Terrorism and Politics Predominate on the Front Pages of the Basque Press. Content and Area Analysis of the Front Pages of the Regional Newspapers

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Dr. Jesús A. Pérez Dasilva

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper offers the results of research project 08/20 of the University of the Basque Country on the news published on the front pages of the Basque press during the years 1996, 2001 and 2006.The researchers analyse the front pages of the Basque press to determine if their content matches the demand and interests of their readers. The study shows what are the most relevant topics for these newspapers. The research involved a detailed analysis of 2,448 front pages of the five main Basque newspapers, with a total of 19,156 news items. A specific methodology was developed for this work, enabling both a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the news stories to be made. The data shown in this paper are a summary of the more detailed results that emerged in the different fields of the research.

Tense and Mood in Basque Nominalizations

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Jon Ortiz de Urbina

2005-06-01

Full Text Available This article examines the role of tense and mood factors in the selection of complement clauses in Basque, arguing against apparent cases of free variation, discussed here with respect to choice of complement types. In particular, the article concentrates on the ability of some verb classes to take complements in the nominalized form. As with Spanish infinitives, the availability of nominalized complements correlates with the class membership of the main predicate into one of the subjunctive-taking groups. Apparent counterexamples, i.e., predicates which can take both a nominalized/subjunctive complement and an indicative one, will be shown to stem from differences in modality and tense. Variation is considered from a cross-linguistic perspective, and the discussion of the Basque examples is linked to 'double selection' phenomena in Spanish and Romance complements. Particular attention is paid to prospective complements, and a semantic approach is offered to explain why double selection phenomena emerge in this particular case. As expected, while the morphology of Basque and Spanish complement types is strikingly different, the semantic factors intervening in the choice and distribution of complement types will be shown not display the same degree of variation.

Collaborators at domestic jurisdiction: the case of the Basque Government in the setting up of the new Judicial Office in the Basque Country

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Izaskun Iriarte Irureta

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The Administration of Justice in Spain is going through a deep modernisation process aiming both at procedural and organisational reforms. The setting up of the new Judicial Office is precisely the major change of the organisation of the Administration of Justice in the last century. In this context, there is a shift in the role played by the regional governments with responsibilities in the field of Justice, as far as these regional governments are not only collaborators of the Judiciary at domestic jurisdiction, but they also become “actors” as they have decision making powers to create, to design and to organise the common procedural services of the Judicial Office and, hence, to set up the Judicial Office in each judicial district in their territory.This text presents the context and the reasons behind the setting up of the Judicial Office as a new way of organisation of the Spanish Administration of Justice; the Judiciary in Spain and the responsibilities of the regional governments in the Administration of Justice; the meaning of the Judicial Office and its guiding principles; the role of the Basque Government in setting up the Judicial Office in the Basque Country, paying special attention to its activity in the field of standardization of processes, the quality system, and of information, communication and coordination; the results of the first Judicial Offices. Finally the paper questions whether the regional or national governments are just “collaborators” or real “actors” of the Administration of Justice at domestic jurisdiction.

[Immigration and health: Social inequalities between native and immigrant populations in the Basque Country (Spain)].

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Rodríguez Álvarez, Elena; González-Rábago, Yolanda; Bacigalupe, Amaia; Martín, Unai; Lanborena Elordui, Nerea

2014-01-01

To analyze health inequalities between native and immigrant populations in the Basque Country (Spain) and the role of several mediating determinants in explaining these differences. A cross-sectional study was performed in the population aged 18 to 64 years in the Basque Country. We used data from the Basque Health Survey 2007 (n=4,270) and the Basque Health Survey for Immigrants 2009 (n=745). We calculated differences in health inequalities in poor perceived health between the native population and immigrant populations from distinct regions (China, Latin America, the Maghreb and Senegal). To measure the association between poor perceived health and place of origin, and to adjust this association by several mediating variables, odds ratios (OR) were calculated through logistic regression models. Immigrants had poorer perceived health than natives in the Basque Country, regardless of age. These differences could be explained by the lower educational level, worse employment status, lower social support, and perceived discrimination among immigrants, both in men and women. After adjustment was performed for all the variables, health status was better among men from China (OR: 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI95%]: 0.04-0.91) and Maghreb (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08-0.91) and among Latin American women (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.14-0.92) than in the native population. These results show the need to continue to monitor social and health inequalities between the native and immigrant populations, as well as to support the policies that improve the socioeconomic conditions of immigrants. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The climate change in the Basque Country. A Plan Against Climate Change; el cambio climatico en la comunidad autonoma del Pais Vasco. Un Plan de Lucha

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basurko Perez de Arenaza, I.

2008-07-01

This feature shows the reality of Climate Change from a global to a regional point of view in the Basque Country. Therefore describes the measures developed by Basque Government to get a reduction of CO{sub 2} emissions and avoid the effects of this environmental problem. (Author)

Renewable energy sources in Basque Country

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ente Vasco de la Energia

1992-01-01

The Autonomous Basque Energy Authority makes an analysis on the final results obtained during 1980 decade promoting renewable energies: Minihydroelectric power plants, solar thermal, photovoltaics, biomass and Wind Energy. New goals until the year 2000 are outlined

Equality and gender amongst young Basque people: A crossroads of continuities, conflicts and ruptures

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Mari Luz Esteban Galarza

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research we present in this article is to offer a general overview of the situation in the Basque Country concerning gender equality/inequality among young people. This paper is based on qualitative research conducted with young Basque people (15-30 years old. In the first part, a portrait of the young Basque population is presented with regard to formal equality and changes occurring in Spanish and Basque society over the last three decades, as well as a brief review of youth studies focusing on gender analysis. In the second part, the main results of this research are outlined, following three main lines of enquiry in relation to the maintenance or transformation of asymmetrical gender models: continuities, conflicts and ruptures.

Basque and Catalan Nationalism: A Comparison

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1993-05-01

Voltes Bou, Pedro. Historia de la Economia Espafiola en los Siglos XIX y XX. Madrid: Editorial Nacional, 1974. Zirakzadeh, Cyrus. A Rebellious People...Basques, Protests, and Politics. Reno, New Mexico : University of New Mexico Press, 1991. Periodicals and Journals Alameda, Soledad."Retrato de HB

MS205 Minisatellite Diversity in Basques: Evidence for a Pre-Neolithic Component

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Alonso, Santos; Armour, John A.L.

1998-01-01

A number of studies have suggested that Basques might be a relic of Mesolithic Europeans who escaped much of the homogenization brought about by the Neolithic expansion. In an attempt to add new insights into this hypothesis, MS205 minisatellite diversity has been investigated by Minisatellite Variant Repeat (MVR) analysis in a sample of >100 autochthonous individuals from the Basque Country, along with 24 Castilian (N. Spain) and 23 individuals from the United Kingdom. These populations were examined in the context of the available world database for MS205 alleles. To deduce the similarities among populations, we have applied a phylogenetic approach that takes into account similarity between alleles. The variability of these populations seems to be a subset of the greater and presumably older African diversity, as has been suggested previously for non-Africans. Within non-Africans, Basques seem to cluster with other Northern European populations; however, some apparently Basque-specific alleles can be dated back to post-Aurignacian times, supporting the continuity of some lineages of this population since the Upper Paleolithic period. PMID:9872983

The Basque country declaration : gerontechnology comments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Franco, A.; Fozard, J.L.; Bouwhuis, Don; Bronswijk, van J.E.M.H.; Charness, N.; Colombo, M.; Hsu, Y-L.; Hummels, C.C.M.; Kearns, W.D.; Kort, H.S.M.; Mahoney, D.; Spierings, D.; Tinker, A.; Wahl, H.; Wright, P.

2013-01-01

At the end of ISG*ISARC2012 World Conference, Eindhoven, June 27-29, 2012, a discussion took place by video conference, between participants of the AAL summit (chaired by Olga Rivera, Basque Country’s Deputy Minister of Health Research and Innovation) and the gerontechnology conference (chaired by

Check-list of the Basque coast benthic algae (North of Spain

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Gorostiaga, José M.

2004-12-01

Full Text Available An annotated check-list of the marine benthic flora of the Spanish Basque coast, based on literature records and original data, is presented. According to the present taxonomy, the known list of algae totals 372 taxa (354 species and 18 infraspecific taxa, distributed as follows: 23 Cyanophyta, 221 Rhodophyta, 74 Heterokontophyta and 54 Chlorophyta. In addition, 16 taxa are considered as taxa inquirenda and 8 as taxa excludenda. For each taxon the vertical distribution, abundance estimation, and two first published records are given. Remarks on the most noteworthy features of the flora of the study area are included. The floristic character of Spanish Basque coast flora was compared with nearby regions applying Cheney’s ratio [(Rhodophyta+ Chlorophyta/Phaeophyta, or (R+C/P]. The resulting high value (4,09 indicates its warm-water character, which was already noted at the end of the XIX century. From a physionomical point of view, Basque benthic vegetation resembles more closely that of southern regions (S Portugal, Morocco. The warming process of waters off the Basque coast during summer up to 22 ºC is responsible for the absence or very rare occurrence of cold temperate species like large fucoids and kelps, which are common in Galicia and Brittany, and explains the abundance of numerous warm-temperate species as ceramiaceous algae.Se presenta un catálogo de la flora bentónica marina de la costa vasco-española basado en citas bibliográficas y algunos datos originales. De acuerdo con la taxonomía actual, la lista de algas conocidas asciende a 372 táxones (354 especies y 18 táxones infraespecíficos, que se distribuyen como sigue: 23 Cyanophyta, 221 Rhodophyta, 74 Heterokontophyta y 54 Chlorophyta. Además, 16 táxones se consideran como taxa inquirenda y 8 como taxa excludenda. Para cada taxon se ofrece información sobre su distribución vertical, una estima de su abundancia y las dos primeras citas publicadas. Se incluyen

Spanish Migrants in Basque Social Science Textbooks from the Late Franco Era to the Transition to Democracy

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Delgado, Ander

2017-01-01

In this article I explore the ways in which migrants from other parts of Spain to the Basque Country are portrayed in Basque social science textbooks published in the Basque Country between the end of Franco's dictatorship and the period of the transition to democracy. I elucidate the role attributed to immigrants, who were culturally and…

Adaptation and Validation of the Basque Version of the Emotional Creativity Inventory in Higher Education.

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Soroa, Goretti; Aritzeta, Aitor; Balluerka, Nekane; Gorostiaga, Arantxa

2016-06-03

Emotional creativity is defined as the ability to feel and express emotions in a new, effective and authentic way. There are currently no Basque-language self-report instruments to provide valid and reliable measures of this construct. Thus, this paper describes the process of adapting and validating the Emotional Creativity Inventory (ECI) for the Basque-speaking population. The sample was comprised of 594 higher education students (388 women and 206 men) aged between 18 and 32 years old (Mage = 20.47; SD = 2.48). The Basque version of the ECI was administered along with the TMMS-23, NEO PI-R, and PANAS. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on the Basque ECI corroborated the original scale's three-factor structure (preparedness, novelty, and effectiveness/authenticity). Those dimensions showed acceptable indexes of internal consistency (α = .80, .83, and .83) and temporal stability (r = .70, .69, and .74). The study also provided some evidence of external validity (p emotional creativity and emotional intelligence, personality, affect, and sex. The Basque ECI can be regarded as a useful tool to evaluate perceived emotional creativity during the preparation and verification phases of the creative process.

Creating a German–Basque electronic dictionary for German learners

African Journals Online (AJOL)

, and propose a first iteration of the online user interface and publishing process. Keywords: Bilingual lexicography, electronic dictionaries, Basque language, German as foreign language, parallel corpora, user interface, wiktionary.

Precisions on the structure of the Basque Arc (western Pyrenees, Spain): preliminary results from magnetic fabrics from the Biscay Synclinorium

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Vegas, Néstor; Aranguren, Aitor; Rodríguez-Méndez, Lidia; Cuevas, Julia; María Tubía, José; Julián Esteban, José

2017-04-01

The Mesozoic Basque-Cantabrian basin (western Pyrenees) was inverted during the Alpine Orogeny in late Cretaceous-Eocene times. The central sector of the basin, the Basque Arc is characterized by the existence of large folds (80 km long) that outline an arc. This study focuses on the interpretation of AMS fabrics in rocks from the Biscay Synclinorium, a major fold system of the Basque Arc that verges to the NE, with sub-horizontal, N110˚ E trending axes and axial planes striking to N110˚ E and dipping steeply to the SW (Calvo-Rathert et al., 2007). The aim of this contribution is characterize the deformation around the Biscay Synclinorium. For this reason we combined fieldwork with magnetic fabric analysis of 95 cores in Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of the Biscay Synclinorium. 68 cores come from the Calcareous formation (marls, sandy limestones and limestones of Cenomanian to Campanian age) that makes part of the northeastern limb of the synclinorium and the remaining 27 cores from the Detrital-calcareous flysch (a multilayer sequence with sandy limestones and marls of Maastrichtian age) that crops out in the synclinorium core (Garrote et al., 1991). In the Upper Cretaceous Calcareous formation there is a penetrative cleavage that mainly strikes to N110˚ E dipping 50˚ to 60˚ to the SW (S1). In the Detrital-calcareous flysch of the core, the best-preserved planar structure is the bedding and only locally an axial planar cleavage is observed. Intersection lineations are sub-horizontal and N110˚ E-trending. The measurements of the magnetic susceptibility provide low k values ranging between 99x10-6 and 403x10-6 SI. The anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility, P, reaches values of 1.213, pointing to the overprinting of tectonic deformation on primary magnetic fabrics of sedimentary origin. The magnetic foliation shows a fairly uniform arrangement that is nearly coincident with the dominant planar structures of the rocks, S0 or S1in the core and the limb

[Occupational health in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. OSALAN-Instituto Vasco de Seguridad y Salud Laborales].

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Martínez Castillo, A; Achutegui Basagoiti, G

1996-01-01

O.S.A.L.A.N.-Instituto Vasco de Seguridad y Salud Laborales is an autonomous administrative body depending on the Basque Government, ascribed to the Dept. of Justice, Economy, Work and Social Security, which is in charge of managing the general occupational health policies in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Its objectives are: To promote an ongoing improvement in safety and occupational health for all the workers in the Basque Autonomous Region, through the management of programmes in matters affecting safety, hygiene, the environment and occupational health. To co-ordinate and concentrate the different activities related to occupational health, unifying and giving coherence to the functions which were previously the jurisdiction of different departments. Making companies aware of national and E.U. regulations, taking the measures that are set out by the European Directives and the Prevention of Occupational Hazards Act and the rest of the employment regulations, establishing the training and information channels required for promoting and applying these in the companies. It acts: from an overall perspective as regards the prevention of occupational hazards, thanks to co-ordination with all the disciplines involved, applying a multi-disciplinary treatment to the study of each and every one of the occupational hazard factors, which is aimed at the prevention of risks at their source. Providing companies with the ideal means for managing the safety and health of their workers. Promoting the implementation of systems which guarantee an ongoing improvement in occupational safety and health in the companies of the Basque Autonomous Region. Providing the technical and research support that makes it possible to tackle prevention efficiently. The provision established in the Creation Act (O.S.A.L.A.N.) should also be mentioned, as regards its application in public administration and the field of social economy, which was later endorsed and ratified through

Collaboration Patterns and Product Innovation in the Basque Country. Does a Firm’s Nationality Matter?

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Henar Alcalde Heras

2014-01-01

Full Text Available More and more, the ability to innovate can be considered as an explanatory factor in determining the long-term potential of firms to be competitive. Therefore, it is of increasing importance to understand the critical success factors behind notably radical product innovations. The present paper explores the yields and results in terms of a series of competitiveness indicators that domestic and foreign firms in the Basque Country obtain from technological collaboration practices. In particular, the study seeks to assess differences in the way these two groups of firms organize their technological partnerships (in terms of the geographical spread of partners with whom they cooperate and the purposes for which they deploy collaboration: for commercial or science/knowledge generation, and the comparative differences that stem from their respective practices. The study uses firm level data from the Euskadi Innovation Survey 2011, for firms located in the Basque Country. The paper finds that (a technological collaborations comprising different types of partners have the greatest positive impact on innovation novelty, and (b when looking at the firm’s nationality, collaboration strategies developed by foreign firms have a higher impact on achieving novel innovation. We posit that the higher degree of product innovation we observe among foreign firms – as opposed to domestic firms in the Basque Country – relies on their ability to benefit from both inter-regional partnerships and commercial-based networks for the sake of innovation purposes.

Cross-Linguistic Interactions Influence Reading Development in Bilinguals: A Comparison between Early Balanced French-Basque and Spanish-Basque Bilingual Children

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Lallier, Marie; Acha, Joana; Carreiras, Manuel

2016-01-01

This study investigates whether orthographic consistency and transparency of languages have an impact on the development of reading strategies and reading sub-skills (i.e. phonemic awareness and visual attention span) in bilingual children. We evaluated 21 French (opaque)-Basque (transparent) bilingual children and 21 Spanish (transparent)-Basque…

Pacifist demonstrations in the Basque Contry: The beginnings of Gesto por la paz

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Irene Moreno Bibiloni

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article, which is part of researches into the recent history of the Basque country, has as fundamental objective realize an approach to the beginnings of the Coordinadora Gesto por la Paz de Euskal Herria, pioneer in the demonstrations against the political violence in the Basque country. The research conducted mainly from newspaper sources allows us to approach the precedents and the early stages of this organization which in the 90s reached nearly 175 groups and was benchmark in social mobilization against terrorism. It is not a history of Gesto por la Paz, but is the history of how was conceived. To conclude, the importance of the social mobilizations that have had in the process towards peace in the Basque country, and the significance of these groups attempting to transmit a message of peace and connivance to transform the violent or uncivil social attitudes are highlighted herein.

Gravity Field Interpretation for Major Fault Depth Detection in a Region Located SW- Qa’im / Iraq

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Wadhah Mahmood Shakir Al-Khafaji

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This research deals with the qualitative and quantitative interpretation of Bouguer gravity anomaly data for a region located to the SW of Qa’im City within Anbar province by using 2D- mapping methods. The gravity residual field obtained graphically by subtracting the Regional Gravity values from the values of the total Bouguer anomaly. The residual gravity field processed in order to reduce noise by applying the gradient operator and 1st directional derivatives filtering. This was helpful in assigning the locations of sudden variation in Gravity values. Such variations may be produced by subsurface faults, fractures, cavities or subsurface facies lateral variations limits. A major fault was predicted to extend with the direction NE-SW. This fault is mentioned by previous studies as undefined subsurface fault depth within the sedimentary cover rocks. The results of this research that were obtained by gravity quantitative interpretation find that the depth to this major fault plane center is about 2.4 Km.

The impact of the «Fagor crisis» in the basque cooperative movement

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Ainhoa Alustiza Kapanaga

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The cooperative movement in the Basque Country is a recognized and studied movement all over the world, especially because of the work that Mondragón Corporación Cooperativa (MCC has made in that field during more than 55 years. However, the model of MCC has become unstable due to the crisis of Fagor Electrodomésticos S. Coop. that in October 16th, 2013, announced that it was in the previous stage of a state of insolvency, and finished announcing its insolvency in November 15th, 2013. This fact made that various sectors would call into question the system of the Basque cooperative movement and also its values and principles. This article studies the facts that caused the crisis of Fagor, to try to establish if that crisis could effectively put into risk MCC and, as a last resort, the whole Basque cooperative movement.Received: 02.06.2015Accepted: 17.07.2015

PM levels in the Basque Country (Northern Spain): analysis of a 5-year data record and interpretation of seasonal variations

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Viana, M.; Querol, X.; Alastuey, A.; Gangoiti, G.; Menéndez, M.

Levels of PM observed at the air quality network from the Basque Country in 1996-2000 ranged from 16 μg PM 10/m 3 at regional background sites, to 35-40 μg TSP/m 3 (equivalent to 25-30 μg PM 10/m 3) at urban background sites, to 40-48 μg TSP/m 3 (30-40 μg PM 10/m 3) at roadside sites; to 50-64 μg TSP/m 3 (35-50 μg PM 10/m 3) at industrial and heavy traffic sites. The EU daily and annual PM 10 limit values for 2005 are not equivalent for the Basque Country, and consequently only the mean 1996-2000 PM levels from one station would exceed the 2005 annual limit value but most of them surpass n=35 exceedances of the daily limit value. The equivalent n to the 2005 annual limit value is around 80. Four major processes exert an influence on PM levels throughout the Basque territory: local and regional anthropogenic contributions, precipitation, African dust and European transport. PM at Llodio (an urban background site under industrial influence and mean PM 10, PM 2.5 and PM 1 levels for 2001 of 34, 25 and 21 μg/m 3) is mainly distributed in the fine mode: 74% of PM 10 is constituted by PM 2.5, and 64% of PM 2.5 presents a diameter <1 μm. The particle size distribution of PM varies seasonally with the fine fractions prevailing in summer (PM 2.5/PM 10=80-90%) and the coarser increasing in winter (PM 2.5/PM 10=60-70%). Meso- and synoptic scale processes affecting global PM levels in the Basque Country have been identified (mainly pollution episodes, African, Atlantic and EU transport). The results obtained allowed us to evaluate the impact of the different types of PM episodes on ambient PM levels and particle size fractions.

An insight into recent consanguinity within the Basque area in Spain. Effects of autochthony, industrialization and demographic changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Alfonso-Sanchez, M A; Peña, J A; Aresti, U; Calderón, R

2001-01-01

The importance of studying the genetic kinship of those human groups characterized by a deeply rooted ethnicity has traditionally been and still is an interesting goal of anthropological and population genetic studies. However, only a few surveys have aimed to learn about the impact of industrial development on the consanguinity of these populations and even those have concentrated on industrialized regions. This approach is worth analysing in Spain, where industrialization was late in relation to other western European countries. In this work we analyse the characteristics of inbreeding in Guipúzcoa from 1951 to 1995. This Basque province underwent industrial and tourist development earlier than other Spanish regions. It has the highest density of Basque speakers and has always occupied a central position within the map of distribution of the Basque language. Guipúzcoa is geographically placed in the core of the Basque area. SUDJECTS AND METHODS: Data on consanguineous marriages recorded in the province of Guipúzcoa between 1951 and 1995 were taken from Roman Catholic dispensations stored in the Diocesan Archives of San Sebastián, the province's capital city. Over the whole time period, a total of 1152 consanguineous marriages were registered. The high frequencies of first cousin (M22) (F = 1/16) and uncle-niece, aunt-nephew (M12) (F = 1/8) consanguineous marriages distinguish Guipúzcoa from the rest of Iberian populations. The M22/M33 ratio (with M33 being second cousins) has never dropped below 0.67, which represents a significant deviation from the expectation value of 0.25. When consanguineous marriages are classified according to marriage partner birthplaces interesting results emerge. Provincial endogamy shows the highest consanguinity rates (57%) and the proportion of M22/M33 is also rather high (0.63). However, a major contribution to the consanguinity levels and mean inbreeding coefficient recorded in Guipúzcoa over recent decades has been made by

Terrorism in the Basque press (1990, 2000, 2008 and 2009. Analysis of newspaper editorials about ETA’s fatal attacks

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José-María Caminos-Marcet, Ph.D.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This article presents an analysis of the editorials published by the Basque press in 1990, 2000, 2008 and 2009, when ETA carried out fatal attacks. The objective is to examine the treatment given by the different Basque newspapers to terrorism in their most important opinion texts, which reflect their ideology. The initial hypothesis is that the editorial line used by the Basque press to address ETA’s attacks has changed remarkably during the analysed years, going from the virtual absence of editorials to the use of editorials as active instruments in the fight against violence. By 2009, the Basque press had finally defined its strategy to combat ETA’s terrorism, and this was perfectly reflected in their editorials.

Dementia drug consumption in the Basque Country between 2006 and 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Villanueva, G; López de Argumedo, M; Elizondo, I

We evaluated the consumption of specific medications for treating cognitive symptoms associated with AD and other types of dementia in individuals over 60 years of age between 2006 and 2011 in the Basque Country. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted. The pharmacy division of the Basque Government Department of Health provided the prescribing data for the following drugs: donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, and memantine. The number of defined daily doses (DDDs) and the number of DDDs per 1000 inhabitants/day (DHD) were calculated. Consumption increased by 49.72% between 2006 and 2011. There were marked differences between drugs (13.02% donepezil; 93.18% rivastigmine; 37.79% galantamine; 70.40% memantine) and Basque provinces (16.34% in Áraba; 50.49% in Bizkaia; 57.37% in Gipuzkoa). Likewise, expenditure increased from €11.5 million in 2006 to € 18.1 million in 2011. This study shows increased consumption of these drugs, although there are also marked differences by province which may be due to differences in prescribing habits. Spending for these drugs rose parallel to this increase in consumption; drug prices remained stable throughout the study period. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Co-Operatives and Education in the Basque Country: The "Ikastolas" in the Final Years of Franco's Dictatorship

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Delgado, Ander

2014-01-01

This article analyses the creation of the schools called "ikastolas" throughout the Basque Country from the 1960s onwards. The name "ikastola" refers to a unique school model whose major characteristic is to teach the majority of subjects in the Basque language, or "euskera." It outlines the reasons why some of these…

Territorial Identity and Grassroots Economic Activism: The Politicization of Farmers’ Mobilizations in the French Basque Country

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Xabier Itçaina

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The French Basque Country (FBC represents an emblematic case of the politicization of local development through grassroots economic activism. These mobilizations are particularly obvious in the agricultural sector. Based on a qualitative research on small farmers’ organizations and short food circuits, this article shows that Basque farmers’ mobilizations constitute a case of a dual politicization of small-scale farming and territorial identity. This process has gone through two phases: the first period (1970-2000 was characterized by the politicization of local productive systems. Throughout the decade 2000-2010, a new mode of grassroots economic activism emerged, signalled by new alliances between producers and consumers, and by an increasing ideological pluralism. Two case studies illustrate these developments. The first relates to a case of explicit politicization with the controversy around the foundation in 2005 of an alternative Basque Chamber of Agriculture. The second case study is devoted to the development of short food circuits in the FBC, considered here as a case of implicit politicization of the encounter between productive and consumption circuits. Both cases illustrate the politicization of new economic social movements, and the constant overlapping of sectoral and territorial claims in the Basque territory.

Medical costs of cancer attributable to work in the Basque Country (Spain) in 2008.

Science.gov (United States)

García Gómez, Montserrat; Castañeda López, Rosario; Urbanos Garrido, Rosa; López Menduiña, Patricia; Markowitz, Steven

2013-01-01

[corrected] Underreporting of work-related cancer in the Basque Country (Spain) is massive. The aim of our study is to estimate the job-related cancer in the Basque Country in 2008 treated by the Basque Public Health System-Osakidetza, as well as the medical costs derived from its treatment in the same year. Scientific evidence from industrialised countries is used to estimate the number of processes of cancer attributable to work. Medical costs for specialised care (outpatient and hospital admissions) are derived from the National Health System cost accounts. Costs due to primary health care and pharmaceutical benefits are obtained from Spanish secondary sources. Figures were computed according to disease and sex. We estimate 1,331 work-attributable cancers hospitalizations and 229 work-attributable cancers specialized ambulatory cases. Medical costs borne by public health care system exceed 10 million euros. Specialized care accounts for 64.2% of the total cost. Bronchus and lung cancer represents the largest percentage of total expenditure (27%), followed by the bladder cancer (12.6%), mesothelioma (8.6%), the colon cancer (7.3%), and stomach (6.7%). The magnitude of cancer attributable to work in the Basque Country is much higher than reflected in the official Registry of Occupational Diseases. Underreporting of work-related cancers hampers prevention and shifts funding of medical costs from social security to the tax-financed public health system. Copyright © 2012 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Ambivalent Sexism Inventory: Adaptation to Basque Population and Sexism as a Risk Factor of Dating Violence.

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Ibabe, Izaskun; Arnoso, Ainara; Elgorriaga, Edurne

2016-11-15

There is currently a consensus that sexism is one of the most important causes of intimate partner violence, but this has yet to be empirically demonstrated conclusively. The key objective of the study was to adapt Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) and to validate it to the Basque language. It also aims to analyze the prevalence of violence in dating relationships and verify if ambivalent sexism in young men and women is a valid predictor of perpetration and/or victimization in their dating relationships. Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and Dating Relationship Questionnaire were administered to 1378 undergraduate students (66% women and 45% Basque), aged between 17 and 30. The psychometric properties of the Basque and Spanish versions of the ASI are deemed to be acceptable. Sufficient guarantees are provided to be used as an instrument for measuring ambivalent sexism in adult Basque speakers. Ambivalent sexism among young men and women are both positively associated with the perpetration of violence and victimization in their dating relationships. However, ambivalent sexism or two sub-types of sexism (hostile and benevolent) are not relevant risk factors to be perpetrator or victim of violence in dating relationships, due to accounting for 3% or less of variance in dating violence.

Eta y «la resistencia vasca» durante los últimos años del franquismo en la prensa clandestina del nacionalismo vasco moderado = Eta and the ‘Basque Resistence’ In The Last Years Of Franco’s Regime As Seen Through The Moderate Basque Nationalist Clandestin

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Macario Hernández Nieto

2014-05-01

Full Text Available El análisis de Alderdi, OPE y Euzko Deya, periódicos editados durante el Franquismo en Francia por el PNV y el Gobierno Vasco en el exilio, pone de manifiesto que ETA gozaba de alguna consideración en el nacionalismo vasco moderado aunque oficialmente no se respaldara su actividad violenta. ETA era considerada un elemento importante en la lucha que la “resistencia vasca” libraba contra el régimen de Franco. Estos periódicos incluían también dentro de la “resistencia vasca” fuerzas políticas, sindicales, sociales etc., como el clero vasco, en parte afecto al nacionalismo, o partidos y sindicatos antifranquistas, no nacionalistas como el PCE o CC.OO. que promovían la contestación de los trabajadores vascos.The analysis of Alderdi and OPE-Eusko-Deya newspapers published during Franco’s time in France by the PNV and the Basque Government in the exile, reveals that ETA had high esteem among the moderate Basque nationalism although officially its violent activity was not backed. ETA was considered an important element in the struggle that the ‘Basque resistance’ fought against Franco’s Regime. These newspapers also included in the ‘Basque resistance’ political, union, social and cultural forces as the Basque clergy, nationalist, or political parties and unions against Francoism and no nationalistic as PCE or CC.OO. which lead the Basque worker protest.

The wind power: the planning in the Basque country; La energia eolica: plan de actuacion en la comunidad autonoma del pais vasco

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marques, J. [Eolicas de euskadi, S.a. (Spain)

1996-10-01

One of the main golds of the Basque Government is the development of renewable energies (biomass, eolic energy, etc...). Euskadi Energetic Strategy for 2000, approved by Regional Parliament, will try, between other subjects, to control energy consumption without giving up a better way of life, reduce environmental impact, and consumption going on looking for new sources of energy.

Relationships between vocational training centres and industrial SMEs in the Basque Country: A Regional Innovation System approach

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Eneka Albizu

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of this document is to analyse the reach of the relation between vocational training (VT centres and industrial SMEs in the Basque Country (Spain, and its influence on innovation processes developed by companies.Design/methodology/approach: We employ the conceptual framework offered by the Regional Innovation System (RIS perspective and the information supplied, on the one hand, by relevant actors within the vocational training system, through in-depth interviews, and, on the other, by the response of industrial SMEs to a survey.Findings: The results obtained suggest that vocational training centres are an agent of significance within the RIS, contributing through its main lines of action (formal education, continuous training and company services to improving the competitiveness of companies and to stimulating their innovation processes.Research limitations: Although this paper has described the nature of the main mechanisms of relation between VT centres and industrial SMEs, there is a need for ongoing research to analyse the contribution of the educational system to innovation processes in industrial SMEs. For this purpose it would be interesting to measure how the skills of qualified workers and technicians coming from the VT system mesh with company innovation processes.Originality/value: The results of this study highlight a positive relationship between vocational training and innovation.

Literature, Society and Law: a Three-sided Mirror. The Basque Case. How Contemporary Literature Reflects Identity, Conflict And Memory In The “Spanish” Basque Country: A Tridimensional Mirror

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Lorena Ortuoste Ibarzabal

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim in this thesis is to show how the Basque-culture identity struggles are reflected within the Basque literature and how their actions, behaviour, traditions, culture, memory, language, etcetera, define them as a community or minority. In order to show the reflection of the law in five chosen novels written in Basque, firstly I will try to explain the link between law and literature, and afterwards, a double analytical construction will take place: on the first hand, a descriptive and historical explanation to provide the audience with the meaning of the three basic concepts which constitute the Basque culture -identity, conflict and memory-, and with a socio-historical context; on the second hand, this analysis will be based on the content analysis of the five novels that have been chosen, and contextualized or in relation to the period that goes from the Civil War (1936-1939 to the post-war and nowadays, with special insistences in the decade of the 1980s and 1990s.El objetivo de esta tesis es mostrar cómo los conflictos identitarios de la cultura vasca se reflejan en la literatura, y cómo sus acciones, comportamiento, tradiciones, cultura, memoria, lengua, etc., lo definen como comunidad o minoría. Para mostrar la manera en que se refleja lo jurídico en cinco novelas seleccionadas escritas en lengua vasca, primero intentaré explicar la relación entre derecho y literatura, y después, llevaré a cabo una doble construcción analítica: de un lado, una explicación descriptiva e histórica, para proporcionar tanto un significado de los tres conceptos básicos que constituyen la cultura vasca -identidad, conflicto y memoria- como un contexto sociohistórico; y, por otro lado, este análisis se basa en el análisis de contenido de las cinco novelas seleccionadas y contextualizadas en, o en relación con el período entre la Guerra civil (1936-1939 y posguerra, y la actualidad, con especial insistencia en la década de los 80 y los 90

Checklist of recent brachiopod species collected during the Terrasses and Exbodi cruises in the New Caledonian region, SW Pacific

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Bitner, Maria Aleksandra

2015-01-01

Abstract Twenty species belonging to 16 genera, i.e. Neoancistrocrania, Novocrania, Basiliola, Basiliolella, Ebiscothyris, Stenosarina, Kanakythyris, Xenobrochus, Terebratulina, Eucalathis, Fallax, Frenulina, Septicollarina, Campages, Annuloplatidia, and Thecidellina have been identified in the material collected during the Terrasses and Exbodi cruises in the New Caledonian region, SW Pacific. The species Basiliolella grayi (Woodward, 1855) and Fallax neocaledonensis Laurin, 1997 are the most common in the studied collection, while Eucalathis murrayi (Davidson, 1878) is reported for the first time from the New Caledonian region. PMID:26798235

The governance of cooperative societies under the Basque Act of 24-6.1993

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Enrique Gadea Soler

2005-12-01

Full Text Available This paper briefly presents the general guidelines of governance of cooperatives. Because of the numerous existing laws in Spain, one looks at the provisions of the State Law and Law in Basque Contry.

Semantic Similarity Measures for the Generation of Science Tests in Basque

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Aldabe, Itziar; Maritxalar, Montse

2014-01-01

The work we present in this paper aims to help teachers create multiple-choice science tests. We focus on a scientific vocabulary-learning scenario taking place in a Basque-language educational environment. In this particular scenario, we explore the option of automatically generating Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) by means of Natural Language…

Is Instant Messaging the Same in Every Language? A Basque Perspective

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Cenoz, Jasone; Bereziartua, Garbiñe

2016-01-01

This study focuses on computer mediated communication (CMC) in instant messaging using the Basque language in a context where exposure to English is very limited outside the classroom. This context provides an opportunity to analyze the universality of linguistic features identified in CMC in English. The corpus consists of 54 naturalistic dyadic…

Basque Museum of the History of Medicine: conservation of heritage, teaching and research.

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Erkoreka, Anton

2009-01-01

The Basque Museum of the History of Medicine was founded in 1982 to preserve the historic memory of medicine in the Basque Country and conserve its scientific heritage. Its permanent exposition comprises approx. 6,000 medical objects of the 19th and 20th centuries arranged, thematically in 24 rooms devoted to different medical specialities: folk medicine, unconventional medicine, pharmacy, weights and measures, asepsis and antisepsis, microscopes, laboratory material, X-rays, obstetrics and gynaecology, surgery, anesthesia, endoscope, odontology, cardiology, ophthalmology, electrotherapy, pathological anatomy and natural sciences. Temporary exhibitions are also held. The Museum is located on the university campus (UPV/EHU) and is important in the training of students in the Faculty of Medicine and the students coming from other faculties. Teaching and research constitute two of the pillars of the Museum that are complemented with publications and the organization of conferences, lectures and other activities.

The Legionella pneumophila IcmSW complex interacts with multiple Dot/Icm effectors to facilitate type IV translocation.

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Eric D Cambronne

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Many gram-negative pathogens use a type IV secretion system (T4SS to deliver effector proteins into eukaryotic host cells. The fidelity of protein translocation depends on the efficient recognition of effector proteins by the T4SS. Legionella pneumophila delivers a large number of effector proteins into eukaryotic cells using the Dot/Icm T4SS. How the Dot/Icm system is able to recognize and control the delivery of effectors is poorly understood. Recent studies suggest that the IcmS and IcmW proteins interact to form a stable complex that facilitates translocation of effector proteins by the Dot/Icm system by an unknown mechanism. Here we demonstrate that the IcmSW complex is necessary for the productive translocation of multiple Dot/Icm effector proteins. Effector proteins that were able to bind IcmSW in vitro required icmS and icmW for efficient translocation into eukaryotic cells during L. pneumophila infection. We identified regions in the effector protein SidG involved in icmSW-dependent translocation. Although the full-length SidG protein was translocated by an icmSW-dependent mechanism, deletion of amino terminal regions in the SidG protein resulted in icmSW-independent translocation, indicating that the IcmSW complex is not contributing directly to recognition of effector proteins by the Dot/Icm system. Biochemical and genetic studies showed that the IcmSW complex interacts with a central region of the SidG protein. The IcmSW interaction resulted in a conformational change in the SidG protein as determined by differences in protease sensitivity in vitro. These data suggest that IcmSW binding to effectors could enhance effector protein delivery by mediating a conformational change that facilitates T4SS recognition of a translocation domain located in the carboxyl region of the effector protein.

Metasomatic processes in the orthogneiss-hosted Archaean peridotites of the Fiskefjord region, SW Greenland

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Szilas, K.; Cruz, M. F.; Grove, M.; Morishita, T.; Pearson, D. G.

2016-12-01

Field observations and preliminary geochemical data are presented for large (>500x1000m) peridotite enclaves from the Fiskefjord region of SW Greenland. These ultramafic complexes are dominated by dunite, amphibole-harzburgite, lesser amounts of norite and horizons of stratiform chromitite and are therefore interpreted as cumulate rocks[1]. The ultramafic enclaves are hosted by intrusive tonalitic orthogneiss, which provide U-Pb zircon minimum age constraints of ca. 2980 Ma, whereas preliminary Re-Os isotope data on the dunite and chromitite yield TRD ages of ca. 3300 Ma[2]. Dunite has highly forsteritic olivine compositions with Mg# mostly around 92 to 93, which is uncorrelated with the bulk-rock mg# or modal chromite contents. This indicates that the primary olivine records equilibration with a highly magnesian parental magma, which may have been responsible for the strong depletion of the SCLM in this region. Amphibole and phlogopite is mostly associated with granitoid sheets or infiltrating veins in the dunite and appear to replace chromite. Argon dating (40Ar/39Ar) of the phlogopite yields ages ranging from ca. 3400 Ma to ca. 1750 Ma, with most ages clustering around 3000 Ma. This is consistent with formation of the phlogopite and amphibole by metasomatic processes involving reaction between granitoid-derived siliceous fluids and the ultramafic rocks. The older 40Ar/39Ar age plateaus most plausibly represent excess Ar, potentially inherited from the nearby Itsaq Gneiss Complex (3900 to 3600 Ga) based on its proximity. The youngest 40Ar/39Ar age plateaus on the other hand may potentially signify the closure-age for this system, which could have important implications for determining the exhumation history of the North Atlantic craton. References [1] Szilas, K., Kelemen, P. B., & Bernstein, S. (2015). Peridotite enclaves hosted by Mesoarchaean TTG-suite orthogneisses in the Fiskefjord region of southern West Greenland. GeoResJ, 7, 22-34. [2] Szilas, K., van

Subject Relative Clauses Are Not Universally Easier to Process: Evidence from Basque

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Carreiras, Manuel; Dunabeitia, Jon Andoni; Vergara, Marta; de la Cruz-Pavia, Irene; Laka, Itziar

2010-01-01

Studies from many languages consistently report that subject relative clauses (SR) are easier to process than object relatives (OR). However, Hsiao and Gibson (2003) report an OR preference for Chinese, a finding that has been contested. Here we report faster OR versus SR processing in Basque, an ergative, head-final language with pre-nominal…

Bluetongue virus serotype 1 outbreak in the Basque Country (Northern Spain 2007-2008. Data support a primary vector windborne transport.

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Rodrigo García-Lastra

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Bluetongue (BT is a vector-borne disease of ruminants that has expanded its traditional global distribution in the last decade. Recently, BTV-1 emerged in Southern Spain and caused several outbreaks in livestock reaching the north of the country. The aim of this paper was to review the emergence of BTV-1 in the Basque Country (Northern Spain during 2007 and 2008 analyzing the possibility that infected Culicoides were introduced into Basque Country by winds from the infected areas of Southern Spain. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We use a complex HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model to draw wind roses and backward wind trajectories. The analysis of winds showed September 28 to October 2 as the only period for the introduction of infected midges in the Basque Country. These wind trajectories crossed through the areas affected by serotype 1 on those dates in the South of the Iberian Peninsula. Additionally meteorological data, including wind speed and humidity, and altitude along the trajectories showed suitable conditions for Culicoides survival and dispersion. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: An active infection in medium-long distance regions, wind with suitable speed, altitude and trajectory, and appropriate weather can lead to outbreaks of BTV-1 by transport of Culicoides imicola, not only over the sea (as reported previously but also over the land. This shows that an additional factor has to be taken into account for the control of the disease which is currently essentially based on the assumption that midges will only spread the virus in a series of short hops. Moreover, the epidemiological and serological data cannot rule out the involvement of other Culicoides species in the spread of the infection, especially at a local level.

Gordailu and pedagogic renovation in the Basque Country. Politics and education during the late francoism

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Ander DELGADO CENDAGORTAGALARZA

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This article analyses the educative and pedagogical renovation proposals situated in their social and economic context. Thus, it intends to obtain a wider vision of the problems or helps these proposals may have when it comes to their application in schools. It will be of major consideration to differentiate within these proposals the aspects related with classroom management from other approaches related with the goals to transform the society through a reformed education, that sometimes appear inside them, to understand better their social reception. This article is centred on the research of proposals based on the ideas Paulo Freire tried to introduce in the ikastola or Basque schools in the seventies of the last Century in the Basque Country and the problems they found when their application was intended.

Theoretical calculation of shakeup intensities using Xa--SW wave functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tse, J.S.; Loubriel, G.

1981-01-01

The ground and 1s core hole state molecular wave functions of CH 4 , NH 3 , H 2 O, and HF obtained from Xa--SW calculations using the touching spheres (TS) and overlapping spheres (OS) approximations are used to calculate the intensity of shakeup satellites observed in their ls core level photoelectron spectra. The sudden approximation was assumed in the calculation. In case of TS Xa--SW wave functions, the one electron overlap integral inside the intersphere was calculated via Green's theorem. For OS Xa--SW wave functions, the integration over the awkwardly shaped intersphere region was circumvented by distributing the intersphere charge into the atomic spheres according to the charge partition scheme suggested by Case and Karplus. Our results show that there are no significant differences between the shakeup energies calculated from the TS and OS approximations. However, shakeup intensities calculated from TS Xa--SW wave functions are more reliable and in better numerical agreement with experiment

Ancient genomes link early farmers from Atapuerca in Spain to modern-day Basques

Science.gov (United States)

Günther, Torsten; Valdiosera, Cristina; Malmström, Helena; Ureña, Irene; Rodriguez-Varela, Ricardo; Sverrisdóttir, Óddny Osk; Daskalaki, Evangelia A.; Skoglund, Pontus; Naidoo, Thijessen; Svensson, Emma M.; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Carbonell, Eudald; Dunn, Michael; Storå, Jan; Iriarte, Eneko; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Carretero, José-Miguel; Götherström, Anders; Jakobsson, Mattias

2015-01-01

The consequences of the Neolithic transition in Europe—one of the most important cultural changes in human prehistory—is a subject of great interest. However, its effect on prehistoric and modern-day people in Iberia, the westernmost frontier of the European continent, remains unresolved. We present, to our knowledge, the first genome-wide sequence data from eight human remains, dated to between 5,500 and 3,500 years before present, excavated in the El Portalón cave at Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain. We show that these individuals emerged from the same ancestral gene pool as early farmers in other parts of Europe, suggesting that migration was the dominant mode of transferring farming practices throughout western Eurasia. In contrast to central and northern early European farmers, the Chalcolithic El Portalón individuals additionally mixed with local southwestern hunter–gatherers. The proportion of hunter–gatherer-related admixture into early farmers also increased over the course of two millennia. The Chalcolithic El Portalón individuals showed greatest genetic affinity to modern-day Basques, who have long been considered linguistic and genetic isolates linked to the Mesolithic whereas all other European early farmers show greater genetic similarity to modern-day Sardinians. These genetic links suggest that Basques and their language may be linked with the spread of agriculture during the Neolithic. Furthermore, all modern-day Iberian groups except the Basques display distinct admixture with Caucasus/Central Asian and North African groups, possibly related to historical migration events. The El Portalón genomes uncover important pieces of the demographic history of Iberia and Europe and reveal how prehistoric groups relate to modern-day people. PMID:26351665

Neuropsychological Assessment at Preschool Age: Adaptation and Validation of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities to 4 Year-old Basque-speaking Children.

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Andiarena, Ainara; Balluerka, Nekane; Gorostiaga, Arantxa; Ibarluzea, Jesús

2017-10-23

Early neuropsychological assessment provides important information for clinical practice and research. As previously no tool for neuropsychological assessment has been developed in or adapted to Basque, the aim of this study was to adapt and validate the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities for 4 years old children. The adaptation and validation of the original instrument followed the methodological steps established by the International Test Commission. We examined the psychometric properties of the adapted instrument in 273 Basque preschool children (aged between 4 years and 4 months and 4 years and 11 months; 52.2% boys). Confirmatory factor analysis showed satisfactory fit indexes except for the General Cognitive and Memory scales. Most scales presented adequate internal consistency (Reliability coefficients ranged between .55 and .81). The Basque version also showed evidence of validity based on the relationship between neuropsychological development and sex, parental education, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like behaviours and early neurodevelopment (p < .05; effect sizes ranged between Cohen's d = .26 and .52 and r = .15 and 39). The Basque MSCA can be regarded as a useful tool to evaluate cognitive and psychomotor development in preschool children.

[Technical efficiency assessment of public primary care providers in the Basque Country (Spain), 2010-2013].

Science.gov (United States)

Cordero, José Manuel; Nuño-Solinís, Roberto; Orueta, Juan F; Polo, Cristina; Del Río-Cámara, Mario; Alonso-Morán, Edurne

2016-01-01

To evaluate the technical efficiency of primary care units operating in the Basque Health Service during the period 2010-2013, corresponding to the implementation of a care integration strategy by health authorities. This study included 11 of the 12 primary care units in the Basque Health Service during the period 2010-2013. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used to assess the technical efficiency of the units. In particular, we applied the extension DEA windows to analyse all units as if they were in a single period (33 observations) as well as a conditional model, which allowed incorporation of the effect of the characteristics of the population covered. The outputs considered were a quality index based on fulfilment of different requirements related to primary care delivery and the rate of avoidable hospitalizations (treated as an undesirable output). The inputs used were the number of physicians, the number of nurses and the costs of prescriptions. The morbidity index was included as an exogenous variable. The results showed that the efficiency of all the units improved during the study period. However, this improvement was not greater in the units incorporated in the integrated healthcare organisation. In a context of global transformation of care delivery in the Basque country in the study period, primary care units increased their efficiency. However, this effect was not larger in vertically integrated primary care providers. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

[How do immigrant women access health services in the Basque Country? Perceptions of health professionals].

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Urdiales, Iratxe; Goicolea, Isabel

2017-09-12

To determine the perception of health professionals working in alternative health centres on the barriers and facilitators in the access by immigrant women to general public health services and sexual and reproductive health in the Basque Country. Basque Country. Analysis of qualitative content based on 11 individual interviews. Health professionals working in alternative health centres of Primary Care and sexual and reproductive health. Data collection was performed between September and December 2015 in four alternative health centres. After transcription, the units of meaning, codes and categories were identified. Four categories emerged from the analysis, which represented how the characteristics of immigrant women (Tell me how you are and I will tell you how to access), the attitude of the administrative and health staff ("When they are already taken care of"), the functioning of the health system (Inflexible, passive and needs-responsive health system), and health policies ("If you do not meet the requirements, you do not go in. The law is the law") influence access to health services of immigrant women. This study shows that there are a considerable number of barriers and few facilitators to the access by immigrant women to public health and sexual and reproductive health services in the Basque Country. The alternative health centres were presented as favouring the improvement of the health of the immigrant population and in their access. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Bluetongue Virus Serotype 1 Outbreak in the Basque Country (Northern Spain) 2007–2008. Data Support a Primary Vector Windborne Transport

Science.gov (United States)

García-Lastra, Rodrigo; Leginagoikoa, Iratxe; Plazaola, Jose M.; Ocabo, Blanca; Aduriz, Gorka; Nunes, Telmo; Juste, Ramón A.

2012-01-01

Background Bluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne disease of ruminants that has expanded its traditional global distribution in the last decade. Recently, BTV-1 emerged in Southern Spain and caused several outbreaks in livestock reaching the north of the country. The aim of this paper was to review the emergence of BTV-1 in the Basque Country (Northern Spain) during 2007 and 2008 analyzing the possibility that infected Culicoides were introduced into Basque Country by winds from the infected areas of Southern Spain. Methodology/Principal Findings We use a complex HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) model to draw wind roses and backward wind trajectories. The analysis of winds showed September 28 to October 2 as the only period for the introduction of infected midges in the Basque Country. These wind trajectories crossed through the areas affected by serotype 1 on those dates in the South of the Iberian Peninsula. Additionally meteorological data, including wind speed and humidity, and altitude along the trajectories showed suitable conditions for Culicoides survival and dispersion. Conclusions/Significance An active infection in medium-long distance regions, wind with suitable speed, altitude and trajectory, and appropriate weather can lead to outbreaks of BTV-1 by transport of Culicoides imicola, not only over the sea (as reported previously) but also over the land. This shows that an additional factor has to be taken into account for the control of the disease which is currently essentially based on the assumption that midges will only spread the virus in a series of short hops. Moreover, the epidemiological and serological data cannot rule out the involvement of other Culicoides species in the spread of the infection, especially at a local level. PMID:22479628

Comparative study of Uranium estimation in drinking water samples of seismically active regions of NW-Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh and SW-Punjab, India using Laser Fluorimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bajwa, B.; Arora, V.; Saini, K. [Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (India)

2014-07-01

The Laser Fluorimetry Technique has been used for the microanalysis of uranium content in drinking water samples collected from different sources like the hand pumps and natural springs of seismically active regions of Chamba and Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, NW-Himalayas and Bathinda and Mansa districts of SW-Punjab, state, India. The purpose of this study was to investigate the uranium concentration levels of ground water being used for drinking purposes and to determine its health effects, if any, to the local population of these regions. In the present study 47 samples of drinking water collected from different villages of the seismic active belt of Chamba and Dharamshala region of Himachal Pradesh, India have been analyzed for chemical and radiological toxicity. Uranium concentration in drinking water sample of study region ranged between 2.7 μgL{sup -1} - 53.9 μgL{sup -1} with an average value of 20.1 μgL{sup -1}. In SW-Punjab, Uranium concentration in 76 drinking water samples has been found to vary between 0.13 μgL{sup -1} and 676 μgL{sup -1} with an average of 90.2 μgL{sup -1}. Data analysis reveals that, 19% samples of NW-Himalayas water have uranium concentration higher than recommended limit of 30 μgL{sup -1} (WHO, 2011) while none of the samples exceeds the threshold of 60 μgL{sup -1} recommended by AERB, DAE, India, 2004. On the other hand, 64% water samples of SW-Punjab have uranium concentration higher than recommended limit of 30 μgL{sup -1} (WHO, 2011) while 39% water samples exceeds the threshold of 60 μgL{sup -1} recommended by AERB, DAE, India, 2004. Document available in abstract form only. (authors)

Mapa Sociolinguistico. Analisis demolinguistico de la Comunidad Autonoma Vasca derivado del padron de 1986 (Sociolinguistic Map. Demolinguistic analysis of the Autonomous Basque Community derived from the 1986 Census).

Science.gov (United States)

Basque Autonomous Community, Vitoria (Spain). General Secretariat of Linguistic Policy.

Sociolinguistic data are presented in the form of sophisticated maps and tables in this pioneering study on the status of the Basque language. Based on information collected from the 1986 census, the major demographic characteristics of Basque are examined in order to ascertain the factors and processes that have contributed to its current status.…

Performance of high technology industries. The Science Park of Basque Country

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanco Valbuena, C.; Pena Legazkue, I.

2007-01-01

We examine the performance of high technology based SMEs located in the three Science Parks of the Basque Country. Our findings suggest that intangible assets representing the human capital and organizational learning capacity of firms are positively related to business growth. We found that about 80% of sample firms established a collaborative agreement with partner firms. Results show that the formation of a larger number of formal alliances with R and D firms (i.e., universities, innovation centers, was positively associated with firm growth. (Author) 21 refs

The future of the indigenous freshwater crayfish Austropotamobius italicus in Basque Country streams: Is it possible to survive being an inconvenient species?

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L. García-Arberas

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The white-clawed freshwater crayfish Austropotamobius italicus is listed as “vulnerable” in the Spanish Red List of threatened species, but local legislation varies among Spanish regions. Thus, while in some places the species is classified as “in risk of extinction” and various plans of conservation and restoration have been implemented, in the Basque Country and other regions the species is not listed. The distribution of the white-clawed crayfish in the province of Biscay (Basque Country was studied from 1993 to 2007 at more than 600 sampling locations. Results show that 108 streams were inhabited by the native crayfish species A. italicus while 137 streams were inhabited by non-native signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus or red-swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii. The spread of non-native crayfish is not the only threat to the native species whose survival is also closely dependent on how watersheds are managed. Most A. italicus populations inhabit headwaters, where forestry activities are very important. The presence of native crayfish in heavily forested areas results in a conflict of interests and makes its conservation particularly difficult. We employed a SWOT analysis – an assessment and decision tool commonly used in marketing and business – to evaluate the situation of the native white-clawed crayfish in Biscay, a province characterized by very high demographic pressure. SWOT analysis has proved to be a useful diagnostic tool and can help develop better and more accurate management strategies for the conservation of native crayfish threatened by multiple stressors.

Sr-Nd isotope systematics of xenoliths in Cenozoic volcanic rocks from SW Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kagami, Hiroo; Iwata, Masatoshi; Iizumi, Shigeru; Nureki, Terukazu.

1993-01-01

Based on new and previously published Sr and Nd isotope data, we examined the petrogenetic relationship between deep crust- and upper mantle-derived xenoliths contained in Cenozoic volcanic rocks and Cretaceous-Paleogene granitoid rocks in SW Japan. The deep crust- and upper mantle-derived mafic to ultramafic xenoliths contained in Cenozoic volcanic rocks from SW Japan have comparable initial Sr and Nd isotope ratios to the Cretaceous-Paleogene granitoid rocks in their respective districts. This may suggest that these xenoliths were genetically related to the Cretaceous-Paleogene granitoid rocks in SW Japan, and that regional variations in Sr and Nd isotope ratios observed in the granitoid rocks are attributed to differences in the geochemistry of the magma sources. (author)

An astronomical time scale for the Maastrichtian at the Zumaia and Sopelana sections (Basque country, northern Spain)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Batenburg, Sietske J.; Gale, Andy S.; Sprovieri, Mario

2014-01-01

The rhythmically bedded limestone–marl alternations in the coastal cliffs of Sopelana and Zumaia in the Basque country, northern Spain, permit testing and refining of existing Maastrichtian chronologies (latest Cretaceous). The recently established astronomical time scale for the late Maastrichtian...

An overview of the circular economy among SMEs in the Basque country: A multiple case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ormazabal, M.; Prieto-Sandoval, V.; Jaca, C.; Santos, J.

2016-07-01

Purpose: This research analyzes the maturity of environmental management as well as the degree of to which the Circular Economy has been implemented in Basque SMEs. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 17 case studies were carried out in industrial SMEs companies in the Basque Country. Findings: The main results show that companies are limited to complying with the law and in many cases are worried about the image of the company, although they are not committed to environmental issues. There is still a lot to do in SMEs, as they are the companies that face the biggest challenges due to a lack of resources. Originality/value: Circular Economy aims to change a linear economy into promoting sustainability of the economy while also engaging in sustainable environmental protection. This research has focused on small and medium enterprises as they represent a 99% of companies in Europe and they are the ones that have the most difficulty reaching a stage of environmental excellence due to their limited resources.

An overview of the circular economy among SMEs in the Basque country: A multiple case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ormazabal, M.; Prieto-Sandoval, V.; Jaca, C.; Santos, J.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This research analyzes the maturity of environmental management as well as the degree of to which the Circular Economy has been implemented in Basque SMEs. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 17 case studies were carried out in industrial SMEs companies in the Basque Country. Findings: The main results show that companies are limited to complying with the law and in many cases are worried about the image of the company, although they are not committed to environmental issues. There is still a lot to do in SMEs, as they are the companies that face the biggest challenges due to a lack of resources. Originality/value: Circular Economy aims to change a linear economy into promoting sustainability of the economy while also engaging in sustainable environmental protection. This research has focused on small and medium enterprises as they represent a 99% of companies in Europe and they are the ones that have the most difficulty reaching a stage of environmental excellence due to their limited resources.

[Epidemiology of accidents in a cohort of adults over 64 years old in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country].

Science.gov (United States)

de Castro, Visitación; Mokoroa, Olatz; Artieda, Juncal; Muniozguren, Nerea; Etxebarriarteun, Larraitz; Alvarez, Lorea; Garcia Calabuig, Miguel Angel

2015-01-01

Accidents represent a significant health problem for elderly people. The objective of this study was to assess the incidence of accidents in over-64-year-olds in the Basque Country population, and to describe the clinical-epidemiological features leading to them. This was a prospective cohort study of 15,192 non-institutionalised individuals over 64 years of age, conducted under the auspices of the Basque Sentinel Practice Network (Red Vigía) over one year. A questionnaire was completed for each accident. The rates and risks of accidents were calculated by sex and age group of the individuals who had the accidents. The rates of accidents were 46.52 and 81.87 per 1000 men and women, respectively. The most common type of accident was a fall (92%), and the most severe injuries were fractures (17%), with the risk of an accident being significantly higher in women and in the over-75-year-olds. These data reflect the scale of accidents in over-64-year-olds in the Basque Country. The most frequent accident was the fall, which represents a dramatic event among the elderly, being one of the main causes of injury, disability and institutionalisation among this population group. Copyright © 2014 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluation of the breast cancer screening programme in the Basque Country: retrospective cost-effectiveness and budget impact analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Arrospide, Arantzazu; Rue, Montserrat; van Ravesteyn, Nicolien T; Comas, Merce; Soto-Gordoa, Myriam; Sarriugarte, Garbiñe; Mar, Javier

2016-06-01

Breast cancer screening in the Basque Country has shown 20 % reduction of the number of BC deaths and an acceptable overdiagnosis level (4 % of screen detected BC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the breast cancer early detection programme in the Basque Country in terms of retrospective cost-effectiveness and budget impact from 1996 to 2011. A discrete event simulation model was built to reproduce the natural history of breast cancer (BC). We estimated for lifetime follow-up the total cost of BC (screening, diagnosis and treatment), as well as quality-adjusted life years (QALY), for women invited to participate in the evaluated programme during the 15-year period in the actual screening scenario and in a hypothetical unscreened scenario. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated with the use of aggregated costs. Besides, annual costs were considered for budget impact analysis. Both population level and single-cohort analysis were performed. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was applied to assess the impact of parameters uncertainty. The actual screening programme involved a cost of 1,127 million euros and provided 6.7 million QALYs over the lifetime of the target population, resulting in a gain of 8,666 QALYs for an additional cost of 36.4 million euros, compared with the unscreened scenario. Thus, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 4,214€/QALY. All the model runs in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio lower than 10,000€/QALY. The screening programme involved an increase of the annual budget of the Basque Health Service by 5.2 million euros from year 2000 onwards. The BC screening programme in the Basque Country proved to be cost-effective during the evaluated period and determined an affordable budget impact. These results confirm the epidemiological benefits related to the centralised screening system and support the continuation of the programme.

Attitudes and Anxieties of Business and Education Students towards English: Some Data from the Basque Country

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Alaitz; Cenoz, Jasone; Gorter, Durk

2018-01-01

The aim of this article is to focus on university students' attitudes towards English and their anxieties concerning the use of English in the Basque Country, a multilingual context where exposure to English is limited but internationalisation is an important aim. Participants were 360 undergraduate university students of business (N = 180) and…

Deploying eHealth: a new approach to face depression in the basque country

OpenAIRE

Txarramendieta Suarez, Jon; Fullaondo Zabala, Ane; de Manuel Keenoy, Esteban; Gabilondo Cuellar, Andrea; González Pinto, Ana; García Alocén, Adriana; Retolaza Berasategui, Ander; Ponte Velón, Joaquín

2017-01-01

Introduction/context: Depression is one of the most frequent mental health diseases worldwide, with approximately 350 million of individuals affected. Antidepressants are still the mainstay of treatment for depression in healthcare settings. In the Basque Country, about 400.000 people suffer from depression; 10% of them with mild or moderate symptoms. cCBT has proven to be effective to fight depression, enabling the patient to change destructive patterns. This type of cCBT can be self-adminis...

An overview of the circular economy among SMEs in the Basque country: A multiple case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Ormazabal

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This research analyzes the maturity of environmental management as well as the degree of to which the Circular Economy has been implemented in Basque SMEs. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 17 case studies were carried out in industrial SMEs companies in the Basque Country. Findings: The main results show that companies are limited to complying with the law and in many cases are worried about the image of the company, although they are not committed to environmental issues. There is still a lot to do in SMEs, as they are the companies that face the biggest challenges due to a lack of resources. Originality/value: Circular Economy aims to change a linear economy into promoting sustainability of the economy while also engaging in sustainable environmental protection. This research has focused on small and medium enterprises as they represent a 99% of companies in Europe and they are the ones that have the most difficulty reaching a stage of environmental excellence due to their limited resources.

SACRIFICING THE ECOLOGICAL RESOLUTION OF VEGETATION MAPS AT THE ALTAR OF THEMATIC ACCURACY: ASSESSED MAP ACCURACIES FOR HIERARCHICAL VEGETATION CLASSIFICATIONS IN THE EASTERN GREAT BASIN OF THE SOUTHWEST REGIONAL GAP ANALYSIS PROJECT (SW REGAP)

Science.gov (United States)

The Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SW ReGAP) improves upon previous GAP projects conducted in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah to provide a consistent, seamless vegetation map for this large and ecologically diverse geographic region. Nevada's compone...

[Peer training for patients with diabetes mellitus 2. A quantitative and qualitative evaluation in the Basque Country and Andalusia].

Science.gov (United States)

Danet, Alina; Prieto Rodríguez, María Ángeles; Gamboa Moreno, Estibaliz; Ochoa de Retana Garcia, Lourdes; March Cerdà, Joan Carles

2016-10-01

To evaluate a peer training strategy for patients with type2 diabetes mellitus, developed in two training programmes in the Basque Country and Andalusia. Quantitative pre- and post-intervention and qualitative evaluation, developed between 2012 and 2014. The Basque Country and Andalusia. A total of 409 patients and trainer-patients, participating in self-management peer training programmes. Intentional sample of 44 patients for the qualitative study. Bivariate analysis and net gains for common variables used in questionnaires in the Basque Country and Andalusia: self-reported health, daily activities, physical activity, use of health services, and self-management. Content analysis of 8 focus groups with patients and trainer-patients, including: coding, categorisation, and triangulation of results. Peer training has a positive impact on physical activity, the use of health services, and self-management, with some gender differences. The peer-training strategy is considered positive, as it strengthens the patient-health provider relationship, generates group support and self-confidence, and improves the emotional management. Patients identify two areas of potential improvement: access and continuity of training strategies, and more support and recognition from health providers and institutions. The positive impact on health and quality of life that this patient peer-training provides, requires the collaboration of health professionals and institutions, which should improve the access, continuity and adaptation to patient needs and expectations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Development and implementation of the Chronicity Strategy for the Basque Country (Spain): lessons learned].

Science.gov (United States)

Nuño-Solinís, Roberto

2016-11-01

Public healthcare in the Basque Country (Spain) faces high rates of ageing and chronicity, which stress the sustainability of the system. In response to this situation, the Basque Chronicity Strategy was launched in 2010. This large-scale and far-reaching transformation initiative focused on changing the healthcare provision model towards integrated care of chronicity. Developed in the context of economic and financial crisis, strong political opposition and resistance or passivity of many relevant stakeholders, the design and implementation of the Strategy introduced some noteworthy elements, such as: a narrative of change different to the austerity discourse, which was the dominant narrative at that time; a strategic approach supported by an evidence base and solid theoretical references; and an implementation strategy that favoured local innovation and the "bottom up" approach. In spite of this, it was not possible to overcome the political barriers or bureaucratic immobility, which limited the implementation and scope of the changes, especially those related to the scalability of successful local innovations. However, some changes in the healthcare integration culture at clinical and managerial level have been introduced as a result of the Strategy, as well as organisational progression towards a chronicity-targeted healthcare model. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Dosimetric properties of a Solid Water High Equivalency (SW557) phantom for megavoltage photon beams.

Science.gov (United States)

Araki, Fujio

2017-07-01

The dosimetric properties of the recently developed SW557 phantom have been investigated by comparison with those of the existing SW457 phantom in megavoltage photon beams. The electron fluence ratio φ pl w , and chamber ionization ratio k pl , of water to SW457 and water to SW557 for 4-15MV photons were calculated as a function of depth using Monte Carlo simulations, and compared with measured values. Values of φ pl w for SW457 were in the range of 1.004-1.014 for 4MV, and 1.014-1.018 for 15MV photons. The φ pl w for SW557 ranged from 1.005 to 1.008 for 4MV and from 1.010 to 1.015 for 15MV photons and the variation of φ pl w with depth for each beam energy was within ±0.5%. Values of k pl were obtained with a PTW 30013 Farmer-type ionization chamber. The k pl for SW457 ranged from 0.997 to 1.011 for 4-15MV photons. Values of k pl for SW557 were almost unity for 4 and 6MV photons, while in the case of 10 and 15MV photons they were less than 1.006, excepting the build-up region. The measured and calculated k pl values of water to SW557 were in the range of 0.997-1.002 and 1.000-1.006, respectively, for 4-15MV photons, at a depth of 10cm with a source-to-axis distance of 100cm. The measured and calculated k pl values were in agreement within their uncertainty ranges. As a water-equivalent phantom, SW557 can be used with a dosimetric difference within±0.6%, for 4-15MV photons, and is more water-equivalent than SW457 in megavoltage photon beams. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New data on distribution of Cypripedium macranthon sw. on the territory of Altai krai

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. V. Vazhov

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The Family Orchidaceae Juss. –occupies an important place among the plants, which were highlighted related to their biology and ecology. The total number of species of the family in the Altai region – 27 (ruberoidny -13, rhizomatous – 14, 10 species of orchids are rare and protected. Among the many flowering plants highlights one of the most beautiful and the most noticeable because of its large flowers Orchid – lady's slipper large-flowered Cypripedium (Cypripedium macranthon Sw.. This species is rare and listed in the regional Red book, as residential landscape areas suffers from collecting in bouquets and digging out the gardeners for the introduction into the culture. Exterminated Orchid in the procurement of herbal raw materials in traditional medicine. The Shoe form a plurality of decorative forms that is of interest to collectors of plants, promotes the collection and implementation in connection with the market demand. Increasing anthropogenic load on the territory of the region, which also adversely affects the number and state of coenopopulations of C. macranthon Sw. For the Altai territory, the modern updated data on the habitat of the Orchid. Four previously unknown local populations of C. macranthon Sw. it is noted in the upper basin of the river Angara in the virgin area.

Distributed power-law seismicity changes and crustal deformation in the SW Hellenic ARC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Tzanis

2003-01-01

Full Text Available A region of definite accelerating seismic release rates has been identified at the SW Hellenic Arc and Trench system, of Peloponnesus, and to the south-west of the island of Kythera (Greece. The identification was made after detailed, parametric time-to-failure modelling on a 0.1° square grid over the area 20° E – 27° E and 34° N–38° N. The observations are strongly suggestive of terminal-stage critical point behaviour (critical exponent of the order of 0.25, leading to a large earthquake with magnitude 7.1 ± 0.4, to occur at time 2003.6 ± 0.6. In addition to the region of accelerating seismic release rates, an adjacent region of decelerating seismicity was also observed. The acceleration/deceleration pattern appears in such a well structured and organised manner, which is strongly suggestive of a causal relationship. An explanation may be that the observed characteristics of distributed power-law seismicity changes may be produced by stress transfer from a fault, to a region already subjected to stress inhomogeneities, i.e. a region defined by the stress field required to rupture a fault with a specified size, orientation and rake. Around a fault that is going to rupture, there are bright spots (regions of increasing stress and stress shadows (regions relaxing stress; whereas acceleration may be observed in bright spots, deceleration may be expected in the shadows. We concluded that the observed seismic release patterns can possibly be explained with a family of NE-SW oriented, left-lateral, strike-slip to oblique-slip faults, located to the SW of Kythera and Antikythera and capable of producing earthquakes with magnitudes MS ~ 7. Time-to-failure modelling and empirical analysis of earthquakes in the stress bright spots yield a critical exponent of the order 0.25 as expected from theory, and a predicted magnitude and critical time perfectly consistent with the figures given above. Although we have determined an approximate location

Terrorist Threats in the Basque Country: its Impact on the Psychosocial Sphere of Victims

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Javier Martín-Peña

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The ceasefire of armed activities announced by ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom in 2011 has fostered a debate about the violence and the victims of the terrorist organization. During those years, the violence perpetrated by ETA was characterized by bomb attacks and assassinations. In addition to this blatant violent behavior, a low-intensity violence was also taking place in the Basque Country, consisting of terrorist threats against their targets. There is, however, a lack of evidence-based research into this phenomenon. This investigation studies the impact of terrorist threats on the psychosocial functioning of people threatened by ETA in the Basque Country. Seventy-six people targeted by ETA completed self-reported survey. Terrorist threats and their derived psychosocial consequences were assessed by this way. The findings point out a relationship between terrorist threats and their psychosocial effects, which greatly affected the immediate environment of the targets too. The implications of these findings are discussed. El cese de la actividad armada anunciado por ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna – Euskadi y Libertad en 2011 ha promovido un debate sobre la violencia y las víctimas de la organización terrorista. Durante esos años, la violencia perpetrada por ETA se caracterizó por ataques con bombas y asesinatos. Además de este comportamiento claramente violento, en el País Vasco también se estaba produciendo una violencia de baja intensidad, consistente en amenazas terroristas contra sus objetivos. Sin embargo, no hay una investigación basada en la evidencia sobre este fenómeno. Esta investigación estudia el impacto de las amenazas terroristas en el funcionamiento psicosocial de las personas amenazadas por ETA en el País Vasco. Setenta y seis personas amenazadas por ETA completaron una encuesta de autoevaluación. Se evaluaron de esta forma las amenazas terroristas y sus consecuencias psicosociales derivadas. Los resultados indicaron

Regional forecast model for the Olea pollen season in Extremadura (SW Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Rodríguez, Santiago; Durán-Barroso, Pablo; Silva-Palacios, Inmaculada; Tormo-Molina, Rafael; Maya-Manzano, José María; Gonzalo-Garijo, Ángela

2016-10-01

The olive tree ( Olea europaea) is a predominantly Mediterranean anemophilous species. The pollen allergens from this tree are an important cause of allergic problems. Olea pollen may be relevant in relation to climate change, due to the fact that its flowering phenology is related to meteorological parameters. This study aims to investigate airborne Olea pollen data from a city on the SW Iberian Peninsula, to analyse the trends in these data and their relationships with meteorological parameters using time series analysis. Aerobiological sampling was conducted from 1994 to 2013 in Badajoz (SW Spain) using a 7-day Hirst-type volumetric sampler. The main Olea pollen season lasted an average of 34 days, from May 4th to June 7th. The model proposed to forecast airborne pollen concentrations, described by one equation. This expression is composed of two terms: the first term represents the resilience of the pollen concentration trend in the air according to the average concentration of the previous 10 days; the second term was obtained from considering the actual pollen concentration value, which is calculated based on the most representative meteorological variables multiplied by a fitting coefficient. Due to the allergenic characteristics of this pollen type, it should be necessary to forecast its short-term prevalence using a long record of data in a city with a Mediterranean climate. The model obtained provides a suitable level of confidence to forecast Olea airborne pollen concentration.

