Response induction coil magnetometers to perturbations in orientation

We explore the data collected by a 3-component induction coil magnetometer system with respect to motion of the instruments in earths static magnetic field. The sensitivtiy of the inductiuon coil magnetometer leads to unprecediented accuracy on tilt measurements. We model the signals observed during seismic events as being perturbations in coil orientation. In theory, these perturbations can include ground roll, ocean motion, nearby cultural seismicity, or any other field with a tilting effect. Using data from a magnetic observatory near Parkfield CA we invert several time series of coil data during different levels of seismic activity in an attempt to determine the magnitudes of rotation at which our model accurately describes the coil data. Finally, we explore the transfer function between the coils and nearby seismic instruments (accelerometers, tiltmeters, and velocity seismometers)

The HRX-BL Lac sample - evolution of BL Lac objects

The unification of X-ray and radio selected BL Lacs has been an outstanding problem in the blazar research in the past years. Recent investigations have shown that the gap between the two classes can be filled with intermediate objects and that apparently all differences can be explained by mutual shifts of the peak frequencies of the synchrotron and inverse Compton component of the emission. We study the consequences of this scheme using a new sample of X-ray selected BL Lac objects comprising 104 objects with z<0.9 and a mean redshift z=0.34. 77 BL Lacs, of which the redshift could be determined for 64 (83%) objects, form a complete sample. The new data could not confirm our earlier result, drawn from a subsample, that the negative evolution vanishes below a synchrotron peak frequency log (peak-frequency) = 16.5. The complete sample shows negative evolution at the 2 sigma level ( = 0.42 +- 0.04). We conclude that the observed properties of the HRX BL Lac sample show typical behaviour for X-ray selected BL Lacs. They support an evolutionary model, in which flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQ) with high energetic jets evolve towards low frequency peaked (mostly radio-selected) BL Lac objects and later on to high frequency peaked (mostly X-ray selected) BL Lacs.Comment: 24 pages, 35 figures, accepted by A&

XMM-Newton observations of the BL Lac MS0205.7+3509: a dense, low-metallicity absorber

The high-frequency-peaked BL Lac, MS0205.7+3509 was observed twice with XMM-Newton. Both X-ray spectra are synchrotron-dominated, with mean 0.2--10keV fluxes of 2.80+/-0.01 and 3.34+/-0.02 E-12 erg/cm^2/s. The X-ray spectra are well fit by a power-law with absorption above the Galactic value, however no absorption edges are detected, implying a low metallicity absorber (Z_\sun = 0.04(+0.03)(-0.01)) or an absorber with redshift above one (best-fit z=2.1 for an absorber with solar abundances). In either case the absorbing column density must be ~9E21 cm^-2. A new optical spectrum is presented, with a MgII absorption doublet detected at z=0.351, but no other significant features. The optical spectrum shows little reddening, implying a low dust to gas ratio in the absorber. MS0205.7+3509 must therefore be viewed through a high column density, low-metallicity gas cloud, probably at z=0.351 and associated with the galaxy that has been shown to be within ~2" of the BL Lac.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Extended radio emission in MOJAVE Blazars: Challenges to Unification

We present the results of a study on the 1.4 GHz kpc-scale radio emission in the complete flux density limited MOJAVE sample, comprising 135 radio-loud AGNs. While extended emission is detected in the majority of the sources, about 7% of the sources exhibit only radio core emission. Many BL Lacs exhibit extended radio power and kpc-scale morphology typical of powerful FRII jets, while a substantial number of quasars possess radio powers intermediate between FRIs and FRIIs. This poses challenges to the simple radio-loud unified scheme, which links BL Lacs to FRIs and quasars to FRIIs. We find a significant correlation between extended radio emission and pc-scale jet speeds: the more radio powerful sources possess faster jets. This indicates that the 1.4 GHz (or low frequency) radio emission is indeed related to jet kinetic power. Various properties such as extended radio power and apparent pc-scale jet speeds vary smoothly between different blazar subclasses, suggesting that, at least in terms of radio jet properties, the distinction between quasars and BL Lac objects, at an emission-line equivalent width of 5 Angstrom is essentially an arbitrary one. Based on the assumption that the extended radio luminosity is affected by the kpc-scale environment, we define the ratio of extended radio power to absolute optical magnitude as a proxy for environmental effects. Trends with this parameter suggest that the pc-scale jet speeds and the pc-to-kpc jet misalignments are not affected by the large-scale environment, but are more likely to depend upon factors intrinsic to the AGN, or its local pc-scale environment. We suggest that some of the extremely misaligned MOJAVE blazar jets could be "hybrid" morphology sources, with an FRI jet on one side and an FRII jet on the other. (Abridged)Comment: 40 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

