bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Species diversity of bats along an altitudinal gradient on Mount Mulanje, southern Malawi
Authors: Curran Michael , Kopp Mirjam , Beck Jan , Fahr Jakob
Published: April 2012

A climate model, based on effects of water availability and temperature, was recently proposed to explain global variation in bat species richness along altitudinal gradients. Yet such studies are sparse in the tropics and near-absent in Africa. Here we present results from an altitudinal study of bat diversity from Mount Mulanje, Malawi. Using ground nets, canopy nets and harp traps, we sampled eight sites across three habitat zones from 630 m to 2010 m asl. We assessed the influence of climatic, geographic and biotic variables on measures of estimated species richness, Fisher's α, and an unbiased index of compositional turnover. We recorded 723 individuals and 30 species along the gradient, revealing a ‘low plateau’ pattern in estimated species richness, peaking at 1220 m, which is congruent with the global climate model. Measures of local habitat structure significantly explained a large degree of variation in species richness and compositional turnover between sites. Fisher's α was further significantly correlated to mean annual relative humidity, suggesting a background climatic influence.
APPLICATION OF AN ADAPTIVE STEP-SIZE ALGORITHM IN MODELS OF HYPERINFLATION
Authors: Kostyshyna Olena
Published: April 2012

An adaptive step-size algorithm [Kushner and Yin,Stochastic Approximation and Recursive Algorithms and Applications, 2nd ed., New York: Springer-Verlag (2003)] is used to model time-varying learning, and its performance is illustrated in the environment of Marcet and Nicolini [American Economic Review93 (2003), 1476–1498]. The resulting model gives qualitatively similar results to those of Marcet and Nicolini, and performs quantitatively somewhat better, based on the criterion of mean squared error. The model generates increasing gain during hyperinflations and decreasing gain after hyperinflations end, which matches findings in the data. An agent using this model behaves cautiously when faced with sudden changes in policy, and is able to recognize a regime change after acquiring sufficient information.
MEANS-TESTED AGE PENSIONS AND HOMEOWNERSHIP: IS THERE A LINK?
Authors: Cho Sang-Wook (Stanley) , Sane Renuka
Published: April 2012

Although several targeted welfare programs across the world have made owner-occupied housing exempt from the means test, relatively little is known about the impact of such exemption on portfolio choice and consumption. We study the Australian age pension scheme and argue that current uncapped exemption may lead to distortionary incentives for high levels of housing wealth to be sheltered from the means test. We set up a life-cycle model with explicit housing choice and borrowing constraints to match some key features of the Australian economy. We find that abolishing the exemption of owner-occupied housing in the assets test increases aggregate output, capital accumulation, and welfare, but decreases housing investment and homeownership. However, removing such distortions does not necessarily imply that all households would be better off. Lowering taxes to maintain fiscal balance would result in wealthy households experiencing a large welfare loss, whereas the majority of the population would benefit.
Reliability of Hoechst 33342 Staining under Wide-Field Microscopy for Evaluation of the Nuclear Status of Living Dog Oocytes
Authors: Chebrout Martine , Adenot Pierre-Gaël , Reynaud Karine , Chastant-Maillard Sylvie
Published: April 2012

Due to the marked cytoplasmic opacity of canine oocytes, the diagnosis of their nuclear status is difficult. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of Hoechst staining observed under epifluorescence wide-field microscopy [living oocyte observation (LivOO)] by comparison to a reference technique [DNA staining with ethidium homodimer-2 under confocal microscopy; fixed oocyte observation (FixOO)]. Four Hoechst 33342 concentrations (200 ng, 500 ng, 1 μg, 2 μg/mL) were tested and 1 μg/mL was the lowest one with the lowest proportion of oocytes in which DNA was missed. At this concentration, LivOO procedure did not affect the degeneration rate. On 379 oocytes observed individually with the two techniques successively, diagnosis of meiosis resumption by LivOO was exact in 87.3% of the cases, but the meiosis resumption rate was underestimated (23.5% versus 34.3% with FixOO;p< 0.001). Diagnosis for metaphase II was exact in 80% of the cases, but LivOO detected only 72.7% of the metaphase II oocytes present. Metaphase rates did not differ between LivOO and FixOO. This study contributes to a better interpretation ofin vitromaturation results. The developmental potential of metaphase II canine oocytes sorted after Hoechst staining is to be evaluated.
Linking Microstructure and Nanochemistry in Human Dental Tissues
Authors: Srot Vesna , Bussmann Birgit , Salzberger Ute , Koch Christoph T. , van Aken Peter A.
Published: April 2012

