bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preface: Rift tectonics and syngenetic sedimentation - the Cenozoic Lower Rhine Basin and related structures
Authors: Schäfer A. , Siehl A.
Published: April 2016

The collection of extended and updated abstracts presented here resulted from a two-day workshop of the Collaborative Research Centre ‘Interactions between and Modelling of Continental Geo-Systems’ (SFB 350) held on 19thand 20thNovember, 1999 at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. This workshop was entitled ‘Rift Tectonics and Syngenetic Sedimentation - the Cenozoic Lower Rhine Graben and Related Structures’. Its central topic was devoted to various approaches of understanding the evolution of a young graben structure, with the aim to trace the interaction of tectonics, sedimentation, facies development, burial history, and coherent structural behaviour by integration of geodetic, seismological, gravimetric, sedimentological, paleontological, and climatological data.
The Pleistocene drainage pattern in the Lower Rhine Basin
Authors: Boenigk W.
Published: April 2016

During the Pleistocene the drainage pattern in the Lower Rhine Basin changed twice, from a flooding of the whole basin by the river Rhine from SW to NE to an influence restricted to the NE only.

The first dominance of the river Rhine is documented from the Reuverian to the Tiglian, the second one in the Cromerian. In between this time, the Meuse River drained the central Lower Rhine Basin in NE direction. For the sediments of that river, the term ‘Holzweiler Formation’ is introduced. Since the Late Cromerian, the influence of the Rhine is again restricted to the NE of the Lower Rhine Basin. The central part of the basin is drained by small local rivers.
Neotectonic evolution and sediment budget of the Meuse catchment in the Ardennes and the Roer Valley Rift System
Authors: Van Balen R.T. , Houtgast R.F. , Van der Wateren F.M. , Vandenberghe J.
Published: April 2016

Using marine planation surfaces, fluvial terraces and a digital terrain model, the amount of eroded rock volume versus time for the Meuse catchment has been computed. A comparison of the amount of eroded volume with the volume of sediment preserved in the Roer Valley Rift System shows that 12% of the eroded volume is trapped in this rift. The neotectonic uplift evolution of the Ardennes is inferred from the incision history of the Meuse River system and compared to the subsidence characteristics of the Roer Valley Rift System. Both areas are characterized by an early Middle Pleistocene uplift event.
An evaluation of climate, crustal movement and base level controls on the Middle-Late Pleistocene development of the River Severn, U.K.
Authors: Maddy D.
Published: April 2016

The Pleistocene development of the lower Severn valley is recorded in the fluvial sediments of the Mathon and Severn Valley Formations and their relationship to the glacigenic Wolston (Oxygen Isotope Stage 12), Ridgacre (OIS 6) and Stockport (OIS 2) Formations. The most complete stratigraphical record is that of the Severn Valley Formation, which post-dates the Anglian Wolston Formation and comprises a flight of river terraces, the highest of which is c.50 m above the present river. The terrace staircase indicates that the Severn has progressively incised its valley during the post-Anglian period. The terrace sediments are predominantly composed of fluvially deposited sands and gravels, largely the result of deposition in high-energy rivers under cold-climate conditions. Occasionally towards the base of these terrace deposits low-energy fluvial facies are preserved which contain faunal remains and yield geochronology which support their correlation with interglacial conditions. This simple stratigraphy supports a climate-driven model for the timing of terrace aggradation and incision, with the incision mode at its most effective during the cold-warm transitions and the aggradational mode at its most effective during warm-cold climate transitions. The chronology of terrace aggradation in the lower Severn seems to correspond with the Milankovitch lOOka climate cycles. The timing of incision events suggests that base level (eustatic sea-level) changes do not play a significant role i.e. incision occurs as sea-level is rising.

Although climate change is significant in governing the timing of incision, the long-term incision of the River Severn appears to be driven by crustal uplift. A long-term incision rate of 0.15 m ka1, calculated using the base of the terrace deposits, is believed to closely equate with the long-term uplift rate. Superimposed on this long-term uplift are periods of complex terrace sequence development resulting from rapid incision during periods of glacio-isostatic rebound, with large incision events reflecting the rebound adjustment to late glacial stage isostatic depression. However, in no case in the Severn valley has glacial encroachment led to enhanced incision, suggesting that there has been no additional uplift resulting from isostatic compensation for glacial erosion.
The fluvial archive of the Middle and Lower Dnieper (a review)
Authors: Matoshko A.V. , Gozhik P.F. , Ivchenko A.S.
Published: April 2016

Information about the morphology and alluvial sediments of the Dnieper Valley is reviewed. The Dnieper Valley originated in the Late Miocene. The Middle Dnieper Valley is an intercontinental alluvial basin and the Lower Dnieper Valley is a shallow canyon that ends with a delta. Identification of the alluvial dynamic facies (channel, overbank, abandoned channel) is crucial for stratigraphical analysis. The dynamic facies form regular sequences - alluvial suites that combine into series. Individual suites and series are characterized by their mode of occurrence, facies composition, lithological features and expression in the modern landscape. Their stratigraphie position is established with reference to index beds and palaeontological, geochrono-logical and archaeological research, allowing them to be correlated along the valley. Correlation between different parts of the Dnieper system uses a combination of facies and geomorphological analyses, whereas correlation with other river systems makes use of mammalian and molluscan biostratigraphy. Global events (marine regressions and glaciations) that brought about similar reactions in different fluvial systems can be also used for correlation.
Reconstructing Late Quaternary fluvial process controls in the upper Aller Valley (North Germany) by means of numerical modeling
Authors: Veldkamp A. , Van den Berg M.W. , Van Dijke J.J. , Van den Berg van Saparoea R.M.
Published: April 2016

