bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect  of  Streptomyces sp. Isolated from Acidic Cultures of Minerals on Plant Development in Environments Polluted with Mercury
Authors: Pacheco Sara Liz , Sheen Patricia , Hurtado Jasminc
Published: December 2015

Three isolates ofStreptomyces variabilis(AB5, F and K1A) and one isolate ofStreptomyces sp.(C2) were isolated of acidic cultures from mineral ores and concentrates from mines of the Peruvian highlands. The isolates were identified molecular and phenotypically and characterized by growth at different conditions as pH tolerance, temperature, and sodium chloride and heavy metals resistance.Streptomyces sp. (C2) was able to grow until 200 ppm of mercury andS. variabilis(AB5) grows in the presence of 100 ppm of mercury. The isolates AB5 and K1A ofS. variabiliswere able to grow only until 50 ppm of mercury.All strains were tested by their ability to induce germination ofLactuca sativa,Medicago sativaandPhaseolus vulgarisseeds exposed to different mercury concentrations. It was shown a significative improvement inL.sativaandP. vulgaris. InL. sativaexposed to 50 ppm of mercury, all strains were able to improve germination, root length and number of leaves. Without Streptomyces addition, they only growth until 10 ppm of mercury.Streptomyces sp.isolatehad better results in germination, root length and number of leaves ofL. sativa.The results found in this work indicate the potential of these isolates for restoration of soils polluted with mercury.
Prevention of the Generation of Acid Mine Drainage in a Dump Rich-In Pyrite Uranium Ore
Authors: Groudeva Veneta , Ilieva Ralitca , Iliev Mihail , Groudev Stoyan
Published: December 2015

The uranium deposit Curilo, Bulgaria for a long period of time was a site of intensive industrial-scale leaching of uranium and recovery of primary uranium-bearing concentrates. These activities were ceased twenty five years ago and since that time and until recently the deposit was, especially after rainfall, a huge site of spontaneous generation of acid mine drainage containing uranium, its radioactive disintegration products and several toxic heavy metals. This process was mainly due to the activity of the indigenous acidophilic chemolithotrophic bacteria which oxidized the pyrite, other sulphides and uranium - bearing minerals present in the deposit. Different methods to prevent the generation of such polluted waters were applied but the best results were achieved by construction of a specific rich-in-organics and crushed limestone soil cover on the surface of one of the waste dumps in the deposit.
Effects of Mining Pollution on the Longjiang River in China
Authors: Zhang Ming Jiang , Huang Fu Ke , Wang Nan , Wang Guang Yuan , Liu Xing Yu , Wen Jian Kang , Zhang Xiao Sheng , Huang Yao Si
Published: December 2015

In order to investigate the effects of mining pollution to LongJiang River and to know the situation of LongJiang River, we collected water and sludge samples along the river and analyzed the heavy metal content of samples. Results showed that LiDeFen factory and JinHe mining released most of the heavy metals to LongJiang River two years ago, and the upstream of LongJiang River also released some metal to the river. These heavy metals were precipitated to the bottom of LongJiang River by using weak alkaline chemical precipitation technology, and water quality of LongJiang River can reach the second national environmental quality standards of surface water now. The precipitation effects were different in different remediation sites.
Biogeotechnology Application in the Recovery of Metals from the Wastes of Processing Plants
Authors: Seleznev A.N. , Balikov S.V. , Shketova L.Ye. , Kopylova N.V.
Published: December 2015

In order to recovery base and precious metals from processing plants tailings of Southern Ural and the Murmansk region, test work on heap biooxidation using these products was carried out. These tests involved the chemical and mineralogical analyses of the samples, the bacteria adaptation for the products tested, heap biooxidation in percolation columns, base metals (copper, nickel, zinc) precipitation and gold cyanidation. The recoveries of base metals to the solution from the products of magnetic separation of the wastes were 75% Ni and 50% Cu. This work is aimed at studying sustainability of magnetic separation products and pyrite tailings biotechnological processing. Also, gold and base metals recovery to the solution and the options of base metals removal from the solutions were studied.
Sorptive Removal of Cadmium Ions from Solution Phases Using Textile Fiber Waste Coated with Carboxymethyl Cellulose
Authors: Bediako John Kwame , Wei Wei , Yun Yeoung Sang
Published: December 2015

This study investigates the possibility of applying textile fiber waste coated with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a feasible adsorbent for treating toxic heavy metals contained in wastewaters. The soluble CMC was successfully coated on Lyocell fiber and cross-linked with epichlorohydrin to give mechanical and water stability as well as to enhance its metal binding property. In a model wastewater solution, isotherm of cadmium sorption was modeled by the Langmuir isotherm model and predicted uptake exceeded 100 mg/g maximum. The developed sorbent could work effectively at very low concentrations and could be recycled many times. Equilibrium sorption was reached within 10~20 min of contact. The study may open a way to develop heavy metal adsorbents from waste textile, which by itself is inapplicable to sorption processes.
Assessing Environmental Risks Associated with Ultrafine Coal Wastes Using Laboratory-Scale Tests
Authors: Opitz A.K.B. , Broadhurst Jennifer L. , Harrison Susan T.L.
Published: December 2015

