Core Envelope Research Articles

Computations of the collapse of a stellar iron core allowing for the absorption, emission, and scattering of electron neutrinos and anti-neutrinos

The collapse of the iron core of a star with mass 1.4M⊙ is computed. The initial model was chosen to be polytropic, P ∝ ρ1+1/n, with n = 3. The equation of state takes into account the equilibrium radiation of photons, a mixture of Fermi gases comprised of free nucleons and ideal gases comprised of nuclei (Fe, He) in equilibrium with respect to nuclear reactions, and electron-positron gas. The transport equation for electron neutrinos and anti-neutrinos is also included. The absorption and emission of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos with the participation of free nucleons and nuclei is taken into account, as well as scattering on electrons. The main goal of this study is to develop a numerical method for the joint solution of the gas-dynamical equations formatter and the Boltzmann kinetic equations for the distribution functions of various types of neutrinos in both optically thin and optically thick regions. The spherically symmetrical case is considered, but the dependences of the distribution functions on all the phase-space variables—the mass coordinate, particle energy, cosine of the angle between the radius vector and the particle momentum, and time, (m, e, µ, t)—are retained in the description of the neutrino transport. When computing reaction rates, the exact quantum-mechanical expressions for the probabilities of processes are used, with integration over the entire momentum phase space. The gas-dynamical variables depend on the mass coordinate and time, (m, t). The solution yields neutrino light curves, which have narrow maximum with characteristic widths ≈10 ms. This makes it possible to place constraints on the mass of the electron neutrino based on the detection of short bursts of radiation, ≲4 eV. Part of the neutrino energy is absorbed in the envelope of the stellar core (∼1050 erg). This is associated with the higher mean neutrino energies in this model, which is more exact than models with neutrino thermal conductivity. This approach is of interest for the application of multi-dimensional models taking into account large-scale convection.

Constraining the interior of extrasolar giant planets with the tidal Love numberk2using the example of HAT-P-13b

Transit and radial velocity observations continuously discover an increasing number of exoplanets. However, when it comes to the composition of the observed planets the data are compatible with several interior structure models. Thus, a planetary parameter sensitive to the planet's density distribution could help constrain this large number of possible models even further. We aim to investigate to what extent an exoplanet's interior can be constrained in terms of core mass and envelope metallicity by taking the tidal Love number k_2 into account as an additional possibly observable parameter. Because it is the only planet with an observationally determined k_2, we constructed interior models for the Hot Jupiter exoplanet HAT-P-13b by solving the equations of hydrostatic equilibrium and mass conservation for different boundary conditions. In particular, we varied the surface temperature and the outer temperature profile, as well as the envelope metallicity within the widest possible parameter range. We also considered atmospheric conditions that are consistent with nongray atmosphere models. For all these models we calculated the Love number k_2 and compared it to the allowed range of k_2 values that could be obtained from eccentricity measurements of HAT-P-13b. We use the example of HAT-P-13b to show the general relationships between the quantities temperature, envelope metallicity, core mass, and Love number of a planet. For any given k_2 value a maximum possible core mass can be determined. For HAT-P-13b we find Mcore < 27 ME, based on the latest eccentricity measurement. We are able to constrain both the envelope and bulk metallicity of HAT-P-13b to 1 -- 11 times stellar metallicity and the extension of the isothermal layer in the planet's atmosphere to 3 -- 44 bar. Assuming equilibrium tidal theory, we find lower limits on the tidal Q consistent with 10^3 - 10^5.

Present-day star formation: From molecular cloud cores to protostars and protoplanetary disks

