Aerial strategies advance volcanic gas measurements at inaccessible, strongly degassing volcanoes

Volcanic emissions are a critical pathway in Earth's carbon cycle. Here, we show that aerial measurements of volcanic gases using unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) transform our ability to measure and monitor plumes remotely and to constrain global volatile fluxes from volcanoes. Combining multi-scale measurements from ground-based remote sensing, long-range aerial sampling, and satellites, we present comprehensive gas fluxes-3760 ± [600, 310] tons day^-1 CO₂ and 5150 ± [730, 340] tons day^-1 SO₂-for a strong yet previously uncharacterized volcanic emitter: Manam, Papua New Guinea. The CO₂/S_T ratio of 1.07 ± 0.06 suggests a modest slab sediment contribution to the sub-arc mantle. We find that aerial strategies reduce uncertainties associated with ground-based remote sensing of SO₂ flux and enable near-real-time measurements of plume chemistry and carbon isotope composition. Our data emphasize the need to account for time averaging of temporal variability in volcanic gas emissions in global flux estimates.

Discovery of a cool planet of 5.5 Earth masses through gravitational microlensing

In the favoured core-accretion model of formation of planetary systems, solid planetesimals accumulate to build up planetary cores, which then accrete nebular gas if they are sufficiently massive. Around M-dwarf stars (the most common stars in our Galaxy), this model favours the formation of Earth-mass (M(o)) to Neptune-mass planets with orbital radii of 1 to 10 astronomical units (au), which is consistent with the small number of gas giant planets known to orbit M-dwarf host stars. More than 170 extrasolar planets have been discovered with a wide range of masses and orbital periods, but planets of Neptune's mass or less have not hitherto been detected at separations of more than 0.15 au from normal stars. Here we report the discovery of a 5.5(+5.5)(-2.7) M(o) planetary companion at a separation of 2.6+1.5-0.6 au from a 0.22+0.21-0.11 M(o) M-dwarf star, where M(o) refers to a solar mass. (We propose to name it OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, indicating a planetary mass companion to the lens star of the microlensing event.) The mass is lower than that of GJ876d (ref. 5), although the error bars overlap. Our detection suggests that such cool, sub-Neptune-mass planets may be more common than gas giant planets, as predicted by the core accretion theory.

Calibrated serological techniques demonstrate significant different serum response rates to an oral killed cholera vaccine between Swedish and Nicaraguan children

Serum responses to oral cholera vaccines were assessed in three paediatric vaccine trials, two in León, Nicaragua and one in Stockholm, Sweden. A calibrated anti-cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) IgA ELISA was used together with an assay for vibriocidal antibodies. Swedish children had lower pre-vaccination levels of antibody, but serum responses were more pronounced in Swedish children than in Nicaraguan children. Post-vaccination levels of anti-toxin antibody were generally above those found after natural infections with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, that cross-reacts serologically with Vibrio cholerae. Adverse events seen after vaccination were generally mild and of little clinical significance.

Biotransformation of caryophyllene oxide by botrytis cinerea

Biotransformation of caryophyllene oxide (1) with B. cinerea afforded 15 products (2-16). Ten of these (3-5, 7, 9-11, and 14-16) are reported here for the first time. The main reaction paths involved stereoselective epoxidation at C-8/C-13 and hydroxylation at C-7. A rearranged compound was found, which was a cyclization product 16 possessing the caryolane skeleton.

Depressed in vitro lymphocyte responses to PHA in patients with Hodgkin disease in continuous long remissions

Twenty consecutive patients with Hodgkin disease in continuous complete remission and off treatment for at least 5 yr (range 5-25 yr, median 9 yr) were studied with a battery of immunologic parameters. Skin test reactivity to four common antigens, sensitization to 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, absolute lymphocyte count, relative percentage of T cells (as measured by spontaneous rosette formation with sheep erythrocytes) and B cells (as measured by immunofluorescence with polyvalent antiserum), and absolute number of T and B cells were normal when compared with controls. However, the mean value of lymphocyte response in vitro to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin for the study population was significantly decreased (p less than 0.001) when compared with the controls. This abnormality in response to mitogen could not be correlated with age, sex, stage, symptoms, histologic subclassification, or previous treatment. The data suggest the existence of a persisting cell-mediated immune defect in the circulating lymphocytes in patients with long-standing Hodgkin disease that might otherwise be considered "cured."

Comparison of multiple in vivo and in vitro parameters in untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease

Multiple in vivo and in vitro immune parameters were used to examine 52 untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease in all stages. A significant number (p less than 0.01) of patients in all stages demonstrated abnormalities in DNCB sensitization, peripheral blood lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutination, absolute lymphocyte count, absolute number of T cells (as measured by spontaneous rosette formation with sheep erythrocytes), and absolute number of B cells (as measured by immunofluorescence with polyvalent antiserum). The number of T and B cells fell progressively with each stage, but the proportion of T to B cells remained constant. Cutaneous anergy was found in STAGES III and IV. Depressed circulating immunoglobulins were found in a few patients in all stages. Neither the total lymphocyte number nor the number of T and B cells correlated with the measures of lymphocyte function (skin test reactivity, DNCB sensitization, mitogen response, or immunoglobulin levels). This study suggests that selective abnormalities in the immune system exist even in early Hodgkin's disease, involving the absolute number of circulating T and B lymphocytes and T-lymphocyte function. The study fails, however, to define a consistent pattern of immune defects as characteristic of Hodgkin's Disease.