Melt inclusions in veins: linking magmas and porphyry Cu deposits

At a porphyry copper-gold deposit in Bajo de la Alumbrera, Argentina, silicate-melt inclusions coexist with hypersaline liquid- and vapor-rich inclusions in the earliest magmatic-hydrothermal quartz veins. Copper concentrations of the hypersaline liquid and vapor inclusions reached maxima of 10.0 weight % (wt %) and 4.5 wt %, respectively. These unusually copper-rich inclusions are considered to be the most primitive ore fluid found thus far. Their preservation with coexisting melt allows for the direct quantification of important oreforming processes, including determination of bulk partition coefficients of metals from magma into ore-forming magmatic volatile phases.     

Odor-mediated push-pull pollination in cycads

The reproductive organs of some plants self-heat, release scent, and attract pollinators. The relations among these processes are not well understood, especially in the more ancient, nonflowering gymnosperm lineages. We describe the influence of plant volatiles in an obligate pollination mutualism between an Australian Macrozamia cycad (a gymnosperm with male and female individuals) and its specialist thrips pollinator, Cycadothrips chadwicki. Pollen-laden thrips leave male cycad cones en masse during the daily thermogenic phase, when cone temperatures and volatile emissions increase dramatically and thrips are repelled. As thermogenesis declines, total volatile emissions diminish and cones attract thrips, resulting in pollination of female cones. Behavioral and electrophysiological tests on thrips reveal that variations in b-myrcene and ocimene emissions by male and female cones are sufficient to explain the observed sequential thrips' repellence (push) and attraction (pull). These dynamic interactions represent complex adaptations that enhance the likelihood of pollination and may reflect an intermediate state in the evolution of biotic pollination.     

Behavioral sequences during dominance hierarchy formation in chickens

Dominance hierarchies near linearity (containing mostly transitive and few intransitive triads) are common in many species. Analysis of the possible sequences for forming dominance relationships shows that two ensure transitivity, and two others produce either transitive or intransitive triads. Experiments with chickens show that in groups of three and four they most often use the two sequences that ensure transitivity and thus linear hierarchies. Examination of such sequences may help explain the formation of near linear hierarchies in other species.     

Renal adenyl cyclase: anatomically separate sites for parathyroid hormone and vasopressin

Adenyl cyclase from plasma membrane fractions of rat renal cortex or medulla was assayed by measuring conversion of adenosine triphosphate labeled at the alpha-phosphate with (32)P to cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate labeled with 32P. Parathyroid hormone activated the enzyme primarily in cortex; vasopressin acted primarily in medulla. These experiments support the conclusion that cyclic adenosine monophosphate mediates the action of parathyroid hormone on the kidney and show that parathyroid hormone and vasopressin stimulate adenyl cyclase at anatomically separable areas within the kidney.     

Improved surface temperature prediction for the coming decade from a global climate model

Previous climate model projections of climate change accounted for external forcing from natural and anthropogenic sources but did not attempt to predict internally generated natural variability. We present a new modeling system that predicts both internal variability and externally forced changes and hence forecasts surface temperature with substantially improved skill throughout a decade, both globally and in many regions. Our system predicts that internal variability will partially offset the anthropogenic global warming signal for the next few years. However, climate will continue to warm, with at least half of the years after 2009 predicted to exceed the warmest year currently on record.