1), hence there is likely to be a generally southward flow in the

1), hence there is likely to be a generally southward flow in the aquifer system. The

plot of Si against latitude (Fig. 4) reveals that the concentration of Si in Quizartinib groundwater generally increases downstream (southward), which is consistent with increased Si weathering along the topo-gradient flow-path of the aquifer. Elevated concentrations of Ca2+ and Na+ in the shallow wells of Nawalparasi may suggest evaporative concentration or a higher degree of active weathering in the redox transitions zones (e.g. Kocar et al., 2008). However, HCO3− may be also be generated by root respiration (Mukherjee and Fryar, 2008) and anaerobic oxidation of organic matter (Bhattacharya et al., 2002, Mukherjee and Fryar, 2008 and Sharif et al., 2008). There are multiple pathways of anaerobic carbon metabolism that generate HCO3− (or consume protons), including those involving N, Mn, Fe and SO42− as terminal electron acceptors, according to the following equations (Eqs. (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7)). equation(3) 4NO3− + 5CH2O → 2N2 + 4HCO3− + CO2 + 3H2O equation(4) NO3− + 2CH2O + 2H+ → NH4+ + 2CO2 + H2O

equation(5) 2MnO2 + 3CO2 + H2O + CH2O → 2Mn2+ + 4HCO3− equation(6) 4Fe(OH)3 + 7CO2 + CH2O → 4Fe2+ + 8HCO3− + 3H2O selleck equation(7) SO42− + 2CH2O → H2S + 2HCO3 The generally low redox potential of tube well waters combined with the abundance of reduced species of various redox sensitive elements Sitaxentan (i.e. Fe2+, As(III), NH3) clearly indicates that reductive processes are important controls on aquifer geochemistry in the study area. For example, the presence of ammonia in groundwater indicates some degree of dissimilatory nitrate reduction. Ammonia could be sourced from sewage input or agricultural areas (Nath et al., 2008) or may be derived from nitrate reduction coupled with organic matter decomposition. Low nitrate and high ammonia concentration in the groundwater

results suggests dissimilatory nitrate reduction is an important pathway of carbon metabolism in the aquifer (Bhattacharya et al., 2003). The reducing conditions observed here are broadly consistent with the previous studies of Bhattacharya et al. (2003), Gurung et al. (2005) and Khadka et al. (2004) in the Nawalparasi district. Based on Fe2+:FeTot ratios, Fe2+ is the dominant Fe species (Fig. 6) in the tubewell water samples. The dominance of Fe2+ in the groundwater samples of Nawalparasi clearly indicates prevalence of Fe(III)-reducing conditions in the aquifer (McArthur et al., 2001, Kocar et al., 2008, Winkel et al., 2008 and Ravenscroft et al., 2009). Concentrations of As in this study area varied from 0.0 to 7.6 μM and As(III) was clearly the dominant species in most samples (Fig. 6). This result is consistent with the findings of Bhattacharya et al. (2003) for this region.

10 Owing to the similarity in the ambient conditions and compara

10. Owing to the similarity in the ambient conditions and comparable

parameters at the simulated overflow, the shape of the θ-S curve and the magnitude of the temperature maximum are in good agreement with this generalisation. The results in this section expand on the Rudels and Quadfasel, 1991 schematic and describe the response in the mixing to variations in volume transport at the sill (see Fig. 8(b)). The maximum bottom temperature along the plume path is mainly a function of the flow rate (see Fig. 9(a)). The depth at which the temperature maximum occurs, on the other hand, is mainly a function of the inflow salinity. To explain these results we consider the processes and factors affecting the temperature maximum on the slope: (i) downslope advection of AW by the plume, (ii) Natural Product Library the plume’s momentum arising from its density gradient, (iii) mixing of the plume with Atlantic Water, (iv) the smallness of the thermal expansion coefficient at low temperatures, and (v) the total thermal capacity of the plume water. In the following, we investigate how the salinity S   and flow rate Q   of the dense water inflow affect the plume’s final depth level. We quantify the downslope penetration of SFOW by calculating how much passive tracer (PTRC) is resident within a given KU-60019 concentration depth range by the end of the model run. The concentration of tracer is integrated over a given volume to give the mass of PTRC, MPTRCMPTRC.

