The extragalactic background light (EBL) is of fundamental importance both for understanding the entire process of galaxy evolution and for γ-ray astronomy, but the overall spectrum of the EBL ...between 0.1 and 1000 μm has never been determined directly from galaxy spectral energy distribution (SED) observations over a wide redshift range. The evolving, overall spectrum of the EBL is derived here utilizing a novel method based on observations only. This is achieved from the observed evolution of the rest-frame K-band galaxy luminosity function up to redshift 4, combined with a determination of galaxy-SED-type fractions. These are based on fitting Spitzer Wide-Area Infrared Extragalactic Survey (SWIRE) templates to a multiwavelength sample of about 6000 galaxies in the redshift range from 0.2 to 1 from the All-wavelength Extended Groth Strip International Survey (AEGIS). The changing fractions of quiescent galaxies, star-forming galaxies, starburst galaxies and active galactic nucleus (AGN) galaxies in that redshift range are estimated, and two alternative extrapolations of SED types to higher redshifts are considered. This allows calculation of the evolution of the luminosity densities from the ultraviolet (UV) to the infrared (IR), the evolving star formation rate density of the Universe, the evolving contribution to the bolometric EBL from the different galaxy populations including AGN galaxies and the buildup of the EBL. Our EBL calculations are compared with those from a semi-analytic model, another observationally based model and observational data. The EBL uncertainties in our modelling based directly on the data are quantified, and their consequences for attenuation of very-high-energy γ-rays due to pair production on the EBL are discussed. It is concluded that the EBL is well constrained from the UV to the mid-IR, but independent efforts from IR and γ-ray astronomy are needed in order to reduce the uncertainties in the far-IR.
In Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production processes using Mixed Microbial Culture (MMC), the success of the culture selection step determines, to a great extent, the PHA accumulation performance ...obtained in the final PHA production stage. In this study, the effect of the influent substrate concentration (30–60
Cmmol VFA/L) on the selection of a PHA-storing culture using a complex feedstock, fermented sugar molasses, was assessed. At 30 and 45
Cmmol VFA/L, substrate concentration impacted on the process kinetics through a substrate dependent kinetic limitation effect. However, further increasing the carbon substrate concentration to 60
Cmmol VFA/L, resulted in an unforeseen growth limitation effect associated with a micronutrient deficiency of the fermented feedstock (magnesium) and high operating pH. Struvite precipitation caused a nutrient limitation which prevented biomass concentration increase, thus causing the feast to famine length ratio to vary in the selection reactor, with subsequent impact on the selective pressure for PHA-storing organisms. A highly dynamic response of the selected population to transient conditions of feast to famine ratio, in the range of 0.21–1.1, was observed. Kinetic (limiting concentration of carbon source) and physiological (loss of internal growth limitation due to the shorter length of famine phase) effects, resulting from variation of the influent substrate concentration, were subsequently demonstrated in batch studies. The culture selected at an influent substrate concentration of 45
Cmmol VFA/L showed the best PHA-storing capacity since neither substrate concentration nor feast to famine ratio were limiting factors. This culture, highly enriched in PHA-storing organisms (88%), reached a maximum PHA content of 74.6%.
Magnetite pollution nanoparticles in the human brain Maher, Barbara A.; Ahmed, Imad A. M.; Karloukovski, Vassil ...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS,
09/2016, Letnik:
113, Številka:
39
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Biologically formed nanoparticles of the strongly magnetic mineral, magnetite, were first detected in the human brain over 20 y ago Kirschvink JL, Kobayashi-Kirschvink A, Woodford BJ (1992) Proc Natl ...Acad Sci USA 89(16):7683–7687. Magnetite can have potentially large impacts on the brain due to its unique combination of redox activity, surface charge, and strongly magnetic behavior. We used magnetic analyses and electron microscopy to identify the abundant presence in the brain of magnetite nanoparticles that are consistent with high-temperature formation, suggesting, therefore, an external, not internal, source. Comprising a separate nanoparticle population from the euhedral particles ascribed to endogenous sources, these brain magnetites are often found with other transition metal nanoparticles, and they display rounded crystal morphologies and fused surface textures, reflecting crystallization upon cooling from an initially heated, iron-bearing source material. Such high-temperature magnetite nanospheres are ubiquitous and abundant in airborne particulate matter pollution. They arise as combustion-derived, iron-rich particles, often associated with other transition metal particles, which condense and/or oxidize upon airborne release. Those magnetite pollutant particles which are <∼200 nm in diameter can enter the brain directly via the olfactory bulb. Their presence proves that externally sourced iron-bearing nanoparticles, rather than their soluble compounds, can be transported directly into the brain, where they may pose hazard to human health.
