A cultural study on communication and technology with specific reference to media in China

This dissertation examines the role of communications technology in social change. It examines secondary data on contemporary China arguing that many interpretations of events in China are unsuitable at best and at worst conceptually damages our understanding of social change in China. This is especially the case in media studies under the ‘democratic framework’. It proposes that there is an alternative framework in studying the media and social change. This alternative conceptual framework is termed a zone of interpretative development offering a means by which to discuss events that take place in a mediated environment. Taking a theoretical foundation using the philosophy of Mikhail Bakhtin this dissertation develops a platform with which to understand communication technology from an anthropological perspective. Three media events from contemporary China are examined. The first examines the Democracy Wall event and the implications of using a public sphere framework. The second case examines the phenomenon of the Grass Mud Horse, a symbol that has gained popular purchase as a humorous expression of political dissatisfaction and develops the problems seen in the first case but with some solutions. Using a modification of Lev Vygotskiĭ’s zone of proximal development this symbol is understood as an expression of the collective recognition of a shared experience. In the second example from the popular TV talent show contests in China further expressions of collective experience are introduced. With the evidence from these media events in contemporary China this dissertation proposes that we can understand certain modes of communication as occurring in a zone of interpretative development. This proposed anthropological feature of social change via communication and technology can fruitfully describe meaning-formation in society via the expression and recognition of shared experiences.

Biogas production from novel substrates

Biogas production is the conversion of the organic material into methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) under anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is widely used in continental and Scandinavian communities as both a waste treatment option and a source of renewable energy. Ireland however lags behind this European movement. Numerous feedstocks exist which could be digested and used to fuel a renewable transport fleet in Ireland. An issue exists with the variety of feedstocks; these need to be assessed and quantified to ascertain their potential resource and application to AD. From literature the ideal C:N ratio is between 25 and 30:1. Low levels of C:N (<15) can lead to problems with ammonia inhibition. Within the digester a plentiful supply of nutrients and a balanced C:N is required for stable performance. Feedstocks were sampled from a range of over 100 different substrates in Ireland including for first, second and third generation feedstocks. The C:N ranged from 81:1 (Winter Oats) to 7:1 (Silage Effluent). The BMP yields were recorded ranging from 38 ± 2.0 L CH4 kg−1 VS for pig slurry (weaning pigs) to 805 ± 57 L CH4 kg−1 VS for used cooking oil (UCO). However the selection of the best preforming feedstock in terms of C:N ratio or BMP yield alone is not sufficiently adequate. A total picture has to be created which includes C:N ratio, BMP yield, harvest yield and availability. Potential feedstocks which best meet these requirements include for Grass silage, Milk processing waste (MPW) and Saccharina latissima. MPW has a potential of meeting over 6 times the required energy for Ireland’s 2020 transport in energy targets. S. Latissima recorded a yield of over 10,000 GJ ha-1 yr-1 which out ranks traditional second generation biofuels by a factor of more than 4.

The Haemophilus influenzae HMW1C protein is a glycosyltransferase that transfers hexose residues to asparagine sites in the HMW1 adhesin.

The Haemophilus influenzae HMW1 adhesin is a high-molecular weight protein that is secreted by the bacterial two-partner secretion pathway and mediates adherence to respiratory epithelium, an essential early step in the pathogenesis of H. influenzae disease. In recent work, we discovered that HMW1 is a glycoprotein and undergoes N-linked glycosylation at multiple asparagine residues with simple hexose units rather than N-acetylated hexose units, revealing an unusual N-glycosidic linkage and suggesting a new glycosyltransferase activity. Glycosylation protects HMW1 against premature degradation during the process of secretion and facilitates HMW1 tethering to the bacterial surface, a prerequisite for HMW1-mediated adherence. In the current study, we establish that the enzyme responsible for glycosylation of HMW1 is a protein called HMW1C, which is encoded by the hmw1 gene cluster and shares homology with a group of bacterial proteins that are generally associated with two-partner secretion systems. In addition, we demonstrate that HMW1C is capable of transferring glucose and galactose to HMW1 and is also able to generate hexose-hexose bonds. Our results define a new family of bacterial glycosyltransferases.

