Future changes in tropical cyclone activity in the North Indian Ocean projected by high-resolution MRI-AGCMs

Open Access at publisher's web site: http://www.springerlink.com/content/b682734237171631

Aplikasi PLC untuk Mengendalikan Lingkungan Pertumbuhan Tanaman Krisan pada Sistem Ebb And Flow

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is a form of controller which can be programmed for various needs. The basic mechanism of how PLC works is by connecting or disconnecting electric current of an instrument. The objective of this research is to design and evaluate the performance of PLC in handling Multi Input and Multi Output (MIMO) in floriculture for chrysanthemum. The PLC is given task to activate pump for supplying nutrient solution periodically and to control plant environment according to specified set point. The environmental parameters are acidity and temperature of nutrient solution, air temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse. If one of these environmental parameters is above or below the set point, then an appropriate action will be taken according to the programmed algorithm in the PLC. Special attention has been paid for controlling the acidity of nutrient solution. If the acidity of nutrient solution is 5.257, then it will be corrected by opening the bases solenoid valve for 75 times until the acidity increase to 6.017, according to the specified set point (6.0 – 6.5). If the acidity is 6.755, then it will be corrected by opening the acids solenoid valve for 23 times until its acidity decrease to 6.505. Results showed that PLC performed well in controlling the environment parameters of chrysanthemum grown in ebb and flow system

4f-derived Fermi Surfaces of CeRu2(Si[1-x]Ge[x])2 near the Quantum Critical Point: Resonant Soft X-ray ARPES Study

Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy in the Ce 3d-4f excitation region was measured for the paramagnetic state of CeRu2Si2, CeRu2(Si0.82Ge0.18)2, and LaRu2Si2 to investigate the changes of the 4$f$ electron Fermi surfaces around the quantum critical point. While the difference of the Fermi surfaces between CeRu2Si2 and LaRu2Si2 was experimentally confirmed, a strong 4f-electron character was observed in the band structures and the Fermi surfaces of CeRu2Si2 and CeRu2(Si0.82Ge0.18)2, consequently indicating a delocalized nature of the 4$f$ electrons in both compounds. The absence of Fermi surface reconstruction across the critical composition suggests that SDW quantum criticality is more appropriate than local quantum criticality in CeRu2(Si[1-x]Ge[x])2.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Skeletal muscle contraction. The thorough definition of the contractile event requires both load acceleration and load mass to be known

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The scope of this work is to show that the correct and complete definition of the system of muscle contraction requires the knowledge of both the mass and the acceleration of the load.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The aim is achieved by making use of a model of muscle contraction that operates into two phases. The first phase considers the effects of the power stroke in the absence of any hindrance. In the second phase viscous hindrance is introduced to match the experimental speed and yield of the contraction. It is shown that, at constant force of the load, changing load acceleration changes the time course of the pre-steady state of myofibril contraction. The decrease of the acceleration of the load from 9.8 m.s^-2to 1 m.s^-2increases the time length of the pre-steady state of the contraction from a few microseconds to many hundreds of microseconds and decreases the stiffness of the active fibre.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We urge that in the study of muscle contraction both the mass and the acceleration of the load are specified.</p

Cardiac-Specific SOCS3 Deletion Prevents In Vivo Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury through Sustained Activation of Cardioprotective Signaling Molecules.

Myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) adversely affects cardiac performance and the prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction. Although myocardial signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 is potently cardioprotective during IRI, the inhibitory mechanism responsible for its activation is largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the role of the myocardial suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3, an intrinsic negative feedback regulator of the Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT signaling pathway, in the development of myocardial IRI. Myocardial IRI was induced in mice by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery for 1 h, followed by different reperfusion times. One hour after reperfusion, the rapid expression of JAK-STAT-activating cytokines was observed. We precisely evaluated the phosphorylation of cardioprotective signaling molecules and the expression of SOCS3 during IRI and then induced myocardial IRI in wild-type and cardiac-specific SOCS3 knockout mice (SOCS3-CKO). The activation of STAT3, AKT, and ERK1/2 rapidly peaked and promptly decreased during IRI. This decrease correlated with the induction of SOCS3 expression up to 24 h after IRI in wild-type mice. The infarct size 24 h after reperfusion was significantly reduced in SOCS3-CKO compared with wild-type mice. In SOCS3-CKO mice, STAT3, AKT, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation was sustained, myocardial apoptosis was prevented, and the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) was augmented. Cardiac-specific SOCS3 deletion led to the sustained activation of cardioprotective signaling molecules including and prevented myocardial apoptosis and injury during IRI. Our findings suggest that SOCS3 may represent a key factor that exacerbates the development of myocardial IRI

