Large XCH 4 anomaly in summer 2013 over northeast Asia observed by GOSAT

Extremely high levels of column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of atmospheric methane (XCH4) were detected in August and September 2013 over northeast Asia (∼  20 ppb above the averaged summertime XCH4 over 2009–2012, after removing a long-term trend), as being retrieved from the Short-Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) spectral data observed with the Thermal And Near-infrared Sensor for carbon Observation – Fourier Transform Spectrometer (TANSO-FTS) onboard Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT). Similar enhancements of XCH4 were also observed by the ground-based measurements at two Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) sites in Japan

Comparative Analysis of NS5 Protein for Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus Strains in three Virus Subtypes

Non-structural protein 5 (NS5) of tick-borne encephalitis virus is an enzyme which is responsible for a copying of viral RNA, and it has a strong structural similarity to RNA polymerases of another RNA virus families. The strains of the virus are separated into three subtypes, which differ by specific mutations in virus proteins, including NS5 protein. The methods of structural bioinformatics allow to construct a model of NS5 protein for several strains of the virus.The paper presents the comparative analysis of sequences and structures of NS5 protein, for three subtypes of the tick-borne encephalitis virus. The segments of protein were identified where the highest difference between subtypes and within subtypes is observed. These segments, where most of the mutations are accumulated, are located in methyltransferase domain, in the inter-domain interface, and in the three subdomains of polymerase domain. The association between the locations of mutations in NS5 protein and the flexibility of a protein backbone was observed using normal mode analysis. Namely, the most important mutations are located in the parts of protein where the amplitude of synchronous oscillations estimated using normal mode analysis is the highest: in the second zinc binding pocket within polymerase domain, in the N-terminal extension within inter-domain interface, and around an active site of methyltransferase domain

Modeling the Near-Infrared Luminosity Functions of Young Stellar Clusters

We present the results of numerical experiments designed to evaluate the usefulness of near-infrared luminosity functions for constraining the Initial Mass Function (IMF) of young stellar populations. From this numerical modeling, we find that the luminosity function of a young stellar population is considerably more sensitive to variations in the underlying initial mass function than to either variations in the star forming history or assumed pre-main-sequence (PMS) mass-to-luminosity relation. To illustrate the potential effectiveness of using the KLF of a young cluster to constrain its IMF, we model the observed K band luminosity function of the nearby Trapezium cluster. Our derived mass function for the Trapezium spans two orders of magnitude in stellar mass (5 Msun to 0.02 Msun), has a peak near the hydrogen burning limit, and has an IMF for Brown Dwarfs which steadily decreases with decreasing mass.Comment: To appear in ApJ (1 April 2000). 37 pages including 11 figures, AAS: ver 5.

The effect of the selective laser melting mode on second phases precipitation in 316L steel during subsequent heat treatment

The object of the study was 316L steel obtained by the method of selective laser melting (SLM). The structure of 316L steel was investigated after different SLM modes. The effect of different SLM modes on the second phases precipitation after heat treatment was studied. It is revealed that the fraction of precipitates of the χ-phase correlates with the energy density of the laser beam during SLM. © 2021 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved

Tools and a web server for data analysis and presentation in microbial ecology

Abstract The methods for data presentation are important in bioinformatics as data processing algorithms. The article describes the software package for the extensive analysis of tables with estimates of bacterial abundance levels in environmental samples. The package was designed to be executed in a distributed hardware environment, with powerful packages in Python in the backend and interactive front-end forms. Most of microbial ecology-specific functionality is implemented by the scikit-bio Python package, together with the other Python packages intended for big data analysis. Interactive visualisation tools are implemented by the D3.js software library, therefore, the software project is named D3b. The package is a suite of tools for the analysis of microbial ecology data implemented as a web-service and as a desktop application. It supports a substantial part of the graphical and analytical descriptions of microbial communities used in scientific publications. Source codes are available at github (sferanchuk/d3b_charts) and the on-line version of the system is accessible at d3b-charts.bri-shur.com

Surface-dependent osteoblasts response to TiO2 nanotubes of different crystallinity