Characterisation of the risk of acid rock drainage is typically achieved through the quantification of acid-generating and acid-consuming components present within a sample using initial laboratory-scale, chemical static tests. Such tests, however, consider ARD generation under chemical conditions and do not account for the role of micro-organisms. Their focus is exclusively on the net potential for acid generation, with no account of metal deportment or the relative rate of acid generation and consumption. The present study investigates the ARD potential of two ultrafine coal wastes samples using the standard static tests as well as the UCT biokinetic test to account for microbial ARD generation. The deportment of metal species under each test condition was also considered. The UCT biokinetic test results supported the static test classification, adding provided preliminary kinetic data on the ARD generation. Sequential chemical extraction tests allowed for differentiation of the host minerals according to their leaching potentials, providing supporting evidence for the deportment of metal species under the characterisation tests, thereby improving the knowledge base on which to classify coal wastes as benign or otherwise.
The Re-Usability of Ecklonia maxima (Brown Seaweed) in the Treatment of Mine Effluent
Authors: Marshall A.B. , Ikhu-Omoregbe D.I.O.
Published: December 2015

Groundwater contamination due to mining, industrial and agricultural activities is a source of concern, especially with the advent of more stringent environmental legislation. Water sources in South Africa are multi-functional as the same water used in industrial processes is also used in agriculture.[1] Mining activities in the Northern Cape of South Africa, is largely as a result of manganese mining where Mn (II) and Fe (II) is removed. The treatment of the effluent discharged to the environment is therefore seen as a priority.Biosorption has proven to be a viable alternative to the use of conventional heavy metal removal methods. [2, 3] The re-usability of the biomaterial was investigated using a batch system. The biomaterial was contacted with Mn (II) sulfate, after which the supernatant was analysed for metal content. The biosorbent was then dried and desorbed using HCl. This process was repeated 3 times to investigate whether the biomaterial deteriorated and whether the biosorption process was affected by multiple use of the same biomaterial. The results showed that the biosorption capacity reduced with each successive use of the biomaterial.
Microbial Communities in Sediments in Acidic, Metal-Rich Mine Lakes: Results from a Study in South-West Spain
Authors: Falagán C. , Sánchez-España F.J. , Yusta Iñaki , Johnson D. Barrie
Published: December 2015

Cueva de la Mora and Guadiana are two acidic mine pit lake in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (south-west Spain) that exhibit depth-related stratification, which is in turn reflected in the bacterial community population the different layers. Here we describe the microbial communities present in samples of sediments located close to the surface and deep within the lakes, which show interesting contrasts to planktonic communities.
Electrochemical Synthesis of Conducting Polypyrrole Film on Tin Substrate: Structural, Chemical and Field Emission Investigations
Authors: Koinkar Pankaj M. , Patil Sandip S. , Moriga Toshihiro , More Mahendra A.
Published: December 2015

Electrochemical synthesis of Polypyrrole (PPy) thin films on Sn substrates has been carried out under cyclic voltammetry (CV) mode. The structural, morphological and chemical properties of the as-synthesized PPy films were investigated using various characterization techniques like SEM, UV-Visible and FTIR. Furthermore, field emission (FE) behaviour of the PPy thin film emitter were carried out at base pressure of ~ 1×10-8 mbar and found to be interesting. The threshold field, required to draw emission current density of 1 μA/cm2, is observed to be 0.90 V/μm and very high emission current density of 12.87 mA/cm2 has been drawn at applied field of ~ 2.8 V/μm. The emission current stability investigated at preset values of 1, 10 and 100 μA/cm2 is observed to be fairly good over duration of more than three hours. The simplicity of the synthesis route coupled with the capability to deliver very high emission current density at relatively lower applied field make the PPy thin field emitter as a potential candidate for practical applications in field emission based devices
Effect of Device Parameters on Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor in Nanometer Regime
Authors: Sinha Sanjeet Kumar , Chaudhury Saurabh
Published: December 2015

In this paper, we have analyzed the effect of chiral vector, temperature, metal work function, channel length and High-K dielectric on threshold voltage of CNTFET devices. We have also compared the effect of oxide thickness on gate capacitance and justified the advantage a CNTFET provides over MOSFET in nanometer regime. Simulation on HSPICE tool shows that high threshold voltage can be achieved at low chiral vector pair in CNTFET. It is also observed that the temperature has a negligible effect on threshold voltage of CNTFET. After that we have simulated and observed the effect of channel length variation on threshold voltage of CNTFET as well as MOSFET devices and given a theoretical analysis on it. We found an unusual, yet, favorable characteristics that the threshold voltage increases with decreasing channel length in CNTFET devices in deep nanometer regime.
Naturally Occurring Subclinical Endotoxemia in Humans Alters Adaptive and Innate Immune Functions through Reduced MAPK and Increased STAT1 Phosphorylation
Authors: Palmer Christine D. , Romero-Tejeda Marisol , Sirignano Michael , Sharma Siddhartha , Allen Todd M. , Altfeld Marcus , Jost Stephanie
Published: December 2015

