WorldWideScience

Sample records for pan-starrs ps1 survey

  1. The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chambers, Kenneth; Pan-STARRS Team

    2018-01-01

    The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys are complete and the first data release, DR1, is available from the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST) at the Space Telescope Science Institute. The data include a database of measured attributes of 3 billion objects, stacked images, and metadata of the 3pi Steradian Survey. The DR1 contains all stationary objects with mean and stack photometry registered on the GAIA astrometric frame. DR2 is in preparation and will be released this winter with all the individual epoch images and time domain photometry and forced photometry on the individual epoch images. The characteristics of the Pan-STARRS1 Surveys will be presented, including image quality, depth, cadence, and coverage. Measured attributes include PSF model magnitudes, aperture magnitudes, Kron Magnitudes, radial moments, Petrosian magnitudes, DeVaucoulers, Exponential, and Sersic magnitudes for extended objects. Images include total intensity, variance, and masks.An overview of the Pan-STARRS1 Surveys and data releases will be presented together with a brief description of the data collected since the end of the PS1 Science Consortium surveys, and the plans for the upcoming survey with PS1 and PS2 begining in February 2018.

  2. The Pan-STARRS PS1 Image Processing Pipeline

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnier, E.

    The Pan-STARRS PS1 Image Processing Pipeline (IPP) performs the image processing and data analysis tasks needed to enable the scientific use of the images obtained by the Pan-STARRS PS1 prototype telescope. The primary goals of the IPP are to process the science images from the Pan-STARRS telescopes and make the results available to other systems within Pan-STARRS. It also is responsible for combining all of the science images in a given filter into a single representation of the non-variable component of the night sky defined as the "Static Sky". To achieve these goals, the IPP also performs other analysis functions to generate the calibrations needed in the science image processing, and to occasionally use the derived data to generate improved astrometric and photometric reference catalogs. It also provides the infrastructure needed to store the incoming data and the resulting data products. The IPP inherits lessons learned, and in some cases code and prototype code, from several other astronomy image analysis systems, including Imcat (Kaiser), the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (REF), the Elixir system (Magnier & Cuillandre), and Vista (Tonry). Imcat and Vista have a large number of robust image processing functions. SDSS has demonstrated a working analysis pipeline and large-scale databasesystem for a dedicated project. The Elixir system has demonstrated an automatic image processing system and an object database system for operational usage. This talk will present an overview of the IPP architecture, functional flow, code development structure, and selected analysis algorithms. Also discussed is the HW highly parallel HW configuration necessary to support PS1 operational requirements. Finally, results are presented of the processing of images collected during PS1 early commissioning tasks utilizing the Pan-STARRS Test Camera #3.

  3. The Pan-STARRS1 Survey Data Release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chambers, Kenneth C.; Pan-STARRS Team

    2017-01-01

    The first Pan-STARRS1 Science Mission is complete and an initial Data Release 1, or DR1, including a database of measured attributes, stacked images, and metadata of the 3PI Survey, will be available from the STScI MAST archive. This release will contain all stationary objects with mean and stack photometry registered on the GAIA astrometric frame.The characteristics of the Pan-STARRS1 Surveys will be presented, including image quality, depth, cadence, and coverage. Measured attributes include PSF model magnitudes, aperture magnitudes, Kron Magnitudes, radial moments, Petrosian magnitudes, DeVaucoulers, Exponential, and Sersic magnitudes for extended objects. Images include total intensity, variance, and masks.An overview of both DR1 and the second data release DR2, to follow in the spring of 2017, will be presented. DR2 will add all time domain data and individual warped images. We will also report on the status of the Pan-STARRS2 Observatory and ongoing science with Pan-STARRS. The science from the PS1 surveys has included results in many t fields of astronomy from Near Earth Objects to cosmology.The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys have been made possible through contributions of the Institute for Astronomy of the University of Hawaii; the Pan-STARRS Project Office; the Max-Planck Society and its participating institutes: the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching; The Johns Hopkins University; Durham University; the University of Edinburgh; Queen's University Belfast; the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Incorporated; the National Central University of Taiwan; the Space Telescope Science Institute; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grants No. NNX08AR22G, NNX12AR65G, NNX14AM74G issued through the Planetary Science Division of the NASA Science Mission Directorate; the National Science Foundation under Grant No. AST

  4. KEGS Discovery of 9 Supernova Candidates in the K2 Campaign 17 field with Pan-STARRS PS1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, K. W.; Rest, A.; Tucker, B. E.; Garnavich, P. M.; Margheim, S.; Kasen, D.; Olling, R.; Shaya, E.; Narayan, G.; Villar, A.; Forster, F.; Mushotzky, R.; Zenteno, A.; James, D.; Smith, R. Chris; Dotson, J. L.; Barentsen, G.; Gully-Santiago, M.; Smartt, S. J.; Wright, D. E.; Huber, M.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Willman, M.; Schultz, A.; Magnier, E.; Waters, C.; Bulger, J.; Wainscoat, R. J.

    2018-05-01

    We report the following transients discovered by Pan-STARRS1 during a targeted search of the Kepler Campaign 17 field as part of the K2 Extragalactic Survey (KEGS) for Transients (see http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/kegs/ ) Information on the Pan-STARRS Survey for Transients is available at http://star.pst.qub.ac.uk/ps1threepi/ (see Huber et al. ATel #7153).

  5. The Pan-STARRS Survey for Transients (PSST)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Mark; Carter Chambers, Kenneth; Flewelling, Heather; Smartt, Stephen J.; Smith, Ken; Wright, Darryl

    2015-08-01

    The Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) Science Consortium finished the 3Pi survey of the whole sky north of -30 degrees between 2010-2014 in grizy (PS1 specific filters) and the PS1 telescope has been running a wide-field survey for near earth objects, funded by NASA through the NEO Observation Program. This survey takes data in a w-band (wide-band filter spanning g,r,i) in dark time, and combinations of r, i, z and y during bright time. We are now processing these data through the Pan-STARRS IPP difference imaging pipeline and recovering stationary transients. Effectively the 3Pi survey for transients that started during the PS1 Science Consortium is being continued under the new NEO optimized operations mode. The observing procedure in this case is to take a quad of exposures, typically 30-45 seconds separated by 10-20 minutes each, typically revealing high confidence transients (greater than 5-sigma) to depths of i~ 20.7, y~18.3 (AB mags). This cadence may be repeated on subsequent nights in a return pointing.Continuing the public release of the first 880 transients from the PS1 3Pi survey during the search period September 2013 - January 2014, beginning February 2015, the transient events using the data from the the Pan-STARRS NEO Science Consortium are now regularly added. These are mostly supernova candidates, but the list also contains some variable stars, AGN, and nuclear transients. The light curves are too sparsely sampled to be of standalone use, but they may be of use to the community in combining with existing data (e.g. Fraser et al. 2013, ApJ, 779, L8), constraining explosion and rise times (e.g. Nicholl et al. 2013, Nature, 502, 346) as well as many being new discoveries.For additional details visit http://star.pst.qub.ac.uk/ps1threepi/

  6. Precision Photometry and Astrometry from Pan-STARRS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnier, Eugene A.; Pan-STARRS Team

    2018-01-01

    The Pan-STARRS 3pi Survey has been calibrated with excellent precision for both astrometry and photometry. The Pan-STARRS Data Release 1, opened to the public on 2016 Dec 16, provides photometry in 5 well-calibrated, well-defined bandpasses (grizy) astrometrically registered to the Gaia frame. Comparisons with other surveys illustrate the high quality of the calibration and provide tests of remaining systematic errors in both Pan-STARRS and those external surveys. With photometry and astrometry of roughly 3 billion astronomical objects, the Pan-STARRS DR1 has substantial overlap with Gaia, SDSS, 2MASS and other surveys. I will discuss the astrometric tie between Pan-STARRS DR1 and Gaia and show comparisons between Pan-STARRS and other large-scale surveys.

  7. Searching for Solar System Wide Binaries with Pan-STARRS-1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holman, Matthew J.; Protopapas, P.; Tholen, D. J.

    2007-10-01

    Roughly 60% of the observing time of the Pan-STARRS-1 (PS1) telescope will be dedicated to a "3pi steradian" survey with an observing cadence that is designed for the detection of near-Earth asteroids and slow-moving solar system bodies. Over this course of its 3.5 year cience mission, this unprecedented survey will discover nearly every asteroid, Trojan, Centaur, long-period comet, short-period comet, and trans-neptunian object (TNO) brighter than magnitude R=23. This census will be used to address a large number of questions regarding the physical and dynamical properties of the various small body populations of the solar system. Roughly 1-2% of TNOs are wide binaries with companions at separations greater than 1 arcsec and brightness differences less than 2 magnitudes (Kern & Elliot 2006; Noll et al 2007). These can be readily detected by PS1; we will carry out such a search with PS1 data. To do so, we will modify the Pan-STARRS Moving Object Processing System (MOPS) such that it will associate the components of resolved or marginally resolved binaries, link such pairs of detections obtained at different epochs, and the estimate the relative orbit of the binary. We will also determine the efficiency with which such binaries are detected as a function of the binary's relative orbit and the relative magnitudes of the components. Based on an estimated 7000 TNOs that PS1 will discover, we anticipate finding 70-140 wide binaries. The PS1 data, 60 epochs over three years, is naturally suited to determining the orbits of these objects. Our search will accurately determine the binary fraction for a variety of subclasses of TNOs.

  8. The Pan-STARRS Data Processing and Science Analysis Software Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heasley, J. N.

    2008-01-01

    The Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) will use gigapixel CCD cameras on multiaperture telescopes to survey the sky in the visible and infrared bands. A single telescope system (PS1) has been deployed on Maui, and a four-telescope system (PS4) will be sited on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. These systems will survey the sky repeatedly and will generate petabytes of image data and catalogs of billions of stars and galaxies. Each set of images will be combined to create a very sensitive multicolor image of the sky, and differences between images will provide for a massive database of 'time domain astronomy' including the study of moving objects and transient or variable objects. All data from PS1 will be put into the public domain following its 3.5 year survey. The project faces formidable challenges in processing the image data in near real time and making the catalog data accessible via relational databases. In this talk, I describe the software systems developed by the Pan-STARRS project and how these core systems will be augmented by an assortment of science 'servers' being developed by astronomers in the PS1 Science Consortium.

  9. Transformation of Pan-STARRS1 gri to Stetson BVRI magnitudes. Photometry of small bodies observations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kostov, A.; Bonev, T.

    2018-02-01

    The UBVRI broad band photometric system is widely used in CCD astronomy. There are a lot of sets of standard stars for this photometric system, the Landolt's and Stetson's catalogues being the most precise and reliable. Another photometric system, recently considerably spread in CCD observations is ugriz, which originates from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and has now many variations based on its 5 broad-band filters. One of the photometric systems based on it is The Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS). In this paper we compare the BVRI magnitudes in the Stetson catalogue of standard stars with the magnitudes of the corresponding stars in the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) grizyw catalogue. Transformations between these two systems are presented and discussed. An algorithm for data reduction and calibration is developed and its functionality is demonstrated in the magnitude determination of an asteroid.

  10. THE PHOTOMETRIC CLASSIFICATION SERVER FOR Pan-STARRS1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saglia, R. P.; Bender, R.; Seitz, S.; Senger, R.; Snigula, J.; Phleps, S.; Wilman, D.; Tonry, J. L.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Heasley, J. N.; Kaiser, N.; Magnier, E. A.; Morgan, J. S.; Greisel, N.; Bailer-Jones, C. A. L.; Klement, R. J.; Rix, H.-W.; Smith, K.; Green, P. J.

    2012-01-01

    The Pan-STARRS1 survey is obtaining multi-epoch imaging in five bands (g P1 r P1 i P1 z P1 y P1 ) over the entire sky north of declination –30 deg. We describe here the implementation of the Photometric Classification Server (PCS) for Pan-STARRS1. PCS will allow the automatic classification of objects into star/galaxy/quasar classes based on colors and the measurement of photometric redshifts for extragalactic objects, and will constrain stellar parameters for stellar objects, working at the catalog level. We present tests of the system based on high signal-to-noise photometry derived from the Medium-Deep Fields of Pan-STARRS1, using available spectroscopic surveys as training and/or verification sets. We show that the Pan-STARRS1 photometry delivers classifications and photometric redshifts as good as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) photometry to the same magnitude limits. In particular, our preliminary results, based on this relatively limited data set down to the SDSS spectroscopic limits, and therefore potentially improvable, show that stars are correctly classified as such in 85% of cases, galaxies in 97%, and QSOs in 84%. False positives are less than 1% for galaxies, ≈19% for stars, and ≈28% for QSOs. Moreover, photometric redshifts for 1000 luminous red galaxies up to redshift 0.5 are determined to 2.4% precision (defined as 1.48 × Median|z phot – z spec |/(1 + z)) with just 0.4% catastrophic outliers and small (–0.5%) residual bias. For bluer galaxies up to the same redshift, the residual bias (on average –0.5%) trend, percentage of catastrophic failures (1.2%), and precision (4.2%) are higher, but still interestingly small for many science applications. Good photometric redshifts (to 5%) can be obtained for at most 60% of the QSOs of the sample. PCS will create a value-added catalog with classifications and photometric redshifts for eventually many millions of sources.

  11. Photometry, Astrometry, and Discoveries of Ultracool Dwarfs in the Pan-STARRSSurvey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Best, William M. J.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Liu, Michael C.; Deacon, Niall; Aller, Kimberly; Zhang, Zhoujian; Pan-STARRS1 Builders

    2018-01-01

    The Pan-STARRS1Survey (PS1)'s far-red optical sensitivity makes it an exceptional new resource for discovering and characterizing ultracool dwarfs. We present a PS1-based catalog of photometry and proper motions of nearly 10,000 M, L, and T dwarfs, along with our analysis of the kinematics of nearby M6-T9 dwarfs, building a comprehensive picture of the local ultracool population. We highlight some especially interesting ultracool discoveries made with PS1, including brown dwarfs with spectral types in the enigmatic L/T transition, wide companions to main sequence stars that serve as age and metallicity bechmarks for substellar models, and free-floating members of the nearby young moving groups and star-forming regions with masses down to ≈5 MJup. With its public release, PS1 will continue to be a vital tool for studying the ultracool population.

  12. FOUR NEW T DWARFS IDENTIFIED IN Pan-STARRS 1 COMMISSIONING DATA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deacon, Niall R.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Bowler, Brendan P.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Kaiser, N.; Morgan, J. S.; Sweeney, W. E.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.; Goldman, Bertrand; Redstone, Joshua A.; Lupton, R. H.; Price, P. A.

    2011-01-01

    A complete well-defined sample of ultracool dwarfs is one of the key science programs of the Pan-STARRS 1 optical survey telescope (PS1). Here we combine PS1 commissioning data with the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) to conduct a proper motion search (0.''1-2.''0 yr -1 ) for nearby T dwarfs, using optical+near-IR colors to select objects for spectroscopic follow-up. The addition of sensitive far-red optical imaging from PS1 enables discovery of nearby ultracool dwarfs that cannot be identified from 2MASS data alone. We have searched 3700 deg 2 of PS1 y-band (0.95-1.03 μm) data to y ∼ 19.5 mag (AB) and J ∼ 16.5 mag (Vega) and discovered four previously unknown bright T dwarfs. Three of the objects (with spectral types T1.5, T2, and T3.5) have photometric distances within 25 pc and were missed by previous 2MASS searches due to more restrictive color selection criteria. The fourth object (spectral type T4.5) is more distant than 25 pc and is only a single-band detection in 2MASS. We also examine the potential for completing the census of nearby ultracool objects with the PS1survey.

  13. The search for extreme asteroids in the Pan-STARRS 1 Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNeill, Andrew; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Jedicke, Robert; Lilly, Eva; Lacerda, Pedro; Trilling, David E.; Members of the Pan-STARRS Science Consortium

    2017-10-01

    Using sparse photometry of main belt asteroids obtained in the first 1.5 years of the Pan-STARRS 1 survey we identified a list of potential 'extreme lightcurve asteroids', defined as objects with either rotation period P Isaac Newton Telescope, the 3.5m ESO New Technology Telescope and the University of Hawaii 2.2 m Telescope. 9 of these objects were found to have light curve amplitudes A > 1.0 mag, with no objects with P 1.0 mag, (49257) 1998 TJ31, was determined to have a shape model suggesting a higher amplitude than that measured from its sparse photometry light curve (A = 0.8 mag). Its spin pole axes were found to be β=6 ± 5⊙, λ=112 ± 6⊙. The high obliquity of this object could explain how we initially failed to identify this body as high amplitude from its light curve alone, when its shape solution suggests otherwise. Since the initial generation of our target list, the number of asteroid detections by Pan-STARRS has increased dramatically. Using the same criteria for the generation of this initial target list but utilising all of the data available we now have a list of 110 potential high amplitude objects which we are continuing to observe.

  14. The Complete Light-curve Sample of Spectroscopically Confirmed SNe Ia from Pan-STARRS1 and Cosmological Constraints from the Combined Pantheon Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scolnic, D. M.; Jones, D. O.; Rest, A.; Pan, Y. C.; Chornock, R.; Foley, R. J.; Huber, M. E.; Kessler, R.; Narayan, G.; Riess, A. G.; Rodney, S.; Berger, E.; Brout, D. J.; Challis, P. J.; Drout, M.; Finkbeiner, D.; Lunnan, R.; Kirshner, R. P.; Sanders, N. E.; Schlafly, E.; Smartt, S.; Stubbs, C. W.; Tonry, J.; Wood-Vasey, W. M.; Foley, M.; Hand, J.; Johnson, E.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Draper, P. W.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R. P.; Magnier, E. A.; Metcalfe, N.; Bresolin, F.; Gall, E.; Kotak, R.; McCrum, M.; Smith, K. W.

    2018-06-01

    We present optical light curves, redshifts, and classifications for 365 spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) discovered by the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) Medium Deep Survey. We detail improvements to the PS1 SN photometry, astrometry, and calibration that reduce the systematic uncertainties in the PS1 SN Ia distances. We combine the subset of 279 PS1 SNe Ia (0.03 Ia from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), SNLS, and various low-z and Hubble Space Telescope samples to form the largest combined sample of SNe Ia, consisting of a total of 1048 SNe Ia in the range of 0.01 Ia to measure dark energy.

  15. FIRST RESULTS FROM Pan-STARRS1: FAINT, HIGH PROPER MOTION WHITE DWARFS IN THE MEDIUM-DEEP FIELDS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tonry, J. L.; Flewelling, H. A.; Deacon, N. R.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Hodapp, K. W.; Magnier, E. A.; Morgan, J. S.; Wainscoat, R. J. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Stubbs, C. W.; Kilic, M.; Chornock, R.; Berger, E. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Price, P. A. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2012-01-20

    The Pan-STARRS1 survey has obtained multi-epoch imaging in five bands (Pan-STARRS1 g{sub P1}, r{sub P1}, i{sub P1}, z{sub P1}, and y{sub P1}) on 12 'Medium-Deep fields', each of which spans a 3.{sup 0}3 circle. For the period between 2009 April and 2011 April these fields were observed 50-200 times. Using a reduced proper motion diagram, we have extracted a list of 47 white dwarf (WD) candidates whose Pan-STARRS1 astrometry indicates a non-zero proper motion at the 6{sigma} level, with a typical 1{sigma} proper motion uncertainty of 10 mas yr{sup -1}. We also used astrometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (when available) and USNO-B to assess our proper motion fits. None of the WD candidates exhibits evidence of statistically significant parallaxes, with a typical 1{sigma} uncertainty of 8 mas. Twelve of these candidates are known WDs, including the high proper motion (1.''7 yr{sup -1}) WD LHS 291. We confirm seven more objects as WDs through optical spectroscopy. Based on the Pan-STARRS1 colors, ten of the stars are likely to be cool WDs with 4170 K Pan-STARRS1 data. With continued coverage from the Medium-Deep Field Survey and the 3{pi} survey, Pan-STARRS1 should find many more high proper motion WDs that are part of the old thick disk and halo.

  16. Charge Diffusion Variations in Pan-STARRS1 CCDs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnier, Eugene A.; Tonry, J. L.; Finkbeiner, D.; Schlafly, E.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H. A.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Metcalfe, N.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C. Z.

    2018-06-01

    Thick back-illuminated deep-depletion CCDs have superior quantum efficiency over previous generations of thinned and traditional thick CCDs. As a result, they are being used for wide-field imaging cameras in several major projects. We use observations from the Pan-STARRSsurvey to characterize the behavior of the deep-depletion devices used in the Pan-STARRS 1 Gigapixel Camera. We have identified systematic spatial variations in the photometric measurements and stellar profiles that are similar in pattern to the so-called “tree rings” identified in devices used by other wide-field cameras (e.g., DECam and Hypersuprime Camera). The tree-ring features identified in these other cameras result from lateral electric fields that displace the electrons as they are transported in the silicon to the pixel location. In contrast, we show that the photometric and morphological modifications observed in the GPC1 detectors are caused by variations in the vertical charge transportation rate and resulting charge diffusion variations.

  17. A Pan-STARRS1 VIEW OF THE BIFURCATED SAGITTARIUS STREAM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slater, C. T.; Bell, E. F.; Schlafly, E. F.; Jurić, M.; Finkbeiner, D. P.; Martin, N. F.; Rix, H.-W.; Goldman, B.; Morganson, E. P.; Bernard, E. J.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Kaiser, N.; Magnier, E. A.; Tonry, J. L.; Price, P. A.

    2013-01-01

    We use data from the Pan-STARRS1 survey to present a panoramic view of the Sagittarius tidal stream in the southern Galactic hemisphere. As a result of the extensive sky coverage of Pan-STARRS1, the southern stream is visible along more than 60° of its orbit, nearly double the length seen by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The recently discovered southern bifurcation of the stream is also apparent, with the fainter branch of the stream visible over at least 30°. Using a combination of fitting both the main-sequence turnoff and the red clump, we measure the distance to both arms of the stream in the south. We find that the distances to the bright arm of the stream agree very well with the N-body models of Law and Majewski. We also find that the faint arm lies ∼5 kpc closer to the Sun than the bright arm, similar to the behavior seen in the northern hemisphere.

  18. The search for main-belt comets: The Pan-STARRS1 perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, H.; Denneau, L.; Wainscoat, R.; Jedicke, R.; Schorghofer, N.; Micheli, M.; Veres, P.; Kleyna, J.; Bolin, B.

    2014-07-01

    In recent years, an increasing number of objects have been discovered in the main asteroid belt that exhibit comet-like activity. Some instances of activity are believed to result from sublimation of volatile sub-surface ice, and the objects exhibiting this type of activity have come to be known as main-belt comets (MBCs; Hsieh & Jewitt 2006). For most MBCs, the presence of gas is only inferred from visible dust emission, although water vapor outgassing has recently been directly detected from (1) Ceres (Kuppers et al. 2014), indicating that water sublimation on MBCs could also be possible. In other instances, comet-like dust emission has been found to result from impacts onto otherwise inert objects, rotational disruption, or a combination of effects (cf., Jewitt 2012). In these cases, the objects can be referred to as disrupted asteroids. Collectively, MBCs and disrupted asteroids are known as active asteroids. MBCs have attracted interest in astrobiology due to theoretical studies indicating that material from the asteroid belt region could have been a significant primordial source of the water and other volatiles on the Earth. Icy asteroids also contain some of the least altered material from the inner protosolar disk still in existence today, presenting us with opportunities to learn about the earliest stages of our solar system's formation. The added bonus of the MBCs' relatively close proximity in the asteroid belt means that in situ spacecraft studies are entirely feasible using present-day technology. Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) is a wide-field synoptic survey telescope located on Halekala in Hawaii. It employs a 3.2×3.2 deg 1.4 gigapixel camera and uses an SDSS-like filter system. As of 2014 March 31, the Pan-STARRS1 survey has discovered three MBCs --- P/2006 VW139, P/2012 T1 (PANSTARRS), and P/2013 R3 (Catalina-PANSTARRS) --- as well as one disrupted asteroid (P/2013 P5 (PANSTARRS)), two active Centaurs, 33 Jupiter-family comets, and 17 long-period comets. For

  19. SELECTION OF BURST-LIKE TRANSIENTS AND STOCHASTIC VARIABLES USING MULTI-BAND IMAGE DIFFERENCING IN THE PAN-STARRS1 MEDIUM-DEEP SURVEY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, S.; Gezari, S.; Heinis, S.; Chornock, R.; Berger, E.; Soderberg, A.; Stubbs, C. W.; Kirshner, R. P.; Rest, A.; Huber, M. E.; Narayan, G.; Marion, G. H.; Burgett, W. S.; Foley, R. J.; Scolnic, D.; Riess, A. G.; Lawrence, A.; Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K.; Wood-Vasey, W. M.

    2015-01-01

    We present a novel method for the light-curve characterization of Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1 MDS) extragalactic sources into stochastic variables (SVs) and burst-like (BL) transients, using multi-band image-differencing time-series data. We select detections in difference images associated with galaxy hosts using a star/galaxy catalog extracted from the deep PS1 MDS stacked images, and adopt a maximum a posteriori formulation to model their difference-flux time-series in four Pan-STARRS1 photometric bands g P1 , r P1 , i P1 , and z P1 . We use three deterministic light-curve models to fit BL transients; a Gaussian, a Gamma distribution, and an analytic supernova (SN) model, and one stochastic light-curve model, the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, in order to fit variability that is characteristic of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We assess the quality of fit of the models band-wise and source-wise, using their estimated leave-out-one cross-validation likelihoods and corrected Akaike information criteria. We then apply a K-means clustering algorithm on these statistics, to determine the source classification in each band. The final source classification is derived as a combination of the individual filter classifications, resulting in two measures of classification quality, from the averages across the photometric filters of (1) the classifications determined from the closest K-means cluster centers, and (2) the square distances from the clustering centers in the K-means clustering spaces. For a verification set of AGNs and SNe, we show that SV and BL occupy distinct regions in the plane constituted by these measures. We use our clustering method to characterize 4361 extragalactic image difference detected sources, in the first 2.5 yr of the PS1 MDS, into 1529 BL, and 2262 SV, with a purity of 95.00% for AGNs, and 90.97% for SN based on our verification sets. We combine our light-curve classifications with their nuclear or off-nuclear host galaxy offsets, to

  20. M DWARF ACTIVITY IN THE PAN-STARRS1 MEDIUM-DEEP SURVEY: FIRST CATALOG AND ROTATION PERIODS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kado-Fong, E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155 (United States); Williams, P. K. G.; Berger, E. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Mann, A. W. [The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Astronomy, 2515 Speedway C1400, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Magnier, E. A.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Rest, A., E-mail: erin.fong@tufts.edu [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

    2016-12-20

    We report on an ongoing project to investigate activity in the M dwarf stellar population observed by the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey (PS1-MDS). Using a custom-built pipeline, we refine an initial sample of ∼4 million sources in PS1-MDS to a sample of 184,148 candidate cool stars using color cuts. Motivated by the well-known relationship between rotation and stellar activity, we use a multiband periodogram analysis and visual vetting to identify 270 sources that are likely rotating M dwarfs. We derive a new set of polynomials relating M dwarf PS1 colors to fundamental stellar parameters and use them to estimate the masses, distances, effective temperatures, and bolometric luminosities of our sample. We present a catalog containing these values, our measured rotation periods, and cross-matches to other surveys. Our final sample spans periods of ≲1–130 days in stars with estimated effective temperatures of ∼2700–4000 K. Twenty-two of our sources have X-ray cross-matches, and they are found to be relatively X-ray bright as would be expected from selection effects. Our data set provides evidence that Kepler -based searches have not been sensitive to very slowly rotating stars ( P {sub rot} ≳ 70 day), implying that the observed emergence of very slow rotators in studies of low-mass stars may be a systematic effect. We also see a lack of low-amplitude (<2%) variability in objects with intermediate (10–40 day) rotation periods, which, considered in conjunction with other observational results, may be a signpost of a loss of magnetic complexity associated with a phase of rapid spin-down in intermediate-age M dwarfs. This work represents just a first step in exploring stellar variability in data from the PS1-MDS and, in the farther future, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

  1. SELECTION OF BURST-LIKE TRANSIENTS AND STOCHASTIC VARIABLES USING MULTI-BAND IMAGE DIFFERENCING IN THE PAN-STARRS1 MEDIUM-DEEP SURVEY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar, S.; Gezari, S.; Heinis, S. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, Stadium Drive, College Park, MD 21224 (United States); Chornock, R.; Berger, E.; Soderberg, A.; Stubbs, C. W.; Kirshner, R. P. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Rest, A. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Huber, M. E.; Narayan, G.; Marion, G. H.; Burgett, W. S. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Foley, R. J. [Astronomy Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1002 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Scolnic, D.; Riess, A. G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Lawrence, A. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Wood-Vasey, W. M. [Pittsburgh Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Center, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, 3941 O' Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (United States); and others

    2015-03-20

    We present a novel method for the light-curve characterization of Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1 MDS) extragalactic sources into stochastic variables (SVs) and burst-like (BL) transients, using multi-band image-differencing time-series data. We select detections in difference images associated with galaxy hosts using a star/galaxy catalog extracted from the deep PS1 MDS stacked images, and adopt a maximum a posteriori formulation to model their difference-flux time-series in four Pan-STARRS1 photometric bands g {sub P1}, r {sub P1}, i {sub P1}, and z {sub P1}. We use three deterministic light-curve models to fit BL transients; a Gaussian, a Gamma distribution, and an analytic supernova (SN) model, and one stochastic light-curve model, the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, in order to fit variability that is characteristic of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We assess the quality of fit of the models band-wise and source-wise, using their estimated leave-out-one cross-validation likelihoods and corrected Akaike information criteria. We then apply a K-means clustering algorithm on these statistics, to determine the source classification in each band. The final source classification is derived as a combination of the individual filter classifications, resulting in two measures of classification quality, from the averages across the photometric filters of (1) the classifications determined from the closest K-means cluster centers, and (2) the square distances from the clustering centers in the K-means clustering spaces. For a verification set of AGNs and SNe, we show that SV and BL occupy distinct regions in the plane constituted by these measures. We use our clustering method to characterize 4361 extragalactic image difference detected sources, in the first 2.5 yr of the PS1 MDS, into 1529 BL, and 2262 SV, with a purity of 95.00% for AGNs, and 90.97% for SN based on our verification sets. We combine our light-curve classifications with their nuclear or off-nuclear host

  2. Photometry and Proper Motions of M, L, and T Dwarfs from the Pan-STARRS1 3π Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Best, William M. J.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Liu, Michael C.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Zhang, Zhoujian; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Draper, P.; Flewelling, H.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Metcalfe, N.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.

    2018-01-01

    We present a catalog of 9888 M, L and T dwarfs detected in the Pan-STARRS1Survey (PS1), covering three-quarters of the sky. Our catalog contains nearly all known objects of spectral types L0–T2 in the PS1 field, with objects as early as M0 and as late as T9, and includes PS1, 2MASS, AllWISE, and Gaia DR1 photometry. We analyze the different types of photometry reported by PS1 and use two types in our catalog in order to maximize both depth and accuracy. Using parallaxes from the literature, we construct empirical SEDs for field ultracool dwarfs spanning 0.5–12 μm. We determine typical colors of M0–T9 dwarfs and highlight the distinctive colors of subdwarfs and young objects. We combine astrometry from PS1, 2MASS, and Gaia DR1 to calculate new proper motions for our catalog. We achieve a median precision of 2.9 mas yr‑1, a factor of ≈3‑10 improvement over previous large catalogs. Our catalog contains proper motions for 2405 M6–T9 dwarfs and includes the largest set of homogeneous proper motions for L and T dwarfs published to date, 406 objects for which there were no previous measurements, and 1176 objects for which we improve upon previous literature values. We analyze the kinematics of ultracool dwarfs in our catalog and find evidence that bluer but otherwise generic late-M and L field dwarfs (i.e., not subdwarfs) tend to have tangential velocities higher than those of typical field objects. With the public release of the PS1 data, this survey will continue to be an essential tool for characterizing the ultracool dwarf population.

  3. THE PAN-STARRS 1 PHOTOMETRIC REFERENCE LADDER, RELEASE 12.01

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magnier, E. A.; Tonry, J. L.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H. A.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Morgan, J. S.; Sweeney, W. E.; Schlafly, E.; Finkbeiner, D.; Juric, M.; Stubbs, C. W.; Price, P. A.

    2013-01-01

    As of 2012 January 21, the Pan-STARRS 1Survey has observed the 3/4 of the sky visible from Hawaii with a minimum of 2 and mean of 7.6 observations in five filters, g P1 , r P1 , i P1 , z P1 , y P1 . Now at the end of the second year of the mission, we are in a position to make an initial public release of a portion of this unprecedented data set. This article describes the PS1 Photometric Ladder, Release 12.01. This is the first of a series of data releases to be generated as the survey coverage increases and the data analysis improves. The Photometric Ladder has rungs every hour in right ascension and at four intervals in declination. We will release updates with increased area coverage (more rungs) from the latest data set until the PS1 survey and the final re-reduction are completed. The currently released catalog presents photometry of ∼1000 objects per square degree in the rungs of the ladder. Saturation occurs at g P1 , r P1 , i P1 ∼ 13.5; z P1 ∼ 13.0; and y P1 ∼ 12.0. Photometry is provided for stars down to g P1 , r P1 , i P1 ∼ 19.1 in the AB system. This data release depends on the rigid 'Ubercal' photometric calibration using only the photometric nights, with systematic uncertainties of (8.0, 7.0, 9.0, 10.7, 12.4) mmag in (g P1 , r P1 , i P1 , z P1 , y P1 ). Areas covered only with lower quality nights are also included, and have been tied to the Ubercal solution via relative photometry; photometric accuracy of the non-photometric regions is lower and should be used with caution.

  4. A Comparison of Galaxy Bulge+Disk Decomposition Between Pan-STARRS and SDSS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lokken, Martine Elena; McPartland, Conor; Sanders, David B.

    2018-01-01

    Measurements of the size and shape of bulges in galaxies provide key constraints for models of galaxy evolution. A comprehensive catalog of bulge measurements for Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 galaxies is currently available to the public. However, the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) 3π survey now covers the same region with ~1-2 mag deeper photometry, a ~10-30% smaller PSF, and additional coverage in y-band. To test how much improvement in galaxy parameter measurements (e.g. bulge + disk) can be achieved using the new PS1 data, we make use of ultra-deep imaging data from the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program (SSP). We fit bulge+disk models to images of 372 bright (mi SSP images shows a tighter correlation between PS1 and SSP measurements for both bulge and disk parameters. Bulge parameters, such as bulge-to-total fraction and bulge radius, show the strongest improvement. However, measurements of all parameters degrade for galaxies with total r-band magnitude below the SDSS spectroscopic limit, mr = 17.7. We plan to use the PS1survey data to produce an updated catalog of bulge+disk decomposition measurements for the entire SDSS DR7 spectroscopic galaxy sample.

  5. A SYSTEMATIC SEARCH FOR PERIODICALLY VARYING QUASARS IN PAN-STARRS1: AN EXTENDED BASELINE TEST IN MEDIUM DEEP SURVEY FIELD MD09

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, T.; Gezari, S. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Burgett, W. [GMTO Corp, 465 N. Halstead St, Suite 250, Pasadena, CA 91107 (United States); Chambers, K.; Hodapp, K.; Huber, M.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Magnier, E.; Tonry, J.; Wainscoat, R.; Waters, C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Draper, P.; Metcalfe, N., E-mail: tingting@astro.umd.edu [Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)

    2016-12-10

    We present a systematic search for periodically varying quasars and supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) candidates in the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) Medium Deep Survey’s MD09 field. From a color-selected sample of 670 quasars extracted from a multi-band deep-stack catalog of point sources, we locally select variable quasars and look for coherent periods with the Lomb–Scargle periodogram. Three candidates from our sample demonstrate strong variability for more than ∼3 cycles, and their PS1 light curves are well fitted to sinusoidal functions. We test the persistence of the candidates’ apparent periodic variations detected during the 4.2 years of the PS1 survey with archival photometric data from the SDSS Stripe 82 survey or new monitoring with the Large Monolithic Imager at the Discovery Channel Telescope. None of the three periodic candidates (including PSO J334.2028+1.4075) remain persistent over the extended baseline of 7–14 years, corresponding to a detection rate of <1 in 670 quasars in a search area of ≈5 deg{sup 2}. Even though SMBHBs should be a common product of the hierarchal growth of galaxies, and periodic variability in SMBHBs has been theoretically predicted, a systematic search for such signatures in a large optical survey is strongly limited by its temporal baseline and the “red noise” associated with normal quasar variability. We show that follow-up long-term monitoring (≳5 cycles) is crucial to our search for these systems.

  6. THE FIRST HIGH-REDSHIFT QUASAR FROM Pan-STARRS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morganson, Eric; De Rosa, Gisella; Decarli, Roberto; Walter, Fabian; Rix, Hans-Walter [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Chambers, Ken; Burgett, William; Flewelling, Heather; Hodapp, Klaus; Kaiser, Nick; Magnier, Eugene; Sweeney, Bill; Waters, Christopher [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); McGreer, Ian; Fan, Xiaohui [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Greiner, Jochen [Max-Planck-Institut fuer extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse 1, 85748 Garching (Germany); Price, Paul, E-mail: morganson@mpia.de [Princeton University Observatory, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2012-06-15

    We present the discovery of the first high-redshift (z > 5.7) quasar from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System 1 (Pan-STARRS1 or PS1). This quasar was initially detected as an i{sub P1} dropout in PS1, confirmed photometrically with the SAO Wide-field InfraRed Camera at Arizona's Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) and the Gamma-Ray Burst Optical/Near-Infrared Detector at the MPG 2.2 m telescope in La Silla. The quasar was verified spectroscopically with the MMT Spectrograph, Red Channel and the Cassegrain Twin Spectrograph at the Calar Alto 3.5 m telescope. Its near-infrared spectrum was taken at the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory (LBT) with the LBT Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Utility with Camera and Integral Field Unit for Extragalactic Research. It has a redshift of 5.73, an AB z{sub P1} magnitude of 19.4, a luminosity of 3.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 47} erg s{sup -1}, and a black hole mass of 6.9 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 9} M{sub Sun }. It is a broad absorption line quasar with a prominent Ly{beta} peak and a very blue continuum spectrum. This quasar is the first result from the PS1 high-redshift quasar search that is projected to discover more than 100 i{sub P1} dropout quasars and could potentially find more than 10 z{sub P1} dropout (z > 6.8) quasars.

  7. THE FIRST HIGH-REDSHIFT QUASAR FROM Pan-STARRS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morganson, Eric; De Rosa, Gisella; Decarli, Roberto; Walter, Fabian; Rix, Hans-Walter; Chambers, Ken; Burgett, William; Flewelling, Heather; Hodapp, Klaus; Kaiser, Nick; Magnier, Eugene; Sweeney, Bill; Waters, Christopher; McGreer, Ian; Fan, Xiaohui; Greiner, Jochen; Price, Paul

    2012-01-01

    We present the discovery of the first high-redshift (z > 5.7) quasar from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System 1 (Pan-STARRS1 or PS1). This quasar was initially detected as an i P1 dropout in PS1, confirmed photometrically with the SAO Wide-field InfraRed Camera at Arizona's Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) and the Gamma-Ray Burst Optical/Near-Infrared Detector at the MPG 2.2 m telescope in La Silla. The quasar was verified spectroscopically with the MMT Spectrograph, Red Channel and the Cassegrain Twin Spectrograph at the Calar Alto 3.5 m telescope. Its near-infrared spectrum was taken at the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory (LBT) with the LBT Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Utility with Camera and Integral Field Unit for Extragalactic Research. It has a redshift of 5.73, an AB z P1 magnitude of 19.4, a luminosity of 3.8 × 10 47 erg s –1 , and a black hole mass of 6.9 × 10 9 M ☉ . It is a broad absorption line quasar with a prominent Lyβ peak and a very blue continuum spectrum. This quasar is the first result from the PS1 high-redshift quasar search that is projected to discover more than 100 i P1 dropout quasars and could potentially find more than 10 z P1 dropout (z > 6.8) quasars.

  8. A NEW DISTANT MILKY WAY GLOBULAR CLUSTER IN THE PAN-STARRS1SURVEY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laevens, Benjamin P. M.; Martin, Nicolas F.; Sesar, Branimir; Rix, Hans-Walter; Schlafly, Edward F.; Bernard, Edouard J.; Ferguson, Annette M. N.; Slater, Colin T.; Bell, Eric F.; Burgett, William S.; Chambers, Kenneth C.; Denneau, Larry; Kaiser, Nicholas; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Magnier, Eugene A.; Morgan, Jeffrey S.; Sweeney, William E.; Draper, Peter W.; Metcalfe, Nigel; Price, Paul A.

    2014-01-01

    We present a new satellite in the outer halo of the Galaxy, the first Milky Way satellite found in the stacked photometric catalog of the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System 1 (Pan-STARRS1) Survey. From follow-up photometry obtained with WFI on the MPG/ESO 2.2 m telescope, we argue that the object, located at a heliocentric distance of 145 ± 17 kpc, is the most distant Milky Way globular cluster yet known. With a total magnitude of M V = –4.3 ± 0.2 and a half-light radius of 20 ± 2 pc, it shares the properties of extended globular clusters found in the outer halo of our Galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy. The discovery of this distant cluster shows that the full spatial extent of the Milky Way globular cluster system has not yet been fully explored

  9. C/2013 P2 Pan STARRS - The Manx Comet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meech, Karen J.; Yang, Bin; Keane, Jacqueline; Hainaut, Olivier; Kleyna, Jan; Hsieh, Henry; Bauer, James; Wainscoat, Richard; Veres, Peter

    2014-11-01

    On Aug 4, 2013 an apparently asteroidal object was discovered by the Pan STARRS1 (PS1) survey telescope on Haleakala at magnitude 20.4 (corresponding to a nucleus radius between 1.4-2.9 km for albedos between 0.25-0.04). PS1 pre-recovery images taken on July 26 and on Aug. 3 allowed a good orbit to be determined. The orbit looks like that of a long-period comet with a semi major axis of 2720 AU and an eccentricity of 0.999. Shortly following the discovery, reports from small telescopes came in that there was low level activity associated with this object (at r = 3.45 AU), and the object was designated P/2013 P2 (Pan STARRS). The activity was not seen in images obtained with PS1, the Faulkes N telescope or the CFHT 3.6m, however the object was passing through a region of significant nebulosity. Deep images obtained on the CFHT on Aug. 8 and follow up images obtained with the Gemini North 8m telescope on Sep. 9 showed a very faint tail extending a few arcsec to PA=45 deg (inconsistent with the earlier reports). The object was observed using several facilities up until solar conjunction, and again after perihelion (Feb. 17, 2014) in March, with little increase in activity. A search of the NEOWISE archives show no detection during the cryogenic and immediate pos-cryogenic phases, so we can only place an upper limit on the nucleus size from these data. An object on a long-period comet orbit at this heliocentric distance typically should be very active, and our team hypothesized that this could either be a nearly-extinct comet or possibly inner solar system material ejected to the outer solar system during planet migration as predicted by various dynamical models. To distinguish between these scenarios, we obtained both optical and near-IR spectra of P/2013 P2 on 2014 May 7 and 21, when the object was at r=2.97 and 2.99 AU, respectively. Initial reductions show no emission lines. We will report on our spectra and imaging data, and discuss the implications for the origin

  10. Supermassive Black Hole Binary Candidates from the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Tingting; Gezari, Suvi

    2018-01-01

    Supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) should be a common product of the hierarchal growth of galaxies and gravitational wave sources at nano-Hz frequencies. We have performed a systematic search in the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey for periodically varying quasars, which are predicted manifestations of SMBHBs, and identified 26 candidates that are periodically varying on the timescale of ~300-1000 days over the 4-year baseline of MDS. We continue to monitor them with the Discovery Channel Telescope and the LCO network telescopes and thus are able to extend the baseline to 3-8 cycles and break false positive signals due to stochastic, normal quasar variability. From our imaging campaign, five candidates show persistent periodic variability and remain strong SMBHB candidates for follow-up observations. We calculate the cumulative number rate of SMBHBs and compare with previous work. We also compare the gravitational wave strain amplitudes of the candidates with the capability of pulsar timing arrays and discuss the future capabilities to detect periodic quasar and SMBHB candidates with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

  11. VizieR Online Data Catalog: RR Lyrae stars from the PS1survey (Sesar+, 2017)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sesar, B.; Hernitschek, N.; Mitrovic, S.; Ivezic, Z.; Rix, H.-W.; Cohen, J. G.; Bernard, E. J.; Grebel, E. K.; Martin, N. F.; Schlafly, E. F.; Burgett, W. S.; Draper, P. W.; Flewelling, H.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R. P.; Magnier, E. A.; Metcalfe, N.; Tonry, J. L.; Waters, C.

    2018-04-01

    Building on the work by Hernitschek+ (2016, J/ApJ/817/73), in this paper, we use the final PS1 data release (PV3) to significantly increase the completeness and purity of the PS1 sample of RR Lyrae stars. Pan-STARRS1 (PS1; Kaiser+ 2010, see II/349) is a wide-field optical/near-IR survey telescope system located at the Haleakala Observatory on the island of Maui in Hawai'i. The largest survey undertaken by the telescope, the PS1survey (Chambers K.C. 2011, BAAS, 43, 113.01), has observed the entire sky north of decl. -30° in five filter bands, reaching 5σ single-epoch depths of about 22.0, 22.0, 21.9, 21.0, and 19.8mag in gP1, rP1, iP1, zP1, and yP1 bands, respectively. The uncertainty in photometric calibration of the survey is <~0.01mag, and the astrometric precision of single-epoch detections is 10mas. (4 data files).

  12. A SEARCH FOR HIGH PROPER MOTION T DWARFS WITH Pan-STARRS1 + 2MASS + WISE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Michael C.; Deacon, Niall R.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Bowler, Brendan P.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Morgan, J. S.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Dupuy, Trent J.; Redstone, Joshua; Goldman, Bertrand; Price, P. A.

    2011-01-01

    We have searched ∼8200 deg 2 for high proper motion (∼0.''5-2.''7 year -1 ) T dwarfs by combining first-epoch data from the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) 3π Survey, the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) All-Sky Point Source Catalog, and the WISE Preliminary Data Release. We identified two high proper motion objects with the very red (W1 - W2) colors characteristic of T dwarfs, one being the known T7.5 dwarf GJ 570D. Near-IR spectroscopy of the other object (PSO J043.5395+02.3995 ≡ WISEP J025409.45+022359.1) reveals a spectral type of T8, leading to a photometric distance of 7.2 ± 0.7 pc. The 2.''56 year -1 proper motion of PSO J043.5+02 is the second highest among field T dwarfs, corresponding to a tangential velocity of 87 ± 8 km s -1 . According to the Besancon galaxy model, this velocity indicates that its galactic membership is probably in the thin disk, with the thick disk an unlikely possibility. Such membership is in accord with the near-IR spectrum, which points to a surface gravity (age) and metallicity typical of the field population. We combine 2MASS, Sloan Digital Sky Survey, WISE, and PS1 astrometry to derive a preliminary parallax of 171 ± 45 mas (5.8 +2.0 -1.2 pc), the first such measurement using PS1 data. The proximity and brightness of PSO J043.5+02 will facilitate future characterization of its atmosphere, variability, multiplicity, distance, and kinematics. The modest number of candidates from our search suggests that the immediate (∼10 pc) solar neighborhood does not contain a large reservoir of undiscovered T dwarfs earlier than about T8.

  13. LACERTA I AND CASSIOPEIA III. TWO LUMINOUS AND DISTANT ANDROMEDA SATELLITE DWARF GALAXIES FOUND IN THE 3π PAN-STARRS1 SURVEY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, Nicolas F.; Laevens, Benjamin P. M.; Slater, Colin T.; Bell, Eric F.; Schlafly, Edward F.; Morganson, Eric; Rix, Hans-Walter; Bernard, Edouard J.; Ferguson, Annette M. N.; Finkbeiner, Douglas P.; Burgett, William S.; Chambers, Kenneth C.; Hodapp, Klaus W.; Kaiser, Nicholas; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Magnier, Eugene A.; Morgan, Jeffrey S.; Tonry, John L.; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Price, Paul A.

    2013-01-01

    We report the discovery of two new dwarf galaxies, Lacerta I/Andromeda XXXI (Lac I/And XXXI) and Cassiopeia III/Andromeda XXXII (Cas III/And XXXII), in stacked Pan-STARRS1 r P1 - and i P1 -band imaging data. Both are luminous systems (M V ∼ –12) located at projected distances of 20.°3 and 10.°5 from M31. Lac I and Cas III are likely satellites of the Andromeda galaxy with heliocentric distances of 756 +44 -28 kpc and 772 +61 -56 kpc, respectively, and corresponding M31-centric distances of 275 ± 7 kpc and 144 +6 -4 kpc. The brightest of recent Local Group member discoveries, these two new dwarf galaxies owe their late discovery to their large sizes (r h = 4.2 +0.4 -0.5 arcmin or 912 +124 -93 pc for Lac I; r h = 6.5 +1.2 -1.0 arcmin or 1456 ± 267 pc for Cas III) and consequently low surface brightness (μ 0 ∼ 26.0 mag arcsec –2 ), as well as to the lack of a systematic survey of regions at large radii from M31, close to the Galactic plane. This latter limitation is now alleviated by the 3π Pan-STARRS1 survey, which could lead to the discovery of other distant Andromeda satellite dwarf galaxies.

  14. Pan-STARRS1 DISCOVERY OF TWO ULTRALUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE AT z Almost-Equal-To 0.9

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chomiuk, L. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box O, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Chornock, R.; Soderberg, A. M.; Berger, E.; Foley, R. J.; Kirshner, R. P.; Czekala, I. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Chevalier, R. A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400325, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4325 (United States); Huber, M. E.; Gezari, S.; Riess, A.; Rodney, S. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Narayan, G.; Stubbs, C. W. [Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Rest, A. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Smartt, S. J. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Tonry, J. L.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Wood-Vasey, W. M., E-mail: lchomiuk@cfa.harvard.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, 3941 O' Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (United States); and others

    2011-12-20

    We present the discovery of two ultraluminous supernovae (SNe) at z Almost-Equal-To 0.9 with the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey. These SNe, PS1-10ky and PS1-10awh, are among the most luminous SNe ever discovered, comparable to the unusual transients SN 2005ap and SCP 06F6. Like SN 2005ap and SCP 06F6, they show characteristic high luminosities (M{sub bol} Almost-Equal-To -22.5 mag), blue spectra with a few broad absorption lines, and no evidence for H or He. We have constructed a full multi-color light curve sensitive to the peak of the spectral energy distribution in the rest-frame ultraviolet, and we have obtained time series spectroscopy for these SNe. Given the similarities between the SNe, we combine their light curves to estimate a total radiated energy over the course of explosion of (0.9-1.4) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 51} erg. We find photospheric velocities of 12,000-19,000 km s{sup -1} with no evidence for deceleration measured across {approx}3 rest-frame weeks around light curve peak, consistent with the expansion of an optically thick massive shell of material. We show that, consistent with findings for other ultraluminous SNe in this class, radioactive decay is not sufficient to power PS1-10ky, and we discuss two plausible origins for these events: the initial spin-down of a newborn magnetar in a core-collapse SN, or SN shock breakout from the dense circumstellar wind surrounding a Wolf-Rayet star.

  15. BROWN DWARFS IN YOUNG MOVING GROUPS FROM PAN-STARRS1. I. AB DORADUS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aller, Kimberly M.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Best, William M. J.; Kotson, Michael C.; Burgett, William S.; Chambers, Kenneth C.; Hodapp, Klaus W.; Flewelling, Heather; Kaiser, Nick; Tonry, John L.; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Waters, Christopher [University of Hawaii, Institute of Astronomy, 2860 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Metcalf, Nigel [Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)

    2016-04-20

    Substellar members of young (≲150 Myr) moving groups are valuable benchmarks to empirically define brown dwarf evolution with age and to study the low-mass end of the initial mass function. We have combined Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) proper motions with optical–IR photometry from PS1, Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), and WISE to search for substellar members of the AB Dor Moving Group within ≈50 pc and with spectral types of late M to early L, corresponding to masses down to ≈30 M {sub Jup} at the age of the group (≈125 Myr). Including both photometry and proper motions allows us to better select candidates by excluding field dwarfs whose colors are similar to young AB Dor Moving Group members. Our near-IR spectroscopy has identified six ultracool dwarfs (M6–L4; ≈30–100 M {sub Jup}) with intermediate surface gravities (int-g) as candidate members of the AB Dor Moving Group. We find another two candidate members with spectra showing hints of youth but consistent with field gravities. We also find four field brown dwarfs unassociated with the AB Dor Moving Group, three of which have int-g gravity classification. While signatures of youth are present in the spectra of our ≈125 Myr objects, neither their J – K nor W 1 – W 2 colors are significantly redder than field dwarfs with the same spectral types, unlike younger ultracool dwarfs. We also determined PS1 parallaxes for eight of our candidates and one previously identified AB Dor Moving Group candidate. Although radial velocities (and parallaxes, for some) are still needed to fully assess membership, these new objects provide valuable insight into the spectral characteristics and evolution of young brown dwarfs.

  16. Detectability of Chelyabinsk-like impactors with Pan-STARRS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Micheli, Marco; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Denneau, Larry

    2018-03-01

    In this work we present the results of our analysis of the detectability of an object in the size range of the recent Chelyabinsk impactor under the current discovery and follow-up capabilities, using the specific observational strategy of the Pan-STARRS survey as a reference point. We first discuss the observability of real-life cases inspired by the impact trajectories of 2008 TC3, 2014 AA, the past Earth encounters with 2014 RC and 2015 TB145, the upcoming fly-by of 2012 TC4 and the Chelyabinsk event. We then expand our analysis with the investigation of synthetic impactors with realistic orbital distributions. Among the various conclusions of our analysis, we discuss how the time of first detectability of an object does not necessarily correspond to the moment when that same object can be recognized as an impactor. We also point out how objects discovered only a few days before impact can be immediately identified as impactors, partly thanks to the good astrometric quality that telescopes like Pan-STARRS currently achieve.

  17. Wide cool and ultracool companions to nearby stars from Pan-STARRS 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deacon, Niall R.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Best, William M. J.; Bowler, Brendan P.; Burgett, William S.; Chambers, Kenneth C.; Flewelling, H.; Kaiser, Nick; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Morgan, Jeff S.; Tonry, John L.; Dupuy, Trent; Mann, Andrew W.; Redstone, Joshua A.; Draper, Peter W.; Metcalfe, Nigel; Hodapp, Klaus W.; Price, Paul A.

    2014-01-01

    We present the discovery of 57 wide (>5'') separation, low-mass (stellar and substellar) companions to stars in the solar neighborhood identified from Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) data and the spectral classification of 31 previously known companions. Our companions represent a selective subsample of promising candidates and span a range in spectral type of K7-L9 with the addition of one DA white dwarf. These were identified primarily from a dedicated common proper motion search around nearby stars, along with a few as serendipitous discoveries from our Pan-STARRS 1 brown dwarf search. Our discoveries include 23 new L dwarf companions and one known L dwarf not previously identified as a companion. The primary stars around which we searched for companions come from a list of bright stars with well-measured parallaxes and large proper motions from the Hipparcos catalog (8583 stars, mostly A-K dwarfs) and fainter stars from other proper motion catalogs (79170 stars, mostly M dwarfs). We examine the likelihood that our companions are chance alignments between unrelated stars and conclude that this is unlikely for the majority of the objects that we have followed-up spectroscopically. We also examine the entire population of ultracool (>M7) dwarf companions and conclude that while some are loosely bound, most are unlikely to be disrupted over the course of ∼10 Gyr. Our search increases the number of ultracool M dwarf companions wider than 300 AU by 88% and increases the number of L dwarf companions in the same separation range by 82%. Finally, we resolve our new L dwarf companion to HIP 6407 into a tight (0.''13, 7.4 AU) L1+T3 binary, making the system a hierarchical triple. Our search for these key benchmarks against which brown dwarf and exoplanet atmosphere models are tested has yielded the largest number of discoveries to date.

  18. Distribution of shape elongations of main belt asteroids derived from Pan-STARRS1 photometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cibulková, H.; Nortunen, H.; Ďurech, J.; Kaasalainen, M.; Vereš, P.; Jedicke, R.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Mommert, M.; Trilling, D. E.; Schunová-Lilly, E.; Magnier, E. A.; Waters, C.; Flewelling, H.

    2018-04-01

    Context. A considerable amount of photometric data is produced by surveys such as Pan-STARRS, LONEOS, WISE, or Catalina. These data are a rich source of information about the physical properties of asteroids. There are several possible approaches for using these data. Light curve inversion is a typical method that works with individual asteroids. Our approach in focusing on large groups of asteroids, such as dynamical families and taxonomic classes, is statistical; the data are not sufficient for individual models. Aim. Our aim is to study the distributions of shape elongation b/a and the spin axis latitude β for various subpopulations of asteroids and to compare our results, based on Pan-STARRS1 survey, with statistics previously carried out using various photometric databases, such as Lowell and WISE. Methods: We used the LEADER algorithm to compare the b/a and β distributions for various subpopulations of asteroids. The algorithm creates a cumulative distributive function (CDF) of observed brightness variations, and computes the b/a and β distributions with analytical basis functions that yield the observed CDF. A variant of LEADER is used to solve the joint distributions for synthetic populations to test the validity of the method. Results: When comparing distributions of shape elongation for groups of asteroids with different diameters D, we found that there are no differences for D < 25 km. We also constructed distributions for asteroids with different rotation periods and revealed that the fastest rotators with P = 0 - 4 h are more spheroidal than the population with P = 4-8 h.

  19. DISCOVERY OF MAIN-BELT COMET P/2006 VW{sub 139} BY Pan-STARRS1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hsieh, Henry H.; Yang Bin; Haghighipour, Nader; Kaluna, Heather M.; Denneau, Larry; Jedicke, Robert; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Armstrong, James D.; Micheli, Marco; Keane, Jacqueline V.; Urban, Laurie; Riesen, Timm; Meech, Karen J. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Fitzsimmons, Alan [Astrophysics Research Centre, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Novakovic, Bojan [Department of Astronomy, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Duddy, Samuel R.; Lowry, Stephen C. [Centre for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, The University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NH (United Kingdom); Trujillo, Chadwick A. [Gemini Observatory, Northern Operations Center, 670 N. Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Abe, Shinsuke; Cheng, Yu-Chi, E-mail: hsieh@ifa.hawaii.edu [Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, 300 Jhongda Rd, Jhongli 32001, Taiwan (China); and others

    2012-03-20

    The main-belt asteroid (300163) 2006 VW{sub 139} (later designated P/2006 VW{sub 139}) was discovered to exhibit comet-like activity by the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) survey telescope using automated point-spread-function analyses performed by PS1's Moving Object Processing System. Deep follow-up observations show both a short ({approx}10'') antisolar dust tail and a longer ({approx}60'') dust trail aligned with the object's orbit plane, similar to the morphology observed for another main-belt comet (MBC), P/2010 R2 (La Sagra), and other well-established comets, implying the action of a long-lived, sublimation-driven emission event. Photometry showing the brightness of the near-nucleus coma remaining constant over {approx}30 days provides further evidence for this object's cometary nature, suggesting it is in fact an MBC, and not a disrupted asteroid. A spectroscopic search for CN emission was unsuccessful, though we find an upper limit CN production rate of Q{sub CN} < 1.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 24} mol s{sup -1}, from which we infer a water production rate of Q{sub H{sub 2O}}<10{sup 26} mol s{sup -1}. We also find an approximately linear optical spectral slope of 7.2%/1000 A, similar to other cometary dust comae. Numerical simulations indicate that P/2006 VW{sub 139} is dynamically stable for >100 Myr, while a search for a potential asteroid family around the object reveals a cluster of 24 asteroids within a cutoff distance of 68 m s{sup -1}. At 70 m s{sup -1}, this cluster merges with the Themis family, suggesting that it could be similar to the Beagle family to which another MBC, 133P/Elst-Pizarro, belongs.

  20. THE HOST GALAXY PROPERTIES OF VARIABILITY SELECTED AGN IN THE PAN-STARRS1 MEDIUM DEEP SURVEY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heinis, S.; Gezari, S.; Kumar, S. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Burgett, W. S.; Flewelling, H.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

    2016-07-20

    We study the properties of 975 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) selected by variability in the Pan-STARRS1 Medium deep Survey. Using complementary multi-wavelength data from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared, we use spectral energy distribution fitting to determine the AGN and host properties at z < 1 and compare to a well-matched control sample. We confirm the trend previously observed: that the variability amplitude decreases with AGN luminosity, but we also observe that the slope of this relation steepens with wavelength, resulting in a “redder when brighter” trend at low luminosities. Our results show that AGNs are hosted by more massive hosts than control sample galaxies, while the rest frame dust-corrected NUV r color distribution of AGN hosts is similar to control galaxies. We find a positive correlation between the AGN luminosity and star formation rate (SFR), independent of redshift. AGN hosts populate the entire range of SFRs within and outside of the Main Sequence of star-forming galaxies. Comparing the distribution of AGN hosts and control galaxies, we show that AGN hosts are less likely to be hosted by quiescent galaxies and more likely to be hosted by Main Sequence or starburst galaxies.

  1. SEARCHING FOR SUB-KILOMETER TRANS-NEPTUNIAN OBJECTS USING PAN-STARRS VIDEO MODE LIGHT CURVES: PRELIMINARY STUDY AND EVALUATION USING ENGINEERING DATA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, J.-H.; Protopapas, P.; Alcock, C. R.; Chen, W.-P.; Burgett, W. S.; Morgan, J. S.; Price, P. A.; Tonry, J. L.; Dombeck, T.; Grav, T.

    2010-01-01

    We present a pre-survey study of using the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) high sampling rate video mode guide star images to search for trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). Guide stars are primarily used by Pan-STARRS to compensate for image motion and hence improve the point-spread function. With suitable selection of the guide stars within the Pan-STARRS 7 deg 2 field of view, the light curves of these guide stars can also be used to search for occultations by TNOs. The best target stars for this purpose are stars with high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and small angular size. In order to do this, we compiled a catalog using the S/N calculated from stars with m V 0 ), we are able to set an upper limit of N(>0.5 km) ∼ 2.47 x 10 10 deg -2 at 95% confidence limit.

  2. CHANDRA OBSERVATIONS OF COMETS C/2012 S1 (ISON) AND C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Snios, Bradford; Kharchenko, Vasili [Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269 (United States); Lisse, Carey M. [Planetary Exploration Group, Space Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States); Wolk, Scott J. [Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Dennerl, Konrad [Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Combi, Michael R. [Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

    2016-02-20

    We present our results on the Chandra X-ray Observatory Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) observations of the bright Oort Cloud comets C/2012 S1 (ISON) and C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS). ISON was observed between 2013 October 31–November 06 during variable speed solar wind (SW), and PanSTARRS was observed between 2013 April 17–23 during fast SW. ISON produced an extended parabolic X-ray morphology consistent with a collisionally thick coma, while PanSTARRS demonstrated only a diffuse X-ray-emitting region. We consider these emissions to be from charge exchange (CX) and model each comet's emission spectrum from first principles accordingly. Our model agrees with the observational spectra and also generates composition ratios for heavy, highly charged SW ions interacting with the cometary atmosphere. We compare our derived SW ion compositions to observational data and find a strong agreement between them. These results further demonstrate the utility of CX emissions as a remote diagnostics tool of both astrophysical plasma interaction and SW composition. In addition, we observe potential soft X-ray emissions via ACIS around 0.2 keV from both comets that are correlated in intensity to the hard X-ray emissions between 0.4–1.0 keV. We fit our CX model to these emissions, but our lack of a unique solution at low energies makes it impossible to conclude if they are cometary CX in origin. Finally, we discuss probable emission mechanism sources for the soft X-rays and explore new opportunities these findings present in understanding cometary emission processes via Chandra.

  3. Measuring Cosmological Parameters with Photometrically Classified Pan-STARRS Supernovae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, David; Scolnic, Daniel; Riess, Adam; Rest, Armin; Kirshner, Robert; Berger, Edo; Kessler, Rick; Pan, Yen-Chen; Foley, Ryan; Chornock, Ryan; Ortega, Carolyn; Challis, Peter; Burgett, William; Chambers, Kenneth; Draper, Peter; Flewelling, Heather; Huber, Mark; Kaiser, Nick; Kudritzki, Rolf; Metcalfe, Nigel; Tonry, John; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Waters, Chris; Gall, E. E. E.; Kotak, Rubina; McCrum, Matt; Smartt, Stephen; Smith, Ken

    2018-01-01

    We use nearly 1,200 supernovae (SNe) from Pan-STARRS and ~200 low-z (z energy equation of state parameter w to be -0.986±0.058 (stat+sys). If we allow w to evolve with redshift as w(a) = w0 + wa(1-a), we find w0 = -0.923±0.148 and wa = -0.404±0.797. These results are consistent with measurements of cosmological parameters from the JLA and from a new analysis of 1049 spectroscopically confirmed SNe Ia (Scolnic et al. 2017). We try four different photometric classification priors for Pan-STARRS SNe and two alternate ways of modeling the CC SN contamination, finding that none of these variants gives a w that differs by more than 1% from the baseline measurement. The systematic uncertainty on w due to marginalizing over the CC SN contamination, σwCC = 0.019, is approximately equal to the photometric calibration uncertainty and is lower than the systematic uncertainty in the SN\\,Ia dispersion model (σwdisp = 0.024). Our data provide one of the best current constraints on w, demonstrating that samples with ~5% CC SN contamination can give competitive cosmological constraints when the contaminating distribution is marginalized over in a Bayesian framework.

  4. The CO2 Abundance in Comets C2012 K1 (PanSTARRS), C2012 K5 (LINEAR), and 290P Jager as Measured with Spitzer

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKay, Adam J.; Kelley, Michael S.P.; Cochran, Anita L.; Bodewits, Dennis; DiSanti, Michael A.; Dello Russo, Neil; Lisse, Carey M.

    2015-01-01

    Carbon dioxide is one of the most abundant ices present in comets and is therefore important for understanding cometary composition and activity. We present analysis of observations of CO2 and [O I] emission in three comets to measure the CO2 abundance and evaluate the possibility of employing observations of [O I] emission in comets as a proxy for CO2. We obtained NIR imaging sensitive to CO2 of comets C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS), C/2012 K5 (LINEAR), and 290P/Jager with the IRAC instrument on Spitzer. We acquired observations of [O I] emission in these comets with the ARCES echelle spectrometer mounted on the 3.5-m telescope at Apache Point Observatory and observations of OH with the Swift observatory (PanSTARRS) and with Keck HIRES (Jager). The CO2/H2O ratios derived from the Spitzer images are 12.6 +/- 1.3% (PanSTARRS), 28.9 +/- 3.6% (LINEAR), and 31.3 +/- 4.2% (Jager). These abundances are derived under the assumption that contamination from CO emission is negligible. The CO2 abundance for PanSTARRS is close to the average abundance measured in comets at similar heliocentric distance to date, while the abundances measured for LINEAR and Jager are significantly larger than the average abundance. From the coma morphology observed in PanSTARRS and the assumed gas expansion velocity, we derive a rotation period for the nucleus of about 9.2 h. Comparison of H2O production rates derived from ARCES and Swift data, as well as other observations, suggest the possibility of sublimation from icy grains in the inner coma. We evaluate the possibility that the [O I] emission can be employed as a proxy for CO2 by comparing CO2/H2O ratios inferred from the [O I] lines to those measured directly by Spitzer. We find that for PanSTARRS we can reproduce the observed CO2 abundance to an accuracy of approximately 20%. For LINEAR and Jager, we were only able to obtain upper limits on the CO2 abundance inferred from the [O I] lines. These upper limits are consistent with the CO2 abundances

  5. TOWARD CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TYPE IIP SUPERNOVA PROGENITOR POPULATION: A STATISTICAL SAMPLE OF LIGHT CURVES FROM Pan-STARRS1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanders, N. E.; Soderberg, A. M.; Chornock, R.; Berger, E.; Challis, P.; Drout, M.; Kirshner, R. P.; Lunnan, R.; Marion, G. H.; Margutti, R.; McKinnon, R.; Milisavljevic, D. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Gezari, S. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2421 (United States); Betancourt, M. [Department of Statistics, University of Warwick, Coventry (United Kingdom); Foley, R. J. [Astronomy Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1002 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Narayan, G. [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Rest, A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Kankare, E.; Mattila, S. [Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO (FINCA), University of Turku, Väisäläntie 20, 21500 Piikkiö (Finland); Smartt, S. J., E-mail: nsanders@cfa.harvard.edu [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University, BT7 1NN, Belfast (United Kingdom); and others

    2015-02-01

    In recent years, wide-field sky surveys providing deep multiband imaging have presented a new path for indirectly characterizing the progenitor populations of core-collapse supernovae (SNe): systematic light-curve studies. We assemble a set of 76 grizy-band Type IIP SN light curves from Pan-STARRS1, obtained over a constant survey program of 4 yr and classified using both spectroscopy and machine-learning-based photometric techniques. We develop and apply a new Bayesian model for the full multiband evolution of each light curve in the sample. We find no evidence of a subpopulation of fast-declining explosions (historically referred to as ''Type IIL'' SNe). However, we identify a highly significant relation between the plateau phase decay rate and peak luminosity among our SNe IIP. These results argue in favor of a single parameter, likely determined by initial stellar mass, predominantly controlling the explosions of red supergiants. This relation could also be applied for SN cosmology, offering a standardizable candle good to an intrinsic scatter of ≲ 0.2 mag. We compare each light curve to physical models from hydrodynamic simulations to estimate progenitor initial masses and other properties of the Pan-STARRS1 Type IIP SN sample. We show that correction of systematic discrepancies between modeled and observed SN IIP light-curve properties and an expanded grid of progenitor properties are needed to enable robust progenitor inferences from multiband light-curve samples of this kind. This work will serve as a pathfinder for photometric studies of core-collapse SNe to be conducted through future wide-field transient searches.

  6. A Pan-STARRS1 Proper-Motion Survey for Young Brown Dwarfs in the Nearest Star-Forming Regions and a Reddening-Free Classification Method for Ultracool Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhoujian; Liu, Michael C.; Best, William M. J.; Magnier, Eugene; Aller, Kimberly

    2018-01-01

    Young brown dwarfs are of prime importance to investigate the universality of the initial mass function (IMF). Based on photometry and proper motions from the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) 3π survey, we are conducting the widest and deepest brown dwarf survey in the nearby star-forming regions, Taurus–Auriga (Taurus) and Upper Scorpius (USco). Our work is the first to measure proper motions, a robust proxy of membership, for brown dwarf candidates in Taurus and USco over such a large area and long time baseline (≈ 15 year) with such high precision (≈ 4 mas yr-1). Since extinction complicates spectral classification, we have developed a new approach to quantitatively determine reddening-free spectral types, extinctions, and gravity classifications for mid-M to late-L ultracool dwarfs (≈ 100–5 MJup), using low-resolution near-infrared spectra. So far, our IRTF/SpeX spectroscopic follow-up has increased the substellar and planetary-mass census of Taurus by ≈ 50% and almost doubled the substellar census of USco, constituting the largest single increases of brown dwarfs and free-floating planets found in both regions to date. Most notably, our new discoveries reveal an older (> 10 Myr) low-mass population in Taurus, in accord with recent studies of the higher-mass stellar members. In addition, the mass function appears to differ between the younger and older Taurus populations, possibly due to incompleteness of the older stellar members or different star formation processes. Upon completion, our survey will establish the most complete substellar and planetary-mass census in both Taurus and USco associations, make a significant addition to the low-mass IMF in both regions, and deliver more comprehensive pictures of star formation histories.

  7. A SEARCH FOR L/T TRANSITION DWARFS WITH Pan-STARRS1 AND WISE: DISCOVERY OF SEVEN NEARBY OBJECTS INCLUDING TWO CANDIDATE SPECTROSCOPIC VARIABLES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Best, William M. J.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Morgan, J. S.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Deacon, Niall R.; Dupuy, Trent J.; Redstone, Joshua; Price, P. A.

    2013-01-01

    We present initial results from a wide-field (30,000 deg 2 ) search for L/T transition brown dwarfs within 25 pc using the Pan-STARRS1 and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) surveys. Previous large-area searches have been incomplete for L/T transition dwarfs, because these objects are faint in optical bands and have near-infrared (near-IR) colors that are difficult to distinguish from background stars. To overcome these obstacles, we have cross-matched the Pan-STARRS1 (optical) and WISE (mid-IR) catalogs to produce a unique multi-wavelength database for finding ultracool dwarfs. As part of our initial discoveries, we have identified seven brown dwarfs in the L/T transition within 9-15 pc of the Sun. The L9.5 dwarf PSO J140.2308+45.6487 and the T1.5 dwarf PSO J307.6784+07.8263 (both independently discovered by Mace et al.) show possible spectroscopic variability at the Y and J bands. Two more objects in our sample show evidence of photometric J-band variability, and two others are candidate unresolved binaries based on their spectra. We expect our full search to yield a well-defined, volume-limited sample of L/T transition dwarfs that will include many new targets for study of this complex regime. PSO J307.6784+07.8263 in particular may be an excellent candidate for in-depth study of variability, given its brightness (J = 14.2 mag) and proximity (11 pc)

  8. HiPS - Hierarchical Progressive Survey Version 1.0

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernique, Pierre; Allen, Mark; Boch, Thomas; Donaldson, Tom; Durand, Daniel; Ebisawa, Ken; Michel, Laurent; Salgado, Jesus; Stoehr, Felix; Fernique, Pierre

    2017-05-01

    This document presents HiPS, a hierarchical scheme for the description, storage and access of sky survey data. The system is based on hierarchical tiling of sky regions at finer and finer spatial resolution which facilitates a progressive view of a survey, and supports multi-resolution zooming and panning. HiPS uses the HEALPix tessellation of the sky as the basis for the scheme and is implemented as a simple file structure with a direct indexing scheme that leads to practical implementations.

  9. Characterization of the Praesepe Star Cluster by Photometry and Proper Motions With 2MASS, PPMXL, and Pan-STARRS

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-03-20

    reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PRAESEPE STAR CLUSTER BY PHOTOMETRY AND PROPER MOTIONS WITH 2MASS , PPMXL, AND Pan-STARRS P. F. Wang1... 2MASS ) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data, covering a sky area of 100 deg2, Adams et al. (2002) extended the lower main sequence to 0.1M, and...incompleteness is caused by the detection limits of USNO-B1 and 2MASS . Recently, Khalaj & Baumgardt (2013) used SDSS and PPMXL data to characterize

  10. A SEARCH FOR L/T TRANSITION DWARFS WITH Pan-STARRS1 AND WISE: DISCOVERY OF SEVEN NEARBY OBJECTS INCLUDING TWO CANDIDATE SPECTROSCOPIC VARIABLES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Best, William M. J.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Morgan, J. S.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Deacon, Niall R. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Dupuy, Trent J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Redstone, Joshua [Facebook, 335 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10017-4677 (United States); Price, P. A., E-mail: wbest@ifa.hawaii.edu [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2013-11-10

    We present initial results from a wide-field (30,000 deg{sup 2}) search for L/T transition brown dwarfs within 25 pc using the Pan-STARRS1 and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) surveys. Previous large-area searches have been incomplete for L/T transition dwarfs, because these objects are faint in optical bands and have near-infrared (near-IR) colors that are difficult to distinguish from background stars. To overcome these obstacles, we have cross-matched the Pan-STARRS1 (optical) and WISE (mid-IR) catalogs to produce a unique multi-wavelength database for finding ultracool dwarfs. As part of our initial discoveries, we have identified seven brown dwarfs in the L/T transition within 9-15 pc of the Sun. The L9.5 dwarf PSO J140.2308+45.6487 and the T1.5 dwarf PSO J307.6784+07.8263 (both independently discovered by Mace et al.) show possible spectroscopic variability at the Y and J bands. Two more objects in our sample show evidence of photometric J-band variability, and two others are candidate unresolved binaries based on their spectra. We expect our full search to yield a well-defined, volume-limited sample of L/T transition dwarfs that will include many new targets for study of this complex regime. PSO J307.6784+07.8263 in particular may be an excellent candidate for in-depth study of variability, given its brightness (J = 14.2 mag) and proximity (11 pc)

  11. Bright PanSTARRS Nuclear Transients – what are they?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smartt S.

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available We present an initial analysis of 49 bright transients occurring in the nuclei of galaxies with no previous known Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN. They have been discovered as part of the PanSTARRssurvey, and followed up with the Liverpool Telescope. Based on colours, light curve shape, and a small number with optical spectra, these transients seem to fall into three groups. Red/fast transients are nuclear supernovae of various types. Some bright nuclear transients are blue and decay on a timescale of a few months; these may be candidates for tidal disruption events. However most of the events we have found are blue and are either still rising or decaying slowly, on a timescale of years; the few spectra we have show AGN at z ∼ 1. We argue that these transients are background AGN microlensed by stars in foreground galaxies by a factor 10–100. Monitoring such events gives us very promising prospects for measuring the structure of AGN and so testing current theories.

  12. STREAMFINDER II: A possible fanning structure parallel to the GD-1 stream in Pan-STARRS1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malhan, Khyati; Ibata, Rodrigo A.; Goldman, Bertrand; Martin, Nicolas F.; Magnier, Eugene; Chambers, Kenneth

    2018-05-01

    STREAMFINDER is a new algorithm that we have built to detect stellar streams in an automated and systematic way in astrophysical datasets that possess any combination of positional and kinematic information. In Paper I, we introduced the methodology and the workings of our algorithm and showed that it is capable of detecting ultra-faint and distant halo stream structures containing as few as ˜15 members (ΣG ˜ 33.6 mag arcsec-2) in the Gaia dataset. Here, we test the method with real proper motion data from the Pan-STARRS1 survey, and by selecting targets down to r0 = 18.5 mag we show that it is able to detect the GD-1 stellar stream, whereas the structure remains below a useful detection limit when using a Matched Filter technique. The radial velocity solutions provided by STREAMFINDER for GD-1 candidate members are found to be in good agreement with observations. Furthermore, our algorithm detects a ˜ {40}° long structure approximately parallel to GD-1, and which fans out from it, possibly a sign of stream-fanning due to the triaxiality of the Galactic potential. This analysis shows the promise of this method for detecting and analysing stellar streams in the upcoming Gaia DR2 catalogue.

