Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease: from simple steatosis towards liver cirrhosis and potential complications. Proceedings of the Third Translational Hepatology Meeting, endorsed by the Spanish Association for the Study of the Liver (AEEH)

This is a meeting report of the 3rd Translational Hepatology Meeting held in Alicante, Spain, in October 2021. The meeting, which was organized by the Spanish Association for the Study of the Liver (AEEH), provided an update on the recent advances in the field of basic and translational hepatology, with a particular focus on the molecular and cellular mechanisms and therapeutic targets involved in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), cirrhosis and end-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).S

Experimenting with Mixtures of Water Ice and Dust as Analogues for Icy Planetary Material

Due to its abundance and unique properties, water is a major actor in the formation and evolution of many planetary surfaces as well as a sensitive and reliable tracer of past geologic and climatic processes. Water ice is found in variable abundance at the surfaces of many Solar System objects, from the floor of permanently shadowed craters at the poles of Mercury to large fractions of the surfaces of several trans-Neptunian objects. With few exceptions, water is not found in pure form but associated to contaminants of various nature and concentration. These associations and the nature of the mixing and segregation processes that affect and control them are key for our understanding of some of the most important aspects of planetary evolution processes. The observation and characterization of water ice at the surface of Solar System objects is therefore among the primary scientific objectives of many space missions. The quantitative interpretation of remote sensing data in terms of surface composition and physical properties requires the use of complex physical models that rely on experimental data in two different ways. First, the models require as inputs the fundamental properties of the pure materials, such as the optical or dielectric constant. Second, the models can only be fully tested if their results are confronted to actual measurements performed on samples whose complexity comes close to the one encountered on natural planetary surfaces but which are nevertheless well-enough characterized to serve as reference. Such measurements are challenging as macroscopic ice-rich samples prepared as analogues of icy planetary surfaces tend to be unstable, the ice component being prone to metamorphism and phase change. The questions of the reproducibility of the samples and the relevance of the measurements are therefore critical. The Ice Laboratory at the University of Bern has been set up in 2010 to overcome some of these difficulties. We have developed protocols to prepare, store, handle and characterize various associations of ice with mineral and organics contaminants as analogues of different types of icy Solar System surfaces. The aims of this article are to present the context and background for our investigations, describe these protocols and associated hardware in a comprehensive way, provide quantitative characterization of the samples obtained using these protocols and summarize the main results obtained so far by experimenting with these samples. The current state and possible future evolutions of this project are then discussed in the context of the next generation of space missions to visit icy objects in the Solar System and longer term perspectives on future observations of protoplanetary discs and exoplanetary systems

Experimenting with Mixtures of Water Ice and Dust as Analogues for Icy Planetary Material

International audienceDue to its abundance and unique properties, water is a major actor in the formation and evolution of many planetary surfaces as well as a sensitive and reliable tracer of past geologic and climatic processes. Water ice is found in variable abundance at the surfaces of many Solar System objects, from the floor of permanently shadowed craters at the poles of Mercury to large fractions of the surfaces of several trans-Neptunian objects. With few exceptions, water is not found in pure form but associated to contaminants of various nature and concentration. These associations and the nature of the mixing and segregation processes that affect and control them are key for our understanding of some of the most important aspects of planetary evolution processes. The observation and characterization of water ice at the surface of Solar System objects is therefore among the primary scientific objectives of many space missions. The quantitative interpretation of remote sensing data in terms of surface composition and physical properties requires the use of complex physical models that rely on experimental data in two different ways. First, the models require as inputs the fundamental properties of the pure materials, such as the optical or dielectric constant. Second, the models can only be fully tested if their results are confronted to actual measurements performed on samples whose complexity comes close to the one encountered on natural planetary surfaces but which are nevertheless well-enough characterized to serve as reference. Such measurements are challenging as macroscopic ice-rich samples prepared as analogues of icy planetary surfaces tend to be unstable, the ice component being prone to metamorphism and phase change. The questions of the reproducibility of the samples and the relevance of the measurements are therefore critical. The Ice Laboratory at the University of Bern has been set up in 2010 to overcome some of these difficulties. We have developed protocols to prepare, store, handle and characterize various associations of ice with mineral and organics contaminants as analogues of different types of icy Solar System surfaces. The aims of this article are to present the context and background for our investigations, describe these protocols and associated hardware in a comprehensive way, provide quantitative characterization of the samples obtained using these protocols and summarize the main results obtained so far by experimenting with these samples. The current state and possible future evolutions of this project are then discussed in the context of the next generation of space missions to visit icy objects in the Solar System and longer term perspectives on future observations of protoplanetary discs and exoplanetary systems

Modelling observations of the inner gas and dust coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko using ROSINA/COPS and OSIRIS data: First results

Context. This paper describes the initial modelling of gas and dust data acquired in August and September 2014 from the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft when it was in close proximity to the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Aims. This work is an attempt to provide a self-consistent model of the innermost gas and dust coma of the comet, as constrained by the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis (ROSINA) data set for the gas and by the Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) data set for the dust. Methods. The model uses a previously developed shape model for the nucleus, and from this the water sublimation rate and gas temperatures at the surface are computed with a simple thermal model. The gas expansion is modelled with a 3D parallel implementation of a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo algorithm. A dust drag algorithm is then used to produce dust densities in the coma, which are then converted to brightnesses using Mie theory and a line-of-sight integration. Results. We show that a purely insolation-driven model for surface outgassing does not produce a reasonable fit to ROSINA/COPS data. A stronger source in the “neck” region of the nucleus (region Hapi) is needed to match the observed modulation of the gas density in detail. This agrees with OSIRIS data, which shows that the dust emission from the “neck” was dominant in the August-September 2014 time frame. The current model matches this observation reasonably if a power index of 2–3 for the dust size distribution is used. A better match to the OSIRIS data is seen by using a single large particle size for the coma. Conclusions. We have shown possible solutions to the gas and dust distributions in the inner coma, which are consistent with ROSINA and OSIRIS data

