985 resultados para Estoppel by record
Resumo:
The deployment of biofuels is significantly affected by policy in energy and agriculture. In the energy arena, concerns regarding the sustainability of biofuel systems and their impact on food prices led to a set of sustainability criteria in EU Directive 2009/28/EC on Renewable Energy. In addition, the 10% biofuels target by 2020 was replaced with a 10% renewable energy in transport target. This allows the share of renewable electricity used by electric vehicles to contribute to the mix in achieving the 2020 target. Furthermore, only biofuel systems that effect a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared with the fuel they replace are allowed to contribute to meeting the target. In the agricultural arena, cross-compliance (which is part of EU Common Agricultural Policy) dictates the allowable ratio of grassland to total agricultural land, and has a significant impact on which biofuels may be supported. This paper outlines the impact of these policy areas and their implications for the production and use of biofuels in terms of the 2020 target for 10% renewable transport energy, focusing on Ireland. The policies effectively impose constraints on many conventional energy crop biofuels and reinforce the merits of using biomethane, a gaseous biofuel. The analysis shows that Ireland can potentially satisfy 15% of renewable energy in transport by 2020 (allowing for double credit for biofuels from residues and ligno-cellulosic materials, as per Directive 2009/28/EC) through the use of indigenous biofuels: grass biomethane, waste and residue derived biofuels, electric vehicles and rapeseed biodiesel. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Sequestration of CO2 via biological sinks is a matter of great scientific importance due to the potential lowering of atmospheric CO2. In this study, a custom built incubation chamber was used to cultivate a soil microbial community to instigate chemoautotrophy of a temperate soil. Real-time atmospheric CO2 concentrations were monitored and estimations of total CO2 uptake were made. After careful background flux corrections, 4.52 +/- 0.05 g CO2 kg I dry soil was sequestered from the chamber atmosphere over 40 h. Using isotopically labelled (CO2)-C-13 and GCMS-IRMS, labelled fatty acids were identified after only a short incubation, hence confirming CO2 sequestration for soil. The results of this in vivo study provide the ground work for future studies intending to mimic the in situ environment by providing a reliable method for investigating CO2 uptake by soil microorganisms.(C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Ultraviolet and X-ray observations show evidence of outflowing gas around many active galactic nuclei. It has been proposed that some of these outflows are driven off gas infalling towards the central supermassive black hole. We perform radiative transfer calculations to compute the gas ionization state and the emergent X-ray spectra for both two- and three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamical simulations of this outflow-from-inflow scenario. By comparison with observations, our results can be used to test the theoretical models and guide future numerical simulations. We predict both absorption and emission features, most of which are formed in a polar funnel of relatively dense (10 -10 g cm ) outflowing gas. This outflow causes strong absorption for observer orientation angles of ?35°. Particularly in 3D, the strength of this absorption varies significantly for different lines of sight owing to the fragmentary structure of the gas flow. Although infalling material occupies a large fraction of the simulation volume, we do not find that it imprints strong absorption features in the X-ray spectra since the ionization state is predicted to be very high. Thus, an absence of observed inflow absorption features does not exclude the models. The main spectroscopic consequence of the infalling gas is a Compton-scattered continuum component that partially re-fills the absorption features caused by the outflowing polar funnel. Fluorescence and scattering in the outflow are predicted to give rise to several emission features including a multicomponent Fe Ka emission complex for all observer orientations. For the hydrodynamical simulations considered, we predict both ionization states and column densities for the outflowing gas that are too high to be quantitatively consistent with well-observed X-ray absorption systems. Nevertheless, our results are qualitatively encouraging and further exploration of the model parameter space is warranted. Higher resolution hydrodynamic simulations are needed to determine whether the outflows fragment on scales unresolved in our current study, which may yield the denser lower ionization material that could reconcile the models and the observations. © 2012 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2012 RAS.