Répercussions de la chute du mur de Berlin sur des conflits nationalistes : Pays Basque et Irlande du Nord

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pascal Pragnère

2012-11-01

Full Text Available La chute du mur de Berlin et l’effondrement des régimes communistes eurent pour effet de discréditer et affaiblir de nombreux mouvements révolutionnaires, et de provoquer l’émergence ou la résurgence de mouvements nationalistes.En 1989-90, deux conflits violents faisaient rage au cœur de l’Europe occidentale démocratique, en Irlande du Nord et au Pays Basque.Dans ces deux territoires, des nationalistes, dont certains étaient des radicaux animés par des revendications nationalistes et révolutionnaires s’opposèrent à des états démocratiques par l’utilisation de la violence. Un processus de paix se développa à partir de 1998 en Irlande du Nord ; celui du Pays Basque est toujours dans l’impasse.Il semble au premier abord que ces conflits continuèrent sans bouleversement majeur dans la période qui suivit la chute du mur.Cet article examine les revendications des nationalistes en Irlande du Nord et au Pays Basque pour tenter de dévoiler dans quelle mesure ils furent affectés par ce choc historique.Une perspective comparative permet de comprendre que ces mouvements furent influencés différemment en fonction des contextes locaux. Certains acteurs politiques restèrent volontairement imperméables, alors que d’autres furent davantage affectés par le débat idéologique.

Fethiye-Burdur Fault Zone (SW Turkey): a myth?

Science.gov (United States)

Kaymakci, Nuretdin; Langereis, Cornelis; Özkaptan, Murat; Özacar, Arda A.; Gülyüz, Erhan; Uzel, Bora; Sözbilir, Hasan

2017-04-01

Fethiye Burdur Fault Zone (FBFZ) is first proposed by Dumont et al. (1979) as a sinistral strike-slip fault zone as the NE continuation of Pliny-Strabo trench in to the Anatolian Block. The fault zone supposed to accommodate at least 100 km sinistral displacement between the Menderes Massif and the Beydaǧları platform during the exhumation of the Menderes Massif, mainly during the late Miocene. Based on GPS velocities Barka and Reilinger (1997) proposed that the fault zone is still active and accommodates sinistral displacement. In order to test the presence and to unravel its kinematics we have conducted a rigorous paleomagnetic study containing more than 3000 paleomagnetic samples collected from 88 locations and 11700 fault slip data collected from 198 locations distributed evenly all over SW Anatolia spanning from Middle Miocene to Late Pliocene. The obtained rotation senses and amounts indicate slight (around 20°) counter-clockwise rotations distributed uniformly almost whole SW Anatolia and there is no change in the rotation senses and amounts on either side of the FBFZ implying no differential rotation within the zone. Additionally, the slickenside pitches and constructed paleostress configurations, along the so called FBFZ and also within the 300 km diameter of the proposed fault zone, indicated that almost all the faults, oriented parallel to subparallel to the zone, are normal in character. The fault slip measurements are also consistent with earthquake focal mechanisms suggesting active extension in the region. We have not encountered any significant strike-slip motion in the region to support presence and transcurrent nature of the FBFZ. On the contrary, the region is dominated by extensional deformation and strike-slip components are observed only on the NW-SE striking faults which are transfer faults that accommodated extension and normal motion. Therefore, we claim that the sinistral Fethiye Burdur Fault (Zone) is a myth and there is no tangible

An alternative radiometric method for calculating the sedimentation rates: Application to an intertidal region (SW of Spain)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ligero, R.A., E-mail: rufino.ligero@uca.e [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Universidad de Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz (Spain); Casas-Ruiz, M. [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Universidad de Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz (Spain); Barrera, M. [Departamento de Medio Ambiente, CIEMAT, Madrid 28040 (Spain); Barbero, L. [Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real (Spain); Melendez, M.J. [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Universidad de Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz (Spain)

2010-09-15

A new method using the inventory determined for the activity of the radionuclide {sup 137}Cs, coming from global radioactive fallout has been utilised to calculate the sedimentation rates. The method has been applied in a wide intertidal region in the Bay of Cadiz Natural Park (SW Spain). The sedimentation rates estimated by the {sup 137}Cs inventory method ranged from 0.26 cm/year to 1.72 cm/year. The average value of the sedimentation rate obtained is 0.59 cm/year, and this rate has been compared with those resulting from the application of the {sup 210}Pb dating technique. A good agreement between the two procedures has been found. From the study carried out, it has been possible for the first time, to draw a map of sedimentation rates for this zone where numerous physico-chemical, oceanographic and ecological studies converge, since it is situated in a region of great environmental interest. This area, which is representative of common environmental coastal scenarios, is particularly sensitive to perturbations related to climate change, and the results of the study will allow to make short and medium term evaluations of this change.

Economic Constitution, social democracy, innovation and economic culture of Basque Cooperativism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santiago Larrazabal Basañez

2009-12-01

Full Text Available In the study of Constitutional Law, the author calls for more attention to be paid to the part in which almost all Constitutions set down economic models, the guiding principles of social and economic policy and economic and social rights. He makes this suggestion with a view to going beyond a formal democracy and moving towards a material democracy. For this purpose, he focuses on the values and economic culture of the cooperative movement and advocates inspiration in these values to innovate and search for a fairer economic and social model which will enable us to overcome the present crisis. Lastly, he poses some issues related to innovation in the specific contextof Basque cooperativism.Received: 06.07.2009Accepted: 08.07.2009

The personal and professional face of the Basque urologist José Julián Guimón Rezola (1898-1980).

Science.gov (United States)

Angulo, J C

2018-04-01

To understand certain outstanding aspects of the life of the Basque surgeon and urologist Julián Guimón Rezola. His personal and bibliographic documentary legacy helps reconstruct his works and personal character. We analysed the written works of Julián Guimón Rezola and a collection of documents, letters, photographs, illustrations and objects from his personal and professional life, accessed through his family. We analysed the content of the author's main publications and related the documents to historic facts. Julián Guimón Rezola was an upstanding individual, a father, a family man and a nationalist before the struggle, who was dedicated to his work and particularly to teaching and health management. He started his urological career under the direction of Francisco Pérez Andrés in the Santo Civil Hospital of Bilbao. He endured unjust repression for participating in the creation of the Basque University in 1936. Sentenced to life imprisonment, he stated a new life as a reclusive surgeon in the prison of Puerto de Santa María. He was pardoned three years later but was deprived of all his offices and disqualified from civil service. He founded his clinic and maintained his training in the United States. He presided over the Medical-Surgical Insurance Group of Bilbao (Igualatorio Médico-Quirúrgico) and, on 2 occasions, the Bilbao Academy of Medical Sciences. He was considerably active professionally and focused on social medicine and modern urology. He wrote 104 scientific articles, a number of which were of considerable quality and impact. We observed an evolution in the subject matter of these articles, all with exquisite professionalism and humanity. He corresponded with renowned practitioners and was admitted to the Spanish Royal National Academy of Medicine in 1970. He ended his career with an appointment as honorary professor at the University of the Basque Country 2 years before his death. Surgeon urologist Julián Guimón Rezola was a

Holocene oceanographic changes in SW Labrador Sea, off Newfoundland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sheldon, Christina; Seidenkrantz, Marit-Solveig; Pearce, Christof

2016-01-01

Benthic foraminiferal assemblages supported by selected geochemical data from three marine sediment cores collected in Placentia Bay, SE Newfoundland, are used to construct an ~13,000-year-long record of regional oceanographic changes in the SW Labrador Sea. The area is located in the boundary zo....... The Northern Hemisphere neoglacial cooling around 2.8 cal. kyr BP was characterized off SE Newfoundland by a further stabilization of the current system, dominated by the LC with some continued influx of GS water....

Capturing invisible dimensions of terrorist victimisation through photography and video: Theoretical background for a research in progress in the Basque country

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varona Gema

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Memorialisation is experienced by victims of traumatic events as a form of justice. Victims‘ and society right to memory is mentioned in the Basque Law 4/2008 on recognition and protection of terrorism victims and the Spanish Law 29/2011 on recognition and integral protection of terrorism victims. Drawing from critical victimology and memory studies, this contribution aims at addressing current criticism by some victims‘ organizations with regard to memory public policies in this field. It particularly addresses ways of restoration through memory linked to the meaning of spaces of victimisation by examining the work of different photographers on making aspects of those victimisations visible for the contested purpose of remembering. First the conceptual framework on space, victimisation and memory is presented. Then it is related to the results of qualitative research by the Basque Institute of Criminology. At the end the micro, meso and macro aspects of local intervention proposals on restorative memory, including ethical remarks are commented.

Specifika gastronomie Baskicka

OpenAIRE

Sojáková, Tereza

2010-01-01

The topic of this Bachelor's work is Basque gastronomy, specifically in the wider context of tourism. The introductory chapters examine the importance of gastronomy for tourism. The main part of the text provides a detailed treatment of the Basque region and its gastronomy. The marketing and propagation of Basque gastronomy is analysed here with great attention to detail. The final section of the work depicts the Basque region as tourist destination for Czech travel agencies.

Cloud effects on the SW radiation at the surface at a mid-latitude site in southwestern Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Salgueiro, Vanda; João Costa, Maria; Silva, Ana Maria; Lanconelli, Christian; Bortoli, Daniele

2017-04-01

This work presents a study of cloud radiative effects on shortwave (CRESW) radiation at the surface in Évora region (southwestern Europe) during 2015 and a case study is analyzed. CRESW (in Wm-2) is defined as the difference between the net shortwave irradiance (downward minus upward shortwave irradiance) in cloudy and clear sky conditions. This measure is usually used to translate changes in the SW radiation that reaches the surface due to changes in clouds (type and/or cover). The CRESW is obtained using measured SW irradiance recorded with a Kipp&Zonen CM 6B pyranometer (broadband 305 - 2800 nm) during the period from January to December 2015, and is related with the cloud liquid water path (LWP) and with cloud ice water path (IWP) showing the importance of the different type of clouds in attenuating the SW radiation at the surface. The cloud modification factor, also a measure of the cloud radiative effects (CMF; ratio between the measured SW irradiance under cloudy conditions and the estimated SW irradiance in clear-sky conditions) is related with the cloud optical thickness (COT; obtained from satellite data). This relation between CMF and COT is shown for different cloud fractions revealing an exponential decreasing of CMF as COT increases. Reductions in the SW radiation of the order of 80% (CMF = 0.2) as well enhancements in the SW radiation larger than 30% (CMF = 1.3) were found for small COT values and for different cloud fractions. A case study to analyse the enhancement events in a cloudy day was considered and the cloud properties, COT and LWP (from satellite and surface measurements), were related with the CRESW.

A recurrent human papillomavirus integration site at chromosome region 12q14-q15 in SW756 and SK-v cell lines derived from genital tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sastre-Garau, X.; Couturier, J.; Favre, M.; Orth, G.

1995-01-01

The SW756 cell line, derived from an invasive cancer of the uterine cervix, harbours integrated human papillomavirus (HPV) 18 DNA sequences which have been located in chromosome band 12q13. By in situ hybridization experiments with tritiated and digoxigenin-labelled HPV18 probes on R-banded chromosomes, we now localize the integrated viral sequences in 12q14-q15. Interestingly, we have previously localized integrated HPV16 sequences in the same chromosomal region in SK-v cells, derived from a pre-invasive vulvar neoplasia. The chromosomal region 12q14-q15 could thus correspond to a preferential site for the integration of HPV DNA in genital tumors. (authors). 29 refs., 2 figs

Sedimentary features and exploration targets of Middle Permian reservoirs in the SW Sichuan Basin

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Guoming Xu

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The exploration direction and targets for the large-scale Middle Permian gas reservoirs in the Sichuan Basin are hot spots and challenges in current exploration researches. The exploration successes of large gas field of Cambrian Longwangmiao Formation in Gaoshiti-Moxi region, Central Sichuan Basin, indicated that prospective sedimentary facies belt was the basis for the formation of large gas fields. In this paper, based on seismic data, outcrop data and drilling data, the tectonic framework and sedimentary features of the Middle Permian in the SW Sichuan Basin were comprehensively studied. The following conclusions were reached from the perspective of sedimentary facies control: (1 during the Middle Permian, this region was in shallow water gentle slope belts with high energy, where thick reef flat facies were deposited; (2 the basement was uplifted during Middle Permian, resulting in the unconformity weathering crust at the top of Maokou Formation due to erosion; the SW Sichuan Basin was located in the karst slope belt, where epigenic karstification was intense; and (3 reef flat deposits superimposed by karst weathering crust was favorable for the formation of large-scale reef flat karst reservoirs. Based on the combination of the resources conditions and hydrocarbon accumulation conditions in this region, it was pointed out that the Middle Permian has great potential of large-scale reef flat karst gas reservoir due to its advantageous geological conditions; the Middle Permian traps with good hydrocarbon accumulation conditions were developed in the Longmen Mountain front closed structural belt in the SW Sichuan Basin and Western Sichuan Basin depression slope belt, which are favorable targets for large-scale reef flat karst reservoirs.

The Basque farmhouses of Zelaa and Maiz Goena : New dendrochronology-based findings about the evolution of the built heritage in the northern Iberian Peninsula

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Susperregi, J.; Telleria, I.; Urteaga, M.; Jansma, E.

2017-01-01

The Basque farmhouse, a characteristic building type for north-western Spain, is an architectural solution that allows the combined management of different rural activities. In addition to providing living quarters and a space for a cider press these farmhouses were designed to function as, among

The validity and reliability of the handheld SW-100 autokeratometer

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Eghosasere Iyamu

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: The agreement of new instruments or clinical tests with other instruments or tests defines the possibility of these being used interchangeably. Aim: To investigate the validity and reliability of the SW-100 autokeratometer using a Bausch & Lomb (B&L keratometer as the ‘gold standard’. Methods: Eighty subjects (80 right eyes aged between 21 and 38 years were recruited. For intra-test repeatability, two measurements of the corneal radius of curvature were taken with the SW-100 and B&L keratometers. Forty of the 80 subjects participated in the inter-test repeatability measurement. Results: Corneal radius of curvature was found to be statistically different between the two instruments (p < 0.001, with the SW-100 providing slightly flatter values of 0.11 mm and 0.05 mm for the horizontal and vertical meridians, respectively, than the B&L keratometer. The average corneal curvature was 0.07 mm flatter with the SW-100 autokeratometer than with the B&L device. Agreement between the SW-100 and B&L keratometers’ axes was 45% within ± 5°, 60.3% within ± 10°, 78.8% within ± 15°, 80.3% within ± 20°, and 88.7% within ± 40°. Intertest repeatability was better for the B&L device than the SW-100 and showed no significant difference between the two sessions. Both instruments demonstrated comparable intrasession repeatability. As such, both instruments were comparatively reliable (per coefficients of repeatability. The range of limits of agreement of ± 0.14 mm (horizontal meridian and ± 0.17 mm (vertical meridian between the SW-100 and B&L devices showed good agreement. Conclusion: The results suggest that the SW-100 autokeratometer is a reliable and objective instrument that, however, provides flatter radii of curvature measurements than the B&L keratometer. A compensating factor incorporated into the instrument could reduce the difference between the two instruments and make them more interchangeable.

Social factors associated with the knowledge about HIV of the immigrants from China, Latin America, the Maghreb and Senegal in the Basque Country (Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Álvarez, Elena; Lanborena, Nerea; Bacigalupe, Amaia; Martin, Unai

2013-02-01

The objective of this study was to identify the social factors that explain the differences in knowledge with regards to HIV/AIDS among immigrants in the Basque Country (Spain). We conducted a cross-sectional study based on information obtained in the Basque Health Survey for 754 immigrants from: 86 China, 368 Latin America, 237 the Maghreb and 74 Senegal. Odds ratios (95% CI) were calculated from logistic regression models to measure the degree of association between inadequate knowledge regarding transmission, prevention and places where HIV testing is offered, and the independent variables. We found that this inadequate knowledge is associated with place of birth, sex, a lower level of education, immigration status, difficulties in understanding Spanish, and not receiving advice about AIDS in primary care. These findings indicate that initiatives must be developed to promote equity in the provision of healthcare through clinical guidelines, including details of the specific needs of different groups of immigrants and considering gender issues.

Surface wave statistics and spectra for Valiathura coastlines, SW coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Asharaf, T.T.M.; Nair, R.P.; Sanjana, M.C.; Muraleedharan, G.; Kurup, P.G.

Sciences Vol. 30, March , 2001, pp 9-17 Surface wave statistics and spectra for Valiathura coastline, SW coast of India T T Mohamed Asharaf National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Cochin, 682 014, India and Ratish P Nair, M.... 2D), the prominent direction was MOHAMED ASHARAF et al. : WAVE STATISTICS AND SPECTRA 11 Fig. 2Direction surface plots of January-June INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL 30, MARCH 2001 12 Fig. 2  (Contd) ... Direction surface...

The Robust Software Feedback Model: An Effective Waterfall Model Tailoring for Space SW

Science.gov (United States)

Tipaldi, Massimo; Gotz, Christoph; Ferraguto, Massimo; Troiano, Luigi; Bruenjes, Bernhard

2013-08-01

The selection of the most suitable software life cycle process is of paramount importance in any space SW project. Despite being the preferred choice, the waterfall model is often exposed to some criticism. As matter of fact, its main assumption of moving to a phase only when the preceding one is completed and perfected (and under the demanding SW schedule constraints) is not easily attainable. In this paper, a tailoring of the software waterfall model (named “Robust Software Feedback Model”) is presented. The proposed methodology sorts out these issues by combining a SW waterfall model with a SW prototyping approach. The former is aligned with the SW main production line and is based on the full ECSS-E-ST-40C life-cycle reviews, whereas the latter is carried out in advance versus the main SW streamline (so as to inject its lessons learnt into the main streamline) and is based on a lightweight approach.

Regionalised spatiotemporal rainfall and temperature models for flood studies in the Basque Country, Spain

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P. Cowpertwait

2013-02-01

Full Text Available A spatiotemporal point process model of rainfall is fitted to data taken from three homogeneous regions in the Basque Country, Spain. The model is the superposition of two spatiotemporal Neyman–Scott processes, in which rain cells are modelled as discs with radii that follow exponential distributions. In addition, the model includes a parameter for the radius of storm discs, so that rain only occurs when both a cell and a storm disc overlap a point. The model is fitted to data for each month, taken from each of the three homogeneous regions, using a modified method of moments procedure that ensures a smooth seasonal variation in the parameter estimates.

Daily temperature data from 23 sites are used to fit a stochastic temperature model. A principal component analysis of the maximum daily temperatures across the sites indicates that 92% of the variance is explained by the first component, implying that this component can be used to account for spatial variation. A harmonic equation with autoregressive error terms is fitted to the first principal component. The temperature model is obtained by regressing the maximum daily temperature on the first principal component, an indicator variable for the region, and altitude. This, together with scaling and a regression model of temperature range, enables hourly temperatures to be predicted. Rainfall is included as an explanatory variable but has only a marginal influence when predicting temperatures.

A distributed model (TETIS; Francés et al., 2007 is calibrated for a selected catchment. Five hundred years of data are simulated using the rainfall and temperature models and used as input to the calibrated TETIS model to obtain simulated discharges to compare with observed discharges. Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests indicate that there is no significant difference in the distributions of observed and simulated maximum flows at the same sites, thus supporting the use of the spatiotemporal

Antimodernity in the Basque Country: Social Practices and Discourse (1765-1833 La antimodernidad en el País Vasco: prácticas sociales y discursos (1765-1833

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Andoni ARTOLA RENEDO

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Parallel to the arrival and spread of new trends of thought among the Basque elites in the 18th century, reticent attitudes, sometimes bordering on hostile, developed towards them. The institutionalization of the enlightenment in the Basque country took place with the creation of the «Basque Royal Society for Friends of the country». The analysis of the dominant trends of thought in this Society serves as an observatory of a larger process, to wit the formation of anti-modern thought in the Basque country. this article presents an attempt to analyse this process based on the experiences of the social actors involved, taking into account both the exogenous and the endogenous factors that led to this phenomenon. An attempt is thus made to reconcile the study of its relational networks, the historical context in which they developed and the discourses that emerged from them. The Jesuit element appears repeatedly, although in different forms and registers, as a reference of the products of these discourses.En paralelo a la llegada y difusión de nuevas corrientes de pensamiento entre las élites vascongadas del siglo XVIII, se desarrollaron actitudes reticentes y, en ocasiones, abiertamente hostiles, hacia éstas. La institucionalización de la ilustración en el País Vasco se formalizó con la creación de la Real Sociedad Bascongada de los Amigos del País. El análisis de las líneas intelectuales dominantes en su seno sirve como observatorio de un proceso de mayores dimensiones, cual es el de la formación del pensamiento antimoderno en el País Vasco. En este artículo se pretende analizar dicho proceso partiendo de las experiencias de los actores sociales que lo protagonizaron, teniendo en cuenta tanto los factores endógenos como los exógenos que dieron lugar a que el fenómeno se produjera. Así, se intenta conciliar el estudio de sus redes relacionales, del contexto histórico en que éstas se desarrollan, y los discursos que de ellas

The Importance of Interfaces: A HW/SW Codesign Case Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Dan C. Raun; Madsen, Jan; Pedersen, Steen

1997-01-01

This paper presents a codesign case study in image analysis. The main objective is to stress the importance of handling HW/SW interfaces more precisely at the system level. In the presented case study, there is an intuitive and simple HW/SW interface, which is based upon the functional modules...

Impact of sea-level rise on earthquake and landslide triggering offshore the Alentejo margin (SW Iberia)

Science.gov (United States)

Neves, M. C.; Roque, C.; Luttrell, K. M.; Vázquez, J. T.; Alonso, B.

2016-12-01

Earthquakes and submarine landslides are recurrent and widespread manifestations of fault activity offshore SW Iberia. The present work tests the effects of sea-level rise on offshore fault systems using Coulomb stress change calculations across the Alentejo margin. Large-scale faults capable of generating large earthquakes and tsunamis in the region, especially NE-SW trending thrusts and WNW-ESE trending dextral strike-slip faults imaged at basement depths, are either blocked or unaffected by flexural effects related to sea-level changes. Large-magnitude earthquakes occurring along these structures may, therefore, be less frequent during periods of sea-level rise. In contrast, sea-level rise promotes shallow fault ruptures within the sedimentary sequence along the continental slope and upper rise within distances of failures may either increase (if triggered by shallow fault ruptures) or decrease (if triggered by deep fault ruptures) as a result of sea-level rise. Moreover, observations of slope failures affecting the area of the Sines contourite drift highlight the role of sediment properties as preconditioning factors in this region.

Social movements as emotional contexts: the emotional drive in the Basque linguistic movement

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Ane Larrinaga Renteria

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This article is a reflection on some of the functions that the emotions perform in constructing and maintaining the collective action of social movements in the long term. Based on a case study, we applied the conceptual instrument known as “Frame Analysis” to the successive discursive frames produced by the linguistic movement of the Basque Country between the 1980s and the first decade of 2000. With the aid of qualitative techniques, consisting in in-depth interviews conducted with qualified activists of the movement and an analysis of documents it produced, we identified the emotional contexts associated with the discourses and meanings generated by the movement at different times. Activation of the emotional components aided both the movement’s internal solidarity and external adhesion and, in short, favored the long-term sustainability of an increasingly institutionalized and professionalized movement.

Geometric-kinematic characteristics of the main faults in the W-SW of the Lut Block (SE Iran)

Science.gov (United States)

Rashidi Boshrabadi, Ahmad; Khatib, Mohamad Mahdi; Raeesi, Mohamad; Mousavi, Seyed Morteza; Djamour, Yahya

2018-03-01

The area to the W-SW of the Lut Block in Iran has experienced numerous historical and recent destructive earthquakes. We examined a number of faults in this area that have high potential for generating destructive earthquakes. In this study a number of faults are introduced and named for the first time. These new faults are Takdar, Dehno, Suru, Hojat Abad, North Faryab, North Kahnoj, Heydarabad, Khatun Abad and South Faryab. For a group of previously known faults, their mechanism and geological offsets are investigated for the first time. This group of faults include East Nayband, West Nayband, Sardueiyeh, Dalfard, Khordum, South Jabal-e-Barez, and North Jabal-e-Barez. The N-S fault systems of Sabzevaran, Gowk, and Nayband induce slip on the E-W, NE-SW and NW-SE fault systems. The faulting patterns appear to preserve different stages of fault development. We investigated the distribution of active faults and the role that they play in accommodating tectonic strain in the SW-Lut. In the study area, the fault systems with en-echelon arrangement create structures such as restraining and releasing stepover, fault bend and pullapart basin. The main mechanism for fault growth in the region seems to be 'segment linkage of preexisting weaknesses' and also for a limited area through 'process zone'. Estimations are made for the likely magnitudes of separate or combined failure of the fault segments. Such magnitudes are used in hazard analysis of the region.

Sneaking of the Solar Wind Ions Into the Lunar Anti-subsolar Region Revealed by SELENE (Kaguya)

Science.gov (United States)

Nishino, M. N.; Fujimoto, M.; Saito, Y.; Shoichiro, Y.; Asamura, K.; Tanaka, T.; Tsunakawa, H.; Shibuya, H.; Matsushima, M.; Shimizu, H.; Takahashi, F.; Maezawa, K.; Terasawa, T.

2008-12-01

The moon spends more than 80 percent of its life staying in the solar wind (SW), where a quasi-vacuum region called the lunar wake is formed on the night side. The SW electrons with higher energy can come to the lunar night-side surface, while it has been thought that the SW ions are unlikely to approach the low altitude region on the night side because their thermal speed is much lower than the SW bulk speed. Here we show detection of SW ions sneaking into the anti-subsolar region at ~100 km altitude, using recent comprehensive measurement by a Japanese lunar orbiter SELENE (Kaguya). The sneaking of SW ions into the deepest lunar wake was accompanied by an enhancement of counter-streaming electrons along the SW magnetic field. A part of the ions detected in the anti-subsolar region came from the lunar surface, which means that the ions of solar wind origin reflected at the night-side surface. One possibility is that electron- rich wake environment strengthened the bipolar electric field at the wake boundary to let solar-wind ions approach the lunar night side, and the other scenario is that enhancement of ions in the wake let ambient electrons to come in. The sneaking mechanism of the solar wind ions in terms of plasma and electromagnetic environment around/inside the lunar wake will be discussed.

Bridging the Gap between Academic Research and Regional Development in the Basque Country

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsen, James; Larrea, Miren; Wilson, James R.; Aranguren, Mari Jose

2012-01-01

The discussion in this article focuses on how the gap between academic knowledge and regional development can be bridged, creating conditions for change processes between researchers and regional agents. Institutional entrepreneurs can create regional development organisations and research organisations, but in order to fulfil regional needs it is…

JVLA observations of IC 348 SW: Compact radio sources and their nature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez, Luis F.; Zapata, Luis A.; Palau, Aina, E-mail: l.rodriguez@crya.unam.mx, E-mail: l.zapata@crya.unam.mx, E-mail: a.palau@crya.unam.mx [Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico)

2014-07-20

We present sensitive 2.1 and 3.3 cm Jansky Very Large Array radio continuum observations of the region IC 348 SW. We detect a total of 10 compact radio sources in the region, 7 of which are first reported here. One of the sources is associated with the remarkable periodic time-variable infrared source LRLL 54361, opening the possibility of monitoring this object at radio wavelengths. Four of the sources appear to be powering outflows in the region, including HH 211 and HH 797. In the case of the rotating outflow HH 797, we detect a double radio source at its center, separated by ∼3''. Two of the sources are associated with infrared stars that possibly have gyrosynchrotron emission produced in active magnetospheres. Finally, three of the sources are interpreted as background objects.

The Characteristics of Seismogenic Zones in SW Taiwan: Implications from Studying Mechanisms of Microearthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Strong; Chang, Yi-Zen; Yeh, Yu-Lien; Wen, Yi-Ying

2017-04-01

parameters can serve as a detail physical status (such as fluid migration, fault geometry and the pressure of the leading edge of the rupturing) to investigate the characteristics of seismongenic structures more precisely. In addition, the obtained regional stress field in this study also used to assure and to exam the tectonic models proposed for SW Taiwan previously, which will help to properly assess seismic hazard analysis for major engineering construction projects in the urban area.

Use of Student Experiments for Teaching Embedded Software Development Including HW/SW Co-Design

Science.gov (United States)

Mitsui, H.; Kambe, H.; Koizumi, H.

2009-01-01

Embedded systems have been applied widely, not only to consumer products and industrial machines, but also to new applications such as ubiquitous or sensor networking. The increasing role of software (SW) in embedded system development has caused a great demand for embedded SW engineers, and university education for embedded SW engineering has…

Seismic Tomography in Reykjanes , SW Iceland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jousset, Philippe; Blanck, Hanna; Franke, Steven; Metz, M.; Águstsson, K.; Verdel, Arie; Ryberg, T.; Hersir, Gylfi Páll; Weemstra, C.; Bruhn, D.F.; Flovenz, Olafur G

2016-01-01

We present tomographic results obtained around geothermal reservoirs using seismic data recorded both on-land Reykjanes, SW-Iceland and offshore along Reykjanes Ridge. We gathered records from a network of 83 seismic stations (including 21 Ocean Bottom Seismometers) deployed between April 2014 and

78 FR 35149 - Addresses of Regional Offices

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-12

..., and Texas), 500 Gold Avenue SW., Room 9018 (P.O. Box 1306), Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102. (c) Midwest... 01035. (f) Mountain-Prairie Regional Office (Region 6--comprising the States of Colorado, Kansas...

SW21 Summary Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Juarez, A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2016-02-10

Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories hosted the tenth annual Strategic Weapons in the 21st Century Conference (SW21) on 21 January 2016 to reinforce the national commitment to leadership and institutional excellence for nuclear deterrence. The event has been successful over the years in drawing together a diverse, high-level group of policy makers and experts from multiple disciplines to engage in informed dialogue on topics related to strategic weapons in national and international security.

Spatio-Temporal Variation in Water Quality of Orle River Basin, S.W. ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Spatio-Temporal Variation in Water Quality of Orle River Basin, S.W. Nigeria. ... Abstract. The water quality of small streams in Auchi area of Edo State, S.W. Nigeria was investigated with a view to ... and ecosystems. The study was carried out

The Aula EspaZio Gela and the Master of Space Science and Technology in the Universidad Del País Vasco (University of the Basque Country)

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Lavega, Agustín; Pérez-Hoyos, Santiago; Hueso, Ricardo; del Río-Gaztelurrutia, Teresa; Oleaga, Alberto

2014-01-01

We present the Aula EspaZio Gela, a facility dedicated to teaching Space Science and Technology at the master and doctorate level at the University of the Basque Country (Spain), and to promoting the development of this field in both public and private sectors. The one-year master's degree in Space Science and Technology (60 ECTS (European Credit…

Coastal urbanization leads to remarkable seaweed species loss and community shifts along the SW Atlantic.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherner, Fernando; Horta, Paulo Antunes; de Oliveira, Eurico Cabral; Simonassi, José Carlos; Hall-Spencer, Jason M; Chow, Fungyi; Nunes, José Marcos C; Pereira, Sonia Maria Barreto

2013-11-15

Coastal urbanization is rapidly expanding worldwide while its impacts on seaweed communities remain poorly understood. We assessed the impact of urbanization along an extensive latitudinal gradient encompassing three phycogeographical regions in the SW Atlantic. Human population density, number of dwellings, and terrestrial vegetation cover were determined for each survey area and correlated with diversity indices calculated from seaweed percent cover data. Urban areas had significantly lower calcareous algal cover (-38%), and there was significantly less carbonate in the sediment off urban areas than off reference areas. Seaweed richness averaged 26% less in urban areas than in areas with higher vegetation cover. We observed a remarkable decline in Phaeophyceae and a substantial increase of Chlorophyta in urban areas across a wide latitudinal gradient. Our data show that coastal urbanization is causing substantial loss of seaweed biodiversity in the SW Atlantic, and is considerably changing seaweed assemblages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

X-ray and optical observations of the ultrashort period dwarf nova SW Ursae Majoris - A likely new DQ Herculis star

Science.gov (United States)

Shafter, A. W.; Szkody, P.; Thorstensen, J. R.

1986-01-01

Time-resolved X-ray and optical photometric and optical spectroscopic observations of the ultrashort period cataclysmic variable SW UMa are reported. The spectroscopic observations reveal the presence of an s-wave component which is almost in phase with the extreme line wings and presumably the white dwarf. This very unusual phasing in conjunction with the available optical and X-ray data seems to indicate that a region of enhanced emission exists on the opposite side of the disk from the expected location of the hot spot. The photometric observations reveal the presence of a hump in the light curve occurring at an orbital phase which is consistent with the phase at which the region of enhanced line emission is most favorably seen. Changes in the hump amplitude are seen from night to night, and a 15.9 min periodicity is evident in the light curve. The optical and X-ray periodicities suggest that SW UMa is a member of the DQ Her class of cataclysmic variables.

[Overexpression of N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) inhibits proliferation, migration and promotes apoptosis in SW480 rectal cancer cells].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhiqiang; Sun, Yang; Wan, Hongxing; Chai, Fang

2017-01-01

Objective To investigate the role of N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) gene in the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of rectal cancer cells. Methods Human rectal cancer SW480 cells were cultured and transfected with pCDNA3.1-NDRG2 and empty vector (SW480-Ve). SW480 cells were set as a control group. Cell proliferation was detected in SW480 cells, SW480-Ve cells and SW480-NDRG2 cells by MTT assay; cell migration distance in the three groups at 24, 48, 72 hours was tested by wound healing assay; apoptosis rate was determined in the three groups at 48 hours by flow cytometry; the expressions of Bax, caspase-3, Bcl-2 proteins in the three groups were examined by Western blotting. Results After the cells were cultured for 7 days, cell survival rate in SW480-NDRG2 group was significantly lower than that in SW480 cells and SW480-Ve cells; the cell survival rate decreased gradually with the prolongation of the culture time; and it had no significant difference between SW480-Ve group and SW480 group. Cell migration distance in SW480-NDRG2 group was significantly lower than that in SW480-Ve cells and SW480 cells, and it had also no significant difference between SW480-Ve cells and SW480 cells. The apoptosis rate in SW480-NDRG2 group was significantly higher than that in SW480 group and SW480-Ve group, and SW480 cells and SW480-Ve cells had no significant difference in the rate. The expressions of Bax and caspase-3 proteins in SW480-NDRG2 group were significantly higher than those in SW480 cells and SW480-Ve cells; Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly lower in SW480-NDRG2 group than in SW480 cells and SW480-Ve cells; and the expressions of Bax, caspase-3 and Bcl-2 proteins were not significantly different between SW480 cells and SW480-Ve cells. Conclusion Overexpression of NDRG2 can inhibit the proliferation, reduce cell migration, and promote cell apoptosis by regulating the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 proteins in SW480 cells.

Insight into Groundwater Flow within a Crystalline Aquifer. Case Study of the Ursuya Mount, Northern Basque Country (France)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaunat, J.; Huneau, F.; Dupuy, A.; Franceschi, M.; Coustumer, P. Le; Celle-Jeanton, H.

2011-01-01

The Ursuya Mount is one of the main water supplies of the Northern Basque Country. A study is being conducted since 2009 on this aquifer in order to improve the knowledge on its potential and its hydrodynamics properties. Two hydrological cycles are required to get the necessary data to meet the following objectives: clarifying the aquifer potential of the site both quantitatively and qualitatively; determining the geographic and seasonal variations; understanding the origin and the flow pattern of the groundwater; evaluating the groundwater residence times and the areas of preferential recharge. Here, we present only some geochemical and isotopic data. Thus, structural or hydrodynamic approaches will not be discussed.

Geochronology of granitic magmatism from Caraculo-Bibala region (SW Angola) and its correlation with Ribeira fold belt (SE Brazil)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Heitor de; Tassinari, Colombo C.G.

1992-01-01

Rb-Sr whole-rock analyses of representative granitic rocks from the Bibala-Caraculo region, southwestern Angola, are used to determine the age and evolution of the acid plutonic events in this segment of the Angolan continental crust. The granitoids present a wide range of lithological types and compositions. Three time-intervals have been defined for the magmatism: 1,950 - 1,900 Ma; 1,750 - 1,700 Ma; 1,550 - 1,500 Ma. The oldest, though not very well defined, was obtained for the Chicalengue granitoid, the second one represents the Serra dos Gandarengos and Chonga granitoids and Luchipa-Pungue Granitic Complex and the youngest one comprises the Chicate and Caraculo granitic bodies and Numhino Granitic Complex. The initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios show characteristic values for each time-interval, as follows; 1,950 -1,900 Ma = 0,7015; 1,750 - 1,700 Ma = 0,7060 to 0,7075; 1,550 - 1,500 Ma 0,7048 - 0,7057, suggesting different sources for the granitoids within each geological period. In addition are presented two K-Ar ages for the basic rocks in SW Angola, with values of 1700 and 600 Ma, which represent a minimum ages for these rocks and are probably related to the Damara Orogeny. (author). 24 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs

Ams Fabric and Deformation of The Jawornik Granitoids In The Zloty Stok - Skrzynka Deformation Zone (sudetes, SW Poland)- Preliminary Interpretations.

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, T.; Bialek, D.

Jawornik granitoids comprise the NE-SW trending sequences of the 1cm up to 1 km thick granitoid veins surrounded by schists and gneisses of the Zloty Stok - Skrzynka deformation zone in Eastern Sudetes (SW Poland). According to conflicting theories granitoids are of magmatic origin or were formed from blastomylonitic rocks that underwent multiphase deformation. AMS studies were performed for the 53 sites lo- calized within granitoid veins and within the surrounding gneisses. AMS foliations for granitoid veins of various thickness as well as for gneisses dip at moderate to steep an- gles to N-NW. AMS lineations in the surrounding gneisses plunge subhorizontally to NE-SW that reflects the regional NE-SW shearing components. Magnetic lineations for sites within wider veins of granitoids plunge at low angles (mostly from S to W) but with more varying trends between sites. Mezoscopic tectonic foliations are record- able only in 50% of sites. They show good correlation with AMS planar fabric on the site scale. The uniformity of AMS fabric on the site scale and high AMS anisotropy within all sites (P of 1.05-1.30, T of 0.3-0.6 on average) suggest syntectonic gener- ation of granitoids. Further interpretations of the AMS and tectonic fabrics will be performed when microtectonic studies and chemical analyses results are available.

A Testing Framework for Critical Space SW

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Ignacio; Di Cerbo, Antonio; Dehnhardt, Erik; Massimo, Tipaldi; Brünjes, Bernhard

2015-09-01

This paper describes a testing framework for critical space SW named Technical Specification Validation Framework (TSVF). It provides a powerful and flexible means and can be used throughout the SW test activities (test case specification & implementation, test execution and test artifacts analysis). In particular, tests can be run in an automated and/or step-by-step mode. The TSVF framework is currently used for the validation of the Satellite Control Software (SCSW), which runs on the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellite on-board computer. The main purpose of the SCSW is to control the spacecraft along with its various subsystems (AOCS, Payload, Electrical Power, Telemetry Tracking & Command, etc.) in a way that guarantees a high degree of flexibility and autonomy. The TSVF framework serves the challenging needs of the SCSW project, where a plan-driven approach has been combined with an agile process in order to produce preliminary SW versions (with a reduced scope of implemented functionality) in order to fulfill the stakeholders needs ([1]). The paper has been organised as follows. Section 2 gives an overview of the TSVF architecture and interfaces versus the test bench along with the technology used for its implementation. Section 3 describes the key elements of the XML based language for the test case implementation. Section 4 highlights all the benefits compared to conventional test environments requiring a manual test script development, whereas section 5 concludes the paper.

Species composition and flight periods of horntail wasps (Hymenoptera: Siricidae within Basque Country pine forests, with the confirmation of establishment of the exotic species Urocerus albicornis

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Goldarazena, A.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Species composition and flight periods of horntails wasps in Basque Country pine forests in northern Spain are studied in order to determine if alien invasive species have been introduced and established. Panel traps baited with Contech Inc. Sirex noctilio lures were erected at sites in six distinct Basque Country forest regions (Menagarai and Gordoa forests in Alava Province, Orio and Zegama forests in Gipuzkoa province and Carranza and Muxika forests in Bizkaia province. Traps were monitored throughout 2011 and 2012. At the same time in January, ten dead logs with oviposition holes from the same localities were collected and reared in emergence cages for wasp collection. In the pheromone traps three autochthonous, Palaearctic species were found: Sirex noctilio Fabricius, 1773, and Urocerus gigas (Linnaeus, 1758, and one exotic species Urocerus albicornis (Fabricius, 1781 was detected. From logs, the same three species plus U. augur (Klug, 1803 were obtained with a collection of parasitoids. Sirex noctilio, Urocerus gigas and Urocerus albicornis were found in all provinces of the Basque Country. Trapping results show flight occurs from late June to September. The establishment of U. albicornis, an exotic species from North America, is confirmed in northern Spain.El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la composición de especies y el periodo de vuelo de las avispas de la madera en los bosques de coníferas del País Vasco (norte de España, para conocer si especies invasoras previamente introducidas se habían establecido. Trampas de interceptación tipo Panel cebadas con dispositivos Contech específicos para Sirex noctilio fueron colocadas en seis diferentes areas forestales del País Vasco (Menagarai y Gordoa en la provincial de Álava, Orio y Zegama en Gipuzkoa y Carranza y Muxika en Bizkaia. Las trampas fueron monitoreadas a lo largo de 2011 y 2012. Al mismo tiempo en enero, se recogieron de las mismas localidades 10 trozas con agujeros

Extensional Tectonics of SW Anatolia In relation to Slab Edge Processes in the Eastern Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Kaymakci, N.; Özacar, A.; Langereis, C. G.; Ozkaptan, M.; Koç, A.; Uzel, B.; Gulyuz, E.; Sözbilir, H.

2017-12-01

The tectonics of SW Anatolia is expressed in terms of emplacement of Lycian Nappes during the Eocene to Middle Miocene and synconvergent extension as part of the Aegean-West Anatolian extensional tectonic regime. Recent studies identified that there is a tear in the northwards subducting African Oceanic lithosphere along the Pliny-Strabo Trenches (PST). Such tears are coined as Subduction Transform-Edge Propagator (STEP) faults developed high angle to trenches. Hypothetically, the evolution of a STEP fault is somewhat similar to strike-slip fault zones and resultant asymmetric role-back of the subducting slab leads to differential block rotations and back arc type extension on the overriding plate. Recent studies claimed that the tear along the PST propagated NE on-land and developed Fethiye-Burdur Fault/Shear Zone (FBFZ) in SW Turkey. We have conducted a rigorous paleomagnetic study containing more than 3000 samples collected from 88 locations and 11700 fault slip data sets from 198 locations distributed evenly all over SW Anatolia spanning from Middle Miocene to Late Pliocene to test if FBFZ ever existed. The results show that there is slight (20°) counter-clockwise rotation distributed uniformly almost whole SW Anatolia and there is no change in the rotation senses and amounts on either side of the FBFZ implying no differential rotation within the zone. Additionally, constructed paleostress configurations, along the so-called FBFZ and within the 300 km diameter of the proposed fault zone, indicated that almost all the faults that are parallel to subparallel to the zone are almost pure normal faults similar to earthquake focal mechanisms suggesting active extension in the region. It is important to note that we have not encountered any significant strike-slip motion parallel to so-called "FBFZ" to support presence and transcurrent nature of it. On the contrary, the region is dominated by extensional deformation and strike-slip components are observed only on the

Mississippian lamprophyre dikes in western Sierras Pampeanas, Argentina: Evidence of transtensional tectonics along the SW margin of Gondwana

Science.gov (United States)

Martina, Federico; Canelo, Horacio N.; Dávila, Federico M.; de Hollanda, María Helena M.; Teixeira, Wilson

2018-04-01

In the Famatina range, Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina (SW Gondwana), subvertical calc-alkaline lamprophyric dike swarms crop out through >300 km. The dikes cut Ordovician units with a prominent NW-SE trending and are covered by continental sedimentary successions of Pennsylvanian to Permian age. The dikes show a strong structural control associated with Riedel fault systems. Detailed field analysis suggested a ∼N-S opening direction oblique to the attitude of dike walls and a left-lateral transtensional tectonics during the emplacement. 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of a lamprophyric sample defined a crystallization age (plateau; whole rock) of 357.1 ± 7.1 Ma (MSWD = 2.3). Coetaneous ductile zones with dominant strike-slip motion, documented along western Argentina for >600 km, suggest a regional event in SW Gondwana during the Mississippian. We propose that this deformation was the result of the counterclockwise fast rotation of Gondwana between 365 and 345 Ma, when the Famatina range and western Argentina occupied a sub-polar position. A transform margin along SW Gondwana better explains our (and others) data rather than a subduction margin. This scenario is also consistent with the occurrence of A-type granites and normal-fault basins within the foreland as well as bimodal volcanics.

Basque Country as Alternative Media laboratory. Compilation of the most interesting experiences for the last 30 years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Txema Ramírez-de-la-Piscina

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This work is an overview of the general situation of Alternative Media in the Basque Country, concentrating on a specific communication project: the pirate radio Hala Bedi Irratia, a tolerated but not completely legal radio station, which in 2008 celebrated its 25th anniversary. The station has thousands of listeners daily and it broadcasts 24 hours a day. It survives thanks to the voluntary work of dozens of social communicators. They have never included a paid advertisement on their air waves, nor have they asked for a grant from the State. Nevertheless, the project is very much alive. The station is based on a very wide social network which supports it, and on a very intelligent use of new technologies.

Hot topics in Modern Cosmology - SW9 - Slides of the presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berezhiani, Z.; Sigl, G.; Biondi, R.; Volkov, M.; Noller, J.; Starobinsky, A.; Toporensky, A.; Renaux, S.; Pilo, L.; Comelli, D.; Slagter, R.; Novello, M.; Padilla, A.; Antunes, V.; Kamenshchik, A.; Vernieri, D.; Kaloper, N.; Denkiewics, T.; Gohar, H.; Zahariade, G.; Frusciante, N.; Von Strauss, M.

2016-01-01

This 9. Spontaneous Workshop (SW9) brought together specialists on recent insights in Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology. The aim was to stimulate debate on common topics in views of providing us with innovating ideas. SW9 topics includes: 1) Cosmological parameters - Anomalies in CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background); 2) Dark matter and neutrinos; 3) Gravity - Dark energy; 4) Singular universes; and 5) Cosmological Large Scale Structures - Magnetic Fields; This document is made up of the slides of the presentations

On SW-minimal models and N=1 supersymmetric quantum Toda-field theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mallwitz, S.

1994-04-01

Integrable N=1 supersymmetric Toda-field theories are determined by a contragredient simple Super-Lie-Algebra (SSLS) with purely fermionic lowering and raising operators. For the SSLA's Osp(3/2) and D(2/1;α) we construct explicitly the higher spin conserved currents and obtain free field representations of the super W-algebras SW(3/2,2) and SW(3/2,3/2,2). In constructing the corresponding series of minimal models using covariant vertex operators, we find a necessary restriction on the Cartan matrix of the SSLA, also for the general case. Within this framework, this restriction claims that there be a minimum of one non-vanishing element on the diagonal of the Cartan matrix. This condition is without parallel in bosonic conformal field theory. As a consequence only two series of SSLA's yield minimal models, namely Osp(2n/2n-1) and Osp(2n/2n+1). Subsequently some general aspects of degenerate representations of SW-algebras, notably the fusion rules, are investigated. As an application we discuss minimal models of SW(3/2, 2), which were constructed with independent methods, in this framework. Covariant formulation is used throughout this paper. (orig.)

Contrasting styles of Sn-W mineralisation in peninsular Thailand and SW England

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, D. A. C.

1986-01-01

The Sn-W deposits of SW England and SE Asia are associated with crustally derived granitic rocks with late volatile-enriched (F, Li, B, P) differentiates. In peninsular Thailand, primary ores are principally pegmatitic, and hydrothermal vein systems are only locally important. In SW England, wolframite and cassiterite mainly occur in hydrothermal vein systems, and are associated with greisening and tourmalinisation; mineralised pegmatites are rare. These two styles of mineralisation are thought to arise because of differences in the character of late magmatic processes. In peninsular Thailand, late-stage tourmaline-bearing granitic rocks are enriched in B, but not Li and F, compared to earlier biotite granites. Similar late-stage granitic rocks occur also in SW England, but a later topaz granite, enriched in F, Li and P, also occurs. The Thai pegmatitic Sn-W deposits are thought to have formed by late magmatic crystallisation from an aqueous phase enriched in metals and derived by exsolution from a B and metal-rich magma, whereas the SW England mineralisation involved essentially post-magmatic hydrothermal processes. Complexing agents (especially F) and metals may have been derived from granitic or country rocks during hydrothermal circulation at the current level of emplacement.

Creating and maintaining social networks: women’s participation in Basque pilota. [Creación y mantenimiento de redes sociales: participación de mujeres en pelota vasca].

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Uxue Fernandez-Lasa

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Basque pilota is a traditional sport played mainly by men. A project emerged in 2005 to promote female participation: Emakumea Pilotari (Woman pelota player. In this article we present the main points that emerged from an ethnographic study of the social relationships that playing Basque pilota can provide. The study was carried out in 2011-2012 season with a purposive sample of 28 adult women Basque pilota players (pilotaris (between 22 and 60 years old. 26 participants were pilotaris in recreational groups and the other two were their trainers. The results suggest that a sense of community, team membership, the development of a general reciprocity and group security are the most important aspects for players. A sense of community is the fundamental reason why they practise this sport. The group as a whole is the top priority. Female pilotaris share the desire to relate to each other as women, build relationships, create bonds and help each other. Resumen La pelota vasca es un deporte tradicional practicado mayoritariamente por hombres. En 2005 se puso en marcha un proyecto para promover la participación de las mujeres: Emakumea Pilotari (Mujer Pelotari. En este artículo se presentan los hallazgos de un estudio etnográfico llevado a cabo durante una temporada en torno a las relaciones sociales que genera jugar a pelota vasca. La investigación se realizó con una muestra intencionada de 28 mujeres pelotaris adultas (entre 22 y 60 años, de las cuales 26 eran participantes de un programa recreativo y dos entrenadoras. Los resultados indican que los aspectos más importantes para las participantes son el sentimiento de comunidad, ser miembro de un grupo, el desarrollo de la reciprocidad general y la seguridad que da el grupo. La comunidad es la razón fundamental para practicar este deporte, ya que el grupo es la mayor prioridad. Las mujeres pelotaris comparten el deseo de relacionarse entre ellas como mujeres, construir relaciones, crear

Study of the gamma irradiation effects on the PMMA/HA and PMMA/SW

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, P., E-mail: silva@ivic.v [Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Centro de Fisica, Carretera Panamericana Km. 11, Caracas 1020-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Albano, C. [Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Ingenieria (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Centro de Quimica (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Perera, R. [Departamento de Mecanica, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas 1080-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Dominguez, N. [Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Centro de Quimica (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of)

2010-03-15

The behavior of the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) under the action of gamma radiation has been sufficiently studied. In this work, we present results from melt flow index (MFI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of PMMA composites with hydroxyapatite (HA) and seaweed residues (SW) irradiated with gamma rays at 1.08 kGy/h. Composites of PMMA/HA and PMMA/SW with 10%, 20% and 30% of the filler were prepared. The results show an increase in the MFI values with the integral dose of radiation, being consistent with chain-scission reactions. No EPR signal was observed in pure PMMA, while in the composites, the typical EPR signal of the PMMA radicals was observed, which increased with the amount of HA or SW. When comparing the relative intensities of the EPR signals for both types of composites, a slight increase in the concentration of free radicals generated in the sample with SW respect to that of PMMA/HA composite was obtained. A decay of the total free radical concentration was observed as time elapsed.

E-Hitz: a word frequency list and a program for deriving psycholinguistic statistics in an agglutinative language (Basque).

Science.gov (United States)

Perea, Manuel; Urkia, Miriam; Davis, Colin J; Agirre, Ainhoa; Laseka, Edurne; Carreiras, Manuel

2006-11-01

We describe a Windows program that enables users to obtain a broad range of statistics concerning the properties of word and nonword stimuli in an agglutinative language (Basque), including measures of word frequency (at the whole-word and lemma levels), bigram and biphone frequency, orthographic similarity, orthographic and phonological structure, and syllable-based measures. It is designed for use by researchers in psycholinguistics, particularly those concerned with recognition of isolated words and morphology. In addition to providing standard orthographic and phonological neighborhood measures, the program can be used to obtain information about other forms of orthographic similarity, such as transposed-letter similarity and embedded-word similarity. It is available free of charge from www .uv.es/mperea/E-Hitz.zip.

TESTING TREE-CLASSIFIER VARIANTS AND ALTERNATE MODELING METHODOLOGIES IN THE EAST GREAT BASIN MAPPING UNIT OF THE SOUTHWEST REGIONAL GAP ANALYSIS PROJECT (SW REGAP)

Science.gov (United States)

We tested two methods for dataset generation and model construction, and three tree-classifier variants to identify the most parsimonious and thematically accurate mapping methodology for the SW ReGAP project. Competing methodologies were tested in the East Great Basin mapping un...

Impacto de la violencia colectiva en la salud: Resultados del estudio ISAVIC en el País Vasco Impact of collective violence on health status: Results of the ISAVIC study in the Basque Region (Spain

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Itziar Larizgoitia

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: A pesar de la ubicuidad de la violencia y de su posible importancia para la salud de las personas y las colectividades, su papel y mecanismos de acción en este sentido no están apenas analizados. Este estudio, realizado en los años 2005-2008 en el País Vasco, trata de estimar la asociación de la violencia colectiva con la salud de sus víctimas primarias. Métodos: Se emparejó una muestra intencional de 33 víctimas primarias (receptores directos de la violencia o familiares en primer grado de personas asesinadas, en función de su edad, sexo, nivel de estudios y provincia de residencia, con sujetos (en una proporción 1:5 procedentes de una muestra representativa de la población mayor de 16 años residente en el País Vasco. Todos completaron un cuestionario que incluía medidas de salud (WHO-DAS-II-12, GHQ-12, SF-12, escalas de soledad y estigma y variables potencialmente mediadoras (apoyo y clima social, y otras. Se compararon mediante regresiones condicionales a la experiencia de violencia colectiva. Resultados: Las víctimas primarias presentan entre cuatro y siete veces un mayor riesgo de padecer peor salud física y emocional, y ocho veces más de sufrir alteraciones funcionales. También perciben una mayor soledad y estigma, y valoran negativamente el apoyo y el clima social. No se observó asociación en los sujetos que declararon exposición a una violencia interpersonal leve. Conclusiones: Los resultados sugieren que la violencia colectiva se asocia a una pérdida considerable de salud en las víctimas primarias. Su asociación en la población general requiere una investigación más específica.Objectives: Despite the ubiquity of violence and its possible impact on individual and collective health, the role and causal pathways of this phenomenon as a health determinant have not been widely studied. The present study was conducted between 2005 and 2008 in the Basque Region of Spain and aimed to estimate the health

Crustal structure of the SW Iberian passive margin: The westernmost remnant of the Ligurian Tethys?

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, A.; Fernández, O.; Torne, M.; Sánchez de la Muela, A.; Muñoz, J. A.; Terrinha, P.; Manatschal, G.; Salas, M. C.

2017-05-01

At present, the SW Iberian margin is located along the convergent Iberia-Nubia plate boundary. In Mesozoic times, the margin was located at the triple junction of the Ligurian Tethys, Central Atlantic and Northern Atlantic. The characterization of its crustal structure has allowed us to propose a configuration for this triple junction and to determine the role that this transform margin played within the plate kinematic system. In this paper we present an integrated study based on the interpretation of a 2D regional multichannel seismic survey consisting of 58 profiles, tied with onshore geology and exploratory wells, and on gravimetric modeling performed over four NW-SE trending profiles. Integrated interpretation of MCS data combined with 2D gravity modeling reveals a complex pattern in the southward crustal thinning of SW Iberia and supports the possible presence of oceanic crust under the Gulf of Cadiz. The tapering of Iberian crust is characterized by steps with rapid changes in the thickness of the crust, and thinning to Bank. Margin inversion and the pre-existing extensional crustal structure are responsible for the areal distribution and amplitude of the prominent positive gravity anomaly observed in the Gulf of Cadiz.

BEGIRA: Basque Educational Gate for Interactive and Remote Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Gorosabel, J.; Sánchez-Lavega, A.; Pérez Hoyos, S.; Hueso, R.

2015-05-01

The BEGIRA project consists in making available the 1.23 m Calar Alto (CAHA) telescope to students of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). The project is designed in such a way that undergraduate and graduate students of the Máster oficial en ciencia y tecnología espacial of the UPV/EHU can control remotely the 1.23 m CAHA telescope. The instrument used is the DLR camera, which based on its large field of view and high sensitivity, allows observations ranging from nearby solar system bodies to remote gamma-ray bursts. The students are also responsible of reducing and analyzing the resultant DLR data. The observations are conducted from the Aula Espazio Gela located at the Faculty of Engineering at Bilbao. The students can control remotely i) the 1.23 m telescope, ii) the DLR camera and iii) the autoguider. They have also continuous access to the observatory weather station, webcams, astrometric tools and the CAHA archive, so they can actually see in real-time what they are doing. The operations can be visualized by two light cannons which display the telescope and camera controls for the audience. In case of any emergency the students are backed up by the CAHA staff. The BEGIRA project shows the potential that remote control of professional telescopes has for educational purposes. As proven by the several discoveries carried out under BEGIRA, the educational activities can be complemented with cutting-edge research activities carried out by Master Students. In the coming years we plan to continue with the BEGIRA project. More information can be found at http://www.ehu.es/aula-espazio/begira/.

Unravelling the role of SW Sextantis stars in the evolution of cataclysmic variables

Science.gov (United States)

Araujo-Betancor, Sofia; Gansicke, Boris; Long, Knox; Rodriguez-Gil, Pablo

2005-08-01

SW Sextantis stars are a relatively large group of cataclysmic variables whose properties contradict all predictions made by the current CV evolution theories. Very little is known about the properties of their accreting white dwarfs and their donor stars, as the stellar components are usually outshone by an extremely bright accretion flow. Consequently, a proper assessment of their evolutionary state is illusionary. There is one particular behavior of the SW Sex stars that can allow us to overcome this problem: SW Sex stars exhibit low states during which accretion onto the white dwarf decreases or shuts off completely. Only during this rare occasions we can directly observe the white dwarf and the donor star in these systems, and measurements of the white dwarf temperature, spectral type of the donor, mass and distance to the system can be carried out. With this aim in mind, we have set up a long-term monitoring of a group of five SW Sex stars using the 1.3 m telescope at CTIO. Here we propose to activate follow-up TOOs to obtain optical spectra of the low states to accurately determine the fundamental properties of these systems.

The formation of lipid droplets favors intracellular Mycobacterium leprae survival in SW-10, non-myelinating Schwann cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Song-Hyo; An, Sung-Kwan; Lee, Seong-Beom

2017-06-01

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that is caused by the obligate intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium leprae (M.leprae), which is the leading cause of all non-traumatic peripheral neuropathies worldwide. Although both myelinating and non-myelinating Schwann cells are infected by M.leprae in patients with lepromatous leprosy, M.leprae preferentially invades the non-myelinating Schwann cells. However, the effect of M.leprae infection on non-myelinating Schwann cells has not been elucidated. Lipid droplets (LDs) are found in M.leprae-infected Schwann cells in the nerve biopsies of lepromatous leprosy patients. M.leprae-induced LD formation favors intracellular M.leprae survival in primary Schwann cells and in a myelinating Schwann cell line referred to as ST88-14. In the current study, we initially characterized SW-10 cells and investigated the effects of LDs on M.leprae-infected SW-10 cells, which are non-myelinating Schwann cells. SW-10 cells express S100, a marker for cells from the neural crest, and NGFR p75, a marker for immature or non-myelinating Schwann cells. SW-10 cells, however, do not express myelin basic protein (MBP), a marker for myelinating Schwann cells, and myelin protein zero (MPZ), a marker for precursor, immature, or myelinating Schwann cells, all of which suggests that SW-10 cells are non-myelinating Schwann cells. In addition, SW-10 cells have phagocytic activity and can be infected with M. leprae. Infection with M. leprae induces the formation of LDs. Furthermore, inhibiting the formation of M. leprae-induced LD enhances the maturation of phagosomes containing live M.leprae and decreases the ATP content in the M. leprae found in SW-10 cells. These facts suggest that LD formation by M. leprae favors intracellular M. leprae survival in SW-10 cells, which leads to the logical conclusion that M.leprae-infected SW-10 cells can be a new model for investigating the interaction of M.leprae with non-myelinating Schwann cells.

Characterization of Stream Channel Evolution Due to Extensional Tectonics Along the Western Margin of North Boulder Basin (Bull Mountain), SW Montana with the Use of Geologic Mapping and Thermochronologic (U-Th/He) Dating.

Science.gov (United States)

Cataldo, K.; Douglas, B. J.; Yanites, B.

2017-12-01

Landscape response to active tectonics, such as fault motion or regional uplift, can be recorded in river profiles as changes in slope (i.e. knickpoints) or topography. North Boulder basin region (SW Montana), experienced two separate phases of extension, from 45 - 35 Ma and again beginning 14 Ma to the present, producing basin-and-range style fault-blocks. Focusing on the Bull Mountain region, located on the western margin of the North Boulder basin, data is collected to test the hypothesis that Bull Mountain is located on the hanging wall of a half-graben. Our objective is to elucidate the active tectonics of the study area within a regional context by utilizing river profile analysis and thermochronometric data. High-resolution (distribution of water, which is an important commodity in SW Montana for ranchers and farmers. Thus, the ability to discern the probability of recurring tectonic events and the effects on the regional watersheds, could help facilitate solutions before these events take place.

A COMPARISON OF ELEMENTAL ABUNDANCE RATIOS IN SEP EVENTS IN FAST AND SLOW SOLAR WIND REGIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahler, S. W.; Tylka, A. J.; Reames, D. V.

2009-01-01

The solar energetic (E > 1 MeV nucleon -1 ) particles (SEPs) observed in gradual events at 1 AU are assumed to be accelerated by coronal/interplanetary shocks from ambient thermal or suprathermal seed particles. If so, then the elemental abundances of SEPs produced in different solar wind (SW) stream types (transient, fast, and slow) might be systematically distinguished from each other. We look for these differences in SEP energy spectra and in elemental abundance ratios (including Mg/Ne and Fe/C, which compare low/high first ionization potential elements), in a large number of SEP time intervals over the past solar cycle. The SW regions are characterized by the three-component stream classification of Richardson et al. Our survey shows no significant compositional or energy spectral differences in the 5-10 MeV nucleon -1 range for SEP events of different SW stream types. This result extends the earlier finding that SEP events are observed frequently in fast SW streams, although their higher Alfven and SW flow speeds should constrain SEP production by coronal mass ejection-driven shocks in those regions. We discuss the implications of our results for shock seed populations and cross-field propagation.

Geochemistry of Archaean supracrustal belts in SW Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Szilas, Kristoffer

This PhD-thesis investigates the geological formation environment of c. 3200-3000 million-year-old volcanic rocks from SW Greenland, using whole-rock geochemical data in combination with U-Pb, Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotope data. The following three supracrustal areas were studied: (1) The Tartoq Group ...

Sulfur and lead isotope characteristics of the Pontes e Lacerda gold deposits, SW Amazonian Craton Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geraldes, M.C.; Tassinari, C.C.G.; Babinski; M; Iyer, S

2001-01-01

This work deals with the characterization of the S and Pb isotope signatures in sulfides from the Pontes e Lacerda mesothermal gold deposits located in the SW sector of Amazonian craton. Stable and radiogenic isotopes have played an important role in the study of ore deposited and hydrothermal processes and they are most useful when can be used together. The purpose of this study is to constrain the sources and the mechanisms of gold deposition in Pontes e Lacerda region which may be a helpful contribution to an exploratory model in the area (au)

The Beaverhead impact structure, SW Montana and Idaho: Implications for the regional geology of the western U.S.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fiske, P.S.; Hargaves, R.B.

1994-03-17

The Beaverhead impact structure in SW Montana and Idaho is an allochthonous fragment of a large impact structure ({approximately} 100 km diameter) that was transported some distance eastward during the Cretaceous Sevier orogeny. It is the first tectonic fragment of a large impact structure identified in the geologic record. The present evidence for impact consists of shatter cones, pseudotachylites, and planar deformation features in quartz. The age of the impact is not well constrained but is estimated to be Neoproterozoic to Cambrian (1000-500 Ma). The Beaverhead impact event must have created other features that may be preserved, elsewhere in western Montana and Idaho. These include proximal and distal ejecta (which may be misinterpreted as diamictites and/or tuff horizons) and other fragments of the crater floor containing shatter cones and pseudotachylite. A large circular gravity, magnetic and topographic anomaly, which could be the root of the impact structure, has been identified near Challis, Idaho. An enigmatic lithic tuff, identified in drill cores from the Challis area and an intraformational quartzite breccia in the Leaton Gulch area may be impact-related deposits, but no definitive evidence of shock metamorphism has been observed in these materials. The discovery of more pieces of the Beaverhead puzzle, as well as the recognition of other large impacts in the geologic record, are likely once the regional geologic community grows to accept the incidence of such events and becomes more familiar with the features of shock metamorphism in the field. To that end, the community of geologists in this area should integrate the Beaverhead structure into their research and teaching curriculum.

Draft of law for land pollution; Proyecto de Ley para la Prevencion y Correccion de la Contaminacion del Suelo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

According to the Inventory on Land with Activities or Installations which have the Potential to Pollute the land, drawn up by the Environmental Management Public Company, IHOBE, for the Department of Regional Planning and Environmental Planning, one per cent of the surface area of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country may currently be classified as potentially polluted land. Last March 2 the Basque Government council passed the draft Bill for the Prevention and Correction of Pollution of Land which was sent to the Basque Parliament for its subsequent debate and passing. (Author)

Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Hüsamlar coal seam, SW

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The Ören and Yatağan Basins in SW Turkey host several Miocene coal deposits currently under exploitation for power generation. The present study aims to provide insight into the palaeoenvironmental conditions, which controlled the formation of the Hüsamlar coal seam located in Ören Basin. The coal seam displays ...

Suivi DCE 2017 « macroalgues subtidales » dans la masse d’eau « côte basque » et « macroalgues intertidales » dans la masse d’eau de transition « Adour aval ».

OpenAIRE

De Casamajor, Marie-noelle; Lissardy, Muriel; Sanchez, Florence; Saguet, Cassandre

2017-01-01

This report describe sampling campaign 2017 related to data collection for WFD macroalgae indicators. The parameters concerned are "subtidal macroalgae" for coastal water body “Basque coast” and “intertidal macroalgae” for the transition water body “Adour aval”. The data treatment and the indicator calculation will be done in a second step.

sw-SVM: sensor weighting support vector machines for EEG-based brain-computer interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Jrad, N; Congedo, M; Phlypo, R; Rousseau, S; Flamary, R; Yger, F; Rakotomamonjy, A

2011-10-01

In many machine learning applications, like brain-computer interfaces (BCI), high-dimensional sensor array data are available. Sensor measurements are often highly correlated and signal-to-noise ratio is not homogeneously spread across sensors. Thus, collected data are highly variable and discrimination tasks are challenging. In this work, we focus on sensor weighting as an efficient tool to improve the classification procedure. We present an approach integrating sensor weighting in the classification framework. Sensor weights are considered as hyper-parameters to be learned by a support vector machine (SVM). The resulting sensor weighting SVM (sw-SVM) is designed to satisfy a margin criterion, that is, the generalization error. Experimental studies on two data sets are presented, a P300 data set and an error-related potential (ErrP) data set. For the P300 data set (BCI competition III), for which a large number of trials is available, the sw-SVM proves to perform equivalently with respect to the ensemble SVM strategy that won the competition. For the ErrP data set, for which a small number of trials are available, the sw-SVM shows superior performances as compared to three state-of-the art approaches. Results suggest that the sw-SVM promises to be useful in event-related potentials classification, even with a small number of training trials.

Hsa-miR-11181 regulates Wnt signaling pathway through targeting of APC2 transcripts in SW480 cell line.

Science.gov (United States)

Dokanehiifard, Sadat; Soltani, Bahram M

2018-01-30

Wnt signaling plays important roles in differentiation, morphogenesis and development. This signaling pathway is highly regulated at all levels and microRNAs are small noncoding RNAs regulating Wnt signaling. Here, we intended to investigate hsa-miR-11181 (a novel miRNA located in TrkC gene) effect on Wnt signaling pathway in SW480 cell line. TOP/FOP flash assay indicated up-regulation of Wnt signaling, following the overexpression of hsa-miR-11181, verified through RT-qPCR. Bioinformatics analysis predicted APC1, APC2 and Axin1 might be targeted by hsa-miR-11181. Then, RT-qPCR analysis indicated that APC2 and Axin1 have been significantly down-regulated following the hsa-miR-11181 overexpression. However dual luciferase assay analysis supported only APC2 3'-UTR is directly targeted by this miRNA. Then, treatment of SW480 cells with Wnt-inhibitory small molecules supported the effect of hsa-miR-11181 at the inhibitory complex level containing APC2 protein. Consistently, viability of SW480 cells overexpressing hsa-miR-11181 was significantly elevated, measured through MTT assay. Overall, these results suggest that hsa-miR-11181 may play a crucial role in Wnt signaling regulation and confirmed that APC2 3'-UTR is targeted by hsa-miR-11181 and propose the presence of its recognition sites in the promoter or coding regions of Axin1 gene. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Performance of high technology industries. The Science Park of Basque Country; Comportamiento de empresas intensivas en tecnologia. El caso de los parques tecnologicos de la CAPV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blanco Valbuena, C.; Pena Legazkue, I.

