scholarly journals Stellar Populations of Kinematically Decoupled Cores in E/S0 Galaxies

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S235) ◽  
pp. 122-122
Author(s):  
Richard M. McDermid ◽  
Eric Emsellem ◽  
Kristen L. Shapiro ◽  
Roland Bacon ◽  
Martin Bureau ◽  
...  

AbstractIn this poster contribution, we present results from high spatial resolution integral-field spectroscopy of elliptical (E) and lenticular (S0) galaxies from the SAURON representative survey, obtained with the OASIS and GMOS spectrographs. These seeing-limited observations explore the central ∼10''10″ (typically one kiloparsec diameter) regions of these galaxies using a spatial sampling four times higher than SAURON (0″27 vs. 0″94 spatial elements), resulting in almost a factor of two improvement in the median PSF. These data allow accurate study of the central regions to complement the large-scale view provided by SAURON. We derive the stellar and gas kinematics, stellar absorption-line strengths and nebular emission-line strengths for our sample, and derive maps of the luminosity-weighted stellar age, metallicity and abundance ratio via stellar population models. From these data we find a wealth of structures either not seen or poorly resolved in the SAURON data, including a number of kinematically-decoupled cores (KDCs) in the centres of some galaxies. We compare the intrinsic size and luminosity-weighted stellar age of all the visible KDCs in the full SAURON sample, and find two types of components: kiloparsec-scale KDCs, which are older than 8 Gyr, and are found in galaxies with little net rotation; and compact KDCs, which have intrinsic diameters of less than a few hundred parsec, show a range of stellar ages from 0.5 - 15 Gyr (with 5/6 younger than 5 Gyr), are found exclusively in fast-rotating galaxies, and are close to counter-rotating around the same axis as their host. Of the 7 galaxies in the SAURON sample with integrated luminosity-weighted ages less than 5 Gyr, 5 show such compact KDCs, suggesting a link between counter-rotation and recent star-formation. We show that this may be partly due to a combination of small sample size at young ages, and an observational bias, since young KDCs are easier to detect than their older and/or co-rot ating counterparts.

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
I Pasic ◽  
A Shlien ◽  
A Novokmet ◽  
C Zhang ◽  
U Tabori ◽  
...  

Introduction: OS, a common Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS)-associated neoplasm, is a common bone malignancy of children and adolescents. Sporadic OS is also characterized by young age of onset and high genomic instability, suggesting a genetic contribution to disease. This study examined the contribution of novel DNA structural variation elements, CNVs, to OS susceptibility. Given our finding of excessive constitutional DNA CNV in LFS patients, which often coincide with cancer-related genes, we hypothesized that constitutional CNV may also provide clues about the aetiology of LFS-related sporadic neoplasms like OS. Methods: CNV in blood DNA of 26 patients with sporadic OS was compared to that of 263 normal control samples from the International HapMap project, as well as 62 local controls. Analysis was performed on DNA hybridized to Affymetrix genome-wide human SNP array 6.0 by Partek Genomic Suite. Results: There was no detectable difference in average number of CNVs, CNV length, and total structural variation (product of average CNV number and length) between individuals with OS and controls. While this data is preliminary (small sample size), it argues against the presence of constitutional genomic instability in individuals with sporadic OS. Conclusion: We found that the majority of tumours from patients with sporadic OS show CN loss at chr3q13.31, raising the possibility that chr3q13.31 may represent a “driver” region in OS aetiology. In at least one OS tumour, which displays CN loss at chr3q13.31, we demonstrate decreased expression of a known tumour suppressor gene located at chr3q13.31. We are investigating the role ofchr3q13.31 in development of OS.


