The earliest herbivorous marine reptile and its remarkable jaw apparatus.

PubMed

Chun, Li; Rieppel, Olivier; Long, Cheng; Fraser, Nicholas C

2016-05-01

Newly discovered fossils of the Middle Triassic reptile Atopodentatus unicus call for a radical reassessment of its feeding behavior. The skull displays a pronounced hammerhead shape that was hitherto unknown. The long, straight anterior edges of both upper and lower jaws were lined with batteries of chisel-shaped teeth, whereas the remaining parts of the jaw rami supported densely packed needle-shaped teeth forming a mesh. The evidence indicates a novel feeding mechanism wherein the chisel-shaped teeth were used to scrape algae off the substrate, and the plant matter that was loosened was filtered from the water column through the more posteriorly positioned tooth mesh. This is the oldest record of herbivory within marine reptiles.

A diverse mammal-dominated, footprint assemblage from wetland deposits in the Lower Cretaceous of Maryland.

PubMed

Stanford, Ray; Lockley, Martin G; Tucker, Compton; Godfrey, Stephen; Stanford, Sheila M

2018-01-31

A newly discovered assemblage of predominantly small tracks from the Cretaceous Patuxent Formation at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, reveals one of the highest track densities and diversities ever reported (~70 tracks, representing at least eight morphotypes from an area of only ~2 m 2 ). The assemblage is dominated by small mammal tracks including the new ichnotxon Sederipes goddardensis, indicating sitting postures. Small crow-sized theropod trackways, the first from this unit, indicate social trackmakers and suggest slow-paced foraging behavior. Tracks of pterosaurs, and other small vertebrates suggest activity on an organic-rich substrate. Large well-preserved sauropod and nodosaurs tracks indicate the presence of large dinosaurs. The Patuxent Formation together with the recently reported Angolan assemblage comprise the world's two largest Mesozoic mammal footprint assemblages. The high density of footprint registration at the NASA site indicates special preservational and taphonomic conditions. These include early, penecontemporaneous deposition of siderite in organic rich, reducing wetland settings where even the flesh of body fossils can be mummified. Thus, the track-rich ironstone substrates of the Patuxent Formation, appear to preserve a unique vertebrate ichnofacies, with associated, exceptionally-preserved body fossil remains for which there are currently no other similar examples preserved in the fossil record.

The first Neanderthal remains from an open-air Middle Palaeolithic site in the Levant.

PubMed

Been, Ella; Hovers, Erella; Ekshtain, Ravid; Malinski-Buller, Ariel; Agha, Nuha; Barash, Alon; Mayer, Daniella E Bar-Yosef; Benazzi, Stefano; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Levin, Lihi; Greenbaum, Noam; Mitki, Netta; Oxilia, Gregorio; Porat, Naomi; Roskin, Joel; Soudack, Michalle; Yeshurun, Reuven; Shahack-Gross, Ruth; Nir, Nadav; Stahlschmidt, Mareike C; Rak, Yoel; Barzilai, Omry

2017-06-07

The late Middle Palaeolithic (MP) settlement patterns in the Levant included the repeated use of caves and open landscape sites. The fossil record shows that two types of hominins occupied the region during this period-Neandertals and Homo sapiens. Until recently, diagnostic fossil remains were found only at cave sites. Because the two populations in this region left similar material cultural remains, it was impossible to attribute any open-air site to either species. In this study, we present newly discovered fossil remains from intact archaeological layers of the open-air site 'Ein Qashish, in northern Israel. The hominin remains represent three individuals: EQH1, a nondiagnostic skull fragment; EQH2, an upper right third molar (RM 3 ); and EQH3, lower limb bones of a young Neandertal male. EQH2 and EQH3 constitute the first diagnostic anatomical remains of Neandertals at an open-air site in the Levant. The optically stimulated luminescence ages suggest that Neandertals repeatedly visited 'Ein Qashish between 70 and 60 ka. The discovery of Neandertals at open-air sites during the late MP reinforces the view that Neandertals were a resilient population in the Levant shortly before Upper Palaeolithic Homo sapiens populated the region.

Investigating the stratigraphy and palaeoenvironments for a suite of newly discovered mid-Cretaceous vertebrate fossil-localities in the Winton Formation, Queensland, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Ryan T.; Roberts, Eric M.; Darlington, Vikie; Salisbury, Steven W.

2017-08-01

The Winton Formation of central Queensland is recognized as a quintessential source of mid-Cretaceous terrestrial faunas and floras in Australia. However, sedimentological investigations linking fossil assemblages and palaeoenvironments across this unit remain limited. The intent of this study was to interpret depositional environments and improve stratigraphic correlations between multiple fossil localities within the preserved Winton Formation in the Eromanga Basin, including Isisford, Lark Quarry, and Bladensburg National Park. Twenty-three facies and six repeated facies associations were documented, indicating a mosaic of marginal marine to inland alluvial depositional environments. These developed synchronously with the final regression of the Eromanga Seaway from central Australia during the late Albian-early Turonian. Investigations of regional- and local-scale structural features and outcrop, core and well analysis were combined with detrital zircon provenance signatures to help correlate stratigraphy and vertebrate faunas across the basin. Significant palaeoenvironmental differences exist between the lower and upper portions of the preserved Winton Formation, warranting informal subdivisions; a lower tidally influenced fluvial-deltaic member and an upper inland alluvial member. This work further demonstrates that the Isisford fauna is part of the lower member of the preserved Winton Formation; whereas, fossil localities around Winton, including Lark Quarry and Bladensburg National Park, are part of the upper member of the Winton Formation. These results permit a more meaningful framework for both regional and global comparisons of the Winton flora and fauna.

The earliest herbivorous marine reptile and its remarkable jaw apparatus

PubMed Central

Chun, Li; Rieppel, Olivier; Long, Cheng; Fraser, Nicholas C.

2016-01-01

Newly discovered fossils of the Middle Triassic reptile Atopodentatus unicus call for a radical reassessment of its feeding behavior. The skull displays a pronounced hammerhead shape that was hitherto unknown. The long, straight anterior edges of both upper and lower jaws were lined with batteries of chisel-shaped teeth, whereas the remaining parts of the jaw rami supported densely packed needle-shaped teeth forming a mesh. The evidence indicates a novel feeding mechanism wherein the chisel-shaped teeth were used to scrape algae off the substrate, and the plant matter that was loosened was filtered from the water column through the more posteriorly positioned tooth mesh. This is the oldest record of herbivory within marine reptiles. PMID:27386529

Un nouveau crâne humain fossile dans le dôme de Sangiran (Java, Indonésie)A recently discovered fossil human skull from the Sangiran dome (Java, Indonesia).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widianto, Harry; Grimaud-Hervé, Dominique

2000-06-01

The study of new human remains discovered at the Grogol Wetan hamlet, in the Kabuh layers of the Sangiran stratigraphy dated between 0.8 and 0.25 million years, allows us to show morphological characters very similar to those observed on the other hominids of the same stratigraphical layers of this site. So, we can attribute this human fossil to this very homogeneous population of asiatic Homo erectus.

