A study of the vegetational history of Widdybank Fell, in Upper Teesdale

A study was made of the vegetational history of Widdybank Fell, Upper Teesdale, using the techniques of macrofossil, stratigraphic and pollen analysis. The study was designed to investigate (a) the Post glacial history of the vegetation; (h) the relationship of this history with the survival of the present day Teesdale flora; (c) the age of the blanket peat which now covers a large area of the Fell. Peat growth began in hollows at the end of zone III and continued throughout the Boreal period. Evidence from the pollen diagrams shows that the Fell was covered by open woodland during zones VI and Vila. Throughout the Post-glacial period, herbaceous species, including many characteristic of open grassland habitats, maintain high values, equalling the values for tree species. The Atlantic period is characterised by very slow peat growth with oak, elm and alder as the dominant tree species. Radio-carbon dates taken from Tinkler's Site suggest that peat growth became more rapid and widespread during the Sub-boreal period, about 1440 BC. The major development of blanket peat took place towards the end of zone Vllb and during the following Sub-Atlantic period. The increase in herbaceous pollen types began towards the end of zone Vllb with a major rise at about 620 BC. Evidence from the pollen data suggests that the increase in open habitats and deforestation of the Fell was directly connected with an increase in human utilization of the land. The relict species of the Teesdale flora survived the Post-glacial forest maximum in an open woodland condition and spread on to their present grassland habitats from the end of zone Vllb onwards as human activity and climatic deterioration created tracts of open grassland and peat areas

The Best Interests of a Trafficked Adolescent

For decades, the world has faced a tremendous obstacle in locating trafficking victims and their perpetrators. The United States has enacted the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and implemented a system of Trafficking in Persons Reports (TIPs) to track domestic progress. Nonetheless, even more challenging than addressing adult trafficking is conquering the rampant existence of child trafficking, which inherently has its own unique challenges. Child trafficking comes in many forms and affects different regions of the world in various ways. Misunderstanding precisely what constitutes trafficking is one of the obstacles to ridding the world of its existence. Moreover, the victimsadolescents- are also misunderstood, mislabeled, and as a result, left to the hands of their perpetrators rather than brought to safety by trained specialists. The United States, as a global leader, has a role to play in resolving the ambiguities within child trafficking laws. It has a duty to create and enforce child-specific remedies and protections that recognize an adolescent\u27s own best interests. Furthermore, the United States can help diminish predator success by empowering youth, recognizing their constitutional rights, and giving them a voice within the nation\u27s legal framework. Those countries that have enacted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) have already adopted these ideals of empowering youth. By failing to enact the CRC and with case law precedent, the United States has sent a message that an adolescent\u27s own best interests are not defined by him or herself, but by others. Thus, the United States has created an impediment in the way of terminating child trafficking operation

The Best Interests of a Trafficked Adolescent

For decades, the world has faced a tremendous obstacle in locating trafficking victims and their perpetrators. The United States has enacted the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and implemented a system of Trafficking in Persons Reports (TIPs) to track domestic progress. Nonetheless, even more challenging than addressing adult trafficking is conquering the rampant existence of child trafficking, which inherently has its own unique challenges. Child trafficking comes in many forms and affects different regions of the world in various ways. Misunderstanding precisely what constitutes trafficking is one of the obstacles to ridding the world of its existence. Moreover, the victimsadolescents- are also misunderstood, mislabeled, and as a result, left to the hands of their perpetrators rather than brought to safety by trained specialists. The United States, as a global leader, has a role to play in resolving the ambiguities within child trafficking laws. It has a duty to create and enforce child-specific remedies and protections that recognize an adolescent\u27s own best interests. Furthermore, the United States can help diminish predator success by empowering youth, recognizing their constitutional rights, and giving them a voice within the nation\u27s legal framework. Those countries that have enacted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) have already adopted these ideals of empowering youth. By failing to enact the CRC and with case law precedent, the United States has sent a message that an adolescent\u27s own best interests are not defined by him or herself, but by others. Thus, the United States has created an impediment in the way of terminating child trafficking operation

