The 20th century whole-basin trophic history of an inter-drumlin lake in an agricultural catchment

Eight 1-m sediment cores were extracted from across the basin of Friary Lough, a 5.4-ha eutrophic lake in a wholly grassland agricultural catchment in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Sedimentary TP, diatom inferred TP, Ca, Na, Fe, Mn, loss-on-ignition (LOI), dry weight and density were determined in the core profiles. Core dating and correlation gave a 210Pb, 137Cs and 241Am chronology from 1906 to 1995 and enabled a whole-basin estimate of chemical and sediment accumulation rate over the 20th Century. The major changes for all parameters occurred after c. 1946. Sediment accumulation rate was most influenced by organic matter accumulations, probably of planktonic origin, and increasing after c. 1946. Inorganic sediment accumulation rate was found to be largely unchanging through the century at 10 t km(-2) yr(-1) when expressed as catchment exports. All chemical accumulation rate changes occurred after c. 1946. Total phosphorus accumulation rate, however, was found to be the only chemical to be increasing throughout the epilimnion and hypolimnion areas of the sedimentary basin at an average of 22.5 mg m(-2) yr(-1) between 1946 and 1995. The other chemical parameters showed increasing accumulation rates after c. 1946 in the epilimnion part of the basin only. Interpreted in terms of whole-basin sedimentation and catchment export processes over time, it is suggested that diffuse TP inputs are independent of sediment inputs. This corresponds to hydrochemical models that suggest soluble P as the primary fraction that is lost from grassland catchments. The increase in sedimentary TP accumulation rate, and DI-TP concentration, are also explained with regard to current models that suggest increases in runoff P concentrations from elevated soil P concentrations. Increases in eplimnion chemical and sediment accumulation rate after c. 1946 may be due to local erosion that has limited impact on lake basin sedimentation.     

OpenSim: open-source software to create and analyze dynamic simulations of movement

Dynamic simulations of movement allow one to study neuromuscular coordination, analyze athletic performance, and estimate internal loading of the musculoskeletal system. Simulations can also be used to identify the sources of pathological movement and establish a scientific basis for treatment planning. We have developed a freely available, open-source software system (OpenSim) that lets users develop models of musculoskeletal structures and create dynamic simulations of a wide variety of movements. We are using this system to simulate the dynamics of individuals with pathological gait and to explore the biomechanical effects of treatments. OpenSim provides a platform on which the biomechanics community can build a library of simulations that can be exchanged, tested, analyzed, and improved through a multi-institutional collaboration. Developing software that enables a concerted effort from many investigators poses technical and sociological challenges. Meeting those challenges will accelerate the discovery of principles that govern movement control and improve treatments for individuals with movement pathologies.     

System identification from multiple short-time-duration signals

System identification problems often arise where the only modeling records available consist of multiple short-time-duration signals. This motivates the development of a modeling approach that is tailored for this situation. An identification algorithm is presented here for parameter estimation based on minimizing the simulated prediction error, across multiple signals. The additional complexity of estimating the initial states corresponding to each signal is removed from the estimation algorithm. A numerical simulation demonstrates that the proposed algorithm performs well in comparison to the often-used least squares method (which leads to biased estimates when identifying systems from measurement noise corrupted signals). The approach is applied to the identification of the passive oculomotor plant; parameters are estimated that describe the dynamics of the plant, which represent the time constants of the visco-elastic elements that characterize the plant connective tissue.     

Effects of nitrate or nitro supplementation, with or without added chlorate, on Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Escherichia coli in swine feces

The effects of coincubating the active agent of an experimental chlorate product with nitrate or select nitro compounds, possible inducers and competing substrates for the targeted respiratory nitrate reductase, on concentrations of experimentally inoculated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and indigenous Escherichia coli were determined. Studies were completed in swine fecal suspensions as a prelude to the administration of these inhibitors to pigs. Results confirmed the bactericidal effect of chlorate (5 to 10 mM) against these fecal enterobacteria, reducing (P < 0.05) concentrations by > 2 log CFU ml(-1) after 3 to 6 h of incubation. An effect (P < 0.05) of pH was observed, with considerable regrowth of Salmonella and E. coli occurring after 24 h of incubation in suspensions buffered to pH 7.1 but not in suspensions buffered to pH 6.5 or 5.6. A 24-h coincubation of fecal suspensions with 5 to 10 mM chlorate and as little as 2.5 mM nitrate or 10 to 20 mM 2-nitro-1-propanol, 2-nitroethanol, and, sometimes, nitroethane decreased (P < 0.05) Salmonella but not necessarily E. coli concentrations. 2-Nitro-1-propanol and 2-nitroethanol exhibited inhibitory activity against Salmonella and E. coli by an undetermined mechanism, even in the absence of added chlorate.     

