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EISCAT_3D is a project to build a multi-site phased-array incoherent scatter radar system in northern Fenno-Scandinavia. We demonstrate via numerical simulation how useful monochromatic images taken by a multi-point imager network are for auroral research in the EISCAT_3D project. We apply the generalized aurora computed tomography (G-ACT) method to modelled observational data from real instruments, such as the Auroral Large Imaging System (ALIS) and the EISCAT_3D radar. G-ACT is a method for reconstructing the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of auroral emissions and ionospheric electron density (corresponding to the horizontal two-dimensional (2D) distribution of energy spectra of precipitating electrons) from multi-instrument data. It is assumed that the EISCAT_3D radar scans an area of 0.8° in geographic latitude and 3° in longitude at an altitude of 130 km with 10 × 10 beams from the radar core site at Skibotn (69.35° N, 20.37° E). Two neighboring discrete arcs are assumed to appear in the observation region of the EISCAT_3D radar. The reconstruction results from G-ACT are compared with those from the normal ACT as well as the ionospheric electron density from the radar. It is found that G-ACT can interpolate the ionospheric electron density at a much higher spatial resolution than that observed by the EISCAT_3D radar. Furthermore, the multiple arcs reconstructed by G-ACT are more precise than those by ACT. In particular, underestimation of the ionospheric electron density and precipitating electrons' energy fluxes inside the arcs is significantly improved by G-ACT including the EISCAT_3D data. Even when the ACT reconstruction is difficult due to the unsuitable locations of the imager sites relative to the discrete arcs and/or a small number of available images, G-ACT allows us to obtain better reconstruction results.

The toroidal distribution of boron deposition on plasma-facing components (PFCs) in boron powder injection using an impurity power dropper (IPD) was investigated by full-torus simulation and observations in a systematic plasma density-scan experiment. The images of the ablation of dropped boron powders observed with a visible CCD camera were consistently explained by the simulations of the ablation positions of the boron powders considering the size distribution. Simulations assuming full-torus boron deposition on the PFCs did not reproduce the observed intensity profile of boron emission lines for higher plasma densities. It indicated that the density of boron deposited on PFCs installed toroidally far from the IPD was low for higher plasma densities due to the change in the ablation positions of the boron powders toward the outboard side. The experimental results verified the previous full-torus simulation of the toroidal distribution of the boron deposition in both lower and higher plasma densities.

Redox processes can modulate vascular pathophysiology. The endoplasmic reticulum redox chaperone protein disulfide isomerase A1 (PDIA1) is overexpressed during vascular proliferative diseases, regulating thrombus formation, endoplasmic reticulum stress adaptation, and structural remodeling. However, both protective and deleterious vascular effects have been reported for PDIA1, depending on the cell type and underlying vascular condition. Further understanding of this question is hampered by the poorly studied mechanisms underlying PDIA1 expression regulation. Here, we showed that PDIA1 mRNA and protein levels were upregulated (average 5-fold) in the intima and media/adventitia following partial carotid ligation (PCL). Our search identified that miR-204-5p and miR-211-5p (miR-204/211), two broadly conserved miRNAs, share PDIA1 as a potential target. MiR-204/211 was downregulated in vascular layers following PCL. In isolated endothelial cells, gain-of-function experiments of miR-204 with miR mimic decreased PDIA1 mRNA while having negligible effects on markers of endothelial activation/stress response. Similar effects were observed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Furthermore, PDIA1 downregulation by miR-204 decreased levels of the VSMC contractile differentiation markers. In addition, PDIA1 overexpression prevented VSMC dedifferentiation by miR-204. Collectively, we report a new mechanism for PDIA1 regulation through miR-204 and identify its relevance in a model of vascular disease playing a role in VSMC differentiation. This mechanism may be regulated in distinct stages of atherosclerosis and provide a potential therapeutic target.

Pulsating auroras (PsAs) appear over a wide area within the aurora oval in the midnight–morning–noon sector. In previous studies, observations by magnetometers on board satellites have reported the presence of field-aligned currents (FACs) near the edges and interiors of pulsating aurora patches. PsAs are thus a key research target for understanding the magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling process. However, the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the electric currents has yet to be clarified, since each satellite observation is limited to a single dimension along its orbit. This study's aim was a reconstruction of the 3-D structure of ionospheric conductivity, which is necessary to elucidate the 3-D ionospheric current. Tomographic analysis was used to estimate the 3-D ionospheric conductivity for rapidly changing auroral phenomena such as PsAs. The reconstructed Hall conductivity reached its maximum value of 1.4 × 10−3 S m−1 at 94 km altitude, while the Pedersen conductivity reached its maximum value of 2.6 × 10−4 S m−1 at 116 km altitude. A secondary peak in the Pedersen conductivity, due to electron motion, at 9.9 × 10−5 S m−1 appears at 86 km altitude. The electron Pedersen conductivity maximum value in the D region was approximately 38 % of the ion Pedersen conductivity maximum value in the E region. The FAC, derived under the assumption of a uniform ionospheric electric field, was approximately 70 µA m−2 near the edge of the PsA patch. This FAC value was approximately 10 times that observed by satellites in previous studies. If the conductivity around the patch is underestimated or the assumption of a uniform field distribution is incorrect, the FAC could be overestimated. By contrast, due to sharper boundary structures, the FAC could actually have had such a large FAC.

