Empirical extinction coefficients for the GALEX, SDSS, 2MASS and WISE passbands

Using the "standard pair" technique of paring stars of almost nil and high extinction but otherwise of almost identical stellar parameters from the SDSS, and combing the SDSS, GALEX, 2MASS and WISE photometry ranging from the far UV to the mid-IR, we have measured dust reddening in the FUV-NUV, NUV-u, u-g, g-r, r-i, i-z, z-J, J-H, H-Ks, Ks-W1 and W1-W2 colors for thousands of Galactic stars. The measurements, together with the E(B-V) values given by Schlegel et al. (1998), allow us to derive the observed, model-free reddening coefficients for those colors. The results are compared with previous measurements and the predictions of a variety of Galactic reddening laws. We find that 1) The dust reddening map of Schlegel et al. (1998) over-estimates E(B-V) by about 14 per cent, consistent with the recent work of Schlafly et al. (2010) and Schlafly & Finkbeiner (2011); 2) All the new reddening coefficients, except those for NUV-u and u-g, prefer the R(V) = 3.1 Fitzpatrick reddening law rather than the R(V) = 3.1 CCM and O'Donnell (O'Donnell 1994) reddening laws. Using the Ks-band extinction coefficient predicted by the R(V) = 3.1 Fitzpatrick law and the observed reddening coefficients, we have deduced new extinction coefficients for the FUV, NUV, u, g, r, i, z, J, H, W1 and W2 passbands. We recommend that the new reddening and extinction coefficients should be used in the future and an update of the Fitzpatrick reddening law in the UV is probably necessary. We stress however that the FUV- and NUV-band coefficients should be used with caution given their relatively large measurement uncertainties. Finally, potential applications of the "standard pair" technique with the LAMOST Galactic surveys are discussed.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, accepted to MNRA

Entropy/Area spectra of the charged black hole from quasinormal modes

With the new physical interpretation of quasinormal modes proposed by Maggiore, the quantum area spectra of black holes have been investigated recently. Adopting the modified Hod's treatment, results show that the area spectra for black holes are equally spaced and the spacings are in a unified form, $\triangle A=8\pi \hbar$, in Einstein gravity. On the other hand, following Kunstatter's method, the studies show that the area spectrum for a nonrotating black hole with no charge is equidistant. And for a rotating (or charged) black hole, it is also equidistant and independent of the angular momentum $J$ (or charge $q$) when the black hole is far from the extremal case. In this paper, we mainly deal with the area spectrum of the stringy charged Garfinkle-Horowitz-Strominger black hole, originating from effective action that emerges in the low-energy string theory. We find that both methods give the same results-that the area spectrum is equally spaced and does not depend on the charge $q$. Our study may provide new insights into understanding the area spectrum and entropy spectrum for stringy black holes.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

On the linearly polarized gluon distributions in the color dipole model

We show that the linearly polarized gluon distributions appear in the color dipole model as we derive the full cross sections of the DIS dijet production and the Drell-Yan dijet ($\gamma^*$ jet correlation) process. Together with the normal Weizs\"acker-Williams gluon distribution, the linearly polarized one will contribute to the DIS dijet production cross section as the coefficient of the $\cos(2 \Delta \phi)$ term in the correlation limit. We also derive the exact results for the cross section of the Drell-Yan dijet process, and find that the linearly polarized dipole gluon distribution which is identical to the normal dipole gluon distribution involves in the cross section. The results obtained in this paper agree with the previous transverse momentum dependent factorization study. We further derive the small-$x$ evolution of these linearly polarized gluon distributions and find that they rise as $x$ gets small at high energy.Comment: 10 pages,v2 with minor revisio

Potential applications of JAK inhibitors, clinically approved drugs against autoimmune diseases, in cancer therapy

Disturbances in immunoregulation may lead to both cancer and autoimmune diseases. Many therapeutic drugs for autoimmune diseases also display anti-tumor efficacy. The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathways are involved in the secretion of more than 50 distinct cytokines, which have critical roles in inducing autoimmune diseases and tumorigenesis. Thus, Janus kinases have become classical immunotherapeutic targets for immune disease. More than 70 Janus kinase inhibitors have been approved as immunomodulatory drugs for clinical use, of which 12 are used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. This systematic review aims to elucidate the anti-tumor role of clinically approved Janus kinase inhibitors that were primarily designed for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and their potential for clinical translation as cancer treatments