Precise Assignment Research Articles

Chronology of the marine terraces of the Crotone Peninsula (Calabria, southern Italy) by means of infrared-stimulated luminescence (IRSL)

The Crotone Peninsula (southern Italy) preserves a well developed flight of marine terraces generated by the interplay of uplift of the Calabrian arc and late Quaternary eustatic oscillations. Good chronologic control on the formation of these raised geomorphic features would help constrain regional tectonic and stratigraphic models. However, precise age assignment and correlation of the individual terraces is hampered by lack of material suitable for radiometric dating.With the goal of improving the resolution of the chronology of the terraces, nine samples were collected from four stratigraphically distinct terraced units and dated with the infrared-stimulated luminescence (IRSL) technique applied on feldspar grains. The obtained ages are consistent with the stratigraphic arrangement of the terraces, with samples from higher terraces older or overlapping in age with those from lower terraces. Three samples from the highest (Cutro) terrace indicated a minimum age ≥ MIS (Marine Isotope Stage) 7. Two samples from the second of the four examined terraces, which is generally correlated with MIS 5.3, gave ages that correlate instead with MIS 5.5 and 5.1, revealing more internal complexity and tectonic disruption than previously inferred from this terrace. Luminescence dating was applied for the first time to the deposits of the Capo Colonna terrace, with results indicating a MIS 5.1 age. Finally, one sample from the lowermost (Le Castella) terrace confirmed the preservation of raised marine deposits from MIS 3, a relatively uncommon finding for the Mediterranean region.These results highlight how IRSL dating can contribute to the development and refinement of a chronostratigraphic context for a flight of marine terraces and, ultimately, to a clearer understanding of the combined tectonic and eustatic controls affecting the morphodynamic evolution of a marine coastal sector. More specifically, they confirm the persistence of relatively high average uplift rates (on the order of 1 mm/yr) over the last two glacial cycles in the Crotone Peninsula and the important role of a local component of tectonic and deformative displacement superimposed on the regional uplift.

Complete chemical shift assignment and molecular modeling studies of two chromene derivatives as potential leads for new anticancer drugs

The compounds 7-chloro-9-(2-hydroxy-4,4-dimethyl-6-oxocyclohex-1-en-1-yl)-3,3-dimethyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-xanthen-1-one (5) and 5-[-7-chloro-2,4-dioxo-1H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H-chromeno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)]-1,3-diazinane-2,4,6-trione (7), were synthesized from dimedone and barbituric acid and had their three-dimensional structures and precise chemical shifts assignments obtained by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) from 1H, 13C, APT, COSY, HSQC, and HMBC spectra. Additional HOMO-LUMO DFT calculations corroborated the NMR results and pointed to the most stable stereoisomers of each compound. Besides, further docking and molecular dynamic studies suggest that the stereoisomers (9S)-7-chloro-9-(2-hydroxy-4,4-dimethyl-6-oxocyclohex-1-en-1-yl)-3,3-dimethyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-xanthen-1-one, and 5-[(5S)-7-chloro-2,4-dioxo-1H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H-chromeno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)]-1,3-diazinane-2,4,6-trione of these compounds may act as DNA intercalators and qualify as potential leads for the development of new anticancer drugs. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Re-assessment of the type collections of Maslov's species of Hapalidiales (Rhodophyta). Species originally attributed to Lithothamnium, Mesophyllum and Palaeothamnium

