The search for Population III stars has fascinated and eluded astrophysicists for decades. One promising place for capturing evidence of their presence must be high-redshift objects; signatures should be recorded in their characteristic chemical abundances. We deduce the Fe and Mg abundances of the broadline region (BLR) from the intensities of ultraviolet Mg ii and Fe ii emission lines in the near-infrared spectrum of UKIDSS Large Area Survey (ULAS) J1342+0928 at z = 7.54, by advancing our novel flux-to-abundance conversion method developed for quasars up to z ∼ 3. We find that the BLR of this quasar is extremely enriched, by a factor of 20 relative to the solar Fe abundance, together with a very low Mg/Fe abundance ratio: [Fe/H] = +1.36 ± 0.19 and [Mg/Fe] =−1.11 ± 0.12, only 700 million years after the Big Bang. We conclude that such an unusual abundance feature cannot be explained by the standard view of chemical evolution that considers only the contributions from canonical supernovae. While there remains uncertainty in the high-mass end of the Population III initial mass function, here we propose that the larger amount of iron in ULAS J1342+0928 was supplied by a pair-instability supernova (PISN) caused by the explosion of a massive Population III star in the high-mass end of the possible range of 150–300 M ⊙ . Chemical evolution models based on initial PISN enrichment well explain the trend in [Mg/Fe]-z all the way from z < 3 to z = 7.54. We predict that stars with very low [Mg/Fe] at all metallicities are hidden in the galaxy, and they will be efficiently discovered by ongoing new-generation photometric surveys.

We present the results of a dust-reverberation survey of quasars at redshifts z < 0.6. We found a delayed response of the K -band flux variation after the optical flux variation in 25 out of 31 targets, and obtained the lag time between them for 22 targets. Combined with the results for nearby Seyfert galaxies, we provide the largest homogeneous collection of K -band dust-reverberation data for 36 type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs). This doubles the sample and includes the most distant AGN and the largest lag so far measured. We estimated the optical luminosity of the AGN component of each target using three different methods: spectral decomposition, the flux-variation-gradient method, and image decomposition. We found a strong correlation between the reverberation radius for the innermost dust torus and the optical luminosity over a range of approximately four orders of magnitude in luminosity, as is already known for Seyfert galaxies. We estimated the luminosity distances of the AGNs based on their dust-reverberation lags, and found that the data in the redshift–distance diagram are consistent with the current standard estimates of the cosmological parameters. We also present the radius–luminosity relations for isotropic luminosity indicators such as the hard X-ray (14–195 keV), [O IV ] 25.89 μ m, and mid-infrared (12 μ m) continuum luminosities, which are applicable to obscured AGNs.

In Yoshii et al., we described a new method for measuring extragalactic distances based on dust reverberation in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and we validated our new method with Cepheid variable stars. In this Letter, we validate our new method with Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) that occurred in two of the AGN host galaxies during our AGN monitoring program: SN 2004bd in NGC 3786 and SN 2008ec in NGC 7469. Their multicolor light curves were observed and analyzed using two widely accepted methods for measuring SN distances, and the distance moduli derived are for SN 2004bd and 33.83 ± 0.07 for SN 2008ec. These results are used to obtain independently the distance measurement calibration factor, g. The g value obtained from the SN Ia discussed in this Letter is , which matches, within the range of 1σ uncertainty, , previously calculated ab initio in Yoshii et al. Having validated our new method for measuring extragalactic distances, we use our new method to calibrate reverberation distances derived from variations of Hβ emission in the AGN broad-line region, extending the Hubble diagram to where distinguishing between cosmologies is becoming possible.

A review of the properties of Type II Cepheids and RV Tauri stars in the Magellanic Clouds is presented. In the behaviour of their light and colour curves, the RV Tauri stars appear to be a direct extension of the Type II Cepheids to longer periods. A single P-L—C relationship describes both the Type II Cepheids and RV Tauri stars in the LMC. The derived high intrinsic magnitudes for the RV Tauri variables supports the proposition that these objects are luminous stars evolving off the AGB. Preliminary analysis of the long time-series MACHO photometry indicates one star (MACHO*05:37:45.0-69:54:16) has an obvious 'period-quadrupled' periodicity, which is supporting evidence for a period-doubling bifurcation transition to chaotic pulsations.

