Analysis of steady-state heat transfer through mid-crustal vertical cracks with upward throughflow in hydrothermal systems

We conduct a theoretical analysis of steady-state heat transfer problems through mid-crustal vertical cracks with upward throughflow in hydrothermal systems. In particular, we derive analytical solutions for both the far field and near field of the system. In order to investigate the contribution of the forced advection to the total temperature of the system, two concepts, namely the critical Peclet number and the critical permeability of the system, have been presented and discussed in this paper. The analytical solution for the far field of the system indicates that if the pore-fluid pressure gradient in the crust is lithostatic, the critical permeability of the system can be used to determine whether or not the contribution of the forced advection to the total temperature of the system is negligible. Otherwise, the critical Peclet number should be used. For a crust of moderate thickness, the critical permeability is of the order of magnitude of 10(-20) m(2), under which heat conduction is the overwhelming mechanism to transfer heat energy, even though the pore-fluid pressure gradient in the crust is lithostatic. Furthermore, the lower bound analytical solution for the near field of the system demonstrates that the permeable vertical cracks in the middle crust can efficiently transfer heat energy from the lower crust to the upper crust of the Earth. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

John Waldridge, The Leaven of the Ancients: Suhrawardi and the Heritage of the Greeks, SUNY Series in Islam (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1999). Pp. 323

In the Leaven of the Ancients, John Walbridge studies the appropriation of non–Peripatetic philosophical ideas by an anti–Aristotelian Islamic philosopher, Shihab al-Din al-Suhrawardi (d. 1191). He proposes a comprehensive explanation of the origin of Suhrawardi's philosophical system, a revival of the “wisdom of the Ancients” and its philosophical affiliations “grounded” in Greek philosophy (p. xiii). Walbridge attempts to uncover the reasons for Suhrawardi's rejection of the prevailing neo–Aristotelian synthesis in Islamic philosophy, Suhrawardi's knowledge and understanding of non–Aristotelian Greek philosophy, the ancient philosophers Suhrawardi was attempting to follow, the relationship between Suhrawardi's specific philosophical teachings (logic, ontology, physics, and metaphysics), and his understanding of non–Aristotelian ancient philosophy and the relationship between Suhrawardi's system and the major Greek philosophers, schools, and traditions—in particular the Presocratics, Plato, and the Stoics (p. 8). Copyright © 2003 Cambridge University Press

Bringing the state to England: Andrew Tooke's translation of Samuel Pufendorf's 'De officio hominis et civis'

Andrew Tooke's 1691 English translation of Samuel Pufendorf's De officio hominis et civis, published as The Whole Duty of Man According to the Law of Nature, brought Pufendorf's manual fo statist natural law into English politics at a moment of temporary equilibrium in the unfinished contest between Crown and Parliament for the rights and powers of sovereignty. Drawing on the authors' re-edition of The Whole Duty of Man, this article describes and analyses a telling instance of how--by translation--the core political terms and concepts of the German natural jurist's 'absolutist' formulary were reshaped for reception in the different political culture of late seventeenth-century England.

Humans, dogs and parasitic zoonoses - Unravelling the relationships in a remote endemic community in Northeast India using molecular tools

Canine parasitic zoonoses pose a continuing public health problem, especially in developing countries and communities that are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Our study combined the use of conventional and molecular epidemic, logical tools to determine the role of dogs in transmission of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites such as hookworms, Giardia and Ascaris in a parasite endemic teagrowing community in northeast India. A highly sensitive and specific molecular tool was developed to detect and differentiate the zoonotic species of canine hookworm eggs directly from faeces. This allowed epidemiological screening of canine hookworm species in this community to be conducted with ease and accuracy. The zoonotic potential of canine Giardia was also investigated by characterising Giardia duodenalis recovered from humans and dogs living in the same locality and households at three different loci. Phylogenetic and epidemiological analysis provided compelling evidence to support the zoonotic transmission of canine Giardia. Molecular tools were also used to identify the species of Ascaris egg present in over 30% of dog faecal samples. The results demonstrated the role of dogs as a significant disseminator and environmental contaminator of Ascaris lumbricoides in communities where promiscuous defecation practices exist. Our study demonstrated the usefulness of combining conventional and molecular parasitological and epidemiological tools to help solve unresolved relationships with regards to parasitic zoonoses.