In the kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5 the symmetry of the superconducting gap is still in question, both at ambient pressure and under high pressure. Here, via controlled introduction of impurities, the authors report evidence for a non-chiral full superconducting gap with no sign change.

Marine particles of different nature are found throughout the global ocean. The term “marine particles” describes detritus aggregates and fecal pellets as well as bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, zooplankton and nekton. Here, we present a global particle size distribution dataset obtained with several Underwater Vision Profiler 5 (UVP5) camera systems. Overall, within the 64 µm to about 50 mm size range covered by the UVP5, detrital particles are the most abundant component of all marine particles; thus, measurements of the particle size distribution with the UVP5 can yield important information on detrital particle dynamics. During deployment, which is possible down to 6000 m depth, the UVP5 images a volume of about 1 L at a frequency of 6 to 20 Hz. Each image is segmented in real time, and size measurements of particles are automatically stored. All UVP5 units used to generate the dataset presented here were inter-calibrated using a UVP5 high-definition unit as reference. Our consistent particle size distribution dataset contains 8805 vertical profiles collected between 19 June 2008 and 23 November 2020. All major ocean basins, as well as the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltic Sea, were sampled. A total of 19 % of all profiles had a maximum sampling depth shallower than 200 dbar, 38 % sampled at least the upper 1000 dbar depth range and 11 % went down to at least 3000 dbar depth. First analysis of the particle size distribution dataset shows that particle abundance is found to be high at high latitudes and in coastal areas where surface productivity or continental inputs are elevated. The lowest values are found in the deep ocean and in the oceanic gyres. Our dataset should be valuable for more in-depth studies that focus on the analysis of regional, temporal and global patterns of particle size distribution and flux as well as for the development and adjustment of regional and global biogeochemical models. The marine particle size distribution dataset (Kiko et al., 2021) is available at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.924375.

We extend gigahertz time-domain imaging to a wideband investigation of the eigenstates of a phononic crystal cavity. Using omnidirectionally excited phonon wave vectors, we implement an ultrafast technique to experimentally probe the two-dimensional acoustic field inside and outside a hexagonal cavity in a honeycomb-lattice phononic crystal formed in a microscopic crystalline silicon slab, thereby revealing the confinement and mode volumes of phonon eigenstates—some of which are clearly hexapole in character—lying both inside and outside the phononic-crystal band gap. This allows us to obtain a quantitative measure of the spatial acoustic energy storage characteristics of a phononic crystal cavity. We also introduce a numerical approach involving toneburst excitation and the monitoring of the acoustic energy decay together with the integral of the Poynting vector to calculate the Q factor of the principal in-gap eigenmode, showing it to be limited by ultrasonic attenuation rather than by phonon leakage to the surrounding region.

Superconducting (SC) tokamak JT-60SA plays an essential role in fusion research and development by supporting and complementing the ITER project, providing directions to the DEMO design activity and fostering next generation scientists and engineers. Since the short circuit incident at the terminal joints of equilibrium field coil #1 during the integrated commissioning (IC) in March 2021, both EU and JA implementing agencies (IAs) have examined how to ensure safe operation of JT-60SA by mitigating the risk of possible discharge occurrence inside the cryostat. Based on the experience of the global Paschen tests, the IAs have established a strategy of risk mitigation measures, which is a combination of (i) reinforcement of insulation, (ii) avoiding unnecessary voltage application to the coil systems and (iii) immediate de-energization of the coils when deteriorated vacuum conditions are detected. Thanks to the considerable efforts of the Integrated Project Team members, the IC restarted in May 2023. After confirmation of the SC state of the coil systems (TF, EF and CS), the coil energization test and the plasma operation phase 1 (OP-1) started. The first plasma was successfully achieved on 23 October 2023 with a limited value of voltage and current applied to the coils. The plasma configuration control was also confirmed with low plasma current and low auxiliary heating power conditions. Based on the IO–F4E–QST collaboration, activities of JT-60SA have been shared with the IO and provided an important lesson for ITER assembly and commissioning, and will provide an outstanding contribution to fusion research at large. After OP-1, maintenance & enhancement phase 1 (M/E-1) starts from January 2024, in which in-vessel components are installed, and heating and diagnostic systems are extensively upgraded to allow a high power heating experiment planned in OP-2. In order to make the best use of JT-60SA, a newly organized JT-60SA experiment team will refine the research plan for the future high heating power operation phase.

In recent years, aurora observation networks using high-sensitivity cameras have been developed in the polar regions. These networks allow dimmer auroras, such as pulsating auroras (PsAs), to be observed with a high signal-to-noise ratio. We reconstructed the horizontal distribution of precipitating electrons using computed tomography with monochromatic PsA images obtained from three observation points. The three-dimensional distribution of the volume emission rate (VER) of the PsA was also reconstructed. The characteristic energy of the reconstructed precipitating electron flux ranged from 6 to 23 keV, and the peak altitude of the reconstructed VER ranged from 90 to 104 km. We evaluated the results using a model aurora and compared the model's electron density with the observed one. The electron density was reconstructed correctly to some extent, even after a decrease in PsA intensity. These results suggest that the horizontal distribution of precipitating electrons associated with PsAs can be effectively reconstructed from ground-based optical observations.