Essential physical processes in the formation of protostars and protoplanetary disks are described. Recent advances in non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics simulations, which cover a huge dynamic range from molecular cloud core density (104/cc) to stellar density (1022/cc) in a self-consistent manner, enable us to study the realistic evolution of the magnetic field and rotation of protostars and the dynamics of outflows and jets. First we emphasize the importance of radiative heating and cooling, and describe thermal evolution in a self-gravitationally collapsing cloud. The increased pressure at the center creates the first hydrostatic core, which consists of molecular gas. After the dissociation of molecular hydrogen triggers the second gravitational collapse at the center of the first core, a protostar is quickly formed and the first core gradually transforms into a circumstellar disk that eventually accretes onto the central protostar. The importance of the short-lived first core formed in the early collapsing phase is emphasized in the contexts of driving magnetohydrodynamical bipolar outflows and self-gravitational fragmentation into binary or multiple stars. When the central density becomes sufficiently high (1012/cc), ohmic dissipation largely removes the magnetic flux from a collapsing cloud core, and the strongly twisted magnetic field lines are straightened. The magnetic field lines are twisted and amplified again for much higher density (1016/cc) where the magnetic field is recoupled with warm gas (∼103 K). Finally, protostars at their formation epoch have magnetic fields of 0.1–1 kG, which is comparable to observed values of pre-main-sequence stars. A substantially reduced magnetic flux at the center results in passively wound-up magnetic field lines just after the formation of a protostar. This is followed by driving of a fast bipolar jet along the rotation axis by the resultant magnetic pressure due to excessive winding. Strong collimation of the jet is due to the hoop stress of piled-up toroidal field lines. The angular momentum in a collapsing cloud is removed by magnetohydrodynamical effects such as magnetic braking and driving of outflows and jets. The rotation velocity of the protostar tends to be on the order of break-up speed at its formation epoch, and thus, a further removal mechanism for the angular momentum, such as through the interactions between the protostar, disk, jets, and winds, should be important in its long-term evolution. The circumstellar disk is born in the “dead zone,” a region that is decoupled from the magnetic field. The outer radius of the disk increases with that of the dead zone during accretion from the envelope of the molecular cloud core. A rapid increase in the disk size occurs after depletion of the envelope. The circumstellar disks remain massive in their formation phase, and are subject to gravitational instability, even at 10 AU from the central stars. The further long-term evolution of massive disks is also described. This may provide an improved description for the realistic initial condition and environments for planet formation in gaseous protoplanetary disks.

Comparative analysis of high conversion achievable in thorium-fueled slightly modified CANDU and PWR reactors

We study here the conversion performance of thorium-fueled standard or only slightly modified CANDU and PWR reactors with unchanged core envelope and equipments, to be eventually used as the third and last tier of symbiotic scenarios. For instance, plutonium extracted from the spent fuel of UOX PWRs could be converted in Th/Pu CANDUs to uranium (mainly 233U), finally used to feed a thorium-fueled water-cooled high converting third component. This could be a convenient way to replace likely delayed Generation IV in the case of an important increase of uranium-based energy demand. In order to assess the competitiveness of such symbiotic scenarios, detailed burnup and conversion data are obtained by means of a core-equivalent simulation methodology developed for CANDU-6 and adapted to N4-type PWR. Once-through cycles in CANDU are firstly evaluated for various Th/Pu and Th/ 233U fuels as regards detailed conversion and basic safety performance. Breeding in Th/ 233U CANDU is achieved for a 1.30 wt% homogeneous fissile enrichment and a relatively short burnup of 7 GWd/t. Small increase of enrichment (to 1.35 wt%) considerably extends cycle length (to 14 GWd/t) at the cost of slight sub-breeding. Heterogeneity of fissile load can bring another 70% gain on burnup with no significant impact on conversion. Multirecycling gives even shorter burnup (about 5 GWd/t) for the breeding case, while performance close to the once-through 1.35 wt% case is obtained for a slightly sub-breeding regime sustained by a small add of uranium from Th/Pu CANDU. Th/U cycle neutronic analysis explains the convenient feature of almost constant burnup as 233U load is unchanged at each recycle. Two symbiotic scenarios based on UOX PWRs, Th/Pu CANDUs and Th/ 233U CANDUs in a first open version or optimized Th/U CANDUs in a second closed version are compared. At standard power and moderation levels, Th/ 233U PWR conversion performance is much lower than CANDU with only a bit more than half of initial fissile load remaining after 50 GWd/t. Contrary to CANDU, fuel heterogeneity does not increase burnup. Conversion is mainly improved by enhanced sub-moderation down to minimal acceptable water over fuel volume ratio of 0.8 at standard power. In this limit case, a 3.00 wt% enrichment ensures a burnup of 33 GWd/t with 80% of initial fissile load remaining. By comparing a few Th/ 233U CANDU and PWR high converting cases, we understand that main part of the CANDU-PWR conversion gap results from neutron-economical CANDU operation conditions based on frequent online refueling and therefore why sub-moderation improves PWR conversion. From this better understanding, we deduce and preliminarily evaluate two possible ways to really higher conversion with thorium fuel in PWR envelope based on faster spectra either with light water and power derating or with heavy water and Spectral Shift Control.

