A sub-kpc-scale binary AGN with double narrow-line regions

We present the kinematic properties of a type-2 QSO, SDSS J132323.33-015941.9 at z~0.35, based on the analysis of Very Large Telescope integral field spectroscopy and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging, which suggest that the target is a binary active galactic nucleus (AGN) with double narrow-line regions. The QSO features double-peaked emission lines ([OIII] and Hb) which can be decomposed into two kinematic components. The flux-weighted centroids of the blue and red components are separated by ~0.2" (0.8 kpc in projection) and coincide with the location of the two stellar cores detected in the HST broad-band images, implying that both stellar cores host an active black hole. The line-of-sight velocity of the blue component is comparable to the luminosity-weighted velocity of stars in the host galaxy while the red component is redshifted by ~240 km/s, consistent with typical velocity offsets of two cores in a late stage of a galaxy merger. If confirmed, the target is one of the rare cases of sub-kpc scale binary AGNs, providing a test-bed for understanding the binary AGN population.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Novel molecular marker-assisted strategy for production of wheat-Leymus mollis chromosome addition lines

Developing wheat–alien chromosome introgression lines to improve bread wheat’s resistance to stresses, such as drought, salinity stress and diseases, requires reliable markers to identify and characterize the alien chromatins. Leymus mollis is a wild relative of bread wheat resistant to salinity and economically important diseases of wheat, but its genome sequence and cytological markers are not available. We devised a molecular marker-assisted strategy for L. mollis chromosome identification and applied it to produce 10 wheat–L. mollis chromosome addition lines. Using 47 L. racemosus genome polymorphic PCR markers and DArTseq genotyping, we distinguished the L. mollis chromosomes and differentiated disomic and monosomic lines by progeny test. DArTseq genotyping generated 14,530 L. mollis SNP markers and the chromosome-specific SNP markers were used to determine the homoeologous groups of L. mollis chromosomes in the addition lines. To validate the marker-based results, genomic in situ hybridization was applied to confirm the presence and cytological status of L. mollis chromosomes in the lines. This study demonstrates that adequate molecular markers allow the production and characterization of wheat–alien addition lines without in situ hybridization, which saves considerable time and effort

Limit of metastability for liquid and vapor phases of water

We report the limits of superheating of water and supercooling of vapor from Monte Carlo simulations using microscopic models with configurational enthalpy as the order parameter. The superheating limit is well reproduced. The vapor is predicted to undergo spinodal decomposition at a temperature of Tspvap=46??10??C (0??Câ???Tspvapâ???100??C) under 1 atm. The water-water network begins to form at the supercooling limit of the vapor. Three-dimensional water-water and cavity-cavity unbroken networks are interwoven at critically superheated liquid water; if either network breaks, the metastable state changes to liquid or vapor.open0

Genetic mutation spectrum of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration expanded by breakpoint sequencing in pantothenate kinase 2 gene

Abstract Background Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation describes a group of rare heterogeneous progressive neurodegenerative disorders characterized by excessive iron accumulation in the basal ganglia region. Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) is a major form of this disease. Results A total of 7 unrelated patients were diagnosed with PKAN in a single tertiary center from August 2009 to February 2018. Ten variants in PANK2 including three novel sequence variants and one large exonic deletion were detected. Sequencing of the breakpoint was performed to predict the mechanism of large deletion and AluSx3 and AluSz6 were found with approximately 97.3% sequence homology. Conclusion The findings support the disease-causing role of PANK2 and indicate the possibility that exonic deletion of PANK2 found in PKAN is mediated through Alu-mediated homologous recombination

Two-dimensional localization in GeSn

Localization behaviour is a characteristic feature of the p-type GeSn quantum well (QW) system in a metal–insulator–semiconductor device. The transition to strongly localized behaviour is abrupt with thermally activated conductivity and a high temperature intercept of 0.12 × e 2 ħ −1 at a hole carrier density 1.55 × 1011 cm−2. The activation energy for the conductivity in the localized state is 0.40 ± 0.05 meV compared to an activation energy of ∼0.1 meV for conductivity activation to a mobility edge at carrier densities >1.55 × 1011 cm−2. Insulating behaviour can occur from a system that behaves as though it is in a minimum metallic state, albeit at high temperature, or from a conductivity greater than a minimum metallic state behaviour showing that local disorder conditions with local differences in the density of states are important for the onset of localization. In the presence of a high magnetic field, thermally activated conductivity is present down to Landau level filling factor 100 mK and this makes this two-dimensional system ideal for future many body localization studies in disordered hole gases that can be thermally isolated from a temperature reservoir