  13. LSD: Large Survey Database framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juric, Mario

    2012-09-01

    The Large Survey Database (LSD) is a Python framework and DBMS for distributed storage, cross-matching and querying of large survey catalogs (>10^9 rows, >1 TB). The primary driver behind its development is the analysis of Pan-STARRS PS1 data. It is specifically optimized for fast queries and parallel sweeps of positionally and temporally indexed datasets. It transparently scales to more than >10^2 nodes, and can be made to function in "shared nothing" architectures.

  14. A Catalog of Distances to Molecular Clouds from Pan-STARRS1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlafly, Eddie; Green, G.; Finkbeiner, D. P.; Rix, H.

    2014-01-01

    We present a catalog of distances to molecular clouds, derived from PanSTARRS-1 photometry. We simultaneously infer the full probability distribution function of reddening and distance of the stars towards these clouds using the technique of Green et al. (2013) (see neighboring poster). We fit the resulting measurements using a simple dust screen model to infer the distance to each cloud. The result is a large, homogeneous catalog of distances to molecular clouds. For clouds with heliocentric distances greater than about 200 pc, typical statistical uncertainties in the distances are 5%, with systematic uncertainty stemming from the quality of our stellar models of about 10%. We have applied this analysis to many of the most well-studied clouds in the δ > -30° sky, including Orion, California, Taurus, Perseus, and Cepheus. We have also studied the entire catalog of Magnani, Blitz, and Mundy (1985; MBM), though for about half of those clouds we can provide only upper limits on the distances. We compare our distances with distances from the literature, when available, and find good agreement.

  15. Water production in comets C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) and C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) from observations with Soho/Swan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Combi, M. R.; Aptekar, G.; Bertaux, J.-L.; Quémerais, E.; Ferron, S.; Mäkinen, J. T. T.

    2014-01-01

    Comets C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) and C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) were observed throughout their 2012-2013 apparitions with the Solar Wind Anisotropies (SWAN) all-sky hydrogen Lyα camera on board the Solar and Heliosphere Observatory (SOHO) satellite. SOHO has been in a halo orbit around the L1 Earth-Sun Lagrange point since early 1996 and has been observing the interplanetary medium and comets beginning with C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake). The global water production from these comets was determined from an analysis of the SWAN Lyα camera observations. Comet C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS), which reached its perihelion distance of 0.302 AU on 2013 March 10.17, was observed on 50 days between 2013 January 29 and April 30. Comet C/2012 F6 (Lemmon), which reached its perihelion distance of 0.731 AU on 2013 March 24.51, was observed on 109 days between 2012 November 29 and 2013 June 31. The maximum water production rates were ∼1 × 10 30 molecules s –1 for both comets. The activities of both comets were asymmetric about perihelion. C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) was more active before perihelion than after, but C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) was more active after perihelion than before.

  16. Machine-learned Identification of RR Lyrae Stars from Sparse, Multi-band Data: The PS1 Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sesar, Branimir; Hernitschek, Nina; Mitrović, Sandra; Ivezić, Željko; Rix, Hans-Walter; Cohen, Judith G.; Bernard, Edouard J.; Grebel, Eva K.; Martin, Nicolas F.; Schlafly, Edward F.; Burgett, William S.; Draper, Peter W.; Flewelling, Heather; Kaiser, Nick; Kudritzki, Rolf P.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Metcalfe, Nigel; Tonry, John L.; Waters, Christopher

    2017-05-01

    RR Lyrae stars may be the best practical tracers of Galactic halo (sub-)structure and kinematics. The PanSTARRS1 (PS1) 3π survey offers multi-band, multi-epoch, precise photometry across much of the sky, but a robust identification of RR Lyrae stars in this data set poses a challenge, given PS1's sparse, asynchronous multi-band light curves (≲ 12 epochs in each of five bands, taken over a 4.5 year period). We present a novel template fitting technique that uses well-defined and physically motivated multi-band light curves of RR Lyrae stars, and demonstrate that we get accurate period estimates, precise to 2 s in > 80 % of cases. We augment these light-curve fits with other features from photometric time-series and provide them to progressively more detailed machine-learned classification models. From these models, we are able to select the widest (three-fourths of the sky) and deepest (reaching 120 kpc) sample of RR Lyrae stars to date. The PS1 sample of ˜45,000 RRab stars is pure (90%) and complete (80% at 80 kpc) at high galactic latitudes. It also provides distances that are precise to 3%, measured with newly derived period-luminosity relations for optical/near-infrared PS1 bands. With the addition of proper motions from Gaia and radial velocity measurements from multi-object spectroscopic surveys, we expect the PS1 sample of RR Lyrae stars to become the premier source for studying the structure, kinematics, and the gravitational potential of the Galactic halo. The techniques presented in this study should translate well to other sparse, multi-band data sets, such as those produced by the Dark Energy Survey and the upcoming Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Galactic plane sub-survey.

  17. The Pan-STARRS1 Medium-deep Survey: Star Formation Quenching in Group and Cluster Environments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jian, Hung-Yu; Lin, Lihwai; Lin, Kai-Yang; Chen, Chin-Wei [Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, 106, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Foucaud, Sebastien [Department of Earth Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, N.88, Tingzhou Road, Sec. 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Chiueh, Tzihong [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, 106, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Bower, R. G.; Cole, Shaun; Draper, P. W.; Metcalfe, N. [Institute for Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Chen, Wen-Ping [Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Chung-Li 32054, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Burgett, W. S.; Flewelling, H.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Magnier, E. A.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C., E-mail: hyjian@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

    2017-08-10

    We make use of a catalog of 1600 Pan-STARRS1 groups produced by the probability friends-of-friends algorithm to explore how the galaxy properties, i.e., the specific star formation rate (SSFR) and quiescent fraction, depend on stellar mass and group-centric radius. The work is the extension of Lin et al. In this work, powered by a stacking technique plus a background subtraction for contamination removal, a finer correction and more precise results are obtained than in our previous work. We find that while the quiescent fraction increases with decreasing group-centric radius, the median SSFRs of star-forming galaxies in groups at fixed stellar mass drop slightly from the field toward the group center. This suggests that the main quenching process in groups is likely a fast mechanism. On the other hand, a reduction in SSFRs by ∼0.2 dex is seen inside clusters as opposed to the field galaxies. If the reduction is attributed to the slow quenching effect, the slow quenching process acts dominantly in clusters. In addition, we also examine the density–color relation, where the density is defined by using a sixth-nearest-neighbor approach. Comparing the quiescent fractions contributed from the density and radial effect, we find that the density effect dominates the massive group or cluster galaxies, and the radial effect becomes more effective in less massive galaxies. The results support mergers and/or starvation as the main quenching mechanisms in the group environment, while harassment and/or starvation dominate in clusters.

  18. The Composition of Comet C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS) and the Distribution of Primary Volatile Abundances Among Comets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roth, Nathan X.; Gibb, Erika L. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 503 Benton Hall, One University Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63121 (United States); Bonev, Boncho P.; DiSanti, Michael A.; Mumma, Michael J.; Villanueva, Geronimo L.; Paganini, Lucas, E-mail: nxrq67@mail.umsl.edu [Goddard Center for Astrobiology, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Stop 690, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

    2017-04-01

    On 2014 May 22 and 24 we characterized the volatile composition of the dynamically new Oort cloud comet C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS) using the long-slit, high resolution ( λ /Δ λ  ≈ 25,000) near-infrared echelle spectrograph (NIRSPEC) at the 10 m Keck II telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii. We detected fluorescent emission from six primary volatiles (H{sub 2}O, HCN, CH{sub 4}, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, CH{sub 3}OH, and CO). Upper limits were derived for C{sub 2}H{sub 2}, NH{sub 3}, and H{sub 2}CO. We report rotational temperatures, production rates, and mixing ratios (relative to water). Compared with median abundance ratios for primary volatiles in other sampled Oort cloud comets, trace gas abundance ratios in C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS) for CO and HCN are consistent, but CH{sub 3}OH and C{sub 2}H{sub 6} are enriched while H{sub 2}CO, CH{sub 4}, and possibly C{sub 2}H{sub 2} are depleted. When placed in context with comets observed in the near-infrared to date, the data suggest a continuous distribution of abundances of some organic volatiles (HCN, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, CH{sub 3}OH, CH{sub 4}) among the comet population. The level of “enrichment” or “depletion” in a given comet does not necessarily correlate across all molecules sampled, suggesting that chemical diversity among comets may be more complex than the simple organics-enriched, organics-normal, and organics-depleted framework.

  19. Measuring Dark Energy Properties with Photometrically Classified Pan-STARRS Supernovae. II. Cosmological Parameters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, D. O.; Scolnic, D. M.; Riess, A. G.; Rest, A.; Kirshner, R. P.; Berger, E.; Kessler, R.; Pan, Y.-C.; Foley, R. J.; Chornock, R.; Ortega, C. A.; Challis, P. J.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Draper, P. W.; Flewelling, H.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Metcalfe, N.; Tonry, J.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.; Gall, E. E. E.; Kotak, R.; McCrum, M.; Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K. W.

    2018-04-01

    We use 1169 Pan-STARRS supernovae (SNe) and 195 low-z (z used to infer unbiased cosmological parameters by using a Bayesian methodology that marginalizes over core-collapse (CC) SN contamination. Our sample contains nearly twice as many SNe as the largest previous SN Ia compilation. Combining SNe with cosmic microwave background (CMB) constraints from Planck, we measure the dark energy equation-of-state parameter w to be ‑0.989 ± 0.057 (stat+sys). If w evolves with redshift as w(a) = w 0 + w a (1 ‑ a), we find w 0 = ‑0.912 ± 0.149 and w a = ‑0.513 ± 0.826. These results are consistent with cosmological parameters from the Joint Light-curve Analysis and the Pantheon sample. We try four different photometric classification priors for Pan-STARRS SNe and two alternate ways of modeling CC SN contamination, finding that no variant gives a w differing by more than 2% from the baseline measurement. The systematic uncertainty on w due to marginalizing over CC SN contamination, {σ }wCC}=0.012, is the third-smallest source of systematic uncertainty in this work. We find limited (1.6σ) evidence for evolution of the SN color-luminosity relation with redshift, a possible systematic that could constitute a significant uncertainty in future high-z analyses. Our data provide one of the best current constraints on w, demonstrating that samples with ∼5% CC SN contamination can give competitive cosmological constraints when the contaminating distribution is marginalized over in a Bayesian framework.

  20. The Pan-STARRS1 medium-deep survey: The role of galaxy group environment in the star formation rate versus stellar mass relation and quiescent fraction out to z ∼ 0.8

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Lihwai; Chen, Chin-Wei; Coupon, Jean; Hsieh, Bau-Ching [Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 106, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Jian, Hung-Yu [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Foucaud, Sebastien [Department of Earth Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, N°88, Tingzhou Road, Sec. 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Norberg, Peder; Bower, R. G.; Cole, Shaun; Arnalte-Mur, Pablo; Draper, P. [Institute for Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Heinis, Sebastien [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, MD 20742 (United States); Phleps, Stefanie [Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstraße, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Chen, Wen-Ping [Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Chung-Li 32054, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Lee, Chien-Hsiu [University Observatory Munich, Scheinerstrasse 1, D-81679 Munich (Germany); Burgett, William; Chambers, K. C.; Denneau, L.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K. W., E-mail: lihwailin@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); and others

    2014-02-10

    Using a large optically selected sample of field and group galaxies drawn from the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey (PS1/MDS), we present a detailed analysis of the specific star formation rate (SSFR)—stellar mass (M {sub *}) relation, as well as the quiescent fraction versus M {sub *} relation in different environments. While both the SSFR and the quiescent fraction depend strongly on stellar mass, the environment also plays an important role. Using this large galaxy sample, we confirm that the fraction of quiescent galaxies is strongly dependent on environment at a fixed stellar mass, but that the amplitude and the slope of the star-forming sequence is similar between the field and groups: in other words, the SSFR-density relation at a fixed stellar mass is primarily driven by the change in the star-forming and quiescent fractions between different environments rather than a global suppression in the star formation rate for the star-forming population. However, when we restrict our sample to the cluster-scale environments (M > 10{sup 14} M {sub ☉}), we find a global reduction in the SSFR of the star-forming sequence of 17% at 4σ confidence as opposed to its field counterpart. After removing the stellar mass dependence of the quiescent fraction seen in field galaxies, the excess in the quiescent fraction due to the environment quenching in groups and clusters is found to increase with stellar mass, although deeper and larger data from the full PS1/MDS will be required to draw firm conclusions. We argue that these results are in favor of galaxy mergers to be the primary environment quenching mechanism operating in galaxy groups whereas strangulation is able to reproduce the observed trend in the environment quenching efficiency and stellar mass relation seen in clusters. Our results also suggest that the relative importance between mass quenching and environment quenching depends on stellar mass—the mass quenching plays a dominant role in producing quiescent

  1. The Pan-STARRS1 medium-deep survey: The role of galaxy group environment in the star formation rate versus stellar mass relation and quiescent fraction out to z ∼ 0.8

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Lihwai; Chen, Chin-Wei; Coupon, Jean; Hsieh, Bau-Ching; Jian, Hung-Yu; Foucaud, Sebastien; Norberg, Peder; Bower, R. G.; Cole, Shaun; Arnalte-Mur, Pablo; Draper, P.; Heinis, Sebastien; Phleps, Stefanie; Chen, Wen-Ping; Lee, Chien-Hsiu; Burgett, William; Chambers, K. C.; Denneau, L.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K. W.

    2014-01-01

    Using a large optically selected sample of field and group galaxies drawn from the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey (PS1/MDS), we present a detailed analysis of the specific star formation rate (SSFR)—stellar mass (M * ) relation, as well as the quiescent fraction versus M * relation in different environments. While both the SSFR and the quiescent fraction depend strongly on stellar mass, the environment also plays an important role. Using this large galaxy sample, we confirm that the fraction of quiescent galaxies is strongly dependent on environment at a fixed stellar mass, but that the amplitude and the slope of the star-forming sequence is similar between the field and groups: in other words, the SSFR-density relation at a fixed stellar mass is primarily driven by the change in the star-forming and quiescent fractions between different environments rather than a global suppression in the star formation rate for the star-forming population. However, when we restrict our sample to the cluster-scale environments (M > 10 14 M ☉ ), we find a global reduction in the SSFR of the star-forming sequence of 17% at 4σ confidence as opposed to its field counterpart. After removing the stellar mass dependence of the quiescent fraction seen in field galaxies, the excess in the quiescent fraction due to the environment quenching in groups and clusters is found to increase with stellar mass, although deeper and larger data from the full PS1/MDS will be required to draw firm conclusions. We argue that these results are in favor of galaxy mergers to be the primary environment quenching mechanism operating in galaxy groups whereas strangulation is able to reproduce the observed trend in the environment quenching efficiency and stellar mass relation seen in clusters. Our results also suggest that the relative importance between mass quenching and environment quenching depends on stellar mass—the mass quenching plays a dominant role in producing quiescent galaxies for more

  2. The Identification of Z-dropouts in Pan-STARRS1: Three Quasars at 6.5< z< 6.7

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venemans, B. P.; Bañados, E.; Decarli, R.; Farina, E. P.; Walter, F.; Chambers, K. C.; Fan, X.; Rix, H.-W.; Schlafly, E.; McMahon, R. G.; Simcoe, R.; Stern, D.; Burgett, W. S.; Draper, P. W.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Magnier, E. A.; Metcalfe, N.; Morgan, J. S.; Price, P. A.; Tonry, J. L.; Waters, C.; AlSayyad, Y.; Banerji, M.; Chen, S. S.; González-Solares, E. A.; Greiner, J.; Mazzucchelli, C.; McGreer, I.; Miller, D. R.; Reed, S.; Sullivan, P. W.

    2015-03-01

    Luminous distant quasars are unique probes of the high-redshift intergalactic medium (IGM) and of the growth of massive galaxies and black holes in the early universe. Absorption due to neutral hydrogen in the IGM makes quasars beyond a redshift of z≃ 6.5 very faint in the optical z band, thus locating quasars at higher redshifts requires large surveys that are sensitive above 1 micron. We report the discovery of three new z\\gt 6.5 quasars, corresponding to an age of the universe of \\lt 850 Myr, selected as z-band dropouts in the Pan-STARRS1 survey. This increases the number of known z\\gt 6.5 quasars from four to seven. The quasars have redshifts of z = 6.50, 6.52, and 6.66, and include the brightest z-dropout quasar reported to date, PSO J036.5078 + 03.0498 with {{M}1450}=-27.4. We obtained near-infrared spectroscopy for the quasars, and from the Mg ii line, we estimate that the central black holes have masses between 5 × 108 and 4 × 109 {{M}⊙ } and are accreting close to the Eddington limit ({{L}Bol}/{{L}Edd}=0.13-1.2). We investigate the ionized regions around the quasars and find near-zone radii of {{R}NZ}=1.5-5.2 proper Mpc, confirming the trend of decreasing near-zone sizes with increasing redshift found for quasars at 5.7\\lt z\\lt 6.4. By combining RNZ of the PS1 quasars with those of 5.7\\lt z\\lt 7.1 quasars in the literature, we derive a luminosity-corrected redshift evolution of {{R}NZ,corrected}=(7.2+/- 0.2)-(6.1+/- 0.7)× (z-6) Mpc. However, the large spread in RNZ in the new quasars implies a wide range in quasar ages and/or a large variation in the neutral hydrogen fraction along different lines of sight. Based in part on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Chile, programs 179.A-2010, 092.A-0150, 093.A-0863, and 093.A-0574, and at the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated jointly by the Max-Planck Institut für Astronomie and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC). This paper

  3. A search for planetary eclipses of white dwarfs in the Pan-STARRS1 medium-deep fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fulton, B. J.; Tonry, J. L.; Flewelling, H.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Hodapp, K. W.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

    2014-12-01

    We present a search for eclipses of ∼1700 white dwarfs (WDs) in the Pan-STARRS1 medium-deep fields. Candidate eclipse events are selected by identifying low outliers in over 4.3 million light curve measurements. We find no short-duration eclipses consistent with being caused by a planetary size companion. This large data set enables us to place strong constraints on the close-in planet occurrence rates around WDs for planets as small as 2 R {sub ⊕}. Our results indicate that gas giant planets orbiting just outside the Roche limit are rare, occurring around less than 0.5% of WDs. Habitable-zone super-Earths and hot super-Earths are less abundant than similar classes of planets around main-sequence stars. These constraints provide important insight into the ultimate fate of the large population of exoplanets orbiting main-sequence stars.

  4. PS1-10bzj: A FAST, HYDROGEN-POOR SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVA IN A METAL-POOR HOST GALAXY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lunnan, R.; Chornock, R.; Berger, E.; Milisavljevic, D.; Drout, M.; Sanders, N. E.; Challis, P. M.; Czekala, I.; Foley, R. J.; Fong, W.; Kirshner, R. P.; Leibler, C.; Marion, G. H.; Narayan, G. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Huber, M. E. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); McCrum, M.; Smartt, S. J. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Rest, A. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Roth, K. C. [Gemini Observatory, 670 N. Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Scolnic, D., E-mail: rlunnan@cfa.harvard.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); and others

    2013-07-10

    We present observations and analysis of PS1-10bzj, a superluminous supernova (SLSN) discovered in the Pan-STARRS Medium Deep Survey at a redshift z = 0.650. Spectroscopically, PS1-10bzj is similar to the hydrogen-poor SLSNe 2005ap and SCP 06F6, though with a steeper rise and lower peak luminosity (M{sub bol} {approx_equal} -21.4 mag) than previous events. We construct a bolometric light curve, and show that while PS1-10bzj's energetics were less extreme than previous events, its luminosity still cannot be explained by radioactive nickel decay alone. We explore both a magnetar spin-down and circumstellar interaction scenario and find that either can fit the data. PS1-10bzj is located in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South and the host galaxy is imaged in a number of surveys, including with the Hubble Space Telescope. The host is a compact dwarf galaxy (M{sub B} Almost-Equal-To -18 mag, diameter {approx}< 800 pc), with a low stellar mass (M{sub *} Almost-Equal-To 2.4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7} M{sub Sun }), young stellar population ({tau}{sub *} Almost-Equal-To 5 Myr), and a star formation rate of {approx}2-3 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. The specific star formation rate is the highest seen in an SLSN host so far ({approx}100 Gyr{sup -1}). We detect the [O III] {lambda}4363 line, and find a low metallicity: 12 + (O/H) = 7.8 {+-} 0.2 ({approx_equal} 0.1 Z{sub Sun }). Together, this indicates that at least some of the progenitors of SLSNe come from young, low-metallicity populations.

  5. Transformative Small Body Science Enabled with Pan-STARSS Survey Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meech, Karen J.; Kleyna, Jan T.; Keane, Jacqueline V.; Hainaut, Olivier R.; MIcheli, Marco

    2018-01-01

    In the first 5 Myr of Solar System formation, gas imprinted a local chemical signature on the planetesimals which were subsequently redistributed during planet formation. Decades-long ground- and space-based studies have tried to map our solar system’s protoplanetary disk chemistry using volatiles in comets. We now know that comet volatiles (H2O, CO, CO2 and organics) have distinct chemical classes. This data contradicts traditional ideas that all volatile-rich bodies formed in the outer disk. In-situ space comet missions have suggested, however, that comets preserve their pristine volatile inventory, and perhaps even their heritage of ices prior to the protoplanetary disk. Recently, a profusion of dynamical models has been developed that can reproduce some of the key characteristics of today’s solar system. Some models require significant giant planet migration, while others do not. The UH-led Pan-STARRS1 survey (PS1) can offer transformative insight into small bodies and the early solar system, providing a preview of LSST. In 2013 PS1 discovered an asteroidal object on a long-period comet orbit, the first of a class of tailless objects informally called Manxes. The second Manx discovered had a surface composition similar to inner solar system rocky S-type material, suggesting the intriguing possibility that we are looking at fresh inner solar system Earth-forming material, preserved for billions of years in the Oort cloud. Currently 10-15 of these objects are discovered each year, with PS1 dominating the discoveries. The number of rocky inner solar system Manx objects can be used to constrain solar system formation models. PS1 is also very good at discovering faint active objects at large distances, including the remarkable discovery of a comet active beyond 16 au from the sun. By searching the PS1 database once these discoveries are made, it is possible to extend the orbit arc backwards in time, allowing us to model the activity, and understand the chemistry

  6. THE STRUCTURE AND STELLAR CONTENT OF THE OUTER DISKS OF GALAXIES: A NEW VIEW FROM THE Pan-STARRS1 MEDIUM DEEP SURVEY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zheng, Zheng; Thilker, David A.; Heckman, Timothy M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3701 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Meurer, Gerhardt R. [International Center for Radio Astronomy Research, The University of Western Australia, M468, 35 StirlingHighway, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia); Burgett, W. S.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Magnier, E. A.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Chambers, K. C.; Metcalfe, N. [Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Price, P. A. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2015-02-20

    We present the results of an analysis of Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey multi-band (grizy) images of a sample of 698 low-redshift disk galaxies that span broad ranges in stellar mass, star-formation rate, and bulge/disk ratio. We use population synthesis spectral energy distribution fitting techniques to explore the radial distribution of the light, color, surface mass density, mass/light ratio, and age of the stellar populations. We characterize the structure and stellar content of the galaxy disks out to radii of about twice Petrosian r {sub 90}, beyond which the halo light becomes significant. We measure normalized radial profiles for sub-samples of galaxies in three bins each of stellar mass and concentration. We also fit radial profiles to each galaxy. The majority of galaxies have down-bending radial surface brightness profiles in the bluer bands with a break radius at roughly r {sub 90}. However, they typically show single unbroken exponentials in the reddest bands and in the stellar surface mass density. We find that the mass/light ratio and stellar age radial profiles have a characteristic 'U' shape. There is a good correlation between the amplitude of the down-bend in the surface brightness profile and the rate of the increase in the M/L ratio in the outer disk. As we move from late- to early-type galaxies, the amplitude of the down-bend and the radial gradient in M/L both decrease. Our results imply a combination of stellar radial migration and suppression of recent star formation can account for the stellar populations of the outer disk.

  7. HIP 38939B: A NEW BENCHMARK T DWARF IN THE GALACTIC PLANE DISCOVERED WITH Pan-STARRS1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deacon, Niall R.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Bowler, Brendan P.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Kaiser, N.; Morgan, J. S.; Sweeney, W. E.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.; Redstone, Joshua; Goldman, Bertrand; Price, P. A.

    2012-01-01

    We report the discovery of a wide brown dwarf companion to the mildly metal-poor ([Fe/H] = –0.24), low Galactic latitude (b = 1. 0 88) K4V star HIP 38939. The companion was discovered by its common proper motion with the primary and its red optical (Pan-STARRS1) and blue infrared (Two Micron All Sky Survey) colors. It has a projected separation of 1630 AU and a near-infrared spectral type of T4.5. As such it is one of only three known companions to a main-sequence star which have early/mid T spectral types of (the others being HN Peg B and ε Indi B). Using chromospheric activity we estimate an age for the primary of 900± 1900 600 Myr. This value is also in agreement with the age derived from the star's weak ROSAT detection. Comparison with evolutionary models for this age range indicates that HIP 38939B falls in the mass range 38 ± 20 M Jup with an effective temperature range of 1090 ± 60 K. Fitting our spectrum with atmospheric models gives a best-fitting temperature of 1100 K. We include our object in an analysis of the population of benchmark T dwarfs and find that while older atmospheric models appeared to overpredict the temperature of the coolest objects compared to evolutionary models, more recent atmospheric models provide better agreement.

  8. HIP 38939B: A NEW BENCHMARK T DWARF IN THE GALACTIC PLANE DISCOVERED WITH Pan-STARRS1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deacon, Niall R.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Bowler, Brendan P.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Kaiser, N.; Morgan, J. S.; Sweeney, W. E.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Redstone, Joshua [Facebook, 1601 S. California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304 (United States); Goldman, Bertrand [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Price, P. A., E-mail: deacon@mpia.de [Princeton University Observatory, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2012-08-20

    We report the discovery of a wide brown dwarf companion to the mildly metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -0.24), low Galactic latitude (b = 1.{sup 0}88) K4V star HIP 38939. The companion was discovered by its common proper motion with the primary and its red optical (Pan-STARRS1) and blue infrared (Two Micron All Sky Survey) colors. It has a projected separation of 1630 AU and a near-infrared spectral type of T4.5. As such it is one of only three known companions to a main-sequence star which have early/mid T spectral types of (the others being HN Peg B and {epsilon} Indi B). Using chromospheric activity we estimate an age for the primary of 900{+-}{sup 1900}{sub 600} Myr. This value is also in agreement with the age derived from the star's weak ROSAT detection. Comparison with evolutionary models for this age range indicates that HIP 38939B falls in the mass range 38 {+-} 20 M{sub Jup} with an effective temperature range of 1090 {+-} 60 K. Fitting our spectrum with atmospheric models gives a best-fitting temperature of 1100 K. We include our object in an analysis of the population of benchmark T dwarfs and find that while older atmospheric models appeared to overpredict the temperature of the coolest objects compared to evolutionary models, more recent atmospheric models provide better agreement.

  9. The Pan-STARRS1 Proper-motion Survey for Young Brown Dwarfs in Nearby Star-forming Regions. I. Taurus Discoveries and a Reddening-free Classification Method for Ultracool Dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhoujian; Liu, Michael C.; Best, William M. J.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Chambers, K. C.; Draper, P. W.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Metcalfe, N.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.

    2018-05-01

    We are conducting a proper-motion survey for young brown dwarfs in the Taurus-Auriga molecular cloud based on the Pan-STARRS1Survey. Our search uses multi-band photometry and astrometry to select candidates, and is wider (370 deg2) and deeper (down to ≈3 M Jup) than previous searches. We present here our search methods and spectroscopic follow-up of our high-priority candidates. Since extinction complicates spectral classification, we have developed a new approach using low-resolution (R ≈ 100) near-infrared spectra to quantify reddening-free spectral types, extinctions, and gravity classifications for mid-M to late-L ultracool dwarfs (≲100–3 M Jup in Taurus). We have discovered 25 low-gravity (VL-G) and the first 11 intermediate-gravity (INT-G) substellar (M6–L1) members of Taurus, constituting the largest single increase of Taurus brown dwarfs to date. We have also discovered 1 new Pleiades member and 13 new members of the Perseus OB2 association, including a candidate very wide separation (58 kau) binary. We homogeneously reclassify the spectral types and extinctions of all previously known Taurus brown dwarfs. Altogether our discoveries have thus far increased the substellar census in Taurus by ≈40% and added three more L-type members (≲5–10 M Jup). Most notably, our discoveries reveal an older (>10 Myr) low-mass population in Taurus, in accord with recent studies of the higher-mass stellar members. The mass function appears to differ between the younger and older Taurus populations, possibly due to incompleteness of the older stellar members or different star formation processes.

  10. LHS 2803B: A VERY WIDE MID-T DWARF COMPANION TO AN OLD M DWARF IDENTIFIED FROM PAN-STARRS1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deacon, Niall R.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Bowler, Brendan P.; Mann, Andrew W.; Burgett, William S.; Chambers, Ken C.; Kaiser, Nick; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Morgan, Jeff S.; Tonry, John L.; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Redstone, Joshua A.; Hodapp, Klaus W.; Price, Paul A.

    2012-01-01

    We report the discovery of a wide (∼1400 AU projected separation), common proper motion companion to the nearby M dwarf LHS 2803 (PSO J207.0300-13.7422). This object was discovered during our census of the local T dwarf population using Pan-STARRS1 and Two Micron All Sky Survey data. Using the Infrared Telescope Facility/SpeX near-infrared spectroscopy, we classify the secondary to be spectral type T5.5. University of Hawaii 2.2 m/SuperNova Integral Field Spectrograph optical spectroscopy indicates that the primary has a spectral type of M4.5, with approximately solar metallicity and no measurable Hα emission. We use this lack of activity to set a lower age limit for the system of 3.5 Gyr. Using a comparison with chance alignments of brown dwarfs and nearby stars, we conclude that the two objects are unlikely to be a chance association. The primary's photometric distance of 21 pc and its proper motion implies thin disk kinematics. Based on these kinematics and its metallicity, we set an upper age limit for the system of 10 Gyr. Evolutionary model calculations suggest that the secondary has a mass of 72± 4 7 M Jup , temperature of 1120 ± 80 K, and log g = 5.4 ± 0.1 dex. Model atmosphere fitting to the near-IR spectrum gives similar physical parameters of 1100 K and log g = 5.0.

  11. LHS 2803B: A VERY WIDE MID-T DWARF COMPANION TO AN OLD M DWARF IDENTIFIED FROM PAN-STARRS1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deacon, Niall R. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Bowler, Brendan P.; Mann, Andrew W.; Burgett, William S.; Chambers, Ken C.; Kaiser, Nick; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Morgan, Jeff S.; Tonry, John L.; Wainscoat, Richard J. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Redstone, Joshua A. [Facebook, 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Hodapp, Klaus W. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 640 North Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Price, Paul A., E-mail: deacon@mpia.de [Princeton University Observatory, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2012-09-20

    We report the discovery of a wide ({approx}1400 AU projected separation), common proper motion companion to the nearby M dwarf LHS 2803 (PSO J207.0300-13.7422). This object was discovered during our census of the local T dwarf population using Pan-STARRS1 and Two Micron All Sky Survey data. Using the Infrared Telescope Facility/SpeX near-infrared spectroscopy, we classify the secondary to be spectral type T5.5. University of Hawaii 2.2 m/SuperNova Integral Field Spectrograph optical spectroscopy indicates that the primary has a spectral type of M4.5, with approximately solar metallicity and no measurable H{alpha} emission. We use this lack of activity to set a lower age limit for the system of 3.5 Gyr. Using a comparison with chance alignments of brown dwarfs and nearby stars, we conclude that the two objects are unlikely to be a chance association. The primary's photometric distance of 21 pc and its proper motion implies thin disk kinematics. Based on these kinematics and its metallicity, we set an upper age limit for the system of 10 Gyr. Evolutionary model calculations suggest that the secondary has a mass of 72{+-}{sup 4}{sub 7} M{sub Jup}, temperature of 1120 {+-} 80 K, and log g = 5.4 {+-} 0.1 dex. Model atmosphere fitting to the near-IR spectrum gives similar physical parameters of 1100 K and log g = 5.0.

  12. MULTI-WAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF COMET C/2011 L4 (PAN-STARRS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Bin; Keane, Jacqueline; Meech, Karen [NASA Astrobiology Institute, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Owen, Tobias; Wainscoat, Richard, E-mail: yangbin@ifa.hawaii.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

    2014-04-01

    The dynamically new comet C/2011 L4 (Pan-STARRS) is one of the brightest comets observed since the great comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). Here, we present our multi-wavelength observations of C/2011 L4 during its in-bound passage to the inner solar system. A strong absorption band of water ice at 2.0 μm was detected in the near-infrared spectra, obtained with the 8 m Gemini-North and 3 m Infrared Telescope Facility Telescopes. The companion 1.5 μm band of water ice, however, was not observed. Spectral modeling shows that the absence of the 1.5 μm feature can be explained by the presence of sub-micron-sized fine ice grains. No gas lines (i.e., CN, HCN, or CO) were observed pre-perihelion in either the optical or the submillimeter. We derived 3σ upper limits for the CN and CO production rates. The comet exhibited a very strong continuum in the optical and its slope seemed to become redder as the comet approached the Sun. Our observations suggest that C/2011 L4 is an unusually dust-rich comet with a dust-to-gas mass ratio >4.

  13. Discovery of the First Quadruple Gravitationally Lensed Quasar Candidate with Pan-STARRS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berghea, C. T.; Nelson, George J.; Dudik, R. P. [U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO), 3450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20392 (United States); Rusu, C. E. [Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, CA 95616 (United States); Keeton, C. R., E-mail: ciprian.t.berghea@navy.mil [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (United States)

    2017-08-01

    We report the serendipitous discovery of the first gravitationally lensed quasar candidate from Pan-STARRS. The grizy images reveal four point-like images with magnitudes between 14.9 and 18.1 mag. The colors of the point sources are similar, and they are more consistent with quasars than with stars or galaxies. The lensing galaxy is detected in the izy bands, with an inferred photometric redshift of ∼0.6, lower than that of the point sources. We successfully model the system with a singular isothermal ellipsoid with shear, using the relative positions of the five objects as constraints. While the brightness ranking of the point sources is consistent with that of the model, we find discrepancies between the model-predicted and observed fluxes, likely due to microlensing by stars and millilensing due to the dark matter substructure. In order to fully confirm the gravitational lens nature of this system and add it to the small but growing number of the powerful probes of cosmology and astrophysics represented by quadruply lensed quasars, we require further spectroscopy and high-resolution imaging.

  14. VizieR Online Data Catalog: L/T transition dwarfs search with PS1 & WISE. II. (Best+, 2015)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Best, W. M. J.; Liu, M. C.; Magnier, E. A.; Deacon, N. R.; Aller, K. M.; Redstone, J.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Draper, P.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Metcalfe, N.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.

    2016-03-01

    We used the new Pan-STARRS1 Survey (PS1; Kaiser et al. 2010SPIE.7733E..0EK) detections through 2012 January cross-matched with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE; Wright et al. 2010AJ....140.1868W) All-sky Release using a 3" matching radius. In Best et al. (2013ApJ...777...84B; Paper I), we presented seven initial discoveries from our search, all bright L/T transition dwarfs within 15pc. In this paper, we present the complete results of our search, including 79 total L/T transition dwarfs and 23 young or potentially young late-M and L dwarfs. The PS1survey (K. C. Chambers et al. 2016AAS...22732407C) has obtained an average of ~12 epochs of imaging in five optical bands (gP1, rP1, iP1, zP1, yP1) with a 1.8-m wide-field telescope on Haleakala, Maui, covering the entire sky north of -30° declination. Imaging began in 2010 May and concluded in 2014 March. The WISE All-sky Source Catalog (Cutri et al. 2012, II/311) comprises data taken between 2010 January and August in four mid-infrared bands: W1 (3.6um), W2 (4.5um), W3 (12um), and W4 (22um). We searched the UKIDSS Data Release 9 (DR9; Lawrence et al. 2013, II/319) and VISTA Hemisphere Survey (Cross et al. 2012A&A...548A.119C) catalogs for JHK photometry of our candidates on the Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) filter system. For objects not found in either survey, we obtained follow-up images using WFCAM on the 3.8m United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope (UKIRT) as part of the UKIRT Service Program. Observations took place on multiple nights spanning 2010 September to 2013 December. We obtained low-resolution near-IR spectra for our 142 candidates between 2012 July and 2014 January using the NASA IRTF/SpeX spectrograph (details of our observations are listed in table 3). (7 data files).

  15. Strong CO+ and {{\\rm{N}}}_{2}^{+} Emission in Comet C/2016 R2 (Pan-STARRS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cochran, Anita L.; McKay, Adam J.

    2018-02-01

    We report on imaging and spectroscopic observations of comet C/2016 R2 (Pan-STARRS) obtained with the 0.8 m and 2.7 m telescopes of McDonald Observatory in 2017 November and December, respectively. The comet was at a heliocentric distance greater than 3 au during both sets of observations. The images showed a well-developed tail with properties that suggested it was an ion tail. The spectra confirmed that we were observing well-developed bands of CO+ and {{{N}}}2+. The {{{N}}}2+ detection was unequivocally cometary and was one of the strongest bands of {{{N}}}2+ detected in a comet spectrum. We derived the ratio of these two ions and from that we were able to derive that N2/CO = 0.15. This is the highest such ratio reported for a comet. This Letter includes data taken at The McDonald Observatory of The University of Texas at Austin.

  16. PS1-12sk IS A PECULIAR SUPERNOVA FROM A He-RICH PROGENITOR SYSTEM IN A BRIGHTEST CLUSTER GALAXY ENVIRONMENT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanders, N. E.; Soderberg, A. M.; Foley, R. J.; Chornock, R.; Milisavljevic, D.; Margutti, R.; Drout, M. R.; Moe, M.; Berger, E.; Brown, W. R.; Lunnan, R.; Smartt, S. J.; Fraser, M.; Kotak, R.; Magill, L.; Smith, K. W.; Wright, D.; Huang, K.; Urata, Y.; Mulchaey, J. S.

    2013-01-01

    We report on our discovery and observations of the Pan-STARRS1 supernova (SN) PS1-12sk, a transient with properties that indicate atypical star formation in its host galaxy cluster or pose a challenge to popular progenitor system models for this class of explosion. The optical spectra of PS1-12sk classify it as a Type Ibn SN (SN Ibn; cf. SN 2006jc), dominated by intermediate-width (3 × 10 3 km s –1 ) and time variable He I emission. Our multi-wavelength monitoring establishes the rise time dt ∼ 9-23 days and shows an NUV-NIR spectral energy distribution with temperature ∼> 17 × 10 3 K and a peak magnitude of M z = –18.88 ± 0.02 mag. SN Ibn spectroscopic properties are commonly interpreted as the signature of a massive star (17-100 M ☉ ) explosion within an He-enriched circumstellar medium. However, unlike previous SNe Ibn, PS1-12sk is associated with an elliptical brightest cluster galaxy, CGCG 208–042 (z = 0.054) in cluster RXC J0844.9+4258. The expected probability of an event like PS1-12sk in such environments is low given the measured infrequency of core-collapse SNe in red-sequence galaxies compounded by the low volumetric rate of SN Ibn. Furthermore, we find no evidence of star formation at the explosion site to sensitive limits (Σ Hα ∼ –3 M ☉ yr –1 kpc –2 ). We therefore discuss white dwarf binary systems as a possible progenitor channel for SNe Ibn. We conclude that PS1-12sk represents either a fortuitous and statistically unlikely discovery, evidence for a top-heavy initial mass function in galaxy cluster cooling flow filaments, or the first clue suggesting an alternate progenitor channel for SNe Ibn.

  17. A SEARCH FOR L/T TRANSITION DWARFS WITH PAN-STARRS1 AND WISE. II. L/T TRANSITION ATMOSPHERES AND YOUNG DISCOVERIES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Best, William M. J.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.; Deacon, Niall R.; Redstone, Joshua; Burgett, W. S.; Draper, P.; Metcalfe, N.

    2015-01-01

    The evolution of brown dwarfs from L to T spectral types is one of the least understood aspects of the ultracool population, partly for lack of a large, well-defined, and well-characterized sample in the L/T transition. To improve the existing census, we have searched ≈28,000 deg 2 using the Pan-STARRS1 and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer surveys for L/T transition dwarfs within 25 pc. We present 130 ultracool dwarf discoveries with estimated distances ≈9–130 pc, including 21 that were independently discovered by other authors and 3 that were previously identified as photometric candidates. Seventy-nine of our objects have near-IR spectral types of L6–T4.5, the most L/T transition dwarfs from any search to date, and we have increased the census of L9–T1.5 objects within 25 pc by over 50%. The color distribution of our discoveries provides further evidence for the “L/T gap,” a deficit of objects with (J − K) MKO  ≈ 0.0–0.5 mag in the L/T transition, and thus reinforces the idea that the transition from cloudy to clear photospheres occurs rapidly. Among our discoveries are 31 candidate binaries based on their low-resolution spectral features. Two of these candidates are common proper motion companions to nearby main sequence stars; if confirmed as binaries, these would be rare benchmark systems with the potential to stringently test ultracool evolutionary models. Our search also serendipitously identified 23 late-M and L dwarfs with spectroscopic signs of low gravity implying youth, including 10 with vl-g or int-g gravity classifications and another 13 with indications of low gravity whose spectral types or modest spectral signal-to-noise ratio do not allow us to assign formal classifications. Finally, we identify 10 candidate members of nearby young moving groups (YMG) with spectral types L7–T4.5, including three showing spectroscopic signs of low gravity. If confirmed, any of these would be among the coolest known YMG members and would

  18. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Absorption velocities for 21 super-luminous SNe Ic (Liu+, 2017)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Y.-Q.; Modjaz, M.; Bianco, F. B.

    2018-04-01

    We have collected the spectra of all available super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe) Ic that have a date of maximum light published before April of 2016. These SLSNe Ic were mainly discovered and observed by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN), the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey, the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey, the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1), the Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects (PESSTO), the Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF) as well as the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF), and the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS). See table 1. (2 data files).

  19. The Foundation Supernova Survey: motivation, design, implementation, and first data release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foley, Ryan J.; Scolnic, Daniel; Rest, Armin; Jha, S. W.; Pan, Y.-C.; Riess, A. G.; Challis, P.; Chambers, K. C.; Coulter, D. A.; Dettman, K. G.; Foley, M. M.; Fox, O. D.; Huber, M. E.; Jones, D. O.; Kilpatrick, C. D.; Kirshner, R. P.; Schultz, A. S. B.; Siebert, M. R.; Flewelling, H. A.; Gibson, B.; Magnier, E. A.; Miller, J. A.; Primak, N.; Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K. W.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.; Willman, M.

    2018-03-01

    The Foundation Supernova Survey aims to provide a large, high-fidelity, homogeneous, and precisely calibrated low-redshift Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) sample for cosmology. The calibration of the current low-redshift SN sample is the largest component of systematic uncertainties for SN cosmology, and new data are necessary to make progress. We present the motivation, survey design, observation strategy, implementation, and first results for the Foundation Supernova Survey. We are using the Pan-STARRS telescope to obtain photometry for up to 800 SNe Ia at z ≲ 0.1. This strategy has several unique advantages: (1) the Pan-STARRS system is a superbly calibrated telescopic system, (2) Pan-STARRS has observed 3/4 of the sky in grizyP1 making future template observations unnecessary, (3) we have a well-tested data-reduction pipeline, and (4) we have observed ˜3000 high-redshift SNe Ia on this system. Here, we present our initial sample of 225 SN Ia grizP1 light curves, of which 180 pass all criteria for inclusion in a cosmological sample. The Foundation Supernova Survey already contains more cosmologically useful SNe Ia than all other published low-redshift SN Ia samples combined. We expect that the systematic uncertainties for the Foundation Supernova Sample will be two to three times smaller than other low-redshift samples. We find that our cosmologically useful sample has an intrinsic scatter of 0.111 mag, smaller than other low-redshift samples. We perform detailed simulations showing that simply replacing the current low-redshift SN Ia sample with an equally sized Foundation sample will improve the precision on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter by 35 per cent, and the dark energy figure of merit by 72 per cent.

  20. PS1-12sk IS A PECULIAR SUPERNOVA FROM A He-RICH PROGENITOR SYSTEM IN A BRIGHTEST CLUSTER GALAXY ENVIRONMENT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanders, N. E.; Soderberg, A. M.; Foley, R. J.; Chornock, R.; Milisavljevic, D.; Margutti, R.; Drout, M. R.; Moe, M.; Berger, E.; Brown, W. R.; Lunnan, R. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Smartt, S. J.; Fraser, M.; Kotak, R.; Magill, L.; Smith, K. W.; Wright, D. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Maths and Physics, Queens University, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Huang, K. [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Urata, Y. [Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Chung-Li 32054, Taiwan (China); Mulchaey, J. S., E-mail: nsanders@cfa.harvard.edu [Carnegie Observatories, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); and others

    2013-05-20

    We report on our discovery and observations of the Pan-STARRS1 supernova (SN) PS1-12sk, a transient with properties that indicate atypical star formation in its host galaxy cluster or pose a challenge to popular progenitor system models for this class of explosion. The optical spectra of PS1-12sk classify it as a Type Ibn SN (SN Ibn; cf. SN 2006jc), dominated by intermediate-width (3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 3} km s{sup -1}) and time variable He I emission. Our multi-wavelength monitoring establishes the rise time dt {approx} 9-23 days and shows an NUV-NIR spectral energy distribution with temperature {approx}> 17 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 3} K and a peak magnitude of M{sub z} = -18.88 {+-} 0.02 mag. SN Ibn spectroscopic properties are commonly interpreted as the signature of a massive star (17-100 M{sub Sun }) explosion within an He-enriched circumstellar medium. However, unlike previous SNe Ibn, PS1-12sk is associated with an elliptical brightest cluster galaxy, CGCG 208-042 (z = 0.054) in cluster RXC J0844.9+4258. The expected probability of an event like PS1-12sk in such environments is low given the measured infrequency of core-collapse SNe in red-sequence galaxies compounded by the low volumetric rate of SN Ibn. Furthermore, we find no evidence of star formation at the explosion site to sensitive limits ({Sigma}{sub H{alpha}} {approx}< 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1} kpc{sup -2}). We therefore discuss white dwarf binary systems as a possible progenitor channel for SNe Ibn. We conclude that PS1-12sk represents either a fortuitous and statistically unlikely discovery, evidence for a top-heavy initial mass function in galaxy cluster cooling flow filaments, or the first clue suggesting an alternate progenitor channel for SNe Ibn.

  1. 75 FR 76444 - Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Construction and Operation of a Panoramic Survey...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-08

    ... potential environmental impacts associated with construction and operation of the proposed Panoramic Survey... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Air Force Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Construction and Operation of a Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) at the Summit...

  2. SkyMapper Southern Survey: First Data Release (DR1)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Christian; Onken, Christopher A.; Luvaul, Lance C.; Schmidt, Brian P.; Bessell, Michael S.; Chang, Seo-Won; Da Costa, Gary S.; Mackey, Dougal; Martin-Jones, Tony; Murphy, Simon J.; Preston, Tim; Scalzo, Richard A.; Shao, Li; Smillie, Jon; Tisserand, Patrick; White, Marc C.; Yuan, Fang

    2018-02-01

    We present the first data release of the SkyMapper Southern Survey, a hemispheric survey carried out with the SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. Here, we present the survey strategy, data processing, catalogue construction, and database schema. The first data release dataset includes over 66 000 images from the Shallow Survey component, covering an area of 17 200 deg2 in all six SkyMapper passbands uvgriz, while the full area covered by any passband exceeds 20 000 deg2. The catalogues contain over 285 million unique astrophysical objects, complete to roughly 18 mag in all bands. We compare our griz point-source photometry with Pan-STARRS1 first data release and note an RMS scatter of 2%. The internal reproducibility of SkyMapper photometry is on the order of 1%. Astrometric precision is better than 0.2 arcsec based on comparison with Gaia first data release. We describe the end-user database, through which data are presented to the world community, and provide some illustrative science queries.

  3. Large Survey Database: A Distributed Framework for Storage and Analysis of Large Datasets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juric, Mario

    2011-01-01

    The Large Survey Database (LSD) is a Python framework and DBMS for distributed storage, cross-matching and querying of large survey catalogs (>10^9 rows, >1 TB). The primary driver behind its development is the analysis of Pan-STARRS PS1 data. It is specifically optimized for fast queries and parallel sweeps of positionally and temporally indexed datasets. It transparently scales to more than >10^2 nodes, and can be made to function in "shared nothing" architectures. An LSD database consists of a set of vertically and horizontally partitioned tables, physically stored as compressed HDF5 files. Vertically, we partition the tables into groups of related columns ('column groups'), storing together logically related data (e.g., astrometry, photometry). Horizontally, the tables are partitioned into partially overlapping ``cells'' by position in space (lon, lat) and time (t). This organization allows for fast lookups based on spatial and temporal coordinates, as well as data and task distribution. The design was inspired by the success of Google BigTable (Chang et al., 2006). Our programming model is a pipelined extension of MapReduce (Dean and Ghemawat, 2004). An SQL-like query language is used to access data. For complex tasks, map-reduce ``kernels'' that operate on query results on a per-cell basis can be written, with the framework taking care of scheduling and execution. The combination leverages users' familiarity with SQL, while offering a fully distributed computing environment. LSD adds little overhead compared to direct Python file I/O. In tests, we sweeped through 1.1 Grows of PanSTARRS+SDSS data (220GB) less than 15 minutes on a dual CPU machine. In a cluster environment, we achieved bandwidths of 17Gbits/sec (I/O limited). Based on current experience, we believe LSD should scale to be useful for analysis and storage of LSST-scale datasets. It can be downloaded from http://mwscience.net/lsd.

  4. Detection of Time Lags between Quasar Continuum Emission Bands Based On Pan-STARRS Light Curves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, Yan-Fei [Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Green, Paul J.; Pancoast, Anna; MacLeod, Chelsea L. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Greene, Jenny E. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Morganson, Eric; Shen, Yue [Department of Astronomy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Anderson, Scott F.; Ruan, John J. [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Brandt, W. N.; Grier, C. J. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Rix, H.-W. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Protopapas, Pavlos [Institute for Applied Computational Science, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Scott, Caroline [Astrophysics, Imperial College London, Blackett Laboratory, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Burgett, W. S.; Hodapp, K. W.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R. P.; Magnier, E. A. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu HI 96822 (United States); and others

    2017-02-20

    We study the time lags between the continuum emission of quasars at different wavelengths, based on more than four years of multi-band ( g , r , i , z ) light curves in the Pan-STARRS Medium Deep Fields. As photons from different bands emerge from different radial ranges in the accretion disk, the lags constrain the sizes of the accretion disks. We select 240 quasars with redshifts of z ≈ 1 or z ≈ 0.3 that are relatively emission-line free. The light curves are sampled from day to month timescales, which makes it possible to detect lags on the scale of the light crossing time of the accretion disks. With the code JAVELIN , we detect typical lags of several days in the rest frame between the g band and the riz bands. The detected lags are ∼2–3 times larger than the light crossing time estimated from the standard thin disk model, consistent with the recently measured lag in NGC 5548 and microlensing measurements of quasars. The lags in our sample are found to increase with increasing luminosity. Furthermore, the increase in lags going from g − r to g − i and then to g − z is slower than predicted in the thin disk model, particularly for high-luminosity quasars. The radial temperature profile in the disk must be different from what is assumed. We also find evidence that the lags decrease with increasing line ratios between ultraviolet Fe ii lines and Mg ii, which may point to changes in the accretion disk structure at higher metallicity.

  5. Selections from 2017: Computers Help Us Map Our Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2017-12-01

    Editors note:In these last two weeks of 2017, well be looking at a few selections that we havent yet discussed on AAS Nova from among the most-downloaded paperspublished in AAS journals this year. The usual posting schedule will resume in January.Machine-Learned Identification of RR Lyrae Stars from Sparse, Multi-Band Data: The PS1 SamplePublished April2017Main takeaway:A sample of RR Lyrae variable stars was built from thePan-STARRS1 (PS1) survey by a team led byBranimir Sesar (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Germany). The sample of45,000 starsrepresentsthe widest (three-fourthsof the sky) and deepest (reaching 120 kpc) sample of RR Lyrae stars to date.Why its interesting:Its challengingto understand the overall shape and behaviorof our galaxy because were stuck on the inside of it. RR Lyrae stars are a useful tool for this purpose: they can be used as tracers to map out the Milky Ways halo. The authors large sample of RR Lyrae stars from PS1 combined withproper-motion measurements from Gaia and radial-velocity measurements from multi-object spectroscopic surveys could become thepremier source for studying the structure, kinematics, and the gravitational potential of our galaxys outskirts.How they were found:The black dots show the distribution of the 45,000 probable RR Lyrae stars in the authors sample. [Sesar et al. 2017]The 45,000 stars in this sample were selected not by humans, but by computer.The authors used machine-learning algorithms to examine the light curvesin the Pan-STARRS1 sample and identify the characteristic brightness variations of RR Lyrae stars lying in the galactic halo. These techniques resulted in a very pure and complete sample, and the authors suggest that this approachmay translate well to othersparse,multi-band data sets such asthat from the upcomingLarge Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) galactic plane sub-survey.CitationBranimir Sesar et al 2017 AJ 153 204. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aa661b

  6. The Ship Tethered Aerostat Remote Sensing System (STARRS): Observations of Small-Scale Surface Lateral Transport During the LAgrangian Submesoscale ExpeRiment (LASER)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, D. F.; Novelli, G.; Guigand, C.; Özgökmen, T.; Fox-Kemper, B.; Molemaker, M. J.

    2016-02-01

    The Consortium for Advanced Research on the Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE) will carry out the LAgrangian Submesoscale ExpeRiment (LASER) to study the role of small-scale processes in the transport and dispersion of oil and passive tracers. The Ship-Tethered Aerostat Remote Sensing System (STARRS) will observe small-scale surface dispersion in the open ocean. STARRS is built around a high-lift-capacity (30 kg) helium-filled aerostat. STARRS is equipped with a high resolution digital camera. An integrated GNSS receiver and inertial navigation system permit direct geo-rectification of the imagery. Consortium for Advanced Research on the Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE) will carry out the LAgrangian Submesoscale ExpeRiment (LASER) to study the role of small-scale processes in the transport and dispersion of oil and passive tracers. The Ship-Tethered Aerostat Remote Sensing System (STARRS) was developed to produce observational estimates of small-scale surface dispersion in the open ocean. STARRS is built around a high-lift-capacity (30 kg) helium-filled aerostat. STARRS is equipped with a high resolution digital camera. An integrated GNSS receiver and inertial navigation system permit direct geo-rectification of the imagery. Thousands of drift cards deployed in the field of view of STARRS and tracked over time provide the first observational estimates of small-scale (1-500 m) surface dispersion in the open ocean. The STARRS imagery will be combined with GPS-tracked surface drifter trajectories, shipboard observations, and aerial surveys of sea surface temperature in the DeSoto Canyon. In addition to obvious applications to oil spill modelling, the STARRS observations will provide essential benchmarks for high resolution numerical modelsDrift cards deployed in the field of view of STARRS and tracked over time provide the first observational estimates of small-scale (1-100 m) surface dispersion in the open ocean. The STARRS

  7. Supernova Cosmology in the Big Data Era

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kessler, Richard

    Here we describe large "Big Data" Supernova (SN) Ia surveys, past and present, used to make precision measurements of cosmological parameters that describe the expansion history of the universe. In particular, we focus on surveys designed to measure the dark energy equation of state parameter w and its dependence on cosmic time. These large surveys have at least four photometric bands, and they use a rolling search strategy in which the same instrument is used for both discovery and photometric follow-up observations. These surveys include the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS), Sloan Digital Sky Survey II (SDSS-II), Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1), Dark Energy Survey (DES), and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). We discuss the development of how systematic uncertainties are evaluated, and how methods to reduce them play a major role is designing new surveys. The key systematic effects that we discuss are (1) calibration, measuring the telescope efficiency in each filter band, (2) biases from a magnitude-limited survey and from the analysis, and (3) photometric SN classification for current surveys that don't have enough resources to spectroscopically confirm each SN candidate.

  8. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Follow-up photometry of M101 OT2015-1 (Blagorodnova+, 2017)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blagorodnova, N.; Kotak, R.; Polshaw, J.; Kasliwal, M. M.; Cao, Y.; Cody, A. M.; Doran, G. B.; Elias-Rosa, N.; Fraser, M.; Fremling, C.; Gonzalez-Fernandez, C.; Harmanen, J.; Jencson, J.; Kankare, E.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Magnier, E.; Manulis, I.; Masci, F. J.; Mattila, S.; Nugent, P.; Ochner, P.; Pastorello, A.; Reynolds, T.; Smith, K.; Sollerman, J.; Taddia, F.; Terreran, G.; Tomasella, L.; Turatto, M.; Vreeswijk, P. M.; Wozniak, P.; Zaggia, S.

    2017-07-01

    The location of M101-OT2015-1 has been serendipitously imaged by numerous telescopes and instruments over the last 15 years (from 2000 to 2015). Our best quality pre-discovery image (seeing of 0.55") is an r-band exposure at -3625 days pre-peak from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). The historical optical data for M101-OT was retrieved from the CFHT MegaPrime and CFHT12K/Mosaic, using single and combined exposures, Pan-STARRS-1/GPC1 (PS1), Isaac Newton Telescope/Wide Field Camera (INT/WFC), and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR 10 (Ahn+ 2014, see V/147). Unfortunately, there are no HST images covering the location of the source. Post-discovery optical magnitudes were obtained from the reported followup astronomer's telegrams (ATels), Liverpool Telescope (LT), the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), and the Palomar P48 and P60 telescopes. The infrared data were retrieved from CFHT/WIRCam, UKIRT/WFCAM, and the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera in 3.6 and 4.5um as part of the SPitzer InfraRed Intensive Transients Survey (SPIRITS) (Kasliwal+, 2017ApJ...839...88K). Details of pre-discovery photometry and post-discovery optical photometry may be found in the Appendices Tables 1 and 2, respectively. We obtained spectra of M101-OT using a range of facilities in 2015 Feb-Jul. (3 data files).

  9. Effect of submerged, freshwater aquatic macrophytes and littoral sediments on pan evaporation in the Lake Balaton region, Hungary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anda, A.; Simon, B.; Soos, G.; Teixeira da Silva, J. A.; Kucserka, T.

    2016-11-01

    The evaporation (Ep) of a US Class A pan (C) with submerged, freshwater aquatic macrophytes (Potamogeton perfoliatus, Myriophyllum spicatum and Najas marina), hereafter macrophytes (Ps) and a sediment-covered bottom (S) was measured in Hungary during 2014-2015 using reference E of Shuttleworth (Eo) and Penman-Monteith crop reference evapotranspiration (crop ETo). There were two main climatic controls affecting variation in E: direct (air and water temperature) and indirect (wind-mediated change affecting the penetration of sunlight; precipitation inflow, impacting plant emergence). Lower seasonal mean Ep rates of 2.75 ± 0.89, 2.83 ± 0.91 and 3.06 ± 1.14 mm day-1 were observed in C, S and Ps, respectively, during the wet 2014. In the 2015 season, higher overall daily mean Ep rates for C, S and Ps were 3.76 ± 1.3, 4.19 ± 1.34 and 4.65 ± 1.52 mm day-1, respectively. A comparison of US Class A pan Ep containing macrophytes/sediments with that of a standard US Class A pan showed that pan coefficients (Kap and Kas) might allow for more accurate on-site lake E estimates. In 2014, seasonal mean Kas and Kap were 1.04 ± 0.14 and 1.09 ± 0.18, respectively. Slightly higher Ka values were observed during the warm and dry 2015 (Kas: 1.15 ± 0.22; Kap: 1.26 ± 0.23). A Ka value greater than 1 indicates that the Ep of a US Class A pan containing macrophytes and sediment is always higher than that of C. The calculated Eo overestimated measured Ep of Ps during the course of this study. During the warm-dry growing season, crop ETo was closest to Ep of Ps. Empirical coefficients can be useful for estimating E of lakes with submerged macrophytes more precisely. The accuracy of the estimate of Keszthely Bay's E improved by 9.85% when Ka was determined on site.

  10. Microstructural characterization of PAN based carbon fiber reinforced nylon 6 polymer composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munirathnamma, L. M.; Ningaraju, S.; Kumar, K. V. Aneesh; Ravikumar, H. B.

    2018-04-01

    Microstructural characterization of nylon 6/polyacrolonitrile based carbon fibers (PAN-CFs) of 10 to 40 wt% has been performed by positron lifetime technique (PLT). The positron lifetime parameters viz., o-Ps lifetime (τ3), o-Ps intensity (I3) and fractional free volume (Fv) of nylon 6/PAN-CF composites are correlated with the mechanical properties viz., Tensile strength and Young's modulus. The Fv show negative deviation with the reinforcement of 10 to 40 wt% of PAN-CF from the linear additivity relation. The negative deviation in nylon 6/PAN-CF composite suggests the induced molecular packing due to the chemical interaction between the polymeric chains of nylon 6 and PAN-CF. This is evident from Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR) studies. The FTIR results suggests that observed negative deviation in PALS results of nylon 6/PAN-CF reinforced polymer composites is due to the induced chemical interaction at N-H-O sites. The improved tensile strength (TS) and Young's modulus (YM) in nylon 6/PAN-CF reinforced polymer composites is due to AS4C (surface treated and epoxy coated) PAN-CF has shown highest adhesion level due to better stress transfer between nylon 6 and PAN-CF.

  11. THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY REVERBERATION MAPPING PROJECT: TECHNICAL OVERVIEW

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Yue [Carnegie Observatories, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Brandt, W. N. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Dawson, Kyle S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, 115 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Hall, Patrick B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 (Canada); McGreer, Ian D.; Fan, Xiaohui [Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065 (United States); Anderson, Scott F. [Astronomy Department, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Chen, Yuguang [Department of Astronomy, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Denney, Kelly D. [Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Eftekharzadeh, Sarah [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071 (United States); Gao, Yang [Department of Engineering Physics and Center for Astrophysics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Green, Paul J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Greene, Jenny E. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Ho, Luis C. [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Horne, Keith [SUPA Physics/Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Jiang, Linhua [School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1504 (United States); Kelly, Brandon C. [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93107 (United States); and others

    2015-01-01

    The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping (SDSS-RM) project is a dedicated multi-object RM experiment that has spectroscopically monitored a sample of 849 broad-line quasars in a single 7 deg{sup 2} field with the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey spectrograph. The RM quasar sample is flux-limited to i {sub psf} = 21.7 mag, and covers a redshift range of 0.1 < z < 4.5 without any other cuts on quasar properties. Optical spectroscopy was performed during 2014 January-July dark/gray time, with an average cadence of ∼4 days, totaling more than 30 epochs. Supporting photometric monitoring in the g and i bands was conducted at multiple facilities including the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) and the Steward Observatory Bok telescope in 2014, with a cadence of ∼2 days and covering all lunar phases. The RM field (R.A., decl. = 14:14:49.00, +53:05:00.0) lies within the CFHT-LS W3 field, and coincides with the Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) Medium Deep Field MD07, with three prior years of multi-band PS1 light curves. The SDSS-RM six month baseline program aims to detect time lags between the quasar continuum and broad line region (BLR) variability on timescales of up to several months (in the observed frame) for ∼10% of the sample, and to anchor the time baseline for continued monitoring in the future to detect lags on longer timescales and at higher redshift. SDSS-RM is the first major program to systematically explore the potential of RM for broad-line quasars at z > 0.3, and will investigate the prospects of RM with all major broad lines covered in optical spectroscopy. SDSS-RM will provide guidance on future multi-object RM campaigns on larger scales, and is aiming to deliver more than tens of BLR lag detections for a homogeneous sample of quasars. We describe the motivation, design, and implementation of this program, and outline the science impact expected from the resulting data for RM and general quasar science.

  12. THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY REVERBERATION MAPPING PROJECT: TECHNICAL OVERVIEW

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Yue; Brandt, W. N.; Dawson, Kyle S.; Hall, Patrick B.; McGreer, Ian D.; Fan, Xiaohui; Anderson, Scott F.; Chen, Yuguang; Denney, Kelly D.; Eftekharzadeh, Sarah; Gao, Yang; Green, Paul J.; Greene, Jenny E.; Ho, Luis C.; Horne, Keith; Jiang, Linhua; Kelly, Brandon C.

    2015-01-01

    The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping (SDSS-RM) project is a dedicated multi-object RM experiment that has spectroscopically monitored a sample of 849 broad-line quasars in a single 7 deg 2 field with the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey spectrograph. The RM quasar sample is flux-limited to i psf = 21.7 mag, and covers a redshift range of 0.1 < z < 4.5 without any other cuts on quasar properties. Optical spectroscopy was performed during 2014 January-July dark/gray time, with an average cadence of ∼4 days, totaling more than 30 epochs. Supporting photometric monitoring in the g and i bands was conducted at multiple facilities including the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) and the Steward Observatory Bok telescope in 2014, with a cadence of ∼2 days and covering all lunar phases. The RM field (R.A., decl. = 14:14:49.00, +53:05:00.0) lies within the CFHT-LS W3 field, and coincides with the Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) Medium Deep Field MD07, with three prior years of multi-band PS1 light curves. The SDSS-RM six month baseline program aims to detect time lags between the quasar continuum and broad line region (BLR) variability on timescales of up to several months (in the observed frame) for ∼10% of the sample, and to anchor the time baseline for continued monitoring in the future to detect lags on longer timescales and at higher redshift. SDSS-RM is the first major program to systematically explore the potential of RM for broad-line quasars at z > 0.3, and will investigate the prospects of RM with all major broad lines covered in optical spectroscopy. SDSS-RM will provide guidance on future multi-object RM campaigns on larger scales, and is aiming to deliver more than tens of BLR lag detections for a homogeneous sample of quasars. We describe the motivation, design, and implementation of this program, and outline the science impact expected from the resulting data for RM and general quasar science

  13. A large catalog of accurate distances to molecular clouds from PS1 photometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schlafly, E. F.; Rix, H.-W.; Martin, N. F. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Green, G.; Finkbeiner, D. P. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Bell, E. F. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Magnier, E. A.; Tonry, J. L. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Draper, P. W.; Metcalfe, N. [Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Price, P. A. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2014-05-01

    Distance measurements to molecular clouds are important but are often made separately for each cloud of interest, employing very different data and techniques. We present a large, homogeneous catalog of distances to molecular clouds, most of which are of unprecedented accuracy. We determine distances using optical photometry of stars along lines of sight toward these clouds, obtained from PanSTARRS-1. We simultaneously infer the reddenings and distances to these stars, tracking the full probability distribution function using a technique presented in Green et al. We fit these star-by-star measurements using a simple dust screen model to find the distance to each cloud. We thus estimate the distances to almost all of the clouds in the Magnani et al. catalog, as well as many other well-studied clouds, including Orion, Perseus, Taurus, Cepheus, Polaris, California, and Monoceros R2, avoiding only the inner Galaxy. Typical statistical uncertainties in the distances are 5%, though the systematic uncertainty stemming from the quality of our stellar models is about 10%. The resulting catalog is the largest catalog of accurate, directly measured distances to molecular clouds. Our distance estimates are generally consistent with available distance estimates from the literature, though in some cases the literature estimates are off by a factor of more than two.

  14. Astrometric surveys in the Gaia era

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zacharias, Norbert

    2018-04-01

    The Gaia first data release (DR1) already provides an almost error free optical reference frame on the milli-arcsecond (mas) level allowing significantly better calibration of ground-based astrometric data than ever before. Gaia DR1 provides positions, proper motions and trigonometric parallaxes for just over 2 million stars in the Tycho-2 catalog. For over 1.1 billion additional stars DR1 gives positions. Proper motions for these, mainly fainter stars (G >= 11.5) are currently provided by several new projects which combine earlier epoch ground-based observations with Gaia DR1 positions. These data are very helpful in the interim period but will become obsolete with the second Gaia data release (DR2) expected in April 2018. The era of traditional, ground-based, wide-field astrometry with the goal to provide accurate reference stars has come to an end. Future ground-based astrometry will fill in some gaps (very bright stars, observations needed at many or specific epochs) and mainly will go fainter than the Gaia limit, like the PanSTARRS and the upcoming LSST surveys.

  15. Pelvic floor function following ventral rectopexy versus STARR in the treatment of obstructed defecation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altomare, D F; Picciariello, A; Memeo, R; Fanelli, M; Digennaro, R; Chetta, N; De Fazio, M

    2018-04-01

    Obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS), most commonly found in females, can be treated by a transanal or abdominal approach with good success rate. Nevertheless, patients may experience de novo or persisting pelvic floor dysfunctions after surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the functional outcome of stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) and ventral rectopexy (VRP) in a series of ODS patients. Forty-nine female patients who had surgery for ODS between 2006 and 2016 were retrospectively evaluated: 28 (median age 60 years, IQR 54-69 years) had VRP and 21 (median age 58 years, IQR 51-66 years) had STARR. ODS was scored with the ODS score while the overall pelvic floor function was assessed with the three axial perineal evaluation (TAPE) score. Quality-of-life was evaluated by the patient assessment of constipation quality-of-life (PAC-Qol) questionnaire administered preoperatively and after 1 year of follow-up. The preoperative median ODS score and TAPE score were comparable in both groups. After a median follow-up of 12 months (range 12-18 months), the median ODS score was 12 (range 10-20) in the STARR group and 9 (range 3-15) in the VRP one (p = 0.02), while the median TAPE score was 70.5 (IQR 60.6-77.3) in the former and 76.8 (IQR 70.2-89.7) in the latter (p = 0.01). Postoperatively the physical domain of the PAC-QoL score had a median value of 2.74 (IQR 1.7-3.75) in the STARR group compared to 1.5 (IQR 1-2.5) in the VRP group (p = 0.03). No major complications were recorded in either group. VRP and STARR can improve defecation in patients with ODS with minimal complications, but the overall pelvic wellness evaluated by the TAPE score improves significantly only after VRP, suggesting a better performance of VRP than STARR when overall pelvic floor function is concerned.

  16. Water production rates of recent comets (2016-2017) by SOHO/SWAN: 2P/Encke, 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak, 45P/ Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova, and C/2015 ER61 (PanSTARRS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Combi, Michael R.; Mäkinen, Terhi; Bertaux, Jean-Loup; Quémerais, Eric; Ferron, Stephane

    2017-10-01

    The all-sky hydrogen Lyman-alpha camera, SWAN (Solar Wind Anisotropies), on the SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite makes observations of the hydrogen coma of comets. Most water molecules produced by comets are ultimately photodissociated into two H atoms and one O atom producing a huge atomic hydrogen coma that is routinely observed in the daily full-sky SWAN images in comets of sufficient brightness. Water production rates are calculated using our time-resolved model (Mäkinen & Combi, 2005, Icarus 177, 217), typically yielding about 1 observation every 2 days on the average for each comet over the brightest part of its apparition. Here we describe the progress in analysis of observations of comets observed in 2016 and 2017. These include comets 2P/Encke, 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Sresak, 45P/ Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova, and C/2015 ER61 (PanSTARRS). A status update on the entire SOHO/SWAN archive of water production rates in comets will also be given.SOHO is an international cooperative mission between ESA and NASA. Support from grants NNX15AJ81G from the NASA Solar System Observations Planetary Astronomy Program and a previous grant NNX13AQ66G from the NASA Planetary Mission Data Analysis Program are gratefully acknowledged, as is support from CNRS, CNES, and the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI).

  17. Astronomical Surveys and Big Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mickaelian Areg M.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Recent all-sky and large-area astronomical surveys and their catalogued data over the whole range of electromagnetic spectrum, from γ-rays to radio waves, are reviewed, including such as Fermi-GLAST and INTEGRAL in γ-ray, ROSAT, XMM and Chandra in X-ray, GALEX in UV, SDSS and several POSS I and POSS II-based catalogues (APM, MAPS, USNO, GSC in the optical range, 2MASS in NIR, WISE and AKARI IRC in MIR, IRAS and AKARI FIS in FIR, NVSS and FIRST in radio range, and many others, as well as the most important surveys giving optical images (DSS I and II, SDSS, etc., proper motions (Tycho, USNO, Gaia, variability (GCVS, NSVS, ASAS, Catalina, Pan-STARRS, and spectroscopic data (FBS, SBS, Case, HQS, HES, SDSS, CALIFA, GAMA. An overall understanding of the coverage along the whole wavelength range and comparisons between various surveys are given: galaxy redshift surveys, QSO/AGN, radio, Galactic structure, and Dark Energy surveys. Astronomy has entered the Big Data era, with Astrophysical Virtual Observatories and Computational Astrophysics playing an important role in using and analyzing big data for new discoveries.

  18. Feasibility of dietary assessment methods, other tools and procedures for a pan-European food consumption survey among infants, toddlers and children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ocké, Marga; Brants, Henny; Dofkova, Marcela

    2014-01-01

    Purpose To test the feasibility of tools and procedures for a pan-European food consumption survey among children 0-10 years and to recommend one of two tested dietary assessment methods. Methods Two pilot studies including 378 children were conducted in Belgium and the Czech Republic in the Pilot...... more challenging by the interviewers. Conclusions Both dietary assessment methods with related tools and administration protocols were evaluated as feasible. The administration protocol with two 1-day food diaries with completion interviews offers more advantages for the future pan-European survey...

  19. Questionnaire survey of the pan-African trade in lion body parts

    OpenAIRE

    Williams, Vivienne L.; Loveridge, Andrew J.; Newton, David J.; Macdonald, David W.

    2017-01-01

    The African lion is in decline across its range, and consumptive utilisation and trade of their body parts and skins has been postulated as a cause for concern. We undertook a pan-African questionnaire and literature survey to document informed opinion and evidence for the occurrence of domestic and international trade and consumption in African lion body parts across current and former range states. Sixty-five people from 18 countries participated in the online questionnaire survey (run from...

  20. Stapled trans-anal rectal resection (STARR) in the surgical treatment of the obstructed defecation syndrome: results of STARR Italian Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuto, Angelo; Renzi, Adolfo; Carriero, Alfonso; Gabrielli, Francesco; Gianfreda, Valeria; Villani, Roberto Dino; Pietrantoni, Carmine; Seria, Giovanni; Capomagi, Antonio; Talento, Pasquale

    2011-09-01

    This study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of stapled trans-anal rectal resection (STARR) in the treatment of obstructed defecation syndrome ODS by the analysis of the data collected in the STARR Italian Registry (SIR) with a special emphasis on the analysis of symptoms and quality of life. Collected data included, preoperative tests findings, and the evaluation of symptoms; the latter was obtained by using dedicated tools such as the Obstructed Defecation Syndrome Score (ODS-S), the Severity Symptom Score (SSS), and the Continence Grading Scale (CGS). Data on the quality of life were collected by Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QoL) and the Euro Quality of Life-5 Domains Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-5D VAS). The evaluation of the symptoms and the quality of life was repeated 6 and 12 months after surgery. The SIR had collected data on 2171 patients (1653 females, 76.1%; mean age 56.2 years; range 20-96 years). A significant improvement (P < .0001) was seen between preoperative and 12-month follow-up in all scores: ODS-S (16.7 vs. 5.0), SSS (15.6 vs. 2.6), CGS (2.0 vs. 0.7), PAC-QoL (51.0 vs. 22.1), and EQ-5D VAS (57.5 vs. 85.7). Complications included defecatory urgency (4.5% at 12 months), bleeding (3.6%), perineal sepsis (3.4%), and one case of rectovaginal fistula (0.05%). The analysis of SIR data seems to confirm that STARR is a safe and effective procedure in the treatment of ODS. However, further studies are required to evaluate the long-term stability of results.

  1. All-weather calibration of wide-field optical and NIR surveys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burke, David L. [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Saha, Abhijit; Claver, Jenna; Claver, Chuck [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ 85718 (United States); Axelrod, T. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85718 (United States); DePoy, Darren [Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Ivezić, Željko; Jones, Lynne [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Smith, R. Chris [Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Stubbs, Christopher W., E-mail: daveb@slac.stanford.edu [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

    2014-01-01

    The science goals for ground-based large-area surveys, such as the Dark Energy Survey, Pan-STARRS, and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, require calibration of broadband photometry that is stable in time and uniform over the sky to precisions of a percent or better. This performance will need to be achieved with data taken over the course of many years, and often in less than ideal conditions. This paper describes a strategy to achieve precise internal calibration of imaging survey data taken in less than 'photometric' conditions, and reports results of an observational study of the techniques needed to implement this strategy. We find that images of celestial fields used in this case study with stellar densities ∼1 arcmin{sup –2} and taken through cloudless skies can be calibrated with relative precision ∼0.5% (reproducibility). We report measurements of spatial structure functions of cloud absorption observed over a range of atmospheric conditions, and find it possible to achieve photometric measurements that are reproducible to 1% in images that were taken through cloud layers that transmit as little as 25% of the incident optical flux (1.5 magnitudes of extinction). We find, however, that photometric precision below 1% is impeded by the thinnest detectable cloud layers. We comment on implications of these results for the observing strategies of future surveys.

  2. Continuing Long Term Optical and Infrared Reverberation Mapping of 17 Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorjian, Varoujan; Barth, Aaron; Brandt, Niel; Dawson, Kyle; Green, Paul; Ho, Luis; Horne, Keith; Jiang, Linhua; McGreer, Ian; Schneider, Donald; Shen, Yue; Tao, Charling

    2018-05-01

    Previous Spitzer reverberation monitoring projects searching for UV/optical light absorbed and re-emitted in the IR by dust have been limited to low luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGN) that could potentially show reverberation within a single cycle ( 1 year). Cycle 11-12's two year baseline allowed for the reverberation mapping of 17 high-luminosity quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping project. We continued this monitoring in Cycle 13 and now propose to extend this program in Cycle 14. By combining ground-based monitoring from Pan-STARRS, CFHT, and Steward Observatory telescopes with Spitzer data we have for the first time detected dust reverberation in quasars. By continuing observations with this unqiue combination of resources we should detect reverberation in more objects and reduce the uncertainties for the remaining sources.

