National Autonomous University of Mexico

About: National Autonomous University of Mexico is a education organization based out in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 72868 authors who have published 127797 publications receiving 2285543 citations. The organization is also known as: UNAM & Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

A ∼ 0.2-solar-mass protostar with a Keplerian disk in the very young L1527 IRS system

Abstract: In the earliest stage of star formation, protostars accrete mass from their surrounding envelopes through circumstellar disks; observations of the protostar L1527 IRS find a large, rotating proto-planetary disk from which the protostellar mass is measured to be 0.19 solar masses, with a protostar-to-envelope mass ratio of about 0.2. This paper reports the use of submillimetre interferometry to obtain the first detection of a large Keplerian disk around a protostar in the earliest phase of evolution, the class 0 phase. Hitherto the smallest observed protostar-to-envelope mass ratio was about 2.1. The newly discovered protostar, L1527 IRS, has a mass of approximately 0.2 solar masses and a protostar-to-envelope mass ratio of about 0.2. L1527 already has a proto-planetary disk of at least seven Jupiter masses, similar to presumed planet-forming disks, so it appears to have all the elements of a solar system in the making. In their earliest stages, protostars accrete mass from their surrounding envelopes through circumstellar disks. Until now, the smallest observed protostar-to-envelope mass ratio was about 2.1 (ref. 1). The protostar L1527 IRS is thought to be in the earliest stages of star formation2. Its envelope contains about one solar mass of material within a radius of about 0.05 parsecs (refs 3, 4), and earlier observations suggested the presence of an edge-on disk5. Here we report observations of dust continuum emission and 13CO (rotational quantum number J = 2 → 1) line emission from the disk around L1527 IRS, from which we determine a protostellar mass of 0.19 ± 0.04 solar masses and a protostar-to-envelope mass ratio of about 0.2. We conclude that most of the luminosity is generated through the accretion process, with an accretion rate of about 6.6 × 10−7 solar masses per year. If it has been accreting at that rate through much of its life, its age is approximately 300,000 years, although theory suggests larger accretion rates earlier6, so it may be younger. The presence of a rotationally supported disk is confirmed, and significantly more mass may be added to its planet-forming region as well as to the protostar itself in the future.

Cell death mechanisms induced by cytotoxic lymphocytes.

Abstract: One of the functions of the immune system is to recognize and destroy abnormal or infected cells to maintain homeostasis. This is accomplished by cytotoxic lymphocytes. Cytotoxicity is a highly organized multifactor process. Here, we reviewed the apoptosis pathways induced by the two main cytotoxic lymphocyte subsets, natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells. In base to recent experimental evidence, we reviewed NK receptors involved in recognition of target-cell, as well as lytic molecules such as perforin, granzymes-A and -B, and granulysin. In addition, we reviewed the Fas-FasL intercellular linkage mediated pathway, and briefly the cross-linking of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and TNF receptor pathway. We discussed three models of possible molecular interaction between lytic molecules from effector cytotoxic cells and target-cell membrane to induction of apoptosis.

The XMM-Newton wide-field survey in the COSMOS field - The point-like X-ray source catalogue

Abstract: Context. The COSMOS survey is a multiwavelength survey aimed to study the evolution of galaxies, AGN and large scale structures. Within this survey XMM-COSMOS a powerful tool to detect AGN and galaxy clusters. The XMM-COSMOS is a deep X-ray survey over the full 2 deg^2 of the COSMOS area. It consists of 55 XMM-Newton pointings for a total exposure of ~1.5 Ms with an average vignetting-corrected depth of 40 ks across the field of view and a sky coverage of 2.13 deg^2. Aims. We present the catalogue of point-like X-ray sources detected with the EPIC CCD cameras, the log N − log S relations and the X-ray colour–colour diagrams. Methods. The analysis was performed using the XMM-SAS data analysis package in the 0.5–2 keV, 2–10 keV and 5–10 keV energy bands. Source detection has been performed using a maximum likelihood technique especially designed for raster scan surveys. The completeness of the catalogue as well as log N − log S and source density maps have been calibrated using Monte Carlo simulations. Results. The catalogs contains a total of 1887 unique sources detected in at least one band with likelihood parameter det_ml > 10. The survey, which shows unprecedented homogeneity, has a flux limit of ~1.7×10^(−15) erg cm^(−2) s^(−1), ~9.3×10^(−15) erg cm^(−2) s^(−1) and ~1.3×10^(−14) erg cm^(−2) s^(−1) over 90% of the area (1.92 deg^2) in the 0.5–2 keV, 2–10 keV and 5–10 keV energy band, respectively. Thanks to the rather homogeneous exposure over a large area, the derived log N − log S relations are very well determined over the flux range sampled by XMM-COSMOS. These relations have been compared with XRB synthesis models, which reproduce the observations with an agreement of ~10% in the 5–10 keV and 2–10 keV band, while in the 0.5–2 keV band the agreement is of the order of ~20%. The hard X-ray colors confirmed that the majority of the extragalactic sources in a bright subsample are actually type I or type II AGN. About 20% of the sources have a X-ray luminosity typical of AGN (L_X > 10^(42) erg/s) although they do not show any clear signature of nuclear activity in the optical spectrum.

Inflammatory process in Alzheimer's Disease.

Abstract: Alzheimer Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form of dementia. Histopathologically is characterized by the presence of two major hallmarks, the intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and extracellular neuritic plaques (NPs) surrounded by activated astrocytes and microglia. NFTs consist of paired helical filaments of truncated tau protein that is abnormally hyperphosphorylated. The main component in the NP is the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), a small fragment of 40-42 amino acids with a molecular weight of 4kD. It has been proposed that the amyloid aggregates and microglia activation are able to favor the neurodegenerative process observed in AD patients. However, the role of inflammation in AD is controversial, because in early stages the inflammation could have a beneficial role in the pathology, since it has been thought that the microglia and astrocytes activated could be involved in Aβ clearance. Nevertheless the chronic activation of the microglia has been related with an increase of Aβ and possibly with tau phosphorylation. Studies in AD brains have shown an upregulation of complement molecules, pro-inflammatory cytokines, acute phase reactants and other inflammatory mediators that could contribute with the neurodegenerative process. Clinical trials and animal models with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) indicate that these drugs may decrease the risk of developing AD and apparently reduce Aβ deposition. Finally, further studies are needed to determine whether treatment with anti-inflammatory strategies, may decrease the neurodegenerative process that affects these patients.