Secrets of the Past.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naturescope, 1987

1987-01-01

Provides background information on how scientists have learned about the history of the Earth, including studying fossils, dating rocks, and tracing geological movements. Included are teaching activities about prehistoric animals, state fossils, tracing animal movement and evolution, and discovering fossils. Contains reproducible handouts and…

Discovering Hominins - Application of Medical Computed Tomography (CT) to Fossil-Bearing Rocks from the Site of Malapa, South Africa.

PubMed

Smilg, Jacqueline S; Berger, Lee R

2015-01-01

In the South African context, computed tomography (CT) has been used applied to individually prepared fossils and small rocks containing fossils, but has not been utilized on large breccia blocks as a means of discovering fossils, and particularly fossil hominins. Previous attempts at CT imaging of rocks from other South African sites for this purpose yielded disappointing results. For this study, 109 fossil- bearing rocks from the site of Malapa, South Africa were scanned with medical CT prior to manual preparation. The resultant images were assessed for accuracy of fossil identification and characterization against the standard of manual preparation. The accurate identification of fossils, including those of early hominins, that were not visible on the surface of individual blocks, is shown to be possible. The discovery of unexpected fossils is reduced, thus lowering the potential that fossils could be damaged through accidental encounter during routine preparation, or even entirely missed. This study should significantly change the way fossil discovery, recovery and preparation is done in the South African context and has potential for application in other palaeontological situations. Medical CT imaging is shown to be reliable, readily available, cost effective and accurate in finding fossils within matrix conglomerates. Improvements in CT equipment and in CT image quality are such that medical CT is now a viable imaging modality for this palaeontological application.

Discovering Hominins - Application of Medical Computed Tomography (CT) to Fossil-Bearing Rocks from the Site of Malapa, South Africa

PubMed Central

Smilg, Jacqueline S.; Berger, Lee R.

2015-01-01

In the South African context, computed tomography (CT) has been used applied to individually prepared fossils and small rocks containing fossils, but has not been utilized on large breccia blocks as a means of discovering fossils, and particularly fossil hominins. Previous attempts at CT imaging of rocks from other South African sites for this purpose yielded disappointing results. For this study, 109 fossil- bearing rocks from the site of Malapa, South Africa were scanned with medical CT prior to manual preparation. The resultant images were assessed for accuracy of fossil identification and characterization against the standard of manual preparation. The accurate identification of fossils, including those of early hominins, that were not visible on the surface of individual blocks, is shown to be possible. The discovery of unexpected fossils is reduced, thus lowering the potential that fossils could be damaged through accidental encounter during routine preparation, or even entirely missed. This study should significantly change the way fossil discovery, recovery and preparation is done in the South African context and has potential for application in other palaeontological situations. Medical CT imaging is shown to be reliable, readily available, cost effective and accurate in finding fossils within matrix conglomerates. Improvements in CT equipment and in CT image quality are such that medical CT is now a viable imaging modality for this palaeontological application. PMID:26684299

Ediacara Fossils

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Teacher, 2005

2005-01-01

Now, a research team from Virginia Tech and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology has discovered uniquely well-preserved fossil forms from 550-million-year-old rocks of the Ediacaran Period. The research appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The discovery of these unusually preserved fossils reveals unprecedented…

Grooves to tubes: evolution of the venom delivery system in a Late Triassic "reptile"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Jonathan S.; Heckert, Andrew B.; Sues, Hans-Dieter

2010-12-01

Venom delivery systems occur in a wide range of extant and fossil vertebrates and are primarily based on oral adaptations. Teeth range from unmodified (Komodo dragons) to highly specialized fangs similar to hypodermic needles (protero- and solenoglyphous snakes). Developmental biologists have documented evidence for an infolding pathway of fang evolution, where the groove folds over to create the more derived condition. However, the oldest known members of venomous clades retain the same condition as their extant relatives, resulting in no fossil evidence for the transition. Based on a comparison of previously known specimens with newly discovered teeth from North Carolina, we describe a new species of the Late Triassic archosauriform Uatchitodon and provide detailed analyses that provide evidence for both venom conduction and document a complete structural series from shallow grooves to fully enclosed tubular canals. While known only from teeth, Uatchitodon is highly diagnostic in possessing compound serrations and for having two venom canals on each tooth in the dentition. Further, although not a snake, Uatchitodon sheds light on the evolutionary trajectory of venom delivery systems in amniotes and provide solid evidence for venom conduction in archosaur-line diapsids.

What's in the Biota Bag? Examining Australian Fossil Biota.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Rooy, Wilhelmina

2002-01-01

Describes a classroom activity in which candy is used to represent some Australian fossils with students asked to examine specimens and locate on a map of Australia where it might have been discovered. (Author/MM)

Early primate evolution in Afro-Arabia.

PubMed

Seiffert, Erik R

2012-11-01

The peculiar mammalian fauna that inhabited Afro-Arabia during the Paleogene first came to the attention of the scientific community in the early part of the twentieth century, when Andrews1 and Schlosser2 published their landmark descriptions of fossil mammals from the Fayum Depression in northern Egypt. Their studies revealed a highly endemic assemblage of land mammals that included the first known Paleogene records of hyraxes, proboscideans, and anthropoid primates, but which lacked ancestors of many iconic mammalian lineages that are found in Africa today, such as rhinos, zebras, bovids, giraffes, and cats. Over the course of the last century, the Afro-Arabian Paleogene has yielded fossil remains of several other endemic mammalian lineages,3 as well as a diversity of prosimian primates,4 but we are only just beginning to understand how the continent's faunal composition came to be, through ancient processes such as the movement of tectonic plates, changes in climate and sea level, and early phylogenetic splits among the major groups of placental mammals. These processes, in turn, made possible chance dispersal events that were critical in determining the competitive landscape--and, indeed, the survival--of our earliest anthropoid ancestors. Newly discovered fossils indicate that the persistence and later diversification of Anthropoidea was not an inevitable result of the clade's competitive isolation or adaptive superiority, as has often been assumed, but rather was as much due to the combined influences of serendipitous geographic conditions, global cooling, and competition with a group of distantly related extinct strepsirrhines with anthropoid-like adaptations known as adapiforms. Many of the important details of this story would not be known, and could never have been predicted, without the fossil evidence that has recently been unearthed by field paleontologists. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Discovering Fossils--A Hands-on Lab.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Alan