2007-07-01

We examine the performance of high technology based SMEs located in the three Science Parks of the Basque Country. Our findings suggest that intangible assets representing the human capital and organizational learning capacity of firms are positively related to business growth. We found that about 80% of sample firms established a collaborative agreement with partner firms. Results show that the formation of a larger number of formal alliances with R and D firms (i.e., universities, innovation centers) was positively associated with firm growth. (Author) 21 refs.

The Impact of a Legal Framework on National Film Industry: an Approach to Basque-Language Cinema

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miren Manias-Muñoz

2016-12-01

Full Text Available After the incursion of the digitalisation and the Internet, new forms of cultural production, reception and consumption have come via the hands of technological convergence and the way society has adapted to that scenario. In the current context of globalisation traditional cultural conceptualisation has been modified by opening up an economic discourse based on knowledge, creativity and innovation. But how are cultural policies bringing this paradigm into their protection framework? As part of the cultural activity, cinema plays a core role contributing to the national economic competitiveness and social cohesion. However, small cinemas struggle and films made in minority languages face a lot more difficulties. This paper shows how a legal change has made a certain funding model possible for cinema in the Basque-language, suggesting that a legally binding space where a specific cultural subject is primarily recognised has become crucial for films in Basque. Tras la llegada de la digitalización e Internet, han surgido nuevas formas de producción, recepción y consumo de cultura, de la mano de la convergencia tecnológica y la forma en la que la sociedad se ha adaptado a ese escenario. En el contexto actual de la globalización, la conceptualización cultural tradicional se ha modificado por un nuevo discurso económico basado en el conocimiento, la creatividad y la innovación. Pero ¿cómo están integrando las políticas culturales este paradigma en su marco de protección? Como parte de la actividad cultural, el cine juega un papel fundamental, contribuyendo a la competitividad económica nacional y a la cohesión social. Sin embargo, las salas de cine pequeñas experimentan dificultades y las películas rodadas en lenguas minoritarias se enfrentan a numerosas dificultades. Este artículo muestra cómo un cambio legal ha hecho posible un modelo de financiación para el cine en lengua vasca, y se sugiere que es fundamental para las pel

Regional energy observatory. Energy status - greenhouse effect in the Aquitaine region. First results; Observatoire regional de l'energie. Bilan energie - effet de serre de la region Aquitaine. Premiers resultats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-06-01

The IDEA organization (information about the environmental development in Aquitaine region) has created an energy observatory, the mission of which is to supply regularly a reliable, objective and useful information about energy and greenhouse effect in the Aquitaine region (SW France). This document presents: the end-use energy consumption, the sectorial statuses (residential, tertiary sector, industry, agriculture, transports), the energy production and the renewable energy sources in Aquitaine region. Details are given in separate files at the end of the document for the 5 departements of Aquitaine (Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrennees Atlantiques). (J.S.)

On the SW Sex-type eclipsing cataclysmic variable SDSS0756+0858

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tovmassian, Gagik; Hernandez, Mercedes Stephania; González-Buitrago, Diego; Zharikov, Sergey; García-Díaz, Maria Teresa, E-mail: gag@astro.unam.mx [Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Apdo. Postal 877, Ensenada, Baja California 22800 (Mexico)

2014-03-01

We conducted a spectroscopic and photometric study of SDSS J075653.11+085831. X-ray observations were also attempted. We determined the orbital period of this binary system to be 3.29 hr. It is a deep eclipsing system, whose spectra show mostly single-peaked, Balmer emission lines and a rather intense He II line. There is also the presence of faint (often double-peaked) He I emission lines as well as several absorption lines, Mg I being the most prominent. All of these features point toward the affiliation of this object with the growing number of SW Sex-type objects. We developed a phenomenological model of an SW Sex system to reproduce the observed photometric and spectral features.

On the SW Sex-type eclipsing cataclysmic variable SDSS0756+0858

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tovmassian, Gagik; Hernandez, Mercedes Stephania; González-Buitrago, Diego; Zharikov, Sergey; García-Díaz, Maria Teresa

2014-01-01

We conducted a spectroscopic and photometric study of SDSS J075653.11+085831. X-ray observations were also attempted. We determined the orbital period of this binary system to be 3.29 hr. It is a deep eclipsing system, whose spectra show mostly single-peaked, Balmer emission lines and a rather intense He II line. There is also the presence of faint (often double-peaked) He I emission lines as well as several absorption lines, Mg I being the most prominent. All of these features point toward the affiliation of this object with the growing number of SW Sex-type objects. We developed a phenomenological model of an SW Sex system to reproduce the observed photometric and spectral features.

An Orbital Stability Study of the Proposed Companions of SW Lyncis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. C. Hinse

2014-09-01

Full Text Available We have investigated the dynamical stability of the proposed companions orbiting the Algol type short-period eclipsing binary SW Lyncis (Kim et al. 2010. The two candidate companions are of stellar to substellar nature, and were inferred from timing measurements of the system’s primary and secondary eclipses. We applied well-tested numerical techniques to accurately integrate the orbits of the two companions and to test for chaotic dynamical behavior. We carried out the stability analysis within a systematic parameter survey varying both the geometries and orientation of the orbits of the companions, as well as their masses. In all our numerical integrations we found that the proposed SW Lyn multi-body system is highly unstable on time-scales on the order of 1000 years. Our results cast doubt on the interpretation that the timing variations are caused by two companions. This work demonstrates that a straightforward dynamical analysis can help to test whether a best-fit companion-based model is a physically viable explanation for measured eclipse timing variations. We conclude that dynamical considerations reveal that the proposed SW Lyncis multi-body system most likely does not exist or the companions have significantly different orbital properties from those conjectured in Kim et al. (2010.

Regional energy observatory. Energy status - greenhouse effect in the Aquitaine region. First results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-06-01

The IDEA organization (information about the environmental development in Aquitaine region) has created an energy observatory, the mission of which is to supply regularly a reliable, objective and useful information about energy and greenhouse effect in the Aquitaine region (SW France). This document presents: the end-use energy consumption, the sectorial statuses (residential, tertiary sector, industry, agriculture, transports), the energy production and the renewable energy sources in Aquitaine region. Details are given in separate files at the end of the document for the 5 departements of Aquitaine (Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrennees Atlantiques). (J.S.)

A HW-SW Co-Designed System for the Lunar Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Breadboarding

Science.gov (United States)

Palomo, Pedro; Latorre, Antonio; Valle, Carlos; Gomez de Aguero, Sergio; Hagenfeldt, Miguel; Parreira, Baltazar; Lindoso, Almudena; Portela, Marta; Garcia, Mario; San Millan, Enrique; Zharikov, Yuri; Entrena, Luis

2014-08-01

This paper presents the HW-SW co-design approach followed to tackle the design of the Hazard Detection and Avoidance (HDA) system breadboarding for the Lunar Lander ESA mission, undertaken given the fact that novel GNC technologies used to promote autonomous systems demand processing capabilities that current (and forthcoming) space processors are not able to satisfy. The paper shows how the current system design has been performed in a process in which the original HDA functionally validated design has been partitioned between SW (deemed for execution in a microprocessor) and HW algorithms (to be executed in an FPGA), considering the performance requirements and resorting to a deep analysis of the algorithms in view of their adequacy to HW or SW implementation.

The predicted CLARREO sampling error of the inter-annual SW variability

Science.gov (United States)

Doelling, D. R.; Keyes, D. F.; Nguyen, C.; Macdonnell, D.; Young, D. F.

2009-12-01

The NRC Decadal Survey has called for SI traceability of long-term hyper-spectral flux measurements in order to monitor climate variability. This mission is called the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) and is currently defining its mission requirements. The requirements are focused on the ability to measure decadal change of key climate variables at very high accuracy. The accuracy goals are set using anticipated climate change magnitudes, but the accuracy achieved for any given climate variable must take into account the temporal and spatial sampling errors based on satellite orbits and calibration accuracy. The time period to detect a significant trend in the CLARREO record depends on the magnitude of the sampling calibration errors relative to the current inter-annual variability. The largest uncertainty in climate feedbacks remains the effect of changing clouds on planetary energy balance. Some regions on earth have strong diurnal cycles, such as maritime stratus and afternoon land convection; other regions have strong seasonal cycles, such as the monsoon. However, when monitoring inter-annual variability these cycles are only important if the strength of these cycles vary on decadal time scales. This study will attempt to determine the best satellite constellations to reduce sampling error and to compare the error with the current inter-annual variability signal to ensure the viability of the mission. The study will incorporate Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) (Monthly TOA/Surface Averages) SRBAVG product TOA LW and SW climate quality fluxes. The fluxes are derived by combining Terra (10:30 local equator crossing time) CERES fluxes with 3-hourly 5-geostationary satellite estimated broadband fluxes, which are normalized using the CERES fluxes, to complete the diurnal cycle. These fluxes were saved hourly during processing and considered the truth dataset. 90°, 83° and 74° inclination precessionary orbits as

Cheese consumption and prevalence of overweight and obesity in a Basque adult population: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alegría-Lertxundi, Iker; Rocandio Pablo, Ana; Arroyo-Izaga, Marta

2014-02-01

Studies have reported a negative association between dairy product consumption and weight status. However, not as much research has focused on cheese; therefore, the aim of this study was to study the association between cheese intake and overweight and obesity in a representative Basque adult population. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was obtained from a random sample of 1081 adults (530 males and 551 females, 17-96 years old). Cheese consumption data were expressed as g/1000 kcal/day. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was higher in men (55.1%) than in women (35.4%) (p processed cheese demonstrated a higher prevalence of excess weight, compared with those with higher consumption. The confounding variables selected in multivariate analysis were: occupational status and age in both genders; and place of residence in men. In conclusion, negative associations were found between consumption of some types of cheese and overweight and obesity in this population.

HOBE+, a case study: a virtual community of practice to support innovation in primary care in Basque Public Health Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Abos Mendizabal, Galder; Nuño Solinís, Roberto; Zaballa González, Irune

2013-11-05

A virtual professional community of practice (VCoP), HOBE+, has been set up to foster and facilitate innovation in primary care. It is aimed at all primary care professionals of the Basque Public Health Service (Osakidetza) in the provinces of Biscay and Araba. HOBE + is a VCoP that incorporates innovation management from the generation of ideas to their implementation in primary care practice. We used a case study method, based on the data provided by the technology platform that supports the VCoP, and from a survey completed by HOBE + users. The target population was all primary care staff (including all professional categories) from Araba and Biscay provinces of the Basque Country (Spain), who represent the target users of the VCoP. From a total of 5190 professionals across all the professional categories invited to join, 1627 (31.3%) actually registered in the VCoP and, during the study period, 90 (5.5% of the registered users) participated actively in some way. The total number of ideas proposed by the registered users was 133. Of these, 23 ideas (17.2%) are being implemented. Finally, 80% of the users who answered the satisfaction survey about their experience with HOBE + considered the initiative useful in order to achieve continuous improvement and real innovation in clinical and managerial processes. The experience shows that it is possible to create a virtual CoP for innovation in primary care where professionals from different professional categories propose ideas for innovation that are ultimately implemented.This manuscript objectives are to assess the process of developing and implementing a VCoP open to all primary care professionals in Osakidetza, including the take-up, participation and use of this VCoP in the first 15 months after its launch in October 2011. In addition, the usefulness of the VCoP was assessed through a survey gathering the opinions of the professionals involved.

Comportement de Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl. Sw. dans la basse Ruzizi et le Mosso (Burundi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vancoppenolle, R.

1984-01-01

Full Text Available Requirements of Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl Sw in lower Ruzizi and Mosso (Burundi. This paper describes the requirements of Stylosanthes guianensis in two ecological regions : Mosso (1 280 m alt. and lower Ruzizi (800 m alt.. This legume was introduced in 1953 into the grasslands of the east and in 1970 into lower Ruzizi, with the aim of improving the value of the natural pastures using leguminous plants. At Mosso, soil and climatic conditions were favourable for Stylosanthes and it grew well. However, since 1981. Anthracnose has severely reduced its growth and until a solution is found its general introduction will not be possible. In lower Ruzizi plant development was limited by low rainfall (670, 4 mm per year and soils with a low water retention capacity (sand dunes. For this region, it is necessary to identify cultivars resistant to drought and devise a method of establishing these cultivars on sand dunes.

Light-Time Effect and Mass Transfer in the Triple Star SW Lyncis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Hwey Kim

1999-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper all the photoelectric times of minimum for the triple star SW Lyn have been analyzed in terms of light-time e ect due to the third-body and secular period decreases induced by mass transfer process. The light-time orbit determined recently by Ogloza et al.(1998 were modi ed and improved. And it is found that the orbital period of SW Lyn have been decreasing secularly. The third-body revolves around the mass center of triple stars every 5y.77 in a highly eccentric elliptical orbit(e=0.61. The third-body with a minimum mass of 1.13M may be a binary or a white dwarf. The rate of secular period-decrease were obtained as ¡âP/P = -12.45 x 10^-11, implying the mass-transfer from the massive primary star to the secondary. The mass losing rate from the primary were calculated as about 1.24 x 10^-8M /y. It is noticed that the mass-transfer in SW Lyn system is opposite in direction to that deduced from it's Roche geometry by previous investigators.

A 700 year record of combustion-derived pollution in northern Spain: Tools to identify the Holocene/Anthropocene transition in coastal environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leorri, Eduardo; Mitra, Siddhartha; Irabien, María Jesús; Zimmerman, Andrew R.; Blake, William H.; Cearreta, Alejandro

2014-01-01

There is an uneven geographical distribution of historic records of atmospheric pollutants from SW Europe and those that exist are very limited in temporal extent. Alternative data source is required to understand temporal trends in human impacts on atmospheric pollution. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metal content and stable Pb isotopic ratios in a sediment core from a salt marsh in northern Spain were used to reconstruct the regional history of contaminant inputs over the last 700 years. Pre-1800s concentrations of Pb and PAHs represented baseline concentrations, i.e. pre-Industrial, conditions. During the initial stages of the Industrial Revolution, 1800s to 1860s, PAH concentrations increased by a factor of about two above baseline levels in the sediment column. By the 1930s, PAH levels reached ca. 10 times pre-Industrial levels and, along with Pb, reached a peak at ca. 1975 CE. Since then, sedimentary PAH and Pb concentrations decreased significantly. A combination of PAH isomer and Pb stable isotope ratios suggests that the contaminant sources are regional, likely derived partially from wood, but mainly coal used by the metallurgic industry in the Basque country since the 1800s and until the 1970s when leaded petrol saw increased use. This chronology of regional atmosphere-derived pollution expands current southwest Europe emission records and shows coastal salt marsh sediments to be useful in reconstructing the Anthropocene. - Highlights: • Historic records of atmospheric pollutant emissions in SW Europe are needed. • PAH and Pb concentrations and ratios from a north Spain salt marsh core were used. • Atmosphere emissions mainly from regional coal burning increased in the early 1800s. • Emissions associated with leaded gasoline peaked in 1975 CE. • The results suggest 1800 CE as the Holocene/Anthropocene transition

A 700 year record of combustion-derived pollution in northern Spain: Tools to identify the Holocene/Anthropocene transition in coastal environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leorri, Eduardo, E-mail: leorrie@ecu.edu [Department of Geological Sciences, East Carolina University, Graham Building 103B, Greenville, NC 27858 (United States); Mitra, Siddhartha, E-mail: mitras@ecu.edu [Department of Geological Sciences, East Carolina University, Graham Building 103B, Greenville, NC 27858 (United States); Irabien, María Jesús, E-mail: mariajesus.irabien@ehu.es [Departamento de Mineralogía y Petrología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao (Spain); Zimmerman, Andrew R., E-mail: azimmer@ufl.edu [Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, 241 Williamson Hall, P.O. Box 112120, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Blake, William H., E-mail: william.blake@plymouth.ac.uk [Consolidated Radioisotope Facility, University of Plymouth, Plymouth (United Kingdom); Cearreta, Alejandro, E-mail: alejandro.cearreta@ehu.es [Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao (Spain)

2014-02-01

There is an uneven geographical distribution of historic records of atmospheric pollutants from SW Europe and those that exist are very limited in temporal extent. Alternative data source is required to understand temporal trends in human impacts on atmospheric pollution. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metal content and stable Pb isotopic ratios in a sediment core from a salt marsh in northern Spain were used to reconstruct the regional history of contaminant inputs over the last 700 years. Pre-1800s concentrations of Pb and PAHs represented baseline concentrations, i.e. pre-Industrial, conditions. During the initial stages of the Industrial Revolution, 1800s to 1860s, PAH concentrations increased by a factor of about two above baseline levels in the sediment column. By the 1930s, PAH levels reached ca. 10 times pre-Industrial levels and, along with Pb, reached a peak at ca. 1975 CE. Since then, sedimentary PAH and Pb concentrations decreased significantly. A combination of PAH isomer and Pb stable isotope ratios suggests that the contaminant sources are regional, likely derived partially from wood, but mainly coal used by the metallurgic industry in the Basque country since the 1800s and until the 1970s when leaded petrol saw increased use. This chronology of regional atmosphere-derived pollution expands current southwest Europe emission records and shows coastal salt marsh sediments to be useful in reconstructing the Anthropocene. - Highlights: • Historic records of atmospheric pollutant emissions in SW Europe are needed. • PAH and Pb concentrations and ratios from a north Spain salt marsh core were used. • Atmosphere emissions mainly from regional coal burning increased in the early 1800s. • Emissions associated with leaded gasoline peaked in 1975 CE. • The results suggest 1800 CE as the Holocene/Anthropocene transition.

Differential RNA-seq analysis comparing APC-defective and APC-restored SW480 colorectal cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Lauren E; Love, Christopher G; Sieber, Oliver M; Faux, Maree C; Burgess, Antony W

2016-03-01

The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) tumour suppressor gene is mutated in about 80% of colorectal cancers (CRC) Brannon et al. (2014) [1]. APC is a large multifunctional protein that regulates many biological functions including Wnt signalling (through the regulation of beta-catenin stability) Reya and Clevers (2005) [2], cell migration Kroboth et al. (2007), Sansom et al. (2004) [3], [4], mitosis Kaplan et al. (2001) [5], cell adhesion Faux et al. (2004), Carothers et al. (2001) [6], [7] and differentiation Sansom et al. (2004) [4]. Although the role of APC in CRC is often described as the deregulation of Wnt signalling, its other biological functions suggest that there are other factors at play that contribute to the onset of adenomas and the progression of CRC upon the truncation of APC. To identify genes and pathways that are dysregulated as a consequence of loss of function of APC, we compared the gene expression profiles of the APC mutated human CRC cell line SW480 following reintroduction of wild-type APC (SW480 + APC) or empty control vector (SW480 + vector control) Faux et al. (2004) . Here we describe the RNA-seq data derived for three biological replicates of parental SW480, SW480 + vector control and SW480 + APC cells, and present the bioinformatics pipeline used to test for differential gene expression and pathway enrichment analysis. A total of 1735 genes showed significant differential expression when APC was restored and were enriched for genes associated with cell polarity, Wnt signalling and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition. There was additional enrichment for genes involved in cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix junctions, angiogenesis, axon morphogenesis and cell movement. The raw and analysed RNA-seq data have been deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database under accession number GSE76307. This dataset is useful for further investigations of the impact of APC mutation on the properties of colorectal cancer cells.

swLORETA: a novel approach to robust source localization and synchronization tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmero-Soler, Ernesto; Dolan, Kevin; Hadamschek, Volker; Tass, Peter A

2007-01-01

Standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) is a widely used technique for source localization. However, this technique still has some limitations, especially under realistic noisy conditions and in the case of deep sources. To overcome these problems, we present here swLORETA, an improved version of sLORETA, obtained by incorporating a singular value decomposition-based lead field weighting. We show that the precision of the source localization can further be improved by a tomographic phase synchronization analysis based on swLORETA. The phase synchronization analysis turns out to be superior to a standard linear coherence analysis, since the latter cannot distinguish between real phase locking and signal mixing

Evaluation of thermal performance in fields subjected to steam injection (SW-SAGD mode), Orinoco oil belt, Venezuela

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Armas, F.; Mago, R.; Franco, L.; Rodriguez, J.; Gil, E. [PDVSA EandP (Venezuela)

2011-07-01

The first well to operate the SW-SAGD process in the Orinoco oil belt in Venezuela was built in 2006 by Petroleos de Venezuela S.A (PDVSA). SW-SAGD is a thermal recovery process consisting in the injection of steam through a horizontal well pipe insulation. In order to follow the behavior of steam and the movement of heated fluids in such a process better, PDVSA installed a monitoring system composed of high temperature fiber optic and thermocouple type sensors. The aim of this paper is to assess the thermal behavior of reservoirs in wells under the SW-SAGD process. A pilot test has been conducted over the last 3 years. Results show an increase in production and estimations show a recovery factor twice as high as in other wells. This study demonstrated that SW-SAGD is an excellent alternative solution to stimulate reservoirs in the Orinoco oil belt and valuable information on the reservoir's thermal behavior was established.

The Effects of NDRG2 Overexpression on Cell Proliferation and Invasiveness of SW48 Colorectal Cancer Cell Line.

Science.gov (United States)

Golestan, Ali; Mojtahedi, Zahra; Ghalamfarsa, Ghasem; Hamidinia, Maryam; Takhshid, Mohammad Ali

2015-09-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death in the world. The expression of N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is down-regulated in CRC. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of NDRG2 overexpression on cell proliferation and invasive potential of SW48 cells. SW48 cells were transfected with a plasmid overexpressing NDRG2. After stable transfection, the effect of NDRG2 overexpression on cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. The effects of NDRG2 overexpression on cell migration, invasion and cell motility and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) activities were also investigated using matrigel transwell assay, wound healing assay and gelatin zymography, respectively. MTT assay showed that overexpression of NDRG2 caused attenuation of SW48 cell proliferation. Transwell and wound healing assay revealed that NDRG2 overexpression led to inhibition of migration, invasion, and motility of SW48 cells. The overexpression of NDRG2 also reduced the activity of secreted MMP-9. The results of this study suggest that NDRG2 overexpression inhibits proliferation and invasive potential of SW48 cells, which likely occurs via suppression of MMP-9 activity.

Submillimeter and far infrared line observations of M17 SW: A clumpy molecular cloud penetrated by UV radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Stutzki, J.; Stacey, G. J.; Genzel, R.; Harris, A. I.; Jaffe, d. T.; Lugten, J. B.

1987-01-01

Millimeter, submillimeter, and far infrared spectroscopic observations of the M17 SW star formation region are discussed. The results require the molecular cloud near the interface to be clumpy or filamentary. As a consequence, far ultraviolet radiation from the central OB stellar cluster can penetrate into the dense molecular cloud to a depth of several pc, thus creating bright and extended (CII) emission from the photodissociated surfaces of dense atomic and molecular clumps or sheets. The extended (CII) emission throughout the molecular cloud SW of the M17 complex has a level 20 times higher than expected from a single molecular cloud interface exposed to an ultraviolet radiation field typical of the solar neighborhood. This suggests that the molecular cloud as a whole is penetrated by ultraviolet radiation and has a clumpy or filamentary structure. The number of B stars expected to be embedded in the M17 molecular cloud probably can provide the UV radiation necessary for the extended (CII) emission. Alternatively, the UV radiation could be external, if the interstellar radiation in the vicinity of M17 is higher than in the solar neighborhood.

Strategies to improve performance od SW-SAGD (Single Well-Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage); Estrategias para melhor desempenho do SW-SAGD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreira, Richard Douglas Ribeiro [Norse Energy do Brasil S/A, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Trevisan, Osvair Vidal [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil)

2008-07-01

The present work presents an extensive numerical study, using a commercial reservoir simulator, on the recovery of heavy oil by steam injection assisted by gravity drainage in single horizontal wells. The goal is to study several strategies to improve performance of the Single Well - Steam Assisted Drainage Gravity (SW-SAGD), a new but promising thermal recovery technique aimed at exploitation of heavy oils. The strategies are basically made up of two measures: cyclic steam injection prior to the main injection-production process; and well bore splitting into injection and production zones by packer settings. The measures are scrutinized when used separately or together. Cyclic injection is varied according to cycle duration. Comparisons are made between the performance of oil recovery for the developed strategies and the performance of the traditional dual well SAGD technique with similar operating parameters and field conditions. The results point out the best strategy regarding key parameters such as the oil recovery factor and the steam oil ratio. Results were also verified for variations of rock and fluid properties in the range of a typical heavy oil reservoir. As a result, a new strategy for the SW-SAGD process is presented, providing oil recovery, which is higher than that yielded by the equivalent DW-SAGD. (author)

The primary role of the SW Sextantis stars in the evolution of cataclysmic variables

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Manuel; Gaensicke, Boris; Rodriguez-Gil, Pablo; Long, Knox; Marsh, Tom; Steeghs, Danny; Munoz-Darias, Teodoro; Shahbaz, Tariq; Schmidtobreick, Linda; Schreiber, Matthias

2009-02-01

SW Sextantis stars are a relatively large group of cataclysmic variables (CVs) which plays a fundamental role in our understanding of CV structure and evolution. Very little is known about the properties of their accreting white dwarfs and their donor stars, as the stellar components are usually outshone by an extremely bright accretion flow. Consequently, a proper assesment of their evolutionary state is illusionary. We are monitoring the brightness of a number of SW Sex stars and request here Gemini/GMOS-N ToO time to obtain orbital phase-resolved spectroscopy if one of them enters a low state, since this is the only opportunity for studying the stellar components individually. These data will be used to accurately measure the binary parameters, white dwarf temperature, and distance to the system for a SW Sex star for the first time. The measured stellar masses and radii will especially be a precious input to the theory of compact binary evolution as a whole.

Unravelling the role of the SW Sextantis stars in the evolution of cataclysmic variables

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Manuel; Steeghs, Danny; Gaensicke, Boris; Marsh, Tom; Rodriguez-Gil, Pablo; Schmidtobreick, Linda; Long, Knox; Schreiber, Matthias

2007-08-01

SW Sextantis stars are a relatively large group of cataclysmic variables (CVs) whose properties contradict all predictions made by the current CV evolution theories. Very little is known about the properties of their accreting white dwarfs and their donor stars, as the stellar components are usually outshone by an extremely bright accretion flow. Consequently, a proper assesment of their evolutionary state is illusionary. We are monitoring the brightness of a number of SW Sex stars and request here Gemini/GMOS-N ToO time to obtain orbital phase-resolved spectroscopy if one of them enters a low state, since this is the only opportunity for studying the stellar components individually. These data will be used to accurately measure the mass ratio of the system which, combined with the orbital inclination derived from modelling of either the disc eclipses in the high state or the ellipsoidal modulation in the low state, will eventually provide the first detailed system parameters for any SW Sex star.

Measuring stigma affecting sex workers (SW) and men who have sex with men (MSM): A systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzgerald-Husek, Alanna; Van Wert, Michael J.; Ewing, Whitney F.; Holland, Claire E.; Katterl, Rachel; Rosman, Lori; Baral, Stefan D.

2017-01-01

Background Stigma involves discrediting a person or group based on a perceived attribute, behaviour or reputation associated with them. Sex workers (SW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) are key populations who are often at increased risk for the acquisition and transmission of HIV and who are affected by stigma that can negatively impact their health and well-being. Although stigma was included as an indicator in the US National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan and there have been consultations focused on adding a stigma indicator within PEPFAR and the Global Fund in relation to potentiating HIV risks among key populations, there remains limited consensus on the appropriate measurement of SW- or MSM-associated stigma. Consequently, this systematic review summarizes studies using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches to measure stigma affecting sex workers and men who have sex with men. Methods and findings This systematic review included English, French, and Spanish peer-reviewed research of any study design measuring SW- or MSM-associated stigma. Articles were published from January 1, 2004 to March 26, 2014 in PsycINFO, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Global Health, and World Health Organization Global Health Library Regional Indexes. Of the 541 articles reviewed, the majority measured stigma toward MSM (over 97%), were conducted in North America, used quantitative methods, and focused on internalized stigma. Conclusions With the inclusion of addressing stigma in several domestic and international HIV strategies, there is a need to ensure the use of validated metrics for stigma. The field to date has completed limited measurement of stigma affecting sex workers, and limited measurement of stigma affecting MSM outside of higher income settings. Moving forward requires a concerted effort integrating validated metrics of stigma into health-related surveys and programs for key populations. PMID:29190642

Measuring stigma affecting sex workers (SW and men who have sex with men (MSM: A systematic review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alanna Fitzgerald-Husek

Full Text Available Stigma involves discrediting a person or group based on a perceived attribute, behaviour or reputation associated with them. Sex workers (SW and men who have sex with men (MSM are key populations who are often at increased risk for the acquisition and transmission of HIV and who are affected by stigma that can negatively impact their health and well-being. Although stigma was included as an indicator in the US National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan and there have been consultations focused on adding a stigma indicator within PEPFAR and the Global Fund in relation to potentiating HIV risks among key populations, there remains limited consensus on the appropriate measurement of SW- or MSM-associated stigma. Consequently, this systematic review summarizes studies using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches to measure stigma affecting sex workers and men who have sex with men.This systematic review included English, French, and Spanish peer-reviewed research of any study design measuring SW- or MSM-associated stigma. Articles were published from January 1, 2004 to March 26, 2014 in PsycINFO, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Global Health, and World Health Organization Global Health Library Regional Indexes. Of the 541 articles reviewed, the majority measured stigma toward MSM (over 97%, were conducted in North America, used quantitative methods, and focused on internalized stigma.With the inclusion of addressing stigma in several domestic and international HIV strategies, there is a need to ensure the use of validated metrics for stigma. The field to date has completed limited measurement of stigma affecting sex workers, and limited measurement of stigma affecting MSM outside of higher income settings. Moving forward requires a concerted effort integrating validated metrics of stigma into health-related surveys and programs for key populations.

seasonal variation in water quality of orle river basin, sw nigeria.

African Journals Online (AJOL)

LUCY

The seasonal variation of water quality of Orle River and its tributatries in S.W. Nigeria was investigated forthnightly or two ... KEYWORD: water quality, river basin, wet and dry seasons; pollution. ..... Environmental Modeling and Software,.

The unexpected co-occurrence of GRN and MAPT p.A152T in Basque families: Clinical and pathological characteristics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fermin Moreno

Full Text Available The co-occurrence of the c.709-1G>A GRN mutation and the p.A152T MAPT variant has been identified in 18 Basque families affected by frontotemporal dementia (FTD. We aimed to investigate the influence of the p.A152T MAPT variant on the clinical and neuropathological features of these Basque GRN families.We compared clinical characteristics of 14 patients who carried the c.709-1G>A GRN mutation (GRN+/A152T- with 21 patients who carried both the c.709-1G>A GRN mutation and the p.A152T MAPT variant (GRN+/A152T+. Neuropsychological data (n = 17 and plasma progranulin levels (n = 23 were compared between groups, and 7 subjects underwent neuropathological studies. We genotyped six short tandem repeat markers in the two largest families. By the analysis of linkage disequilibrium decay in the haplotype block we estimated the time when the first ancestor to carry both genetic variants emerged. GRN+/A152T+ and GRN+/A152T- patients shared similar clinical and neuropsychological features and plasma progranulin levels. All were diagnosed with an FTD disorder, including behavioral variant FTD or non fluent / agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia, and shared a similar pattern of neuropsychological deficits, predominantly in executive function, memory, and language. All seven participants with available brain autopsies (6 GRN+/A152T+, 1 GRN+/A152T- showed frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 inclusions (type A classification, which is characteristic of GRN carriers. Additionally, all seven showed mild to moderate tau inclusion burden: five cases lacked β-amyloid pathology and two cases had Alzheimer's pathology. The co-occurrence of both genes within one individual is recent, with the birth of the first GRN+/A152T+ individual estimated to be within the last 50 generations (95% probability.In our sample, the p.A152T MAPT variant does not appear to show a discernible influence on the clinical phenotype of GRN carriers. Whether p.A152T confers a

Insight into Groundwater Flow Within a Crystalline Aquifer. Case study of the Ursuya Mount, Northern Basque Country (France)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaunat, J.; Huneau, F.; Dupuy, A.; Franceschi, M.; Le Coustumer, P. [Universite de Bordeaux, Institut EGID, EA Georessources et Environnement, Pessac (France); Celle-Jeanton, H. [Universite de Clermont-Ferrand, LMV UMR 6524, Clermont-Ferrand (France)

2013-07-15

Stable isotopes of the water molecule and tritium in conjunction with geochemistry have been used to understand the groundwater flow pattern and origin within the gneissic aquifer of the Ursuya Mount. This aquifer constitutes one of the main water supplies of the Northern Basque Country and improved knowledge about the water recharge, origin, quality and residence time is of strategic importance for a sustainable development of the resource. 16 springs, 4 boreholes and total rainfall have been sampled monthly since summer 2009. Preliminary results indicate complex and contrasted groundwater flows within the aquifer. Shallow groundwater restricted to the upper weathered horizons is characterized by a strong influence of anthropogenic inputs. At depth, groundwater mainly circulates along the major structural discontinuities of the gneiss in semi-confined conditions. These levels, providing the most promising resource for the water supply, show increased water mineralization caused by a longer residence time of groundwater and hence indicate a slower dynamic of the system. (author)

Uranium and other heavy toxic elements distribution in the drinking water samples of SW-Punjab, India - a potentially dangerous trend

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajwa, B.S.

2015-01-01

In the present investigations, Laser Fluorimetry technique has been used for the microanalysis of uranium content in drinking water samples collected from different sources like the hand pumps, tube wells of various depths from wide range of locations in the four districts of SW-Punjab, India. The purpose of this study was to investigate the uranium concentration levels of ground water being used for drinking purposes and to determine its health effects, if any, to the local population of this region. Corresponding radiological and chemical risks have also been calculated for the uranium concentrations in ground water samples. Some other heavy elements have also been analysed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. In this region, uranium concentration in 498 drinking water samples has been found to vary between 0.5-579 μgl -1 with an average of 73.5 μgl -1 , Data analysis revealed that 338 of 498 samples had uranium concentration higher than recommended safe limit of 30 μgl -1 (WHO, 2011) while 216 samples exceeded the threshold of 60 μgl -1 recommended by AERB, DAE, India, 2004. Overall data analysis reveals that, 68% of the collected samples have uranium concentration higher than safe limit of 30 μgl -1 (WHO, 2011) while 43% samples exceed the threshold of 60μgl -1 recommended by AERB, DAE, India, 2004. Higher concentrations observed in ground water samples of SW-Punjab might be due to leaching of uranium from adjoining/basement granite rich rock formations. The anthropogenic activities, urbanization and wide spread use of pesticides/fertilizers which is responsible for increase in the TDS/salinity of the region might be another cause. But, overall it seems that the plausible source of high uranium observed in this region may be of geogenic in nature. (author)

Peintures murales en Irlande du Nord et au Pays basque : mobilisation populaire et création d’identité nationale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pascal Pragnère

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Cet article explore les différentes fonctions des peintures murales en Irlande du Nord et au Pays basque. Il montre comment les peintures murales, particulièrement visibles, ont la capacité de diffuser un message en permanence. En ce sens, comme les avancées conceptuelles sur la question de l’identification nationale permettent de le définir, elles constituent un support des processus de définition et de redéfinition des références identificatoires, et elles permettent de maintenir les dynamiques de polarisation communautaire comme éléments dominants de la structuration de l’espace public. Il n’y a que peu voire pas d’espace pour d’autres représentations de la vie sociale. Les peintures murales sont un outil de légitimation de la lutte, ce qui peut provoquer adhésion, soutien, ou mobilisation. Elles actualisent et élargissent le champ des références disponibles pour les processus d’identification, et rendent ce corpus de références toujours accessible à la population. Ainsi, elles participent activement à la dynamique du conflit.This article explores the several functions of mural paintings in Northern Ireland and in the Basque Country. It shows how the murals (which are particularly visible have the capacity to broadcast a message on a permanent basis. Recent conceptual progress on the question of national identification allows defining them as a basis for processes of definitions and re-definitions of identity references; they are also a means of keeping community polarization dynamics as the dominant elements in structuring the public space. Little or no space is left for other representations of social life. Murals are a tool for legitimising the struggle, which can stimulate adhesion, support or mobilization. They update and widen the field of references available for the identification processes, and make this corpus of references ready for use at any time for the population. Thus, they play an active part

Geoquímica e Geocronologia do Plutonismo Granítico Mesoproterozóico do SW do Estado de Mato Grosso (SW do Cráton Amazônico)

OpenAIRE

Mauro Cesar Geraldes

2000-01-01

O objetivo deste trabalho é o estudo geocronológico e da composição química dos granitóides da porção SW do estado do Mato Grosso. A abordagem deste projeto tem relevância para o entendimento da evolução geológica através da identificação, na área de estudo, de eventos de acresção crustal durante o Paleo e Mesoproterozóico que vieram a compor significativa fração do SW Cráton Amazônico. Na região do Terreno Jauru, tonalitos, vulcânicas ácidas e gnaisses analisados pelo método U/Pb em zircões ...

Verbascum lindae (Scrophulariaceae), a new species from SW Anatolia, Turkey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parolly, Gerald; Tan, Kit

2007-01-01

Verbascum lindae, a taxonomically isolated limestone chasmophyte from the vilayet of Isparta in SW Anatolia is described as a species new to science and illustrated. Its affinities with other Anatolian Verbascum species, which have either a chasmophytic habit or at least a woody base, are discussed....

Wave hindcast experiments in the Indian Ocean using MIKE 21 SW ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Wave prediction and hindcast studies are important in ocean engineering, coastal ... wave data can be used for the assessment of wave climate in offshore and coastal areas. In the .... for the change in performance during SW monsoon.

Perturbative determination of c{sub SW} with Symanzik improved gauge action and stout smearing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Horsley, R. [Edinburgh Univ. (United Kingdom). School of Physics; Perlt, H.; Schiller, A. [Leipzig Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik; Rakow, P.E.L. [Liverpool Univ. (United Kingdom). Theoretical Physics Dept., Dept. of Mathematical Sciences; Schierholz, G. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

2007-10-15

We determine the improvement factor c{sub SW} in one-loop lattice perturbation theory for the plaquette and Symanzik improved gauge actions. The fermionic action is O(a) clover improved with one-time stout smearing. c{sub SW} is derived from the one-loop correction to the quark-quark-gluon vertex in the off-shell regime. We give a first numerical value for the one-loop contribution to the non gauge-invariant improvement coefficient c{sub NGI} for the quark field using the plaquette action. A discussion of mean field improvement is included. (orig.)

Ikastolen Elkartea, Example of Effective Transfrontier Cooperation Under the European Language Charter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ihintza Palacín Mariscal

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Basque language subsists in a transfrontier situation. Indeed, this minority or regional language lives between France and Spain. Under en European Legal Framework, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages provides tools to protect this minority language. Facing different legal regimes of protection and different legal structures Euskara (Basque language receives support from education. Through the realisation of ethnography of the Basque schooling system (Ikastolen Elkartea I am going to analyse the transfrontier cooperation established under Art.14 of the Charter using the example of education in Basque.La lengua vasca subsiste en una situación transfronteriza, ya que esta lengua minoritaria o regional existe tanto en Francia como en España. Dentro del marco normativo europeo, la Carta Europea de las Lenguas Minoritarias o Regionales proporciona herramientas para proteger esta lengua minoritaria. Así pues, el euskera, al que se aplican diferentes regímenes de protección jurídica y diferentes estructuras legales, recibe apoyo educativo. A través de una etnografía del sistema de escolarización vasco (Ikastolen Elkartea, me propongo analizar la cooperación transfronteriza tejida bajo los auspicios del artículo 14 de la Carta, utilizando el ejemplo de la educación en euskera.DOWNLOAD THIS PAPER FROM SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3074342

Antibiofilm activity of Bacillus pumilus SW9 against initial biofouling on microfiltration membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ying; Yu, Xin; Gong, Song; Ye, Chengsong; Fan, Zihong; Lin, Huirong

2014-02-01

Membrane biofouling, resulting from biofilm formation on the membrane, has become the main obstacle hindering wider application of membrane technology. Initial biofouling proves to be crucial which involves early stages of microbial adhesion and biofilm formation. Biological control of microbial attachment seems to be a promising strategy due to its high efficiency and eco-friendliness. The present study investigated the effects of a bacterium Bacillus pumilus SW9 on controlling the initial fouling formed by four target bacterial strains which were pioneer species responsible for biofouling in membrane bioreactors, using microfiltration membranes as the abiotic surfaces. The results suggested that strain SW9 exhibited excellent antibiofilm activity by decreasing the attached biomass of target strains. The production of extracellular polysaccharides and proteins by four target strains was also reduced. A distinct improvement of permeate flux in dead-end filtration systems was achieved when introducing strain SW9 to microfiltration experiments. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy were performed to further ascertain significant changes of the biofouling layers. A link between biofilm inhibition and initial biofouling mitigation was thus provided, suggesting an alternatively potential way to control membrane biofouling through bacterial interactions.

Sensitivity of simulated maize crop yields to regional climate in the Southwestern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, S.; Myoung, B.; Stack, D.; Kim, J.; Hatzopoulos, N.; Kafatos, M.

2013-12-01

The sensitivity of maize yield to the regional climate in the Southwestern United States (SW US) has been investigated by using a crop-yield simulation model (APSIM) in conjunction with meteorological forcings (daily minimum and maximum temperature, precipitation, and radiation) from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) dataset. The primary focus of this study is to look at the effects of interannual variations of atmospheric components on the crop productivity in the SW US over the 21-year period (1991 to 2011). First of all, characteristics and performance of APSIM was examined by comparing simulated maize yields with observed yields from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the leaf-area index (LAI) from MODIS satellite data. Comparisons of the simulated maize yield with the available observations show that the crop model can reasonably reproduce observed maize yields. Sensitivity tests were performed to assess the relative contribution of each climate driver to regional crop yield. Sensitivity experiments show that potential crop production responds nonlinearly to climate drivers and the yield sensitivity varied among geographical locations depending on their mean climates. Lastly, a detailed analysis of both the spatial and temporal variations of each climate driver in the regions where maize is actually grown in three states (CA, AZ, and NV) in the SW US was performed.

Submillimeter and far-infrared line observations of M17 SW - A clumpy molecular cloud penetrated by ultraviolet radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Stutzki, J.; Genzel, R.; Harris, A. I.; Stacey, G. J.; Jaffe, D. T.

1988-01-01

Millimeter, submillimeter, and far-IR spectroscopic observations of the M17 SW star formation region are reported. Strong forbidden C II 158 micron and CO J = 7 - 6 line emission arises in an H II region/molecular cloud interface of several pc thickness. Weaker forbidden C II emission appears to be extended over 15 pc throughout the molecular cloud. CO J = 14 - 13 and forbidden O I 145 micron spectra indicate high temperatures and densities for both molecular and atomic gas in the interface. The results require the molecular cloud near the interface to be clumpy or filamentary. The extended forbidden C II emission throughout the molecular cloud has a level around 20 times higher than expected from a single molecular cloud interface exposed to an ultraviolet radiation field typical of the solar neighborhood. The high gas temperature of molecular material in the UV-illuminated interface region suggests that CO self-shielding and heating of CO by photoelectrons are important.

Retrieving SW fluxes from geostationary narrowband radiances for the NASA-CERES SYN1deg product

Science.gov (United States)

Wrenn, F. J., IV; Doelling, D. R.; Liang, L.

2017-12-01

The CERES mission was designed to measure the natural variability of the net TOA flux over long time scales relevant to climate monitoring. To achieve this goal, CERES provides the level-3 SSF1deg, SYN1deg, and EBAF monthly 1° by 1° regional TOA flux. The single satellite (Terra or Aqua) SSF1deg 24-hour shortwave flux is based on one daytime measurements and assumes constant meteorology to model the diurnal change in albedo. To accurately describe regions with a prominent diurnal signal, the SYN1deg Edition4 dataset employs hourly geostationary (GEO) measurements. This improves upon Edition3, which used 3-hourly GEO measurements and with temporal interpolation. The EBAF product combines the temporal stability of the SSF1deg product with the diurnal information from SYN1deg and removes the CERES instrument calibration bias by constraining the net flux balance to the ocean heat storage term. The SYN-1deg product retrieves hourly SW fluxes from GEO measurements. Over regions with large diurnal cycles, such as maritime stratus and land afternoon convective locations, the GEO derived SW fluxes will capture the diurnal flux not observed with Terra or Aqua sun-synchronous satellites. Obtaining fluxes from geostationary satellite radiance is a multistep process. First, most GEO visible imagers lack calibration and must be calibrated to MODIS and VIIRS. Second, the GEO imager visible channel radiances are converted to broadband radiances using empirical and theoretical models. The lack of coincident, collocated, and co-angled GEO and CERES measurements makes building an empirical model difficult. The narrowband to broadband models are a function of surface and cloud conditions, which are difficult to identify due to the inconsistent cloud retrievals between the 16 GEO imagers used in the CERES record. Third, the GEO derived broadband radiances are passed through the CERES angular distribution model (ADM) to convert the radiances to fluxes. Lastly, the GEO derived

Heliotropium thermophilum (Boraginaceae), a new taxon from SW Anatolia, Turkey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Kit; Celik, Ali; Gemici, Yusuf

2008-01-01

Heliotropium thermophilum Kit Tan, A. Çelik & Y. Gemici (Boraginaceae), is described as a species new to science and illustrated. Its diploid chromosome number of 2n = 16 is a first report. It is restricted to the province of Aydin bordering on Denizli in SW Anatolia and is of interest on account...

Imposex and butyltin body burden in Nassarius nitidus (Jeffreys, 1867), in coastal waters within the Basque Country (northern Spain)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, J. German, E-mail: grodriguez@pas.azti.es [AZTI-Tecnalia, Herrera Kaia Portualdea z/g, 20110-Pasaia (Spain); Borja, Angel; Franco, Javier [AZTI-Tecnalia, Herrera Kaia Portualdea z/g, 20110-Pasaia (Spain); Garcia Alonso, J. Ignacio [Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Oviedo, Julian Claveria 8, 33006 Oviedo (Spain); Garmendia, Joxe Mikel; Muxika, Inigo [AZTI-Tecnalia, Herrera Kaia Portualdea z/g, 20110-Pasaia (Spain); Sariego, Cristina [Servicio de Espectrometria de Masas, SCT' s, University of Oviedo, Julian Claveria s/n, 33006, Oviedo (Spain); Valencia, Victoriano [AZTI-Tecnalia, Herrera Kaia Portualdea z/g, 20110-Pasaia (Spain)

2009-07-01

Levels of imposex (superimposition of male characters, upon females) and the presence of sterile females are assessed in the gastropod Nassarius nitidus (Jeffreys, 1867), at 22 locations in the Basque Country (northern Spain). At 18 of these localities, butyltin bioaccumulation (tributyltin (TBT); dibutyltin; monobutyltin) was analysed using isotope dilution and GC-ICP-MS. Higher imposex levels and TBT body burden were found in confined harbours, with a large vessel traffic or the presence of a fishing fleet or a shipyard. For the first time, four apparently sequential types of aborted capsules are described in this species. Another novelty is the interspecific comparison between imposex intensities in sympatrically living populations of N. nitidus and N. reticulatus. This showed that sensitivity to TBT pollution of both species is relatively similar (in terms of Relative Penis Length Index). Since N. nitidus has a restricted habitat distribution due to its low presence in wave-exposed habitats, its complementary use with other species is recommended for its use in TBT monitoring programmes.

Imposex and butyltin body burden in Nassarius nitidus (Jeffreys, 1867), in coastal waters within the Basque Country (northern Spain)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez, J. German; Borja, Angel; Franco, Javier; Garcia Alonso, J. Ignacio; Garmendia, Joxe Mikel; Muxika, Inigo; Sariego, Cristina; Valencia, Victoriano

2009-01-01

Levels of imposex (superimposition of male characters, upon females) and the presence of sterile females are assessed in the gastropod Nassarius nitidus (Jeffreys, 1867), at 22 locations in the Basque Country (northern Spain). At 18 of these localities, butyltin bioaccumulation (tributyltin (TBT); dibutyltin; monobutyltin) was analysed using isotope dilution and GC-ICP-MS. Higher imposex levels and TBT body burden were found in confined harbours, with a large vessel traffic or the presence of a fishing fleet or a shipyard. For the first time, four apparently sequential types of aborted capsules are described in this species. Another novelty is the interspecific comparison between imposex intensities in sympatrically living populations of N. nitidus and N. reticulatus. This showed that sensitivity to TBT pollution of both species is relatively similar (in terms of Relative Penis Length Index). Since N. nitidus has a restricted habitat distribution due to its low presence in wave-exposed habitats, its complementary use with other species is recommended for its use in TBT monitoring programmes.

Methylmercury determination in sediments and fish tissues from the Nerbioi-Ibaizabal estuary (Basque Country, Spain)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanz Landaluze, Jon; Diego, Alberto de; Raposo, Juan Carlos; Madariaga, Juan Manuel

2004-04-15

The analysis of methylmercury in extracts from environmental solid samples by gas chromatography coupled to microwave induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry (GC-MIP/AES) after the ethylation of the extract and the preconcentration of the volatile products in hexane has been critically investigated. In order to correct potential sources of random error along the analytical procedure affecting the overall repeatability of the analysis, the use of the inorganic mercury naturally occurring in the sample as internal standard in the analysis of methylmercury is proposed. A study to establish the best conditions to achieve a quantitative recovery of methylmercury without damaging its chemical structure has also been carried out. Magnetic stirring (without heating) of the sediment or fish tissue with 2 mol dm{sup -3} HNO{sub 3} or 10% methanolic KOH, respectively, during 90 min has been considered as the most effective procedure to release methylmercury preserving its structure. The proposed method has been validated using certified reference materials (CRM-580, CRM-463 and DOLT-2), assessing its quality in terms of accuracy, repeatability and detection limit. Finally, several sediment and fish samples collected in the estuary of the Nerbioi-Ibaizabal (Bilbao, Basque Country) have been analyzed following the procedures proposed. The results obtained show the validity of the proposed method to analyze real samples.

Adaptation of SW-846 methodology for the organic analysis of radioactive mixed wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griest, W.H.; Schenley, R.L.; Tomkins, B.A.; Caton, J.E. Jr.; Fleming, G.S.; Harmon, S.H.; Wachter, L.J.; Garcia, M.E.; Edwards, M.D.

1990-01-01

Modifications to SW-846 sample preparation methodology permit the organic analysis of radioactive mixed waste with minimum personal radiation exposure and equipment contamination. This paper describes modifications to SW-846 methods 5030 and 3510-3550 for sample preparation in radiation-zoned facilities (hood, glove box, and hot cell) and GC-MS analysis of the decontaminated organic extracts in a conventional laboratory for volatile and semivolatile organics by methods 8240 and 8270 (respectively). Results will be presented from the analysis of nearly 70 nuclear waste storage tank liquids and 17 sludges. Regulatory organics do not account for the organic matter suggested to be present by total organic carbon measurements. 7 refs., 5 tabs

TGF-{beta}1 increases invasiveness of SW1990 cells through Rac1/ROS/NF-{kappa}B/IL-6/MMP-2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Binker, Marcelo G. [Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8 (Canada); CBRHC Research Center, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Binker-Cosen, Andres A. [CBRHC Research Center, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Gaisano, Herbert Y. [Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8 (Canada); Cosen, Rodica H. de [CBRHC Research Center, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Cosen-Binker, Laura I., E-mail: laura.cosen.binker@utoronto.ca [Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8 (Canada); CBRHC Research Center, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2011-02-04

Research highlights: {yields} Rac1 mediates TGF-{beta}1-induced SW1990 invasion through MMP-2 secretion and activation. {yields} NADPH-generated ROS act downstream of Rac1 in TGF-{beta}1-challenged SW1990 cells. {yields} TGF-{beta}1-stimulated ROS activate NF-{kappa}B in SW1990 cells. {yields} NF{kappa}B-induced IL-6 release is required for secretion and activation of MMP-2 in SW1990 cells. -- Abstract: Human pancreatic cancer invasion and metastasis have been found to correlate with increased levels of active matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2). The multifunctional cytokine transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-{beta}1) has been shown to increase both secretion of MMP-2 and invasion by several pancreatic cancer cell types. In the present study, we investigated the signaling pathway involved in TGF-{beta}1-promoted MMP-2 secretion and invasion by human pancreatic cancer cells SW1990. Using specific inhibitors, we found that stimulation of these tumor cells with TGF-{beta}1 induced secretion and activation of the collagenase MMP-2, which was required for TGF-{beta}1-stimulated invasion. Our results also indicate that signaling events involved in TGF-{beta}1-enhanced SW1990 invasiveness comprehend activation of Rac1 followed by generation of reactive oxygen species through nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase, activation of nuclear factor-kappa beta, release of interleukin-6, and secretion and activation of MMP-2.

TGF-β1 increases invasiveness of SW1990 cells through Rac1/ROS/NF-κB/IL-6/MMP-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binker, Marcelo G.; Binker-Cosen, Andres A.; Gaisano, Herbert Y.; Cosen, Rodica H. de; Cosen-Binker, Laura I.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Rac1 mediates TGF-β1-induced SW1990 invasion through MMP-2 secretion and activation. → NADPH-generated ROS act downstream of Rac1 in TGF-β1-challenged SW1990 cells. → TGF-β1-stimulated ROS activate NF-κB in SW1990 cells. → NFκB-induced IL-6 release is required for secretion and activation of MMP-2 in SW1990 cells. -- Abstract: Human pancreatic cancer invasion and metastasis have been found to correlate with increased levels of active matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2). The multifunctional cytokine transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) has been shown to increase both secretion of MMP-2 and invasion by several pancreatic cancer cell types. In the present study, we investigated the signaling pathway involved in TGF-β1-promoted MMP-2 secretion and invasion by human pancreatic cancer cells SW1990. Using specific inhibitors, we found that stimulation of these tumor cells with TGF-β1 induced secretion and activation of the collagenase MMP-2, which was required for TGF-β1-stimulated invasion. Our results also indicate that signaling events involved in TGF-β1-enhanced SW1990 invasiveness comprehend activation of Rac1 followed by generation of reactive oxygen species through nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase, activation of nuclear factor-kappa beta, release of interleukin-6, and secretion and activation of MMP-2.

Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase α and Extracelluar Signal-Regulated Kinase Mediates CB-PIC-Induced Apoptosis in Hypoxic SW620 Colorectal Cancer Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sung-Yun Cho

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Here, antitumor mechanism of cinnamaldehyde derivative CB-PIC was elucidated in human SW620 colon cancer cells. CB-PIC significantly exerted cytotoxicity, increased sub-G1 accumulation, and cleaved PARP with apoptotic features, while it enhanced the phosphorylation of AMPK alpha and ACC as well as activated the ERK in hypoxic SW620 cells. Furthermore, CB-PIC suppressed the expression of HIF1 alpha, Akt, and mTOR and activated the AMPK phosphorylation in hypoxic SW620 cells. Conversely, silencing of AMPKα blocked PARP cleavage and ERK activation induced by CB-PIC, while ERK inhibitor PD 98059 attenuated the phosphorylation of AMPKα in hypoxic SW620 cells, implying cross-talk between ERK and AMPKα. Furthermore, cotreatment of CB-PIC and metformin enhanced the inhibition of HIF1α and Akt/mTOR and the activation of AMPKα and pACC in hypoxic SW620 cells. In addition, CB-PIC suppressed the growth of SW620 cells inoculated in BALB/c athymic nude mice, and immunohistochemistry revealed that CB-PIC treatment attenuated the expression of Ki-67, CD34, and CAIX and increased the expression of pAMPKα in CB-PIC-treated group. Interestingly, CP-PIC showed better antitumor activity in SW620 colon cancer cells under hypoxia than under normoxia, since it may be applied to chemoresistance. Overall, our findings suggest that activation of AMPKα and ERK mediates CB-PIC-induced apoptosis in hypoxic SW620 colon cancer cells.

Keurmerk voor sociaal aannamebeleid. Prestatieladder Socialer Ondernemer ook bruikbaar voor SW

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, A.

2012-01-01

De Prestatieladder Socialer Ondernemen (PSO) geeft bedrijven die meer dan gemiddeld bijdragen aan werkgelegenheid voor personen met een afstand tot de arbeidsmarkt een erkenning. De PSO is 14 juni gelanceerd door TNO en ontwikkeld in samenwerking met onder andere zeven SW-bedrijven.ln dit artikeì de

KRAS exon 2 mutations influence activity of regorafenib in an SW48-based disease model of colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Camaj, Peter; Primo, Stefano; Wang, Yan; Heinemann, Volker; Zhao, Yue; Laubender, Ruediger Paul; Stintzing, Sebastian; Giessen-Jung, Clemens; Jung, Andreas; Gamba, Sebastian; Bruns, Christiane Josephine; Modest, Dominik Paul

2015-01-01

To investigate the impact of KRAS mutation variants on the activity of regorafenib in SW48 colorectal cancer cells. Activity of regorafenib was evaluated in isogenic SW48 KRAS wild-type (WT) and mutant cells. Subcutaneous xenografts (KRAS WT and G12C mutant variants) in NOD/SCID mice were analyzed to elucidate the effect of regorafenib treatment in vivo. Compared with KRAS WT cells, all mutant variants seemed associated with some degree of resistance to regorafenib-treatment in vitro. In vivo, activation of apoptosis (TUNEL) and reduction of proliferation (Ki67) after treatment with regorafenib were more pronounced in KRAS WT tumors as compared with G12C variants. In SW48 cells, exon 2 mutations of the KRAS gene may influence antitumor effects of regorafenib.

Effect of nitrogen sources on biomass, lipid and docosahexanoic acid production by Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1

Science.gov (United States)

Auma, Khairunnisa; Hamid, Aidil Abdul; Yusoff, Wan Mohtar Wan

2018-04-01

A local isolate, Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1 has been verified to have high content of docosahexanoic acid (DHA). However, the effect of different nitrogen sources on biomass, lipid concentration and DHA content in Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1 is still unknown. Hence, this study is focused in using six different organic and inorganic nitrogen sources to grow Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1 in optimized Burja medium. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) gave the highest biomass concentration of 15.97 g/L followed by ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) with 13.37 g/L at 96 hr. These two nitrogen sources had significant effect on the biomass concentration (pDHA content in lipid showed cultivation using MSG reached 47.9% (4.95 g/L). Statistical analysis using least significant difference (LSD) showed significant lipid production (pDHA productivity (0.052 g/L hr-1) was obtained in medium containing MSG. This study proves that nitrogen component in the medium significantly affects the biomass concentration, lipid and DHA content.

Occurrence and mobility of toxic elements in coals from endemic fluorosis areas in the Three Gorges Region, SW China.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Yan; Xiao, Tangfu; Liu, Yizhang; Zhu, Jianming; Ning, Zengping; Xiao, Qingxiang

2017-10-01

Fluorine (F) is a topic of great interest in coal-combustion related endemic fluorosis areas. However, little extent research exists regarding the environmental geochemistry of toxic elements that are enriched in coals and coal wastes in traditional endemic fluorosis areas, particularly focusing on their occurrences and mobilities during the weathering-leaching processes of coals and coal wastes in the surface environment. This paper addressed the issue of toxic elements in coals and coal wastes in the Three Gorges Region, Southwest (SW) China, where endemic fluorosis has historically prevailed, and investigated the distribution, occurrence, mobility features, and associated potential health risks. For this purpose, a modified experiment combined with long-term humidity cell test and column leaching trial was applied to elucidate the mobility of toxic elements in coals and coal wastes. In addition, sequential chemical extraction (SCE) was used to ascertain the modes of occurrence of toxic elements. The results demonstrated that the contents of toxic elements in the study area followed the order: stone coals > gangues > coal balls > coals. Furthermore, modes of occurrence of toxic elements were obviously different in coals and coal wastes. For example, cadmium (Cd) was mainly associated with monosulfide fraction in coals, molybdenum (Mo) and arsenic (As) were mainly associated with carbonate and silicate in coal gangues and stone coals, chromium (Cr) mainly existed in silicate and insoluble matter in coal gangues and coal balls, thallium (Tl) mainly occurred in organic matter in stone coals and sulfide in coals, and the occurrence of antimony (Sb) varied with different kinds of samples. Moreover, a large amount of toxic elements released to the leachates during the weathering and leaching process, which might pollute the environment and threaten human health. Based on the geo-accumulation index (I geo ), single factor index (P i ) and Nemerow index (P N ), soils i n

Effector-driven marker development and cloning of resistance genes against Phytophthora infestans in potato breeding clone SW93-1015

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lenman, Marit; Ali, Ashfaq; Mühlenbock, Per

2016-01-01

different P. infestans effectors, containing the conserved motif RXLR (for Arg, any amino acid, Leu, Arg), revealed a specific response to Avr2, which suggests that SW93-1015 might contain a functional homolog of the R2 resistance gene. We cloned eight R2 gene homologs from SW93-1015, whereof seven have...

Does SW Monsoon Influence Total Suspended Matter Flux into the Arabian Sea?

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Raghavan, B.R.; Chauhan, O.S.

Seasonal enhancement in the flux of total suspended matter (TSM) has been attributed to climatology of the SW monsoon (SWM) in time-series trap experiments conducted in the Arabian Sea. To determine the influence of climate on TSM flux, synoptic...

PUBLIC SERVANT TEACHERS' EVALUATION DURING THE INTERNSHIP PERIOD WITHIN THE AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY: TOWARDS THE EVALUATION OF THE TEACHING ROLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karmele Totoricagüena Barandica

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this communication is to present the experience developed in the Basque Country regarding to the evaluation of the public servants in their internship period during the academic year 2015-16. The aim of this work is also to contribute the obtained conclusions to the teachers practice evaluation corpus. In that direction, and for the formalisation of the evaluation, new tools and specific materials had been prepared. The intervention carried out by the inspection had been done first informing and then interacting with the participants involved. From the developed experience can be determined that the classroom observation, the autoevaluation and the exchange/contrast of the observed practices done between the inspection and the evaluated participant should be the key elements to monitor the teaching role.

Group unconscious common orientation: exploratory study at the Basque Foundation for the investigation of mental health group training for therapists

CERN Document Server

Trojaola Zapirain, Begona; Carminati, Federico; Gonzalez Torres, Miguel Angel; Gonzalez de Mendivil, Ernesto; Fouassier, Claire; Gex-Fabry, Marianne; Martin, Francois; Labarere, Jose; Demongeot, Jacques; Lorincz, Erika Nora

2014-01-01

Group phenomena have been used since antiquity in therapeutic, social, economic and political domains. According to Bion, the interactions between group members generate a ``group unconscious'' and its behavior is governed and oriented by Bion's ``basic assumptions.'' The present work has been conducted during group analysis training at the Basque Foundation for the Investigation of Mental Health (OMIE) at Bilbao, consisting of eleven sessions. The participants are presented with an ``absurd questionnaire'' proposing 50 pairs of images, in each of which one image has to be chosen. The results are used to search for evidence in favor of the influence of group dynamics on individual choices of the images proposed in the questionnaire. Our analysis finds some evidence for an effect of group dynamics both on the initial choice of the pictures and on the evolution of the number of changes (swaps) of picture choices across the eleven sessions. We interpret these effects in the light of Bion's view of group dynamics...

Comparative statistical analysis of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of uranium in groundwater samples from different regions of Punjab, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Saini, Komal; Singh, Parminder; Bajwa, Bikramjit Singh

2016-12-01

LED flourimeter has been used for microanalysis of uranium concentration in groundwater samples collected from six districts of South West (SW), West (W) and North East (NE) Punjab, India. Average value of uranium content in water samples of SW Punjab is observed to be higher than WHO, USEPA recommended safe limit of 30µgl -1 as well as AERB proposed limit of 60µgl -1 . Whereas, for W and NE region of Punjab, average level of uranium concentration was within AERB recommended limit of 60µgl -1 . Average value observed in SW Punjab is around 3-4 times the value observed in W Punjab, whereas its value is more than 17 times the average value observed in NE region of Punjab. Statistical analysis of carcinogenic as well as non carcinogenic risks due to uranium have been evaluated for each studied district. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metals and metalloids in fruits of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and their cultivation soils in the Basque Country: concentrations and accumulation trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez-Iruretagoiena, Azibar; Trebolazabala, Josu; Martinez-Arkarazo, Irantzu; de Diego, Alberto; Madariaga, Juan Manuel

2015-04-15

The concentrations of several elements (Al, Fe, As, Cu, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, and Zn) were measured in soils and the edible part of different vegetables (tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum "Raf") peppers (Capsicum annuum), chards (Betavulgaris var. cicla), artichokes (Cynarascholymus)) and fruits (Raspberries (Rubusidaeus)) from 13 orchards in the Basque Country affected by different pollution sources. Multivariate analysis of data was used to look for possible correlations between metals in soil and metals in the edible part of the plant. Only manganese showed a correlation significantly different from zero. The metal concentrations found in the edible part were always below the upper limits recommended by the European legislation in force. The Bioaccumulation Index was used to investigate how efficient the plant is to uptake an element from the cultivation soil and to preserve its edible part from the element. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Larger foraminifera distribution on a mesotrophic carbonate shelf in SW Sulawesi (Indonesia)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Renema, W.; Troelstra, S.R.

2001-01-01

Larger symbiont bearing foraminifera typically live in shallow tropical seas. In this study the fauna composition of patch reefs scattered over the Spermonde Shelf (SW Sulawesi, Indonesia), a mesotrophic carbonate shelf, is examined. The foraminiferal fauna of the Spermonde Shelf is characterised by

Neogene magmatism and its possible causal relationship with hydrocarbon generation in SW Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

Vásquez, Mónica; Altenberger, Uwe; Romer, Rolf L.

2009-07-01

The Cretaceous oil-bearing source and reservoir sedimentary succession in the Putumayo Basin, SW Colombia, was intruded by gabbroic dykes and sills. The petrological and geochemical character of the magmatic rocks shows calc-alkaline tendency, pointing to a subduction-related magmatic event. K/Ar dating of amphibole indicates a Late Miocene to Pliocene age (6.1 ± 0.7 Ma) for the igneous episode in the basin. Therefore, we assume the intrusions to be part of the Andean magmatism of the Northern Volcanic Zone (NVZ). The age of the intrusions has significant tectonic and economic implications because it coincides with two regional events: (1) the late Miocene/Pliocene Andean orogenic uplift of most of the sub-Andean regions in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia and (2) a pulse of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion that has reached the gas window. High La/Yb, K/Nb and La/Nb ratios, and the obtained Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions suggest the involvement of subducted sediments and/or the assimilation of oceanic crust of the subducting slab. We discuss the possibility that magma chamber(s) west of the basin, below the Cordillera, did increase the heat flow in the basin causing generation and expulsion of hydrocarbons and CO2.

Hot topics in modern cosmology - SW6 - Slides of the presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Starobinsky, A.A.; Gorbunov, D.; Reverberi, L.; Arbuzova, E.; Arbuzov, A.; Maeda, K.; Borowiec, A.; Moschella, U.; Karshenboim, S.; Tinyakov, P.; Watanabe, Y.; Deffrayet, C.; Pilo, L.; Rham, C. de; Fasiello, M.; Tolley, A.; Chernodub, M.; Kunze, K.; Berezhiani, Z.; Kamyshkov, Y.

2014-01-01

This spontaneous workshop (SW) brings together specialists on recent insights in particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. The aim is to stimulate debates on common topics in views of providing the scientific community with innovating ideas. The main topics are gravity, dark matter and cosmological models. This document is made of the slides of the presentations.

Distribution and evolution of sterols and aliphatic hydrocarbons in dated marine sediment cores from the Cabo Frio upwelling region, SW Atlantic, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Lourenço, Rafael André; Martins, César C; Taniguchi, Satie; Mahiques, Michel Michaelovitch; Montone, Rosalinda Carmela; Magalhães, Caio Augusto; Bícego, Márcia Caruso

2017-08-01

We report the distribution of selected lipid biomarkers specifically sterols and aliphatic hydrocarbons in sediment cores from Cabo Frio, SW Atlantic continental shelf, Brazil, corresponding approximately to the last 700 years. In the Cabo Frio region, a costal upwelling occurs as a quasi-seasonal phenomenon characterized by nutrient-rich bottom waters that intrude on the continental shelf and promote relatively high biological productivity compared to other Brazilian continental shelf areas. The results for sterols indicate the predominance of organic matter (OM) inputs related to marine organisms, mainly plankton, in all of the cores along the time scale studied. Principal component analyses show three different groups of variables, which may be associated with (i) the more effective intrusion of the nutrient-rich South Atlantic Central Water, resulting in the increase of marine lipid biomarkers such as sterols and short-chain n-alkanes; (ii) the influence of the Coastal Water with higher surface water temperature and subsequently lower primary productivity; and (iii) OM characterized by high total organic carbon and long-chain n-alkanes related to an allochthonous source. Relatively high concentrations of sterols and n-alkanes between 1450 and 1700 AD, chronologically associated with the Little Ice Age, suggest a period associated with changes in the local input of specific sources of these compounds. The concentrations of lipid biomarkers vary over core depth, but this does not suggest a notably high or low intensity of upwelling processes. It is possible that the climatic and sea surface temperature changes reported in previous studies did not affect the input of the sedimentary lipid biomarkers analyzed here.

Comparison of SW and TW non-synchronous accelerating cavities as used in electron beam storage rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zolfaghari, A.; Demos, P.T.; Flanz, J.B.; Jacobs, K.

1991-01-01

The authors relate the parameters of detuned standing wave (SW) and non-synchronous beam travelling wave (TW) accelerating cavities of equivalent equilibrium performance when used to compensate for radiation and parasitic energy losses by electrons circulating in a high energy electron storage ring. The relationship is expressed in terms of the coupling parameter β and cavity tuning angle ψ of the TW accelerator's equivalent SW system. A given TW cavity corresponds to a standing wave system possessing specific settings of β and ψ. This is shown for the constant impedance TW waveguide, for which β and ψ can be expressed as explicit functions of TW cavity length 1, attenuation factor I, RF electric field phase velocity V p , and shunt impedance r. Coupling parameter β depends additionally on SW cavity shunt impedance R. The basis they have used for formulating the equivalence of the two systems follows Travelling Wave Cavity Non-Synchronous Beam Loading theory developed by G.A. Loew and Standing Wave Circuit Analysis theory as described by P.B. Wilson

Comparative statistical analysis of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of uranium in groundwater samples from different regions of Punjab, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saini, Komal; Singh, Parminder; Bajwa, Bikramjit Singh

2016-01-01

LED flourimeter has been used for microanalysis of uranium concentration in groundwater samples collected from six districts of South West (SW), West (W) and North East (NE) Punjab, India. Average value of uranium content in water samples of SW Punjab is observed to be higher than WHO, USEPA recommended safe limit of 30 µg l −1 as well as AERB proposed limit of 60 µg l −1 . Whereas, for W and NE region of Punjab, average level of uranium concentration was within AERB recommended limit of 60 µg l −1 . Average value observed in SW Punjab is around 3–4 times the value observed in W Punjab, whereas its value is more than 17 times the average value observed in NE region of Punjab. Statistical analysis of carcinogenic as well as non carcinogenic risks due to uranium have been evaluated for each studied district. - Highlights: • Uranium level in groundwater samples have been assessed in different regions of Punjab. • Comparative study of carcinogenic and non carcinogenic effects of uranium has been done. • Wide variation has been found for different geological regions. • It has been found that South west Punjab is worst affected by uranium contamination in its water. • For west and north east regions of Punjab, uranium levels in groundwater laid under recommended safe limits.

