Evolution of oropharyngeal patterning mechanisms involving Dlx and endothelins in vertebrates

AbstractIn jawed vertebrates, the Dlx code, or nested expression patterns of Dlx genes, specify the dorsoventral polarity of pharyngeal arches, downstream of endothelin-1 (Edn-1) and its effectors, Bapx1 (Nkx3.2) and dHand (Hand2). To elucidate the evolution of the specification mechanism of the oropharyngeal skeletal system, lamprey homologs of Dlx, Edn, endothelin receptor (Ednr), Bapx1, and dHand were identified. Our analysis suggested that the Edn gene family emerged at the advent of vertebrates, and that gene duplications leading to the different Edn gnathostome subtypes (Edn1–3) occurred before the cyclostome–gnathostome split. This timing of gene duplications, giving rise to multiple subtypes, was also implied for Dlx, Ednr, Hand, and Bapx. In lamprey embryos, nested expressions of Dlx genes were not observed in pharyngeal arches, nor was any focal expression of Bapx1, known in gnathostomes to specify the jaw joint. The dHand homolog, however, was expressed more intensively ventrally, as in gnathostomes. Lamprey homologs of Edn-1 and EdnrA were also shown to be expressed as described in mice, indicating involvement of this signaling pathway in the craniofacial patterning early in vertebrate evolution. These results suggest that the last common ancestor of all the extant vertebrates would have possessed basic gene repertoires involved in oropharyngeal patterning in gnathostomes, but the elaborate genetic program leading to the Dlx code is likely to have been acquired uniquely in gnathostomes

土壌浸透法の技術的発展

古くて新しい土壌浸透法は,自然の浄化能力を利用した水処理技術の一つであり,汚水が土壌中に浸透し流下する過程で,汚水中の汚濁物質が土壌を構成する土粒子などの物理的なろ過,化学的な吸着及び生物化学的な分解という分離・分解機能によって除去されるというものである。浄化が可能な汚濁物質は,浮遊物質,有機物,リンなどが挙げられるが,土壌内において無機性の浮遊物質などによる目詰まりが起こりやすく,また処理速度が遅く,所要面積が大きいなど,難点があり,適用されるケースも限られている。土壌浸透法で対象とする汚水は広範にわたり,生活雑排水,し尿や畜産排水の処理水,河川や湖沼の環境水,雨水などがあげられる。本稿では,こうした土壌浸透法の従来のシステムを概観し,あわせて筆者らがこの10年ほど携わってきた研究調査及び事例について取りまとめた。自然土壌のみでは浄化能力は,多くは期待できない。よって,浄化機能の改善には混合土壌方式が有望である。具体的には,マサ土,黒ボク土,赤玉土などを浄化材料として利用し,活性炭,木炭,凝集剤を添加して,有機物やリンなどの栄養塩類の分離除去能を大きくする。ろ過速度を上げるためには,多段層方式や造粒方式が必須であり,そのための様々な技術開発を行ってきた。さらには,廃棄物の有効活用の視点から,充填材の開発もあわせて行ってきた。それらの成果や実施例を概観するとともに将来に向けての適用可能性について言及した

First Data Release of the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program

The Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP) is a three-layered imaging survey aimed at addressing some of the most outstanding questions in astronomy today, including the nature of dark matter and dark energy. The survey has been awarded 300 nights of observing time at the Subaru Telescope and it started in March 2014. This paper presents the first public data release of HSC-SSP. This release includes data taken in the first 1.7 years of observations (61.5 nights) and each of the Wide, Deep, and UltraDeep layers covers about 108, 26, and 4 square degrees down to depths of i~26.4, ~26.5, and ~27.0 mag, respectively (5sigma for point sources). All the layers are observed in five broad bands (grizy), and the Deep and UltraDeep layers are observed in narrow bands as well. We achieve an impressive image quality of 0.6 arcsec in the i-band in the Wide layer. We show that we achieve 1-2 per cent PSF photometry (rms) both internally and externally (against Pan-STARRS1), and ~10 mas and 40 mas internal and external astrometric accuracy, respectively. Both the calibrated images and catalogs are made available to the community through dedicated user interfaces and database servers. In addition to the pipeline products, we also provide value-added products such as photometric redshifts and a collection of public spectroscopic redshifts. Detailed descriptions of all the data can be found online. The data release website is https://hsc-release.mtk.nao.ac.jp/.Comment: 34 pages, 20 figures, 7 tables, moderate revision, accepted for publication in PAS

砒素・鉄・マンガン・アンモニア同時除去の鉄バクテリア生物ろ過 : 我が国および途上国の浄水施設への適用

地下水中に自生するバクテリアを用いた亜ヒ酸・砒酸・鉄・マンガン・アンモニア同時除去の生物ろ過システムの開発を行ってきた。様々なバクテリアのうち,鉄バクテリア(溶解性の鉄及びマンガンを生物学的に酸化し,これらを酸化物として沈積させるバクテリア)および硝化菌が著者らの生物ろ過システムでは大きな役割を果たす。この報告では2004年以来の生物ろ過のパイロット試験結果を概括する。目的は砒素の効率的除去を達成するための最適運転条件探索である。We have worked on the development of a biological filtration system utilizing indigenous bacteria to remove arsenite, arsenate, iron, manganese and ammonia from groundwater. Among various bacteria, iron bacteria (bacterial species that biologically oxidize dissolved Fe and/or Mn, and deposit them as oxides) together with nitrifiers play the most important role in our system. This report is a brief summary of our pilot study (started in 2004), treating groundwater by the biological filtration. The purpose is to determine the optimal operating conditions to achieve the most efficient removal of arsenic

The Hyper Suprime-Cam SSP survey: Overview and survey design

Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) is a wide-field imaging camera on the prime focus of the 8.2-m Subaru telescope on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. A team of scientists from Japan, Taiwan, and Princeton University is using HSC to carry out a 300-night multi-band imaging survey of the high-latitude sky. The survey includes three layers: the Wide layer will cover 1400 deg2 in five broad bands (grizy), with a 5 σ point-source depth of r ≈ 26. The Deep layer covers a total of 26 deg2 in four fields, going roughly a magnitude fainter, while the UltraDeep layer goes almost a magnitude fainter still in two pointings of HSC (a total of 3.5 deg2). Here we describe the instrument, the science goals of the survey, and the survey strategy and data processing. This paper serves as an introduction to a special issue of the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, which includes a large number of technical and scientific papers describing results from the early phases of this survey