Constraining global properties of the Draco dwarf spheroidal galaxy

By fitting a flexible stellar anisotropy model to the observed surface brightness and line-of-sight velocity dispersion profiles of Draco we derive a sequence of cosmologically plausible two-component (stars + dark matter) models for this galaxy. The models are consistent with all the available observations and can have either cuspy Navarro-Frenk-White or flat-cored dark matter density profiles. The dark matter halos either formed relatively recently (at z~2...7) and are massive (up to ~5x10^9 M_Sun), or formed before the end of the reionization of the universe (z~7...11) and are less massive (down to ~7x10^7 M_Sun). Our results thus support either of the two popular solutions of the "missing satellites" problem of Lambda cold dark matter cosmology - that dwarf spheroidals are either very massive, or very old. We carry out high-resolution simulations of the tidal evolution of our two-component Draco models in the potential of the Milky Way. The results of our simulations suggest that the observable properties of Draco have not been appreciably affected by the Galactic tides after 10 Gyr of evolution. We rule out Draco being a "tidal dwarf" - a tidally disrupted dwarf galaxy. Almost radial Draco orbits (with the pericentric distance <15 kpc) are also ruled out by our analysis. The case of a harmonic dark matter core can be consistent with observations only for a very limited choice of Draco orbits (with the apocentric-to-pericentric distances ratio of <2.5).Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures; accepted by Ap

Models of Individual Blue Stragglers

This chapter describes the current state of models of individual blue stragglers. Stellar collisions, binary mergers (or coalescence), and partial or ongoing mass transfer have all been studied in some detail. The products of stellar collisions retain memory of their parent stars and are not fully mixed. Very high initial rotation rates must be reduced by an unknown process to allow the stars to collapse to the main sequence. The more massive collision products have shorter lifetimes than normal stars of the same mass, while products between low mass stars are long-lived and look very much like normal stars of their mass. Mass transfer can result in a merger, or can produce another binary system with a blue straggler and the remnant of the original primary. The products of binary mass transfer cover a larger portion of the colour-magnitude diagram than collision products for two reasons: there are more possible configurations which produce blue stragglers, and there are differing contributions to the blended light of the system. The effects of rotation may be substantial in both collision and merger products, and could result in significant mixing unless angular momentum is lost shortly after the formation event. Surface abundances may provide ways to distinguish between the formation mechanisms, but care must be taking to model the various mixing mechanisms properly before drawing strong conclusions. Avenues for future work are outlined.Comment: Chapter 12, in Ecology of Blue Straggler Stars, H.M.J. Boffin, G. Carraro & G. Beccari (Eds), Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springe

Long Term Failure in Compacted Clay Slopes

The results of field, laboratory, and analytical investigations of recurring slope failures along the Mississippi River Levee are presented. Observations from slide trenching operations are described. Laboratory measured shear strengths are compared to effective strengths at failure back-calculated for two slides. Factors influencing the long term behavior of the levee materials and the mechanism of failure are discussed

Identifying new antiepileptic drugs through genomics-based drug repurposing

Currently available antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) fail to control seizures in 30% of patients. Genomics-based drug repurposing (GBR) offers the potential of savings in the time and cost of developing new AEDs. In the current study, we used published data and software to identify the transcriptomic signature of chornic temporal lobe epilepsy and the drugs that reverse it. After filtering out compounds based on exclusion criteria, such as toxicity, 36 drugs were retained. 11 of the 36 drugs identified (&gt;30%) have published evidence of the antiepileptic efficacy (for example, curcumin) or antiepileptogenic affect (for example, atorvastatin) in recognised rodent models or patients. By objectively annotating all ∼20,000 compounds in the LINCS database as either having published evidence of antiepileptic efficacy or lacking such evidence, we demonstrated that our set of repurposable drugs is ∼6-fold more enriched with drugs having published evidence of antiepileptic efficacy in animal models than expected by chance (P-value &lt;0.006). Further, we showed that another of our GBR-identified drugs, the commonly-used well-tolerated antihyperglycemic sitagliptin, produces a dose-dependent reduction in seizures in a mouse model of pharmacoresistant epilepsy. In conclusion, GBR successfully identifies compounds with antiepileptic efficacy in animal models and, hence, it is an appealing methodology for the discovery of potential AEDs

Double Blue Straggler sequences in GCs: the case of NGC 362

We used high-quality images acquired with the WFC3 on board the HST to probe the blue straggler star (BSS) population of the Galactic globular cluster NGC 362. We have found two distinct sequences of BSS: this is the second case, after M 30, where such a feature has been observed. Indeed the BSS location, their extension in magnitude and color and their radial distribution within the cluster nicely resemble those observed in M 30, thus suggesting that the same interpretative scenario can be applied: the red BSS sub-population is generated by mass transfer binaries, the blue one by collisions. The discovery of four new W UMa stars, three of which lying along the red-BSS sequence, further supports this scenario. We also found that the inner portion of the density profile deviates from a King model and is well reproduced by either a mild power-law (\alpha -0.2) or a double King profile. This feature supports the hypothesis that the cluster is currently undergoing the core collapse phase. Moreover, the BSS radial distribution shows a central peak and monotonically decreases outward without any evidence of an external rising branch. This evidence is a further indication of the advanced dynamical age of NGC 362: in fact, together with M 30, NGC 362 belongs to the family of dynamically old clusters (Family III) in the "dynamical clock" classification proposed by Ferraro et al. (2012). The observational evidence presented here strengthens the possible connection between the existence of a double BSS sequence and a quite advanced dynamical status of the parent cluster.Comment: Accepted for publication by ApJ; 39 pages, 16 figures, 1 tabl

