We present the photometric calibration of the Swift Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) which includes: optimum photometric and background apertures, effective area curves, colour transformations, ...conversion factors for count rates to flux and the photometric zero-points (which are accurate to better than 4 per cent) for each of the seven UVOT broad-band filters. The calibration was performed with observations of standard stars and standard star fields that represent a wide range of spectral star types. The calibration results include the position-dependent uniformity, and instrument response over the 1600–8000 Å operational range. Because the UVOT is a photon-counting instrument, we also discuss the effect of coincidence loss on the calibration results. We provide practical guidelines for using the calibration in UVOT data analysis. The results presented here supersede previous calibration results.
Aims.
Gamma-ray burst (GRB) 190829A (
z
= 0.0785) was detected by
Fermi
and
Swift
and also at very high energy (VHE) by the High-Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) telescopes. The prompt emission ...displayed two emission episodes separated by a quiescent gap of ∼40 s. We present the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) observations of the afterglow of GRB 190829A and its underlying supernova. We also compare GRB 190829A to GRB 180728A, a GRB with similar behaviour, and discuss the implications on underlying physical mechanisms producing these two GRBs.
Methods.
We present multi-band photometric data along with spectroscopic follow-up observations taken with the 10.4 m GTC telescope. Together with the data from the prompt emission, the 10.4 m GTC data are used to understand the emission mechanisms and possible progenitor.
Results.
A detailed analysis of the multi-band observations of the afterglow requires the cooling frequency to pass between the optical and X-ray bands at early epochs. The afterglow then transitions to the underlying supernova (SN) 2019oyw, which dominates later on.
Conclusions.
Although the prompt emission temporal properties of GRB 190829A and GRB 180728A are similar, the two pulses are different in the spectral domain. We find that SN 2019oyw associated with GRB 190829A is powered by Ni decay and is a Type Ic-BL SN. The spectroscopic and photometric properties of this SN are consistent with those observed for SN 1998bw, but evolved earlier.
•Optical band gap of bulk iron oxide powder has been tailored using pulse laser ablation.•Crystalline size dependent optical and magnetic properties have been studied.•In the present study it is ...shown that strain depends on crystalline size and different phases of iron oxide NPs.
Iron oxide (Fe2O3) bulk powder have been ablated/fragmented in different liquid medium by Nd:YAG laser beam using 1064nm wavelength. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and double distilled water (DDW) are used as liquid medium. Crystalline size, lattice strain, phase and structure of ablated particles have been investigated using synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Optical band gap energy of as purchased Fe2O3 found 1.92eV that increased to 2.03eV after ablation in CTAB determined by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. Magnetic properties have been analyzed by hysteresis loops using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Crystalline sizes have been found in the range of 29.23–16.54nm and coercivity tailored in the range of 206.91–298.36Oe using laser ablation. Saturation magnetization and remanence have been found in the range of 0.013–3.41emu/g and 0.0023–.0.51emu/g respectively. Particle shape and size have been examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). CTAB (cationic) and SDS (anionic) surfactants are used as capping agent. CTAB produces phase transformation in ablated iron oxide (Fe2O3). Crystallinity and crystalline size of ablated particles in DDW increased due to presence of rich oxygen in it due to oxidation. Ablated Fe2O3 nanoparticles have been widely used experimentally for numerous in vivo applications such as MRI contrast enhancement agent, tissue repair, immunoassay, detoxification of biological fluids, hyperthermia, drug delivery and cell separation.
Peptides have emerged as important therapeutics that are being rigorously tested in angiogenesis-dependent diseases due to their low toxicity and high specificity. Since the discovery of endogenous ...proteins and protein fragments that inhibit microvessel formation (thrombospondin, endostatin) several peptides have shown promise in pre-clinical and clinical studies for cancer. Peptides have been derived from thrombospondin, collagens, chemokines, coagulation cascade proteins, growth factors, and other classes of proteins and target different receptors. Here we survey recent developments for anti-angiogenic peptides with length not exceeding 50 amino acid residues that have shown activity in pre-clinical models of cancer or have been tested in clinical trials; some of the peptides have been modified and optimized, e.g., through L-to-D and non-natural amino acid substitutions. We highlight technological advances in peptide discovery and optimization including computational and bioinformatics tools and novel experimental techniques.
