Phobos DTM and Coordinate Refinement for Phobos-Grunt Mission Support.

Images obtained by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) during recent Phobos flybys were used to study the proposed new landing site area of the Russian Phobos-Grunt mission, scheduled for launch in 2011 [1]. From the stereo images (resolution of up to 4.4 m/pixel), a digital terrain model (DTM) with a lateral resolution of 100 m per pixel and a relative point accuracy of ±15 m, was determined. Images and DTM were registered to the established Phobos control point network [7]. A map of the landing site area was produced enabling mission planers and scientists to extract accurate body-fixed coordinates of features in the Phobos Grunt landing site area

Multipliers for p-Bessel sequences in Banach spaces

Multipliers have been recently introduced as operators for Bessel sequences and frames in Hilbert spaces. These operators are defined by a fixed multiplication pattern (the symbol) which is inserted between the analysis and synthesis operators. In this paper, we will generalize the concept of Bessel multipliers for p-Bessel and p-Riesz sequences in Banach spaces. It will be shown that bounded symbols lead to bounded operators. Symbols converging to zero induce compact operators. Furthermore, we will give sufficient conditions for multipliers to be nuclear operators. Finally, we will show the continuous dependency of the multipliers on their parameters.Comment: 17 page

Mid-infrared emissivity of partially dehydrated asteroid (162173) Ryugu shows strong signs of aqueous alteration

The near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu, the target of Hayabusa2 space mission, was observed via both orbiter and the lander instruments. The infrared radiometer on the MASCOT lander (MARA) is the only instrument providing spectrally resolved mid-infrared (MIR) data, which is crucial for establishing a link between the asteroid material and meteorites found on Earth. Earlier studies revealed that the single boulder investigated by the lander belongs to the most common type found on Ryugu. Here we show the spectral variation of Ryugu’s emissivity using the complete set of in-situ MIR data and compare it to those of various carbonaceous chondritic meteorites, revealing similarities to the most aqueously altered ones, as well as to asteroid (101955) Bennu. The results show that Ryugu experienced strong aqueous alteration prior to any dehydration

Die Agitpropbewegung als Teil der Arbeiterkultur der Weimarer Republik

The advent of next-generation sequencing has brought about an explosion of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data in non-model organisms; however, profiling these SNPs across multiple natural populations still requires substantial time and resources. Results: Here, we introduce two cost-efficient quantitative High Resolution Melting (qHRM) methods for measuring allele frequencies at known SNP loci in pooled DNA samples: the "peaks" method, which can be applied to large numbers of SNPs, and the "curves" method, which is more labor intensive but also slightly more accurate. Using the reef-building coral Acropora millepora, we show that both qHRM methods can recover the allele proportions from mixtures prepared using two or more individuals of known genotype. We further demonstrate advantages of each method over previously published methods; specifically, the "peaks" method can be rapidly scaled to screen several hundred SNPs at once, whereas the "curves" method is better suited for smaller numbers of SNPs. Conclusions: Compared to genotyping individual samples, these methods can save considerable effort and genotyping costs when relatively few candidate SNPs must be profiled across a large number of populations. One of the main applications of this method could be validation of SNPs of interest identified in population genomic studies.Australian Institute of Marine ScienceNational Science Foundation DEB-1054766Cellular and Molecular Biolog

Encouraging versatile thinking in algebra using the computer

In this article we formulate and analyse some of the obstacles to understanding the notion of a variable, and the use and meaning of algebraic notation, and report empirical evidence to support the hypothesis that an approach using the computer will be more successful in overcoming these obstacles. The computer approach is formulated within a wider framework ofversatile thinking in which global, holistic processing complements local, sequential processing. This is done through a combination of programming in BASIC, physical activities which simulate computer storage and manipulation of variables, and specific software which evaluates expressions in standard mathematical notation. The software is designed to enable the user to explore examples and non-examples of a concept, in this case equivalent and non-equivalent expressions. We call such a piece of software ageneric organizer because if offers examples and non-examples which may be seen not just in specific terms, but as typical, or generic, examples of the algebraic processes, assisting the pupil in the difficult task of abstracting the more general concept which they represent. Empirical evidence from several related studies shows that such an approach significantly improves the understanding of higher order concepts in algebra, and that any initial loss in manipulative facility through lack of practice is more than made up at a later stage

Early post-transplant urinary IP-10 expression after kidney transplantation is predictive of short- and long-term graft function