  3. PNL1 and PNL2 : Arabidopsis homologs of maize PAN1

    OpenAIRE

    Clark, Lauren Gail

    2010-01-01

    PNL1 and PNL2 are the closest Arabidopsis relatives of maize pan1. pan1 and the PNL family of 11 genes encode leucine-rich repeat, receptor-like kinases, however none of these putative kinases is predicted to have actual kinase function, due to one or more amino acid substitutions in residues necessary for kinase function. Because PAN1 plays a role in subsidiary cell formation in maize, it is hypothesized that PNL1 and PNL2 are involved in stomatal formation in Arabidopsis. YFP fusions of the...

  4. Comparative study of Contour Transtar and STARR procedure for the treatment of obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS)--feasibility, morbidity and early functional results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isbert, C; Reibetanz, J; Jayne, D G; Kim, M; Germer, C-T; Boenicke, L

    2010-09-01

    Stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) is a promising new treatment for obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS). It may be performed using either a double-stapling technique (PPH-STARR) or with the new Contour Transtar (CT) device. The aim of this study was to evaluate the two techniques with respect to morbidity and functional outcomes. Patients presenting with ODS were evaluated using standardized clinical and radiological investigations and prospectively entered into a database. A total of 150 Patients were treated with either PPH-STARR (n = 68) or CT (n = 82) and further evaluated at 12 month postoperatively. The mean size of the resected specimen was 27 cm(2) (SD +/-4.86 cm(2)) in the PPH-STARR group and 46 cm(2) (SD +/-10.6 cm(2)) in the CT group [P < 0.001]. Morbidity was 7.3% (n = 5) in the PPH-STARR group and 7.5% (n = 6) in the CT group. The most common complication was minor postoperative bleeding in both groups (PPH-STARR: n = 2, 2.9%; CT: n = 2, 2.4%) Overall there were no septic complications and no surgical re-interventions. There was a tendency for more postoperative pain following CT (n = 3, 3.6%) as compared with PPH-STARR (n = 1, 1.4%). Constipation Scores (CCS) were 15.50 +/- 5.71 in the PPH-STARR group and 15.70 +/- 5.84 in the CT group preoperatively and decreased significantly to 8.25 (SD +/-1.45) and 8.01 (SD +/-2.31) 12-months after surgery. Values did not differ significantly between the two groups. Contour Transtar is as safe and effective as PPH-STARR and provides a true circumferential resection of rectal intussusception. This may benefit selected patients and result in improved long-term durability of the technique.

  5. Functional characterization of calcineurin homologs PsCNA1/PsCNB1 in Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici using a host-induced RNAi system.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong Zhang

    Full Text Available Calcineurin plays a key role in morphogenesis, pathogenesis and drug resistance in most fungi. However, the function of calcineurin genes in Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst is unclear. We identified and characterized the calcineurin genes PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 in Pst. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 form a calcium/calmodulin regulated protein phosphatase belonging to the calcineurin heterodimers composed of subunits A and B. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses revealed that both PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 expression reached their maximum in the stage of haustorium formation, which is one day after inoculation. Using barely stripe mosaic virus (BSMV as a transient expression vector in wheat, the expression of PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 in Pst was suppressed, leading to slower extension of fungal hyphae and reduced production of urediospores. The immune-suppressive drugs cyclosporin A and FK506 markedly reduced the germination rates of urediospores, and when germination did occur, more than two germtubes were produced. These results suggest that the calcineurin signaling pathway participates in stripe rust morphogenetic differentiation, especially the formation of haustoria during the early stage of infection and during the production of urediospores. Therefore PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 can be considered important pathogenicity genes involved in the wheat-Pst interaction.

  6. PsHint1, associated with the G-protein α subunit PsGPA1, is required for the chemotaxis and pathogenicity of Phytophthora sojae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xin; Zhai, Chunhua; Hua, Chenlei; Qiu, Min; Hao, Yujuan; Nie, Pingping; Ye, Wenwu; Wang, Yuanchao

    2016-02-01

    Zoospore chemotaxis to soybean isoflavones is essential in the early stages of infection by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae. Previously, we have identified a G-protein α subunit encoded by PsGPA1 which regulates the chemotaxis and pathogenicity of P. sojae. In the present study, we used affinity purification to identify PsGPA1-interacting proteins, including PsHint1, a histidine triad (HIT) domain-containing protein orthologous to human HIT nucleotide-binding protein 1 (HINT1). PsHint1 interacted with both the guanosine triphosphate (GTP)- and guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-bound forms of PsGPA1. An analysis of the gene-silenced transformants revealed that PsHint1 was involved in the chemotropic response of zoospores to the isoflavone daidzein. During interaction with a susceptible soybean cultivar, PsHint1-silenced transformants displayed significantly reduced infectious hyphal extension and caused a strong cell death in plants. In addition, the transformants displayed defective cyst germination, forming abnormal germ tubes that were highly branched and exhibited apical swelling. These results suggest that PsHint1 not only regulates chemotaxis by interacting with PsGPA1, but also participates in a Gα-independent pathway involved in the pathogenicity of P. sojae. © 2015 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

  7. Discovery of three strongly lensed quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, P. R.; Agnello, A.; Treu, T.; Abramson, L. E.; Anguita, T.; Apostolovski, Y.; Chen, G. C.-F.; Fassnacht, C. D.; Hsueh, J. W.; Lemaux, B. C.; Motta, V.; Oldham, L.; Rojas, K.; Rusu, C. E.; Shajib, A. J.; Wang, X.

    2018-06-01

    We present the discovery of three quasar lenses in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, selected using two novel photometry-based selection techniques. The J0941+0518 system, with two point sources separated by 5.46 arcsec on either side of a galaxy, has source and lens redshifts 1.54 and 0.343. Images of J2257+2349 show two point sources separated by 1.67 arcsec on either side of an E/S0 galaxy. The extracted spectra show two images of the same quasar at zs = 2.10. SDSS J1640+1045 has two quasar spectra at zs = 1.70 and fits to the SDSS and Pan-STARRS images confirm the presence of a galaxy between the two point sources. We observed 56 photometrically selected lens candidates in this follow-up campaign, confirming three new lenses, re-discovering one known lens, and ruling out 36 candidates, with 16 still inconclusive. This initial campaign demonstrates the power of purely photometric selection techniques in finding lensed quasars.

  8. Functional assessment of human enhancer activities using whole-genome STARR-sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yuwen; Yu, Shan; Dhiman, Vineet K; Brunetti, Tonya; Eckart, Heather; White, Kevin P

    2017-11-20

    Genome-wide quantification of enhancer activity in the human genome has proven to be a challenging problem. Recent efforts have led to the development of powerful tools for enhancer quantification. However, because of genome size and complexity, these tools have yet to be applied to the whole human genome.  In the current study, we use a human prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP as a model to perform whole human genome STARR-seq (WHG-STARR-seq) to reliably obtain an assessment of enhancer activity. This approach builds upon previously developed STARR-seq in the fly genome and CapSTARR-seq techniques in targeted human genomic regions. With an improved library preparation strategy, our approach greatly increases the library complexity per unit of starting material, which makes it feasible and cost-effective to explore the landscape of regulatory activity in the much larger human genome. In addition to our ability to identify active, accessible enhancers located in open chromatin regions, we can also detect sequences with the potential for enhancer activity that are located in inaccessible, closed chromatin regions. When treated with the histone deacetylase inhibitor, Trichostatin A, genes nearby this latter class of enhancers are up-regulated, demonstrating the potential for endogenous functionality of these regulatory elements. WHG-STARR-seq provides an improved approach to current pipelines for analysis of high complexity genomes to gain a better understanding of the intricacies of transcriptional regulation.

  9. UCAC and URAT: Optical Astrometric Catalog Observing Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-21

    12 100 K 1.0 1997 Tycho-2 G/S yes <= 12 2.5 M 10..100 2000 UCAC G yes 8..16 100 M 20.. 70 2004+ 2MASS G no IR...UCAC3 G yes 8..16 100 M 20.. 70 2009 first CCD survey 2MASS G no IR 500 M 90 2003 1 epoch USNO-B G yes 12..21 1000 M 200 2003 Schmidt plates PanSTARRS G

  10. The Value Of Enhanced Neo Surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Alan W.

    2012-10-01

    NEO surveys have now achieved, more or less, the “Spaceguard Goal” of cataloging 90% of NEAs larger than 1 km in diameter, and thereby have reduced the short-term hazard from cosmic impacts by about an order of magnitude, from an actuarial estimate of 1,000 deaths per year (actually about a billion every million years, with very little in between), to about 100 deaths per year, with a shift toward smaller but more frequent events accounting for the remaining risk. It is fair to ask, then, what is the value of a next-generation accelerated survey to “retire” much of the remaining risk. The curve of completion of survey versus size of NEA is remarkably similar for any survey, ground or space based, visible light or thermal IR, so it is possible to integrate risk over all sizes, with a time variable curve of completion to evaluate the actuarial value of speeding up survey completion. I will present my latest estimate of NEA population and completion of surveys. From those I will estimate the “value” of accelerated surveys such as Pan-STARRS, LSST, or space-based surveys, versus continuing with current surveys. My tentative conclusion is that we may have already reached the point in terms of cost-benefit where accelerated surveys are not cost-effective in terms of reducing impact risk. If not yet, we soon will. On the other hand, the surveys, which find and catalog main-belt and other classes of small bodies as well as NEOs, have provided a gold mine of good science. The scientific value of continued or accelerated surveys needs to be emphasized as the impact risk is increasingly “retired.”

  11. The Army study to assess risk and resilience in servicemembers (Army STARRS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ursano, Robert J; Colpe, Lisa J; Heeringa, Steven G; Kessler, Ronald C; Schoenbaum, Michael; Stein, Murray B

    2014-01-01

    IMPORTANCE/OBJECTIVE: Although the suicide rate in the U.S. Army has traditionally been below age-gender matched civilian rates, it has climbed steadily since the beginning of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and since 2008 has exceeded the demographically matched civilian rate. The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) is a multicomponent epidemiological and neurobiological study designed to generate actionable evidence-based recommendations to reduce Army suicides and increase knowledge about risk and resilience factors for suicidality and its psychopathological correlates. This paper presents an overview of the Army STARRS component study designs and of recent findings. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS/INTERVENTION: Army STARRS includes six main component studies: (1) the Historical Administrative Data Study (HADS) of Army and Department of Defense (DoD) administrative data systems (including records of suicidal behaviors) for all soldiers on active duty 2004-2009 aimed at finding administrative record predictors of suicides; (2) retrospective case-control studies of fatal and nonfatal suicidal behaviors (each planned to have n = 150 cases and n = 300 controls); (3) a study of new soldiers (n = 50,765 completed surveys) assessed just before beginning basic combat training (BCT) with self-administered questionnaires (SAQ), neurocognitive tests, and blood samples; (4) a cross-sectional study of approximately 35,000 (completed SAQs) soldiers representative of all other (i.e., exclusive of BCT) active duty soldiers; (5) a pre-post deployment study (with blood samples) of soldiers in brigade combat teams about to deploy to Afghanistan (n = 9,421 completed baseline surveys), with sub-samples assessed again one, three, and nine months after returning from deployment; and (6) a pilot study to follow-up SAQ respondents transitioning to civilian life. Army/DoD administrative data are being linked prospectively to the large-scale survey

  12. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Gaia-PS1-SDSS (GPS1) proper motion catalog (Tian+, 2017)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, H.-J.; Gupta, P.; Sesar, B.; Rix, H.-W.; Martin, N. F.; Liu, C.; Goldman, B.; Platais, I.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Waters, C. Z.

    2018-02-01

    In order to construct proper motions, we analyze and model catalog positions from four different imaging surveys, as discussed below. Gaia DR1 is based on observations collected between 2014 July 25 and 2015 September 16. PS1 observations were collected between 2010 and 2014. The SDSS DR9 data used here were obtained in the years between 2000 and 2008. The images from 2MASS were taken between 1997 and 2001. (1 data file).

  13. Long-term outcome of stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) versus stapled hemorrhoidopexys (STH) for grade III-IV hemorrhoids: preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanella, Simone; Spirch, Saverio; Scarpa, Marco; Ricci, Francesco; Lumachi, Franco

    2014-01-01

    Circular stapled transanal hemorrhoidopexy (STH) was first introduced by A. Longo for the correction of internal mucosal prolapse and obstructed defecation and in 1998, was proposed as alternative to conventional excisional hemorrhoidectomy. More recently, stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) has gradually gained popularity, as the Longo procedure, in the treatment of hemorrhoids. The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of STARR as alternative to STH in patients with grade III (n=218, 68.1%) and IV (n=102, 31.9%) hemorrhoids. A group of 320 consecutive patients (median age=51 years; range=16-85) underwent STH (n=281) or STARR (n=39) procedure. The rate of postoperative bleeding (53.8% vs. 74.4%, phemorrhoids and a lower incidence of prolapse, both at one year (none vs. 1.4%, p=0.593 and 2.6% vs. 5.3%, p=0.396, respectively) and at two years (none vs. 6.8%, p=0.078 and none vs. 13.2%, p=0.012, respectively). The one-year (9.0 ± 1.8 vs. 9.4 ± 0.7, p=0.171) and two-year (9.6 ± 0.8 vs. 9.1 ± 1.7, p=0.072) general satisfaction was similar but higher in STARR patients than in the STH group. In conclusion, according to our preliminary results, the STARR procedure leads to a lower incidence of complications and recurrences and should be considered for patients with grade III or IV hemorrhoids previously selected for stapled hemorrhoidectomy, as a promising alternative to STH. Copyright © 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  14. Characterization of cucurbita maxima phloem serpin-1 (CmPS-1). A developmentally regulated elastase inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, B C; Aoki, K; Xiang, Y; Campbell, L R; Hull, R J; Xoconostle-Cázares, B; Monzer, J; Lee, J Y; Ullman, D E; Lucas, W J

    2000-11-10

    We report on the molecular, biochemical, and functional characterization of Cucurbita maxima phloem serpin-1 (CmPS-1), a novel 42-kDa serine proteinase inhibitor that is developmentally regulated and has anti-elastase properties. CmPS-1 was purified to near homogeneity from C. maxima (pumpkin) phloem exudate and, based on microsequence analysis, the cDNA encoding CmPS-1 was cloned. The association rate constant (k(a)) of phloem-purified and recombinant His(6)-tagged CmPS-1 for elastase was 3.5 +/- 1.6 x 10(5) and 2.7 +/- 0.4 x 10(5) m(-)(1) s(-)(1), respectively. The fraction of complex-forming CmPS-1, X(inh), was estimated at 79%. CmPS-1 displayed no detectable inhibitory properties against chymotrypsin, trypsin, or thrombin. The elastase cleavage sites within the reactive center loop of CmPS-1 were determined to be Val(347)-Gly(348) and Val(350)-Ser(351) with a 3:2 molar ratio. In vivo feeding assays conducted with the piercing-sucking aphid, Myzus persicae, established a close correlation between the developmentally regulated increase in CmPS-1 within the phloem sap and the reduced ability of these insects to survive and reproduce on C. maxima. However, in vitro feeding experiments, using purified phloem CmPS-1, failed to demonstrate a direct effect on aphid survival. Likely roles of this novel phloem serpin in defense against insects/pathogens are discussed.

  15. Lysosomal proteolysis and autophagy require presenilin 1 and are disrupted by Alzheimer-related PS1 mutations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ju-Hyun; Yu, W Haung; Kumar, Asok; Lee, Sooyeon; Mohan, Panaiyur S; Peterhoff, Corrinne M; Wolfe, Devin M; Martinez-Vicente, Marta; Massey, Ashish C; Sovak, Guy; Uchiyama, Yasuo; Westaway, David; Cuervo, Ana Maria; Nixon, Ralph A

    2010-06-25

    Macroautophagy is a lysosomal degradative pathway essential for neuron survival. Here, we show that macroautophagy requires the Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related protein presenilin-1 (PS1). In PS1 null blastocysts, neurons from mice hypomorphic for PS1 or conditionally depleted of PS1, substrate proteolysis and autophagosome clearance during macroautophagy are prevented as a result of a selective impairment of autolysosome acidification and cathepsin activation. These deficits are caused by failed PS1-dependent targeting of the v-ATPase V0a1 subunit to lysosomes. N-glycosylation of the V0a1 subunit, essential for its efficient ER-to-lysosome delivery, requires the selective binding of PS1 holoprotein to the unglycosylated subunit and the Sec61alpha/oligosaccharyltransferase complex. PS1 mutations causing early-onset AD produce a similar lysosomal/autophagy phenotype in fibroblasts from AD patients. PS1 is therefore essential for v-ATPase targeting to lysosomes, lysosome acidification, and proteolysis during autophagy. Defective lysosomal proteolysis represents a basis for pathogenic protein accumulations and neuronal cell death in AD and suggests previously unidentified therapeutic targets.

  16. Core-Collapse Supernova Progenitors In The Era Of Untargeted Transient Searches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Nathan Edward

    2014-04-01

    Core-collapse supernovae (SNe) are the highly energetic explosions of massive stars (≳ 8 M⊙) that are pervasive in their influence throughout astrophysics. They are the phenomenon with primary responsibility for enriching the universe with many of the heavy elements (like carbon and oxygen) that are needed for life, provide a critical feedback pressure which helps to shape the galaxies that host them, and are the likely formation mechanism for stellar mass black holes. In the past decade, the study of these explosions has been revolutionized by the advent of wide field, untargeted transient searches like Pan-STARRS1 (PS1). These new searches permit the discovery of SNe at unprecedented rates, and absent of many of the selection effects that have enforced biases on past, targeted transient searches. This thesis presents a broad survey of core-collapse SN phenomenology exhibited in the discoveries of untargeted searches, and statistically quantifies population properties of these explosions that link them to distinct classes of progenitor stars. Through studies of the host galaxy and explosion properties of extreme PS1-discovered events, and controlled samples of specific classes of core-collapse objects, we constrain the effect of progenitor star chemical composition (metallicity) on their eventual death states. We provide a new observational, photometric tool which lowers the cost of precisely and accurately measuring the metallicities of distant galaxies and supernova host environments. Moreover, we develop and apply a novel, multi-level Bayesian model for optical transient light curves which we apply to simultaneously interpret more than 20,000 PS1 images. This study illustrates how population-level modeling of data from large photometric surveys can yield improved physical inference on their progenitor stars through comparison to physical models. In the coming era, as next-generation facilities like the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope come online, the

  17. NOAA Ship David Starr Jordan Underway Meteorological Data, Quality Controlled

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NOAA Ship David Starr Jordan Underway Meteorological Data (delayed ~10 days for quality control) are from the Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic...

  18. Rab21, a Novel PS1 Interactor, Regulates γ-Secretase Activity via PS1 Subcellular Distribution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Zhenzhen; Xie, Yujie; Chen, Yintong; Yang, Qinghu; Quan, Zhenzhen; Dai, Rongji; Qing, Hong

    2018-05-01

    γ-Secretase has been a therapeutical target for its key role in cleaving APP to generate β-amyloid (Aβ), the primary constituents of senile plaques and a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Recently, γ-secretase-associating proteins showed promising role in specifically modulating APP processing while sparing Notch signaling; however, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. A co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) coupled with mass spectrometry proteomic assay for Presenilin1 (PS1, the catalytic subunit of γ-secretase) was firstly conducted to find more γ-secretase-associating proteins. Gene ontology analysis of these results identified Rab21 as a potential PS1 interacting protein, and the interaction between them was validated by reciprocal Co-IP and immunofluorescence assay. Then, molecular and biochemical methods were used to investigate the effect of Rab21 on APP processing. Results showed that overexpression of Rab21 enhanced Aβ generation, while silencing of Rab21 reduced the accumulation of Aβ, which resulted due to change in γ-secretase activity rather than α- or β-secretase. Finally, we demonstrated that Rab21 had no effect on γ-secretase complex synthesis or metabolism but enhanced PS1 endocytosis and translocation to late endosome/lysosome. In conclusion, we identified a novel γ-secretase-associating protein Rab21 and illustrate that Rab21 promotes γ-secretase internalization and translocation to late endosome/lysosome. Moreover, silencing of Rab21 decreases the γ-secretase activity in APP processing thus production of Aβ. All these results open new gateways towards the understanding of γ-secretase-associating proteins in APP processing and make inhibition of Rab21 a promising strategy for AD therapy.

  19. Chronic back pain and associated work and non-work variables among farmworkers from Starr County, Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipp, Eva M; Cooper, Sharon P; del Junco, Deborah J; Delclos, George L; Burau, Keith D; Tortolero, Susan; Whitworth, Ryan E

    2009-01-01

    This study estimated the prevalence of chronic back pain among migrant farmworker family members and identified associated work and non-work variables. Migrant farmworkers (n = 390 from 267 families) from Starr County, Texas were interviewed in their home once a year for 2 years. The original survey included items measuring demographics, smoking, sleep, farm work, and chronic back pain. For this cross-sectional analysis, multi-level logistic regression was used to identify associated work and other variables associated with chronic back pain while accounting for intraclass correlations due to repeated measures and multiple family members. The prevalence of chronic back pain during the last migration season ranged from 9.5% among the youngest children to 33.3% among mothers. Variables significantly associated with chronic back pain were age (odds ratio [OR], 1.03, per year increase), depressive symptoms while migrating (OR, 8.72), fewer than 8 hours of sleep at home in Starr County (OR, 2.26), fairly bad/very bad quality of sleep while migrating (OR, 3.25), sorting crops at work (OR, 0.18), and working tree crops (OR, 11.72). The role of work exposures, depressive symptoms, and sleep in chronic back pain among farmworkers warrants further examination. Refinements in outcome and exposure assessments are also needed given the lack of a standardized case definition and the variety of tasks and crops involved in farm work in the United States.

  20. File list: His.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available His.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 Histone Pancreas PANC-1 SRX825369,SRX101484,SRX101485,...SRX825383,SRX152077,SRX190044,SRX825376,SRX825390 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/His.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  1. File list: His.Pan.05.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available His.Pan.05.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 Histone Pancreas PANC-1 SRX825369,SRX101484,SRX101485,...SRX152077,SRX825383,SRX825376,SRX190044,SRX825390 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/His.Pan.05.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  2. File list: His.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available His.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 Histone Pancreas PANC-1 SRX825369,SRX101484,SRX101485,...SRX825383,SRX152077,SRX190044,SRX825376,SRX825390 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/His.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  3. File list: His.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available His.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 Histone Pancreas PANC-1 SRX825369,SRX101484,SRX825383,...SRX152077,SRX190044,SRX825390,SRX825376,SRX101485 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/His.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  4. A New 3D Map of Milky Way Dust

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Gregory Maurice; Schlafly, Edward; Finkbeiner, Douglas

    2018-01-01

    Interstellar dust is an important foreground for observations across a wide range of wavelengths. Dust grains scatter and absorb UV, optical and near-infrared light. These processes heat dust grains, causing them to radiate in the far-infrared. As a tracer of mass in the interstellar medium, dust correlates strongly with diffuse gamma-ray emission generated by cosmic-ray pion production. Thus, while dust makes up just 1% of the mass of the interstellar medium, it plays an outsize role in our efforts to address questions as diverse as the chemical evolution of the Milky Way galaxy and the existence of primordial B-mode polarizations in the CMB.We present a new 3D map of Milky Way dust, covering three-quarters of the sky (δ > -30°). The map is based on high-quality photometry of more than 800 million stars observed by Pan-STARRS 1, with matched photometry from 2MASS for approximately 200 million stars. We infer the distribution of dust vs. distance along sightlines with a typical angular scale of 6'. Out of the midplane of the Galaxy, our map agrees well with 2D maps based on far-infrared dust emission. After accounting for a 15% difference in scale, we find a mean scatter of approximately 10% between our map and the Planck 2D dust map, out to a depth of 0.8 mag in E(r-z). Our map can be downloaded at http://argonaut.skymaps.info.In order to extend our map, we have surveyed the southern Galactic plane with DECam, which is mounted on the 4m Blanco telescope on Cerro Tololo. The resulting survey, the Dark Energy Camera Plane Survey (DECaPS), is now publicly available. See Edward Schlafly's poster for more information on DECaPS.

  5. File list: ALL.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ALL.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 All antigens Pancreas PANC-1 SRX825369,SRX101484,SRX19...29,SRX190252,SRX825390,SRX644404,SRX825376,SRX101485 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/ALL.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  6. File list: ALL.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ALL.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 All antigens Pancreas PANC-1 SRX825369,SRX101484,SRX19...12,SRX644404,SRX825376,SRX199860,SRX190029,SRX825390 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/ALL.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  7. File list: ALL.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ALL.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 All antigens Pancreas PANC-1 SRX825369,SRX101484,SRX19...44,SRX190248,SRX199860,SRX190029,SRX825376,SRX825390 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/ALL.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  8. Preliminary Astrometric Results from the PS1 Demo Month and Routine Survey Operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-01

    with the  2MASS  catalog 3 to  produce preliminary astrometric solutions.  Using these  coordinates, the NOFS astrometric pipeline correlates PS1...objects with other catalogs (USNO‐B1.0, SDSS, Tycho‐2,  2MASS , etc.) so that unique star identification numbers can  be assigned across all catalogs. This...correlated  pair, and the standard deviation for these pairings is about  0.3 arcsec.  Whereas the  2MASS  catalog error for a brighter  star is believed to be

  9. An HDAC2-TET1 switch at distinct chromatin regions significantly promotes the maturation of pre-iPS to iPS cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Tingyi; Chen, Wen; Wang, Xiukun; Zhang, Man; Chen, Jiayu; Zhu, Songcheng; Chen, Long; Yang, Dandan; Wang, Guiying; Jia, Wenwen; Yu, Yangyang; Duan, Tao; Wu, Minjuan; Liu, Houqi; Gao, Shaorong; Kang, Jiuhong

    2015-01-01

    The maturation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) is one of the limiting steps of somatic cell reprogramming, but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we reported that knockdown of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) specifically promoted the maturation of iPS cells. Further studies showed that HDAC2 knockdown significantly increased histone acetylation, facilitated TET1 binding and DNA demethylation at the promoters of iPS cell maturation-related genes during the transition of pre-iPS cells to a fully reprogrammed state. We also found that HDAC2 competed with TET1 in the binding of the RbAp46 protein at the promoters of maturation genes and knockdown of TET1 markedly prevented the activation of these genes. Collectively, our data not only demonstrated a novel intrinsic mechanism that the HDAC2-TET1 switch critically regulates iPS cell maturation, but also revealed an underlying mechanism of the interplay between histone acetylation and DNA demethylation in gene regulation. PMID:25934799

  10. THE TIME DOMAIN SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY: VARIABLE SELECTION AND ANTICIPATED RESULTS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morganson, Eric; Green, Paul J. [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Anderson, Scott F.; Ruan, John J. [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Myers, Adam D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 (United States); Eracleous, Michael; Brandt, William Nielsen [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 525 Davey Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Kelly, Brandon [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9530 (United States); Badenes, Carlos [Department of Physics and Astronomy and Pittsburgh Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology Center (PITT PACC), University of Pittsburgh, 3941 O’Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (United States); Bañados, Eduardo [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Blanton, Michael R. [Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, Department of Physics, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003 (United States); Bershady, Matthew A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin, 475 N. Charter St., Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Borissova, Jura [Instituto de Física y Astronomía, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1111, Playa Ancha, Casilla 5030, and Millennium Institute of Astrophysics (MAS), Santiago (Chile); Burgett, William S. [GMTO Corp, Suite 300, 251 S. Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Chambers, Kenneth, E-mail: emorganson@cfa.harvard.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); and others

    2015-06-20

    We present the selection algorithm and anticipated results for the Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS). TDSS is an Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-IV Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) subproject that will provide initial identification spectra of approximately 220,000 luminosity-variable objects (variable stars and active galactic nuclei across 7500 deg{sup 2} selected from a combination of SDSS and multi-epoch Pan-STARRS1 photometry. TDSS will be the largest spectroscopic survey to explicitly target variable objects, avoiding pre-selection on the basis of colors or detailed modeling of specific variability characteristics. Kernel Density Estimate analysis of our target population performed on SDSS Stripe 82 data suggests our target sample will be 95% pure (meaning 95% of objects we select have genuine luminosity variability of a few magnitudes or more). Our final spectroscopic sample will contain roughly 135,000 quasars and 85,000 stellar variables, approximately 4000 of which will be RR Lyrae stars which may be used as outer Milky Way probes. The variability-selected quasar population has a smoother redshift distribution than a color-selected sample, and variability measurements similar to those we develop here may be used to make more uniform quasar samples in large surveys. The stellar variable targets are distributed fairly uniformly across color space, indicating that TDSS will obtain spectra for a wide variety of stellar variables including pulsating variables, stars with significant chromospheric activity, cataclysmic variables, and eclipsing binaries. TDSS will serve as a pathfinder mission to identify and characterize the multitude of variable objects that will be detected photometrically in even larger variability surveys such as Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

  11. File list: Oth.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Oth.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 TFs and others Pancreas PANC-1 SRX100415,SRX190241,SRX...100942,SRX644410,SRX825399,SRX1026679,SRX1026680,SRX1026681,SRX1026678,SRX190248,SRX190315 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Oth.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  12. File list: Oth.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Oth.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 TFs and others Pancreas PANC-1 SRX100415,SRX825399,SRX...1026679,SRX1026680,SRX1026681,SRX1026678,SRX190315,SRX190248,SRX190241,SRX100942,SRX644410 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Oth.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  13. File list: Oth.Pan.05.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Oth.Pan.05.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 TFs and others Pancreas PANC-1 SRX100942,SRX100415,SRX...190241,SRX190248,SRX190315,SRX644410,SRX825399,SRX1026680,SRX1026679,SRX1026678,SRX1026681 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Oth.Pan.05.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  14. File list: Oth.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Oth.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 TFs and others Pancreas PANC-1 SRX100942,SRX100415,SRX...190241,SRX644410,SRX825399,SRX190315,SRX1026680,SRX1026679,SRX1026681,SRX1026678,SRX190248 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Oth.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  15. On the crystallization behavior of syndiotactic-b-atactic polystyrene stereodiblock copolymers, atactic/syndiotactic polystyrene blends, and aPS/sPS blends modified with sPS-b-aPS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Annunziata, Liana, E-mail: liana.annunziatta@univ-rennes1.fr [Organométalliques et Catalyse, UMR 6226 Sciences Chimiques CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, F-35042 Rennes Cedex (France); Monasse, Bernard, E-mail: bernard.monasse@mines-paristech.fr [Mines-ParisTech, CEMEF, Centre de Mise en Forme des Matériaux, UMR CNRS 7635, Sophia Antipolis (France); Rizzo, Paola; Guerra, Gaetano [Dipartimento di Chimica e Biologia, Università degli studi di Salerno, Via Ponte don Melillo, I-84084 Fisciano, SA (Italy); Duc, Michel [Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy, Zone Industrielle Feluy C, B-7181 Seneffe (Belgium); Carpentier, Jean-François, E-mail: jean-francois.carpentier@univ-rennes1.fr [Organométalliques et Catalyse, UMR 6226 Sciences Chimiques CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, F-35042 Rennes Cedex (France)

    2013-09-16

    Crystallization and morphological features of syndiotactic-b-atactic polystyrene stereodiblock copolymers (sPS-b-aPS), atactic/syndiotactic polystyrene blends (aPS/sPS), and aPS/sPS blends modified with sPS-b-aPS, with different compositions in aPS and sPS, have been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light optical microscopy (POM) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXRD) techniques. For comparative purposes, the properties of parent pristine sPS samples were also studied. WAXRD analyses revealed for all the samples, independently from their composition (aPS/sPS ratio) and structure (blends, block copolymers, blends modified with block copolymers), the same polymorphic β form of sPS. The molecular weight of aPS and sPS showed opposite effects on the crystallization of 50:50 aPS/sPS blends: the lower the molecular weight of aPS, the slower the crystallization while the lower the molecular weight of sPS, the faster the crystallization. DSC studies performed under both isothermal and non-isothermal conditions, independently confirmed by POM studies, led to a clear trend for the crystallization rate at a given sPS/aPS ratio (ca. 50:50 and 20:80): sPS homopolymers > sPS-b-aPS block copolymers ∼sPS/aPS blends modified with sPS-b-aPS copolymers > sPS/aPS blends. Interestingly, sPS-b-aPS block copolymers not only crystallized faster than blends, but also affected positively the crystallization behavior of blends. At 50:50 sPS/aPS ratio, blends (Blend-2), block copolymers (Cop-1) and blends modified with block copolymers (Blend-2-mod) crystallized via spherulitic crystalline growth controlled by an interfacial process. In all cases, an instantaneous nucleation was observed. The density of nuclei in block copolymers (160,000−190,000 nuclei mm{sup −3}) was always higher than that in blends and modified blends (30,000−60,000 nuclei mm{sup −3}), even for quite different sPS/aPS ratio. At 20:80 sPS/aPS ratio, the block copolymers

  16. A paralogous decoy protects Phytophthora sojae apoplastic effector PsXEG1 from a host inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Zhenchuan; Zhu, Lin; Song, Tianqiao; Wang, Yang; Zhang, Qi; Xia, Yeqiang; Qiu, Min; Lin, Yachun; Li, Haiyang; Kong, Liang; Fang, Yufeng; Ye, Wenwu; Wang, Yan; Dong, Suomeng; Zheng, Xiaobo; Tyler, Brett M; Wang, Yuanchao

    2017-02-17

    The extracellular space (apoplast) of plant tissue represents a critical battleground between plants and attacking microbes. Here we show that a pathogen-secreted apoplastic xyloglucan-specific endoglucanase, PsXEG1, is a focus of this struggle in the Phytophthora sojae -soybean interaction. We show that soybean produces an apoplastic glucanase inhibitor protein, GmGIP1, that binds to PsXEG1 to block its contribution to virulence. P. sojae , however, secretes a paralogous PsXEG1-like protein, PsXLP1, that has lost enzyme activity but binds to GmGIP1 more tightly than does PsXEG1, thus freeing PsXEG1 to support P. sojae infection. The gene pair encoding PsXEG1 and PsXLP1 is conserved in many Phytophthora species, and the P. parasitica orthologs PpXEG1 and PpXLP1 have similar functions. Thus, this apoplastic decoy strategy may be widely used in Phytophthora pathosystems. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  17. File list: InP.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 Input control Pancreas PANC-1 SRX190309,SRX150696,SRX1...99860,SRX101486,SRX190029,SRX190252,SRX644404 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/InP.Pan.50.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  18. File list: InP.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1 hg19 Input control Pancreas PANC-1 SRX101486,SRX190309,SRX1...50696,SRX190252,SRX644404,SRX199860,SRX190029 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/InP.Pan.20.AllAg.PANC-1.bed ...

  19. File list: InP.Pan.05.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

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  20. File list: InP.Pan.10.AllAg.PANC-1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

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  1. LS1 Report: PS beams are back!

    CERN Multimedia

    Katarina Anthony & Anaïs Schaeffer

    2014-01-01

    For the first time in over 15 months, there are beams back in the PS. Making their first tour of the accelerator today, 20 June, their injection marks the end of weeks of cold checkouts and hardware commissioning in the PS.   The CERN Control Centre (CCC) is back in business: people gather to restart the LHC injectors, today the PS. Since hardware commissioning was wrapped up on 23 May, the Operations Group (BE-OP) has been conducting cold checkouts on the PS. This involves switching on all of the machine's systems, verifying that they respond to commands by OP and ensuring they are calibrated to beam timings. "These verifications were done, in part, during the hardware commissioning dry runs," says Rende Steerenberg, PS section leader. "But the cold checkouts are on a much larger scale, as we act as if there is beam in the whole machine. We placed a full load on the controls system, cooling, networks, etc. in order to setup the accelerator in the most realis...

  2. AGN Accretion Physics in the Time Domain: Survey Cadences, Stochastic Analysis, and Physical Interpretations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Jackeline; Vogeley, Michael S.; Richards, Gordon; O'Brien, John T.; Kasliwal, Vishal

    2018-01-01

    We present rigorous testing of survey cadences (K2, SDSS, CRTS, & Pan-STARRS) for quasar variability science using a magnetohydrodynamics synthetic lightcurve and the canonical lightcurve from Kepler, Zw 229.15. We explain where the state of the art is in regards to physical interpretations of stochastic models (CARMA) applied to AGN variability. Quasar variability offers a time domain approach of probing accretion physics at the SMBH scale. Evidence shows that the strongest amplitude changes in the brightness of AGN occur on long timescales ranging from months to hundreds of days. These global behaviors can be constrained by survey data despite low sampling resolution. CARMA processes provide a flexible family of models used to interpolate between data points, predict future observations and describe behaviors in a lightcurve. This is accomplished by decomposing a signal into rise and decay timescales, frequencies for cyclic behavior and shock amplitudes. Characteristic timescales may point to length-scales over which a physical process operates such as turbulent eddies, warping or hotspots due to local thermal instabilities. We present the distribution of SDSS Stripe 82 quasars in CARMA parameters space that pass our cadence tests and also explain how the Damped Harmonic Oscillator model, CARMA(2,1), reduces to the Damped Random Walk, CARMA(1,0), given the data in a specific region of the parameter space.

  3. Synthesis of NiPS3 and CoPS and its hydrogen storage capacity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ismail, N.; Madian, M.; El-Meligi, A.A.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Preparation of NiPS 3 and CoPS using solid state reaction. • Characterization of compounds using XRD, TEM, SEM and IR. • Measuring the compounds thermal stability. • Estimation of the hydrogen storage capacity. -- Abstract: Prepared CoPS and NiPS 3 are studied as new materials for hydrogen energy storage. Single phase of CoPS and NiPS 3 were grown separately in evacuated silicatube via solid state reaction at 650 °C with controlled heating rate 1 °C/min. X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the formation of the desired compounds. Both CoPS and NiPS 3 exhibited high thermal stability up to 700 °C and 630 °C, respectively. The morphology of the prepared samples was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and folded sheets appeared in the transmission electron microscopy. The samples were exposed to 20 bar applied hydrogen pressure at 80 K. Both compounds appear to have feasible hydrogen storage capacity. CoPS was capable to adsorb 1.7 wt% while NiPS 3 storage capacity reached 1.2 wt%

  4. Prevalence of oral lesions in pan vendor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prakash Gadodia

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Being a portal of entry to various smoking and smokeless tobacco products, oral cavity is prone to deleterious effects. Present study consist of epidemiological survey to elucidate oral lesions in pan vendors. Aims and objectives: To detect oral lesions in pan vendors and compare it with controls. To detect habit pattern and prevalence of OSMF and other lesions in pan vendors as compared to controls- To identify, recognize and evaluate the possible etiology for OSMF, encompassing various chewing and smoking habits. Materials and methods: Study population consist of 170 pan vendors with age ranging from 15 to 55 years and equal number of sex matched controls selected randomly. Results: Prevalence of oral lesions in pan vendors is statistically significantly higher as compared to controls. The habit of arecanut chewing in various forms was present in all cases. The habit of smoking and smokeless tobacco products was present in all cases. Conclusion: Pan vendors are at higher risk for oral lesions than controls. There is increase in relative risk with increase in duration and frequency of habit.

  5. Commentary on "The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS)": Army STARRS: a Framingham-like study of psychological health risk factors in soldiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ressler, Kerry J; Schoomaker, Eric B

    2014-01-01

    Although historically the Army suicide rate has been significantly lower than the civilian rate, in 2004, the suicide and accidental death rates began trending upward. By 2008, the Army suicide rate had risen above the national average (20.2 per 100,000). In 2009, 160 active duty Soldiers took their lives, making suicide the third leading cause of death among the Army population. If accidental death, frequently the result of high-risk behavior, is included, then more Soldiers died by their own actions than in combat in 2009. The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) was thus created in 2009 to begin to address these problems. The Army STARRS project is a large consortium of seven different studies to develop data-driven methods for mitigating or preventing suicide behaviors and improving the overall mental health and behavioral functioning of Army Soldiers during and after their Army service. The first research articles from the Army STARRS project were published in late 2013 and early 2014. This work has already begun to outline important facets of risk in the military, and it is helping to drive an empirically derived approach to improvements in understanding mental disorders and risk behavior and to improve prevention and support of mental health and resilience. The Framingham Heart Study, started in the 1940s, marked a watershed event in utilizing large cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal collaborative research to identify and understand risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The Army STARRS project, through its collaborative, prospective, and robust innovative design and implementation, may provide the beginning of a similar scientific cohort in mental disorders. The work of this project will help understand biological and psychological aspects of military service, including those leading to suicide. When coupled with timely feedback to Army leadership, it permits near real-time steps to diagnose, mitigate, and

  6. PanFP: pangenome-based functional profiles for microbial communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, Se-Ran; Robeson, Michael S; Hauser, Loren J; Schadt, Christopher W; Gorin, Andrey A

    2015-09-26

    For decades there has been increasing interest in understanding the relationships between microbial communities and ecosystem functions. Current DNA sequencing technologies allows for the exploration of microbial communities in two principle ways: targeted rRNA gene surveys and shotgun metagenomics. For large study designs, it is often still prohibitively expensive to sequence metagenomes at both the breadth and depth necessary to statistically capture the true functional diversity of a community. Although rRNA gene surveys provide no direct evidence of function, they do provide a reasonable estimation of microbial diversity, while being a very cost-effective way to screen samples of interest for later shotgun metagenomic analyses. However, there is a great deal of 16S rRNA gene survey data currently available from diverse environments, and thus a need for tools to infer functional composition of environmental samples based on 16S rRNA gene survey data. We present a computational method called pangenome-based functional profiles (PanFP), which infers functional profiles of microbial communities from 16S rRNA gene survey data for Bacteria and Archaea. PanFP is based on pangenome reconstruction of a 16S rRNA gene operational taxonomic unit (OTU) from known genes and genomes pooled from the OTU's taxonomic lineage. From this lineage, we derive an OTU functional profile by weighting a pangenome's functional profile with the OTUs abundance observed in a given sample. We validated our method by comparing PanFP to the functional profiles obtained from the direct shotgun metagenomic measurement of 65 diverse communities via Spearman correlation coefficients. These correlations improved with increasing sequencing depth, within the range of 0.8-0.9 for the most deeply sequenced Human Microbiome Project mock community samples. PanFP is very similar in performance to another recently released tool, PICRUSt, for almost all of survey data analysed here. But, our method is unique

  7. Near-Earth Object Survey Simulation Software

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naidu, Shantanu P.; Chesley, Steven R.; Farnocchia, Davide

    2017-10-01

    There is a significant interest in Near-Earth objects (NEOs) because they pose an impact threat to Earth, offer valuable scientific information, and are potential targets for robotic and human exploration. The number of NEO discoveries has been rising rapidly over the last two decades with over 1800 being discovered last year, making the total number of known NEOs >16000. Pan-STARRS and the Catalina Sky Survey are currently the most prolific NEO surveys, having discovered >1600 NEOs between them in 2016. As next generation surveys such as Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and the proposed Near-Earth Object Camera (NEOCam) become operational in the next decade, the discovery rate is expected to increase tremendously. Coordination between various survey telescopes will be necessary in order to optimize NEO discoveries and create a unified global NEO discovery network. We are collaborating on a community-based, open-source software project to simulate asteroid surveys to facilitate such coordination and develop strategies for improving discovery efficiency. Our effort so far has focused on development of a fast and efficient tool capable of accepting user-defined asteroid population models and telescope parameters such as a list of pointing angles and camera field-of-view, and generating an output list of detectable asteroids. The software takes advantage of the widely used and tested SPICE library and architecture developed by NASA’s Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility (Acton, 1996) for saving and retrieving asteroid trajectories and camera pointing. Orbit propagation is done using OpenOrb (Granvik et al. 2009) but future versions will allow the user to plug in a propagator of their choice. The software allows the simulation of both ground-based and space-based surveys. Performance is being tested using the Grav et al. (2011) asteroid population model and the LSST simulated survey “enigma_1189”.

  8. The VLA Sky Survey (VLASS): Description and Science Goals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lacy, Mark; Baum, Stefi Alison; Chandler, Claire J.; Chatterjee, Shami; Murphy, Eric J.; Myers, Steven T.; VLASS Survey Science Group

    2016-01-01

    The VLA Sky Survey (VLASS) will cover 80% of the sky to a target depth of 70muJy in the 2-4GHz S-band of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. With a resolution of 2.5 arcseconds, it will deliver the highest angular resolution of any wide area radio survey. Each area of the survey will be observed in three epochs spaced by 32 months in order to investigate the transient radio source population over an unprecedented combination of depth and area, resulting in a uniquely powerful search for hidden explosions in the Universe. The survey will be carried out in full polarization, allowing the characterization of the magneto-ionic medium in AGN and intervening galaxies over a wide range of redshifts, and the study of Faraday rotating foregrounds such as ionized bubbles in the Milky Way. The high angular resolution will allow us to make unambiguous identifications of nearly 10 million radio sources, comprised of both extragalactic objects and more nearby radio sources in the Milky Way, through matching to wide area optical/IR surveys such as SDSS, PanSTARRS, DES, LSST, EUCLID, WFIRST and WISE. Integral to the VLASS plan is an Education and Public Outreach component that will seek to inform and educate both the scientific community and the general public about radio astronomy through the use of social media, citizen science and educational activities. We will discuss opportunities for community involvement in VLASS, including the development of Enhanced Data Products and Services that will greatly increase the scientific utility of the survey.

  9. LS1 Report: PS Booster prepares for beam

    CERN Multimedia

    Katarina Anthony

    2014-01-01

    With Linac2 already up and running, the countdown to beam in the LHC has begun! The next in line is the PS Booster, which will close up shop to engineers early next week. The injector will be handed over to the Operations Group who are tasked with getting it ready for active duty.   Taken as we approach the end of LS1 activities, this image shows where protons will soon be injected from Linac2 into the four PS Booster rings. Over the coming two months, the Operations Group will be putting the Booster's new elements through their paces. "Because of the wide range of upgrades and repairs carried out in the Booster, we have a very full schedule of tests planned for the machine," says Bettina Mikulec, PS Booster Engineer in Charge. "We will begin with cold checks; these are a wide range of tests carried out without beam, including system tests with power on/off and with varying settings, as well as verification of the controls system and timings." Amon...

  10. HEALTH INITIATIVES IN NATIONAL PAN-AMERICAN SWIMMING FEDERATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clarence Perez Diaz

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Introduction: National Swimming Federations (NFs supervise a large number of athletes and have the duty to protect their health that implies also the opportunity to improve public health. Objective: 1 To determine if the health professionals, the priorities, activities, and researches of the Pan-American NFs are focused on protecting athletes’ health and promoting the health of the population in general. 2 To determine if the FINA rules, projects and programs are applied. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was carried out among the 45 Pan-American NFs requesting information on the profile of the health professionals (dimension 1; D1, on programs, activities and research to promote health measures (dimension 2; D2, and on the importance of Pan-American NFs for the health of athletes and for the promotion of health in society in general (dimension 3; D3. We performed a similarity study according to the Rogers-Tanimoto coefficient (D1 and D2 and the chi-squared test (χ² (D3. Results: Thirty NFs answered the survey (response rate: 66.6%. For each dimension, the NFs were classified into five groups (A, B, C, D, E. Among the NFs, 33.3% have physicians and 33.3% have physical therapists. In each of the dimensions, Group A accounted for the majority of NFs but their results were lower. The groups with the highest rates in each dimension contained a maximum of two NFs. The health of the elite athletes was ranked as the fourth most important issue. The health of the recreational athletes and the health of the general population had the lowest priority. Drowning prevention programs were the most common. Conclusions: Pan-American NFs have few medical resources and only a few have injury prevention programs for elite athletes. There is a need to improve health promotion programs to achieve relevant social outcomes.

  11. Cosmology with weak lensing surveys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munshi, Dipak; Valageas, Patrick; Waerbeke, Ludovic van; Heavens, Alan

    2008-01-01

    Weak gravitational lensing is responsible for the shearing and magnification of the images of high-redshift sources due to the presence of intervening matter. The distortions are due to fluctuations in the gravitational potential, and are directly related to the distribution of matter and to the geometry and dynamics of the Universe. As a consequence, weak gravitational lensing offers unique possibilities for probing the Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe. In this review, we summarise the theoretical and observational state of the subject, focussing on the statistical aspects of weak lensing, and consider the prospects for weak lensing surveys in the future. Weak gravitational lensing surveys are complementary to both galaxy surveys and cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations as they probe the unbiased non-linear matter power spectrum at modest redshifts. Most of the cosmological parameters are accurately estimated from CMB and large-scale galaxy surveys, so the focus of attention is shifting to understanding the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. On the theoretical side, recent advances in the use of 3D information of the sources from photometric redshifts promise greater statistical power, and these are further enhanced by the use of statistics beyond two-point quantities such as the power spectrum. The use of 3D information also alleviates difficulties arising from physical effects such as the intrinsic alignment of galaxies, which can mimic weak lensing to some extent. On the observational side, in the next few years weak lensing surveys such as CFHTLS, VST-KIDS and Pan-STARRS, and the planned Dark Energy Survey, will provide the first weak lensing surveys covering very large sky areas and depth. In the long run even more ambitious programmes such as DUNE, the Supernova Anisotropy Probe (SNAP) and Large-aperture Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) are planned. Weak lensing of diffuse components such as the CMB and 21 cm emission can also

  12. Cosmology with weak lensing surveys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Munshi, Dipak [Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OHA (United Kingdom); Astrophysics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OHE (United Kingdom)], E-mail: munshi@ast.cam.ac.uk; Valageas, Patrick [Service de Physique Theorique, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Waerbeke, Ludovic van [University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Canada); Heavens, Alan [SUPA - Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom)

    2008-06-15

    Weak gravitational lensing is responsible for the shearing and magnification of the images of high-redshift sources due to the presence of intervening matter. The distortions are due to fluctuations in the gravitational potential, and are directly related to the distribution of matter and to the geometry and dynamics of the Universe. As a consequence, weak gravitational lensing offers unique possibilities for probing the Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe. In this review, we summarise the theoretical and observational state of the subject, focussing on the statistical aspects of weak lensing, and consider the prospects for weak lensing surveys in the future. Weak gravitational lensing surveys are complementary to both galaxy surveys and cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations as they probe the unbiased non-linear matter power spectrum at modest redshifts. Most of the cosmological parameters are accurately estimated from CMB and large-scale galaxy surveys, so the focus of attention is shifting to understanding the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. On the theoretical side, recent advances in the use of 3D information of the sources from photometric redshifts promise greater statistical power, and these are further enhanced by the use of statistics beyond two-point quantities such as the power spectrum. The use of 3D information also alleviates difficulties arising from physical effects such as the intrinsic alignment of galaxies, which can mimic weak lensing to some extent. On the observational side, in the next few years weak lensing surveys such as CFHTLS, VST-KIDS and Pan-STARRS, and the planned Dark Energy Survey, will provide the first weak lensing surveys covering very large sky areas and depth. In the long run even more ambitious programmes such as DUNE, the Supernova Anisotropy Probe (SNAP) and Large-aperture Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) are planned. Weak lensing of diffuse components such as the CMB and 21 cm emission can also

  13. Pan African Medical Journal - Vol 16, No 1 (2014)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pan African Medical Journal - Vol 16, No 1 (2014) .... Cancer incidence in Morocco: report from Casablanca registry 2005-2007 · EMAIL FREE FULL .... Maladie de Leo-Buerger faisant suite à une intoxication au cannabis · EMAIL FREE FULL ...

  14. Albedos of Jovian Trojans, Hildas and Centaurs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanishin, William; Tegler, Stephen C.

    2017-10-01

    We present distributions of optical V band albedos for samples of outer solar system minor bodies including Centaurs, Jovian Trojans and Hildas. Diameters come almost entirely from the NEOWISE catalog (Mainzer etal 2016- Planetary Data System). Optical photometry (H values) for about 2/3 of the approximately 2700 objects studied are from PanStarrrs (Veres et al 2015 Icarus 261, 34). The PanStarrs optical photometry is supplemented by H values from JPL Horizons (corrected to be on the same photometric system as the PanStarrs data) for the objects in the NEOWISE catalog that are not in the PanStarrs catalog. We compare the albedo distributions of various pairs of subsamples using the nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test. Examples of potentially interesting comparisons include: (1) The Hildas are 15-25% darker than the Trojans at a very high level of statistical significance. If the Hildas and Trojans started out with similar surfaces, the Hildas may have darkened due to the effects of gardening as they pass through zone III of the asteroid belt. (2) The median albedo of the gray Centaurs lies between that of the L4 and L5 Trojan groups (3) The median L5 Trojan cloud albedo is about 10% darker than that of the L4 cloud at a high level of significance. However, the modes of the L4 and L5 albedo distributions are very similar, perhaps indicating the presence of a distinct brighter component in the L4 cloud that is not found in the L5 cloud.

  15. Machine learning and next-generation asteroid surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nugent, Carrie R.; Dailey, John; Cutri, Roc M.; Masci, Frank J.; Mainzer, Amy K.

    2017-10-01

    Next-generation surveys such as NEOCam (Mainzer et al., 2016) will sift through tens of millions of point source detections daily to detect and discover asteroids. This requires new, more efficient techniques to distinguish between solar system objects, background stars and galaxies, and artifacts such as cosmic rays, scattered light and diffraction spikes.Supervised machine learning is a set of algorithms that allows computers to classify data on a training set, and then apply that classification to make predictions on new datasets. It has been employed by a broad range of fields, including computer vision, medical diagnoses, economics, and natural language processing. It has also been applied to astronomical datasets, including transient identification in the Palomar Transient Factory pipeline (Masci et al., 2016), and in the Pan-STARRS1 difference imaging (D. E. Wright et al., 2015).As part of the NEOCam extended phase A work we apply machine learning techniques to the problem of asteroid detection. Asteroid detection is an ideal application of supervised learning, as there is a wealth of metrics associated with each extracted source, and suitable training sets are easily created. Using the vetted NEOWISE dataset (E. L. Wright et al., 2010, Mainzer et al., 2011) as a proof-of-concept of this technique, we applied the python package sklearn. We report on reliability, feature set selection, and the suitability of various algorithms.

  16. Pan-pan Girls: Humiliating Liberation in Postwar Japanese Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rumi Sakamoto

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper looks at some literary representations of the ‘pan-pan girls’ in postwar Japan. ‘Pan-pan’ is a derogatory term for street prostitutes who (mostly served the soldiers of the occupying forces. Immediately after World War II, the Japanese government established the RAA (Recreation Amusement Association and employed several thousand women to provide sexual services for foreign soldiers, ostensibly to protect Japanese women of middle and upper classes from rape and other violence. When the RAA was closed down in 1946 due to the US concern over widespread VD, many of the women who lost their jobs went out on the street and became private and illegal prostitutes – the pan-pan girls. With their red lipstick, cigarettes, nylon stockings and high-heel shoes, often holding onto the arms of tall, uniformed American GIs, the ‘pan-pan girls’ became a symbol of the occupation, and have been textually reproduced throughout the postwar period. This paper analyses the images and representations of the ‘pan-pan girls’ in postwar Japanese literature, to consider how the ‘pan-pan girls’ have functioned as a metaphor for the occupation and contributed to the public memory construction of the occupation. I identify some major codes of representations (victimisation, humiliation, and national trauma; eroticism and decadence; sexual freedom and materialism and argue that the highly gendered and sexualised bodies of the ‘pan-pan girls’ have continued to allow simplistic and selective remembering of the occupation at the expense of recalling the pivotal role of Japanese patriarchy in the postwar period.

  17. PsOr1, a potential target for RNA interference-based pest management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Y Y; Liu, F; Yang, G; You, M S

    2011-02-01

    Insect pests cause billions of dollars in agricultural losses, and attempts to kill them have resulted in growing threats from insecticide resistance, dietary pesticide pollution and environmental destruction. New approaches to control refractory insect pests are therefore needed. The host-plant preferences of insect pests rely on olfaction and are mediated via a seven transmembrane-domain odorant receptor (Or) family. The present study reports the cloning and characterization of PsOr1, the first candidate member of the Or gene family from Phyllotreta striolata, a devastating beetle pest that causes damage worldwide. PsOr1 is remarkably well conserved with respect to other insect orthologues, including DmOr83b from Drosophila melanogaster. These insect orthologues form an essential non-conventional Or sub-family and may play an important and generalized role in insect olfaction. We designed double-stranded (ds) RNA directly against the PsOr1 gene and exploited RNA interference (RNAi) to control P. striolata. The chemotactic behavioural measurements showed that adult beetles were unable to sense the attractant or repellent odour stimulus after microinjection of dsRNA against PsOr1. Reverse Transcription (RT)-PCR analysis showed specific down-regulation of mRNA transcript levels for this gene. Furthermore, host-plant preference experiments confirmed that silencing PsOr1 by RNAi treatment impaired the host-plant preferences of P. striolata for cruciferous vegetables. These results demonstrate that this insect control approach of using RNAi to target PsOr1 and its orthologues might be effective in blocking host-plant-seeking behaviours in diverse insect pests. The results also support the theory that this unique receptor type plays an essential general role in insect olfaction. © 2010 Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. Insect Molecular Biology © 2010 The Royal Entomological Society.

  18. Feasibility of dietary assessment methods, other tools and procedures for a pan-European food consumption survey among infants, toddlers and children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ocké, Marga; Brants, Henny; Dofkova, Marcela; Freisling, Heinz; van Rossum, Caroline; Ruprich, Jiri; Slimani, Nadia; Temme, Elisabeth; Trolle, Ellen; Vandevijvere, Stefanie; Huybrechts, Inge; de Boer, Evelien

    2015-08-01

    To test the feasibility of tools and procedures for a pan-European food consumption survey among children 0-10 years and to recommend one of two tested dietary assessment methods. Two pilot studies including 378 children were conducted in Belgium and the Czech Republic in the Pilot studies for Assessment of Nutrient intake and food Consumption among Kids in Europe. One protocol included a 3-day food diary which was checked with a parent, and data were entered afterwards using EPIC-Soft. The alternative protocol consisted of two non-consecutive 1-day food diaries followed by EPIC-Soft completion interviews. Both protocols included general and food propensity questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. The protocols were compared using evaluation questionnaires among the participating parents and study personnel. The parents found the questionnaires and instructions for filling in the food diaries understandable. Food description and food quantification was evaluated as problematic by 29 and 15% of the participants for the 3-day diaries versus 15 and 12% for the 1-day diaries. The protocol with 1-day food diaries was evaluated as less burdensome by the parents and logistically more challenging by the interviewers. Both dietary assessment methods with related tools and administration protocols were evaluated as feasible. The administration protocol with two 1-day food diaries with completion interviews offers more advantages for the future pan-European survey in children 0-10 years. The positive evaluation of feasibility of tools and materials is an important step towards harmonised food consumption data at European level among the younger age groups.

  19. Analysis list: pan [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available pan Embryo,Larvae,Pupae + dm3 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/dm3/target.../pan.1.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/dm3/target/pan.5.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp.../kyushu-u/dm3/target/pan.10.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/dm3/colo/pan.Embryo.tsv,http://dbarchive.bioscience...dbc.jp/kyushu-u/dm3/colo/pan.Larvae.tsv,http://dbarchive.bioscience...dbc.jp/kyushu-u/dm3/colo/pan.Pupae.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/dm3/colo/Embryo.gml,http://dbarchive.bioscience

  20. N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone-degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa PsDAHP1 protects zebrafish against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinoj, Gopalakrishnan; Jayakumar, Rengarajan; Chen, Jiann-Chu; Withyachumnarnkul, Boonsirm; Shanthi, Sathappan; Vaseeharan, Baskaralingam

    2015-01-01

    Four strains of N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (AHL)-degrading Pseudomonas spp., named PsDAHP1, PsDAHP2, PsDAHP3, and PsDAHP4 were isolated and identified from the intestine of Fenneropenaeus indicus. PsDAHP1 showed the highest AHL-degrading activity among the four isolates. PsDAHP1 inhibited biofilm-forming exopolysaccharide and altered cell surface hydrophobicity of virulent green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Vibrio parahaemolyticus DAHV2 (GFP-VpDAHV2). Oral administration of PsDAHP1 significantly reduced zebrafish mortality caused by GFP-VpDAHV2 challenge, and inhibited colonisation of GFP-VpDAHV2 in the gills and intestine of zebrafish as evidence by confocal laser scanning microscope and selective plating. Furthermore, zebrafish receiving PsDAHP1-containing feed had increased phagocytic cells of its leucocytes, increased serum activities of superoxide dismutase and lysozyme. The results suggest that Pseudomonas aeruginosa PsDAHP1 could protect zebrafish from V. parahaemolyticus infection by inhibiting biofilm formation and enhancing defence mechanisms of the fish. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Main Belt Comet P/2006 VW139: A Fragment from a Recent Collision?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novakovic, B.; Hsieh, H. H.; Cellino, A.

    2012-05-01

    We applied different methods to examine a possibility that main belt comet P/2006VW139, recently discovered by the Pan-STARRS 1, belongs to a small group of 24 asteroids. Results show strong evidence that P/2006VW139 really belongs to this group.

  2. Assignment of Alzheimer's presenilin-2 (PS-2) gene to 1q42.1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takano, T; Sahara, N; Yamanouchi, Y; Mori, H

    1997-01-17

    Presenilin-2 (PS-2) was suggested to be localized on 1q31-42 based on linkage analysis and cDNA cloning. The final identification of PS-2 as the causal gene for early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease in Voga-German pedigrees was concluded based on the point mutation found in the candidate cDNA isolated from this familial AD. We present evidence of its physical genome mapping of PS-2 on chromosome 1q42.1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization method.

  3. The PrPS4 type structure and a filled variant: the compounds TbPS4 and LiEuPS4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joergens, S.; Alili, L.; Mewis, A.

    2005-01-01

    Colourless single crystals of TbPS 4 (a = 10.696(2), c = 19.053(4) Aa) were obtained by reaction of the elements (750 C; 30 h). The compound crystallizes with the PrPS 4 type structure (I4 1 /acd; Z = 16). The structure consists of isolated PS 4 tetrahedra each surrounded by four Tb 3+ cations. Both crystallographically different Tb 3+ cations are coordinated by eight sulfur atoms which are part of four PS 4 tetrahedra. Orange single crystals of LiEuPS 4 (a = 11.498(2), c = 19.882(4) Aa) were prepared by reaction of Eu and P with Li 2 S 4 (700 C; 20 h). The crystal structure corresponds to the PrPS 4 type, in which tubes running along [001] are occupied by Li atoms, which are surrounded by four S atoms in strongly distorted tetrahedra. LiS 4 and PS 4 tetrahedra are connected via common edges into alternating chains. (orig.)

  4. A closer look at the quadruply lensed quasar PSOJ0147: spectroscopic redshifts and microlensing effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chien-Hsiu

    2018-04-01

    I present a timely spectroscopic follow-up of the newly discovered, quadruply lensed quasar PSOJ0147 from the Pan-STARRS 1 survey. The newly acquired optical spectra with GMOS onboard the Gemini North Telescope allow us to pin down the redshifts of both the foreground lensing galaxy and the background lensed quasar to be z = 0.572 and 2.341, providing a firm basis for cosmography with future high-cadence photometric monitoring. I also inspect difference spectra from two of the quasar images, revealing the microlensing effect. Long-term spectroscopic follow-ups will shed lights on the structure of the active galactic nucleus and its environment.

  5. A SEARCH FOR AN OPTICAL COUNTERPART TO THE GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE EVENT GW151226

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K. W.; Young, D. R.; Inserra, C.; Wright, D. E.; Jerkstrand, A.; Maguire, K.; Mueller, B. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Chambers, K. C.; Huber, M. E.; Denneau, L.; Flewelling, H.; Heinze, A.; Magnier, E. A.; Sherstyuk, A.; Stalder, B.; Schultz, A. S. B. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Chen, T.-W. [Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748, Garching (Germany); Coughlin, M. [Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Rest, A., E-mail: s.smartt@qub.ac.uk [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); and others

    2016-08-20

    We present a search for an electromagnetic counterpart of the gravitational-wave source GW151226. Using the Pan-STARRS1 telescope we mapped out 290 square degrees in the optical i {sub P1} filter, starting 11.5 hr after the LIGO information release and lasting for an additional 28 days. The first observations started 49.5 hr after the time of the GW151226 detection. We typically reached sensitivity limits of i {sub P1} = 20.3–20.8 and covered 26.5% of the LIGO probability skymap. We supplemented this with ATLAS survey data, reaching 31% of the probability region to shallower depths of m ≃ 19. We found 49 extragalactic transients (that are not obviously active galactic nuclei), including a faint transient in a galaxy at 7 Mpc (a luminous blue variable outburst) plus a rapidly decaying M-dwarf flare. Spectral classification of 20 other transient events showed them all to be supernovae. We found an unusual transient, PS15dpn, with an explosion date temporally coincident with GW151226, that evolved into a type Ibn supernova. The redshift of the transient is secure at z = 0.1747 ± 0.0001 and we find it unlikely to be linked, since the luminosity distance has a negligible probability of being consistent with that of GW151226. In the 290 square degrees surveyed we therefore do not find a likely counterpart. However we show that our survey strategy would be sensitive to NS–NS mergers producing kilonovae at D{sub L} ≲ 100 Mpc, which is promising for future LIGO/Virgo searches.

  6. Characterization of in vivo MRI detectable thalamic amyloid plaques from APP/PS1 mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dhenain, M. [URA CEA CNRS 2210, I2BM, SHFJ, 4 Place du General Leclerc, 91401 Orsay Cedex (France); Dhenain, M.; El Tannir El Tayara, N.; Wu, T.D.; Volk, A.; Quintana, C. [U759 INSERM, Centre Universitaire, Laboratoire 112, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Dhenain, M.; El Tannir El Tayara, N.; Wu, T.D.; Volk, A.; Quintana, C. [Institut Curie, Centre Universitaire, Laboratoire 112, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Guegan, M.; Delatour, B. [Instituto de Microelectronica de Madrid-CSIC, 8, Isaac Newton, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid (Spain)

    2009-07-01

    Amyloid deposits are one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies, in transgenic mice modeling Alzheimer's disease showed that, using in vivo, contrast agent-free, MRI, thalamic amyloid plaques are more easily detected than other plaques of the brain. Our study evaluated the characteristics of these thalamic plaques in a large population of APP/PS1, PS1 and C57BL/6 mice. Thalamic spots were detected in all mice but with different frequency and magnitude. Hence, the prevalence and size of the lesions were higher in APP/PS1 mice. However, even in APP/PS1 mice, thalamic spots did not occur in all the old animals. In APP/PS1 mice, spots detection was related to high iron and calcium load within amyloid plaques and thus reflects the ability of such plaque to capture large amounts of minerals. Interestingly, calcium and iron was also detected in extra-thalamic plaques but with a lower intensity. Hypointense lesions in the thalamus were not associated with the iron load in the tissue surrounding the plaques, nor with micro-hemorrhages, inflammation, or a neuro-degenerative context. (authors)

  7. Pan-Planets: Searching for hot Jupiters around cool dwarfs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obermeier, C.; Koppenhoefer, J.; Saglia, R. P.; Henning, Th.; Bender, R.; Kodric, M.; Deacon, N.; Riffeser, A.; Burgett, W.; Chambers, K. C.; Draper, P. W.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Magnier, E. A.; Metcalfe, N.; Price, P. A.; Sweeney, W.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.

    2016-03-01

    The Pan-Planets survey observed an area of 42 sq deg. in the galactic disk for about 165 h. The main scientific goal of the project is the detection of transiting planets around M dwarfs. We establish an efficient procedure for determining the stellar parameters Teff and log g of all sources using a method based on SED fitting, utilizing a three-dimensional dust map and proper motion information. In this way we identify more than 60 000 M dwarfs, which is by far the largest sample of low-mass stars observed in a transit survey to date. We present several planet candidates around M dwarfs and hotter stars that are currently being followed up. Using Monte Carlo simulations we calculate the detection efficiency of the Pan-Planets survey for different stellar and planetary populations. We expect to find 3.0+3.3-1.6 hot Jupiters around F, G, and K dwarfs with periods lower than 10 days based on the planet occurrence rates derived in previous surveys. For M dwarfs, the percentage of stars with a hot Jupiter is under debate. Theoretical models expect a lower occurrence rate than for larger main sequence stars. However, radial velocity surveys find upper limits of about 1% due to their small sample, while the Kepler survey finds a occurrence rate that we estimate to be at least 0.17b(+0.67-0.04) %, making it even higher than the determined fraction from OGLE-III for F, G and K stellar types, 0.14 (+0.15-0.076) %. With the large sample size of Pan-Planets, we are able to determine an occurrence rate of 0.11 (+0.37-0.02) % in case one of our candidates turns out to be a real detection. If, however, none of our candidates turn out to be true planets, we are able to put an upper limit of 0.34% with a 95% confidence on the hot Jupiter occurrence rate of M dwarfs. This limit is a significant improvement over previous estimates where the lowest limit published so far is 1.1% found in the WFCAM Transit Survey. Therefore we cannot yet confirm the theoretical prediction of a lower

  8. A Myb transcription factor of Phytophthora sojae, regulated by MAP kinase PsSAK1, is required for zoospore development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meng Zhang

    Full Text Available PsSAK1, a mitogen-activated protein (MAP kinase from Phytophthora sojae, plays an important role in host infection and zoospore viability. However, the downstream mechanism of PsSAK1 remains unclear. In this study, the 3'-tag digital gene expression (DGE profiling method was applied to sequence the global transcriptional sequence of PsSAK1-silenced mutants during the cysts stage and 1.5 h after inoculation onto susceptible soybean leaf tissues. Compared with the gene expression levels of the recipient P. sojae strain, several candidates of Myb family were differentially expressed (up or down in response to the loss of PsSAK1, including of a R2R3-type Myb transcription factor, PsMYB1. qRT-PCR indicated that the transcriptional level of PsMYB1 decreased due to PsSAK1 silencing. The transcriptional level of PsMYB1 increased during sporulating hyphae, in germinated cysts, and early infection. Silencing of PsMYB1 results in three phenotypes: a no cleavage of the cytoplasm into uninucleate zoospores or release of normal zoospores, b direct germination of sporangia, and c afunction in zoospore-mediated plant infection. Our data indicate that the PsMYB1 transcription factor functions downstream of MAP kinase PsSAK1 and is required for zoospore development of P. sojae.

  9. The 1.4 GeV PS Booster in its tunnel.

    CERN Multimedia

    Patrice Loïez

    2002-01-01

    The PS Improvement Programme, launched as early as 1964, had a "Booster" as the key element in the quest for higher beam intensity and density. These were limited in the PS at injection of the 50 MeV proton beam from the linac by the incoherent (Laslett-) Q-shift. Boosting the linac beam to 800 MeV would raise the PS intensity limit by an order of magnitude, from 1E12 protons per pulse to 1E13. The main motivation was the supply of intense beams to the ISR. Soon, the Booster proved to be crucial for the neutral current experiment. A unique feature of the Booster are its 4 superposed rings. Its lattice is also unusual: between its 32 bending magnets, every second straight section contains a quadrupole triplet (F,D,F), while the alternate ones are drift spaces (mostly filled with essential components like septa, kickers, RF-cavities, etc.). In each picture we see one of the 16 periods. Following the direction of the beam from right to left: a bending magnet (green); an empty straight section; a bending magnet; ...

  10. Chronic Stress Contributes to Cognitive Dysfunction and Hippocampal Metabolic Abnormalities in APP/PS1 Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing Han

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Stress response is determined by the brain, and the brain is a sensitive target for stress. Our previous experiments have confirmed that once the stress response is beyond the tolerable limit of the brain, particularly that of the hippocampus, it will have deleterious effects on hippocampal structure and function; however, the metabolic mechanisms for this are not well understood. Methods: Here, we used morris water maze, elisa and gas chromatography-time of flight/mass spectrometry to observe the changes in cognition, neuropathology and metabolomics in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice and wild-type (C57 mice caused by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS, we also further explored the correlation between cognition and metabolomics. Results: We found that 4 weeks of CUMS aggravated cognitive impairment and increased amyloid-β deposition in APP/PS1 mice, but did not affect C57 mice. Under non-stress conditions, compared with C57 mice, there were 8 different metabolites in APP/PS1 mice. However, following CUMS, 3 different metabolites were changed compared with untreated C57 mice. Compared to APP/PS1 mice, there were 7 different metabolites in APP/PS1+CUMS mice. Among these alterations, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, valine, serine, beta-alanine and o-phosphorylethanolamine, which are involved in sphingolipid metabolism, synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, and amino acid metabolism. Conclusion: The results indicate that APP/PS1 mice are more vulnerable to stress than C57 mice, and the metabolic mechanisms of stress-related cognitive impairment in APP/PS1 mice are related to multiple pathways and networks, including sphingolipid metabolism, synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, and amino acid metabolism.

  11. Virus-induced plasma membrane aquaporin PsPIP2;1 silencing inhibits plant water transport of Pisum sativum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Juanjuan; Ye, Guoliang; Qian, Zhengjiang; Ye, Qing

    2016-12-01

    Aquaporins (AQPs) are known to facilitate water transport across cell membranes, but the role of a single AQP in regulating plant water transport, particularly in plants other than Arabidopsis remains largely unexplored. In the present study, a virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technique was employed to suppress the expression of a specific plasma membrane aquaporin PsPIP2;1 of Pea plants (Pisum sativum), and subsequent effects of the gene suppression on root hydraulic conductivity (Lp r ), leaf hydraulic conductivity (K leaf ), root cell hydraulic conductivity (Lp rc ), and leaf cell hydraulic conductivity (Lp lc ) were investigated, using hydroponically grown Pea plants. Compared with control plants, VIGS-PsPIP2;1 plants displayed a significant suppression of PsPIP2;1 in both roots and leaves, while the expression of other four PIP isoforms (PsPIP1;1, PsPIP1;2, PsPIP2;2, and PsPIP2;3) that were simultaneously monitored were not altered. As a consequence, significant declines in water transport of VIGS-PsPIP2;1 plants were observed at both organ and cell levels, i.e., as compared to control plants, Lp r and K leaf were reduced by 29 %, and Lp rc and Lp lc were reduced by 20 and 29 %, respectively. Our results demonstrate that PsPIP2;1 alone contributes substantially to root and leaf water transport in Pea plants, and highlight VIGS a useful tool for investigating the role of a single AQP in regulating plant water transport.

  12. The Presenilin-1 ΔE9 Mutation Results in Reduced γ-Secretase Activity, but Not Total Loss of PS1 Function, in Isogenic Human Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grace Woodruff

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Presenilin 1 (PS1 is the catalytic core of γ-secretase, which cleaves type 1 transmembrane proteins, including the amyloid precursor protein (APP. PS1 also has γ-secretase-independent functions, and dominant PS1 missense mutations are the most common cause of familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD. Whether PS1 FAD mutations are gain- or loss-of-function remains controversial, primarily because most studies have relied on overexpression in mouse and/or nonneuronal systems. We used isogenic euploid human induced pluripotent stem cell lines to generate and study an allelic series of PS1 mutations, including heterozygous null mutations and homozygous and heterozygous FAD PS1 mutations. Rigorous analysis of this allelic series in differentiated, purified neurons allowed us to resolve this controversy and to conclude that FAD PS1 mutations, expressed at normal levels in the appropriate cell type, impair γ-secretase activity but do not disrupt γ-secretase-independent functions of PS1. Thus, FAD PS1 mutations do not act as simple loss of PS1 function but instead dominantly gain an activity toxic to some, but not all, PS1 functions.

  13. Synthesis and Characterization of the Rubidium Thiophosphate Rb 6 (PS 5 )(P 2 S 10 ) and the Rubidium Silver Thiophosphates Rb 2 AgPS 4 , RbAg 5 (PS 4 ) 2 and Rb 3 Ag 9 (PS 4 ) 4

    KAUST Repository

    Alahmary, Fatimah S.; Davaasuren, Bambar; Khanderi, Jayaprakash; Rothenberger, Alexander

    2016-01-01

    The metal thiophosphates Rb2AgPS4 (2), RbAg5(PS4)2 (3), and Rb3Ag9(PS4)4 (4) were synthesized by stoichiometric reactions, whereas Rb6(PS5)(P2S10) (1) was prepared with excess amount of sulfur. The compounds crystallize as follows: 1 monoclinic, P21

  14. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Hubble Source Catalog (V1 and V2) (Whitmore+, 2016)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitmore, B. C.; Allam, S. S.; Budavari, T.; Casertano, S.; Downes, R. A.; Donaldson, T.; Fall, S. M.; Lubow, S. H.; Quick, L.; Strolger, L.-G.; Wallace, G.; White, R. L.

    2016-10-01

    The HSC v1 contains members of the WFPC2, ACS/WFC, WFC3/UVIS and WFC3/IR Source Extractor source lists from HLA version DR8 (data release 8). The crossmatching process involves adjusting the relative astrometry of overlapping images so as to minimize positional offsets between closely aligned sources in different images. After correction, the astrometric residuals of crossmatched sources are significantly reduced, to typically less than 10mas. The relative astrometry is supported by using Pan-STARRS, SDSS, and 2MASS as the astrometric backbone for initial corrections. In addition, the catalog includes source nondetections. The crossmatching algorithms and the properties of the initial (Beta 0.1) catalog are described in Budavari & Lubow (2012ApJ...761..188B). The HSC v2 contains members of the WFPC2, ACS/WFC, WFC3/UVIS and WFC3/IR Source Extractor source lists from HLA version DR9.1 (data release 9.1). The crossmatching process involves adjusting the relative astrometry of overlapping images so as to minimize positional offsets between closely aligned sources in different images. After correction, the astrometric residuals of crossmatched sources are significantly reduced, to typically less than 10mas. The relative astrometry is supported by using Pan-STARRS, SDSS, and 2MASS as the astrometric backbone for initial corrections. In addition, the catalog includes source nondetections. The crossmatching algorithms and the properties of the initial (Beta 0.1) catalog are described in Budavari & Lubow (2012ApJ...761..188B). Hubble Source Catalog Acknowledgement: Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, and obtained from the Hubble Legacy Archive, which is a collaboration between the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI/NASA), the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF/ESAC/ESA) and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC/NRC/CSA). (2 data files).

  15. Crystal structure of the mixed-metal thiophosphate Nb1.18V0.82PS10

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joobin Sun

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The mixed-metal thiophosphate, Nb1.18V0.82PS10 (niobium vanadium phosphorus decasulfide, has been prepared though solid state reactions using an alkali-metal halide flux. The title compound is isostructural with two-dimensional Nb2PS10. [M2S12] (M = Nb or V dimers built up from two bicapped trigonal prisms and tetrahedral [PS4] units share sulfur atoms to construct 1∞[M2PS10] chains along the a axis. These chains are linked through the disulfide bonds between [PS4] units in adjacent chains to form layers parallel to the ab plane. These layers then stack on top of each other to complete the three-dimensional structure with van der Waals gaps. The M sites are occupied by 59% of Nb and 41% of V and the average M—S and M—M distances in the title compound are in between those of V2PS10 and Nb2PS10. The classical charge balance of the title compound can be represented by [(Nb/V4+]2[P5+][S2−]3[S−]7.

