Propagation and amplification of tide at the Bransfield and Gerlache Straits, northwestern Antarctic Peninsula

The propagation and amplification of the tide at the Gerlache and Bransfield Straits, northwestern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, was studied by analysis of thirteen series of direct sea level measurements. Harmonic analysis was performed to obtain the amplitudes and phases of the M_2, S_2, O_1 and K_1 tidal constituents. Based on the computed harmonic constants, cotidal and corange charts of these main constituents were prepared. The M_2 cotidal lines are parallel to the coast and show predominantly southeastward propagation, except at the western side of the Trinity Peninsula, where the M_2 wave pivots to enter the Bransfield Strait from the Weddell Sea and turns southwestward. M_2 amplitudes present a southwestward decrease. S_2 cotidal lines are normal to the Antarctic Peninsula coast and show southwestward propagation. S_2 corange lines increase eastward from the Gerlache Strait to the Antarctic Strait. O_1 and K_1 cotidal lines are also normal to the Antarctic Peninsula coast. Diurnal amplitudes are alike in the study area except at the northwestern side of the Antarctic Strait where they present a maximum gradient. Amplitudes of the main tidal constituents are higher in the northwestern Weddell Sea than at the northwestern side of the peninsula. This fact explains the maximum tidal amplitudes observed at the Antarctic Strait in comparison to the Bransfield Strait

HIRDLS Science Meeting Oxford (20 Sep 2006) Presentations

Selection of presentations given at the HIRDLS Science Meeting Oxford on the 20th September 2006

Pharmacogenomics and analogues of the antitumor agent N6-isopentenyladenosine.

N6-isopentenyladenosine (i6A), a member of the cytokinin family of plant hormones, has potent in vitro antitumour activity in dif- ferent types of human epithelial cancer cell lines. Gene expression profile analysis of i6A-treated cells revealed induction of genes (e.g., PPP1R15A, DNAJB9, DDIT3, and HBP1) involved in the negative regulation of cell cycle progression and reportedly up- regulated during cell cycle arrest in stress conditions. Of 6 i6A analogues synthesized, only the 1 with a saturated double bond of the isopentenyl side chain had in vitro antitumour activity, although weaker than that of i6A, suggesting that i6A biological ac- tivity is highly linked to its structure. In vivo analysis of i6A and the active analogue revealed no significant inhibition of cancer cell growth in mice by either reagent. Thus, although i6A may inhibit cell proliferation by regulating the cell cycle, further studies are needed to identify active analogues potentially useful in vivo

Estudio de la marea en el borde de la barrera Larsen, Mar de Weddell noroccidental

El objetivo de este trabajo es el estudio de la marea en el borde de la barrera Larsen (latitud: 64° 54' 14" S, longitud: 60° 02' 36" W) en el mar de Weddell noroccidental, Antártida. Los niveles del mar se registraron con un sensor de presión y mediante nivelación geométrica (mira y nivel). El coeficiente de determinación de los niveles del mar obtenidos con ambas técnicas es de 0.96. Se presentan las constantes armónicas de las componentes de marea más energéticas. Se realiza un análisis comparativo entre las constantes calculadas y las que surgen de modelos mareológicos globales y se discute la propagación de la marea en el mar de Weddell noroccidental. Se tipificó el régimen de marea cuantitativamente mediante el coeficiente de Courtier resultando un régimen mixto preponderantemente semidiurno. Los niveles del mar registrados en esta zona de la Antártida son inéditos debido a que el sitio de mediciones fue inaccesible durante muchos años.The objective of this paper is the study of the tide at the Larsen iceshelf boundary (latitude: 64° 54' 14" S, longitude: 60° 02' 36" W), Northwestern Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Sea levels were recorded using pressure sensor and geometric leveling (sight and level). The determination coefficient from sea level gathered with both methods is 0.96. Harmonic constants of the most energetic tidal constituents are presented. A comparative analysis between calculated harmonic constants and those obtained from tidal global models is made and tidal propagation in the Northwestern Weddell Sea is discussed. Tidal regimen is quantified by means of the Courtier coefficient and a preponderantly semidiurnal mixed tide is obtained. Sea levels gathered in this zone of the Antarctica are completely new because the place where the measurements were made was inaccessible for a large period of years.Asociación Argentina de Geofísicos y Geodesta

Efficacy and safety of nilotinib as frontline treatment in elderly (> 65 years) chronic myeloid leukemia patients outside clinical trials