Solid-State Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of the Ammonium Salt of Croconate Violet, a Pseudo-Oxocarbon Ion

The present work describes the crystal structure, vibrational spectra, and theoretical calculations of ammonium salts of 3,5-bis-(dicyanomethylene)cyclopentane-1,2,4-trionate, (NH(4))(2)(C(11)N(4)O(3)) [(NH(4))(2)CV], also known as ammonium croconate violet. This compound crystallizes in triclinic P (1) over bar and contains two water molecules per unit formula. The crystal packing is stabilized by hydrogen bonds involving water molecules and ammonium cations, giving rise to a 3D polymeric arrangement. In this structure, a pi-stacking interaction is not observed, as the smaller centroid-centroid distance is 4.35 angstrom. Ab initio electronic structure calculations under periodic boundary conditions were performed to predict vibrational and electronic properties. The vibrational analysis was used to assist the assignments of the Raman and infrared bands. The solid structure was optimized and characterized as a minimum in the potential-energy surface. The stabilizing intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the crystal Structure were characterized by difference charge-density analysis. The analysis of the density of states of (NH(4))(2)CV gives an energy gap of 1.4 eV with a significant contribution of carbon and nitrogen 2p states for valence and conduction bands.

Production efficiency and financing of public health: an analysis of small municipalities in the state of Sao Paulo - Brazil

This paper measured the variations in performance of small municipalities in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, regarding the technical efficiency in the use of public funds in public primary health care actions concerning the funding profile, in a scenario of fiscal federalism. Technical efficiency is one of the parameters of evaluation of public sector performance and was measured by means of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The correlation analysis of DEA score was used to verify possible associations between technical efficiency and the funding profile of expenses with health care. The results showed that 6.41% of the municipalities were considered efficient. They also showed that the level of municipality dependence to inter-governmental general purpose grants and the national health funding specific purpose grants have negative correlation with efficiency scores.

STRUCTURAL INTERDEPENDENCE AMONG COLOMBIAN DEPARTMENTS

This paper analyzes structural interdependence among Colombian departments. The results show that Bogota has a large influence on the other regional economies through the power of its purchases. Additionally, a center-periphery pattern emerges in the spatial concentration of the effects of the hypothetical extraction of any territory. From a policy point of view, the main findings reaffirm the role played by Bogota in the recent polarization process observed in the regional economies in Colombia. Any policy action oriented to reduce these regional disparities should take into account that, given the structural interdependence among Colombian departments, the effects of new investment in the lagged regions would flow through Bogota and the major regional economies.

Systemic Model for Diagnosis of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises from Two Cities from the Countryside of the State of So Paulo in Brazil

This article presents a proposal of a systemic model composed for the micro and small companies (MSE) of the region of Ribeiro Preto and the agents which influenced their environment. The proposed model was based on Stafford Beer`s (Diagnosing the system for organizations. Chichester, Wiley, 1985) systemic methodologies VSM (Viable System Model) and on Werner Ulrich`s (1983) CSH (Critical Systems Heuristics). The VSM is a model for the diagnosis of the structure of an organization and of its flows of information through the application of the cybernetics concepts (Narvarte, In El Modelo del Sistema Viable-MSV: experiencias de su aplicacin en Chile. Proyecto Cerebro Colectivo del IAS, Santiago, 2001). On the other hand, CSH focus on the context of the social group applied to the systemic vision as a counterpoint to the organizational management view considered by the VSM. MSE of Ribeiro Preto and Sertozinho had been analyzed as organizations inserted in systems that relate and integrate with other systems concerning the public administration, entities of representation and promotion agencies. The research questions: which are the bonds of interaction among the subsystems in this process and who are the agents involved? The systemic approach not only diagnosed a social group, formed by MSE of Ribeiro Preto and Sertozinho, public authorities and support entities, but could also delineate answers that aimed the clarification of obscure questions generating financial assistance to the formularization of efficient actions for the development of this system.

