Dynamical seasonal climate prediction using an ocean-atmosphere coupled climate model developed in partnership between South Africa and the IRI

The recent increase in availability of high-performance computing (HPC) resources in South Africa allowed the development of an ocean–atmosphere coupled general circulation model (OAGCM). The ECHAM4.5-South African Weather Service (SAWS) Modular Oceanic Model version 3 (MOM3-SA) is the first OAGCM to be developed in Africa for seasonal climate prediction. This model employs an initialization strategy that is different from previous versions of the model that coupled the same atmosphere and ocean models. Evaluation of hindcasts performed with the model revealed that the OAGCM is successful in capturing the development and maturity of El Niño and La Niña episodes up to 8 months ahead. A model intercomparison also indicated that the ECHAM4.5-MOM3-SA has skill levels for the Niño-3.4 region SST comparable with other coupled models administered by international centers. Further analysis of the coupled model revealed that La Niña events are more skillfully discriminated than El Niño events. However, as is typical for OAGCM, the model skill was generally found to decay faster during the spring barrier. The analysis also showed that the coupled model has useful skill up to several-months lead time when predicting the equatorial Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) during the period spanning between the middle of austral spring and the start of the summer seasons, which reaches its peak in November. The weakness of the model in other seasons was mainly caused by the western segment of the dipole, which eventually contaminates the dipole mode index (DMI). The model is also able to forecast the anomalous upper air circulations, particularly in the equatorial belt, and surface air temperature in the Southern African region as opposed to precipitation.The Water Research Commission (WRC) and Applied Centre for Climate & Earth Systems Science (ACCESS).http://journals.ametsoc.org/hb201

Superstrings in Higher Order Extensions of Finsler Superspaces

The work proposes a geometric background of the theory of field interactions and strings in spaces with higher order anisotropy. Our approach proceeds by developing the concept of higher order anisotropic superspace which unifies the logical and mathematical aspects of modern Kaluza-Klein theories and generalized Lagrange and Finsler geometry and leads to modelling of physical processes on higher order fiber bundles provided with nonlinear and distingushed connections and metric structures. The view adopted is that a general field theory should incorporate all possible anisotropic and stochastic manifestations of classical and quantum interactions and, in consequence, a corresponding modification of basic principles and mathematical methods in formulation of physical theories. The presentation is divided into two parts. The first five sections cover the higher order anisotropic superspaces. We focus on the geometry of distinguished by nonlinear connection vector superbundles, consider different supersymmetric extensions of Finsler and Lagrange spaces and analyze the structure of basic geometric objects on such superspaces. The remaining five sections are devoted to the theory of higher order anisotropic superstrings. In the framework of supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models in Finser extended backgrounds we prove that the low-energy dynamics of such strings contains motion equations for locally anisotropic field interactions.Comment: 79 pages, latex209, latex figures, subm. Nucl. Phys.

The ABC130 barrel module prototyping programme for the ATLAS strip tracker

For the Phase-II Upgrade of the ATLAS Detector, its Inner Detector, consisting of silicon pixel, silicon strip and transition radiation sub-detectors, will be replaced with an all new 100 % silicon tracker, composed of a pixel tracker at inner radii and a strip tracker at outer radii. The future ATLAS strip tracker will include 11,000 silicon sensor modules in the central region (barrel) and 7,000 modules in the forward region (end-caps), which are foreseen to be constructed over a period of 3.5 years. The construction of each module consists of a series of assembly and quality control steps, which were engineered to be identical for all production sites. In order to develop the tooling and procedures for assembly and testing of these modules, two series of major prototyping programs were conducted: an early program using readout chips designed using a 250 nm fabrication process (ABCN-25) and a subsequent program using a follow-up chip set made using 130 nm processing (ABC130 and HCC130 chips). This second generation of readout chips was used for an extensive prototyping program that produced around 100 barrel-type modules and contributed significantly to the development of the final module layout. This paper gives an overview of the components used in ABC130 barrel modules, their assembly procedure and findings resulting from their tests.Comment: 82 pages, 66 figure

Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a tuberculosis DNA vaccine

General view, from northeast, depicting north and east (front) façades; Influenced by the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, the first permanent home of the Chicago Public Library was designed in the Beaux Arts style by the Boston architectural firm of Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge. It was constructed between 1893 and 1897 at Dearborn Park, a site declared public ground by the Illinois General Assembly. The building houses a magnificent system of mosaics and glasswork that were designed by Robert C. Spencer and executed by J. L. Holzer, an artist who studied under Tiffany. The Grand Staircase is the central focus of the interior and is made of white Carrara statuary marble with mosaic inlays. The exterior is a model of massive solidarity with an arcade running along the ground level and colonnades lining the top story under a heavy cornice. The Chicago Public Library was renovated in the 1970s with designs from the firm of Holabird and Root. It incorporated a community center alongside the library that offered programs, lectures, films, plays, concerts and exhibits. The library, though, found a new home in 1991 and the building is known today as the Chicago Cultural Center. It is home to many arts programs as well as the offices of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs. It is on the US National Register (1972) and is a Chicago Landmark building. Source: National Register of Historic Places [website]; http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/ (accessed 1/10/2008

A modular architecture for organizing, processing and sharing neurophysiology data

We describe an architecture for organizing, integrating and sharing neurophysiology data within a single laboratory or across a group of collaborators. It comprises a database linking data files to metadata and electronic laboratory notes; a module collecting data from multiple laboratories into one location; a protocol for searching and sharing data and a module for automatic analyses that populates a website. These modules can be used together or individually, by single laboratories or worldwide collaborations

A modular architecture for organizing, processing and sharing neurophysiology data

We describe an architecture for organizing, integrating and sharing neurophysiology data within a single laboratory or across a group of collaborators. It comprises a database linking data files to metadata and electronic laboratory notes; a module collecting data from multiple laboratories into one location; a protocol for searching and sharing data and a module for automatic analyses that populates a website. These modules can be used together or individually, by single laboratories or worldwide collaborations

Determinants of IBD-related disability: a cross-sectional survey from the GETAID.

International audienceBackground: The burden of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is rising worldwide. The goal of IBD treatment is to achieve clinical and endoscopic remission but also prevent disability.Aims: To identify the predictive factors of disability in a large population of patients with IBD.Patients and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 42 tertiary centres in France and Belgium. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to explore patients and their IBD characteristics. IBD-disk is a validated tool to measure disability in patients with IBD. The IBD-disk score was then calculated for each patient. Based on a previous study, an overall IBD-disk score ≥40 was associated with moderate-to-severe disability.Results: Among the 2011 patients, 1700 were analysed, including 746 (44%) in self-reported clinical remission and 752 (44.2%) declaring clinical activity. The patient global assessment of global remission was missing in 200 (11.8%) of 1700 patients. Moderate-to-severe disability was significantly increased in patients with BMI >25 kg/m2 (OR = 1.66; 95% CI [1.29-2.14]), in those having perception of need for a psychotherapist (OR = 2.24; 95% CI [1.79-3.05]) and social worker (OR = 1.54; 95% CI [1.08-2.21]). Conversely, male gender (OR = 0.83; 95% CI [0.69-0.99]), ulcerative colitis (OR = 0.69; 95% CI [0.53-0.92]), self-reported clinical remission (OR = 0.59; 95% CI [0.46-0.77]) and employed or student occupational status (OR = 0.69; 95% CI [0.52-0.92]) were inversely correlated with disability. Overall, 257 (34.5%) patients who declared being in clinical remission had disability.Conclusion: Determinants of IBD-related disability include IBD-related factors but also psychological and social factors. This highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary team in the management of patients with IBD