bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The tolerance of island plant–pollinator networks to alien plants
Authors: Kaiser‐Bunbury Christopher N. , Valentin Terence , Mougal James , Matatiken Denis , Ghazoul Jaboury
Published: October 2010

1.Invasive alien plant species pose a severe threat to native plant communities world‐wide, especially on islands. While many studies focus on the direct impact of alien plants on native systems, indirect effects of plant invaders on co‐flowering natives, for example through competition for pollination services, are less well studied and the results are variable.

2.We used six temporally and taxonomically highly resolved plant–pollinator networks from the island of Mahé, Seychelles, to investigate the indirect impact of invasive alien plant species on remnant native plant communities mediated by shared pollinators. We employed fully quantitative network parameters and information on plant reproductive success, and pollinator diversity and behaviour, to detect changes in plant–pollinator networks along an invasion gradient.

3.The number of visits to and fruit set of native plants did not change with invasion intensity. Weighted plant linkage and interaction evenness, however, was lower at invaded sites than at less invaded sites. These patterns were primarily driven by shifts in interactions of the most common pollinator, the introduced honey beeApis mellifera, while weak interactions and strong native interactions remained unchanged.

4.Synthesis.The implications of these findings are twofold: first, quantitative network parameters are important tools for detecting underlying biological patterns. Secondly, alien plants and pollinators may play a greater role in shaping network structure at high than low levels of invasion. We could not show, however, whether the presence of invasive plants result in a simplification of plant–pollinator networks that is detrimental to native plants and pollinators alike.
Evaluating service delivery for speech and swallowing problems following paediatric brain injury: an international survey
Authors: Morgan Angela T. , Skeat Jemma
Published: October 2010

Rationale, aims and objectives  Little is documented about contemporary management of speech and swallowing disorders associated with paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI). It is therefore challenging for clinicians in this field to benchmark their clinical management against current evidence or practices undertaken in other centres. To address this issue, we aimed to provide much‐needed baseline data on speech and language pathology management of speech and swallowing disorders associated with childhood ABI. Key objectives were to: (i) determine whether clinicians use formalized referral criteria, clinical guidelines, protocols or care pathways; and (ii) to document the specific assessment and treatment approaches used.

Methods  Speech and language pathology managers and clinicians at 31 major paediatric rehabilitation centres across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland were invited to participate in an online survey.

Results  Fifty‐one speech and language pathologists responded representing 26 centres (84% response rate). Routine referrals of ABI patients to speech and language pathology occurred relatively infrequently in these centres (12%). Centres utilized assessment protocols (23%) and guidelines (35%) more frequently than treatment guidelines (8%). Multidisciplinary care pathways were applied by 31%. Most centres used adult‐based motor speech assessments and informal (‘in‐house developed’) swallowing assessment tools.

Conclusions  The limited use of referral criteria, protocols, care pathways and guidelines invites the possibility of unequal care, and less than optimal outcomes. Reliance on adult‐based or in‐house assessments is inappropriate, yet frequently a necessity due to an absence of paediatric‐specific tools in this field. Further research is required in parallel with the formation of consensus groups to support the development of: (i) paediatric‐specific assessment tools and management approaches; and (ii) clinical protocols and guidelines.
Relationship between non‐functional masticatory activity and central dopamine in stressed rats
Authors: GÓMEZ F. M. , ORTEGA J. E. , HORRILLO I. , MEANA J. J.
Published: October 2010

Summary  In humans, diurnal tooth‐clenching and other oral stereotyped behaviour are associated with stress/anxiety. In rodents, gnawing/biting of objects is observed during exposure to stress. Both nigrostriatal and mesocortical dopaminergic systems are involved in the development of this coping behaviour. To clarify the relationship between central dopaminergic activity and stress‐induced parafunctional masticatory behaviour, using microdialysis in vivo, we assessed the changes in extracellular dopamine concentrations in both prefrontal cortex and striatum of rats subjected to a mild tail pinch. The animals were divided into two groups according to the degree of non‐functional masticatory activity (NFMA) displayed during exposure to tail pinch. In prefrontal cortex, rats which displayed severe NFMA showed a greater increase in extracellular dopamine concentration in relation to basal values (Emax = 184 ± 26%) than those which did not display this coping behaviour (Emax = 139 ± 23%) (FNFMA[1,86] = 3·97; P < 0·05) (n = 17). A positive association was also found between cortical dopamine maximal value from baseline and the degree of NFMA displayed (r = 0·36; P < 0·05) (n = 17). There were no significant differences in the tail‐pinch‐induced striatal dopamine increase between both groups of rats (Emax = 130 ± 10%) (n = 17). These results provide further evidence in support of prefrontal dopamine playing a relevant role in the expression of stress‐induced masticatory coping behaviour.
W(h)ither anthropology? Opening up or closing down (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Marsden David
Published: October 2010

