Seasonal and interannual variation in water vapor and energy exchange over a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, China

In this study, we conducted eddy covariance (EC) measurements of water vapor exchange over a typical steppe in a semi-arid area of the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China. Measurement sites were located within a 25-year-old enclosure with a relatively low leaf area index (similar to 1. 5 m(2) m(-2)) and dominated by Leymus chinensis. Energy balance closure was (H + LE) = 17.09 + 0.69 x (Rn - G) (W/m(2); r(2) = 0.95, n = 6596). Precipitation during the two growing seasons of the study period was similar to the long-term average. The peak evapotranspiration in 2004 was 4 mm d(-1), and 3.5 mm d(-1) in 2003. The maximum latent heat flux was higher than the sensible heat flux, and the sensible heat flux dominated the energy budget at midday during the entire growing season in 2003; latent heat flux was the main consumption component for net radiation during the 2004 growing season. During periods of frozen soil in 2003 and 2004, the sensible heat flux was the primary consumption component for net radiation. The soil heat flux component was similar in 2003 and 2004. The decoupling coefficient (between 0.5 and 0.1) indicates that evapotranspiration was strongly controlled by saturation water vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in this grassland. The results of this research suggest that energy exchange and evapotranspiration were controlled by the phenology of the vegetation and soil water content. In addition, the amount and frequency of rainfall significantly affect energy exchange and evapotranspiration upon the Inner Mongolia plateau. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Energy exchange between the atmosphere and a meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

To reveal the potential contribution of grassland ecosystems to climate change, we examined the energy exchange over an alpine Kobresia meadow on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The annual pattern of energy exchange showed a clear distinction between periods of frozen soil with the daily mean soil temperature at 5 cm (T-s5 ≤ 0 ° C) and non-frozen soil (T-s5 > 0 ° C). More than 80% of net radiation was converted to sensible heat (H) during the frozen soil period, but H varied considerably with the change in vegetation during the non-frozen soil period. Three different sub-periods were further distinguished for the later period: (1) the pre-growth period with Bowen ratio (β) > 1 was characterized by a high β of 3.0 in average and the rapid increase of net radiation associated with the increases of H, latent heat (LE) and soil heat; (2) during the Growth period when β ≤ 1, the LE was high but H fluxes was low with β changing between 0.3 and 0.4; (3) the post-growth period with average β of 3.6 when H increased again and reached a second maximum around early October. The seasonal pattern suggests that the phenology of the vegetation and the soil water content were the major factors affecting the energy partitioning in the alpine meadow ecosystem. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

