Major- and trace-element composition of olivine, perovskite, clinopyroxene, Cr-Fe-Ti oxides, phlogopite and host kamafugites and kimberlites, Alto Paranaiba, Brazil

An integrated whole-rock petrographic and geochemical study has been carried out on kamafugites and kimberlites of the Late Cretaceous Alto Paranaiba igneous province, in Brazil, and their main minerals, olivine, clinopyroxene, perovskite, phlogopite, spinels and ilmenite. Perovskite is by far the dominant repository for light lanthanides, Nb, Ta, Th and U, and occasionally other elements, reaching concentrations up to 3.4 x 10(4) chondrite values for light lanthanides and 105 chondrite for Th. A very strong fractionation between light and heavy lanthanides (chondrite-normalized La/Yb from similar to 175 to similar to 2000) is also observed. This is likely the first comprehensive dataset on natural perovskite. Clinopyroxene has variable trace-element contents. likely due to the different position of this phase in the crystallization sequence; Sc reaches values as high as 200 ppm whereas the lanthanides show very variable enrichment in light over heavy REE, and commonly show a negative Eu anomaly. The olivine, phlogopite (and tetra-ferriphlogopite), Cr-Ti oxide and ilmenite are substantially barren minerals for lanthanides and most other trace elements, with the exception of Ba, Cs and Rb in mica, and V, Nb and Ta in ilmenite. Estimated mineral/whole-rock partition coefficients for lanthanides in perovskite are similar to previous determinations, though much higher than those calculated in experiments with synthetic compositions, testifying once more to the complex behavior of these elements in a natural environment. The enormous potential for exploitation of lanthanides, Th, U and high-field-strength elements in the Brazilian kamafugites, kimberlites and related rocks is clearly shown.

The direct determination of rare earth elements in basaltic and related rocks using ICP-MS: Testing the efficiency of microwave oven sample decomposition procedures

Tests are described showing the results obtained for the determination of REE and the trace elements Rb, Y, Zr, Nb, Cs, Ba, Hf, Ta, Pb, Th and U with ICP-MS methodology for nine basaltic reference materials, and thirteen basalts and amphibolites from the mafic-ultramafic Niquelandia Complex, central Brazil. Sample decomposition for the reference materials was performed by microwave oven digestion (HF and HNO(3), 100 mg of sample), and that for the Niquelandia samples also by Parr bomb treatment (5 days at 200 degrees C, 40 mg of sample). Results for the reference materials were similar to published values, thus showing that the microwave technique can be used with confidence for basaltic rocks. No fluoride precipitates were observed in the microwave-digested solutions. Total recovery of elements, including Zr and Hf, was obtained for the Niquelandia samples, with the exception of an amphibolite. For this latter sample, the Parr method achieved a total digestion, but not so the microwave decomposition; losses, however, were observed only for Zr and Hf, indicating difficulty in dissolving Zr-bearing minerals by microwave acid attack.

The GATA-type transcriptional activator Gat1 regulates nitrogen uptake and metabolism in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Nitrogen uptake and metabolism are essential to microbial growth. Gat1 belongs to a conserved family of zinc finger containing transcriptional regulators known as GATA-factors. These factors activate the transcription of Nitrogen Catabolite Repression (NCR) sensitive genes when preferred nitrogen sources are absent or limiting. Cryptococcus neoformans GAT1 is an ortholog to the Aspergillus nidulans AreA and Candida albicans GAD genes. In an attempt to define the function of this transcriptional regulator in C. neoformans, we generated null mutants (gat1 Delta) of this gene. The gat 1 mutant exhibited impaired growth on all amino acids tested as sole nitrogen sources, with the exception of arginine and proline. Furthermore, the gat1 mutant did not display resistance to rapamycin, an immunosuppressant drug that transiently mimics a low-quality nitrogen source. Gal is not required for C. neoformans survival during macrophage infection or for virulence in a mouse model of cryptococcosis. Microarray analysis allowed the identification of target genes that are regulated by Gat1 in the presence of proline, a poor and non-repressing nitrogen source. Genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis, iron uptake, cell wall organization and capsule biosynthesis, in addition to NCR-sensitive genes, are Gat1-regulated in C. neoformans. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kraftutveckling för manuella trädfällningsredskap : Force development for manual tree felling tools

The objective with this study has been to build general models of the mechanics in tree felling with chain-saw and to compare felling torque for different tools. The theoretical models are completed and validated with a comparative study. The study includes a great number of felling tools of which some are used with different methods. Felling torque was measured using a naturally like measuring arrangement where a tree is cut at about 3.7 m height and then anchored with a dynamometer to a tree opposite to the felling direction. Notch and felling cut was made as ordinary with exception that the hinge was made extra thin to reduce bending resistance. The tree was consequently not felled during the trials and several combinations of felling tools and individuals could be used on the same tree.The results show big differences between tools, methods and persons. The differences were, however, not general, but could vary depending on conditions (first of all tree diameters). Tools and methods that push or pull on the stem are little affected by the size of the tree, while tools that press on the stump are very much dependent of a large stump-diameter. Hand force asserted on a simple pole is consequently a powerful tool on small trees. For trees of medium size there are several alternative methods with different sizes and brands of felling levers and wedges. Larger and more ungainly tools and methods like tree pusher, winch, etc. develop very high felling torque on all tree sizes. On large trees also the felling wedge and especially the use of several wedges together develop very high felling torque.