Mineralized dental tissues and dental pulp were characterized using advanced analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. Quantitative X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy was employed to determine the Ca/P and Mg/P concentration ratios. Significantly lower Ca/P concentration ratios were measured in peritubular dentine compared to intertubular dentine, which is accompanied by higher and variable Mg/P concentration ratios. There is strong evidence that magnesium is partially substituting calcium in the hydroxyapatite structure. Electron energy-loss near-edge structures (ELNES) of C-K and O-K from enamel and dentine are noticeably different. We observe a strong influence of beam damage on mineralized dental tissues and dental pulp, causing changes of the composition and consequently also differences in the ELNES. In this article, the importance of TEM sample preparation and specimen damage through electron irradiation is demonstrated.
The velocity and magnetic field fluctuations of the solar wind at 1 AU: Statistical analysis of Fourier spectra and correlations with plasma properties
Authors: Borovsky Joseph E.
Published: April 2012

Ten years of ACE plasma and magnetic field measurements are divided into 20,076 subintervals that are 4.55 h long. Each subinterval is Fourier analyzed resulting in a statistical ensemble of 20,076 realizations of the solar wind and its “turbulence.” Oxygen charge‐state ratios are used to categorize each subinterval as coronal‐hole‐origin plasma, non‐coronal‐hole‐origin plasma, or ejecta. A number of known properties of the solar wind v and B fluctuations are statistically confirmed and new informatin as functions of the type of plasma is obtained. For the fluctuations it is found that the coronal‐hole‐origin versus non‐coronal‐hole‐origin classification is more fundamental than a fast‐wind versus slow‐wind classification. In the frequency range 4.3 × 10−4–1.9 × 10−3 Hz, the ensemble the mean spectral indices of the magnetic field, velocity, and total energy are −1.62, −1.41, and −1.52, however the spectral indices vary with changes in the type of plasma. The number of strong current sheets in each subinterval is recorded. The fluctuation amplitudes, Alfvén ratios, and outward‐inward Elsasser ratios are all strongly correlated with the properties of the plasma and the density of current sheets. Regions wherein the fluctuation spectra are shallowest correspond to coronal‐hole plasma; regions wherein the spectra are steepest correspond to non‐coronal‐hole plasma and ejecta. The autocorrelation times for the spectral indices and amplitudes are 20–30 h, similar to the autocorrelation times for the proton specific entropy, the carbon charge‐state ratio, the density of strong current sheets, and the classification of plasma. Analysis is performed to interpret ensembles of spectra with variance error.
Understanding of dynamic earthquake slip behavior using damage as a tensor variable: Microcrack distribution, orientation, and mode and secondary faulting
Authors: Suzuki Takehito
Published: April 2012

The importance of the damage effect on dynamic earthquake slip behavior is clarified using the damage tensor variable. Dynamic mode II faults that are embedded in damage‐inducing media are assumed to relate to damage effects. This study confirms that the rupture velocity for spontaneous fault tip growth in the damage medium is reduced, being slightly smaller than rupture velocities observed for classical elastic material. Inelastic energy loss resulting in damage is relatively small but nonnegligible to the accumulated fracture energy. Two framework parameters employed in this study determine microcrack orientations and modes of microcracks and provide information on deviations in microcrack distribution between isotropic and nonisotropic ones. Spatial microcrack distribution patterns in isotropic and homogeneous systems are strongly dependent on a parameter related to the damage creation criterion. When considering secondary faulting, two apparently different behaviors, pulverization and branch development, are understood in a single framework, which gives a new insight into fault zone formation. The present results show that damage effect must be treated as a tensor variable rather than a scalar one as employed in many previous studies.
Recent mechanical weakening of the Arctic sea ice cover as revealed from larger inertial oscillations
Authors: Gimbert F. , Jourdain N. C. , Marsan D. , Weiss J. , Barnier B.
Published: April 2012

We present a simple and analytical ocean boundary layer‐sea ice coupled dynamical model that we apply to the modeling of Arctic sea ice motion in the frequency domain, and particularly in the inertial range. This study further complements our related work in an unpublished paper where the sea ice cover response to the Coriolis forcing has been studied. This analytical model allows interpretation of the spatial, seasonal and pluriannual dependence of the magnitude of the inertial oscillations detailed in terms of mechanical behavior of the ice cover. In this model, the sea ice mechanical response is simplified through the introduction of a linear internal friction term K. A dependence of K allows us to explain the associated dependence of the seasonal and regional Arctic sea ice inertial motion. In addition, a significant decrease of K, i.e., a mechanical weakening of the sea ice cover, is observed for the period 2002–2008 compared to 1979–2001, for the entire Arctic in both seasons. These results show that the regional, seasonal and pluriannual variations of sea ice inertial motion are not only the trivial consequence of simultaneous variations of thickness and concentration (and so of ice mass per unit area). Instead, the shrinking and thinning of the Arctic sea ice cover over the last few decades has induced a mechanical weakening, which in turns has favored sea ice fracturing and deformation.
Reduction of wind stress due to swell at high wind conditions
Authors: García‐Nava H. , Ocampo‐Torres F. J. , Hwang P. A. , Osuna P.
Published: April 2012