磁层-电离层耦合现象的分析研究

The magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling is mainly manifested by the trans- porting processes of energy into the ionosphere , the energy is carried by solar wind and firstly accumulate at the magnetosphere, and the coupling processes also significantly include the interaction between the magnetosphere and ionosphere for mass and energy. At the quiet condition, energy is delivered by the large-scale convection of the geomagnetic field; the huge energy from solar wind bulk will be injected into and consumed at the near magnetosphere and ionosphere by the geomagnetic storm and substorm activities. Aurorae and FACs (Field-aligned currents) are the important phenomena in the coupling processes. In the present work, firstly, we analyze the activity characteristics of auroral precipitating particle, secondly, we study the distribution characters of large-scale field aligned currents (LS FACs) at storm-time using the observations from different satellites at different altitudes. Finally, we investigate the evolution of the geomagnetic field configuration at the nightside sector on the onset of the expansion phase in a substorm event, the substorm event happened at 0430UT to 0630UT on 8th Nov. 2004. The main results as follows： At the first, the data of the estimated power input (EPI) of auroral particles from NOAA/POES (Polar orbiting environmental satellite) for some 30 years have been analyzed. The variation tendencies of the EPI generally coincide with aa, AE and Dst indices. The annual variation of EPI shows equinox peaks and an asymmetric-activity with a higher peak in the winter-hemisphere than in the summer-hemisphere. The diurnal UT variations are different from north and south hemisphere: for north hemisphere, the peak appears at 1200UT, and the relative deviation is 22% to the daily average of the north hemisphere. For south hemisphere, the maximal deviation is 22% at 2000UT. So the diurnal variation of EPI is more dominant than the annual variation which maximal deviation is 3% to 12% for different seasons. Studies on correlations of the hourly average of EPI, Pa, with AE and Dst indices show a correlation coefficient r=0.74 of Pa and AE, and r=-0.55 of Pa and Dst. The hourly EPIs for north and south polar regions, NPa and SPa, show a north-south asymmetry with a higher correlation of SPa and AE (or Dst). Time delays of EPI with respect to magnetic indices are examined, the maximum correlation coefficient of Pa with AE (r=0.78) occurs when the time delay =0, suggesting a synchronous activity of auroral electrojet and auroral precipitating particles, while =1-2h, the correlation coefficient of Pa with Dst is maximum (r=0.57), suggesting that the activity of auroral particle precipitating may influence the ring current on some extent. Sencondly, we use the high-resolution magnetic field vector data of the CHAMP satellite to investigate the distribution of large-scale FACs during the great magnetic storm on 7th to 8th Nov. 2004. The results show that, whether in the northern or southern hemisphere, the number and density of large-scale FACs during the main-phase are more and bigger than these during the recover-phase, and the number of large-scale FACs in morning sector obviously is more than that in afternoon sector. In terms of the magnetic indices, we find that large-scale FACs in morning sector significantly affected by the substorm activities, while in afternoon sector the large-scale FACs mainly indicate the fluctuations of the ring-current in storm time. Accordingly to the former studies, similarly, we find that in the morning sector, the scale of the large-scale FACs move to the high-latitude region, and in the afternoon sector, large-scale FACs distinctly expand to the low-latitude region. During the time periods that the NOAA/POES auroral precipitating particle power data temporally correspond to the large-scale FACs, the more the power of auroral particle is, the more and bigger the number and density of FACs are. At the same time, we use the magnetic field vector data of POLAR obtain a good form of region 1, region 2, and three pieces of cusp FACs during a single transit at 1930UT-2006UT on 07th. And the characteristics of simultaneous electric field and energy particles observations on Polar are coincide with the five FACs pieces. Finally, by means of the observation of Cluster 4 and Goes 10、 Goes 12, we analyze the evolution process of the change of the magnetic field configuration at night sector at the expansion phase of a substorm event which happened during 0430UT to 0630UT on 8th Nov. 2004, we find that the times of the beginning of the polarizations of magnetic field are observed from Goes 10 to Goes 12 then to Cluster 4. So, at the synchronous orbit ( 6.6 RE) to 10RE distance scale of the neutral sheet, the current disruption spread tailward. Simultaneously, the strengthen of the FACs deduced from these satellites’ magnetic field observations are almost consistent with the times of polarizations, as well as the high energy particles injection and the electric field dominant variation. The onset times determined by the magnetic field polarizations from these satellites are all ahead of the onset time that confirmed from the auroral electrojet indices. So, these characters of different observations can be used as the criterions to determine the onset time for the substorms of such type as we studied.

中新世秦安黄土一古土壤序列记录的古气候变化周期

Analysis of periodic oscillations of climate is very important in understanding the behavior of the climate system. Milankovitch hypothesis, which holds that the glacial-interglacial climatic cycles during the Quaternary were primarily driven by variations in orbital parameters, has been supported by substantial geological evidence. Continuous long-term and high-resolution records are crucial to detect how variations of Earth's orbital parameters affected climate before the Quaternary when the boundary conditions were significantly different. Qinan loess formed in the Miocene is nearly continuous aeolian deposit in northern China. Previous study has established a constrained chronology, which provides a basis to examine long-term climatic variations. One of important issues to untangle the mechanisms behind major climate changes is the investigation of climate cycles recorded in Qinan loess. In this paper, two climatic proxies, magnetic susceptibility and redness, are analyzed for QA-I section to evaluate climate cycles using Maximum entropy spectral analysis and Blackman-Tuckey method. Main conclusions are presented as following: Results exhibit significant peaks at periods of 100 ka, 64 ka, 41 ka, 30 ka and 23 ka, but also 1000 ka, 600 ka and 400 ka. These peaks correspond to the dominant periods of the Earth's orbit parameters, which indicates that the formation of the aeolian sediment in northern China might be primarily driven by variations in orbital parameters. Fluctuations with different cycles respectively dominated in different periods. Major shifts in the dominant cycles occurred at 20.3, 19.0, 17.9, 15.2, 12.5 and 11.3 Myr ago. The transition that happened at 17.9 Myr ago was synchronous with the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, while others at 15.2, 12.5 and 11.3 Myr ago were in good agreement with the timing of the development of Antarctic ice sheet. Therefore we inferred that these shifts might be related to changes in global ice volume and/or the Tibetan uplift. 3. The strong period of 100 ka is observed between 17.9 and 15.2, and 12.5 and 11.3 Myr ago. Ice sheet-climate models that have been used to explain the cause of the 100 ka period since the middle Pleistocene couldn't be responsible for driving the 100 ka climate cycle in the Miocene in Northern China because of the different boundary of climatic conditions between the Quaternary and Miocene. Further investigation is needed to understand how this cycle became dominant in Qinan loess records during these two time segments.

