An 800-million-solar-mass black hole in a significantly neutral Universe at redshift 7.5

Quasars are the most luminous non-transient objects known and as a result they enable studies of the Universe at the earliest cosmic epochs. Despite extensive efforts, however, the quasar ULAS J1120+0641 at z=7.09 has remained the only one known at z>7 for more than half a decade. Here we report observations of the quasar ULAS J134208.10+092838.61 (hereafter J1342+0928) at redshift z=7.54. This quasar has a bolometric luminosity of 4e13 times the luminosity of the Sun and a black hole mass of 8e8 solar masses. The existence of this supermassive black hole when the Universe was only 690 million years old---just five percent of its current age---reinforces models of early black-hole growth that allow black holes with initial masses of more than about 1e4 solar masses or episodic hyper-Eddington accretion. We see strong evidence of absorption of the spectrum of the quasar redwards of the Lyman alpha emission line (the Gunn-Peterson damping wing), as would be expected if a significant amount (more than 10 per cent) of the hydrogen in the intergalactic medium surrounding J1342+0928 is neutral. We derive a significant fraction of neutral hydrogen, although the exact fraction depends on the modelling. However, even in our most conservative analysis we find a fraction of more than 0.33 (0.11) at 68 per cent (95 per cent) probability, indicating that we are probing well within the reionization epoch of the Universe.Comment: Updated to match the final journal versio

Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs). XIII. Large-scale Feedback and Star Formation in a Low-luminosity Quasar at z = 7.07 on the Local Black Hole to Host Mass Relation

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array [C II] 158 μm line and underlying far-infrared (FIR) continuum emission observations (0 70 × 0 56 resolution) toward HSC J124353.93+010038.5 (J1243+0100) at z = 7.07, the only low-luminosity (M1450 > −25 mag) quasar currently known at z > 7. The FIR continuum is bright (1.52 mJy) and resolved with a total luminosity of LFIR = 3.5 × 1012 Le. The spatially extended component is responsible for ∼40% of the emission. The area-integrated [C II] spectrum shows a broad wing (FWHM = 997 km s−1 , L[C II] = 1.2 × 109 Le), as well as a bright core (FWHM = 235 km s−1 , L[C II] = 1.9 × 109 Le). This wing is the first detection of a galactic-scale quasar-driven outflow (atomic outflow rate >447 Me yr−1 ) at z > 7. The estimated large mass-loading factor of the total outflow (e.g., 9 relative to the [C II]-based star formation rate) suggests that this outflow will soon quench the star formation of the host. The core gas dynamics are governed by rotation, with a rotation curve suggestive of a compact bulge (∼3.3 × 1010 Me), although it is not yet spatially resolved. Finally, we found that J1243+0100 has a black hole mass–to–dynamical mass (and –to–bulge mass) ratio of ∼0.4% (∼1%), consistent with the local value within the uncertainties. Our results therefore suggest that the black hole–host coevolution relation is already in place at z ∼ 7 for this object

Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs). XII. Extended [C ii] Structure (Merger or Outflow) in a z = 6.72 Red Quasar

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array [C II] 158 μm line and far-infrared (FIR) continuum emission observations toward HSC J120505.09−000027.9 (J1205−0000) at z = 6.72 with a beam size of ∼0 8 × 0 5 (or 4.1 kpc × 2.6 kpc), the most distant red quasar known to date. Red quasars are modestly reddened by dust and are thought to be in rapid transition from an obscured starburst to an unobscured normal quasar, driven by powerful active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback that blows out a cocoon of interstellar medium. The FIR continuum of J1205−0000 is bright, with an estimated luminosity of LFIR ∼ 3 × 1012 Le. The [C II] line emission is extended on scales of r ∼ 5 kpc, greater than that of the FIR continuum. The line profiles at the extended regions are complex and broad (FWHM ∼ 630–780 km s−1 ). Although it is not practical to identify the nature of this extended structure, possible explanations include (i) companion/merging galaxies and (ii) massive AGN-driven outflows. For the case of (i), the companions are modestly star-forming (∼10 Me yr−1 ) but are not detected by our Subaru optical observations (yAB,5σ = 24.4 mag). For the case of (ii), our lower limit to the cold neutral outflow rate is ∼100 Me yr−1 . The outflow kinetic energy and momentum are both much lower than predicted in energyconserving wind models, suggesting that the AGN feedback in this quasar is not capable of completely suppressing its star formatio

Massive black hole science with eLISA

The evolving Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA) will revolutionize our understanding of the formation and evolution of massive black holes (MBHs) along cosmic history, by probing massive black hole binaries (MBHBs) in the 10(3) - 10(7) M-circle dot range out to redshift z greater than or similar to 10. High signal-to-noise ratio detections of similar to 10 - 100 MBHB coalescences per year will allow accurate measurements of the parameters of individual MBHBs (such as their masses, spins and luminosity distance), and a deep understanding of the underlying cosmic MBH parent population. This wealth of unprecedented information can lead to breakthroughs in many areas of physics, including astrophysics, cosmology and fundamental physics. We review the current status of the field, recent progress and future challenges

β-defensin 1 expression in HCV infected liver/liver cancer: an important role in protecting HCV progression and liver cancer development