2002-01-01

Describes fossil investigations developed and provided by the Falls of the Ohio State Park near Louisville, Kentucky. The Devonian shale beds contain representatives of over 600 species including corals, sponges, brachiopods, mollusks, and echinoderms. Rather than focusing on identification, the activities emphasize the past ecological…

Magnetic polarity stratigraphy of Inchasi: a Pliocene mammal-bearing locality from the Bolivian Andes deposited just before the Great American Interchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacFadden, Bruce J.; Anaya, Federico; Argollo, Jaime

1993-01-01

The newly discovered section at Inchasi, located about 50 km southeast of Potosi, Bolivia, in the eastern Cordillera, consists of about 120 m of undeformed terrestrial sediments containing fossil mammals. Paleomagnetic analysis of 54 sites indicates a polarity pattern with an estimated duration of about 0.64 Ma. The rich Inchasi local fauna indicates a Montehermosan and/or Chapadmalalan land mammal age (Pliocene). Given these constraints, Inchasi correlates from the interval between the late Gilbert (within the Cochiti subchron) to the early Gauss (within the Mammoth subchron) chrons; that is, between about 4.0 and 3.3 Ma. The distinct lack of North American mammals in the Inchasi local fauna provides some of the first well-calibrated evidence that the Great American Interchange occurred after about 3.0 Ma, as has been previously stated based on other calibrations of the earliest immigrant (Uquian) faunas.

Probing the neutron star spin evolution in the young Small Magellanic Cloud Be/X-ray binary SXP 1062

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, S. B.; Turolla, R.

2012-03-01

The newly discovered Be/X-ray binary in the Small Magellanic Cloud, SXP 1062, provides the first example of a robust association with a supernova remnant (SNR). The short age estimated for the SNR qualifies SXP 1062 as the youngest known source in its class, ?. As such, it allows us to test current models of magnetorotational evolution of neutron stars in a still unexplored regime. Here we discuss possible evolutionary scenarios for SXP 1062 in an attempt to reconcile its long spin period, ?, and short age. Although several options can be considered, like an anomalously long initial period or the presence of a fossil disc, our results indicate that SXP 1062 may host a neutron star born with a large initial magnetic field, typically in excess of ˜ 1014 G, which then decayed to ˜ 1013 G.

Pennsylvanian coniferopsid forests in sabkha facies reveal the nature of seasonal tropical biome

USGS Publications Warehouse

Falcon-Lang, H. J.; Jud, N.A.; John, Nelson W.; DiMichele, W.A.; Chaney, D.S.; Lucas, S.G.

2011-01-01

Pennsylvanian fossil forests are known from hundreds of sites across tropical Pangea, but nearly all comprise remains of humid Coal Forests. Here we report a unique occurrence of seasonally dry vegetation, preserved in growth position along >5 km of strike, in the Pennsylvanian (early Kasimovian, Missourian) of New Mexico (United States). Analyses of stump anatomy, diameter, and spatial density, coupled with observations of vascular traces and associated megaflora, show that this was a deciduous, mixed-age, coniferopsid woodland (~100 trees per hectare) with an open canopy. The coniferopsids colonized coastal sabkha facies and show tree rings, confirming growth under seasonally dry conditions. Such woodlands probably served as the source of coniferopsids that replaced Coal Forests farther east in central Pangea during drier climate phases. Thus, the newly discovered woodland helps unravel biome-scale vegetation dynamics and allows calibration of climate models. ?? 2011 Geological Society of America.

The age of the hominin fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, and the origins of the Middle Stone Age.

PubMed

Richter, Daniel; Grün, Rainer; Joannes-Boyau, Renaud; Steele, Teresa E; Amani, Fethi; Rué, Mathieu; Fernandes, Paul; Raynal, Jean-Paul; Geraads, Denis; Ben-Ncer, Abdelouahed; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; McPherron, Shannon P

2017-06-07

The timing and location of the emergence of our species and of associated behavioural changes are crucial for our understanding of human evolution. The earliest fossil attributed to a modern form of Homo sapiens comes from eastern Africa and is approximately 195 thousand years old, therefore the emergence of modern human biology is commonly placed at around 200 thousand years ago. The earliest Middle Stone Age assemblages come from eastern and southern Africa but date much earlier. Here we report the ages, determined by thermoluminescence dating, of fire-heated flint artefacts obtained from new excavations at the Middle Stone Age site of Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, which are directly associated with newly discovered remains of H. sapiens. A weighted average age places these Middle Stone Age artefacts and fossils at 315 ± 34 thousand years ago. Support is obtained through the recalculated uranium series with electron spin resonance date of 286 ± 32 thousand years ago for a tooth from the Irhoud 3 hominin mandible. These ages are also consistent with the faunal and microfaunal assemblages and almost double the previous age estimates for the lower part of the deposits. The north African site of Jebel Irhoud contains one of the earliest directly dated Middle Stone Age assemblages, and its associated human remains are the oldest reported for H. sapiens. The emergence of our species and of the Middle Stone Age appear to be close in time, and these data suggest a larger scale, potentially pan-African, origin for both.

A Coprolite Mystery: Who Dung It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clary, Renee; Wandersee, James

2011-01-01

Discover the secrets contained in fossilized feces. Few topics in middle school classrooms capture students' enthusiasm and interest as do coprolites. These trace fossils offer classroom opportunities for integrated life and Earth sciences study, a stranger-than-fiction history of science, and an opportunity to solve mysteries. (Contains 8…

Direct medical costs and source of cost differences across the spectrum of cognitive decline: A population-based study

