HI-deficient galaxies in intermediate density environments

Observations show that spiral galaxies in galaxy clusters tend to have on average less neutral hydrogen (HI) than galaxies of the same type and size in the field. There is accumulating evidence that such HI-deficient galaxies are also relatively frequent in galaxy groups. An important question is, which mechanisms are responsible for the gas deficiency in galaxy groups. To gain a better understanding of how environment affects the gas content of galaxies, we identified a sample of six HI-deficient galaxies from the HI Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS) using HI-optical scaling relations. One of the galaxies is located in the outskirts of the Fornax cluster, four are in loose galaxy groups and one is in a galaxy triplet. We present new high resolution HI observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) of these galaxies. We discuss the possible cause of HI-deficiency in these galaxies based on HI observations and various multi-wavelength data. We find that the galaxies have truncated HI disks, lopsided gas distribution and some show asymmetries in their stellar disks. We conclude that both ram pressure stripping and tidal interactions are important gas removal mechanisms in low density environments.Comment: Accepted to MNRAS, 17 pages, 10 figures, 7 table

Dissipative effects from transport and viscous hydrodynamics

We compare 2->2 covariant transport theory and causal Israel-Stewart hydrodynamics in 2+1D longitudinally boost invariant geometry with RHIC-like initial conditions and a conformal e = 3p equation of state. The pressure evolution in the center of the collision zone and the final differential elliptic flow v2(pT) from the two theories agree remarkably well for a small shear viscosity to entropy density ratio eta/s ~ 1/(4 pi), and also for a large cross section sigma ~ 50 mb. A key to this agreement is keeping ALL terms in the Israel-Stewart equations of motion. Our results indicate promising prospects for the applicability of Israel-Stewart dissipative hydrodynamics at RHIC, provided the shear viscosity of hot and dense quark-gluon matter is indeed very small for the relevant temperatures T ~ 200-500 MeV.Comment: Presentation at Quark Matter 2008. 4 pages, 3 figure

The applicability of causal dissipative hydrodynamics to relativistic heavy ion collisions

We utilize nonequilibrium covariant transport theory to determine the region of validity of causal Israel-Stewart dissipative hydrodynamics (IS) and Navier-Stokes theory (NS) for relativistic heavy ion physics applications. A massless ideal gas with 2->2 interactions is considered in a 0+1D Bjorken scenario, appropriate for the early longitudinal expansion stage of the collision. In the scale invariant case of a constant shear viscosity to entropy density ratio eta/s ~ const, we find that Israel-Stewart theory is 10% accurate in calculating dissipative effects if initially the expansion timescale exceeds half the transport mean free path tau0/lambda0 > ~2. The same accuracy with Navier-Stokes requires three times larger tau0/lambda0 > ~6. For dynamics driven by a constant cross section, on the other hand, about 50% larger tau0/lambda0 > ~3 (IS) and ~9 (NS) are needed. For typical applications at RHIC energies s_{NN}**(1/2) ~ 100-200 GeV, these limits imply that even the Israel-Stewart approach becomes marginal when eta/s > ~0.15. In addition, we find that the 'naive' approximation to Israel-Stewart theory, which neglects products of gradients and dissipative quantities, has an even smaller range of applicability than Navier-Stokes. We also obtain analytic Israel-Stewart and Navier-Stokes solutions in 0+1D, and present further tests for numerical dissipative hydrodynamics codes in 1+1, 2+1, and 3+1D based on generalized conservation laws.Comment: 30 pages, 26 EPS figures, revtex stylefil

Isolated large amplitude periodic motions of towed rigid wheels

This study investigates a low degree-of-freedom (DoF) mechanical model of shimmying wheels. The model is studied using bifurcation theory and numerical continuation. Self-excited vibrations, that is, stable and unstable periodic motions of the wheel, are detected with the help of Hopf bifurcation calculations. These oscillations are then followed over a large parameter range for different damping values by means of the software package AUTO97. For certain parameter regions, the branches representing large amplitude stable and unstable periodic motions become isolated following an isola birth. These regions are extremely dangerous from an engineering view-point if they are not identified and avoided at the design stage.Comment: Appeared online in Nonlinear Dynamics Thursday, April 26, 200

Insulated Neighborhoods: Structural and Functional Units of Mammalian Gene Control

Understanding how transcriptional enhancers control over 20,000 protein-coding genes to maintain cell-type-specific gene expression programs in all human cells is a fundamental challenge in regulatory biology. Recent studies suggest that gene regulatory elements and their target genes generally occur within insulated neighborhoods, which are chromosomal loop structures formed by the interaction of two DNA sites bound by the CTCF protein and occupied by the cohesin complex. Here, we review evidence that insulated neighborhoods provide for specific enhancer-gene interactions, are essential for both normal gene activation and repression, form a chromosome scaffold that is largely preserved throughout development, and are perturbed by genetic and epigenetic factors in disease. Insulated neighborhoods are a powerful paradigm for gene control that provides new insights into development and disease.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant HG002668

A low-power, radiation-hard gigabit serializer for use in the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter

An integrated fiber-optic bit serializer and VCSEL driver has been constructed in radiation-hard complementary heterostructure GaAs FET (CHFET) technology. The serializer, which converts 20 parallel inputs into a high-speed serial output, consumes 60 mW at nominal supply voltage when operating at the Large Hadron Collider word rate of 40 MHz (0.8-GB/s serial rate). The integrated driver directly drives a VCSEL and provides 10-mA switched current and 5 mA of prebias. The complete digital optical link thus consumes 90 mW. (6 refs)

Mandibular antegonial notch depth in postpubertal individuals: A longitudinal cohort study.