Abstract
We obtained 16 VLT/X-shooter observations of GX 339−4 in quiescence during the period 2016 May–September and detected absorption lines from the donor star in its NIR spectrum. This allows us ...to measure the radial velocity curve and projected rotational velocity of the donor for the first time. We confirm the 1.76 day orbital period and we find that
K
2
= 219 ± 3 km s
−1
,
γ
= 26 ± 2 km s
−1
, and
v
sin
i
= 64 ± 8 km s
−1
. From these values we compute a mass function
f
(
M
) = 1.91 ± 0.08
M
⊙
, a factor ∼3 lower than previously reported, and a mass ratio
q
= 0.18 ± 0.05. We confirm the donor is a K-type star and estimate that it contributes
∼
4
%
–
50
%
of the light in the
J
- and
H
-bands. We constrain the binary inclination to 37°
<
i
<
78° and the black hole (BH) mass to
2.3
M
⊙
<
M
BH
<
9.5
M
⊙
. GX 339−4 may therefore be the first BH to fall in the “mass-gap” of 2–5
M
⊙
.
ABSTRACT
We present the discovery with Keck of the extremely infrared (IR) luminous transient AT 2017gbl, coincident with the Northern nucleus of the luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG) IRAS 23436+5257. ...Our extensive multiwavelength follow-up spans ∼900 d, including photometry and spectroscopy in the optical and IR, and (very long baseline interferometry) radio and X-ray observations. Radiative transfer modelling of the host galaxy spectral energy distribution and long-term pre-outburst variability in the mid-IR indicate the presence of a hitherto undetected dust obscured active galactic nucleus (AGN). The optical and near-IR spectra show broad ∼2000 km s−1 hydrogen, He i, and O i emission features that decrease in flux over time. Radio imaging shows a fast evolving compact source of synchrotron emission spatially coincident with AT 2017gbl. We infer a lower limit for the radiated energy of 7.3 × 1050 erg from the IR photometry. An extremely energetic supernova would satisfy this budget, but is ruled out by the radio counterpart evolution. Instead, we propose AT 2017gbl is related to an accretion event by the central supermassive black hole, where the spectral signatures originate in the AGN broad line region and the IR photometry is consistent with re-radiation by polar dust. Given the fast evolution of AT 2017gbl, we deem a tidal disruption event (TDE) of a star a more plausible scenario than a dramatic change in the AGN accretion rate. This makes AT 2017gbl the third TDE candidate to be hosted by a LIRG, in contrast to the so far considered TDE population discovered at optical wavelengths and hosted preferably by post-starburst galaxies.
Abstract
We use very long baseline interferometry to measure the proper motions of three black hole X-ray binaries (BHXBs). Using these results together with data from the literature and Gaia DR2 to ...collate the best available constraints on proper motion, parallax, distance, and systemic radial velocity of 16 BHXBs, we determined their three-dimensional Galactocentric orbits. We extended this analysis to estimate the probability distribution for the potential kick velocity (PKV) a BHXB system could have received on formation. Constraining the kicks imparted to BHXBs provides insight into the birth mechanism of black holes (BHs). Kicks also have a significant effect on BH–BH merger rates, merger sites, and binary evolution, and can be responsible for spin–orbit misalignment in BH binary systems. 75 per cent of our systems have potential kicks $\gt 70\, \rm {km\,s^{-1}}$. This suggests that strong kicks and hence spin–orbit misalignment might be common among BHXBs, in agreement with the observed quasi-periodic X-ray variability in their power density spectra. We used a Bayesian hierarchical methodology to analyse the PKV distribution of the BHXB population, and suggest that a unimodal Gaussian model with a mean of 107 $\pm \,\,16\, \rm {km\,s^{-1}}$ is a statistically favourable fit. Such relatively high PKVs would also reduce the number of BHs likely to be retained in globular clusters. We found no significant correlation between the BH mass and PKV, suggesting a lack of correlation between BH mass and the BH birth mechanism. Our python code allows the estimation of the PKV for any system with sufficient observational constraints.
