Simulating multiple merger pathways to the central kinematics of early-type galaxies

Two-dimensional integral field surveys such as ATLAS^3D are producing rich observational data sets yielding insights into galaxy formation. These new kinematic observations have highlighted the need to understand the evolutionary mechanisms leading to a spectrum of fast-rotators and slow-rotators in early-type galaxies. We address the formation of slow and fast rotators through a series of controlled, comprehensive hydrodynamical simulations sampling idealized galaxy merger scenarios constructed from model spiral galaxies. Idealized and controlled simulations of this sort complement the more 'realistic' cosmological simulations by isolating and analyzing the effects of specific parameters, as we do in this paper. We recreate minor and major binary mergers, binary merger trees with multiple progenitors, and multiple sequential mergers. Within each of these categories of formation history, we correlate progenitor gas fraction, mass ratio, orbital pericenter, orbital ellipticity, and spin with remnant kinematic properties. We create kinematic profiles of these 95 simulations comparable to ATLAS^3D data. By constructing remnant profiles of the projected specific angular momentum (lambda_R = / , triaxiality, and measuring the incidences of kinematic twists and kinematically decoupled cores, we distinguish between varying formation scenarios. We find that binary mergers nearly always form fast rotators. Slow rotators can be formed from zero initial angular momentum configurations and gas-poor mergers, but are not as round as the ATLAS^3D galaxies. Remnants of binary merger trees are triaxial slow rotators. Sequential mergers form round slow rotators that most resemble the ATLAS^3D rotators.Comment: MNRAS, in press, 12 pages, 15 figure

The Educational Encounter-Storytelling of Successful African American and Latino Immigrant Male High School Graduates

The purpose of this study was to study the academic and professional success of African American and Latino Immigrant Males and how to understand how this success can be useful in helping young African American and Latino Immigrant young men attain similar levels of success. This study aimed at learning of any challenges or barriers these young men faced throughout their high school journey. Through individual interviews, the researchers tried to learn about commonalities among the participants in regards to challenges, motivators, and any other factors that helped them achieve the academic success throughout their high school career and that led to them becoming professional members of society. By triangulating the data collected through the individual interviews with survey results, the researchers were able to identify common themes among the participants. The first phase of the study consisted of advertising the study throughout various locations in the Palm Beach County to select a group of participants that met the characteristics needed to participate in this research. The participants had to be African American or Latino Immigrant Males, high school graduation, and currently employed. After the selection of the participants, individual interviews were recorded and transcribed. The second phase of this study, consisted of identifying common themes from the individual interviews to develop a Likert Scale Survey (LSS). The participants were emailed the LSS and given ample time to respond. The LSS results, provided rankings on a scale from 1 to 10 on the themes from least influential (1) to most influential (10). The LSS results, identified role models and positive home environment as two of the most influential aspects throughout their high school journey that played a role in their success. However, other themes not as influential throughout high school for these participants was extracurricular activities, positive school environment, low socioeconomic status, access to high level courses, and self (intrinsic)-motivation

Lipase catalysed kinetic resolutions of 3-aryl alkanoic acids

Hydrolase catalysed kinetic resolutions leading to a series of 3-aryl alkanoic acids (≥94% ee) is described. Hydrolysis of the ethyl esters with a series of hydrolases was undertaken to identify biocatalysts that yield the corresponding acids with excellent enantiopurity in each case. Steric and electronic effects on the efficiency and enantioselectivity of the biocatalytic transformation was also explored

Low-Silica and High-Calcium Stone in the Newman Limestone (Mississippian) on Pine Mountain, Harlan County, Southeastern Kentucky

The coal industry of Kentucky is an important market for limestone. Coal producers use limestone as rock dust for explosion abatement in underground coal mines and as a neutralizing agent in surface-mine reclamation and acid-drainage control. Crushed stone is also used for constructing and maintaining haulage roads. In the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field, the coal-bearing rocks of Pennsylvanian age generally do not contain limestones that are thick enough to quarry or mine economically. But movement on the Pine Mountain overthrust fault has brought the Newman Limestone (Mississippian) to the surface along Pine Mountain in the southeastern part of the coal field. The Newman on Pine Mountain in Harlan County was sampled at 1-foot intervals to determine its chemical quality and potential for industrial use, particular as low-silica rock dust. The sampled section contains two zones of low-silica stone, 64 and 25 feet thick, averaging 0.82 and 1.01 percent silica (SiO2), respectively. Intervals of high-calcium limestone are present in the low-silica zones. These deposits are potentially suitable for use as rock dust in underground coal mines and as neutralizing agents in surface-mine reclamation and acid-drainage control. The intervals of chemically pure stone in Harlan County may be sufficiently thick to produce by selective quarrying or underground mining. Exploitation of the Newman deposits, however, will be complicated by the steep southeastward to southward dip (13 to 42°) of the beds, displacement along small faults within the limestone, and fracturing

Stereoselective Transaminase-Mediated Synthesis of Serotonin and Melatonin Receptor Agonists

Transaminase enzymes have significant potential for the stereoselective synthesis of drugs or drug precursors. Here, starting from one prochiral β-tetralone, a short and efficient chemoenzymatic synthesis of four agonists of the serotonin/melatonin receptors have been developed. The key step is the stereoselective transamination of the prochiral ketone to produce both enantiomers of 8-methoxy-2-aminotetraline in high yields and enantiomeric excesses. This was followed by either amidation to give the 8-methoxy-2-acetimidotetralines or several facile chemical steps to the 8-hydroxy-2-aminodipropyltetralines

Measurements of Salinity in the Coastal Ocean: A Review of Requirements and Technologies

Salinity, a measure of the dissolved salts in seawater, is a fundamental property of seawater and basic to understanding biological and physical processes in coastal waters. In the open ocean long term salinity measurements are identified as necessary to understand global climate studies, hydrological cycle, and circulation. In the coastal oceans, information on salinity is critical to understanding biological effects on ecosystem function such as disease, nursery grounds, or harmful algal blooms and on physical processes such as freshwater runoff estuarine mixing, and coastal currents. While the importance of salinity is recognized, little attention has been given to making routine measurements as to the location and frequency of such measurements. These issues were addressed in a workshop concerned with salinity measurements in coastal oceans, requirements for such, and measurment technology

Rational design of a (S)-selective-transaminase for asymmetric synthesis of (1S)-1-(1,1′-biphenyl-2-yl)ethanamine

Amine transaminases offer an environmentally sustainable synthesis route for the production of pure chiral amines. However, their catalytic efficiency toward bulky ketone substrates is greatly limited by steric hindrance and therefore presents a great challenge for industrial synthetic applications. We hereby report an example of rational transaminase enzyme design to help alleviate these challenges. Starting from the Vibrio fluvialis amine transaminase that has no detectable catalytic activity toward the bulky aromatic ketone 2-acetylbiphenyl, we employed a rational design strategy combining in silico and in vitro studies to engineer the transaminase enzyme with a minimal number of mutations, achieving an high catalytic activity and high enantioselectivity. We found that, by introducing two mutations W57G/R415A, detectable enzyme activity was achieved. The rationally designed variant, W57F/R88H/V153S/K163F/I259M/R415A/V422A, showed an improvement in reaction rate by more than 1716-fold toward the bulky ketone under study, producing the corresponding enantiomeric pure (S)-amine (enantiomeric excess (ee) value of >99%)