Patronage, Audience and Ownership of the Psalter of Blanche of Castile

The so-called Psalter of Blanche of Castile (Psautier latin dit de saint Louis et de Blanche de Castille, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, Paris, MS 1186 réserve) is a well-preserved illuminated manuscript made in Paris in the first half of the thirteenth century. As a devotional book, it witnesses the concerns of a thirteenth century individual of high rank, most likely a woman. As its modern name indicates, scholars link its existence to the Queen of France Blanche of Castile (4 March 1188 – 27 November 1252; r. 1226-34, 1248-52). No firm documentation, however, attests to the circumstances of its making, nor to its patron, intended audience and first owner. Scholars have studied the text and the miniatures in the hope of finding some clue as to who commissioned it, who created it, and the reasons behind a choice of miniatures and format atypical in comparison with other Psalters made in Paris over the course of the thirteenth century. In studying the Psalter of Blanche of Castile, I find myself intrigued by issues of patronage and context, and unconvinced by some of the arguments and conclusions put forward by scholars who have studied this manuscript. In the following pages, through close examination of the miniatures and comparison with other Psalters, as well as consideration of both the evidence and its interpretation by a number of scholars, I draw new conclusions – some firmly based on the existing evidence and some of a more speculative kind – about the patronage, audience, and ownership of the Psalter of Blanche of Castile

ESTUDO do Metabolismo Fotoquímico nas Folhas e Perfil da Atividade Da celulase e -galactosidase Nos frutos de Carica Papaya L., Cultivares golden e Gran Golden

RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento da fluorescência da clorofila a em folhas de mamoeiro (Carica papaya L.), cultivares Golden e Gran Golden, levando-se em consideração as condições de pluviosidade e temperatura da região de cultivo. As medidas de teores de clorofila foram realizadas com o medidor portátil de clorofilas, SPAD-502, e dados para o estudo da fluorescência rápida da clorofila foram obtidos com o auxílio de um fluorômetro portátil, Handy PEA (Hansatech Instruments Ltd., Kings Lynn, Norfolk, UK). As folhas do mamoeiro foram mantidas no escuro por trinta minutos para em seguida se emitir um fluxo de fótons na intensidade de 680 μmol m-2 s-1. A curva polifásica da fluorescência da clorofila a para ambas as cultivares de mamão no período estudado demonstra que não houve diferença significativa entre as fases O, J, I e P. No entanto, foram observadas diferenças no fluxo de energia por secção transversal do FSII. Os parâmetros analisados do fluxo de energia mostraram que a cultivar Golden apresentou uma maior taxa de absorção (ABS/CS), captura de energia (TRo/CS) e transporte de energia (ETo/CS). Estes resultados sugerem que a cultivar Golden mostrou-se mais eficiente do que a cultivar Gran Golden na utilização da energia luminosa no período em que houve maior precipitação. No entanto, esta cultivar também apresentou maior taxa de dissipação de energia (DIo/CS), o que possivelmente refletiu num aumento da fluorescência inicial (Fo), considerada um indicativo de estresse em plantas. Como conseqüência, houve uma diminuição da eficiência quântica do FSII nesse período. A 37 cultivar Gran Golden apresentou um aumento na captura (TRo/CS) e transporte de energia (ETo/CS) quando houve diminuição das chuvas. O aumento em TRo/CS e ETo/CS pode ter contribuído para que esta cultivar apresentasse maior eficiência quântica do FSII no período de menor precipitação. De acordo com os resultados obtidos pode-se inferir que as variações de precipitação influenciam a eficiência da utilização da energia luminosa absorvida pelas clorofilas em plantas do mamoeiro

Umbilical Deployment Device

The landing scheme for NASA's next-generation Mars rover will encompass a novel landing technique (see figure). The rover will be lowered from a rocket-powered descent stage and then placed onto the surface while hanging from three bridles. Communication between the rover and descent stage will be maintained through an electrical umbilical cable, which will be deployed in parallel with structural bridles. The -inch (13-mm) umbilical cable contains a Kevlar rope core, around which wires are wrapped to create a cable. This cable is helically coiled between two concentric truncated cones. It is deployed by pulling one end of the cable from the cone. A retractable mechanism maintains tension on the cable after deployment. A break-tie tethers the umbilical end attached to the rover even after the cable is cut after touchdown. This break-tie allows the descent stage to develop some velocity away from the rover prior to the cable releasing from the rover deck, then breaks away once the cable is fully extended. The descent stage pulls the cable up so that recontact is not made. The packaging and deployment technique can store a long length of cable in a relatively small volume while maintaining compliance with the minimum bend radius requirement for the cable being deployed. While the packaging technique could be implemented without the use of break-ties, they were needed in this design due to the vibratory environment and the retraction required by the cable. The break-ties used created a series of load-spikes in the deployment signature. The load spikes during the deployment of the initial three coils of umbilical showed no increase between the different temperature trials. The cold deployment did show an increased load requirement for cable extraction in the region where no break-ties were used. This increase in cable drag was superimposed on the loads required to rupture the last set of break-ties, and as such, these loads saw significant increase when compared to their ambient counterparts. While the loads showed spikes of high magnitude, they were of short duration. Because of this, neither the deployment of the rover, nor the motion of the descent stage, would be adversely affected. In addition, the umbilical was found to have a maximum of 1.2 percent chance for recontact with the ultra-high frequency antenna due to the large margin of safety built in