Formation of the V center on H-type zeolites with thermal treatment

The effect of thermal treatment on H-MCM-22 and H-ZSM-5 zeolites was investigated using the electron spin resonance technique. A six-line signal (denoted as A, g = 2.048, A = 22. 15 G) was detected on H-MCM-22 after He purging at high temperatures, whose intensities increased with the treating temperature. The same signal was also found on H-ZSM-5 zeolites with different crystal sizes. The paramagnetic center was identified as a V center, namely, a hole of an electron trapped on an oxygen atom bonding to a nearby aluminum atom. These signals appeared only on a dealuminated sample or a sample concomitantly with dealumination. The formation of the hole might involve an electron transferring from the lattice oxygen to a nonframework aluminum species, and the hyperfine splitting is caused by the interaction between the electron hole locating on the p orbit of oxygen and the framework aluminum bonding with the oxygen. The signal disappeared after the sample was exposed to air or oxygen at room temperature. However, the process was reversible. A new set of signals (denoted as B, g(1) = 2.008, g(2) = 2.003, g(3) = 1.9985) was observed after oxygen adsorption on the H-MCM-22 pretreated with He at 973 K or He purging at 973 K on the H-MCM-22 pretreated with oxygen at 813 K, which was attributed to the O- species.

Photodissociation of 1-bromo-2-chloroethane at 266 nm

The photodissociation of CH2BrCH2Cl at 266 nm has been investigated on the universal crossed molecular beam machine. The primary dissociation step leads exclusively to the formation of CH2CH2Cl radicals and Br atoms in the electronic ground state as well as in the spin-orbit excited state, with a branching ratio 2 +/- 1:8 +/- 1. Photofragment total c.m. translational energy distribution P(E-t) has been obtained and about 64% of the available energy is partitioned into translational energy for Br channel and about 28.5% of the available energy is partitioned into translational energy for Br* channel. The anisotropy parameters are determined to be beta(Br*) = 0.8 +/- 0.2 and beta(Br) = -0.6 +/- 0.2, respectively. Some CH2CH2Cl radicals with large internal excitation (corresponding to formation of ground state Br channel) may undergo secondary dissociation to form CH2CH2 +/- Cl. The experimental results are discussed in terms of a model that involves the initial excitation of two repulsive electronic states: one from an parallel transition to the (3)Q(0) state, and the other from a perpendicular transition to the (3)Q(1), (1)Q states. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Metallic foam processing from the liquid state

Cox, S.J., Bradley, G. and Weaire, D. (2001) Metallic foam processing from the liquid state: the competition between solidification and drainage. Eur. Phys. J. AP 14:87-97. Sponsorship: This research was supported by the Prodex programme of ESA, and is a contribution to ESA contract C14308/AO-075-99. SJC was supported by Enterprise Ireland and a Marie Curie fellowship. GB was supported by the HPC Programme of TCD.

Channel formation and intermediate range order in sodium silicate melts and glasses

Kargl, Florian; Meyer, A.; Horbach, J.; Kob, W., (2004) 'Channel formation and intermediate range order in sodium silicate melts and glasses', Physical Review Letters 93(2) pp.027801 RAE2008