Vaccinia virus leads to ATG12–ATG3 conjugation and deficiency in autophagosome formation

The interactions between viruses and cellular autophagy have been widely reported. On the one hand, autophagy is an important innate immune response against viral infection. On the other hand, some viruses exploit the autophagy pathway for their survival and proliferation in host cells. Vaccinia virus is a member of the family of Poxviridae which includes the smallpox virus. The biogenesis of vaccinia envelopes, including the core envelope of the immature virus (IV), is not fully understood. In this study we investigated the possible interaction between vaccinia virus and the autophagy membrane biogenesis machinery. Massive LC3 lipidation was observed in mouse fibroblast cells upon vaccinia virus infection. Surprisingly, the vaccinia virus induced LC3 lipidation was shown to be independent of ATG5 and ATG7, as the atg5 and atg7 null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) exhibited the same high levels of LC3 lipidation as compared with the wild-type MEFs. Mass spectrometry and immunoblotting analyses revealed that the viral infection led to the direct conjugation of ATG3, which is the E2-like enzyme required for LC3-phosphoethanonamine conjugation, to ATG12, which is a component of the E3-like ATG12–ATG5-ATG16 complex for LC3 lipidation. Consistently, ATG3 was shown to be required for the vaccinia virus induced LC3 lipidation. Strikingly, despite the high levels of LC3 lipidation, subsequent electron microscopy showed that vaccinia virus-infected cells were devoid of autophagosomes, either in normal growth medium or upon serum and amino acid deprivation. In addition, no autophagy flux was observed in virus-infected cells. We further demonstrated that neither ATG3 nor LC3 lipidation is crucial for viral membrane biogenesis or viral proliferation and infection. Together, these results indicated that vaccinia virus does not exploit the cellular autophagic membrane biogenesis machinery for their viral membrane production. Moreover, this study demonstrated that vaccinia virus instead actively disrupts the cellular autophagy through a novel molecular mechanism that is associated with aberrant LC3 lipidation and a direct conjugation between ATG12 and ATG3.

RADIATION-HYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS OF PROTOSTELLAR OUTFLOWS: SYNTHETIC OBSERVATIONS AND DATA COMPARISONS

We present results from three-dimensional, self-gravitating, radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of low-mass protostellar outflows. We construct synthetic observations in 12CO in order to compare with observed outflows and evaluate the effects of beam resolution and outflow orientation on inferred outflow properties. To facilitate the comparison, we develop a quantitative prescription for measuring outflow opening angles. Using this prescription, we demonstrate that, in both simulations and synthetic observations, outflow opening angles broaden with time similarly to observed outflows. However, the interaction between the outflowing gas and the turbulent core envelope produces significant asymmetry between the redshifted and blueshifted outflow lobes. We find that applying a velocity cutoff may result in outflow masses that are underestimated by a factor five or more, and masses derived from optically thick CO emission further underpredict the mass of the high-velocity gas by a factor of 5–10. Derived excitation temperatures indicate that outflowing gas is hotter than the ambient gas with temperature rising over time, which is in agreement with the simulation gas temperatures. However, excitation temperatures are otherwise not well correlated with the actual gas temperature.