Multiple studies have shown correlates of immune activation with microbial translocation and plasma LPS during HIV infection. It is unclear whether this activation is due to LPS, residual viral replication, or both. Few studies have addressed the effects of persistent in vivo levels of LPS on specific immune functions in humans in the absence of chronic viral infection or pathological settings such as sepsis. We previously reported on a cohort of HIV-negative men with subclinical endotoxemia linked to alterations in CD4/CD8 T cell ratio and plasma cytokine levels. This HIV-negative cohort allowed us to assess cellular immune functions in the context of different subclinical plasma LPS levels ex vivo without confounding viral effects. By comparing two samples of differing plasma LPS levels from each individual, we now show that subclinical levels of plasma LPS in vivo significantly alter T cell proliferative capacity, monocyte cytokine release, and HLA-DR expression, and induce TLR cross-tolerance by decreased phosphorylation of MAPK pathway components. Using this human in vivo model of subclinical endotoxemia, we furthermore show that plasma LPS leads to constitutive activation of STAT1 through autocrine cytokine signaling, suggesting that subclinical endotoxemia in healthy individuals might lead to significant changes in immune function that have thus far not been appreciated.
Cutting Edge: IL-1 Receptor Signaling is Critical for the Development of Autoimmune Uveitis
Authors: Wan Chi-Keung , He Chang , Sun Lin , Egwuagu Charles E. , Leonard Warren J.
Published: December 2015

IL-1β is a proinflammatory cytokine important for local and systemic immunity. However, aberrant production of this cytokine is implicated in pathogenic mechanisms of a number of inflammatory diseases, including Behçet’s disease and age-related macular degeneration. In this study, we report the increased secretion of IL-1β in the retina by neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells during ocular inflammation and show that loss of IL-1R signaling confers protection from experimental autoimmune uveitis. Moreover, the amelioration of experimental autoimmune uveitis in Il1r-deficient mice was associated with reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells into the retina and decreased numbers of uveitogenic Th17 cells that mediate uveitis. These findings indicate the possible utility of IL-1R–blocking agents for the treatment of ocular inflammatory diseases.
Характеры кластеров и комбинаторика систем Тоды
Authors: Williams Harold
Published: December 2015

Исследованы некоторые связи между системами Тоды и кластерными алгебрами. Одна из этих связей основана на теории представлений: известно, что разложения Лорана кластерных переменных являются производящими функциями характеристик Эйлера грассманианов колчана, то же самое оказывается верным и для гамильтонианов открытой релятивистской цепочки Тоды. Другая связь геометрическая: замкнутую нерелятивистскую цепочку Тоды можно считать мероморфной системой Хитчина и изучать с точки зрения спектральных сетей. С этой точки зрения комбинаторные формулы для гамильтонианов открытой релятивистской системы представляют собой суммы траекторий дифференциальных уравнений, заданных с помощью замкнутых нерелятивистских спектральных кривых.
Расширенная топологическая рекурсия
Authors: Borot Gaetan
Published: December 2015

Описан формализм и свойства расширенной топологической рекурсии, которая позволяет получить общее решение набора абстрактных петлевых уравнений. Эта процедура расширяет известный метод топологической рекурсии за счет добавления дополнительных членов (блобов) в начальные условия для каждого мультидифференциала $\omega_{g,n}$. Данный формализм применен к топологической рекурсии формальной эрмитовой матричной модели (блобы при этом необходимы для описания произвольного взаимодействия). Сформулированы некоторые нерешенные задачи.
Обобщенные квантовые кластерные алгебры и функции квантового дилогарифма старших степеней
Authors: Nakanishi Tomoki
Published: December 2015

Понятие квантования коэффициентов стандартных кластерных алгебр переносится на обобщенные кластерные алгебры, введенные Чеховым и Шапиро. Аналогично стандартному случаю эта конструкция тесно связана с определенными обобщениями стандартной функции квантового дилогарифма, названными функциями квантового дилогарифма старших степеней. В качестве приложения выводятся тождества, которым удовлетворяют эти обобщенные функции квантового дилогарифма, связанные с $Y$-зерном, имеющим период произвольной длины.
Distribution of Enteroinvasive and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Across Space and Time in Northwestern Ecuador
Authors: Bhavnani Darlene , Bayas Rosa de los Ángeles , Lopez Velma K. , Zhang Lixin , Trueba Gabriel , Foxman Betsy , Marrs Carl , Cevallos William , Eisenberg Joseph N. S.
Published: December 2015