The morpho-genetic evolution of the upper Aller valley (Weser basin, North Germany) was reconstructed using geological and géomorphologie data integrated within a numerical process model framework (FLUVER-2). The current relief was shaped by Pre-Elsterian fluvial processes, Elsterian and Saalian ice sheets, followed by Weichselian fluvial processes. Structural analysis based on subsurface data and morphological interpretations were used to reconstruct uplift/subsidence rates. A detailed analysis led to the hypothesis that we are dealing with either a NNW-SSE or a WSW-ENE oriented compression leading to uplift in the upper Aller valley. It is also hypothesised that the NNW-SSE compression might have caused strike-slip deformation leading to differential block movement and tilt. Two different uplift rate scenarios were reconstructed and used as a variable parameter in numerical modelling scenarios simulating the Late Quaternary longitudinal dynamics of the Aller. Each different scenario was run for 150.000 years and calibrated to the actual setting. The resulting model settings were consequently evaluated for their plausibility and validity. Subsequently, regional semi-3D simulations of valley development were made to test the two tectonic stress hypotheses. Differential tectonic uplift and regional tilt seems to have played an important role in shaping the current valley morphology in the upper Aller. Unfortunately, due to the uncertainties involved, we were unable to discriminate between the two postulated tectonic stress scenarios.
The impact of faults on the hydrogeological conditions in the Roer Valley Rift System: an overview
Authors: Bense V.F. , Van Balen R.T. , De Vries J.J.
Published: April 2016

The hydrogeology of the Roer Valley Rift System is strongly influenced by the hydraulic properties of faults. The hydrogeological impact of faults is illustrated by examples from the SE Netherlands and the adjacent lignite mining areas within the Roer Valley Rift System, near Bonn in Germany. Hydraulic head discontinuities over the main faults in the latter area can be up to tens of meters as a result of extremely large groundwater extractions in combination with the relatively low conductivity of the main faults. Within the Netherlands, outside the mining areas, such large groundwater extractions do not take place, and groundwater fluxes are smaller. In this situation natural hydraulic head differences over the main faults are limited to several meters. Hydraulic head profiles over faults provide a first estimate of fault hydraulic properties that can be quantified using simple analytical solutions. The impact of faults on near surface processes is reflected in vegetation patterns and the structure of drainage networks, aquifer structure and hydraulic head patterns. Faults can thus be of great influence on transport processes in the subsurface as well as on water-related phenomena at the surface, and should accordingly be taken into consideration in studies related to water-management, contamination and environmental impact. Faults that have an enhanced vertical permeability are difficult to detect when horizontal groundwater flow is studied, which is probably the main reason why they are rarely described. Though, these faults may form important preferential paths to vertical groundwater flow.
Revised Pre-Devensian glacial stratigraphy in Norfolk, England, based on mapping and till provenance
Authors: Hamblin R.J.O. , Moorlock B.S.P. , Rose J. , Lee J.R. , Riding J.B. , Booth S.J. , Pawley S.M.
Published: April 2016

Mapping combined with till provenance studies have resulted in a re-appraisal of the pre-Devensian glacial stratigraphy of Norfolk, England. The traditional model invoked two formations, a North Sea Drift Formation (NSDF) overlain by a Lowestoft Formation, formed by co-existing ice-sheets originating in Scandinavia and Northern Britain respectively. The NSDF included three diamictons, the First, Second and Third Cromer tills. The Briton’s Lane Sands and Gravels were considered to overlie the Lowestoft Formation. However, our work has shown this stratigraphy to be untenable, and we propose a model of several glaciations instead of co-existing ice-sheets. In our revised stratigraphy, the oldest formation, the Happisburgh Formation (including the Happisburgh or First Cromer Till) includes massive, sandy tills derived from northern Britain. The overlying Lowestoft Formation, including the Second Cromer (Walcott) Till is confirmed as derived from the west, introducing much Jurassic material as well as Chalk. The Sheringham Cliffs Formation includes both brown sandy tills (the Third Cromer Till) and ‘marly drift’, in a variety of tectonic relationships, and derived from the north and NNW. Finally the Briton’s Lane Formation is the only formation to include Scandinavian erratics. Dating of the four formations is at varying levels of confidence, with the Lowestoft Formation most confidently confirmed as MIS 12. The Happisburgh Formation is believed to represent an earlier glaciation, and MIS 16 is proposed. The Sheringham Cliffs Formation is tentatively believed to date from MIS 10, and the Briton’s Lane Formation is assigned to MIS 6.
Cenozoic stratigraphy in the Danish North Sea Basin
Authors: Konradi P.
Published: April 2016