DELTA SCUTI, SX PHOENICIS, AND RR LYRAE STARS IN GALAXIES AND GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

The distances to four galaxies and two globular clusters which are derived with the aid of period-luminosity and period-color relations of δ Scuti and SX Phe stars are compared to the distances derived by other methods, in particular RR Lyrae stars. We examine the luminosities of horizontal branch or RR Lyrae stars in Oosterhoff I and II globular clusters. Observational data from a variety of sources indicate a discontinuous jump of ~0.2 mag in the luminosities of RR Lyrae variables at [Fe/H] ≈ –1.5 as we transition from Oosterhoff I to Oosterhoff II clusters. If Oosterhoff I clusters have RR Lyrae variables with average M V values of M V = 0.53 mag at [Fe/H] = –1.5, it implies that RR Lyrae stars in Oosterhoff II clusters average M V values are ~0.34 mag. Unlike the Oosterhoff I clusters which show an increase in the V luminosity of RR Lyrae stars as [Fe/H] becomes smaller, little or no change in the V luminosity of RR Lyrae variables is evident in Oosterhoff II clusters in the interval of [Fe/H] from –1.5 to –2.2. We find distance moduli found with RR Lyrae variables agree to ≤0.04 mag with those found with the δ Scuti and/or SX Phe variables if the M V values of RR Lyrae stars above are adopted. We find evidence of recent star formation (presence of near solar-metallicity δ Scuti stars with ages of 150 Myr to 1 Gyr) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), Small Magellanic Cloud, and the central region of the Fornax (dSph) galaxies. We also find an older population of metal-poor δ Scuti variables (SX Phe stars) in the LMC and Fornax galaxies. The Carina dSph is unique in that only an old population of metal-poor δ Scuti variables is evident. No evidence of recent δ Scuti star formation is found. The minimum periods observed for the SX Phe variables (blue stragglers) in the globular clusters M55 and ω Cen indicate that they could have been formed in a burst of metal-poor single star formation in the last 2.9-6 Gyr. If formed by the more acceptable scenario of stellar mergers, it is likely that the merged remnant resembles a normal star in a relatively advanced stage of main-sequence evolution with an enriched He core and ordinary He envelope. We present equations to calculate intrinsic-color indices for δ Scuti, SX Phe, and RR Lyrae stars at mean light. Finally, we show that the fundamental-radial-pulsating stars (δ Sct and SX Phe variables) have larger average light amplitudes than the first-overtone pulsating variables. The fundamental metal-poor variables (SX Phe stars) have the largest average and individual amplitudes.

Modelling of an Eclipsing RS CVn Binary: V405 And

AbstractV405 And is an ultrafast-rotating (Prot ≈ 0.46 days) eclipsing binary. The system consists of a primary star with radiative core and convective envelope, and a fully convective secondary. Theories have shown that stellar structure can depend on magnetic activity, i.e., magnetically active M-dwarfs should have larger radii. Earlier light curve modelling of V405 And indeed showed this behaviour: we found that the radius of the primary is significantly larger than the theoretically predicted value for inactive main sequence stars (the discrepancy is the largest of all known objects), while the secondary fits well to the mass-radius relation. By modelling our recently obtained light curves, which show significant changes of the spotted surface of the primary, we can find further proof for this phenomenon.

Shapes and gravitational fields of rotating two-layer Maclaurin ellipsoids: Application to planets and satellites

The exact solution for the shape and gravitational field of a rotating two-layer Maclaurin ellipsoid of revolution is compared with predictions of the theory of figures up to third order in the small rotational parameter of the theory of figures. An explicit formula is derived for the external gravitational coefficient J 2 of the exact solution. A new approach to the evaluation of the theory of figures based on numerical integration of ordinary differential equations is presented. The classical Radau–Darwin formula is found not to be valid for the rotational parameter ϵ 2 = Ω 2/(2 πG ρ 2) ⩾ 0.17 since the formula then predicts a surface eccentricity that is smaller than the eccentricity of the core–envelope boundary. Interface eccentricity must be smaller than surface eccentricity. In the formula for ϵ 2, Ω is the angular velocity of the two-layer body, ρ 2 is the density of the outer layer, and G is the gravitational constant. For an envelope density of 3000 kg m −3 the failure of the Radau–Darwin formula corresponds to a rotation period of about 3 h. Application of the exact solution and the theory of figures is made to models of Earth, Mars, Uranus, and Neptune. The two-layer model with constant densities in the layers can provide realistic approximations to terrestrial planets and icy outer planet satellites. The two-layer model needs to be generalized to allow for a continuous envelope (outer layer) radial density profile in order to realistically model a gas or ice giant planet.

