C^+ distribution around S1 in rho Ophiuchi

We analyze a [C II] 158 micron map obtained with the L2 GREAT receiver on SOFIA of the emission/reflection nebula illuminated by the early B star S1 in the rho-OphA cloud core. This data set has been complemented with maps of CO(3-2), 13CO(3-2) and C18O(3-2), observed as a part of the JCMT Gould Belt Survey, with archival HCO^+(4-3) JCMT data, as well as with [O I] 63 and 145 micron imaging with Herschel/PACS. The [C II] emission is completely dominated by the strong PDR emission from the nebula surrounding S1 expanding into the dense Oph A molecular cloud west and south of S1. The [C II] emission is significantly blue shifted relative to the CO spectra and also relative to the systemic velocity, particularly in the northwestern part of the nebula. The [C II] lines are broader towards the center of the S1 nebula and narrower towards the PDR shell. The [C II] lines are strongly self-absorbed over an extended region in the S1 PDR. Based on the strength of the [13C II] F = 2-1 hyperfine component, [C II] is significantly optically thick over most of the nebula. CO and 13CO(3-2) spectra are strongly self-absorbed, while C18O(3-2) is single peaked and centered in the middle of the self-absorption. We have used a simple two-layer LTE model to characterize the background and foreground cloud contributing to the [C II] emission. From this analysis we estimate the extinction due to the foreground cloud to be ~9.9 mag, which is slightly less than the reddening estimated towards S1. Since some of the hot gas in the PDR is not traced by low J CO emission, this result appears quite plausible. Using a plane parallel PDR model with the observed [OI(145)]/[C II] brightness ratio and an estimated FUV intensity of 3100-5000 G0 suggests that the density of the [C II] emitting gas is ~3-4x10^3 cm^-3.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of McNeil's Nebula Object

We present 0.8-5.2 micron spectroscopy of the compact source at the base of a variable nebula (McNeil's Nebula Object) in the Lynds 1630 dark cloud that went into outburst in late 2003. The spectrum of this object reveals an extremely red continuum, CO bands at 2.3-2.5 microns in emission, a deep 3.0 micron ice absorption feature, and a solid state CO absorption feature at 4.7 microns. In addition, emission lines of H, Ca II, Mg I, and Na I are present. The Paschen lines exhibit P Cygni profiles, as do two lines of He I, although the emission features are very weak in the latter. The Brackett lines, however, are seen to be purely in emission. The P Cygni profiles clearly indicate that mass outflow is occurring in a wind with a velocity of ~400 km/s. The H line ratios do not yield consistent estimates of the reddening, nor do they agree with the extinction estimated from the ice feature (A_V ~ 11). We propose that these lines are optically thick and are produced in a dense, ionized wind. The near-infrared spectrum does not appear similar to any known FUor or EXor object. However, all evidence suggests that McNeil's Nebula Object is a heavily-embedded low-mass Class I protostar, surrounded by a disk, whose brightening is due to a recent accretion event.Comment: 11 pages, 2 ps figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

MarvelD3 regulates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway during eye development in Xenopus.

Ocular morphogenesis requires several signalling pathways controlling the expression of transcription factors and cell-cycle regulators. However, despite a well-known mechanism, the dialogue between those signals and factors remains to be unveiled. Here, we identify a requirement for MarvelD3, a tight junction transmembrane protein, in eye morphogenesis in Xenopus MarvelD3 depletion led to an abnormally pigmented eye or even an eye-less phenotype, which was rescued by ectopic MarvelD3 expression. Altering MarvelD3 expression led to deregulated expression of cell-cycle regulators and transcription factors required for eye development. The eye phenotype was rescued by increased c-Jun terminal Kinase activation. Thus, MarvelD3 links tight junctions and modulation of the JNK pathway to eye morphogenesis

Spitzer observations of the N157B supernova remnant and its surroundings

(Aims): We study the LMC interstellar medium in the field of the nebula N157B, which contains a supernova remnant, an OB association, ionized gas, and high-density dusty filaments in close proximity. We investigate the relative importance of shock excitation by the SNR and photo-ionization by the OB stars, as well as possible interactions between the supernova remnant and its environment. (Methods): We apply multiwavelength mapping and photometry, along with spatially resolved infrared spectroscopy, to identifying the nature of the ISM using new infrared data from the Spitzer space observatory and X-ray, optical, and radio data from the literature. (Results): The N157B SNR has no infrared counterpart. Infrared emission from the region is dominated by the compact blister-type HII region associated with 2MASS J05375027-6911071 and excited by an O8-O9 star. This object is part of an extended infrared emission region that is associated with a molecular cloud. We find only weak emission from the shock-indicator [FeII], and both the excitation and the heating of the extended cloud are dominated by photo-ionization by the early O stars of LH99. (Conclusions): Any possible impact by the expanding SNR does not now affect the extended cloud of molecules and dust, despite the apparent overlap of SNR X-ray emission with infrared and Ha emission from the cloud. This implies that the supernova progenitor cannot have been more massive than about 25 solar masses.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, published in A&