Resumo:
The Herbig Ae/Be stars are intermediate mass pre-main sequence stars that bridge the gap between the low mass T Tauri stars and the Massive Young Stellar Objects. In this mass range, the acting star forming mechanism switches from magnetically controlled accretion to an as yet unknown mechanism, but which is likely to be direct disk accretion onto the star. We observed a large sample of Herbig Ae/Be stars with X-shooter to address this issue from a multi-wavelength perspective. It is the largest such study to date, not only because of the number of objects involved, but also because of the large wavelength coverage from the blue to the near-infrared. This allows many accretion diagnostics to be studied simultaneously. By correlating the various properties with mass, temperature and age, we aim to determine where and whether the magnetically controlled mass accretion mechanism halts and the proposed direct disk accretion takes over. Here, we will give an overview of the background, present some observations and discuss our initial results. We will introduce a new accretion diagnostic for the research of Herbig Ae/Be stars, the HeI 1.083 µm line. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
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Colistin resistance is rare in Acinetobacter baumannii, and little is known about its mechanism. We investigated the role of PmrCAB in this trait, using (i) resistant and susceptible clinical strains, (ii) laboratory-selected mutants of the type strain ATCC 19606 and of the clinical isolate ABRIM, and (iii) a susceptible/resistant pair of isogenic clinical isolates, Ab15/133 and Ab15/132, isolated from the same patient. pmrAB sequences in all the colistin-susceptible isolates were identical to reference sequences, whereas resistant clinical isolates harbored one or two amino acid replacements variously located in PmrB. Single substitutions in PmrB were also found in resistant mutants of strains ATCC 19606 and ABRIM and in the resistant clinical isolate Ab15/132. No mutations in PmrA or PmrC were found. Reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR identified increased expression of pmrA (4- to 13-fold), pmrB (2- to 7-fold), and pmrC (1- to 3-fold) in resistant versus susceptible organisms. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry showed the addition of phosphoethanolamine to the hepta-acylated form of lipid A in the resistant variants and in strain ATCC 19606 grown under low-Mg induction conditions. pmrB gene knockout mutants of the colistin-resistant ATCC 19606 derivative showed >100-fold increased susceptibility to colistin and 5-fold decreased expression of pmrC; they also lacked the addition of phosphoethanolamine to lipid A. We conclude that the development of a moderate level of colistin resistance in A. baumannii requires distinct genetic events, including (i) at least one point mutation in pmrB, (ii) upregulation of pmrAB, and (iii) expression of pmrC, which lead to addition of phosphoethanolamine to lipid A. Copyright © 2011, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Resumo:
A random dialing telephone survey of 1,071 60+ year-olds in 4 Ontario communities identified 553 (52%) users of natural health products. Mean age was 72 yrs (min-max:60-95); 76% were female. The most frequently reported natural health products were: echinacea (27%), glucosamine (26%), garlic (20%), ginkgo biloba (10%), St. John's wort (5%), ginseng (5%), flax seed oil (3%), evening primrose oil (2%), devil's claw (2%), saw palmetto (2%). Natural source vitamin use was reported by 24% of users, and 6% reporting using herbal teas. 51% of users used 2 or more herbal products and 8% used 5 or more products. 19% of herbal users also used a conventional prescription drug to manage the same health problem as the herbal product. The reported range of monthly expenditures for these products varied from a few cents (grew their own) to $288 (CAN). Thirty-five percent of users did not know the price of at least one of their natural products. Of the 75% of respondents willing to disclose their annual household income ($CAN), 20 had an income of $46,000. The widespread use and potential for significant expenditure of limited resources would suggest that more study is required into the efficacy, safety and value of these products.
Resumo:
A random dialing telephone survey in 4 Ontario communities obtained data on the use of natural health products (NHP) from 1,071 persons 60 years and older. 553 (52%) respondents were users of NHP. Prevalence of use was similar for females (53%) and males (48%). In this population modal users were of European descent, high school graduates and employed at least part-time. Half the users received recommendations about NHP from friends or relatives; another 22% learned about NHP through self-experimentation. Most users (81 %) decided by themselves whether they would buy an NHP rather than rely on input from another source (herbalist, physician, store owner/employee). 38% of NHP users had not informed their physician that they were using an NHP. When users had discussed NHP with their physician, less than 5% of physicians responded negatively. Some users felt natural health products were safer (15%) and less expensive (4%) than prescription drugs. 30% used NHP as a last resort for the treatment of a chronic disease. Nearly half (49%) of the users believed that if the government pays for prescription drugs, it should also pay for herbal remedies; 36% said the consumer should pay. In light of the extensive use of NHP by seniors, there is a need for clinical pharmacology studies of these products.
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This paper proposes a two-level 3D human pose tracking method for a specific action captured by several cameras. The generation of pose estimates relies on fitting a 3D articulated model on a Visual Hull generated from the input images. First, an initial pose estimate is constrained by a low dimensional manifold learnt by Temporal Laplacian Eigenmaps. Then, an improved global pose is calculated by refining individual limb poses. The validation of our method uses a public standard dataset and demonstrates its accurate and computational efficiency. © 2011 IEEE.
