Alien Registration- Lozier, Mary J. (Bangor, Penobscot County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/11790/thumbnail.jp

Influence of ocean circulation changes on the inter-annual variability of American eel larval dispersal

Author Posting. © Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, 2016. This article is posted here by permission of Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Limnology and Oceanography 61 (2016): 1574–1588, doi:10.1002/lno.10297.American eel (Anguilla rostrata) complete their life cycle by migrating from the east coast of North America to Sargasso Sea, where they spawn planktonic eggs and dye. Larvae that develop from eggs need to return to North American coastal waters within the first year of life and are influenced by the oceanic currents during this journey. A coupled physical–biological model is used to investigate the extent to which inter-annual changes in the ocean circulation affect the success rates of larvae in reaching coastal nursery habitats. Our results suggest that natural oceanic variability can lead to changes in larval success rates by a factor of 2. Interannual variation in success rates are strongly affected by the Gulf Stream inertial overshoot events, with the largest success in years with an inertial overshoot and the smallest in years with a straighter and more southern configuration of the Gulf Stream downstream of Cape Hatteras. The mean Gulf Stream length and latitude between 75W and 70W longitude can be used as proxies for characterizing the overshoot events and can be converted into success rates using linear regression.I.I.R. and L.J.P. were supported by grant 85464100 (OCE-1154641) from the National Science Foundation. M.S.L. gratefully acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation

Ecological Niche Models and Coalescent Analysis of Gene Flow Support Recent Allopatric Isolation of Parasitoid Wasp Populations in the Mediterranean

Background: The integration of multiple complementary approaches is a powerful way to understand the processes of diversification and speciation. The parasitoid wasp Aphidius transcaspicus Telenga (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a parasitoid of Hyalopterus aphids across a wide geographic range. This species shows a remarkable degree of genetic structure among western, central, and eastern Mediterranean population clusters. In this paper we attempt to better characterize this genetic structure. Methodology/Principal Findings: We use a Bayesian coalescent analysis of gene flow under the Isolation with Migration model using mitochondrial and microsatellite markers together with climate-based ecological niche models to better understand the genetic structure of A. transcaspicus in the Mediterranean. The coalescent analysis revealed low levels of migration among western and eastern Mediterranean populations (Nm,1) that were not statistically distinguishable from zero. Niche models showed that localities within population clusters each occupy areas of continuously high environmental suitability, but are separated from each other by large regions of completely unsuitable habitat that could limit dispersal. Overall, environmental characteristics were similar among the population clusters, though significant differences did emerge. Conclusions/Significance: These results support contemporary allopatric isolation of Mediterranean populations of A

Sustained high-level expression of human factor IX (hFIX) after liver-targeted delivery of recombinant adeno-associated virus encoding the hFIX gene in rhesus macaques

The feasibility, safety, and efficacy of liver-directed gene transfer was evaluated in 5 male macaques (aged 2.5 to 6.5 years) by using a recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector (rAAV-2 CAGG-hFIX) that had previously mediated persistent therapeutic expression of human factor IX (hFIX; 6%-10% of physiologic levels) in murine models. A dose of 4 × 1012 vector genomes (vgs)/kg of body weight was administered through the hepatic artery or portal vein. Persistence of the rAAV vgs as circular monomers and dimers and high-molecular-weight concatamers was documented in liver tissue by Southern blot analysis for periods of up to 1 year. Vector particles were present in plasma, urine, or saliva for several days after infusion (as shown by polymerase chain reaction analysis), and the vgs were detected in spleen tissue at low copy numbers. An enzyme-linked immunosorption assay capable of detecting between 1% and 25% of normal levels of hFIX in rhesus plasma was developed by using hyperimmune serum from a rhesus monkey that had received an adenoviral vector encoding hFIX. Two macaques having 3 and 40 rAAV genome equivalents/cell, respectively, in liver tissue had 4% and 8% of normal physiologic plasma levels of hFIX, respectively. A level of hFIX that was 3% of normal levels was transiently detected in one other macaque, which had a genome copy number of 25 before abrogation by a neutralizing antibody (inhibitor) to hFIX. This nonhuman-primate model will be useful in further evaluation and development of rAAV vectors for gene therapy of hemophilia B. © 2002 by The American Society of Hematology

