Spectral Type and Radial Velocity Variations in Three SRC Variables

SRC variables are M supergiants, precursors to Type II supernovae, that vary in brightness with moderately regular periods of order 100-1000 days. Although identified as pulsating stars that obey their own period-luminosity relation, few have been examined in enough detail to follow the temperature and spectral changes that they undergo during their long cycles. The present study examines such changes for several SRC variables revealed by CCD spectra obtained at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) during 2005-2009, as well as by archival spectra from the DAO (and elsewhere) for some stars from the 1960s to 1980s, and Cambridge radial velocity spectrometer measures for Betelgeuse. Described here is our classification procedure and information on the spectral type and radial velocity changes in three of the stars. The results provide insights into the pulsation mechanism in M supergiants.Comment: To appear in the Odessa Variable Stars 2010 conference proceedings (see http://uavso.org.ua/?page=vs2010), edited by I. Andronov and V. Kovtyuk

Binary Star Orbits from Speckle Interferometry. VI. The Nearby Solar-Type Speckle-Spectroscopic Binary HR 6697

Interferometric, spectroscopic, astrometric, and photometric observations are presented for the nearby solar-type binary HR 6697. The system consists of a G0-2 V primary and a K2-S V secondary. From a combined solution of the speckle and spectroscopic data the orbital period is 881 days or 2.41 yr, the semimajor axis is 2.1 A.U., the eccentricity is 0.42, and the inclination is 68°. The masses and luminosities are 1.16±0.12 Msun, 0.77±0.05 Msun, 1.61±0.15 Lsun, and 0.17±0.05 Lsun. Two independent determinations of the parallax, a trigonometric parallax of 0 .0379±0 .0030, and an orbital parallax of 0 .0375±0 .0014, are in excellent agreement and give a mean distance of 26.6±0.9 pc. The system appears to be metal rich relative to the Sun, and space motions do not identify it with any moving group

A T8.5 Brown Dwarf Member of the Xi Ursae Majoris System

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer has revealed a T8.5 brown dwarf (WISE J111838.70+312537.9) that exhibits common proper motion with a solar-neighborhood (8 pc) quadruple star system - Xi Ursae Majoris. The angular separation is 8.5 arc-min, and the projected physical separation is about 4000 AU. The sub-solar metallicity and low chromospheric activity of Xi UMa A argue that the system has an age of at least 2 Gyr. The infrared luminosity and color of the brown dwarf suggests the mass of this companion ranges between 14 and 38 Jupiter masses for system ages of 2 and 8 Gyr respectively.Comment: AJ in press, 12 pages LaTeX with 6 figures. More astrometric data and a laser guide star adaptive optics image adde

Nasopharyngeal pneumococcal density is associated with viral activity but not with use of improved stoves among young Andean children

Indoor smoke exposure is common in developing countries and may influence nasopharyngeal (NP) pneumococcal colonization density and risk of acute respiratory illness. We compared colonization density among Andean children living in households previously enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a home intervention package including improved stoves to reduce smoke, kitchen sinks, and water disinfection.; We enrolled 260 children aged <3 years and made weekly household visits to assess for acute respiratory illness (ARI) and collect nasal swabs for respiratory virus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing during ARI. At monthly intervals, NP swabs were collected to determine pneumococcal colonization density through quantitative lytA PCR. We used linear quantile mixed-effects models to compare median log-transformed colonization densities among children in households randomized to the control (n = 129) versus intervention (n = 131) in sequential time points, accounting for random effects of multiple="multiple" samples from individual children. Other covariates included age, sex, month, antibiotic exposure, and timing of sample collection relative to ARI with and without viral detection.; Age and sociodemographic characteristics were similar between groups. Although no differences were observed in densities between groups, colonization density varied significantly over time in both groups, with highest densities coinciding with spring months. Time during and after virus-associated ARI was also associated with higher pneumococcal colonization density than time remote from ARIs.; A home intervention package, including improved stoves, was not associated with changes in pneumococcal densities in young Andean children. However, increasing pneumococcal density was observed with spring season and viral-associated ARIs