A superconductor–normal-metal–normal-metal junction in which the superconducting potential is a mixture between s-wave and p-wave potentials is investigated using the Usadel equation equipped with Tanaka-Nazarov boundary conditions. This Research Letter provides several ways to distinguish between s-wave+chiral p-wave superconductors and s-wave+helical p-wave superconductors and a way to determine whether a superconductor has a mixed pair potential. Thus it is of great importance in the determination of the pair potential of superconductors. It is shown that the different spin sectors satisfy independent equations and can thus be calculated separately even if the d vector depends on the direction of momentum. This greatly simplifies the equations to be solved. It was found that a difference in conductance for sectors with opposite spins arises if both an s-wave component and a p-wave component are present, even in the absence of a magnetic field. It is shown that the spin-projected charge conductance for s-wave + chiral p-wave junctions and s-wave + helical p-wave junctions is qualitatively similar. A setup containing two superconductor–normal-metal junctions is shown to give a clear difference between the two types of superconductivity.

We formulate the thrust and lift coefficients using scaling laws to develop a guideline for the lateral maneuverability of a pitching foil in a periodic freestream. The scaling laws for thrust and lift coefficients of two-dimensional pitching foil in a periodic freestream are derived by considering added mass and circulatory forces. We examined the validity of scaling laws by conducting water tunnel experiments at a Reynolds number of 4.2 × 103. The key parameters are the pitch amplitude and phase difference between the periodic freestream and pitching foil. The pitch amplitude was changed from 4° to 24° with 4° increments, and the phase difference was changed from 0 to 2π with 0.25π increments. It was discovered that our scaling laws were consistent with experimental data for small pitch amplitude. By using scaling laws, we proposed guidelines to control the thrust and lift coefficients for lateral maneuver. Our guideline demonstrates that pitch amplitude can be employed to control the thrust coefficient to cancel out drag, and the phase difference is useful to control the lift coefficient without changing the adjusted thrust coefficient.

This study provides comparisons of aerosol representation methods incorporated into a regional-scale nonhydrostatic meteorology–chemistry model (NHM-Chem). Three options for aerosol representations are currently available: the five-category non-equilibrium (Aitken, soot-free accumulation, soot-containing accumulation, dust, and sea salt), three-category non-equilibrium (Aitken, accumulation, and coarse), and bulk equilibrium (submicron, dust, and sea salt) methods. The three-category method is widely used in three-dimensional air quality models. The five-category method, the standard method of NHM-Chem, is an extensional development of the three-category method and provides improved predictions of variables relating to aerosol–cloud–radiation interaction processes by implementing separate treatments of light absorber and ice nuclei particles, namely, soot and dust, from the accumulation- and coarse-mode categories (implementation of aerosol feedback processes to NHM-Chem is still ongoing, though). The bulk equilibrium method was developed for operational air quality forecasting with simple aerosol dynamics representations. The total CPU times of the five-category and three-category methods were 91 % and 44 % greater than that of the bulk method, respectively. The bulk equilibrium method was shown to be eligible for operational forecast purposes, namely, the surface mass concentrations of air pollutants such as O3, mineral dust, and PM2.5. The simulated surface concentrations and depositions of bulk chemical species of the three-category method were not significantly different from those of the five-category method. However, the internal mixture assumption of soot/soot-free and dust/sea salt particles in the three-category method resulted in significant differences in the size distribution and hygroscopicity of the particles. The unrealistic dust/sea salt complete mixture of the three-category method induced significant errors in the prediction of the mineral dust-containing cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), which alters heterogeneous ice nucleation in cold rain processes. The overestimation of soot hygroscopicity by the three-category method induced errors in the BC-containing CCN, BC deposition, and light-absorbing aerosol optical thickness (AAOT). Nevertheless, the difference in AAOT was less pronounced with the three-category method because the overestimation of the absorption enhancement was compensated by the overestimation of hygroscopic growth and the consequent loss due to in-cloud scavenging. In terms of total properties, such as aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and CCN, the results of the three-category method were acceptable.

We developed a new aerosol satellite retrieval algorithm combining a numerical aerosol forecast. In the retrieval algorithm, the short-term forecast from an aerosol data assimilation system was used as an a priori estimate instead of spatially and temporally constant values. This method was demonstrated using observation of the Advanced Himawari Imager onboard the Japan Meteorological Agency's geostationary satellite Himawari-8. Overall, the retrieval results incorporated strengths of the observation and the model and complemented their respective weaknesses, showing spatially finer distributions than the model forecast and less noisy distributions than the original algorithm. We validated the new algorithm using ground observation data and found that the aerosol parameters detectable by satellite sensors were retrieved more accurately than an a priori model forecast by adding satellite information. Further, the satellite retrieval accuracy was improved by introducing the model forecast instead of the constant a priori estimates. By using the assimilated forecast for an a priori estimate, information from previous observations can be propagated to future retrievals, leading to better retrieval accuracy. Observational information from the satellite and aerosol transport by the model are incorporated cyclically to effectively estimate the optimum field of aerosol.

