Full Interpretation Research Articles

Gravitational Gradients at Satellite Altitudes in Global Geophysical Studies

Due to the ESA’s satellite mission GOCE launched in March 2009, gravitational gradients sampled along the orbital trajectory approximately 250 km above the Earth’s surface have become available. Since 2010, gravitational gradients have routinely been applied in geodesy for the derivation of global Earth’s gravitational models provided in terms of fully normalized coefficients in a spherical harmonic series representation of the Earth’s gravitational potential. However, in geophysics, gravitational gradients observed by spaceborne instruments have still been applied relatively seldom. This contribution describes their possible geophysical applications in structural studies where gravitational gradients observed at satellite altitudes are compared with those derived by a spectral forward modeling technique using available global models of selected Earth’s mass components as input data. In particular, GOCE gravitational gradients are interpreted in terms of a superposition principle of gravitation as combined gravitational effects generated by a homogeneous reference ellipsoid of revolution, mean topographic and ice mass density distributions, depth-dependent mass density contrasts within bathymetry and lateral mass density anomalies with sediments and crustal layers. Respective gravitational effects are one by one removed from gravitational gradients observed at approximately 250 km elevation above ground. Removing respective gravitational gradients from observed gravitational gradients gradually reveals problematic geographic areas with model deficiencies. For the full interpretation of observed gravitational gradients, deficiencies of CRUST2.0 must be corrected and effects of deeper laying mass anomalies not included in the study considered. These findings are confirmed by parameters describing spectral properties of the gravitational gradients. The methodology can be applied for validating Earth’s gravitational models and for constraining crustal models in the development phase.

RTOG 0825: Phase III double-blind placebo-controlled trial evaluating bevacizumab (Bev) in patients (Pts) with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM).

1 Background: Chemoradiation (CRT) with temozolomide (TMZ/RT→TMZ) is the standard of care for newly diagnosed GBM. This trial determined if the addition of Bev to standard CRT improves survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) in newly diagnosed GBM. Methods: This phase III trial was conducted by the RTOG, NCCTG, and ECOG. Neurologically stable pts > 18 yrs with KPS ≥ 60, and > 1cm3 tumor tissue block, were randomized to Arm 1: standard CRT + placebo or Arm 2: standard CRT plus Bev (10 mg/kg iv q 2wks). Experimental treatment began at wk 4 of radiation then thru 6-12 cycles of maintenance chemotherapy. Protocol specified co-primary endpoints were OS and PFS, with significance levels of .023 and .002, respectively. At progression, treatment was unblinded and pts allowed to crossover or continue Bev. Symptom, QOL and neurocognitive (NCF) testing was performed in the majority of pts. Secondary analyses evaluated impact of MGMT methylation (meth) and prognostic 9 gene signature status. Results: From 978 registered pts, 637 were randomized. Inadequate tissue (n=105) and blood on imaging (n=40) were key reasons for non-randomization. No difference was found between arms for OS (median 16.1 vs. 15.7 mo, p = 0.11). PFS was extended for Arm 2 (7.3 vs. 10.7 mo, p = 0.004). Pts with MGMT meth had superior OS (23.2 vs. 14.3 mo, p < 0.001) and PFS (14.1 vs. 8.2 mo, p < 0.001). Neither the 9 gene signature nor MGMT predicted selective benefit for Bev treatment, but best prognosis pts (MGMT meth, favorable 9-gene), had a worse survival trend with Bev (15.7 vs 25 mo p = 0.08). To date, 128 pts were unblinded on Arm 1 (salvage Bev in 86) and 87 pts on Arm 2 (continued Bev in 39). Increased grade ≥ 3 toxicity was seen with Bev, mostly neutropenia, hypertension, and DVT/PE. Conclusions: The addition of Bev for newly diagnosed GBM did not improve OS, did improve PFS but did not reach the significance criterion. MGMT and 9 gene profile did not identify selective benefit, but risk subset results suggested strongly against the upfront use of Bev in the best prognosis pts. Full interpretation of the PFS results incorporating symptom burden, QOL, and NCF is ongoing. Support: NCI U10 CA 21661, U10 CA37422, and Genentech. Clinical trial information: NCT00884741.

