The central elliptical galaxy in fossil groups and formation of BCGs

We study the dominant central giant elliptical galaxies in ``Fossil groups'' using deep optical (R-band) and near infrared (Ks-band) photometry. These galaxies are as luminous as the brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), raising immediate interest in their link to the formation of BCGs and galaxy clusters. However, despite apparent similarities, the dominant fossil galaxies show non-boxy isophotes, in contrast to the most luminous BCGs. This study suggests that the structure of the brightest group galaxies produced in fossil groups are systematically different to the majority of BCGs. If the fossils do indeed form from the merger of major galaxies including late-types within a group, then their disky nature is consistent with the results of recent numerical simulations of semi-analytical models which suggest that gas rich mergers result in disky isophote ellipticals. We show that fossils form a homogeneous population in which the velocity dispersion of the fossil group is tightly correlated with the luminosity of the dominant elliptical galaxy. This supports the scenario in which the giant elliptical galaxies in fossils can grow to the size and luminosity of BCGs in a group environment. However, the boxy structure of luminous BCGs indicate that they are either not formed as fossils, or have undergone later gas-free mergers within the cluster environment.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS letter

Chromaticity Measurements via RF Phase Modulation and Continuous Tune Tracking

Chromaticity diagnostics with high time resolution is of paramount importance for the control of the dynamic events in various accelerators, in particular for the LHC collider. This paper describes the possibility of measuring the machine chromaticity via RF phase modulation and continuous tune tracking. The RF phase modulation can be done at much higher frequencies than a classical RF frequency variation and thus, allows chromaticity measurements with a time resolution below the second. The paper describes the general measurement principle and discusses in detail open questions, which still have to be addressed experimentally. First results from machine measurements in the CERN SPS on beam stability during RF phase modulation are presented

A fossil galaxy cluster; an X-ray and optical study of RX J1416.4+2315

We present a detailed X-ray and optical study of a distant fossil system RX J1416.4+2315 (z=0.13), combining Chandra and XMM-Newton observations, optical photometry and spectroscopy. X-ray emitting hot gas imaged by both the Chandra and XMM-Newton shows a globally relaxed spatial distribution, supporting the idea that fossil groups are old galaxy systems with no recent mergers. However, the diffuse X-ray emission shows signs of asymmetries in the core of the system. With a mean gas temperature of ~ 4.0 keV and total gravitational mass of 3.1 x 10^14 solar mass, within the virial radius, this is better described as a fossil galaxy cluster rather than a fossil group. The temperature profile shows no sign of a significant cooler core despite a cooling time dropping to 5 Gyr within the resolved core. We find a mass concentration parameter c_200 ~ 11 which is relatively high for a cluster of this mass, indicative of an early formation epoch. Using the spectroscopically identified cluster members we present the galaxy luminosity function for this fossil system. We measure the velocity dispersion of the galaxies to be ~ 700 km/s based on 18 confirmed members. The dynamical mass is nearly twice the total gravitational mass derived from the X-ray analysis. The measured R-band mass-to-light ratio, within the virial radius, is ~ 440 M/L (solar) which is not unusual for clusters of galaxies. The central giant elliptical galaxy has discy isophotes and spectral features typical of elliptical galaxies.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRA

The Juncaceae-Cyperaceae Interface: A Combined Plastid Sequence Analysis

Phylogenetic relationships of Juncaceae and related families of Cyperales were investigated using DNA sequence data from the plastid rps16 intron, trnL intron, and trnL–F intergenic spacer. Results using parsimony analysis of the aligned matrices find Juncaceae and Cyperaceae to be monophyletic families, which form a clade sister to a monophyletic Thurniaceae that includes Prionium (Prioniaceae), all three clades with 100% bootstrap support. Within Juncaceae, the genus Luzula is monophyletic with 100% bootstrap support and sister to the rest of Juncaceae. Further groupings within the family indicate that the genus Juncus may be monophyletic only with the inclusion of the single-flowered genera of Juncaceae (Distichia, Oxychloe, Marsippospermum, and Rostkovia; sequences of Patosia were not included). Major groupings within Juncus are supported by the morphological characters of septate or non-septate leaves and the presence or absence of bracts subtending the flowers, which have been used to define subgenera and sections within Juncus

Potential for sugarcane production under current and future cimates in South Africa : sugar and ethanol yields, and crop water use

