Mind-reading difficulties in the siblings of people with Asperger's syndrome: evidence for a genetic influence in the abnormal development of a specific cognitive domain

Background: Previous research suggests that the phenotype associated with Asperger's syndrome (AS) includes difficulties in understanding the mental states of others, leading to difficulties in social communication and social relationships. It has also been suggested that the first-degree relatives of those with AS can demonstrate similar difficulties, albeit to a lesser extent. This study examined 'theory of mind' (ToM) abilities in the siblings of children with AS relative to a matched control group. Method: 2 7 children who had a sibling with AS were administered the children's version of the 'Eyes Test'(Baron-Cohen, Wheelwright, Stone, & Rutherford, 1999). The control group consisted of 27 children matched for age, sex, and a measure of verbal comprehension, and who did not have a family history of AS/autism. Results: A significant difference was found between the groups on the Eyes Test, the 'siblings' group showing a poorer performance on this measure of social cognition. The difference was more pronounced among female siblings. Discussion: These results are discussed in terms of the familial distribution of a neuro-cognitive profile associated with AS, which confers varying degrees of social handicap amongst first-degree relatives. The implication of this finding with regard to the autism/AS phenotype is explored, with some discussion of why this neuro-cognitive profile (in combination with corresponding strengths) may have an evolutionary imperative.

Mercury contamination in fanned fish setup on former garimpo mining areas in the Northern Mato Grosso State, Amazonian region, Brazil

The garimpo gold mining activity has released about 2.500 tons of mercury in the Brazilian Amazonian environment in the 1980-1995 period. The northern region of Mato Grosso State, an important gold mining and trading area during the Arnazonian gold rush is now at a turning point regarding its economic future. Nowadays, the activities related to gold mining have only a low relevance on its economy. Thus, the local communities are looking for economic alternatives for the development of the region. Cooperative fish farming is one of such alternatives. However, some projects are directly implemented on areas degraded by the former garimpo activity and the mercury left behind still poses risks, especially by its potential accumulation in fish. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the levels of mercury contamination in two fish farming areas, Paranaita and Alta Floresta, with and without records of past gold-washing activity, respectively. Data such as mercury concentration in fish of different trophic level, size, and weight as well as the water physical and chemical parameters were measured and considered. These preliminary data have shown no significant difference between these two fish fanning areas, relatively to mercury levels in fish. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Composition-resolved size distributions of volcanic aerosols in the Mt. Etna plumes

Particle size distributions for soluble and insoluble species in Mt. Etna's summit plumes were measured across an extended size range (10 nm < d < 100 mu m) using a combination of techniques. Automated scanning electron microscopy (QEMSCAN) was used to chemically analyze many thousands of insoluble particles (collected on pumped filters) allowing the relationships between particle size, shape, and composition to be investigated. The size distribution of fine silicate particles (d < 10 mu m) was found to be lognormal, consistent with formation by bursting of gas bubbles at the surface of the magma. The compositions of fine silicate particles were found to vary between magmatic and nearly pure silica; this is consistent with depletion of metal ions by reactions in the acidic environment of the gas plume and vent. Measurements of the size, shape and composition of fine silicate particles may potentially offer insights into preemission, synemission, and postemission processes. The mass flux of fine silicate particles from Mt. Etna released during noneruptive volcanic degassing in 2004 and 2005 was estimated to be similar to 7000 kg d(-1). Analysis of particles in the range 0.1 < d/mu m < 100 by ion chromatography shows that there are persistent differences in the size distributions of sulfate aerosols between the two main summit plumes. Analysis of particles in the range 0.01 mu m < d < 0.1 mu m by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) shows that there are significant levels of nanoparticles in the Mt. Etna plumes although their compositions remain uncertain.

