We present optical-infrared photometric and spectroscopic observations of Gaia 18dvy, located in the Cygnus OB3 association at a distance of 1.88 kpc. Gaia 18dvy was noted by the Gaia alerts system ...when its light curve exhibited a 4 mag rise in 2018-2019. The brightening was also observable at mid-infared wavelengths. The infrared colors of Gaia 18dvy became bluer as the outburst progressed. Its optical and near-infrared spectroscopic characteristics in the outburst phase are consistent with those of bona fide FU Orionis-type young eruptive stars. The progenitor of the outburst is probably a low-mass K-type star with an optical extinction of ∼3 mag. A radiative transfer modeling of the circumstellar structure, based on the quiescent spectral energy distribution, indicates a disk with a mass of 4 × 10−3 M . Our simple accretion disk modeling implies that the accretion rate had been exponentially increasing for more than 3 yr until mid-2019, when it reached a peak value of 6.9 × 10−6 M yr−1. In many respects, Gaia 18dvy is similar to the FU Ori-type object HBC 722.
Abstract During the last 25 yr, hundreds of binary stars and planets have been discovered toward the Galactic bulge by microlensing surveys. Thanks to a new generation of large-sky surveys, it is now ...possible to regularly detect microlensing events across the entire sky. The OMEGA Key Projet at the Las Cumbres Observatory carries out automated follow-up observations of microlensing events alerted by these surveys with the aim of identifying and characterizing exoplanets as well as stellar remnants. In this study, we present the analysis of the binary lens event Gaia20bof. By automatically requesting additional observations, the OMEGA Key Project obtained dense time coverage of an anomaly near the peak of the event, allowing characterization of the lensing system. The observed anomaly in the lightcurve is due to a binary lens. However, several models can explain the observations. Spectroscopic observations indicate that the source is located at ≤2.0 kpc, in agreement with the parallax measurements from Gaia. While the models are currently degenerate, future observations, especially the Gaia astrometric time series as well as high-resolution imaging, will provide extra constraints to distinguish between them.
Long-term exposures to environmental factors including airborne as well as noise pollutants, are associated with cardiovascular risk. However, the influence of environmental pollution on the young ...population is controversial. Accordingly, we aimed to investigate the relationships between long-term exposures to different environmental factors and major cardiovascular and inflammatory parameters and biomarkers in young, healthy subjects. Representative sample of permanent residents of two cities differing in air and noise pollution levels, aged 15-21 years, were recruited. Krakow and Lublin, both located in southern Poland, were chosen in relation to their similarities in demographic and geopolitical characteristics, but differences in air pollution (higher in Krakow) and noise parameters (higher in Lublin). A total of 576 subjects were studied: 292 in Krakow and 284 in Lublin. All subjects underwent health questionnaire, blood pressure measurements and biomarker determinations. Inflammatory biomarkers, such as CRP, hs-CRP, fibrinogen as well as homocysteine were all significantly higher in subjects living in Krakow as opposed to subjects living in Lublin (for hsCRP: 0.52 (0.32-0.98) mg/l vs. 0.35 (0.22-0.67) mg/l; p < 0.001). Increased inflammatory biomarker levels were observed in Krakow in both male and female young adults. Interestingly, significant differences were observed in blood pressure between male and female subjects. Males from Krakow had significantly higher mean systolic blood pressure (127.7 ± 10.4 mm/Hg vs. 122.4 ± 13.0 mm/Hg; p = 0.001), pulse pressure (58.7 ± 8.9 mm/Hg vs. 51.4 ± 12.3 mm/Hg; p < 0.001) and lower heart rate (p < 0.001) as compared to males living in Lublin. This was not observed in young adult females. Long-term exposure to environmental factors related to the place of residence can significantly influence inflammatory and cardiovascular parameters, even in young individuals. Interestingly, among otherwise healthy young adults, blood pressure differences exhibited significant variations based on biological sex.
Abstract We report discovering an exoplanet from following up a microlensing event alerted by Gaia. The event Gaia22dkv is toward a disk source rather than the traditional bulge microlensing fields. ...Our primary analysis yields a Jovian planet with M p = 0.59 − 0.05 + 0.15 M J at a projected orbital separation r ⊥ = 1.4 − 0.3 + 0.8 au, and the host is a ∼1.1 M ⊙ turnoff star at ∼1.3 kpc. At r ′ ≈ 14 , the host is far brighter than any previously discovered microlensing planet host, opening up the opportunity to test the microlensing model with radial velocity (RV) observations. RV data can be used to measure the planet’s orbital period and eccentricity, and they also enable searching for inner planets of the microlensing cold Jupiter, as expected from the “inner–outer correlation” inferred from Kepler and RV discoveries. Furthermore, we show that Gaia astrometric microlensing will not only allow precise measurements of its angular Einstein radius θ E but also directly measure the microlens parallax vector and unambiguously break a geometric light-curve degeneracy, leading to the definitive characterization of the lens system.
Oleacein is a secoiridoid group polyphenol found mostly in Olea europea L. and Ligustrum vulgare L. (Oleaceae). The aim of the present study was to investigate a potential role of oleacein in ...prevention of the foam cell formation.
Oleacein was isolated from Ligustrum vulgare leaves. Human monocyte-derived macrophages were obtained from monocytes cultured with Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)Then, cells were incubated with 20 M or 50 M of oleacein and with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) (50 g/mL). Visualization of lipid deposition within macrophages was carried out using Oil-Red-O. Expression of CD36, Scavenger receptor A1 (SRA1) and Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (LOX-1) was determined by Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and by flow cytometry. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry using Annexin V assay. STAT3 and Acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase type 1 (ACAT1)levels were determined by ELISA. P-STAT3, P-JAK1, P-JAK2 expressions were determined by Western blot (WB).
