557 research outputs found
Political trials and the suppression of popular radicalism in England, 1799-1820
This chapter examines the decision-making process between the Home Office and the government’s law officers in prosecuting individuals for sedition and treason in the period 1799–1820. The term state trial suggests a more centralised and government-led repression of popular radicalism than the process was in practice. Provincial reformers also faced the complex layers of their local justice system, which was more loyalist, committed to stamping out political radicalism. The trial of the “Thirty Eight” Manchester radicals in June 1812 demonstrates the mutable definitions of treason, sedition and processes of justice in the theatre of the court.Peer reviewe
X-ray variability analysis of a large series of XMM-Newton + NuSTAR observations of NGC 3227
We present a series of X-ray variability results from a long XMM-Newton +
NuSTAR campaign on the bright, variable AGN NGC 3227. We present an analysis of
the lightcurves, showing that the source displays typically
softer-when-brighter behaviour, although also undergoes significant spectral
hardening during one observation which we interpret as due to an occultation
event by a cloud of absorbing gas. We spectrally decompose the data and show
that the bulk of the variability is continuum-driven and, through rms
variability analysis, strongly enhanced in the soft band. We show that the
source largely conforms to linear rms-flux behaviour and we compute X-ray power
spectra, detecting moderate evidence for a bend in the power spectrum,
consistent with existing scaling relations. Additionally, we compute X-ray
Fourier time lags using both the XMM-Newton and - through maximum-likelihood
methods - NuSTAR data, revealing a strong low-frequency hard lag and evidence
for a soft lag at higher frequencies, which we discuss in terms of
reverberation models.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; 19 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables;
minor typographical errors corrected and reference list update
Evidence for a Truncated Accretion Disc in the Low Luminosity Seyfert Galaxy, NGC 7213?
We present the broad-band 0.6-150 keV Suzaku and Swift BAT spectra of the low
luminosity Seyfert galaxy, NGC 7213. The time-averaged continuum emission is
well fitted by a single powerlaw of photon index Gamma = 1.75 and from
consideration of the Fermi flux limit we constrain the high energy cutoff to be
350 keV < E < 25 MeV. Line emission from both near-neutral iron K_alpha at 6.39
keV and highly ionised iron, from Fe_(xxv) and Fe_(xxvi), is strongly detected
in the Suzaku spectrum, further confirming the results of previous observations
with Chandra and XMM-Newton. We find the centroid energies for the Fe_(xxv) and
Fe_(xxvi) emission to be 6.60 keV and 6.95 keV respectively, with the latter
appearing to be resolved in the Suzaku spectrum. We show that the Fe_(xxv) and
Fe_(xxvi) emission can result from a highly photo-ionised plasma of column
density N_(H) ~ 3 x 10^(23) cm^(-2). A Compton reflection component, e.g.,
originating from an optically-thick accretion disc or a Compton-thick torus,
appears either very weak or absent in this AGN, subtending < 1 sr to the X-ray
source, consistent with previous findings. Indeed the absence of either neutral
or ionised Compton reflection coupled with the lack of any relativistic Fe K
signatures in the spectrum suggests that an inner, optically-thick accretion
disc is absent in this source. Instead, the accretion disc could be truncated
with the inner regions perhaps replaced by a Compton-thin Radiatively
Inefficient Accretion Flow. Thus, the Fe_(xxv) and Fe_(xxvi) emission could
both originate in ionised material perhaps at the transition region between the
hot, inner flow and the cold, truncated accretion disc on the order of 10^(3) -
10^(4) gravitational radii from the black hole. The origin for the unresolved
neutral Fe K_alpha emission is then likely to be further out, perhaps
originating in the optical BLR or a Compton-thin pc-scale torus.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA
OBSERVATIONS ON NAVICULA THALLODES (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE), A BLADE-FORMING DIATOM FROM THE BERING SEA 1
A thallus-forming diatom, Navicula thallodes Proschkina-Lavrenko, previously known only from the original collection at Bering Island (U.S.S.R.), has been found at Amchitka Island in the Aleutians, Alaska. The most remarkable observation of the present report is that N. thallodes may form blades up to 50 cm long, which to our knowledge is the greatest length reported for a colonial diatom. SEM observations of this diatom are presented for the first time.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65176/1/j.1529-8817.1988.tb04487.x.pd
Cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterase, PDE8A1, is activated by protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation
The cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterase PDE8 has been shown to play a pivotal role in important processes such as steroidogenesis, T cell adhesion, regulation of heart beat and chemotaxis. However, no information exists on how the activity of this enzyme is regulated. We show that under elevated cAMP conditions, PKA acts to phosphorylate PDE8A on serine 359 and this action serves to enhance the activity of the enzyme. This is the first indication that PDE8 activity can be modulated by a kinase, and we propose that this mechanism forms a feedback loop that results in the restoration of basal cAMP levels. (C) 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserve
The Hot and Energetic Universe: Astrophysics of feedback in local AGN
Understanding the astrophysics of feedback in active galactic nuclei (AGN) is
key to understanding the growth and co-evolution of supermassive black holes
and galaxies. AGN-driven winds/outflows are potentially the most effective way
of transporting energy and momentum from the nuclear scales to the host galaxy,
quenching star formation by sweeping away the gas reservoir. Key questions in
this field are: 1) how do accretion disks around black holes launch
winds/outflows, and how much energy do these carry? 2) How are the energy and
metals accelerated in winds/outflows transferred and deposited into the
circumgalactic medium? X-ray observations are a unique way to address these
questions because they probe the phase of the outflows which carries most of
the kinetic energy. We show how a high throughput, high spectral resolution
