X-Ray Spectroscopy of Stars

(abridged) Non-degenerate stars of essentially all spectral classes are soft X-ray sources. Low-mass stars on the cooler part of the main sequence and their pre-main sequence predecessors define the dominant stellar population in the galaxy by number. Their X-ray spectra are reminiscent, in the broadest sense, of X-ray spectra from the solar corona. X-ray emission from cool stars is indeed ascribed to magnetically trapped hot gas analogous to the solar coronal plasma. Coronal structure, its thermal stratification and geometric extent can be interpreted based on various spectral diagnostics. New features have been identified in pre-main sequence stars; some of these may be related to accretion shocks on the stellar surface, fluorescence on circumstellar disks due to X-ray irradiation, or shock heating in stellar outflows. Massive, hot stars clearly dominate the interaction with the galactic interstellar medium: they are the main sources of ionizing radiation, mechanical energy and chemical enrichment in galaxies. High-energy emission permits to probe some of the most important processes at work in these stars, and put constraints on their most peculiar feature: the stellar wind. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of cool and hot stars through the study of X-ray spectra, in particular high-resolution spectra now available from XMM-Newton and Chandra. We address issues related to coronal structure, flares, the composition of coronal plasma, X-ray production in accretion streams and outflows, X-rays from single OB-type stars, massive binaries, magnetic hot objects and evolved WR stars.Comment: accepted for Astron. Astrophys. Rev., 98 journal pages, 30 figures (partly multiple); some corrections made after proof stag

Possible causes of data model discrepancy in the temperature history of the last Millennium

Model simulations and proxy-based reconstructions are the main tools for quantifying pre-instrumental climate variations. For some metrics such as Northern Hemisphere mean temperatures, there is remarkable agreement between models and reconstructions. For other diagnostics, such as the regional response to volcanic eruptions, or hemispheric temperature differences, substantial disagreements between data and models have been reported. Here, we assess the potential sources of these discrepancies by comparing 1000-year hemispheric temperature reconstructions based on real-world paleoclimate proxies with climate-model-based pseudoproxies. These pseudoproxy experiments (PPE) indicate that noise inherent in proxy records and the unequal spatial distribution of proxy data are the key factors in explaining the data-model differences. For example, lower inter-hemispheric correlations in reconstructions can be fully accounted for by these factors in the PPE. Noise and data sampling also partly explain the reduced amplitude of the response to external forcing in reconstructions compared to models. For other metrics, such as inter-hemispheric differences, some, although reduced, discrepancy remains. Our results suggest that improving proxy data quality and spatial coverage is the key factor to increase the quality of future climate reconstructions, while the total number of proxy records and reconstruction methodology play a smaller role

Suppression of Osteosarcoma Cell Invasion by Chemotherapy Is Mediated by Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Activity via Up-Regulation of EGR1

Background: The cellular and molecular mechanisms of tumour response following chemotherapy are largely unknown. We found that low dose anti-tumour agents up-regulate early growth response 1 (EGR1) expression. EGR1 is a member of the immediate-early gene group of transcription factors which modulate transcription of multiple genes involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and development. It has been reported that EGR1 act as either tumour promoting factor or suppressor. We therefore examined the expression and function of EGR1 in osteosarcoma. Methods: We investigated the expression of EGR1 in human osteosarcoma cell lines and biopsy specimens. We next examined the expression of EGR1 following anti-tumour agents treatment. To examine the function of EGR1 in osteosarcoma, we assessed the tumour growth and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Results: Real-time PCR revealed that EGR1 was down-regulated both in osteosarcoma cell lines and osteosarcoma patients’ biopsy specimens. In addition, EGR1 was up-regulated both in osteosarcoma patient’ specimens and osteosarcoma cell lines following anti-tumour agent treatment. Although forced expression of EGR1 did not prevent osteosarcoma growth, forced expression of EGR1 prevented osteosarcoma cell invasion in vitro. In addition, forced expression of EGR1 promoted downregulation of urokinase plasminogen activator, urokinase receptor, and urokinase plasminogen activity. Xenograft mice models showed that forced expression of EGR1 prevents osteosarcoma cell migration into blood vessels. Conclusions: These findings suggest that although chemotherapy could not prevent osteosarcoma growth in chemotherapy-resistant patients, it did prevent osteosarcoma cell invasion by down-regulation of urokinase plasminogen activity via up-regulation of EGR1 during chemotherapy periods

Cellular Entry of Ebola Virus Involves Uptake by a Macropinocytosis-Like Mechanism and Subsequent Trafficking through Early and Late Endosomes

Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), a highly pathogenic zoonotic virus, poses serious public health, ecological and potential bioterrorism threats. Currently no specific therapy or vaccine is available. Virus entry is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. However, current knowledge of the ZEBOV entry mechanism is limited. While it is known that ZEBOV enters cells through endocytosis, which of the cellular endocytic mechanisms used remains unclear. Previous studies have produced differing outcomes, indicating potential involvement of multiple routes but many of these studies were performed using noninfectious surrogate systems such as pseudotyped retroviral particles, which may not accurately recapitulate the entry characteristics of the morphologically distinct wild type virus. Here we used replication-competent infectious ZEBOV as well as morphologically similar virus-like particles in specific infection and entry assays to demonstrate that in HEK293T and Vero cells internalization of ZEBOV is independent of clathrin, caveolae, and dynamin. Instead the uptake mechanism has features of macropinocytosis. The binding of virus to cells appears to directly stimulate fluid phase uptake as well as localized actin polymerization. Inhibition of key regulators of macropinocytosis including Pak1 and CtBP/BARS as well as treatment with the drug EIPA, which affects macropinosome formation, resulted in significant reduction in ZEBOV entry and infection. It is also shown that following internalization, the virus enters the endolysosomal pathway and is trafficked through early and late endosomes, but the exact site of membrane fusion and nucleocapsid penetration in the cytoplasm remains unclear. This study identifies the route for ZEBOV entry and identifies the key cellular factors required for the uptake of this filamentous virus. The findings greatly expand our understanding of the ZEBOV entry mechanism that can be applied to development of new therapeutics as well as provide potential insight into the trafficking and entry mechanism of other filoviruses

Successful Cognitive Aging in Rats: A Role for mGluR5 Glutamate Receptors, Homer 1 Proteins and Downstream Signaling Pathways

Normal aging is associated with impairments in cognition, especially learning and memory. However, major individual differences are known to exist. Using the classical Morris Water Maze (MWM) task, we discriminated a population of 24-months old Long Evans aged rats in two groups - memory-impaired (AI) and memory-unimpaired (AU) in comparison with 6-months old adult animals. AI rats presented deficits in learning, reverse memory and retention. At the molecular level, an increase in metabotropic glutamate receptors 5 (mGluR5) was observed in post-synaptic densities (PSD) in the hippocampus of AU rats after training. Scaffolding Homer 1b/c proteins binding to group 1 mGluR facilitate coupling with its signaling effectors while Homer 1a reduces it. Both Homer 1a and 1b/c levels were up-regulated in the hippocampus PSD of AU animals following MWM task. Using immunohistochemistry we further demonstrated that mGluR5 as well as Homer 1b/c stainings were enhanced in the CA1 hippocampus sub-field of AU animals. In fact mGluR5 and Homer 1 isoforms were more abundant and co-localized in the hippocampal dendrites in AU rats. However, the ratio of Homer 1a/Homer 1b/c bound to mGluR5 in the PSD was four times lower for AU animals compared to AI rats. Consequently, AU animals presented higher PKCγ, ERK, p70S6K, mTOR and CREB activation. Finally the expression of immediate early gene Arc/Arg3.1 was shown to be higher in AU rats in accordance with its role in spatial memory consolidation. On the basis of these results, a model of successful cognitive aging with a critical role for mGluR5, Homer 1 proteins and downstream signalling pathways is proposed here

Transport of Pb and Zn by carboxylate complexes in basinal ore fluids and related petroleum-field brines at 100°C: the influence of pH and oxygen fugacity

