289 research outputs found
Tracing Ghost Cavities with Low Frequency Radio Observations
We present X-ray and multi-frequency radio observations of the central radio
sources in several X-ray cavity systems. We show that targeted radio
observations are key to determining if the lobes are being actively fed by the
central AGN. Low frequency observations provide a unique way to study both the
lifecycle of the central radio source as well as its energy input into the ICM
over several outburst episodes.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, To appear in the Proceedings of "Heating vs.
Cooling in Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies", eds. H. Boehringer, P.
Schuecker, G. W. Pratt & A. Finoguenov (ESO Astrophysics Symposia,
Springer-Verlag), Garching (Germany), August 200
Characterising Probabilistic Processes Logically
In this paper we work on (bi)simulation semantics of processes that exhibit
both nondeterministic and probabilistic behaviour. We propose a probabilistic
extension of the modal mu-calculus and show how to derive characteristic
formulae for various simulation-like preorders over finite-state processes
without divergence. In addition, we show that even without the fixpoint
operators this probabilistic mu-calculus can be used to characterise these
behavioural relations in the sense that two states are equivalent if and only
if they satisfy the same set of formulae.Comment: 18 page
The Entrainment-Limited Evolution of FR II Sources: Maximum Sizes and A Possible Connection to FR Is
We construct a simple theoretical model to investigate how entrainment
gradually erodes high-speed FR II jets. This process is described by embedding
a mixing-layer model developed originally to describe FR I objects in a
self-similar model for the lobe structure of classical FR II sources. Following
the classical FR II models, we assume that the lobe is dominated by the
particles injected from the central jet. The entrainment produces a boundary
shear layer which acts at the interface between the dense central jet and the
less denser surrounding lobe, and the associated erosion of the jet places
interesting limits on the maximum size of FR II sources. The model shows that
this limit depends mainly on the initial bulk velocity of the relativistic jet
triggered. The bulk velocities of FR IIs suggested by our model are in good
agreement with that obtained from direct pc-scale observations on ordinary
radio galaxies and quasars. Finally, we discuss how FR IIs may evolve into FR
Is upon reaching their maximum, entrainment-limited sizes.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
More than smell - COVID-19 is associated with severe impairment of smell, taste, and chemesthesis
Recent anecdotal and scientific reports have provided evidence of a link between COVID-19 and chemosensory impairments such as anosmia. However, these reports have downplayed or failed to distinguish potential effects on taste, ignored chemesthesis, and generally lacked quantitative measurements. Here, we report the development, implementation and initial results of a multi-lingual, international questionnaire to assess self-reported quantity and quality of perception in three distinct chemosensory modalities (smell, taste, and chemesthesis) before and during COVID-19. In the first 11 days after questionnaire launch, 4039 participants (2913 women, 1118 men, 8 other, ages 19-79) reported a COVID-19 diagnosis either via laboratory tests or clinical assessment. Importantly, smell, taste and chemesthetic function were each significantly reduced compared to their status before the disease. Difference scores (maximum possible change ±100) revealed a mean reduction of smell (-79.7 ± 28.7, mean ± SD), taste (-69.0 ± 32.6), and chemesthetic (-37.3 ± 36.2) function during COVID-19. Qualitative changes in olfactory ability (parosmia and phantosmia) were relatively rare and correlated with smell loss. Importantly, perceived nasal obstruction did not account for smell loss. Furthermore, chemosensory impairments were similar between participants in the laboratory test and clinical assessment groups. These results show that COVID-19-associated chemosensory impairment is not limited to smell, but also affects taste and chemesthesis. The multimodal impact of COVID-19 and lack of perceived nasal obstruction suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection may disrupt sensory-neural mechanisms.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Paraoxonase 2 protein is spatially expressed in the human placenta and selectively reduced in labour
Humans parturition involves interaction of hormonal, neurological, mechanical stretch and inflammatory pathways and the placenta plays a crucial role. The paraoxonases (PONs 1–3) protect against oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation, modulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress and regulation of apoptosis. Nothing is known about the role of PON2 in the placenta and labour. Since PON2 plays a role in oxidative stress and inflammation, both features of labour, we hypothesised that placental PON2 expression would alter during labour. PON2 was examined in placentas obtained from women who delivered by cesarean section and were not in labour and compared to the equivalent zone of placentas obtained from women who delivered vaginally following an uncomplicated labour. Samples were obtained from 12 sites within each placenta: 4 equally spaced apart pieces were