Study of thermal comfort in the city of são paulo using ENVI-met model

This study is aimed to analyze the thermal comfort in different areas in the city of São Paulo. Two different areas were selected, a densely built (Consolação district) and the other was Fontes do Ipiranga State Park (FISP), an area with only a few buildings and reduced impermeability. A micro-climatic ENVImet was used to simulate the interaction surface-atmosphere in the urban environment. The model resolution is between 0.5 and 10m. This model was developed by Bruse and Fleer (1998) and Bruse (2004). Through the thermal comfort index PMV (predicted mean vote) and MRT (mean radiant temperature) provided by the model, it revealed that the State Park displays PMV values close to comfortable compared to the other studied area. The analysis of thermal comfort index and the Wind flow showed the influence of high buildings in the local climatic environment.

Sponges as substrata and early life history of the tubulariid Zyzzyzus warreni (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) in the Sao Sebastiao Channel, Brazil

The hydroid Zyzzyzus warreni is usually found in shallow coastal waters forming aggregations of solitary polyps embedded in demosponges. Early life history transformations and settlement responses by the actinulae of this hydroid were studied in the laboratory using 13 species of sponges and 2 species of algae collected in the Sao Sebastiao Channel (Brazil) as substrata. The absence of oral tentacles and mouth in the actinulae and early events of metamorphosis suggest that these larvae are unable to spend long periods in the plankton and attach quickly near conspecifics when a preferred substratum is encountered. The time required for settlement and the number of elicited settlings indicated four settlement responses: (a) frequent and short-time settlement, in actinulae exposed to Halichondria cebimarensis, Mycale angulosa, M. aff. americana, M. laxissima (skeleton) and Tedania ignis; (b) moderate and delayed settlement, in actinulae exposed to Aplysina caissara, A. fulva, Haliclona melana and M. microsigmatosa; (c) no settlement, in actinulae exposed to Suberites aurantiacus and to the algae Hypnea musciformis and Sargassum cymosum; and (d) lethal response, in actinulae exposed to Amphimedon viridis, Aplysilla rosea, Dragmacidon reticulatum and M. laxissima. These responses indicate a considerable degree of species discrimination by the actinulae and are consistent with substrata used by the hydroid in the natural environment.

Estimating the monthly pCO2 distribution in the North Atlantic using a self-organizing neural network

[EN] Here we present monthly, basin-wide maps of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) for the North Atlantic on a latitude by longitude grid for years 2004 through 2006 inclusive. The maps have been computed using a neural network technique which reconstructs the non-linear relationships between three biogeochemical parameters and marine pCO2. A self organizing map (SOM) neural network has been trained using 389 000 triplets of the SeaWiFSMODIS chlorophyll-a concentration, the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis sea surface temperature, and the FOAM mixed layer depth. The trained SOM was labelled with 137 000 underway pCO2 measurements collected in situ during 2004, 2005 and 2006 in the North Atlantic, spanning the range of 208 to 437atm. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the neural network fit to the data is 11.6?atm, which equals to just above 3 per cent of an average pCO2 value in the in situ dataset. The seasonal pCO2 cycle as well as estimates of the interannual variability in the major biogeochemical provinces are presented and discussed. High resolution combined with basin-wide coverage makes the maps a useful tool for several applications such as the monitoring of basin-wide air-sea CO2 fluxes or improvement of seasonal and interannual marine CO2 cycles in future model predictions. The method itself is a valuable alternative to traditional statistical modelling techniques used in geosciences.

Apoptotic cell death in the lactating mammary gland is enhanced by a folding variant of alpha-lactalbumin

Apoptosis is essential to eliminate secretory epithelial cells during the involution of the mammary gland. The environmental regulation of this process is however, poorly understood. This study tested the effect of HAMLET (human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells) on mammary cells. Plastic pellets containing HAMLET were implanted into the fourth inguinal mammary gland of lactating mice for 3 days. Exposure of mammary tissue to HAMLET resulted in morphological changes typical for apoptosis and in a stimulation of caspase-3 activity in alveolar epithelial cells near the HAMLET pellets but not more distant to the pellet or in contralateral glands. The effect was specific for HAMLET and no effects were observed when mammary glands were exposed to native a-lactalbumin or fatty acid alone. HAMLET also induced cell death in vitro in a mouse mammary epithelial cell line. The results suggest that HAMLET can mediate apoptotic cell death in mammary gland tissue.

