The Upper San Pedro River Basin (Southeastern Arizona, United States) contains one of the few desert riparian areas in the Southwest, a system that is dependent on both shallow groundwater to support ...phreatic vegetation and baseflow for aquatic plants and animals. Proper management decisions for sustaining this biodiversity hotspot require understanding the hydrology of the riparian system and its interaction with the basin aquifer. To meet this need and to assess whether the techniques used would be efficient for evaluating other semiarid riparian ecosystems, we addressed the following questions. What are the contributions of different water sources (e.g., local recharge during monsoon flood events versus inflow of basin groundwater) to riparian groundwater and river baseflow? How does the spatial variability in water sources relate to gaining and losing reaches along of the river? We first characterize the possible water sources to the riparian system using a suite of geochemical tracers. Results indicate that, of the possible sources, basin groundwater recharged along the Huachuca Mountains to the west and local recharge of monsoon floodwaters are the dominant riparian water sources. Then, using their geochemical composition, we quantify these sources using a two end‐member mixing model. We find that riparian groundwater composition varies between gaining and losing reaches. Locally recharged monsoon floodwater comprises 60 to 85% of riparian groundwater in losing reaches whereas that of gaining reaches contains only 10% to 40%. Baseflow, sampled year round, also contains a significant component of monsoon floodwater ranging from 80% on the upstream end and decreasing to 55% after passing though several gaining reaches. These results highlight the significance of local recharge during monsoon flood events as a water source for desert riparian systems, a fact that should be addressed when constructing and calibrating hydrologic models used to evaluate these future water management decisions.
The Master of Game Edward of Norwich / William A. Baillie-Grohman, F. N. Baillie-Grohman / William A. Baillie-Grohman, F. N. Baillie-Grohman
11/2013
eBook
The Master of Gameis the oldest and most important work on the chase in the English language. Based primarily on Gaston de Foix'sLivre de chasse, originally composed in 1387,The Master of Gamewas ...written by Edward of Norwich at his leisure between 1406 and 1413, mostly while being held prisoner for having treasonous designs against his cousin, Henry IV. While much of the book is almost an exact translation of de Foix, Edward added five chapters of his own to form the major source for our knowledge of the medieval hunt. The book begins with a description of the nature of popular quarry, such as the hare, deer, and badger, including their behavior, characteristics, and even smells, and then moves to a discussion of various hunting dog breeds and how to train them. The medieval chase was a ritual event, so the book continues with an explanation of the various rules and techniques for a successful hunt, including how food was to be distributed among the hunters, the support persons, and the dogs. Weapons and traps of choice are also described, as well as the different horn calls used for communication.The Master of Gameis a unique text for naturalists, hunters, and persons interested in social history. Although hunting is nowadays far removed from most people's experience, it was of major interest in the time of Edward of Norwich for ritual, sport, and, of course, food. Some knowledge of the chase was essential for all persons of medieval times. This edition, the first paperback ever of the original version edited in 1909, includes a hearty foreword by Theodore Roosevelt, who adds some important contextual information about the chase and draws on his own vast hunting experience. A delight to read, even for those who are not keen on the sport,The Master of Gamehas, as one review exclaimed," all Chaucer's freshness, love of the open sky and fragrant woodland."
Purpose: A recent ionization chamber intercomparison in the US, which addressed questions of consistency arising from use of the IAEA TRS‐398 dosimetry protocol, has brought increased attention to ...the need for a national dose‐to‐water standard for proton beams that would enable direct calibration of chambers and the determination of associated beam quality coefficients, kQ. The present study compares measurements from four of the chambers used in the intercomparison with measurements from a water calorimeter developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), taken in a double‐scattered proton beam. Methods: The water calorimeter was transported to the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI) for irradiation in a vertical, 10 cm × 10 cm double‐scattered beam at a water depth of 11 cm with a residual range of 5.8 cm. The four chambers — one thimble and one parallel plate ionization chamber from each of the two institutions (HUPTI and NIST) — were then substituted for the calorimeter vessel and exposed to the same beam conditions. Measurements at NIST in 6 MV x‐rays, immediately before and after the trip to HUPTI, were done to verify calorimeter stability. Results: Calorimeter results derived from 23 exposures in the HUPTI beam were obtained with good precision, exhibiting a standard error of the mean (SEM) of 0.51%, and both sets of 6 MV measurements exhibited excellent agreement (within 0.2%) of historical values. However, a small but significant systematic difference was found between the calorimeter Result and the chamber results, with three of the chamber results lying between 1–2 SEM above the calorimeter Result.