Modelling the rotational evolution of solar-like stars: the rotational coupling time-scale

We investigate the rotational evolution of solar-like stars with a focus on the internal angular momentum transport processes. The double zone model, in which the star's radiative core and convective envelope are assumed to rotate as solid bodies, is used to test simple relationships between the core-envelope coupling timescale, tau_c, and rotational properties, like the envelope angular velocity or the differential rotation at the core-envelope interface. The trial relationships are tested by fitting the model parameters to available observations via a Monte Carlo Markov Chain method. The synthetic distributions are tested for compatibility with their observational counterparts by means of the standard Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test. A power-law dependence of tau_c on the inner differential rotation leads to a more satisfactory agreement with observations than a two-value prescription for tau_c, which would imply a dichotomy between the initially slow (P_rot > 3 d) and fast (P_rot < 3 d) rotators. However, we find it impossible to reconcile the high fraction of fast rotators in alpha Per with the rotation period distributions in stellar systems at earlier and later evolutionary stages. This could be explained by local environmental effects (e.g. early removal of circumstellar discs due to UV radiation and winds from nearby high-mass stars) or by observational biases. The low KS probability that the synthetic and observed distributions are not incompatible, found in some cases, may be due to over-simplified assumptions of the double zone model, but the large relative uncertainties in the age determination of very young clusters and associations are expected to play a relevant role. Other possible limitations and uncertainties are discussed.

Oral immunization with attenuated Salmonella carrying a co-expression plasmid encoding the core and E2 proteins of hepatitis C virus capable of inducing cellular immune responses and neutralizing antibodies in mice

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein has long been considered an attractive candidate for inclusion in a protective vaccine. However, this protein may hamper the development of systemic immune responses because of its immune suppressive properties. We previously reported that immune responses to HCV core protein could be efficiently induced by attenuated Salmonella carrying the HCV core protein, but not the HCV core DNA vaccine. To optimize the combination of the core protein and envelope protein 2 (E2) into a vaccine formulation to induce cellular immune responses and neutralizing antibodies, we constructed a plasmid containing two expression cassettes. One expression cassette was included to regulate the expression of HCV core protein by an inducible in vivo-activated Salmonella promoter, the other was included to regulate the expression of HCV E2 protein by the cytomegalovirus enhancer/promoter. Oral immunization of BALB/c mice with the attenuated Salmonella strain SL7207 carrying this plasmid efficiently induced HCV core and E2-specific cellular immune responses and antibodies. IgG purified from immunized mice could neutralize the infectivity of HCV pseudoparticles (HCVpp) of both the autologous Con 1 isolate and the heterologous H77 isolate, and cell culture produced HCV (HCVcc) of Con1-JFH1 chimera. These results indicated that this vaccine strategy can effectively deliver core and E2 protein to the immune system and provide a promising approach for the development of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines against HCV infection.

CS LINE PROFILES IN HOT CORES

We present a theoretical study of CS line profiles in archetypal hot cores. We provide estimates of line fluxes from the CS(1-0) to the CS(15-14) transitions and present the temporal variation of these fluxes. We find that \textit{i)} the CS(1-0) transition is a better tracer of the Envelope of the hot core whereas the higher-J CS lines trace the ultra-compact core; \textit{ii)} the peak temperature of the CS transitions is a good indicator of the temperature inside the hot core; \textit{iii)} in the Envelope, the older the hot core the stronger the self-absorption of CS; \textit{iv)} the fractional abundance of CS is highest in the innermost parts of the ultra-compact core, confirming the CS molecule as one of the best tracers of very dense gas.

Fluctuation dynamics analysis of gp120 envelope protein reveals a topologically based communication network

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is initiated by binding of the viral glycoprotein gp120, to the cellular receptor CD4. On CD4 binding, gp120 undergoes conformational change, permitting binding to the chemokine receptor. Crystal structures of gp120 ternary complex reveal the CD4 bound conformation of gp120. We report here the application of the Gaussian network model (GNM) to the crystal structures of gp120 bound to CD4 or CD4 mimic and 17b, to study the collective motions of the gp120 core and determine the communication propensities of the residue network. The GNM fluctuation profiles identify residues in the inner domain and outer domain that may facilitate conformational change or stability, respectively. Communication propensities delineate a residue network that is topologically suited for signal propagation from the Phe43 cavity throughout the gp120 outer domain. These results provide a new context for interpreting gp120 core envelope structure-function relationships.

