Sub-Arcsecond Near-Infrared Images of Massive Star Formation Region NGC 6334 V

We present high spatial resolution (0\farcs3) polarimetric images in the $H$ and $K$ bands and direct images in the $L'$ and $M'$ bands of the NGC 6334 V infrared nebulae. The images show complex structures including the multi-shells and various knots in the nebulae. The appearances and colors of the eastern and western nebulae differ considerably. Our polarization images also show differences between the illuminating sources of the nebulae: the eastern nebula is illuminated by a deeply embedded mid-infrared source, KDJ 4, and the western nebula by our newly detected near-infrared source, WN-A1. The degree of polarization of the nebulae is very large, up to 70% at $K$ and 60% at $H$, which is consistent with a single scattering of near-infrared radiation from each source at the walls of the mass outflows

Spin-dependent observables in surrogate reactions

Observables emitted from various spin states in compound U nuclei are investigated to validate usefulness of the surrogate reaction method. It was found that energy spectrum of cascading $\gamma$-rays and their multiplicities, spectrum of evaporated neutrons, and mass-distribution of fission fragments show clear dependence on the spin of decaying nuclei. The present results indicate that they can be used to infer populated spin distributions which significantly affect the decay branching ratio of the compound system produced by the surrogate reactions

Quixo Is Solved

Quixo is a two-player game played on a 5$\times$5 grid where the players try to align five identical symbols. Specifics of the game require the usage of novel techniques. Using a combination of value iteration and backward induction, we propose the first complete analysis of the game. We describe memory-efficient data structures and algorithmic optimizations that make the game solvable within reasonable time and space constraints. Our main conclusion is that Quixo is a Draw game. The paper also contains the analysis of smaller boards and presents some interesting states extracted from our computations.Comment: 19 page

Expression, Purification and Properties of Alanine Racemase from Thermus thermophillus HB8

An alanine racemase (EC 5.1.1.1) from an extreme thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus HB8, was purified and characterized, and its gene was cloned. The cloned alanine racemase gene (alr) was expressed in Escherichia coli JM 109. The alr gene is composed of a 1080 bp and encoded a 360 amino acid, and was predicted to have a molecular weight of 38,596. The enzyme was purified by heat shock at 70°C for 10min and DEAE Toyopearl 650M column chromatography. The purified enzyme had an optimum pH9.0∼10.0 and an optimum temperature of 55°C∼60°C. Enzyme activity was retained 100% after incubation of the enzyme at 70°C for 10min. Alanine racemase from Thermus thermophilus HB8 is a monomeric enzyme with a molecular mass of 39 kDa.高度好熱性細菌 Thermus thermophilus HB8 由来アラニンラセマーゼ遺伝子を大腸菌中にクローニングし、発現させた後に、精製及び性質検討を行った。alr遺伝子は1080bpからなり360アミノ酸残基 HB8をコードしていたので、本酵素は38,596Daの分子量であると予想された。alr遺伝子の [ G + C ] 含量は、72%であり、Tm値は98.8℃であった。T.thermophilus HB8由来アラニンセマーゼを中等度好熱性細菌 Geobacillus stearothermophilus 及び赤痢菌 Shigella sonnei 由来アラニンラセマーゼと一次配列の比較をしたところ、G.stearothermophilus 由来のものと33%、赤痢菌由来の酵素を28%の相同性を示した。T.thermophilus HB8 由来アラニンラセマーゼを、70℃で10分間の熱処理後、DEAE-トーヨーパール陰イオン交換カラム等により精製した。精製酵素の最適温度は、d-アラニンからl-アラニンへの反応で55℃、l-アラニンからd-アラニンへの反応では60℃であり、最適pHは、9.0〜10.0であった。また、70℃で30分インキュベーションを行った後にも、活性の低下は見受けられず耐熱性を示した。更に、本酵素は分子量38,000モノマー酵素であると推定され、その反応機構に興味が持たれる

Olopatadine Suppresses the Migration of THP-1 Monocytes Induced by S100A12 Protein

Olopatadine hydrochloride (olopatadine) is an antiallergic drug with histamine H(1) receptor antagonistic activity. Recently, olopatadine has been shown to bind to S100A12 which is a member of the S100 family of calcium-binding proteins, and exerts multiple proinflammatory activities including chemotaxis for monocytes and neutrophils. In this study, we examined the possibility that the interaction of olopatadine with S100A12 inhibits the proinflammatory effects of S100A12. Pretreatment of olopatadine with S100A12 reduced migration of THP-1, a monocyte cell line, induced by S100A12 alone, but did not affect recombinant human regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES)-induced migration. Amlexanox, which also binds to S100A12, inhibited the THP-1 migration induced by S100A12. However, ketotifen, another histamine H(1) receptor antagonist, had little effect on the activity of S100A12. These results suggest that olopatadine has a new mechanism of action, that is, suppression of the function of S100A12, in addition to histamine H(1) receptor antagonistic activity

SUBARU Near-Infrared Multi-Color Images of Class II Young Stellar Object, RNO91

We conducted sub-arcsecond near-infrared imaging observations of RNO91 with CIAO mounted on the SUBARU 8.2 m telescope. We present our JHK band data along with optical images, which when considered together reveal a complex circumstellar structure. We examined the colors of associated nebula and compared the geometry of the outflow/disk system suggested by our data with that already proposed on the basis of previous studies. Our K-band image shows bright circumstellar nebulosity detected within 2"(300AU) around the central source while it is less conspicuous at shorter wavelengths such as J and optical. P.A. and size of this red color nebulosity in our H-K color image agree with those of the previously detected polarization disk. These data agreement indicate that this bright circumstellar nebulosity region which follows the reddening law might be attributed to a disk-like structure. At J and optical wavelengths, several blue knot-like structures are detected around and beyond the bright circumstellar nebulosity. We suggest that these knotty reflection nebulae may represent disintegrating fragments of an infalling envelope. The three-color composite image has an appearance of arc-shaped nebulosity extending to the north and to the east through the central source. On the other end of this arc-shaped structure, the nebula appears to become more extended (2."3 long) to the southwest. We interpret these structures as roots of bipolar cavities opening to the northeast and southwest. The complex distribution of reflection nebulosity seen around RNO91 appears to confirm the interpretation of this source as an object dispersing its molecular envelope while transitioning from protostar to T Tauri star.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, Accepted by Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japa