The kinematics of the most oxygen-poor planetary nebula PN G135.9+55.9

PN G135.9+55.9 is a compact, high excitation nebula that has been identified recently as the most oxygen-poor halo planetary nebula. Given its very peculiar characteristics and potential implications in the realms of stellar and Galactic evolution, additional data are needed to firmly establish its true nature and evolutionary history. Here we present the first long-slit, high spectral resolution observations of this object in the lines of H$\alpha$ and He II 4686. The position-velocity data are shown to be compatible with the interpretation of PN G135.9+55.9 being a halo planetary nebula. In both emission lines, we find the same two velocity components that characterize the kinematics as that of an expanding elliptical envelope. The kinematics is consistent with a prolate ellipsoidal model with axis ratio about 2:1, a radially decreasing emissivity distribution, a velocity distribution that is radial, and an expansion velocity of 30 km/s for the bulk of the material. To fit the observed line profiles, this model requires an asymmetric matter distribution, with the blue-shifted emission considerably stronger than the red-shifted emission. We find that the widths of the two velocity components are substantially wider than those expected due to thermal motions, but kinematic structure in the projected area covered by the slit appears to be sufficient to explain the line widths. The present data also rule out the possible presence of an accretion disk in the system that could have been responsible for a fraction of the H$\alpha$ flux, further supporting the planetary nebula nature of PN G135.9+55.9.Comment: accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic

Erupting Cataclysmic Variable Stars in the Nearest Globular Cluster, NGC 6397: Intermediate Polars?

NGC 6397 is the closest globular cluster, and hence the ideal place to search for faint stellar populations such as cataclysmic variables (CVs). HST and Chandra observers have identified nine certain and likely CVs in this nearby cluster, including several magnetic CV candidates. We have combined our recent UV imagery with archival HST images of NGC 6397 to search for new CV candidates and especially to look for dwarf nova-like eruptive events. We find remarkable and somewhat unexpected dwarf nova-like eruptions of the two well-known cataclysmic systems CV2 and CV3. These two objects have been claimed to be {\it magnetic} CVs, as indicated by their helium emission-line spectra. Magnetic fields in CVs are usually expected to prevent the disk instability that leads to dwarf nova eruptions. In fact, most field magnetic CVs are observed to not undergo eruptions. Our observations of the dwarf nova eruptions of CV2 and CV3 can be reconciled with these objects' HeII emission lines if both objects are infrequently-erupting intermediate polars, similar to EX Hya. If this is the case for most globular cluster CVs then we can reconcile the many X-ray and UV bright CV candidates seen by Chandra and HST with the very small numbers of erupting dwarf novae observed in cluster cores.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal. Two additional authors adde

RF Feedback and Detuning Studies for the BESSY Variable Pulse Length Storage Ring Higher Harmonic SC Cavities

For the feasibility of the BESSY VSR upgrade project of BESSY II two higher harmonic systems at a factor of 3 and 3.5 of the ring s RF fundamental of 500 MHz will be installed in the ring. Operating in continuous wave at high average accelerating field of 20 MV m and phased at zerocrossing, the superconducting cavities have to be detuned within tight margins to ensure stable operation and lowpower consumption at a loaded Q of 5 107. The field variation of the cavities is mainly driven by the repetitive transient beam loading of the envisaged complex bunch fill pattern in the ring. Within this work combined LLRF cavity and longitudinal beam dynamics simulation will demonstrate the limits for stable operation, especially the coupling between synchrotron oscillation and RF feedback settings. Further impact by beam current decay and top up injection shots are being simulate

Matching factorization theorems with an inverse-error weighting

We propose a new fast method to match factorization theorems applicable in different kinematical regions, such as the transverse-momentum-dependent and the collinear factorization theorems in Quantum Chromodynamics. At variance with well-known approaches relying on their simple addition and subsequent subtraction of double-counted contributions, ours simply builds on their weighting using the theory uncertainties deduced from the factorization theorems themselves. This allows us to estimate the unknown complete matched cross section from an inverse-error-weighted average. The method is simple and provides an evaluation of the theoretical uncertainty of the matched cross section associated with the uncertainties from the power corrections to the factorization theorems (additional uncertainties, such as the nonperturbative ones, should be added for a proper comparison with experimental data). Its usage is illustrated with several basic examples, such as Z boson, W boson, H0 boson and Drell–Yan lepton-pair production in hadronic collisions, and compared to the state-of-the-art Collins–Soper–Sterman subtraction scheme. It is also not limited to the transverse-momentum spectrum, and can straightforwardly be extended to match any (un)polarized cross section differential in other variables, including multi-differential measurements

Targeting Aquaporin Function:Potent Inhibition of Aquaglyceroporin-3 by a Gold-Based Compound

