3C 216: A Powerful FRII Seyfert 1 Galaxy

3C 216 has a weak accretion flow luminosity, well below the Seyfert1/QSO dividing line, weak broad emission lines (BELs) and powerful radio lobes. As a consequence of the extreme properties of 3C 216, it is the most convincing example known of an FR II radio source that is kinetically dominated: the jet kinetic luminosity, $Q$, is larger than the total thermal luminosity (IR to X-ray) of the accretion flow, $L_{bol}$. Using three independent estimators for the central black hole mass, we find that the jet in 3C 216 is very super-Eddington, $3.3 L_{Edd}<\bar{Q}< 10 L_{Edd}$, where $\bar{Q}$ is the long term time averaged $Q(t)$, calculated at 151 MHz. It is argued that 3C 216 satisfies the contemporaneous kinetically dominated condition, $R(t)\equiv Q(t)/L_{bol}(t)>1$, either presently or in the past based on the rarity of $L_{bol}>L_{Edd}$ quasars. The existence of $R(t)>1$ AGN is a strong constraint on the theory of the central engine of FRII radio sources

Probing the pc- and kpc-scale environment of the powerful radio galaxy Hercules A

We present the kpc-scale behaviour of the powerful extragalactic radio source Hercules A and the behaviour of the intracluster gas in which the radio source is situated. We have found that Hercules A exhibits a strong Laing-Garrington effect. The X-ray observations have revealed an extended X-ray emission elongated along the radio galaxy axis. The estimated temperature of the cluster is kT = 2.45 keV and the central electron density is no~7.8 x 10^(-3) cm^(-3) which reveals a hot, dense environment in which Hercules A is situated. From the combined study of the radio and X-ray data we have estimated a central value of 3<Bo (muG)<9. We also present the most recent results from the analysis of the radio data on the pc-scale structure of the radio galaxy, observed at 18 cm by the EVN-MERLIN array. A faint but compact radio source, coincident with the optical centre of Hercules A was detected by the EVN at 18 mas resolution. The total flux density of the EVN core is 14.6 mJy. Its angular size is 18 x 7 mas with a position angle of ~139 degrees. There is also evidence for extended emission in the NW-SE direction, most probably from the eastern pc-scale jet. If this is true then there is a misalignment between the direction of the pc-eastern and the aligned kpc-scale jets of ~35 degrees.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, Submitted to PAS

Characterization of a mouse cortical collecting duct cell line

Characterization of a mouse cortical collecting duct cell line. A cortical collecting duct (CCD) cell line has been developed from a mouse transgenic for the early region of simian virus 40, Tg(SV40E)Bri/7. CCDs were microdissected and placed on collagen gels. Monolayers were subsequently subcultured onto permeable collagen membranes and maintained in serum-supplemented medium. One line, designated M-1, retained many characteristics of the CCD, including a typical epithelial appearance and CCD-specific antigens. M-1 cells, when grown in monolayers on permeable supports, exhibited a high transepi-thelial resistance (885.7 ± 109.6 ohms/cm2) and developed a lumen negative transepithelial potential difference (PD) of -45.7 ± 3.5mV. The associated short-circuit current (SCC) averaged 71.8 ± 10.3 µA/cm2, and was reduced by 95% by luminal application of amiloride. The cultured cells responded to arginine vasopressin (AVP) with a significant increase in SCC. M-1 cells generated significant transepithelial solute gradients. After 24 hours incubation, the composition of the luminal (L) and basolateral (B) media (in mM) was: [Na+], L = 106.7 ± 0.9 and B = 127.4 ± 0.4; [K+], L = 8.6 ± 0.6 and B = 2.1 ± 0.3; [Cl], L = 68.6 ± 5.8 and B = 101.8 ± 6.6; [HCO3], L = 15.5 ± 1.5 and B = 8.6 ± 1.2; while pH was 7.16 ± 0.03 at the luminal and 6.94 ± 0.03 at the basolateral side. The formation of these concentration gradients indicates that the CCD cultures absorb Na+ and Cl- and secrete K+. Lactate accumulated predominantly at the basolateral side (L = 7.1 ± 0.44 and B = 17.5 ± 0.52 mM); osmotic concentration was 272 ± 1.4 at the luminal and 290 ±3.0 mOsm/kg at the basolateral side. These data demonstrate that the M-1 cell line retains many phenotypic properties of the CCD epithelium and thus should prove useful as a model in studying mechanisms of ion transport in this segment