OBJECTIVES To perform an epidemiological analysis of the antegonial notch depth in postpubertal individuals and to analyze the development of deep antegonial notches longitudinally in growing individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lateral cephalograms of 302 untreated 17/18-year-old subjects (171 males; 131 females), from the craniofacial growth legacy collection, were analysed to measure antegonial notch depth along the mandibular plane. Sex and sagittal malocclusion were investigated as possible factors influencing notch depth. In subjects with deep antegonial notches (>1.5 standard deviation) at the age of 17/18 years, earlier lateral cephalograms at 7/8 and 13/14 years were obtained, and the magnitude of notch depth analyzed longitudinally. Linear regression analyses were used to assess correlations between antegonial notch depth and other recorded variables. RESULTS Antegonial notch depth ranged from 0 to 5.3 mm (mean 2.0 ± 1.0 mm). Antegonial notches were significantly deeper in males (2.3 ± 1.1 mm) than females (1.5 ± 0.7 mm) (p < .001). Notch depth was on average 0.3 mm deeper in Class I than in Class II or III individuals (p = .019). Twenty-one subjects (all male) were judged to have deep antegonial notches at the age of 17/18. In these subjects, notch depth deepened from 13/14 to 17/18 years (p < .001), whereas no change was observed between 7/8 and 13/14 years. CONCLUSIONS Antegonial notch depth shows important variation in postpubertal individuals, with males having deeper notches than females on average. In those with deep antegonial notches (all males in the present sample), notch depth increases not during prepubertal growth but during the pubertal growth spurt

Monolithic Pixel Sensors in Deep-Submicron SOI Technology

Monolithic pixel sensors for charged particle detection and imaging applications have been designed and fabricated using commercially available, deep-submicron Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) processes, which insulate a thin layer of integrated full CMOS electronics from a high-resistivity substrate by means of a buried oxide. The substrate is contacted from the electronics layer through vias etched in the buried oxide, allowing pixel implanting and reverse biasing. This paper summarizes the performances achieved with a first prototype manufactured in the OKI 0.15 micrometer FD-SOI process, featuring analog and digital pixels on a 10 micrometer pitch. The design and preliminary results on the analog section of a second prototype manufactured in the OKI 0.20 micrometer FD-SOI process are briefly discussed.Comment: Proceedings of the PIXEL 2008 International Workshop, FNAL, Batavia, IL, 23-26 September 2008. Submitted to JINST - Journal of Instrumentatio

H I-deficient galaxies in intermediate-density environments

Observations show that spiral galaxies in galaxy clusters tend to have on average less neutral hydrogen (H I) than galaxies of the same type and size in the field. There is accumulating evidence that such H I-deficient galaxies are also relatively frequent in galaxy groups. An important question is that which mechanisms are responsible for the gas deficiency in galaxy groups. To gain a better understanding of how environment affects the gas content of galaxies, we identified a sample of six H I-deficient galaxies from the H I Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS) using H I-optical scaling relations. One of the galaxies is located in the outskirts of the Fornax cluster, four are in loose galaxy groups and one is in a galaxy triplet. We present new high-resolution H I observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) of these galaxies. We discuss the possible cause of H I-deficiency in the sample based on H I observations and various multi-wavelength data. We find that the galaxies have truncated H I discs, lopsided gas distribution and some show asymmetries in their stellar discs. We conclude that both ram-pressure stripping and tidal interactions are important gas removal mechanisms in low-density environments

Longitudinal changes of the insertion of the maxillary labial frenum in children and adolescents undergoing orthodontic treatment.

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to evaluate potential vertical changes in the position of the maxillary labial frenum (MLF) insertion in growing children and to compare these changes to the vertical growth of the dentoalveolar process and lower facial third. METHODS This retrospective longitudinal study investigated records of 33 healthy children. Dental casts, lateral cephalograms, and photographs were evaluated at pretreatment (T0), posttreatment (T1), and 3-5 years into retention (T2). To evaluate the vertical changes of MLF insertion in relation to the vertical growth of the dentoalveolar process, the palatal plane (PP) was used as a reference. These changes were also compared between different MLF typologies (ascribed as thin or fibrous). RESULTS The distance from MLF to PP only slightly increased from T0 to T2 by 0.6 ± 0.5 mm (P <0.001), whereas the distance between the incisal edge and PP increased significantly from T0 to T2 by 2.6 ± 0.8 mm (P <0.001). A positive correlation was found (r = 0.94; P <0.001) between the changes from the incisal edge to the PP and the MLF to the incisal edge between T0 and T2. No correlation was found between the change from the incisal edge to the PP and MLF to PP between T0 and T2. Thin MLF types showed a larger increase in distance from their insertion to the incisal edge (2.6 ± 0.8 mm) than thick MLF types (1.8 ± 0.7; P <0.03). CONCLUSIONS The MLF remains stable compared with the PP, whereas the maxillary incisal edge moves away from the PP, indicating increased vertical growth of the alveolar process. Dentists should be aware of those changes before performing interventions such as unnecessary frenectomies