This paper provides a concise review of investigations into the Cenozoic stratigraphy of the Danish North Sea Basin. In the Danish North Sea, mainly Pliocene and Pleistocene strata are found. Results of published seismic and sequence stratigraphic analyses are combined with biostratigraphic analyses and correlated to marine formations found onshore.
Subsurface structure of the Netherlands - results of recent onshore and offshore mapping
Authors: Duin E.J.T. , Doornenbal J.C. , Rijkers R.H.B. , Verbeek J.W. , Wong Th.E.
Published: April 2016

This paper presents depth maps for eight key horizons and seven thickness maps covering the onshore and offshore areas for the Late Permian to recent sedimentary section of the Netherlands. These maps, prepared in the context of a TNO regional mapping project, are supported by nine regional structural cross sections and a table summarizing the timing of tectonic activity from Carboniferous to recent. These new regional maps enable the delineation of various structural elements but also reveal the development of these elements through time with improved detail. Since the latest Carboniferous the tectonic setting of the Netherlands changed repeatedly. During successive tectonic phases several pre-existing structural elements were reactivated and new elements appeared. The various identified regional structural elements are grouped into six tectonically active periods: Late Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Late Jurassic, Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic. This study demonstrates that many structural elements and fault systems were repeatedly reactivated and that a clear distinction exists between long-lived elements, such as the Roer Valley Graben, and short-lived structural elements, such as the Terschelling Basin.
An investigation into the genesis of an erratic (retro) eclogite block from Haren, Groningen, the Netherlands
Authors: Langendoen J. , van Roermund H.L.M.
Published: April 2016

In boulder clays and glacial deposit sands, exposed in the northern part of the Netherlands, erratic blocks of (ultra)high pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks may be found that originate from the Baltic Shield (Scandinavia). The occurrence of (U)HP metamorphic rocks in Scandinavia is limited to: (1) isolated occurrences within the Scandinavian Caledonides (Western part of Scandinavia); (2) Sveconorvegian rocks from the Halland area, Southwest Sweden; and (3) Kola Peninsula (Northern Scandinavia). For this reason (U)HP rocks form excellent indicator pebbles/rocks that may be used to trace back the source area from where the erratic blocks, found in the Netherlands, were derived. An example of this, an erratic (retro) eclogite block found in Haren, is investigated in the present study using naked eye, light-optical and electron microprobe (EMP) techniques. EMP mineral analyses were used to reconstruct the PT conditions under which the (retro) eclogite was formed (T = 756 °C/min. P = 16,2 kb). This result, in combination with the mineral chemistry of the major rock forming minerals, provides evidence that this erratic block originates from the upper HP tectonic lens exposed in the Caledonian Seve Nappe Complex of Northern Jämtland, Sweden.
Mimomys hajnackensisfrom the Pliocene of the Netherlands
Authors: Mayhew D.F. , Dieleman F.E. , Boele J. , Verhaard L. , van den Hoek Ostende L.W.
Published: April 2016

We describe the occurrence in the Netherlands of three teeth ofMimomys hajnackensis(Arvicolidae, Rodentia) from three separate boreholes extending into matine deposits of the Maassluis Formation. These marine Pliocene/Early Pleistocene deposits at depth are overlain by, and interdigitate eastwards with, the freshwater deposits of the Waalre and Peize Formations (formerly known in part as the Tegelen Formation). Teeth identified asM. hajnackensishave not previously been described from the Netherlands although similar material has been reported from Pliocene deposits in Germany at Frechen and Hambach close to the Dutch border. The material described here comes from boreholes at the Polder de Biesbosch near Dordrecht, Diepenveen and Deventer. To our knowledge, these finds represent the oldest described rodent fossils from the Netherlands, corresponding to an absolute age of 2.9 to 3.3 Ma on the basis of comparison with other European localities, implying that the remains are reworked from older deposits.
Solar activity and its influence on climate
Authors: de Jager C.
Published: April 2016

Solar activity, as manifested by its many equatorial as well as high-latitude components of short-term variability is regulated by the Sun’s dynamo. This constitutes an intricate interplay between the solar toroidal and poloidal magnetic field components. The dynamo originates in the tachocline, which is a thin layer situated about 200,000 km beneath the solar surface. The dynamo is a non-linear system with deterministic chaotic elements, hence in principle unpredictable. Yet there are regularities in the past behaviour, such as the Grand Maxima (example: the recent high maximum of the 2nd half of the 20th century) the Grand Minima (e.g. the Maunder Minimum between 1650 and 1710) and the Regular Oscillations such as those between 1730 and 1923. Their occurrences are described by a phase diagram in which a specific point can be identified: the Transition Point. This diagram plays an essential role in determining the future solar activity. Guided by its quasi-regularities and by recent measurements of the solar magnetic fields we find that the Sun is presently undergoing a transition between the past Grand Maximum and a forthcoming period of Regular Oscillations. We forecast that this latter period will start in a few years and will continue for at least one Gleissberg cycle and that the next solar maximum (expected for 2014) will be low (Rmax ~ 68).