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The effects of changes in circulating gonadal steroids on GH secretion elicited by GHRH challenge (1µg/kg) in normal adults volunteers (aged 18-24 years), were evaluated in 10 women and 10 men before and after gonadal blockade was achieved by a GnRH agonist (1500 µg/day by nasal spray for 40 days). To see if the effect of testosterone on GH secretion was dependent on its aromatization to estradiol (E), GHRH tests were performed in 7 normal men prior to administration of testosterone enanthate (250 mg im), 8 days after this treatment had began, and again after E receptor blockade with tamoxifen (30 mg for 2 days plus 10 mg on the third day 2 h before the GHRH test, po) administered 8 days after testosterone enanthate. The study of the functional status of the somatotropes at the time of GHRH testing was made according to our previous postulate. Short-term gonadal blockade did not affect the parameters of GH response to GHRH in neither women nor men. Thus, the functional blockade of the gonads may be advisable as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of hypothalamic GH deficiency during the prepubertal stage. In the other group of men, administration of testosterone enanthate significantly increased GHRH-elicited GH release, but this was reverted after E receptor blockade. Since the hypothalamic-somatotrope rhythm was altered by both these farmacological manipulations, it appears that testosterone acts on GH release mainly at the suprapituitary level, and that this action is secondary to its aromatization to E.
Resumo:
Aim - To describe a new surgical technique for foveal relocation, and to report the outcome in nine patients treated with this procedure. Methods - Nine consecutive patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVMs) secondary to age related macular degeneration underwent foveal relocation surgery by redistribution of the neurosensory retina (RNR). The technique involved induction of a retinal detachment via a single retinotomy, relocation of the fovea by 'sweeping' the retinal tissue with a retinal brush, and stabilisation of the retina in its new location using perfluorocarbon liquid peroperatively and silicone oil postoperatively. Results - In eight of nine eyes successful relocation of the fovea was achieved; in one eye the CNVM remained in a subfoveal location postoperatively. Visual acuity improved in two eyes, remained unchanged in three, and decreased in four eyes after a median follow up of 4 months (range 2.5-6 months). Complications included rupture of a foveal cyst with the development of a macular hole in one eye and epimacular membrane formation in another eye. In two eyes, macular retinal vessel closure occurred at the time of laser photocoagulation; one of these eyes later developed cystoid macular oedema and the other an epiretinal membrane. Recurrence of the CNVM was observed in one eye, but was controlled with further laser treatment. Conclusions - Foveal relocation by RNR appears to be feasible, obviating the need for extensive retinotomies or scleral shortening.
Resumo:
Nociception allows for immediate reflex withdrawal whereas pain allows for longer-term protection via rapid learning. We examine here whether shore crabs placed within a brightly lit chamber learn to avoid one of two dark shelters when that shelter consistently results in shock. Crabs were randomly selected to receive shock or not prior to making their first choice and were tested again over 10 trials. Those that received shock in trial 2, irrespective of shock in trial 1, were more likely to switch shelter choice in the next trial and thus showed rapid discrimination. During trial 1, many crabs emerged from the shock shelter and an increasing proportion emerged in later trials, thus avoiding shock by entering a normally avoided light area. In a final test we switched distinctive visual stimuli positioned above each shelter and/or changed the orientation of the crab when placed in the chamber for the test. The visual stimuli had no effect on choice, but crabs with altered orientation now selected the shock shelter, indicating that they had discriminated between the two shelters on the basis of movement direction. These data, and those of other recent experiments, are consistent with key criteria for pain experience and are broadly similar to those from vertebrate studies. © 2013. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
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We have carried out optical Thomson scattering measurements from a laser induced breakdown in He at 1 atmosphere. The breakdown was created with a Nd:YAG laser with 9ns pulse duration and 400mJ pulse energy focused into a chamber filled with He. A second harmonic Nd: YAG laser with 9ns pulses and up to 80mJ energy was used to obtain temporally and spatially resolved data on the electron density and temperature. In parallel experiments, we measured the emission of the 447.1nm line from He I. Initial results suggest good agreement between densities inferred but full Abel inversion is needed for conclusive results.
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Rice and sago are today important staples for many subsistence farmers and nomadic hunter-gatherers living in interior Borneo, but the cultural antiquity of these staples remains poorly understood. This study examines a 2300 yr sedimentary record from a palaeochannel near the village of Pa’Dalih in the southern Kelabit Highlands. Pollen and phytolith evidence indicate significant use of the sago palm Eugeissona near the channel during this period. Oryza phytoliths likely belonging to domesticated rice varieties are also recorded, although rice may have been used to a lesser extent than the sago palms. A rise in cultural activity takes place between c. 1715 and 1600 cal. BP, shown by increased frequency of fires.
Resumo:
The SH gene and its flanking sequences have been analysed for 10 strains of mumps virus (MuV) and compared to 5 others. A new lineage has been identified among UK isolates. Changes in the transcription pattern could not be correlated with differences in the sequences of the F-SH and SH-HN intergenic regions of the genome.