Factors affecting B/Ca ratios in synthetic aragonite

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2015. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Chemical Geology 437 (2016): 67-76, doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2016.05.007.Measurements of B/Ca ratios in marine carbonates have been suggested to record seawater carbonate chemistry, however experimental calibration of such proxies based on inorganic partitioning remains limited. Here we conducted a series of synthetic aragonite precipitation experiments to evaluate the factors influencing the partitioning of B/Ca between aragonite and seawater. Our results indicate that the B/Ca ratio of synthetic aragonites depends primarily on the relative concentrations of borate and carbonate ions in the solution from which the aragonite precipitates; not on bicarbonate concentration as has been previously suggested. The influence of temperature was not significant over the range investigated (20 – 40°C), however, partitioning may be influenced by saturation state (and/or growth rate). Based on our experimental results, we suggest that aragonite B/Ca ratios can be utilized as a proxy of [CO32-]. Boron isotopic composition (δ11B) is an established pH proxy, thus B/Ca and δ11B together allow the full carbonate chemistry of the solution from which the aragonite precipitated to be calculated. To the extent that aragonite precipitation by marine organisms is affected by seawater chemistry, B/Ca may also prove useful in reconstructing seawater chemistry. A simplified boron purification protocol based on amberlite resin and the organic buffer TRIS is also described.This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. Research conducted at WHOI was supported by NSF grant OCE-1338320. M.H. was supported by an ARC Super Science Fellowship and an NSF International Postdoctoral Fellowship. T.D. was supported by a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. M.M. was supported by a Western Australian Premiers Fellowship and an ARC Laureate Fellowship

Microsatellite Development for an Endangered Bream Megalobrama pellegrini (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) Using 454 Sequencing

Megalobrama pellegrini is an endemic fish species found in the upper Yangtze River basin in China. This species has become endangered due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam and overfishing. However, the available genetic data for this species is limited. Here, we developed 26 polymorphic microsatellite markers from the M. pellegrini genome using next-generation sequencing techniques. A total of 257,497 raw reads were obtained from a quarter-plate run on 454 GS-FLX titanium platforms and 49,811 unique sequences were generated with an average length of 404 bp; 24,522 (49.2%) sequences contained microsatellite repeats. Of the 53 loci screened, 33 were amplified successfully and 26 were polymorphic. The genetic diversity in M. pellegrini was moderate, with an average of 3.08 alleles per locus, and the mean observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.47 and 0.51, respectively. In addition, we tested cross-species amplification for all 33 loci in four additional breams: M. amblycephala, M. skolkovii, M. terminalis, and Sinibrama wui. The cross-species amplification showed a significant high level of transferability (79%–97%), which might be due to their dramatically close genetic relationships. The polymorphic microsatellites developed in the current study will not only contribute to further conservation genetic studies and parentage analyses of this endangered species, but also facilitate future work on the other closely related species

The structure of PGC Morale Scale in American and Japanese aged: A further note

This study involves a further replication of cross-cultural comparison of the structure of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS). Using Japanese and American data sets, the present research replicates and extends the findings reported by Liang et al. (1987). In particular, the earlier findings that four PGCMS items behave differently in two cultures are replicated. The present study yields two additional observations. First, the invariance in the PGCMS can now be extended beyond the urban elderly residents studied by Liang et al. (1987) to the entire aged population in the U.S. and Japan. Second, this comparability is robust despite the elimination of correlated measurement errors from the earlier specifications and when several exogenous variables are controlled. Further, the impact of selected demographic variables on the PGCMS was evaluated. In addition, qualitative data from in-depth interviews provide further insights concerning the cultural differences in the expression of well-being.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42991/1/10823_2004_Article_BF00116576.pd

Outcome Measures for Persons With Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Recommendations From the American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy TBI EDGE Task Force

Background and Purpose: The use of standardized outcome measures (OMs) is essential in assessing the effectiveness of physical therapy (PT) interventions. The purposes of this article are (1) to describe the process used by the TBI EDGE task force to assess the psychometrics and clinical utility of OMs used with individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI); (2) to describe the consensus recommendations for OM use in clinical practice, research, and professional (entry-level) PT education; and (3) to make recommendations for future work

The Influence of Manga on the Graphic Novel

This material has been published in The Cambridge History of the Graphic Novel edited by Jan Baetens, Hugo Frey, Stephen E. Tabachnick. This version is free to view and download for personal use only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works. © Cambridge University PressProviding a range of cogent examples, this chapter describes the influences of the Manga genre of comics strip on the Graphic Novel genre, over the last 35 years, considering the functions of domestication, foreignisation and transmedia on readers, markets and forms

Corrosion of AA2024-T3 Part I: Localised corrosion of isolated IM particles

Polished specimens of AA2024-T3 were immersed for various times up to 120. min in 0.1. M NaCl. The development of corrosion around isolated intermetallic particles was monitored using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS). The earliest stages of attack started with localised corrosion of the S-phase particles resulting in dealloying which was followed by trenching around these particles. Subsequently, trenching was observed around cathodic particles where trenching started with AlCuFeMn particles with Cu/Fe ratios typically around 2.5 and then progressed to AlCuFeMnSi particles. This latter category of particles had a much lower Cu/Fe ratio, typically 0.5

Perioperative mortality rates in Australian public hospitals : the influence of age, gender and urgency

INTRODUCTION: A decline in surgical deaths has been observed in Australia since the introduction of the Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality (ANZASM). The current study was conducted to determine whether the perioperative mortality rate (POMR) has also declined. METHODS: This study is a retrospective review of the POMR for surgical procedures in Australian public hospitals between July 2009 and June 2013, using data obtained from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Operative procedures contained in the Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups were selected and the POMR was modelled using urgency of admission, age and gender as explanatory covariates. RESULTS: The POMR in Australian public hospitals reduced by 15.4 % over the 4-year period. The emergency admissions POMR dropped from 1.40 to 1.12 %, and the elective admissions POMR from 0.09 to 0.08 %. The binary logistic regression model used to predict patient mortality showed emergency admissions to have a higher POMR than elective, being more evident at older ages. For emergency admissions, the difference in POMR between females and males increased with age, from about 55 years onwards, with females being lower. For elective surgeries, the difference between males and females was of little practical importance across ages. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in the POMR in Australia confirms the reduction in surgical deaths reported to ANZASM. Continuing to monitor POMR will be important to ensure the safest surgery in Australia. Further investigations into case-mix will allow better risk adjustment and comparison between regions and time-periods, to facilitate continuous quality improvement

Co-operative corrosion phenomena

The corrosion of aluminium alloy 2024-T3 (AA2024-T3) was studied as a function of immersion time from 2.5 to 120 min in 0.1 M aqueous NaCl solution. At immersion times as short as 5 min, rings of corrosion product of 100 to 200 ?m diameter, containing smaller domes of corrosion product, were observed using SEM. The domes of corrosion product had greater chloride concentrations than elsewhere on the surface and represented sites of anodic attack. As the immersion time was increased, significant grain boundary attack was observed within the rings of corrosion product. Analyses of Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) maps of the corroded surfaces showed a significantly higher number of IM particles around the chloride attack sites than the average particle density for the maps, indicating clustering of IM particles. These results suggest a co-operative corrosion effect as a result of clustering of the IM particles. A mechanism for the generation of the corrosion rings is discussed