We discuss the heliospheric drivers of Sun-climate interaction and find that the low-latitude magnetic regions contribute most to tropospheric temperatures but that also the influence of the - so far always neglected - polar activity is significant. Subtraction of these components from the observed temperatures of the past 400 years shows a residual series of relative peaks and dips in the temperature. These tops and lows last for periods of the order of the Gleissberg cycle. One of these is the recent period of global warming, which, from this point of view, is not an exceptional period.
The age and origin of the Gelderse IJssel
Authors: Makaske B. , Maas G.J. , van Smeerdijk D.G.
Published: April 2016

The Gelderse IJssel is the third major distributary of the Rhine in the Netherlands and diverts on average ~15% of the Rhine discharge northward. Historic trading cities are located on the Gelderse IJssel and flourished in the late Middle Ages. Little is known about this river in the early Middle Ages and before, and there is considerable debate on the age and origin of the Gelderse IJssel as a Rhine distributary. A small river draining the surrounding Pleistocene uplands must have been present in the IJssel valley during most of the Holocene, but very diverse opinions exist as to when this local river became connected to the Rhine system (and thereby to a vast hinterland), and whether this was human induced or a natural process. We collected new AMS radiocarbon evidence on the timing of beginning overbank sedimentation along the lower reach of the Gelderse IJssel. Our data indicate onset of overbank sedimentation at about 950 AD in this reach. We attribute this environmental change to the establishment of a connection between the precursor of the IJssel and the Rhine system by avulsion. Analysis of previous conventional radiocarbon dates from the upper IJssel floodplain yields that this avulsion may have started ~600 AD. Our results contradict earlier suppositions, based on interpretation of archaeological data and historical accounts, that the Gelderse IJssel is much older and originated as a canal, dug under supervision of the Roman general Drusus.
Charcoal in soils of the Allerød-Younger Dryas transition were the result of natural fires and not necessarily the effect of an extra-terrestrial impact
Authors: van der Hammen T. , van Geel B.
Published: April 2016

During the warm Bølling-Allerød interstadial, tree species migrated from their refugia in southern Europe northwards into the area within the present temperate climatic zone. It is evident from high levels of charcoal in fossil records in this region that, especially during the later part of the Bølling-Allerød interstadial, many fires occurred. The start of the Younger Dryas was characterised by rapid and intense cooling and rising water tables, with catastrophic effects on the vegetation. Thermophilous pine trees could not survive the cold Younger Dryas climate. Dead wood provided an abundant source of fuel for intense, large-scale fires seen in many records as a concentration of charcoal particles in so-called ’Usselo-soils’ dated to ca 10,95014C BP. A similar trend in increased charcoal indicating increased burning is seen at many sites across North America at this time and it has been suggested by Firestone et al. (2007) that this was caused by an explosion of extra-terrestrial material over northern North America, causing the Younger Dryas climate cooling and Megafaunal extinction. We argue that there is no need to invoke an extraterrestrial cause to explain the charcoal in the fossilized soils. The volume of forest trees that died as a result of the cold Younger Dryas climate would easily have supplied sufficient fuel for intense, large-scale fires and can be used to account for the concentration of charcoal particles. As soils were no longer covered by dense vegetation, much erosion occurred during the Younger Dryas and therefore, at many places, Usselo soils, rich in charcoal, were preserved under aeolian sand dunes.
Reservoir modelling of heterolithic tidal deposits: sensitivity analysis of an object-based stochastic model
Authors: Geel C.R. , Donselaar M.E.
Published: April 2016

Object-based stochastic modelling techniques are routinely employed to generate multiple realisations of the spatial distribution of sediment properties in settings where data density is insufficient to construct a unique deterministic facies architecture model. Challenge is to limit the wide range of possible outcomes of the stochastic model. Ideally, this is done by direct validation with the ‘real-world’ sediment distribution. In a reservoir setting this is impossible because of the limited data density in the wide-spaced wells. In this paper this uncertainty is overcome by using size, shape and facies distributions of tidal channel and tidal flat sand bodies in a highly data-constrained lithofacies architecture model as input for the object-based stochastic model. The lithofacies architecture model was constructed from a densely perforated (Cone Penetration Tests and cored boreholes) tidal estuarine succession of the Holocene Holland Tidal Basin in the Netherlands. The sensitivity of the stochastic model to the input parameters was analysed with the use of varying tidal channel width and thickness values and calculating the connected sand volume per well for the different scenarios. The results indicated that for a small well drainage radius the difference in drainable volumes between the narrowest and the widest channel scenarios is large, and that for a large well drainage radius the tidal channel width hardly influenced the drainable volume. The sensitivity analysis highlighted the importance of sand-dominated tidal flats in improving lateral connectivity.
Diffusion and radiation in magnetized collisionless plasmas with small-scale Whistler turbulence
Authors: Keenan Brett D. , Medvedev Mikhail V.
Published: April 2016

Magnetized high-energy-density plasmas can often have strong electromagnetic fluctuations whose correlation scale is smaller than the electron Larmor radius. Radiation from the electrons in such plasmas – which markedly differs from both synchrotron and cyclotron radiation – is tightly related to their energy and pitch-angle diffusion. In this paper, we present a comprehensive theoretical and numerical study of particle transport in cold, ‘small-scale’ Whistler-mode turbulence and its relation to the spectra of radiation simultaneously produced by these particles. We emphasize that this relation is a superb diagnostic tool of laboratory, astrophysical, interplanetary and solar plasmas with a mean magnetic field and strong small-scale turbulence.
The articulatory and acoustic characteristics of Polish sibilants and their consequences for diachronic change
Authors: Bukmaier Véronique , Harrington Jonathan
Published: April 2016

