Understanding Galaxy Formation and Evolution

The old dream of integrating into one the study of micro and macrocosmos is now a reality. Cosmology, astrophysics, and particle physics intersect in a scenario (but still not a theory) of cosmic structure formation and evolution called Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) model. This scenario emerged mainly to explain the origin of galaxies. In these lecture notes, I first present a review of the main galaxy properties, highlighting the questions that any theory of galaxy formation should explain. Then, the cosmological framework and the main aspects of primordial perturbation generation and evolution are pedagogically detached. Next, I focus on the ``dark side'' of galaxy formation, presenting a review on LCDM halo assembling and properties, and on the main candidates for non-baryonic dark matter. It is shown how the nature of elemental particles can influence on the features of galaxies and their systems. Finally, the complex processes of baryon dissipation inside the non-linearly evolving CDM halos, formation of disks and spheroids, and transformation of gas into stars are briefly described, remarking on the possibility of a few driving factors and parameters able to explain the main body of galaxy properties. A summary and a discussion of some of the issues and open problems of the LCDM paradigm are given in the final part of these notes.Comment: 50 pages, 10 low-resolution figures (for normal-resolution, DOWNLOAD THE PAPER (PDF, 1.9 Mb) FROM http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/~avila/avila.pdf). Lectures given at the IV Mexican School of Astrophysics, July 18-25, 2005 (submitted to the Editors on March 15, 2006

Orbital excitation blockade and algorithmic cooling in quantum gases

Interaction blockade occurs when strong interactions in a confined few-body system prevent a particle from occupying an otherwise accessible quantum state. Blockade phenomena reveal the underlying granular nature of quantum systems and allow the detection and manipulation of the constituent particles, whether they are electrons, spins, atoms, or photons. The diverse applications range from single-electron transistors based on electronic Coulomb blockade to quantum logic gates in Rydberg atoms. We have observed a new kind of interaction blockade in transferring ultracold atoms between orbitals in an optical lattice. In this system, atoms on the same lattice site undergo coherent collisions described by a contact interaction whose strength depends strongly on the orbital wavefunctions of the atoms. We induce coherent orbital excitations by modulating the lattice depth and observe a staircase-type excitation behavior as we cross the interaction-split resonances by tuning the modulation frequency. As an application of orbital excitation blockade (OEB), we demonstrate a novel algorithmic route for cooling quantum gases. Our realization of algorithmic cooling utilizes a sequence of reversible OEB-based quantum operations that isolate the entropy in one part of the system, followed by an irreversible step that removes the entropy from the gas. This work opens the door to cooling quantum gases down to ultralow entropies, with implications for developing a microscopic understanding of strongly correlated electron systems that can be simulated in optical lattices. In addition, the close analogy between OEB and dipole blockade in Rydberg atoms provides a roadmap for the implementation of two-qubit gates in a quantum computing architecture with natural scalability.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Advancement of the 5-Amino-1-(Carbamoylmethyl)-1H-1,2,3-Triazole-4-Carboxamide Scaffold to Disarm the Bacterial SOS Response

Many antibiotics, either directly or indirectly, cause DNA damage thereby activating the bacterial DNA damage (SOS) response. SOS activation results in expression of genes involved in DNA repair and mutagenesis, and the regulation of the SOS response relies on two key proteins, LexA and RecA. Genetic studies have indicated that inactivating the regulatory proteins of this response sensitizes bacteria to antibiotics and slows the appearance of resistance. However, advancement of small molecule inhibitors of the SOS response has lagged, despite their clear promise in addressing the threat of antibiotic resistance. Previously, we had addressed this deficit by performing a high throughput screen of ∼1.8 million compounds that monitored for inhibition of RecA-mediated auto-proteolysis of Escherichia coli LexA, the reaction that initiates the SOS response. In this report, the refinement of the 5-amino-1-(carbamoylmethyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxamide scaffold identified in the screen is detailed. After development of a modular synthesis, a survey of key activity determinants led to the identification of an analog with improved potency and increased breadth, targeting auto-proteolysis of LexA from both E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Comparison of the structure of this compound to those of others in the series suggests structural features that may be required for activity and cross-species breadth. In addition, the feasibility of small molecule modulation of the SOS response was demonstrated in vivo by the suppression of the appearance of resistance. These structure activity relationships thus represent an important step toward producing Drugs that Inhibit SOS Activation to Repress Mechanisms Enabling Resistance (DISARMERs)

The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: the clustering of galaxy groups

We measure the clustering of galaxy groups in the 2dFGRS Percolation-Inferred Galaxy Group (2PIGG) catalogue. The 2PIGG sample has 28 877 groups with at least two members. The clustering amplitude of the full 2PIGG catalogue is weaker than that of 2dFGRS galaxies, in agreement with theoretical predictions. We have subdivided the 2PIGG catalogue into samples that span a factor of ≈ 25 in median total luminosity. Our correlation function measurements span an unprecedented range of clustering strengths, connecting the regimes probed by groups fainter than L* galaxies and rich clusters. There is a steady increase in clustering strength with group luminosity; the most luminous groups are 10 times more strongly clustered than the full 2PIGG catalogue. We demonstrate that the 2PIGG results are in very good agreement with the clustering of groups expected in the ΛCDM mode

Mechanisms Underlying Hypoxia Tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster: hairy as a Metabolic Switch

Hypoxia-induced cell injury has been related to multiple pathological conditions. In order to render hypoxia-sensitive cells and tissues resistant to low O2 environment, in this current study, we used Drosophila melanogaster as a model to dissect the mechanisms underlying hypoxia-tolerance. A D. melanogaster strain that lives perpetually in an extremely low-oxygen environment (4% O2, an oxygen level that is equivalent to that over about 4,000 m above Mt. Everest) was generated through laboratory selection pressure using a continuing reduction of O2 over many generations. This phenotype is genetically stable since selected flies, after several generations in room air, survive at this low O2 level. Gene expression profiling showed striking differences between tolerant and naïve flies, in larvae and adults, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Up-regulated genes in the tolerant flies included signal transduction pathways (e.g., Notch and Toll/Imd pathways), but metabolic genes were remarkably down-regulated in the larvae. Furthermore, a different allelic frequency and enzymatic activity of the triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) was present in the tolerant versus naïve flies. The transcriptional suppressor, hairy, was up-regulated in the microarrays and its binding elements were present in the regulatory region of the specifically down-regulated metabolic genes but not others, and mutations in hairy significantly reduced hypoxia tolerance. We conclude that, the hypoxia-selected flies: (a) altered their gene expression and genetic code, and (b) coordinated their metabolic suppression, especially during development, with hairy acting as a metabolic switch, thus playing a crucial role in hypoxia-tolerance

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Guanidine-Containing Antifungal Agents against Human-Relevant Fungal Pathogens (2004&ndash;2022)&mdash;A Review

The guanidine moiety is typically a highly basic group, and can be found in a wide variety of drugs, such as zanamivir (Relenza) and metformin (Fortamet), as well as in biologically active compounds for numerous disease areas, including central nervous system (CNS) diseases and chemotherapeutics. This review will focus on antifungal agents which contain at least one guanidine group, for the treatment of human-related fungal pathogens, described in the literature between 2004 and 2022. These compounds include small molecules, steroids, polymers, metal complexes, sesquiterpenes, natural products, and polypeptides. It shall be made clear that a diverse range of guanidine-containing derivatives have been published in the literature and have antifungal activity, including efficacy in in vivo experiments