Attraction between like-charged colloidal particles induced by a surface a density - functional analysis

We show that the first non-linear correction to the linearised Poisson-Boltzman n (or DLVO) theory of effective pair interactions between charge-stabilised, co lloidal particles near a charged wall leads to an attractive component of entro pic origin. The position and depth of the potential compare favourably with rec ent experimental measurementsComment: 12 pages including 2 figures. submitted to physical review letter

Lack of involvement of lipocortin 1 in dexamethasone suppression of IL-1 release

The annexin lipocortin 1 is reported to mediate some anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids, but the mechanisms of this mediation are incompletely understood. The involvement of lipocortin 1 in glucocorticoid inhibition of monocyte interleukin 1β (IL-1β) release has been investigated. Treatment of peripheral blood monocytes with 2 μg/ml lipopolysaccharide potently increased IL–1β release (p = 0.001) and dexamethasone (10−7 M) significantly reduced both resting and stimulated IL-1β release (p = 0.009). A neutralizing monoclonal antibody to lipocortin 1 (0.5–50.0 μg/ml) was unable to inhibit this effect and recombinant lipocortin 1 (2 × 10−6 M) and 188aa lipocortin 1 fragment (10−8−10−6 M) had no effect. It is concluded that lipocortin 1 is not involved in the inhibition of monocyte IL-1β release by glucocorticoids

Transformation between Australian datums using a modified transverse Mercator projection

The introduction of the Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA94) in the year 2000 will undoubtedly require the transformation of a large amount of coordinate data in Australia. This paper presents a modified transverse Mercator (MTM) map-projection such that the latitude and longitude on one datum are projected so that they closely agree with the transverse Mercator easting and northing on another datum. This approach will allow the introduction of the GDA94 whilst preserving Australian Map Grid (AMG) coordinates. Conversely, the MTM projection can be used to transform coordinates directly from the Australian Geodetic Datum (AGD) to the new Map Grid of Australia (MGA94). In order to test these two approaches, MTM parameters have been computed from 82 co-located GDA94/MGA94 and AGD98/AMG84 coordinates that comprise the Western Australian STATEFIX geodetic network. When using the national seven- and three-parameter datum transformations, the maximum differences between observed and transformed coordinates are 2.04m and 2.21m, respectively. When using the transformation by MTM projection, the projected coordinates agree with the observed coordinates to less than 2.04m

Characterizing the far-infrared properties of distant X-ray detected AGNs: evidence for evolution in the infrared–X-ray luminosity ratio

We investigate the far-infrared (FIR) properties of X-ray sources detected in the Chandra Deep Field-South (CDF-S) survey using the ultradeep 70 and 24 μm Spitzer observations taken in this field. Since only 30 (i.e. ≈ 10 per cent) of the 266 X-ray sources in the region of the 70 μm observations are detected at 70 μm, we rely on stacking analyses of the 70 μm data to characterize the average 70 μm properties of the X-ray sources as a function of redshift, X-ray luminosity and X-ray absorption. Using Spitzer-IRS data of the Swift-Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) sample of z ≈ 0 active galactic nuclei (AGNs), we show that the 70/24 μm flux ratio can distinguish between AGN-dominated and starburst-dominated systems out to z ≈ 1.5 . Among the X-ray sources detected at 70 μm, we note a large scatter in the observed 70/24 μm flux ratios, spanning almost a factor of 10 at similar redshifts, irrespective of object classification, suggesting a range of AGN:starburst ratios. From stacking analyses we find that the average observed 70/24 μm flux ratios of AGNs out to an average redshift of 1.5 are similar to z ≈ 0 AGNs with similar X-ray luminosities (L_X = 10^(42-44) erg s^(−1)) and absorbing column densities (N_H ≤ 10^(23) cm^(−2)) . Furthermore, both high-redshift and z ≈ 0 AGNs follow the same tendency towards warmer 70/24 μm colours with increasing X-ray luminosity (LX). From analyses of the Swift-BAT sample of z ≈ 0 AGNs, we note that the 70 μm flux can be used to determine the IR (8–1000 μm) luminosities of high-redshift AGNs. We use this information to show that L_X = 10^(42-43) erg s^(−1) AGNs at high redshifts (z = 1–2) have IR to X-ray luminosity ratios (L_(IR)/L_X) that are, on average, 4.7^(+10.2)_(−2.0) and 12.7+7.1−2.6 times higher than AGNs with similar X-ray luminosities at z = 0.5–1 and ≈0, respectively. By comparison, we find that the L_(IR)/L_X ratios of L_X= 10^(43-44) erg s^(−1) AGNs remain largely unchanged across this same redshift interval. We explore the consequences that these results may have on the identification of distant, potentially Compton-thick AGNs using L_(IR)/L_X ratios. In addition, we discuss possible scenarios for the observed increase in the L_(IR)/L_X ratio with redshift, including changes in the dust covering factor of AGNs and/or the star formation rates of their host galaxies. Finally, we show how deep observations to be undertaken by the Herschel Space Observatory will enable us to discriminate between these proposed scenarios and also identify Compton-thick AGNs at high redshifts

A Tale of Two Narrow-Line Regions: Ionization, Kinematics, and Spectral Energy Distributions for a Local Pair of Merging Obscured Active Galaxies

We explore the gas ionization and kinematics, as well as the optical--IR spectral energy distributions for UGC 11185, a nearby pair of merging galaxies hosting obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs), also known as SDSS J181611.72+423941.6 and J181609.37+423923.0 (J1816NE and J1816SW, $z \approx 0.04$). Due to the wide separation between these interacting galaxies ($\sim 23$ kpc), observations of these objects provide a rare glimpse of the concurrent growth of supermassive black holes at an early merger stage. We use BPT line diagnostics to show that the full extent of the narrow line emission in both galaxies is photoionized by an AGN and confirm the existence of a 10-kpc-scale ionization cone in J1816NE, while in J1816SW the AGN narrow-line region is much more compact (1--2 kpc) and relatively undisturbed. Our observations also reveal the presence of ionized gas that nearly spans the entire distance between the galaxies which is likely in a merger-induced tidal stream. In addition, we carry out a spectral analysis of the X-ray emission using data from {\em XMM-Newton}. These galaxies represent a useful pair to explore how the [\ion{O}{3}] luminosity of an AGN is dependent on the size of the region used to explore the extended emission. Given the growing evidence for AGN "flickering" over short timescales, we speculate that the appearances and impact of these AGNs may change multiple times over the course of the galaxy merger, which is especially important given that these objects are likely the progenitors of the types of systems commonly classified as "dual AGNs."Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, accepted by the Astrophysical Journa