688 research outputs found
Motion of the sub-satellite point for 24-hour orbits
Subsatellite path for 24-hour orbits affected by changes in eccentricity, inclination, and argument of perigee - orbital path of syncom i
Working with simple machines
A set of examples is provided that illustrate the use of work as applied to
simple machines. The ramp, pulley, lever and hydraulic press are common
experiences in the life of a student and their theoretical analysis therefore
makes the abstract concept of work more real. The mechanical advantage of each
of these systems is also discussed so that students can evaluate their
usefulness as machines.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure
Turning students into citizen scientists
Citizen science, the active participation of the public in scientific research projects, is a rapidly expanding field in open science and open innovation. It provides an integrated model of public knowledge production and engagement with science. As a growing worldwide phenomenon, it is invigorated by evolving new technologies that connect people easily and effectively with the scientific community. Catalysed by citizens’ wishes to be actively involved in scientific processes, as a result of recent societal trends, it also offers contributions to the rise in tertiary education. In addition, citizen science provides a valuable tool for citizens to play a more active role in sustainable development.
This book identifies and explains the role of citizen science within innovation in science and society, and as a vibrant and productive science-policy interface. The scope of this volume is global, geared towards identifying solutions and lessons to be applied across science, practice and policy. The chapters consider the role of citizen science in the context of the wider agenda of open science and open innovation, and discuss progress towards responsible research and innovation, two of the most critical aspects of science today
Direct reaction measurements with a 132Sn radioactive ion beam
The (d,p) neutron transfer and (d,d) elastic scattering reactions were
measured in inverse kinematics using a radioactive ion beam of 132Sn at 630
MeV. The elastic scattering data were taken in a region where Rutherford
scattering dominated the reaction, and nuclear effects account for less than 8%
of the cross section. The magnitude of the nuclear effects was found to be
independent of the optical potential used, allowing the transfer data to be
normalized in a reliable manner. The neutron-transfer reaction populated a
previously unmeasured state at 1363 keV, which is most likely the
single-particle 3p1/2 state expected above the N=82 shell closure. The data
were analyzed using finite range adiabatic wave calculations and the results
compared with the previous analysis using the distorted wave Born
approximation. Angular distributions for the ground and first excited states
are consistent with the previous tentative spin and parity assignments.
Spectroscopic factors extracted from the differential cross sections are
similar to those found for the one neutron states beyond the benchmark
doubly-magic nucleus 208Pb.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure
Structure of Be probed via secondary beam reactions
The low-lying level structure of the unbound neutron-rich nucleus Be
has been investigated via breakup on a carbon target of secondary beams of
B at 35 MeV/nucleon. The coincident detection of the beam velocity
Be fragments and neutrons permitted the invariant mass of the
Be+ and Be++ systems to be reconstructed. In the case of
the breakup of B, a very narrow structure at threshold was observed in
the Be+ channel. Contrary to earlier stable beam fragmentation
studies which identified this as a strongly interacting -wave virtual state
in Be, analysis here of the Be++ events demonstrated that
this was an artifact resulting from the sequential-decay of the
Be(2) state. Single-proton removal from B was found to
populate a broad low-lying structure some 0.70 MeV above the neutron-decay
threshold in addition to a less prominent feature at around 2.4 MeV. Based on
the selectivity of the reaction and a comparison with (0-3)
shell-model calculations, the low-lying structure is concluded to most probably
arise from closely spaced J=1/2 and 5/2 resonances
(E=0.400.03 and 0.85 MeV), whilst the broad
higher-lying feature is a second 5/2 level (E=2.350.14 MeV). Taken
in conjunction with earlier studies, it would appear that the lowest 1/2
and 1/2 levels lie relatively close together below 1 MeV.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Physical
Review
PAK6 Phosphorylates 14-3-3 gamma to Regulate Steady State Phosphorylation of LRRK2
Mutations in Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are associated with Parkinson’s
disease (PD) and, as such, LRRK2 is considered a promising therapeutic target for
age-related neurodegeneration. Although the cellular functions of LRRK2 in health and
disease are incompletely understood, robust evidence indicates that PD-associated
mutations alter LRRK2 kinase and GTPase activities with consequent deregulation of
the downstream signaling pathways. We have previously demonstrated that one LRRK2
binding partner is P21 (RAC1) Activated Kinase 6 (PAK6). Here, we interrogate the