Licoricidin inhibits the growth of SW480 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo by inducing cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ji, Shuai [State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191 (China); Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004 (China); Tang, Shunan; Li, Kai; Li, Ziwei; Liang, Wenfei; Qiao, Xue; Wang, Qi [State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191 (China); Yu, Siwang, E-mail: swang_yu@bjmu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191 (China); Ye, Min, E-mail: yemin@bjmu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191 (China)

2017-07-01

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) possesses significant anti-cancer activities, but the active ingredients and underlying mechanisms have not been revealed. By screening the cytotoxic activities of 122 licorice compounds against SW480 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, we found that licoricidin (LCD) inhibited SW480 cell viability with an IC{sub 50} value of 7.2 μM. Further studies indicated that LCD significantly induced G1/S cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in SW480 cells, accompanied by inhibition of cyclins/CDK1 expression and activation of caspase-dependent pro-apoptotic signaling. Meanwhile, LCD promoted autophagy in SW480 cells, and activated AMPK signaling and inhibited Akt/mTOR pathway. Overexpression of a dominant-negative AMPKα2 abolished LCD-induced inhibition of Akt/mTOR, autophagic and pro-apoptotic signaling pathways, and significantly reversed loss of cell viability, suggesting activation of AMPK is essential for the anti-cancer activity of LCD. In vivo anti-tumor experiments indicated that LCD (20 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly inhibited the growth of SW480 xenografts in nude mice with an inhibitory rate of 43.5%. In addition, we obtained the glycosylated product LCDG by microbial transformation, and found that glycosylation slightly enhanced the in vivo anti-cancer activities of LCD. This study indicates that LCD could inhibit SW480 cells by inducing cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy, and is a potential chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent against colorectal cancer. - Highlights: • Molecular mechanisms for cytotoxic activity of licoricidin (LCD) were investigated. • LCD promoted autophagy of SW480 cells through AMPK and Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. • Both LCD and its glucoside showed in vivo anti-colorectal cancer activities.

Far-ultraviolet Bidirectional Photometry of Apollo Soil 10084: New Results from The Southwest Ultraviolet Reflectance Chamber (SwURC).

Science.gov (United States)

Raut, U.

2017-12-01

We report new measurements of the far-ultraviolet (115-180 nm) bidirectional reflectance of Apollo soil 10084 in the Southwest Ultraviolet Reflectance Chamber (SwURC). We find the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) to be featureless in this wavelength region, though with a small blue slope. The angular distribution of the BRDF at Ly-α and 160 nm shows that this mature mare soil, containing nanophase Fe and enriched in Ti, anisotropically scatters light in the forward direction. The phase angle dependence of the BRDF is fitted with Hapke's photometric model with an additional diffuse-directional term. Future plans include measurements of mare and highland soils of differing maturity index (Is/FeO), water ice frost and lunar soil-ice aggregates. Such measurements will help constrain the abundance and distribution of the water ice on the illuminated lunar surface and dark permanently shadowed regions of the moon, as reported by LRO-LAMP.

Enhanced production of poly glutamic acid by Bacillus sp. SW1-2 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bacillus sp. SW1-2 producing poly glutamic acid (PGA), locally isolated from Eastern province in Saudi Arabia, was characterized and identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed its closeness to Bacillus megaterium. The homopolymer consists mainly of glutamic as indicated in the ...

Perturbative determination of c{sub sw} for plaquette and Symanzik gauge action and stout link clover fermions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Horsley, R. [Edinburgh Univ. (United Kingdom). School of Physics; Perlt, H.; Schiller, A. [Leipzig Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik; Rakow, P.E.L. [Liverpool Univ. (United Kingdom). Theoretical Physics Division, Dept. of Mathematical Sicences; Schierholz, G. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

2008-06-15

Using plaquette and Symanzik improved gauge action and stout link clover fermions we determine the improvement coefficient c{sub SW} in one-loop lattice perturbation theory from the off-shell quark-quark-gluon three-point function. In addition, we compute the coefficients needed for the most general form of quark field improvement and present the one-loop result for the critical hopping parameter {kappa}{sub c}. We discuss mean field improvement for c{sub SW} and {kappa}{sub c} and the choice of the mean field coupling for the actions we have considered. (orig.)

Assessment of radiation dose due to intake of uranium through ground water and its carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks in SW and NE Punjab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajwa, B.S.

2017-01-01

In the present investigations, Laser Fluorimetry technique has been used for the microanalysis of uranium content in drinking water samples collected from different sources like the hand pumps, tube wells of various depths from wide range of locations in the four districts of SW-Punjab, India and two districts of NE - Punjab, India. The purpose of this study was to investigate the uranium concentration levels of ground water being used for drinking and to determine its health effects, if any, to the local population of these regions

Two populations of double minute chromosomes harbor distinct amplicons, the MYC locus at 8q24.2 and a 0.43-Mb region at 14q24.1, in the SW613-S human carcinoma cell line.

Science.gov (United States)

Guillaud-Bataille, M; Brison, O; Danglot, G; Lavialle, C; Raynal, B; Lazar, V; Dessen, P; Bernheim, A

2009-01-01

High-level amplifications observed in tumor cells are usually indicative of genes involved in oncogenesis. We report here a high resolution characterization of a new amplified region in the SW613-S carcinoma cell line. This cell line contains tumorigenic cells displaying high-level MYC amplification in the form of double minutes (DM(+) cells) and non tumorigenic cells exhibiting low-level MYC amplification in the form of homogeneously staining regions (DM(-) cells). Both cell types were studied at genomic and functional levels. The DM(+) cells display a second amplification, corresponding to the 14q24.1 region, in a distinct population of DMs. The 0.43-Mb amplified and overexpressed region contains the PLEK2, PIGH, ARG2, VTI1B, RDH11, and ZFYVE26 genes. Both amplicons were stably maintained upon in vitro and in vivo propagation. However, the 14q24.1 amplicon was not found in cells with high-level MYC amplification in the form of HSRs, either obtained after spontaneous integration of endogenous DM MYC copies or after transfection of DM(-) cells with a MYC gene expression vector. These HSR-bearing cells are highly tumorigenic. The 14q24.1 amplification may not play a role in malignancy per se but might contribute to maintaining the amplification in the form of DMs. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

COxSwAIN: Compressive Sensing for Advanced Imaging and Navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Kurwitz, Richard; Pulley, Marina; LaFerney, Nathan; Munoz, Carlos

2015-01-01

The COxSwAIN project focuses on building an image and video compression scheme that can be implemented in a small or low-power satellite. To do this, we used Compressive Sensing, where the compression is performed by matrix multiplications on the satellite and reconstructed on the ground. Our paper explains our methodology and demonstrates the results of the scheme, being able to achieve high quality image compression that is robust to noise and corruption.

Detection of Cytotoxic Activity of Lectin on Human Colon Adenocarcinoma (Sw480 and Epithelial Cervical Carcinoma (C33-A

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirandeli Bautista

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Lectins comprise a heterogeneous class of proteins that recognize the carbohydrate moieties of glycoconjugates with high specificity. Numerous studies have shown that lectins are capable of recognizing specific carbohydrate moieties displayed by malignant cells or tissues. The present work was performed to investigate the effects of tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius lectins on proliferation, colony formation, and alteration of DNA synthesis of human malignant cells. Tepary bean lectin showed dose dependent  effects on the inhibition of viability as well as on colony formation in two human malignant cells lines (C33-A, Sw480; By contrast, tepary bean lectin only showed significant effects on DNA synthesis on Sw480 cells. Our results provide evidence of the anti- proliferative and cytotoxic effects of the tepary bean lectins on C33-A and Sw480 cells lines.

Calamagrostis nyingchiensis, a new combination for Deyeuxia nyingchiensis (Poaceae: Agrostidinae, and its first record from Yunnan Province, SW China

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Paszko Beata

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Deyeuxia nyingchiensis is here recombined as Calamagrostis nyingchiensis comb. nov. as a result of recent studies of worldwide Agrostidinae. A new record of C. nyingchiensis is reported from Shangri-la (Zhongdian County in Yunnan Province, SW China. Previously, C. nyingchiensis was noted from eastern Xizang and southern Sichuan, SW China. It is compared with the morphologically similar species C. scabrescens. A map with all known geographic records of C. nyingchiensis is presented.

Local and regional factors affecting the chemistry of precipitation in the spanish basque country

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ezcurra, A.; Durana, N.; Casado, H.; Lacaux, J.P.; Pham Van Dinh; Garcia, C.

1991-01-01

The study deals with near 300 rain events sampled by means of a network of five automatic devices operating from January 1986 to November 1988. The results show that, on a local-scale, the rain chemistry is affected by the marine source of gases and particles. On a regional-scale, values of pH ranging from 5.5 to 4.8 are noticed. The acidity of rain has an anthropogenic origin that is mainly linked to the NO 3 - content. The acidity is reinforced by air flow from continental Europe. By contrast, rain water with a basic character is related to the air fluxes from Southern Spain that increase the rain content in Ca 2+ [fr

ESTABILIDAD DE ANTOCIANINAS EN JUGO Y CONCENTRADO DE AGRAZ (VACCINIUM MERIDIONALE SW. STABILITY OF ANTHOCYANINS IN JUICE AND CONCENTRATE OF AGRAZ(VACCINIUM MERIDIONALE SW.

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José Jobanny Martínez Zambrano

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Se estudió la cinética de la estabilidad térmica y de almacenamiento de las antocianinas en jugo y concentrado de agraz (Vaccinium meridionale Sw. siguiendo una cinética de primer orden. La degradación de las antocianinas con la temperatura fue modelada adecuadamente con la ecuación de Arrhenius. El efecto del pH en la estabilidad térmica de las antocianinas en los concentrados de agraz se estudió a seis diferentes valores (3,0 - 8,0 en buffer citrato-fosfato. La degradación de las antocianinas fue mayor para el jugo que para el concentrado. Una disminución significante en la estabilidad de las antocianinas del concentrado se observó a pH cercano a 5,0.The kinetics of thermal and storage stabilities of anthocyanins in agraz (Vaccinium meridionale Sw. juice and concentrate were studied with first-order reaction kinetics. The temperature-dependent degradation was adequately modeled on the Arrhenius equation. The effect of pH on thermal stability of anthocyanins in concentrate of agraz was studied at six different pHs (3.0 - 8.0 in citrate-phosphate buffer solutions. The results indicated that anthocyanins degradation was higher in juice than concentrate. A significant decrease in anthocyanin stability was observed at pHs above 5.0.

Survey of compressions in the SW (1 AU), and after termination shock at Voyager (in sheath & LISM)

Science.gov (United States)

Berdichevsky, D. B.

2017-12-01

Examples of the plasma compression as it is observed in the solar wind at 1 AU with the suite of instruments in the SC Wind, and after the termination shock with both Voyager SC, as well as with Voyager 1 in the local interstellar medium (LISM) are presented. The work will focus on similarities and differences in the observations at the different locations. At priory is fair to mention that the 4 regions differ in several aspects. At 1 AU the solar wind (SW) flow is mostly alfvenic. In the sheath after the termination shock the possibly subsonic solar wind is mostly compressional but fluctuation modes in scales of one hour are much less observed at Voyager 1 than at Voyager 2 path. Finally Burlaga and Ness1 documented the nature of the compressional flow in the `depletion' layer at the start of the LISM as well later in this medium, showing the low plasma-beta character of this LISM region in Voyager 1 path. 1Burlaga L.F., and N. Ness, ApJ, 784, 146 (14pp), 2014.

Lipdubs as a tool to conquer social influence. A study of four paradigmatic cases made in Quebec, USA, Catalonia and the Basque Country

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Txema Ramírez-de-la-Piscina-Martínez

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This article summarizes the principal conclusions of an investigation carried out by the author into lipdub as an instrument used in order to get more social influence. The analyzed lipdubs are the following: “I gotta feeling-UQAM”, performed by students of Communication in Quebec, (in early 2012, it was the most viewed lipdub on the Internet; “The Grand Rapids” (this lipdub holds the record for hits per day on the web; “Lipddub Indepèndencia” (it held the world record for the number of participants – 5,771 and, finally, “Lipdub Kukutza”, the most viewed lipdub in the Basque Country. This work claims that, at this time, a good lipdub can be a crucial tool for social movements in order to overcome the invisibility with which the mass-media often punishes any expression which challenges mainstream tendencies.

Amphibians and agrochemicals: Dermal contact and pesticide uptake from irrigated croplands in SW Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Background/Question/Methods Although isolated wetlands comprise a significant portion of amphibian breeding habitats throughout the United States, they are not protected under the Clean Water Act. In SW Georgia where agriculture is dominant within the landscape, many isolated ...

Redefinition of the genera Malaxis Sol. ex Sw. and Microstylis (Nutt. Eaton (Orchidaceae, Epidendroideae

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Dariusz L. Szlachetko

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A new definition of the genera Malaxis Sol. ex Sw. and Microstylis (Nutt. Eaton is presented. The genera are briefly described and illustrated. A list of Microstylis species is added. Four new nomenclatural combinations are proposed.

The influence of survivin shRNA on the cell cycle and the invasion of SW480 cells of colorectal carcinoma

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Yu Jin

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The objective was to understand the influence of Survivin plasmid with short hairpin RNA (shRNA on the cell cycle, invasion, and the silencing effect of Survivin gene in the SW480 cell of colorectal carcinoma. Methods A eukaryotic expression vector, PGCH1/Survivin shRNA, a segment sequence of Survivin as target, was created and transfected into colorectal carcinoma cell line SW480 by the non-lipid method. The influence on the Survivin protein was analyzed by Western blotting, while the cell cycle, cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry, and invasion of the cell was analyzed by Transwell's chamber method. Results After the transfection of PGCH1/Survivin shRNA, the expression of Survivin protein in SW480 cells was dramatically decreased by 60.68%, in which the cells were stopped at G2/M phase, even though no apoptosis was detected. The number of transmembranous cells of the experimental group, negative control group, and blank control group were 14.46 ± 2.11, 25.12 ± 8.37, and 25.86 ± 7.45, respectively (P 0.05. Conclusion Survivin shRNA could significantly reduce the expression of Survivin protein and invasion of SW480 cells. Changes in cell cycle were observed, but no apoptosis was induced.

Desenredando las identidades soberanistas vasca y catalana: un Análisis de Redes Sociales de las etiquetas de Twitter #BasquesDecide y #Up4Freedom

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Jordi Morales i Gras

2015-09-01

Full Text Available La intención de este artículo es identificar y comparar mediante técnicas de Análisis de Redes Sociales algunos de los agentes que contribuyen de manera relevante al proceso de configuración de identidades políticas soberanistas en el País Vasco y en Cataluña, así como atender a las relaciones establecidas entre los participantes de los debates bajo las etiquetas #BasquesDecide y #Up4Freedom. El artículo muestra que existen diferencias sustanciales entre las comunicaciones establecidas en Twitter bajo ambas etiquetas tanto por lo que respecta a la participación de sus usuarios como por el tipo de usuarios que gozan de mayor influencia o poder en las redes y las dinámicas que configuran sus comunidades.

Work Integration Social Enterprises. Devices for the promotion of social inclusion and labour activation of the most vulnerable immigrants. The case of the Basque Country

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Esther Aretxabala

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article highlights the role played by Work Integration Social Enterprises as mechanisms which offer jobs to people with difficulties entering the ordinary labour market through social and employment programmes which promote the employability of beneficiaries, some of whom are international immigrants. Despite their quantity, which now amounts to more than 5.7 million in Spain – the 12.2% of its population-, they make up a group that is specially exposed to social risks and levels of poverty. Such entrepreneurial devices, as transition companies for the labour activation and the social inclusion of the most vulnerable immigrants, contribute to the attainment of a more inclusive and cohesive society. We shall define the work of the Work Integration Social Enterprises in the Basque Country where the international migration is rated in the 6,6% in 2011.

Lateglacial and early Holocene tephrostratigraphy and sedimentology of the Store Slotseng basin, SW Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Jeppe Joel; Noe-Nygaard, Nanna

2014-01-01

The history of the Lateglacial and Preboreal sedimentary succession from the Store Slotseng kettle hole basin, SW Denmark is presented. A tephrostratigraphical and multi-proxy investigation of the sediments, including stable isotope geochemistry, reveals small- and large-scale changes in the surr...

Production, purification and characterization of an exo-polygalacturonase from Penicillium janthinellum sw09

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YUPING MA

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT A soil isolate, Penicillium janthinellum sw09 has been found to produce significant amounts of an extracellular pectinase subsequently characterized as exo-polygalacturonase (exo-PG. By optimizing growth conditions, P. janthinellum sw09 produced high amount of exo-PG (16.54 units/mL. The crude enzyme was purified by gel filtration chromatography and two exo-PG activity peaks (designated as PGI and PGII were revealed. On SDS-PAGE analysis, purified PGII using DEAE-Sepharose FF column, was found to be a single band with a molecular mass of 66.2 kDa. The purified PGII exhibited maximal activity at the temperature of 45 oC and pH 5.0. The stability profiles show that PGII is more stable in the pH range of 4.0-8.0 and below 60 oC. The Km and Vmax for the enzyme was 1.74 mg/mL and 18.08 μmol/ (mL•min, respectively. Due to this enzymatic characterization, this pectinase is an attractive candidate for applications in degradation of pectin.

5-Geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin inhibits colon cancer (SW480) cells growth by inducing apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Jaiprakash R; Jayaprakasha, Guddadarangavvanahally K; Kim, Jinhee; Murthy, Kotamballi N Chidambara; Chetti, Mahadev B; Nam, Sang-Yong; Patil, Bhimanagouda S

2013-03-01

For the first time, three coumarins were isolated from the hexane extract of limes (Citrus aurantifolia) and purified by flash chromatography. The structures were identified by NMR (1D, 2D) and mass spectral analyses as 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin, limettin, and isopimpinellin. These compounds inhibited human colon cancer (SW-480) cell proliferation, with 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin showing the highest inhibition activity (67 %) at 25 µM. Suppression of SW480 cell proliferation by 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin was associated with induction of apoptosis, as evidenced by annexin V staining and DNA fragmentation. In addition, 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin arrested cells at the G0/G1 phase, and induction of apoptosis was demonstrated through the activation of tumour suppressor gene p53, caspase8/3, regulation of Bcl2, and inhibition of p38 MAPK phosphorylation. These findings suggest that 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin has potential as a cancer preventive agent. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

SPATIAL VARIATIONS OF PAH PROPERTIES IN M17SW REVEALED BY SPITZER /IRS SPECTRAL MAPPING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamagishi, M. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara 252-5210 (Japan); Kaneda, H.; Ishihara, D.; Oyabu, S.; Suzuki, T.; Nishimura, A.; Kohno, M. [Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602 (Japan); Onaka, T.; Ohashi, S. [Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Nagayama, T.; Matsuo, M. [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-35 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Umemoto, T.; Minamidani, T.; Fujita, S. [Nobeyama Radio Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), 462-2, Nobeyama, Minamimaki, Minamisaku, Nagano 384-1305 (Japan); Tsuda, Y., E-mail: yamagish@ir.isas.jaxa.jp [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Meisei University, 2-1-1 Hodokubo, Hino, Tokyo 191-0042 (Japan)

2016-12-20

We present Spitzer /IRS mid-infrared spectral maps of the Galactic star-forming region M17 as well as IRSF/SIRIUS Br γ and Nobeyama 45 m/FOREST {sup 13}CO ( J = 1–0) maps. The spectra show prominent features due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at wavelengths of 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, 11.3, 12.0, 12.7, 13.5, and 14.2  μ m. We find that the PAH emission features are bright in the region between the H ii region traced by Br γ and the molecular cloud traced by {sup 13}CO, supporting that the PAH emission originates mostly from photo-dissociation regions. Based on the spatially resolved Spitzer /IRS maps, we examine spatial variations of the PAH properties in detail. As a result, we find that the interband ratio of PAH 7.7  μ m/PAH 11.3  μ m varies locally near M17SW, but rather independently of the distance from the OB stars in M17, suggesting that the degree of PAH ionization is mainly controlled by local conditions rather than the global UV environments determined by the OB stars in M17. We also find that the interband ratios of the PAH 12.0  μ m, 12.7  μ m, 13.5  μ m, and 14.2  μ m features to the PAH 11.3  μ m feature are high near the M17 center, which suggests structural changes of PAHs through processing due to intense UV radiation, producing abundant edgy irregular PAHs near the M17 center.

Monitoring the potential introduction of the Swedish Chlamydia trachomatis variant (swCT) in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morré, S. A.; Catsburg, A.; de Boer, M.; Spaargaren, J.; de Vries, H. J. C.; Schirm, J.; Savelkoul, P. H. M.; van Steenbergen, J.; Swaan, C.

2007-01-01

This report describes the actions of public health experts in cooperation with specialists in sexually transmitted diseases (STD), epidemiologists and (molecular) microbiologists to investigate the possible introduction of the swCT variant in the Netherlands: 1. Investigating trends in CT

Supporting document for the SW Quadrant Historical Tank Content Estimate for U-Tank Farm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brevick, C.H.; Gaddis, L.A.; Johnson, E.D.

1994-06-01

This Supporting Document provides historical characterization information gathered on U-Tank Farm, such as historical waste transfer and level data, tank physical information, temperature data, sampling data, and drywell and liquid observation well data for Historical Tank Content Estimate of the SW Quadrant at the Hanford 200 West Area

Supporting Document for the SW Quadrant Historical Tank Content Estimate for SX-Tank Farm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brevick, C.H.; Gaddis, L.A.; Johnson, E.D.

1994-06-01

This Supporting Document provides historical characterization information gathered on SX-Tank Farm, such as historical waste transfer and level data, tank physical information, temperature data, sampling data, and drywell and liquid observation well data for Historical Tank Content Estimate of the SW Quadrant at the Hanford 200 West Area

Ostreid herpesvirus in wild oysters from the Huelva coast (SW Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

López-Sanmartín, M; López-Fernández, J R; Cunha, M E; De la Herrán, R; Navas, J I

2016-08-09

This is the first report of ostreid herpesvirus 1 microvariant (OsHV-1 µVar) infecting natural oyster beds located in Huelva (SW Spain). The virus was detected in 3 oyster species present in the intertidal zone: Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793), C. angulata (Lamarck, 1819) and, for the first time, in Ostrea stentina Payraudeau, 1826. Oysters were identified by a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and posterior restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis based on cytochrome oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial DNA. Results confirmed that C. angulata still remains the dominant oyster population in SW Spain despite the introduction of C. gigas for cultivation in the late 1970s, and its subsequent naturalization. C. angulata shows a higher haplotype diversity than C. gigas. OsHV-1 virus was detected by PCR with C2/C6 pair primers. Posterior RFLP analyses with the restriction enzyme MfeI were done in order to reveal the OsHV-1 µVar. Detections were confirmed by DNA sequencing, and infections were evidenced by in situ hybridization in C. gigas, C. angulata and O. stentina samples. The prevalence was similar among the 3 oyster species but varied between sampling locations, being higher in areas with greater harvesting activities. OsHV-1 µVar accounted for 93% of all OsHV-1 detected.

Search for near-infrared counterparts of IRAS embedded sources in the M17 SW giant molecular cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmegreen, D.M.; Phillips, J.; Beck, K.; Thomas, H.; Howard, J.

1988-01-01

Wide-field near-infrared and blue band plates of the region containing the M17 giant molecular cloud complex have been blinked to locate bright near-infrared stars that may be embedded in the M17 SW giant molecular cloud. Twenty such stars coincided with the positions of IRAS point sources that appeared embedded based on color-color diagrams. Some of these stars may be the sources of the infrared luminosities. Of the 20 stars, seven were too faint to appear on the B band plate. The optical magnitudes and colors determined from the plate image diameters were measured for the other 13 coincident stars; they are most likely upper main-sequence or pre-main-sequence stars with extinctions of 7 mag. The IRAS luminosity-temperature diagram indicates that the embedded sources in M17 are more massive than those in the Orion cloud. 35 references

Capillary pressure and saturation relations for supercritical CO2 and brine in sand: High-pressure Pc(Sw) controller/meter measurements and capillary scaling predictions

Science.gov (United States)

Tokunaga, Tetsu K.; Wan, Jiamin; Jung, Jong-Won; Kim, Tae Wook; Kim, Yongman; Dong, Wenming

2013-08-01

In geologic carbon sequestration, reliable predictions of CO2 storage require understanding the capillary behavior of supercritical (sc) CO2. Given the limited availability of measurements of the capillary pressure (Pc) dependence on water saturation (Sw) with scCO2 as the displacing fluid, simulations of CO2 sequestration commonly rely on modifying more familiar air/H2O and oil/H2O Pc(Sw) relations, adjusted to account for differences in interfacial tensions. In order to test such capillary scaling-based predictions, we developed a high-pressure Pc(Sw) controller/meter, allowing accurate Pc and Sw measurements. Drainage and imbibition processes were measured on quartz sand with scCO2-brine at pressures of 8.5 and 12.0 MPa (45°C), and air-brine at 21°C and 0.1 MPa. Drainage and rewetting at intermediate Sw levels shifted to Pc values that were from 30% to 90% lower than predicted based on interfacial tension changes. Augmenting interfacial tension-based predictions with differences in independently measured contact angles from different sources led to more similar scaled Pc(Sw) relations but still did not converge onto universal drainage and imbibition curves. Equilibrium capillary trapping of the nonwetting phases was determined for Pc = 0 during rewetting. The capillary-trapped volumes for scCO2 were significantly greater than for air. Given that the experiments were all conducted on a system with well-defined pore geometry (homogeneous sand), and that scCO2-brine interfacial tensions are fairly well constrained, we conclude that the observed deviations from scaling predictions resulted from scCO2-induced decreased wettability. Wettability alteration by scCO2 makes predicting hydraulic behavior more challenging than for less reactive fluids.

Alkaloids in Solanum torvum Sw (Solanaceae): (With 2 Tables & 1 Figure)

OpenAIRE

Pérez-Amador, MC; Muñoz Ocotero, V; García Castañeda, JM; González Esquinca, AR

2007-01-01

A comparison was made between plants of Solanum torvum Sw that grow in Chiapas, Mexico, and plants of the same species originating from India. This was effected to establish either similarities or differences between these plants in total alkaloid contents and presence of solasodine, an important alkaloid for the partial synthesis of steroids. The total alkaloid content (0.12%) of the plants coming from Chiapas and India was the same. However, solasodine was found only in the plants of Chiapa...

Alluvial plain dynamics and human occupation in SW Amazonia during the Holocene: A paleosol-based reconstruction

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardo, Umberto; Rodrigues, Leonor; Veit, Heinz

2018-01-01

The present study reconstructs Holocene fluvial dynamics in the southern Amazonian foreland basin through the analysis of 36 stratigraphic profiles taken along a 300 km long transect across the Llanos de Moxos (LM), in the Bolivian Amazon. Based on 50 radiocarbon ages from paleosols intercalated with fluvial sediments, the most important changes in floodplain dynamics on a millennial scale are reconstructed and the links between pre-Columbian cultural processes and environmental change in the region explored. Results show that the frequency of river avulsions and crevasses, as inferred from the number and age of the cored paleosols, is stable from 8k cal. yrs BP to 4k cal. yrs BP and increases significantly from 4k to 2k cal. yrs BP, following the strengthening of el Niño/la Niña cycle and an increase in average precipitation. Fluvial activity then decreases and reaches its minimum after 2k cal BP. A comparison between the stratigraphic record and the archaeological record shows a match between periods of landscape stability in SW Amazonia (low river activity) and periods of pre-Columbian human occupation. The first Amazonians lived in the LM until 4k yrs. BP, when an abrupt increase in the frequency of river avulsions and crevasses forced the abandonment of the region. After two thousand years of archaeological hiatus, which matches the period of highest river activity in the region, agriculturists reoccupied the Bolivian Amazon.

[The impact of patient identification on an integrated program of palliative care in Basque Country].

Science.gov (United States)

Larrañaga, Igor; Millas, Jesús; Soto-Gordoa, Myriam; Arrospide, Arantzazu; San Vicente, Ricardo; Irizar, Marisa; Lanzeta, Itziar; Mar, Javier

2017-12-05

Evaluate the process and the economic impact of an integrated palliative care program. Comparative cross-sectional study. Integrated Healthcare Organizations of Alto Deba and Goierri Alto-Urola, Basque Country. Patients dead due to oncologic and non-oncologic causes in 2012 (control group) and 2015 (intervention group) liable to need palliative care according to McNamara criteria. Identification as palliative patients in primary care, use of common clinical pathways in primary and secondary care and arrange training courses for health professionals. Change in the resource use profile of patients in their last 3 months. Propensity score by genetic matching method was used to avoid non-randomization bias. The groups were compared by univariate analysis and the relationships between variables were analysed by logistic regressions and generalized linear models. One thousand and twenty-three patients were identified in 2012 and 1,142 patients in 2015. In 2015 doubled the probability of being identify as palliative patient in deaths due to oncologic (19-33%) and non-oncologic causes (7-16%). Prescriptions of opiates rise (25-68%) and deaths in hospital remained stable. Contacts per patient with primary care and home hospitalization increased, while contacts with hospital admissions decreased. Cost per patient rise 26%. The integrated palliative care model increased the identification of the target population. Relationships between variables showed that the identification had a positive impact on prescription of opiates, death outside the hospital and extension to non-oncologic diseases. Although the identification decreased admissions in hospital, costs per patient had a slight increase due to home hospitalizations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A Pilot Study to Assess the Feasibility of the Spanish Diabetes Self-Management Program in the Basque Country

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Estibaliz Gamboa Moreno

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of the Spanish Diabetes Self-Management Program (SDSMP in the primary care setting of the Basque Health Service and offer initial estimations of the randomized controlled trial (RCT effects. Methods. Ten health centers (HCs participated in a single-arm pilot study with a 6-month follow-up period between February 2011 and June 2012. Recruitment was performed via invitation letters, health professionals, and the local media. Each intervention group consisted of 8–15 people. The ability of each HC in forming up to 2 groups, participants’ compliance with the course, and coordination and data collection issues were evaluated. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c was the main outcome variable. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular risk factors, drugs consumption, medical visits, quality of life, self-efficacy, physical exercise, and diet. Results. Two HCs did not organize a course. A total of 173 patients initiated the program, 2 dropped out without baseline data, and 90% completed it. No pre-post HbA1c differences existed. Certain improvements were observed in blood pressure control, self-efficacy, physical activity, and some dietary habits. Conclusion. The SDSMP is feasible in our setting. Our experience can be of interest when planning and conducting this program in similar health settings. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01642394.

Anticonvulsant effect of the ethanol extract of Caesalpiniapulcherrima (L. Sw., Fabaceae, leaves

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Dinesh Kumar

2010-08-01

Full Text Available In this study, ethanol extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L. Sw., Fabaceae, leaves (CPEE was investigated for anticonvulsant effect against maximal electroshock (MES and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ induced seizures in rats and mice at dose levels 200 and 400 mg/kg, i.p. respectively. Diazepam (3 mg/kg, i.p. was used as a standard anticonvulsant drug for comparison. CPEE was found to be safe up to the dose of 4000 mg/kg in mice, when administered intraperitoneally. The extract at 400 mg/kg dose produced significant (p<0.01 anticonvulsant effect w.r.t. control against PTZ-induced clonic seizures. In MES-induced seizure model, there were no significant alterations in the onset as well as duration of hind limb extension seizures as compared to control at a dose of 200 mg/kg when administered intraperitoneally. However, the extract (CPEE, 400 mg/kg i.p. significantly (p<0.01 delayed the onset as well as decreased the duration of hind limb extension seizures (HLES as compared to control. However, the extract, CPEE, percentage protection of the animals was increased at higher dose (200 mg/kg in both the models. The results of the study suggest that ethanol extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L. Sw. leaves possess anticonvulsant effect.

Qualitative and Quantitative Changes of Carbonate Rocks Exposed to SC CO2 (Basque-Cantabrian Basin, Northern Spain

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Edgar Berrezueta

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study aims at the qualitative and quantitative determination of porosity, mineralogical and textural changes in carbonate rock samples after injection of (i supercritical CO2-rich brine and (ii dry supercritical CO2, under similar experimental conditions (P ≈ 75 bar, T ≈ 35 °C, 970 h exposure time and no CO2 flow. The studied rocks were sampled in the western Basque-Cantabrian Basin, North Spain, and consist of vuggy carbonates (“Carniolas” of the Puerto de la Palombera formation (Hettangian. Mineralogical and pore space characterization is completed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and optical image analysis. In addition, X-ray fluorescence analyses are performed to refine the mineralogical information and to obtain whole rock geochemical data and the brine composition is analysed before and after the experiment. Mineralogical and chemical results indicate that the carbonate rocks exposed to supercritical CO2 in dry conditions do not suffer significant changes. However, the injection of supercritical CO2-rich brine induces chemical and physical changes in the rock due to the high reactivity of calcite at the low pH conditions produced by the acidified brine. Numerical modelling validates the experimental observations. These results can be used to characterize the behaviour of carbonate rocks under conditions similar to the vicinity of a CO2 injection well. The results should be considered only at the scale of the studied samples and not at reservoir scale.

Coastal vegetation: Patterns in a tourist region

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jagtap, T.G.; Desai, K.; Rodrigues, R.

, Ni and Co) by their incorporation and/or ad· sorption to authigenic mineral phases (ALTSCHCU;R, 19801. Earlier reports on geochemistry of sediments along Ihe C-SW coast of India are limited to MURTHY et ai" 1973; RAO et al., 1974 and RAJAMA."r, 1994... to about 2000 km 2 , also covering the nearest mud bank region. The samples were kept frozen prior to drying, grinding and analysis. Tex tural characteristics were determined following pipette anal ysis (KRUMBEIN and PETTIJOHN", 1938) and organic carbon...

Photometry of the SW Sextantis-type nova-like BH Lyncis in high state

Science.gov (United States)

Stanishev, V.; Kraicheva, Z.; Genkov, V.

2006-08-01

Aims.We present a photometric study of the deeply eclipsing SW Sex-type nova-like cataclysmic variable star BH Lyn. Methods: .Time-resolved V-band CCD photometry was obtained for seven nights between 1999 and 2004. Results: .We determined 11 new eclipse timings of BH Lyn and derived a refined orbital ephemeris with an orbital period of 0.155875577(14) °. During the observations, BH Lyn was in high-state with V≃15.5 mag. The star presents ~1.5 mag deep eclipses with mean full-width at half-flux of 0.0683(±0.0054)P_orb. The eclipse shape is highly variable, even changing form cycle to cycle. This is most likely due to accretion disc surface brightness distribution variations, most probably caused by strong flickering. Time-dependent accretion disc self-occultation or variations of the hot spot(s) intensity are also possible explanations. Negative superhumps with period of ˜0.145 ° are detected in two long runs in 2000. A possible connection between SW Sex and negative superhump phenomena through the presence of tilted accretion disc is discussed, and a way to observationally test this is suggested.

The Role of Biodiversity, Traditional Knowledge and Participatory Plant Breeding in Climate Change Adaptation in Karst Mountain Areas in SW China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Yiching; Li, Jingsong [Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy (China)

2011-07-15

This is a report of a country case study on the impacts of climate change and local people's adaptation. The research sites are located in the karst mountainous region in 3 SW China provinces - Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan – an area inhabited by 33 ethnic groups of small farmers and the poor, with rich Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) and culture. Climate change is exacerbating already harsh natural conditions and impacting on biodiversity of remote farmers living in extreme poverty, with very limited arable land. Genetic diversity has also suffered from the adoption of high yielding hybrids. Yet traditional varieties, related TK and Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) for maize and rice are showing real potential for resilience and adaptation.

Revisiting platinum group elements of Late Permian coals from western Guizhou Province, SW China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qi, Liang [State Key Lab of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550002 (China); Gao, Jianfeng [Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR (China)

2008-08-05

Twenty five coal samples from the Late Permian coal-bearing strata in Weining, Nayong, and Zhijin, western Guizhou Province, SW, China, were analyzed for platinum group elements (PGEs). The coal ashes were digested by the Carius tube technique and accurately measured by isotope dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) for all PGEs. The results are much lower than the previous reported values. Our study suggested that the previously reported PGE values are incorrect and may due to the polyatomic interferences in ICP-MS measurements. In our study, samples from the Weining coalfield have the lowest PGE contents (from 0.019 Ir to 0.42 ng/g Pd), which represent the PGE background value in coal in western Guizhou province. Some of the coals have Pt and Pd contents about 20-times higher than the background value, indicating PGEs are concentrated. We also reported new and reliable PGE data and background value of coal in western Guizhou province, SW, China, and suggested to rework the PGE background values of Chinese coals. (author)

Regional effects of Swiss needle cast disease and climate on growth of Douglas-fir in western Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

The fungal pathogen, Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, occurs wherever Douglas-fir is found but disease damage is believed to be limited to the Coast Range and is of no concern outside this region (Shaw et al., 2011). However, knowledge remains limited on the spatial distribution of Sw...

Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase type II beta is required for vitamin D receptor-dependent E-cadherin expression in SW480 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kouchi, Zen; Fujiwara, Yuki; Yamaguchi, Hideki; Nakamura, Yoshikazu; Fukami, Kiyoko

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We analyzed Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate kinase IIβ (PIPKIIβ) function in cancer. → PIPKIIβ is required for vitamin D receptor-mediated E-cadherin upregulation in SW480. → PIPKIIβ suppresses cellular motility through E-cadherin induction in SW480 cells. → Nuclear PIP 2 but not plasma membrane-localized PIP 2 mediates E-cadherin upregulation. -- Abstract: Numerous epidemiological data indicate that vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling induced by its ligand or active metabolite 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 ) has anti-cancer activity in several colon cancers. 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 induces the epithelial differentiation of SW480 colon cancer cells expressing VDR (SW480-ADH) by upregulating E-cadherin expression; however, its precise mechanism remains unknown. We found that phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate 4-kinase type II beta (PIPKIIβ) but not PIPKIIα is required for VDR-mediated E-cadherin induction in SW480-ADH cells. The syntenin-2 postsynaptic density protein/disc large/zona occludens (PDZ) domain and pleckstrin homology domain of phospholipase C-delta1 (PLCδ1 PHD) possess high affinity for phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P 2 ) mainly localized to the nucleus and plasma membrane, respectively. The expression of syntenin-2 PDZ but not PLCδ1 PHD inhibited 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 -induced E-cadherin upregulation, suggesting that nuclear PI(4,5)P 2 production mediates E-cadherin expression through PIPKIIβ in a VDR-dependent manner. PIPKIIβ is also involved in the suppression of the cell motility induced by 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 . These results indicate that PIPKIIβ-mediated PI(4,5)P 2 signaling is important for E-cadherin upregulation and inhibition of cellular motility induced by VDR activation.

WATER TEMPERATURE and Other Data from ALMIRANTE SALDANHA From SW Atlantic (limit-20 W) (NODC Accession 9700075)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton, phytoplankton, chlorophyll, and other data were collected from net and bottle casts in the SW Atlantic Ocean (limit-20 W) from the Almirante Saldanha...

Geochemistry of calcareous sediments from the SW Carlsberg Ridge: Evidence for deeper carbonate compensation depth

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Valsangkar, A.B.; Ambre, N.V.

Concentration of Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Zn, Ca, Mg, K, Al, Si, Ti, P and CaCO sub(3) show wide range for the calcareous sediments from SW Carlsberg Ridge (CR). Compared with the average pelagic clays, the CR sediments are enriched by Mg, Ni, Co, and Zn...

Nitrogen Dynamics in the Westerschelde Estuary (Sw Netherlands) Estimated by Means of the Ecosystem Model Moses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soetaert, K.E.R.; Herman, P.M.J.

1995-01-01

A tentative nitrogen budget for the Westerschelde (SW Netherlands) is constructed by means of a simulation model with thirteen spatial compartments. Biochemical and chemical processes in the water column are dynamically modeled; fluxes of dissolved constituents across the water-bottom interface are

COMPORTAMIENTO DEL CRECIMIENTO EN ALTURA DE Hibiscus elatus Sw CULTIVADA EN CONTENEDORES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Cobas-López

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Hibiscus elatus Sw. (majagua es una especie nativa de Cuba, incluida en los planes de reforestación del país por su importancia económica, ecológica y su condición de ser una madera preciosa. En el trabajo se describe el comportamiento en vivero del crecimiento en altura de la especie, cultivada en contenedores. Se utilizaron cuatro tipos de sustratos, que fueron los siguientes: S1- Turba (40 %, humus de lombriz (40 % y corteza de pino compostada (20 %; S2- Estiércol de caballo (45 %, composta (40 %, y humus de lombriz (15 %; S3- Humus de lombriz (30 %, composta (25 %, turba (25 %, y estiércol de caballo (20 %; S4- Testigo, consistente en suelo proveniente de una plantación de la especie. A través del análisis de regresión se probaron nueve modelos matemáticos del tipo y = f (x, polinómicos, exponenciales y logarítmicos. De acuerdo con el coeficiente de determinación obtenido, del análisis de residuos y la validación de los modelos, se comprobó que la función que mejor representa el crecimiento en altura de Hibiscus elatus Sw., para los sustratos estudiados fue b t y b e 1 = 0 + .

Properties of cast films made of chayote (Sechium edule Sw.) tuber starch reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

In this study, cellulose (C) and cellulose nanocrystals (CN) were blended with chayote tuber (Sechium edule Sw.) starch (CS) in formulations cast into films. The films were conditioned at different storage temperatures and relative humidity (RH), and analyzed by mechanical tests, X-ray diffraction, ...

Speculative dynamic vectorization to assist static vectorization in a HW/SW co-designed environment

OpenAIRE

Kumar, R.; Martinez, A.; Gonzalez, A.

2013-01-01

Compiler based static vectorization is used widely to extract data level parallelism from computation intensive applications. Static vectorization is very effective in vectorizing traditional array based applications. However, compilers inability to reorder ambiguous memory references severely limits vectorization opportunities, especially in pointer rich applications. HW/SW co-designed processors provide an excellent opportunity to optimize the applications at runtime. The availability of dy...

Rosiglitazone induces autophagy in H295R and cell cycle deregulation in SW13 adrenocortical cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerquetti, Lidia; Sampaoli, Camilla; Amendola, Donatella; Bucci, Barbara; Masuelli, Laura; Marchese, Rodolfo; Misiti, Silvia; De Venanzi, Agostino; Poggi, Maurizio; Toscano, Vincenzo; Stigliano, Antonio

2011-01-01

Thiazolidinediones, specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) ligands, used in type-2 diabetes therapy, show favourable effects in several cancer cells. In this study we demonstrate that the growth of H295R and SW13 adrenocortical cancer cells is inhibited by rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinediones member, even though the mechanisms underlying this effect appeared to be cell-specific. Treatment with GW9662, a selective PPAR-γ-inhibitor, showed that rosiglitazone acts through both PPAR-γ-dependent and -independent mechanisms in H295R, while in SW13 cells the effect seems to be independent of PPAR-γ. H295R cells treated with rosiglitazone undergo an autophagic process, leading to morphological changes detectable by electron microscopy and an increased expression of specific proteins such as AMPKα and beclin-1. The autophagy seems to be independent of PPAR-γ activation and could be related to an increase in oxidative stress mediated by reactive oxygen species production with the disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential, triggered by rosiglitazone. In SW13 cells, flow cytometry analysis showed an arrest in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle with a decrease of cyclin E and cdk2 activity, following the administration of rosiglitazone. Our data show the potential role of rosiglitazone in the therapeutic approach to adrenocortical carcinoma and indicate the molecular mechanisms at the base of its antiproliferative effects, which appear to be manifold and cell-specific in adrenocortical cancer lines.

Rosiglitazone induces autophagy in H295R and cell cycle deregulation in SW13 adrenocortical cancer cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cerquetti, Lidia; Sampaoli, Camilla [Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant' Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology ' Sapienza' University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa, 1035-00189 Rome (Italy); Research Center S. Pietro Hospital, Via Cassia, 600-00189 Rome (Italy); Amendola, Donatella; Bucci, Barbara [Research Center S. Pietro Hospital, Via Cassia, 600-00189 Rome (Italy); Masuelli, Laura [Department of Experimental Medicine, ' Sapienza' University of Rome, Rome (Italy); Marchese, Rodolfo [Research Center S. Pietro Hospital, Via Cassia, 600-00189 Rome (Italy); Misiti, Silvia [Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant' Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology ' Sapienza' University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa, 1035-00189 Rome (Italy); Research Center S. Pietro Hospital, Via Cassia, 600-00189 Rome (Italy); De Venanzi, Agostino; Poggi, Maurizio; Toscano, Vincenzo [Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant' Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology ' Sapienza' University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa, 1035-00189 Rome (Italy); Stigliano, Antonio, E-mail: antonio.stigliano@uniroma1.it [Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant' Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology ' Sapienza' University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa, 1035-00189 Rome (Italy); Research Center S. Pietro Hospital, Via Cassia, 600-00189 Rome (Italy)

2011-06-10

Thiazolidinediones, specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-{gamma} (PPAR-{gamma}) ligands, used in type-2 diabetes therapy, show favourable effects in several cancer cells. In this study we demonstrate that the growth of H295R and SW13 adrenocortical cancer cells is inhibited by rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinediones member, even though the mechanisms underlying this effect appeared to be cell-specific. Treatment with GW9662, a selective PPAR-{gamma}-inhibitor, showed that rosiglitazone acts through both PPAR-{gamma}-dependent and -independent mechanisms in H295R, while in SW13 cells the effect seems to be independent of PPAR-{gamma}. H295R cells treated with rosiglitazone undergo an autophagic process, leading to morphological changes detectable by electron microscopy and an increased expression of specific proteins such as AMPK{alpha} and beclin-1. The autophagy seems to be independent of PPAR-{gamma} activation and could be related to an increase in oxidative stress mediated by reactive oxygen species production with the disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential, triggered by rosiglitazone. In SW13 cells, flow cytometry analysis showed an arrest in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle with a decrease of cyclin E and cdk2 activity, following the administration of rosiglitazone. Our data show the potential role of rosiglitazone in the therapeutic approach to adrenocortical carcinoma and indicate the molecular mechanisms at the base of its antiproliferative effects, which appear to be manifold and cell-specific in adrenocortical cancer lines.

Silencing of the hTERT gene by shRNA inhibits colon cancer SW480 cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ai-Qun Liu

Full Text Available Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT is the key enzyme responsible for synthesizing and maintaining the telomeres on the ends of chromosomes, and it is essential for cell proliferation. This has made hTERT a focus of oncology research and an attractive target for anticancer drug development. In this study, we designed a small interfering RNA (siRNA targeting the catalytic subunit of hTERT and tested its effects on the growth of telomerase-positive human colon carcinoma SW480 cells in vitro, as well as on the tumorigenicity of these cells in nude mice. Transient and stable transfection of hTERT siRNA into colon cancer SW480 cells suppressed hTERT expression, reduced telomerase activity and inhibited cell growth and proliferation. Knocking down hTERT expression in SW480 tumors xenografted into nude mice significantly slowed tumor growth and promoted tumor cell apoptosis. Our results suggest that hTERT is involved in carcinogenesis of human colon carcinoma, and they highlight the therapeutic potential of a hTERT knock-down approach.

Tungsten/wolfram: A little-known connection between the 18th century Basque Country and SOFT 2014 in Donostia/San Sebastián

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Román, Pascual; Ascasíbar, Enrique

2015-01-01

Highlights: • SOFT 2014 has taken place in Donostia/San Sebastián. • Tungsten/wolfram (W) is a strategic material for the development of fusion. • W was isolated very close to Donostia in the late 18th century as a result of a combination of fortunate circumstances. • This fact is largely unknown even to the fusion materials experts working with W. • We describe this story with some detail. - Abstract: This paper is intended as a preface of the special issue that Fusion Engineering and Design will devote to the best papers presented in the Symposium on Fusion Technology, 2014 (SOFT 2014) that took place in Donostia/San Sebastián. It is a historical note dwelling on the largely unknown story of the isolation of tungsten/wolfram in Spain, more precisely, in the Basque Country, very close to Donostia/San Sebastián, in the late 18th century. Given the current strategic importance of tungsten in the development of fusion as a viable energy source we think it is timely to recall the protagonists and the circumstances involved in the isolation of this metal.

The prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks in SW Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiewra, Dorota; Zaleśny, Grzegorz; Czułowska, Aleksandra

2014-01-01

Ticks constitute important vectors of human and animal pathogens. Besides the Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis, other pathogens such as Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, are of increasing public health interest. In Poland, as in other European countries, Ixodes ricinus, the most prevalent tick species responsible for the majority of tick bites in humans, is the main vector of A. phagocytophilum. The aim of the study was to estimate the infection level of I. ricinus with A. phagocytophilum in selected districts, not previously surveyed for the presence of this agent. Sampling of questing ticks was performed in 12 forested sites, located in four districts (Legnica, Milicz, Lubań, and Oława) in SW Poland. Altogether, 792 ticks (151 females, 101 males, and 540 nymphs) representing I. ricinus were checked for the presence of A. phagocytophilum. The average infection level was 4.3%, with higher rate reported for adult ticks. The highest percentage of infected adults was observed in Milicz (17.4%) and the lowest in Oława (6.8%). The abundance of questing I. ricinus in all examined sites as well as the infection with A. phagocytophilum indicate for the first time the risk for HGA transmission in SW Poland.

Cell and nuclear enlargement of SW480 cells induced by a plant lignan, arctigenin: evaluation of cellular DNA content using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Kyungsu; Lee, Hee Ju; Yoo, Ji-Hye; Jho, Eun Hye; Kim, Chul Young; Kim, Minkyun; Nho, Chu Won

2011-08-01

Arctigenin is a natural plant lignan previously shown to induce G(2)/M arrest in SW480 human colon cancer cells as well as AGS human gastric cancer cells, suggesting its use as a possible cancer chemopreventive agent. Changes in cell and nuclear size often correlate with the functionality of cancer-treating agents. Here, we report that arctigenin induces cell and nuclear enlargement of SW480 cells. Arctigenin clearly induced the formation of giant nuclear shapes in SW480, as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopic observation and quantitative determination of nuclear size. Cell and nuclear size were further assessed by flow cytometric analysis of light scattering and fluorescence pulse width after propidium iodide staining. FSC-H and FL2-W values (parameters referring to cell and nuclear size, respectively) significantly increased after arctigenin treatment; the mean values of FSC-H and FL2-W in arctigenin-treated SW480 cells were 572.6 and 275.1, respectively, whereas those of control cells were 482.0 and 220.7, respectively. Our approach may provide insights into the mechanism behind phytochemical-induced cell and nuclear enlargement as well as functional studies on cancer-treating agents.

Potential of Pseudoshikonin I Isolated from Lithospermi Radix as Inhibitors of MMPs in IL-1β-Induced SW1353 Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dae Young Lee

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Pseudoshikonin I, the new bioactive constituent of Lithospermi radix, was isolated from this methanol extract by employing reverse-phase medium-pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC using acetonitrile/water solvent system as eluents. The chemical structure was determined based on spectroscopic techniques, including 1D NMR (1H, 13C, DEPT, 2D NMR (gCOSY, gHMBC, gHMQC, and QTOF/MS data. In this study, we demonstrated the effect of pseudoshikonin I on matrix-metalloproteinase (MMPs activation and expression in interleukin (IL-1β-induced SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells. MMPs are considered important for the maintenance of the extracellular matrix. Following treatment with PS, active MMP-1, -2, -3, -9, -13 and TIMP-2 were quantified in the SW1353 cell culture supernatants using a commercially available ELISA kit. The mRNA expression of MMPs in SW1353 cells was measured by RT-PCR. Pseudoshikonin I treatment effectively protected the activation on all tested MMPs in a dose-dependent manner. TIMP-2 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated by pseudoshikonin I treatment. Overall, we elucidated the inhibitory effect of pseudoshikonin on MMPs, and we suggest its use as a potential novel anti-osteoarthritis agent.

Effects of cisplatin and γ-irradiation on cell survival, the induction of chromosomal aberrations and apoptosis in SW-1573 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergs, J.W.J.; Franken, N.A.P.; Cate, R. ten; Bree, C. van; Haveman, J.

2006-01-01

Purpose: Cisplatin was found to radiosensitize SW-1573 cells by inhibition of PLDR. Therefore, it was investigated whether cisplatin combined with γ-radiation leads to an increase in the number of chromosomal aberrations or apoptotic cells compared with radiation alone. Methods: Confluent cultures of the human lung carcinoma cell line SW-1573 were treated with 1 μM cisplatin for 1 h, 4 Gy γ-radiation, or a combination of both. Cell survival was studied by the clonogenic assay. Aberrations were analysed by FISH in prematurely condensed chromosomes (PCC) and the induction of apoptosis by counting fragmented nuclei. Results: A radiosensitizing effect of cisplatin on cell survival was observed if time for PLDR was allowed. An increased number of chromosomal fragments were observed immediately after irradiation compared with 24 h after irradiation whereas color junctions are only formed 24 h after irradiation. No increase in chromosomal aberrations was found after combined treatment, but a significantly enhanced number of fragmented nuclei were observed when confluent cultures were replated after allowing PLDR. Conclusion: The inhibition of PLDR by cisplatin in delayed plated SW-1573 cells did not increase chromosomal aberrations, but increased the induction of apoptosis

Suppressed invasive and migratory behaviors of SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells through the regulation of Src, Rac1 GTPase, and MMP13.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wenxiao; Wan, Qiaoqiao; Na, Sungsoo; Yokota, Hiroki; Yan, Jing-Long; Hamamura, Kazunori

2015-12-01

Chondrosarcoma is the second frequent type of primary bone cancer. In response to stress to the endoplasmic reticulum, activation of eIF2α-mediated signaling is reported to induce apoptosis. However, its effects on invasive and migratory behaviors of chondrosarcoma have not been understood. Focusing on potential roles of Src kinase, Rac1 GTPase, and MMP13, we investigated eIF2α-driven regulation of SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells. In particular, we employed two chemical agents (salubrinal, Sal; and guanabenz, Gu) that elevate the level of eIF2α phosphorylation. The result revealed that both Sal and Gu reduced invasion and motility of SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells in a dose dependent manner. Live imaging using a fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique showed that Sal and Gu downregulated activities of Src kinase as well as Rac1 GTPase in an eIF2α dependent manner. RNA interference experiments supported an eIF2α-mediated regulatory network in the inhibitory role of Sal and Gu. Partial silencing of MMP13 also suppressed malignant phenotypes of SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells. However, MMP13 was not regulated via eIF2α since administration of Sal but not Gu reduced expression of MMP13. In summary, we demonstrate that eIF2α dependent and independent pathways regulate invasion and motility of SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells, and inactivation of Src, Rac1, and MMP13 by Sal could provide a potential adjuvant therapy for combating metastatic chondrosarcoma cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

B-cell translocation gene 3 overexpression inhibits proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer SW480 cells via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, D; Qiao, L; Lu, H; Feng, Y

2016-01-01

Increasing evidences have shown that B-cell translocation gene 3 (BTG3) inhibits metastasis of multiple cancer cells. However, the role of BTG3 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its possible mechanism have not yet been reported. In our study, we evaluated BTG3 expression in several CRC cell lines. Then, pcDNA3.1-BTG3 was transfected into SW480 cells. We found that BTG3 was upregulated in SW480 cells after overexpression plasmid transfection. BTG3 overexpression significantly inhibited cell growth and decreased PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) and Ki67 levels. BTG3 overexpression markedly downregulated Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E1 levels, whereas elevated p27. Overexpression of BTG3 arrested the cell cycle at G1 phase, which was abrogated by p27 silencing. Furthermore, migration, invasion and EMT of SW480 cells were significantly suppressed by BTG3 overexpression. Further investigations showed the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We then used GSK3β specific inhibitor SB-216763 to activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We found that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation reversed the effect of BTG3 overexpression on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion and EMT. In conclusion, BTG3 overexpression inhibited cell growth, induced cell cycle arrest and suppressed the metastasis of SW480 cells via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. BTG3 may be considered as a therapeutic target in CRC treatment.

Shifts in the source and composition of dissolved organic matter in Southwest Greenland lakes along a regional hydro-climatic gradient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Osburn, Christopher L.; Anderson, Nicholas J.; Stedmon, Colin A.

2018-01-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration and quality were examined from Arctic lakes located in three clusters across south-west (SW) Greenland, covering the regional climatic gradient: cool, wet coastal zone; dry inland interior; and cool, dry ice-marginal areas. We hypothesized that differe...

Repression and Criminalization of the Ecologist Movement in the Basque Country: the Case of the High Speed Train Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Alonso Cidad

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This article offers an analysis of the process of criminalization, which, in the authors’ opinion, the Basque Ecologist Movement (BEM has suffered in its fight against the High Speed Train (HST. The text is structured in five sections. The initial section highlights the main characteristics of the BEM from its origins to the present, indicating the importance in its development of the Basque national question and political violence on one side, and a combined discourse that is at once local and global on the other. The second section provides data referring to the HST project, indicating its political and socio-economic impacts, while the third section is dedicated to clarifying the main identity features and lines of action of the anti-HST movement. The fourth section shows both the repertory of collective action of the opponents of the HST and the policies of repression and criminalization exercised against them. The fifth and final section is situated in today’s new political cycle, which follows the end of ETA’s armed activity and sets out possible future scenarios. Rather than an academic article consisting of intellectual reflection, this article is intended as a political testimony of the long struggle of this social movement, involving 20 years of ecologist activism, a struggle that continues today, since the infrastructure project is still in force, although the conflict is little known at the international level. Este artículo ofrece un análisis del proceso de criminalización, que, en opinión de los autores, el Movimiento Ecologista Vasco ha sufrido en su lucha contra el Tren de Alta Velocidad (TAV. El texto se estructura en cinco partes. En la primera se destacan las principales características del Movimiento Ecologista Vasco, desde sus orígenes hasta la actualidad, subrayando la importancia en su desarrollo de la cuestión nacional vasca y la violencia política por un lado, y por otro, un discurso combinado local y

Dual Effect of Phenolic Nectar on Three Floral Visitors of Elsholtzia rugulosa (Lamiaceae) in SW China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Feng-Ping; Yang, Qiu-Yun; Zhang, Shi-Bao

2016-01-01

Some plants secrete toxic nectar to appeal to most effective pollinators and deter non-pollinators or nectar thieves; however available information about ecological function of toxic nectar remains scarce. Elsholtzia rugulosa stands out as a plant with toxic nectar recorded in SW China. We focused on the functional significance of the phenolic compound that imparts toxic to the nectar of E. rugulosa. The effects of phenolic nectar were studied in three visitors of the flowers of the winter-blooming E. rugulosa Hemsl. (Lamiaceae) in SW China. The pollinating species Apis cerana Fabricius (Apidae; Asian honey bee) and two occasional visitors, Vespa velutina Lepeletier (Vespidae; yellow-legged Asian hornet) and Bombus eximius Smith (Apidae; a bumble bee) were tested for their preferences for low and high concentrations of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in hexose and sucrose solutions. The pollinator is important for the plant, which is dependent on pollinator visits to attain a higher seed production and it is most likely that the combination of phenolic toxic nectar and the adaptation to phenolic nectar by A. cerana delivers an evolutionary advantage to both actors. The low and high concentrations of the phenolic acid were nearly totally refused by both occasional visitors V. velutina and B. eximius and were preferred by the pollinator A. cerana. E. rugulosa gains by having a much higher seed production and the pollinating honey bee by having an exclusive and reliable food source during the winter season at high altitudes in SW China. We found that the function of the toxic phenolic compound has dual roles by appealing to legitimate pollinators and deterring non-pollinators of E. rugulosa.

Dual Effect of Phenolic Nectar on Three Floral Visitors of Elsholtzia rugulosa (Lamiaceae in SW China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng-Ping Zhang

Full Text Available Some plants secrete toxic nectar to appeal to most effective pollinators and deter non-pollinators or nectar thieves; however available information about ecological function of toxic nectar remains scarce. Elsholtzia rugulosa stands out as a plant with toxic nectar recorded in SW China. We focused on the functional significance of the phenolic compound that imparts toxic to the nectar of E. rugulosa. The effects of phenolic nectar were studied in three visitors of the flowers of the winter-blooming E. rugulosa Hemsl. (Lamiaceae in SW China. The pollinating species Apis cerana Fabricius (Apidae; Asian honey bee and two occasional visitors, Vespa velutina Lepeletier (Vespidae; yellow-legged Asian hornet and Bombus eximius Smith (Apidae; a bumble bee were tested for their preferences for low and high concentrations of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in hexose and sucrose solutions. The pollinator is important for the plant, which is dependent on pollinator visits to attain a higher seed production and it is most likely that the combination of phenolic toxic nectar and the adaptation to phenolic nectar by A. cerana delivers an evolutionary advantage to both actors. The low and high concentrations of the phenolic acid were nearly totally refused by both occasional visitors V. velutina and B. eximius and were preferred by the pollinator A. cerana. E. rugulosa gains by having a much higher seed production and the pollinating honey bee by having an exclusive and reliable food source during the winter season at high altitudes in SW China. We found that the function of the toxic phenolic compound has dual roles by appealing to legitimate pollinators and deterring non-pollinators of E. rugulosa.

An Iberian climatology of solar radiation obtained from WRF regional climate simulations for 1950-2010 period

Science.gov (United States)

Perdigão, João; Salgado, Rui; Magarreiro, Clarisse; Soares, Pedro M. M.; Costa, Maria João; Dasari, Hari Prasad

2017-12-01

The mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model is used over the Iberian Peninsula to generate 60 years (1950-2010) of climate data, at 5 km resolution, in order to evaluate and characterize the incident shortwave downward radiation at the surface (SW ↓), in present climate. The simulated values of SW ↓ in the period 2000-2009 were compared with data measured in Spanish and Portuguese meteorological stations before and a statistical BIAS correction was applied using data from Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), on board four different satellites. The spatial and temporal comparison between WRF results and observations show a good agreement for the analyzed period, although the model overestimates observations. This overestimation has a mean normalized bias of about 7% after BIAS correction (or 17% for original WRF output). Additionally, the present simulation was confronted against another previously validated WRF simulation performed with different resolution and set of parametrizations, showing comparable results. WRF adequately reproduces the observational features of SW ↓ with correlation coefficients above 0.8 in annual and seasonal basis. 60 years of simulated SW ↓ over the Iberian Peninsula were produced, which showed annual mean values that range from 130 W/m2, in the northern regions, to a maximum of around 230 W/m2 in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (IP). SW ↓ over IP shows a positive gradient from north to south and from west to east, with local effects influenced by topography and distance to the coast. The analysis of the simulated cloud fraction indicates that clear sky days are found in > 30% of the period at the southern area of IP, particularly in the Algarve (Portugal) and Andalusia (Spain), and this value increases significantly in the summer season for values above 80%.

Coeval gravity-driven and thick-skinned extensional tectonics in the mid-Cretaceous of the western Pyrenees

Science.gov (United States)

Bodego, Arantxa; Agirrezabala, Luis M.

2010-05-01

The Mesozoic Basque-Cantabrian Basin in the western Pyrenees constitutes a peri-cratonic basin originated by rifting related to the Cretaceous opening of the Bay of Biscay. During the mid-Cretaceous the basin experienced important extensional/transtensional tectonics, which controlled the deposition of thick sedimentary successions. Many extensional structures have been documented in the basin but their thin-skinned/thick-skinned character is an unresolved question. In this field-based study, we characterize contemporaneous thin-skinned and thick-skinned deformations that took place during the filling of the mid-Cretaceous Lasarte sub-basin, located in the northeastern margin of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin (western Pyrenees). Most of these extensional structures and associated growth strata are preserved and allow us to characterize and date different deformation phases. Moreover, verticalization and overturning of the successions during Tertiary compression allow mapping the geometry of the extensional structures at depth. The Lasarte sub-basin constitutes a triangular sag bordered by three major basement-involved faults, which trend N, E and NE, respectively. These trends, common in the Variscan fault pattern of Pyrenees, suggest that they are old faults reactivated during the mid-Cretaceous extension. Stratigraphy of the area shows very thin to absent Aptian-Albian (and older) deposits above the upward border blocks, whereas on the downward blocks (sub-basin interior) contemporaneous thick successions were deposited (up to 1500 m). The sub-basin fill is composed of different sedimentary systems (from alluvial to siliciclastic and carbonate platforms) affected by syndepositional extensional faults (and related folds). These faults die out in a southwestward dipping (~4°) detachment layer composed of Triassic evaporites and clays. A NE-SW cross-section of the sub-basin shows NW- to N-trending six planar and two listric extensional faults and associated folds

Geological Study of Active Cold Seeps in the Syn-collision Accretionary Prism Kaoping Slope off SW Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-Yue Huang

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Pogonophoran tube worms, elongated pyrite tubes and authigenic carbonate nodules are used to evaluate the occurrence of potential cold seeps in the syn-collision accretionary prism Kaoping Slope off SW Taiwan. At least two species of pogonophoran tubeworms were found in surface and core sediments. Pyrites occur in three different forms: fillings inside foraminiferal chambers, cements between calcareous microfossils, and elongated tubes. The bottom water off SW Taiwan is aerobic, but authigenic pyrites are found in the surface sediments at several sites, suggesting the existence of local reducing environments enabling the formation of pyrites. These environments are most likely caused by the occurrence of active cold seeps where methane expulses. Authigenic carbonates with highly depleted carbon isotope values (-54 to -43‰ were found at more than 5 locations, in agreement with a methane-derived source for the carbon.

A paraptosis-like cell death induced by δ-tocotrienol in human colon carcinoma SW620 cells is associated with the suppression of the Wnt signaling pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Jing-Shu; Li, Da-Ming; He, Ning; Liu, Ying-Hua; Wang, Chun-Hua; Jiang, Shu-Qing; Chen, Bing-Qing; Liu, Jia-Ren

2011-01-01

Tocotrienol is considered a beneficial effect agent on inhibition of tumor development. In this study, we focused on the effects of δ-tocotrienol and its possible mechanism on induction of death in human colon cancer SW620 cells. δ-Tocotrienol inhibited proliferation of SW620 cell in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings showed that δ-tocotrienol effectively induced paraptosis-like death in SW620 cells, correlated with the vacuolation that may be from welling and fusion of mitochondria and/or the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as well as caspase-3 nonactivated. However, there were no changes in apoptosis based on flow cytometry analysis. Of being noted, δ-tocotrienol reduced the expression of β-catenin and wnt-1 proteins by about 50% at the highest dose (20 μmol/L). δ-Tocotrienol also decreased cyclin D1, c-jun and MMP-7 protein levels in SW620 cells. Altogether, these data indicate that δ-tocotrienol induces paraptosis-like cell death, which is associated with the suppression of the Wnt signaling pathway. Thus, our findings may provide a novel application in treatment of human colon carcinoma.

Analysis of systematic fracturing in Eocene flsch of the Slovenian coastal region

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Marko Vrabec

2017-12-01

Full Text Available We analyse systematic fractures occurring in sandstone beds in Eocene flsch of the Slovenian coastal area. Two nearly perpendicular fracture sets were identifid: fractures F1 are generally NW-SE oriented, wellexpressed and predominately planar, whereas fractures F2 are NE-SW-striking, shorter, more irregular in shape, and terminate against the F1 set. The average orientation of both sets does not change signifiantly in a coastal transect crossing all principal structural domains of the area. We analysed fracture spacing with respect to layer thickness and determined fracture spacing index for both fracture sets. We interpret both fracture sets as tensional (Mode I joints originating in two distinct extensional episodes. Set F1 is older and formed in NE-SW directed tension which we correlate with the well-documented regional post-Dinaric orogen-perpendicular extension of presumably mid-Miocene age. Set F2 formed in NW-SE oriented tension, which is compatible with previously documented NE-SW-striking normal faults occurring in the area, but was so far not documented elsewhere. We interpret that F1 fractures predate folding and thrusting in the coastal belt. Earlier, Eocene-Oligocene Dinaric thrusting therefore did not signifiantly affect the coastal area, whereas post-F1 shortening, associated with northward indentation and underthrusting of the Adria microplate, did not commence before late Miocene.

Ecosystem metabolism in a temporary Mediterranean marsh (Donana National Park, SW Spain)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geertz-Hansen, O.; Montes, C.; Duarte, C.M.

2011-01-01

metabolic balance of the open waters supporting submerged macrophytes of the Donana marsh (SW Spain) was investigated in spring, when community production is highest. The marsh community (benthic + pelagic) was net autotrophic with net community production rates averaging 0.61 g C m(-2) d(-1......), and gross production rates exceeding community respiration rates by, on average, 43%. Net community production increased greatly with increasing irradiance, with the threshold irradiance for communities to become net autotrophic ranging from 42 to 255 mu E m(-2) s(-1), with net heterotrophic at lower...

Late-Quaternary variations in clay minerals along the SW continental margin of India: Evidence of climatic variations

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Chauhan, O.S.; Sukhija, B.S.; Gujar, A.R.; Nagabhushanam, P.; Paropkari, A.L.

Down-core variations in illite, chlorite, smectite and kaolinite (the major clays) in two sup(14)C-dated cores collected along the SW continental margin of India show that illite and chlorite have enhanced abundance during 20-17, 12.5, 11-9.5, and 5...

Rb-Sr geochronology and geochemical characteristics of mafic dikes in the Nova Lacerda and Conquista D'Oeste region, Mato Grosso, SW Amazonian Craton; Geocronologia Rb-Sr e caracteristicas geoquimicas dos diques maficos da regiao de Nova Lacerda e Conquista D'Oeste (MT), porcao sudoeste do Craton Amazonico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Paulo Cesar Correa da; Matos, Joao Batista de [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiaba, MT (Brazil). Dept. de Recursos Minerais; Grupo de Pesquisas em Evolucao Crustal e Metalogenia Guapore, Cuiaba, MT (Brazil)], e-mail: pccorrea@ufmt.br, e-mail: jmatos@cpd.ufmt.br; Girardi, Vicente Antonio Vitorio [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Inst. de Geociencias. Dept. de Mineralogia e Geotectonica], e-mail: girardi@usp.br; Ruiz, Amarildo Salina [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiaba, MT (Brazil). Dept. de Geologia Geral; Grupo de Pesquisas em Evolucao Crustal e Metalogenia Guapore, Cuiaba, MT (Brazil)], e-mail: asruiz@rc.unesp.br

2009-07-01

In the Nova Lacerda and Conquista D'Oeste regions, Mato Grosso State, SW part of the Amazonian Craton, mafic dikes trending NNW intrude the Nova Lacerda Granite (1462{+-}12 Ma), within the Jauru Domain, in the Rondonia-San Ignacio Province (1.55 - 1.3 Ga). The mafic swarm comprises diabases, metadiabases and amphibolites. Metadiabases originated from uralitization of diabases. These rocks have tholeiitic affinity and predominant basaltic composition. Some samples are andesi-basalts. The ages of diabases and metabasites are 1380 {+-} 32 Ma and 1330 {+-} 120 Ma respectively. Geochemical data indicate that the compositional variation of diabases and metadiadases is due to fractional crystallization of evolved tholeiitic magmas. The origin of the basaltic magmas is related to a heterogeneous mantle source. (author)

Identification of proteins of human colorectal carcinoma cell line SW480 by two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ying-Tao Zhang; Yi-Ping Geng; Le Zhou; Bao-Chang Lai; Lv-Sheng Si; Yi-Li Wang

2005-01-01

AIM: To conduct the proteomic analysis of human colorectal carcinoma cell line, SW480 by using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption /ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDITOFMS).METHODS: The total proteins of human colorectal carcinoma cell line, SW480 were separated with 2-DE by using immobilized pH gradient strips and visualized by staining with silver nitrate. The gel images were acquired by scanner and 2-DE analysis software, Image Master 2D Elite. Nineteen distinct protein spots were excised from gel randomly and digested in gel by TPCK-trypsin. Mass analysis ofthe tryptic digest peptides mixture was performed by using MALDI-TOF MS. Peptide mass fingerprints (PMFs) obtained by the MALDI-TOF analysis were used to search NCBI,SWISS-PROT and MSDB databases by using Mascot software.RESULTS: PMF maps of all spots were obtained by MALDI-TOF MS and thirteen proteins were preliminarily identified.CONCLUSION: The methods of analysis and identification of protein spots of tumor cells in 2-DE gel with silver staining by MALDI-TOF MS derived PMF have been established.Protein expression profile of SW480 has been obtained.It is demonstrated that a combination of proteomics and cell culture is a useful approach to comprehend the process of colon carcinogenesis.