PROPAGATION OF SONIC BOOMS THROUGH A REAL, STRATIFIED ATMOSPHERE

Sonic boom propagation in a quiet) stratified) lossy atmosphere is the subject of this dissertation. Two questions are considered in detail: (1) Does waveform freezing occur? (2) Are sonic booms shocks in steady state? Both assumptions have been invoked in the past to predict sonic boom waveforms at the ground. A very general form of the Burgers equation is derived and used as the model for the problem. The derivation begins with the basic conservation equations. The effects of nonlinearity) attenuation and dispersion due to multiple relaxations) viscosity) and heat conduction) geometrical spreading) and stratification of the medium are included. When the absorption and dispersion terms are neglected) an analytical solution is available. The analytical solution is used to answer the first question. Geometrical spreading and stratification of the medium are found to slow down the nonlinear distortion of finite-amplitude waves. In certain cases the distortion reaches an absolute limit) a phenomenon called waveform freezing. Judging by the maturity of the distortion mechanism, sonic booms generated by aircraft at 18 km altitude are not frozen when they reach the ground. On the other hand, judging by the approach of the waveform to its asymptotic shape, N waves generated by aircraft at 18 km altitude are frozen when they reach the ground. To answer the second question we solve the full Burgers equation and for this purpose develop a new computer code, THOR. The code is based on an algorithm by Lee and Hamilton (J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 97, 906-917, 1995) and has the novel feature that all its calculations are done in the time domain, including absorption and dispersion. Results from the code compare very well with analytical solutions. In a NASA exercise to compare sonic boom computer programs, THOR gave results that agree well with those of other participants and ran faster. We show that sonic booms are not steady state waves because they travel through a varying medium, suffer spreading, and fail to approximate step shocks closely enough. Although developed to predict sonic boom propagation, THOR can solve other problems for which the extended Burgers equation is a good propagation model.

The use of different blood sample preparations in the development of biomarkers for the environmental monitoring of domestic farm animals

The application of biological effect monitoring for the detection of environmental chemical exposure in domestic animals is still in its infancy. This study investigated blood sample preparations in vitro for their use in biological effect monitoring. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), isolated following the collection of multiple blood samples from sheep in the field, were cryopreserved and subsequently cultured for 24 hours a reduction in cell viability (<80%) was attributed to delays in the processing following collection. Alternative blood sample preparations using rat and sheep blood demonstrated that 3 to 5 hour incubations can be undertaken without significant alterations in the viability of the lymphocytes; however, a substantial reduction in viability was observed after 24 hours in frozen blood. Detectable levels of early and late apoptosis as well as increased levels of ROS were detectable in frozen sheep blood samples. The addition of ascorbic acid partly reversed this effect and reduced the loss in cell viability. The response of the rat and sheep blood sample preparations to genotoxic compounds ex vivo showed that EMS caused comparable dose-dependent genotoxic effects in all sample preparations (fresh and frozen) as detected by the Comet assay. In contrast, the effects of CdCl2 were dependent on the duration of exposure as well as the sample preparation. The analysis of leukocyte subsets in frozen sheep blood showed no alterations in the percentages of T and B lymphocytes but led to a major decrease in the percentage of granulocytes compared to those in the fresh samples. The percentages of IFN-γ and IL-4 but not IL-6 positive cells were comparable between fresh and frozen sheep blood after 4 hour stimulation with phorbol 12-myrisate 13-acetate and ionomycin (PMA+I). These results show that frozen blood gives comparable responses to fresh blood samples in the toxicological and immune assays used.