Conclusion: Further studies involving the calorimeter and these chambers are planned, both to address the present discrepancy but also to obtain direct, experimental kQ coefficients for the ionization chambers.
Purpose: To quantify uncertainties associated with the extraction of CT HU to stopping power conversion curve for tissue equivalent materials in uniformly scanned (US) proton beams. Methods and ...Materials: The Philips Gemini TF Big Bore PET/CT scanner at the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI), was used to extract the HU numbers for several tissue equivalent materials in the CIRS M062 phantom. Proton stopping power for each material was extracted by measuring the range change with and without the material, in a US proton beam pristine Bragg peak, and comparing to its physical thickness. The in‐beam measurements were performed using a Multilayer Ionization Chamber device (IBA Dosimetry, Zebra). Data were analyzed using both IBA OmniPro Incline and an in‐house software analysis package. Several proton beam energies were used: 143 MeV, 175 MeV, and 210 MeV. For each material and energy the difference between measured and predicted value of the stopping power was quantified. Results: The difference between measured and calculated stopping power with proton energy was found to be within 1–2.5 percent. The upper value of this variation was added to the machine specific systematic error of the CT HU number and quantified as the uncertainty of the CT HU to proton stopping power conversion curve. It was added to the total uncertainties (proton range and lateral profile), when PTV margins were implemented in the TPS. Conclusions: The relative linear stopping powers of 9 different tissue equivalent materials were measured using a range of uniformly scanned proton beam energies. These values were compared with predicted stopping powers calculated using current prescriptions and quantified as uncertainties of the CT HU to proton stopping power calibration curve. This work supports the accuracy of the proton stopping power implementation in the TPS and implicit the accuracy of patient treatment at HUPTI.
Purpose: To describe the main quality assurance (QA) procedures undertaken at the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI) in preparation for patient treatment via the uniform scanning ...(US) proton beam delivery technique using two source to axis distances (SADs). Methods and Materials: HUPTI currently uses a uniformly scanned proton beam for patient treatments. Patient specific apertures and compensators (properly scaled to account for the dual SADs) are used to shape the field laterally and to conform to the target volume longitudinally. Machined part QA is performed by using in‐house software to convert the DICOM output from Eclipse into images which represent the aperture and compensator shapes after correcting for the dual SADs. These images are matched to the physical shapes of the apertures and compensators to ensure correct machining. The beam QA measurements include the absorbed dose (output factor) at the center of the Spread‐Out Bragg Peak (Mid‐SOBP) in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency's Report TRS‐398; a verification of the lateral planar dose profile at isocenter measured with a 2D ion chamber array (IBA‐MATRIXX); and the depth dose profile measured along isocenter with a multi‐layer ion chamber (MLIC‐IBA‐ZEBRA). Results: The QA measurements for approximately 30 patients who have been treated at HUPTI utilizing the US technique will be presented. Analysis of the lateral and depth dose profiles exhibits agreement with the Varian Eclipse Proton Treatment Planning System within acceptable limits (less than 2%). Dose measurements are within the 5% accuracy recommended by International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) and are well described by empirical modeling. Conclusions: The Quality Assurance Program at HUPTI has demonstrated that the prescription of proton radiation dose designed by the radiation oncology team is being delivered to each cancer patient under our care with the highest precision and accuracy possible.
