False-vacuum decay in generalized extended inflation

False-vacuum decay was studied in context of generalized extended inflationary theories, and the bubble nucleation rates was computed for these theories in the limit of G(sub N) yields 0. It was found that the time dependence of the nucleation rate can be exponentially strong through the time dependence of the Jordan-Brans-Dicke field. This can have a pronounced effect on whether extended inflation can be successfully implemented

Extended inflation from higher dimensional theories

The possibility is considered that higher dimensional theories may, upon reduction to four dimensions, allow extended inflation to occur. Two separate models are analayzed. One is a very simple toy model consisting of higher dimensional gravity coupled to a scalar field whose potential allows for a first-order phase transition. The other is a more sophisticated model incorporating the effects of non-trivial field configurations (monopole, Casimir, and fermion bilinear condensate effects) that yield a non-trivial potential for the radius of the internal space. It was found that extended inflation does not occur in these models. It was also found that the bubble nucleation rate in these theories is time dependent unlike the case in the original version of extended inflation

Gravity wave penetration into the thermosphere: sensitivity to solar cycle variations and mean winds

We previously considered various aspects of gravity wave penetration and effects at mesospheric and thermospheric altitudes, including propagation, viscous effects on wave structure, characteristics, and damping, local body forcing, responses to solar cycle temperature variations, and filtering by mean winds. Several of these efforts focused on gravity waves arising from deep convection or in situ body forcing accompanying wave dissipation. Here we generalize these results to a broad range of gravity wave phase speeds, spatial scales, and intrinsic frequencies in order to address all of the major gravity wave sources in the lower atmosphere potentially impacting the thermosphere. We show how penetration altitudes depend on gravity wave phase speed, horizontal and vertical wavelengths, and observed frequencies for a range of thermospheric temperatures spanning realistic solar conditions and winds spanning reasonable mean and tidal amplitudes. Our results emphasize that independent of gravity wave source, thermospheric temperature, and filtering conditions, those gravity waves that penetrate to the highest altitudes have increasing vertical wavelengths and decreasing intrinsic frequencies with increasing altitude. The spatial scales at the highest altitudes at which gravity wave perturbations are observed are inevitably horizontal wavelengths of ~150 to 1000 km and vertical wavelengths of ~150 to 500 km or more, with the larger horizontal scales only becoming important for the stronger Doppler-shifting conditions. Observed and intrinsic periods are typically ~10 to 60 min and ~10 to 30 min, respectively, with the intrinsic periods shorter at the highest altitudes because of preferential penetration of GWs that are up-shifted in frequency by thermospheric winds

Marine Algae of Whidbey Island, Washington

The history of marine algal collections along the coast of Whidbey Island dates back to the work of N. L. Gardner, who made extensive collections on the island from 1897 to 1901. Except for small incidental collections, no major effort has been applied to the Whidbey Island marine flora since Gardner \u27 s work. The herbaria of the University of Washington and of the University of British Colombia were examined but contain few specimens from the island. Dr. Richard Norris, University of Washington, made several collections at West Beach during the summers, from 1949 to 1951. Other known algal collections from the Puget Sound region do not include material from Whidbey Island . Work herein reported covers a four year period from 1962-1966. At three locations collections were made on a seasonal basis: Camp Casey Beach (immediately north of Admiralty Head), West Beach, and Deception Pass. A lesser amount of work was done at Bush Point. One collection each was made at Double Bluffs in Useless Bay and at East Point on the east side of the island. Observations, which were made as a part of a general Puget Sound survey for Zostera marina L. during 1962-1963 , substantiate remarks to be made concerning distribution patterns and ecological conditions existing on t he east side of Whidbey Island

Lateral Zonation of Trees along a Small Ohio Stream

Author Institution: Department of Botany and Bacteriology, Ohio Wesleyan UniversityRiparian-vegetation patterns along a small stream in Ohio were examined with multivariate and graphical analyses. The study focused on elevational differences in larger tree species (>10 cm DBH = diameter at breast height) on a floodplain bench, floodplain slope, and upland terrace. The three habitat zones showed differences in floral assemblages related to the flooding tolerance of tree species, the floodplain bench showing ash-maple dominance and the other habitats yielding maple-beech-oak dominance. The floral differences were likely attributable to natural and human impacts, particularly stream flooding and possibly past logging. The results and a literature review suggest that hydrologic disturbances (for example, flooding) create predictable, parallel patterns in floral assemblages along a lateral (stream-edge to upland) gradient. Riparian assessments in the lateral dimension can provide information to predict the effects of anthropogenic instream-flow alterations on riparian ecosystems, including small tributaries

False vacuum decay in Jordan-Brans-Dicke cosmologies

The bubble nucleation rate in a first-order phase transition taking place in a background Jordan-Brans-Dicke cosmology is examined. The leading order terms in the nucleation rate when the Jordan-Brans-Dicke field is large (i.e., late times) are computed by means of a Weyl rescaling of the fields in the theory. It is found that despite the fact that the Jordan-Brans-Dicke field (hence the effective gravitational constant) has a time dependence in the false vacuum at late times the nucleation rate is time independent

Induction of circulating phospholipase A2 by intravenous administration of recombinant human tumour necrosis factor

We have examined the effects of intravenous infusion of recombinant human tumour necrosis factor (rh-TNF) on serum activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in patients with malignancies. Nine patients received a 24 h continuous intravenous infusion ranging from 1.0 × 105 U/m2 to 3.0 × 105 U/m2; 14 patients received a 5 day continuous intravenous infusion ranging from 0.5 × 105 U/m2/day to 3.0 105 U/m2/day. Twenty one of 23 patients responded with marked increases in serum PLA2 activity that were detectable 3 h after the beginning of the rh-TNF infusion and reached maximum levels at 18 h with a mean increase of 16.2-fold. In patients receiving a 5 day rh-TNF infusion, the highest levels of PLA2 were observed after the first day of infusion. Serum PLA2 activity declined continuously to 2.9-fold above baseline at the end of the infusion. A significant correlation was noted between the dose of infused rh-TNF and the maximum increase in PLA2 activity. To our knowledge, this is the first time that an association between intravenous TNF administration and induction of circulating PLA2 in man has been established