The role of the magnetic field in the fragmentation process: the case of G14.225-0.506

B-fields are predicted to play a role in the formation of filamentary structures and their fragmentation process. We aim at investigating the role of the B-field in the process of core fragmentation toward the hub-filament systems in the IRDC G14.2, which present different fragmentation level. We performed observations of the thermal dust polarization at 350 {\mu}m using the CSO toward the hubs. We applied the polarization--intensity-gradient method to estimate the significance of the B-field over the G-force. The B-field in Hub-N shows a uniform structure along the E-W orientation, perpendicular to the major axis of the hub-filament system. The I-gradient in Hub-N displays a local minimum coinciding with the dust core MM1a detected with interferometric observations. The B-field orientation is perturbed when approaching the dust core. Hub-S shows 2 local minima, reflecting the bimodal distribution of the B-field. In Hub-N, both E and W of the hub-filament system, the I-gradient and the B-field are parallel whereas they tend to be perpendicular when penetrating the filaments and hub. The analysis of the {\delta}- and {\Sigma} B-maps indicate that, the B-field cannot prevent the collapse, suggesting that the B-field is initially dragged by the infalling motion and aligned with it, or is channeling material toward the central ridge from both sides. Values of {\Sigma} B > 1 are found toward a N-S ridge encompassing the dust emission peak, indicating that in this region B-field dominates over G-force, or that with the current angular resolution we cannot resolve an hypothetical more complex structure. We estimated the B-field strength, the MtF ratio and the A-M number, and found differences between the 2 hubs. The different levels of fragmentation observed in these 2 hubs could arise from the differences in the B-field properties rather than from different intensity of the G-field.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

Unveiling a cluster of protostellar disks around the massive protostar GGD 27 MM1

Context. Most stars form in clusters and thus it is important to characterize the protostellar disk population in dense environments to assess whether the environment plays a role in the subsequent evolution. Specifically, it is critical to evaluate whether planet formation is altered with respect to more isolated stars formed in dark clouds. Aims. We seek to investigate the properties of the protostellar disks in the GGD 27 cluster and compare these with those obtained from disks formed in nearby regions. Methods. We used ALMA to observe the star-forming region GGD 27 at 1.14 mm with an unprecedented angular resolution, 40 mas (∼56 au), and sensitivity (∼0.002 M·). Results. We detected a cluster of 25 continuum sources, most of which likely trace disks around Class 0/I protostars. Excluding the two most massive objects, disks masses are in the range 0.003-0.05 M·. The analysis of the cluster properties indicates that GGD 27 displays moderate subclustering. This result, combined with the dynamical timescale of the radio jet (∼104 years), suggests the youthfulness of the cluster. The lack of disk mass segregation signatures may support this as well. We found a clear paucity of disks with Rdisk > 100 au. The median value of the radius is 34 au; this value is smaller than the median of 92 au for Taurus but comparable to the value found in Ophiuchus and in the Orion Nebula Cluster. In GGD 27 there is no evidence of a distance-dependent disk mass distribution (i.e., disk mass depletion due to external photoevaporation), most likely due to the cluster youth. There is a clear deficit of disks for distances 0.04 pc. This suggests that dynamical interactions far from the cluster center are weaker, although the small disks found could be the result of disk truncation. This work demonstrates the potential to characterize disks from low-mass young stellar objects in distant and massive (still deeply embedded) clustered environments.Fil: Busquet, G.. Instituto de Estudios Espaciales de Cataluña; España. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio (ice); EspañaFil: Girart, J. M.. Instituto de Estudios Espaciales de Cataluña; España. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio (ice); EspañaFil: Estalella, R.. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Fernandez Lopez, Manuel. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía; ArgentinaFil: Galván Madrid, R.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Anglada, G.. Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía; EspañaFil: Carrasco González, C.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Añez López, N.. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio (ice); EspañaFil: Curiel, S.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Osorio, M.. Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía; EspañaFil: Rodríguez, L. F.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Torrelles, J. M.. Instituto de Estudios Espaciales de Cataluña; España. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio (ice); Españ

