Molecular Depletion Research Articles

Grain growth and its chemical impact in the first hydrostatic core phase

Context. The first hydrostatic core (FHSC) phase is a brief stage in the protostellar evolution that is difficult to detect. Its chemical composition determine that of later evolutionary stages. Numerical simulations are the tool of choice to study these objects. Aims. Our goal is to characterize the chemical evolution of gas and dust during the formation of the FHSC. Moreover, we are interested in analyzing, for the first time with 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, the role of grain growth in its chemistry. Methods. We postprocessed 2 × 105 tracer particles from a RAMSES non-ideal MHD simulation using the codes NAUTILUS and SHARK to follow the chemistry and grain growth throughout the simulation. Results. Gas-phase abundances of most of the C, O, N, and S reservoirs in the hot corino at the end of the simulation match the ice-phase abundances from the prestellar phase. Interstellar complex organic molecules such as methyl formate, acetaldehyde, and formamide are formed during the warm-up process. Grain size in the hot corino (nH > 1011 cm−3) increases forty-fold during the last 30 kyr, with negligible effects on its chemical composition. At moderate densities (1010 < nH < 1011 cm−3) and cool temperatures 15 < T < 50 K, increasing grain sizes delay molecular depletion. At low densities (nH ~ 107 cm−3), grains do not grow significantly. To assess the need to perform chemo-MHD calculations, we compared our results with a two-step model that reproduces well the abundances of C and O reservoirs, but not the N and S reservoirs. Conclusions. The chemical composition of the FHSC is heavily determined by that of the parent prestellar core. Chemo-MHD computations are needed for an accurate prediction of the abundances of the main N and S elemental reservoirs. The impact of grain growth in moderately dense areas delaying depletion permits the use of abundance ratios as grain growth proxies.

Starbursts driven by central gas compaction

ABSTRACT Starburst (SB) galaxies are a rare population of galaxies with star formation rates (SFRs) greatly exceeding those of the majority of star-forming galaxies with similar stellar mass. It is unclear whether these bursts are the result of either especially large gas reservoirs or enhanced efficiencies in converting gas into stars. Tidal torques resulting from gas-rich galaxy mergers are known to enhance the SFR by funnelling gas towards the centre. However, recent theoretical works show that mergers do not always trigger an SB and not all SB galaxies are interacting systems, raising the question of what drives an SB. We analyse a large sample of SB galaxies and a mass- and redshift-matched sample of control galaxies, drawn from the FIREbox cosmological volume at z = 0–1. We find that SB galaxies have both larger molecular gas fractions and shorter molecular depletion times than control galaxies, but similar total gas masses. Control galaxies evolve towards the SB regime by gas compaction in their central regions, over time-scales of ∼70 Myr, accompanied by an increase in the fraction of ultradense and molecular gas. The driving mechanism behind the SB varies depending on the mass of the galaxy. Massive ($M_\star \gtrsim 10^{10}~\rm {M}_\odot$) galaxies undergoing intense, long-lasting SBs are mostly driven by galaxy interactions. Conversely, SBs in non-interacting galaxies are often triggered by a global gravitational instability, which can result in a ‘breathing’ mode in low-mass galaxies.

Star formation efficiency and AGN feedback in narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies with fast X-ray nuclear winds

ABSTRACT We present the first systematic study of the molecular gas and star formation efficiency in a sample of ten narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies selected to have X-ray Ultra Fast Outflows and, therefore, to potentially show AGN feedback effects. CO observations were obtained with the IRAM 30-m telescope in six galaxies and from the literature for four galaxies. We derived the stellar mass, star formation rate, AGN, and FIR dust luminosities by fitting the multi-band spectral energy distributions with the CIGALE code. Most of the galaxies in our sample lie above the main sequence (MS), and the molecular depletion time is one to two orders of magnitude shorter than the one typically measured in local star-forming galaxies. Moreover, we found a promising correlation between the star formation efficiency and the Eddington ratio, as well as a tentative correlation with the AGN luminosity. The role played by the AGN activity in the regulation of star formation within the host galaxies of our sample remains uncertain (little or no effect? positive feedback?). Nevertheless, we can conclude that quenching by the AGN activity is minor and that star formation will likely stop in a short time due to gas exhaustion by the current starburst episode.

