536 research outputs found
Geological indicators of flooding : user guidance notes
This report provides guidance notes for all users of the Geological Indicators of Flooding V5.2 dataset. It provides a description of the history, details of the data content and data format and notes on the recommended scale of use/search criteria
Geological investigation of the Ashdown Beds at Fairlight, East Sussex
The coastline from Hastings eastward to Cliff End in Sussex is dominated by cliffs
that expose a significant proportion of the Ashdown Formation, the lowest part of the
Wealden succession described from the Weald of Sussex and Kent. The cliffs from
East Hill in Hastings to Pett Beach, some 7.5 km distant to the east-northeast, are
designated as a Site of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI) for its geological interest.
These cliffs expose the most complete succession of terrestrial Lower Cretaceous
rocks in Europe and are the principal exposure of the Ashdown Formation in the
Weald.
Within this SSSI the Ashdown Formation is preserved in a low amplitude northnorthwest
to south-southeast trending anticline (the Fairlight Anticline) that cuts the
coast between Lee Ness Ledge and Fairlight Cove. At the eastern end of this anticline
adjacent to a bounding reverse fault (the Fairlight Cove Reverse Fault) the cliffs have
suffered a catastrophic landslide. The British Geological Survey was commissioned
by English Nature to report upon the accessible principal elements of the succession
adjacent to the western limit of this landslide and to compare the beds identified with
those exposed over the crest of the anticline to its opposite limb at Lee Ness Ledge
(about 1.5 km to the west).
This report gives a historical appraisal of the data held at BGS for this SSSI, provides
outline stratigraphical logs for the accessible portion of the cliffs between the
landslide and Lee Ness Ledge and discusses the significance of the exposures
presently visible
The local structure of SO2 and SO3 on Ni(1 1 1): a scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction study
O 1s and S 2p scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction (PhD) data, combined with multiple-scattering simulations, have been used to determine the local adsorption geometry of the SO2 and SO3 species on a Ni(1 1 1) surface. For SO2, the application of reasonable constraints on the molecular conformation used in the simulations leads to the conclusion that the molecule is centred over hollow sites on the surface, with the molecular plane essentially parallel to the surface, and with both S and O atoms offset from atop sites by almost the same distance of 0.65 Å. For SO3, the results are consistent with earlier work which concluded that surface bonding is through the O atoms, with the S atom higher above the surface and the molecular symmetry axis almost perpendicular to the surface. Based on the O 1s PhD data alone, three local adsorption geometries are comparably acceptable, but only one of these is consistent with the results of an earlier normal-incidence X-ray standing wave (NIXSW) study. This optimised structural model differs somewhat from that originally proposed in the NIXSW investigation
Interleukin-6 and Associated Cytokine Responses to An Acute Bout of High-intensity Interval Exercise: the Effect of Exercise Intensity and Volume
Acute increases in interleukin (IL)-6 following prolonged exercise are associated with the induction of a transient anti-inflammatory state (e.g., increases in IL-10) that is partly responsible for the health benefits of regular exercise. The purposes of this study were to investigate the IL-6–related inflammatory response to high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and to determine the impact of exercise intensity and volume on this response. Ten participants (5 males and 5 females) completed 3 exercise bouts of contrasting intensity and volume (LOW, MOD, and HIGH). The HIGH protocol was based upon standard HIIE protocols, while the MOD and LOW protocols were designed to enable a comparison of exercise intensity and volume with a fixed duration. Inflammatory cytokine concentrations were measured in plasma (IL-6, IL-10) and also determined the level of gene expression (IL-6, IL-10, and IL-4R) in peripheral blood. The plasma IL-6 response to exercise (reported as fold changes) was significantly greater in HIGH (2.70 ± 1.51) than LOW (1.40 ± 0.32) (P = 0.04) and was also positively correlated to the mean exercise oxygen uptake (r = 0.54, P < 0.01). However, there was no change in anti-inflammatory IL-10 or IL-4R responses in plasma or at the level of gene expression. HIIE caused a significant increase in IL-6 and was greater than that seen in low-intensity exercise of the same duration. The increases in IL-6 were relatively small in magnitude, and appear to have been insufficient to induce the acute systemic anti-inflammatory effects, which are evident following longer duration exercise
Extragalactic neutrino background from very young pulsars surrounded by supernova envelopes
We estimate the extragalactic muon neutrino background which is produced by
hadrons injected by very young pulsars at an early phase after supernova
explosion. It is assumed that hadrons are accelerated in the pulsar wind zone
which is filled with thermal photons captured below the expanding supernova
envelope. In collisions with those thermal photons hadrons produce pions which
decay into muon neutrinos. At a later time, muon neutrinos are also produced by
the hadrons in collisions with matter of the expanding envelope. We show that
extragalactic neutrino background predicted by such a model should be
detectable by the planned 1 km neutrino detector if a significant part of
pulsars is born with periods shorter than ms. Since such population
of pulsars is postulated by the recent models of production of extremely high
energy cosmic rays, detection of neutrinos with predicted fluxes can be used as
their observational test.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, A&A style, accepted to A&A Let
An overview of the taxonomy, phylogeny, and typification of nectriaceous fungi in Cosmospora, Acremonium, Fusarium, Stilbella, and Volutella
A comprehensive phylogenetic reassessment of the ascomycete genus
Cosmospora (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) is undertaken using
fresh isolates and historical strains, sequences of two protein encoding
genes, the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), and a
new phylogenetic marker, the larger subunit of ATP citrate lyase
(acl1). The result is an extensive revision of taxonomic concepts,
typification, and nomenclatural details of many anamorph- and
teleomorph-typified genera of the Nectriaceae, most notably
Cosmospora and Fusarium. The combined phylogenetic analysis
shows that the present concept of Fusarium is not monophyletic and
that the genus divides into two large groups, one basal in the family, the
other terminal, separated by a large group of species classified in genera
such as Calonectria, Neonectria, and Volutella. All accepted
genera received high statistical support in the phylogenetic analyses.
