A study of the root surface phosphatase activities of three species of higher plants: Juncus effusus, Phragnutes australis, and Typha latifolia

The aim of this project was to investigate a possible link between environmental phosphorus status and the root surface phosphatase activities of three species of emergent macrophytes, with a view to assessing their potential for use as "biondicators". Analyses of water phosphorus concentrations and rates of surface phosphatase activities of Juncus effusus, Phragmites australis and Typha latifolia were carried out on samples from Bakethin Reservoir, Northumberland and Durham University Botanic Garden. Differences were found in water phosphorus concentrations at the sites. Water from Bakethin Reservoir was found to have lower levels of P than water from the Botanic Garden. Interspecific differences at p = 0.0002 were discovered in rates of phosphatase activity between Juncus, Phragmites and Typha. Juncus and Typha were found to exhibit significantly lower rates of phosphatase activity at the Botanic Garden than at Bakethin reservoir (p = 0.026 for Juncus, p = 0.037 for Typha). High rates of phosphatase activity in Juncus and Typha at Bakethin Reservoir corresponded with low concenfrations of environmental phosphorus, so it is possible that root surface phosphatases of both species are inducible in conditions of P- limitation. Juncus and Typha may therefore have the potential for use as bioindicators of environmental phosphorus status. Several practical problems were encountered, and may be of general significance. Rates of phosphatase activity declined rapidly in 100 μM pNPP assays. As a consequence, assays were terminated after 10 min. It was also observed that roots removed after assays had been terminated often showed a yellow coloration, presumably due to the retention of pNP. The accuracy of the pNPP assay relies upon all the pNP produced by the hydrolysis of pNPP being released into solution. The apparent retention of pNP by roots therefore brings the use of the pNPP assay, as a method for determining rates of phosphatase activity in eukaryotes, under scrutiny. One preliminary experiment carried out showed that more pNP was retained by roots under conditions of low pH

The aquatic basis of ancient civilisations: the case of Synodontis schall and the Nile Valley

This chapter focuses on the role of aquatic resources in the ancient economies of the Nile Valley. We suggest that these resources have been overlooked in traditional interpretations because of a reliance on wall paintings and carvings in tombs, assumptions about the dominance of cereal crops, and a dearth of well-excavated faunal assemblages from settlement sites. We focus on the faunal material from Tell el- Amarna and in particular the fish remains, which are dominated by the catfish, Synodontis schall. We show that, in conjunction with the study of modern control samples, we can obtain reliable estimates of age-at-death and size from growth increments in the pectoral spines, and thus analyse the age and size distribution of fish caught and their growth rates. As might be expected, the modern schall populations show evidence for more intensive fishing pressure than the ancient populations. Unexpectedly, however, the Roman material suggests that schall were exploited more intensively than in the preceding Dynastic period, and that they suffered lower growth rates. We argue that the slower growth rates are the result of climatic deterioration in the 6th century AD, and that the increased pressure on schall may reflect a decline in food supplies from other sources and a need for greater reliance on the fish resources of the river

Exploring Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR) as a Counselling Intervention

Utilising mindfulness-based approaches and techniques within counselling has become increasingly popular with mental health professionals. Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can have positive implications for both clients and therapists. Relatively new to the field of counselling is a meditational, mindfulness based approach known as Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR). This qualitative study explored therapists’ experience of using IBSR both personally and in their clinical practice. Employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), six participants who were mental health professionals and had attained certification in IBSR were selected for this study. Seven main themes emerged from the findings including: IBSR’s influence on the therapist; self-care and burn-out; broader perspectives; IBSR’s strengths and therapeutic benefits; challenges and limitations; client populations and characteristics; and the therapeutic alliance. A range of benefits were identified as a result of utilising IBSR including the potential for immediate and life-changing effects for those experiencing IBSR, as well as supporting therapist wellbeing and protecting against burnout. Participants viewed IBSR as an effective self-care tool which promoted self-awareness, self-compassion, acceptance towards clients, greater cognitive flexibility and metacognitive awareness. The approach was also regarded as having positive implications for the therapeutic alliance. Some challenges and limitations were noted such as the short-term engagement with clients having detrimental financial impacts on therapists; and the ‘turnarounds’ (a way to explore different interpretations of an identified stressful belief) as a possible contraindication. Clients’ openness to IBSR was viewed as a key factor to the effectiveness of the approach