The role of AGN in galaxy star formation: A case study of a radio galaxy at z = 2.6

AbstractRadio galaxies are ideal sites to scrutinize AGN feedback physics, as they are massive galaxies with jets that interact with the surrounding ISM. I will present a detailed analysis of the recent star formation history and conditions of a starbursting, massive radio galaxy at z = 2.6, PKS 0529-549. In the 8.5-hour VLT/X-Shooter spectrum, we detect unambiguous signatures of stellar photospheric absorption lines originating from OB-stars. Comparison with model spectra shows that more than one burst took place in its recent past: the most recent one at 4 − 7 Myr, and another aged ⩾20 Myr. ALMA observations of the [CI] atomic carbon emission line indicates that it has a low molecular gas fraction (∼13%) and short depletion time (∼40 Myr). Most intriguing is the modest velocity dispersion (⩽50 km/s) of these photospheric lines and the ALMA [CI] cold gas. We attribute its efficient star formation to compressive gas motions, induced by radio jets and/or interaction. Star formation works in concert with the AGN to remove any residual molecular gas and eventually leads to quenching.

The chemical structure of the very young starless core L1521E

Context. L1521E is a dense starless core in Taurus that was found to have relatively low molecular depletion by earlier studies, thus suggesting a recent formation. Aims. We aim to characterize the chemical structure of L1521E and compare it to the more evolved L1544 pre-stellar core. Methods. We have obtained ~2.5 × 2.5 arcminute maps toward L1521E using the IRAM-30 m telescope in transitions of various species, including C17O, CH3OH, c-C3H2, CN, SO, H2CS, and CH3CCH. We derived abundances for the observed species and compared them to those obtained toward L1544. We estimated CO depletion factors using the C17O IRAM-30 m map, an N(H2) map derived from Herschel/SPIRE data and a 1.2 mm dust continuum emission map obtained with the IRAM-30 m telescope. Results. Similarly to L1544, c-C3H2 and CH3OH peak at different positions. Most species peak toward the c-C3H2 peak including C2S, C3S, HCS+, HC3N, H2CS, CH3CCH, and C34S. C17O and SO peak close to both the c-C3H2 and the CH3OH peaks. CN and N2H+ peak close to the Herschel dust peak. We found evidence of CO depletion toward L1521E. The lower limit of the CO depletion factor derived toward the Herschel dust peak is 4.3±1.6, which is about a factor of three lower than toward L1544. We derived abundances for several species toward the dust peaks of L1521E and L1544. The abundances of most sulfur-bearing molecules such as C2S, HCS+, C34S, C33S, and HCS+ are higher toward L1521E than toward L1544 by factors of ~2–20, compared to the abundance of A-CH3OH. The abundance of methanol is very similar toward the two cores. Conclusions. The fact that the abundances of sulfur-bearing species toward L1521E are higher than toward L1544 suggests that significant sulfur depletion takes place during the dynamical evolution of dense cores, from the starless to pre-stellar stage. The CO depletion factor measured toward L1521E suggests that CO is more depleted than previously found. Similar CH3OH abundances between L1521E and L1544 hint that methanol is forming at specific physical conditions in the Taurus Molecular Cloud Complex, characterized by densities of a few ×104 cm−3 and N(H2) ≳ 1022 cm−2, when CO starts to catastrophically freeze-out, while water can still be significantly photodissociated, so that the surfaces of dust grains become rich in solid CO and CH3OH, as already found toward L1544. Methanol can thus provide selective crucial information about the transition region between dense cores and the surrounding parent cloud.