Using sediment flocculation to reduce the impacts of Chesapeake Bay Microcystis aeruginosa harmful algal blooms

Gemstone Team BREATHE (Bay Revitalization Efforts Against the Hypoxic Environment)

Tree diameter distribution modelling: introducing the logitlogistic distribution

Johnson's SB distribution is a four-parameter distribution that is transformed into a normal distribution by a logit transformation. By replacing the normal distribution of Johnson's SB with the logistic distribution, we obtain a new distributional model that approximates SB. It is analytically tractable, and we name it the "logitlogistic" (LL) distribution. A generalized four-parameter Weibull model and the Burr XII model are also introduced for comparison purposes. Using the distribution "shape plane" (with axes skew and kurtosis) we compare the "coverage" properties of the LL, the generalized Weibull, and the Burr XII with Johnson's SB, the beta, and the three-parameter Weibull, the main distributions used in forest modelling. The LL is found to have the largest range of shapes. An empirical case study of the distributional models is conducted on 107 sample plots of Chinese fir. The LL performs best among the four-parameter models.

Morphological and molecular characteristics of a new species of Pasteuria parasitic on Meloidogyne ardenensis

A species of the hyper-parasitic bacterium Pasteuria was isolated from the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne ardenensis infecting the roots of ash (Fraxinus excelsior). It is morphologically different from some other Pasteuria pathogens of nematodes in that the spores lack a basal ring on the ventral side of the spore and have a unique clumping nature. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the clumps of spores are not random aggregates but result from the disintegration of the suicide cells of the thalli. Sporulation within each vegetative mycelium was shown to be asynchronous. In addition to the novel morphological features 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed this to be a new species of Pasteuria which we have called P. hartismeri. Spores of P. hartismeri attach to juveniles of root-knot nematodes infecting a wide range of plants such as mint (Meloidogyne hapla), rye grass (unidentified Meloidogyne sp.) and potato (Meloidogyne fallax).

Larval development of the intertidal barnacles Chthamalus stellatus and Chthamalus montagui

Two recently-distinguished species of Chthamalus (Cirripedia) are found on rocky shores in the north-eastern Atlantic: C. stellatus predominant on islands and headlands and C. montagui more abundant in bays. Larvae of the two species were produced in laboratory cultures to describe and compare the morphology and to allow identification in plankton samples. Nauplius larvae of C. stellatus are up to 30% larger than those of C. montagui. Differences in setation are minor. The two species are easily distinguishable from the size and shape of the cephalic shield. Chthamalus stellatus has a subcircular shield with longer body processes in later stages while C. montagui is more ovoid. The former develop more slowly in culture than the latter. Chthamalus stellatus larvae in a culture at 19 °C reached stage VI in 16 d compared to 11 d for larvae of C. montagui at the same temperature. The morphology and longer development time of C. stellatus larvae suggests adaptation to a more oceanic lifestyle and wider dispersal to reach more fragmented habitats than larvae of C. montagui. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Influence Of Temperature And Salinity On Energy Partitioning In The Marine Nematode Diplolaimelloides-Bruciei

Measurements of population growth, generation time, fecundity and respiration in laboratory culture have been made, in relation to temperature and salinity, for the nematode Diplolaimelloides bruciei Hopper, a species normally associated with decayed material of the marsh grass Spartina. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) is high: it is related to temperature between 5° and 25°C by a sigmoid function which is steepest between 10° and 15°C, and is maximum at 26‰ salinity. Generation time is related to temperature by a power function and is shortest at 26‰ salinity. The effect of temperature on generation time is consistent with other data for marine nematodes, and the steep slope of r against temperature is largely due to the marked effect of temperature on fecundity. A sex ratio of 2:1 in favour of males is maintained regardless of culture conditions or population density. Respiration increases exponentially with temperature between 5° and 25°C, with a very high Q10 (3.94), but is not affected by salinity. At 30°C respiration is no higher than at 25°C. A high and relatively stable production efficiency (P/A) is maintained between 10 and 30°C with a maximum of 87% at 15°C; there is a stable reproductive effort (Pr/A) of about 10%. At 5°C both these ratios are zero. Data for the harpacticoid copepod Tachidius discipes, derived from the literature, show that this too has a high and stable production efficiency, which may be a characteristic of meiofaunal species in general, but in this species efficiency is relatively high at 5°C. Many features of the energy balance in D. bruciei can be related to an opportunistic mode of life.

