The Centaurus Group and the Outer Halo of NGC 5128: Are they Dynamically Connected?

NGC 5128, a giant elliptical galaxy only $\sim 4$ Mpc away, is the dominant member of a galaxy group of over 80 probable members. The Centaurus group provides an excellent sample for a kinematic comparison between the halo of NGC 5128 and its surrounding satellite galaxies. A new study, presented here, shows no kinematic difference in rotation amplitude, rotation axis, and velocity dispersion between the halo of NGC 5128, determined from over $\sim340$ of its globular clusters, and those of the Centaurus group as a whole. These results suggest NGC 5128 could be behaving in part as the inner component to the galaxy group, and could have begun as a large initial seed galaxy, gradually built up by minor mergers and satellite accretions, consistent with simple cold dark matter models. The mass and mass-to-light ratios in the B-band, corrected for projection effects, are determined to be $(1.3\pm0.5) \times 10^{12}$ M_{\sun} and $52\pm22$ M_{\sun}/L_{\sun} for NGC 5128 out to a galactocentric radius of 45 kpc, and $(9.2\pm3.0) \times 10^{12}$ M_{\sun} and $153\pm50$ M_{\sun}/L_{\sun} for the Centaurus group, consistent with previous studies.Comment: 14 pages, 3 tables, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in A

Beam-Based Alignment, Tuning and Beam Dynamics Studies for the ATF2 Extraction Line and Final Focus System

MOPP039International audienceUsing a new extraction line currently under construction, the ATF2 experiment plans to test the novel compact final focus optics design with local chromaticity correction intended for use in future linear colliders. With a 1.3 GeV design beam of 30nm normalised vertical emittance extracted from the ATF damping ring, the primary goal is to achieve a vertical spot-size at the IP waist of 37nm. We discuss our planned strategy for tuning the ATF2 beam to meet the primary goal. Simulation studies have been performed to asses the effectiveness of the strategy, including “static” (installation) errors and dynamical effects (ground-motion, mechanical vibration, ring extraction jitter etc.). We have simulated all steps in the tuning procedure, from initial orbit establishment to final IP spot-size tuning. Through a Monte Carlo study of 100's of simulation seeds we find we can achieve a spot-size within ~10% of the design optics value in at least 75% of cases. We also ran a simulation to study the long-term performance with the use of beam-based feedbacks

Status and Habitat Characteristics of the Saltmarsh Topminnow, Fundulus jenkinsi (Evermann) in Eastern Mississippi and Western Alabama Coastal Bayous

The saltmarsh topminnow, Fundulus jenkinsi (Evermann, 1892), occurs sporadically along the northern Gulf of Mexico and appears to prefer Spartina habitat. Throughout its range, it is considered rare or threatened and has been placed on the US Federal Register\u27s List of Candidate Species. In order to determine the status and habitat characteristics of this species, we examined collections from 1985-1986, 1996, 1999, and 2001 from eastern Mississippi and western Alabama. We report on 868 F. jenkinsi collected in 82 locations using 414 seine hauls and 420 Breder traps over 40 dates. Results using all collections indicated F. jenkinsi is not as abundant as other fundulids in this area but is more abundant than previously thought. We also documented the first records for this species from the Pascagoula River drainage. For the Breder trap collections only, a stepwise linear regression indicated that water temperature and salinity explained 39.7% of the variance in log10 (mean CPUE + 0.5) over the time of this study and this relationship was significant (ANOVA, F3.59 = 13.95, P \u3c 0.001 ). The equation log10 (mean CPUE + 0.5) = 1.623 - 0.0150 (salinity) + 0.77 (depth) - 0.0584 (water temperature) indicated that mean CPUE of F. jenkinsiwas higher when salinity and water temperature were lower. Using bag seine and Breder trap data, this species was most abundant (90.7% of total) in salinities ≤ 12‰ while being mainly collected in water depths near 0.5 m and water temperatures ≥ 20.0°C. We feel the use of sampling gear designed to collect resident marsh fishes is imperative and use of other gear types and/or variation in annual rainfall and the subsequent extent and patchiness of low salinity salt marsh area from year to year may explain why this species appears rare or absent in most fish studies of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Because of its distribution in low-salinity bayou habitats, this small fundulid will probably be continually placed in situations where the habitat will be impacted due to development

The effect of ionic strength on the kinetic stability of NADH oxidase in a bubble column

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Mitigating the effects of higher order multipole fields in the magnets of the Accelerator Test Facility 2 at KEK