Star formation and gas in the minor merger UGC 10214

Minor mergers play a crucial role in galaxy evolution. UGC 10214 (the Tadpole galaxy) is a prime example of this process in which a dwarf galaxy has interacted with a large spiral galaxy ∼250 Myr ago and produced a perturbed disc and a giant tidal tail. We used a multi-wavelength dataset that partly consists of new observations (Hα, HI, and CO) and partly of archival data to study the present and past star formation rate (SFR) and its relation to the gas and stellar mass at a spatial resolution down to 4 kpc. UGC 10214 is a high-mass (stellar mass M⋆ = 1.28 × 1011 M⊙) galaxy with a low gas fraction (Mgas/M⋆ = 0.24), a high molecular gas fraction (MH2/MHI = 0.4), and a modest SFR (2–5 M⊙ yr−1). The global SFR compared to its stellar mass places UGC 10214 on the galaxy main sequence (MS). The comparison of the molecular gas mass and current SFR gives a molecular gas depletion time of about ∼2 Gyr (based on Hα), comparable to those of normal spiral galaxies. Both from a comparison of the Hα emission, tracing the current SFR, and far-ultraviolet (FUV) emission, tracing the recent SFR during the past tens of Myr, and also from spectral energy distribution fitting with CIGALE, we find that the SFR has increased by a factor of about 2–3 during the recent past. This increase is particularly noticeable in the centre of the galaxy where a pronounced peak of the Hα emission is visible. A pixel-to-pixel comparison of the SFR, molecular gas mass, and stellar mass shows that the central region has had a depressed FUV-traced SFR compared to the molecular gas and the stellar mass, whereas the Hα-traced SFR shows a normal level. The atomic and molecular gas distribution is asymmetric, but the position-velocity diagram along the major axis shows a pattern of regular rotation. We conclude that the minor merger has most likely caused variations in the SFR in the past that resulted in a moderate increase of the SFR, but it has not perturbed the gas significantly so that the molecular depletion time remains normal.

The EDGE–CALIFA survey: the influence of galactic rotation on the molecular depletion time across the Hubble sequence

We present a kpc-scale analysis of the relationship between the molecular depletion time ($\tau_\mathrm{dep}^\mathrm{mol}$) and the orbital time ($\tau_\mathrm{orb}$) across the field of 39 face-on local galaxies, selected from the EDGE-CALIFA sample. We find that, on average, 5% of the available molecular gas is converted into stars per orbital time, or $\tau_\mathrm{dep}^\mathrm{mol}\sim20\tau_\mathrm{orb}$. The resolved relation shows a scatter of $\sim0.5$ dex. The scatter is ascribable to galaxies of different morphologies that follow different $\tau_\mathrm{dep}^\mathrm{mol}-\tau_\mathrm{orb}$ relations which decrease in steepness from early- to late-types. The morphologies appear to be linked with the star formation rate surface density, the molecular depletion time, and the orbital time, but they do not correlate with the molecular gas content of the galaxies in our sample. We speculate that in our molecular gas rich, early-type galaxies, the morphological quenching (in particular the disc stabilization via shear), rather than the absence of molecular gas, is the main factor responsible for their current inefficient star formation.

The EDGE-CALIFA Survey: Interferometric Observations of 126 Galaxies with CARMA

Abstract We present interferometric CO observations, made with the Combined Array for Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) interferometer, of galaxies from the Extragalactic Database for Galaxy Evolution survey (EDGE). These galaxies are selected from the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) sample, mapped with optical integral field spectroscopy. EDGE provides good-quality CO data (3σ sensitivity before inclination correction, resolution ∼1.4 kpc) for 126 galaxies, constituting the largest interferometric CO survey of galaxies in the nearby universe. We describe the survey and data characteristics and products, then present initial science results. We find that the exponential scale lengths of the molecular, stellar, and star-forming disks are approximately equal, and galaxies that are more compact in molecular gas than in stars tend to show signs of interaction. We characterize the molecular-to-stellar ratio as a function of Hubble type and stellar mass and present preliminary results on the resolved relations between the molecular gas, stars, and star-formation rate. We then discuss the dependence of the resolved molecular depletion time on stellar surface density, nebular extinction, and gas metallicity. EDGE provides a key data set to address outstanding topics regarding gas and its role in star formation and galaxy evolution, which will be publicly available on completion of the quality assessment.