This editorial provides a brief overview of the place of anthropology in the work of International Financial Institutions (IFI) and argues for a more central role for the subject in building a more sustainable and equitable future. Anthropologists have always wanted to open things up, rather than close them down ‐ to explore ambiguities and possibilities rather than impose externally conceived solutions. The editorial argues for the development of a science of morality based on anthropological perspectives that reach back to enlightenment thinkers and that reconfigure premises developed and informed by a linear perspective on the meaning of development. This is particularly important at this time because of the recent failures of financial institutions and a growing recognition that the millennium development goals are unattainable in the terms in which they have been conceived.
The reluctant sovereign: New adventures of the US presidential Thanksgiving turkey
Authors: Fiskesjö Magnus
Published: October 2010

This article revisits the annual US presidential ritual of pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey, and explores the changes made to the procedures since 2003, when the author's Prickly Paradigm pamphlet on the issue was published. This includes such curious developments as the turkey being retired to Disneyland in Florida instead of a nearby petting zoo; the presidential contender Sarah Palin's attempt at pardoning her own turkey, a PR disaster with a twist; the new Virginia‐based movement to pardon a pig instead of a turkey; and President Obama's apparent reluctance in face of the ceremony — by now a spectacle so firmly implanted in US political life that it can no longer be dislodged. An extended interpretation is offered for just how all these developments relate to the deep‐seated American ambivalence towards the place of Native Americans in the nation's history, as well as towards the position of the US as a military superpower.
NATIONALIZING HISTORY AND THE CHALLENGE OF DISCORDANT TEMPORALITIES1
Authors: Harootunian Harry
Published: October 2010

Christopher Hill's National History and the World of Nations reminds us of the conjunctural moment of an emerging world market in the latter half of the nineteenth century and the promise it offered for vitalizing a “world history” yet to be written. More importantly, it supplies the silhouette of a radically different interpretive approach, formed by the force of a centrifugal perspective that—through its concentration on how France, the United States, and Japan were simultaneously motivated to construct representations of self‐identity in national narratives—converged to disclose the possibility of a wider world no longer held hostage to the geopolitical category of the “West.” Hill's account shows that the impulse behind the formation of national history employed different strategies to imagine a singular linear historical narrative of national identity that aimed both to remove the spectacle of coexisting, different, multiple temporalities and to weld large and regionally disparate populations into a single people who, in a new time, would be instructed to recognize themselves in the nation's story. In Hill's reckoning, national history in France, the United States, and Japan appears simply as another name for historical necessity that sought, through processes of naturalization and nationalization, to overcome the unstable and uneven relationship between state and capital but that failed to conceal the deeper reality of determinations demanded by the relations of capital at the local and international levels.
Militant Modern Atheism
Authors: KITCHER PHILIP
Published: October 2010

abstract

Militant modern atheism, whose most eloquent champion is Richard Dawkins, provides an effective and necessary critique of fundamentalist forms of religion and their role in political life, both within states and across national boundaries. Because it is also presented as a more general attack on religion (tout court), it has provoked a severe reaction from scholars who regard its conception of religion as shallow and narrow. My aim is to examine this debate, identifying insights and oversights on both sides.

Two distinct conceptions of religion are in play. For Dawkins and his allies (most notably Dan Dennett) religions are grounded in doctrines, propositions about supernatural entities, events and processes which the devout believe. Their beliefs prompt them to actions, which they support or rationalize by reference to the doctrines. Dawkins and Dennett view the acceptance of the doctrines as resting on cognitive misfiring — these are delusions to be outgrown or spells to be broken.

By contrast, the religious scholars who criticize the militant atheists often view religion as centered in social practices that inform and enrich human lives. To the extent that there are doctrines that atheists might subject to epistemic evaluation, these are to be viewed as pieces of scaffolding, that are, in principle, dispensable.

I argue that militant modern atheism is incomplete (and likely counter‐productive) so long as it fails to attend systematically to the roles religion fulfills in human lives. Yet it is important to achieve public clarity about the literal falsehood of the doctrines on which fundamentalists rely. The challenge is to develop a well‐articulated and convincing version of secular humanism. Meeting that challenge is, I claim, one of the central problems of philosophy today.
Managing Transboundary Crises: Identifying the Building Blocks of an Effective Response System
Authors: Ansell Chris , Boin Arjen , Keller Ann
Published: October 2010

In recent years, crises have become increasingly transboundary in nature. This exploratory paper investigates whether and how the transboundary dimensions of crises such as pandemics, cyber attacks and prolonged critical infrastructure failure accentuate the challenges that public and private authorities confront in the face of urgent threats. We explore the transboundary dimensions of crises and disasters, discuss how an increase in ‘transboundedness’ affects traditional crisis management challenges and investigate what administrative mechanisms are needed to deal with these compounded challenges. Building on lessons learned from past crises and disasters, our goal is to stimulate a discussion among crisis management scholars about the political‐administrative capabilities required to deal with ‘transboundary’ crises.
List Prices, Sale Prices and Marketing Time: An Application to U.S. Housing Markets
Authors: Haurin Donald R. , Haurin Jessica L. , Nadauld Taylor , Sanders Anthony
Published: October 2010

