2,340 research outputs found
Measuring microsatellite conservation in mammalian evolution with a phylogenetic birth-death model.
Microsatellites make up ∼3% of the human genome, and there is increasing evidence that some microsatellites can have important functions and can be conserved by selection. To investigate this conservation, we performed a genome-wide analysis of human microsatellites and measured their conservation using a binary character birth--death model on a mammalian phylogeny. Using a maximum likelihood method to estimate birth and death rates for different types of microsatellites, we show that the rates at which microsatellites are gained and lost in mammals depend on their sequence composition, length, and position in the genome. Additionally, we use a mixture model to account for unequal death rates among microsatellites across the human genome. We use this model to assign a probability-based conservation score to each microsatellite. We found that microsatellites near the transcription start sites of genes are often highly conserved, and that distance from a microsatellite to the nearest transcription start site is a good predictor of the microsatellite conservation score. An analysis of gene ontology terms for genes that contain microsatellites near their transcription start site reveals that regulatory genes involved in growth and development are highly enriched with conserved microsatellites
Disentangling the spatial substructure of Cygnus OB2 from Gaia DR2
© 2019 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical SocietyFor the first time, we have explored the spatial substructure of the Cygnus OB2 association using parallaxes from the recent second Gaia data release. We find significant line-of-sight substructure within the association, which we quantify using a parametrized model that reproduces the observed parallax distribution. This inference approach is necessary due to the non-linearity of the parallax distance transformation and the asymmetry of the resulting probability distribution. Using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo ensemble sampler and an unbinned maximum likelihood test, we identify two different stellar groups superposed on the association. We find the main Cygnus OB2 group at ∼1760 pc, further away than recent estimates have envisaged, and a foreground group at ∼1350 pc. We also calculate individual membership probabilities and identify outliers as possible non-members of the association.Peer reviewe
Rotational Mixing in Magellanic Clouds B Stars - Theory versus Observation
We have used VLT FLAMES data to constrain the uncertain physics of rotational
mixing in stellar evolution models. We have simulated a population of single
stars and find two groups of observed stars that cannot be explained: (1) a
group of fast rotating stars which do not show evidence for rotational mixing
and (2) a group of slow rotators with strong N enrichment. Binary effects and
fossil magnetic fields may be considered to explain those two groups. We
suggest that the element boron could be used to distinguish between rotational
mixing and the binary scenario. Our single star population simulations quantify
the expected amount of boron in fast and slow rotators and allow a comparison
with measured nitrogen and boron abundances in B-stars.Comment: to appear in Comm. in Astroseismology - Contribution to the
Proceedings of the 38th LIAC, 200
The nature of B supergiants: clues from a steep drop in rotation rates at 22000 K. The possibility of Bi-stability braking
The location of B supergiants in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD)
represents a long-standing problem in massive star evolution. Here we propose
their nature may be revealed utilising their rotational properties, and we
highlight a steep drop in massive star rotation rates at an effective
temperature of 22000 K. We discuss two potential explanations for it. On the
one hand, the feature might be due to the end of the main sequence, which could
potentially constrain the core overshooting parameter. On the other hand, the
feature might be the result of enhanced mass loss at the predicted location of
the bi-stability jump. We term this effect "bi-stability breaking" and discuss
its potential consequences for the evolution of massive stars.Comment: Accepted by A&A Letters (4 pages, 5 figures); typos correcte
A census of massive stars in NGC 346. Stellar parameters and rotational velocities
Spectroscopy for 247 stars towards the young cluster NGC 346 in the Small
Magellanic Cloud has been combined with that for 116 targets from the
VLT-FLAMES Survey of Massive Stars. Spectral classification yields a sample of
47 O-type and 287 B-type spectra, while radial-velocity variations and/or
spectral multiplicity have been used to identify 45 candidate single-lined
systems, 17 double-lined systems, and one triple-lined system. Atmospheric
parameters (T and log) and projected rotational velocities
(sin) have been estimated using TLUSTY model atmospheres; independent
estimates of sin were also obtained using a Fourier Transform method.
