Semi-Lagrangian methods for parabolic problems in divergence form

Semi-Lagrangian methods have traditionally been developed in the framework of hyperbolic equations, but several extensions of the Semi-Lagrangian approach to diffusion and advection--diffusion problems have been proposed recently. These extensions are mostly based on probabilistic arguments and share the common feature of treating second-order operators in trace form, which makes them unsuitable for mass conservative models like the classical formulations of turbulent diffusion employed in computational fluid dynamics. We propose here some basic ideas for treating second-order operators in divergence form. A general framework for constructing consistent schemes in one space dimension is presented, and a specific case of nonconservative discretization is discussed in detail and analysed. Finally, an extension to (possibly nonlinear) problems in an arbitrary number of dimensions is proposed. Although the resulting discretization approach is only of first order in time, numerical results in a number of test cases highlight the advantages of these methods for applications to computational fluid dynamics and their superiority over to more standard low order time discretization approaches

Oxidized dimeric Scapharca inaequivalvis. Co-driven perturbation of the redox equilibrium.

The dimeric hemoglobin isolated from Scapharca inaequivalvis, HbI, is notable for its highly cooperative oxygen binding and for the unusual proximity of its heme groups. We now report that the oxidized protein, an equilibrium mixture of a dimeric high spin aquomet form and a monomeric low spin hemichrome, binds ferrocyanide tightly which allows for internal electron transfer with the heme iron. Surprisingly, when ferricyanide-oxidized HbI is exposed to CO, its spectrum shifts to that of the ferrous CO derivative. Gasometric removal of CO leads to the oxidized species rather than to ferrous deoxy-HbI. At equilibrium, CO binds with an apparent affinity (p50) of about 10-25 mm of Hg and no cooperativity (20 degrees C, 10-50 mM buffers at pH 6.1). The kinetics of CO binding under pseudo-first order conditions are biphasic (t1/2 of 15-50 s at pH 6.1). The rates depend on protein, but not on CO concentration. The nitrite-oxidized protein is not reduced readily in the presence of CO unless one equivalent of ferrocyanide, but not of ferricyanide, is added. We infer that ferrocyanide, produced in the oxidation reaction, is tightly bound to the protein forming a redox couple with the heme iron. CO shifts the redox equilibrium by acting as a trap for the reduced heme. The equilibrium and kinetic aspects of the process have been accounted for in a reaction scheme where the internal electron transfer reaction is the rate-limiting step

PERAN MOSALAKI (TOKOH ADAT) TERHADAP TARIAN NAPA NUWA SEBAGAI WUJUD MENJAGA KETAHANAN SOSIAL BUDAYA MASYARAKAT ADAT WOLOTOPO

Abstrak: Kehidupan bangsa Indonesia sangat beragam dalam hal suku, adat-istiadat, ras, dan agama. Kesenian tradisional merupakan refleksi dari cara hidup sehari-hari masyarakat. Pengaruh arus globalisasi saat ini akan berdampak pada kesenian tradisional. Jika tidak direspons dengan baik oleh semua pihak yang berkepentingan akan berdampak pada tergerusnya budaya bangsa Indonesia. Peran Mosalaki (Tokoh Adat) Terhadap Tarian Napa Nuwa Sebagai Wujud Menjaga Ketahanan Sosial Budaya Masyarakat Adat Wolotopo sangat diperlukan. Hasil penelitian menemukan bahwa dalam menjaga dan melestarikan budayanya sebagai warisan leluhur Mosalaki (tokoh adat) belum mampu menjalankan perannya sebagai pihak yang memegang amanah, pihak yang memberi teladan, dan sebagai pihak yang bertanggung jawab. Hal ini karena dihadapkan dengan berbagai kendala, yaitu: 1) Pemahaman tentang tarian Napa Nuwa oleh mosalaki (tokoh adat) sangat minim; 2) Tidak adanya larangan yang tegas masuknya tarian dari luar; 3) tidak adanya keteladanan dari para mosalaki (tokoh adat); 4) Kurang adanya kemauan dari masyarakat adat wolotopo khususnya generasi muda untuk menari tarian napa nuwa lebih suka tarian dari luar atau tarian barat; 5) Mudahnya mengakses informasi melalui media masa.Abstract: Indonesian life is very diverse in terms of ethnicity, customs, race, and religion. Traditional art is a reflection of the daily way of life in the community. The influence of the current globalization will have an impact on traditional arts. If not responded well by all interested parties will have an impact on the eroding culture of the Indonesian nation. The role of Mosalaki (Indigenous People) towards Napa Nuwa Dance as a Form of Maintaining Social and Cultural Resilience of Wolotopo Indigenous Peoples is indispensable. The results of the study found that in maintaining and preserving its culture as the ancestral heritage of Mosalaki (indigenous figures) has not been able to carry out its role as a party that holds the mandate, the party that sets an example, and as a responsible party. This is because it is faced with various obstacles, namely: 1) The understanding of Napa Nuwa dance by mosalaki (indigenous figures) is minimal; 2) The absence of a strict prohibition on the entry of dances from outside; 3) the absence of accuracy of the mosalaki (indigenous leaders); 4) Lack of willingness from wolotopo indigenous peoples, especially the younger generation to dance napa nuwa dance prefers dance from outside or western dance; 5) Easy access to information through mass media