FAITH AS THE PIVOT FOR THE MIRACULOUS: A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF A BIBLICAL TEXT

Discourse is about communication. An exchange of communication content with both parties being satisfied with the meaning; exchange is usually what successful communication entails. This article thus investigates a discourse situation in which a man needs healing for his sick son. In the course of his interaction with the healer who is to help his son, it was discovered that he was not too sure of the ability of this healer. A chosen linguistic performance was used to express this doubt. The result was a communication breakdown. The seeker and the sought could not find a common ground. The focus of this article is therefore to ascertain the reason for this communication breakdown. The article investigated such linguistic devices as the register, topic focus, contextual clues, as well as the cohesive ties within the text. It also looked at the paralinguistic element, intonation, as represented graphologically, which is considered an important semantic element in analysing the text. The major finding in the course of the analysis of the discourse content through such linguistic instrumentation is that the communication breakdown is due to topic conflict. It is found that faith is a necessary ingredient for the seeker of spiritual help. The article thus concluded that for effective hermeneutic studies, linguistic instruments are a necessary option for a full interpretation of biblical texts, especially considering that the texts were originally products of linguistic choices.

Recent Heavy Quarkonia Results from PHENIX

Measurements of quarkonia production in heavy ion collisions provide a direct probe of the screening length in the quark gluon plasma (QGP). However, a full interpretation of the heavy ion results requires a detailed understanding of the baseline cold nuclear matter (CNM) effects. These proceedings present recent PHENIX results on quarkonia production in heavy ion collisions, including new measurements of J / ψ production in Au + Au collisions at s N N = 39 & 62.4 GeV , as well as measurements of quarkonia production in d + Au collisions used to quantify the CNM effects present at RHIC. New measurements of ψ ′ production in d + Au collisions at midrapidity show a suppression in central events which is significantly larger than that observed for the J / ψ , a result which is unexpected based on measurements of J / ψ and ψ ′ production in p + A collisions at lower energies.

The Ritual Birth of Sense

In what follows, I would like to investigate the character of traditional Christian ritual, not as a full or comprehensive interpretation, but as a single step in that direction, inspired by recent archaeological excavations in southeastern Turkey and elsewhere that imply the primacy of ritual over material and economic factors in the development of society.1 The implications of these findings suggest that both anthropology and philosophy might focus on ritual as a key to the human. Yet if archaeological remains possess the virtue of keys to the primordial, they also suffer from ineradicable obscurity that the absence of decipherable inscription…

ThecgPackage for Comparison of Groups

In research of medicines, the comparison of treatments, test articles, conditions, administrations, etc., is very common. Studies are completed, and the data are then most often analyzed with a default mixture of equal variance t tests, analysis of variance, and multiple comparison procedures. But even for an implicit, presumed one-factor linear model to compare groups, more often than not there is the added need to accommodate data which is better suited for expression of multiplicative effects, potential outliers, and limits of detection. Base R and contributed packages provide all the pieces to develop a comprehensive strategy to account for these needs. Such an approach includes exploration of the data, fitting models, formal analysis to gauge the magnitude of effects, and checking of assumptions. The <b>cg</b> package is developed with those goals in mind, using a flow of wrapper functions to guide the full analysis and interpretation of the data. Examples from our non-clinical world of research will be used to illustrate the package and strategy.

Improving the 210Pb-chronology of Pb deposition in peat cores from Chao de Lamoso (NW Spain)

The natural radionuclide 210Pb is commonly used to establish accurate and precise chronologies for the recent (past 100–150years) layers of peat deposits. The most widely used 210Pb-dating model, Constant Rate of Supply (CRS), was applied using data from three peat cores from Chao de Lamoso, an ombrotrophic mire in Galicia (NW Spain). On the basis of the CRS-chronologies, maximum Pb concentrations and enrichment factors (EFs) occurred in the 1960s and late 1970s, consistent with the historical use of Pb. However, maximum Pb fluxes were dated in the 1940s and the late 1960s, 10 to 20 years earlier. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that, although the 210Pb distribution was mainly (74%) controlled by radioactive decay, about 20% of the 210Pb flux variability was associated with atmospheric metal pollution, suggesting an extra 210Pb supply source and thus invalidating the main assumption of the CRS model. When the CRS-ages were recalculated after correcting for the extra input from the 210Pb inventory of the uppermost peat layers of each core, Pb flux variations were consistent with the historical atmospheric Pb deposition. Our results not only show the robustness of the CRS model to establish accurate chronologies of recent peat deposits but also provide evidence that there are confounding factors that might influence the calculation of reliable peat accumulation rates (and thus also element accumulation rates/fluxes). This study emphasizes the need to verify the hypotheses of 210Pb-dating models and the usefulness of a full geochemical interpretation of peat bog records.