Discovery of Carbon/Oxygen depleted Blue Straggler Stars in 47 Tucanae: the chemical signature of a mass-transfer formation process

We use high-resolution spectra obtained with the ESO Very Large Telescope to measure surface abundance patterns of 43 Blue Stragglers stars (BSS) in 47 Tuc. We discovered that a sub-population of BSS shows a significant depletion of Carbon and Oxygen with respect to the dominant population. This evidence would suggest the presence of CNO burning products on the BSS surface coming from a deeply peeled parent star, as expected in the case of mass-transfer process. This is the first detection of a chemical signature clearly pointing to a specific BSS formation process in a globular cluster.Comment: Published on 2006, August 10, in ApJ 647, L5

Genetic maps of Saccharum officinarum L. and Saccharum robustum Brandes & Jew ex grassl.

Genetic analysis was performed in a population composed of 100 F1 individuals derived from a cross between a cultivated sugarcane (S. officinarum La Purple) and its proposed progenitor species (S. robustum "Mol 5829'). Various types (arbitrarily primed-PCR, RFLPs, and AFLPs) of single-dose DNA markers (SDMs) were used to construct genetic linkage maps to both species. The LA Purple map was composed of 341 SDMs, spanning 74 linkage groups and 1.881 cM, white the Mol 5829 map contained 301 SDMs, spanning 65 linkage gropus and 1,189 cM, Transmission genetics in these two species showed incomplete polysomy based on the detection of 15% of SDMs linked in repulsion in LA Purple and 13% of these in Mol 5829. Because of this incomplete polysomy, multiple-dose markers could not be mapped for lack of a genetic model for their segregation. Due to inclusion of RFLP anchor probes, conserved in related species, the resulting maps will serve as useful tools for breeding, ecology, evolution, and molecular biology studies within the Andropogoneae

Stellar Collisions and the Interior Structure of Blue Stragglers

Collisions of main sequence stars occur frequently in dense star clusters. In open and globular clusters, these collisions produce merger remnants that may be observed as blue stragglers. Detailed theoretical models of this process require lengthy hydrodynamic computations in three dimensions. However, a less computationally expensive approach, which we present here, is to approximate the merger process (including shock heating, hydrodynamic mixing, mass ejection, and angular momentum transfer) with simple algorithms based on conservation laws and a basic qualitative understanding of the hydrodynamics. These algorithms have been fine tuned through comparisons with the results of our previous hydrodynamic simulations. We find that the thermodynamic and chemical composition profiles of our simple models agree very well with those from recent SPH (smoothed particle hydrodynamics) calculations of stellar collisions, and the subsequent stellar evolution of our simple models also matches closely that of the more accurate hydrodynamic models. Our algorithms have been implemented in an easy to use software package, which we are making publicly available (see http://vassun.vassar.edu/~lombardi/mmas/). This software could be used in combination with realistic dynamical simulations of star clusters that must take into account stellar collisions.Comment: This revised version has 37 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables; submitted to ApJ; for associated software package, see http://vassun.vassar.edu/~lombardi/mmas/ This revised version presents additional comparisons with SPH results and slightly improved merger recipe

Developing a Mindfulness-Based Program for Infant Schools: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Initial Effects

Growing evidence points to the success of mindfulness for supporting the well-being of older children in schools; less is known about the effects with younger schoolchildren. This study sought to test the feasibility and acceptability of a program of mindfulness-based activities with a nonclinical sample of young children within a school setting. In addition, the impact of the program on measures of attention, inhibition, well-being, and mindfulness were assessed. A 4-week program of mindfulness-based activities was delivered within a classroom of 26 children, age 6 to 7 years. The program was feasible to implement and acceptable to the majority of participants. Outcomes assessed at four time points (baseline, pre-, postintervention, and follow-up) demonstrated mixed effects. Sustained attention significantly increased postintervention and inhibition increased significantly during the baseline and intervention period. There was no change in well-being and mindfulness. Limitations on measurements are considered in light of the findings; appropriate measures of mindfulness and well-being need to be developed for this age group

The Chemical Evolution of Helium in Globular Clusters: Implications for the Self-Pollution Scenario

We investigate the suggestion that there are stellar populations in some globular clusters with enhanced helium (Y from 0.28 to 0.40) compared to the primordial value. We assume that a previous generation of massive Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars have polluted the cluster. Two independent sets of AGB yields are used to follow the evolution of helium and CNO using a Salpeter initial mass function (IMF) and two top-heavy IMFs. In no case are we able to produce the postulated large Y ~ 0.35 without violating the observational constraint that the CNO content is nearly constant.Comment: accepted for publication in Ap