1,796 research outputs found
The AMBRE Project: searching for the closest solar siblings
Finding solar siblings, that is, stars that formed in the same cluster as the
Sun, will yield information about the conditions at the Sun's birthplace. We
search for solar sibling candidates in AMBRE, the very large spectra database
of solar vicinity stars. Since the ages and chemical abundances of solar
siblings are very similar to those of the Sun, we carried out a chemistry- and
age-based search for solar sibling candidates. We used high-resolution spectra
to derive precise stellar parameters and chemical abundances of the stars. We
used these spectroscopic parameters together with Gaia DR2 astrometric data to
derive stellar isochronal ages. Gaia data were also used to study the
kinematics of the sibling candidates. From the about 17000 stars that are
characterized within the AMBRE project, we first selected 55 stars whose
metallicities are closest to the solar value (-0.1 < [Fe/H] < 0.1 dex). For
these stars we derived precise chemical abundances of several iron-peak, alpha-
and neutron-capture elements, based on which we selected 12 solar sibling
candidates with average abundances and metallicities between -0.03 to 0.03 dex.
Our further selection left us with 4 candidates with stellar ages that are
compatible with the solar age within observational uncertainties. For the 2 of
the hottest candidates, we derived the carbon isotopic ratios, which are
compatible with the solar value. HD186302 is the most precisely characterized
and probably the most probable candidate of our 4 best candidates. Very precise
chemical characterization and age estimation is necessary to identify solar
siblings. We propose that in addition to typical chemical tagging, the study of
isotopic ratios can give further important information about the relation of
sibling candidates with the Sun. Ideally, asteroseismic age determinations of
the candidates could solve the problem of imprecise isochronal ages.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Liver-related events and mortality among elderly patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C treated with direct-acting antivirals
BACKGROUND: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are effective in patients aged >/=65 years. However, little is known about the effects of DAAs on survival, liver decompensation and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of liver-related events and mortality between patients aged >/=65 and /=65 and /=65 and 380 aged /=65 years treated with DAAs seems to be secondary to non-liver-related causes. These results support the utilization of DAAs in patients aged >/=65 years
Comparative analysis of the fecal microbiota from different species of domesticated and wild suids
This study was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) from the Spanish Government (grant number AGL2016-78160-C2-1-R). The authors are also grateful to the Centres de Recerca de Catalunya (CERCA) Programme and Global Alliance for Research on African swine fever (GARA). The authors thank Frederic Paboeuf and Audrey Fougeroux for providing SPF and domestic pig samples.Most of the microorganisms living in a symbiotic relationship in different animal body sites (microbiota) reside in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Several studies have shown that the microbiota is involved in host susceptibilities to pathogens. The fecal microbiota of domestic and wild suids was analyzed. Bacterial communities were determined from feces obtained from domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) raised under different conditions: specific-pathogen-free (SPF) pigs and domestic pigs from the same bred, and indigenous domestic pigs from a backyard farm in Kenya. Secondly, the fecal microbiota composition of the African swine fever (ASF) resistant warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) from Africa and a European zoo was determined. African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease for domestic pigs. African animals showed the highest microbial diversity while the SPF pigs the lowest. Analysis of the core microbiota from warthogs (resistant to ASF) and pigs (susceptible to ASF) showed 45 shared OTUs, while 6 OTUs were exclusively present in resistant animals. These six OTUs were members of the Moraxellaceae family, Pseudomonadales order and Paludibacter, Anaeroplasma, Petrimonas, and Moraxella genera. Further characterization of these microbial communities should be performed to determine the potential involvement in ASF resistance
The Gaia-ESO Survey : The analysis of high-resolution UVES spectra of FGK-type stars
Date of Acceptance: 01/09/2014Context. The ongoing Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey is using FLAMES at the VLT to obtain high-quality medium-resolution Giraffe spectra for about 105 stars and high-resolution UVES spectra for about 5000 stars. With UVES, the Survey has already observed 1447 FGK-type stars. Aims. These UVES spectra are analyzed in parallel by several state-of-the-art methodologies. Our aim is to present how these analyses were implemented, to discuss their results, and to describe how a final recommended parameter scale is defined. We also discuss the precision (method-to-method dispersion) and accuracy (biases with respect to the reference values) of the final parameters. These results are part of the Gaia-ESO second internal release and will be part of its first public release of advanced data products. Methods. The final parameter scale is tied to the scale defined by the Gaia benchmark stars, a set of stars with fundamental