Palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate of the Middle Miocene lake in the Steinheim basin, SW Germany: A reconstruction from C, O, and Sr isotopes of fossil remains

A differentiated reconstruction of palaeolimnologic, -environmental, and -climatic conditions is presented for the Middle Miocene long-term freshwater lake (14.3 to 13.5 Ma) of the Steinheim basin, on the basis of a combined C, 0, and Sr isotope study of sympatric skeletal fossils of aquatic and terrestrial organisms from the lake sediments. The oxygen isotope composition for lake water of the Steinheim basin (delta O-18(H2O) = +2.0 +/- 0.4 parts per thousand VSMOW, n = 6) was reconstructed from measurements of delta O-18(PO4) of aquatic turtle bones. The drinking water calculated from the enamel of large mammals (proboscideans, rhinocerotids, equids, cervids, suids) has delta O-18(H2O) values (delta(OH2O)-O-18 = -5.9 +/- 1.7 parts per thousand VSMOW, n = 31) typical for Middle Miocene meteoric water of the area. This delta O-18(H2O) value corresponds to a mean annual air temperature (MAT) of 18.8 +/- 3.8 degrees C, calculated using a modem-day delta(OH2O)-O-18-MAT relation. Hence, large mammals did not use the lake water as principal drinking water. In contrast, small mammals, especially the then abundant pika Prolagus oeningensis drank from O-18-enriched water sources (delta O-18(H2O) = +2.7 +/- 2.3 parts per thousand VSMOW, n = 7), such as the lake water. Differences in Sr and 0 isotopic compositions between large and small mammal teeth indicate different home ranges and drinking behaviour and support migration of some large mammals between the Swabian Alb plateau and the nearby Molasse basin, while small mammals ingested their food and water locally. Changes in the lake level, water chemistry, and temperature were inferred using isotopic compositions of ostracod and gastropod shells from a composite lake sediment profile. Calcitic ostracod valves (Ilyocypris binocularis; delta O-18 = +1.7 +/- 1.2 parts per thousand VPDB, delta C-18 = -0.5 +/- 0.9 parts per thousand, VPDB, n = 68) and aragonitic, gastropod shells (Gyraulus spp.; delta O-18 = +2.0 +/- 13 parts per thousand VPDB, delta C-13 = -1.1 +/- 1.3 parts per thousand VPDB, n = 89) have delta O-18 and delta C-13 values similar to or even higher than those of marine, carbonates. delta C-13 values:of the biogenic carbonates parallel lake level fluctuations while delta O-18 values scatter around +2 +/- 2 parts per thousand and reflect the short term variability of meteoric water inflow vs. longer term evaporation. Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios of aragonitic Gyraulus spp. gastropod shells parallel the lake level fluctuations, reflecting variable inputs of groundwater and surface waters. Using a water delta O-18(H2O) value of +2.0 parts per thousand VSMOW, water temperatures calculated from skeletal tissue delta O-18 values of ostracods are 16.7 +/- 5.0 degrees C, gastropods 20.6 +/- 5.6 degrees C, otoliths 21.8 +/- 1.4 degrees C, and fish teeth 17.0 +/- 2.7 degrees C. The calculated MAT (similar to 19 degrees C), lake water temperatures (similar to 17 to 22 degrees C) and the O-18-enriched water compositions are indicative of warm-temperate climatic conditions, possibly with a high humidity during this period. Vegetation in the area surrounding the basin was largely of the C-3-type, as indicated by carbon isotopic compositions of tooth enamel from large mammals (delta C-13 = -11.1 +/- 1.1 parts per thousand VPDB, n = 40). (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morphobiological aspects of Rhodnius brethesi Matta, 1919 (Hemiptera:Reduviidae) from the Upper and Middle Negro River, Amazon region of Brazil: I - scanning electron microscopy

