The sensitivity and relevance of selected immunological methods for the estimation of antiviral antibody in serum

The findings embodied in this thesis have been discussed in the following two sections. A. Comparative Serology The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test (ELISA) have been investigated for their sensitivity in determining IgG antibody levels in human sera to Herpes simplex virus type 1, Coxsackievirus and Rotavirus, The results obtained have been correlated with those obtained from neutralisation or complement fixation tests in an attempt to evaluate the relevance of the antibodies detected by these serological procedures. B. Virus Antibody Profiling A novel technique for discriminating between human bloodstains has been developed and the suitability of the IFA and ELISA tests for use in this procedure has been investigated

Aplicación de la teoría de áreas sociales a la creación de tipologías de consumidores urbanos mediante Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG).

El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar la aplicación novedosa de la teoría de las áreas sociales a la creación de tipologías de consumidores urbanos utilizando Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG), de manera que se contribuya a la toma de decisiones oportunas y eficaces en el entorno de marketing. Para ello, en el marco teórico se presenta el problema de la diferenciación residencial, su origen y el alcance de su significado junto con la teoría de las áreas sociales, que propone claves para el estudio de este fenómeno. Tras la exposición de la metodología, se expone el caso empírico donde se detallan cada una de las variables que intervienen en el análisis y en la creación de las tipologías, de manera que cada una de las variables presentadas proporcionará información al profesional de marketing para construir un perfil de consumo según dichas características. El SIG hará factible la interpretación ágil y eficaz de los resultados al presentar de forma gráfica e inteligible los resultados, mejorando las tomas de decisiones de marketing.The objetive of this paper is to present a new application of social area theory for the creation of urban consumers typologies using Geographical Information Systems (SIG), so that help marketing decission makers. For this, Residential Differentiation phenomeno is presented, its origen, its meaning and the theorical framework of social area theory After the methodology, a case is shown with each variable and the process of creation of typologies based in Social Area theory. The variables used to form clusters give the decissor information about the consumer profile. The SIG makes possible the comprehension of result, as it is a grafic support and a valuable tool for analisys and improvement of marketing decisions

Detection and Interpretation Of Long-Lived X-Ray Quasi-Periodic Pulsations in the X-Class Solar Flare On 2013 May 14

Quasi-periodic pulsations (QPP) seen in the time derivative of the GOES soft X-ray light curves are analyzed for the near-limb X3.2 event on 14 May 2013. The pulsations are apparent for a total of at least two hours from the impulsive phase to well into the decay phase, with a total of 163 distinct pulses evident to the naked eye. A wavelet analysis shows that the characteristic time scale of these pulsations increases systematically from $\sim$25 s at 01:10 UT, the time of the GOES peak, to $\sim$100 s at 02:00 UT. A second ridge in the wavelet power spectrum, most likely associated with flaring emission from a different active region, shows an increase from $\sim$40 s at 01:40 UT to $\sim$100 s at 03:10 UT. We assume that the QPP that produced the first ridge result from vertical kink-mode oscillations of the newly formed loops following magnetic reconnection in the coronal current sheet. This allows us to estimate the magnetic field strength as a function of altitude given the density, loop length, and QPP time scale as functions of time determined from the GOES light curves and RHESSI images. The calculated magnetic field strength of the newly formed loops ranges from about $\sim$500 G at an altitude of 24 Mm to a low value of $\sim$10 G at 60 Mm, in general agreement with the expected values at these altitudes. Fast sausage mode oscillations are also discussed and cannot be ruled out as an alternate mechanism for producing the QPP

Hydrological and associated biogeochemical consequences of rapid global warming during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) hyperthermal, ~ 56 million years ago (Ma), is the most dramatic example of abrupt Cenozoic global warming. During the PETM surface temperatures increased between 5 and 9 °C and the onset likely took < 20 kyr. The PETM provides a case study of the impacts of rapid global warming on the Earth system, including both hydrological and associated biogeochemical feedbacks, and proxy data from the PETM can provide constraints on changes in warm climate hydrology simulated by general circulation models (GCMs). In this paper, we provide a critical review of biological and geochemical signatures interpreted as direct or indirect indicators of hydrological change at the PETM, explore the importance of adopting multi-proxy approaches, and present a preliminary model-data comparison. Hydrological records complement those of temperature and indicate that the climatic response at the PETM was complex, with significant regional and temporal variability. This is further illustrated by the biogeochemical consequences of inferred changes in hydrology and, in fact, changes in precipitation and the biogeochemical consequences are often conflated in geochemical signatures. There is also strong evidence in many regions for changes in the episodic and/or intra-annual distribution of precipitation that has not widely been considered when comparing proxy data to GCM output. Crucially, GCM simulations indicate that the response of the hydrological cycle to the PETM was heterogeneous – some regions are associated with increased precipitation – evaporation (P – E), whilst others are characterised by a decrease. Interestingly, the majority of proxy data come from the regions where GCMs predict an increase in PETM precipitation. We propose that comparison of hydrological proxies to GCM output can be an important test of model skill, but this will be enhanced by further data from regions of model-simulated aridity and simulation of extreme precipitation events

Detecting a decline in serial homicide : have we banished the devil from the details?

