Flood volcanism in the northern high latitudes of Mercury revealed by MESSENGER

MESSENGER observations from Mercury orbit reveal that a large contiguous expanse of smooth plains covers much of Mercury's high northern latitudes and occupies more than 6% of the planet's surface area. These plains are smooth, embay other landforms, are distinct in color, show several flow features, and partially or completely bury impact craters, the sizes of which indicate plains thicknesses of more than 1 kilometer and multiple phases of emplacement. These characteristics, as well as associated features, interpreted to have formed by thermal erosion, indicate emplacement in a flood-basalt style, consistent with x-ray spectrometric data indicating surface compositions intermediate between those of basalts and komatiites. The plains formed after the Caloris impact basin, confirming that volcanism was a globally extensive process in Mercury's post-heavy bombardment era.     

Bacteriophage structure: determination of head-tail symmetry mismatch for Caulobacter crescentus phage phiCbK

Electron micrographs of negatively stained bacteriophage [unknown]CbK have been analyzed by Fourier methods. Computer-calculated Fourier transforms that contain phase as well as magnitude information have established fivefold rotational symmetry for the head and threefold rotational symmetry for the tail. These results indicate that a symmetry match is not necessarily required between separate structural components of a bacteriophage.     

Interspecific differences in dead plant buffering capacity alter the impact of acid rain on decomposition rates in tidal marshes

Simulated acid rain did not alter respiration rates of microbial associations on dead Spartina alterniora from Delaware salt marshes or on dead Carex lyngbyei from Oregon brackish marshes. Since these dead plant-microbe associations have a strong buffering capacity for acid rain, the microbial associations did not experience a low pH. In contrast, Phragmites australis has a low buffering capacity and microbial respiration was reduced at least 25 % by acid rain. When dead plant-microbe associations from freshwater marshes and various terrestrial plant populations were immersed in simulated acid rain, the rain water equilibrated at pH's from 3.9 to 5.0 and were characteristic of the various species. The different buffering capacities of such dead plant-microbe associations may explain the inconsistent results published from decomposition studies and may serve as a quick and easy method of assessing the probable impact of acidic deposition on decomposition processes.     

Degradation of almond pellicle color coordinates at different storage temperatures

The pellicle or seed coat of almond kernels is subject to darkening during long-term storage and may affect the marketability of the stored product. Environmental conditions during storage and genetic factors both affect the extent of darkening during the storage period. The degree of pellicle color change of five distinct almond accessions was examined during long-term storage at 2, 22 and 32 °C. Pellicle luminosity, chroma and hue angle were measured on 12 dates throughout an 11-month storage period. An ANCOVA was used, with storage temperature being a covariate, to examine the relative differences in luminosity, chroma and hue angle during the storage progression. A comparison of weighted simple linear regression equations was used to distinguish between different rates of pellicle color coordinate degradation during the storage period. When averaged across the three storage temperatures, almond accession Padre consistently had significantly lower pellicle luminosity and chroma values throughout the storage period as compared with the other four almond accessions (p ≤ 0.05). While pellicle hue angle values of Padre were significantly lower than those of Nonpareil at the start of the test (p ≤ 0.05), Nonpareil's pellicle hue angles were significantly lower than those of Padre at the end of the storage period (p ≤ 0.05). Almond accession Nonpareil had the largest percentage decrease of the five almond accessions for pellicle luminosity (36.9%) and hue angle (12.5%). Regression analysis revealed significant differences in degradation rates of pellicle luminosity and chroma at all three storage temperatures (p ≤ 0.05), but significant differences in pellicle hue angle degradation were only evident at the lowest storage temperature (p ≤ 0.05).     

The Research about the Variation of Meadow Types and the Conversion of Meadow Structure around

以青海湖流域草地为研究对象，对草地类型数量、质量和结构演替进行分析，结果表明：1）流域内草地系统内部结构发生变化，草地系统严重失调，草地退化十分严重，研究期内，草地总面积面积减少413.9 km2，其动态度为2.16%。2）人类不合理利用和气候环境的变化，青海湖流域草地类型结构向破坏生态平衡的退化性方向演替，草地生态系统结构的受损，导致系统功能紊乱，使系统自维持力、生产力和抗干扰力等功能降低，使系统朝着不利于人类发展的方向演化。     

Restructuring and Well-Being in the Non-Metropolitan Pacific Northwest

This paper shows how social and economic change impact well-being in Pacific Northwest counties from 1970–1990. Economic and social well-being, measured as income growth and low income inequality, are modeled using net migration data and measures of social and economic restructuring. In the 1970s there is an inverse relationship between population growth and income growth, while during both decades the retail sector contributes to income growth. Amenity or urban-adjacent counties show the most growth, in both population and employment, but also have the greatest income inequality. Several factors contributing to income growth also contribute to greater income inequality. Migration flows for each decade also illustrate the associations between restructuring, well-being, and population growth. Populations in counties with net out-migration over both decades are aging, but show greater income growth and lower inequality in the 1970s followed by lower income growth in the 1980s. Net in-migration over both decades is associated with lower income growth and greater inequality in the 1970s, but these counties are substantially better off economically in the 1980s and they maintain a balanced age structure through migration of different age cohorts over the two decades. This research provides needed work on the connections between social and economic change in the context of the Pacific Northwest.     

The characterization of cycad palm toxicosis and treatment effects in 130 dogs

The purpose of this retrospective study is to characterize the clinical signs, laboratory values, treatment modalities and mortality outcomes related to cycad palm toxicosis in dogs and to identify medical interventions that potentially correlate with mortality. Dogs with confirmed cycad palm ingestion were identified by reviewing medical records from two private veterinary referral centres for key terms and phrases indicative of cycad palm toxicosis. Of 130 dogs included, 107 (82.3%) presented with clinical signs. A total of 2 (1.5%) died and 14 (10.8%) were euthanized. Diarrhea, lethargy and mortality were all associated with an elevated initial alanine transaminase (ALT) concentration. Overall mortality was 12.3%, with a significantly higher proportion of dogs with an ALT concentration <125 U/L surviving compared to dogs with an elevated ALT concentration. Treatment with activated charcoal reduced the odds of death among all dogs by 82% and was even more protective among dogs with an elevated initial ALT concentration. Among dogs that had an initial platelet count performed, the presence of thrombocytopenia (<200,000/μL) was a negative prognostic indicator and was associated with a significant increase in mortality. Given the high mortality rates reported for cycad palm toxicosis, it is imperative to identify early clinical indicators of mortality as well as treatments that reduce mortality.     

Evaluation of the zoonotic potential of Giardia duodenalis in fecal samples from dogs and cats in Ontario

This study determined the distribution and zoonotic potential of Giardia duodenalis assemblage types among canine and feline fecal samples from Ontario. The effectiveness of Giardia assemblage typing methods by sequencing the genes of small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssu-rRNA), β-giardin (bg), glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), and triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) was evaluated simultaneously. From 2008 to 2010, 118 canine and 15 feline Giardia positive fecal samples were tested. The ssu-rRNA sequencing method typed 64% (75/118) and 87% (13/15) of the Giardia-positive canine and feline samples, respectively. Among the typeable samples, 68% (51/75) of canine samples contained G. duodenalis assemblage D and 31% (23/75) contained G. duodenalis assemblage C (both non-zoonotic assemblage types). Only 1% (1/75) of the typeable canine samples contained a potentially zoonotic assemblage B. In contrast, 100% (13/13) of the typeable feline samples contained potentially zoonotic assemblages A (n = 12) or B (n = 1).