Abstract The effective radiative forcing (ERF) of anthropogenic gases and aerosols under present-day conditions relative to preindustrial conditions is estimated using the Meteorological Research Institute Earth System Model version 2.0 (MRI-ESM2.0) as part of the Radiative Forcing Model Intercomparison Project (RFMIP) and Aerosol and Chemistry Model Intercomparison Project (AerChemMIP), endorsed by the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). The global mean total anthropogenic net ERF estimate at the top of the atmosphere is 1.96 W m−2 and is composed primarily of positive forcings due to carbon dioxide (1.85 W m−2), methane (0.71 W m−2), and halocarbons (0.30 W m−2) and negative forcing due to the total aerosols (− 1.22 W m−2). The total aerosol ERF consists of 23% from aerosol-radiation interactions (− 0.32 W m−2), 71% from aerosol-cloud interactions (− 0.98 W m−2), and slightly from surface albedo changes caused by aerosols (0.08 W m−2). The ERFs due to aerosol-radiation interactions consist of opposing contributions from light-absorbing black carbon (BC) (0.25 W m−2) and from light-scattering sulfate (− 0.48 W m−2) and organic aerosols (− 0.07 W m−2) and are pronounced over emission source regions. The ERFs due to aerosol-cloud interactions (ERFaci) are prominent over the source and downwind regions, caused by increases in the number concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei and cloud droplets in low-level clouds. Concurrently, increases in the number concentration of ice crystals in high-level clouds (temperatures < –38 °C), primarily induced by anthropogenic BC aerosols, particularly over tropical convective regions, cause both substantial negative shortwave and positive longwave ERFaci values in MRI-ESM2.0. These distinct forcings largely cancel each other; however, significant longwave radiative heating of the atmosphere caused by high-level ice clouds suggests the importance of further studies on the interactions of aerosols with ice clouds. Total anthropogenic net ERFs are almost entirely positive over the Arctic due to contributions from the surface albedo reductions caused by BC. In the Arctic, BC provides the second largest contribution to the positive ERFs after carbon dioxide, suggesting a possible important role of BC in Arctic surface warming.

Cultivation management adapted to various environmental changes has been required under changing climate, hence it is necessary to monitor the growth status efficiently. Photosynthesis in crop production is the essential process in crop growth model for forecasting the yield. In this study, we focused on light environment and LAI as important factors in photosynthesis, and conducted the observations to obtain time-series RGB images taken by digital cameras fixed on tower and mounted on UAV in the paddy field and to measure PPFDs at the top (I0) and the bottom (I) of rice canopy during planted period. Three kinds of vegetation color indices (CIs), vegetation coverage (VC) and plant height (PH) derived by processing RGB images were compared with relative PPFD (I/I0) and LAI calculated from relative PPFD. As the results, CIs and VC were basically expressed linear relations with relative PPFD and PH showed the exponential relation with relative PPFD and the linear relation with LAI respectively. Through this study, we clarified that VC and PH would be effective parameters for spatio-temporal monitoring of light environment and LAI.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with image sensors, which have been widely used in various fields such as construction, agriculture, and disaster management, can obtain images at the millimeter to decimeter scale. Useful tools that produce realistic surface models using 3D reconstruction software based on computer vision technologies are generally used to produce datasets from acquired images using UAVs. However, it is difficult to obtain the feature points from surfaces with limited texture, such as new asphalt or concrete, or detect the ground in areas such as forests, which are commonly concealed by vegetation. A promising method to address such issues is the use of UAV-equipped laser scanners. Recently, low and high performance products that use direct georeferencing devices integrated with laser scanners have been available. Moreover, there have been numerous reports regarding the various applications of UAVs equipped with laser scanners; however, these reports only discuss UAVs as measuring devices. Therefore, to understand the functioning of UAVs equipped with laser scanners, we investigated the theoretical accuracy of the survey grade laser scanner unit from the viewpoint of photogrammetry. We evaluated the performance of the VUX-1HA laser scanner equipped on a Skymatix X-LS1 UAV at a construction site. We presented the theoretical values obtained using the observation equations and results of the accuracy aspects of the acquired data in terms of height.

Japan is currently facing serious issues associated with an aging society and negative population growth. Urban structures, remnants of economic prosperity, are now hindrances to sustainable urban development, driving municipalities to seek efficient methods to manage this growth. Japanese municipalities continuously conduct surveys to collect data for urban planning purposes. However, lack of standardization and poor visualization tools prevent coordination and consensus-building among stakeholders during the planning process. The "i-Urban Revitalization" (i-UR) is an information infrastructure promoted by the Japanese government expected to enable municipalities to analyze and visualize their goals related to that process.This paper presents the implementation of i-UR. One approach employed for data standardization is to develop a CityGML Application Domain Extension (ADE) for urban planning that covers detailed attributes of city objects and mechanisms for global representation and analysis necessary for urban planning. The effectiveness of this ADE is being evaluated through data implementation and visualization experiments conducted in three municipalities in Japan. A prototype for the proposed "AR Consensus-formation system" is being developed for further utilization of the ADE. In addition, Ideathon events are being held to develop human resources in municipalities to promote urban revitalization and facilitate i-UR use. The ADE and i-UR tools described in this paper are expected to evolve based on feedback from users and experimental results.

Summary: Glucose homeostasis is maintained by modulation of metabolic flux. Enzymes and metabolites regulate the involved metabolic pathways. Dysregulation of glucose homeostasis is a pathological event in obesity. Analyzing metabolic pathways and the mechanisms contributing to obesity-associated dysregulation in vivo is challenging. Here, we introduce OMELET: Omics-Based Metabolic Flux Estimation without Labeling for Extended Trans-omic Analysis. OMELET uses metabolomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic data to identify relative changes in metabolic flux, and to calculate contributions of metabolites, enzymes, and transcripts to the changes in metabolic flux. By evaluating the livers of fasting ob/ob mice, we found that increased metabolic flux through gluconeogenesis resulted primarily from increased transcripts, whereas that through the pyruvate cycle resulted from both increased transcripts and changes in substrates of metabolic enzymes. With OMELET, we identified mechanisms underlying the obesity-associated dysregulation of metabolic flux in the liver.

