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ABSTRACT The Proterozoic belts that occur along the margins of the West Australian Craton, as well as those in intraplate settings, generally share similar geological histories that suggest a common plate-margin driver for orogeny. However, the thermal drivers for intraplate orogenesis are more poorly understood. The Mutherbukin Tectonic Event records a protracted period of Mesoproterozoic reworking of the Capricorn Orogen and offers significant insight into both the tectonic drivers and heat sources of long-lived intraplate orogens. Mineral assemblages and tectonic fabrics related to this event occur within a 50 km-wide fault-bound corridor in the central part of the Gascoyne Province in Western Australia. This zone preserves a crustal profile, with greenschist facies rocks in the north grading to upper amphibolite facies rocks in the south. The P- T- t evolution of 13 samples from 10 localities across the Mutherbukin Zone is investigated using phase equilibria modelling integrated with in situ U-Pb monazite and zircon geochronology. Garnet chemistry from selected samples is used to further refine the P-T history and shows that the dominant events recorded in this zone are prolonged D1 transpression between c. 1,320 and 1,270 Ma, followed by D2 transtension from c. 1,210 to 1,170 Ma. Peak metamorphic conditions in the mid-crust reached >650°C and 4.4-7 kbar at c. 1,210-1,200 Ma. Most samples record a single clockwise P-T evolution during this event, although some samples might have experienced multiple perturbations. The heat source for metamorphism was primarily conductive heating of radiogenic mid- and upper crust, derived from earlier crustal differentiation events. This crust was thickened during D1 transpression, although the thermal effects persisted longer than the deformation event. Peak metamorphism was terminated by D2 transtension at c. 1,210 Ma, with subsequent cooling driven by thinning of the radiogenic crust. The coincidence of a sedimentary basin acting as a thermal lid and a highly radiogenic mid-crustal batholith restricted to the Mutherbukin Zone accounts for reworking being confined to a discrete crustal corridor. Our results show that radiogenic regions in the shallow to mid crust can elevate the thermal gradient and localize deformation, causing the crust to be more responsive to far-field stresses. The Mutherbukin Tectonic Event in the Capricorn Orogen was synchronous with numerous Mesoproterozoic events around the West Australian Craton, suggesting that thick cratonic roots play an important role in propagating stresses generated at distant plate boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants alter soil biota which subsequently modifies plant growth, plant-plant interactions and plant community dynamics. While much research has been conducted on the magnitude and importance of soil biota effects ( SBEs) in natural systems, little is known in agro-ecosystems. We investigated whether agricultural management systems could affect SBEs impacts on crop growth and crop-weed competition. Utilising soil collected from eight paired farms, we evaluated the extent to which SBEs differed between conventional and organic farming systems. Soils were conditioned by growing two common annual weeds: Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot pigweed) or Avena fatua (wild oat). Soil biota effects were measured in wheat ( Triticum aestivum) growth and crop-weed competition, with SBEs calculated as the natural log of plant biomass in pots inoculated with living soil divided by the plant biomass in pots inoculated with sterilised soil. SBEs were generally more positive when soil inoculum was collected from organic farms compared with conventional farms, suggesting that cropping systems modify the relative abundance of mutualistic and pathogenic organisms responsible for the observed SBEs. Also, as feedbacks became more positive, crop-weed competition decreased and facilitation increased. In annual cropping systems, SBEs can alter plant growth and crop-weed competition. By identifying the management practices that promote positive SBEs, producers can minimise the impacts of crop-weed competition and decrease their reliance on off-farm chemical and mechanical inputs to control weeds, enhancing agroecosystem sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of strategies to combat hepatic disease and augment tissue regeneration has created a need for methods to assess regional liver function. Liver perfusion imaging has the potential to fulfil this need, across a range of hepatic diseases, alongside the assessment of therapeutic response. In this study, the feasibility of hepatic arterial spin labelling (HASL) was assessed for the first time in mice at 9.4 T, its variability and repeatability were evaluated, and it was applied to a model of colorectal liver metastasis. Data were acquired using flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery-arterial spin labelling (FAIR-ASL) with a Look-Locker readout, and analysed using retrospective respiratory gating and a T1-based quantification. This study shows that preclinical HASL is feasible and exhibits good repeatability and reproducibility. Mean estimated liver perfusion was 2.2 ± 0.8 mL/g/min (mean ± standard error, n = 10), which agrees well with previous measurements using invasive approaches. Estimates of the variation gave a within-session coefficient of variation (CVWS) of 7%, a between-session coefficient of variation (CVBS) of 9% and a between-animal coefficient of variation (CVA) of 15%. The within-session Bland-Altman repeatability coefficient (RCWS) was 18% and the between-session repeatability coefficient (RCBS) was 29%. Finally, the HASL method was applied to a mouse model of liver metastasis, in which significantly lower mean perfusion (1.1 ± 0.5 mL/g/min, n = 6) was measured within the tumours, as seen by fluorescence histology. These data indicate that precise and accurate liver perfusion estimates can be achieved using ASL techniques, and provide a platform for future studies investigating hepatic perfusion in mouse models of disease. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the following potential mechanisms underlying atypical gaze following in autism, impaired reflexive gaze following, difficulty integrating gaze and affect, or reduced understanding of the referential significance of gaze, we administered three paradigms to young children with autism ( N = 21) and chronological ( N = 21) and nonverbal mental age ( N = 21) matched controls. Children with autism exhibited impaired reflexive gaze following. The absence of evidence of integration of gaze and affect, regardless of diagnosis, indicates ineffective measurement of this construct. Reduced gaze following was apparent among children with autism during eye-tracking and in-person assessments. Word learning from gaze cues was better explained by developmental level than autism. Thus, gaze following may traverse an atypical, rather than just delayed, trajectory in autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 581 km vibroseis-source, deep seismic reflection survey was acquired through the Capricorn Orogen of Western Australia and, for the first time, provides an unprecedented view of the deep crustal architecture of the West Australian Craton. The survey has imaged three principal suture zones, as well as several other lithospheric-scale faults. The suture zones separate four seismically distinct tectonic blocks, which include the Pilbara Craton, the Bandee Seismic Province (a previously unrecognised tectonic block), the Glenburgh Terrane of the Gascoyne Province and the Narryer Terrane of the Yilgarn Craton. In the upper crust, the survey imaged numerous Proterozoic granite batholiths as well as the architecture of the Mesoproterozoic Edmund and Collier basins. These features were formed during the punctuated reworking of the craton by the reactivation of the major crustal structures. The location and setting of gold, base metal and rare earth element deposits across the orogen are closely linked to the major lithospheric-scale structures, highlighting their importance to fluid flow within mineral systems by the transport of fluid and energy direct from the mantle into the upper crust. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We present a large-scale study of the X-ray properties and near-IR-to-radio spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) detected at 1.1 mm with the AzTEC instrument across a ∼1.2 square degree area of the sky. Combining deep 2–4 Ms Chandra data with Spitzer IRAC/MIPS and Very Large Array data within the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey North (GOODS-N), GOODS-S and COSMOS fields, we find evidence for active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity in ∼14 per cent of 271 AzTEC SMGs, ∼28 per cent considering only the two GOODS fields. Through X-ray spectral modelling and multiwavelength SED fitting using Monte Carlo Markov chain techniques to Siebenmorgen et al. (AGN) and Efstathiou, Rowan-Robinson & Siebenmorgen (starburst) templates, we find that while star formation dominates the IR emission, with star formation rates (SFRs) ∼100–1000 M⊙ yr−1, the X-ray emission for most sources is almost exclusively from obscured AGNs, with column densities in excess of 1023 cm−2. Only for ∼6 per cent of our sources do we find an X-ray-derived SFR consistent with NIR-to-radio SED derived SFRs. Inclusion of the X-ray luminosities as a prior to the NIR-to-radio SED effectively sets the AGN luminosity and SFR, preventing significant contribution from the AGN template. Our SED modelling further shows that the AGN and starburst templates typically lack the required 1.1 mm emission necessary to match observations, arguing for an extended, cool dust component. The cross-correlation function between the full samples of X-ray sources and SMGs in these fields does not indicate a strong correlation between the two populations at large scales, suggesting that SMGs and AGNs do not necessarily trace the same underlying large-scale structure. Combined with the remaining X-ray-dim SMGs, this suggests that sub-mm-bright sources may evolve along multiple tracks, with X-ray-detected SMGs representing transitionary objects between periods of high star formation and AGN activity, while X-ray-faint SMGs represent a brief starburst phase of more normal galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabet. Med. 29, 50-55 (2012) Abstract Aims To evaluate the association between vitamin D insufficiency and peripheral neuropathy in a nationally representative sample of adults with diagnosed diabetes. Methods Vitamin D concentrations, medical examination variables and questionnaire results from the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analysed for adults ≥ 40 years old with diagnosed diabetes (unweighted n = 591, weighted n = 8.82 million). Neuropathy was defined as self report of peripheral neuropathy symptoms of painful sensation, tingling, numbness or loss of feeling in hands or feet. Additionally, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test results were used as an indicator of neuropathy. Insufficient vitamin D was characterized as < 30 ng/ml. Results