Abstract β-defensin family plays a role in host defense against viral infection, however its role in HCV infection is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that β-defensin 1 was significantly reduced in HCV-infected liver specimens. Treatment with interferon and ribavirin upregulated β-defensin-1, but not other β-defensin tested, with the extent and duration of upregulation associated with treatment response. We investigated β-defensin family expression in liver cancer in publicly available datasets and found that among all the β-defensins tested, only β-defensin 1 was significantly downregulated, suggesting β-defensin 1 plays a crucial role in liver cancer development. Further analysis identified E-cadherin as the top positive correlated gene, while hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate as the top negative correlated gene. Expression of two proteoglycans were also positively correlated with that of β-defensin 1. We have also identified small molecules as potential therapeutic agents to reverse β-defensin 1-associated gene signature. Furthermore, the downregulation of β-defensin 1 and E-cadherin, and upregulation of hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate, were further confirmed in liver cancer and adjacent normal tissue collected from in-house Chinese liver cancer patients. Together, our results suggest β-defensin 1 plays an important role in protecting HCV progression and liver cancer development

Search for Eccentric Black Hole Coalescences during the Third Observing Run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass $M>70$ $M_\odot$) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities $0 < e \leq 0.3$ at $0.33$ Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$ at 90\% confidence level.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure

Open data from the third observing run of LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA and GEO

The global network of gravitational-wave observatories now includes five detectors, namely LIGO Hanford, LIGO Livingston, Virgo, KAGRA, and GEO 600. These detectors collected data during their third observing run, O3, composed of three phases: O3a starting in April of 2019 and lasting six months, O3b starting in November of 2019 and lasting five months, and O3GK starting in April of 2020 and lasting 2 weeks. In this paper we describe these data and various other science products that can be freely accessed through the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center at https://gwosc.org. The main dataset, consisting of the gravitational-wave strain time series that contains the astrophysical signals, is released together with supporting data useful for their analysis and documentation, tutorials, as well as analysis software packages.Comment: 27 pages, 3 figure

Population of Merging Compact Binaries Inferred Using Gravitational Waves through GWTC-3

We report on the population properties of compact binary mergers inferred from gravitational-wave observations of these systems during the first three LIGO-Virgo observing runs. The Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog 3 (GWTC-3) contains signals consistent with three classes of binary mergers: binary black hole, binary neutron star, and neutron star-black hole mergers. We infer the binary neutron star merger rate to be between 10 and 1700 Gpc-3 yr-1 and the neutron star-black hole merger rate to be between 7.8 and 140 Gpc-3 yr-1, assuming a constant rate density in the comoving frame and taking the union of 90% credible intervals for methods used in this work. We infer the binary black hole merger rate, allowing for evolution with redshift, to be between 17.9 and 44 Gpc-3 yr-1 at a fiducial redshift (z=0.2). The rate of binary black hole mergers is observed to increase with redshift at a rate proportional to (1+z)κ with κ=2.9-1.8+1.7 for z≲1. Using both binary neutron star and neutron star-black hole binaries, we obtain a broad, relatively flat neutron star mass distribution extending from 1.2-0.2+0.1 to 2.0-0.3+0.3M⊙. We confidently determine that the merger rate as a function of mass sharply declines after the expected maximum neutron star mass, but cannot yet confirm or rule out the existence of a lower mass gap between neutron stars and black holes. We also find the binary black hole mass distribution has localized over- and underdensities relative to a power-law distribution, with peaks emerging at chirp masses of 8.3-0.5+0.3 and 27.9-1.8+1.9M⊙. While we continue to find that the mass distribution of a binary's more massive component strongly decreases as a function of primary mass, we observe no evidence of a strongly suppressed merger rate above approximately 60M⊙, which would indicate the presence of a upper mass gap. Observed black hole spins are small, with half of spin magnitudes below χi≈0.25. While the majority of spins are preferentially aligned with the orbital angular momentum, we infer evidence of antialigned spins among the binary population. We observe an increase in spin magnitude for systems with more unequal-mass ratio. We also observe evidence of misalignment of spins relative to the orbital angular momentum

The population of merging compact binaries inferred using gravitational waves through GWTC-3

We report on the population properties of 76 compact binary mergers detected with gravitational waves below a false alarm rate of 1 per year through GWTC-3. The catalog contains three classes of binary mergers: BBH, BNS, and NSBH mergers. We infer the BNS merger rate to be between 10 $\rm{Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}}$ and 1700 $\rm{Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}}$ and the NSBH merger rate to be between 7.8 $\rm{Gpc^{-3}\, yr^{-1}}$ and 140 $\rm{Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}}$ , assuming a constant rate density versus comoving volume and taking the union of 90% credible intervals for methods used in this work. Accounting for the BBH merger rate to evolve with redshift, we find the BBH merger rate to be between 17.9 $\rm{Gpc^{-3}\, yr^{-1}}$ and 44 $\rm{Gpc^{-3}\, yr^{-1}}$ at a fiducial redshift (z=0.2). We obtain a broad neutron star mass distribution extending from $1.2^{+0.1}_{-0.2} M_\odot$ to $2.0^{+0.3}_{-0.3} M_\odot$. We can confidently identify a rapid decrease in merger rate versus component mass between neutron star-like masses and black-hole-like masses, but there is no evidence that the merger rate increases again before 10 $M_\odot$. We also find the BBH mass distribution has localized over- and under-densities relative to a power law distribution. While we continue to find the mass distribution of a binary's more massive component strongly decreases as a function of primary mass, we observe no evidence of a strongly suppressed merger rate above $\sim 60 M_\odot$. The rate of BBH mergers is observed to increase with redshift at a rate proportional to $(1+z)^{\kappa}$ with $\kappa = 2.9^{+1.7}_{-1.8}$ for $z\lesssim 1$. Observed black hole spins are small, with half of spin magnitudes below $\chi_i \simeq 0.25$. We observe evidence of negative aligned spins in the population, and an increase in spin magnitude for systems with more unequal mass ratio