PubMed Central

Leibson, Cynthia L.; Long, Kirsten Hall; Ransom, Jeanine E.; Roberts, Rosebud O.; Hass, Steven L.; Duhig, Amy M.; Smith, Carin Y.; Emerson, Jane A.; Pankratz, V. Shane; Petersen, Ronald C.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Objective cost estimates and source of cost differences are needed across the spectrum of cognition, including cognitively normal (CN), mild-cognitive-impairment (MCI), newly-discovered dementia, and prevalent dementia. METHODS Subjects were a subset of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging stratified-random sampling of Olmsted County, MN, residents aged 70-89 years. A neurologist reviewed provider-linked medical records to identify prevalent-dementia (review date=index). Remaining subjects were invited to participate in prospective clinical/neuropsychological assessments; participants were categorized as CN, MCI, or newly-discovered-dementia (assessment date=index). Costs for medical services/procedures 1-year pre-index (excluding indirect and long-term care costs) were estimated using line-item provider-linked administrative data. We estimated contributions of care-delivery site and comorbid conditions (including and excluding neuropsychiatric diagnoses) to between-category cost differences. RESULTS Annual mean medical costs for CN, MCI, newly-discovered-dementia, and prevalent-dementia were $6,042, $6,784, $9,431, $11,678 respectively. Hospital inpatient costs contributed 70% of total costs for prevalent dementia and accounted for differences between CN and both prevalent and newly-discovered dementia. Ambulatory costs accounted for differences between CN and MCI. Age-, sex-, education-adjusted differences reached significance for CN versus newly-discovered and prevalent-dementia and for MCI versus prevalent-dementia. After considering all comorbid diagnoses, between-category differences were reduced (e.g., prevalent-dementia minus MCI (from $4,842 to $3,575); newly-discovered-dementia minus CN (from $3,578 to$711). Following exclusion of neuropsychiatric diagnoses from comorbidity adjustment, between-category differences tended to revert to greater differences. CONCLUSIONS Cost estimates did not differ significantly between CN and MCI. Substantial differences between MCI and prevalent dementia reflected high inpatient costs for dementia and appear partly related to co-occurring Mental Disorders. Such comparisons can help inform models aimed at identifying where, when, and for which individuals proposed interventions might be cost-effective. PMID:25858682

NEWLY DISCOVERED PLANETS ORBITING HD 5319, HD 11506, HD 75784 AND HD 10442 FROM THE N2K CONSORTIUM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giguere, Matthew J.; Fischer, Debra A.; Brewer, John M.

2015-01-20

Initially designed to discover short-period planets, the N2K campaign has since evolved to discover new worlds at large separations from their host stars. Detecting such worlds will help determine the giant planet occurrence at semi-major axes beyond the ice line, where gas giants are thought to mostly form. Here we report four newly discovered gas giant planets (with minimum masses ranging from 0.4 to 2.1 M {sub Jup}) orbiting stars monitored as part of the Next 2000 target stars (N2K) Doppler Survey program. Two of these planets orbit stars already known to host planets: HD 5319 and HD 11506. Themore » remaining discoveries reside in previously unknown planetary systems: HD 10442 and HD 75784. The refined orbital period of the inner planet orbiting HD 5319 is 641 days. The newly discovered outer planet orbits in 886 days. The large masses combined with the proximity to a 4:3 mean motion resonance make this system a challenge to explain with current formation and migration theories. HD 11506 has one confirmed planet, and here we confirm a second. The outer planet has an orbital period of 1627.5 days, and the newly discovered inner planet orbits in 223.6 days. A planet has also been discovered orbiting HD 75784 with an orbital period of 341.7 days. There is evidence for a longer period signal; however, several more years of observations are needed to put tight constraints on the Keplerian parameters for the outer planet. Lastly, an additional planet has been detected orbiting HD 10442 with a period of 1043 days.« less

New remains of the enigmatic cetartiodactyl Bugtitherium grandincisivum Pilgrim, 1908, from the upper Oligocene of the Bugti Hills (Balochistan, Pakistan).

PubMed

Métais, Grégoire; Antoine, Pierre-Olivier; Baqri, Syed Rafiqul Hassan; Benammi, Mouloud; Crochet, Jean-Yves; de Franceschi, Dario; Marivaux, Laurent; Welcomme, Jean-Loup

2006-07-01

Newly discovered fossil material of the enigmatic cetartiodactyl Bugtitherium grandincisivum from the upper Oligocene of the Bugti Member of the Chitarwata Formation in the Bugti Hills (Balochistan, Pakistan) is reported. These new specimens consist of two fragmentary muzzles (one preserving the first incisors and belonging to a juvenile) and a fragmentary right mandible with m3. The morphologies of the anterior dentition and m3 provided by these new specimens confirm the validity of the genus Bugtitherium and advocate probable anthracotheriid affinity for the genus rather than entelodontid or suoid affinities, but do not definitively close the debate about Bugtitherium's familial affinities within Cetartiodactyla. Although still poorly documented, this large-sized anthracotheriid-like cetartiodactyl is a possible key form for understanding the early evolution of hippos, and, in turn, the ancestry of whales, because of both its morphological similarities with hippos and primitive Paleogene whales and its Tethysian distribution.

New remains of the enigmatic cetartiodactyl Bugtitherium grandincisivum Pilgrim, 1908, from the upper Oligocene of the Bugti Hills (Balochistan, Pakistan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Métais, Grégoire; Antoine, Pierre-Olivier; Baqri, Syed Rafiqul Hassan; Benammi, Mouloud; Crochet, Jean-Yves; de Franceschi, Dario; Marivaux, Laurent; Welcomme, Jean-Loup

2006-07-01

Newly discovered fossil material of the enigmatic cetartiodactyl Bugtitherium grandincisivum from the upper Oligocene of the Bugti Member of the Chitarwata Formation in the Bugti Hills (Balochistan, Pakistan) is reported. These new specimens consist of two fragmentary muzzles (one preserving the first incisors and belonging to a juvenile) and a fragmentary right mandible with m3. The morphologies of the anterior dentition and m3 provided by these new specimens confirm the validity of the genus Bugtitherium and advocate probable anthracotheriid affinity for the genus rather than entelodontid or suoid affinities, but do not definitively close the debate about Bugtitherium’s familial affinities within Cetartiodactyla. Although still poorly documented, this large-sized anthracotheriid-like cetartiodactyl is a possible key form for understanding the early evolution of hippos, and, in turn, the ancestry of whales, because of both its morphological similarities with hippos and primitive Paleogene whales and its Tethysian distribution.

Mantophasmatodea now in the Jurassic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Di-Ying; Nel, André; Zompro, Oliver; Waller, Alain

2008-10-01

The Mantophasmatodea is the most recently discovered insect order. The fossil records of all other ‘polyneopteran’ orders extend far in the past, but the current absence of pre-Cenozoic fossils of the Mantophasmatodea contradicts a long evolutionary history, which has to be assumed from the morphological distinctness of the group. In this paper, we report the first Mesozoic evidence of a mantophasmatodean from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. Furthermore, the new fossil shares apomorphic characters with Cenozoic and recent Mantophasmatodea, suggesting a longer evolutionary history of this order.