Disciplinas de custos: uma análise nos cursos de Ciências Contábeis das IES do sistema ACAFE

A informação de custos, diante de um mercado de competitividade crescente, apresenta-se como uma base importante ao processo decisório, além de implicar novos paradigmas na gestão dos negócios. Desta forma, torna-se relevante o oferecimento de disciplinas de custos no Curso de Ciências Contábeis onde a contabilidade de custos e seu processo de ensino devem direcionar o aluno, a partir do estudo acadêmico, ao processo externo, ou seja, ao mercado tomador do profissional provido de conhecimento contábil.Considerando a relevância das disciplinas de custos no Curso de Ciências Contábeis das Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES), este artigo tem como objetivo verificar as congruências e divergências destas disciplinas ofertadas nos Cursos de Ciências Contábeis das universidades ligadas à Associação Catarinense das Fundações Educacionais (ACAFE). A metodologia da pesquisa consubstancia-se de um estudo exploratório, realizado por meio de levantamento, com abordagem predominantemente qualitativa. Utilizou-se para análise o conteúdo de ementa, a carga horária e a disposição das disciplinas de custos na grade curricular nestas instituições. A técnica estatística empregada foi análise de clusters. Diante deste estudo que teve como objetivo a verificação das congruências e divergências das disciplinas de custos ofertadas nos Cursos de Ciências Contábeis das instituições ligadas à ACAFE, conclui-se que estas instituições estabelecem um agrupamento predominante, mesmo que na análise isolada de algumas variáveis isto não ocorra. Os resultados da pesquisa evidenciam que na variável ementa, o cluster mais representativo apontou 9 instituições, representando o maior grupo com 56,25% do total de instituições pesquisadas. Na variável fase, 10 instituições apresentaram congruência, pois oferecem as disciplinas de custos em períodos semelhantes. Na variável carga horária, 10 instituições apresentam similaridade no oferecimento das disciplinas de custos e análise de custos com 120 h/a. Conclui-se que, num contexto geral, há um acentuado nível de congruência nas disciplinas de custos entre as universidades analisadas, apesar de divergências encontradas na análise isolada de algumas variáveis

Populationsgröße, Trichterdichte und Habitatpräferenz der Dünen-Ameisenjungfer Myrmeleon bore (Tjeder, 1941) im Gebiet der Dresdner Heide (Neuroptera) - 2021

Nach dem Erstnachweis von Myrmeleon-Bohrungen (Tjeder, 1941) in der Dresdner Heide im Jahr 2019 (KURTH 2020, Sächs. Entomol. Z. 10: 71-80) wurde die Populationsgröße und Dichte der Art bestimmt. M. bore wurde hauptsächlich in offenen, spärlich bewachsenen, sandigen Gebieten mit direkter Sonneneinstrahlung gefunden. Die flächengewichtete Dichte des gesamten Untersuchungsgebietes (4,05 Hektar) betrug 0,177 Larven/m2. Schätzungen der Populationsgröße basierend auf zufälligen Quadratzahlen führen zu einer Zahl von 4000-7000 Individuen - die größte bekannte Population dieser Art. Die für diese Art aus Laborversuchen bekannte positive Korrelation zwischen Larvengröße und Grubendurchmesser wurde an unserem Studienstandort bestätigt. Diese Korrelation könnte es Forschern ermöglichen, die Altersstruktur von Wildpopulationen abzuschätzen. Angesichts der besonderen Verantwortung Deutschlands für den Schutz dieser Art und der Größe der Population fordern wir den Schutz des Gebietes und eine Priorisierung gegenüber anderen geschützten Arten in diesem Gebiet.Following the first record of Myrmeleon bore (Tjeder, 1941) in the Dresden Heath area in 2019 (KURTH 2020, Sächs. Entomol. Z. 10: 71-80), the population size and density of the species was determined. M. bore mainly was found in open, sparsely vegetated, sandy areas with direct sunlight exposure. The area-weighted density of the entire study site (4.05 hectares) was 0.177 larvae/m2. Population size estimates based on random quadrat counts lead to a figure of 4000-7000 individuals - the largest known population of this species. The positive correlation between larval size and pit diameter known for this species from laboratory trials was confirmed at our study site. This correlation may allow researchers to estimate the age structure of wild populations. Given the special responsibility of Germany for the protection of this species and the size of the population, we urge the protection of the site and a prioritisation over other protected species found in the area