In the weighted population, 81% of adults with diabetes had vitamin D insufficiency. Vitamin D insufficiency was more common among Hispanics (92%) and non-Hispanic black people (98%) than among non-Hispanic white people (76%). Within the 3 months preceding the questionnaire, 50% reported experiencing pain or numbness (paresthesia) in their hands or feet; 37% reported pain or tingling in hands or feet; and 38% reported numbness or loss of feeling in hands or feet. Eight per cent had 4-6 insensate areas on their feet as determined by the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test. Logistic regressions demonstrate vitamin D insufficiency is associated with the adjusted composite paresthesia measure (odds ratio 2.12; 95% CI 1.17-3.85) and the adjusted numbness measure (odds ratio 2.04; 95% CI 1.18-3.52). Conclusions Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with self-reported peripheral neuropathy symptoms even after adjusting for demographic factors, obesity, co-morbidities, use of medications for neuropathy and diabetes duration and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an X-ray morphological and spectroscopic study of the pulsar B2224+65 and its apparent jet-like X-ray features based on two epoch Chandra observations. The main X-ray feature, which shows a large directional offset from the ram-pressure confined pulsar wind nebula (Guitar nebula), is broader in apparent width and shows evidence for spectral hardening (at 95 per cent confidence) in the second epoch compared to the first. Furthermore, the sharp leading edge of the feature is found to have a proper motion consistent with that of the pulsar (∼180 mas yr−1). The combined data set also provides evidence for the presence of a counter feature, albeit substantially fainter and shorter than the main one. Additional spectral trends along the major and minor axes of the feature are only marginally detected in the two epoch data, including softening counter to the direction of proper motion. Possible explanations for the X-ray features include diffuse energetic particles being confined by an organized ambient magnetic field as well as a simple ballistic jet interpretation; however, the former may have difficulty in explaining observed spectral trends between epochs and along the feature's major axis, whereas the latter may struggle to elucidate its linearity. Given the low counting statistics available in the two epoch observations, it remains difficult to determine a physical production scenario for these enigmatic X-ray emitting features with any certainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a catalogue of 17 filamentary X-ray features located within a view centred on the Galactic Centre region from images taken by Chandra. These features are described by their morphological and spectral properties. Many of the X-ray features have non-thermal spectra that are well fitted by an absorbed power law. Of the 17 features, we find six that have not been previously detected, four of which are outside the immediate area centred on the Galactic Centre. Seven of the 17 identified filaments have morphological and spectral properties expected for pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) with X-ray luminosities of to 1034 erg s−1 in the 2.0–10.0 keV band and photon indices in the range of to 1.9. In one feature, we suggest the strong neutral Fe Kα emission line to be a possible indicator for past activity of Sgr A*. For G359.942−0.03, a particular filament of interest, we propose the model of a ram pressure confined stellar wind bubble from a massive star to account for the morphology, spectral shape and 6.7 keV He-like Fe emission detected. We also present a piecewise spectral analysis on two features of interest, G0.13−0.11 and G359.89−0.08, to further examine their physical interpretations. This analysis favours the PWN scenario for these features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zambezi supracrustal sequence (ZSC) of southern Zambia comprises a metasedimentary package of clastics and carbonates, with a thick sequence of basal volcanics and lavas. The sequence has traditionally been interpreted as a Neoproterozoic continental rift succession, but the lack of reliable age constraints hinders any tectonic interpretation. In this article, we date magmatic and detrital zircons using the U-Pb SHRIMP method in order to better constrain the timing of rifting, volcanism, and basin deposition. The basal volcanoclastic Kafue Rhyolite and Nazingwe formations were erupted at ca. 880 Ma, and the sequence was intruded by the Lusaka Granite at ca. 820 Ma, providing lower and upper limits on the age of sedimentation. Whole-rock Nd isotopic signatures of these volcanics indicate that they formed as a result of assimilation and recycling of basement gneisses, probably during crustal thinning and extension. We uphold the correlation between the ZSC and the Roan Group in the Zambian Copperbelt and suggest that both successions formed in discrete rift basins along the southern margin of the Congo-Tanzania-Bangweulu (CTB) Craton; however, extension at this time probably did not result in complete continental separation. If the CTB Craton were an integral part of Rodinia, then rifting at ca. 880 Ma would represent one of the first known records of attempted breakup of the supercontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Southern Irumide Belt (SIB) is a structurally and metamorphically complex region of mainly Mesoproterozoic igneous rocks in southern and eastern Zambia, northern Mozambique and northern Malawi that was strongly overprinted in