Genetic parameters for liveweight (LWT), greasy fleece weight (GFW), mean fibre diameter (MFD), standard deviation of MFD (MFD-s.d.), mean fibre curvature (CURVE) percentage of medullated (%MED) and ...kemp (%KEMP) fibres, faecal worm egg count (WEC), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) mean corpuscular haemoglobin content (MCHC), circulating anti-nematode IgG (IgG) and counts of circulating eosinophils (EOS), lymphocytes (LYM), neutrophils (NEU), basophils (BASO) and monocytes (MONO) up to 18 months of age were estimated in Australian Angora goats (608 animals, 14 sires 3 years of birth). Measurements were made during a period of natural parasite challenge up to 5 months of age, or following artificial challenge with 10000 infective larvae of Trichostrongylus colubriformis at 5.25 months of age. Year of birth had a significant impact on production and parasite-associated traits at all ages studied. Sex had a marked effect on production and erythrocyte traits. Birth type had no effect on any traits in animals older than 6 months. Maternal effects were not significant except for LWT at 3, 5 and 6 months and for IgG at 3 months. Most production traits were highly (LWT, GFW, MFD, %MED) or moderately (CURVE, MFD-s.d.) heritable (range 0.17-0.59) with only %KEMP having a low heritability (0.02-0.14). The heritability estimates (±s.e.) for CURVE are novel for goats and ranged from 0.18 ± 0.09 at first shearing to 0.44 ± 0.14 at third shearing. Heritability estimates were low for WEC (0.02-0.16) and for specific IgG during natural infection (0.14-0.15) but higher for IgG following artificial challenge with T. colubriformis (0.42 ± 0.13). Of the haematological variables NEU and all red cell traits were highly heritable (0.45-0.71), LYM and MONO were moderately to highly heritable (0.31-0.55), and EOS was weakly to moderately heritable (0.06-0.28). Strong phenotypic correlations existed between production traits. MFD was positively correlated with GFW and negatively correlated with CURVE, indicating that finer fibres have a higher crimp or wave count. WEC had consistent negative phenotypic correlations with PCV, LYM and EOS, and positive correlations with NEU. Correlations with IgG were positive up to 5 months and negative thereafter. Phenotypic correlations between WEC and LWT as well as with GFW and MFD were negative. Heritability estimates for production traits were generally consistent with other studies. Haematological and fibre curvature findings are completely novel for Angora goats. Estimates of heritability for WEC fell in mid range of published findings for other goat breeds, and these results suggest that there is some scope for breeding for worm resistance in Angoras but the response is likely to be slow.
The present study was designed to estimate genetic parameters of 17 production, parasite-associated and haematological traits in Australian cashmere goats. It comprised 796 records of female progeny ...of 532 dams sired by 29 bucks over a 4-year period. Measurement of haematological and parasite-associated traits was carried out on female kids during low-level natural gastrointestinal nematode challenge at 3 and 5 months of age and at 28 and/or 35 days after artificial challenge with 10000 infective larvae of Trichostrongylus colubriformis administered 1 week after the 5-month measurement. Production traits were measured up to 18 months of age. Year of birth significantly affected all traits apart from cashmere diameter (CSD). Twin kids had significantly lower liveweight (up to 10 months), packed cell volume and mean corpuscular volume (at 3 and 5 months) but higher specific IgG levels and mean corpuscular haemoglobin content at 3 months. Paddock of birth and early rearing and its interaction with year of birth had significant effects on worm egg count (WEC) during natural challenge, on IgG at both natural and post-artificial challenge measurements and on liveweight at early ages. The level of gastrointestinal nematode challenge in the nine different paddocks clearly influenced both WEC and IgG during natural and subsequent artificial challenge. Maternal permanent environmental effects were important only for liveweights at 3 month of age and for IgG at 5 months of age. For other traits, a simple animal model without maternal permanent environmental effects gave the best fit. Estimates of heritability (h²) of WEC and IgG were low (0.06-0.22) with the highest h² estimates occurring after 5 months of natural infection or 35 days after artificial challenge. The majority of fleece traits were moderately to highly heritable, ranging from 0.38 to 0.78. The h² estimates for mean fibre curvature are novel for cashmere goats and were moderate, varying from 0.32 to 0.48. Heritability estimates for erythrocyte traits were uniformly high (0.49-0.98) while those for leukocyte traits varied from low to moderate (0.09-0.43). Strong genetic and phenotypic correlations existed between major production traits. Due to the comparatively small dataset, the standard errors of genetic correlations were relatively high. CSD was positively correlated with cashmere weight and yield, an unfavourable direction. CSD was negatively correlated with fibre curvature, indicating that animals producing finer fibres produce cashmere with a higher crimp count. No phenotypic relationships were observed between WEC and fleece traits. Liveweight was weakly but negatively correlated with WEC and circulating neutrophils, while it was positively associated with eosinophils, lymphocytes and packed cell volume. This study has shown that selection for increased resistance to gastrointestinal nematode infection cashmere goats is possible but progress will be slow. WEC should remain the phenotypic marker of choice and the additional cost of alternative measures of resistance is not justified. Many of the parasite-associated traits appear to under independent genetic control.