We perform the first multi-model intercomparison of the impact of nudged meteorology on the stratospheric residual circulation using hindcast simulations from the Chemistry–Climate Model Initiative (CCMI). We examine simulations over the period 1980–2009 from seven models in which the meteorological fields are nudged towards a reanalysis dataset and compare these with their equivalent free-running simulations and the reanalyses themselves. We show that for the current implementations, nudging meteorology does not constrain the mean strength of the stratospheric residual circulation and that the inter-model spread is similar, or even larger, than in the free-running simulations. The nudged models generally show slightly stronger upwelling in the tropical lower stratosphere compared to the free-running versions and exhibit marked differences compared to the directly estimated residual circulation from the reanalysis dataset they are nudged towards. Downward control calculations applied to the nudged simulations reveal substantial differences between the climatological lower-stratospheric tropical upward mass flux (TUMF) computed from the modelled wave forcing and that calculated directly from the residual circulation. This explicitly shows that nudging decouples the wave forcing and the residual circulation so that the divergence of the angular momentum flux due to the mean motion is not balanced by eddy motions, as would typically be expected in the time mean. Overall, nudging meteorological fields leads to increased inter-model spread for most of the measures of the mean climatological stratospheric residual circulation assessed in this study. In contrast, the nudged simulations show a high degree of consistency in the inter-annual variability in the TUMF in the lower stratosphere, which is primarily related to the contribution to variability from the resolved wave forcing. The more consistent inter-annual variability in TUMF in the nudged models also compares more closely with the variability found in the reanalyses, particularly in boreal winter. We apply a multiple linear regression (MLR) model to separate the drivers of inter-annual and long-term variations in the simulated TUMF; this explains up to ∼75 % of the variance in TUMF in the nudged simulations. The MLR model reveals a statistically significant positive trend in TUMF for most models over the period 1980–2009. The TUMF trend magnitude is generally larger in the nudged models compared to their free-running counterparts, but the intermodel range of trends doubles from around a factor of 2 to a factor of 4 due to nudging. Furthermore, the nudged models generally do not match the TUMF trends in the reanalysis they are nudged towards for trends over different periods in the interval 1980–2009. Hence, we conclude that nudging does not strongly constrain long-term trends simulated by the chemistry–climate model (CCM) in the residual circulation. Our findings show that while nudged simulations may, by construction, produce accurate temperatures and realistic representations of fast horizontal transport, this is not typically the case for the slower zonal mean vertical transport in the stratosphere. Consequently, caution is required when using nudged simulations to interpret the behaviour of stratospheric tracers that are affected by the residual circulation.

We have derived values of the ultraviolet index (UVI) at solar noon using the Tropospheric Ultraviolet Model (TUV) driven by ozone, temperature and aerosol fields from climate simulations of the first phase of the Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative (CCMI-1). Since clouds remain one of the largest uncertainties in climate projections, we simulated only the clear-sky UVI. We compared the modelled UVI climatologies against present-day climatological values of UVI derived from both satellite data (the OMI-Aura OMUVBd product) and ground-based measurements (from the NDACC network). Depending on the region, relative differences between the UVI obtained from CCMI/TUV calculations and the ground-based measurements ranged between −5.9 % and 10.6 %. We then calculated the UVI evolution throughout the 21st century for the four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs 2.6, 4.5, 6.0 and 8.5). Compared to 1960s values, we found an average increase in the UVI in 2100 (of 2 %–4 %) in the tropical belt (30∘ N–30∘ S). For the mid-latitudes, we observed a 1.8 % to 3.4 % increase in the Southern Hemisphere for RCPs 2.6, 4.5 and 6.0 and found a 2.3 % decrease in RCP 8.5. Higher increases in UVI are projected in the Northern Hemisphere except for RCP 8.5. At high latitudes, ozone recovery is well identified and induces a complete return of mean UVI levels to 1960 values for RCP 8.5 in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, UVI levels in 2100 are higher by 0.5 % to 5.5 % for RCPs 2.6, 4.5 and 6.0 and they are lower by 7.9 % for RCP 8.5. We analysed the impacts of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) on UVI from 1960 by comparing CCMI sensitivity simulations (1960–2100) with fixed GHGs or ODSs at their respective 1960 levels. As expected with ODS fixed at their 1960 levels, there is no large decrease in ozone levels and consequently no sudden increase in UVI levels. With fixed GHG, we observed a delayed return of ozone to 1960 values, with a corresponding pattern of change observed on UVI, and looking at the UVI difference between 2090s values and 1960s values, we found an 8 % increase in the tropical belt during the summer of each hemisphere. Finally we show that, while in the Southern Hemisphere the UVI is mainly driven by total ozone column, in the Northern Hemisphere both total ozone column and aerosol optical depth drive UVI levels, with aerosol optical depth having twice as much influence on the UVI as total ozone column does.

Nanoparticle delivery of siRNA has problems with penetration and off target accumulation. Here, the authors report on the development of Y-shaped block catiomers which dynamically wrap around siRNA; demonstrate increased circulation times and delivery into hard to reach brain and pancreas tumour models.

