High resolution images at 11 and 20 microns of the Active Galactic Nucleus in NGC 1068

We present diffraction-limited IR images at 11.2 and 20.5 microns of the central 6''x6'' region in NGC 1068, collected with the CAMIRAS instrument mounted at the f/36 IR focus of the CFHT/Hawaii 3.6m telescope and at the f/35 IR focus of the ESO/La Silla 3.6m telescope, respectively. After deconvolution, the achieved resolution (0.6'') reveals a prominent central core emitting about 95 % of the total flux at these wavelengths, as well as extended emission, to the South-West and to the North-East, broken into patchy components which are particularly conspicuous at 20.5 microns and can be isolated as individual clouds. The central core shows an East-West FWHM of 0.6'' (hence unresolved) and a North-South FWHM of 0.9'' corresponding to a resolved full size extension of abound 100 pc. Such an elongated shape is in agreement with model predictions of a dusty/molecular torus surrounding the central engine in NGC 1068, observed under an inclination angle around 65 degrees.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures To appear in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Phylogenetic analysis of Turkey astroviruses reveals evidence of recombination.

Sequence data was obtained from the capsid (ORF-2) and the polymerase (ORF-lb) genes of 23 turkey astrovirus (TAstV) isolates collected from commercial turkey flocks around the United States between 2003 and 2004. A high level of genetic variation was observed among the isolates, particularly in the capsid gene, where nucleotide sequence identity among them was as low as 69%. Isolates collected on the same farm, on the same day, but from different houses could have as little as 72% identity between their capsid gene sequences when compared. Phylogenetic analysis of the capsid gene revealed no clear assortment by geographic region or isolation date. The polymerase gene was more conserved with between 86 and 99% nucleotide identity and did assort in a geographic manner. Based on differing topologies of the capsid and polymerase gene phylogenetic trees, TAstV appears to undergo recombination