Induction of high grade astrocytoma (HGA) by protons: molecular mechanisms and RBE considerations.

Protons of a specific energy, 55 MeV, have been found to induce primary high grade astrocytomas (HGA) in the Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). Brain tumors of this type were not induced by protons of other energies (32-2,300 MeV). Induction of HGA has been identified in human patients who have had radiation therapy to the head. We believe that the induction of HGA in the monkey is a consequence of dose distribution, not some unique "toxic" property of protons. Comparison of the human experience with the monkey data indicates the RBE for induction of brain tumors to be about one. It is unlikely that protons cause an unusual change in oncogenic expression, as compared to conventional electromagnetic radiation.     

Development of plant protoplasts during the IML-1 mission.

During the 8 day IML-1 mission, regeneration of cell walls and cell divisions in rapeseed protoplasts were studied using the Biorack microscope onboard the Space Shuttle "Discovery". Samples from microgravity and 1g protoplast cultures were loaded on microscope slides. Visual microscopic observations were reported by the payload specialist Roberta Bondar, by down-link video transmission and by use of a microscope camera. Protoplasts grown under microgravity conditions do regenerate cell walls but to a lesser extent than under 1g. Cell divisions are delayed under microgravity. Few cell aggregates with maximum 4-6 cells per aggregate are formed under microgravity conditions, indicating that microgravity may have a profound influence on plant cell differentiation.     

Nonlinear problems of physics of the geomagnetic pulsations

The current state of research involving manifestations of nonlinearity in geomagnetic pulsations is reviewed. Traditionally, the attention of researchers was focused on the effects of resonant interaction of geomagnetic pulsations with small groups of energetic particles, which actually means the study of the quasi-linear relaxation of radiation belt ions, the modulation of auroral electron fluxes, etc. The present review concentrates on the problem of the nonlinear effect influence of pulsations on the backgroud (cold) plasma and on the geomagnetic field. This kind of interaction results in a significant modification of the plasma distribution in the magnetosphere. Self-consistent wave structures—solitons and vortices may occur as well. Such nonlinear effects contribute to physics of geomagnetic pulsations and are also of fundamental importance for general physics. Another set of more narrow problems considered in the review, is related to phenomenological modeling of fluctuational and critical phenomena in the magnetosphere. The essence of our approach is to present the magnetosphere as a black box, whose properties should be determined by the statistical characteristics of its output signals. This approach to phenomenology can be a useful supplement to the methods of microscopic modeling aimed at detecting nonlinear manifestations of geomagnetic pulsations.     

The complex Hα profile of the hypergiant HR 8752 during 1970–1992

The profiles of H observed during the 1970–1992 period in the binary hypergiant HR 8752 (G0 Ia) are presented. We distinguish five typical H profiles designated as A, B, C, D and E types according to the number of emission and absorption features. The profiles of H are complex and contain several emission and absorption components, with: –130 km/s in emission or absorption, –84 km/s in absorption, –49 km/s in emission and about +6 km/s in emission. All of them are rather stable in radial velocities except of the main absorption component in the P Cygni profile with –84 km/s. The frequency of appearance and the periods of duration of the occurrence of the components is discussed. The duration times range between about 3 to 10 months for various components. The red emission component E₂ is particularly interesting. Possible explanations of its origin are discussed.A long-term acceleration of the absorption component in the P Cygni profile is found; it can be interpreted as monotonous acceleration of the stellar wind.     

Leg venous hemodynamics and leg volumes during a 42 day -6 degrees head-down bedrest

Seven healthy subjects were submitted to a 42-day head down bedrest, where leg venous compliance (venous distensibity index VDI) and leg volumes were assessed by mercury strain gauge plethysmography with venous occlusion and optoelectronic plethysmography, respectively. Plethysmographic and volometric measurements were made, before, during (at days 1, 4, 7, 14, 21, 26, 34 and 41), and after bedrest (days 1, 4, 7, 11 and 30 of the recovery period). Results showed a continuous decrease in leg volumes throughout bedrest, when VDI increased until day 26 of bedrest, and then decreased afterwards. The recovery period was characterized by a rapid return of VDI to prebedrest levels while leg volumes progressively normalised. These results showed that leg venous compliance changes are not always dependant upon skeletal muscle changes, and that factors other than size of muscle compartment are able to determine increases in leg venous compliance during long-term bedrest.     

Experimental Aspects of Mid-Frequency Pulsations (f≈10–100 mHz) in the Southern Polar Cap

We review the results obtained in the frequency range of Pc3 (22-100 mHz) and Pc4 (7-22 mHz) pulsations at Italian Antarctic stations in the southern polar cap (“Mario Zucchelli”, at Terra Nova Bay, TNB, 80^˚.S; “Concordia”, the Italian/French base at Dome C, DMC, 89^˚.S). The absence of a midnight enhancement in the pulsation power suggests a negligible substorm influence at extreme latitudes, while the sharp noon enhancement, which appears only at TNB, is determined by the closer proximity of the station to cusp related phenomena. The relationship between the frequency of the band-limited signals and the interplanetary magnetic field strength, the cone angle influence, and the higher correlation of the Pc3 power with the solar wind speed in the morning hours suggest a global scenario in which upstream waves would be mainly responsible for the mid-frequency activity in the polar cap. However, the polarization pattern is odd with respect to the predictions for tailward propagating modes.     

The atmosphere of Jupiter

Current information on the neutral atmosphere of Jupiter is reviewed, with approximately equal emphasis on composition and thermal structure on the one hand, and markings and dynamics on the other. Studies based on Pioneer 10 and 11 data are used to refine the atmospheric model. Data on the interior are reviewed for the information they provide on the deep atmosphere. The markings and dynamics are discussed with emphasis on qualitative relationships and analogies with phenomena in the Earth's atmosphere.Contribution No. 2652 of the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. 91125, U.S.A.     

Specification and Performance of Passive Sonar Spectral Estimators

The application of existing estimation theory to the problem of specification and performance of passive sonar spectral estimators is considered. The classification function is addressed, so that the signal is assumed to be present, and so that the energy arrival angle is known. The spatial filter considered is a line array of M equally spaced omnidirectional hydrophones. Signal and ambient noise are both zero-mean, wide-sense, stationary Gaussian random processes that differ in their spatial correlation across the face of the array. The signal is a plane wave that can be made totally spacially corrected between array elements by inserting delays between sensors to invert the signal propagation delay. The noise correlation is a function of frequency, bandwidth, element separation, and the relative time delay between sensors. Under these assumptions, the Cramer-Rao lower bound is derived for the class of unbiased estimates of signal power in a narrow frequency band at the hydrophone in the presence of correlated ambient noise of known power. The bound is examined numerically, resulting in a threshold phenomenon with M that constitutes a new design consideration. In addition, there is a striking insensitivity to realistic values of ambient noise correlation, and there are ranges in signal-to-noise ratio for which one gains more by increasing M than by increasing the bandwidth-time product. Specific processors, including a new unbiased estimator when noise power is unknown, are developed.     

Radar Performance with Multipath Using the Complex Angle

The complex angle (CA) method for resolving a low angle target from its multipath signal is evaluated in the presence of system noise. It is shown that standard deviation improvements of around 3-to-1 can be achieved at a 20-dB signal-to-noise power ratio relative to a normal monopulse system without the CA. It is also shown that the CA method is unbiased, giving bias improvements of as much as 100 times relative to normal monopulse. Evaluation of the assumptions in the technique shows very little sensitivity to knowledge of the reflecting surface's conductivity or dielectric constant. However, the method is somewhat sensitive to knowledge of surface roughness.