We present the results of a detailed investigation of the prompt and afterglow emission in the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.)-detected GRB 190829A. Swift and Fermi observations of the ...prompt phase of this gamma-ray burst (GRB) reveal two isolated subbursts or episodes, separated by a quiescent phase. The energetic and the spectral properties of the first episode are in stark contrast to the second. The first episode, which has a higher spectral peak ∼120 keV and a low isotropic energy ∼1050 erg is an outlier to the Amati correlation and marginally satisfies the Yonetoku correlation. However, the energetically dominant second episode has lower peak energy and is consistent with the above correlations. We compared this GRB to other low-luminosity GRBs (LLGRBs). Prompt emission of LLGRBs also indicates a relativistic shock breakout origin of the radiation. For GRB 190829A, some of the properties of a shock breakout origin are satisfied. However, the absence of an accompanying thermal component and energy above the shock breakout critical limit precludes a shock breakout origin. In the afterglow, an unusual long-lasting late-time flare of duration ∼104 s is observed. We also analyzed the late-time Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) emission that encapsulates the H.E.S.S. detection. Some of the LAT photons are likely to be associated with the source. All of the above observational facts suggest GRB 190829A is a peculiar low-luminosity GRB that is not powered by a shock breakout, and has an unusual rebrightening due to patchy emission or a refreshed shock during the afterglow. Furthermore, our results show that teraelectronvolt-energy photons seem common in both high-luminosity GRBs and LLGRBs.
In the present study, we analyzed the chemokine-binding protein (CBP) and the GM-CSF/IL-2 inhibition factor (GIF) of orf virus (ORFV) isolates of sheep and goat origin from different geographical ...regions of India. Both are immunomodulatory proteins known for their unique strategy of establishing short-term immunity and re-infection in their host. The GIF gene is highly conserved, whereas the CBP gene is highly variable. Both the proteins have conserved potential N-glycosylation sites. The GIF protein contains the "WDPWV" motif responsible for receptor activation. In addition, the SUSHI/short consensus repeats (SCR) domain is reported for the first time in ORFV. Both proteins could potentially be used as immunotherapeutic agents in inflammatory diseases related to the overexpression of specific cytokines.
We present results based on follow-up observations of the Type II-plateau supernova (II-P SN) 2013ej at six epochs spanning a total duration of ∼37 d. The R
C-band linear polarimetric observations ...were carried out between the end of the plateau and the beginning of the nebular phase, as demarcated in the photometric light-curve. The contribution arising from interstellar polarization (ISP) was constrained using two approaches, namely based on observations of foreground stars lying within a 5-arcmin and a 10
$\deg$
radius of the SN location, and by investigating the extinction arising from the Milky Way and host galaxy in the direction of the SN. Our analysis revealed that in general the intrinsic polarization of the SN was higher than the polarization values for the foreground stars and exhibited an increasing trend during our observations. After correcting for the ISP of ∼0.6 per cent,the maximum intrinsic polarization of SN 2013ej was found to be 2.14 ± 0.57 per cent. Such a strong polarization has rarely been seen in II-P SNe. If this procedure is justified (i.e. the ‘polarization bias’ effect is indeed negligible) the polarization could be caused by the asymmetry of the inner ejecta of the SN, because the ISP towards the SN location is estimated to be, at most, 0.6 per cent.