atmospheric parameters. In addition, a set of open and globular clusters is used to evaluate the physical soundness of the results. Each of the implemented methodologies is judged against the benchmark stars to define weights in three different regions of the parameter space. The final recommended results are the weighted medians of those from the individual methods. Results. The recommended results successfully reproduce the atmospheric parameters of the benchmark stars and the expected Teff-log g relation of the calibrating clusters. Atmospheric parameters and abundances have been determined for 1301 FGK-type stars observed with UVES. The median of the method-to-method dispersion of the atmospheric parameters is 55 K for Teff, 0.13 dex for log g and 0.07 dex for [Fe/H]. Systematic biases are estimated to be between 50-100 K for Teff, 0.10-0.25 dex for log g and 0.05-0.10 dex for [Fe/H]. Abundances for 24 elements were derived: C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Mo, Ba, Nd, and Eu. The typical method-to-method dispersion of the abundances varies between 0.10 and 0.20 dex. Conclusions. The Gaia-ESO sample of high-resolution spectra of FGK-type stars will be among the largest of its kind analyzed in a homogeneous way. The extensive list of elemental abundances derived in these stars will enable significant advances in the areas of stellar evolution and Milky Way formation and evolution.Peer reviewe
The Infrared Nuclear Emission of Seyfert Galaxies on Parsec Scales: Testing the Clumpy Torus models
We present subarcsecond resolution mid-infrared (mid-IR) photometry in the
wavelength range from 8 to 20 micron of eighteen Seyfert galaxies, reporting
high spatial resolution nuclear fluxes for the entire sample. We construct
spectral energy distributions (SEDs) that the AGN dominates adding near-IR
measurements from the literature at similar angular resolution. The IR SEDs of
intermediate-type Seyferts are flatter and present higher 10 to 18 micron
ratios than those of Seyfert 2. We fit the individual SEDs with clumpy torus
models using the in-house-developed BayesClumpy tool. The models reproduce the
high spatial resolution measurements. Regardless of the Seyfert type, even with
high spatial resolution data, near- to mid-IR SED fitting poorly constrains the
radial extent of the torus. For the Seyfert 2, we find that edge-on geometries
are more probable than face-on views, with a number of clouds along equatorial
rays of N = 5-15. The 10 micron silicate feature is generally modeled in
shallow absorption. For the intermediate-type Seyferts, N and the inclination
angle of the torus are lower than those of the Seyfert 2 nuclei, with the
silicate feature appearing in weak emission or absent. The columns of material
responsible for the X-ray absorption are larger than those inferred from the
model fits for most of the galaxies, which is consistent with X-ray absorbing
gas being located within the dust sublimation radius whereas the mid-IR flux
arises from an area farther from the accretion disc. The fits yield both the
bolometric luminosity of the intrinsic AGN and the torus integrated luminosity,
from which we derive the reprocessing efficiency of the torus. In the models,
the outer radial extent of the torus scales with the AGN luminosity, and we
find the tori to be confined to scales less than 5 pc.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures, 9 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap
The MNT transcription factor autoregulates its expression and supports proliferation in MYC-associated factor X (MAX)-deficient cells
The MAX network transcriptional repressor (MNT) is an MXD family transcription factor of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family. MNT dimerizes with another transcriptional regulator, MYC-associated factor X (MAX), and down-regulates genes by binding to E-boxes. MAX also dimerizes with MYC, an oncogenic bHLH transcription factor. Upon E-box binding, the MYC-MAX dimer activates gene expression. MNT also binds to the MAX dimerization protein MLX (MLX), and MNT-MLX and MNT-MAX dimers co-exist. However, all MNT functions have been attributed to MNT-MAX dimers, and no functions of the MNT-MLX dimer have been described. MNT's biological role has been linked to its function as a MYC oncogene modulator, but little is known about its regulation. We show here that MNT localizes to the nucleus of MAX-expressing cells and that MNT-MAX dimers bind and repress the MNT promoter, an effect that depends on one of the two E-boxes on this promoter. In MAX-deficient cells, MNT was overexpressed and redistributed to the cytoplasm. Interestingly, MNT was required for cell proliferation even in the absence of MAX. We show that in MAX-deficient cells, MNT binds to MLX, but also forms homodimers. RNA-sequencing experiments revealed that MNT regulates the expression of several genes even in the absence of MAX, with many of these genes being involved in cell cycle regulation and DNA repair. Of note, MNT-MNT homodimers regulated the transcription of some genes involved in cell proliferation. The tight regulation of MNT and its functionality even without MAX suggest a major role for MNT in cell proliferation.This work was supported by Grant SAF2017-88026-R from Agencia Estatal de InvestigaciĂłn, Spanish Government (to J. L. and M. D. D.), funded in part by FEDER Program from the European Union, National Institutes of Health Grant CA57138/CA from NCI (to R. N. E.), and grants from Shriners Hospitals for Children (to P. J. H.). The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health
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