Geochemical prospecting techniques for primary nickel ore in Central Africa

Imperial Users onl

Quantification and ACD: Evidence from Real-Time Sentence Processing

Data files and documentation available at http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/76676Quantifiers, unlike proper names or definite descriptions, cannot be given the semantics of referring expressions. This fact has triggered a long standing debate in formal semantics and syntax as to the combinatorial means by which quantifiers are integrated into a sentence. The present paper contributes to this debate through an investigation of quantifier comprehension during real-time sentence processing. We present evidence showing that two potentially independent processes—the integration of a quantifier in object position and the resolution of antecedent-contained deletion (ACD)—are linked. Our data show, more specifically, that the resolution of a downstream ACD site is facilitated during real-time sentence processing if the upstream DP hosting the ACD site is quantificational but not if it is definite. We discuss these findings in the context of a QUANTIFIER RAISING based approach and a type-shifting-based approach to quantifier integration. We argue that facilitation of ACD resolution by an upstream quantifier is only expected by theories, such as the QUANTIFIER RAISING approach, which employ the same mechanism for both processes. We then compare the QUANTIFIER RAISING-based account with a non-grammatical experience-based approach to our data, which attempts to explain the findings in terms of corpus frequencies. Although we cannot rule out such an alternative at this stage, we offer reasons to believe that an account that exploits QUANTIFIER RAISING has an explanatory advantage

Spatial dependency of Buruli ulcer prevalence on arsenic-enriched domains in Amansie West District, Ghana: implications for arsenic mediation in Mycobacterium ulcerans infection

BACKGROUND: In 1998, the World Health Organization recognized Buruli ulcer (BU), a human skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), as the third most prevalent mycobacterial disease. In Ghana, there have been more than 2000 reported cases in the last ten years; outbreaks have occurred in at least 90 of its 110 administrative districts. In one of the worst affected districts, Amansie West, there are arsenic-enriched surface environments resulting from the oxidation of arsenic-bearing minerals, occurring naturally in mineral deposits. RESULTS: Proximity analysis, carried out to determine spatial relationships between BU-affected areas and arsenic-enriched farmlands and arsenic-enriched drainage channels in the Amansie West District, showed that mean BU prevalence in settlements along arsenic-enriched drainages and within arsenic-enriched farmlands is greater than elsewhere. Furthermore, mean BU prevalence is greater along arsenic-enriched drainages than within arsenic-enriched farmlands. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that arsenic in the environment may play a contributory role in MU infection

IUPHAR-DB: An Expert-Curated, Peer-Reviewed Database of Receptors and Ion Channels

The International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology database (IUPHAR-DB) integrates peer-reviewed pharmacological, chemical, genetic, functional and anatomical information on the 354 non-sensory G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), 71 ligand-gated ion channel subunits and 141 voltage-gated ion channel subunits encoded by the human, rat and mouse genomes. These genes represent the targets of about a third of currently approved drugs and are a major focus of drug discovery and development programs in the pharmaceutical industry. Individual gene pages provide a comprehensive description of the genes and their functions, with information on protein structure, ligands, expression patterns, signaling mechanisms, functional assays and biologically important receptor variants (e.g. single nucleotide polymorphisms and splice variants). The phenotypes resulting from altered gene expression (e.g. in genetically altered animals) and genetic mutations are described. Links are provided to bioinformatics resources such as NCBI RefSeq, OMIM, PubChem, human, rat and mouse genome databases. Recent developments include the addition of ligand-centered pages summarising information about unique ligand molecules in IUPHAR-DB. IUPHAR-DB represents a novel approach to biocuration because most data are provided through manual curation of published literature by a network of over 60 expert subcommittees coordinated by NC-IUPHAR. Data are referenced to the primary literature and linked to PubMed. The data are checked to ensure accuracy and consistency by the curators, added to the production server using custom-built submission tools and peer-reviewed by NC-IUPHAR, before being transferred to the public database. Data are reviewed and updated regularly (at least biennially). Other website features include comprehensive database search tools, online and downloadable gene lists and links to recent publications of interest to the field, such as reports on receptor-ligand pairings. The database is freely available at "http://www.iuphar-db.org":http://www.iuphar-db.org. Curators can be reached at curators [at] iuphar-db.org. We thank British Pharmacological Society, UNESCO (through the ICSU Grants Programme), Incyte, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Servier and Wyeth for their support

Flux Measurements of Volatile Organic Compounds from an Urban Tower Platform in Houston, Texas: Trends and Tracers