Wind stress over the ocean depends on the sea surface roughness which is determined by the sea state. On one hand, underdeveloped wind seas, rougher than their fully developed counterpart, increase the drag. On the other hand, the presence of swell can modify wind stress by modifying the wind sea roughness. This latter mechanism is believed to have a great impact at high winds whenever underdeveloped local waves coexist with swell. Detailed measurements of wind stress and wavefield in fetch‐limited growth conditions were made in an area subjected to strong and persistent winds. Through the analysis of wavefield observations, it is found that the presence of swell dampens the short wind waves. The observed attenuation is greater for younger wind seas and decreases as the wind waves become older. Results obtained from modeling the interaction of wind waves and the air flow above point out that the attenuation of short wind waves causes a reduction of the wave‐supported stress, which in turn decreases the total wind stress.
Typhoon Melor and ionospheric weather in the Asian sector: A case study
Authors: Rice D. D. , Sojka J. J. , Eccles J. V. , Schunk R. W.
Published: April 2012

The Space Environment Group of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo, Japan, operates four ionosondes at Okinawa, Yamagawa, Kokubunjii, and Wakkanai in the Asian sector. Okinawa is located at the lowest latitude and lies at the northern edge of the northern equatorial anomaly, while Wakkanai is located at the higher latitudes of the midlatitude ionosphere. For this study, ionograms obtained from the Internet are analyzed using the automated Expert System for Ionogram Reduction (ESIR). An anomalous 3 day foF2enhancement observed by the Wakkanai ionosonde from 9 to 11 October 2009 forms the basis for this study. The scientific question being addressed pertains to the remarkably quiescent geomagnetic activity experienced during the extended solar minimum between cycles 23 and 24 that enables a search for the ionospheric response to weather in the lower atmosphere. The analysis of the ionograms from these four stations using the proprietary ESIR technique provides an extended database of electron density profiles that describes the ionospheric variability as a function of latitude, local time, and season. In addition, independent observations of the ionospheric TEC used by the USU Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements (GAIM) model verify the anomalous ionospheric behavior as well as establishing its extent. Typical solar minimum conditions were seen during this study, with geomagnetic activity restricted to well‐characterized corotating interaction region (CIR) events. After eliminating geomagnetic and solar disturbances as drivers of the October 2009 anomaly, the presence of Typhoon Melor is suggested as a possible source mechanism for the ionospheric anomaly.
Drivers of the projected changes to the Pacific Ocean equatorial circulation
Authors: Sen Gupta A. , Ganachaud A. , McGregor S. , Brown J. N. , Muir L.
Published: April 2012

Climate models participating in the third Coupled Model Inter Comparison Project (CMIP3) suggest a significant increase in the transport of the New Guinea Coastal Undercurrent (NGCU) and the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC, in the central and western Pacific) and a decrease in the Mindanao current and the Indonesian Throughflow. Most models also project a reduction in the strength of the equatorial Trade winds. Typically, on ENSO time scales, a weakening of the equatorial easterlies would lead to a reduction in EUC strength in the central Pacific. The strengthening of the EUC projected for longer timescales, can be explained by a robust projected intensification of the south‐easterly trade winds and an associated off‐equatorial wind‐stress curl change in the Southern Hemisphere. This drives the intensification of the NGCU and greater water input to the EUC in the west. A 1½‐layer shallow water model, driven by projected wind stress trends from the CMIP3 models demonstrates that the projected circulation changes are consistent with a purely wind driven response. While the equatorial winds weaken for both El Niño events and in the projections, the ocean response and the mechanisms driving the projected wind changes are distinct from those operating on interannual timescales.
New products
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

A new system to line furnaces with lightweight ceramic fiber and mineral wool materials, instead of thick insulating firebrick, has been introduced by the Refractories and Electronics Division of The Carborundum Company, Niagara Falls, New York.

Called Fiberwall, the system consists basically of either thin ‘hot‐face’ blankets or regidized panels of alumina‐silica ceramic fiber, backed by a layer of temperature‐resistant mineral wool, and secured to the structural steel walls of the furnace by either ceramic or stainless steel hangers.
Notes and commentary
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

An International Symposium on Man‐Made Lakes, Their Problems and Environnlental Effects will be held at Knoxville, Tennessee, on May 3–7, 1971.

The symposium is being organized by the Scientific Committee on Water Research (COWAR) on behalf of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). Numerous Unions and Committees of ICSU are cooperating, and agencies of the United Nations are providing support. Arrangements in the United States are by the National Academy of Sciences, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the University of Tennessee.
Foreign reports available on loan
Authors: Johnson A. I. , Downs C. E.
Published: April 2012

Australia

Australian Water Resources Council, Water Resources Newsletter. No. 14, June 1970.