Oleacein in dose-dependent manner significantly reduced lipid deposits in macrophages as well as their expression of selected scavenger receptors. The highest decrease of expression was found for CD36 and SRA1 receptors, from above 20% to more than 75% compared to oxLDL and the lowest for LOX-1 receptor, from approx. 8% to approx. 25% compared to oxLDL-stimulated macrophages. Oleacein significantly reduced (2.5-fold) early apoptosis of oxLDL-stimulated macrophages. Moreover, oleacein significantly increased the protein expression of JAK/STAT3 pathway and had no effect on ACAT1 level.
Our study demonstrates, for the first time, that oleacein inhibits foam cell formation in human monocyte-derived macrophages and thus can be a valuable tool in the prevention of early and advanced atherosclerotic lesions.
ABSTRACT
We present the results of a spectroscopic campaign on eclipsing binaries with long orbital period (P = 20–75 d) carried out with the CHIRON spectrograph. Physical and orbital solutions for ...seven systems were derived from the V band, and I band ASAS, WASP, and TESS photometry, while radial velocities were calculated from high-quality optical spectra using a two-dimensional cross-correlation technique. The atmospheric parameters of the stars have been determined from the separated spectra. Most of our targets are composed of evolved stars (subgiants or red giants) but two systems show components in different phases of evolution and one possible merger. For four binaries, the masses and radii of the components were obtained with precision better than $3{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. These objects provide very valuable information on stellar evolution.
Acute Pulmonary Embolism and Immunity in Animal Models Imiela, Anna M.; Mikołajczyk, Tomasz P.; Guzik, Tomasz J. ...
Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis,
01/2024, Letnik:
72, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Venous thromboembolism, encompassing acute pulmonary embolism (APE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), is a potentially fatal disease with complex pathophysiology. Traditionally, the Virchow triad ...provided a framework for understanding the pathogenic contributors to thrombus formation, which include endothelial dysfunction, alterations in blood flow and blood hypercoagulability. In the last years, it has become apparent that immunity plays a central role in thrombosis, interacting with classical prothrombotic mechanisms, oxidative stress and vascular factors. Thrombosis amplifies inflammation, and exaggerated inflammatory processes can trigger thrombosis mainly due to the activation of leukocytes, platelets, and endothelial cells. APE-related endothelium injury is a major trigger for immune system activation. Endothelium is also a key component mediating inflammatory reaction and it is relevant to maintain vascular permeability. Exaggerated right ventricular wall stress and overload, with coexisting systemic hypotension and hypoxemia, result in myocardial injury and necrosis. Hypoxia, tissue factor activation and cytokine storm are engaged in the thrombo-inflammatory processes. Thrombus development is characterized by inflammatory state vascular wall caused mainly by an early extravasation of leukocytes and intense selectins and cytokines production. Nevertheless, immunity of DVT is well described, little is known about potential chemokine and cellular differences between thrombus that develops in the vein and thrombus that detaches and lodges in the pulmonary circulation being a cause of APE. There is a paucity of data considering inflammatory state in the pulmonary artery wall during an acute episode of pulmonary embolism. The main aim of this review is to summarize the knowledge of immunity in acute phase of pulmonary embolism in experimental models.
Background
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. SLE patients have increased prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis, although the ...mechanisms of this observation remain unclear. Considering the emerging role of monocytes in atherosclerosis, we aimed to investigate the relationship between subclinical atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction and the phenotype of peripheral blood monocytes in SLE patients.
Methods
We characterized the phenotype of monocyte subsets defined by the expression of CD14 and CD16 in 42 patients with SLE and 42 non-SLE controls. Using ultrasonography, intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) as well as nitroglycerin-induced dilation (NMD) were assessed.
Results
Patients with SLE had significantly, but only modestly, increased IMT when compared with non-SLE controls (median (25th/75th percentile) 0.65 (0.60/0.71) mm vs 0.60 (0.56/0.68) mm; p < 0.05). Importantly, in spite of early atherosclerotic complications in the studied SLE group, marked endothelial dysfunction was observed. CD14dimCD16+proinflammatory cell subpopulation was positively correlated with IMT in SLE patients. This phenomenon was not observed in control individuals. Interestingly, endothelial dysfunction assessed by FMD was not correlated with any of the studied monocyte subsets.
Conclusions
Our observations suggest that CD14dimCD16+monocytes are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE, although the mechanism appears to be independent of endothelial dysfunction.
•Initial orientations of F2 molecule on Ge(001) surface leading to its dissociative adsorption are identified.•Dissociation paths on p(1×2) or c(2×4) reconstructed substrates differ, but lead to ...similar final adsorbate configurations.•Energetics of the process of dissociative adsorption is examined.•Final atomic structures, local density of electronic states and spatial charge distributions are analyzed.
The process of dissociation of a fluorine molecule on the (001) surface of germanium has been analyzed using density functional theory. Initial orientations of the F2 molecule with respect to the substrate leading to its dissociative adsorption have been identified. Reaction paths at p(1×2) and c(2×4) reconstructed Ge(001) surfaces are different, but final configurations of the adsorbate/substrate system are found qualitatively the same. Adsorption energy of around 5eV per molecule depends on the final arrangement of adatoms, being always higher for the p(1×2) substrate reconstruction. The energy barrier for dissociative adsorption of F2 on Ge(001) is always less than 0.2eV. The structural and electronic properties of distinct final adsorbate configurations have been examined, indicating that the surface density of states is metallic at Ge dimers with one adsorbed F atom and non-metallic at Ge dimers with two F adatoms.
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