Keck Imaging of Binary L Dwarfs

We present Keck near-infrared imaging of three binary L dwarf systems, all of which are likely to be sub-stellar. Two are lithium dwarfs, and a third exhibits an L7 spectral type, making it the coolest binary known to date. All have component flux ratios near 1 and projected physical separations between 5 and 10 AU, assuming distances of 18 to 26 pc from recent measurements of trigonometric parallax. These surprisingly similar binaries represent the sole detections of companions in ten L dwarf systems which were analyzed in the preliminary phase of a much larger dual-epoch imaging survey. The detection rate prompts us to speculate that binary companions to L dwarfs are common, that similar-mass systems predominate, and that their distribution peaks at radial distances in accord both with M dwarf binaries and with the radial location of Jovian planets in our own solar system. To fully establish these conjectures against doubts raised by biases inherent in this small preliminary survey, however, will require quantitative analysis of a larger volume-limited sample which has been observed with high resolution and dynamic range.Comment: LaTex manuscript in 13 pages, 3 postscript figures, Accepted for publication in the Letters of the Astrophysical Journal; Postscript pre-print version available at: http://www.hep.upenn.edu/PORG/papers/koerner99a.p

PEMANFAATAN SAO ENDA SEBAGAI CAGAR BUDAYA SELALEJO DI DESA SELALEJO TIMUR KECAMATAN MAUPONGGO KABUPATEN NAGEKEO

Kabupaten Nagekeo. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pemanfaatan Sa’o Enda sebagai Cagar Budaya Selalejo di Desa Selalejo Timur Kecamatan Mauponggo Kabupaten Nagekeo. Metode penelitian yang  digunakan  adalah deskriptif kualitatif. Subjek penelitian sebanyak lima orang yang terdiri dari informan kunci satu orang dan informan pendukung empat orang.Teknik pengumpulan data adalah wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi.Teknik analisis data dalam penelitian ini melalui tahapanya itu: 1) Pengumpulan data, 2) Reduksi data, 3) Pemaparan data, 4) Penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian:Masyarakat Selalejo menganggap rumah adat Sa’o Enda sebagai cerminan kehidupan yang bersifat profan dan sakral, sehingga segala norma yang mengikatnya menjadi suatu kesepakatan yang harus diwajibakan dalam ritual atau upacara adat. Di dalam rumah adat Sa’o Enda juga terdapat simbol-simbol yang mengandung makna tersendiri bagi masyarakat adat Selalejo. Adapun teori  yang digunakan untuk mendeskripsikan pemanfaatan Sa’o Enda sebagai Cagar Budaya Selalejo di Desa Selalejo Timur yaitu teori antropogi simbolik yang digagaskan oleh Geertz. Geetz menjelaskan bahwa teori simbolik memandang kebudayaan sebagai suatu sistem simbol yang dimiliki oleh suatu masyarakat yang membutuhkan interpretasi terhadap makna dari simbol yang ada. Kesimpulannya dari penelitian ini adalah bahwa Sa’o Enda merupakan salah satu warisan budaya yang dimanfaatkan sebagai tempat penyimpanan benda-benda pusaka dan sebagai tempat pelaksanaan ritual adat.     &nbsp

