ALMA observations of polarized emission toward the CW Tau and DG Tau protoplanetary disks: constraints on dust grain growth and settling

We present polarimetric data of CW Tau and DG Tau, two well-known Class II disk/jet systems, obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at 870 $\mu$m and 0."2 average resolution. In CW Tau, the total and polarized emission are both smooth and symmetric, with polarization angles almost parallel to the minor axis of the projected disk. In contrast, DG Tau displays a structured polarized emission, with an elongated brighter region in the disk's near side and a belt-like feature beyond about 0."3 from the source. At the same time the total intensity is spatially smooth, with no features. The polarization pattern, almost parallel to the minor axis in the inner region, becomes azimuthal in the outer belt, possibly because of a drop in optical depth. The polarization fraction has average values of 1.2% in CW Tau and 0.4% in DG Tau. Our results are consistent with polarization from self-scattering of the dust thermal emission. Under this hypothesis, the maximum size of the grains contributing to polarization is in the range 100 - 150 $\mu$m for CW Tau and 50 - 70 $\mu$m for DG Tau. The polarization maps combined with dust opacity estimates indicate that these grains are distributed in a geometrically thin layer in CW Tau, representing a settling in the disk midplane. Meanwhile, such settling is not yet apparent for DG Tau. These results advocate polarization studies as a fundamental complement to total emission observations, in investigations of the structure and the evolution of protoplanetary disks.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Enriching Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras with a Second Modality: When Two Are Better Than One

Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC)-mediated protein degradation has prompted a radical rethink and is at a crucial stage in driving a drug discovery transition. To fully harness the potential of this technology, a growing paradigm toward enriching PROTACs with other therapeutic modalities has been proposed. Could researchers successfully combine two modalities to yield multifunctional PROTACs with an expanded profile? In this Perspective, we try to answer this question. We discuss how this possibility encompasses different approaches, leading to multitarget PROTACs, light-controllable PROTACs, PROTAC conjugates, and macrocycle-and oligonucleotide-based PROTACs. This possibility promises to further enhance PROTAC efficacy and selectivity, minimize side effects, and hit undruggable targets. While PROTACs have reached the clinical investigation stage, additional steps must be taken toward the translational development of multifunctional PROTACs. A deeper and detailed understanding of the most critical challenges is required to fully exploit these opportunities and decisively enrich the PROTAC toolbox

SIRM‑SIAAIC consensus, an Italian document on management of patients at risk of hypersensitivity reactions to contrast media

Hypersensitivity reactions (HRs) to contrast media (CM) can be distinguished in immune-mediated (including allergic reactions) and non-immune-mediated reactions, even if clinical manifestations could be similar. Such manifestations range from mild skin eruptions to severe anaphylaxis, making it important for radiologists to know how to identify and manage them. A panel of experts from the Società Italiana di Radiologia Medica e Interventistica (SIRM) and the Società Italiana di Allergologia, Asma e Immunologia Clinica (SIAAIC) provided a consensus document on the management of patients who must undergo radiological investigations with CM. Consensus topics included: the risk stratification of patients, the identification of the culprit CM and of a safe alternative by an allergy workup, as well as the use of premedication and the correct procedure to safely perform an elective (i.e., scheduled) or urgent examination. The most important recommendations are: (1) in all patients, a thorough medical history must be taken by the prescribing physician and/or the radiologist to identify at-risk patients; (2) in patients with hypersensitivity reactions to CM, the radiologist must consider an alternative, non-contrast imaging study with a comparable diagnostic value, or prescribe a different investigation with another class of CM; (3) if such options are not feasible, the radiologist must address at-risk patients to a reference centre for an allergy evaluation; (4) if timely referral to an allergist is not viable, it is recommended to use a CM other than the responsible one, taking into account cross-reactivity patterns; in the case of patients with histories of severe reactions, the presence of an anesthesiologist is also recommended and a premedication is suggested

Seeds of Life in Space (SOLIS). III. Zooming Into the Methanol Peak of the Prestellar Core L1544

International audienceToward the prestellar core L1544, the methanol (CH3OH) emission forms an asymmetric ring around the core center, where CH3OH is mostly in solid form, with a clear peak at 4000 au to the northeast of the dust continuum peak. As part of the NOEMA Large Project SOLIS (Seeds of Life in Space), the CH3OH peak has been spatially resolved to study its kinematics and physical structure and to investigate the cause behind the local enhancement. We find that methanol emission is distributed in a ridge parallel to the main axis of the dense core. The centroid velocity increases by about 0.2 km s(-1) and the velocity dispersion increases from subsonic to transonic toward the central zone of the core, where the velocity field also shows complex structure. This could be an indication of gentle accretion of material onto the core or the interaction of two filaments, producing a slow shock. We measure the rotational temperature and show that methanol is in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) only close to the dust peak, where it is significantly depleted. The CH3OH column density, N-tot(CH3OH), profile has been derived with non-LTE radiative transfer modeling and compared with chemical models of a static core. The measured N (tot)(CH3OH) profile is consistent with model predictions, but the total column densities are one order of magnitude lower than those predicted by models, suggesting that the efficiency of reactive desorption or atomic hydrogen tunneling adopted in the model may be overestimated; or that an evolutionary model is needed to better reproduce methanol abundance

FAUST. II. Discovery of a Secondary Outflow in IRAS 15398−3359: Variability in Outflow Direction during the Earliest Stage of Star Formation?