Doctor Ru ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 43-47
Author(s):  
E.Yu. Mozheyko ◽  
◽  
O.V. Petryaeva ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  

Objective of the Review: To collect information, analyse and evaluate previous studies in the use of biofeedback in neurological patients. Key Points. Despite the wide practical application and a lot of available publications, the level of evidence of this method is low because of a small sample size and the challenges with biofeedback mechanism description. A review of various types of biocontrol, its mechanisms and developments shows that drug-free therapy using only patient’s resources (organic, psychological, emotional and volitional) can activate the mechanisms of neuroplasticity, which are poorly studied. Still, it does not prevent from using biocontrol for the therapy of patients and/or prevention of various diseases in healthy population. Conclusion. Biofeedback therapy has proven to be a safe, relatively efficient and easy-to-use method. However, organisation of a large-scale double blind randomized trial is one of the predominant directions in the future. Keywords: biofeedback, biocontrol, neurofeedback, biofeedback therapy.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Beretta ◽  
Mauro Castelli ◽  
Ivo Gonçalves ◽  
Ivan Merelli ◽  
Daniele Ramazzotti

AbstractGene and protein networks are very important to model complex large-scale systems in molecular biology. Inferring or reverseengineering such networks can be defined as the process of identifying gene/protein interactions from experimental data through computational analysis. However, this task is typically complicated by the enormously large scale of the unknowns in a rather small sample size. Furthermore, when the goal is to study causal relationships within the network, tools capable of overcoming the limitations of correlation networks are required. In this work, we make use of Bayesian Graphical Models to attach this problem and, specifically, we perform a comparative study of different state-of-the-art heuristics, analyzing their performance in inferring the structure of the Bayesian Network from breast cancer data.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 205873841985587
Author(s):  
Luca Scapoli ◽  
Francesco Carinci ◽  
Annalisa Palmieri ◽  
Francesca Cura ◽  
Alessandro Baj ◽  
...  

Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (nsCL/P) is a frequent orofacial malformation. The comparison of concordance rate observed in monozygotic and dizygotic twins supports high level of heritability and a strong genetic component. However, phenotype concordance for orofacial cleft in monozygotic twins is about 50%. The aim of the present investigation was to detect postzygotic events that may account for discordance in monozygotic twins. High-density SNP microarrays hybridization was used to genotype two pairs of monozygotic twins discordant for nsCL/P. Discordant SNP genotypes and copy number variants were analyzed to identify genetic differences responsible of phenotype discrepancy. A number of differences were observed, none involving known nsCL/P candidate genes or genomic regions. Considering the limitation of the study, related to the small sample size and to the large-scale investigation method, the results suggest that the detection of discordant events in other monozygotic twin pairs would be remarkable and warrant further investigations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Hoksbergen ◽  
Andrea Insch

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the need to understand how younger music festival-goers use and engage with a music festival’s Facebook page, and how they perceive this social networking service (SNS) as a potential on-line platform for value co-creation. Design/methodology/approach Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 young adults who attended an annual New Year’s Eve music festival, Rhythm and Vines, in Gisborne, New Zealand. Findings Analysis of the interview data revealed that the majority of participants did not actively engage with this platform and could be categorised as passive viewers or information-seekers. In addition, participants perceived five types of value from using this SNS: functional, social, emotional, interactive and aesthetic value. Even though participants were not segmented due to the small sample size, patterns in their levels of engagement with Facebook, attendance status, reasons for attending the festival and the combinations of forms of value that they perceived were identified. Research limitations/implications Future research should use a large-scale survey method to obtain a representative sample that is generalisable to a specific population of music festival-goers. Practical implications Dominance of features on Facebook providing festival-goers with functional value suggests they prefer a passive or co-optation approach to value co-creation in this context. Due to the limited extent of participants actively co-creating value on this platform, alternative means of encouraging interaction to co-create value with festival-goers should be investigated. Originality/value This study demonstrates that this SNS provides this group of young adults with a means to connect their real-time festival experience, with their on-line Facebook social network during the year.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-31
Author(s):  
Abu Tarek Iqbal ◽  
Jalal Uddin ◽  
Dhiman Banik ◽  
Salehuddin ◽  
Hasan Mamun ◽  
...  