This is the third and last paper of a series devoted to the revision of the types of the species and infra-specific taxa of coralline red algae established in two monographs by Maslov. Maslov’s new species and intraspecific taxa were separated by characters of questionable significance from a modern taxonomic point of view. In this study, as un previous contributions, a number of types of fossil coralline algae Maslov’s original collection are re-assessed with a modern morpho-anatomic taxonomic approach. This paper deals in particular with the types of species attributed of Maslov to the genera Lithothamnion (as Lithothamnium), Mesophyllum and Palaeothamnium (Hapalidiales, Rhodophyta). According to our reassessment, only the type of Mesophyllum schenckii var. corticesum can be confidently assigned to a currently accepted genus within the family Hapalidiaceae, subfamily Melobesioideae. The types of Lithothamnion iorii, Palaeothamnium kassovense, Mesophyllum kutense, Lithothamnion microcellulosum, Lithothamnion praefructiculosum, and Lithothamnion thcernomoricum possess multiporate conceptacles and non-coaxial ventral core and can be attributed to the subfamily Melobesioideae. The lack of ephitallial cells, however, prevents any precise generic assignment within the Lithothamnion, Phymatolithon, Clathtomotphum and Synarthrophyton complex. Finally, the lack of significant characters prevents any confident attribution of the type of “Lithothamnion saxorum var. korolukae” to any defined generic or suprageneric taxon within the Hapalidiales or the Corallinales. The absence of reproductive structures int ye types of “Lithothamnion caucasicum”, “Lithothamnion (?) intergeminum” and “Lithothamnion (?) suhumii” prevents the placement of these taxa in any order and family within Hapalidiales, Corallinales or Sporolithales

Identifying Sialylation Linkages at the Glycopeptide Level by Glycosyltransferase Labeling Assisted Mass Spectrometry (GLAMS).

Precise assignment of sialylation linkages at the glycopeptide level is of importance in bottom-up glycoproteomics and an indispensable step to understand the function of glycoproteins in pathogen-host interactions and cancer progression. Even though some efforts have been dedicated to the discrimination of α2,3/α2,6-sialylated isomers, unambiguous identification of sialoglycopeptide isomers is still needed. Herein, we developed an innovative glycosyltransferase labeling assisted mass spectrometry (GLAMS) strategy. After specific enzymatic labeling, oxonium ions from higher-energy C-trap dissociation (HCD) fragmentation of α2,3-sailoglycopeptides then generate unique reporters to distinctly differentiate those of α2,6-sailoglycopeptide isomers. With this strategy, a total of 1236 linkage-specific sialoglycopeptides were successfully identified from 161 glycoproteins in human serum.

Icacinaceae fossil fruits from three sites of the Paris Basin (early Eocene, France): local diversity and global biogeographic implications

The Icacinaceae family have an important fossil record, mainly in the Paleogene of North America and Europe. The importance of this family in the Paleogene of the Paris Basin has been investigated recently based on two assemblages, Le Quesnoy (Houdancourt) and Rivecourt (Oise), and here we treat the Icacinaceae from three additional early Eocene sites. The Passy site reveals the presence of a new species, Iodes passiciensis Del Rio & De Franceschi, sp. nov., unique in having 25-29 areoles with no freely ending ridgelets, small pores, and rounded ridges. Two other species described previously from the Paleocene of Rivecourt were also recorded. The Grès de Belleu site also includes the first occurrence of a Palaeophytocrene Reid & Chandler in the Paris Basin and an Iodes Blume specimen without precise assignment. Lastly, in the Prémontré site only one endocarp locule cast belonging to Icacinicaryites Pigg, Manchester & DeVore was recorded and described. Using data from all five sites, the diversity of Icacinaceae in the Paris Basin is discussed and biogeographic scenarios are developed.

Cambrian deposition in northwestern Africa: Relationship of Tamlelt massif (Moroccan‒Algerian border region) succession to the Moroccan Meseta

