Lipid extraction has little effect on the delta N-15 of aquatic consumers

Proper application of stable isotopes (e. g., delta N-15 and delta C-13) to food web analysis requires an understanding of all nondietary factors that contribute to isotopic variability. Lipid extraction is often used during stable isotope analysis (SIA), because synthesized lipids have a low delta C-13 and can mask the delta C-13 of a consumer's diet. Recent studies indicate that lipid extraction intended to adjust delta C-13 may also cause shifts in delta N-15, but the magnitude of and reasons for the shift are highly uncertain. We examined a large data set (n = 854) for effects of lipid extraction (using Bligh and dyer's [ 1959] chloroform-methanol solvent mixtures) on the delta N-15 of aquatic consumers. We found no effect of chemically extracting lipids on the delta N-15 of whole zooplankton, unionid mussels, and fish liver samples, and found a small increase in fish muscle delta N-15 of similar to 0.4%. We also detected a negative relationship between the shift in delta N-15 following extraction and the C:N ratio in muscle tissue, suggesting that effects of extraction were greater for tissue with lower lipid content. As long as appropriate techniques such as those from Bligh and dyer (1959) are used, effects of lipid extraction on delta N-15 of aquatic consumers need not be a major consideration in the SIA of food webs.

Evidence from northwest European bogs shows 'Little Ice Age' climatic changes driven by variations in solar activity

Fluctuations in Holocene atmospheric radiocarbon concentrations have been shown to be due to variations in solar activity. Analyses of both Be-10 and C-14 nuclides confirm that production-rate changes during the Holocene were largely modulated by solar activity. Analyses of peat samples from two intact European ombrotrophic bogs show that climatic deteriorations during the 'Little Ice Age' are associated with transitions to increasing atmospheric C-14 content due to greater C-14 production. Both ombrotrophic mires, which are positioned c. 800 km apart, register reactions to globally recorded C-14 fluctuations between AD 1449 and 1464 and an almost identical reaction between AD 1601 and 1604.

"'That great little man": Dvorak and Wagner'

A study of Wagner's impact on Czech music in the later nineteenth century and Dvorak in particular

'Changing attitudes with a little imagination': Imagined contact effects on young children's intergroup bias

The current research tested a recent development in social psychology, namely 'imagined contact', among young children (n = 123, 5 to 10 years). Children imagined interacting with a physically disabled child, or did not take part in this activity (the control group). Compared with the control group, children who engaged in 'imagined contact' subsequently showed reduced intergroup bias in their general attitude and ratings of warmth and competence. Imagined contact also led to more positive intended friendship behavior towards the disabled, but only among 5 – 6 year olds. This provides partial support for our hypothesis that younger children, perhaps as a result of their lack of outgroup experience, are more likely to benefit from imagined contact. Implications for the development of attitudes towards the disabled, imagined contact theory and the development of classroom-based prejudice-reduction techniques based on imagined contact are discussed.

Synthesis by extrusion: continuous, large-scale preparation of MOFs using little or no solvent

Grinding solid reagents under solvent-free or low-solvent conditions (mechanochemistry) is emerging as a general synthetic technique which is an alternative to conventional solvent-intensive methods. However, it is essential to find ways to scale-up this type of synthesis if its promise of cleaner manufacturing is to be realised. Here, we demonstrate the use of twin screw and single screw extruders for the continuous synthesis of various metal complexes, including Ni(salen), Ni(NCS)(2)(PPh3)(2) as well as the commercially important metal organic frameworks (MOFs) Cu-3(BTC)(2) (HKUST-1), Zn(2-methylimidazolate)(2) (ZIF-8, MAF-4) and Al(fumarate)(OH). Notably, Al(fumarate)(OH) has not previously been synthesised mechanochemically. Quantitative conversions occur to give products at kg h(-1) rates which, after activation, exhibit surface areas and pore volumes equivalent to those of materials produced by conventional solvent-based methods. Some reactions can be performed either under completely solvent-free conditions whereas others require the addition of small amounts of solvent (typically 3-4 mol equivalents). Continuous neat melt phase synthesis is also successfully demonstrated by both twin screw and single screw extrusion for ZIF-8. The latter technique provided ZIF-8 at 4 kg h(-1). The space time yields (STYs) for these methods of up to 144 x 10(3) kg per m(3) per day are orders of magnitude greater than STYs for other methods of making MOFs. Extrusion methods clearly enable scaling of mechanochemical and melt phase synthesis under solvent-free or low-solvent conditions, and may also be applied in synthesis more generally.

Seasonal variation in month of diagnosis in children with type 1 diabetes registered in 23 European centers during 1989-2008: little short-term influence of sunshine hours or average temperature

BACKGROUND: The month of diagnosis in childhood type 1 diabetes shows seasonal variation.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the pattern and investigate if year-to-year irregularities are associated with meteorological factors using data from 50 000 children diagnosed under the age of 15 yr in 23 population-based European registries during 1989-2008.

METHODS: Tests for seasonal variation in monthly counts aggregated over the 20 yr period were performed. Time series regression was used to investigate if sunshine hour and average temperature data were predictive of the 240 monthly diagnosis counts after taking account of seasonality and long term trends.

RESULTS: Significant sinusoidal pattern was evident in all but two small centers with peaks in November to February and relative amplitudes ranging from ±11 to ±38% (median ±17%). However, most centers showed significant departures from a sinusoidal pattern. Pooling results over centers, there was significant seasonal variation in each age-group at diagnosis, with least seasonal variation in those under 5 yr. Boys showed greater seasonal variation than girls, particularly those aged 10-14 yr. There were no differences in seasonal pattern between four 5-yr sub-periods. Departures from the sinusoidal trend in monthly diagnoses in the period were significantly associated with deviations from the norm in average temperature (0.8% reduction in diagnoses per 1 °C excess) but not with sunshine hours.

CONCLUSIONS: Seasonality was consistently apparent throughout the period in all age-groups and both sexes, but girls and the under 5 s showed less marked variation. Neither sunshine hour nor average temperature data contributed in any substantial way to explaining departures from the sinusoidal pattern.