We have pioneered a new method for the measurement of extragalactic distances. This method uses the time-lag between variations in the short wavelength and long wavelength light from an active galactic nucleus (AGN), based on a quantitative physical model of dust reverberation that relates the time-lag to the absolute luminosity of the AGN. We use the large homogeneous data set from intensive monitoring observations in optical and near-infrared wavelength bands with the dedicated 2-m MAGNUM telescope to obtain the distances to 17 AGNs in the redshift range z=0.0024 to z=0.0353. These distance measurements are compared with distances measured using Cepheid variable stars, and are used to infer that H_0= 73 +- 3 (random) km/s/Mpc. The systematic error in H_0 is examined, and the uncertainty in the size distribution of dust grains is the largest source of the systematic error, which is much reduced for a sample of AGNs for which their parameter values in the model of dust reverberation are individually measured. This AGN time-lag method can be used beyond 30 Mpc, the farthest distance reached by extragalactic Cepheids, and can be extended to high-redshift quasi-stellar objects.

We present the results of a dust reverberation survey for 17 nearby Seyfert 1 galaxies, which provides the largest homogeneous data collection for the radius of the innermost dust torus. A delayed response of the K-band light curve after the V-band light curve was found for all targets, and 49 measurements of lag times between the flux variation of the dust emission in the K band and that of the optical continuum emission in the V band were obtained by the cross-correlation function analysis and also by an alternative method for estimating the maximum likelihood lag. The lag times strongly correlated with the optical luminosity in the luminosity range of M-V = -16 to -22 mag, and the regression analysis was performed to obtain the correlation log Delta t (days) = -2.11-0.2 M-V assuming Delta t proportional to L-0.5, which was theoretically expected. We discuss the possible origins of the intrinsic scatter of the dust lag-luminosity correlation, which was estimated to be approximately 0.13 dex, and we find that the difference of internal extinction and delayed response of changes in lag times to the flux variations could have partly contributed to intrinsic scatter. However, we could not detect any systematic change of the correlation with the subclass of the Seyfert type or the Eddington ratio. Finally, we compare the dust reverberation radius with the near-infrared interferometric radius of the dust torus and the reverberation radius of broad Balmer emission lines. The interferometric radius in the K band was found to be systematically larger than the dust reverberation radius in the same band by the about a factor of two, which could be interpreted by the difference between the flux-weighted radius and response-weighted radius of the innermost dust torus. The reverberation radius of the broad Balmer emission lines was found to be systematically smaller than the dust reverberation radius by about a factor of four to five, which strongly supports the unified scheme of the Seyfert type of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Moreover, we examined the radius-luminosity correlations for the hard X-ray (14-195 keV) and the [Oiv] lambda 25.89 mu m emission-line luminosities, which would be applicable for obscured AGNs.

We have conducted B-, g-, V-, and R-band imaging in a 45 ' x 40 ' field containing part of the high Galactic latitude translucent cloud MBM32, and correlated the intensity of diffuse optical light S-upsilon (lambda) with that of 100 mu m emission S. (100 mu m). A chi(2) minimum analysis is applied to fit a linear function to the measured correlation and derive the slope parameter b(lambda) =Delta S-upsilon(lambda)/Delta S-upsilon (100 mu m) of the best-fit linear function. Compiling a sample by combining our b(lambda) and published ones, we show that the b(.) strength varies from cloud to cloud by a factor of four. Finding that b(lambda) decreases as S-upsilon (100 mu m) increases in the sample, we suggest that a nonlinear correlation including a quadratic term of S. (100m) 2 should be fitted to the measured correlation. The variation of optical depth, which is AV = 0.16- 2.0 in the sample, can change b(lambda) by a factor of 2-3. There would be some contribution to the large b(lambda) variation from the forward- scattering characteristic of dust grains which is coupled to the non- isotropic interstellar radiation field (ISRF). Models of the scattering of diffuse Galactic light (DGL) underestimate the b(.) values by a factor of two. This could be reconciled by deficiency in UV photons in the ISRF or by a moderate increase in dust albedo. Our b(lambda) spectrum favors a contribution from extended red emission (ERE) to the diffuse optical light; b(lambda) rises from B to V faster than the models, seems to peak around 6000 angstrom and decreases toward long wavelengths. Such a characteristic is expected from the models in which the DGL is combined with ERE.

We report the discovery of two field brown dwarfs, ULAS J0128-0041 and ULAS J0321+0051, and the rediscovery of ULAS J0226+0051 (IfA 0230-Z1), in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) southern equatorial stripe. They are found in the course of our follow-up observation program of 1 mu m excess sources in the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Infrared Deep Sky Survey. The Gemini Multi-Object Spectrographs spectra at red optical wavelengths (6500-10500 angstrom) are presented, which reveal that they are early-T dwarfs. The classification is also supported by their optical to near-infrared colors. It is noted that ULAS J0321+0051 is one of the faintest currently known T dwarfs. The estimated distances to the three objects are 50-110 pc, thus they are among the most distant field T dwarfs known. The dense temporal coverage of the target fields achieved by the SDSS-II Supernova Survey allows us to perform a simple time-series analysis of the dwarfs. We create stacked images of each year from 2002-2007 and find significant proper motions of 150-290 mas yr(-1) or transverse velocities of 40-100 km s(-1) for ULAS J0128-0041 and ULAS J0226+0051. We also find that there are no detectable, long-term (a-few-year) brightness variations above a few times 0.1 mag for the two brown dwarfs.

