Phytoremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil using native plants

Non-Peer ReviewedPhytoremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil involves plants and their associated microorganisms. However, few cold-tolerant plants have been identified for reclamation in the native grasslands and woodlands of Canada. We assessed 35 native grasses, legumes and forbs, and seven exotic grasses and legumes for their ability to germinate and survive in crude oil contaminated soil. Based on germination, survival, growth rate, and above and below ground biomass five native (Artemisia frigida, Bromus ciliatus, Glycyrrhiza lepidota, Potentilla pensylvanica, and Psoralea esculenta) and three exotic (Medicago sativa, Melilotus officinalis and Trifolium repens) plants exhibited phytoremediation potential. The ability of these species to degrade specific hydrocarbons and mixtures of hydrocarbons is currently being assessed

Innate immune responses to a single session of sprint interval training.

Sprint interval training (SIT) is a potent stimulus for physiological and metabolic adaptations comparable with those induced by traditional "aerobic" endurance training. There has been a great deal of recent research on SIT, which may lead to increased use of this type of training. The purpose of the present study was to determine the acute effects of SIT on aspects of innate immunity not previously researched in this context. Nine males completed 1 SIT and 1 resting control trial in a crossover design. Blood and saliva samples were obtained at pre-, post-, and 30 min postexercise to measure blood neutrophil oxidative burst activity (OBA) in addition to saliva secretary IgA (s-IgA) and lysozyme. SIT induced a significant depression of neutrophil fMLP-stimulated OBA (-30% for the 30-min postexercise time point, p  0.05). The main novel finding of the present study is that a single session of SIT causes significant exercise-induced immunodepression of some neutrophil functions but mucosal immunity was not depressed

Visualising children’s participation in research: Lego Duplo, rainbows and clouds and moodboards

This article was published in the International Journal of Social Research Methodology [© Taylor & Francis] and the definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2012.649410This paper examines the use of visual methods during research encounters with children and young people when investigating their perspectives and feelings towards their home and school life. By revealing the advantages and constraints of three visual approaches, including Lego Duplo, rainbows and clouds and moodboards, the paper contributes to the range of techniques available when conducting research with children and young people. In conclusion, the paper highlights the depth of information which can be elicited from visual techniques as well as the oral data which can be obtained through the utilisation of visual methods

D* Production in Deep Inelastic Scattering at HERA

This paper presents measurements of D^{*\pm} production in deep inelastic scattering from collisions between 27.5 GeV positrons and 820 GeV protons. The data have been taken with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The decay channel $D^{*+}\to (D^0 \to K^- \pi^+) \pi^+$ (+ c.c.) has been used in the study. The $e^+p$ cross section for inclusive D^{*\pm} production with $5<Q^2<100 GeV^2$ and $y<0.7$ is 5.3 \pms 1.0 \pms 0.8 nb in the kinematic region {$1.3<p_T(D^{*\pm})<9.0$ GeV and $| \eta(D^{*\pm}) |<1.5$}. Differential cross sections as functions of p_T(D^{*\pm}), $\eta(D^{*\pm}), W$ and $Q^2$ are compared with next-to-leading order QCD calculations based on the photon-gluon fusion production mechanism. After an extrapolation of the cross section to the full kinematic region in p_T(D^{*\pm}) and $\eta$(D^{*\pm}), the charm contribution $F_2^{c\bar{c}}(x,Q^2)$ to the proton structure function is determined for Bjorken $x$ between 2 $\cdot$ 10$^{-4}$ and 5 $\cdot$ 10$^{-3}$.Comment: 17 pages including 4 figure

Observation of Scaling Violations in Scaled Momentum Distributions at HERA

Charged particle production has been measured in deep inelastic scattering (DIS) events over a large range of $x$ and $Q^2$ using the ZEUS detector. The evolution of the scaled momentum, $x_p$, with $Q^2,$ in the range 10 to 1280 $GeV^2$, has been investigated in the current fragmentation region of the Breit frame. The results show clear evidence, in a single experiment, for scaling violations in scaled momenta as a function of $Q^2$.Comment: 21 pages including 4 figures, to be published in Physics Letters B. Two references adde