Novel structured emulsions for delivering of food flavours

Flavour release from food is determined by the binding of flavours to other food ingredients and the partition of flavour molecules among different phases. Food emulsions are used as delivery systems for food flavours, and tailored structuring in emulsions provides novel means to better control flavour release. The current study investigated four structured oil-in-water emulsions with structuring in the oil phase, oil-water interface, and water phase. Oil phase structuring was achieved by the formation of monoglyceride (MG) liquid crystals in the oil droplets (MG structured emulsions). Structured interface was created by the adsorption of a whey protein isolate (WPI)-pectin double layer at the interface (multilayer emulsion). Water phase structured emulsions referred to emulsion filled protein gels (EFP gels), where emulsion droplets were embedded in WPI gel network, and emulsions with maltodextrins (MDs) of different dextrose-equivalent (DE) values. Flavour compounds with different physicochemical properties were added into the emulsions, and flavour release (release rate, headspace concentration and air-emulsion partition coefficient) was described by GC headspace analysis. Emulsion structures, including crystalline structure, particle size, emulsion stability, rheology, texture, and microstructures, were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction, light scattering, multisample analytical centrifuge, rheometry, texture analysis, and confocal laser scanning microscopy, respectively. In MG structured emulsions, MG self-assembled into liquid crystalline structures and stable β-form crystals were formed after 3 days of storage at 25 °C. The inclusion of MG crystals allowed tween 20 stabilized emulsions to present viscoelastic properties, and it made WPI stabilized emulsions more sensitive to the change of pH and NaCl concentrations. Flavour compounds in MG structured emulsions had lower initial headspace concentration and air-emulsion partition coefficients than those in unstructured emulsions. Flavour release can be modulated by changing MG content, oil content and oil type. WPI-pectin multilayer emulsions were stable at pH 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0, but they presented extensive creaming when subjected to salt solutions with NaCl ≥ 150 mM and mixed with artificial salivas. Increase of pH from 5.0 to 7.0 resulted in higher headspace concentration but unchanged release rate, and increase of NaCl concentration led to increased headspace concentration and release rate. The study also showed that salivas could trigger higher release of hydrophobic flavours and lower release of hydrophilic flavours. In EFP gels, increases in protein content and oil content contributed to gels with higher storage modulus and force at breaking. Flavour compounds had significantly reduced release rates and air-emulsion partition coefficients in the gels than the corresponding ungelled emulsions, and the reduction was in line with the increase of protein content. Gels with stronger gel network but lower oil content were prepared, and lower or unaffected release rates of the flavours were observed. In emulsions containing maltodextrins, water was frozen at a much lower temperature, and emulsion stability was greatly improved when subjected to freeze-thawing. Among different MDs, MD DE 6 offered the emulsion the highest stability. Flavours had lower air-emulsion partition coefficients in the emulsions with MDs than those in the emulsion without MD. Moreover, the involvement of MDs in the emulsions allowed most flavours had similar release profiles before and after freeze-thaw treatment. The present study provided information about different structured emulsions as delivery systems for flavour compounds, and on how food structure can be designed to modulate flavour release, which could be helpful in the development of functional foods with improved flavour profile.

Theory of the electronic and optical properties of dilute bismide alloys

Dilute bismide alloys, containing small fractions of bismuth (Bi), have recently attracted interest due to their potential for applications in a range of semiconductor devices. Experiments have revealed that dilute bismide alloys such as GaBixAs1−x, in which a small fraction x of the atoms in the III-V semiconductor GaAs are replaced by Bi, exhibit a number of unusual and unique properties. For example, the band gap energy (E g) decreases rapidly with increasing Bi composition x, by up to 90 meV per % Bi replacing As in the alloy. This band gap reduction is accompanied by a strong increase in the spin-orbit-splitting energy (ΔSO) with increasing x, and both E g and ΔSO are characterised by strong, composition-dependent bowing. The existence of a ΔSO > E g regime in the GaBixAs1−x alloy has been demonstrated for x ≳10%, a band structure condition which is promising for the development of highly efficient, temperature stable semiconductor lasers that could lead to large energy savings in future optical communication networks. In addition to their potential for specific applications, dilute bismide alloys have also attracted interest from a fundamental perspective due to their unique properties. In this thesis we develop the theory of the electronic and optical properties of dilute bismide alloys. By adopting a multi-scale approach encompassing atomistic calculations of the electronic structure using the semi-empirical tight-binding method, as well as continuum calculations based on the k•p method, we develop a fundamental understanding of this unusual class of semiconductor alloys and identify general material properties which are promising for applications in semiconductor optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices. By performing detailed supercell calculations on both ordered and disordered alloys we explicitly demonstrate that Bi atoms act as isovalent impurities when incorporated in dilute quantities in III-V (In)GaAs(P) materials, strongly perturbing the electronic structure of the valence band. We identify and quantify the causes and consequences of the unusual electronic properties of GaBixAs1−x and related alloys, and our analysis is reinforced throughout by a series of detailed comparisons to the results of experimental measurements. Our k•p models of the band structure of GaBixAs1−x and related alloys, which we derive directly from detailed atomistic calculations, are ideally suited to the study of dilute bismide-based devices. We focus in the latter part of the thesis on calculations of the electronic and optical properties of dilute bismide quantum well lasers. In addition to developing an understanding of the effects of Bi incorporation on the operational characteristics of semiconductor lasers, we also present calculations which have been used explicitly in designing and optimising the first generation of GaBixAs1−x-based devices.

