63 research outputs found
Line versus Flux Statistics -- Considerations for the Low Redshift Lyman-alpha Forest
The flux/transmission power spectrum has become a popular statistical tool in
studies of the high redshift () Lyman-alpha forest. At low redshifts,
where the forest has thinned out into a series of well-isolated absorption
lines, the motivation for flux statistics is less obvious. Here, we study the
relative merits of flux versus line correlations, and derive a simple condition
under which one is favored over the other on purely statistical grounds.
Systematic errors probably play an important role in this discussion, and they
are outlined as well.Comment: 6 pages, to appear in "The IGM/Galaxy Connection: The Distribution of
Baryons at z=0", eds. J. L. Rosenberg and M. E. Putma
A 120-Mpc Periodicity in the Three-Dimensional Distribution of Galaxy Superclusters
Using a new compilation of available data on galaxy clusters and
superclusters we present evidence for a quasiregular three-dimensional network
of rich superclusters and voids, with the regions of high density separated by
about 120 Mpc. We calculate the power spectrum for clusters of galaxies; it has
a peak on the wavelength equal to the step of the network; the excess in the
amplitude of the spectrum over that of the cold dark matter model is by a
factor of 1.4. The probability that the spectrum can be formed within the
framework of the standard cosmogony is very small. If the cluster distribution
reflects the distribution of all matter (luminous and dark), then there must
exists some hithero unknown process that produces regular structure on large
scales.Comment: Tex, 6 pages, 2 PostScript figures embedded, accepted by Nature on
November 19, 199
Confirmation of general relativity on large scales from weak lensing and galaxy velocities
Although general relativity underlies modern cosmology, its applicability on
cosmological length scales has yet to be stringently tested. Such a test has
recently been proposed, using a quantity, EG, that combines measures of
large-scale gravitational lensing, galaxy clustering and structure growth rate.
The combination is insensitive to 'galaxy bias' (the difference between the
clustering of visible galaxies and invisible dark matter) and is thus robust to
the uncertainty in this parameter. Modified theories of gravity generally
predict values of EG different from the general relativistic prediction
because, in these theories, the 'gravitational slip' (the difference between
the two potentials that describe perturbations in the gravitational metric) is
non-zero, which leads to changes in the growth of structure and the strength of
the gravitational lensing effect3. Here we report that EG = 0.39 +/- 0.06 on
length scales of tens of megaparsecs, in agreement with the general
relativistic prediction of EG 0.4. The measured value excludes a
model within the tensor-vector-scalar gravity theory, which modifies both
Newtonian and Einstein gravity. However, the relatively large uncertainty still
permits models within f(R) theory, which is an extension of general relativity.
A fivefold decrease in uncertainty is needed to rule out these models.Comment: Submitted version; 13 pages, 2 figures. Accepted version and
supplementary material are available at:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v464/n7286/full/nature08857.html
Measuring our universe from galaxy redshift surveys
Galaxy redshift surveys have achieved significant progress over the last
couple of decades. Those surveys tell us in the most straightforward way what
our local universe looks like. While the galaxy distribution traces the bright
side of the universe, detailed quantitative analyses of the data have even
revealed the dark side of the universe dominated by non-baryonic dark matter as
well as more mysterious dark energy (or Einstein's cosmological constant). We
describe several methodologies of using galaxy redshift surveys as cosmological
probes, and then summarize the recent results from the existing surveys.
Finally we present our views on the future of redshift surveys in the era of
Precision Cosmology.Comment: 82 pages, 31 figures, invited review article published in Living
Reviews in Relativity, http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2004-
Large Scale Structure of the Universe
Galaxies are not uniformly distributed in space. On large scales the Universe
displays coherent structure, with galaxies residing in groups and clusters on
scales of ~1-3 Mpc/h, which lie at the intersections of long filaments of
galaxies that are >10 Mpc/h in length. Vast regions of relatively empty space,
known as voids, contain very few galaxies and span the volume in between these
structures. This observed large scale structure depends both on cosmological
parameters and on the formation and evolution of galaxies. Using the two-point
correlation function, one can trace the dependence of large scale structure on
galaxy properties such as luminosity, color, stellar mass, and track its
evolution with redshift. Comparison of the observed galaxy clustering
signatures with dark matter simulations allows one to model and understand the
clustering of galaxies and their formation and evolution within their parent
dark matter halos. Clustering measurements can determine the parent dark matter
halo mass of a given galaxy population, connect observed galaxy populations at
different epochs, and constrain cosmological parameters and galaxy evolution
models. This chapter describes the methods used to measure the two-point
correlation function in both redshift and real space, presents the current
results of how the clustering amplitude depends on various galaxy properties,
and discusses quantitative measurements of the structures of voids and
filaments. The interpretation of these results with current theoretical models
is also presented.Comment: Invited contribution to be published in Vol. 8 of book "Planets,
Stars, and Stellar Systems", Springer, series editor T. D. Oswalt, volume
editor W. C. Keel, v2 includes additional references, updated to match
published versio
Brain ultrasonography findings in neonates with exposure to cocaine during pregnancy
Background: Cocaine exposure during pregnancy has been reported to have detrimental effects on the fetus. Objective: To describe the findings on cranial ultrasonography (CUS) as part of a neonatal screening programme for exposed neonates. Materials and methods: The study was a semiprospective analysis of a 12-year cohort of neonates born to mothers who had used cocaine during their pregnancy and who had follow-up according to a strict clinical protocol. Results: In total, 154 neonates (78 boys, 76 girls) were included, of whom 29 (19%) were born preterm, and 125 (81%) were born full-term. Abnormalities on CUS were seen in 37 neonates (24%; 95% CI 18-31%). The abnormalities were classified as minor in 20 (13%; 95% CI 9-19%) and mildly abnormal in 17 (11%; 95% CI 7-17%). None of the infants showed severe abnormalities. The abnormalities were not associated with the duration or maximum amount of cocaine use during pregnancy. Conclusion: None of the infants had severe abnormalities. Detected abnormalities were not correlated with the duration or maximum amount of cocaine use. Given these findings, we feel that routine cranial ultrasonography in this population is not warranted
Urban women's socioeconomic status, health service needs and utilization in the four weeks after postpartum hospital discharge: findings of a Canadian cross-sectional survey
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Postpartum women who experience socioeconomic disadvantage are at higher risk for poor health outcomes than more advantaged postpartum women, and may benefit from access to community based postpartum health services. This study examined socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) postpartum women's health, and health service needs and utilization patterns in the first four weeks post hospital discharge, and compared them to more socioeconomically advantaged (SEA) postpartum women's health, health service needs and utilization patterns.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data collected as part of a large Ontario cross-sectional mother-infant survey were analyzed. Women (N = 1000) who had uncomplicated vaginal births of single 'at-term' infants at four hospitals in two large southern Ontario, Canada cities were stratified into SED and SEA groups based on income, social support and a universally administered hospital postpartum risk screen. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire before hospital discharge and a telephone interview four weeks after discharge. Main outcome measures were self-reported health status, symptoms of postpartum depression, postpartum service needs and health service use.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When compared to the SEA women, the SED women were more likely to be discharged from hospital within the first 24 hours after giving birth [OR 1.49, 95% CI (1.01–2.18)], less likely to report very good or excellent health [OR 0.48, 95% CI (0.35–0.67)], and had higher rates of symptoms of postpartum depression [OR 2.7, 95% CI(1.64–4.4)]. No differences were found between groups in relation to self reported need for and ability to access services for physical and mental health needs, or in use of physicians, walk-in clinics and emergency departments. The SED group were more likely to accept public health nurse home visits [OR 2.24, 95% CI(1.47–3.40)].</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although SED women experienced poorer mental and overall health they reported similar health service needs and utilization patterns to more SEA women. The results can assist policy makers, health service planners and providers to develop and implement necessary and accessible services. Further research is needed to evaluate SED postpartum women's health service needs and barriers to service use.</p
Structural diversity of supercoiled DNA
By regulating access to the genetic code, DNA supercoiling strongly affects DNA metabolism. Despite its importance, however, much about supercoiled DNA (positively supercoiled DNA, in particular) remains unknown. Here we use electron cryo-tomography together with
biochemical analyses to investigate structures of individual purified DNA min icircle topoisomers with defined degrees of supercoiling. Our results reveal that each topoisomer, negative or positive, adopts a unique and surprisingly wide distribution of three-dimensional conformations. Moreover, we uncover striking differences in how the topoisomers handle
torsional stress. As negative supercoiling increases, bases are increasingly exposed. Beyond a sharp supercoiling threshold, we also detect exposed bases in positively supercoiled DNA. Molecular dynamics simulations independently confirm the conformational heterogeneity and
provide atomistic insight into the flexibility of supercoiled DNA. Our integrated approach reveals the three-dimensional structures of DNA that are essential for its function
Tight Regulation of the intS Gene of the KplE1 Prophage: A New Paradigm for Integrase Gene Regulation
Temperate phages have the ability to maintain their genome in their host, a process called lysogeny. For most, passive replication of the phage genome relies on integration into the host's chromosome and becoming a prophage. Prophages remain silent in the absence of stress and replicate passively within their host genome. However, when stressful conditions occur, a prophage excises itself and resumes the viral cycle. Integration and excision of phage genomes are mediated by regulated site-specific recombination catalyzed by tyrosine and serine recombinases. In the KplE1 prophage, site-specific recombination is mediated by the IntS integrase and the TorI recombination directionality factor (RDF). We previously described a sub-family of temperate phages that is characterized by an unusual organization of the recombination module. Consequently, the attL recombination region overlaps with the integrase promoter, and the integrase and RDF genes do not share a common activated promoter upon lytic induction as in the lambda prophage. In this study, we show that the intS gene is tightly regulated by its own product as well as by the TorI RDF protein. In silico analysis revealed that overlap of the attL region with the integrase promoter is widely encountered in prophages present in prokaryotic genomes, suggesting a general occurrence of negatively autoregulated integrase genes. The prediction that these integrase genes are negatively autoregulated was biologically assessed by studying the regulation of several integrase genes from two different Escherichia coli strains. Our results suggest that the majority of tRNA-associated integrase genes in prokaryotic genomes could be autoregulated and that this might be correlated with the recombination efficiency as in KplE1. The consequences of this unprecedented regulation for excisive recombination are discussed
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