The study is concerned with the relative synchronic stability of three contrastive sibilant fricatives /sʂ ɕ/ in Polish. Tongue movement data were collected from nine first-language Polish speakers producing symmetrical real and non-word CVCV sequences in three vowel contexts. A Gaussian model was used to classify the sibilants from spectral information in the noise and from formant frequencies at vowel onset. The physiological analysis showed an almost complete separation between /sʂ ɕ/ on tongue-tip parameters. The acoustic analysis showed that the greater energy at higher frequencies distinguished /s/ in the fricative noise from the other two sibilant categories. The most salient information at vowel onset was for /ɕ/, which also had a strong palatalizing effect on the following vowel. Whereas either the noise or vowel onset was largely sufficient for the identification of /sɕ/ respectively, both sets of cues were necessary to separate /ʂ/ from /sɕ/. The greater synchronic instability of /ʂ/ may derive from its high articulatory complexity coupled with its comparatively low acoustic salience. The data also suggest that the relatively late stage of /ʂ/ acquisition by children may come about because of the weak acoustic information in the vowel for its distinction from /s/.
New deep-water records and species of North Atlantic nudibranchs (Mollusca, Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) with the description of a new species
Authors: Valdés Ángel , Murillo Francisco Javier , McCarthy Jennifer B. , Yedinak Natalie
Published: April 2016

The examination of a collection of nudibranchs (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) obtained during several expeditions to international waters off Newfoundland, North Atlantic, revealed the presence of rare species, new records for the area, and an undescribed species ofTritonia(described herein). This includes the first record ofDendronotus niveusEkimova, Korshunova, Schepetov, Neretina, Sanamyan and Martynov, 2015 from the Atlantic Ocean and numerous specimens of the rare speciesDoridoxa ingolfianaBergh, 1899, which is here redescribed. Other species collected areFlabellinacf.salmonacea(Couthouy, 1838),Dendronotus frondosus(Ascanius, 1774),Dendronotus robustusA. E. Verrill, 1870,Aldisa zetlandica(Alder & Hancock, 1854),Onchidoris bilamellata(Linnaeus, 1767),Colga villosa(Odhner, 1907) as well as an unidentified species ofAeolidiella. Anatomical characteristics and genetic barcode data are used to identify the species whenever it was possible. Ecological data, including substrate, associated fauna and bathymetric range are provided.
Using a One Health approach to assess the impact of parasitic disease in livestock: how does it add value?
Authors: RUSHTON JONATHAN , BRUCE MIEGHAN
Published: April 2016

Human population increases, with greater food demands, have resulted in a rapid evolution of livestock food systems, leading to changes in land and water use. The scale of global livestock systems mean that changes in animal health status, particularly in parasite levels, have impacts that go beyond farm and sector levels. To quantify the true impact of parasites in livestock, frameworks that look at both resources and services valued in markets and those that have no true market value are required. Mitigating the effects of parasitic disease in livestock will not only increase productivity, but also improve animal welfare and human health, whilst reducing the environmental burden of livestock production systems. To measure these potential benefits, a One Health approach is needed. This paper discusses the types of methods and the data collection tools needed for a more holistic perspective and provides a framework with its application to coccidiosis in poultry. To build a body of knowledge that allows the ranking of parasite diseases in a wider animal health setting, such One Health frameworks need to be applied more frequently and with rigour. The outcome will improve the allocation of resources to critical constraints on parasite management.
Apicomplexans pulling the strings: manipulation of the host cell cytoskeleton dynamics
Authors: CARDOSO RITA , SOARES HELENA , HEMPHILL ANDREW , LEITÃO ALEXANDRE
Published: April 2016

Invasive stages of apicomplexan parasites require a host cell to survive, proliferate and advance to the next life cycle stage. Once invasion is achieved, apicomplexans interact closely with the host cell cytoskeleton, but in many cases the different species have evolved distinct mechanisms and pathways to modulate the structural organization of cytoskeletal filaments. The host cell cytoskeleton is a complex network, largely, but not exclusively, composed of microtubules, actin microfilaments and intermediate filaments, all of which are modulated by associated proteins, and it is involved in diverse functions including maintenance of cell morphology and mechanical support, migration, signal transduction, nutrient uptake, membrane and organelle trafficking and cell division. The ability of apicomplexans to modulate the cytoskeleton to their own advantage is clearly beneficial. We here review different aspects of the interactions of apicomplexans with the three main cytoskeletal filament types, provide information on the currently known parasite effector proteins and respective host cell targets involved, and how these interactions modulate the host cell physiology. Some of these findings could provide novel targets that could be exploited for the development of preventive and/or therapeutic strategies.
Transit Festival, Leuven, Belgium
Authors: Reynolds Peter
Published: April 2016

