The potential of Arctica islandica, a long lived marine bivalve with a lifespan of over 300 years, to reconstruct a high resolution (sub-annual) climate record is explored in this thesis. Fluctuations in trace element and isotopic data from live-collected specimens from Irvine Bay, NW Scotland are compared to instrumental (particularly temperature) data. X-ray absorption spectroscopy data demonstrate the coordination state of Sr and Mg within the shell. These are consistent with models in which Sr substitutes ideally for Ca in aragonite, and Mg is bound predominantly to organic molecules. Sr/Ca incorporation may be influenced by changes in the crystal nucleation, propagation and growth rate as well as vital effects. However any effect of seawater temperature on Sr/Ca incorporation was obscured by these other factors. Mg concentration is not a linear function of a single environmental variable or organic content within the shell, indicating that Mg uptake is biologically mediated. Ba variation shows sporadic increases (of >500% above baseline) in both shells, the timing of which is similar between the prismatic layer and umbo region. The maxima are, however, not synchronous between the two shells analysed. The controls on Ba uptake require further research, but low Ba/Ca may reflect Ba/Ca concentrations within the seawater. Aliquots taken from cod otoliths show that micromilling has negligible effect on δ¹⁸O. The range of reconstructed temperature from δ¹⁸O profiles Arctica islandica shows good agreement with the sea surface temperature data from the nearby Millport marine station to within 2.1 °C. However, both the interannual and intra-annual variation appears to be sensitive to changes in temporal resolution resulting from changes in growth rates. Modelling of δ¹⁸O highlights dependence on changes in temporal resolution of the sampling, in addition to temperature and salinity. Results from the radiocarbon pilot study show that Arctica islandica is a suitable archive for changes in radiocarbon associated with anthropogenic ¹⁴C fluxes.

Passive sampling, as opposed to the conventional spot or bottle water sampling technique, has shown to be reliable and efficient in monitoring the toxicologically relevant, freely dissolved (e.g. bioavaialable) concentrations of a wide range of organic contaminants in water. At the same time, partitioning controlled delivery (passive dosing; PD) techniques promise to overcome many of the challenges associated with toxicity testing of hydrophobic substances that may bias the interpretation of toxicity data. The present study investigated the feasibility of coupling silicone rubber passive sampling devices (SR-PSDs) with bioassay techniques for both chemical and ecotoxicological assessment of complex mixtures of organic contaminants in the aquatic environment. SR-PSDs were deployed in water at various locations within the Ythan catchment (north east, Scotland, UK), Forth estuary and the Firth of Forth (east coast of central Scotland, UK) for 7 to 9 weeks. Following retrieval, extracts from the SR-PSDs were analysed for dissolved concentrations of a variety of organic contaminants including PAHs and PCBs using GC-MS and GC-ECD respectively and were screened for a wide range of pesticides using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS. The extracts were further evaluated for acute cytotoxicity (i.e. neutral red uptake assay) and EROD induction potential using rainbow trout liver cell line (Oncorhynchus mykiss; RTL-W1) and for phytotoxicity and developmental toxicity potential using algal growth inhibition test (with a marine phytoplankton, Diacronema lutheri) and fish embryo toxicity test (with embryos from zebrafish Danio rerio) respectively. Overall, the individual and total dissolved concentrations of PAHs (ΣPAH40; parent and branched) and PCBs (ΣPCB32; ortho and mono-ortho) measured in water from the Ythan, Forth estuary and Firth of Forth were relatively low compared with other studies using PSDs. A number and level of pesticides, including insecticides, herbicides and fungicides of varying hydrophobicity (log KOWs ~2.25 to ~5.31) were detected in the silicone rubber (SR) extracts from the Ythan catchment, the Forth estuary and the Firth of Forth, suggesting input mainly from agricultural run-off and possibly from direct discharges. No statistically significant (p<0.05) acute cytotoxicity was observed following 48 h exposure of RTL-W1 cells to SR extracts from the Ythan catchment. But, on a sublethal level, for every site, statistically significant EROD activity was observed to some degree following 72 h exposure. In addition, developmental and algal toxicities on embryos of D. rerio and D. lutheri respectively, were measured in all the deployed samples compared with the procedural controls (undeployed samples). Interestingly, extracts of SR-PSDs from the Forth estuary and the Firth of Forth exhibited growth inhibitions on D. lutheri that were similar to those of extracts from the Ythan, even though, fewer numbers of pesticides were detected in the Forth estuary and Firth of Forth than the Ythan. This suggests that pesticides were not solely responsible for the observed effects in the Ythan catchment. To further improve data from toxicity testing of hydrophobic substances, the study identified the use of SR O-rings as a suitable passive dosing format in in vitro toxicity tests and was partially validated through their use in dosing RTL-W1 cells with two individual PAHs and subsequently determining cytotoxicity and EROD-activity.