Diaryl- and triaryl-pyrrole derivatives:Inhibitors of the MDM2-p53 and MDMX-p53 protein-protein interactions

Screening identified 2-(3-((4,6-dioxo-2-thioxotetrahydropyrimidin-5(2H)-ylidene)methyl)-2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene-3-carbonitrile as an MDM2–p53 inhibitor (IC(50) = 12.3 μM). MDM2–p53 and MDMX–p53 activity was seen for 5-((1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrrol-3-yl)methylene)-2-thioxodihydropyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione (MDM2 IC(50) = 0.11 μM; MDMX IC(50) = 4.2 μM) and 5-((1-(4-nitrophenyl)-2,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrrol-3-yl)methylene)pyrimidine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione (MDM2 IC(50) = 0.15 μM; MDMX IC(50) = 4.2 μM), and cellular activity consistent with p53 activation in MDM2 amplified cells. Further SAR studies demonstrated the requirement for the triarylpyrrole moiety for MDMX–p53 activity but not for MDM2–p53 inhibition

The Grizzly, October 31, 1986

NCAA Drug Tests Bar All but Natural Highs • History in the Making: U.C. Hosts 1st Big Rock Concert Since Hooters \u2782 • Heefner Organ Pumps New Life Into Founder\u27s Day Rites • Letter: It\u27s All in Your Point of View • Hess Encourages Financial Aid Applicants • Jazzing It Up With Branker • Scope of New Course Broadens Science Offerings • Fear of Mosquitoes and Sex? AIDS Expert Tells What\u27s Next • Akin Follows Losing Teams; Laments Vanished Baseball Dream • C & C to Focus on Scientific and Economic Ideologies • Despite Bad Food and Lack of Beer Freshman Say, We Like It Here. • Grizzlies Clash with Stubborn Mules After Kicking Away at G-burg and \u27Nova • Lady Sticklers Stuck at 8-7 After St. Joe\u27s Loss • Sox Go Home Sans Joy Red Cross(e) Knight Named Series MVP • O\u27Donohue and Haux Power Lady Runners to PAIAW Championship • Ursinus Harries Race to a 5-0 Start • Volleyball\u27s Doleniak Back in Action • Win a VCR. Put Your Foot Where Your Mouth ishttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1173/thumbnail.jp

Multifocal demyelinating motor neuropathy and hamartoma syndrome associated with a de novo PTEN mutation.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient with a multifocal demyelinating motor neuropathy with onset in childhood and a mutation in phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a tumor suppressor gene associated with inherited tumor susceptibility conditions, macrocephaly, autism, ataxia, tremor, and epilepsy. Functional implications of this protein have been investigated in Parkinson and Alzheimer diseases. METHODS: We performed whole-exome sequencing in the patient's genomic DNA validated by Sanger sequencing. Immunoblotting, in vitro enzymatic assay, and label-free shotgun proteomic profiling were performed in the patient's fibroblasts. RESULTS: The predominant clinical presentation of the patient was a childhood onset, asymmetric progressive multifocal motor neuropathy. In addition, he presented with macrocephaly, autism spectrum disorder, and skin hamartomas, considered as clinical criteria for PTEN-related hamartoma tumor syndrome. Extensive tumor screening did not detect any malignancies. We detected a novel de novo heterozygous c.269T>C, p.(Phe90Ser) PTEN variant, which was absent in both parents. The pathogenicity of the variant is supported by altered expression of several PTEN-associated proteins involved in tumorigenesis. Moreover, fibroblasts showed a defect in catalytic activity of PTEN against the secondary substrate, phosphatidylinositol 3,4-trisphosphate. In support of our findings, focal hypermyelination leading to peripheral neuropathy has been reported in PTEN-deficient mice. CONCLUSION: We describe a novel phenotype, PTEN-associated multifocal demyelinating motor neuropathy with a skin hamartoma syndrome. A similar mechanism may potentially underlie other forms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease with involvement of the phosphatidylinositol pathway