The Tamlelt massif is physiographically grouped as a continuation of the easternmost High Atlas. However, re-examination of the Tamlelt's Cambrian litho- and biostratigraphy shows a depositional history that differs from that of the Souss Basin to the southwest (i.e., west-central High Atlas and eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco). Our re-examination leads to recommendations on the local stratigraphic succession and nomenclature. Trilobites from the Al Hamrat Formation in the Tamlelt massif indicate late early Cambrian (upper Epoch 2) siliciclastics overlying shallow marine, carbonate-rich deposits (Jbel Menhouhou Formation) similar to and coeval with those of the distant western Anti-Atlas region but older than and lithologically distinct from fluviatile siliciclastics (Epoch 3) in the nearby eastern Anti-Atlas. The Jbel Menhouhou carbonates unconformably overlie probable terminal Proterozoic volcanics and clastics of the Bou Kaïs Formation (new) and are overlain by shales and arenites of the upper Kheneg El Kahal Group, which features a Cambrian Stage 4 regressive half-cycle. Regional differences in lithofacies disappear in the early Miaolingian with relatively monotonous, mudstone-rich facies in the Tamlelt massif area (Batene El Jdari Formation) comparable to those of the Jbel Wawrmast Formation of the west-central High Atlas and central‒eastern Anti-Atlas. Probable early late Cambrian brachiopods from siliciclastic rocks of the Tamlelt area indicate a later Cambrian depositional history similar to that of the Anti-Atlas and perhaps Moroccan Meseta. The distinctiveness of the upper lower Cambrian deposits of the Souss Basin from those of the Tamlelt massif apparently reflects a depositional framework independent from other regions of the Atlas ranges, and suggests the Tamlelt region was confluent with the Meseta basin to the northwest. Known trilobites permit precise age assignments through the Tamlelt succession and include species (or forms) which contribute to a refined correlation within West Gondwana and improve West Gondwana‒Baltica correlation. The new trilobite species Saukianda? (Saukianda?) dresnayi is proposed.

Urban space consumption of cars and buses: an analytical approach

ABSTRACT Space is one of the most valuable assets in urban environments. Currently, many cities devote a significant amount of space to private, less sustainable modes of transport. Several attempts have been made to recover urban space for other purposes, e.g. pedestrians, low-speed residential areas, public modes of transport, or bike lanes. In this paper, we propose a new analytical methodology that quantifies the amount of space that cars and buses consume, assuming they both run on dedicated lanes. Compared to previous approaches, the proposed methodology provides a more precise assignment of the space, as it only accounts for the minimal space needed. Numerical results demonstrate how both modes compare for cities with different sizes, demands, and bus capacities. Finally, we show how the proposed methodology is used to find the critical parameters that ensure that the bus system is spatially more efficient than the car mode.

Molecular Subtypes and Genomic Profile of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma.

Primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL) are aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Although immunophenotyping studies suggested an uniform activated B-cell (ABC) origin, more recently a spectrum of ABC and germinal center B-cell (GC) cases has been proposed, with the molecular subtypes of PCNSL still being a matter of debate. With the emergence of novel therapies demonstrating different efficacy between the ABC and GC patient groups, precise assignment of molecular subtype is becoming indispensable. To determine the molecular subtype of 77 PCNSL and 17 secondary CNS lymphoma patients, we used the NanoString Lymphoma Subtyping Test (LST), a gene expression-based assay representing a more accurate techniqueof subtyping compared with standard immunohistochemical (IHC) algorithms. Mutational landscapes of 14 target genes were determined using ultra-deep next-generation sequencing. Using the LST-assay, a significantly lower proportion (80% vs 95%) of PCNSL cases displayed ABC phenotype compared with the IHC-based characterization. The most frequently mutated genes included MYD88, PIM1, and KMT2D. In summary, we successfully applied the LST-assay for molecular classification of PCNSL, reporting higher proportion of cases with GC phenotype compared with IHC analyses, leading to a more precise patient stratification potentially applicable in the diagnostic algorithm of PCNSL.

New records of Plagyrona Gittenberger, 1977 (Gastropoda: Eupulmonata: Valloniidae) from Europe and problems about specific determination

Author(s): Talenti, Enrico; Cianfanelli, Simone; Bodon, Marco | Abstract: The genus Plagyrona Gittenberger, 1977, includes only two small species of terrestrial snail: Plagyrona angusta Holyoak and Holyoak, 2012, and Plagyrona placida (Shuttleworth, 1852). While P. angusta is known only from Portugal, P. placida has a vast but fragmented distribution: it is known from some of the Macaronesian islands (Madeira and the Canary Archipelago) and some European countries: Portugal, France (in Corsica only), Italy (including Sardinia and the Tuscan Archipelago), Albania, Greece (in the Ionian Islands only) and North Africa (Algeria). New research has led to redefine the distribution range of P. angusta, identifying new populations in Spain (Balearic Islands), continental France (Var department), southern Italy (Campania), Sardinia and Greece (Kerkyra Island) and to discover new sites of P. placida on Pantelleria island and of Plagyrona spp. in Zannone island and southern Italy. The specific determination of these and others populations by examination of recent literature from Sardinia, Campania and Calabria, was carried out on a morphometric basis, but, for some populations, the variability of the diagnostic characters and the limited number of available specimens, do not allow a precise assignment. On the other hand, the existence of two distinct species is not evident at all, at least in the Mediterranean countries.

