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In this paper, the role of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), measured by the Equatorial Southern Oscillation Index (EQSOI), is used to formally forecast the inflation and GDP growth rates of the United States, advanced (excluding the United States) and emerging countries, as well as the world economy (barring the United States). We rely on univariate and multivariate singular spectrum analyses (SSA), as well as mixed-frequency version of the latter since the EQSOI is monthly, while GDP is available only at quarterly frequency unlike monthly inflation rates. We find statistically significant evidence of the ability of the EQSOI in forecasting inflation and GDP growth rates of the four economic blocs, though there are exceptions in terms of forecasting gains associated with inflation rate of emerging economies and the growth rate of the United States. Our results have important implications for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Raw bioimpedance parameters (eg, 50-kHz phase angle [PA] and 200-kHz/5-kHz impedance ratio [IR]) have been investigated as predictors of nutrition status and/or clinical outcomes. However, their validity as prognostic measures depends on the availability of appropriate reference data. Using a large and ethnically diverse data set, we aimed to determine if ethnicity influences these measures and provide expanded bioimpedance reference data for the U.S.Population: Methods: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is an ongoing compilation of studies conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed to monitor nutrition status of the U.S.Population: The NHANES data sets analyzed were from the years 1999-2000, 2001-2002, and 2003-2004.Results: Multivariate analysis showed that PA and IR differed by body mass index (BMI), age, sex, and ethnicity (n = 6237; R2 = 41.2%, P < .0001). Suggested reference cut-points for PA stratified by age decade, ethnicity, and sex are provided.Conclusion: Ethnicity is an important variable that should be accounted for when determining population reference values for PA and IR. We have provided sex-, ethnicity-, and age decade-specific reference values from PA for use by future studies in U.S.Populations: Interdevice differences are likely to be important contributors to variability across published population-specific reference data and, where possible, should be evaluated in future research. Ultimately, further validation with physiologically relevant reference measures (eg, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) is necessary to determine if PA/IR are appropriate bedside tools for the assessment of nutrition status in a clinical population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the combined application of quantitative evaluation of mineralogy by scanning electron microscope (QEM-SEM) and hard X-ray microscopy to determine mineralogical associations and chemical speciation of trace metals in the U.S. It notes the reliance of successful trace metal speciation in heterogeneous matrices on a combination of techniques including spectroscopy, microscopy and wet chemical and physical experiments. It highlights the detailed insights provided by the QEM-SEM with micro-focused X-ray diffraction into the composition of mineral assemblages and their effect on trace metal speciation.

The article presents a study on the spectroscopic approaches for phosphorus speciation in soils and other environmental systems in the U.S. It cites the four spectroscopic techniques used in the analyses of the most common chemical species of phosphorus (P) reported for soils, sediments and waste materials including X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It notes the inorganic and organic P species revealed by the XANES and NMR in intact environmental matrices and the adsorbed P species provided by FTIR and Raman techniques.

The article presents a study on the investigation of lead (Pb) speciation and solubility in rhizosphere soils of five different plant species by using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy and chemical extraction in the U.S. It provides the comparison of the EXAFS spectra between bulk and rhizosphere soils which shows notable differences in fine structure, indicating that PB species had been modified by rhizosphere processes. It shows that rhizosphere processes modify Pb solubility and speciation in P-amended soils and that some plant species, like buckwheat, may impair the efficiency of Pb immobilization by P amendments.

The article presents a study on the effect of aging, intermittent submergence and in situ rice roots in cobalt distribution and speciation in the U.S. It highlights the use of X-ray absorption spectroscope (XAS) techniques to examine the influence of soluble cobalt in the +2 oxidation state aging, submergence-dried cycling and the presence of in vivo rice roots on the speciation and distribution of added cobalt (Co) II in soils. It notes how the study confirmed the importance of the Manganese (Mn) oxides in the sequestration of Co in soils and the influence of roots needs to be taken into account when addressing Co speciation. It mentions the importance of the study to improve models to predict the lability and availability of Co in terrestrial environments.