Many studies were conducted on the topic over the whole world but there is none in Chittagong, Bangladesh. To know the pattern of coronary artery stenosis in Chittagong we have conducted the study because it is important for effective case management. It was an observational study. Convenient sampling technique was used and sample size was fixed to 110 considering resource constraints. All the cases were diagnosed on the basis of history, clinical features and laboratory investigations. Coronary artery angiogram was methodically conducted. All relevant data had been recorded and were managed manually. The findings were validated statistically. Discussion was made with updated literature review and finally conclusion was drawn. Total 110 cases were studied. Stenosis was found in 77(70%) cases. Among them 83% were male and 17% were female. Age range was 30-80 years but 76% cases were of 40-60 years age group. Among the stenosed cases SVD 29%, DVD 20% and TVD 20% only. Only 01% was LMCA. Commonest stenosed vessel was LAD 71%. RCA 60%, LCX 58% and LMCA 6%. 47% of stenosed cases were found with normal ECG. Ejection fraction of 57% stenosed cases was >55%. Study results are not significantly apart from studies in home and abroad. The limitation is small sample size. So, a multicenter study on a large scale cases is hereby advocated for a conclusive opinionMedicine Today 2016 Vol.28(1): 30-31


2019 ◽  
Vol 626 ◽  
pp. A89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrica Bellocchi ◽  
Montserrat Villar Martín ◽  
Antonio Cabrera–Lavers ◽  
Bjorn Emonts

Context. Ionized outflows are ubiquitous in non-radio-loud obscured quasars (QSO2s) at different redshifts. However, the actual size of the outflows and their efficiency for gas ejection and star formation truncation are controversial. Large-scale (exceeding several kiloparsec) extended radio structures might be necessary to identify (even to trigger) outflow signatures across such large spatial scales. Aims. We search for large-scale ionized outflows associated with six optically selected QSO2 (five non-radio-loud and one radio-loud) at z ∼ 0.2−0.5, targeting objects with extended radio structures. We also investigate the dynamical state of the QSO2 host galaxies. Methods. We obtained data with the optical imager and long-slit spectrograph (OSIRIS) mounted on the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias Spanish telescope (GTC) for these six QSO2 with the slit located along the radio axis. We traced the gas kinematics with the [OIII]λλ4959,5007 lines to investigate ionized outflows and characterize the dynamical state of the host galaxies. This second study was complemented with previously published spectroscopic data obtained with the multimode focal reducer and low dispersion spectrograph (FORS2) mounted on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) of 13 more QSO2 at similar z. Results. We identify ionized outflows in four out of the six QSO2 observed with the GTC. The outflows are spatially unresolved in two QSO2 and compact in a third (radial size of R = 0.8 ± 0.3 kpc). Of particular interest is the radio-quiet QSO2 SDSS 0741+3020 at z = 0.47. It is associated with a giant ∼112 kpc nebula. An ionized outflow probably induced by the radio structures has been detected along the axis defined by the central ∼1″ radio structure, extending up to at least ∼4 kpc from the active galactic nucleus (AGN). Turbulent gas (σ ∼ 130 km s−1) has also been detected across the giant gas nebula up to ∼40 kpc from the AGN. This turbulence may have been induced by outflows triggered by the interaction between a so-far undetected large-scale radio source and the nebula. Regarding the dynamical state of the host galaxies, we find that the majority of the QSO2 show v/σ <  1, implying that they are dominated by random motions (so-called dispersion-dominated systems). Most (17 of 19) fall in the area of the E/S0 galaxies in the dynamical diagram v/σ versus σ. None are consistent with spiral or disk galaxies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng-Leong HOW ◽  
Wei Loong David HUNG

Artificial intelligence-enabled adaptive learning systems (AI-ALS) are increasingly being deployed in education to enhance the learning needs of students. However, educational stakeholders are required by policy-makers to conduct an independent evaluation of the AI-ALS using a small sample size in a pilot study, before that AI-ALS can be approved for large-scale deployment. Beyond simply believing in the information provided by the AI-ALS supplier, there arises a need for educational stakeholders to independently understand the motif of the pedagogical characteristics that underlie the AI-ALS. Laudable efforts were made by researchers to engender frameworks for the evaluation of AI-ALS. Nevertheless, those highly technical techniques often require advanced mathematical knowledge or computer programming skills. There remains a dearth in the extant literature for a more intuitive way for educational stakeholders—rather than computer scientists—to carry out the independent evaluation of an AI-ALS to understand how it could provide opportunities to educe the problem-solving abilities of the students so that they can successfully learn the subject matter. This paper proffers an approach for educational stakeholders to employ Bayesian networks to simulate predictive hypothetical scenarios with controllable parameters to better inform them about the suitability of the AI-ALS for the students.


mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria M. Esterhuyse ◽  
January Weiner ◽  
Etienne Caron ◽  
Andre G. Loxton ◽  
Marco Iannaccone ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT An estimated one-third of the world's population is currently latently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Latent M. tuberculosis infection (LTBI) progresses into active tuberculosis (TB) disease in ~5 to 10% of infected individuals. Diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to monitor disease progression are urgently needed to ensure better care for TB patients and to decrease the spread of TB. Biomarker development is primarily based on transcriptomics. Our understanding of biology combined with evolving technical advances in high-throughput techniques led us to investigate the possibility of additional platforms (epigenetics and proteomics) in the quest to (i) understand the biology of the TB host response and (ii) search for multiplatform biosignatures in TB. We engaged in a pilot study to interrogate the DNA methylome, transcriptome, and proteome in selected monocytes and granulocytes from TB patients and healthy LTBI participants. Our study provides first insights into the levels and sources of diversity in the epigenome and proteome among TB patients and LTBI controls, despite limitations due to small sample size. Functionally the differences between the infection phenotypes (LTBI versus active TB) observed in the different platforms were congruent, thereby suggesting regulation of function not only at the transcriptional level but also by DNA methylation and microRNA. Thus, our data argue for the development of a large-scale study of the DNA methylome, with particular attention to study design in accounting for variation based on gender, age, and cell type. IMPORTANCE DNA methylation modifies the transcriptional program of cells. We have focused on two major populations of leukocytes involved in immune response to infectious diseases, granulocytes and monocytes, both of which are professional phagocytes that engulf and kill bacteria. We have interrogated how DNA methylation, gene expression, and protein translation differ in these two cell populations between healthy individuals and patients suffering from TB. To better understand the underlying biologic mechanisms, we harnessed a statistical enrichment analysis, taking advantage of predefined and well-characterized gene sets. Not only were there clear differences on various levels between the two populations, but there were also differences between TB patients and healthy controls in the transcriptome, proteome, and, for the first time, DNA methylome in these cells. Our pilot study emphasizes the value of a large-scale study of the DNA methylome taking into account our findings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangling Ye ◽  
Zehua Chen ◽  
Zhen Shen ◽  
Guocai Chen ◽  
Xuemeng Xu

Purpose: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a pervasive inflammatory autoimmune disease that seriously impairs human health and requires more effective non-pharmacologic treatment approaches. This study aims to systematically review and evaluate the efficacy of yoga for patients with RA.Methods: Medline (through PubMed), Cochrane Library, EMBASE (through SCOPUS), and Web of Science database were screened through for articles published until 20 July 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of yoga in patients with RA were included. Outcomes measures were pain, physical function, disease activity, inflammatory cytokines, and grip strength. For each outcome, standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.Result: Ten trials including 840 patients with RA aged 30–70 years were identified, with 86% female participants. Meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant overall effect in favor of yoga for physical function (HAQ-DI) (5 RCTs; SMD = −0.32, 95% CI −0.58 to −0.05, I2 = 15%, P = 0.02), disease activity (DAS-28) (4 RCTs; SMD = −0.38, 95% CI −0.71 to −0.06, I2 = 41%, P = 0.02) and grip strength (2 RCTs; SMD = 1.30, 95% CI 0.47–2.13, I2 = 63%, P = 0.002). No effects were found for pain, tender joints, swollen joints count or inflammatory cytokines (i.e., CRP, ESR, IL-6, and TNF-α).Summary: The findings of this meta-analysis indicate that yoga may be beneficial for improving physical function, disease activity, and grip strength in patients with RA. However, the balance of evidence showed that yoga had no significant effect in improving pain, tender joints, swollen joints count, and inflammatory cytokines in patients suffering from RA. Considering methodological limitations, small sample size, and low-quality, we draw a very cautious conclusion in the results of the estimate of the effect. High-quality and large-scale RCTs are urgently needed in the future, and the real result may be substantially different.


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