Isoconazole The penetration of the cascade into a given depth range is calculated as a percentage of MPTRCMPTRC within the given range compared to the total MPTRCMPTRC over the entire domain. A model run and its dense water supply can then be characterised according to the depth range containing more than 50% of PTRC that has been injected over 90 days. In Fig. 11 we plot the results against S and Q for each of the 45 model runs. The final tracer percentage

present within the given depth range is shaded in a contour plot where the S-Q combination of each experiment is marked by a black dot. In those model runs where the majority of PTRC is present between 500 and 1000 m at the end of the experiment the plume has intruded into the Atlantic Layer and into the AW-NSDW interface, but not retained a strong enough density contrast to flow deeper. The combinations of S and Q producing this result are emphasised in Fig. 11(a) as the dots within the red shading indicating a tracer penetration greater than 50%. In the S-Q parameter space these runs are arranged in a curved band from low-S/high-Q via medium-S/medium-Q towards high-S/low-Q. In runs with lower S/lower Q (towards the lower left corner of the graph) the majority of the plume waters is trapped at shallower depths. In experiments with higher S/higher Q (towards the upper right corner of the graph) the plume reaches deeper as shown in Fig. 11(b) which is plotted for the presence of PTRC below 1000 m. Fig.

The friction at the bottom is calculated using the quadratic rela

The friction at the bottom is calculated using the quadratic relationship from the flow speed equation(3) find more Fbx=CD|u→|u,Fby=CD|u→|v, where CD   (= 2.5 × 10−3) is the bottom friction coefficient, and u→ is the current velocity. The bottom friction coefficient is taken to be constant, since reliable data on sea bottom irregularities are lacking. The wave-induced force per unit surface area is the gradient of radiation stresses. It reads: equation(4) Fwavex=1ρ0(−∂Sxx∂x−∂Sxy∂y),Fwavey=1ρ0(−∂Syx∂x−∂Syy∂y),

where ρ0 is the reference density and S is the radiation stress tensor as given by equation(5) Sxx=ρ0g∫ncos2θ+n12Edσdθ,Sxy=Syx=ρ0g∫nsinθcosθEdσdθ,Syy=ρ0g∫[nsin2θ+n−12]Edσdθ, where n is the ratio of the group velocity to the phase velocity. E(σ, θ) denotes the two-dimensional wave spectrum in frequency and directional space respectively. The terms of horizontal turbulence are calculated using the constant eddy viscosity coefficient AH: equation(6) Gx=AH(∂2u∂x2+∂2u∂y2),Gy=AH(∂2v∂x2+∂2v∂y2). The eddy viscosity coefficient for all grids is 50 m2 s−1. The kinematic wind stress components http://www.selleckchem.com/products/jq1.html are calculated as: equation(7) Fxw=τxwρ0=ρaρ0cduw|u→w|,Fyw=τywρ0=ρaρ0cdvw|u→w|, where u→w is the wind velocity vector, uw and vw are wind components, τwx and τwy are wind stress components, cd(= 1.3 × 10−3)

is the drag coefficient, and ρa is the air density. Thus, the numerical model takes into account bottom topography, the Earth’s rotation, friction at the sea bottom and horizontal eddy viscosity. Temperature and salinity fields are not calculated in the model. Consequently, the baroclinic component of currents is not taken into account; in the Väinameri region this is of minor importance compared to wind forcing and sea level changes (Otsmann et al. 2001). The model did not include the river runoff into the Gulf of Riga because of its minor role in the water exchange through the Suur Strait. According to previous modelling studies, the river inflow affects mainly the flows in the Irbe Strait because the Suur Strait has a smaller cross-section and Tau-protein kinase a higher resistance (Otsmann et al., 1997, Otsmann et al., 2001 and Suursaar

et al., 2002: Figure 3f). A triple-nested circulation model was used for the simulation of currents and water exchange in the Suur Strait. The coarse grid model covered the whole Baltic Sea with a spatially constant grid size of 2×2 km. Digital topography was taken from Seifert et al. (2001). No open boundary conditions were implemented for this grid. The model for the Väinameri region had a grid size of 400×400 m (Figure 1b), whereas the boundary conditions for water transport were obtained from the whole Baltic Sea model. The high resolution model for the Suur Strait area had a grid step of 100×100 m (Figure 1c), and boundary conditions were obtained from the Väinameri model. One-way grid nesting was used for both model domains.