The Market Value Rule of Damages and the Death of Irreparable Injury

A fundamental principle of remedies is that the remedy should be sufficient to place the injured party in the position he would have occupied but for the wrong suffered. But law and equity come to very different conclusions about what remedy is sufficient to restore a plaintiff to his status quo ante when real property, rare property, and property with high sentimental but low market value are involved. Equity treats the loss of these items as irreparable injury, meaning that damages are not adequate to compensate the victim for their loss. But if the real property is seized in eminent domain proceedings, or rare or sentimental personal property is destroyed, the market value of these items is generally deemed at law to provide an adequate measure of the value of the loss, so that giving the plaintiff market value damages constitutes an adequate remedy at law. This demonstrates a fundamental tension between law and equity: Law presumes that the market value is the measure of the damages suffered from the loss, but equity presumes that the damages from this same loss are immeasurable; were it otherwise, damages would be adequate, and equity jurisdiction would not be invoked. This article examines this tension and concludes that the market value rule of damages fails to provide an adequate remedy when real property is seized in eminent domain or when irreplaceable personal property is destroyed through some wrongful act

Ornamental trees for the farm garden

THE need for trees in the farm garden is being realized by many people. Trees around the homestead are required to give such features as shade, colour, fragrance and many other advantages to generally make an area more livable. Besides these advantages, trees appear to help smaller plants flourish by increasing the humidity and providing various degrees of shade and sunlight

The Environmental Implications of the Discovery and Delivery of New Energy Resources in the Canadian Context

new energy resources--Canada, alternative energy resources--United State

Individualized Instruction in Letter Name Identification for a Student with Cortical Visual Impairment

Students with cortical visual impairment (CVI) have difficulties participating in literacy activities and the reading process. An evidenced-based curriculum was adapted and modified to teach letter naming to a student with CVI. A multiple probe design was used to determine whether the instruction was effective with a student with CVI and if instruction in letter identification support identification of letter sounds for a student with cortical visual impairment. There was a functional relationship between the explicit instruction and the students immediately recorded correct responses, but the skill was not maintained. Advisor: Mackenzie Savaian

NMR Studies of the Motion of Molecules Related in Structure to Commercial Lubricants.

A number of compounds were synthesized, including site specifically monodeuterated isotopomers, whose molecular structures parallel some of those found in commercial engineering lubricants. In the course of these syntheses, a new protocol was developed for the McMurry coupling of aliphatic ketones, involving toluene as the main reaction solvent, which gave greater economy and efficiency than those hitherto reported. Variable temperature measurements at 41.405 MHz of deuterium relaxation rates of the pure liquids of monodeuterated isotopomers 9,10-di-n-octyl-n-octadecane-9d1 9-n-octyl-n-heptadecane-9d1, and tricyclohexylmethane-d1 gave accurate values of the rotational correlation times and activation energies for isotropic overall molecular reorientation, using an analysis which assumed quadrupolar relaxation. Measurements of silicon-29 relaxation rates for tri-n-octylsilane at 53.978 MHz determined an activation energy for isotropic overall molecular reorientation, using an analysis which included both dipolar and spin-rotational relaxation. Extensive sequences of variable temperature carbon-13 NMR measurements of longitudinal relaxation rates and NOE factors were carried out at 67.83 and 100.53 MHz on the pure liquids of 9,10-di-n-octyl-n-octadecane, 9-n-octyl-n-heptadecane, tricyclohexylmethane and 1,1,2-tricyclohexylethane, and also on a sample of tri-n-octylsilane. The carbon-13 data were analyzed by assuming carbon-proton dipolar relaxation, within the theoretical picture of Lipari and Szabo, to determine correlation times, activation energies, and generalized order parameters related to their overall and internal molecular motions. The results obtained from the analyses of the deuterium relaxation measurements on 9,10-di-n-octyl-n-octadecane-9d1, 9-n-octyl-n-heptadecane-9d1, and tricyclohexylmethane-d13 were used to describe the overall molecular motion in the corresponding carbon-13 analyses. The differing examples of molecular motion enabled a careful examination of the appropriateness of the Lipari and Szabo picture in each case, and also its limitations. The relaxation data of the cyclohexyl derivatives were well described by the original Lipari and Szabo picture. A temperature dependent generalized order parameter was used to describe the relaxation data in the n-octyl compounds, and its likely significance discussed. Estimates for the quadrupolar coupling constants in 9,10-di-n-octyl-n-octadecane-9d1, 9-n-octyl-n-heptadecane-9d1, and tricyclohexylmethane-d1, emerged from a combination of the analyses of the deuterium and carbon-13 NMR data for these compounds. (continued) X-ray crystallographic structures were determined for tricyclohexylmethane and tricyclohexylmethylchloride, and the first spectroscopic and computational studies of the tricyclohexylmethyl radical were reported. Attempts were made to devise a synthetic route to tricyclohexylmethylamine, an analogue of amantadine