119 research outputs found
Spectroscopy of Seven Cataclysmic Variables with Periods Above Five Hours
We present spectroscopy of seven cataclysmic variable stars with orbital
periods P(orb) greater than 5 hours, all but one of which are known to be dwarf
novae. Using radial velocity measurements we improve on previous orbital period
determinations, or derive periods for the first time. The stars and their
periods are
TT Crt, 0.2683522(5) d;
EZ Del, 0.2234(5) d;
LL Lyr, 0.249069(4) d;
UY Pup, 0.479269(7) d;
RY Ser, 0.3009(4) d;
CH UMa, 0.3431843(6) d; and
SDSS J081321+452809, 0.2890(4) d.
For each of the systems we detect the spectrum of the secondary star,
estimate its spectral type, and derive a distance based on the surface
brightness and Roche lobe constraints. In five systems we also measure the
radial velocity curve of the secondary star, estimate orbital inclinations, and
where possible estimate distances based on the MV(max) vs.P(orb) relation found
by Warner. In concordance with previous studies, we find that all the secondary
stars have, to varying degrees, cooler spectral types than would be expected if
they were on the main sequence at the measured orbital period.Comment: 25 pages, 2 figures, accepted for Publications of the Astronomical
Society of the Pacifi
1RXS J232953.9+062814: A Dwarf Nova with a 64-minute Orbital Period and a Conspicuous Secondary Star
We present spectroscopy and time-series photometry of the newly discovered
dwarf nova 1RXS J232953.9+062814. Photometry in superoutburst reveals a
superhump with a period of 66.06(6) minutes. The low state spectrum shows
Balmer and HeI emission on a blue continuum, and in addition shows a rich
absorption spectrum of type K4 +- 2. The absorption velocity is modulated
sinusoidally at P_orb = 64.176(5) min, with semi-amplitude K = 348(4) km/s. The
low-state light curve is double-humped at this period, and phased as expected
for ellipsoidal variations. The absorption strength does not vary appreciably
around the orbit. The orbital period is shorter than any other cataclysmic
variable save for a handful of helium-star systems and V485 Centauri (59
minutes). The secondary is much hotter than main sequence stars of similar
mass, but is well-matched by helium-enriched models, indicating that the
secondary evolved from a more massive progenitor. A preliminary calculation in
which a 1.2 solar-mass star begins mass transfer near the end of H burning
matches this system's characteristics remarkably well.Comment: accepted to Astrophysical Journal Letters; 14 pages, 3 eps figures +
1 jpg greyscale figur
1907 Ruby Yearbook
A digitized copy of the 1907 Ruby, the Ursinus College yearbook.https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/ruby/1010/thumbnail.jp
Superhumps in Cataclysmic Binaries. XXIII. V442 Ophiuchi and RX J1643.7+3402
We report the results of long observing campaigns on two novalike variables:
V442 Ophiuchi and RX J1643.7+3402. These stars have high-excitation spectra,
complex line profiles signifying mass loss at particular orbital phases, and
similar orbital periods (respectively 0.12433 and 0.12056 d). They are
well-credentialed members of the SW Sex class of cataclysmic variables. Their
light curves are also quite complex. V442 Oph shows periodic signals with
periods of 0.12090(8) and 4.37(15) days, and RX J1643.7+3402 shows similar
signals at 0.11696(8) d and 4.05(12) d. We interpret these short and long
periods respectively as a "negative superhump" and the wobble period of the
accretion disk. The superhump could then possibly arise from the heating of the
secondary (and structures fixed in the orbital frame) by inner-disk radiation,
which reaches the secondary relatively unimpeded since the disk is not
coplanar.
At higher frequencies, both stars show another type of variability:
quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) with a period near 1000 seconds. Underlying
these strong signals of low stability may be weak signals of higher stability.
Similar QPOs, and negative superhumps, are quite common features in SW Sex
stars. Both can in principle be explained by ascribing strong magnetism to the
white dwarf member of the binary; and we suggest that SW Sex stars are
borderline AM Herculis binaries, usually drowned by a high accretion rate. This
would provide an ancestor channel for AM Hers, whose origin is still
mysterious.Comment: PDF, 41 pages, 4 tables, 16 figures; accepted, in press, to appear
December 2002, PASP; more info at http://cba.phys.columbia.edu
Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences
The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & NemĂ©sio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; NemĂ©sio 2009aâb; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported
by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on
18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based
researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016
The FANCM:p.Arg658* truncating variant is associated with risk of triple-negative breast cancer
Abstract: Breast cancer is a common disease partially caused by genetic risk factors. Germline pathogenic variants in DNA repair genes BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, and CHEK2 are associated with breast cancer risk. FANCM, which encodes for a DNA translocase, has been proposed as a breast cancer predisposition gene, with greater effects for the ER-negative and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtypes. We tested the three recurrent protein-truncating variants FANCM:p.Arg658*, p.Gln1701*, and p.Arg1931* for association with breast cancer risk in 67,112 cases, 53,766 controls, and 26,662 carriers of pathogenic variants of BRCA1 or BRCA2. These three variants were also studied functionally by measuring survival and chromosome fragility in FANCMâ/â patient-derived immortalized fibroblasts treated with diepoxybutane or olaparib. We observed that FANCM:p.Arg658* was associated with increased risk of ER-negative disease and TNBC (OR = 2.44, P = 0.034 and OR = 3.79; P = 0.009, respectively). In a country-restricted analysis, we confirmed the associations detected for FANCM:p.Arg658* and found that also FANCM:p.Arg1931* was associated with ER-negative breast cancer risk (OR = 1.96; P = 0.006). The functional results indicated that all three variants were deleterious affecting cell survival and chromosome stability with FANCM:p.Arg658* causing more severe phenotypes. In conclusion, we confirmed that the two rare FANCM deleterious variants p.Arg658* and p.Arg1931* are risk factors for ER-negative and TNBC subtypes. Overall our data suggest that the effect of truncating variants on breast cancer risk may depend on their position in the gene. Cell sensitivity to olaparib exposure, identifies a possible therapeutic option to treat FANCM-associated tumors
Induction of APOBEC3 exacerbates DNA replication stress and chromosomal instability in early breast and lung cancer evolution
APOBEC3 enzymes are cytosine deaminases implicated in cancer. Precisely when APOBEC3 expression is induced during cancer development remains to be defined. Here we show that specific APOBEC3 genes are upregulated in breast DCIS, and in pre-invasive lung cancer lesions coincident with cellular proliferation. We observe evidence of APOBEC3-mediated subclonal mutagenesis propagated from TRACERx pre-invasive to invasive NSCLC lesions. We find that APOBEC3B exacerbates DNA replication stress and chromosomal instability through incomplete replication of genomic DNA, manifested by accumulation of mitotic ultrafine bridges and 53BP1 nuclear bodies in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Analysis of TRACERx NSCLC clinical samples and mouse lung cancer models, revealed APOBEC3B expression driving replication stress and chromosome missegregation. We propose that APOBEC3 is functionally implicated in the onset of chromosomal instability and somatic mutational heterogeneity in pre-invasive disease, providing fuel for selection early in cancer evolution
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