Many goods are marketed after first stating a list price, with the expectation that the eventual sales price will differ. In this article, we first present a simple model of search behavior that includes the seller setting a list price. Holding constant the mean of the buyers’ distribution of potential offers for a good, we assume that the greater the list price, the slower the arrival rate of offers but the greater is the maximal offer. This trade‐off determines the optimal list price, which is set simultaneously with the seller's reservation price. Comparative statics are derived through a set of numerical sensitivity tests, where we show that the greater the variance of the distribution of buyers’ potential offers, the greater is the ratio of the list price to expected sales price. Thus, sellers of atypical goods will tend to set a relatively high list price compared with standard goods. We test this hypothesis using data from the Columbus, Ohio, housing market and find substantial support. We also find empirical support for another hypothesis of the model: atypical dwellings take longer to sell.
Obstacles to migration constrain nest distribution of Atlantic salmon
Authors: Tentelier Cédric , Piou Cyril
Published: October 2010

Abstract – Programmes of habitat restoration usually assume that the targeted populations will readily colonise the newly provided habitat. However, this assumption may not always hold, and the success of restoration may be impaired if the individuals are driven to aggregate in areas of the habitat already available instead of spreading to new ones. We investigated how weirs situated along a river could drive Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to aggregate their redds and tested whether aggregation intensified at low fish density. For this, we applied spatial point pattern analysis to a data set consisting on the distribution of salmon redds in a small river over 15 years (1992–2006). Within the habitat suitable for spawning, redds were significantly aggregated, especially in the first 15 morphodynamic units below weirs. Our results suggest that the constraint imposed by obstacles on redd distribution should be considered when conducting habitat restoration.
Sex steroid hormones do not enhance the direct stimulatory effect of kisspetin‐10 on the secretion of growth hormone from bovine anterior pituitary cells
Authors: EZZAT AHMED Ahmed , SAITO Hayato , SAWADA Tatsuru , YAEGASHI Tomoyoshi , JIN Jin , SAWAI Ken , YAMASHITA Tetsuro , HASHIZUME Tsutomu
Published: October 2010

The aims of the present study were to clarify the effect of kisspeptin10 (Kp10) on the secretion of growth hormone (GH) from bovine anterior pituitary (AP) cells, and evaluate the ability of sex steroid hormones to enhance the sensitivity of somatotrophic cells to Kp10. AP cells prepared from 8–11‐month‐old castrated calves were incubated for 12 h with estradiol (E2, 10−8 mol/L),progesterone (P4, 10−8 mol/L), testosterone (T, 10−8 mol/L), or vehicle only (control), and then for 2 h with Kp10. The amount of GH released in the medium was measured by a time‐resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Kp10 (10−6 or 10−5 mol/L) significantly stimulated the secretion of GH from the AP cells regardless of steroid treatments (P < 0.05), and E2, P4, and T had no effect on this response. The GH‐releasing response to growth hormone‐releasing hormone (GHRH, 10−8 mol/L) was significantly greater than that to Kp10 (P < 0.05). The present results suggest that Kp10 directly stimulates the release of GH from somatotrophic cells and sex steroid hormones do not enhance the sensitivity of these cells to Kp10. Furthermore, they suggest that the GH‐releasing effect of Kp10 is less potent than that of GHRH.
Significance of Biodiversity to Health
Authors: Herndon Christopher N. , Butler Rhett A.
Published: October 2010

The United Nations declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. Despite the magnitude of the global crisis of biodiversity loss, its far‐reaching consequences to human health remain largely unappreciated. The legacy of the natural world to medicine is profound and its potential to yield new therapeutics and advancements in biomedical science undervalued. The enormity of the global crisis underscores a fundamental truth, one that is seemingly obvious but has been tragically overlooked: Our species does not exist in isolation from the biosphere. Rather, our fate depends on it.
Saving Slash‐and‐Burn to Save Biodiversity
Authors: Padoch Christine , Pinedo‐Vasquez Miguel
Published: October 2010

Several prominent articles have recently revived the debate on how to advance and reconcile two pressing global issues: conservation of biodiversity, and food production for an increasing human population. These discussions contrast a ‘land‐sparing/intensive agriculture’ strategy with a ‘biodiversity‐friendly’ agriculture approach. We propose that swidden or shifting cultivation should be an important component of the latter approach in the tropics because many swidden systems maintain very high levels of biodiversity while providing livelihood for populations in tropical forest areas worldwide. We suggest further that when many swidden systems are viewed without prejudice and in broader spatial and longer temporal perspectives, the conservationist aspects of the systems become evident.
Dihydropyridines and Multidrug Resistance: Previous Attempts, Present State, and Future Trends
Authors: Zarrin Abdolhossein , Mehdipour Ahmad R. , Miri Ramin
Published: October 2010

Multidrug resistance is defined as the resistance of a tumor cell to the cytotoxic action of divergent drugs used in chemotherapy. Dihydropyridines are a class of calcium channel antagonists that were discovered to have a multidrug resistance reversing effect and prompted investigations resulting in the synthesis of hundreds of new derivatives. Most of the investigators tried to achieve two goals: a decrease in Ca2+channel–blocking activity and an increase in the multidrug resistance reversing effect. Most of the synthesized compounds failed in the later stages of studies especially in clinical trials because of pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic limitations. Therefore, it will be necessary to include new methods, such as combinatorial synthesis, and, more importantly, to apply computational methods based on global structure–activity relationship models that consider all problems. Moreover, some compounds should be synthesized that are effective on several multidrug resistance targets.
Interpreting Plato’s Republic: Knowledge and Belief
Authors: Lee David C.
Published: October 2010

