Identification of a c-Ki-ras oncogene in a neoplasm isolated from winter flounder

It has been shown that a high incidence of hepatomas are present in winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) obtained from Boston Harbor. It has been suggested that this may be a consequence of locally high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in the sediment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether transforming DNA sequences (oncogenes) could be identified in liver neoplasms isolated from feral fish and to study their relationship to their corresponding proto-oncogenes. The ultimate aim of this study is to characterize novel mutations in oncogenes derived from these hepatomas to correlate these genetic changes with chemical exposure history. Genomic DNA was isolated from liver neoplasms and transfected into NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts to assay for the formation of transformed foci. DNA was prepared from transformed foci and analyzed by Southern blot hybridization to viral DNA probes specific for c-Ki-ras and c-Ha-ras DNA sequences. A c-Ki-ras oncogene was identified in a transformant derived from one of the two tumors assayed. Comparison of c-Ki-ras DNA sequences of tumor and tumor-derived transformants indicate that the activated oncogene in the transformant is of flounder origin. We are currently analyzing the flounder oncogene for activating point mutations by primer-directed enzymatic amplification and direct sequence analysis.     

Transport of salt and suspended sediments in a curving channel of a coastal plain estuary: Satilla River, GA

This study describes the transport of salt and suspended sediment in a curving reach of a shallow mesotidal coastal plain estuary. Circulation data revealed a subtidal upstream bottom flow during neap tide, indicating the presence of a gravitational circulation mode throughout the channel. During spring tide, landward bottom flow weakened considerably at the upstream end of the channel and changed to seaward in the middle and downstream areas of the reach, suggesting the importance of tidal pumping. Salt flux near-bottom was landward at both ends of the channel during neap tide. At spring, however, the salt flux diverged along the bottom of the thalweg suggesting that tidal pumping caused a transfer of salt vertically and laterally into the intertidal zone. Thus, landward flux of salt is maintained even in the presence of subtidal seaward flow along the bottom at the downstream end of the channel.Landward bottom stress is greater than seaward stress, preferentially transporting suspended sediments upstream. Compared with salt, however, the weight of the suspended sediments causes less upward transfer of sediments into the intertidal zone. Flood flow carried more suspended sediments landward at the upstream end compared with the downstream end. We speculate that secondary flow in the curving channel picks up increasing amounts of suspended sediments along the sides during flood and adds them to the axial flow in the thalweg. Since the landward flow along the bottom of the thalweg weakens and even reverses during spring tide, there appears to be a complex re-circulation system for sediments re-suspended in curving channels that complicates the picture of a net transport of sediments landward.     

Using Large-Eddy Simulations to Define Spectral and Coherence Characteristics of the Hurricane Boundary Layer for Wind-Energy Applications

Offshore wind-energy development is planned for regions where hurricanes commonly occur, such as the USA Atlantic Coast. Even the most robust wind-turbine design (IEC Class I) may be unable to withstand a Category-2 hurricane (hub-height wind speeds >50 m s\(^{-1}\)). Characteristics of the hurricane boundary layer that affect the structural integrity of turbines, especially in major hurricanes, are poorly understood, primarily due to a lack of adequate observations that span typical turbine heights (<200 m above sea level). To provide these data, we use large-eddy simulations to produce wind profiles of an idealized Category-5 hurricane at high spatial (10 m) and temporal (0.1 s) resolution. By comparison with unique flight-level observations from a field project, we find that a relatively simple configuration of the Cloud Model I model accurately represents the properties of Hurricane Isabel (2003) in terms of mean wind speeds, wind-speed variances, and power spectra. Comparisons of power spectra and coherence curves derived from our hurricane simulations to those used in current turbine design standards suggest that adjustments to these standards may be needed to capture characteristics of turbulence seen within the simulated hurricane boundary layer. To enable improved design standards for wind turbines to withstand hurricanes, we suggest modifications to account for shifts in peak power to higher frequencies and greater spectral coherence at large separations.     