Skin tests are of paramount importance for the evaluation of drug hypersensitivity reactions. Drug skin tests are often not carried out because of lack of concise information on specific test ...concentrations. The diagnosis of drug allergy is often based on history alone, which is an unreliable indicator of true hypersensitivity.To promote and standardize reproducible skin testing with safe and nonirritant drug concentrations in the clinical practice, the European Network and European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Interest Group on Drug Allergy has performed a literature search on skin test drug concentration in MEDLINE and EMBASE, reviewed and evaluated the literature in five languages using the GRADE system for quality of evidence and strength of recommendation. Where the literature is poor, we have taken into consideration the collective experience of the group.We recommend drug concentration for skin testing aiming to achieve a specificity of at least 95%. It has been possible to recommend specific drug concentration for betalactam antibiotics, perioperative drugs, heparins, platinum salts and radiocontrast media. For many other drugs, there is insufficient evidence to recommend appropriate drug concentration. There is urgent need for multicentre studies designed to establish and validate drug skin test concentration using standard protocols. For most drugs, sensitivity of skin testing is higher in immediate hypersensitivity compared to nonimmediate hypersensitivity.
We provide a preliminary interpretation of the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) pressure data from the first 100 Martian solar days (sols) of the Mars Science Laboratory mission. The ...pressure sensor is performing well and has revealed the existence of phenomena undetected by previous missions that include possible gravity waves excited by evening downslope flows, relatively dust‐free convective vortices analogous in structure to dust devils, and signatures indicative of the circulation induced by Gale Crater and its central mound. Other more familiar phenomena are also present including the thermal tides, generated by daily insolation variations, and the CO2 cycle, driven by the condensation and sublimation of CO2 in the polar regions. The amplitude of the thermal tides is several times larger than those seen by other landers primarily because Curiosity is located where eastward and westward tidal modes constructively interfere and also because the crater circulation amplifies the tides to some extent. During the first 100 sols tidal amplitudes generally decline, which we attribute to the waning influence of the Kelvin wave. Toward the end of the 100 sol period, tidal amplitudes abruptly increased in response to a nearby regional dust storm that did not expand to global scales. Tidal phases changed abruptly during the onset of this storm suggesting a change in the interaction between eastward and westward modes. When compared to Viking Lander 2 data, the REMS daily average pressures show no evidence yet for the 1–20 Pa increase expected from the possible loss of CO2 from the south polar residual cap.
Key Points
REMS pressure sensor is operating nominally
New phenomena have been discovered
Familiar phenomena have been detected
We have mapped 20 spectral lines in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) around the Galactic Centre, emitting from 85.3 to 93.3 GHz. This work used the 22-m Mopra radio telescope in Australia, equipped ...with the 8-GHz bandwidth University of New South Wales-Mopra Spectrometer (UNSW-MOPS) digital filter bank, obtaining ∼2 km s−1 spectral and ∼40 arcsec spatial resolution. The lines measured include emission from the c-C3H2, CH3CCH, HOCO+, SO, H13CN, H13CO+, SO, H13NC, C2H, HNCO, HCN, HCO+, HNC, HC3N, 13CS and N2H+ molecules. The area covered is Galactic longitude −0°.7 to 1°.8 and latitude −0°.3 to 0°.2, including the bright dust cores around Sgr A, Sgr B2, Sgr C and G1.6−0.025. We present images from this study and conduct a principal component analysis on the integrated emission from the brightest eight lines. This is dominated by the first component, showing that the large-scale distribution of all molecules is very similar. We examine the line ratios and optical depths in selected apertures around the bright dust cores, as well as for the complete mapped region of the CMZ. We highlight the behaviour of the bright HCN, HNC and HCO+ line emission, together with that from the 13C isotopologues of these species, and compare the behaviour with that found in extragalactic sources where the emission is unresolved spatially. We also find that the isotopologue line ratios (e.g. HCO+/H13CO+) rise significantly with increasing redshifted velocity in some locations. Line luminosities are also calculated and compared to that of CO, as well as to line luminosities determined for external galaxies.
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