A thick neutron skin emerges from the first determination of root mean square radii of the proton distributions for 17−22N from charge changing cross section measurements around 900A MeV at GSI. Neutron halo effects are signalled for 22N from an increase in the proton and matter radii. The radii suggest an unconventional shell gap at N = 14 arising from the attractive proton–neutron tensor interaction, in good agreement with shell model calculations. Ab initio, in-medium similarity re-normalization group, calculations with a state-of-the-art chiral nucleon–nucleon and three-nucleon interaction reproduce well the data approaching the neutron drip-line isotopes but are challenged in explaining the complete isotopic trend of the radii. Keywords: Proton and matter radii, Neutron skin, Magic number, Shell model, Ab initio theory, Radioactive beams

The CO2 assimilation rate, N content, Rubisco activation state, and protein distribution to Rubisco and Rubisco activase in the leaf were analyzed for four soybean genotypes at two growth stages under field conditions. The CO2 assimilation rate was largely constant except for one genotype during the reproductive stage. Rubisco activation state significantly decreased with the increase of N content during this period in three of four genotypes. When standardized by total soluble protein amount, Rubisco activase amount was constant during this period in three genotypes. The results in the present study showed the deactivation of Rubisco with the N accumulation, which can result in the constant rate of CO2 assimilation during the reproductive stage of soybean. The deactivation of Rubisco was attributed to an unknown mechanism other than to the deficiency of Rubisco activase.

In pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), excessive proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) causes vascular medial thickening. Medial thickening is a histopathological hallmark of pulmonary vascular remodeling, the central disease process driving PAH progression. Pulmonary vascular remodeling causes stenosis and/or obstruction of small pulmonary arteries. This leads to increased pulmonary vascular resistance, elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, and ultimately right heart failure. To improve the survival of PAH patients, which remains at approximately 60% at 3 years after diagnosis, the development of novel PAH-targeted drugs is desired. To this end, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms underlying excessive PASMC proliferation and the medial thickening that ensues is necessary. However, a lack of in vitro models that recapitulate medial thickening impedes our deeper understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms involved. In the present study, we applied 3-dimensional (3D) cell culture technology to develop a novel in vitro model of the pulmonary artery medial layer using human PAH patient-derived PASMCs. The addition of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB, a mitogen known to promote excessive PASMC proliferation in PAH, resulted in increased thickness of the 3D-PAH media tissues. Conversely, administration of the PDGF receptor inhibitor imatinib or other clinical PAH drugs inhibited this medial thickening-inducing effect of PDGF-BB. Altogether, by using 3D cell culture technology, we report the generation of an in vitro model of medial thickening in PAH, which had hitherto not been successfully modeled in vitro. This model is potentially useful for assessing the ability of candidate PAH drugs to suppress medial thickening.

Summary: The concentrations of insulin selectively regulate multiple cellular functions. To understand how insulin concentrations are interpreted by cells, we constructed a trans-omic network of insulin action in FAO hepatoma cells using transcriptomic data, western blotting analysis of signaling proteins, and metabolomic data. By integrating sensitivity into the trans-omic network, we identified the selective trans-omic networks stimulated by high and low doses of insulin, denoted as induced and basal insulin signals, respectively. The induced insulin signal was selectively transmitted through the pathway involving Erk to an increase in the expression of immediate-early and upregulated genes, whereas the basal insulin signal was selectively transmitted through a pathway involving Akt and an increase of Foxo phosphorylation and a reduction of downregulated gene expression. We validated the selective trans-omic network in vivo by analysis of the insulin-clamped rat liver. This integrated analysis enabled molecular insight into how liver cells interpret physiological insulin signals to regulate cellular functions. : Systems Biology; Omics; Metabolomics; Transcriptomics Subject Areas: Systems Biology, Omics, Metabolomics, Transcriptomics

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of the Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program on the performance of primary health care by quantifying health services access and use in Northeast Brazil, based on the population size of the municipalities, on the financial investment in health, and on the number of physicians in the family health teams. METHOD Evaluative research of quantitative nature. Access was evaluated by the population coverage ratio of the Family Health Strategy and use of health services, which were measured by medical appointments conducted between April 2013 and September 2015. We defined processes for database selection, adjustment, and validation, including explanatory variables for a sample of 896 municipalities. The analysis was based on the time periods before and after the implementation of the program. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and non-parametric alternatives constituted statistical tests in the comparative analysis of the data. RESULTS A 19.2% increase was observed in the number of medical appointments between the first six months and the final six months of the data series. In this period, the median appointments in municipalities with up to 5,000 inhabitants increased from 701.0 to 768.0; while in those with more than 100,000 inhabitants it decreased from 285.5 to 280.0 (p < 0.05). Between April 2013 and September 2015, the median coverage ratio of the family health teams increased from 89.2% to 95.3%, approaching 100% in the municipalities with up to 20,000 inhabitants. CONCLUSIONS The study highlights the expansion of access and use of primary health care services in the northeast region after the implementation of the Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program. Between April 2013 and September 2015, the coverage of family health teams and the production of medical appointments increased, constituting important achievements for SUS.

The application of extracellular matrix (ECM) sheets without a scaffold is not extensively reported in bone regenerative medicine. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate that an osteogenic ECM sheet (OECMS) can retain ECM integrity and growth factors to enhance bone formation in a rat non-union model. OECMS was produced from osteogenic cell sheets (OCS). Collagen and growth factor [bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), vascular endothelial growth factors (VFGFs), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)] concentrations in the OECMS were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Next, hydroxyapatite (HA) constructs combined with OECMSs were implanted subcutaneously into the rats' backs to evaluate their osteoinductive capacity by histological evaluation. In addition, OECMSs were implanted in a rat femoral non-union model. 18 male Fischer 344 inbred rats were divided into OECMS and control groups. Fracture healing was evaluated by radiological and histological analyses at 2, 5 and 8 weeks and biological analysis at 8 weeks. Collagen I and growth factors were retained in the OECMSs. Osteoid formation was identified in the HA combined with OECMS at 4 weeks. Enhanced bone regeneration at the non-union of the OECMS group was confirmed at 5 and 8 weeks. Biomechanical testing revealed a significantly higher maximum bending load in the OECMS group as compared to the control group at 8 weeks. The results demonstrated that OECMS retained BMP-2 and TGF-β1 and high osteoinductive and osteoconductive capacity. As such, OECMS represents a potential new scaffold-free material for bone tissue engineering.

Understanding and modeling the large-scale transport of trace gases and aerosols is important for interpreting past (and projecting future) changes in atmospheric composition. Here we show that there are large differences in the global-scale atmospheric transport properties among the models participating in the IGAC SPARC Chemistry–Climate Model Initiative (CCMI). Specifically, we find up to 40 % differences in the transport timescales connecting the Northern Hemisphere (NH) midlatitude surface to the Arctic and to Southern Hemisphere high latitudes, where the mean age ranges between 1.7 and 2.6 years. We show that these differences are related to large differences in vertical transport among the simulations, in particular to differences in parameterized convection over the oceans. While stronger convection over NH midlatitudes is associated with slower transport to the Arctic, stronger convection in the tropics and subtropics is associated with faster interhemispheric transport. We also show that the differences among simulations constrained with fields derived from the same reanalysis products are as large as (and in some cases larger than) the differences among free-running simulations, most likely due to larger differences in parameterized convection. Our results indicate that care must be taken when using simulations constrained with analyzed winds to interpret the influence of meteorology on tropospheric composition.

Dynamic properties of soil have attracted an increasing attention among geotechnical engineers in Malaysia owing to the frequent earthquake incidents reported recently and the demand of high speed railway infrastructures. The present study investigated the effect of fine content on the soil dynamic properties based on three selected soils in Malaysia. One sand mining trail (i.e. silty sand) and two tropical residual soils (i.e. sandy clay and sandy silt) were tested on a 1 g shaking table. The experimental shear moduli were compared with the established degradation curves of sandy and clayey soils obtained from literature. The shear moduli attenuated with the increase of shear strain amplitude for the three soil samples. The amount of fine content in the soil was found to be a more dominant factor affecting the dynamic properties of soil compared with the plasticity and geological characteristics of the soil. The experimental shear moduli of sandy silt were similar to that of sandy clay. It may be attributed to the fact that the two studied residual soils have a similar amount of fine content. In addition, the shear moduli of the studied residual soils could not be fitted to the degradation curves of sand and clay which have been well studied in the past. The residual soils constituted unique dynamic properties that worth further investigation.

Abstract Protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs) support endoplasmic reticulum redox protein folding and cell-surface thiol-redox control of thrombosis and vascular remodeling. The family prototype PDIA1 regulates NADPH oxidase signaling and cytoskeleton organization, however the related underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here we show that genes encoding human PDIA1 and its two paralogs PDIA8 and PDIA2 are each flanked by genes encoding Rho guanine-dissociation inhibitors (GDI), known regulators of RhoGTPases/cytoskeleton. Evolutionary histories of these three microsyntenic regions reveal their emergence by two successive duplication events of a primordial gene pair in the last common vertebrate ancestor. The arrangement, however, is substantially older, detectable in echinoderms, nematodes, and cnidarians. Thus, PDI/RhoGDI pairing in the same transcription orientation emerged early in animal evolution and has been largely maintained. PDI/RhoGDI pairs are embedded into conserved genomic regions displaying common cis-regulatory elements. Analysis of gene expression datasets supports evidence for PDI/RhoGDI coexpression in developmental/inflammatory contexts. PDIA1/RhoGDIα were co-induced in endothelial cells upon CRISP-R-promoted transcription activation of each pair component, and also in mouse arterial intima during flow-induced remodeling. We provide evidence for physical interaction between both proteins. These data support strong functional links between PDI and RhoGDI families, which likely maintained PDI/RhoGDI microsynteny along > 800-million years of evolution.

A global aerosol reanalysis product named the Japanese Reanalysis for Aerosol (JRAero) was constructed by the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) of the Japan Meteorological Agency. The reanalysis employs a global aerosol transport model developed by MRI and a two-dimensional variational data assimilation method. It assimilates maps of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from MODIS onboard the Terra and Aqua satellites every 6 h and has a TL159 horizontal resolution (approximately 1.1° × 1.1°). This paper describes the aerosol transport model, the data assimilation system, the observation data, and the setup of the reanalysis and examines its quality with AOD observations. Comparisons with MODIS AODs that were used for the assimilation showed that the reanalysis showed much better agreement than the free run (without assimilation) of the aerosol model and improved under- and overestimation in the free run, thus confirming the accuracy of the data assimilation system. The reanalysis had a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.05, a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.96, a mean fractional error (MFE) of 23.7 %, a mean fractional bias (MFB) of 2.8 %, and an index of agreement (IOA) of 0.98. The better agreement of the first guess, compared to the free run, indicates that aerosol fields obtained by the reanalysis can improve short-term forecasts. AOD fields from the reanalysis also agreed well with monthly averaged global AODs obtained by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) (RMSE = 0.08, R = 0. 90, MFE = 28.1 %, MFB = 0.6 %, and IOA = 0.93). Site-by-site comparison showed that the reanalysis was considerably better than the free run; RMSE was less than 0.10 at 86.4 % of the 181 AERONET sites, R was greater than 0.90 at 40.7 % of the sites, and IOA was greater than 0.90 at 43.4 % of the sites. However, the reanalysis tended to have a negative bias at urban sites (in particular, megacities in industrializing countries) and a positive bias at mountain sites, possibly because of insufficient anthropogenic emissions data, the coarse model resolution, and the difference in representativeness between satellite and ground-based observations.

