Late Quaternary glaciations in Far NE Russia; combining moraines, topography and chronology to assess regional and global glaciation synchrony

During various periods of Late Quaternary glaciation, small ice-sheets, -caps, -fields and valley glaciers, occupied the mountains and uplands of Far NE Russia (including the Verkhoyansk, Suntar-Khayata, and Chersky Mountains; the KolymaeAnyuy and Koryak Highlands; and much of the Kamchatka and Chukchi<br/>Peninsulas). Here, the margins of former glaciers across this region are constrained through the comprehensive mapping of moraines from remote sensing data (Landsat 7 ETM+ satellite images; ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM2); and Viewfinder Panorama DEM data). A total of 8414 moraines<br/>are mapped, and this record is integrated with a series of published age-estimates (n = 25), considered to chronologically-constrain former ice-margin positions. Geomorphological and chronological data are compiled in a Geographic Information System (GIS) to produce ���best estimate��� reconstructions of ice extent during the global Last Glacial Maximum (gLGM) and, to a lesser degree, during earlier phases of glaciation. The data reveal that much of Far NE Russia (~1,092,427 km2) preserves a glaciated landscape (i.e. is bounded by moraines), but there is no evidence of former ice masses having extended more than 270 km beyond mountain centres (suggesting that, during the Late Quaternary, the region has not been occupied by extensive ice sheets). During the gLGM, specifically, glaciers occupied ~253,000 km2, and rarely extended more than 50 km in length. During earlier (pre-gLGM) periods, glaciers were more extensive, though the timing of former glaciation, and the maximum Quaternary extent, appears to have been asynchronous across the region, and out-of-phase with ice-extent maxima elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. This glacial history is partly explained through consideration of climatic-forcing<br/>(particularly moisture-availability, solar insolation and albedo), though topographic-controls upon the former extent and dynamics of glaciers are also considered, as are topographic-controls upon moraine deposition and preservation. Ultimately, our ability to understand the glacial and climatic history of this region is restricted when the geomorphological-record alone is considered, particularly as directly-dated glacial deposits are few, and topographic and climatic controls upon the moraine record are difficult to<br/>distinguish.

The analysis of large-scale turbulence characteristics in the Indonesian seas derived from a regional model based on the Princeton Ocean Model

<p>Turbulence characteristics in the Indonesian seas on the horizontal scale of order of 100 km were calculated with a regional model of the Indonesian seas circulation in the area based on the Princeton Ocean Model (POM). As is well known, the POM incorporates the Mellor���Yamada turbulence closure scheme. The calculated characteristics are: twice the turbulence kinetic energy per unit mass, &lt;i&gt;q&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;; the turbulence master scale, &amp;ell;; mixing coefficients of momentum, &lt;i&gt;K&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;M&lt;/sub&gt;; and temperature and salinity, &lt;i&gt;K&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt;; etc. The analyzed turbulence has been generated essentially by the shear of large-scale ocean currents and by the large-scale wind turbulence. We focused on the analysis of turbulence around important topographic features, such as the Lifamatola Sill, the North Sangihe Ridge, the Dewakang Sill, and the North and South Halmahera Sea Sills. In general, the structure of turbulence characteristics in these regions turned out to be similar. For this reason, we have carried out a detailed analysis of the Lifamatola Sill region because dynamically this region is very important and some estimates of mixing coefficients in this area are available. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Briefly, the main results are as follows. The distribution of &lt;i&gt;q&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; is quite adequately reproduced by the model. To the north of the Lifamatola Sill (in the Maluku Sea) and to the south of the Sill (in the Seram Sea), large values of &lt;i&gt;q&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; occur in the deep layer extending several hundred meters above the bottom. The observed increase of &lt;i&gt;q&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; near the very bottom is probably due to the increase of velocity shear and the corresponding shear production of &lt;i&gt;q&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; very close to the bottom. The turbulence master scale, &amp;ell;, was found to be constant in the main depth of the ocean, while &amp;ell; rapidly decreases close to the bottom, as one would expect. However, in deep profiles away from the sill, the effect of topography results in the &amp;ell; structure being unreasonably complicated as one moves towards the bottom. Values of 15 to 20 �� 10&lt;sup&gt;&amp;minus;4&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; s&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; were obtained for &lt;i&gt;K&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;M&lt;/sub&gt; and &lt;i&gt;K&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt; in deep water in the vicinity of the Lifamatola Sill. These estimates agree well with basin-scale averaged values of 13.3 �� 10&lt;sup&gt;&amp;minus;4&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; s&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; found diagnostically for &lt;i&gt;K&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt; in the deep Banda and Seram Seas (Gordon et al., 2003) and a value of 9.0 �� 10&lt;sup&gt;&amp;minus;4&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; s&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; found diagnostically for &lt;i&gt;K&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;H&lt;/sub&gt; for the deep Banda Sea system (van Aken et al., 1988). The somewhat higher simulated values can be explained by the presence of steep topography around the sill.</p>

Assessing the extent to which temporal changes in waterbird community composition are driven by either local, regional or global factors.

