The formation and evolution of massive black holes

The past 10 years have witnessed a change of perspective in the way astrophysicists think about massive black holes (MBHs), which are now considered to have a major role in the evolution of galaxies. This appreciation was driven by the realization that black holes of millions of solar masses and above reside in the center of most galaxies, including the Milky Way. MBHs also powered active galactic nuclei known to exist just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. Here, I summarize the current ideas on the evolution of MBHs through cosmic history, from their formation about 13 billion years ago to their growth within their host galaxies.     

加州扁鸟蛤（Clinocardium californiense）数量性状的相关性及通径分析

对加州扁鸟蛤的体尺性状与质量性状之间的相关分析结果表明,所测量的加州扁鸟蛤的11个数量性状（壳长、壳高、壳宽、壳顶至壳前、壳顶到壳后、壳前到壳缘、壳后至壳缘、体质量、壳质量、软体部质量及软体部干重）间的相关性均为极显著水平（P<0.01）。通径分析结果显示,直接影响体质量、壳质量及软体部质量的主要体尺性状是壳宽,其直接作用分别为0.383、0.540、0.419;从间接作用看,壳高对体质量的间接作用最大,为0.580;b对壳质量的间接作用最大,为0.583;a对软体部质量的间接作用最大,为0.639。采用逐步回归方法建立了利用体尺性状估计质量性状的最优回归方程分别为：BW=-28.816+0.714Sw+0.213SH+0.245SL+0.321b,SW=-13.453+0.152SH+0.486Sw+0.148b,MW=-7.629+0.085SH+0.237Sw+0.068a+0.083d。该研究结果为加州扁鸟蛤的人工养殖和种质资源研究提供理论参考。     

Durability of the accretion disk of millisecond pulsars

Pulsars with pulsation periods in the millisecond range are thought to be neutron stars that have acquired an extraordinarily short spin period through the accretion of stellar material spiraling down onto the neutron star from a nearby companion. Nearly all the angular momentum and most of the mass of the companion star is transferred to the neutron star. During this process, wherein the neutron star consumes its companion, it is required that a disk of stellar material be formed around the neutron star. In conventional models it is supposed that the disk is somehow lost when the accretion phase is finished, so that only the rapidly spinning neutron star remains. However, it is possible that, after the accretion phase, a residual disk remains in stable orbit around the neutron star. The end result of such an accretion process is an object that looks much like a miniature (about 100 kilometers), heavy version of Saturn: a central object (the neutron star) surrounded by a durable disk.     

鸡mir-1644基因“seed”区的T＞C多态分析

 【目的】观察“seed”区T＞C多态对鸡mir-1644基因“茎环”结构和靶基因选择的影响,分析其在不同鸡群的遗传分布,为揭示其对mir-1644表达调控的影响及表型效应奠定基础。【方法】利用mfold和miRanda软件进行mir-1644二级结构模拟和靶基因预测,采用引入酶切位点RFLP技术对6个鸡群的179个个体进行基 因型检测。【结果】①T→C突变可导致pre-mir-1644空间构型和自由能改变,稳定性降低;②预测到21个mir-1644-T和mir-1644-C基因差异调控的靶基因。③在汶上芦花鸡群体内以C等位基因为优势基因,与其它鸡间的基因型分布存在显著差异（P＜0.01）。【结论】“seed”区T＞C 突变可能干扰或破坏mir-1644基因的表达调控,且CC基因型可能与汶上芦花鸡某些表型变异有关。     

油桐主要种实性状遗传参数的研究

本文用17个家系连续4年的观测值,系统地估算了油桐果重、果径、果高、果形指数、单果含籽数、单粒籽重、出籽率、出仁率、出油率和单株产籽量等10个性状的遗传力、遗传相关和重复力。结果表明,单粒籽重、果形指数、单株产籽量和出油率的遗传力较大,h_f~2依次为0.719,0.555,0.583和0.564,单果含籽数的遗传力最低,只有0.032;果重与单粒籽重、出籽率、单株产籽量,果形指数与出籽率、出油率,每果含籽数与单粒籽重,单粒籽重与出仁率,出油率与单株产籽量的遗传相关紧密,r_A依次为0.90,-0.74,0.80,-0.70,0.86,-0.96,-0.84和-0.73;单粒籽重、果径、果高、果形指数和果重的重复力较大,t_I依次为0.682,0.665,0.563,0.527和0.515,单株产籽量重复力最低,只有0.190.     

