1,751 research outputs found
Spectral line profiles changed by dust scattering in heavily obscured young stellar objects
It is known that scattering of radiation by circumstellar dust can strongly
change the line profiles in stellar spectra. This hampers the analysis of
spectral lines originating in the emitting regions of heavily obscured young
stars. To calculate the line profile of the scattered radiation, we suggest to
use the approximation of remote scattering particles. This approximation
assumes that the scattering dust grains are at a distance from the star that is
much larger than the characteristic size of the emitting region. Using this
method, we calculated the line profiles of several simple models. They show the
H alpha line profiles of Herbig AeBe stars in the presence and absence of
motionless or moving dust
AGN Obscuring Tori Supported by Infrared Radiation Pressure
Explicit 2-d axisymmetric solutions are found to the hydrostatic equilibrium,
energy balance, and photon diffusion equations within obscuring tori around
active galactic nuclei. These solutions demonstrate that infrared radiation
pressure can support geometrically thick structures in AGN environments subject
to certain constraints: the bolometric luminosity must be roughly 0.03--1 times
the Eddington luminosity; and the Compton optical depth of matter in the
equatorial plane should be order unity, with a tolerance of about an order of
magnitude up or down. Both of these constraints are at least roughly consistent
with observations. In addition, angular momentum must be redistributed so that
the fractional rotational support against gravity rises from the inner edge of
the torus to the outer in a manner specific to the detailed shape of the
gravitational potential. This model also predicts that the column densities
observed in obscured AGN should range from about 10^{22} to about 10^{24}
cm^{-2}.Comment: ApJ, in pres
Further insights on predictors of environmental tobacco smoke exposure during the pediatric age
Background: The smoking ban in public places has reduced Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) exposure for non-smokers, but despite this, domestic environments still remain places at high risk of exposure, and, today, about 40% of children worldwide are exposed to ETS at home. The aims of the study are to investigate the contribution of several factors on ETS exposure among a group of Italian children and to evaluate the changes in smoking precautions adopted at home when the smoker is the mother, the father, or both parents, respectively. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 519 Italian schoolchildren. Information was collected via a questionnaire. Results: 41.4% of the participants lived with at least one smoker. Almost half of the children exposed to ETS lived with one or more smokers who do not observe any home smoking ban. Lower maternal or paternal educational levels significantly increase the risk of ETS exposure at home and the âworst caseâ is represented by both parents who smoke. Conclusions: More effective preventive interventions are needed to protect children from ETS exposure. Some interventions should be specifically dedicated to smokers with a low educational level and to mothers that smoke
Dynamics of Vortex Pair in Radial Flow
The problem of vortex pair motion in two-dimensional plane radial flow is
solved. Under certain conditions for flow parameters, the vortex pair can
reverse its motion within a bounded region. The vortex-pair translational
velocity decreases or increases after passing through the source/sink region,
depending on whether the flow is diverging or converging, respectively. The
rotational motion of two corotating vortexes in a quiescent environment
transforms into motion along a logarithmic spiral in the presence of radial
flow. The problem may have applications in astrophysics and geophysics.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
Nafion-TiO2 composite DMFC membranes: Physico-chemical properties of the filier versus electrochemical performance
TiO2 nanometric powders were prepared via a sol-gel procedure and calcined at various temperatures to obtain different surface and bulk properties. The calcined powders were used as fillers in composite Nafion membranes for application in high temperature direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The powder physico-chemical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and pH measurements. The observed characteristics were correlated to the DMFC electrochemical behaviour. Analysis of the high temperature conductivity and DMFC performance reveals a significant influence of the surface characteristics of the ceramic oxide, such as oxygen functional groups and surface area, on the membrane electrochemical behaviour. A maximum DMFC power density of 350 mW cm-2 was achieved under oxygen feed at 145°C in a pressurized DMFC (2.5 bar, anode and cathode) equipped with TiO2 nano-particles based composite membranes. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
RHESSI Observations of the Solar Flare Iron-line Feature at 6.7 keV
Analysis of RHESSI 3--10 keV spectra for 27 solar flares is reported. This
energy range includes thermal free--free and free--bound continuum and two line
features, at 6.7keV and 8keV, principally due to highly ionized iron (Fe). We
used the continuum and the flux in the so-called Fe-line feature at 6.7keV to
derive the electron temperature T_e, the emission measure, and the Fe-line
equivalent width as functions of time in each flare. The Fe/H abundance ratio
in each flare is derived from the Fe-line equivalent width as a function of
T_e. To minimize instrumental problems with high count rates and effects
associated with multi-temperature and nonthermal spectral components, spectra
are presented mostly during the flare decay phase, when the emission measure
and temperature were smoothly varying. We found flare Fe/H abundance ratios
that are consistent with the coronal abundance of Fe (i.e. 4 times the
photospheric abundance) to within 20% for at least 17 of the 27 flares; for 7
flares, the Fe/H abundance ratio is possibly higher by up to a factor of 2. We
