434 research outputs found
Capture of field stars by globular clusters in dense bulge regions
The recent detection of a double Red Giant Branch in the optical
color-magnitude diagram (CMD) of the bulge globular cluster HP1 (Ortolani et
al. 1997), a more populated metal-poor steep one corresponding to the cluster
itself, and another metal-rich curved, led us to explore in the present Letter
the possibility of capture of field stars by a globular cluster orbiting in
dense bulge regions over several gigayears. Analytical arguments, as well as
N-body calculations for a cluster model of 10^5 solar masses in a bulge-like
environment, suggest that a significant fraction of cluster stars may consist
of captures. Metal-poor globular clusters in the inner bulge, like HP1,
contrasting at least in Delta [Fe/H] = 1.0 dex with respect to the surrounding
metal-rich stars, are ideal probes to further test the capture scenario. In
turn, if this scenario is confirmed, the double RGB of HP1 could provide direct
estimates of blanketing amounts, which is fundamental for the photometric
calibration of metal-rich stellar populations.Comment: 6 pages, 2 included figures, aas2pp4,sty Latex style. To be published
in Astrophysical Journal Letter
Extreme Galactic-Winds and Starburst in IR Mergers and IR QSOs
We report -as a part of a long-term study of mergers and IR QSOs- detailed
spectroscopic evidences for outflow (OF) and/or Wolf Rayet features in: (i) low
velocity OF in the ongoing mergers NGC 4038/39 and IRAS 23128-5919; (ii)
extreme velocity OF (EVOF) in the QSOs IRAS 01003-2238 and IRAS 13218+0552;
(iii) OF and EVOF in a complete sample of ultra-luminous IR galaxies/QSOs ("The
IRAS 1 Jy MKO-KPNO Survey", of 118 objects). We found EVOF in IRAS 11119+3257,
14394+5332, 15130+1958 and 15462-0450. The OF components detected in these
objects were mainly associated to starburst processes: i.e., to galactic-winds
generated in multiple type II SN explosions and massive stars. The EVOF were
detected in objects with strong starburst plus obscured IR QSOs; which suggest
that interaction of both processes could generate EVOF. In addition, we analyze
the presence of Wolf Rayet features in the large sample of Bright PG-QSOs
(Boroson and Green 1992), and nearby mergers and galactic-wind galaxies. We
found clear WR features in the Fe II QSOs (type I): PG 1244+026, 1444+407,
1448+273, 1535+547; and in the IR merger Arp 220. HST archive images of IR+BAL
QSOs show in practically all of these objects "arc or shell" features probably
associated to galactic-winds (i.e., to multiple type II SN explosions) and/or
merger processes. Finally, we discuss the presence of extreme starburst and
galactic wind as a possible evolutive link between IR merger and IR QSOs; where
the relation between mergers and extreme starburst (with powerful
galactic-winds) plays in important role, in the evolution of galaxies.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure
Interstellar medium disruption in the Centaurus A group
We present the results of a 21 cm neutral hydrogen (HI) line detection
experiment in the direction of 18 low luminosity dwarf galaxies of the
Centaurus A group, using the Australia Telescope National Facility 64m Parkes
Radio Telescope and the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Five dwarfs have HI
masses between M_HI=4x10^5 to M_HI=2.1x10^7 Msol and 0.04<M_HI/L_B<1.81 Msol
L_{sol, B}^-1. The other 13 have upper-limits between M_HI<5x10^5 and
M_HI<4x10^6 Msol (M_HI}/L_B<0.24 Msol L_{sol, B}^-1). Two of the
mixed-morphology dwarfs remain undetected in HI, a situation that is in
contrast to that of similar Local Group and Sculptor group objects where all
contain significant amounts of neutral gas. There is a discontinuity in the HI
properties of Centaurus A group low luminosity dwarfs that is unobserved
amongst Sculptor group dwarfs. All objects fainter than M_B=-13 have either
M_HI>10^7 Msol or M_HI<10^6 Msol. This gap may be explained by the ram pressure
stripping mechanism at work in this dense environment where all galaxies with
M_HI<10^7 Msol have been stripped of their gas. The required intergalactic
medium density to achieve this is ~10^-3 cm^-3.Comment: 7 figures, 2 table
High performance liquid chromatography of long-chain acylcarnitine and phospholipids in fatty acid turnover studies.
In this paper we describe a rapid, isocratic high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the study of radioactive fatty acid incorporation into complex lipids of human erythrocytes, which allows the simultaneous separation of the major phospholipid classes and long-chain acylcarnitines. The lipid extract of erythrocytes pulsed with radioactive fatty acids was injected into an HPLC system equipped with a silica column. The individual components eluted were monitored by ultraviolet absorption and radioactive emission. With respect to the UV profile, the radioactive profile showed an additional peak between phosphatidyl-choline and phosphatidylethanolamine, which was identified as long-chain acylcarnitine by different experimental approaches. The radioactivity recovered in the long-chain acylcarnitines contains essential information enabling definition of acyl trafficking in red cells
Isolation and molecular typing of Leishmania infantum from Phlebotomus perfiliewi in a reemerging focus of leishmaniasis, Northeastern Italy
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania (L.) infantum is a public health threat in the Emilia-Romagna region, northeastern Italy, but its epidemiology has not been fully elucidated in this area. The objective of this study was to characterize Leishmania infection in sand flies collected in a re-emerging focus of VL in the Bologna province. During the summer of 2016, 6114 sand flies were collected, identified, and tested for Leishmania detection. Of the identified sand flies, 96.5% were Phlebotomus (P.) perfiliewi and 3.5% were P. perniciosus. Detected parasites were characterized by biomolecular methods (multilocus microsatellite typing and characterization of repetitive region on chromosome 31), and quantified by real-time PCR. The prevalence of Leishmania infection in individually-tested P. perfiliewi sand flies varied from 6% to 10% with an increasing trend during the season. Promastigotes of L. infantum were isolated by dissection in one P. perfiliewi female; the isolated strain (Lein-pw) were closely related to Leishmania parasites from VL cases in northeastern Italy, but differed from strains isolated in dogs from the same area. Our findings strongly support the vector status of P. perfiliewi for human VL in the study area
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