No description available.

Abstract There are eight foods that contribute to food allergies in the western world and peanut is the most common. Currently, there are no medical treatments that can cure an individual of food allergy, so avoidance of the allergic food is the only option. In the United States, there are three immunodominant allergic proteins accountable for patient sensitization to peanut, Arachis hypogea 1, 2, and 3 (Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3). Therefore, research into why peanuts are more allergic than other foods that have homologous proteins is critical and may be obtained by studying the structural and allergenic properties of individual allergens and the changes that occur due to food processing. In this study, the basic and acidic subunits of Ara h 3 were cloned, expressed, and purified, and compared with each other and with the native Ara h 3 purified from peanut for differences in binding to IgE from peanut allergic individuals. Also, an in vitro Maillard reaction was performed on purified native raw Ara h 3 and patient serum IgE western blots were performed. This study concluded that an in vitro Maillard reaction enhanced IgE binding to Ara h 3, IgE binding to native Ara h 3 was in most cases higher than to the recombinant Ara h 3 subunits, and recognition of the acidic subunit was much higher than the and basic subunits in both the recombinant and native forms of the protein were investigated. Keywords:

Wir befinden uns mitten im Langzeitprojekt »Aufklärung«, dem Ausgang der Menschheit aus ihrer selbstverschuldeten Unmündigkeit – und bislang sieht es gut aus: Die Freiheit der Andersdenkenden, die Gleichheit aller vor dem Gesetz und die Solidarität unter den Menschen auf dem Erdball sind allgemein akzeptierte Entwicklungsziele. Über den Weg dahin lässt sich trefflich streiten, am besten in einer der schwatzhaftesten Staatsformen, eben in der parlamentarischen Demokratie. Der Aushandlungsprozess wird medienöffentlich geführt, von Kants Leserwelt bis zum world wide web von Berners-Lee nutzt der politische Mensch die Kulturtechniken Schrift, Bild und Zahl, um öffentlich von seiner Vernunft Gebrauch zu machen. Informatik ist die technische Wissenschaft, die sich mit dem Entwurf von informations- und kommunikationstechnischen Artefakten und deren Auswirkungen auf die Lebenswelt des Menschen beschäftigt, diese Arbeit fokussiert die technischen Bedingungen der Möglichkeit des öffentlichen Vernunftgebrauchs. Unter Technik soll in dieser Arbeit nicht nur die Gesamtheit der technischen Artefakte oder Systeme verstanden werden, sondern auch Handwerk, Handwerkskunst und sogar Geisteshaltungen, Gedankenketten sowie Algorithmen – ganz wie es die Etymologie des griechischen Wortes τέχνη verrät. Die vorliegende Untersuchung einer technē der Publizität führt uns von der antiken Agora über die aufklärerischen Salons bis zu den virtuellen und realen Orten der Netzöffentlichkeit. Technisch Handelnde besitzen eine ungeheure Macht, die öffentliche Deliberation zu ermöglichen oder zu bremsen. In der nun ausgerufenen Turing-Galaxis muss nun gerade die Informatik in allen Bindestrich-Varianten Verantwortung für die Gewährleistung von Öffentlichkeit übernehmen. Diese Arbeit soll dazu beitragen. / The long term project »Enlightenment« is in full swing: the freedom to dissent, equality under public law, and solidarity with all the people from all over the world – these self-imposed development goals are widely accepted by all human beings. Since everything is exquisitely debated in a parliamentary democracy, this chatty form of government, citizens will of course exquisitely debate on how to achieve these goals. The negotiation process is conducted in and by public media, from Kant''s world of readers (»Leserwelt«) on to the hypermedia of the world wide web, the homo politicus uses cultural techniques like writing, image and number for his public display of reasoning. Informatics (and also computer science for that matter) is the study of designing information and communications technology and assessing it in all social respects; this dissertation focuses on the necessary conditions for the possibility of public reasoning. The Greek word τέχνη is translated as either craft or art, in this political context technē also means mindset, chain of ideas or algorithms. In this enquiry entitled »technē der Publizität«, we will visit places of the public, starting from the Greek »agora« via Victorian coffee houses to the contemporary locations of the networked public sphere. Technicians yield the power to enable or suppress public deliberation; in the so called Turing Galaxy, Informaticians have the responsibility to ensure the possibilities of the existence of an informed public. This thesis tries to accept this responsibility.