Regional air quality simulations provide powerful tools for clarifying mechanisms of heavy air pollution and for considering effective strategies for better air quality. This study introduces a new ...vegetation database for Japan, which could provide inputs for regional meteorological modeling, and estimating emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), both of which are essential components of simulations. It includes newly developed emission factors (EFs) of BVOCs for major vegetation types in Japan, based on existing literature. The new database contributes to improved modeling of meteorological fields due to its updated representation of larger urban areas. Using the new vegetation and EF database, lower isoprene and monoterpene, and higher sesquiterpene emissions are estimated for Japan than those derived from previously available default datasets. These slightly reduce the overestimation of ozone concentrations obtained by a regional chemical transport model, whereas their effects on underestimated secondary organic aerosol (SOA) concentrations are marginal. Further work is necessary, not only on BVOC emissions but also the other simulation components, to further improve the modeling of ozone and SOA concentrations in Japan.
We present deep and precise multi-band photometry of the Galactic bulge globular cluster NGC 6528. The current data set includes optical and near-infrared images collected with ACS/WFC, WFC3/UVIS, ...and WFC3/IR on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The images cover a time interval of almost 10 yr, and we have been able to carry out a proper-motion separation between cluster and field stars. We performed a detailed comparison in the m sub(F814W), m sub(F606W) - m sub(F814W) color-magnitude diagram with two empirical calibrators observed in the same bands. We found that NGC 6528 is coeval with and more metal-rich than 47 Tuc. Moreover, it appears older and more metal-poor than the super-metal-rich open cluster NGC 6791. The current evidence is supported by several diagnostics (red horizontal branch, red giant branch bump, shape of the sub-giant branch, slope of the main sequence) that are minimally affected by uncertainties in reddening and distance. We fit the optical observations with theoretical isochrones based on a scaled-solar chemical mixture and found an age of 11 + or - 1 Gyr and an iron abundance slightly above solar (Fe/H = +0.20). The iron abundance and the old cluster age further support the recent spectroscopic findings suggesting a rapid chemical enrichment of the Galactic bulge.
Boron nitride (BN) was prepared by the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB) in an ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, BmimBF sub(4)) at 300 degree C, which is lower than ...the temperature of the general preparation method of BN and below the decomposition temperature of polystyrene (PS). The reaction was performed at 120 degree C for 10 h under atmospheric pressure, and the product material was subsequently heated at 300 degree C for 24 h under reduced pressure in BmimBF sub(4). The reaction rate and final conversion increased when BmimBF sub(4) was used as the medium as compared to those observed in the bulk system (in the absence of the solvent system). Moreover, PS/BN composite particles were successfully prepared by dehydrogenation in BmimBF sub(4) in the presence of cross-linked PS seed particles. Transmission electron microscopy images of ultrathin cross-sections of the composite particles confirmed the core-shell morphology of the particles with a PS core and a BN shell.
In this paper, the configuration of control system of the ultrasonic motor (USM) from finite element method (FEM) model by applying the nonlinear model order reduction (MOR) is proposed. First, the ...USM and the FEM model is introduced. Second, FEM model order reduction method is described. Third, the result of comparing the computing time and accuracy of the FEM model and reduced order model is shown. Finaly, nominal model for control is derived by system identification from reduced order model. Nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) is applied to the nominal model, and speed is controlled. the controller effect is comfirmed by applying the proposed reduced order model.
We have observed a sample of 35 long-period variables (LPVs) and four Cepheid variables in the vicinity of 23 Galactic globular clusters using the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space ...Telescope. The LPVs in the sample cover a range of metallicities from near solar to about 1/40th solar. The dust mass-loss rate (MLR) from the stars increases with pulsation period and bolometric luminosity. Higher MLRs are associated with greater contributions from silicate grains. The dust MLR also depends on metallicity. The dependence is most clear when segregating the sample by dust composition, less clear when segregating by bolometric magnitude, and absent when segregating by period. The spectra are rich in solid-state and molecular features. Emission from alumina dust is apparent across the range of metallicities. Spectra with a 13 {mu}m dust emission feature, as well as an associated feature at 20 {mu}m, also appear at most metallicities. Molecular features in the spectra include H{sub 2}O bands at 6.4-6.8 {mu}m, seen in both emission and absorption, SO{sub 2} absorption at 7.3-7.5 {mu}m, and narrow emission bands from CO{sub 2} from 13.5 to 16.8 {mu}m. The star Lyngaa 7 V1 has an infrared spectrum revealing it to be a carbon star, adding to the small number of carbon stars associated with Galactic globular clusters.
INK4 locus is located on human chromosome 9p21 region and encodes three tumor suppressor genes, p15, p16 and ARF. So far, we revealed that a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), ANRIL, transcribed from INK4 ...locus represses the transcription of p15 and p16 genes. ANRIL associates with polycomb protein complexes and recruits them on INK4 locus, leading to the transcriptional repression. The depletion of ANRIL inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells such as non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer, indicating that ANRIL functions to promote cancer cells proliferation. Recently, we found a novel lncRNA induced by oncogenic Ras signal (named LION: lncRNA induced by oncogenic Ras signal). In this study, we showed that LION is involved in the transcriptional regulation of INK4 locus and cell proliferation.
Human non-small cell lung cancer cell H1299 and colorectal cancer cell HCT116 were transfected with siRNA oligonucleotides against LION. The expression analysis of INK4 locus genes was performed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR). Cell cycle analysis was performed by using Muse cell analyzer.
RT-PCR analysis showed that LION is highly expressed in several cancer cells such as non-small cell lung cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer compared with normal lung fibroblasts. Silencing LION by siRNA oligonucleotides inhibits the proliferation of H1299, HCT116 and HeLa cells. Q-RT-PCR analysis showed that silencing LION increases the p15 and p16 mRNA, suggesting that LION is involved in the transcriptional repression of INK4 locus. Cell cycle analysis showed that silencing LION causes G2/M phase arrest in cell cycle, suggesting that LION functions to promote G2/M transition.
LION is involved in the promotion of cancer cells proliferation such as H1299 and HCT116 cells via regulating p15, p16 and other genes related to G2/M phase control.
The authors.
JSPS KAKENHI.
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Abstract
Variable stars are good stellar tracers. Among various variables, Miras have long periods and are at the evolutionary phase of asymptotic giant branch. Their low effective temperatures lead ...to a difficulty to determine their chemical composition that since plenty of molecular bands exist in their spectra which even blocks the identifition of metallic lines. However, molecular features are less common in near-infrared (NIR) compared with other wavelength ranges. Here we take advantage of the high-resolution (R ~ 28, 000) spectra obtained with WINERED, which is a NIR spectrograph covering the wavelength range of 0.91–1.35
μm
, to analyze and determine the chemical abundances of three Miras in the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tuc (NGC 104). Steps of data reduction and analysis, as well as part of the preliminary results, are briefly shown.
Ozone concentration in Tokyo Metropolitan area is one of the most serious issues of the local air quality. Tropospheric ozone is formed by radical reaction including volatile organic compound (VOC) ...and nitrogen oxides (NO
x
). Reduction of the emission of reactive VOC is a key to reducing ozone concentrations. VOC is emitted from anthropogenic sources and also from vegetation (biogenic VOC or BVOC). BVOC also forms ozone through NO
x
and radical reactions. Especially, in urban area, the BVOC is emitted into the atmosphere with high NO
x
concentration. Therefore, trees bordering streets and green spaces in urban area may contribute to tropospheric ozone. On the other hand, not all trees emit BVOC which will produce ozone locally. In this study, BVOC emissions have been investigated (terpenoids: isoprene, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes) for 29 tree species. Eleven in the 29 species were tree species that did not emit BVOCs. Three in 12 cultivars for future planting (25 %) were found to emit no terpenoid BVOCs. Eight in 17 commonly planted trees (47%) were found to emit no terpenoid BVOC. Lower-emitting species have many advantages for urban planting. Therefore, further investigation is required to find the species which do not emit terpenoid BVOC. Emission of reactive BVOC should be added into guideline for the urban planting to prevent the creation of sources of ozone. It is desirable that species with no reactive BVOC emission are planted along urban streets and green areas in urban areas, such as Tokyo.
Iron, the universe's most abundant refractory element, is highly depleted in both circumstellar and interstellar environments, meaning it exists in solid form. The nature of this solid is unknown. In ...this Letter, we provide evidence that metallic iron grains are present around oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars, where it is observationally manifest as a featureless mid-infrared excess. This identification is made using Spitzer Space Telescope observations of evolved globular cluster stars, where iron dust production appears ubiquitous and in some cases can be modeled as the only observed dust product. In this context, FeO is examined as the likely carrier for the 20 {mu}m feature observed in some of these stars. Metallic iron appears to be an important part of the dust condensation sequence at low metallicity, and subsequently plays an influential role in the interstellar medium. We explore the stellar metallicities and luminosities at which iron formation is observed, and how the presence of iron affects the outflow and its chemistry. The conditions under which iron can provide sufficient opacity to drive a wind remain unclear.
PDF