Unofficial records : a study of diaries with special reference to those kept by soldiers on the Western Front during the First World War

The Imperial War Museum houses over 2,000 diaries from: the First World War alone. This study, with the aid of source material and interviews, examines why so many men of rank and officer class kept diaries during the war, when it was against the King's Regulations to do so. The diaries utilised range from 1914 - 1918, and illustrate the change in attitude to the war from the Old Contemptible, the eager volunteer, to the war-weary recruit. Each diary is represented as a case study of the soldier,illustrating his family and educational background. Because these studies range from public schoolboy to carpenter, differing responses and styles of writing are used to describe the war. Hundreds of soldiers have published memoirs and reminiscences since 1918. Today publishers edit selections, but the purpose of this study is not to reiterate what has already been written. Memoirs recall the war years often with fond remembrance of the most important event of their lives and forget the agony of route marches, hunger and battle. After 1918 it was easier to recall the esprit de corps, and forget the Buffering. Published diaries, like memoirs, cannot be considered a true record. Editors select what they consider the more interesting battles and episodes, so that the reader could believe soldiers spent all of their time in France engaged in battle. These unpublished selections illustrate battles, but also the monotony of the days 'in rest', on marches, and on fatigues. Soldiers kept diaries during the war for companionship, to record the great adventure, and to work out the horrific and inexplicable. They were not, as published material would often have us believe, describing a glorified infantryman's picnic

Sucrose permeability as a marker of gastric mucosal integrity in the horse : Feasibility, assay development and field validation of a blood test for diagnosis of gastric ulcers in horses