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T18:15:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Carla Eva Prichoa.pdf: 3497532 bytes, checksum: 20bce1ab550371bbeacb23eeb6b5bcf5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-07-06 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Landscapes have structural and functional uniqueness, especially when are inserted in spaces whose dynamics are substantially different uses. To analyze a landscape, it is necessary understanding that it is the result of multiple relationship between society and nature, in which both are considered a set of elements that interact with each other. Currently, there are many methods for analysis and characterization of landscapes, however, at a massive rate, the techniques of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and RS (Remote Sensing) have impacts on the production and availability of cartographic products, minimizing costs and optimizing validation field. One technique associated with SR and GIS data is the Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Principal Components, in this project used for dimensionality reduction and Clustering for the analysis of homogeneity / heterogeneity of the landscape. In this context, the research was conducted using qualitative classification, directed the characterization and recognition of physical standards as well as the occupation of two landscape units belonging to Pitangui River Basin, which includes the cities of Castro , Carambeí and Ponta Grossa, located in east-central state of Paraná. The study involved images of Landsat 5 TM satellite, which provide overall vision, particular units and values of reflectance targets contained therein. Data regarding the spectral bands and relief were integrated and spatially related to GIS, extracting variables of topography and hydrography in order to conduct a visual reconnaissance and topographic prior units. Prior to Multivariate Analysis (Principal Component and Cluster Analysis) images, spectral and representatives of relief were targeted by Object-Oriented Analysis which generated regions described by their spectral properties, space and texture through new image as containing minimum element regions and even a relational database containing all descriptors spectral, spatial and textural. After Object-Oriented Analysis, it was performed the Principal Component Analysis which listed the descriptors coming from the relational database of Object-Oriented Analysis. The res outcomes were highest correlations decreasing dimensionality, 39 to 17 descriptors or variables, and concurrently applying the technique of Cluster Analysis, in order to find characteristics of homogeneity / heterogeneity present in the units. In cluster analysis of the first and second landscape units were always generated three distinct subgroups of initial variables, both with the Landsat image (5R4G3B) as with the Landsat image (5R4G3B) associated with the relief (DTM). It was observed that the combination of spectral data with altimetry (DTM) data possible groupings emphasizing the physical characteristics and use and occupancy of the units, note where the distribution of the variables consistently, aggregating the regions of higher reflectance spectral band red and middle infrared. The near infrared reflected more occupations anthropogenic aim in urban area in southwest in the second unit. However the middle-infrared reflected the land use units from agriculture and exposed soil the both units. The near infrared band reflected the vegetation present in the units, especially in this case the first unit of study. The insertion of relief variable (DMT) increased groups that caused greaters merging in the regions, highlighting portions in both units, such as flat areas at high altitudes and valleys where the rivers run Pitangui and Jotuba. / Cada paisagem apresenta sua singularidade estrutural e funcional, principalmente quando está inserida em espaços cujas dinâmicas de usos apresentam diferenças significativas. Para analisar uma paisagem, faz-se necessário compreender que ela é resultante da relação múltipla entre sociedade e natureza, nas quais ambas são consideradas um conjunto de elementos que interagem entre si. Atualmente, muitos são os métodos para análise e caracterização das paisagens; porém, de maneira maciça, as técnicas de SIG (Sistemas de Informação Geográfica) e SR (Sensoriamento Remoto) apresentam impactos na produção e disponibilização de produtos cartográficos, minimizando custos e otimizando a validação a campo. Outra técnica utilizada associada a dados de SR e SIG é a análise estatística multivariada de Componentes Principais, aqui utilizada para a redução de dimensionalidade e a de