1,185 research outputs found
Active cleaning technique for removing contamination from optical surfaces in space
Plasma cleaning experiments were completed on hydrocarbon contaminant films, experiments were initiated to determine a satisfactory technique for depositing contaminant films, and an experiment was conducted to determine whether specimens are being thermally cleaned rather than plasma cleaned. Results of plasma cleaning experiments on hydrocarbon contaminant films showed that the optical properties of mirrors and gratings could be satisfactorily restored. Results on fused silica optical flats were inconclusive because of the insensitivity of measurement techniques to the contaminant films. White thermal control surfaces, degraded by the hydrocarbon contaminant film, could not be restored by oxygen plasma exposure. The reflectance of silvered FEP Teflon thermal control surfaces could be restored by plasma cleaning. Experiments with a silicone contaminant indicated that it could not be easily polymerized onto surfaces with ultraviolet radiation. Results of the thermal cleaning experiment showed that the polymerized hydrocarbon contaminant film could not be removed by heating in vacuum to a temperature in excess of that expected during plasma cleaning
Atomic Hydrogen and Star Formation in the Bridge/Ring Interacting Galaxy Pair NGC 7714/7715 (Arp 284)
We present high spatial resolution 21 cm HI maps of the interacting galaxy
pair NGC 7714/7715. We detect a massive (2 x 10**9 M(sun)) HI bridge connecting
the galaxies that is parallel to but offset from the stellar bridge. A chain of
HII regions traces the gaseous bridge, with H-alpha peaks near but not on the
HI maxima. An HI tidal tail is also detected to the east of the smaller galaxy
NGC 7715, similarly offset from a stellar tail. The strong partial stellar ring
on the eastern side of NGC 7714 has no HI counterpart, but on the opposite side
of NGC 7714 there is a 10**9 M(sun) HI loop 11 kpc in radius. Within the NGC
7714 disk, clumpy HI gas is observed associated with star formation regions.
Redshifted HI absorption is detected towards the starburst nucleus. We compare
the observed morphology and gas kinematics with gas dynamical models in which a
low-mass companion has an off-center prograde collision with the outer disk of
a larger galaxy. These simulations suggest that the bridge in NGC 7714/7715 is
a hybrid between bridges seen in systems like M51 and the purely gaseous
`splash' bridges found in ring galaxies like the Cartwheel. The offset between
the stars and gas in the bridge may be due to dissipative cloud-cloud
collisions occuring during the impact of the two gaseous disks.Comment: 31 pages, Latex, 11 figures, to be published in the July 10, 1997
issue of the Astrophysical Journa
Verbal Communication Skills Requirements for Information Systems Professionals
The role of information systems (IS) professionals in organizations has changed through the years, from one who works mostly with technically oriented peers, to one who spends a significant amount of time interacting with people who are involved in the functional areas of the organization. In many organizations, IS professionals are assigned permanently to the user area and they are expected to not only be technically competent, but also be competent in the user\u27s area. This move of IS professionals to the functional areas necessitates that they communicate more with the functional users whose IS needs they are fulfilling. The users, on the other hand, are also required to interact and communicate more with the IS people. With the move toward distributed IS, users are becoming more involved in the specification, design and sometimes even construction of their own systems. It is therefore imperative that analysts and users be able to communicate with each other unequivocally, so that the systems are specified and developed properly. This research investigated the verbal communication skills requirements for IS practicing professionals and new university graduates. A survey was used for data collection. It was sent to IS professionals in several large organizations, that represented the industry in general. A nearly perfect response rate was achieved. The findings are useful for both IS professionals and university programs. Organizations can use the findings to identify areas of weaknesses in the skills of their IS personnel and eliminate them with continuing education. Universities can use the findings to identify skills that they may not be currently emphasizing in their curricula and make necessary adjustments
Chandra Observations of the Interacting NGC 4410 Galaxy Group
We present high resolution X-ray imaging data from the ACIS-S instrument on
the Chandra telescope of the nearby interacting galaxy group NGC 4410. Four
galaxies in the inner portion of this group are clearly detected by Chandra,
including the peculiar low luminosity radio galaxy NGC 4410A. In addition to a
nuclear point source, NGC 4410A contains diffuse X-ray emission, including an
X-ray ridge extending out to about 12" (6 kpc) to the northwest of the nucleus.