Fossil Find on Svalbard Highlights the Natural History of the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingolfsson, O.; Wiig, O.

2007-12-01

During recent fieldwork on Svalbard a well preserved subfossil left ramus of a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) mandible was discovered. A 14C age determination shows that it is older than 45 ka (kilo-years), and an OSL (Optical Stimulated Luminescence) age determination together with the stratigraphic position of the bone suggests that it is of Eemian-Early Weichselian/Wisconsinan age, 150-80 ka old. This puts the find among the oldest fossil remains of a polar bear ever discovered. Osteological study of the mandible suggests that it comes from a fully grown female. The fossil record suggests that polar bears may have developed from brown bears during the early part of the last glacial cycle, some 100 ka ago. The present interglacial might be the first such that the species has to endure. This underlines the potential status of the polar bears as an endangered species if the current warming trend and diminishing of sea ice cover in the Arctic continues.

Fossil Microorganisms and Formation of Early Precambrian Weathering Profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rozanov, A. Yu; Astafieva, M. M.; Vrevsky, A. B.; Alfimova, N. A.; Matrenichev, V. A.; Hoover, R. B.

2009-01-01

Weathering crusts are the only reliable evidences of the existence of continental conditions. Often they are the only source of information about exogenous processes and subsequently about conditions under which the development of the biosphere occurred. A complex of diverse fossil microorganisms was discovered as a result of Scanning Electron Microscope investigations. The chemical composition of the discovered fossils is identical to that of the host rocks and is represented by Si, Al, Fe, Ca and Mg. Probably, the microorganisms fixed in rocks played the role of catalyst. The decomposition of minerals comprising the rocks and their transformation into clayey (argillaceous) minerals, most likely occurred under the influence of microorganisms. And may be unique weathering crusts of Early Precambrian were formed due to interaction between specific composition of microorganism assemblage and conditions of hypergene transformations. So it is possible to speak about colonization of land by microbes already at that time and about existence of single raw from weathering crusts (Primitive soils) to real soils.

32 CFR 719.143 - Petition for new trial under 10 U.S.C. 873.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... petition the Judge Advocate General for a new trial on the grounds of newly discovered evidence or fraud on... petition the Judge Advocate General for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence or fraud on... address of the accused; (2) The date and location of the trial; (3) The type of court-martial and the...

32 CFR 719.143 - Petition for new trial under 10 U.S.C. 873.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... petition the Judge Advocate General for a new trial on the grounds of newly discovered evidence or fraud on... petition the Judge Advocate General for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence or fraud on... address of the accused; (2) The date and location of the trial; (3) The type of court-martial and the...

Newly discovered Paleocene and Eocene rocks near Fairfield, California, and correlation with rocks in Vaca Valley and the so-called Martinez Formation or Stage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brabb, Earl E.; Ristau, Donn; Bukry, David; McDougall, Kristin; Almgren, Alvin A.; Saul, LouElla; Sanfilippo, Annika

2008-01-01

Discovery of a 3-foot thick sandstone bed with abundant Turritellid gastropods of late Paleocene age about 4 miles northeast of Fairfield and on the southwest flank of Cement Hill, Solano County provides an opportunity to reevaluate the relationships of lower Tertiary formations in this part of California. Cement Hill is named for travertine deposits in and on top of sandstone of Late Cretaceous age. In this report, the current study area where the Paleocene fossils were recently discovered is referred to as lower Cement Hill and is located in section 7 of the U.S. Geological Survey Fairfield North 7.5-minute quadrangle, Township 5 North, Range 1 West. Lower Cement Hill is about 23 miles north of the so-called Martinez 'formation' or stage area (Weaver and others, 1941) of late Paleocene age near Martinez. The Martinez 'formation' and stage have played a significant role in the development of early Tertiary stratigraphy in this part of California. The discovery of correlative rocks at Cement Hill was unsuspected and may be helpful in defining the extent of this so-called formation or stage. Coccolith identification and correlations are by David Bukry, foraminifer identifications and correlations by Alvin Almgren and Kristin McDougall, gastropod identification and correlation by LouElla Saul, and Radiolaria identifications and correlations are by Annika Sanfilippo.

Biological Activity of Recently Discovered Halogenated Marine Natural Products

PubMed Central

Gribble, Gordon W.

2015-01-01

This review presents the biological activity—antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic, antiviral, antitumor, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and enzymatic activity—of halogenated marine natural products discovered in the past five years. Newly discovered examples that do not report biological activity are not included. PMID:26133553

NASA's Kepler Mission Discovers First Earth-size Planet in Habitable Zone of Another Star (Reporter Package)

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-17

NASA's Kepler mission has discovered the first Earth-size planet orbiting in the habitable zone of a star outside our solar system. The newly discovered planet is called Kepler-186f and is about 10 percent larger than Earth.

Archaeopteryx: Bringing the Dino-Bird to Life

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bergmann, Uwe

Some 150 million years ago, a strange creature died in a tropical lagoon that today is located in Bavaria, Germany. In 1861, a single feather of this creature was discovered. Not long afterward, a complete fossil was found with the same bird-like feathers but dinosaur-like anatomical features. Darwin had just published 'On the Origin of Species'; could this be the missing link that Darwin's supporters hoped to find? Recently, two of the now eleven discovered Archaeopteryx fossils, and that first feather, were brought to SLAC, where, using the intense X-ray beam, researchers searched for the chemical remains of the originalmore » living creatures. Please join us for this lecture, which will explain how the studies attempt to bring the original dino-bird back to life.« less

Where to Dig for Fossils: Combining Climate-Envelope, Taphonomy and Discovery Models

PubMed Central

Block, Sebastián; Saltré, Frédérik; Rodríguez-Rey, Marta; Fordham, Damien A.; Unkel, Ingmar; Bradshaw, Corey J. A.

2016-01-01

Fossils represent invaluable data to reconstruct the past history of life, yet fossil-rich sites are often rare and difficult to find. The traditional fossil-hunting approach focuses on small areas and has not yet taken advantage of modelling techniques commonly used in ecology to account for an organism’s past distributions. We propose a new method to assist finding fossils at continental scales based on modelling the past distribution of species, the geological suitability of fossil preservation and the likelihood of fossil discovery in the field, and apply it to several genera of Australian megafauna that went extinct in the Late Quaternary. Our models predicted higher fossil potentials for independent sites than for randomly selected locations (mean Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic = 0.66). We demonstrate the utility of accounting for the distribution history of fossil taxa when trying to find the most suitable areas to look for fossils. For some genera, the probability of finding fossils based on simple climate-envelope models was higher than the probability based on models incorporating current conditions associated with fossil preservation and discovery as predictors. However, combining the outputs from climate-envelope, preservation, and discovery models resulted in the most accurate predictions of potential fossil sites at a continental scale. We proposed potential areas to discover new fossils of Diprotodon, Zygomaturus, Protemnodon, Thylacoleo, and Genyornis, and provide guidelines on how to apply our approach to assist fossil hunting in other continents and geological settings. PMID:27027874

Where to Dig for Fossils: Combining Climate-Envelope, Taphonomy and Discovery Models.