The Survivability of Swedish Emergency Management Related Research Centers and Academic Programs : A Preliminary Sociology of Science Analysis

The Survivability of Swedish Emergency Management Related Research Centers and Academic Programs: A Preliminary Sociology of Science Analysis Despite being a relatively safe nation, Sweden has four different universities supporting four emergency management research centers and an equal and growing number of academic programs. In this paper, I discuss how these centers and programs survive within the current organizational environment. The sociology of science or the sociology of scientific knowledge perspectives should provide a theoretical guide. Yet, scholars of these perspectives have produced no research on these related topics. Thus, the population ecology model and the notion of organizational niche provide my theoretical foundation. My data come from 26 interviews from those four institutions, the gathering of documents, and observations. I found that each institution has found its own niche with little or no competition – with one exception. Three of the universities do have an international focus. Yet, their foci have minimal overlap. Finally, I suggest that key aspects of Swedish culture, including safety, and a need aid to the poor, help explain the extensive funding these centers and programs receive to survive. 

Definitioner av våld i överlevandes berättelser efter kriget i Bosnien

Definitions of violence in stories of survivors from the Bosnian war Previous research on violence during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina presents a one-sided picture of the phenomenon ”war violence.” Researchers have emphasized the importance of narratives but they have not focused on stories about war violence, nor have they analyzed the stories of war violence being a product of interpersonal interaction. This article tries to fill this knowledge gap by analyzing the narratives told by survivors of the war in northwestern Bosnia in the 1990s. The aim is to analyze how the survivors describe violence during the war, and also to analyze those discursive patterns that contribute in constructing the category ”war violence.” The construction of the category ”war violence” is made visible in the empirical material when the interviewees talk about (1) a new social order in the society, (2) human suffering, (3) sexual violence, and (4) human slaughter. All interviewees define war violence as morally reprehensible. In narratives on the phenomena ”war violence” a picture emerges which shows a disruption of the social order existing in the pre-war society. The violence practiced during the war is portrayed as organized and ritualized and this creates a picture that the violence practice became a norm in the society, rather than the exception. Narratives retelling violent situations, perpetrators of violence and subjected to violence do not only exist as a mental construction. The stories live their lives after the war, and thus have real consequences for individuals and society.

Inflammation, oxidative stress, glomerular filtration rate, and albuminuria in elderly men : a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The role of inflammation and oxidative stress in mild renal impairment in the elderly is not well studied. Accordingly, we aimed at investigating the associations between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR), and markers of different inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress in a community based cohort of elderly men. FINDINGS: Cystatin C-based GFR, ACR, and biomarkers of cytokine-mediated inflammation (interleukin-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein[CRP], serum amyloid A[SAA]), cyclooxygenase-mediated inflammation (urinary prostaglandin F2alpha [PGF2alpha]), and oxidative stress (urinary F2 isoprostanes) were assessed in the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men(n = 647, mean age 77 years). RESULTS: In linear regression models adjusting for age, BMI, smoking, blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and treatment with statins, ACE-inhibitors, ASA, and anti-inflammatory agents, eGFR was inversely associated with CRP, interleukin-6, and SAA (beta-coefficient -0.13 to -0.19, p < 0.001 for all), and positively associated with urinary F2-isoprostanes (beta-coefficient 0.09, p = 0.02). In line with this, ACR was positively associated with CRP, interleukin-6, and SAA (beta- coefficient 0.09-0.12, p < 0.02 for all), and negatively associated with urinary F2-isoprostanes (beta-coefficient -0.12, p = 0.002). The associations were similar but with lower regression coefficients in a sub-sample with normal eGFR (>60 ml/min/1.73 m2, n = 514), with the exception that F2-isoprostane and SAA were no longer associated with eGFR. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that cytokine-mediated inflammation is involved in the early stages of impaired kidney function in the elderly, but that cyclooxygenase-mediated inflammation does not play a role at this stage. The unexpected association between higher eGFR/lower albuminuria and increased F2-isoprostanes in urine merits further studies.

Knowledge and perceptions regarding sexual and reproductive health among high school students in Kathmandu, Nepal

Background: Nepal recently began teaching sexual education in the school system and has established youth friendly services in order to meet the need of increased sexual and reproductive knowledge among the youth. Objective: To examine the sexual and reproductive knowledge and perceptions among young people attending schools in Kathmandu. Method: A written questionnaire was distributed to 160 students, in a classroom environment, in four schools in Kathmandu. Results: Two thirds of the females and nearly 60% of the males knew that it was possible to get sexually transmitted infection (STI) during one sexual encounter and more than half of the students knew when in the menstrual cycle conception was more likely to occur . One third of the participants did not know that it was possible to become pregnant after having intercourse once. The males demonstrated less knowledge than the females regarding every aspect of sex and reproduction, with the exception of pregnancy prevention. Conclusion and clinical implications: For the youths in this study, it was more important to prevent unwanted pregnancies than to protect oneself from STIs. Establishment of a hotline on the internet, where personalized and confidential counselling can be offered may complement the comprehensive sexual education in schools.

Scriptural Archeology: Excavating the Presence of Women in the Torah

Women's roles in religious history have been traditionally described in terms of their relation and value to men. The normative religious texts provide an androcentric perspective on the gender relationships within the early community, the growth of Judaism in "Jacob's House" and the monotheistic worship of God. Yet these literary representations omit an entire half of the experience of the Jewish community: the perspective and participation of women. As Judith Plaskow argues extensively in Standing Again at Sinai, women are defined not in her own terms or in her own voice, but by her relationship and value to men through the androcentric vocabulary of the Torah. This statement is textually illustrated by the authorial and editorial presentation of women and their place in ancient Israelite society in the Torah. As Judaism grew increasingly androcentric in its leadership, women were increasingly reduced to marginal figures in the community by authorial and editorial revisions. Yet the participation of women of ancient Israel is not lost. Instead, the presence of women is buried beneath the androcentric presentation of the early Judaic community, waiting to be excavated by historical and scriptural examination. The retelling of the past is influenced by the present; memory is not static but takes on different shapes depending on the focus of concentration. However, tradition greatly influences the interpretation of religious history as well. In the book of Genesis, the literature emphasizes the divine appointment of male figures such as Abraham the father of the covenant and Jacob who is renamed and claimed by God as "Israel," placing them at the center of Jewish history. As a result, the other figures in these biblical narratives are described in relation to the patriarchs, those male bearers of the covenant, by their service or their value to him. Women are at the bottom of this hierarchy. Although female figures of exceptional quality are noted in later chronicles, such as Ruth, Deborah and Miriam, it is the very nature of their exception that highlights the androcentric editorial focus of the Torah. I agree with Peggy Day, whose own scriptural examination in Gender and Difference in Ancient Israel, makes the important distinction between the literary representation and the reality of ancient Israelite culture: they are not coextensive nor equivalent. Although the text represents the culture of ancient Israel as male dominated from the time of Abraham, this presentation omits the perspective of half of the population-the women. By beginning at the point of realization that women did exist and were active in their culture, and placing aside the androcentric perspective of the text and its editors, the reality of women's place in ancient Israel may be determined. Through this new perspective, the women of the Torah will emerge as the archetypes of strength, leadership and spiritual insight to provide Jewish women of the present with female, ancestral role models and a foundation for their gender's heritage, a more complete understanding of the partial record of Jewish history recorded in the Torah. Those stories that appear as the exception of women's presence will unveil an exceptional presence. As Tamar Frankiel eloquently states in The Voice of Sarah, "the women we call our 'Mothers'-Sarah, Rivkah (Rebekah), Rachel, and Leah-are not merely mothers, any more than the 'Fathers'-Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-are merely fathers "(Frankiel 5).

The Pollination Biology and Mating System of a Peripheral Population of Witheringia solanacea (Solanaceae)

Pollinator visitation rates over the life of a flower are determined by pollinator abundance and floral longevity. If flowers are not visited frequently enough, pollen limitation may occur, favoring the evolution of self-compatibility (SC). In plant species with varying SC levels, central populations often are self-incompatible (SI) and peripheral populations are SC. Witheringia solanacea (Solanaceae) is a species that follows this trend with the exception of one population in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, which is peripheral yet SI. I investigated this population using multiple techniques including floral bagging, pollinator observations, microsatellite analysis, and floral longevity manipulations. My results confirmed the self-incompatibility of the Monteverde population and indicated low but perhaps adequate rates of pollinator visitation per flower per hour. I found reduced genetic diversity at Monteverde and gene flow occurring unidirectionally from San Luis (a central population) to Monteverde. In the greenhouse, there was more of an effect of male than female function on floral longevity, but the largest differences were environmental. Flowers stayed open substantially longer when cool, cloudy weather was simulated and shorter when conditions were hot and sunny. The results indicate that the Monteverde population of W. solanacea is SI because 1) it is unable to maximize its fitness due to gene flow from San Luis and its relatively recent colonization of the area and 2) pollen limitation may not be severe because of supplemental pollinator availability from other Witheringia species in the area and increased floral longevities due to cool and cloudy conditions.