This year's Transit festival (the sixteenth) marked an important milestone, as Maarten Beirens took over as Artistic Director from Mark Delaere, who has steered it through the last 15 years. Delaere very much devised the festival's format, with its hard-edged programming and quirky informality, which one feared might be lost, but any worries about drastic changes under the new regime were soon allayed. Indeed, Beirens is to be congratulated on pulling off one of the most successful festivals I can remember, with an almost unbroken series of strong, inventive works and performances.
Miranda Cuckson and Yarn/Wire at National Sawdust, Brooklyn, NYC
Authors: Slattery Jacob
Published: April 2016

National Sawdust opened in October 2015, and behind its brick facade in Brooklyn a promising venue for new music was unveiled, overseen by composers, creators and visionaries. Splotched in haphazard polygons and neon tubes, the modest space offers an intimate environment for a new generation of artists to showcase their work. The venue's name comes from the sawdust factory that once occupied the century-old building at 80 North 6th street, and which its governing non-profit organisation raised over $16 million to bring to life. The building was designed by Bureau V architects and the acoustic consultants from Arup, who made some critical decisions, such as placing the building on over 1,000 metal springs to absorb the shock from the subway trains running nearby. Advised by a board whose members include Philip Glass, Renée Fleming and Laurie Anderson, composer and entrepreneur Paola Prestini helms the organisation.
Crystal structure of choline fenofibrate (Trilipix®), (C5H14NO) (C17H14ClO4)
Authors: Kaduk James A. , Zhong Kai , Gindhart Amy M. , Blanton Thomas N.
Published: April 2016

The crystal structure of choline fenofibrate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Choline fenofibrate crystallizes in space groupPbca(#61) witha= 12.341 03(2),b= 28.568 70(6),c= 12.025 62(2) Å,V= 4239.84(1) Å3, andZ= 8. The hydroxyl group of the choline anion makes a strong hydrogen bond to the ionized carboxylate group of the fenofibrate anion. Together with C–H···O hydrogen bonds, these link the cations and anions into layers parallel to theac-plane. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.
Seroprevalence of antibodies toRickettsia typhiin the Waikato region of New Zealand
Authors: LIM M. Y. , WEINSTEIN P. , BELL A. , HAMBLING T. , TOMPKINS D. M. , SLANEY D.
Published: April 2016

The first reported New Zealand-acquired case of murine typhus occurred near Auckland in 1989. Since then, 72 locally acquired cases have been recorded from northern New Zealand. By 2008, on the basis of the timing and distribution of cases, it appeared that murine typhus was escalating and spreading southwards. To explore the presence ofRickettsia typhiin the Waikato region, we conducted a seroprevalence study, using indirect immunofluorescence, Western blot, and cross-adsorption assays of blood donor samples. Of 950 human sera from Waikato, 12 (1·3%) hadR. typhiantibodies. The seroprevalence forR. typhiwas slightly higher in northern Waikato (1·4%) compared to the south (1·2%; no significant difference,χ2P= 0·768 atP< 0·05). Our results extend the reported southern range ofR. typhiby 140 km and indicate it is endemic in Waikato. Evidence of pastRickettsia felisinfections was also detected in six sera. Globally,R. felisis an emerging disease of concern and this pathogen should also be considered when locally acquired rickettsiosis is suspected. If public health interventions are to be implemented to reduce the risk of rickettsioses as a significant public health problem, improvements in rickettsial diagnostics and surveillance will be necessary.
Dietary diversity predicts dietary quality regardless of season in 6–12-month-old infants in south-west Ethiopia
Authors: Wondafrash Mekitie , Huybregts Lieven , Lachat Carl , Bouckaert Kimberley P , Kolsteren Patrick
Published: April 2016

Objective

Simple, cost-effective and convenient instruments like food group-based scores are proposed to assess micronutrient adequacy of children in developing countries. We assessed the predictive ability and seasonal stability of a dietary diversity score (DDS) to indicate dietary quality of infants.

Design

A 24 h dietary recall assessment was carried out on a sample of 320 and 312 breast-fed infants aged 6–12 months during harvest (HS) and pre-harvest (PHS) seasons, respectively, in Ethiopia. DDS was calculated based on seven food groups, while mean micronutrient density adequacy (MMDA) was calculated for eight micronutrients. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between DDS and MMDA, and differences in nutrient intake between the two seasons. A receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to derive DDS cut-offs that maximized sensitivity and specificity of assessing dietary quality.

Setting

The study was conducted in the catchment of the Gilgel Gibe Field Research Centre of Jimma University, south-west Ethiopia.

Results

The mean (sd) DDS for HS and PHS was 2·1 (0·94) and 2·3 (1·1), respectively. The DDS was associated with MMDA (β=0·045, P<0·0001 in HS; β=0·044, P<0001 in PHS). A DDS of ≤2 food groups best predicted ‘low’ MMDA (<50 %) with 84 % and 92 % sensitivity, 36 % and 43 % specificity, and 47 % and 51 % correct classification for the HS and PHS, respectively.