The Effects of Radiation Feedback on Early Fragmentation and Stellar Multiplicity

AbstractForming stars emit a significant amount of radiation into their natal environment. While the importance of radiation feedback from high-mass stars is widely accepted, radiation has generally been ignored in simulations of low-mass star formation. I use ORION, an adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) three-dimensional gravito-radiation-hydrodynamics code, to model low-mass star formation in a turbulent molecular cloud. I demonstrate that including radiation feedback has a profound effect on fragmentation and protostellar multiplicity. Although heating is mainly confined within the core envelope, it is sufficient to suppress disk fragmentation that would otherwise result in low-mass companions or brown dwarfs. As a consequence, turbulent fragmentation, not disk fragmentation, is likely the origin of low-mass binaries.

Absolute dimensions of eclipsing binaries

V1130 Tau is a bright (m_V = 6.56), nearby (71 +/- 2 pc) detached system with a circular orbit (P = 0.80d). The components are deformed with filling factors above 0.9. Their masses and radii have been established to 0.6-0.7%. We derive a [Fe/H] abundance of -0.25 +/- 0.10. The measured rotational velocities, 92.4 +/- 1.1 (primary) and 104.7 +/- 2.7 (secondary) km/s, are in fair agreement with synchronization. The larger 1.39 Msun secondary component has evolved to the middle of the main-sequence band and is slightly cooler than the 1.31 Msun primary. Yonsai-Yale, BaSTI, and Granada evolutionary models for the observed metal abundance and a 'normal' He content of Y = 0.25-0.26, marginally reproduce the components at ages between 1.8 and 2.1 Gyr. All such models are, however, systematically about 200 K hotter than observed and predict ages for the more massive component, which are systematically higher than for the less massive component. These trends can not be removed by adjusting the amount of core overshoot or envelope convection level, or by including rotation in the model calculations. They may be due to proximity effects in V1130 Tau, but on the other hand, we find excellent agreement for 2.5-2.8 Gyr Granada models with a slightly lower Y of 0.23-0.24. V1130 Tau is a valuable addition to the very few well-studied 1-2 Msun binaries with component(s) in the upper half of the main-sequence band, or beyond. The stars are not evolved enough to provide new information on the dependence of core overshoot on mass (and abundance), but might - together with a larger sample of well-detached systems - be useful for further tuning of the helium enrichment law.

Solid-liquid phase equilibria of the Gaussian core model fluid

The solid-liquid phase equilibria of the Gaussian core model are determined using the GWTS [J. Ge, G.-W. Wu, B. D. Todd, and R. J. Sadus, J. Chem. Phys. 119, 11017 (2003)] algorithm, which combines equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. This is the first reported use of the GWTS algorithm for a fluid system displaying a reentrant melting scenario. Using the GWTS algorithm, the phase envelope of the Gaussian core model can be calculated more precisely than previously possible. The results for the low-density and the high-density (reentrant melting) sides of the solid state are in good agreement with those obtained by Monte Carlo simulations in conjunction with calculations of the solid free energies. The common point on the Gaussian core envelope, where equal-density solid and liquid phases are in coexistence, could be determined with high precision.

Protostellar discs formed from rigidly rotating cores

Abridged: We use three-dimensional SPH simulations to investigate the collapse of low-mass prestellar cores and the formation and early evolution of protostellar discs. The initial conditions are slightly supercritical Bonnor-Ebert spheres in rigid rotation. The core mass and initial radius are held fixed at M_O=6.1 M_sun and R_O=17,000 AU, and the only parameter that we vary is the initial angular speed \Omega_O. Protostellar discs forming from cores with \Omega_O<1.35 10d-13 1/s have radii between 100 and 300 AU and are quite centrally concentrated; due to heating by gas infall onto the disc and accretion onto the central object, they are also quite warm, T>100 K, and therefore stable against gravitational fragmentation. In contrast, more rapidly rotating cores form discs which are less concentrated and cooler, and have radii between 400 and 1000 AU; as a consequence they are prone to gravitational fragmentation and the formation of multiple systems. We derive a criterion that predicts whether a rigidly rotating core having given M_O, R_O and \Omega_O will produce a protostellar disc which fragments whilst material is still infalling from the core envelope. We then apply this criterion to core samples for which M_O, R_O and \Omega_O have been estimated observationally. We conclude that the observed cores are stable against fragmentation at this stage, due to their low angular speeds and the heat delivered at the accretion shock where the infalling material hits the disc.

