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- Miglio, A., et al.
(author)
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PLATO as it is : A legacy mission for Galactic archaeology
- 2017
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In: Astronomical Notes - Astronomische Nachrichten. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 0004-6337 .- 1521-3994. ; 338:6, s. 644-661
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Deciphering the assembly history of the Milky Way is a formidable task, which becomes possible only if one can produce high-resolution chrono-chemo-kinematical maps of the Galaxy. Data from large-scale astrometric and spectroscopic surveys will soon provide us with a well-defined view of the current chemo-kinematical structure of the Milky Way, but it will only enable a blurred view on the temporal sequence that led to the present-day Galaxy. As demonstrated by the (ongoing) exploitation of data from the pioneering photometric missions CoRoT, Kepler, and K2, asteroseismology provides the way forward: solar-like oscillating giants are excellent evolutionary clocks thanks to the availability of seismic constraints on their mass and to the tight age-initial mass relation they adhere to. In this paper we identify five key outstanding questions relating to the formation and evolution of the Milky Way that will need precise and accurate ages for large samples of stars to be addressed, and we identify the requirements in terms of number of targets and the precision on the stellar properties that are needed to tackle such questions. By quantifying the asteroseismic yields expected from PLATO for red giant stars, we demonstrate that these requirements are within the capabilities of the current instrument design, provided that observations are sufficiently long to identify the evolutionary state and allow robust and precise determination of acoustic-mode frequencies. This will allow us to harvest data of sufficient quality to reach a 10% precision in age. This is a fundamental prerequisite to then reach the more ambitious goal of a similar level of accuracy, which will be possible only if we have at hand a careful appraisal of systematic uncertainties on age deriving from our limited understanding of stellar physics, a goal that conveniently falls within the main aims of PLATO's core science. We therefore strongly endorse PLATO's current design and proposed observational strategy, and conclude that PLATO, as it is, will be a legacy mission for Galactic archaeology.
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- Inagaki-Kawata, Y, et al.
(author)
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Genetic and clinical landscape of breast cancers with germline BRCA1/2 variants
- 2020
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In: Communications biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1, s. 578-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The genetic and clinical characteristics of breast tumors with germline variants, including their association with biallelic inactivation through loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) and second somatic mutations, remain elusive. We analyzed germline variants of 11 breast cancer susceptibility genes for 1,995 Japanese breast cancer patients, and identified 101 (5.1%) pathogenic variants, including 62 BRCA2 and 15 BRCA1 mutations. Genetic analysis of 64 BRCA1/2-mutated tumors including TCGA dataset tumors, revealed an association of biallelic inactivation with more extensive deletions, copy neutral LOH, gain with LOH and younger onset. Strikingly, TP53 and RB1 mutations were frequently observed in BRCA1- (94%) and BRCA2- (9.7%) mutated tumors with biallelic inactivation. Inactivation of TP53 and RB1 together with BRCA1 and BRCA2, respectively, involved LOH of chromosomes 17 and 13. Notably, BRCA1/2 tumors without biallelic inactivation were indistinguishable from those without germline variants. Our study highlights the heterogeneity and unique clonal selection pattern in breast cancers with germline variants.
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- De La Fuente, Eduardo, et al.