sampled from the inner, middle and outer placental regions. PON2 expression was investigated by Western blotting and real time PCR. Two PON2 forms, one at 62 kDa and one at 43 kDa were found in all samples. No difference in protein expression of either isoform was found between the three sites in either the labour or non-labour group. At the middle site there was a highly significant decrease in PON2 expression in the labour group when compared to the non-labour group for both the 62 kDa form (p = 0.02) and the 43 kDa form (p = 0.006). No spatial differences were found within placentas at the mRNA level in either labour or non-labour. There was, paradoxically, an increase in PON2 mRNA in the labour group at the middle site only. This is the first report to describe changes in PON2 in the placenta in labour. The physiological and pathological significance of these remains to be elucidated but since PON2 is anti-inflammatory further studies are warranted to understand its role
Widespread sex differences in gene expression and splicing in the adult human brain
There is strong evidence to show that men and women differ in terms of neurodevelopment, neurochemistry and susceptibility to neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease. The molecular basis of these differences remains unclear. Progress in this field has been hampered by the lack of genome-wide information on sex differences in gene expression and in particular splicing in the human brain. Here we address this issue by using post-mortem adult human brain and spinal cord samples originating from 137 neuropathologically confirmed control individuals to study whole-genome gene expression and splicing in 12 CNS regions. We show that sex differences in gene expression and splicing are widespread in adult human brain, being detectable in all major brain regions and involving 2.5% of all expressed genes. We give examples of genes where sex-biased expression is both disease-relevant and likely to have functional consequences, and provide evidence suggesting that sex biases in expression may reflect sex-biased gene regulatory structures
The Presence and Distribution of HI Absorbing Gas in Sub-galactic Sized Radio Sources
We consider the incidence of HI absorption in intrinsically small
sub-galactic sized extragalactic sources selected from sources classified as
Gigahertz Peaked Spectrum (GPS) and Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) sources. We
find that the smaller sources (<0.5 kpc) have larger HI column densities than
the larger sources (>0.5 kpc). Both a spherical and an axi-symmetric gas
distribution, with a radial power law density profile, can be used to explain
this anti-correlation between projected linear size and HI column density.
Since most detections occur in objects classified as galaxies, we argue that if
the unified schemes apply to GPS/CSSs a disk distribution for the HI is more
likely. The most favoured explanation for the compact sizes of the GPS/CSSs is
that they are young sources evolving in a power law density medium. For the
GPSs with measured expansion velocities, our derived densities are within an
order of magnitude of those estimated from ram-pressure confinement of the
lobes assuming equipartition. Our results therefore support the youth model.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Canonical Particle Acceleration in FRI Radio Galaxies
Matched resolution multi-frequency VLA observations of four radio galaxies
are used to derive the asymptotic low energy slope of the relativistic electron
distribution. Where available, low energy slopes are also determined for other
sources in the literature. They provide information on the acceleration physics
independent of radiative and other losses, which confuse measurements of the
synchrotron spectra in most radio, optical and X-ray studies. We find a narrow
range of inferred low energy electron energy slopes, n(E)=const*E^-2.1 for the
currently small sample of lower luminosity sources classified as FRI (not
classical doubles). This distribution is close to, but apparently inconsistent
with, the test particle limit of n(E)=const*E^-2.0 expected from strong
diffusive shock acceleration in the non-relativistic limit. Relativistic shocks
or those modified by the back-pressure of efficiently accelerated cosmic rays
are two alternatives to produce somewhat steeper spectra. We note for further
study the possiblity of acceleration through shocks, turbulence or shear in the
flaring/brightening regions in FRI jets as they move away from the nucleus.
Jets on pc scales and the collimated jets and hot spots of FRII (classical
double) sources would be governed by different acceleration sites and
mechanisms; they appear to show a much wider range of spectra than for FRI
sources.Comment: 16 figures, including 5 color. Accepted to Astrophysical Journa
A new list of extra-galactic radio jets
A catalogue of extra-galactic jets is very useful both in observational and
theoretical studies of active galaxies. With the use of new powerful radio
instruments, the detailed structures of very compact or weak radio sources are
investigated observationally and many new radio jets are detected. In this
paper, we give a list of 661 radio sources with detected radio jets known to us
prior to the end of December 2000. All references are collected for the
observations of jets in radio, IR, optical, UV and X-ray wave-bands.Comment: 43 pages, 1 figur
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