A distinction between knowledge and belief is set out and justified at the end of Book V of Plato’s Republic. The justification is intended to establish the claim of the philosophers to rule in an ideal state. I set out the argument and explain why considerable disagreement remains about the nature of the distinction and the assumptions on which it rests. I discuss the main options for interpreting the justification, briefly assessing their strengths and weaknesses. I conclude with comments on recent developments, and by drawing attention to a neglected aspect of Plato’s distinction.
The Minimalist Theory of Truth: Challenges and Concerns
Authors: Hoffmann Glen
Published: October 2010

Minimalism is currently the received deflationary theory of truth. On minimalism, truth is a transparent concept and a deflated property of truth bearers. In this paper, I situate minimalism within current deflationary debate about truth by contrasting it with its main alternative – the redundancy theory of truth (according to which truth is a transparent concept but not a property). I also outline three of the primary challenges facing minimalism, its formulation, explanatory adequacy and stability, and draw some lessons for the soundness of its conception of truth.
Spectral analysis by XANES reveals that GPNMB influences the chemical composition of intact melanosomes
Authors: Haraszti Tamás , Trantow Colleen M. , Hedberg‐Buenz Adam , Grunze Michael , Anderson Michael G.
Published: October 2010

GPNMB is a unique melanosomal protein. Unlike many melanosomal proteins, GPNMB has not been associated with any forms of albinism, and it is unclear whether GPNMB has any direct influence on melanosomes. Here, melanosomes from congenic strains of C57BL/6J mice mutant for Gpnmb are compared to strain‐matched controls using standard transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron‐based X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure analysis (XANES). Whereas electron microscopy did not detect any ultrastructural changes in melanosomes lacking functional GPNMB, XANES uncovered multiple spectral phenotypes. These results directly demonstrate that GPNMB influences the chemical composition of melanosomes and more broadly illustrate the potential for using genetic approaches in combination with nano‐imaging technologies to study organelle biology.
Origin of the Silurian Crude Oils and Reservoir Formation Characteristics in the Tazhong Uplift
Authors: Haijun YANG , Sumei LI , Xiongqi PANG , Zhongyao XIAO , Qiaoyuan GU , Baoshou ZHANG
Published: October 2010

The Silurian stratum in the Tazhong uplift is an important horizon for exploration because it preserves some features of the hydrocarbons produced from multi‐stage tectonic evolution. For this reason, the study of the origin of the Silurian oils and their formation characteristics constitutes a major part in revealing the mechanisms for the composite hydrocarbon accumulation zone in the Tazhong area. Geochemical investigations indicate that the physical properties of the Silurian oils in Tazhong vary with belts and blocks, i.e., heavy oils are distributed in the TZ47–15 well‐block in the North Slope while normal and light oils in the No. I fault belt and the TZ16 well‐block, which means that the oil properties are controlled by structural patterns. Most biomarkers in the Silurian oils are similar to that of the Mid‐Upper Ordovician source rocks, suggesting a good genetic relationship. However, the compound specific isotope of n‐alkanes in the oils and the chemical components of the hydrocarbons in fluid inclusions indicate that these oils are mixed oils derived from both the Mid‐Upper Ordovician and the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician source rocks. Most Silurian oils have a record of secondary alterations like earlier biodegradation, including the occurrence of “UCM” humps in the total ion current (TIC) chromatogram of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons and 25‐norhopane in saturated hydrocarbons of the crude oils, and regular changes in the abundances of light and heavy components from the structural low to the structural high. The fact that the Silurian oils are enriched in chain alkanes, e.g., n‐alkanes and 25‐norhopane, suggests that they were mixed oils of the earlier degraded oils with the later normal oils. It is suggested that the Silurian oils experienced at least three episodes of petroleum charging according to the composition and distribution as well as the maturity of reservoir crude oils and the oils in fluid inclusions. The migration and accumulation models of these oils in the TZ47–15 well‐blocks, the No. I fault belt and the TZ16 well‐block are different from but related to each other. The investigation of the origin of the mixed oils and the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation mechanisms in different charging periods is of great significance to petroleum exploration in this area.
Ordovician Carbonate Reservoir Bed Characteristics and Reservoir‐Forming Conditions in the Lungudong Region of the Tarim Basin
Authors: Weili WANG , Xiongqi PANG , Luofu LIU , Haijun YANG , Ying WANG , Zhenxue JIANG , Caifu XIANG , Qiaoyuan GU , Jianfa HAN
Published: October 2010

