793 research outputs found
Hands-On TAROT: Intercontinental use of the TAROT for Education and Public Outreach
The TAROT telescope has for primary goal the search for the prompt optical
counterpart of Cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts. It is a completely autonomous 25cm
telescope installed near Nice (France), able to point any location of the sky
within 1-2 seconds. The control, scheduling, and data processing activities are
completely automated, so the instrument is completely autonomous. In addition
to its un-manned modes, we added recently the possibility to remotely control
the telescope, as a request of the "Hands-On Universe" (HOU) program for
exchange of time within automatic telescopes for the education and public
outreach. To this purpose we developed a simple control interface. A webcam was
installed to visualize the telescope. Access to the data is possible through a
web interface. The images can be processed by the HOU software, a program
specially suited for use within the classroom. We experienced these feature
during the open days of the University of California Berkeley and the Astronomy
Festival of Fleurance (France). We plan a regular use for an astronomy course
of the Museum of Tokyo, as well as for French schools. Not only does Hands-On
TAROT gives the general public an access to professional astronomy, but it is
also a more general tool to demonstrate the use of a complex automated system,
the techniques of data processing and automation. Last but not least, through
the use of telescopes located in many countries over the globe, a form of
powerful and genuine cooperation between teachers and children from various
countries is promoted, with a clear educational goal.Comment: 4 pages, Based on a demonstration presented at the ADASS X
Conference, Boston, MA, USA, October 2000, to appear in ASP Conf. Serie
Genome-wide identification of microRNA and siRNA responsive to endophytic beneficial diazotrophic bacteria in maize
Background: Small RNA (sRNA) has been described as a regulator of gene expression. In order to understand the role of maize sRNA (Zea mays - hybrid UENF 506-8) during association with endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, we analyzed the sRNA regulated by its association with two diazotrophic bacteria, Herbaspirillum seropedicae and Azospirillum brasilense. Results: Deep sequencing analysis was done with RNA extracted from plants inoculated with H. seropedicae, allowing the identification of miRNA and siRNA. A total of 25 conserved miRNA families and 15 novel miRNAs were identified. A dynamic regulation in response to inoculation was also observed. A hypothetical model involving copper-miRNA is proposed, emphasizing the fact that the up-regulation of miR397, miR398, miR408 and miR528, which is followed by inhibition of their targets, can facilitate association with diazotrophic bacteria. Similar expression patterns were observed in samples inoculated with A. brasilense. Moreover, novel miRNA and siRNA were classified in the Transposable Elements (TE) database, and an enrichment of siRNA aligned with TE was observed in the inoculated samples. In addition, an increase in 24-nt siRNA mapping to genes was observed, which was correlated with an increase in methylation of the coding regions and a subsequent reduction in transcription. Conclusion: Our results show that maize has RNA-based silencing mechanisms that can trigger specific responses when plants interact with beneficial endophytic diazotrophic bacteria. Our findings suggest important roles for sRNA regulation in maize, and probably in other plants, during association with diazotrophic bacteria, emphasizing the up-regulation of Cu-miRNA
Observations of T-Tauri Stars using HST-GHRS: I. Far Ultraviolet Emission Lines
We have analyzed GHRS data of eight CTTS and one WTTS. The GHRS data consists
of spectral ranges 40 A wide centered on 1345, 1400, 1497, 1550, and 1900 A.