1. Lough Neagh and Lough Beg Special Protection Area (SPA, hereafter Lough Neagh) is an important non-estuarine site in Britain and Ireland for overwintering wildfowl. Multivariate analysis of the winter counts showed a state-shift in the waterbird community following winter 2000/2001, mostly due to rapid declines in abundance (46���57% declines in the mean mid-winter January counts between 1993���2000 and 2002���2009) of members of the diving duck guild (pochard Aythya ferina, tufted duck Aythya fuligula and goldeneye Bucephala clangula) and coot (Fulica atra), a submerged macrophyte feeder. <br/>2. Only pochard showed correlations between declines at Lough Neagh and those of overall species flyway population indices to suggest that global changes could contribute to declines at the site. However, indices from the Republic of Ireland showed no overall decline in the rest of Ireland. Tufted duck indices at the site were inversely related to indices in Great Britain. Lough Neagh goldeneye indices were positively correlated with indices in the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, suggesting that short-stopping could contribute to declines at the site. Coot declines at Lough Neagh did not correlate with trends elsewhere, suggesting local factors involved in the decline.<br/>3. These analyses indicate that although there are potentially different explanations for the dramatic declines in these four waterbird species at this site, the simultaneous nature of the declines across two feeding guilds strongly<br/>suggest that local factors (such as loss of submerged macrophytes and benthic invertebrates) were involved. An assessment of the food supply, local disturbance and other factors at Lough Neagh is required to find an explanation for the observed adverse trends in wintering numbers of the affected species.<br/>4. This study highlights the potential of waterbird community structure to reflect the status of aquatic systems, but confirms the need to establish site-specific factors responsible for the observed changes in abundance of key waterbird species at a site.

Issue salience in regional party manifestos in Spain

This article analyses the dynamics of electoral competition in a multilevel setting. It is based on a content analysis of the party manifestos of the Spanish PP and PSOE in eight regional elections held between 2001 and 2003. It provides an innovative coding scheme for analysing regional party manifestos and on that basis seeks to account for inter-regional, intra-party and inter-party differences in regional campaigning. The authors have tried to explain the inter-regional variation of the issue profiles of state-wide parties in regional elections on the basis of a model with four independent variables: the asymmetric nature of the system, the electoral cycle, the regional party systems and the organisation of the state-wide parties. Three of their hypotheses are rejected, but the stronger variations in the regional issue profiles of the PSOE corroborate the assumption that parties with a more decentralised party organisation support regionally more diverse campaigning. The article concludes by offering an alternative explanation for this finding and by suggesting avenues for further research.

Direct Democracy and Regional Integration::Citizens' Perceptions of Treaty Implications and the Irish Reversal on Lisbon

Analyses of voting in European Union referendums typically distinguish between ���second-order��� effects and the impact of substantive ���issues���. In order to explain change in referendum outcome, two types of substantive issues are distinguished in this article. Focusing on Irish voting in the Lisbon Treaty referendums and using data from post-referendum surveys, it is found that perceptions of treaty implications outperform underlying attitudes to EU integration in predicting vote choice at both referendums, and perceptions of treaty implications are strong predictors of vote change between the referendums. The findings have broadly positive implications for normative assessments of the usefulness of direct democracy as a tool for legitimising regional integration advance.

A ten year audit of clinical psychology referrals in the regional Adult Cystic Fibrosis Unit in Northern Ireland

