3,922 research outputs found
High contrast Mach-Zehnder lithium atom interferometer in the Bragg regime
We have constructed an atom interferometer of the Mach-Zehnder type,
operating with a supersonic beam of lithium. Atom diffraction uses Bragg
diffraction on laser standing waves. With first order diffraction, our
apparatus has given a large signal and a very good fringe contrast (74%), which
we believe to be the highest ever observed with atom interferometers. This
apparatus will be applied to high sensitivity measurementsComment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Appl. Phys.
X-ray spectral modelling of the AGN obscuring region in the CDFS: Bayesian model selection and catalogue
AGN are known to have complex X-ray spectra that depend on both the
properties of the accreting SMBH (e.g. mass, accretion rate) and the
distribution of obscuring material in its vicinity ("torus"). Often however,
simple and even unphysical models are adopted to represent the X-ray spectra of
AGN. In the case of blank field surveys in particular, this should have an
impact on e.g. the determination of the AGN luminosity function, the inferred
accretion history of the Universe and also on our understanding of the relation
between AGN and their host galaxies. We develop a Bayesian framework for model
comparison and parameter estimation of X-ray spectra. We take into account
uncertainties associated with X-ray data and photometric redshifts. We also
demonstrate how Bayesian model comparison can be used to select among ten
different physically motivated X-ray spectral models the one that provides a
better representation of the observations. Despite the use of low-count
spectra, our methodology is able to draw strong inferences on the geometry of
the torus. For a sample of 350 AGN in the 4 Ms Chandra Deep Field South field,
our analysis identifies four components needed to represent the diversity of
the observed X-ray spectra: (abridged). Simpler models are ruled out with
decisive evidence in favour of a geometrically extended structure with
significant Compton scattering. Regarding the geometry of the obscurer, there
is strong evidence against both a completely closed or entirely open toroidal
geometry, in favour of an intermediate case. The additional Compton reflection
required by data over that predicted by toroidal geometry models, may be a sign
of a density gradient in the torus or reflection off the accretion disk.
Finally, we release a catalogue with estimated parameters such as the accretion
luminosity in the 2-10 keV band and the column density, , of the
obscurer.Comment: 28 pages, 18 figures, catalogue available from
https://www.mpe.mpg.de/~jbuchner/agn_torus/analysis/cdfs4Ms_cat/, software
available from https://github.com/JohannesBuchner/BX
Finding counterparts for All-sky X-ray surveys with Nway: a Bayesian algorithm for cross-matching multiple catalogues
We release the AllWISE counterparts and Gaia matches to 106,573 and 17,665
X-ray sources detected in the ROSAT 2RXS and XMMSL2 surveys with |b|>15. These
are the brightest X-ray sources in the sky, but their position uncertainties
and the sparse multi-wavelength coverage until now rendered the identification
of their counterparts a demanding task with uncertain results. New all-sky
multi-wavelength surveys of sufficient depth, like AllWISE and Gaia, and a new
Bayesian statistics based algorithm, NWAY, allow us, for the first time, to
provide reliable counterpart associations. NWAY extends previous distance and
sky density based association methods and, using one or more priors (e.g.,
colors, magnitudes), weights the probability that sources from two or more
catalogues are simultaneously associated on the basis of their observable
characteristics. Here, counterparts have been determined using a WISE
color-magnitude prior. A reference sample of 4524 XMM/Chandra and Swift X-ray
sources demonstrates a reliability of ~ 94.7% (2RXS) and 97.4% (XMMSL2).
Combining our results with Chandra-COSMOS data, we propose a new separation
between stars and AGN in the X-ray/WISE flux-magnitude plane, valid over six
orders of magnitude. We also release the NWAY code and its user manual. NWAY
was extensively tested with XMM-COSMOS data. Using two different sets of
priors, we find an agreement of 96% and 99% with published Likelihood Ratio
methods. Our results were achieved faster and without any follow-up visual
inspection. With the advent of deep and wide area surveys in X-rays (e.g.