Basic characteristics of Ordovician carbonate reservoir beds in the Lungudong region of northeastern part of the Tarim Basin are described in detail and the reservoir‐forming conditions of oil and gas are preliminarily discussed in this paper by collecting and sorting out a large amount of data. The carbonate reservoir beds are mainly developed in open‐platform and platform marginal facies; the reservoir beds have large changes in and low average values of physical property; the main type is fractured reservoir beds with the fracture‐porous type second. The reservoir bed development is chiefly controlled by the distribution of sedimentary facies, tectonic activity and karstification. Whereas the accumulation and distribution of hydrocarbons in the region are controlled by an advantageous structural location, a good reservoir‐caprock combination and a favorable transporting system, with the distribution characterized by zones horizontally and belts vertically, the oil and gas are mainly concentrated in areas with structural uplift, densely developed fractures, and surface karst, a vertical vadose zone, and a horizontal undercurrent belt of palaeokarst.
Tectonic Fractures in Tight Gas Sandstones of the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation in the Western Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Lianbo ZENG , Yuegang LI
Published: October 2010

The western Sichuan Basin, which is located at the front of the Longmen Mountains in the west of Sichuan Province, China, is a foreland basin formed in the Late Triassic. The Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation is a tight gas sandstone reservoir with low porosity and ultra‐low permeability, whose gas accumulation and production are controlled by well‐developed fracture zones. There are mainly three types of fractures developed in the Upper Triassic tight gas sandstones, namely tectonic fractures, diagenetic fractures and overpressure‐related fractures, of which high‐angle tectonic fractures are the most important. The tectonic fractures can be classified into four sets, i.e., N‐S‐, NE‐, E‐W‐ and NW‐striking fractures. In addition, there are a number of approximately horizontal shear fractures in some of the medium‐grained sandstones and grit stones nearby the thrusts or slip layers. Tectonic fractures were mainly formed at the end of the Triassic, the end of the Cretaceous and the end of the Neogene‐Early Pleistocene. The development degree of tectonic fractures was controlled by lithology, thickness, structure, stress and fluid pressure. Overpressure makes not only the rock shear strength decrease, but also the stress state change from compression to tension. Thus, tensional fractures can be formed in fold‐thrust belts. Tectonic fractures are mainly developed along the NE‐ and N‐S‐striking structural belts, and are the important storage space and the principal flow channels in the tight gas sandstone. The porosity of fractures here is 28.4% of the gross reservoir porosity, and the permeability of fractures being two or three grades higher than that of the matrix pores. Four sets of high‐angle tectonic fractures and horizontal shear fractures formed a good network system and controlled the distribution and production of gas in the tight sandstones.
Origin of Paleofluids in Dabashan Foreland Thrust Belt: Geochemical Evidence of 13C, 18O and 87Sr/86Sr in Veins and Host Rocks
Authors: Jianhui ZENG , Tianwu XU , Zhanqiang SUN , Yongwang ZHANG
Published: October 2010

In the last ten years, with important discoveries from oil and gas exploration in the Dabashan foreland depression belt in the borderland between Shanxi and Sichuan provinces, the relationship between the formation and evolution of, and hydrocarbon accumulation in, this foreland thrust belt from the viewpoint of basin and oil and gas exploration has been studied. At the same time, there has been little research on the origin of fluids within the belt. Based on geochemical system analysis including Z values denoting salinity and research on δ13C, δ18O and 87Sr/86Sr isotopes in the host rocks and veins, the origin of paleofluids in the foreland thrust belt is considered. There are four principal kinds of paleofluid, including deep mantle‐derived, sedimentary, mixed and meteoric. For the deep mantle‐derived fluid, the δ13C is generally less than –5.0‰PDB, δ18O less than –10.0‰PDB, Z value less than 110 and 87Sr/86Sr less than 0.70600; the sedimentary fluid is mainly marine carbonate‐derived, with the δ13C generally more than –2.0‰PDB, δ18O less than –10.0‰PDB, Z value more than 120 and 87Sr/86Sr ranging from 0.70800 to 0.71000; the mixed fluid consists mainly of marine carbonate fluid (including possibly a little mantle‐derived fluid or meteoric water), with the δ13C generally ranging from –2.0‰ to –8.0‰PDB, δ18O from –10.0‰ to –18.0‰ PDB, Z value from 105 to 120 and 87Sr/86Sr from 0.70800 to 0.71000; the atmospheric fluid consists mainly of meteoric water, with the δ13C generally ranging from 0.0‰ to –10.0‰PDB, δ18O less than –8.0%cPDB, Z value less than 110 and 87Sr/86Sr more than 0.71000. The Chengkou fault belt encompasses the most complex origins, including all four types of paleofluid; the Zhenba and Pingba fault belts and stable areas contain a simple paleofluid mainly of sedimentary type; the Jimingsi fault belt contains mainly sedimentary and mixed fluids, both consisting of sedimentary fluid and meteoric water. Jurassic rocks of the foreland depression belt contain mainly meteoric fluid.
Dynamic Systems of Petroleum Accumulation in the Nanpu Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China
Authors: Guangdi LIU , Mingliang SUN , Zhihuan ZHANG , Yuexia DONG
Published: October 2010