Objectives: A retrospective audit was conducted into Clinical Psychology referrals made by the adult cystic fibrosis (CF) team over a ten year period from 2001-2010. The aim of the audit was to examine the psychological difficulties referred to Clinical Psychology and identify any trends.<br/>Methods: A database of all referrals received over a ten year period was created. A coding template was created by KR and AC which allowed for the categorisation of referrals into three main themes: Mood disturbance, CF related events and non-CF related events. The same coding template was used to categorise referrals to the children���s CF service. Descriptive statistics were used to interpret the data.<br/>Results: In 2009/10, 11% of the adult CF population in Northern Ireland were referred to Clinical Psychology. In the past 10 years there were 200 referrals and 105 adults who accessed Clinical Psychology services. The majority of referrals (67%) were re-referrals (range 2-7). More females were referred and they were also more likely to be referred repeatedly The main reason for referral was anxiety. Depression, adherence and end of life/transplant issues also accounted for a large proportion of referrals. A small proportion of referrals were due to non CF related events. There were age and gender differences in the reasons for referral.<br/>Conclusion: A minority of CF patients attending the regional unit were referred to Clinical Psychology. Those who accessed the services appear to be at increased risk of psychological morbidity as re-referral rates are high. The gender difference in referral and re-referral rates may reflect a difference in psychological morbidity or males not accessing services.<br/>

Profiling the ionome of rice and its use in discriminating geographical origins at the regional scale, China

<p>Element profile was investigated for their use to trace the geographical origin of rice (Oryza sativa L.) samples. The concentrations of 13 elements (calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), boron (B), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), and cadmium (Cd)) were determined in the rice samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission and mass spectrometry. Most of the essential elements for human health in rice were within normal ranges except for Mo and Se. Mo concentrations were twice as high as those in rice from Vietnam and Spain. Meanwhile, Se concentrations were three times lower in the whole province compared to the Chinese average level of 0.088 mg/kg. About 12% of the rice samples failed the Chinese national food safety standard of 0.2 mg/kg for Cd. Combined with the multi-elemental profile in rice, the principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant function analysis (DFA) and Fibonacci index analysis (FIA) were applied to discriminate geographical origins of the samples. Results indicated that the FIA method could achieve a more effective geographical origin classification compared with PCA and DFA, due to its efficiency in making the grouping even when the elemental variability was so high that PCA and DFA showed little discriminatory power. Furthermore, some elements were identified as the most powerful indicators of geographical origin: Ca, Ni, Fe and Cd. This suggests that the newly established methodology of FIA based on the ionome profile can be applied to determine the geographical origin of rice.</p>

Central venous catheterization - An anatomical review of a clinical skill - Part 1: Subclavian vein via the infraclavicular approach.

The safe and successful performance of a central venous catheterization (CVC) requires a specific knowledge of anatomy in addition to a working knowledge. Misunderstanding the anatomy may result in failure or complications. This review aims to aid understanding of the anatomical framework, pitfalls, and complications of CVC of the subclavian (SCV). CVC is common practice amongst surgeons, anesthesiologists, and emergency room physicians during the preparations for major surgical procedures such as open-heart surgery, as well as, for intensive care monitoring and rapid restoration of blood volume. Associated with this technique are certain anatomical pitfalls and complications that can be successfully avoided if one possesses a thorough knowledge of the contraindications, regional anatomy, and rationale of the technique.

Histopathologists��� approach to keratoacanthoma: a multisite survey of regional variation in Great Britain and Ireland

Introduction: This survey examines regional variation in the diagnosis of keratoacanthoma (KA).<br/><br/>Methods: Twenty-three departments from Great Britain and Ireland were invited. The number of cases coded as KA or cutaneous SCC in the previous 12���months was retrieved. An SCC: KA ratio was calculated. Participants also provided free text responses.<br/><br/>Results: Seventeen departments replied. A total of 11���718 cases were included with a breakdown of 998 KA and 10���720 SCC. The mean SCC:KA ratio was 10.7:1, range (2.5:1 to 139:1). Free text responses are presented.<br/><br/>Discussions: An extreme variation in approach is highlighted by this survey. We believe a multidisciplinary team approach to the diagnosis of KA is essential. There seems to be a need for a carefully considered clinicopathological study, backed up by molecular studies, to better understand the natural biology of this diagnosis.

Combining global climate and regional landscape models to improve prediction of invasion risk

Aim<br/>It is widely acknowledged that species distributions result from a variety of biotic and abiotic factors operating at different spatial scales. Here, we aimed to (1) determine the extent to which global climate niche models (CNMs) can be improved by the addition of fine-scale regional data; (2) examine climatic and environmental factors influencing the range of 15 invasive aquatic plant species; and (3) provide a case study for the use of such models in invasion management on an island.<br/><br/>Location<br/>Global, with a case study of species invasions in Ireland.<br/><br/>Methods<br/>Climate niche models of global extent (including climate only) and regional environmental niche models (with additional factors such as human influence, land use and soil characteristics) were generated using maxent for 15 invasive aquatic plants. The performance of these models within the invaded range of the study species in Ireland was assessed, and potential hotspots of invasion suitability were determined. Models were projected forward up to 2080 based on two climate scenarios.<br/><br/>Results<br/>While climate variables are important in defining the global range of species, factors related to land use and nutrient level were of greater importance in regional projections. Global climatic models were significantly improved at the island scale by the addition of fine-scale environmental variables (area under the curve values increased by 0.18 and true skill statistic values by 0.36), and projected ranges decreased from an average of 86% to 36% of the island.<br/><br/>Main conclusions<br/>Refining CNMs with regional data on land use, human influence and landscape may have a substantial impact on predictive capacity, providing greater value for prioritization of conservation management at subregional or local scales.

