814 research outputs found
Determination of the Hubble Constant Using a Two-Parameter Luminosity Correction for Type Ia Supernovae
In this paper, we make a comprehensive determination of the Hubble constant
by using two parameters - the B-V color and the rate of decline - to simultaneously standardize the luminosities of all nearby
Cepheid-calibrated type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and those of a larger, more
distant sample of 29 SNe Ia. Each group is treated in as similar a manner as
possible in order to avoid systematic effects. A simultaneous
minimization yields a standardized absolute luminosity of the
Cepheid-calibrated supernovae as well as the Hubble constant obtained from the
more distant sample. We find and a standardized
absolute magnitude of -19.46. The sensitivity of to a metallicity
dependence of the Cepheid-determined distances is investigated. The total
uncertainty , dominated by uncertainties in the primary Cepheid
distance indicator, is estimated to be 5 km/s Mpc^{-1}.Comment: To appear in Ap
Modified Tapvei OÜ Stairs Induce an Anxiolytic Effect in Female C57BL/6 Mice in the Elevated Plus-Maze Test
We evaluated the effect of modified Tapvei OÜ stairs (stairs) on the behaviour of female C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test. The mice were kept under standard conditions for 4 weeks (control) or exposed to stairs for 3 or 4 weeks, and were assessed thereafter with the EPM. The C57BL/6 mice displayed less anxiety, when compared with the BALB/c mice. Exposure to stairs had an anxiolytic effect in C57BL/6 mice, but not in BALB/c. The strain-dependent effects of stairs should be considered in the design of housing refinements and behavioural experiments
Summary of the 13th IACHEC Meeting
We summarize the outcome of the 13th meeting of the International
Astronomical Consortium for High Energy Calibration (IACHEC), held at Tenuta
dei Ciclamini (Avigliano Umbro, Italy) in April 2018. Fifty-one scientists
directly involved in the calibration of operational and future high-energy
missions gathered during 3.5 days to discuss the current status of the X-ray
payload inter-calibration and possible approaches to improve it. This summary
consists of reports from the various working groups with topics ranging from
the identification and characterization of standard calibration sources,
multi-observatory cross-calibration campaigns, appropriate and new statistical
techniques, calibration of instruments and characterization of background, and
communication and preservation of knowledge and results for the benefit of the
astronomical community.Comment: 12 page
Paleolimnological evidence for increased sexual reproduction in chydorids (Chydoridae, Cladocera) under environmental stress
To investigate the extent to which anthropogenic perturbations such as eutrophication and trace metal pollution (i.e., environmental stress sensu Odum 1985) influence the reproductive modes of cladoceran populations, we analyzed the abundance of subfossils of the chydorids Alonella nana (Baird, 1850) and Alona affinis (Leydig, 1860) in sediment cores from three Finnish lakes. Reconstruction of lakes\u27 pollutant history and the biological response of chydorids indicate that in two of the lakes the proportion of individuals reproducing sexually increased with environmental stressors. More specifically, A. nana responded to eutrophication in Lake Hamptr?sk with greater production of ephippia, while A. affinis responded to aluminum pollution or acidification in Lake Pieni Majaslampi. In contrast, the reference lake, Lake Iso Lehm?lampi, showed no radical changes in sexual reproduction over the twomillennium long sediment record. We conclude that chydorids may use sexual reproduction as a strategy for overcoming unexpected environmental stresses
Measurements and Variability of Arterial Blood Pressure and Heart Interval in Conscious and Anesthetized Dogs
No abstract availabl
Cladoceran (Crustacea) Niches, Sex, and Sun Bathing—A Long-Term Record of Tundra Lake (Lapland) Functioning and Paleo-Optics
Under fundamental ecosystem changes in high latitude lakes, a functional paleolimnological approach may increase holistic understanding of lake responses and resilience to climate warming. A ~2000-year sediment record from Lake Loažžejávri in the tundra of northern Finnish Lapland was examined for fossil Cladocera assemblages to examine long-term environmental controls on aquatic communities. In addition, cladoceran functional attributes, including functional diversity (FD), UV absorbance (ABSUV) of Alona carapaces, and sexual reproduction (ephippia) in Bosmina and Chydoridae were analyzed. Cladoceran communities responded to a major change in benthic habitat quality, reflected as elevated (increasingly benthic) sediment organic matter δ13C signal since the 17th century. FD fluctuations showed association with climate oscillation, FD being generally higher during warm climate periods. These ecological changes were likely attributable to diversification of littoral-benthic consumer habitat space. ABSUV, irrespective of increases during the Little Ice Age (LIA) due to higher UV transparency of lake water, was lower under increasing autochthony (benthic production) suggesting establishment of physical UV refugia by the benthic vegetative substrata. Bosmina ephippia exhibited a decreasing trend associated with increasing benthic production, indicating favorable environmental regime, and, together with chydorid ephippia, transient increases during the climate cooling of the LIA driven by shorter open-water season
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