Intergenerational justice of what: welfare, resources or capabilities?

An important aspect of intergenerational justice concerns the specification of a 'currency of advantage' that can be used to evaluate distributive outcomes across time. Environmental theorists have introduced several innovative currencies of justice in recent years, such as ecological space and critical natural capital. However they have often downplayed the application of established currencies (such as welfare, resources or capabilities) to issues of futurity. After exploring the merits of a number of rival currencies, it is argued that the currency of 'capabilities to function' provides a promising basis for a theory of justice that takes seriously the rights and duties of intergenerational justice

Adiabatic Domain Wall Motion and Landau-Lifshitz Damping

Recent theory and measurements of the velocity of current-driven domain walls in magnetic nanowires have re-opened the unresolved question of whether Landau-Lifshitz damping or Gilbert damping provides the more natural description of dissipative magnetization dynamics. In this paper, we argue that (as in the past) experiment cannot distinguish the two, but that Landau-Lifshitz damping nevertheless provides the most physically sensible interpretation of the equation of motion. From this perspective, (i) adiabatic spin-transfer torque dominates the dynamics with small corrections from non-adiabatic effects; (ii) the damping always decreases the magnetic free energy, and (iii) microscopic calculations of damping become consistent with general statistical and thermodynamic considerations

Gilbert Damping in Magnetic Multilayers

We study the enhancement of the ferromagnetic relaxation rate in thin films due to the adjacent normal metal layers. Using linear response theory, we derive the dissipative torque produced by the s-d exchange interaction at the ferromagnet-normal metal interface. For a slow precession, the enhancement of Gilbert damping constant is proportional to the square of the s-d exchange constant times the zero-frequency limit of the frequency derivative of the local dynamic spin susceptibility of the normal metal at the interface. Electron-electron interactions increase the relaxation rate by the Stoner factor squared. We attribute the large anisotropic enhancements of the relaxation rate observed recently in multilayers containing palladium to this mechanism. For free electrons, the present theory compares favorably with recent spin-pumping result of Tserkovnyak et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{88},117601 (2002)].Comment: 1 figure, 5page

An Ill Wind? Climate Change, Migration, and Health

Background: Climate change is projected to cause substantial increases in population movement in coming decades. Previous research has considered the likely causal influences and magnitude of such movements and the risks to national and international security. There has been little research on the consequences of climate-related migration and the health of people who move

Influence of FK 506 (tacrolimus) on circulating CD4 ⁺ t cells expressing cd25 and cd45ra antigens in 19 patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis participating in an open label drug safety trial

We have taken the opportunity of a clinical trial of the potential efficacy and safety of FK 506 (tacrolimus) in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) to examine the influence of this potent new immunosuppressant on circulating T-lymphocytes in an otherwise healthy non-transplant population. Peripheral blood levels of subsets of CD4+ T lymphocytes expressing the activation molecule interleukin-2 receptor (p55 α chain; CD25) or the CD45RA isoform were determined sequentially in 19 patients that were treated continuously with oral FK 506 (starting dose 0.15 mg/kg/day) for 12 months. No significant change in the proportion of circulating CD25 + CD4+ cells was observed over the study period in which the mean trough plasma FK 506 level rose from 0.3 ±0.2 to 0.5 ±0.4 ng/ml. There was also no significant effect of FK 506 on the percentage of CD45RA + CD4 + cells in the peripheral blood at 12 months compared with pretreatment values. Analysis of a subgroup of 7 patients, who showed a sustained reduction in CD25 + CD4+ cells and a reciprocal increase in CD45RA* CD4 * cells for at least 6 months after start of treatment, did not reveal any difference in disability at one year compared with the treatment group as a whole. The side effects of FK 506 were mild and the overall degree of disability estimated by the mean Kurtzke expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score or the ambulation index did not deteriorate significantly in the 19 patients studied over the 12 months of FK 506 administration. © 1994 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted

Climate Change and Developing-Country Cities: Implications For Environmental Health and Equity

