Novel ODN probes for insertion polymorphism detection have been devised. The ODN probes labeled with two pyrene chromophores emit strong excimer fluorescence when hybridized with DNA containing one ...inserted base. This method is useful for the determination of the presence/absence of insertion polymorphisms located at a specific site on the target DNA.
The sounding rocket Investigation of Cusp Irregularities 2 (ICI‐2) was launched into the cusp ionosphere over Svalbard to investigate the production of decameter scale irregularities in the electron ...plasma associated with HF radar backscatter. The main mission objective was to obtain high‐resolution measurements of decameter scale electron plasma irregularities and to quantify the growth rate for the gradient drift instability (GDI). At the 5.7 kHz sampling rate of the absolute density measurements, ICI‐2 has provided the first documentation in terms of absolute electron density measurements of how 10‐m structures are located on km scale electron density gradients. ICI‐2 traversed a cusp electron density structure created by ongoing soft precipitation. 10‐m scale irregularities were generated at km scale density gradients. The estimated growth time for the GDI process was 10–50 seconds.
Key Points
First documentation of 10‐m scale electron density structures
Shows how 10‐m scale structures are located relative to km scale gradients
Gradients are sufficient for the gradient drift instability to operate
Higher aerobic fitness, a physiological marker of habitual physical activity, is likely to predict higher executive function based on the prefrontal cortex (PFC), according to current cross-sectional ...studies. The exact biological link between the brain and the brawn remains unclear, but the brain dopaminergic system, which acts as a driving force for physical activity and exercise, can be hypothesized to connect the missing link above. Recently, spontaneous eye blink rate (sEBR) was proposed and has been used as a potential, noninvasive marker of brain dopaminergic activity in the neuroscience field. To address the hypothesis above, we sought to determine whether sEBR is a mediator of the association between executive function and aerobic fitness.
Thirty-five healthy young males (18-24 yr old) had their sEBR measured while staring at a fixation cross while at rest. They underwent an aerobic fitness assessment using a graded exercise test to exhaustion and performed a color-word Stroop task as an index of executive function. Stroop task-related cortical activation in the left dorsolateral PFC (l-DLPFC) was monitored using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.
Correlation analyses revealed significant correlations among higher aerobic fitness, less Stroop interference, and higher sEBR. Moreover, mediation analyses showed that sEBR significantly mediated the association between aerobic fitness and Stroop interference. In addition, higher sEBR was correlated with higher neural efficiency of the l-DLPFC (i.e., executive function was high, and the corresponding l-DLPFC activation was relatively low).
These results indicate that the sEBR mediates the association between aerobic fitness and executive function through prefrontal neural efficiency, which clearly supports the hypothesis that brain dopaminergic function works to connect, at least in part, the missing link between aerobic fitness and executive function.
(La,Ce)(Mn,Fe,Si)13-based compounds which show a giant magnetocaloric effect are potential materials for the cryogenic magnetic refrigeration. However, large hysteresis originating from the first ...order magneto-elastic phase transition deteriorates cyclic performance of these materials, hindering their practical applications. In this work, Curie temperature of (La1-xCex)y(MnzFe11.4-z)Si1.6 compounds was tuned to the cryogenic temperatures below 77 K and hysteresis was successfully reduced to 1.5 K by tuning first order magneto-elastic transition to the critical point of second order magnetic phase transition. Based on detail microstructure characterizations, the reason for the reduction of hysteresis is ascribed to the change of a secondary phase from a paramagnetic LaFeSi phase to ferromagnetic Ce2Fe17 and α-Fe phases. Cryogenic Lorentz microscopy observations and micromagnetic simulations showed the α-Fe ferromagnetic phase produces a large stray field of ∼0.7 T at their interface. This causes the magnetic field assisted paramagnetic/ferromagnetic phase transition in the NaZn13-type phase. Cryogenic X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the energy barrier of magneto-elastic transition was reduced, resulting in an enhancement of their mechanical stability during the cyclic performance. This work has shown that the hysteresis in the magnetocaloric materials with first order magneto-elastic transition can be tuned by engineering the size, distribution, and magnetism of the secondary phases.
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ABSTRACT
The feedback from young stars (i.e. pre-supernova) is thought to play a crucial role in molecular cloud destruction. In this paper, we assess the feedback mechanisms acting within a sample ...of 5810 H ii regions identified from the PHANGS-MUSE survey of 19 nearby (<20 Mpc) star-forming, main-sequence spiral galaxies log(M⋆/M⊙) = 9.4–11. These optical spectroscopic maps are essential to constrain the physical properties of the H ii regions, which we use to investigate their internal pressure terms. We estimate the photoionized gas (Ptherm), direct radiation (Prad), and mechanical wind pressure (Pwind), which we compare to the confining pressure of their host environment (Pde). The H ii regions remain unresolved within our ∼50–100 pc resolution observations, so we place upper (Pmax) and lower (Pmin) limits on each of the pressures by using a minimum (i.e. clumpy structure) and maximum (i.e. smooth structure) size, respectively. We find that the Pmax measurements are broadly similar, and for Pmin the Ptherm is mildly dominant. We find that the majority of H ii regions are overpressured, Ptot/Pde = (Ptherm + Pwind + Prad)/Pde > 1, and expanding, yet there is a small sample of compact H ii regions with Ptot,max/Pde < 1 (∼1 per cent of the sample). These mostly reside in galaxy centres (Rgal < 1 kpc), or, specifically, environments of high gas surface density; log(Σgas/M⊙ pc−2) ∼ 2.5 (measured on kpc-scales). Lastly, we compare to a sample of literature measurements for Ptherm and Prad to investigate how dominant pressure term transitions over around 5 dex in spatial dynamic range and 10 dex in pressure.
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 variant emerged in the Indian state of Maharashtra in late 2020. There have been fears that 2 key mutations seen in the receptor-binding domain, L452R and E484Q, would ...have additive effects on evasion of neutralizing antibodies. We report that spike bearing L452R and E484Q confers modestly reduced sensitivity to BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies following either first or second dose. The effect is similar in magnitude to the loss of sensitivity conferred by L452R or E484Q alone. These data demonstrate reduced sensitivity to vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibodies by L452R and E484Q but lack of synergistic loss of sensitivity.
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