Distal volcanic ash layers in the Lateglacial Interstadial (GI-1): problems of stratigraphic discrimination

A new Icelandic ash layer has been detected in mid-Interstadial sediments in a number of Scottish Lateglacial sequences and has been named the Penifiler Tephra. It is rhyolitic in composition and possesses a chemistry, which is similar to the Borrobol Tephra of early Lateglacial Interstadial age, which also occurs in a number of these same sequences. Where the Borrobol Tephra has been identified in these sequences it consistently exhibits a diffuse distribution accompanied in some cases by stratigraphic bimodality. A number of sedimentological and taphonomic factors are considered in order to account for this distribution. One possibility is that these distributions are produced by taphonomic factors. Another possibility is that the Borrobol Tephra may not be the product of a single Icelandic eruption, but of two events closely spaced in time. In at least two of the sequences investigated in this study, basaltic shards were found in association with the Penifiler and Borrobol tephras, suggesting either a basaltic phase associated with these eruptions, or coincident eruptions from a separate basaltic volcanic centre. The discovery of the new Penifiler Tephra makes a contribution to the regional tephrostratigraphic framework, and provides an additional isochron for assessing the synchroneity of palaeoenvironmental changes during the Interstadial. The true stratigraphic nature and age of the Borrobol Tephra, however, remains unresolved and, therefore, its use as an isochron is more problematic. The possible occurrence of basaltic populations may strengthen correlations with basaltic tephras recently detected in the NGRIP ice-core.

Young, Old, and Weathered Carbon���Part 1: Using Radiocarbon and Stable Isotopes to Identify Carbon Sources in an Alkaline, Humic Lake

This article presents a case study of Lower Lough Erne, a humic, alkaline lake in northwest Ireland, and uses the radiocarbon method to determine the source and age of carbon to establish whether terrestrial carbon is utilized by heterotrophic organisms or buried in sediment. Stepped combustion was used to estimate the degree of the burial of terrestrial carbon in surface sediment. ���14C, ��13C, and ��15N values were measured for phytoplankton, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and particulate organic carbon (POC). ���14C values were used to indicate the presence of different sources of carbon, including bedrock-derived inorganic carbon, ���modern,��� ���recent,��� ���subsurface,��� and ���subfossil��� terrestrial carbon in the lake. The use of��14C in conjunction with novel methods (e.g. stepped combustion) allows the determination of the pathway of terrestrial carbon in the system, which has implications for regional and global carbon cycling.

The emergence of bone technologies at the end of the pleistocene in Southeast Asia:Regional and evolutionary implications

<p>For many decades Palaeolithic research viewed the development of early modern human behaviour as largely one of progress down a path towards the modernity of the present. The European Palaeolithic sequence the most extensively studied was for a long time the yard-stick against which records from other regions were judged. Recent work undertaken in Africa and increasingly Asia, however, now suggests that the European evidence may tell a story that is more parochial and less universal than previously thought. While tracking developments at the large scale (the grand narrative) remains important, there is growing appreciation that to achieve a comprehensive understanding of human behavioural evolution requires an archaeologically regional perspective to balance this. One of the apparent markers of human modernity that has been sought in the global Palaeolithic record, prompted by finds in the European sequence, is innovation in bonebased technologies. As one step in the process of re-evaluating and contextualizing such innovations, in this article we explore the role of prehistoric bone technologies within the Southeast Asian sequence, where they have at least comparable antiquity to Europe and other parts of Asia. We observe a shift in the technological usage of bone from a minor component to a medium of choice during the second half of the Last Termination and into the Holocene. We suggest that this is consistent with it becoming a focus of the kinds of inventive behaviour demanded of foraging communities as they adapted to the far-reaching environmental and demographic changes that were reshaping this region at that time. This record represents one small element of a much wider, much longerterm adaptive process, which we would argue is not confined to the earliest instances of a particular technology or behaviour, but which forms part of an on-going story of our behavioural evolution. �� 2012 The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.</p>