On the implications of the radio and X-ray pulsar in the Supernova Remnant MSH 15-52

Comparison of the X-ray nebulosity surrounding the X-ray and radio pulsar in the shell-type SNR MSH 15-52 with the Crab nebula leads to an initial period for the pulsar ~ 70 ms. The association of the pulsar with the shell remnant confirms the validity of the ∑-t approach in determining the ages of young SNRs using historical calibrators

Flow-cytometric Analysis of Bacillus anthracis Spores

Flow-cytometric technique has been established as a powerful tool for detection andidentification of microbiological agents. Unambiguous and rapid detection of Bacillus anthracisspores has been reported using immunoglobulin G-fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate againstlive spores. In addition to the high sensitivity, the present technique could differentiate betweenspores of closely related species, eg, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis using fluorescenceintensity. The technique can be used for detection of live as well as inactivated spores makingit more congenial for screening of suspected samples of bioterrorism

Solar Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Nowadays the availability of electric vehicles are more. The major cause for adaption of the electric vehicles is to reduce the Co2.This technology offers existing opportunities to the developing countries in the equatorial region. Where the concentration of solar energy is high. Most of the electric vehicles are charged by electrical grid powered by coal and oil, which produce significant amount of Co2. Charging of electric vehicles will reduce Co2. As plug in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles ownership is expanding there will be a need of charging station which supports for faster charging at high voltages and current so that vehicle can be used for long distance

On the Origin of the Wide HI Absorption Line Toward Sgr A*

We have imaged a region of about 5' extent surrounding Sgr A* in the HI 21 cm-line absorption using the Very Large Array. A Gaussian decomposition of the optical depth spectra at positions within about 2' (approx. 5 pc at 8.5 kpc) of Sgr A* detects a wide line underlying the many narrow absorption lines. The wide line has a mean peak optical depth of 0.32 +/- 0.12 centered at a mean velocity of V(lsr) = -4 +/- 15 km/s. The mean full width at half maximum is 119 +/- 42 km/s. Such a wide line is absent in the spectra at positions beyond about 2' from Sgr A*. The position-velocity diagrams in optical depth reveal that the wide line originates in various components of the circumnuclear disk (radius approx. 1.3') surrounding Sgr A*. These components contribute to the optical depth of the wide line in different velocity ranges. The position-velocity diagrams do not reveal any diffuse feature which could be attributed to a large number of HI clouds along the line of sight to Sgr A*. Consequently, the wide line has no implications either to a global population of shocked HI clouds in the Galaxy or to the energetics of the interstellar medium as was earlier thought.Comment: LaTeX, 12 pages and 9 figures, accepted for publication in J. Astrophys. Ast

A study of diffuse radio sources and X-ray emission in six massive clusters

The goal of this study is to extend our current knowledge of the diffuse radio source (halo and relic) populations to z > 0.3. Here, we report GMRT and EVLA radio observations of six galaxy clusters taken from the MAssive Cluster Survey (MACS) catalogue to detect diffuse radio emission. We used archival GMRT (150, 235, and 610 MHz) and EVLA (L band) data and made images at multiple radio frequencies of the following six clusters – MACSJ0417.5−1154, MACSJ1131.8−1955, MACSJ0308.9+2645, MACSJ2243.3−0935, MACSJ2228.5+2036, and MACSJ0358.8−2955. We detect diffuse radio emission (halo or relic, or both) in the first four clusters. In the last two clusters, we do not detect any diffuse radio emission but we put stringent upper limits on their radio powers. We also use archival Chandra X-ray data to carry out morphology and substructure analysis of these clusters. We find that based on X-ray data, these MACS clusters are non-relaxed and show substructures in their temperature distribution. The radio powers of the first four MACS clusters are consistent with their expected values in the LX–P1.4 GHz plot. However, we found ultrasteep spectrum radio halo in the MACSJ0417.5−1154 cluster whose rest-frame cut-off frequency is at ∼900 MHz. The remaining two clusters whose radio powers are ∼11 times below the expected values are most likely to be in the ‘off-state’ as has been postulated in some of the models of radio halo formation

The Cross Section of 3He(3He,2p)4He measured at Solar Energies

We report on the results of the \hethet\ experiment at the underground accelerator facility LUNA (Gran Sasso). For the first time the lowest projectile energies utilized for the cross section measurement correspond to energies below the center of the solar Gamow peak ($E_{\rm 0}$=22 keV). The data provide no evidence for the existence of a hypothetical resonance in the energy range investigated. Although no extrapolation is needed anymore (except for energies at the low-energy tail of the Gamow peak), the data must be corrected for the effects of electron screening, clearly observed the first time for the \hethet\ reaction. The effects are however larger than expected and not understood, leading presently to the largest uncertainty on the quoted $S_{\rm b}(E_{\rm 0})$ value for bare nuclides (=5.40 MeV b).Comment: 18 pages, 10 postscript figures, Calculations concerning hypothetical resonanz added, Submitted to Phys. Rev. C., available at this URL: HTTP://www.lngs.infn.it/lngs/htexts/luna/luna.htm

