VLA and MERLIN observations of RZ Cassiopeiae

We present radio interferometric observations of the Algol-type binary system RZ Cassiopeiae made with the VLA and MERLIN arrays at 6 cm over an incomplete orbital cycle of the system (1.195 d). We detected RZ Cas with both instruments. The images were unresolved in both cases, with angular extents comparable to the synthesized beams. The peak flux density in the VLA image was 1.14 mJy beam⁻¹ and in the MERLIN image it was 0.93 mJy beam⁻¹. The derived brightness temperatures are  4.02 × 10⁸  and  4.35 × 10⁸ K  and the effective electron energies are 0.347 and 0.346 MeV for the MERLIN and VLA data respectively. The radio light curve shows an interesting modulation centred close to the primary eclipse which seems to correlate with ASCA SIS observations of the system. The results can be interpreted as an emitting region on the outer hemisphere of the cool component aligned along the centroid axis of the binary system.     

Generation of reactive oxygen species in different fractions of the coelomocytes of holothurian Eupentacta fraudatrix in response to the thermostable toxin of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in vitro

Pure fraction (92%–95%) of phagocytes (FP) and a mixture of amoebocytes (62%) and morula cells (38%)-FPMC- of the holothurianEupentacta fraudatrix' (Holothuroidea, Dendrochirota) were obtained by using ficoll-verographine step gradient. Basal production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in FP quantified by using reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) was more than twice that in FPMC. Thermostable toxin ofYersinia pseudotuberculosis (TST) at different concentrations (0.2; 0.5; 2.5 μg/ml, but not 0.1 μg/ml) stimulated NBT reduction in FPMC after 24 h incubation. In FP, TST at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2 μg/ml inhibited and at concentrations of 0.5 and 2.5 μg/ml stimulated NBT reduction after 24 h incubation. Maximal effect was observed in FP and FPMC at TST concentrations of 0.5 and 0.2 μg/ml, respectively. Addition of catalase (0.7 μg/ml) to the cells treated with TST (2.5 μg/ml) was followed by a decrease in NBT reduction compared to that under toxin treatment alone. TST stimulated superoxide dismutase activity in concentration-dependent manner (maximum at 0.5 μg/ml concentration in FP) after 24 h treatment, and this stimulation was prevented by a commercial catalase. Plant lectin concanavalin A stimulated NBT reduction more than 5-fold in FPMC compared to the control. With addition of TST, lectin stimulated ROS to lesser extent than that with lectin alone. When catalase, TST, and lectin were added into the FPMC simultaneously, ROS increase was similar to that under lectin treatment alone. On the whole, data obtained indicated that ROS generation in holothurian coelomocytes especially occurs in both stimulated and not stimulated phagocytes, and that changes in ROS production by these cells may be one of the mechanisms of antibacterial protection of holothurians. This work was financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research Grant (No. 00-04-48949).     

The Scattered Disk Population and the Oort Cloud

The trans-Neptunian belt has been subject to a strong depletion that has reduced its primordial population by a factor of one hundred over the solar system's age. One by-product of such a depletion process is the existence of a scattered disk population in transit from the belt to other places, such as the Jupiter zone, the Oort cloud or interstellar space. We have integrated the orbits of the scattered disk objects (SDOs) so far discovered by 2500 Myr to study their dynamical time scales and the probability of falling in each of the end states mentioned above, paying special attention to their contribution to the Oort cloud. We found that their dynamical half-time is close to 2.5 Gyr and that about one third of the SDOs end up in the Oort cloud.     

Colour Properties and Trends in Trans-Neptunian Objects

One of the most puzzling features of the Kuiper Belt, which has been confirmedby numerous surveys, is the optical colour diversity that seems to prevail among the observed TNOs. TNOs and Centaurs have surfaces showing dramaticallydifferent colours and spectral reflectances, from neutral to very red. With therelatively few visible-NIR colour datasets available, the colour diversity seemsalso to extend to the near infrared wavelengths. Relevant statistical analyses havebeen performed and several studies have pointed out strong correlations betweenoptical colours and some orbital parameters (i, e, q) for the Classical KuiperBelt objects. On the other hand, no clear trend is obvious for Plutinos, Scatteredobjects or Centaurs. Another important result is the absence of correlation of colourswith size or heliocentric distance for any of the populations of outer Solar Systemobjects. The strong colour anisotropy found is important because it is a diagnosticof some physical effects processing the surfaces of TNOs and/or some possiblecomposition diversity. In this paper, we will review the current knowledge of thecolour properties of TNOs, describe the observed colour distribution within theEdgeworth–Kuiper belt, and address the problem of their possible origin.