797 research outputs found
An unusual very low-mass high-amplitude pre-main sequence periodic variable
We have investigated the nature of the variability of CHS7797, an unusual
periodic variable in the Orion Nebula Cluster. An extensive I-band photometric
data set of CHS7797 was compiled between 2004-2010 using various telescopes.
Further optical data have been collected in R and z' bands. In addition,
simultaneous observations of the ONC region including CHS7797 were performed in
the I, J, Ks and IRAC [3.6] and [4.5] bands over a time interval of about 40d.
CHS7797 shows an unusual large-amplitude variation of about 1.7 mag in the R,
I, and z' bands with a period 17.786. The amplitude of the brightness
modulation decreases only slightly at longer wavelengths. The star is faint
during 2/3 of the period and the shape of the phased light-curves for seven
different observing seasons shows minor changes and small-amplitude variations.
Interestingly, there are no significant colour-flux correlations for
wavelengths smaller than 2microns, while the object becomes redder when fainter
at longer wavelengths. CHS7797 has a spectral type of M6 and an estimated mass
between 0.04-0.1Msun. The analysis of the data suggests that the periodic
variability of CHS7797 is most probably caused by an orbital motion.
Variability as a result of rotational brightness modulation by spots is
excluded by the lack of any color-brightness correlation in the optical. The
latter indicates that CHS7797 is most probably occulted by circumstellar matter
in which grains have grown from typical 0.1 microns to 1-2 micron sizes. We
discuss two possible scenarios in which CHS7797 is periodically eclipsed by
structures in a disc, namely that CHS7797 is a single object with a
circumstellar disc, or that CHS7797 is a binary system, similar to KH15D, in
which an inclined circumbinary disc is responsible of the variability. Possible
reasons for the typical 0.3mag variations in I-band at a given phase are
discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication A&
TOM40 Mediates Mitochondrial Dysfunction Induced by α-Synuclein Accumulation in Parkinson's Disease.
Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) accumulation/aggregation and mitochondrial dysfunction play prominent roles in the pathology of Parkinson's disease. We have previously shown that postmortem human dopaminergic neurons from PD brains accumulate high levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletions. We now addressed the question, whether alterations in a component of the mitochondrial import machinery -TOM40- might contribute to the mitochondrial dysfunction and damage in PD. For this purpose, we studied levels of TOM40, mtDNA deletions, oxidative damage, energy production, and complexes of the respiratory chain in brain homogenates as well as in single neurons, using laser-capture-microdissection in transgenic mice overexpressing human wildtype α-Syn. Additionally, we used lentivirus-mediated stereotactic delivery of a component of this import machinery into mouse brain as a novel therapeutic strategy. We report here that TOM40 is significantly reduced in the brain of PD patients and in α-Syn transgenic mice. TOM40 deficits were associated with increased mtDNA deletions and oxidative DNA damage, and with decreased energy production and altered levels of complex I proteins in α-Syn transgenic mice. Lentiviral-mediated overexpression of Tom40 in α-Syn-transgenic mice brains ameliorated energy deficits as well as oxidative burden. Our results suggest that alterations in the mitochondrial protein transport machinery might contribute to mitochondrial impairment in α-Synucleinopathies
Magnetic activity in the photosphere of CoRoT-Exo-2a. Active longitudes and short-term spot cycle in a young Sun-like star
Copyright © The European Southern Observatory (ESO)Context. The space experiment CoRoT has recently detected transits by a hot Jupiter across the disc of an active G7V star (CoRoTExo-2a) that can be considered as a good proxy for the Sun at an age of approximately 0.5 Gyr.
Aims. We present a spot modelling of the optical variability of the star during 142 days of uninterrupted observations performed by CoRoT with unprecedented photometric precision.
Methods. We apply spot modelling approaches previously tested in the case of the Sun by modelling total solar irradiance variations,
a good proxy for the optical flux variations of the Sun as a star. The best results in terms of mapping of the surface brightness
inhomogeneities are obtained by means of maximum entropy regularized models. To model the light curve of CoRoT-Exo-2a, we
take into account the photometric effects of both cool spots and solar-like faculae, adopting solar analogy.
Results. Two active longitudes initially on opposite hemispheres are found on the photosphere of CoRoT-Exo-2a with a rotation
period of 4.522 ± 0.024 days. Their separation changes by ≈80◦ during the time span of the observations. From this variation, a relative amplitude of the surface differential rotation lower than ~1 percent is estimated. Individual spots form within the active longitudes and show an angular velocity ~1 percent lower than that of the longitude pattern. The total spotted area shows a cyclic oscillation with a period of 28.9 ± 4.3 days, which is close to 10 times the synodic period of the planet as seen by the rotating active longitudes. We discuss the effects of solar-like faculae on our models, finding indications of a facular contribution to the optical flux variations of CoRoT-Exo-2a being significantly smaller than in the present Sun.