Australian Water Resources Council, Sediment Sampling in Australia, Report of a Working Group of the Technical Committee on Surface Water. Water Resources Council Hydrological Series 3. Department of National Development, Canberra, 1969. 47 pp.
The World Magnetic Survey 1957”1969
Authors: Zmuda Alfred J.
Published: April 2012

Although the science of geomagnetism is old, many fundamental questions still remain unanswered concerning fluid motions in the earth's core, the dynamo producing and sustaining the field, interpretation of results of surveys, drawing of charts, a reference field, the secular change, and magnetic anomalies and their geologic meaning. The World Magnetic Survey (WMS) was designed to overcome the principal deficiencies in surveys and to stimulate the use of the data in studies of the fundamental problems in geomagnetism.
Third Symposium of the Use of Artificial Satellites for Geodesy
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

In connection with the Fifty‐Second Annual Meeting of AGU, a special symposium on the Use of Artificial Satellites for Geodesy is being sponsored jointly by the American Geophysical Union, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Army Topographic Command. Two previous symposia on this subject took place in 1962 in Washington, D.C., and in 1965 in Athens, Greece.
Symposium on Social and Economic Aspects of Water Resource Development
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

The American Water Resources Association and Cornell University will sponsor a Symposium on Social and Economic Aspects of Water Resource Development at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, June 21–23, 1971.
One‐week summer program at MIT
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

A special one‐week summer program on Engineering Aspects of Heat Disposal from Power Generation will be held at the MIT Parsons Laboratory for Water Resources and Hydrodynamics June 28–July 2, 1971. This special summer program is designed for engineers, ecologists, educators, members of the utility industry, and regulatory agencies who are concerned with the problem of heat disposal associated with fossil and nuclear power generation. Emphasis will be placed on the use of predictive techniques in assessing the feasibility of alternative methods of heat disposal. Topics will include: once‐through cooling processes in lakes, rivers, estuaries, and the ocean; natural temperature variations, cooling ponds, cooling towers, beneficial uses, management models, and the impact of thermal pollution control standards. The program is under the direction of Donald R.F. Harleman.
Meeting Reports: Limestone Hydrology Field Conference
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

Increasing interest in the past few years in the hydrology of carbonate terranes has underscored the need to improve the exchange of information among workers in this field. Carbonate hydrology involves many different kinds of problems so that those in the field come from many different disciplinary origins and sometimes do not realize how closely their efforts are related. Moreover, because these workers must deal with the diverse practical problems involved (such as in water supplies, construction of buildings and public works, and the design of waste disposal facilities), they are often isolated from each other in separate agencies or companies and seldom get to exchange views, experiences, or insights.
Preliminary statement of the U.S. Geodynamics Committee: Geodynamics Project: Development of a U.S. Program
Authors: Geodynamics Committee
Published: April 2012

The starting point for development of a U.S. program for the Geodynamics Project is twofold. The first is a recognition of the extraordinary advances made during the past five years in our understanding of the origin of earthquakes, volcanism, faulting, and mountain building—the basic processes that shape the surface of our planet. The unifying concept behind these advances has been the group of ideas known as sea‐floor spreading, plate tectonics, and global tectonics. It would be difficult to overstate the success of these ideas in bringing together the different disciplines that constitute the earth sciences. The second starting point is the realization that after our initial enthusiasm, it is now time to take a second look at the new ideas. In attemping to fit all of the data of earth science into this new mold, we may fail to recognize equally important new concepts that remain to be discovered.
Seismic sources, fault plane studies and tectonics
Authors: Brune James N.
Published: April 2012

Since 1967 seismic source mechanism studies in the United States have seen the following major developments: 1. Detailed interpretation of fault plane solutions in terms of the new global tectonics.

2. Quantitative estimates of the rate of fault slip represented by earthquakes; interpretation of these estimates in terms of the new global tectonics; and use of such estimates to predict earthquake potential.
[Comment on “Air pollution: Our ecological alarm and blessing in disguise” by Hugh W. Ellsaesser] Air pollution signals
Authors: Dingman S. Lawrence
Published: April 2012

Hugh Elsaesser's article in the March 1971 issue of EOS does a nice job of reviewing and placing in perspective several of the major environmental problems facing mankind. However, his characterization of air pollution as a ‘comparatively innocuous’ and ‘benign’ signal to man that he is overgrazing his ecological niche is unfortunate and misleading. Elsaesser cites 16 references to the effect that there is little evidence of a causal relationship between air pollution and deteriorating human health. He does not cite the report by Lave and Seskin (Science, v.169, p.723–733; August 21, 1970), who conclude after a thorough examination of numerous studies that ‘…there is an important association between air pollution and various morbidity and mortality rates.’ In fact, only one of the many tens of references on this problem cited by Lave and Seskin is also cited by Elsaesser.
Four‐year measurement of Earth completed
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

The Most accurate measurement ever made for determining the size and shape of the earth has been completed. The program (see January 1969 EOS, p. 4) lasted four years and involved 32 nations. Processing of data will take another two years.

