13 research outputs found
Deconvolution of Images from BLAST 2005: Insight into the K3-50 and IC 5146 Star-Forming Regions
We present an implementation of the iterative flux-conserving Lucy-Richardson
(L-R) deconvolution method of image restoration for maps produced by the
Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST). We have analyzed
its performance and convergence extensively through simulations and
cross-correlations of the deconvolved images with available highresolution
maps. We present new science results from two BLAST surveys, in the Galactic
regions K3-50 and IC 5146, further demonstrating the benefits of performing
this deconvolution.
We have resolved three clumps within a radius of 4.'5 inside the star-forming
molecular cloud containing K3-50. Combining the well-resolved dust emission map
with available multi-wavelength data, we have constrained the Spectral Energy
Distributions (SEDs) of five clumps to obtain masses (M), bolometric
luminosities (L), and dust temperatures (T). The L-M diagram has been used as a
diagnostic tool to estimate the evolutionary stages of the clumps. There are
close relationships between dust continuum emission and both 21-cm radio
continuum and 12CO molecular line emission.
The restored extended large scale structures in the Northern Streamer of IC
5146 have a strong spatial correlation with both SCUBA and high resolution
extinction images. A dust temperature of 12 K has been obtained for the central
filament. We report physical properties of ten compact sources, including six
associated protostars, by fitting SEDs to multi-wavelength data. All of these
compact sources are still quite cold (typical temperature below ~ 16 K) and are
above the critical Bonner-Ebert mass. They have associated low-power Young
Stellar Objects (YSOs). Further evidence for starless clumps has also been
found in the IC 5146 region.Comment: 13 pages, 12 Figures, 3 Table
Prediction of near-term climate change impacts on UK wheat quality and the potential for adaptation through plant breeding
Wheat is a major crop worldwide, mainly cultivated for human consumption and animal feed. Grain quality is paramount in determining its value and downstream use. While we know that climate change threatens global crop yields, a better understanding of impacts on wheat end-use quality is also critical. Combining quantitative genetics with climate model outputs, we investigated UK-wide trends in genotypic adaptation for wheat quality traits. In our approach, we augmented genomic prediction models with environmental characterisation of field trials to predict trait values and climate effects in historical field trial data between 2001 and 2020. Addition of environmental covariates, such as temperature and rainfall, successfully enabled prediction of genotype by environment interactions (G Ă E), and increased prediction accuracy of most traits for new genotypes in new year cross validation. We then extended predictions from these models to much larger numbers of simulated environments using climate scenarios projected under Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 for 2050â2069. We found geographically varying climate change impacts on wheat quality due to contrasting associations between specific weather covariables and quality traits across the UK. Notably, negative impacts on quality traits were predicted in the East of the UK due to increased summer temperatures while the climate in the North and South-west may become more favourable with increased summer temperatures. Furthermore, by projecting 167,040 simulated future genotypeâenvironment combinations, we found only limited potential for breeding to exploit predictable G Ă E to mitigate year-to-year environmental variability for most traits except Hagberg falling number. This suggests low adaptability of current UK wheat germplasm across future UK climates. More generally, approaches demonstrated here will be critical to enable adaptation of global crops to near-term climate change
Rust expression browser: an open source database for simultaneous analysis of host and pathogen gene expression profiles with expVIP
BackgroundTranscriptomics is being increasingly applied to generate new insight into the interactions between plants and their pathogens. For the wheat yellow (stripe) rust pathogen (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, Pst) RNA-based sequencing (RNA-Seq) has proved particularly valuable, overcoming the barriers associated with its obligate biotrophic nature. This includes the application of RNA-Seq approaches to study Pst and wheat gene expression dynamics over time and the Pst population composition through the use of a novel RNA-Seq based surveillance approach called "field pathogenomics". As a dual RNA-Seq approach, the field pathogenomics technique also provides gene expression data from the host, giving new insight into host responses. However, this has created a wealth of data for interrogation.ResultsHere, we used the field pathogenomics approach to generate 538 new RNA-Seq datasets from Pst-infected field wheat samples, doubling the amount of transcriptomics data available for this important pathosystem. We then analysed these datasets alongside 66 RNA-Seq datasets from four Pst infection time-courses and 420 Pst-infected plant field and laboratory samples that were publicly available. A database of gene expression values for Pst and wheat was generated for each of these 1024 RNA-Seq datasets and incorporated into the development of the rust expression browser (http://www.rust-expression.com). This enables for the first time simultaneous 'point-and-click' access to gene expression profiles for Pst and its wheat host and represents the largest database of processed RNA-Seq datasets available for any of the three Puccinia wheat rust pathogens. We also demonstrated the utility of the browser through investigation of expression of putative Pst virulence genes over time and examined the host plants response to Pst infection.ConclusionsThe rust expression browser offers immense value to the wider community, facilitating data sharing and transparency and the underlying database can be continually expanded as more datasets become publicly available