) (Kowalewski & Krężel 2004) The operation of the DESAMBEM diagn

) (Kowalewski & Krężel 2004). The operation of the DESAMBEM diagnostic system is subject to certain constraints, however. The frequent completely overcast skies in the Baltic Ibrutinib region prevent some of the optical sensors on board satellites from gaining a direct view of the water surface, so under these conditions remote sensing using the DESAMBEM algorithm alone is impossible. This applies in particular to satellite scanners, operating in the visible and infrared ranges, used to determine, for example, the surface concentration of chlorophyll

a Ca(0) and the sea surface temperature (SST). Nevertheless, values of Ca(0) and SST are indispensable as input data for calculating optical properties and the characteristics and state of marine ecosystems, including primary production in the sea, if we wish to use the algorithm in Blocks D2–D4 for this purpose. Under such conditions, we can use values of Ca(0) and SST, respectively interpolated on the basis of their values remotely sensed on cloudless days, that is, for spatio-temporal

points when the sky was not overcast. After many attempts Selleckchem Dasatinib at using different methods of this interpolation (e.g. ‘kriging’ and ‘cokriging’ – see e.g. Abramowitz & Stegun 1972, David 1988), we decided that the best way of solving this problem would be to use a packet of prognostic hydrodynamic and ID-8 ecological models enabling the assimilation of satellite data processed by the DESAMBEM system (see Figure 3 and its discussion). This packet is the BALTFOS Forecasting System, mentioned earlier. It is based on models that we developed earlier ( Kowalewski 1997, Ołdakowski et al. 2005, Dzierzbicka-Głowacka

2005, 2006), which are now being expanded and adapted to the objectives of the SatBałtyk project ( Dzierzbicka-Głowacka et al. 2011). The BALTFOS system consists of the five blocks described below: • Block B0 (INITIAL PROCESSING), which contains a set of procedures for obtaining and initially processing input data from global operational weather models as well as routine meteorological and hydrological measurements from buoys or shore stations. Data from the global models will serve to prepare the initial and boundary conditions for local weather models and ecohydrodynamic models, whereas the measurement data will be assimilated in these models. As shown earlier, the two cooperating data processing subsystems DESAMBEM and BALTFOS are complementary within the framework of the SatBałtyk Operational System.

AM but not BG was impaired in figural learning and memory, as sho

AM but not BG was impaired in figural learning and memory, as shown in the Complex Figure Test (Osterrieth, 1944) and the DCS (Weidlich & Lamberti, 2001). In behavioural experiments, BG was impaired in free verbal recognition of fearful faces, and in startle potentiation by threat-related scenes, and had a reduced 20s Proteasome activity social network compared to control participants, while all these functions were intact

in AM (Becker et al., 2012). Further, both twins showed reduced anterograde and retrograde interference of emotional pictures on memory (Hurlemann et al., 2007). On the other hand, the aforementioned neuropsychological assessment (Talmi et al., 2010) revealed average intelligence (L-P-S Leistungsprüfsystem) (Horn, 1983) and intact verbal learning and memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test) (Helmstedter, Lendt, & Lux, 1981) as well as executive

Epigenetics Compound Library supplier function measured with the Trail Making Test (Reitan, 1955), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Kongs, Thompson, Iversion, & Heaton, 2000), Stroop test (Bäumler, 1985), and semantic fluency (Aschenbrenner et al., 2000). The twins show neither depression nor anxiety (Hamilton, 1959 and Hamilton, 1960). Further, both twins were unimpaired in rapid detection of negative-arousing words (Bach, Talmi, Hurlemann, Patin, & Dolan, 2011), forced-choice recognition of emotional expression in prosody (Bach, Hurlemann, & Dolan, 2013), and framing effects on economic gambles (Talmi et al., 2010). Given the amygdala damage in AM and BG, and the posited function of the amygdala in prioritising threat information, we hypothesised a reduced angry face advantage in the FITC task in AM and BG, compared to healthy individuals. The task followed a 3 (set size: 1/6/12 items) × 2 (target emotion: angry/happy) × 2

(target absent/present) factorial design with RT as dependent variable. Some previous studies have only analysed slopes of a serial search model. Here, because we did not know whether Urbach–Wiethe patients use a serial search strategy, we analyse both raw RTs and search slopes Sirolimus price as dependent variables. AM (previously also labelled patient 1) and BG (patient 2) (Becker et al., 2012), aged 35 years at the time of the present experiment, are monozygous twins with congenital Urbach–Wiethe syndrome due to a de novo mutation (Becker et al., 2012). The calcified volumes on high-resolution computer assisted tomography images included the whole basolateral amygdala and most other amygdala nuclei, only sparing anterior amygdaloid and ventral cortical amygdaloid parts at an anterior level, as well as lateral and medial parts of the central amygdaloid nucleus and the amygdalo-hippocampal area at posterior levels. Control participants were included if they were females between the age of 29 and 41 years, and the final sample comprised 16 healthy females with an age of 33.6 ± 3.4 years.