Effect of LED irradiation on the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 in SW1353 cells in vitro

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Chang-chun; Guo, Zhou-yi; Zhang, Feng-xue; Deng, Wen-di; Liu, Song-hao

2007-05-01

Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) plays an active role in remodeling cartilage in osteoarthritic cartilage. To find an effective method of prevention of osteoclasia, this in vitro study focuses on the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 in the SW1353 cells by LED irradiation. The human chondrosarcoma cell line SW1353 were stimulated with the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1beta or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and were received the irradiation of LED (632nm, 4mW/cm2). The cell count was assessed over a 96-hour period by using Trypan blue dye exclusion assay, and the cell activity was evaluated with a Cell Counting Kit-8 Assays. The subsequent expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 was quantified. Results of this experiment showed that the cultural cell activity was decreased, and the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 was increased by being stimulated with IL-1beta or TNF-alpha. After received LED irradiation, the death rate of cultural cell was increased and the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 was decreased significantly. The present study concluded that particular LED irradiation stimulates SW1353 cell proliferation activity and inhibit the MMP-3 and MMP-13 enzymatic activity. These findings might be clinically relevant, indicating that the low power laser irradiation treatment is likely to achieve the repair of articular cartilage in clinic.

Late Pleistocene Climate Events and The Origin of Agriculture In SW Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Rossignol-Strick, M.

In the Eastern Mediterranean sea, the climate succession of the last deglaciation is documented and dated in marine cores by the d18-O variation of foraminiferal cal- cite and pollen records. The Last Glacial Maximum is identified by a large abundance of grass pollen from a prairie-type vegetal cover with low annual precipitation in the mountainous north and east borderlands of the sea, where the pollen mainly origi- nates. During the first phase of the last deglaciation, the Bolling/Allerod chronozone, the moisture availability increases and makes possible the spread of a deciduous for- est, as shown by the increasing pollen abundance of the deciduous oak. The cold and arid Younger Dryas is identified by a reversal to semi-desert conditions, with the in- crease of sage-brush (Artemisia) and the saline-tolerant Chenopodiaceae. The climate of the earliest Holocene is Optimum for at least 3000 years (9000-6000yr BP), with the largest spread of the deciduous forest at low-middle elevations signalling wet sum- mers and of the Pistacia woodland at low elevations signalling mild, no-frost winters. This is the time when the most recent sapropel deposited in the eastern Mediterranean under anoxic bottom conditions generated by a surface lid of lower salinity due to the concomitant largest floods of the Nile River fed by the strongest African monsoon rains in the Ethiopian Highlands. In SW Asia, the pollen records of lakes and marshes have been correlated with those of the marine cores, thereby obtaining a robust time-frame. In that area, the archaeo- logical data of human settlements are independently dated by 14C. Thus the archaeo- logical succession can be securely set against the well-dated climatic succession. The Late Palaeolithic populations of SW Asia were wandering hunter-gatherers in the prairies of the Last Glacial Maximum, where they already collected wild wheat, barley and fruit. With the Bolling/Allerod wetter and warmer climate, they began to settle in

Winter Pea: Promising New Crop for Washington's Dryland Wheat-Fallow Region

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William F. Schillinger

2017-05-01

Full Text Available A 2-year tillage-based winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.-summer fallow (WW-SF rotation has been practiced by the vast majority of farmers in the low-precipitation (<300 mm annual rainfed cropping region of east-central Washington and north-central Oregon for 140 years. Until recently, alternative crops (i.e., those other than WW so far tested have not been as economically viable or stable as WW-SF. A 6-year field study was conducted near Ritzville, WA (292 mm avg. annual precipitation to determine the yield and rotation benefits of winter pea (Pisum sativum L. (WP. Two 3-year rotations were evaluated: WP-spring wheat (SW-SF vs. WW-SW-SF. Winter pea yields averaged 2,443 vs. 4,878 kg/ha for WW. No fertilizer was applied to WP whereas 56 kg N and 11 kg S/ha were applied to WW. Winter pea used significantly less soil water than WW. Over the winter months, a lesser percentage of precipitation was stored in the soil following WP compared to WW because: (i very little WP residue remained on the soil surface after harvest compared to WW, and (ii the drier the soil, the more precipitation is stored in the soil over winter. However, soil water content in the spring was still greater following WP vs. WW. Soil residual N in the spring (7 months after the harvest of WP and WW was greater in WP plots despite not applying fertilizer to produce WP. Spring wheat grown after both WP and WW received the identical quantity of N, P, and S fertilizer each year. Average yield of SW was 2,298 and 2,011 kg/ha following WP and WW, respectively (P < 0.01. Adjusted gross economic returns for these two rotation systems were similar. Based partially on the results of this study, numerous farmers in the dry WW-SF region have shown keen interest in WP and acreage planted WP in east-central Washington has grown exponentially since 2013. This paper provides the first report of the potential for WP in the typical WW-SF region of the inland Pacific Northwest (PNW.

Mapping natural radioactivity of soil samples in different regions of Punjab, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Saini, Komal; Bajwa, B S

2017-09-01

Thallium activated sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) detector and multi channel analyzer has been utilized to measure gamma rays emitted by radio nuclides found in soil samples of south-west (SW) region of Punjab state, India where elevated level of uranium of around value of 700µg/l in groundwater has been reported. For comparative study, soil samples were also collected and analyzed from west (W) and north east (NE) regions of the state. Uranium and potassium has been found to be comparatively higher in SW region whereas thorium level is higher in W and NE part of Punjab state. Overall concentration level of naturally occurring radio nuclides 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th has been found to be varied from 260.1±17.3 to 728.2±27.7, BDL to 41.9±10.3 and 29.5±7.1 to 88.1±6.2Bq/Kg respectively. Overall average level of 40 K and 232 Th has been found to be higher as compared to world's average concentration level. Average radium equivalent activity (134.8±23.03 (σ) Bq/Kg), dose rate (61.9±10.3nGy/h), outdoor and indoor dose (0.30±0.05 and 0.08±0.01 mSv/year), external and internal hazard index (0.36±0.06 and 0.42±0.08) has been calculated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in wild boars in the Basque Country, northern Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Arrausi-Subiza, Maialen; Gerrikagoitia, Xeider; Alvarez, Vega; Ibabe, Jose Carlos; Barral, Marta

2016-01-20

Yersiniosis is a zoonosis widely distributed in Europe and swine carry different serotypes of Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis in wild boars in northern Spain. The blood of wild boars (n = 505) was sampled between 2001 and 2012. Seroprevalence was determined in 490 serum samples with an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seventy-two of the animals were also examined for the presence of Y. enterocolitica or Y. pseudotuberculosis in the tonsils with real-time polymerase chain reaction. All the tonsils were analysed twice, directly and after cold enrichment in phosphate-buffered saline supplemented with 1 % mannitol and 0.15 % bile salts. Antibodies directed against Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis were detected in 52.5 % of the animals. Yersinia enterocolitica was detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction in 33.3 % of the wild boars and Y. pseudotuberculosis in 25 %. Significant differences were observed according to the sampling year, and the highest prevalence was during winter and spring. The highest antibody levels and Y. enterocolitica prevalence were observed in mountainous areas at altitudes higher than 600 m, with very cold winters, and with the highest annual rainfall for each dominant climate. Areas with low and medium livestock populations were associated with the highest seroprevalence of Yersinia spp. in wild boars, whereas areas with high ovine populations had the highest prevalence of Y. enterocolitica. This study shows that Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis are highly prevalent among wild boars in the Basque country, with Y. enterocolitica most prevalent. The risk of infection among wild boars is influenced by the season and the area in which they live.

Multi-temporal InSAR evidence of ground subsidence induced by groundwater withdrawal: the Montellano aquifer (SW Spain)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruiz-Constán, A.; Ruiz-Armenteros, A.M.; Lamas-Fernández, F.; Martos-Rosillo, S.; Delgado, J.M.; Bekaert, D.P.S.; Sousa, J.J.; Gil, A.J.; Caro Cuenca, M.; Hanssen, R.F.; Galindo-Zaldívar, J.; Sanz de Galdeano, C.

2016-01-01

This study uses the InSAR technique to analyse ground subsidence due to intensive exploitation of an aquifer for agricultural and urban purposes in the Montellano town (SW Spain). The detailed deformation maps clearly show that the spatial and temporal extent of subsidence is controlled by

Geological mapping of investigation trench OL-TK19 at the Olkiluoto study site, Eurajoki, SW Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eroma, E.; Nordbaeck, N.; Engstroem, J. [Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo (Finland)

2014-12-15

In October 2012, the geological mapping of investigation trench OL-TK19 was carried out by the Geological Survey of Finland at the Olkiluoto study site. The SE-NW trending, ca. 85 m long trench is located in the central part of the Olkiluoto Island next to investigation trenches OL-TK18 and OL-TK4. The lithology in investigation trench OL-TK19 is of heterogeneous character, with rock type varying from veined gneiss, diatexitic gneiss to pegmatitic granite, along with portions of mica gneiss and K-feldspar porphyritic gneiss. In addition, inclusions of mica gneiss, quartz gneiss and skarn are encountered. The rocks have been subjected to a multiphase ductile deformation and the trench is situated in an area where the latest ductile deformation phase, D4 prevails. The investigation trench can be divided into three domains according to its dominant deformation phase and foliation; the eastern part of the trench is dominated by the D3 deformation phase whereas the middle and western parts are dominated by the D4 deformation phase. The S3 foliation has a more ENE-WSW oriented direction whereas the S4 is trending NE-SW. In addition to this difference in orientation, the different structural signature of these two deformation types is observed, the S3 foliation is defined by smaller scaled granitic leucosome veining whereas the S4 foliation is intensely sheared and have a schistose character. During the fracture mapping, all fractures intersecting the central thread were investigated and a total of 132 fractures were recorded. The average fracture frequency 1.53 fractures/m. On the basis of fracture orientations, three fracture sets can be defined. The first set is vertical and NW-SE trending, second set strikes NE-SW with a moderate dip towards the SE and the third set is vertical and NE-SW trending. The median fracture length is 1.38 m and most fractures do not exceed 0.5 m in length, the longest measured fracture being 5.30 m in length. Fracture fillings are mostly

The search for reliable aqueous solubility (Sw) and octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) data for hydrophobic organic compounds; DDT and DDE as a case study

Science.gov (United States)

Pontolillo, James; Eganhouse, R.P.

2001-01-01

The accurate determination of an organic contaminant?s physico-chemical properties is essential for predicting its environmental impact and fate. Approximately 700 publications (1944?2001) were reviewed and all known aqueous solubilities (Sw) and octanol-water partition coefficients (Kow) for the organochlorine pesticide, DDT, and its persistent metabolite, DDE were compiled and examined. Two problems are evident with the available database: 1) egregious errors in reporting data and references, and 2) poor data quality and/or inadequate documentation of procedures. The published literature (particularly the collative literature such as compilation articles and handbooks) is characterized by a preponderance of unnecessary data duplication. Numerous data and citation errors are also present in the literature. The percentage of original Sw and Kow data in compilations has decreased with time, and in the most recent publications (1994?97) it composes only 6?26 percent of the reported data. The variability of original DDT/DDE Sw and Kow data spans 2?4 orders of magnitude, and there is little indication that the uncertainty in these properties has declined over the last 5 decades. A criteria-based evaluation of DDT/DDE Sw and Kow data sources shows that 95?100 percent of the database literature is of poor or unevaluatable quality. The accuracy and reliability of the vast majority of the data are unknown due to inadequate documentation of the methods of determination used by the authors. [For example, estimates of precision have been reported for only 20 percent of experimental Sw data and 10 percent of experimental Kow data.] Computational methods for estimating these parameters have been increasingly substituted for direct or indirect experimental determination despite the fact that the data used for model development and validation may be of unknown reliability. Because of the prevalence of errors, the lack of methodological documentation, and unsatisfactory data

'Mustuka': nederlanderatik mailegatutako hitza?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, W.

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the Basque word 'mustuka' as a possible loan from Dutch. Plausible phonetic changes illustrate the borrowing process from Dutch 'poetsdoek' (mop, rag) to Northern Basque 'mustuka'. It is hypothesized that the term was borrowed by Basque whaling specialists hired on ships of the

Alfinated coating structure on HS6-5-2 (SW7M high speed steel

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T. Szymczak

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of immersion alfinated coating structure in AlSi5 silumin on HS6-5-2 (SW7M high speed steel. Alfinating bath temperature was 750 ± 5 ° C, time of sample immersion was τ = 180s. Thickness of obtained coating under specified conditions was g = 150μm. Manufactured coating consists of three layers of different construction phase. The first layer from the substrate „g1`” constructed with a AlFe phase consist of alloy additives constituents of HS6-5-2 (SW7M steel: W, Mo, V, Cr and Si. On it crystallizes the second layer „g1``” of AlFeWMoCr intermetallic phases also containing Si and small amount of V. Last, the outer layer „g2” of the coating is composed with silumin including AlFeWMoCrVSi intermetallic phases. Within all layers of the coating occurs carbides. Penetration of carbides to individual coating layers is mainly due to steel surface partial melting and crystallizing layers „g1`” and „g1``” by alfinating liquid and shifting into her of carbides as well as partial carbides rejection by crystallization front of intermetallic phases occurs in coating.

Petrography and geochronology (U/Pb-Sm/Nd) the Passagem Granite, Pensamiento Granitoid Complex, Paragua Terrane, SW Amazon Craton, Mato Grosso, Brazil; Petrologia e geocronologia (U/Pb-Sm/Nd) do Granito Passagem, Complexo Granitoide Pensamiento, SW do Craton Amazonico (MT)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jesus, Gisely Carmo de, E-mail: giselycarmo@hotmail.co [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (ICET/UFMT), Cuiaba, MT (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Exatas e da Terra. Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Geociencias; Sousa, Maria Zelia Aguiar de, E-mail: mzaguiar@terra.com.b [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso(ICET/UFMT), Cuiaba, MT (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Exatas e da Terra. Dept. de Recursos Minerais; Ruiz, Amarildo Salina; Matos, Joao Batista de, E-mail: asruiz@gmail.co, E-mail: jmatos@cpd.ufmt.b [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (ICET/UFMT), Cuiaba, MT (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Exatas e da Terra. Dept. de Geologia Geral

2010-09-15

The Passagem granite includes stocks, plugs and dikes located in the Ricardo Franco hill - Vila Bela da Santissima Trindade region - state of Mato Grosso, central Brazil. The Passagem Granite is included in the Paragua terrane - SW Amazonian Craton. It consists of isotropic monzogranite, sienogranite and more rarely granodiorites with leucocratic dark gray to white color. These rocks range from hypidomorphic inequigranular to xenomorphic texture, fine to medium grained. Biotite is the only primary mafic present as essential phase and characterize an expanded slightly acid sequence formed by a sub-alkaline magmatism of high-potassium calc-alkaline, slightly peraluminous composition from arc magmatic tectonic environment during a post-collisional period. Mechanism of fractional crystallization of plagioclase, biotite, titanite, apatite and zircon associated with simultaneous crustal assimilation are suggested for the evolution of these rocks. The results support the hypothesis of a post-collisional magmatism in the Paragua terrane at 1284 +- 20 Ma corresponding to the crystallization age of the Passagem granite. This paper propose that Passagem Granite represents as an extension in Brazilian terrane of the Pensamiento Granitoid Complex. (author)

Echinacoside Induces Apoptosis in Human SW480 Colorectal Cancer Cells by Induction of Oxidative DNA Damages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liwei Dong

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Echinacoside is a natural compound with potent reactive oxygen species (ROS-scavenging and anti-oxidative bioactivities, which protect cells from oxidative damages. As cancer cells are often under intense oxidative stress, we therefore tested if Echinacoside treatment would promote cancer development. Surprisingly, we found that Echinacoside significantly inhibited the growth and proliferation of a panel of cancer cell lines. Treatment of the human SW480 cancer cells with Echinacoside resulted in marked apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, together with a significant increase in active caspase 3 and cleaved PARP, and upregulation of the G1/S-CDK blocker CDKN1B (p21. Interestingly, immunocytochemistry examination of drug-treated cancer cells revealed that Echinacoside caused a significant increase of intracellular oxidized guanine, 8-oxoG, and dramatic upregulation of the double-strand DNA break (DSB-binding protein 53BP1, suggesting that Echinacoside induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in SW480 cancer cells via induction of oxidative DNA damages. These results establish Echinacoside as a novel chemical scaffold for development of anticancer drugs.

Physico-chemical behaviour of underground waters after October 1, 1995 Dinar earthquake, SW Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woith, H.; Milkereit, C.; Maiwald, U.; Pekdeger, A.

1999-01-01

The paper reports the investigations conducted by a team of the German Earthquake Task Force arrived in the city of Dinar (SW Turkey) after the October 1, 1994 earthquake. The investigations recorded post-seismic changes in water discharge, water temperature and conductivity. In the first month after the event, the groundwater discharge increased at springs located within the down-thrown block, whereas a slight decrease was observed at sites on the hanging wall

Direct U-series analysis of the Lezetxiki humerus reveals a Middle Pleistocene age for human remains in the Basque Country (northern Iberia).

Science.gov (United States)

de-la-Rúa, Concepción; Altuna, Jesús; Hervella, Monserrat; Kinsley, Leslie; Grün, Rainer

2016-04-01

In 1964, a human humerus was found in a sedimentary deposit in Lezetxiki Cave (Basque Country, northern Iberia). The first studies on the stratigraphy, associated mammal faunal remains and lithic implements placed the deposits containing the humerus into the Riss glacial stage. Direct chronometric evidence has so far been missing, and the previous chronostratigraphic framework and faunal dating gave inconsistent results. Here we report laser ablation U-series analyses on the humerus yielding a minimum age of 164 ± 9 ka, corresponding to MIS 6. This is the only direct dating analysis of the Lezetxiki humerus and confirms a Middle Pleistocene age for this hominin fossil. Morphometric analyses suggest that the Lezetxiki humerus has close affinities to other Middle Pleistocene archaic hominins, such as those from La Sima de los Huesos at Atapuerca. This emphasizes the significance of the Lezetxiki fossil within the populations that predate the Neanderthals in south-western Europe. It is thus an important key fossil for the understanding of human evolution in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene, a time period when a great morphological diversity is observed but whose phylogenetic meaning is not yet fully understood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental and ammonoid faunal changes related to Albian Bay of Biscay opening: Insights from the northern margin of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Agirrezabala, Luis M.; López-Horgue, Mikel A.

2017-12-01

The opening and ocean floor spreading of the Bay of Biscay began in the earliest Albian. The integrative study of the Albian sedimentary record and its ammonoid fauna (around 250 specimens) from the northern margin of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin indicates that environmental changes, occurred as a consequence of the Bay of Biscay opening, triggered significant ammonoid bioevents. Main bioevents are diversity changes in the ammonoid associations, occurrence of large forms (diameter up to 0.45 m) and the incursion of elements from other basins. Time-correlation of faulting pulses with ammonoid bioevents indicates that transtensive tectonics was ultimately the major control on the marine environmental conditions such as depth, sea bottom physiography, seaways, sedimentary systems and sea-water chemistry. The pulsating faulting during the Albian led to the increment of the subsidence rate, the deepening and widening of the margin and the progressive increase in the oceanic circulation between the margin and the nascent Bay of Biscay and North Atlantic. In addition, Albian synsedimentary faults constituted conduits for ascending magmas and hydrocarbon-rich hydrothermal fluids, which expelled to the seafloor, causing changes in the sediments, the sea-water chemistry (fertilization) and biota. The integration of sedimentological and palaeontological data has given the basis for a conceptual model of the ammonoid habitats.

Literatura, ciudad e imaginarios urbanos: el País Vasco y la literatura francesa

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Frederik Verbeke

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The present paper offers an analysis of the evolution of the literary representation of the Basque Country, comparing the image constructed by Pierre Loti at the end of the 19th Century with the image of the Basque Country that appears in literary works of the 21st Century, more exactly in the novels of Jean Echenoz and Marie Darrieussecq. The paper’s aim is to analyse what is the place and the function of the Basque Country in the imagination of French contemporary writers, an imagination profoundly linked to the city and the urban reality, and compare this imagination with the principal imaginary heritages of the Basque Country. Ce travail analyse l’évolution de la représentation littéraire du Pays Basque, en comparant l’image construite par Pierre Loti à la fin du XIXe siècle avec l’image du Pays Basque qui apparaît dans les oeuvres littéraires du XXIe siècle, en particulier les romans de Jean Echenoz et de Marie Darrieussecq. Il s’agit de voir quel est l’endroit et quelle est la fonction du Pays Basque dans l’imaginaire des écrivains français contemporains, un imaginaire très lié à la ville et à la réalité urbaine, et de confronter cet imaginaire avec les principaux héritages imaginaires du Pays Basque.

Reconfiguration Management in the Context of RTOS-Based HW/SW Embedded Systems

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Eustache Yvan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper presents a safe and efficient solution to manage asynchronous configurations of dynamically reconfigurable systems-on-chip. We first define our unified RTOS-based framework for HW/SW task communication and configuration management. Then three issues are discussed and solutions are given: the formalization of configuration space modeling including its different dimensions, the synchronization of configuration that mainly addresses the question of task configuration ordering, and the configuration coherency that solves the way a task accepts a new configuration. Finally, we present the global method and give some implementation figures from a smart camera case study.

Reconfiguration Management in the Context of RTOS-Based HW/SW Embedded Systems

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Yvan Eustache

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a safe and efficient solution to manage asynchronous configurations of dynamically reconfigurable systems-on-chip. We first define our unified RTOS-based framework for HW/SW task communication and configuration management. Then three issues are discussed and solutions are given: the formalization of configuration space modeling including its different dimensions, the synchronization of configuration that mainly addresses the question of task configuration ordering, and the configuration coherency that solves the way a task accepts a new configuration. Finally, we present the global method and give some implementation figures from a smart camera case study.

The Aula EspaZio Gela and the Master of Space Science and Technology in the Universidad del País Vasco (University of the Basque Country)

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Lavega, Agustín; Pérez-Hoyos, Santiago; Hueso, Ricardo; del Río-Gaztelurrutia, Teresa; Oleaga, Alberto

2014-09-01

We present the Aula EspaZio Gela, a facility dedicated to teaching Space Science and Technology at the master and doctorate level at the University of the Basque Country (Spain), and to promoting the development of this field in both public and private sectors. The one-year master's degree in Space Science and Technology (60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System)) offers a group of compulsory courses which give way afterwards to a set of elective matters in which students choose one of two tracks: the scientific, primarily oriented to basic research at the University, or the technological, leading to the space industry and space agencies. After completion of the master thesis, our students have direct access to a PhD in both curricular lines. Here we detail the main features of the master's degree and the experience acquired in three years, including a comparative opinion survey to the students. We also describe the facilities at the Faculty of Engineering consisting of a specific classroom (Aula EspaZio Gela), an Astronomical Observatory, and different laboratories.

Study of the dose rate measured by the radiological surveillance network of the Basque country

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alegria, N.; Legarda, F.; Herranz, M.

2006-01-01

Full text of publication follows: The radiological Surveillance Network of the Basque Country, which is constituted by three stations located in Bilbao, Vitoria and San Sebastian, measures and records the dose date every 10 minutes. Some environmental parameters affect the behaviour of the dose rate. One of most important meteorological parameters is rain. So, it has been necessary to study separately the behaviour of dose rate in the absence of rain, defining that time as Dry Time, and the behaviour when it rains, designating that time as Wet Time. Previous studies have confirmed that dose rate values are fitted to normal distributions, and in those cases, Critical Limits can be calculated using Curie formulation. Every January, data recorded in previous year, two Critical Limits are obtained, one of them for dry time and other one for wet time, and both together define the Alarm Level for each radiological station. That Alarm Level is the reference value for dose rate. If some dose rate value is higher than the corresponding Alarm Level, the recorded values have to be studied in order to identify the origin or the cause of that value. In most cases, in which the dose rate is higher than the corresponding Alarm Level due to precipitation, occurs that when rain stops the dose rate value does not fall immediately to dry rime values, and then the Alarm Level which is now that for dry time is exceeded by the dose rate. So, those values can be considered a special group called Transition Area. The second part of the study tries to explain the cause and the behaviour of the values in the transition Area by means of the study of the behaviour of radon daughters in the atmosphere and their deposition onto the ground during rain intervals. To check the results several situations have been simulated using the Monte Carlo code MCNP-4C. (authors)

Cadmium accumulation by Axonopus compressus (Sw. P. Beauv and Cyperus rotundas Linn growing in cadmium solution and cadmium-zinc contaminated soil

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Paitip Thiravetyan

2007-05-01

Full Text Available This research investigated the phyto-remediation potentials of Cyperus rotundas Linn (Nutgrass and Axonopus compressus (Sw. P. Beauv (Carpetgrass for cadmium removal from cadmium solution andcadmium-zinc contaminated soil. Plants growth in the solution showed that cadmium decreased the relative growth rate of both grasses. However, the amount of cadmium accumulated in shoot and root was increasedwith the increase in cadmium concentration and exposure time. Growth in fertile soil mixed with Cd-contaminated zinc silicate residue (65% Si, 19% Ca, 2% Zn, 1% Mg and 0.03% Cd at the ratio of 50:50 (w/wfor 30 days showed that C. rotundas Linn accumulated cadmium in root and shoot to 2,178 and 1,144 mg kg-1 dry weight, respectively. A. compressus (Sw. P. Beauv accumulated cadmium in root and shoot to 1,965and 669 mg kg-1 dry weight, respectively. Scanning electron microscope connected to energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy suggested that the mechanism of cadmium accumulation by both grasses involved thecadmium precipitation in the stable form of cadmium silicate, which indicated that C. rotundas Linn and A. compressus (Sw. P. Beauv could be grown to prevent soil erosion and to remediate cadmium-contaminatedsoil.

Temporal assemblage turnovers of intertidal foraminiferal communities from tropical (SE Caribbean) and temperate (NE England and SW Spain) regions

Science.gov (United States)

Costelloe, Ashleigh; Wilson, Brent; Horton, Benjamin P.; Hayek, Lee-Ann C.

2018-05-01

This is the first quantitative study of temporal assemblage turnovers of the relationships between intertidal foraminifera. Time series datasets collected from tropical Caroni Swamp and Claxton Bay (Trinidad, SE Caribbean) and temperate Cowpen Marsh (NE England, U.K.) and Bay of Cadiz (SW Spain) were used. The assemblage turnover index (ATI) examined species interrelationships through comparisons of monthly or biweekly species proportional abundances over one or two years. Species contributing to major assemblage turnovers (ATI > x + σ) were identified using the conditioned on-boundary index (CoBI). Foraminiferal species are heterogeneously distributed within the sediment; multiple sample stations at a study location cumulatively represent the foraminiferal metacommunity and clusters represent foraminiferal assemblages. The ATI and CoBI were applied to the proportional abundances of live specimens recorded for the metacommunity and assemblages at each location. At Caroni Swamp and Claxton Bay, major assemblage turnovers were driven by the most abundant species and the majority coincided with seasonal change or the arrival of the seasonal Orinoco plume in the Gulf of Paria. Seasonal turnovers of the foraminiferal metacommunities at temperate Cowpen Marsh and Bay of Cádiz occurred during the summer and winter. Major assemblage turnovers in the upper Cowpen Marsh occurred in the summer, and the lower marsh in the winter. Foraminiferans are useful bioindicators for monitoring the health of coastal environments. Understanding foraminiferal population dynamics will allow cyclical changes to be differentiated from abrupt and persistent changes, which are related to anthropogenic disturbances or long-term climate change. The ATI and CoBI are useful indices for quantitatively exploring relationships of foraminiferal populations over time.

Green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles using Acinetobacter sp. SW30: optimization, characterization and its anticancer activity in breast cancer cells

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Wadhwani SA

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Sweety A Wadhwani,1 Mahadeo Gorain,2 Pinaki Banerjee,2 Utkarsha U Shedbalkar,3 Richa Singh,1 Gopal C Kundu,2 Balu A Chopade1,4 1Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, 2Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Angiogenesis and Nanomedicine Research, National Center for Cell Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University Campus, Pune, 3Department of Biochemistry, The Institute of Science, Mumbai, 4Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India Abstract: The aim of this study was to synthesize selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs using cell suspension and total cell protein of Acinetobacter sp. SW30 and optimize its synthesis by studying the influence of physiological and physicochemical parameters. Also, we aimed to compare its anticancer activity with that of chemically synthesized SeNPs in breast cancer cells. Cell suspension of Acinetobacter sp. SW30 was exposed to various physiological and physicochemical conditions in the presence of sodium selenite to study their effects on the synthesis and morphology of SeNPs. Breast cancer cells (4T1, MCF-7 and noncancer cells (NIH/3T3, HEK293 were exposed to different concentrations of SeNPs. The 18 h grown culture with 2.7×109 cfu/mL could synthesize amorphous nanospheres of size 78 nm at 1.5 mM and crystalline nanorods at above 2.0 mM Na2SeO3 concentration. Polygonal-shaped SeNPs of average size 79 nm were obtained in the supernatant of 4 mg/mL of total cell protein of Acinetobacter sp. SW30. Chemical SeNPs showed more anticancer activity than SeNPs synthesized by Acinetobacter sp. SW30 (BSeNPs, but they were found to be toxic to noncancer cells also. However, BSeNPs were selective against breast cancer cells than chemical ones. Results suggest that BSeNPs are a good choice of selection as anticancer agents. Keywords: comparison, selective, 4T1, MCF7

Abnormal number cell division of human thyroid anaplastic carcinoma cell line, SW 1736

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Keiichi Ikeda

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Cell division, during which a mother cell usually divides into two daughter cells during one cell cycle, is the most important physiological event of cell biology. We observed one-to-four cell division during imaging of live SW1736 human thyroid anaplastic carcinoma cells transfected with a plasmid expressing the hybrid protein of green fluorescent protein and histone 2B (plasmid eGFP-H2B. Analysis of the images revealed a mother cell divided into four daughter cells. And one of the abnormally divided daughter cells subsequently formed a dinucleate cell.

Soft-Sediment Deformation Structures Interpreted as Seismites in the Kolankaya Formation, Denizli Basin (SW Turkey)

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Topal, Savaş; Özkul, Mehmet

2014-01-01

The NW-trending Denizli basin of the SW Turkey is one of the neotectonic grabens in the Aegean extensional province. It is bounded by normal faults on both southern and northern margins. The basin is filled by Neogene and Quaternary terrestrial deposits. Late Miocene- Late Pliocene aged Kolankaya formation crops out along the NW trending Karakova uplift in the Denizli basin. It is a typical fluviolacustrine succession that thickens and coarsens upward, comprising poorly consolidated sand, gravelly sand, siltstone and marl. Various soft-sediment deformation structures occur in the formation, especially in fine- to medium grained sands, silts and marls: load structures, flame structures, clastic dikes (sand and gravely-sand dike), disturbed layers, laminated convolute beds, slumps and synsedimentary faulting. The deformation mechanism and driving force for the soft-sediment deformation are related essentially to gravitational instability, dewatering, liquefaction-liquidization, and brittle deformation. Field data and the wide lateral extent of the structures as well as regional geological data show that most of the deformation is related to seismicity and the structures are interpreted as seismites. The existence of seismites in the Kolankaya Formation is evidence for continuing tectonic activity in the study area during the Neogene and is consistent with the occurrence of the paleoearthquakes of magnitude >5. PMID:25152909

Aproximación a la Violencia Política en el País Vasco y Perspectivas de una Justicia Restaurativa para Euskadi (Approaching Political Violence in the Basque Country and Perspective of a Restorative Justice in Euskadi

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Iñigo Bullain

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This work has two objectives. One is to offer an explanation on the political violence that the Basque Country has suffer and experienced during almost 50 years through the study of the so-called Basque National Liberation Movement. The other aim is to reflect on the difficulties to develop Restorative Justice after the end of ETA. This article is in big debt with a former work of the author: “Revolucionarismo Patriótico” (Tecnos 2011 where the origin, ideology, strategy and organization of the BNLM are analyzed. A group based on the ideology of revolutionary patriotism, which has evolved a politico-military strategy and organized itself through dozens of different associations into a national liberation movement. This article adds an extensive bibliography on political violence. Este trabajo tiene un doble objetivo. De un lado ofrecer una explicación a la violencia política que el País Vasco ha padecido durante cerca de 50 años a través del estudio del denominado Movimiento de Liberación Nacional Vasco. Por otra parte, reflexionar sobre las dificultades para desarrollar una justicia restaurativa tras el final de ETA. El artículo es deudor de una obra anterior del autor: “Revolucionarismo Patriótico” (Tecnos 2011 donde se analiza el origen, ideología, estrategia y organización del MLNV. Un grupo de ideología patriótico-revolucionaria que ha desarrollado una estrategia político-militar y se ha organizado a través de decenas de grupos en forma de movimiento de liberación nacional. Este artículo incorpora una extensa bibliografía sobre violencia política.

Decreasing concentrations of metals in Sphagnum mosses in ombrotrophic mires of the Sudety mountains (SW Poland) since late 1980s.

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Wojtuń, Bronisław; Samecka-Cymerman, Aleksandra; Kolon, Krzysztof; Kempers, Alexander J

2013-06-01

In this investigation we focus on the evaluation of changes in metal pollution between 1986 until 2011 by Sphagnum species as bioindicators in 100 km part of the Sudety mountains influenced by the former Black Triangle Region. Concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were measured in various Sphagnum species all from ombrotrophic bogs in the Sudety mountains (SW Poland). The tested hypothesis was that overall improvements in pollution control in the former Black Triangle Region between 1986 until recent reduced the amount of metals deposited and accumulated by these plants. Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn in Sphagnum species were very high in 1986 indicating a heavy pollution of the examined bogs in this period, and significantly higher than in samples collected in 2011. The PCCA ordination showed the similar pattern in all bogs. In 2011 concentration of the Co was significantly higher in hollow species and concentration of Mn was significantly higher in those from hummocks. Differences between hollow/hummock sites were more important than species-specific abilities of Sphagnum mosses to accumulate metals. Species from hollows were better bioindicators of Co and those from hummocks were better bioindicators of Mn pollution. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computer programme for the calculation of the geothermal properties of the Swiss molasse in the depth range 0 to 500 m. User's guide to the programme SwEWs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leu, W.; Keller, B.; Megel, T.

1999-04-01

The main aim of this project is the preparation of a data base of geothermal properties for typical rocks of the Swiss Molasse Basin (depth interval 0 to 500 m) combined with a simple evaluation software tool. The project includes the integration of numerous laboratory measurements of thermal conductivity and heat capacity with additional data calculated from geophysical borehole logs. Within the study area, 380 additional data points were generated with sonic and density log data from exploration wells. This new data base characterises in detail the 6 main lithological rock types in the 3 Molasse groups 'OSM', 'OMM' and 'USM' within the Swiss Plateau Molasse. The statistical evaluation of all data illustrates the regional variation of the petrophysical and geothermal parameters. The software tool SwEWS allows the analysis of a specific depth profile defined by the user. Based on the input for the stratal model the programme calculates the geothermal parameters for each horizon together with a temperature profile. The results can be analysed in various tables and a graphic display. For further use the data can also be exported as an ASCII file. Based on this new information and with the aid of the evaluation software tool SwEWS the costs of planned geothermal installations can be optimised by more precise heat extraction simulations with existing software packages like COSOND, TRNSYS, EWS or WPcalc. (author)

Human induced soil erosion and the implications on crop yield in a small mountainous Mediterranean catchment (SW-Turkey)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Loo, Maarten; Dusar, Bert; Verstraeten, Gert; Renssen, Hans; Notebaert, Bastiaan; D'Haen, Koen; Bakker, Johan

2017-01-01

Many hillslopes in the limestone dominated Taurus Mountain Range (SW Turkey) are characterized by severely depleted soils, while a significant amount of sediment is being stored in the valley bottoms. The same holds true for the 11.4 km2 endorheic Gravgaz basin in the vicinity of the

Dynamics of root and leaf decomposition in chronosequence of rubber plantation (Hevea brasilensis) in SW China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moazzam, N.S.; Yiping, Z.; Liqing, S.; Moazzam, N.S.

2018-01-01

This study highlighted the dynamics of stand parameters as well as root and leaf litter decomposition in the chronosequence (49, 32, 24 and 12 years old plantations established in the year 1965, 1982, 1990 and 2002) of the rubber plantation in Xishuangbanna SW China. Litter trappers were installed on the study site to collect the leaf litter and litter bag experiment was carried out to investigate the rate of root and leaf litter decomposition. The study revealed significant variation of stand characteristics during the decomposition process. The monthly litter fall and root biomass (all categories; kg m-3) showed positive correlation with stand characteristics and age. Remaining leaf litter mass % in the litter bags reduced with the passage of time and was significantly different in the chronosequence. The highest root decomposition rate (55%) was shown by fine roots and minimum (32%) by coarse roots during the study period. The investigations on elemental composition of the leaf and root provides basic important information for rate of nutrient cycle along with decomposition rate in rubber plantation and result are quite helpful for simulating the below ground carbon stock of rubber plantation in SW China. (author)

Diversity and aboveground biomass of lianas in the tropical seasonal rain forests of Xishuangbanna, SW China.

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Lü, Xiao-Tao; Tang, Jian-Wei; Feng, Zhi-Li; Li, Mai-He

2009-01-01

Lianas are important components of tropical forests and have significant impacts on the diversity, structure and dynamics of tropical forests. The present study documented the liana flora in a Chinese tropical region. Species richness, abundance, size-class distribution and spatial patterns of lianas were investigated in three 1-ha plots in tropical seasonal rain forests in Xishuangbanna, SW China. All lianas with > or = 2 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) were measured, tagged and identified. A total of 458 liana stems belonging to 95 species (ranging from 38 to 50 species/ha), 59 genera and 32 families were recorded in the three plots. The most well-represented families were Loganiaceae, Annonceae, Papilionaceae, Apocynaceae and Rhamnaceae. Papilionaceae (14 species recorded) was the most important family in the study forests. The population density, basal area and importance value index (IVI) varied greatly across the three plots. Strychnos cathayensis, Byttneria grandifolia and Bousigonia mekongensis were the dominant species in terms of IVI across the three plots. The mean aboveground biomass of lianas (3 396 kg/ha) accounted for 1.4% of the total community above-ground biomass. The abundance, diversity and biomass of lianas in Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rain forests are lower than those in tropical moist and wet forests, but higher than those in tropical dry forests. This study provides new data on lianas from a geographical region that has been little-studied. Our findings emphasize that other factors beyond the amount and seasonality of precipitation should be included when considering the liana abundance patterns across scales.

Interaction of fructose with other medium components to affect bioproduction of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1

Science.gov (United States)

Manikan, Vidyah; Kalil, Mohd. Sahaid; Shuib, Shuwahida; Hamid, Aidil Abdul

2018-04-01

Thraustochytrids are a group of marine fungus-like microheterotrophs of which some can accumulate considerable amounts of the high valued omega-3 oil, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In this study, a local thraustochytrid isolate, Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1, was cultivated in a medium containing fructose as the major carbon source. The effects of this carbon source in interaction with yeast extract, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and sea salt were studied using a software-based two level full factorial design. Results showed that fructose as a single factor, has significant positive effect on the volumetric DHA content of SW1. Similarly, its interaction with yeast extract has profound positive effect. However, interactions of fructose with MSG and sea salt were significant negative effects. These results indicate that manipulation of the concentration of fructose in the culture medium may serve as a simple and useful strategy to help achieve preferred amount of DHA.

Climate programs update: USDA Southwest Regional Climate Hub update

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW: The overarching goal of the USDA SW Climate Hub is to assist farmers, ranchers and foresters in addressing the effects of climate change including prolonged drought, increased insect outbreaks and severe wildfires. In the first year of operations, the SW Climate Hub (est. Februa...

Cryopreservation of chayote (Sechium edule JACQ.SW.) zygotic embryos and shoot-tips from in vitroplantlets

OpenAIRE

Abdelnour-Esquivel, Ana; Engelmann, Florent

2002-01-01

This paper presents the development of cryopreservation protocols for zygotic embryos and apices of chayote (Sechium edule Jacq. Sw.), a tropical plant species with recalcitrant seeds. Zygotic embryos of two cultivars, Ccocro negro (CN) and Claudio (Cl) could withstand cryopreservation, with survival percentages of 10 and 30 %, after desiccation to 23 and 19 % moisture content (fresh weight basis), respectively. Apices sampled on in vitro plantlets of cultivars Cl, 13 and JM we...

Cost of osteoporotic hip fracture in Spain per Autonomous Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartra, A; Caeiro, J-R; Mesa-Ramos, M; Etxebarría-Foronda, I; Montejo, J; Carpintero, P; Sorio-Vilela, F; Gatell, S; Canals, L

2018-05-21

We estimated the health resource utilization (HRU) and associated costs during the 12months after a first osteoporotic hip fracture (OHF) in six Spanish Regions. Observational, prospective study including patients ≥65years-old hospitalized due to a first OHF in: Andalusia, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Galicia, Madrid and the Basque Country. HRU related to OHF, quality of life and patient autonomy were collected, and HRU-associated costs were estimated. Four hundred and eighty-seven patients (mean age: 83.1years, 77% women) were included, with demographic characteristics that were similar across the Regions. Mean hospital stay was longest in Madrid and Galicia (women/men: 15.0/18.6 and 16.9/12.6days, respectively) and shortest in Andalusia and the Valencian Community (8.2/7.2 and 8.4/9.4days). There were more rehabilitation sessions and formal home care days in Catalonia and Madrid (women/men: 16/21 and 17/29 sessions; 19/20 and 30/27days) and fewer in Andalusia and Galicia (4/1 and 3/0 sessions; 3/1 and 1/0days). Mean HRU costs were higher in Madrid and lower in Andalusia (women/men: 12,321€/12,297€ and 7,031€/6,115€, respectively). OHF place a large burden on Spanish Regional Health Systems, including high economic costs. We found notable differences in mean costs across the Regions, mainly caused by the differential length of the first hospital stay and the outpatient care in subsequent months. These differences may be associated with differences in surgical delay. A national consensus on the management of OHF is desirable; moreover, agreeing common guidelines could have major socio-economic and healthcare benefits. Copyright © 2018 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

EVIDENCE FROM THE VERY LONG BASELINE ARRAY THAT J1502SE/SW ARE DOUBLE HOTSPOTS, NOT A SUPERMASSIVE BINARY BLACK HOLE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wrobel, J. M.; Walker, R. C.; Fu, H.

2014-01-01

SDSS J150243.09+111557.3 is a merging system at z = 0.39 that hosts two confirmed active galactic nuclei (AGNs), one unobscured and one dust-obscured, offset by several kiloparsecs. Deane et al. recently reported evidence from the European VLBI Network (EVN) that the dust-obscured AGN exhibits two flat-spectrum radio sources, J1502SE/SW, offset by 26 mas (140 pc), with each source being energized by its own supermassive black hole (BH). This intriguing interpretation of a close binary BH was reached after ruling out a double-hotspot scenario, wherein both hotspots are energized by a single, central BH, a configuration occurring in the well-studied compact symmetric objects. When observed with sufficient sensitivity and resolution, an object with double hotspots should have an edge-brightened structure. We report evidence from the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) for just such a structure in an image of the obscured AGN with higher sensitivity and resolution than the EVN images. We thus conclude that a double-hotspot scenario should be reconsidered as a viable interpretation for J1502SE/SW, and suggest further VLBA tests of that scenario. A double-hotspot scenario could have broad implications for feedback in obscured AGNs. We also report a VLBA detection of high-brightness-temperature emission from the unobscured AGN that is offset several kiloparsecs from J1502SE/SW

Novel virus influenza A (H1N1sw in South-Eastern France, April-August 2009.

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Antoine Nougairède

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In April 2009, the first cases of pandemic (H1N1-2009 influenza [H1N1sw] virus were detected in France. Virological surveillance was undertaken in reference laboratories of the seven French Defence Zones. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report results of virological analyses performed in the Public Hospitals of Marseille during the first months of the outbreak. (i Nasal swabs were tested using rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT and two RT-PCR assays. Epidemiological characteristics of the 99 first suspected cases were analyzed, including detection of influenza virus and 18 other respiratory viruses. During three months, a total of 1,815 patients were tested (including 236 patients infected H1N1sw virus and distribution in age groups and results of RIDT were analyzed. (ii 600 sera received before April 2009 and randomly selected from in-patients were tested by a standard hemagglutination inhibition assay for antibody to the novel H1N1sw virus. (iii One early (May 2009 and one late (July 2009 viral isolates were characterized by sequencing the complete hemagglutinine and neuraminidase genes. (iiii Epidemiological characteristics of a cluster of cases that occurred in July 2009 in a summer camp were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study presents new virological and epidemiological data regarding infection by the pandemic A/H1N1 virus in Europe. Distribution in age groups was found to be similar to that previously reported for seasonal H1N1. The first seroprevalence data made available for a European population suggest a previous exposure of individuals over 40 years old to influenza viruses antigenically related to the pandemic (H1N1-2009 virus. Genomic analysis indicates that strains harbouring a new amino-acid pattern in the neuraminidase gene appeared secondarily and tended to supplant the first strains. Finally, in contrast with previous reports, our data support the use of RIDT for the detection of infection in

A new analysis of archival images of comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 to constrain the rotation state of and active regions on its nucleus

Science.gov (United States)

Schambeau, C.; Fernández, Y.; Samarasinha, N.; Mueller, B.; Woodney, L.; Lisse, C.; Kelley, M.; Meech, K.

2014-07-01

Introduction: 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 (SW1) is a unique comet (and Centaur) with an almost circular orbit just outside the orbit of Jupiter. This orbit results in SW1 receiving a nearly constant insolation, thus giving a simpler environment in which to study thermal properties and behaviors of this comet's nucleus. Such knowledge is crucial for improving our understanding of coma morphology, nuclear thermal evolution, and nuclear structure. To this end, our overarching goal is to develop a thermophysical model of SW1's nucleus that makes use of realistic physical and structural properties as inputs. This model will help to explain the highly variable gas- and dust-production rates of this comet; SW1 is well known for its frequent but stochastic outbursts of mass loss [1,2,3]. Here we will report new constraints on the effective radius, beaming parameter, spin state, and location of active regions on the nucleus of SW1. Results: The analysis completed so far consists of a re-analysis of Spitzer Space Telescope thermal-IR images of SW1 from UT 2003 November 21 and 24, when SW1 was observed outside of outburst. The images are from Spitzer's IRAC 5.8-μm and 8.0-μm bands and MIPS 24.0-μm and 70-μm bands. This analysis is similar to that of Stansberry et al. [4, 5], but with data products generated from the latest Spitzer pipeline. Also, analysis of the 5.8-μm image had not been reported before. Coma removal techniques (e.g., Fernández et al. [6]) were applied to each image letting us measure the nuclear point-source contribution to each image. The measured flux densities for each band were fit with a Near Earth Asteroid Thermal Model (NEATM, [7]) and resulted in values for the effective radius of SW1's nucleus, constraints on the thermal inertia, and an IR beaming-parameter value. Current efforts have shifted to constraining the spin properties of SW1's nucleus and surface areas of activity through use of an existing Monte Carlo model [8, 9] to reproduce

A geochemical approach to the restoration plans for the Odiel River basin (SW Spain), a watershed deeply polluted by acid mine drainage.

Science.gov (United States)

Macías, Francisco; Pérez-López, Rafael; Caraballo, Manuel A; Sarmiento, Aguasanta M; Cánovas, Carlos R; Nieto, Jose M; Olías, Manuel; Ayora, Carlos

2017-02-01

The Odiel River Basin (SW Spain) drains the central part of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), a world-class example of sulfide mining district and concomitantly of acid mine drainage (AMD) pollution. The severe AMD pollution and the incipient state of remediation strategies implemented in this region, coupled with the proximity of the deadline for compliance with the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), urge to develop a restoration and water resources management strategy. Furthermore, despite the presence of some reservoirs with acid waters in the Odiel basin, the construction of the Alcolea water reservoir has already started. On the basis of the positive results obtained after more than 10 years of developing a specific passive remediation technology (dispersed alkaline substrate (DAS)) for the highly polluted AMD of this region, a restoration strategy is proposed. The implementation of 13 DAS treatment plants in selected acid discharges along the Odiel and Oraque sub-basins and other restoration measurements of two acidic creeks is proposed as essential to obtain a good water quality in the future Alcolea reservoir. This restoration strategy is also suggested as an economically and environmentally sustainable approach to the extreme metal pollution affecting the waters of the region and could be considered the starting point for the future compliance with the WFD in the Odiel River Basin.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of FoxE from Rhodobacter ferrooxidans SW2, an FeII oxidoreductase involved in photoferrotrophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, L.; Saraiva, I. H.; Coelho, R.; Newman, D. K.; Louro, R. O.; Frazão, C.

2012-01-01

Crystals of the R. ferrooxidans SW2 iron oxidoreductase FoxE were obtained and the phase problem was solved by Fe SAD at 2.44 Å resolution. FoxE is a protein encoded by the foxEYZ operon of Rhodobacter ferrooxidans SW2 that is involved in Fe II -based anoxygenic photosynthesis (‘photoferrotrophy’). It is thought to reside in the periplasm, where it stimulates light-dependent Fe II oxidation. It contains 259 residues, including two haem c-binding motifs. As no three-dimensional model is available and there is no structure with a similar sequence, crystals of FoxE were produced. They diffracted to 2.44 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation at the Fe edge. The phase problem was solved by SAD using SHELXC/D/E and the experimental maps confirmed the presence of two haems per molecule

Effects of PKM2 Gene Silencing on the Proliferation and Apoptosis of Colorectal Cancer LS-147T and SW620 Cells

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Ran Ao

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: This paper aims to explore the effects of pyruvate kinase (PK M2 gene silencing on the proliferation and apoptosis of colorectal cancer (CRC LS-147T and SW620 cells. Methods: CRC LS-147T and SW620 cells highly expressing PKM2 were randomly selected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR and then assigned into the blank (no transfection, PKM2-shRNA (transfection with shRNA and empty plasmid (transfection with empty plasmid groups. Immunofluorescence was applied to detect PKM2 protein expression. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were conducted to assess mRNA and protein expression of PKM2, p53 and p21. The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8 assay was used to assess cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to assess the cell cycle and apoptosis rate, and a senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining kit was used to assess cell senescence. Results: PKM2 exhibited high mRNA expression among CRC LS-147T and SW620 cells with remarkable protein expression noted in the cytoplasm and nucleus. The PKM2-shRNA group exhibited reduced PKM2 mRNA and protein expression, whereas p53 and p21 expression was increased compared with the blank and empty plasmid groups. Cell proliferation in PKM2-shRNA cells decreased significantly compared with the blank group and empty plasmid groups. The PKM2-shRNA group exhibited more cells in the G1 phase and fewer cells in the G2/M phase compared with the blank and empty plasmid groups. In addition, the PKM2-shRNA group exhibited significantly increased apoptosis rates and β-galactosidase activity compared with the blank and empty plasmid groups. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that PKM2 gene silencing suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis in LS-147T and SW620 cells.

The reactivation of the SW Iberian passive margin: a brief review

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Joao; Rosas, Filipe; Terrinha, Pedro; Schellart, Wouter; Almeida, Pedro; Gutscher, Marc-André; Riel, Nicolas; Ribeiro, António

2016-04-01

On the morning of the 1st of November of 1755 a major earthquake struck offshore the Southwest Iberian margin. This was the strongest earthquake ever felt in Western Europe. The shake, fire and tsunami devastated Lisbon, was felt as far as Finland and had a profound impact on the thinkers of that time, in particular on the Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire, Rousseau and Kant. The Great Lisbon Earthquake is considered by many as the event that marks the birth of modern geosciences; and made of this region one of the most well studied areas in the world. After the 1755 earthquake, Kant and others authors wrote several treaties dealing with the causes and dynamics of earthquakes and tsunamis and were close to identify some key elements of what we now call plate tectonics. More than two hundred years later, in the year of 1969, the region was struck by another major earthquake. This was precisely during the period in which the theory of plate tectonics was being built. Geoscientists like Fukao (1973), Purdy (1975) and Mackenzie (1977) immediately focused their attention in the area. They suggested that these events were related with "transient" subduction of Africa below Iberia, along the East-West Azores-Gibraltar plate boundary. Several years later, Ribeiro (1989) suggested that instead of Africa being subducted below Iberia, it was the West Iberian passive margin that was being reactivated, a process that may, in time, lead to the formation of a new subduction zone. In the turning of the millennium, a subducting slab was imaged bellow the Gibraltar Straits, a remanent of the Western Mediterranean arc system that according to Gutscher et al. (2002) was related with ongoing subduction. Recently, it was proposed that a causal link between the Gibraltar subduction system and the reactivation of the SW Iberian margin might exist. In addition, the large-scale Africa-Eurasia convergence is inducing compressive stresses along the West Iberian margin. The margin

Environmental impact of early Basque mining and smelting recorded in a high ash minerogenic peat deposit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monna, F.; Galop, D.; Carozza, L.; Tual, M.; Beyrie, A.; Marembert, F.; Chateau, C.; Dominik, J.; Grousset, F.E.

2004-01-01

More than four metres of core, covering almost 5000 years of deposition, were collected in a high ash minerogenic peat deposit located in the High Aldudes valley (Basque country), an area well known for its mineral abundance, exploited from Roman Times at least. Although minerogenic peatlands are not generally considered as the best archives to reconstruct past atmospheric metal deposition history, lead isotopic geochemistry demonstrates the integrity of the Pb record at least within the three upper meters; that is to say over the last four millennia. Zn, Cd and Cu may have been widely redistributed either by biological cycling, advective groundwater movements, or diffusional processes. Anthropogenic lead input phases are clearly pinpointed by positive shifts in Pb/Sc ratios with concomitant sharp drops in 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratios. They are often accompanied by significant declines in tree taxa, interpreted as increasing demand for wood to supply energy for local mining and/or metallurgical operations. Periods of mining and/or smelting activity are identified during Antiquity and Modern Times, and are also confirmed by textual and field evidence. Inputs from the Rio Tinto (Southern Spain), often invoked as a major lead contributor to the European atmosphere during Roman Times, were not detected here. This remote source was probably masked by local inputs. Other mining and/or smelting phases, only suspected by archaeologists, are here identified as early as the Bronze Age. Although the durations of these phases are possibly overestimated because of detrital inputs consequent to the release of lead from polluted soils over a long period of time after major pollutant inputs, the periods at which pollution peaks occur are in good agreement with archaeological knowledge and palaeo-botanical data. The combination of geochemical and palaeo-botanical techniques with field archaeology, therefore provides a powerful tool in studying the interaction of early human societies with

Negative Transfer Effects on L2 Word Order Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Erdocia, Kepa; Laka, Itziar

2018-01-01

Does first language (L1) word order affect the processing of non-canonical but grammatical syntactic structures in second language (L2) comprehension? In the present study, we test whether L1-Spanish speakers of L2-Basque process subject-verb-object (SVO) and object-verb-subject (OVS) non-canonical word order sentences of Basque in the same way as Basque native speakers. Crucially, while OVS orders are non-canonical in both Spanish and Basque, SVO is non-canonical in Basque but is the canonical word order in Spanish. Our electrophysiological results showed that the characteristics of L1 affect the processing of the L2 even at highly proficient and early-acquired bilingual populations. Specifically, in the non-native group, we observed a left anterior negativity-like component when comparing S and O at sentence initial position and a P600 when comparing those elements at sentence final position. Those results are similar of those reported by Casado et al. (2005) for native speakers of Spanish indicating that L2-Basque speakers rely in their L1-Spanish when processing SVO-OVS word order sentences. Our results favored the competition model (MacWhinney, 1997).

Negative Transfer Effects on L2 Word Order Processing

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Kepa Erdocia

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Does first language (L1 word order affect the processing of non-canonical but grammatical syntactic structures in second language (L2 comprehension? In the present study, we test whether L1-Spanish speakers of L2-Basque process subject–verb–object (SVO and object–verb–subject (OVS non-canonical word order sentences of Basque in the same way as Basque native speakers. Crucially, while OVS orders are non-canonical in both Spanish and Basque, SVO is non-canonical in Basque but is the canonical word order in Spanish. Our electrophysiological results showed that the characteristics of L1 affect the processing of the L2 even at highly proficient and early-acquired bilingual populations. Specifically, in the non-native group, we observed a left anterior negativity-like component when comparing S and O at sentence initial position and a P600 when comparing those elements at sentence final position. Those results are similar of those reported by Casado et al. (2005 for native speakers of Spanish indicating that L2-Basque speakers rely in their L1-Spanish when processing SVO–OVS word order sentences. Our results favored the competition model (MacWhinney, 1997.

Protein-bound polysaccharide from Phellinus linteus inhibits tumor growth, invasion, and angiogenesis and alters Wnt/β-catenin in SW480 human colon cancer cells

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Park Hae-Duck

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Polysaccharides extracted from the Phellinus linteus (PL mushroom are known to possess anti-tumor effects. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the anti-tumor properties of PL remain to be explored. Experiments were carried out to unravel the anticancer effects of PL. Methods The anti-cancer effects of PL were examined in SW480 colon cancer cells by evaluating cell proliferation, invasion and matrix metallo-proteinase (MMP activity. The anti-angiogenic effects of PL were examined by assessing human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC proliferation and capillary tube formation. The in vivo effect of PL was evaluated in an athymic nude mouse SW480 tumor engraft model. Results PL (125-1000 μg/mL significantly inhibited cell proliferation and decreased β-catenin expression in SW480 cells. Expression of cyclin D1, one of the downstream-regulated genes of β-catenin, and T-cell factor/lymphocyte enhancer binding factor (TCF/LEF transcription activity were also significantly reduced by PL treatment. PL inhibited in vitro invasion and motility as well as the activity of MMP-9. In addition, PL treatment inhibited HUVEC proliferation and capillary tube formation. Tumor growth of SW480 cells implanted into nude mice was significantly decreased as a consequence of PL treatment, and tumor tissues from treated animals showed an increase in the apoptotic index and a decrease in β-catenin expression. Moreover, the proliferation index and microvessel density were significantly decreased. Conclusions These data suggest that PL suppresses tumor growth, invasion, and angiogenesis through the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in certain colon cancer cells.

Ambient Noise Tomography in Koyna-Warna region.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohilla, S.; Rao, N. P.; Gerstoft, P.; Yao, H.; Fang, H.; Davulluri, S.

2017-12-01

In the present study Ambient Noise tomography has been done in the Koyna-Warna region of western India to decipher the complex structural setting and its linkage to the seismogenesis in this unique Reservoir Triggered Seismicity zone. The 3-D velocity model obtained from the study clearly brings out the lateral and vertical variations of shear velocity in the region down to a depth of about 10 km. In the Koyna region, seismicity distribution along the NNE-SSW trending Donachiwada fault zone is seen coinciding with a low velocity zone between two competent zones with a very high velocity > 4.0 km/s. The seismicity between the Koyna and Warna regions roughly trending NW-SE can be clearly seen in the NE-SW depth sections coinciding with a low velocity zone interspersed between two high velocity zones. The most active seismicity cluster south of the Warna Lake correlates with a near-vertical velocity discontinuity with a contrast of about 0.5 km/s is seen in an EW depth section. The study has helped in delineating the major fault zones of the Koyna-Warna region and enabled understanding the seismogenesis with respect to the structural controls in a RTS enviroment.

Calculations of chemisorption of hydrogen and nitrogen on titanium using Xα-SW and SCF-CI methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hung, S.C.

1983-01-01

Two theoretical studies are used as examples of chemisorption on transition metal surfaces. The first calculation employs the SCF-Sα-SW method to determine the electronic structures of several close-packed Ti-Ti and Ti-H systems. The relative importance of Ti s, p, and electron bonding to its Ti neighbors and to H are reported. The roles of the d electrons in the Ti-Ti and Ti-H bond are discussed. The effect of the presence of an H atom on the first few layers of the metal is also studied. The second set of calculations employs the Hartree-Fock-Roothaan SCF formulation supplemented by configuration-interaction (CI) to determine the energetics of adsorption of an N 2 molecule at a Ti surface. These calculations are made tractable by using a Ti core potential and by a unitary localization transformation to define a local surface region of localized lattice plus adsorbate orbitals. The results show that an underlayer of N atoms forms at the octahedral sites. The calculated adsorption energy of 115 kcal/mole compares favorably with experiment. Binding energy contributions in the several successive steps of the calculations are discussed. Eigenvalue spectra for the selected lattice-adsorbate geometries are compared to the UPS experimental data

Research and technology organizations’ mobilizers of the regional environment: Competitive strategies

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Carlos Augusto Rincón Díaz

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to propose a contingent model that facilitates knowledge of the strategies followed by the research technology organizations (RTOs of Valencia and the Basque Country, Spain, to adapt to the turbulence of their environment. Design/methodology/approach - The research includes context, organizational and results variables and identifies some barriers that the RTOs encounter in collaborating with SMEs and also the best practices they follow to develop competitive advantages. The methodology used consisted of applying the proposed model to the 27 RTOs of both autonomous regions; a factor analysis was then performed to determine whether there exist groups of related (correlated variables; finally, the authors proceeded to carry out a hierarchical cluster analysis to observe how the 27 RTOs are distributed according to their ability to adapt and respond to environmental turbulence. Findings - The technological policy must consider the characteristics of each region to propose more efficient and equitable mechanisms that allow the RTOs to face new challenges. Originality/value -This study proposes a theoretical model suitable for RTOs to respond to environmental changes, to the current economy globalization and to cope with new challenges. This proposal means that RTOs must manage an appropriate combination of key factors, including the development of more proactive innovation strategies, an organic organizational structure to relate better with other innovation agents and universities, which help them to work more efficiently with SMEs and to obtain a higher innovative performance.

WATER TEMPERATURE and Other Data from ALMIRANTE SALDANHA From SW Atlantic (limit-20 W) for 1967-01-01 (NODC Accession 9700076)

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Phytoplankton, chlorophyll, and other data were collected from bottle casts in the SW Atlantic Ocean (lim-20 W) from the Almirante Saldanha from 16 March 1967 to 30...

Chemical composition of essential oil and hexane extract and antioxidant activity of various extracts of Acmella uliginosa (Sw. Cass flowers from Indonesia

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Askal Maimulyanti

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Medicinal plants are rich sources of natural antioxidant which are used in the prevention and treatment of disease like artherosclerosis, heart stroke, diabetes and cancer and to delay the process of aging. Acmella uliginosa (Sw. Cass is an edible herb traditionally used in the treatment of many diseases. Analysis of volatile components in the flower extract used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed the main components of the essential oil were caryophyllene (21.27%, caryophyllene oxide (15.49%, and 3-carene (10.73%. The main components of the hexane extract were N-isobutyl-2E,6Z,8E-decatrienamide (37.80%, α-pinene (4.98% and hexadacanoic acid-methyl ester (4.78%. The antioxidant activity of A. uliginosa (Sw. Cass flower from Indonesia was determined using 1,1, diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazine (DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The IC50 (defined as the total antioxidant necessary to decrease the initial DPPH radical by 50% of extracts was calculated. A comparative study determined that A. uliginosa (Sw. Cass in methanol extract showed higher antioxidant potential (IC50 = 96.83 μg/mL compared to ethyl acetate extract (IC50 = 123.46 μg/mL and n-hexane extract (905.92 μg/mL against DPPH free radicals.

Influence of structures on drainage patterns in the Tushka region, SW Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, C. A.; El-Kaliouby, H.; Ghoneim, E.

2017-12-01

Remote sensing (radar, thermal and topographic) and geophysical (Vertical Electrical Sounding and Ground Penetrating Radar) data are used to understand areas with enhanced groundwater potential in deeper aquifer settings between 22°0‧-22°56‧N and 30°21-31°20‧E in the Tushka area of southwest Egypt. The premise is that areas with enhanced groundwater accumulations represent the best locations for agricultural development that is underway in this region and that deeper sources groundwater resources are the most sustainable. New fluvial and structural interpretations emphasize that the desert landscape was produced by fluvial action in the past. The correlation of high drainage and fault densities, coincident with gentle slope, guided sites for geophysical investigation that provides information about the aquifer depth and distribution, and the subsurface distribution of faults. Results confirm the presence of subsurface fault plains and fault zones and potential water aquifers at these locations. Surface environments further demonstrated an abundance of shrubs and cultivatable soils. The new approach therefore is a cost effective and noninvasive technique that can be applied throughout the eastern Sahara to assist in resource management decisions and support the planned agricultural expansion.

Rapid identification of tomato Sw-5 resistance-breaking isolates of Tomato spotted wilt virus using high resolution melting and TaqMan SNP Genotyping assays as allelic discrimination techniques.

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Valentina di Rienzo

Full Text Available In tomato, resistance to Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV is conferred by the dominant gene, designated Sw-5. Virulent Sw-5 resistance breaking (SRB mutants of TSWV have been reported on Sw-5 tomato cultivars. Two different PCR-based allelic discrimination techniques, namely Custom TaqMan™ SNP Genotyping and high-resolution melting (HRM assays, were developed and compared for their ability to distinguish between avirulent (Sw-5 non-infecting, SNI and SRB biotypes. TaqMan assays proved to be more sensitive (threshold of detection in a range of 50-70 TSWV RNA copies and more reliable than HRM, assigning 25 TSWV isolates to their correct genotype with an accuracy of 100%. Moreover, the TaqMan SNP assays were further improved developing a rapid and simple protocol that included crude leaf extraction for RNA template preparations. On the other hand, HRM assays showed higher levels of sensitivity than TaqMan when used to co-detect both biotypes in different artificial mixtures. These diagnostic assays contributed to gain preliminary information on the epidemiology of TSWV isolates in open field conditions. In fact, the presented data suggest that SRB isolates are present as stable populations established year round, persisting on both winter (globe artichoke and summer (tomato crops, in the same cultivated areas of Southern Italy.

Landsat TM data processing for lithological discrimination in the Caraculo area (Namibe Province, SW Angola)

Science.gov (United States)

Alberti, A.; Alessandro, V.; Pieruccini, U.; Pranzini, E.

1993-10-01

Landsat TM data were used for lithological discrimination and mapping in the little-known, semiarid 900 km 2 area around Caraculo station and the middle course of the Rio Giraul (Namibe Province, SW Angola) following two main procedures. The first of these was based on visual evaluation of three-band composites, band-ratio composites and Principal Component Analysis. The second method relied on the extraction of spectral signatures, and their use to obtain automatic classifications. Satisfactory results were reached with the first procedure, thus allowing - with limited support of ground information — the draft of a lithological map, while the second method was not systematically efficient, even for confirmation of data acquired with the first procedure. Image interpretation suggests that an extensive but hithertoun differentiated metasedimentary complex consisting of a heterogeneous supracrustal sequence should be subdivided into at least two units. Field observations proved that one of these is marked by a notable frequency of marbles and the other is characterized by a widespread occurrence of amphibolitic bodies. Moreover, a belt of undetermined (thermally metamorphosed ?) metamorphic rocks is interposed between them. The distinction of so far unidentified units, though restricted to interpretation of processed Landsat TM data, has significant geological implications also in the regional context and will be helpful in guiding future work with conventional geological methods.

Bathymetric and regional changes in benthic macrofaunal assemblages on the deep Eastern Brazilian margin, SW Atlantic

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardino, Angelo Fraga; Berenguer, Vanessa; Ribeiro-Ferreira, Venina P.

2016-05-01

Deep-sea continental slopes have valuable mineral and biological resources in close proximity to diverse, undersampled and fragile marine benthic ecosystems. The eastern Brazilian Continental Margin (19.01°S to 21.06°S, 37.88°W to 40.22°W) is an important economic region for both fishing and oil industries, but is poorly understood with respect to the structure of the soft-sediment benthic fauna, their regional distribution and their bathymetric patterns. To identify spatial and temporal patterns of benthic macrofaunal assemblages on the slope (400 to 3000 m), the Espirito Santo Basin Assessment Project (AMBES, coordinated by Cenpes-Petrobras) sampled 42 stations across the Brazilian Eastern Slope during both Summer 2012 and Winter 2013. We found a significant decrease in macrofaunal abundance at the 400 m isobath along the slope near the northern region of the Espirito Santo Basin, suggesting benthic responses to upwelling events towards the south in Campos Basin and southern Espirito Santo Basin. The taxonomic diversity and assemblage composition also changed significantly across depth zones with mid-slope peaks of diversity at 1000-1300 m. In general, macrofaunal assemblages were strongly related to slope depth, suggesting a strong influence of productivity gradients and water mass distribution on this oligotrophic margin. Sediment grain size was marginally important to macrofaunal composition on the upper slope. In general, macrofaunal assemblages on the slope of Espirito Santo Basin are similar to other areas of the SE Brazilian margin, but regional changes in response to productivity and depth need to be considered for management strategies in the face of increasing economic activities off-shore.

Arsenic species in atmospheric particulate matter as tracer of the air quality of Doñana Natural Park (SW Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

González-Castanedo, Y; Sanchez-Rodas, D; Sánchez de la Campa, A M; Pandolfi, M; Alastuey, A; Cachorro, V E; Querol, X; de la Rosa, J D

2015-01-01

Sampling and chemical analyses, including major compounds and trace elements, of atmospheric particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) have been performed during 2006-2007 in a regional background monitoring station located within the Doñana Natural Park (SW of Spain). This region is strategic for air quality and climate change studies, representing a meeting place of the European and African continents, and the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The present study based on meteorological parameters demonstrated long-range transport and impact of industrial plumes on the Doñana Natural. Inorganic arsenic species (arsenate and arsenite) have been analyzed in particulate matter (PM) to characterize the impact of near Cu-smelter plumes and demonstrated the long-range transport of industrial pollutants. As(V) is the main specie of As and varies between 95% and 98% of total As in PM10 and 96-97% in PM2.5. The As(V)/As(III) ratio measured in emission plumes of a Cu-smelter are similar to the ratio found in the Doñana Natural Park. The application of Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) to atmospheric particulate matter estimated the contributions and chemical profiles of natural and anthropogenic sources impacting the Natural Park, demonstrating the industrial origin of the As and other toxic elements in the air. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Back analysis of an earthquake-triggered submarine landslide near the SW of Xiaoliuqiu

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Huai-Houh Hsu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Occurred in the offshore of SW Taiwan on 26 December 2006 with a magnitude of 7, the Pingtung earthquake had triggered numbers of submarine landslides. This event provides an excellent opportunity to incorporate the back analysis approach to evaluate the in situ shear strength parameters. According to the chirp sonar images of the seabed near the SW Xiaoliuqiu obtained before and after the earthquake were adopted to establish the slope profile and identified the location of a circular sliding surface. Consequently, the in situ, effective strength parameters under the critical condition can be calculated by back slope stability analysis. Submarine sediment sampler was obtained via gravity sampling method and the laboratory tests were performed to determine the index properties and strength parameters. Test results indicate the cored sediment has the characteristics of normally consolidated (NC clay. The effective friction angle (φ’ is 15.3° with cohesion (c’ of 19.4 kPa. The effective and total stress methods were used to perform the back analysis. The strength parameters derived from back analysis of effective and total stress methods all indicate values approach the CIU triaxial tests results. Consequently, the representativeness of the marine sediment characteristics obtained from laboratory tests is identified. The total stress approach yields an undrained strength ratio cu/σ'vo of 0.26 which well fit the ratio used in geotechnical practice for estimating NC clay. According to the analytical approach, the landslide was applied seismic forces (seismic coefficient kh = 0.14 and generated excess pore pressure of 31 kPa at the sliding surface.

Production of ethanol from mesquite [Prosopis juliflora (SW) D.C.] pods mash by Zymomonas mobilis in submerged fermentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Celiane Gomes Maia da [Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Ciencias Domesticas; Andrade, Samara Alvachian Cardoso; Schuler, Alexandre Ricardo Pereira [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica; Souza, Evandro Leite de [Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), Joao Pessoa, PB (Brazil). Dept. de Nutricao; Stamford, Tania Lucia Montenegro [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Nutricao], E-mail: tlmstamford@yahoo.com.br

2011-01-15

Mesquite [Prosopis juliflora (SW) D.C.], a perennial tropical plant commonly found in Brazilian semi-arid region, is a viable raw material for fermentative processes because of its low cost and production of pods with high content of hydrolyzable sugars which generate many compounds, including ethanol. This study aimed to evaluate the use of mesquite pods as substrate for ethanol production by Z. mobilis UFPEDA- 205 in a submerged fermentation. The fermentation was assessed for rate of substrate yield to ethanol, rate of ethanol production and efficiency of fermentation. The very close theoretical (170 g L{sup -1}) and experimental (165 g L{sup -1}) maximum ethanol yields were achieved at 36 h of fermentation. The highest counts of Z. mobilis UFEPEDA-205 (both close to 6 Log cfu mL{sup -1}) were also noted at 36 h. Highest rates of substrate yield to ethanol (0.44 g ethanol g glucose{sup -1}), of ethanol production (4.69 g L{sup -1} h{sup -1}) and of efficiency of fermentation (86.81%) were found after 30 h. These findings suggest mesquite pods as an interesting substrate for ethanol production using submerged fermentation by Z. mobilis. (author)

Geological mapping of investigation trench OL-TK18 at the Olkiluoto study site, Eurajoki, SW Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engstroem, J. [GTK Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo (Finland)

2012-04-15

Survey of Finland at the Olkiluoto study site, Eurajoki, as part of Posiva Oy's site investigation programme for the development of an underground repository for nuclear waste. The E-W striking, ca. 55 m long trench is located in the central part of the Olkiluoto Island adjacent to investigation trenches OL-TK12 and OL-TK4. The trench was cleaned with a pressure washer and pressurized air. The rock types were determined macroscopically. The rock types in investigation trench OL-TK18 is of heterogeneous character, with a large variation in their composition. The rocks vary from tonalitic-granodioritic gneiss to diatexitic gneiss, with portions of K-feldspar porphyritic gneiss. Inclusions of mica gneiss and a well-preserved schollen migmatite is encountered. The trench ends in a feldspar-rich pegmatoid. The most dominant tectonic feature is D{sub 4} ductile deformation domain and associated S{sub 4} foliation. This domain and hence the S{sub 4} foliation is striking NE-SW with a moderate dip towards SE. Both ends of the trench are dominated by the earlier deformation phase, showing S{sub 3} foliation striking ENE-WSW and roughly dipping towards the S. The S{sub 3} foliation is associated with small-scaled granitic leucosome veining, while the S{sub 4} foliation have a schistose character and it is more sheared. D{sub 4} ductile deformation domain is also characterised by a sheared blastomylonitic rock having growth of roundish feldspar porphyroblasts and BTschlierens indicating high alteration of the protolith. During the fracture mapping, all fractures intersecting the central thread were investigated and a total of 117 fractures were recorded. The average fracture frequency of the trench is 2.11 fractures/m. On the basis of fracture orientations one main set can be distinguished striking NE-SW (foliation parallel) with a moderate dip towards the SE. The median fracture trace length is 1.6 m and over half of the fractures exceed 1.5 m trace length, the longest

Miocene to Recent structural evolution of the Nevado de Toluca volcano region, Central Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

García-Palomo, A.; Macías, J. L.; Garduño, V. H.

2000-03-01

Based on aerial photography, satellite imagery, and detailed field work, a geological and structural model of Nevado de Toluca and its surroundings is presented. The Nevado de Toluca volcano is built upon the intersection of three complex fault systems of different age, orientation, and kinematics. These systems from the older to the younger are: (a) The Taxco-Querétaro Fault System (NNW-SSE) with clear expression south of the volcano; (b) The San Antonio Fault System (NE-SW) that runs between the San Antonio and Nevado de Toluca volcanoes; and (c) The Tenango Fault System (E-W) located to the east of Nevado de Toluca volcano. Our field data, supported by previous studies, suggest that these systems have coexisted since the late Miocene. In addition, the stratigraphy, chronology, and kinematics of fault planes point to the existence of at least three main deformation events that have affected the region since the late Miocene. During the early Miocene, an extensional phase with the same deformation style as the Basin and Range tectonics of northern Mexico caused the formation of horsts and grabens south of Nevado de Toluca and allowed the intrusion of sub-vertical dikes oriented NW-SE and NNW-SSE. During the middle Miocene, a transcurrent episode generated NE-SW faults that presented two main motions: the first movement was left-lateral with a σ3 oriented NW-SE and later turned into normal through a counter-clockwise rotation of σ3 up to a N-S position. The latest deformation phase started during the late Pliocene and produced oblique extension ( σ3 oriented NE-SW) along E-W-trending faults that later changed to pure extension by shifting of σ3 to a N-S orientation. These faults appear to control the late Pleistocene to Holocene monogenetic volcanism, the flank collapses of Nevado de Toluca volcano and the seismic activity of the region.

Growth inhibitory alkaloids from mesquite (Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.) leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakano, Hiroshi; Nakajima, Eri; Hiradate, Syuntaro; Fujii, Yoshiharu; Yamada, Kosumi; Shigemori, Hideyuki; Hasegawa, Koji

2004-03-01

Plant growth inhibitory alkaloids were isolated from the extract of mesquite [Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.] leaves. Their chemical structures were established by ESI-MS, 1H and 13C NMR spectra analysis. The I50 value (concentration required for 50% inhibition of control) for root growth of cress (Lepidium sativum L.) seedlings was 400 microM for 3''''-oxo-juliprosopine, 500 microM for secojuliprosopinal, and 100 microM for a (1:1) mixture of 3-oxo-juliprosine and 3'-oxo-juliprosine, respectively. On the other hand, the minimum concentration exhibiting inhibitory effect on shoot growth of cress seedlings was 10 microM for 3''''-oxo-juliprosopine, 100 microM for secojuliprosopinal, and 1 microM for a (1:1) mixture of 3-oxo-juliprosine and 3'-oxo-juliprosine, respectively. Among these compounds, a (1:1) mixture of 3-oxo-juliprosine and 3'-oxo-juliprosine exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on the growth of cress seedlings.

ECONOMICAL VIABILITY OF PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT OF Prosopis juliflora (SW) D.C. WOOD SUBMITTED TO SAP DISPLACEMENT METHOD

OpenAIRE

Desmoulis Wanderley de Farias Sobrinho; Juarez Benigno Paes; Judernor Fernandes Filgueiras

2008-01-01

This work aimed to evaluate the economical viability of preservative treatment of Prosopis juliflora (Sw) D.C. roundpieces treated with Osmose CCB commercial preservative applied by sap displacement method in rural property and to comparetheir costs with Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, Mimosa tenuiflora and Prosopis juliflora non-treated pieces costs. The treatment of Prosopisjuliflora wood demonstrated to be economically viable when compared to alternatives using the Equivalent Annual Costs (EACs),...

The significance of fructose and MSG in affecting lipid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) production of Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Shariffah Nurhidayah Syed Abdul; Kalil, Mohd Sahaid; Hamid, Aidil Abdul

2018-04-01

Optimization of fermentation medium for the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1 was carried out. In this study, levels of fructose, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and sea salt were optimized for enhanced lipid and DHA production using response surface methodology (RSM). The design contains a total of 20 runs with 6 central points replication. Cultivation was carried out in 500 mL flasks containing 100 mL nitrogen limited medium at 30°C for 96h. Sequential model sum of squares (SS) revealed that the system was adequately represented by a quadratic model (p<0.0001). ANOVA results showed that fructose and MSG as a single factor has significant positive effect on the DHA content of SW1. The estimated optimal levels of the factors were 100 g/L fructose, 8 g/L MSG and 47% sea salt. Subsequent cultivation employing the suggested values confirmed that the predicted response values were experimentally achievable and reproducible, where 8.82 g/L DHA (51.34% g/g lipid) was achieved.

Induction of apoptosis by tomato using space mutation breeding in human colon cancer SW480 and HT-29 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jiahui; Yang, Bin; Feng, Pan; Li, Duo; Zhu, Jiajin

2010-03-15

As far as we know, there have been no reports concerning the functional characteristics of tomatoes using space mutation breeding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-colon cancer effect of tomatoes M1 and M2 using space mutation breeding. In the present study, obvious anti-cancer activity was shown with tomato juice of M1 and M2 and their parent CK treatment in colon cancer cell lines SW480 and HT-29 in cell growth inhibition. In addition, SW480 cells were more sensitive to M1 and M2 than HT-29 cells in cell apoptosis. Furthermore, M1 and M2 induced cell cycle arrest both in G0-G1 and G2/M phases. These data suggest that consumption of tomato using space mutation breeding may provide benefits to inhibit growth of colon cancer cells. Therefore, tomato production using space mutation breeding may be a good candidate for development as a dietary supplement in drug therapy for colon cancer.

USB HW/SW Co-Simulation Environment with Custom Test Tool Integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grigor Y. Zargaryan

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a new verification environment for USB 2.0 controller. New methodology is presented, where a co-simulation environment is used as one of the starting points for the embedded hardware/software development and as an accelerator of the overall design process. The verification environment is based on the device emulation/virtualization technique, using USB controller’s real register transfer level (RTL instead of models. This approach is functionally very close to the corresponding real-world devices and allows wider opportunities for hardware debugging. The new software utilities for USB host and device functionality testing are also presented. This tool allows generating custom tests by including various transfer types and modifying parameters such as data payload, interval, number of pipes, etc. It can be used for both hardware (HW and software (SW limitations characterization, as well as debugging.

Andrographolide suppresses proliferation of human colon cancer SW620 cells through the TLR4/NF-κB/MMP-9 signaling pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Rui; Zhao, Jian; Xu, Jian; Jiao, De-Xin; Wang, Jian; Gong, Zhi-Qiang; Jia, Jian-Hui

2017-10-01

Modern pharmacological research has revealed that andrographolide has various functions, including anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects, immunoregulation, treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and prevention and treatment of alcoholic liver injury. The present study investigated whether andrographolide suppresses the proliferation of human colon cancer cell through the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor (NF)-κB/matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) signaling pathway. The MTT assay and lactate dehydrogenase assay were used to evaluate the anticancer effects of andrographolide on cell proliferation and cytotoxicity in human colon cancer SW620 cells. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the anticancer effects of andrographolide on apoptosis by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide kit. The effects of andrographolide on the activity of caspase-3/9 were measured using ELISA. Western blot analysis was also used to analyze the protein expression of TLR4, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), NF-κB-p65 and MMP-9. In the present study, it was found that andrographolide suppressed the cell proliferation, augmented cytotoxicity, evoked cell apoptosis and activated caspase-3/9 activities in human colon cancer SW620 cells. The results revealed that the anti-proliferation effects of andrographolide on the SW620 cells was associated with the inhibition of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB-p65 and MMP-9 signaling activation. The results suggest that andrographolide is a promising drug for treatment of human colon cancer via suppression of the TLR4/NF-κB/MMP-9 signaling pathway.

Astronomical tuning and carbon isotope stratigraphy of the Maastrichtian in Sopelana and Zumaia (Basque country, N-Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Batenburg, S. J.; Gale, A. S.; Hilgen, F. J.; Hüsing, S. K.; Laskar, J.; Orue-Etxebarria, X.; Sprovieri, M.; Voigt, S.

2012-04-01

Astronomical tuning has led to significant refinement of the Geological Time Scale for the Cenozoic, however the Late Cretaceous time scale still has potential errors of ~0.5 Myr. The Basque sections of Sopelana and Zumaia (N-Spain) provide a high-resolution sedimentary archive encompassing the Maastrichtian up to the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary. Rhythmic limestone-marl alternations, deposited in a hemipelagic setting, reflect the influence of the periodicities of eccentricity modulated precession. Starting from a K/Pg boundary age of 66.0 Ma, consecutive 405-kyr minima are tuned to the new astronomical solution La2011. This orbital tuning, together with the expression of individual precessional cycles, allows for unprecedented refinement of the Geologic Time Scale for the Maastrichtian with errors analysis of magnetic susceptibility and colour reflectance data. A cyclostratigraphic framework and orbital tuning of the Zumaia section has recently been obtained. This is extended further back in time by correlation to the Sopelana section by recognition of orbital patterns and marker beds. The total amount of time represented by the two sections is 5 Myr. The lower boundary falls within chron C32N1n, almost reaching the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary. Magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data allow for application of the cyclostratigraphic framework worldwide, and comparison to previously published Maastrichtian time scales. Additionally, we present an orbitally tuned bulk carbon isotope curve. The high resolution and large amplitude of shifts in δ13C on the 405-kyr and 1.2-Myr scales enables correlation to deep marine oceanic sites, several sections from the Boreal chalk sea and Italy and, importantly, the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary GSSP at Tercis, France. This will provide a globally applicable cyclostratigraphic framework for the entire Maastrichtian. We will discuss the implications for the orbital pacing theory of the late Cretaceous climate

Faster and Further Morphosyntactic Development of CLIL vs. EFL Basque-Spanish Bilinguals Learning English in High-School

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Amparo Lázaro

2012-06-01

Full Text Available A general advantage in proficiency has been repeatedly reported for learners receiving Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL when compared to learners who only receive English lessons. However, fine-grained studies addressing the aspects which make up this general advantage are still scarce. Within this context, this paper concentrates on the morphosyntactic development of two groups of (Basque-Spanish adolescents learning English in high-school over a two-year period. One group (n= 15 received CLIL instruction and English classes while the other group (n=11 only received English classes. The results indicate a clear advantage for the CLIL group, which seems to be at a further developmental stage. Nonetheless, both groups improve over the two years and, unlike previous claims in schools, no signs of fossilization are found although inaccuracies in inflection still exist. In light of these results, the value of increasing exposure in the form of CLIL lessons in high-school is discussed.Repetidamente se ha demostrado que los alumnos en programas de Adquisición Integrada de Contenidos y Lengua Extranjera (AICLE son mejores que los alumnos que únicamente reciben clases de inglés. Sin embargo, pocos trabajos han especificado qué aspectos concretos de la lengua mejoran con estas metodologías. Este trabajo analiza, a lo largo de dos años, el desarrollo morfosintáctico de dos grupos de adolescentes bilingües (euskera-castellano que aprenden inglés en el colegio. Un grupo (n=11 solo recibe clases de inglés mientras que el otro (n=15 también recibe clases de AICLE. Los resultados muestran que los alumnos AICLE presentan un mayor desarrollo morfosintáctico. También se muestra que ambos grupos evolucionan a lo largo de los dos años y, frente a trabajos anteriores, no hay signos de fosilización aunque los problemas flexivos persisten. Con estos resultados, se discute la validez de aumentar la exposición al inglés mediante programas

The disappearance of Picea at the end of Upper Pleistocene in the Basque-Cantabrian region: climatic and anthropogenic factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uzquiano, P.

1995-01-01

Charcoal analysis from archaeological sites in Cantabrian region (North of Spain) has yielded evidence of Picea charcoal in Late-Wurmian sediments. Taking into account the behaviour of this taxon in Quaternary climatic cycles, data suggest the presence of small localities of low-density populations near each catchment area of prehistoric settlements. The different function of each site and hunter-gatherers'logistical moves closer to the economic resources are responsible for the presence or absence of Picea, and for the disappearance of its last localities. (author). 16 refs., 4 figs

Effect of 60Co γ-rays irradiation on plant regeneration from callus of sea dallisgrass (paspalum vaginatum Sw.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Xiaoqing; She Jianming; Wang Songfeng; Zhang Xu; Liang Liufang; Dong Mingqiang; Wu Yingying

2010-01-01

The pellet embryonic calli of Paspalum vagiantum Sw. cv. Adalay were used for 60 Co γ-rays irradiation. In the callus subculture medium with 2, 4-D 2.0 mg /L and BAP 0.05 mg /L, calli were irradiated at the dose rate 1 Gy /min of 60 Co γ-rays. Results showed that the rate of shoot regeneration was from 94% to 85% when calli irradiated with 20 ∼ 50 Gy; the rate of shoot regeneration was from 76% to 30%, and the rate of plant regeneration was from 44.5% to 8.7% between 60 ∼ 80 Gy. By 60 Gy of 60 Co γ-rays irradiation, the rate of shoot regeneration was about 76% in the differentiation medium with BAP 2.0 mg /L, and the relative rate of plant regeneration was 44.5% in the rooting medium with NAA 0.5 mg /L. The result of sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers analysis showed that the specific SRAP markers were associated with the somatic mutants. The mutation technique of 60 Co γ-rays has been established in the somatic cell of Paspalum vaginatum Sw. (authors)

Sedimentological characteristics and seafloor failure offshore SW Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Chieh Su

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, analysis results reveal two main deposition zones are located at the flank of upper Gaoping Submarine Canyon and Lower Fangliao Basin offshore SW Taiwan. The non-event related sediments deposited in past 150 years (i.e., 632 Mt km-2 was delivered and transported from Gaoping River by suspension process with tides and coastal currents and gradually spread out offshore. Meanwhile, the total mass of accumulation sediments is 1922 Mt km-2, accounting for 40% Gaoping River’s sediment load and suggesting that the deposition process is mainly controlled by natural hazards. Sedimentation rates in much of the study area, except in the main deposition zones, are less than 0.5 cm yr-1 (5 m kyr-1. Compared with the studies at the instability seafloor caused by high sedimentation rates (~30 m kyr-1, the offshore southwestern Taiwan is relatively stable. In this study, we also discovered a series of sediment waves located on the upper continental slope between Gaoping and Fangliao Submarine Canyons, which is related to the creeping process on seafloor. In summary, our results reveal the fluid activities, existence of weak layers and earthquake triggering are potential factors which might induced seafloor failures offshore southwestern Taiwan.

Coupling between SW monsoon-related surface and deep ocean processes as discerned from continuous particle flux measurements and correlated satellite data

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rixen, T.; Haake, B.; Ittekkot, V.; Guptha, M.V.S.; Nair, R.R.; Schlussel, P.

. The particle flux in the eastern Arabian Sea is as high as in the central Arabian Sea but is influenced by a weaker upwelling system along the Indian Coast. The observed interannual variability in the pattern of particle fluxes during the SW monsoons is most...

Cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses of a colorectal cancer screening programme in a high adenoma prevalence scenario using MISCAN-Colon microsimulation model.

Science.gov (United States)

Arrospide, Arantzazu; Idigoras, Isabel; Mar, Javier; de Koning, Harry; van der Meulen, Miriam; Soto-Gordoa, Myriam; Martinez-Llorente, Jose Miguel; Portillo, Isabel; Arana-Arri, Eunate; Ibarrondo, Oliver; Lansdorp-Vogelaar, Iris

2018-04-25

The Basque Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme began in 2009 and the implementation has been complete since 2013. Faecal immunological testing was used for screening in individuals between 50 and 69 years old. Colorectal Cancer in Basque country is characterized by unusual epidemiological features given that Colorectal Cancer incidence is similar to other European countries while adenoma prevalence is higher. The object of our study was to economically evaluate the programme via cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses with microsimulation models. We applied the Microsimulation Screening Analysis (MISCAN)-Colon model to predict trends in Colorectal Cancer incidence and mortality and to quantify the short- and long-term effects and costs of the Basque Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme. The model was calibrated to the Basque demographics in 2008 and age-specific Colorectal Cancer incidence data in the Basque Cancer Registry from 2005 to 2008 before the screening begun. The model was also calibrated to the high adenoma prevalence observed for the Basque population in a previously published study. The multi-cohort approach used in the model included all the cohorts in the programme during 30 years of implementation, with lifetime follow-up. Unit costs were obtained from the Basque Health Service and both cost-effectiveness analysis and budget impact analysis were carried out. The goodness-of-fit of the model adaptation to observed programme data was evidence of validation. In the cost-effectiveness analysis, the savings from treatment were larger than the added costs due to screening. Thus, the Basque programme was dominant compared to no screening, as life expectancy increased by 29.3 days per person. The savings in the budget analysis appeared 10 years after the complete implementation of the programme. The average annual budget was €73.4 million from year 2023 onwards. This economic evaluation showed a screening intervention with a major health gain

The effect of ammonium partial pressure on residual stresses in surface layer of SW7M HSS steel after vacuum nitriding 'NITROVAC'79'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gawronski, Z.

1997-01-01

The effect of the nitriding atmosphere on the residual stresses in the surface layer of the SW7M HSS steel has been investigated in the work. It has been proved that the pressure influences the distribution of those stresses to a great extent. At lower pressures (20 hPa and 40 hPa) at which only one zone is being created - the one of internal nitriding, without that of ε type nitrides on the surface - the highest residual stresses are operating on the HSS steel surface itself or eventually in the subsurface region very close to the surface. In the difference, in case of higher pressure (120 hPa and 240 hPa), the highest stresses are operating at great depth 8-12 μm from the steel surface - depending on the thickness of the ε type nitride layer created on the steel surface at those pressure. All the relevant stresses are compressive one. (author). 6 refs, 4 figs, 1 tab

Evaluation of a shock wave induced cavitation activity both in vitro and in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tu Juan; Matula, Thomas J; Bailey, Michael R; Crum, Lawrence A

2007-01-01

This study evaluated the cavitation activity induced by shock wave (SW) pulses, both in vitro and in vivo, based on the area measurements of echogenic regions observed in B-mode ultrasound images. Residual cavitation bubble clouds induced by SW pulses were detected as echogenic regions in B-mode images. The temporal evolution of residual bubble clouds, generated by SWs with varying lithotripter charging voltage and pulse repetition frequency (PRF), was analyzed by measuring the time-varying behaviors of the echogenic region areas recorded in B-mode images. The results showed that (1) the area of SW-induced echogenic regions enlarged with increased SW pulse number; (2) echogenic regions in the B-mode images dissipated gradually after ceasing the SWs, which indicated the dissolution of the cavitation bubbles; and (3) larger echogenic regions were generated with higher charging voltage or PRF

Local television stations in the Basque Country in Internet/ Las televisiones locales del País Vasco en Internet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dra. Teresa Santos Díez, mariateresa.santos@ehu.es

2009-01-01

Full Text Available As it is happening with all mass media, the future of local televisions inevitably depends on the Internet. Local media have found in the new technologies a way to defy their natural communication space. Thanks to Internet, territory disappears as a geographical limit; it allows local media to reach a wider audience, placing them alongside large media companies and increasing their competition chances. For this reason, in recent years many television stations have shown an interest in this area and have developed a website. In this investigation the authors analyze the presence of local television stations of the Basque Country in the Web and study whether they fully exploit the resources at their disposal in the cyberspace.El futuro de las televisiones locales, al igual que el de todo medio de comunicación, pasa necesariamente por estar presente en Internet. Estos pequeños medios locales encuentran en las nuevas tecnologías una manera de superar su espacio de comunicación original. No sólo el territorio, como límite geográfico, deja de ser una desventaja sino que las emisoras locales que saltan a la Red tienen acceso de esta forma a una audiencia potencial que no tiene nada que envidiar a la de las grandes empresas de comunicación, lo que les permite competir en mejores condiciones. De esta forma, en los últimos años muchas emisoras locales han mostrado su interés en el medio y han desarrollado un sitio web. Este artículo estudia la presencia de las televisiones locales del País Vasco en la Red y el grado de aprovechamiento que hacen de las posibilidades que les ofrece el medio digital.

Compaction and evolution of rock properties and rock physics diagnostics of Albatross discovery, SW Barents Sea

OpenAIRE

Butt, Arif

2012-01-01

The Albatross discovery is located approximately 140 km northwest of Hammerfest (city of midnight sun), Norway in the central part of Hammerfest Basin, SW Barents Sea. The Albatross discovery included within Snøhvit field development project (the first gas development project in the Barents Sea) with two other discoveries, Snøhvit and Askeladd, in the area. The reservoirs contain gas and condensate in the Lower and Middle Jurassic sandstones of the Stø Formation. The study focuses compaction ...

Interaction of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt and the Arabian-type, deep-seated folds in the Abadan Plain and the Dezful Embayment, SW Iran

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fard, Iraj Abdollahie [National Iranian Oil Co., Exploration Directorate, Tehran (Iran); Braathen, Alvar [Bergen Univ., Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research, Bergen (Norway); Mokhtari, Mohamad [International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, Tehran (Iran); Alavi, Seyed Ahmad [Shahid Beheshti Univ., Earth Sciences Faculty, Tehran (Iran)

2006-07-01

The Dezful Embayment and Abadan Plain (SW Iran) contain major parts of the remaining Iranian oil reserves. These oil provinces are characterized by two types of structural closure: very gentle N-S- to NE-SW-trending basement-cored anticlines (Arabian-type highs) in the SE; and open to tight, NW-SE-trending thrust-related folds in the NE (Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt; ZFTB). Most deep-seated anticlines are upright and symmetrical in Cretaceous and older units. In some cases they reveal steep faults in their core which, in the light of regional observations, suggest that the basement is involved in the faulting. Untested plays around these anticlines include reefal build-ups, debris flows, truncated sedimentary sections and onlapping clastic units. The ZFTB shows a classic structural style, with overall shortening reflected in thrust displacement declining from the Dezful Embayment towards the frontal zone in the Abadan Plain. The Early Cambrian Hormuz Salt represents the fundamental sole for the fold-thrust belt and locates major fault-propagation folds in the southwestern Dezful Embayment. These folds represent the main petroleum target of the area. Another important unit is the Mid-Miocene Gachsaran Formation. This detachment reveals both in-sequence and out-of-sequence thrusting. Interaction of deep-seated anticlines and fold-thrust structures results in thrust imbrications and formation of duplexes within the Gachsaran Formation when thrusts abut deep-seated anticlines. Above the crest of the anticlines, thrusts are forced up-section into syn-tectonic deposits, whereas the forelimb reveals out-of-the-syncline thrusts. Several petroleum plays are identified in such zones of structural interaction, including anticlines above buttress-related duplexes, out-of-sequence imbricate thrust fans with associated folds above major anticlines, truncation of footwall layers below potentially sealing thrusts, and sub-thrust anticlines. (Author)

Engineering students’ instrumental motivation and positive attitude towards learning English in a trilingual tertiary setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseba González Ardeo

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This exploratory small-scale study focuses on the attitude towards learning English and levels of motivation of 132 engineering students from the University of the Basque Country (Spain. The extent to which they consider themselves competent in three languages (Basque/Spanish/English is also evaluated. For assessing these variables, a 35-item questionnaire is used. The participants were taking an ESP (English for Specific Purposes course and were familiar with English as a vehicular language through CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning and/or EMI (English Medium Instruction courses. The results demonstrate that their attitude is positive, and it has improved since 2003, despite certain historical events concerning the minority language (Basque. With regard to motivation, the students show a high level of instrumental orientation but a low level of extrinsic-integrative motivation. Relatively high levels of intrinsic motivation are also observed, not far from extrinsic-instrumental motivation levels. The students’ mother tongue (Basque vs. Spanish vs. Basque/Spanish does not affect results significantly. Finally, high levels of self-perceived confidence with respect to their command of English are observed.

Petrography and geochronology (U/Pb-Sm/Nd) the Passagem Granite, Pensamiento Granitoid Complex, Paragua Terrane, SW Amazon Craton, Mato Grosso, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jesus, Gisely Carmo de; Sousa, Maria Zelia Aguiar de; Ruiz, Amarildo Salina; Matos, Joao Batista de

2010-01-01

The Passagem granite includes stocks, plugs and dikes located in the Ricardo Franco hill - Vila Bela da Santissima Trindade region - state of Mato Grosso, central Brazil. The Passagem Granite is included in the Paragua terrane - SW Amazonian Craton. It consists of isotropic monzogranite, sienogranite and more rarely granodiorites with leucocratic dark gray to white color. These rocks range from hypidomorphic inequigranular to xenomorphic texture, fine to medium grained. Biotite is the only primary mafic present as essential phase and characterize an expanded slightly acid sequence formed by a sub-alkaline magmatism of high-potassium calc-alkaline, slightly peraluminous composition from arc magmatic tectonic environment during a post-collisional period. Mechanism of fractional crystallization of plagioclase, biotite, titanite, apatite and zircon associated with simultaneous crustal assimilation are suggested for the evolution of these rocks. The results support the hypothesis of a post-collisional magmatism in the Paragua terrane at 1284 +- 20 Ma corresponding to the crystallization age of the Passagem granite. This paper propose that Passagem Granite represents as an extension in Brazilian terrane of the Pensamiento Granitoid Complex. (author)

Quantifying the impact of an upwelling filament on the physical-chemical-biological interactions off SW Iberia

Science.gov (United States)

Cravo, A.; Sanchez, R.; Monteiro, C.; Cardeira, S.; Madureira, M.; Rita, F.; Relvas, P.

2017-12-01

Upwelling filaments are mesoscale structures of cold water that stretch seaward in a tongue-like shape with origin in the coastal upwelling zone. Filaments off the Iberian Peninsula are recurrent, showing similarities with those in the Californian coast. The Cape São Vicente, the SW tip of the Iberian Peninsula, is the root of recurrent filaments observed in the satellite imagery during the upwelling season. However, the understanding of its physical and chemical impact on the biological productivity is rather limited. There, a relatively small filament ( 80 km long) was investigated through remote sensing and in situ multidisciplinary observations during an upwelling favourable wind relaxation event, but just after an intense upwelling period. A total of 42 CTD+Rosette casts up to 400 m depth were distributed on an almost regular grid of 15 km mean spacing guided by guided by satellite SST imagery transmitted to the ship in near-real time. The parameters sampled during the sea campaign included: velocity field sampled along the ship track through a hull-mounted 38 kHz RDI ADCP, meteorological variables, temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, phosphate, silicate, cadmium, lead and zinc. The extent of the impact of the filament was evaluated by quantifying the cross-shelf transports of several properties. The amounts conveyed by the filament were much stronger than those expected by the wind-driven Ekman mechanism, showing that it represents an efficient feature for the exchange of water, dissolved and particulate matter from the productive shelf towards the oligotrophic offshore region. Considering the periods of strong upwelling events and the extent of their duration along the year, the amounts of exported matter will certainly enhance the biological productivity of these waters, including its fisheries. These filament data contribute to better understand the physical-chemical-biological interactions of this regional ecosystem.

Trace element mapping of two Pyrenean chert deposits (SW Europe) by PIXE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sánchez de la Torre, Marta, E-mail: marta.sanchez-de-la-torre@u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr [IRAMAT-CRP2A (UMR 5060), CNRS/Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Maison de l’Archéologie, Esplanade des Antilles, 33607 Pessac Cedex (France); SERP-Universitat de Barcelona, Montalegre St 6-8, 08001 Barcelona (Spain); Angyal, Anikó; Kertész, Zsófia [MTA Atomki, Institute for Nuclear Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-4026 Debrecen (Hungary); Dubernet, Stéphan; Le Bourdonnec, François-Xavier [IRAMAT-CRP2A (UMR 5060), CNRS/Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Maison de l’Archéologie, Esplanade des Antilles, 33607 Pessac Cedex (France); Csedreki, László; Furu, Enikő; Papp, Enikő; Szoboszlai, Zoltán; Szikszai, Zita [MTA Atomki, Institute for Nuclear Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-4026 Debrecen (Hungary)

2017-06-01

The geochemical character of two chert formations from the Pyrenean mountain range (SW Europe) was established by PIXE analyses. While it was not possible to distinguish the formations through reference to major and minor elements, some variations were revealed at the trace elemental level. In order to determine if these elements are associated with the Si matrix or to the contents of a specific inclusion, elemental maps were acquired and the elemental composition of the identified inclusions were also determined. As a result, Sr, Ni and Zn are better represented in Montgaillard samples while Y, Hf, W and Zr are typical of Montsaunès cherts. Thanks to elemental maps it has been possible to determine that most of these characteristic elements are usually related to a specific inclusion content.

Twenty years of biological monitoring of element concentrations in permanent forest and grassland plots in Baden-Württemberg (SW Germany).

Science.gov (United States)

Franzaring, Jürgen; Holz, Ingo; Zipperle, Jürgen; Fangmeier, Andreas

2010-01-01

nutrients C, N, S, P, Ca, K and Mg and the metals Mn, Cd, Pb, Al, Cu, Ni and Hg. Data were analysed using descriptive and multivariate statistics and maps were produced to identify regional differences in pollutant deposition. Out of the elements analysed, lead and sulphur concentrations showed the most pronounced downward trends over time in tree foliage and grassland samples with the largest decreases observed in the early 1990 s. Both the reduced lead and sulphur levels in the biomonitors reflect the successful implementation of clean air policies, i.e. the introduction of unleaded gasoline, the availability of desulphurisation technologies and the economic transition of Eastern European heavy industries. However, the decrease in sulphur concentrations was lower in beech foliage from SW Germany as compared to beech leaves from six German national parks suggesting regional differences in sulphur deposition and trends thereof. At the same time, sulphur concentrations declined more strongly in the grassland samples indicating that much of the deposited sulphur remains in the forest ecosystems while in the grassland ecosystems it is gradually removed by the frequent cutting and grazing. During the time series, the decrease in sulphur deposition coincided with a marked increase in rain pH. At the same time, the increasing nitrogen concentrations observed over time in beech leaves suggest that emissions of oxidised and reduced nitrogen are still adding to the large-scale eutrophication of SW German forests. However, N concentrations in both the tree foliage and in the bulk grassland samples were unrelated to the modelled N deposition. When also considering macronutrient concentrations and N:P and N:K ratios, the results point to serious nutrient imbalances in many beech forests, which may reduce plant vitality and tree growth in the long run. Biological monitoring using plants is an effective tool to address changes in the environmental quality over time and space. The success

Comparative evaluation of curcumin and curcumin loaded- dendrosome nanoparticle effects on the viability of SW480 colon carcinoma and Huh7 hepatoma cells

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M.J. Dehghan Esmatabadi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and a major cause of morbidity globally. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a leading cause of death in the world. About 80% of all anticancer drugs are somehow related to natural products. One of the most important of these natural compounds is curcumin, the main component of turmeric that has a wide range of pharmacological activities. Curcumin has been found to suppress cell proliferation and decrease cell viability in various types of cancer cells; however, owing to lack of aqueous solubility, curcumin has shown reduced bioavailability in studies. Recent studies have shown that new 400th generation of dendrosome nanoparticle can increase bioavailability of curcumin and thus enhance the cytotoxic properties.  The aim of this study was to determine effectiveness of curcumin alone and in combination with 400th generation dendrosome nanoparticles (DNC on cell viability rate in SW480 and Huh7 cells. Methods: SW480 and Huh7 cells were incubated with different concentrations of curcumin and DNC (0-50μM for 24, 48 and 72 h. Then cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT assay and IC50 was determined. Results: The results suggested that the concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of DNC was stronger than curcumin on SW480 and Huh7 cells. Conclusion: The results suggest DNC as a more effective herbal anticancer agent for colorectal and hepatocellular tumors.

Unexpected weak seasonal climate in the western Mediterranean region during MIS 31, a high-insolation forced interglacial

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Dulce; Sánchez Goñi, Maria Fernanda; Naughton, Filipa; Polanco-Martínez, J. M.; Jimenez-Espejo, Francisco J.; Grimalt, Joan O.; Martrat, Belen; Voelker, Antje H. L.; Trigo, Ricardo; Hodell, David; Abrantes, Fátima; Desprat, Stéphanie

2017-04-01

Marine Isotope Stage 31 (MIS 31) is an important analogue for ongoing and projected global warming, yet key questions remain about the regional signature of its extreme orbital forcing and intra-interglacial variability. Based on a new direct land-sea comparison in SW Iberian margin IODP Site U1385 we examine the climatic variability between 1100 and 1050 ka including the ;super interglacial; MIS 31, a period dominated by the 41-ky obliquity periodicity. Pollen and biomarker analyses at centennial-scale-resolution provide new insights into the regional vegetation, precipitation regime and atmospheric and oceanic temperature variability on orbital and suborbital timescales. Our study reveals that atmospheric and SST warmth during MIS 31 was not exceptional in this region highly sensitive to precession. Unexpectedly, this warm stage stands out as a prolonged interval of a temperate and humid climate regime with reduced seasonality, despite the high insolation (precession minima values) forcing. We find that the dominant forcing on the long-term temperate forest development was obliquity, which may have induced a decrease in summer dryness and associated reduction in seasonal precipitation contrast. Moreover, this study provides the first evidence for persistent atmospheric millennial-scale variability during this interval with multiple forest decline events reflecting repeated cooling and drying episodes in SW Iberia. Our direct land-sea comparison shows that the expression of the suborbital cooling events on SW Iberian ecosystems is modulated by the predominance of high or low-latitude forcing depending on the glacial/interglacial baseline climate states. Severe dryness and air-sea cooling is detected under the larger ice volume during glacial MIS 32 and MIS 30. The extreme episodes, which in their climatic imprint are similar to the Heinrich events, are likely related to northern latitude ice-sheet instability and a disruption of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning

The influence of solar active region evolution on solar wind streams, coronal hole boundaries and geomagnetic storms

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, R. E.; Dodson-Prince, H. W.; Hedeman, E. R.; Roelof, E. C.

1982-01-01

Solar and interplanetary data are examined, taking into account the identification of the heliographic longitudes of the coronal source regions of high speed solar wind (SW) streams by Nolte and Roelof (1973). Nolte and Roelof have 'mapped' the velocities measured near earth back to the sun using the approximation of constant radial velocity. The 'Carrington carpet' for rotations 1597-1616 is shown in a graph. Coronal sources of high speed streams appear in the form of solid black areas. The contours of the stream sources are laid on 'evolutionary charts' of solar active region histories for the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. Questions regarding the interplay of active regions and solar wind are investigated, giving attention to developments during the years 1973, 1974, and 1975.

Significant strain accumulation between the deformation front and landward out-of-sequence thrusts in accretionary wedge of SW Taiwan revealed by cGPS and SAR interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, M. C.

2017-12-01

High strain accumulation across the fold-and-thrust belt in Southwestern Taiwan are revealed by the Continuous GPS (cGPS) and SAR interferometry. This high strain is generally accommodated by the major active structures in fold-and-thrust belt of western Foothills in SW Taiwan connected to the accretionary wedge in the incipient are-continent collision zone. The active structures across the high strain accumulation include the deformation front around the Tainan Tableland, the Hochiali, Hsiaokangshan, Fangshan and Chishan faults. Among these active structures, the deformation pattern revealed from cGPS and SAR interferometry suggest that the Fangshan transfer fault may be a left-lateral fault zone with thrust component accommodating the westward differential motion of thrust sheets on both side of the fault. In addition, the Chishan fault connected to the splay fault bordering the lower-slope and upper-slope of the accretionary wedge which could be the major seismogenic fault and an out-of-sequence thrust fault in SW Taiwan. The big earthquakes resulted from the reactivation of out-of-sequence thrusts have been observed along the Nankai accretionary wedge, thus the assessment of the major seismogenic structures by strain accumulation between the frontal décollement and out-of-sequence thrusts is a crucial topic. According to the background seismicity, the low seismicity and mid-crust to mantle events are observed inland and the lower- and upper- slope domain offshore SW Taiwan, which rheologically implies the upper crust of the accretionary wedge is more or less aseimic. This result may suggest that the excess fluid pressure from the accretionary wedge not only has significantly weakened the prism materials as well as major fault zone, but also makes the accretionary wedge landward extension, which is why the low seismicity is observed in SW Taiwan area. Key words: Continuous GPS, SAR interferometry, strain rate, out-of-sequence thrust.

Earthquake-induced soft-sediment deformations and seismically amplified erosion rates recorded in varved sediments of Köyceğiz Lake (SW Turkey)

KAUST Repository

Avsar, Ulas; Jonsson, Sigurjon; Avşar, Ö zgü r; Schmidt, Sabine

2016-01-01

sequence of Köyceğiz Lake (SW Turkey) that we compare with estimated peak ground acceleration (PGA) values of several nearby earthquakes. We find that earthquakes exceeding estimated PGA values of ca. 20 cm/s2 can induce soft-sediment deformations (SSD

Control of a Clonal Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in a Hospital of the Basque Country after the Introduction of Environmental Cleaning Led by the Systematic Sampling from Environmental Objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado Naranjo, Jesús; Villate Navarro, José Ignacio; Sota Busselo, Mercedes; Martínez Ruíz, Alberto; Hernández Hernández, José María; Torres Garmendia, María Pilar; Urcelay López, María Isabel

2013-01-01

Background. Between July 2009 and September 2010, an outbreak of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii was detected in one critical care unit of a tertiary hospital in the Basque Country, involving 49 infected and 16 colonized patients. The aim was to evaluate the impact of environmental cleaning and systematic sampling from environmental objects on the risk of infection by MDR A. baumannii. Methods. After systematic sampling from environmental objects and molecular typing of all new MDR A. baumannii strains from patients and environmental isolates, we analyzed the correlation (Pearson's r) between new infected cases and positive environmental samples. The risk ratio (RR) of infection was estimated with Poisson regression. Results. The risk increased significantly with the number of positive samples in common areas (RR = 1.40; 95%CI = 0.99-1.94) and positive samples in boxes (RR = 1.19; 95%CI = 1.01-1.40). The number of cases also positively correlated with positive samples in boxes (r = 0.50; P systematic sampling from environmental objects, provided the objective risk reduction of new cases and enabled the full control of the outbreak.

Escribir a través de los géneros discursivos en el marco educativo basado en las competencias: el caso del País Vasco / Gender-based writing in the competency-based educational framework: the case of the Basque Country

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mari Maro Boillos Pereira

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Resumen: Conscientes de las carencias escritoras de los estudiantes en diferentes etapas educativas, la documentación en materia de educación del Gobierno Vasco (decretos y líneas metodológicas ha puesto de relieve esta problemática y ha mostrado su preocupación por mejorar la formación escritora de los estudiantes. La competencia comunicativa y, por extensión, las diferentes actividades comunicativas de la lengua, entre ellas, la expresión escrita, han pasado a ser esenciales no solo en las materias de lenguas, sino de manera transversal a todas las materias. En esta línea, este trabajo busca conocer las posibilidades que el enfoque basado en los géneros discursivos ofrece para dar respuesta a esta demanda formativa. Este enfoque defiende el uso de los géneros como eje para la construcción de tareas en las que se van desarrollando las habilidades para interactuar en una comunidad discursiva. La revisión realizada permite afirmar las posibilidades de aplicación de este enfoque en el marco del currículum vasco. Abstract: Aware of students’ lack of writing skills in different stages of education, the Basque Government's documentation on Education (decrees and methodological guidelines has highlighted this problem and has shown its concern to improve student writing. Communicative competence and, by extension, the different communicative activities of the language, including writing, have become essential not only in language subjects, but also transversely to all subjects. In this line, this work seeks to know the possibilities that the Genre-based Approach offers to respond to this teaching demand. This approach defends the use of genres as the axis for the construction of tasks in which skills are developed to interact in a discursive community. The review makes it possible to recognize the possibilities of applying this approach within the framework of the Basque curriculum.

Melitofilia em Canavalia rosea (Sw. DC. (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae

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Fábio Verçoza

2010-11-01

Abstract. This work aimed to study the floral biology and the pollination’s ecology of Canavalia rosea (Sw. DC. (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae by bees in the sandbank vegetation of the Grumari Environmental Protection Area (EPA , located in the western zone of Rio de Janeiro’s city. The study was developed between the months of June of 2008 to June of 2009. Sampling on morphology, color and odor of the flowers of the species were made. The number of open flowers per day in each individual was recorded, as well as the opening steps, determining the period of anthesis. The occurrence of floral visitors was recorded through the observation of the visit’s time, of the adaptability for pollination, of the ease of access to the reward and of the intra-floral behavior played. C. rosea occurs in psamophily communities and in post-beach sandbank of Grumari’s EPA. It presents typical characteristics of mellitophily (pollination by bees and the flowers are pollinated by Xylocopa frontalis Oliver. It also receives visits from Tetragonisca angustula Latreille, Trigona spinipes Fabricius and Apis mellifera Linnaeus, which collects pollen without pollinating the flowers. X. frontalis proved to be the only effective pollinator of C. rosea in the Grumari sandbank, making the plant directly dependent on this species for fruit and seed’s production in this location.

Linking Tengchong Terrane in SW Yunnan with Lhasa Terrane in southern Tibet through magmatic correlation

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Jincheng; Zhu, Dicheng; Dong, Guochen; Zhao, Zhidan; Wang, Qing

2016-04-01

New zircon U-Pb data, along with the data reported in the literature, reveal five phases of magmatic activity in the Tengchong Terrane since the Early Paleozoic with spatial and temporal variations summarized as: Cambrian-Ordovician (500-460 Ma) to the eastern, minor Triassic (245-206 Ma) in the eastern and western, abundant Early Cretaceous (131-114 Ma) in the eastern, extensive Late Cretaceous (77-65 Ma) in the central, and Paleocene-Eocene (65-49 Ma) in the central and western Tengchong Terrane, in which the Cretaceous-Eocene magmatism was migrated from east to west (Xu et al., 2012). The increased zircon eHf(t) of the Early Cretaceous granitoids from -12.3 to -1.4 at ca. 131-122 Ma to -4.6 to +7.1 at ca. 122-114 Ma identified for the first time in this study and the magmatic flare-up at ca. 53 Ma in the central and western Tengchong Terrane (Wang et al., 2014, Ma et al., 2015) indicate the increased contributions from mantle- or juvenile crust-derived components. The spatial and temporal variations and changing magmatic compositions with time in the Tengchong Terrane closely resemble the Lhasa Terrane in southern Tibet. Such similarities, together with the data of stratigraphy and paleobiogeography (Zhang et al., 2013), enable us to propose that the Tengchong Terrane in SW Yunnan is most likely linked with the Lhasa Terrane in southern Tibet, both of which experience similar tectonomagmatic histories since the Early Paleozoic. References Ma, L.Y., Wang, Y.J., Fan, W.M., Geng, H.Y., Cai, Y.F., Zhong, H., Liu, H.C., Xing, X.W., 2014. Petrogenesis of the early Eocene I-type granites in west Yingjiang (SW Yunnan) and its implication for the eastern extension of the Gangdese batholiths. Gondwana Research 25, 401-419. Wang, Y.J., Zhang, L.M., Cawood, P.A., Ma, L.Y., Fan, W.M., Zhang, A.M., Zhang, Y.Z., Bi, X.W., 2014. Eocene supra-subduction zone mafic magmatism in the Sibumasu Block of SW Yunnan: Implications for Neotethyan subduction and India-Asia collision

Sea urchins, their predators and prey in SW Portugal

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Nuno Mamede

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Sea urchins play a key role structuring benthic communities of rocky shores through an intense herbivory. The most abundant sea urchin species on shallow rocky subtidal habitats of the SW coast of Portugal is Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea. It is considered a key species in various locations throughout its geographical distribution by affecting the structure of macroalgae communities and may cause the abrupt transformation of habitats dominated by foliose algae to habitats dominated by encrusting algae - the urchin barrens. The removal of P. lividus predators by recreational and commercial fishing is considered a major cause of this phenomenon by affecting the trophic relationships between predators, sea urchins and algae communities. Marine protected areas (MPAs usually lead to the recovery of important predator species that control sea urchin populations and restore habitats dominated by foliose macroalgae. Therefore, MPAs provide a good opportunity to test cascading effects and indirect impacts of fishing at the ecosystem level. The ecological role of P. lividus was studied on rocky subtidal habitats of the SW coast of Portugal (Alentejo considering three trophic levels: population of P. lividus, their predators (fish and shellfish and their prey (macroalgae communities. Several studies were conducted: (1 a non-destructive observational study on the abundance and distribution patterns of P. lividus, their predators and preys, comparing areas with different protection; (2 a manipulative in situ study with cages to assess the role of P. lividus as an herbivore and the influence of predation; (3 a descriptive study of P. lividus predators based on underwater filming; (4 and a study of human perception on these trophic relationships and other issues on sea urchin ecology and fishery, based on surveys made to fishermen and divers. Subtidal studies were performed with SCUBA diving at 3-12 m deep. Results indicate that in the

Fallout radionuclide based techniques for assessing the effectiveness of soil conservation measures in different eroded regions of China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Hanqing; Li Yong; Liu Guoqiang; Li Junjie; Nguyen, M.L.; Funk, R.

2012-01-01

Using fallout radionuclide techniques (FRN), we investigated the extent of soil erosion and to quantify the beneficial effects of soil conservation measures at four sites (Xichang city in the Yangtze upriver, Yan'an in the Loess Plateau, Fengning in the wind erosion region of northern China, and Baiquan in black soil region of north-eastern China) extending from South West (SW) to North East (NE) China. At the Xichang site of SW-China, the combined use of FRN 137 Cs and 210 Pbex measurements demonstrated that the effectiveness of vegetation species in reducing soil erosion decreased in the following order: shrubs > trees with litter layer > grasses > trees without litter layer. At the Yan'an site of Loess Plateau, sediment production estimated by 137 Cs declined by 49% due to terracing and by 80% due to vegetated (with grass forest) compared to the cultivated hillslopes. Vegetated hillslope with grasses and forest increased soil organic matter (SOM) by 255%, soil available N (AN) by 198%, and soil available P (AP) by 18% while terracing increased SOM by 121%, soil AN by 103%, and soil AP by 162% compared with the entire cultivated hillslope. Both terracing and vegetating hillslopes were found to enhance soil porosity as shown by a decrease in soil bulk density (1.6% and 6.4%, respectively). At the Fengning site, data from 7 Be measurements indicated that four years of no tillage with high crop residues (50 ∼ 56 cm depth) reduced soil erosion by 44% and no tillage with low residues (25 cm depth) reduced soil erosion rates by 33% when compared with conventional tillage practices. At the Baiquan site in NE-China, soil loss as measured by 137 Cs tracer, decreased by 14% due to terracing and by 34% due to contoured tillage. Our results suggested that shrub cover and composite structure of forest and grass are the effective practices to control hillslope erosion in SW-China, while terracing forest-grass structure can greatly reduce soil erosion and improve soil quality

Description of the early stages of Eccopsis galapagana Razowski & Landry (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a defoliator of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC (Fabaceae) in Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

The biology and early stages of Eccopsis galapagana Razowski & Landry are described and illustrated for the first time; details of the adults also are provided. Under outbreak conditions, the species has become a serious pest of algarrobo tree (Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.; Fabaceae) in Colombia. Al...

A geological reconnaissance study of the Dyfi Valley region, Gwynedd/Powys, Wales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, B.A.; Howells, M.F.; Reedman, A.J.

1981-01-01

A collation of existing maps and data backed up by localised checking, reinterpretation and modification, employing sampling, structural measurements and aerial photograph interpretation, have updated the geological information available on the Dyfi Valley region. The region comprises an argillaceous-dominated Ordovician and Silurian sedimentary pile of approximately 4 km thickness. Thick formations of mudstones and silty mudstones with thin intercalations of silty sandstone and fine-grained sandstone predominate and exhibit fewer variations in thickness and extent than the subordinate formations with a higher proportion of sand-grade material. Three periods of deformation (D 1 -D 3 ) are distinguished, with the D 1 phase dominating the structure of the region by forming upright, asymmetrical, large (km) scale folds (F 1 ) of a NNE-SSW to NE-SW trend and producing an almost ubiquitous slaty cleavage (S 1 ). The succeeding deformations produced localised crenulation cleavages, kink bands and box folds. Data on the faulting and jointing associated with this deformation history are also presented. (author)

Características tecnológicas da Prosopis juliflora (Sw. DC. e alternativas para o uso racional Technological characteristics of Prosopis juliflora (sw. DC. and alternatives for its rational use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juáres J. Gomes

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Objetivando contribuir para maior conhecimento sobre as essências arbóreas existentes no nordeste brasileiro, buscou-se através deste trabalho determinar as características tecnológicas da algaroba (Prosopis juliflora (Sw. DC e indicar alternativas de uso de sua madeira para construções rurais. A caracterização da espécie foi feita conforme valores, referentes à condição padrão de umidade (12%, obtidos em ensaios realizados de acordo com a NBR 7190 da Associação Brasileira de Norma Técnicas. Foram realizados ensaios de densidades básica e aparente, teor de umidade e de resistência à compressão paralela, tração paralela e cisalhamento, paralelo às fibras. Os resultados foram analisados pela comparação dos valores obtidos com aqueles encontrados na literatura, para outras madeiras. De acordo com os resultados, conclui-se que a madeira da algaroba se equipara em resistência e rigidez, às madeiras tradicionalmente utilizadas nas construções, no Brasil.This work was carried out with the objective of increasing the knowledge on the existing wild trees species in north-eastern Brazil. The main purpose was to determine the technological characteristics of the Prosopis juliflora (Sw. DC and to indicate alternative use of its wood for agricultural constructions. The procedures adapted for the characterization of the species were in agreement with the Brazilian Norm 7190 of Brasilian Association of Technical Norms referring to the standard conditions moisture content of 12%. Tests of basic and apparent densities were carried out, moisture content and parallel fibers resistance to compression, traction and shear, were measured. The results were analyzed through the comparison of the values obtained with those found in literature for other kinds of wood. In agreement with the results, it was concluded that the Prosopis juliflora's wood can be compared with other traditional kinds of wood used in Brazil.

The relationship of environmental factors to the structure and distribution of subtidal seaweed vegetation of the western Basque coast (N Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Díez, I.; Santolaria, A.; Gorostiaga, J. M.

2003-04-01

Subtidal vegetation distribution patterns in relation to environmental conditions (pollution, wave exposure, sedimentation, substratum slope and depth) were studied along the western Basque coast, northern Spain, by applying canonical correspondence analysis and log-linear regressions. A total of 90 species of macrophytes were recorded by systematic sampling along 21 transects. Mesophyllum lichenoides and Cystoseira baccata were the most abundant (accounting for 47% of the overall algal cover). Gelidium sesquipedale, Pterosiphonia complanata, Zanardinia prototypus, Codium decorticatum and Asparagopsis armata ( Falkenbergia phase) were other macrophytes with significant cover. Ordination analysis indicates that the five environmental variables explored account between them for 52% of the species data variance. Pollution, sedimentation and wave exposure were the principal factors explaining differences in flora composition and abundance (24, 14 and 12% of the explained variance, respectively). Log-linear regressions and canonical correspondence analyses reveal that C. baccata and G. sesquipedale exhibit a negative relationship with pollution, while sediment loading negatively affects G. sesquipedale, and C. baccata cannot stand high wave exposure levels. In contrast, P. complanata and C. decorticatum show a positive relationship with pollution and can bear high levels of sedimentation and wave exposure. M. lichenoides and Z. prototypus present a wide tolerance range for all these factors. Macroalgal cover, species richness and diversity remain practically constant from unpolluted to slightly polluted sites, but they decrease sharply under moderately polluted conditions. In the same way, algal cover decreases as sediment loading increases, but diversity and species richness show the highest values at intermediate levels of sedimentation. In relation to wave exposure, maximum algal cover was achieved at very exposed habitats whereas diversity and species richness were

Correlation between catch data from bottom longlines and fish censures in the SW lagoon of New Caledonia

OpenAIRE

Kulbicki, Michel

1988-01-01

On a total of 363 bottoms longline sets in the SW lagoon of New Caledonia, 45 were surveyed using visual census. Abundance and biomass estimates were derived from these censuses. These estimates were highly correlated to catch per unit effort in numbers and weight. From these relationships were established contour maps of soft bottom fish abundance and biomass. The total biomass of longline catchable fish was estimated between 11800 and 25500 tons with an average of 17700 tons which represent...

Language dominance shapes non-linguistic rhythmic grouping in bilinguals.

Science.gov (United States)

Molnar, Monika; Carreiras, Manuel; Gervain, Judit

2016-07-01

To what degree non-linguistic auditory rhythm perception is governed by universal biases (e.g., Iambic-Trochaic Law; Hayes, 1995) or shaped by native language experience is debated. It has been proposed that rhythmic regularities in spoken language, such as phrasal prosody affect the grouping abilities of monolinguals (e.g., Iversen, Patel, & Ohgushi, 2008). Here, we assessed the non-linguistic tone grouping biases of Spanish monolinguals, and three groups of Basque-Spanish bilinguals with different levels of Basque experience. It is usually assumed in the literature that Basque and Spanish have different phrasal prosodies and even linguistic rhythms. To confirm this, first, we quantified Basque and Spanish phrasal prosody (Experiment 1a) and duration patterns used in the classification of languages into rhythm classes (Experiment 1b). The acoustic measurements revealed that regularities in phrasal prosody systematically differ across Basque and Spanish; by contrast, the rhythms of the two languages are only minimally dissimilar. In Experiment 2, participants' non-linguistic rhythm preferences were assessed in response to non-linguistic tones alternating in either intensity (Intensity condition) or in duration (Duration condition). In the Intensity condition, all groups showed a trochaic grouping bias, as predicted by the Iambic-Trochaic Law. In the Duration Condition the Spanish monolingual and the most Basque-dominant bilingual group exhibited opposite grouping preferences in line with the phrasal prosodies of their native/dominant languages, trochaic in Basque, iambic in Spanish. The two other bilingual groups showed no significant biases, however. Overall, results indicate that duration-based grouping mechanisms are biased toward the phrasal prosody of the native and dominant language; also, the presence of an L2 in the environment interacts with the auditory biases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radioactive demonstration of final mineralized waste forms for Hanford waste treatment plant secondary waste (WTP-SW) by fluidized bed steam reforming (FBSR) using the bench scale reformer platform

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crawford, C. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Burket, P. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Cozzi, A. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Daniel, G. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Jantzen, C. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Missimer, D. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2014-08-01

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection (ORP) is responsible for the retrieval, treatment, immobilization, and disposal of Hanford’s tank waste. Currently there are approximately 56 million gallons of highly radioactive mixed wastes awaiting treatment. A key aspect of the River Protection Project (RPP) cleanup mission is to construct and operate the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP will separate the tank waste into high-level and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions, both of which will subsequently be vitrified. The projected throughput capacity of the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility is insufficient to complete the RPP mission in the time frame required by the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, also known as the Tri-Party Agreement (TPA), i.e. December 31, 2047. Therefore, Supplemental Treatment is required both to meet the TPA treatment requirements as well as to more cost effectively complete the tank waste treatment mission. In addition, the WTP LAW vitrification facility off-gas condensate known as WTP Secondary Waste (WTP-SW) will be generated and enriched in volatile components such as 137Cs, 129I, 99Tc, Cl, F, and SO4 that volatilize at the vitrification temperature of 1150°C in the absence of a continuous cold cap (that could minimize volatilization). The current waste disposal path for the WTP-SW is to process it through the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) is being considered for immobilization of the ETF concentrate that would be generated by processing the WTP-SW. The focus of this current report is the WTP-SW.

Characterisation of the heterogeneity of karst using electrical geophysics - applications in SW China

Science.gov (United States)

Binley, A. M.; Cheng, Q.; Tao, M.; Chen, X.

2017-12-01

The southwest China karst region is one of the largest globally continuous karst areas. The great (structural, hydrological and geochemical) complexity of karstic environments and their rapidly evolving nature make them extremely vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic processes/activities. Characterising the location and properties of structures within the karst critical zone, and understanding how the landform is evolving is essential for the mitigation and adaption to locally- and globally-driven changes. Because of the specific nature of karst geology and geomorphology in the humid tropics and subtropics, spatial heterogeneity is high, evidenced by specific landforms features. Such heterogeneity leads to a high dynamic variability of hydrological processes in space and time, along with a complex exchange of surface water and groundwater. Investigating karst hydrogeological features is extremely challenging because of the three-dimensional nature of the system. Observations from boreholes can vary significantly over several metres, making conventional aquifer investigative methods limited. Geophysical methods have emerged as potentially powerful tools for hydrogeological investigations. Geophysical surveys can help to obtain more insight into the complex conduit networks and depth of weathering, both of which can provide quantitative information about the hydrological and hydrochemical dynamics of the system, in addition to providing a better understanding of how critical zone structures have been established and how the landscape is evolving. We present here results from recent geophysical field campaigns in SW China. We illustrate the effectiveness of electrical methods for mapping soil infil in epikarst and report results from field-based investigations along hillslope and valley transects. Our results reveal distinct zones of relatively high electrical conductivity to depths of tens of metres, which we attribute to localised increased fracture density. We

FAR-ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPY OF THE NOVA-LIKE VARIABLE KQ MONOCEROTIS: A NEW SW SEXTANTIS STAR?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfe, Aaron; Sion, Edward M.; Bond, Howard E.

2013-01-01

New optical spectra obtained with the SMARTS 1.5 m telescope and archival International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectra of the nova-like variable KQ Mon are discussed. The optical spectra reveal Balmer lines in absorption as well as He I absorption superposed on a blue continuum. The 2011 optical spectrum is similar to the KPNO 2.1 m IIDS spectrum we obtained 33 years earlier except that the Balmer and He I absorption is stronger in 2011. Far-ultraviolet IUE spectra reveal deep absorption lines due to C II, Si III, Si IV, C IV, and He II, but no P Cygni profiles indicative of wind outflow. We present the results of the first synthetic spectral analysis of the IUE archival spectra of KQ Mon with realistic optically thick, steady-state, viscous accretion-disk models with vertical structure and high-gravity photosphere models. We find that the photosphere of the white dwarf (WD) contributes very little FUV flux to the spectrum and is overwhelmed by the accretion light of a steady disk. Disk models corresponding to a WD mass of ∼0.6 M ☉ , with an accretion rate of order 10 –9 M ☉ yr –1 and disk inclinations between 60° and 75°, yield distances from the normalization in the range of 144-165 pc. KQ Mon is discussed with respect to other nova-like variables. Its spectroscopic similarity to the FUV spectra of three definite SW Sex stars suggests that it is likely a member of the SW Sex class and lends support to the possibility that the WD is magnetic.

A quarter of a century of function assignment agreements with the autonomous communities. The

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montero Sanchez, M. A.; Rodriguez Marti, M.; Urbano Pollato, I.; Zamora Martin, F.

2010-01-01

The CSN has the power to commission certain radioactive facility surveillance and inspection functions to the autonomous communities through an agreement between the Council and the regional government in question. The first of these agreements was signed in 1985 with the Regional Government of Catalonia, and during the 25 years that have passed since then similar agreements have been signed with eight other communities: Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Galicia, Murcia, Navarra, the Basque Country and the Community of Valencia. (Author)

Late Quaternary developments of Mediterranean oaks in the Atlantic domain of the Iberian Peninsula: The case of the Cantabrian region (N Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Uzquiano, P.; Ruiz-Zapata, MaB.; Gil-Garcia, MaJ.; Fernández, S.; Carrión, J. S.

2016-12-01

A synthesis of the occurrence of the evergreen oak (Quercus ilex-type) in the Cantabrian region (northern Spain) is presented on the basis of integrated charcoal and pollen analyses. Archaeological charcoal comes largely from sites along the littoral and pre-littoral territories of the Basque Country, Cantabria and Asturias dated from 45 to 3.7 Kyr cal BP, and culturally ranging from Mousterian to Iron Age. Pollen information is produced from a few archaeological sites but mainly from peats and lake sediments. Q. ilex-type is observed as early as at 45-30 Kyr cal BP, with sporadic occurrences in vegetation contexts dominated by Pinus sylvestris-type, which was widely exploited by Mousterian and Aurignacian inhabitants. Afterwards, during the Upper Palaeolithic, there is an important decline, and Q. ilex-type is hardly present between 29 and 15 Kyr cal BP, with open environments dominated by heathland shrubs. From Late Magdalenian onwards, Q. ilex-type expanded again, remaining in the landscape of the Cantabrian region throughout the Holocene, although subordinated in deciduous oak forests under the influence of oceanic climate conditions. Q. ilex-type had a more favourable position than deciduous Quercus across the Cantabrian southern slopes and northwest of the adjacent Iberian Cordillera, where oceanic influences have become attenuated by summer drought and continentality.

SiRNA-mediated IGF-1R inhibition sensitizes human colon cancer SW480 cells to radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yavari, Kamal; Taghikhani, Mohammad; Mesbah-Namin, Seyed A.; Maragheh, Mohammad Ghannadi; Babaei, Mohammad Hosein; Arfaee, Ali Jabbary; Madani, Hossein; Mirzaei, Hamid Reza

2010-01-01

Purpose. Insulin like growth factor receptor 1 (IGF-1R) is well-documented to play a key role in radiation response and tumor radiosensitivity, thus offering an attractive clinic drug target to enhance tumor sensitivity to anti-cancer radiotherapy. Material and methods. Human colon carcinoma SW480 cells were transfected with the specific small interference RNA (siRNA) expression vector (pkD-shRNA-IGF-1R-V2) designed to target IGF-1R mRNA. The expression of IGF-1R mRNA and its protein among the transfected and untransfected cells were detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA assay. The changes in cell radiosensitivity were examined by MTT assay. Results. Transfection of mammalian expression vector pkD containing IGF-1R siRNA was shown to reduce IGF-1R mRNA levels by up to 95%. ELISA assay detected a similar inhibition of IGF-1R protein levels in cells transfected with IGF-1R siRNA. SW480 cells transfected with the expression vector for siRNA significantly rendered cells more sensitive to radiation and the highest radiation enhancement ratio was 2.02 ± 0.08. Conclusion. These data provide the first evidence that specific siRNA fragment (pkD-shRNA-IGF-1R-V2) targeting human IGF-1R mRNA is able to enhance colon cancer radiosensitivity. Also results indicated that, combining IGF-1R siRNA and radiation significantly enhances antitumor efficacy compared with either modality alone

Constraints of texture and composition of clinopyroxene phenocrysts of Holocene volcanic rocks on a magmatic plumbing system beneath Tengchong, SW China

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jun-Hao; Song, Xie-Yan; He, Hai-Long; Zheng, Wen-Qin; Yu, Song-Yue; Chen, Lie-Meng; Lai, Chun-Kit

2018-04-01

Understanding processes of magma replenishment in a magma plumbing system is essential to predict eruption potential of a dormant volcano. In this study, we present new petrologic and thermobarometric data for youngest lava flows from the Holocene Heikongshan volcano in the Tengchong area, SW China. Clinopyroxene phenocrysts from the trachytic lava flows display various textural/compositional zoning styles (i.e., normal, reverse and oscillatory). Such zoning patterns are indicative of an open magmatic plumbing system with multiphase magma replenishment and mixing, which were likely a key drive of the volcanic eruptions. Thermobarometric calculations of these zoned clinopyroxene phenocrysts yield crystallization pressures of 3.8-7.1 kbar (peak at 4.5-7.0 kbar), corresponding to a magma chamber at depths of 14-21 km. The calculated depths are consistent with the large low-resistivity body at 12-30 km beneath the Heikongshan volcano, implying that the magmatic plumbing system may still be active. Recent earthquakes in the Tengchong area suggest that the regional strike-slip faulting are still active, and may trigger future volcanic eruptions if the magma chamber(s) beneath the Tengchong volcanic field is disturbed, in spite of the volcanic quiescence since 1609 CE.

Variables sociodemográficas y estilos de vida como predictores de la autovaloración de la salud de los inmigrantes en el País Vasco Sociodemographic variables and lifestyle as predictors of self-perceived health in immigrants in the Basque Country (Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Rodríguez Álvarez

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Investigar la importancia de los factores sociodemográficos y de los estilos de vida en la autovaloración de la salud en los inmigrantes de origen magrebí, subsahariano, latinoamericano y europeo no comunitario del País Vasco. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal con una muestra formada por 219 magrebíes (31,8%, 152 subsaharianos (22,1%, 167 latinoamericanos (24,2% y 151 europeos no comunitarios (21,9%. La herramienta para la recopilación de datos fue la Encuesta de Salud de la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco (ESCAV'2002. El análisis multivariante se realizó con regresión logística dicotómica (soporte SPSS 13. Resultados: Para la autovaloración de la salud, el 64,2% de los magrebíes, el 78,7% de los subsaharianos, el 66,1% de los latinoamericanos y el 67,1% de los europeos declararon tener una salud muy buena o buena. Las variables asociadas significativamente (p Objective: To explore the importance of socio-demographic factors as well as life-style and their influence in self-rated health of Maghribian, Sub-Saharian, Latin-American and non-Communitarian European immigrant groups living in the Basque Country (Spain. Methods: Descriptive cross-study with a convenience sample of 689 persons, consisting of 219 Maghribians (31.8%, 152 Sub-Saharians (22.1%, 167 Latino(as (24.2% and 151 non-Communitarian Europeans (21.9%. Data base have been completed with data collected using the 2002 Regional Basque Health Interview Survey (ESCAV 2002. The multivariate analysis was performed by using the dicotomic logistic regression (software SPSS 13. Results: We found that 64.2% of Maghribian, 78.7% of Sub-Saharian, 66.1% of Latin-American and 67.1% of non-Communitarian European assessed their health as very good or good. The significantly associated variables (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 with self-rated health were collective membership, sex and age. Persons belonging to the Sub-Saharian collective showed a stronger advantage of

Influence of wind turbines on seismic stations in the upper rhine graben, SW Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Zieger, Toni; Ritter, Joachim R. R.