Modeling the Accretion Disk around the High-mass Protostar GGD 27-MM1

Recent high angular resolution (≃40 mas) ALMA observations at 1.14 mm resolve a compact (R ≃ 200 au), flattened dust structure perpendicular to the HH 80─81 jet emanating from the GGD 27-MM1 high-mass protostar, making it a robust candidate for a true accretion disk. The jet─disk system (HH 80─81/GGD 27-MM1) resembles those found in association with low- and intermediate-mass protostars. We present radiative transfer models that fit the 1.14 mm ALMA dust image of this disk, which allow us to obtain its physical parameters and predict its density and temperature structure. Our results indicate that this accretion disk is compact (R disk ≃ 170 au) and massive (≃5 M ☉), at about 20% of the stellar mass of ≃20 M ☉. We estimate the total dynamical mass of the star─disk system from the molecular line emission, finding a range between 21 and 30 M ☉, which is consistent with our model. We fit the density and temperature structures found by our model with power-law functions. These results suggest that accretion disks around massive stars are more massive and hotter than their low-mass siblings, but they still are quite stable. We also compare the temperature distribution in the GGD 27─MM1 disk with that found in low- and intermediate-mass stars and discuss possible implications for the water snow line. We have also carried out a study of the distance based on Gaia DR2 data and the population of young stellar objects in this region and from the extinction maps. We conclude that the source distance is within 1.2 and 1.4 kpc, closer than what was derived in previous studies (1.7 kpc).Fil: Añez López, N.. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio; EspañaFil: Osorio, M.. Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía; EspañaFil: Busquet, G.. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio; EspañaFil: Girart, J. M.. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio; EspañaFil: Macías, E.. European Southern Observatory; ChileFil: Carrasco González, C.. Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica; MéxicoFil: Curiel, S.. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Instituto de Astronomia; MéxicoFil: Estalella, R.. Universidad de Barcelona. Facultad de Física; EspañaFil: Fernandez Lopez, Manuel. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía; ArgentinaFil: Galván Madrid, R.. Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica; MéxicoFil: Kwon, J.. University of tokyo; JapónFil: Torrelles, J. M.. Institut de Ciencies de l’Espai; Españ

Genome of the Avirulent Human-Infective Trypanosome—Trypanosoma rangeli

Background: Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite infecting humans and other wild and domestic mammals across Central and South America. It does not cause human disease, but it can be mistaken for the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. We have sequenced the T. rangeli genome to provide new tools for elucidating the distinct and intriguing biology of this species and the key pathways related to interaction with its arthropod and mammalian hosts.  Methodology/Principal Findings: The T. rangeli haploid genome is ,24 Mb in length, and is the smallest and least repetitive trypanosomatid genome sequenced thus far. This parasite genome has shorter subtelomeric sequences compared to those of T. cruzi and T. brucei; displays intraspecific karyotype variability and lacks minichromosomes. Of the predicted 7,613 protein coding sequences, functional annotations could be determined for 2,415, while 5,043 are hypothetical proteins, some with evidence of protein expression. 7,101 genes (93%) are shared with other trypanosomatids that infect humans. An ortholog of the dcl2 gene involved in the T. brucei RNAi pathway was found in T. rangeli, but the RNAi machinery is non-functional since the other genes in this pathway are pseudogenized. T. rangeli is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, a phenotype that may be explained by a smaller number of anti-oxidant defense enzymes and heatshock proteins.  Conclusions/Significance: Phylogenetic comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial genes indicates that T. rangeli and T. cruzi are equidistant from T. brucei. In addition to revealing new aspects of trypanosome co-evolution within the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, comparative genomic analysis with pathogenic trypanosomatids provides valuable new information that can be further explored with the aim of developing better diagnostic tools and/or therapeutic targets

The association between Toll-like receptor 2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Toll-like receptors (TLR) are key innate immunity receptors participating in an immune response. Growing evidence suggests that mutations of TLR2/TLR9 gene are associated with the progress of cancers. The present study aimed to investigate the temporal relationship of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of TLR2/TLR9 and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this single center-based case-control study, SNaPshot method was used to genotype sequence variants of TLR2 and TLR9 in 211 patients with HCC and 232 subjects as controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two synonymous SNPs in the exon of TLR2 were closely associated with risk of HCC. Compared with those carrying wild-type homozygous genotypes (T/T), risk of HCC decreased significantly in individuals carrying the heterozygous genotypes (C/T) of the rs3804099 (adjusted odds ratio (OR), 0.493, 95% CI 0.331 - 0.736, <it>P </it>< 0.01) and rs3804100 (adjusted OR, 0.509, 95% CI 0.342 - 0.759, <it>P </it>< 0.01). There was no significant association found in two TLR9 SNPs concerning the risk of HCC. The haplotype TT for TLR2 was associated significantly with the decreased risk of HCC (OR 0.524, 95% CI 0.394 - 0.697, <it>P </it>= 0.000). Inversely, the risk of HCC increased significantly in patients with the haplotype CC (OR 2.743, 95% CI 1.915 - 3.930, <it>P </it>= 0.000).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggested that TLR2 rs3804099 C/T and rs3804100 C/T polymorphisms were closely associated with HCC. In addition, the haplotypes composed of these two TLR2 synonymous SNPs have stronger effects on the susceptibility of HCC.</p