Proapoptotic protein Bim attenuates estrogen-enhanced survival in lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a progressive lung disease that primarily affects young women. Genetic evidence suggests that LAM cells bearing TSC2 mutations migrate to the lungs, proliferate, and cause cystic remodeling. The female predominance indicates that estrogen plays a critical role in LAM pathogenesis, and we have proposed that estrogen promotes LAM cell metastasis by inhibition of anoikis. We report here that estrogen increased LAM patient-derived cells' resistance to anoikis in vitro, accompanied by decreased accumulation of the proapoptotic protein Bim, an activator of anoikis. The resistance to anoikis was reversed by the proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib. Treatment of LAM patient-derived cells with estrogen plus bortezomib promoted anoikis compared with estrogen alone. Depletion of Bim by siRNA in TSC2-deficient cells resulted in anoikis resistance. Treatment of mice with bortezomib reduced estrogen-promoted lung colonization of TSC2-deficient cells. Importantly, molecular depletion of Bim by siRNA in Tsc2-deficient cells increased lung colonization in a mouse model. Collectively, these data indicate that Bim plays a key role in estrogen-enhanced survival of LAM patient-derived cells under detached conditions that occur with dissemination. Thus, targeting Bim may be a plausible future treatment strategy in patients with LAM.

Differential contribution of the mitochondrial translation pathway to the survival of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma subsets.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) are a highly heterogeneous group of tumors in which subsets share molecular features revealed by gene expression profiles and metabolic fingerprints. While B-cell receptor (BCR)-dependent DLBCLs are glycolytic, OxPhos-DLBCLs rely on mitochondrial energy transduction and nutrient utilization pathways that provide pro-survival benefits independent of BCR signaling. Integral to these metabolic distinctions is elevated mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) activity in OxPhos-DLBCLs compared with BCR-DLBCLs, which is linked to greater protein abundance of ETC components. To gain insights into molecular determinants of the selective increase in ETC activity and dependence on mitochondrial energy metabolism in OxPhos-DLBCLs, we examined the mitochondrial translation pathway in charge of the synthesis of mitochondrial DNA encoded ETC subunits. Quantitative mass spectrometry identified increased expression of mitochondrial translation factors in OxPhos-DLBCL as compared with the BCR subtype. Biochemical and functional assays indicate that the mitochondrial translation pathway is required for increased ETC activity and mitochondrial energy reserves in OxPhos-DLBCL. Importantly, molecular depletion of several mitochondrial translation proteins using RNA interference or pharmacological perturbation of the mitochondrial translation pathway with the FDA-approved inhibitor tigecycline (Tigecyl) is selectively toxic to OxPhos-DLBCL cell lines and primary tumors. These findings provide additional molecular insights into the metabolic characteristics of OxPhos-DLBCLs, and mark the mitochondrial translation pathway as a potential therapeutic target in these tumors.

Scaled up low-mass star formation in massive star-forming cores in the G333 giant molecular cloud

Three bright molecular line sources in G333 have recently been shown to exhibit signatures of infall. We describe a molecular line radiative transfer modelling process which is required to extract the infall signature from Mopra and Nanten2 data. The observed line profiles differ greatly between individual sources but are reproduced well by variations upon a common unified model where the outflow viewing angle is the most significant difference between the sources. The models and data together suggest that the observed properties of the high-mass star-forming regions such as infall, turbulence, and mass are consistent with scaled-up versions of the low-mass case with turbulent velocities that are supersonic and an order of magnitude larger than those found in low-mass star-forming regions. Using detailed radiative transfer modeling, we show that the G333 cores are essentially undergoing a scaled-up version of low mass star formation. This is an extension of earlier work in that the degree of infall and the chemical abundances are constrained by the RT modeling in a way that is not practical with a standard analysis of observational data. We also find high velocity infall and high infall mass rates, possibly suggesting accelerated collapse due to external pressure. Molecular depletion due to freeze-out onto dust grains in central regions of the cores is suggested by low molecular abundances of several species. Strong evidence for a local enhancement of 13C-bearing species towards the outflow cloud cores is discussed, consistent with the presence of shocks caused by the supersonic motions within them.