Luminosities have been inferred from stellar apparent magnitudes and used in
conjunction with the T and sin estimates to constrain stellar
masses and ages using the BONNSAI package. We find that targets towards the
inner region of NGC 346 have higher median masses and projected rotational
velocities, together with smaller median ages than the rest of the sample.
There appears to be a population of very young targets with ages of less than 2
Myr, which have presumably all formed within the cluster. The more massive
targets are found to have lower sin consistent with previous studies.
No significant evidence is found for differences with metallicity in the
stellar rotational velocities of early-type stars, although the targets in the
SMC may rotate faster than those in young Galactic clusters. The rotational
velocity distribution for single non-supergiant B-type stars is inferred and
implies that a significant number have low rotational velocity (10\%
with <40 km/s), together with a peak in the probability distribution at
300 km/s. Larger projected rotational velocity estimates have been
found for our Be-type sample and imply that most have rotational velocities
between 200-450 km/s.Comment: Accepted by A&
C II abundances in early-type stars: solution to a notorious non-LTE problem
We address a long-standing discrepancy between non-LTE analyses of the
prominent C II 4267 and 6578/82 A multiplets in early-type stars. A
comprehensive non-LTE model atom of C II is constructed based on critically
selected atomic data. This model atom is used for an abundance study of six
apparently slow-rotating main-sequence and giant early B-type stars.
High-resolution and high-S/N spectra allow us to derive highly consistent
abundances not only from the classical features but also from up to 18 further
C II lines in the visual - including two so far unreported emission features
equally well reproduced in non-LTE. These results require the stellar
atmospheric parameters to be determined with care. A homogeneous (slightly)
sub-solar present-day carbon abundance from young stars in the solar vicinity
(in associations and in the field) of log C/H +12= 8.29+/-0.03 is indicated.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
Resolved Kinematics of Runaway and Field OB Stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud
We use GAIA DR2 proper motions of the RIOTS4 field OB stars in the Small
Magellanic Cloud (SMC) to study the kinematics of runaway stars. The data
reveal that the SMC Wing has a systemic peculiar motion relative to the SMC Bar
of (v_RA, v_Dec) = (62 +/-7, -18+/-5) km/s and relative radial velocity +4.5
+/- 5.0 km/s. This unambiguously demonstrates that these two regions are
kinematically distinct: the Wing is moving away from the Bar, and towards the
Large Magellanic Cloud with a 3-D velocity of 64 +/- 10 km/s. This is
consistent with models for a recent, direct collision between the Clouds. We
present transverse velocity distributions for our field OB stars, confirming
that unbound runaways comprise on the order of half our sample, possibly more.
Using eclipsing binaries and double-lined spectroscopic binaries as tracers of
dynamically ejected runaways, and high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) as tracers
of runaways accelerated by supernova kicks, we find significant contributions
from both populations. The data suggest that HMXBs have lower velocity
dispersion relative to dynamically ejected binaries, consistent with the former
corresponding to less energetic supernova kicks that failed to unbind the
components. Evidence suggests that our fast runaways are dominated by
dynamical, rather than supernova, ejections.Comment: Accepted to ApJ Letters. 10 pages, 4 figure
Socioeconomic Status and Parental Perceived Social Support in Relation to Health-Related Quality of Life in Youth with Spina Bifida
Spina bifida (SB) is a congenital birth defect causing a wide variance of physical and intellectual disabilities. The first objective of this study was to examine SES and parental perceived support as predictors of HRQoL among youth with SB. It was hypothesized that lower SES would predict lower youth HRQoL, and higher parental perceived support would predict higher youth HRQOL. The second objective of this study was to examine parental perceived support as a moderator of the association between SES and youth HRQoL. Parental perceived support was hypothesized to serve as a buffer of the negative impact that low SES has on HRQoL. Results indicated significant effects of SES on school, physical, and total HRQoL subscales when covariates were not included. In addition, parental perceptions of social support from family members were significantly associated with Emotional HRQoL in youth with SB. There was a significant interaction between SES and parental perceived support from friends predicting youth Social HRQoL. However, post-hoc simple slope analyses were not significant. This study works to expand the understanding of the roles of SES and parental perceived social support on the HRQoL in children with SB, a population susceptible to poor quality of life due to the physical and cognitive challenges commonly associated with this condition
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