54 research outputs found

    The tropical response to extratropical thermal forcing in an idealized GCM: The importance of radiative feedbacks and convective parameterization

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    The response of tropical precipitation to extratropical thermal forcing is reexamined using an idealized moist atmospheric GCM that has no water vapor or cloud feedbacks, simplifying the analysis while retaining the aquaplanet configuration coupled to a slab ocean from the authors' previous study. As in earlier studies, tropical precipitation in response to high-latitude forcing is skewed toward the warmed hemisphere. Comparisons with a comprehensive GCM in an identical aquaplanet, mixed-layer framework reveal that the tropical responses tend to be much larger in the comprehensive GCM as a result of positive cloud and water vapor feedbacks that amplify the imposed extratropical thermal forcing. The magnitude of the tropical precipitation response in the idealized model is sensitive to convection scheme parameters. This sensitivity as well as the tropical precipitation response can be understood from a simple theory with two ingredients: the changes in poleward energy fluxes are predicted using a onedimensional energy balance model and a measure of the "total gross moist stability" [??m, which is defined as the total (mean plus eddy) atmospheric energy transport per unit mass transport] of the model tropics converts the energy flux change into a mass flux and a moisture flux change. The idealized model produces a low level of compensation of about 25% between the imposed oceanic flux and the resulting response in the atmospheric energy transport in the tropics regardless of the convection scheme parameter. Because Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Atmospheric Model 2 (AM2) with prescribed clouds and water vapor exhibits a similarly low level of compensation, it is argued that roughly 25% of the compensation is dynamically controlled through eddy energy fluxes. The sensitivity of the tropical response to the convection scheme in the idealized model results from different values of ??m: smaller ??m leads to larger tropical precipitation changes for the same response in the energy transport.open624

    Immunolocalization of Proteolipid Protein Peptide 103-116 in Myelin

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    Determination of the topographic orientation of proteolipid protein (PLP) within myelin is part of an overall understanding of the functions of PLP and the roles of its multiple domains in diseases that primarily affect central nervous system (CNS) myelin. As part of an analysis of PLP orientation, two mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and a rabbit antiserum against a synthetic peptide corresponding to PLP residues 103-116 (YKTTICGKGLSATV) were tested for their reactivity on compact CNS myelin. By ELISA, the antibodies react with intact PLP and PLP residues 103-116, but not with other PLP peptides. Ultrathin cryosections of adult rat optic nerve were immunostained and antibody binding was localized using appropriate second antibodies coupled to 1 nm gold particles that were visualized by silver enhancement. Localization of the particles on the major or intermediate dense lines was determined by three independent observers. Using the PLP peptide mAb and the polyclonal antibody, we demonstrated that greater than or equal to 71% of the particles were localized on the major dense line. At least 66% of particles directed against myelin basic protein, which is known to occur on the major dense line, were also found in that location. These semiquantitative morphologic observations suggest that PLP residues 103-116 occur on the cytoplasmic face of the myelin membrane. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc
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