PubMed

Block, Sebastián; Saltré, Frédérik; Rodríguez-Rey, Marta; Fordham, Damien A; Unkel, Ingmar; Bradshaw, Corey J A

2016-01-01

Fossils represent invaluable data to reconstruct the past history of life, yet fossil-rich sites are often rare and difficult to find. The traditional fossil-hunting approach focuses on small areas and has not yet taken advantage of modelling techniques commonly used in ecology to account for an organism's past distributions. We propose a new method to assist finding fossils at continental scales based on modelling the past distribution of species, the geological suitability of fossil preservation and the likelihood of fossil discovery in the field, and apply it to several genera of Australian megafauna that went extinct in the Late Quaternary. Our models predicted higher fossil potentials for independent sites than for randomly selected locations (mean Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic = 0.66). We demonstrate the utility of accounting for the distribution history of fossil taxa when trying to find the most suitable areas to look for fossils. For some genera, the probability of finding fossils based on simple climate-envelope models was higher than the probability based on models incorporating current conditions associated with fossil preservation and discovery as predictors. However, combining the outputs from climate-envelope, preservation, and discovery models resulted in the most accurate predictions of potential fossil sites at a continental scale. We proposed potential areas to discover new fossils of Diprotodon, Zygomaturus, Protemnodon, Thylacoleo, and Genyornis, and provide guidelines on how to apply our approach to assist fossil hunting in other continents and geological settings.

Freshwater Fossil Pearls from the Nihewan Basin, Early Early Pleistocene.

PubMed

Li, Su-Ping; Yao, Pei-Yi; Li, Jin-Feng; Ferguson, David Kay; Min, Long-Rui; Chi, Zhen-Qing; Wang, Yong; Yao, Jian-Xin; Sha, Jin-Geng

2016-01-01

Fossil blister pearls attached to the shells of an Anodonta mollusk from China, early Early Pleistocene, are reported here for the first time. The pearls were investigated in detail using a variety of methods. Micro-CT scanning of the fossil pearls was carried out to discover the inner structure and the pearl nucleus. Using CTAn software, changes in the gray levels of the biggest pearl, which reflect the changing density of the material, were investigated. The results provide us with some clues on how these pearls were formed. Sand grains, shell debris or material with a similar density could have stimulated the development of these pearls. X-ray diffraction analysis of one fossil pearl and the shell to which it was attached reveals that only aragonite exists in both samples. The internal structures of our fossil shells and pearls were investigated using a Scanning Electron Microscope. These investigations throw some light on pearl development in the past.

Data base on physical observations of near-Earth asteroids and establishment of a network to coordinate observations of newly discovered near-Earth asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, D. R.; Chapman, C. R.; Campins, H.

1990-01-01

This program consists of two tasks: (1) development of a data base of physical observations of near-earth asteroids and establishment of a network to coordinate observations of newly discovered earth-approaching asteroids; and (2) a simulation of the surface of low-activity comets. Significant progress was made on task one and, and task two was completed during the period covered by this progress report.

Crown Group Lejeuneaceae and Pleurocarpous Mosses in Early Eocene (Ypresian) Indian Amber.

PubMed

Heinrichs, Jochen; Scheben, Armin; Bechteler, Julia; Lee, Gaik Ee; Schäfer-Verwimp, Alfons; Hedenäs, Lars; Singh, Hukam; Pócs, Tamás; Nascimbene, Paul C; Peralta, Denilson F; Renner, Matt; Schmidt, Alexander R

2016-01-01

Cambay amber originates from the warmest period of the Eocene, which is also well known for the appearance of early angiosperm-dominated megathermal forests. The humid climate of these forests may have triggered the evolution of epiphytic lineages of bryophytes; however, early Eocene fossils of bryophytes are rare. Here, we present evidence for lejeuneoid liverworts and pleurocarpous mosses in Cambay amber. The preserved morphology of the moss fossil is inconclusive for a detailed taxonomic treatment. The liverwort fossil is, however, distinctive; its zig-zagged stems, suberect complicate-bilobed leaves, large leaf lobules, and small, deeply bifid underleaves suggest a member of Lejeuneaceae subtribe Lejeuneinae (Harpalejeunea, Lejeunea, Microlejeunea). We tested alternative classification possibilities by conducting divergence time estimates based on DNA sequence variation of Lejeuneinae using the age of the fossil for corresponding age constraints. Consideration of the fossil as a stem group member of Microlejeunea or Lejeunea resulted in an Eocene to Late Cretaceous age of the Lejeuneinae crown group. This reconstruction is in good accordance with published divergence time estimates generated without the newly presented fossil evidence. Balancing available evidence, we describe the liverwort fossil as the extinct species Microlejeunea nyiahae, representing the oldest crown group fossil of Lejeuneaceae.

"Sebocytes' makeup": novel mechanisms and concepts in the physiology of the human sebaceous glands.

PubMed

Tóth, Balázs I; Oláh, Attila; Szöllosi, Attila G; Czifra, Gabriella; Bíró, Tamás

2011-06-01

The pilosebaceous unit of the human skin consists of the hair follicle and the sebaceous gland. Within this "mini-organ", the sebaceous gland has been neglected by the researchers of the field for several decades. Actually, it was labeled as a reminiscence of human development ("a living fossil with a past but no future"), and was thought to solely act as a producer of sebum, a lipid-enriched oily substance which protects our skin (and hence the body) against various insults. However, due to emerging research activities of the past two decades, it has now become evident that the sebaceous gland is not only a "passive" cutaneous "relic" to establish the physico-chemical barrier function of the skin against constant environmental challenges, but it rather functions as an "active" neuro-immuno-endocrine cutaneous organ. This review summarizes recent findings of sebaceous gland research by mainly focusing on newly discovered physiological functions, novel regulatory mechanisms, key events in the pathology of the gland, and future directions in both experimental and clinical dermatology.

A Homo habilis maxilla and other newly-discovered hominid fossils from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.

