1,324 research outputs found
Fingering Convection in Red Giants Revisited
Fingering (thermohaline) convection has been invoked for several years as a
possible extra-mixing which could occur in Red Giant stars due to the
modification of the chemical composition induced by nuclear reactions in the
hydrogen burning zone. Recent studies show however that this mixing is not
sufficient to account for the needed surface abundances. A new prescription for
fingering convection, based on 3D numerical simulations has recently been
proposed (BGS). The resulting mixing coefficient is larger than the ones
previously given in the literature. We compute models using this new
coefficient and compare them to previous studies. We use the LPCODE stellar
evolution code with the GNA generalized version of the mixing length theory to
compute Red Giant models and we introduce fingering convection using the BGS
prescription. The results show that, although the fingering zone now reaches
the outer dynamical convective zone, the efficiency of the mixing is not enough
to account for the observations. The fingering mixing coefficient should be
increased by two orders of magnitude for the needed surface abundances to be
reached. We confirm that fingering convection cannot be the mixing process
needed to account for surface abundances in RGB stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic
The diffusion-induced nova scenario. CK Vul and PB 8 as possible observational counterparts
We propose a scenario for the formation of DA white dwarfs with very thin
helium buffers. For these stars we explore the possible occurrence of
diffusion-induced CNO- flashes, during their early cooling stage. In order to
obtain very thin helium buffers, we simulate the formation of low mass remnants
through an AGB final/late thermal pulse (AFTP/LTP scenario). Then we calculate
the consequent white dwarf cooling evolution by means of a consistent treatment
of element diffusion and nuclear burning. Based on physically sounding white
dwarf models, we find that the range of helium buffer masses for these
diffusion-induced novas to occur is significantly smaller than that predicted
by the only previous study of this scenario. As a matter of fact, we find that
these flashes do occur only in some low-mass (M < 0.6M) and low metallicity
(Z_ZAMS <0.001) remnants about 10^6 - 10^7 yr after departing from the AGB. For
these objects, we expect the luminosity to increase by about 4 orders of
magnitude in less than a decade. We also show that diffusion-induced novas
should display a very typical eruption lightcurve, with an increase of about a
few magnitudes per year before reaching a maximum of M_V ~ -5 to -6. Our
simulations show that surface abundances after the outburst are characterized
by logNH/NHe ~ -0.15...0.6 and N>C>O by mass fractions. Contrary to previous
speculations we show that these events are not recurrent and do not change
substantially the final H-content of the cool (DA) white dwarf. (Abridged)Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables. Replaced to match the final version
published by MNRAS. The definitive version is available at
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/%28ISSN%291365-296
DQ white-dwarf stars with low C abundance: Possible progenitors
The present paper focuses on the evolution of hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs
with the aim of exploring the consequences of different initial envelope
structures on the carbon abundances expected in helium-rich,
carbon-contaminated DQ white dwarfs. In particular, the evolutionary link
between the DQs with low detected carbon abundances and the PG1159, extreme
horizontal branch, and helium-rich R Coronae Borealis (RCrB) stars is explored.
We present full evolutionary calculations that take a self-consistent treatment
of element diffusion into account as well as expectations for the outer layer
chemical stratification of progenitor stars upon entering the white dwarf
regime. We find that PG1159 stars cannot be related to any DQ white dwarfs with
low C abundances. Instead, we suggest that the latter could constitute the
progeny of the giant, helium-rich RCrB stars.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Asteroseismology of ZZ Ceti stars with fully evolutionary white dwarf models: I. The impact of the uncertainties from prior evolution on the period spectrum
ZZ Ceti stars are pulsating white dwarfs with a carbon-oxygen core build up
during the core helium burning and thermally pulsing Asymptotic Giant Branch
phases. Through the interpretation of their pulsation periods by means of
asteroseismology, details about their origin and evolution can be inferred. The
whole pulsation spectrum exhibited by ZZ Ceti stars strongly depends on the
inner chemical structure. At present, there are several processes affecting the
chemical profiles that are still not accurately determined. We present a study
of the impact of the current uncertainties of the white dwarf formation and
evolution on the expected pulsation properties of ZZ Ceti stars. Our analysis
is based on a set of carbon-oxygen core white dwarf models with masses
and 0.837 M_{\sun} derived from full evolutionary computations from the ZAMS
to the ZZ Ceti domain. We have considered models in which we varied the number
of thermal pulses, the amount of overshooting, and the
CO reaction rate within their uncertainties. We
explore the impact of these major uncertainties in prior evolution on the
chemical structure and the expected pulsation spectrum. We find that these
uncertainties yield significant changes in the -mode pulsation periods. We
conclude that the uncertainties in the white dwarf progenitor evolution should