The electro-osmotic treatment for stabilizing fine-grained soils is gaining importance in the field of geotechnical engineering. There is absolute evidence that during the electro-osmotic treatment, ...the basic index, physicochemical and engineering properties of the soils was found to be modified. A review of the enhanced engineering characteristics of soils due to electro-osmotic treatment is presented in this paper. In addition, a brief description of the critical factors that affect the efficiency of electro-osmotic treatment is presented. This review intends to summarize the results obtained from the several field-based case studies and laboratory-based experimental studies to understand the variation in the water content, Atterberg limits, permeability, seepage, consolidation, shear strength, mineralogical and physicochemical characteristics of the soil due to electro-osmotic treatment. Based on the review, it can be inferred that usage of electro-osmotic treatment for stabilizing the fine-grained soils is beneficial, and its higher efficiency can be obtained by selecting suitable electrodes and devising the scheme appropriately for the polarity reversal and current intermittences.
Even though bystander effects pertaining to radiation risk assessment has been extensively studied, the molecular players of radiation induced bystander effect (RIBE) in the context of cancer ...radiotherapy are poorly known. In this regard, the present study is aimed to investigate the effect of irradiated tumor cells on the bystander counterparts in mouse fibrosarcoma (WEHI 164 cells) tumor model. Mice co-implanted with WEHI 164 cells γ-irradiated with a lethal dose of 15 Gy and unirradiated (bystander) WEHI 164 cells showed inhibited tumor growth, which was measured in terms of tumor volume and Luc+WEHI 164 cells based bioluminescence in vivo imaging. Histopathological analysis and other assays revealed decreased mitotic index, increased apoptosis and senescence in these tumor tissues. In addition, poor angiogenesis was observed in these tumor tissues, which was further confirmed by fluorescence imaging of tumor vascularisation and CD31 expression by immuno-histochemistry. Interestingly, the growth inhibitory bystander effect was exerted more prominently by soluble factors obtained from the irradiated tumor cells than the cellular fraction. Cytokine profiling of the supernatants obtained from the irradiated tumor cells showed increased levels of VEGF, Rantes, PDGF, GMCSF and IL-2 and decreased levels of IL-6 and SCF. Comparative proteomic analysis of the supernatants from the irradiated tumor cells showed differential expression of total 24 protein spots (21 up- and 3 down-regulated) when compared with the supernatant from the unirradiated control cells. The proteins which showed substantially higher level in the supernatant from the irradiated cells included diphosphate kinase B, heat shock cognate, annexin A1, angiopoietin-2, actin (cytoplasmic 1/2) and stress induced phosphoprotein 1. However, the levels of proteins like annexin A2, protein S100 A4 and cofilin was found to be lower in this supernatant. In conclusion, our results provided deeper insight about the damaging RIBE in an in vivo tumor model, which may have significant implication in improvement of cancer radiotherapy.
Autophagy is primarily considered a non‐selective degradation process induced by starvation. Nutrient‐independent basal autophagy, in contrast, imposes intracellular QC by selective disposal of ...aberrant protein aggregates and damaged organelles, a process critical for suppressing neurodegenerative diseases. The molecular mechanism that distinguishes these two fundamental autophagic responses, however, remains mysterious. Here, we identify the ubiquitin‐binding deacetylase, histone deacetylase‐6 (HDAC6), as a central component of basal autophagy that targets protein aggregates and damaged mitochondria. Surprisingly, HDAC6 is not required for autophagy activation; rather, it controls the fusion of autophagosomes to lysosomes. HDAC6 promotes autophagy by recruiting a cortactin‐dependent, actin‐remodelling machinery, which in turn assembles an F‐actin network that stimulates autophagosome–lysosome fusion and substrate degradation. Indeed, HDAC6 deficiency leads to autophagosome maturation failure, protein aggregate build‐up, and neurodegeneration. Remarkably, HDAC6 and F‐actin assembly are completely dispensable for starvation‐induced autophagy, uncovering the fundamental difference of these autophagic modes. Our study identifies HDAC6 and the actin cytoskeleton as critical components that define QC autophagy and uncovers a novel regulation of autophagy at the level of autophagosome–lysosome fusion.
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