Strategy and Action Plan for Sustainable Land Management in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai Mountains

This Strategy and Action Plan was written within the framework of the project on Sustainable Land Management in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai Mountains (PALM). PALM is an integrated transboundary initiative of the governments of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan. It aims to address the interlinked problems of land degradation and poverty within a region that is one of Central Asia’s crucial sources of freshwater and a location of biodiversity hotspots. The project is executed by the Committee on Environment Protection in Tajikistan and the National Center for Mountain Regions Development in Kyrgyzstan, with fi nancial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other donors. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the GEF Implementing Agency for the project, and the United Nations University (UNU) is the International Executing Agency. This Strategy and Action Plan integrates the work of three main teams of experts, namely the Pamir-Alai Transboundary Strategy and Action Plan (PATSAP) team, the Legal Task Forces, and a team of Natural Disaster Risk specialists. The PATSAP team was coordinated by the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Switzerland. The Legal Task Force was led by the Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law of the University of New England (UNE), and responsibility for the Natural Disaster Risk assessment was with the Central- Asian Institute of Applied Geosciences (CAIAG) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The development of the strategy took place from June 2009 to October 2010. The activities included fi eld study tours for updating the information base with fi rst-hand information from the local level, coordination meetings with actors from the region, and two multi-level stakeholder forums conducted in Khorog and Osh to identify priorities and to collect ideas for concrete action plans. The baseline information collected for the Strategy and Action Plan has been compiled by the experts and made available as reports1. A joint multi-level stakeholder forum was conducted in Jirgitol, Tajikistan, for in-depth discussion of the transboundary aspects. In August 2010, the draft Strategy and Action Plan was distributed among local, national, and international actors for consultation, and their comments were discussed at feedback forums in Khorog and Bishkek. This Strategy and Action Plan is intended as a recommendation. Nevertheless, it proposes concrete mechanisms for implementing the proposed sustainable land management (SLM) activities: The Regional Natural Resources Governance Framework provides the legal and policy concepts, principles, and regulatory requirements needed to create an enabling environment for SLM in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai region at the transboundary, national, and local levels. The priority directions outlined provide a framework for the elaboration of rayon-level strategies and for strategies on specifi c topics (forestry, livestock, etc.), as well as for further development of government programmes and international projects. The action plans may serve as a pool of concrete ideas, which can be taken up by diff erent institutions and in smaller or larger projects. Finally, this document provides a basis for the elaboration and signing of targeted cooperation agreements on land use and management between the leaders of Osh oblast (Kyrgyz Republic), Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, and Jirgitol rayon (Republic of Tajikistan).

THEODORE, a two-step heating system for the EC/OC determination of radiocarbon (14C) in the environment

Measurements of 14C in the organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) fractions, respectively, of fine aerosol particles bear the potential to apportion anthropogenic and biogenic emission sources. For this purpose, the system THEODORE (two-step heating system for the EC/OC determination of radiocarbon in the environment) was developed. In this device, OC and EC are transformed into carbon dioxide in a stream of oxygen at 340 and 650 �C, respectively, and reduced to filamentous carbon. This is the target material for subsequent accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C measurements, which were performed on sub-milligram carbon samples at the PSI/ETH compact 500 kV AMS system. Quality assurance measurements of SRM 1649a, Urban Dust, yielded a fraction of modern fM in total carbon (TC) of 0.522 ±0.018 (n ¼ 5, 95% confidence level) in agreement with reported values. The results for OC and EC are 0.70± 0.05 (n ¼ 3) and 0.066 ± 0.020 (n ¼ 4), respectively.