Active Reaction Sites for Oxygen Reduction in La0.9Sr0.1,MnO3/YSZ Electrodes

Active reaction sites for 02 reduction in La0.~Sr01MnO3 electrode have been characterized by addressing the origin of the cathodic polarization effects on this electrode material. Cathodic polarization (up to - 1.2 V vs. Pt reference electrode} had several effects on O2 reduction kinetics. First, the O2 reduction rate was favorably increased when the perovskite electrode was cathodically polarized. Second, in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicated that the Mn ions are electrochemically reduced and concomitantly the oxygen stoichiometry decreases. Reduction of Mn ions was further demonstrated in the cyclic voltammogram traced under nitrogen atmosphere. Third, hysteresis in cathodic currents was observed in the cyclic voltammograms of the perovskite/YSZ/Pt system, and the hysteresis phenomena were more prominent at higher O~ pressure. We interpreted these findings to mean that the internal and/or external surface oxide vacancies participate in the O2 reduction reaction. However, it has been explained from the Po2-dependent hysteresis phenomena that, even though those surface sites are active in the O2 reduction~ their activity is less than that of the three-phase boundary sites since additional diffusional processes are required for the former sites. Consequently, the three-phase boundary sites are the major reaction sites at lower O2 pressure, which leads to a small hysteresis. However, at higher 02 pressure, the surface sites also participate in the reaction, resulting in a larger hysteresis.Funding for this work was provided by the R&D Management Center for Energy and Resources (Korea). S. M. Oh gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the Alexander yon Humboldt Foundation

A Model of Turbulence in Magnetized Plasmas: Implications for the Dissipation Range in the Solar Wind

This paper studies the turbulent cascade of magnetic energy in weakly collisional magnetized plasmas. A cascade model is presented, based on the assumptions of local nonlinear energy transfer in wavenumber space, critical balance between linear propagation and nonlinear interaction times, and the applicability of linear dissipation rates for the nonlinearly turbulent plasma. The model follows the nonlinear cascade of energy from the driving scale in the MHD regime, through the transition at the ion Larmor radius into the kinetic Alfven wave regime, in which the turbulence is dissipated by kinetic processes. The turbulent fluctuations remain at frequencies below the ion cyclotron frequency due to the strong anisotropy of the turbulent fluctuations, k_parallel << k_perp (implied by critical balance). In this limit, the turbulence is optimally described by gyrokinetics; it is shown that the gyrokinetic approximation is well satisfied for typical slow solar wind parameters. Wave phase velocity measurements are consistent with a kinetic Alfven wave cascade and not the onset of ion cyclotron damping. The conditions under which the gyrokinetic cascade reaches the ion cyclotron frequency are established. Cascade model solutions imply that collisionless damping provides a natural explanation for the observed range of spectral indices in the dissipation range of the solar wind. The dissipation range spectrum is predicted to be an exponential fall off; the power-law behavior apparent in observations may be an artifact of limited instrumental sensitivity. The cascade model is motivated by a programme of gyrokinetic simulations of turbulence and particle heating in the solar wind.Comment: 29 pages, 14 figure

The Kinase PDK1 Is Essential for B-Cell Receptor Mediated Survival Signaling

Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) plays an important role in integrating the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and CD28 signals to achieve efficient NF-κB activation. PDK1 is also an important regulator of T cell development, mediating pre-TCR induced proliferation signals. However, the role of PDK1 in B cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling and B cell development remains largely unknown. In this study we provide genetic evidence supporting the role of PDK1 in B cell survival. We found PDK1 is required for BCR mediated survival in resting B cells, likely through regulation of Foxo activation. PDK1-dependent signaling to NF-κB is not crucial to resting B cell viability. However, PDK1 is necessary for triggering NF-κB during B cell activation and is required for activated B cell survival. Together these studies demonstrate that PDK1 is essential for BCR-induced signal transduction to Foxo and NF-κB and is indispensable for both resting and activated B cell survival