The cDNA and deduced amino acid sequence of the γ subunit of the L-type calcium channel from rabbit skeletal muscle

Complementary DNAs for the γ subunit of the calcium channel of rabbit skeletal muscle were isolated on the basis of peptide sequences derived from the purified protein. The deduced primary structure is without homology to other known protein sequences and is consistent with the γ subunit being an integral membrane protein

Broad-band photometric colors and effective temperature calibrations for late-type giants. II. Z<0.02

(Abridged) We investigate the effects of metallicity on the broad-band photometric colors of late-type giants, and make a comparison of synthetic colors with observed photometric properties of late-type giants over a wide range of effective temperatures (T_eff=3500-4800 K) and gravities (log g=0.0-2.5), at [M/H]=-1.0 and -2.0. The influence of metallicity on the synthetic photometric colors is generally small at effective temperatures above \~3800 K, but the effects grow larger at lower T_eff, due to the changing efficiency of molecule formation which reduces molecular opacities at lower [M/H]. To make a detailed comparison of the synthetic and observed photometric colors of late type giants in the T_eff--color and color--color planes, we derive a set of new T_eff--log g--color relations based on synthetic photometric colors, at [M/H]=-0.5, -1.0, -1.5, and -2.0. While differences between the new T_eff--color relations and those available from the literature are typically well within ~100 K, effective temperatures predicted by the scales based on synthetic colors tend to be slightly higher than those resulting from the T_eff--color relations based on observations, with the offsets up to ~100 K. This is clearly seen both at [M/H]=-1.0 and -2.0, especially in the T_eff--(B-V) and T_eff--(V-K) planes. The consistency between T_eff--log g--color scales based on synthetic colors calculated with different stellar atmosphere codes is very good, with typical differences being well within \Delta T_eff~70 K at [M/H]=-1.0 and \Delta T_eff~40 K at [M/H]=-2.0.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, A&A accepte

Resource-driven Substructural Defeasible Logic

Linear Logic and Defeasible Logic have been adopted to formalise different features relevant to agents: consumption of resources, and reasoning with exceptions. We propose a framework to combine sub-structural features, corresponding to the consumption of resources, with defeasibility aspects, and we discuss the design choices for the framework

Photometric colors of late-type giants: theory versus observations

To assess the current status in the theoretical modeling of the spectral properties of late-type giants, we provide a comparison of synthetic photometric colors of late-type giants (calculated with PHOENIX, MARCS and ATLAS model atmospheres) with observations, at [M/H]=0.0 and -2.0. Overall, there is a good agreement between observed and synthetic colors, and synthetic colors and published Teff-color relations, both at [M/H]=0.0 and -2.0. Deviations from the observed trends in Teff-color planes are generally within \pm 150K (or less) in the effective temperature range Teff=3500-4800K. Synthetic colors calculated with different stellar atmosphere models typically agree to ~100K, within a large range of effective temperatures and gravities. Some discrepancies are seen in the Teff-(B-V) plane below Teff~3800K at [M/H]=0.0, due to difficulties in reproducing the 'turn-off' to the bluer colors which is seen in the observed data at Teff~3600K. Note that at [M/H]=-2.0 effective temperatures given by the scale of Alonso et al. (1999) are generally lower than those resulting from other Teff-color relations based both on observed and synthetic colors.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure. Proceedings of the IAU Symposium 232 "The Scientific Requirements for Extremely Large Telescopes", eds. P. Whitelock, B. Leibundgut, and M. Dennefel

Supersymmetric Rotating Black Hole in a Compactified Spacetime

We construct a supersymmetric rotating black hole with asymptotically flat four-dimensional spacetime times a circle, by superposing an infinite number of BMPV black hole solutions at the same distance in one direction. The near horizon structure is the same as that of the five-dimensional BMPV black hole. The rotation of this black hole can exceed the Kerr bound in general relativity ($q\equiv a/G_4 M=1$), if the size is small.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures; v2: comparison with black ring removed, detailed discussion of rotation added, refs. added, v3: minor corrections, version to appear in PR