e-Science and biological pathway semantics

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The development of e-Science presents a major set of opportunities and challenges for the future progress of biological and life scientific research. Major new tools are required and corresponding demands are placed on the high-throughput data generated and used in these processes. Nowhere is the demand greater than in the semantic integration of these data. Semantic Web tools and technologies afford the chance to achieve this semantic integration. Since pathway knowledge is central to much of the scientific research today it is a good test-bed for semantic integration. Within the context of biological pathways, the BioPAX initiative, part of a broader movement towards the standardization and integration of life science databases, forms a necessary prerequisite for its successful application of e-Science in health care and life science research. This paper examines whether BioPAX, an effort to overcome the barrier of disparate and heterogeneous pathway data sources, addresses the needs of e-Science.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We demonstrate how BioPAX pathway data can be used to ask and answer some useful biological questions. We find that BioPAX comes close to meeting a broad range of e-Science needs, but certain semantic weaknesses mean that these goals are missed. We make a series of recommendations for re-modeling some aspects of BioPAX to better meet these needs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Once these semantic weaknesses are addressed, it will be possible to integrate pathway information in a manner that would be useful in e-Science.</p

Preconceptional, Gestational, and Lactational Exposure to an Unconventional Oil and Gas Chemical Mixture Alters Energy Expenditure in Adult Female Mice

Previous studies conducted in our laboratory have found altered adult health outcomes in animals with prenatal exposure to environmentally relevant levels of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) chemicals with endocrine-disrupting activity. This study aimed to examine potential metabolic health outcomes following a preconception, prenatal and postnatal exposure to a mixture of 23 UOG chemicals. Prior to mating and from gestation day 1 to postnatal day 21, C57BL/6J mice were developmentally exposed to a laboratory-created mixture of 23 UOG chemicals in maternal drinking water. Body composition, spontaneous activity, energy expenditure, and glucose tolerance were evaluated in 7-month-old female offspring. Neither body weight nor body composition differed in 7-month female mice. However, females exposed to 1.5 and 150 μg/kg/day UOG mix had lower total and resting energy expenditure within the dark cycle. In the light cycle, the 1,500 μg//kg/day group had lower total energy expenditure and the 1.5 μg/kg/day group had lower resting energy expenditure. Females exposed to the 150 μg/kg/day group had lower spontaneous activity in the dark cycle, and females exposed to the 1,500 μg/kg/day group had lower activity in the light cycle. This study reports for the first time that developmental exposure to a mixture of 23 UOG chemicals alters energy expenditure and spontaneous activity in adult female mice

C-Reactive Protein in Heart Failure

Background— The role of C-reactive protein (CRP) in heart failure is not well studied. We assessed the prognostic value of CRP in patients randomized in Val-HeFT (Valsartan Heart Failure Trial) and studied changes in CRP that were associated with valsartan. Methods and Results— Characteristics of patients with baseline CRP levels above and below the median value were compared. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the relationship of CRP to mortality and morbidity. Interactions were tested to determine whether differences in CRP changes from baseline to 4 and 12 months between groups randomly assigned to valsartan or placebo depended on baseline ACE inhibitor use. Median plasma CRP was 3.23 mg/L (interquartile range 1.42 to 7.56 mg/L), which is higher than in the general population. Patients with CRP above the median had features of more severe heart failure than those with CRP levels below the median. The cumulative likelihood of death and first morbid event increased with increasing quartile of CRP. Relative to the lowest CRP quartile, the risk of mortality (hazard ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.9) and first morbid event (hazard ratio 1.53, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.84) was increased in the highest CRP quartile in multivariable models. CRP added incremental prognostic information to that provided by brain natriuretic peptide alone. CRP did not change significantly over time in the placebo group; however, after 12 months, valsartan was associated with a decrease in CRP in patients not receiving ACE inhibitors but not in those receiving ACE inhibitors at 12 months. Conclusions— CRP is increased in heart failure. Higher levels are associated with features of more severe heart failure and are independently associated with mortality and morbidity. The ability of treatments to reduce CRP levels and the prognostic importance of reducing CRP require further study