PAK6 interactome and find that PAK6 binds a subset of 14-3-3 proteins in a kinase
dependent manner. Furthermore, PAK6 efficiently phosphorylates 14-3-3γ at Ser59 and
this phosphorylation serves as a switch to dissociate the chaperone from client proteins
including LRRK2, a well-established 14-3-3 binding partner. We found that 14-3-3γ
phosphorylated by PAK6 is no longer competent to bind LRRK2 at phospho-Ser935,
causing LRRK2 dephosphorylation. To address whether these interactions are relevant in
a neuronal context, we demonstrate that a constitutively active form of PAK6 rescues the
G2019S LRRK2-associated neurite shortening through phosphorylation of 14-3-3γ. Our
results identify PAK6 as the kinase for 14-3-3γ and reveal a novel regulatory mechanism
of 14-3-3/LRRK2 complex in the brain
The magic nature of 132Sn explored through the single-particle states of 133Sn
Atomic nuclei have a shell structure where nuclei with 'magic numbers' of
neutrons and protons are analogous to the noble gases in atomic physics. Only
ten nuclei with the standard magic numbers of both neutrons and protons have so
far been observed. The nuclear shell model is founded on the precept that
neutrons and protons can move as independent particles in orbitals with
discrete quantum numbers, subject to a mean field generated by all the other
nucleons. Knowledge of the properties of single-particle states outside nuclear
shell closures in exotic nuclei is important for a fundamental understanding of
nuclear structure and nucleosynthesis (for example the r-process, which is
responsible for the production of about half of the heavy elements). However,
as a result of their short lifetimes, there is a paucity of knowledge about the
nature of single-particle states outside exotic doubly magic nuclei. Here we
measure the single-particle character of the levels in 133Sn that lie outside
the double shell closure present at the short-lived nucleus 132Sn. We use an
inverse kinematics technique that involves the transfer of a single nucleon to
the nucleus. The purity of the measured single-particle states clearly
illustrates the magic nature of 132Sn.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures and 4 table
<i>C-elegans</i> model identifies genetic modifiers of alpha-synuclein inclusion formation during aging
Inclusions in the brain containing alpha-synuclein are the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease, but how these inclusions are formed and how this links to disease is poorly understood. We have developed a <i>C-elegans</i> model that makes it possible to monitor, in living animals, the formation of alpha-synuclein inclusions. In worms of old age, inclusions contain aggregated alpha-synuclein, resembling a critical pathological feature. We used genome-wide RNA interference to identify processes involved in inclusion formation, and identified 80 genes that, when knocked down, resulted in a premature increase in the number of inclusions. Quality control and vesicle-trafficking genes expressed in the ER/Golgi complex and vesicular compartments were overrepresented, indicating a specific role for these processes in alpha-synuclein inclusion formation. Suppressors include aging-associated genes, such as sir-2.1/SIRT1 and lagr-1/LASS2. Altogether, our data suggest a link between alpha-synuclein inclusion formation and cellular aging, likely through an endomembrane-related mechanism. The processes and genes identified here present a framework for further study of the disease mechanism and provide candidate susceptibility genes and drug targets for Parkinson's disease and other alpha-synuclein related disorders
Persistence of tumor-infiltrating CD8 T cells is tumor-dependent but antigen-independent
How tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) that are tumor-specific but functionally tolerant persist in the antigen-expressing tumor tissue is largely unknown. We have previously developed a modified TRansgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) model where prostate cancer cells express the T-cell epitope SIYRYYGL (SIY) recognized by CD8 T cells expressing the 2C T-cell receptor (TCR) (referred to as TRP-SIY mice). In TRP-SIY mice, activated 2C T cells rapidly become tolerant following infiltration into the prostate tumor. In this study, we show that tolerant 2C T cells persist in the prostate tumor of TRP-SIY mice by proliferating slowly in a tumor-dependent, but antigen-, interleukin (IL)-7- and IL-15-independent manner. We also show that disappearance of 2C T cells from the lymphoid organs of TRP-SIY mice are due to antigen-induced T-cell contraction rather than altered trafficking or generalized T-cell depletion in the mice. Finally, we show that clonal T cells unreactive to SIY are equally capable of persisting in the prostate tumor. These findings suggest that while functional tolerance of TILs is induced by antigen, persistence of tolerant TILs in the tumor tissue is mediated by a novel mechanism: slow proliferation independent of antigen and homeostatic cytokines. These results also allow CD8 T-cell survival in the tumor environment to be compared with T-cell survival in chronic infection
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