1,191 research outputs found
The Baryonic and Dark Matter Distributions in Abell 401
We combine spatially resolved ASCA temperature data with ROSAT imaging data
to constrain the total mass distribution in the cluster A401, assuming that the
cluster is in hydrostatic equilibrium. We obtain a total mass within the X-ray
core (290/h_50 kpc) of 1.2[+0.1,-0.5] 10^14 /h_50 Msun at the 90% confidence
level, 1.3 times larger than the isothermal estimate. The total mass within
r_500 (1.7/h_50 Mpc) is M_500 = 0.9[+0.3,-0.2] 10^15/ h_50 Msun at 90%
confidence, in agreement with the optical virial mass estimate, and 1.2 times
smaller than the isothermal estimate. Our M_500 value is 1.7 times smaller than
that estimated using the mass-temperature scaling law predicted by simulations.
The best fit dark matter density profile scales as r^{-3.1} at large radii,
which is consistent with the Navarro, Frenk & White (NFW) ``universal profile''
as well as the King profile of the galaxy density in A401. From the imaging
data, the gas density profile is shallower than the dark matter profile,
scaling as r^{-2.1} at large radii, leading to a monotonically increasing gas
mass fraction with radius. Within r_500 the gas mass fraction reaches a value
of f_gas = 0.21[+0.06,-0.05] h_50^{-3/2} (90% confidence errors). Assuming that
f_gas (plus an estimate of the stellar mass) is the universal value of the
baryon fraction, we estimate the 90% confidence upper limit of the cosmological
matter density to be Omega_m < 0.31.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Ap
X-ray total mass estimate for the nearby relaxed cluster A3571
We constrain the total mass distribution in the cluster A3571, combining
spatially resolved ASCA temperature data with ROSAT imaging data with the
assumption that the cluster is in hydrostatic equilibrium. The total mass
within r_500 (1.7/h_50 Mpc) is M_500 = 7.8[+1.4,-2.2] 10^14/ h_50 Msun at 90%
confidence, 1.1 times smaller than the isothermal estimate. The Navarro, Frenk
& White ``universal profile'' is a good description of the dark matter density
distribution in A3571. The gas density profile is shallower than the dark
matter profile, scaling as r^{-2.1} at large radii, leading to a monotonically
increasing gas mass fraction with radius. Within r_500 the gas mass fraction
reaches a value of f_gas = 0.19[+0.06,-0.03] h_50^{-3/2} (90% confidence
errors). Assuming that this value of f_gas is a lower limit for the the
universal value of the baryon fraction, we estimate the 90% confidence upper
limit of the cosmological matter density to be Omega_m < 0.4.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Ap
Androgen receptor-dependent and -independent mechanisms driving prostate cancer progression: Opportunities for therapeutic targeting from multiple angles.
Despite aggressive treatment for localized cancer, prostate cancer (PC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related death for American men due to a subset of patients progressing to lethal and incurable metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Organ-confined PC is treated by surgery or radiation with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), while options for locally advanced and disseminated PC include radiation combined with ADT, or systemic treatments including chemotherapy. Progression to CRPC results from failure of ADT, which targets the androgen receptor (AR) signaling axis and inhibits AR-driven proliferation and survival pathways. The exact mechanisms underlying the transition from androgen-dependent PC to CRPC remain incompletely understood. Reactivation of AR has been shown to occur in CRPC despite depletion of circulating androgens by ADT. At the same time, the presence of AR-negative cell populations in CRPC has also been identified. While AR signaling has been proposed as the primary driver of CRPC, AR-independent signaling pathways may represent additional mechanisms underlying CRPC progression. Identification of new therapeutic strategies to target both AR-positive and AR-negative PC cell populations and, thereby, AR-driven as well as non-AR-driven PC cell growth and survival mechanisms would provide a two-pronged approach to eliminate CRPC cells with potential for synthetic lethality. In this review, we provide an overview of AR-dependent and AR-independent molecular mechanisms which drive CRPC, with special emphasis on the role of the Jak2-Stat5a/b signaling pathway in promoting castrate-resistant growth of PC through both AR-dependent and AR-independent mechanisms
The XMM-Newton EPIC Background and the production of Background Blank Sky Event Files
We describe in detail the nature of XMM-Newton EPIC background and its
various complex components, summarising the new findings of the XMM-Newton EPIC
background working group, and provide XMM-Newton background blank sky event
files for use in the data analysis of diffuse and extended sources. Blank sky
event file data sets are produced from the stacking of data, taken from 189
observations resulting from the Second XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source
Catalogue (2XMMp) reprocessing. The data underwent several filtering steps,
using a revised and improved method over previous work, which we describe in
detail. We investigate several properties of the final blank sky data sets. The
user is directed to the location of the final data sets. There is a final data
set for each EPIC instrument-filter-mode combination.Comment: Paper accepted by A&A 22 December 2006. 14 pages, 8 figures. Paper
can also be found at http://www.star.le.ac.uk/~jac48/publications
Effects of Paecilomyces lilacinus protease and chitinase on the eggshell structures and hatching of Meloidogyne javanica juveniles