The occurrence of autochthonous cases of Chagas disease in the Amazon region of Brazil over recent decades has motivated an intensification of studies in this area. Different species of triatomines have been identified, and ten of these have be proven to be carriers of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi or " cruzi-like " parasites. Studies conducted in the municipalities of Santa Isabel do Rio Negro and Barcelos, located on the Upper and Middle of the Negro River, microregion of Negro River, state of Amazonas have confirmed not only that Rhodnius brethesi is present in the palm tree Leopoldinia piassaba, but also that this insect was recognized by palm fiber collectors. A morphological study of eyes, inter-ocular and inter-ocellar regions, antennae, buccula, labrum, rostrum, stridulatory sulcus and feet, including the apex of the tibia, spongy fossette and ctenidium was conducted by scanning electron microscopy. The buccula and the stridulatory sulcus presented notable differences in specimens of different genera and also of different species. These data make it possible to suggest that the details presented in these structures can be included as diagnostic characteristics to be used in new dichotomous keys, thereby contributing towards studies of taxonomy and systematics and furnishing backing for comparative analysis of specimens collected from different localities.

Anàlisi, disseny i implementació d'unaaplicació de gestió de menjadors escolars mitjançant Java Enterprise Edition

Aquest Treball Final de Carrera té per objecte l'anàlisi, disseny i implementació d'una aplicació degestió de menjadors escolars. Aquesta aplicació neix de la necessitat de donar resposta a unademanda dels responsables d'aquests menjadors que es veuen desbordats per controlar totes lesincidències que tenen a veure amb el menjador d'un centre educatiu: des del registre d'un client (alumne, professor o convidat) que entra al menjador a dinar fins al cobrament dels serveiscorresponents.

ICT Action Plan Meeting the high-level skills needs of enterprise in Ireland

The technology sector in Ireland is thriving. Employment, through indigenous and multinational technology firms continues to grow strongly year on year. All of the top 10 multinational technology companies have a significant presence in Ireland and the indigenous software sector’s exports are worth well in excess of €1 billion annually. Five of the top 10 exporters in Ireland are technology companies, and the sector is responsible for approximately one-third of Ireland’s total turnover. Since January 2011, over 80 jobs a week have been announced in the sector. This is on foot of 6% employment growth in 2009 and 4% in 2010. A recent global competitiveness report ranks Ireland as the top destination in the world by quality and value of investments. With a growing multinational technology presence in Ireland and a vibrant and innovative indigenous software sector, the future prospects for Ireland’s technology sector are bright.

Review of Ireland's International Education Strategy 2013 - consultation Paper

Investing in Global Relationships: Ireland’s International Education Strategy 2010 – 2015 was published in September 2010. Significant progress has been made in implementing this strategy, to complement and support the work undertaken at institutional level: - A strong national brand is now in place: Education in Ireland, managed by Enterprise Ireland. - There is much closer alignment between education and immigration policies. - A new Government of Ireland Scholarship has been established, managed by the Higher Education Authority. - An International Education Marketing Fund has been developed which allows institutions to collaborate in Enterprise Ireland- led national marketing initiatives. - Promotional efforts are taking place in the priority markets of the USA, Brazil, China, India, SE Asia and the Gulf. Ministers have visited each of the priority markets in the last two years. - Ireland is participating at national level in major international scholarship schemes such as Science Without Borders (Brazil) and the King Abdullah Scholarship Programme (Saudi Arabia). - Statutory provision is now in place for an international education mark and code of practice, which will be rolled out in 2014 by Qualifications and Quality Assurance Ireland (QQI). - International student numbers have risen in priority sectors: 14% growth in the English language sector and 9% growth in higher education since 2010. - Ireland’s international education offering has also diversified, including with increasingly significant levels of cross- border provision. However, global demand for education continues to change rapidly. There continues to be a massive expansion in demand for education around the world, particularly in emerging markets with growing middle classes.

Implantació EBP Enterprise Buyer Professional

Aquest document vol explicar en què consisteix el sistema EBP, com pot facilitar la gestió de proveïment d'una empresa i quines eines proporciona.

Night and crepuscular mosquitoes and risk of vector-borne diseases in areas of piassaba extraction in the middle Negro River basin, state of Amazonas, Brazil

A study of crepuscular and night-biting mosquitoes was conducted at remote settlements along the Padauiri River, middle Negro River, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Collections were performed with human bait and a CDC-light trap on three consecutive days per month from June 2003-May 2004. In total, 1,203 h of collection were performed, of which 384 were outside and 819 were inside houses. At total of 11,612 specimens were captured, and Anophelinae (6.01%) were much less frequent than Culicinae (93.94%). Anopheles darlingi was the most frequent Anophelinae collected. Among the culicines, 2,666 Culex (Ae.) clastrieri Casal & Garcia, 2,394 Culex. (Mel.) vomerifer Komp, and 1,252 Culex (Mel.) eastor Dyar were the most frequent species collected. The diversity of insects found reveals the receptivity of the area towards a variety of diseases facilitated by the presence of vectors involved in the transmission of Plasmodium, arboviruses and other infectious agents.

Electrocardiographic findings in a middle-aged African population in the Seychelles islands.

This study describes major electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements and diagnoses in a population of African individuals; most reference data have been collected in Caucasian populations and evidence exists for interethnic differences in ECG findings. This study was conducted in the Seychelles islands (Indian Ocean) and included 709 black individuals (343 men and 366 women) aged 25 to 64 years randomly selected from the general population. Resting ECG were recorded by using a validated ECG unit equipped with a measurement and interpretation software (Cardiovit AT-6, Schiller, Switzerland). The epidemiology of 14 basic ECG measurements, 6 composite criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy and 19 specific ECG diagnoses including abnormal rhythms, conduction abnormalities, repolarization abnormalities, and myocardial infarction were examined. Substantial gender and age differences were found for several ECG parameters. Moreover, tracings recorded in African individuals of the Seychelles differed from those collected similarly in Caucasian populations in many respects. For instance, heart rate was approximately 5 beats per minute lower in the African individuals than in selected Caucasian populations, prevalence of first degree atrio-ventricular block was especially high (4.8%), and the average Sokolow-Lyon voltage was markedly higher in African individuals of the Seychelles compared with black and white Americans. The integrated interpretation software detected "old myocardial infarction" in 3.8% of men and 0% of women and "old myocardial infarction possible" in 6.1% and 3%, respectively. Cardiac infarction injury scores are also provided. In conclusion, the study provides reference values for ECG findings in a specific population of people of African descent and stresses the need to systematically consider gender, age, and ethnicity when interpreting ECG tracings in individuals.

Seroepidemiological study of human parvovirus B19 among human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients in a medium-sized city in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Parvovirus B19 (B-19) may cause chronic anaemia in immunosuppressed patients, including those infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We studied single serum samples from 261 consecutive HIV-infected patients using an enzyme immunoassay to detect IgG antibodies to B-19. The seroprevalence of B-19-IgG was 62.8%. The differences in seroprevalence across gender, age, educational categories, year of collection of the serum samples, clinical and antiretroviral therapy characteristics, CD4+ count, CD4+ and CD8+ percentage and CD4+/CD8+ ratios were neither substantial nor statistically significant. There was a non-significant, inverse association between B-19 seropositivity and plasma HIV load and haemoglobin level. Our results indicated that 37.1% of patients might be susceptible to B-19 infection and remained at risk for being infected, mainly during epidemic periods. As B-19 infection can be treated with immune globulin preparations, it may be included in the diagnostic approach toward chronic anaemia in HIV-infected patients.

Mansonella ozzardi in Amazonas, Brazil: prevalence and distribution in the municipality of Coari, in the middle Solimões River

This study investigated some epidemiological aspects of the Mansonella ozzardi in municipality of Coari, Amazonas. Clinical symptoms were correlated with the filarial infection and the parasitic infection rates (PIR) were estimated in simuliid vectors. The general M. ozzardi human prevalence rate was 13.3% (231/1733), of which 10.2% (109/1069) were from the urban area and 18.4% (122/664) from the rural area. The prevalence rates were higher in men (14.5% urban and 19.7% rural) than in women (6.7% urban and 17.2% rural) and occurred in most age groups. The indices of microfilaremics were higher in people > 51 years old (26.9% urban and 61.5% rural). High prevalence rates were observed in retired people (27.1% urban area), housewives and farmer (41.6% and 25%, respectively, in rural area). The main clinical symptoms were joint pains and sensation of leg coldness. Only Cerqueirellum argentiscutum (Simuliidae) transmits M. ozzardi in this municipality (PIR = 5.6% urban and 7.1% rural). M. ozzardi is a widely distributed parasitic disease in Coari. Thus, temporary residency in the region of people from other localities involved with the local gas exploitation might be a contributing factor in spreading the disease.