International audienceWe have observed the very low-mass Class 0 protostar IRAS 15398-3359 at scales ranging from 50 to 1800 au, as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array Large Program FAUST. We uncover a linear feature, visible in H2CO, SO, and C18O line emission, which extends from the source in a direction almost perpendicular to the known active outflow. Molecular line emission from H2CO, SO, SiO, and CH3OH further reveals an arc-like structure connected to the outer end of the linear feature and separated from the protostar, IRAS 15398-3359, by 1200 au. The arc-like structure is blueshifted with respect to the systemic velocity. A velocity gradient of 1.2 km s-1 over 1200 au along the linear feature seen in the H2CO emission connects the protostar and the arc-like structure kinematically. SO, SiO, and CH3OH are known to trace shocks, and we interpret the arc-like structure as a relic shock region produced by an outflow previously launched by IRAS 15398-3359. The velocity gradient along the linear structure can be explained as relic outflow motion. The origins of the newly observed arc-like structure and extended linear feature are discussed in relation to turbulent motions within the protostellar core and episodic accretion events during the earliest stage of protostellar evolution

Misaligned Rotations of the Envelope, Outflow, and Disks in the Multiple Protostellar System of VLA 1623-2417: FAUST. III

International audienceWe report a study of the low-mass Class 0 multiple system VLA 1623AB in the Ophiuchus star-forming region, using H13CO+ (J = 3-2), CS (J = 5-4), and CCH (N = 3-2) lines as part of the ALMA Large Program FAUST. The analysis of the velocity fields revealed the rotation motion in the envelope and the velocity gradients in the outflows (about 2000 au down to 50 au). We further investigated the rotation of the circumbinary VLA 1623A disk, as well as the VLA 1623B disk. We found that the minor axis of the circumbinary disk of VLA 1623A is misaligned by about 12° with respect to the large-scale outflow and the rotation axis of the envelope. In contrast, the minor axis of the circumbinary disk is parallel to the large-scale magnetic field according to previous dust polarization observations, suggesting that the misalignment may be caused by the different directions of the envelope rotation and the magnetic field. If the velocity gradient of the outflow is caused by rotation, the outflow has a constant angular momentum and the launching radius is estimated to be 5-16 au, although it cannot be ruled out that the velocity gradient is driven by entrainments of the two high-velocity outflows. Furthermore, we detected for the first time a velocity gradient associated with rotation toward the VLA 16293B disk. The velocity gradient is opposite to the one from the large-scale envelope, outflow, and circumbinary disk. The origin of its opposite gradient is also discussed

Chemical and Physical Characterization of the Isolated Protostellar Source CB68: FAUST IV

International audienceAbstract The chemical diversity of low-mass protostellar sources has so far been recognized, and environmental effects are invoked as its origin. In this context, observations of isolated protostellar sources without the influence of nearby objects are of particular importance. Here, we report the chemical and physical structures of the low-mass Class 0 protostellar source IRAS 16544−1604 in the Bok globule CB 68, based on 1.3 mm Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations at a spatial resolution of ∼70 au that were conducted as part of the large program FAUST. Three interstellar saturated complex organic molecules (iCOMs), CH3OH, HCOOCH3, and CH3OCH3, are detected toward the protostar. The rotation temperature and the emitting region size for CH3OH are derived to be 131 ± 11 K and ∼10 au, respectively. The detection of iCOMs in close proximity to the protostar indicates that CB 68 harbors a hot corino. The kinematic structure of the C18O, CH3OH, and OCS lines is explained by an infalling–rotating envelope model, and the protostellar mass and the radius of the centrifugal barrier are estimated to be 0.08–0.30 M ⊙ and &lt;30 au, respectively. The small radius of the centrifugal barrier seems to be related to the small emitting region of iCOMs. In addition, we detect emission lines of c-C3H2 and CCH associated with the protostar, revealing a warm carbon-chain chemistry on a 1000 au scale. We therefore find that the chemical structure of CB 68 is described by a hybrid chemistry. The molecular abundances are discussed in comparison with those in other hot corino sources and reported chemical models.</jats:p