High energy signatures of quasi-spherical accretion onto rotating, magnetized neutron star in the ejector-accretor intermediate state

We consider a simple scenario for the accretion of matter onto a neutron star in order to understand processes in the inner pulsar magnetosphere during the transition stage between different accretion modes. A simple quasi-spherical accretion process onto rotating, magnetized compact object is analyzed in order to search for the radiative signatures which could appear during transition between ejecting and accreting modes. It is argued that different accretion modes can be present in a single neutron star along different magnetic field lines for specific range of parameters characterising the pulsar (rotational period, surface magnetic field strength) and the density of surrounding medium. The radiation processes characteristic for the ejecting pulsar, i.e. curvature and synchrotron radiation produced by primary electrons in the pulsar outer gap, are expected to be modified by the presence of additional thermal radiation from the neutron star surface. We predict that during the transition from the pure ejector to the pure accretor mode (or vice versa) an intermediate accretion state can be distinguished which is characterized by the $\gamma$-ray spectra of pulsars truncated below ~1 GeV due to the absorption of synchro-curvature spectrum produced in the pulsar gaps.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, accepted to Journal of High Energy Astrophysic

Structure and properties of neutron stars in the Relativistic Mean - Field Theory

Properties of rotating neutron stars with the use of relativistic mean-field theory are considered. The performed analysis of neutron star matter is based on the nonlinear Lgrangian density. The presence of nonlinear interaction of vector mesons modifies the density dependence of the rho field and influences bulk parameters of neutron stars. The observed quasi-periodic X-ray oscillations of low mass X-ray binaries can be used in order to constrain the equation of state of neutron star matter. Having assumed that the maximum frequency of the quasi periodic oscillations originates at the circular orbit it is possible to estimate masses and radii of neutron stars.Comment: 18 pages, latex2e, 10 colour eps figures, submitted to International Journal of Modern Physic

Moonlighting function of Phytochelatin synthase1 in extracellular defense against fungal pathogens

Phytochelatin synthase (PCS) is a key component of heavy metal detoxification in plants. PCS catalyzes both the synthesis of the peptide phytochelatin from glutathione and the degradation of glutathione conjugates via peptidase activity. Here, we describe a role for PCS in disease resistance against plant pathogenic fungi. The pen4 mutant, which is allelic to cadmium insensitive1 (cad1/pcs1) mutants, was recovered from a screen for Arabidopsis mutants with reduced resistance to the nonadapted barley fungal pathogen Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei. PCS1, which is found in the cytoplasm of cells of healthy plants, translocates upon pathogen attack and colocalizes with the PEN2 myrosinase on the surface of immobilized mitochondria. pcs1 and pen2 mutant plants exhibit similar metabolic defects in the accumulation of pathogen-inducible indole glucosinolate-derived compounds, suggesting that PEN2 and PCS1 act in the same metabolic pathway. The function of PCS1 in this pathway is independent of phytochelatin synthesis and deglycination of glutathione conjugates, as catalytic-site mutants of PCS1 are still functional in indole glucosinolate metabolism. In uncovering a peptidase-independent function for PCS1, we reveal this enzyme to be a moonlighting protein important for plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses