Metabolomic Profiles of the Creeping Wood Sorrel Oxalis corniculata in Radioactively Contaminated Fields in Fukushima: Dose-Dependent Changes in Key Metabolites

The biological impacts of the Fukushima nuclear accident, in 2011, on wildlife have been studied in many organisms, including the pale grass blue butterfly and its host plant, the creeping wood sorrel Oxalis corniculata. Here, we performed an LC–MS-based metabolomic analysis on leaves of this plant collected in 2018 from radioactively contaminated and control localities in Fukushima, Miyagi, and Niigata prefectures, Japan. Using 7967 peaks detected by LC–MS analysis, clustering analyses showed that nine Fukushima samples and one Miyagi sample were clustered together, irrespective of radiation dose, while two Fukushima (Iitate) and two Niigata samples were not in this cluster. However, 93 peaks were significantly different (FDR < 0.05) among the three dose-dependent groups based on background, low, and high radiation dose rates. Among them, seven upregulated and 15 downregulated peaks had single annotations, and their peak intensity values were positively and negatively correlated with ground radiation dose rates, respectively. Upregulated peaks were annotated as kudinoside D (saponin), andrachcinidine (alkaloid), pyridoxal phosphate (stress-related activated vitamin B6), and four microbe-related bioactive compounds, including antibiotics. Additionally, two peaks were singularly annotated and significantly upregulated (K1R1H1; peptide) or downregulated (DHAP(10:0); decanoyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate) most at the low dose rates. Therefore, this plant likely responded to radioactive pollution in Fukushima by upregulating and downregulating key metabolites. Furthermore, plant-associated endophytic microbes may also have responded to pollution, suggesting their contributions to the stress response of the plant.

Investigation of edge radiation intensification effect generated by periodic alignment of three-pole wigglers

The intensification effect of edge radiation due to the periodic alignment of three-pole wigglers was analytically and numerically investigated. The radiation properties were studied using a simple model that had an alternating alignment of straight sections and large gradient orbit sections due to the use of three-pole wigglers. The angular distribution of the radiation was concentrated on a concentric circle. The peak intensity of the radiation was roughly on the same order as that of the peak radiation of a planar undulator. The spectrum of the radiation had a characteristic structure that was rather similar to the higher harmonic structure of undulator radiation. A numerical study showed that a planar undulator with a specific K value satisfies approximately the radiation intensification condition due to the periodic alignment of the three-pole wigglers. The intensified edge radiation is included in the undulator radiation.

African monsoons Part 1 : Climatological structure and circulation

A recent (1979-1996) NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset is utilized to study the structure and characteristics of the time-mean meteorological fields over the continent of Africa and surrounding oceans during February and August when the seasonal monsoons are normally at their peak intensity. The vertical structure, revealed in zonal and meridional sections over different parts of the continent, bring out the dominant influences of the neighbouring oceans and topography in the formation and distribution of monsoon troughs and ridges and associated dry and wet zones. Vertical circulations reveal a symbiotic relationship between the tropical monsoons and the subtropical deserts of the two hemispheres. Some salient features of the African monsoons, such as the formation of double equatorial troughs and their movement following change of season, are discussed and compared with similar features observed elsewhere over the world.

Enhancing excitons by oleic acid treatment in WS2, MoS2, and WS2/MoS2 heterostructure

The neutral and interlayer exciton originates from intralayer and interlayer coupling, respectively. Unlike neutral exciton, the interlayer excitons at room temperature are hard to observe and manipulate due to instability. In this work, we show the photoluminescence of WS$_2$ and MoS$_2$ neutral exciton can be improved by oleic acid passivation, allowing trion peaks to be observed at room temperature. More importantly, a 3-fold increase in peak intensity of interlayer excitons is achieved, and the energy peak is blue-shifted 107 meV. Our work paves the way to investigate excitons in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides monolayers and heterostructures at room temperature.

Investigation of the Internal Structure and Gold-thin Layer of the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva at Anseong Cheonryong Temple through the Non-destructive Analysis

Anseong Cheonryongsa, a temple located in Anseong Seoun Mountain, is a part of the second Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, under the Yongju Temple, and enshrines a gilt-bronze seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. In this study, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis revealed that this statue is composed of Cu-27.2 wt%, Sn-12.6 wt% and Pb-48 wt%. A gamma (γ) ray (Ir-192) image confirmed damage on the backside of the statue, which was later repaired with wood. The XRF analysis and visual observation determined the boundary between the metal and wood in the statue. In addition, results of standard X-ray peak intensity of gold foil and correlation with thickness helped to derive an equation for calculating the thickness of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s gold foil. It was determined that the gilded chest (21 µm) and face (20.7 µm) of the statue were the thickest sections, the wooden substratum (11.9 µm) was the next-most thick, and the bronze (7.4 µm) was the thinnest layer.

