Observations of cometary parent molecules with the IRAM radio telescope

Several rotational transitions of HCN, H2S, H2CO, and CH3OH were detected in comets P/Brorsen-Metcalf 1989 X, Austin (1989c1) and Levy (1990c) with the Institute for Millimeter Radioastronomy (IRAM) 30-m radio telescope. This allows us to determine the production rates of these molecules and to probe the physical conditions of the coma

Observations of OH in comet Levy with the Nancay radio telescope

Due to extremely favorable excitation conditions, comet Levy (1990c) exhibited in August-September 1990 the strongest OH 18-cm signal ever recorded in a comet at the Nancay radio telescope. This unique opportunity was used to measure the OH satellite lines at 1612 and 1721 MHz, to perform extensive mapping of the OH radio emission and to make a sensitive evaluation of the cometary magnetic field, of the H2O outflow velocity and of the OH production rate

Skyrmion-skyrmion and skyrmion-edge repulsions in skyrmion-based racetrack memory

Magnetic skyrmions are promising for building next-generation magnetic memories and spintronic devices due to their stability, small size and the extremely low currents needed to move them. In particular, skyrmion-based racetrack memory is attractive for information technology, where skyrmions are used to store information as data bits instead of traditional domain walls. Here we numerically demonstrate the impacts of skyrmion-skyrmion and skyrmion-edge repulsions on the feasibility of skyrmion-based racetrack memory. The reliable and practicable spacing between consecutive skyrmionic bits on the racetrack as well as the ability to adjust it are investigated. Clogging of skyrmionic bits is found at the end of the racetrack, leading to the reduction of skyrmion size. Further, we demonstrate an effective and simple method to avoid the clogging of skyrmionic bits, which ensures the elimination of skyrmionic bits beyond the reading element. Our results give guidance for the design and development of future skyrmion-based racetrack memory.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

NK cells and cancer: you can teach innate cells new tricks

Abstract | Natural killer (NK) cells are the prototype innate lymphoid cells endowed with potent cytolytic function that provide host defence against microbial infection and tumours. Here, we review evidence for the role of NK cells in immune surveillance against cancer and highlight new therapeutic approaches for targeting NK cells in the treatment of cancer

Submillimetric spectroscopic observations of volatiles in comet C/2004 Q2 (Machholz)

We aim to determine the production rates of several parent and product volatiles and the 12C/13C isotopic carbon ratio in the long-period comet C/2004 Q2 (Machholz), which is likely to originate from the Oort Cloud. The line emission from several molecules in the coma was measured with high signal-to-noise ratio in January 2005 at heliocentric distance of 1.2 AU by means of high-resolution spectroscopic observations using the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT). We have obtained production rates of several volatiles (CH3OH, HCN, H13CN, HNC, H2CO, CO and CS) by comparing the observed and simulated line-integrated intensities. Furthermore, multiline observations of the CH3OH (7-6) series allow us to estimate the rotational temperature using the rotation diagram technique. We find that the CH3OH population distribution of the levels sampled by these lines can be described by a rotational temperature of 40 \pm 3 K. Derived mixing ratios relative to hydrogen cyanide are CO/CH3OH/H2CO/CS/HNC/H13CN/HCN = 30.9/24.6/4.8/0.57/0.031/0.013/1 assuming a pointing offset of 8" due to the uncertain ephemeris at the time of the observations and the telescope pointing error. The measured relative molecular abundances in C/2004 Q2 (Machholz) are between low- to typical values of those obtained in Oort Cloud comets, suggesting that it has visited the inner solar system previously and undergone thermal processing. The HNC/HCN abundance ratio of ~3.1% is comparable to that found in other comets, accounting for the dependence on the heliocentric distance, and could possibly be explained by ion-molecule chemical processes in the low-temperature atmosphere. From a tentative H13CN detection, the measured value of 97 \pm 30 for the H12CN/H13CN isotopologue pair is consistent with a telluric value.Comment: 14 pages with 11 figures, abridged abstrac

Dorsal root ganglion macrophages contribute to both the initiation and persistence of neuropathic pain.

