Analysis Of New Sets Research Articles

Consistent Calibration of VIRR Reflective Solar Channels Onboard FY-3A, FY-3B, and FY-3C Using a Multisite Calibration Method

The FengYun-3 (FY-3) Visible Infrared Radiometer (VIRR), along with its predecessor, the Multispectral Visible Infrared Scanning Radiometer (MVISR), onboard the FY-1C and FY-1D, has collected continuous daily global observations for 18 years. Achieving accurate and consistent calibration for VIRR reflective solar bands (RSBs) has been challenging, as there is no onboard calibrator and the frequency of in situ vicarious calibration is limited. In this study, a new set of reflectance calibration coefficients were derived for RSBs of the FY-3A, FY-3B, and FY-3C VIRRs using a multisite (MST) calibration method. This method is an extension of a previous MST calibration method, which relies on radiative transfer modeling over the multiple stable earth sites, and no synchronous in situ measurements are needed; hence, it can be used to update the VIRR calibration on a daily basis. The on-orbit radiometric changes of the VIRR onboard the FY-3 series were assessed based on analyses of new sets of calibration slopes. Then, all recalibrated VIRR reflectance data over Libya 4, the most frequently used stable Earth site, were compared with those provided from the Level 1B (L1B) product. Additional validation was performed by comparing the recalibrated VIRR data with those derived from radiative transfer simulations using measurements from automatic calibration instruments in Dunhuang. The results indicate that the radiometric response changes of the VIRRs onboard FY-3A and FY-3B were larger than those of FY-3C VIRR and were wavelength dependent. The current approach can provide consistent VIRR reflectances across different FY-3 satellite platforms. After recalibration, differences in top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance data across different VIRRs during the whole lifetime decreased from 5–10% to less than 3%. The comparison with the automatic calibration method indicates that MST calibration shows good accuracy and lower temporal oscillations.

Synopsis of the genus Amphicoma Latreille (Coleoptera: Glaphyridae) of Taiwan with special reference to the male genitalia

The three Amphicoma species, including Amphicoma lalashanensis n. sp., from Taiwan are reviewed with diagnoses, descriptions, illustrations, distributional data and natural history of each species. The analysis of new sets of characters on the genital capsule, flagellum articulating to temones and basal piece extension of the male genitalia were found to be helpful in delimitating the three Amphicoma species in addition to the previously established diagnostic paramere characters. Two other undocumented character states on median lobe of the male genitalia are also discussed.

Neuronal cell death: retraction.

We reported that p75 nerve growth factor receptor (p75NGFR) induces the death of a subpopulation of cholinergic medial septum neurons during postnatal development (Reports, 6 Dec. 1996, p. 1729) (1). In an analysis of new sets of p75NGFR-deficient and control mice, we find, contrary to our previous report, that (i) the number of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-positive (cholinergic) medial septum neurons increases between postnatal days 6 and 15 in 129/Sv and Balb/c control mice; (ii) the number of TUNEL (an indicator of apoptosis)-positive cells in the medial septum is similarly low (one to two cells per 10-micrometer section) in p75NGFR-deficient and control mice at postnatal day 8; and (iii) the number of ChAT-positive neurons is similar in adult p75NGFR-deficient and control mice (2). Reanalysis of brain tissue sections from the mice of the previous report (1) confirms points (i) and (ii) and reveals that the adult p75NGFR-deficient mice have only approximately 20% more ChAT-positive septal neurons than does the new group of control mice, as compared with the reported 50%. In addition, we fail to confirm that the control mice treated with the p75NGFR-interfering dc28-36 peptide have more ChAT-positive neurons than the mice treated with vehicle.

Ancient conserved regions in gene sequences

Apart from its intrinsic interest, the elucidation of evolutionary relationships among proteins can provide useful structural and functional insights. Recent progress towards understanding the sequences that are evolutionarily conserved among diverse eukaryotes (‘ancient conserved regions’) include: the identification of several new ancient conserved regions; the development of more sensitive methods for detecting distant sequence relationships; and the discoveries (from analysis of new sets of genes from genome sequencing projects) that most ancient conserved regions are already represented among known proteins, and that a majority of genes do not contain such regions. These ideas are illustrated in the context of an updated analysis of the ancient conserved regions present in a ‘typical’ eukaryotic genomic sequence, yeast chromosome III.