BS-DTAB复配修饰红壤对苯酚的吸附

为了探究复配修饰后,可变电荷类型的红壤与恒电荷土壤对苯酚的吸附差异,以红壤作为供试土样,在两性表面活性剂BS-12(十二烷基二甲基甜菜碱)修饰的基础上,以阳离子型表面活性剂DTAB(十二烷基三甲基溴化铵)复配修饰制备两性-阳离子复配修饰红壤,采用批处理法研究在单一苯酚及Cd2+复合条件下供试土样对苯酚的吸附效果,并分析不同修饰比例、温度、离子强度和pH的影响。结果表明,DTAB复配修饰增强了BS-12两性修饰红壤对苯酚的吸附能力,单一苯酚表现出在总修饰比例小于150%CEC时吸附量随着修饰比例的增加而递增;各修饰土对苯酚的吸附具有增温负效应;苯酚吸附量随着pH的升高而降低;随着离子强度的增大,苯酚单一处理时供试土样对苯酚吸附量减少,但苯酚和Cd2+复合处理时,则呈现先降低后升高的趋势。Henry模型能较好地拟合各修饰红壤对苯酚吸附的等温吸附数据,吸附以分配机制为主;供试土样对苯酚的吸附属于自发的物理吸附过程。复配修饰红壤的苯酚吸附量低于恒电荷土壤,其黏土矿物成分决定的低CEC是主要影响因素。     

A 200-second quasi-periodicity after the tidal disruption of a star by a dormant black hole

Supermassive black holes (SMBHs; mass is greater than or approximately 10(5) times that of the Sun) are known to exist at the center of most galaxies with sufficient stellar mass. In the local universe, it is possible to infer their properties from the surrounding stars or gas. However, at high redshifts we require active, continuous accretion to infer the presence of the SMBHs, which often comes in the form of long-term accretion in active galactic nuclei. SMBHs can also capture and tidally disrupt stars orbiting nearby, resulting in bright flares from otherwise quiescent black holes. Here, we report on a ~200-second x-ray quasi-periodicity around a previously dormant SMBH located in the center of a galaxy at redshift z = 0.3534. This result may open the possibility of probing general relativity beyond our local universe.     

Quasars at 25

In the quarter century since the first optical identification of a "radio star" (3C 48), astronomers have come to general agreement that the underlying quasar energy source is accretion onto a massive black hole. There is much less agreement on the detailed physics of the processes by which this energy is converted to the forms observed, but this has not prevented the objects from serving as valuable probes of the universe at distant times and places.     

Three-layered atmospheric structure in accretion disks around stellar-mass black holes

Modeling of the x-ray spectra of the Galactic superluminal jet sources GRS 1915+105 and GRO J1655-40 reveals a three-layered atmospheric structure in the inner region of their accretion disks. Above the cold and optically thick disk with a temperature of 0.2 to 0.5 kiloelectron volts, there is a warm layer with a temperature of 1.0 to 1.5 kiloelectron volts and an optical depth around 10. Sometimes there is also a much hotter, optically thin corona above the warm layer, with a temperature of 100 kiloelectron volts or higher and an optical depth around unity. The structural similarity between the accretion disks and the solar atmosphere suggests that similar physical processes may be operating in these different systems.     

