Phase-resolved Crab Studies with a Cryogenic TES Spectrophotometer

We are developing time- and energy-resolved near-IR/optical/UV photon detectors based on sharp superconducting-normal transition edges in thin films. We report observations of the Crab pulsar made during prototype testing at the McDonald 2.7m telescope with a fiber-coupled transition-edge sensor (TES) system. These data show substantial (d[alpha]~0.3), rapid variations in the spectral index through the pulse profile, with a strong phase-varying IR break across our energy band. These variations correlate with X-ray spectral variations, but no single synchrotron population can account for the full Spectral Energy Distribution (SED). We also describe test spectrophotopolarimetry observations probing the energy dependence of the polarization sweep; this may provide a new key to understanding the radiating particle population.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures -- to appear in ApJ V56

Phleborheography: A Correlative Study with Venography

The Vascular Laboratory of Henry Ford Hospital has used the Cranley-Grass Phleborheograph (PRG) as the primary noninvasive method to determine the presence or absence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the lower limbs since December 1977. In order to determine its proper role and clinical reliability, we compared the diagnostic accuracy of phleborheography with contrast venography. From December 1977 through December 1978, 483 cases (963 limbs) were successfully examined by PRG. Ofthese, 111 cases (216 limbs) also had contrast venography. The PRG was confirmed as normal in 151 out of 157 (6 false negatives). There were 53 abnormal PRCs, with 35 confirmed by venography and 18 false positives. Six PRCs were considered equivocal. Sensitivity on a per limb basis was .85. The overall specificity was .86, and when equivocal examinations were excluded, it was .89. Phleborheography is safe, reliable, widely applicable, and well-tolerated. However, skilled technicians and careful interpretation are essential to its success

using provenance data and DNA

Re-examination of the historical range of the greater prairie chicke

Managing pest species under climate change: risks and opportunities

Human activity is driving significant changes in global and regional climate systems through the enhanced greenhouse effect (IPCC 2007). Global climate models predict that this anthropogenic forcing will alter both mean climate parameters and the frequency and magnitude of extreme meteorological events (e.g. heat waves, severe storm events and droughts). Such changes may have significant destabilizing effects, decoupling existing relationships between species, altering species distributions and challenging current management regimes. However, they may also provide significant management opportunities. Many pest species are expected to expand their geographical range in a warmer, more extreme, climate. Despite this, there is likely to be great variation both in pest species responses to changing climatic conditions and impacts on ecological and production systems, and in the effectiveness of current pest management strategies. This implies a need for ongoing monitoring and assessment of pest species responses to environmental change and management at local and regional scales. It also indicates a need for research aimed at identifying potential tipping points (or critical thresholds) in relation to significant meteorological events. This presentation will focus on the role of risk assessment in decision-making for pest species management under uncertainty. Probabilistic modelling approaches, such as Bayesian Belief networks, provide a valuable adjunct to monitoring and evaluation programs. They facilitate the synthesis of current knowledge (including expert opinion), highlight critical knowledge gaps, and provide a basis for both targeted research and adaptive management. Integrated modelling to predict invasive species response to management under variable climatic conditions can be used to identify key opportunities for management which will contribute disproportionately to effective pest species control. Pest species management programs under future climatic regimes are likely to require the capacity for more adaptive and strategic response, and will need to be supported by flexible investment strategies which enable timely (adaptive) responses at critical periods

Retrospective Observational Study of Atypical Winter Respiratory Illness Season Using Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance, England, 2014-15

During winter 2014–15, England experienced severe strains on acute health services. We investigated whether syndromic surveillance could contribute to understanding of the unusually high level of healthcare needs. We compared trends for several respiratory syndromic indicators from that winter to historical baselines. Cumulative and mean incidence rates were compared by winter and age group. All-age influenza-like illness was at expected levels; however, severe asthma and pneumonia levels were above those expected. Across several respiratory indicators, cumulative incidence rates during 2014–15 were similar to those of previous years, but higher for older persons; we saw increased rates of acute respiratory disease, including influenza like illness, severe asthma, and pneumonia, in the 65–74- and >75-year age groups. Age group–specific statistical algorithms may provide insights into the burden on health services and improve early warning in future winters

Scaling relations for implantation of size-selected Au, Ag, and Si clusters into graphite

The deposition of size-selected clusters represents a new route to the fabrication of truly nanometer-scale surface architectures, e.g., nanopores. We report a systematic experimental study, coupled with molecular dynamics simulations, of the implantation depths of size-selected Au7, Ag7, and Si7 clusters in the model graphite substrate. For impact energies between 1.0 and 5.5 keV, we find that the implantation depth scales linearly with the momentum of the clusters for all three types of cluster. This “universal” behavior is consistent with a (viscous) retarding force proportional to the velocity of the cluster, akin to Stokes’s law

Synthesis and Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship of Imidazotetrazine Prodrugs with Activity Independent of O6-Methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase, DNA Mismatch Repair and p53.

The antitumor prodrug Temozolomide is compromised by its dependence for activity on DNA mismatch repair (MMR) and the repair of the chemosensitive DNA lesion, O6-methylguanine (O6-MeG), by O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.63, MGMT). Tumor response is also dependent on wild-type p53. Novel 3-(2-anilinoethyl)-substituted imidazotetrazines are reported that have activity independent of MGMT, MMR and p53. This is achieved through a switch of mechanism so that bioactivity derives from imidazotetrazine-generated arylaziridinium ions that principally modify guanine-N7 sites on DNA. Mono- and bi-functional analogs are reported and a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study identified the p-tolyl-substituted bi-functional congener as optimized for potency, MGMT-independence and MMR-independence. NCI60 data show the tumor cell response is distinct from other imidazotetrazines and DNA-guanine-N7 active agents such as nitrogen mustards and cisplatin. The new imidazotetrazine compounds are promising agents for further development and their improved in vitro activity validates the principles on which they were designed

Detection of Potential Transit Signals in Sixteen Quarters of Kepler Mission Data

We present the results of a search for potential transit signals in four years of photometry data acquired by the Kepler Mission. The targets of the search include 111,800 stars which were observed for the entire interval and 85,522 stars which were observed for a subset of the interval. We found that 9,743 targets contained at least one signal consistent with the signature of a transiting or eclipsing object, where the criteria for detection are periodicity of the detected transits, adequate signal-to-noise ratio, and acceptance by a number of tests which reject false positive detections. When targets that had produced a signal were searched repeatedly, an additional 6,542 signals were detected on 3,223 target stars, for a total of 16,285 potential detections. Comparison of the set of detected signals with a set of known and vetted transit events in the Kepler field of view shows that the recovery rate for these signals is 96.9%. The ensemble properties of the detected signals are reviewed.Comment: Accepted by ApJ Supplemen