Modeling the 2010 blast wave of the symbiotic-like nova V407 Cygni

(Abridged) The symbiotic-like binary Mira and nova V407 Cyg was observed in outburst on March 2010 and monitored in several wavelength bands. Here we report on multi-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations describing the 2010 outburst of V407 Cyg, exploring the first 60 days of evolution. The model takes into account thermal conduction and radiative cooling; the pre-explosion system conditions included the companion star and a circumbinary density enhancement. The simulations showed that the blast and the ejecta distribution are both aspherical due to the inhomogeneous circumstellar medium in which they expand; in particular they are significantly collimated in polar directions (producing a bipolar shock morphology) if the circumstellar envelope is characterized by an equatorial density enhancement. The blast is partially shielded by the Mira companion, producing a wake with dense and hot post-shock plasma on the rear side of the companion star; most of the X-ray emission produced during the evolution of the blast arises from this plasma structure. The observed X-ray lightcurve can be reproduced, assuming values of outburst energy and ejected mass similar to those of RS Oph and U Sco, if a circumbinary gas density enhancement is included in the model. In this case, the 2010 blast propagated through a circumbinary gas density enhancement with radius of the order of 40 AU and gas density \approx 10^6 cm^{-3} and the mass of ejecta in the outburst was M_{ej} \approx 2\times 10^{-7} M_{\odot} with an explosion energy E_{0} \approx 2\times 10^{44} erg. Alternatively, the model can produce a similar X-ray lightcurve without the need of a circumbinary gas density enhancement only if the outburst energy and ejected mass were similar to those at the upper end of ranges for classical novae, namely M_{ej} \approx 5\times 10^{-5} M_{\odot} and E_{0} \approx 5\times 10^{46} erg.Comment: 10 pages, 6 Figures; accepted for publication on MNRAS. Version with full resolution images can be found at http://www.astropa.unipa.it/~orlando/PREPRINTS/sorlando_v407cyg.pd

Land Use Mapping Using Constrained Monte Carlo Methods

We present a flexible, automated, Bayesian method designed for broad scale land use mapping. The method is based on a Monte Carlo Markov Chain and integrates a number of sources of ancillary data. It produces a probability density over a finite set of land use classes that can be used directly in further analyses or to classify individual pixels. The method assumes a multi- nomial prior over the possible land use types, and uses agricultural statistics to form stochastic constraints over the total area allocated to each land use within a region. A supervised learner is then used to allocate pixels within the region, while respecting the constraints. We then extend this method in three ways. First, supplementary mapping is used to form further constraints over subsets of the original land use classes. Second, two spatial models are considered; the first considers the use of partially labelled pixels, where the labels are based on the current state of the Markov Chain, and the second assumes a Markov Random Field. Third, the form of the prior is relaxed, and the method extended to allow the creation of a time series of maps using either cascade or compound classification techniques. The methods are benchmarked against the probabilistic classifier upon which they are built and simple Bayesian modifications to the raw classifier that incorporate the same data. The techniques are demonstrated and assessed using Australian data generated by a national Land Use (LU) mapping program and show promise in many of the test regions we consider

50 ANOS DA RESTAURAÇÃO DO DIACONATO PERMANENTE NA ARQUIDIOCESE DE BELÉM: CRISTO SERVO NA CARIDADE E NA PALAVRA

Com o presente trabalho, buscou-se identificar e analisar a restauração do diaconato permanente efetuada pelo Concílio Ecumênico Vaticano II, na Arquidiocese de Belém. Inicia com uma breve retrospectiva histórica, e os motivos de sua restauração pelo Concílio Ecumênico Vaticano II, as questões de sua identidade teológica e a especificidade de sua tarefa ministerial. Na Arquidiocese de Belém, em 2019, completam-se 50 anos de restauração do diaconato permanente como grau próprio. Atualmente, cento e quarenta e quatro diáconos permanentes estão incardinados, em sessenta e uma paróquias e reitorias da Arquidiocese. E estão em formação na Escola Diaconal Santo Efrém, cento e treze candidatos em três turmas. Através deste trabalho, concluiu-se, que a Arquidiocese de Belém está buscando consolidar o diaconato permanente, através de sua distribuição em 68% das paróquias. Consciente que os diáconos permanentes, apresentam uma consciência madura e harmônica sobre o serviço à Igreja e os deveres familiares, a receptividade positiva por parte das comunidades, e indícios de maturidade na fé, sobretudo pelas experiências de disponibilidade, caridade e responsabilidade nos três âmbitos profissional, familiar e eclesial. 50 YEARS OF THE RESTORATION OF THE PERMANENT DIACONATE IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BELÉM: Christ Servant in Charity and in the WordABSTRACTThe present work sought to identify and analyze the restoration of the permanent diaconate effected by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council in the Archdiocese of Belém. It begins with a brief historical retrospective and the reasons for its restoration by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, the questions of its theological identity and the specificity of its ministerial task. In the Archdiocese of Belém, in 2019, 50 years of restoration of the permanent diaconate are complete as a proper degree. Currently, one hundred and forty-four permanent deacons are incardinated in sixty-one parishes and rectory of the Archdiocese. In addition, they are in formation at the Santo Efrém Diaconal School, one hundred and thirteen candidates in three classes. Through this work, it was concluded that the Archdiocese of Belém is seeking to consolidate the permanent diaconate through its distribution in 68% of the parishes. Aware that the permanent deacons present a mature and harmonious conscience about the service to the Church and the duties positive receptivity on the part of the communities, and signs of maturity in the faith, above all by the experiences of availability, charity and responsibility in the three professional, family and ecclesial spheres.Keywords: 1 Diakonia. 2 Deacon. 3 Service. 4 Catholic Churc

Combined Hybridization Capture and Shotgun Sequencing for Ancient DNA Analysis of Extinct Wild and Domestic Dromedary Camel

The performance of hybridization capture combined with next-generation sequencing (NGS) has seen limited investigation with samples from hot and arid regions until now. We applied hybridization capture and shotgun sequencing to recover DNA sequences from bone specimens of ancient-domestic dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) and its extinct ancestor, the wild dromedary from Jordan, Syria, Turkey and the Arabian Peninsula, respectively. Our results show that hybridization capture increased the percentage of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) recovery by an average 187-fold and in some cases yielded virtually complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes at multifold coverage in a single capture experiment. Furthermore, we tested the effect of hybridization temperature and time by using a touchdown approach on a limited number of samples. We observed no significant difference in the number of unique dromedary mtDNA reads retrieved with the standard capture compared to the touchdown method. In total, we obtained 14 partial mitochondrial genomes from ancient-domestic dromedaries with 17–95% length coverage and 1.27–47.1-fold read depths for the covered regions. Using whole-genome shotgun sequencing, we successfully recovered endogenous dromedary nuclear DNA (nuDNA) from domestic and wild dromedary specimens with 1–1.06-fold read depths for covered regions. Our results highlight that despite recent methodological advances, obtaining ancient DNA (aDNA) from specimens recovered from hot, arid environments is still problematic. Hybridization protocols require specific optimization, and samples at the limit of DNA preservation need multiple replications of DNA extraction and hybridization capture as has been shown previously for Middle Pleistocene specimens

The efficacy of high-throughput sequencing and target enrichment on charred archaeobotanical remains

The majority of archaeological plant material is preserved in a charred state. Obtaining reliable ancient DNA data from these remains has presented challenges due to high rates of nucleotide damage, short DNA fragment lengths, low endogenous DNA content and the potential for modern contamination. It has been suggested that high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies coupled with DNA enrichment techniques may overcome some of these limitations. Here we report the findings of HTS and target enrichment on four important archaeological crops (barley, grape, maize and rice) performed in three different laboratories, presenting the largest HTS assessment of charred archaeobotanical specimens to date. Rigorous analysis of our data-excluding false-positives due to background contamination or incorrect index assignments-indicated a lack of endogenous DNA in nearly all samples, except for one lightly-charred maize cob. Even with target enrichment, this sample failed to yield adequate data required to address fundamental questions in archaeology and biology. We further reanalysed part of an existing dataset on charred plant material, and found all purported endogenous DNA sequences were likely to be spurious. We suggest these technologies are not suitable for use with charred archaeobotanicals and urge great caution when interpreting data obtained by HTS of these remains

Urbanisation generates multiple trait syndromes for terrestrial animal taxa worldwide

Cities can host significant biological diversity. Yet, urbanisation leads to the loss of habitats, species, and functional groups. Understanding how multiple taxa respond to urbanisation globally is essential to promote and conserve biodiversity in cities. Using a dataset encompassing six terrestrial faunal taxa (amphibians, bats, bees, birds, carabid beetles and reptiles) across 379 cities on 6 continents, we show that urbanisation produces taxon-specific changes in trait composition, with traits related to reproductive strategy showing the strongest response. Our findings suggest that urbanisation results in four trait syndromes (mobile generalists, site specialists, central place foragers, and mobile specialists), with resources associated with reproduction and diet likely driving patterns in traits associated with mobility and body size. Functional diversity measures showed varied responses, leading to shifts in trait space likely driven by critical resource distribution and abundance, and taxon-specific trait syndromes. Maximising opportunities to support taxa with different urban trait syndromes should be pivotal in conservation and management programmes within and among cities. This will reduce the likelihood of biotic homogenisation and helps ensure that urban environments have the capacity to respond to future challenges. These actions are critical to reframe the role of cities in global biodiversity loss.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

