A Detailed Observational Analysis of V1324 Sco, the Most Gamma-Ray Luminous Classical Nova to Date

It has recently been discovered that some, if not all, classical novae emit GeV gamma rays during outburst, but the mechanisms involved in the production of the gamma rays are still not well understood. We present here a comprehensive multi-wavelength dataset---from radio to X-rays---for the most gamma-ray luminous classical nova to-date, V1324 Sco. Using this dataset, we show that V1324 Sco is a canonical dusty Fe-II type nova, with a maximum ejecta velocity of 2600 km s$^{-1}$ and an ejecta mass of few $\times 10^{-5}$ M$_{\odot}$. There is also evidence for complex shock interactions, including a double-peaked radio light curve which shows high brightness temperatures at early times. To explore why V1324~Sco was so gamma-ray luminous, we present a model of the nova ejecta featuring strong internal shocks, and find that higher gamma-ray luminosities result from higher ejecta velocities and/or mass-loss rates. Comparison of V1324~Sco with other gamma-ray detected novae does not show clear signatures of either, and we conclude that a larger sample of similarly well-observed novae is needed to understand the origin and variation of gamma rays in novae.Comment: 26 pages, 13 figure

Early Infrared Spectral Development of V1187 Scorpii (Nova Scorpii 2004 No. 2)

We report on an unprecedented infrared time series of spectra of V1187 Sco, a very fast ONeMg nova. The observations covered a 56 day period (2004 August 6-September 30) starting 2 days after the nova's peak brightness. Time evolution of the spectra revealed changing line strengths and profiles on timescales of less than a day to weeks as the nova evolved from early postmaximum to early coronal phases. When our ground-based optical and Spitzer Space Telescope data were combined, the wavelength coverage of 0.38-36 μm allowed an accurate spectral energy distribution to be derived when it was about 6 weeks after outburst. Developing double structure in the He I lines showed them changing from narrow to broad in only a few days. Using the O I lines in combination with the optical spectra, we derived a reddening of E(B - V) = 1.56 ± 0.08 and a distance of 4.9 ± 0.5 kpc. Modeling of the ejected material strongly suggested that it was geometrically thick with ΔR/R = 0.8-0.9 (more of a wind than a shell) and a low filling factor of order a few percent. The line shapes were consistent with a cylindrical jet, bipolar, or spherical Hubble flow expansion with a maximum speed of about -3000 km s-1. The central peak appeared to be more associated with the spherical component, while the two peaks (especially in Hβ) suggested a ring with either a lower velocity component or with its axis inclined to the line of sight

Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

Following the selection of The Gravitational Universe by ESA, and the successful flight of LISA Pathfinder, the LISA Consortium now proposes a 4 year mission in response to ESA's call for missions for L3. The observatory will be based on three arms with six active laser links, between three identical spacecraft in a triangular formation separated by 2.5 million km. LISA is an all-sky monitor and will offer a wide view of a dynamic cosmos using Gravitational Waves as new and unique messengers to unveil The Gravitational Universe. It provides the closest ever view of the infant Universe at TeV energy scales, has known sources in the form of verification binaries in the Milky Way, and can probe the entire Universe, from its smallest scales near the horizons of black holes, all the way to cosmological scales. The LISA mission will scan the entire sky as it follows behind the Earth in its orbit, obtaining both polarisations of the Gravitational Waves simultaneously, and will measure source parameters with astrophysically relevant sensitivity in a band from below $10^{-4}\,$Hz to above $10^{-1}\,$Hz.Comment: Submitted to ESA on January 13th in response to the call for missions for the L3 slot in the Cosmic Vision Programm

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Emerging technologies and their impact on regulatory science

There is an evolution and increasing need for the utilization of emerging cellular, molecular and in silico technologies and novel approaches for safety assessment of food, drugs, and personal care products. Convergence of these emerging technologies is also enabling rapid advances and approaches that may impact regulatory decisions and approvals. Although the development of emerging technologies may allow rapid advances in regulatory decision making, there is concern that these new technologies have not been thoroughly evaluated to determine if they are ready for regulatory application, singularly or in combinations. The magnitude of these combined technical advances may outpace the ability to assess fit for purpose and to allow routine application of these new methods for regulatory purposes. There is a need to develop strategies to evaluate the new technologies to determine which ones are ready for regulatory use. The opportunity to apply these potentially faster, more accurate, and cost-effective approaches remains an important goal to facilitate their incorporation into regulatory use. However, without a clear strategy to evaluate emerging technologies rapidly and appropriately, the value of these efforts may go unrecognized or may take longer. It is important for the regulatory science field to keep up with the research in these technically advanced areas and to understand the science behind these new approaches. The regulatory field must understand the critical quality attributes of these novel approaches and learn from each other's experience so that workforces can be trained to prepare for emerging global regulatory challenges. Moreover, it is essential that the regulatory community must work with the technology developers to harness collective capabilities towards developing a strategy for evaluation of these new and novel assessment tools

