The flashing behavior of thunderstorms

Lightning flash distribution in thunderstorms - statistical analysi

Sequential ranking procedures

Sequential ranking procedures, stochastic processes, and statistical analysi

An analysis of the relation between solar radio emission and large solar cosmic ray increases

Relation between solar radio emission and large solar cosmic ray increases - statistical analysi

Plenary Session

Joining Forces to Tackle the Dead Zone Water Resources Applications of KyAPED Airborne LiDAR Data: A New Era for Hydroscience in Kentucky Temporal performance assessment of wastewater treatment plants by using multivariate statistical analysi

Finite resolution measurement of the non-classical polarization statistics of entangled photon pairs

By limiting the resolution of quantum measurements, the measurement induced changes of the quantum state can be reduced, permitting subsequent measurements of variables that do not commute with the initially measured property. It is then possible to experimentally determine correlations between non-commuting variables. The application of this method to the polarization statistics of entangled photon pairs reveals that negative conditional probabilities between non-orthogonal polarization components are responsible for the violation of Bell's inequalities. Such negative probabilities can also be observed in finite resolution measurements of the polarization of a single photon. The violation of Bell's inequalities therefore originates from local properties of the quantum statistics of single photon polarization.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures and 1 table, new figure to illustrate results, improved explanation of statistical analysi

Early ontogenetic male cone production in Pinus radiata : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Plant Biology at Massey University

The tree breeding industry is interested in early ontogenetic male cone production in Pinus radiata in order to maximise the rate at which successive generations can be bred. The foundation of this thesis was a study of how male cone production differed in various contrasting regions around New Zealand. A study was then carried out to assess whether various morphological and anatomical characteristics of trees were correlated with the onset of male cone production. Various treatments including stress, plant growth regulator application and grafting were examined to determine whether any of these could be used to promote early ontogenetic male cone production. The regional study found that male cone production commenced at age 3 in Nelson, at age 4 in Northern and Southern Kinleith, and age 6 in Karioi and Northland. Findings suggest that high sunshine hours and low autumn and/or winter temperatures are of significance to the precocity of male cone production. A tentative logistic model was developed that may adequately describe cone production across all regions. Morphological and anatomical characteristics of trees were used to develop a model which predicts the probability that a tree will not be producing male cones. Relative cell number was found to provide the greatest ability to predict whether or not a given tree will be producing male cones, supporting the hypothesis that a certain number of cell divisions are required before male cone production commences. Grafting did not promote male cone production in the present study. It is recommended that future grafting experiments for the purposes of promoting male cone production should reconsider the position within the crown at which grafts are made. Male cone production on fascicle cuttings approximately two years old was promoted by growing them under stress in small pots, with minimal watering and no fertiliser application. It is suggested that a "stress" pathway, distinct from the "normal" male cone production pathway is probably involved. Male cone promotion in fascicle cuttings appears to be enhanced through the application of ABA, but not other plant growth regulators. Additionally, male cone production in fascicle cuttings appears to be enhanced by providing relatively high levels of light. The outcomes of this study suggest that a lack of male cone production in young trees may not be the most serious impediment to the breeding program. Instead, the onus may be on the ability to make superior selections at a younger age than occurs at present

Disease recurrence and rejection following liver transplantation for autoimmune chronic active liver disease

Autoimmune chronic active liver disease (ACALD), a major indication for liver transplantation, is associated strongly with antigenic determinants HLA-B8 and DR3. A retrospective analysis of 43 patients who underwent OLTx for putative ACALD and who, as well as their tissue organ donors, were typed, was performed. Disease recurrence and graft rejection episodes were determined by chart review and histopathological review of all material available. Disease recurrence was histologically documented in 11 (25.6%) of these 43 cases. Graft rejection episodes occurred in 24 (66.8%). All recurrences were in recipients of HLA-DR3-negative grafts. Nine of the recurrences were in HLA-DR3-poeitive recipients (odds ratio: 6.14, P<0.03). Two of 11 cases of disease recurrence were in recipients who were HLA-DR3-negative. Nine of these 11 had received HLA-DR3-negative grafts. Rejection occurred in 13 HLA-B8-positive recipients, 12 of whom received HLA-B8-negative grafts. Eleven HLA-B8-negative recipients experienced at least one rejection episode and 9 of these had received HLA-B8-negative grafts. Based upon these data we conclude: 1) that recurrence of putative ACALD is more likely to occur in HLA-DR3-positive recipients of HLA-DR3-negative grafts; (2) that recurrences were not seen in recipients of HLA-DR3-positive grafts; (3) that BXA-B8 status does not affect disease recurrence; and (4) that neither the HLA-B8 nor the DR3 status of the graft or recipient has an effect on the observed frequency of rejection. ©1992 by Williams & Wilkins

On the role of extinction in failed gamma-ray burst optical/IR afterglows

While all but one Gamma-Ray Bursts observed in the X-ray band showed an X-ray afterglow, about 60 per cent of them have not been detected in the optical band. We demonstrate that in many cases this is not due to adverse observing conditions, or delay in performing the observations. We also show that the optically non-detected afterglows are not affected by particularly large Galactic absorbing columns, since its distribution is similar for both the detected and non-detected burst subclasses. We then investigate the hypothesis that the failure of detecting the optical afterglow is due to absorption at the source location. We find that this is a marginally viable interpretation, but only if the X-ray burst and afterglow emission and the possible optical/UV flash do not destroy the dust responsible for absorption in the optical band. If dust is efficiently destroyed, we are led to conclude that bursts with no detected optical afterglow are intrinsically different. Prompt infrared observations are the key to solve this issue.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, changes in the tables and in the statistical analysi