Venus: detailed mapping of maxwell montes region

From October 1983 to July 1984, the north hemisphere of Venus, from latitude 30 degrees to latitude 90 degrees , was mapped by means of the radar imagers and altimeters of the spacecraft Venera 15 and Venera 16. This report presents the results of the radar mapping of the Maxwell Montes region, one of the most interesting features of Venus' surface. A radar mosaic map and contour map have been compiled.     

Pesticide resistance via transposition-mediated adaptive gene truncation in Drosophila

To study adaptation, it is essential to identify multiple adaptive mutations and to characterize their molecular, phenotypic, selective, and ecological consequences. Here we describe a genomic screen for adaptive insertions of transposable elements in Drosophila. Using a pilot application of this screen, we have identified an adaptive transposable element insertion, which truncates a gene and apparently generates a functional protein in the process. The insertion of this transposable element confers increased resistance to an organophosphate pesticide and has spread in D. melanogaster recently.     

Assessing the biological activity of oil-contaminated soddy-podzolic soils with different textures

The respiratory activity features in oil-contaminated soddy-podzolic soils of different textures have been studied. Unidirectional processes occur in contaminated loamy and loamy sandy soddy-podzolic soils; their intensities depend on the soil parameters. The mineralization rates of the oil products and the activity of the microflora in loamy soils exceed the corresponding parameters for loamy sandy soils. The long-term impact of oil and its transformation products results in more important disturbances of the microbial community in light soils. It has been shown that light soils containing 9% oil require longer time periods or more intensive remediation measures for the restoration of soil microbial cenoses disturbed by the pollutant.     

Comment on "Nonreciprocal light propagation in a silicon photonic circuit"

We show that the structure demonstrated by Feng et al. (Reports, 5 August 2011, p. 729) cannot enable optical isolation because it possesses a symmetric scattering matrix. Moreover, one cannot construct an optical isolator by incorporating this structure into any system as long as the system is linear and time-independent and is described by materials with a scalar dielectric function.     

Influence of topically applied cold treatment on core temperature and cell viability in equine superficial digital flexor tendons

OBJECTIVE: To determine rate and degree of cooling for the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) during a standard cryotherapy application in horses and evaluate in vitro effects of cooling on survival of tendon cells. SAMPLE POPULATION: 6 limbs of 5 adult horses and cultured cells obtained from SDFT of 3 adult horses during necropsy. PROCEDURE: In vivo data were acquired by use of a thermocouple temperature probe inserted into the SDFT of a forelimb of each standing sedated horse. After baseline temperatures were recorded, a commercial compression splint with circulating coolant was placed on each selected limb, which was then exposed to cold treatment for 60 minutes. Temperatures were recorded at 30-second intervals. Mean minimum core temperature was calculated and used to design a protocol for in vitro cold treatment of cells. Specimens were obtained from the SDFT of horses during necropsy; tendon cells were cultured in suspension and exposed to 1-hour of cold treatment that mimicked the in vivo procedure. Viability of cells after cold treatment was compared with viability of cells maintained at body temperature. RESULTS: After 1 hour of cold treatment, SDFT core temperature was reduced by a mean of 21.8 degrees C, reaching a mean minimum temperature of 10 degrees C. Viability did not differ significantly between cold-treated and control cells. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that topical application of cryotherapy significantly reduced core SDFT temperature in standing sedated horses. Temperatures achieved in vivo during cold treatment were not detrimental to the in vitro viability of tendon cells.     

Chemical structure of terrestrial humus materials formed from different vegetation characterized by solid-state 13C NMR with CP-MAS techniques

Eleven samples of terrestrial humus from different vegetational backgrounds were examined with solid-state ¹³C NMR using cross-polarization and magic-angle spinning (CP-MAS). In addition, all the samples were run with a dipolar dephasing pulse sequence for non-quarternary carbon suppression (NQS). The humus samples all appeared to contain small amounts of aromatic substances and larger amounts of aliphatic compounds. Most of the samples contained considerable amounts of hydroxyl groups and acetals, which originate mainly from carbohydrates. No correlations were found between vegetational background and chemical structure.