Here, we report real-world evidence on the safety and efficacy of nilotinib as a first-line treatment in elderly patients with chronic phase CML, treated in 18 Italian centers. Sixty patients aged > 65 years (median age 72 years (65-84)) were reported: 13 patients were older than 75 years. Comorbidities were recorded at baseline in 56/60 patients. At 3 months of treatment, all patients obtained complete hematological response (CHR), 43 (71.6%) an early molecular response (EMR), while 47 (78%) reached a complete cytogenetic response (CCyR). At last follow-up, 63.4% of patients still had a deep molecular response (MR4 or better), 21.6% reached MR3 as best response and 11.6% persisted without MR. Most patients (85%) started the treatment at the standard dose (300 mg BID), maintained at 3 months in 80% of patients and at 6 months in 89% of them. At the last median follow-up of 46.3 months, 15 patients discontinued definitively the treatment (8 due to side effects, 4 died for unrelated CML causes, 1 for failure, 2 were lost to follow-up). One patient entered in treatment-free remission. As to safety, 6 patients (10%) experienced cardiovascular events after a median time of 20.9 months from the start. Our data showed that nilotinib could be, as first-line treatment, effective and relatively safe even in elderly CML patients. In this setting, more data in the long term are needed about possible dose reduction to improve the tolerability, while maintaining the optimal molecular response

Assessment of upper tropospheric and stratospheric water vapor and ozone in reanalyses as part of S-RIP

Reanalysis data sets are widely used to understand atmospheric processes and past variability, and are often used to stand in as “observations” for comparisons with climate model output. Because of the central role of water vapor (WV) and ozone (O3) in climate change, it is important to understand how accurately and consistently these species are represented in existing global reanalyses. In this paper, we present the results of WV and O3 intercomparisons that have been performed as part of the SPARC (Stratosphere–troposphere Processes and their Role in Climate) Reanalysis Intercomparison Project (S-RIP). The comparisons cover a range of timescales and evaluate both inter-reanalysis and observation-reanalysis differences. We also provide a systematic documentation of the treatment of WV and O3 in current reanalyses to aid future research and guide the interpretation of differences amongst reanalysis fields. The assimilation of total column ozone (TCO) observations in newer reanalyses results in realistic representations of TCO in reanalyses except when data coverage is lacking, such as during polar night. The vertical distribution of ozone is also relatively well represented in the stratosphere in reanalyses, particularly given the relatively weak constraints on ozone vertical structure provided by most assimilated observations and the simplistic representations of ozone photochemical processes in most of the reanalysis forecast models. However, significant biases in the vertical distribution of ozone are found in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere in all reanalyses

Ethnic differences in frequencies of gene polymorphisms in the MYCL1 region and modulation of lung cancer patients' survival

Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis to refine a region associated with lung cancer progression on chromosome 1p34 identified a 106 kb LD block that includes MYCL1, TRIT1 (tRNA isopentenyltransferase 1) and MFSD2 (major facilitator superfamily domain-containing 2). Case-only association study on SNPs mapping in TRIT1 and MFSD2 indicated that the rare Leu allele (frequency: 0.04) of the TRIT1 Phe202Leu variation predicts short survival as compared to the common Phe/Phe genotype (hazard ratio (HR)=1.7; 95% CI, 1.03-2.86; P=0.039) in 335 Italian lung adenocarcinoma samples. A replication study in an independent population of 246 Norwegian lung cancer patients confirmed the significant association of the Phe202Leu polymorphism with patients' survival, but the rare allele was associated with better survival rate (HR=0.5; 95% CI, 0.26-0.91; P=0.023). The rare allele of TRIT1 Phe202Leu SNP was approximately seven-fold more frequent in Asian than in Caucasian subjects and three additional SNPs in the TRIT1 and MFSD2 genes showed ethnic differences in allelic frequencies. These results suggest that polymorphisms in the MYCL1 LD region affect lung cancer survival but that the functional element(s) may show population-specific patterns

Summary and Highlights of the SPARC-Reanalysis Intercomparison Project

The climate research community uses global atmospheric reanalysis data sets to understand a wide range of processes and variability in the atmosphere; they are a particularly powerful tool for studying phenomena that cannot be directly observed. Different reanalyses may give very different results for the same diagnostics. The Stratosphere troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate (SPARC) Reanalysis Intercomparison Project (S-RIP) is a coordinated activity to compare key diagnostics that are important for stratospheric processes and their tropospheric connections among available reanalyses. S-RIP has been identifying differences among reanalyses and their underlying causes, providing guidance on appropriate usage of reanalysis products in scientific studies (particularly those of relevance to SPARC), and contributing to future improvements in the reanalysis products by establishing collaborative links between reanalysis centres and data users. S-RIP emphasizes diagnostics of the upper troposphere, stratosphere, and lower mesosphere. The draft S-RIP final report is expected to be completed in 2018. This poster gives a summary of the S-RIP project and presents highlights including results on the Brewer-Dobson circulation, stratosphere/troposphere dynamical coupling, the extra-tropical upper troposphere / lower stratosphere, the tropical tropopause layer, the quasi-biennial oscillation, lower stratospheric polar processing, and the upper stratosphere/lower mesosphere