Preliminary polythetic morphological descriptions are presented for each
genus, providing details of perithecia, micro- and/or macro-conidial
synanamorphs, cultural characters, and ecological traits. Eight species are
included in our restricted concept of Cosmospora, two of which have
previously documented teleomorphs and all of which have
Acremonium-like microconidial anamorphs. A key is provided to the
three anamorphic species recognised in Atractium, which is removed
from synonymy with Fusarium and epitypified for two macroconidial
synnematous species and one sporodochial species associated with waterlogged
wood. Dialonectria is recognised as distinct from Cosmospora
and two species with teleomorph, macroconidia and microconidia are accepted,
including the new species D. ullevolea. Seven species, one with a
known teleomorph, are classified in Fusicolla, formerly considered a
synonym of Fusarium including members of the F. aquaeductuum
and F. merismoides species complex, with several former varieties
raised to species rank. Originally a section of Nectria,
Macroconia is raised to generic rank for five species, all producing
a teleomorph and macroconidial anamorph. A new species of the
Verticillium-like anamorphic genus Mariannaea is described
as M. samuelsii. Microcera is recognised as distinct from
Fusarium and a key is included for four macroconidial species, that
are usually parasites of scale insects, two of them with teleomorphs. The four
accepted species of Stylonectria each produce a teleomorph and micro-
and macroconidial synanamorphs. The Volutella species sampled fall
into three clades. Pseudonectria is accepted for a perithecial and
sporodochial species that occurs on Buxus. Volutella s. str.
also includes perithecial and/or sporodochial species and is revised to
include a synnematous species formerly included in Stilbella. The
third Volutella-like clade remains unnamed. All fungi in this paper
are named using a single name system that gives priority to the oldest generic
names and species epithets, irrespective of whether they are originally based
on anamorph or teleomorph structures. The rationale behind this is
discussed
Four Lessons in Versatility or How Query Languages Adapt to the Web
Exposing not only human-centered information, but machine-processable data on the Web is one of the commonalities of recent Web trends. It has enabled a new kind of applications and businesses where the data is used in ways not foreseen by the data providers. Yet this exposition has fractured the Web into islands of data, each in different Web formats: Some providers choose XML, others RDF, again others JSON or OWL, for their data, even in similar domains. This fracturing stifles innovation as application builders have to cope not only with one Web stack (e.g., XML technology) but with several ones, each of considerable complexity. With Xcerpt we have developed a rule- and pattern based query language that aims to give shield application builders from much of this complexity: In a single query language XML and RDF data can be accessed, processed, combined, and re-published. Though the need for combined access to XML and RDF data has been recognized in previous work (including the W3C’s GRDDL), our approach differs in four main aspects: (1) We provide a single language (rather than two separate or embedded languages), thus minimizing the conceptual overhead of dealing with disparate data formats. (2) Both the declarative (logic-based) and the operational semantics are unified in that they apply for querying XML and RDF in the same way. (3) We show that the resulting query language can be implemented reusing traditional database technology, if desirable. Nevertheless, we also give a unified evaluation approach based on interval labelings of graphs that is at least as fast as existing approaches for tree-shaped XML data, yet provides linear time and space querying also for many RDF graphs. We believe that Web query languages are the right tool for declarative data access in Web applications and that Xcerpt is a significant step towards a more convenient, yet highly efficient data access in a “Web of Data”
A revision of Cyanonectria and Geejayessia gen. nov., and related species with Fusarium-like anamorphs
A revision of Fusarium-like species associated with the plant
genus Buxus led to a reconsideration of generic concepts in the
Fusarium clade of the Nectriaceae. Phylogenetic analyses of
the partial second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II (rpb2)
and the larger subunit of the ATP citrate lyase (acl1) gene exons
confirm the existence of a clade, here called the terminal Fusarium
clade, that includes genera such as Fusarium sensu stricto
(including its Gibberella teleomorphs), Albonectria,
Cyanonectria, “Haematonectria”, the newly
described genus Geejayessia, and “Nectria”
albida. Geejayessia accommodates five species. Four were
previously classified in Nectria sensu lato, namely the black
perithecial, KOH–species G. atrofusca and the orange or
reddish, KOH+ G. cicatricum, G. desmazieri and G.