SHORT GMC LIFETIMES: AN OBSERVATIONAL ESTIMATE WITH THE PdBI ARCSECOND WHIRLPOOL SURVEY (PAWS)

We describe and execute a novel approach to observationally estimate the lifetimes of giant molecular clouds (GMCs). We focus on the cloud population between the two main spiral arms in M51 (the inter-arm region) where cloud destruction via shear and star formation feedback dominates over formation processes. By monitoring the change in GMC number densities and properties from one side of the inter-arm to the other, we estimate the lifetime as a fraction of the inter-arm travel time. We find that GMC lifetimes in M51's inter-arm are finite and short, 20 to 30 Myr. Such short lifetimes suggest that cloud evolution is influenced by environment, in which processes can disrupt GMCs after a few free-fall times. Over most of the region under investigation shear appears to regulate the lifetime. As the shear timescale increases with galactocentric radius, we expect cloud destruction to switch primarily to star formation feedback at larger radii. We identify a transition from shear- to feedback-dominated disruption through a change in the behavior of the GMC number density. The signature suggests that shear is more efficient at completely dispersing clouds, whereas feedback transforms the population, e.g. by fragmenting high mass clouds into lower mass pieces. Compared to the characteristic timescale for molecular hydrogen in M51, our short lifetimes suggest that gas can remain molecular while clouds disperse and reassemble. We propose that galaxy dynamics regulates the cycling of molecular material from diffuse to bound (and ultimately star-forming) objects, contributing to long observed molecular depletion times in normal disk galaxies. We also speculate that, in more extreme environments such as elliptical galaxies and concentrated galaxy centers, star formation can be suppressed when the shear timescale becomes so short that some clouds can not survive to collapse and form stars.

Estradiol promotes pentose phosphate pathway addiction and cell survival via reactivation of Akt in mTORC1 hyperactive cells

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a female-predominant interstitial lung disease that can lead to respiratory failure. LAM cells typically have inactivating TSC2 mutations, leading to mTORC1 activation. The gender specificity of LAM suggests that estradiol contributes to disease development, yet the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are not completely understood. Using metabolomic profiling, we identified an estradiol-enhanced pentose phosphate pathway signature in Tsc2-deficient cells. Estradiol increased levels of cellular NADPH, decreased levels of reactive oxygen species, and enhanced cell survival under oxidative stress. Mechanistically, estradiol reactivated Akt in TSC2-deficient cells in vitro and in vivo, induced membrane translocation of glucose transporters (GLUT1 or GLUT4), and increased glucose uptake in an Akt-dependent manner. 18F-FDG-PET imaging demonstrated enhanced glucose uptake in xenograft tumors of Tsc2-deficient cells from estradiol-treated mice. Expression array study identified estradiol-enhanced transcript levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the rate-limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway. Consistent with this, G6PD was abundant in xenograft tumors and lung metastatic lesions of Tsc2-deficient cells from estradiol-treated mice. Molecular depletion of G6PD attenuated estradiol-enhanced survival in vitro, and treatment with 6-aminonicotinamide, a competitive inhibitor of G6PD, reduced lung colonization of Tsc2-deficient cells. Collectively, these data indicate that estradiol promotes glucose metabolism in mTORC1 hyperactive cells through the pentose phosphate pathway via Akt reactivation and G6PD upregulation, thereby enhancing cell survival under oxidative stress. Interestingly, a strong correlation between estrogen exposure and G6PD was also found in breast cancer cells. Targeting the pentose phosphate pathway may have therapeutic benefit for LAM and possibly other hormonally dependent neoplasms.

Spinal 5-HT3 receptors mediate descending facilitation and contribute to behavioral hypersensitivity via a reciprocal neuron-glial signaling cascade.

BackgroundIt has been recently recognized that the descending serotonin (5-HT) system from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) in the brainstem and the 5-HT3 receptor subtype in the spinal dorsal horn are involved in enhanced descending pain facilitation after tissue and nerve injury. However, the mechanisms underlying the activation of the 5-HT3 receptor and its contribution to facilitation of pain remain unclear.ResultsIn the present study, activation of spinal 5-HT3 receptors by intrathecal injection of a selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist SR 57227 induced spinal glial hyperactivity, neuronal hyperexcitability and pain hypersensitivity in rats. We found that there was neuron-to-microglia signaling via the chemokine fractalkine, microglia to astrocyte signaling via cytokine IL-18, astrocyte to neuronal signaling by IL-1β, and enhanced activation of NMDA receptors in the spinal dorsal horn. Glial hyperactivation in spinal dorsal horn after hindpaw inflammation was also attenuated by molecular depletion of the descending 5-HT system by intra-RVM Tph-2 shRNA interference.ConclusionsThese findings offer new insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms at the spinal level responsible for descending 5-HT-mediated pain facilitation during the development of persistent pain after tissue and nerve injury. New pain therapies should focus on prime targets of descending facilitation-induced glial involvement, and in particular the blocking of intercellular signaling transduction between neurons and glia.