The program was conducted by NASA and the Departments of Defense and Commerce in cooperation with foreign nations.
U.S. National Committee for Rock Mechanics
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

Three events of major importance for the U.S. National Committee for Rock Mechanics and for the U.S. rock mechanics community have taken place during the past few months. First, at a joint meeting of the U.S. National Committee and the Intersociety Committee for Rock Mechanics (ICRM), held in Rolla, Missouri, on November 15, 1970, both groups agreed unanimously to merge into a single committee that would represent the interests of U.S. activities and workers in rock mechanics both nationally and internationally.

Another event of special importance was the election of Leonard A. Obert, of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, Denver, as President of the Society. The third event was ISRM's acceptance of the U.S. National Committee's proposal to host the Third ISRM Congress in Denver in September 1974.
GCAGS and GCS‐SEPM Annual Meeting
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

The Twenty‐First Annual Meetin of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Studies and Gulf Coast Section of the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, October 13–15, 1971. The emphasis of this year's meeting will be on currently active exploration trends in the Gulf Coast area. Papers on new ideas, techniques, and studies pertinent to Gulf Coast geology will be presented.
Chapman Memorial Symposium on Magnetospheric Motions
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

The Chapman Memorial Symposium on Magnetospheric Motions will be held in Boulder, Colorado, June 18–22, 1973. The symposium is fourth in the series of the Triennial Boulder Geomagnetic Conferences. It is being arranged by the Environmental Research Laboratories of NOAA and the High Altitude Observatory of NCAR. Presently the only sponsor is AGU.

The symposium will concern the dynamic magnetosphere, the physics of its changing state, the detection and prediction of such changes, and the important influence of such motions on the environment.
Tropical meteorology
Authors: Wallace J. M.
Published: April 2012

Interest and activity in tropical meteorology have increased substantially within the past few years, in relation to other areas of the atmospheric sciences. Some af this growth has been stimulated by the Global atmospheric Research Program (Garp), which has placed strong emphasis on the need for understanding largescale motion systems in the tropics and their interaction with organized cumulus convection. This emphasis has keen reflected in plans for a vigorous tropical field program built on the experience of the Line Island Experiment (LIE) and the Barbados Oceanographic and Meteorological Experiment (Bomex). The first major Garp undertaking in this area will be an experiment in the tropical Atlantic during the summer of 1973 or 1974. A large portion of the tropical meteorology community has been involved in the implementation of the previous experiments and in the planning for the Garp tropical subprogram.
Meteorological Satellite Program
Authors: Fritz S. , Hubert L. F. , McClain E. P. , Smith W. L. , Winston J. S.
Published: April 2012

The U.S. meteorological satellite program has matured considerably since its beginning on April 1, 1960. The program now has a regular, routine, observational part but also continues a vigorous expansion into new types of measurement [Johnson, 1970; Tepper, 1967].

Operationally, the world is observed routinely every day; digitized mosaics of the world's cloud cover are obtained regularly by means of AVCS (Advanced Vidicon Camera System) television cameras and tape storage [Johnson, 1969]. In addition, about 500 stations in over 50 countries receive cloud pictures daily of large areas surrounding each station through APT (Automatic Picture Transmission). Also, infrared radiation data in the form of pictures are beginning to be received with operational regularity from ITOS 1 (improved Tiros) [Albert, 1968].
Climatic change
Authors: Kutzbach John E.
Published: April 2012

In the past four years, significant progress has been made in the modeling of climate and climatic changes, in the understanding of mechanisms of climatic change, and in the diagnosis of climatic changes, both present and past. At the same time, it is apparent that the ‘need to know’ has become a matter of rapidly increasing practical importance and that the frontier of unsolved problems is expanding. Climatic change and environmental change have emerged as items of high priority [see, for example, CEQ, 1970]. A concern that human activities may be rivaling natural processes in affecting the stability of the atmosphere‐hydrosphere‐biosphere system is attested to by recent reports. For example, a symposium on global effects of environmental pollution [AAAS, 1970] and a report on critical environmental problems [SCEP, 1970] provide surveys of the climatic and ecological effects of human activities. Many of the points reviewed briefly here receive detailed consideration in these reports. The SCEP report includes lists of recommendations for action. Whereas attention focused formerly on describing and explaining past climates, increased attention is focused currently on predicting possible future climates [Bryson and Wendland, 1970; Fletcher, 1969a; Mitchell, 19707semi; Robinson, 1970; University of Wisconsin, 1970].
Nineteenth century gift helps to underwrite new professorship
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

A $10,000 gift to Princeton University in 1872, which has since grown into a fund with a market value approaching $150,000, is helping underwrite a new Professorship of Geophysics and Geological Engineering. The professorship is named in honor of an 1860 Princeton graduate and benefactor who was dismayed by the ‘dishonesty’ of nineteenth century engineers.
International Symposium on Soil Water Physics and Technology
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

An International Symposium on Soil Water Physics and Technology will be held in Rehovot, Israel, August 29–September 5, 1971. The topics will include energy relations of water in soil, infiltration and unsaturated flow phenomena, cycle and balance of water in the field, evapotranspiration, irrigation, and soil water salinity problems. A special panel will be convened on the topic of ’Optimizing the Soil Physical Environment toward Greater Crop Yields.‘