Conclusions

DDS is predictive of dietary quality of breast-fed infants. The study supports the use of DDS to indicate inadequate intakes of micronutrients by breast-fed infants in different seasons.
A compact single layer branch-line coupler for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications
Authors: Velan Sangeetha , Kanagasabai Malathi
Published: April 2016

This paper presents the design of a compact, planar, single layer, tri-section ultra-wideband (UWB) branch-line (BL) coupler. The prototype offers 10 dB return loss characteristics from 3.1 to 13.7 GHz. Over a major portion of the band, phase imbalance of ±10° is achieved. The method of deploying multi stage impedance feed has been used to achieve improved bandwidth. To enhance the power output through the coupled port throughout the operating band, ring shaped slots have been introduced in the ground plane beneath the series arms. The performance of the fabricated prototype has also been validated experimentally.
K-band MEMS-based frequency adjustable waveguide filters for mobile back-hauling
Authors: Pelliccia Luca , Farinelli Paola , Sorrentino Roberto , Cannone Giandomenico , Favre Giulio , Coassini Piero
Published: April 2016

This paper presents the first experimental results of a novel MEMS-based waveguide filter for mobile back-hauling at K-band with adjustable center frequency. The tuning concept employs commercial packaged RF MEMS switches, wire-bonded within a rectangular cavity. The switches are used to perturb the current distribution of the TE101 mode so as to tune the resonant frequency of the cavity. A tuning range up to 2% with unloaded Qs of the order of 1000 in K-band can be obtained. A second-order filter prototype employing commercially available MEMS on silicon substrate has been tested. Measurements show a 160 MHz frequency shift (0.7%) and Qs up to 1000 using only one MEMS per resonator. New higher-order prototypes using low-loss substrate MEMS (e.g. quartz) will be fabricated in order to get higher Qs. The concept here present leads to a very simple structure. The number of MEMS per resonator is, in fact, minimized (we use only one MEMS) and the design is simple. On the other hand, the achievable tuning range is lower (<2%) than the other concepts. Higher tuning ranges are achievable using more MEMS, but at the expense of lower Qs of the resonators.
Pflegefachpersonal aus anderen Ländern
Authors: Ammende Rainer
Published: April 2016

Zusammenfassung. Die Integration von ausländischem Pflegefachpersonal wird zunehmend zu einem Aufgabenschwerpunkt in der Personalgewinnung, Personalbindung und in der Personalentwicklung. Die Verfahrensregelungen in Anerkennungsverfahren und deren Finanzierung müssen dringend weiterentwickelt werden, um die «Willkommenskultur» zu verbessern, und die Patienten- und Bewohnersicherheit zu gewährleisten. Erkenntnisse aus den derzeit laufenden Verfahren müssen in Forschungsprojekten bewertet und Verbesserungsvorschläge entwickelt und implementiert werden.
Gut Beraten
Authors: Lobenwein Petra
Published: April 2016

Zusammenfassung. In der Fachstelle erhalten Angehörige von Menschen mit Demenz Beratung zum Umgang mit dem erkrankten Menschen, Informationen zu den Leistungen der Pflegeversicherung, zu professionellen Diensten zur Unterstützung das familiären Systems und weiteren Entlastungsangeboten, wie z. B. Gesprächsgruppen und Schulungen kostenlos und neutral. Demenzberatung ist ein interessantes Arbeitsfeld für die Pflege, das sehr viel Eigenverantwortung verlangt.
The Response in Twitter to an Assisted Suicide in a Television Soap Opera
Authors: Scourfield Jonathan , Colombo Gualtiero , Evans Rhiannon , Jacob Nina , Le Zhang Meng , Burnap Pete , Edwards Adam , Housley William , Williams Matthew
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Background: Concern has been expressed about the potentially contagious effect of television soap opera suicides and suicidal language in social media. Aims: Twitter content was analyzed during the week in which a fictional assisted suicide was broadcast on a British television soap opera, "Coronation Street." Method: Tweets were collected if they contained language indicating possible suicidal intent or used the word suicide. The modified Thompson tau method was used to test for any differences in the volume of tweets in both categories on the day of screening. Content analysis broke down the use of the word suicide into six thematic categories. Results: There was no evidence on the day of screening of an increase in tweets expressing possible suicidal intent but there was an increase in tweets containing the word suicide. Content analysis found the most common thematic category to be information or support, followed by the raising of moral issues in relation to suicide. Conclusion: It is possible that for certain high-profile media events Twitter may be used more as a civic reactive forum than as a medium for introspection or disclosure of distress.
CCR1 antagonism attenuates T cell trafficking to omentum and liver in obesity‐associated cancer
Authors: Conroy Melissa J , Galvin Karen C , Kavanagh Maria E , Mongan Ann Marie , Doyle Suzanne L , Gilmartin Niamh , O'Farrelly Cliona , Reynolds John V , Lysaght Joanne
Published: April 2016