The ATF2 project is the final focus system prototype for ILC and CLIC linear collider projects, with the purpose to reach a 37nm vertical beam size at the interaction point. In the nanometer beam size regime, higher order multipoles in magnets become a crucial point for consideration. The strength and rotation angle of the ATF2 QEA magnets were reconstructed from measurements done in IHEP in the past and compared with more recent ones from KEK. Based on a sensitivity study, we report on the analysis of possible strategies to mitigate the effects of the measured multipoles. A suggestion is given which will benefit the ATF2 present commissioning to reach the nominal beam size, and also to facilitate the implementation of the reduced β optics in the future

Double bubble secondary building units used as a structural motif for enhanced electron-hole separation in solids

A structural motif designed for enhancing electron–hole separation in semiconducting composite materials, the so-called double bubble, is introduced. The addition of silicon carbide in the construction of heterogeneous double bubble systems, along with zinc oxide and gallium nitride, yields electronic structures that are favourable for electron–hole separation. The standard formation enthalpies of such systems are comparable with those of fullerenes, suggesting that these systems would be achievable and of direct benefit to photovoltaic and electrochemical applications such as water splitting; with the (SiC)12@(ZnO)48 proving to be the most promising building block for future functional composite materials

Anatomy of the long head of biceps femoris: An ultrasound study

Hamstring strains, particularly involving the long head of biceps femoris (BFlh) at the proximal musculotendinous junction (MTJ), are commonly experienced by athletes. With the use of diagnostic ultrasound increasing, an in-depth knowledge of normal ultrasonographic anatomy is fundamental to better understanding hamstring strain. The aim of this study was to describe the architecture of BFlh, using ultrasonography, in young men and cadaver specimens. BFlh morphology was examined in 19 healthy male participants (mean age 21.6 years) using ultrasound. Muscle, tendon and MTJ lengths were recorded and architectural parameters assessed at four standardised points along the muscle. Measurement accuracy was validated by ultrasound and dissection of BFlh in six male cadaver lower limbs (mean age 76 years). Intra-rater reliability of architectural parameters was examined for repeat scans, image analysis and dissection measurements. Distally the BFlh muscle had significantly (P

Antiferromagnetism at T > 500 K in the Layered Hexagonal Ruthenate SrRu2O6

We report an experimental and computational study of magnetic and electronic properties of the layered Ru(V) oxide SrRu2O6 (hexagonal, P-3 1m), which shows antiferromagnetic order with a N\'eel temperature of 563(2) K, among the highest for 4d oxides. Magnetic order occurs both within edge-shared octahedral sheets and between layers and is accompanied by anisotropic thermal expansivity that implies strong magnetoelastic coupling of Ru(V) centers. Electrical transport measurements using focused ion beam induced deposited contacts on a micron-scale crystallite as a function of temperature show p-type semiconductivity. The calculated electronic structure using hybrid density functional theory successfully accounts for the experimentally observed magnetic and electronic structure and Monte Carlo simulations reveals how strong intralayer as well as weaker interlayer interactions are a defining feature of the high temperature magnetic order in the material.Comment: Physical Review B 2015 accepted for publicatio

Mitochondrial Function as a Potential Tool for Assessing Function, Quality and Adulteration in Medicinal Herbal Teas

Quality control has been a significant issue in herbal medicine since herbs became widely used to heal. With the advent of modern technologies, evaluating the quality of medicinal herbs has become more sophisticated but so have the methods of adulterating them. In this paper we undertook a comprehensive literature search to identify the key analytical techniques used in the quality assurance of herbal medicine, reviewing their uses and limitations. We also present a new tool, based on mitochondrial profiling, that can be used to measure medicinal herbal quality. Besides being fundamental to the energy metabolism required for most cellular activities, mitochondria play a direct role in cellular signalling, apoptosis, stress responses, inflammation, cancer, ageing, and neurological function, mirroring some of the most common reasons people take herbal medicines. A fingerprint of the specific mitochondrial effects of medicinal herbs can be documented in order to assess their potential efficacy, detect adulterations that modulate these effects and determine the relative potency of batches. Furthermore, through this method it will be possible to assess whole herbs or complex formulas thus avoiding the issues inherent in identifying active ingredients which may be complex or unknown. Thus, while current analytical methods focus on determining the chemical quality of herbal medicines, including adulteration and contamination, mitochondrial functional analysis offers a new way of determining the quality of plant derived products that is more closely linked to the biological activity of a product and its potential clinical effectiveness