It is significant to distinguish the dynamic systems of petroleum accumulation (DSPA) for the understanding of petroleum accumulation and distribution. According to the formation pressure framework, genetic types of petroleum and characteristics of conduit systems, three dynamic systems of petroleum accumulation were identified in the vertical profile in the Nanpu depression, Bohai Bay basin. The deeper DSPA (including formations Es3 to Es2) is a sealed system with high‐overpressure and high‐mature self‐sourced oil. Most of the crude oil in the system accumulated in the periods of late Oligocene (23.5 Ma) and late Pliocene (2.4 Ma). The middle DSPA (including formations Es1 to Ed1) is an overpressured half‐sealed system with mature or lower‐mature self‐sourced oil. The accumulation of oil in the system also occurred in the late Oligocene (23.5 Ma) and late Pliocene (2.4 Ma). The shallower DSPA (including formations Ed2 to Q) is a hydrostatic system with lower‐mature alien‐sourced oil from the middle system. Oil within this system accumulated only in the late Pliocene period. The oil in the shallower system migrated vertically along the faults from the formerly accumulated oil in the middle system by lateral migration along the sandbodies, whereas petroleum accumulation in the deeper system was mainly derived from the system itself by lateral migration along the sandbodies and rarely migrated out of the system. In this case, it seems that the deeper system is a more potential exploration prospect in addition to the other two proved favorable systems.
Alkyl Naphthalenes and Phenanthrenes: Molecular Markers for Tracing Filling Pathways of Light Oil and Condensate Reservoirs
Authors: Meijun LI , Tieguan WANG , Ju LIU , Meizhu ZHANG , Hong LU , Qinglin MA , Lihui GAO
Published: October 2010

Condensates and light oils are generally characterized by high maturity, low concentration of sterane and terpane biomarkers and low content of non‐hydrocarbon fraction. As a result, some commonly‐used sterane, terpane and carbazole migration parameters in conventional oil reservoirs may have a certain limitation in condensate and light oil reservoirs for their poor signal‐noise ratios in the gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). Naphthalene, phenanthrene and their methylated substituents, however, are present in significant concentrations in condensates and light oils. Taking the Fushan depression (in the Beibuwan Basin, Northern South China Sea) as an example, this paper attempts for the first time to use polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)‐related parameters to trace migration directions and filling pathways for condensate and light oil reservoirs. The result shows that TMNr (i.e. 1,3,7‐TMN/ (1,3,7‐TMN + 1,2,5‐TMN), TMN: trimethylnaphthalene)), MPI‐1 (i.e. 1.5×(2‐MP + 3‐MP)/(P + 1‐MP + 9‐MP), P: phenanthrene MP: methylphenanthrene), MN/DMN (σmethylnaphthalene/σdimethylnaphthalene, %) and MN/TMN (σmethylnaphthalene/σtrimethylnaphthalene, %) can be used to trace the filling pathways of condensate and light oil reservoirs. These parameters, together with geological consideration and other bulk oil properties (e.g. the gas to oil ratio and density), suggest that the condensates and light oils in the Huachang oil and gas field are mainly sourced from the Bailian sag that is located to the northeast of the Huachang uplift in the Fushan depression.
Systemic daily morphine enhances the analgesic effect of intrathecal dexmedetomidine via up-regulation of alpha 2 adrenergic receptor subtypes A, B and C in dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn
Authors: Tamagaki Shinji , Suzuki Takahiro , Hagihira Satoshi , Hayashi Yukio , Mashimo Takashi
Published: October 2010

Objectives

It has been reported that the effect of intrathecally administered α2 adrenergic receptor (α2 AR) agonists is enhanced in mice that are chronically tolerant to systemic morphine. However, contributory factors have not been identified. Here we examined whether repeated systemic morphine affected the analgesic potency of intrathecal dexmedetomidine and the expression of subtype A, B and C α2 AR (α2A, α2B and α2C AR) in the dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn in mice.

Methods

After subcutaneous injection of morphine or saline for two weeks, dexmedetomidine was administered intrathecally to evaluate its antinociceptive effect. Also, the α2 AR subtypes and µ-opioid receptor mRNA expression in lumbar dorsal root ganglion was quantified using PCR, and α2A and α2C AR in lumbar dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn were examined by immunohistochemistry.

Key findings

Daily morphine enhanced the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal dexmedetomidine, increased all the α2 AR subtypes but decreased the µ-opioid receptor mRNA expression in dorsal root ganglion and increased immunoreactivity of α2A and α2C AR in dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn.

Conclusions

These results suggest that systemic daily morphine enhances the analgesic effect of intrathecal dexmedetomidine via up-regulation of the α2A, α2B and α2C AR in lumbar dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn.
Abolition of prescription charges in Wales: the impact on medicines use in those who used to pay
Authors: Groves Sam , Cohen David , Alam M Fasihul , Dunstan Frank D J , Routledge Philip A , Hughes Dyfrig A , Myles Susan
Published: October 2010

Objectives

Patient co-payments for prescription medicines in Wales were abolished in April 2007 and there has been much speculation on the possible effects. We analysed patient-reported use of medicines before and after abolition of the prescription charge, noting changes in the number of items prescribed, number of non-prescription medicines purchased and participants not collecting all prescribed items (primary non-adherence).