be be taken into account in detailed asterseismological analysis of these
pulsating stars.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures. To be published in Astronomy and Astrophysic
Effect of Cavtratin, a Caveolin-1 Scaffolding Domain Peptide, on Oligodendroglial Signaling Cascades
Caveolin and caveolin containing rafts are involved in the signaling of growth factors in various cell types. Previous reports of our lab indicated a co-localization of caveolin and the high affinity nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA). Mutual effects have been observed among which a caveolin-1 knock-down resulted in an impairment of the NGF signaling cascade rather than in an increase of activity as expected from other growth factor reports. On the other hand, an over-expression of caveolin-1 impaired the NGF stimulated activity of p42/44 mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK). In this study, we used a caveolin-1 scaffolding domain (CSD) peptide (cavtratin) of which an inhibitory effect on growth factor receptors was reported. Our data showed that cavtratin suppresses the NGF-induced phosphorylation of TrkA as well as the activation of MAPK in porcine oligodendrocytes significantly
The roles of poly(ADP-ribose)-metabolizing enzymes in alkylation-induced cell death
Abstract.: Poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) has been identified as a DNA damage-inducible cell death signal upstream of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF). PAR causes the translocation of AIF from mitochondria to the nucleus and triggers cell death. In living cells, PAR molecules are subject to dynamic changes pending on internal and external stress factors. Using RNA interference (RNAi), we determined the roles of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases-1 and -2 (PARP-1, PARP-2) and poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG), the key enzymes configuring PAR molecules, in cell death induced by an alkylating agent. We found that PARP-1, but not PARP-2 and PARG, contributed to alkylation-induced cell death. Likewise, AIF translocation was only affected by PARP-1. PARP-1 seems to play a major role configuring PAR as a death signal involving AIF translocation regardless of the death pathway involve
Towards More Robust Estimates of the Transmissibility of Chlamydia trachomatis
There is a lack of a common concept on how to estimate transmissibility of Chlamydia trachomatis from cross-sectional sexual partnership studies. Using a mathematical model that takes into account the dynamics of chlamydia transmission and sexual partnership formation, we report refined estimates of chlamydia transmissibility in heterosexual partnerships
Poly(ADP-ribose)glycohydrolase is an upstream regulator of Ca2+ fluxes in oxidative cell death
Oxidative DNA damage to cells activates poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and the poly(ADP-ribose) formed is rapidly degraded to ADP-ribose by poly(ADP-ribose)glycohydrolase (PARG). Here we show that PARP-1 and PARG control extracellular Ca2+ fluxes through melastatin-like transient receptor potential 2 channels (TRPM2) in a cell death signaling pathway. TRPM2 activation accounts for essentially the entire Ca2+ influx into the cytosol, activating caspases and causing the translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) from the inner mitochondrial membrane to the nucleus followed by cell death. Abrogation of PARP-1 or PARG function disrupts these signals and reduces cell death. ADP-ribose-loading of cells induces Ca2+ fluxes in the absence of oxidative damage, suggesting that ADP-ribose is the key metabolite of the PARP-1/PARG system regulating TRPM2. We conclude that PARP-1/PARG control a cell death signal pathway that operates between five different cell compartments and communicates via three types of chemical messengers: a nucleotide, a cation, and protein
Towards a dynamic assessment of raw materials criticality: linking agent-based demand--with material flow supply modelling approaches.
Emerging technologies such as information and communication-, photovoltaic- or battery technologies are expected to increase significantly the demand for scarce metals in the near future. The recently developed methods to evaluate the criticality of mineral raw materials typically provide a 'snapshot' of the criticality of a certain material at one point in time by using static indicators both for supply risk and for the impacts of supply restrictions. While allowing for insights into the mechanisms behind the criticality of raw materials, these methods cannot account for dynamic changes in products and/or activities over time. In this paper we propose a conceptual framework intended to overcome these limitations by including the dynamic interactions between different possible demand and supply configurations. The framework integrates an agent-based behaviour model, where demand emerges from individual agent decisions and interaction, into a dynamic material flow model, representing the materials' stocks and flows. Within the framework, the environmental implications of substitution decisions are evaluated by applying life-cycle assessment methodology. The approach makes a first step towards a dynamic criticality assessment and will enhance the understanding of industrial substitution decisions and environmental implications related to critical metals. We discuss the potential and limitation of such an approach in contrast to state-of-the-art methods and how it might lead to criticality assessments tailored to the specific circumstances of single industrial sectors or individual companies
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