We report the discovery of three new transiting extrasolar planets orbiting moderately bright (V = 11.1, 11.7, and 12.4) F stars. The planets HAT-P-39b through HAT-P-41b have periods of P = 3.5439 ...days, 4.4572 days, and 2.6940 days, masses of 0.60 M sub(J), 0.62 M sub(J), and 0.80 M sub(J), and radii of 1.57 R sub(J), 1.73 R sub(J), and 1.68 R sub(J), respectively. They orbit stars with masses of 1.40 M sub(odot), 1.51 M sub(odot), and 1.51 M sub(odot), respectively. The three planets are members of an emerging population of highly inflated Jupiters with 0.4M sub(J) < M < 1.5 M sub(J) and R gt; 1.5 R sub(J).
ABSTRACT We present a time series of the highest resolution spectra yet published for the nearby Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2014J in M82. They were obtained at 11 epochs over 33 days around peak ...brightness with the Levy Spectrograph (resolution R 110,000) on the 2.4 m Automated Planet Finder telescope at Lick Observatory. We identify multiple Na i D and K i absorption features as well as absorption by Ca ii H&K and several of the more common diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs). We see no evolution in any component of Na i D, Ca ii, or in the DIBs, but do establish the dissipation/weakening of the two most blueshifted components of K i. We present several potential physical explanations, finding the most plausible to be photoionization of circumstellar material, and discuss the implications of our results with respect to the progenitor scenario of SN 2014J.
The Solar System includes two planets—Mercury and Mars—significantly less massive than Earth, and all evidence indicates that planets of similar size orbit many stars. In fact, one of the first ...exoplanets to be discovered is a lunar-mass planet around a millisecond pulsar. Novel classes of exoplanets have inspired new ideas about planet formation and evolution, and these “sub-Earths” should be no exception: they include planets with masses between Mars and Venus for which there are no Solar System analogs. Advances in astronomical instrumentation and recent space missions have opened the sub-Earth frontier for exploration: the
Kepler
mission has discovered dozens of confirmed or candidate sub-Earths transiting their host stars. It can detect Mars-size planets around its smallest stellar targets, as well as exomoons of comparable size. Although the application of the Doppler method is currently limited by instrument stability, future spectrographs may detect equivalent planets orbiting close to nearby bright stars. Future space-based microlensing missions should be able to probe the sub-Earth population on much wider orbits. A census of sub-Earths will complete the reconnaissance of the exoplanet mass spectrum and test predictions of planet formation models, including whether low-mass M dwarf stars preferentially host the smallest planets. The properties of sub-Earths may reflect their low gravity, diverse origins, and environment, but they will be elusive: Observations of eclipsing systems by the
James Webb
Space Telescope may give us our first clues to the properties of these small worlds.
To investigate photoreceptor and postreceptor retinal function in patients with congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB).
Forty-one patients with CSNB (ages 0.19-32 years) were studied. ERG ...responses to a series of full-field stimuli were obtained under scotopic and photopic conditions and were used to categorize the CSNB patients as complete (cCSNB) or incomplete (iCSNB). Rod and cone photoreceptor (R(ROD), S(ROD), R(CONE), S(CONE)) and rod-driven postreceptor (V(MAX), log σ) response parameters were calculated from the a- and b-waves. Cone-driven responses to 30 Hz flicker and ON and OFF responses to a long duration (150 ms) flash were also obtained. Dark-adapted thresholds were measured. Analysis of variance was used to compare data from patients with cCSNB, patients with iCSNB, and controls.
We found significant reduction in saturated photoreceptor amplitude (R(ROD), R(CONE)) but normal photoreceptor sensitivity (S(ROD), S(CONE)) in both CSNB groups. Rod-driven postreceptor response amplitude (V(MAX)) and sensitivity (log σ) were significantly reduced in CSNB. Log σ was significantly worse in cCSNB than in iCSNB; this was the only scotopic parameter that differed between the two CSNB groups. Photopic b-wave amplitude increased monotonically with stimulus strength in CSNB patients rather than showing a normal photopic hill. The amplitude of the 30-Hz flicker response was reduced compared with controls, more so in iCSNB than in cCSNB. The mean dark-adapted threshold was significantly elevated in CSNB, more so in cCSNB than in iCSNB.
These results are evidence of normal photoreceptor function (despite the low saturated photoresponse amplitude) and anomalous postreceptor retinal circuitry.