Observation of hard scattering in photoproduction events with a large rapidity gap at HERA

Events with a large rapidity gap and total transverse energy greater than 5 GeV have been observed in quasi-real photoproduction at HERA with the ZEUS detector. The distribution of these events as a function of the $\gamma p$ centre of mass energy is consistent with diffractive scattering. For total transverse energies above 12 GeV, the hadronic final states show predominantly a two-jet structure with each jet having a transverse energy greater than 4 GeV. For the two-jet events, little energy flow is found outside the jets. This observation is consistent with the hard scattering of a quasi-real photon with a colourless object in the proton.Comment: 19 pages, latex, 4 figures appended as uuencoded fil

Esforço percebido, estresse e inflamação do trato respiratório superior em atletas de elite de canoagem

O presente estudo investigou o comportamento do esforço percebido, percepção de fontes e sintomas de estresse e de ocorrência e incidência de sintomas associados a inflamações do trato respiratório superior (ITRS) em atletas de elite do sexo feminino de canoagem velocidade, durante sete semanas de preparação para um campeonato internacional. Para tanto foram utilizados os instrumentos de: medida de esforço percebido da sessão (EPS); o DALDA e o WURSS-21. A ANOVA de Friedman foi utilizada a fim de verificar a hipótese de igualdade entre as sete semanas de investigação para cada uma das variáveis. O nível de significância foi estabelecido em 5%. O teste de Wilcoxon foi utilizado como "post-hoc" com o ajuste de Bonferroni, quando necessário. Os resultados para EPS revelaram diferença significante entre as sete semanas de investigação. Foram localizadas diferenças entre as semanas recuperativas e as semanas de intensificação do treinamento. Diferenças significantes foram reveladas para os sintomas de estresse (Parte B do DALDA) sinalizando para a sensibilidade do instrumento para discriminar semanas de intensificação e semanas recuperativas de carga de treinamento. O WURSS-21 revelou diferenças significantes na ocorrência e incidência de ITRS entre a semana de maior volume de treinamento (semana 1) e as demais semanas investigadas, exceto com a semana 2. Os resultados permitem concluir que os instrumentos utilizados na presente investigação podem ser úteis para monitorar as alterações no esforço percebido da sessão, fadiga, percepção de sintomas de estresse e de ocorrências de ITRS.The aim of the present study was to identify the behavior of session rating of perceived exertion (session RPE), perception of sources and symptoms of stress and perception of occurrence and incidence of upper respiratory tract illness symptoms (URTI) in elite canoeing flatwater female athletes, during 7 weeks of preparation for an international championship. The methods used were the session RPE, DALDA and WURSS-21. The ANOVA of Friedman was applied on the dependent variables. The level of significance was established in 5%. Wilcoxon test was used as post-hoc with the adjustment of Bonferroni when necessary. The session RPE showed significant differences between the taper weeks and the overload weeks (intensified training). Significant differences for the Part B of the DALDA (symptoms of stress) have been demonstrated. To URTI symptoms, significant differences were between the week of greater volume of training (week 1) and the remaining of investigated weeks, except with week 2. The results allow concluding that the instruments used in the present investigation may be useful for assessing changes in perceptual training load, fatigue, stress reaction symptoms and occurrence of perceived URTI symptoms

Observation of Events with an Energetic Forward Neutron in Deep Inelastic Scattering at HERA

In deep inelastic neutral current scattering of positrons and protons at the center of mass energy of 300 GeV, we observe, with the ZEUS detector, events with a high energy neutron produced at very small scattering angles with respect to the proton direction. The events constitute a fixed fraction of the deep inelastic, neutral current event sample independent of Bjorken x and Q2 in the range 3 · 10-4 \u3c xBJ \u3c 6 · 10-3 and 10 \u3c Q2 \u3c 100 GeV2