the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Damara-Lufilian-Zambezi (DLZ) orogeny. Because of the scarcity of geological data from this region, little is known about the timing of tectonomagmatic events; however, this belt has traditionally been considered to be a southerly continuation of the adjacent Irumide Belt (IB). Here we provide 27 new U-Pb sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon ages that constrain the Paleoproterozoic to Cambrian tectonomagmatic history of this belt and which, for the first time, allow for direct comparison with the adjoining IB. The SIB is floored by a predominantly late Paleoproterozoic basement, which was intruded by voluminous continental margin arc-related magmas between 1.09 and 1.04 Ga and accompanied by high-temperature/low-pressure metamorphism. In contrast, the IB is floored by a late Paleoproterozoic basement that is generally older than 2.0 Ga, contains significant mid-Mesoproterozoic plutonic rocks that are not present within the SIB, and underwent moderate-pressure/moderate-temperature compressional metamorphism and S-type granitoid magmatism at circa 1.02 Ga. These data indicate that the crust underlying the SIB is not a continuation of that underlying the IB but represents an allocthonous continental margin arc terrane juxtaposed against the Congo-Tanzania-Bangweulu Craton during the late Mesoproterozoic Irumide orogeny. Reworking and shearing of the SIB occurred during the DLZ orogen, resulting in the present-day architecture as a series of stacked terranes which have been exploited by voluminous posttectonic granitoid batholiths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacific salmon develop many sexually dimorphic features at maturity, and the extent of development varies among populations. In this study, we compared a suite of traits including body length, body depth, jaw length, tooth size and skin mass in male and female sockeye salmon breeding in beach and creek habitats. Both tooth size and skin mass varied positively with body length. Within each of the breeding habitats, males had longer teeth than females, and within each sex, beach spawners had longer teeth than creek spawners. Males also had heavier skin than females in each habitat but, unlike the case with tooth size, creek spawners showed a much stronger relationship between skin mass and body length than did beach spawners. Tooth length was positively related to jaw length and skin mass among individuals within a given sex and habitat. Taken together, these results suggested that variation in tooth size parallels variation in other sexually dimorphic traits. Males and beach spawners tend to exhibit large trait values relative to females and creek spawners, and ‘well-endowed’ individuals displayed high values of all traits rather than a trade-off as might occur if investment in one trait compromised investment in others. However, the finding that creek fish tended to have thicker skin for a given body length than did beach fish suggested that factors other than merely defense against conspecifics during battle, such as abrasion and desiccation resistance in small streams, may influence the evolution of skin mass in mature sockeye salmon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kadunguri Whiteschists are a group of talc- and kyanite-bearing lithologies that occur in the Chewore Inliers from the Zambezi Belt of northern Zimbabwe. They crop out on the southern margin of the Chewore Ophiolite Terrane, a Mesoproterozoic ophiolite and island arc, as a 5 km × 1·5 km, southeasterly dipping, semi-continuous block, and contain the second known natural occurrence of yoderite. Major element analyses define the whiteschists within the relatively simple MFASH system. Major and trace element analyses indicate that the whiteschists originate from the metasomatic alteration of alkalic ocean-island-type metabasalts similar to those in the underlying Ophiolite Terrane. Synmetamorphic or metasomatic mineral parageneses indicate peak P–T conditions of between 13 and 15 kbar at 550–600°C, and the highly oxidizing nature of all reactions indicates the presence of a high fO2 metasomatic fluid. The peak P–T conditions require that this synmetamorphic, exotic metasomatic fluid was available at depths near 55 km. The age of high-pressure metamorphism is constrained within the Pan African tectonothermal cycle at 550–520 Ma. Tectonometamorphism in the Zambezi Belt is related to a period of extensive crustal thickening possibly related to amalgamation of Gondwanaland. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper we tackle some of the outstanding problems of the Himalaya, in particular the external zone in the Kathmandu Complex, using an integrated approach involving field mapping, microstructure, thermobarometry, and geochronology. The result is a new model showing the evolution of one major Main Central Thrust: therefore we refute suggestions that the Kathmandu Complex is a klippe or separate thrust sheet. Compared to the Main Central Thrust sheet in the High Himalaya, the Kathmandu Complex shows differences in deformational and metamorphic features and timing of metamorphism that are consistent with its position some 100 km south of the High Himalaya, fairly near the leading edge. Unless there was substantial volume loss between the time of peak metamorphism and the beginning of thrusting then our geobarometry results indicate that the Main Central Thrust wedge was ∼40 km thick on the northern side of the Kathmandu Complex and <20 km thick on the southern margin. Initiation of the Main Central Thrust occurred at ∼22 Ma, possibly during the closing stages