Regional surface morphology of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from Rosetta/OSIRIS images

Aims. The OSIRIS camera onboard the Rosetta spacecraft has been acquiring images of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P)’s nucleus at spatial resolutions down to ~0.17 m/px ever since Aug. 2014. These images have yielded unprecedented insight into the morphological diversity of the comet’s surface. This paper presents an overview of the regional morphology of comet 67P. Methods. We used the images that were acquired at orbits ~20–30 km from the center of the comet to distinguish different regions on the surface and introduce the basic regional nomenclature adopted by all papers in this Rosetta special feature that address the comet’s morphology and surface processes. We used anaglyphs to detect subtle regional and topographical boundaries and images from close orbit (~10 km from the comet’s center) to investigate the fine texture of the surface. Results. Nineteen regions have currently been defined on the nucleus based on morphological and/or structural boundaries, and they can be grouped into distinctive region types. Consolidated, fractured regions are the most common region type. Some of these regions enclose smooth units that appear to settle in gravitational sinks or topographically low areas. Both comet lobes have a significant portion of their surface covered by a dusty coating that appears to be recently placed and shows signs of mobilization by aeolian-like processes. The dusty coatings cover most of the regions on the surface but are notably absent from a couple of irregular large depressions that show sharp contacts with their surroundings and talus-like deposits in their interiors, which suggests that short-term explosive activity may play a significant role in shaping the comet’s surface in addition to long-term sublimation loss. Finally, the presence of layered brittle units showing signs of mechanical failure predominantly in one of the comet’s lobes can indicate a compositional heterogeneity between the two lobes

Regional surface morphology of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from Rosetta/OSIRIS images: The southern hemisphere

Aims. The OSIRIS camera on board the Rosetta spacecraft has been acquiring images of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P)’s nucleus since August 2014. Starting in May 2015, the southern hemisphere gradually became illuminated and was imaged for the first time. Here we present the regional morphology of the southern hemisphere, which serves as a companion to an earlier paper that presented the regional morphology of the northern hemisphere. Methods. We used OSIRIS images that were acquired at orbits ~45−125 km from the center of the comet (corresponding to spatial resolutions of ~0.8 to 2.3 m/pixel) coupled with the use of digital terrain models to define the different regions on the surface, and identify structural boundaries accurately. Results. Seven regions have been defined in the southern hemisphere bringing the total number of defined regions on the surface of the nucleus to 26. These classifications are mainly based on morphological and/or topographic boundaries. The southern hemisphere shows a remarkable dichotomy with its northern counterpart mainly because of the absence of wide-scale smooth terrains, dust coatings and large unambiguous depressions. As a result, the southern hemisphere closely resembles previously identified consolidated regions. An assessment of the overall morphology of comet 67P suggests that the comet’s two lobes show surface heterogeneities manifested in different physical/mechanical characteristics, possibly extending to local (i.e., within a single region) scales

Fractures on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko observed by Rosetta/OSIRIS

The Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) experiment onboard the Rosetta spacecraft currently orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov‐Gerasimenko has yielded unprecedented views of a comet's nucleus. We present here the first ever observations of meter‐scale fractures on the surface of a comet. Some of these fractures form polygonal networks. We present an initial assessment of their morphology, topology, and regional distribution. Fractures are ubiquitous on the surface of the comet's nucleus. Furthermore, they occur in various settings and show different topologies suggesting numerous formation mechanisms, which include thermal insulation weathering, orbital‐induced stresses, and possibly seasonal thermal contraction. However, we conclude that thermal insolation weathering is responsible for creating most of the observed fractures based on their morphology and setting in addition to thermal models that indicate diurnal temperature ranges exceeding 200 K and thermal gradients of ~15 K/min at perihelion are possible. Finally, we suggest that fractures could be a facilitator in surface evolution and long‐term erosion

Redistribution of particles across the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Context. We present an investigation of the surface properties of areas on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Aims. We aim to show that transport of material from one part of the cometary nucleus to another is a significant mechanism that influences the appearance of the nucleus and the surface thermal properties. Methods. We used data from the OSIRIS imaging system onboard the Rosetta spacecraft to identify surface features on the nucleus that can be produced by various transport mechanisms. We used simple calculations based on previous works to establish the plausibility of dust transport from one part of the nucleus to another. Results. We show by observation and modeling that “airfall” as a consequence of non-escaping large particles emitted from the neck region of the nucleus is a plausible explanation for the smooth thin deposits in the northern hemisphere of the nucleus. The consequences are also discussed. We also present observations of aeolian ripples and ventifacts. We show by numerical modeling that a type of saltation is plausible even under the rarified gas densities seen at the surface of the nucleus. However, interparticle cohesive forces present difficulties for this model, and an alternative mechanism for the initiation of reptation and creep may result from the airfall mechanism. The requirements on gas density and other parameters of this alternative make it a more attractive explanation for the observations. The uncertainties and implications are discussed