Structure-activity relationships of alpha-conotoxins targeting neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

alpha-Conotoxins that target the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor have a range of potential therapeutic applications and are valuable probes for examining receptor subtype selectivity. The three-dimensional structures of about half of the known neuronal specific alpha-conotoxins have now been determined and have a consensus fold containing a helical region braced by two conserved disulfide bonds. These disulfide bonds define the two-loop framework characteristic for alpha-conotoxins, CCXmCXnC, where loop 1 comprises four residues (m = 4) and loop 2 between three and seven residues (n = 3, 6 or 7). Structural studies, particularly using NMR spectroscopy have provided an insight into the role and spatial location of residues implicated in receptor binding and biological activity.

Anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of a new catfish species from northeastern Argentina with comments on the phylogenetic relationships of the genus Rhamdella Eigenmann and Eigenmann 1888 (Siluriformes, Heptapteridae)

Rhamdella cainguae, a new species of the family Heptapteridae is described from the Arroyo Cuna-Piru, a tributary of the Rio Parana, in the subtropical forest of Misiones, northeastern Argentina. The presence of a large differentiated ovoid area on the supraorbital laterosensory canal along the frontal-sphenotic boundary, delimited by the slender dorsal walls of the bones, and with no foramen for a laterosensory branch, is an autapomorphy for R. cainguae. A detailed description of the skeleton and laterosensory system of R. cainguae is provided. The genus Rhamdella is rediagnosed on the basis of three autapomorphies: a very large opening in the frontal for the exit of the s6 ( epiphyseal) branch of the supraorbital laterosensory canal ( reversed in R. rusbyi), a large optic foramen, and a dark stripe along the lateral surface of the body ( reversed in R. rusbyi). Rhamdella is considered to be the sister group of a large heptapterid clade composed of the Nemuroglanis sub-clade plus the genera Brachyglanis, Gladioglanis, Leptorhamdia, and Myoglanis. Rhamdella is herein restricted to five valid species: R. aymarae, R. cainguae, R. eriarcha, R. longiuscula, and R. rusbyi. A sister group relationship between R. aymarae and R. rusbyi is supported by three synapomorphies. Rhamdella cainguae shares 12 apomorphic features with R. eriarcha and R. longiuscula.

KuhlmanniodendronFiaschi & Groppo, a new eastern Brazilian genus of Achariaceae sensu lato segregated from Carpotroche Endl. (formerly included in Flacourtiaceae)

Kuhlmanniodendron Fiaschi & Groppo, a new genus of the tribe Lindackerieae (Achariaceae sensu lato) is created to accommodate Carpotroche apterocarpa Kuhlm, a species previously described based on incomplete floriferous and fruiting material from the rainforests of Espirito Santo state, eastern Brazil. The genus is defined by a unique set of character states, including leaves with Clusia-like venation and scaly trichomes, flowers with glabrous stamen filaments and three free styles, and indehiscent fruits with a smooth surface (sometimes with vertical ribs when dried). A description and illustration are provided, with comments on geographical distribution, phenology and generic relationships, and an emended key to neotropical genera of Lindackerieae. (c) 2008 The Linnean Society of London.

Comparative analysis of population structure of endemic Western Atlantic hermit crab Loxopagurus loxochelis (Decapoda, Anomura) in two regions of state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