  16. Confirmation of 5 SN in the Kepler/K2 C16 Field with Gemini

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margheim, S.; Tucker, B. E.; Garnavich, P. M.; Rest, A.; Narayan, G.; Smith, K. W.; Smartt, S.; Kasen, D.; Shaya, E.; Mushotzky, R.; Olling, R.; Villar, A.; Forster, F.; Zenteno, A.; James, D.; Smith, R. Chris

    2018-01-01

    We report new spectroscopic classifications by KEGS of supernova discovered by Pan-STARRS1 during a targeted search of the Kepler/K2 Campaign 16 field using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on both the Gemini North Observatory on Mauna Kea, and the Gemini South Observatory on Cerro Pachon.

  17. A transient search using combined human and machine classifications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Darryl E.; Lintott, Chris J.; Smartt, Stephen J.; Smith, Ken W.; Fortson, Lucy; Trouille, Laura; Allen, Campbell R.; Beck, Melanie; Bouslog, Mark C.; Boyer, Amy; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, Heather; Granger, Will; Magnier, Eugene A.; McMaster, Adam; Miller, Grant R. M.; O'Donnell, James E.; Simmons, Brooke; Spiers, Helen; Tonry, John L.; Veldthuis, Marten; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Waters, Chris; Willman, Mark; Wolfenbarger, Zach; Young, Dave R.

    2017-12-01

    Large modern surveys require efficient review of data in order to find transient sources such as supernovae, and to distinguish such sources from artefacts and noise. Much effort has been put into the development of automatic algorithms, but surveys still rely on human review of targets. This paper presents an integrated system for the identification of supernovae in data from Pan-STARRS1, combining classifications from volunteers participating in a citizen science project with those from a convolutional neural network. The unique aspect of this work is the deployment, in combination, of both human and machine classifications for near real-time discovery in an astronomical project. We show that the combination of the two methods outperforms either one used individually. This result has important implications for the future development of transient searches, especially in the era of Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and other large-throughput surveys.

  18. Simulating the Performance of Ground-Based Optical Asteroid Surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, Eric J.; Shelly, Frank C.; Gibbs, Alex R.; Grauer, Albert D.; Hill, Richard E.; Johnson, Jess A.; Kowalski, Richard A.; Larson, Stephen M.

    2014-11-01

    We are developing a set of asteroid survey simulation tools in order to estimate the capability of existing and planned ground-based optical surveys, and to test a variety of possible survey cadences and strategies. The survey simulator is composed of several layers, including a model population of solar system objects and an orbital integrator, a site-specific atmospheric model (including inputs for seeing, haze and seasonal cloud cover), a model telescope (with a complete optical path to estimate throughput), a model camera (including FOV, pixel scale, and focal plane fill factor) and model source extraction and moving object detection layers with tunable detection requirements. We have also developed a flexible survey cadence planning tool to automatically generate nightly survey plans. Inputs to the cadence planner include camera properties (FOV, readout time), telescope limits (horizon, declination, hour angle, lunar and zenithal avoidance), preferred and restricted survey regions in RA/Dec, ecliptic, and Galactic coordinate systems, and recent coverage by other asteroid surveys. Simulated surveys are created for a subset of current and previous NEO surveys (LINEAR, Pan-STARRS and the three Catalina Sky Survey telescopes), and compared against the actual performance of these surveys in order to validate the model’s performance. The simulator tracks objects within the FOV of any pointing that were not discovered (e.g. too few observations, too trailed, focal plane array gaps, too fast or slow), thus dividing the population into “discoverable” and “discovered” subsets, to inform possible survey design changes. Ongoing and future work includes generating a realistic “known” subset of the model NEO population, running multiple independent simulated surveys in coordinated and uncoordinated modes, and testing various cadences to find optimal strategies for detecting NEO sub-populations. These tools can also assist in quantifying the efficiency of novel

  19. Cholinergic degeneration is associated with increased plaque deposition and cognitive impairment in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Bettina; Mørk, Arne; Plath, Niels

    2013-01-01

    mice was not due to a more extensive cholinergic degeneration since the reduction in choline acetyltransferase activity was similar following SAP treatment in APP/PS1 mice and Wt. Interestingly, plaque load was significantly increased in SAP treated APP/PS1 mice relative to sham lesioned APP/PS1 mice....... Additionally, APP/PS1 mice treated with SAP showed a tendency towards an increased level of soluble and insoluble Aß1-40 and Aß1-42 measured in brain tissue homogenate. Our results suggest that the combination of cholinergic degeneration and Aß overexpression in the APP/PS1 mouse model results in cognitive...... decline and accelerated plaque burden. SAP treated APP/PS1 mice might thus constitute an improved model of Alzheimer's disease-like neuropathology and cognitive deficits compared to the conventional APP/PS1 model without selective removal of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons....

  20. Lack of tau proteins rescues neuronal cell death and decreases amyloidogenic processing of APP in APP/PS1 mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leroy, Karelle; Ando, Kunie; Laporte, Vincent; Dedecker, Robert; Suain, Valérie; Authelet, Michèle; Héraud, Céline; Pierrot, Nathalie; Yilmaz, Zehra; Octave, Jean-Noël; Brion, Jean-Pierre

    2012-12-01

    Lack of tau expression has been reported to protect against excitotoxicity and to prevent memory deficits in mice expressing mutant amyloid precursor protein (APP) identified in familial Alzheimer disease. In APP mice, mutant presenilin 1 (PS1) enhances generation of Aβ42 and inhibits cell survival pathways. It is unknown whether the deficient phenotype induced by concomitant expression of mutant PS1 is rescued by absence of tau. In this study, we have analyzed the effect of tau deletion in mice expressing mutant APP and PS1. Although APP/PS1/tau(+/+) mice had a reduced survival, developed spatial memory deficits at 6 months and motor impairments at 12 months, these deficits were rescued in APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. Neuronal loss and synaptic loss in APP/PS1/tau(+/+) mice were rescued in the APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. The amyloid plaque burden was decreased by roughly 50% in the cortex and the spinal cord of the APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. The levels of soluble and insoluble Aβ40 and Aβ42, and the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio were reduced in APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. Levels of phosphorylated APP, of β-C-terminal fragments (CTFs), and of β-secretase 1 (BACE1) were also reduced, suggesting that β-secretase cleavage of APP was reduced in APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. Our results indicate that tau deletion had a protective effect against amyloid induced toxicity even in the presence of mutant PS1 and reduced the production of Aβ. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. THE TIME-DOMAIN SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY: UNDERSTANDING THE OPTICALLY VARIABLE SKY WITH SEQUELS IN SDSS-III

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruan, John J.; Anderson, Scott F.; Davenport, James R. A.; Green, Paul J.; Morganson, Eric; Eracleous, Michael; Brandt, William N.; Myers, Adam D.; Badenes, Carles; Bershady, Matthew A.; Chambers, Kenneth C.; Flewelling, Heather; Kaiser, Nick; Dawson, Kyle S.; Heckman, Timothy M.; Isler, Jedidah C.; Kneib, Jean-Paul; MacLeod, Chelsea L.; Ross, Nicholas P.; Paris, Isabelle

    2016-01-01

    The Time-Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS) is an SDSS-IV eBOSS subproject primarily aimed at obtaining identification spectra of ∼220,000 optically variable objects systematically selected from SDSS/Pan-STARRS1 multi-epoch imaging. We present a preview of the science enabled by TDSS, based on TDSS spectra taken over ∼320 deg 2 of sky as part of the SEQUELS survey in SDSS-III, which is in part a pilot survey for eBOSS in SDSS-IV. Using the 15,746 TDSS-selected single-epoch spectra of photometrically variable objects in SEQUELS, we determine the demographics of our variability-selected sample and investigate the unique spectral characteristics inherent in samples selected by variability. We show that variability-based selection of quasars complements color-based selection by selecting additional redder quasars and mitigates redshift biases to produce a smooth quasar redshift distribution over a wide range of redshifts. The resulting quasar sample contains systematically higher fractions of blazars and broad absorption line quasars than from color-selected samples. Similarly, we show that M dwarfs in the TDSS-selected stellar sample have systematically higher chromospheric active fractions than the underlying M-dwarf population based on their H α emission. TDSS also contains a large number of RR Lyrae and eclipsing binary stars with main-sequence colors, including a few composite-spectrum binaries. Finally, our visual inspection of TDSS spectra uncovers a significant number of peculiar spectra, and we highlight a few cases of these interesting objects. With a factor of ∼15 more spectra, the main TDSS survey in SDSS-IV will leverage the lessons learned from these early results for a variety of time-domain science applications.

  2. Concentration of uranium on TiO-PAN and NaTiO-PAN composite absorbers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Motl, Alois; Sebesta, Ferdinand; John, Jan; Spendlikova, Irena; Nemec, Mojmir

    2013-01-01

    finely divided inorganic absorbers. The general procedure for the preparation of the resulting inorganic-organic composite absorbers enables preparation of suitably grained composite absorbers. The contents of active component may reach up to 90% (W/W) in dry residue. The aim of this study was to verify possibility of extraction of uranium with TiO-PAN and NaTiO-PAN composite absorbers, to compare properties of these two absorbers and to conclude whether they are prospective for uranium collection from surface and/or waste waters. Hydrated titanium oxide (TiO) and sodium titanate (NaTiO) -the active components of the composite materials-were prepared from industrial intermediate from production of titanium white. Standard procedure was used to prepare the TiO-PAN and NaTiO-PAN composite absorbers. In the experiments, distilled and tap water were used to compare the influence of the water hardness. pH of the effluent was also measured during the process. The results showed that practical sorption capacity (10% break-through) from tap water containing 2.3 μg U.mL -1 measured at flow rate of 100 BV.h -1 was ∼ 4.6 mg and ∼1.5 mg of uranium per ml of swollen TiO-PAN and NaTiO-PAN absorber, respectively. The maximum flow rates are 60 BV.h -1 and 60-100 BV.h -1 for TiO-PAN and NaTiO-PAN absorbers, respectively, depending on the concentration of uranium (2.3-230 mg U.L -1 ). Elution of uranium and regeneration of the absorber may be accomplished by 0.1 mol.L -1 or stronger solutions of hydrochloric acid for both the absorbers. Hence, TiO-PAN and NaTiO-PAN composite absorbers were proved to be applicable for extraction of uranium from aqueous solutions. With respect to the measured practical sorption capacity, TiO-PAN composite absorber is more suitable for the uranium collection from surface and/or waste water. (author)

  3. Archives: Pan African Medical Journal

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 1 - 28 of 28 ... Archives: Pan African Medical Journal. Journal Home > Archives: Pan African Medical Journal. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register · Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives. 1 - 28 of 28 Items ...

  4. Updating the Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) Core Domain Set: A Report from the PsA Workshop at OMERACT 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orbai, Ana-Maria; de Wit, Maarten; Mease, Philip J; Callis Duffin, Kristina; Elmamoun, Musaab; Tillett, William; Campbell, Willemina; FitzGerald, Oliver; Gladman, Dafna D; Goel, Niti; Gossec, Laure; Hoejgaard, Pil; Leung, Ying Ying; Lindsay, Chris; Strand, Vibeke; van der Heijde, Désirée M; Shea, Bev; Christensen, Robin; Coates, Laura; Eder, Lihi; McHugh, Neil; Kalyoncu, Umut; Steinkoenig, Ingrid; Ogdie, Alexis

    2017-10-01

    To include the patient perspective in accordance with the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Filter 2.0 in the updated Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) Core Domain Set for randomized controlled trials (RCT) and longitudinal observational studies (LOS). At OMERACT 2016, research conducted to update the PsA Core Domain Set was presented and discussed in breakout groups. The updated PsA Core Domain Set was voted on and endorsed by OMERACT participants. We conducted a systematic literature review of domains measured in PsA RCT and LOS, and identified 24 domains. We conducted 24 focus groups with 130 patients from 7 countries representing 5 continents to identify patient domains. We achieved consensus through 2 rounds of separate surveys with 50 patients and 75 physicians, and a nominal group technique meeting with 12 patients and 12 physicians. We conducted a workshop and breakout groups at OMERACT 2016 in which findings were presented and discussed. The updated PsA Core Domain Set endorsed with 90% agreement by OMERACT 2016 participants included musculoskeletal disease activity, skin disease activity, fatigue, pain, patient's global assessment, physical function, health-related quality of life, and systemic inflammation, which were recommended for all RCT and LOS. These were important, but not required in all RCT and LOS: economic cost, emotional well-being, participation, and structural damage. Independence, sleep, stiffness, and treatment burden were on the research agenda. The updated PsA Core Domain Set was endorsed at OMERACT 2016. Next steps for the PsA working group include evaluation of PsA outcome measures and development of a PsA Core Outcome Measurement Set.

  5. A General Method for Assessing the Origin of Interstellar Small Bodies: The Case of 1I/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuluaga, Jorge I.; Sánchez-Hernández, Oscar; Sucerquia, Mario; Ferrín, Ignacio

    2018-06-01

    With the advent of more and deeper sky surveys, the discovery of interstellar small objects entering into the solar system has been finally possible. In 2017 October 19, using observations of the Pan-STARRS survey, a fast moving object, now officially named 1I/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua), was discovered in a heliocentric unbound trajectory, suggesting an interstellar origin. Assessing the provenance of interstellar small objects is key for understanding their distribution, spatial density, and the processes responsible for their ejection from planetary systems. However, their peculiar trajectories place a limit on the number of observations available to determine a precise orbit. As a result, when its position is propagated ∼105–106 years backward in time, small errors in orbital elements become large uncertainties in position in the interstellar space. In this paper we present a general method for assigning probabilities to nearby stars of being the parent system of an observed interstellar object. We describe the method in detail and apply it for assessing the origin of ‘Oumuamua. A preliminary list of potential progenitors and their corresponding probabilities is provided. In the future, when further information about the object and/or the nearby stars be refined, the probabilities computed with our method can be updated. We provide all the data and codes we developed for this purpose in the form of an open source C/C++/Python package, iWander, which is publicly available at http://github.com/seap-udea/iWander.

  6. The PS1 hairpin of Mcm3 is essential for viability and for DNA unwinding in vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon K W Lam

    Full Text Available The pre-sensor 1 (PS1 hairpin is found in ring-shaped helicases of the AAA+ family (ATPases associated with a variety of cellular activities of proteins and is implicated in DNA translocation during DNA unwinding of archaeal mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM and superfamily 3 viral replicative helicases. To determine whether the PS1 hairpin is required for the function of the eukaryotic replicative helicase, Mcm2-7 (also comprised of AAA+ proteins, we mutated the conserved lysine residue in the putative PS1 hairpin motif in each of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mcm2-7 subunits to alanine. Interestingly, only the PS1 hairpin of Mcm3 was essential for viability. While mutation of the PS1 hairpin in the remaining MCM subunits resulted in minimal phenotypes, with the exception of Mcm7 which showed slow growth under all conditions examined, the viable alleles were synthetic lethal with each other. Reconstituted Mcm2-7 containing Mcm3 with the PS1 mutation (Mcm3(K499A had severely decreased helicase activity. The lack of helicase activity provides a probable explanation for the inviability of the mcm3(K499A strain. The ATPase activity of Mcm2-7(3K499A was similar to the wild type complex, but its interaction with single-stranded DNA in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay and its associations in cells were subtly altered. Together, these findings indicate that the PS1 hairpins in the Mcm2-7 subunits have important and distinct functions, most evident by the essential nature of the Mcm3 PS1 hairpin in DNA unwinding.

  7. Modelling of Ne-like copper X-ray laser driven by 1.2 ps short pulse and 280 ps background pulse configuration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demir, A.; Kenar, N.; Goktas, H.; Tallents, G.J.

    2004-01-01

    Detailed simulations of Ne-like Cu x-ray laser are undertaken using the EHYBRID code. The atomic physics data are obtained using the Cowan code. The optimization calculations are performed in terms of the intensity of background and the time separation between the background and the short pulse. The optimum value is obtained for the conditions of a Nd:glass laser with 1.2 ps pulse at 4.4 x 10 15 W cm -2 irradiance pumping a plasma pre-formed by a 280 ps duration pulse at 5.4 x 10 12 W cm -2 with peak-to-peak pulse separation set at 300 ps. X-ray resonance lines between 6 A and 15 A emitted from copper plasmas have been simulated. Free-free and free-bound emission from the Si-, Al-, Mg-, Na-, Ne- and F-like ions is calculated in the simulation. (author)

  8. Perceptions of Community Health Workers (CHWs/PS in the U.S.-Mexico Border HEART CVD Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hector G. Balcazar

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Although prior research has shown that Community Health Workers/Promotores de Salud (CHW/PS can facilitate access to care, little is known about how CHW/PS are perceived in their community. The current study reports the findings of a randomized telephone survey conducted in a high-risk urban community environment along the U.S.-Mexico border. In preparation for a community-based CHW/PS intervention called the HEART ecological study, the survey aimed to assess perceptions of CHW/PS, availability and utilization of community resources (recreational and nutrition related and health behaviors and intentions. A total of 7,155 calls were placed to complete 444 surveys in three zip codes in El Paso, Texas. Results showed that participants felt that healthful community resources were available, but utilization was low and variable: 35% reported going to a park, 20% reported having taken a health class, few reported using a gym (12%, recreation center (8%, or YMCA/YWCA (0.9%. Awareness and utilization of CHW/PS services were low: 20% of respondents had heard of CHW/PS, with 8% reporting previous exposure to CHW/PS services. Upon review of a definition of CHW/PS, respondents expressed positive views of CHW/PS and their value in the healthcare system. Respondents who had previous contact with a CHW/PS reported a significantly more positive perception of the usefulness of CHW/PS (p = 0.006, were more likely to see CHW/PS as an important link between providers and patients (p = 0.008, and were more likely to ask a CHW/PS for help (p = 0.009. Participants who utilized CHW/PS services also had significantly healthier intentions to reduce fast food intake. Future research is needed to evaluate if CHW/PS can facilitate utilization of available community resources such as recreational facilities among Hispanic border residents at risk for CVD.

  9. Sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor axis is involved in ovarian cancer angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Lan; Liu, Yixuan; Xie, Lei; Wu, Xia; Qiu, Lihua; Di, Wen

    2017-09-26

    Sphingosine kinase (SphK)/sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor (S1PR) signaling pathway has been implicated in a variety of pathological processes of ovarian cancer. However, the function of this axis in ovarian cancer angiogenesis remains incompletely defined. Here we provided the first evidence that SphK1/S1P/S1PR 1/3 pathway played key roles in ovarian cancer angiogenesis. The expression level of SphK1, but not SphK2, was closely correlated with the microvascular density (MVD) of ovarian cancer tissue. In vitro , the angiogenic potential and angiogenic factor secretion of ovarian cancer cells could be attenuated by SphK1, but not SphK2, blockage and were restored by the addition of S1P. Moreover, in these cells, we found S1P stimulation induced the angiogenic factor secretion via S1PR 1 and S1PR 3 , but not S1PR 2 . Furthermore, inhibition of S1PR 1/3 , but not S1PR 2 , attenuated the angiogenic potential and angiogenic factor secretion of the cells. in vivo , blockage of SphK or S1PR 1/3 could attenuate ovarian cancer angiogenesis and inhibit angiogenic factor expression in mouse models. Collectively, the current study showed a novel role of SphK1/S1P/S1PR 1/3 axis within the ovarian cancer, suggesting a new target to block ovarian cancer angiogenesis.

  10. Theoretical considerations regarding the existence of PsO and PsS+

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farazdel, A.; Cade, P.E.

    1977-01-01

    It has been proposed from experimental studies and in analogy with hydrogen compounds that PsO may be an entity of some importance, or an intermediate, in the reaction of positronium, Ps, with aqueous oxyacid species such as H 2 PO 4 - , HSO 4 - , ClO 4 - , and NO 3 - . This communication explores the stability of PsO and PsS, or [O - :e + ] and [S - :e + ], respectively, relative to dissociation into Ps and O( 3 P) or S( 3 P) on the basis of restricted Hartree-Fock calculations for the PsO and PsS systems and certain correlation correction arguments. A reasonable lower estimate of the dissociation energy to Y+Ps of >-0.47 eV for PsO and >0.70 eV for PsS is obtained. It is suggested that a modest correlation correction to the positron affinity (PA) of O - would very probably lead to a bound state system for PsO. (Auth.)

  11. Loss of GABAergic inputs in APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tutu Oyelami

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease (AD is characterized by symptoms which include seizures, sleep disruption, loss of memory as well as anxiety in patients. Of particular importance is the possibility of preventing the progressive loss of neuronal projections in the disease. Transgenic mice overexpressing EOFAD mutant PS1 (L166P and mutant APP (APP KM670/671NL Swedish (APP/PS1 develop a very early and robust Amyloid pathology and display synaptic plasticity impairments and cognitive dysfunction. Here we investigated GABAergic neurotransmission, using multi-electrode array (MEA technology and pharmacological manipulation to quantify the effect of GABA Blockers on field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP, and immunostaining of GABAergic neurons. Using MEA technology we confirm impaired LTP induction by high frequency stimulation in APPPS1 hippocampal CA1 region that was associated with reduced alteration of the pair pulse ratio after LTP induction. Synaptic dysfunction was also observed under manipulation of external Calcium concentration and input-output curve. Electrophysiological recordings from brain slice of CA1 hippocampus area, in the presence of GABAergic receptors blockers cocktails further demonstrated significant reduction in the GABAergic inputs in APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, immunostaining of GAD65 a specific marker for GABAergic neurons revealed reduction of the GABAergic inputs in CA1 area of the hippocampus. These results might be linked to increased seizure sensitivity, premature death and cognitive dysfunction in this animal model of AD. Further in depth analysis of GABAergic dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice is required and may open new perspectives for AD therapy by restoring GABAergic function.

  12. Physics at the AD/PS/SPS (1/4)

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2012-01-01

    Lecture 1: The CERN injector complex and beams for non-LHC physics. The various machines and beam lines in the CERN injector complex are presented, from the linacs to the SPS. Special emphasis is given to the beam lines at the PS and SPS machines: AD, North and East Areas, nTOF and CNGS and HiRadMad as well as the ion beams. A short outlook is given to possible future upgrades and projects.

  13. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor 1 signaling regulates receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) expression in rheumatoid arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeshita, Harunori; Kitano, Masayasu; Iwasaki, Tsuyoshi; Kitano, Sachie; Tsunemi, Sachi; Sato, Chieri; Sekiguchi, Masahiro; Azuma, Naoto; Miyazawa, Keiji; Hla, Timothy; Sano, Hajime

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► MH7A cells and CD4 + T cells expressed S1P1 and RANKL. ► S1P increased RANKL expression in MH7A cells and CD4 + T cells. ► The effect of S1P in MH7A cells was inhibited by specific Gi/Go inhibitors. -- Abstract: Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor 1 (S1P1) signaling plays an important role in synovial cell proliferation and inflammatory gene expression by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synoviocytes. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of S1P/S1P1 signaling in the expression of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) in RA synoviocytes and CD4 + T cells. We demonstrated MH7A cells, a human RA synovial cell line, and CD4 + T cells expressed S1P1 and RANKL. Surprisingly, S1P increased RANKL expression in MH7A cells and CD4 + T cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, S1P enhanced RANKL expression induced by stimulation with TNF-α in MH7A cells and CD4 + T cells. These effects of S1P in MH7A cells were inhibited by pretreatment with PTX, a specific Gi/Go inhibitor. These findings suggest that S1P/S1P1 signaling may play an important role in RANKL expression by MH7A cells and CD4 + T cells. S1P/S1P1 signaling of RA synoviocytes is closely connected with synovial hyperplasia, inflammation, and RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in RA. Thus, regulation of S1P/S1P1 signaling may become a novel therapeutic target for RA.

  14. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor 1 signaling regulates receptor activator of NF-{kappa}B ligand (RANKL) expression in rheumatoid arthritis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takeshita, Harunori [Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501 (Japan); Kitano, Masayasu, E-mail: mkitano6@hyo-med.ac.jp [Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501 (Japan); Iwasaki, Tsuyoshi [Department of Pharmacy, Hyogo University of Health Sciences, 1-3-6 Minatojima Kobe, Hyogo 650-8530 (Japan); Kitano, Sachie; Tsunemi, Sachi; Sato, Chieri; Sekiguchi, Masahiro; Azuma, Naoto [Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501 (Japan); Miyazawa, Keiji [Discovery Research III, Research and Development, Kissei Pharmaceutical Company, 4365-1 Hodakakashiwara, Azumino, Nagano 399-8304 (Japan); Hla, Timothy [Center for Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, Box 69, NY 10065 (United States); Sano, Hajime [Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501 (Japan)

    2012-03-09

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MH7A cells and CD4{sup +} T cells expressed S1P1 and RANKL. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer S1P increased RANKL expression in MH7A cells and CD4{sup +} T cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The effect of S1P in MH7A cells was inhibited by specific Gi/Go inhibitors. -- Abstract: Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor 1 (S1P1) signaling plays an important role in synovial cell proliferation and inflammatory gene expression by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synoviocytes. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of S1P/S1P1 signaling in the expression of receptor activator of NF-{kappa}B ligand (RANKL) in RA synoviocytes and CD4{sup +} T cells. We demonstrated MH7A cells, a human RA synovial cell line, and CD4{sup +} T cells expressed S1P1 and RANKL. Surprisingly, S1P increased RANKL expression in MH7A cells and CD4{sup +} T cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, S1P enhanced RANKL expression induced by stimulation with TNF-{alpha} in MH7A cells and CD4{sup +} T cells. These effects of S1P in MH7A cells were inhibited by pretreatment with PTX, a specific Gi/Go inhibitor. These findings suggest that S1P/S1P1 signaling may play an important role in RANKL expression by MH7A cells and CD4{sup +} T cells. S1P/S1P1 signaling of RA synoviocytes is closely connected with synovial hyperplasia, inflammation, and RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in RA. Thus, regulation of S1P/S1P1 signaling may become a novel therapeutic target for RA.

  15. Determination of grafting conversion degree in PS/PS-graft-POSS/POSS hybrid nanocomposites obtained through reactive processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bianchi, Otavio; Repenning, Gustavo B.; Mauler, Raquel S.; Oliveira, Ricardo V.B.; Canto, Leonardo B.

    2011-01-01

    Hybrid nanocomposites of polystyrene (PS) and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) - PS/PS-graft-POSS/POSS - with different grafting degrees were prepared by reactive melt processing using dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as initiator in the presence or absence of styrene monomer as radical transfer agent. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using triple-detector and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR 1 H) analyses were used together to determine the conversion degree of PS-graft-POSS as a function of the reactive processing conditions adopted. GPC was employed to evaluate the effects of grafting (PS-graft-POSS) and PS chains degradation (β scission) that occur simultaneously during processing on the variation of average molecular masses and distributions for each PS/POSS sample. PS/POSS systems processed with styrene showed higher weight average molecular weights (M w ) and lower polydispersity indexes (M w /M n ), as a result of higher grafting (PS-graft-POSS) conversion (28-40%) and lower PS chain degradation level, as compared to PS/POSS systems processed without styrene in which the degree of grafting conversion was around 25-28%. (author)

  16. Magnetization transfer contrast imaging detects early white matter changes in the APP/PS1 amyloidosis mouse model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jelle Praet

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available While no definitive cure for Alzheimer's disease exists yet, currently available treatments would benefit greatly from an earlier diagnosis. It has previously been shown that Magnetization transfer contrast (MTC imaging is able to detect amyloid β plaques in old APP/PS1 mice. In the current study we investigated if MTC is also able to visualize early amyloid β (Aβ induced pathological changes. In a cross-sectional study, a comparison was made between the MT ratio of wild type (WT and APP/PS1 mice at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 months of age. We observed an increased MT-ratio in the cortex of 24 month old APP/PS1 mice as compared to WT mice. However, when comparing the MT-ratio of the cortex of WT mice with the MT-ratio of the APP/PS1 mice at 2, 4, 6 or 8 months of age, no significant changes could be observed. In contrast to the cortex, we consistently observed a decreased MT-ratio in the splenium of 4, 6 and 8 month old APP/PS1 mice as compared to age-matched WT mice. Lastly, the decreased MT-ratio in the splenium of APP/PS1 mice correlated to the Aβ plaque deposition, astrogliosis and microgliosis. This MT-ratio decrease did however not correlate to the myelin content. Combined, our results suggest that MTC is able to visualize early Aβ-induced changes in the splenium but not the cortex of APP/PS1 mice.

  17. Culturally Competent Diabetes Self-Management Education for Mexican Americans: The Starr County Border Health Initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Sharon A.; Garcia, Alexandra A.; Kouzekanani, Kamiar; Hanis, Craig L.

    2002-01-01

    In a culturally competent diabetes self-management intervention in Starr County, Texas, bilingual Mexican American nurses, dieticians, and community workers provided weekly instruction on nutrition, self-monitoring, exercise and other self-care topics. A biweekly support group promoted behavior change. Interviews and examinations with 256 Mexican…

  18. Blazing a ghostly trail ISON and great comets of the past and future

    CERN Document Server

    Grego, Peter

    2014-01-01

    A special celestial event climaxes towards the end of 2013, the arrival, fresh from the Oort Cloud, of Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON). By all predictions, this comet was set to be one of the most dazzling comets seen in modern history.   Sky watchers will have already been primed for C/2012 (ISON) earlier in 2013 with the apparition of another naked-eye comet, C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS), and following C/2012 S1 (ISON) there is the prospect of 2012 K1 (PanSTARRS) reaching naked-eye visibility in August 2014. And there will be other bright cometary prospects in the near future, if we take into account the latest predictions.   This book sets the scene for the arrival of Comet C/2012 S1 and those comets following it over the next few years. It explains how sky watchers and amateur astronomers can practically follow comets, observe them, and record them. This is also a guide on how to keep abreast of the latest cometary discoveries and how to use publications, websites, programs, and apps to visualize and plan observations....

  19. Clinical outcomes of stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) for obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS): a single institution experience in South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Kee Ho; Lee, Du Seok; Shin, Jong Keun; Lee, So Jin; Lee, Jae Bum; Yook, Eui Gon; Lee, Doo Han; Kim, Do Sun

    2011-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess both the short- and long-term functional outcomes of stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) in ODS patients. We performed a retrospective review of data that were collected from January 2005 to October 2008. Between January 2005 to June 2006, 58 patients who underwent STARR were enrolled in this study. Follow-up was scheduled for 3 months and 1 year after surgery with the Cleveland Clinic Florida (CCF) constipation score and satisfaction grade. To evaluate the long-term functional outcome, we interviewed the patients by telephone using questionnaires for the CCF score and satisfaction grade on October 2008. The median follow-up period was 34 months (range, 27-46 months). The mean age and sex ratio were 54 years (range, 19-85 years) and 8:50 (M/F). The mean CCF constipation scores were 17.6 before the surgery, 9.5 at 3 months, 9.6 at 12 months, and 10.3 at the time of the latest interview. The satisfaction grade, which was rated as excellent and good by 63.4% of the patients at the time of the latest interview, was worse than that at 3 months (37.8%). Among the cases of the excellent group (19 cases) at postoperative 3 months, 13 cases (68.4%) were classified as excellent or good at the time of the latest interview. The STARR is a safe and effective surgical procedure for restoring the anatomy and function in ODS patients. Strict selection of patients is needed in enhancing and maintaining the patients' satisfaction after the procedure.

  20. THE TIME-DOMAIN SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY: UNDERSTANDING THE OPTICALLY VARIABLE SKY WITH SEQUELS IN SDSS-III

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruan, John J.; Anderson, Scott F.; Davenport, James R. A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Green, Paul J.; Morganson, Eric [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Eracleous, Michael; Brandt, William N. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 525 Davey Lab, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Myers, Adam D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy 3905, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University, Laramie, WY 82071 (United States); Badenes, Carles [Department of Physics and Astronomy and Pittsburgh Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Center (PITT-PACC), University of Pittsburgh (United States); Bershady, Matthew A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 475 N. Charter Street, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Chambers, Kenneth C.; Flewelling, Heather; Kaiser, Nick [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Dawson, Kyle S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Heckman, Timothy M. [Center for Astrophysical Sciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Isler, Jedidah C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States); Kneib, Jean-Paul [Laboratoire d’astrophysique, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Observatoire de Sauverny, 1290 Versoix (Switzerland); MacLeod, Chelsea L.; Ross, Nicholas P. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Paris, Isabelle, E-mail: jruan@astro.washington.edu [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Via G. B. Tiepolo 11, I-34131 Trieste (Italy); and others

    2016-07-10

    The Time-Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS) is an SDSS-IV eBOSS subproject primarily aimed at obtaining identification spectra of ∼220,000 optically variable objects systematically selected from SDSS/Pan-STARRS1 multi-epoch imaging. We present a preview of the science enabled by TDSS, based on TDSS spectra taken over ∼320 deg{sup 2} of sky as part of the SEQUELS survey in SDSS-III, which is in part a pilot survey for eBOSS in SDSS-IV. Using the 15,746 TDSS-selected single-epoch spectra of photometrically variable objects in SEQUELS, we determine the demographics of our variability-selected sample and investigate the unique spectral characteristics inherent in samples selected by variability. We show that variability-based selection of quasars complements color-based selection by selecting additional redder quasars and mitigates redshift biases to produce a smooth quasar redshift distribution over a wide range of redshifts. The resulting quasar sample contains systematically higher fractions of blazars and broad absorption line quasars than from color-selected samples. Similarly, we show that M dwarfs in the TDSS-selected stellar sample have systematically higher chromospheric active fractions than the underlying M-dwarf population based on their H α emission. TDSS also contains a large number of RR Lyrae and eclipsing binary stars with main-sequence colors, including a few composite-spectrum binaries. Finally, our visual inspection of TDSS spectra uncovers a significant number of peculiar spectra, and we highlight a few cases of these interesting objects. With a factor of ∼15 more spectra, the main TDSS survey in SDSS-IV will leverage the lessons learned from these early results for a variety of time-domain science applications.

  1. Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey for an optical counterpart of GW170817

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tominaga, Nozomu; Tanaka, Masaomi; Morokuma, Tomoki; Utsumi, Yousuke; Yamaguchi, Masaki S.; Yasuda, Naoki; Tanaka, Masayuki; Yoshida, Michitoshi; Fujiyoshi, Takuya; Furusawa, Hisanori; Kawabata, Koji S.; Lee, Chien-Hsiu; Motohara, Kentaro; Ohsawa, Ryou; Ohta, Kouji; Terai, Tsuyoshi; Abe, Fumio; Aoki, Wako; Asakura, Yuichiro; Barway, Sudhanshu; Bond, Ian A.; Fujisawa, Kenta; Honda, Satoshi; Ioka, Kunihito; Itoh, Youichi; Kawai, Nobuyuki; Kim, Ji Hoon; Koshimoto, Naoki; Matsubayashi, Kazuya; Miyazaki, Shota; Saito, Tomoki; Sekiguchi, Yuichiro; Sumi, Takahiro; Tristram, Paul J.

    2018-03-01

    We perform a z-band survey for an optical counterpart of the binary neutron star coalescence GW170817 with Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam. Our untargeted transient search covers 23.6 deg2 corresponding to the 56.6% credible region of GW170817 and reaches the 50% completeness magnitude of 20.6 mag on average. As a result, we find 60 candidate extragalactic transients, including J-GEM17btc (also known as SSS17a/DLT17ck). While J-GEM17btc is associated with NGC 4993, which is firmly located inside the 3D skymap of GW170817, the other 59 candidates do not have distance information in the GLADE v2 catalog or NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Among 59 of the candidates, 58 are located at the center of extended objects in the Pan-STARRS1 catalog, while one candidate has an offset. We present location, z-band apparent magnitude, and time variability of the candidates and evaluate the probabilities that they are located within the 3D skymap of GW170817. The probability for J-GEM17btc is 64%, which is much higher than for the other 59 candidates (9.3 × 10-3-2.1 × 10-1%). Furthermore, the possibility that at least one of the other 59 candidates is located within the 3D skymap is only 3.2%. Therefore, we conclude that J-GEM17btc is the most likely and distinguished candidate to be the optical counterpart of GW170817.

  2. Synthesis and Characterization of the Rubidium Thiophosphate Rb 6 (PS 5 )(P 2 S 10 ) and the Rubidium Silver Thiophosphates Rb 2 AgPS 4 , RbAg 5 (PS 4 ) 2 and Rb 3 Ag 9 (PS 4 ) 4

    KAUST Repository

    Alahmary, Fatimah S.

    2016-02-18

    The metal thiophosphates Rb2AgPS4 (2), RbAg5(PS4)2 (3), and Rb3Ag9(PS4)4 (4) were synthesized by stoichiometric reactions, whereas Rb6(PS5)(P2S10) (1) was prepared with excess amount of sulfur. The compounds crystallize as follows: 1 monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 17.0123(7) Å, b = 6.9102(2) Å, c = 23.179(1) Å, β = 94.399(4)°; 2 triclinic, P ¯ (no. 2), a = 6.600(1) Å, b = 6.856(1) Å, c = 10.943(3) Å, α = 95.150(2)°, β = 107.338(2)°, γ = 111.383(2)°; 3 orthorhombic, Pbca (no. 61), a = 12.607(1) Å, b = 12.612(1) Å, c = 17.759(2) Å; 4 orthorhombic, Pbcm (no. 57), a = 6.3481(2) Å, b = 12.5782(4) Å, c = 35.975(1) Å. The crystal structures contain discrete units, chains, and 3D polyanionic frameworks composed of PS4 tetrahedral units arranged and connected in different manner. Compounds 1-3 melt congruently, whereas incongruent melting behavior was observed for compound 4. 1-4 are semiconductors with bandgaps between 2.3 and 2.6 eV and thermally stable up to 450 °C in an inert atmosphere. Copyright © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Ectopic expression of phloem motor protein pea forisome PsSEO-F1 enhances salinity stress tolerance in tobacco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Vineet Kumar; Raikwar, Shailendra; Tuteja, Renu; Tuteja, Narendra

    2016-05-01

    PsSEOF-1 binds to calcium and its expression is upregulated by salinity treatment. PsSEOF - 1 -overexpressing transgenic tobacco showed enhanced salinity stress tolerance by maintaining cellular ion homeostasis and modulating ROS-scavenging pathway. Calcium (Ca(2+)) plays important role in growth, development and stress tolerance in plants. Cellular Ca(2+) homeostasis is achieved by the collective action of channels, pumps, antiporters and by Ca(2+) chelators present in the cell like calcium-binding proteins. Forisomes are ATP-independent mechanically active motor proteins known to function in wound sealing of injured sieve elements of phloem tissue. The Ca(2+)-binding activity of forisome and its role in abiotic stress signaling were largely unknown. Here we report the Ca(2+)-binding activity of pea forisome (PsSEO-F1) and its novel function in promoting salinity tolerance in transgenic tobacco. Native PsSEO-F1 promoter positively responded in salinity stress as confirmed using GUS reporter. Overexpression of PsSEO-F1 tobacco plants confers salinity tolerance by alleviating ionic toxicity and increased ROS scavenging activity which probably results in reduced membrane damage and improved yield under salinity stress. Evaluation of several physiological indices shows an increase in relative water content, electrolyte leakage, proline accumulation and chlorophyll content in transgenic lines as compared with null-segregant control. Expression of several genes involved in cellular homeostasis is perturbed by PsSEO-F1 overexpression. These findings suggest that PsSEO-F1 provides salinity tolerance through cellular Ca(2+) homeostasis which in turn modulates ROS machinery providing indirect link between Ca(2+) and ROS signaling under salinity-induced perturbation. PsSEO-F1 most likely functions in salinity stress tolerance by improving antioxidant machinery and mitigating ion toxicity in transgenic lines. This finding should make an important contribution in our better

  4. 4PS/insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-2 is the alternative substrate of the insulin receptor in IRS-1-deficient mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patti, M E; Sun, X J; Bruening, J C; Araki, E; Lipes, M A; White, M F; Kahn, C R

    1995-10-20

    Insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) is the major cytoplasmic substrate of the insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 receptors. Transgenic mice lacking IRS-1 are resistant to insulin and IGF-1, but exhibit significant residual insulin action which corresponds to the presence of an alternative high molecular weight substrate in liver and muscle. Recently, Sun et al. (Sun, X.-J., Wang, L.-M., Zhang, Y., Yenush, L. P., Myers, M. G., Jr., Glasheen, E., Lane, W.S., Pierce, J. H., and White, M. F. (1995) Nature 377, 173-177) purified and cloned 4PS, the major substrate of the IL-4 receptor-associated tyrosine kinase in myeloid cells, which has significant structural similarity to IRS-1. To determine if 4PS is the alternative substrate of the insulin receptor in IRS-1-deficient mice, we performed immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase assays using specific antibodies to 4PS. Following insulin stimulation, 4PS is rapidly phosphorylated in liver and muscle, binds to the p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase, and activates the enzyme. Insulin stimulation also results in the association of 4PS with Grb 2 in both liver and muscle. In IRS-1-deficient mice, both the phosphorylation of 4PS and associated PI 3-kinase activity are enhanced, without an increase in protein expression. Immunodepletion of 4PS from liver and muscle homogenates removes most of the phosphotyrosine-associated PI 3-kinase activity in IRS-1-deficient mice. Thus, 4PS is the primary alternative substrate, i.e. IRS-2, which plays a major role in physiologic insulin signal transduction via both PI 3-kinase activation and Grb 2/Sos association. In IRS-1-deficient mice, 4PS/IRS-2 provides signal transduction to these two major pathways of insulin signaling.

  5. Risk Management Capability Maturity and Performance of Complex Product and System (CoPS Projects with an Asian Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ren, Y.

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Complex Products and Systems (CoPS are high value, technology and engineering-intensive capital goods. The motivation of this study is the persistent high failure rate of CoPS projects, Asian CoPS provider’s weak capability and lack of specific research on CoPS risk management. This paper evaluates risk management maturity level of CoPS projects against a general CoPS risk management capability maturity model (RM-CMM developed by the authors. An Asian based survey was conducted to investigate the value of RM to project performance, and Asian (non-Japanese CoPS implementers’ perceived application of RM practices, their strengths and weaknesses. The survey result shows that higher RM maturity level leads to higher CoPS project performance. It also shows project complexity and uncertainty moderates the relationship between some RM practices and project performance, which implies that a contingency approach should be adopted to manage CoPS risks effectively. In addition, it shows that Asian CoPS implementers are weak in RM process and there are also rooms for improvement in the softer aspects of organizational capabilities and robustness.

  6. Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey for an optical counterpart of GW170817‡

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tominaga, Nozomu; Tanaka, Masaomi; Morokuma, Tomoki; Utsumi, Yousuke; Yamaguchi, Masaki S.; Yasuda, Naoki; Tanaka, Masayuki; Yoshida, Michitoshi; Fujiyoshi, Takuya; Furusawa, Hisanori; Kawabata, Koji S.; Lee, Chien-Hsiu; Motohara, Kentaro; Ohsawa, Ryou; Ohta, Kouji; Terai, Tsuyoshi; Abe, Fumio; Aoki, Wako; Asakura, Yuichiro; Barway, Sudhanshu; Bond, Ian A.; Fujisawa, Kenta; Honda, Satoshi; Ioka, Kunihito; Itoh, Youichi; Kawai, Nobuyuki; Kim, Ji Hoon; Koshimoto, Naoki; Matsubayashi, Kazuya; Miyazaki, Shota; Saito, Tomoki; Sekiguchi, Yuichiro; Sumi, Takahiro; Tristram, Paul J.

    2018-02-01

    We perform a z-band survey for an optical counterpart of the binary neutron star coalescence GW170817 with Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam. Our untargeted transient search covers 23.6 deg2 corresponding to the 56.6% credible region of GW170817 and reaches the 50% completeness magnitude of 20.6 mag on average. As a result, we find 60 candidate extragalactic transients, including J-GEM17btc (also known as SSS17a/DLT17ck). While J-GEM17btc is associated with NGC 4993, which is firmly located inside the 3D skymap of GW170817, the other 59 candidates do not have distance information in the GLADE v2 catalog or NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Among 59 of the candidates, 58 are located at the center of extended objects in the Pan-STARRS1 catalog, while one candidate has an offset. We present location, z-band apparent magnitude, and time variability of the candidates and evaluate the probabilities that they are located within the 3D skymap of GW170817. The probability for J-GEM17btc is 64%, which is much higher than for the other 59 candidates (9.3 × 10-3-2.1 × 10-1%). Furthermore, the possibility that at least one of the other 59 candidates is located within the 3D skymap is only 3.2%. Therefore, we conclude that J-GEM17btc is the most likely and distinguished candidate to be the optical counterpart of GW170817.

  7. Asymmetric PS-block-(PS-co-PB)-block-PS block copolymers: morphology formation and deformation behaviour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adhikari, Rameshwar; Huy, Trinh An; Buschnakowski, Matthias; Michler, Goerg H; Knoll, Konrad

    2004-01-01

    Morphology formation and deformation behaviour of asymmetric styrene/butadiene triblock copolymers (total polystyrene (PS) content ∼70%) consisting of PS outer blocks held apart by a styrene-co-butadiene random copolymer block (PS-co-PB) each were investigated. The techniques used were differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, uniaxial tensile testing and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. A significant shift of the phase behaviour relative to that of a neat symmetric triblock copolymer was observed, which can be attributed to the asymmetric architecture and the presence of PS-co-PB as a soft block. The mechanical properties and the microdeformation phenomena were mainly controlled by the nature of their solid-state morphology. Independent of morphology type, the soft phase was found to deform to a significantly higher degree of orientation when compared with the hard phase

  8. Long-Term Treatment with Liraglutide, a Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1 Receptor Agonist, Has No Effect on β-Amyloid Plaque Load in Two Transgenic APP/PS1 Mouse Models of Alzheimer's Disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henrik H Hansen

    Full Text Available One of the major histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD is cerebral deposits of extracellular β-amyloid peptides. Preclinical studies have pointed to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1 receptors as a potential novel target in the treatment of AD. GLP-1 receptor agonists, including exendin-4 and liraglutide, have been shown to promote plaque-lowering and mnemonic effects of in a number of experimental models of AD. Transgenic mouse models carrying genetic mutations of amyloid protein precursor (APP and presenilin-1 (PS1 are commonly used to assess the pharmacodynamics of potential amyloidosis-lowering and pro-cognitive compounds. In this study, effects of long-term liraglutide treatment were therefore determined in two double APP/PS1 transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's disease carrying different clinical APP/PS1 mutations, i.e. the 'London' (hAPPLon/PS1A246E and 'Swedish' mutation variant (hAPPSwe/PS1ΔE9 of APP, with co-expression of distinct PS1 variants. Liraglutide was administered in 5 month-old hAPPLon/PS1A246E mice for 3 months (100 or 500 ng/kg/day, s.c., or 7 month-old hAPPSwe/PS1ΔE9 mice for 5 months (500 ng/kg/day, s.c.. In both models, regional plaque load was quantified throughout the brain using stereological methods. Vehicle-dosed hAPPSwe/PS1ΔE9 mice exhibited considerably higher cerebral plaque load than hAPPLon/PS1A246E control mice. Compared to vehicle-dosed transgenic controls, liraglutide treatment had no effect on the plaque levels in hAPPLon/PS1A246E and hAPPSwe/PS1ΔE9 mice. In conclusion, long-term liraglutide treatment exhibited no effect on cerebral plaque load in two transgenic mouse models of low- and high-grade amyloidosis, which suggests differential sensitivity to long-term liraglutide treatment in various transgenic mouse models mimicking distinct pathological hallmarks of AD.

  9. Psühhodramaatikud annavad Pärnus eksami

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2008-01-01

    29. maist kuni 1. juunini kestab Pärnus psühhodraama konverents "Geeniuste kohtumine", kus rahvusvahelise koolituse läbinud annavad eksami. Ruuda Palmquist on psühhodraama kui teadusharu rajajaid Eestis. Pärnus on kohal Rootsi Moreno Instituudi juhataja, psühhodraama lavastaja Marc Treadwell

  10. Superficial Velocity Effects on HZ-PAN and AgZ-PAN for Kr/Xe Capture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Welty, Amy Keil [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Garn, Troy Gerry [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Greenhalgh, Mitchell Randy [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2016-04-01

    Nearly all previous testing of HZ-PAN and AgZ-PAN was conducted at the same flow rate in order to maintain consistency among tests. This testing was sufficient for sorbent capacity determinations, but did not ensure that sorbents were capable of functioning under a range of flow regimes. Tests were conducted on both HZ-PAN and AgZ-PAN at superficial velocities between 20 and 700 cm/min. For HZ-PAN, Kr capacity increased from 60 mmol/kg to 110 mmol/kg as superficial velocity increased from 21 to 679 cm/min. Results for AgZ-PAN were similar, with capacity ranging from 72 to 124 mmol/kg over the same range of superficial. These results are promising for scaling up to process flows, demonstrating flexibility to operate in a broad range of superficial velocities while maintaining sorbent capacity. While preparing for superficial velocity testing it was also discovered that AgZ-PAN Xe capacity, previously observed to diminish over time, could be recovered with increased desorption temperature. Further, a substantial Xe capacity increase was observed. Previous room temperature capacities in the range of 22-25 mmol Xe/kg AgZ-PAN were increased to over 60 mmol Xe/kg AgZ-PAN. While this finding has not yet been fully explored to optimize activation and desorption temperatures, it is encouraging.

  11. Effects of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) on vegetation. I. Herbaceous plants PAN injury symptoms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nouchi, I.; Iijima, T.; Oodaira, T.

    1975-01-01

    A series of exposure experiments were conducted in a controlled-atmosphere exposure chamber equipped with artificial light apparatus, using PAN synthesized from ultraviolet irradiation of ethyl nitrite vapor in oxygen. Exposures of 6 approx. 16 hours and 10 pphm PAN caused serious damage like caving with glazing or bronzing in caved lesions to the lower surface of younger leaves. Leaves of white-flowered petunia were found to be most sensitive to PAN and were damaged even by a 3 pphm exposure. Microscopic examinations showed that the PAN characteristically caused injuries of spongy cells and that these cells collapsed and turned brown. Leaf injury symptoms on herbaceous plants caused by synthesized PAN in the exposure experiments were found to be quite similar to those seen in the field under high oxidant emergence. Therefore, it seems that the said type of injuries to leaf beet, kidney bean, and head lettuce observed in the field were caused by PAN. 21 references. 4 figures, 3 tables.

  12. Effect of running exercise on the number of the neurons in the hippocampus of young transgenic APP/PS1 mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Lin; Ma, Jing; Zhang, Yi; Zhou, Chun-Ni; Zhang, Lei; Chao, Feng-Lei; Chen, Lin-Mu; Jiang, Rong; Wu, Hong; Tang, Yong

    2018-08-01

    To investigate the effect of running exercise on the number of the neurons in the hippocampus of young APP/PS1 mice, twenty 6-month-old male APP/ PS1 transgenic mice were randomly divided into the APP/PS1 control (AD control) group and the APP/PS1 running (AD running) group (10 mice per group), and ten wild-type mice of the littermate were regarded as the wild-type (WT) group. The AD running mice ran on motorized treadmill machiene for 4 months, while the WT mice and AD control mice were housed in standard condition without running. Then, Morris water maze tests (MWM) were used to assess the special learning and memory abilities of mice in three groups. The stereological methods were used to quantitatively evaluate the volume of the hippocampus, CA1/2, CA3 and the dentate gyrus (DG) and count the number of the neurons in CA1/2, CA3 and DG. We found that 4-month running effectively shortened the escape latency of young APP/PS1 control mice in MWM. More importantly, 4-month running effectively increased the volumes of the hippocampus, CA1/2, CA3 and DG and increased the number of neurons in CA1/2, CA3 and DG in young APP/PS1 mice. The present results suggested that 4-month running has significant beneficial effects on the spatial learning and memory capacities of young APP/PS1 mice and could delay the progress of atrophy of hippocampus and the neuron death in CA1/2, CA3 and DG in young APP/PS1 mice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Differential L1 regulation in pluripotent stem cells of humans and apes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchetto, Maria C N; Narvaiza, Iñigo; Denli, Ahmet M; Benner, Christopher; Lazzarini, Thomas A; Nathanson, Jason L; Paquola, Apuã C M; Desai, Keval N; Herai, Roberto H; Weitzman, Matthew D; Yeo, Gene W; Muotri, Alysson R; Gage, Fred H

    2013-11-28

    Identifying cellular and molecular differences between human and non-human primates (NHPs) is essential to the basic understanding of the evolution and diversity of our own species. Until now, preserved tissues have been the main source for most comparative studies between humans, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus). However, these tissue samples do not fairly represent the distinctive traits of live cell behaviour and are not amenable to genetic manipulation. We propose that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells could be a unique biological resource to determine relevant phenotypical differences between human and NHPs, and that those differences could have potential adaptation and speciation value. Here we describe the generation and initial characterization of iPS cells from chimpanzees and bonobos as new tools to explore factors that may have contributed to great ape evolution. Comparative gene expression analysis of human and NHP iPS cells revealed differences in the regulation of long interspersed element-1 (L1, also known as LINE-1) transposons. A force of change in mammalian evolution, L1 elements are retrotransposons that have remained active during primate evolution. Decreased levels of L1-restricting factors APOBEC3B (also known as A3B) and PIWIL2 (ref. 7) in NHP iPS cells correlated with increased L1 mobility and endogenous L1 messenger RNA levels. Moreover, results from the manipulation of A3B and PIWIL2 levels in iPS cells supported a causal inverse relationship between levels of these proteins and L1 retrotransposition. Finally, we found increased copy numbers of species-specific L1 elements in the genome of chimpanzees compared to humans, supporting the idea that increased L1 mobility in NHPs is not limited to iPS cells in culture and may have also occurred in the germ line or embryonic cells developmentally upstream to germline specification during primate evolution. We propose that differences in L1 mobility may have

  14. NaPdPS{sub 4} and RbPdPS{sub 4}: systems with infinite straight ((1)/({infinity}))[PdPS{sub 4}]{sup -} chains soluble in polar solvents and the structure of cubic RbPdPS{sub 4}{l_brace}Rb{sub 0.33}P{sub 0.4}S{sub 2.23}O{sub x}{r_brace}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coste, Servane; Hanko, Jason; Bujoli-Doeuff, Martine; Louarn, Guy; Evain, Michel; Brec, Raymond; Alonso, Bruno; Jobic, S; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G

    2003-11-01

    The synthesis, crystal structures, chemical and spectroscopic properties of NaPdPS{sub 4}, RbPdPS{sub 4}, and RbPdPS{sub 4}{l_brace}Rb{sub 0.33}P{sub 0.4}S{sub 2.23}O{sub x}{r_brace} are described. NaPdPS{sub 4}, RbPdPS{sub 4}, are isostructural and crystallize in the tetragonal system I4/mcm with cell parameters a=7.3074(8) A, c=12.2308(14) A and a=8.2954(3) A, c=12.2284(4) A respectively. RbPdPS{sub 4}{l_brace}Rb{sub 0.33}P{sub 0.4}S{sub 2.23}O{sub x}{r_brace} is cubic, space group Pm-3n and a=12.0042(2) A. All compounds contain the same ((1)/({infinity}))[PdPS{sub 4}]{sup -} chains made of alternating square planar Pd{sup 2+} cations and tetrahedral [PS{sub 4}]{sup 3-} anions. RbPdPS{sub 4}{l_brace}Rb{sub 0.33}P{sub 0.4}S{sub 2.23}O{sub x}{r_brace} contains co-crystallized highly disordered molecular species encapsulated within [Rb{sub 8}] cubic cavities. Spectroscopic solid state {sup 31}P NMR, infrared and Raman data as well as elemental analysis suggest that these species could be S{sub n}{sup 2-} (n=3 or 4) anions and possibly cationic [P{sub 4}S{sub 6}O]{sup 6+} fragments. NaPdPS{sub 4} and RbPdPS{sub 4} exhibit exfoliative dissolution in polar solvents giving rise to solutions that show signs of complex fluid behavior.

  15. A novel cold-regulated gene from Phlox subulata, PsCor413im1, enhances low temperature tolerance in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Aimin; Sun, Hongwei; Feng, Shuang; Zhou, Mi; Gong, Shufang; Wang, Jingang; Zhang, Shuzhen

    2018-01-08

    Low temperature stress adversely affects plant growth, development, and crop productivity. Analysis of the function of genes in the response of plants to low temperature stress is essential for understanding the mechanism of chilling and freezing tolerance. In this study, PsCor413im1, a novel cold-regulated gene isolated from Phlox subulata, was transferred to Arabidopsis to investigate its function under low temperature stress. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that PsCor413im1 expression was induced by cold and abscisic acid. Subcellular localization revealed that PsCor413im1-GFP fusion protein was localized to the periphery of the chloroplast, consistent with the localization of chloroplast inner membrane protein AtCor413im1, indicating that PsCor413im1 is a chloroplast membrane protein. Furthermore, the N-terminal of PsCor413im1 was determined to be necessary for its localization. Compared to the wild-type plants, transgenic plants showed higher germination and survival rates under cold and freezing stress. Moreover, the expression of AtCor15 in transgenic plants was higher than that in the wild-type plants under cold stress. Taken together, our results suggest that the overexpression of PsCor413im1 enhances low temperature tolerance in Arabidopsis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Cytokine-producing microglia have an altered beta-amyloid load in aged APP/PS1 Tg mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Babcock, Alicia A; Ilkjær, Laura; Clausen, Bettina H

    2015-01-01

    of CD11b, TNF, and IL-1Ra. Cytokine production and Aβ load were assessed in neocortical CD11b(+)(CD45(+)) microglia by flow cytometry. Whereas most microglia in aged mice produced IL-1Ra, relatively low proportions of microglia produced TNF, IL-1α, and IL-1β. However, microglial production......, however the inter-relationship between these processes is poorly understood. Here we show that % Aβ plaque load followed a sigmoidal trajectory with age in the neocortex of APPswe/PS1ΔE9 Tg mice, and correlated positively with soluble Aβ40 and Aβ42. Aβ measures were moderately correlated with mRNA levels...... of these latter cytokines was generally increased in APP/PS1 Tg mice. Microglia that phagocytosed endogenously-produced Aβ were only observed in APP/PS1 Tg mice. Differences in phagocytic index and total Aβ load were observed in microglia with specific cytokine profiles. Both phagocytic index and total Aβ load...

  17. Expectation values of the e+PsH system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, J.-Y.; Mitroy, J.

    2007-01-01

    Close to converged energies and expectation values for e + PsH are computed using a ground-state wave function consisting of 1500 explicitly correlated Gaussians. The best estimate of the e + PsH ∞ energy was -0.810 254 hartrees, which has a binding energy of 0.021 057 hartrees against dissociation into e + +PsH. The 2γ annihilation rate was 2.7508x10 9 s -1 . Binding energies and annihilation rates are also given for the different finite-mass variants of e + PsH. Comparisons between expectation values for e + PsH and PsH provide compelling evidence that the e + PsH ground state can be regarded as consisting of a weakly bound positron orbiting the PsH ground state

  18. Contributions for Repositioning a Regional Strategy for Healthy Municipalities, Cities and Communities (HM&C): Results of a Pan-American Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, Marilyn; Vizzotti, Carlos; Frassia, Romina; Vizzotti, Pablo; Akerman, Marco

    2010-01-01

    This article presents the results of the 1st Regional Survey of Healthy Municipalities, Cities and Communities (HM&C) carried out in 2008 by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and ISALUD University of Argentina. It discusses the responses obtained from 12 countries in the Americas Region. Key informants in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay were selected and encouraged to answer the survey, while informants from Canada and Honduras answered voluntarily and were included in this analysis. The discussion of the results of the Survey provides insight into the current status of HM&C in the Region and suggests key topics for repositioning the Regional strategy relative to: (1) the conceptual identity and tools for HM&C; (2) challenging areas in the implementation process (scale, legal framework, and development of capacities); (3) related strategies and participatory processes such as the ways citizen empowerment in governance is supported; (4) the need to monitor and assess the impact of the HM&C strategy on the health and quality of life of the populations involved; and (5) the need for developing a strategic research and training agenda. The analysis and discussion of these results aims to provide useful input for repositioning the strategy in the Region and contributing to the emergence of a second generation of concepts and tools capable of meeting the developing priorities and needs currently faced by the HM&C strategy. PMID:20532989

  19. Machine-learning-based real-bogus system for the HSC-SSP moving object detection pipeline

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Hsing-Wen; Chen, Ying-Tung; Wang, Jen-Hung; Wang, Shiang-Yu; Yoshida, Fumi; Ip, Wing-Huen; Miyazaki, Satoshi; Terai, Tsuyoshi

    2018-01-01

    Machine-learning techniques are widely applied in many modern optical sky surveys, e.g., Pan-STARRS1, PTF/iPTF, and the Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam survey, to reduce human intervention in data verification. In this study, we have established a machine-learning-based real-bogus system to reject false detections in the Subaru/Hyper-Suprime-Cam Strategic Survey Program (HSC-SSP) source catalog. Therefore, the HSC-SSP moving object detection pipeline can operate more effectively due to the reduction of false positives. To train the real-bogus system, we use stationary sources as the real training set and "flagged" data as the bogus set. The training set contains 47 features, most of which are photometric measurements and shape moments generated from the HSC image reduction pipeline (hscPipe). Our system can reach a true positive rate (tpr) ˜96% with a false positive rate (fpr) ˜1% or tpr ˜99% at fpr ˜5%. Therefore, we conclude that stationary sources are decent real training samples, and using photometry measurements and shape moments can reject false positives effectively.

  20. Genotype-induced changes in biophysical properties of frontal cortex lipid raft from APP/PS1 transgenic mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario L Diaz

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Alterations in the lipid composition of lipid rafts have been demonstrated both in human brain and transgenic mouse models, and it has been postulated that aberrant lipid composition in lipid rafts is partly responsible for neuronal degeneration. In order to assess the impact of lipid changes on lipid raft functional properties, we have aimed at determining relevant physicochemical modifications in lipid rafts purified from frontal cortex of wild type (WT and APP/PS1 double transgenic mice. By means of steady-state fluorescence anisotropy analyses using two lipid soluble fluorescent probes, TMA-DPH (1-[(4-trimethyl-aminophenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene and DPH (1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, we demonstrate that cortical lipid rafts from WT and APP/PS1 animals exhibit different biophysical behaviours, depending on genotype but also on age. Thus, aged APP/PS1 animals exhibited slightly more liquid-ordered lipid rafts than WT counterparts. Membrane microviscosity napp analyses demonstrate that WT lipid rafts are more fluid than APP/PS1 animals of similar age, both at the aqueous interface and hydrophobic core of the membrane. napp in APP/PS1 animals was higher for DPH than for TMA-DPH under similar experimental conditions, indicating that the internal core of the membrane is more viscous than the raft membrane at the aqueous interface. The most dramatic changes in biophysical properties of lipid rafts were observed when membrane cholesterol was depleted with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin. Overall, our results indicate that APP/PS1 genotype strongly affects physicochemical properties of lipid raft. Such alterations appear not to be homogeneous across the raft membrane axis, but rather are more prominent at the membrane plane. These changes correlate with aberrant proportions of sphingomyelin, cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids, measured in lipid rafts from frontal cortex in this familial model of

  1. Anomalies in social behaviors and exploratory activities in an APPswe/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filali, Mohammed; Lalonde, Robert; Rivest, Serge

    2011-10-24

    Alzheimer's disease is characterized by deficits in social communication, associated with generalized apathy or agitation, as well as social memory. To assess social behaviors in 6-month-old male APPswe/PS1 bigenics relative to non-transgenic controls, the 3-chamber test was used, together with open-field and elevated plus-maze tests of exploration. APPswe/PS1 mice were less willing to engage in social interaction than wild-type, avoiding an unfamiliar stimulus mouse, probably not due to generalized apathy because in both tests of exploratory activity the mutants were hyperactive. This study reveals reduced "sociability" combined with hyperactivity in an APPswe/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer dementia. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Relationship between dimensions of Brand Equity and 4Ps of Marketing Mix - Place, Product, Promotion, & Price: Coca Cola - Consumer Based Qualitative Survey

    OpenAIRE

    Arab, Nazanin

    2018-01-01

    The relationship between dimensions of brand equity (brand association, brand awareness, perceived quality, and customer's loyalty) and 4Ps of marketing mix (product, place, price, and promotion) are examined in this paper. Cross sectional research design while following inductive approach I have explore the relationship between research variables from consumer's perspective. Total 129 participants took part in this survey. Respondents were identified and approached through convenience sa...

  3. Two-year survival rates of anti-TNF-α therapy in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with either polyarticular or oligoarticular PsA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iannone, F; Lopriore, S; Bucci, R; Scioscia, C; Anelli, M G; Notarnicola, A; Lapadula, G

    2015-05-01

    To evaluate the 2-year drug survival rates of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α blockers adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with either oligoarticular (oligo-PsA) or polyarticular PsA (poly-PsA). We studied a prospective cohort of 328 PsA patients with peripheral arthritis (213 with poly-PsA and 115 with oligo-PsA), beginning their first ever anti-TNF-α treatment with adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab. The aim of the study was to evaluate the drug survival rates and possible baseline predictors at 2 years. After 24 months, persistence in therapy with the first anti-TNF-α blocker was not statistically different in the oligo-PsA (70.4%) and poly-PsA (65.7%) subsets. Predictors of drug discontinuation were female sex [hazard ratio (HR) 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-2.68, p = 0.04] and starting the therapy in years 2003-8 (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.33-0.80, p = 0.003). In poly-PsA, the persistence of etanercept (68.3%) was significantly higher than that of adalimumab (51.9%, p = 0.01), whereas in oligo-PsA no significant difference was detected. In poly-PsA, the period 2003-8 was a negative predictor (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.21-0.62, p = 0.0001) whereas in oligo-PsA female gender was a positive predictor of drug discontinuation (HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.02-4.24, p = 0.04). With regard to clinical outcomes, the best responses in terms of European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 'good' response or Disease Activity Score (DAS28) remission, crude or adjusted according to the LUND Efficacy indeX (LUNDEX), were seen in patients on etanercept or infliximab. Our study provides some evidence that anti-TNF-α drugs may perform differently in PsA, and that the analysis of clinical disease subsets may improve our knowledge and promote better management of PsA.

  4. Rationale and design of the Pan-African Sudden Cardiac Death survey

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bonny, Aimé; Ngantcha, Marcus; Amougou, Sylvie Ndongo

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The estimated rate of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in Western countries ranges from 300,000 to 400,000 annually, which represents 0.36 to 1.28 per 1 000 inhabitants in Europe and the United States. The burden of SCD in Africa is unknown. Our aim is to assess the epidemiology of SCD...... of districts of interest will be checked for past medical history, circumstances of death, and autopsy report (if possible). We will also analyse the employment of resuscitation attempts during the time frame of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in various patient populations throughout African countries. CONCLUSION...... in Africa. METHODS: The Pan-Africa SCD study is a prospective, multicentre, community-based registry monitoring all cases of cardiac arrest occurring in victims over 15 years old. We will use the definition of SCD as 'witnessed natural death occurring within one hour of the onset of symptoms...

  5. PsVPS1, a dynamin-related protein, is involved in cyst germination and soybean infection of Phytophthora sojae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delong Li

    Full Text Available Plant pathogens secrete effector proteins to suppress plant immunity. However, the mechanism by which oomycete pathogens deliver effector proteins during plant infection remains unknown. In this report, we characterized a Phytophthora sojae vps1 gene. This gene encodes a homolog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae vacuolar protein sorting gene vps1 that mediates budding of clathrin-coated vesicles from the late Golgi, which are diverted from the general secretory pathway to the vacuole. PsVPS1-silenced mutants were generated using polyethylene glycol-mediated protoplast stable transformation and were viable but had reduced extracellular protein activity. The PsVPS1-silenced mutants showed impaired hyphal growth, and the shapes of the vacuoles were highly fragmented. Silencing of PsVPS1 affected cyst germination as well as the polarized growth of germinated cysts. Silenced mutants showed impaired invasion of susceptible soybean plants regardless of wounding. These results suggest that PsVPS1 is involved in vacuole morphology and cyst development. Moreover, it is essential for the virulence of P. sojae and extracellular protein secretion.

  6. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause in five Asian countries: results from the Pan-Asian REVIVE survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chua, Y; Limpaphayom, K K; Cheng, B; Ho, C M; Sumapradja, K; Altomare, C; Huang, K

    2017-08-01

    The Pan-Asian REVIVE survey aimed to examine women's experiences with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and their interactions with health-care professionals (HCPs). Self-completed surveys were administered face-to-face to 5992 women (aged 45-75 years) in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Of 638 postmenopausal women with GSM symptoms, only 35% were aware of the GSM condition, most of whom first heard of GSM through their physician (32%). The most common symptoms were vaginal dryness (57%) and irritation (43%). GSM had the greatest impact on sexual enjoyment (65%) and intimacy (61%). Only 25% had discussed their GSM symptoms with a HCP, and such discussions were mostly patient-initiated (64%) rather than HCP-initiated (24%). Only 21% had been clinically diagnosed with GSM and only 24% had ever used treatment for their symptoms. Three-quarters of those who had used treatment for GSM had discussed their symptoms with a HCP compared to only 9% of those who were treatment-naïve. GSM is underdiagnosed and undertreated in Asia. As discussion of GSM with HCPs appears to be a factor influencing women's awareness and treatment status, a more active role by HCPs to facilitate early discussions on GSM and its treatment options is needed.

  7. SELECTING QUASARS BY THEIR INTRINSIC VARIABILITY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, Kasper B.; Rix, Hans-Walter; Jester, Sebastian; Hennawi, Joseph F.; Marshall, Philip J.; Dobler, Gregory

    2010-01-01

    We present a new and simple technique for selecting extensive, complete, and pure quasar samples, based on their intrinsic variability. We parameterize the single-band variability by a power-law model for the light-curve structure function, with amplitude A and power-law index γ. We show that quasars can be efficiently separated from other non-variable and variable sources by the location of the individual sources in the A-γ plane. We use ∼60 epochs of imaging data, taken over ∼5 years, from the SDSS stripe 82 (S82) survey, where extensive spectroscopy provides a reference sample of quasars, to demonstrate the power of variability as a quasar classifier in multi-epoch surveys. For UV-excess selected objects, variability performs just as well as the standard SDSS color selection, identifying quasars with a completeness of 90% and a purity of 95%. In the redshift range 2.5 < z < 3, where color selection is known to be problematic, variability can select quasars with a completeness of 90% and a purity of 96%. This is a factor of 5-10 times more pure than existing color selection of quasars in this redshift range. Selecting objects from a broad griz color box without u-band information, variability selection in S82 can afford completeness and purity of 92%, despite a factor of 30 more contaminants than quasars in the color-selected feeder sample. This confirms that the fraction of quasars hidden in the 'stellar locus' of color space is small. To test variability selection in the context of Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) we created mock PS1 data by down-sampling the S82 data to just six epochs over 3 years. Even with this much sparser time sampling, variability is an encouragingly efficient classifier. For instance, a 92% pure and 44% complete quasar candidate sample is attainable from the above griz-selected catalog. Finally, we show that the presented A-γ technique, besides selecting clean and pure samples of quasars (which are stochastically varying objects), is also

  8. HOW TO PAN-SHARPEN IMAGES USING THE GRAM-SCHMIDT PAN-SHARPEN METHOD – A RECIPE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Maurer

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Since its publication in 1998 (Laben and Brower, 2000, the Gram-Schmidt pan-sharpen method has become one of the most popular algorithms to pan-sharpen multispectral (MS imagery. It outperforms most other pan-sharpen methods in both maximizing image sharpness and minimizing color distortion. It is, on the other hand, also more complex and computationally expensive than most other methods, as it requires forward and backward transforming the entire image. Another complication is the lack of a clear recipe of how to compute the sensor dependent MS to Pan weights that are needed to compute the simulated low resolution pan band. Estimating them from the sensor’s spectral sensitivity curves (in different ways, or using linear regression or least square methods are typical candidates which can include other degrees of freedom such as adding a constant offset or not. As a result, most companies and data providers do it somewhat differently. Here we present a solution to both problems. The transform coefficients can be computed directly and in advance from the MS covariance matrix and the MS to Pan weights. Once the MS covariance matrix is computed and stored with the image statistics, any small section of the image can be pan-sharpened on the fly, without having to compute anything else over the entire image. Similarly, optimal MS to Pan weights can be computed directly from the full MS-Pan covariance matrix, guaranteeing optimal image quality and consistency.

  9. GABA(A receptor-mediated acceleration of aging-associated memory decline in APP/PS1 mice and its pharmacological treatment by picrotoxin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuji Yoshiike

    Full Text Available Advanced age and mutations in the genes encoding amyloid precursor protein (APP and presenilin (PS1 are two serious risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD. Finding common pathogenic changes originating from these risks may lead to a new therapeutic strategy. We observed a decline in memory performance and reduction in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP in both mature adult (9-15 months transgenic APP/PS1 mice and old (19-25 months non-transgenic (nonTg mice. By contrast, in the presence of bicuculline, a GABA(A receptor antagonist, LTP in adult APP/PS1 mice and old nonTg mice was larger than that in adult nonTg mice. The increased LTP levels in bicuculline-treated slices suggested that GABA(A receptor-mediated inhibition in adult APP/PS1 and old nonTg mice was upregulated. Assuming that enhanced inhibition of LTP mediates memory decline in APP/PS1 mice, we rescued memory deficits in adult APP/PS1 mice by treating them with another GABA(A receptor antagonist, picrotoxin (PTX, at a non-epileptic dose for 10 days. Among the saline vehicle-treated groups, substantially higher levels of synaptic proteins such as GABA(A receptor alpha1 subunit, PSD95, and NR2B were observed in APP/PS1 mice than in nonTg control mice. This difference was insignificant among PTX-treated groups, suggesting that memory decline in APP/PS1 mice may result from changes in synaptic protein levels through homeostatic mechanisms. Several independent studies reported previously in aged rodents both an increased level of GABA(A receptor alpha1 subunit and improvement of cognitive functions by long term GABA(A receptor antagonist treatment. Therefore, reduced LTP linked to enhanced GABA(A receptor-mediated inhibition may be triggered by aging and may be accelerated by familial AD-linked gene products like Abeta and mutant PS1, leading to cognitive decline that is pharmacologically treatable at least at this stage of disease progression in mice.

  10. Photometry and shape modeling of Mars crosser asteroid (1011 Laodamia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Apostolovska G.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available An analysis of photometric observations of Mars crosser asteroid 1011 Laodamia conducted at Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory Rozhen over a twelve year interval (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013 is made. Based on the obtained lightcurves the spin vector, sense of rotation, and preliminary shape model of (1011 Laodamia have been determined using the lightcurve inversion method. The aim of this investigation is to increase the set of asteroids with known spin and shape parameters and to contribute in improving the model in combination with other techniques and sparse data produced by photometric asteroid surveys such as Pan-STARRS or GAIA.

  11. On linearity of pan-integral and pan-integrable functions space

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ouyang, Y.; Li, J.; Mesiar, Radko

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 90, č. 1 (2017), s. 307-318 ISSN 0888-613X Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : linearity * monotone measure * Pan-integrable space Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics Impact factor: 2.845, year: 2016 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2017/E/mesiar-0477549.pdf

  12. O pan das ánimas

    OpenAIRE

    Antón, Fina; Mandianes Castro, Manuel

    1996-01-01

    O pan, ademais de cumprir una función alimenticia de primeira orde, está revestido dunha significación simbólica importante. O pan durante a vida axuda a pasa-los límites, a da-lo paso, a integrarse entre os cristiáns por cousa do bautismo e a integrarse no grupo dos homes e mulleres co adaxo da boda, pero o pan axuda, sobre todo, a pasa-lo río Xordán, que é, sen dúbida o límite que separa este mundo do outro; a serpe e as ánimas constitúen un límite e o pan facilita o seu paso. O pan está in...

  13. Genomic differentiation among two strains of the PS1 clade isolated from geographically separated marine habitats

    KAUST Repository

    Jimenez Infante, Francy M.

    2014-05-22

    Using dilution-to-extinction cultivation, we isolated a strain affiliated with the PS1 clade from surface waters of the Red Sea. Strain RS24 represents the second isolate of this group of marine Alphaproteobacteria after IMCC14465 that was isolated from the East (Japan) Sea. The PS1 clade is a sister group to the OCS116 clade, together forming a putatively novel order closely related to Rhizobiales. While most genomic features and most of the genetic content are conserved between RS24 and IMCC14465, their average nucleotide identity (ANI) is < 81%, suggesting two distinct species of the PS1 clade. Next to encoding two different variants of proteorhodopsin genes, they also harbor several unique genomic islands that contain genes related to degradation of aromatic compounds in IMCC14465 and in polymer degradation in RS24, possibly reflecting the physicochemical differences in the environment they were isolated from. No clear differences in abundance of the genomic content of either strain could be found in fragment recruitment analyses using different metagenomic datasets, in which both genomes were detectable albeit as minor part of the communities. The comparative genomic analysis of both isolates of the PS1 clade and the fragment recruitment analysis provide first insights into the ecology of this group. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

  14. USING COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND LENSING TO CONSTRAIN THE MULTIPLICATIVE BIAS OF COSMIC SHEAR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vallinotto, Alberto

    2012-01-01

    Weak gravitational lensing is one of the key probes of cosmology. Cosmic shear surveys aimed at measuring the distribution of matter in the universe are currently being carried out (Pan-STARRS) or planned for the coming decade (DES, LSST, EUCLID, WFIRST). Crucial to the success of these surveys is the control of systematics. In this work, a new method to constrain one such family of systematics, known as multiplicative bias, is proposed. This method exploits the cross-correlation between weak-lensing measurements from galaxy surveys and the ones obtained from high-resolution cosmic microwave background experiments. This cross-correlation is shown to have the power to break the degeneracy between the normalization of the matter power spectrum and the multiplicative bias of cosmic shear and to be able to constrain the latter to a few percent.