AEDGE: Atomic Experiment for Dark Matter and Gravity Exploration in Space

Abstract: We propose in this White Paper a concept for a space experiment using cold atoms to search for ultra-light dark matter, and to detect gravitational waves in the frequency range between the most sensitive ranges of LISA and the terrestrial LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA/INDIGO experiments. This interdisciplinary experiment, called Atomic Experiment for Dark Matter and Gravity Exploration (AEDGE), will also complement other planned searches for dark matter, and exploit synergies with other gravitational wave detectors. We give examples of the extended range of sensitivity to ultra-light dark matter offered by AEDGE, and how its gravitational-wave measurements could explore the assembly of super-massive black holes, first-order phase transitions in the early universe and cosmic strings. AEDGE will be based upon technologies now being developed for terrestrial experiments using cold atoms, and will benefit from the space experience obtained with, e.g., LISA and cold atom experiments in microgravity. KCL-PH-TH/2019-65, CERN-TH-2019-12

Courting Reform: Indonesia's Islamic Courts and Justice for the Poor

This paper documents a judicial reform case study in the world’s most populous Islamic country that has involved increasing access to the courts for disadvantaged groups. The process began with an Access and Equity Study in the area of family law conducted by the Religious Courts of Indonesia in partnership with the Family Court of Australia as well as Indonesian research institutes and an NGO for female heads of household. The key findings of that study showed that the 50% of Indonesia’s citizens living below $2 a day would face challenges in bringing their family law cases to the Religious Courts, something that is mandatory under Indonesian law. The paper documents the steps taken by the Religious Courts over the last five years to increase access to the courts for disadvantaged groups, principally women, the poor and those living in remote areas. It is estimated that 30-40,000 Indonesian citizens facing financial and other forms of disadvantage will access the Religious Courts for their family law cases during 2011as a result of court fees being waived or a circuit court visiting their locality. The paper also highlights why legalising marriage and divorce and the provision of birth certificates (requiring a legal marriage certificate) are important for female heads of household and the families they support in terms of accessing broader public services, such as education and health

Reproduction in shark-attacked sea turtles is supported by stress-reduction mechanisms.

Vertebrates exhibit varied behavioural and physiological tactics to promote reproductive success. We examined mechanisms that could enable female loggerhead turtles to undertake nesting activities and maintain seasonal reproduction despite recent shark injuries of varying severity. We proposed that endocrinal mechanisms that regulate both a turtle's stress response and reproductive ability are modified to promote successful and continued reproduction. Irrespective of the degree of injury, females did not exhibit increased levels of the stress hormone corticosterone, nor decreased levels of the reproductive steroid testosterone; hormone responses consistent with stress. When exposed to a capture stressor, females with shark injury did not exhibit any greater corticosterone response than controls. In addition, breeding females showed a reduced corticosterone stress response compared to non-breeding females. Reduced endocrinal responses following shark injury, and during breeding in general may, in part, enable females to maintain behavioural and physiological commitment to reproduction

Mountain barriers and river conduits: phylogeographical structure in a large, mobile lizard (Varanidae: Varanus varius) from eastern Australia

Aim: Across eastern Australia, mountain ranges (the Great Dividing Range) and river catchments (the Murray-Darling Basin) are likely to have shaped the phylogeographical structure of many species. We address how such processes have influenced the phylogeography of the lace monitor, Varanus varius, a large mobile lizard. Location: Eastern and south-eastern Australia. Methods: Phylogeographical hypotheses were tested using up to 90 museum and field-collected samples from across the entire species\u27 range; a 671-bp region of the mtDNA gene ND4 was sequenced and all individuals were genotyped (eight microsatellite loci). Results: Maximum-likelihood analysis of sequence data revealed three geographically separate clades, with divergences estimated to have occurred during the Pleistocene. The south-eastern clade showed an expansion pattern from northern refugia and dispersal appears to have occurred along the Murray-Darling river system. Microsatellite analyses support mtDNA clades but indicate secondary contact in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Main conclusions: Our results indicate that phylogeographical structure and contemporary gene flow in Varanus varius is shaped by dispersal capacity, geographical barriers and the presence of ancient river corridors. Indeed, only the most significant geological (McPherson Range) and habitat barriers (Burdekin Gap) appear to limit gene flow in this species. The expansion of the clade on the western side of the Great Dividing Range suggests that ancient riparian corridors have facilitated extensive gene flow. Our study highlights the importance of understanding a species\u27 ecological dynamics when examining broad-scale evolutionary patterns.<br /