Interplay between chemistry and dynamics in embedded protostellar disks

A fundamental part of the study of star formation is to place young stellar objects in an evolutionary sequence. Establishing a robust evolutionary classification scheme allows us not only to understand how the Sun was born but also to predict what kind of main sequence star a given protostar will become. Traditionally, low-mass young stellar objects are classified according to the shape of their SEDs. Such methods are however prone to misclassification due to degeneracy and do not constrain the temporal evolution. More recently, young stellar objects have been classified based on envelope, disk, and stellar masses determined from resolved images of their continuum and line emission at submillimeter wavelengths. Through detailed modeling of two Class I sources, we aim at determining accurate velocity profiles and explore the role of freeze-out chemistry in such objects. We present new Submillimeter Array observations of the continuum and HCO$^+$ line emission at 1.1 mm toward two protostars, IRS 63 and IRS 43 in the Ophiuchus star forming region. The sources are modeled in detail using dust radiation transfer to fit the SED and continuum images and line radiation transfer to produce synthetic position-velocity diagrams. We use a $\chi^2$ search algorithm to find the best model fit to the data and to estimate the errors in the model variables. Our best fit models present disk, envelope and stellar masses as well as the HCO$^+$ abundance and inclination of both sources. We also identify a ring structure with a radius of about 200 AU in IRS 63. We find that freeze-out chemistry is important in IRS 63 but not for IRS 43. We show that the velocity field in IRS 43 is consistent with Keplerian rotation. Due to molecular depletion, it is not possible to draw a similar conclusion for IRS 63. We identify a ring shaped structure in IRS 63 on the same spatial scale as the disk outer radius.

5-Lipoxygenase plays a pivotal role in endothelial adhesion of monocytes via an increased expression of Mac-1

5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) is known to participate in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Thus, this study investigated the molecular mechanisms responsible for 5-LO expression in monocytes as well as the role of 5-LO in monocyte adhesion to the vascular endothelium, which is a key early event in macrophage foam cell formation. An en face immunohistochemistry of endothelial surfaces revealed a marked increase in monocyte adhesion to the aortic endothelium in wild-type (WT) mice treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which was significantly attenuated in 5-LO((-/-)) mice. Likewise, the adhesion capacity of primary monocytes isolated from LPS-treated WT mice was higher than those of monocytes from 5-LO((-/-)) mice. In in vitro study, LPS increased monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells with an enhanced Mac-1 expression. These were attenuated by a 5-LO inhibitor, MK886, as well as by molecular depletion of 5-LO in monocytes. Furthermore, LPS-induced Mac-1 expression on monocytes was significantly inhibited by pre-treatment with U-75302, a BLT1-receptor antagonist, suggesting a pivotal role of 5-LO-derived leukotrienes. In promoter activity analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays to identify transcription factors involved in 5-LO expression, both NF-κB and Sp1 played central roles to increase 5-LO expression in LPS-treated monocytes. 5-LO expression in monocytes is modulated via NF-κB and Sp1 signalling pathways, and 5-LO plays a pivotal role in LPS-mediated monocyte adhesion to the vascular endothelium through an increased expression of Mac-1 on monocytes.