Gastric ulcers can develop in foals and horses of all breeds and uses, and the term equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) has been coined to describe this disease because of its multifactorial and complicated nature. Currently, detection of EGUS by gastroscopy is the only reliable ante mortem method for definitive diagnosis in horses, and is considered the gold standard against which all other diagnostic tests are compared. Disadvantages of gastroscopy are that it requires the horse to be sedated, it is not readily available to most veterinarians, it is an inefficient expenditure of time, and requires a minimum level of expertise to perform and interpret. A urine sucrose test has been reported to be a reliable method of detecting gastric ulcers in horses; however, technical difficulties associated with urine collection have limited the practical value of the test. It was hypothesized that blood sucrose concentration following nasogastric administration of sucrose can be used as a simple, economical alternative to reliably and practically detect gastric ulcers in horses; and a series of studies were subsequently conducted to develop and validate the test, including determination of the feasibility of the method; sucrose assay development and standardization; and field validation through determination of the performance characteristics of the test in selected populations of horses. The feasibility of the method was determined in 12 adult horses with naturally occurring gastric ulceration. Horses with moderate to severe gastric ulceration demonstrated a significant increase in serum sucrose concentrations at 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes following nasogastric administration of sucrose. Peak sucrose concentrations occurred at 45 minutes and were correlated with ulcer severity. It was concluded that the determination of sucrose concentration in blood is a feasible alternative to urine when performing sucrose permeability testing in the horse, and may represent a useful screening test for identifying horses with endoscopically visible gastric ulceration. An accurate, yet practical and cost-effective method for quantifying sucrose in equine serum that can be applied to sucrose permeability testing in the horse was subsequently developed and validated using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The assay provided an acceptable degree of linearity, accuracy and precision at concentrations of sucrose as low as 2.34 µmol/L and as high as 20.45 µmol/L. Percentage recovery of sucrose from serum ranged from 89 – 102%; and repeatability and intermediate precision (RSD %) ranged from 3.6 to 6.7 % and 4.1 to 9.3 % respectively. The limit of detection was 0.73 µmol/L. It was concluded that the method is valid; and can be applied to the assessment of gastric permeability in the horse. The performance characteristics of the test were subsequently assessed in a large group of adult horses and foals with naturally occurring gastric ulceration by comparing it to gastroscopy as the gold standard. The diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose for diagnosis of gastric lesions (GL); glandular lesions (GDL); squamous lesions (SQL); and clinically significant lesions (CSL) at 45 and 90 minutes after administration of 1 g/kg of sucrose via nasogastric intubation was assessed using receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves and calculating the area under the curve (AUC). For each lesion type, sucrose concentration in blood was compared to gastroscopy as the gold standard; and sensitivities (Se) and specificities (Sp) were calculated across a range of sucrose concentrations. Ulcer grading was performed blindly by one observer; and the results were validated by comparing them with that of two other observers, and calculating the level of agreement. Cut-off values were selected manually to optimize Se. Because of concerns over the validity of the gold standard, additional Se, Sp, and lesion prevalence data were estimated and compared using Bayesian latent class analysis. Using the traditional gold standard approach, the prevalence of GL; GDL; SQL and CSL for adult horses was 83%; 70%; 53% and 58% respectively. For foals, the prevalence of GL; GDL; SQL and CSL before weaning was 21%; 9%; 7% and 8% respectively; and increased to 98%; 59%; 97% and 82% respectively after weaning. At the selected cut-offs, Se ranged from 51% to 79% for adult horses; and 84% to 95% for foals, depending upon the lesion type and time of sampling. Sp was poor, ranging from 43% to 72%; and 47% to 71% in adult horses and foals respectively. Estimates of Se and Sp were consistently higher in foals when using a Bayesian approach, however there was little difference between the methods when compared in adult horses. It was concluded that blood sucrose is neither a sensitive or specific test for detecting EGUS in adult horses and is therefore unsuitable as a screening test this study population. In contrast, blood sucrose appears to be a sensitive test for