Glycan Markers of Human Stem Cells Assigned with Beam Search Arrays*[S

Glycan antigens recognized by monoclonal antibodies have served as stem cell markers. To understand regulation of their biosynthesis and their roles in stem cell behavior precise assignments are required. We have applied state-of-the-art glycan array technologies to compare the glycans bound by five antibodies that recognize carbohydrates on human stem cells. These are: FC10.2, TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81, anti-i and R-10G. Microarray analyses with a panel of sequence-defined glycans corroborate that FC10.2, TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81 recognize the type 1-(Galβ-3GlcNAc)-terminating backbone sequence, Galβ-3GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAc, and anti-i, the type 2-(Galβ-4GlcNAc) analog, Galβ-4GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAc, and we determine substituents they can accommodate. They differ from R-10G, which requires sulfate. By Beam Search approach, starting with an antigen-positive keratan sulfate polysaccharide, followed by targeted iterative microarray analyses of glycan populations released with keratanases and mass spectrometric monitoring, R-10G is assigned as a mono-sulfated type 2 chain with 6-sulfation at the penultimate N-acetylglucosamine, Galβ-4GlcNAc(6S)β-3Galβ-4GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAc. Microarray analyses using newly synthesized glycans corroborate the assignment of this unique determinant raising questions regarding involvement as a ligand in the stem cell niche.

A contribution to the herpetofauna from the late Miocene of Gritsev (Ukraine)

Excavations in the locality Gritsev (karstic fillings of the upper Miocene age in a limestone quarry in Shepetovsky District, Khmelnitsky Region, Ukraine) revealed, since 1983 when excavations started, a rich vertebrate fauna that includes also amphibians and lizards. The material is rich enough to assess individual and developmental variation within some taxa (e.g., Pseudopus pannonicus). Although the fragmentary nature of the disarticulated bones does not sometimes allow precise taxonomic assignment, morphological differences in, e.g., dental characteristics suggest the presence of some other ones, not formally named forms. Thus, the list of the amphibian and reptilian taxa from Gritsev is by far not complete, but their osteological characteristics are representative to such a degree that they can provide information for comparisons with other European Miocene herpetofaunas.

Facial skin mapping: from single point bio-instrumental evaluation to continuous visualization of skin hydration, barrier function, skin surface pH, and sebum in different ethnic skin types.

Dry skin is one of the most important concerns of consumers worldwide. Despite huge efforts over several decades, the personal care industry still does not offer a perfect solution to satisfy the unmet needs of consumers for moisturising treatments in different ethnic groups. The paucity of data for the underlying cellular and biochemical problems in, and the effects of moisturisers on photodamaged facial skin may partly explain this. Mainly, single point measurements are used to understand the effects of products on skin physiology even on surrogate skin sites such as the non‐photodamaged volar forearm. Some groups have developed discontinuous facial maps of skin biophysical properties, however, in 2014 a continuous facial analysis of bio‐instrumental evaluations was developed using a heat map approach. These maps enabled a continuous visualization of features that not only revealed an unexpected complexity of facial skin but also indicated that use of surrogate skin sites for facial skin is inappropriate. We have demonstrated that remarkable gradients of skin hydration, TEWL, skin surface pH and sebum exist within short distances across the face and the gradients are distinctive among different ethnic groups. In addition, these studies have demonstrated that darkly‐pigmented individuals do not necessarily have a better skin barrier function than their less‐pigmented counterparts and that Caucasians have a lower facial skin surface pH compared with more pigmented subjects. Overall, there are no correlations between capacitance, TEWL and skin surface pH including individual topology angle values. Novel 3D camera approaches have also been used to facilitate a more precise assignment of measurement sites and visualisation. The 3D facial colour mappings illustrated precisely the local moisturising effects of a moisturising cream. There were subtle ethnic differences in efficacy that may be related to underlying skin biochemistry and/or ethnic differences in product application. A placebo‐controlled study using conductance measurements in Chinese subjects is also reported. Finally, a new whole face statistical approach has been taken to prove differences in skin parameters but also of moisturiser treatment that adds further to our understanding of the ethnic differences in skin physiology and product application. This paper reviews the background of the development and application of this methodology.