A direct measurement of the terrestrial mass accretion rate of cosmic dust

The mass of extraterrestrial material accreted by the Earth as submillimeter particles has not previously been measured with a single direct and precise technique that samples the particle sizes representing most of that mass. The flux of meteoroids in the mass range 10(-9) to 10(-4) grams has now been determined from an examination of hypervelocity impact craters on the space-facing end of the Long Duration Exposure Facility satellite. The meteoroid mass distribution peaks near 1.5 x 10(-5) grams (200 micrometers in diameter), and the small particle mass accretion rate is (40 +/- 20) x 106 kilograms per year, higher than previous estimates but in good agreement with total terrestrial mass accretion rates found by geochemical methods. This mass input is comparable with or greater than the average contribution from extraterrestrial bodies in the 1-centimeter to 10-kilometer size range.     

Discovery of a compact radio component in the center of supernova 1986J

Very-long-baseline interferometry observations have revealed a bright, compact radio component near the center of the expanding shell of supernova 1986J. The component, not present in earlier images, has an inverted radio spectrum different from that of the shell. Such an inversion has not been seen in the spectrum of any other supernova. The new component is likely radio emission associated either with accretion onto a black hole or with the nebula formed around an energetic young neutron star in the center of SN 1986J, which would directly link either a black hole or a neutron star to a modern supernova.     

Properties of gamma-ray burst progenitor stars

We determined some basic properties of stars that produce spectacular gamma-ray bursts at the end of their lives. We assumed that accretion of the outer portion of the stellar core by a central black hole fuels the prompt emission and that fall-back and accretion of the stellar envelope later produce the plateau in the x-ray light curve seen in some bursts. Using x-ray data for three bursts, we estimated the radius of the stellar core to be approximately (1 - 3) x 10(10) cm and that of the stellar envelope to be approximately (1 - 2) x 10(11) cm. The density profile in the envelope is fairly shallow, with rho approximately r(-2) (where rho is density and r is distance from the center of the explosion). The rotation speeds of the core and envelope are approximately 0.05 and approximately 0.2 of the local Keplerian speed, respectively.     

海金沙的鉴别及药学研究进展

在广泛文献检索的基础上,对海金沙的鉴别及药用成分、药理作用和临床应用等方面的研究进展进行了综述。由结果可知,可通过性状、理化、显微鉴别的方法对其进行鉴别;海金沙具有多种药理作用,并已应用于临床。 更多还原     

A pseudoautosomal gene in man

The X/Y homologous gene MIC2 was shown to exchange between the sex chromosomes, thus demonstrating that it is a pseudoautosomal gene in man. MIC2 recombines with the sex-determining gene(s) TDF at a frequency of 2 to 3 percent. It is the most proximal pseudoautosomal locus thus far described and as such is an important marker for use in studies directed towards the isolation of TDF.     

金银花愈伤组织诱导及绿原酸含量测定

优化金银花愈伤组织诱导主要条件,建立愈伤组织培养体系并测定其绿原酸含量。结果表明,金银花芽为最佳的诱导外植体,经过70%酒精30 s、5%的次氯酸钠10 min消毒处理,接种于激素配比为NAA 1.5 mg/L+2,4-D 1.0 mg/L+KT 0.75 mg/L+6-BA 0.15 mg/L的MS培养基中,暗培养9 d后再进行光、暗交替培养,可诱导出淡黄色,疏松、生长旺盛的愈伤组织;愈伤组织生长曲线呈S型,24 d生长量为(21.62±0.54)g/瓶;通过高效液相检测,愈伤组织每100 g样品含有绿原酸57 mg。经验证金银花愈伤组织诱导条件稳定,含一定的绿原酸为进一步建立细胞悬浮培养体系高效生物积累金银花细胞及绿原酸功能成分奠定基础。     

Neutrino astrophysics: a new tool for exploring the universe

In the past four decades a new type of astronomy has emerged, where instead of looking up into the sky, "telescopes" are buried miles underground or deep under water or ice and search not for photons (that is, light), but rather for particles called neutrinos. Neutrinos are nearly massless particles that interact very weakly with matter. The detection of neutrinos emitted by the Sun and by a nearby supernova provided direct tests of the theory of stellar evolution and led to modifications of the standard model describing the properties of elementary particles. At present, several very large neutrino detectors are being constructed, aiming at the detection of the most powerful sources of energy and particles in the universe. The hope is that the detection of neutrinos from these sources, which are extra-Galactic and are most likely powered by mass accretion onto black holes, will not only allow study of the sources, but, much like solar neutrinos, will also provide new information about fundamental properties of matter.     