Inhibition Of Washed Sludge With Sodium Nitrite

This report describes the results of electrochemical tests used to determine the relationship between the concentration of the aggressive anions in washed sludge and the minimum effective inhibitor concentration. Sodium nitrate was added as the inhibitor because of its compatibility with the DWPF process. A minimum of 0.05M nitrite is required to inhibit the washed sludge simulant solution used in this study. When the worst case compositions and safety margins are considered, it is expected that a minimum operating limit of nearly 0.1M nitrite will be specified. The validity of this limit is dependent on the accuracy of the concentrations and solubility splits previously reported. Sodium nitrite additions to obtain 0.1M nitrite concentrations in washed sludge will necessitate the additional washing of washed precipitate in order to decrease its sodium nitrite inhibitor requirements sufficiently to remain below the sodium limits in the feed to the DWPF. Nitrite will be the controlling anion in "fresh" washed sludge unless the soluble chloride concentration is about ten times higher than predicted by the solubility splits. Inhibition of "aged" washed sludge will not be a problem unless significant chloride dissolution occurs during storage. It will be very important tomonitor the composition of washed sludge during processing and storage

Search for active-sterile neutrino mixing using neutral-current interactions in NOvA

We report results from the first search for sterile neutrinos mixing with active neutrinos through a reduction in the rate of neutral-current interactions over a baseline of 810 km between the NOvA detectors. Analyzing a 14-kton detector equivalent exposure of 6.05×10^(20) protons-on-target in the NuMI beam at Fermilab, we observe 95 neutral-current candidates at the Far Detector compared with 83.5 ± 9.7(stat) ± 9.4(syst) events predicted assuming mixing only occurs between active neutrino species. No evidence for ν_μ→ν_s transitions is found. Interpreting these results within a 3+1 model, we place constraints on the mixing angles θ_(24) < 20.8° and θ_(34_ < 31.2° at the 90% C.L. for 0.05  eV^2 ≤ Δm^2_(41) ≤ 0.5  eV2, the range of mass splittings that produce no significant oscillations over the Near Detector baseline

Constraints on Oscillation Parameters from ν_e Appearance and ν_μ Disappearance in NOvA

Results are reported from an improved measurement of ν_μ→ν_e transitions by the NOvA experiment. Using an exposure equivalent to 6.05×10^(20) protons on target, 33 ν_e candidates are observed with a background of 8.2±0.8 (syst.). Combined with the latest NOvA ν_μ disappearance data and external constraints from reactor experiments on sin^2 2θ_(13), the hypothesis of inverted mass hierarchy with θ_(23) in the lower octant is disfavored at greater than 93% C.L. for all values of δ_(CP)

The present and future system for measuring the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and heat transport

of the global combined atmosphere-ocean heat flux and so is important for the mean climate of the Atlantic sector of the Northern Hemisphere. This meridional heat flux is accomplished by both the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and by basin-wide horizontal gyre circulations. In the North Atlantic subtropical latitudes the AMOC dominates the meridional heat flux, while in subpolar latitudes and in the subtropical South Atlantic the gyre circulations are also important. Climate models suggest the AMOC will slow over the coming decades as the earth warms, causing widespread cooling in the Northern hemisphere and additional sea-level rise. Monitoring systems for selected components of the AMOC have been in place in some areas for decades, nevertheless the present observational network provides only a partial view of the AMOC, and does not unambiguously resolve the full variability of the circulation. Additional observations, building on existing measurements, are required to more completely quantify the Atlantic meridional heat transport. A basin-wide monitoring array along 26.5°N has been continuously measuring the strength and vertical structure of the AMOC and meridional heat transport since March 31, 2004. The array has demonstrated its ability to observe the AMOC variability at that latitude and also a variety of surprising variability that will require substantially longer time series to understand fully. Here we propose monitoring the Atlantic meridional heat transport throughout the Atlantic at selected critical latitudes that have already been identified as regions of interest for the study of deep water formation and the strength of the subpolar gyre, transport variability of the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) as well as the upper limb of the AMOC, and inter-ocean and intrabasin exchanges with the ultimate goal of determining regional and global controls for the AMOC in the North and South Atlantic Oceans. These new arrays will continuously measure the full depth, basin-wide or choke-point circulation and heat transport at a number of latitudes, to establish the dynamics and variability at each latitude and then their meridional connectivity. Modeling studies indicate that adaptations of the 26.5°N type of array may provide successful AMOC monitoring at other latitudes. However, further analysis and the development of new technologies will be needed to optimize cost effective systems for providing long term monitoring and data recovery at climate time scales. These arrays will provide benchmark observations of the AMOC that are fundamental for assimilation, initialization, and the verification of coupled hindcast/forecast climate models