Phenotypic blood glutathione concentration and selenium supplementation interactions on meat colour stability and fatty acid concentrations in Merino lambs

The interaction between blood glutathione (GSH) and supplementation of selenium (Se, 2.5 mg/kg diet) on meat colour and fatty acids concentrations was studied. Forty eight Merino lambs selected for high blood GSH (HGSH) or low GSH (LGSH) concentration were used. They were fed individually with or without Se supplement for 8 weeks. There were interactions (P< 0.05) between GSH and Se on the colour stability (as w630 nm/w580 nm ratio) of m. longissimus (LD), m. semimembranosus (SM) and m. semitendinosus. Without Se supplementation the ratio was higher in HGSH than LGSH group. However, the difference was reduced with Se supplement. Polyunsaturated and n-3 fatty acids in SM and LD were higher in HGSH than in LGSH group (P< 0.05), and did not change with Se supplement. Se supplementation increased Se content in LD (P< 0.001) and the lungs (P< 0.05), but had no influence in the heart

Lanthanoid Biphenolates as a Rich Source of Lanthanoid-Main Group Heterobimetallic Complexes

Several new trivalent dinuclear rare earth 2,2’-methylenebis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenolate) (mbmp²¯) complexes with the general form [Ln₂(mbmp)₃(thf)n] (Ln=Sm 1, Tb 2 (n=3), and Ho 3, Yb 4 (n=2), and a tetravalent cerium complex [Ce(mbmp)₂(thf)₂] (5) have been synthesised by RTP (redox transmetallation/protolysis) reactions from lanthanoid metals, Hg(C₆F₅)₂ and the biphenol mbmpH₂. These new complexes and some previously reported partially protonated rare earth biphenolate complexes [Ln(mbmp)(mbmpH)(thf)n] react with lithium, aluminium, potassium and zinc organometallic reagents to form lanthanoid-main group heterobimetallic species. When reaction mixtures containing the Ln biphenolate complexes were treated with n-butyllithium, both molecular ([Li(thf)₂Ln(mbmp)₂(thf)n] (Ln=La 6, Pr 7 (n=2) and Er 8, Yb 9, and Lu 10 (n=1)) and charge separated ([Li(thf)₄][Ln(mbmp)₂(thf)₂] (Ln=Y 11, Sm 12, Dy 13, and Ho 14) complexes were isolated. Treatment with trimethylaluminium also led to isolation of molecular ([AlMe₂Ln(mbmp)₂(thf)₂] (Ln=Pr 15, Sm 16, and Tb 17)) and ionic [La(mbmp)(thf)₅][AlMe₂(mbmp)] (18) complexes. One gadolinium-potassium ([K(thf)₃Gd(mbmp)₂(thf)₂] (19)), and one ytterbium-zinc species ([ZnEtYb(mbmp)₂(thf)] (20)) were isolated from treatment of reaction mixtures with potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide and diethylzinc respectively

Cyclophosphamide and human organ transplantation.

Cyclophosphamide, a drug that has not previously had an important role in whole-organ transplantation, was given as a primary immunosuppressant to one liver and eleven kidney recipients, in combination with prednisone and horse antilymphocyte globulin. One of the patients died despite good renal-graft function. Two kidneys from a common cadaveric donor failed. The other nine patients have excellent function of their homografts after 2-3 months. Cyclophosphamide was substituted for azathioprine in one hepatic and five renal recipients who were suspected of having liver toxicity from azathioprine 3 months to almost 8 years post-transplantation. Graft function was maintained after this change, and the evidence of liver injury subsided. © 1971

The 1:1 resonance in Extrasolar Systems: Migration from planetary to satellite orbits

We present families of symmetric and asymmetric periodic orbits at the 1/1 resonance, for a planetary system consisting of a star and two small bodies, in comparison to the star, moving in the same plane under their mutual gravitational attraction. The stable 1/1 resonant periodic orbits belong to a family which has a planetary branch, with the two planets moving in nearly Keplerian orbits with non zero eccentricities and a satellite branch, where the gravitational interaction between the two planets dominates the attraction from the star and the two planets form a close binary which revolves around the star. The stability regions around periodic orbits along the family are studied. Next, we study the dynamical evolution in time of a planetary system with two planets which is initially trapped in a stable 1/1 resonant periodic motion, when a drag force is included in the system. We prove that if we start with a 1/1 resonant planetary system with large eccentricities, the system migrates, due to the drag force, {\it along the family of periodic orbits} and is finally trapped in a satellite orbit. This, in principle, provides a mechanism for the generation of a satellite system: we start with a planetary system and the final stage is a system where the two small bodies form a close binary whose center of mass revolves around the star.Comment: to appear in Cel.Mech.Dyn.Ast

Is there H2O stacking disordered ice I in the Solar System?