Methods

A sample of community pharmacists across Wales (n = 249) issued questionnaires to customers at the point of dispensing who were not exempt from the prescription charge. A second questionnaire was delivered by post to those who returned the first questionnaire (n = 1027) and expressed a willingness to participate further. Paired t-tests were applied to responses from those completing both questionnaires (n = 593). Further analyses were carried out according to gender, age and reported levels of household income.

Key findings

There was a statistically significant (P = 0.03) rise in the number of items prescribed, and a statistically significant fall (P = 0.02) in the number of non-prescription medicines purchased. Primary non-adherence was also found to fall between pre- and post-abolition periods. Those most affected in terms of increase in number of prescribed items prescribed were the older age group (45–59 years), and those with household income of between £15 600 and £36 400. The most affected in the fall in number of medicines purchased were males, those in the lower age group (25–34 years) and those with a higher household income (>£36 400).

Conclusions

Although the rise in number of items prescribed and fall in number of medicines purchased was generally anticipated, there appeared to be little or no effect for those on the lowest incomes.
Hyperoxia blunts counterregulation during hypoglycaemia in humans: possible role for the carotid bodies?
Authors: Wehrwein Erica A. , Basu Rita , Basu Ananda , Curry Timothy B. , Rizza Robert A. , Joyner Michael J.
Published: October 2010

Chemoreceptors in the carotid bodies sense arterial oxygen tension and regulate respiration. Isolated carotid body glomus cells also sense glucose, and animal studies have shown the carotid bodies play a role in the counterregulatory response to hypoglycaemia. Thus, we hypothesized that glucose infusion rate would be augmented and neuro‐hormonal counterregulation blunted during hypoglycaemia when the carotid bodies were desensitized by hyperoxia. Seven healthy adults (four male, three female) underwent two 180 min hyperinsulinaemic (2 mU (kg fat‐free mass (FFM))−1 min−1), hypoglycaemic (3.33 mmol l−1) clamps 1 week apart, randomized to either normoxia (arterial () 111 ± 6.3 mmHg) or hyperoxia ( 345 ± 80.6 mmHg) (P < 0.05). Plasma glucose concentrations were similar during normoxia and hyperoxia at baseline (5.52 ± 0.15 vs. 5.55 ± 0.13 μmol ml−1) and during the clamp (3.4 ± 0.05 vs. 3.3 ± 0.05 μmol ml−1). The glucose infusion rate was 44.2 ± 3.5% higher (P < 0.01) during hyperoxia than normoxia at steady state during the clamp (28.2 ± 0.15 vs. 42.7 ± 0.65 μmol (kg FFM)−1 min−1; P < 0.01). Area under the curve values (expressed as percentage normoxia response) for counterregulatory hormones during hypoglycaemia were significantly suppressed by hyperoxia (noradrenaline 50.7 ± 5.2%, adrenaline 62.6 ± 3.3%, cortisol 63.2 ± 2.1%, growth hormone 53.1 ± 2.7%, glucagon 48.6 ± 2.1%, all P < 0.05 vs. normoxia). These data support the idea that the carotid bodies respond to glucose and play a role in the counterregulatory response to hypoglycaemia in humans.
A Morphological Approach to the Design of Complex Objects
Authors: Sarabia R. , Jimeno-Morenilla A. , Molina-Carmona R.
Published: October 2010

The surface-trajectory model gives a solution to some of the problems presented by the general geometric models where the design of an object is separated from its manufacture. In fact, in this model, the internal representation of objects is made up of machining trajectories. As the display systems usually need triangles to represent the objects, a process of triangulation is needed to visualize them. In other words, a secondary surface model is needed to display the objects. The following is a geometric model that, maintaining the philosophy of the surface-trajectory model, encapsulates the calculation of the machining process from the formal framework that provides the set theory and the mathematical morphology. The model addresses the process of designing objects by assimilation of a machining process by giving solutions to the design of complex objects and an arithmetic to support the generation of trajectories of manufacturing. The design process is similar to the craft work of sculptors designing their pieces by hand with their tools. It also gives a direct solution to the problems of the trajectory generation since they are already defined at the design phase. The model is generic and robust as there are no special cases or complex objects in which the model does not provide a correct solution. It also naturally incorporates the realistic display of the machined objects in a quickly and accurately way.
Automatic Tonnage Monitoring for Missing Part Detection in Multi-Operation Forging Processes
Authors: Lei Yong , Zhang Zhisheng , Jin Jionghua
Published: October 2010

In multi-operation forging processes, the process fault due to missing parts from dies is a critical concern. The objective of this paper is to develop an effective method for detecting missing parts by using automatic classification of tonnage signals during continuous production. In this paper, a new feature selection and hierarchical classification method is developed to improve the classification performance for multiclass faults. In the development of the methodology, the signal segmentation is conducted at the first step based on an offline station-by-station test in a forging process. Afterwards, the principal component analysis is conducted on the segmented tonnage signals to generate the principal component (PC) features to be selected for designing the classifier. Finally, the optimal selection of PC features is integrated with the design of a hierarchical classifier by using the criterion of minimizing the probabilities of misclassification among classes. A case study using a real-world forging process is provided in the paper, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the developed methodology for detecting and diagnosing the missing parts faults in the multiple forging operation process. The classifier performance is also validated through the cross-validations to achieve a given average classification error.
Molten Nitrate Salt Development for Thermal Energy Storage in Parabolic Trough Solar Power Systems
Authors: Bradshaw Robert W. , Cordaro Joseph G. , Siegel Nathan P.
Published: October 2010

