Investigating the Disk-Corona Relation in a Blue AGN Sample

We compile a blue AGN sample from SDSS and investigate the ratio of hard X-ray to bolometric luminosity in dependence on Eddington ratio and black hole mass. Our sample comprises 240 radio-quiet Seyfert 1 galaxies and QSOs. We find that the fraction of hard X-ray luminosity (log$(L_{\rm 2-10 kev}/L_{\rm bol})$) decreases with the increase of Eddington ratio. We also find that the fraction of hard X-ray luminosity is independent on the black hole mass for the radio-quiet AGNs. The relation of log$(L_{\rm 2-10 kev}/L_{\rm bol})$ decreasing with increasing Eddington ratio indicates that X-ray bolometric correction is not a constant, from a larger sample supporting the results of Vasudevan & Fabian (2007). We interpret our results by the disk corona evaporation/condensation model (Meyer et al. \cite{me200}; Liu et al. 2002a; Liu et al. 2007). In the frame of this model, the Compton cooling becomes efficient in cooling of the corona at high accretion rate (in units of Eddington rate), leading to condensation of corona gas to the disk. Consequently, the relative strength of corona to the disk becomes weaker at higher Eddington ratio. Therefore, the fraction of hard X-ray emission to disk emission and hence to the bolometric emission is smaller at higher Eddington ratio. The independence of the fraction of hard X-ray luminosity on the mass of the black hole can also be explained by the disk corona model since the corona structure and luminosity (in units of Eddington luminosity) are independent on the mass of black holes.Comment: 14 pages,2 figures and 1 table; accepted for publication by RA

Subanesthetic Isoflurane Reduces Zymosan-Induced Inflammation in Murine Kupffer Cells by Inhibiting ROS-Activated p38 MAPK/NF- κ

Volatile anesthetic isoflurane (ISO) has immunomodulatory effects. The fungal component zymosan (ZY) induces inflammation through toll-like receptor 2 or dectin-1 signaling. We investigated the molecular actions of subanesthetic (0.7%) ISO against ZY-induced inflammatory activation in murine Kupffer cells (KCs), which are known as the resident macrophages within the liver. We observed that ISO reduced ZY-induced cyclooxygenase 2 upregulation and prostaglandin E2 release, as determined by western blot and radioimmunoassay, respectively. ISO also reduced the production of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, IL-6, high-mobility group box-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, macrophage inflammatory protein-2, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 as assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. ISO blocked the ZY-induced nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor- (NF)-κB p65. Moreover, ISO attenuated ZY-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation partly by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS); the interregulation that ROS activated p38 MAPK followed by NF-κB activation was crucial for the ZY-induced inflammatory responses in KCs. An in vivo study by peritoneal injection of ZY into BALB/C mice confirmed the anti-inflammatory properties of 0.7% ISO against ZY in KCs. These results suggest that ISO ameliorates ZY-induced inflammatory responses in murine KCs by inhibiting the interconnected ROS/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways

Supermassive black holes with high accretion rates in active galactic nuclei. VII. Reconstruction of velocity-delay maps by maximum entropy method

Funding: K.H. acknowledges support from STFC grant ST/M001296/1 and ST/R000824/1.As one of a series of papers reporting on a large reverberation mapping campaign, we apply the maximum entropy method (MEM) to nine narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies with super-Eddington accretion rates observed during 2012–2013 for the velocity-delay maps of their Hβ and Hγ emission lines. The maps of six objects are reliably reconstructed using MEM. The maps of Hβ and Hγ emission lines of Mrk 335 indicate that the gas of its broad-line region (BLR) is infalling. For Mrk 142, its Hβ and Hγ lines show signatures of outflow. The Hβ and Hγ maps of Mrk 1044 demonstrate complex kinematics—a virialized motion accompanied by an outflow signature, and the Hβ map of IRAS F12397+3333 is consistent with a disk or a spherical shell. The Hβ maps of Mrk 486 and MCG +06-26-012 suggest the presence of inflow and outflow, respectively. These super-Eddington accretors show diverse geometry and kinematics. Brief discussions of their BLRs are provided for each individual object.PostprintPeer reviewe

