Controlling the morphology of amorphous solid water

The morphology of amorphous solid water grown by vapor deposition was found to depend strongly on the angular distribution of the water molecules incident from the gas phase. Systematic variation of the incident angle during deposition using a collimated beam of water led to the growth of nonporous to highly porous amorphous solid water. The physical and chemical properties of amorphous solid water are of interest because of its presence in astrophysical environments. The ability to control its properties in the laboratory may shed light on some of the outstanding conflicts related to this important material.     

Planetary science. Europa's ocean--the case strengthens

The possibility of a subsurface ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa has been suggested on the basis of theoretical, geological, and spectroscopic arguments. But, as Stevenson explains in his Perspective, none of these arguments were compelling. In contrast, the magnetic field data obtained by the Galileo spacecraft and presented in the report by Kivelson et al., provide persuasive evidence for a conducting layer--most likely a global water ocean--near Europa's surface.     

Major compositional units of the moon: lunar prospector thermal and fast neutrons

Global maps of thermal and fast neutron fluxes from the moon suggest three end-member compositional units. A high thermal and low fast neutron flux unit correlates with the lunar highlands and is consistent with feldspathic rocks. The South Pole-Aitken basin and a strip that surrounds the nearside maria have intermediate thermal and fast neutron flux levels, consistent with more mafic rocks. There appears to be a smooth transition between the most mafic and feldspathic compositions, which correspond to low and high surface altitudes, respectively. The maria show low thermal and high fast neutron fluxes, consistent with basaltic rocks.     

An investigation of avoidance by Antarctic krill of RRS James Clark Ross using the Autosub-2 autonomous underwater vehicle

The autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Autosub-2 was deployed on eight missions ahead of RRS James Clark Ross in the northern Weddell Sea and in the Bransfield Strait, Southern Ocean, to assess avoidance of the research vessel by Antarctic krill Euphausia superba. The AUV was equipped with the same type of scientific echosounder as the research vessel (Simrad EK500 operating at 38 and 120 kHz) and measured the density of krill along transect acoustically (g m⁻² wet mass) prior to the ship’s arrival. We hypothesised that if krill avoided the ship, perhaps in response to radiated noise, then the ship should detect less krill than the AUV which is known to have much lower noise levels than the ship. We were unable to detect any significant difference between the density of krill detected by the ship or the AUV, either at the transect level or at finer scales within transects. We conclude, therefore, that avoidance by krill of RRS James Clark Ross will not significantly bias acoustic estimates of krill abundance by this vessel.     

Platinum catalysts for the high-yield oxidation of methane to a methanol derivative

Platinum catalysts are reported for the direct, low-temperature, oxidative conversion of methane to a methanol derivative at greater than 70 percent one-pass yield based on methane. The catalysts are platinum complexes derived from the bidiazine ligand family that are stable, active, and selective for the oxidation of a carbon-hydrogen bond of methane to produce methyl esters. Mechanistic studies show that platinum(II) is the most active oxidation state of platinum for reaction with methane, and are consistent with reaction proceeding through carbon-hydrogen bond activation of methane to generate a platinum-methyl intermediate that is oxidized to generate the methyl ester product.     

Lunar Fe and Ti abundances: comparison of lunar prospector and clementine data

The Lunar Prospector neutron spectrometer data correlate well with iron and titanium abundances obtained through analysis of Clementine spectral reflectance data. With the iron and titanium dependence removed, the neutron spectrometer data also reveal regions with enhanced amounts of gadolinium and samarium, incompatible rare earth elements that are enriched in the final phases of magma crystallization. These regions are found mainly around the ramparts of the Imbrium impact basin but not around the other basins, including the much larger and deeper South Pole-Aitken basin. This result confirms the compositional uniqueness of the surface and interior of the Imbrium region.     

Quiescent T lymphocytes as an inducible virus reservoir in HIV-1 infection

To better understand the basis for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) persistence and latency, the form in which viral DNA exists in the peripheral T lymphocyte reservoir of infected individuals was investigated. In asymptomatic individuals, HIV-1 was harbored predominantly as full-length, unintegrated complementary DNA. These extrachromosomal DNA forms retained the ability to integrate upon T cell activation in vitro. In patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), there was an increase in integrated relative to extrachromosomal DNA forms. By analysis of DNA from patient lymphocyte subpopulations depleted of human lymphocyte antigen-Dr receptor-positive cells, quiescent T cells were identified as the source of extrachromosomal HIV-1 DNA. Thus quiescent T lymphocytes may be a major and inducible HIV-1 reservoir in infected individuals.     

Predatory Dinosaurs from the Sahara and Late Cretaceous Faunal Differentiation

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) fossils discovered in the Kem Kem region of Morocco include large predatory dinosaurs that inhabited Africa as it drifted into geographic isolation. One, represented by a skull approximately 1.6 meters in length, is an advanced allosauroid referable to the African genus Carcharodontosaurus. Another, represented by a partial skeleton with slender proportions, is a new basal coelurosaur closely resembling the Egyptian genus Bahariasaurus. Comparisons with Cretaceous theropods from other continents reveal a previously unrecognized global radiation of carcharodontosaurid predators. Substantial geographic differentiation of dinosaurian faunas in response to continental drift appears to have arisen abruptly at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous.