The first fifty years of the Freshwater Biological Association

A brief history of the Freshwater Biological Association is given in this article. The association has been in existence for fifty years, having been founded in 1929.

Joint research project on the aquatic ecotoxicity of organo-aluminium: Chemical reactions. First interim report

The overall goal of the joint research project is to relate the chemical reactions involved in the formation of organo-aluminium complexes under acid conditions to their toxic effects on the physiology of aquatic organisms. Finally, this research is intended to predict toxic effects arising from acidity and aluminium under varying environmental conditions. This interim report examines the chemical modelling of ion-binding by humic substances where a computer model has been developed and is being tested using field data, and conditions required for the precipitation of aluminium in surface waters.

I. Site effects and exciton structure in molecular crystals - Benzene. II. The first and second triplet states of solid benzene

The effect of intermolecular coupling in molecular energy levels (electronic and vibrational) has been investigated in neat and isotopic mixed crystals of benzene. In the isotopic mixed crystals of C₆H₆, C₆H₅D, m-C₆H₄D₂, p-C₆H₄D₂, sym-C₆H₃D₃, C₆D₅H, and C₆D₆ in either a C₆H₆ or C₆D₆ host, the following phenomena have been observed and interpreted in terms of a refined Frenkel exciton theory: a) Site shifts; b) site group splittings of the degenerate ground state vibrations of C₆H₆, C₆D₆, and sym-C₆H₃D₃; c) the orientational effect for the isotopes without a trigonal axis in both the ¹B_2u electronic state and the ground state vibrations; d) intrasite Fermi resonance between molecular fundamentals due to the reduced symmetry of the crystal site; and e) intermolecular or intersite Fermi resonance between nearly degenerate states of the host and guest molecules. In the neat crystal experiments on the ground state vibrations it was possible to observe many of these phenomena in conjunction with and in addition to the exciton structure.

To theoretically interpret these diverse experimental data, the concepts of interchange symmetry, the ideal mixed crystal, and site wave functions have been developed and are presented in detail. In the interpretation of the exciton data the relative signs of the intermolecular coupling constants have been emphasized, and in the limit of the ideal mixed crystal a technique is discussed for locating the exciton band center or unobserved exciton components. A differentiation between static and dynamic interactions is made in the Frenkel limit which enables the concepts of site effects and exciton coupling to be sharpened. It is thus possible to treat the crystal induced effects in such a fashion as to make their similarities and differences quite apparent.

A calculation of the ground state vibrational phenomena (site shifts and splittings, orientational effects, and exciton structure) and of the crystal lattice modes has been carried out for these systems. This calculation serves as a test of the approximations of first order Frenkel theory and the atom-atom, pair wise interaction model for the intermolecular potentials. The general form of the potential employed was V(r) = Be^-Cr - A/r⁶ ; the force constants were obtained from the potential by assuming the atoms were undergoing simple harmonic motion.

In part II the location and identification of the benzene first and second triplet states (³B_1u and ³E_1u) is given.

Decoding cosets of first-order Reed-Muller code

Proper encoding of transmitted information can improve the performance of a communication system. To recover the information at the receiver it is necessary to decode the received signal. For many codes the complexity and slowness of the decoder is so severe that the code is not feasible for practical use. This thesis considers the decoding problem for one such class of codes, the comma-free codes related to the first-order Reed-Muller codes.

A factorization of the code matrix is found which leads to a simple, fast, minimum memory, decoder. The decoder is modular and only n modules are needed to decode a code of length 2ⁿ. The relevant factorization is extended to any code defined by a sequence of Kronecker products.

The problem of monitoring the correct synchronization position is also considered. A general answer seems to depend upon more detailed knowledge of the structure of comma-free codes. However, a technique is presented which gives useful results in many specific cases.

Optimisation of the first principle code Octopus for massive parallel architectures: application to light harvesting complexes

150 p.

Proceedings of the first world meeting on bigeye tuna

The annual catches of big eye are exceeded by those of only two other species of tuna, skipjack, Katsuwonus pelamis, and yellowfin, Thunnus albacares. However, because most of the bigeye caught are consumed fresh, whereas most of the skipjack and yellowfin caught are canned, the economic value of big eye exceeds that of any other species of tuna. Despite its importance, less is known of the biology of bigeye than of the biology of any of the other principal market species of tunas. Historically, bigeye have been harvested mostly by longlines, which take only medium to large fish. During recent years, however, greater amounts of small bigeye have been caught by purse seines and other surface gear. This is a matter of concern for several reasons. First, long line fishermen are concerned that the harvesting of small bigeye will decrease the amounts of medium to large bigeye available to them. Second, since small bigeye are canned, rather than eaten fresh, consumers are concerned about the possible decrease in the supply of high-quality fresh fish. Third, economists are concerned about the possible economic loss associated with harvesting fish at less than their maximum economic value. Fourth, biologists are concerned about the possibility that harvesting of small bigeye could decrease the overall catches of that species. These concerns cannot be properly addressed until more knowledge of the biology of big eye is available. The purposes of the meeting were to review and discuss the information available and to make recommendations for further research.

Integrated treatment of first episode psychosis with online training (e-learning): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: The integrated treatment of first episode psychosis has been shown to improve functionality and negative symptoms in previous studies. In this paper, we describe a study of integrated treatment (individual psychoeducation complementary to pharmacotherapy) versus treatment as usual, comparing results at baseline with those at 6-month re-assessment (at the end of the study) for these patients, and online training of professionals to provide this complementary treatment, with the following objectives: 1) to compare the efficacy of individual psychoeducation as add-on treatment versus treatment as usual in improving psychotic and mood symptoms; 2) to compare adherence to medication, functioning, insight, social response, quality of life, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, between both groups; and 3) to analyse the efficacy of online training of psychotherapists. Methods/design: This is a single-blind randomised clinical trial including patients with first episode psychosis from hospitals across Spain, randomly assigned to either a control group with pharmacotherapy and regular sessions with their psychiatrist (treatment as usual) or an intervention group with integrated care including treatment as usual plus a psychoeducational intervention (14 sessions). Training for professionals involved at each participating centre was provided by the coordinating centre (University Hospital of Alava) through video conferences. Patients are evaluated with an extensive battery of tests assessing clinical and sociodemographic characteristics (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorders, Strauss and Carpenter Prognostic Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, Morisky Green Adherence Scale, Functioning Assessment Short Test, World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument WHOQOL-BREF (an abbreviated version of the WHOQOL-100), and EuroQoL questionnaire), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are measured in peripheral blood at baseline and at 6 months. The statistical analysis, including bivariate analysis, linear and logistic regression models, will be performed using SPSS. Discussion: This is an innovative study that includes the assessment of an integrated intervention for patients with first episode psychosis provided by professionals who are trained online, potentially making it possible to offer the intervention to more patients.

O Apostolado Positivista e o projeto da Ditadura Republicana no Brasil (1889-1891)

O objetivo da pesquisa foi buscar, por meio de um estudo aprofundado, informações relevantes da ação política do Apostolado Positivista do Brasil na transição entre a Monarquia e a República. O recorte temporal (1889-1891) remete o trabalho ao período do primeiro governo da república, chamado de governo provisório, que teve como Presidente, o Marechal Deodoro da Fonseca. O trabalho foi dividido em três capítulos: o primeiro ressalta o contexto do surgimento do pensamento positivista por intermédio da atuação de seu mentor Augusto Comte no debate intelectual da França. A partir disso, destacam-se aspectos que servem para esclarecer a cisão entre positivistas ortodoxos e heterodoxos e posteriormente, como as idéias positivistas se espalharam no contexto brasileiro. No mesmo capítulo, foi ressaltado ainda, o surgimento da Igreja Positivista do Brasil, as trajetórias de Miguel Lemos e Raimundo Teixeira Mendes até assumirem a direção e vice-direção do Apostolado. No segundo foi apresentada a ação política do Apostolado na tentativa de encaminhar o governo provisório para um regime político de ditadura definitiva. Tendo seu projeto político fracassado, o grupo passou a defender o cumprimento de artigos da constituição de 1891, que por diferentes motivos tivessem aspectos que se assemelhavam com a política tida pelo Apostolado como adequada. No terceiro foi mostrada a influência do positivismo em diferentes temas importantes no Brasil naquele momento, como, ensino, separação entre Estado e Igreja e movimento trabalhista. A persistência do lema positivista ordem e progresso na bandeira nacional até hoje, está entre os símbolos desta militância ortodoxa. Os membros do Apostolado Positivista não tiveram seu projeto de ditadura sacramentado apesar do forte influência da doutrina positivista no Brasil por dois aspectos, o primeiro por seguirem a recomendação de Comte de negar cargos políticos, o segundo pela doutrina positivista não ser orgânica a oligarquia cafeeira que iria nortear as bases de estruturação do país.

Self-assembly of metalloporphyrins: first TPP-bipy coordination polymer with CoII (TPP=meso-tetraphenylporphyrin and bipy=4,4´-bipyridine)

Póster presentado en: 11th International Symposium on Applied Bioinorganic Chemistry. 2-5 Diciembre 2011. Barcelona, España (ISABC 2011)

O herói e o inimigo no imaginário do jacobinismo brasileiro 1894/1897

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo compreender e analisar o jacobinismo brasileiro tendo como foco os anos de 1894 até 1897. Pretende-se perceber como esse grupo conseguiu construir um projeto de personalização do poder em torno do Marechal Floriano Peixoto em momentos críticos da história República brasileira: durante a Revolta da Armada de 1894; no momento de transição do governo militar para o governo civil de Prudente de Moraes em 1894/95; e na ocasião da morte do Marechal Floriano Peixoto em 1895. Para tanto, o estudo propõe uma reflexão sobre a utilização do discurso jornalístico como instrumento na fabricação da imagem dos revoltosos da Marinha como restauradores monarquistas e de Floriano como herói da República, buscando assim, perceber igualmente a dinâmica de sua elaboração e as suas repercussões na sociedade brasileira. Chegaremos a conclusão que as forças jacobinas enfraqueceram no momento do atentado a Prudente de Morais em 1897, mas seus discursos ainda tiveram eco na primeira metade do século XX na República brasileira.

Selected topics in financial engineering: first-exit times and dependence structures of Marshall-Olkin Kind

146 p.