  15. GSK3 beta forms a tetrameric complex with endogenous PS1-CTF/NTF and beta-catenin. Effects of the D257/D385A and FAD-linked mutations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tesco, G; Tanzi, R E

    2000-01-01

    We have previously shown that the endogenous C-terminal fragment of presenilin 1 co-immunoprecipitates with endogenous beta-catenin. Since PS1 has been suggested to be involved in beta-catenin stabilization, we further investigated whether GSK3 beta, responsible for beta-catenin phosphorylation and degradation, is part of the PS1/beta-catenin complex. In naïve H4 and CHO cells, PS1 co-immunoprecipitated with both endogenous beta-catenin and GSK3 beta. In addition, GSK3 beta endogenously binds to the PS1-CTF/NTF complex and beta-catenin in naïve CHO cells. GSK3 beta also co-immunoprecipitated with PS1 full length in CHO cell lines overexpressing PS1 wild type. Given that it has been recently shown that PS1 mutations of aspartate 257 or 385 result in prevention of PS1 endoproteolysis and inhibition of gamma-secretase activity, we also tested whether PS1 endoproteolysis is required for beta-catenin/GSK3 beta/PS1 binding and whether PS1 FAD-linked mutations affect GSK3 beta recruitment in the PS1/beta-catenin complex. GSK3 beta was detected in PS1 immunoprecipitates from H4 cell lines overexpressing PS1 wild type, delta E10, A286E, L246V and in CHO cell lines overexpressing aspartate or M146L mutations. The latter data show that the absence of PS1 endoproteolysis (D257A/D385A and delta E10) or the presence of PS1-FAD mutations does not interfere with beta-catenin/GSK3 beta/PS1 complex formation.

  16. Genome Therapy of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 iPS Cells for Development of Autologous Stem Cell Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yuanzheng; Guo, Xiuming; Santostefano, Katherine; Wang, Yanlin; Reid, Tammy; Zeng, Desmond; Terada, Naohiro; Ashizawa, Tetsuo; Xia, Guangbin

    2016-08-01

    Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by expanded Cytosine-Thymine-Guanine (CTG) repeats in the 3'-untranslated region (3' UTR) of the Dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) gene, for which there is no effective therapy. The objective of this study is to develop genome therapy in human DM1 induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to eliminate mutant transcripts and reverse the phenotypes for developing autologous stem cell therapy. The general approach involves targeted insertion of polyA signals (PASs) upstream of DMPK CTG repeats, which will lead to premature termination of transcription and elimination of toxic mutant transcripts. Insertion of PASs was mediated by homologous recombination triggered by site-specific transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN)-induced double-strand break. We found genome-treated DM1 iPS cells continue to maintain pluripotency. The insertion of PASs led to elimination of mutant transcripts and complete disappearance of nuclear RNA foci and reversal of aberrant splicing in linear-differentiated neural stem cells, cardiomyocytes, and teratoma tissues. In conclusion, genome therapy by insertion of PASs upstream of the expanded DMPK CTG repeats prevented the production of toxic mutant transcripts and reversal of phenotypes in DM1 iPS cells and their progeny. These genetically-treated iPS cells will have broad clinical application in developing autologous stem cell therapy for DM1.

  17. Psychometric properties of the OARSI/OMERACT osteoarthritis pain and functional impairment scales: ICOAP, KOOS-PS and HOOS-PS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruyssen-Witrand, A; Fernandez-Lopez, C J; Gossec, L; Anract, P; Courpied, J P; Dougados, M

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate the psychometric properties of the OARSI-OMERACT questionnaires in comparison to the existing validated scales. Consecutive hip or knee osteoarthritis patients consulting in an orthopedic department were enrolled in the study. Data collected were pain using the Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP), a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Western Ontario McMaster Universities' Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale, the Lequesne pain subscale; functional impairment using the Knee disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Shortform (KOOS-PS), the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Shortform (HOOS-PS), a NRS, the WOMAC function sub-scale, the Lequesne function subscale. Validity was assessed by calculating the Spearman's correlation coefficient between all the scales. Reliability was assessed in out-patients with stable disease comparing the data collected within 2 weeks using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Responsiveness was assessed on the data from hospitalised patients prior to and 12 weeks after a total joint replacement (TJR) using the standardised response mean. Three hundred patients (mean age=68 years, females=62%, hip OA=57%) were included. There was a moderate to good correlation between ICOAP, KOOS-PS, HOOS-PS and the WOMAC, NRS and Lequesne scales. Reliability of the ICOAP hip OA HOOS-PS and KOOS-PS was good (ICC range 0.80-0.81) whereas it was moderate for knee ICOAP (ICC=0.65). Responsiveness of the ICOAP, KOOS-PS and HOOS-PS 12 weeks after TJR was comparable to responsiveness of other scales (SRM range: 0.54-1.82). The psychometric properties of the ICOAP, KOOS-PS and HOOS-PS were comparable to those of the WOMAC, Lequesne and NRS.

  18. Sphingosine kinase/sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor axis is involved in liver fibrosis-associated angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Le; Yue, Shi; Yang, Lin; Liu, Xin; Han, Zhen; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Li, Liying

    2013-07-01

    Sphingosine kinase (SphK)/sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor (S1PR) axis is involved in multiple biological processes, including liver fibrosis. Angiogenesis is an important pathophysiological process closely associated with liver fibrosis; however, the functional role of SphK/S1P/S1PR in this process remains incompletely defined. Bile duct ligation or carbon tetrachloride was used to induce liver fibrosis in mice. Human fibrotic samples were obtained from livers of patients undergoing liver transplantation. S1P levels in the liver were examined by HPLC. Expression of angiogenic markers, including angiopoietin 1, CD31, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and von Willebrand factor, was characterized by immunofluorescence, real-time RT-PCR, and Western blot in the fibrotic liver and primary mouse hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). SphK inhibitor (SKI) or S1PR antagonists were administered intraperitoneally in mice. S1P levels in the liver were closely correlated with mRNA expression of angiogenic markers. Ang1 is expressed in activated HSCs of the fibrotic liver and in primary HSCs. In HSCs, by using specific antagonists or siRNAs, we demonstrated S1P stimulation induced Ang1 expression via S1PR1 and S1PR3. In vivo, S1P reduction by SKI inhibited angiogenesis in fibrotic mice. Furthermore, S1PR1/3 antagonist significantly blocked upregulation of angiogenic markers in the injured liver, and attenuated the extent of liver fibrosis, while S1PR2 antagonist had no effect on angiogenesis, supporting the key role of S1PR1 and S1PR3 in angiogenesis underlying liver fibrosis process. SphK1/S1P/S1PR1/3 axis plays a crucial role in the angiogenic process required for fibrosis development, which may represent an effective therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis. Copyright © 2013 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. TREM2 Overexpression has No Improvement on Neuropathology and Cognitive Impairment in Aging APPswe/PS1dE9 Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Teng; Wan, Yu; Zhang, Ying-Dong; Zhou, Jun-Shan; Gao, Qing; Zhu, Xi-Chen; Shi, Jian-Quan; Lu, Huan; Tan, Lan; Yu, Jin-Tai

    2017-03-01

    Previously, we showed that overexpression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), a microglia-specific immune receptor, in the brain of a middle-aged (7 months old) APPswe/PS1dE9 mice could ameliorate Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related neuropathology by enhancement of microglial amyloid-β (Aβ) phagocytosis. Since AD is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder, it is critical to assess the efficacy of TREM2 overexpression in aging animals with an advanced disease stage. In vivo, we employed a lentiviral strategy to overexpress TREM2 in the brain of aging (18 months old) APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, and observed its efficacy on AD-related neuropathology and cognitive functions. Afterwards, we directly isolated microglia from middle-aged and aging APPswe/PS1dE9 mice and determined effects of TREM2 overexpression on microglial Aβ phagocytosis and Aβ-binding receptors expression in vitro. In aging APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, TREM2 overexpression has no beneficial effect on AD-related neuropathology and spatial cognitive functions. Of note, in vitro experiments showed a significant reduction of Aβ phagocytosis in microglia from aging APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, possibly attributing to the declined expression of Aβ-binding receptors. Meanwhile, this phagocytic deficit in microglia from aging APPswe/PS1dE9 mice cannot be rescued by TREM2 overexpression. Taken together, our study shows that TREM2 overexpression fails to provide neuroprotection in aging APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, possibly attributing to deficits in microglial Aβ phagocytosis at the late-stage of disease progression. These findings indicate that TREM2-mediated protection in AD is at least partially dependent on the reservation of microglial phagocytic functions, emphasizing the importance of early therapeutic interventions for this devastating disease.

  20. Questionnaire survey of the pan-African trade in lion body parts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Vivienne L; Loveridge, Andrew J; Newton, David J; Macdonald, David W

    2017-01-01

    The African lion is in decline across its range, and consumptive utilisation and trade of their body parts and skins has been postulated as a cause for concern. We undertook a pan-African questionnaire and literature survey to document informed opinion and evidence for the occurrence of domestic and international trade and consumption in African lion body parts across current and former range states. Sixty-five people from 18 countries participated in the online questionnaire survey (run from July 2014 to May 2015), with information provided for 28 countries (including 20 out of 24 countries believed to have extant populations). Respondents were experts within their professional spheres, and 77% had ≥6 years relevant experience within lion conservation or allied wildlife matters. Their opinions revealed wide sub-regional differences in consumptive use, drivers of trade, and access to lions that impact wild lion populations in different ways. Traditional medicine practices (African and Asian) were perceived to be the main uses to which lion body parts and bones are put domestically and traded internationally, and there is reason for concern about persistent imports from former lion range states (mainly in West Africa) for parts for this purpose. The domestic, rather than international, trade in lion body parts was perceived to be a bigger threat to wild lion populations. Parts such as skin, claws, teeth and bones are thought to be in most demand across the continent. The impact of international trade on wild populations was acknowledged to be largely unknown, but occasionally was judged to be 'high', and therefore vigilance is needed to monitor emerging detrimental impacts. Seventeen countries were nominated as priorities for immediate monitoring, including: South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Reasons for their selection include: prevalence of trophy hunting, 'hot spots' for poaching, active domestic trade

  1. Questionnaire survey of the pan-African trade in lion body parts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivienne L Williams

    Full Text Available The African lion is in decline across its range, and consumptive utilisation and trade of their body parts and skins has been postulated as a cause for concern. We undertook a pan-African questionnaire and literature survey to document informed opinion and evidence for the occurrence of domestic and international trade and consumption in African lion body parts across current and former range states. Sixty-five people from 18 countries participated in the online questionnaire survey (run from July 2014 to May 2015, with information provided for 28 countries (including 20 out of 24 countries believed to have extant populations. Respondents were experts within their professional spheres, and 77% had ≥6 years relevant experience within lion conservation or allied wildlife matters. Their opinions revealed wide sub-regional differences in consumptive use, drivers of trade, and access to lions that impact wild lion populations in different ways. Traditional medicine practices (African and Asian were perceived to be the main uses to which lion body parts and bones are put domestically and traded internationally, and there is reason for concern about persistent imports from former lion range states (mainly in West Africa for parts for this purpose. The domestic, rather than international, trade in lion body parts was perceived to be a bigger threat to wild lion populations. Parts such as skin, claws, teeth and bones are thought to be in most demand across the continent. The impact of international trade on wild populations was acknowledged to be largely unknown, but occasionally was judged to be 'high', and therefore vigilance is needed to monitor emerging detrimental impacts. Seventeen countries were nominated as priorities for immediate monitoring, including: South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Reasons for their selection include: prevalence of trophy hunting, 'hot spots' for poaching, active

  2. Special Section: The third provenance challenge on using the open provenance model for interoperability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Simmhan, Y; Groth, P.T.; Moreau, L

    2011-01-01

    The third provenance challenge was organized to evaluate the efficacy of the Open Provenance Model (OPM) in representing and sharing provenance with the goal of improving the specification. A data loading scientific workflow that ingests data files into a relational database for the Pan-STARRS sky

  3. Stapled trans-anal rectal resection (STARR) by a new dedicated device for the surgical treatment of obstructed defaecation syndrome caused by rectal intussusception and rectocele: early results of a multicenter prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renzi, Adolfo; Talento, Pasquale; Giardiello, Cristiano; Angelone, Giovanni; Izzo, Domenico; Di Sarno, Giandomenico

    2008-10-01

    Obstructed defaecation syndrome (ODS) represents a very common clinical problem. The aim of the this prospective multicenter study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stapler trans-anal rectal resection (STARR) performed by a new dedicated device, CCS-30 Contour Transtar, in patients with ODS caused by rectal intussusception (RI) and/or rectocele (RE). All the patients who underwent STARR for ODS caused by RI and/or RE at Colorectal Surgery Units of S. Stefano Hospital, Naples, Gepos Hospital, Telese, Benevento and S. Maria della Pietà Hospital, Casoria, Naples, Italy were prospectively introduced into a database. Preoperatively, all the patients underwent anorectal manometry and cinedefecography. The grade of ODS was assessed using a dedicated obstructed defaecation syndrome score (ODS-S). All the patients with a ODS-S >or=12 and RI and/or RE were enrolled. Patients were followed up clinically at 6 months. Thirty patients, 28 (93.3%) women, mean age 56.6+/-12.7 years, underwent STARR, by Transtar, between February and October 2006. Preoperatively, ODS-S was 15.8+/-2.4. RI was present in 26 (89.6%) and RE (34.4+/-15.2 mm) in 27 (93.1%) patients. No major postoperative complications occurred. The length of hospital stay was 2.5+/-0.6 days. At 6-month follow-up, ODS-S was 5.0+/-2.3 (P<0.001). Successful outcome was achieved in 25 (86.2%) patients. STARR, performed by the new dedicated device, CCS-30 Contour Transtar, seems to be an effective and safe procedure to treat ODS caused by RE and/or RI. A longer follow-up and a larger number of patients is needed to confirm these results.

  4. Effect of dialyzer membrane materials on survival in chronic hemodialysis patients: Results from the annual survey of the Japanese Nationwide Dialysis Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abe, Masanori; Hamano, Takayuki; Wada, Atsushi; Nakai, Shigeru; Masakane, Ikuto

    2017-01-01

    Little information is available regarding which type of dialyzer membrane results in good prognosis in patients on chronic hemodialysis. Therefore, we conducted a cohort study from a nationwide registry of hemodialysis patients in Japan to establish the association between different dialyzer membranes and mortality rates. We followed 142,412 patients on maintenance hemodialysis (female, 39.1%; mean age, 64.8 ± 12.3 years; median dialysis duration, 7 [4-12] years) for a year from 2008 to 2009. We included patients treated with seven types of high-flux dialyzer membranes at baseline, including cellulose triacetate (CTA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVAL), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyester polymer alloy (PEPA), polyethersulfone (PES), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polysulfone (PS). Cox regression was used to estimate the association between baseline dialyzers and all-cause mortality as hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals for 1-year mortality adjusting for potential confounders, and propensity score matching analysis was performed. The distribution of patients treated with each membrane was as follows: PS (56.0%), CTA (17.3%), PES (12.0%), PEPA (7.5%), PMMA (4.9%), PAN (1.2%), and EVAL (1.1%). When data were adjusted using basic factors, with PS as a reference group, the mortality rate was significantly higher in all groups except for the PES group. When data were further adjusted for dialysis-related factors, HRs were significantly higher for the CTA, EVAL, and PEPA groups. When the data were further adjusted for nutrition-and inflammation-related factors, HRs were significantly lower for the PMMA and PES groups compared with the PS group. After propensity score matching, HRs were significantly lower for the PMMA group than for the PS group. The results suggest that the use of different membrane types may affect mortality in hemodialysis patients. However, further long-term prospective studies are needed to clarify these findings, including whether the

  5. Updated 34-band Photometry for the SINGS/KINGFISH Samples of Nearby Galaxies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dale, D. A.; Turner, J. A.; Cook, D. O.; Roussel, H.; Armus, L.; Helou, G.; Bolatto, A. D.; Boquien, M.; Brown, M. J. I.; Calzetti, D.; Looze, I. De; Galametz, M.; Gordon, K. D.; Groves, B. A.; Jarrett, T. H.; Herrera-Camus, R.; Hinz, J. L.; Hunt, L. K.; Kennicutt, R. C.; Murphy, E. J.

    2017-01-01

    We present an update to the ultraviolet-to-radio database of global broadband photometry for the 79 nearby galaxies that comprise the union of the KINGFISH (Key Insights on Nearby Galaxies: A Far-Infrared Survey with Herschel ) and SINGS ( Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey) samples. The 34-band data set presented here includes contributions from observational work carried out with a variety of facilities including GALEX , SDSS, Pan-STARRS1, NOAO , 2MASS, Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer , Spitzer , Herschel , Planck , JCMT , and the VLA. Improvements of note include recalibrations of previously published SINGS BVR C I C and KINGFISH far-infrared/submillimeter photometry. Similar to previous results in the literature, an excess of submillimeter emission above model predictions is seen primarily for low-metallicity dwarf or irregular galaxies. This 33-band photometric data set for the combined KINGFISH+SINGS sample serves as an important multiwavelength reference for the variety of galaxies observed at low redshift. A thorough analysis of the observed spectral energy distributions is carried out in a companion paper.

  6. Updated 34-band Photometry for the SINGS/KINGFISH Samples of Nearby Galaxies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dale, D. A.; Turner, J. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming, Laramie WY (United States); Cook, D. O. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA (United States); Roussel, H. [Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, Sorbonne Universités, Paris (France); Armus, L.; Helou, G. [Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Bolatto, A. D. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Boquien, M. [Unidad de Astronomía, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta (Chile); Brown, M. J. I. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Calzetti, D. [Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA (United States); Looze, I. De [Sterrenkundig Observatorium, Universiteit Gent, Gent (Belgium); Galametz, M. [European Southern Observatory, Garching (Germany); Gordon, K. D. [Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore MD (United States); Groves, B. A. [Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University, Canberra (Australia); Jarrett, T. H. [Astronomy Department, University of Capetown, Rondebosch (South Africa); Herrera-Camus, R. [Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Garching (Germany); Hinz, J. L. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ (United States); Hunt, L. K. [INAF—Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Firenze (Italy); Kennicutt, R. C. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Murphy, E. J., E-mail: ddale@uwyo.edu [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA (United States); and others

    2017-03-01

    We present an update to the ultraviolet-to-radio database of global broadband photometry for the 79 nearby galaxies that comprise the union of the KINGFISH (Key Insights on Nearby Galaxies: A Far-Infrared Survey with Herschel ) and SINGS ( Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey) samples. The 34-band data set presented here includes contributions from observational work carried out with a variety of facilities including GALEX , SDSS, Pan-STARRS1, NOAO , 2MASS, Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer , Spitzer , Herschel , Planck , JCMT , and the VLA. Improvements of note include recalibrations of previously published SINGS BVR {sub C} I {sub C} and KINGFISH far-infrared/submillimeter photometry. Similar to previous results in the literature, an excess of submillimeter emission above model predictions is seen primarily for low-metallicity dwarf or irregular galaxies. This 33-band photometric data set for the combined KINGFISH+SINGS sample serves as an important multiwavelength reference for the variety of galaxies observed at low redshift. A thorough analysis of the observed spectral energy distributions is carried out in a companion paper.

  7. 40 CFR 721.7780 - Poly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethane-diyl)], α,α′-(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-pro-pan-ediyl)bis[ω-(oxi-rany-me-thoxy)-.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Poly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethane-diyl)], α,αâ²-(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-pro-pan-ediyl)bis[Ï-(oxi-rany-me-thoxy)-. 721.7780 Section 721.7780... Poly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethane-diyl)], α,α′-(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-pro-pan-ediyl)bis[ω-(oxi-rany-me-thoxy)-. (a...

  8. The color tuning of PS-b-P2VP lamellar films with changing the alkyl chain length of 1-iodoalkanes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Sung-Eui; Kim, Su-Young; Shin, Dong-Myung

    2011-05-01

    Photonic crystals with tunability in the visible or near-infrared region have drawn increasing attention for controlling and processing light for the active components of future display. We prepared polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) lamellar films which is hydrophobic block-hydrophilic polyelectrolyte block polymer of 57 kg/mol-b-57 kg/mol. The lamellar stacks, which is alternating layer of hydrophilic and hydrophobic moiety of PS-b-P2VP, are obtained by exposing the spin coated film under chloroform vapor. The band gaps of the lamellar films interestingly varied after immersion into the quaternizing solvents containing 5 wt% of iodomethane, iodoethane, 1-iodobutane, 1-iodopentane, 1-iodohexane and 1-iodooctane solubilized in n-hexane. The iodoalkanes reacted with pyridine groups in PS-b-P2VP and generated the alkyl pyridinium salts readily. The degree of quaternization, alkyl chain length of iodoalkane and the salt water concentration affects the spacing of layer structure of PS-b-P2VP. The iodomethane and iodohexane produced similar band gaps and salt concentration dependence. These results are very much dependent on the hydrophobic-hydrophilic characters of PS-b-P2VP lamellar surface.

  9. Efficient biotransformation of herbicide diuron by bacterial strain Micrococcus sp. PS-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Priyanka; Chopra, Adity; Cameotra, Swaranjit Singh; Suri, C Raman

    2010-11-01

    A Gram-positive, Micrococcus sp. strain PS-1 capable of utilizing phenylurea herbicide diuron as a sole carbon source at a high concentration (up to 250 ppm) was isolated from diuron storage site by selective enrichment study. The taxonomic characterization with 16S rRNA gene sequencing (1,477 bp) identified PS-1 as a member of Micrococcus sp. It was studied for the degradation of diuron and a range of its analogues (monuron, linuron, monolinuron, chlortoluron and fenuron). The shake flasks experiments demonstrated fast degradation of diuron (up to 96% at 250 ppm within 30 h incubation) with the addition of small quantity (0.01%) of non-ionic detergent. The relative degradation profile by the isolate was in the order of fenuron > monuron > diuron > linuron > monolinuron > chlortoluron. Further, the biochemical characterization of catabolic pathway by spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques demonstrated that the degradation proceeded via formation of dealkylated metabolites to form 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA). It was the major metabolite formed, associated with profound increase in degradation kinetics in presence of appropriate additive.

  10. Inter- and Intraspecific Variations in the Pectoral Muscles of Common Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Bonobos (Pan paniscus), and Humans (Homo sapiens).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potau, J M; Arias-Martorell, J; Bello-Hellegouarch, G; Casado, A; Pastor, J F; de Paz, F; Diogo, R

    2018-01-01

    We have analyzed anatomic variations in the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles of common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus) and compared them to anatomic variations in these muscles in humans (Homo sapiens) . We have macroscopically dissected these muscles in six adult Pan troglodytes , five Pan paniscus of ages ranging from fetus to adult, and five adult Homo sapiens . Although Pan troglodytes are thought to lack a separate pectoralis abdominis muscle, we have identified this muscle in three of the Pan troglodytes ; none of the Pan paniscus , however, had this muscle. We have also found deep supernumerary fascicles in the pectoralis major of two Pan troglodytes and all five Pan paniscus . In all six Pan troglodytes , the pectoralis minor was inserted at the supraspinatus tendon, while, in Pan paniscus and Homo sapiens , it was inserted at the coracoid process of the scapula. Some of the anatomic features and variations of these muscles in common chimpanzees and bonobos are similar to those found in humans, therefore enhancing our knowledge of primate comparative anatomy and evolution and also shedding light on several clinical issues.

  11. Inter- and Intraspecific Variations in the Pectoral Muscles of Common Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes, Bonobos (Pan paniscus, and Humans (Homo sapiens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. M. Potau

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available We have analyzed anatomic variations in the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles of common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes and bonobos (Pan paniscus and compared them to anatomic variations in these muscles in humans (Homo sapiens. We have macroscopically dissected these muscles in six adult Pan troglodytes, five Pan paniscus of ages ranging from fetus to adult, and five adult Homo sapiens. Although Pan troglodytes are thought to lack a separate pectoralis abdominis muscle, we have identified this muscle in three of the Pan troglodytes; none of the Pan paniscus, however, had this muscle. We have also found deep supernumerary fascicles in the pectoralis major of two Pan troglodytes and all five Pan paniscus. In all six Pan troglodytes, the pectoralis minor was inserted at the supraspinatus tendon, while, in Pan paniscus and Homo sapiens, it was inserted at the coracoid process of the scapula. Some of the anatomic features and variations of these muscles in common chimpanzees and bonobos are similar to those found in humans, therefore enhancing our knowledge of primate comparative anatomy and evolution and also shedding light on several clinical issues.

  12. Computer analysis of digital sky surveys using citizen science and manual classification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuminski, Evan; Shamir, Lior

    2015-01-01

    As current and future digital sky surveys such as SDSS, LSST, DES, Pan-STARRS and Gaia create increasingly massive databases containing millions of galaxies, there is a growing need to be able to efficiently analyze these data. An effective way to do this is through manual analysis, however, this may be insufficient considering the extremely vast pipelines of astronomical images generated by the present and future surveys. Some efforts have been made to use citizen science to classify galaxies by their morphology on a larger scale than individual or small groups of scientists can. While these citizen science efforts such as Zooniverse have helped obtain reasonably accurate morphological information about large numbers of galaxies, they cannot scale to provide complete analysis of billions of galaxy images that will be collected by future ventures such as LSST. Since current forms of manual classification cannot scale to the masses of data collected by digital sky surveys, it is clear that in order to keep up with the growing databases some form of automation of the data analysis will be required, and will work either independently or in combination with human analysis such as citizen science. Here we describe a computer vision method that can automatically analyze galaxy images and deduce galaxy morphology. Experiments using Galaxy Zoo 2 data show that the performance of the method increases as the degree of agreement between the citizen scientists gets higher, providing a cleaner dataset. For several morphological features, such as the spirality of the galaxy, the algorithm agreed with the citizen scientists on around 95% of the samples. However, the method failed to analyze some of the morphological features such as the number of spiral arms, and provided accuracy of just ~36%.

  13. ATLAS BigPanDA Monitoring

    CERN Document Server

    Padolski, Siarhei; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, Alexei; Korchuganova, Tatiana

    2017-01-01

    BigPanDA monitoring is a web based application which provides various processing and representation of the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) system objects states. Analyzing hundreds of millions of computation entities such as an event or a job BigPanDA monitoring builds different scale and levels of abstraction reports in real time mode. Provided information allows users to drill down into the reason of a concrete event failure or observe system bigger picture such as tracking the computation nucleus and satellites performance or the progress of whole production campaign. PanDA system was originally developed for the Atlas experiment and today effectively managing more than 2 million jobs per day distributed over 170 computing centers worldwide. BigPanDA is its core component commissioned in the middle of 2014 and now is the primary source of information for ATLAS users about state of their computations and the source of decision support information for shifters, operators and managers. In this wor...

  14. ATLAS BigPanDA Monitoring

    CERN Document Server

    Padolski, Siarhei; The ATLAS collaboration

    2017-01-01

    BigPanDA monitoring is a web-based application that provides various processing and representation of the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) system objects states. Analysing hundreds of millions of computation entities such as an event or a job BigPanDA monitoring builds different scale and levels of abstraction reports in real time mode. Provided information allows users to drill down into the reason of a concrete event failure or observe system bigger picture such as tracking the computation nucleus and satellites performance or the progress of whole production campaign. PanDA system was originally developed for the Atlas experiment and today effectively managing more than 2 million jobs per day distributed over 170 computing centers worldwide. BigPanDA is its core component commissioned in the middle of 2014 and now is the primary source of information for ATLAS users about state of their computations and the source of decision support information for shifters, operators and managers. In this work...

  15. PPARγ agonist pioglitazone improves cerebellar dysfunction at pre-Aβ deposition stage in APPswe/PS1dE9 Alzheimer's disease model mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toba, Junya; Nikkuni, Miyu; Ishizeki, Masato; Yoshii, Aya; Watamura, Naoto; Inoue, Takafumi; Ohshima, Toshio

    2016-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the best known neurodegenerative diseases; it causes dementia and its pathological features include accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain. Elevated Cdk5 activity and CRMP2 phosphorylation have been reported in the brains of AD model mice at the early stage of the disease, but the significance thereof in human AD remains unelucidated. We have recently reported that Aβ accumulation in the cerebellum of AD model APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice, and cerebellar dysfunctions, such as impairment of motor coordination ability and long-term depression (LTD) induction, at the pre-Aβ accumulation stage. In the present study, we found increased phosphorylation levels of CRMP2 as well as increased p35 protein levels in the cerebellum of APP/PS1 mice. Interestingly, we show that pioglitazone, an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, normalized the p35 protein and CRMP2 phosphorylation levels in the cerebellum. Impaired motor coordination ability and LTD in APP/PS1 mice were ameliorated by pioglitazone treatment at the pre-Aβ accumulation stage. These results suggest a correlation between CRMP2 phosphorylation and AD pathophysiology, and indicate the effectiveness of pioglitazone treatment at the pre-Aβ accumulation stage in AD model mice. -- Highlights: •Phosphorylation level of CRMP2 increased in the cerebellum of APP/PS1 mice. •p35 protein levels increased in the cerebellum of APP/PS1 mice. •Pioglitazone treatment improved cerebellar dysfunction of APP/PS1 mice.

  16. Validation of a picture book to be used in a pan-European dietary survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilela, Sofia; Lopes, Carla; Guiomar, Sofia; Severo, Milton; Rangelova, Lalka; Petrova, Stefka; Horváth, Zuszsanna; Cseh, Júlia; Schweter, Antje; Lindtner, Oliver; Ambrus, Árpád; Torres, Duarte

    2018-02-01

    To validate a picture book for estimation of food portion sizes using two approaches: (i) 'perception' of food portions by comparison with a series of food photos; and (ii) 'conceptualization and memory', using the same photos to estimate the amount of served food one hour after self-served food portions. Each partner developed a country-specific picture book based on the so-called EPIC-Soft picture book. Representative and common photo series were chosen achieving approximately 25 % of the original picture book (n 23). Three portions from each photo series were randomly selected. The study was performed within the Pilot study in the view of a Pan-European dietary survey - Adolescents, adults and elderly (PILOT-PANEU) project. A sample of adolescents and adults was recruited in five countries: Bulgaria (n 103), Finland (n 34), Germany (n 69), Hungary (n 62) and Portugal (n 77). Among the portions of the corresponding photo series and depending on the type of food, from 18 % (cheese) to 96 % (ratatouille) of participants chose the correct portions. In the perception study, agreement between the portions shown and reported was substantial (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)=0·805) and the mean difference was very low. In the memory study, agreement between the served and reported portions was lower than in the perception study (ICC=0·536). Agreement also seemed to decrease as the appearance of food on the plate differed from food in the picture. Overall, the picture series selected can be applied in future intake surveys to quantify foods similar to those depicted in the pictures.

  17. Gamma Ray Sterilization of Starr-Edwards Heart Valve Prostheses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gibbons, J. R. P.; Alladine, M. F. [London Chest Hospital, London (United Kingdom)

    1967-09-15

    Starr-Edwards valves have normally been sterilized by exposure to ethylene oxide or by autoclaving. Patients having a prosthetic valve replacement are known to have a higher incidence of endocarditis in comparison with patients in which no prosthesis has been used. Ethylene oxide will only sterilize the surface of the valve and autoclaving has caused distortion of the polytetrafluorethylene ring. Work has been done on the effect of gamma radiation on the components of these valve prostheses and is given in detail. The bacteriological efficiency, at a total absorbed dose of 2. 5 Mrad, has been established. Thirty valves treated by this method have now been inserted and twelve patients have been examined post-operatively for a period of one to two years. All valves are working normally and there has been no evidence of blood-borne infection or malfunction of the valve. (author)

  18. Pressure Monitoring Using Hybrid fs/ps Rotational CARS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kearney, Sean P.; Danehy, Paul M.

    2015-01-01

    We investigate the feasibility of gas-phase pressure measurements at kHz-rates using fs/ps rotational CARS. Femtosecond pump and Stokes pulses impulsively prepare a rotational Raman coherence, which is then probed by a high-energy 6-ps pulse introduced at a time delay from the Raman preparation. Rotational CARS spectra were recorded in N2 contained in a room-temperature gas cell for pressures from 0.1 to 3 atm and probe delays ranging from 10-330 ps. Using published self-broadened collisional linewidth data for N2, both the spectrally integrated coherence decay rate and the spectrally resolved decay were investigated as means for detecting pressure. Shot-averaged and single-laser-shot spectra were interrogated for pressure and the accuracy and precision as a function of probe delay and cell pressure are discussed. Single-shot measurement accuracies were within 0.1 to 6.5% when compared to a transducer values, while the precision was generally between 1% and 6% of measured pressure for probe delays of 200 ps or more, and better than 2% as the delay approached 300 ps. A byproduct of the pressure measurement is an independent but simultaneous measurement of the gas temperature.

  19. Eletronic system for search of particles with 1-0.1 ps lifetime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bobkov, S.G.; Kantserov, V.A.; Pershin, A.S.

    1986-01-01

    The algorithms for search of short-lived particleswith 1-0.1 ps lifetime in a vertex detector based on drift chambers are considered. Electronics supply of such selecting by means ofthe suggested algorithms is described. The algorithms for useful event selecting in electron detectors are developed by pp-interaction simulation using the Monte-Carlo method. Events of two types are simulated: charm particle generation with theirfurther decay and interactions without charm particle generation. Two-dimensional interaction pattern is cnsidered. Some algorithms for data processing by the selecting systems (trigger systems) are developed. For all algorithms the event is considered to be useful, if more than one vertex is determined. The algorithms are based on geometrical relations for one-vertex events. Systematic deviation from these relations means that the event is multivertex

  20. Multi-Column Xe/Kr Separation with AgZ-PAN and HZ-PAN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenhalgh, Mitchell Randy; Garn, Troy Gerry; Welty, Amy Keil; Watson, Tony Leroy

    2016-01-01

    Previous multi-column xenon/krypton separation tests have demonstrated the capability of separating xenon from krypton in a mixed gas feed stream. The results of this initial testing with AgZ-PAN and HZ-PAN indicated that an excellent separation of xenon from krypton could be achieved. Building upon these initial results, a series of additional multi-column testing were performed in FY-16. The purpose of this testing was to scale up the sorbent beds, test a different composition of feed gas and attempt to improve the accuracy of the analysis of the individual capture columns' compositions. Two Stirling coolers were installed in series to perform this testing. The use of the coolers instead of the cryostat provided two desired improvements, 1) removal of the large dilution due to the internal volume of the cryostat adsorption chamber, and 2) ability to increase the sorbent bed size for scale-up. The AgZ-PAN sorbent, due to its xenon selectivity, was loaded in the first column to capture the xenon while allowing the krypton to flow through and be routed to a second column containing the HZ-PAN for capture and analysis. The gases captured on both columns were sampled with evacuated sample bombs and subsequently analyzed via GC-MS for both krypton and xenon. The results of these tests can be used to develop the scope of future testing and analysis using this test bed for demonstrating the capture and separation of xenon and krypton using sorbents, for demonstrating desorption and regeneration of the sorbents, and for determining compositions of the desorbed gases. They indicate a need for future desorption studies in order to better quantify co-adsorbed species and final krypton purity.

  1. Multi-Column Xe/Kr Separation with AgZ-PAN and HZ-PAN

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greenhalgh, Mitchell Randy [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Garn, Troy Gerry [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Welty, Amy Keil [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Watson, Tony Leroy [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2016-08-01

    Previous multi-column xenon/krypton separation tests have demonstrated the capability of separating xenon from krypton in a mixed gas feed stream. The results of this initial testing with AgZ-PAN and HZ-PAN indicated that an excellent separation of xenon from krypton could be achieved. Building upon these initial results, a series of additional multi-column testing were performed in FY-16. The purpose of this testing was to scale up the sorbent beds, test a different composition of feed gas and attempt to improve the accuracy of the analysis of the individual capture columns’ compositions. Two Stirling coolers were installed in series to perform this testing. The use of the coolers instead of the cryostat provided two desired improvements, 1) removal of the large dilution due to the internal volume of the cryostat adsorption chamber, and 2) ability to increase the sorbent bed size for scale-up. The AgZ-PAN sorbent, due to its xenon selectivity, was loaded in the first column to capture the xenon while allowing the krypton to flow through and be routed to a second column containing the HZ-PAN for capture and analysis. The gases captured on both columns were sampled with evacuated sample bombs and subsequently analyzed via GC-MS for both krypton and xenon. The results of these tests can be used to develop the scope of future testing and analysis using this test bed for demonstrating the capture and separation of xenon and krypton using sorbents, for demonstrating desorption and regeneration of the sorbents, and for determining compositions of the desorbed gases. They indicate a need for future desorption studies in order to better quantify co-adsorbed species and final krypton purity.

  2. ps-ro Fuzzy Open(Closed Functions and ps-ro Fuzzy Semi-Homeomorphism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pankaj Chettri

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to introduce and characterize some new class of functions in a fuzzy topological space termed as ps-ro fuzzy open(closed functions, ps-ro fuzzy pre semiopen functions and ps-ro fuzzy semi-homeomorphism. The interrelation among these concepts and also their relations with the parallel existing concepts are established. It is also shown with the help of examples that these newly introduced concepts are independent of the well known existing allied concepts.

  3. Last PS magnet refurbished

    CERN Multimedia

    2009-01-01

    PS Magnet Refurbishment Programme Completed. The 51st and final refurbished magnet was transported to the PS on Tuesday 3 February. The repair and consolidation work on the PS started back in 2003 when two magnets and a busbar connection were found to be faulty during routine high-voltage tests. The cause of the fault was a combination of age and radiation on electrical insulation. After further investigation the decision was taken to overhaul half of the PS’s 100 magnets to reduce the risk of a similar fault. As from 20 February the PS ring will start a five-week test programme to be ready for operation at the end of March.

  4. Fuel and energy saving in open pan furnace used in jaggery making through modified juice boiling/concentrating pans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anwar, S.I.

    2010-01-01

    In this paper the concept of fins has been used for heating purpose for improving efficiency of open pan jaggery making furnace. Pan is the integral part of these furnaces where boiling/concentration of sugarcane juice take place. Parallel fins were provided to the bottom of main pan and gutter pan of IISR Lucknow 2-pan furnace. Choice for type of fins was based on movement of flames and hot flue gases generated due to combustion of bagasse. Fins helped in more heat transfer to the sugarcane juice being concentrated. Considerable improvement in heat utilization efficiency (9.44%) was observed which resulted in saving of fuel and energy (31.34%).

  5. Pan-tropical monitoring of deforestation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achard, F; DeFries, R; Eva, H; Hansen, M; Mayaux, P; Stibig, H-J

    2007-01-01

    This paper reviews the technical capabilities for monitoring deforestation from a pan-tropical perspective in response to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, which is studying the technical issues surrounding the ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation in developing countries. The successful implementation of such policies requires effective forest monitoring systems that are reproducible, provide consistent results, meet standards for mapping accuracy, and can be implemented from national to pan-tropical levels. Remotely sensed data, supported by ground observations, are crucial to such efforts. Recent developments in global to regional monitoring of forests can contribute to reducing the uncertainties in estimates of emissions from deforestation. Monitoring systems at national levels in developing countries can also benefit from pan-tropical and regional observations, mainly by identifying hot spots of change and prioritizing areas for monitoring at finer spatial scales. A pan-tropical perspective is also required to ensure consistency between different national monitoring systems. Data sources already exist to determine baseline periods in the 1990s as historical reference points. Key requirements for implementing such monitoring programs, both at pan-tropical and at national scales, are international commitment of resources to increase capacity, coordination of observations to ensure pan-tropical coverage, access to free or low-cost data, and standardized, consensus protocols for data interpretation and analysis

  6. Disruption of a red giant star by a supermassive black hole and the case of PS1-10jh

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bogdanović, Tamara; Cheng, Roseanne M.; Amaro-Seoane, Pau

    2014-01-01

    The development of a new generation of theoretical models for tidal disruptions is timely, as increasingly diverse events are being captured in surveys of the transient sky. Recently, Gezari et al. reported a discovery of a new class of tidal disruption events: the disruption of a helium-rich stellar core, thought to be a remnant of a red giant (RG) star. Motivated by this discovery and in anticipation of others, we consider tidal interaction of an RG star with a supermassive black hole (SMBH) which leads to the stripping of the stellar envelope and subsequent inspiral of the compact core toward the black hole. Once the stellar envelope is removed the inspiral of the core is driven by tidal heating as well as the emission of gravitational radiation until the core either falls into the SMBH or is tidally disrupted. In the case of the tidal disruption candidate PS1-10jh, we find that there is a set of orbital solutions at high eccentricities in which the tidally stripped hydrogen envelope is accreted by the SMBH before the helium core is disrupted. This places the RG core in a portion of parameter space where strong tidal heating can lift the degeneracy of the compact remnant and disrupt it before it reaches the tidal radius. We consider how this sequence of events explains the puzzling absence of the hydrogen emission lines from the spectrum of PS1-10jh and gives rise to its other observational features.

  7. Disruption of a red giant star by a supermassive black hole and the case of PS1-10jh

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bogdanović, Tamara; Cheng, Roseanne M. [Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physics, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Amaro-Seoane, Pau, E-mail: tamarab@gatech.edu, E-mail: rcheng@gatech.edu, E-mail: Pau.Amaro-Seoane@aei.mpg.de [Max Planck Institut für Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut), D-14476 Potsdam (Germany)

    2014-06-20

    The development of a new generation of theoretical models for tidal disruptions is timely, as increasingly diverse events are being captured in surveys of the transient sky. Recently, Gezari et al. reported a discovery of a new class of tidal disruption events: the disruption of a helium-rich stellar core, thought to be a remnant of a red giant (RG) star. Motivated by this discovery and in anticipation of others, we consider tidal interaction of an RG star with a supermassive black hole (SMBH) which leads to the stripping of the stellar envelope and subsequent inspiral of the compact core toward the black hole. Once the stellar envelope is removed the inspiral of the core is driven by tidal heating as well as the emission of gravitational radiation until the core either falls into the SMBH or is tidally disrupted. In the case of the tidal disruption candidate PS1-10jh, we find that there is a set of orbital solutions at high eccentricities in which the tidally stripped hydrogen envelope is accreted by the SMBH before the helium core is disrupted. This places the RG core in a portion of parameter space where strong tidal heating can lift the degeneracy of the compact remnant and disrupt it before it reaches the tidal radius. We consider how this sequence of events explains the puzzling absence of the hydrogen emission lines from the spectrum of PS1-10jh and gives rise to its other observational features.

  8. YXQN Reduces Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Pathology and Cognitive Decline in APPswePS1dE9 Transgenic Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaowan Wang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer’s disease (AD is the world’s most common form of dementia, in which aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ is the hallmark. Unfortunately, few medicines have succeeded to completely cure AD. Yangxue Qingnao (YXQN is a Chinese traditional medicine, and its pharmacological effect is improving cerebral blood flow. In this study, we firstly demonstrated that YXQN reduced AD-like pathology and cognitive impairment in APPswePS1dE9 (APP/PS1 mice with 2 months administration. Our data showed that YXQN substantially ameliorated behavioral defects in 10-month old APP/PS1 mice using Morris Water Maze and Y-maze tests, in which the cognitive ability of YXQN high-dose group approaches to wild type mice. Next, we focused on the brain pathological alterations in the YXQN group by three experiments, including thioflavin-S, congo-red, and Aβ-immunohistochemistry staining. The results demonstrated that the high-dose of YXQN dramatically suppressed amyloid plaques in the hippocampus and cortex of APP/PS1 mice, which showed a 47–72% reduction in plaque deposits, relative to the vehicle group. In addition, our data verified that YXQN decreased the cerebral amyloid load by attenuating β-secretase BACE1 and γ-secretase PS1 in the pathological processing of APP, and promoting the level of α-secretase ADAM10 in the physiological processing of APP to generate more sAPPα, which combats amyloidosis formation, and also carries out neurotropic and neuroprotective effect. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that YXQN could be a potential medicine for AD, and provide new evidence for further AD drug research and development.

  9. Chronic cannabidiol treatment improves social and object recognition in double transgenic APPswe/PS1∆E9 mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, David; Low, Jac Kee; Logge, Warren; Garner, Brett; Karl, Tim

    2014-08-01

    Patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit a decline in cognitive abilities including an inability to recognise familiar faces. Hallmark pathological changes in AD include the aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ), tau protein hyperphosphorylation as well as pronounced neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, neurotoxicity and oxidative damage. The non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) exerts neuroprotective, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and promotes neurogenesis. CBD also reverses Aβ-induced spatial memory deficits in rodents. Thus we determined the therapeutic-like effects of chronic CBD treatment (20 mg/kg, daily intraperitoneal injections for 3 weeks) on the APPswe/PS1∆E9 (APPxPS1) transgenic mouse model for AD in a number of cognitive tests, including the social preference test, the novel object recognition task and the fear conditioning paradigm. We also analysed the impact of CBD on anxiety behaviours in the elevated plus maze. Vehicle-treated APPxPS1 mice demonstrated impairments in social recognition and novel object recognition compared to wild type-like mice. Chronic CBD treatment reversed these cognitive deficits in APPxPS1 mice without affecting anxiety-related behaviours. This is the first study to investigate the effect of chronic CBD treatment on cognition in an AD transgenic mouse model. Our findings suggest that CBD may have therapeutic potential for specific cognitive impairments associated with AD.

  10. [Role and related mechanism of S1P/S1P1 signal pathway during post conditioning of hypertrophic cardiomyocytes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, X H; Li, H X; Tao, J; Li, X M; Yang, Y N; Ma, Y T; Chen, B D

    2016-05-24

    To study the role and mechanism of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)/ sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1(S1P1) signal pathway during post conditioning of hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were isolated and cultured, then stimulated by norepinephrine (NE) to induce cardiomyocytes hypertrophy. Using tri-gas incubator to create hypoxia and reoxygenation enviroment to mimic ischemia-reperfusion and postconditioning. Hypertrophic cardiomyoctyes were divided into five groups according to the presence or absence of various drugs and postconditiong and relevant signal pathways changes were detected: (1) IPost group (hypoxia+ postconditioning); (2) IPost+ S1P group (cells were pretreated with S1P (1 μmol/L) for 2 h before IPost); (3) IPost+ W-146+ S1P group (cells in IPost+ W-146+ S1P group were pretreated with S1P1 inhibitor W-146 (0.4 μmol/L) for 20 min); (4) IPost+ PD98059+ S1P group (cells in IPost+ S1P group were pretreated with MAPK antagonist PD98059 (125 μmol/L) for 20 min); (5) IPost+ LY-294002+ S1P group (cells in IPost+ S1P group were pretreated with PI3K antagonist LY294002 (0.1 μmol/L) for 20 min). Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and protein expression of relevant signal pathways were detected by Western blot. (1)Apoptosis rate was significantly increased in hypoxia/reoxygenation (27.90±4.49)% group compared with normal control group (7.97±2.18)%, which could be significantly reduced in IPost group (15.90±1.77)% (all PS1P and IPost+ S1P+ LY-294002 groups than in IPost and IPost+ S1P+ W-146 and IPost+ S1P+ PD98059 group (all PS1P and IPost+ S1P+ LY-294002 group than in IPost and IPost+ S1P+ W-146 group and IPost+ S1P+ PD98059 group (all PS1P+ W-146 and IPost+ S1P+ PD98059 groups. p-ERK1/2 and p-Akt levels in IPost+ S1P+ W-146 group and IPost+ S1P+ PD98059 were similar as in IPost group. S1P can play protective role on NE induced cardiomyocytes hypertrophy during post conditioning through downregulating caspase-3 expression and

  11. Inter- and Intraspecific Variations in the Pectoral Muscles of Common Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Bonobos (Pan paniscus), and Humans (Homo sapiens)

    OpenAIRE

    Potau, J. M.; Arias-Martorell, J.; Bello-Hellegouarch, G.; Casado, A.; Pastor, J. F.; de Paz, F.; Diogo, R.

    2018-01-01

    We have analyzed anatomic variations in the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles of common chimpanzees (Pan\\ud troglodytes) and bonobos(Pan paniscus) and compared them to anatomic variations in these muscles in humans(Homo sapiens). We\\ud have macroscopically dissected these muscles in six adult Pan troglodytes, five Pan paniscus of ages ranging from fetus to adult, and\\ud five adult Homo sapiens. Although Pan troglodytes are thought to lack a separate pectoralis abdominis muscle, we...

  12. GROUP FINDING IN THE STELLAR HALO USING PHOTOMETRIC SURVEYS: CURRENT SENSITIVITY AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Sanjib; Johnston, Kathryn V.; Majewski, Steven R.; Bullock, James; Munoz, Ricardo R.

    2011-01-01

    The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) provided the first deep and global photometric catalogs of stars in our halo and not only clearly mapped its structure but also demonstrated the ubiquity of substructure within it. Future surveys promise to push such catalogs to ever increasing depths and larger numbers of stars. This paper examines what can be learned from current and future photometric databases using group-finding techniques. We compare groups recovered from a sample of M-giants from 2MASS with those found in synthetic surveys of simulated ΛCDM stellar halos that were built entirely from satellite accretion events and demonstrate broad consistency between the properties of the two sets. We also find that these recovered groups are likely to represent the majority of high-luminosity (L > 5 x 10 6 L sun ) satellites accreted within the last 10 Gyr and on orbits with apocenters within 100 kpc. However, the sensitivity of the M-giant survey to accretion events that were either ancient from low-luminosity objects or those on radial orbits is limited because of the low number of stars, bias toward high-metallicity stars, and the shallow depth (distance explored only out to 100 kpc from the Sun). We examine the extent to which these limitations are addressed by current and future surveys, in particular catalogs of main-sequence turnoff (MSTO) stars from SDSS and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), and of RR Lyrae stars from LSST or PanSTARRS. The MSTO and RR Lyrae surveys are more sensitive to low-luminosity events (L ∼ 10 5 L sun or less) than the 2MASS M-giant sample. Additionally, RR Lyrae surveys, with superior depth, are also good at detecting events on highly eccentric orbits whose debris tends to lie beyond 100 kpc. When combined we expect these photometric surveys to provide a comprehensive picture of the last 10 Gyr of Galactic accretion. Events older than this are too phase mixed to be discovered. Pushing

  13. Chemotherapy and quality of life in NSCLC PS 2 patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Helbekkmo, Nina; Strøm, Hans H; Sundstrøm, Stein H

    2009-01-01

    , fatigue, dyspnea, sleeping problems and appetite loss in comparison to the PS 0/1 group. CONCLUSIONS: PS 2 NSCLC patients seem to achieve valuable HRQOL benefits from platinum-based combination therapy. Prospective clinical studies with predefined HRQOL outcomes in PS 2 patients are needed to confirm...

  14. Effects of short-term Western diet on cerebral oxidative stress and diabetes related factors in APP x PS1 knock-in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Studzinski, Christa M; Li, Feng; Bruce-Keller, Annadora J; Fernandez-Kim, Sun Ok; Zhang, Le; Weidner, Adam M; Markesbery, William R; Murphy, M Paul; Keller, Jeffrey N

    2009-02-01

    A chronic high fat Western diet (WD) promotes a variety of morbidity factors although experimental evidence for short-term WD mediating brain dysfunction remains to be elucidated. The amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 (APP x PS1) knock-in mouse model has been demonstrated to recapitulate some key features of Alzheimer's disease pathology, including amyloid-beta (Abeta) pathogenesis. In this study, we placed 1-month-old APP x PS1 mice and non-transgenic littermates on a WD for 4 weeks. The WD resulted in a significant elevation in protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation in the brain of APP x PS1 mice relative to non-transgenic littermates, which occurred in the absence of increased Abeta levels. Altered adipokine levels were also observed in APP x PS1 mice placed on a short-term WD, relative to non-transgenic littermates. Taken together, these data indicate that short-term WD is sufficient to selectively promote cerebral oxidative stress and metabolic disturbances in APP x PS1 knock-in mice, with increased oxidative stress preceding alterations in Abeta. These data have important implications for understanding how WD may potentially contribute to brain dysfunction and the development of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

  15. Investigation of needleless electrospun PAN nanofiber mats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabantina, Lilia; Mirasol, José Rodríguez; Cordero, Tomás; Finsterbusch, Karin; Ehrmann, Andrea

    2018-04-01

    Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) can be spun from a nontoxic solvent (DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide) and is nevertheless waterproof, opposite to the biopolymers which are spinnable from aqueous solutions. This makes PAN an interesting material for electrospinning nanofiber mats which can be used for diverse biotechnological or medical applications, such as filters, cell growth, wound healing or tissue engineering. On the other hand, PAN is a typical base material for producing carbon nanofibers. Nevertheless, electrospinning PAN necessitates convenient spinning parameters to create nanofibers without too many membranes or agglomerations. Thus we have studied the influence of spinning parameters on the needleless electrospinning process of PAN dissolved in DMSO and the resulting nanofiber mats.

  16. Fabrication of an aluminum, Caribbean-style, musical pan: Metallurgical and acoustical characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murr, L.E.; Esquivel, E.V.; Lawrie, S.C.; Lopez, M.I.; Lair, S.L.; Soto, K.F.; Gaytan, S.M.; Bujanda, D.; Kerns, R.G.; Guerrero, P.A.; Flores, J.A.

    2006-01-01

    We report herein the first development and fabrication of a 6061 aluminum alloy pan and compare its tuning and acoustic spectra for selected notes with a standard low-carbon steel Caribbean pan fabricated from a 210-L barrel. The experimental aluminum alloy pan was completely manufactured by welding a 1.68-mm-thick head sheet to a 9-mm 2 aluminum alloy hoop, sinking the head by pneumatic hammering and welding a 1.15-mm-thick aluminum alloy side or skirt to the hoop. This experimental pan was 0.66 m in diameter, in contrast to the 210-L steel barrel standard, which had a diameter of 0.57 m. Chromatic tones were observed for most rim notes on the aluminum alloy pan, but the highest octave range notes at the pan bottom were not tuned. Microstructural characterization by light optical metallography and transmission electron microscopy illustrated the necessity for high dislocation densities and associated hardness in order to stabilize the notes and to assure their chromatic tuning

  17. Energy and expectation values of the PsH system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitroy, J.

    2006-01-01

    Close to converged energies and expectation values for PsH are computed using a ground state wave function consisting of 1800 explicitly correlated gaussians. The best estimate of the Ps ∞ H energy was -0.789 196 740 hartree which is the lowest variational energy to date. The 2γ annihilation rate for Ps ∞ H was 2.471 78x10 9 s -1

  18. Peter Pan-demien

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm, Claus

    2009-01-01

    Ungdommelig opførsel er moderne. I gamle dage skulle vi blive voksne. I dag skal selv gamle mænd og kvinder holde sig unge. Peter Pan-panikken er i os, og en af vores væsentligste sociale lidelser er umodenhed.......Ungdommelig opførsel er moderne. I gamle dage skulle vi blive voksne. I dag skal selv gamle mænd og kvinder holde sig unge. Peter Pan-panikken er i os, og en af vores væsentligste sociale lidelser er umodenhed....

  19. Damage of plants due to peroxyacyl nitrates (PAN)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fukuda, H.; Terakado, K.

    1974-02-01

    In Japan plant damages began to resemble those due to PAN about 1972. Exposure experiments with artifically synthesized PAN in an environment simulation room determined the concentration of PAN and its duration to examine the relationship between these data in the field and crop damage. Synthesized PAN created by irradiating a mixture of ethyl nitrate and oxygen with ultraviolet light gave results similar to those seen in fields. From the end of April to the end of November, damages to petunias seemingly due to PAN appeared 15 times. The symptoms differed with the variety of petunia. After 14 experiments in fields from September 20 to November 30 with a continuous determination of the environmental concentration of PAN, damages to petunia were confirmed on 6 days when the maximum PAN concentration range was 3.0-6.7 ppb. The duration of concentrations higher than 3 ppb was 2-13 hr. The most serious damage appeared on September 20 when a concentration of more than 5 ppb continued for 7 hours. No damage appeared with a long continuation (6-12 hr) of a lower concentration of PAN of 2 ppb. Inter-varietal grafting showed that the symptoms and the degree of damage due to PAN were influenced only by the physiological specificity of the aerial portion of the plant. Leaves which are most affected by PAN differed with the variety of petunia.

  20. Evolution of the ATLAS PanDA Workload Management System for Exascale Computational Science

    CERN Document Server

    Maeno, T; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, A; Nilsson, P; Oleynik, D; Panitkin, S; Petrosyan, A; Schovancova, J; Vaniachine, A; Wenaus, T; Yu, D

    2013-01-01

    An important foundation underlying the impressive success of data processing and analysis in the ATLAS experiment [1] at the LHC [2] is the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) workload management system [3]. PanDA was designed specifically for ATLAS and proved to be highly successful in meeting all the distributed computing needs of the experiment. However, the core design of PanDA is not experiment specific. The PanDA workload management system is capable of meeting the needs of other data intensive scientific applications. Alpha-Magnetic Spectrometer [4], an astro-particle experiment on the International Space Station, and the Compact Muon Solenoid [5], an LHC experiment, have successfully evaluated PanDA and are pursuing its adoption. In this paper, a description of the new program of work to develop a generic version of PanDA will be given, as well as the progress in extending PanDA's capabilities to support supercomputers and clouds and to leverage intelligent networking. PanDA has demonstrated a...

  1. Evolution of the ATLAS PanDA Workload Management System for Exascale Computational Science

    CERN Document Server

    Maeno, T; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, A; Nilsson, P; Oleynik, D; Panitkin, S; Petrosyan, A; Schovancova, J; Vaniachine, A; Wenaus, T; Yu, D

    2014-01-01

    An important foundation underlying the impressive success of data processing and analysis in the ATLAS experiment [1] at the LHC [2] is the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) workload management system [3]. PanDA was designed specifically for ATLAS and proved to be highly successful in meeting all the distributed computing needs of the experiment. However, the core design of PanDA is not experiment specific. The PanDA workload management system is capable of meeting the needs of other data intensive scientific applications. Alpha-Magnetic Spectrometer [4], an astro-particle experiment on the International Space Station, and the Compact Muon Solenoid [5], an LHC experiment, have successfully evaluated PanDA and are pursuing its adoption. In this paper, a description of the new program of work to develop a generic version of PanDA will be given, as well as the progress in extending PanDA's capabilities to support supercomputers and clouds and to leverage intelligent networking. PanDA has demonstrated a...

  2. Comparison of emergency medical services systems across Pan-Asian countries: a Web-based survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Sang Do; Ong, Marcus Eng Hock; Tanaka, Hideharu; Ma, Matthew Huei-Ming; Nishiuchi, Tatsuya; Alsakaf, Omer; Karim, Sarah Abdul; Khunkhlai, Nalinas; Lin, Chih-Hao; Song, Kyoung Jun; Ryoo, Hyun Wook; Ryu, Hyun Ho; Tham, Lai Peng; Cone, David C

    2012-01-01

    There are great variations in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival outcomes among different countries and different emergency medical services (EMS) systems. The impact of different systems and their contribution to enhanced survival are poorly understood. This paper compares the EMS systems of several Asian sites making up the Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study (PAROS) network. Some preliminary cardiac arrest outcomes are also reported. This is a cross-sectional descriptive survey study addressing population demographics, service levels, provider characteristics, system operations, budget and finance, medical direction (leadership), and oversight. Most of the systems are single-tiered. Fire-based EMS systems are predominant. Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur have hospital-based systems. Service level is relatively low, from basic to intermediate in most of the communities. Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Bangkok have intermediate emergency medical technician (EMT) service levels, while Taiwan and Dubai have paramedic service levels. Medical direction and oversight have not been systemically established, except in some communities. Systems are mostly dependent on public funding. We found variations in available resources in terms of ambulances and providers. The number of ambulances is 0.3 to 3.2 per 100,000 population, and most ambulances are basic life support (BLS) vehicles. The number of human resources ranges from 4.0 per 100,000 population in Singapore to 55.7 per 100,000 population in Taipei. Average response times vary between 5.1 minutes (Tainan) and 22.5 minutes (Kuala Lumpur). We found substantial variation in 11 communities across the PAROS EMS systems. This study will provide the foundation for understanding subsequent studies arising from the PAROS effort.

  3. ATLAS BigPanDA Monitoring and Its Evolution

    CERN Document Server

    Wenaus, Torre; The ATLAS collaboration; Korchuganova, Tatiana

    2016-01-01

    BigPanDA is the latest generation of the monitoring system for the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) system. The BigPanDA monitor is a core component of PanDA and also serves the monitoring needs of the new ATLAS Production System Prodsys-2. BigPanDA has been developed to serve the growing computation needs of the ATLAS Experiment and the wider applications of PanDA beyond ATLAS. Through a system-wide job database, the BigPanDA monitor provides a comprehensive and coherent view of the tasks and jobs executed by the system, from high level summaries to detailed drill-down job diagnostics. The system has been in production and has remained in continuous development since mid 2014, today effectively managing more than 2 million jobs per day distributed over 150 computing centers worldwide. BigPanDA also delivers web-based analytics and system state views to groups of users including distributed computing systems operators, shifters, physicist end-users, computing managers and accounting services. Provi...

  4. PPARγ agonist pioglitazone improves cerebellar dysfunction at pre-Aβ deposition stage in APPswe/PS1dE9 Alzheimer's disease model mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Toba, Junya; Nikkuni, Miyu [Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480 Japan (Japan); Ishizeki, Masato [Laboratory for Neurophysiology, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480 Japan (Japan); Yoshii, Aya; Watamura, Naoto [Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480 Japan (Japan); Inoue, Takafumi [Laboratory for Neurophysiology, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480 Japan (Japan); Ohshima, Toshio, E-mail: ohshima@waseda.jp [Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480 Japan (Japan)

    2016-05-13

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the best known neurodegenerative diseases; it causes dementia and its pathological features include accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain. Elevated Cdk5 activity and CRMP2 phosphorylation have been reported in the brains of AD model mice at the early stage of the disease, but the significance thereof in human AD remains unelucidated. We have recently reported that Aβ accumulation in the cerebellum of AD model APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice, and cerebellar dysfunctions, such as impairment of motor coordination ability and long-term depression (LTD) induction, at the pre-Aβ accumulation stage. In the present study, we found increased phosphorylation levels of CRMP2 as well as increased p35 protein levels in the cerebellum of APP/PS1 mice. Interestingly, we show that pioglitazone, an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, normalized the p35 protein and CRMP2 phosphorylation levels in the cerebellum. Impaired motor coordination ability and LTD in APP/PS1 mice were ameliorated by pioglitazone treatment at the pre-Aβ accumulation stage. These results suggest a correlation between CRMP2 phosphorylation and AD pathophysiology, and indicate the effectiveness of pioglitazone treatment at the pre-Aβ accumulation stage in AD model mice. -- Highlights: •Phosphorylation level of CRMP2 increased in the cerebellum of APP/PS1 mice. •p35 protein levels increased in the cerebellum of APP/PS1 mice. •Pioglitazone treatment improved cerebellar dysfunction of APP/PS1 mice.

  5. LIMB-DARKENING COEFFICIENTS FOR ECLIPSING WHITE DWARFS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gianninas, A.; Strickland, B. D.; Kilic, Mukremin [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks St., Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Bergeron, P., E-mail: alexg@nhn.ou.edu, E-mail: benstrickland@ou.edu, E-mail: kilic@ou.edu, E-mail: bergeron@astro.umontreal.ca [Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7 (Canada)

    2013-03-20

    We present extensive calculations of linear and nonlinear limb-darkening coefficients as well as complete intensity profiles appropriate for modeling the light-curves of eclipsing white dwarfs. We compute limb-darkening coefficients in the Johnson-Kron-Cousins UBVRI photometric system as well as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) ugrizy system using the most up to date model atmospheres available. In all, we provide the coefficients for seven different limb-darkening laws. We describe the variations of these coefficients as a function of the atmospheric parameters, including the effects of convection at low effective temperatures. Finally, we discuss the importance of having readily available limb-darkening coefficients in the context of present and future photometric surveys like the LSST, Palomar Transient Factory, and the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS). The LSST, for example, may find {approx}10{sup 5} eclipsing white dwarfs. The limb-darkening calculations presented here will be an essential part of the detailed analysis of all of these systems.

  6. LIMB-DARKENING COEFFICIENTS FOR ECLIPSING WHITE DWARFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gianninas, A.; Strickland, B. D.; Kilic, Mukremin; Bergeron, P.

    2013-01-01

    We present extensive calculations of linear and nonlinear limb-darkening coefficients as well as complete intensity profiles appropriate for modeling the light-curves of eclipsing white dwarfs. We compute limb-darkening coefficients in the Johnson-Kron-Cousins UBVRI photometric system as well as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) ugrizy system using the most up to date model atmospheres available. In all, we provide the coefficients for seven different limb-darkening laws. We describe the variations of these coefficients as a function of the atmospheric parameters, including the effects of convection at low effective temperatures. Finally, we discuss the importance of having readily available limb-darkening coefficients in the context of present and future photometric surveys like the LSST, Palomar Transient Factory, and the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS). The LSST, for example, may find ∼10 5 eclipsing white dwarfs. The limb-darkening calculations presented here will be an essential part of the detailed analysis of all of these systems.

  7. Interesting new record and further notes on the occurrence of marine fish in Nyamithi Pan, Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Kyle

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available Nyamithi Pan, situated in Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa, is a floodplain pan near the confluence of the Usuthu and Pongolo rivers. It lies approximately 75 km from the Indian Ocean. The floodplain and its fish have been extensively surveyed (Coke & Pott 1970; Kok 1980; Merron et al 1993, 1994, 1994a, 1994b, 1994c, 1994d; Pooley 1975 and there are many records of the occurrence of marine fish in this and other pans of the Pongolo and Usuthu rivers. These are, however, usually isolated instances of individual fish being caught and attracting attention.

  8. Panning artifacts in digital pathology images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avanaki, Ali R. N.; Lanciault, Christian; Espig, Kathryn S.; Xthona, Albert; Kimpe, Tom R. L.

    2017-03-01

    In making a pathologic diagnosis, a pathologist uses cognitive processes: perception, attention, memory, and search (Pena and Andrade-Filho, 2009). Typically, this involves focus while panning from one region of a slide to another, using either a microscope in a traditional workflow or software program and display in a digital pathology workflow (DICOM Standard Committee, 2010). We theorize that during panning operation, the pathologist receives information important to diagnosis efficiency and/or correctness. As compared to an optical microscope, panning in a digital pathology image involves some visual artifacts due to the following: (i) the frame rate is finite; (ii) time varying visual signals are reconstructed using imperfect zero-order hold. Specifically, after pixel's digital drive is changed, it takes time for a pixel to emit the expected amount of light. Previous work suggests that 49% of navigation is conducted in low-power/overview with digital pathology (Molin et al., 2015), but the influence of display factors has not been measured. We conducted a reader study to establish a relationship between display frame rate, panel response time, and threshold panning speed (above which the artifacts become noticeable). Our results suggest visual tasks that involve tissue structure are more impacted by the simulated panning artifacts than those that only involve color (e.g., staining intensity estimation), and that the panning artifacts versus normalized panning speed has a peak behavior which is surprising and may change for a diagnostic task. This is work in progress and our final findings should be considered in designing future digital pathology systems.

  9. Two more, bright, z > 6 quasars from VST ATLAS and WISE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chehade, B.; Carnall, A. C.; Shanks, T.; Diener, C.; Fumagalli, M.; Findlay, J. R.; Metcalfe, N.; Hennawi, J.; Leibler, C.; Murphy, D. N. A.; Prochaska, J. X.; Irwin, M. J.; Gonzalez-Solares, E.

    2018-03-01

    Recently, Carnall et al. discovered two bright high redshift quasars using the combination of the VST ATLAS and WISE surveys. The technique involved using the 3-D colour plane i - z: z - W1: W1 - W2 with the WISE W1(3.4 micron) and W2 (4.5 micron) bands taking the place of the usual NIR J band to help decrease stellar dwarf contamination. Here we report on our continued search for 5.7 6 quasars, VST-ATLAS J158.6938-14.4211 at z = 6.07 and J332.8017-32.1036 at z = 6.32 with magnitudes of zAB = 19.4 and 19.7 mag respectively. J158.6938-14.4211 was confirmed by Keck LRIS observations and J332.8017-32.1036 was confirmed by ESO NTT EFOSC-2 observations. Here we present VLT X-shooter Visible and NIR spectra for the four ATLAS quasars. We have further independently rediscovered two z > 5.7 quasars previously found by the VIKING/KiDS and PanSTARRS surveys. This means that in ATLAS we have now discovered a total of six quasars in our target 5.7 ATLAS quasars.

  10. PS Main Control Room (partial view)

    CERN Multimedia

    1974-01-01

    Jean-Pierre Potier (turning buttons) and Bertran Frammery (telephoning) on shift. The 26 GeV Synchrotron and later also its related machines (Linacs 1,2,3; PS-Booster; LEP-Injector Linacs and Electron-Positron Accumulator; Antiproton Accumulator, Antiproton Collector, Low Energy Antiproton Ring and more recently Antiproton Decelerator) were all controlled from the PS control room situated on the Meyrin site. The SPS and LEP were controlled from a separat control centre on the Prevessin site. In 2005 all controls were transferred to the Prevessin centre.

  11. Mutations in AtPS1 (Arabidopsis thaliana parallel spindle 1 lead to the production of diploid pollen grains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabelle d'Erfurth

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Polyploidy has had a considerable impact on the evolution of many eukaryotes, especially angiosperms. Indeed, most--if not all-angiosperms have experienced at least one round of polyploidy during the course of their evolution, and many important crop plants are current polyploids. The occurrence of 2n gametes (diplogametes in diploid populations is widely recognised as the major source of polyploid formation. However, limited information is available on the genetic control of diplogamete production. Here, we describe the isolation and characterisation of the first gene, AtPS1 (Arabidopsis thaliana Parallel Spindle 1, implicated in the formation of a high frequency of diplogametes in plants. Atps1 mutants produce diploid male spores, diploid pollen grains, and spontaneous triploid plants in the next generation. Female meiosis is not affected in the mutant. We demonstrated that abnormal spindle orientation at male meiosis II leads to diplogamete formation. Most of the parent's heterozygosity is therefore conserved in the Atps1 diploid gametes, which is a key issue for plant breeding. The AtPS1 protein is conserved throughout the plant kingdom and carries domains suggestive of a regulatory function. The isolation of a gene involved in diplogamete production opens the way for new strategies in plant breeding programmes and progress in evolutionary studies.

  12. Evolution of the ATLAS PanDA Workload Management System for Exascale Computational Science

    OpenAIRE

    Maeno, T; De, K; Klimentov, A; Nilsson, P; Oleynik, D; Panitkin, S; Petrosyan, A; Schovancova, J; Vaniachine, A; Wenaus, T; Yu, D

    2013-01-01

    An important foundation underlying the impressive success of data processing and analysis in the ATLAS experiment [1] at the LHC [2] is the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) workload management system [3]. PanDA was designed specifically for ATLAS and proved to be highly successful in meeting all the distributed computing needs of the experiment. However, the core design of PanDA is not experiment specific. The PanDA workload management system is capable of meeting the needs of othe...

  13. Processed CTD and Water Sample Data from Research Vessel Ocean Starr in the NE Pacific, Aug. 31 and Sept. 01, 2012 (NCEI Accession 0156932)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The expedition by research vessel Ocean Starr on Aug. 31 and Sept. 01, 2012 had the objective to recover and re-deploy a number of moored platforms from the CORC...

  14. Radiographic findings of post-operative double stapled trans anal rectal resection (STARR) in patient with obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grassi, Roberto; Romano, Stefania; Micera, Osvaldo; Fioroni, Claudio; Boller, Brigitta

    2005-03-01

    Longo's procedure of double stapled trans anal rectal resection (STARR) has been evocated as surgical treatment of the obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS) in patients with rectal mucosal prolapse. The aim of this study was to investigate the post-interventional findings of this technique, to help radiologist in knowledge of the changed morphology of the rectal lumen, also in attempt to recognize some potential related complications.

  15. ApoA-I/SR-BI modulates S1P/S1PR2-mediated inflammation through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in HUVECs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Kun; Lu, Yan-Ju; Mo, Zhong-Cheng; -Liu, Xing; Tang, Zhen-Li; Jiang, Yue; Peng, Xiao-Shan; Li, Li; Zhang, Qing-Hai; Yi, Guang-Hui

    2017-05-01

    Endothelial dysfunction plays a vital role during the initial stage of atherosclerosis. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) induces vascular endothelial injury and vessel wall inflammation. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) exerts numerous vasoprotective effects by binding to diverse S1P receptors (S1PRs; S1PR1-5). A number of studies have shown that in endothelial cells (ECs), S1PR2 acts as a pro-atherosclerotic mediator by stimulating vessel wall inflammation through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. Scavenger receptor class B member I (SR-BI), a high-affinity receptor for apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I)/high-density lipoprotein (HDL), inhibits nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) translocation and decreases the plasma levels of inflammatory mediators via the PI3K/Akt pathway. We hypothesized that the inflammatory effects of S1P/S1PR2 on ECs may be regulated by apoA-I/SR-BI. The results showed that ox-LDL, a pro-inflammatory factor, augmented the S1PR2 level in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, S1P/S1PR2 signaling influenced the levels of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-10, aggravating inflammation in HUVECs. Moreover, the pro-inflammatory effects induced by S1P/S1PR2 were attenuated by SR-BI overexpression and enhanced by an SR-BI inhibitor, BLT-1. Further experiments showed that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was involved in this process. Taken together, these results demonstrate that apoA-I/SR-BI negatively regulates S1P/S1PR2-mediated inflammation in HUVECs by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

  16. Utilization of Prickly Pear Peels to Improve Quality of Pan Bread

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anwar, M.M.; Sallam, E.M.

    2016-01-01

    This investigation aimed to study utilization of prickly pear peels to improve quality of pan bread. Prickly pear peels powder added to wheat flour 72 % at levels 1.0 and 2.0% to make pan beard. In this study, evaluation of nutrients and chemical constitutes and functional properties of prickly pear peels as well as the rheological properties of dough contained prickly pear peels at levels 1% and 2% has been conducted. Then evaluated organoleptic characteristics of pan bread made of it also determined staling rate. Results showed that prickly pear peels had higher content of 32.67 % fiber, 14.25 % pectin and 87.82 % ascorbic acid, and higher contents of antioxidant components. It consists of 441.11 mg/100 g, total phenols, 35.2 flavonoids mg/100 g and DPPH radical-scavenging 62.14%, also water holding capacity was 1.8 ml H 2 O / g , oil holding capacity 2.35 (ml oil/g) and foam stability 7.15%. The major phenolic compounds Oleuro 1264.407, pyrogallo 1149.68, Benzoic 982.37, 3-oH Tyrosol 588.53, Ellagic 413.26, Chorogenic 271.10, Protocatechuic acid 176.02, P-oH- Benzoic 112.78, Epicatechin105.99, Gallic acid 61.26 ppm. The results revealed that addition of prickly pear peels to wheat flour increased the nutrition values of pan bread made of it due to high contents of fiber, ascorbic acid and natural antioxidants, and also decreased staling which improves the quality of pan bread, as well as increases shelf-life of pan bread.

  17. PS Booster - Festive colloquium

    CERN Multimedia

    2012-01-01

    A festive colloquium will be held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the PS Booster on Friday, 28 September at 2 p.m. in the CERN council chamber. The meeting will be open to everybody. Read more on the PS Booster in the CERN Bulletin and in the CERN Courier.

  18. Symmetry of dipositronium Ps2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schrader, D.M.

    2004-01-01

    We work out the complete symmetry and spin problem for diatomic positronium Ps 2 for the ground and singly excited states of zero orbital angular momentum. The general form of the wave function for each state is given, with due regard to charge conjugation parity. Annihilation rates are discussed, and correlations to dissociation products are deduced. We indicate how the approach is extensible to larger aggregates: i.e., PsPs n , n>2

  19. Pan masala advertisements are surrogate for tobacco products

    OpenAIRE

    Sushma C; Sharang C

    2005-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Pan masala is a comparatively recent habit in India and is marketed with and without tobacco. Advertisements of tobacco products have been banned in India since 1st May 2004. The advertisements of plain pan masala, which continue in Indian media, have been suspected to be surrogate for tobacco products bearing the same name. The study was carried out to assess whether these advertisements were for the intended product, or for tobacco products with same brand name. MATERIALS AND ...

  20. Evolution of the ATLAS PanDA workload management system for exascale computational science

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maeno, T; Klimentov, A; Panitkin, S; Schovancova, J; Wenaus, T; Yu, D; De, K; Nilsson, P; Oleynik, D; Petrosyan, A; Vaniachine, A

    2014-01-01

    An important foundation underlying the impressive success of data processing and analysis in the ATLAS experiment [1] at the LHC [2] is the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) workload management system [3]. PanDA was designed specifically for ATLAS and proved to be highly successful in meeting all the distributed computing needs of the experiment. However, the core design of PanDA is not experiment specific. The PanDA workload management system is capable of meeting the needs of other data intensive scientific applications. Alpha-Magnetic Spectrometer [4], an astro-particle experiment on the International Space Station, and the Compact Muon Solenoid [5], an LHC experiment, have successfully evaluated PanDA and are pursuing its adoption. In this paper, a description of the new program of work to develop a generic version of PanDA will be given, as well as the progress in extending PanDA's capabilities to support supercomputers and clouds and to leverage intelligent networking. PanDA has demonstrated at a very large scale the value of automated dynamic brokering of diverse workloads across distributed computing resources. The next generation of PanDA will allow other data-intensive sciences and a wider exascale community employing a variety of computing platforms to benefit from ATLAS' experience and proven tools.