Although Escherichia coli infections are common throughout the developing world, their prevalence patterns in space and over time are not well characterized. We used serial case control data collected from 16 communities in northwestern Ecuador between 2004 and 2010, to examine the prevalence of enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). At its peak, the regional prevalence of EIEC was 8.3 infections/100 persons but this decreased to 1 infection/1,000 persons. The regional prevalence of ETEC ranged from 8 infections/1,000 persons to 3.7 infections/100 persons. The prevalence pattern of EIEC resembled that of a large epidemic whereas the prevalence of ETEC was more stable over time. Here, we provide community-based evidence for temporal shifts in the dominant E. coli pathotype from EIEC to ETEC over a multi-year time period. Furthermore, genotype analysis suggests that a given strain of EIEC and ETEC can persist in this region for long periods, up to 24 and 55 months, respectively.
A Cluster Randomized Controlled Evaluation of the Health Impact of a Novel Antimicrobial Hand Towel on the Health of Children Under 2 Years Old in Rural Communities in Nyanza Province, Kenya
Authors: Slayton Rachel B. , Murphy Jennifer L. , Morris Jamae , Faith Sitnah Hamidah , Oremo Jared , Odhiambo Aloyce , Ayers Tracy , Feinman Shawna J. , Brown Allison C. , Quick Robert E.
Published: December 2015

To assess the health impact of reusable, antimicrobial hand towels, we conducted a cluster randomized, yearlong field trial. At baseline, we surveyed mothers, and gave four towels plus hygiene education to intervention households and education alone to controls. At biweekly home visits, we asked about infections in children < 2 years old and tested post-handwashing hand rinse samples of 20% of mothers for Escherichia coli. At study's conclusion, we tested 50% of towels for E. coli. Baseline characteristics between 188 intervention and 181 control households were similar. Intervention and control children had similar rates of diarrhea (1.47 versus 1.48, P = 0.99), respiratory infections (1.38 versus 1.48, P = 0.92), skin infections (1.76 versus 1.79, P = 0.81), and subjective fever (2.62 versus 3.40, P = 0.04) per 100 person-visits. Post-handwashing hand contamination was similar; 67% of towels exhibited E. coli contamination. Antimicrobial hand towels became contaminated over time, did not improve hand hygiene, or prevent diarrhea, respiratory infections, or skin infections.
Acute Kidney Injury and Rhabdomyolysis After Protobothrops flavoviridis Bite: A Retrospective Survey of 86 Patients in a Tertiary Care Center
Authors: Nishimura Hiroaki , Enokida Hideki , Kawahira Shuichirou , Kagara Ichiro , Hayami Hiroshi , Nakagawa Masayuki
Published: December 2015