Energy and trace gas fluxes were measured from anthropogenic and biogenic emission sources in the Houston urban surface layer. Air sampling from a tall tower platform began in 2008 and continued through April 2013. A relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) system combined with a dual channel GC-FID was used to measure the flux of 19 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from C4 through C8 species. We discuss a time series comparison of local concentrations and fluxes of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) from winter 2009 compared to spring 2013. Median concentrations over the four-year period fell between 20 to 34 percent, comparable to long-term VOC reduction trends observed in other major metropolitan areas. Emissions of these species fell accordingly with median flux reductions of 25 to 54 percent. For emissions inventory validation purposes, traffic counts were taken along major commuter roads surrounding the tower. We observed a strong correlation between selected vehicle exhaust VOC fluxes and traffic counts except during variable working hours. To assign measured fluxes to local sources, we tested a bulk flux footprint model (Kormann and Meixner model) designed for uniform emission surface areas in this urban, heterogeneous landscape. Tracer releases of known amounts of acetone and methyl-ethyl-ketone (MEK) were performed within the footprint region to validate the model. Four out of six tracer releases matched the fluxes measured at the GC within the given levels of uncertainty for the footprint model and the REA GC-FID system. There were reasonable causes of error for the two releases that did not match. The footprint model was also tested using a known n-pentane emissions source approximately one mile SSE of the tower. Using modeled footprints under wind directions directly from this source, we calculated that the facility emitted an average of 6.35 ± 3.63 (1 sd) kg of n-pentane per hour. These rates fell within the facility’s TCEQ permitted hourly emissions allowing 10.5 kg of VOC per hour. However, if occurring daily, the calculated emission would be above the permit’s yearly emission rate of 4.67 kg of VOC per hour at a 68% likelihood based on a normal distribution

Evolution of helicity in NOAA 10923 over three consecutive solar rotations

We have studied the evolution of magnetic helicity and chirality in an active region over three consecutive solar rotations. The region when it first appeared was named NOAA10923 and in subsequent rotations it was numbered NOAA 10930, 10935 and 10941. We compare the chirality of these regions at photospheric, chromospheric and coronal heights. The observations used for photospheric and chromospheric heights are taken from Solar Vector Magnetograph (SVM) and H_alpha imaging telescope of Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO), respectively. We discuss the chirality of the sunspots and associated H_alpha filaments in these regions. We find that the twistedness of superpenumbral filaments is maintained in the photospheric transverse field vectors also. We also compare the chirality at photospheric and chromospheric heights with the chirality of the associated coronal loops, as observed from the HINODE X-Ray Telescope.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

FEniCSx Preconditioning Tools (FEniCSx-pctools)

FEniCSx Preconditioning Tools (FEniCSx-pctools) is a software package for easing the specification of PETSc-based block preconditioning strategies in the DOLFINx finite element solver of the FEniCS Project. It attaches all of the necessary metadata to the block-structured linear systems in order that block-structured preconditioners can be applied straightforwardly via PETSc’s options-based configuration system. Fast prototyping is facilitated thanks to the implementation in Python, and all intensive operations are executed in C/C++. FEniCSx-pctools is available under the LGPLv3 or later license.Submitted preprin

Biomimetic heterogenous elastic tissue development

There is an unmet need for artificial tissue to address current limitations with donor organs and problems with donor site morbidity. Despite the success with sophisticated tissue engineering endeavours, which employ cells as building blocks, they are limited to dedicated labs suitable for cell culture, with associated high costs and long tissue maturation times before available for clinical use. Direct 3D printing presents rapid, bespoke, acellular solutions for skull and bone repair or replacement, and can potentially address the need for elastic tissue, which is a major constituent of smooth muscle, cartilage, ligaments and connective tissue that support organs. Thermoplastic polyurethanes are one of the most versatile elastomeric polymers. Their segmented block copolymeric nature, comprising of hard and soft segments allows for an almost limitless potential to control physical properties and mechanical behaviour. Here we show direct 3D printing of biocompatible thermoplastic polyurethanes with Fused Deposition Modelling, with a view to presenting cell independent in-situ tissue substitutes. This method can expeditiously and economically produce heterogenous, biomimetic elastic tissue substitutes with controlled porosity to potentially facilitate vascularisation. The flexibility of this application is shown here with tubular constructs as exemplars. We demonstrate how these 3D printed constructs can be post-processed to incorporate bioactive molecules. This efficacious strategy, when combined with the privileges of digital healthcare, can be used to produce bespoke elastic tissue substitutes in-situ, independent of extensive cell culture and may be developed as a point-of-care therapy approach