Conclusions. The implications of such results for the internal rotation of CoRoT-Exo-2a are discussed, based on solar analogy. A possible magnetic star-planet interaction is suggested by the cyclic variation of the spotted area. Alternatively, the 28.9-d cycle may
be related to Rossby-type waves propagating in the subphotospheric layers of the star
Direct measurement of the mass difference between top and antitop quarks
We present a direct measurement of the mass difference between top and
antitop quarks (dm) in lepton+jets top-antitop final states using the "matrix
element" method. The purity of the lepton+jets sample is enhanced for
top-antitop events by identifying at least one of the jet as originating from a
b quark. The analyzed data correspond to 3.6 fb-1 of proton-antiproton
collisions at 1.96 TeV acquired by D0 in Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron
Collider. The combination of the e+jets and mu+jets channels yields dm = 0.8
+/- 1.8 (stat) +/- 0.5 (syst) GeV, which is in agreement with the standard
model expectation of no mass difference.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.
Search for first generation leptoquark pair production in the electron + missing energy + jets final state
We present a search for the pair production of first generation scalar
leptoquarks (LQ) in data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4
fb collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider in
ppbar collisions at TeV. In the channel , where q, q' are u or d quarks, no significant excess
of data over background is observed, and we set a 95% C.L. lower limit of 326
GeV on the leptoquark mass, assuming equal probabilities of leptoquark decays
to eq and .Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PRD-R
Search for the standard model and a fermiophobic Higgs boson in diphoton final states
We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson and a fermiophobic
Higgs boson in the diphoton final states based on 8.2 fb-1 of ppbar collisions
collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. No excess of
data above background predictions is observed and upper limits at the 95% C.L.
on the cross section multiplied by the branching fraction are set which are the
most restrictive to date. A fermiophobic Higgs boson with a mass below 112.9
GeV is excluded at the 95% C.L.Comment: 12 pages, 21 figures, submitted to PR
Journal Staff
We present the first measurements of the differential cross section d sigma/dp(T)(gamma) for the production of an isolated photon in association with at least two b-quark jets. The measurements consider photons with rapidities vertical bar y(gamma)vertical bar < 1.0 and transverse momenta 30 < p(T)(gamma) < 200 GeV. The b-quark jets are required to have p(T)(jet) > 15 GeVand vertical bar y(jet)vertical bar < 1.5. The ratio of differential production cross sections for gamma + 2 b-jets to gamma + b-jet as a function of p(T)(gamma) is also presented. The results are based on the proton-antiproton collision data at root s = 1.96 TeV collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The measured cross sections and their ratios are compared to the next- to- leading order perturbative QCD calculations as well as predictions based on the k(T)- factorization approach and those from the sherpa and pythia Monte Carlo event generators
Precise measurement of the top quark mass in the dilepton channel at D0
We measure the top quark mass (mt) in ppbar collisions at a center of mass
energy of 1.96 TeV using dilepton ttbar->W+bW-bbar->l+nubl-nubarbbar events,
where l denotes an electron, a muon, or a tau that decays leptonically. The
data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb-1 collected with the D0
detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We obtain mt = 174.0 +- 1.8(stat)
+- 2.4(syst) GeV, which is in agreement with the current world average mt =
173.3 +- 1.1 GeV. This is currently the most precise measurement of mt in the
dilepton channel.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Search for Neutral Higgs Bosons in Events with Multiple Bottom Quarks at the Tevatron
The combination of searches performed by the CDF and D0 collaborations at the
Fermilab Tevatron Collider for neutral Higgs bosons produced in association
with b quarks is reported. The data, corresponding to 2.6 fb-1 of integrated
luminosity at CDF and 5.2 fb-1 at D0, have been collected in final states
containing three or more b jets. Upper limits are set on the cross section
multiplied by the branching ratio varying between 44 pb and 0.7 pb in the Higgs
boson mass range 90 to 300 GeV, assuming production of a narrow scalar boson.
Significant enhancements to the production of Higgs bosons can be found in
theories beyond the standard model, for example in supersymmetry. The results
are interpreted as upper limits in the parameter space of the minimal
supersymmetric standard model in a benchmark scenario favoring this decay mode.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure
A search for charged massive long-lived particles
We report on a search for charged massive long-lived particles (CMLLPs),
based on 5.2 fb of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector
at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We search for events in which one
or more particles are reconstructed as muons but have speed and ionization
energy loss inconsistent with muons produced in beam collisions.
CMLLPs are predicted in several theories of physics beyond the standard model.
We exclude pair-produced long-lived gaugino-like charginos below 267 GeV and
higgsino-like charginos below 217 GeV at 95% C.L., as well as long-lived scalar
top quarks with mass below 285 GeV.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Letter
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