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the main cause of death for victims of hematoxic snakebites. A few studies have described improvement in AKI rates in snakebite cases, but the reasons for the improvement have not been investigated. Eighty-six patients with Protobothrops flavoviridis bites admitted to a single center from January 2003 through March 2014 were included in the study. Clinical variables, including age, sex, blood pressure (BP), and serum creatinine (S-Cre), on admission were compared between patients with and without AKI. One patient died of disseminated intravascular coagulation following AKI (mortality rate 1.1%). Six patients developed AKI with rhabdomyolysis. Systolic BP, S-Cre, serum creatine kinase, white blood cell count, and platelet count differed significantly between the AKI and non-AKI groups (P = 0.01). Three of the six patients were physically challenged to a degree that made it difficult for them to move or communicate, and these difficulties likely exacerbated the severity of snakebite complications. Our study demonstrated that the risk of snakebite-induced AKI for physically challenged patients was high. To further reduce mortality due to snakebite-induced AKI, we need to make it possible for physically challenged patients to receive first aid sooner.
Sources of long-lived atmospheric VOCs at the rural boreal forest site, SMEAR II
Authors: Patokoski J. , Ruuskanen T. M. , Kajos M. K. , Taipale R. , Rantala P. , Aalto J. , Ryyppö T. , Nieminen T. , Hakola H. , Rinne J.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. In this study a long-term volatile organic compound (VOCs) concentration data set, measured at the SMEAR II (Station for Measuring Ecosystem–Atmosphere Relations) boreal forest site in Hyytiälä, Finland during the years 2006–2011, was analyzed in order to identify source areas and profiles of the observed VOCs. VOC mixing ratios were measured using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. Four-day HYSPLIT 4 (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) backward trajectories and the Unmix 6.0 receptor model were used for source area and source composition analysis. Two major forest fire events in Russia took place during the measurement period. The effect of these fires was clearly visible in the trajectory analysis, lending confidence to the method employed with this data set. Elevated volume mixing ratios (VMRs) of non-biogenic VOCs related to forest fires, e.g. acetonitrile and aromatic VOCs, were observed. Ten major source areas for long-lived VOCs (methanol, acetonitrile, acetaldehyde, acetone, benzene, and toluene) observed at the SMEAR II site were identified. The main source areas for all the targeted VOCs were western Russia, northern Poland, Kaliningrad, and the Baltic countries. Industrial areas in northern continental Europe were also found to be source areas for certain VOCs. Both trajectory and receptor analysis showed that air masses from northern Fennoscandia were less polluted with respect to both the VOCs studied and other trace gases (CO, SO2 and NOx), compared to areas of eastern and western continental Europe, western Russia, and southern Fennoscandia.
Insights into the growth of newly formed particles in a subtropical urban environment
Authors: Salimi F. , Crilley L. R. , Stevanovic S. , Ristovski Z. , Mazaheri M. , He C. , Johnson G. , Ayoko G. , Morawska L.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. The role of different chemical compounds, particularly organics, involved in the new particle formation (NPF) and its consequent growth are not fully understood. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the chemical composition of aerosol particles during NPF events in an urban subtropical environment. Aerosol chemical composition was measured along with particle number size distribution (PNSD) and several other air quality parameters at five sites across an urban subtropical environment. An Aerodyne compact Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (c-ToF-AMS) and a TSI Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) measured aerosol chemical composition (particles above 50 nm in vacuum aerodynamic diameter) and PNSD (particles within 9–414 nm in mobility diameter), respectively. Five NPF events, with growth rates in the range 3.3–4.6 nm, were detected at two of the sites. The NPF events happened on relatively warmer days with lower condensation sink (CS). Temporal percent fractions of organics increased after the particles grew enough to have a significant contribution to particle volume, while the mass fraction of ammonium and sulfate decreased. This uncovered the important role of organics in the growth of newly formed particles. Three organic markers, factors f43, f44 and f57, were calculated and the f44 vs. f43 trends were compared between nucleation and non-nucleation days. K-means cluster analysis was performed on f44 vs. f43 data and it was found that they follow different patterns on nucleation days compared to non-nucleation days, whereby f43 decreased for vehicle-emission-generated particles, while both f44 and f43 decreased for NPF-generated particles. It was found for the first time that vehicle-generated and newly formed particles cluster in different locations on f44 vs. f43 plot, and this finding can be potentially used as a tool for source apportionment of measured particles.
Trends and climatic sensitivities of vegetation phenology in semiarid and arid ecosystems in the US Great Basin during 1982–2011
Authors: Tang G. , Arnone III J. A. , Verburg P. S. J. , Jasoni R. L. , Sun L.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. We quantified the temporal trend and climatic sensitivity of vegetation phenology in dryland ecosystems in the US Great Basin during 1982–2011. Our results indicated that vegetation greenness in the Great Basin increased significantly during the study period, and this positive trend occurred in autumn but not in spring and summer. Spatially, increases in vegetation greenness were more apparent in the northwestern, southeastern, and eastern Great Basin but less apparent in the central and southwestern Great Basin. In addition, the start of growing season (SOS) was not advanced while the end of growing season (EOS) was delayed significantly at a rate of 3.0 days per decade during the study period. The significant delay in EOS and lack of earlier leaf onset caused growing season length (GSL) to increase at a rate of 3.0 days per decade. Interestingly, we found that the interannual variation of mean vegetation greenness calculated for the period of March to November (spring, summer, and autumn – SSA) was not significantly correlated with mean surface air temperature in SSA but was strongly correlated with total precipitation. On a seasonal basis, the variation of mean vegetation greenness in spring, summer, and autumn was mainly attributable to changes in pre-season precipitation in winter and spring. Nevertheless, climate warming appeared to play a strong role in extending GSL that, in turn, resulted in the upward trend in mean vegetation greenness. Overall, our results suggest that changes in wintertime and springtime precipitation played a stronger role than temperature in affecting the interannual variability of vegetation greenness, while climate warming was mainly responsible for the upward trend in vegetation greenness we observed in Great Basin dryland ecosystems during the 30-year period from 1982 to 2011.
Technical note: drifting versus anchored flux chambers for measuring greenhouse gas emissions from running waters