  1. A Portable Burn Pan for the Disposal of Excess Propellants

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    2013 - 06/01/2016 A Portable Burn Pan for the Disposal of Excess Propellants Michael Walsh USA CRREL USA CRREL 72 Lyme Road Hanover, NH 03755...Army Alaska XRF X-Ray Florescence vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Project ER-201323, A Portable Burn Pan for the Disposal of Gun Propellants, was a very...contamination problem while allowing troops to train as they fight, we have developed a portable training device for burning excess gun propellants. 1.1

  2. Clinical and Patient-reported Outcomes in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) by Body Surface Area Affected by Psoriasis: Results from the Corrona PsA/Spondyloarthritis Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mease, Philip J; Karki, Chitra; Palmer, Jacqueline B; Etzel, Carol J; Kavanaugh, Arthur; Ritchlin, Christopher T; Malley, Wendi; Herrera, Vivian; Tran, Melody; Greenberg, Jeffrey D

    2017-08-01

    Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is commonly comorbid with psoriasis; the extent of skin lesions is a major contributor to psoriatic disease severity/burden. We evaluated whether extent of skin involvement with psoriasis [body surface area (BSA) > 3% vs ≤ 3%] affects overall clinical and patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in patients with PsA. Using the Corrona PsA/Spondyloarthritis Registry, patient characteristics, disease activity, and PRO at registry enrollment were assessed for patients with PsA aged ≥ 18 years with BSA > 3% versus ≤ 3%. Regression models were used to evaluate associations of BSA level with outcome [modified minimal disease activity (MDA), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score, patient-reported pain and fatigue, and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire score]. Adjustments were made for age, sex, race, body mass index, disease duration, and history of biologics, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, and prednisone use. This analysis included 1240 patients with PsA with known BSA level (n = 451, BSA > 3%; n = 789, BSA ≤ 3%). After adjusting for potential confounding variables, patients with BSA > 3% versus ≤ 3% had greater patient-reported pain and fatigue and higher HAQ scores (p = 2.33 × 10 -8 , p = 0.002, and p = 1.21 × 10 -7 , respectively), were 1.7× more likely not to be in modified MDA (95% CI 1.21-2.41, p = 0.002), and were 2.1× more likely to have overall work impairment (1.37-3.21, p = 0.0001). These Corrona Registry data show that substantial skin involvement (BSA > 3%) is associated with greater PsA disease burden, underscoring the importance of assessing and effectively managing psoriasis in patients with PsA because this may be a contributing factor in PsA severity.

  3. Evaluation of common methods for sampling invertebrate pollinator assemblages: net sampling out-perform pan traps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popic, Tony J; Davila, Yvonne C; Wardle, Glenda M

    2013-01-01

    Methods for sampling ecological assemblages strive to be efficient, repeatable, and representative. Unknowingly, common methods may be limited in terms of revealing species function and so of less value for comparative studies. The global decline in pollination services has stimulated surveys of flower-visiting invertebrates, using pan traps and net sampling. We explore the relative merits of these two methods in terms of species discovery, quantifying abundance, function, and composition, and responses of species to changing floral resources. Using a spatially-nested design we sampled across a 5000 km(2) area of arid grasslands, including 432 hours of net sampling and 1296 pan trap-days, between June 2010 and July 2011. Net sampling yielded 22% more species and 30% higher abundance than pan traps, and better reflected the spatio-temporal variation of floral resources. Species composition differed significantly between methods; from 436 total species, 25% were sampled by both methods, 50% only by nets, and the remaining 25% only by pans. Apart from being less comprehensive, if pan traps do not sample flower-visitors, the link to pollination is questionable. By contrast, net sampling functionally linked species to pollination through behavioural observations of flower-visitation interaction frequency. Netted specimens are also necessary for evidence of pollen transport. Benefits of net-based sampling outweighed minor differences in overall sampling effort. As pan traps and net sampling methods are not equivalent for sampling invertebrate-flower interactions, we recommend net sampling of invertebrate pollinator assemblages, especially if datasets are intended to document declines in pollination and guide measures to retain this important ecosystem service.

  4. Evaluation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a binding polymer for absorbers used to treat liquid radioactive wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sebesta, F.; John, J.; Motl, A.; Stamberg, K.

    1995-11-01

    The chemical and radiation stability of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in the form of beads (B-PAN), similar to the beads of composite absorbers, and one selected composite absorber (ammonium molybdophosphate, the active component in PAN binder [AMP-PAN], a prospective candidate for the treatment of acidic wastes) were studied. Aqueous 1M HNO 3 + 1M NaNO 3 , 1M NaOH + 1M NaNO 3 , and 1M NaOH were chosen as simulants of DOE acidic and alkaline wastes. In addition,radiation stability was determined indistilled water. The chemical stability of B-PAN and AMP-PAN beads was tested for a period up to one month of contact with the solution at ambient temperature. The radiation stability of the beads was checked in a radiation dose range 10 3 --10 6 Gy (10 5 --10 8 rads). In acidic solutions the stability of PAN binder was proved not to be limited by either chemical or radiation decomposition. PAN binder may thus be used for preparing composite absorbers for treatment of acid wastes from DOE facilities. The same conclusion is valid for alkaline solutions with pH up to 13. In highly alkaline solutions (concentration of NAOH higher than I M) and in the presence of NaNO 3 , the stability of the tested polyacrylonitrile polymer was sufficient for applications not extending over 10 days. Cross-linking of the polymer caused by ionizing radiation was found to have a positive influence on chemical stability. This effect enables a longer period of applicability of PAN-based composite absorbers. Because of the high sorption rate achievable with PAN-based absorbers, the stability achieved is sufficient for most applications in the DOE complex. The chemical stability of binding polymer may also be further improved by testing another, more suitable type of polymer from the broad family of polyacrylonitrile polymers

  5. Targeting the SphK1/S1P/S1PR1 Axis That Links Obesity, Chronic Inflammation, and Breast Cancer Metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagahashi, Masayuki; Yamada, Akimitsu; Katsuta, Eriko; Aoyagi, Tomoyoshi; Huang, Wei-Ching; Terracina, Krista P; Hait, Nitai C; Allegood, Jeremy C; Tsuchida, Junko; Yuza, Kizuki; Nakajima, Masato; Abe, Manabu; Sakimura, Kenji; Milstien, Sheldon; Wakai, Toshifumi; Spiegel, Sarah; Takabe, Kazuaki

    2018-04-01

    Although obesity with associated inflammation is now recognized as a risk factor for breast cancer and distant metastases, the functional basis for these connections remain poorly understood. Here, we show that in breast cancer patients and in animal breast cancer models, obesity is a sufficient cause for increased expression of the bioactive sphingolipid mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), which mediates cancer pathogenesis. A high-fat diet was sufficient to upregulate expression of sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1), the enzyme that produces S1P, along with its receptor S1PR1 in syngeneic and spontaneous breast tumors. Targeting the SphK1/S1P/S1PR1 axis with FTY720/fingolimod attenuated key proinflammatory cytokines, macrophage infiltration, and tumor progression induced by obesity. S1P produced in the lung premetastatic niche by tumor-induced SphK1 increased macrophage recruitment into the lung and induced IL6 and signaling pathways important for lung metastatic colonization. Conversely, FTY720 suppressed IL6, macrophage infiltration, and S1P-mediated signaling pathways in the lung induced by a high-fat diet, and it dramatically reduced formation of metastatic foci. In tumor-bearing mice, FTY720 similarly reduced obesity-related inflammation, S1P signaling, and pulmonary metastasis, thereby prolonging survival. Taken together, our results establish a critical role for circulating S1P produced by tumors and the SphK1/S1P/S1PR1 axis in obesity-related inflammation, formation of lung metastatic niches, and breast cancer metastasis, with potential implications for prevention and treatment. Significance: These findings offer a preclinical proof of concept that signaling by a sphingolipid may be an effective target to prevent obesity-related breast cancer metastasis. Cancer Res; 78(7); 1713-25. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

  6. Early-Life Stress Does Not Aggravate Spatial Memory or the Process of Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Adult and Middle-Aged APP/PS1 Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lianne Hoeijmakers

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Life-time experiences are thought to influence the risk to develop the neurodegenerative disorder Alzheimer’s disease (AD. In particular, early-life stress (ES may modulate the onset and progression of AD. There is recent evidence by our group and others that AD-related neuropathological progression and the associated neuroimmune responses are modulated by ES in the classic APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model for AD. We here extend our previous study on ES mediated modulation of neuropathology and neuroinflammation and address in the same cohort of mice whether ES accelerates and/or aggravates AD-induced cognitive decline and alterations in the process of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN, a form of brain plasticity. Chronic ES was induced by limiting bedding and nesting material during the first postnatal week and is known to induce cognitive deficits by 4 months in wild type (WT mice. The onset of cognitive decline in APP/PS1 mice generally starts around 6 months of age. We here tested mice at ages 2–4 months to study acceleration and at ages 8–10 months for aggravation of the APP/PS1 phenotype. ES-exposed WT and APP/PS1 mice were able to perform the object recognition (ORT and location tasks (OLT at 2 months of age. Interestingly, at 3 months, ES induced impairments in the performance of the OLT in WT, but not in APP/PS1 mice. APP/PS1 mice exhibited alterations in hippocampal cell proliferation and differentiation, but ES exposure did not further change this. At 9 months, APP/PS1 mice exhibited impaired performance in the Morris Water Maze (MWM task, as well as reductions in markers of the AHN process, which were not further modulated by ES exposure. In addition, we observed a so far unreported hyperactivity in ES-exposed mice at 8 months of age, which hampered assessment of cognitive functions in the ORT and OLT. In conclusion, while ES has been reported to modulate AD neuropathology and neuroinflammation before, it failed to accelerate or

  7. Taurine in drinking water recovers learning and memory in the adult APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hye Yun; Kim, Hyunjin V.; Yoon, Jin H.; Kang, Bo Ram; Cho, Soo Min; Lee, Sejin; Kim, Ji Yoon; Kim, Joo Won; Cho, Yakdol; Woo, Jiwan; Kim, YoungSoo

    2014-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a lethal progressive neurological disorder affecting the memory. Recently, US Food and Drug Administration mitigated the standard for drug approval, allowing symptomatic drugs that only improve cognitive deficits to be allowed to accelerate on to clinical trials. Our study focuses on taurine, an endogenous amino acid found in high concentrations in humans. It has demonstrated neuroprotective properties against many forms of dementia. In this study, we assessed cognitively enhancing property of taurine in transgenic mouse model of AD. We orally administered taurine via drinking water to adult APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model for 6 weeks. Taurine treatment rescued cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice up to the age-matching wild-type mice in Y-maze and passive avoidance tests without modifying the behaviours of cognitively normal mice. In the cortex of APP/PS1 mice, taurine slightly decreased insoluble fraction of Aβ. While the exact mechanism of taurine in AD has not yet been ascertained, our results suggest that taurine can aid cognitive impairment and may inhibit Aβ-related damages. PMID:25502280

  8. Overview of ATLAS PanDA Workload Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maeno, T.; De, K.; Wenaus, T.; Nilsson, P.; Stewart, G. A.; Walker, R.; Stradling, A.; Caballero, J.; Potekhin, M.; Smith, D.; ATLAS Collaboration

    2011-12-01

    The Production and Distributed Analysis System (PanDA) plays a key role in the ATLAS distributed computing infrastructure. All ATLAS Monte-Carlo simulation and data reprocessing jobs pass through the PanDA system. We will describe how PanDA manages job execution on the grid using dynamic resource estimation and data replication together with intelligent brokerage in order to meet the scaling and automation requirements of ATLAS distributed computing. PanDA is also the primary ATLAS system for processing user and group analysis jobs, bringing further requirements for quick, flexible adaptation to the rapidly evolving analysis use cases of the early datataking phase, in addition to the high reliability, robustness and usability needed to provide efficient and transparent utilization of the grid for analysis users. We will describe how PanDA meets ATLAS requirements, the evolution of the system in light of operational experience, how the system has performed during the first LHC data-taking phase and plans for the future.

  9. Overview of ATLAS PanDA Workload Management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maeno, T.; De, K.; Wenaus, T.; Nilsson, P.; Stewart, G.A.; Walker, R.; Stradling, A.; Caballero, J.; Potekhin, M.; Smith, D.

    2011-01-01

    The Production and Distributed Analysis System (PanDA) plays a key role in the ATLAS distributed computing infrastructure. All ATLAS Monte-Carlo simulation and data reprocessing jobs pass through the PanDA system. We will describe how PanDA manages job execution on the grid using dynamic resource estimation and data replication together with intelligent brokerage in order to meet the scaling and automation requirements of ATLAS distributed computing. PanDA is also the primary ATLAS system for processing user and group analysis jobs, bringing further requirements for quick, flexible adaptation to the rapidly evolving analysis use cases of the early datataking phase, in addition to the high reliability, robustness and usability needed to provide efficient and transparent utilization of the grid for analysis users. We will describe how PanDA meets ATLAS requirements, the evolution of the system in light of operational experience, how the system has performed during the first LHC data-taking phase and plans for the future.

  10. Generation of the SCN1A epilepsy mutation in hiPS cells using the TALEN technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wanjuan; Liu, Jingxin; Zhang, Longmei; Xu, Huijuan; Guo, Xiaogang; Deng, Sihao; Liu, Lipeng; Yu, Daiguan; Chen, Yonglong; Li, Zhiyuan

    2014-06-01

    Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can be used to understand the pathological mechanisms of human disease. These cells are a promising source for cell-replacement therapy. However, such studies require genetically defined conditions. Such genetic manipulations can be performed using the novel Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENs), which generate site-specific double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) with high efficiency and precision. Combining the TALEN and iPSC methods, we developed two iPS cell lines by generating the point mutation A5768G in the SCN1A gene, which encodes the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.1 α subunit. The engineered iPSC maintained pluripotency and successfully differentiated into neurons with normal functional characteristics. The two cell lines differ exclusively at the epilepsy-susceptibility variant. The ability to robustly introduce disease-causing point mutations in normal hiPS cell lines can be used to generate a human cell model for studying epileptic mechanisms and for drug screening.

  11. Delay-line cables for the fast bumpers in the PS.

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN PhotoLab

    1976-01-01

    For 'continuous transfer' to the SPS, the beam accelerated in the PS is shaved off over several turns, so as to form a continuous sequence of bunches several times the length of the PS circumference. Fast bumpers, powered in a 'staircase' way, displace the PS beam stepwise towards the ejection septum. Each step lasts 2.1 microsec and the cable drums in this picture contain some of the bumper delay-lines of altogether 10 km.

  12. Disordered eating and food restrictions in children with PANDAS/PANS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toufexis, Megan D; Hommer, Rebecca; Gerardi, Diana M; Grant, Paul; Rothschild, Leah; D'Souza, Precilla; Williams, Kyle; Leckman, James; Swedo, Susan E; Murphy, Tanya K

    2015-02-01

    Sudden onset clinically significant eating restrictions are a defining feature of the clinical presentation of some of the cases of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS). Restrictions in food intake are typically fueled by contamination fears; fears of choking, vomiting, or swallowing; and/or sensory issues, such as texture, taste, or olfactory concerns. However, body image distortions may also be present. We investigate the clinical presentation of PANS disordered eating and compare it with that of other eating disorders. We describe 29 patients who met diagnostic criteria for PANS. Most also exhibited evidence that the symptoms might be sequelae of infections with Group A streptococcal bacteria (the pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infections [PANDAS] subgroup of PANS). The clinical presentations are remarkable for a male predominance (2:1 M:F), young age of the affected children (mean=9 years; range 5-12 years), acuity of symptom onset, and comorbid neuropsychiatric symptoms. The food refusal associated with PANS is compared with symptoms listed for the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. (DSM-V) diagnosis of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Treatment implications are discussed, as well as directions for further research.

  13. Obesity and Hepatic Steatosis Are Associated with Elevated Serum Amyloid Beta in Metabolically Stressed APPswe/PS1dE9 Mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng-Shiun Shie

    Full Text Available Diabesity-associated metabolic stresses modulate the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD. For further insights into the underlying mechanisms, we examine whether the genetic background of APPswe/PS1dE9 at the prodromal stage of AD affects peripheral metabolism in the context of diabesity. We characterized APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice treated with a combination of high-fat diet with streptozotocin (HFSTZ in the early stage of AD. HFSTZ-treated APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice exhibited worse metabolic stresses related to diabesity, while serum β-amyloid levels were elevated and hepatic steatosis became apparent. Importantly, two-way analysis of variance shows a significant interaction between HFSTZ and genetic background of AD, indicating that APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice are more vulnerable to HFSTZ treatment. In addition, body weight gain, high hepatic triglyceride, and hyperglycemia were positively associated with serum β-amyloid, as validated by Pearson's correlation analysis. Our data suggests that the interplay between genetic background of AD and HFSTZ-induced metabolic stresses contributes to the development of obesity and hepatic steatosis. Alleviating metabolic stresses including dysglycemia, obesity, and hepatic steatosis could be critical to prevent peripheral β-amyloid accumulation at the early stage of AD.

  14. Preparation of Ag/HBP/PAN Nanofiber Web and Its Antimicrobial and Filtration Property

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li-Rong Yao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available To widen the application of nanofibers web in the field of medical health materials, a new Ag/amino-terminated hyperbranched polymer (HBP/polyacrylonitrile (PAN nanofiber web with excellent antimicrobial activity and filtration property was produced with Ag/HBP dispersion solution and PAN nanofiber. Ag/HBP dispersion solution was prepared with HBP as reducer and stabilizer, and Ag/HBP/PAN nanofiber was prepared by modifying electrospun PAN nanofiber with Ag/HBP aqueous solution. The characterization results showed that spherical Ag nanoparticles were prepared and they had a narrow distribution in HBP aqueous solution. The results of Ag/HBP/PAN nanofiber characterized with SEM and EDS showed that the content of silver nanoparticles on the surface of PAN nanofiber was on the increase when the treating temperature rose. The bacterial reduction rates of HBP-treated PAN nanofiber against S. aureus and E. coli were about 89%, while those of the Ag/HBP/PAN nanofiber against S. aureus and E. coli were 99.9% and 99.96%, respectively, due to the cooperative effects from the amino groups in HBP and Ag nanoparticles. Moreover, the small pores and high porosity in Ag/HBP/PAN nanofiber web resulted in high filtration efficiency (99.9% for removing smaller particles (0.1 μm~0.7 μm, which was much higher than that of the gauze mask.

  15. Frequent POLE1 p.S297F mutation in Chinese patients with ovarian endometrioid carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zou, Yang; Liu, Fa-Ying; Liu, Huai; Wang, Feng; Li, Wei; Huang, Mei-Zhen; Huang, Yan; Yuan, Xiao-Qun; Xu, Xiao-Yun; Huang, Ou-Ping; He, Ming

    2014-01-01

    The catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE1) functions primarily in nuclear DNA replication and repair. Recently, POLE1 mutations were detected frequently in colorectal and endometrial carcinomas while with lower frequency in several other types of cancer, and the p.P286R and p.V411L mutations were the potential mutation hotspots in human cancers. Nevertheless, the mutation frequency of POLE1 in ovarian cancer still remains largely unknown. Here, we screened a total of 251 Chinese samples with distinct subtypes of ovarian carcinoma for the presence of POLE1 hotspot mutations by direct sequencing. A heterozygous somatic POLE1 mutation, p.S297F (c.890C>T), but not p.P286R and p.V411L hotspot mutations observed in other cancer types, was identified in 3 out of 37 (8.1%) patients with ovarian endometrioid carcinoma; this mutation was evolutionarily highly conserved from Homo sapiens to Schizosaccharomyces. Of note, the POLE1 mutation coexisted with mutation in the ovarian cancer-associated PPP2R1A (protein phosphatase 2, regulatory subunit A, α) gene in a 46-year-old patient, who was also diagnosed with ectopic endometriosis in the benign ovary. In addition, a 45-year-old POLE1-mutated ovarian endometrioid carcinoma patient was also diagnosed with uterine leiomyoma while the remaining 52-year-old POLE1-mutated patient showed no additional distinctive clinical manifestation. In contrast to high frequency of POLE1 mutations in ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, no POLE1 mutations were identified in patients with other subtypes of ovarian carcinoma. Our results showed for the first time that the POLE1 p.S297F mutation, but not p.P286R and p.V411L hotspot mutations observed in other cancer types, was frequent in Chinese ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, but absent in other subtypes of ovarian carcinoma. These results implicated that POLE1 p.S297F mutation might be actively involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, but might not be actively

  16. Frequent POLE1 p.S297F mutation in Chinese patients with ovarian endometrioid carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zou, Yang; Liu, Fa-Ying; Liu, Huai; Wang, Feng [Key Laboratory of Women' s Reproductive Health of Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Central Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Li, Wei [Key Laboratory of Women' s Reproductive Health of Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Central Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Graduate School of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Huang, Mei-Zhen [Graduate School of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Institute, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330029 (China); Huang, Yan; Yuan, Xiao-Qun [Key Laboratory of Women' s Reproductive Health of Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Central Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Graduate School of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Xu, Xiao-Yun [Graduate School of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Institute, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330029 (China); Huang, Ou-Ping, E-mail: huangouping@gmail.com [Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Institute, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330029 (China); He, Ming, E-mail: jxhm56@hotmail.com [Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Nanchang University School of Pharmaceutical Science, Nanchang 330006 (China)

    2014-03-15

    The catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE1) functions primarily in nuclear DNA replication and repair. Recently, POLE1 mutations were detected frequently in colorectal and endometrial carcinomas while with lower frequency in several other types of cancer, and the p.P286R and p.V411L mutations were the potential mutation hotspots in human cancers. Nevertheless, the mutation frequency of POLE1 in ovarian cancer still remains largely unknown. Here, we screened a total of 251 Chinese samples with distinct subtypes of ovarian carcinoma for the presence of POLE1 hotspot mutations by direct sequencing. A heterozygous somatic POLE1 mutation, p.S297F (c.890C>T), but not p.P286R and p.V411L hotspot mutations observed in other cancer types, was identified in 3 out of 37 (8.1%) patients with ovarian endometrioid carcinoma; this mutation was evolutionarily highly conserved from Homo sapiens to Schizosaccharomyces. Of note, the POLE1 mutation coexisted with mutation in the ovarian cancer-associated PPP2R1A (protein phosphatase 2, regulatory subunit A, α) gene in a 46-year-old patient, who was also diagnosed with ectopic endometriosis in the benign ovary. In addition, a 45-year-old POLE1-mutated ovarian endometrioid carcinoma patient was also diagnosed with uterine leiomyoma while the remaining 52-year-old POLE1-mutated patient showed no additional distinctive clinical manifestation. In contrast to high frequency of POLE1 mutations in ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, no POLE1 mutations were identified in patients with other subtypes of ovarian carcinoma. Our results showed for the first time that the POLE1 p.S297F mutation, but not p.P286R and p.V411L hotspot mutations observed in other cancer types, was frequent in Chinese ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, but absent in other subtypes of ovarian carcinoma. These results implicated that POLE1 p.S297F mutation might be actively involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, but might not be actively

  17. Genomic differentiation among two strains of the PS1 clade isolated from geographically separated marine habitats

    KAUST Repository

    Jimenez Infante, Francy M.; Ngugi, David; Alam, Intikhab; Rashid, Mamoon; Ba Alawi, Wail; Kamau, Allan; Bajic, Vladimir B.; Stingl, Ulrich

    2014-01-01

    Using dilution-to-extinction cultivation, we isolated a strain affiliated with the PS1 clade from surface waters of the Red Sea. Strain RS24 represents the second isolate of this group of marine Alphaproteobacteria after IMCC14465 that was isolated

  18. Exploring the emotional appeal of green and social Europe myths among pan-European Union organisations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lynggaard, Kennet

    2017-01-01

    : (1) pan-EU NGOs are receptive to political myths, including in the short term; (2) pan-EU NGOs contribute to the reproduction of myths, especially already-institutionalised myths and myths that resonate with their sectoral activities; and (3) pan-EU NGOs strategically use political myths to justify...

  19. Omega-conotoxin- and nifedipine-insensitive voltage-operated calcium channels mediate K(+)-induced release of pro-thyrotropin-releasing hormone-connecting peptides Ps4 and Ps5 from perifused rat hypothalamic slices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valentijn, K; Tranchand Bunel, D; Vaudry, H

    1992-07-01

    The rat thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) precursor (prepro-TRH) contains five copies of the TRH progenitor sequence linked together by intervening sequences. Recently, we have shown that the connecting peptides prepro-TRH-(160-169) (Ps4) and prepro-TRH-(178-199) (Ps5) are released from rat hypothalamic neurones in response to elevated potassium concentrations, in a calcium-dependent manner. In the present study, the role of voltage-operated calcium channels in potassium-induced release of Ps4 and Ps5 was investigated, using a perifusion system for rat hypothalamic slices. The release of Ps4 and Ps5 stimulated by potassium (70 mM) was blocked by the inorganic ions Co2+ (2.6 mM) and Ni2+ (5 mM). In contrast, the stimulatory effect of KCl was insensitive to Cd2+ (100 microM). The dihydropyridine antagonist nifedipine (10 microM) had no effect on K(+)-evoked release of Ps4 and Ps5. Furthermore, the response to KCl was not affected by nifedipine (10 microM) in combination with diltiazem (1 microM), a benzothiazepine which increases the affinity of dihydropyridine antagonists for their receptor. The dihydropyridine agonist BAY K 8644, at concentrations as high as 1 mM, did not stimulate the basal secretion of Ps4 and Ps5. In addition, BAY K 8644 had no potentiating effect on K(+)-induced release of Ps4 and Ps5. The marine cone snail toxin omega-conotoxin, a blocker of both L- and N-type calcium channels had no effect on the release of Ps4 and Ps5 stimulated by potassium. Similarly, the omega-conopeptide SNX-111, a selective blocker of N-type calcium channels, did not inhibit the stimulatory effect of potassium. The release of Ps4 and Ps5 evoked by high K+ was insensitive to the non-selective calcium channel blocker verapamil (20 microM). Amiloride (1 microM), a putative blocker of T-type calcium channels, did not affect KCl-induced secretion of the two connecting peptides. Taken together, these results indicate that two connecting peptides derived from the pro-TRH, Ps

  20. Student-Centered Designs of Pan-African Literature Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    M'Baye, Babacar

    2010-01-01

    A student-centered teaching methodology is an essential ingredient of a successful Pan-African literary course. In this article, the author defines Pan-Africanism and how to go about designing a Pan-African literature course. The author combines reading assignments with journals, film presentations, and lectures in a productive learning…

  1. Real-life experience of using conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Retrospective analysis of the efficacy of methotrexate, sulfasalazine, and leflunomide in PsA in comparison to spondyloarthritides other than PsA and literature review of the use of conventional DMARDs in PsA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roussou, Euthalia; Bouraoui, Aicha

    2017-01-01

    Objective With the aim of assessing the response to treatment with conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) used in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), data on methotrexate, sulfasalazine (SSZ), and leflunomide were analyzed from baseline and subsequent follow-up (FU) questionnaires completed by patients with either PsA or other spondyloarthritides (SpAs). Material and Methods A single-center real-life retrospective analysis was performed by obtaining clinical data via questionnaires administered before and after treatment. The indices used were erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Function Index (BASFI), wellbeing (WB), and treatment effect (TxE). The indices measured at baseline were compared with those measured on one occasion in a FU visit at least 1 year later. Results A total of 73 patients, 51 with PsA (mean age 49.8±12.8 years; male-to-female ratio [M:F]=18:33) and 22 with other SpAs (mean age 50.6±16 years; M:F=2:20), were studied. BASDAI, BASFI, and WB displayed consistent improvements during FU assessments in both PsA patients and controls in comparison to baseline values. SSZ exhibited better efficacy as confirmed by TxE in both PsA patients and controls. ESR and CRP displayed no differences in either the PsA or the SpA group between the cases before and after treatment. Conclusion Real-life retrospective analysis of three DMARDs used in PsA (and SpAs other than PsA) demonstrated that all three DMARDs that were used brought about improvements in BASDAI, BASFI, TxE, and WB. However, the greatest improvements at FU were seen with SSZ use in both PsA and control cohorts. PMID:28293446

  2. Proceedings of the workshop on the PS-spin collider

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mori, Yoshiharu

    1993-05-01

    This volume is a record of the PS-Spin Collider Workshop which was held at KEK, Jan. 31-Feb.1, 1992. As a future project of the KEK 12-GeV proton synchrotron (KEK-PS), the hadron collider (PS-Collider), has been under discussion. Originally, the PSC was designed for heavy ion beam collisions with the energy range of 5-7 GeV/u. If polarized protons are accelerated in PSC, 19 x 19 GeV collisions are possible. This workshop was proposed to bring together interested experimentalists and accelerator physicists to discuss the case that could be made for polarization physics and the technical feasibility at the PS Spin Collider. More than 30 physicists participated in the workshop and very interesting and useful discussions took place. (author)

  3. PS-Modules over Ore Extensions and Skew Generalized Power Series Rings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Refaat M. Salem

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A right R-module MR is called a PS-module if its socle, SocMR, is projective. We investigate PS-modules over Ore extension and skew generalized power series extension. Let R be an associative ring with identity, MR a unitary right R-module, O=Rx;α,δ Ore extension, MxO a right O-module, S,≤ a strictly ordered additive monoid, ω:S→EndR a monoid homomorphism, A=RS,≤,ω the skew generalized power series ring, and BA=MS,≤RS,≤, ω the skew generalized power series module. Then, under some certain conditions, we prove the following: (1 If MR is a right PS-module, then MxO is a right PS-module. (2 If MR is a right PS-module, then BA is a right PS-module.

  4. Is Pan-Asian Economic Integration Moving Forward?: Evidence from Pan-Asian Trade Statistics

    OpenAIRE

    Sapkota, Jeet Bahadur; Shuto, Motoko

    2016-01-01

    Asia is growing economically faster than any other region in the world; this led to the shift of the center of gravity of the global economy from the West to the East. However, it is not clear whether the Asian economy is integrating regionally or globally. In the context of the growing efforts of regional or sub-regional pan-Asian integration, it is worthwhile to explore the pan-Asian trade flows regionally as well as globally. Thus, this paper examines the trend and determinants of economic...

  5. Electrically controllable artificial PAN muscles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salehpoor, Karim; Shahinpoor, Mohsen; Mojarrad, Mehran

    1996-02-01

    Artificial muscles made with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers are traditionally activated in electrolytic solution by changing the pH of the solution by the addition of acids and/or bases. This usually consumes a considerable amount of weak acids or bases. Furthermore, the synthetic muscle (PAN) itself has to be impregnated with an acid or a base and must have an appropriate enclosure or provision for waste collection after actuation. This work introduces a method by which the PAN muscle may be elongated or contracted in an electric field. We believe this is the first time that this has been achieved with PAN fibers as artificial muscles. In this new development the PAN muscle is first put in close contact with one of the two platinum wires (electrodes) immersed in an aqueous solution of sodium chloride. Applying an electric voltage between the two wires changes the local acidity of the solution in the regions close to the platinum wires. This is because of the ionization of sodium chloride molecules and the accumulation of Na+ and Cl- ions at the negative and positive electrode sites, respectively. This ion accumulation, in turn, is accompanied by a sharp increase and decrease of the local acidity in regions close to either of the platinum wires, respectively. An artificial muscle, in close contact with the platinum wire, because of the change in the local acidity will contract or expand depending on the polarity of the electric field. This scheme allows the experimenter to use a fixed flexible container of an electrolytic solution whose local pH can be modulated by an imposed electric field while the produced ions are basically trapped to stay in the neighborhood of a given electrode. This method of artificial muscle activation has several advantages. First, the need to use a large quantity of acidic or alkaline solutions is eliminated. Second, the use of a compact PAN muscular system is facilitated for applications in active musculoskeletal structures. Third, the

  6. Evaluation of common methods for sampling invertebrate pollinator assemblages: net sampling out-perform pan traps.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tony J Popic

    Full Text Available Methods for sampling ecological assemblages strive to be efficient, repeatable, and representative. Unknowingly, common methods may be limited in terms of revealing species function and so of less value for comparative studies. The global decline in pollination services has stimulated surveys of flower-visiting invertebrates, using pan traps and net sampling. We explore the relative merits of these two methods in terms of species discovery, quantifying abundance, function, and composition, and responses of species to changing floral resources. Using a spatially-nested design we sampled across a 5000 km(2 area of arid grasslands, including 432 hours of net sampling and 1296 pan trap-days, between June 2010 and July 2011. Net sampling yielded 22% more species and 30% higher abundance than pan traps, and better reflected the spatio-temporal variation of floral resources. Species composition differed significantly between methods; from 436 total species, 25% were sampled by both methods, 50% only by nets, and the remaining 25% only by pans. Apart from being less comprehensive, if pan traps do not sample flower-visitors, the link to pollination is questionable. By contrast, net sampling functionally linked species to pollination through behavioural observations of flower-visitation interaction frequency. Netted specimens are also necessary for evidence of pollen transport. Benefits of net-based sampling outweighed minor differences in overall sampling effort. As pan traps and net sampling methods are not equivalent for sampling invertebrate-flower interactions, we recommend net sampling of invertebrate pollinator assemblages, especially if datasets are intended to document declines in pollination and guide measures to retain this important ecosystem service.

  7. Photo-fermentational hydrogen production of Rhodobacter sp. KKU-PS1 isolated from an UASB reactor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thitirut Assawamongkholsiri

    2015-05-01

    Conclusions: KKU-PS1 can produce hydrogen from at least 8 types of organic acids. By optimizing pH and temperature, a maximal hydrogen production by this strain was obtained. Additionally, by optimizing the light intensity, Rm was increased by approximately two fold and the lag phase of hydrogen production was shortened.

  8. Sequence control of phase separation and dewetting in PS/PVME blend thin films by changing molecular weight of PS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Tian; Qin, Yaping; Huang, Yajiang; Huang, Ting; Xu, Jianhui; Li, Youbing

    2016-11-28

    The morphology evolution mechanism of polystyrene (PS)/poly (vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) blend thin films with different PS molecular weights (M w ) was studied. It was found that the morphology evolution was closely related to the molecular weight asymmetry between PS and PVME. In the film where M w (PS) ≈ M w (PVME), dewetting happened at the interface between the bottom layer and substrate after SD phase separation. While in the film where M w (PS) > M w (PVME), dewetting happened at the interface between the middle PS/PVME blend layer and bottom PVME layer near the substrate prior to phase separation. The different sequences of phase separation and dewetting and different interface for dewetting occurrence were studied by regarding the competitive effects of viscoelasticity contrast between polymer components and preferential wetting between PVME and the substrate. The viscoelastic nature of the PS component played a crucial role in the sequence of phase separation and dewetting.

  9. A PanDA backend for the ganga analysis interface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanderster, D C; Elmsheuser, J; Walker, R; Liko, D; Maeno, T; Wenaus, T; Nilsson, P

    2010-01-01

    Ganga provides a uniform interface for running ATLAS user analyses on a number of local, batch, and grid backends. PanDA is a pilot-based production and distributed analysis system developed and used extensively by ATLAS. This work presents the implementation and usage experiences of a PanDA backend for Ganga. Built upon reusable application libraries from GangaAtlas and PanDA, the Ganga PanDA backend allows users to run their analyses on the worldwide PanDA resources, while providing the ability for users to develop simple or complex analysis workflows in Ganga. Further, the backend allows users to submit and manage 'personal' PanDA pilots: these pilots run under the user's grid certificate and provide a secure alternative to shared pilot certificates while enabling the usage of local resource allocations.

  10. Antiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies (aPS/PT) as potential markers of antiphospholipid syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlagea, Alexandru; Gil, Antonio; Cuesta, Maria V; Arribas, Florencia; Diez, Jesús; Lavilla, Paz; Pascual-Salcedo, Dora

    2013-06-01

    The antiphospholipid antibodies present in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are directed at a number of phospholipid-binding proteins: β2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI), prothrombin, and so on. Antibodies directed at β2GPI are accepted as a classification criterion for APS, while the presence of antiprothrombin antibodies is not. In the present article, we investigated the possible role of antiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies (aPS/PT) as marker of APS on a cohort of 295 individuals with APS (95 primary APS and 45 secondary APS) and APS-related diseases. We found aPS/PT to be highly associated with venous thrombosis (immunoglobulin G [IgG] aPS/PT odds ratio [OR], 7.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.97-13.92 and IgM aPS/PT OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.35-4.77) and obstetric abnormalities (IgG aPS/PT OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.04-5.43), but not with arterial thrombosis. A very high degree of concordance between the concentration of aPS/PT and lupus anticoagulant activity was demonstrated. Therefore, we support the inclusion of aPS/PT determination as second-level assay to confirm APS classification.

  11. Pan-ebolavirus and Pan-filovirus Mouse Monoclonal Antibodies: Protection against Ebola and Sudan Viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holtsberg, Frederick W; Shulenin, Sergey; Vu, Hong; Howell, Katie A; Patel, Sonal J; Gunn, Bronwyn; Karim, Marcus; Lai, Jonathan R; Frei, Julia C; Nyakatura, Elisabeth K; Zeitlin, Larry; Douglas, Robin; Fusco, Marnie L; Froude, Jeffrey W; Saphire, Erica Ollmann; Herbert, Andrew S; Wirchnianski, Ariel S; Lear-Rooney, Calli M; Alter, Galit; Dye, John M; Glass, Pamela J; Warfield, Kelly L; Aman, M Javad

    2016-01-01

    The unprecedented 2014-2015 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa has highlighted the need for effective therapeutics against filoviruses. Monoclonal antibody (MAb) cocktails have shown great potential as EVD therapeutics; however, the existing protective MAbs are virus species specific. Here we report the development of pan-ebolavirus and pan-filovirus antibodies generated by repeated immunization of mice with filovirus glycoproteins engineered to drive the B cell responses toward conserved epitopes. Multiple pan-ebolavirus antibodies were identified that react to the Ebola, Sudan, Bundibugyo, and Reston viruses. A pan-filovirus antibody that was reactive to the receptor binding regions of all filovirus glycoproteins was also identified. Significant postexposure efficacy of several MAbs, including a novel antibody cocktail, was demonstrated. For the first time, we report cross-neutralization and in vivo protection against two highly divergent filovirus species, i.e., Ebola virus and Sudan virus, with a single antibody. Competition studies indicate that this antibody targets a previously unrecognized conserved neutralizing epitope that involves the glycan cap. Mechanistic studies indicated that, besides neutralization, innate immune cell effector functions may play a role in the antiviral activity of the antibodies. Our findings further suggest critical novel epitopes that can be utilized to design effective cocktails for broad protection against multiple filovirus species. Filoviruses represent a major public health threat in Africa and an emerging global concern. Largely driven by the U.S. biodefense funding programs and reinforced by the 2014 outbreaks, current immunotherapeutics are primarily focused on a single filovirus species called Ebola virus (EBOV) (formerly Zaire Ebola virus). However, other filoviruses including Sudan, Bundibugyo, and Marburg viruses have caused human outbreaks with mortality rates as high as 90%. Thus, cross

  12. Validity and reliability of the Dutch adaptation of the Psoriatic Arthritis Quality of Life (PsAQoL Questionnaire.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Freke Wink

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The Psoriatic Arthritis Quality of Life (PsAQoL questionnaire is a disease- specific instrument developed to measure quality of life (QoL in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA. The aim of this study was to translate the measure into Dutch and to determine its psychometric properties. METHOD: Translation of the original English PsAQoL into Dutch was performed by bilingual and lay panel. Ten field-test interviews with PsA patients were performed to assess face and content validity. In total, 211 PsA patients were included in a test-retest postal survey to investigate the reliability and construct validity of the Dutch adaptation of the PsAQoL. The PsAQoL, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ and Skindex-17 were administered on two different occasions approximately two weeks apart. RESULTS: The Dutch version of the PsAQoL was found to be relevant, understandable and easy to complete in only a few minutes. It correlated as expected with the HAQ (Spearman's ρ = 0.72 and the 2 subscales of the Skindex-17 (ρ = 0.40 for the psychosocial and ρ = 0.46 for the symptom scale. Furthermore, the measure had good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.92 and test-retest reliability (ρ = 0.89. The PsAQoL was able to define groups of patients based on self-reported general health status, self-reported severity of PsA and flare of arthritis. Duration of PsA did not influence PsAQoL scores. CONCLUSIONS: The Dutch version of the PsAQoL is a valid and reliable questionnaire suitable for use in clinical or research settings to asses PsA-specific QoL.

  13. ATLAS WORLD-cloud and networking in PanDA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barreiro Megino, F.; De, K.; Di Girolamo, A.; Maeno, T.; Walker, R.; ATLAS Collaboration

    2017-10-01

    The ATLAS computing model was originally designed as static clouds (usually national or geographical groupings of sites) around the Tier 1 centres, which confined tasks and most of the data traffic. Since those early days, the sites’ network bandwidth has increased at 0(1000) and the difference in functionalities between Tier 1s and Tier 2s has reduced. After years of manual, intermediate solutions, we have now ramped up to full usage of World-cloud, the latest step in the PanDA Workload Management System to increase resource utilization on the ATLAS Grid, for all workflows (MC production, data (re)processing, etc.). We have based the development on two new site concepts. Nuclei sites are the Tier 1s and large Tier 2s, where tasks will be assigned and the output aggregated, and satellites are the sites that will execute the jobs and send the output to their nucleus. PanDA dynamically pairs nuclei and satellite sites for each task based on the input data availability, capability matching, site load and network connectivity. This contribution will introduce the conceptual changes for World-cloud, the development necessary in PanDA, an insight into the network model and the first half-year of operational experience.

  14. Compilation of PRF Canyon Floor Pan Sample Analysis Results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pool, Karl N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Minette, Michael J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wahl, Jon H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Greenwood, Lawrence R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Coffey, Deborah S. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McNamara, Bruce K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bryan, Samuel A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Scheele, Randall D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Delegard, Calvin H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sinkov, Sergey I. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Soderquist, Chuck Z. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fiskum, Sandra K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Brown, Garrett N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Clark, Richard A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2016-06-30

    On September 28, 2015, debris collected from the PRF (236-Z) canyon floor, Pan J, was observed to exhibit chemical reaction. The material had been transferred from the floor pan to a collection tray inside the canyon the previous Friday. Work in the canyon was stopped to allow Industrial Hygiene to perform monitoring of the material reaction. Canyon floor debris that had been sealed out was sequestered at the facility, a recovery plan was developed, and drum inspections were initiated to verify no additional reactions had occurred. On October 13, in-process drums containing other Pan J material were inspected and showed some indication of chemical reaction, limited to discoloration and degradation of inner plastic bags. All Pan J material was sealed back into the canyon and returned to collection trays. Based on the high airborne levels in the canyon during physical debris removal, ETGS (Encapsulation Technology Glycerin Solution) was used as a fogging/lock-down agent. On October 15, subject matter experts confirmed a reaction had occurred between nitrates (both Plutonium Nitrate and Aluminum Nitrate Nonahydrate (ANN) are present) in the Pan J material and the ETGS fixative used to lower airborne radioactivity levels during debris removal. Management stopped the use of fogging/lock-down agents containing glycerin on bulk materials, declared a Management Concern, and initiated the Potential Inadequacy in the Safety Analysis determination process. Additional drum inspections and laboratory analysis of both reacted and unreacted material are planned. This report compiles the results of many different sample analyses conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on samples collected from the Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) floor pans by the CH2MHill’s Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC). Revision 1 added Appendix G that reports the results of the Gas Generation Rate and methodology. The scope of analyses requested by CHPRC includes the determination of

  15. Development and characterization of highly oriented PAN nanofiber

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Sadrjahani

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available A simple and non-conventional electrospinning technique was employed for producing highly oriented Polyacrylonitrile (PAN nanofibers. The PAN nanofibers were electrospun from 14 wt% solution of PAN in dimethylformamid (DMF at 11 kv on a rotating drum with various linear speeds from 22.5 m/min to 67.7 m/min. The influence of take up velocity was investigated on the degree of alignment, internal structure and mechanical properties of collected PAN nanofibers. Using an image processing technique, the best degree of alignment was obtained for those nanofibers collected at a take up velocity of 59.5 m/min. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy was used for measuring molecular orientation of PAN nanofibers. Similarly, a maximum chain orientation parameter of 0.25 was determined for nanofibers collected at a take up velocity of 59.5 m/min.

  16. Effectiveness of early adalimumab therapy in psoriatic arthritis patients from Reuma.pt - EARLY PsA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Helena; Eusébio, Mónica; Borges, Joana; Gonçalves, Diana; Ávila-Ribeiro, Pedro; Faria, Daniela Santos; Lopes, Carina; Rovisco, João; Águeda, Ana; Nero, Patrícia; Valente, Paula; Cravo, Ana Rita; Santos, Maria José

    2017-01-01

    Objective To compare outcomes in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients initiating adalimumab (ADA), with short- and long-term disease duration and to evaluate the potential effect of concomitant conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARD) or glucocorticoids. Methods Analyses included adult PsA patients registered in the Rheumatic Diseases Portuguese Register (Reuma.pt) between June 2008-June 2016 who received ADA for ≥3 months. Psoriatic Arthritis Response Criteria (PsARC) response, tender and swollen joint count, inflammatory parameters, patient (PtGA) and physician global assessment (PhGA), Disease Activity Score-28 joints (DAS28), and Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) were compared between patients with PsA) and those with ≥5 years of disease duration (late PsA). Time to achieving PsARC response was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Of 135 PsA patients treated with ADA, 126 had information on disease duration (earlyPsA, n=41). PsARC response was achieved by 72.9% of the patients (88.0% early PsA vs 62.2% late PsA; P=0.022) after 3 months and by 85.4% after 24 months (100% early PsA vs 75.9% late PsA; P=0.044). Early PsA patients achieved significantly less painful joints (2.7 vs 6.7, p=0.006), lower mean C-reactive protein (0.5 mg/dL vs 1.3 mg/dL; P=0.011), and PhGA (18.3 vs 28.1; P=0.020) at 3 months. In the long term, early PsA patients also had fewer swollen joints (0.3 vs 1.7; P=0.030) and lower PhGA (6.3 vs 21.9; PPsA, respectively. Early PsA patients obtained PsARC response more rapidly than late PsA (3.8 and 7.4 months, respectively; P=0.008). Concomitant csDMARDs showed clinical benefit (2-year PsARC response, 88.3% vs 60.0%; P=0.044). Concomitant glucocorticoids had no effect on PsARC response over 2 years of follow-up. Persistence on ADA was similar in both groups. Conclusion Early PsA patients had a greater chance of improvement after ADA therapy and better functional outcome, and

  17. Association of Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P Receptor-1 Pathway with Cell Proliferation and Survival in Canine Hemangiosarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, A M; Graef, A J; LeVine, D N; Cohen, I R; Modiano, J F; Kim, J-H

    2015-01-01

    Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a key biolipid signaling molecule that regulates cell growth and survival, but it has not been studied in tumors from dogs. S1P/S1P1 signaling will contribute to the progression of hemangiosarcoma (HSA). Thirteen spontaneous HSA tissues, 9 HSA cell lines, 8 nonmalignant tissues, including 6 splenic hematomas and 2 livers with vacuolar degeneration, and 1 endothelial cell line derived from a dog with splenic hematoma were used. This was a retrospective case series and in vitro study. Samples were obtained as part of medically necessary diagnostic procedures. Microarray, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblotting were performed to examine S1P1 expression. S1P concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. S1P signaling was evaluated by intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization; proliferation and survival were evaluated using the MTS assay and Annexin V staining. Canine HSA cells expressed higher levels of S1P1 mRNA than nonmalignant endothelial cells. S1P1 protein was present in HSA tissues and cell lines. HSA cells appeared to produce low levels of S1P, but they selectively consumed S1P from the culture media. Exogenous S1P induced an increase in intracellular calcium as well as increased proliferation and viability of HSA cells. Prolonged treatment with FTY720, an inhibitor of S1P1 , decreased S1P1 protein expression and induced apoptosis of HSA cells. S1P/S1P1 signaling pathway functions to maintain HSA cell viability and proliferation. The data suggest that S1P1 or the S1P pathway in general could be targets for therapeutic intervention for dogs with HSA. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

  18. Electron Spin Resonance studies on PS, PP and PS/PP blends under gamma irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reyes, J.; Claro, M.; Albano, C.; Venezuela Central University, Caracas; Moronta, D.

    2002-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) studies on Polystyrene (PS), Polypropylene (PP) and their mixtures at compositions of 80/20 with and without a compatibilizer (SBS in block), 7.5 wt.%, irradiated with gamma rays from a Cobalt-60 source with a dose rate of 4.8 KGy/h at integral doses of radiation of 10, 25, 50, 60, 70, 400, 800 and 1300 KGy in the presence of air and at room temperature (RT) are reported. The dependence of resonance line width, Hpp; resonance line shapes K, and radical concentration, S, with the integral dose of irradiation is investigated. The nature of the free radicals after ten days of air storage is discussed. The free radical concentration, the double integral of the resonance line, S, has been estimated at room temperature, RT, for a group of single lines, characterized by the same giromagnetic, g, value by direct numerical double integration. In the samples studied no spectrum of 0 kGy of integral dose was observed. The concentration of radicals, S, observed when the integral radiation doses was increased, presents a maximum value in the PP samples at high doses (70-1300 kGy) and minimum values in the PS samples with the same doses. This shows that the PP degrades at a faster rate than the PS, owing to the presence of the bencenic ring in the latter. In the PS/PP mixtures studied with and without compatibilizer, the values of the radical concentration is found between the observed values in the homopolymers, being closer to the PS, which might imply that the presence of PS decays the degradation process of the PP in the mixture

  19. Cs0.49NbPS6

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hoseop Yun

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The quaternary thiophosphate, Cs0.49NbPS6, caesium hexathioniobiophosphate(V, has been synthesized by the reactive halide flux method. The title compound is isotypic with Rb0.46TaPS6 and is made up of a bicapped trigonal–biprismatic [Nb2S12] unit and a tetrahedral [PS4] group. The [Nb2S12] units linked by the [PS4] tetrahedra form infinite chains, yielding a three-dimensional network with rather large van der Waals gaps along the c axis in which the disordered Cs+ ions reside. The electrons released by the Cs atoms are transferred to the pairwise niobium metal site and there are substantial intermetallic Nb—Nb bonding interactions. This leads to a significant decrease of the intermetallic distance in the title compound compared to that in TaPS6. The classical charge balance of the title compound may be represented as [Cs+]0.49[Nb4.51+][P5+][S2−]4[S22−].

  20. Cloud amount/frequency, NITRATE and other data from NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN in the NE Pacific from 1974-05-29 to 1974-06-05 (NODC Accession 8600114)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — High resolution CTD data was collected from NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN cruise 86 and other platforms. The data was collected by National Marine Fisheries Service,...

  1. Transplantation of NSC-derived cholinergic neuron-like cells improves cognitive function in APP/PS1 transgenic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, G; Zhang, W; Li, M; Ni, J; Wang, P

    2015-04-16

    The ability to selectively control the differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) into cholinergic neurons in vivo would be an important step toward cell replacement therapy. First, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-NSCs were induced to differentiate into cholinergic neuron-like cells (CNLs) with retinoic acid (RA) pre-induction followed by nerve growth factor (NGF) induction. Then, these CNLs were transplanted into bilateral hippocampus of APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Behavioral parameters showed by Morris water maze (MWM) tests and the percentages of GFP-labeled cholinergic neurons of CNL transplanted mice were compared with those of controls. Brain levels of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA and proteins were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting, ChAT activity and acetylcholine (ACh) concentration were also evaluated by ChAT activity and ACh concentration assay kits. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that 80.3±1.5% NSCs differentiated into CNLs after RA pre-induction followed by NGF induction in vitro. Three months after transplantation, 82.4±6.3% CNLs differentiated into cholinergic neurons in vivo. APP/PS1 mice transplanted with CNLs showed a significant improvement in learning and memory ability compared with control groups at different time points. Furthermore, CNLs transplantation dramatically increased in the expressions of ChAT mRNA and protein, as well ChAT activity and ACh concentration in APP/PS1 mice. Our findings support the prospect of using NSC-derived CNLs in developing therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. The search for Near Earth Objects - why dark skies are critically important

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wainscoat, Richard

    2015-08-01

    Impact of Earth by asteroids is perhaps the only natural disaster that can be prevented. If an asteroid that will impact Earth can be identified sufficiently early, it is possible to modify its orbit to eliminate the impact. As a consequence, a major effort is presently underway to identify Near Earth Objects (NEOs) that may present a threat to Earth. The impact of a 20-meter diameter object near Chelyabinsk, Russia, provided a spectacular reminder of the threat that these objects present. Although no deaths were caused, injuries and a large amount of property damage were caused.The search for NEOs is mostly funded by NASA. The principal search telescopes are the Pan-STARRS telescopes, located on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii, and the Catalina Sky Survey, located near Tucson, Arizona. Both of these locations are seriously threatened by light pollution. A new survey, ATLAS, will commence shortly, with one telescope located on Haleakala, Maui, and the other telescope located on Mauna Loa, Hawaii (which is less threatened).Artificial light (i.e., light pollution) at these observing sites raises the sky background, and makes faint objects harder or impossible to see.Searches for Near Earth Objects typically use very broad passbands in order to obtain the maximum amount of light. These passbands typically stretch from 400 to 820 nm. As such, they are very vulnerable to the changes in lighting that are occurring across the globe, with widespread introduction of blue-rich white lighting. It is critically important in all of these locations to limit the amount of blue light that is so readily scattered by the atmosphere.A network of followup telescopes, spread across the planet, play a crucial role in the discovery of NEOs. After a new NEO is identified by the survey telescopes such as Pan-STARRS and Catalina, additional observations must be secured to establish its orbit, and in order to determine whether it poses a threat to Earth. The majority of these followup telescopes are

  3. SPS and PS Experiments Committee

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2004-01-01

    OPEN SESSION: 09:00 Status report of NA58 / COMPASS: A. Magnon 09:40 Status report of PS212 / DIRAC: L. Tausher 10:10 PS212 / DIRAC Addendum: L. Nemenov CLOSED SESSION on Tuesday, 27 April 2004 after the open session, Main Building, 6th floor conference room

  4. Cloud amount/frequency, NITRATE and other data from NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN in the NE Pacific from 1971-07-01 to 1971-07-12 (NODC Accession 8100361)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Conductivity, temperature and Depth probe was used to collect data from NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN. The data were collected from NE Pacific (limit-180) over 12...

  5. Migration of ATLAS PanDA to CERN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stewart, Graeme Andrew; Klimentov, Alexei; Maeno, Tadashi; Nevski, Pavel; Nowak, Marcin; De Castro Faria Salgado, Pedro Emanuel; Wenaus, Torre; Koblitz, Birger; Lamanna, Massimo

    2010-01-01

    The ATLAS Production and Distributed Analysis System (PanDA) is a key component of the ATLAS distributed computing infrastructure. All ATLAS production jobs, and a substantial amount of user and group analysis jobs, pass through the PanDA system, which manages their execution on the grid. PanDA also plays a key role in production task definition and the data set replication request system. PanDA has recently been migrated from Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), a process we describe here. We discuss how the new infrastructure for PanDA, which relies heavily on services provided by CERN IT, was introduced in order to make the service as reliable as possible and to allow it to be scaled to ATLAS's increasing need for distributed computing. The migration involved changing the backend database for PanDA from MySQL to Oracle, which impacted upon the database schemas. The process by which the client code was optimised for the new database backend is discussed. We describe the procedure by which the new database infrastructure was tested and commissioned for production use. Operations during the migration had to be planned carefully to minimise disruption to ongoing ATLAS offline computing. All parts of the migration were fully tested before commissioning the new infrastructure and the gradual migration of computing resources to the new system allowed any problems of scaling to be addressed.

  6. Gamma Radiation Influence on Rheological and Technological Characteristics of Wheat Flour (misr-1) and Sensory Properties of Pan Bread

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anwar, M.M.; Asael, M.A.; El-Adly, N.A.

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed at determining the influence of gamma radiation on rheological and technological characteristics of flour extraction from irradiated wheat grains (misr-1) with 3,6 and 9 kGy, also baking quality and sensory characteristics of pan breads made from this flour. The rheological properties of wheat flour 72% extraction were determined by farinograph parameter, extensograph parameter and measured by amylo graph paramete. Gamma radiation caused increase in water absorption and decrease dough development time, and dough stability time. The decrease percentage increased by increasing dose rate and increased the dough weakness, also γ-irradiation increased the elasticity, decrease extensibility and decrease dough strength (energy), whereas γ-irradiation on wheat grains (misr-1) decrease the maximum viscosity of flour, it indicate an increase in enzymatic activity as a result of the breakdown of starch and improve the gluten index %, this fact is beneficial for bread baking purposes. So γ-irradiation increased volume loaf especially at the dose 6 kGy,and no real differences of taste, texture, appearance and odor scores for sensory evaluation of pan bread made of flour extraction from irradiated and un-irradiated wheat grains. Mean while, irradiation particularly at higher doses (6 and 9 kGy)caused difference in the color (darkness) of pan bread. Gamma irradiation increased the baking quality, and improvement volume loaf especially at the dose 6 kGy.

  7. Altered cell cycle-related gene expression in brain and lymphocytes from a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease [amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 (PS1)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esteras, Noemí; Bartolomé, Fernando; Alquézar, Carolina; Antequera, Desireé; Muñoz, Úrsula; Carro, Eva; Martín-Requero, Ángeles

    2012-09-01

    Cumulative evidence indicates that aberrant re-expression of many cell cycle-related proteins and inappropriate neuronal cell cycle control are critical events in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Evidence of cell cycle activation in post-mitotic neurons has also been observed in murine models of AD, despite the fact that most of these mice do not show massive loss of neuronal bodies. Dysfunction of the cell cycle appears to affect cells other than neurons, as peripheral cells, such as lymphocytes and fibroblasts from patients with AD, show an altered response to mitogenic stimulation. We sought to determine whether cell cycle disturbances are present simultaneously in both brain and peripheral cells from the amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) mouse model of AD, in order to validate the use of peripheral cells from patients not only to study cell cycle abnormalities as a pathogenic feature of AD, but also as a means to test novel therapeutic approaches. By using cell cycle pathway-specific RT(2)Profiler™ PCR Arrays, we detected changes in a number of cell cycle-related genes in brain as well as in lymphocytes from APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, we found enhanced 5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation into DNA in lymphocytes from APP/PS1 mice, and increased expression of the cell proliferation marker proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor Cdkn2a, as detected by immunohistochemistry in cortical neurons of the APP/PS1 mice. Taken together, the cell cycle-related changes in brain and blood cells reported here support the mitosis failure hypothesis in AD and validate the use of peripheral cells as surrogate tissue to study the molecular basis of AD pathogenesis. © 2012 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience © 2012 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  8. RF Scenarios for Pb54+ Ions in the PS2

    CERN Document Server

    Benedikt, M; Hancock, S; CERN. Geneva. AB Department

    2008-01-01

    This note analyses some of the rf scenarios that are presently being considered for lead ions in the PS2. An earlier note principally concerning protons [1] highlighted the problem of the large revolution frequency swing of ions in the PS2 and the issue of bunching factor with direct injection from the LEIR machine. We present solutions based on additional rf systems in LEIR and consider the 40 MHz principal rf system proposed for the PS2 in the earlier work to have switchable tuning ranges to cover the large frequency swing required.

  9. File list: ALL.PSC.50.AllAg.iPS_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ALL.PSC.50.AllAg.iPS_cells mm9 All antigens Pluripotent stem cell iPS cells SRX9773...1,SRX035985,SRX1090869 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/ALL.PSC.50.AllAg.iPS_cells.bed ...

  10. LEADIR-PS: providing unprecedented SMR safety and economics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hart, R.S., E-mail: N2i2@xplornet.ca [Northern Nuclear Industries Incorporated, Cambridge, ON (Canada)

    2015-07-01

    Northern Nuclear Industries Incorporated (N{sup 2} I{sup 2}) is developing Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) called LEADIR-PS, an acronym for LEAD-cooled Integral Reactor-Passively Safe. LEADIR-PS integrates proven technologies including TRISO fuel, Pebble Bed core and graphite moderator, with molten lead coolant in an integral pool type reactor configuration to achieve unprecedented safety and economics. Plants under development are LEADIR-PS30, producing 30 MWth, LEADIR-PS100 producing 100 MWth and LEADIR-PS300 producing 300 MWth that are focused on serving the energy demands of areas with a small electrical grid and/or process heat applications. A plant consisting of six LEADIR-PS300 reactor modules serving a common turbine-generator, called the LEADIR-PS Six-Pack, is focused on serving areas with higher energy demands and a robust electricity grid. The Gen{sup +} I LEADIR-PS plants are inherently/passively safe. There is no potential for a Loss Of Coolant Accident, a reactivity transient without shutdown, a loss of heat sink, or hydrogen generation. No active systems or operator actions are required to assure safety. The unprecedented safety of LEADIR-PS reactors avoids large exclusion radius and demanding evacuation plan requirements. LEADIR-PS, with steam conditions of 370 {sup o}C and 12 MPa can serve over 85% of the world's non-transportation process heat demands. In Canada, the electricity and process heat demands, ranging from those of remote communities and the oil sands to densely populated areas can be served by LEADIR-PS. (author)

  11. Development of a pan-Babesia FRET-qPCR and a survey of livestock from five Caribbean islands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jing; Kelly, Patrick; Zhang, Jilei; Xu, Chuanling; Wang, Chengming

    2015-09-30

    Babesia spp. are tick-borne protozoan hemoparasites and the second most common blood-borne parasites of mammals, in particular domestic animals. We used the Clustal Multiple Alignment program and 18S rRNA gene sequences of 22 Babesia species from GenBank to develop a PCR that could detect a wide variety of Babesia spp. in a single reaction. The pan-Babesia FRET-qPCR we developed reliably detected B. gibsoni, B. canis, B. vogeli, B. microti, B. bovis, and B. divergens under controlled conditions but did not react with closely related species, mainly Hepatozoon americanum, Theileria equi, and Toxoplasma gondii. When we tested the pan-Babesia FRET-qPCR on DNA of whole blood from 752 cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and horses from five Caribbean islands, we detected Babesia spp. expected to be present in the animals, mainly B. bovis and B. bigemina in cattle and B. caballi in horses and donkeys. Further, we found that animals were not uncommonly infected with species of Babesia usually associated with other hosts, mainly B. vogeli and B. gibsoni in cattle, sheep and goats, B. rossi in goats, and B. caballi in goats and sheep. Finally, the pan-Babesia FRET-qPCR enabled us to identify unknown species of Babesia in cattle, goats, sheep and donkeys. Overall, 70 % (525/752) of the animals we tested were positive confirming earlier limited studies that infections with Babesia spp. are common in livestock in the Caribbean.

  12. The next generation of the ATLAS PanDA Monitoring System

    CERN Document Server

    Schovancova, J; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, A; Love, P; Potekhin, M; Wenaus, T

    2014-01-01

    For many years the PanDA Workload Management System has been the basis for distributed production and analysis for the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Since the start of data taking PanDA usage has ramped up steadily, with up to 1M completed jobs/day in 2013. The associated monitoring data volume has been rising as well, to levels that present a new set of challenges in the areas of database scalability and monitoring system performance and efficiency. Outside of ATLAS, the PanDA system is also being used in projects like AMS, LSST and a few others. It currently undergoes a significant redesign, both of the core server components responsible for workload management, brokerage and data access, and of the monitoring part, which is critically important for efficient execution of the workflow in a way that’s transparent to the user and also provides an effective set of tools for operational support. The new generation of the PanDA Monitoring Service is designed based on a proven, scalable, industry-standard Web Fr...

  13. PanDA Pilot Submission using Condor-G: Experience and Improvements

    CERN Document Server

    Zhao, Xin; The ATLAS collaboration; Wlodek, Tom; Wenaus, Torre; Frey, Jaime; Tannenbaum, Todd; Livny, Miron

    2010-01-01

    PanDA is the workload management system of the ATLAS experiment, used to run production and user analysis jobs on the grid. As a late-binding, pilot-based system, the maintenance of a smooth and steady stream of pilot jobs to all grid sites is critical for PanDA operation. The ATLAS Computing Facility (ACF) at BNL, as the ATLAS Tier 1 center in the US, operates the pilot submission systems for the US. This is done using the PanDA "AutoPilot" scheduler component which submits pilot jobs via Condor-G, a grid job scheduling system developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this talk, we discuss the operation and performance of the Condor-G pilot submission at BNL, with emphasis on the challenges and issues encountered in the real grid production environment. With the close collaboration of Condor and PanDA teams, the scalability and stability of the overall system has been greatly improved over the last year. We review improvements made to Condor-G resulting from this collaboration, including isolation...

  14. PanDA Pilot Submission using Condor-G: Experience and Improvements

    CERN Document Server

    Zhao, X; The ATLAS collaboration; Wlodek, T; Wenaus, T; Frey, J; Tannenbaum, T; Livny, M

    2011-01-01

    PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) is the workload management system of the ATLAS experiment, used to run managed production and user analysis jobs on the grid. As a late-binding, pilot-based system, the maintenance of a smooth and steady stream of pilot jobs to all grid sites is critical for PanDA operation. The ATLAS Computing Facility (ACF) at BNL, as the ATLAS Tier1 center in the US, operates the pilot submission systems for the US. This is done using the PanDA “AutoPilot” scheduler component which submits pilot jobs via Condor-G, a grid job scheduling system developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this paper, we discuss the operation and performance of the Condor-G pilot submission at BNL, with emphasis on the challenges and issues encountered in the real grid production environment. With the close collaboration of Condor and PanDA teams, the scalability and stability of the overall system has been greatly improved over the last year. We review improvements made to Condor-G resu...

  15. panMetaDocs, eSciDoc, and DOIDB - an infrastructure for the curation and publication of file-based datasets for 'GFZ Data Services'

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulbricht, Damian; Elger, Kirsten; Bertelmann, Roland; Klump, Jens

    2016-04-01

    with metadata. The metadata editor has a user-friendly interface with nominal lists, extensive explanations, and an interactive mapping tool to provide assistance to scientists describing the data. It is possible to deposit metadata templates to fill certain fields with default values. The metadata editor generates metadata in the schemas ISO19139, NASA GCMD DIF, and DataCite and could be extended for other schemas. panMetaDocs is able to mint dataset DOIs through DOIDB, which is our component to moderate dataset DOIs issued through 'GFZ Data Services'. DOIDB accepts metadata in the schemas ISO19139, DIF, and DataCite. In addition, DOIDB provides an OAI-PMH interface to disseminate all deposited metadata to data portals. The presentation of datasets on DOI landing pages is done though XSLT stylesheet transformation of the XML-based metadata. The landing pages have been designed to meet needs of scientists. We are able to render the metadata to different layouts. Furthermore, additional information about datasets and publications is assembled into the webpage by querying public databases on the internet. The work presented here will focus on technical details of the software stack. [1] http://stats.datacite.org [2] http://www.dlib.org/dlib/january11/starr/01starr.html [3] http://www.escidoc.org [4] http://panmetadocs.sf.net [5] http://github.com/ulbricht

  16. The PS complex as proton pre-injector for the LHC - design and implementation report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benedikt, M.; Blas, A.; Borburgh, J.

    2000-01-01

    The LHC will be supplied with protons from the pre-injector chain comprising Linac2, PS Booster and PS. These accelerators have undergone a major upgrading programme during the last five years so as to meet the stringent requirements of the LHC. This implies that many high-intensity bunches of small emittance and tight spacing (25 ns) be available at the PS extraction energy (26 GeV/c). The upgrading project involved an increase of Linac2 current, new RF systems in the PS Booster and the PS, raising the PS Booster energy from 1 to 1.4 GeV, two-batch filling of the PS, and the installation of high-resolution beam profile measurement devices. With the project entering its final phase and most of the newly installed hardware now being operational, the emphasis switches to producing the nominal LHC beam and tackling the associated beam physics problems. This report describes all the hardware changes related to the upgrading project. (orig.)

  17. The occurrence of large branchiopod crustaceans in perennial pans ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pans are isolated, shallow depressions that are endorheic in nature. Because of the natural hydrological functioning of pans, these systems are usually restricted to arid regions and complete desiccation occurs seasonally. In the eastern provinces of South Africa many pans are perennial in nature often remaining inundated ...

  18. Magnetic behavior of MnPS3 phases intercalated by [Zn2L]2+ (LH2: macrocyclic ligand obtained by condensation of 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzenedicarbaldehyde and 1,2-diaminobenzene)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spodine, E.; Valencia-Galvez, P.; Fuentealba, P.; Manzur, J.; Ruiz, D.; Venegas-Yazigi, D.; Paredes-Garcia, V.; Cardoso-Gil, R.; Schnelle, W.; Kniep, R.

    2011-01-01

    The intercalation of the cationic binuclear macrocyclic complex [Zn 2 L] 2+ (LH 2 : macrocyclic ligand obtained by the template condensation of 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzenedicarbaldehyde and 1,2-diaminobenzene) was achieved by a cationic exchange process, using K 0.4 Mn 0.8 PS 3 as a precursor. Three intercalated materials were obtained and characterized: (Zn 2 L) 0.05 K 0.3 Mn 0.8 PS 3 (1), (Zn 2 L) 0.1 K 0.2 Mn 0.8 PS 3 (2) and (Zn 2 L) 0.05 K 0.3 Mn 0.8 PS 3 (3), the latter phase being obtained by an assisted microwave radiation process. The magnetic data permit to estimate the Weiss temperature θ of ∼-130 K for (1); ∼-155 K for (2) and ∼-130 K for (3). The spin canting present in the potassium precursor remains unperturbed in composite (3), and spontaneous magnetization is observed under 50 K in both materials. However composites (1) and (2) do not present this spontaneous magnetization at low temperatures. The electronic properties of the intercalates do not appear to be significantly altered. The reflectance spectra of the intercalated phases (1), (2) and (3) show a gap value between 1.90 and 1.80 eV, lower than the value observed for the K 0.4 Mn 0.8 PS 3 precursor of 2.8 eV. -- Graphical Abstract: Microwave assisted synthesis was used to obtain an intercalated MnPS 3 phase with a binuclear Zn(II) macrocyclic complex. A comparative magnetic study of the composites obtained by assisted microwave and traditional synthetic methods is reported. Display Omitted Highlights: → A rapid and efficient preparation of intercalated MnPS 3 composites by assisted microwave synthesis is described. → The exchange of potassium ions of the precursor by the macrocyclic Zn(II) complex is partial. → The composite obtained by assisted microwave synthesis retains the spontaneous magnetization, observed in the low temperature range of the magnetic susceptibility of the potassium precursor. → The materials obtained by the conventional method loose the spontaneous

  19. La dionisización del dios Pan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Porres Caballero

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Pan is a god peculiar in many respects. In contrast to the other gods of the Greek pantheon, he is not anthropomorphic, but he has the legs, tail and horns of a goat. These features show his age. A god like Pan can only survive in Arcadia, a region that preserves many religious archaisms. However, from 490 BC, when his cult is established in Athens, this god begins to change. In his evolution, Pan becomes increasingly assimilated the god Dionysus. The rapprochement between the two gods left his mark on the mythology, but especially in the cult of Pan. Thus, a god who was worshiped in Arcadia in sanctuaries built by men, in the rest of Greece is worshiped in wild shrines, mainly caves. Out of Arcadia, the grotto also is the place reserved for the mystery cults, including the Dionysian ones. Does not seem a coincidence

  20. The PS Booster hits 40

    CERN Multimedia

    Joannah Caborn Wengler

    2012-01-01

    Many accelerators’ "round" birthdays are being celebrated at CERN these days – the PS turned 50 in 2009, the SPS was 35 in 2011, and this year it's the turn of the PS Booster to mark its 40th anniversary. Originally designed to accelerate 1013 protons to 800 MeV, it has far exceeded its initial design performance over the years.   The PS Booster in the 1970s. Imagine the scene: a group of accelerator physicists staring expectantly at a monitor, when suddenly a shout of joy goes up as a signal flickers across the screen. Does that sound familiar? Well, turn the clock back 40 years (longer hair, wider trouser legs) and you have the situation at the PS Booster on 26 May 1972. On that day, beam was injected into the Booster for the first time. “It was a real buzz,” says Heribert Koziol, then Chairman of the Running-in Committee. “We were very happy – and also a little relieved – when the beam finally...

  1. The PS locomotive runs again

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    Over forty years ago, the PS train entered service to steer the magnets of the accelerator into place... ... a service that was resumed last Tuesday. Left to right: Raymond Brown (CERN), Claude Tholomier (D.B.S.), Marcel Genolin (CERN), Gérard Saumade (D.B.S.), Ingo Ruehl (CERN), Olivier Carlier (D.B.S.), Patrick Poisot (D.B.S.), Christian Recour (D.B.S.). It is more than ten years since people at CERN heard the rumbling of the old PS train's steel wheels. Last Tuesday, the locomotive came back into service to be tested. It is nothing like the monstrous steel engines still running on conventional railways -just a small electric battery-driven vehicle employed on installing the magnets for the PS accelerator more than 40 years ago. To do so, it used the tracks that run round the accelerator. In fact, it is the grandfather of the LEP monorail. After PS was commissioned in 1959, the little train was used more and more rarely. This is because magnets never break down, or hardly ever! In fact, the loc...

  2. β-asarone improves learning and memory and reduces Acetyl Cholinesterase and Beta-amyloid 42 levels in APP/PS1 transgenic mice by regulating Beclin-1-dependent autophagy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Minzhen; Huang, Liping; Ning, Baile; Wang, Nanbu; Zhang, Qinxin; Zhu, Caixia; Fang, Yongqi

    2016-12-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly, and studies have suggested that β-asarone has pharmacological effects on beta-amyloid (Aβ) injected in the rat hippocampus. However, the effect of β-asarone on autophagy in the APP/PS1 transgenic mouse is unreported. APP/PS1 transgenic mice were randomly divided into six groups (n=10/group): an untreated group, an Aricept-treated group, a 3-MA-treated group, a rapamycin-treated group, an LY294002-treated group, a β-asarone-treated group. The control group consisted of wild-type C57BL/6 mice. All treatments were administered to the mice for 30 days. Spatial learning and memory were assessed by water maze, passive avoidance, and step-down tests. AChE and Aβ 42 levels in the hippocampus were determined by ELISA. p-Akt, p-mTOR, and LC3B expression were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of p-Akt, p-mTOR, Beclin-1, and p62 proteins was assessed by western blot. Changes in autophagy were viewed using a transmission electron microscope. APP and Beclin-1 mRNA levels were measured by Real-Time PCR. The learning and memory of APP/PS1 transgenic mice were improved significantly after β-asarone treatment compared with the untreated group. In addition, β-asarone treatment reduced AChE and Aβ 42 levels, increased p-mTOR and p62 expression, decreased p-Akt, Beclin-1, and LC3B expression, decreased the number of autophagosomes and reduced APP mRNA and Beclin-1 mRNA levels compared with the untreated group. That is, β-asarone treatment can improve the learning and memory abilities of APP/PS1 transgenic mouse by inhibiting Beclin-1-dependent autophagy via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. PanJen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Cathrine Ulla; Panduro, Toke Emil

    functional transformations, driven by an a priori and theory-based hypothesis. The plots and model fit metrics enable users to make an informed choice of how to specify the functional form the regression. We show that the PanJen ranking outperforms the Box-Tidwell transformation, especially in the presence...... of inefficiency, heteroscedasticity or endogeneity....

  4. 75 FR 47262 - Federal Consistency Appeal by Pan American Grain Co.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-05

    ... by Pan American Grain Co. AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department..., closure of the decision record in an administrative appeal filed by Pan American Grain Co. (Pan American..., 2010, Pan American Grain Co. filed notice of an appeal with the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary...

  5. Pan-Am seeks to salvage premature well investment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1965-01-18

    Whether accelerated oil production should be permitted when a waterflood project has been delayed came up in a rare ''show cause'' hearing before the Alberta Oil and Gas Conservation Board, January 12. The Board ordered Pan American Petroleum Corp. to show cause why an order giving it 80-acre instead of 160-acre spacing in a 2,040-acre sector of the Pembina Oil Field should not be rescinded because of extensive delays in getting a related water flood scheme into operation. Pan Am has $750,000 tied up in infill wells drilled in November and December, following the new spacing unit order issued Sept. 29, 1964, said G.J. Last. Pan Am applied Nov. 24 for deferment of injection to July 1, 1965, because of delays in getting the unit agreement completed and ordering equipment. However it wants to produce the new wells, which are expected to average 20 bbl per day each in this marginal area. The board granted the deferment Dec. 29, but instituted the hearing on the question of interim producing rates.

  6. Gone with the Wind of Tarot: John Starr Cooke and the Esoteric Tradition in the US West

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elias, Camelia

    2013-01-01

    . For example, the growing interest on the East coast in theosophical issues around the late 60s developed in the West as a visual form. Sacred or secret texts are produced or circulated as visual texts, rather than written texts. From coast to coast the word of God itself is thus disseminated differently....... In the East the word is heard and then penned down. In the West the word is seen, and then communicated directly through image. My essay takes a look at one of the central figures in American spiritualism, John Starr Cooke, and his significant contribution to cultural and geographical manifestations...

  7. Starr v. SONY BMG Music Entertainment: The Second Circuit’s Misapplication of Twombly in a Section 1 Sherman Act Conspiracy Case Alleging Parallel Conduct

    OpenAIRE

    Kenneth Logan; Jonathan Youngwood

    2010-01-01

    This article provides an overview of plaintiffs’ allegations, Judge Preska’s opinion, the Second Circuit’s decision, and outlines the authors’ views on the Second Circuit’s errors and the implications Starr will have on antitrust pleading standards in the Second Circuit and elsewhere. Kenneth R. Logan & Jonathan K. Youngwood, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

  8. Gender-Specific Hippocampal Dysrhythmia and Aberrant Hippocampal and Cortical Excitability in the APPswePS1dE9 Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Papazoglou

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer’s disease (AD is a multifactorial disorder leading to progressive memory loss and eventually death. In this study an APPswePS1dE9 AD mouse model has been analyzed using implantable video-EEG radiotelemetry to perform long-term EEG recordings from the primary motor cortex M1 and the hippocampal CA1 region in both genders. Besides motor activity, EEG recordings were analyzed for electroencephalographic seizure activity and frequency characteristics using a Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT based approach. Automatic seizure detection revealed severe electroencephalographic seizure activity in both M1 and CA1 deflection in APPswePS1dE9 mice with gender-specific characteristics. Frequency analysis of both surface and deep EEG recordings elicited complex age, gender, and activity dependent alterations in the theta and gamma range. Females displayed an antithetic decrease in theta (θ and increase in gamma (γ power at 18-19 weeks of age whereas related changes in males occurred earlier at 14 weeks of age. In females, theta (θ and gamma (γ power alterations predominated in the inactive state suggesting a reduction in atropine-sensitive type II theta in APPswePS1dE9 animals. Gender-specific central dysrhythmia and network alterations in APPswePS1dE9 point to a functional role in behavioral and cognitive deficits and might serve as early biomarkers for AD in the future.