Use of scatterometer based surface vorticity fields in forecasting genesis of tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean

. Utilizing surface vorticity fields computed with the ocean surface wind speed and direction dataobtained from QuikSCAT, a study has been undertaken to investigate the increase in surface vorticity during the genesisphase of tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean. Six named tropical cyclones; Agni, Hibaru, Mala, Akash, Nargisand Phyan which formed over the region during 2004-2009 have been selected for this purpose. It has been found thatthere was a steep rise in scatterometer based surface vorticity before the formation of a cyclone in the cyclogenesisregion. The peak surface vorticity in the genesis region was observed on the day of intensification of the vortex to thedepression stage or a day earlier. However, the rising trend in the genesis region begins a few days before the formationof the system. Thus, the surface vorticity fields derived on the basis of scatterometer data can provide predictiveindication of the genesis of tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea with a lead time of 2-3 days. Usingthis technique it is possible to increase the lead time of pre-cyclone watch period over the north Indian Ocean. No relationship was found between the peak surface vorticity anomaly during the genesis phase and the surfacevorticity anomaly at the time of peak intensity of the system during its life cycle. In other words, the peak surfacevorticity anomaly during genesis phase does not provide any indication of future maximum intensity of the cyclone.

The “Bi-drifting” subpulses of PSR J0815+0939 observed with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope

We report the “Bi-drifting” subpulses observed in PSR J0815+0939 using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). The observation at band from 1050-1450MHz is evenly divided into two bands, i.e., the bands at center frequencies 1150MHz and 1350 MHz. The mean pulse profiles and the “Bi-drifting” subpulses at this two bands are investigated. It is found that the pulse profiles at this two frequencies show four emission components, and the peak separations between four emission components decrease with the increase of frequency. In addition, the ratio of peak intensity of each component to the intensity of component IV at 1150MHz is larger than that at 1350 MHz. We carry out an analysis of the longitude-resolved fluctuation spectrum and two-dimensional fluctuation spectrum for each emission component, and find that the P3 of components I, II and III are about 10.56, 10.57 and 10.59 s at 1150MHz and 1350 MHz. However, the reliable measurements of P3 of component IV and P2 for these four components were not obtained due to the low signal-to-noise ratio of observation data. The pulse energy distributions at frequencies 1150 and 1350MHz are presented, and it is found that no nulling phenomenon have been found in this pulsar. With our observation from the FAST, the “Bi-drifting” subpulse phenomenon of PSR J0815+0939 is expanded from 400MHz to 1350 MHz, which is helpful for the relevant researchers to test and constrain the pulsar emission model, especially the model of “Bi-drifting” subpulse.

A Supersensitive Method for Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Electrostatic Waves in Magnetized Plasmas

For relatively strong magnetic fields, hydrogen atoms can have delocalized bound states of almost macroscopic dimensions. Therefore, such states are characterized by a Giant Electric Dipole Moment (GEDM), thus making them very sensitive to an external electric field. We considered the manifestations of the GEDM states in hydrogen spectral line profiles in the presence of a quasimonochromatic electrostatic wave of a frequency ω in a plasma. We demonstrated that in this situation, hydrogen spectral lines can exhibit quasi-satellites, which are the envelopes of Blochinzew-type satellites. We showed that the distinctive feature of such quasi-satellites is that their peak intensity is located at the same distance from the line center (in the frequency scale) for all hydrogen spectral lines, the distance being significantly greater than the wave frequency ω. At the absence of the GEDM (and for relatively strong electrostatic waves), the maxima of the satellite envelopes would be at different distances from the line center for different hydrogen lines. We demonstrated that this effect would constitute a supersensitive diagnostic method for measuring the amplitude of electrostatic waves in plasmas down to ~10 V/cm or even lower.

Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Partially Cystic Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas

Partially cystic papillary thyroid carcinomas (PCPTCs) are rarely reported papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) and are usually misdiagnosed as benign nodules. The objective of this study was to provide the various sonographic characteristics of partially cystic thyroid nodules for differentiation between malignant and benign nodules, including those for conventional ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Twenty-three PCPTC patients and 37 nodular goiter patients were enrolled in this study. We evaluated the size, cystic percentage, solid echogenicity, calcification, vascularity, and CEUS parameters for each nodule. The final diagnosis of all patients was confirmed via surgery. Univariate analysis demonstrated that compared with benign nodular goiters, PCPTCs more frequently presented with calcification, hypoechogenicity of the solid part, hypoenhancement, heterogeneous enhancement, centrifugal perfusion, peak intensity index &lt;1, time to peak index ≥1, and area under the curve index &lt;1 on preoperative US and CEUS. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that heterogeneous enhancement, centrifugal perfusion, and peak intensity index &lt;1 are independent CEUS characteristics related to malignant PCPTCs and can be used for their differentiation from benign nodular goiters (all p &lt; 0.05). Our study indicated that preoperative CEUS characteristics may serve as a useful tool to distinguish malignant PCPTCs from benign thyroid nodules.