Authors: Lorke A. , Bodmer P. , Noss C. , Alshboul Z. , Koschorreck M. , Somlai-Haase C. , Bastviken D. , Flury S. , McGinnis D. F. , Maeck A. , Müller D. , Premke K.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Stream networks have recently been discovered to be major but poorly constrained natural greenhouse gas (GHG) sources. A fundamental problem is that several measurement approaches have been used without cross-comparisons. Flux chambers represent a potentially powerful methodological approach if robust and reliable ways to use chambers on running water can be defined. Here we compare the use of anchored and freely drifting chambers on various streams with different flow velocities. The study clearly shows that (1) anchored chambers enhance turbulence under the chambers and thus elevate fluxes, (2) drifting chambers have a very small impact on the water turbulence under the chamber and thus generate more reliable fluxes, (3) the bias of the anchored chambers greatly depends on chamber design and sampling conditions, and (4) there is a promising method to reduce the bias from anchored chambers by using a flexible plastic foil collar to seal the chambers to the water surface, rather than having rigid chamber walls penetrating into the water. Altogether, these results provide novel guidance on how to apply flux chambers in running water, which will have important consequences for measurements to constrain the global GHG balances.
Changes in optical characteristics of surface microlayers hint to photochemically and microbially-mediated DOM turnover in the upwelling region off Peru
Authors: Galgani L. , Engel A.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. The coastal upwelling system off Peru is characterized by high biological activity and a pronounced subsurface oxygen minimum zone, as well as associated emissions of atmospheric trace gases such as N2O, CH4 and CO2. During the Meteor (M91) cruise to the Peruvian upwelling system in 2012, we investigated the composition of the sea-surface microlayer (SML), the oceanic uppermost boundary directly subject to high solar radiation, often enriched in specific organic compounds of biological origin like Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) and marine gels. In the SML, the continuous photochemical and microbial recycling of organic matter may strongly influence gas exchange between marine systems and the atmosphere. In order to understand organic matter cycling in surface films, we analyzed SML and underlying water samples at 38 stations determining DOC concentration, amino acid composition, marine gels, CDOM and bacterial and phytoplankton abundance as indicators of photochemical and microbial alteration processes. CDOM composition was characterized by spectral slope (S) values and Excitation-Emission Matrix fluorescence (EEMs), which allow to track changes in molecular weight (MW) of DOM, and to determine potential DOM sources and sinks. We identified five fluorescent components of the CDOM pool, of which two had excitation/emission characteristics of protein-like fluorophores and were highly enriched in the SML. CDOM composition and changes in spectral slope properties suggested a local microbial release of HMW DOM directly in the SML as a response to light exposure in this extreme environment. Our results suggest that microbial and photochemical processes play an important role for the production, alteration and loss of optically active substances in the SML.
Implementation of a Marauding Insect Module (MIM, version 1.0) in the Integrated BIosphere Simulator (IBIS, version 2.6b4) Dynamic Vegetation–Land Surface Model
Authors: Landry J.-S. , Price D. T. , Ramankutty N. , Parrott L. , Matthews H. D.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Insects defoliate and kill plants in many ecosystems worldwide. The consequences of these natural processes on terrestrial ecology and nutrient cycling are well established, and their potential climatic effects resulting from modified land–atmosphere exchanges of carbon, energy, and water are increasingly being recognized. We developed a Marauding Insect Module (MIM) to quantify, in the Integrated BIosphere Simulator (IBIS), the consequences of insect activity on biogeochemical and biogeophysical fluxes, also accounting for the effects of altered vegetation dynamics. MIM can simulate damage from broadleaf defoliators, needleleaf defoliators, and bark beetles, with the resulting impacts being estimated by IBIS based on the new, insect-modified state of the vegetation. MIM further accounts for the physical presence and gradual fall of insect-killed dead standing trees. The design of MIM should facilitate the addition of other insect types besides the ones already included and could guide the development of similar modules for other process-based vegetation models. After describing IBIS-MIM, we illustrate the usefulness of the model by presenting results spanning daily to centennial timescales for vegetation dynamics and cycling of carbon, energy, and water following a simulated outbreak of the mountain pine beetle. We then show that these simulated impacts agree with many previous studies based on field measurements, satellite data, or modelling. MIM and similar tools should therefore be of great value in assessing the wide array of impacts resulting from insect-induced plant damage in the Earth system.
Repetitive fracturing during spine extrusion at Unzen volcano, Japan
Authors: Lamb O. D. , De Angelis S. , Umakoshi K. , Hornby A. J. , Kendrick J. E. , Lavallée Y.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Rhythmic seismicity associated with spine extrusion is a well-documented phenomenon at a number of dome-forming volcanic systems. At Unzen volcano, Japan, a 4-year dome-forming eruption concluded with the emplacement of a spine from October 1994 to February 1995, offering a valuable opportunity to further investigate seismogenic processes at dome-forming volcanoes. Using continuous data recorded at a seismic station located close to the dome, this study explores trends in the seismic activity during the extrusion of the spine. We identify a total of 12 208 volcano-seismic events in the period between October 1994 and February 1995. Hourly event counts indicate cyclic activity with periods of ∼ 40 to ∼ 100 h, attributed to pulsatory ascent defined by strain localisation and faulting at the conduit margins. Waveform correlation revealed two strong clusters (a.k.a. multiplets, families) which are attributed to fracturing along the margins of the shallow, ascending spine. Further analysis indicates variable seismic velocities during the spine extrusion as well as migration of the cluster sources along the spine margins. Our interpretation of the results from seismic data analyses is supported by previously published field and experimental observations, suggesting that the spine was extruded along an inclined conduit with brittle and ductile deformation occurring along the margins. We infer that changes in stress conditions acting on the upper and lower spine margins led to deepening and shallowing of the faulting sources, respectively. We demonstrate that the combination of geophysical, field and experimental evidence can help improve physical models of shallow conduit processes.
Soil erosion assessment and control in Northeast Wollega, Ethiopia
Authors: Adugna A. , Abegaz A. , Cerdà A.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Soil erosion is the main driver of land degradation in Ethiopia, and in the whole region of East Africa. This study was conducted at the Northeast Wollega in West Ethiopia to estimate the soil losses by means of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). The purpose of this paper is to identify erosion spot areas and target locations for appropriate development of soil and water conservation measures. Fieldwork and household survey were conducted to identify major determinants of soil erosion control. Six principal factors were used to calculate soil loss per year, such as rainfallerosivity, soil erodiblity, slope length, slope steepness, crop management and erosion-control practices. The soil losses have shown spatio-temporal variations that range from 4.5 Mg ha-1 yr-1 in forest to 65.9 Mg ha-1 yr-1 in cropland. Results from the analysis of stepwise multiple linear regression show that sustainable soil erosion control are determined byknowledge of farmers about soil conservation, land tenure security and off-farm income at community level. Thus, policy aim at keeping land productivity will need to focus on terracing, inter-cropping and improved agro-forestry practices.
For A Time
Authors: Saghafi Kas
Published: December 2015

