A preliminary laboratory study on the salinity and temperature tolerances of some medusae from the São Paulo coast, Brazil

The salinity and temperature tolerances of some species of medusae were studied in the laboratory. The results showed the following order of tolerances in diluted seawater: Cirrholovenia tetranema, Clytia cylindrica and Eucheilota duodecimalis > Proboscidactyla ornata and Obelia spp. > Euphysora gracilis, Ectopleura dumortieri, Liriope tetraphylla and Cunina octonaria. In relation to the decrease of temperature, the following results were obtained: Ectopleura dumortieri, Euphysora gracilis, Obelia spp. and Proboscidactyla ornata > Liriope tetraphylla > Cunina octonaria > Clytia cylindrica and Eucheilota duodecimalis. The results obtained in laboratory were discussed in relation to the distribution of the species in nature.A tolerância de varias espécies de medusas a valores decrescentes de salinidade e temperatura foi estudada em laboratório. Os resultados mostraram a seguinte ordem de tolerância em relação á água do mar diluída: Cirrholovenia tetranema, Clytia cylindrica e Eucheilota duodecimalis > Proboscidactyla ornata e Obelia spp. > Euphysora gracilis, Ectopleura dumortieri, Liriope tetraphylla e Cunina octonaria. Em relação á diminuição de temperatura, os seguintes resultados foram obtidos: Ectopleura dwrortieri, Euphysora gracilis, Obelia spp. e Proboscidactyla ornata > Liriope tetraphylla > Cunina octonaria > Clytia cylindrica e Eucheilota duodecimalis. Estes resultados obtidos em laboratório foram discutidos levando-se em conta a distribuição dessas espécies na natureza

Mu2e Technical Design Report

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab will search for charged lepton flavor violation via the coherent conversion process mu- N --> e- N with a sensitivity approximately four orders of magnitude better than the current world's best limits for this process. The experiment's sensitivity offers discovery potential over a wide array of new physics models and probes mass scales well beyond the reach of the LHC. We describe herein the preliminary design of the proposed Mu2e experiment. This document was created in partial fulfillment of the requirements necessary to obtain DOE CD-2 approval.Comment: compressed file, 888 pages, 621 figures, 126 tables; full resolution available at http://mu2e.fnal.gov; corrected typo in background summary, Table 3.

Meta-analysis of type 2 Diabetes in African Americans Consortium

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is more prevalent in African Americans than in Europeans. However, little is known about the genetic risk in African Americans despite the recent identification of more than 70 T2D loci primarily by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in individuals of European ancestry. In order to investigate the genetic architecture of T2D in African Americans, the MEta-analysis of type 2 DIabetes in African Americans (MEDIA) Consortium examined 17 GWAS on T2D comprising 8,284 cases and 15,543 controls in African Americans in stage 1 analysis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) association analysis was conducted in each study under the additive model after adjustment for age, sex, study site, and principal components. Meta-analysis of approximately 2.6 million genotyped and imputed SNPs in all studies was conducted using an inverse variance-weighted fixed effect model. Replications were performed to follow up 21 loci in up to 6,061 cases and 5,483 controls in African Americans, and 8,130 cases and 38,987 controls of European ancestry. We identified three known loci (TCF7L2, HMGA2 and KCNQ1) and two novel loci (HLA-B and INS-IGF2) at genome-wide significance (4.15 × 10(-94)<P<5 × 10(-8), odds ratio (OR)  = 1.09 to 1.36). Fine-mapping revealed that 88 of 158 previously identified T2D or glucose homeostasis loci demonstrated nominal to highly significant association (2.2 × 10(-23) < locus-wide P<0.05). These novel and previously identified loci yielded a sibling relative risk of 1.19, explaining 17.5% of the phenotypic variance of T2D on the liability scale in African Americans. Overall, this study identified two novel susceptibility loci for T2D in African Americans. A substantial number of previously reported loci are transferable to African Americans after accounting for linkage disequilibrium, enabling fine mapping of causal variants in trans-ethnic meta-analysis studies.Peer reviewe

Meso- and macrozooplankton communities in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica

The present paper describes composition and abundance of meso- and macrozooplankton in the epipelagic zone of the Weddell Sea and gives a systematic review of encountered species regarding results of earlier expeditions. Material was sampled from 6 February to 10 March 1983 from RV Polarstern with a RMT 1+8 m (320 and 4500 μm mesh size). In agreement with topography and water mass distribution three distinct communities were defined, clearly separated by cluster analysis: The Southern Shelf Community has lowest abundances (approx. 9000 ind./1000 m3). Euphausia crystallorophias and Metridia gerlachei are predominating. Compared with the low overall abundance the number of regularly occurring species is high (55) due to many neritic forms. Herbivores and omnivores are dominating (58% and 35%). The North-eastern Shelf Community has highest abundances (about 31 000 ind./1000 m3). It is predominated by copepodites I–III of Calanus propinquus and Calanoides acutus (61%). The faunal composition is characterized by both oceanic and neritic species (64). Fine-filter feeders are prevailing (65%). The Oceanic Community has a mean abundance of approximately 23 000 ind./1000 m3, consisting of 61 species. Dominances are not as pronounced as in the shelf communities. Apart from abundant species like Calanus propinquus, Calanoides acutus, Metridia gerlachei, Oithona spp. and Oncaea spp. many typical inhabitants of the Eastwind Drift are encountered. All feeding types have about the same importance in the Oceanic Community

Inhibitions to render help : study of their origins and recommendations on modification

Die Analysen der Hemmschwellen der Hilfsbereitschaft stützen sich auf eine umfangreiche Datenbasis, die insgesamt 935 Interviews und Verhaltensbeobachtungen umfasst und durch Befunde aus zwei EMNID-Umfragen mit 4.088 Personen ergänzt wird. In der Motivanalyse der Ersthelfer treten Verantwortungsgefühl, Selbstwertsteigerung und soziale Anerkennung unter den Vorteilen der Hilfeleistung hervor. Auf der Seite der Risiken stehen ihnen Zeitverlust, wahrgenommene Inkompetenz und Gefühl der Selbstgefährdung gegenüber. Der Ausbildungsstand wirkt sich auf die Hilfsbereitschaft indirekt aus, da sein Einfluss über das subjektive Kompetenzgefühl vermittelt wird. Das Kompetenzgefühl fördert die Hilfsbereitschaft. Es hängt neben dem Ausbildungsstand auch vom Zeitraum ab, der seit der Ausbildung verstrichen ist sowie von Alter und Geschlecht der potentiellen Helfer. Der Vergleich zwischen erwiesenen Ersthelfern und Nichthelfern zeigt, dass sich zwischen beiden Gruppen nur geringe Unterschiede im Ausbildungsstand fanden. Sie unterscheiden sich aber in einigen Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen deutlich, die sich zu einem Helferprofil zusammenfassen lassen. Erwiesene Ersthelfer hatten ein ausgeprägtes Verantwortungsgefühl, glaubten, dass es in der Welt gerecht zugeht und schrieben sich Kontrolle über die Ereignisse in ihrer Umwelt zu. Sie zeichneten sich durch eine Gemeinschaftsorientierung aus, die durch soziale Integration, Feinfühligkeit und Toleranz geprägt war. Ihre Unsicherheit war geringer als die der Nichthelfer und ihre Haltung gegenüber den Mitmenschen weniger feindselig. Eine prozessorientierte Analyse des Hilfsverhaltens unterstreicht den Stellenwert des situativen Verantwortungsgefühls, das der Bereitschaft zur Hilfeleistung direkt vorgeordnet ist. Das Verantwortungsgefühl wird seinerseits durch das Ausmaß der Entschlusskraft gestärkt, die wiederum von Kompetenzgefühl (und somit indirekt vom Ausbildungsstand) und einer instrumentellen Handlungsbereitschaft gefördert wird. Diese Ergebnisse ermöglichen Hinweise auf Verbesserungen in der Erste-Hilfe-Ausbildung.The analyses of the inhibitions to render help are based on an extensive database including a total of 935 interview studies and behavioural observations and are supplemented by the results of two EMNID surveys of 4088 people. The motivation analysis of people having offered first aid yielded as advantages the feeling of responsibility, increased self-esteem, and social recognition as against the disadvantages, such as time losses, realization of incompetence, and the possible risks involved. The level of training has an indirect influence on the readiness to help which is mediated by the subjective feeling of competency. The feeling of competency increases the readiness to help. In addition to the level of training, the elapsed time since the training was completed and the age and sex of potential helpers also play a role. A comparison between the groups of people who actually rendered help or abstained from rendering first aid shows only small differences in the level of training of both groups. However, clear differences are found in some personality traits which can be summarized to yield a helper profile. People who actually rendered first aid are found to have a strong feeling of responsibility, a belief in a just world, and a strong sense of internal control. They stand out for their sense of community characterized by social integration, sensitivity and tolerant. Their feeling of insecurity is less than that of those who abstained from helping and their attitude toward others is less hostile. A process-oriented analysis of the helping behaviour underscores the importance of a situative sense of responsibility which directly triggers the readiness and willingness to help. The feeling of responsibility is reinforced by the extent of initiative which in turn is furthered by both a feeling of competence (and therefore indirectly influenced by the level of training) and the instrumental readiness for action. These results point to possibilities with respect to improving first-aid training