368 research outputs found
Spatial and temporal variations in precipitation in the Upper Indus Basin, global teleconnections and hydrological implications
International audienceMost of the flow in the River Indus from its upper mountain basin is derived from melting snow and glaciers. Climatic variability and change of both precipitation and energy inputs will, therefore, affect rural livelihoods at both a local and a regional scale through effects on summer runoff in the River Indus. Spatial variation in precipitation has been investigated by correlation and regression analysis of long-period records. There is a strong positive correlation between winter precipitation at stations over the entire region, so that, for practical forecasting of summer runoff in some basins, a single valley-floor precipitation station can be used In contrast, spatial relationships in seasonal precipitation are weaker in summer and sometimes significantly negative between stations north and south of the Himalayan divide. Although analysis of long datasets of precipitation from 1895 shows no significant trend, from 1961?1999 there are statistically significant increases in winter, in summer and in the annual precipitation at several stations. Preliminary analysis has identified a significant positive correlation between the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and winter precipitation in the Karakoram and a negative correlation between NAO and summer rainfall at some stations. Keywords: upper Indus basin, climate change, time series analysis, spatial correlation, teleconnection
Astrophysical thermonuclear functions
As theoretical knowledge and experimental verification of nuclear cross
sections increases it becomes possible to refine analytic representations for
nuclear reaction rates. In this paper mathematical/statistical techniques for
deriving closed-form representations of thermonuclear functions are summarized
and numerical results for them are given.The purpose of the paper is also to
compare numerical results for approximate and closed-form representations of
thermonuclear functions.Comment: 17 pages in LaTeX, 8 figures available on request from
[email protected]
Unified Approach to Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz and Finite Size Corrections for Lattice Models and Field Theories
We present a unified approach to the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA) for
magnetic chains and field theories that includes the finite size (and zero
temperature) calculations for lattice BA models. In all cases, the free energy
follows by quadratures from the solution of a {\bf single} non-linear integral
equation (NLIE). [A system of NLIE appears for nested BA]. We derive the NLIE
for: a) the six-vertex model with twisted boundary conditions; b) the XXZ chain
in an external magnetic field and c) the sine-Gordon-massive Thirring
model (sG-mT) in a periodic box of size \b \equiv 1/T using the light-cone
approach. This NLIE is solved by iteration in one regime (high in the XXZ
chain and low in the sG-mT model). In the opposite (conformal) regime, the
leading behaviors are obtained in closed form. Higher corrections can be
derived from the Riemann-Hilbert form of the NLIE that we present.Comment: Expanded Introduction. Version to appear in Nucl. Phys. B. 60 pages,
TeX, Uses phyzz
Application of a stochastic weather generator to assess climate change impacts in a semi-arid climate: The Upper Indus Basin
Assessing local climate change impacts requires downscaling from Global Climate Model simulations. Here, a stochastic rainfall model (RainSim) combined with a rainfall conditioned weather generator (CRU WG) have been successfully applied in a semi-arid mountain climate, for part of the Upper Indus Basin (UIB), for point stations at a daily time-step to explore climate change impacts. Validation of the simulated time-series against observations (1961â1990) demonstrated the modelsâ skill in reproducing climatological means of core variables with monthly RMSE of <2.0 mm for precipitation and â©œ0.4 °C for mean temperature and daily temperature range. This level of performance is impressive given complexity of climate processes operating in this mountainous context at the boundary between monsoonal and mid-latitude (westerly) weather systems. Of equal importance the model captures well the observed interannual variability as quantified by the first and last decile of 30-year climatic periods. Differences between a control (1961â1990) and future (2071â2100) regional climate model (RCM) time-slice experiment were then used to provide change factors which could be applied within the rainfall and weather models to produce perturbed âfutureâ weather time-series. These project year-round increases in precipitation (maximum seasonal mean change:+27%, annual mean change: +18%) with increased intensity in the wettest months (February, March, April) and year-round increases in mean temperature (annual mean +4.8 °C). Climatic constraints on the productivity of natural resource-dependent systems were also assessed using relevant indices from the European Climate Assessment (ECA) and indicate potential future risk to water resources and local agriculture. However, the uniformity of projected temperature increases is in stark contrast to recent seasonally asymmetrical trends in observations, so an alternative scenario of extrapolated trends was also explored. We conclude that interannual variability in climate will continue to have the dominant impact on water resources management whichever trajectory is followed. This demonstrates the need for sophisticated downscaling methods which can evaluate changes in variability and sequencing of events to explore climate change impacts in this region
Hyperhomocysteinemia in premature arterial disease: examination of cystathionine ÎČ-synthase alleles at the molecular level
Hyperhomocysteinemia occurs in approximately 30% of the patients with premature occlusive arterial disease (POAD). Some of these exhibit significantly reduced fibroblast cystathionine ÎČ-synthase (CBS) activities, suggesting that they may be heterozygous for CBS deficiency. To test this possibility, we studied cDNA derived from four well characterized patients with POAD, exhibiting hyperhomocysteinemia and reduced CBS activities, from four normal controls, and from four obligatory heterozygotes for CBS deficiency. Lysates of individual colonies of E.coli, containing full-length PCR-amplification products in the expression vector, pKK388.1, were tested for CBS activity. cDNA from at least seven of the eight possible independent POAD alleles encoded catalytically active, stable CBS which exhibited normal response to both PLP and AdoMet. The sequences of all 3'-untranslated regions of all seven isolated POAD alleles were identical to the normal, wild-type CBS sequences. The results of the expression studies were confirmed for one POAD patient by determining the full-length cDNA sequences for both alleles; these were entirely normal over the complete length of the cDNA. In contrast, the screening method correctly distinguished mutant from normal alleles in all four obligatory heterozygotes studied. We conclude that CBS mRNAs from POAD individuals are free from inactivating mutations, including all 33 previously identified in heterozygous carriers and homocystinuric patient