Obesity is a global health problem presenting serious risk of disease fuelled by chronic inflammation, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and cancer. Visceral fat, in particular the omentum and liver of obese individuals are sites of excessive inflammation. We propose that chemokine‐mediated trafficking of pro‐inflammatory cells to the omentum and liver contributes to local and subsequent systemic inflammation. Oesophagogastric adenocarcinoma (OAC) is an exemplar model of obesity and inflammation driven cancer. We have demonstrated that T cells actively migrate to the secreted factors from the omentum and liver of OAC patients and that both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells bearing the chemokine receptor CCR5 are significantly more prevalent in these tissues compared to matched blood. The CCR5 ligand and inflammatory chemokine MIP‐1α is also secreted at significantly higher concentrations in the omentum and liver of our OAC patient cohort compared to matched serum. Furthermore, we report that MIP‐1α receptor antagonism can significantly reduce T cell migration to the secreted factors from OAC omentum and liver. These novel data suggest that chemokine receptor antagonism may have therapeutic potential to reduce inflammatory T cell infiltration to the omentum and liver and in doing so, may ameliorate pathological inflammation in obesity and obesity‐associated cancer.
Subterahertz dielectric relaxation in lead-free Ba(Zr,Ti)O3 relaxor ferroelectrics
Authors: Wang D. , Bokov A. A. , Ye Z.-G. , Hlinka J. , Bellaiche L.
Published: April 2016

Relaxors are complex materials with unusual properties that have been puzzling the scientific community since their discovery. The main characteristic of relaxors, that is, their dielectric relaxation, remains unclear and is still under debate. The difficulty to conduct measurements at frequencies ranging from ≃1 GHz to ≃1 THz and the challenge of developing models to capture their complex dynamical responses are among the reasons for such a situation. Here, we report first-principles-based molecular dynamic simulations of lead-free Ba(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O3, which allows us to obtain its subterahertz dynamics. This approach reproduces the striking characteristics of relaxors including the dielectric relaxation, the constant-loss behaviour, the diffuse maximum in the temperature dependence of susceptibility, the substantial widening of dielectric spectrum on cooling and the resulting Vogel–Fulcher law. The simulations further relate such features to the decomposed dielectric responses, each associated with its own polarization mechanism, therefore, enhancing the current understanding of relaxor behaviour.
Kappa opioid receptor activation alleviates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and promotes oligodendrocyte-mediated remyelination
Authors: Du Changsheng , Duan Yanhui , Wei Wei , Cai Yingying , Chai Hui , Lv Jie , Du Xiling , Zhu Jian , Xie Xin
Published: April 2016

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by autoimmune damage to the central nervous system. All the current drugs for MS target the immune system. Although effective in reducing new lesions, they have limited effects in preventing the progression of disability. Promoting oligodendrocyte-mediated remyelination and recovery of neurons are the new directions of MS therapy. The endogenous opioid system, consisting of MOR, DOR, KOR and their ligands, has been suggested to participate in the pathogenesis of MS. However, the exact receptor and mechanism remain elusive. Here we show that genetic deletion of KOR exacerbates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, whereas activating KOR with agonists alleviates the symptoms. KOR does not affect immune cell differentiation and function. Instead, it promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination bothin vitroandin vivo. Our study suggests that targeting KOR might be an intriguing way to develop new MS therapies that may complement the existing immunosuppressive approaches.
Anomalous dynamics of intruders in a crowded environment of mobile obstacles
Authors: Sentjabrskaja Tatjana , Zaccarelli Emanuela , De Michele Cristiano , Sciortino Francesco , Tartaglia Piero , Voigtmann Thomas , Egelhaaf Stefan U. , Laurati Marco
Published: April 2016

Many natural and industrial processes rely on constrained transport, such as proteins moving through cells, particles confined in nanocomposite materials or gels, individuals in highly dense collectives and vehicular traffic conditions. These are examples of motion through crowded environments, in which the host matrix may retain some glass-like dynamics. Here we investigate constrained transport in a colloidal model system, in which dilute small spheres move in a slowly rearranging, glassy matrix of large spheres. Using confocal differential dynamic microscopy and simulations, here we discover a critical size asymmetry, at which anomalous collective transport of the small particles appears, manifested as a logarithmic decay of the density autocorrelation functions. We demonstrate that the matrix mobility is central for the observed anomalous behaviour. These results, crucially depending on size-induced dynamic asymmetry, are of relevance for a wide range of phenomena ranging from glassy systems to cell biology.
Microelectrode characterization of coral daytime interior pH and carbonate chemistry
Authors: Cai Wei-Jun , Ma Yuening , Hopkinson Brian M. , Grottoli Andréa G. , Warner Mark E. , Ding Qian , Hu Xinping , Yuan Xiangchen , Schoepf Verena , Xu Hui , Han Chenhua , Melman Todd F. , Hoadley Kenneth D. , Pettay D. Tye , Matsui Yohei , Baumann Justin H. , Levas Stephen , Ying Ye , Wang Yongchen
Published: April 2016

Reliably predicting how coral calcification may respond to ocean acidification and warming depends on our understanding of coral calcification mechanisms. However, the concentration and speciation of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) inside corals remain unclear, as only pH has been measured while a necessary second parameter to constrain carbonate chemistry has been missing. Here we report the first carbonate ion concentration ([CO32−]) measurements together with pH inside corals during the light period. We observe sharp increases in [CO32−] and pH from the gastric cavity to the calcifying fluid, confirming the existence of a proton (H+) pumping mechanism. We also show that corals can achieve a high aragonite saturation state (Ωarag) in the calcifying fluid by elevating pH while at the same time keeping [DIC] low. Such a mechanism may require less H+-pumping and energy for upregulating pH compared with the high [DIC] scenario and thus may allow corals to be more resistant to climate change related stressors.