of peak amphibolite facies metamorphism; slip at elevated temperature (500°-600°C) continued until ∼14 Ma. This is a little longer than has previously been proposed. In marked contrast to the famous inverted metamorphism on the Main Central Thrust in the High Himalaya, the metamorphic zonal scheme in the Kathmandu Complex is right way up with the exception of a thin zone of greenschist facies thrust related dynamically metamorphosed rocks at the base. These mylonites postdate the high-grade regional amphibolite metamorphism and give an illusion of inverted metamorphism. A likely reason for the contrast is that the Main Central Thrust cut up section toward the foreland and therefore at Kathmandu, carries high levels in the metamorphic structure. Our model involves reactivation of the Main Central Thrust at 7-8 Ma as inferred from published monazite and mica ages, but because the Kathmandu rocks show no evidence for high-temperature reactivation at this time, we presume that the late reactivation involved only the internal High Himalaya zone while the Main Central Thrust was inactive in the external Kathmandu zone. We attempt to quantify rates of cooling, exhumation and thrusting during time period 22 Ma to the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To further evaluate the activity of irinotecan (CPT-11) plus 1,3-bis-(chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) in the treatment of central nervous system tumor-derived xenografts in athymic nude mice.Methods: We report studies evaluating the schedule-dependence of this regimen in the treatment of the malignant glioma xenograft D-54 MG.Results: The combination of BCNU and CPT-11 showed the highest enhancement index (2.0-3.3) when BCNU was given on day 1 and CPT-11 was given on days 1-5 and 8-12. Delay of CPT-11 administration to day 3 or day 5 substantially decreased activity with enhancement indices of 1.6-1.8 and 0.6-1.0, respectively. Delay of BCNU administration to day 8 also reduced the CPT-11 activity with enhancement indices of 1.2-1.4.Conclusions: These results suggest that the presence of a BCNU-induced adduct or possibly crosslink prior to administration of CPT-11 is critical for enhanced activity. Although the mechanism of this enhancement is not currently known, a phase I trial of CPT-11 plus BCNU for adults with recurrent malignant glioma based on these results is in progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manual effort required to convert sequential computational mechanics programs into a useful, scalable parallel form is considerable. Tools that can assist in the conversion process are clearly required. Computer aided parallelisation tools (CAPTools) have been developed to generate efficient parallel code for real world structured grid application codes such as Computational Fluid Dynamics. Automatable single-program multi-data (SPMD) overlapping domain decomposition (DD) techniques established for structured grid codes have been adapted by the authors to manually parallelise unstructured mesh applications. Inspector loops have been used to provide generic techniques for the run-time support necessary to extend the capabilities of CAPTools to automatic implementation of SPMD DD techniques in the parallelisation of unstructured mesh codes. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renin activity, renin substrate, and angiotensin II concentration were measured in the aortic and coronary sinus blood of 14 patients. There was a significant gradient for angiotensin II only. The gradient was diminished in areas of ischaemic myocardium. The study suggests that angiotensin II is partially bound, extracted, or destroyed in the coronary circulation of man. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Soluble proteins derived from a centrifuged and filtered granule-rich fraction of homogenized rat submandibular gland were analyzed by gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Both the granule-rich fraction and final supernatant fraction contained alkaline esterase activity. The major protein component, derived from granules of the convoluted tubules, was further resolved into a series of peptides ranging in molecular weight from 9,000 to 55,000 daltons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which examined the liminal angle of a plagiogeotropic organ of the pepper plant, Capsicum annuum, under a weightless state. The liminal angle refers to the angle between the plumb line and the plant organ. But in this study, the liminal angle refers to the angle between the leaf or stem and the plumb line. Incandescent lamps provided illumination for the plants and photography. The maximum allowable height for the plants and their containers was only 4 inches. On disassembly, it was observed that the orbital weightlessness produced a significant leaf epinasty in all of the plants.

Far-red radiation was found to elicit responses in the Marglobe tomato grown in the greenhouse in winter similar to those observed in Marglobe plants grown under natural summer conditions: a). Far-red inhibited cell elongation of the stem. b). Summer induced leaf malformations could be duplicated by far-red radiation of winter-grown plants. c). Young fruit enlargement was inhibited by far-red. d). Abscission of first formed flowers was accelerated while abscission of later formed flowers was reduced by far-red, e. Far-red radiation of flowers resulted in unfertilized fruits. The qualitative aspects of radiation, particularly red and far-red types of irradiation are believed to be implicated in the summer-induced condition of dormancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]