Constraints on the Variation of the Fine Structure Constant from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
We put bounds on the variation of the value of the fine structure constant
, at the time of Big Bang nucleosynthesis. We study carefully all light
elements up to Li. We correct a previous upper limit on estimated from He primordial abundance and we find interesting new
potential limits (depending on the value of the baryon-to-photon ratio) from
Li, whose production is governed to a large extent by Coulomb barriers. The
presently unclear observational situation concerning the primordial abundances
preclude a better limit than |\Delta \alpha/\alpha| \lsim 2\cdot 10^{-2}, two
orders of magnitude less restrictive than previous bounds. In fact, each of the
(mutually exclusive) scenarios of standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis proposed,
one based on a high value of the measured deuterium primordial abundance and
one based on a low value, may describe some aspects of data better if a change
in of this magnitude is assumed.Comment: 21 pages, eps figures embedded using epsfig macr
Extension of thermonuclear functions through the pathway model including Maxwell-Boltzmann and Tsallis distributions
The Maxwell-Boltzmannian approach to nuclear reaction rate theory is extended
to cover Tsallis statistics (Tsallis, 1988) and more general cases of
distribution functions. An analytical study of respective thermonuclear
functions is being conducted with the help of statistical techniques. The
pathway model, recently introduced by Mathai (2005), is utilized for
thermonuclear functions and closed-form representations are obtained in terms
of H-functions and G-functions. Maxwell-Boltzmannian thermonuclear functions
become particular cases of the extended thermonuclear functions. A brief review
on the development of the theory of analytic representations of nuclear
reaction rates is given.Comment: 16 pages, LaTe
Carbon emission savings and short-Âterm health care impacts from telemedicine: An evaluation in epilepsy
Objective: Health systems make a sizeable contribution to national emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. The UK National Health Service is committed to being a net zero emitter by 2040, and a potential contribution to this target could come from reductions in patient travel. Achieving this will require actions at many levels. We sought to determine potential savings and risks over the short term from telemedicine through virtual clinics.
Methods: During the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-2-CoV) pandemic, scheduled face-to-face epilepsy clinics at a specialist site were replaced by remote teleclinics. We used a standard methodology applying conversion factors to calculate emissions based on the total saved travel distance. A further conversion factor was used to derive emissions associated with electricity consumption to deliver remote clinics from which net savings could be calculated. Patientsâ records and clinicians were interrogated to identify any adverse clinical outcomes.
Results: We found that enforced telemedicine delivery for over 1200 patients resulted in the saving of ~224 000 km of travel with likely avoided emissions in the range of 35 000â40 000 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) over a six and half month period. Emissions arising directly from remote delivery were calculated to be <200 kg CO2e (~0.5% of those for travel), representing a significant net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Only one direct adverse outcome was identified, with some additional benefits identified anecdotally.
Significance: The use of telemedicine can make a contribution toward reduced emissions in the health care sector and, in the delivery of specialized epilepsy services, had minimal adverse clinical outcomes over the short term. However, these outcomes will likely vary with clinic locations, medical specialties and conditions
Climate change and epilepsy: time to take action
Climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity today. The associated global warming and humidification, increases in the severity and frequency of extreme climate events, extension of the ranges of vectorâborne diseases, and the consequent social and economic stresses and disruption will have major negative consequences on many aspects of health care. People whose resilience to change is already impaired may suffer disproportionately from these environmental changes, which are of unprecedented reach and magnitude. There has been little connection made so far between climate change and epilepsy. We briefly review the history of climate change science and the subsequent response of the global scientific com-munity. We consider how climate change effects might in general affect health and disease. We consider some of the underlying complex interactions that, for example, favor the spread of vectorâborne diseases and how climate models operate and may help plan for global and local changes. We then speculate specifically on how these generic ideas may apply specifically to epilepsy. We consider these impacts at levels from molecular to the epidemiological. Data are sparse, and there is undoubtedly a need for more information to enable better estimation of possible effects of climate change on care in epilepsy. We also consider how the professional activities of those involved in epilepsy health care might contribute to global carbon emissions, for example, through flying for conference attendance. Healthcare organizations across the world are already considering, and responding to, many of these issues. We argue for more research in this area, but also for action today. Actions today are likely to generate cobenefits for health care, including care in epilepsy, resulting from efforts to decarbonize, mitigate effects of climate change that has already happened, and plan for adaptation to climate change
Astrophysical Reaction Rates for B(p,)Be and B(p,)Be From a Direct Model
The reactions B(p,)Be and B(p,)Be
are studied at thermonuclear energies using DWBA calculations. For both
reactions, transitions to the ground states and first excited states are
investigated. In the case of B(p,)Be, a resonance at
keV can be consistently described in the potential model, thereby
allowing the extension of the astrophysical -factor data to very low
energies. Strong interference with a resonance at about keV
require a Breit-Wigner description of that resonance and the introduction of an
interference term for the reaction B(p,)Be. Two
isospin resonances (at keV and keV)
observed in the B+p reactions necessitate Breit-Wigner resonance and
interference terms to fit the data of the B(p,)Be
reaction. -factors and thermonuclear reaction rates are given for each
reaction. The present calculation is the first consistent parametrization for
the transition to the ground states and first excited states at low energies.Comment: 27 pages, 5 Postscript figures, uses RevTex and aps.sty; preprint
also available at http://quasar.physik.unibas.ch/ Phys. Rev. C, in pres
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