The early identification of renal transplant recipients at enhanced risk of developing acute and subclinical rejection would allow individualized adjustment of immunosuppression before functional graft injury occurs and would exclude these patients from drug-weaning studies. Protein and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-based analyses of candidate markers in urine open the opportunity to closely monitor kidney-transplanted patients non-invasively. The chemokine interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10; CXCL10) might be an interesting candidate to uncover ongoing immune processes within the graft. Urine samples from kidney-transplanted recipients were retrospectively analyzed for IP-10 mRNA and protein expression. IP-10 levels were correlated with the incidence of acute rejection episodes proven by histology and long-term graft function assessed by the glomerular filtration rate 6 months post transplantation. IP-10 expression in urine identified patients with ongoing acute rejection episodes several days before a biopsy was indicated by rising serum creatinine levels. Most importantly, elevated levels of urinary IP-10 protein within the first four postoperative weeks were predictive of graft function at 6 months even in the absence of acute rejection. These data reveal a correlation between elevated IP-10 expression in urine at early time points post-transplantation and intragraft immune activation that leads to acute rejection and compromised long-term graft function

Nonequilibrium relaxation of the two-dimensional Ising model: Series-expansion and Monte Carlo studies

We study the critical relaxation of the two-dimensional Ising model from a fully ordered configuration by series expansion in time t and by Monte Carlo simulation. Both the magnetization (m) and energy series are obtained up to 12-th order. An accurate estimate from series analysis for the dynamical critical exponent z is difficult but compatible with 2.2. We also use Monte Carlo simulation to determine an effective exponent, z_eff(t) = - {1/8} d ln t /d ln m, directly from a ratio of three-spin correlation to m. Extrapolation to t = infinity leads to an estimate z = 2.169 +/- 0.003.Comment: 9 pages including 2 figure

Mid-infrared plasmons in scaled graphene nanostructures

Plasmonics takes advantage of the collective response of electrons to electromagnetic waves, enabling dramatic scaling of optical devices beyond the diffraction limit. Here, we demonstrate the mid-infrared (4 to 15 microns) plasmons in deeply scaled graphene nanostructures down to 50 nm, more than 100 times smaller than the on-resonance light wavelength in free space. We reveal, for the first time, the crucial damping channels of graphene plasmons via its intrinsic optical phonons and scattering from the edges. A plasmon lifetime of 20 femto-seconds and smaller is observed, when damping through the emission of an optical phonon is allowed. Furthermore, the surface polar phonons in SiO2 substrate underneath the graphene nanostructures lead to a significantly modified plasmon dispersion and damping, in contrast to a non-polar diamond-like-carbon (DLC) substrate. Much reduced damping is realized when the plasmon resonance frequencies are close to the polar phonon frequencies. Our study paves the way for applications of graphene in plasmonic waveguides, modulators and detectors in an unprecedentedly broad wavelength range from sub-terahertz to mid-infrared.Comment: submitte

Acquired Type III Secretion System Determines Environmental Fitness of Epidemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Interaction with Bacterivorous Protists

Genome analyses of marine microbial communities have revealed the widespread occurrence of genomic islands (GIs), many of which encode for protein secretion machineries described in the context of bacteria-eukaryote interactions. Yet experimental support for the specific roles of such GIs in aquatic community interactions remains scarce. Here, we test for the contribution of type III secretion systems (T3SS) to the environmental fitness of epidemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Comparisons of V. parahaemolyticus wild types and T3SS-defective mutants demonstrate that the T3SS encoded on genome island VPaI-7 (T3SS-2) promotes survival of V. parahaemolyticus in the interaction with diverse protist taxa. Enhanced persistence was found to be due to T3SS-2 mediated cytotoxicity and facultative parasitism of V. parahaemolyticus on coexisting protists. Growth in the presence of bacterivorous protists and the T3SS-2 genotype showed a strong correlation across environmental and clinical isolates of V. parahaemolyticus. Short-term microcosm experiments provide evidence that protistan hosts facilitate the invasion of T3SS-2 positive V. parahaemolyticus into a coastal plankton community, and that water temperature and productivity further promote enhanced survival of T3SS-2 positive V. parahaemolyticus. This study is the first to describe the fitness advantage of GI-encoded functions in a microbial food web, which may provide a mechanistic explanation for the global spread and the seasonal dynamics of V. parahaemolyticus pathotypes, including the pandemic serotype cluster O3:K6, in aquatic environments

SPI observations of the diffuse 60Fe emission in the Galaxy

Gamma-ray line emission from radioactive decay of 60Fe provides constraints on nucleosynthesis in massive stars and supernovae. The spectrometer SPI on board INTEGRAL has accumulated nearly three years of data on gamma-ray emission from the Galactic plane. We have analyzed these data with suitable instrumental-background models and sky distributions to produce high-resolution spectra of Galactic emission. We detect the gamma-ray lines from 60Fe decay at 1173 and 1333 keV, obtaining an improvement over our earlier measurement of both lines with now 4.9 sigma significance for the combination of the two lines. The average flux per line is (4.4 \pm 0.9) \times 10^{-5} ph cm^{-2} s^{-1} rad^{-1} for the inner Galaxy region. Deriving the Galactic 26Al gamma-ray line flux with using the same set of observations and analysis method, we determine the flux ratio of 60Fe/26Al gamma-rays as 0.148 \pm 0.06. The current theoretical predictions are still consistent with our result.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, A&A in pres