Microbiological-Immunological Rapid Method to Detect Legionellaceae in Water

Specific and sensitive immunological assays for the detection of bacteria are able to substitute the conventional microbiological control of drinking water. In cooperation with the Medical University of Hannover immunological assays were developed based on monoclonal antibodies against specific bacterial antigens. The immunological methods were combined with a shortened microbiological pre-enrichment, because the sensitivity of the immunoassays was too low to fulfill the requirements of the drinking water ordinance. Legionella colonies grown on a solid selective medium are detectable within 2 h only by an immunological dot-blot method using a monoclonal antibody against the legionella heat shock protein. The method proved its validity in first test series at the municipal water works Mainz and will be screened intensively in further studies. The intent is to find a standardization analogous to that of the immunological detection of enterobacteria [1].     

Nonlinear models of pulsation and mass loss

We briefly discuss the current status of our radiation-hydrodynamical models of pulsation in various stellar objects and of dust-driven mass loss in LPVs. We emphasize the importance of a future combined modelling of pulsation and mass loss in AGB stars which has to be based on reliable physical and numerical methods.     

Anthropogenic Pressure on Structure and Composition of a Shola Forest in Kerala, India

Introduction Tropical region is endowed with a vast tract of diverse vegetation (Gentry 1992). Among different types of forests, the montane forests, due to their unique features including rich biodiversity andprominent ecological services, have always attracted biologists, bio-geographers, ecologists and forest managers (Doumenge et al. 1995). In India, montane forests covering 7.9 % of total forest area occur in the Himalayan, northeastern and southern parts of the country (Lal 1989). In s…     

Recent progress in imaging polarimetry

Recent instrumental developments in imaging polarimetry allow array detectors to reach a polarimetric sensitivity of 1 × 10^–4 of the intensity. New instrumental effects appear at these levels of sensitivity and generate spurious polarization signals with amplitudes of up to 5 × 10^–4. Here I discuss these effects and present methods to avoid them. Polarized spectra with an rms noise of 6 × 10^–6 may then be obtained. Furthermore a method is brought to the reader's attention that allows polarization measurements at the 1 × 10^–4 level with regular array detectors, e.g. in the near-infrared.     

Thermal structure of the envelopes of rapidly rotating neutron stars

For a neutron star which rotates like the fastest millisecond pulsar we calculate the temperature profile within the envelope. We find a small decrease of the surface temperature and a considerable increase of the thickness of the liquid layer from the pole to the equator.     

Photometric elements of V364 cassiopeiae

TheUBV photometric observations of the eclipsing binary V364 Cas have been discussed. Two sets of photometric elements, one based on the Russell and Merrill methods and the other based on Kopal's new method of the analysis of the light curves of eclipsing binary stars in the frequency-domain, have been derived. Using the observed colour indicesU-B andB-V, the spectral types of the systemic components are estimated. An examination of all the available times of minimum light of V364 Cas does not reveal any change in its orbital period.     

Reliability index in geotechnics

In this paper, the reliability index β is examined for its applicability in geotechnics. A statistical finite difference scheme is proposed to evaluate partial derivatives of the limit state function, enabling the computation of the reliability index β. Through illustrative examples, it is demonstrated that the proposed procedure gives results in excellent agreement with those obtained by the Monte Carlo simulation method, and yet it involves considerable savings in computing time. Extension of the reliability index method to cover many classes of problems involving correlated variables is highlighted.     

MHD flow of an elasto-viscous fluid past a porous flat plate

An analytical study is performed to examine the laminar flow of an electrically-conducting elasto-viscous fluid (Walters's liquidB) past an infinite porous flat plate to a step function change in suction velocity in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. The influence of the various parameters, entering in the problem, on the velocity field and shearing stress is extensively discussed.     

A new,valid measure of climate change understanding: associations with risk perception

The relationship between climate change understanding and other variables, including risk perception, beliefs, and worldviews, is an important consideration as we work to increase public attention to climate change. Despite significant effort to develop rigorous mechanisms for measuring affective variables, measurement of climate change understanding is often relegated to unvalidated questions or question sets. To remedy this situation, we constructed and analyzed a climate change concept inventory using a suite of validity and reliability steps, including Rasch analysis. The resultant 21-item test has a high degree of validity and reliability for measuring understanding about basic climate change processes. Inventory scores along with other variables were included in a model of climate change risk perception, providing both concurrent validity for the test and new insight into the importance of understanding, worldview, and values on risk perception. We find that environmental beliefs and cultural cognition worldview play a larger role in predicting an individual’s risk perception than knowledge. Implications for addressing climate change are considered.     

Probability of occurrence of monthly and seasonal winter precipitation over Northwest India based on antecedent-monthly precipitation

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - Winter (December, January, and February (DJF)) precipitation over northwest India (NWI) is mainly associated with the eastward moving mid-latitude synoptic...