detecting EGUS in foals. Due to its poor specificity, it is not expected that the sucrose blood test will replace gastroscopy, however it may represent a clinically useful screening test to identify foals that may benefit from gastroscopy. Bayesian latent class analysis may represent an alternative method to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of gastric permeability tests in an attempt to avoid bias associated with the assumption that gastroscopy is a perfect test.Mahahaavoja esiintyy sekä varsoilla että aikuisilla hevosilla rotuun tai käyttöön katsomatta. Useiden taustatekijöiden ja monimuotoisen taudinkuvan vuoksi sairaudesta käytetään termiä EGUS eli Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome. Mahalaukun tähystys eli gastroskopia on diagnostiikan ideaalisin eli gold standard -menetelmä ja ainoa luotettava kliininen diagnosointitapa. Tähystys vaatii hevosen rauhoittamisen, eikä kaikilla eläinlääkäreillä ole toimenpiteeseen vaadittavaa välineistöä eikä tulkintaan vaadittavaa kokemusta. Virtsan sokerin (sakkaroosin eli sukroosin) analyysin on raportoitu olevan luotettava menetelmä hevosen mahahaavan diagnostiikassa, mutta virtsan kerääminen on teknisesti hankalaa eikä testi näin ollen ole käytännöllinen. Tutkimushypoteesina oli että sokerin nenänieluletkulla tapahtuvan annostelun jälkeen veren sokerikonsentraation analysointi olisi yksinkertainen, käytännöllinen ja taloudellinen vaihtoehto todentaa hevosen mahahaavat luotettavasti. Testin kehittämiseksi ja validoimiseksi tehtiin sarja tutkimuksia: sokerin mittaustestin kehittäminen ja standardisointi, testaustekniikan käytännöllisyys, sekä testin validointi valikoidussa hevospopulaatiossa. Metodin soveltuvuus määritettiin 12 aikuisella hevosella, joilla oli todettu mahahaava. Hevosilla, joilla oli kohtalainen tai vakava mahahaava, sokerin konsentraatio nousi merkittävästi 30, 45, 60 and 90 minuuttia sokerin nenänieluletkutuksen jälkeen. Sokerin huippupitoisuus oli 45 minuutin kohdalla, ja korreloi haavauman vakavuuden kanssa. Johtopäätöksenä todettiin, että veren sokerin läpäisevyystesti verrattuna virtsan sokerin konsentraation mittaamiseen on käyttökelpoinen vaihtoehto seulontatestinä jolla löydetään mahahaavahevoset. Sokerin mittaamiseen hevosen seerumista kehitettiin ja validoitiin tarkka, käytännöllinen ja taloudellinen menetelmä käyttäen kaasukromatografiaa ja liekki-ionisaatio detektoria (GC-FID). Analyysi oli riittävän tarkka ja lineaarinen sekä matalilla (2.34 µmol/L) että korkeilla (20.45 µmol/L) sokerikonsentraatioilla. Seerumiin sokeripitoisuuden määrä vaihteli välillä 89 - 102%; toistettavuus välillä 3.6 - 6.7%, sekä tarkkuus (intermediate precision; RSD %) välillä 4.1 - 9.3%. Menelmän mittausraja oli 0.73 µmol/L. Menetelmän todettiin olevan pätevä ja sitä pystyttiin käyttämään hevosen mahalaukun läpäisevyyden tutkimisessa. Testin toimivuutta mahalaukun tähystykseen verrattuna arvioitiin laajan aineiston avulla. Ryhmissä oli sekä aikuisia hevosia että varsoja. Veren sakkaroosipitoisuus arvioitiin 45 ja 90 minuuttia 1 g/kg sokeriannoksen nenänieluletkuksen jälkeen. Pitoisuuden diagnostinen tarkkuus mahalaukun (GL), ja sen eri osien (rauhasalue (GDL), keratinisoitunut alue (SQL)) vaurioiden, sekä kliinisesti merkittävien vaurioiden (CSL) arvioitiin käyttäen ROC- käyrää ja laskemalla alle jäävä ala (AUC). Sokerin pitoisuutta veressä eri vauriotyypeissä verrattiin gastroskopialöydöksiin (gold standard), herkkyys ja tarkkuus. Mahahaavojen luokittelun suoritti sokkoutettu tutkija, tulokset validoitiin kahden muun arvioinnilla ja näistä laskettiin yksimielisyyden taso (the level of agreement). Herkkyyden parantamiseksi raja-arvot valittiin manuaalisesti. Gastroskopia gold standard -testinä ei ole tarkka, joten herkkyys, tarkkuus ja vaurioiden esiintyvyys arvioitiin ja vertailtiin Bayesian latentilla luokka-analyysilla. Perinteisellä gold standard -menetelmällä vaurioiden esiintyvyydet aikuisella hevosella olivat GL 83%, GDL70%, SQL 53% ja CSL 58%. Varsoilla vaurioiden esiintyvyydet olivat GL 21%, GDL 9%, SQL 7% ja CSL 8% ennen vieroitusta, sen jälkeen ne nousivat 98%, 59%; 97% and 82%. Valituilla raja-arvoilla aikuisten hevosten testin herkkyys oli 51 - 79% ja varsojen 84-95% riippuen vaurion tyypistä ja näytteenottoajasta. Tarkkuus oli heikko vaihdellen 43-72% aikuisilla ja 47–71% varsoilla. Herkkyys ja tarkkuusarviot olivat kauttaaltaan korkeampia varsoilla, jos käytettiin Bayesian mallia, aikuisilla metodeilla ei ollut juuri eroa. Loppupäätelmänä todettiin että veren sakkaroosipitoisuuden testi ei ole herkkä tai tarkka testi hevosen mahahaavalle aikuisella hevosella, eikä sovellu seulontatestiksi. Sen sijaan varsoilla veren sokeripitoisuus näyttäisi olevan herkkä testi mahahaavan (EGUS) toteamiseen. Todennäköisesti testi ei korvaa tähystystä huonon spesifisyytensä takia, mutta se voisi toimia käytännöllisenä testinä arvioitaessa varsojen tarvetta tähystykseen. Bayesian latentti luokka- analyysi voi olla toimiva testivaihtoehto mahan läpäisevyyden arvioimiseen,,koska gold standard –testissä on puutteita

