Dynamical masses across the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

We infer the dynamical masses of stars across the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram using wide binaries from the Gaia survey. Gaia's high-precision astrometry measures the wide binaries' orbital motion, which contains the mass information. Using wide binaries as the training sample, we measure the mass of stars across the two-dimensional H-R diagram using the combination of statistical inference and neural networks. Our results provide the dynamical mass measurements for main-sequence stars from 0.1 to 2 M$_\odot$, unresolved binaries and unresolved triples on the main sequence, and the mean masses of giants and white dwarfs. Two regions in the H-R diagram show interesting behaviors in mass, where one of them is pre-main-sequence stars, and the other one may be related to close compact object companions like M dwarf-white dwarf binaries. These mass measurements depend solely on Newtonian dynamics, providing independent constraints on stellar evolutionary models and the occurrence rate of compact objects.Comment: Fig. 5 and Fig. 12 are the key results. Submitted to MNRAS. Comments are welcome

Small-Size Humanoid Soccer Robot Design for FIRA HuroSot

Non

Activation of β-Adrenoceptors by Dobutamine May Induce a Higher Expression of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors δ (PPARδ) in Neonatal Rat Cardiomyocytes

Recent evidence showed the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in cardiac function. Cardiac contraction induced by various agents is critical in restoring the activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors δ (PPARδ) in cardiac myopathy. Because dobutamine is an agent widely used to treat heart failure in emergency setting, this study is aimed to investigate the change of PPARδ in response to dobutamine. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were used to examine the effects of dobutamine on PPARδ expression levels and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) phosphorylation via Western blotting analysis. We show that treatment with dobutamine increased PPARδ expression and cTnI phosphorylation in a time- and dose-dependent manner in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. These increases were blocked by the antagonist of β1-adrenoceptors. Also, the action of dobutamine was related to the increase of calcium ions and diminished by chelating intracellular calcium. Additionally, dobutamine-induced action was reduced by the inhibition of downstream messengers involved in this calcium-related pathway. Moreover, deletion of PPARδ using siRNA generated the reduction of cTnI phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes treated with dobutamine. Thus, we concluded that PPARδ is increased by dobutamine in cardiac cells

A quantitative analysis of monochromaticity in genetic interaction networks

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A genetic interaction refers to the deviation of phenotypes from the expected when perturbing two genes simultaneously. Studying genetic interactions help clarify relationships between genes, such as compensation and masking, and identify gene groups of functional modules. Recently, several genome-scale experiments for measuring quantitative (positive and negative) genetic interactions have been conducted. The results revealed that genes in the same module usually interact with each other in a consistent way (pure positive or negative); this phenomenon was designated as monochromaticity. Monochromaticity might be the underlying principle that can be utilized to unveil the modularity of cellular networks. However, no appropriate quantitative measurement for this phenomenon has been proposed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, we propose the monochromatic index (MCI), which is able to quantitatively evaluate the monochromaticity of potential functional modules of genes, and the MCI was used to study genetic landscapes in different cellular subsystems. We demonstrated that MCI not only amend the deficiencies of MP-score but also properly incorporate the background effect. The results showed that not only within-complex but also between-complex connections present significant monochromatic tendency. Furthermore, we also found that significantly higher proportion of protein complexes are connected by negative genetic interactions in metabolic network, while transcription and translation system adopts relatively even number of positive and negative genetic interactions to link protein complexes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary, we demonstrate that MCI improves deficiencies suffered by MP-score, and can be used to evaluate monochromaticity in a quantitative manner. In addition, it also helps to unveil features of genetic landscapes in different cellular subsystems. Moreover, MCI can be easily applied to data produced by different types of genetic interaction methodologies such as Synthetic Genetic Array (SGA), and epistatic miniarray profile (E-MAP).</p

Dome-Shaped Ellipsoidal Reflector Antenna for UHF-RFID Readers with Confined Near-Field Detection Region

This letter proposes and demonstrates the concept of ellipsoidal reflector antennas for radio frequency identification reader applications at UHF band. The antenna can be potentially integrated with environmental structures to confine the reader detection region. The energy bounding characteristics result from the dual-focus feature of an ellipsoidal reflector in its near-field region, as the feed located at one of the two foci can create a focused field distribution around the other focus. An axial energy focusing is, thus, formed to confine the energy in a restricted region (near-field beam focusing), also minimizing the interference effects outside of the targeted area. Both numerical simulations and experimental results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of this antenna concept

Temperature Swing Adsorption Process for CO2 Capture Using Polyaniline Solid Sorbent

AbstractTo capture carbon dioxide from power plant flue gas which consists of 15% CO2 and 85% N2, with a temperature swing adsorption (TSA) by using polyaniline solid sorbent as the adsorbent, is explored experimentally and theoretically. First, single component adsorption equilibrium data of carbon dioxide on polyaniline solid sorbent is obtained by using Micro-Balance Thermo D-200. Then isotherm curves and the parameters are obtained by numerical method. The adsorption is expressed by the Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm. After accomplishment of isotherm curves, the breakthrough curve experiment is investigated with single adsorption column. The experiments test the change in adsorbed gas concentration at the outlet by adsorbed gas, CO2, and non-adsorbed gas, helium. Finally, this study accentuates the TSA experiments on CO2 purity and recovery by operation variable discussion which includes feed pressure, adsorption temperature and desorption temperature to find optimal operation condition. The results of optimal operation condition are CO2 purity of 47.65% with a 92.46% recovery

VI-Band Follow-Up Observations of Ultra-Long-Period Cepheid Candidates in M31

The ultra-long period Cepheids (ULPCs) are classical Cepheids with pulsation periods exceeding $\approx 80$ days. The intrinsic brightness of ULPCs are ~1 to ~3 mag brighter than their shorter period counterparts. This makes them attractive in future distance scale work to derive distances beyond the limit set by the shorter period Cepheids. We have initiated a program to search for ULPCs in M31, using the single-band data taken from the Palomar Transient Factory, and identified eight possible candidates. In this work, we presented the VI-band follow-up observations of these eight candidates. Based on our VI-band light curves of these candidates and their locations in the color-magnitude diagram and the Period-Wesenheit diagram, we verify two candidates as being truly ULPCs. The six other candidates are most likely other kinds of long-period variables. With the two confirmed M31 ULPCs, we tested the applicability of ULPCs in distance scale work by deriving the distance modulus of M31. It was found to be $\mu_{M31,ULPC}=24.30\pm0.76$ mag. The large error in the derived distance modulus, together with the large intrinsic dispersion of the Period-Wesenheit (PW) relation and the small number of ULPCs in a given host galaxy, means that the question of the suitability of ULPCs as standard candles is still open. Further work is needed to enlarge the sample of calibrating ULPCs and reduce the intrinsic dispersion of the PW relation before re-considering ULPCs as suitable distance indicators.Comment: 13 pages, with 14 Figures and 4 Tables (one online table). AJ accepte