Summertime total OH reactivity measurements from boreal forest during HUMPPA-COPEC 2010

Ambient total OH reactivity was measured at the Finnish boreal forest station SMEAR II in Hyyti¨al¨a (Latitude 61510 N; Longitude 24170 E) in July and August 2010 using the Comparative Reactivity Method (CRM). The CRM – total OH reactivity method – is a direct, in-situ determination of the total loss rate of hydroxyl radicals (OH) caused by all reactive species in air. During the intensive field campaign HUMPPA-COPEC 2010 (Hyyti¨al¨a United Measurements of Photochemistry and Particles in Air – Comprehensive Organic Precursor Emission and Concentration study) the total OH reactivity was monitored both inside (18 m) and directly above the forest canopy (24 m) for the first time. The comparison between these two total OH reactivity measurements, absolute values and the temporal variation have been analyzed here. Stable boundary layer conditions during night and turbulent mixing in the daytime induced low and high short-term variability, respectively. The impact on total OH reactivity from biogenic emissions and associated photochemical products was measured under “normal” and “stressed” (i.e. prolonged high temperature) conditions. The advection of biomass burning emissions to the site caused a marked change in the total OH reactivity vertical profile. By comparing the OH reactivity contribution from individually measured compounds and the directly measured total OH reactivity, the size of any unaccounted for “missing” sink can be deduced for various atmospheric influences. For “normal” boreal conditions a missing OH reactivity of 58 %, whereas for “stressed” boreal conditions a missing OH reactivity of 89% was determined. Various sources of not quantified OH reactive species are proposed as possible explanation for the high missing OH reactivity

Priority sites for wildfowl conservation in Mexico

A set of priority sites for wildfowl conservation in Mexico was determined using contemporary count data (1991–2000) from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service mid-winter surveys. We used a complementarity approach implemented through linear integer programming that addresses particular conservation concerns for every species included in the analysis and large fluctuations in numbers through time. A set of 31 priority sites was identified, which held more than 69% of the mid-winter count total in Mexico during all surveyed years. Six sites were in the northern highlands, 12 in the central highlands, six on the Gulf of Mexico coast and seven on the upper Pacific coast. Twenty-two sites from the priority set have previously been identified as qualifying for designation as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention and 20 sites are classified as Important Areas for Bird Conservation in Mexico. The information presented here provides an accountable, spatially-explicit, numerical basis for ongoing conservation planning efforts in Mexico, which can be used to improve existing wildfowl conservation networks in the country and can also be useful for conservation planning exercises elsewhere

Thermal Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition of Ti-Si-N Films for Diffusion Barrier Applications

Structurally disordered refractory ternary films such as titanium silicon nitride (Ti-Si-N) have potential as advanced diffusion barriers in future ULSI metallization schemes. Here the authors present results on purely thermal metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of Ti-Si-N. At temperatures between 300 and 450 C, tetrakis(diethylamido)titanium (TDEAT), silane, and ammonia react to grow Ti-Si-N films with Si contents of 0--20 at.%. Typical impurity contents are 5--10 at.%H and 0.5 to 1.5 at.% C, with no O or other impurities detected in the bulk of the film. Although the film resistivity increases with increasing Si content, it remains below 1,000 {micro}{Omega}-cm for films with less than 5 at.% Si. These films are promising candidates for advanced diffusion barriers

Thermal metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of Ti-Si-N films for diffusion barrier applications

Structurally disordered refractory ternary films such as titanium silicon nitride (Ti-Si-N) have potential as advanced diffusion barriers in future ULSI metallization schemes. Here the authors present results on purely thermal metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of Ti-Si-N. At temperatures between 300 and 450 C, tetrakis(diethylamido)titanium (TDEAT), silane, and ammonia react to grow Ti-Si-N films with Si contents of 0--20 at.%. Typical impurity contents are 5--10 at.%H and 0.5 to 1.5 at.% C, with no O or other impurities detected in the bulk of the film. Although the film resistivity increases with increasing Si content, it remains below 1,000 {micro}{Omega}-cm for films with less than 5 at.% Si. These films are promising candidates for advanced diffusion barriers

Prevalence, Characteristics, and Prognostic Significance of HFE Gene Mutations in Type 2 Diabetes: The Fremantle Diabetes Study

OBJECTIVE—To examine the relationship between iron status, hereditary hemochromatosis (HFE) gene mutations, and clinical features and outcomes of type 2 diabetes in a well-characterized representative sample of community-based patients

Identification of Class I HLA T Cell Control Epitopes for West Nile Virus

The recent West Nile virus (WNV) outbreak in the United States underscores the importance of understanding human immune responses to this pathogen. Via the presentation of viral peptide ligands at the cell surface, class I HLA mediate the T cell recognition and killing of WNV infected cells. At this time, there are two key unknowns in regards to understanding protective T cell immunity: 1) the number of viral ligands presented by the HLA of infected cells, and 2) the distribution of T cell responses to these available HLA/viral complexes. Here, comparative mass spectroscopy was applied to determine the number of WNV peptides presented by the HLA-A*11:01 of infected cells after which T cell responses to these HLA/WNV complexes were assessed. Six viral peptides derived from capsid, NS3, NS4b, and NS5 were presented. When T cells from infected individuals were tested for reactivity to these six viral ligands, polyfunctional T cells were focused on the GTL9 WNV capsid peptide, ligands from NS3, NS4b, and NS5 were less immunogenic, and two ligands were largely inert, demonstrating that class I HLA reduce the WNV polyprotein to a handful of immune targets and that polyfunctional T cells recognize infections by zeroing in on particular HLA/WNV epitopes. Such dominant HLA/peptide epitopes are poised to drive the development of WNV vaccines that elicit protective T cells as well as providing key antigens for immunoassays that establish correlates of viral immunity. © 2013 Kaabinejadian et al

Loss of the Synaptic Vesicle Protein SV2B Results in Reduced Neurotransmission and Altered Synaptic Vesicle Protein Expression in the Retina

The Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2 (SV2) family of transporter-like proteins is expressed exclusively in vesicles that undergo calcium-regulated exocytosis. Of the three isoforms expressed in mammals, SV2B is the most divergent. Here we report studies of SV2B location and function in the retina. Immunolabeling studies revealed that SV2B is detected in rod photoreceptor synaptic terminals where it is the primary isoform. In mice lacking SV2B, synaptic transmission at the synapse between photoreceptors and bipolar neurons was decreased, as evidenced by a significant reduction in the amplitude of the b-wave in electroretinogram recordings. Quantitative immunoblot analyses of whole eyes revealed that loss of SV2B was associated with reduced levels of synaptic vesicle proteins including synaptotagmin, VAMP, synaptophysin and the vesicular glutamate transporter V-GLUT1. Immunolabeling studies revealed that SV2B is detected in rod photoreceptor synaptic terminals where it is the primary isoform. Thus, SV2B contributes to the modulation of synaptic vesicle exocytosis and plays a significant role in regulating synaptic protein content