Statistical effects in the solar activity cycles during AD 1823-1996

General statistical properties of solar activity cycles during the period AD 1823–1996—including the Gnevyshev-Ohl and Waldmeier effects as well as an amplitude-period effect—were analyzed using Wolf number, group sunspot number, and extended total sunspot area series. It was found out that the Gnevyshev-Ohl effect GO2 (the positive correlation between intensity of the even cycles 2N and intensity of the odd cycles 2N+1) and the Waldmeier effect W2 (the anticorrelation between rise times of sunspot cycles and their amplitudes) are the most universal and robust features of the solar cycle. Other statistical relations were found appreciably sensitive to the selection of solar index, the interval of analysis, and the way of the cycle feature determination.</jats:p

Interaction of acridine-calix[4]arene with DNA at the electrified liquid|liquid interface

The behaviour of an acridine-functionalised calix[4]arene at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) is reported. Molecular modelling showed that the acridine-calix[4]arene has regions of significant net positive charge spread throughout the protonated acridine moieties, consistent with it being able to function as an anion ionophore. The presence of this compound in the organic phase facilitated the transfer of aqueous phase electrolyte ions. Upon addition of double stranded DNA to the aqueous phase, the transfer of electrolyte anions was diminished, due to DNA binding to the acridine moiety at the ITIES. The behaviour provides a basis for DNA hybridization detection using electrochemistry at the ITIES

Evolution of alternative and constitutive regions of mammalian 5'UTRs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alternative splicing (AS) in protein-coding sequences has emerged as an important mechanism of regulation and diversification of animal gene function. By contrast, the extent and roles of alternative events including AS and alternative transcription initiation (ATI) within the 5'-untranslated regions (5'UTRs) of mammalian genes are not well characterized.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We evaluated the abundance, conservation and evolution of putative regulatory control elements, namely, upstream start codons (uAUGs) and open reading frames (uORFs), in the 5'UTRs of human and mouse genes impacted by alternative events. For genes with alternative 5'UTRs, the fraction of alternative sequences (those present in a subset of the transcripts) is much greater than that in the corresponding coding sequence, conceivably, because 5'UTRs are not bound by constraints on protein structure that limit AS in coding regions. Alternative regions of mammalian 5'UTRs evolve faster and are subject to a weaker purifying selection than constitutive portions. This relatively weak selection results in over-abundance of uAUGs and uORFs in the alternative regions of 5'UTRs compared to constitutive regions. Nevertheless, even in alternative regions, uORFs evolve under a stronger selection than the rest of the sequences, indicating that some of the uORFs are conserved regulatory elements; some of the non-conserved uORFs could be involved in species-specific regulation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The findings on the evolution and selection in alternative and constitutive regions presented here are consistent with the hypothesis that alternative events, namely, AS and ATI, in 5'UTRs of mammalian genes are likely to contribute to the regulation of translation.</p

System packaging & integration for a swallowable capsule using a direct access sensor

Technological developments in biomedical microsystems are opening up new opportunities to improve healthcare procedures. Swallowable diagnostic capsules are an example of this. In this paper, a diagnostic capsule technology is described based on direct-access sensing of the Gastro Intestinal (GI) fluids throughout the GI tract. The objective of this paper is two-fold: i) develop a packaging method for a direct access sensor, ii) develop an encapsulation method to protect the system electronics. The integrity of the interconnection after sensor packaging and encapsulation is correlated to its reliability and thus of importance. The zero level packaging of the sensor was achieved by using a so called Flip Chip Over Hole (FCOH) method. This allowed the fluidic sensing media to interface with the sensor, while the rest of the chip including the electrical connections can be insulated effectively. Initial tests using Anisotropic Conductive Adhesive (ACA) interconnect for the FCOH demonstrated good electrical connections and functionality of the sensor chip. Also a preliminary encapsulation trial of the flip chipped sensor on a flexible test substrate has been carried out and showed that silicone encapsulation of the system is a viable option

The Bending Magnets for the Proton Transfer Line of CNGS

The project "CERN neutrinos to Gran Sasso (CNGS)", a collaboration between CERN and the INFN (Gran Sasso Laboratory) in Italy, will study neutrino oscillations in a long base-line experiment. High-energy protons will be extracted from the CERN SPS accelerator, transported through a 727 m long transfer line and focused onto a graphite target to produce a beam of pions and kaons and subsequently neutrinos. The transfer line requires a total of 78 dipole magnets. They were produced in the framework of an in-kind contribution of Germany via DESY to the CNGS project. The normal conducting dipoles, built from laminated steel cores and copper coils, have a core length of 6.3 m, a 37 mm gap height and a nominal field range of 1.38 T - 1.91 T at a maximum current of 4950 A. The magnet design was a collaboration between CERN and BINP. The half-core production was subcontracted to EFREMOV Institute; the coil fabrication, magnet assembly and the field measurements were concluded at BINP in June 2004. The main design issues and results of the acceptance tests, including mechanical, electrical and magnetic field measurements, are discussed

Is there long-range memory in solar activity on time scales shorter than the sunspot period?