The article illustrates the application of bulk-sample and spatially resolved synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) for characterizing chemical species of contaminants in soils and for determining the uniqueness of trace element reactivity in different soil microsites in the U.S. It discusses the opportunities provided by spatially resolved X-ray techniques for following chemical changes within soil microsites that serve as highly localized chemical microreactors of unique composition. It highlights the use of information and principles developed from microscale soil chemistry for predicting macroscale and field-scale behavior of soil contaminants as one challenge in research.

The article summarizes the challenges facing environmental biogeochemistry, highlights the advances and scientific gaps identified in the collection and provides an outlook into future research that may benefit from the use of in situ spectroscopic approaches in the U.S. It discusses the use of synchrotron-based techniques and other methods and the importance to integrate multiple analytical approaches to confirm results of complementary procedures or to fill data gaps. The authors argue that future direction in research will be driven, in addition to recent analytical developments by emerging factors such as the need for risk assessment of new materials.

Objectives: Pharmaceutical manufacturers recommend refrigerating succinylcholine at a temperature range of 2–8°C. With widespread use of prehospital succinylcholine on ambulances without refrigeration, it is important to understand the stability of this drug. Using mass spectrometry, this study investigated the degradation of the succinylcholine compound before and after its exposure to ambulance cabin temperatures, while removing light exposure. A 10% degradation threshold was set as not appropriate for human use, in accordance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Methods: The study used 17 vials of succinylcholine sealed with duct tape in light-resistant bags. The bags were placed in climate controlled compartments in two ambulances: one stationed in a garage and the other stationed outdoors. Mass spectrometry analysis was used to examine drug degradation at Time 0, the 14th day of the first month, and monthly from Time 0 to 7 months. Results: The degradation products of succinyl monocholine (SMC) and choline are already present at Day 0. Ten percent degradation was achieved at approximately 90 days into the experiment. Temperature in the ambulance climate controlled compartment was 70°F, with a range from 56 to 89°F during the 6-month time period. Conclusions: Identifiable breakdown fragments of succinylcholine have been identified using mass spectrometry with fresh drug upon receipt from the manufacturer. Ten percent degradation was not observed until approximately 90 days after being placed on ambulances. Temperature variations did not significantly contribute to degradation of succinylcholine, and it is safe for injection until approximately 90 days in similar climates. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:631–637 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the numerical experiments conducted by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) using the regional spectral model (RCM) to learn the effects of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) upon the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), the Indian Summer Monsoons (ISM) and the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM). The study finds that the TP height is directly proportional to the simulated ISM precipitation over north India.

