3,358 research outputs found
On the Relation of Hard X-ray Peak Flux and Outburst Waiting Time in the Black Hole Transient GX 339-4
Aims. In this work we re-investigated the empirical relation between the hard
X-ray peak flux and the outburst waiting time found previously in the black
hole transient GX 339-4. We tested the relation using the observed hard X-ray
peak flux of the 2007 outburst of GX 339-4, clarified issues about faint
flares, and estimated the lower limit of hard X-ray peak flux for the next
outburst. Methods. We included Swift/BAT data obtained in the past four years.
Together with the CGRO/BATSE and RXTE/HEXTE light curves, the observations used
in this work cover a period of 18 years. Results. The observation of the 2007
outburst confirms the empirical relation discovered before. This strengthens
the apparent link between the mass in the accretion disk and the peak
luminosity of the brightest hard state that the black hole transient can reach.
We also show that faint flares with peak fluxes smaller than about 0.12 crab do
not affect the empirical relation. We predict that the hard X-ray peak flux of
the next outburst should be larger than 0.65 crab, which will make it at least
the second brightest in the hard X-ray since 1991.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted by A&
Novel Synthesis and High Pressure Behavior of Na0.3CoO2 x 1.3 H2O and Related Phases
We have prepared powder samples of NaxCoO2 x yH2O using a new synthesis
route. Superconductivity was observed in Na0.3CoO2 x 1.3H2O between 4 and 5K as
indicated by the magnetic susceptibility. The bulk compressibilities of
Na0.3CoO2 x 1.3H2O, Na0.3CoO2 x 0.6H2O and Na0.3CoO2 were determined using a
diamond anvil cell and synchrotron powder diffraction. Chemical changes
occurring under pressure when using different pressure transmitting media are
discussed and further transport measurements are advocated.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, PRrapid submitte
Microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activities of urban soils in Beijing
Introduction To promote rational and sustainable use of soil resources and to maintain the urban soil quality, it is essential to assess urban ecosystem health. In this study, the microbiological properties of urban soils in Beijing and their spatial distribution patterns across the city were evaluated based on measurements of microbial biomass carbon and urease and invertase activities of the soils for the purpose of assessing the urban ecosystem health of Beijing. Materials and methods Grid sampling design, normal Kriging technique, and the multiple comparisons among different land use types were used in soil sampling and data treatment. The inherent chemical characteristics of urban soils in Beijing, e.g., soil pH, electronic conductivity, heavy metal contents, total N, P and K contents, and soil organic matter contents were detected. The size and diversity of microbial community and the extent of microbial activity in Beijing urban soils were measured as the microbial biomass carbon content and the ratio of microbial biomass carbon content to total soil organic carbon. Results and discussion The microbial community health measured in terms of microbial biomass carbon, urease, and invertase activities varied with the organic substrate and nutrient contents of the soils and were not adversely affected by the presence of heavy metals at p < 0.01. It was shown that the older and the biologically more stable part of city exhibited higher microbial activity levels than the more recently developed part of the city and the road areas of heavy traffic. It was concluded that the land use patterns in Beijing urban soils influenced the nature and activities of the microbial communities
Sleeping Beauty screen reveals Pparg activation in metastatic prostate cancer
Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most common adult male cancer in the developed world. The paucity of biomarkers to predict prostate tumor biology makes it important to identify key pathways that confer poor prognosis and guide potential targeted therapy. Using a murine forward mutagenesis screen in a Pten-null background, we identified peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg), encoding a ligand-activated transcription factor, as a promoter of metastatic CaP through activation of lipid signaling pathways, including up-regulation of lipid synthesis enzymes [fatty acid synthase (FASN), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), ATP citrate lyase (ACLY)]. Importantly, inhibition of PPARG suppressed tumor growth in vivo, with down-regulation of the lipid synthesis program. We show that elevated levels of PPARG strongly correlate with elevation of FASN in human CaP and that high levels of PPARG/FASN and PI3K/pAKT pathway activation confer a poor prognosis. These data suggest that CaP patients could be stratified in terms of PPARG/FASN and PTEN levels to identify patients with aggressive CaP who may respond favorably to PPARG/FASN inhibition
What's Interesting About Strangeness Production? - An Overview of Recent Results
In this paper I highlight a few selected topics on strange particle
production in heavy-ion collisions. By studying the yield and spectra of
strange particles we hope to gain understanding of the conditions reached in,
and the ensuing dynamics of, the systems produced when ultra-relativistic
heavy-ions are collided.Comment: 17 Pages, 18 figures, Hot Quarks 2004 Proceeding
A functional genomics screen reveals a strong synergistic effect between docetaxel and the mitotic gene DLGAP5 that is mediated by the androgen receptor
