1862-08-30 Sergeant S.H. Down requests envelopes

https://digitalmaine.com/cw_me_2nd_regiment_corr/1464/thumbnail.jp

Quasar bolometric corrections: theoretical considerations

Bolometric corrections based on the optical-to-ultraviolet continuum spectrum of quasars are widely used to quantify their radiative output, although such estimates are affected by a myriad of uncertainties, such as the generally unknown line-of-sight angle to the central engine. In order to shed light on these issues, we investigate the state-of-the-art models of Hubeny et al. that describe the continuum spectrum of thin accretion discs and include relativistic effects. We explore the bolometric corrections as a function of mass accretion rates, black hole masses and viewing angles, restricted to the parameter space expected for type-1 quasars. We find that a nonlinear relationship log L_bol=A + B log(lambda L_lambda) with B<=0.9 is favoured by the models and becomes tighter as the wavelength decreases. We calculate from the model the bolometric corrections corresponding to the wavelengths lambda = 1450A, 3000A and 5100A. In particular, for lambda=3000A we find A=9.24 +- 0.77 and B=0.81 +- 0.02. We demonstrate that the often-made assumption that quasars emit isotropically may lead to severe systematic errors in the determination of L_bol, when using the method of integrating the "big blue bump" spectrum. For a typical viewing angle of ~30 degrees to the quasar central engine, we obtain that the value of L_bol resulting from the isotropy assumption has a systematic error of ~30% high compared to the value of L_bol which incorporates the anisotropic emission of the accretion disc. These results are of direct relevance to observational determinations of the bolometric luminosities of quasars, and may be used to improve such estimates.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Foresight and action learning supporting transition: An account of practice

Integrating foresight into corporations has proved to be challenging. This account of practice reports on the introduction of futures and foresight (FF) teaching content into an executive Masters programme. The FF contentwas further linked to and provided a background for action learning sets. The purpose was to identify how introducing distant time horizons would help participants to adapt and change their perspectives in problem solving and professional development. The report describes how FF was incorporated across the programme and used to develop insightful conversations in the action learning sets. Citing two case examples, the authors reflect on how participants responded to these new elements and offer insights into the value of introducing FF as an interdisciplinary element in a programme

Investigation of a bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane as a phenyl replacement within an LpPLA2 inhibitor

We describe the incorporation of a bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane moiety within two known LpPLA2 inhibitors to act as bioisosteric phenyl replacements. An efficient synthesis to the target compounds was enabled with a dichlorocarbene insertion into a bicyclo[1.1.0]butane system being the key transformation. Potency, physicochemical, and X-ray crystallographic data were obtained to compare the known inhibitors to their bioisosteric counterparts, which showed the isostere was well tolerated and positively impacted on the physicochemical profile

On structural properties of the value function for an unbounded jump Markov process with an application to a processor sharing retrial queue

The derivation of structural properties for unbounded jump Markov processes cannot be done using standard mathematical tools, since the analysis is hindered due to the fact that the system is not uniformizable. We present a promising technique, a smoothed rate truncation method, to overcome the limitations of standard techniques and allow for the derivation of structural properties. We introduce this technique by application to a processor sharing queue with impatient customers that can retry if they renege. We are interested in structural properties of the value function of the system as a function of the arrival rate

REDfly 2.0: an integrated database of cis-regulatory modules and transcription factor binding sites in Drosophila

The identification and study of the cis-regulatory elements that control gene expression are important areas of biological research, but few resources exist to facilitate large-scale bioinformatics studies of cis-regulation in metazoan species. Drosophila melanogaster, with its well-annotated genome, exceptional resources for comparative genomics and long history of experimental studies of transcriptional regulation, represents the ideal system for regulatory bioinformatics. We have merged two existing Drosophila resources, the REDfly database of cis-regulatory modules and the FlyReg database of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), into a single integrated database containing extensive annotation of empirically validated cis-regulatory modules and their constituent binding sites. With the enhanced functionality made possible through this integration of TFBS data into REDfly, together with additional improvements to the REDfly infrastructure, we have constructed a one-stop portal for Drosophila cis-regulatory data that will serve as a powerful resource for both computational and experimental studies of transcriptional regulation. REDfly is freely accessible at http://redfly.ccr.buffalo.edu

A functional methylome map of ulcerative colitis

The etiology of inflammatory bowel diseases is only partially explained by the current genetic risk map. It is hypothesized that environmental factors modulate the epigenetic landscape and thus contribute to disease susceptibility, manifestation, and progression. To test this, we analyzed DNA methylation (DNAm), a fundamental mechanism of epigenetic long-term modulation of gene expression. We report a three-layer epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) using intestinal biopsies from 10 monozygotic twin pairs (n = 20 individuals) discordant for manifestation of ulcerative colitis (UC). Genome-wide expression scans were generated using Affymetrix UG 133 Plus 2.0 arrays (layer 1). Genome-wide DNAm scans were carried out using Illumina 27k Infinium Bead Arrays to identify methylation variable positions (MVPs, layer 2), and MeDIP-chip on Nimblegen custom 385k Tiling Arrays to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs, layer 3). Identified MVPs and DMRs were validated in two independent patient populations by quantitative real-time PCR and bisulfite-pyrosequencing (n = 185). The EWAS identified 61 disease-associated loci harboring differential DNAm in cis of a differentially expressed transcript. All constitute novel candidate risk loci for UC not previously identified by GWAS. Among them are several that have been functionally implicated in inflammatory processes, e.g., complement factor CFI, the serine protease inhibitor SPINK4, and the adhesion molecule THY1 (also known as CD90). Our study design excludes nondisease inflammation as a cause of the identified changes in DNAm. This study represents the first replicated EWAS of UC integrated with transcriptional signatures in the affected tissue and demonstrates the power of EWAS to uncover unexplained disease risk and molecular events of disease manifestation

REDfly 2.0: an integrated database of cis-regulatory modules and transcription factor binding sites in Drosophila

The identification and study of the cis-regulatory elements that control gene expression are important areas of biological research, but few resources exist to facilitate large-scale bioinformatics studies of cis-regulation in metazoan species. Drosophila melanogaster, with its well-annotated genome, exceptional resources for comparative genomics and long history of experimental studies of transcriptional regulation, represents the ideal system for regulatory bioinformatics. We have merged two existing Drosophila resources, the REDfly database of cis-regulatory modules and the FlyReg database of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), into a single integrated database containing extensive annotation of empirically validated cis-regulatory modules and their constituent binding sites. With the enhanced functionality made possible through this integration of TFBS data into REDfly, together with additional improvements to the REDfly infrastructure, we have constructed a one-stop portal for Drosophila cis-regulatory data that will serve as a powerful resource for both computational and experimental studies of transcriptional regulation. REDfly is freely accessible at http://redfly.ccr.buffalo.edu