An assessment of Michael Naas's Miracle and Machine, which is devoted to a careful reading of Derrida's essay "Faith and Knowledge". This article focuses on survival and its temporality.
Was Levinas an Antiphilosopher? Archi-ethics and the Jewish Experience of the Prisoner
Authors: McLennan Matthew R. , Guvenc Deniz
Published: December 2015

This paper explores Levinas’s Carnets de captivité and Écrits sur la captivité in light of Badiou’s category of ‘antiphilosophy’. We make four movements: firstly, a description of what antiphilosophy is; secondly, an explanation of why the category of antiphilosophy is important to a reading of Levinas; thirdly, an exposition of the antiphilosophical elements of the Carnets and Écrits on captivity; and fourthly, we situate our reading of the notebooks within the larger context of Levinas’s post-captivity work.
Psychoanalysis and Deconstruction, A Love Story
Authors: Oliver Kelly
Published: December 2015

In The Right to Narcissism: A Case for Im-Possible Self-Love, Pleshette DeArmitt opens the space for an alternative to origin story so popular with political philosophers, namely, the social contract, which assumes a rational and self-identical subject.  She does this obliquely by deconstructing narcissism as love of the self-same, or, love of what Kristeva might call “the clean and proper self.”  Like Echo interrupting Narcissus’s soliloquy of deadly self-absorbed pleasure and his solitary auto-affection upon seeing his own reflection, Pleshette interrupts the seeming proximity of self-same, the closeness of near, and the propinquity of proper by deflecting the image of Narcissus onto the voice of Echo, who comes into her own by repeating his words.  How, asks Pleshette, can Echo’s reiteration of the words of another be anything more than mere repetition or reduplication?  Echoing Derrida, she answers that it is through a declaration of love.  Echo’s repetition of the words of Narcissus take on new meaning, and allow her to express herself, and her love, through the words of the other.  After all words are words of the other.  Language comes to us from the other.  Echo becomes a self, a “little narcissist,” through an address from and to the other, through the appropriation and ex-appropriation of the other’s words.
Book Review: Michaël Foessel, Le temps de la consolation (Paris: Seuil, 2015).
Authors: Michel Johann
Published: December 2015

A book review of Michaël Foessel, Le temps de la consolation (Paris: Seuil, 2015).
Echoing Sentiments: Art and Melancholy in the Work of Pleshette DeArmitt
Authors: Naas Michael
Published: December 2015

During those first few days, those first few weeks, truth be told, still today, something in me has wanted simply to echo the sentiments of others. That’s because I myself didn’t know exactly what to say and, truth be told, I still don’t know today. But it’s also because others, including and especially some of the people here today, beginning with my co-panelists and, perhaps especially, early on, Leigh Johnson, knew at the time just what had to be said and so expressed so well the sentiments that we all—that I at least—just wanted to echo. Just to echo, that’s what I wanted to do, because by echoing the sentiments of others I would be able to protect myself just a bit longer, I thought, though also, I self-justified, by echoing others I would be able to give back in some way to Pleshette herself, who showed us in her work that Echo does not simply repeat but initiates even when it looks or sounds as if she is not, Echo who gives back even when it sounds as if she has nothing to give, Echo who not only has her own Narcissus but her own narcissism—which Pleshette would have been the first to tell us is not only not a bad thing but a necessary one, and perhaps just what is needed for a new thinking of empathy, of mourning, and, perhaps, as I will try to say, of the ephemeral.
The Significance of Narcissism
Authors: Katz Claire Elise
Published: December 2015

This essay briefly reviews the significance of Pleshette DeArmitt's book, The Right to Narcissism.  The essay, originally presented at the 2015 Kristeva Circle, was part of a panel celebrating the work of Pleshette.
Eating Well with Pleshette DeArmitt
Authors: Marshall Sarah Kathryn
Published: December 2015

Written from a student’s perspective, this essay focuses on Pleshette’s engagement with Derrida in The Right to Narcissism: The Case for an Im-possible Self-Love and attests to the manner in which she lived this influence through her teaching and writing.
Another Time
Authors: Marder Elissa
Published: December 2015

This paper celebrates the work of Pleshette DeArmitt.  In this essay, I show how Pleshette DeArmitt's book, The Right to Narcissism, is haunted by Freud's essay "On Narcissism."
De Copia: On Narcissism, Echo, and the Im-Possible Female Friendship
Authors: Ziarek Ewa Plonowska
Published: December 2015

There are two interrelated questions that I would like to explore in the context of Pleshette DeArmitt’s work. The first one pertains to the intellectual stakes in the eloquent style of her writing, its elegance and playfulness, which accompanies the philosophical order of argumentation. And the second one refers to the issue of female friendship. How can one discuss such friendship without resorting to merely biographical, historical, or autobiographical terms? Yet what kind of philosophical theories of female friendship could I possibly refer to? Perhaps to none. DeArmitt, whose life has created so many friendships, did not live long enough to write about friendship, at least not directly. And yet I would like to suggest that her captivating—the adjective that I use here deliberately—book, The Right to Narcissism: A Case for Im-possible Self-Love, leaves us traces of female friendship in her philosophical argument that narcissistic self-love is inseparable from the love of another.
Eye Care by Dutch Nursing Home Physicians: A Descriptive Study
Authors: Sinoo Marianne M. , Schols Jos M. G. A. , Tilborg Mirjam M. A. van , Kort Helianthe S. M.
Published: December 2015

Currently, 4% of older adults reside in long-term care facilities in the Netherlands. Nursing home residents tend to have multimorbidity that is associated with considerable disabilities and a high level of care dependency. In the Dutch adult population the highest estimated prevalence (>40%) of visual impairment (low vision and blindness) was found in the subgroup of residents in nursing homes (NHs). The aim of this study is to describe the current practice of eye care by Dutch nursing home physicians (NHPs).