  9. Immunocytochemical Characterization of Alzheimer Disease Hallmarks in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice Treated with a New Anti-Amyloid-β Vaccine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iván Carrera

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available APP/PS1 double-transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD, which overexpress mutated forms of the gene for human amyloid precursor protein (APP and presenilin 1 (PS1, have provided robust neuropathological hallmarks of AD-like pattern at early ages. This study characterizes immunocytochemical patterns of AD mouse brain as a model for human AD treated with the EB101 vaccine. In this novel vaccine, a new approach has been taken to circumvent past failures by judiciously selecting an adjuvant consisting of a physiological matrix embedded in liposomes, composed of naturally occurring phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, and cholesterol. Our findings showed that administration of amyloid-β1−42 (Aβ and sphingosine-1-phosphate emulsified in liposome complex (EB101 to APP/PS1 mice before onset of Aβ deposition (7 weeks of age and/or at an older age (35 weeks of age is effective in halting the progression and clearing the AD-like neuropathological hallmarks. Passive immunization with EB101 did not activate inflammatory responses from the immune system and astrocytes. Consistent with a decreased inflammatory background, the basal immunological interaction between the T cells and the affected areas (hippocampus in the brain of treated mice was notably reduced. These results demonstrate that immunization with EB101 vaccine prevents and attenuates AD neuropathology in this type of double-transgenic mice.

  10. Status and Evolution of ATLAS Workload Management System PanDA

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(CDS)2067365; The ATLAS collaboration

    2012-01-01

    The ATLAS experiment at the LHC uses a sophisticated workload management system, PanDA, to provide access for thousands of physicists to distributed computing resources of unprecedented scale. This system has proved to be robust and scalable during three years of LHC operations. We describe the design and performance of PanDA in ATLAS. The features which make PanDA successful in ATLAS could be applicable to other exabyte scale scientific projects. We describe plans to evolve PanDA towards a general workload management system for the new BigData initiative announced by the US government. Other planned future improvements to PanDA will also be described

  11. Gamma Transition Jump for PS2

    CERN Document Server

    Bartmann, W; Métral, E; Möhl, D; Peggs, S

    2008-01-01

    The PS2, which is proposed as a replacement for the existing ~50-year old PS accelerator, is presently considered to be a normal conducting synchrotron with an injection kinetic energy of 4 GeV and a maximum energy of 50 GeV. One of the possible lattices (FODO option) foresees crossing of transition energy near 10 GeV. Since the phase-slip-factor $\\eta$ becomes very small near transition energy, many intensity dependent effects can take place in both longitudinal and transverse planes. The aim of the present paper is on the one hand to scale the gamma transition jump, used since 1973 in the PS, to the projected PS2 and on the other hand based on these results the analysis of the implementation and feasibility of a gamma transition jump scheme in a conventional FODO lattice.

  12. iPS-Cinderella Story in Cell Biology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Editorial

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available As we step through the frontiers of modern Science, we are all witnesses to the Cinderella story repeating itself in the form of the iPS. The process of re-programming adult somatic cells to derive Induced Pluripotent stem cells (iPS with the wand of transcription factors and then differentiating them back to adult somatic cells resembles the transformation of Cinderella from a Cinder girl to princess and back to a Cinder girl after the ball; but the iPS-Cinderella is the most fascinating thing ever in cell biology!From the day iPS first made its headlines when it was first produced by Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University in Japan, Stem Cell scientists all over the world are re- doing their experiments so far done using other sources like embryonic and adult Stem cells with the iPS cells exploring their potential to the fullest. A Stem Cell science news page without this magic word of iPS is difficult to imagine these days and Scientists have been successful in growing most of the adult Cell types from iPS cells.iPS cells was the key to solve the problems of Immune rejection and Immunosupression required when using other allogeneic Stem cell types which had baffled scientists previously. But the issues raised by scientists about the use of viruses and Oncogenes in producing iPS cells were made groundless when scientists in February 2008 published the discovery of a technique that could remove oncogenes after the induction of pluripotency and now it is possible to induce pluripotency using plasmid transfection, piggyback transposon system and piggyback transposon system combined with a non viral vector system. The word of the day is pIPS which are protein-induced Pluripotent stem cells which are iPS cells that were generated without any genetic alteration of the adult cell. This research by the group of Sheng Ding in La Jolla, California made public in April 2009 showed that the generation of poly-arginine anchors was sufficient to induce

  13. Sub One-Hundred-PS Pyroelectric Detector Research and Evaluation Program at LASL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLellan, E.J.; Stotlar, S.C.

    1978-01-01

    Preliminary devices have been designed and evaluated with 1 ns and 90 ps FWHM CO 2 laser pulses. Good agreement between calculated and measured values of falltime and voltage responsivity has been obtained. The female SMA to male BNC connector appears to be the most desirable easily available package for sub-one-hundred ps CO 2 laser pulses. A new detector with an expected risetime of 13 ps has been designed

  14. Analysis of α-particle induced incomplete chromosome aberrations, using pan-centro metric and pan-telomeric DNA probes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mestres, M.; Schmid, E.; Stephan, G.; Barrios, L.; Caballin, M. R.; Barquinero, J. F.

    2004-01-01

    The aim of the present study has been the evaluation of the incompleteness of α-particle induced chromosome aberrations by the simultaneous detection of all centromeres and telomeres present in human lymphocytes. For this purpose attached lymphocytes were irradiated at doses of 0.2, 0.5,0.7 and 1 Gy in a ''241Am source. FISH techniques were applied using pan-centromeric and pan-telomeric probes. All abnormal cells were digitalised and analysed using a Cytovision FISH workstation. A total of 378 incomplete chromosomes plus incomplete acentrics was found. Cases with more than 92 telomeres were not detected. The ratio between total incomplete elements and multicentrics was 1.00. The total number of acentric fragments was 822; 57% of then were complete fragments ace (+.+), 26% incomplete fragments ace (+,-), and 17% interstitial fragment ace (-.-). The percentage of incomplete aberrations is higher after high-LET than described for low-LET exposure. The results seem to indicate that compared to low-LET. after α-particle exposure it is more likely to repair the centromere-containing elements. (Author) 30 refs

  15. Optimization of Pan Bread Prepared with Ramie Powder and Preservation of Optimized Pan Bread Treated by Gamma Irradiation during Storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, H.J.; Joo, N.M.

    2012-01-01

    This study was conducted to develop an optimal composite recipe for pan bread with ramie powder that has high sensory approval with all age groups and to estimate the DPPH radical scavenging activity and the pan bread shelf life after gamma irradiation. The sensory evaluation results showed significant differences in flavor (p less than 0.05), appearance (p less than 0.01), color (p less than 0.01), moistness (p less than 0.01), and overall quality (p less than 0.05) based on the amount of ramie powder added. As a result, the optimum formulations by numerical and graphical methods were calculated to be as follows: ramie powder 2.76 g (0.92%) and water 184.7 mL. Optimized pan bread with ramie powder and white pan bread were irradiated with gamma-rays at doses of 0, 10, 15, and 20 kGy. The total bacterial growth increased with the longer storage time and the least amount of ramie powder added. Consequently, these results suggest that the addition of ramie powder to pan bread provides added value to the bread in terms of increased shelf life

  16. Chronic caffeine treatment reverses memory impairment and the expression of brain BNDF and TrkB in the PS1/APP double transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Kun; Jia, Ning; Li, Ji; Yang, Li; Min, Lian-Qiu

    2013-09-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of varying doses of caffeine on memory impairment and the expression of brain neurotrophic derived factor (BNDF) and TrkB in PS1/APP double transgenic mouse models. PS1/APP double transgenic mice were administered 0.3 ml/day of saline, 1.5 mg/day of caffeine or 0.75 mg/day of caffeine for eight weeks. A water maze test and western blotting were used to determine the memory capability and expression of hippocampal BNDF and TrkB of the mice. The results demonstrated that 0.75 mg/day and 1.5 mg/day doses of caffeine significantly increased memory capability and the expression of hippocampal BDNF and TrkB in PS1/APP mice with a dose-response effect. The results suggested that chronic caffeine treatment may reverse memory impairment in PS1/APP transgenic mice, and BDNF and its receptor TrkB, may be involved in this process.

  17. Radioimmunodetection of human pancreatic tumor xenografts using DU-PAN II monoclonal antibody

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Kayoko; Kubo, Atsushi; Hashimoto, Shozo; Furuuchi, Takayuki; Abe, Osahiko; Takami, Hiroshi.

    1988-01-01

    The potential of DU-PAN II, monoclonal antibody (IgM), which was raised against the human tumor cell line, was evaluated for radioimmunodetection of human pancreatic tumors (PAN-5-JCK and EXP-58) grown in nude mice. 125 I-labeled DU-PAN II was accumulated into PAN-5-JCK producing DU-PAN II antigen with a tumor-to-blood ratio of 2.72 ± 3.00, but it did not localize in EXP-58 because of insufficient DU-PAN II. There was no significant uptake of 125 I-nonimmunized IgM in PAN-5-JCK. These facts indicated the specific tumor uptake of DU-PAN II. Excellent images of the tumor PAN-5-JCK were obtained 3 days after the injection of 125 I-DU-PAN II. Gel chromatography was also investigated with respect to the plasma taken from mice injected with antibody, or incubated with antibody in vitro. The results indicate that circulating antigen affected the tumor uptake of DU-PAN II: The more the tumor grew, the higher the amount of antigen excreted into the blood, leading to the degradation of DU-PAN II before it reached the tumor sites. Consequently, the immunoscintigram of the small tumor was remarkably clear. The catabolism and the radiolysis of the labeled IgM injected are critical points in applying immunoscintigraphy. (author)

  18. Smad3 deficiency leads to mandibular condyle degradation via the sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P3 signaling axis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mori, Hiroki; Izawa, Takashi; Tanaka, Eiji

    2015-10-01

    Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that is characterized by permanent cartilage destruction. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is one of the most abundant cytokines in the bone matrix and is shown to regulate the migration of osteoprogenitor cells. It is hypothesized that TGF-β/Smad3 signaling affects cartilage homeostasis by influencing sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor signaling and chondrocyte migration. We therefore investigated the molecular mechanisms by which crosstalk may occur between TGF-β/Smad3 and S1P/S1P receptor signaling to maintain condylar cartilage and to prevent temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis. Abnormalities in the condylar subchondral bone, including dynamic changes in bone mineral density and microstructure, were observed in Smad3(-/-) mice by microcomputed tomography. Cell-free regions and proteoglycan loss characterized the cartilage degradation present, and increased numbers of apoptotic chondrocytes and matrix metalloproteinase 13(+) chondrocytes were also detected. Furthermore, expression of S1P receptor 3 (S1P3), but not S1P1 or S1P2, was significantly down-regulated in the condylar cartilage of Smad3(-/-) mice. By using RNA interference technology and pharmacologic tools, S1P was found to transactivate Smad3 in an S1P3/TGF-β type II receptor-dependent manner, and S1P3 was found to be required for TGF-β-induced migration of chondrocyte cells and downstream signal transduction via Rac1, RhoA, and Cdc42. Taken together, these results indicate that the Smad3/S1P3 signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. PanViz: interactive visualization of the structure of functionally annotated pangenomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Thomas Lin; Nookaew, Intawat; Wayne Ussery, David

    2017-01-01

    with gene ontology based navigation of gene groups. Furthermore it allows for rich and complex visual querying of gene groups in the pangenome. PanViz visualizations require no external programs and are easily sharable, allowing for rapid pangenome analyses. PanViz is written entirely in Java......PanViz is a novel, interactive, visualization tool for pangenome analysis. PanViz allows visualization of changes in gene group (groups of similar genes across genomes) classification as different subsets of pangenomes are selected, as well as comparisons of individual genomes to pangenomes......Script and is available on https://github.com/thomasp85/PanViz A companion R package that facilitates the creation of PanViz visualizations from a range of data formats is released through Bioconductor and is available at https://bioconductor.org/packages/PanVizGenerator CONTACT: thomasp85@gmail...

  20. BAROMETRIC PRESSURE and Other Data from NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN and Other Platforms From Coastal Waters of California from 1987-04-10 to 1994-05-23 (NODC Accession 9400150)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) and other data were collected in Coastal Waters of California by NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN. Data were collected over a...

  1. Gravitationally Lensed Quasars in Gaia: II. Discovery of 24 Lensed Quasars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemon, Cameron A.; Auger, Matthew W.; McMahon, Richard G.; Ostrovski, Fernanda

    2018-04-01

    We report the discovery, spectroscopic confirmation and preliminary characterisation of 24 gravitationally lensed quasars identified using Gaia observations. Candidates were selected in the Pan-STARRS footprint with quasar-like WISE colours or as photometric quasars from SDSS, requiring either multiple detections in Gaia or a single Gaia detection near a morphological galaxy. The Pan-STARRS grizY images were modelled for the most promising candidates and 60 candidate systems were followed up with the William Herschel Telescope. 13 of the lenses were discovered as Gaia multiples and 10 as single Gaia detections near galaxies. We also discover 1 lens identified through a quasar emission line in an SDSS galaxy spectrum. The lenses have median image separation 2.13″ and the source redshifts range from 1.06 to 3.36. 4 systems are quadruply-imaged and 20 are doubly-imaged. Deep CFHT data reveal an Einstein ring in one double system. We also report 12 quasar pairs, 10 of which have components at the same redshift and require further follow-up to rule out the lensing hypothesis. We compare the properties of these lenses and other known lenses recovered by our search method to a complete sample of simulated lenses to show the lenses we are missing are mainly those with small separations and higher source redshifts. The initial Gaia data release only catalogues all images of ˜ 30% of known bright lensed quasars, however the improved completeness of Gaia data release 2 will help find all bright lensed quasars on the sky.

  2. Hidden Lineage Complexity of Glycan-Dependent HIV-1 Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Uncovered by Digital Panning and Native-Like gp140 Trimer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linling He

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Germline precursors and intermediates of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs are essential to the understanding of humoral response to HIV-1 infection and B-cell lineage vaccine design. Using a native-like gp140 trimer probe, we examined antibody libraries constructed from donor-17, the source of glycan-dependent PGT121-class bNAbs recognizing the N332 supersite on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. To facilitate this analysis, a digital panning method was devised that combines biopanning of phage-displayed antibody libraries, 900 bp long-read next-generation sequencing, and heavy/light (H/L-paired antibodyomics. In addition to single-chain variable fragments resembling the wild-type bNAbs, digital panning identified variants of PGT124 (a member of the PGT121 class with a unique insertion in the heavy chain complementarity-determining region 1, as well as intermediates of PGT124 exhibiting notable affinity for the native-like trimer and broad HIV-1 neutralization. In a competition assay, these bNAb intermediates could effectively compete with mouse sera induced by a scaffolded BG505 gp140.681 trimer for the N332 supersite. Our study thus reveals previously unrecognized lineage complexity of the PGT121-class bNAbs and provides an array of library-derived bNAb intermediates for evaluation of immunogens containing the N332 supersite. Digital panning may prove to be a valuable tool in future studies of bNAb diversity and lineage development.

  3. Hidden Lineage Complexity of Glycan-Dependent HIV-1 Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Uncovered by Digital Panning and Native-Like gp140 Trimer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Linling; Lin, Xiaohe; de Val, Natalia; Saye-Francisco, Karen L; Mann, Colin J; Augst, Ryan; Morris, Charles D; Azadnia, Parisa; Zhou, Bin; Sok, Devin; Ozorowski, Gabriel; Ward, Andrew B; Burton, Dennis R; Zhu, Jiang

    2017-01-01

    Germline precursors and intermediates of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are essential to the understanding of humoral response to HIV-1 infection and B-cell lineage vaccine design. Using a native-like gp140 trimer probe, we examined antibody libraries constructed from donor-17, the source of glycan-dependent PGT121-class bNAbs recognizing the N332 supersite on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. To facilitate this analysis, a digital panning method was devised that combines biopanning of phage-displayed antibody libraries, 900 bp long-read next-generation sequencing, and heavy/light (H/L)-paired antibodyomics. In addition to single-chain variable fragments resembling the wild-type bNAbs, digital panning identified variants of PGT124 (a member of the PGT121 class) with a unique insertion in the heavy chain complementarity-determining region 1, as well as intermediates of PGT124 exhibiting notable affinity for the native-like trimer and broad HIV-1 neutralization. In a competition assay, these bNAb intermediates could effectively compete with mouse sera induced by a scaffolded BG505 gp140.681 trimer for the N332 supersite. Our study thus reveals previously unrecognized lineage complexity of the PGT121-class bNAbs and provides an array of library-derived bNAb intermediates for evaluation of immunogens containing the N332 supersite. Digital panning may prove to be a valuable tool in future studies of bNAb diversity and lineage development.

  4. Effects of Specific Multi-Nutrient Enriched Diets on Cerebral Metabolism, Cognition and Neuropathology in AβPPswe-PS1dE9 Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansen, Diane; Zerbi, Valerio; Arnoldussen, Ilse A. C.; Wiesmann, Maximilian; Rijpma, Anne; Fang, Xiaotian T.; Dederen, Pieter J.; Mutsaers, Martina P. C.; Broersen, Laus M.; Lütjohann, Dieter; Miller, Malgorzata; Joosten, Leo A. B.; Heerschap, Arend; Kiliaan, Amanda J.

    2013-01-01

    Recent studies have focused on the use of multi-nutrient dietary interventions in search of alternatives for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study we investigated to which extent long-term consumption of two specific multi-nutrient diets can modulate AD-related etiopathogenic mechanisms and behavior in 11-12-month-old AβPPswe-PS1dE9 mice. Starting from 2 months of age, male AβPP-PS1 mice and wild-type littermates were fed either a control diet, the DHA+EPA+UMP (DEU) diet enriched with uridine monophosphate (UMP) and the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or the Fortasyn® Connect (FC) diet enriched with the DEU diet plus phospholipids, choline, folic acid, vitamins and antioxidants. We performed behavioral testing, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, immunohistochemistry, biochemical analyses and quantitative real-time PCR to gain a better understanding of the potential mechanisms by which these multi-nutrient diets exert protective properties against AD. Our results show that both diets were equally effective in changing brain fatty acid and cholesterol profiles. However, the diets differentially affected AD-related pathologies and behavioral measures, suggesting that the effectiveness of specific nutrients may depend on the dietary context in which they are provided. The FC diet was more effective than the DEU diet in counteracting neurodegenerative aspects of AD and enhancing processes involved in neuronal maintenance and repair. Both diets elevated interleukin-1β mRNA levels in AβPP-PS1 and wild-type mice. The FC diet additionally restored neurogenesis in AβPP-PS1 mice, decreased hippocampal levels of unbound choline-containing compounds in wild-type and AβPP-PS1 animals, suggesting diminished membrane turnover, and decreased anxiety-related behavior in the open field behavior. In conclusion, the current data indicate that specific multi-nutrient diets can influence AD

  5. Effects of specific multi-nutrient enriched diets on cerebral metabolism, cognition and neuropathology in AβPPswe-PS1dE9 mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diane Jansen

    Full Text Available Recent studies have focused on the use of multi-nutrient dietary interventions in search of alternatives for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD. In this study we investigated to which extent long-term consumption of two specific multi-nutrient diets can modulate AD-related etiopathogenic mechanisms and behavior in 11-12-month-old AβPPswe-PS1dE9 mice. Starting from 2 months of age, male AβPP-PS1 mice and wild-type littermates were fed either a control diet, the DHA+EPA+UMP (DEU diet enriched with uridine monophosphate (UMP and the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, or the Fortasyn® Connect (FC diet enriched with the DEU diet plus phospholipids, choline, folic acid, vitamins and antioxidants. We performed behavioral testing, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, immunohistochemistry, biochemical analyses and quantitative real-time PCR to gain a better understanding of the potential mechanisms by which these multi-nutrient diets exert protective properties against AD. Our results show that both diets were equally effective in changing brain fatty acid and cholesterol profiles. However, the diets differentially affected AD-related pathologies and behavioral measures, suggesting that the effectiveness of specific nutrients may depend on the dietary context in which they are provided. The FC diet was more effective than the DEU diet in counteracting neurodegenerative aspects of AD and enhancing processes involved in neuronal maintenance and repair. Both diets elevated interleukin-1β mRNA levels in AβPP-PS1 and wild-type mice. The FC diet additionally restored neurogenesis in AβPP-PS1 mice, decreased hippocampal levels of unbound choline-containing compounds in wild-type and AβPP-PS1 animals, suggesting diminished membrane turnover, and decreased anxiety-related behavior in the open field behavior. In conclusion, the current data indicate that specific multi-nutrient diets can

  6. Electrophysical properties of PMN-PT-PS-PFN:Li ceramics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Skulski

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We present the technology of obtaining and the electrophysical properties of a multicomponent material 0.61PMN-0.20PT-0.09PS-0.1PFN:Li (PMN-PT-PS-PFN:Li. The addition of PFN into PMN-PT decreases the temperature of final sintering which is very important during technological process (addition of Li decreases electric conductivity of PFN. Addition of PS i.e., PbSnO3 (which is unstable in ceramic form permits to shift the temperature of the maximum of dielectric permittivity. One-step method of obtaining ceramic samples from oxides and carbonates has been used. XRD, microstructure, scanning calorimetry measurements and the main dielectric, ferroelectric and electromechanical properties have been investigated for the obtained samples.

  7. PanDA Pilot Submission using Condor-G: Experience and Improvements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Xin; Hover, John; Wlodek, Tomasz; Wenaus, Torre; Frey, Jaime; Tannenbaum, Todd; Livny, Miron

    2011-01-01

    PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) is the workload management system of the ATLAS experiment, used to run managed production and user analysis jobs on the grid. As a late-binding, pilot-based system, the maintenance of a smooth and steady stream of pilot jobs to all grid sites is critical for PanDA operation. The ATLAS Computing Facility (ACF) at BNL, as the ATLAS Tier1 center in the US, operates the pilot submission systems for the US. This is done using the PanDA 'AutoPilot' scheduler component which submits pilot jobs via Condor-G, a grid job scheduling system developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this paper, we discuss the operation and performance of the Condor-G pilot submission at BNL, with emphasis on the challenges and issues encountered in the real grid production environment. With the close collaboration of Condor and PanDA teams, the scalability and stability of the overall system has been greatly improved over the last year. We review improvements made to Condor-G resulting from this collaboration, including isolation of site-based issues by running a separate Gridmanager for each remote site, introduction of the 'Nonessential' job attribute to allow Condor to optimize its behavior for the specific character of pilot jobs, better understanding and handling of the Gridmonitor process, as well as better scheduling in the PanDA pilot scheduler component. We will also cover the monitoring of the health of the system.

  8. The insulin receptor substrate-1-related 4PS substrate but not the interleukin-2R gamma chain is involved in interleukin-13-mediated signal transduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, L M; Michieli, P; Lie, W R; Liu, F; Lee, C C; Minty, A; Sun, X J; Levine, A; White, M F; Pierce, J H

    1995-12-01

    Interleukin-13 (IL-13) induced a potent mitogenic response in IL-3-dependent TF-1 cells and DNA synthesis to a lesser extent in MO7E and FDC-P1 cells. IL-13 stimulation of these lines, like IL-4 and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of a 170-kD substrate. The tyrosine-phosphorylated 170-kD substrate strongly associated with the 85-kD subunit of phosphoinositol-3 (PI-3) kinase and with Grb-2. Anti-4PS serum readily detected the 170-kD substrate in lysates from both TF-1 and FDC-P1 cells stimulated with IL-13 or IL-4. These data provide evidence that IL-13 induces tyrosine phosphorylation of the 4PS substrate, providing an essential interface between the IL-13 receptor and signaling molecules containing SH2 domains. IL-13 and IL-4 stimulation of murine L cell fibroblasts, which endogenously express the IL-4 receptor (IL-4R alpha) and lack expression of the IL-2 receptor gamma subunit (IL-2R gamma), resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1)/4PS. Enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1/4PS was observed in response to IL-4, but not IL-13 treatment of L cells transfected with the IL-2R gamma chain. These results indicate that IL-13 does not use the IL-2R gamma subunit in its receptor complex and that expression of IL-2R gamma enhances, but is not absolutely required for mediating IL-4-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1/4PS.

  9. Enhanced personal protection system for the PS

    CERN Multimedia

    Caroline Duc

    2013-01-01

    During the first long shutdown (LS1) a new safety system will be installed in the primary beam areas of the PS complex in order to bring the standard of personnel radiation protection at the PS into line with that of the LHC.   Pierre Ninin, deputy group leader of GS-ASE and responsible for the installation of the new PS complex safety system, in front of a new access control system. The LHC access control systems are state-of-the-art, whereas those of the injection chain accelerators were running the risk of becoming obsolete. For the past two years a project to upgrade the access and safety systems of the first links in the LHC accelerator chain has been underway to bring them into compliance with nuclear safety standards. These systems provide the personnel with automatic protection by limiting access to hazardous areas and by ensuring that nobody is present in the areas when the accelerator is in operation. By the end of 2013, the project teams will ha...

  10. Thermal and radiochemical degradation of some PAN copolymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jipa, S. [INCDIE, ICPE CA, 313 Splaiul Unirii, P.O. Box 149, Bucharest 030138 (Romania); ' Valachia' University of Targoviste, 18-22 Unirii Av., Targoviste 130082 (Romania); Zaharescu, T. [' Valachia' University of Targoviste, 18-22 Unirii Av., Targoviste 130082 (Romania)], E-mail: traian_zaharescu@yahoo.com; Setnescu, R. [INCDIE, ICPE CA, 313 Splaiul Unirii, P.O. Box 149, Bucharest 030138 (Romania); ' Valachia' University of Targoviste, 18-22 Unirii Av., Targoviste 130082 (Romania); Dragan, E.S.; Dinu, M.V. [' Petru Poni' Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Iasi 700487 (Romania)

    2008-12-01

    Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and some copolymers of acrylonitrile with divinylbenzene (AN-DVB) were investigated by the characterization of their thermal and radiation stabilities. The contribution of DVB to the thermal stability of PAN by the modification in the amount of unsaturated hydrocarbon between 6 and 20% was revealed by the evaluation of oxidation induction periods and required activation energies. The exposure of these materials to the action of {gamma}-radiation points out the higher stability of copolymers (AN-DVB) in comparison to the relative stability of PAN.

  11. A Survey of Hospice and Palliative Care Clinicians' Experiences and Attitudes Regarding the Use of Palliative Sedation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maiser, Samuel; Estrada-Stephen, Karen; Sahr, Natasha; Gully, Jonathan; Marks, Sean

    2017-09-01

    A variety of terms and attitudes surround palliative sedation (PS) with little research devoted to hospice and palliative care (HPC) clinicians' perceptions and experiences with PS. These factors may contribute to the wide variability in the reported prevalence of PS. This study was designed to better identify hospice and palliative care (HPC) clinician attitudes toward, and clinical experiences with palliative sedation (PS). A 32-question survey was distributed to members of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (n = 4678). The questions explored the language clinicians use for PS, and their experiences with PS. Nine hundred thirty-six (20% response rate) responded to the survey. About 83.21% preferred the terminology of PS compared with other terms. A majority felt that PS is a bioethically appropriate treatment for refractory physical and nonphysical symptoms in dying patients. Most felt PS was not an appropriate term in clinical scenarios when sedation occurred as an unintended side effect from standard treatments. Hospice clinicians use PS more consistently and with less distress than nonhospice clinician respondents. Benzodiazepines (63.1%) and barbiturates (18.9%) are most commonly prescribed for PS. PS is the preferred term among HPC clinicians for the proportionate use of pharmacotherapies to intentionally lower awareness for refractory symptoms in dying patients. PS is a bioethically appropriate treatment for refractory symptoms in dying patients. However, there is a lack of clear agreement about what is included in PS and how the practice of PS should be best delivered in different clinical scenarios. Future efforts to investigate PS should focus on describing the clinical scenarios in which PS is utilized and on the level of intended sedation necessary, in an effort to better unify the practice of PS.

  12. CO2-Philic Thin Film Composite Membranes: Synthesis and Characterization of PAN-r-PEGMA Copolymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Madhavan Karunakaran

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we report the successful fabrication of CO2-philic polymer composite membranes using a polyacrylonitrile-r-poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (PAN-r-PEGMA copolymer. The series of PAN-r-PEGMA copolymers with various amounts of PEG content was synthesized by free radical polymerization in presence of AIBN initiator and the obtained copolymers were used for the fabrication of composite membranes. The synthesized copolymers show high molecular weights in the range of 44–56 kDa. We were able to fabricate thin film composite (TFC membranes by dip coating procedure using PAN-r-PEGMA copolymers and the porous PAN support membrane. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM were applied to analyze the surface morphology of the composite membranes. The microscopy analysis reveals the formation of the defect free skin selective layer of PAN-r-PEGMA copolymer over the porous PAN support membrane. Selective layer thickness of the composite membranes was in the range of 1.32–1.42 μm. The resulting composite membrane has CO2 a permeance of 1.37 × 10−1 m3/m2·h·bar and an ideal CO2/N2, selectivity of 65. The TFC membranes showed increasing ideal gas pair selectivities in the order CO2/N2 > CO2/CH4 > CO2/H2. In addition, the fabricated composite membranes were tested for long-term single gas permeation measurement and these membranes have remarkable stability, proving that they are good candidates for CO2 separation.

  13. CO2-Philic Thin Film Composite Membranes: Synthesis and Characterization of PAN-r-PEGMA Copolymer

    KAUST Repository

    Karunakaran, Madhavan

    2017-07-06

    In this work, we report the successful fabrication of CO2-philic polymer composite membranes using a polyacrylonitrile-r-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PAN-r-PEGMA) copolymer. The series of PAN-r-PEGMA copolymers with various amounts of PEG content was synthesized by free radical polymerization in presence of AIBN initiator and the obtained copolymers were used for the fabrication of composite membranes. The synthesized copolymers show high molecular weights in the range of 44-56 kDa. We were able to fabricate thin film composite (TFC) membranes by dip coating procedure using PAN-r-PEGMA copolymers and the porous PAN support membrane. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were applied to analyze the surface morphology of the composite membranes. The microscopy analysis reveals the formation of the defect free skin selective layer of PAN-r-PEGMA copolymer over the porous PAN support membrane. Selective layer thickness of the composite membranes was in the range of 1.32-1.42 mu m. The resulting composite membrane has CO2 a permeance of 1.37 x 10(-1) m(3)/m(2).h.bar and an ideal CO2/N-2, selectivity of 65. The TFC membranes showed increasing ideal gas pair selectivities in the order CO2/N-2 > CO2/CH4 > CO2/H-2. In addition, the fabricated composite membranes were tested for long-term single gas permeation measurement and these membranes have remarkable stability, proving that they are good candidates for CO2 separation.

  14. Efficient oligonucleotide probe selection for pan-genomic tiling arrays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Wei

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Array comparative genomic hybridization is a fast and cost-effective method for detecting, genotyping, and comparing the genomic sequence of unknown bacterial isolates. This method, as with all microarray applications, requires adequate coverage of probes targeting the regions of interest. An unbiased tiling of probes across the entire length of the genome is the most flexible design approach. However, such a whole-genome tiling requires that the genome sequence is known in advance. For the accurate analysis of uncharacterized bacteria, an array must query a fully representative set of sequences from the species' pan-genome. Prior microarrays have included only a single strain per array or the conserved sequences of gene families. These arrays omit potentially important genes and sequence variants from the pan-genome. Results This paper presents a new probe selection algorithm (PanArray that can tile multiple whole genomes using a minimal number of probes. Unlike arrays built on clustered gene families, PanArray uses an unbiased, probe-centric approach that does not rely on annotations, gene clustering, or multi-alignments. Instead, probes are evenly tiled across all sequences of the pan-genome at a consistent level of coverage. To minimize the required number of probes, probes conserved across multiple strains in the pan-genome are selected first, and additional probes are used only where necessary to span polymorphic regions of the genome. The viability of the algorithm is demonstrated by array designs for seven different bacterial pan-genomes and, in particular, the design of a 385,000 probe array that fully tiles the genomes of 20 different Listeria monocytogenes strains with overlapping probes at greater than twofold coverage. Conclusion PanArray is an oligonucleotide probe selection algorithm for tiling multiple genome sequences using a minimal number of probes. It is capable of fully tiling all genomes of a species on

  15. The importin α subunit PsIMPA1 mediates the oxidative stress response and is required for the pathogenicity of Phytophthora sojae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xinyu; Ding, Fa; Zhang, Lei; Sheng, Yuting; Zheng, Xiaobo; Wang, Yuanchao

    2015-09-01

    The sensing of extracellular signals and their transduction into an appropriate response are crucial for the survival and virulence of plant pathogens. Eukaryotic plant pathogens must overcome the obstacles posed by nuclear membranes to manipulate gene expression to adapt to the host challenge. A highly sophisticated mechanism is the use of importins to transport proteins into the nucleus. In this study, we identified a conserved importin α gene, PsIMPA1, in Phytophthora sojae that was differentially expressed during the life cycle of this soybean pathogen. PsIMPA1 expression was lowest in zoospores and cysts but relatively consistent during the other life cycle stages, except for a slight increase at 6h post infection. Silenced mutants Psimpa1 had a decreased growth rate, an aberrant mycelial morphology, and a severely impaired ability to form oospores and sporangia. In addition, the Psimpa1 mutants exhibited reduced pathogenicity compared to the wild type. 3,3-Diaminobenzidine (DAB) staining and in vitro hydrogen peroxide tolerance assays showed that the scavenging of reactive oxygen species by these mutants was significantly impaired. Taken together, these results indicate that PsIMPA1 regulates multiple processes during the life cycle of P. sojae. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. AβPP/PS1 Transgenic Mice Show Sex Differences in the Cerebellum Associated with Aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ordoñez-Gutierrez, Lara; Fernandez-Perez, Ivan; Herrera, Jose Luis; Anton, Marta; Benito-Cuesta, Irene; Wandosell, Francisco

    2016-09-06

    Cerebellar pathology has been related to presenilin 1 mutations in certain pedigrees of familial Alzheimer's disease. However, cerebellum tissue has not been intensively analyzed in transgenic models of mutant presenilins. Furthermore, the effect of the sex of the mice was not systematically analyzed, despite the fact that important gender differences in the evolution of the disease in the human population have been described. We analyzed whether the progression of amyloidosis in a double transgenic mouse, AβPP/PS1, is susceptible to aging and differentially affects males and females. The accumulation of amyloid in the cerebellum differentially affects males and females of the AβPP/PS1 transgenic line, which was found to be ten-fold higher in 15-month-old females. Amyloid-β accumulation was more evident in the molecular layer of the cerebellum, but glia reaction was only observed in the granular layer of the older mice. The sex divergence was also observed in other neuronal, survival, and autophagic markers. The cerebellum plays an important role in the evolution of the pathology in this transgenic mouse model. Sex differences could be crucial for a complete understanding of this disease. We propose that the human population could be studied in this way. Sex-specific treatment strategies in human populations could show a differential response to the therapeutic approach.

  17. Photometric redshifts for weak lensing tomography from space: the role of optical and near infrared photometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdalla, F. B.; Amara, A.; Capak, P.; Cypriano, E. S.; Lahav, O.; Rhodes, J.

    2008-07-01

    We study in detail the photometric redshift requirements needed for tomographic weak gravitational lensing in order to measure accurately the dark energy equation of state. In particular, we examine how ground-based photometry (u, g, r, i, z, y) can be complemented by space-based near-infrared (near-IR) photometry (J, H), e.g. onboard the planned DUNE satellite. Using realistic photometric redshift simulations and an artificial neural network photo-z method we evaluate the figure of merit for the dark energy parameters (w0, wa). We consider a DUNE-like broad optical filter supplemented with ground-based multiband optical data from surveys like the Dark Energy Survey, Pan-STARRS and LSST. We show that the dark energy figure of merit would be improved by a factor of 1.3-1.7 if IR filters are added onboard DUNE. Furthermore we show that with IR data catastrophic photo-z outliers can be removed effectively. There is an interplay between the choice of filters, the magnitude limits and the removal of outliers. We draw attention to the dependence of the results on the galaxy formation scenarios encoded into the mock galaxies, e.g. the galaxy reddening. For example, very deep u-band data could be as effective as the IR. We also find that about 105-106 spectroscopic redshifts are needed for calibration of the full survey.

  18. Package-friendly piezoresistive pressure sensors with on-chip integrated packaging-stress-suppressed suspension (PS3) technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jiachou; Li, Xinxin

    2013-01-01

    An on-chip integrated packaging-stress-suppressed suspension (PS 3 ) technology for a packaging-stress-free pressure sensor is proposed and developed. With a MIS (microholes interetch and sealing) micromachining process implemented only from the front-side of a single-side polished (111) silicon wafer, a compact cantilever-shaped PS 3 is on-chip integrated surrounding a piezoresistive pressure-sensing structure to provide a packaging-process/substrate-friendly method for low-cost but high-performance sensor applications. With the MIS process, the chip size of the PS 3 -enclosed pressure sensor is as small as 0.8 mm × 0.8 mm. Compared with a normal pressure sensor without PS 3 (but with an identical pressure-sensing structure), the proposed pressure sensor has the same sensitivity of 0.046 mV kPa −1 (3.3 V) −1 . However, without using the thermal compensation technique, a temperature coefficient of offset of only 0.016% °C −1 FS is noted for the sensor with PS 3 , which is about 15 times better than that for the sensor without PS 3 . Featuring effective isolation and elimination of the influence from packaging stress, the PS 3 technique is promising to be widely used for packaging-friendly mechanical sensors. (paper)

  19. Brazilian Participations in the International Astronomical Search Collaboration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojas, G. A.; Dalla-Costa, L. J.; Kalmus, A. T.; Kroth, E. C.; Matos, M. F.; Silva, A. L.; Silva, G. G.

    2014-10-01

    International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) is an international educational project between universities, schools, observatories and research institutions. Its main objective is to enroll high school and college students in the monitoring and discovery of asteroids and Near Earth Objects (NEOs), especially Potentially Hazardous Asteroids. The methodology consists in the analysis of astronomical images obtained in several observatories in North America and Hawaii. The images are distributed throughout the school network and the results must be delivered in a 72-hour timeframe. Since 2010 Brazilian universities and schools have joined IASC, resulting in over a dozen new asteroids found (3 of them NEOs), and hundreds of measurements for already known asteroids. A major event in this collaboration was the All-Brazil Asteroid Search Campaign, which was conducted in September 2012. 2013 marks the fourth year of Brazilian participations in IASC, with one important milestone: the third straight appearance of a Brazilian institution in the Pan-STARRS campaign, which uses the PS1 telescope in Haleakala, Hawaii. We will present a summary of the overall results, as well as the latest news from 2013 campaigns. We will discuss the impact promoted by the past events, such as how the interest in astronomy changed before and after the campaigns, and it has helped the students to choose their future careers.

  20. Preparation and performance of biofouling resistant PAN/chitosan hollow fiber membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanthana Lakshmi, D; Jaiswar, Santlal; Saxena, Mayank; Tasselli, Franco; Raval, Hiren D

    2017-07-01

    The preparation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) hollow fiber (HF) membranes has been carried out by dry-jet wet spinning. PAN HF membranes were coated with chitosan biopolymers 2 wt% by dip coating and further crosslinked by chemical reagents (Tri sodium polyphosphate). PAN HF (Virgin) and PAN/chitosan coated membrane were characterized by SEM and tested for water flux. Proteins Pepsin, Albumin, and Clay of 1000 ppm concentration were tested for separation efficiency. In addition, bacterial species Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis were tested for fouling control efficiency and found out that PAN/chitosan membranes were quite superior to virgin PAN fibers. The adhesion of bacterial cells on the surface of the hollow fiber membranes assessed through alcian blue staining and SEM analysis. It was observed that PAN/chitosan membranes (310A and 310C) possessed best antibacterial activities (based on SEM results), qualifying them as a very promising candidates for anti-biofouling coatings.

  1. OUTGASSING BEHAVIOR OF C/2012 S1 (ISON) FROM 2011 SEPTEMBER TO 2013 JUNE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meech, Karen J.; Yang, Bin; Kleyna, Jan; Chiang, Hsin-Fang; Riesen, Timm; Keane, Jacqueline V.; Reipurth, Bo; Hsieh, Henry H. [NASA Astrobiology Institute, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Ansdell, Megan [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Hainaut, Olivier [European Southern Observatory, Santiago 19001 (Chile); Vincent, Jean-Baptiste; Boehnhardt, Hermann [Max-Planck-Institut fur Sonnensystemforschung, Max-Planck-Strasse 2, D-37191 Katlenburg-Lindau (Germany); Fitzsimmons, Alan [Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Rector, Travis [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508 (United States); Michaud, Peter [Gemini Observatory, Northern Operations Center, 670 North A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Milani, Giannantonio [Associazione Astronomica Euganea, via Tommaseo, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Bryssinck, Erik [BRIXIIS Observatory, Eyckensbeekstraat, B-9150 Kruibeke (Belgium); Ligustri, Rolando [Talmassons Observatory (C.A.S.T.), via Cadorna, I-33030 Talmassons (Italy); Trabatti, Roberto [Stazione Astronomica Descartes, via Lambrinia 4, I-2013 Chignolo Po' (Italy); Tozzi, Gian-Paolo, E-mail: meech@ifa.hawaii.edu [INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, I-40125 Firenze (Italy); and others

    2013-10-20

    We report photometric observations for comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) obtained during the time period immediately after discovery (r = 6.28 AU) until it moved into solar conjunction in mid-2013 June using the UH2.2 m, and Gemini North 8 m telescopes on Mauna Kea, the Lowell 1.8 m in Flagstaff, the Calar Alto 1.2 m telescope in Spain, the VYSOS-5 telescopes on Mauna Loa Hawaii and data from the CARA network. Additional pre-discovery data from the Pan STARRS1 survey extends the light curve back to 2011 September 30 (r = 9.4 AU). The images showed a similar tail morphology due to small micron sized particles throughout 2013. Observations at submillimeter wavelengths using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope on 15 nights between 2013 March 9 (r = 4.52 AU) and June 16 (r = 3.35 AU) were used to search for CO and HCN rotation lines. No gas was detected, with upper limits for CO ranging between 3.5-4.5 × 10{sup 27} molecules s{sup –1}. Combined with published water production rate estimates we have generated ice sublimation models consistent with the photometric light curve. The inbound light curve is likely controlled by sublimation of CO{sub 2}. At these distances water is not a strong contributor to the outgassing. We also infer that there was a long slow outburst of activity beginning in late 2011 peaking in mid-2013 January (r ∼ 5 AU) at which point the activity decreased again through 2013 June. We suggest that this outburst was driven by CO injecting large water ice grains into the coma. Observations as the comet came out of solar conjunction seem to confirm our models.

  2. Using isotopes to constrain water flux and age estimates in snow-influenced catchments using the STARR (Spatially distributed Tracer-Aided Rainfall–Runoff model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Ala-aho

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Tracer-aided hydrological models are increasingly used to reveal fundamentals of runoff generation processes and water travel times in catchments. Modelling studies integrating stable water isotopes as tracers are mostly based in temperate and warm climates, leaving catchments with strong snow influences underrepresented in the literature. Such catchments are challenging, as the isotopic tracer signals in water entering the catchments as snowmelt are typically distorted from incoming precipitation due to fractionation processes in seasonal snowpack. We used the Spatially distributed Tracer-Aided Rainfall–Runoff (STARR model to simulate fluxes, storage, and mixing of water and tracers, as well as estimating water ages in three long-term experimental catchments with varying degrees of snow influence and contrasting landscape characteristics. In the context of northern catchments the sites have exceptionally long and rich data sets of hydrometric data and – most importantly – stable water isotopes for both rain and snow conditions. To adapt the STARR model for sites with strong snow influence, we used a novel parsimonious calculation scheme that takes into account the isotopic fractionation through snow sublimation and snowmelt. The modified STARR setup simulated the streamflows, isotope ratios, and snow pack dynamics quite well in all three catchments. From this, our simulations indicated contrasting median water ages and water age distributions between catchments brought about mainly by differences in topography and soil characteristics. However, the variable degree of snow influence in catchments also had a major influence on the stream hydrograph, storage dynamics, and water age distributions, which was captured by the model. Our study suggested that snow sublimation fractionation processes can be important to include in tracer-aided modelling for catchments with seasonal snowpack, while the influence of fractionation during snowmelt

  3. Beyond iPS!

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Editorial

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available It’s undoubtedly a jubilant moment for scientists and clinicians working in the stem cell arena as Prof. Gurdon and Prof. Shinya Yamanaka have been chosen for the Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine this year. The mystery of cell biology is something unfathomable and probably the work of this duo as well as the other scientists, who have put their hands on in- vitro de-differentiation have opened our eyes to a new window or a new paradigm in cell biology. The iPS invention has brought a lot of hope in terms of potential direct benefits to treat several diseases, which have no definite options at the moment. But, we envisage that several spin-offs could come out of this invention and one very significant spin-off finding recently witnessed is the finding by Prof. Masaharu Seno and his team of researchers at the Okayama University, Japan (Chen L, et al. 2012, PLoS ONE 7(4:e33544.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033544. According to Prof. Seno, mouse iPS cells (miPS when cultured in the conditioned medium derived from cancer cell lines, differentiate into cancer stem cells (CSCs. While differentiating into CSCs, they do retain the potential to develop endothelial progenitor cells. Several questions arise here: 1.Are these miPS derived CSCs really pluripotent, even if the terminal differentiation destined to specific phenotypes? 2.Shouldn’t the Cancer Stem Cells be termed as cancer progenitor cells, as till date they are considered to be producing only cancer cells but not pluripotent to yield other types of normal tissues? The spin-offs could be infinite as the process of differentiation and de-differentiation happening due to trillions of signals and pathways, most still remaining not-so-well understood. A special mention should be made to Prof. Shinya Yamanaka as he has several sterling qualities to be a role-model for budding scientists. Apart from his passion for science, which made him shift his career from orthopedics to a cell biologist, his

  4. Modeling The Atmosphere In The Era Of Big Data From Extremely Wide Field-Of-View Telescopes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez Quiles, Junellie; Nordin, Jakob

    2018-01-01

    Surveys like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), Pan-STARRS and the Palomar Transient Factory Survey (PTF) receive large amounts of data, which need to be processed and calibrated in order to correct for various factors. One of the limiting factors in obtaining high quality data is the atmosphere, and it is therefore essential to find the appropriate calibration for the atmospheric extinction. It is to be expected that a physical atmospheric model, compared to a photometric calibration used currently by PTF, is more effective in calibrating for the atmospheric extinction due to its ability to account for rapid atmospheric fluctuation and objects of different colors. We focused on creating tools to model the atmospheric extinction for the upcoming Zwicky Transient Factory Survey (ZTF). In order to model the atmosphere, we created a program that combines input data and catalogue values, and efficiently handles them. Then, using PTF data and the SDSS catalogue, we created several models to fit the data, and tested the quality of the fits by chi-square minimization. This will allow us to optimize atmospheric extinction for the upcoming ZTF in the near future.

  5. Detecting active comets with SDSS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Solontoi, Michael; Ivezic, Zeljko; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept.; West, Andrew A.; /MIT, MKI; Claire, Mark; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept.; Juric, Mario; /Princeton U. Observ.; Becker, Andrew; Jones, Lynne; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept.; Hall, Patrick B.; /York U., Canada; Kent, Steve; /Fermilab; Lupton, Robert H.; /Princeton U. Observ.; Quinn, Tom; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept. /Princeton U. Observ.

    2010-12-01

    Using a sample of serendipitously discovered active comets in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), we develop well-controlled selection criteria for greatly increasing the efficiency of comet identification in the SDSS catalogs. After follow-up visual inspection of images to reject remaining false positives, the total sample of SDSS comets presented here contains 19 objects, roughly one comet per 10 million other SDSS objects. The good understanding of selection effects allows a study of the population statistics, and we estimate the apparent magnitude distribution to r {approx} 18, the ecliptic latitude distribution, and the comet distribution in SDSS color space. The most surprising results are the extremely narrow range of colors for comets in our sample (e.g. root-mean-square scatter of only {approx}0.06 mag for the g-r color), and the similarity of comet colors to those of jovian Trojans. We discuss the relevance of our results for upcoming deep multi-epoch optical surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey, Pan-STARRS, and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), and estimate that LSST may produce a sample of about 10,000 comets over its 10-year lifetime.

  6. Aerobic Glycolysis in the Frontal Cortex Correlates with Memory Performance in Wild-Type Mice But Not the APP/PS1 Mouse Model of Cerebral Amyloidosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Richard A; Tindale, Lauren; Lone, Asad; Singh, Olivia; Macauley, Shannon L; Stanley, Molly; Holtzman, David M; Bartha, Robert; Cumming, Robert C

    2016-02-10

    Aerobic glycolysis and lactate production in the brain plays a key role in memory, yet the role of this metabolism in the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains poorly understood. Here we examined the relationship between cerebral lactate levels and memory performance in an APP/PS1 mouse model of AD, which progressively accumulates amyloid-β. In vivo (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed an age-dependent decline in lactate levels within the frontal cortex of control mice, whereas lactate levels remained unaltered in APP/PS1 mice from 3 to 12 months of age. Analysis of hippocampal interstitial fluid by in vivo microdialysis revealed a significant elevation in lactate levels in APP/PS1 mice relative to control mice at 12 months of age. An age-dependent decline in the levels of key aerobic glycolysis enzymes and a concomitant increase in lactate transporter expression was detected in control mice. Increased expression of lactate-producing enzymes correlated with improved memory in control mice. Interestingly, in APP/PS1 mice the opposite effect was detected. In these mice, increased expression of lactate producing enzymes correlated with poorer memory performance. Immunofluorescent staining revealed localization of the aerobic glycolysis enzymes pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase and lactate dehydrogenase A within cortical and hippocampal neurons in control mice, as well as within astrocytes surrounding amyloid plaques in APP/PS1 mice. These observations collectively indicate that production of lactate, via aerobic glycolysis, is beneficial for memory function during normal aging. However, elevated lactate levels in APP/PS1 mice indicate perturbed lactate processing, a factor that may contribute to cognitive decline in AD. Lactate has recently emerged as a key metabolite necessary for memory consolidation. Lactate is the end product of aerobic glycolysis, a unique form of metabolism that occurs within certain regions of the brain. Here

  7. Transplantation of Human Menstrual Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alleviates Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Pathology in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongjia Zhao

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs are the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs have shown therapeutic efficacy in many neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. Human menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs are a novel source of MSCs advantageous for their higher proliferation rate and because they are easy to obtain without ethical concerns. Although MenSCs have exhibited therapeutic efficacy in some diseases, their effects on AD remain elusive. In the present study, we showed that intracerebral transplantation of MenSCs dramatically improved the spatial learning and memory of APP/PS1 mice. In addition, MenSCs significantly ameliorated amyloid plaques and reduced tau hyperphosphorylation in APP/PS1 mice. Remarkably, we also found that intracerebral transplantation of MenSCs markedly increased several Aβ degrading enzymes and modulated a panel of proinflammatory cytokines associated with an altered microglial phenotype, suggesting an Aβ degrading and anti-inflammatory impact of MenSCs in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. In conclusion, these findings suggest that MenSCs are a promising therapeutic candidate for AD.

  8. Chronic caffeine treatment reverses memory impairment and the expression of brain BNDF and TrkB in the PS1/APP double transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    HAN, KUN; JIA, NING; LI, JI; YANG, LI; MIN, LIAN-QIU

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of varying doses of caffeine on memory impairment and the expression of brain neurotrophic derived factor (BNDF) and TrkB in PS1/APP double transgenic mouse models. PS1/APP double transgenic mice were administered 0.3 ml/day of saline, 1.5 mg/day of caffeine or 0.75 mg/day of caffeine for eight weeks. A water maze test and western blotting were used to determine the memory capability and expression of hippocampal BNDF and TrkB of the mice. The results demonstrated that 0.75 mg/day and 1.5 mg/day doses of caffeine significantly increased memory capability and the expression of hippocampal BDNF and TrkB in PS1/APP mice with a dose-response effect. The results suggested that chronic caffeine treatment may reverse memory impairment in PS1/APP transgenic mice, and BDNF and its receptor TrkB, may be involved in this process. PMID:23900282

  9. 100-ps framing-camera tube

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalibjian, R.

    1978-01-01

    The optoelectronic framing-camera tube described is capable of recording two-dimensional image frames with high spatial resolution in the <100-ps range. Framing is performed by streaking a two-dimensional electron image across narrow slits. The resulting dissected electron line images from the slits are restored into framed images by a restorer deflector operating synchronously with the dissector deflector. The number of framed images on the tube's viewing screen equals the number of dissecting slits in the tube. Performance has been demonstrated in a prototype tube by recording 135-ps-duration framed images of 2.5-mm patterns at the cathode. The limitation in the framing speed is in the external drivers for the deflectors and not in the tube design characteristics. Faster frame speeds in the <100-ps range can be obtained by use of faster deflection drivers

  10. Physics with primary beams of the KEK-PS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, Kazuhiro; Yoshii, Masahito

    1993-08-01

    The 12-GeV Proton Synchrotron (PS) at the National Laboratory for High Energy Physics (KEK) has provided great opportunities to high-energy-physics and related communities as a unique high-energy hadron machine, since its operation in 1976. Activities of the KEK-PS are indispensable for the rapid development in the field. Six experimental subjects are proposed in this Report; (1) media effects in φ meson decay, (2) multifragmentation in high-energy reactions, (3) mechanism of high-energy reactions by means of radio-chemical methods, (4) physics with polarized high-energy neutrons, (5) physics with polarized high-energy deuterons, and (6) hypernucleus with high-energy heavy-ion beams. As a summary, new facilities (a new injector, a new beamline and a new experimental area) and physics programs with primary beams, proposed in this Report are themselves unique and valuable. Moreover, technical developments and physics outcomes stimulated with those new facilities are indispensable for future plans of the KEK-PS. (J.P.N.)

  11. Herpesvirus pan encodes a functional homologue of BHRF1, the Epstein-Barr virus v-Bcl-2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Williams Tracey

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Epstein-Barr virus (EBV latently infects about 90% of the human population and is associated with benign and malignant diseases of lymphoid and epithelial origin. BHRF1, an early lytic cycle antigen, is an apoptosis suppressing member of the Bcl-2 family. In vitro studies imply that BHRF1 is dispensable for both virus replication and transformation. However, the fact that BHRF1 is highly conserved not only in all EBV isolates studied to date but also in the analogous viruses Herpesvirus papio and Herpesvirus pan that infect baboons and chimpanzees respectively, suggests BHRF1 may play an important role in vivo. Results Herpesvirus papio BHRF1 has been shown to function in an analogous manner to EBV BHRF1 in response to DNA damaging agents in human keratinocytes. In this study we show that the heterologous expression of the previously uncharacterised Herpesvirus pan BHRF1 in the human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line Ramos-BL provides similar anti-apoptotic functions to that of EBV BHRF1 in response to apoptosis triggered by serum withdrawal, etoposide treatment and ultraviolet (UV radiation. We also map the amino acid changes onto the recently solved structure of the EBV BHRF1 and reveal that these changes are unlikely to alter the 3D structure of the protein. Conclusions These findings show that the functional conservation of BHRF1 extends to a lymphoid background, suggesting that the primate virus proteins interact with cellular proteins that are themselves highly conserved across the higher primates. Further weight is added to this suggestion when we show that the difference in amino acid sequences map to regions on the 3D structure of EBV BHRF1 that are unlikely to change the conformation of the protein.

  12. Research Use in Education: An Online Survey of School Practitioners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lysenko, Larysa V.; Abrami, Philip C.; Bernard, Robert M.; Dagenais, Christian

    2015-01-01

    This paper summarizes the results of a pan-Canadian online survey study that investigates the extent to which school practitioners (N = 1,153) use research to inform their practice. The self-reports indicate that the majority of the respondents used educational research, yet this engagement was infrequent. Although the respondents shared neutral…

  13. Look into the PS Main Control Room (partial view)

    CERN Multimedia

    1974-01-01

    Jean-Pierre Potier at work. The 26 GeV Synchrotron and later also its related machines (Linacs 1,2,3; PS-Booster, LEP-Injector Linacs and Electron-Positron Accumulator; Antiproton Accumulator, Antiproton Collector, Low Energy Antiproton Ring and more recently Antiproton Decelerator) were all controlled from the PS control room situated at the Meyrin site. The SPS and LEP were controlled from a separat control centre on the Prevessin site. In 2005 all controls were transferred to the Prevessin centre.

  14. Nuclear security in major public events: the XV Pan American Games and the III Para-Pan American Games in Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mello, Luiz A. de; Monteiro Filho, Joselio S.; Belem, Lilia M.J.; Torres, Luiz F.B.

    2009-01-01

    The organization of a major public event involving large numbers of spectators and participants, presents important security challenges. Taking this into consideration, the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) has been requested, by the National Secretary of Public Security/ Ministry of Justice (SENASP/MJ), by the end of 2006, to participate on the security actions to be implemented in both the XV Pan American Games and III Para Pan American Games. The XV Pan American Games 2007 and the III Para Pan American Games were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 13 to 29 July 2007 and from 12 to 19 August 2007, respectively. Those events had 8700 participants between athletes, coaches and referees from 42 countries. More than 300 competition events were held at 17 different venues and were covered by 4910 professionals from TV, radio and written press. Around 2 million tickets have been sold or distributed and 18,000 volunteers participated on the organization. The participation of CNEN was concentrated on the implementation of specific nuclear and radiological security measures to be applied at those events. This was part of a multi-institutional plan for the security of the Games, coordinated by the National Secretary of Public Security of the Ministry of Justice (SENASP/MJ). The support provided by IAEA under a Cooperation Arrangement with the Brazilian authorities was a key factor for the success of the whole operation. The actions taken and the lessons identified by the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission related to nuclear and radiological security for the Pan American Games and for the Para Pan American Games are presented. (author)

  15. Chemical resistance of core-shell particles (PS/PMMA) polymerized by seeded suspension

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ribeiro, Luiz Fernando Belchior; Machado, Ricardo Antonio Francisco, E-mail: ricardo.machado@ufsc.br [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, SC (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais; Gonçalves, Odinei Hess [Universidade Técnológica Federal do Paraná(UTFPR), Campo Mourão, PR (Brazil); Marangoni, Cintia [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Blumenau, SC (Brazil); Motz, Günter [Lehrstuhl Keramische Werkstoffe, Universität Bayreuth (Germany)

    2017-07-01

    Core-shell particles were produced on seeded suspension polymerization by using polystyrene (PS) as polymer core, or seed, and methyl methacrylate (MMA) as the shell forming monomer. Two synthesis routes were evaluated by varying the PS seed conversion before MMA addition. The main purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of synthesis routes on the morphology and chemical resistance of the resulting particles. {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy showed that the use of PS seeds with lower conversion led to the formation of higher amount of poly(styrene-co-MMA). The copolymer acted as a compatibilizer, decreasing the interfacial energy between both homopolymers. As a consequence, a larger amount of reduced PMMA cluster were formed, as was revealed by TEM measurements. Samples in this system showed enhanced resistance to cyclohexane attack compared with pure PS, with a PS extraction of only 37% after 54 hours test. (author)

  16. Chemical resistance of core-shell particles (PS/PMMA polymerized by seeded suspension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Fernando Belchior Ribeiro

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Core-shell particles were produced on seeded suspension polymerization by using polystyrene (PS as polymer core, or seed, and methyl methacrylate (MMA as the shell forming monomer. Two synthesis routes were evaluated by varying the PS seed conversion before MMA addition. The main purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of synthesis routes on the morphology and chemical resistance of the resulting particles. 1H NMR spectroscopy showed that the use of PS seeds with lower conversion led to the formation of higher amount of poly(styrene-co-MMA. The copolymer acted as a compatibilizer, decreasing the interfacial energy between both homopolymers. As a consequence, a larger amount of reduced PMMA cluster were formed, as was revealed by TEM measurements. Samples in this system showed enhanced resistance to cyclohexane attack compared with pure PS, with a PS extraction of only 37% after 54 hours test.

  17. A Longitudinal Study of Cognition, Proton MR Spectroscopy and Synaptic and Neuronal Pathology in Aging Wild-type and AβPPswe-PS1dE9 Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansen, Diane; Zerbi, Valerio; Janssen, Carola I. F.; Dederen, Pieter J. W. C.; Mutsaers, Martina P. C.; Hafkemeijer, Anne; Janssen, Anna-Lena; Nobelen, Cindy L. M.; Veltien, Andor; Asten, Jack J.; Heerschap, Arend; Kiliaan, Amanda J.

    2013-01-01

    Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) is a valuable tool in Alzheimer’s disease research, investigating the functional integrity of the brain. The present longitudinal study set out to characterize the neurochemical profile of the hippocampus, measured by single voxel 1H MRS at 7 Tesla, in the brains of AβPPSswe-PS1dE9 and wild-type mice at 8 and 12 months of age. Furthermore, we wanted to determine whether alterations in hippocampal metabolite levels coincided with behavioral changes, cognitive decline and neuropathological features, to gain a better understanding of the underlying neurodegenerative processes. Moreover, correlation analyses were performed in the 12-month-old AβPP-PS1 animals with the hippocampal amyloid-β deposition, TBS-T soluble Aβ levels and high-molecular weight Aβ aggregate levels to gain a better understanding of the possible involvement of Aβ in neurochemical and behavioral changes, cognitive decline and neuropathological features in AβPP-PS1 transgenic mice. Our results show that at 8 months of age AβPPswe-PS1dE9 mice display behavioral and cognitive changes compared to age-matched wild-type mice, as determined in the open field and the (reverse) Morris water maze. However, there were no variations in hippocampal metabolite levels at this age. AβPP-PS1 mice at 12 months of age display more severe behavioral and cognitive impairment, which coincided with alterations in hippocampal metabolite levels that suggest reduced neuronal integrity. Furthermore, correlation analyses suggest a possible role of Aβ in inflammatory processes, synaptic dysfunction and impaired neurogenesis. PMID:23717459

  18. Radionuclide concentrations in salt pans in the coastal area of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alam, M.N.; Chowdhury, M.I.; Zafar, M.; Kamal, M.; Ghose, S.; Kamal, A.H.M.

    1998-01-01

    Radionuclide concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, 137 Cs, 134 Cs and 40 K in samples of water, soil and salt from three gradients of salt pans (reservoir, condenser and crystalliser) in the coastal area of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh and in samples of refined salts were measured using γ-spectrometry. The activities of 226 Ra in the salt pans were found to be in the range 3·18±1·02 Bq l -1 in water to 25·17±5·76 Bq kg -1 in soil; 232 Th activities were 2·01±0·89 Bq l -1 in water to 42·33±2·54 Bq kg -1 in soil, and 40 K activities ranged from 109·60±27·77 Bq l -1 in water to 651·89±65·89 Bq kg -1 in soil. No 137 Cs or 134 Cs was found in soil, salt and water from the salt pans investigated. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

  19. Enhanced personal protection at the PS

    CERN Multimedia

    Samuel Morier Genoud

    2013-01-01

    Pictures 03, 06, 07 08 : Pierre Ninin, deputy group leader of GS-ASE and responsible for the installation of the new PS complex safety system, in front of a new access control system.Pictures 10, 12 ,13 : View of Building 271, the future control centre of the new PS complex safety system.

  20. The PS will soon be back in operation

    CERN Multimedia

    2006-01-01

    The PS's power supply system is undergoing repairs for the accelerator to restart on 26 June. The AB Department's Power Converter Group is working flat out with Siemens to return the PS's power supply system to working order. A problem appeared on the insulation of the power cables of the rotor of the rotating machine (photo) which supplies power to the PS magnets. To prevent more significant damage to the rotating machine, the AB Department, with the approval of the CERN Management, decided to shut down the PS which had started running on 15 May. Everything is being done to restart the accelerator on 26 June. The PS's rotating machine comprises a motor coupled to a generator. The generator's rotor acts like a flywheel, supplying high-power pulses of 40 to 50 megawatts to the PS magnets. The 6 megawatt motor drives the installation at 1000 revolutions per minute and compensates only for variations in speed. It is an essential interface since it would be hard to imagine connecting such an electrical charge, p...

  1. 75 FR 61698 - Federal Consistency Appeal by Pan American Grain Co.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-06

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Consistency Appeal by Pan American Grain Co. AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department... Commerce (Secretary) by Pan American Grain Co. (Pan American) has closed. No additional information, briefs...

  2. Evaluation of water balance parameters from isotopic measurements in evaporation pans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allison, G.B.

    1979-01-01

    The evaluation of the parameters governing the isotopic composition of evaporating water bodies was attempted by means of evaporation pans. The instability of the meteorological conditions, however, makes it virtually impossible to evaluate the atmospheric relative humidity and its isotopic composition with pans. Pans are only suitable to obtain seasonal trends of the isotopic composition of the net evaporated water. For this, a technique based on two pans is also proposed. (author)

  3. Caractéristiques gravimétriques de la partie nord des dahomeyides : chaîne de collision-aggréegation continenetale et lissage gravimétrique au Pan-Africain (600 ± 100 Ma.)

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Hadj Tidjani, M.; Affaton, P.; Louis, P.; Lesquer, A.; Socohou, A.; Caby, R.

    1993-08-01

    The surveyed area straddles the s.s. West-African and The Nigeria-Beninian plates (Fig. 1). It corresponds to the northern part of the Volta Basin, the external and internal structural units, and the suture zone of the Dahomeyide Pan-African Orogen. The main gravity anomalies are sometimes correlated with geological outcropping formations. Numerous gravity gradient changes and discontinuities are noticed. They testify to the structural and geological complexity of this region. This complexity suggests two main hypothese: that of aggregation of micro-continents during the Pan-African; and that of a "gravity smoothing" following the great tangential movements.

  4. Using TES retrievals to investigate PAN in North American biomass burning plumes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Emily V.; Zhu, Liye; Payne, Vivienne H.; Worden, John R.; Jiang, Zhe; Kulawik, Susan S.; Brey, Steven; Hecobian, Arsineh; Gombos, Daniel; Cady-Pereira, Karen; Flocke, Frank

    2018-04-01

    Peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN) is a critical atmospheric reservoir for nitrogen oxide radicals, and plays a lead role in their redistribution in the troposphere. We analyze new Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) PAN observations over North America from July 2006 to July 2009. Using aircraft observations from the Colorado Front Range, we demonstrate that TES can be sensitive to elevated PAN in the boundary layer (˜ 750 hPa) even in the presence of clouds. In situ observations have shown that wildfire emissions can rapidly produce PAN, and PAN decomposition is an important component of ozone production in smoke plumes. We identify smoke-impacted TES PAN retrievals by co-location with NOAA Hazard Mapping System (HMS) smoke plumes. Depending on the year, 15-32 % of cases where elevated PAN is identified in TES observations (retrievals with degrees of freedom (DOF) > 0.6) overlap smoke plumes during July. Of all the retrievals attempted in the July 2006 to July 2009 study period, 18 % is associated with smoke . A case study of smoke transport in July 2007 illustrates that PAN enhancements associated with HMS smoke plumes can be connected to fire complexes, providing evidence that TES is sufficiently sensitive to measure elevated PAN several days downwind of major fires. Using a subset of retrievals with TES 510 hPa carbon monoxide (CO) > 150 ppbv, and multiple estimates of background PAN, we calculate enhancement ratios for tropospheric average PAN relative to CO in smoke-impacted retrievals. Most of the TES-based enhancement ratios fall within the range calculated from in situ measurements.

  5. Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN and peroxyacetic acid (PAA measurements by iodide chemical ionisation mass spectrometry: first analysis of results in the boreal forest and implications for the measurement of PAN fluxes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. J. Phillips

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available We describe measurements of peroxyacetyl nitrate (CH3C(OO2NO2, PAN and peroxyacetic acid (CH3C(OOOH, PAA in the Boreal forest using iodide chemical ionization mass spectrometry (ICIMS. The measurements were made during the Hyytiälä United Measurement of Photochemistry and Particles – Comprehensive Organic Particle and Environmental Chemistry (HUMPPA-COPEC-2010 measurement intensive. Mixing ratios of PAN and PAA were determined by measuring the acetate ion signal (CH3C(OO, m/z = 59 resulting from reaction of CH3C(OO2 (from the thermal dissociation of PAN or CH3C(OOOH with iodide ions using alternatively heated and ambient temperature inlet lines. During some periods of high temperature (~ 30 °C and low NOx (< 1 ppbv, PAA mixing ratios were similar to, or exceeded those of PAN and thus contributed a significant fraction of the total acetate signal. PAA is thus a potential interference for ICIMS measurements of PAN, and especially eddy covariance flux measurements in environments where the PAA flux is likely to be a significant proportion of the (short timescale acetate ion variability. Within the range of mixing ratios of NOx measured during HUMPPA-COPEC, the modelled ratio of PAA-to-PAN was found to be sensitive to temperature (through the thermal decomposition rate of PAN and the HO2 mixing ratio, thus providing some constraint to estimates of photochemical activity and oxidation rates in the Boreal environment.

  6. Minor psychiatric disorders among nurses university faculties Disturbios psíquicos menores en enfermeros docentes universitarios Distúrbios psíquicos menores em enfermeiros docentes de universidades

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Petri Tavares

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available This cross-sectional study addresses 130 nursing faculty members in federal universities from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It investigated the psychological demands and decision latitude (the Demand-Control Model by Karasek and their association with Minor Psychological Disorders (MPDs. The Brazilian versions of the Self-Report-Questionnaire-20 and the Job Stress Scale were used. MPDs were prevalent in 20% of the studied individuals. After adjusting for potential confounders, the chances of participants presenting mental disorders were higher in the quadrant 'active strain jobs' (OR=14.23, 95% CI 1.55 to 130.73, followed by the 'high strain jobs' quadrant (OR=10.05, 95% CI 1.23 to 82.44, compared to nursing professors classified in the 'low strain jobs' quadrant. We conclude that high psychological demands and low control over work can cause disorders in nursing professors, among them, MPDs.Estudio epidemiológico seccional entre 130 enfermeros docentes de las universidades federales del estado de Rio Grande do Sul, en Brasil, que tuvo como objetivo investigar la demanda psicológica y el control del trabajo (Modelo Demanda-Control de Karasek y sus asociaciones con Disturbios Psíquicos Menores. Se utilizaron las versiones brasileñas del Self-Report-Questionnaire-20 y del Job Stress Scale. La prevalencia de Disturbios Psíquicos Menores fue del 20,1%. Después de ajustar los posibles factores de confusión, las posibilidades de trastornos psíquicos fueron mayores en el cuadrante Trabajo Activo (OR=14,13; IC95%=1,55-130,73, seguido del cuadrante Alta exigencia (OR=10,05; IC95%=1,23-82,44, en comparación con los enfermeros docentes del cuadrante Baja Exigencia. Se concluyó que la alta demanda psicológica y el bajo control del trabajo pueden provocar daños a la salud, entre ellos los Disturbios Psíquicos Menores en enfermeros docentes.Trata-se de estudo epidemiológico seccional, incluindo 130 enfermeiros docentes das Universidades Federais do

  7. Back to work for the PS

    CERN Multimedia

    2006-01-01

    On 22 June, the PS's rotating machine started turning again for the first time since its enforced shutdown one month ago (see Bulletin No. 23-24/2006) - and the PS was back in operation the very next day! A team from Siemens worked their socks off, 6 days a week for one month (including public holidays), to repair the electrical power supply in collaboration with the AB/PO Group's Main Power Converters (MPC) Section. The generator's faulty rotor was dismantled and replaced by the renovated spare rotor. The multitude of electrical and mechanical connections together with the sheer weight of the rotor (80 tonnes) made this an extremely complex job. The AB/PO Group used the shutdown to test a back-up solution for the PS power supply. The accelerator was directly wired up to the 18 kV electrical network via a 13 MVA transformer, installed at the end of the 1970s but never used. This solution succeeded in bringing the PS back into operation but at limited energy and frequency. Just 14 GeV could be achieved, whic...

  8. PanDA for ATLAS Distributed Computing in the Next Decade

    CERN Document Server

    Barreiro Megino, Fernando Harald; The ATLAS collaboration

    2016-01-01

    The Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) system has been developed to meet ATLAS production and analysis requirements for a data-driven workload management system capable of operating at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) data processing scale. Heterogeneous resources used by the ATLAS experiment are distributed worldwide at hundreds of sites, thousands of physicists analyse the data remotely, the volume of processed data is beyond the exabyte scale, dozens of scientific applications are supported, while data processing requires more than a few billion hours of computing usage per year. PanDA performed very well over the last decade including the LHC Run 1 data taking period. However, it was decided to upgrade the whole system concurrently with the LHC’s first long shutdown in order to cope with rapidly changing computing infrastructure. After two years of reengineering efforts, PanDA has embedded capabilities for fully dynamic and flexible workload management. The static batch job paradigm was discarde...

  9. PanDA for ATLAS distributed computing in the next decade

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(SzGeCERN)643806; The ATLAS collaboration; De, Kaushik; Klimentov, Alexei; Maeno, Tadashi; Nilsson, Paul; Oleynik, Danila; Padolski, Siarhei; Panitkin, Sergey; Wenaus, Torre

    2017-01-01

    The Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) system has been developed to meet ATLAS production and analysis requirements for a data-driven workload management system capable of operating at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) data processing scale. Heterogeneous resources used by the ATLAS experiment are distributed worldwide at hundreds of sites, thousands of physicists analyse the data remotely, the volume of processed data is beyond the exabyte scale, dozens of scientific applications are supported, while data processing requires more than a few billion hours of computing usage per year. PanDA performed very well over the last decade including the LHC Run 1 data taking period. However, it was decided to upgrade the whole system concurrently with the LHC’s first long shutdown in order to cope with rapidly changing computing infrastructure. After two years of reengineering efforts, PanDA has embedded capabilities for fully dynamic and flexible workload management. The static batch job paradigm was discarde...

  10. Properties and Structure of In Situ Transformed PAN-Based Carbon Fibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingjing Cao

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Carbon fibers in situ prepared during the hot-pressed sintering in a vacuum is termed in situ transformed polyacrylonitrile-based (PAN-based carbon fibers, and the fibrous precursors are the pre-oxidized PAN fibers. The properties and structure of in situ transformed PAN-based carbon fibers are investigated by Nano indenter, SEM, TEM, XRD, and Raman. The results showed that the microstructure of the fiber surface layer was compact, while the core was loose, with evenly-appearing microvoids. The elastic modulus and nanohardness of the fiber surface layer (303.87 GPa and 14.82 GPa were much higher than that of the core (16.57 GPa and 1.54 GPa, and its interlayer spacing d002 and crystallinity were about 0.347 nm and 0.97 respectively. It was found that the preferred orientation of the surface carbon layers with ordered carbon atomic arrangement tended to be parallel to the fiber axis, whereas the fiber core in the amorphous region exhibited a random texture and the carbon atomic arrangement was in a disordered state. It indicates that the in situ transformed PAN-based carbon fibers possess significantly turbostratic structure and anisotropy.

  11. PanCoreGen - Profiling, detecting, annotating protein-coding genes in microbial genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Sandip; Bhardwaj, Archana; Bag, Sumit K; Sokurenko, Evgeni V; Chattopadhyay, Sujay

    2015-12-01

    A large amount of genomic data, especially from multiple isolates of a single species, has opened new vistas for microbial genomics analysis. Analyzing the pan-genome (i.e. the sum of genetic repertoire) of microbial species is crucial in understanding the dynamics of molecular evolution, where virulence evolution is of major interest. Here we present PanCoreGen - a standalone application for pan- and core-genomic profiling of microbial protein-coding genes. PanCoreGen overcomes key limitations of the existing pan-genomic analysis tools, and develops an integrated annotation-structure for a species-specific pan-genomic profile. It provides important new features for annotating draft genomes/contigs and detecting unidentified genes in annotated genomes. It also generates user-defined group-specific datasets within the pan-genome. Interestingly, analyzing an example-set of Salmonella genomes, we detect potential footprints of adaptive convergence of horizontally transferred genes in two human-restricted pathogenic serovars - Typhi and Paratyphi A. Overall, PanCoreGen represents a state-of-the-art tool for microbial phylogenomics and pathogenomics study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Towards a holistic review of Pan-Africanism: linking the idea and the movement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Kurt B

    2010-01-01

    This article explores two general approaches to defining Pan-Africanism. Traditional Pan-Africanism reflects definitions of Pan-Africanism that begin with the assumption that distinctions must be made between early "ideas" of group identification with Africa versus modern organizational activities. However, holistic approaches emphasize the interconnectivity of Pan-African ideas and concrete activities. This discussion explores these approaches and their implications for contemporary analyses of Pan-Africanism. The essay concludes that the holistic line is best suited for developing a new model in Pan-Africanism.

  13. Effect of PS-K on long-term survival of primary lung cancer patients treated with radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okazaki, Atsushi; Nakajima, Nobuaki; Hayakawa, Kazushige; Saito, Yoshihiro; Mitomo, Osamu; Niibe, Hideo

    1984-01-01

    The effect of PS-K on long-term survival of primary lung cancer patients irradiated over 60 Gy through 1977 to 1982 was studied. PS-K was administrated orally 3.0 g, daily or intermittently in the pattern of 2 weeks per a month on patients of positive PPD skin test. All cases irradiated over 60 Gy were 174 (Group A) containing 62 cases with PS-K (Group B) and 112 cases without PS-K (Group C). Of group B, 44 cases were administrated within a month after curative irradiation (Group B1), 7 cases were administrated on time maintaining long-term good condition after irradiation (Group B2) and 11 cases were administrated after recognition of recurrence or metastasis (Group B3). Following results were obtained. 1. Obvious prolongation of survivals was recognized in the patients with PS-K after irradiation. (1) The cumulative 5 years survival rates of Group A, B 1 and C were 11.0%, 28.8% and 4.8%, respectively. (2) The cumulative 5 years survival rates of stage I,11 were 45.7% with PS-K and 10.7% without PS-K. (3) The cumulative 5 years survival rates of 21 cases matched age, sex, stage, histological type and tumor dose with and without PS-K were 37.8% and 7.2%. (4) In Group B 2, 5 cases out of 7 cases have been alived, but in Group B 3, satisfactory long-term survivals ware not obtained. 2. The necessary conditions which obtain long-term survival with PS-K were thought to be follows. One is that the tumor is brought almost to vanish by irradiation. Another is that the condition of host is superior to that of tumor in host-tumor relationship. 3. The possibility of intermittent administration of PS-K was suggested. (author)

  14. Damage symptoms of plants due to PAN exposure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nouchi, I; Sawada, T; Ohashi, T; Odaira, T

    1974-11-01

    In order to identify the cause of plant damage which differed from that by ozone, a series of exposure experiments was carried out on Beta vulgaris, Japanese radish, French bean, luthern, tomato, and spinach in a controlled weather room by artificially synthesized PAN (peroxyacetyl nitrate). The damage appeared generally on younger leaves as a lustering and bronzing on the lower surface; there was a specific symptom in which the interveinary part of the lower surface depressed, leaving the veins in relief. At higher concentrations of PAN, damages appeared on the upper surface of leaves, however, bronzing and lustering were clearer during exposure to lower concentrations of PAN. The position of the leaves and the part of a leaf which was damaged were constant in the petunia, morning glory, and tobacco. There was a hyperbolic relationship between the concentration of PAN and the time period of appearance of the damage as was seen during sulfur dioxide and ozone exposures.