The inner radio jet region and the complex environment of SS433

We present multi-frequency VLBA+VLA observations of SS433 at 1.6, 5 and 15 GHz. These observations provide the highest angular resolution radio spectral index maps ever made for this object. Motion of the components of SS433 during the observation is detected. In addition to the usual VLBI jet structure, we detect two radio components in the system at an anomalous position angle. These newly discovered radio emitting regions might be related to a wind-like equatorial outflow or to an extension of the accretion disk. We show that the radio core component is bifurcated with a clear gap between the eastern and western wings of emission. Modelfitting of the precessing jets and the moving knots of SS433 shows that the kinematic centre -- i.e. the binary -- is in the gap between the western and eastern radio core components. Spectral properties and observed core position shifts suggest that we see a combined effect of synchrotron self-absorption and external free-free absorption in the innermost AU-scale region of the source. The spatial distribution of the ionized matter is probably not spherically symmetric around the binary, but could be disk-like.Comment: Accepted for publication by Astronomy and Astrophysic

Does the Supreme Court Follow the Economic Returns? A Response to A Macrotheory of the Court

Today, there is a widespread idea that parents need to learn how to carry out their roles as parents. Practices of parental learning operate throughout society. This article deals with one particular practice of parental learning, namely nanny TV, and the way in which ideal parents are constructed through such programmes. The point of departure is SOS family, a series broadcast on Swedish television in 2008. Proceeding from the theorising of governmentality developed in the wake of the work of Michel Foucault, we analyse the parental ideals conveyed in the series, as an example of the way parents are constituted as subjects in the ‘advanced liberal society’ of today. The ideal parent is a subject who, guided by the coach, is constantly endeavouring to achieve a makeover. The objective of this endeavour, however, is self-control, whereby the parents will in the end become their own coaches.

Small RNA in the nucleus: the RNA-chromatin ping-pong

Eukaryotes use several classes of small RNA molecules to guide diverse protein machineries to target messenger RNA. The role of small RNA in post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA stability and translation is now well established. Small RNAs can also guide sequence-specific modification of chromatin structure and thus contribute to establishment and maintenance of distinct chromatin domains. In this review we summarize the model for the inter-dependent interaction between small RNA and chromatin that has emerged from studies on fission yeast and plants. We focus on recent results that link a distinct class of small RNAs, the piRNAs, to chromatin regulation in animals

To be or not to be a piRNA: genomic origin and processing of piRNAs

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) originate from genomic regions dubbed piRNA clusters. How cluster transcripts are selected for processing into piRNAs is not understood. We discuss evidence for the involvement of chromatin structure and maternally inherited piRNAs in determining their fate

Dense Packings of Congruent Circles in Rectangles with a Variable Aspect Ratio

We use computational experiments to find the rectangles of minimum area into which a given number n of non-overlapping congruent circles can be packed. No assumption is made on the shape of the rectangles. Most of the packings found have the usual regular square or hexagonal pattern. However, for 1495 values of n in the tested range n =< 5000, specifically, for n = 49, 61, 79, 97, 107,... 4999, we prove that the optimum cannot possibly be achieved by such regular arrangements. The evidence suggests that the limiting height-to-width ratio of rectangles containing an optimal hexagonal packing of circles tends to 2-sqrt(3) as n tends to infinity, if the limit exists.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figure