Climate change is an emerging threat to global public health. It is also highly inequitable, as the greatest risks are to the poorest populations, who have contributed least to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The rapid economic development and the concurrent urbanization of poorer countries mean that developing-country cities will be both vulnerable to health hazards from climate change and, simultaneously, an increasing contributor to the problem. We review the specific health vulnerabilities of urban populations in developing countries and highlight the range of large direct health effects of energy policies that are concentrated in urban areas. Common vulnerability factors include coastal location, exposure to the urban heat-island effect, high levels of outdoor and indoor air pollution, high population density, and poor sanitation. There are clear opportunities for simultaneously improving health and cutting GHG emissions most obviously through policies related to transport systems, urban planning, building regulations and household energy supply. These influence some of the largest current global health burdens, including approximately 800,000 annual deaths from ambient urban air pollution, 1.2 million from road-traffic accidents, 1.9 million from physical inactivity, and 1.5 million per year from indoor air pollution. GHG emissions and health protection in developing-country cities are likely to become increasingly prominent in policy development. There is a need for a more active input from the health sector to ensure that development and health policies contribute to a preventive approach to local and global environmental sustainability, urban population health, and health equity

The presence of prolines in the flanking region of an immunodominant HIV-2 gag epitope influences the quality and quantity of the epitope generated

Both the recognition of HIV‐infected cells and the immunogenicity of candidate CTL vaccines depend on the presentation of a peptide epitope at the cell surface, which in turn depends on intracellular antigen processing. Differential antigen processing maybe responsible for the differences in both the quality and the quantity of epitopes produced, influencing the immunodominance hierarchy of viral epitopes. Previously, we showed that the magnitude of the HIV‐2 gag‐specific T‐cell response is inversely correlated with plasma viral load, particularly when responses are directed against an epitope, 165DRFYKSLRA173, within the highly conserved Major Homology Region of gag‐p26. We also showed that the presence of three proline residues, at positions 119, 159 and 178 of gag‐p26, was significantly correlated with low viral load. Since this proline motif was also associated with stronger gag‐specific CTL responses, we investigated the impact of these prolines on proteasomal processing of the protective 165DRFYKSLRA173 epitope. Our data demonstrate that the 165DRFYKSLRA173 epitope is most efficiently processed from precursors that contain two flanking proline residues, found naturally in low viral‐load patients. Superior antigen processing and enhanced presentation may account for the link between infection with HIV‐2 encoding the “PPP‐gag” sequence and both strong gag‐specific CTL responses as well as lower viral load

The presence of prolines in the flanking region of an immunodominant HIV-2 gag epitope influences the quality and quantity of the epitope generated

Both the recognition of HIV‐infected cells and the immunogenicity of candidate CTL vaccines depend on the presentation of a peptide epitope at the cell surface, which in turn depends on intracellular antigen processing. Differential antigen processing maybe responsible for the differences in both the quality and the quantity of epitopes produced, influencing the immunodominance hierarchy of viral epitopes. Previously, we showed that the magnitude of the HIV‐2 gag‐specific T‐cell response is inversely correlated with plasma viral load, particularly when responses are directed against an epitope, 165DRFYKSLRA173, within the highly conserved Major Homology Region of gag‐p26. We also showed that the presence of three proline residues, at positions 119, 159 and 178 of gag‐p26, was significantly correlated with low viral load. Since this proline motif was also associated with stronger gag‐specific CTL responses, we investigated the impact of these prolines on proteasomal processing of the protective 165DRFYKSLRA173 epitope. Our data demonstrate that the 165DRFYKSLRA173 epitope is most efficiently processed from precursors that contain two flanking proline residues, found naturally in low viral‐load patients. Superior antigen processing and enhanced presentation may account for the link between infection with HIV‐2 encoding the “PPP‐gag” sequence and both strong gag‐specific CTL responses as well as lower viral load

High temperature superconductors for magnetic suspension applications

High temperature superconductors (HTS) hold the promise for applications in magnetic levitation bearings, vibration damping, and torque coupling. Traditional magnetic suspension systems require active feedback and vibration controls in which power consumption and low frequency vibration are among the major engineering concerns. HTS materials have been demonstrated to be an enabling approach towards such problems due to their flux trapping properties. In our laboratory at TCSUH, we have been conducting a series of experiments to explore various mechanical applications using HTS. We have constructed a 30 lb. model flywheel levitated by a hybrid superconducting magnetic bearing (HSMB). We are also developing a levitated and vibration-dampled platform for high precision instrumentation. These applications would be ideal for space usages where ambient temperature is adequate for HTS to operate properly under greatly reduced cryogenic requirements. We will give a general overview of these potential applications and discuss the operating principles of the HTS devices we have developed