Evidence for Environmental Changes in the Submillimeter Dust Opacity
The submillimeter opacity of dust in the diffuse Galactic interstellar medium
(ISM) has been quantified using a pixel-by-pixel correlation of images of
continuum emission with a proxy for column density. We used three BLAST bands
at 250, 350, and 500 \mu m and one IRAS at 100 \mu m. The proxy is the
near-infrared color excess, E(J-Ks), obtained from 2MASS. Based on observations
of stars, we show how well this color excess is correlated with the total
hydrogen column density for regions of moderate extinction. The ratio of
emission to column density, the emissivity, is then known from the
correlations, as a function of frequency. The spectral distribution of this
emissivity can be fit by a modified blackbody, whence the characteristic dust
temperature T and the desired opacity \sigma_e(1200) at 1200 GHz can be
obtained. We have analyzed 14 regions near the Galactic plane toward the Vela
molecular cloud, mostly selected to avoid regions of high column density (N_H >
10^{22} cm^-2) and small enough to ensure a uniform T. We find \sigma_e(1200)
is typically 2 to 4 x 10^{-25} cm^2/H and thus about 2 to 4 times larger than
the average value in the local high Galactic latitude diffuse atomic ISM. This
is strong evidence for grain evolution. There is a range in total power per H
nucleon absorbed (re-radiated) by the dust, reflecting changes in the
interstellar radiation field and/or the dust absorption opacity. These changes
affect the equilibrium T, which is typically 15 K, colder than at high
latitudes. Our analysis extends, to higher opacity and lower T, the trend of
increasing opacity with decreasing T that was found at high latitudes. The
recognition of changes in the emission opacity raises a cautionary flag because
all column densities deduced from dust emission maps, and the masses of compact
structures within them, depend inversely on the value adopted.Comment: Original version (22 Dec 2011): 14 pages, 8 figures. Revised version
(24 February 2012) accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal (14
March 2012): elaborated details of analysis, extended discussion including
new Appendix; abstract, results, conclusions unchanged. 16 pages, 9 figure
Synthetic and structural investigations of alkali metal diamine bis(phenolate) complexes
Empowerment of Whom and for What? Financial Literacy Education and the New Regulation of Consumer Financial Services
Financial regulators in many states recently have obtained statuory mandates to enhance consumer financial literacy. This paper investicages the development of policy pursuant to such mandates in the UK and Canada to identify how national regulators in both countries represent financial market place. It finds that regulators in both countries represent financial education as empowerment and responsible consumer behaviour. The paper rekates the tension between empowerment and responsibilization aspects of literacy enhancement to policy goals of expectations of protection. It raises questions about regulators' use of consumer education to responsiblize consumption of financial products and calls for further research on the international growth of financial literacy education as a regulatory project
Sex Inclusive Research Framework (SIRF): an evaluation tool to assess whether an in vivo research proposal follows the sex inclusive research philosophy.
A new, interactive framework supports the evaluation of in vivo and ex vivo research proposals from a sex inclusive research perspective delivering a traffic light classification, indicating whether a proposal is appropriate, risky, or insufficient with regards to sex inclusion. This tool is designed for use by researchers, (animal) ethical review boards, and funders to generate a rigorous and reproducible assessment of sex inclusion at the proposal level, thus helping address the embedded sex bias in preclinical research
The synthesis and characterisation of a magnesium amine bis(phenolate) complex as a potential initiator for the ring-opening polymerisation of cyclic esters
The synthesis, solid-state and solution structure of a magnesium amine bis(phenolate) complex [Mg{(O-2,4-tBu2C6H2-6-CH2N(Me)CH2}2(C6H5CH3)1.5]2 4-Mg is reported. The complex was prepared by combining MgBu2 with an equimolar amount of the parent bis(aminophenol) at ambient temperature in toluene. In the solid-state, the complex exists as a dimer. Each Mg centre is five-coordinate â bonding to one ÎŒ1[sbnd]O, two ÎŒ2[sbnd]O and two N moieties. NMR spectroscopy indicates that the solid-state structure is maintained in solution. Complex 4-Mg was investigated as a catalyst for ring opening polymerisation (ROP) of Δ-caprolactone and L-lactide at both ambient and elevated temperatures, but was shown to be inactive, presumably as a direct result of the high steric bulk of the amine bis(phenolate) ligand