zealandica. Geejayessia celtidicola is newly described.
Following our phylogenetic analyses showing its close relationship with
Cyanonectria cyanostoma, the former Gibbera buxi is
recombined as the second species of Cyanonectria. A three gene
phylogenetic analysis of multiple strains of each morphological species using
translation elongation factor 1 α (tef-1), rpb2 and
acl1 gene exons and introns confirms their status as distinct
phylogenetic species. Internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal RNA gene
cluster and nuclear large ribosomal subunit sequences were generated as
additional DNA barcodes for selected strains. The connection of Fusarium
buxicola, often erroneously reported as the anamorph of G.
desmazieri, with the bluish black and KOH+ perithecial species C.
buxi is reinstated. Most Cyanonectria and Geejayessia
species exhibit restricted host ranges on branches or twigs of Buxus
species, Celtis occidentalis, or Staphylea
trifolia. Their perithecia form caespitose clusters on
well-developed, mostly erumpent stromata on the bark or outer cortex of the
host and are relatively thin-walled, mostly smooth, and therefore reminiscent
of the more or less astromatous, singly occurring perithecia of
Cosmospora, Dialonectria, and Microcera. The cell walls in
outer- and inner layers of the perithecial walls of Cyanonectria and
Geejayessia have inconspicuous pore-like structures, as do
representative species of Albonectria, Fusarium sensu stricto,
“Haematonectria”, and “Nectria”
albida. The taxonomic significance of these structures, which we call
Samuels' pores, is discussed
Key questions in marine mammal bioenergetics
Bioenergetic approaches are increasingly used to understand how marine mammal populations could be affected by a changing and disturbed aquatic environment. There remain considerable gaps in our knowledge of marine mammal bioenergetics, which hinder the application of bioenergetic studies to inform policy decisions. We conducted a priority-setting exercise to identify high-priority unanswered questions in marine mammal bioenergetics, with an emphasis on questions relevant to conservation and management. Electronic communication and a virtual workshop were used to solicit and collate potential research questions from the marine mammal bioenergetic community. From a final list of 39 questions, 11 were identified as ‘key’ questions because they received votes from at least 50% of survey participants. Key questions included those related to energy intake (prey landscapes, exposure to human activities) and expenditure (field metabolic rate, exposure to human activities, lactation, time-activity budgets), energy allocation priorities, metrics of body condition and relationships with survival and reproductive success and extrapolation of data from one species to another. Existing tools to address key questions include labelled water, animal-borne sensors, mark-resight data from long-term research programs, environmental DNA and unmanned vehicles. Further validation of existing approaches and development of new methodologies are needed to comprehensively address some key questions, particularly for cetaceans. The identification of these key questions can provide a guiding framework to set research priorities, which ultimately may yield more accurate information to inform policies and better conserve marine mammal populations
A deep dive into the ecology of Gamay (Botany Bay, Australia): current knowledge and future priorities for this highly modified coastal waterway
Context: Gamay is a coastal waterway of immense social, cultural and ecological value. Since European settlement, it has become a hub for industrialisation and human modification. There is growing desire for ecosystem-level management of urban waterways, but such efforts are often challenged by a lack of integrated knowledge.
Aim and methods: We systematically reviewed published literature and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and consulted scientists to produce a review of Gamay that synthesises published knowledge of Gamay’s aquatic ecosystem to identify knowledge gaps and future research opportunities.
Key results: We found 577 published resources on Gamay, of which over 70% focused on ecology. Intertidal rocky shores were the most studied habitat, focusing on invertebrate communities. Few studies considered multiple habitats or taxa. Studies investigating cumulative human impacts, long-term trends and habitat connectivity are lacking, and the broader ecological role of artificial substrate as habitat in Gamay is poorly understood. TEK of Gamay remains a significant knowledge gap. Habitat restoration has shown promising results and could provide opportunities to improve affected habitats in the future.
Conclusion and implications: This review highlights the extensive amount of knowledge that exists for Gamay, but also identifies key gaps that need to be filled for effective management
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