Vertical movement symmetry of the withers in horses with induced forelimb and hindlimb lameness at trot

Background The main criteria for lameness assessment in horses are head movement for forelimb lameness and pelvic movement for hindlimb lameness. However, compensatory head nod in horses with primary hindlimb lameness is a well‐known phenomenon. This compensatory head nod movement can be easily misinterpreted as a sign of primary ipsilateral forelimb lameness. Therefore, discriminating compensatory asymmetries from primary directly pain‐related movement asymmetries is a prerequisite for successful lameness assessment. Objectives To investigate the association between head, withers and pelvis movement asymmetry in horses with induced forelimb and hindlimb lameness. Study design Experimental study. Methods In 10 clinically sound Warmblood riding horses forelimb and hindlimb lameness were induced using a sole pressure model. The horses were then trotted on a treadmill. 3D optical motion capture was used to collect kinematic data from reflective markers attached to the poll, withers and tubera sacrale. The magnitude and side (left or right) of the following symmetry parameters, vertical difference in minimum position, maximum position and range‐up, were calculated for head, withers and pelvis. Mixed models were used to analyse data from induced forelimb and hindlimb lameness. Results For each mm increase in pelvic asymmetry in response to hindlimb lameness induction, withers movement asymmetry increased by 0.35‐0.55 mm; but towards the contralateral side. In induced forelimb lameness, for each mm increase in head movement asymmetry, withers movement asymmetry increased by 0.05‐0.10 mm, in agreement with the head movement asymmetry direction, both indicating lameness in the induced forelimb. Main limitations Results must be confirmed in clinically lame horses trotting overground. Conclusions The vertical asymmetry pattern of the withers discriminated a head nod associated with true forelimb lameness from the compensatory head movement asymmetry caused by primary hindlimb lameness. Measuring movement symmetry of the withers may thus aid in determining primary lameness location

Diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose as a screening test for equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) in adult horses

Background: Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is common in adult horses, particularly those involved in performance disciplines. Currently, detection of EGUS by gastroscopy is the only reliable ante mortem method for definitive diagnosis; however it is unsuitable as a screening test because it is expensive, time consuming, and is not readily available to most veterinarians. Sucrose permeability testing represents a simple, economical alternative to gastroscopy for screening purposes, and the feasibility of this approach in the horse has been previously reported. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose as a screening test for EGUS in a large group of adult horses with and without naturally occurring gastric disease. Results: One hundred and one adult horses with or without naturally occurring gastric ulceration were studied. The diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose for diagnosis of gastric lesions (GL), glandular lesions (GDL), squamous lesions (SQL), and clinically significant lesions (CSL) at 45 and 90 min after administration of 1 g/kg of sucrose via nasogastric intubation was assessed using receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves and calculating the area under the curve (AUC). For each lesion type, sucrose concentration in blood was compared to gastroscopy, as the gold standard, and sensitivities (Se) and specificities (Sp) were calculated across a range of sucrose concentrations. Ulcer grading was performed blindly by one observer; and the results were validated by comparing them with that of two other observers, and calculating the level of agreement. Cut-off values were selected manually to optimize Se. The prevalence of GL, GDL, SQL, and CSL was 83, 70, 53 and 58% respectively. At the selected cut-offs, Se ranged from 51 to 79% and Sp ranged from 43 to 72%, depending upon the lesion type and time of sampling. Conclusions: Blood sucrose is neither a sensitive or specific test for detecting EGUS in this population of adult horses with naturally occurring gastric ulceration. Further studies aimed at evaluating the performance characteristics of the test in different study populations are warranted. Given the limitations of endoscopy, due consideration should also be given to alternative methods for comparison of blood sucrose with a gold standard.Peer reviewe

Effect of Lignin Variation on Biomass Conversion: An analysis of pretreatment methods for poplar samples