Spatial information on crop productivity and resource use is required to enable efficient sugarcane production with limited resources and under a changing climate. The objective of this study was to estimate biomass, sugar and ethanol yields for high-sucrose (HS) and high-fibre (HF) sugarcane cultivars for current and future climate in water limited South Africa. An upgraded version of the Canegro sugarcane model, calibrated for a HS and HF cultivar, was used to simulate biomass component yields for 1,986 agro-climatic zones. Ethanol yields were calculated from simulated biomass fractions and theoretical conversion efficiencies. Historical daily weather data for 1971–1990 were used to represent the baseline climate, while daily weather data generated from three global circulation models for 1971–1990 and 2046–2065 were used to project future changes in climate. Simulations show that the HF cultivar produced higher (15–35%) biomass and ethanol yields than the HS cultivar, but also used slightly more (~ 4%) water. Climate change is projected to increase dryland yields for both cultivar types (8–19%) Irrigated yields will not change much in current high potential areas (1–5%), given adequate water supply, while yields could increase substantially in current cool areas (~ 20%). Water and irrigation requirements are expected to increase (9–15%) under a future climate. New areas could be become suitable for irrigated and dryland production. The information produced in this study can be used to assist decision-making for: (1) optimizing production and processing processes and (2) the development of sustainable greenfield projects in marginal areas of South Africa.The South African Sugar Association.https://link.springer.com/journal/123552022-12-19hj2023Plant Production and Soil Scienc

Needle-free Biojector injection of a dengue virus type 1 DNA vaccine with human immunostimulatory sequences and the GM-CSF gene increases immunogenicity and protection from virus challenge in Aotus monkeys

AbstractA dengue-1 DNA vaccine containing sequences encoding premembrane and envelope proteins (DIME) was previously shown to elicit virus neutralizing antibodies in rhesus and Aotus monkeys, and the primates were partially protected from viremia upon challenge. To increase the neutralizing antibody levels and subsequent protection from virus challenge, four strategies were evaluated: (a) coimmunization with a plasmid expressing Aotus GM-CSF gene; (b) coimmunization with a plasmid containing human immunostimulatory sequences (ISS); (c) coimmunization with both the GM-CSF gene and ISS; and (d) delivery of vaccine using the needle-free Biojector system. Vaccination with the mixed formulation containing DIME, GM-CSF gene, and ISS, by either needle injection or Biojector, led to neutralizing antibody titers that were stable for up to 6 months after vaccination. Furthermore, 6 of 7 monkeys (85%), and 7 of 8 monkeys (87%) receiving this formulation were completely protected from viremia when challenged 1 and 6 months after vaccination, respectively. This is a significant improvement compared to our previous study in which one of three monkeys (33%) receiving just the DIME vaccine was completely protected from viremia at 6 months after immunization

Cortical Inactivation by Cooling in Small Animals

Reversible inactivation of the cortex by surface cooling is a powerful method for studying the function of a particular area. Implanted cooling cryoloops have been used to study the role of individual cortical areas in auditory processing of awake-behaving cats. Cryoloops have also been used in rodents for reversible inactivation of the cortex, but recently there has been a concern that the cryoloop may also cool non-cortical structures either directly or via the perfusion of blood, cooled as it passed close to the cooling loop. In this study we have confirmed that the loop can inactivate most of the auditory cortex without causing a significant reduction in temperature of the auditory thalamus or other subcortical structures. We placed a cryoloop on the surface of the guinea pig cortex, cooled it to 2°C and measured thermal gradients across the neocortical surface. We found that the temperature dropped to 20–24°C among cells within a radius of about 2.5 mm away from the loop. This temperature drop was sufficient to reduce activity of most cortical cells and led to the inactivation of almost the entire auditory region. When the temperature of thalamus, midbrain, and middle ear were measured directly during cortical cooling, there was a small drop in temperature (about 4°C) but this was not sufficient to directly reduce neural activity. In an effort to visualize the extent of neural inactivation we measured the uptake of thallium ions following an intravenous injection. This confirmed that there was a large reduction of activity across much of the ipsilateral cortex and only a small reduction in subcortical structures

Seroepidemiologic Assessment Of Malaria Using An Elisa For Ring-infected Erythrocyte Surface Antigen Of Plasmodium Falciparum

Zat anti terhadap antigen permukaan dari sel eritrosit yang terinfeksi dengan parasit bentuk cincin (Ring-infected Erythrocyte Surface Antigen/RESA) Plasmodium falcipa­rum telah diukur dari sera yang dikumpulkan di Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, dan Irian Ja­ya. Untuk mendeteksi IgG terhadap RESA tersebut digunakan ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay). Dari pengukuran tersebut menunjukkan adanya korelasi antara RESA ELISA dengan pengukuran epidemiologis transmisi malaria secara konvensional. Pada tulisan ini diuraikan tentang prosedur standar untuk melakukan RESA ELISA dan membahas hal-hal yang menguntungkan maupun keterbatasan-keterbatasan dalam ekstrapolasi data untuk menggambarkan perkiraan transmisi malaria