B-Cyclin/CDKs Regulate Mitotic Spindle Assembly by Phosphorylating Kinesins-5 in Budding Yeast

Although it has been known for many years that B-cyclin/CDK complexes regulate the assembly of the mitotic spindle and entry into mitosis, the full complement of relevant CDK targets has not been identified. It has previously been shown in a variety of model systems that B-type cyclin/CDK complexes, kinesin-5 motors, and the SCFCdc4 ubiquitin ligase are required for the separation of spindle poles and assembly of a bipolar spindle. It has been suggested that, in budding yeast, B-type cyclin/CDK (Clb/Cdc28) complexes promote spindle pole separation by inhibiting the degradation of the kinesins-5 Kip1 and Cin8 by the anaphase-promoting complex (APCCdh1). We have determined, however, that the Kip1 and Cin8 proteins are present at wild-type levels in the absence of Clb/Cdc28 kinase activity. Here, we show that Kip1 and Cin8 are in vitro targets of Clb2/Cdc28 and that the mutation of conserved CDK phosphorylation sites on Kip1 inhibits spindle pole separation without affecting the protein's in vivo localization or abundance. Mass spectrometry analysis confirms that two CDK sites in the tail domain of Kip1 are phosphorylated in vivo. In addition, we have determined that Sic1, a Clb/Cdc28-specific inhibitor, is the SCFCdc4 target that inhibits spindle pole separation in cells lacking functional Cdc4. Based on these findings, we propose that Clb/Cdc28 drives spindle pole separation by direct phosphorylation of kinesin-5 motors

Daughter-Specific Transcription Factors Regulate Cell Size Control in Budding Yeast

The asymmetric localization of cell fate determinants results in asymmetric cell cycle control in budding yeast

Allee Effect Limits Colonization Success of Sexually Reproducing Zooplankton

Understanding the dynamics of populations at low density and the role of Allee effects is a priority due to concern about the decline of rare species and interest in colonization/invasion dynamics. Despite well-developed theory and observational support, experimental examinations of the Allee effect in natural systems are rare, partly because of logistical difficulties associated with experiments at low population density. We took advantage of fish introduction and removal in alpine lakes to experimentally test for the Allee effect at the whole-ecosystem scale. The large copepod Hesperodiaptomus shoshone is often extirpated from the water column by fish and sometimes fails to recover following fish disappearance, despite the presence of a long-lived egg bank. Population growth rate of this dioecious species may be limited by mate encounter rate, such that below some critical density a colonizing population will fail to establish. We conducted a multi-lake experiment in which H. shoshone was stocked at densities that bracketed our hypothesized critical density of 0.5–5 copoepods/m3. Successful recovery by the copepod was observed only in the lake with the highest initial density (3 copepods/m3). Copepods stocked into small cages at 3000 copepods/m3 survived and reproduced at rates comparable to natural populations, confirming that the lakes were suitable habitat for this species. In support of mate limitation as the mechanism underlying recovery failure, we found a significant positive relationship between mating success and density across experimental and natural H. shoshone populations. Furthermore, a mesocosm experiment provided evidence of increased per capita population growth rate with increasing population density in another diaptomid species, Skistodiaptomus pallidus. Together, these lines of evidence support the importance of the Allee effect to population recovery of H. shoshone in the Sierra Nevada, and to diaptomid copepods in general

Stress hormone masculinizes female morphology and behaviour

Sex steroids play major roles in vertebrate sexual differentiation. Unexpectedly, we now find that exposure to elevated levels of the naturally occurring stress hormone cortisol can also masculinize sexually dimorphic morphological characters and behaviour in adult female mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) in a dose-dependent manner. Females masculinized by cortisol developed elongated anal fins with distal tip features similar to those of mature males. Most masculinized females also attempted to copulate when placed with normal females. Although the mechanism of masculinization is currently unknown, we propose a role for an enzyme that both inactivates cortisol and catalyzes the final step in synthesis of a major teleost androgen. This mechanism may also help explain some previously reported effects of stress on sexual development across vertebrate taxa. Our findings underscore the need to understand the full range of chemicals, both naturally occurring hormones and human-produced endocrine disruptors, that can influence sexual differentiation and reproductive function