PubMed

Clarke, R J

2012-08-01

In 1995, a 1.8 million year old hominid maxilla with complete dentition (OH 65) was excavated from Bed I in the western part of Olduvai Gorge. The molar crowns are small relative to the long flaring roots, and the root of the canine is very long and straight. The broad maxilla with wide U-shaped palate and the form of the tooth roots closely match those of KNM-ER 1470 which, in its parietal size and morphology, matches the type specimen of Homo habilis, OH 7. Thus, OH 65 and KNM-ER 1470 group with OH 7 as representatives of H. habilis while some other Olduvai specimens, such as OH 13 and OH 24, have more in common in terms of morphology and brain size with Australopithecus africanus. Between 1995 and 2007, the OLAPP team has recovered teeth of eight other hominid individuals from various parts of Olduvai Gorge. These have been identified as belonging to H. habilis, Paranthropus boisei, and Australopithecus cf. africanus. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtual anthropology (VA): a call for glasnost in paleoanthropology.

PubMed

Weber, G W

2001-08-15

The adventurous scientist, with a hat protecting him from the fierce sun as he travels from one remote place to another, hunting for fossils of our ancestors, has been a part of the romantic imagination associated with anthropological research in the 20th Century. This picture of the paleoanthropologist still retains a grain of truth. Indeed, many new sites were discovered under troublesome conditions in the recent past and have added substantial information about our origins. But on another front, probably less sensational but no less important, are contributions stemming from the analysis of the already discovered fossils. With the latter, a rapid evolution in anthropologic research took place concurrently with advances in computer technology. After ambitious activities by a handful of researchers in some specialized laboratories, a methodologic inventory evolved to extract critical information about fossilized specimens, most of it preserved in the largely inaccessible interior as unrevealed anatomic structures. Many methodologies have become established but, for various reasons, access to both the actual and the digitized fossils is still limited. It is time for more transparency, for a glasnost in paleoanthropology. Herein are presented some answers to the question of how a high-tech approach to anthropology can be integrated into a predominantly conservative field of research, and what are the main challenges for development in the future. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Newly Discovered Ring-Moat Dome Structures in the Lunar Maria: Possible Origins and Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Feng; Head, James W.; Basilevsky, Alexander T.; Bugiolacchi, Roberto; Komatsu, Goro; Wilson, Lionel; Fa, Wenzhe; Zhu, Meng-Hua

2017-09-01

We report on a newly discovered morphological feature on the lunar surface, here named Ring-Moat Dome Structure (RMDS). These low domes (a few meters to 20 m height with slopes <5°) are typically surrounded by narrow annular depressions or moats. We mapped about 2,600 RMDSs in the lunar maria with diameters ranging from tens to hundreds of meters. Four candidate hypotheses for their origin involving volcanism are considered. We currently favor a mechanism for the formation of the RMDS related to modification of the initial lava flows through inflated flow squeeze-ups and/or extrusion of magmatic foams below a cooling lava flow surface. These newly discovered features provide new insights into the nature of emplacement of lunar lava flows, suggesting that in the waning stages of a dike emplacement event, magmatic foams can be produced, extrude to the surface as the dike closes, and break through the upper lava flow thermal boundary layer (crust) to form foam mounds and surrounding moats.

ToO observations of a newly discovered interstellar ('Oumuamua-like) object

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trilling, David; Hora, Joseph; Mommert, Michael; Farnocchia, Davide; Chesley, Steve; Emery, Joshua; Fazio, Giovanni; Harris, Alan; Mueller, Migo; Smith, Howard

2018-05-01

We propose a Target of Opportunity (ToO) program to observe a newly discovered interstellar asteroid. This program is modeled on our DDT observations of 'Oumuamua. We will only trigger this ToO observation if an object is discovered with sufficient lead time to be scheduled for Spitzer observations; if the object will be within the Spitzer observability cone; and if the object is likely to be bright enough to be detected. From the proposed observations we will measure the diameter and albedo of the object - likely the only way that either of those properties will be determined. The result will provide a critical second data point for studies of planetary system formation as traced by these interstellar interlopers.

Fossil traces of the bone-eating worm Osedax in early Oligocene whale bones

PubMed Central

Kiel, Steffen; Goedert, James L.; Kahl, Wolf-Achim; Rouse, Greg W.

2010-01-01

Osedax is a recently discovered group of siboglinid annelids that consume bones on the seafloor and whose evolutionary origins have been linked with Cretaceous marine reptiles or to the post-Cretaceous rise of whales. Here we present whale bones from early Oligocene bathyal sediments exposed in Washington State, which show traces similar to those made by Osedax today. The geologic age of these trace fossils (∼30 million years) coincides with the first major radiation of whales, consistent with the hypothesis of an evolutionary link between Osedax and its main food source, although older fossils should certainly be studied. Osedax has been destroying bones for most of the evolutionary history of whales and the possible significance of this “Osedax effect” in relation to the quality and quantity of their fossils is only now recognized. PMID:20424110

Indications of pleistocene man on Sardinia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmeijer, G. Klein; Sondaar, P. Y.; Alderliesten, C.; Van Der Borg, K.; De Jong, A. F. M.

1987-11-01

Human fossils found in a Pre-Neolithic cave deposit (Corbeddu cave, Sardinia) represent the first human remains associated with an endemic impoverished island fauna. Radiocarbon dating by AMS in Utrecht provided the chronological framework of the cave sediments for better understanding of the time-related human activities. The aberrant morphology of the human fossils and the unique character of worked deer bones discovered, suggest the development of an endemic Pleistocene human culture, adapted to the restricted island conditions and the hunting of ochotonids and deer.

Hypothesis: brain size and skull shape as criteria for a new hominin family tree.

PubMed

Chardin, Pierre

2014-10-01

Today, gorillas and chimpanzees live in tropical forests, where acid soils do not favor fossilization. It is thus widely believed that there are no fossils of chimpanzees or gorillas. However, four teeth of a 0.5-million-year (Ma)-old chimpanzee were discovered in the rift valley of Kenya (McBrearty and Jablonski, 2005), and a handful of teeth of a 10-Ma-old gorilla-like creature were found in Ethiopia (Suwa et al., 2007), close to the major sites of Homo discoveries. These discoveries indicate that chimpanzees and gorillas once shared their range with early Homo. However, the thousands of hominin fossils discovered in the past century have all been attributed to the Homo line. Thus far, our family tree looks like a bush with many dead-branches. If one admits the possibility that the australopithecines can also be the ancestors of African great apes, one can place Paranthropus on the side of gorilla ancestors and divide the remaining Australopithecus based on the brain size into the two main lines of humans and chimpanzees, thereby resulting in a coherent family tree. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Australopithecus sediba at 1.977 Ma and implications for the origins of the genus Homo.