instrument like the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) on Athena+ will allow us
to address these questions by determining the physical parameters (ionization
state, density, temperature, abundances, velocities, geometry, etc.) of the
outflows on a dynamical time-scale, in a broad sample of nearby bright AGN. The
X-IFU will also allow direct spectral imaging of the impact of these winds on
the host galaxy for local AGN, forming a template for understanding AGN at
higher redshifts where wind shocks cannot be resolved.Comment: Supporting paper for the science theme "The Hot and Energetic
Universe" to be implemented by the Athena+ X-ray observatory
(http://www.the-athena-x-ray-observatory.eu). 10 pages, 6 figure
Recovery-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy for recent-onset bipolar disorder:randomised controlled pilot trial
Background Despite evidence for the effectiveness of structured psychological therapies for bipolar disorder no psychological interventions have been specifically designed to enhance personal recovery for individuals with recent-onset bipolar disorder. Aims A pilot study to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a new intervention, recovery-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), designed in collaboration with individuals with recent-onset bipolar disorder intended to improve clinical and personal recovery outcomes. Method A single, blind randomised controlled trial compared treatment as usual (TAU) with recovery-focused CBT plus TAU (n = 67). Results Recruitment and follow-up rates within 10% of pre-planned targets to 12-month follow-up were achieved. An average of 14.15 h (s.d. = 4.21) of recovery-focused CBT were attended out of a potential maximum of 18 h. Compared with TAU, recovery-focused CBT significantly improved personal recovery up to 12-month follow-up (Bipolar Recovery Questionnaire mean score 310.87, 95% CI 75.00-546.74 (s.e. = 120.34), P = 0.010, d = 0.62) and increased time to any mood relapse during up to 15 months follow-up (χ(2) = 7.64, P<0.006, estimated hazard ratio (HR) = 0.38, 95% CI 0.18-0.78). Groups did not differ with respect to medication adherence. Conclusions Recovery-focused CBT seems promising with respect to feasibility and potential clinical effectiveness. Clinical- and cost-effectiveness now need to be reliably estimated in a definitive trial
The broad-band X-ray spectrum of the Seyfert 1 galaxy, MCG+8-11-11
We present a long (100 ks) Suzaku observation of one of the X-ray brightest
AGN, MCG+8-11-11. These data were complemented with the 54-month Swift BAT
spectrum, allowing us to perform a broad-band fit in the 0.6-150 keV range. The
fits performed in the 0.6-10 keV band give consistent results with respect to a
previous XMM-Newton observation, i.e. the lack of a soft excess, warm
absorption along the line of sight, a large Compton reflection component (R~1)
and the absence of a relativistic component of the neutral iron K
emission line. However, when the PIN and Swift BAT data are included, the
reflection amount drops significantly (R~0.2-0.3), and a relativistic iron line
is required, the latter confirmed by a phenomenological analysis in a
restricted energy band (3-10 keV). When a self-consistent model is applied to
the whole broadband data, the observed reflection component appears to be all
associated to the relativistic component of the iron K line. The
resulting scenario, though strongly model-dependent, requires that all the
reprocessing spectral components from Compton-thick material must be associated
to the accretion disc, and no evidence for the classical pc-scale torus is
found. The narrow core of the neutral iron K line is therefore produced
in a Compton-thin material, like the BLR, similarly to what found in another
Seyfert galaxy, NGC7213, but with the notable difference that MCG+8-11-11
presents spectral signatures from an accretion disc. The very low accretion
rate of NGC7213 could explain the lack of relativistic signatures in its
spectrum, but the absence of the torus in both sources is more difficult to
explain, since their luminosities are comparable, and their accretion rates are
completely different.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Ice XII in its second regime of metastability
We present neutron powder diffraction results which give unambiguous evidence
for the formation of the recently identified new crystalline ice phase[Lobban
et al.,Nature, 391, 268, (1998)], labeled ice XII, at completely different
conditions. Ice XII is produced here by compressing hexagonal ice I_h at T =
77, 100, 140 and 160 K up to 1.8 GPa. It can be maintained at ambient pressure
in the temperature range 1.5 < T < 135 K. High resolution diffraction is
carried out at T = 1.5 K and ambient pressure on ice XII and accurate
structural properties are obtained from Rietveld refinement. At T = 140 and 160
K additionally ice III/IX is formed. The increasing amount of ice III/IX with
increasing temperature gives an upper limit of T ~ 150 K for the successful
formation of ice XII with the presented procedure.Comment: 3 Pages of RevTeX, 3 tables, 3 figures (submitted to Physical Review
Letters
NGC454: unveiling a new "changing look" AGN
We present a detailed analysis of the X-ray spectrum of the Seyfert 2 galaxy
NGC454E, belonging to the interacting system NGC454. Observations performed
with Suzaku, XMM-Newton and Swift allowed us to detect a dramatic change in the
curvature of the 2-10 keV spectrum, revealing a significant variation of the
absorbing column density along the line of sight (from ~ 1 x10^{24}cm^{-2} to ~
1x10^{23}cm^{-2}). Consequently, we propose this source as a new member of the
class of "changing look" AGN, i.e. AGN that have been observed both in
Compton-thin (NH =10^{23 cm^{-2}) and reflection dominated states
(Compton-thick, NH >10^{24} cm^{-2}). Due to the quite long time lag (6 months)
between the Suzaku and XMM-Newton observations we cannot infer the possible
location of the obscuring material causing the observed variability. In the 6-7
keV range the XMM-Newton observation also shows a clear signature of the
presence of an ionized absorber. Since this feature is not detected during the
Suzaku observation (despite its detectability), the simplest interpretation is
that the ionized absorber is also variable; its location is estimated to be
within ~10^{-3} pc from the central black hole, probably much closer in than
the rather neutral absorber.Comment: 10 page
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