18 research outputs found
Extending the Life of NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)-8: TDRS-8 Power Challenges and Planning for End of Mission
No abstract availabl
B[e] Stars with Warm Dust: Revealing the Nature of Unclassified B[e] Stars and Expanding the Family
Until recently, unclassified B[e] stars represented half of the entire B[e] group. Our study of these objects with strong emission-line spectra and IRAS fluxes, decreasing toward longer wavelengths, resulted in a suggestion that they currently form dust in their envelopes. The objects have been tentatively called B[e] stars with warm dust (B[e]WD). Their luminosity range (?3 orders of magnitude) is much larger compared to previous suggestions that dust formation occurs only near very luminous hot stars. A significant fraction of B[e]WD are recognized or suspected binaries. The group has been expanded with both previously detected hot emission-line stars with IR fluxes, typical for confirmed B[e]WD, and new candidates, found in recent all-sky surveys. Currently the number of B[e]WD members and candidates is ?60 with an opportunity to find more in existing stellar catalogs. Main observational and physical properties of B[e]WD and their envelopes are summarized. Our results on newly found group members are presented. Partially based on observations obtained at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT).Fil: Miroshnichenko, A. S.. University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Estados UnidosFil: Bernabei, S.. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: Bjorkman, K. S.. University Of Toledo (utoledo); Estados UnidosFil: Chentsov, E. L.. Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Klochkova, V. G.. Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Gray, R. O.. Appalachian State University; Estados UnidosFil: Levato, H.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito"; ArgentinaFil: Grosso, Monica Gladys. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Hinkle, K. H.. National Optical Astronomy Observatory; Estados UnidosFil: Kuratov, K. S.. Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute; KazajistánFil: Kusakin, A. V.. Universitetskij pr; RusiaFil: García Lario, P.. European Space Astronomy Centre; EspañaFil: Perea Calderón, J. V.. European Space Astronomy Centre; EspañaFil: Polcaro, V. F.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica; ItaliaFil: Viotti, R. F.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica; ItaliaFil: Norci, L.. Dublin City University; IrlandaFil: Manset, N.. Canada France Hawaii Telescope; Estados UnidosFil: Men’shchikov, A. B.. Saint Mary’s University; CanadáFil: Rudy, R. J.. The Aerospace Corporation; Estados UnidosFil: Lynch, D. K.. The Aerospace Corporation; Estados UnidosFil: Venturini, C. C.. The Aerospace Corporation; Estados UnidosFil: Mazuk, S.. The Aerospace Corporation; Estados UnidosFil: Puetter, R. C.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Perry, R. B.. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Gandet, T. L.. Lizard Hollow Observatory; Estados Unido
A Comparative Analysis of Extra-Embryonic Endoderm Cell Lines
Prior to gastrulation in the mouse, all endodermal cells arise from the primitive
endoderm of the blastocyst stage embryo. Primitive endoderm and its derivatives
are generally referred to as extra-embryonic endoderm (ExEn) because the
majority of these cells contribute to extra-embryonic lineages encompassing the
visceral endoderm (VE) and the parietal endoderm (PE). During gastrulation, the
definitive endoderm (DE) forms by ingression of cells from the epiblast. The DE
comprises most of the cells of the gut and its accessory organs. Despite their
different origins and fates, there is a surprising amount of overlap in marker
expression between the ExEn and DE, making it difficult to distinguish between
these cell types by marker analysis. This is significant for two main reasons.
First, because endodermal organs, such as the liver and pancreas, play important
physiological roles in adult animals, much experimental effort has been directed
in recent years toward the establishment of protocols for the efficient
derivation of endodermal cell types in vitro. Conversely,
factors secreted by the VE play pivotal roles that cannot be attributed to the
DE in early axis formation, heart formation and the patterning of the anterior
nervous system. Thus, efforts in both of these areas have been hampered by a
lack of markers that clearly distinguish between ExEn and DE. To further
understand the ExEn we have undertaken a comparative analysis of three ExEn-like
cell lines (END2, PYS2 and XEN). PYS2 cells are derived from embryonal
carcinomas (EC) of 129 strain mice and have been characterized as parietal
endoderm-like [1], END2 cells are derived from P19 ECs and
described as visceral endoderm-like, while XEN cells are derived from blastocyst
stage embryos and are described as primitive endoderm-like. Our analysis
suggests that none of these cell lines represent a bona fide
single in vivo lineage. Both PYS2 and XEN cells represent mixed
populations expressing markers for several ExEn lineages. Conversely END2 cells,
which were previously characterized as VE-like, fail to express many markers
that are widely expressed in the VE, but instead express markers for only a
subset of the VE, the anterior visceral endoderm. In addition END2 cells also
express markers for the PE. We extended these observations with microarray
analysis which was used to probe and refine previously published data sets of
genes proposed to distinguish between DE and VE. Finally, genome-wide pathway
analysis revealed that SMAD-independent TGFbeta signaling through a TAK1/p38/JNK
or TAK1/NLK pathway may represent one mode of intracellular signaling shared by
all three of these lines, and suggests that factors downstream of these pathways
may mediate some functions of the ExEn. These studies represent the first step
in the development of XEN cells as a powerful molecular genetic tool to study
the endodermal signals that mediate the important developmental functions of the
extra-embryonic endoderm. Our data refine our current knowledge of markers that
distinguish various subtypes of endoderm. In addition, pathway analysis suggests
that the ExEn may mediate some of its functions through a non-classical MAP
Kinase signaling pathway downstream of TAK1
V669 Cep: A new binary system with a B[e] star
We present the results of optical and near-IR spectroscopic and broadband
multicolour photometric observations of the emission-line object V669 Cep.