agrupamento para a análise da homogeneidade/heterogeneidade da paisagem. Neste contexto, esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida utilizando classificação qualitativa, ou seja, visual, voltada a caracterização e ao reconhecimento de padrões físicos, bem como de ocupação de duas unidades de paisagem pertencentes à Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Pitangui, a qual abrange os municípios de Castro, Carambeí e Ponta Grossa, localizados a centro-leste do Estado do Paraná. O estudo envolveu a utilização de imagem de satélite Landsat 5 TM, a qual forneceu visão global, particular das unidades e os valores de refletância dos alvos nelas contidos. Os dados referentes as bandas espectrais e do relevo foram integrados, relacionados e espacializados em ambiente SIG, extraindo variáveis de relevo e de hidrografia a fim de se realizar um reconhecimento visual e topográfico prévio das unidades. Anteriormente a Análise Multivariada (Componentes Principais e Análise de Agrupamento) as imagens, espectrais e representantes do relevo, foram segmentadas por meio da Análise Orientada a Objetos a qual gerou regiões descritas por suas propriedades espectrais, espaciais e de textura, mediante nova imagem contendo como elemento mínimo as regiões e ainda um banco de dados relacional contendo todos os descritores espectrais, espaciais e de textura. Após a Análise Orientada a Objetos utilizou-se a Análise por Componentes Principais a qual elencou os descritores advindos do banco de dados relacional da Análise Orientada a Objetos, com os maiores coeficientes de correlação diminuindo a dimensionalidade, de 39 para 17 descritores ou variáveis, e concomitantemente aplicando-se a técnica de Análise de Agrupamento, com o intuito de encontrar características de homogeneidade/heterogeneidade presentes nas unidades. Na análise de agrupamento da primeira e segunda unidades de paisagem sempre foram gerados três subgrupos iniciais distintos de variáveis, tanto com a imagem Landsat (5R4G3B) quanto com a imagem Landsat (5R4G3B) associada ao relevo (MDT). Constatouse que, a associação de dados espectrais com dados altimétricos (MDT) possibilitaram agrupamentos salientando as características físicas e de uso e ocupação das unidades, onde nota-se a distribuição das variáveis de forma coerente agregando as regiões de maior refletância dos canais espectrais vermelho, infravermelho médio e infravermelho próximo. O canal do vermelho refletiu mais ocupações antrópicas, sobretudo percebidas na porção urbana à sudeste da segunda unidade. Já o infravermelho médio refletiu os usos pela agricultura e solos expostos de ambas as unidades. A banda do infravermelho próximo refletiu a vegetação presente nas unidades, destacando-se, neste caso a primeira unidade de estudo. A inserção da variável do relevo (MDT) aumentou os agrupamentos ocasionando maior fusão nas regiões, salientando porções de destaque nas unidades, como os aplainamentos em altitudes elevadas, bem como vales onde percorrem os rios Pitangui e Jotuba.

L'objectif principal de cette thèse est l'étude de l'impact des variations de la mousson sud-est asiatique sur l'enregistrement sédimentaire en mer de Chine du Sud (MCS) au cours des 2 derniers Ma. La fraction terrigène de 3 sites ODP (Leg 184, sites 1144, 1145 et 1146) localisés dans la partie nord de la MCS, a servi de base à une approche pluridisciplinaire alliant sédimentologie, minéralogie et géochimie. L'utilisation combinée de la diffraction des rayons X et de la géochimie isotopique (systèmes Rb/Sr et Sm/Nd) a permis d'identifier les sources du sédiment. Le matériel fin (<2µm), provient majoritairement de la rivière des Perles avec toutefois, lorsque l'intensité de la mousson d'été augmente (cycles de 23ka), des apports importants de smectite se faisant depuis l'arc volcanique de Luzon (3 à 15% de la fraction <2µm). L'étude granulométrique a permis de caractériser la dynamique sédimentaire en individualisant 3 populations granulométriques évoluant différemment au cours du temps et en montrant des augmentations de tailles de grains nettes lors des épisodes glaciaires. Ces variations sont attribuées au remaniement de la plate-forme lors des changements du niveau marin, remettant en question les précédentes hypothèses associant ces variations à des apports éoliens plus important lors de l'augmentation de la mousson d'hiver. Au cours des 2 derniers Ma, l'intensité de la mousson d'été présente trois grandes phases de variations : 2-1,2 Ma : oscillation de faible amplitude en relation avec l'insolation aux hautes latitudes (41ka). 1,2-0,9 Ma : intensification liée au ralentissement de la circulation océanique mondiale et à la fermeture des seuils indonésiens. 0,9-0 Ma : diminution progressive associée au refroidissement global.