Sorption-barrier properties of granitoids and andesite-basaltic metavolcanites with respect to Am(III) and Pu(IV): 1. Absorption of Am and Pu from groundwater on monolithic samples of granitoids and andesite-basaltic metavolcanites

A model study is made of the sorption-barrier properties of intact monolithic samples of granitoids and andesite-basaltic metavolcanites with respect to Am(III) and Pu(IV). In sorption from simulated groundwater (pH 8.3), the surface distribution coefficient in surface sorption K _a was determined to be 8–37 and 4–80 cm for Am and Pu, respectively. The mineral components of the rocks responsible for the radionuclide sorption were identified by autoradiography. The rocks tested are characterized by high retention capacity for Am and Pu.     

Hydrogen multicentre bonds

The concept of a chemical bond stands out as a major development in the process of understanding how atoms are held together in molecules and solids. Lewis' classical picture of chemical bonds as shared-electron pairs evolved to the quantum-mechanical valence-bond and molecular-orbital theories, and the classification of molecules and solids in terms of their bonding type: covalent, ionic, van der Waals and metallic. Along with the more complex hydrogen bonds and three-centre bonds, they form a paradigm within which the structure of almost all molecules and solids can be understood. Here, we present evidence for hydrogen multicentre bonds-a generalization of three-centre bonds-in which a hydrogen atom equally bonds to four or more other atoms. When substituting for oxygen in metal oxides, hydrogen bonds equally to all the surrounding metal atoms, becoming fourfold coordinated in ZnO, and sixfold coordinated in MgO. These multicentre bonds are remarkably strong despite their large hydrogen-metal distances. The calculated local vibration mode frequency in MgO agrees with infrared spectroscopy measurements. Multicoordinated hydrogen also explains the dependence of electrical conductivity on oxygen partial pressure, resolving a long-standing controversy on the role of point defects in unintentional n-type conductivity of ZnO (refs 8-10).     

Relationship between schistosomiasis and bladder cancer

Carcinoma of the urinary bladder is the most common malignancy in the Middle East and parts of Africa where schistosomiasis is a widespread problem. Much evidence supports the association between schistosomiasis and bladder cancer: this includes the geographical correlation between the two conditions, the distinctive patterns of gender and age at diagnosis, the clinicopathological identity of schistosome-associated bladder cancer, and extensive evidence in experimentally infected animals. Multiple factors have been suggested as causative agents in schistosome-associated bladder carcinogenesis. Of these, N-nitroso compounds appear to be of particular importance since they were found at high levels in the urine of patients with schistosomiasis-associated bladder cancer. Various strains of bacteria that can mediate nitrosation reactions leading to the formation of N-nitrosamines have been identified in the urine of subjects with schistosomiasis at higher intensities of infection than in normal subjects. In experimental schistosomiasis, the activities of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes are increased soon after infection but are reduced again during the later chronic stages of the disease. Not only could this prolong the period of exposure to activated N-nitrosamines, but also inflammatory cells, stimulated as a result of the infection, may induce the endogenous synthesis of N-nitrosamines as well as generating oxygen radicals. Higher than normal levels of host cell DNA damage are therefore anticipated, and they have indeed been observed in the case of alkylation damage, together with an inefficiency in the capacity of relevant enzymes to repair this damaged DNA. In experimental schistosomiasis, it was also found that endogenous levels of host cell DNA damage were related to the intensity of infection. All of these factors could contribute to an increased risk of bladder cancer in patients with schistosomiasis, and in particular, the gene changes observed may have potential for use as biomarkers in the early detection of bladder cancer that may assist in alleviating the problem.     

Organized cell swimming motions in Bacillus subtilis colonies: patterns of short-lived whirls and jets

The swimming motions of cells within Bacillus subtilis colonies, as well as the associated fluid flows, were analyzed from video films produced during colony growth and expansion on wet agar surfaces. Individual cells in very wet dense populations moved at rates between 76 and 116 microm/s. Swimming cells were organized into patterns of whirls, each approximately 1,000 microm2, and jets of about 95 by 12 microm. Whirls and jets were short-lived, lasting only about 0.25 s. Patterns within given areas constantly repeated with a periodicity of approximately 1 s. Whirls of a given direction became disorganized and then re-formed, usually into whirls moving in the opposite direction. Pattern elements were also organized with respect to one another in the colony. Neighboring whirls usually turned in opposite directions. This correlation decreased as a function of distance between whirls. Fluid flows associated with whirls and jets were measured by observing the movement of marker latex spheres added to colonies. The average velocity of markers traveling in whirls was 19 microm/s, whereas those traveling in jets moved at 27 microm/s. The paths followed by markers were aligned with the direction of cell motion, suggesting that cells create flows moving with them into whirls and along jets. When colonies became dry, swimming motions ceased except in regions close to the periphery and in isolated islands where cells traveled in slow whirls at about 4 microm/s. The addition of water resulted in immediate though transient rapid swimming (> 80 microm/s) in characteristic whirl and jet patterns. The rate of swimming decreased to 13 microm/s within 2 min, however, as the water diffused into the agar. Organized swimming patterns were nevertheless preserved throughout this period. These findings show that cell swimming in colonies is highly organized.