Differentiation of Linear and Cyclic Polymer Architectures by MALDI Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS2)

[M + Ag](+) ions from cyclic and linear polystyrenes and polybutadienes, formed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), give rise to significantly different fragmentation patterns in tandem mass spectrometry (MS(2)) experiments. In both cases, fragmentation starts with homolytic cleavage at the weakest bond, usually a C-C bond, to generate two radicals. From linear structures, the separated radicals depolymerize extensively by monomer losses and backbiting rearrangements, leading to low-mass radical ions and much less abundant medium- and high-mass closed-shell fragments that contain one of the original end groups, along with internal fragments. With cyclic structures, depolymerization is less efficient, as it can readily be terminated by intramolecular H-atom transfer between the still interconnected radical sites (disproportionation). These differences in fragmentation reactivity result in substantially different fragment ion distributions in the MS(2) spectra. Simple inspection of the relative intensities of low- versus high-mass fragments permits conclusive determination of the macromolecular architecture, while full spectral interpretation reveals the individual end groups of linear polymers or the identity of the linker used to form the cyclic polymer.

Using Timed Up-and-Go to Identify Frail Members of the Older Population

Fried's definition of frailty is widely used but its measurement is problematic. Timed up-and-go (TUG) is a simple measure of mobility that may be a useful proxy for frailty. Here, we describe the distribution of frailty and TUG in the older population of Ireland and discuss the extent to which TUG identifies the frail and prefrail populations. A total of 1,814 participants of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing aged 65 and older completed a comprehensive health assessment. Frailty was defined by having three or more of low gait speed, low grip strength, unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, and low physical activity. ROC curves were used to identify how well TUG discriminates the frail and prefrail populations and whether TUG improves on gait speed as a single objective measure of frailty. Among the Irish population aged 65 and older, 7.7% were frail and 44.0% were prefrail. TUG identifies frail members of the population well (AUC = 0.87) but is less able to discriminate the nonfrail from the prefrail or frail populations (AUC = 0.73). TUG captures the components of frailty that become more common with age but does not discriminate the components that do not, for example, unintended weight loss or exhaustion. There is no advantage in using TUG instead of gait speed with respect to identifying frailty. TUG is a sensitive and specific measure of frailty that offers advantages in its measurement where the full application or interpretation of Fried's criteria is impracticable; however, TUG cannot be used to reliably identify prefrail individuals.

Mastery, Authority, and Hierarchy in the “Inner Chapters” of theZhuāngzǐ

Mastery, Authority, and Hierarchy in the “Inner Chapters” of the<i>Zhuāngzǐ</i>

Experimental (FT-IR and FT-RS) and theoretical (QC-DFT) studies of vibrational modes and molecular structure of new low-temperature phases of [Ru(NH3)6](BF4)3 and [Ru(NH3)6](ClO4)3

Vibrational spectra of [Ru(NH3)6](BF4)3 and [Ru(NH3)6](ClO4)3 in their novel low-temperature solid phases were recorded using FT-IR and FT-RS. Quantum chemical calculations of molecular structure and vibrational modes were made separately for BF4-,ClO4-and[Ru(NH3)6]3+ ions. The harmonic vibrational frequencies and the related IR and RS bands intensities and activities, respectively, were simulated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d) and B3LYP/LANL2TZ(f)/6-311+G(d,p) levels of the DFT. Full interpretation of the vibrational spectra has been carried out with the aid of the normal coordinate analysis. The assignments of the vibrational modes were based on the potential energy distribution data, using the MOLVIB program. The calculated Ru–N stretching frequencies are too low, in comparison to experiment, which indicates that B3LYP method underestimates the Ru–N bond strength. Some values of calculated and measured (obtained from X-ray) bond lengths and angles were also compared. Conclusions about possible interactions inside and between the complex ions were drawn.

Comment on “Restoration of Cenozoic deformation in Asia and the size of Greater India” by D. J. J. van Hinsbergen et al.

[1] Despite decades of investigation and literally thousands of research papers, there remain strongly divergent opinions on a number of key features/phenomena associated with the India-Asia collision system and the Himalayan MountainTibetan Plateau orogen that resulted. One particularly contentious issue concerns the timing of contact between the two continents; although many favor an early Eocene/ early–middle Eocene age, recent proposals have ranged from 65 Ma [e.g., Cai et al., 2011] to 35 Ma [Aitchison et al., 2007]. [2] In order to deduce the collision timing, we argue that detailed understanding is required first of the elements associated with the suture zone, and second, the broader geodynamic configuration before and during the contact. Regarding the former, the following are critical: (i) age of the youngest marine sediments; (ii) age of the youngest subduction-generated calc-alkaline volcanic rocks; (iii) identification and full interpretation of any trapped terranes; (iv) age and clast-assemblage lithologies of any molasse formations; (v) ages of the youngest entrained blocks in any melange deposits plus that of the matrix. From a platemodeling perspective, we need to know (i) past position of stable Eurasia; (ii) extent of deformation (shortening, extrusion etc) Eurasia’s leading edge experienced after the contact; (iii) motion path of the Indian block; (iv) size of the Indian sub-continent prior to the collision, which is commonly referred to as “Greater India.” [3] Recently, Van Hinsbergen et al. [2011a, 2011b] have proposed a new collision scenario. In their model, contact is interpreted to have taken place at 50 Ma, and following a structural restoration of Asia’s southern margin, a subcontinent extension is proposed that bridges the gap between the Indian craton (to the south of the Himalayan frontal thrust) and the Lhasa Block; 1350 km in the west, 2600 km in the east. By corollary, a huge amount of lithosphere must therefore have been subducted/underthrust beneath the Asian margin in Tibet. The model has provoked our interest, not only because the hypothesized Greater India is the largest so far presented [see Ali and Aitchison, 2005], but we consider it to suffer from two “unintendedconsequence” flaws.

Quantum mechanical calculations related to ionization and charge transfer in DNA

Ionization and charge migration in DNA play crucial roles in mechanisms of DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation, oxidizing agents and photo-irradiation. Therefore, an evaluation of the ionization properties of the DNA bases is central to the full interpretation and understanding of the elementary reactive processes that occur at the molecular level during the initial exposure and afterwards. Ab initio quantum mechanical (QM) methods have been successful in providing highly accurate evaluations of key parameters, such as ionization energies (IE) of DNA bases. Hence, in this study, we performed high-level QM calculations to characterize the molecular energy levels and potential energy surfaces, which shed light on ionization and charge migration between DNA bases. In particular, we examined the IEs of guanine, the most easily oxidized base, isolated and embedded in base clusters, and investigated the mechanism of charge migration over two and three stacked guanines. The IE of guanine in the human telomere sequence has also been evaluated. We report a simple molecular orbital analysis to explain how modifications in the base sequence are expected to change the efficiency of the sequence as a hole trap. Finally, the application of a hybrid approach combining quantum mechanics with molecular mechanics brings an interesting discussion as to how the native aqueous DNA environment affects the IE threshold of nucleobases.

Introduction: Cognitive Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis

Introduction: Cognitive Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis

Transferability of Various Molecular Property Tensors in Vibrational Spectroscopy.

Transfers of polarizability, dipole, and energy derivatives from smaller fragments enable extension of ab initio vibrational spectral simulations to larger molecules. The accuracy of the transfer, however, varies according to the molecule and the tensor type. Recent works (J. Chem. Theory Comput.2011, 7, 1867 and Coll. Czech. Chem. Commun.2011, 76, 567) questioned the accuracy of the tensor transfer for Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra. To estimate relative errors, the current study systematically compares transfer properties for four spectral types (ROA, Raman, vibrational circular dichroism (VCD), and infrared absorption (IR)). As test molecules, polyglycine and polyproline peptides in polyproline II and α-helical conformations were used. The results indicate that the discrepancies could be caused by variation of the transfer parameters but not by fundamental differences in the ROA tensor properties. In particular, when done consistently, the transferred electric and magnetic dipole derivatives, polarizability tensors, and harmonic force field provided a reasonable convergence of all spectra for transfers with increasing sizes of the fragments. The polarized spectroscopies (VCD and ROA), however, were found to be significantly more sensitive than the unpolarized (IR, Raman) ones. Optimization of the geometry and the character of the amino acid side chain was relatively unimportant for the transfer. On the other hand, intramolecular hydrogen bonds in the helix required larger fragments for the same accuracy than in an unfolded peptide. Nevertheless, with reasonable fragmentation, all the spectra (IR, VCD, Raman, and ROA) of the target structures could be reconstructed to an accuracy sufficient for a full interpretation of the experiment, with substantial savings of computer time as an added benefit.

Lie algebroids and Cartan’s method of equivalence

Elie Cartan's general equivalence problem is recast in the language of Lie algebroids. The resulting formalism, being coordinate and model-free, allows for a full geometric interpretation of Cartan's method of equivalence via reduction and prolongation. We show how to construct certain normal forms (Cartan algebroids) for objects of finite-type, and are able to interpret these directly as infinitesimal symmetries deformed by curvature.' Details are developed for transitive structures but rudiments of the theory include intransitive structures (intransitive symmetry deformations). Detailed illustrations include subriemannian contact structures and conformal geometry.

