Extended radio emission in the galaxy cluster MS 0735.6+7421 detected with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array

MS 0735.6+7421 ($z = 0.216$) is a massive cool core galaxy cluster hosting one of the most powerful active galactic nuclei (AGN) outbursts known. The radio jets of the AGN have carved out an unusually large pair of X-ray cavities, each reaching a diameter of $200$ kpc. This makes MS 0735.6+7421 a unique case to investigate active galactic nuclei feedback processes, as well as other cluster astrophysics at radio wavelengths. We present new low-radio-frequency observations of MS 0735.6+7421 taken with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA): 5 hours of P-band ($224-480$ MHz) and 5 hours of L-band ($1-2$ GHz) observations, both in C configuration. Our VLA P-band ($224-480$ MHz) observations reveal the presence of a new diffuse radio component reaching a scale of $\sim$ $900$ kpc in the direction of the jets and of $\sim$ $500$ kpc in the direction perpendicular to the jets. This component is centered on the cluster core and has a radio power scaled at $1.4$ GHz of $P_{1.4\text{ GHz}} = (4\pm2)\times 10^{24}$ WHz$^{-1}$. Its properties are consistent with those expected from a radio mini-halo as seen in other massive cool core clusters, although it may also be associated with radio plasma that has diffused out of the X-ray cavities. Observations at higher spatial resolution are needed to fully characterize the properties and nature of this component. We also suggest that if radio mini-halos originate from jetted activity, we may be witnessing the early stages of this process.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, submitted to MNRA

The High-redshift Clusters Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) Survey: Investigating the Role of Environment on Bent Radio AGNs Using LOFAR

© 2023. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Bent radio active galactic nucleus (AGN) morphology depends on the density of the surrounding gas. However, bent sources are found inside and outside clusters, raising the question of how environment impacts bent AGN morphology. We analyze new LOw-Frequency Array the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) Data Release II observations of 20 bent AGNs in clusters and 15 not in clusters from the high-z Clusters Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) survey (0.35 1.2 Mpc) or bent AGNs in weaker groups rather than the field.Peer reviewe

Shaken Snow Globes:Kinematic Tracers of the Multiphase Condensation Cascade in Massive Galaxies, Groups, and Clusters

We propose a novel method to constrain turbulence and bulk motions in massive galaxies, galaxy groups, and clusters, exploring both simulations and observations. As emerged in the recent picture of top-down multiphase condensation, hot gaseous halos are tightly linked to all other phases in terms of cospatiality and thermodynamics. While hot halos (∼10 7 K) are perturbed by subsonic turbulence, warm (∼10 4 K) ionized and neutral filaments condense out of the turbulent eddies. The peaks condense into cold molecular clouds (&lt;100 K) raining in the core via chaotic cold accretion (CCA). We show that all phases are tightly linked in terms of the ensemble (wide-aperture) velocity dispersion along the line of sight. The correlation arises in complementary long-term AGN feedback simulations and high-resolution CCA runs, and is corroborated by the combined Hitomi and new Integral Field Unit measurements in the Perseus cluster. The ensemble multiphase gas distributions (from the UV to the radio band) are characterized by substantial spectral line broadening (σ v,los ≈ 100-200 ) with a mild line shift. On the other hand, pencil-beam detections (as H i absorption against the AGN backlight) sample the small-scale clouds displaying smaller broadening and significant line shifts of up to several 100 (for those falling toward the AGN), with increased scatter due to the turbulence intermittency. We present new ensemble σ v,los of the warm H+[N ii] gas in 72 observed cluster/group cores: the constraints are consistent with the simulations and can be used as robust proxies for the turbulent velocities, in particular for the challenging hot plasma (otherwise requiring extremely long X-ray exposures). Finally, we show that the physically motivated criterion C ≡ t cool/t eddy ≈ 1 best traces the condensation extent region and the presence of multiphase gas in observed clusters and groups. The ensemble method can be applied to many available spectroscopic data sets and can substantially advance our understanding of multiphase halos in light of the next-generation multiwavelength missions. </p

Magnetic Field Amplification in Galaxy Clusters and its Simulation

We review the present theoretical and numerical understanding of magnetic field amplification in cosmic large-scale structure, on length scales of galaxy clusters and beyond. Structure formation drives compression and turbulence, which amplify tiny magnetic seed fields to the microGauss values that are observed in the intracluster medium. This process is intimately connected to the properties of turbulence and the microphysics of the intra-cluster medium. Additional roles are played by merger induced shocks that sweep through the intra-cluster medium and motions induced by sloshing cool cores. The accurate simulation of magnetic field amplification in clusters still poses a serious challenge for simulations of cosmological structure formation. We review the current literature on cosmological simulations that include magnetic fields and outline theoretical as well as numerical challenges.Comment: 60 pages, 19 Figure

