330 research outputs found
Signatures of Interstellar-Intracluster Medium Interactions: Spiral Galaxy Rotation Curves in Abell 2029
We investigate the rich cluster Abell 2029 (z~0.08) using optical imaging and
long-slit spectral observations of 52 disk galaxies distributed throughout the
cluster field. No strong emission-line galaxies are present within ~400 kpc of
the cluster center, a region largely dominated by the similarly-shaped X-ray
and low surface brightness optical envelopes centered on the giant cD galaxy.
However, two-thirds of the galaxies observed outside the cluster core exhibit
line emission. H-alpha rotation curves of 14 cluster members are used in
conjunction with a deep I band image to study the environmental dependence of
the Tully-Fisher relation. The Tully-Fisher zero-point of Abell 2029 matches
that of clusters at lower redshifts, although we do observe a relatively larger
scatter about the Tully-Fisher relation. We do not observe any systematic
variation in the data with projected distance to the cluster center: we see no
environmental dependence of Tully-Fisher residuals, R-I color, H-alpha
equivalent width, and the shape and extent of the rotation curves.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables; to appear in the August 2000
Astronomical Journa
Cuando la osteonecrosis por bisfosfonatos acecha. Reporte de un caso
El envejecimiento progresivo de la población española puede incrementar el riesgo de padecer diversas patologías óseas como la osteoporosis, que junto con distintos procesos oncológicos suelen conllevar el consumo de fármacos como los bisfosfonatos. La toma de este tipo de medicamentos puede ocasionar efectos secundarios, como la osteonecrosis de los maxilares. Se presenta un caso clínico atendido en el Servicio de Prácticas Odontológicas de la Universidad de Zaragoza, donde tras la toma de bisfosfonatos apareció osteonecrosis mandibular. El abordaje de estos pacientes se realiza desde un punto de vista multidisciplinar, por lo que el manejo clínico fue realizado en coordinación con el Servicio de Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial del Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet de Zaragoza.
The progressive aging of the Spanish population may increase the risk of suffering from various bone pathologies such as osteoporosis, which together with different oncological processes usually lead to the consumption of drugs such as bisphosphonates. Taking these types of drugs can cause side effects, such as osteonecrosis of the jaws. A clinical case treated in the Dental Practice Service of the University of Saragossa is presented, where after taking bisphosphonates, osteonecrosis of the jaw appeared. These patients are approached from a multidisciplinary point of view, so the clinical management was carried out in coordination with the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service of the Miguel Servet University Hospital in Saragossa
Evidence for a Large Stellar Bar in the LSB Galaxy UGC 7321
Late-type spiral galaxies are thought to be the dynamically simplest type of
disk galaxies and our understanding of their properties plays a key role in the
galaxy formation and evolution scenarios. The low surface brightness (LSB)
galaxy UGC 7321, a nearby, isolated, ``superthin'' edge-on galaxy, is an ideal
object to study those purely disk dominated bulge-less galaxies. Although late
type spirals are believed to exhibit the simplest possible structure, even
prior observations showed deviations from a pure single component exponential
disk in the case of UGC 7321. We present for the first time photometric
evidence for peanut-shaped outer isophotes from a deep optical (R-band) image
of UGC 7321. Observations and dynamical modeling suggest that
boxy/peanut-shaped (b/p) bulges in general form through the buckling
instability in bars of the parent galaxy disks. Together with recent HI
observations supporting the presence of a stellar bar in UGC 7321 this could be
the earliest known case of the buckling process during the evolutionary life of
a LSB galaxy, whereby material in the disk-bar has started to be pumped up
above the disk, but a genuine bulge has not yet formed.Comment: LaTeX, 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted to be published in A&
Plasmodium falciparum Apicomplexan-Specific Glucosamine-6-Phosphate N-Acetyltransferase Is Key for Amino Sugar Metabolism and Asexual Blood Stage Development
UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), the main product of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, is an important metabolite in protozoan parasites since its sugar moiety is incorporated into glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) glycolipids and N- and O-linked glycans. Apicomplexan parasites have a hexosamine pathway comparable to other eukaryotic organisms, with the exception of the glucosamine-phosphate N-acetyltransferase (GNA1) enzymatic step that has an independent evolutionary origin and significant differences from nonapicomplexan GNA1s. By using conditional genetic engineering, we demonstrate the requirement of GNA1 for the generation of a pool of UDP-GlcNAc and for the development of intraerythrocytic asexual Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Furthermore, we present the 1.95 A resolution structure of the GNA1 ortholog from Cryptosporidium parvum, an apicomplexan parasite which is a leading cause of diarrhea in developing countries, as a surrogate for P. falciparum GNA1. The indepth analysis of the crystal shows the presence of specific residues relevant for GNA1 enzymatic activity that are further investigated by the creation of site-specific mutants. The experiments reveal distinct features in apicomplexan GNA1 enzymes that could be exploitable for the generation of selective inhibitors against these parasites, by targeting the hexosamine pathway. This work underscores the potential of apicomplexan GNA1 as a drug target against malaria. IMPORTANCE Apicomplexan parasites cause a major burden on global health and economy. The absence of treatments, the emergence of resistances against available therapies, and the parasite''s ability to manipulate host cells and evade immune systems highlight the urgent need to characterize new drug targets to treat infections caused by these parasites. We demonstrate that glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase (GNA1), required for the biosynthesis of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), is essential for P. falciparum asexual blood stage development and that the disruption of the gene encoding this enzyme quickly causes the death of the parasite within a life cycle. The high-resolution crystal structure of the GNA1 ortholog from the apicomplexan parasite C. parvum, used here as a surrogate, highlights significant differences from human GNA1. These divergences can be exploited for the design of specific inhibitors against the malaria parasite
