A study of the effect of ionization and illumination on morphologies of planetary nebulae

We carry out a modelling study of the effect of ionization and illumination on the morphologies of planetary nebulae (PNs), aiming to investigate the hypothesis of Kwok (2010) that the bipolar and multipolar lobes of PNs can be produced by leakage of UV photons into those directions. Using photoinization code, we construct a series of nebular models consisting of a dense envelope and cones of low density. The results show that the visible morphologies of PNs may be fundamentally different from their intrinsic structures. © 2012 International Astronomical Union.published_or_final_versio

A Study of the Application of Design By Metaphors to the User Interface of Smartphones

The purpose of this study is to integrate user experiences, semiology, and the design by metaphors into user interfaces by experiments. Designs by metaphors are effectively integrated into the user interface of photo retouching apps on smartphones. Problems with the usage of the original interface can be resolved and the quality of product design can be improved. Current photo retouching apps usually come with a complicated user interface that makes users difficult to figure out a straightforward way of using the apps. Users might have less confidence in using the apps and their willingness of using is greatly reduced. The emerging trend of design by metaphors in recent years has resolved the issues that complicate user perception. It also helps designers simplify complicated user interfaces due to the requirement of multiple functions. An effective approach is proposed in this study to help designers create new user interfaces for photo retouching apps by using signs to simplify operation instructions. The resulting visual designs allow users to associate operations with something they are familiar with so that they can comprehend product functions in an effective way. The resulting design is clear at a glance so that users no longer make unintended uses. Moreover, the experiments in study opened a new horizon for the application of design by metaphors to user interfaces. This approach makes designers value product semantics more. As a result, people can enjoy their life in a more convenient and comfortable way.     Keywords: photo retouching app for smartphones, design by metaphors, operational semantics, semiology, user experienc

Three Dimensional Structure and Energy Balance of a Coronal Mass Ejection

The Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) observed Doppler shifted material of a partial Halo Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) on December 13 2001. The observed ratio of [O V]/O V] is a reliable density diagnostic important for assessing the state of the plasma. Earlier UVCS observations of CMEs found evidence that the ejected plasma is heated long after the eruption. We have investigated the heating rates, which represent a significant fraction of the CME energy budget. The parameterized heating and radiative and adiabatic cooling have been used to evaluate the temperature evolution of the CME material with a time dependent ionization state model. The functional form of a flux rope model for interplanetary magnetic clouds was also used to parameterize the heating. We find that continuous heating is required to match the UVCS observations. To match the O VI-bright knots, a higher heating rate is required such that the heating energy is greater than the kinetic energy. The temperatures for the knots bright in Ly$\alpha$ and C III emission indicate that smaller heating rates are required for those regions. In the context of the flux rope model, about 75% of the magnetic energy must go into heat in order to match the O VI observations. We derive tighter constraints on the heating than earlier analyses, and we show that thermal conduction with the Spitzer conductivity is not sufficient to account for the heating at large heights.Comment: 40 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ For associated mpeg file, please see https://www.cora.nwra.com/~jylee/mpg/f5.mp

Development of New Products by DEMATEL

In this study, the consumer of the glass coffee stir bar design was used as the research object, and DEMATEL (Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) was used to explore the causality and importance of the evaluation factors for the purchase decision. The study found that the three most important key assessment factors before the purchase decision of glass coffee stir bars were ‘beautiful’, ‘operability’, and ‘durability’; ‘beauty’ was the main influencing factor; ‘operability’ – this is the main factor affected. In addition, glass coffee stir bars are the three most important key assessment factors before the general consumer purchase decision. Therefore, it is recommended to use this method to verify the case study of glass coffee stirrer bar designs, and to study the possible development directions for evaluation. This model process can not only quantitatively evaluate the simple factors of complex interaction factors, but the results can also be used as a design to determine the direction of future development.     Keywords: modular design, product family, interpretive structural model, product desig

Antrodia cinnamomea reduces obesity and modulates the gut microbiota in high-fat diet-fed mice.

BackgroundObesity is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, disrupted intestinal barrier and chronic inflammation. Given the high and increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide, anti-obesity treatments that are safe, effective and widely available would be beneficial. We examined whether the medicinal mushroom Antrodia cinnamomea may reduce obesity in mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD).MethodsMale C57BL/6J mice were fed a HFD for 8 weeks to induce obesity and chronic inflammation. The mice were treated with a water extract of A. cinnamomea (WEAC), and body weight, fat accumulation, inflammation markers, insulin sensitivity and the gut microbiota were monitored.ResultsAfter 8 weeks, the mean body weight of HFD-fed mice was 39.8±1.2 g compared with 35.8±1.3 g for the HFD+1% WEAC group, corresponding to a reduction of 4 g or 10% of body weight (P<0.0001). WEAC supplementation reduced fat accumulation and serum triglycerides in a statistically significant manner in HFD-fed mice. WEAC also reversed the effects of HFD on inflammation markers (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α), insulin resistance and adipokine production (leptin and adiponectin). Notably, WEAC increased the expression of intestinal tight junctions (zonula occludens-1 and occludin) and antimicrobial proteins (Reg3g and lysozyme C) in the small intestine, leading to reduced blood endotoxemia. Finally, WEAC modulated the composition of the gut microbiota, reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and increasing the level of Akkermansia muciniphila and other bacterial species associated with anti-inflammatory properties.ConclusionsSupplementation with A. cinnamomea produces anti-obesogenic, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects in HFD-fed mice by maintaining intestinal integrity and modulating the gut microbiota