Experimental evaluation of atmospheric effects on radiometric measurements using the EREP of Skylab

The author has identified the following significant results. Test sites were located near the Great Salt Lake and the Salton Sea. Calculations were performed for a set of atmospheric models corresponding to the test sites, in addition to standard models for summer and winter midlatitude atmospheres with respective integrated water vapor amount of 2.4 g/sq cm and 0.9 g/sq cm. Each atmosphere was found to contain an average amount of continental aerosol. Computations were valid for high solar elevation angles. Atmospheric attenuation quantities were computed in addition to simulated EREP S192 radiances

Differential Diagnosis of Progressive Generalized or Symmetrical Flaccid Paralysis

Progressive flaccid paralysis occurring over a period of hours or days is usually associated with the Landry-Guillain-Barré-Strohl syndrome. This symptom complex is often accompanied by a history of previous flu-like illness, antecedent myalgias, and subjective sensory complaints of tingling or simply a “tight” sensation in hands and feet. The paralysis that ensues either ascends from the feet and legs or descends from the facial muscles to involve all or most of the voluntary skeletal musculature. Along with paralysis of the intercostal and diaphragmatic musculature, severe cases may also involve other cranial nerves as well as the autonomic nervous system. In all cases the deep tendon reflexes are markedly diminished or absent early in the course of the disease. Sensory abnormalities are usually mild or absent. Confirmatory diagnostic studies include examination of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) which shows no or few mononuclear cells and an elevated protein. Nerve conduction studies may show prolonged distal latencies, slowing of nerve conduction velocities, and prolonged F responses which measure the radicular segments of the nerve. Overall prognosis is difficult to predict, with recovery taking weeks to months. Fatalities can occur despite optimal care in an intensive care unit

Specific biomarkers for C9orf72 FTD/ALS could expedite the journey towards effective therapies

A hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene is a common genetic cause of ALS and FTD. The repeats are translated into five different dipeptide repeat proteins (DPRs). In this issue, Lehmer et al (2017) demonstrate that one of these DPRs, poly(GP), can be measured in the CSF of individuals with C9orf72 mutations. In conjunction with the findings from another recent study (Gendron et al, 2017), these DPR biomarkers may prove to be extremely valuable in the quest for effective therapies for C9FTD/ALS

Advanced Moisture and Temperature Sounder (AMTS) study

Retrieval of tropospheric humidity profiles from satellite-based upwelling radiances are shown to be improved by using physical methods for obtaining first-guess profiles as well as for inverting the radiative transfer equation by relaxation. The first guess is based on an empirically verified hypothesis, from theoretical considerations, that the brightness temperature corresponding to the radiance should be approximately equal to the actual temperatue at a channel-invariant optical depth provided that the surface and stratospheric contributions to the radiance are small. Even greater improvement of retrieved humidity profiles can be accomplished by increasing the number of channels used and by selecting their spectral location and bandpass to obtain sharper independent weighting functions. For example, the AMTS system, with high resolution water channels at 1650, 1700, 1839, 1850 and 1930 cm, is shown to be capable of reducing the retrieved water vapor errors in 200 mb thick layers by a factor of two or three relative to the HIRS-2 system errors. Expected AMTS errors in tropical layer water content are particularly low, less than 20% at all levels, and of the order of 10% or less in the middle troposphere

Estimation of the geophysical properties of the ocean surface using aircraft microwave measurements

An improved model of the effects of sea state on microwave signature has been developed which incorporates the different effects of whitecaps and streaks to define the response of microwave channels to wind speed. This model has been demonstrated to agree with recent measurements. An approximation model has also been incorporated to describe the effects of precipitation on microwave radiation through a computationally rapid routine. The use of these models and a new technique to allow the selection of the most climatologically appropriate D-matrix is demonstrated in the inversion of data collected over the bering Sea. Surface wind speed agrees very well with observations while good results are obtained for integrated water vapor, and liquid water

Patterns of gene expression in schistosomes: localization by whole mount in situ hybridization

rom the identification of genes to the characterization of their functions and interactions. Developmental biologists have long used whole mount in situ hybridization (WISH) to determine gene expression patterns, as a vital tool for formulating and testing hypotheses about function. This paper describes the application of WISH to the study of gene expression in larval and adult schistosomes. Fixed worms were permeablized by proteinase K treatment for hybridization with digoxygenin-labelled RNA probes, with binding being detected by alkaline phosphatase-coupled anti-digoxygenin antibodies, and BM Purple substrate. Discrete staining patterns for the transcripts of the molecules Sm29, cathepsin L, antigen 10.3 and chorion were observed in the tegument cell bodies, gut epithelium, oesophageal gland and vitelline lobules, respectively, of adult worms. Transcripts of the molecules SGTP4, GP18-22 and cathepsin L were localized to tegument cell bodies and embryonic gut, respectively, of lung schistosomula. We also showed that Fast Red TR fluorescent substrate can refine the pattern of localization permitting use of confocal microscopy. We believe that method of WISH will find broad application, in synergy with other emerging post-genomic techniques, such as RNA interference, to studies focused at increasing our molecular understanding of schistosomes

New Horizons in Muscle Disease

Sophisticated physiological and histochemical information is accumulating at a rate which at present is faster than the clinician can assimilate. The contributions made by electron microscopy further burden an overwhelming stockpile of data. In a true sense, many pieces to the puzzle have been found, and as these are cautiously put in place, a more complete understanding of muscle disease is foreseeable. One hopes that with better insight into the pathophysiology of muscle diseases, these new horizons will permit eventual treatment or cure for those suffering from these disorders

Group identity and political change

Caption title"Adapted from the monthly lecture at International House of Japan, Tokyo, Dec. 6, 1963.""1562"--handwritten on cove

Estimating the Supply Curve for Nutria Pelts From Coastal Louisiana and the Impacts Associated with Declining Prices

Nutria harvests vary with price. As pelt prices declined, nutria populations - and wetland degradation have risen. This paper develops a nutria supply model to predict harvests at various prices which are incorporated into a wetland loss model to determine how alternative incentive programs affect changes in wetland degradation.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,