The relationship between physical activity and perceived built environment factors among adult Mexican Americans living in Brownsville, Texas

Background. Physical Activity (PA) is a central part in the fight to reduce obesity rates that are higher in Mexican Americans in the United States than any other ethnic groups. More than half of all Americans do not meet the daily PA recommendations and 48% of Mexican Americans do not exercise. The built environment is believed to affect participation in physical activity. The influence of the built environmental on physical activity levels in low-income Mexican Americans living along the Texas-Mexico border has not been investigated. ^ Purpose. The purpose of this secondary data analysis was trifold: (1) to determine the levels of self-reported PA in adults living in Brownsville, Texas; (2) to characterize the perceptions of this population regarding the built environment; and (3) to determine the association between self-reported PA and the built environment in Mexican Americans living in Brownsville, Texas. ^ Methods. 400 participants from the Tu Salud ¡Sí Cuenta! (TSSC) community-wide campaign were included in this secondary data analysis. Percentages for level of physical activity and the built environment were calculated using SPSS. Perceptions of the built environment were assessed by 14 items. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between physical activity and built environment. All models were adjusted for age, gender, and level of education. ^ Results. The majority of men (41.97%) and women (59%), combined (56.7%)did not meet the 2008 PA Guidelines for Americans. We analyzed 14 built environment variables to characterize participants’ perceptions of the built environment. We conducted odds ratio (OR) to find if those who met PA levels associated the built environment such as neighborhood shops ([OR:1.806], CI:1.074,3.038 ]) bus stops ([OR:1.436], CI:.806,2.558) unattended stray dogs ([OR: 1.806], CI:1. 074,3.038), sidewalk access ([OR: .858],CI:.437,1.686), access to free parks ([OR:.549],CI:.335,.900) heavy traffic in neighborhood ([OR:.802], CI:.501,1.285), crime rate ([OR:.779], CI:.494,1.228) ranked the highest by mean score. The association between physical activity and the perceived built environment factors for Mexican Americans participating in the TSSCStudy were weakly associated. ^ Conclusions. This study provides evidence that PA levels are low in this Mexican American population. The built environment factors assessed in this study characterized the need for further studies of the variables that are seen as important to the Mexican American population. Lastly, the association of PA levels to the built environment was weak overall and further studies are recommended of the built environment.^

Sampling data, experimental data and fecal pellet characteristics of water pump samples in the strait of Øresund between Denmark and Sweden during 2004/2005

Copepod fecal pellets are often degraded at high rates within the upper part of the water column. However, the identity of the degraders and the processes governing the degradation remain unresolved. To identify the pellet degraders we collected water from Øresund (Denmark) approximately every second month from July 2004 to July 2005. These water samples were divided into 5 fractions (<0.2, <2, <20, <100, <200 µm) and total (unfractionated). We determined fecal pellet degradation rate and species composition of the plankton from triplicate incubations of each fraction and a known, added amount of fecal pellets. The total degradation rate of pellets by the natural plankton community of Øresund followed the phytoplankton biomass, with maximum degradation rate during the spring bloom (2.5 ± 0.49 d**-1) and minimum (0.52 ± 0.14 d**-1) during late winter. Total pellet removal rate ranged from 22% d**-1 (July 2005) to 87% d**-1 (May). Protozooplankton (dinoflagellates and ciliates) in the size range of 20 to 100 µm were the key degraders of the fecal pellets, contributing from 15 to 53% of the total degradation rate. Free-living in situ bacteria did not affect pellet degradation rate significantly; however, culture-originating bacteria introduced in association with the pellets contributed up to 59% of the total degradation rate. An effect of late-stage copepod nauplii (>200 µm) was indicated, but this was not a dominating degradation process. Mesozooplankton did not contribute significantly to the degradation. However, grazing of mesozooplankton on the pellet degraders impacts pellet degradation rate indirectly. In conclusion, protozooplankton seems to include the key organisms for the recycling of copepod fecal pellets in the water column, both through the microbial loop and, especially, by functioning as an effective 'protozoan filter' for fecal pellets.