2018-01-01

By analysing long- and short-term seismological measurements at wind farms close to the town of Landau, SW Germany, we present new insights into ground motion signals from wind turbines (WTs) at local seismic stations. Because of their need to be located in similar regions with sparsely anthropogenic activities, wind turbines impact seismic stations and their recordings in a way that is not yet fully understood by researchers. To ensure the undisturbed recording tasks of a regional seismic array or a single station by a protected area around those endangered stations, it is very important to investigate the behavior of WTs as a seismic source. For that reason, we calculate averaged one-hour long spectra of the power spectral density (PSD) before and after the installation of a new wind farm within the investigated area. These PSD are ordered according to the rotation speed. We observe a clear increase of the PSD level after the WT installation in a frequency range of 0.5 to 10 Hz up to a distance of 5.5 km away from the WT. By analysing seismic borehole data, we also observe a decrease of the PSD of wind dependent signals with depth. The impact of wind-dependent signals is found to be much more pronounced for the shallower station (150 m depth) than for the deeper one (305 m depth). Using short-term profile measurements, we fit a power-law decay proportional to 1/ r b to the main WT-induced PSD peaks and differentiate between near-field and far-field effects of ground motions. For low frequencies in the range from 1 to 4 Hz, we determine a b value of 0.78 to 0.85 for the far field, which is consistent with surface waves. The b value increases (up to 1.59) with increasing frequencies (up to 5.5 Hz), which is obviously due to attenuating effects like scattering or anelasticity. These results give a better understanding of the seismic wavefield interactions between wind turbines (or wind farms) with nearby seismic stations, including borehole installations, in a

Determination of c{sub sw} in N{sub f}=3+1 lattice QCD with massive Wilson fermions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stollenwerk, Felix

2017-02-07

In order to obtain sensible results from Lattice QCD that may be compared with experiment, extrapolation to the continuum is crucial. The well-established Symanzik improvement program systematically reduces the order of cutoff effects, allowing for better control of the aforementioned errors, as well as larger and thus more affordable lattice spacings. Applied to the Wilson fermion action, it entails the addition of the Sheikholeslami-Wohlert term with the O(a) improvement coefficient c{sub sw}. In this work, a strategy is developed for the non-perturbative determination of c{sub sw} in the theory with N{sub f}=3+1 massive sea quarks. It is embedded in a general, mass-dependent renormalization and improvement scheme, for which we lay the foundations. The improvement condition, formulated by means of the PCAC relation in the Schroedinger Functional, is imposed along a line of constant physics that is designed to be close to the physical mass of the charm quark. The aim of this rather elaborate approach is to avoid large, mass-dependent O(a{sup 2}) effects in future large volume simulations with four dynamical quark species. The numerical results are worked out using the tree-level improved Luescher-Weisz gauge action. Since the gradient flow coupling is employed in the definition of the line of constant physics, its interdependence with the topological charge in regard to critical slowing down and topology freezing is investigated in a supplemental study.

Influence of salinity on prevalence of the parasite Loxothylacus panopaei in the xanthid Panopeus obesus in SW Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Tolley, S Gregory; Winstead, James T; Haynes, Lesli; Volety, Aswani K

2006-06-23

This study was conducted to examine the potential influence of salinity, a proxy for freshwater inflow, on the prevalence of the castrator parasite Loxothylacus panopaei on saltmarsh mud crabs Panopeus obesus on SW Florida oyster reefs. Spatial and seasonal patterns of the presence of potential host crabs and the prevalence of the parasite were assessed in the Caloosahatchee, Estero, and Faka Union estuaries. Lift nets (1 m2) containing 5 1 of oyster clusters were deployed on intertidal reefs at 3 sites along the salinity gradient of each estuary. Nets were deployed during 3 seasonally dry and 3 seasonally wet months for a period of 30 d. P. obesus densities tended to increase downstream in higher salinity waters, with crabs being absent from the upper station in the Caloosahatchee during both seasons and absent from the upper station of the Faka Union during wet months. Parasite prevalence was reduced upstream in each estuary during wet months compared to dry months, and for those estuaries that experienced higher relative levels of freshwater inflow. Furthermore, parasite prevalence was positively correlated with the mean salinity of capture of host crabs. Based on the distribution of P. obesus and the above patterns related to salinity, it appears that freshwater inflow and seasonal rains might regulate the prevalence of this parasite in SW Florida by creating spatiotemporal, low salinity refuges for its host.

Diversity and aboveground biomass of lianas in the tropical seasonal rain forests of Xishuangbanna, SW China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Tao Lü

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Lianas are important components of tropical forests and have significant impacts on the diversity, structure and dynamics of tropical forests. The present study documented the liana flora in a Chinese tropical region. Species richness, abundance, size-class distribution and spatial patterns of lianas were investigated in three 1-ha plots in tropical seasonal rain forests in Xishuangbanna, SW China. All lianas with = 2 cm diameter at breast height (dbh were measured, tagged and identified. A total of 458 liana stems belonging to 95 species (ranging from 38 to 50 species/ha, 59 genera and 32 families were recorded in the three plots. The most well-represented families were Loganiaceae, Annonceae, Papilionaceae, Apocynaceae and Rhamnaceae. Papilionaceae (14 species recorded was the most important family in the study forests. The population density, basal area and importance value index (IVI varied greatly across the three plots. Strychnos cathayensis, Byttneria grandifolia and Bousigonia mekongensis were the dominant species in terms of IVI across the three plots. The mean aboveground biomass of lianas (3 396 kg/ha accounted for 1.4% of the total community aboveground biomass. The abundance, diversity and biomass of lianas in Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rain forests are lower than those in tropical moist and wet forests, but higher than those in tropical dry forests. This study provides new data on lianas from a geographical region that has been little-studied. Our findings emphasize that other factors beyond the amount and seasonality of precipitation should be included when considering the liana abundance patterns across scales. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (1-2: 211-222. Epub 2009 June 30.Las lianas son componentes importantes de los bosques tropicales y tienen importantes impactos en la diversidad, la estructura y la dinámica de los bosques tropicales. El presente estudio documenta la flora de lianas en una región tropical estacional china. La

Fitochemistry evaluation of leaves of Excoecaria lucida Sw. (Aité) (Euphorbiaceae) and isolation e identification of a hemiterpenoid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacheco, Ania Ochoa; Arranz, Julio César Escalona; Fechine Tavares, Josean; Da Silva, Marcelo Sobra

2015-01-01

Introduction: excoecaria lucida Sw. (Aité), it is a species that grow in Cuba and at the Caribbean region. It has been scientifically quite a little studied, in spite of the fact that the population utilizes it due to their medicinal properties as antiasthmatic, antimicrobial, and for the toothache treatment. Objectives: to determine the chemical composition of leaves, as well as the isolation and identification of their secondary metabolites. Methods: dried and milled leaves were macerated 72 hours with ethanol 95 %, repeating the procedure in 4 occasions. Total extract was determined in his chemical qualitative composition and afterwards it was fragmented with solvents. The phase with greater yield was studied by High Performance Liquid Chromatography and isolated the main substance, which was characterized by infrared and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy: uni-dimensional 1H and 13C at 500 MHz and bi-dimensional HMQC, HMBC, COSY and NOESY. Results: the identification of Alkaloids, triterpenes and steroids, quinone, flavonoids, coumarins, sesqiterpenic lactones, tannins and phenols were accomplished. From the greater yield phase (butanol= 23.48 g) was isolated and identified the main compound, a hemiterpenoid. Conclusions: the identified secondary metabolites are in coincidence with other reports related to the genera. For first time the hemiterpene (2E)-2-methyl-2- buten-1,4-di-hydroxyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside is informed in this genera and specie. (author)

Antifungal activities of the essential oil and its fractions rich in sesquiterpenes from leaves of Casearia sylvestris Sw.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Flaviane G; Marquete, Ronaldo; Domingos, Levy T; Rocha, Marco E N; Ferreira-Pereira, Antonio; Mansur, Elisabeth; Moreira, Davyson L

2017-01-01

Casearia genus (Salicaceae) is found in sub-tropical and tropical regions of the world and comprises about 160-200 species. It is a medicinal plant used in South America, also known as "guaçatonga", "erva-de-tiú", "cafezinho-do-mato". In Brazil, there are about 48 species and 12 are registered in the State of Rio de Janeiro, including Casearia sylvestris Sw. There are many studies related to the chemical profile and cytotoxic activities of extracts from these plants, although few studies about the antifungal potential of the essential oil have been reported. In this work, we have studied the antifungal properties of the essential oil of C. sylvestris leaves, as well as of their fractions, against four yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisae, Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. krusei) for the first time. The chemical analysis of the essential oil revealed a very diversified (n = 21 compounds) volatile fraction composed mainly of non-oxygenated sesquiterpenes (72.1%). These sesquiterpenes included α-humulene (17.8%) and α-copaene (8.5%) and the oxygenated sesquiterpene spathulenol (11.8%) were also identified. Monoterpenes were not identified. The fractions are mainly composed of oxygenated sesquiterpenes, and the most active fraction is rich in the sesquiterpene 14-hydroxy -9-epi-β-caryophyllene. This fraction was the most effective in inhibiting the growth of three yeast strains.

Benthic organisms collected using sediment sampler from the SW RESEARCHER in the Gulf of Mexico from 22 September 1977 to 16 December 1977 (NODC Accession 8100224)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Benthic organisms were collected using sediment sampler casts from the SW RESEARCHER in the Gulf of Mexico from 22 September 1977 to 16 December 1977. Data were...

Consequences of Selection for Yield Traits on Calving Ease Performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lopez de Maturana, E.; Ugarte, E.; Komen, J.; Arendonk, van J.A.M.

2007-01-01

The impact of different breeding goals on the genetic response for calving ease (CE) and yield traits was studied in the Basque Holstein cattle population. The economic value for CE was estimated with a bioeconomic model, using Basque production and market circumstances and taking into account the

Laboratory estimate of the regional shortwave refractive index and single scattering albedo of mineral dust from major sources worldwide

Science.gov (United States)

Di Biagio, C.; Formenti, P.; Caponi, L.; Cazaunau, M.; Pangui, E.; Journet, E.; Nowak, S.; Caquineau, S.; Andreae, M. O.; Kandler, K.; Saeed, T.; Piketh, S.; Seibert, D.; Williams, E.; Balkanski, Y.; Doussin, J. F.

2017-12-01

Mineral dust is one of the most abundant aerosol species in the atmosphere and strongly contributes to the global and regional direct radiative effect. Still large uncertainties persist on the magnitude and overall sign of the dust direct effect, where indeed one of the main unknowns is how much mineral dust absorbs light in the shortwave (SW) spectral range. Aerosol absorption is represented both by the imaginary part (k) of the complex refractive index or the single scattering albedo (SSA, i.e. the ratio of the scattering to extinction coefficient). In this study we present a new dataset of SW complex refractive indices and SSA for mineral dust aerosols obtained from in situ measurements in the 4.2 m3 CESAM simulation chamber at LISA (Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systemes Atmospheriques) in Créteil, France. Investigated dust aerosol samples were issued from major desert sources worldwide, including the African Sahara and Sahel, Eastern Asia, the Middle East, Southern Africa, Australia, and the Americas, with differing iron oxides content. Results from the present study provide a regional mapping of the SW absorption by dust and show that the imaginary part of the refractive index largely varies (by up to a factor 6, 0.003-0.02 at 370 nm and 0.001-0.003 at 950 nm) for the different source areas due to the change in the particle iron oxide content. The SSA for dust varies between 0.75-0.90 at 370 nm and 0.95-0.99 at 950 nm, with the largest absorption observed for Sahelian and Australian dust aerosols. Our range of variability for k and SSA is well bracketed by already published literature estimates, but suggests that regional‒dependent values should be used in models. The possible relationship between k and the dust iron oxides content is investigated with the aim of providing a parameterization of the regional‒dependent dust absorption to include in climate models.

Uranium in Malwa region of Punjab, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kochhar, Naresh; Dadwal, Veena; Balaram, V.

2012-01-01

It is well known in Punjab that the Malwa region shows a very high incidence of cancer, stunted growth and other neurological disorders. The high values of uranium have been attributed to Kota nuclear power plant; Khushab heavy water plant in Pakistan; and uranium - carrying winds from Afghanistan, without any scientific basis. Though Malwa is a part of Punjab, geologically it is more akin to Haryana and Rajasthan. Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element which is present in trace in rocks, minerals plants and natural waters. It occurs along with thorium and potassium in granitic rocks. It has the property to get dissolved in water in hexavalent form at a normal pH of 5 to 7. It gets precipitated in the reducing environment in tetravalent form and form complexes such as hydroxides, phosphate, sulfate, carbonate etc. Uranium compounds are soluble in water, very mobile and travel kilometers. When the bed rocks containing uranium and thorium and other elements are exposed to sun, rain, wind, they get weathered and breakdown to form soil. Uranium gets dispersed in matrix, soil and finally gets re-deposited in areas/pockets where reducing conditions are present. Hence we get higher concentration of uranium in pockets. There are no rocks exposed on the surface in the SW Punjab. However the rocks of Aravalli-Delhi ridge and Malani granites and rhyohtes are exposed at Tusham district Bhiwani just south of the region. These rocks take a northwest turn from Tusham and become submerged under the Punjab Plains only to get resurfaced at Kirana Hills Pakistan. The gravity data have delineated 6 km wide and 240 km long per shaped body under the Punjab plains covering the SW Punjab. The Tusham granites are high heat producing granites that is they are enriched in uranium, thorium and Potasium. The uranium concentration in Tusham granites is 8 to 11 .5 parts per million (ppm) as compared to the normal value of 4.5 in granites in general. The average crustal values is 2

TRANSPORT OF SOLAR WIND H{sup +} AND He{sup ++} IONS ACROSS EARTH’S BOW SHOCK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parks, G. K.; Lin, N. [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lee, E. [School of Space Research and Institute of Natural Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Fu, S. Y.; Ma, Y. Q. [Institute of Space Science, Peking University, Beijing (China); Kim, H. E.; Hong, J. [School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Z. W.; Liu, Y. [Key Laboratory for Space Weather, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Canu, P. [Plasma Physics Laboratory, Ecole Polytechnique, Paris (France); Dandouras, I.; Rème, H. [IRAP, Paul Sabatier University and CNRS, Toulouse (France); Goldstein, M. L., E-mail: parks@ssl.berkeley.edu [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)

2016-07-10

We have investigated the dependence of mass, energy, and charge of solar wind (SW) transport across Earth’s bow shock. An examination of 111 crossings during quiet SW in both quasi-perpendicular and quasi-parallel shock regions shows that 64 crossings had various degrees of heating and thermalization of SW. We found 22 crossings where the SW speed was <400 km s{sup −1}. The shock potential of a typical supercritical quasi-perpendicular shock estimated from deceleration of the SW and cutoff energy of electron flat top distribution is ∼50 Volts. We find that the temperatures of H{sup +} and He{sup ++} beams that penetrate the shock can sometimes be nearly the same in the upstream and downstream regions, indicating little or no heating had occurred crossing the bow shock. None of the models predict that the SW can cross the bow shock without heating. Our observations are important constraints for new models of collisionless shocks.

Euskal Herria tiene forma de corazón. La escuela en la construcción de la identidad nacional vasca

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Paulí DÁVILA BALSERA

2009-10-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN: la construcción de la identidad nacional vasca ha recurrido a los más variados elementos para su formación, con el rasgo añadido de que ha tenido que convivir, resistir o diferenciarse de otras identidades cercanas y presentes en el mismo territorio. Es necesario partir de esta premisa para analizar los diversos planos en los que se ha construido la identidad nacional vasca en el ámbito educativo: el primer plano administrativo y escolar; el segundo, desde la elaboración de un currículo vasco y, finalmente, desde las actividades extraescolares. Hemos preferido elegir un periodo de tiempo lo suficientemente largo para poder mostrar los cambios y las continuidades en su construcción, partiendo desde 1876, con la pérdida de los Fueros, hasta la Segunda República. Se trata de un periodo en el que se fragua la construcción nacional vasca, priorizando unos elementos culturales y étnicos, sobre la base de la lengua vasca.ABSTRACT: The construction of Basque national identity has made use of a wide range of elements, in addition to which Basque identity has had to co-exist with, resist, or distinguish itself from neighbouring identities as well as identities present within the same territory. It is necessary to begin with this premise in order to analyze the various levels on which Basque national identity has been built within the sphere of education: firstly, in the administrative and educational sphere; secondly, in drawing up a Basque curriculum; and finally, in extracurricular activities. We have chosen to focus on a period that would be long enough to demonstrate both continuity and change during the process of construction. This period ranges in time from the loss of the Fueros (Traditional Basque Law in 1876, until the advent of the Second Republic in Spain in 1931. It was during this time that the Basque nation was forged, with priority being given to cultural and ethnic elements and using the Basque language as a

An evaluation of the MEDALUS ESA index (environmental sensitivity to land degradation), from regional to plot scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavado Contador, J. J.; Schnabel, S.; Gomez Gutierrez, A.

2009-01-01

An assessment of the sensitivity to land degradation have been carried out for the region of Extramadura, Sw Spain, by means of the modelling approach developed in the European Commission funded MEDALUS project (Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use) which identifies such areas on the basis of an index (ESA index) that incorporates data on environmental quality (climate, vegetation, soil) as well as on anthropogenic factors (management). Two maps of environmental sensitivity to degradation with different legend resolution (4 and 8 classes of sensitivity) have been made. (Author) 6 refs.

Sedimentological and Stratigraphic Controls on Natural Fracture Distribution in Wajid Group, SW Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Benaafi, Mohammed; Hariri, Mustafa; Abdullatif, Osman; Makkawi, Mohammed; Korvin, Gabor

2016-04-01

The Cambro-Permian Wajid Group, SW Saudi Arabia, is the main groundwater aquifer in Wadi Al-Dawasir and Najran areas. In addition, it has a reservoir potentiality for oil and natural gas in Rub' Al-Khali Basin. Wajid Group divided into four formations, ascending Dibsiyah, Sanamah, Khussyayan and Juwayl. They are mainly sandstone and exposed in an area extend from Wadi Al-Dawasir southward to Najran city and deposited within fluvial, shallow marine and glacial environments. This study aims to investigate the sedimentological and stratigraphic controls on the distribution of natural fractures within Wajid Group outcrops. A scanline sampling method was used to study the natural fracture network within Wajid Group outcrops, where the natural fractures were measured and characterized in 12 locations. Four regional natural fracture sets were observed with mean strikes of 050o, 075o, 345o, and 320o. Seven lithofacies characterized the Wajid Group at these locations and include fine-grained sandstone, coarse to pebbly sandstone, cross-bedded sandstone, massive sandstone, bioturbated sandstone, conglomerate sandstone, and conglomerate lithofacies. We found that the fine-grained and small scale cross-bedded sandstones lithofacies are characterized by high fracture intensity. In contrast, the coarse-grained sandstone and conglomerate lithofacies have low fracture intensity. Therefore, the relative fracture intensity and spacing of natural fractures within Wajid Group in the subsurface can be predicted by using the lithofacies and their depositional environments. In terms of stratigraphy, we found that the bed thickness and the stratigraphic architecture are the main controls on fractures intensity. The outcomes of this study can help to understand and predict the natural fracture distribution within the subsurface fractured sandstone hosting groundwater and hydrocarbon in Wajid and Rub' Al-Khali Basins. Hence, the finding of this study might help to explore and develop the

Effect of sildenafil citrate on interleukin-1β-induced nitric oxide synthesis and iNOS expression in SW982 cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyung-Ok; Park, Shin-Young; Han, Chang-Woo; Chung, Hyun Kee; Ryu, Dae-Hyun

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of sildenafil citrate on IL-1β-induced nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and iNOS expression in human synovial sarcoma SW982 cells. IL-1β stimulated the cells to generate NO in both dose- and time-dependent manners. The IL-1β-induced NO synthesis was inhibited by guanylate cyclase (GC) inhibitor, LY83583. When the cells were treated with 8-bromo-cGMP, a hydrolyzable analog of cGMP, NO synthesis was increased upto 5-fold without IL-1β treatment suggesting that cGMP is an essential component for increasing the NO synthesis. Synoviocytes and chondrocytes contain strong cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity, which has biochemical features of PDE5. When SW982 cells were pretreated with sildenafil citrate (Viagra), a PDE5 specific inhibitor, sildenafil citrate significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced NO synthesis and iNOS expressions. From this result, we noticed that PDE5 activity is required for IL-1β-induced NO synthesis and iNOS expressions in human synovial sarcoma cells, and sildenafil citrate may be able to suppress an inflammatory reaction of synovium through inhibition of NO synthesis and iNOS expression by cytokines. PMID:18587266

Kinematics of tectonic fracture development during regional folding in sandstones of the Kamlial Formation, Khushalgarh, northern Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sayab, M.

2005-01-01

Systematic relationships between the fracture orientation and fold geometry in sedimentary rocks have been used to explain the development of synfolding fractures. Based on field observations at the Khushalgarh syncline, located east of the Kohat Plateau, we proposed that the orientation of fractures was influenced dominantly by two tectonic fracture sets, that is, the NE-SW and NW-SE. The NE-SW fracture set dominantly formed as mode 1 (tensile), where as, the NW-SE fracture set developed as mode 11 (shear) conjugate fractures. The NE-SW trending fractures follow the axis of the syncline, whereas, the NW-SE fracture about crosscuts the fold axis. Most of the NE-SW fractures abut against the NW-SW fracture set. Based on the orientation and crosscutting relationship, their modes in response to stress, we conclude that the NE-SW trending fractures formed early than those of NW-SE fracture set. Though, both the fracture sets are formed during the folding, we suggest that they were not formed at the same time. Their crosscutting relationship suggests that they developed sequentially rather than synchronously. Our interpretations support the laboratory-based models where only one fracture orientation (or set of fractures with one orientation) form in response to single stress. However, as the stress distribution in folded strata changes over time new fractures of distinct orientations can form during or late in the folding history. We conclude that the sandstone units underwent bedding-parallel extension during folding, where bedding is stretched to accommodate extension. Parallel to the fold axis orientation. Bending of the limbs is a likely mechanism for the development of observed NE-SW trending fractures during folding, whereas the NW-SE fractures developed late in the folded history. (author)

Saddle-shaped reticulate Nummulites from Early Oligocene rocks of Khari area, SW Kutch, India

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, S.; Sarkar, Sampa; Mukhopadhyay, S.

2011-04-01

Saddle-shaped reticulate Nummulites from the Early Oligocene rocks of Khari area, SW Kutch, India is reported here for the first time. Unusual shape of this Nummulites is due to the curved nature of the coiling plane, indicating space constrained postembryonic test growth. With regular development of chambers, septa and septal filaments, the saddle-shaped Nummulites constitutes the third morphotype of N. cf. fichteli Michelotti form A. Other morphotypes of the species reported earlier include inflated lenticular and conical tests. Multiple morphotypes of N. cf. fichteli form A indicates varied test growth in response to substrate conditions. Morphological variability exhibited by N. cf. fichteli form A from Kutch and some Early Oligocene reticulate Nummulites from the Far East are comparable. This faunal suite is morphologically distinct from the contemporary reticulate Nummulites of the European localities.

Repositioning through Culture: Testing Change in Connectivity Patterns

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Beatriz Plaza

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Symbolic knowledge-driven innovations can play an important role in the economic development of cities and regions. Cultural events and infrastructures can act as powerful connectivity engines, generating new connections, rewiring links, and repositioning institutions/cities/regions on the Internet map. Within this framework, this paper aims to contribute to the analytical understanding of culture-led repositioning. For this purpose we perform regression analysis with cultural networks (observational cross-sectional network data from digital media for a specific cultural case study: the Basque Culinary Center (BCC, a higher education faculty of haute cuisine promoted by the University of Mondragon along with a group of Michelin-starred chefs. Results show that a cultural sector, such as haute cuisine, can contribute to structural changes in connectivity patterns, putting an institution/city/region on the media map. It is the connection (in the online press of the BCC to the influential Michelin-starred chefs that can fuel the accumulation of press articles (media items on the BCC; and it is precisely this accumulation of press articles that can impact BCC revenues. Put differently, the co-branding between the influential Michelin chefs and the BCC may have put the BCC on the press map, promoting new student registrations and fostering Basque haute cuisine. The main contribution of this article is a prototype of regression analysis to test repositioning with network data.

Meteor radar observations of vertically propagating low-frequency inertia-gravity waves near the southern polar mesopause region

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Song, I.-S.; Lee, C.; Kim, J.-H.; Jee, G.; Kim, Y.-H.; Choi, H.-J.; Chun, H.-Y.; Kim, Y. H.

2017-04-01

Vertically propagating low-frequency inertia-gravity waves (IGWs) are retrieved from meteor radar winds observed at King Sejong Station (KSS: 62.22°S, 58.78°W), Antarctica. IGW horizontal winds extracted from temporal band-pass filtering in regular time-height bins show the frequent occurrence of IGWs with the downward phase progression and the counterclockwise rotation of their horizontal wind vectors with time (i.e., upward energy propagation) near the mesopause region throughout the whole year of 2014. The vertical wavelengths of the observed IGWs roughly range from 14 km to more than 20 km, which is consistent with previous observational studies on the mesospheric IGWs over Antarctica. Stokes parameters and rotary spectra computed from the hodographs of the IGW horizontal wind components reveal that the intrinsic frequencies of the upward propagating IGWs are |f|-3|f| with seasonal variations of the relative predominance between |f|-2|f| and 2|f|-3|f|, where f is the Coriolis parameter at KSS. The hodograph analysis also indicates that the N-S propagation is dominant in austral summer, while the NE-SW propagation is pronounced in austral winter. The propagation direction is discussed in relation to the generation of IGWs due to dynamical imbalances occurring in the tropospheric and stratospheric jet flow systems. Ray tracing results indicate that the N-S propagation in summer may be due to the jet flow systems roughly north of KSS and the NE-SW propagation in winter may be either the SW propagation from the jet flow systems northeast of KSS or the NE propagation (around the South Pole) from the south of Australia and Southern Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Variations of soil radon and thoron concentrations in a fault zone and prospective earthquakes in SW Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, T.F.; Walia, V.; Chyi, L.L.; Fu, C.C.; Chen, C.-H.; Liu, T.K.; Song, S.R.; Lee, C.Y.; Lee, M.

2005-01-01

An automatic station for soil gas monitoring was set up on an active fault zone of SW Taiwan. After more than one year of continuous measurements, some spike-like anomalous high radon and thoron concentrations could be observed. A similar soil radon spectrum was also obtained from an independent monitoring station, which was only 100m away. These anomalous peaks usually occurred a few days or weeks before the earthquakes (M L >=4.5). This indicates that variations of both soil radon and thoron can serve as useful tools for earthquake surveillance, esp. at fault zones

Long term rise of a free aquifer in Sahel: hydrodynamic and radioisotopic estimations (3H, 14C) of the recharge in SW Niger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favreau, G.

2001-01-01

This article summarizes an hydrodynamic and geochemical survey carried out in SW Niger in order to estimate the impact of rainfall changes and deforestation on the recharge of the uppermost Cretaceous aquifer. 14 C and 3 H activities of the total dissolved inorganic carbon have been used to quantify the long-term recharge of the aquifer. (J.S.)

Cadmium accumulation by Axonopus compressus (Sw.) P. Beauv and Cyperus rotundas Linn growing in cadmium solution and cadmium-zinc contaminated soil

OpenAIRE

Paitip Thiravetyan; Vibol Sao; Woranan Nakbanpote

2007-01-01

This research investigated the phyto-remediation potentials of Cyperus rotundas Linn (Nutgrass) and Axonopus compressus (Sw.) P. Beauv (Carpetgrass) for cadmium removal from cadmium solution andcadmium-zinc contaminated soil. Plants growth in the solution showed that cadmium decreased the relative growth rate of both grasses. However, the amount of cadmium accumulated in shoot and root was increasedwith the increase in cadmium concentration and exposure time. Growth in fertile soil mixed with...

New U-Pb ages in the Diablillos Intrusive Complex, Southern Puna, Argentina: A long magmatic event in the Paleozoic Arc, SW Gondwana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz, Agustin; Hauser, Natalia

2015-01-01

The Puna geological region comprises Salta, Jujuy and Catamarca provinces, northwestern Argentina. This 4000 meter above sea level high-plateau region lies between the Central Argentinian Andes. The Puna basement in the central Andes consists of Proterozoic–Paleozoic metamorphic rocks and granitoids. Diverse authors, proposed different models to explain the origin of the basement, where two orogenic events are recognized: the Pampean (Upper Precambrian–Lower Cambrian) and Famatinian (Upper Cambrian–Lower Silurian) (e.g. Ramos et al., 1986; Ramos, 1988; Loewy et al., 2004; for opposite points of view see Becchio et al., 1999; Bock et al., 2000; Buttner et al., 2005). Hence, Lucassen et al. (2000) proposed for the Central Andean basement, an evolution in a mobile belt, where the Pampean and Famatinian cycles are not distinct events but, they are one single, non-differentiable event from 600 to 400 Ma. The mobile belt culminated in low-P/ high-T metamorphism at approximately 525-500 Ma. Then, these were followed by a long-lasting high-thermal gradient regime in the mid-crust until Silurian times. Becchio et al., (2011) defined the Diablillos Intrusive Complex (CID, by its Spanish name), emplaced in the Inca Viejo Range. This range splits the Salares Ratones-Centenario with the Salar Diablillos (Fig.1). This Complex is located in the Eastern Magmatic Belt, Southern Puna, Argentina. Here we present new zircons U-Pb ages by LA-MC-ICPMS in the Diablillos Intrusive Complex, contributing to understanding the magmatic event in the lower Paleozoic arc, SW Gondwana. (author)

New U-Pb ages in the Diablillos Intrusive Complex, Southern Puna, Argentina: A long magmatic event in the Paleozoic Arc, SW Gondwana

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz, Agustin; Hauser, Natalia [Universidade de Brasilia (UnB), DF (Brazil). Instituto de Geociencias. Lab. de Geocronologia; Becchio, Raul; Nieves, Alexis; Suzano, Nestor [Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa)-CONICET, Salta (Argentina)

2015-07-01

The Puna geological region comprises Salta, Jujuy and Catamarca provinces, northwestern Argentina. This 4000 meter above sea level high-plateau region lies between the Central Argentinian Andes. The Puna basement in the central Andes consists of Proterozoic–Paleozoic metamorphic rocks and granitoids. Diverse authors, proposed different models to explain the origin of the basement, where two orogenic events are recognized: the Pampean (Upper Precambrian–Lower Cambrian) and Famatinian (Upper Cambrian–Lower Silurian) (e.g. Ramos et al., 1986; Ramos, 1988; Loewy et al., 2004; for opposite points of view see Becchio et al., 1999; Bock et al., 2000; Buttner et al., 2005). Hence, Lucassen et al. (2000) proposed for the Central Andean basement, an evolution in a mobile belt, where the Pampean and Famatinian cycles are not distinct events but, they are one single, non-differentiable event from 600 to 400 Ma. The mobile belt culminated in low-P/ high-T metamorphism at approximately 525-500 Ma. Then, these were followed by a long-lasting high-thermal gradient regime in the mid-crust until Silurian times. Becchio et al., (2011) defined the Diablillos Intrusive Complex (CID, by its Spanish name), emplaced in the Inca Viejo Range. This range splits the Salares Ratones-Centenario with the Salar Diablillos (Fig.1). This Complex is located in the Eastern Magmatic Belt, Southern Puna, Argentina. Here we present new zircons U-Pb ages by LA-MC-ICPMS in the Diablillos Intrusive Complex, contributing to understanding the magmatic event in the lower Paleozoic arc, SW Gondwana. (author)

Woody debris transport modelling by a coupled DE-SW approach

Science.gov (United States)

Persi, Elisabetta; Petaccia, Gabriella; Sibilla, Stefano

2016-04-01

The presence of wood in rivers is gaining more and more attention: on one side, the inclusion of woody debris in streams is emphasized for its ecological benefits; on the other hand, particular attention must be paid to its management, not to affect hydraulic safety. Recent events have shown that wood can be mobilized during floodings (Comiti et al. 2008, Lange and Bezzola 2006), aggravating inundations, in particular near urban areas. For this reason, the inclusion of woody debris influence on the prediction of flooded areas is an important step toward the reduction of hydraulic risk. Numerical modelling plays an important role to this purpose. Ruiz-Villanueva et al. (2014) use a two-dimensional numerical model to calculate the kinetics of cylindrical woody debris transport, taking into account also the hydrodynamic effects of wood. The model here presented couples a Discrete Element approach (DE) for the calculation of motion of a cylindrical log with the solution of the Shallow Water Equations (SW), in order to simulate woody debris transport in a two-dimensional stream. In a first step, drag force, added mass force and side force are calculated from flow and log velocities, assuming a reference area and hydrodynamic coefficients taken from literature. Then, the equations of dynamics are solved to model the planar roto-translation of the wooden cylinder. Model results and its physical reliability are clearly affected by the values of the drag and side coefficients, which in turn depend upon log submergence and angle towards the flow direction. Experimental studies to evaluate drag and side coefficients can be found for a submerged cylinder, with various orientations (Gippel et al. 1996; Hoang et al. 2015). To extend such results to the case of a floating (non-totally submerged) cylinder, the authors performed a series of laboratory tests whose outcomes are implemented in the proposed DE-SW model, to assess the effects of these values on the dynamic of woody

Tamarugite from Diana Cave (SW Romania) -first true karst occurrence

Science.gov (United States)

Pušcaš, C. M.; Onac, B. P.; Effenberger, H. S.; Povarǎ, I.

2012-04-01

Diana Cave is located within the town limits of Baile Herculane (SW Romania) and develops as a 14 m long, westward oriented, unique passage guided by the Diana fault [1]. At the far end of the cave, the thermo-mineral Diana Spring wells forth. In the early 1970s a mine gallery that intersected the cave was created to drain the water into a pumping station and the original cave passage was somewhat altered and reinforced with concrete. Today the concrete and the silty limestone cave walls are heavily corroded by H2SO4 outgassing from the hot water (ca. 50°C) and display abundant gypsum crusts, soggy aggregates of native S, and a variety of more exotic sulfates. Among them, a mineral that has been previously identified in caves only in connection to volcanic activity, either as thermal springs or fumaroles [2]: tamarugite [NaAl(SO4)26H2O]. It was [3] that first mentioned the occurrence of this Na and Al sulfate in Diana Cave, our research aiming to give a detailed description of this mineral, its paragenesis, and mechanisms of precipitation. Recently, tamarugite has also been identified in a sulfuric acid cave from Greece [4]. Along with powder X-ray diffractions coupled with Rietveld refinement, scanning electron microscope, and electron probe micro-analysis, δ18O and δ34S compositions of the sulfate mineral as well as precipitates from the water were analyzed to identify and better constrain the genesis of this rare sulfate. Regrettably, the crystal size of our specimens is inappropriate for identification by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction. Physical and chemical parameters of Diana Spring were as well measured on several occasions. Geochemical analysis suggests that the minute, white tamarugite flakes precipitated in Diana Cave as a result of the interactions between the thermo-mineral water or water vapor and the original limestone bedrock and concrete that blankets the mine gallery. [1] Povara, I., Diaconu, G., Goran, C. (1972). Observations pr

Monitorização da força da ondulação na base da arriba (Pessegueiro, SW Portugal. Primeiros resultados

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Mário Neves

1997-11-01

Full Text Available MEASUREMENT OF THE WAVE FORCE AT THE CLIFF BASE (PESSEGUEIRO, SW PORTUGAL. FIRST RESULTS. In this article the characteristicsof a new wave force sensor (EWIN are briefly described. This instrument was bolted to the shore platform of Pessegueiro on a first trial experience in Portugal. The maximum wave force records are also analysed in correlation with the wave climate accured in these occasions.

Global synthesis of groundwater recharge in semiarid and arid regions

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Keese, K.E.; Flint, A.L.; Flint, L.E.; Gaye, C.B.; Edmunds, W.M.; Simmers, I.

2006-01-01

Global synthesis of the findings from ∼140 recharge study areas in semiarid and arid regions provides important information on recharge rates, controls, and processes, which are critical for sustainable water development. Water resource evaluation, dryland salinity assessment (Australia), and radioactive waste disposal (US) are among the primary goals of many of these recharge studies. The chloride mass balance (CMB) technique is widely used to estimate recharge. Average recharge rates estimated over large areas (40–374 000 km2) range from 0·2 to 35 mm year−1, representing 0·1–5% of long-term average annual precipitation. Extreme local variability in recharge, with rates up to ∼720 m year−1, results from focussed recharge beneath ephemeral streams and lakes and preferential flow mostly in fractured systems. System response to climate variability and land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes is archived in unsaturated zone tracer profiles and in groundwater level fluctuations. Inter-annual climate variability related to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) results in up to three times higher recharge in regions within the SW US during periods of frequent El Niños (1977–1998) relative to periods dominated by La Niñas (1941–1957). Enhanced recharge related to ENSO is also documented in Argentina. Climate variability at decadal to century scales recorded in chloride profiles in Africa results in recharge rates of 30 mm year−1 during the Sahel drought (1970–1986) to 150 mm year−1 during non-drought periods. Variations in climate at millennial scales in the SW US changed systems from recharge during the Pleistocene glacial period (≥10 000 years ago) to discharge during the Holocene semiarid period. LU/LC changes such as deforestation in Australia increased recharge up to about 2 orders of magnitude. Changes from natural grassland and shrublands to dryland (rain-fed) agriculture altered systems from discharge (evapotranspiration, ET) to recharge in

Light extinction by fine atmospheric particles in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire and its relationship to air mass transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Slater, John F; Dibb, Jack E; Keim, Barry D; Talbot, Robert W

2002-03-27

Chemical, optical, and physical measurements of fine aerosols (aerodynamic diameter mass origin. Filter-based, 24-h integrated samples were collected and analyzed for major inorganic ions, as well as organic (OC), elemental (EC), and total carbon. Light scattering and light absorption coefficients were measured at 5-min intervals using an integrating nephelometer and a light absorption photometer. Fine particle number density was measured with a condensation particle counter. Air mass origins and transport patterns were investigated through the use of 3-day backward trajectories and a synoptic climate classification system. Two distinct transport regimes were observed: (1) flow from the north/northeast (N/NE) occurred during 9 out of 18 sample-days; and (2) flow from the west/southwest (W/SW) occurred 8 out of 18 sample-days. All measured and derived aerosol and meteorological parameters were separated into two categories based on these different flow scenarios. During W/SW flow, higher values of aerosol chemical concentration, absorption and scattering coefficients, number density, and haziness were observed compared to N/NE flow. The highest level of haziness was associated with the climate classification Frontal Atlantic Return, which brought polluted air into the region from the mid-Atlantic corridor. Fine particle mass scattering efficiencies of (NH4)2SO4 and OC were 5.35 +/- 0.42 m2 g(-1) and 1.56 +/- 0.40 m2 g(-1), respectively, when transport was out of the N/NE. When transport was from the W/SW the values were 4.94 +/- 0.68 m2 g(-1) for (NH4)2SO4 and 2.18 +/- 0.91 m2 g(-1) for OC. EC mass absorption efficiency when transport was from the N/NE was 9.66 +/- 1.06 m2 g(-1) and 10.80 +/- 1.76 m2 g(-1) when transport was from the W/SW. Results from this work can be used to predict visual air quality in the White Mountain National Forest based on a forecasted synoptic climate classification and its associated visibility.

GERMINAÇÃO DE SEMENTES DE SABIÁ (MIMOSA CAESALPINIAEFOLIA BENTH. E ALGAROBA (PROSOPIS JULIFLORA (SW DC

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Salvador Barros Torres

1994-12-01

Full Text Available Estudou-se o efeito da temperatura e do substrato sobre a germinação de sementes de sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia Benth. e algaroba (Prosopis juliflora (SW DC em condições de laboratório. Foram testadas as temperaturas de 25°C e 30°C constantes e 20-30°C alternadas em substratos de papel toalha, papel mata-borrão e areia. O melhor resultado de germinação para as sementes de sabiá foi obtido com a temperatura de 20-30°C em substrato de papel mata-borrão e a mesma temperatura em substrato de areia, para sementes de algaroba.

Nuclear DNA content of the pigeon orchid (Dendrobium crumenatum Sw. with the analysis of flow cytometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Upatham Meesawat

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Nuclear DNA content for the adult plants grown in a greenhouse and in vitro young plantlets of the pigeon orchid (Dendrobium crumenatum Sw. was analyzed using flow cytometry. The resulting 2C DNA values ranged from 2.30±0.14 pgto 2.43±0.06 pg. However, nuclear DNA ploidy levels of long-term in vitro plantlets were found to be triploid and tetraploid.These ploidy levels were confirmed by chromosome counting. Tetraploid individuals (2n = 4x = 76 had approximately two times DNA content than diploid (2n = 2x = 38 individuals. This variation may be due to prolonged cultivation and thepresence of exogenous plant growth regulators.

Using mitochondrial DNA to test the hypothesis of a European post-glacial human recolonization from the Franco-Cantabrian refuge.

Science.gov (United States)

García, O; Fregel, R; Larruga, J M; Álvarez, V; Yurrebaso, I; Cabrera, V M; González, A M

2011-01-01

It has been proposed that the distribution patterns and coalescence ages found in Europeans for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups V, H1 and H3 are the result of a post-glacial expansion from a Franco-Cantabrian refuge that recolonized central and northern areas. In contrast, in this refined mtDNA study of the Cantabrian Cornice that contributes 413 partial and 9 complete new mtDNA sequences, including a large Basque sample and a sample of Asturians, no experimental evidence was found to support the human refuge-expansion theory. In fact, all measures of gene diversity point to the Cantabrian Cornice in general and the Basques in particular, as less polymorphic for V, H1 and H3 than other southern regions in Iberia or in Central Europe. Genetic distances show the Cantabrian Cornice is a very heterogeneous region with significant local differences. The analysis of several minor subhaplogroups, based on complete sequences, also suggests different focal expansions over a local and peninsular range that did not affect continental Europe. Furthermore, all detected clinal trends show stronger longitudinal than latitudinal profiles. In Northern Iberia, it seems that the highest diversity values for some haplogroups with Mesolithic coalescence ages are centred on the Mediterranean side, including Catalonia and South-eastern France.

Strategic planning for city networks: The emergence of a Basque Global City?

OpenAIRE

Evert Meijers; Joris Hoekstra; Ricardo Aguado

2008-01-01

Throughout Europe, policy-makers are developing policies to foster the spatial, economic and socialdevelopment of what is, in the literature, often termed ‘polycentric urban regions’: a regional cluster ofclose-by cities. It is assumed that taking a set of relatively small or medium-sized cities together opens uppossibilities for regional economic growth. In this paper we put forward that the simple fact that a region ispolycentric does not necessarily mean that it is more competitive. For th...

Reconstruction of early Holocene paleoclimate and environment in the SW Kola region, Russian Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Grekov, Ivan; Kolka, Vasiliy; Syrykh, Liudmila; Nazarova, Larisa

2016-04-01

In the current period of the global climate change it becomes necessary to have a clear understanding of not only the changes taking place in the components of the natural environment, but also to understand development of all interactions between those components. Quaternary terrigenic sediments and lakes of the Kola Peninsula store information about the development of the region in the Late Glacial and Holocene: movements of the glacier, neotectonic activity, post-glacial rebound, formation and development of natural environments after deglaciation. Multi-proxy study of landscapes evolution of the Kola Peninsula in the Late Quaternary will help to establish a detailed reconstruction of climatic and environmental changes of this poor studied sector of the Arctic. Quaternary history on the Kola Peninsula is represented mainly by Late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments covering the Baltic Shield (Lavrova, 1960; Evzerov, 2015). Several palaeolimnological investigations in the Baltic Shield area have been performed earlier (Donner et al., 1977; Anundsen, 1985; Berglund, 2004). Studies of the southern coast of the Kola Peninsula have shown that marine transgression took place in the Late Pleistocene that was then replaced by a regression with variable speed. The slowdown of the uplift of the area took place between 8800 - 6800 BP (cal. years) and corresponded to the time of the Tapes transgression of the Arctic Ocean (Evzerov et al. 2010; Kolka, et al., 2013). Palaeoclimatic studies based on micro-paleontological analyzes indicate uneven development of the Kola Peninsula landscapes in the Late Glacial and Early Holocene. The northern coast of the Peninsula became free of ice first. In this area tundra-steppe vegetation was established for a short time and was later replaced by tundra (Snyder et al, 2000). Southern part of the Kola Peninsula was dependent on the conditions of deglaciation of the White Sea basin and cleared of ice much later (Evzerov et al., 2010; Kolka

Cloud amount/frequency, SALINITY and other data from EL AUSTRAL and PUERTO DESEADO in the SW Atlantic from 1984-08-15 to 1985-08-18 (NODC Accession 9200288)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Ocean Serial data in this accession was collected in SW Atlantic (limit-20 W) as part of Global Ocean Data Archeaology and Rescue (GODAR) project from ships EL...

Natural hybridization between Vanilla claviculata (W. Wright) Sw. and V. barbellata Rchb.f. (Orchidaceae): genetic, morphological, and pollination experimental data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

NIELSEN, LENE ROSTGAARD

2000-01-01

Vanilla claviculata (W. Wright) Sw. and V. barbellata Rchb.f. grow sympatrically in the southwestern part of herto Rico. At three localities in the range of the two species, individuals with flowers that appeared different from previously known species were found. To test whether these were hybrids...... the hypothesis that the individuals are hybrids, which is further augmented by interspecific pollination experiments between the putative parental species. This is the first case of natural hybridization reported in the genus Vanilla....

Learning Strategies in CLIL Classrooms: How Does Strategy Instruction Affect Reading Competence over Time?

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz de Zarobe, Yolanda; Zenotz, Victoria

2018-01-01

This article reports on an intervention study of reading comprehension among young learners of English as a third language (L3) in a multilingual (Spanish-Basque-English) context in the Basque Country. The study involves a pre-test post-test design, with an intervention of 7 weeks using two intact groups of participants that served as experimental…

Proposals for enhanced health risk assessment and stratification in an integrated care scenario

Science.gov (United States)

Dueñas-Espín, Ivan; Vela, Emili; Pauws, Steffen; Bescos, Cristina; Cano, Isaac; Cleries, Montserrat; Contel, Joan Carles; de Manuel Keenoy, Esteban; Garcia-Aymerich, Judith; Gomez-Cabrero, David; Kaye, Rachelle; Lahr, Maarten M H; Lluch-Ariet, Magí; Moharra, Montserrat; Monterde, David; Mora, Joana; Nalin, Marco; Pavlickova, Andrea; Piera, Jordi; Ponce, Sara; Santaeugenia, Sebastià; Schonenberg, Helen; Störk, Stefan; Tegner, Jesper; Velickovski, Filip; Westerteicher, Christoph; Roca, Josep

2016-01-01

Objectives Population-based health risk assessment and stratification are considered highly relevant for large-scale implementation of integrated care by facilitating services design and case identification. The principal objective of the study was to analyse five health-risk assessment strategies and health indicators used in the five regions participating in the Advancing Care Coordination and Telehealth Deployment (ACT) programme (http://www.act-programme.eu). The second purpose was to elaborate on strategies toward enhanced health risk predictive modelling in the clinical scenario. Settings The five ACT regions: Scotland (UK), Basque Country (ES), Catalonia (ES), Lombardy (I) and Groningen (NL). Participants Responsible teams for regional data management in the five ACT regions. Primary and secondary outcome measures We characterised and compared risk assessment strategies among ACT regions by analysing operational health risk predictive modelling tools for population-based stratification, as well as available health indicators at regional level. The analysis of the risk assessment tool deployed in Catalonia in 2015 (GMAs, Adjusted Morbidity Groups) was used as a basis to propose how population-based analytics could contribute to clinical risk prediction. Results There was consensus on the need for a population health approach to generate health risk predictive modelling. However, this strategy was fully in place only in two ACT regions: Basque Country and Catalonia. We found marked differences among regions in health risk predictive modelling tools and health indicators, and identified key factors constraining their comparability. The research proposes means to overcome current limitations and the use of population-based health risk prediction for enhanced clinical risk assessment. Conclusions The results indicate the need for further efforts to improve both comparability and flexibility of current population-based health risk predictive modelling approaches

Caracterização físico-química e microbiológica da farinha de algaroba (Prosopis juliflora (Sw. DC Physicochemical and microbiological characterization of mesquite flour (Prosopis juliflora (Sw. DC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Celiane Gomes Maia da Silva

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Algaroba (Prosopis juliflora (Sw. D.C. é uma leguminosa arbórea tropical comum no semi-árido brasileiro e desenvolve-se em lugares secos, onde dificilmente outras plantas poderiam sobreviver. Suas vagens produzem uma farinha que pode ser usada na alimentação humana, além de vários outros produtos como o mel, licor e um produto similar ao café. Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar quanto à composição físico-química e microbiológica a farinha de algaroba potencialmente passível de introdução como matéria-prima de interesse comercial. A farinha de algaroba foi analisada quanto ao teor de umidade, cinzas, proteína, lipídios, açúcares totais, açúcares redutores, fibra alimentar total e tanino. Os minerais analisados foram cálcio, fósforo, magnésio, ferro, zinco, sódio, potássio, manganês, silício, alumínio e cobre. As análises microbiológicas foram: coliformes a 45 °C.g -1, Bacillus cereus.g -1, Salmonella sp..25 g -1, e bolores e leveduras.g -1. Verificou-se que a farinha de algaroba apresenta elevados níveis de açúcares (56,5 g.100 g -1, razoável teor de proteínas (9,0 g.100 g -1 e baixo teor em lipídios (2,1 g.100 g -1. Quanto aos minerais observou-se a predominância do fósforo (749 mg.100 g -1 e do cálcio (390 mg.100 g -1. As análises microbiológicas apresentaram resultados inferiores ao limite estabelecido pela legislação, sendo considerada apropriada quanto à qualidade higiênico-sanitária. Portanto, conclui-se que esta possui uma elevada concentração de açúcares além de outros nutrientes, como minerais, importantes para o desenvolvimento humano e animal.Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora (Sw. D.C. is a tropical tree legume fairly common in the semi-arid region of Brazil, which thrives in dry environments where other plants would hardly survive. Its seedpods can be made into flour, which is used in human food and other products such as honey, liqueur and a product similar to coffee. The

Middle to Late Devonian–Carboniferous collapse basins on the Finnmark Platform and in the southwesternmost Nordkapp basin, SW Barents Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.-B. P. Koehl

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The SW Barents Sea margin experienced a pulse of extensional deformation in the Middle–Late Devonian through the Carboniferous, after the Caledonian Orogeny terminated. These events marked the initial stages of formation of major offshore basins such as the Hammerfest and Nordkapp basins. We mapped and analyzed three major fault complexes, (i the Måsøy Fault Complex, (ii the Rolvsøya fault, and (iii the Troms–Finnmark Fault Complex. We discuss the formation of the Måsøy Fault Complex as a possible extensional splay of an overall NE–SW-trending, NW-dipping, basement-seated Caledonian shear zone, the Sørøya–Ingøya shear zone, which was partly inverted during the collapse of the Caledonides and accommodated top–NW normal displacement in Middle to Late Devonian–Carboniferous times. The Troms–Finnmark Fault Complex displays a zigzag-shaped pattern of NNE–SSW- and ENE–WSW-trending extensional faults before it terminates to the north as a WNW–ESE-trending, NE-dipping normal fault that separates the southwesternmost Nordkapp basin in the northeast from the western Finnmark Platform and the Gjesvær Low in the southwest. The WNW–ESE-trending, margin-oblique segment of the Troms–Finnmark Fault Complex is considered to represent the offshore prolongation of a major Neoproterozoic fault complex, the Trollfjorden–Komagelva Fault Zone, which is made of WNW–ESE-trending, subvertical faults that crop out on the island of Magerøya in NW Finnmark. Our results suggest that the Trollfjorden–Komagelva Fault Zone dies out to the northwest before reaching the western Finnmark Platform. We propose an alternative model for the origin of the WNW–ESE-trending segment of the Troms–Finnmark Fault Complex as a possible hard-linked, accommodation cross fault that developed along the Sørøy–Ingøya shear zone. This brittle fault decoupled the western Finnmark Platform from the southwesternmost Nordkapp basin and merged with the

The impact of the Great Recession on mental health and its inequalities: the case of a Southern European region, 1997-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Bacigalupe, Amaia; Esnaola, Santiago; Martín, Unai

2016-01-26

Numerous studies have shown that macroeconomic changes have a great influence on health, prompting different concerns in recent literature about the effects of the current recession. The objective of the study was to assess the changes in the mental health of the working-age population in the Basque Country (Spain) and its social inequalities following the onset of the 2008 recession, with special focus on the role of unemployment. Repeated cross-sectional study on the population aged 16-64, using four Basque Health Surveys (1997-2013). Age-adjusted prevalences of poor mental health and incremental prevalence ratios (working status and social class adjusted) between years were calculated. Absolute/relative measures of social inequalities were also calculated. From 2008, there was a clear deterioration in the mental health, especially among men. Neither changes in employment status nor social class accounted for these changes. In men, the deterioration affected all working status categories, except the retired but significant changes occurred only among the employed. In women, poor mental health significantly increased among the unemployed. Students were also especially affected. Relative inequalities increased only in men. The Great Recession is being accompanied by adverse effects on mental health, which cannot be fully explained by the increase of unemployment. Public health professionals should closely monitor the medium and long-term effects of the crisis as these may emerge only many years after the onset of recessions.

Changes in the Regional Groundwater Aquifer and Potential Impacts on Surface Waters in Central Zealand, Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorn, Paul

The regional, confined aquifer on the island of Zealand, in eastern Denmark, is the primary aquifer used for large-scale abstraction for the supplies of all larger cities, including Roskilde and the greater Copenhagen metropolitan area. Large-scale groundwater abstraction from this aquifer...... in the area near Lejre Denmark (approximately 15km to the SW of Roskilde) began in 1937, exporting approximately 18 million m3 of water per year to supply the city of Copenhagen. After abstraction began, streams in the area were observed to go dry after extended periods without precipitation, where......, wetlands and lakes in the area. The results show that there was a significant impact on the regional groundwater aquifer in the Langvad river catchment, with groundwater as much as 17m lower in 1987 from 1936 (pre-abstraction). However, in the Elverdam river catchment, the levels remained virtually...

Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiu, S.C.C.; Johnston, A.C.; Chiu, J.M. [Memphis State Univ., TN (United States). Center for Earthquake Research and Information

1994-08-01

The seismic activity in the southern Appalachian area was monitored by the Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network (SARSN) since late 1979 by the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at Memphis State University. This network provides good spatial coverage for earthquake locations especially in east Tennessee. The level of activity concentrates more heavily in the Valley and Ridge province of eastern Tennessee, as opposed to the Blue Ridge or Inner Piedmont. The large majority of these events lie between New York - Alabama lineament and the Clingman/Ocoee lineament, magnetic anomalies produced by deep-seated basement structures. Therefore SARSN, even with its wide station spacing, has been able to define the essential first-order seismological characteristics of the Southern Appalachian seismic zone. The focal depths of the southeastern U.S. earthquakes concentrate between 8 and 16 km, occurring principally beneath the Appalachian overthrust. In cross-sectional views, the average seismicity is shallower to the east beneath the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces and deeper to the west beneath the Valley and Ridge and the North American craton. Results of recent focal mechanism studies by using the CERI digital earthquake catalog between October, 1986 and December, 1991, indicate that the basement of the Valley and Ridge province is under a horizontal, NE-SW compressive stress. Right-lateral strike-slip faulting on nearly north-south fault planes is preferred because it agrees with the trend of the regional magnetic anomaly pattern.

Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, S.C.C.; Johnston, A.C.; Chiu, J.M.

1994-08-01

The seismic activity in the southern Appalachian area was monitored by the Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network (SARSN) since late 1979 by the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at Memphis State University. This network provides good spatial coverage for earthquake locations especially in east Tennessee. The level of activity concentrates more heavily in the Valley and Ridge province of eastern Tennessee, as opposed to the Blue Ridge or Inner Piedmont. The large majority of these events lie between New York - Alabama lineament and the Clingman/Ocoee lineament, magnetic anomalies produced by deep-seated basement structures. Therefore SARSN, even with its wide station spacing, has been able to define the essential first-order seismological characteristics of the Southern Appalachian seismic zone. The focal depths of the southeastern U.S. earthquakes concentrate between 8 and 16 km, occurring principally beneath the Appalachian overthrust. In cross-sectional views, the average seismicity is shallower to the east beneath the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces and deeper to the west beneath the Valley and Ridge and the North American craton. Results of recent focal mechanism studies by using the CERI digital earthquake catalog between October, 1986 and December, 1991, indicate that the basement of the Valley and Ridge province is under a horizontal, NE-SW compressive stress. Right-lateral strike-slip faulting on nearly north-south fault planes is preferred because it agrees with the trend of the regional magnetic anomaly pattern

Environmental set-up and tidal propagation in a tropical estuary with dual connection to the sea (SW Coast of India)

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Revichandran, C.; Srinivas, K.; Muraleedharan, K.R.; Rafeeq, M.; Shivaprasad, A.; Vijayakumar, K.; Jayalakshmy, K.V.

at the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, UK (Bell et al., 2000). The present paper largely follows the techniques described in Sunder and Shetye., 2005, where the tidal propagation in Mandovi-Zuari estuarine network was studied using one month WL data at 13... rivers is estimated to be 22.41 X10 3 Mm 3 . Runoff is not uniformly distributed; 60-70 % of the runoff is during the SW monsoon period (June-September), while during the pre-monsoon period (April-May) virtually there was no significant runoff. Table...

Response characteristics of vegetation and soil environment to permafrost degradation in the upstream regions of the Shule River Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Shengyun; Liu Wenjie; Qin Xiang; Liu Yushuo; Ren Jiawen; Qin Dahe; Zhang Tongzuo; Hu Fengzu; Chen Kelong

2012-01-01

Permafrost degradation exhibits striking and profound influences on the alpine ecosystem, and response characteristics of vegetation and soil environment to such degradation inevitably differ during the entire degraded periods. However, up to now, the related research is lacking in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). For this reason, twenty ecological plots in the different types of permafrost zones were selected in the upstream regions of the Shule River Basin on the northeastern margin of the QTP. Vegetation characteristics (species diversity, community coverage and biomass etc) and topsoil environment (temperature (ST), water content (SW), mechanical composition (SMC), culturable microorganism (SCM), organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents and so on), as well as active layer thickness (ALT) were investigated in late July 2009 and 2010. A spatial–temporal shifts method (the spatial pattern that is represented by different types of permafrost shifting to the temporal series that stands for different stages of permafrost degradation) has been used to discuss response characteristics of vegetation and topsoil environment throughout the entire permafrost degradation. The results showed that (1) ST of 0–40 cm depth and ALT gradually increased from highly stable and stable permafrost (H-SP) to unstable permafrost (UP). SW increased initially and then decreased, and SOC content and the quantities of SCM at a depth of 0–20 cm first decreased and then increased, whereas TN content and SMC showed obscure trends throughout the stages of permafrost degradation with a stability decline from H-SP to extremely unstable permafrost (EUP); (2) further, species diversity, community coverage and biomass first increased and then decreased in the stages from H-SP to EUP; (3) in the alpine meadow ecosystem, SOC and TN contents increased initially and then decreased, soil sandy fractions gradually increased with stages of permafrost degradation from substable (SSP

40 CFR 59.512 - Addresses of EPA regional offices.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas), Director, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Division, 1445 Ross Avenue..., Air Pesticides and Toxics, Management Division, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, SW...

Structural and K/Ar Illite geochronological constraints on the brittle deformation history of the Olkiluoto Region, Southwest Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viola, G.; Zwingmann, H.; Todd, A.; Raven, M.

2011-07-01

This study has generated a new conceptual scheme for the > 1.5 Gyr long brittle evolution of southwestern Finland and the Olkiluoto Island. Based on the study of a number of chosen outcrops containing key structural relationships and the analysis of almost two thousands striated fault planes, seven robust paleo stress tensors have been defined. By comparing and contrasting them with known paleostates of stress derived from southeast Sweden and by using absolute and relative geochronological criteria, it was possible to assign them to a number of specific tectonic events that have affected southwest Finland. Uniaxial compression of late Svecofennian age with a regional NNWSSE σ 1 axis was active soon after 1.75 Ga ago, when environmental conditions leading to brittle deformation were first attained in the region. A younger paleostress field with a NE-SW σ 1 axis, transpressive in character, is inferred to have been active soon after and to have caused significant reactivation of some of the structures formed during the first shortening event. A phase of ESE-WNW extension is constrained by a number of stress tensors and direct field evidence and is here tentatively assigned to the Gothian event and the time of rapakivi magmatism. Further NE-SW extension is taken as the last increment of crustal extension in southwestern Finland and is interpreted as having accommodated upper crustal stretching and the formation and infill of the NWSE- elongated Satakunta graben between 1.6 and 1.3 Ga. A significant and wellconstrained phase of c. NE-SW shortening post dated the rapakivi granites as well as the abundant c. 1260 Ma olivine diabase sills in southwestern Finland. A shortening direction of similar age is not described elsewhere in Fennoscandia. We propose that this phase might be the expression of an hitherto unreported phase of compression that caused inversion of the Satakunta graben. Later E-W compression is assigned to the early stages of the Mesoproterozoic

Perbandingan Morfologi Dua Jenis Anggrek Epifit pada Pohon Rambutan ( Nephelium lappaceum L. : Acriopsis liliifolia (J.Koenig Seidenf. dan Dendrobium crumenatum Sw.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nery Sofiyanti

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The stem of rambutan tree (Nephelium lappaceum has suitable microenvironment for the growth of epiphytic flora, due to its rugose stem. Therefore, it may trap and collect plant debrish or other organic material as well as rain drops. One of plant group found on the rambutan tree is orchid (Orchidaceae. This study aimed to observed the morphology of epihytic orchids on rambutan tree. The result showed two orchid species, Acriopsisliliifolia (J. Koenig Seidenf. and Dendrobium crumenatum Sw.

Distributions and seasonal abundances of krill eggs and larvae in the sub-Arctic Godthåbsfjord, SW Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teglhus, Frederik Wolff; Agersted, Mette Dalgaard; Akther, Hasna

2015-01-01

The larval krill community (Thysanoessa spp.) was investigated along the sub-Arctic Godthåbsfjord, SW Greenland, in June 2010. In addition, the progress of krill development from egg to furcilia was studied from March to August 2010 in a fjord branching off the Godthåbsfjord. Krill spawned from...... and furcilia stages lasted 22 and 63 d, respectively. The growth rate from metanauplius to calyptopis was 0.12 d−1, while the growth rate across all developmental stages was 0.05 d−1. Mortality rates were calculated as 25% from eggs to nauplii, 48% from eggs to calyptopes and 83% from eggs to furcilia. During...

Bacterioplankton activity in the surface waters of the Arabian Sea during and after the 1994 SW monsoon

Science.gov (United States)

Pomroy, Alan; Joint, Ian

1999-03-01

Bacterial biomass and production were measured on two cruises to the northwestern Arabian Sea in 1994; the first cruise took place towards the end of the SW monsoon in September, and the second cruise during the inter-monsoon period in November and December. Although phytoplankton production was significantly higher during the monsoon, bacterial numbers showed little difference. Bacteria were most abundant in the euphotic zone and highest bacterial numbers were measured during the monsoon period in the Gulf of Oman and the shelf waters off southern Oman; in these regions, numbers ranged from 0.9 to 1.6×10 9 bacteria l -1. On both cruises, bacteria were less abundant in the euphotic zone of the central Arabian Sea and typically ca 0.8×10 9 cells l -1 were present. The majority of bacteria (80-95%) were small cocci that were larger (median diameter 0.40 μm) during the monsoon period than the inter-monsoon, when the cells had a diameter of 0.36 μm; there was no comparable change in cell dimensions of bacteria present as rods. Bacterial production was measured by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine and 3H-leucine. On both cruises, uptake rates were highest on the Omani shelf and decreased offshore. In the central Arabian Sea, thymidine incorporation rates were similar in the monsoon and inter-monsoon periods, but higher rates of leucine incorporation were measured during the monsoon period. Bacterial production was a relatively small proportion of phytoplankton production in both periods sampled; bacterial production was equivalent to between 10 and 30% of the daily primary production in the Arabian Sea.

The 2016 south Alboran earthquake (Mw = 6.4): A reactivation of the Ibero-Maghrebian region?

Science.gov (United States)

Buforn, E.; Pro, C.; Sanz de Galdeano, C.; Cantavella, J. V.; Cesca, S.; Caldeira, B.; Udías, A.; Mattesini, M.

2017-08-01

On 25 January 2016, an earthquake of magnitude Mw = 6.4 occurred at the southern part of the Alboran Sea, between southern Spain and northern Morocco. This shock was preceded by a foreshock (Mw = 5.1) and followed by a long aftershock sequence. Focal mechanism of main shock has been estimated from slip inversion of body waves at teleseismic distances. Solution corresponds to left-lateral strike-slip motion, showing a complex bilateral rupture, formed by two sub-events, with most energy propagating along a plane oriented N30°E plane dipping to the NW. Relocation of larger events of the aftershock series, show two alignments of epicentres in NE-SW and NNE-SSW direction that intersect at the epicentre of the main shock. We have estimated the focal mechanisms of the largest aftershocks from moment tensor inversion at regional distances. We have obtained two families of focal mechanisms corresponding to strike slip for the NNE-SSW alignment and thrusting motion for the NE-SW alignment. Among the faults present in the area the Al Idrisi fault (or fault zone) may be a good candidate for the source of this earthquake. The study of Coulomb Failure Stress shows that it is possible that the 2016 earthquake was triggered by the previous nearby earthquakes of 1994 (Mw = 5.8) and 2004 (Mw = 6.3). The possible seismic reactivation of the central part of the Ibero-Maghrebian region is an open question, but it is clear that the occurrence of the 2016 earthquake confirms that from 1994 the seismicity of central part of IMR is increasing and that focal mechanism of largest earthquakes in this central part correspond to complex ruptures (or zone of fault).

Comparative study of uranium concentration in water samples of SW and NE Punjab, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saini, Komal; Bajwa, B.S.

2014-01-01

Since the commencement of the earth, radiations and natural radioactivity has always been a part of environment. Uranium is heaviest naturally occurring element which is widespread in nature, mainly occurs in granites mineral deposits. The natural weathering of rocks such as granite dissolves the natural uranium, which goes into groundwater by leaching and precipitation called illumination process. People are always exposed to certain amount of uranium from air, water, soil and food as it is usually present in these components. About 85% of ingested uranium enter into human body through drinking water which makes it very important to estimate uranium concentration in potable water. Uranium and some other heavy metals may increase the risk of kidney damage, cancer diseases where experimental evidence suggests that respiratory and reproductive system are also affected by uranium exposure. In the present study comparative study of uranium concentration in potable water samples of SW and NE Punjab has been analysed

Hairpin-Hairpin Molecular Beacon Interactions for Detection of Survivin mRNA in Malignant SW480 Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratajczak, Katarzyna; Krazinski, Bartlomiej E; Kowalczyk, Anna E; Dworakowska, Beata; Jakiela, Slawomir; Stobiecka, Magdalena

2018-05-07

Cancer biomarkers offer unique prospects for the development of cancer diagnostics and therapy. One of such biomarkers, protein survivin (Sur), exhibits strong antiapoptotic and proliferation-enhancing properties and is heavily expressed in multiple cancers. Thus, it can be utilized to provide new modalities for modulating the cell-growth rate, essential for effective cancer treatment. Herein, we have focused on the development of a new survivin-based cancer detection platform for colorectal cancer cells SW480 using a turn-on fluorescence oligonucleotide molecular beacon (MB) probe, encoded to recognize Sur messenger RNA (mRNA). Contrary to the expectations, we have found that both the complementary target oligonucleotide strands as well as the single- and double-mismatch targets, instead of exhibiting the anticipated simple random conformations, preferentially formed secondary structure motifs by folding into small-loop hairpin structures. Such a conformation may interfere with, or even undermine, the biorecognition process. To gain better understanding of the interactions involved, we have replaced the classical Tyagi-Kramer model of interactions between a straight target oligonucleotide strand and a hairpin MB with a new model to account for the hairpin-hairpin interactions as the biorecognition principle. A detailed mechanism of these interactions has been proposed. Furthermore, in experimental work, we have demonstrated an efficient transfection of malignant SW480 cells with SurMB probes containing a fluorophore Joe (SurMB-Joe) using liposomal nanocarriers. The green emission from SurMB-Joe in transfected cancer cells, due to the hybridization of the SurMB-Joe loop with Sur mRNA hairpin target, corroborates Sur overexpression. On the other hand, healthy human-colon epithelial cells CCD 841 CoN show only negligible expression of survivin mRNA. These experiments provide the proof-of-concept for distinguishing between the cancer and normal cells by the proposed

Effects of taxol and ionizing radiation on cytotoxicity and prostaglandin production in KB, RPMI-2650, SW-13 and L929

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Keon Il; Yoo, Dong Soo

1998-01-01

The author evaluated the effects of taxol, a microtubular inhibitor, as a possible radiation sensitizer and the production of prostaglandins on three human cancer cell lines (KB, RPMI-2650 and SW-13) and one murine cell line (L929). Each cell line was divided into four groups (control, taxol only, radiation only and combination of taxol and radiation). The treatment consisted of a single irradiation of 10 Gy and graded doses (5, 50, 100, 200, 300, 500 nM) of taxol for a 24-h period. The cytotoxicity of taxol alone was measured at 1 day after (1-day group) and 4 days after (4-day group) the treatment. The survival ratio of cell was analyzed by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dimethyl tetrazolium bromide) test. Prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGI2) were measured in the culture medium by a radioimmunoassay. The results obtained were as follows ; 1. There was a significantly in creased cytotoxicity of KB cells in 4-day group than those in 1-day group. There was a high correlation between doses of taxol and cell viability in both groups (1-day group R=0.82741, 4-day group R=0.84655). 2. There was a significantly increased cytotoxicity of RPMI-2650 cells treated with high concentration of taxol in 4-day group than those in 1-day group. Also there was a high correlation between doses of taxol and cell viability in 4-day group (R=0.93917). 3. There was a significantly increased cytotoxicity of SW-13 cell treated with high concentration of taxol in 4-day group than those in 1-day group. However no high correlation was observed between doses of taxol and cell viability in both groups (1-day group R=0.46362, 4-day group R=0.65425). 4. There was a significantly increased cytotoxicity of L929 cells treated with low concentration of taxol in 4-day group than those in 1-day group. At the same time, there was a low correlation between doses of taxol and cell viability in both groups (1-day group R=0.34237, 4-day group R=0.23381). 5. In 1-day group of L929 cells, higher

A contribution to better understanding of structural characteristics and tectonic phases of the Boč region, Periadriatic Fault Zone

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Lea Žibret

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine properties of the tectonic contact between Permian/Mesozoic limestones and less competent Miocene clastites on the northeastern foothill of the Boč Mt. Because fault planes signifiantly mark the relief, this contact was studied by a detailed structural mapping, which showed that the Boč Mt. is limited by subvertical faults in its northeastern part. To ensure that mapped subvertical contact is compatible with regional geodynamics of the area, additionally paleostress analysis of fault-slip data was performed. Four individual paleostress tensor groups were documented in a wider Boč area and compared by published structural data from the border zone between Alps, Dinarides and Pannonian Basin. The oldest paleostress tensor group (Phase 1 is likely of Lower and Middle Miocene age and indicates SW-NE extension accommodated by W-E to WNW-ESE striking normal faults. Phase 2 can be correlated with Middle to Late Miocene NW-SE to WNWESE directed extension accommodated by NNE-SSW striking normal faults. Phase 3 is correlated with Late Miocene W-E directed contraction accommodated by N-S striking sinistral faults and NNE-SSW to NE-SW striking dextral faults. The youngest paleostress tensor group (Phase 4 fis well with Pliocene to Quaternary NNW-SSE to N-S directed contraction accommodated by NW-SE to W-E striking dextral faults and NE-SW striking reverse faults. Since the documented paleostress phases fis well with the geodynamic processes of the Alps-Dinarides-Carpathians territory the subvertical border in the northeastern part of Boč Mt. seems to be an acceptable structural solution. The study is important because the study area is located at interaction zone between two major Alpine fault systems: the Periadriatic and the Lavanttal faults.

Petrological, geochemical, isotopic, and geochronological constraints for the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous magmatism in SW Gondwana (27-32°LS): an example of geodynamic switching

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Dahlquist, Juan A.; Alasino, Pablo H.; Basei, Miguel A. S.; Morales Cámera, Matías M.; Macchioli Grande, Marcos; da Costa Campos Neto, Mario

2018-04-01

We report a study integrating 13 new U-Pb LA-MC-ICP-MS zircon ages and Hf-isotope data from dated magmatic zircons together with complete petrological and whole-rock geochemistry data for the dated granitic rocks. Sample selection was strongly based on knowledge reported in previous investigations. Latest Devonian-Early Carboniferous granite samples were collected along a transect of 900 km, from the inner continental region (present-day Eastern Sierras Pampeanas) to the magmatic arc (now Western Sierras Pampeanas and Frontal Cordillera). Based on these data together with ca. 100 published whole-rock geochemical analyses we conclude that Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous magmatism at this latitude represents continuous activity (ranging from 322 to 379 Ma) on the pre-Andean margin of SW Gondwana, although important whole-rock and isotopic compositional variations occurred through time and space. Combined whole-rock chemistry and isotope data reveal that peraluminous A-type magmatism started in the intracontinental region during the Late Devonian, with subsequent development of synchronous Carboniferous peraluminous and metaluminous A-type magmatism in the retro-arc region and calc-alkaline magmatism in the western paleomargin. We envisage that magmatic evolution was mainly controlled by episodic fluctuations in the angle of subduction of the oceanic plate (between flat-slab and normal subduction), supporting a geodynamic switching model. Subduction fluctuations were relatively fast (ca. 7 Ma) during the Late Devonian and Early Carboniferous, and the complete magmatic switch-off and switch-on process lasted for 57 Ma. Hf T DM values of zircon (igneous and inherited) from some Carboniferous peraluminous A-type granites in the retro-arc suggest that Gondwana continental lithosphere formed during previous orogenies was partly the source of the Devonian-Carboniferous granitic magmas, thus precluding the generation of the parental magmas from exotic terranes.

New constraints on the structure of Hess Deep from regional- and micro-bathymetry data acquired during RRS James Cook in Jan-Feb 2008 (JC021)

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Shillington, D. J.; Ferrini, V. L.; MacLeod, C. J.; Teagle, D. A.; Gillis, K. M.; Cazenave, P. W.; Hurst, S. D.; Scientific Party, J.

2008-12-01

In January-February 2008, new geophysical and geological data were acquired in Hess Deep using the RRS James Cook and the British ROV Isis. Hess Deep provides a tectonic window into oceanic crust emplaced by fast seafloor spreading at the East Pacific Rise, thereby offering the opportunity to test competing hypotheses for oceanic crustal accretion. The goal of this cruise was to collect datasets that can constrain the structure and composition of the lower crustal section exposed in the south-facing slope of the Intrarift Ridge just north of the Deep, and thus provide insights into the emplacement of gabbroic lower crust at fast spreading rates. Additionally, the acquired datasets provide site survey data for IODP Proposal 551-Full. The following datasets were acquired during JC021: 1) regional multibeam bathymetry survey complemented with sub-bottom profiler (SBP) data (in selected areas), 2) two micro-bathymetry surveys, and 3) seafloor rock samples acquired with an ROV. Here we present grids of regional multibeam and microbathymetry data following post-cruise processing. Regional multibeam bathymetry were acquired using the hull-mounted Kongsberg Simrad EM120 system (12 kHz). These data provide new coverage of the northern flank of the rift as far east as 100°W, which show that it comprises of a series of 50- to 100-km-long en echelon segments. Both E-W and NE-SW striking features are observed in the immediate vicinity of the Deep, including in a newly covered region to the SW of the rift tip. Such features might arise due to the rotation of the Galapagos microplate(s), as proposed by other authors. The ROV Isis acquired micro-bathymetry data in two areas using a Simrad SM2000 (200 kHz) multibeam sonar. Data were acquired at a nominal altitude of ~100 m and speed of 0.3 kts to facilitate high-resolution mapping of seabed features and also permit coverage of two relatively large areas. Swath widths were ~200- 350 m depending on noise and seabed characteristics

Geographical patterns in cyanobacteria distribution: climate influence at regional scale.

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Pitois, Frédéric; Thoraval, Isabelle; Baurès, Estelle; Thomas, Olivier

2014-01-28

Cyanobacteria are a component of public health hazards in freshwater environments because of their potential as toxin producers. Eutrophication has long been considered the main cause of cyanobacteria outbreak and proliferation, whereas many studies emphasized the effect of abiotic parameters (mainly temperature and light) on cell growth rate or toxin production. In view of the growing concerns of global change consequences on public health parameters, this study attempts to enlighten climate influence on cyanobacteria at regional scale in Brittany (NW France). The results show that homogeneous cyanobacteria groups are associated with climatic domains related to temperature, global radiation and pluviometry, whereas microcystins (MCs) occurrences are only correlated to local cyanobacteria species composition. As the regional climatic gradient amplitude is similar to the projected climate evolution on a 30-year timespan, a comparison between the present NW and SE situations was used to extrapolate the evolution of geographical cyanobacteria distribution in Brittany. Cyanobacteria composition should shift toward species associated with more frequent Microcystins occurrences along a NW/SE axis whereas lakes situated along a SW/NE axis should transition to species (mainly Nostocales) associated with lower MCs detection frequencies.

Combined microstructural and mineralogical phase characterization of gallstones in a patient-based study in SW Spain - Implications for environmental contamination in their formation.

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Parviainen, Annika; Suárez-Grau, Juan Manuel; Pérez-López, Rafael; Nieto, José Miguel; Garrido, Carlos J; Cobo-Cárdenas, Gema

2016-12-15

This study explores the environmental impact of metal exposure on humans through detailed phase and structural characterization of gallstones from two environmentally contrasting populations in Huelva Province (SW Spain). A total of 42 gallstone samples, obtained after surgical intervention at the Riotinto Hospital, were studied by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transformed Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), FTIR-μ-ATR (Attenuated Total Reflection) coupled with an optical microscope, and by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (ESEM-EDS), and subsequently classified according to their phase composition and structure. Additionally, the patients were enquired for their living habits in order to analyze the source of possible exposure to metal contamination. The gallstones were classified into pure, mixed and composite cholesterol stones, black and brown pigment stones, and carbonate stones. The patients from the study group residing in a region with acknowledged metal contamination of both natural and anthropogenic origin have a higher risk of metal exposure through contaminated soil, particle matter in the air, and consumption of local water and food products. According to our findings, the metal exposure is related to a higher tendency of forming black pigment stones in the study group in comparison to the control group residing in a natural park with nearly pristine environmental conditions. Moreover, the gallstones from the study group showed to contain more abundant metal components, such as Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn, than those from the control group. To our knowledge this is the first study to examine the regional environmental impact of metal exposure on human gallstones. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Apatite intergrowths in clinopyroxene megacrysts from the Ostrzyca Proboszczowicka (SW Poland) basanite

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Lipa, Danuta; Puziewicz, Jacek; Ntaflos, Theodoros; Matusiak-Małek, Magdalena

2015-04-01

The Cenozoic basanite from the Ostrzyca Proboszczowicka in Lower Silesia (SW Poland) belongs to numerous lavas occurring in the NE part of the Central European Volcanic Province. Basanite contains clinopyroxene megacrysts up to 3 cm in size. The clinopyroxene has the composition of aluminian-sodian diopside (mg# 0.61-0.70, 0.08-0.12 atoms Na pfu and 0.88-0.93 atoms Ca pfu). Cr is absent. The REE contents are above the primitive mantle reaching up to 18 x PM at Nd. Primitive-mantle normalized REE patterns show enrichment in LREE relative to HREE (LaN/LuN=3.81-5.01). The REE patterns of all the megacrysts show deflection in La-Nd. The trace element patterns are characterized by positive Zr, Hf and in some cases also Ta anomalies, and negative U, La, Sr, Ti and Pb ones. In some samples strong depletion (down to 0.01 x PM) in Rb and Ba is observed.The Ostrzyca megacrysts formed cumulate, which crystallized from magma similar to the host basanite, but more fractionated and enriched in REE, particularly in LREE (Lipa et al., 2014). This happened at mid-crustal depths (10-15 km) and the new pulse of basanitic magma entrained the crystals forming the non-solidified cumulate and brought them to the surface (Lipa et al., 2014). Clinopyroxene megacrysts contain large, transparent, euhedral apatite crystals up to 7 mm. The major element composition indicates the fluor-apatite with F content ranging from 0.87 to 1.93 wt.%. Chlorine content is strongly variable between grains (0.05-1.75 wt.%). Apatite is strongly enriched in LREE relative to HREE (LaN/LuN=60.39-62.23, about 1000 x PM for LREE and about 10 x PM for HREE). The REE patterns are nearly linear, with slight positive Nd and Gd anomalies. The trace element patterns are characterized by very strong negative anomalies of HFSE (Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti) and Pb, and weaker negative Sr anomaly. Concentration of Yb and Lu is on the level 10 x PM, whereas Rb, Hf and Ti are depleted relative to PM. Apatite preceded clinopyroxene

Near N-S paleo-extension in the western Deccan region, India: Does it link strike-slip tectonics with India-Seychelles rifting?

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Misra, Achyuta Ayan; Bhattacharya, Gourab; Mukherjee, Soumyajit; Bose, Narayan

2014-09-01

This is the first detailed report and analyses of deformation from the W part of the Deccan large igneous province (DLIP), Maharashtra, India. This deformation, related to the India-Seychelles rifting during Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene, was studied, and the paleostress tensors were deduced. Near N-S trending shear zones, lineaments, and faults were already reported without significant detail. An E-W extension was envisaged by the previous workers to explain the India-Seychelles rift at ~64 Ma. The direction of extension, however, does not match with their N-S brittle shear zones and also those faults (sub-vertical, ~NE-SW/~NW-SE, and few ~N-S) we report and emphasize in this work. Slickenside-bearing fault planes, brittle shear zones, and extension fractures in meso-scale enabled us to estimate the paleostress tensors (directions and relative magnitudes). The field study was complemented by remote sensing lineament analyses to map dykes and shear zones. Dykes emplaced along pre-existing ~N-S to ~NE-SW/~NW-SE shears/fractures. This information was used to derive regional paleostress trends. A ~NW-SE/NE-SW minimum compressive stress in the oldest Kalsubai Subgroup and a ~N-S direction for the younger Lonavala, Wai, and Salsette Subgroups were deciphered. Thus, a ~NW/NE to ~N-S extension is put forward that refutes the popular view of E-W India-Seychelles extension. Paleostress analyses indicate that this is an oblique rifted margin. Field criteria suggest only ~NE-SW and ~NW-SE, with some ~N-S strike-slip faults/brittle shear zones. We refer this deformation zone as the "Western Deccan Strike-slip Zone" (WDSZ). The observed deformation was matched with offshore tectonics deciphered mainly from faults interpreted on seismic profiles and from magnetic seafloor spreading anomalies. These geophysical findings too indicate oblique rifting in this part of the W Indian passive margin. We argue that the Seychelles microcontinent separated from India only after much of

Cloud-radiation-precipitation associations over the Asian monsoon region: an observational analysis

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Li, Jiandong; Wang, Wei-Chyung; Dong, Xiquan; Mao, Jiangyu

2017-11-01

This study uses 2001-2014 satellite observations and reanalyses to investigate the seasonal characteristics of Cloud Radiative Effects (CREs) and their associations with cloud fraction (CF) and precipitation over the Asian monsoon region (AMR) covering Eastern China (EC) and South Asia (SA). The CREs exhibit strong seasonal variations but show distinctly different relationships with CFs and precipitation over the two regions. For EC, the CREs is dominated by shortwave (SW) cooling, with an annual mean value of - 40 W m- 2 for net CRE, and peak in summer while the presence of extensive and opaque low-level clouds contributes to large Top-Of-Atmosphere (TOA) albedo (>0.5) in winter. For SA, a weak net CRE exists throughout the year due to in-phase compensation of SWCRE by longwave (LW) CRE associated with the frequent occurrence of high clouds. For the entire AMR, SWCRE strongly correlates with the dominant types of CFs, although the cloud vertical structure plays important role particularly in summer. The relationships between CREs and precipitation are stronger in SA than in EC, indicating the dominant effect of monsoon circulation in the former region. SWCRE over EC is only partly related to precipitation and shows distinctive regional variations. Further studies need to pay more attention to vertical distributions of cloud micro- and macro-physical properties, and associated precipitation systems over the AMR.

Geologic and geophysical maps and volcanic history of the Kelton Pass SE and Monument Peak SW Quadrangles, Box Elder County, Utah

Science.gov (United States)

Felger, Tracey J.; Miller, David; Langenheim, Victoria; Fleck, Robert J.

2016-01-01

The Kelton Pass SE and Monument Peak SW 7.5' quadrangles are located in Box Elder County, northwestern Utah (figure 1; plate 1). The northern boundary of the map area is 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south of the Utah-Idaho border, and the southern boundary reaches the edge of mud flats at the north end of Great Salt Lake. Elevations range from 4218 feet (1286 m) along the mud flats to 5078 feet (1548 m) in the Wildcat Hills. Deep Creek forms a prominent drainage between the Wildcat Hills and Cedar Hill. The closest towns are the ranching communities of Snowville, Utah (10 miles [16 km] to the northeast) (figure 1), and Park Valley, Utah (10 miles [16 km] to the west).The Kelton Pass SE and Monument Peak SW 7.5' quadrangles are located entirely within southern Curlew Valley, which drains south into Great Salt Lake, and extends north of the area shown on figure 1 into Idaho. Curlew Valley is bounded on the west by the Raft River Mountains and on the east by the Hansel Mountains (figure 1). Sedimentary and volcanic bedrock exposures within the quadrangles form the Wildcat Hills, Cedar Hill, and informally named Middle Shield (figure 1). Exposed rocks and deposits are Permian to Holocene in age, and include the Permian quartz sandstone and orthoquartzite of the Oquirrh Formation (Pos), tuffaceous sedimentary rocks of the Miocene Salt Lake Formation (Ts), Pliocene basaltic lava flows (Tb) and dacite (Tdw), Pleistocene rhyolite (Qrw) and basalt (Qb), and Pleistocene and Holocene surficial deposits of alluvial, lacustrine, and eolian origin. Structurally, the map area is situated in the northeastern Basin and Range Province, and is inferred to lie within the hanging wall of the late Miocene detachment faults exposed in the Raft River Mountains to the northwest (e.g., Wells, 1992, 2009; figure 1).This mapping project was undertaken to produce a comprehensive, large-scale geologic map of the Wildcat Hills, as well as to improve understanding of the volcanic and tectonic evolution of

Predicting Pollicipes pollicipes (Crustacea: Cirripedia abundance on intertidal rocky shores of SW Portugal: a multi-scale approach based on a simple fetch-based wave exposure index

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David Jacinto

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Understanding and predicting patterns of distribution and abundance of marine resources is important for conservation and management purposes in small-scale artisanal fisheries and industrial fisheries worldwide. The goose barnacle (Pollicipes pollicipes is an important shellfish resource and its distribution is closely related to wave exposure at different spatial scales. We modelled the abundance (percent coverage of P. pollicipes as a function of a simple wave exposure index based on fetch estimates from digitized coastlines at different spatial scales. The model accounted for 47.5% of the explained deviance and indicated that barnacle abundance increases non-linearly with wave exposure at both the smallest (metres and largest (kilometres spatial scales considered in this study. Distribution maps were predicted for the study region in SW Portugal. Our study suggests that the relationship between fetch-based exposure indices and P. pollicipes percent cover may be used as a simple tool for providing stakeholders with information on barnacle distribution patterns. This information may improve assessment of harvesting grounds and the dimension of exploitable areas, aiding management plans and supporting decision making on conservation, harvesting pressure and surveillance strategies for this highly appreciated and socio-economically important marine resource.

A Cambrian mixed carbonate-siliciclastic platform in SW Gondwana: evidence from the Western Sierras Pampeanas (Argentina) and implications for the early Paleozoic paleogeography of the proto-Andean margin

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Ramacciotti, Carlos D.; Casquet, César; Baldo, Edgardo G.; Galindo, Carmen; Pankhurst, Robert J.; Verdecchia, Sebastián O.; Rapela, Carlos W.; Fanning, Mark

2018-05-01

The Western Sierras Pampeanas (WSP) of Argentina record a protracted geological history from the Mesoproterozoic assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent to the early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of SW Gondwana. Two well-known orogenies took place at the proto-Andean margin of Gondwana in the Cambrian and the Ordovician, i.e., the Pampean (545-520 Ma) and Famatinian (490-440 Ma) orogenies, respectively. Between them, an extensive continental platform was developed, where mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sedimentation occurred. This platform was later involved in the Famatinian orogeny when it underwent penetrative deformation and metamorphism. The platform apparently extended from Patagonia to northwestern Argentina and the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas, and has probable equivalents in SW Africa, Peru, and Bolivia. The WSP record the outer (deepest) part of the platform, where carbonates were deposited in addition to siliciclastic sediments. Detrital zircon U-Pb SHRIMP ages from clastic metasedimentary successions and Sr-isotope compositions of marbles from the WSP suggest depositional ages between ca. 525 and 490 Ma. The detrital zircon age patterns further suggest that clastic sedimentation took place in two stages. The first was sourced mainly from re-working of the underlying Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks and the uplifted core of the early Cambrian Pampean orogen, without input from the Paleoproterozoic Río de la Plata craton. Sediments of the second stage resulted from the erosion of the still emerged Pampean belt and the Neoproterozoic Brasiliano orogen in the NE with some contribution from the Río de la Plata craton. An important conclusion is that the WSP basement was already part of SW Gondwana in the early Cambrian, and not part of the exotic Precordillera/Cuyania terrane, as was previously thought.

Synthesis of gravity, magnetic and thermal studies at the Las Tres Virgenes geothermal zone, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Sintesis de los estudios de gravimetria, magnetometria y termometria en la zona geotermica de Las Tres Virgenes, Baja California Sur, Mexico

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Garcia Estrada, Gerardo (Departamento de Exploracion, Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos de la Comision Federal de Electricidad, Morelia (Mexico)); Gonzalez Lopez, Macario (Residencia General de Cerro Prieto, Mexicali (Mexico))

1998-01-15

Las Tres Virgenes geothermal zone is located in the NE-SW central sector of a sigmoidal basin that regionally has a NW-SE trend. In the local deepest zone there is a NE-SE granodioritic basement horst acting as hydrologic barrier, that makes the fluids flow up. After moving in a direction parallel to the local horst, waters continue its regional SE-NW movement controlled by regional tectonics. The flanks of the granodioritic basement horst, and local N-S faulting act as fluid paths in the hydrothermal zone, but regional NW-SE regional faults determine the general flow direction. Both regional and local tectonics show magnetic evidences of the emplacement of magmatic bodies of intermediate to basic composition. Those along NW-SE trends are more noticeable but we consider they are not the present day heat source. Intermediate magmatism along NE-SW local trend seems to be less extensive but it is younger, so, we consider it constitutes the heat source of the hydrothermal system. Thermal data suggest that the heat source is located below the volcanic chain toward the S or SW of the wells, phenomena related with the general displacement of magmatism from NE to SW along the volcanic chain. However, recent intensive faulting permits a higher permeability in the northern sector in which there are slightly smaller temperatures but at shallower depths and with higher flow rates.

Study of influences of the first bunching cavity and injection conditions of rf SW linacs on particle transverse motions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Yuzheng; Tong Dechun; Sun Xiang; Xu Guanghua; Zhao Zhentang

1990-01-01

For both medical and radiographic standing wave linear accelerators, a small beam spot diameter is always pursued. In order to minimize the size and weight of the machine and reduce the power dissipation, rf focusing is preferred to the focusing solenoid coil. Therefore, it is important to study behaviours of beam transverse motions in the rf fields for the design of SW linacs. The research shows that the transverse motion behaviours of the electron beam in the compact linac is mainly determined by the rf field distribution on the first bunching cavity and injection conditions of the beam. In this paper, a beam envelope equation is presented,the proprties of the E z , E r , H θ field distributions of various first bunching cavities of both symmetric and asymmetric are studied, and then the rf electric force and rf magnetic force exerting on the beam with a different injection time are analysed. It is demonstrated that the asymmetric first bunching cavity with a small gradient of E z (z) field will provide a larger transverse emittance. And an asymmetric cavity with a larger front aperture and a small back aperture is favourable to make a smaller gradient of E z (z) field. For both symmetric and asymmetric first bunching cavity, by adopting an appropriate negative injection angle the envelopes of the beam are all decreased obviously, the optimum injection angle being always around -3 deg. The measured result of the beam spot of a 4 MeV SW linac shows that the mentioned simulation calculation of the radial dynamics above is in good agreement with the measured result

Microseismic Monitoring of Stimulating Shale Gas Reservoir in SW China: 2. Spatial Clustering Controlled by the Preexisting Faults and Fractures

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Chen, Haichao; Meng, Xiaobo; Niu, Fenglin; Tang, Youcai; Yin, Chen; Wu, Furong

2018-02-01

Microseismic monitoring is crucial to improving stimulation efficiency of hydraulic fracturing treatment, as well as to mitigating potential induced seismic hazard. We applied an improved matching and locating technique to the downhole microseismic data set during one treatment stage along a horizontal well within the Weiyuan shale gas play inside Sichuan Basin in SW China, resulting in 3,052 well-located microseismic events. We employed this expanded catalog to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of the microseismicity in order to constrain migration of the injected fluids and the associated dynamic processes. The microseismicity is generally characterized by two distinctly different clusters, both of which are highly correlated with the injection activity spatially and temporarily. The distant and well-confined cluster (cluster A) is featured by relatively large-magnitude events, with 40 events of M -1 or greater, whereas the cluster in the immediate vicinity of the wellbore (cluster B) includes two apparent lineations of seismicity with a NE-SW trending, consistent with the predominant orientation of natural fractures. We calculated the b-value and D-value, an index of fracture complexity, and found significant differences between the two seismicity clusters. Particularly, the distant cluster showed an extremely low b-value ( 0.47) and D-value ( 1.35). We speculate that the distant cluster is triggered by reactivation of a preexisting critically stressed fault, whereas the two lineations are induced by shear failures of optimally oriented natural fractures associated with fluid diffusion. In both cases, the spatially clustered microseismicity related to hydraulic stimulation is strongly controlled by the preexisting faults and fractures.

Phototrophic microbes form endolithic biofilms in ikaite tufa columns (SW Greenland).

Science.gov (United States)

Trampe, Erik; Castenholz, Richard W; Larsen, Jens E N; Kühl, Michael

2017-11-01

Marine tufa-columns, formed by the hydrated carbonate mineral ikaite, present a unique alkaline microbial habitat only found in Ikka Fjord (SW-Greenland). The outermost parts of the ikaite columns exhibit a multitude of physico-chemical gradients, and the porous ikaite is colonized by endolithic phototrophic biofilms serving as a substrate for grazing epifauna, where scraping by sea urchins affects overall column-topography. We present a detailed study of the optical microenvironment, spatial organization, and photosynthetic activity of endolithic phototrophs within the porous ikaite crystal matrix. Cyanobacteria and diatoms formed distinctly coloured zones and were closely associated with ikaite-crystals via excretion of exopolymers. Scalar-irradiance measurements showed strong attenuation of visible light (400-700 nm), where only ∼1% of incident irradiance remained at 20 mm depth. Transmission spectra showed in vivo absorption signatures of diatom and cyanobacterial photopigments, which were confirmed by HPLC-analysis. Variable-chlorophyll-fluorescence-imaging showed active photosynthesis with high-light acclimation in the outer diatom layer, and low-light acclimation in the underlying cyanobacterial part. Phototrophs in ikaite thus thrive in polymer-bound endolithic biofilms in a complex gradient microhabitat experiencing constant slow percolation of highly alkaline phosphate-enriched spring water mixing with cold seawater at the tufa-column-apex. We discuss the potential role of these biofilms in ikaite column formation. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Galbahe C1 y C2 Tests de Lengua (Castellano. Escalas 1 y 2). Medida del nivel de Castellano para ninos de 7-8 y 10-11 anos. Manual de Aplicacion. Glotodidaktika-Lanak 27. (Galbahe Language Tests C1 and C2--Spanish, Scales 1 and 2. Measure of Level of Spanish for Children 7-8 and 10-11 years. Test administration Manual. Glotodidaktika-Lanak Series Number 27).

Science.gov (United States)

Sierra, Josu; Olaziregi, Ibon

The Galbahe Language Tests C1 and C2 measure the Spanish language proficiency of children aged 7 to 8 years (C1) and those aged 10 to 11 years (C2). Equivalent tests E1 and E2 measure the Basque language achievement of the same age groups, respectively. Both tests were designed as part of a study of teaching of the Basque language in parts of…

Neolithic flint mines of Treviño (Basque-Cantabrian Basin, Western Pyrenees, Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Tarriño

2014-09-01

Full Text Available English:The prehistoric Treviño flint mine complex is located in the Sierra de Araico-Cucho (Berantevilla, Alava - Condado de Treviño, Burgos, inside the lacustrine-palustrine Cenozoic (Aquitanian, Miocene materials of the South-Pyrenean syncline of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin. It is a landscape unit constituted by a set of carbonated layers with abundant nodular and stratiform silicifications. The extraction mining works (often referred to as ‘tailing’ are usually identified as dumps or trenches, subtly visible and associated with archaeological materials.An archaeological excavation was carried out in one potential mining structure (dump or pit that was detected by LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging in the mountain pass of “Pozarrate” near the villages of Grandival and Araico (Treviño, Burgos. In this work we present the results of the excavation of the last two years. The existence of a Neolithic mining dump (the tailings with a chronology ca. 5000 cal. BC was confirmed. The base rock level with nodular flint was reached and the impressions of the exploited nodules have been identified. As well, the extraction front which reaches about 4.0-5.0 metres in height was delimited. Thousands of lithic remains associated with the extraction and the initial processing (shaping of flint were collected, as along with mining tools. We have found and described three types of mining structures: trenches, linear dumps and crescent-shaped (or “half-moon-shaped” dumps.This site is one of the few prehistoric flint mines dated in the Iberian Peninsula. Recent investigations in the Cantabrian Mountains and Western Pyrenees indicate that the circulation and use of Treviño flint during Prehistory reached many Holocene and Pleistocene archaeological sites, located hundreds of kilometres away from the outcrops.Español:El complejo prehistórico minero de sílex de Treviño se sitúa en la Sierra de Araico-Cucho (Berantevilla, Alava - Condado de Trevi

Surface circulation patterns at the southeastern Bay of Biscay: new observations from HF radar data

Science.gov (United States)

Solabarrieta, L.; Rubio, A.; Medina, R.; Paduan, J. D.; Castanedo, S.; Fontán, A.; Cook, M.; González, M.

2012-12-01

A CODAR Seasonde High Frequency (HF) radar network has been operational since the beginning of 2009 for the oceanic region of the Basque Country, Spain (south-eastern Bay of Biscay, Atlantic Ocean). It forms part of the Basque operational data acquisition system, established by the Directorate of Emergency Attention and Meteorology of the Basque Government. It is made up of two antennas, at the capes Higer (43d 23.554' N, 1d 47.745' W) and Matxitxako (43d 7.350' N, 2d 45.163' W), emitting at 4.525 MHz frequency and 30 kHz bandwidth. This system provides hourly surface currents with 5.12 km spatial resolution, covering 10,000 km2. Space- and time-covering measurements have been available in the study area since 2009. The data contribute considerably to the study of surface current patterns and the main physical processes in the area. Additional applications relate to security of navigation, maritime rescue, validation and improvement of numerical models, etc. For comparison with other validation studies and to obtain an estimate of the performance of the Basque system, statistical and spectral analysis of the surface currents obtained through the HF radar and different in-situ platforms have been conducted. The analyses show values of comparison between the different measuring systems consistent with those done by other authors (Paduan and Rosenfeld, 1996; Kaplan et al., 2005). The radar is able to reproduce the time evolution of the currents with a reasonable accuracy; likewise, the main three spectral peaks (inertial, semidiurnal and diurnal) are well resolved. In this context, the aim of this work is to show the HF radar ability to measure accurately the surface currents in the south-eastern Bay of Biscay and to study the ocean circulation in the area (figures 1 and 2). Surface current patterns are analysed and described for the period 2009-2011, for different timescales. A clear seasonality at a large-scale has been observed in accordance with previous work

Linking phytoplankton nitrogen uptake, macronutrients and chlorophyll- a in SW Atlantic waters: The case of the Gulf of San Jorge, Argentina

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Paparazzo, Flavio E.; Williams, Gabriela N.; Pisoni, Juan P.; Solís, Miriam; Esteves, José L.; Varela, Diana E.

2017-08-01

We compared biological and chemical parameters in surface waters of the Gulf of San Jorge to better understand carbon export and the factors that control phytoplankton production in an area of the Argentinian Continental Shelf, a vastly under sampled region of the SW Atlantic Ocean. In April of 2012, we estimated new and regenerated primary production in the Gulf by measuring nitrate and ammonium uptake, respectively. We also measured macronutrient, and in situ chlorophyll-a concentrations, which were compared to chlorophyll-a estimates from remote sensing. Although the Gulf of San Jorge presents high levels of chlorophyll-a and primary production, the relationship between these parameters is not straightforward. Previous studies showed that surface chlorophyll-a explains only part of the variance in euphotic-zone integrated primary production, and that satellite-derived chlorophyll-a underestimates in situ primary production. Our results showed large spatial variability in the Gulf, with transitional physico-chemical conditions, such as fronts, that could favor an increase in biological production. In situ chlorophyll-a concentrations were highest at the mid-shelf station (6.0 mg m- 3) and lowest at the northernmost location by an order of magnitude. Remote sensing measurements of chlorophyll-a underestimated our in situ chlorophyll-a concentrations. Total nitrogen (nitrate + ammonium) uptake showed relatively similar rates throughout the study area (≈ 130 nM-N d- 1), except in the northernmost station where it was much lower (53 nM-N d- 1). This north region had a distinct water mass and maximal levels of macronutrients (nitrate ≈ 6 μM, ammonium ≈ 1.2 μM, phosphate ≈ 1.2 μM and silicic acid ≈ 4 μM). For the entire sampling region, chlorophyll-a concentrations strongly correlated with total nitrogen uptake (r = 0.76, n = 8, p < 0.05) and new primary production (r = 0.78, n = 8, p < 0.05). Values of the f-ratio were 0.9 in mid-shelf, and ranged

A regional chemostratigraphically-defined correlation framework for the late Triassic TAG-I Formation in Blocks 402 and 405a, Algeria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ratcliffe, K.T.; Martin, J.; Pearce, T.J. [Chemostrat ltd., Llanfyllin, Powys (United Kingdom); Hughes, A.D. [Bington Resources, London (United Kingdom); Lawton, D.E. [BHP Billiton Petroleum Ltd., London (United Kingdom); Wray, D. [University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime (United Kingdom). Department of Earth Sciences; Bessa, F. [Sonatrach, Hydra (Algeria). Division Petroleum Engineering and Development

2006-07-01

The Triassic Argilo-Greseux Inferieur Formation (TAG-I) is one of the principal hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Berkine Basin of Algeria. Sedimentological studies have shown that it exhibits marked spatial and temporal facies variations on both a local field scale and a regional basinal scale. This variability, combined with a lack of diagnostic flora and fauna, makes regional correlation within the unit difficult. In turn, the lack of a consistent regional stratigraphic framework hampers the comparison of the various correlation schemes devised by operators in the basin. Contrasting the TAG-I in Blocks 402 and 405a exemplifies the problems encountered when attempting regionally to define a correlation framework for the interval. Between these two blocks, a distance of approximately 200 km, there are marked changes in the style of deposition from sand-dominated, proximal fluvial systems in the SW (Block 405a, MLN, MLC, KMD and MLNW fields) to a more distal, more clay-prone system in the NE (Block 402, ROD/BRSE/BSFN, SFNE and BSF fields). A chemostratigraphic study of the TAG-I in these clocks has allowed a four-fold correlation framework to be defined, where each chemostratigraphic package has distinctive geochemical features. Chemostratigraphic Package 10, the oldest unit, lies above the Hercynian Unconformity, but beneath a geochemically identifiable hiatal surface. Chemostratigraphic Package 20 lies above the hiatal surface but is separated from the overlying packages by a mineralogical change identifiable in both claystone and sandstone geochemistry. Chemostratigraphic Packages 30 and 40 are chemically somewhat similar, but are separated by a regional event interpreted as a period of dolocrete and lacustrine development. By combining the geochemical differentiation of the units and recognition of their stratal boundaries, it is possible to define a correlation for the TAG-I between Blocks 402 and 405a. The proposed correlation between the two blocks suggests that

Solar radiation (PAR and UVA) and water temperature in relation to biochemical performance of Gelidium corneum (Gelidiales, Rhodophyta) in subtidal bottoms off the Basque coast

Science.gov (United States)

Quintano, Endika; Ganzedo, Unai; Díez, Isabel; Figueroa, Félix L.; Gorostiaga, José M.

2013-10-01

Gelidium corneum (Hudson) J.V. Lamouroux is a very important primary producer in the Cantabrian coastal ecosystem. Some local declines in their populations have been recently detected in the Basque coast. Occurrences of yellowing and an unusual branch breakdown pattern have also been reported for some G. corneum populations. In order to gain further insight into those environmental stressors operating at a local scale, here we investigate if shallow subtidal populations of G. corneum living under potentially different conditions of irradiance (PAR and UVA) and water temperature exhibit differences in some biochemical indicators of stress, namely C:N, antioxidant activity (radical cation of 2,2‧-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate); ABTS+ assay) and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) (Asterine 330 and Palythine). We hypothesised that G. corneum subjected to higher ambient levels of irradiance and water temperature would show higher C:N ratios, lower antioxidant activity and higher MAA concentrations. Our results partially support this hypothesis. We found that G. corneum exposed to increased levels of irradiance (PAR, UVA) exhibited greater C:N ratios and lower antioxidant activity (higher IC50), whereas no relationship was found regarding MAAs. No differences in biochemical performance in relation to temperature were detected among G. corneum exposed to comparable high light. Similarly, G. corneum growing under lower UVA radiation levels showed no differences in any of the measured biochemical variables with regard to PAR and water temperature. These findings suggest that, among the environmental factors examined, UVA radiation may be an important driver in regulating the along-shore variation in G. corneum biochemical performance. Therefore, the role of irradiance, especially UV radiation, in potential future alterations in Cantabrian G. corneum populations cannot be ruled out as a potential underlying factor.

Impact on Prehospital Delay of a Stroke Preparedness Campaign: A SW-RCT (Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial).

Science.gov (United States)

Denti, Licia; Caminiti, Caterina; Scoditti, Umberto; Zini, Andrea; Malferrari, Giovanni; Zedde, Maria Luisa; Guidetti, Donata; Baratti, Mario; Vaghi, Luca; Montanari, Enrico; Marcomini, Barbara; Riva, Silvia; Iezzi, Elisa; Castellini, Paola; Olivato, Silvia; Barbi, Filippo; Perticaroli, Eva; Monaco, Daniela; Iafelice, Ilaria; Bigliardi, Guido; Vandelli, Laura; Guareschi, Angelica; Artoni, Andrea; Zanferrari, Carla; Schulz, Peter J

2017-12-01

Public campaigns to increase stroke preparedness have been tested in different contexts, showing contradictory results. We evaluated the effectiveness of a stroke campaign, designed specifically for the Italian population in reducing prehospital delay. According to an SW-RCT (Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial) design, the campaign was launched in 4 provinces in the northern part of the region Emilia Romagna at 3-month intervals in randomized sequence. The units of analysis were the patients admitted to hospital, with stroke and transient ischemic attack, over a time period of 15 months, beginning 3 months before the intervention was launched in the first province to allow for baseline data collection. The proportion of early arrivals (within 2 hours of symptom onset) was the primary outcome. Thrombolysis rate and some behavioral end points were the secondary outcomes. Data were analyzed using a fixed-effect model, adjusting for cluster and time trends. We enrolled 1622 patients, 912 exposed and 710 nonexposed to the campaign. The proportion of early access was nonsignificantly lower in exposed patients (354 [38.8%] versus 315 [44.4%]; adjusted odds ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.60-1.08; P =0.15). As for secondary end points, an increase was found for stroke recognition, which approximated but did not reach statistical significance ( P =0.07). Our campaign was not effective in reducing prehospital delay. Even if some limitations of the intervention, mainly in terms of duration, are taken into account, our study demonstrates that new communication strategies should be tested before large-scale implementation. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01881152. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Ductile and brittle structural evolution of the Laxemar-Simpevarp area: an independent analysis based on local and regional constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viola, Giulio

2008-10-01

This report discusses the main aspects of the ductile and brittle deformational evolution of the Laxemar-Simpevarp area. Based on the interpretation of existing potential field geophysical data, it is suggested that the structural ductile grain of the region is controlled by large, c. EW trending shear zones with an overall sinistral strike-slip kinematics. The Oskarshamn Shear Zone (OSZ) and the Mederhult lineament are two examples of these shear zones and it is proposed that the ductile lineaments mapped in Laxemar-Simpevarp are genetically linked to shearing accommodated by these shear zones. The structural interpretation of the geophysical imagery of the Laxemar-Simpevarp regional model area and the available meso-scale structural information indicate that the Laxemar-Simpevarp study area can be interpreted as the analogue of a large-scale S/C' structural pattern. In detail, the Aespoe shear zone and other similarly oriented ductile shears represent C' shear bands that deform sinistrally the intervening EW lineaments (the S surfaces), which locally are significantly crenulated/folded in response to their asymptotic bending into the C' shears. This geometric and kinematic interpretation implies that, in contrast to existing reconstructions and models, EW- and not NE-trending shear zones become the main structural ductile feature of the region. Shear forces acting parallel to these main zones can successfully explain all the ductile structures described and reported from the area. The greatest compressive stress at the time of ductile shearing would trend NE-SW. The brittle deformation history of the region is complex and results from the multiple reactivation of fracture- and fault sets caused by the many orogenic episodes that affected the area during 1.5 Gyr of geological brittle evolution. Fault-slip data from outcrops and oriented drill cores were used to compute paleo-stress states. In the general absence of time markers that help constrain the relative

Ductile and brittle structural evolution of the Laxemar-Simpevarp area: an independent analysis based on local and regional constraints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viola, Giulio (Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim (Norway))

2008-10-15

This report discusses the main aspects of the ductile and brittle deformational evolution of the Laxemar-Simpevarp area. Based on the interpretation of existing potential field geophysical data, it is suggested that the structural ductile grain of the region is controlled by large, c. EW trending shear zones with an overall sinistral strike-slip kinematics. The Oskarshamn Shear Zone (OSZ) and the Mederhult lineament are two examples of these shear zones and it is proposed that the ductile lineaments mapped in Laxemar-Simpevarp are genetically linked to shearing accommodated by these shear zones. The structural interpretation of the geophysical imagery of the Laxemar-Simpevarp regional model area and the available meso-scale structural information indicate that the Laxemar-Simpevarp study area can be interpreted as the analogue of a large-scale S/C' structural pattern. In detail, the Aespoe shear zone and other similarly oriented ductile shears represent C' shear bands that deform sinistrally the intervening EW lineaments (the S surfaces), which locally are significantly crenulated/folded in response to their asymptotic bending into the C' shears. This geometric and kinematic interpretation implies that, in contrast to existing reconstructions and models, EW- and not NE-trending shear zones become the main structural ductile feature of the region. Shear forces acting parallel to these main zones can successfully explain all the ductile structures described and reported from the area. The greatest compressive stress at the time of ductile shearing would trend NE-SW. The brittle deformation history of the region is complex and results from the multiple reactivation of fracture- and fault sets caused by the many orogenic episodes that affected the area during 1.5 Gyr of geological brittle evolution. Fault-slip data from outcrops and oriented drill cores were used to compute paleo-stress states. In the general absence of time markers that help constrain

Land - Ocean Climate Linkages and the Human Evolution - New ICDP and IODP Drilling Initiatives in the East African Rift Valley and SW Indian Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Zahn, R.; Feibel, C.; Co-Pis, Icdp/Iodp

2009-04-01

, and Interocean Exchanges"; IODP ref. no. 702-full) aims at deciphering the late Neogene ocean history of the SW Indian Ocean. SAFARI specifically targets the Agulhas Current in the SW Indian Ocean that constitutes the strongest western boundary current in the southern hemisphere oceans. The Current transports warm and saline surface waters from the tropical Indian Ocean to the southern tip of Africa. Exchanges with the atmosphere influence eastern and southern African climates including individual weather systems such as extra-tropical cyclone formation in the region and rainfall patterns. Ocean models further suggest the "leakage" of Agulhas water around South Africa into the Atlantic potentially modulates the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) with consequences for climate globally. The SAFARI drilling initiative aims to retrieve a suite of long drill cores along the southeast African margin and in the Indian-Atlantic ocean gateway. SAFARI will shed light on the history of Agulhas Current warm water transports along the southeast African margin during the late Neogene and its linking with ocean-climate developments. Specific objectives of SAFARI are to test (1) the sensitivity of the Agulhas Current to changing climates of the Plio/Pleistocene, including upstream forcing linked with equatorial Indian Ocean changes and Indonesian Throughflow; (2) the Current's influence on eastern and southern Africa climates, including rain fall patterns and vegetation changes; (3) buoyancy transfer to the Atlantic by Agulhas leakage around southern Africa, and (4) the contribution of variable Agulhas Leakage to shifts of the Atlantic MOC during episodes of major ocean and climate reorganizations of the past 5 Ma. These studies will provide insight into the Current's influence on eastern and southern African terrestrial climates, including its possible impact on the late Neogene evolution of large mammals including hominids. The ICDP and IODP drilling campaigns will

Geophysical characterisation of the groundwater-surface water interface

Science.gov (United States)

McLachlan, P. J.; Chambers, J. E.; Uhlemann, S. S.; Binley, A.

2017-11-01

Interactions between groundwater (GW) and surface water (SW) have important implications for water quantity, water quality, and ecological health. The subsurface region proximal to SW bodies, the GW-SW interface, is crucial as it actively regulates the transfer of nutrients, contaminants, and water between GW systems and SW environments. However, geological, hydrological, and biogeochemical heterogeneity in the GW-SW interface makes it difficult to characterise with direct observations. Over the past two decades geophysics has been increasingly used to characterise spatial and temporal variability throughout the GW-SW interface. Geophysics is a powerful tool in evaluating structural heterogeneity, revealing zones of GW discharge, and monitoring hydrological processes. Geophysics should be used alongside traditional hydrological and biogeochemical methods to provide additional information about the subsurface. Further integration of commonly used geophysical techniques, and adoption of emerging techniques, has the potential to improve understanding of the properties and processes of the GW-SW interface, and ultimately the implications for water quality and environmental health.

Deep-Sea Mega-Epibenthic Assemblages from the SW Portuguese Margin (NE Atlantic Subjected to Bottom-Trawling Fisheries

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Sofia P. Ramalho

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Bottom-trawling fisheries are a common threat to the health of continental margins worldwide. Together with numerous environmental and biological processes, physical disturbance induced by trawlers can largely shape the benthic habitats and their associated assemblages. At the SW Portuguese Margin, crustacean bottom trawlers have exploited deep-sea habitats for a few decades, but its effects on the benthic biodiversity are practically unknown. During the spring-summer of 2013 and 2014, several Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV video transects were used to investigate mega-epibenthic abundance, composition, and diversity in soft-sediment areas subjected to varying trawling pressures off Sines and Setúbal (200–800 m. Differences in mega-epibenthic assemblages were linked with environmental changes (depth, grain size, primary productivity and trawling disturbance. The effect of trawling was assessed between segments with similar habitat characteristics, i.e., muddy-sand bottoms between 300 and 500 m. Areas subjected to intensive trawling pressure showed a generally flattened seabed, with abundant recent trawl marks (up to 3 scars.100 m−1, indicating that the seabed physical integrity was compromised. Significant negative correlations were detected between various mega-epibenthic diversity indices [S, H′, and ET(20] and trawling pressure (h.cell−1.y−1. Furthermore, the distinct mega-epibenthic assemblages and absence of several sessile erect morphospecies at both low and highly disturbed locations by trawling off Sines, namely all seapen morphospecies found in non-trawled areas, demonstrates the negative influence of trawling fisheries on the benthic component of the study area. Also, low dissimilarity between assemblages from the main fishing grounds and the adjacent low-disturbance locations, suggests that the potentially negative influence of trawling can extend beyond the targeted areas (e.g., by the plumes of re-suspended sediments. The

Metabauxite horizons containing remobilized-origin gem diaspore and related mineralization, Milas-Muğla province, SW Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Hatipoğlu, Murat; Türk, Necdet; Chamberlain, Steven C.; Murat Akgün, A.

2010-10-01

Remobilized-origin gem diaspore and related minerals occur as infill within structurally controlled voids that developed in the upper of two distinct karst unconformity-type metabauxite (diasporite) horizons in the İlbir Mountains area of the Milas-Muğla province, SW Turkey. Colour-change diaspore (trademarked as zultanite) and associated mineral specimens (greenish muscovite, chloritoid, donbassite, specular hematite, ilmenite, goethite, and younger calcite) occur in fracture zones (veins and open structures) that cross-cut the metabauxite horizons. The mineralized fracture zones do not extend into the enclosing marbles, probably because of the ductility contrast between the brittle bauxite and relatively plastic carbonate beds. Thick, white to light gray and dark gray limestone beds were deposited in the İlbir Mountains area during the Cretaceous (146-65 Ma), and contain two stratigraphically distinct karst-fill bauxite horizons. Al-, Fe-, Si- and Ti-rich solutions that infiltrated the karstified limestone probably originated from altered schist and gneiss that surround the basin. The limestone beds (>2000 m thick) were subjected to burial metamorphism, forming marble. Subsequently, the marble block was folded during nappe emplacement toward the SSW as part of late Alpine contractional deformation during the Paleogene (65-23.8 Ma). The upper bauxite horizons within the folded block were cross-cut by fracture zones because of their relatively brittle rheology. At this time, increased pressure and temperature in the bauxite horizons resulted in remobilization of the primary constituents of the bauxite within an aqueous complex, resulting in the crystallization of coarse-grained assemblages in the cross-cutting structures. Ultimately, erosion and mineral exploration revealed the steeply dipping bauxite outcrops and mine workings evident today. This paper focuses on the mine geology of surface outcrops of diasporic bauxite, the upper bauxite horizon within

Single-laboratory evaluation of SW-846 Methods 7090/7091 determination of beryllium by flame and furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Summary report January-August 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hodge, V.F.; Darby, D.A.; Thompson, W.E.; Jones, C.L.

1988-02-01

The results of a single-laboratory study of the Determination of Beryllium by Flame and Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, are described. The study examined the application of these two powerful beryllium detection methods to the analysis of selected liquid and solid samples after digestion by appropriate SW-846 methods. Method performance data including detection limits, optimum concentration ranges (linearity), spike recoveries, interferences, precision, accuracy, and optimum operating parameters are presented and discussed

Establishment and Analysis of Cancer Stem-Like and Non-Cancer Stem-Like Clone Cells from the Human Colon Cancer Cell Line SW480.

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Akari Takaya

Full Text Available Human cancer stem-like cells (CSCs/cancer-initiating cells (CICs can be isolated as side population (SP cells, aldehyde dehydrogenase high (ALDHhigh cells or cell surface marker-positive cells including CD44+ cells and CD133+ cells. CSCs/CICs and non-CSCs/CICs are unstable in in vitro culture, and CSCs/CICs can differentiate into non-CSCs/CICs and some non-CSCs/CICs can dedifferentiate into CSCs/CICs. Therefore, experiments using a large amount of CSCs/CICs are technically very difficult. In this study, we isolated single cell clones from SP cells and main population (MP cells derived from the human colon cancer cell line SW480. SP analysis revealed that SP clone cells had relatively high percentages of SP cells, whereas MP clone cells showed very few SP cells, and the phenotypes were sustainable for more than 2 months of in vitro culture. Xenograft transplantation revealed that SP clone cells have higher tumor-initiating ability than that of MP clone cells and SP clone cell showed higher chemo-resistance compared with MP clone cells. These results indicate that SP clone cells derived from SW480 cells are enriched with CSCs/CICs, whereas MP clone cells are pure non-CSCs/CICs. SP clone cells and MP clone cells are a very stable in vitro CSC/CIC-enriched and non-CSC/CIC model for further analysis.

Establishment and Analysis of Cancer Stem-Like and Non-Cancer Stem-Like Clone Cells from the Human Colon Cancer Cell Line SW480.

Science.gov (United States)

Takaya, Akari; Hirohashi, Yoshihiko; Murai, Aiko; Morita, Rena; Saijo, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Eri; Kubo, Terufumi; Nakatsugawa, Munehide; Kanaseki, Takayuki; Tsukahara, Tomohide; Tamura, Yasuaki; Takemasa, Ichiro; Kondo, Toru; Sato, Noriyuki; Torigoe, Toshihiko

2016-01-01

Human cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiating cells (CICs) can be isolated as side population (SP) cells, aldehyde dehydrogenase high (ALDHhigh) cells or cell surface marker-positive cells including CD44+ cells and CD133+ cells. CSCs/CICs and non-CSCs/CICs are unstable in in vitro culture, and CSCs/CICs can differentiate into non-CSCs/CICs and some non-CSCs/CICs can dedifferentiate into CSCs/CICs. Therefore, experiments using a large amount of CSCs/CICs are technically very difficult. In this study, we isolated single cell clones from SP cells and main population (MP) cells derived from the human colon cancer cell line SW480. SP analysis revealed that SP clone cells had relatively high percentages of SP cells, whereas MP clone cells showed very few SP cells, and the phenotypes were sustainable for more than 2 months of in vitro culture. Xenograft transplantation revealed that SP clone cells have higher tumor-initiating ability than that of MP clone cells and SP clone cell showed higher chemo-resistance compared with MP clone cells. These results indicate that SP clone cells derived from SW480 cells are enriched with CSCs/CICs, whereas MP clone cells are pure non-CSCs/CICs. SP clone cells and MP clone cells are a very stable in vitro CSC/CIC-enriched and non-CSC/CIC model for further analysis.

Neogene to recent contraction and basin inversion along the Nubia-Iberia boundary in SW Iberia

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Adrià; Fernández, Oscar; Terrinha, Pedro; Muñoz, Josep Anton

2017-02-01

The SW of Iberia is currently undergoing compression related to the convergence between Nubia and Iberia. Multiple compressive structures, and their related seismic activity, have been documented along the diffuse Nubia-Iberia plate boundary, including the Gorringe bank west of the Gulf of Cadiz, and the Betic-Rif orogen to the east. Despite seismic activity indicating a dominant compressive stress along the Algarve margin in the Gulf of Cadiz, the structures at the origin of this seismicity remain elusive. This paper documents the contractional structures that provide linkage across the Gulf of Cadiz and play a major role in defining the present-day seismicity and bathymetry of this area. The structures described in this paper caused the Neogene inversion of the Jurassic oblique passive margin that formed between the central Atlantic and the Ligurian Tethys. This example of a partially inverted margin provides insights into the factors that condition the inversion of passive margins.

Monitoring physical properties of a submarine groundwater discharge source at Kalogria Bay, SW Peloponnissos, Greece

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Papathanassiou E.

2012-04-01

Full Text Available An impressive SGD in Kalogria Bay (SW Peloponnissos was surveyed for the first time in 2006, revealing the existence of 2 major and 2 minor point sources of freshwater (salinity ~l-2; the discharge was ~ 1000 m3 h−1. The major point source was located in a karstic cavity at 25 m depth. In July 2009, and for a period of one year, the site was monitored intensively. During summer, the underwater discharge was not very strong, the water was flowing from many dispersed points, and salinity range was 20–36. During autumn and winter, flow velocity increased considerably (> 1 m s−1, and the SGDs discharged water of low salinity (< 2. Gradually, the smaller SGDs ceased their operation, and the major SGD emanated brackish water during spring and summer, thus hampering the possibilities of freshwater exploitation, in a touristic area which suffers from great aridity and water demand is high during summer.

Physiological responses of coastal phytoplankton (Visakhapatnam, SW Bay of Bengal, India) to experimental copper addition.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Haimanti; Bandyopadhyay, Debasmita

2017-10-01

Trace amount of copper (Cu) is essential for many physiological processes; however, it can be potentially toxic at elevated levels. The impact of variable Cu concentrations on a coastal phytoplankton community was investigated along a coastal transect in SW Bay of Bengal. A small increase in Cu supply enhanced the concentrations of particulate organic carbon, particulate organic nitrogen, biogenic silica, total pigment, phytoplankton cell and total bacterial count. At elevated Cu levels all these parameters were adversely affected. δ 13 C POM and δ 15 N POC reflected a visible signature of both beneficial and toxic impacts of Cu supply. Skeletonema costatum, the dominant diatom species, showed higher tolerance to increasing Cu levels relative to Chaetoceros sp. Cyanobacteria showed greater sensitivity to copper than diatoms. The magnitude of Cu toxicity on the phytoplankton communities was inversely related to the distance from the coast. Co-enrichment of iron alleviated Cu toxicity to phytoplankton. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ECONOMICAL VIABILITY OF PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT OF Prosopis juliflora (SW D.C. WOOD SUBMITTED TO SAP DISPLACEMENT METHOD

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Desmoulis Wanderley de Farias Sobrinho

2008-06-01

Full Text Available This work aimed to evaluate the economical viability of preservative treatment of Prosopis juliflora (Sw D.C. roundpieces treated with Osmose CCB commercial preservative applied by sap displacement method in rural property and to comparetheir costs with Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, Mimosa tenuiflora and Prosopis juliflora non-treated pieces costs. The treatment of Prosopisjuliflora wood demonstrated to be economically viable when compared to alternatives using the Equivalent Annual Costs (EACs, fordiscount rates of 12; 15; and 18% and expected useful life varying from 16 to 30 years, in these situations treated Prosopis juliflorawood presented smaller EAC than Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, Mimosa tenuiflora and Prosopis juliflora non-treated woods for theanalyzed situations, that justifies the employment of the Prosopis juliflora treated logs as fence posts and other similar uses.

ECOLOGIC FEATURES OF WOOD ANATOMY OF Casearia sylvestris SW (SALICACEAE IN THREE BRAZILIAN ECOSYSTEMS

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Graciene da Silva Mota

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Casearia sylvestris SW (Salicaceae is a highly adaptive perennial species that is found throughout Latin America and widely spread in Brazil. This work analyzed the ecological features of wood anatomy of C. sylvestris occurring in three ecosystem types: Cerrado, Gallery Forest (Northern of Minas Gerais and Mata Atlântica (Southern of Minas Gerais. Qualitative features were similar among plants in the three ecosystems, differing only in the distribution of pith flecks and neighboring tyloses that were more frequent in Cerrado and Gallery Forest. The quantitative results showed significant differences for several parameters, as well as variation between individuals of vegetation types of Northern and Southern of Minas Gerais. The correlation matrix of variables including quantitative anatomical characteristics, soil characteristics, height and diameter of the plants showed that plants were grouped by ecosystem type. Casearia sylvestris might adopt different survival strategies regarding safety and efficiency of water transport by wood anatomy ecological adaptation. The adaptive anatomical features to drought were mostly an decrease of vessel frequency and an increase of ray width and frequency.

Surface water change as a significant contributor to global evapotranspiration change

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, S.; Song, C.

2017-12-01

Water comprises a critical component of global/regional hydrological and biogeochemical cycles and is essential to all organisms including humans. In the past several decades, climate change has intensified the hydrological cycle, with significant implications for ecosystem services and feedback to regional and global climate. Evapotranspiration (ET) as a linking mechanism between land surface and atmosphere is central to the water cycle and an excellent indicator of the intensity of water cycle. Knowledge of the temporal changes of ET is crucial for accurately estimating global or regional water budgets and better understanding climate and hydrological interactions. While studies have examined changes in global ET, they were conducted using a constant land and surface water (SW) area. However, as many studies have found that global SW is very dynamic and their surface areas have generally been increasing since the 1980s. The conversion from land to water and vice versa significantly changes the local ET since water bodies evaporate at a rate that can be much higher than that of the land. Here, we quantify the global changes in ET caused by such land-water conversion using remotely-sensed SW area and various ET and potential ET products. New SW and lost SW between circa-1985 and circa-2015 were derived from remote sensing and were used to modify the local ET estimates. We found an increase in ET in all continents as consistent with the net increase in SW area. The increasing SW area lead to a global increase in ET by 30.38 ± 5.28 km3/yr. This is a significant contribution when compared to the 92.95 km3/yr/yr increase in ET between 1982-1997 and 103.43 km3/yr/yr decrease between 1998-2008 by Jung et al., (2010) assuming a constant SW. The results enhance our understanding of the water fluxes between the land and atmosphere and supplement land water budget estimates. We conclude that changes in SW lead to a significant change in global ET that cannot be neglected in

Sedimentology models from activity concentration measurements: application to the 'Bay of Cadiz' Natural Park (SW Spain)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ligero, R.A.; Vidal, J.; Melendez, M.J.; Hamani, M.; Casas-Ruiz, M.

2009-01-01

A previous study on seabed sediments of the Bay of Cadiz (SW of Spain) enabled us to identify several relations between sedimentological variables and activity concentrations of environmental radionuclides such as 137 Cs, 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K. In this paper the study has been extended to a large neighbouring inter-tidal area in order to establish if the above mentioned models can be generalized. As a result we have determined that the measured activity concentrations are closely to the values predicted by the theoretical models (correlation coefficient range = 0.85-0.93). Furthermore, the proposal model for granulometric facies as a function of activity concentrations of the abovementioned radionuclides provides for the sediments distribution a representation which agrees with the values of the tidal energy distribution obtained using numeric models calibrated with experimental data from current meters and water level recorders

Aquaporin expression in the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) in freshwater and seawater: challenging the paradigm of intestinal water transport?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Steffen; Bujak, Joanna; Tipsmark, Christian

2014-01-01

response to salinity, suggesting that water transport is not regulated at this level. In contrast, mRNA of the Na+,K+,2Cl–-cotransporter type-2 strongly increased in the intestine in SW compared with FW fish. Using custom-made antibodies, Aqp1a, Aqp8ab and Aqp10a were localized in the apical region...... in the intestine of SW fish is surprising, and challenges the paradigm for transepithelial intestinal water absorption in SW fishes....

Proposals for enhanced health risk assessment and stratification in an integrated care scenario.

Science.gov (United States)

Dueñas-Espín, Ivan; Vela, Emili; Pauws, Steffen; Bescos, Cristina; Cano, Isaac; Cleries, Montserrat; Contel, Joan Carles; de Manuel Keenoy, Esteban; Garcia-Aymerich, Judith; Gomez-Cabrero, David; Kaye, Rachelle; Lahr, Maarten M H; Lluch-Ariet, Magí; Moharra, Montserrat; Monterde, David; Mora, Joana; Nalin, Marco; Pavlickova, Andrea; Piera, Jordi; Ponce, Sara; Santaeugenia, Sebastià; Schonenberg, Helen; Störk, Stefan; Tegner, Jesper; Velickovski, Filip; Westerteicher, Christoph; Roca, Josep

2016-04-15

Population-based health risk assessment and stratification are considered highly relevant for large-scale implementation of integrated care by facilitating services design and case identification. The principal objective of the study was to analyse five health-risk assessment strategies and health indicators used in the five regions participating in the Advancing Care Coordination and Telehealth Deployment (ACT) programme (http://www.act-programme.eu). The second purpose was to elaborate on strategies toward enhanced health risk predictive modelling in the clinical scenario. The five ACT regions: Scotland (UK), Basque Country (ES), Catalonia (ES), Lombardy (I) and Groningen (NL). Responsible teams for regional data management in the five ACT regions. We characterised and compared risk assessment strategies among ACT regions by analysing operational health risk predictive modelling tools for population-based stratification, as well as available health indicators at regional level. The analysis of the risk assessment tool deployed in Catalonia in 2015 (GMAs, Adjusted Morbidity Groups) was used as a basis to propose how population-based analytics could contribute to clinical risk prediction. There was consensus on the need for a population health approach to generate health risk predictive modelling. However, this strategy was fully in place only in two ACT regions: Basque Country and Catalonia. We found marked differences among regions in health risk predictive modelling tools and health indicators, and identified key factors constraining their comparability. The research proposes means to overcome current limitations and the use of population-based health risk prediction for enhanced clinical risk assessment. The results indicate the need for further efforts to improve both comparability and flexibility of current population-based health risk predictive modelling approaches. Applicability and impact of the proposals for enhanced clinical risk assessment require

The relative age effect in a professional football club setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Mujika, Iñigo; Vaeyens, Roel; Matthys, Stijn P J; Santisteban, Juanma; Goiriena, Juan; Philippaerts, Renaat

2009-09-01

The relative age effect is an uneven distribution of birth date favouring subjects born in the initial months of a selection year. This study compared the birth-date distributions between several subgroups of Basque football players to identify whether the relative age effect is influenced by age and/or skill level. The study comprised 13,519 players including 114 senior professionals from the Spanish league's AC Bilbao over 21 seasons; over the season 2005-2006, it comprised elite youth (n=189) from the same club's academy; regional youth (n=4382) U11-U14 locally federated players; school youth (n=8834) U10-U11 locally registered school district players. Differences between the observed and expected birth-date distributions were tested based on data from the general Basque male population. Significant chi-square values were followed up by calculating odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the quartile and half-year distributions to examine subgroup differences in the relative age effect. Birth-date distributions of all groups of players showed a significant bias towards early birth in the selection year compared with the reference population (senior, chi-2(3) = 24.4, P talent.

Time trends and determinants of completed family size in a rural community from the Basque area of Spain (1800-1969).

Science.gov (United States)

Alfonso-Sánchez, Miguel A; Peña, José A; Calderón, Rosario

2003-10-01

The focus of this work is the analysis of changes in completed family size and possible determinants of that size over time, in an attempt to characterize the evolution of reproductive patterns during the demographic transition. With this purpose in mind, time trends are studied in relation to the mean number of live births per family (as an indirect measure of fertility), using family reconstitution techniques to trace the reproductive history of each married woman. The population surveyed is a Spanish rural community called Lanciego, located at the southern end of the province of Alava (Basque Country). A total of 24,510 parish records of baptisms, marriages and burials made between 1800 and 1969 were examined to obtain the demographic data set. For each reconstituted family, the variables included in the study were the number of live births per family or family size (FAMS), year of marriage (YEAR), age at marriage of both partners (AMAN, AWOM), wife's age at the end of marriage (WEND), duration of marriage (MARD), age at first maternity (A1CH), length of reproductive span (REPS) and number of children dying before their first anniversary (MINF). Through a principal component analysis, three factors were found that explained more than 75% of the total variance. Association of variables in factors I and III was particularly useful in characterizing the variability of mean family size in pre-transitional, transitional and post-transitional cohorts. During demographic transition, a decreasing trend is observed in the variables FAMS, REPS and MINF, while variables AWOM, AMAN, WEND and A1CH show a tendency to increase over the 20th century. Results obtained by multiple regression analysis confirm that the best predictors of family size (dependent variable) were REPS and MINF, which between them explained over 85% of the total variation in FAMS (R2 = 0.853). In Lanciego, birth control seems to be present on the evidence of an increase in age at first maternity and a

Trace element partitioning and soil particle characterisation around mining and smelting areas at Tharsis, Riotinto and Huelva, SW Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chopin, E.I.B. [School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: edith.chopin@univ-reims.fr; Alloway, B.J. [School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading (United Kingdom)

2007-02-15

Trace elements may present an environmental hazard in the vicinity of mining and smelting activities. However, the factors controlling trace element distribution in soils around ancient and modern mining and smelting areas are not always clear. Tharsis, Riotinto and Huelva are located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt in SW Spain. Tharsis and Riotinto mines have been exploited since 2500 B.C., with intensive smelting taking place. Huelva, established in 1970 and using the Flash Furnace Outokumpu process, is currently one of the largest smelter in the world. Pyrite and chalcopyrite ore have been intensively smelted for Cu. However, unusually for smelters and mines of a similar size, the elevated trace element concentrations in soils were found to be restricted to the immediate vicinity of the mines and smelters, being found up to a maximum of 2 km from the mines and smelters at Tharsis, Riotinto and Huelva. Trace element partitioning (over 2/3 of trace elements found in the residual immobile fraction of soils at Tharsis) and soil particles examination by SEM-EDX showed that trace elements were not adsorbed onto soil particles, but were included within the matrix of large trace element-rich Fe silicate slag particles (i.e. 1 mm o at least 1 wt.% As, Cu and Zn, and 2 wt.% Pb). Slag particle large size (1 mm o) was found to control the geographically restricted trace element distribution in soils at Tharsis, Riotinto and Huelva, since large heavy particles could not have been transported long distances. Distribution and partitioning indicated that impacts to the environment as a result of mining and smelting should remain minimal in the region.

Convivencia histórica de lenguas y culturas en Navarra

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Cierbide

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Between the pre-roman age and 19th century, the author plots a panorama of linguistic situation of the present territory of Navarre, from the successive or simultaneous presence of the original Basque language, the Celtiberic, the Latin, the Arab, a ballad connect with neighbouring territory (La Rioja and Aragó and the Castilian, among other languages, in accordance with this, it is an area that stopped being monolingual in Basque language since an early age.

Generalizing a categorization of students' interpretations of linear kinematics graphs

OpenAIRE

Bollen, Laurens; De Cock, Mieke; Zuza, Kristina; Guisasola, Jenaro; van Kampen, Paul

2016-01-01

We have investigated whether and how a categorization of responses to questions on linear distance-time graphs, based on a study of Irish students enrolled in an algebra-based course, could be adopted and adapted to responses from students enrolled in calculus-based physics courses at universities in Flanders, Belgium (KU Leuven) and the Basque Country, Spain (University of the Basque Country). We discuss how we adapted the categorization to accommodate a much more diverse student cohort and ...

Electoral Politics and ETA’s ceasefire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Argomaniz

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The recent Euskadi ta Alkartasuna (ETA ceasefire declaration has been received with much interest and fanfare by the international media. The same announcement was met instead with a tangible lack of enthusiasm by Spanish and Basque political figures.  The Spanish president Zapatero, the Basque president Lopez and Urkullu, the leader of the most voted Basque nationalist party (PNV, agreed that the communiqué was a ‘step forward’ but ultimately ‘insufficient’ and ‘not the news the country had been hoping for’. Such mix of scepticism and disappointment is partly a product of the previous failed experience with the 2006 ETA truce. Months of painstakingly slow negotiations between ETA and government representatives were then shattered with a bomb attack at Madrid airport that killed two people. The outcome left the Zapatero’s government frustrated and unwilling to get their fingers burnt again.

Veldwerkers en vrouwen in en om Baskenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bakker, Peter; Eggermont-Molenaar, Mary; Jansen, Wim

Rollo-van den Broeke), and one of them made photographs (H.M. Deen-van Berckel), whereas Mrs. Virginia de Rijk-Chan was interviewed about her travels – with her husband – to the Basque Country. Four people have authored, translated or compiled materials, and all of them are Dutch: Mary Eggermont...... people in Montana in 1912. Peter Bakker discusses Uhlenbeck’s publications on Basque in this part II, and reactions to his publications. Part III is about William Rollo, the Scottish/Dutch linguist, who studied with Uhlenbeck in the Netherlands, and who wrote a dissertation about the Basque dialect...... of Markina (Bizkaia) in 1925. This part includes an introduction by Mary Eggermont-Molenaar, a Dutch version of the diary of Rollo’s wife, Louise Rollo-van den Broeke, which she had kept while they were staying in Markina (which was published earlier in an English version in 2009 is the yearbook...

Long-term persistence of acquired resistance to 5-fluorouracil in the colon cancer cell line SW620

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tentes, I.K., E-mail: itentes@med.duth.gr [Department of Biochemistry, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 6th km Alexandroupolis-Komotini (Dragana), 68100 Alexandroupolis (Greece); Schmidt, W.M. [Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Waehringer Strasse 13, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Krupitza, G. [Institute of Clinical Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Steger, G.G.; Mikulits, W. [Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Kortsaris, A. [Department of Biochemistry, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 6th km Alexandroupolis-Komotini (Dragana), 68100 Alexandroupolis (Greece); Mader, R.M. [Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna (Austria)

2010-11-15

Treatment resistance to antineoplastic drugs represents a major clinical problem. Here, we investigated the long-term stability of acquired resistance to 5-fluorouracil (FU) in an in vitro colon cancer model, using four sub-clones characterised by increasing FU-resistance derived from the cell line SW620. The resistance phenotype was preserved after FU withdrawal for 15 weeks ({approx} 100 cell divisions) independent of the established level of drug resistance and of epigenetic silencing. Remarkably, resistant clones tolerated serum deprivation, adopted a CD133{sup +} CD44{sup -} phenotype, and further exhibited loss of membrane-bound E-cadherin together with predominant nuclear {beta}-catenin localisation. Thus, we provide evidence for a long-term memory of acquired drug resistance, driven by multiple cellular strategies (epithelial-mesenchymal transition and selective propagation of CD133{sup +} cells). These resistance phenomena, in turn, accentuate the malignant phenotype.

Genetic diversity in the mtDNA control region and population ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-17

Dec 17, 2008 ... have played important roles in creating isolated populations by cutting ... marginal seas separate Asia from the Pacific, straddling the world's largest ... from the Pacific. Ocean by the NE–SW-extending Ryukyu Islands Arc. The.

Gamma (γ) tocopherol upregulates peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) gamma (γ) expression in SW 480 human colon cancer cell lines

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Sharon E; Stone, William L; Whaley, Sarah G; Qui, Min; Krishnan, Koyamangalath

2003-01-01

Background Tocopherols are lipid soluble antioxidants that exist as eight structurally different isoforms. The intake of γ-tocopherol is higher than α-tocopherol in the average US diet. The clinical results of the effects of vitamin E as a cancer preventive agent have been inconsistent. All published clinical trials with vitamin E have used α-tocopherol. Recent epidemiological, experimental and molecular studies suggest that γ-tocopherol may be a more potent chemopreventive form of vitamin E compared to the more-studied α-tocopherol. γ-Tocopherol exhibits differences in its ability to detoxify nitrogen dioxide, growth inhibitory effects on selected cancer cell lines, inhibition of neoplastic transformation in embryonic fibroblasts, and inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity in macrophages and epithelial cells. Peroxisome proliferator activator receptor γ (PPARγ) is a promising molecular target for colon cancer prevention. Upregulation of PPARγ activity is anticarcinogenic through its effects on downstream genes that affect cellular proliferation and apoptosis. The thiazolidine class of drugs are powerful PPARγ ligands. Vitamin E has structural similarity to the thiazolidine, troglitazone. In this investigation, we tested the effects of both α and γ tocopherol on the expression of PPARγ mRNA and protein in SW 480 colon cancer cell lines. We also measured the intracellular concentrations of vitamin E in SW 480 colon cancer cell lines. Results We have discovered that the α and γ isoforms of vitamin E upregulate PPARγ mRNA and protein expression in the SW480 colon cancer cell lines. γ-Tocopherol is a better modulator of PPARγ expression than α-tocopherol at the concentrations tested. Intracellular concentrations increased as the vitamin E concentration added to the media was increased. Further, γ-tocopherol-treated cells have higher intracellular tocopherol concentrations than those treated with the same concentrations of �