One of the major challenges of implantology is to design nanoscale modifications of titanium implant surfaces inducing osseointegration. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of rat osteoblasts cultured on anodized TiO2 nanotubes of different crystallinity (amorphous and anatase phase) up to 24 days. TiO2 nanotubes were fabricated on VT1–0 titanium foil via a two-step anodization at 20 V using NH4F as an electrolyte. Anatase-phase samples were prepared by heat treatment at 500 °C for 1 h. VT1–0 samples with flat surfaces were used as controls. Primary rat osteoblasts were seeded over experimental surfaces for several incubation times. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze tested surfaces and cell morphology. Cell adhesion and proliferation were investigated by cell counting. Osteogenic differentiation of cells was evaluated by qPCR of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteopontin (OPN), integrin binding sialoprotein (IBSP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN). Cell adhesion and proliferation, cell morphology and the expression of osteogenic markers were affected by TiO2 nanotube layered substrates of amorphous and anatase crystallinity. In comparison with flat titanium, along with increased cell adhesion and cell growth a large portion of osteoblasts grown on the both nanostructured surfaces exhibited an osteocyte-like morphology as early as 48 h of culture. Moreover, the expression of all tested osteogenic markers in cells cultured on amorphous and anatase TiO2 nanotubes was upregulated at least at one of the analyzed time points. To summarize, we demonstrated that amorphous and anodized TiO2 layered substrates are highly biocompatible with rat osteoblasts and that the surface modification with about 1500 nm length nanotubes of 35 ± 4 (amorphous phase) and 41 ± 8 nm (anatase phase) in diameter is sufficient to induce their osteogenic differentiation. Such results are significant to the engineering of coating strategies for orthopedic implants aimed to establish a more efficient bone to implant contact and enhance bone repair. © 2020 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAADRussian Science Foundation, RSF: 18‐13‐00220Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Minobrnauka: 57447934PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071Funding: The experimental work was funded by the Russian Science Foundation (grant no. 18‐13‐00220). This research was partially supported by DAAD together with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation within Michael Lomonosov Program (project No. 57447934); M.W. was financially supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071)

Chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols between Moscow and Vladivostok

International audienceThe TROICA-9 expedition (Trans-Siberian Observations Into the Chemistry of the Atmosphere) was carried out at the Trans-Siberian railway between Moscow and Vladivostok in October 2005. Measurements of aerosol physical and chemical properties were made from an observatory carriage connected to a passenger train. Black carbon (BC) concentrations in fine particles (PM2.5, aerodynamic diameter ?, NO3?, SO42?, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, oxalate and methane sulphonate) were measured continuously by using an on-line system with a 15-min time resolution. In addition, particle volume size distributions were determined for particles in the diameter range 3?850 nm using a 10-min. time resolution. The continuous measurements were completed with 24-h. PM2.5 filter samples which were stored in a refrigerator and later analyzed in chemical laboratory. The analyses included mass concentrations of PM2.5, ions, monosaccharide anhydrides (levoglucosan, galactosan and mannosan) and trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, V and Zn). The mass concentrations of PM2.5 varied in the range of 4.3?34.8 ?g m?3 with an average of 21.6 ?g m?3. Fine particle mass consisted mainly of BC (average 27.6%), SO42? (13.0%), NH4+ (4.1%), and NO3? (1.4%). One of the major constituents was obviously also organic carbon which was not determined. The contribution of BC was high compared with other studies made in Europe and Asia. High concentrations of ions, BC and particle volume were observed between Moscow and roughly 4000 km east of it, as well as close to Vladivostok, primarily due to local anthropogenic sources. In the natural background area between 4000 and 7200 km distance from Moscow, observed concentrations were low, even though there were local particle sources, such as forest fires, that increased occasionally concentrations. The measurements indicated that during forest fire episodes, most of the aerosol mass consisted of organic particulate matter. Concentrations of biomass burning tracers levoglucosan, oxalate and potassium were elevated close to the forest fire areas observed by the MODIS satellite. The polluted air masses from Asia seem to have significant influences on the concentration levels of fine particles over south-eastern Russia

GENETIC IDENTIFICATION AND PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF DERMACENTOR SP. TICKS IN IRKUTSK REGION

Here we present the results of the analysis of mt16S ribosomal RNA gene of two species of ticks from Irkutsk region - Dermacentor nuttalli and D. silvarum.. The ticks from are closely related to each other with 99-100 % identity of nucleotide sequence of mt16S rRNA gene. The phylogenetic analysis has shown that both species are closely related and. formed the separate clade together with specimens of D. nuttalli and. D. silvarum. from China

Effect of Thermal Deformation Regimes on the Austenite Growth Kinetics and Recrystallization of Medium Carbon Low-Alloyed Steel for Large-Sized Steam Turbine Rotors

Effect of thermal deformation regimes on the austenite grain growth is studied in the article. The austenite grain growth curve based on the experimental data is constructed. Conclusion about temperature, deformation degree and rate effect is made.The work was carried out using the laboratory equipment ”Structural methods of analysis and properties of materials and nanomaterials” of the Center of Ural Federal University