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane channels that conduct water and small solutes such as glycerol and are involved in many physiological functions. Aquaporin-based modulator drugs are predicted to be of broad potential utility in the treatment of several diseases. Until today few AQP inhibitors have been described as suitable candidates for clinical development. Here we report on the potent inhibition of AQP3 channels by gold(III) complexes screened on human red blood cells (hRBC) and AQP3-transfected PC12 cells by a stopped-flow method. Among the various metal compounds tested, Auphen is the most active on AQP3 (IC(50) = 0.8±0.08 µM in hRBC). Interestingly, the compound poorly affects the water permeability of AQP1. The mechanism of gold inhibition is related to the ability of Au(III) to interact with sulphydryls groups of proteins such as the thiolates of cysteine residues. Additional DFT and modeling studies on possible gold compound/AQP adducts provide a tentative description of the system at a molecular level. The mapping of the periplasmic surface of an homology model of human AQP3 evidenced the thiol group of Cys40 as a likely candidate for binding to gold(III) complexes. Moreover, the investigation of non-covalent binding of Au complexes by docking approaches revealed their preferential binding to AQP3 with respect to AQP1. The high selectivity and low concentration dependent inhibitory effect of Auphen (in the nanomolar range) together with its high water solubility makes the compound a suitable drug lead for future in vivo studies. These results may present novel metal-based scaffolds for AQP drug development

Genetic variability of a Bos taurus x Bos indicus cross population and validation of genomic regions influencing nematode resistance.

SIRGEALC. Resumo 305

Nematódeos resistentes a anti-helmíntico em rebanhos de ovinos e caprinos do estado do Ceará, Brasil.

Resumo: O controle do parasitismo por nematódeos gastrintestinais é feito basicamente com a utilização de anti-helmínticos. Falhas no controle são o primeiro sinal do aparecimento de resistência anti-helmíntica. A real situação da prevalência da resistência anti-helmíntica, em fazendas comerciais de criação de ovinos e caprinos no Brasil, é desconhecida. Esse experimento teve como objetivo, estimar a ocorrência de resistência ao oxfendazol, levamisol e ivermectina em propriedades comerciais de criação de ovinos e caprinos, na região do médio e baixo Jaguaribe, através do teste de redução na contagem de ovos nas fezes acompanhados de coproculturas. O trabalho foi realizado em 25 criações, sendo 16 de ovinos, 7 de caprinos e uma de ovinos e caprinos. Os dados obtidos foram analisados pelo programa estatístico RESO (1989). A prevalência de nematódeos resistentes ao oxfendazol, levamisol e ivermectina em ovinos foi de 88%, 41% e 59%, e em caprinos de 87,5%, 75% e 37,5%, respectivamente. Observou-se que o gênero Haemonchus foi o mais prevalente na população resistente a todos os anti-helmínticos, tanto em ovinos quanto em caprinos, seguido de Trichostrongylus e Oesophagostomum. [Nematodes resistant to anthelmintics in sheep and goat flock in the State of Ceará, Brazil]. ABSTRACT - The control of gastrointestinal nematodes parasitism is made basically with anthelmintics. Control failure is the first sign of anthelmintic resistance development. The actual situation of anthelmintic resistance prevalence in commercial farms of sheep and goats in Brazil is unknown. The aim of this work was to estimate the occurrence of oxfendazole, levamisole and ivermectin resistance in sheep and goats from medio and baixo Jaguaribe region by faecal egg count reduction followed by coprocultures. The work involved 25 farms (16 sheep farms, 7 goat farms and one of sheep and goats). Data were analysed by RESO (1989). The prevalence of resistant nematodes to oxfendazole, levamisole and ivermectin was respectively 88%, 41% and 59% in sheep and 87.5%, 75% and 37.5%, in goats. Haemonchus was the most prevalent genus in the resistant population to all anthelmintics in sheep and goats, followed by Trichostrongylus and Oesophagostomum

Gauge invariant definition of the jet quenching parameter

In the framework of Soft-Collinear Effective Theory, the jet quenching parameter, $\hat{q}$, has been evaluated by adding the effect of Glauber gluon interactions to the propagation of a highly-energetic collinear parton in a medium. The result, which holds in covariant gauges, has been expressed in terms of the expectation value of two Wilson lines stretching along the direction of the four-momentum of the parton. In this paper, we show how that expression can be generalized to an arbitrary gauge by the addition of transverse Wilson lines. The transverse Wilson lines are explicitly computed by resumming interactions of the parton with Glauber gluons that appear only in non-covariant gauges. As an application of our result, we discuss the contribution to $\hat{q}$ coming from transverse momenta of order $g^2T$ in a medium that is a weakly-coupled quark-gluon plasma.Comment: 31 pages, 7 figures; journal versio