Protostellar Jet and Outflow in the Collapsing Cloud Core

We investigate the driving mechanism of outflows and jets in star formation process using resistive MHD nested grid simulations. We found two distinct flows in the collapsing cloud core: Low-velocity outflows (sim 5 km/s) with a wide opening angle, driven from the first adiabatic core, and high-velocity jets (sim 50 km/s) with good collimation, driven from the protostar. High-velocity jets are enclosed by low-velocity outflow. The difference in the degree of collimation between the two flows is caused by the strength of the magnetic field and configuration of the magnetic field lines. The magnetic field around an adiabatic core is strong and has an hourglass configuration. Therefore, the low-velocity outflow from the adiabatic core are driven mainly by the magnetocentrifugal mechanism and guided by the hourglass-like field lines. In contrast, the magnetic field around the protostar is weak and has a straight configuration owing to Ohmic dissipation in the high-density gas region. Therefore, high-velocity jet from the protostar are driven mainly by the magnetic pressure gradient force and guided by straight field lines. Differing depth of the gravitational potential between the adiabatic core and the protostar cause the difference of the flow speed. Low-velocity outflows correspond to the observed molecular outflows, while high-velocity jets correspond to the observed optical jets. We suggest that the protostellar outflow and the jet are driven by different cores (the first adiabatic core and protostar), rather than that the outflow being entrained by the jet.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the "Protostellar Jets in Context" conference held on the island of Rhodes, Greece (7-12 July 2008

Mantle thermal pulses below the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and temporal variations in the formation of oceanic lithosphere

A 20-Myr record of creation of oceanic lithosphere is exposed along a segment of the central Mid-Atlantic Ridge on an uplifted sliver of lithosphere. The degree of melting of the mantle that is upwelling below the ridge, estimated from the chemistry of the exposed mantle rocks, as well as crustal thickness inferred from gravity measurements, show oscillations of 3–4 Myr superimposed on a longer-term steady increase with time. The time lag between oscillations of mantle melting and crustal thickness indicates that the mantle is upwelling at an average rate of 25 mm yr-1, but this appears to vary through time. Slow-spreading lithosphere seems to form through dynamic pulses of mantle upwelling and melting, leading not only to along-axis segmentation but also to across-axis structural variability. Also, the central Mid-Atlantic Ridge appears to have become steadily hotter over the past 20 Myr, possibly owing to north–south mantle flow

The gauge theory of dislocations: static solutions of screw and edge dislocations

We investigate the T(3)-gauge theory of static dislocations in continuous solids. We use the most general linear constitutive relations bilinear in the elastic distortion tensor and dislocation density tensor for the force and pseudomoment stresses of an isotropic solid. The constitutive relations contain six material parameters. In this theory both the force and pseudomoment stresses are asymmetric. The theory possesses four characteristic lengths l1, l2, l3 and l4 which are given explicitely. We first derive the three-dimensional Green tensor of the master equation for the force stresses in the translational gauge theory of dislocations. We then investigate the situation of generalized plane strain (anti-plane strain and plane strain). Using the stress function method, we find modified stress functions for screw and edge dislocations. The solution of the screw dislocation is given in terms of one independent length l1=l4. For the problem of an edge dislocation, only two characteristic lengths l2 and l3 arise with one of them being the same l2=l1 as for the screw dislocation. Thus, this theory possesses only two independent lengths for generalized plane strain. If the two lengths l2 and l3 of an edge dislocation are equal, we obtain an edge dislocation which is the gauge theoretical version of a modified Volterra edge dislocation. In the case of symmetric stresses we recover well known results obtained earlier.Comment: 33 pages, 17 figure

Diagnosis and treatment trends in mucopolysaccharidosis I: findings from the MPS I Registry

Our objective was to assess how the diagnosis and treatment of mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) have changed over time. We used data from 891 patients in the MPS I Registry, an international observational database, to analyze ages at symptom onset, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and treatment allocation (hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, enzyme replacement therapy with laronidase, both, or neither) over time for all disease phenotypes (Hurler, Hurler–Scheie, and Scheie syndromes). The interval between diagnosis and treatment has become shorter since laronidase became available in 2003 (gap during 2006–2009: Hurler—0.2 year, Hurler–Scheie—0.5 year, Scheie—1.4 years). However, the age at diagnosis has not decreased for any MPS I phenotype over time, and the interval between symptom onset and treatment initiation remains substantial for both Hurler–Scheie and Scheie patients (gap during 2006–2009, 2.42 and 6.71 years, respectively). Among transplanted patients, an increasing proportion received hematopoietic stem cells from cord blood (34 out of 64 patients by 2009) and was also treated with laronidase (42 out of 45 patients by 2009). Conclusions: Despite the availability of laronidase since 2003, the diagnosis of MPS I is still substantially delayed for patients with Hurler–Scheie and Scheie phenotypes, which can lead to a sub-optimal treatment outcome. Increased awareness of MPS I signs and symptoms by primary care providers and pediatric subspecialists is crucial to initiate early treatment and to improve the quality of life of MPS I patients

Contrasting Patterns of Sequence Evolution at the Functionally Redundant bric à brac Paralogs in Drosophila melanogaster

Genes with overlapping expression and function may gradually diverge despite retaining some common functions. To test whether such genes show distinct patterns of molecular evolution within species, we examined sequence variation at the bric à brac (bab) locus of Drosophila melanogaster. This locus is composed of two anciently duplicated paralogs, bab1 and bab2, which are involved in patterning the adult abdomen, legs, and ovaries. We have sequenced the 148 kb genomic region spanning the bab1 and bab2 genes from 94 inbred lines of D. melanogaster sampled from a single location. Two non-coding regions, one in each paralog, appear to be under selection. The strongest evidence of directional selection is found in a region of bab2 that has no known functional role. The other region is located in the bab1 paralog and is known to contain a cis-regulatory element that controls sex-specific abdominal pigmentation. The coding region of bab1 appears to be under stronger functional constraint than the bab2 coding sequences. Thus, the two paralogs are evolving under different selective regimes in the same natural population, illuminating the different evolutionary trajectories of partially redundant duplicate genes

Parkinson’s disease mouse models in translational research

Animal models with high predictive power are a prerequisite for translational research. The closer the similarity of a model to Parkinson’s disease (PD), the higher is the predictive value for clinical trials. An ideal PD model should present behavioral signs and pathology that resemble the human disease. The increasing understanding of PD stratification and etiology, however, complicates the choice of adequate animal models for preclinical studies. An ultimate mouse model, relevant to address all PD-related questions, is yet to be developed. However, many of the existing models are useful in answering specific questions. An appropriate model should be chosen after considering both the context of the research and the model properties. This review addresses the validity, strengths, and limitations of current PD mouse models for translational research