The sunspot number (SSN), the total solar irradiance (TSI), a TSI reconstruction, and the solar flare index (SFI), are analyzed for long-range persistence (LRP). Standard Hurst analysis yields $H \approx 0.9$, which suggests strong LRP. However, solar activity time series are non-stationary due to the almost periodic 11 year smooth component, and the analysis does not give the correct $H$ for the stochastic component. Better estimates are obtained by detrended fluctuations analysis (DFA), but estimates are biased and errors are large due to the short time records. These time series can be modeled as a stochastic process of the form $x(t)=y(t)+\sigma \sqrt{y(t)}\, w_H(t)$, where $y(t)$ is the smooth component, and $w_H(t)$ is a stationary fractional noise with Hurst exponent $H$. From ensembles of numerical solutions to the stochastic model, and application of Bayes' theorem, we can obtain bias and error bars on $H$ and also a test of the hypothesis that a process is uncorrelated ($H=1/2$). The conclusions from the present data sets are that SSN, TSI and TSI reconstruction almost certainly are long-range persistent, but with most probable value $H\approx 0.7$. The SFI process, however, is either very weakly persistent ($H<0.6$) or completely uncorrelated. Some differences between stochastic properties of the TSI and its reconstruction indicate some error in the reconstruction scheme.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figure

ВИВЧЕННЯ БУДОВИ ПРОДУКТУ ВЗАЄМОДІЇ ДИЛТІАЗЕМУ З БРОМКРЕЗОЛОВИМ ЗЕЛЕНИМ

The aim of the work.  Selection and identification of the diltiazem hydrochloride аnd bromocresol green reaction product.Materials and Methods. Diltiazem hydrochloride working standard, bromocresol green and the sample of final dosage forms were used.Reagents and solvents: A standard sample of diltiazem hydrochloride, bromocresol green, acetone.Analytical equipments: Spectrophotometer Specord Bruker Alpha (Bruker Optik GmbH, Ettlingen, Germany) using a prefix (full internal reflection) ATR (direct injection of substance), Spectrophotometer Specord 200 (Germany) (190-1100 nm).Results and Discussion. It was experimentally established that diltiazem hydrochloride forms coloured ion-pair product with bromocresol green in acetone medium. IR-spectrum ion-pair complex corresponds to the sum of absorption of starting compounds with some differences, which confirm its formation. In ion-pair product in the region 3600–3400 sm-1 strips of phenolic –ОН appear with less intensity, which can be explained by the transformation of bromocresol green into the quinone structure. The product also has no absorption in the region 2370 cm-1 (R3N+ Cl- in diltiazem hydrochloride), which is explained by the formation of the ionic associate with bromocresol green, namely, the absorption is manifested in the form of a wider signal in the region 3200–2000 cm-1. Conclusions. Presented analytical assay showed that diltiazem hydrochloride reacts with bromocresol green in a ratio of 1:1. It was also established and identified the structure of the product of reaction. Using IR- spectroscopy, it was confirmed that is known to be an ionic associate.Мета роботи. Виділення та ідентифікація продукту взаємодії дилтіазему гідрохлориду з бромкрезоловим зеленим.Матеріали і методи. У дослідженні використано робочий стандартний зразок дилтіазему гідрохлориду, бромкрезоловий зелений (БКЗ), зразки готових лікарських форм вітчизняного та закордонного виробництва.Реагенти і розчинники: стандартний зразок дилтіазему гідрохлориду, бромкрезоловий зелений, ацетон.Аналітичне обладнання: спектрофотометр Bruker Alpha (Bruker Optik GmbH, Ettlingen, Germany) з використанням приставки (повного внутрішнього відбиття) ATR (пряме уведення речовини), спектрофотометр Specord 200 (Німеччина) (190–1100 нм).Результати й обговорення. Експериментально встановлено, що дилтіазем гідрохлорид взаємодіє з бромкрезоловим зеленим у середовищі ацетону з утворенням йонного асоціату. ІЧ-спектр йонного асоціату відповідає сумі поглинань вихідних сполук із деякими відмінностями, що підтверджують його утворення. У йонному асоціаті в області 3600–3400 см-1 смуги фенольних –ОН  проявляються з меншою інтенсивністю, що можна пояснити перетворенням БКЗ у хінонну структуру. У продукті також відсутні поглинання в області 2370 см-1  (R3N+ Cl- в дилтіаземі гідрохлориді), що пояснюється утворенням йонного асоціату з БКЗ, а саме поглинання проявляється у вигляді уширеного сигналу в області 3200–2000 см-1.Висновки. У результаті проведених досліджень встановлено, що дилтіазем гідрохлорид взаємодіє з бромкрезоловим зеленим у співвідношенні 1:1, виділено та встановлено будову продукту взаємодії дилтіазему гідрохлорид із бромкрезоловим зеленим. За допомогою ІЧ-спектроскопії підтверджено, що продуктом реакції є йонний асоціат