Determinants of an elevated pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Given the difficulty of diagnosing early-stage pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) due to the lack of signs and symptoms, and the risk of an open lung biopsy, the precise pathological features of presymptomatic stage lung tissue remain unknown. It has been suggested that the maximum elevation of the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) is achieved during the early symptomatic stage, indicating that the elevation of the mean Ppa is primarily driven by the pulmonary vascular tone and/or some degree of pulmonary vascular remodeling completed during this stage. Recently, the examination of a rat model of severe PAH suggested that the severe PAH may be primarily determined by the presence of intimal lesions and/or the vascular tone in the early stage. Human data seem to indicate that intimal lesions are essential for the severely increased pulmonary arterial blood pressure in the late stage of the disease. However, many questions remain. For instance, how does the pulmonary hemodynamics change during the course of the disease, and what drives the development of severe PAH? Although it is generally acknowledged that both pulmonary vascular remodeling and the vascular tone are important determinants of an elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, which is the root cause of the time-dependent progression of the disease? Here we review the recent histopathological concepts of PAH with respect to the progression of the lung vascular disease

Exponentially growing solutions in homogeneous Rayleigh-Benard convection

It is shown that homogeneous Rayleigh-Benard flow, i.e., Rayleigh-Benard turbulence with periodic boundary conditions in all directions and a volume forcing of the temperature field by a mean gradient, has a family of exact, exponentially growing, separable solutions of the full non-linear system of equations. These solutions are clearly manifest in numerical simulations above a computable critical value of the Rayleigh number. In our numerical simulations they are subject to secondary numerical noise and resolution dependent instabilities that limit their growth to produce statistically steady turbulent transport.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. E - rapid communication

Infrared Imaging of the Gravitational Lens PG 1115+080 with the Subaru Telescope

We present high spatial resolution images of the gravitational-lens system PG 1115+080 taken with the near-infrared camera (CISCO) on the Subaru telescope. The FWHM of the combined image is $0.''32$ in the $K'$-band, yielding spatial resolution of $0.''14$ after a deconvolution procedure. This is a first detection of an extended emission adjacent to the A1/A2 components, indicating the presence of a fairly bright emission region with a characteristic angular radius of $\sim$ 5 mas (40 pc). The near-infrared image of the Einstein ring was extracted in both the $J$ and $K'$ bands. The $J-K'$ color is found to be significantly redder than that of a synthetic model galaxy with an age of 3 Gyr, the age of the universe at the quasar redshift.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in PASJ(2000

Structure–Function Mapping: Variability and Conviction in Tracing Retinal Nerve Fiber Bundles and Comparison to a Computational Model

yesPurpose: We evaluated variability and conviction in tracing paths of retinal nerve fiber bundles (RNFBs) in retinal images, and compared traced paths to a computational model that produces anatomically-customized structure–function maps. Methods: Ten retinal images were overlaid with 24-2 visual field locations. Eight clinicians and 6 naïve observers traced RNFBs from each location to the optic nerve head (ONH), recording their best estimate and certain range of insertion. Three clinicians and 2 naïve observers traced RNFBs in 3 images, 3 times, 7 to 19 days apart. The model predicted 10° ONH sectors relating to each location. Variability and repeatability in best estimates, certain range width, and differences between best estimates and model-predictions were evaluated. Results: Median between-observer variability in best estimates was 27° (interquartile range [IQR] 20°–38°) for clinicians and 33° (IQR 22°–50°) for naïve observers. Median certain range width was 30° (IQR 14°–45°) for clinicians and 75° (IQR 45°–180°) for naïve observers. Median repeatability was 10° (IQR 5°–20°) for clinicians and 15° (IQR 10°–29°) for naïve observers. All measures were worse further from the ONH. Systematic differences between model predictions and best estimates were negligible; median absolute differences were 17° (IQR 9°–30°) for clinicians and 20° (IQR 10°–36°) for naïve observers. Larger departures from the model coincided with greater variability in tracing. Conclusions: Concordance between the model and RNFB tracing was good, and greatest where tracing variability was lowest. When RNFB tracing is used for structure–function mapping, variability should be considered