It is well established through field observations, experiments, and chemical models that oxidation (redox) state and pH exert a strong influence on the speciation of dissolved components and the solubility of minerals in hydrothermal fluids. log [Image: see text] –pH diagrams were used to depict the influence of oxygen fugacity and pH on monocarboxylate- and dicarboxylate-transport of Pb and Zn in low-temperature (100°C) hydrothermal ore fluids that are related to diagenetic processes in deep sedimentary basins, and allow a first-order comparison of Pb and Zn transport among proposed model fluids for Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) and red-bed related base metal (RBRBM) deposits in terms of their approximate pH and [Image: see text] conditions. To construct these diagrams, total Pb and Zn concentrations and Pb and Zn speciation were calculated as a function of log [Image: see text] and pH for a composite ore-brine with concentrations of major elements, total sulfur, and total carbonate that approximate the composition of MVT and RBRBM model ore fluids and modern basinal brines. In addition to acetate and malonate complexation, complexes involving the ligands Cl(-), HS(-), H(2)S, and OH(- )were included in the model of calculated total metal concentration and metal speciation. Also, in the model, Zn and Pb are competing with the common-rock forming metals Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, and Al for the same ligands. Calculated total Pb concentration and calculated total Zn concentration are constrained by galena and sphalerite solubility, respectively. Isopleths, in log [Image: see text] –pH space, of the concentration of Pb and concentration of Zn in carboxylate (acetate + malonate) complexes illustrate that the oxidized model fluids of T. H. Giordano (in Organic Acids in Geological Processes, ed. E. D. Pittman and M. D. Lewan, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1994, pp. 319–354) and G. M. Anderson (Econ. Geol., 1975, 70, 937–942) are capable of transporting sufficient amounts of Pb (up to 10 ppm) and Zn (up to 100 ppm) in the form of carboxylate complexes to form economic deposits of these metals. On the other hand, the reduced ore fluid models of D. A. Sverjensky (Econ. Geol., 1984, 79, 23–37) and T. H. Giordano and H. L. Barnes (Econ. Geol., 1981, 76, 2200–2211) can at best transport amounts of Pb and Zn, as carboxylate complexes, that are many orders of magnitude below the 1 to 10 ppm minimum required to form economic deposits. Lead and zinc speciation (mol% of total Pb or Zn) in the model ore fluid was calculated at specific log [Image: see text] –pH conditions along the 100, 0.01, and 0.001 ppm total Pb and total Zn isopleths. Along the 100 ppm isopleth conditions are oxidized (∑SO(4 )>> ∑H(2)S) with Pb and Zn predominantly in the form of chloride complexes under acid to mildly alkaline conditions (pH from 3 to approximately 7.5), while hydroxide complexes dominate Pb and Zn speciation under more alkaline conditions. Sulfide complexes are insignificant under these oxidized conditions. For more reduced conditions along the 0.01 and 0.001 ppm isopleths chloride complexes dominate Pb and Zn speciation in the SO(4)(2- )field and near the SO(4)(2-)-reduced sulfur boundary from pH = 4 to approximately 7.5, while hydroxide complexes dominate Pb and Zn speciation under alkaline conditions above pH = 7.5 in the SO(4)(2- )field. In the most reduced fluids (∑H(2)S >> ∑SO(4)) along the 0.01 and 0.001 isopleths, sulfide complexes account for almost 100% of the Pb and Zn in the model fluid. Acetate (monocarboxylate) complexation is significant only under conditions of chloride and hydroxide complex dominance and its effect is maximized in the pH range 5 to 7, where it complexes 2 to 2.6% of the total Pb and 1 to 1.25% of the total Zn. Malonate (dicarboxylate) complexes are insignificant along all isopleths. The speciation results from this study show that deep formation waters characterized by temperatures near 100°C, high oxidation states and ∑H(2)S < 0.03 mg L(-1 )([Image: see text] < 10(-6)), high chlorinities (~ 100000 mg L(-1)), and high but reasonable concentrations of carboxylate anions can mobilize up to 3% of the total Pb and up to 1.3% of the total Zn as carboxylate complexes. Furthermore, these percentages, under the most favorable conditions, correspond to approximately 1 to 100 ppm of these metals in solution; concentrations that are adequate to form economic deposits of these metals. However, the field evidence suggests that all of these optimum conditions for carboxylate complexation are rarely met at the same time. A comparison of the composite ore fluid compositions from this study and modern brine data shows that the ore brines, corresponding to log [Image: see text] –pH conditions based on the Anderson (1975) and Giordano (1994) model fluids, are similar in many respects to modern, high trace-metal petroleum-field brines. The principal differences between modern high trace-metal brines and the composite ore fluids of Anderson (1975) and Giordano (1994) relate to their carboxylate anion content. The reported concentrations of monocarboxylate anions (∑monocbx) and dicarboxylate anions (Edicbx) in high trace-metal petroleum-field brines (< 1 to 300 mg L(-1 )and < 1 mg L(-1), respectively) are significantly lower than the concentrations assumed in the modelled brines of this study (∑monocbx = 7 700 mg L(-1 )and ∑dicbx = 300 mg L(-1)). There are also major differences in the corresponding total chloride to carboxylate ratio (∑m(Cl)/∑m(cbx)) and monocarboxylate to dicarboxylate ratio (∑m(monocbx)/∑m(dicbx)). Modern high trace-metal brines have much higher ∑m(Cl)/∑m(cbx )values and, therefore, the contribution of carboxylate complexes to the total Pb and Zn content in these modern brines is likely to be significantly less than the 1 to 3 percent for the composite ore fluids of Anderson (1975) and Giordano (1994). The composite ore-brine based on the Giordano and Barnes (1981) MVT ore fluid is comparable to the high salinity (> 170 000 mg L(-1 )TDS) subset of modern brines characterized by low trace-metal content and high total reduced sulfur (∑H(2)S). A comparison of the Sverjensky (1984) composite ore-brine with modern petroleum-field brines in terms of ∑H(2)S and Zn content, reveals that this ore fluid corresponds to a "border-type" brine, between modern high trace-metal brines and those with low trace-metal content and high ∑H(2)S. A brine of this type is characterized by values of ∑H(2)S, ∑Zn, and/or ∑Pb within or near the 1 to 10 mg L(-1 )range. Based on brine-composition data from numerous references cited in this paper, border-type brines do exist but are rare. The model results and field evidence presented in this study are consistent with other chemical simulation studies of carboxylate complexation in modern petroleum-field brines. Thus, it appears that carboxylate complexation plays a minor, if not insignificant, role as a transport mechanism for Pb and Zn in high salinity Na–Cl and Na–Ca–Cl basinal brines and related ore fluids

Computational electrochemistry: finite element simulation of a disk electrode with ultrasonic acoustic streaming.

Computer simulations using the finite element method (FEM) are used to predict the correlation between the transport limiting current (I(lim)) and parameters such as diffusion coefficient, source to electrode separation, source power, and medium viscosity for a sonicated disk electrode in "face on" mode. The fluid dynamics and diffusion layer are modeled directly using FEM and predict that the electrode is uniformly accessible, I(lim) is proportional to the diffusion coefficient to the 2/3 power and I(lim) is proportional to the square root of the source power. Curves are also calculated relating I(lim) to the source to electrode separation and liquid viscosity