X-ray observations of the galaxy cluster Abell 2029 to the virial radius
We present Suzaku observations of the galaxy cluster Abell 2029, which
exploit Suzaku's low particle background to probe the ICM to radii beyond those
possible with previous observations (reaching out to the virial radius), and
with better azimuthal coverage. We find significant anisotropies in the
temperature and entropy profiles, with a region of lower temperature and
entropy occurring to the south east, possibly the result of accretion activity
in this direction. Away from this cold feature, the thermodynamic properties
are consistent with an entropy profile which rises, but less steeply than the
predictions of purely gravitational hierarchical structure formation. Excess
emission in the northern direction can be explained due to the overlap of the
emission from the outskirts of Abell 2029 and nearby Abell 2033 (which is at
slightly higher redshift). These observations suggest that the assumptions of
spherical symmetry and hydrostatic equilibrium break down in the outskirts of
galaxy clusters, which poses challenges for modelling cluster masses at large
radii and presents opportunities for studying the formation and accretion
history of clusters.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures. Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices
of the Royal Astronomical Societ
Large scale diffuse light in the Coma cluster: a multi-scale approach
We have obtained wide field images of the Coma cluster in the B, V, R and I
bands with the CFH12K camera at CFHT. In order to search for large scale
diffuse emission, we have applied to these images an iterative multi scale
wavelet analysis and reconstruction technique which allowed to model all the
sources (stars and galaxies) and subtract them from the original images. We
found various concentrations of diffuse emission present in the central zone
around the central galaxies NGC4874 and NGC4889. We characterize the positions,
sizes and colors of these concentrations. Some sources do not seem to have
strong star formation, while another one probably exhibits spiral-like color.
One possible origin for the star forming diffuse emission sources is that in
the region of the two main galaxies NGC4874 and NGC4889 spiral galaxies have
recently been disrupted and star formation is still active in the dispersed
material. We also use the characteristics of the sources of diffuse emission to
trace the cluster dynamics. A scenario in which the group around NGC 4874 is
moving north is consistent with our data.Comment: 11 pages, accepted in A&A, jpg figure
A survey for redshifted molecular and atomic absorption lines I
We are currently undertaking a large survey for redshifted atomic and
molecular absorption ... only one clear and one tentative detection were
obtained: HI absorption at z = 0.097 in PKS 1555-140 and OH absorption at z
=0.126 in PKS 2300-189, respectively... In order to determine why no clear
molecular absorption was detected in any of the 13 sources searched, we
investigate the properties of the five redshifted systems currently known to
exhibit OH absorption. In four of these, molecules were first detected via
millimetre-wave transitions and the flat radio spectra indicate compact
background continuum sources, which may suggest a high degree of coverage of
the background source by the molecular clouds in the absorber. Furthermore, for
these systems we find a relationship between the molecular line strength and
red optical--near infrared (V-K) colours, thus supporting the notion that the
reddening of these sources is due to dust, which provides an environment
conducive to the formation of molecules. Upon comparison with the V-K colours
of our sample, this relationship suggests that, presuming the reddening occurs
at the host galaxy redshift at least in some of the targets, many of our
observations still fall short of the sensitivityrequired to detect OH
absorption, although a confirmation of the ``detection'' of OH in 2300-189
could contravene this.Comment: 13 pages, loads of figures, accepted by MNRA
CO emission and associated HI absorption from a massive gas reservoir surrounding the z=3 radio galaxy B3 J2330+3927
We present results of a comprehensive multi-frequency study of the radio
galaxy B3 J2330+3927. The 1.9" wide radio source, consisting of 3 components,
is bracketed by 2 objects in our Keck K-band image. Optical and near-IR Keck
spectroscopy of these two objects yield z=3.087+-0.004. The brightest (K=18.8)
object has a standard type II AGN spectrum, and is the most likely location of
the AGN, which implies a one-sided jet radio morphology. Deep 113 GHz
observations with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer reveal CO J=4-3
emission, which peaks at the position of the AGN. The CO line is offset by 500
km/s from the systemic redshift of the AGN, but corresponds very closely to the
velocity shift of an associated HI absorber seen in Lya. This strongly suggests
that both originate from the same gas reservoir surrounding the AGN host
galaxy. Simultaneous 230 GHz interferometer observations find a ~3x lower
integrated flux density when compared to single dish 250 GHz observations with
MAMBO at the IRAM 30m telescope. This can be interpreted as spatially resolved
thermal dust emission at scales of 0.5" to 6". Finally, we present a tau <1.3%
limit to the HI 21 cm absorption against the radio source, which represents the
seventh non-detection out of 8 z>2 radio galaxies observed to date with the
WSRT. We present mass estimates for the atomic, neutral, and ionized hydrogen,
and for the dust, ranging from M(HI)=2x10^7 M_Sun derived from the associated
HI absorber in Lya up to M(H_2)=7x10^{10} M_Sun derived from the CO emission.
This indicates that the host galaxy is surrounded by a massive reservoir of gas
and dust. The K-band companion objects may be concentrations within this
reservoir, which will eventually merge with the central galaxy hosting the AGN.Comment: 16 Pages, including 11 PostScript figures. Accepted for publication
in Astronomy & Astrophysic
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