Galaxy-galaxy weak-lensing measurement from SDSS: II. host halo properties of galaxy groups

As the second paper of a series on studying galaxy-galaxy lensing signals using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (SDSS DR7), we present our measurement and modelling of the lensing signals around groups of galaxies. We divide the groups into four halo mass bins, and measure the signals around four different halo-center tracers: brightest central galaxy (BCG), luminosity-weighted center, number-weighted center and X-ray peak position. For X-ray and SDSS DR7 cross identified groups, we further split the groups into low and high X-ray emission subsamples, both of which are assigned with two halo-center tracers, BCGs and X-ray peak positions. The galaxy-galaxy lensing signals show that BCGs, among the four candidates, are the best halo-center tracers. We model the lensing signals using a combination of four contributions: off-centered NFW host halo profile, sub-halo contribution, stellar contribution, and projected 2-halo term. We sample the posterior of 5 parameters i.e., halo mass, concentration, off-centering distance, sub halo mass, and fraction of subhalos via a MCMC package using the galaxy-galaxy lensing signals. After taking into account the sampling effects (e.g. Eddington bias), we found the best fit halo masses obtained from lensing signals are quite consistent with those obtained in the group catalog based on an abundance matching method, except in the lowest mass bin. Subject headings: (cosmology:) gravitational lensing, galaxies: clusters: generalComment: 12 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Ap

Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) Operation Summary

The Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) is a joint U.S. and Japan mission to observe tropical rainfall, which was launched by H-II No. 6 from Tanegashima in Japan at 6:27 JST on November 28, 1997. After the two-month commissioning of TRMM satellite and instruments, the original nominal mission lifetime was three years. In fact, the operations has continued for approximately 17.5 years. This paper provides a summary of the long term operations of TRMM

Instanton Number Calculus on Noncommutative R^4

In noncommutative spaces, it is unknown whether the Pontrjagin class gives integer, as well as, the relation between the instanton number and Pontrjagin class is not clear. Here we define ``Instanton number'' by the size of $B_{\alpha}$ in the ADHM construction. We show the analytical derivation of the noncommuatative U(1) instanton number as an integral of Pontrjagin class (instanton charge) with the Fock space representation. Our approach is for the arbitrary converge noncommutative U(1) instanton solution, and is based on the anti-self-dual (ASD) equation itself. We give the Stokes' theorem for the number operator representation. The Stokes' theorem on the noncommutative space shows that instanton charge is given by some boundary sum. Using the ASD conditions, we conclude that the instanton charge is equivalent to the instanton number.Comment: 29 pages, 7 figures, some statements in Sec.4.3 correcte

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Clusters are Consistent with Planck

The recent Dark Energy Survey Year 1 (DES-Y1) analysis of galaxy cluster abundances and weak lensing produced $\Omega_{\rm m}$ and $\sigma_8$ constraints in 5.6$\sigma$ tension with Planck. It is suggested in that work that this tension is driven by unmodelled systematics in optical cluster selection. We present a novel simulation-based forward modeling framework that explicitly incorporates cluster selection into its model predictions. Applying this framework to the DES-Y1 data we find consistency with Planck, resolving the tension found in the DES-Y1 analysis. An extension of this approach to the final DES data set will produce robust constraints on $\Lambda$CDM parameters and correspondingly strong tests of cosmological models.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, Supplemental material with 2 figures. Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Direct and indirect control of the initiation of meiotic recombination by DNA damage checkpoint mechanisms in budding yeast

Meiotic recombination plays an essential role in the proper segregation of chromosomes at meiosis I in many sexually reproducing organisms. Meiotic recombination is initiated by the scheduled formation of genome-wide DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The timing of DSB formation is strictly controlled because unscheduled DSB formation is detrimental to genome integrity. Here, we investigated the role of DNA damage checkpoint mechanisms in the control of meiotic DSB formation using budding yeast. By using recombination defective mutants in which meiotic DSBs are not repaired, the effect of DNA damage checkpoint mutations on DSB formation was evaluated. The Tel1 (ATM) pathway mainly responds to unresected DSB ends, thus the sae2 mutant background in which DSB ends remain intact was employed. On the other hand, the Mec1 (ATR) pathway is primarily used when DSB ends are resected, thus the rad51 dmc1 double mutant background was employed in which highly resected DSBs accumulate. In order to separate the effect caused by unscheduled cell cycle progression, which is often associated with DNA damage checkpoint defects, we also employed the ndt80 mutation which permanently arrests the meiotic cell cycle at prophase I. In the absence of Tel1, DSB formation was reduced in larger chromosomes (IV, VII, II and XI) whereas no significant reduction was found in smaller chromosomes (III and VI). On the other hand, the absence of Rad17 (a critical component of the ATR pathway) lead to an increase in DSB formation (chromosomes VII and II were tested). We propose that, within prophase I, the Tel1 pathway facilitates DSB formation, especially in bigger chromosomes, while the Mec1 pathway negatively regulates DSB formation. We also identified prophase I exit, which is under the control of the DNA damage checkpoint machinery, to be a critical event associated with down-regulating meiotic DSB formation

Teaching of posterior composites in dental schools in Japan – 30 years and beyond

Objectives: The teaching of posterior composites has been a major part of the curriculum in Japanese dental education for several decades. The aim of this paper was to investigate the current trends in the teaching of posterior composites to undergraduate dental students in Japan by comparing the results of surveys conducted for over 30 years. Methods: In late 2016-early 2017, a questionnaire seeking information on the teaching of posterior composites was distributed via e-mail to the persons responsible for teaching operative dentistry in 29 dental schools having undergraduate dental degree programs in Japan. The results obtained were compared to those from surveys conducted in 1986, 1997, and 2007. Results: All 29 schools that were sent the questionnaire completed the responses (response rate = 100%). All 29 schools reported teaching the placement of composite in occlusal and two-surface occluso-proximal cavities in both premolars and molars. Four schools reported not teaching the placement of three-surface occluso-proximal composites in premolars and five schools reported not teaching it for molars. Twenty-seven (93%) schools taught composite first as a part of the preclinical curriculum, whereas 15 (65%) schools did so in the survey of 2007. Variations were noted between schools in the teaching of, cavity design. In contrast, greater consistency was observed in the teaching of techniques for protecting exposed dentin and light-curing technologies. Conclusions: It is hoped that measures intended to increase the clinical experience of restoring teeth with direct composite-resin for dental students in Japan will be effective, providing opportunity to bring dental education in Japan more into line with international norms

Oligomerization of Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein is Crucial for Interaction with the Cytoplasmic Domain of E1 Envelope Protein

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) contains two membrane-associated envelope glycoproteins, E1 and E2, which assemble as a heterodimer in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In this study, predictive algorithms and genetic analyses of deletion mutants and glycosylation site variants of the E1 glycoprotein were used to suggest that the glycoprotein can adopt two topologies in the ER membrane: the conventional type I membrane topology and a polytopic topology in which the protein spans the ER membrane twice with an intervening cytoplasmic loop (amino acid residues 288 to 360). We also demonstrate that the E1 glycoprotein is able to associate with the HCV core protein, but only upon oligomerization of the core protein in the presence of tRNA to form capsid-like structures. Yeast two-hybrid and immunoprecipitation analyses reveal that oligomerization of the core protein is promoted by amino acid residues 72 to 91 in the core. Furthermore, the association between the E1 glycoprotein and the assembled core can be recapitulated using a fusion protein containing the putative cytoplasmic loop of the E1 glycoprotein. This fusion protein is also able to compete with the intact E1 glycoprotein for binding to the core. Mutagenesis of the cytoplasmic loop of E1 was used to define a region of four amino acids (residues 312 to 315) that is important for interaction with the assembled HCV core. Taken together, our studies suggest that interaction between the self-oligomerized HCV core and the E1 glycoprotein is mediated through the cytoplasmic loop present in a polytopic form of the E1 glycoprotein

Mars 2020 Entry, Descent and Landing Instrumentation 2 (MEDLI2)

The Mars Entry Descent and Landing Instrumentation 2 (MEDLI2) sensor suite will measure aerodynamic, aerothermodynamic, and TPS performance during the atmospheric entry, descent, and landing phases of the Mars 2020 mission. The key objectives are to reduce design margin and prediction uncertainties for the aerothermal environments and aerodynamic database. For MEDLI2, the sensors are installed on both the heatshield and backshell, and include 7 pressure transducers, 17 thermal plugs, and 3 heat flux sensors (including a radiometer). These sensors will expand the set of measurements collected by the highly successful MEDLI suite, collecting supersonic pressure measurements on the forebody, a pressure measurement on the aftbody, direct heat flux measurements on the aftbody, a radiative heating measurement on the aftbody, and multiple near-surface thermal measurements on the thermal protection system (TPS) materials on both the forebody and aftbody. To meet the science objectives, supersonic pressure transducers and heat flux sensors are currently being developed and their qualification and calibration plans are presented. Finally, the reconstruction targets for data accuracy are presented, along with the planned methodologies for achieving the targets

CLICK:One-step generation of conditional knockout mice

Abstract Background CRISPR/Cas9 enables the targeting of genes in zygotes; however, efficient approaches to create loxP-flanked (floxed) alleles remain elusive. Results Here, we show that the electroporation of Cas9, two gRNAs, and long single-stranded DNA (lssDNA) into zygotes, termed CLICK (CRISPR with lssDNA inducing conditional knockout alleles), enables the quick generation of floxed alleles in mice and rats. Conclusions The high efficiency of CLICK provides homozygous knock-ins in oocytes carrying tissue-specific Cre, which allows the one-step generation of conditional knockouts in founder (F0) mice