If the tide is rising, who pays for the ark?

Two common goals of this meeting are to arrest the effects of sea level rise and other phenomena caused by Greenhouse Gases from anthropogenic sources ("GHG",) and to mitigate the effects. The fundamental questions are: (1) how to get there and (2) who should shoulder the cost? Given Washington gridlock, states, NGO's and citizens such as the Inupiat of the Village of Kivalina have turned to the courts for solutions. Current actions for public nuisance seek (1) to reduce and eventually eliminate GHG emissions, (2) damages for health effects and property damage—plus hundreds of millions in dollars spent to prepare for the foregoing. The U.S. Court of Appeals just upheld the action against the generators of some 10% of the CO2 emissions from human activities in the U.S., clearing the way for a trial featuring the state of the art scientific linkage between GHG production and the effects of global warming. Climate change impacts on coastal regions manifest most prominently through sea level rise and its impacts: beach erosion, loss of private and public structures, relocation costs, loss of use and accompanying revenues (e.g. tourism), beach replenishment and armoring costs, impacts of flooding during high water events, and loss of tax base. Other effects may include enhanced storm frequency and intensity, increased insurance risks and costs, impacts to water supplies, fires and biological changes through invasions or local extinctions (IPCC AR4, 2007; Okmyung, et al., 2007). There is an increasing urgency for federal and state governments to focus on the local and regional levels and consistently provide the information, tools, and methods necessary for adaptation. Calls for action at all levels acknowledge that a viable response must engage federal, state and local expertise, perspectives, and resources in a coordinated and collaborative effort. A workshop held in December 2000 on coastal inundation and sea level rise proposes a shared framework that can help guide where investments should be made to enable states and local governments to assess impacts and initiate adaptation strategies over the next decade. (PDF contains 5 pages

Grape Growing

PDF pages: 2

Endoplasmic Reticulum - Mitochondrial Interactions in House Dust Mite Induced Inflammation

Rationale: Airway epithelial cells (AECs) are critical regulators of inflammatory, immune and injury responses to allergens that contribute to asthma pathogenesis. The response of AECs to allergens requires an integrated-complex, extracellular receptors and intracellular organelle interaction to achieve secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria interactions have previously been shown to induce mitochondrial fission. Mitochondrial fission may be a key parameter allergen induced airway inflammation in asthma. However, ER-mitochondria interactions, mitochondrial fission, and subsequent production and secretion of cytokines and chemokines in response to House Dust Mite (HDM) are not well understood. Objective: Here we will assess the ability of HDM to induce ER-mitochondrial interactions and subsequent mitochondrial fission in human bronchiolar epithelial (HBE) cells. We will also investigate the impact on cytokine production downstream of mitochondrial fission in HBE cells treated with HDM. Methods: ER-mitochondrial interactions were quantified using confocal and epifluorescence microscopy. Cytokine/chemokine profiles were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) using HBE cells treated with HDM. Measurements and Main Results: Using epifluorescence and confocal microscopy we show that ER-mitochondrial contacts are increased in response to HDM treatment, as well as HDM-induced mitochondrial fission increased in HBE cells. Inhibition of DRP1, a protein essential for mitochondrial fission, decreases HDM induced ER-mitochondrial interaction. In addition, HDM-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines were decreased in HBE cells where mitochondrial fission is inhibited. Conclusion: HDM induces ER-Mitochondrial interactions that promote mitochondrial fission and subsequent production of pro-inflammatory cytokines

Low-Voltage CMOS Temperature Sensor Design Using Schottky Diode-Based References

This paper presents the design of a fully differential sigma-delta temperature sensor using Schottky diode-based current references as a replacement for the traditional PN junction diode-based current references. This sensor was designed using the AMI 0.5um process through the MOSIS fabrication organization[l], and the chip performance will be evaluated and compared to the simulated results. The use of the Schottky diode and differential current sensing in the sigma-delta-type sensor allows for lower voltage operation and better noise performance

Atom detection in a two-mode optical cavity with intermediate coupling: Autocorrelation studies

We use an optical cavity in the regime of intermediate coupling between atom and cavity mode to detect single moving atoms. Degenerate polarization modes allow excitation of the atoms in one mode and collection of spontaneous emission in the other, while keeping separate the two sources of light; we obtain a higher confidence and efficiency of detection by adding cavity-enhanced Faraday rotation. Both methods greatly benefit from coincidence detection of photons, attaining fidelities in excess of 99% in less than 1 microsecond. Detailed studies of the second-order intensity autocorrelation function of light from the signal mode reveal evidence of antibunched photon emissions and the dynamics of single-atom transits.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

How should we use the coronary artery calcium score to predict cardiovascular risk?

The coronary artery calcium (CAC) score--an independent predictor of cardiovascular events (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, systematic review of disease-oriented outcomes)--can be used, in addition to traditional risk factor assessment, to further stratify the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in asymptomatic patients (SOR: C, multiple large observational studies with disease-oriented outcomes). Although a high CAC score is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, no studies have evaluated cardiovascular outcomes of CAC-guided treatment, so its value remains theoretical

Should you test or treat partners of patients with gonorrhea, chlamydia, or trichomoniasis?

Empiric treatment of partners of female or heterosexual male patients diagnosed with gonorrhea or chlamydia using expedited partner therapy (having the index patient deliver therapy to the partner) decreases the risk of persistent or recurrent infection in the index patient (strength of recommendation [SOR]: A, metaanalysis). The effect is greater for gonorrhea than chlamydia. By contrast, expedited partner therapy for trichomoniasis appears equivalent to a test-first approach (SOR: B, single randomized controlled trial [RCT])