Movie Town’s Starring Role

It＇s not every day you happen to see a dead wolf, an elephant and a horse just lying around. But then this is no ordinary location. The animals are just some of the weird and wonderful props used at a special effects makeup studio located in the Dachang Movie Town, Dachang Hui Autonomous County in Langfang City. north of China＇s Hebei Province.

医学期刊发表中国指南和共识类文献科学性、透明性和适用性评级方法学———样本确定及专科分配

随着指南科学性、透明性和适用性评级工具(Scientific,Transparent and Applicable Rankings tool for clinical practice guidelines,STAR)的研发,2021年和2022年医学期刊发表中国指南和共识STAR评级结果以及部分专科指南和共识STAR评级结果的发布,STAR评级受到医学界广泛关注。为进一步提升STAR评级的科学性和透明性,STAR工作组方法与技术专业委员会特撰写本文,对评级过程中的样本确定及专科分配进行详细介绍。

STAR基因与东湖杂交奶绵羊繁殖性状的关联分析

本实验旨在探究类固醇激素合成急性调节蛋白(Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein,STAR)基因多态性与东湖杂一代奶绵羊发情鉴定评分、产羔数的相关性,鉴定出影响绵羊繁殖性能的关键性位点。本研究以339只东湖杂一代奶绵羊为研究对象,采用竞争性等位基因特异性PCR(KASP)技术对STAR基因的g.31959747T>C、g.31959875A>C2个位点进行基因分型,并利用GLM模型对SNP位点与发情鉴定评分和产羔数进行关联分析。结果表明,g.31959747T>C与奶绵羊发情鉴定评分呈极显著相关,TT型的发情表现更优,但与产羔数差异不显著;g.31959875A>C与发情评分和产羔数均无显著关系;聚合基因型与繁殖性状的关联分析结果表明,TCAC型个体在发情评分、平均产羔数方面均较低。综上,STAR基因g.31959747T>C位点是影响奶绵羊发情评分的关键性位点,可根据育种目标将g.31959747T>C位点作为提高奶绵羊同期发情效果的分子标记,同时将TCAC聚合基因型及时淘汰。本研究结果可为奶绵羊繁殖性状的选育提供参考。

日本沼虾StAR基因克隆及其低氧胁迫下表达分析

为了研究类固醇激素合成急性调节蛋白(steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, StAR)在日本沼虾应答低氧胁迫过程中所发挥的作用,实验应用c DNA末端快速扩增(RACE)PCR技术克隆了日本沼虾StAR全长cDNA序列,并利用在线软件对其序列特征进行生物信息学分析,采用半定量RT-PCR方法分析StAR在日本沼虾不同组织的分布情况,采用实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)与免疫印迹(Western blot)技术对其在不同低氧胁迫阶段中的表达规律进行检测,观察低氧胁迫下精巢组织中StAR蛋白免疫组化定位。结果显示,日本沼虾StAR其cDNA全长3 361 bp (NCBI登录号:MW263908),包括5′-UTR 323 bp,3′-UTR 2 129 bp,开放阅读框909 bp,编码302个氨基酸。氨基酸序列比对及系统进化分析结果显示,日本沼虾StAR基因与三疣梭子蟹等甲壳动物StAR聚类一支,具有最近的亲缘关系。半定量RT-PCR检测结果显示,StAR在日本沼虾不同组织中均有表达,其表达量在肝胰腺和心脏组织中最低,在精巢组织中表达处于较高水平。使用qRT-PCR技术检测日本沼虾精巢中StAR在低氧胁迫下时空表达情况,结果表明,与对照组相比,低氧处理组精巢中StAR基因表达量在1~48 h均显著上调,而在低氧处理组96 h显著降低。此外,本实验对StAR进行了原核表达及抗血清制备,采用Western blot检测StAR蛋白表达丰度基本与基因表达模式相似,免疫组化结果显示,StAR蛋白在精细胞与间质细胞中均有表达。综上所述,长期低氧胁迫显著降低了StAR基因的转录表达水平,并且该基因可能在类固醇合成路径及精子发生过程中均发挥重要作用。本研究结果为进一步解析日本沼虾类固醇激素合成分子机制奠定基础。

Two-dimensional Parameter Relationships for W UMa-type Systems Revisited

Reviewing the empirical and theoretical parameter relationships between various parameters is a good way to understand more about contact binary systems.In this investigation,two-dimensional(2D)relationships for P–MV(system),P–L1,2,M1,2–L1,2,and q–Lratiowere revisited.The sample used is related to 118 contact binary systems with an orbital period shorter than 0.6 days whose absolute parameters were estimated based on the Gaia Data Release 3 parallax.We reviewed previous studies on 2D relationships and updated six parameter relationships.Therefore,Markov chain Monte Carlo and Machine Learning methods were used,and the outcomes were compared.We selected 22 contact binary systems from eight previous studies for comparison,which had light curve solutions using spectroscopic data.The results show that the systems are in good agreement with the results of this study.

Free Energy of Anisotropic Strangeon Stars

Can pulsar-like compact objects release further huge free energy besides the kinematic energy of rotation?This is actually relevant to the equation of state of cold supra-nuclear matter,which is still under hot debate.Enormous energy is surely needed to understand various observations,such asγ-ray bursts,fast radio bursts and softγ-ray repeaters.In this paper,the elastic/gravitational free energy of solid strangeon stars is revisited for strangeon stars,with two anisotropic models to calculate in general relativity.It is found that huge free energy(>10^(46)erg)could be released via starquakes,given an extremely small anisotropy((p_(t)-p_(r))/p_(r)~10^(-4),with pt/pr the tangential/radial pressure),implying that pulsar-like stars could have great potential of free energy release without extremely strong magnetic fields in the solid strangeon star model.

The Precursor of GRB211211A:A Tide-induced Giant Quake?

The equilibrium configuration of a solid strange star in the final inspiral phase with another compact object is generally discussed,and the starquake-related issue is revisited,for a special purpose to understand the precursor emission of binary compact star merger events(e.g.,that of GRB211211A).As the binary system inspirals inward due to gravitational wave radiation,the ellipticity of the solid strangeon star increases due to the growing tidal field of its compact companion.Elastic energy is hence accumulated during the inspiral stage which might trigger a starquake before the merger when the energy exceeds a critical value.The energy released during such starquakes is calculated and compared to the precursor observation of GRB211211 A.The result shows that the energy might be insufficient for binary strangeon-star case unless the entire solid strangeon star shatters,and hence favors a black hole-strangeon star scenario for GRB211211A.The timescale of the precursor as well as the frequency of the observed quasi-periodic-oscillation have also been discussed in the starquake model.

STAR基因在不同发育期绵羊睾丸和附睾中的表达与组织分布

为探讨STAR基因在发育的绵羊睾丸和附睾中的表达模式及潜在功能,该研究采集3月龄、 1周岁和3周岁藏绵羊睾丸和附睾(头、体和尾)组织样本,利用实时荧光定量PCR、蛋白免疫印迹和免疫组织荧光染色法检测STAR基因的表达及其编码蛋白的细胞定位。结果发现,随着年龄的增加,在藏绵羊睾丸和附睾(附睾头除外)中STAR基因在转录水平的表达总体呈下降趋势,而在蛋白质水平的表达呈上调趋势。STAR蛋白主要存在于藏绵羊睾丸间质细胞和附睾假复层纤毛上皮主细胞。鉴于间质细胞和主细胞的主要生物学功能是分泌睾酮和分泌促进精子成熟所需的蛋白质,由此推测,STAR基因可能主要在睾丸间质细胞和附睾主细胞的发育和功能维持中发挥作用,进而促进雄激素的合成和精子的成熟。

First Light Curve Analysis of NSVS 8294044,V1023 Her,and V1397 Her Contact Binary Systems

The first photometric light curve investigation of the NSVS 8294044,V1023 Her,and V1397 Her binary systems is presented.We used ground-based observations for the NSVS 8294044 system and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite data for V1023 Her and V1397 Her.The primary and secondary times of minima were extracted from al the data,and,by collecting the literature,a new ephemeris was computed for each system.Linear fits for the O-C diagrams were conducted using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method.Light curve solutions were performed using the PHysics Of Eclipsing BinariEs Python code and the MCMC approach.The systems were found to be contact binary stars based on the fillout factor and mass ratio.V1023 Her showed the O’Connell effect and a cold starspot on the secondary component was required for the light curve solution.The absolute parameters of the system were estimated based on an empirical relationship between orbital period and mass.We presented a new T–M equation based on a sample of 428 contact binary systems and found that our three target systems were in good agreement with the fit.The positions of the systems were also depicted on the M–L,M–R,q–L_(ratio),and M_(tot)–J_(0)diagrams in the logarithmic scales.

The GECAM Real-time Burst Alert System

Gravitational wave high-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor(GECAM),consisting of two microsatellites,is designed to detect gamma-ray bursts associated with gravitational-wave events.Here,we introduce the real-time burst alert system of GECAM,with the adoption of the BeiDou-3 short message communication service.We present the post-trigger operations,the detailed ground-based analysis,and the performance of the system.In the first year of the in-flight operation,GECAM was triggered by 42 gamma-ray bursts.The GECAM real-time burst alert system has the ability to distribute the alert within~1 minute after being triggered,which enables timely follow-up observations.

靶向小鼠Star基因的CRISPR/Cas9系统构建与打靶效力评价

目的利用CRISPR/Cas9系统对小鼠Star基因进行精确编辑,构建模拟人类STAR基因突变的细胞模型。方法选择中国先天性类脂质性肾上腺皮质增生症(CLAH)患者的热点突变区域,并设计相应的单导向RNA(sgRNA)。构建表达sgRNA的重组质粒,将其与慢病毒包装质粒共同转染至HEK-293T细胞并制备慢病毒颗粒以感染小鼠TCMK细胞。采用嘌呤霉素进行病毒感染后阳性细胞的筛选,提取阳性细胞的基因组DNA,通过聚合酶链式反应(PCR)扩增目标位点的基因组DNA片段,并利用TA克隆和Sanger测序技术,对编辑位点与效率进行统计分析。结果成功设计了有效的sgRNA序列,并利用CRISPR/Cas9系统成功构建了编辑小鼠Star基因的细胞模型。结论本研究通过精确编辑小鼠Star基因,成功构建了模拟人类STAR基因突变的CRISPR/Cas9系统,为深入研究CLAH的致病机制及探索潜在治疗方法提供有力工具,具有重要的科学意义和应用价值。

Spectroscopic Observations of Ten Galactic Wolf-Rayet Stars at Bosscha Observatory:Determination of Stellar Parameters and Mass-loss Rates

We present optical spectra of 10 Galactic Wolf-Rayet(WR)stars that consist of five WN and five WC stars.The optical observation was conducted using a low-resolution spectrograph NEO-R1000(λ/Δλ~1000)at GAO-ITB RTS(27.94 cm,F/10.0),Bosscha Observatory,Lembang.We implemented stellar atmosphere Postdam Wolf-Rayet(PoWR)grid modeling to derive stellar parameters.The normalized optical spectrum can be used to find the best model from the available PoWR grid,then we could derive stellar temperature and transformation radius.To derive luminosity,stellar radius and color excess,we conducted a Spectral Energy Distribution(SED)analysis with additional data on the near-ultraviolet spectrum from the International Ultraviolet Explorer(IUE)database,and UBV and 2MASS JHK broadband filter data.Additional analysis to derive asymptotic terminal wind velocity was conducted from the P-Cygni profile analysis of the high-resolution IUE ultraviolet spectrum.With previously derived parameters,we could determine the mass loss rate of the WR stars.Furthermore,we compared our results with previous work that used PoWR code and the differences are not more than 20%.We conclude that the PoWR spectral grid is sufficient to derive WR stellar parameters quickly and could provide more accurate initial parameter input to the PoWR program code.

Periodic Variation Studies of the Two Short Period W UMa-type Eclipsing Binaries: LX Lyn and V0853 Aur

In this paper,new light curves(LCs) of contact eclipsing binary(CEB) systems LX Lyn and V0853 Aur are presented and analyzed by using the 2015 version of the Wilson-Devinney(W-D) code.In order to explain their asymmetric LCs,cool starspots on the components were employed.It is suggested that their fill-out degrees are f=12.0%(LX Lyn) and f=26.3%(V0853 Aur).At the same time,we found that LX Lyn is a W-type eclipsing binary(EB) with an orbital inclination of i=84°.88 and a mass ratio of q=2.31.V0853 Aur is also a W-type CEB with a mass ratio of q=2.77 and an orbital inclination of i= 79°.26.Based on all available times of light minimum,their orbital period changes are studied by using the O-C method.The O-C diagram of LX Lyn reveals a cyclic oscillation with a period of about 14.84 yr and an amplitude of 0.0019 days,which can be explained by the light-travel time effect(LTTE) due to the presence of a third body with a minimum mass of0.06M_⊙.For V0853 Aur,it is discovered that the O-C diagram of the system also shows a cyclic oscillation with a period of 9.64 yr and an amplitude of 0.03365 days.The cyclic oscillation of V0853 Aur can be attributed to the LTTE by means of a third body with a mass no less than 3.77M_⊙.The third body may play an important role in the formation and evolution of these systems.

Formation of a Rapidly Rotating Classical Be-star in a Massive Close Binary System

This paper investigates the spin-up of a mass-accreting star in a close binary system passing through the first stage of mass exchange in the Hertzsprung gap. Inside an accreting star, angular momentum is carried by meridional circulation and shear turbulence. The circulation carries part of the angular momentum of the accreted layers to the accretor's surface. The greater the rate of arrival of angular momentum in the accretor is, the greater this part. It is assumed that this part of the angular momentum can be removed by the disk further from the accretor. If the angular momentum in the matter entering the accretor is more than half the Keplerian value, then the angular momentum obtained by the accretor during mass exchange stage does not depend on the rate of arrival of angular momentum. The accretor may have the characteristics of a Be-star immediately after the end of mass exchange.

Long-term Speckle Interferometric Monitoring of Binary Systems:2007–2023Positional Measurements and Orbits of Seven Objects

The results of seventeen years of speckle interferometric monitoring of seven objects(Chara 122Aa,GJ 3010,HIP1987,GJ 3076,HIP 11253,HIP 11352,and HIP 14929)are presented.Observational data were obtained at the 6 m Big Telescope Alt-azimuthal Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Science(BTA SAO RAS)from 2007 to the present.Analysis of previously published and new measurements made it possible to construct completely new orbits for Chara 122Aa,HIP 11253,and HIP 14929.The orbit of GJ 3076 cannot be constructed accurately due to the large influence of the weights assigned to the measurements.The resulting orbital solutions are classified based on a grading scheme suggested by W.I.Hartkopf,B.D.Mason and C.E.Worley;most orbits are“definitive”(Grade 1).The mass sums and masses of components calculated by two independent methods using Hipparcos and Gaia DR2 and DR3 parallaxes were compared for the objects under study.

Mid-infrared Period-Luminosity Relations of Gaia DR3 Long Period Variables

Long period variable(LPV)stars are very promising distance indicators in the infrared bands.We selected asymptotic giant branch(AGB)stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Cloud(LMC and SMC)from the Gaia Data Release 3 LPV catalog,and classified them into oxygen-rich(O-rich)and carbon-rich(C-rich)AGB stars.Using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer database,we determined the W1-and W2-band period-luminosity relations(PLRs)for each pulsation-mode sequence of AGB stars.The dispersion of the PLRs of O-rich AGB stars in sequences C'and C is relatively small,around 0.14 mag.The PLRs of LMC and SMC are consistent in each sequence.In the W2 band,the PLR of large-amplitude C-rich AGB stars is steeper than that of small-amplitude C-rich AGB stars,due to their more circumstellar dust.By two methods,we find that some PLR sequences of O-rich AGB stars in the LMC are dependent on metallicity.The coefficients of the metallicity effect areβ=-0.533±0.213 mag dex~1andβ=-0.767±0.158 mag dex~1for sequence C in W1 and W2 bands,respectively.The significance of the metallicity effect in W1 band for the four sequences is 2.2-3.5σ.Both of these imply that distance measurements using O-rich Mira may need to take the metallicity effect into account.

Supernova 1987A's Keyhole:A Long-lived Jet-pair in the Final Explosion Phase of Core-collapse Supernovae

I further study the manner by which a pair of opposite jets shape the“keyhole”morphological structure of the core-collapse supernova(CCSN)SN 1997A,now the CCSN remnant(CCSNR)1987A.By doing so,I strengthen the claim that the jittering-jet explosion mechanism accounts for most,likely all,CCSNe.The“keyhole”structure comprises a northern low-intensity zone closed with a bright rim on its front and an elongated low-intensity nozzle in the south.This rim-nozzle asymmetry is observed in some cooling flow clusters and planetary nebulae that are observed to be shaped by jets.I build a toy model that uses the planar jittering jets pattern,where consecutive pairs of jets tend to jitter in a common plane,implying that the accreted gas onto the newly born neutron star at the late explosion phase flows perpendicular to that plane.This allows for a long-lived jet-launching episode.This long-lasting jet-launching episode launches more mass into the jets that can inflate larger pairs of ears or bubbles,forming the main jets'axis of the CCSNR that is not necessarily related to a possible pre-collapse core rotation.I discuss the relation of the main jets'axis to the neutron star's natal kick velocity.

Rotating Massive Strangeon Stars and X-Ray Plateau of Short GRBs

Strangeon stars,which are proposed to describe the nature of pulsar-like compact stars,have passed various observational tests.The maximum mass of a non-rotating strangeon star could be high,which implies that the remnants of binary strangeon star mergers could even be long-lived massive strangeon stars.We study rigidly rotating strangeon stars in the slowly rotating approximation,using the Lennard-Jones model for the equation of state.Rotation can significantly increase the maximum mass of strangeon stars with unchanged baryon numbers,enlarging the mass-range of long-lived strangeon stars.During spin-down after merger,the decrease of radius of the remnant will lead to the release of gravitational energy.Taking into account the efficiency of converting the gravitational energy luminosity to the observed X-ray luminosity,we find that the gravitational energy could provide an alternative energy source for the plateau emission of X-ray afterglow.The fitting results of X-ray plateau emission of some short gamma-ray bursts suggest that the magnetic dipole field strength of the remnants can be much smaller than that of expected when the plateau emission is powered only by spin-down luminosity of magnetars.

How Common can the Origin of Clusters Cha Ⅰ, Cha Ⅱ, ∈Cha and η Cha be?

The trajectories of the groupings η Cha,∈Cha and Cha I,Cha II,constructed backward in time,have been studied.We concluded that the hypothesis about the joint formation of all four of these clusters from one molecular cloud cannot be completely excluded.However,10–15 Myr ago,all these four clusters were located at approximately the same height above the plane of the Galaxy.Thus,the gas-dust clouds from which all these four clusters were formed were located on one broad front.It is possible that the appearance of the Cha I,Cha II,∈Cha and η Cha clusters may be associated with the impact on such a front of shock waves formed after supernova explosions in the Scorpius–Centaurus association.New estimates of the kinematic ages of the clusters Cha I and Cha II are obtained as 0.12±0.19 and 0.05±0.15,respectively.It is shown that the minimum size of the Cha I-north and Cha I-south clusters corresponded to the time of 0.55±0.24 Myr and 0.04±0.18 Myr ago,respectively,and approximately1.5 Myr ago the distance between the trajectories of these two groupings was minimal.