Bond dissociation energies of FeB, CoB, NiB, RuB, RhB, OsB, IrB, and PtB.

The bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of the diatomic late transition metal borides (MB, M = Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, and Pt) have been assigned from the measurement of a predissociation threshold using resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) spectroscopy. The open d-shell configurations of the transition metal constituents in the molecules studied here lead to large ML degeneracies, resulting in a dense manifold of states near the ground separated atom limit. This high density of states causes prompt predissociation to occur as soon as the ground separated atom limit is exceeded, allowing a precise assignment of the BDE of the molecule. The measured predissociation thresholds give BDEs of D0(FeB) = 2.43(2) eV, D0(CoB) = 2.954(3) eV, D0(NiB) = 3.431(4) eV, D0(RuB) = 4.815(3) eV, D0(RhB) = 5.252(3) eV, D0(OsB) = 4.378(3) eV, D0(IrB) = 4.928(10) eV, and D0(PtB) = 5.235(3) eV. The gaseous enthalpies of formation at 0 K for these molecules have been derived using a thermochemical cycle that relates atomic enthalpies of formation and the BDE of the molecule, giving ΔfH0K°(g) (FeB) = 733.6(12.2) kJ mol-1, ΔfH0K°(g) (CoB) = 695.1(12.2) kJ mol-1, ΔfH0K°(g) (NiB) = 652.1(14.7) kJ mol-1, ΔfH0K°(g) (RuB) = 740.2(12.7) kJ mol-1, ΔfH0K°(g) (RhB) = 600.1(12.7) kJ mol-1, ΔfH0K°(g) (OsB) = 921.7(13.6) kJ mol-1, ΔfH0K°(g) (IrB) = 748.0(13.6) kJ mol-1, and ΔfH0K°(g) (PtB) = 613.9(12.2) kJ mol-1. This work reports the first experimental measurements of the BDEs of FeB, CoB, NiB, and OsB. Periodic trends are discussed.

Assignment of Serotype-Specific IgG1, IgG2, and IgA Weight-Based Antibody Units to the Human Pneumococcal Standard Reference Serum, 007sp.

In 2011, the human pneumococcal standard reference serum, 007sp, was established as a replacement for the previous standard, lot 89SF, supplies of which were dwindling. The pneumococcal reference serum is used primarily in the standardized pneumococcal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (World Health Organization reference enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) but has also been used in functional assays. Serotype-specific IgG values for 24 pneumococcal capsular serotypes have previously been assigned to 007sp by bridging to the original values derived for lot 89SF. In this study, by bridging to existing values in lot 89SF, we assign weight-based serotype-specific IgA, IgG1, and IgG2 to 007sp for 11 pneumococcal capsular serotypes (1, 3, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F), as well as serotype 19A-specific IgA. Concentrations for serotype-specific IgA, IgG1, and IgG2 present in 007sp were comparable to those previously assigned to lot 89SF. In addition, the concentration of serotype-specific IgG1 plus IgG2 assigned to 007sp significantly correlated to previously assigned 007sp IgG values. The accuracy of antibody assignments to 007sp from lot 89SF was assessed by comparing the concentration of serotype-specific IgA, IgG1, and IgG2 in 16 unknown samples using both 007sp and lot 89SF as the standard. Interpolated values for the unknown samples were highly correlated with average R2 values of 0.9729, 0.9951, and 0.9933 for IgA, IgG1, and IgG2, respectively, for all serotypes demonstrating the precise nature assignments to 007sp made in this study. Nonparallelism between 007sp and lot 89SF has precluded the derivation of serotype-specific IgM values.IMPORTANCE A well-characterized antibody standard is an indispensable reagent for use in assays designed to measure antibodies with precision and where assays between laboratories need to be comparable. The human pneumococcal standard reference serum, lot 89SF, greatly facilitated the standardization of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methodologies during a critical period when the first pneumococcal polysaccharide-conjugate vaccines were being evaluated for licensure. Due to dwindling supplies of lot 89SF, a new reference standard, 007sp, was produced in 2011. Understanding the isotype and subclass composition of either natural or vaccine induced responses to pathogens has assumed increasing importance. In this study, we have assigned IgA, IgG1, and IgG2 values to pneumococcal serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F by bridging to existing values in lot 89SF.