Evolutionary rate covariation reveals shared functionality and coexpression of genes

Evolutionary rate covariation (ERC) is a phylogenetic signature that reflects the covariation of a pair of proteins over evolutionary time. ERC is typically elevated between interacting proteins and so is a promising signature to characterize molecular and functional interactions across the genome. ERC is often assumed to result from compensatory changes at interaction interfaces (i.e., intermolecular coevolution); however, its origin is still unclear and is likely to be complex. Here, we determine the biological factors responsible for ERC in a proteome-wide data set of 4459 proteins in 18 budding yeast species. We show that direct physical interaction is not required to produce ERC, because we observe strong correlations between noninteracting but cofunctional enzymes. We also demonstrate that ERC is uniformly distributed along the protein primary sequence, suggesting that intermolecular coevolution is not generally responsible for ERC between physically interacting proteins. Using multivariate analysis, we show that a pair of proteins is likely to exhibit ERC if they share a biological function or if their expression levels coevolve between species. Thus, ERC indicates shared function and coexpression of protein pairs and not necessarily coevolution between sites, as has been assumed in previous studies. This full interpretation of ERC now provides us with a powerful tool to assign uncharacterized proteins to functional groups and to determine the interconnectedness between entire genetic pathways.

Final report on international comparison CCQM-K74: Nitrogen dioxide, 10 µmol/mol

There is a high international priority attached to activities which reduce NOx in the atmosphere. The current level of permitted emissions is typically between 50 µmol/mol and 100 µmol/mol, but lower values are expected in the future. Currently, ambient air quality monitoring regulations also require the measurement of NOx mole fractions as low as 0.2 µmol/mol. The production of accurate standards at these levels of mole fractions requires either dilution of a stable higher concentration gas standard or production by a dynamic technique, for example one based on permeation tubes.The CCQM-K74 key comparison was designed to evaluate the level of comparability of National Metrology Institutes' measurement capabilities and standards for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at a nominal mole fraction of 10 µmol/mol.The measurements of this key comparison took place from June 2009 to May 2010.Seventeen laboratories took part in this comparison coordinated by the BIPM and VSL. The key comparison reference value was based on BIPM measurement results, and the standard measurement uncertainty of the reference value was 0.042 µmol/mol.This key comparison demonstrated that the results of the majority of the participants agreed within limits of ±3% relative to the reference value. The results of only one laboratory lay significantly outside these limits. Likewise this comparison made clear that a full interpretation of the results of the comparison needed to take into account the presence of nitric acid (in the range 100 nmol/mol to 350 nmol/mol) in the cylinders circulated as part of the comparison, as well as the possible presence of nitric acid in the primary standards used by participating laboratories.Main text.To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

The isotopic composition of methane in the stratosphere: high-altitude balloon sample measurements

Abstract. The isotopic composition of stratospheric methane has been determined on a large suite of air samples from stratospheric balloon flights covering subtropical to polar latitudes and a time period of 16 yr. 154 samples were analyzed for δ13C and 119 samples for δD, increasing the previously published dataset for balloon borne samples by an order of magnitude, and more than doubling the total available stratospheric data (including aircraft samples) published to date. The samples also cover a large range in mixing ratio from tropospheric values near 1800 ppb down to only 250 ppb, and the strong isotope fractionation processes accordingly increase the isotopic composition up to δ13C = −14‰ and δD = +190‰, the largest enrichments observed for atmospheric CH4 so far. When analyzing and comparing kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) derived from single balloon profiles, it is necessary to take into account the residence time in the stratosphere in combination with the observed mixing ratio and isotope trends in the troposphere, and the range of isotope values covered by the individual profile. The isotopic composition of CH4 in the stratosphere is affected by both chemical and dynamical processes. This severely hampers interpretation of the data in terms of the relative fractions of the three important sink mechanisms (reaction with OH, O(1D) and Cl). It is shown that a formal sink partitioning using the measured data severely underestimates the fraction removed by OH, which is likely due to the insensitivity of the measurements to the kinetic fractionation in the lower stratosphere. Full quantitative interpretation of the CH4 isotope data in terms of the three sink reactions requires a global model.

Superplastic Deformation of Defect-Free Au Nanowires via Coherent Twin Propagation

We report that defect-free Au nanowires show superplasticity on tensile deformation. Evidences from high-resolution electron microscopes indicated that the plastic deformation proceeds layer-by-layer in an atomically coherent fashion to a long distance. Furthermore, the stress-strain curve provides full interpretation of the deformation. After initial superelastic deformation, the nanowire shows superplastic deformation induced by coherent twin propagation, completely reorientating the crystal from <110> to <100>. Uniquely well-disciplined and long-propagating atomic movements deduced here are ascribed to the superb crystallinity as well as the radial confinement of the Au nanowires.