These UV spectra show strong SiIV, and CIV emission, and large quantities of
sharp (~40 km/s) H2 lines. All the H2 lines belong to the Lyman band and all
the observed lines are single peaked and optically thin. The averages of all
the H2 lines centroids for each star are negative which may indicate that they
come from an outflow. We interpret the emission in H2 as being due to
fluorescence, mostly by Ly_alpha, and identify seven excitation routes within 4
A of that line. We obtain column densities (10^12 to 10^15 cm^-2) and optical
depths (~1 or less) for each exciting transition. We conclude that the
populations are far from being in thermal equilibrium. We do not observe any
lines excited from the far blue wing of Ly_alpha, which implies that the
molecular features are excited by an absorbed profile. SiIV and CIV (corrected
for H2 emission) have widths of ~200 km/s, and an array of centroids
(blueshifted lines, centered, redshifted). These characteristics are difficult
to understand in the context of current models of the accretion shock. For DR
Tau we observe transient strong blueshifted emission, perhaps the a result of
reconnection events in the magnetosphere. We also see evidence of multiple
emission regions for the hot lines. While CIV is optically thin in most stars
in our sample, SiIV is not. However, CIV is a good predictor of SiIV and H2
emission. We conclude that most of the flux in the hot lines may be due to
accretion processes, but the line profiles can have multiple and variable
components.Comment: 67 pages, 19 figures, Accepted in Ap
Differential sRNA Regulation in Leaves and Roots of Sugarcane under Water Depletion
Plants have developed multiple regulatory mechanisms to respond and adapt to stress. Drought stress is one of the major constraints to agricultural productivity worldwide and recent reports have highlighted the importance of plant sRNA in the response and adaptation to water availability. In order to increase our understanding of the roles of sRNA in response to water depletion, cultivars of sugarcane were submitted to treatment of ceasing drip irrigation for 24 hours. Deep sequencing analysis was carried out to identify the sRNA regulated in leaves and roots of sugarcane cultivars with different drought sensitivities. The pool of sRNA selected allowed the analysis of different sRNA classes (miRNA and siRNA). Twenty-eight and 36 families of conserved miRNA were identified in leaf and root libraries, respectively. Dynamic regulation of miRNA was observed and the expression profiles of eight miRNA were verified in leaf samples from three biological replicates by stem-loop qRT-PCR assay using the cultivars: SP90-1638 - sensitive cultivar- and; SP83-2847 and SP83-5073 - tolerant cultivars. Altered miRNA regulation was correlated with changes in mRNA levels of specific targets. Two leaf libraries from individual sugarcane cultivars with contrasting drought-tolerance properties were also analyzed. An enrichment of 22-nt sRNA species was observed in leaf libraries. 22-nt miRNA triggered siRNA production by cleavage of their targets in response to water depletion. A number of genes of the sRNA biogenesis pathway were down-regulated in tolerant genotypes and up-regulated in sensitive in response to water depletion treatment. Our analysis contributes to increase the knowledge on the roles of sRNA in sugarcane submitted to water depletion
CD4 cell count and the risk of AIDS or death in HIV-Infected adults on combination antiretroviral therapy with a suppressed viral load: a longitudinal cohort study from COHERE.
BACKGROUND: Most adults infected with HIV achieve viral suppression within a year of starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). It is important to understand the risk of AIDS events or death for patients with a suppressed viral load.
METHODS AND FINDINGS: Using data from the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (2010 merger), we assessed the risk of a new AIDS-defining event or death in successfully treated patients. We accumulated episodes of viral suppression for each patient while on cART, each episode beginning with the second of two consecutive plasma viral load measurements 500 copies/”l, the first of two consecutive measurements between 50-500 copies/”l, cART interruption or administrative censoring. We used stratified multivariate Cox models to estimate the association between time updated CD4 cell count and a new AIDS event or death or death alone. 75,336 patients contributed 104,265 suppression episodes and were suppressed while on cART for a median 2.7 years. The mortality rate was 4.8 per 1,000 years of viral suppression. A higher CD4 cell count was always associated with a reduced risk of a new AIDS event or death; with a hazard ratio per 100 cells/”l (95% CI) of: 0.35 (0.30-0.40) for counts <200 cells/”l, 0.81 (0.71-0.92) for counts 200 to <350 cells/”l, 0.74 (0.66-0.83) for counts 350 to <500 cells/”l, and 0.96 (0.92-0.99) for counts â„500 cells/”l. A higher CD4 cell count became even more beneficial over time for patients with CD4 cell counts <200 cells/”l.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite the low mortality rate, the risk of a new AIDS event or death follows a CD4 cell count gradient in patients with viral suppression. A higher CD4 cell count was associated with the greatest benefit for patients with a CD4 cell count <200 cells/”l but still some slight benefit for those with a CD4 cell count â„500 cells/”l
Model Kebijakan Penanggulangan Korupsi di Universitas Negeri YOGYAKARTA
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kebijakan Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta dalam menanggulangi korupsi dan menemukan model kebijakan yang diinginkan Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta dalam menanggulangi korupsi. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian survei dengan pendekatan kuantitatif dan kualitatif. Sampel penelitian ditentukan secara multy stage sampling dengan teknik pengumpulan data dengan angket, dokumen dan diperkuat dengan pengumpulan data melalui Focus Group Discussion (FGD), dan validasi instrumen melalui validitas isi (content validity). Data dianalisis secara deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kebijakan penanggulangan korupsi di UNY tidak ada secara khusus dikeluarkan. Kebijakan yang ada mengikuti dan mempertahankan kebijakan yang lebih tinggi, yaitu dari Pemerintah. Model kebijakan penangggulangan korupsi di UNY yang digunakan adalah Model Rasional, yaitu kebijakan penanggulangan korupsi yang dikeluarkan merupakan aspirasi semua staf yang ada di unit kerja dan harus menekankan pada aspek efisiensi atas beban kerja pada unit kerja yang bersangkutan. Adapun kebijakan yang sudah ada yang berasal dari Pemerintah pusat dijadikan pedoman
VSI: the VLTI spectro-imager
The VLTI Spectro Imager (VSI) was proposed as a second-generation instrument
of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer providing the ESO community with
spectrally-resolved, near-infrared images at angular resolutions down to 1.1
milliarcsecond and spectral resolutions up to R=12000. Targets as faint as K=13
will be imaged without requiring a brighter nearby reference object. The unique
combination of high-dynamic-range imaging at high angular resolution and high
spectral resolution enables a scientific program which serves a broad user
community and at the same time provides the opportunity for breakthroughs in
many areas of astrophysic including: probing the initial conditions for planet
formation in the AU-scale environments of young stars; imaging convective cells
and other phenomena on the surfaces of stars; mapping the chemical and physical
environments of evolved stars, stellar remnants, and stellar winds; and
disentangling the central regions of active galactic nuclei and supermassive
black holes. VSI will provide these new capabilities using technologies which
have been extensively tested in the past and VSI requires little in terms of
new infrastructure on the VLTI. At the same time, VSI will be able to make
maximum use of new infrastructure as it becomes available; for example, by
combining 4, 6 and eventually 8 telescopes, enabling rapid imaging through the
measurement of up to 28 visibilities in every wavelength channel within a few
minutes. The current studies are focused on a 4-telescope version with an
upgrade to a 6-telescope one. The instrument contains its own fringe tracker
and tip-tilt control in order to reduce the constraints on the VLTI
infrastructure and maximize the scientific return.Comment: 12 pages, to be published in Proc. SPIE conference 7013 "Optical and
Infrared Interferometry", Schoeller, Danchi, and Delplancke, F. (eds.). See
also http://vsi.obs.ujf-grenoble.f
The Schrdinger-Poisson equations as the large-N limit of the Newtonian N-body system: applications to the large scale dark matter dynamics
In this paper it is argued how the dynamics of the classical Newtonian N-body
system can be described in terms of the Schrdinger-Poisson equations
in the large limit. This result is based on the stochastic quantization
introduced by Nelson, and on the Calogero conjecture. According to the Calogero
conjecture, the emerging effective Planck constant is computed in terms of the
parameters of the N-body system as , where is the gravitational constant, and are the
number and the mass of the bodies, and is their average density. The
relevance of this result in the context of large scale structure formation is
discussed. In particular, this finding gives a further argument in support of
the validity of the Schrdinger method as numerical double of the
N-body simulations of dark matter dynamics at large cosmological scales.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Euro. Phys. J.
Visual processing speed is linked to functional connectivity between right frontoparietal and visual networks
Visual information processing requires an efficient visual attention system. The neural theory of visual attention (TVA) proposes that visual processing speed depends on the coordinated activity between frontoparietal and occipital brain areas. Previous research has shown that the coordinated activity between (i.e., functional connectivity and âinter-FCâ) cingulo-opercular (COn) and right-frontoparietal (RFPn) networks is linked to visual processing speed. However, how inter-FC of COn and RFPn with visual networks links to visual processing speed has not been directly addressed yet. Forty-eight healthy adult participants (27 females) underwent resting-state (rs-)fMRI and performed a whole-report psychophysical task. To obtain inter-FC, we analyzed the entire frequency range available in our rs-fMRI data (i.e., 0.01â0.4 Hz) to avoid discarding neural information. Following previous approaches, we analyzed the data across frequency bins (Hz): Slow-5 (0.01â0.027), Slow-4 (0.027â0.073), Slow-3 (0.073â0.198), and Slow-2 (0.198â0.4). We used the mathematical TVA framework to estimate an individual, latent-level visual processing speed parameter. We found that visual processing speed was negatively associated with inter-FC between RFPn and visual networks in Slow-5 and Slow-2, with no corresponding significant association for inter-FC between COn and visual networks. These results provide the first empirical evidence that links inter-FC between RFPn and visual networks with the visual processing speed parameter. These findings suggest that direct connectivity between occipital and right frontoparietal, but not frontoinsular, regions support visual processing speed
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