A planet within the debris disk around the pre-main-sequence star AU Microscopii

AU Microscopii (AU Mic) is the second closest pre main sequence star, at a distance of 9.79 parsecs and with an age of 22 million years. AU Mic possesses a relatively rare and spatially resolved3 edge-on debris disk extending from about 35 to 210 astronomical units from the star, and with clumps exhibiting non-Keplerian motion. Detection of newly formed planets around such a star is challenged by the presence of spots, plage, flares and other manifestations of magnetic activity on the star. Here we report observations of a planet transiting AU Mic. The transiting planet, AU Mic b, has an orbital period of 8.46 days, an orbital distance of 0.07 astronomical units, a radius of 0.4 Jupiter radii, and a mass of less than 0.18 Jupiter masses at 3 sigma confidence. Our observations of a planet co-existing with a debris disk offer the opportunity to test the predictions of current models of planet formation and evolution.Comment: Nature, published June 24th [author spelling name fix

Ecological effects of alternative fuel-reduction treatments: highlights of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS)

The 12-site National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS) was a multivariate experiment that evaluated ecological consequences of alternative fuel-reduction treatments in seasonally dry forests of the US. Each site was a replicated experiment with a common design that compared an un-manipulated control, prescribed fire, mechanical and mechanical + fire treatments. Variables within the vegetation, fuelbed, forest floor and soil, bark beetles, tree diseases and wildlife were measured in 10-ha stands, and ecological response was compared among treatments at the site level, and across sites, to better understand the influence of differential site conditions. For most sites, treated stands were predicted to be more resilient to wildfire if it occurred shortly after treatment, but for most ecological variables, short-term response to treatments was subtle and transient. Strong site-specificity was observed in the response of most ecosystem variables, suggesting that practitioners employ adaptive management at the local scale. Because ecosystem components were tightly linked, adaptive management would need to include monitoring of a carefully chosen set of key variables. Mechanical treatments did not serve as surrogates for fire for most variables, suggesting that fire be maintained whenever possible. Restoration to pre-settlement conditions will require repeated treatments over time, with eastern forests requiring more frequent applications.Keywords: Oak, Prescribed fire, Frequent fire regimes, Pine, Mechanical treatment, Forest thinning, Dry forest management, Seasonally dry forest

[Letter from William W. Youngblood to Frank Kemerer, June 19, 1987]

Letter from William W. Youngblood to Frank Kemerer, on June 19, 1987, sending him the Student Code of Conduct for the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. He draws attention to their attendance policy, and invites Kemerer to call him with any questions. The NCSSM Code of Conduct is also included

Evaluation plan for real time traffic-adaptive signal control strategies

Issued as final reportThis item was temporarily removed from SMARTech at the request of the Georgia Tech Research Institute on May 8, 2009

Neuropeptides in CSF and post-mortem brain tissue of normal controls, schizophrenics and huntington's choreics

Manberg, Paul, J., Charles B. Memeroff, Garth Bissette, Eric Widerl̈ov, William W. Youngblood, John S. Kizer, and Arthur J. Prange, Jr. Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. & Biol. Psychiat. 1985- 9 (1): 97–108. 1. 1. Studies describing the CNS distribution of neuropeptides can provide important new insights concerning their possible physiological functions. 2. 2. The rational for studying human post-mortem tissue, as well as some methodological constraints, are reviewed. 3. 3. The localization of NT in normal human brain is presented. 4. 4. Concentrations of NT, TRH, and SRIF were determined in brain tissue from normal controls and patients with schizophrenia or Huntington's chorea. Specific alterations in the levels of these neuropeptides were found in each disease. 5. 5. Appreciable quantities of NT immunoreactivity are present in human CSF. Sub-normal CSF-NT levels were found in a sub-group of unmedicated schizophrenics but were elevated back to normal concentrations following neuroleptic treatment. 6. 6. Although the pathophysiological significance of these findings is unclear, they nevertheless indicate that neuropeptides are important brain constituents which deserve further study

Regional Distribution of Neurotensin in Human Brain

: Neurotensin (NT) is an endogenous neuropeptide that is active in many preclinical screening tests for neuroleptic drugs. Using a radioimmunoassay, we have studied the regional distribution of NT in postmortem human brain and in cerebrospinal fluid. Highest levels were present in the hypothalamus, substantia nigra, and limbic areas, whereas much lower amounts were found in the cortex and striatum. The chromatographic properties of hypothalamic immunoreactivity on ion‐exchange and high pressure liquid chromatography were similar to those of the synthetic tridecapeptide. We conclude that NT is present in human brain with a distribution resembling that seen in other species, such as rat and monkey

Radiotherapy for meningiomas

Meningiomas are the most common primary central nervous system neoplasm. Despite promising recent progress in elucidating the genomic landscape and underlying biology of these histologically, molecularly, and clinically diverse tumors, the mainstays of meningioma treatment remain maximal safe resection and radiation therapy. The aim of this review of meningioma radiotherapy is to provide a concise summary of the history, current evidence, and future for application of radiotherapy in meningioma treatment