Building energy model calibration using automated optimization-based algorithm

Multiple numbers of Building Energy Simulation (BES) programs have been improved and implemented during the last decades. BES models play a crucial role in understanding building energy demands and accelerating the malfunction diagnosis. However, due to the very high number of interacting parameters, most of the developed energy simulation programs do not accurately predict building energy performance under a known condition. Even the energy models which are developed with the very precise assignment of parameters, there is always significant discrepancies between the simulation results and the real-time data measurements. Current study develops an optimization-based framework to calibrate the whole building energy model. The optimization algorithm attempts to set the identified parameters to minimize the error between the simulation results and the real-time measurements. Due to the high number of parameters, the developed optimization algorithm utilizes a Harmony Search algorithm as its search engine coupled with the energy simulation model to accelerate the calibration process. Moreover, to illustrate the efficiency of using the developed framework, a case study of the office building is modeled and calibrated and the statistical analysis was conducted to assess the accuracy of the results. The results of the calibration process show the reliability of the framework.

Minimum Precision Requirements of General Margin Hyperplane Classifiers

Margin hyperplane classifiers such as support vector machines have achieved considerable success in various classification tasks. Their simplicity makes them suitable candidates for the design of embedded intelligent systems. Precision is an effective parameter to trade-off accuracy and resource utilization. We present analytical bounds on the precision requirements of general margin hyperplane classifiers. In addition, we propose a principled precision reduction scheme based on the trade-off between input and weight precisions. We present simulation results that support our analysis and illustrate the gains of our approach in terms of reducing resource utilization. For instance, we show that a linear margin classifier with precision assignment dictated by our approach and applied to the “two versus four” task of the MNIST dataset is $\sim 2\times $ more accurate than a standard 8 bits low precision implementation in spite of using $\sim 2\times 10^{4}$ fewer 1 bit full adders and $\sim 2\times 10^{3}$ fewer bits for data and weight representation.

Orbital Fingerprint of Topological Fermi Arcs in the Weyl Semimetal TaP.

The monopnictides TaAs and TaP are well-established Weyl semimetals. Yet, a precise assignment of Fermi arcs, accommodating the predicted chiral charge of the bulk Weyl points, has been difficult in these systems, and the topological character of different surface features in the Fermi surface is not fully understood. Here, employing a joint analysis from linear dichroism in angle-resolved photoemission and first-principles calculations, we unveil the orbital texture on the full Fermi surface of TaP(001). We observe pronounced switches in the orbital texture at the projected Weyl nodes, and show how they facilitate a topological classification of the surface band structure. Our findings establish a critical role of the orbital degrees of freedom in mediating the surface-bulk connectivity in Weyl semimetals.

