Dust emission from a parsec-scale structure in the Seyfert 1 nucleus of NGC 4151

We report mid-IR interferometric measurements with \sim 10 mas resolution, which resolve the warm (T = 285 +25 / -50 K) thermal emission at the center of NGC 4151. Using pairs of VLT 8.2 m telescopes with MIDI and by comparing the data to a Gaussian model, we determined the diameter of the dust emission region, albeit only along one position angle, to be 2.0 +/- 0.4 pc (FWHM). This is the first size and temperature estimate for the nuclear warm dust distribution in a Seyfert 1 galaxy. The parameters found are comparable to those in Seyfert 2 galaxies, thus providing direct support for the unified model. Using simple analytic temperature distributions, we find that the mid-infrared emission is probably not the smooth continuation of the hot nuclear source that is marginally resolved with K band interferometry. We also detected weak excess emission around 10.5 micron in our shorter baseline observation, possibly indicating that silicate emission is extended to the parsec scale.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letter

Avaliação de características fenotípicas para a determinação do rendimento foliar em espinheira-santa (Maytenus ilicifolia Martius).

A espinheira-santa (Maytenus ilieifolia) é uma espécie medicinal arbórea, nativa das formações de Floresta Ombrófila Mista do sul do Brasil, a qual vem sofrendo grande pressão de exploração nos seus ambientes naturais. Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar o rendimento de indivíduos de diferentes populações naturais de espinheira-santa, por meio de características fenotípicas não destrutivas, a fim de contribuir para o processo de manejo sustentável. Para fins de determinação do rendimento, foram avaliados o número de ramos primários com e sem folhas, a altura, o diâmetro a altura do colo (DAC) e a altura da primeira ramificação, em 60 indivíduos de espinheira-santa de duas populações naturais, com características distintas. Estimou-se coeficientes de corre/ação entre estes parâmetros, bem como equações de regressão entre e o número de ramos primários com folhas (X) e o rendimento (R). As equações R = 0,75205 • X, para populações que ocorrem a pleno sol, e R = 1,53459 • X, para populações que ocorrem no sub-bosque de formações secundárias, são de uso prático e capazes de representar com elevada precisão o rendimento em populações com essas características ambientais

Amorphous silica nanoparticles aggregate human platelets: potential implications for vascular homeostasis

J Jose Corbalan1,2, Carlos Medina1, Adam Jacoby2, Tadeusz Malinski2, Marek W Radomski11School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Panoz Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; 2Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USABackground: Amorphous silica nanoparticles (SiNP) can be used in medical technologies and other industries leading to human exposure. However, an increased number of studies indicate that this exposure may result in cardiovascular inflammation and damage. A high ratio of nitric oxide to peroxynitrite concentrations ([NO]/[ONOO-]) is crucial for cardiovascular homeostasis and platelet hemostasis. Therefore, we studied the influence of SiNP on the platelet [NO]/[ONOO-] balance and platelet aggregation.Methods: Nanoparticle–platelet interaction was examined using transmission electron microscopy. Electrochemical nanosensors were used to measure the levels of NO and ONOO- released by platelets upon nanoparticle stimulation. Platelet aggregation was studied using light aggregometry, flow cytometry, and phase contrast microscopy.Results: Amorphous SiNP induced NO release from platelets followed by a massive stimulation of ONOO- leading to an unfavorably low [NO]/[ONOO-] ratio. In addition, SiNP induced an upregulation of selectin P expression and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa activation on the platelet surface membrane, and led to platelet aggregation via adenosine diphosphate and matrix metalloproteinase 2-dependent mechanisms. Importantly, all the effects on platelet aggregation were inversely proportional to nanoparticle size.Conclusions: The exposure of platelets to amorphous SiNP induces a critically low [NO]/[ONOO-] ratio leading to platelet aggregation. These findings provide new insights into the pharmacological profile of SiNP in platelets.Keywords: amorphous silica nanoparticles, nanotoxicology, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, platelet aggregatio

Ariel - Volume 9 Number 5

Executive Editor Seth B. Paul Associate Editor Warren J. Ventriglia Business Manager Fredric Jay Matlin University News John Patrick Welch World News George Robert Coar Editorials Editor Steve Levine Features Mark Rubin Brad Feldstein Sports Editor Eli Saleeby Photo Editor Ken Buckwalter Circulation Victor Onufreiczuk Lee Wugofski Graphics and Art Steve Hulkower Commons Editor Brenda Peterso

Human colon cancer cell lines show a diverse pattern of nitric oxide synthase gene expression and nitric oxide generation.

A panel of human colonic adenocarcinoma cell lines was examined both for expression of mRNAs of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) gene family and for evidence of enzymic activity based on citrulline and nitrite (NO2-) formation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), revealed that all lines (SW480, SW620, DLD-1 and WiDr) expressed mRNA for the Ca(2+)-dependent endothelial (e)NOS, while SW480 cells also expressed the Ca(2+)-dependent neuronal (n)NOS. The mRNA for the Ca(2+)-independent inducible (i)NOS was expressed both by cytokine-stimulated and by unstimulated SW480, SW620 and DLD-1 cells, but none was seen at any time in the WiDr cells. There was, however, little correlation between mRNA expression and enzymic activity based on citrulline and NO2- formation. Thus none of the cell lines exhibited measurable Ca(2+)-dependent NOS activity, while Ca(2+)-independent NOS activity was seen in all but the WiDr cells. Furthermore, DLD-1 cells generated citrulline with resultant NO2- formation only after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or cytokines, while SW480 and SW620 did so constitutively. Thus RT-PCR studies indicate that tumour cells of similar epithelial origin display a diverse pattern of NOS gene family expression, and parallel biochemical studies clearly indicate that such expression does not always result in measurable enzymic activity leading to the generation of NO

Parsec-scale dust distributions in Seyfert galaxies - Results of the MIDI AGN snapshot survey

The emission of warm dust dominates the mid-infrared spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Only interferometric observations provide the necessary angular resolution to resolve the nuclear dust and to study its distribution and properties. The investigation of dust in AGN cores is hence one of the main science goals for the MID-infrared Interferometric instrument MIDI at the VLTI. As the first step, the feasibility of AGN observations was verified and the most promising sources for detailed studies were identified. This was carried out in a "snapshot survey" with MIDI using Guaranteed Time Observations. In the survey, observations were attempted for 13 of the brightest AGN in the mid-infrared which are visible from Paranal. The results of the three brightest, best studied sources have been published in separate papers. Here we present the interferometric observations for the remaining 10, fainter AGN. For 8 of these, interferometric measurements could be carried out. Size estimates or limits on the spatial extent of the AGN-heated dust were derived from the interferometric data of 7 AGN. These indicate that the dust distributions are compact, with sizes on the order of a few parsec. The derived sizes roughly scale with the square root of the luminosity in the mid-infrared, s ~ sqrt(L), with no clear distinction between type 1 and type 2 objects. This is in agreement with a model of nearly optically thick dust structures heated to T ~ 300 K. For three sources, the 10 micron feature due to silicates is tentatively detected either in emission or in absorption. Based on the results for all AGN studied with MIDI so far, we conclude that in the mid-infrared the differences between individual galactic nuclei are greater than the generic differences between type 1 and type 2 objects.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, updated to version published in A&A 502, 67-8