The proceedings of the symposium and of the special panel will be published.
NOAA Sea Grant supports Georgia salt marsh research
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

Broad‐scale research into utilization and conservation of salt marsh estuaries in Georgia will be conducted with the aid of a Sea Grant awarded by NOAA to the University of Georgia in Athens. The program will be headed by Edward Chin of the Institute of Natural Resources at the university. Portions of the program will be conducted by scientists at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Savannah.
Thirty‐third presentation: William Bowie Medal to Inge Lehmann
Authors: Birch Francis , Lehman Inge
Published: April 2012

Inge Lehman's career in seismology began in 1925 when she became assistant to Professor Norlund in Copenhagen. She was responsible for the establishment of a seismic network of large aperture with stations in Copenhagen, Ivigtut, and Scoresby Sound. When the Royal Danish Geodetic Institute was created in 1928, she became Chief of the Seismological Department and served in this capacity until she retired in 1952. During these years she read all the records and published the bulletins for these stations; in addition she published some twenty‐five papers on her own. Among these papers was an epoch‐making one published in 1936, which had a title that endeared her to compilers of bibliographies; it was simply called P′. This paper added a new discontinuity to the seismic structure of the earth, the Lehmann discontinuity, which divided the core into inner and outer parts. This inner core, though small in mass, may yet provide a much‐needed reference point that will fix the elusive temperature distribution in the deep interior. Like the Mohoričic discontinuity, the boundary of crust and mantle, and the Oldham‐Gutenberg discontinuity, the boundary of the mantle and core, the Lehmann discontinuity was discovered through exacting scrutiny of seismic records by a master of a black art for which no amount of computerizing is likely to be a complete substitute.
Fourth presentation: Walter H. Bucher Medal to Robert S. Dietz
Authors: Wilson J. T. , Dietz Robert S.
Published: April 2012

Robert S. Dietz is at once versatile and imaginative. There are few places that he has not visited, and many and original have been his contributions to earth science.

In 1941, after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, he joined the United States Air Force and served until 1946 when he became a member of Admiral Byrd's last expedition to Antarctica.
Differentiated meteorites
Authors: Wasson John
Published: April 2012

For the purposes of this report, differentiated meteorites will be considered to be the meteorites that are not commonly classified as chondrites. Dodd [1971] has compiled a companion review on chondritic meteorites. The last previous bibliographic review of meteorite research in the United States was that of Wood [1963]. I have not attempted to cover the entire 8‐year period since that review was prepared but have, with rare exceptions, confined my attention to publications appearing iuring calendar years 1967–1970. For this period the bibliography is meant to be complete, except for some new data on Ca‐rich achondrites that have been published with studies of lunar samples and are included in the reviews by Wood [1971] and by Huguenin and McCord [1971] elsewhere in this issue. A few supporting studies that were performed mainly to allow better interpretation of meteoritic results are also listed.
Interplanetary fields and plasmas
Authors: Vasyliunas Vytenis M.
Published: April 2012

This report attempts to summarize work by U.S. scientists published during the period 1967 through 1970 on the topics of the solar wind (including plasma, magnetic and electric fields, and the relation to the sun, but excluding the transport of cosmic rays) and its interaction with the planets and the moon (including, for the interaction with the earth, the bow shock, the magnetosheath, the distant magnetospheric tail, and the geomagnetic effects directly attributed to the solar wind, but excluding the magnetosphere and related topics, which are covered in the report by Neil M. Brice).
F region
Authors: Hanson W. B.
Published: April 2012

This review is limited to contributions on F‐region plasma phenomena made by U.S. researchers during the period from 1967 to 1970. In some instances the review necessarily includes the protonosphere because of its direct connection to the F region. Airglow and neutral atmosphere properties are considered in detail elsewhere in this report.
Aurora
Authors: McCormac Billy M.
Published: April 2012

Auroras have been investigated from two points of view: the first is used to study atmospheric processes, and the second is an aid in analyzing magnetospheric phenomena. Much progress has been made as a result of correlated observations, which should become much more important in the future. There have been correlations of auroral observations with observations of magnetospheric particle behavior, radio absorption and scatter, and particle precipitation and ionospheric data.

Auroras occur in a narrow band in the shape of an oval that is offset a few degrees from the magnetic pole. The oval is continous, widens and shifts equatorward with increased Kp, and has much structure. During disturbed times the day side motion is faster and therefore the oval tends toward a circle with increase of Kp. Although the auroral observations may appear to be continous on the basis of widely separated observations, there may be several separate processes involved.
Seawater irrigation research at Scripps
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, Dan Diego, are conducting research to find ways to irrigate dry, unfarmable land through the direct use of seawater. With funds provided by the Foundation for Ocean Research, Peta Mudie and Walter Schmitt last October set up a special laboratory for seawater irrigation experiments. So far the two researchers have successfully grown ordinary table beets in full‐strength seawater, a solution containing 3.5% salt.
Symposium on Watersheds in Transition
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

The American Water Resources Association and Colorado State University are sponsoring a National Symposium on Watersheds in Transition, a symposium on the management of watersheds and their water resources in view of changing environments, priorities, and methods. The symposium will be held June 19–21, 1972, at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
New Information Retrieval System for government‐funded reports
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

Abstracts of technical reports produced from government‐funded research and development projects released since 1964 can now be obtained by the public from a single source.

