The X-ray emission of z>2.5 active galactic nuclei can be obscured by their host galaxies

We present a multi-wavelength study of seven AGN at spectroscopic redshift >2.5 in the 7 Ms Chandra Deep Field South, selected to have good FIR/sub-mm detections. Our aim is to investigate the possibility that the obscuration observed in the X-rays can be produced by the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy. Based on the 7 Ms Chandra spectra, we measured obscuring column densities N$_{H, X}$ in excess of 7x10$^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$ and intrinsic X-ray luminosities L$_{X}$>10$^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$ for our targets, as well as equivalent widths for the Fe K$\alpha$ emission line EW>0.5-1 keV. We built the UV-to-FIR spectral energy distributions by using broad-band photometry from CANDELS and Herschel catalogs. By means of an SED decomposition technique, we derived stellar masses (M$_{*}$~10$^{11}$ Msun), IR luminosities (L$_{IR}$>10$^{12}$ Lsun), star formation rates (SFR~190-1680 Msun yr$^{-1}$) and AGN bolometric luminosities (L$_{bol}$~10$^{46}$ erg s$^{-1}$) for our sample. We used an empirically-calibrated relation between gas masses and FIR/sub-mm luminosities and derived M$_{gas}$~0.8-5.4x10$^{10}$ Msun. High-resolution (0.3-0.7'') ALMA data (when available, CANDELS data otherwise) were used to estimate the galaxy size and hence the volume enclosing most of the ISM under simple geometrical assumptions. These measurements were then combined to derive the column density associated with the ISM of the host, on the order of N$_{H, ISM}$~10$^{23-24}$ cm$^{-2}$. The comparison between the ISM column densities and those measured from the X-ray spectral analysis shows that they are similar. This suggests that, at least at high redshift, significant absorption on kpc scales by the dense ISM in the host likely adds to or substitutes that produced by circumnuclear gas on pc scales (i.e., the torus of unified models). The lack of unobscured AGN among our ISM-rich targets supports this scenario.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

Analysis of the genetic variability of <i>Patella ferruginea</i> Gmelin, 1791 (Gastropoda: Patellidae) populations from the North-East Sardinia = Analisi della variabilità genetica in popolazioni di <i>Patella ferruginea</i> Gmelin, 1791 (Gastropoda: Patellidae) provenienti dalla Sardegna nord-orientale

The mollusc Patella ferruginea (Gastropoda, Patellidae), endemic to the Medilerranean, is the most endangered marine species on the list of the European Couneil Directive 92/43/EEC and it is presently under serious risk of extinction. This research was aimed to unravel the genetic variability of some Sardinian populations sampled on the North-Eastern coast, in order to shed light on their status of conservation

On the dust and gas content of high-redshift galaxies hosting obscured AGN in the CDF–S

Submillimeter Galaxies (SMGs) at high redshift are among the best targets to investigate the early evolutionary phases in the lifetime of massive systems, during which large gas reservoirs sustain vigorous star formation and efficiently feed the central, buried Super Massive Black Hole (SMBH), until it enters into luminous Quasar (QSO) phase, quenching the star formation. I present the analysis of new ALMA band 4 (1.8-2.4 mm) data of six obscured QSOs (log NH > 23) hosted by SMGs at redshift > 2.5 in the 7 Ms Chandra Deep Field South (CDF-S), showing their properties in terms of continuum dust emission and high-J CO transitions. Sizes and masses of the galaxies are measured to estimate whether and to which extent the host ISM may contribute to the nuclear absorption, assuming different geometries. The derived column densities suggest that the galaxy ISM can substantially contribute to the AGN obscuration. I also discuss the kinematics and morphology in some of these object, finding that two of the sources present unambiguous features of a rotating system, while a third source is possibly undergoing a merger

On the dust and gas content of high-redshift galaxies hosting obscured AGN in the CDF–S

Submillimeter Galaxies (SMGs) at high redshift are among the best targets to investigate the early evolutionary phases in the lifetime of massive systems, during which large gas reservoirs sustain vigorous star formation and efficiently feed the central, buried Super Massive Black Hole (SMBH), until it enters into luminous Quasar (QSO) phase, quenching the star formation. I present the analysis of new ALMA band 4 (1.8-2.4 mm) data of six obscured QSOs (log NH > 23) hosted by SMGs at redshift > 2.5 in the 7 Ms Chandra Deep Field South (CDF-S), showing their properties in terms of continuum dust emission and high-J CO transitions. Sizes and masses of the galaxies are measured to estimate whether and to which extent the host ISM may contribute to the nuclear absorption, assuming different geometries. The derived column densities suggest that the galaxy ISM can substantially contribute to the AGN obscuration. I also discuss the kinematics and morphology in some of these object, finding that two of the sources present unambiguous features of a rotating system, while a third source is possibly undergoing a merger

The main sequence at z ∼ 1.3 contains a sizable fraction of galaxies with compact star formation sizes: a new population of early post-starbursts?

Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) measurements for 93 Herschel-selected galaxies at 1.1 ≤ z ≤ 1.7 in COSMOS reveal a sizable (>29%) population with compact star formation (SF) sizes, lying on average >×3.6 below the optical stellar mass (M ⋆)─size relation of disks. This sample widely spans the star-forming main sequence (MS), having 108 ≤ M ⋆ ≤ 1011.5 M ☉ and 20 ≤ star formation rate (SFR) ≤ 680 M ☉ yr−1. The 32 size measurements and 61 upper limits are measured on ALMA images that combine observations of CO(5─4), CO(4─3), CO(2─1), and λ obs ∼ 1.1─1.3 mm continuum, all tracing the star-forming molecular gas. These compact galaxies have instead normally extended K band sizes, suggesting strong specific SFR gradients. Compact galaxies comprise the 50 ± 18% of MS galaxies at M ⋆ > 1011 M ☉. This is not expected in standard bimodal scenarios, where MS galaxies are mostly steadily growing extended disks. We suggest that compact MS objects are early post-starburst galaxies in which the merger-driven boost of SF has subsided. They retain their compact SF size until either further gas accretion restores premerger galaxy-wide SF, or until becoming quenched. The fraction of merger-affected SF inside the MS seems thus larger than anticipated and might reach ∼50% at the highest M ⋆. The presence of large galaxies above the MS demonstrates an overall poor correlation between galaxy SF size and specific SFR

An investigation of the circumgalactic medium around z ∼ 2.2 AGN with ACA and ALMA

While observations of molecular gas at cosmic noon and beyond have focused on the gas within galaxies (i.e. the interstellar medium, ISM), it is also crucial to study the molecular gas reservoirs surrounding each galaxy (i.e. in the circumgalactic medium, CGM). Recent observations of galaxies and quasars hosts at high redshift (z &gt; 2) have revealed evidence for cold gaseous haloes of scale rCGM ∼ 10 kpc, with one discovery of a molecular halo with rCGM ∼ 200 kpc, and a molecular gas mass one order of magnitude larger than the ISM of the central galaxy. As a follow up, we present deep ACA and ALMA observations of CO(3–2) from this source and two other quasar host galaxies at z ∼ 2.2. While we find evidence for CO emission on scales of r ∼ 10 kpc, we do not find evidence for molecular gas on scales larger than r &gt; 20 kpc. Therefore, our deep data do not confirm the existence of massive molecular haloes on scales of ∼100 kpc for these X-ray selected quasars. As an interesting byproduct of our deep observations, we obtain the tentative detection of a negative continuum signal on scales larger than r &gt; 200 kpc, which might be tracing the Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect associated with the halo heated by the active galactic nucleus (AGN). If confirmed with deeper data, this could be direct evidence of the preventive AGN feedback process expected by cosmological simulations

An investigation of the circumgalactic medium around z~2.2 AGN with ACA and ALMA

While observations of molecular gas at cosmic noon and beyond have focused on the gas within galaxies (i.e., the interstellar medium; ISM), it is also crucial to study the molecular gas reservoirs surrounding each galaxy (i.e., in the circumgalactic medium; CGM). Recent observations of galaxies and quasars hosts at high redshift (z>2) have revealed evidence for cold gaseous halos of scale r_CGM~10kpc, with one discovery of a molecular halo with r_CGM~200kpc and a molecular gas mass one order of magnitude larger than the ISM of the central galaxy. As a follow-up, we present deep ACA and ALMA observations of CO(3-2) from this source and two other quasar host galaxies at z~2.2. While we find evidence for CO emission on scales of r~10kpc, we do not find evidence for molecular gas on scales larger than r>20 kpc. Therefore, our deep data do not confirm the existence of massive molecular halos on scales of ~100 kpc for these X-ray selected quasars. As an interesting by-product of our deep observations, we obtain the tentative detection of a negative continuum signal on scales larger than r>200kpc, which might be tracing the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect associated with the halo heated by the active galactic nucleus (AGN). If confirmed with deeper data, this could be direct evidence of the preventive AGN feedback process expected by cosmological simulations.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Evidence for extended gaseous reservoirs around AGN at cosmic noon from ALMA CO(3 -2) observations

Gaseous outflows are key phenomena in the evolution of galaxies, as they affect star formation (either positively or ne gativ ely), eject gas from the core or disc, and directly cause mixing of pristine and processed material. Active outflows may be detected through searches for broad spectral line emission or high-velocity gas, but it is also possible to determine the presence of past outflows by searching for extended reservoirs of chemically enriched molecular gas in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) around galaxies. In this work, we examine the CO(3 -2) emission of a set of seven z ~2.0-2.5 active galactic nuclei (AGN) host galaxies, as observed with ALMA. Through a 3D stacking analysis, we find evidence for extended CO emission of radius r ~13 kpc. We extend this analysis to the HST /ACS i -band images of the sample galaxies, finding a complex small-scale (r &lt; 10 kpc) morphology but no robust evidence for extended emission. In addition, the dust emission (traced by rest-frame FIR emission) shows no evidence for significant spatial extension. This indicates that the diffuse CO emission revealed by ALMA is morphologically distinct from the stellar component, and thus traces an extended reservoir of enriched gas. The presence of a diffuse, enriched molecular reservoir around this sample of AGN host galaxies at cosmic noon hints at a history of AGN-driven outflows that likely had strong effects on the star formation history of these objects

Nanocarriers as magic bullets in the treatment of leukemia

Leukemia is a type of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell malignancy characterized by the accumulation of immature cells in the blood and bone marrow. Treatment strategies mainly rely on the administration of chemotherapeutic agents, which, unfortunately, are known for their high toxicity and side effects. The concept of targeted therapy as magic bullet was introduced by Paul Erlich about 100 years ago, to inspire new therapies able to tackle the disadvantages of chemotherapeutic agents. Currently, nanoparticles are considered viable options in the treatment of different types of cancer, including leukemia. The main advantages associated with the use of these nanocarriers summarized as follows: i) they may be designed to target leukemic cells selectively; ii) they invariably enhance bioavailability and blood circulation half-life; iii) their mode of action is expected to reduce side effects. FDA approval of many nanocarriers for treatment of relapsed or refractory leukemia and the desired results extend their application in clinics. In the present review, different types of nanocarriers, their capability in targeting leukemic cells, and the latest preclinical and clinical data are discussed