147 research outputs found
LINER/H II "Transition" Nuclei and the Nature of NGC 4569
Motivated by the discovery of young, massive stars in the nuclei of some
LINER/H II ``transition'' nuclei such as NGC 4569, we have computed
photoionization models to determine whether some of these objects may be
powered solely by young star clusters rather than by accretion-powered active
nuclei. The models were calculated with the photoionization code CLOUDY, using
evolving starburst continua generated by the the STARBURST99 code of Leitherer
et al. (1999). We find that the models are able to reproduce the emission-line
spectra of transition nuclei, but only for instantaneous bursts of solar or
higher metallicity, and only for ages of ~3-5 Myr, the period when the
extreme-ultraviolet continuum is dominated by emission from Wolf-Rayet stars.
For clusters younger than 3 Myr or older than 6 Myr, and for models with a
constant star-formation rate, the softer ionizing continuum results in an
emission spectrum more typical of H II regions. This model predicts that
Wolf-Rayet emission features should appear in the spectra of transition nuclei.
While such features have not generally been detected to date, they could be
revealed in observations having higher spatial resolution. Demographic
arguments suggest that this starburst model may not apply to the majority of
transition nuclei, particularly those in early-type host galaxies, but it could
account for some members of the transition class in hosts of type Sa and later.
The starburst models during the Wolf-Rayet-dominated phase can also reproduce
the narrow-line spectra of some LINERs, but only under conditions of
above-solar metallicity and only if high-density gas is present (n_e >~ 10^5
cm^{-3}). This scenario could be applicable to some ``Type 2'' LINERs which do
not show any clear signs of nonstellar activity.Comment: To appear in PASP. 22 pages, includes 9 figures, uses AASTeX v5.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: The BCL11A transcription factor directly activates RAG gene expression and V(D)J recombination
Recombination-activating gene 1 protein (RAG1) and RAG2 are critical enzymes for initiating variable-diversity-joining (VDJ) segment recombination, an essential process for antigen receptor expression and lymphocyte development. The transcription factor BCL11A is required for B cell development, but its molecular function(s) in B cell fate specification and commitment is unknown. We show here that the major B cell isoform, BCL11A-XL, binds the RAG1 promoter and Erag enhancer to activate RAG1 and RAG2 transcription in pre-B cells. We employed BCL11A overexpression with recombination substrates in a cultured pre-B cell line as well as Cre recombinase-mediated Bcl11a(lox/lox) deletion in explanted murine pre-B cells to demonstrate direct consequences of BCL11A/RAG modulation on V(D)J recombination. We conclude that BCL11A is a critical component of a transcriptional network that regulates B cell fate by controlling V(D)J recombination
The Nature of LINERs
We present -band (m) spectroscopy of a sample of nine
galaxies showing some degree of LINER activity (classical LINERs, weak-[O {\sc
i}] LINERs and transition objects), together with -band spectroscopy for
some of them. A careful subtraction of the stellar continuum allows us to
obtain reliable [Fe {\sc ii}]m/Pa line ratios. We conclude
that different types of LINERs (i.e., photoionized by a stellar continuum or by
an AGN) cannot be easily distinguished based solely on the [Fe {\sc ii}]m/Pa line ratio.
The emission line properties of many LINERs can be explained in terms of an
aging starburst. The optical line ratios of these LINERs are reproduced by a
model with a metal-rich H {\sc ii} region component photoionized with a single
stellar temperature K, plus a supernova remnant (SNR) component.
The [Fe {\sc ii}] line is predominantly excited by shocks produced by SNRs in
starbursts and starburst-dominated LINERs, while Pa tracks H {\sc ii}
regions ionized by massive young stars. The contribution from SNRs to the
overall emission line spectrum is constrained by the [Fe {\sc ii}]m/Pa line ratio. Although our models for aging starbursts are
constrained only by these infrared lines, they consistently explain the optical
spectra of the galaxies also.
The LINER-starburst connection is tested by predicting the time dependence of
the ratio of the ionizing luminosity () to the supernova rate
(SNr), /(SNr). We predict the relative number of starbursts to
starburst-dominated LINERs (aging starbursts) and show that it is in
approximate agreement with survey findings for nearby galaxies.Comment: Accepted in ApJ (19 pages, 8 figures, uses emulateapj.sty
Spinal Locomotor Circuits Develop Using Hierarchical Rules Based on Motorneuron Position and Identity
SummaryThe coordination of multi-muscle movements originates in the circuitry that regulates the firing patterns of spinal motorneurons. Sensory neurons rely on the musculotopic organization of motorneurons to establish orderly connections, prompting us to examine whether the intraspinal circuitry that coordinates motor activity likewise uses cell position as an internal wiring reference. We generated a motorneuron-specific GCaMP6f mouse line and employed two-photon imaging to monitor the activity of lumbar motorneurons. We show that the central pattern generator neural network coordinately drives rhythmic columnar-specific motorneuron bursts at distinct phases of the locomotor cycle. Using multiple genetic strategies to perturb the subtype identity and orderly position of motorneurons, we found that neurons retained their rhythmic activity—but cell position was decoupled from the normal phasing pattern underlying flexion and extension. These findings suggest a hierarchical basis of motor circuit formation that relies on increasingly stringent matching of neuronal identity and position
Matter-wave interferometry in a double well on an atom chip
Matter-wave interference experiments enable us to study matter at its most
basic, quantum level and form the basis of high-precision sensors for
applications such as inertial and gravitational field sensing. Success in both
of these pursuits requires the development of atom-optical elements that can
manipulate matter waves at the same time as preserving their coherence and
phase. Here, we present an integrated interferometer based on a simple,
coherent matter-wave beam splitter constructed on an atom chip. Through the use
of radio-frequency-induced adiabatic double-well potentials, we demonstrate the
splitting of Bose-Einstein condensates into two clouds separated by distances
ranging from 3 to 80 microns, enabling access to both tunnelling and isolated
regimes. Moreover, by analysing the interference patterns formed by combining
two clouds of ultracold atoms originating from a single condensate, we measure
the deterministic phase evolution throughout the splitting process. We show
that we can control the relative phase between the two fully separated samples
and that our beam splitter is phase-preserving
FoxP1 orchestration of ASD-relevant signaling pathways in the striatum
Mutations in the transcription factor Forkhead box p1 (FOXP1) are causative for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. However, the function of FOXP1 within the brain remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we identify the gene expression program regulated by FoxP1 in both human neural cells and patient-relevant heterozygous Foxp1 mouse brains. We demonstrate a role for FoxP1 in the transcriptional regulation of autism-related pathways as well as genes involved in neuronal activity. We show that Foxp1 regulates the excitability of striatal medium spiny neurons and that reduction of Foxp1 correlates with defects in ultrasonic vocalizations. Finally, we demonstrate that FoxP1 has an evolutionarily conserved role in regulating pathways involved in striatal neuron identity through gene expression studies in human neural progenitors with altered FOXP1 levels. These data support an integral role for FoxP1 in regulating signaling pathways vulnerable in autism and the specific regulation of striatal pathways important for vocal communication
A World Inscribed – Introduction
In 1900 or thereabouts, Lorina Bulwer, an inmate of the Great Yarmouth workhouse in the
east of England, produced a remarkable and extremely long letter. It was embroidered on
samples of different kinds of material which she had sewn together to form a scroll of multicoloured
cloth, five metres long (Image 1.1). On her sampler scroll, Lorina stitched a
rambling autobiography in which she spat out her anger at being confined to the workhouse,
and more specifically to its female lunatic ward. She asserted her identity frequently, repeated
her name many times and declared that she was free. Lorina Bulwer’s sampler reminds us of
the importance of writing at all levels of society, for both intimate and public purposes as
well as in the process of identity formation. It also demonstrates that writing is ubiquitous,
and often uses unexpected materials and unorthodox technologies. In this book, we examine
the importance of writing at different social levels in a range of historical contexts across the
world. As in the case of Lorina Bulwer, the discussion will take account of writing’s
institutional frameworks, its personal expressions and the range of material support it has
adopted in past societies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
T7 RNA Polymerase Functions In Vitro without Clustering
Many nucleic acid polymerases function in clusters known as factories. We investigate whether the RNA polymerase (RNAP) of phage T7 also clusters when active. Using ‘pulldowns’ and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy we find that elongation complexes do not interact in vitro with a Kd<1 µM. Chromosome conformation capture also reveals that genes located 100 kb apart on the E. coli chromosome do not associate more frequently when transcribed by T7 RNAP. We conclude that if clustering does occur in vivo, it must be driven by weak interactions, or mediated by a phage-encoded protein
Genetic correlation between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and schizophrenia
A. Palotie on työryhmän Schizophrenia Working Grp Psychiat jäsen.We have previously shown higher-than-expected rates of schizophrenia in relatives of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), suggesting an aetiological relationship between the diseases. Here, we investigate the genetic relationship between ALS and schizophrenia using genome-wide association study data from over 100,000 unique individuals. Using linkage disequilibrium score regression, we estimate the genetic correlation between ALS and schizophrenia to be 14.3% (7.05-21.6; P = 1 x 10(-4)) with schizophrenia polygenic risk scores explaining up to 0.12% of the variance in ALS (P = 8.4 x 10(-7)). A modest increase in comorbidity of ALS and schizophrenia is expected given these findings (odds ratio 1.08-1.26) but this would require very large studies to observe epidemiologically. We identify five potential novel ALS-associated loci using conditional false discovery rate analysis. It is likely that shared neurobiological mechanisms between these two disorders will engender novel hypotheses in future preclinical and clinical studies.Peer reviewe
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