Mudskipper genomes provide insights into the terrestrial adaptation of amphibious fishes

Mudskippers are amphibious fishes that have developed morphological and physiological adaptations to match their unique lifestyles. Here we perform whole-genome sequencing of four representative mudskippers to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these adaptations. We discover an expansion of innate immune system genes in the mudskippers that may provide defence against terrestrial pathogens. Several genes of the ammonia excretion pathway in the gills have experienced positive selection, suggesting their important roles in mudskippers’ tolerance to environmental ammonia. Some vision-related genes are differentially lost or mutated, illustrating genomic changes associated with aerial vision. Transcriptomic analyses of mudskippers exposed to air highlight regulatory pathways that are up- or down-regulated in response to hypoxia. The present study provides a valuable resource for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying water-to-land transition of vertebrates

Measurements of the Mass and Full-Width of the ηc\eta_c Meson

In a sample of 58 million $J/\psi$ events collected with the BES II detector, the process J/$\psi\to\gamma\eta_c$ is observed in five different decay channels: $\gamma K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$, $\gamma\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$, $\gamma K^\pm K^0_S \pi^\mp$ (with $K^0_S\to\pi^+\pi^-$), $\gamma \phi\phi$ (with $\phi\to K^+K^-$) and $\gamma p\bar{p}$. From a combined fit of all five channels, we determine the mass and full-width of $\eta_c$ to be $m_{\eta_c}=2977.5\pm1.0 ({stat.})\pm1.2 ({syst.})$ MeV/$c^2$ and $\Gamma_{\eta_c} = 17.0\pm3.7 ({stat.})\pm7.4 ({syst.})$ MeV/$c^2$.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures and 4 table. Submitted to Phys. Lett.

The <i>Sinocyclocheilus</i> cavefish genome provides insights into cave adaptation

BACKGROUND: An emerging cavefish model, the cyprinid genus Sinocyclocheilus, is endemic to the massive southwestern karst area adjacent to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China. In order to understand whether orogeny influenced the evolution of these species, and how genomes change under isolation, especially in subterranean habitats, we performed whole-genome sequencing and comparative analyses of three species in this genus, S. grahami, S. rhinocerous and S. anshuiensis. These species are surface-dwelling, semi-cave-dwelling and cave-restricted, respectively. RESULTS: The assembled genome sizes of S. grahami, S. rhinocerous and S. anshuiensis are 1.75 Gb, 1.73 Gb and 1.68 Gb, respectively. Divergence time and population history analyses of these species reveal that their speciation and population dynamics are correlated with the different stages of uplifting of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We carried out comparative analyses of these genomes and found that many genetic changes, such as gene loss (e.g. opsin genes), pseudogenes (e.g. crystallin genes), mutations (e.g. melanogenesis-related genes), deletions (e.g. scale-related genes) and down-regulation (e.g. circadian rhythm pathway genes), are possibly associated with the regressive features (such as eye degeneration, albinism, rudimentary scales and lack of circadian rhythms), and that some gene expansion (e.g. taste-related transcription factor gene) may point to the constructive features (such as enhanced taste buds) which evolved in these cave fishes. CONCLUSION: As the first report on cavefish genomes among distinct species in Sinocyclocheilus, our work provides not only insights into genetic mechanisms of cave adaptation, but also represents a fundamental resource for a better understanding of cavefish biology. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0223-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

A Measurement of Psi(2S) Resonance Parameters

Cross sections for e+e- to hadons, pi+pi- J/Psi, and mu+mu- have been measured in the vicinity of the Psi(2S) resonance using the BESII detector operated at the BEPC. The Psi(2S) total width; partial widths to hadrons, pi+pi- J/Psi, muons; and corresponding branching fractions have been determined to be Gamma(total)= (264+-27) keV; Gamma(hadron)= (258+-26) keV, Gamma(mu)= (2.44+-0.21) keV, and Gamma(pi+pi- J/Psi)= (85+-8.7) keV; and Br(hadron)= (97.79+-0.15)%, Br(pi+pi- J/Psi)= (32+-1.4)%, Br(mu)= (0.93+-0.08)%, respectively.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure