We present the analysis of KMT-2016-BLG-0212, a low flux-variation (Iflux−var ∼ 20 mag) microlensing event, which is in a high-cadence (Γ = 4hr −1) field of the three-telescope Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) survey. The event shows a short anomaly that is incompletely covered due to the brief visibility intervals that characterize the early microlensing season when the anomaly occurred. We show that the data are consistent with two classes of solutions, characterized respectively by low-mass brown-dwarf (q = 0.037) and sub-Neptune (q < 10−4) companions. Future high-resolution imaging should easily distinguish between these solutions.

We report the characterization of a massive (mp = 3:91:4Mjup) microlensing planet (OGLE- 2015-BLG-0954Lb) orbiting an M dwarf host (M = 0:33  0:12M) at a distance toward the Galactic bulge of 0:6+0:4 􀀀0:2 kpc, which is extremely nearby by microlensing standards. The planet-host projected separation is a?  1:2AU. The characterization was made possible by the wide-eld (4 deg2) high cadence (􀀀 = 6 hr􀀀1) monitoring of the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet), which had two of its three telescopes in commissioning operations at the time of the planetary anomaly. The source crossing time t = 16 min is among the shortest ever published. The high-cadence, wide-eld observations that are the hallmark of KMTNet are the only way to routinely capture such short crossings. High-cadence resolution of short caustic crossings will preferentially lead to mass and distance measurements for the lens. This is because the short crossing time typically implies a nearby lens, which enables the measurement of additional eects (bright lens and/or microlens parallax). When combined with the measured crossing time, these eects can yield planet/host masses and distance.

We use ALLWISE data release W1- and W2-band epoch photometry collected by the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to determine slopes of the period-luminosity relations for RR Lyrae stars in 15 globular clusters in the corresponding bands. We further combine these results with V- and K-band photometry of Galactic field RR Lyrae stars to determine the metallicity slopes of the log PF - [Fe/H]-MK, log PF - [Fe/H]-MW1, and log PF - [Fe/H]- MW2 period-metallicity-luminosity relations. We infer the zero points of these relations and determine the kinematical parameters of thick-disk and halo RR Lyraes via statistical parallax, and estimate the RR Lyrae-based distances to 18 Local-Group galaxies including the center of the Milky Way.

nanopowders with anatase structure were firstly prepared by controlling the pH value of a precursor solution without any heat-treatment at room temperature. The prepared nanopowders were hydrothermally treated in 10M NaOH solution at . Then, the samples were washed in DI water or 0.1M HCl. The nanotubes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The gas sensitivity of nanotubes for toluene gas was also investigated. The results show that nanotubes can be prepared by hydrothermal treatment. The morphology of nanotubes prepared by 0.1M HCl washing is destroyed to some extent. nanotubes with DI water washing show better sensitivity than that with 0.1M HCl washing.

The Cu nanofluid in ethylene glycol was prepared by electrical explosion of wire, a novel one-step method. The X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope were used to study the properties of Cu nanoparticles. The results showed that the nanoparticles were consisted of pure face-centered cubic structure and near spherical shape with average grain size of 65 nm. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) confirmed Cu nanoparticles with a single absorbance peak of Cu surface plasmon resonance band at 600 nm. The nanofluid was found to be stable due to high positive zeta potential value, +51 mV. The backscattering level of nanofluid in static stationary was decreased about 2% for 5 days. The thermal conductivity measurement showed that Cu-ethylene glycol nanofluid with low concentration of nanoparticles had higher thermal conductivity than based fluid. The enhancement of thermal conductivity of nanofluid at a volume fraction of 0.1% was approximately 5.2%.

Photoelectric drift scans of nearby galaxies, M106, M31 and M33 have been made at diurnal rate with the 61cm Cassegrain Reflector at Sobacksan Observing Station. Luminosity profiles of M106 and M31 show the asymmetries between east and west sides of the galaxies and the near side of each galaxy exhibits a larger B-V color than the far side. B-V color distribution in the central part of MI06 shows somewhat unusual feature of a blue center with red surrounding regions, and this is an opposite trend to the ordinary color distribution of most of external galaxies. B-V color of M31 is nearly constant in the central part of the galaxy while U-B color decreases as the distance from the center increases.

Assessment of the extent of genetic variability within a cultivated crop has important consequences in plant breeding and conservation of genetic resources. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to produce barley genomic DNA fingerprints. The aim of this work was to investigate the efficacy of polymorphism contained in such fingerprints on disclosing genetic relationships among 26 barley genotypes including advanced lines and released cultivars. Among the 21 primers the percentage of polymorphic bands ranged from 33% (OPG-07) to 83% (OPG-02), showing a high degree of molecular variation. The highest genetic similarity was observed between genotypes Karan-521 and Karan-741(58%), and the lowest genetic similarity was observed between the cultivars Lakhan and C 138 (3.7%). The similarity matrix by the UPGMA algorithm delineated the above genotypes into four major clusters. The results demonstrate the utility of RAPD markers in differentiating Indian barley varieties. KT and SJY were supported by 2008 National Agricultural Germplasm Management System Establishment Program.

This study was done to understand the G x E interaction of rice blast reaction for Japonica high quality rice varieties and to observe blast pattern for high quality varieties. Twenty one percent of the total sum of squares (SST) in blast reaction data of high quality Japonica varieties is attributed to genotype (G) by environment (E) interaction variation. This portion of blast response is higher than 8～12% of G x E effect in blast severity data obtained from various ecotypes of rice varieties. Blast response scores obtained from high quality Japonica varieties group were more severely affected by environment condition than mixed groups with Japonica and Indica varieties. Interaction Principal Component Analysis (IPCA) scores obtained from AMMI analysis for the leaf blast response implied variation of G x E interaction. Correlation analysis suggested that IPCA1 was associated with latitude, maximum mean temperature, precipitation and mean cloud amount. IPCA2 was associated with mean relative humidity, and IPCA3 was associated with precipitation and minimum relative humidity. Pattern analysis generated nine genotype clusters according to blast reaction over 11 regions. Collectively, the A, B, C, and D groups were susceptible to rice blast, where as the E, F, G, H, and I groups were relatively resistant to rice blast through multi-location blast nursery test. Relationship between the identified genes of high quality varieties and blast scores at each test site in the level of group could be analyzed based on the results from G x E Interaction analysis.