Identification of major factors influencing ELISpot-based monitoring of cellular responses to antigens from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

A number of different interferon-gamma ELISpot protocols are in use in laboratories studying antigen-specific immune responses. It is therefore unclear how results from different assays compare, and what factors most significantly influence assay outcome. One such difference is that some laboratories use a short in vitro stimulation period of cells before they are transferred to the ELISpot plate; this is commonly done in the case of frozen cells, in order to enhance assay sensitivity. Other differences that may be significant include antibody coating of plates, the use of media with or without serum, the serum source and the number of cells added to the wells. The aim of this paper was to identify which components of the different ELISpot protocols influenced assay sensitivity and inter-laboratory variation. Four laboratories provided protocols for quantifying numbers of interferon-gamma spot forming cells in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis derived antigens. The differences in the protocols were compared directly. We found that several sources of variation in assay protocols can be eliminated, for example by avoiding serum supplementation and using AIM-V serum free medium. In addition, the number of cells added to ELISpot wells should also be standardised. Importantly, delays in peripheral blood mononuclear cell processing before stimulation had a marked effect on the number of detectable spot forming cells; processing delay thus should be minimised as well as standardised. Finally, a pre-stimulation culture period improved the sensitivity of the assay, however this effect may be both antigen and donor dependent. In conclusion, small differences in ELISpot protocols in routine use can affect the results obtained and care should be given to conditions selected for use in a given study. A pre-stimulation step may improve the sensitivity of the assay, particularly when cells have been previously frozen.

Antigen-specific responses assessment for the evaluation of Bordetella pertussis T cell immunity in humans.

Measurement of antigen-specific T cell responses is an adjunctive parameter to evaluate protection induced by a previous Bordetella pertussis infection or vaccination. The assessment of T cell responses is technically complex and usually performed on fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The objective of this study was to identify simplified methods to assess pertussis specific T cell responses and verify if these assays could be performed using frozen/thawed (frozen) PBMC. Three read-outs to measure proliferation were compared: the fluorescent dye 5,6-carboxylfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) dilution test, the number of blast cells defined by physical parameters, and the incorporation of (3)H-thymidine. The results of pertussis-specific assays performed on fresh PBMC were compared to the results on frozen PBMC from the same donor. High concordance was obtained when the results of CFSE and blast read-outs were compared, an encouraging result since blast analysis allows the identification of proliferating cells and does not require any use of radioactive tracer as well as any staining. The results obtained using fresh and frozen PBMC from the same donor in the different T cell assays, including IFNγ and TNFα cytokine production, did not show significant differences, suggesting that a careful cryopreservation process of PBMC would not significantly influence T cell response evaluation. Adopting blast analysis and frozen PBMC, the possibility to test T cell responses is simplified and might be applied in population studies, providing for new instruments to better define correlates of protection still elusive in pertussis.

Expression signatures of TP53 mutations in serous ovarian cancers.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the TP53 gene are extremely common and occur very early in the progression of serous ovarian cancers. Gene expression patterns that relate to mutational status may provide insight into the etiology and biology of the disease. METHODS: The TP53 coding region was sequenced in 89 frozen serous ovarian cancers, 40 early stage (I/II) and 49 advanced stage (III/IV). Affymetrix U133A expression data was used to define gene expression patterns by mutation, type of mutation, and cancer stage. RESULTS: Missense or chain terminating (null) mutations in TP53 were found in 59/89 (66%) ovarian cancers. Early stage cancers had a significantly higher rate of null mutations than late stage disease (38% vs. 8%, p < 0.03). In advanced stage cases, mutations were more prevalent in short term survivors than long term survivors (81% vs. 30%, p = 0.0004). Gene expression patterns had a robust ability to predict TP53 status within training data. By using early versus late stage disease for out of sample predictions, the signature derived from early stage cancers could accurately (86%) predict mutation status of late stage cancers. CONCLUSIONS: This represents the first attempt to define a genomic signature of TP53 mutation in ovarian cancer. Patterns of gene expression characteristic of TP53 mutation could be discerned and included several genes that are known p53 targets or have been described in the context of expression signatures of TP53 mutation in breast cancer.