Forward modelling of brightness variations in Sun-like stars -- II. Light curves and variability

The amplitude and morphology of light curves of solar-like stars change substantially with increasing rotation rate: brightness variations get amplified and become more regular, which has so far not been explained. We develop a modelling approach for calculating brightness variations of stars with various rotation rates and use it to explain observed trends in stellar photometric variability. We combine numerical simulations of magnetic Flux Emergence And Transport (FEAT) with a model for stellar brightness variability to calculate synthetic light curves of stars as observed by the Kepler telescope. We compute the distribution of magnetic flux on the stellar surface for various rotation rates and degrees of active-region nesting (i.e., the tendency of active regions to emerge in the vicinity of recently emerged ones). Using the resulting maps of the magnetic flux, we compute the rotational variability of our simulated stellar light curves as a function of rotation rate and nesting of magnetic features and compare our calculations to Kepler observations. We show that both rotation rate and degree of nesting have a strong impact on the amplitude and morphology of stellar light curves. In order to explain the variability of the bulk of \K{} targets with known rotation rates, we need to increase the degree of nesting to values much larger than on the Sun. The suggested increase of nesting with the rotation rate can provide clues to the flux emergence process for high levels of stellar activity.Comment: 10 pages, 15 figure

Plant regeneration from seeds responds to phylogenetic relatedness and local adaptation in Mediterranean Romulea (Iridaceae) species

Seed germination is the most important transitional event between early stages in the life cycle of spermatophytes and understanding it is crucial to understand plant adaptation and evolution. However, so far seed germination of phylogenetically closely related species has been poorly investigated. To test the hypothises that phylogenetically related plant species have similar seed ecophysiological traits thereby reflecting certain habitat conditions as a result of local adaptation, we studied seed dormancy and germination in seven Mediterranean species in the genus Romulea (Iridaceae). Both the across-species model and the model accounting for shared evolutionary history showed that cool temperatures (≤ 15°C) were the main factor that promoted seed germination. The absence of embryo growth before radicle emergence is consistent with a prompt germination response at cool temperatures. The range of temperature conditions for germination became wider after a period of warm stratification, denoting a weak primary dormancy. Altogether these results indicate that the studied species exhibit a Mediterranean germination syndrome, but with species-specific germination requirements clustered in a way that follows the phylogenetic relatedness among those species. In addition, species with heavier seeds from humid habitats showed a wider range of conditions for germination at dispersal time than species from dry habitats possessing lighter seeds. We conclude that while phylogenetically related species showed very similar germination requirements, there are subtle ecologically meaningful differences, confirming the onset of adaptation to local ecological factors mediated by species relatedness

Designing an intracellular fluorescent probe for glutathione: Two modulation sites for selective signal transduction

A selective probe for glutathione was designed and synthesized. The design incorporates spatial and photophysical constraints for the maximal emission signal. Thus, pHs, as well as the intracellular thiol concentrations, determine the emission signal intensity through a tight control of charge-transfer and PeT processes. The probe works satisfactorily inside the human breast adenocarcinoma cells, highlighting GSH distribution in the cytosol. © 2014 American Chemical Society

European Vegetation Archive (EVA): An integrated database of European vegetation plots

© 2016 International Association for Vegetation Science. The European Vegetation Archive (EVA) is a centralized database of European vegetation plots developed by the IAVS Working Group European Vegetation Survey. It has been in development since 2012 and first made available for use in research projects in 2014. It stores copies of national and regional vegetation- plot databases on a single software platform. Data storage in EVA does not affect on-going independent development of the contributing databases, which remain the property of the data contributors. EVA uses a prototype of the database management software TURBOVEG 3 developed for joint management of multiple databases that use different species lists. This is facilitated by the SynBioSys Taxon Database, a system of taxon names and concepts used in the individual European databases and their corresponding names on a unified list of European flora. TURBOVEG 3 also includes procedures for handling data requests, selections and provisions according to the approved EVA Data Property and Governance Rules. By 30 June 2015, 61 databases from all European regions have joined EVA, contributing in total 1 027 376 vegetation plots, 82% of them with geographic coordinates, from 57 countries. EVA provides a unique data source for large-scale analyses of European vegetation diversity both for fundamental research and nature conservation applications. Updated information on EVA is available online at http://euroveg.org/eva-database

SNAKE, WATER, SAYING AN ASSAY OF COMMENTARY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MISOGYNY AND THE FEAR OF THE UNCEARTAINTY

Bu makalede kökleri binyıllar öncesine dayanan ve her çağda yeniden üretilerek günümüzde de varlığını sürdüren kadın düşmanlığının belirsizlik korkusuyla ilişkisi ele alınmıştır. Kültür ve uygarlık tarihi, insanın kendisine sınırlar ve kurallar koyarak, belirsizlikleri denetim altına alışının tarihidir. İktidarın giderek daha soyut ve kurumsal hale geldiği ilk devletlerden itibaren erkek ve iktidar özdeş hale gelir. İktidarın meşrulaştırma araçları olarak dolaşıma sokulan mit ve ritüellerde toplum düzeni ve iktidar erkeklikle ilişkilendirilirken; kadının toplum düzenini tehdit eden, potansiyel tehlike olarak kodlandığı görülür. Dini ve mitik söylem yoluyla kadının düzen bozucu, tekinsiz olarak sunulması, kadın düşmanlığının yalnızca cinsiyetçi, ahlakçı bir tepki olmadığını gösterir. Günümüzde yaşadığımız biçimiyle kadın düşmanlığı, ilksel belirsizlik korkusu ile tarihsel, imgesel, mantıksal bağlara sahip binlerce yıllık eril tahakkümün siyasalpsikolojik bakiyesidir. Bunlar bütün mitler ve masallardaki alegorik ve/veya simgesel öğeler yoluyla gösterilebilir: Su, akışkanlığı nedeniyle belirsizliğin başlıca metaforu olarak sık sık kadınla ilişkilendirilirken, yılan, söz ve başka birçok simge de tehlikeyi, belirsizlikten duyulan korkuyu simgeleyen ve kadının eğretilemesi olarak karşımızca çıkan sözcüklerdir.In this article, the relation between fear of the uncertainty and misogyny, the roots of which are rooted over thousands of years and continue to exist today as in every age, are discussed. The history of culture and civilization is the history of humankind controlling uncertainties by setting down boundaries and rules for themselves. Since the oldest states, where potency became abstract and institutional, potency and man have become identical. It is seen in myths and rituals, which are circulated as the instruments of legitimization of power, man is related with potency and social order whereas woman is encoded as a threat to the order, thus a potential danger. The representation of woman as disorderly and eerie in mythical and religious speeches reveals that misogyny has deeper roots, rather than being just a sexist and a moralistic reaction. Misogyny that we face today is the socio-psychological remnant of the primordial fear of uncertainty and the patriarchal domination that has lasted for thousands of years with its historical, imaginary and logical ties. These relationships can be shown via metaphoric, allegoric or symbolic items in the myths, fairy tales, practices of name giving. Water is often associated with women as the main metaphor of uncertainty due to its fluidity. Snakes, saying and some other symbols, which are occasionally encountered as metaphors for the woman, are the words that symbolize the danger, the fear of uncertainty