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND INDUCED APOPTOSIS IN SEA URCHIN LAEVAE UNDERGOING METAMORPHOSIS

Paracentrotus lividus embryos at the early pluteus stage undergo spontaneous apoptosis. Using a TUNEL (TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labelling) assay on whole mount embryos, we showed that there was a different distribution of the apoptotic cells in different optical sections. Not more than 20% of cells in plutei were spontaneously apoptotic, as confirmed by the counts of dissociated ectoderm and intestine cells. Observation of larva stages closer to metamorphosis confirmed that apoptosis is a physiological event for the development of the adult. In particular, larvae at different developmental stages showed apoptotic cells in the oral and aboral arms, intestine, ciliary band and both apical and oral ganglia. Moreover, we found that the number of apoptotic cells decreased in later larva stages, possibly because in the organism approaching metamorphosis, a smaller number of cells needs to be eliminated. Furthermore, combined phorbol ester (TPA) and heat shock treatment enhanced apoptosis by increasing the number of cells involved in the phenomenon

Cadmium induces the expression of specific stress proteins in sea urchin embryos

Marine organisms are highly sensitive to many environmental stresses, and consequently, the analysis of their bio-molecular responses to different stress agents is very important for the understanding of putative repair mechanisms. Sea urchin embryos represent a simple though significant model system to test how specific stress can simultaneously affect development and protein expression. Here, we used Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin embryos to study the effects of time-dependent continuous exposure to subacute/sublethal cadmium concentrations. We found that, between 15 and 24 h of exposure, the synthesis of a specific set of stress proteins (90, 72-70, 56, 28, and 25 kDa) was induced, with an increase in the rate of synthesis of 72-70 kDa (hsps), 56 kDa (hsp), and 25 kDa, which was dependent on the lengths of treatment. Recovery experiments in which cadmium was removed showed that while stress proteins continued to be synthesized, embryo development was resumed only after short lengths of exposure

Hyperprolactinemia induced by hCG leads to metabolic disturbances in female mice

The metabolic syndrome is a growing epidemic; it increases the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver, and several cancers. Several reports have indicated a link between hormonal imbalances and insulin resistance or obesity. Transgenic (TG) female mice overexpressing the human chorionic gonadotropin β-subunit (hCGβ+ mice) exhibit constitutively elevated levels of hCG, increased production of testosterone, progesterone and prolactin, and obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of hCG hypersecretion on possible alterations in the glucose and lipid metabolism of adult TG females. We evaluated fasting serum insulin, glucose, and triglyceride levels in adult hCGβ+ females and conducted intraperitoneal glucose and insulin tolerance tests at different ages. TG female mice showed hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and dyslipidemia, as well as glucose intolerance and insulin resistance at 6 months of age. A 1-week treatment with the dopamine agonist cabergoline applied on 5-week-old hCGβ+ mice, which corrected hyperprolactinemia, hyperandrogenism, and hyperprogesteronemia, effectively prevented the metabolic alterations. These data indicate a key role of the hyperprolactinemia-induced gonadal dysfunction in the metabolic disturbances of hCGβ+ female mice. The findings prompt further studies on the involvement of gonadotropins and prolactin on metabolic disorders and might pave the way for the development of new therapeutic strategies.Fil: Ratner, Laura Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Stevens, Guillermina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Bonaventura, Maria Marta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Lux, Victoria Adela R.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Poutanen, Matti. University of Turku; FinlandiaFil: Calandra, Ricardo Saul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Huhtaniemi, Ilpo T.. University of Turku; FinlandiaFil: Rulli, Susana Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Effects of exposure to gadolinium on the development of geographically and phylogenetically distant sea urchins species

Gadolinium (Gd), a metal of the lanthanide series used as contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging, is released into the aquatic environment. We investigated the effects of Gd on the development of four sea urchin species: two from Europe, Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula, and two from Australia, Heliocidaris tuberculata and Centrostephanus rodgersii. Exposure to Gd from fertilization resulted in inhibition or alteration of skeleton growth in the plutei. The similar morphological response to Gd in the four species indicates a similar mechanism underlying abnormal skeletogenesis. Sensitivity to Gd greatly varied, with the EC50 ranging from 56 nM to 132 μM across the four species. These different sensitivities highlight the importance of testing toxicity in several species for risk assessment. The strong negative effects of Gd on calcification in plutei, together with the plethora of marine species that have calcifying larvae, indicates that Gd pollution is urgent issue that needs to be addressed