Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. IX. Velocity–Delay Maps for Broad Emission Lines in NGC 5548

In this contribution, we achieve the primary goal of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) STORM campaign by recovering velocity–delay maps for the prominent broad emission lines (Lyα, C iv, He ii, and Hβ) in the spectrum of NGC 5548. These are the most detailed velocity–delay maps ever obtained for an AGN, providing unprecedented information on the geometry, ionization structure, and kinematics of the broad-line region. Virial envelopes enclosing the emission-line responses show that the reverberating gas is bound to the black hole. A stratified ionization structure is evident. The He ii response inside 5–10 lt-day has a broad single-peaked velocity profile. The Lyα, C iv, and Hβ responses extend from inside 2 to outside 20 lt-day, with double peaks at ±2500 km s−1 in the 10–20 lt-day delay range. An incomplete ellipse in the velocity–delay plane is evident in Hβ. We interpret the maps in terms of a Keplerian disk with a well-defined outer rim at R = 20 lt-day. The far-side response is weaker than that from the near side. The line-center delay $\tau =(R/c)(1-\sin i)\approx 5$ days gives the inclination i ≈ 45°. The inferred black hole mass is MBH ≈ 7 × 107 M⊙. In addition to reverberations, the fit residuals confirm that emission-line fluxes are depressed during the "BLR Holiday" identified in previous work. Moreover, a helical "Barber-Pole" pattern, with stripes moving from red to blue across the C iv and Lyα line profiles, suggests azimuthal structure rotating with a 2 yr period that may represent precession or orbital motion of inner-disk structures casting shadows on the emission-line region farther out

Gene-eluting stents: non-viral, liposome-based gene delivery of eNOS to the blood vessel wall in vivo results in enhanced endothelialization but does not reduce restenosis in a hypercholesterolemic model

Although successful, drug-eluting stents require significant periods of dual anti-platelet therapy with a persistent risk of late stent thrombosis due to inhibition of re-endothelialization. Endothelial regeneration is desirable to protect against in-stent thrombosis. Gene-eluting stents may be an alternative allowing inhibition of neointima and regenerating endothelium. We have shown that adenoviral endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) delivery can result in significantly decreased neointimal formation and enhanced re-endothelialization. Here, we examined non-viral reporter and therapeutic gene delivery from a stent. We coated lipoplexes directly onto the surface of stents. These lipostents were then deployed in the injured external iliac artery of either normal or hypercholesterolemic New Zealand White rabbits and recovered after 28 days. Lipoplexes composed of lipofectin and a reporter lacZ gene or therapeutic eNOS gene were used. We demonstrated efficient gene delivery at 28 days post-deployment in the media (21.3±7.5%) and neointima (26.8±11.2%). Liposomal delivery resulted in expression in macrophages between the stent struts. This resulted in improved re-endothelialization as detected by two independent measures compared with vector and stent controls (P<0.05 for both). However, in contrast to viral delivery of eNOS, liposomal eNOS does not reduce restenosis rates. The differing cell populations targeted by lipoplexes compared with adenoviral vectors may explain their ability to enhance re-endothelialization without affecting restenosis. Liposome-mediated gene delivery can result in prolonged and localized transgene expression in the blood vessel wall in vivo. Furthermore, lipoeNOS delivery to the blood vessel wall results in accelerated re-endothelialization; however, it does not reduce neointimal formation.Enterprise Ireland Grant (CFTD 105-07). TOB is also funded by a CSET Grant to REMEDI from Science Foundation IrelandDeposited by bulk impor

Optimization of coronary optical coherence tomography imaging using the attenuation-compensated technique: a validation study.