A serine protease and an enzyme preparation consisting of six chitinases, previously semi-purified from a liquid culture of Paecilomyces lilacinus strain 251, were applied to Meloidogyne javanica eggs to study the effect of the enzymes on eggshell structures. Transmission electron microscopic studies revealed that the protease and chitinases drastically altered the eggshell structures when applied individually or in combination. In the protease-treated eggs, the lipid layer disappeared and the chitin layer was thinner than in the control. The eggs treated with chitinases displayed large vacuoles in the chitin layer, and the vitelline layer was split and had lost its integrity. The major changes in the eggshell structures occurred by the combined effect of P. lilacinus protease and chitinases. The lipid layer was destroyed; the chitin layer hydrolyzed and the vitelline layer had lost integrity. The effect of P. lilacinus protease and chitinase enzymes on the hatching of M. javanica juveniles was also compared with a commercially available bacterial chitinase. The P. lilacinus protease and chitinase enzymes, either individually or in combination, reduced hatching of M. javanica juveniles whereas a commercial bacterial chitinase had an enhancing effect. Some juveniles hatched when the eggs were exposed to a fungal protease and chitinase mixture. We also established that P. lilacinus chitinases retained their activity in the presence of endogenous protease activity. © 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Bioproducts From Euglena gracilis: Synthesis and Applications.
In recent years, the versatile phototrophic protist Euglena gracilis has emerged as an interesting candidate for application-driven research and commercialisation, as it is an excellent source of dietary protein, pro(vitamins), lipids, and the β-1,3-glucan paramylon only found in euglenoids. From these, paramylon is already marketed as an immunostimulatory agent in nutraceuticals. Bioproducts from E. gracilis can be produced under various cultivation conditions discussed in this review, and their yields are relatively high when compared with those achieved in microalgal systems. Future challenges include achieving the economy of large-scale cultivation. Recent insights into the complex metabolism of E. gracilis have highlighted unique metabolic pathways, which could provide new leads for product enhancement by genetic modification of the organism. Also, development of molecular tools for strain improvement are emerging rapidly, making E. gracilis a noteworthy challenger for microalgae such as Chlorella spp. and their products currently on the market
Constituents of the soft X-ray background
The X-ray background is generated by various classes of objects and variety
of emission mechanisms. Relative contribution of individual components depends
on energy. The goal is to assess the integral emission of the major components
of the soft X-ray background (extragalactic discrete sources dominated by AGNs,
galactic plasma, and the Warm/Hot Intergalactic Medium), investigating the
angular structure of the background. Fluctuations of the background are
measured using the auto-correlation function of the XRB determined in 5 energy
bands between 0.3 and 4.5 keV. The investigation is based on the extensive
observational data set selected from the XMM-Newton archives. Amplitudes of the
auto-correlation functions calculated in three energy bands above ~1 keV are
consistent with the conjecture that the background fluctuations result solely
from clustering of sources which produce the background. At energies below 1
keV the relative fluctuation amplitude decreases indicating that a fraction of
the soft XRB is associated with a smooth plasma emission in the Galaxy. It is
shown, however, that the mean spectrum of extragalactic discrete sources
steepens in the soft X-rays and is not well represented by a single power law
in the energy range 0.3-4.5 keV. The WHIM contribution to the total background
fluctuations is small and consistent with the WHIM properties derived from the
cross-correlation of the XRB with galaxies.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Thermal and non-thermal nature of the soft excess emission from Sersic 159-03 observed with XMM-Newton
Several nearby clusters exhibit an excess of soft X-ray radiation which
cannot be attributed to the hot virialized intra-cluster medium. There is no
consensus to date on the origin of the excess emission: it could be either of
thermal origin, or due to an inverse Compton scattering of the cosmic microwave
background. Using high resolution XMM-Newton data of Sersic 159-03 we first
show that strong soft excess emission is detected out to a radial distance of
0.9 Mpc. The data are interpreted using the two viable models available, i.e.,
by invoking a warm reservoir of thermal gas, or relativistic electrons which
are part of a cosmic ray population. The thermal interpretation of the excess
emission, slightly favored by the goodness-of-fit analysis, indicates that the
warm gas responsible for the emission is high in mass and low in metallicity.Comment: ApJ in pres
The Effect of Forage Legumes on Mineral Nitrogen Content in Soil
The cultivation of forage legumes is often suggested as a possibility to improve nitrogen (N) utilisation in farming. However, previous studies have indicated examples in which the cultivation of legumes such as white clover has led to accumulation of large amounts of N in soil (Adams & Pattison, 1985). In this study the potential risks of N leaching were estimated by determining amount of mineral N in the soil
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