Diversity of functional groups in the vegetation sandy seashore of the Grande, Anclitas and Caguamas Cays (Jardines de la Reina Archipelago, Cuba)

Sandy shores are known to be extreme ecosystems where the vegetation has evolved many morphological and physiological adaptations for its survival. With the aim of identify possible relationships between the vegetation´s functional diversity with abiotic factors and its corresponding quantification, we collected data on the abundance and richness of the sandy coast vegetation complex in Grande, Anclitas and Caguamas keys. Its flora is largely characterized by the dominance of hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes plants with nanophyllous leaves and displaying dispersal syndromes such as zoochory and anemochory. However, the functional groups´ richness, in the present study, varies from one key to another. Functional diversity is similar between the wet and dry seasons, and its spatial variation is influenced by the interplay of the set of abiotic factors herein studied.

Channel Catchments Cluster: Compendium of Tools

Although the narrow stretch of water that separates England from France has seen both welcome (and occasionally less welcome) exchanges during the past thousand years, this physical challenge to the movement of people has certainly served to obstruct collaborative efforts that might establish a more sustainable economy in our part of Europe. Since 2009, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)-supported Interreg Programme France (Channel) England Region has actively supported efforts by organisations in France and England to work ever more closely together, to share good practice and to devise new ways to support sustainable development in the Region. The initiatives are certainly rooted in excellent research, but they have also been driven by the real needs of the Region and in all cases partners have worked to develop practical tools that can be readily applied in both France and England. The Channel Catchment Cluster (3C) builds on this growing tradition of cross-border cooperation to bring together the very best new knowledge from recent Anglo-French teamwork. The contents of this Compendium are the result of a wide variety of grass-roots initiatives that have benefitted enormously from a cross-border meeting of minds. The Cluster has brought together several of these cross-border teams to discuss their work and to share good practice in the dissemination and application of novel tools for environmental protection. This Compendium therefore not only presents a 'snapshot' of the wide variety of environmental protection and management tools that have emerged from the France (Channel) England Region, it also summarises where they stand on their 'pathway to impact'. There is clearly much more that can be achieved by future cross-border efforts in our Region, but I believe that this Compendium provides an excellent basis for future action. Professor Huw Taylor University of Brighton UK

Nomenclature and syntaxonomic notes on some high-rank syntaxa of the European grassland vegetation

We present descriptions of a new order (Ranunculo cortusifolii-Geranietalia reuteri and of a new alliance (Stachyo lusitanicae-Cheirolophion sempervirentis) for the herbaceous fringe communities of Macaronesia and of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, respectively. A new alliance, the Polygalo mediterraneae-Bromion erecti (mesophilous post-cultural grasslands), was introduced for the Peninsular Italy. We further validate and typify the Armerietalia rumelicae (perennial grasslands supported by nutrient-poor on siliceous bedrocks at altitudes characterized by the submediterranean climate of central-southern Balkan Peninsula), the Securigero-Dasypyrion villosae (lawn and fallow-land tall-grass annual vegetation of Italy), and the Cirsio vallis-demoni-Nardion (acidophilous grasslands on siliceous substrates of the Southern Italy). Nomenclatural issues (validity, legitimacy, synonymy, formal corrections) have been discussed and clarified for the following names: Brachypodio-Brometalia, Bromo pannonici-Festucion csikhegyensis, Corynephoro-Plantaginion radicatae, Heleochloion, Hieracio-Plantaginion radicatae, Nardetea strictae, Nardetalia strictae, Nardo-Callunetea, Nardo-Galion saxatilis, Oligo-Bromion, Paspalo-Heleochloetalia, Plantagini-Corynephorion and Scorzoneret alia villosae. 