William T. Knox, Director of the National Technical Information Service, has announced a new computer information retrieval service—NTISearch—which he called a fast and easy way to obtain and evaluatecurrent research reports.
New products
Authors: Anonymous
Published: April 2012

AMF Electrical Products Development Division has added to its Sea‐Link oceanographic product line the Benthos underwater acoustic telemeters and telemetry systems, according to Saul H. Silver, Division Vice President and General Manager. These telemeters may be used for transmission of depth, temperature, compass heading, current speed and direction, tilt, and many other selected parameters from great ocean depths. Data encoding is accomplished by varying the time delay between emission of a precision clock pulse and a subsequent data pulse. Signals from the Model 1023 and 1024 telemeters can be received and displayed via any of the standard graphic recorders normally installed on oceanographic or survey vessels.
Structural resilience of the gut microbiota in adult mice under high-fat dietary perturbations
Authors: Zhang Chenhong , Zhang Menghui , Pang Xiaoyan , Zhao Yufeng , Wang Linghua , Zhao Liping
Published: April 2012

Disruption of the gut microbiota by high-fat diet (HFD) has been implicated in the development of obesity. It remains to be elucidated whether the HFD-induced shifts occur at the phylum level or whether they can be attributed to specific phylotypes; additionally, it is unclear to what extent the changes are reversible under normal chow (NC) feeding. One group (diet-induced obesity, DIO) of adult C57BL/6J mice was fed a HFD for 12 weeks until significant obesity and insulin resistance were observed, and then these mice were switched to NC feeding for 10 weeks. Upon switching to NC feeding, the metabolic deteriorations observed during HFD consumption were significantly alleviated. The second group (control, CHO) remained healthy under continuous NC feeding. UniFrac analysis of bar-coded pyrosequencing data showed continued structural segregation of DIO from CHO on HFD. At 4 weeks after switching back to NC, the gut microbiota in the DIO group had already moved back to the CHO space, and continued to progress along the same age trajectory and completely converged with CHO after 10 weeks. Redundancy analysis identified 77 key phylotypes responding to the dietary perturbations. HFD-induced shifts of these phylotypes all reverted to CHO levels over time. Some of these phylotypes exhibited robust age-related changes despite the dramatic abundance variations in response to dietary alternations. These findings suggest that HFD-induced structural changes of the gut microbiota can be attributed to reversible elevation or diminution of specific phylotypes, indicating the significant structural resilience of the gut microbiota of adult mice to dietary perturbations.
Bax and Bcl-xL exert their regulation on different sites of the ceramide channel
Authors: Perera Meenu N. , Lin Shang H. , Peterson Yuri K. , Bielawska Alicja , Szulc Zdzislaw M. , Bittman Robert , Colombini Marco
Published: April 2012

The present study demonstrates the important structural features of ceramide required for proper regulation, binding and identification by both pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. The C-4=C-5 trans-double bond has little influence on the ability of Bax and Bcl-xL to identify and bind to these channels. The stereochemistry of the headgroup and access to the amide group of ceramide is indispensible for Bax binding, indicating that Bax may interact with the polar portion of the ceramide channel facing the bulk phase. In contrast, Bcl-xL binding to ceramide channels is tolerant of stereochemical changes in the headgroup. The present study also revealed that Bcl-xL has an optimal interaction with long-chain ceramides that are elevated early in apoptosis, whereas short-chain ceramides are not well regulated. Inhibitors specific for the hydrophobic groove of Bcl-xL, including 2-methoxyantimycin A3, ABT-737 and ABT-263 provide insights into the region of Bcl-xL involved in binding to ceramide channels. Molecular docking simulations of the lowest-energy binding poses of ceramides and Bcl-xL inhibitors to Bcl-xL were consistent with the results of our functional studies and propose potential binding modes.
Systems biology of antioxidants
Authors: Andriantsitohaina Ramaroson , Duluc Lucie , García-Rodríguez Julio C. , Gil-del Valle Lizette , Guevara-Garcia Mariela , Simard Gilles , Soleti Raffaella , Su Ding-Feng , Velásquez-Pérez Luis , Wilson John X. , Laher Ismail
Published: April 2012