Pyrotechnic Actuator for Retracting Tubes Between MSL Subsystems

An apparatus, denoted the "retractuator" (a contraction of "retracting actuator"), was designed to help ensure clean separation between the cruise stage and the entry-vehicle subsystem of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. The retractuator or an equivalent mechanism is needed because of tubes that (1) transport a heat-transfer fluid between the stages during flight and (2) are cut immediately prior to separation of the stages retractuator. The role of the retractuator is to retract the tubes, after they are cut and before separation of the subsystem, so that cut ends of the tubes do not damage thermal-protection coats on the entry vehicle and do not contribute to uncertainty of drag and consequent uncertainty in separation velocity

Lexicality and frequency in specific language impairment: accuracy and error data from two nonword repetition tests

Purpose: Deficits in phonological working memory and deficits in phonological processing have both been considered potential explanatory factors in Specific Language Impairment (SLI). Manipulations of the lexicality and phonotactic frequency of nonwords enable contrasting predictions to be derived from these hypotheses. Method: 18 typically developing (TD) children and 18 children with SLI completed an assessment battery that included tests of language ability, non-verbal intelligence, and two nonword repetition tests that varied in lexicality and frequency. Results: Repetition accuracy showed that children with SLI were unimpaired for short and simple high lexicality nonwords, whereas clear impairments were shown for all low lexicality nonwords. For low lexicality nonwords, greater repetition accuracy was seen for nonwords constructed from high over low frequency phoneme sequences. Children with SLI made the same proportion of errors that substituted a nonsense syllable for a lexical item as TD children, and this was stable across nonword length. Conclusions: The data show support for a phonological processing deficit in children with SLI, where long-term lexical and sub-lexical phonological knowledge mediate the interpretation of nonwords. However, the data also suggest that while phonological processing may provide a key explanation of SLI, a full account is likely to be multi-faceted

PI5P4Kα supports prostate cancer metabolism and exposes a survival vulnerability during androgen receptor inhibition.

Phosphatidylinositol (PI)regulating enzymes are frequently altered in cancer and have become a focus for drug development. Here, we explore the phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate 4-kinases (PI5P4K), a family of lipid kinases that regulate pools of intracellular PI, and demonstrate that the PI5P4Kα isoform influences androgen receptor (AR) signaling, which supports prostate cancer (PCa) cell survival. The regulation of PI becomes increasingly important in the setting of metabolic stress adaptation of PCa during androgen deprivation (AD), as we show that AD influences PI abundance and enhances intracellular pools of PI-4,5-P2. We suggest that this PI5P4Kα-AR relationship is mitigated through mTORC1 dysregulation and show that PI5P4Kα colocalizes to the lysosome, the intracellular site of mTORC1 complex activation. Notably, this relationship becomes prominent in mouse prostate tissue following surgical castration. Finally, multiple PCa cell models demonstrate marked survival vulnerability following stable PI5P4Kα inhibition. These results nominate PI5P4Kα as a target to disrupt PCa metabolic adaptation to castrate resistance

GEOTRACES IC1 (BATS) contamination-prone trace element isotopes Cd, Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, and Mo intercalibration

International audienceWe report data on the isotopic composition of cadmium, copper, iron, lead, zinc, and molybdenum at the GEOTRACES IC1 BATS Atlantic intercalibration station. In general, the between lab and within-lab precisions are adequate to resolve global gradients and vertical gradients at this station for Cd, Fe, Pb, and Zn. Cd and Zn isotopes show clear variations in the upper water column and more subtle variations in the deep water; these variations are attributable, in part, to progressive mass fractionation of isotopes by Rayleigh distillation from biogenic uptake and/or adsorption. Fe isotope variability is attributed to heavier crustal dust and hydrothermal sources and light Fe from reducing sediments. Pb isotope variability results from temporal changes in anthropogenic source isotopic compositions and the relative contributions of U.S. and European Pb sources. Cu and Mo isotope variability is more subtle and close to analytical precision. Although the present situation is adequate for proceeding with GEOTRACES, it should be possible to improve the within-lab and between-lab precisions for some of these properties

Atypical parkinsonism-associated retromer mutant alters endosomal sorting of specific cargo proteins

The retromer complex acts as a scaffold for endosomal protein complexes that sort integral membrane proteins to various cellular destinations. The retromer complex is a heterotrimer of VPS29, VPS35, and VPS26. Two of these paralogues, VPS26A and VPS26B, are expressed in humans. Retromer dysfunction is associated with neurodegenerative disease, and recently, three VPS26A mutations (p.K93E, p.M112V, and p.K297X) were discovered to be associated with atypical parkinsonism. Here, we apply quantitative proteomics to provide a detailed description of the retromer interactome. By establishing a comparative proteomic methodology, we identify how this interactome is perturbed in atypical parkinsonism-associated VPS26A mutants. In particular, we describe a selective defect in the association of VPS26A (p.K297X) with the SNX27 cargo adaptor. By showing how a retromer mutant leads to altered endosomal sorting of specific PDZ ligand–containing cargo proteins, we reveal a new mechanism for perturbed endosomal cargo sorting in atypical parkinsonism