Chromosome Y-specific DNA is transferred to the short arm of X chromosome in human XX males

Y-chromosomal DNA is present in the genomes of most human XX males. In these cases, maleness is probably due to the presence of the Y-encoded testis-determining factor (TDF). By means of in situ hybridization of a probe (pDP105) detecting Y-specific DNA to metaphases from three XX males, it was demonstrated that the Y DNA is located on the tip of the short arm of an X chromosome. This finding supports the hypothesis that XX maleness is frequently the result of transfer of Y DNA, including TDF, to a paternally derived X chromosome.     

诺氟沙星对胡敏酸吸附铜的影响

根据OECD Guideline 106批平衡试验,研究了诺氟沙星对胡敏酸吸附铜的动力学、吸附等温线以及热力学的影响。结果表明,铜单独存在以及铜与诺氟沙星共存时,伪二级动力学方程均能较好地描述铜在胡敏酸上的吸附动力学曲线,相关系数都超过了0.99,而诺氟沙星的存在降低了铜的吸附速率。在pH 3.0~5.5范围内,铜在胡敏酸上的吸附均符合Langmuir方程,诺氟沙星的存在抑制了胡敏酸对铜的吸附,一个原因是铜与诺氟沙星形成带正电的络合物,胡敏酸对该络合物的亲和力比铜低,另一个原因是带正电的诺氟沙星阳离子与铜在胡敏酸上产生了竞争吸附,导致铜在胡敏酸上的吸附量降低。pH从3.0升高至5.5时,铜单独存在以及铜与诺氟沙星共存时,铜在胡敏酸上的吸附量均随pH的升高而增加,表明铜离子及带正电的铜与诺氟沙星的络合物是通过阳离子交换作用和静电作用力吸附到胡敏酸上。热力学实验结果表明,诺氟沙星存在时铜在胡敏酸上的吸附是一个吸附热及混乱度增加的过程。     

Very high energy gamma-ray binary stars

One of the major astronomical discoveries of the last two decades was the detection of luminous x-ray binary star systems in which gravitational energy from accretion is released by the emission of x-ray photons, which have energies in the range of 0.1 to 10 kiloelectron volts. Recent observations have shown that some of these binary sources also emit photons in the energy range of 10(12) electron volts and above. Such sources contain a rotating neutron star that is accreting matter from a companion. Techniques to detect such radiation are ground-based, simple, and inexpensive. Four binary sources (Hercules X-1, 4U0115+63, Vela X-1, and Cygnus X-3) have been observed by at least two independent groups. Although the discovery of such very high energy "gamma-ray binaries" was not theoretically anticipated, models have now been proposed that attempt to explain the behavior of one or more of the sources. The implications of these observations is that a significant portion of the more energetic cosmic rays observed on Earth may arise from the action of similar sources within the galaxy during the past few million years.     

Mosaic histocompatibility of skin grafts from female mice

The histoincompatibility determined by one or more genes on the X chromosome of the mouse effects a complete rejection of skin of the (C57BL/6 female symbol x BALB/c male symbol) F(1) hybrid male grafted onto the reciprocal type F(1) hybrid male, but only an incomplete rejection of either reciprocal type F(1) hybrid female skin, grafted onto the same type of male host. The resulting mosaic survival pattern of the female graft is interpreted as support for the Lyon hypothesis of X-chromosome inactivation.