The conversion of lignocellulosic polysaccharides has been studied as an alternative to petroleum for producing fuels and chemical products, such as those in plastics. However, biomass lignin has been shown to inhibit polysaccharide conversion. Lignin, an organic polymer, surrounds biomass polysaccharides, hemicellulose and cellulose, making the biomass resistant to deconstruction and limiting polysaccharide conversion yields. Increases in polysaccharide conversion yields are seen when using physical or chemical pretreatment methods that increase convertible cellulose, remove lignin, and restructure biomass. A physical pretreatment, liquid hot water (LHW), solubilizes hemicellulose and melts lignin using hot, pressured water. A chemical treatment, sodium-chlorite acetic acid (SCAA), uses a strong oxidizing agent coupled with acid to chemically remove the lignin. This study analyzed LHW and SCAA pretreatments, each at two levels of severity, for aiding in deconstruction of wild type poplar biomass and poplar genetically modified for increased lignin digestibility. Following pretreatments, biomass composition was analyzed via a standard method using a combination of acid hydrolysis deconstruction and biomass fractionation. We report that increasing length of SCAA treatments shows sequential reduction in total lignin (11.8%, 8.0%) when compared to untreated biomass (23.1%) and provides an average 27.3% increase in the portion of total lignin that is acid digestible. LHW pretreatments increase the proportion of available glucan for conversion while minimally changing biomass structure in contrast to the SCAA treatment which largely alters biomass composition. Reported biomass composition changes suggest that pretreatments used with previously studied biomass conversion methods increase polysaccharide conversion yields to value added chemicals

Diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose as a screening test for equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) in adult horses

Background: Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is common in adult horses, particularly those involved in performance disciplines. Currently, detection of EGUS by gastroscopy is the only reliable ante mortem method for definitive diagnosis; however it is unsuitable as a screening test because it is expensive, time consuming, and is not readily available to most veterinarians. Sucrose permeability testing represents a simple, economical alternative to gastroscopy for screening purposes, and the feasibility of this approach in the horse has been previously reported. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose as a screening test for EGUS in a large group of adult horses with and without naturally occurring gastric disease. Results: One hundred and one adult horses with or without naturally occurring gastric ulceration were studied. The diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose for diagnosis of gastric lesions (GL), glandular lesions (GDL), squamous lesions (SQL), and clinically significant lesions (CSL) at 45 and 90 min after administration of 1 g/kg of sucrose via nasogastric intubation was assessed using receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves and calculating the area under the curve (AUC). For each lesion type, sucrose concentration in blood was compared to gastroscopy, as the gold standard, and sensitivities (Se) and specificities (Sp) were calculated across a range of sucrose concentrations. Ulcer grading was performed blindly by one observer; and the results were validated by comparing them with that of two other observers, and calculating the level of agreement. Cut-off values were selected manually to optimize Se. The prevalence of GL, GDL, SQL, and CSL was 83, 70, 53 and 58% respectively. At the selected cut-offs, Se ranged from 51 to 79% and Sp ranged from 43 to 72%, depending upon the lesion type and time of sampling. Conclusions: Blood sucrose is neither a sensitive or specific test for detecting EGUS in this population of adult horses with naturally occurring gastric ulceration. Further studies aimed at evaluating the performance characteristics of the test in different study populations are warranted. Given the limitations of endoscopy, due consideration should also be given to alternative methods for comparison of blood sucrose with a gold standard.Peer reviewe

Ileal hypertrophy and associated true diverticulum as a cause of colic in a horse

A 4-year-old Thoroughbred gelding underwent an explorative celiotomy for a suspected small intestinal obstruction. During surgery, an impacted diverticulum of the ileum was suspected, necessitating a jejunocaecostomy. The owner opted for euthanasia. On post-mortem examination and histopathology, a true diverticulum on the mesenteric side of the ileum, with ileal hypertrophy, was diagnosed.http://www.jsava.co.zaam2017Companion Animal Clinical StudiesParaclinical Science