Early Life Microbiota Colonization at Six Months of Age: A Transitional Time Point

Background: Early life gut microbiota is involved in several biological processes, particularly metabolism, immunity, and cognitive neurodevelopment. Perturbation in the infant's gut microbiota increases the risk for diseases in early and later life, highlighting the importance of understanding the connections between perinatal factors with early life microbial composition. The present research paper is aimed at exploring the prenatal and postnatal factors influencing the infant gut microbiota composition at six months of age. Methods: Gut microbiota of infants enrolled in the longitudinal, prospective, observational study "A.MA.MI" (Alimentazione MAmma e bambino nei primi MIlle giorni) was analyzed. We collected and analyzed 61 fecal samples at baseline (meconium, T0); at six months of age (T2), we collected and analyzed 53 fecal samples. Samples were grouped based on maternal and gestational weight factors, type of delivery, type of feeding, time of weaning, and presence/absence of older siblings. Alpha and beta diversities were evaluated to describe microbiota composition. Multivariate analyses were performed to understand the impact of the aforementioned factors on the infant's microbiota composition at six months of age. Results: Different clustering hypotheses have been tested to evaluate the impact of known metadata factors on the infant microbiota. Neither maternal body mass index nor gestational weight gain was able to determine significant differences in infant microbiota composition six months of age. Concerning the type of feeding, we observed a low alpha diversity in exclusive breastfed infants; conversely, non-exclusively breastfed infants reported an overgrowth of Ruminococcaceae and Flavonifractor. Furthermore, we did not find any statistically significant difference resulting from an early introduction of solid foods (before 4 months of age). Lastly, our sample showed a higher abundance of clostridial patterns in firstborn babies when compared to infants with older siblings in the family. Conclusion: Our findings showed that, at this stage of life, there is not a single factor able to affect in a distinct way the infants' gut microbiota development. Rather, there seems to be a complex multifactorial interaction between maternal and neonatal factors determining a unique microbial niche in the gastrointestinal tract

An interim report of the scleroderma clinical trials consortium working groups

© The Author(s) 2018. The Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium represents many of the clinical researchers in the world who are interested in improving the efficiency of clinical trials in systemic sclerosis. The Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium has established 11 working groups to develop and validate better ways of measuring and recording multiple aspects of this heterogeneous disease. These include groups working on arthritis, disease damage, disease activity, cardiac disease, juvenile systemic sclerosis, the gastrointestinal tract, vascular component, calcinosis, scleroderma renal crisis, interstitial lung disease, and skin measurement. Members of the Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium may join any one or more of these groups. Some of the working groups have only recently started their work, some are nearing completion of their mandated tasks, and others are in the midst of their projects. All these projects, which are described in this article, will help improve clinical trials and observational studies by improving or developing better, more sensitive ways of measuring various aspects of the disease. As Lord Kelvin stated, “To measure is to know. If you cannot measure it you cannot improve it.” The Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with systemic sclerosis and it is our hope that the contributions of the working groups will be one important step in this process

On the stellar content of the starburst galaxy IC10

We investigate the stellar content of the starburst dwarf galaxy IC10 using accurate and deep optical data collected with the Advanced Camera for Surveys and with the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The comparison between theory and observations indicates a clear change in age distribution when moving from the center toward the external regions. Moreover, empirical calibrators and evolutionary predictions suggest the presence of a spread in heavy element abundance of the order of one-half dex. The comparison between old and intermediate-age core He-burning models with a well defined overdensity in the color-magnitude diagram indicates the presence of both intermediate-age, red clump stars and of old, red horizontal branch stars.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in ApJ

Measurement of the front-end dead-time of the LHCb muon detector and evaluation of its contribution to the muon detection inefficiency

A method is described which allows to deduce the dead-time of the front-end electronics of the LHCb muon detector from a series of measurements performed at different luminosities at a bunch-crossing rate of 20 MHz. The measured values of the dead-time range from 70 ns to 100 ns. These results allow to estimate the performance of the muon detector at the future bunch-crossing rate of 40 MHz and at higher luminosity