In the presence of different concentrations of GSH, ME was inhibi

In the presence of different concentrations of GSH, ME was inhibited by cadmium to a far smaller extent,

the inhibition being both dose- and time-dependent on GSH concentration Selleck RG7422 ( Figure 3). The effect of different concentrations of BSA on ME activity without cadmium and in the presence of 1 mM cadmium during a 24 h incubation are shown in Figure 4. Like GSH, BSA protected ME activity. The addition of BSA to the incubation medium at a concentration of 20 μg per ml to ME increased enzyme activity to about 130%, as shown for GSH in Figure 3. In the presence of different concentrations of BSA, ME was inhibited by cadmium to a much lesser extent, the inhibition being both dose- and time-dependent on the different concentrations of BSA. BSA is a 70 kDa protein containing about 7% cysteine in an amino acid structure and can protect enzyme activity as a non-specific chaperone ( Figure 4). Figure 5 shows the effect of GSH at 2 mM concentration Buparlisib supplier and in the presence of 2 mM cadmium during a 48-hour incubation with NADP-dependent ME from shrimp abdominal muscle. In the presence of 2 mM of GSH and 2 mM cadmium, the inhibition was time-dependent; GSH can also protect ME activity against higher concentrations of cadmium. Figure 6 illustrates the effect of 20 μg BSA per ml added to ME during

incubation for 48 hours and of 2 mM cadmium on NADP-dependent ME activity from shrimp abdominal muscle. In the presence of 2 mM cadmium, the inhibition was time-dependent; BSA can also protect ME activity against higher concentrations of cadmium ( Figure 6). Glutathione (GSH) is present in many living systems and often alleviates the adverse effect of xenobiotics, but it is unclear how

it affects the inhibition of some enzymes by cadmium (Cd). An intracellular glutathione concentration of up to 8 mM mafosfamide reflects a dynamic balance between reduced glutathione and oxidized glutathione (Griffith 1999). Oxidized glutathione is reduced intracellularly to GSH by glutathione reductase in a NADPH-dependent reaction (Kehrer & Lund 1994). Under physiological conditions and depending on NADPH availability, the GSH/GSSG ratio can reach 100 (Griffith 1999). However, if certain compounds (e.g. malic enzyme, isocitrate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) limit the glutathione reductase reaction or NADPH synthesis, oxidized glutathione can accumulate. As shown earlier, the activity of malic enzyme in the abdominal muscle of Crangon crangon is about 20 times greater than that of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. In crustaceans, moreover, both malic enzyme and isocitrate dehydrogenase are more significant as a source of NADPH in somatic muscles ( Skorkowski et al. 1980). The present investigation was undertaken to establish the effects of cadmium on the activity of shrimp muscle ME.

Canada requires consideration of exposure and toxicity modifying

Canada requires consideration of exposure and toxicity modifying factors (ETMFs) when developing WQGs or site-specific water quality objectives (SSWQOs) (CCME, buy MS-275 2007). Increased water hardness has long been recognized as ameliorating the toxicity of certain divalent cations (USEPA, 1986) and has recently been found to ameliorate the toxicity of chloride (Elphick et al., 2011a) and sulphate (Elphick et al., 2011b). In the Northwest Territories (NWT) of Canada, mining below the permafrost often releases waters that have relatively high concentrations of salts. Surface

fresh waters in the NWT tend to have very low natural hardness (often less than 10 mg/L CaCO3). Thus, mining in the NWT can result selleck chemical in increased hardness in the receiving fresh waters and thus reduce the toxicity of those SOPCs whose toxicity is modified by that increased hardness. The concentrations of SSWQOs for SOPCs affected by hardness are higher than they would be if the hardness were lower, but are still set at concentrations that avoid acute or chronic toxicity. Recently, some regulators have contended that increasing hardness is itself pollution. In reality, increased hardness, provided it is not excessive, can be beneficial. It reduces osmotic stress in such low hardness fresh waters. However, these regulators contend that relying on increased hardness to develop SSWQOs is “polluting

to pollute”. They ignore the reality that pollution only occurs if an SOPC (i.e., a contaminant) results in adverse effects to resident biota (Chapman, 1989). Their contention makes no scientific sense in terms of environmental protection – if adverse effects do not occur, there

is no pollution, right? However, they continue to promote this contention. For example, in the NWT at a recent (February 12–13, 2013) Water Licence Renewal Hearing for a well-established diamond mine (transcripts of this Hearing are available at: http://wlwb.ca/), Carbohydrate three specific quotes were cited by representatives of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) in support of using lower historic rather than higher ambient hardness to develop SSWQOs: • CCME (2007): “… modifications of guidelines to site-specific objectives should not be made on the basis of degraded aquatic ecosystem characteristics that have arisen as a direct negative result of previous human activities. I was present at that Hearing as a technical expert retained by the mine. My response to AANDC’s concerns was that they made no scientific sense. Another regulatory agency, Environment Canada, agreed that SSWQOs should be set based on ambient, not historic hardness. But perhaps the best response was provided by an independent scientific expert hired by the Wek’eezhi Land and Water Board, which held the Hearing.

The objective of this study was to determine whether quantitative

The objective of this study was to determine whether quantitative volumetric changes as seen on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can help assess early tumor response and predict survival

in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma after one session of TACE. This was a single-institution retrospective study. The study was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Informed consent was waived. Entinostat order A review of the database of prospectively enrolled patients with uveal melanoma who underwent TACE at our institution from 2004 to 2014 was performed. A total of 21 patients were identified. Inclusion criteria were given as follows: 1) Ferroptosis inhibitor review diagnosis of liver metastasis confirmed by means of biopsy; 2) absence of previous systemic chemotherapy and/or liver directed therapies that might influence tumor response; 3) patients who underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging before and approximately 3 to 4 weeks after TACE; 4) an

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of up to 2; 5) additional criteria included Child-Pugh class; unifocal or multifocal hepatic malignancy; absent or limited extrahepatic malignancy; absent or trace ascites; albumin level of more than 2.5 g/dl; alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels of less than five times the upper normal limit; total serum bilirubin level of less than 3.0 mg/dl; serum creatinine level of less than 2.0 mg/dl; platelet count of at least 50,000/mm3; international

normalized ratio of up to 1.5; at least partial patency of the portal venous system. Six patients were excluded for the following reasons: previous systemic and/or locoregional therapies this website (n = 1) and absence of follow-up MR imaging after TACE (n = 5). On the basis of these criteria, the final study population included 15 patients. Baseline characteristics are summarized in Table 1. All patients considered for TACE were discussed at our multidisciplinary liver tumor board. All TACE procedures were performed by one experienced interventional radiologist with 16 years of experience by using a consistent approach as reported previously [18]. Briefly, an 18-gauge single-wall needle was used with the Seldinger technique to access the right common femoral artery. A 5-F vascular sheath was placed over a 0.035-inch Bentson guidewire (Cook, Bloomington, IN). With fluoroscopic guidance, a 5-F Simmons-1 catheter (Cordis, Miami Lakes, FL) was advanced over the wire and reformed into the aortic arch and used to select the celiac axis. Then, a Renegade HI-FLO microcatheter was advanced over a Fathom-16 wire (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) into the desired hepatic artery branch, depending on the tumor location. Selective catheterization was performed to achieve lobar or sub-/segmental embolization based on the targeted lesions.

These results also suggest that additional clinical development <

These results also suggest that additional clinical development ABT-888 chemical structure of eluxadoline is warranted to validate the clinical meaningfulness of the composite end point and to determine what baseline patient characteristics are predictive of clinical response with eluxadoline. “
“Patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) are at high risk for developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which lead to more than 0.5 million deaths per year.1 Antiviral nucleos(t)ide analogues control but do not eradicate the virus because they do not target the

nuclear persistence form of the virus, the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA).2 The episomal HBV cccDNA serves as a transcription template and can cause a relapse of hepatitis B when pharmacological treatment ends.3 and 4 During acute, self-limited hepatitis B, patients mount a strong T-cell response against multiple viral antigens5, 6, 7 and 8 that is required to eliminate Selleck PI3K inhibitor cccDNA-positive hepatocytes and to clear the virus.9 Such a T-cell response is lacking in chronic infection. The aim of immunotherapy against chronic