The T-381C SNP in BNP gene may be modestly associated with type 2 diabetes: an updated meta-analysis in 49 279 subjects.

A recent study reported an association between the brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) promoter T-381C polymorphism (rs198389) and protection against type 2 diabetes (T2D). As replication in several studies is mandatory to confirm genetic results, we analyzed the T-381C polymorphism in seven independent case-control cohorts and in 291 T2D-enriched pedigrees totalling 39 557 subjects of European origin. A meta-analysis of the seven case-control studies (n = 39 040) showed a nominal protective effect [odds ratio (OR) = 0.86 (0.79-0.94), P = 0.0006] of the CC genotype on T2D risk, consistent with the previous study. By combining all available data (n = 49 279), we further confirmed a modest contribution of the BNP T-381C polymorphism for protection against T2D [OR = 0.86 (0.80-0.92), P = 1.4 x 10(-5)]. Potential confounders such as gender, age, obesity status or family history were tested in 4335 T2D and 4179 normoglycemic subjects and they had no influence on T2D risk. This study provides further evidence of a modest contribution of the BNP T-381C polymorphism in protection against T2D and illustrates the difficulty of unambiguously proving modest-sized associations even with large sample sizes.

Middle and Late Jurassic carbon stable-isotope stratigraphy and radiolarite sedimentation of the Umbria-Marche basin (Central Italy)

A continuous carbon isotope curve from Middle-Upper Jurassic pelagic carbonate rocks was acquired from two sections in the southern part of the Umbria-Marche Apennines in central Italy. At the Colle Bertone section (Terni) and the Terminilletto section (Rieti), the Upper Toarcian to Bajocian Calcari e Marne a Posidonia Formation and the Aalenian to Kimmeridgian Calcari e Marne a Posidonia and Calcari Diasprigni formations were sampled, respectively. Biostratigraphy in both sections is based on rich assemblages of calcareous nannofossils and radiolarians, as well as some ammonites found in the upper Toarcian-Bajocian interval. Both sections revealed a relative minimum of delta(13)C(PDB) close to + 2 parts per thousand in the Aalenian and a maximum around 3.5 parts per thousand in early Bajocian, associated with an increase in visible chert. In basinal sections in Umbria-Marche, this interval includes the very cherry base of the Calcari Diasprigni Formation (e.g. at Valdorbia) or the chert-rich uppermost portion of the Calcari a Posidonia (e.g at Bosso). In the Terminilletto section, the Bajocian-early Barthonian interval shows a gradual decrease in delta(13)C(PDB) values and a low around 2.3 parts per thousand. This part of the section is characterised by more than 40 m of almost chart-free limestones and correlates with a recurrence of limestone-rich facies in basinal sections at Valdorbia. A double peak with values of delta(13)C(PDB) around + 3 parts per thousand was observed in the Callovian and Oxfordian, constrained by well preserved radiolarian faunas. The maxima lie in the Callovian and the middle Oxfordian, and the minimum between the two peaks should be near the Callovian/Oxfordian boundary. In the Terminilletto section, visible chert increases together with delta(13)C(PDB) values from the middle Bathonian and reaches peak values in the Callovian-Oxfordian. In basinal sections in Umbria-Marche, a sharp increase in visible chert is observed at this level within the Calcari Diasprigni. A drop of delta(13)C values towards + 2 parts per thousand occurs in the Kimmeridgian and coincides with a decrease of visible chert in outcrop. The observed delta(13)C positive anomalies during the early Bajocian and the Callovian-Oxfordian may record changes in global climate towards warmer, more humid periods characterised by increased nutrient mobilisation and increased carbon burial. High biosiliceous (radiolarians, siliceous sponges) productivity and preservation appear to coincide with the delta(13)C positive anomalies, when the production of platform carbonates was subdued and ceased in many areas, with a drastic reduction of periplatform ooze input in many Tethyan basins. The carbon and silica cycles appear to be linked through global warming and increased continental weathering. Hydrothermal events related to extensive rifting and/or accelerated oceanic spreading may be the endogenic driving force that created a perturbation of the exogenic system (excess CO2 into the atmosphere and greenhouse conditions) reflected by the positive delta(13)C shifts and biosiliceous episodes.