(author)
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Evidence for a gamma-ray molecular target in the enigmatic PeVatron candidate LHAASO J2108+5157
- 2023
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 675
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context . Peta-eV (PeV) astronomy emerged in 2021 with the discovery of ultra-high-energy gamma-ray sources associated with powerful natural particle accelerators known as PeVatrons. In order to determine the nature of their emission, namely whether it has a hadronic or leptonic origin, it is essential to characterise the physical parameters of the environment where it originates. Aims . We unambiguously confirm the association of molecular gas with the PeVatron candidate LHAASO J2108+5157 using unprecedented high angular-resolution (17′) 12,13CO(J = 1 → 0) observations carried out with the Nobeyama 45m radio telescope. Methods . We characterised a molecular cloud in the vicinity of the PeVatron candidate LHAASO J2108+5157 by determining its physical parameters from our 12,13CO(J = 1 → 0) line observations. We used an updated estimation of the distance to the cloud, which provided a more reliable result. The molecular emission was compared with excess gamma-ray images obtained with Fermi-LAT at energies above 2 GeV to search for spatial correlations and test a possible hadronic (π0 decay) origin for the gamma-ray emission. Results . We find that the morphology of the spatial distribution of the CO emission is strikingly similar to that of the Fermi-LAT excess gamma ray. By combining our observations with archival 21 cm HI line data, the nucleons (HI + H2) number density of the target molecular cloud is found to be 133.0 ± 45.0 cm-3, for the measured angular size of 0.55 ± 0.02 at a distance of 1.6 ± 0.1 kpc. The resulting total mass of the cloud is M(HI + H2) = 7.5±2.9×103M⊙. Under a hadronic scenario, we obtain a total energy of protons of Wp = 4.3 ± 1.5 × 1046 erg with a cutoff of 700±300 TeV, which reproduces the sub-PeV gamma-ray emission. Conclusions . We identified a molecular cloud in the vicinity of LHAASO J2107+5157 as the main target where cosmic rays from an unknown PeVatron produce the observed gamma-ray emission via π0 decay.
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- Monari, Giacomo, et al.
(author)
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Tracing the Hercules stream with Gaia and LAMOST : new evidence for a fast bar in the Milky Way
- 2017
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966 .- 1745-3925 .- 1745-3933. ; 466:1, s. l113-L117
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The length and pattern speed of the Milky Way bar are still controversial. Photometric and spectroscopic surveys of the inner Galaxy, as well as gas kinematics, favour a long and slowly rotating bar, with corotation around a Galactocentric radius of 6 kpc. On the other hand, the existence of the Hercules stream in local velocity space favours a short and fast bar with corotation around 4 kpc. This follows from the fact that the Hercules stream looks like a typical signature of the outer Lindblad resonance of the bar. As we showed recently, reconciling this local stream with a slow bar would need to find a yet unknown alternative explanation, based, for instance, on the effect of spiral arms. Here, by combining the TGAS catalogue of the Gaia DR1 with LAMOST radial velocities, we show that the position of Hercules in velocity space as a function of radius in the outer Galaxy indeed varies exactly as predicted by fast bar models with a pattern speed no less than 1.8 times the circular frequency at the Sun's position.
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- Westlund, Robert, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Efficient Nonlinear Absorbing Platinum(II) Acetylide Chromophores in Solid PMMA Matrices
- 2008
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In: Advanced Functional Materials. - : Wiley. - 1616-301X .- 1616-3028. ; 18:13, s. 1939-1948
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Platinum(II) acetylides were incorporated into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) glasses to obtain solid-state nonlinear optical devices. We report on device fabrication, structural, chemical, and mechanical properties, as well as the optical limiting capabilities of the final solids. Two different guest-host systems are presented: 1) Dye molecules functionalized to be readily dispersed in methyl methacrylate (MMA) and subsequent in situ polymerization of the MMA yielding solid PMMA host matrices. 2) Dye molecules functionalized to copolymerize with MMA forming covalent bonds between the guest and the PMMA host matrix. A range of doped organic solids were prepared, reaching concentrations up to 13 wt% of the guest molecule. Raman spectra of the doped solid devices indicate that the chemical structure of the nonlinear dyes remains intact upon the polymerization of the solid matrix. Luminescence spectra confirm that the basic photophysical properties observed for the same solute molecules in THF are maintained also in the solid state. Optical power limiting (OPL) characterization reveal clamping levels for the dyes nonbonded to the solid host being less than 4 μJ at pulse energies up to 110 μJ at 532 nm (f/5 arrangement and 5 ns pulses), which is comparable to the performance of similar dyes in THF solutions. In contrast, the highly crosslinked solid possesses a higher clamping level (8 μj) at the same nominal concentration.
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