Mitochondrial Genomes from New Zealand’s Extinct Adzebills (Aves: Aptornithidae: Aptornis) Support a Sister-Taxon Relationship with the Afro-Madagascan Sarothruridae

The recently extinct New Zealand adzebills (Aptornithidae, Aptornis spp.) were an enigmatic group of large flightless birds that have long eluded precise taxonomic assignment as they do not closely resemble any extant birds. Adzebills were nearly wingless, weighed approximately 16–19 kg, and possessed massive adze-like reinforced bills whose function remains unknown. Using hybridisation enrichment and high-throughput sequencing of DNA extracted from subfossil bone and eggshell, near-complete mitochondrial genomes were successfully assembled from the two Quaternary adzebill species: the North Island Adzebill (Aptornis otidiformis) and South Island Adzebill (A. defossor). Molecular phylogenetic analyses confirm that adzebills are members of the Ralloidea (rails and allies) and are sister-taxon to the Sarothruridae, which our results suggest comprises the Madagascan wood rails (Mentocrex, two likely sp.) in addition to the tiny (<50 gram) rail-like Afro-Madagascan flufftails (Sarothrura, 9 spp.). Node age estimates indicate that the split between adzebills and Sarothruridae occurred ~39.6 Ma, suggesting that the ancestors of the adzebills arrived in New Zealand by long-distance dispersal rather than continental vicariance. This newly identified biogeographic link between physically distant New Zealand and Afro-Madagascar, echoed by the relationship between the New Zealand kiwi (Apterygiformes) and Madagascan elephant-birds (Aepyornithiformes), suggests that the adzebill’s near relatives were formerly more widespread. In addition, our estimate for the divergence time between the two Quaternary adzebill species (0.2–2.3 Ma) coincides with the emergence of a land-bridge between the North and South islands of New Zealand (ca. 1.5–2 Ma). This relatively recent divergence suggests that North Island adzebills are the result of a relatively recent dispersal from the South Island, from which the earliest (Miocene) adzebill fossil has been described.

Coordinate transformation parameters in Nepal by using neural network and SVD methods

Abstract The present study computes B-W extension model (extended Bursa-Wolf model) coordinate transformation parameters from World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS-84) to the Everest datum namely Everest (1830) and Everest (1956) using records of coordinate measurements from Global Positioning System (GPS) observable across Nepal region. Synthetic or modeled coordinates were determined by using the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) methods. We studied 9-transformation parameters with the help of the ANN technique and validated the outcomes with the SVD method. The comparative analysis of the ANN, as well as SVD methods, was done with the observed output following one way ANOVA test. The analysis showed that the null hypothesis for both datums were acceptable and suggesting all models statistically significantly equivalent to each other. The outcomes from this study would complement a relatively better understanding of the techniques for coordinate transformation and precise coordinate assignment while assimilating data sets from different resources.

Structure, vibrational, electrical and optical study of [C2H10N2] (IO3)2·4HIO3

The iodate salt [C2H10N2](IO3)2·4HIO3 denoted as EBITIA, was synthesized at this first time by A. M. Petrosyan et al. during the investigation the system C2H8N2HIO3H2O. In their study authors, have characterized the compound using iodometric titration and IR spectroscopy to determine its stocheometric composition. Later, K. Saidi et al. have studied the structural properties of the EBITIA crystal using X-ray single crystal diffraction at room temperature. In this work, this iodate salt was reproduced and was analyzed using the X-ray powder diffraction showing that the crystal structure of this compound corresponds well to the structrural model of the EBITIA. Variable temperature X-ray powder diffraction (VT-XRPD), 13C NMR, DSC and complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS) investigation were undertaken and show that the EBITIA is stable at the temperature range 303–393 K. The temperature dependence of both bulk and DC conductivities follow the Arrhenius law and the impedance data were fitted to an adequate equivalent circuit model consisting of a parallel combination of a bulk resistance and CPE. The near values of activation energies obtained from the conductivity and impedance measurements suggested that the electrical conductivity in the EBITIA may be due to the ion hopping mechanism.Moreover, the DFT calculation of the optimized geometries, vibrational wavenumbers, FOM's and Mulliken charge were also reported and were in better agreement with experiments. The complete, precise and reliable assignments of the fundamental vibrational modes were performed with the aid of potential energy distribution (PED). The optical properties of the compound were also studied using diffuse reflectance (DRS) and fluorescence spectroscopy.