VLA, PHOENIX, and BATSE observations of an X1 flare

We present observations of an X1 flare (18 Jul. 1991) detected simultaneously with the Very Large Array (VLA), the PHOENIX Digital Radio Spectrometer and the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) aboard the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO). The VLA was used to produce snapshot maps of the impulsive acceleration in the higher corona several minutes before the onset of the hard x ray burst detected by BATSE. Comparisons with high spectral and temporal observations by PHOENIX reveal a variety of radio bursts at 20 cm, such as type 3 bursts, intermediate drift bursts, and quasi-periodic pulsations during different stages of the X1 flare. From the drift rates of these radio bursts we derive information on local density scale heights, the speed of radio exciters, and the local magnetic field. Radio emission at 90 cm shows a type 4 burst moving outward with a constant velocity of 240 km/s. The described X1 flare is unique in the sense that it appeared at the east limb (N06/E88), providing the most accurate information on the vertical structure of different flare tracers visible in radio wavelengths

Order out of Randomness : Self-Organization Processes in Astrophysics

Self-organization is a property of dissipative nonlinear processes that are governed by an internal driver and a positive feedback mechanism, which creates regular geometric and/or temporal patterns and decreases the entropy, in contrast to random processes. Here we investigate for the first time a comprehensive number of 16 self-organization processes that operate in planetary physics, solar physics, stellar physics, galactic physics, and cosmology. Self-organizing systems create spontaneous {\sl order out of chaos}, during the evolution from an initially disordered system to an ordered stationary system, via quasi-periodic limit-cycle dynamics, harmonic mechanical resonances, or gyromagnetic resonances. The internal driver can be gravity, rotation, thermal pressure, or acceleration of nonthermal particles, while the positive feedback mechanism is often an instability, such as the magneto-rotational instability, the Rayleigh-B\'enard convection instability, turbulence, vortex attraction, magnetic reconnection, plasma condensation, or loss-cone instability. Physical models of astrophysical self-organization processes involve hydrodynamic, MHD, and N-body formulations of Lotka-Volterra equation systems.Comment: 61 pages, 38 Figure

Effects of an enzyme blend (livestock answer) in diets containing dried distillers grains with solubles on growth performance of nursery and finishing pigs

Two trials were conducted to determine the effects of an enzyme blend (Livestock Answer; Environmental Care and Share, Golden, CO) on growth performance of nursery and wean-to-finish pigs. Livestock Answer contains amylases, cellulases, proteases, lipases, and phytases. In Exp. 1, a total of 180 pigs (PIC TR4 × 1050, initially 12.3 lb and 21 d old) were used in a 28-d trial. Pigs were blocked by weight and allotted at weaning to 1 of 3 enzyme levels (0%, 0.125%, and 0.175%). There were 6 pigs per pen and 10 replications per treatment. Diets were corn-soybean meal based and contained 15% dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) during Phase 1 (d 0 to 14) and 25% DDGS during Phase 2 (d 14 to 28). From d 0 to 14, increasing enzyme level improved ADG (quadratic; P = 0.04) and F/G (linear; P = 0.05) and tended to improve (P \u3c 0.07) ADFI and pig weight on d 14. From d 14 to 28, enzyme level had no effect (P \u3e 0.20) on ADG or ADFI but worsened F/G (quadratic; P = 0.04). Pigs fed an enzyme blend for the first 14 d after weaning had improved growth performance. However, over the entire 28-d nursery period, enzyme level had no effect (P \u3e 0.22) on pig performance. In Exp. 2, a total of 224 nursery pigs (PIC TR4 ×1050, initially 13.4 lb and 21 d of age) were blocked by weight and allotted to 1 of 4 treatments. There were 8 pigs per pen and 7 pens per treatment. Livestock Answer was added at 0.125% to either the nursery or finisher stage or both in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (with and without in nursery and with and without in finisher). Diets were corn-soybean meal based and contained 15% DDGS from d 0 to 14, 25% DDGS from d 14 to 35, and 30% DDGS from d 35 to d 126. On d 126, pigs were harvested and carcass data were collected. Adding the enzyme to nursery, finishing, and nursery and finishing combined diets containing DDGS did not influence (P \u3e 0.20) ADG, ADFI, F/G, or any of the carcass criteria measured in Exp 2.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 19, 200

Dorsal horn-enriched genes identified by DNA microarray, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry

BACKGROUND: Neurons in the dorsal spinal cord play important roles in nociception and pain. These neurons receive input from peripheral sensory neurons and then transmit the signals to the brain, as well as receive and integrate descending control signals from the brain. Many molecules important for pain transmission have been demonstrated to be localized to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Further understanding of the molecular interactions and signaling pathways in the dorsal horn neurons will require a better knowledge of the molecular neuroanatomy in the dorsal spinal cord. RESULTS: A large scale screening was conducted for genes with enriched expression in the dorsal spinal cord using DNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR. In addition to genes known to be specifically expressed in the dorsal spinal cord, other neuropeptides, receptors, ion channels, and signaling molecules were also found enriched in the dorsal spinal cord. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry revealed the cellular expression of a subset of these genes. The regulation of a subset of the genes was also studied in the spinal nerve ligation (SNL) neuropathic pain model. In general, we found that the genes that are enriched in the dorsal spinal cord were not among those found to be up-regulated in the spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain. This study also provides a level of validation of the use of DNA microarrays in conjunction with our novel analysis algorithm (SAFER) for the identification of differences in gene expression. CONCLUSION: This study identified molecules that are enriched in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and provided a molecular neuroanatomy in the spinal cord, which will aid in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms important in nociception and pain

The McDonald Observatory Planet Search: New Long-Period Giant Planets, and Two Interacting Jupiters in the HD 155358 System

We present high-precision radial velocity (RV) observations of four solar-type (F7-G5) stars - HD 79498, HD 155358, HD 197037, and HD 220773 - taken as part of the McDonald Observatory Planet Search Program. For each of these stars, we see evidence of Keplerian motion caused by the presence of one or more gas giant planets in long-period orbits. We derive orbital parameters for each system, and note the properties (composition, activity, etc.) of the host stars. While we have previously announced the two-gas-giant HD 155358 system, we now report a shorter period for planet c. This new period is consistent with the planets being trapped in mutual 2:1 mean-motion resonance. We therefore perform an in-depth stability analysis, placing additional constraints on the orbital parameters of the planets. These results demonstrate the excellent long-term RV stability of the spectrometers on both the Harlan J. Smith 2.7 m telescope and the Hobby-Eberly telescope.Comment: 38 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap

Distinct Stromal Cell Factor Combinations Can Separately Control Hematopoietic Stem Cell Survival, Proliferation, and Self-Renewal

SummaryHematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are identified by their ability to sustain prolonged blood cell production in vivo, although recent evidence suggests that durable self-renewal (DSR) is shared by HSC subtypes with distinct self-perpetuating differentiation programs. Net expansions of DSR-HSCs occur in vivo, but molecularly defined conditions that support similar responses in vitro are lacking. We hypothesized that this might require a combination of factors that differentially promote HSC viability, proliferation, and self-renewal. We now demonstrate that HSC survival and maintenance of DSR potential are variably supported by different Steel factor (SF)-containing cocktails with similar HSC-mitogenic activities. In addition, stromal cells produce other factors, including nerve growth factor and collagen 1, that can antagonize the apoptosis of initially quiescent adult HSCs and, in combination with SF and interleukin-11, produce >15-fold net expansions of DSR-HSCs ex vivo within 7 days. These findings point to the molecular basis of HSC control and expansion

Tectonic collision and uplift of Wallacea triggered the global songbird radiation

Songbirds (oscine passerines) are the most species-rich and cosmopolitan bird group, comprising almost half of global avian diversity. Songbirds originated in Australia, but the evolutionary trajectory from a single species in an isolated continent to worldwide proliferation is poorly understood. Here, we combine the first comprehensive genome-scale DNA sequence data set for songbirds, fossil-based time calibrations, and geologically informed biogeographic reconstructions to provide a well-supported evolutionary hypothesis for the group. We show that songbird diversification began in the Oligocene, but accelerated in the early Miocene, at approximately half the age of most previous estimates. This burst of diversification occurred coincident with extensive island formation in Wallacea, which provided the first dispersal corridor out of Australia, and resulted in independent waves of songbird expansion through Asia to the rest of the globe. Our results reconcile songbird evolution with Earth history and link a major radiation of terrestrial biodiversity to early diversification within an isolated Australian continent

Coronal X-Ray Emission from the Stellar Companions to Transiently Accreting Black Holes