Understanding the role of oxidative injury will allow for therapy with agents that scavenge ROS (reactive oxygen species) and antioxidants in the management of several diseases related to free radical damage. The majority of free radicals are generated by mitochondria as a consequence of the mitochondrial cycle, whereas free radical accumulation is limited by the action of a variety of antioxidant processes that reside in every cell. In the present review, we provide an overview of the mitochondrial generation of ROS and discuss the role of ROS in the regulation of endothelial and adipocyte function. Moreover, we also discuss recent findings on the role of ROS in sepsis, cerebral ataxia and stroke. These results provide avenues for the therapeutic potential of antioxidants in a variety of diseases.
Resonances in rotationally inelastic scattering of OH(X2Π) with helium and neon
Authors: Gubbels Koos B. , Ma Qianli , Alexander Millard H. , Dagdigian Paul J. , Tanis Dick , Groenenboom Gerrit C. , van der Avoird Ad , van de Meerakker Sebastiaan Y. T.
Published: April 2012

We present detailed calculations on resonances in rotationally and spin-orbit inelastic scattering of OH (X 2Π, j = 3/2, F1, f) radicals with He and Ne atoms. We calculate new ab initio potential energy surfaces for OH-He, and the cross sections derived from these surfaces compare well with the recent crossed beam scattering experiment of Kirste et al. [Phys. Rev. A 82, 042717 (2010)10.1103/PhysRevA.82.042717]. We identify both shape and Feshbach resonances in the integral and differential state-to-state scattering cross sections, and we discuss the prospects for experimentally observing scattering resonances using Stark decelerated beams of OH radicals.
The theory of surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Authors: Lombardi John R. , Birke Ronald L.
Published: April 2012

By considering the molecule and metal to form a conjoined system, we derive an expression for the observed Raman spectrum in surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The metal levels are considered to consist of a continuum with levels filled up to the Fermi level, and empty above, while the molecule has discrete levels filled up to the highest occupied orbital, and empty above that. It is presumed that the Fermi level of the metal lies between the highest filled and the lowest unfilled level of the molecule. The molecule levels are then coupled to the metal continuum both in the filled and unfilled levels, and using the solutions to this problem provided by Fano, we derive an expression for the transition amplitude between the ground stationary state and some excited stationary state of the molecule-metal system. It is shown that three resonances contribute to the overall enhancement; namely, the surface plasmon resonance, the molecular resonances, as well as charge-transfer resonances between the molecule and metal. Furthermore, these resonances are linked by terms in the numerator, which result in SERS selection rules. These linked resonances cannot be separated, accounting for many of the observed SERS phenomena. The molecule-metal coupling is interpreted in terms of a deformation potential which is compared to the Herzberg-Teller vibronic coupling constant. We show that one term in the sum involves coupling between the surface plasmon transition dipole and the molecular transition dipole. They are coupled through the deformation potential connecting to charge-transfer states. Another term is shown to involve coupling between the charge-transfer transition and the molecular transition dipoles. These are coupled by the deformation potential connecting to plasmon resonance states. By applying the selection rules to the cases of dimer and trimer nanoparticles we show that the SERS spectrum can vary considerably with excitation wavelength, depending on which plasmon and/or charge-transfer resonance is excited.
High-pressure effect on the dynamics of solvated peptides
Authors: Nellas Ricky B. , Glover Mary M. , Hamelberg Donald , Shen Tongye
Published: April 2012

The dynamics of peptides has a direct connection to how quickly proteins can alter their conformations. The speed of exploring the free energy landscape depend on many factors, including the physical parameters of the environment, such as pressure and temperature. We performed a series of molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the pressure-temperature effects on peptide dynamics, especially on the torsional angle and peptide-water hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) dynamics. Here, we show that the dynamics of the omega angle and the H-bonding dynamics between water and the peptide are affected by pressure. At high temperature (500 K), both the dynamics of the torsional angle ω and H-bonding slow down significantly with increasing pressure, interestingly, at approximately the same rate. However, at a lower temperature of 300 K, the observed trend on H-bonding dynamics as a function of pressure reverses, i.e., higher pressure speeds up H-bonding dynamics.
Heat transfer and friction characteristics of dimple-shaped roughness element arranged in angular fashion (arc) on the absorber plate of solar air heater
Authors: Sethi Muneesh , Thakur N. S. , Varun
Published: April 2012

An experimental investigation of dimple-shape roughness element arranged in angular fashion has been carried out to see the effect on heat transfer and friction characteristics of rectangular duct solar air heater. Duct has an aspect ratio (W/H) of 11, relative roughness pitch (p/e) in the range of 10–20, relative roughness height (e/D) in the range of 0.021–0.036, angle of arc (α) in the range of 45°−75°, and Reynolds number (Re) ranges from 3600 to 18 000. The effects of relative roughness pitch (p/e) and angle of arc (α) on heat transfer and friction factor have been discussed. It has also been observed that thermohydraulic performance of roughened solar air heater increases with the increase in Reynolds number. As there is an increase in Reynolds number which increases the heat transfer, it also increases pumping power which is higher in comparison to heat transfer.