A structural basis for different antifreeze protein roles

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are produced by a variety of organisms to either protect them from freezing or help them tolerate being frozen. Recent structural work has shown that AFPs bind to ice using ordered surface waters on a particular surface of the protein called the ice-binding site (IBS). These 'anchored clathrate' waters fuse to particular planes of an ice crystal and hence irreversibly bind the AFP to its ligand. An AFP isolated from the perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne (LpAFP) was previously modelled as a right-handed beta helix with two proposed IBSs. Steric mutagenesis, where small side chains were replaced with larger ones, determined that only one of the putative IBSs was responsible for binding ice. The mutagenesis work also partly validated the fold of the computer-generated model of this AFP. In order to determine the structure of the protein, LpAFP was crystallized and solved to 1.4 Å resolution. The protein folds as an untwisted left-handed beta-helix, of opposite handedness to the model. The IBS identified by mutagenesis is remarkably flat, but less regular than the IBS of most other AFPs. Furthermore, several of the residues constituting the IBS are in multiple conformations. This irregularity may explain why LpAFP causes less thermal hysteresis than many other AFPs. Its imperfect IBS is also argued to be responsible for LpAFP's heightened ice-recrystallization inhibition activity. The structure of LpAFP is the first for a plant AFP and for a protein responsible for providing freeze tolerance rather than freeze resistance. To help understand what constitutes an IBS, a non-ice-binding homologue of type III AFP, sialic acid synthase (SAS), was engineered for ice binding. Point mutations were made to the germinal IBS of SAS to mimic key features seen in type III AFP. The crystal structures of some of the mutant proteins showed that the potential IBS became less charged and flatter as the mutations progressed, and ice affinity was gained. This proof-of-principle study highlights some of the difficulties in AFP engineering.

Grassland-herbivore interactions: How do grazers coexist?

We develop a new approach to modeling grazing systems that links foraging characteristics (intake and digestive constraints) with resource dynamics via the probability of encounter with different grass heights. Three complementary models are presented: the generation of a grass height structure through selective grazing; investigating the conditions for consumer coexistence; and, using a simplified resource structure, the consequences for consumer abundance. The main finding is that coexistence between grazers differing in body size is possible if a single-resource type becomes differentiated in its height structure. Large grazers can facilitate food availability for smaller species but with the latter being competitively dominant. The relative preference given to different resource partitions is important in determining the nature of population interactions. Large-body and small-body grazer populations can interact through competitive, parasitic, commensalist, or amensalist relationships, depending on the way they partition the resource as well as their relative populations and the dynamics of resource renewal. The models provide new concepts of multispecies carrying capacity (stock equilibrium) in grazed systems with implications for conservation and management. We conclude that consumer species are not substitutable; therefore, the use of rangeland management concepts such as "livestock units" may be inappropriate.

How simple grazing rules can lead to persistent boundaries in vegetation communities.

Natural landscape boundaries between vegetation communities are dynamically influenced by the selective grazing of herbivores. Here we show how this may be an emergent property of very simple animal decisions, without the need for any sophisticated choice rules etc., using a model based on biased diffusion. Animal grazing intensity is coupled with plant competition, resulting in reaction-diffusion dynamics, from which stable boundaries spontaneously emerge. In the model, animals affect their resources by both consumption and trampling. It is assumed that forage consists of two heterogeneously distributed competing resource species, one that is preferred (grass) over the other (heather) by the animals. The solutions to the resulting system of differential equations for three cases a) optimal foraging, b) random walk foraging and c) taxis-diffusion are presented. Optimal and random foraging gave unrealistic results, but taxis-diffusion accorded well with field observations. Persistent boundaries between patches of near-monoculture vegetation were predicted, with these boundaries drifting in response to overall grazing pressure (grass advancing with increased grazing and vice versa). The reaction-taxis-diffusion model provides the first mathematical explanation for such vegetation mosaic dynamics and the parameters of the model are open to experimental testing.

Marine04 marine radiocarbon age calibration, 0-26 cal kyr BP

New radiocarbon calibration curves, IntCal04 and Marine04, have been constructed and internationally ratified to replace the terrestrial and marine components of IntCal98. The new calibration data sets extend an additional 2000 yr, from 0–26 cal kyr BP (Before Present, 0 cal BP = AD 1950), and provide much higher resolution, greater precision, and more detailed structure than IntCal98. For the Marine04 curve, dendrochronologically-dated tree-ring samples, converted with a box diffusion model to marine mixed-layer ages, cover the period from 0–10.5 cal kyr BP. Beyond 10.5 cal kyr BP, high-resolution marine data become available from foraminifera in varved sediments and U/Th-dated corals. The marine records are corrected with site-specific 14C reservoir age information to provide a single global marine mixed-layer calibration from 10.5–26.0 cal kyr BP. A substantial enhancement relative to IntCal98 is the introduction of a random walk model, which takes into account the uncertainty in both the calendar age and the 14C age to calculate the underlying calibration curve (Buck and Blackwell, this issue). The marine data sets and calibration curve for marine samples from the surface mixed layer (Marine04) are discussed here. The tree-ring data sets, sources of uncertainty, and regional offsets are presented in detail in a companion paper by Reimer et al. (this issue).