flow Observed?
High-resolution infrared spectroscopy in the 2.3-4.6 micron region is
reported for the peculiar A supergiant, single-lined spectroscopic binary HR
4049. Lines from the CO fundamental and first overtone, OH fundamental, and
several H2O vibration-rotation transitions have been observed in the
near-infrared spectrum. The spectrum of HR 4049 appears principally in emission
through the 3 and 4.6 micron region and in absorption in the 2 micron region.
The 4.6 micron spectrum shows a rich 'forest' of emission lines. All the
spectral lines observed in the 2.3-4.6 micron spectrum are shown to be
circumbinary in origin. The presence of OH and H2O lines confirm the
oxygen-rich nature of the circumbinary gas which is in contrast to the
previously detected carbon-rich material. The emission and absorption line
profiles show that the circumbinary gas is located in a thin, rotating layer
near the dust disk. The properties of the dust and gas circumbinary disk and
the spectroscopic orbit yield masses for the individual stars, M_AI~0.58 Msolar
and M_MV~0.34 Msolar. Gas in the disk also has an outward flow with a velocity
of 1 km/s. The severe depletion of refractory elements but near-solar
abundances of volatile elements observed in HR 4049 results from abundance
winnowing. The separation of the volatiles from the grains in the disk and the
subsequent accretion by the star are discussed. Contrary to prior reports, the
HR 4049 carbon and oxygen isotopic abundances are typical AGB values:
12C/13C=6^{+9}_{-4} and 16O/17O>200.Comment: 42 pages, 14 figures, Accepted by Ap
Fluorine Abundances in the Large Magellanic Cloud and Omega Centauri: Evidence for Neutrino Nucleosynthesis?
The behavior of fluorine with metallicity has not yet been probed in any
stellar population. In this work, we present the first fluorine abundances
measured outside of the Milky Way from a sample of red giants in the Large
Magellanic Cloud (LMC), as well the Galactic globular cluster Omega Centauri.
The fluorine abundances are derived from vibration-rotation transitions of HF
using infrared spectra obtained with the Phoenix spectrograph on the Gemini
South 8.1m telescope. It is found that the abundance ratio of F/O declines as
the oxygen abundance decreases. The values of F/O are especially low in the two
Omega Cen giants; this very low value of F/O probably indicates that 19F
synthesis in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars is not the dominant source of
fluorine in stellar populations. The observed decline in F/O with lower O
abundances is in qualitative agreement with what is expected if 19F is produced
via H- and He-burning sequences in very massive stars, with this fluorine then
ejected in high mass-loss rate Wolf-Rayet winds. A quantitative comparison of
observations with this process awaits results from more detailed chemical
evolution models incorporating the yields from Wolf-Rayet winds. Perhaps of
more significance is the quantitative agreement between the Galactic and LMC
results with predictions from models in which 19F is produced from neutrino
nucleosynthesis during core collpase in supernovae of Type II. The very low
values of F/O in Omega Cen are also in agreement with neutrino nucleosynthesis
models if the ``peculiar'' star formation history of Omega Cen, with 2-4
distinct episodes of star formation, is considered.Comment: 19 pages, 2 tables, 4 figures. In press to the Astronomical Journa
The 'Forbidden' Abundance of Oxygen in the Sun
We reexamine closely the solar photospheric line at 6300 A, which is
attributed to a forbidden line of neutral oxygen, and is widely used in
analyses of other late-type stars.
We use a three-dimensional time-dependent hydrodynamical model solar
atmosphere which has been tested successfully against observed granulation
patterns and an array of absorption lines. We show that the solar line is a
blend with a Ni I line, as previously suggested but oftentimes neglected.
Thanks to accurate atomic data on the [O I] and Ni I lines we are able to
derive an accurate oxygen abundance for the Sun: log epsilon (O) = 8.69 +/-
0.05 dex, a value at the lower end of the distribution of previously published
abundances, but in good agreement with estimates for the local interstellar
medium and hot stars in the solar neighborhood. We conclude by discussing the
implication of the Ni I blend on oxygen abundances derived from the [O I] 6300
A line in disk and halo stars.Comment: 16 pages, 3 eps figures included; a more compact PostScript version
created using emulateapj.sty is available from
http://hebe.as.utexas.edu/recent_publi.html; to appear in ApJ
Activation of the dopamine 1 and dopamine 5 receptors increase skeletal muscle mass and force production under non-atrophying and atrophying conditions
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Control of skeletal muscle mass and force production is a complex physiological process involving numerous regulatory systems. Agents that increase skeletal muscle cAMP levels have been shown to modulate skeletal muscle mass and force production. The dopamine 1 receptor and its closely related homolog, the dopamine 5 receptor, are G-protein coupled receptors that are expressed in skeletal muscle and increase cAMP levels when activated. Thus we hypothesize that activation of the dopamine 1 and/or 5 receptor will increase skeletal muscle cAMP levels thereby modulating skeletal muscle mass and force production.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We treated isolated mouse tibialis anterior (TA) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles in tissue bath with the selective dopamine 1 receptor and dopamine 5 receptor agonist SKF 81297 to determine if activation of skeletal muscle dopamine 1 and dopamine 5 receptors will increase cAMP. We dosed wild-type mice, dopamine 1 receptor knockout mice and dopamine 5 receptor knockout mice undergoing casting-induced disuse atrophy with SKF 81297 to determine if activation of the dopamine 1 and dopamine 5 receptors results in hypertrophy of non-atrophying skeletal muscle and preservation of atrophying skeletal muscle mass and force production.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In tissue bath, isolated mouse TA and MG muscles responded to SKF 81297 treatment with increased cAMP levels. Treating wild-type mice with SKF 81297 reduced casting-induced TA and MG muscle mass loss in addition to increasing the mass of non-atrophying TA and MG muscles. In dopamine 1 receptor knockout mice, extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscle mass and force was not preserved during casting with SKF 81297 treatment, in contrast to significant preservation of casted wild-type mouse EDL and soleus mass and EDL force with SKF 81297 treatment. Dosing dopamine 5 receptor knockout mice with SKF 81297 did not significantly preserve EDL and soleus muscle mass and force although wild-type mouse EDL mass and force was significantly preserved SKF 81297 treatment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data demonstrate for the first time that treatment with a dopamine 1/5 receptor agonist results in (1) significant preservation of EDL, TA, MG and soleus muscle mass and EDL muscle force production during periods of atrophy and (2) hypertrophy of TA and MG muscle. These effects appear to be mainly mediated by both the dopamine 1 and dopamine 5 receptors.</p
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