Few studies have examined the quality of life (QOL) in survivors of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). A total of 109 patients with NHL (58 aggressive [AGG], 51 indolent [IND]) completed two health-related QOL assessments using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Healthy Survey (MOS SF-36) and the Functional Assessment in Cancer Therapy - Fatigue (FACT-F). Scores between IND and AGG were compared using a two-sample t-test. Multiple linear regression was performed to account for any potentially explanatory variables. Overall, 70.6% had received chemotherapy and 55% had received immunotherapy. Some 17.6% of the IND group had received no therapy. The overall physical and mental component QOL scores of the SF-36 did not differ between survivors. Physical function in survivors of IND was significantly better when compared with that of AGG NHL. Our study reports a similar overall QOL between survivors of IND and AGG NHL. Physical function, however, may be more impaired in survivors of AGG NHL.

Doxorubicin (DOX), despite causing cardiac toxicity, is an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent that plays an important role in the treatment of breast cancer. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) may protect against cardiac toxicity in patients receiving DOX chemotherapy. A total of 143 patients receiving DOX at the Masonic Comprehensive Cancer Clinic, University of Minnesota, who had two or more multigated blood pool imaging (MUGA) scans or echocardiograms performed between 2004 and 2007 were identified and reviewed. Patients with a 10% absolute drop in their ejection fraction (EF) or more to below 55% were identified and compared with those that did not have a 10% decline in EF. Impact of patient variables and the use of concurrent medications on EF drop were evaluated using logistic regression. Median age was 52 years old. 85 (60%) were female. Cancer diagnosis was breast (n = 26), lymphoma (n = 92), and other (n = 25). In spite of a similar baseline EF in all the patients, 22/142 (15%) patients had a significant drop in EF during DOX chemotherapy. Adjusting for age, the odds ratio of EF drop associated with the use of ACE-I is 0.267 (P = 0.0940), suggesting that ACE-I has a protective effect. Cumulative DOX dose, the use of beta-blockers, or aspirin did not appear to be predictive or protective. Although not statistically significant, this study suggests that the use of ACE-I when given with DOX chemotherapy protects against DOX chemotherapy and warrants further investigation.

Long-term optical and near-infrared monitoring observations for a type 1 active galactic nucleus (AGN) NGC 4151 were carried out for six years from 2001 to 2006 by using the MAGNUM telescope, and delayed response of flux variations in the K(2.2 μm) band to those in the V(0.55 μm) band was clearly detected. Based on cross-correlation analysis, we precisely measured a lag time Δt for eight separate periods and we found that Δt is not constant, changing between 30 and 70 d during the monitoring period. Since Δt is the light travel time from the central energy source out to the surrounding dust torus, this is the first convincing evidence that the inner radius of the dust torus did change in an individual AGN. In order to relate such a change of Δt with a change of AGN luminosity L, we present a method of taking an average of the observed V-band fluxes that corresponds to the measured value of Δt, and we find that the time-changing track of NGC 4151 in the Δt versus L diagram during the monitoring period deviates from the relation Δt ∝ L0.5 expected from dust reverberation. This result, combined with the elapsed time from period to period for which Δt was measured, indicates that the timescale of dust formation is about one year, which should be taken into account as a new constraint in future studies of dust evolution in AGNs.

We report the final redshift release of the 6dF Galaxy Survey, a combined redshift and peculiar velocity survey over the southern sky (|b|>10 deg). Its 136,304 spectra have yielded 110,256 new extragalactic redshifts and a new catalogue of 125,071 galaxies making near-complete samples with (K, H, J, r_F, b_J) <= (12.65, 12.95, 13.75, 15.60, 16.75). The median redshift of the survey is 0.053. Survey data, including images, spectra, photometry and redshifts, are available through an online database. We describe changes to the information in the database since earlier interim data releases. Future releases will include velocity dispersions, distances and peculiar velocities for the brightest early-type galaxies, comprising about 10% of the sample. Here we provide redshift maps of the southern local universe with z<=0.1, showing nearby large-scale structures in hitherto unseen detail. A number of regions known previously to have a paucity of galaxies are confirmed as significantly underdense regions. The URL of the 6dFGS database is http://www-wfau.roe.ac.uk/6dFGS