We find evidence that it contains a hot, low luminosity, B4–B6 star
and a cool companion (most likely late-type giant).
Significant variations of the Hα line strength
are detected on a timescale of months.
The emission-line spectrum and strong IR-excess indicate a large
amount of circumstellar gas and dust in the system.
The spectral energy distribution in the
near-IR region and the absence of late-type star features in the optical spectrum
indicates that the cool star is heavily obscured by circumstellar dust,
while the hot star is much less affected by reddening. The system is located
at 1–1.5 kpc from the Sun in the local spiral arm.
We suggest that V669 Cep is an evolved and probably mass exchanging binary system,
a member of the group of Be stars with warm dust
B[e] Stars with Warm Dust: Revealing the Nature of Unclassified B[e] Stars and Expanding the Family
Until recently, unclassified B[e] stars represented half of the entire B[e] group. Our study of these objects with strong emission-line spectra and IRAS fluxes, decreasing toward longer wavelengths, resulted in a suggestion that they currently form dust in their envelopes. The objects have been tentatively called B[e] stars with warm dust (B[e]WD). Their luminosity range (?3 orders of magnitude) is much larger compared to previous suggestions that dust formation occurs only near very luminous hot stars. A significant fraction of B[e]WD are recognized or suspected binaries. The group has been expanded with both previously detected hot emission-line stars with IR fluxes, typical for confirmed B[e]WD, and new candidates, found in recent all-sky surveys. Currently the number of B[e]WD members and candidates is ?60 with an opportunity to find more in existing stellar catalogs. Main observational and physical properties of B[e]WD and their envelopes are summarized. Our results on newly found group members are presented. Partially based on observations obtained at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT).Fil: Miroshnichenko, A. S.. University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Estados UnidosFil: Bernabei, S.. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: Bjorkman, K. S.. University Of Toledo (utoledo); Estados UnidosFil: Chentsov, E. L.. Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Klochkova, V. G.. Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Gray, R. O.. Appalachian State University; Estados UnidosFil: Levato, H.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito"; ArgentinaFil: Grosso, Monica Gladys. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Hinkle, K. H.. National Optical Astronomy Observatory; Estados UnidosFil: Kuratov, K. S.. Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute; KazajistánFil: Kusakin, A. V.. Universitetskij pr; RusiaFil: García Lario, P.. European Space Astronomy Centre; EspañaFil: Perea Calderón, J. V.. European Space Astronomy Centre; EspañaFil: Polcaro, V. F.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica; ItaliaFil: Viotti, R. F.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica; ItaliaFil: Norci, L.. Dublin City University; IrlandaFil: Manset, N.. Canada France Hawaii Telescope; Estados UnidosFil: Men’shchikov, A. B.. Saint Mary’s University; CanadáFil: Rudy, R. J.. The Aerospace Corporation; Estados UnidosFil: Lynch, D. K.. The Aerospace Corporation; Estados UnidosFil: Venturini, C. C.. The Aerospace Corporation; Estados UnidosFil: Mazuk, S.. The Aerospace Corporation; Estados UnidosFil: Puetter, R. C.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Perry, R. B.. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Gandet, T. L.. Lizard Hollow Observatory; Estados Unido
The luminous B[e] binary AS 381
We present the results of optical and near-IR spectroscopic and broadband
multicolour photometric observations of the emission-line star AS 381.
Its properties were found to be similar to those of Be stars with warm dust,
a group of galactic objects recently defined by Sheikina et al. ([CITE]).
The spectrum of AS 381 indicates the presence of both a hot (early B-type) and
a cool (K-type) star in the system. A high interstellar reddening
( mag) suggests that it is located at a distance of
≥3 kpc, and the companions have luminosity types i
Spectroscopy and photometry of the emission–line B–type stars AS 78 and MWC 657
We present the results of low- and high-resolution spectroscopic and
multicolour photometric observations of two early-type
emission-line stars, AS 78 and MWC 657. They
were identified by Dong & Hu (1991) with the IRAS sources
03549+5602 and 22407+6008, respectively, among many other sources
displaying a very strong infrared excess, 8 mag
AS 78 is recognized as a photometric variable for the first time.
A large near-IR excess radiation is detected in AS 78 and confirmed by new,
higher-quality, data for MWC 657.
Significant variations in the Balmer line profiles are detected for
both objects. Modelling of the Balmer line profiles of AS 78
obtained in 1994 yields the following parameters of the star and its
wind:
K, log Lbol/ 4.0,
~ 10-6
yr-1. The photometric and new
spectroscopic data indicate that the star's Teff increases
with time, while the stellar wind changes its structure.
Distances towards both objects are estimated on the basis of their
radial velocities and the galactic rotation curve. Consideration of
different options about the nature and evolutionary state of both
objects leads us to suggest that they are binary systems containing
a B-type intermediate-luminosity star and a gaseous disk around the
less luminous component.