Sounding Rocket Measurements of Vertically-Sheared F Region Neutral Winds at Sunset and Modeling of their Effect on Spread F Development

During the hours near sunset, Earth’s equatorial ionosphere undergoes signif-icant changes as it transitions from day to night. This period is a dynamic time that preconditions the ionosphere for a number of plasma instabilities that may develop over the course of the night, including equatorial spread F. The neutral dynamics of the sunset ionosphere are of critical importance to the generation of the currents and electric fields which drive spread F and other instabilities; however, the behavior of the neutrals is experimentally understood through single-altitude measurements or measurements that provide weighted altitude means of the winds as a function of time. Vertically resolved neutral wind measurements in the F region near and after sunset are extremely rare. In this work, are presented several sounding rocket chemical tracer measurements, which are vertically resolved and show large westward winds and wind shears in the F region near sunset. Winds and shears of this magni-tude near sunset are unexpected based on current wind models, which show eastward neutral flow with very small gradients above 200 km altitude. The observed chemical tracer neutral wind profiles are applied to an existing spread F model in order to in-vestigate the effects of such large westward winds and shears during the transitional period near sunset on the subsequent development of spread F plumes. The unusual wind profiles observed in the experiments are shown to have a suppressing effect on instability development

Antique Polychromy Applied to Modern Art and Hittorff’s Saint Vincent de Paul in Paris, the Architectural Showpiece of the Renouveau Catholique

Michael Kiene discusses the career of the nineteenth-century architect Jacques-Ignace Hittorff and how Hittorff’s interests and research came together in the Basilica of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris. Hittorff made extensive studies of ancient Greek art and architecture and was one of the first scholars to recognize that brightly colored paint had been used in antiquity. His basilica’s portico was archaeologically correct and originally featured polychrome art done in enamel on lava stone. Hittorff put a great deal of effort into researching how polychromy could be applied to modern architecture. Unfortunately, this art was removed due to public criticism and can only be appreciated in what survives from its design phase. The plan for the basilica and its unique features are described in detail, as is Hittorff’s theory of aesthetics

The Basilica of St. Vincent DePaul: Architecture of the Catholic Renouveau in Paris

https://via.library.depaul.edu/museum-publications/1000/thumbnail.jp

High dimethylsulfide photolysis rates in nitrate-rich Antarctic waters

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2004. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters 31 (2004): L11307, doi:10.1029/2004GL019863.The photochemistry of dimethylsulfide (DMS) was examined in the Southern Ocean to assess its impact on the biogeochemical dynamics of DMS in Antarctic waters. Very high DMS photolysis rate constants (0.16–0.23 h−1) were observed in surface waters exposed to full sunlight. DMS photolysis rates increased linearly with added nitrate concentrations, and 35% of the DMS loss in unamended samples was attributed to the photochemistry of ambient nitrate (29 μM). Experiments with optical filters showed that the UV-A band of sunlight (320–400 nm) accounted for ~65% of DMS photolysis suggesting that dissolved organic matter was the main photosensitizer for DMS photolysis. During the austral spring, DMS photolysis was the dominant loss mechanism under non-bloom and non-ice cover conditions owing to the high doses and deep penetration of UV radiation in the water column, low observed microbial consumption rates, and high in situ nitrate concentrations.This work was supported by NSF (OPP- 0230499, DJK; OPP-0230497, RPK)

Comparative genomics and mutagenesis analyses of choline metabolism in the marine Roseobacter clade

Choline is ubiquitous in marine eukaryotes and appears to be widely distributed in surface marine waters; however, its metabolism by marine bacteria is poorly understood. Here, using comparative genomics and molecular genetic approaches, we reveal that the capacity for choline catabolism is widespread in marine heterotrophs of the marine Roseobacter clade (MRC). Using the model bacterium Ruegeria pomeroyi, we confirm that the betA, betB and betC genes, encoding choline dehydrogenase, betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase and choline sulfatase, respectively, are involved in choline metabolism. The betT gene, encoding an organic solute transporter, was essential for the rapid uptake of choline but not glycine betaine (GBT). Growth of choline and GBT as a sole carbon source resulted in the re-mineralization of these nitrogen-rich compounds into ammonium. Oxidation of the methyl groups from choline requires formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase encoded by fhs in R.pomeroyi, deletion of which resulted in incomplete degradation of GBT. We demonstrate that this was due to an imbalance in the supply of reducing equivalents required for choline catabolism, which can be alleviated by the addition of formate. Together, our results demonstrate that choline metabolism is ubiquitous in the MRC and reveal the role of Fhs in methyl group oxidation in R.pomeroyi

Safety of higher dosages of Viscum album L. in animals and humans - systematic review of immune changes and safety parameters

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Viscum album </it>L extracts (VAE, mistletoe) and isolated mistletoe lectins (ML) have immunostimulating properties and a strong dose-dependent cytotoxic activity. They are frequently used in complementary cancer treatment, mainly to improve quality of life, but partly also to influence tumour growth, especially by injecting VAE locally and in high dosage. The question is raised whether these higher dosages can induce any harm or immunosuppressive effects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Systematic review of all experiments and clinical studies investigating higher dosages of VAE in animals and humans (<it>Viscum album </it>> 1 mg in humans corresponding to > 0.02 mg/kg in animals or ML > 1 ng/kg) and assessing immune parameters or infections or adverse drug reactions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>69 clinical studies and 48 animal experiments reported application of higher doses of VAE or ML and had assessed immune changes and/or harm. In these studies, <it>Viscum album </it>was applied in dosages up to 1500 mg in humans and 1400 mg/kg in animals, ML was applied up to 6.4 μg/kg in humans and in animals up to 14 μg/kg subcutaneously, 50 μg/kg nasally and 500 μg/kg orally. A variety of immune parameters showed fluctuating or rising outcomes, but no immunosuppressive effect. Side effects consisted mainly of dose-dependent flu-like symptoms (FLS), fever, local reactions at the injection site and various mild unspecific effects. Occasionally, allergic reactions were reported. After application of high doses of recombinant ML, reversible hepatotoxicity was observed in some cases.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Application of higher dosages of VAE or ML is not accompanied by immunosuppression; altogether VAE seems to exhibit low risk but should be monitored by clinicians when applied in high dosages.</p