Early X-ray/UV Line Signatures of GRB Progenitors and Hypernovae

We calculate the X-ray/UV spectral line signatures expected from the interaction of a gamma-ray burst afterglow and a dense pre-burst environment produced by the progenitor. We explore the conditions under which Fe line and edge equivalent widths of $\sim$ 1 keV can arise, and discuss the possibility of gaining information about possible progenitor scenarios using X-ray metal line spectra in the first few days of a burst. A wind or supernova shell around the burst produces an X-ray absorption line spectrum and later emission lines, while a hypernova funnel model produces mainly emission lines. The Fe \ked can in some cases be more prominent than the Fe \kal line. Under simple assumptions for the input continuum luminosity, current reports of observed Fe line luminosities are compatible with an Fe-enriched funnel model, while lower values are expected in shell models.Comment: revisions to ApJ ms first submitted 8/21/99; uses a higher and flatter input spectrum, with modified implications suggesting preference for funnel model

Possible geometries of afterglow generation in the gamma-ray burst GRB990705

The absorption feature detected in the prompt X-ray emission of GRB990705 has important consequences for its circum-burst environment and therefore on its afterglows. Here we investigate whether the circum-burst environment constrained by the absorption feature could be consistent with the observed H-band afterglow, which exhibits an earlier power law decay but a much faster decay about one day after the burst. Two possible geometries of the afterglow-emitting regions are suggested: 1) afterglow emission produced by the impact of the fireball on the surrounding torus, which serves as the absorbing material of the X-ray feature, as would be expected in the models involving that a supernova explosion precedes the gamma-ray burst by some time; 2)afterglow emission produced in the dense circum-burst medium inside the torus. In case 1), the faster decay at the later time is attributed to the disappearance of the shock due to the counter-pressure in the hot torus illuminated by the burst and afterglow photons. For case 2), the circum-burst medium density is found to be very high (n\ga 10^4-10^5 {\rm cm^{-3}}) if the emitting plasma is a jet or even higher if it is spherical. Future better observations of afterglows of GRBs that have absorption features might make it possible to make a more definite choice between these two scenarios.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figures, final version, Astronomy & Astrophysics, in pres

Choice of binding sites for CTCFL compared to CTCF is driven by chromatin and by sequence preference

The two paralogous zinc finger factors CTCF and CTCFL differ in expression such that CTCF is ubiquitously expressed, whereas CTCFL is found during spermatogenesis and in some cancer types in addition to other cell types. Both factors share the highly conserved DNA binding domain and are bound to DNA sequences with an identical consensus. In contrast, both factors differ substantially in the number of bound sites in the genome. Here, we addressed the molecular features for this binding specificity. In contrast to CTCF we found CTCFL highly enriched at 'open' chromatin marked by H3K27 acetylation, H3K4 di- and trimethylation, H3K79 dimethylation and H3K9 acetylation plus the histone variant H2A.Z. CTCFL is enriched at transcriptional start sites and regions bound by transcription factors. Consequently, genes deregulated by CTCFL are highly cell specific. In addition to a chromatin-driven choice of binding sites, we determined nucleotide positions critical for DNA binding by CTCFL, but not by CTCF

Determining the location of Gamma-Ray Bursts through the evolution of their soft X-ray absorption

We investigate through dedicated numerical simulations the evolution of the soft X-ray absorption properties of a cloud surrounding a gamma-ray burst source. We show that the absorption properties of the material are strongly modified by the ionization induced by the intense burst flux. We derive the temporal evolution of the measured column density as a function of the density and size of the absorbing medium. Even if their statistical significance is not extremely compelling, we find that the detection in several bursts of variable absorption during the gamma-ray phase can be accounted for if these bursts are associated to overdense regions in molecular clouds with properties similar to those of star formation globules. We fit our model variable column density to the data of GRB 980329 and GRB 780506, showing that with this method the size, density and density distribution of the material surrounding a burst can be measured.Comment: 8 pages, 8 postscript figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Induction of effective and antigen-specific antitumour immunity by a liposomal ErbB2/HER2 peptide-based vaccination construct

Efficient delivery of tumour-associated antigens to appropriate cellular compartments of antigen-presenting cells is of prime importance for the induction of potent, cell-mediated antitumour immune responses. We have designed novel multivalent liposomal constructs that co-deliver the p63–71 cytotoxic T Lymphocyte epitope derived from human ErbB2 (HER2), and HA307–319, a T-helper (Th) epitope derived from influenza haemagglutinin. Both peptides were conjugated to the surface of liposomes via a Pam3CSS anchor, a synthetic lipopeptide with potent adjuvant activity. In a murine model system, vaccination with these constructs completely protected BALB/c mice from subsequent s.c. challenge with ErbB2-expressing, but not ErbB2-negative, murine renal carcinoma (Renca) cells, indicating the induction of potent, antigen-specific immune responses. I.v. re-challenge of tumour-free animals 2 months after the first tumour cell inoculation did not result in the formation of lung tumour nodules, suggesting that long-lasting, systemic immunity had been induced. While still protecting the majority of vaccinated mice, a liposomal construct lacking the Th epitope was less effective than the diepitope construct, also correlating with a lower number of CD8+ IFN-γ+ T-cells identified upon ex vivo peptide restimulation of splenocytes from vaccinated animals. Importantly, in a therapeutic setting treatment with the liposomal vaccines resulted in cures in the majority of tumour-bearing mice and delayed tumour growth in the remaining ones. Our results demonstrate that liposomal constructs which combine Tc and Th peptide antigens and lipopeptide adjuvants can induce efficient, antigen-specific antitumour immunity, and represent promising synthetic delivery systems for the design of specific antitumour vaccines

A guide to the Choquard equation

We survey old and recent results dealing with the existence and properties of solutions to the Choquard type equations $$-\Delta u + V(x)u = \bigl(|x|^{-(N-\alpha)} * |u|^p\bigr)|u|^{p - 2} u \qquad \text{in $\mathbb{R}^N$},$$ and some of its variants and extensions.Comment: 39 page

Modulares Arbeiten mit dem TI-92

Modulares Denken, Arbeiten oder Konstruieren stellt eine wesentliche Methode mathematischen Arbeitens dar. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden einige Beispiele angegeben, welche die Effektivität und den Nutzen modularen Arbeitens beim Umgang mit formelverarbeitenden Systemen verdeutlichen sollen

Modulares Arbeiten mit dem TI-92

Modulares Denken, Arbeiten oder Konstruieren stellt eine wesentliche Methode mathematischen Arbeitens dar. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden einige Beispiele angegeben, welche die Effektivität und den Nutzen modularen Arbeitens beim Umgang mit formelverarbeitenden Systemen verdeutlichen sollen