Deciphering long-term records of natural variability and human impact as recorded in lake sediments: a palaeolimnological puzzle

Global aquatic ecosystems are under increasing threat from anthropogenic activity, as well as being exposed to past (and projected) climate change, however, the nature of how climate and human impacts are recorded in lake sediments is often ambiguous. Natural and anthropogenic drivers can force a similar response in lake systems, yet the ability to attribute what change recorded in lake sediments is natural, from that which is anthropogenic, is increasingly important for understanding how lake systems have, and will continue to function when subjected to multiple stressors; an issue that is particularly acute when considering management options for aquatic ecosystems. The duration and timing of human impacts on lake systems varies geographically, with some regions of the world (such as Africa and South America) having a longer legacy of human impact than others(e.g. New Zealand). A wide array of techniques (biological, chemical, physical and statistical) is available to palaeolimnologists to allow the deciphering of complex sedimentary records. Lake sediments are an important archive of how drivers have changed through time, and how these impacts manifest in lake systems. With a paucity of ‘real‐time’ data pre‐dating human impact, palaeolimnological archives offer the only insight into both natural variability (i.e. that driven by climate and intrinsic lake processes) and the impact of people. Whilst there is a need to acknowledge complexity, and temporal and spatial variability when deciphering change from sediment archives, a palaeolimnological approach is a powerful tool for better understanding and managing global aquatic resources

Visual Recognition of Age Class and Preference for Infantile Features: Implications for Species-Specific vs Universal Cognitive Traits in Primates

Despite not knowing the exact age of individuals, humans can estimate their rough age using age-related physical features. Nonhuman primates show some age-related physical features; however, the cognitive traits underlying their recognition of age class have not been revealed. Here, we tested the ability of two species of Old World monkey, Japanese macaques (JM) and Campbell's monkeys (CM), to spontaneously discriminate age classes using visual paired comparison (VPC) tasks based on the two distinct categories of infant and adult images. First, VPCs were conducted in JM subjects using conspecific JM stimuli. When analyzing the side of the first look, JM subjects significantly looked more often at novel images. Based on analyses of total looking durations, JM subjects looked at a novel infant image longer than they looked at a familiar adult image, suggesting the ability to spontaneously discriminate between the two age classes and a preference for infant over adult images. Next, VPCs were tested in CM subjects using heterospecific JM stimuli. CM subjects showed no difference in the side of their first look, but looked at infant JM images longer than they looked at adult images; the fact that CMs were totally naïve to JMs suggested that the attractiveness of infant images transcends species differences. This is the first report of visual age class recognition and a preference for infant over adult images in nonhuman primates. Our results suggest not only species-specific processing for age class recognition but also the evolutionary origins of the instinctive human perception of baby cuteness schema, proposed by the ethologist Konrad Lorenz

Trio, piano, strings, op. 15, D minor

score and 2 parts. 34 cm

Poèmes grecs, pour flûte avec accompagnement de piano.

score and part. 35 cm. Table of Contents: 1. Nuit de bergers.--2. Le bois de myrthes.--3. Dance antique.--4. Calme de la mer.--5. Nymphes et satyres

Sonatas, violin, piano

score and part. 35 cm

Quatuor [1921], pour deux violons, alto & violoncelle

4 parts. 36 c

α-Melancoyte-stimulating hormone binding and biological activity in a human melanoma cell line

Synthetic α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) was found to bind to the plasma membrane of the HM6A human melanoma cell line, using an immunocytochemical method. When treated with 10-7 to 10-9 M α-MSH, melanoma cells exhibited an increase of intracellular cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate, followed by stimulation of tyrosinase activity. Significant inhibiton of DNA synthesis measured by [3H]thymidine uptake and inhibition of cell growth was found. A retrovirus expression was detected in the supernatant of HM6A cells as assayed by the KC cell syncytium-forming test. In the presence of 10-7 M α-MSH, the number of syncytium-forming units was increased 15-fold. These results demonstrate that α-MSH modulates human melanoma differentiation and virus expression in vitro.SCOPUS: NotDefined.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Modelling uncertainty in preventive maintenance scheduling

In this article we consider the practical implementation of Bayesian methodology in determining the optimal preventive maintenance (PM) interval for a complex repairable system. The behaviour of this system is described using a probabilistic model based on the failure intensity pattern. This model includes a number of unknown parameters and a Bayesian approach is established to provide information about the joint posterior distribution of these parameters. This posterior information is then incorporated into previously established PM interval scheduling methodology to determine optimal PM intervals within a decision-theoretic framework