A High Galactic Latitude HI 21cm-line Absorption Survey using the GMRT: I. Observations and Spectra

We have used the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) to measure the Galactic HI 21-cm line absorption towards 102 extragalactic radio continuum sources, located at high (|b| >15deg.) Galactic latitudes. The Declination coverage of the present survey is Decl. ~ -45deg.. With a mean rms optical depth of ~0.003, this is the most sensitive Galactic HI 21-cm line absorption survey to date. To supplement the absorption data, we have extracted the HI 21-cm line emission profiles towards these 102 lines of sight from the Leiden Dwingeloo Survey of Galactic neutral hydrogen. We have carried out a Gaussian fitting analysis to identify the discrete absorption and emission components in these profiles. In this paper, we present the spectra and the components. A subsequent paper will discuss the interpretation of these results.Comment: 46 pages, Accepted for publication in Journal of Astrophysics & Astronom

Paraoxonase 2 protein is spatially expressed in the human placenta and selectively reduced in labour

Humans parturition involves interaction of hormonal, neurological, mechanical stretch and inflammatory pathways and the placenta plays a crucial role. The paraoxonases (PONs 1–3) protect against oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation, modulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress and regulation of apoptosis. Nothing is known about the role of PON2 in the placenta and labour. Since PON2 plays a role in oxidative stress and inflammation, both features of labour, we hypothesised that placental PON2 expression would alter during labour. PON2 was examined in placentas obtained from women who delivered by cesarean section and were not in labour and compared to the equivalent zone of placentas obtained from women who delivered vaginally following an uncomplicated labour. Samples were obtained from 12 sites within each placenta: 4 equally spaced apart pieces were sampled from the inner, middle and outer placental regions. PON2 expression was investigated by Western blotting and real time PCR. Two PON2 forms, one at 62 kDa and one at 43 kDa were found in all samples. No difference in protein expression of either isoform was found between the three sites in either the labour or non-labour group. At the middle site there was a highly significant decrease in PON2 expression in the labour group when compared to the non-labour group for both the 62 kDa form (p = 0.02) and the 43 kDa form (p = 0.006). No spatial differences were found within placentas at the mRNA level in either labour or non-labour. There was, paradoxically, an increase in PON2 mRNA in the labour group at the middle site only. This is the first report to describe changes in PON2 in the placenta in labour. The physiological and pathological significance of these remains to be elucidated but since PON2 is anti-inflammatory further studies are warranted to understand its role

The HI content of the Eridanus group of galaxies

The HI content of galaxies in the Eridanus group is studied using the GMRT observations and the HIPASS data. A significant HI deficiency up to a factor of 2-3 is observed in galaxies in the high galaxy density regions. The HI deficiency in galaxies is observed to be directly correlated with the local projected galaxy density, and inversely correlated with the line-of-sight radial velocity. Furthermore, galaxies with larger optical diameters are predominantly in the lower galaxy density regions. It is suggested that the HI deficiency in Eridanus is due to tidal interactions. In some galaxies, evidences of tidal interactions are seen. An important implication is that significant evolution of galaxies can take place in the group environment. In the hierarchical way of formation of clusters via mergers of groups, a fraction of the observed HI deficiency in clusters could have originated in groups. The co-existence of S0's and severely HI deficient galaxies in the Eridanus group suggests that galaxy harassment is likely to be an effective mechanism for transforming spirals to S0's.Comment: 21 pages; Accepted for publication in Journal of Astroph. & Astron. March, 200

Sources of the Radio Background Considered

We investigate different scenarios for the origin of the extragalactic radio background. The surface brightness of the background, as reported by the ARCADE 2 collaboration, is several times higher than that which would result from currently observed radio sources. We consider contributions to the background from diffuse synchrotron emission from clusters and the intergalactic medium, previously unrecognized flux from low surface brightness regions of radio sources, and faint point sources below the flux limit of existing surveys. By examining radio source counts available in the literature, we conclude that most of the radio background is produced by radio point sources that dominate at sub microJy fluxes. We show that a truly diffuse background produced by electrons far from galaxes is ruled out because such energetic electrons would overproduce the obserevd X-ray/gamma-ray background through inverse Compton scattering of the other photon fields. Unrecognized flux from low surface brightness regions of extended radio sources, or moderate flux sources missed entirely by radio source count surveys, cannot explain the bulk of the observed background, but may contribute as much as 10 per cent. We consider both radio supernovae and radio quiet quasars as candidate sources for the background, and show that both fail to produce it at the observed level because of insufficient number of objects and total flux, although radio quiet quasars contribute at the level of at least a few percent. We conclude that if the radio background is at the level reported, a majority of the total surface brightness would have to be produced by ordinary starforming galaxies above redshift 1 characterized by an evolving radio far-infrared correlation, which changes toward the radio loud with redshift.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, 1 table; MNRAS accepted and in press, (previously submitted ApJ but withdrawn before review