PURPOSE To optimize conventional coronary optical coherence tomography (OCT) images using the attenuation-compensated technique to improve identification of plaques and the external elastic lamina (EEL) contour. METHOD The attenuation-compensated technique was optimized via manipulating contrast exponent C, and compression exponent N, to achieve an optimal contrast and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This was applied to 60 human coronary lesions (38 native and 22 stented) ex vivo conventional coronary OCT images acquired from heart autopsies of 10 patients and matching histology was available as reference. Three independent reviewers assessed the conventional and attenuation-compensated OCT images blindly for plaque characteristics and EEL detection. Conventional OCT and compensated OCT assessment were compared against histology. RESULTS Using an optimized algorithm, the attenuation-compensated OCT images had a 2-fold improvement in contrast between different tissues in both stented and non-stented epicardial coronaries (P <0.05). Overall sensitivity and specificity for plaque classification increased from 84 to 89% and from 92 to 94%, respectively, with substantial agreement among the three reviewers (Fleiss' Kappa k, 0.72 and 0.71, respectively). Furthermore, operators were 2.5 times more likely to identify the EEL contour in the attenuation-compensated OCT images (k = 0.72) than in the conventional OCT images (k = 0.36). CONCLUSION The attenuation-compensated technique can be retrospectively applied to conventional OCT images and improves the detection of plaque characteristics and the EEL contour. This approach could complement conventional OCT imaging in the evaluation of plaque characteristics and quantify plaque burden in the clinical setting

Reverberation Mapping of Optical Emission Lines in Five Active Galaxies

We present the first results from an optical reverberation mapping campaign executed in 2014 targeting the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) MCG+08-11-011, NGC 2617, NGC 4051, 3C 382, and Mrk 374. Our targets have diverse and interesting observational properties, including a "changing look" AGN and a broad-line radio galaxy. Based on continuum-Hβ lags, we measure black hole masses for all five targets. We also obtain Hγ and He ii λ4686 lags for all objects except 3C 382. The He ii λ4686 lags indicate radial stratification of the BLR, and the masses derived from different emission lines are in general agreement. The relative responsivities of these lines are also in qualitative agreement with photoionization models. These spectra have extremely high signal-to-noise ratios (100-300 per pixel) and there are excellent prospects for obtaining velocity-resolved reverberation signatures

Reverberation Mapping of Optical Emission Lines in Five Active Galaxies

We present the first results from an optical reverberation mapping campaign executed in 2014 targeting the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) MCG+08-11-011, NGC 2617, NGC 4051, 3C 382, and Mrk 374. Our targets have diverse and interesting observational properties, including a "changing look" AGN and a broad-line radio galaxy. Based on continuum-Hβ lags, we measure black hole masses for all five targets. We also obtain Hγ and He ii λ4686 lags for all objects except 3C 382. The He ii λ4686 lags indicate radial stratification of the BLR, and the masses derived from different emission lines are in general agreement. The relative responsivities of these lines are also in qualitative agreement with photoionization models. These spectra have extremely high signal-to-noise ratios (100-300 per pixel) and there are excellent prospects for obtaining velocity-resolved reverberation signatures

Continuum Reverberation Mapping of the Accretion Disks in Two Seyfert 1 Galaxies

We present optical continuum lags for two Seyfert 1 galaxies, MCG+08-11-011 and NGC 2617, using monitoring data from a reverberation mapping campaign carried out in 2014. Our light curves span the ugriz filters over four months, with median cadences of 1.0 and 0.6 days for MCG+08-11-011 and NGC 2617, respectively, combined with roughly daily X-ray and near-UV data from Swift for NGC 2617. We find lags consistent with geometrically thin accretion-disk models that predict a lag-wavelength relation of τ ∝ λ 4/3. However, the observed lags are larger than predictions based on standard thin-disk theory by factors of 3.3 for MCG+08-11-011 and 2.3 for NGC 2617. These differences can be explained if the mass accretion rates are larger than inferred from the optical luminosity by a factor of 4.3 in MCG+08-11-011 and a factor of 1.3 in NGC 2617, although uncertainty in the SMBH masses determines the significance of this result. While the X-ray variability in NGC 2617 precedes the UV/optical variability, the long (2.6 day) lag is problematic for coronal reprocessing models