Applications of remote sensing to estuarine management

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Reply to "Comment on 'Precision measurement of the Casimir-Lifshitz force in a fluid'"

We have reviewed the Comment of Geyer et al. [arXiv:0708.1548] concerning our recent work [Phys. Rev. A 75, 060102 (R) (2007)], and while we disagree with their criticisms, we acknowledge them for giving us the opportunity to add interesting addition material and a more detailed description of our experiment. We describe further our calculation and explain why a more sophisticated model is not warranted. We also present detailed experiments on the effects of electrostatic forces in our measurements and show that the contribution due to work function differences is small and that the residual electrostatic force is dominated by trapped charges and external fields. Finally, we estimate the effect of double layer interactions. These additional calculations and measurements support our original conclusion that the experimental results are consistent with the Lifshitz theory

Role of Schizosaccharomyces pombe RecQ homolog recombination and checkpoint genes in UV Damage tolerance

The cellular responses to DNA damage are complex and include direct DNA repair pathways that remove the damage and indirect damage responses which allow cells to survive DNA damage that has not been, or cannot be, removed. We have identified the gene mutated in the rad12.502 strain as a Schizosaccharomyces pombe recQ homolog. The same gene (designated rqh1) is also mutated in the hus2.22 mutant. We show that Rqh1 is involved in a DNA damage survival mechanism which prevents cell death when UV-induced DNA damage cannot be removed. This pathway also requires the correct functioning of the recombination machinery and the six checkpoint tad gene products plus the Cds1 kinase. Our data suggest that Rqh1 operates during S phase as part of a mechanism which prevents DNA damage causing cell lethality. This process may involve the bypass of DNA damage sites by the replication fork. Finally, in contrast with the reported literature, we do not find that rqh1 (rad12) mutant cells are defective in UV dimer endonuclease activity

Applications of remote sensing to estuarine management

Remote sensing was used in the resolution of estuarine problems facing federal and Virginia governmental agencies. A prototype Elizabeth River Surface Circulation Atlas was produced from photogrammetry to aid in oil spill cleanup and source identification. Aerial photo analysis twice led to selection of alternative plans for dredging and spoil disposal which minimized marsh damage. Marsh loss due to a mud wave from a highway dyke was measured on sequential aerial photographs. An historical aerial photographic sequence gave basis to a potential Commonwealth of Virginia legal claim to accreting and migrating coastal islands

A national facilitation project to improve primary palliative care : impact of the Gold Standards Framework on process and self-ratings of quality

Background: Improving quality of end-of-life care is a key driver of UK policy. The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) for Palliative Care aims to strengthen primary palliative care through facilitating implementation of systematic clinical and organisational processes. Objectives: To describe the general practices that participated in the GSF programme in 2003–5 and the changes in process and perception of quality that occurred in the year following entry into the programme, and to identify factors associated with the extent of change. Methods: Participating practices completed a questionnaire at baseline and another approximately 12 months later. Data were derived from categorical questions about the implementation of 35 organisational and clinical processes, and self-rated assessments of quality, associated with palliative care provision. Participants: 1305 practices (total registered population almost 10 million). Follow-up questionnaire completed by 955 (73.2%) practices (after mean (SD) 12.8 (2.8) months; median 13 months). Findings: Mean increase in total number of processes implemented (maximum = 35) was 9.6 (95% CI 9.0 to 10.2; p<0.001; baseline: 15.7 (SD 6.4), follow-up: 25.2 (SD 5.2)). Extent of change was largest for practices with low baseline scores. Aspects of process related to coordination and communication showed the greatest change. All dimensions of quality improved following GSF implementation; change was highest for the "quality of palliative care for cancer patients" and "confidence in assessing, recording and addressing the physical and psychosocial areas of patient care". Conclusion: Implementation of the GSF seems to have resulted in substantial improvements in process and quality of palliative care. Further research is required of the extent to which this has enhanced care (physical, practical and psychological outcomes) for patients and carers

Applications of remote sensing to estuarine management

Projects for sewage outfall siting for pollution control in the lower Chesapeake Bay wetlands are reported. A dye-buoy/photogrammetry and remote sensing technique was employed to gather circulation data used in outfall siting. This technique is greatly favored over alternate methods because it is inexpensive, produces results quickly, and reveals Lagrangian current paths which are preferred in making siting decisions. Wetlands data were obtained by interpretation of color and color infrared photographic imagery from several altitudes. Historical sequences of photographs are shown that were used to document wetlands changes. Sequential infrared photography of inlet basins was employed to determine tidal prisms, which were input to mathematical models to be used by state agencies in pollution control. A direct and crucial link between remote sensing and management decisions was demonstrated in the various projects

Applications of remote sensing to estuarine problems

A variety of siting problems for the estuaries of the lower Chesapeake Bay have been solved with cost beneficial remote sensing techniques. Principal techniques used were repetitive 1:30,000 color photography of dye emitting buoys to map circulation patterns, and investigation of water color boundaries via color and color infrared imagery to scales of 1:120,000. Problems solved included sewage outfall siting, shoreline preservation and enhancement, oil pollution risk assessment, and protection of shellfish beds from dredge operations

Precision measurement of the Casimir-Lifshitz force in a fluid

The Casimir force, which results from the confinement of the quantum mechanical zero-point fluctuations of the electromagnetic fields, has received significant attention in recent years for its effect on micro- and nano-scale mechanical systems. With few exceptions, experimental observations have been limited to conductive bodies interacting separated by vacuum or air. However, interesting phenomena including repulsive forces are expected to exist in certain circumstances between metals and dielectrics when the intervening medium is not vacuum. In order to better understand the effect of the Casimir force in such situations and to test the robustness of the generalized Casimir-Lifshitz theory, we have performed the first precision measurements of the Casimir force between two metals immersed in a fluid. For this situation, the measured force is attractive and is approximately 80% smaller than the force predicted by Casimir for ideal metals in vacuum. We present experimental results and find them to be consistent with Lifshitz's theory.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. (version before final publication

Quantum electrodynamical torques in the presence of Brownian motion

Quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field give rise to a zero-point energy that persists even in the absence of electromagnetic sources. One striking consequence of the zero-point energy is manifested in the Casimir force, which causes two electrically neutral metallic plates to attract in order to reduce the zero-point energy. A second, less well-known, effect is a torque that arises between two birefringent materials with in-plane optical anisotropy as a result of the zero-point energy. In this paper, we discuss the influence of Brownian motion on two birefringent plates undergoing quantum electrodynamical (QED) rotation as a result of the system's zero-point energy. Direct calculations for the torque are presented, and preliminary experiments are discussed. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft