Mathematical representation and analysis of articular surfaces: application to the functional anatomy and palaeo-anthropology of the ankle joint

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyThis thesis is a study of quantifiable variation in the geometric shape of the superior articular surface of the talus of higher primates, with special reference to fossil tali of Plio- Pleistocene hominids. (Abbreviation abstract )AC201

Assessing the use of Geographical Indications for the New England wine region in NSW

Geographical Indications (GIs) have increasingly been used as a marketing tool to create an image of quality and uniqueness, and so capture premium prices. Hedonic pricing studies have shown that indication of geographical origin of production (e.g. country, region, wineries, and location), can affect prices. However, Geographical Indications only work when they are backed up by quality products. The objectives of this study are to assess the potential of a proposed Geographical Indication for the emerging "New England" wine region in promoting local wines and to make recommendations on how that potential, if it exists, can be realised. The assessment is based on an overview of existing systems of Geographical Indications and conditions, both economic and regulatory, which are required for successful geographical indication applications.geographical indication, TRIPS Agreement, wine marketing, hedonic, Agribusiness,

What's new and notable in bacterial spore killing!

Spores of many species of the orders Bacillales and Clostridiales can be vectors for food spoilage, human diseases and intoxications, and biological warfare. Many agents are used for spore killing, including moist heat in an autoclave, dry heat at elevated temperatures, UV radiation at 254 and more recently 222 and 400 nm, ionizing radiation of various types, high hydrostatic pressures and a host of chemical decontaminants. An alternative strategy is to trigger spore germination, as germinated spores are much easier to kill than the highly resistant dormant spores-the so called "germinate to eradicate" strategy. Factors important to consider in choosing methods for spore killing include the: (1) cost; (2) killing efficacy and kinetics; (3) ability to decontaminate large areas in buildings or outside; and (4) compatibility of killing regimens with the: (i) presence of people; (ii) food quality; (iii) presence of significant amounts of organic matter; and (iv) minimal damage to equipment in the decontamination zone. This review will summarize research on spore killing and point out some common flaws which can make results from spore killing research questionable

New insights into the influence of heavy metals on phenanthrene sorption in soils

Soil contamination by combinations of heavy metals and organic contaminants has become an increasingly important environmental issue. Effects of heavy metal cations (Cu(2+), Ni(2+), and Pb(2+)) on phenanthrene sorption were systematically investigated using two soils with contrasting physicochemical properties. Spectral and microscopic analyses provide direct evidence for the modification of composition and conformation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and hydrophobicity of the interfaces in the presence of metal cations. Parts of rubbery organic carbon (including flexible DOC and humic acids) became condensed on solid surfaces in the presence of heavy metals as evidenced by an increase in the glass transition temperature of the soils. These modifications led to a significant increase in the capacity and nonlinearity of phenanthrene sorption in the soils. As the added metal cations aged for 70 days, the soil solution gradually recovered its original physicochemical properties, and the facilitating effects of the heavy metals on phenanthrene sorption were significantly attenuated. This work highlights the important implications of DOC properties and aging processes of metals in the sorption of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) such as phenanthrene in soils and provides compelling evidence for the facilitating effects of heavy metals on HOC sorption in soils

Per Schei (1875-1905)

Per Schei, Norwegian geologist and explorer, died a young man. From 1898 to 1902, as a member of Captain Otto Sverdrup's second expedition in the Fram, Schei made his mark on the geological understanding of a vast region of the eastern Canadian High Arctic. Schei died before he could write a detailed report for publication, but by the time of his death, his status as a talented scientist and outstanding expedition man was established. ... In collaboration with Nansen, Sverdrup had decided to explore northernmost Greenland, and possibly to circumnavigate the subcontinent. Using the so-called Smith Sound route, Sverdrup was to direct Fram up the narrow channels separating Greenland and Ellesmere Island and winter in Greenland as far north as possible. These channels, now known as Nares Strait, had been explored by British and American expeditions since the 1850s. Sledge parties from Fram were to delimit the northern part of Greenland and to reach as far south down the east coast as possible. ... However, the Norwegian thrust north in the summer of 1898 was stopped by unfavourable ice conditions in Kane Basin. ... Another attempt the following summer to negotiate Kane Basin was thwarted by ice, and following this Sverdrup sailed Fram southward and westward into Jones Sound to spend the next three winters in southern Ellesmere Island. This was a fortunate decision: it led to the discovery and charting of "New Land" west of Ellesmere Island. Up north, it was left to Peary to prove the insularity of Greenland, in 1900. ... Schei took to expedition life quickly but not without mishap. After an episode of frostbite during early sledging on Bache Peninsula, which necessitated amputation of several toes on each foot, Schei developed into one of the most skillful dogsledge handlers and hunters on the expedition. His courage and dedication could not be overwhelmed by such small disabilities as a stiff leg, lost toes, and short-sightedness. ... Sverdrup's well-organized and coordinated team work produced results unsurpassed in arctic exploration; the group of islands now named the Sverdrup Islands - Axel Heiberg, Ellef and Amund Ringes, King Christian, and smaller islands - were discovered and mapped, and the entire western coast of Ellesmere Island and much of northern Devon Island were charted. Schei participated in some of the longest and most arduous sledge journeys, for example a trip with Sverdrup, during the final sledging campaign of 1902, northward up Nansen Sound to reach the Arctic Ocean and the northwestern tip of Ellesmere Island. ... The geographic and scientific advances achieved by Sverdrup's expedition rank it as one of the most successful in the history of arctic exploration, and Schei returned with a rich geological and paleontological collection from a hitherto unknown region. ... Schei's preliminary accounts appeared in 1903 in several languages, and these papers, although only a few pages each, were regarded by his contemporaries as forming some of the most important contributions ever made to arctic geology. Aware of the mammoth task of dealing with the extensive collection, Schei induced a number of specialists in Europe to identify and systematically describe the fossil assemblages. Only one treatise appeared in Schei's lifetime, but by 1917 ten geological reports had been completed, and Professor Olav Holtedahl concluded the four-volume work with a summary report based on Schei's diaries. One can only wonder how much greater Schei's contribution to arctic geology would have been had he lived. Professor W.C. Brogger noted Schei's decline in health early in 1905. ... Schei died of dropsy, a result of kidney malfunction that was thought at the time to be related to the four strenuous years in the far North. ... Schei can be credited with making the most impressive contribution by a single person to the geological understanding of the Arctic Islands prior to the advent of aircraft