Fine mapping of qSTV11KAS, a major QTL for rice stripe disease resistance

Rice stripe disease, caused by rice stripe virus (RSV), is one of the most serious diseases in temperate rice-growing areas. In the present study, we performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis for RSV resistance using 98 backcross inbred lines derived from the cross between the highly resistant variety, Kasalath, and the highly susceptible variety, Nipponbare. Under artificial inoculation in the greenhouse, two QTLs for RSV resistance, designated qSTV7 and qSTV11KAS, were detected on chromosomes 7 and 11 respectively, whereas only one QTL was detected in the same location of chromosome 11 under natural inoculation in the field. The stability of qSTV11KAS was validated using 39 established chromosome segment substitution lines. Fine mapping of qSTV11KAS was carried out using 372 BC3F2:3 recombinants and 399 BC3F3:4 lines selected from 7,018 BC3F2 plants of the cross SL-234/Koshihikari. The qSTV11KAS was localized to a 39.2 kb region containing seven annotated genes. The most likely candidate gene, LOC_Os11g30910, is predicted to encode a sulfotransferase domain-containing protein. The predicted protein encoded by the Kasalath allele differs from Nipponbare by a single amino acid substitution and the deletion of two amino acids within the sulfotransferase domain. Marker-resistance association analysis revealed that the markers L104-155 bp and R48-194 bp were highly correlated with RSV resistance in the 148 landrace varieties. These results provide a basis for the cloning of qSTV11KAS, and the markers may be used for molecular breeding of RSV resistant rice varieties

Modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty. Experimental study in dogs

Background: This prospective experimental study evaluated the surgical procedure and results of modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty in dogs.Methods: Ten skeletally mature healthy mongrel dogs with weights varying between 19 and 27 kg were used. Cemented modular femoral stems and uncemented porous-coated acetabular cups were employed. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed before surgery and at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 360 days post-operation.Results: Excellent weight bearing was noticed in the operated limb in seven dogs. Dislocation followed by loosening of the prosthesis was noticed in two dogs, which were therefore properly treated with a femoral head osteotomy. Femoral fracture occurred in one dog, which was promptly treated with full implant removal and femoral osteosynthesis.Conclusions: The canine modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty provided excellent functionality of the operated limb

Lethal Influenza Virus Infection in Macaques Is Associated with Early Dysregulation of Inflammatory Related Genes

The enormous toll on human life during the 1918–1919 Spanish influenza pandemic is a constant reminder of the potential lethality of influenza viruses. With the declaration by the World Health Organization of a new H1N1 influenza virus pandemic, and with continued human cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection, a better understanding of the host response to highly pathogenic influenza viruses is essential. To this end, we compared pathology and global gene expression profiles in bronchial tissue from macaques infected with either the reconstructed 1918 pandemic virus or the highly pathogenic avian H5N1 virus A/Vietnam/1203/04. Severe pathology was observed in respiratory tissues from 1918 virus-infected animals as early as 12 hours after infection, and pathology steadily increased at later time points. Although tissues from animals infected with A/Vietnam/1203/04 also showed clear signs of pathology early on, less pathology was observed at later time points, and there was evidence of tissue repair. Global transcriptional profiles revealed that specific groups of genes associated with inflammation and cell death were up-regulated in bronchial tissues from animals infected with the 1918 virus but down-regulated in animals infected with A/Vietnam/1203/04. Importantly, the 1918 virus up-regulated key components of the inflammasome, NLRP3 and IL-1β, whereas these genes were down-regulated by A/Vietnam/1203/04 early after infection. TUNEL assays revealed that both viruses elicited an apoptotic response in lungs and bronchi, although the response occurred earlier during 1918 virus infection. Our findings suggest that the severity of disease in 1918 virus-infected macaques is a consequence of the early up-regulation of cell death and inflammatory related genes, in which additive or synergistic effects likely dictate the severity of tissue damage

Sphingomimetic multiple sclerosis drug FTY720 activates vesicular synaptobrevin and augments neuroendocrine secretion

Neurotransmission and secretion of hormones involve a sequence of protein/lipid interactions with lipid turnover impacting on vesicle trafficking and ultimately fusion of secretory vesicles with the plasma membrane. We previously demonstrated that sphingosine, a sphingolipid metabolite, promotes formation of the SNARE complex required for membrane fusion and also increases the rate of exocytosis in isolated nerve terminals, neuromuscular junctions, neuroendocrine cells and in hippocampal neurons. Recently a fungi-derived sphingosine homologue, FTY720, has been approved for treatment of multiple sclerosis. In its non-phosphorylated form FTY720 accumulates in the central nervous system, reaching high levels which could affect neuronal function. Considering close structural similarity of sphingosine and FTY720 we investigated whether FTY720 has an effect on regulated exocytosis. Our data demonstrate that FTY720 can activate vesicular synaptobrevin for SNARE complex formation and enhance exocytosis in neuroendocrine cells and neurons

Expressed sequence tag analysis of khat (Catha edulis) provides a putative molecular biochemical basis for the biosynthesis of phenylpropylamino alkaloids

Khat (Catha edulis Forsk.) is a flowering perennial shrub cultivated for its neurostimulant properties resulting mainly from the occurrence of (S)-cathinone in young leaves. The biosynthesis of (S)-cathinone and the related phenylpropylamino alkaloids (1S,2S)-cathine and (1R,2S)-norephedrine is not well characterized in plants. We prepared a cDNA library from young khat leaves and sequenced 4,896 random clones, generating an expressed sequence tag (EST) library of 3,293 unigenes. Putative functions were assigned to > 98% of the ESTs, providing a key resource for gene discovery. Candidates potentially involved at various stages of phenylpropylamino alkaloid biosynthesis from L-phenylalanine to (1S,2S)-cathine were identified