hepatitis B is to restore efficient antiviral immune responses and complement pharmacological antiviral therapy to eliminate remaining infected cells. A promising immunotherapeutic approach is the adoptive transfer of genetically modified HBV-specific T cells. In infected cells, HBV envelope proteins are incorporated into endoplasmic

reticulum membranes, where they either form (sub)viral particles or may reach the cell surface by physiological membrane exchange.10 These (sub)viral particles can be detected in large amounts in sera of infected patients as hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and very likely contribute to induction of immune tolerance.11 Because the expression of HBV surface proteins is not controlled by available antiviral agents and is usually maintained in HCC with integrated viral genomes, HBsAg remains positive under antiviral therapy, Florfenicol even in late stages of chronic hepatitis B in which HCC has developed. Targeting HBV surface proteins therefore seems most promising. We have previously shown that expression of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) directed against the HBV surface proteins enables human T cells to kill HBV-infected human hepatocytes and to eliminate viral cccDNA in vitro.12 On this basis, we here addressed the question whether CAR-grafted, adoptively transferred T cells would retain their function in vivo and control virus replication without significant T cell–related toxicity in a model of persistent HBV infection in HBV transgenic (HBVtg) mice with a functional immune system. C57BL/6 (CD45.1+) and HBVtg HBV1.3xfs mice (HBV genotype D, serotype ayw 13, CD45.2+) were bred in specific pathogen–free animal facilities.

, 2007, Schmaranzer and Stabentheiner, 1988, Stabentheiner et al

, 2007, Schmaranzer and Stabentheiner, 1988, Stabentheiner et al., 2012 and Stabentheiner and Schmaranzer, 1987). The measurement

accuracy of 0.7 °C was achieved by using a self-constructed Peltier driven reference source of known temperature and emissivity. Infrared data were recorded digitally on hard disk at 3, 5 or 10 frames s−1. Evaluation of the surface temperatures of head (Thd), thorax (Tth) and abdomen (Tab) was done with SAHA HDAC ic50 AGEMA Research software (FLIR Systems Inc.) controlled by a proprietary Excel (Microsoft Corporation) VBA macro. The thermographic video sequences also allowed judgment of active and resting periods without behavioral impairment. Endothermy was assessed by the difference between Tth and Tab. As these temperatures were both surface temperatures measured via IR, we minimized measurement errors which possibly might occur Selleckchem Cobimetinib when calculating Tth from IR and Ta from thermocouple data. Our definition of rest (classification according to Crailsheim et al., 1999, Stabentheiner and Crailsheim, 1999 and Stabentheiner et al., 2003) was: (1) The individual was ectothermic (no visibly heated thorax) and (2) there were no or marginal signs of bodily activity (i.e. movements of antennae, single movement of legs allowed) for a duration of at least 10 min (reduced to 5 min at temperatures >27.6 °C if no 10 min intervals were available). However, we were forced to take into account

that individuals, although being obviously at rest (sitting still for an hour or

Amisulpride more), could be slightly endothermic. Therefore we had to define “rest” in terms of “scarce movement” and “only weak endothermy” with Tth − Tab < 2 °C during a few periods of the experiment. Before we determined the amount of carbon dioxide produced in a certain experimental trial, the IR video sequences were analyzed concerning the wasps’ activity. Sections assessed as “resting periods” (defined in Section 2.3) were divided up into 10 min intervals. At high T  a (27.6 °C and above) phases of inactivity in some individuals decreased in duration as well as in number to such an extent that we had to reduce the minimal interval for our definition of “rest” to 5 min. URAS 14 CO2 data from these time intervals were used for further calculations. Integrating the gas exchange cycles over the 10 min intervals, the mean production rate of CO2 ( MCO2andVCO2) was calculated. All data analysis and statistics were carried out using custom-made peak and valley finding formulas and macros in Excel (Microsoft Corporation), OriginPro 8.5 (OriginLab Corporation) and Stathgraphics Centurion XVI (StatPoint Technology Inc.). In the figures mean values are given with their standard deviations (SD). As the combination of respirometry data and activity detection had shown the most accurate results in previous studies concerning the upper thermal maximum (Klok et al., 2004, Lighton and Turner, 2004 and Stevens et al.