Multi-component molten salts have been formulated recently that may enhance thermal energy storage for parabolic trough solar power plants. This paper presents further developments regarding molten salt mixtures consisting of common alkali nitrates and either alkaline earth nitrates or alkali nitrite salts that have advantageous properties for applications as heat transfer fluids in parabolic trough systems. We report results for formulations of inorganic molten salt mixtures that display freeze-onset temperatures below 100°C. In addition to phasechange behavior, several properties of these molten salts that significantly affect their suitability as thermal energy storage fluids were evaluated, including chemical stability and viscosity. The nitrate-based molten salts have demonstrated chemical stability in the presence of air up to 500°C. The capability to operate at temperatures up to 500°C may allow an increase in maximum temperature operating capability vs. organic fluids in existing trough systems and will enable increased power cycle efficiency. Experimental measurements of viscosity were performed from near the freeze-onset temperature to about 200°C. Viscosities can exceed 100 cP near the freezing temperature but are 4 to 5 cP in the anticipated operating temperature range. Experimental measurements of density, thermal conductivity and heat capacity are in progress and will be reported at the meeting. Corrosion tests were conducted for several thousand hours at 500°C with stainless steels and at 350°C for carbon and chromium-molybdenum steels. Examination of the specimens demonstrated good compatibility of these materials with the molten nitrate salt mixtures. Laboratory studies were conducted to identify mixtures of nitrate and nitrite (NO2−) salts as additional candidates for a low-melting heat transfer fluid. Mixtures in which the cations were potassium, sodium and lithium, in various proportions, demonstrated freezing points as low as 70°C for a particular nitrate/nitrite anion composition. Development has emphasized mixtures that minimize lithium content in order to reduce the cost as the lithium salt is the most expensive constituent. Work is in progress to explore the phase diagram of the 1:1 mol ratio of nitrate/nitrite and to evaluate physical properties such as viscosity, density and thermal conductivity. Results to date indicate that the viscosity of these mixtures is considerably less than nitrate-only melts, which necessarily contain calcium cations to suppress freezing to similarly low temperatures.
A Cell Based Approach to Determine the Minimum Weight of Metal Hydride Hydrogen Storage Devices
Authors: Mohan G. , Maiya M. P. , Srinivasa Murthy S.
Published: October 2010

Determination of the minimum total weight is the main criterion in the design of a solid state hydrogen storage device for mobile or portable applications. The design should address additional requirements such as storage capacity, charge/discharge rates, space constraints, coolant temperature and hydrogen supply pressure. The typical metal hydride based storage device studied here consists of several filters to distribute hydrogen gas, and heat exchanger tubes to cool or heat the hydride bed based on whether hydrogen is absorbed or desorbed. The total weight of the system includes hydrogen storage material, heat exchanger tubes and associated heat transfer media, porous sintered filters and the cylindrical outer container. Systematic simulation of the heat and mass transfer during hydrogen sorption has been carried out for different feasible configurations. LaNi5 is used as the representative hydriding alloy in the device as its sorption performance is limited by heat transfer in the bed. The effect of geometric parameters on total system weight and charging time are plotted at specified operating conditions. These plots are used for the design of hydrogen storage devices with minimum system weight satisfying the imposed constraints.
Design of a Lab-Scale Rotary Cavity-Type Solar Reactor for Continuous Thermal Reduction of Volatile Oxides Under Reduced Pressure
Authors: Chambon Marc , Abanades Ste´phane , Flamant Gilles
Published: October 2010

The investigated two-step MxOy/ MxOy−1 solar thermochemical cycles consist of two redox reactions. Net result is watersplitting with concentrated solar energy as the source of high temperature process heat: 1)Solarreduction:MxOy→MxOy−1+1/2O2(about1700°Catatmosphericpressure,endothermal)2)Hydrolysis:MxOy−1+H2O→MxOy+H2(about400°C,exothermal) The MxOy−1 species produced in reaction (1) is gaseous in the case of the ZnO/Zn cycle. The oxide (ZnO) is injected in a solar thermochemical reactor and undergoes a thermal reduction reaction (oxygen release). Dilution/quenching with a neutral gas at the reactor exit yields nanoparticles of metal by condensation. The particles have a high specific surface area that leads to a high reactivity in the 2nd step. The reduced species (Zn) can then be fed to another reactor to react with water steam. The reaction produces pure H2 and forms the original metal oxide. A high-temperature lab-scale solar reactor prototype was designed, constructed and operated, allowing continuous metal oxide processing under controlled atmosphere. It is based on a cavity-type rotating receiver absorbing solar radiation. The reactant powder is injected continuously inside the cavity and the produced particles (Zn) are recovered in a downstream filter. The solar reduction of ZnO has been achieved, the reaction yields were quantified, and a first concept of solar reactor was qualified.