The vector alignments of asteroid spins by thermal torques

Collisions have been thought to be the dominant process altering asteroid rotations, but recent observations of the Koronis family of asteroids suggest that this may be incorrect. This group of asteroids was formed in a catastrophic collision several billion years ago; in the intervening period their rotational axes should have become nearly random because of subsequent collisions, with spin rates that follow a maxwellian distribution. What is seen, however, is that the observed family members with prograde spins have nearly identical periods (7.5-9.5 h) and obliquities between 42 and 50 degrees, while those with retrograde spins have obliquities between 154 and 169 degrees with periods either <5 h or >13 h. Here we show that these non-random orientations and spin rates can be explained by 'thermal torques' (arising from differential solar heating), which modify the spin states over time. In some cases, the asteroids become trapped in spin-orbit resonances. Our results suggest that thermal torques may be more important than collisions in changing the spin states (and possibly shapes) of asteroids with diameters <40 km.     

Melatonin,mitochondria, and the skin

The skin being a protective barrier between external and internal (body) environments has the sensory and adaptive capacity to maintain local and global body homeostasis in response to noxious factors. An important part of the skin response to stress is its ability for melatonin synthesis and subsequent metabolism through the indolic and kynuric pathways. Indeed, melatonin and its metabolites have emerged as indispensable for physiological skin functions and for effective protection of a cutaneous homeostasis from hostile environmental factors. Moreover, they attenuate the pathological processes including carcinogenesis and other hyperproliferative/inflammatory conditions. Interestingly, mitochondria appear to be a central hub of melatonin metabolism in the skin cells. Furthermore, substantial evidence has accumulated on the protective role of the melatonin against ultraviolet radiation and the attendant mitochondrial dysfunction. Melatonin and its metabolites appear to have a modulatory impact on mitochondrion redox and bioenergetic homeostasis, as well as the anti-apoptotic effects. Of note, some metabolites exhibit even greater impact than melatonin alone. Herein, we emphasize that melatonin–mitochondria axis would control integumental functions designed to protect local and perhaps global homeostasis. Given the phylogenetic origin and primordial actions of melatonin, we propose that the melatonin-related mitochondrial functions represent an evolutionary conserved mechanism involved in cellular adaptive response to skin injury and repair.     

Neutron and X-ray diffraction study of the broken symmetry phase transition in solid deuterium

The solid hydrogen compounds D2, HD and H2 remain quantum molecular solids up to pressures in the 100 GPa range. A remarkable macroscopic consequence is the existence of a pressure-induced broken symmetry phase transition, in which the molecules go from a spherical rotational state to an anisotropic rotational state. Theoretical understanding of the broken symmetry phase structure remains controversial, despite numerous studies. Some open questions concern the existence of long- or short-range orientational order; whether a strong isotopic shift on the transition pressure should be assigned to the nuclear zero-point motion or to quantum localization; and whether the structures are cubic, hexagonal or orthorhombic. Here we present experimental data on the structure of the broken symmetry phase in solid D2, obtained by a combination of neutron and X-ray diffraction up to 60 GPa. Our data are incompatible with orthorhombic structures predicted by recent theoretical works. We find that the broken symmetry phase structure is incommensurate with local orientational order, being similar to that found in metastable cubic para-D2.     

Polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis of rat bile after intravenous administration of52MnCl2,64CuCl2,203HgCl2, and210Pb(NO3)2

Résumé Après avoir administré i. v. à des rats les solutions des sels Pb⁺⁺, Hg⁺⁺, Mn⁺⁺ et Cu⁺⁺, on a divisé leur bile par des l'élécrophorèse de disque sur gel de polyacrylamide. Les cations Hg⁺⁺ se sont montrés surtout dans la fraction contenant des hauts polymères d'albumine spécifique pour la bile; les cations Mn⁺⁺ et Cu⁺⁺ furent observés surtout dans la zone pigmentée. Le maximum des cations Pb⁺⁺ attachés s'est trouvé dans la zone de postalbumine.     

Autoradiographic localization of radioactivity in female rat neocortex after injection of tritiated estradiol

Zusammenfassung Durch autoradiographische Untersuchung wurde die Einlagerung von Radioaktivität in ein begrenztes Gebiet des Neocortex der Rattenweibchen nach einmaliger Verabreichung von³H-Östradiol im Alter von 5 bis 50 Tagen nachgewiesen. Die reduzierten Silberkörner zeigen eine vorwiegend perinukleare Akkumulation, was für die Zellen der östrogen-Zielgewebe typisch ist.     

TLR signalling augments macrophage bactericidal activity through mitochondrial ROS

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential components of the innate immune response against intracellular bacteria and it is thought that professional phagocytes generate ROS primarily via the phagosomal NADPH oxidase machinery. However, recent studies have suggested that mitochondrial ROS (mROS) also contribute to mouse macrophage bactericidal activity, although the mechanisms linking innate immune signalling to mitochondria for mROS generation remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that engagement of a subset of Toll-like receptors (TLR1, TLR2 and TLR4) results in the recruitment of mitochondria to macrophage phagosomes and augments mROS production. This response involves translocation of a TLR signalling adaptor, tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), to mitochondria, where it engages the protein ECSIT (evolutionarily conserved signalling intermediate in Toll pathways), which is implicated in mitochondrial respiratory chain assembly. Interaction with TRAF6 leads to ECSIT ubiquitination and enrichment at the mitochondrial periphery, resulting in increased mitochondrial and cellular ROS generation. ECSIT- and TRAF6-depleted macrophages have decreased levels of TLR-induced ROS and are significantly impaired in their ability to kill intracellular bacteria. Additionally, reducing macrophage mROS levels by expressing catalase in mitochondria results in defective bacterial killing, confirming the role of mROS in bactericidal activity. These results reveal a novel pathway linking innate immune signalling to mitochondria, implicate mROS as an important component of antibacterial responses and further establish mitochondria as hubs for innate immune signalling.     

Perinatal changes of the activity of acyl-CoA: Monoglyceride acyltransferase in the rat intestinal mucosa

Zusammenfassung Die Aktivität der Acyl-CoA: Monoglycerid Acyltransferase, eines Enzymes, das in der Esterifizierung der freien Fettsäuren eine wichtige Rolle spielt, wurde während der perinatalen Entwicklungsperiode der Ratte in der Dünndarmschleimhaut bestimmt. Im Foetus ist die Aktivität niedrig, steigt nach der Geburt und zeigt in der Mitte der Säuglingsperiode die höchsten Werte, die 2–3mal höher sind, als bei Erwachsenen. Die Befunde werden im Bezug auf die niedrige Lipaseaktivität des gastrointestinalen Traktes sowie auf die hohe Fettaufnahme während der Säuglingsperiode diskutiert.     

The genome of the choanoflagellate Monosiga brevicollis and the origin of metazoans

Choanoflagellates are the closest known relatives of metazoans. To discover potential molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of metazoan multicellularity, we sequenced and analysed the genome of the unicellular choanoflagellate Monosiga brevicollis. The genome contains approximately 9,200 intron-rich genes, including a number that encode cell adhesion and signalling protein domains that are otherwise restricted to metazoans. Here we show that the physical linkages among protein domains often differ between M. brevicollis and metazoans, suggesting that abundant domain shuffling followed the separation of the choanoflagellate and metazoan lineages. The completion of the M. brevicollis genome allows us to reconstruct with increasing resolution the genomic changes that accompanied the origin of metazoans.