The article presents a study examining the relationships of rainfall-runoff in the southeastern part of the U.S. between 1938 and 2005. It notes the average rainfall and runoff per year which is 1201 millimeter (mm) for 1938 and 439 mm for 2005. The variation for temporal rainfall and runoff is noted and the cyclicities from the spectral analysis of autoregressive and transform for rainfall and runoff is also uncovered. Results from the study indicates the inconsistency of rainfall and runoff trends during the conducted period of the study.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common and often devastating neurodegenerative disease affecting up to one million individuals in the United States alone. Multiple lines of evidence support mitochondrial dysfunction as a primary or secondary event in PD pathogenesis; a better understanding, therefore, of how mitochondrial function is altered in vivo in brain tissue in PD is a critical step toward developing potential PD biomarkers. In vivo study of mitochondrial metabolism in human subjects has previously been technically challenging. However, proton and phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H and 31P MRS) are powerful noninvasive techniques that allow evaluation in vivo of lactate, a marker of anaerobic glycolysis, and high energy phosphates, such as adenosine triphosphate and phosphocreatine, directly reflecting mitochondrial function. This article reviews previous 1H and 31P MRS studies in PD, which demonstrate metabolic abnormalities consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction, and then presents recent 1H MRS data revealing abnormally elevated lactate levels in PD subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in global terrorism there is a higher probability of having to identify victims of incineration events secondary to incendiary explosive devices. The victims of incineration events challenge forensic odontologists when coronal restorations are no longer present to compile postmortem data. With 40 million root canals being completed annually in the United States, a very large pool of antemortem data is available to the forensic odontologist to make positive identifications. When complete and thorough dental records exist, individuals that have undergone surgical and nonsurgical root canal therapy may have materials present in the canal that may aid in identification. This study provides elemental fingerprints of root canal obturation materials to be utilized as a forensic identification aid. This study used scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) to assess the elemental composition of materials before and after high temperature incineration. Sixteen endodontic materials were analyzed pre-incineration and placed in extracted teeth. The filled teeth were subjected to incineration at 900°C for 30 min to simulate incineration events or cremation. Incinerated materials were radiographed and re-analyzed to determine if they retained their original elemental composition. Endodontic sealers, gutta percha, root-end filling materials, silver points, and separated files were distinguishable in the canal and traceable after incineration. The authors present a fingerprint of the endodontic obturation materials that are capable of withstanding high heat incineration to be used as an aid for postmortem identification. This work represents the initial stage of database generation for root canal filling materials for use as an aid in forensic identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, conducted at the University of Tennessee’s Anthropological Research Facility (ARF), lists and ranks the primary chemical constituents which define the odor of decomposition of human remains as detected at the soil surface of shallow burial sites. Triple sorbent traps were used to collect air samples in the field and revealed eight major classes of chemicals which now contain 478 specific volatile compounds associated with burial decomposition. Samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and were collected below and above the body, and at the soil surface of 1.5–3.5 ft. (0.46–1.07 m) deep burial sites of four individuals over a 4-year time span. New data were incorporated into the previously established Decompositional Odor Analysis (DOA) Database providing identification, chemical trends, and semi-quantitation of chemicals for evaluation. This research identifies the “odor signatures” unique to the decomposition of buried human remains with projected ramifications on human remains detection canine training procedures and in the development of field portable analytical instruments which can be used to locate human remains in shallow burial sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the difficulty associated with identifying and repatriating deceased undocumented border-crossers stems from an inability to narrow down the search area to more probable options. Analysis of the isotopic variation in the tooth enamel of modern Mexican populations is currently underway at the University of California Santa Cruz. Using Thermo Ionization Mass Spectrometry, the pilot research analyzed strontium isotopes located in the donated permanent teeth of Mexican-born individuals of known origin from four states. The preliminary results reveal the formation of three distinctly significant regions in the data set. Using the technology outlined here, a map documenting the isotopic variation in modern Mexican tooth enamel is being complied to use for cross comparison with deceased border crossers of unknown origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lampblack-impacted soils at former oil-gas plant sites in California, USA, were characterized to assess the sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the concentration-dependent effects of a residual oil tar phase on sorption mechanism and availability of PAHs. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrated similar aromaticity for both lampblack carbon and the oil tar phase, with pronounced resonance signals in the range of 100 to 150 ppm. Scanning-electron microscopic images revealed a physically distinct oil tar phase, especially at high concentrations in lampblack, which resulted in an organic-like film structure when lampblack particles became saturated with the oil tar. Sorption experiments were conducted on a series of laboratoryprepared lampblack samples to systematically evaluate influences of an oil tar phase on PAH sorption to lampblack. Results indicate that the sorption of PAHs to lampblack exhibits a competition among sorption phases at low oil tar contents when micro- and mesopores are accessible. When the oil tar content increases to more than 5 to 10% by weight, this tar phase fills small pores, reduces surface area, and dominates PAH sorption on lampblack surface. A new PAH partitioning model, Kd = KLB-C(1 - ftar)α + ftarKtar (α = empirical exponent), incorporates these effects in which the control of PAH partitioning transits from being dominated by sorption in lampblack (KLB-C) to absorption in oil tar (Ktar), depending on the fraction of tar ( ftar). This study illustrates the importance of understanding interactions among PAHs, oil tar, and lampblack for explaining the differences in availability of PAHs among site soils and, consequently, for refining site-specific risk assessment and establishing soil cleanup levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We carried out a systematic study of the seasonal cycle and its latitudinal variation in the nitrous oxide (N2O) data collected by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Global Monitoring Division (NOAA-GMD) and the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE). In order to confirm the weak seasonal signal in the observations, we applied the multitaper method for the spectrum analysis and studied the stations with significant seasonal cycle. In addition, the measurement errors must be small compared with the seasonal cycle. The N2O seasonal cycles from seven stations satisfied these criteria and were analyzed in detail. The stations are Alert (82°N, 62°W), Barrow (71°N, 157°W), Mace Head (53°N, 10°W), Cape Kumukahi (19°N, 155°W), Cape Matatula (14°S, 171°W), Cape Grim (41°S, 145°E) and South Pole (90°S, 102°W). The amplitude (peak to peak) of the seasonal cycle of N2O varies from 0.29 ppb (parts-per-billion by mole fraction in dry air) at the South Pole to 1.15 ppb at Alert. The month at which the seasonal cycle is at a minimum varies monotonically from April (South Pole) to September (Alert). The seasonal cycle in the Northern Hemisphere shows the influence of the stratosphere; the seasonal cycle of N2O in the Southern Hemisphere suggests greater influence from surface sources. Preliminary estimates are obtained for the magnitude of the seasonally varying sources needed to account for the observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification, analysis, and occurrence in U.S. automobile original finishes (1974–1989) of Nickel Titanate (yellow) and Chrome Titanate (yellow–orange) are described in this report. The titanate pigments are based on the rutile (titanium dioxide) structure and there are only minor differences between the infrared absorptions of rutile and the titanates. Titanate pigment absorptions in paint spectra can thus be easily mistaken for those of rutile. Each of the titanates, however, contains two elements in addition to titanium that can serve to distinguish them using elemental analyses. Fourier transform infrared (4000–220 cm−1) and X-ray fluorescence instruments were used in combination for the in situ analysis of the titanates. In addition to titanium, nickel, and antimony, the three main detectable elements comprising Nickel Titanate, all of the commercial products of this pigment that were examined also contained impurities of zirconium, niobium, and usually lead. These elements were also detected in most of the monocoats in which Nickel Titanate was identified, as well as in the Chrome Titanate pigments, and the zirconium to niobium ratio was found to exhibit a wide variation. Nickel Titanate is a relatively common pigment that was identified in nearly three dozen U.S. automobile yellow nonmetallic monocoats (1974–1989), while Chrome Titanate appears to have been used in only a few yellow and orange nonmetallic monocoats. The use of the titanate pigments likely increased after this time period as they were replacements for lead chromate pigments (last used in a U.S. automobile original finish in the early 1990s), and are more amenable for use in basecoat/clearcoat finishes than in monocoats. Minor distortions of the infrared absorptions of rutile, anatase, and the titanates obtained using accessories with diamond windows were noted, and their origins are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about the annual American Society of Mass Spectrometry meeting held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 9 to 13, 2013 is presented. Topics include the embryonic playground of editorial creativity. The meeting featured several representatives of the Associate Editorial Board including David Kilgour of Great Britain, Adam Trevitt of Australia and Sarah Trimpin of the U.S.

Invited for this month′s cover is the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation at the University of Delaware. The image shows the synergy of first principles calculations with vibrational spectroscopy to elucidate the stability of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in DMSO/water mixtures. The Full Paper itself is available on [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the effectiveness of cavity ring-down spectroscopy in carrying out isotope analysis in the U.S. It reveals that the process, developed by chemists at Stanfod University, has utilized cavity ring-down spectrometer which enable researchers to effectively evaluate isotope ratios, compared to isotope rate mass spectrometry (IRMS). Also, the instrument is inexpensive and has enhanced absorption rate.

A new newsletter, from the U.S.-based Sandia National Laboratories "Testing Technology," features some of Sandia's work in test activities, facilities and methods. Sandia is now accelerating efforts to exchange ideas and collaborate on technologies with private industry, universities and other laboratories. The first issue deals with photon correlation spectroscopy applied to jet fuel analysis, solar testing, shock isolation techniques, high-speed photography and radiation effects tests on CMOS semiconductors.