Analysis of a typical semiarid mountain system recharge (MSR) setting demonstrates that geochemical tracers help resolve the location, rate, and seasonality of recharge as well as ground water ...flowpaths and residence times. MSR is defined as the recharge at the mountain front that dominates many semiarid basins plus the often-overlooked recharge through the mountain block that may be a significant ground water resource; thus, geochemical measurements that integrate signals from all flowpaths are advantageous. Ground water fluxes determined from carbon-14 (¹⁴C) age gradients imply MSR rates between 2 x 10⁶ and 9 x 10⁶ m³/year in the Upper San Pedro Basin, Arizona, USA. This estimated range is within an order of magnitude of, but lower than, prior independent estimates. Stable isotopic signatures indicate that MSR has a 65% ± 25% contribution from winter precipitation and a 35% ± 25% contribution from summer precipitation. Chloride and stable isotope results confirm that transpiration is the dominant component of evapotranspiration (ET) in the basin with typical loss of more than 90% of precipitation-less runoff to ET. Such geochemical constraints can be used to further refine hydrogeologic models in similar high-elevation relief basins and can provide practical first estimates of MSR rates for basins lacking extensive prior hydrogeologic measurements.
As up to 30% of patients with epilepsy do not have their seizures controlled with current treatments, there have been continuous attempts to find new antiepileptic drugs based on increasing knowledge ...of cellular and molecular biology involved in the genesis of epilepsy and seizures. Calcium has been established to play a major role in seizure occurrence, thus, calcium antagonists that can alter the effects of calcium on brain cells have been investigated for effect on epileptic seizures.
To evaluate the effects of calcium antagonists on seizures, side effects, quality of life and cognition, when used as an add-on therapy for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.
We searched MEDLINE from 1966 to 2000 and the Cochrane Epilepsy Group trials register, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (The Cochrane Library Issue 1, 2001).
Randomized placebo-controlled add-on trials of any calcium antagonists in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion and extracted data. Outcomes were: (a) 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency; (b) treatment withdrawal (any reason); (c) side effects. For crossover trials, the first treatment period was treated as a parallel trial. Analyses were by intention to treat. Due to problems acquiring the data needed from crossover trials, overall results from these trials were summarised in tables.
Eleven trials were included. One parallel and seven crossover trials of flunarizine, two crossover trials of nimodipine and one crossover trial of nifedipine. For flunarizine, the odds ratio (OR) (95% Confidence Intervals (CIs)I) for a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency for the parallel trial was 1.64 (0.55, 4.94) indicating a non-significant advantage for flunarizine. We were unable to acquire data for this outcome from the seven crossover trials. The overall OR (95% CI) for treatment withdrawal for flunarizine was 5.83 (2.06, 16.45) indicating patients were significantly more likely to have flunarizine withdrawn than placebo. No side effects were statistically associated with flunarizine. For nifedipine we were unable to acquire the data we required from the two crossover trials for our specified outcomes. For the outcomes reported in the trials, nifedipine had no significant effect in seizures frequency. For nimodipine, we only had data from the first treatment period from one of the two crossover trials (17 subjects). The ORs (95% CIs) for a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency was 11.34 (1.00, 128.03) and for treatment withdrawal was 2.46 (0.22, 27.75).
Flunarizine may have a weak effect on seizure frequency, but had a significant withdrawal rate probably due to side effects, and should not be recommended for use as an add-on treatment. Similarly, there is no convincing evidence to support the use of nifedipine or nimodipine as add-on treatments for epilepsy.
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