ABSTRACT
We present the discovery of the transiting exoplanets HAT-P-65b and HAT-P-66b, with orbital periods of
and
days, masses of
and
, and inflated radii of
and
, respectively. They orbit ...moderately bright (
and
) stars of mass
and
. The stars are at the main-sequence turnoff. While it is well known that the radii of close-in giant planets are correlated with their equilibrium temperatures, whether or not the radii of planets increase in time as their hosts evolve and become more luminous is an open question. Looking at the broader sample of well-characterized close-in transiting giant planets, we find that there is a statistically significant correlation between planetary radii and the fractional ages of their host stars, with a false-alarm probability of only 0.0041%. We find that the correlation between the radii of planets and the fractional ages of their hosts is fully explained by the known correlation between planetary radii and their present-day equilibrium temperatures; however, if the zero-age main-sequence equilibrium temperature is used in place of the present-day equilibrium temperature, then a correlation with age must also be included to explain the planetary radii. This suggests that, after contracting during the pre-main-sequence, close-in giant planets are reinflated over time due to the increasing level of irradiation received from their host stars. Prior theoretical work indicates that such a dynamic response to irradiation requires a significant fraction of the incident energy to be deposited deep within the planetary interiors.
Stargardt disease (STGD1), associated with biallelic variants in the ABCA4 gene, is the most common heritable macular dystrophy and is currently untreatable. To identify potential treatment targets, ...we characterized surviving STGD1 photoreceptors. We used clinical data to identify macular regions with surviving STGD1 photoreceptors. We compared the hyperreflective bands in the optical coherence tomographic (OCT) images that correspond to structures in the STGD1 photoreceptor inner segments to those in controls. We used adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO) to study the distribution of cones and AO-OCT to evaluate the interface of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). We found that the profile of the hyperreflective bands differed dramatically between patients with STGD1 and controls. AO-SLOs showed patches in which cone densities were similar to those in healthy retinas and others in which the cone population was sparse. In regions replete with cones, there was no debris at the photoreceptor-RPE interface. In regions with sparse cones, there was abundant debris. Our results raise the possibility that pharmaceutical means may protect surviving photoreceptors and so mitigate vision loss in patients with STGD1.
ABSTRACT We report a spin-orbit misalignment for the hot-Jupiter HATS-14b, measuring a projected orbital obliquity of HATS-14b orbits a high metallicity, 5400 K G dwarf in a relatively short period ...orbit of 2.8 days. This obliquity was measured via the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, obtained with observations from Keck-HIRES. The velocities were extracted using a novel technique, optimized for low signal-to-noise spectra, achieving a high precision of point-to-point scatter. However, we caution that our uncertainties may be underestimated. Due to the low rotational velocity of the star, the detection significance is dependent on the prior that is imposed in our modeling. Based on trends observed in the sample of hot Jupiters with obliquity measurements, it has been suggested that these planets modify the spin axes of their host stars, with an efficiency that depends on the stellar type and orbital period of the system. In this framework, short-period planets around stars with surface convective envelopes, like HATS-14b, are expected to have orbits that are aligned with the spin axes of their host stars. HATS-14b, however, is a significant outlier from this trend, challenging the effectiveness of the tidal realignment mechanism.
Clinical electrophysiological testing of the visual system incorporates a range of noninvasive tests and provides an objective indication of function relating to different locations and cell types ...within the visual system. This document developed by the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision provides an introduction to standard visual electrodiagnostic procedures in widespread use including the full-field electroretinogram (ERG), the pattern electroretinogram (pattern ERG or PERG), the multifocal electroretinogram (multifocal ERG or mfERG), the electrooculogram (EOG) and the cortical-derived visual evoked potential (VEP). The guideline outlines the basic principles of testing. Common clinical presentations and symptoms are described with illustrative examples and suggested investigation strategies.
Species of the Cochlospermaceae, a small mostly pantropical plant family, were evaluated at a continental scale for medicinal uses in traditional medicine. This ethnobotanical information was placed ...in a phylogenetic framework to make informed predictions in the search for new medicines and bioactive compounds. Medicinal plant-use data were mapped onto a molecular phylogeny based on DNA sequences of nuclear and chloroplast markers. Associations of medicinal uses among closely related species occurring in different geographic regions and among diverse cultures were evaluated. The most common medicinal uses for these species are those used to treat skin ailments, gastro-intestinal problems, malaria, and liver issues. The plant species with the most numerous uses is Cochlospermum tinctorium, which occurs primarily in West Africa. Closely related species being used by cultural groups in different geographic regions to treat the same illnesses suggests the presence of bioactive compounds with potential biomedical value, since they may represent independent discoveries of similar medicinally-active compounds. This leads to the speculation that those closely related species not currently being used to treat these ailments may also contain identical or similar medicinally-active compounds and are worthy of laboratory investigations.
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