  15. Efficient identification of phosphatidylserine-binding proteins by ORF phage display

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caberoy, Nora B.; Zhou, Yixiong; Alvarado, Gabriela; Fan, Xianqun; Li, Wei

    2009-01-01

    To efficiently elucidate the biological roles of phosphatidylserine (PS), we developed open-reading-frame (ORF) phage display to identify PS-binding proteins. The procedure of phage panning was optimized with a phage clone expressing MFG-E8, a well-known PS-binding protein. Three rounds of phage panning with ORF phage display cDNA library resulted in ∼300-fold enrichment in PS-binding activity. A total of 17 PS-binding phage clones were identified. Unlike phage display with conventional cDNA libraries, all 17 PS-binding clones were ORFs encoding 13 real proteins. Sequence analysis revealed that all identified PS-specific phage clones had dimeric basic amino acid residues. GST fusion proteins were expressed for 3 PS-binding proteins and verified for their binding activity to PS liposomes, but not phosphatidylcholine liposomes. These results elucidated previously unknown PS-binding proteins and demonstrated that ORF phage display is a versatile technology capable of efficiently identifying binding proteins for non-protein molecules like PS.

  16. Targeting the HER family with Pan-HER effectively overcomes resistance to cetuximab

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iida, Mari; Bahrar, Harsh; Brand, Toni M; Pearson, Hannah E; Coan, John P; Orbuch, Rachel A; Flanigan, Bailey G; Swick, Adam D; Prabakaran, Prashanth; Lantto, Johan; Horak, Ivan D.; Kragh, Michael; Salgia, Ravi; Kimple, Randy J; Wheeler, Deric L

    2016-01-01

    Cetuximab, an antibody against the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) has shown efficacy in treating head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), metastatic colorectal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the clinical success of cetuximab, many patients do not respond to cetuximab. Furthermore, virtually all patients who do initially respond become refractory, highlighting both intrinsic and acquired resistance to cetuximab as significant clinical problems. To understand mechanistically how cancerous cells acquire resistance, we previously developed models of acquired resistance using the H226 NSCLC and UM-SCC1 HNSCC cell lines. Cetuximab-resistant clones showed a robust upregulation and dependency on the HER family receptors EGFR, HER2 and HER3. Here, we examined Pan-HER, a mixture of six antibodies targeting these receptors on cetuximab-resistant clones. In cells exhibiting acquired or intrinsic resistance to cetuximab, Pan-HER treatment decreased all three receptors’ protein levels and down-stream activation of AKT and MAPK. This correlated with decreased cell proliferation in cetuximab-resistant clones. To determine whether Pan-HER had a therapeutic benefit in vivo, we established de novo cetuximab-resistant mouse xenografts and treated resistant tumors with Pan-HER. This regimen resulted in a superior growth delay of cetuximab-resistant xenografts compared to mice continued on cetuximab. Furthermore, intrinsically cetuximab-resistant HNSCC patient-derived xenograft tumors treated with Pan-HER exhibited significant growth delay compared to vehicle/cetuximab controls. These results suggest that targeting HER family receptors simultaneously with Pan-HER is a promising treatment strategy for tumors displaying intrinsic or acquired resistance to cetuximab. PMID:27422810

  17. Eddy covariance fluxes of acyl peroxy nitrates (PAN, PPN and MPAN above a Ponderosa pine forest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. M. Wolfe

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available During the Biosphere Effects on AeRosols and Photochemistry EXperiment 2007 (BEARPEX-2007, we observed eddy covariance (EC fluxes of speciated acyl peroxy nitrates (APNs, including peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN, peroxypropionyl nitrate (PPN and peroxymethacryloyl nitrate (MPAN, above a Ponderosa pine forest in the western Sierra Nevada. All APN fluxes are net downward during the day, with a median midday PAN exchange velocity of −0.3 cm s1; nighttime storage-corrected APN EC fluxes are smaller than daytime fluxes but still downward. Analysis with a standard resistance model shows that loss of PAN to the canopy is not controlled by turbulent or molecular diffusion. Stomatal uptake can account for 25 to 50% of the observed downward PAN flux. Vertical gradients in the PAN thermal decomposition (TD rate explain a similar fraction of the flux, suggesting that a significant portion of the PAN flux into the forest results from chemical processes in the canopy. The remaining "unidentified" portion of the net PAN flux (~15% is ascribed to deposition or reactive uptake on non-stomatal surfaces (e.g. leaf cuticles or soil. Shifts in temperature, moisture and ecosystem activity during the summer – fall transition alter the relative contribution of stomatal uptake, non-stomatal uptake and thermochemical gradients to the net PAN flux. Daytime PAN and MPAN exchange velocities are a factor of 3 smaller than those of PPN during the first two weeks of the measurement period, consistent with strong intra-canopy chemical production of PAN and MPAN during this period. Depositional loss of APNs can be 3–21% of the gross gas-phase TD loss depending on temperature. As a source of nitrogen to the biosphere, PAN deposition represents approximately 4–19% of that due to dry deposition of nitric acid at this site.

  18. Increased Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in the APP/ PS1ΔE9 mouse model lacking Nrf2 through modulation of autophagy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Gururaj; Gan, Kok Ann; Johnson, Delinda A; Johnson, Jeffrey A

    2015-02-01

    The presence of senile plaques is one of the major pathologic hallmarks of the brain with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The plaques predominantly contain insoluble amyloid β-peptide, a cleavage product of the larger amyloid precursor protein (APP). Two enzymes, named β and γ secretase, generate the neurotoxic amyloid-β peptide from APP. Mature APP is also turned over endogenously by autophagy, more specifically by the endosomal-lysosomal pathway. A defective lysosomal system is known to be pathogenic in AD. Modulation of NF-E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) has been shown in several neurodegenerative disorders, and Nrf2 has become a potential therapeutic target for various neurodegenerative disorders, including AD, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In the current study, we explored the effect of genetic ablation of Nrf2 on APP/Aβ processing and/or aggregation as well as changes in autophagic dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice. There was a significant increase in inflammatory response in APP/PS1 mice lacking Nrf2. This was accompanied by increased intracellular levels of APP, Aβ (1-42), and Aβ (1-40), without a change total full-length APP. There was a shift of APP and Aβ into the insoluble fraction, as well as increased poly-ubiquitin conjugated proteins in mice lacking Nrf2. APP/PS1-mediated autophagic dysfunction is also enhanced in Nrf2-deficient mice. Finally, neurons in the APP/PS1/Nrf2-/- mice had increased accumulation of multivesicular bodies, endosomes, and lysosomes. These outcomes provide a better understanding of the role of Nrf2 in modulating autophagy in an AD mouse model and may help design better Nrf2 targeted therapeutics that could be efficacious in the treatment of AD. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Effect of oxygen on cardiac differentiation in mouse iPS cells: role of hypoxia inducible factor-1 and Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanya L Medley

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Disturbances in oxygen levels have been found to impair cardiac organogenesis. It is known that stem cells and differentiating cells may respond variably to hypoxic conditions, whereby hypoxia may enhance stem cell pluripotency, while differentiation of multiple cell types can be restricted or enhanced under hypoxia. Here we examined whether HIF-1alpha modulated Wnt signaling affected differentiation of iPS cells into beating cardiomyocytes. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether transient and sustained hypoxia affects differentiation of cardiomyocytes derived from murine induced pluripotent stem (iPS cells, assessed the involvement of HIF-1alpha (hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha and the canonical Wnt pathway in this process. METHODS: Embryoid bodies (EBs derived from iPS cells were differentiated into cardiomyocytes and were exposed either to 24 h normoxia or transient hypoxia followed by a further 13 days of normoxic culture. RESULTS: At 14 days of differentiation, 59 ± 2% of normoxic EBs were beating, whilst transient hypoxia abolished beating at 14 days and EBs appeared immature. Hypoxia induced a significant increase in Brachyury and islet-1 mRNA expression, together with reduced troponin C expression. Collectively, these data suggest that transient and sustained hypoxia inhibits maturation of differentiating cardiomyocytes. Compared to normoxia, hypoxia increased HIF-1alpha, Wnt target and ligand genes in EBs, as well as accumulation of HIF-1alpha and beta-catenin in nuclear protein extracts, suggesting involvement of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. CONCLUSION: Hypoxia impairs cardiomyocyte differentiation and activates Wnt signaling in undifferentiated iPS cells. Taken together the study suggests that oxygenation levels play a critical role in cardiomyocyte differentiation and suggest that hypoxia may play a role in early cardiogenesis.

  20. High-precision calculation of loosely bound states of LiPs+ and NaPs+

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamashita, Takuma; Kino, Yasushi

    2015-01-01

    A positronic alkali atom would be the first step to investigate behavior of a positronium(Ps) in an external field from atoms/molecules because the system can be regarded as a simple three-body system using model potentials reflecting electron orbitals of the ion core. In order to precisely determine binding energies and structures of positronic alkali atoms (LiPs + and NaPs + ), we improve the model potential so as to reproduce highly excited atomic energy levels of alkali atoms (Li and Na). The polarization potential included by the model potential is expanded in terms of Gaussian functions to finely determine a short range part of the potential which has been assumed to be a simple form. We find better reproducibility not only of atomic levels of the alkali atoms but also of the dipole polarizability of the core ion than previous works. We construct a model potential between a positron and an ion core based on the model potential between the valence electron and ion core. Binding energies associated with a dissociation of the alkali ion core and positronium, and interparticle distances are recalculated. Our results show slightly deeper bound than other previous studies. (paper)

  1. In-air PIXE for analyzing heavy metals in water boiled in pans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomita, M.; Haruyama, Y.; Saito, M.

    1993-01-01

    The release rates of heavy metals from pans were measured for boiling water as well as for an acidic solution prior to an investigation on the release or sorption of trace elements due to cooking of food by boiling. The boiled samples were condensed and analyzed by means of in-air PIXE. The release of heavy metals was measured for five kinds of pans. For all pans the release rates were considerably more increased by boiling of a 5% solution of acetic acid. Furthermore it was found that by using the alumina coated aluminum pan (alumina pan) the respective release rates of Fe, Cu and Zn were all less than 50 μg per 100 cm 2 of the pan surface dipped in the solution, and that monitoring of the contents of aluminum in the boiled solution enabled the estimation of the contribution of metal elements from the pan wall. (orig.)

  2. Characterization of the Praesepe star cluster by photometry and proper motions with 2MASS, PPMXL, and Pan-STARRS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, P. F.; Chen, W. P. [Department of Physics, National Central University, 300 Jhongda Road, Jhongli 32001, Taiwan (China); Lin, C. C.; Huang, C. K.; Panwar, N.; Lee, C. H. [Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, 300 Jhongda Road, Jhongli 32001, Taiwan (China); Pandey, A. K. [Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Manora Peak, Nainital 263129 (India); Tsai, M. F.; Tang, C.-H. [Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Central University, 300 Jhongda Road, Jhongli 32001, Taiwan (China); Goldman, B. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Heasley, J. N.; Hodapp, K. W.; Huber, M. E.; Jedicke, R.; Kaiser, N. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai' i, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Draper, P. W. [Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Grav, T. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); and others

    2014-03-20

    Membership identification is the first step in determining the properties of a star cluster. Low-mass members in particular could be used to trace the dynamical history, such as mass segregation, stellar evaporation, or tidal stripping, of a star cluster in its Galactic environment. We identified member candidates of the intermediate-age Praesepe cluster (M44) with stellar masses ∼0.11-2.4 M {sub ☉}, using Panoramic Survey Telescope And Rapid Response System and Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry, and PPMXL proper motions. Within a sky area of 3° radius, 1040 candidates are identified, of which 96 are new inclusions. Using the same set of selection criteria on field stars, an estimated false positive rate of 16% was determined, suggesting that 872 of the candidates are true members. This most complete and reliable membership list allows us to favor the BT-Settl model over other stellar models. The cluster shows a distinct binary track above the main sequence, with a binary frequency of 20%-40%, and a high occurrence rate of similar mass pairs. The mass function is consistent with that of the disk population but shows a deficit of members below 0.3 solar masses. A clear mass segregation is evidenced, with the lowest-mass members in our sample being evaporated from this disintegrating cluster.

  3. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Gaia DR2 (Gaia Collaboration, 2018)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaia Collaboration

    2018-04-01

    Contents of Gaia DR2: The five-parameter astrometric solution - positions on the sky (alpha,delta), parallaxes, and proper motions - for more than 1.3 billion (109) sources, with a limiting magnitude of G=21 and a bright limit of G~=3. Parallax uncertainties are in the range of up to 0.04 milliarcsecond for sources at G2MASS PSC, SDSS DR9, Pan-STARRS1, GSC2.3, PPM-XL, AllWISE, and URAT-1 data on the other hand. Catalogue of radial velocity standard stars (Soubiran et al., 2018A&A..in.prep...): Individual and combined radial velocity measurements are presented for 4813 stars in rvstdcat.dat and rvstdmes.dat files. (20 data files).

  4. Using TES retrievals to investigate PAN in North American biomass burning plumes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Fischer

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN is a critical atmospheric reservoir for nitrogen oxide radicals, and plays a lead role in their redistribution in the troposphere. We analyze new Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES PAN observations over North America from July 2006 to July 2009. Using aircraft observations from the Colorado Front Range, we demonstrate that TES can be sensitive to elevated PAN in the boundary layer (∼ 750 hPa even in the presence of clouds. In situ observations have shown that wildfire emissions can rapidly produce PAN, and PAN decomposition is an important component of ozone production in smoke plumes. We identify smoke-impacted TES PAN retrievals by co-location with NOAA Hazard Mapping System (HMS smoke plumes. Depending on the year, 15–32 % of cases where elevated PAN is identified in TES observations (retrievals with degrees of freedom (DOF > 0.6 overlap smoke plumes during July. Of all the retrievals attempted in the July 2006 to July 2009 study period, 18 % is associated with smoke . A case study of smoke transport in July 2007 illustrates that PAN enhancements associated with HMS smoke plumes can be connected to fire complexes, providing evidence that TES is sufficiently sensitive to measure elevated PAN several days downwind of major fires. Using a subset of retrievals with TES 510 hPa carbon monoxide (CO > 150 ppbv, and multiple estimates of background PAN, we calculate enhancement ratios for tropospheric average PAN relative to CO in smoke-impacted retrievals. Most of the TES-based enhancement ratios fall within the range calculated from in situ measurements.

  5. EDH 'Millionaire' in PS Division

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    Christmas cheer! Left to right: Gerard Lobeau receives a bottle of Champagne from Derek Mathieson and Jurgen De Jonghe in recognition of EDH's millionth document. At 14:33 on Monday 3 December a technician in PS division, Gerard Lobeau, unwittingly became part of an important event in the life of CERN's Electronic Document Handling system (EDH). While ordering some pieces of aluminum for one of the PS's 10Mhz RF cavities, he created EDH document number 1,000,000. To celebrate the event Derek Mathieson (EDH Project Leader) and Jurgen De Jonghe (Original EDH Project Leader) presented Mr Lobeau with a bottle of champagne. As with 93% of material requests, Mr Lobeau's order was delivered within 24 hours. 'I usually never win anything' said Mr Lobeau as he accepted his prize, 'I initially though there may have been a problem with EDH when the document number had so many zeros in it, and was then surprised to get a phone call from you a few minutes later.' The EDH team had been monitoring the EDH document number ...

  6. Phosphorene-directed self-assembly of asymmetric PS-b-PMMA block copolymer for perpendicularly-oriented sub-10 nm PS nanopore arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ziming; Zheng, Lu; Khurram, Muhammad; Yan, Qingfeng

    2017-10-01

    Few-layer black phosphorus, also known as phosphorene, is a new two-dimensional material which is of enormous interest for applications, mainly in electronics and optoelectronics. Herein, we for the first time employ phosphorene for directing the self-assembly of asymmetric polystyrene-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) block copolymer (BCP) thin film to form the perpendicular orientation of sub-10 nm PS nanopore arrays in a hexagonal fashion normal to the interface. We experimentally demonstrate that none of the PS and PMMA blocks exhibit preferential affinity to the phosphorene-modified surface. Furthermore, the perpendicularly-oriented PS nanostructures almost stay unchanged with the variation of number of layers of few-layer phosphorene nanoflakes between 15-30 layers. Differing from the neutral polymer brushes which are widely used for chemical modification of the silicon substrate, phosphorene provides a novel physical way to control the interfacial interactions between the asymmetric PS-b-PMMA BCP thin film and the silicon substrate. Based on our results, it is possible to build a new scheme for producing sub-10 nm PS nanopore arrays oriented perpendicularly to the few-layer phosphorene nanoflakes. Furthermore, the nanostructural microdomains could serve as a promising nanolithography template for surface patterning of phosphorene nanoflakes.

  7. Phosphorene-directed self-assembly of asymmetric PS-b-PMMA block copolymer for perpendicularly-oriented sub-10 nm PS nanopore arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ziming; Zheng, Lu; Khurram, Muhammad; Yan, Qingfeng

    2017-10-20

    Few-layer black phosphorus, also known as phosphorene, is a new two-dimensional material which is of enormous interest for applications, mainly in electronics and optoelectronics. Herein, we for the first time employ phosphorene for directing the self-assembly of asymmetric polystyrene-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) block copolymer (BCP) thin film to form the perpendicular orientation of sub-10 nm PS nanopore arrays in a hexagonal fashion normal to the interface. We experimentally demonstrate that none of the PS and PMMA blocks exhibit preferential affinity to the phosphorene-modified surface. Furthermore, the perpendicularly-oriented PS nanostructures almost stay unchanged with the variation of number of layers of few-layer phosphorene nanoflakes between 15-30 layers. Differing from the neutral polymer brushes which are widely used for chemical modification of the silicon substrate, phosphorene provides a novel physical way to control the interfacial interactions between the asymmetric PS-b-PMMA BCP thin film and the silicon substrate. Based on our results, it is possible to build a new scheme for producing sub-10 nm PS nanopore arrays oriented perpendicularly to the few-layer phosphorene nanoflakes. Furthermore, the nanostructural microdomains could serve as a promising nanolithography template for surface patterning of phosphorene nanoflakes.

  8. Performance of a dual-process PVD/PS tungsten coating structure under deuterium ion irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hyunmyung; Lee, Ho Jung; Kim, Sung Hwan [Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Song, Jae-Min [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jang, Changheui, E-mail: chjang@kaist.ac.kr [Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • D{sup +} irradiation performance of a dual-process PVD/PS W coating was evaluated. • Low-energy plasmas exposure of 100 eV D{sup +} with 1.17 × 10{sup 21} D/s{sup −1} m{sup 2} flux was applied. • After D ion irradiation, flakes were observed on the surface of the simple PS coating. • While, sub-μm size protrusions were observed for dual-process PVD/PS W coating. • Height of D spike in depth profile was lower for dual-process PVD/PS W coating. - Abstract: A dual-process coating structure was developed on a graphite substrate to improve the performance of the coating structure under anticipated operating condition of fusion devices. A thin multilayer W/Mo coating (6 μm) was deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD) method with a variation of Mo interlayer thickness on plasma spray (PS) W coating (160 μm) of a graphite substrate panel. The dual-process PVD/PS W coatings then were exposed to 3.08 × 10{sup 24} D m{sup −2} of 100 eV D ions with a flux of 1.71 × 10{sup 21} D m{sup −2} s{sup −1} in an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) chamber. After irradiation, surface morphology and D depth profiles of the dual-process coating were analyzed and compared to those of the simple PS W coating. Both changes in surface morphology and D retention were strongly dependent on the microstructure of surface coating. Meanwhile, the existence of Mo interlayer seemed to have no significant effect on the retention of deuterium.

  9. Bronchiectasis: a bacteriological profile | Bopaka | Pan African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pan African Medical Journal. Journal Home · ABOUT · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 22, No 1 (2015) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register · Download this PDF file. The PDF file you selected should load here if your ...

  10. An aircraft-borne chemical ionization – ion trap mass spectrometer (CI-ITMS for fast PAN and PPN measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Schlager

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available An airborne chemical ionization ion trap mass spectrometer instrument (CI-ITMS has been developed for tropospheric and stratospheric fast in-situ measurements of PAN (peroxyacetyl nitrate and PPN (peroxypropionyl nitrate. The first scientific deployment of the FASTPEX instrument (FASTPEX = Fast Measurement of Peroxyacyl nitrates took place in the Arctic during 18 missions aboard the DLR research aircraft Falcon, within the framework of the POLARCAT-GRACE campaign in the summer of 2008. The FASTPEX instrument is described and characteristic properties of the employed ion trap mass spectrometer are discussed. Atmospheric data obtained at altitudes of up to ~12 km are presented, from the boundary layer to the lowermost stratosphere. Data were sampled with a time resolution of 2 s and a 2σ detection limit of 25 pmol mol−1. An isotopically labelled standard was used for a permanent on-line calibration. For this reason the accuracy of the PAN measurements is better than ±10% for mixing ratios greater than 200 pmol mol−1. PAN mixing ratios in the summer Arctic troposphere were in the order of a few hundred pmol mol−1 and generally correlated well with CO. In the Arctic boundary layer and lowermost stratosphere smaller PAN mixing ratios were observed due to a combination of missing local sources of PAN precursor gases and efficient removal processes (thermolysis/photolysis. PPN, the second most abundant PAN homologue, was measured simultaneously. Observed PPN/PAN ratios range between ~0.03 and 0.3.

  11. Efficient programming of human eye conjunctiva-derived induced pluripotent stem (ECiPS) cells into definitive endoderm-like cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massumi, Mohammad; Hoveizi, Elham; Baktash, Parvaneh; Hooti, Abdollah; Ghazizadeh, Leili; Nadri, Samad; Pourasgari, Farzaneh; Hajarizadeh, Athena; Soleimani, Masoud; Nabiuni, Mohammad; Khorramizadeh, Mohammad R

    2014-03-10

    Due to pluripotency of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, and the lack of immunological incompatibility and ethical issues, iPS cells have been considered as an invaluable cell source for future cell replacement therapy. This study was aimed first at establishment of novel iPS cells, ECiPS, which directly reprogrammed from human Eye Conjunctiva-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (EC-MSCs); second, comparing the inductive effects of Wnt3a/Activin A biomolecules to IDE1 small molecule in derivation of definitive endoderm (DE) from the ECiPS cells. To that end, first, the EC-MSCs were transduced by SOKM-expressing lentiviruses and characterized for endogenous expression of embryonic markers Then the established ECiPS cells were induced to DE formation by Wnt3a/Activin A or IDE1. Quantification of GSC, Sox17 and Foxa2 expression, as DE-specific markers, in both mRNA and protein levels revealed that induction of ECiPS cells by either Wnt3a/Activin A or IDE1 could enhance the expression level of the genes; however the levels of increase were higher in Wnt3a/Activin A induced ECiPS-EBs than IDE1 induced cells. Furthermore, the flow cytometry analyses showed no synergistic effect between Activin A and Wnt3a to derive DE-like cells from ECiPS cells. The comparative findings suggest that although both Wnt3a/Activin A signaling and IDE1 molecule could be used for differentiation of iPS into DE cells, the DE-inducing effect of Wnt3a/Activin A was statistically higher than IDE1. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Comparative, validity and responsiveness of the HOOS-PS and KOOS-PS to the WOMAC physical function subscale in total joint replacement for osteoarthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Davis, A M; Perruccio, A V; Canizares, M

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the internal consistency of the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short-form (HOOS-PS) and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short-form (KOOS-PS) in total hip replacement (THR) and total knee (TKR) replacement....... Construct validity and responsiveness were compared to the Western Ontario McMaster Universities' Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) Likert 3.0 physical function (PF) subscale and the PF excluding the items in the short measures (PF-exclusions). METHODS: Participants completed the full HOOS or KOOS, measures...... of fatigue, anxiety, depression and the Chronic Pain Grade (CPG) pre-surgery and the HOOS or KOOS 6 months post-surgery. Internal consistency for the HOOS-PS and KOOS-PS was calculated using Cronbach's alpha. For construct validity, it was hypothesized that correlations between the HOOS-PS or KOOS-PS and PF...

  13. Participant selection for lung cancer screening by risk modelling (the Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer [PanCan] study): a single-arm, prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tammemagi, Martin C; Schmidt, Heidi; Martel, Simon; McWilliams, Annette; Goffin, John R; Johnston, Michael R; Nicholas, Garth; Tremblay, Alain; Bhatia, Rick; Liu, Geoffrey; Soghrati, Kam; Yasufuku, Kazuhiro; Hwang, David M; Laberge, Francis; Gingras, Michel; Pasian, Sergio; Couture, Christian; Mayo, John R; Nasute Fauerbach, Paola V; Atkar-Khattra, Sukhinder; Peacock, Stuart J; Cressman, Sonya; Ionescu, Diana; English, John C; Finley, Richard J; Yee, John; Puksa, Serge; Stewart, Lori; Tsai, Scott; Haider, Ehsan; Boylan, Colm; Cutz, Jean-Claude; Manos, Daria; Xu, Zhaolin; Goss, Glenwood D; Seely, Jean M; Amjadi, Kayvan; Sekhon, Harmanjatinder S; Burrowes, Paul; MacEachern, Paul; Urbanski, Stefan; Sin, Don D; Tan, Wan C; Leighl, Natasha B; Shepherd, Frances A; Evans, William K; Tsao, Ming-Sound; Lam, Stephen

    2017-11-01

    Results from retrospective studies indicate that selecting individuals for low-dose CT lung cancer screening on the basis of a highly predictive risk model is superior to using criteria similar to those used in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST; age, pack-year, and smoking quit-time). We designed the Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer (PanCan) study to assess the efficacy of a risk prediction model to select candidates for lung cancer screening, with the aim of determining whether this approach could better detect patients with early, potentially curable, lung cancer. We did this single-arm, prospective study in eight centres across Canada. We recruited participants aged 50-75 years, who had smoked at some point in their life (ever-smokers), and who did not have a self-reported history of lung cancer. Participants had at least a 2% 6-year risk of lung cancer as estimated by the PanCan model, a precursor to the validated PLCOm2012 model. Risk variables in the model were age, smoking duration, pack-years, family history of lung cancer, education level, body-mass index, chest x-ray in the past 3 years, and history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Individuals were screened with low-dose CT at baseline (T0), and at 1 (T1) and 4 (T4) years post-baseline. The primary outcome of the study was incidence of lung cancer. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00751660. 7059 queries came into the study coordinating centre and were screened for PanCan risk. 15 were duplicates, so 7044 participants were considered for enrolment. Between Sept 24, 2008, and Dec 17, 2010, we recruited and enrolled 2537 eligible ever-smokers. After a median follow-up of 5·5 years (IQR 3·2-6·1), 172 lung cancers were diagnosed in 164 individuals (cumulative incidence 0·065 [95% CI 0·055-0·075], incidence rate 138·1 per 10 000 person-years [117·8-160·9]). There were ten interval lung cancers (6% of lung cancers and 6% of individuals with cancer

  14. Structural valve deterioration in a starr-edwards mitral caged-disk valve prosthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aoyagi, Shigeaki; Tayama, Kei-Ichiro; Okazaki, Teiji; Shintani, Yusuke; Kono, Michitaka; Wada, Kumiko; Kosuga, Ken-Ichi; Mori, Ryusuke; Tanaka, Hiroyuki

    2013-01-01

    The durability of the Starr-Edwards (SE) mitral caged-disk valve, model 6520, is not clearly known, and structural valve deterioration in the SE disk valve is very rare. Replacement of the SE mitral disk valve was performed in 7 patients 23-40 years after implantation. Macroscopic examination of the removed disk valves showed no structural abnormalities in 3 patients, in whom the disk valves were removed at valves excised >36 years after implantation in 4 patients. Disk fracture, a longitudinal split in the disk along its circumference at the site of incorporation of the titanium ring, was detected in the valves removed 36 and 40 years after implantation, respectively, and many cracks were also observed on the outflow aspect of the disk removed 40 years after implantation. Disk fracture and localized disk wear were found in the SE mitral disk valves implanted >36 years previously. The present results suggest that SE mitral caged-disk valves implanted >20 years previously should be carefully followed up, and that those implanted >30 years previously should be electively replaced with modern prosthetic valves

  15. Mustn1: A Developmentally Regulated Pan-Musculoskeletal Cell Marker and Regulatory Gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Hadjiargyrou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The Mustn1 gene encodes a small nuclear protein (~9.6 kDa that does not belong to any known family. Its genomic organization consists of three exons interspersed by two introns and it is highly homologous across vertebrate species. Promoter analyses revealed that its expression is regulated by the AP family of transcription factors, especially c-Fos, Fra-2 and JunD. Mustn1 is predominantly expressed in the major tissues of the musculoskeletal system: bone, cartilage, skeletal muscle and tendon. Its expression has been associated with normal embryonic development, postnatal growth, exercise, and regeneration of bone and skeletal muscle. Moreover, its expression has also been detected in various musculoskeletal pathologies, including arthritis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, other skeletal muscle myopathies, clubfoot and diabetes associated muscle pathology. In vitro and in vivo functional perturbation revealed that Mustn1 is a key regulatory molecule in myogenic and chondrogenic lineages. This comprehensive review summarizes our current knowledge of Mustn1 and proposes that it is a new developmentally regulated pan-musculoskeletal marker as well as a key regulatory protein for cell differentiation and tissue growth.

  16. Sampling bee communities using pan traps: alternative methods increase sample size

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monitoring of the status of bee populations and inventories of bee faunas require systematic sampling. Efficiency and ease of implementation has encouraged the use of pan traps to sample bees. Efforts to find an optimal standardized sampling method for pan traps have focused on pan trap color. Th...

  17. ATLAS World-cloud and networking in PanDA

    CERN Document Server

    Barreiro Megino, Fernando Harald; The ATLAS collaboration; De, Kaushik; Di Girolamo, Alessandro; Walker, Rodney

    2016-01-01

    The ATLAS computing model was originally designed as static clouds (usually national or geographical groupings of sites) around the Tier 1 centers, which confined tasks and most of the data traffic. Since those early days, the sites' network bandwidth has increased at O(1000) and the difference in functionalities between Tier 1s and Tier 2s has reduced. After years of manual, intermediate solutions, we have now ramped up to full usage of World-cloud, the latest step in the PanDA Workload Management System to increase resource utilization on the ATLAS Grid, for all workflows (MC production, data (re)processing, etc.). We have based the development on two new site concepts. Nuclei sites are the Tier 1s and large Tier 2s, where tasks will be assigned and the output aggregated, and satellites are the sites that will execute the jobs and send the output to their nucleus. Nuclei and satellite sites are dynamically paired by PanDA for each task based on the input data availability, capability matching, site load and...

  18. ATLAS WORLD-cloud and networking in PanDA

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(SzGeCERN)643806; The ATLAS collaboration; De, Kaushik; Di Girolamo, Alessandro; Maeno, Tadashi; Walker, Rodney

    2017-01-01

    The ATLAS computing model was originally designed as static clouds (usually national or geographical groupings of sites) around the Tier 1 centres, which confined tasks and most of the data traffic. Since those early days, the sites' network bandwidth has increased at 0(1000) and the difference in functionalities between Tier 1s and Tier 2s has reduced. After years of manual, intermediate solutions, we have now ramped up to full usage of World-cloud, the latest step in the PanDA Workload Management System to increase resource utilization on the ATLAS Grid, for all workflows (MC production, data (re)processing, etc.). We have based the development on two new site concepts. Nuclei sites are the Tier 1s and large Tier 2s, where tasks will be assigned and the output aggregated, and satellites are the sites that will execute the jobs and send the output to their nucleus. PanDA dynamically pairs nuclei and satellite sites for each task based on the input data availability, capability matching, site load and network...

  19. Overexpression of Notch3 and pS6 Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Human Ovarian Epithelial Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhaoxia Liu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Notch3 and pS6 play important roles in tumor angiogenesis. To assess the expression of Notch3 and pS6 in Chinese ovarian epithelial cancer patients, a ten-year follow-up study was performed in ovarian epithelial cancer tissues from 120 specimens of human ovarian epithelial cancer, 30 specimens from benign ovarian tumors, and 30 samples from healthy ovaries by immunohistochemistry. The results indicate that the expression of Notch3 and pS6 was higher in ovarian epithelial cancer than in normal ovary tissues and in benign ovarian tumor tissues (p0.05 but positively associated with clinical stage, pathological grading, histologic type, lymph node metastasis, and ascites (p<0.05 or p<0.01. A follow-up survey of 64 patients with ovarian epithelial cancer showed that patients with high Notch3 and pS6 expression had a shorter survival time (p<0.01, in which the clinical stage (p<0.05 and Notch3 expression (p<0.01 played important roles. In conclusion, Notch3 and pS6 are significantly related to ovarian epithelial cancer development and prognosis, and their combination represents a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in ovarian tumor angiogenesis.

  20. 80 kV electrostatic wire septum for AmPS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linden, A. van der; Bijleveld, J.H.M.; Rookhuizen, H.B.; Bruinsma, P.J.T.; Heine, E.; Lassing, P.; Prins, E.

    1992-01-01

    The Amsterdam Pulse Stretcher (AmPS) ring aims at a 100% duty cycle operation by means of slow extraction of injected electron beam pulses of 2.1 μs. In the extraction process of the AmPS, the extracted beam is intercepted from the circulating beam by the 1 m long electrostatic wire septum. For a bending angle of 4.4 mrad the maximum anode voltage is 80 kV. Care has been given to the electric field distribution at the entrance and exit of the septum and to the insulators, required to support the anode. Prototype tests have been successful up to an anode voltage of 120 kV. (R.P.) 9 refs.; 5 figs

  1. Validation of a food quantification picture book targeting children of 0–10 years of age for pan-European and national dietary surveys

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trolle, Ellen; Vandevijvere, Stefanie; Ruprich, Jiří

    2013-01-01

    and children for future pan-European and national dietary surveys. Identical validation sessions were conducted in three European countries. In each country, forty-five foods were evaluated; thirty-eight foods were the same as the depicted foods, and seven foods were different, but meant to be quantified......The aim of the present study was to validate thirty-eight picture series of six pictures each developed within the PANCAKE (Pilot study for the Assessment of Nutrient intake and food Consumption Among Kids in Europe) project for portion size estimation of foods consumed by infants, toddlers...... by the use of one of the thirty-eight picture series. Each single picture within a picture series was evaluated six times by means of predefined portions. Therefore, thirty-six pre-weighed portions of each food were evaluated by convenience samples of parents having children aged from 3 months to 10 years...

  2. The LLL compact 10-ps streak camera

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, S.W.; Houghton, J.W.; Tripp, G.R.; Coleman, L.W.

    1975-01-01

    The 10-ps streak camera has been redesigned to simplify its operation, reduce manufacturing costs, and improve its appearance. The electronics have been simplified, a film indexer added, and a contacted slit has been evaluated. Data support a 10-ps resolution. (author)

  3. PS, SL and LHC Auditoria change names

    CERN Multimedia

    2003-01-01

    Following the replacement of the PS, SL and LHC Divisions by the AB and AT Divisions, the Auditoria are also changing their names. PS Auditorium is renamed AB Meyrin SL Auditorium is renamed AB Prévessin LHC Auditorium is renamed AT

  4. Pan-sharpening via compressed superresolution reconstruction and multidictionary learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Cheng; Liu, Fang; Li, Lingling; Jiao, Licheng; Hao, Hongxia; Shang, Ronghua; Li, Yangyang

    2018-01-01

    In recent compressed sensing (CS)-based pan-sharpening algorithms, pan-sharpening performance is affected by two key problems. One is that there are always errors between the high-resolution panchromatic (HRP) image and the linear weighted high-resolution multispectral (HRM) image, resulting in spatial and spectral information lost. The other is that the dictionary construction process depends on the nontruth training samples. These problems have limited applications to CS-based pan-sharpening algorithm. To solve these two problems, we propose a pan-sharpening algorithm via compressed superresolution reconstruction and multidictionary learning. Through a two-stage implementation, compressed superresolution reconstruction model reduces the error effectively between the HRP and the linear weighted HRM images. Meanwhile, the multidictionary with ridgelet and curvelet is learned for both the two stages in the superresolution reconstruction process. Since ridgelet and curvelet can better capture the structure and directional characteristics, a better reconstruction result can be obtained. Experiments are done on the QuickBird and IKONOS satellites images. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm is competitive compared with the recent CS-based pan-sharpening methods and other well-known methods.

  5. Experience with ATLAS MySQL PanDA database service

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smirnov, Y; Wlodek, T; Hover, J; Smith, J; Wenaus, T; Yu, D; De, K; Ozturk, N

    2010-01-01

    The PanDA distributed production and analysis system has been in production use for ATLAS data processing and analysis since late 2005 in the US, and globally throughout ATLAS since early 2008. Its core architecture is based on a set of stateless web services served by Apache and backed by a suite of MySQL databases that are the repository for all PanDA information: active and archival job queues, dataset and file catalogs, site configuration information, monitoring information, system control parameters, and so on. This database system is one of the most critical components of PanDA, and has successfully delivered the functional and scaling performance required by PanDA, currently operating at a scale of half a million jobs per week, with much growth still to come. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of the PanDA database system, its architecture of MySQL servers deployed at BNL and CERN, backup strategy and monitoring tools. The system has been developed, thoroughly tested, and brought to production to provide highly reliable, scalable, flexible and available database services for ATLAS Monte Carlo production, reconstruction and physics analysis.

  6. Experience with ATLAS MySQL PanDA database service

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smirnov, Y; Wlodek, T; Hover, J; Smith, J; Wenaus, T; Yu, D [Physics Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000 (United States); De, K; Ozturk, N [Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019 (United States)

    2010-04-01

    The PanDA distributed production and analysis system has been in production use for ATLAS data processing and analysis since late 2005 in the US, and globally throughout ATLAS since early 2008. Its core architecture is based on a set of stateless web services served by Apache and backed by a suite of MySQL databases that are the repository for all PanDA information: active and archival job queues, dataset and file catalogs, site configuration information, monitoring information, system control parameters, and so on. This database system is one of the most critical components of PanDA, and has successfully delivered the functional and scaling performance required by PanDA, currently operating at a scale of half a million jobs per week, with much growth still to come. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of the PanDA database system, its architecture of MySQL servers deployed at BNL and CERN, backup strategy and monitoring tools. The system has been developed, thoroughly tested, and brought to production to provide highly reliable, scalable, flexible and available database services for ATLAS Monte Carlo production, reconstruction and physics analysis.

  7. Cross-linked PAN-based thin-film composite membranes for non-aqueous nanofiltration

    KAUST Repository

    Pérez-Manríquez, Liliana

    2015-01-01

    A new approach on the development of cross-linked PAN based thin film composite (TFC) membranes for non-aqueous application is presented in this work. Polypropylene backed neat PAN membranes fabricated by phase inversion process were cross-linked with hydrazine to get excellent solvent stability toward dimethylformamide (DMF). By interfacial polymerization a selective polyamide active layer was coated over the cross-linked PAN using N,N′-diamino piperazine (DAP) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) as monomers. Permeation and molecular weight cut off (MWCO) experiments using various dyes were done to evaluate the performance of the membranes. Membranes developed by such method show excellent solvent stability toward DMF with a permeance of 1.7 L/m2 h bar and a molecular weight cut-off of less than 600 Da.

  8. PanDA Beyond ATLAS: Workload Management for Data Intensive Science

    CERN Document Server

    Schovancova, J; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, A; Maeno, T; Nilsson, P; Oleynik, D; Panitkin, S; Petrosyan, A; Vaniachine, A; Wenaus, T; Yu, D

    2013-01-01

    The PanDA Production ANd Distributed Analysis system has been developed by ATLAS to meet the experiment's requirements for a data-driven workload management system for production and distributed analysis processing capable of operating at LHC data processing scale. After 7 years of impressively successful PanDA operation in ATLAS there are also other experiments which can benefit from PanDA in the Big Data challenge, with several at various stages of evaluation and adoption. The new project "Next Generation Workload Management and Analysis System for Big Data" is extending PanDA to meet the needs of other data intensive scientific applications in HEP, astro-particle and astrophysics communities, bio-informatics and other fields as a general solution to large scale workload management. PanDA can utilize dedicated or opportunistic computing resources such as grids, clouds, and High Performance Computing facilities, and is being extended to leverage next generation intelligent networks in automated workflow mana...

  9. Human hair follicle pluripotent stem (hfPS) cells promote regeneration of peripheral-nerve injury: an advantageous alternative to ES and iPS cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amoh, Yasuyuki; Kanoh, Maho; Niiyama, Shiro; Hamada, Yuko; Kawahara, Katsumasa; Sato, Yuichi; Hoffman, Robert M; Katsuoka, Kensei

    2009-08-01

    The optimal source of stem cells for regenerative medicine is a major question. Embryonic stem (ES) cells have shown promise for pluripotency but have ethical issues and potential to form teratomas. Pluripotent stem cells have been produced from skin cells by either viral-, plasmid- or transposon-mediated gene transfer. These stem cells have been termed induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells. iPS cells may also have malignant potential and are inefficiently produced. Embryonic stem cells may not be suited for individualized therapy, since they can undergo immunologic rejection. To address these fundamental problems, our group is developing hair follicle pluripotent stem (hfPS) cells. Our previous studies have shown that mouse hfPS cells can differentiate to neurons, glial cells in vitro, and other cell types, and can promote nerve and spinal cord regeneration in vivo. hfPS cells are located above the hair follicle bulge in what we have termed the hfPS cell area (hfPSA) and are nestin positive and keratin 15 (K-15) negative. Human hfPS cells can also differentiate into neurons, glia, keratinocytes, smooth muscle cells, and melanocytes in vitro. In the present study, human hfPS cells were transplanted in the severed sciatic nerve of the mouse where they differentiated into glial fibrillary-acidic-protein (GFAP)-positive Schwann cells and promoted the recovery of pre-existing axons, leading to nerve generation. The regenerated nerve recovered function and, upon electrical stimulation, contracted the gastrocnemius muscle. The hfPS cells can be readily isolated from the human scalp, thereby providing an accessible, autologous and safe source of stem cells for regenerative medicine that have important advantages over ES or iPS cells. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  10. Microbial comparative pan-genomics using binomial mixture models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ussery David W

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The size of the core- and pan-genome of bacterial species is a topic of increasing interest due to the growing number of sequenced prokaryote genomes, many from the same species. Attempts to estimate these quantities have been made, using regression methods or mixture models. We extend the latter approach by using statistical ideas developed for capture-recapture problems in ecology and epidemiology. Results We estimate core- and pan-genome sizes for 16 different bacterial species. The results reveal a complex dependency structure for most species, manifested as heterogeneous detection probabilities. Estimated pan-genome sizes range from small (around 2600 gene families in Buchnera aphidicola to large (around 43000 gene families in Escherichia coli. Results for Echerichia coli show that as more data become available, a larger diversity is estimated, indicating an extensive pool of rarely occurring genes in the population. Conclusion Analyzing pan-genomics data with binomial mixture models is a way to handle dependencies between genomes, which we find is always present. A bottleneck in the estimation procedure is the annotation of rarely occurring genes.

  11. Psühhodraama - spontaansuse kool / Taimi Elenurm

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Elenurm, Taimi

    2010-01-01

    Viinis ja New Yorgis tegutsenud psühhiaatri Jakob Levy Moreno loodud psühhodraamast, mis võimaldab rollimängu kaudu näha ennast läbi teiste silmade, aga ka vabaneda pingetest andes võimaluse käituda teisiti kui tavaelus

  12. Radiological Protection Measurements Implemented during the 16. Pan American and 4. ParaPan American Games: Guadalajara, Mexico, 2011

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2014-02-01

    Terrorism remains a threat to international stability and security. Often national and international high level public events are the subject of much public interest and receive extensive coverage in the media. In this sense, it is well known that there is a real threat of a terrorist attack in important public events, such as major economic summits, high level political meetings or sporting events. In 1955 and 1975, the 2nd and 7th Pan American Games were organized by the City of Mexico. In 2011, the Pan American Games was the third event of its kind held in Guadalajara, Jalisco. At the national level, the implementation of nuclear security measures in the Pan American Games laid the foundations for a sustainable national nuclear security framework that will continue long after the event. The political decision, the existing legal basis and structure, agency coordination facilitated the incorporation of nuclear security measures. It was also a challenge to integrate all the relevant organizations, provide focus to the threat of terrorism linked to weapons of mass destruction for security games, plan resources and execute the project on time, among other details. For this reason, information and lessons learned that are reported in this document, received in Mexico during the 16th edition of the Pan American Games will be useful for the implementation of nuclear security measures in States with similar situations

  13. Probing the canonicity of the Wnt/Wingless signaling pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra Franz

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The hallmark of canonical Wnt signaling is the transcriptional induction of Wnt target genes by the beta-catenin/TCF complex. Several studies have proposed alternative interaction partners for beta-catenin or TCF, but the relevance of potential bifurcations in the distal Wnt pathway remains unclear. Here we study on a genome-wide scale the requirement for Armadillo (Arm, Drosophila beta-catenin and Pangolin (Pan, Drosophila TCF in the Wnt/Wingless(Wg-induced transcriptional response of Drosophila Kc cells. Using somatic genetics, we demonstrate that both Arm and Pan are absolutely required for mediating activation and repression of target genes. Furthermore, by means of STARR-sequencing we identified Wnt/Wg-responsive enhancer elements and found that all responsive enhancers depend on Pan. Together, our results confirm the dogma of canonical Wnt/Wg signaling and argue against the existence of distal pathway branches in this system.

  14. Tidal streams in the local group and beyond observations and implications

    CERN Document Server

    Carlin, Jeffrey

    2016-01-01

    This volume is written by leading scientists in the field, who review the current state of our knowledge of tidal streams in the Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy, and in other nearby galaxies.  The cosmological origins of dwarf galaxies and the physical processes by which they are tidally disrupted into streams and incorporated into galaxy halos are discussed. The techniques that have been used to identify tidal streams are presented, and will be useful to researchers who would like to find substructures in the next generation of optical sky surveys, including Pan-STARRS and LSST.  The methods that are currently under development to constrain both large scale distribution of dark matter in the Milky Way and the (small scale) lumpiness of the dark matter distribution are also explained.  The authors also provide motivation for future spectroscopic surveys of Milky Way halo stars, which will aid both in the identification of tidal streams and the constraint of dark matter properties.This volume is aimed at g...

  15. Natural IgM and TLR Agonists Switch Murine Splenic Pan-B to “Regulatory” Cells That Suppress Ischemia-Induced Innate Inflammation via Regulating NKT-1 Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter I. Lobo

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Natural IgM anti-leukocyte autoantibodies (IgM-ALAs inhibit inflammation by several mechanisms. Here, we show that pan-B cells and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs are switched to regulatory cells when pretreated ex vivo with IgM. B cells are also switched to regulatory cells when pretreated ex vivo with CpG but not with LPS. Pre-emptive infusion of such ex vivo induced regulatory cells protects C57BL/6 mice from ischemia-induced acute kidney injury (AKI via regulation of in vivo NKT-1 cells, which normally amplify the innate inflammatory response to DAMPS released after reperfusion of the ischemic kidney. Such ex vivo induced regulatory pan-B cells and BMDC express low CD1d and inhibit inflammation by regulating in vivo NKT-1 in the context of low-lipid antigen presentation and by a mechanism that requires costimulatory molecules, CD1d, PDL1/PD1, and IL10. Second, LPS and CpG have opposite effects on induction of regulatory activity in BMDC and B cells. LPS enhances regulatory activity of IgM-pretreated BMDC but negates the IgM-induced regulatory activity in B cells, while CpG, with or without IgM pretreatment, induces regulatory activity in B cells but not in BMDC. Differences in the response of pan-B and dendritic cells to LPS and CpG, especially in the presence of IgM-ALA, may have relevance during infections and inflammatory disorders where there is an increased IgM-ALA and release of TLRs 4 and 9 ligands. Ex vivo induced regulatory pan-B cells could have therapeutic relevance as these easily available cells can be pre-emptively infused to prevent AKI that can occur during open heart surgery or in transplant recipients receiving deceased donor organs.

  16. Archive of Digital Boomer Seismic Reflection Data Collected During USGS Field Activity 96LCA04 in Lakes Mabel and Starr, Central Florida, August 1996

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Arnell S.; Dadisman, Shawn V.; Swancar, Amy; Tihansky, Ann B.; Flocks, James G.; Wiese, Dana S.

    2008-01-01

    In August of 1996, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted geophysical surveys of Lakes Mabel and Starr, central Florida, as part of the Central Highlands Lakes project, which is part of a larger USGS Lakes and Coastal Aquifers (LCA) study. This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital boomer seismic reflection data, trackline maps, navigation files, Geographic Information System (GIS) files, observer's logbook; and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. Filtered and gained (a relative increase in signal amplitude) digital images of the seismic profiles are also provided. Refer to the Acronyms page for expansions of acronyms and abbreviations used in this report. For detailed information about the hydrologic setting of Lake Starr and the interpretation of some of these seismic reflection data, see Swancar and others (2000) at http://fl.water.usgs.gov/publications/Abstracts/wri00_4030_swancar.html. The archived trace data are in standard Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) SEG-Y format (Barry and others, 1975) and may be downloaded and processed with commercial or public domain software such as Seismic Unix (SU). Example SU processing scripts and USGS software for viewing the SEG-Y files (Zihlman, 1992) are also provided. The USGS Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC) - St. Petersburg assigns a unique identifier to each cruise or field activity. For example, 96LCA04 tells us the data were collected in 1996 for the Lakes and Coastal Aquifers (LCA) study and the data were collected during the fourth field activity for that project in that calendar year. Refer to http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/programs/html/definition/activity.html for a detailed description of the method used to assign the field activity ID. The boomer plate is an acoustic energy source that consists of capacitors charged to a high voltage and discharged through a transducer in the water. The transducer is towed on a sled floating on the water surface and when

  17. A survey of backward proton and pion production in p+C interactions at beam momenta from 1 to 400 GeV/c

    CERN Document Server

    Chvala, O.; Makariev, M.; Rybicki, A.; Varga, D.; Wenig, S.

    2013-01-01

    New data on proton and pion production in p+C interactions from the CERN PS and SPS accelerators are used in conjunction with other available data sets to perform a comprehensive survey of backward hadronic cross sections. This survey covers the complete backward hemisphere in the range of lab angles from 10 to 180 degrees, from 0.2 to 1.4 GeV/c in lab momentum and from 1 to 400 GeV/c in projectile momentum. Using the constraints of continuity and smoothness of the angular, momentum and energy dependences a consistent description of the inclusive cross sections is established which allows the control of the internal consistency of the nineteen available data sets.

  18. Capturing pan-Canadian Primary Health Care indicator data using multiple approaches for data collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Vicky; Sullivan-Taylor, Patricia; Webster, Greg; Macphail, Judith

    2009-01-01

    The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), in collaboration with diverse stakeholders, led the development of pan-Canadian indicators to measure primary health care. In 2006, CIHI released a set of 105 pan-Canadian Primary Health Care (PHC) indicators that were developed with the assistance of national, provincial and territorial representatives, clinicians and researchers. Additionally, data gaps were identified in a series of reports. In 2006 and 2007, CIHI assessed options for closing the data gaps so that the indicators could be measured and reported. CIHI then began a program to build the data infrastructure needed for the PHC indicators. The program included the development of content standards for electronic medical records, a prototype of a voluntary reporting system, enhancements to surveys, and the development of reports. In 2006, fewer than 10% of the 105 indicators could be calculated with existing data sources. Now, four projects have begun and over 50% of the indicators are being captured. Important relationships have been established with key collaborators. These relationships will lead to the development of a reporting system prototype and to the refinement of PHC indicators and electronic medical record (EMR) content standards. The project for pan-Canadian PHC indicators has encouraged consultation and synergy. It has motivated CIHI to establish an information program to fill data gaps and to make PHC indicators available.

  19. Erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelium ameliorates Alzheimer's disease-related pathologies in APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai-Teng, Tzeng; Chin-Chu, Chen; Li-Ya, Lee; Wan-Ping, Chen; Chung-Kuang, Lu; Chien-Chang, Shen; Chi-Ying, Huang F; Chien-Chih, Chen; Shiao, Young-Ji

    2016-06-27

    The fruiting body of Hericium erinaceus has been demonstrated to possess anti-dementia activity in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease and people with mild cognitive impairment. However, the therapeutic potential of Hericium erinaceus mycelia on Alzheimer's disease remains unclear. In this study, the effects of erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia (HE-My) on the pathological changes in APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease are studied. After a 30 day oral administration to 5 month-old female APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice, we found that HE-My and its ethanol extracts (HE-Et) attenuated cerebral Aβ plaque burden. It's worth noting that the attenuated portion of a plaque is the non-compact structure. The level of insulin-degrading enzyme was elevated by both HE-My and HE-Et in cerebral cortex. On the other hand, the number of plaque-activated microglia and astrocytes in cerebral cortex and hippocampus were diminished, the ratio of nerve growth factor (NGF) to NGF precursor (proNGF) was increased and hippocampal neurogenesis was promoted after these administrations. All the mentioned benefits of these administrations may therefore improve the declined activity of daily living skill in APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice. These results highlight the therapeutic potential of HE-My and HE-Et on Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, the effective components of HE-My and HE-Et are worth to be developed to become a therapeutic drug for Alzheimer's disease.

  20. The chitinase C gene PsChiC from Pseudomonas sp. and its synergistic effects on larvicidal activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wanfang Zhong

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Pseudomonas sp. strain TXG6-1, a chitinolytic gram-negative bacterium, was isolated from a vegetable field in Taixing city, Jiangsu Province, China. In this study, a Pseudomonas chitinase C gene (PsChiC was isolated from the chromosomal DNA of this bacterium using a pair of specific primers. The PsChiC gene consisted of an open reading frame of 1443 nucleotides and encoded 480 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 51.66 kDa. The deduced PsChiC amino acid sequence lacked a signal sequence and consisted of a glycoside hydrolase family 18 catalytic domain responsible for chitinase activity, a fibronectin type III-like domain (FLD and a C-terminal chitin-binding domain (ChBD. The amino acid sequence of PsChiCshowed high sequence homology (> 95% with chitinase C from Serratia marcescens. SDS-PAGE showed that the molecular mass of chitinase PsChiC was 52 kDa. Chitinase assays revealed that the chitobiosidase and endochitinase activities of PsChiCwere 51.6- and 84.1-fold higher than those of pET30a, respectively. Although PsChiC showed little insecticidal activity towards Spodoptera litura larvae, an insecticidal assay indicated that PsChiC increased the insecticidal toxicity of SpltNPV by 1.78-fold at 192 h and hastened death. These results suggest that PsChiC from Pseudomonas sp. could be useful in improving the pathogenicity of baculoviruses.

  1. Pathogenicity of pan-drug-resistant Serratia marcescens harbouring blaNDM-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, Teresa M; Göttig, Stephan; Mark, Laura; Christ, Sara; Kempf, Volkhard A J; Wichelhaus, Thomas A; Hamprecht, Axel

    2015-04-01

    To characterize a pan-drug-resistant Serratia marcescens clinical isolate carrying the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-1. The presence of β-lactamase genes was examined by PCR and sequencing. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by antibiotic gradient test. Transformation assays, transconjugation assays, PFGE and PCR-based replicon typing were used for plasmid analysis. Horizontal gene transfer was evaluated by liquid mating using Escherichia coli J53 as a recipient. Pathogenicity of NDM-1 expressing S. marcescens was analysed using the Galleria mellonella infection model. S. marcescens isolate SM1890 was non-susceptible to all tested antibiotics, with minocycline retaining intermediate activity. blaNDM-1 was located on a 140 kb IncA/C-type plasmid which was transferable to E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae by conjugation. The LD50 of the NDM-positive, SM1890 isolate was higher than that of other, NDM-1 negative, S. marcescens strains. The presence of a blaNDM-1-harbouring IncA/C plasmid resulted in marked resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, but had no significant effect on virulence of isogenic strains. Because of the intrinsic resistance of S. marcescens to colistin and reduced susceptibility to tigecycline, treatment options for infections by NDM-1-positive isolates are extremely limited in this species. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. Huperzine A alleviates synaptic deficits and modulates amyloidogenic and nonamyloidogenic pathways in APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ying; Tang, Xi Can; Zhang, Hai Yan

    2012-02-01

    Huperzine A (HupA) is a potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, HupA was shown to be active in modulating the nonamyloidogenic metabolism of β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) in APP-transfected human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293swe). However, in vivo research concerning the mechanism of HupA in APP transgenic mice has not yet been fully elucidated. The present study indicates that the loss of dendritic spine density and synaptotagmin levels in the brain of APPswe/presenilin-1 (PS1) transgenic mice was significantly ameliorated by chronic HupA treatment and provides evidence that this neuroprotection was associated with reduced amyloid plaque burden and oligomeric β-amyloid (Aβ) levels in the cortex and hippocampus of APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice. Our findings further demonstrate that the amelioration effect of HupA on Aβ deposits may be mediated, at least in part, by regulation of the compromised expression of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) and excessive membrane trafficking of β-site APP cleavage enzyme 1 (BACE1) in these transgenic mice. In addition, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (Erk1/2) phosphorylation may also be partially involved in the effect of HupA on APP processing. In conclusion, our work for the first time demonstrates the neuroprotective effect of HupA on synaptic deficits in APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice and further clarifies the potential pharmacological targets for this protective effect, in which modulation of nonamyloidogenic and amyloidogenic APP processing pathways may be both involved. These findings may provide adequate evidence for the clinical and experimental benefits gained from HupA treatment. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Ps 22 in Gospels’ interpretation of Passion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sylwester Jędrzejewski

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Ps 22 is a piece of artistically high poetry, clear images and metaphors, historical and prophetic references. The conviction of biblical scholars that the New Testament writers has recognized in Ps 22 prophetic witness of passion, accompanies the Church from its beginnings. The words of Jesus on the cross, taken from Ps 22: 2, have a character of lamentable re-symbolization of the prayer of Israel. These words establish a theological answer in the form of suitable credo as well. Dramatic question “why?” is connected with a proclamation and identification “My God”. The personal experience of oppression and death is included by Jesus in the history of his nation and in the experience of God. Ps 22 in the Gospels’ passion context becomes a proclamation form of prayer and a very personal, expressed in such dramatic circumstances confession of the faith.

  4. Clash of pans: pan-Africanism and pan-Anglo-Saxonism and the global colour line, 1919–1945

    OpenAIRE

    Ledwidge, M.; Parmar, I.

    2017-01-01

    The article demonstrates both conceptually and empirically that pan-Anglo-Saxonist knowledge networks reconstructed and reimagined an apparently de-racialised, scientific, sober and liberal world order that outwardly abandoned, but did not eradicate the twin phenomena of racism and imperialism. Rather the new liberal (imperial) internationalists, organised in newly formed “think tanks” such as Chatham House and the Council on Foreign Relations, and through their increasingly global elite netw...

  5. PanCoreGen – profiling, detecting, annotating protein-coding genes in microbial genomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhardwaj, Archana; Bag, Sumit K; Sokurenko, Evgeni V.

    2015-01-01

    A large amount of genomic data, especially from multiple isolates of a single species, has opened new vistas for microbial genomics analysis. Analyzing pan-genome (i.e. the sum of genetic repertoire) of microbial species is crucial in understanding the dynamics of molecular evolution, where virulence evolution is of major interest. Here we present PanCoreGen – a standalone application for pan- and core-genomic profiling of microbial protein-coding genes. PanCoreGen overcomes key limitations of the existing pan-genomic analysis tools, and develops an integrated annotation-structure for species-specific pan-genomic profile. It provides important new features for annotating draft genomes/contigs and detecting unidentified genes in annotated genomes. It also generates user-defined group-specific datasets within the pan-genome. Interestingly, analyzing an example-set of Salmonella genomes, we detect potential footprints of adaptive convergence of horizontally transferred genes in two human-restricted pathogenic serovars – Typhi and Paratyphi A. Overall, PanCoreGen represents a state-of-the-art tool for microbial phylogenomics and pathogenomics study. PMID:26456591

  6. The future of PanDA in ATLAS distributed computing

    Science.gov (United States)

    De, K.; Klimentov, A.; Maeno, T.; Nilsson, P.; Oleynik, D.; Panitkin, S.; Petrosyan, A.; Schovancova, J.; Vaniachine, A.; Wenaus, T.

    2015-12-01

    Experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) face unprecedented computing challenges. Heterogeneous resources are distributed worldwide at hundreds of sites, thousands of physicists analyse the data remotely, the volume of processed data is beyond the exabyte scale, while data processing requires more than a few billion hours of computing usage per year. The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) system was developed to meet the scale and complexity of LHC distributed computing for the ATLAS experiment. In the process, the old batch job paradigm of locally managed computing in HEP was discarded in favour of a far more automated, flexible and scalable model. The success of PanDA in ATLAS is leading to widespread adoption and testing by other experiments. PanDA is the first exascale workload management system in HEP, already operating at more than a million computing jobs per day, and processing over an exabyte of data in 2013. There are many new challenges that PanDA will face in the near future, in addition to new challenges of scale, heterogeneity and increasing user base. PanDA will need to handle rapidly changing computing infrastructure, will require factorization of code for easier deployment, will need to incorporate additional information sources including network metrics in decision making, be able to control network circuits, handle dynamically sized workload processing, provide improved visualization, and face many other challenges. In this talk we will focus on the new features, planned or recently implemented, that are relevant to the next decade of distributed computing workload management using PanDA.

  7. Predictions of Planet Detections with Near-infrared Radial Velocities in the Upcoming SPIRou Legacy Survey-planet Search

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cloutier, Ryan; Artigau, Étienne; Delfosse, Xavier; Malo, Lison; Moutou, Claire; Doyon, René; Donati, Jean-Francois; Cumming, Andrew; Dumusque, Xavier; Hébrard, Élodie; Menou, Kristen

    2018-02-01

    The SPIRou near-infrared spectropolarimeter is destined to begin science operations at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope in mid-2018. One of the instrument’s primary science goals is to discover the closest exoplanets to the solar system by conducting a three- to five-year long radial velocity survey of nearby M dwarfs at an expected precision of ∼1 m s‑1, the SPIRou Legacy Survey-Planet Search (SLS-PS). In this study, we conduct a detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the SLS-PS using our current understanding of the occurrence rate of M dwarf planetary systems and physical models of stellar activity. From simultaneous modeling of planetary signals and activity, we predict the population of planets to be detected in the SLS-PS. With our fiducial survey strategy and expected instrument performance over a nominal survey length of ∼3 years, we expect SPIRou to detect {85.3}-12.4+29.3 planets including {20.0}-7.2+16.8 habitable-zone planets and {8.1}-3.2+7.6 Earth-like planets from a sample of 100 M1–M8.5 dwarfs out to 11 pc. By studying mid-to-late M dwarfs previously inaccessible to existing optical velocimeters, SPIRou will put meaningful constraints on the occurrence rate of planets around those stars including the value of {η }\\oplus at an expected level of precision of ≲ 45 % . We also predict that a subset of {46.7}-6.0+16.0 planets may be accessible with dedicated high-contrast imagers on the next generation of extremely large telescopes including {4.9}-2.0+4.7 potentially imagable Earth-like planets. Lastly, we compare the results of our fiducial survey strategy to other foreseeable survey versions to quantify which strategy is optimized to reach the SLS-PS science goals. The results of our simulations are made available to the community on GitHub (https://github.com/r-cloutier/SLSPS_Simulations).

  8. PS1/γ-Secretase-Mediated Cadherin Cleavage Induces β-Catenin Nuclear Translocation and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danielle C. Bonfim

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs are considered a promising tool for bone bioengineering. However, the mechanisms controlling osteoblastic commitment are still unclear. Osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs requires the activation of β-catenin signaling, classically known to be regulated by the canonical Wnt pathway. However, BMSCs treatment with canonical Wnts in vitro does not always result in osteogenic differentiation and evidence indicates that a more complex signaling pathway, involving cadherins, would be required to induce β-catenin signaling in these cells. Here we showed that Wnt3a alone did not induce TCF activation in BMSCs, maintaining the cells at a proliferative state. On the other hand, we verified that, upon BMSCs osteoinduction with dexamethasone, cadherins were cleaved by the PS1/γ-secretase complex at the plasma membrane, and this event was associated with an enhanced β-catenin translocation to the nucleus and signaling. When PS1/γ-secretase activity was inhibited, the osteogenic process was impaired. Altogether, we provide evidence that PS1/γ-secretase-mediated cadherin cleavage has as an important role in controlling β-catenin signaling during the onset of BMSCs osteogenic differentiation, as part of a complex signaling pathway responsible for cell fate decision. A comprehensive map of these pathways might contribute to the development of strategies to improve bone repair.

  9. Supporting of some ferrocyanides on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) binding polymer and their application for cesium treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Someda, H.H.; El Zahhar, A.A.; Shehata, M.K.; El-Naggar, H.A.

    2001-01-01

    Transition metal ferrocyanides were supported on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a binding polymer and were used for removal of radiocesium. The sorption capacity were determined for each sorbent and was found to be 1.22 and 0.65 meq/gm for KZnHCF-PAN and KCuHCF-PAN respectively. Different parameters affecting the sorption process were studied as chemical nature of the active solution, presence of competing ions and flow rate of feed solution. The regeneration of the used sorbent was studied using different solutions and also reusing the regenerated sorbent in other cycle up to four cycles (authors)

  10. From evaporating pans to transpiring plants (John Dalton Medal Lecture)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roderick, Michael

    2013-04-01

    The name of the original inventor of irrigated agriculture is lost to antiquity. Nevertheless, one can perhaps imagine an inquisitive desert inhabitant noting the greener vegetation along a watercourse and putting two and two together. Once water was being supplied and food was being produced it would be natural to ask a further question: how much water can we put on? No doubt much experience was gained down through the ages, but again, one can readily imagine someone inverting a rain gauge, filling it with water and measuring how fast the water evaporated. The inverted rain gauge measures the demand for water by the atmosphere. We call it the evaporative demand. I do not know if this is what actually happened but it sure makes an interesting start to a talk. Evaporation pans are basically inverted rain gauges. The rain gauge and evaporation pan measure the supply and demand respectively and these instruments are the workhorses of agricultural meteorology. Rain gauges are well known. Evaporation pans are lesser known but are in widespread use and are a key part of several national standardized meteorological networks. Many more pans are used for things like scheduling irrigation on farms or estimating evaporation from lakes. Analysis of the long records now available from standardized networks has revealed an interesting phenomenon, i.e., pan evaporation has increased in some places and decreased in other but when averaged over large numbers of pans there has been a steady decline. These independent reports from, for example, the US, Russia, China, India, Thailand, are replicated in the southern hemisphere in, for example, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. One often hears the statement that because the earth is expected to warm with increasing greenhouse gas emissions then it follows that water will evaporate faster. The pan evaporation observations show that this widely held expectation is wrong. When expectations disagree with observations, it is the

  11. Development and characterization of polyacrylonitrile (PAN based carbon hollow fiber membrane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syed Mohd Saufi

    2002-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports the development and characterization of polyacrylonitrile (PAN based carbon hollow fiber membrane. Nitrogen was used as an inert gas during pyrolysis of the PAN hollow fiber membrane into carbon membrane. PAN membranes were pyrolyzed at temperature ranging from 500oC to 800oC for 30 minutes of thermal soak time. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR and gas sorption analysis were applied to characterize the PAN based carbon membrane. Pyrolysis temperature was found to significantly change the structure and properties of carbon membrane. FTIR results concluded that the carbon yield still could be increased by pyrolyzing PAN membranes at temperature higher than 800oC since the existence of other functional group instead of CH group. Gas adsorption analysis showed that the average pore diameter increased up to 800oC.

  12. A Real-Time Semiautonomous Audio Panning System for Music Mixing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Perez_Gonzalez Enrique

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A real-time semiautonomous stereo panning system for music mixing has been implemented. The system uses spectral decomposition, constraint rules, and cross-adaptive algorithms to perform real-time placement of sources in a stereo mix. A subjective evaluation test was devised to evaluate its quality against human panning. It was shown that the automatic panning technique performed better than a nonexpert and showed no significant statistical difference to the performance of a professional mixing engineer.

  13. The ATLAS PanDA Monitoring System and its Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klimentov, A.; Nevski, P.; Potekhin, M.; Wenaus, T.

    2011-12-01

    The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) Workload Management System is used for ATLAS distributed production and analysis worldwide. The needs of ATLAS global computing imposed challenging requirements on the design of PanDA in areas such as scalability, robustness, automation, diagnostics, and usability for both production shifters and analysis users. Through a system-wide job database, the PanDA monitor provides a comprehensive and coherent view of the system and job execution, from high level summaries to detailed drill-down job diagnostics. It is (like the rest of PanDA) an Apache-based Python application backed by Oracle. The presentation layer is HTML code generated on the fly in the Python application which is also responsible for managing database queries. However, this approach is lacking in user interface flexibility, simplicity of communication with external systems, and ease of maintenance. A decision was therefore made to migrate the PanDA monitor server to Django Web Application Framework and apply JSON/AJAX technology in the browser front end. This allows us to greatly reduce the amount of application code, separate data preparation from presentation, leverage open source for tools such as authentication and authorization mechanisms, and provide a richer and more dynamic user experience. We describe our approach, design and initial experience with the migration process.

  14. The ATLAS PanDA Monitoring System and its Evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klimentov, A; Nevski, P; Wenaus, T; Potekhin, M

    2011-01-01

    The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) Workload Management System is used for ATLAS distributed production and analysis worldwide. The needs of ATLAS global computing imposed challenging requirements on the design of PanDA in areas such as scalability, robustness, automation, diagnostics, and usability for both production shifters and analysis users. Through a system-wide job database, the PanDA monitor provides a comprehensive and coherent view of the system and job execution, from high level summaries to detailed drill-down job diagnostics. It is (like the rest of PanDA) an Apache-based Python application backed by Oracle. The presentation layer is HTML code generated on the fly in the Python application which is also responsible for managing database queries. However, this approach is lacking in user interface flexibility, simplicity of communication with external systems, and ease of maintenance. A decision was therefore made to migrate the PanDA monitor server to Django Web Application Framework and apply JSON/AJAX technology in the browser front end. This allows us to greatly reduce the amount of application code, separate data preparation from presentation, leverage open source for tools such as authentication and authorization mechanisms, and provide a richer and more dynamic user experience. We describe our approach, design and initial experience with the migration process.

  15. Structural stability of PAN fiber under high electron beam radiation doses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pino, Eddy S.; Machado, Luci D.B.; Arruda, Clarissa P. Zelinschi de; Carvalho, Alvaro A. Silva de; Giovedi, Claudia

    2009-01-01

    Fiber-reinforced composite are an important class of engineering material. A relevant task of composite technology in order to produce materials for structures of high mechanical performance is to obtain the best carbon fiber. One of the main ways to produce carbon fibers of high Young's modulus and tensile strength is to use as starting material polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers which after a rigorous and carefully thermal process become carbon fibers. Since some chemical modifications produced in the thermal treatment can be induced by ionizing radiation, the aim of this paper is to evaluate the effect of high electron beam (EB) doses on a commercial PAN fiber in order to evaluate the use of this technology as an alternative treatment to improve the properties and characteristics of the produced carbon fiber. The doses applied were: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 MGy. The irradiation effects induced on the PAN fiber were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). FTIR obtained data have shown that the main functional groups remain practically unchanged in the non-irradiated and irradiated samples. The single DSC exothermic peak obtained for non-irradiated sample, becomes a double peak after the irradiation, presenting lower initial and higher final temperatures for exothermic DSC curves. The enthalpy involved in the chemical reaction decreases for irradiated samples as compared with the non-irradiated PAN fiber. TG data have shown that irradiated samples start a decomposition process at lower temperatures compared to the non-irradiated sample. (author)

  16. A Peptide-Fc Opsonin with Pan-Amyloid Reactivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James S. Foster

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available There is a continuing need for therapeutic interventions for patients with the protein misfolding disorders that result in systemic amyloidosis. Recently, specific antibodies have been employed to treat AL amyloidosis by opsonizing tissue amyloid deposits thereby inducing cell-mediated dissolution and organ improvement. To develop a pan-amyloid therapeutic agent, we have produced an Fc-fusion product incorporating a peptide, p5, which binds many if not all forms of amyloid. This protein, designated Fcp5, expressed in mammalian cells, forms the desired bivalent dimer structure and retains pan-amyloid reactivity similar to the p5 peptide as measured by immunosorbent assays, immunohistochemistry, surface plasmon resonance, and pulldown assays using radioiodinated Fcp5. Additionally, Fcp5 was capable of opsonizing amyloid fibrils in vitro using a pH-sensitive fluorescence assay of phagocytosis. In mice,125 I-labeled Fcp5 exhibited an extended serum circulation time, relative to the p5 peptide. It specifically bound AA amyloid deposits in diseased mice, as evidenced by biodistribution and microautoradiographic methods, which coincided with an increase in active, Iba-1-positive macrophages in the liver at 48 h postinjection of Fcp5. In healthy mice, no specific tissue accumulation was observed. The data indicate that polybasic, pan-amyloid-targeting peptides, in the context of an Fc fusion, can yield amyloid reactive, opsonizing reagents that may serve as next-generation immunotherapeutics.

  17. Improvement of spatial memory function in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice after chronic inhibition of phosphodiesterase type 4D.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sierksma, A S R; van den Hove, D L A; Pfau, F; Philippens, M; Bruno, O; Fedele, E; Ricciarelli, R; Steinbusch, H W M; Vanmierlo, T; Prickaerts, J

    2014-02-01

    Phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibitors (PDE4-Is) have received increasing attention as cognition-enhancers and putative treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease (AD). By preventing cAMP breakdown, PDE4-Is can enhance intracellular signal transduction and increase the phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and transcription of proteins related to synaptic plasticity and associated memory formation. Unfortunately, clinical development of PDE4-Is has been seriously hampered by emetic side effects. The new isoform-specific PDE4D-I, GEBR-7b, has shown to have beneficial effects on memory at non-emetic doses. The aim of the current study was to investigate chronic cognition-enhancing effects of GEBR-7b in a mouse model of AD. To this extent, 5-month-old (5M) APPswe/PS1dE9 mice received daily subcutaneous injections with GEBR-7b (0.001 mg/kg) or vehicle for a period of 3 weeks, and were tested on affective and cognitive behavior at 7M. We demonstrated a cognition-enhancing potential in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice as their spatial memory function at 7M in the object location test was improved by prior GEBR-7b treatment. APPswe/PS1dE9 mice displayed lower levels of CREB phosphorylation, which remained unaltered after chronic GEBR-7b treatment, and higher levels of tau in the hippocampus. Hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and synaptic densities were not different between experimental groups and no effects were observed on hippocampal GSK3β and tau phosphorylation or Aβ levels. In conclusion, GEBR-7b can enhance spatial memory function in the APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model of AD. Although the underlying mechanisms of its cognition-enhancing potential remain to be elucidated, PDE4D inhibition appears an interesting novel therapeutic option for cognitive deficits in AD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The ATLAS PanDA Monitoring System and its Evolution

    CERN Document Server

    Klimentov, A; The ATLAS collaboration; Potekhin, M; Wenaus, T

    2011-01-01

    The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) Workload Management System is used for ATLAS distributed production and analysis worldwide. The needs of ATLAS global computing imposed challenging requirements on PanDA design in areas such as scalability, robustness, automation, diagnostics, and usability for both production shifters and analysis users. Important to meeting these and other requirements is a comprehensive monitoring system. Through a system-wide job database, the PanDA monitor provides a comprehensive and coherent view of the system and job execution, from high level summaries to detailed drill-down job diagnostics. It is (like the rest of PanDA) an Apache-based Python application backed by Oracle. The presentation layer is HTML code generated on the fly in the Python application which is also responsible for managing database queries. However, this approach is lacking in user interface flexibility, simplicity of communication with external systems, and ease of maintenance. We decided to migrat...

  19. The ATLAS PanDA Monitoring System and its Evolution

    CERN Document Server

    Klimentov, A; The ATLAS collaboration; Potekhin, M; Wenaus, T

    2010-01-01

    The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) Workload Management System is used for ATLAS distributed production and analysis worldwide. The needs of ATLAS global computing imposed challenging requirements on PanDA design in areas such as scalability, robustness, automation, diagnostics, and usability for both production shifters and analysis users. Important to meeting these and other requirements is a comprehensive monitoring system. Through a system-wide job database, the PanDA monitor provides a comprehensive and coherent view of the system and job execution, from high level summaries to detailed drill-down job diagnostics. It is (like the rest of PanDA) an Apache-based Python application backed by Oracle. The presentation layer is HTML code generated on the fly in the Python application which is also responsible for managing database queries. However, this approach is lacking in user interface flexibility, simplicity of communication with external systems, and ease of maintenance. We decided to migrat...

  20. The Future of PanDA in ATLAS Distributed Computing

    CERN Document Server

    De, Kaushik; The ATLAS collaboration; Maeno, Tadashi; Nilsson, Paul; Oleynik, Danila; Panitkin, Sergey; Petrosyan, Artem; Schovancova, Jaroslava; Vaniachine, Alexandre; Wenaus, Torre

    2015-01-01

    Experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) face unprecedented computing challenges. Heterogeneous resources are distributed worldwide at hundreds of sites, thousands of physicists analyze the data remotely, the volume of processed data is beyond the exabyte scale, while data processing requires more than a few billion hours of computing usage per year. The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) system was developed to meet the scale and complexity of LHC distributed computing for the ATLAS experiment. In the process, the old batch job paradigm of locally managed computing in HEP was discarded in favor of a far more automated, flexible and scalable model. The success of PanDA in ATLAS is leading to widespread adoption and testing by other experiments. PanDA is the first exascale workload management system in HEP, already operating at more than a million computing jobs per day, and processing over an exabyte of data in 2013. There are many new challenges that PanDA will face in the near future, in addi...