This work characterized the population structure of the hermit crab Loxopagurus loxochelis (Moreira, 1901) in terms of size frequency distribution and sex ratio. Specimens were collected monthly, over a period of one year (from July 2002 to June 2003), in seven transects (from 5 to 35 m of depth) using fishing boat equipped with two double-rig trawl nets, in Caraguatatuba and Ubatuba regions (state of Sao Paulo, Brazil). A total of 366 hermit crabs were collected in Caraguatatuba [222 males (60.65%), 114 non-ovigerous females (31.15%) and 30 ovigerous females (8.20%)] and 126 hermit crabs in Ubatuba [81 males (64.28%), 38 non-ovigerous females (30.16%) and seven ovigerous females (5.56%)]. In Caraguatatuba the highest incidence of ovigerous females occurred during winter (July 2002), whereas in Ubatuba, the number was incipient. The cephalothoracic shield length ranged from 2.0 to 7.9mm (5.29 +/- 0.96mm) in Caraguatatuba, and from 2.7 to 7.5mm (5.32 +/- 0.95mm) in Ubatuba. The mean size of males was significantly larger than the mean size of females in both regions. Overall sex ratio was in favor of males (1.54:1 in Caraguatatuba and 1.9:1 in Ubatuba). Sexual dimorphism was recorded to L. loxochelis by the presence of males in the largest size classes, following the standard pattern observed in Decapoda. There was an unimodal size distribution for both sexes, with normal distributions in both regions. The higher number of males in relation to females may indicate the existence of different growth and mortality rates between the sexes. Despite of the different geomorphologic characteristics between Caraguatatuba and Ubatuba regions, the dynamics of development was similar for both populations.

The genus Phthinia Winnertz (Diptera, Mycetophilidae) in the Neotropical region, with the first records from Brazil

Three Neotropical species of Phthinia Winnertz have been described to date. The genus is known from Chile and southern Argentina. Four new species are herein described for the genus in the region, two from Brazil-Phthinia theresae, sp. n., from the State of Espirito Santo, and Phithinia urubici, sp. n., from the State of Santa Catarina-and two from Chile-Phthinia freemani, sp. n., and Phthinia parafurcata, sp. n. Comments are made about the relationships between the Neotropical species. Some notes are added about P. furcata Freeman, P. flagellata Freeman, and P. fasciata Freeman, from Chile and southern Argentina. Attention is called for the fact that Phthinia has two species in Brazil disjunct from the other temperate species of the genus in South America, differently from most similar cases, that have a single known representative in Brazil.

Triphora uniflora AC Ferreira, Baptista & Pansarin (Orchidaceae: Triphorcae): a new species and the first record of the genus Triphora Nutt. for Sao Paulo state, Brazil

(Triphora uniflora A.C. Ferreira, Baptista & Pansarin (Orchidaccae: Triphorcae): a new species and the first record of the genus Triphora Nutt. for Sao Paulo state, Brazil). Triphora uniflora A. C. Ferreira, Baptista & Pansarin, a new species of Orchidaceae, is described and illustrated. Furthermore, this is the first report of the genus Triphora for Sao Paulo state, Brazil. The relationship of this new species to other taxa of the genus and the need to preserve the natural habitat of this Triphora species are discussed.

Molecular phylogeny of the freshwater prawn genus Macrobrachium (Decapoda, Palaemonidae), with emphasis on the relationships among selected American species

The genus Macrobrachium Bate, 1868 is one of the best examples of widespread crustacean genera distributed globally throughout tropical and subtropical waters. Previous investigators have noted the systematic complexity of the group, and have suggested rearrangements within the family Palaemonidae. Our phylogenetic analysis of new mitochondrial DNA sequences of 58 species of Macrobrachium distributed mainly in America support the hypothesis of monophyly of this genus, if Cryphiops Dana, 1852 is accepted as a generic synonym. We concluded that the independent evolution of different types of life cycle (abbreviated larval development-ALD and extended larval development-ELD) must have occurred more than once in the history of the group. Similarly, we also concluded that the current type species of the genus, Macrobrachium americanum Bate, 1868, should not be considered valid, as previously proposed. The synonymy of two members of the `olfersi` species complex (M. birai Lobao, Melo&Fernandes, 1986 and M. holthuisi Genofre&Lobao, 1978) with M. olfersi (Wiegmann, 1836) was confirmed. Similar results were found in comparing M. petronioi Melo, Lobao&Fernandes, 1986 and M. potiuna (Muller, 1880), in which the genetic divergence placed M. petronioi within the level of intraspecific variation of M. potiuna. The taxonomic status of the genus Cryphiops, as well as theories on the origin of Macrobrachium, is also called into question.