Two different plasma termination processes by dust emission were observed in long pulse discharges in the Large Helical Device. One is a plasma termination caused by large amounts of carbon dust released from a lower divertor region. The other is termination caused by stainless steel (iron) dust emission from the surface of a helical coil can. The effect of the dust emission on the sustainment of the long pulse discharges are investigated using a three-dimensional edge plasma transport code (EMC3-EIRENE) coupled with a dust transport code (DUSTT). The simulation shows that the plasma is more influenced by the iron dust emission from the helical coil can than by the carbon dust emission from the divertor region. The simulation revealed that the plasma flow in divertor legs is quite effective for preventing dust from terminating the long pulse discharges. Keywords: Dust, EMC3-EIRENE, DUSTT, Long pulse discharge

Abstract Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors detect refractive index changes on metal thin films and are frequently used in aqueous solutions as bio- and chemical-sensors. Recently, we proposed new SPR sensors using aluminum (Al) thin films that work in the far- and deep-ultraviolet (FUV-DUV, 120–300 nm) regions and investigated SPR properties by an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) based spectrometer. The FUV-DUV-SPR sensors are expected to have three advantages compared to visible-SPR sensors: higher sensitivity, material selectivity, and surface specificity. However, in this study, it was revealed that the Al thin film on a quartz prism cannot be used as the FUV-DUV-SPR sensor in water solutions. This is because its SPR wavelength shifts to the visible region owing to the presence of water. On the other hand, the SPR wavelength of the Al thin film on the sapphire prism remained in the DUV region even in water. In addition, the SPR wavelength shifted to longer wavelengths with increasing refractive index on the Al thin film. These results mean that the Al thin film on the sapphire prism can be used as the FUV-DUV-SPR sensor in solutions, which may lead to the development of novel and sophisticated SPR sensors.

We present an overview of state-of-the-art chemistry–climate and chemistry transport models that are used within phase 1 of the Chemistry–Climate Model Initiative (CCMI-1). The CCMI aims to conduct a detailed evaluation of participating models using process-oriented diagnostics derived from observations in order to gain confidence in the models' projections of the stratospheric ozone layer, tropospheric composition, air quality, where applicable global climate change, and the interactions between them. Interpretation of these diagnostics requires detailed knowledge of the radiative, chemical, dynamical, and physical processes incorporated in the models. Also an understanding of the degree to which CCMI-1 recommendations for simulations have been followed is necessary to understand model responses to anthropogenic and natural forcing and also to explain inter-model differences. This becomes even more important given the ongoing development and the ever-growing complexity of these models. This paper also provides an overview of the available CCMI-1 simulations with the aim of informing CCMI data users.

To validate products of the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT), we observed vertical profiles of aerosols, thin cirrus clouds, and tropospheric ozone with a mobile-lidar system that consisted of a two-wavelength (532 and 1064 nm) polarization lidar and a tropospheric ozone differential absorption lidar (DIAL). We used these lidars to make continuous measurements over Saga (33.24° N, 130.29° E) during 20–31 March 2015. High ozone and high aerosol concentrations were observed almost simultaneously in the altitude range 0.5–1.5 km from 03:00 to 20:00 Japan Standard Time (JST) on 22 March 2015. The maximum ozone volume mixing ratio was ∼ 110 ppbv. The maxima of the aerosol extinction coefficient and optical depth at 532 nm were 1.2 km−1 and 2.1, respectively. Backward trajectory analysis and the simulations by the Model of Aerosol Species IN the Global AtmospheRe (MASINGAR) mk-2 and the Meteorological Research Institute Chemistry-Climate Model, version 2 (MRI-CCM2), indicated that mineral dust particles from the Gobi Desert and an air mass with high ozone and aerosol (mainly sulfate) concentrations that originated from the North China Plain could have been transported over the measurement site within about 2 days. These high ozone and aerosol concentrations impacted surface air quality substantially in the afternoon of 22 March 2015. After some modifications of its physical and chemical parameters, MRI-CCM2 approximately reproduced the high ozone volume mixing ratio. MASINGAR mk-2 successfully predicted high aerosol concentrations, but the predicted peak aerosol optical thickness was about one-third of the observed value.

We report a search for photon–photon elastic scattering in vacuum in the X-ray region at an energy in the center of mass system of ωcms=6.5keV for which the QED cross section is σQED=2.5×10−47m2. An X-ray beam provided by the SACLA X-ray Free Electron Laser is split and the two beamlets are made to collide at right angle, with a total integrated luminosity of (1.24±0.08)×1028m−2. No signal X rays from the elastic scattering that satisfy the correlation between energy and scattering angle were detected. We obtain a 95% C.L. upper limit for the scattering cross section of 1.9×10−27m2 at ωcms=6.5keV. The upper limit is the lowest upper limit obtained so far by keV experiments.