The current research provides perspective regarding the true prevalence of serial murderers in modern society and addresses the conflict between the evidenced decline in serial homicide and the viewpoint that the phenomenon is increasing. The likelihood that serial murderers are responsible for most unresolved homicides and missing persons is examined in the context of a declining prevalence. A mixed methods approach was used, consisting of a review of a sample of unresolved homicides, a comparative analysis of the frequency of known serial homicide series and unresolved serial homicide series, and semi-structured interviews of experts. In failing to become serial killers, aspiring and probable serial killers and spree killers have impacted the rate of serial murder by not reaching their potential. The past decade contained almost half the cases (13%) that existed at the 1980s peak of serial homicide (27%). Only 282 (1.3%) strangled females made up the 22,444 unresolved homicides reviewed. Most expert respondents thought it unreasonable that any meaningful proportion of missing persons cases are victims of serial homicide. Technology, shifts in offending behavior, proactive law enforcement action, and vigilance of society have transformed serial killing and aids in viewing offenders as people impacted by societal shifts and cultural norms. The absence of narrative details inhibited some aspects of the review. An exhaustive list of known unresolved serial homicide series remained elusive as some missing persons are never reported. Future research should incorporate those intending to murder serially, but whose efforts were stalled by arrest, imprisonment, or death

Terrestrial environmental change across the onset of the PETM and the associated impact on biomarker proxies:A cautionary tale

The following supplementary information includes one dataset which contains 3 tables: Biomarker distributions and proxies at Cobham, UK Bulk and compound specific isotope data at Cobham (UK) Model-derived mean annual surface temperature and precipitation estimates as a function of CO2 at Cobham (UK)

Insoluble prokaryotic membrane lipids in continental shelf sediments offshore Cape Town:implications for organic matter preservation

The largest organic carbon (OC) reservoir on Earth is in the geosphere, mainly comprising insoluble organic matter (IOM). IOM formation, therefore, plays an important role in the short and long-term carbon cycle, carbon bioavailability and formation of source rocks. To explore the mechanism of insolubilization of organic matter (OM), we have analysed soluble and IOM fractions of continental shelf marine sediments. We have applied sequential solvent-extractions followed by a selective chemical degradation of the post-extraction residue, specifically targeting prokaryotic membrane lipids (branched fatty acids – FAs, hopanoids, archaeol and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers – GDGTs). Up to 80% of prokaryotic membrane lipids are not solvent-extractable, and we observe compound-specific differences in partitioning between soluble and IOM fractions. Based on these observations, we propose a variety of mechanisms for the incorporation of prokaryotic lipids into IOM in marine sediments: First, OM association with authigenic carbonates; second, cross-linking via esterification reactions with time, which could be particularly relevant for FAs; third, competition between reactivity and loss of polar head groups, the latter rendering the OM less susceptible to incorporation; and finally, inherent solvent-insolubility of some lipids associated with prokaryotic cells

Mid-latitude continental temperatures through the early Eocene in western Europe

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are increasingly used to reconstruct mean annual air temperature (MAAT) during the early Paleogene. However, the application of this proxy in coal deposits is limited and brGDGTs have only been detected in immature coals (i.e. lignites). Using samples recovered from Schöningen, Germany (∼48°N palaeolatitude), we provide the first detailed study into the occurrence and distribution of brGDGTs through a sequence of early Eocene lignites and associated interbeds. BrGDGTs are abundant and present in every sample. In comparison to modern studies, changes in vegetation type do not appear to significantly impact brGDGT distributions; however, there are subtle differences between lignites – representing peat-forming environments – and siliciclastic nearshore marine interbed depositional environments. Using the most recent brGDGT temperature calibration (MATmr) developed for soils, we generate the first continental temperature record from central-western continental Europe through the early Eocene. Lignite-derived MAAT estimates range from 23 to 26 °C while those derived from the nearshore marine interbeds exceed 20 °C. These estimates are consistent with other mid-latitude environments and model simulations, indicating enhanced mid-latitude, early Eocene warmth. In the basal part of the section studied, warming is recorded in both the lignites (∼2 °C) and nearshore marine interbeds (∼2–3 °C). This culminates in a long-term temperature maximum, likely including the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). Although this long-term warming trend is relatively well established in the marine realm, it has rarely been shown in terrestrial settings. Using a suite of model simulations we show that the magnitude of warming at Schöningen is broadly consistent with a doubling of CO2, in agreement with late Paleocene and early Eocene pCO2 estimates

Intergenic Transposable Elements Are Not Randomly Distributed in Bacteria

Insertion sequences (ISs) are mobile genetic elements in bacterial genomes. In general, intergenic IS elements are probably less deleterious for their hosts than intragenic ISs, simply because they have a lower likelihood of disrupting native genes. However, since promoters, Shine–Dalgarno sequences, and transcription factor binding sites are intergenic and upstream of genes, I hypothesized that not all neighboring gene orientations (NGOs) are selectively equivalent for IS insertion. To test this, I analyzed the NGOs of all intergenic ISs in 326 fully sequenced bacterial chromosomes. Of the 116 genomes with enough IS elements for statistical analysis, 68 have significantly more ISs between convergently oriented genes than expected, and 46 have significantly fewer ISs between divergently oriented genes. This suggests that natural selection molds intergenic IS distributions because they are least intrusive between convergent gene pairs and most intrusive between divergent gene pairs