Le but de ce mémoire est d'aborder le problème de la genèse et de l'évolution de la croate continentale. Le support de terrain ayant servi de base à cette étude est le socle de Finlande orientale dont l'histoire archéenne se déroule sur plus de 500 m.a. L'analyse a été menée en 4 étapes successives : a) une étude de terrain permet de caractériser les matériaux et d'établir leur chronologie relative. b) la radiochronologie (Rb-Sr) précise l'enchainement et la durée des événements géologiques. c) les différents aspects de la genèse de chaque unité lithologique sont envisagés à l'aide de la géochimie des éléments majeurs et en traces. d) les cootraintes géologiques, pétrographiques, géochronologiques, isotopiques et géochimiques servent à établir un modèle d'évolution géodynamique de la croOte archéenne. Parmi les principaux résultats on peut retenir : 1) que la croate continentale archaïque se différencie verticalement par recyclages successifs et acquiert progressivement des caractères modernes. 2) que si la tectonique des plaques existait bien à 1 ~ Archéen, les modalités de détail étaient différentes de celles connues de nos jours. Par exemple lors de la formation d'un rift l'évolution de celui-ci pouvait se faire soit, comme aujourd' hui par océanisation, puis subduction, soit par subsidence (sans océanisation). 3) la composition des granitoïdes formés dans les zones de convergence de plaques s'est modi fiée au cours du temps. Ceci est expliqué par le refroidissement. progressi f de la Terre; à l'Archéen les gradients géothermiques élevés permettaient la fusion de la croate océanique subductée. Aujourd'hui à l'inverse, cette croate subductée est "froide" et se déshydrate avant d'atteindre les conditions de la fusion, favorisant ainsi la fusion partielle du coin de manteau, ou de la base de la croûte continentale sus-jacents.

Disease- and drug-related bone disorders are rapidly increasing in the population. The drugs which are used for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and metabolic derangements, may have negative or positive effects on bone tissues. In the first study, the possible side-effects of Carbamazepine and epileptic seizures on bone structure and composition were investigated by FTIR and synchrotron-FTIR microspectroscopy, AFM and micro- and nano-hardness analysis. The effects on the blood parameters, bone turnover and vitamin D metabolism were also investigated by ELISA and western blot analysis. The current study provides the first report on differentiation of the effects of both epileptic seizures and AED therapy on bones. Besides Carbamazepine treatment, seizures also caused a decrease in the strength of bone. The biochemical data showed that both the epileptic and drug-treated groups decreased vitamin D levels by increasing the vitamin D catabolism enzyme / 25-hydroxyvitamin D-24-hydroxylase. In the second study, the possible pleiotropic (positive) effects of cholesterol lowering drug / Simvastatin on bones were investigated by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The current study provides the first report on dose-dependent effects of simvastatin on protein structure and lipid conformation of bones. ATR-FTIR studies showed that although both high and low dose simvastatin strengthen bones, low dose simvastatin treatment is much more effective in increasing bone strength. Neural network analysis revealed an increased antiparallel and aggregated beta sheet and random coil in the protein secondary structure of high dose group implying a protein denaturation. Moreover, high dose may induce lipid peroxidation which limit the pleiotropic effects of high dose treatment on bones. This study clearly demonstrated that using low dose simvastatin is safer and more effective for bone health than high dose simvastatin treatment.

Global climate is controlled by two factors, the amount of heat energy received from the sun (solar insolation) and the way that heat is distributed Earth's surface. Solar insolation varies on timescales of 10s to 100s of thousands of years due to changes in the path of Earth's orbit about the sun (Milankovitch cycles). Earth's internal boundary conditions, such as paleogeography, the presence/absence of polar icecaps, atmospheric/oceanic chemistry and sea level, provide distribution and feedback mechanisms for the incoming heat. Variations in these internal boundary conditions may happen abruptly or, as in the case of plate tectonics, take millions of years. We use geochemical and sedimentological techniques to investigate the response of ocean chemistry, regional aridity and atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns to climate change during both greenhouse and icehouse climates. To explore the connection between orbitally-forced changes in solar insolation, continental aridity and wind, we generated a high-resolution dust record for ~58 Myr old deep-sea sediments from Shatsky Rise. Our data provide the first evidence of a correlation between dust flux to the deep sea and orbital cycles during the Early Paleogene, indicating dust supply (regional aridity) responded to orbital forcing during the last major interval of greenhouse climate. The change in dust flux was comparable to that during icehouse climates implying subtle variations in solar insolation have a similar impact on climate during intervals of over-all warmth as they do during glacial-interglacial states. The Carboniferous Period (359-299 Ma) marks a critical time in Earth's history when a series of tectonic and biological events caused a shift in the mean climate state from a global "greenhouse" to an "icehouse". Geochemical records extracted from sedimentary rocks deposited in shallow epicontinental seaways are increasingly being used to infer relationships between tectonism, carbon cycling and climate and therefore are assumed to reflect global ocean processes. We analyzed radiogenic isotopes in biogenic apatite along a North American transect to constrain the degree of geochemical coupling between the epicontinental seas and the open ocean. Our results argue strongly for decoupling of North American seaways from the open ocean by latest Mississippian time.