Water ice exists in large quantities across the Solar System, and it is involved in a wide range of atmospheric and geological processes. Here we focus on the question if stacking disordered ice I (ice Isd) is present in the Solar System. The conditions required to form ice Isd are described and we argue that previous descriptions of ‘cubic ice’ (ice Ic) in the literature may in fact have been concerned with ice Isd. In contrast to the stable hexagonal ice I (ice Ih) and ice Ic, ice Isd is a highly complex material that encompasses a wide range of possible stacking regimes and structures. The most fundamental quantity to describe a given ice Isd sample is its cubicity which reflects the fraction of cubic stacking. Following an introduction into the characterisation techniques used to identify and characterise ice Isd, we discuss the various environments in the Solar System where ice Isd may exist and the relevance its existence may have. This includes the atmospheres of the inner planets, various icy moons as well as comets and other icy objects in the far reaches of the Solar System. The details of the stacking disorder may contain information about the formation and thermal history of ice Isd samples. This offers the exciting prospect of using ice Isd as a marker material for atmospheric and geological processes. The crystallographic space group of ice Isd allows polar structures which could be an important factor for the accretion of ice particles in space. We conclude that ice Isd should exist at several locations in the Solar System and in potentially large quantities. The definitive identification of ice Isd in a natural environment is a next major milestone in our understanding of the importance of water ice across the Solar System

76 T dwarfs from the UKIDSS LAS : benchmarks, kinematics and an updated space density

We report the discovery of 76 new T dwarfs from the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS). Near-infrared broad- and narrow-band photometry and spectroscopy are presented for the new objects, along with Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and warm-Spitzer photometry. Proper motions for 128 UKIDSS T dwarfs are presented from a new two epoch LAS proper motion catalogue. We use these motions to identify two new benchmark systems: LHS 6176AB, a T8p+M4 pair and HD 118865AB, a T5.5+F8 pair. Using age constraints from the primaries and evolutionary models to constrain the radii, we have estimated their physical properties from their bolometric luminosity. We compare the colours and properties of known benchmark T dwarfs to the latest model atmospheres and draw two principal conclusions. First, it appears that the H - [4.5] and J - W2 colours are more sensitive to metallicity than has previously been recognized, such that differences in metallicity may dominate over differences in T-eff when considering relative properties of cool objects using these colours. Secondly, the previously noted apparent dominance of young objects in the late-T dwarf sample is no longer apparent when using the new model grids and the expanded sample of late-T dwarfs and benchmarks. This is supported by the apparently similar distribution of late-T dwarfs and earlier type T dwarfs on reduced proper motion diagrams that we present. Finally, we present updated space densities for the late-T dwarfs, and compare our values to simulation predictions and those from WISE.Peer reviewe

Pre-M Phase-promoting Factor Associates with Annulate Lamellae in Xenopus Oocytes and Egg Extracts

We have used complementary biochemical and in vivo approaches to study the compartmentalization of M phase-promoting factor (MPF) in prophase Xenopus eggs and oocytes. We first examined the distribution of MPF (Cdc2/CyclinB2) and membranous organelles in high-speed extracts of Xenopus eggs made during mitotic prophase. These extracts were found to lack mitochondria, Golgi membranes, and most endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but to contain the bulk of the pre-MPF pool. This pre-MPF could be pelleted by further centrifugation along with components necessary to activate it. On activation, Cdc2/CyclinB2 moved into the soluble fraction. Electron microscopy and Western blot analysis showed that the pre-MPF pellet contained a specific ER subdomain comprising "annulate lamellae" (AL): stacked ER membranes highly enriched in nuclear pores. Colocalization of pre-MPF with AL was demonstrated by anti-CyclinB2 immunofluorescence in prophase oocytes, in which AL are positioned close to the vegetal surface. Green fluorescent protein-CyclinB2 expressed in oocytes also localized at AL. These data suggest that inactive MPF associates with nuclear envelope components just before activation. This association may explain why nuclei and centrosomes stimulate MPF activation and provide a mechanism for targeting of MPF to some of its key substrates

Active Galactic Nuclei at the Crossroads of Astrophysics

Over the last five decades, AGN studies have produced a number of spectacular examples of synergies and multifaceted approaches in astrophysics. The field of AGN research now spans the entire spectral range and covers more than twelve orders of magnitude in the spatial and temporal domains. The next generation of astrophysical facilities will open up new possibilities for AGN studies, especially in the areas of high-resolution and high-fidelity imaging and spectroscopy of nuclear regions in the X-ray, optical, and radio bands. These studies will address in detail a number of critical issues in AGN research such as processes in the immediate vicinity of supermassive black holes, physical conditions of broad-line and narrow-line regions, formation and evolution of accretion disks and relativistic outflows, and the connection between nuclear activity and galaxy evolution.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures; review contribution; "Exploring the Cosmic Frontier: Astrophysical Instruments for the 21st Century", ESO Astrophysical Symposia Serie