Observations of soft X-ray transients (SXTs) in quiescence have found that the binaries harboring black holes are fainter than those that contain a neutron star. Narayan and collaborators postulated that the faint X-ray emission from black hole binaries was powered by an advection dominated accretion flow (ADAF). We explore an alternative explanation for the quiescent X-ray emission from the black hole systems: coronal emission from the rapidly rotating optical companion. This is commonly observed and well studied in other tidally locked binaries, such as the RS CVns. We show that two of the three X-ray detected black hole binaries (A0620-00 and GRO J1655-40) exhibit X-ray fluxes entirely consistent with coronal emission. The X-ray spectra of these objects should be best fit with thermal Raymond-Smith models rich in lines when coronal emission predominates. One black hole system (V404 Cyg) is too X-ray bright to be explained as coronal emission. The quiescent X-ray emission from the neutron star binaries is far too bright for coronal emission. It might be that all SXT's have variable accretion rates in quiescence and that the basal quiescent X-ray flux is set by either coronal emission from the companion or -- when present -- by thermal emission from the neutron star. We also show that the lithium abundances in the black hole systems are comparable to those in the RS CVns, reducing the need for production mechanisms that involve the compact object.Comment: ApJ, accepted (v541; Oct 1, 2000); Changes to figures and tables, minor modifications to text. Uses emulateapj.sty. 14 pages, 3 figure

Mobile retroreflectivity best practices handbook.

0-5656This handbook documents best practices related to proper use of the mobile retroreflectometer, sampling ofsites for data collection, and handling of mobile retroreflectivity data. The best practices described in thishandbook are derived from the results of Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Project 0-5656 and theauthor\u2019s observation in using the mobile retroreflectometer. The first part of the handbook providesinformation on sampling of pavement markings, periodic data quality checks, and data file namingconventions. The sampling procedure described here provides a systematic way of reducing the number ofsamples under a constrained budget. File naming conventions suggested in this handbook will be helpful inautomating mobile retroreflectivity data handling and analysis.The second section of the handbook provides information on equipment required to calibrate the mobileretroreflectometer and collect the data. This handbook also describes the best practices for initial setup andcalibration of the mobile retroreflectometer and calibration checks. Since several factors change as data arebeing collected, best practices for accounting for changes in variables, such as variations in vehicle speed andoperating temperature, etc., are described.The final section pertains to best practices in data handling and suggested analysis of mobile data. This handbookelaborates on the consistency of data file headers and quality checking of data. A prototype of automationfor data analysis is demonstrated that will prove handy in dealing with large amounts of mobile data

Synergies for Improving Oil Palm Production and Forest Conservation in Floodplain Landscapes

Lowland tropical forests are increasingly threatened with conversion to oil palm as global demand and high profit drives crop expansion throughout the world’s tropical regions. Yet, landscapes are not homogeneous and regional constraints dictate land suitability for this crop. We conducted a regional study to investigate spatial and economic components of forest conversion to oil palm within a tropical floodplain in the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The Kinabatangan ecosystem harbours significant biodiversity with globally threatened species but has suffered forest loss and fragmentation. We mapped the oil palm and forested landscapes (using object-based-image analysis, classification and regression tree analysis and on-screen digitising of high-resolution imagery) and undertook economic modelling. Within the study region (520,269 ha), 250,617 ha is cultivated with oil palm with 77% having high Net-Present-Value (NPV) estimates ($413/ha?yr–$637/ha?yr); but 20.5% is under-producing. In fact 6.3% (15,810 ha) of oil palm is commercially redundant (with negative NPV of $-299/ha?yr-$-65/ha?yr) due to palm mortality from flood inundation. These areas would have been important riparian or flooded forest types. Moreover, 30,173 ha of unprotected forest remain and despite its value for connectivity and biodiversity 64% is allocated for future oil palm. However, we estimate that at minimum 54% of these forests are unsuitable for this crop due to inundation events. If conversion to oil palm occurs, we predict a further 16,207 ha will become commercially redundant. This means that over 32,000 ha of forest within the floodplain would have been converted for little or no financial gain yet with significant cost to the ecosystem. Our findings have globally relevant implications for similar floodplain landscapes undergoing forest transformation to agriculture such as oil palm. Understanding landscape level constraints to this crop, and transferring these into policy and practice, may provide conservation and economic opportunities within these seemingly high opportunity cost landscapes