The Solar Acoustic Spectrum and Eigenmode Parameters

The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) project estimates the frequencies, amplitudes, and linewidths of more than 250,000 acoustic resonances of the sun from data sets lasting 36 days. The frequency resolution of a single data set is 0.321 microhertz. For frequencies averaged over the azimuthal order m, the median formal error is 0.044 microhertz, and the associated median fractional error is 1.6 x 10(-5). For a 3-year data set, the fractional error is expected to be 3 x 10(-6). The GONG m-averaged frequency measurements differ from other helioseismic data sets by 0.03 to 0.08 microhertz. The differences arise from a combination of systematic errors, random errors, and possible changes in solar structure.     

Primary production of the biosphere: integrating terrestrial and oceanic components

Integrating conceptually similar models of the growth of marine and terrestrial primary producers yielded an estimated global net primary production (NPP) of 104.9 petagrams of carbon per year, with roughly equal contributions from land and oceans. Approaches based on satellite indices of absorbed solar radiation indicate marked heterogeneity in NPP for both land and oceans, reflecting the influence of physical and ecological processes. The spatial and temporal distributions of ocean NPP are consistent with primary limitation by light, nutrients, and temperature. On land, water limitation imposes additional constraints. On land and ocean, progressive changes in NPP can result in altered carbon storage, although contrasts in mechanisms of carbon storage and rates of organic matter turnover result in a range of relations between carbon storage and changes in NPP.     

Time scales in atmospheric chemistry: coupled perturbations to N2O, NOy, and O3

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of the top three greenhouse gases whose emissions may be brought under control through the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Current understanding of its global budget, including the balance of natural and anthropogenic sources, is largely based on the atmospheric losses calculated with chemical models. A representative one-dimensional model used here describes the photochemical coupling between N2O and stratospheric ozone (O3), which can easily be decomposed into its natural modes. The primary, longest lived mode describes most of the atmospheric perturbation due to anthropogenic N2O sources, and this pattern may be observable. The photolytic link between O3 and N2O is identified as the mechanism causing this mode to decay 10 to 15 percent more rapidly than the N2O mean atmospheric lifetime, affecting the inference of anthropogenic sources.     

In situ measurements of organics, meteoritic material, mercury, and other elements in aerosols at 5 to 19 kilometers

In situ measurements of the chemical composition of individual aerosol particles at altitudes between 5 and 19 kilometers reveal that upper tropospheric aerosols often contained more organic material than sulfate. Although stratospheric aerosols primarily consisted of sulfuric acid and water, many also contained meteoritic material. Just above the tropopause, small amounts of mercury were found in over half of the aerosol particles that were analyzed. Overall, there was tremendous variety in aerosol composition. One measure of this diversity is that at least 45 elements were detected in aerosol particles. These results have wide implications for the complexity of aerosol sources and chemistry. They also offer possibilities for understanding the transport of atmospheric aerosols.     

Gold nanoelectrodes of varied size: transition to molecule-like charging

A transition from metal-like double-layer capacitive charging to redox-like charging was observed in electrochemical ensemble Coulomb staircase experiments on solutions of gold nanoparticles of varied core size. The monodisperse gold nanoparticles are stabilized by short-chain alkanethiolate monolayers and have 8 to 38 kilodaltons core mass (1.1 to 1.9 nanometers in diameter). Larger cores display Coulomb staircase responses consistent with double-layer charging of metal-electrolyte interfaces, whereas smaller core nanoparticles exhibit redox chemical character, including a large central gap. The change in behavior is consistent with new near-infrared spectroscopic data showing an emerging gap between the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied orbitals of 0.4 to 0.9 electron volt.     

VASA (DDX4) is a Putative Marker for Spermatogonia,Spermatocytes and Round Spermatids in Stallions

Expression of the protein DDX4/MVH, or VASA, has been reported in germ cells of several species. The main objectives of this study were to (i) investigate VASA expression patterns in testicular cells of stallions at two different reproductive stages (pre‐pubertal and post‐pubertal) and (ii) evaluate the use of VASA antibody as a molecular marker for single germ cells from stallions. Testicular tissues were obtained from stallions and categorized as pre‐pubertal and post‐pubertal based on the formation of lumen and status of spermatogenesis on the cross section of seminiferous tubules. The results of Western blot showed a VASA protein band located at 76 kDa, indicating that the rabbit antibody has a cross‐reactivity with horse testicular tissues. The result of immunolabelling showed that VASA was expressed in the cytoplasm of spermatogonia at both reproductive stages and in spermatocytes and round spermatids at the post‐pubertal stage. GATA4‐positive Sertoli cells and Leydig cells located in the interstitial space were not immunolabelled with VASA. These results suggest that VASA can be utilized as a molecular marker for germ cells of stallions at pre‐pubertal and post‐pubertal stages. Interestingly, immunolabelling intensity was significantly higher in pachytene spermatocytes compared to spermatogonia and round spermatid. VASA antibody was also effective for staining of single germ cell preparations. In conclusion, VASA protein expression can be used as a marker for identification of spermatogonia, spermatocytes and round spermatids in testicular tissues of stallions.     

Designing a network of marine reserves in the Mediterranean Sea with limited socio-economic data

The present study is the first to determine priorities for the location of marine reserves using spatial prioritization software in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. We used biophysical data from visual census surveys on: fish species abundance, presence of various habitat types, and percent coverage of seagrasses and canopy algae. Efficient conservation planning requires spatially explicit information on how proposed management will affect stakeholders, which in this region was very limited. We created novel socio-economic cost indices to account for fisheries and tourists. Our fishing metrics were based on fisher behaviour including information on the location of ports and areas often inaccessible to fishers due to high wind exposure. We developed a cost index for tourism based on the availability of beds for tourists. We examined how the spatial priorities for marine reserves varied using different combinations of these socio-economic cost metrics. We found about 17% of sites were a high priority regardless of which cost metric was used. We also compared, for the first time in the Mediterranean, our results devised using systematic conservation planning approaches with priorities developed by two non-systematic methods, the Natura 2000 proposed marine reserves and sites that local fishers proposed for protection. Only a few sites identified by our approach were the same as those recommended as part of Natura 2000 or the fishers’ proposals. This suggests that much more work is needed to harmonise existing proposals with the principles of efficient systematic conservation planning.