Paralleling the activation of dorsal horn microglia after peripheral nerve injury is a significant expansion and proliferation of macrophages around injured sensory neurons in dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Here we demonstrate a critical contribution of DRG macrophages, but not those at the nerve injury site, to both the initiation and maintenance of the mechanical hypersensitivity that characterizes the neuropathic pain phenotype. In contrast to the reported sexual dimorphism in the microglial contribution to neuropathic pain, depletion of DRG macrophages reduces nerve injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and expansion of DRG macrophages in both male and female mice. However, fewer macrophages are induced in the female mice and deletion of colony-stimulating factor 1 from sensory neurons, which prevents nerve injury-induced microglial activation and proliferation, only reduces macrophage expansion in male mice. Finally, we demonstrate molecular cross-talk between axotomized sensory neurons and macrophages, revealing potential peripheral DRG targets for neuropathic pain management

A Methodology to Engineer and Validate Dynamic Multi-level Multi-agent Based Simulations

This article proposes a methodology to model and simulate complex systems, based on IRM4MLS, a generic agent-based meta-model able to deal with multi-level systems. This methodology permits the engineering of dynamic multi-level agent-based models, to represent complex systems over several scales and domains of interest. Its goal is to simulate a phenomenon using dynamically the lightest representation to save computer resources without loss of information. This methodology is based on two mechanisms: (1) the activation or deactivation of agents representing different domain parts of the same phenomenon and (2) the aggregation or disaggregation of agents representing the same phenomenon at different scales.Comment: Presented at 3th International Workshop on Multi-Agent Based Simulation, Valencia, Spain, 5th June 201

Dissuasive cigarettes: which cues are the most effective at deterring young people from smoking?

Objectives In order to counter the attractiveness of cigarettes, Article 11 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provides for the possibility of including warnings on cigarettes. The objective of our research was to explore perceptions of cigarettes designed to be dissuasive (either displaying the warning ‘Smoking kills’ in uppercase or lowercase, a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram, unattractive shades of brown or dark green, or a combination of all these negative cues). Study design In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 people in France aged 15-25 (10 daily smokers, 10 occasional smokers, 11 non-smokers; 15 females, 16 males). Methods Participants were shown different dissuasive cigarettes (displaying the warning ‘Smoking kills’, a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram, unattractive shades of brown or dark green, or a combination of all three), and current branded ones. Open-ended questions were asked about the attractiveness of the cigarettes, perception of risk, the image of the smoker, and influence on the desire to quit or not to start. Discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Results The different dissuasive cues were found to increase negative health perceptions (e.g., increase risk), reduce positive smoker image and the perceived pleasure of smoking (e.g., embarrassment of smoking in front of friends), decrease the desire to start smoking and increase the desire to quit. The most dissuasive cigarette was an unattractively dark-coloured cigarette which displayed both the warning ‘smoking kills’ and a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of the appearance of cigarettes and suggests that dissuasive cigarettes may be an innovative tobacco control measure for governments

A survey of volatile species in Oort cloud comets C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) and C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) at millimeter wavelengths

The line emission in the coma was measured in the comets C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) and C/2002 T7 (LINEAR), that were observed on five consecutive nights, 7-11 May 2004, at heliocentric distances of 1.0 and 0.7 AU, respectively, by means of high-resolution spectroscopy using the 10-m Submillimeter Telescope (SMT). We present a search for six parent- and product-volatile species (HCN, H2CO, CO, CS, CH3OH, and HNC) in both comets. Multiline observations of the CH3OH J = 5-4 series allow us to estimate the rotational temperature using the rotation diagram technique. We derive rotational temperatures of 54(9) K for C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) and 119(34) K for C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) that are roughly consistent with observations of other comets at similar distances from the Sun. The gas production rates of material are computed using a spherically symmetric molecular excitation code that includes collisions between neutrals and electrons. We find an HCN production rate of 2.96(5)e26 molec.s-1 for comet C/2001 Q4 (NEAT), corresponding to a mixing ratio with respect to H2O of 1.12(2)e-3. The mean HCN production rate during the observing period is 4.54(10)e26 molec.s-1 for comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR), which gives a Q_HCN/Q_H2O mixing ratio of 1.51(3)e-3. With systematically lower mixing ratios in comet C/2001 Q4 (NEAT), production rate ratios of the observed species with respect to H2O lie within the typical ranges of dynamically new comets in both objects. We find a relative low abundance of CO in C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) compared to the observed range in other comets based on millimeter/submillimeter observations, and a significant upper limit on the CO production in C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) is derived. Depletion of CO suggests partial evaporation from the surface layers during previous visits to the outer Solar System and agrees with previous measurements of dynamically new comets.Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures. Minor changes to match the published versio