A digital online survey was developed to describe the eye care activities of nursing home physicians and their cooperation in this perspective with other professionals.

Of 1573 NHPs present in the Netherlands, 125 (8%) responded.

Results show that more than 50% of the NHPs regularly examine ‘distant vision’, ‘near vision’ and ‘the visual field’. However, 23%, 33% and 45% almost never or never examine the ‘visual field’, ‘near vision’ and ‘distant vision’, respectively. Data regarding eye care, regularly recorded in the client files by more than 50% of the NHPs, are medical data involving ‘use of eye medication’, ‘eye disease’, and ‘eye surgery in the past’. Less commonly recorded is ‘the use of reading glasses’ as well as ‘eye pain’.

Inside of the NH, (head) nurses and ward nurses (chi2 = 309, df = 5, p = 0.000), and outside of the NH, ophthalmologists and low vision specialists are most frequently contacted about eye related issues (chi2 = 224, df = 4, p = 0.000). Opticians are rarely contacted, and optometrists and orthoptists are ‘never’ contacted by more than 50% of the NHPs. Moreover, 50% of the NHPs noted that collaboration with external eye care professionals is ‘not structural’.

This study shows that, according to NHPs, relevant visual aspects are not structurally examined and recorded in the client files. Outside of the NH, NHPs tend to have a less frequent collaborative relationship with optometrists, orthoptists and opticians compared to ophthalmologists and low vision specialists. The NHP’s role in providing eye care can be improved by development of guidelines for structural eye screening, improvement of recording in client files, and exploring plus undertaking collaboration with other eye care professionals.
The dynamics of the coastal food webs in the Central Arabian Sea
Authors: Rowe Gilbert T. , Wei Chih-Lin , Al-Ansi Mohsin , Al-Maslamani Ibrahim , Soliman Yousria , El-Din Nehad Nour , Al-Ansari Ibrahim S. , Al-Shaikh Ismail , Quigg Antonietta , Nunnally Clifton , Youseff Nabiha , Abdel-Moati Mohamed A.
Published: December 2015

The dynamics of the lower-level components of the coastal food web of Qatar are presented as an 'organic carbon' budget that summarizes comprehensive sampling of the phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos at standard, repeated locations seasonally over a two year period. Moderate levels of phytoplankton biomass and primary production support diverse, healthy assemblages of zooplankton and benthos that are typical of sub-tropical ecosystems. The primary production however must be supported by sources of new or regenerated inorganic nutrients, such as rate-limiting nitrate, but no clear sources (such as freshwater runoff or upwelling) can be identified in this ecosystem, surrounded as it is by desert. A coupled carbon/nitrogen numerical simulation of the phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos is used to test the hypotheses that 'new' or regenerated nutrients are supplied by i. export from coastal mangroves forests, ii. nitrogen fixation in the plankton, iii. benthic-pelagic coupling, or iv. the annual (summer) low-salinity, nutrient-rich current from the Sea of Oman. While the potential that high temperatures, high salinities and low oxygen affect metabolic rates, a general limitation of available inorganic nutrients at the bottom of the food web appears to limit sustainable recruitment and biomass.
Biodiversity and distribution of benthic macro-fauna community from mangrove swamps and saltmarshes, Qatar
Authors: Al Khayat Jassim , Abdulla Maryam A.
Published: December 2015

Mangroves with its aerial roots provide a complex structure of microhabitats and refuge for an array of organisms that contributes to the biodiversity of this ecosystem. The present study aims to investigate and compare the distribution and biodiversity of the macro-benthic fauna living within the natural mangrove Avicennia marina, saltmarsh and replanted mangle. The study also compares relevant features of the abiotic and biotic environments of these habitats, during the period of study (October 2013 – March 2014). Results showed that TOC content was significantly higher in the sediments of the mangrove compared with salt marshes. The percent silt was also higher in the natural mangrove ecosystem compared to the planted and salt marshes locations. There was significant differences in community structures in terms of species composition and abundance between the natural mangrove, saltmarsh and planted mangrove sites. Shannon diversity index (H’) was generally higher for natural mangrove compared to the other two sites. Multivariate statistical analyses, including cluster analysis and non-multidimensional scales plot were employed to show similarity percent between sites. The higher organic matter content and the finer grain size in the natural mangrove site indicated the higher productivity and organic carbon flux from the mangrove. This result indicated that the three ecosystems have different biotic and abiotic settings that impacts the macrofaunal communities.