Based on a molecular classification of prostate cancer using gene expression pathway signatures, we derived a set of 48 genes in critical pathways that significantly predicts clinical outcome in all tested patient cohorts. We tested these genes in a functional genomics screen in a panel of three prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, PC3, DU145), using RNA interference. The screen revealed several genes whose knockdown caused strong growth inhibition in all cell lines. Additionally, we tested the gene set in the presence of docetaxel to see whether any gene exhibited additive or synergistic effects with the drug. We observed a strong synergistic effect between DLGAP5 knockdown and docetaxel in the androgen-sensitive line LNCaP, but not in the two other androgen-independent lines. We then tested whether this effect was connected to androgen pathways and found that knockdown of the androgen receptor by si-RNA attenuated the synergy significantly. Similarly, androgen desensitized LNCaP-AI cells had a higher IC50 to docetaxel and did not exhibit the synergistic interaction. Short-term exposure to enzalutamide did not significantly alter the behaviour of parental LNCaP cells. An immunofluorescence analysis in LNCaP cells suggests that under the double insult of DLGAP5 knockdown and docetaxel, cells predominantly arrest in metaphase. In contrast, the knockdown of the androgen receptor by siRNA appears to assist cells to progress through metaphase in to anaphase, even in the presence of docetaxel. Our data suggest that DLGAP5 has a unique function in stabilizing spindle formation and surviving microtubule assault from docetaxel, in an androgen-regulated cell cycle system
Ni-substituted sites and the effect on Cu electron spin dynamics of YBa2Cu{3-x}NixO{7-\delta}
We report Cu nuclear quadrupole resonance experiment on magnetic impurity
Ni-substituted YBaCuNiO. The distribution of
Ni-substituted sites and its effect on the Cu electron spin dynamics are
investigated. Two samples with the same Ni concentration =0.10 and nearly
the same oxygen content but different 's were prepared: One is an
as-synthesized sample (7-=6.93) in air (), and the
other is a quenched one (7-=6.92) in a reduced oxygen atmosphere
(). The plane-site Cu(2) nuclear spin-lattice
relaxation for the quenched sample was faster than that for the as-synthesized
sample, in contrast to the Cu(1) relaxation that was faster for the
as-synthesized sample. This indicates that the density of plane-site Ni(2) is
higher in the quenched sample, contrary to the chain-site Ni(1) density which
is lower in the quenched sample. From the analysis in terms of the Ni-induced
nuclear spin-lattice relaxation, we suggest that the primary origin of
suppression of is associated with nonmagnetic depairing effect of the
plane-site Ni(2).Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Anomalous Low Temperature Behavior of Superconducting Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y)
We have measured the temperature dependence of the in-plane London
penetration depth lambda(T) and the maximum Josephson current Ic(T) using
bicrystal grain boundary Josephson junctions of the electron-doped cuprate
superconductor Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y). Both quantities reveal an anomalous
temperature dependence below about 4 K. In contrast to the usual monotonous
decrease (increase) of lambda(T) (Ic(T)) with decreasing temperature, lambda(T)
and Ic(T) are found to increase and decrease, respectively, with decreasing
temperature below 4 K resulting in a non-monotonous overall temperature
dependence. This anomalous behavior was found to be absent in analogous
measurements performed on Pr(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y). From this we conclude that
the anomalous behavior of Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) is caused by the presence of
the Nd3+ paramagnetic moments. Correcting the measured lambda(T) dependence of
Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) for the temperature dependent susceptibility due to
the Nd moments, an exponential dependence is obtained indicating isotropic
s-wave pairing. This result is fully consistent with the lambda(T) dependence
measured for Pr(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y).Comment: 4 pages including 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Substitution for Cu in the electron-doped infinite-layer superconductor Sr0.9La0.1CuO2, Ni reduces Tc much faster than Zn
We report on the effect of substitution for Cu on Tc of electron-doped
infinite-layer superconductors Sr0.9La0.1Cu1-xRxO2, R = Zn and Ni. We found
that Tc was nearly constant until x = 0.03 for R = Zn, while superconductivity
was nearly suppressed for x = 0.02 with dTc/dx = 20 K/% for R = Ni. This
behavior is very similar to that of conventional superconductors. These
findings are discussed in terms of the superconducting gap symmetry in the
cuprate superconductors including another electron-doped superconductor,
(Nd,Ce)2CuO4-y.Comment: 5 pages and 2 EPS figures, [email protected] for material reques
High Temperature Superconductivity in Transition Metal Oxypnictides: a Rare-Earth Puzzle?
We have performed an extensive ab initio LDA and LSDA+U calculations of
electronic structure of newly discovered high-temperature superconducting
series ReO(1-x)F(x)FeAs (Re=La,Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm and hypothetical case of Re=Y).
In all cases we obtain almost identical electronic spectrum (both energy
dispersions and the densities of states) in rather wide energy interval (about
2 eV) around the Fermi level. We also debate that this fact is unlikely to be
changed by the account of strong correlations. It leads inevitably to the same
critical temperature Tc of superconducting transition in any theoretical
BCS-like mechanism of Cooper pair formation. We argue that the experimentally
observed variations of Tc for different rare-earth substitutions are either due
to disorder effects or less probably because of possible changes in
spin-fluctuation spectrum of FeAs layers caused by magnetic interactions with
rare-earth spins in ReO layers.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, 2 table
- …