Internalization of G-protein-coupled receptors is mediated by phosphorylation of the C-terminus, followed by binding with the cytosolic protein arrestin. To explore structural factors that may play a role in internalization of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), we utilize a phosphorylated peptide derived from the distal C-terminus of CB1 (CB1(5P)(454-473)). Complexes formed between the peptide and h...

Kinase homology domain (KHD) phosphorylation is required for activation of guanylyl cyclase (GC)-A and -B. Phosphopeptide mapping identified multiple phosphorylation sites in GC-A and GC-B, but these approaches have difficulty identifying sites in poorly detected peptides. Here, a functional screen was conducted to identify novel sites. Conserved serines or threonines in the KHDs of phosphoryla...

The effect of desert dust on cloud properties and precipitation has so far been studied solely by using theoretical models, which predict that rainfall would be enhanced. Here we present observations showing the contrary; the effect of dust on cloud properties is to inhibit precipitation. Using satellite and aircraft observations we show that clouds forming within desert dust contain small drop...

*National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo, Japan +Meteorological Research Institute, Ibaraki, Japan #Hokkaido Tokai University, Hokkaido, Japan @Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan &Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka, JAPAN **Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tokyo, Japan ++Shimane University, Shimane, Japan ##Center for Climate System Resear...

The radiative and microphysical effects of aerosols can affect the development of convective clouds. The objective of this study is to reveal if the overall aerosol effects have any discernible impact on the diurnal variations in precipitation and lightning by means of both observational analysis and modeling. As the first part of two companion studies, this paper is concerned with analyzing ho...

Introduction Conclusions References

Precipitation is very important to the formation of runoff, and studying of runoff variation and its response to precipitation has practical significance to sustainable utilization of water resources. The study used Mann-Kendall test, anomaly accumulation method, and precipitation elasticity of runoff method to analyze the changes in the relation of precipitation and runoff and the contribution...

[1] Auroral substorms are the result of a complex process involving coupling between the solar wind, magnetosphere and ionosphere. In this study, the objective is to understand the processes that precede what is perhaps the most fundamental aspect, the brightening of a preexisting arc at onset. The notion that this brightening provides an indicator of substorm onset remains one of the few aspec...