The large cells in early vertebrate development face an extreme physical challenge in organizing their cytoplasm. For example, amphibian embryos have to divide cytoplasm that spans hundreds of micrometres every 30 min according to a precise geometry, a remarkable accomplishment given the extreme difference between molecular and cellular scales in this system. How do the biochemical reactions oc...

Extreme air pollution meteorological events, such as heat waves, temperature inversions and atmospheric stagnation episodes, can significantly affect air quality. Based on observational data, we have analyzed the long-term evolution of extreme air pollution meteorology on the global scale and their potential impacts on air quality, especially the high pollution episodes. We have identified sign...

BACKGROUND Heat-wave frequency, intensity, and duration are increasing with global climate change. The association between heat and mortality in the elderly is well documented, but less is known regarding associations with hospital admissions. OBJECTIVES Our goal was to determine associations between moderate and extreme heat, heat waves, and hospital admissions for nonaccidental causes among...

INTRODUCTION: Flooding resulting from hurricanes and other extreme storm events is a prominent risk along the coasts. These coastal areas are typically of low elevation and relief, making land and infrastructure highly susceptible to inundation by storm surge and waves. The severity of this threat is exacerbated by sea level rise and a possible increase in storm frequency and strength due to cl...

Rising global temperatures are causing increases in the frequency and severity of extreme climatic events, such as floods, droughts, and heat waves. We analyze changes in summer temperatures, the frequency, severity, and duration of heat waves, and heat-related mortality in India between 1960 and 2009 using data from the India Meteorological Department. Mean temperatures across India have risen...

Extreme, or “rogue,” waves are those in the tail of the probability distribution and are a matter of great concern and considerable research. They may be partly associated with non-Gaussian behavior caused by resonant nonlinear interactions. Here it is shown that even in a Gaussian sea, “unexpected” waves, in the sense of, for example, waves twice as large as any in the preceding 30 periods, oc...

We investigate the high and low energy scattering of charged scalar waves from an extreme dilaton black hole (DBH). The analyses here correspond to forward scattering processes of two charged scalar particles with dilaton coupling under a certain extreme condition. We calculate the scattering amplitude and compare it with the known results obtained by other methods. We also discuss the case of ...

The concept of rogue waves arises from a mysterious and potentially calamitous phenomenon of oceanic surfaces. There is mounting evidence that they are actually commonplace in a variety of different physical settings. A set of defining criteria has been advanced; this set is of great generality and therefore applicable to a wide class of systems. The question arises naturally whether there are ...