find evidence that the Fe XXV ion fractions are less than the theoretically
predicted values by up to 60% at T_e=25 MK appear to be displaced from the most
recent theoretical values by between 1 and 3 MK.Comment: To be published, Ap
Influence of TiO2 nanometric filler on the behaviour of a composite membrane for applications in direct methanol fuel cells
Composite Nafion membranes containing various amounts of TiO2 (3 wt%, 5 wt% and 10 wt%) were investigated for operation in high temperature Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs). Maximum power density of 350 mW cm -2 was achieved in the presence of oxygen feed at 145°C for the composite membranes containing 3-5 wt% TiO2; whereas, the maximum power density with air feed was about 210 mW cm-2. Moreover, an investigation of the influence of titanium oxide particle size on the electrochemical behaviour of the composite membranes for high temperature operation has been carried out. The DMFC performance increases as the mean particle size of the TiO2 filler decreases. This indicates an influence of the filler morphology on the electrochemical properties of the composite membranes. © J. New. Mat. Electrochem. Systems
GALNT2 as a novel modulator of adipogenesis and adipocyte insulin signaling
Background/objectives: A better understanding of adipose tissue biology is crucial to tackle insulin resistance and eventually coronary heart disease and diabetes, leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. GALNT2, a GalNAc-transferase, positively modulates insulin signaling in human liver cells by down-regulating ENPP1, an insulin signaling inhibitor. GALNT2 expression is increased in adipose tissue of obese as compared to that of non-obese individuals. Whether this association is secondary to a GALNT2-insulin sensitizing effect exerted also in adipocytes is unknown. We then investigated in mouse 3T3-L1 adipocytes the GALNT2 effect on adipogenesis, insulin signaling and expression levels of both Enpp1 and 72 adipogenesis-related genes. Methods: Stable over-expressing GALNT2 and GFP preadipocytes (T 0 ) were generated. Adipogenesis was induced with (R+) or without (Râ) rosiglitazone and investigated after 15 days (T 15 ). Lipid accumulation (by Oil Red-O staining) and intracellular triglycerides (by fluorimetric assay) were measured. Lipid droplets (LD) measures were analyzed at confocal microscope. Gene expression was assessed by RT-PCR and insulin-induced insulin receptor (IR), IRS1, JNK and AKT phosphorylation by Western blot. Results: Lipid accumulation, triglycerides and LD measures progressively increased from T 0 to T 15 R- and furthermore to T 15 R+. Such increases were significantly higher in GALNT2 than in GFP cells so that, as compared to T 15 R+GFP, T 15 R- GALNT2 cells showed similar (intracellular lipid and triglycerides accumulation) or even higher (LD measures, p < 0.01) values. In GALNT2 preadipocytes, insulin-induced IR, IRS1 and AKT activation was higher than that in GFP cells. GALNT2 effect was totally abolished during adipocyte maturation and completely reversed at late stage maturation. Such GALNT2 effect trajectory was paralleled by coordinated changes in the expression of Enpp1 and adipocyte-maturation key genes. Conclusions: GALNT2 is a novel modulator of adipogenesis and related cellular phenotypes, thus becoming a potential target for tackling the obesity epidemics and its devastating sequelae
Gravitational potential of a homogeneous circular torus: new approach
The integral expression for gravitational potential of a homogeneous circular
torus composed of infinitely thin rings is obtained. Approximate expressions
for torus potential in the outer and inner regions are found. In the outer
region a torus potential is shown to be approximately equal to that of an
infinitely thin ring of the same mass; it is valid up to the surface of the
torus. It is shown in a first approximation, that the inner potential of the
torus (inside a torus body) is a quadratic function of coordinates. The method
of sewing together the inner and outer potentials is proposed. This method
provided a continuous approximate solution for the potential and its
derivatives, working throughout the region.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, 1 table; some misprints in formulae were
correcte
Polarized Broad-Line Emission from Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei
In order to determine whether unified models of active galactic nuclei apply
to low-luminosity objects, we have undertaken a spectropolarimetric survey of
of LINERs and Seyfert nuclei at the Keck Observatory. The 14 objects observed
have a median H-alpha luminosity of 8x10^{39} erg/s, well below the typical
value of ~10^{41} erg/s for Markarian Seyfert nuclei. Polarized broad H-alpha
emission is detected in three LINERs: NGC 315, NGC 1052, and NGC 4261. Each of
these is an elliptical galaxy with a double-sided radio jet, and the
emission-line polarization in each case is oriented roughly perpendicular to
the jet axis, as expected for the obscuring torus model. NGC 4261 and NGC 315
are known to contain dusty circumnuclear disks, which may be the outer
extensions of the obscuring tori. The detection of polarized broad-line
emission suggests that these objects are nearby, low-luminosity analogs of
obscured quasars residing in narrow-line radio galaxies. The nuclear continuum
of the low-luminosity Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4395 is polarized at p = 0.67%,
possibly the result of an electron scattering region near the nucleus.
Continuum polarization is detected in other objects, with a median level of p =
0.36% over 5100-6100 A, but in most cases this is likely to be the result of
transmission through foreground dust. The lack of significant broad-line
polarization in most type 1 LINERs is consistent with the hypothesis that we
view the broad-line regions of these objects directly, rather than in scattered
light.Comment: 28 pages, including 3 tables and 16 figures. Uses the emulateapj
latex style file. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa
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