Tropical cyclones and climate change

Recent research has strengthened the understanding of the links between climate and tropical cyclones (TCs) on various timescales. Geological records of past climates have shown century-long variations in TC numbers. While no significant trends have been identified in the Atlantic since the late 19th century, significant observed trends in TC numbers and intensities have occurred in this basin over the past few decades, and trends in other basins are increasingly being identified. However, understanding of the causes of these trends is incomplete, and confidence in these trends continues to be hampered by a lack of consistent observations in some basins. A theoretical basis for maximum TC intensity appears now to be well established, but a climate theory of TC formation remains elusive. Climate models mostly continue to predict future decreases in global TC numbers, projected increases in the intensities of the strongest storms and increased rainfall rates. Sea level rise will likely contribute toward increased storm surge risk. Against the background of global climate change and sea level rise, it is important to carry out quantitative assessments on the potential risk of TC-induced storm surge and flooding to densely populated cities and river deltas. Several climate models are now able to generate a good distribution of both TC numbers and intensities in the current climate. Inconsistent TC projection results emerge from modeling studies due to different downscaling methodologies and warming scenarios, inconsistencies in projected changes of large-scale conditions, and differences in model physics and tracking algorithms

A Novel PAN/Apple Domain-Containing Protein from Toxoplasma gondii: Characterization and Receptor Identification

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that invades nucleated cells, causing toxoplasmosis in humans and animals worldwide. The extremely wide range of hosts susceptible to T. gondii is thought to be the result of interactions between T. gondii ligands and receptors on its target cells. In this study, a host cell-binding protein from T. gondii was characterized, and one of its receptors was identified. P104 (GenBank Access. No. CAJ20677) is 991 amino acids in length, containing a putative 26 amino acid signal peptide and 10 PAN/apple domains, and shows low homology to other identified PAN/apple domain-containing molecules. A 104-kDa host cell-binding protein was detected in the T. gondii lysate. Immunofluorescence assays detected P104 at the apical end of extracellular T. gondii. An Fc-fusion protein of the P104 N-terminus, which contains two PAN/apple domains, showed strong affinity for the mammalian and insect cells evaluated. This binding was not related to protein-protein or protein-lipid interactions, but to a protein-glycosaminoglycan (GAG) interaction. Chondroitin sulfate (CS), a kind of GAG, was shown to be involved in adhesion of the Fc-P104 N-terminus fusion protein to host cells. These results suggest that P104, expressed at the apical end of the extracellular parasite, may function as a ligand in the attachment of T. gondii to CS or other receptors on the host cell, facilitating invasion by the parasite

Search for the Lepton-Flavor-Violating Decay τ−→μ−η\tau^- \to \mu^- \eta at Belle

We have searched for the Lepton Flavor Violating decay $\tau^- \to \mu^- \eta$ using a data sample of 84.3 fb$^{-1}$ accumulated with the Belle detector at KEK. The $\eta$-meson was detected through the decay modes: $\eta \to \gamma\gamma$ and $\pi^+\pi^-\pi^0$. No signal candidates are found, and we obtain an upper limit for the branching fraction ${\cal B}(\tau^- \to \mu^- \eta)<3.4\times 10^{-7}$ at the 90% confidence level.Comment: Submitted to Phys.Rev.Let

Measurement of K^+K^- production in two-photon collisions in the resonant-mass region

K^+K^- production in two-photon collisions has been studied using a large data sample of 67 fb^{-1} accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric e^+e^- collider. We have measured the cross section for the process gamma gamma -> K^+ K^- for center-of-mass energies between 1.4 and 2.4 GeV, and found three new resonant structures in the energy region between 1.6 and 2.4 GeV. The angular differential cross sections have also been measured.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Euro. Phys. Jour.

Observation of the DsJ(2317) and DsJ(2457) in B decays

We report the first observation of the B --> Dbar DsJ(2317) and B --> Dbar DsJ(2457) decays based on 123.8 10^6 BBar events collected with the Belle detector at KEKB. We observe the DsJ(2317) decay to Ds pi0 and DsJ(2457) decay to the Ds* pi0 and Ds gamma final states. We also set 90% CL upper limits for the decays DsJ(2317) --> Ds* gamma, DsJ(2457) --> Ds* gamma, DsJ(2457) --> Ds pi0 and DsJ(2457) --> Ds pi+ pi-.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. A few minor corrections. Replaced by version accepted to publication in Phys. Rev. Let