Thinking inside the neoliberal box: The micro-politics of agro-food philanthropy

This paper examines a philanthropy-led initiative which has as its objective to jump start the transition to a more sustainable and just food system in California. The first major project funded was a “vivid picture” of California’s food system twenty-five years in the future. The outcome of the project is a report that is glossed with the tropes of neoliberalism in all of its key organizing frameworks, analytics, cognitive maps, and idioms and argues for “opportunities-based approaches” as the engine of change. Yet, as described in the paper, this outcome was initially under-determined, and, in fact, the funders had originally intended to leverage their resources for large scale transformation. By examining four moments in the development of the Vivid Picture project, the grantee selection, the modeling exercise, the stakeholder meetings, and the qualitative interviews, this paper will show how existing techniques of neoliberal governance such as modeling, audit, best-practices, and stakeholder participation, as well as current norms of philanthropy, shaped what is thinkable and hence actable. It will also show how “stakeholders” played a constitutive role in producing the outcomes of the project, in part because their input reflected already-developed notions of the possible within the current climate of neoliberalism. In the end it will argue that the failure of the Vivid Picture to look beyond the neoliberal present is itself evidence of the proliferation of neoliberal governmentalities. Still, the entire process galvanized many of the movement actors who were left out of the funding process and, in that way, produced political openings.     

Assessment of USGS BCR-2 as a Reference Material for Silicate Rock U-Pa Disequilibrium Measurements

The accuracy of ²³¹Pa-²³⁵U measurements can be readily assessed using a secular equilibrium reference material (RM), but a secular equilibrium RM is also required to calibrate the ²³³Pa spike used in ²³¹Pa determinations. The only silicate RM commonly accepted to be in secular equilibrium is Table Mountain Latite (TML) and so an additional reference is required. Our measurements on the widely available USGS BCR-2 (Basalt Columbia River) rock powder yielded (²³¹Pa/²³⁵U) = 0.997 ± 0.013 2s (n = 10), indicating its value as a secondary reference to test the fidelity of U-Pa determinations. Such a reference material additionally provides a useful check on data reduction, which our literature survey highlights can lead to discrepancies of up to 53% between reported (²³¹Pa/²³⁵U) activity ratios and corresponding U and Pa concentration data.     

Large mirror fabrication of low expansion glasses

Low expansion glasses offer many advantages as mirror blank materials due to their thermal and mechanical properties as well as the flewibility they offer in design and fabrication. Fused silica, Corning Code 7940, and ULE (trademark) titanium silicate, Code 7971, produced by the flame hydrolysis process, are high purity and homogeneous glasses. Determination of the average and the variation pattern of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) within ULE mirror blanks is readily accomplished by ultrasonic measurements.The ability to fusion-seal of the glasses offers mirror manifacturing design freedom of shape and size. The hex-seal process has successfully produced solid monolithic mirror blank up to 4 m diameter and large thin plates up to an 801 diameter:thickness ratio. The fabrication of a large mirror blank such as the JNLT 7.5 m blank would utilize the proven fusion techniques.The hex-seal technique consists of fusing preselected boules of glass into a monolith to achieve the required thickness and diameter of a mirror blank. Subsequently, a meniscus blank can be accomplished by heating the plato blank and sagging it over a spherical refractory mold. This ability to fusion seal the glass offers the advantage of blank repair should fracture occur during manufacturing. Following the slumping, the blank is annealed. Further processing of the blank, such as grinding and coating, will not change the material properties or induce permanent stresses requiring additional annealing.Paper presented at the Symposium on the JNLT and Related Engineering Developments, Tokyo, November 29–December 2, 1988.     

Benchmarking sustainability in cities: The role of indicators and future scenarios

Scenarios are a useful tool to help think about and visualise the future and, as such, are utilised by many policymakers and practitioners. Future scenarios have not been used to explore the urban context in much depth, yet have the potential to provide valuable insights into the robustness of decisions being made today in the name of sustainability. As part of a major research project entitled Urban Futures, a toolkit has been developed in the UK to facilitate the use of scenarios in any urban context and at any scale relevant to that context. The toolkit comprises two key components, namely, (i) a series of indicators comprising both generic and topic area-specific indicators (e.g., air quality, biodiversity, density, water) that measure sustainability performance and (ii) a list of characteristics (i.e., 1–2-sentence statements about a feature, issue or small set of issues) that describe four future scenarios. In combination, these two components enable us to measure the performance of any given sustainability indicator, and establish the relative sensitivity or vulnerability of that indicator to the different future scenarios. An important aspect of the methodology underpinning the toolkit is that it is flexible enough to incorporate new scenarios, characteristics and indicators, thereby allowing the long-term performance of our urban environments to be considered in the broadest possible sense.