This ridge is coincident with an arc of optical emission-line gas, which has
previously been shown to have optical line ratios consistent with shock
ionization. This structure may be due to an expanding superbubble of hot gas
caused by supernovae and stellar winds or by the active nucleus. The Chandra
observations also show four or five possible compact ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX)
sources (L(x) >= 10^39 erg/s) associated with NGC 4410A. At least one of these
candidate ULXs appears to have a radio counterpart, suggesting that it may be
due to an X-ray binary with a stellar-mass black hole, rather than an
intermediate mass black hole. In addition, a faint diffuse intragroup X-ray
component has been detected between the galaxies (L(x) ~ 10^41 erg/s). This
supports the hypothesis that the NGC 4410 group is in the process of evolving
via mergers from a spiral-dominated group (which typically have no
X-ray-emitting intragroup gas) to an elliptical-dominated group (which often
have a substantial intragroup medium).Comment: 27 pages, 14 figures; Accepted by Astronomical Journal; color images
at http://www.etsu.edu/physics/bsmith/research/n4410.htm
Determining Pregnancy in Cattle
16 pp., 2 charts, 3 photos, 11 illustrationsThe process of palpating to determine pregnancy in cattle and the equipment used during palpation are described and illustrated in this bulletin. The female reproductive system is discussed, along with the developmental stages of the embryo/fetus
Hunting Local Mixmaster Dynamics in Spatially Inhomogeneous Cosmologies
Heuristic arguments and numerical simulations support the Belinskii et al
(BKL) claim that the approach to the singularity in generic gravitational
collapse is characterized by local Mixmaster dynamics (LMD). Here, one way to
identify LMD in collapsing spatially inhomogeneous cosmologies is explored. By
writing the metric of one spacetime in the standard variables of another,
signatures for LMD may be found. Such signatures for the dynamics of spatially
homogeneous Mixmaster models in the variables of U(1)-symmetric cosmologies are
reviewed. Similar constructions for U(1)-symmetric spacetimes in terms of the
dynamics of generic -symmetric spacetime are presented.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures. Contribution to CQG Special Issue "A Spacetime
Safari: Essays in Honour of Vincent Moncrief
New Algorithm for Mixmaster Dynamics
We present a new numerical algorithm for evolving the Mixmaster spacetimes.
By using symplectic integration techniques to take advantage of the exact Taub
solution for the scattering between asymptotic Kasner regimes, we evolve these
spacetimes with higher accuracy using much larger time steps than previously
possible. The longer Mixmaster evolution thus allowed enables detailed
comparison with the Belinskii, Khalatnikov, Lifshitz (BKL) approximate
Mixmaster dynamics. In particular, we show that errors between the BKL
prediction and the measured parameters early in the simulation can be
eliminated by relaxing the BKL assumptions to yield an improved map. The
improved map has different predictions for vacuum Bianchi Type IX and magnetic
Bianchi Type VI Mixmaster models which are clearly matched in the
simulation.Comment: 12 pages, Revtex, 4 eps figure
Evidence for an oscillatory singularity in generic U(1) symmetric cosmologies on
A longstanding conjecture by Belinskii, Lifshitz, and Khalatnikov that the
singularity in generic gravitational collapse is locally oscillatory is tested
numerically in vacuum, U(1) symmetric cosmological spacetimes on . If the velocity term dominated (VTD) solution to Einstein's equations is
substituted into the Hamiltonian for the full Einstein evolution equations, one
term is found to grow exponentially. This generates a prediction that
oscillatory behavior involving this term and another (which the VTD solution
causes to decay exponentially) should be observed in the approach to the
singularity. Numerical simulations strongly support this prediction.Comment: 15 pages, Revtex, includes 12 figures, psfig. High resolution
versions of figures 7, 8, 9, and 11 may be obtained from anonymous ftp to
ftp://vela.acs.oakland.edu/pub/berger/u1genfig
Association of a genetic polymorphism (-44 C/G SNP) in the human DEFB1 gene with expression and inducibility of multiple β-defensins in gingival keratinocytes
BACKGROUND: Human β-defensins (hBDs) are antimicrobial peptides with a role in innate immune defense. Our laboratory previously showed that a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 5' untranslated region of the hBD1 gene (DEFB1), denoted -44 (rs1800972), is correlated with protection from oral Candida. Because this SNP alters the putative mRNA structure, we hypothesized that it alters hBD1 expression. METHODS: Transfection of reporter constructs and evaluation of antimicrobial activity and mRNA expression levels in keratinocytes from multiple donors were used to evaluate the effect of this SNP on constitutive and induced levels of expression. RESULTS: Transfection of CAT reporter constructs containing the 5' untranslated region showed that the -44 G allele yielded a 2-fold increase in CAT protein compared to other common haplotypes suggesting a cis effect on transcription or translation. The constitutive hBD1 mRNA level in human oral keratinocytes was significantly greater in cells from donors with the -44 GG genotype compared to those with the common CC genotype. Surprisingly, the hBD3 mRNA level as well as antimicrobial activity of keratinocyte extracts also correlated with the -44 G allele. Induced levels of hBD1, hBD2, and hBD3 mRNA were evaluated in keratinocytes challenged with Toll-like receptor 2 and 4 ligands, interleukin-1β, TNFα, and interferon-γ (IFNγ). In contrast to constitutive expression levels, IFNγ-induced keratinocyte hBD1 and hBD3 mRNA expression was significantly greater in cells with the common CC genotype, but there was no clear correlation of genotype with hBD2 expression. CONCLUSION: The DEFB1 -44 G allele is associated with an increase in overall constitutive antimicrobial activity and expression of hBD1 and hBD3 in a manner that is consistent with protection from candidiasis, while the more common C allele is associated with IFNγ inducibility of these β-defensins and is likely to be more protective in conditions that enhance IFNγ expression such as chronic periodontitis. These results suggest a complex relationship between genetics and defensin expression that may influence periodontal health and innate immune responses
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