Using deuterated H 3 + and other molecular species to understand the formation of stars and planets

The ion plays a key role in the chemistry of dense interstellar gas clouds where stars and planets are forming. The low temperatures and high extinctions of such clouds make direct observations of impossible, but lead to large abundances of H 2 D + and D 2 H + that are very useful probes of the early stages of star and planet formation. Maps of H 2 D + and D 2 H + pure rotational line emission towards star-forming regions show that the strong deuteration of is the result of near-complete molecular depletion of CNO-bearing molecules onto grain surfaces, which quickly disappears as cores warm up after stars have formed. In the warmer parts of interstellar gas clouds, transfers its proton to other neutrals such as CO and N 2 , leading to a rich ionic chemistry. The abundances of such species are useful tracers of physical conditions such as the radiation field and the electron fraction. Recent observations of HF line emission towards the Orion Bar imply a high electron fraction, and we suggest that observations of OH + and H 2 O + emission may be used to probe the electron density in the nuclei of external galaxies.

Constructing a new closure theory based on the third-order Ornstein-Zernike equation and a study of the adsorption of simple fluids

The third-order Ornstein-Zernike equation (OZ3) is used in the construction of a bridge functional that improves over conventional liquid-theory closures (for example, the hypernetted chain or the Percus-Yevick equations). The OZ3 connects the triplet direct correlation C((3)) to the triplet total correlation h((3)). By invoking the convolution approximation of Jackson and Feenberg, we are able to express the third-order bridge function B(3) as a functional of the indirect correlation γ. The resulting expression is generalized to higher-order bridge terms. This new closure is tested on the adsorption of Lennard-Jones fluid on planar hard surfaces by calculating the density profiles and comparing with Monte Carlo simulations. Particular attention is paid to the cases where molecular depletion on the substrate is evident. The results prove to be highly accurate and improve over conventional closures.

Spinal 5-HT(3) receptor activation induces behavioral hypersensitivity via a neuronal-glial-neuronal signaling cascade.

Recent studies indicate that the descending serotonin (5-HT) system from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) in the brainstem and the 5-HT(3) receptor subtype in the spinal dorsal horn are involved in enhanced descending pain facilitation after tissue and nerve injury. However, the mechanisms underlying the activation of the 5-HT(3) receptor and its contribution to facilitation of pain remain unclear. In the present study, activation of spinal 5-HT(3) receptor by intrathecal injection of a selective 5-HT(3) receptor agonist, SR57227, induced spinal glial hyperactivity, neuronal hyperexcitability, and pain hypersensitivity in rats. We found that there was neuron-to-microglia signaling via chemokine fractalkine, microglia to astrocyte signaling via the cytokine IL-18, astrocyte to neuronal signaling by IL-1β, and enhanced activation of GluN (NMDA) receptors in the spinal dorsal horn. In addition, exogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor-induced descending pain facilitation was accompanied by upregulation of CD11b and GFAP expression in the spinal dorsal horn after microinjection in the RVM, and these events were significantly prevented by functional blockade of spinal 5-HT(3) receptors. Enhanced expression of spinal CD11b and GFAP after hindpaw inflammation was also attenuated by molecular depletion of the descending 5-HT system by intra-RVM Tph-2 shRNA interference. Thus, these findings offer new insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms at the spinal level responsible for descending 5-HT-mediated pain facilitation during the development of persistent pain after tissue and nerve injury. New pain therapies should focus on prime targets of descending facilitation-induced glial involvement, and in particular the blocking of intercellular signaling transduction between neuron and glia.

Investigating the effects of chemistry on molecular line profiles of infalling low-mass cores

We have coupled a chemical model with two dynamical models of collapsing low mass star-forming cores to predict abundances across the core of the commonly used infall tracers, CS and HCO$^+$, at various stages of the collapse. The models investigated are a new ambipolar diffusion model and the `inside-out' collapse model. We have then used these results as an input to a radiative transfer model to predict the line profiles of several transitions of these molecules. For the inside-out collapse model, we predict significant molecular depletion due to freeze-out in the core centre, which prevents the formation of the blue asymmetry (believed to be the `signature' of infall) in the line profiles. Molecular depletion also occurs in the ambipolar diffusion model during the late stages of collapse, but the line profiles still exhibit a strong blue asymmetry due to extended infall. For the inside-out collapse model to exhibit the blue asymmetry it is necessary to impose a negative kinetic temperature gradient on the core and suppress freeze-out. Since freeze-out is observed in several class 0 protostars which are thought to be collapsing, this presents a major inconsistency in the inside-out collapse model of star formation.