Dark Matter Constraints from Planck Observations of the Galactic Polarized Synchrotron Emission.

Dark matter (DM) annihilation in our Galaxy may produce a linearly polarized synchrotron signal. We use, for the first time, synchrotron polarization to constrain the DM annihilation cross section by comparing theoretical predictions with the latest polarization maps obtained by the Planck satellite collaboration. We find that synchrotron polarization is typically more constraining than synchrotron intensity by about 1 order of magnitude, independently of uncertainties in the modeling of electron and positron propagation, or of the Galactic magnetic field.

Dissecting the Inner Galaxy with γ-Ray Pixel Count Statistics.

We combine adaptive template fitting and pixel count statistics in order to assess the nature of the Galactic Center excess in Fermi-LAT data. We reconstruct the flux distribution of point sources well below the Fermi-LAT detection threshold, and measure their radial and longitudinal profiles in the inner Galaxy. We find that all point sources and the bulge-correlated diffuse emission each contributes O(10%) of the total inner Galaxy emission, and disclose a potential subthreshold point-source contribution to the Galactic Center excess.

Identification of two new repetitive elements and chromosomal mapping of repetitive DNA sequences in the fish Gymnothorax unicolor (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae).

Muraenidae is a species-rich family, with relationships among genera and species and taxonomy that have not been completely clarified. Few cytogenetic studies have been conducted on this family, and all of them showed the same diploid chromosome number (2n=42) but with conspicuous karyotypic variation among species. The Mediterranean moray eel Gymnothorax unicolor was previously cytogenetically studied using classical techniques that allowed the characterization of its karyotype structure and the constitutive heterochromatin and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs) distribution pattern.

Some remarks on the use of TaqI to detect highly repetitive DNA sequences in human chromosomes.

In the attempt to conclude investigation of the action of restriction endonucleases on eukaryote chromosomes, we carried out a series of experiments digesting in situ human metaphase chromosomes with AluI/TaqI followed by Giemsa staining. We focused on the centromeric regions of chromosomes1, 2 and 16 and noted that those areas appeared as intensely stained blocks after AluI digestion, but were dramatically reduced in size or completely destroyed after subsequent TaqI treatment. These results permitted us to draw some conclusions on the highly repetitive DNA composition of these regions, in terms of alphoid and classical satellite DNAs.