The full set of gas giant structures: I: On the origin of planetary masses and the planetary initial mass function

Context Current planet search programs are detecting extrasolar planets at a rate of 60 planets per year. These planets show more diverse properties than was expected. Aims We try to get an overview of possible gas giant (proto-) planets for a full range of orbital periods and stellar masses. This allows the prediction of the full range of possible planetary properties which might be discovered in the near future. Methods We calculate the purely hydrostatic structure of the envelopes of proto-planets that are embedded in protoplanetary disks for all conceivable locations: combinations of different planetesimal accretion rates, host star masses, and orbital separations. At each location all hydrostatic equilibrium solutions to the planetary structure equations are determined by variation of core mass and pressure over many orders of magnitude. For each location we analyze the distribution of planetary masses. Results We get a wide spectrum of core–envelope structures. However, practically all calculated proto-planets are in the planetary mass range. Furthermore, the planet masses show a characteristic bimodal, sometimes trimodal, distribution. For the first time, we identify three physical processes that are responsible for the three characteristic planet masses: self-gravity in the Hill sphere, compact objects, and a region of very low adiabatic pressure gradient in the hydrogen equation of state. Using these processes, we can explain the dependence of the characteristic masses on the planet’s location: orbital period, host star mass, and planetesimal accretion rate (luminosity). The characteristic mass caused by the self-gravity effect at close proximity to the host star is typically one Neptune mass, thus producing the so-called hot Neptunes. Conclusions Our results suggest that hot Jupiters with orbital period less than 64 days (the exact location of the boundary depends on stellar type and accretion rate) have quite distinct properties which we expect to be reflected in a different mass distribution of these planets when compared to the “normal” planetary population. We use our theoretical survey to produce an upper mass limit for embedded planets: the maximum embedded equilibrium mass (MEEM). This naturally explains the lack of high mass planets between 3 and 64 days orbital period.

Role of molecular mimicry of hepatitis C virus protein with platelet GPIIIa in hepatitis C–related immunologic thrombocytopenia

AbstractPatients with HIV-1 immune-related thrombocytopenia (HIV-1–ITP) have a unique Ab against platelet GPIIIa49-66 capable of inducing oxidative platelet fragmentation in the absence of complement. HIV-1–seropositive drug abusers are more prone to develop immune thrombocytopenia than non–drug abusers and have a higher coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) than non–drug abusers (90% vs 30%). Molecular mimicry was sought by screening a phage peptide library with anti–GPIIIa49-66 antibody as bait for peptides sharing homology sequences with HCV. Several phage peptide clones had 70% homology with HCV protein. Sera from dually infected thrombocytopenic patients with HCV and HIV-ITP reacted strongly with 4 nonconserved peptides from HCV core envelope 1. Reactivity correlated inversely with platelet count (r2 = 0.7, P < .01). Ab raised against peptide PHC09 in GPIIIa−/− mice induced thrombocytopenia in wild-type mice. Affinity-purified IgG against PHC09 induced oxidative platelet fragmentation in vitro. Drug abusers dually infected with HCV and HIV-1 had a greater incidence and severity of thrombocytopenia as well as titer of anti–GPIIIa49-66/PHC09 Ab. NZB/W F1 mice injected with recombinant core envelope 1 developed Ab versus PHC09 and significantly decreased their platelet count (P < .001). Thus, HCV core envelope 1 can induce thrombocytopenia by molecular mimicry with GPIIIa49-66.

Molecular mimicry and immune thrombocytopenia

In this issue of Blood, Zhang and colleagues show evidence that many thrombocytopenic patients infected with HCV have autoantibodies specific for a defined peptide sequence in platelet membrane glycoprotein IIIa. These autoantibodies appear to be the result of an immune response mounted against one or more peptides present in the HCV core envelope protein 1.