SRG/eROSITA, Athena/WFI) and radio (ASKAP/EMU, LOFAR, APERTIF, etc.) NWAY will
provide a powerful and reliable counterpart identification tool.Comment: MNRAS, Paper accepted for publication. Updated catalogs are available
at www.mpe.mpg.de/XraySurveys/2RXS_XMMSL2 . NWAY available at
https://github.com/JohannesBuchner/nwa
Dissection of the amyloid formation pathway in AL amyloidosis
In antibody light chain (AL) amyloidosis, overproduced light chain (LC) fragments accumulate as fibrils in organs and tissues of patients. In vitro, AL fibril formation is a slow process, characterized by a pronounced lag phase. The events occurring during this lag phase are largely unknown. We have dissected the lag phase of a patient-derived LC truncation and identified structural transitions that precede fibril formation. The process starts with partial unfolding of the V-L domain and the formation of small amounts of dimers. This is a prerequisite for the formation of an ensemble of oligomers, which are the precursors of fibrils. During oligomerization, the hydrophobic core of the LC domain rearranges which leads to changes in solvent accessibility and rigidity. Structural transitions from an anti-parallel to a parallel beta-sheet secondary structure occur in the oligomers prior to amyloid formation. Together, our results reveal a rate-limiting multi-step mechanism of structural transitions prior to fibril formation in AL amyloidosis, which offers, in the long run, opportunities for therapeutic intervention. AL amyloidosis is caused by the accumulation of overproduced light chain (LC) fragments as fibrils in patient organs and it is the most prevalent systemic amyloidosis. Here, the authors combine biochemical and biophysical experiments to characterise the lag phase of a patient-derived truncated LC and they identify structural transitions that precede fibril formation
Full spin switch effect for the superconducting current in a superconductor/ferromagnet thin film heterostructure
Superconductor/ferromagnet (S/F) proximity effect theory predicts that the
superconducting critical temperature of the F1/F2/S or F1/S/F2 trilayers for
the parallel orientation of the F1 and F2 magnetizations is smaller than for
the antiparallel one. This suggests a possibility of a controlled switching
between the superconducting and normal states in the S layer. Here, using the
spin switch design F1/F2/S theoretically proposed by Oh et al. [Appl. Phys.
Lett. 71, 2376 (1997)], that comprises a ferromagnetic bilayer separated by a
non-magnetic metallic spacer layer as a ferromagnetic component, and an
ordinary superconductor as the second interface component, we have successfully
realized a full spin switch effect for the superconducting current.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
The relative abundance of wheat Rubisco activase isoforms is post‑transcriptionally regulated
Diurnal rhythms and light availability affect transcription–translation feedback loops that regulate the synthesis of photosynthetic proteins. The CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco is the most abundant protein in the leaves of major crop species and its activity depends on interaction with the molecular chaperone Rubisco activase (Rca). In Triticum aestivum L. (wheat), three Rca isoforms are present that differ in their regulatory properties. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the relative abundance of the redox-sensitive and redox-insensitive Rca isoforms could be differentially regulated throughout light–dark diel cycle in wheat. While TaRca1-β expression was consistently negligible throughout the day, transcript levels of both TaRca2-β and TaRca2-α were higher and increased at the start of the day, with peak levels occurring at the middle of the photoperiod. Abundance of TaRca-β protein was maximal 1.5 h after the peak in TaRca2-β expression, but the abundance of TaRca-α remained constant during the entire photoperiod. The redox-sensitive TaRca-α isoform was less abundant, representing 85% of the redox-insensitive TaRca-β at the transcript level and 12.5% at the protein level. Expression of Rubisco large and small subunit genes did not show a consistent pattern throughout the diel cycle, but the abundance of Rubisco decreased by up to 20% during the dark period in fully expanded wheat leaves. These results, combined with a lack of correlation between transcript and protein abundance for both Rca isoforms and Rubisco throughout the entire diel cycle, suggest that the abundance of these photosynthetic enzymes is post-transcriptionally regulated
A Combined XPS and Computational Study of the Chemical Reduction of BMP‐TFSI by Lithium
Employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we identify products of the reaction of the ionic liquid N,N-butylmethylpyrrolidinum bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMP-TFSI) with lithium in order to model the initial chemical processes contributing to the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase in batteries. Besides lithium oxide, sulfide, carbide and fluoride, we find lithium cyanide or cyanamide as possible, thermodynamically stable product in the Li-poor regime, whilst LiN is the stable product in the Li-rich regime. The thermodynamically controlled reaction products as well as larger fragments of TFSI persisting due to kinetic barriers could be identified by a comparison of experimentally and computationally determined core level binding energies
Recommended from our members
The structural effect of Methyl substitution on the binding of Polypyridyl Ru-dppz Complexes to DNA
ABSTRACT: Polypyridyl ruthenium complexes have been intensively studied and possess photophysical properties which are both interesting and useful. They can act as probes for DNA, with a substantial enhancement in emission when bound, and can induce DNA damage upon photoirradiation and therefore, the synthesis and characterization of DNA binding of new complexes is an area of intense research activity. Whilst knowledge of how the binding of derivatives compares to the parent compound is highly desirable, this information can be difficult to obtain. Here we report the synthesis of three new methylated complexes, [Ru(TAP)2(dppz-10-Me).2Cl, [Ru(TAP)2(dppz-10,12-Me2)].2Cl and [Ru(TAP)2(dppz-11-Me)].2Cl, and examine the consequences for DNA binding through the use of atomic resolution X-ray crystallography. We find that the methyl groups are located in discrete positions with a complete directional preference. This may help to explain the quenching behavior which is found in solution for analogous [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+ derivatives
- …