PubMed

Pickering, Robyn; Dirks, Paul H G M; Jinnah, Zubair; de Ruiter, Darryl J; Churchil, Steven E; Herries, Andy I R; Woodhead, Jon D; Hellstrom, John C; Berger, Lee R

2011-09-09

Newly exposed cave sediments at the Malapa site include a flowstone layer capping the sedimentary unit containing the Australopithecus sediba fossils. Uranium-lead dating of the flowstone, combined with paleomagnetic and stratigraphic analysis of the flowstone and underlying sediments, provides a tightly constrained date of 1.977 ± 0.002 million years ago (Ma) for these fossils. This refined dating suggests that Au. sediba from Malapa predates the earliest uncontested evidence for Homo in Africa.

Perimortem fractures in Lucy suggest mortality from fall out of tall tree.

PubMed

Kappelman, John; Ketcham, Richard A; Pearce, Stephen; Todd, Lawrence; Akins, Wiley; Colbert, Matthew W; Feseha, Mulugeta; Maisano, Jessica A; Witzel, Adrienne

2016-09-22

The Pliocene fossil 'Lucy' (Australopithecus afarensis) was discovered in the Afar region of Ethiopia in 1974 and is among the oldest and most complete fossil hominin skeletons discovered. Here we propose, on the basis of close study of her skeleton, that her cause of death was a vertical deceleration event or impact following a fall from considerable height that produced compressive and hinge (greenstick) fractures in multiple skeletal elements. Impacts that are so severe as to cause concomitant fractures usually also damage internal organs; together, these injuries are hypothesized to have caused her death. Lucy has been at the centre of a vigorous debate about the role, if any, of arboreal locomotion in early human evolution. It is therefore ironic that her death can be attributed to injuries resulting from a fall, probably out of a tall tree, thus offering unusual evidence for the presence of arborealism in this species.

Using Strong Gravitational Lensing to Identify Fossil Group Progenitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Lucas E.; Irwin, Jimmy A.; White, Raymond E., III; Wong, Ka-Wah; Maksym, W. Peter; Dupke, Renato A.; Miller, Eric D.; Carrasco, Eleazar R.

2018-04-01

Fossil galaxy systems are classically thought to be the end result of galaxy group/cluster evolution, as galaxies experiencing dynamical friction sink to the center of the group potential and merge into a single, giant elliptical that dominates the rest of the members in both mass and luminosity. Most fossil systems discovered lie within z < 0.2, which leads to the question, what were these systems’ progenitors? Such progenitors are expected to have imminent or ongoing major merging near the brightest group galaxy that, when concluded, will meet the fossil criteria within the look forward time. Since strong gravitational lensing preferentially selects groups merging along the line of sight, or systems with a high mass concentration like fossil systems, we searched the CASSOWARY survey of strong-lensing events with the goal of determining whether lensing systems have any predisposition to being fossil systems or progenitors. We find that ∼13% of lensing groups are identified as traditional fossils while only ∼3% of nonlensing control groups are. We also find that ∼23% of lensing systems are traditional fossil progenitors compared to ∼17% for the control sample. Our findings show that strong-lensing systems are more likely to be fossil/pre-fossil systems than comparable nonlensing systems. Cumulative galaxy luminosity functions of the lensing and nonlensing groups also indicate a possible, fundamental difference between strong-lensing and nonlensing systems’ galaxy populations, with lensing systems housing a greater number of bright galaxies even in the outskirts of groups.

Research projects lead by the USDA Cranberry Entomology Laboratory (CEL)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

1. Newly discovered native nematode species represent bio-insecticides (grad student project) a. Problems being addressed: Issues over flea beetle control; unresolved questions over pesticide use during bloom. b. Discoveries: at least two native nematodes species new to science have been discovered ...

Permian ginkgophyte fossils from the Dolomites resemble extant O-ha-tsuki aberrant leaf-like fructifications of Ginkgo biloba L

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Structural elucidation and analysis of fructifications of plants is fundamental for understanding their evolution. In case of Ginkgo biloba, attention was drawn by Fujii in 1896 to aberrant fructifications of Ginkgo biloba whose seeds are attached to leaves, called O-ha-tsuki in Japan. This well-known phenomenon was now interpreted by Fujii as being homologous to ancestral sporophylls. The common fructification of Ginkgo biloba consists of 1-2 (rarely more) ovules on a dichotomously divided stalk, the ovules on top of short stalklets, with collars supporting the ovules. There is essentially no disagreement that either the whole stalk with its stalklets, collars and ovules is homologous to a sporophyll, or, alternatively, just one stalklet, collar and ovule each correspond to a sporophyll. For the transition of an ancestral sporophyll resembling extant O-ha-tsuki aberrant leaves into the common fructification with stalklet/collar/ovule, evolutionary reduction of the leaf lamina of such ancestral sporophylls has to be assumed. Furthermore, such ancestral sporophylls would be expected in the fossil record of ginkgophytes. Results From the Upper Permian of the Bletterbach gorge (Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy) ginkgophyte leaves of the genus Sphenobaiera were discovered. Among several specimens, one shows putatively attached seeds, while other specimens, depending on their state of preservation, show seeds in positions strongly suggesting such attachment. Morphology and results of a cuticular analysis are in agreement with an affiliation of the fossil to the ginkgophytes and the cuticle of the seed is comparable to that of Triassic and Jurassic ones and to those of extant Ginkgo biloba. The Sphenobaiera leaves with putatively attached seeds closely resemble seed-bearing O-ha-tsuki leaves of extant Ginkgo biloba. This leads to the hypothesis that, at least for some groups of ginkgophytes represented by extant Ginkgo biloba, such sporophylls represent the ancestral state of fructifications. Conclusions Some evidence is provided for the existence of ancestral laminar ginkgophyte sporophylls. Homology of the newly found fossil ginkgophyte fructifications with the aberrant O-ha-tsuki fructifications of Ginkgo biloba is proposed. This would support the interpretation of the apical part of the common Ginkgo biloba fructification (stalklet/collar/ovule) as a sporophyll with reduced leaf lamina. PMID:21044353

A new find of the fossil Cyclosorus from the Eocene of South China and its paleoclimatic implication.

PubMed

Naugolnykh, Serge V; Wang, Li; Han, Meng; Jin, Jian-Hua

2016-01-01

The thelypteroid ferns are widely distributed across tropical regions around the world, but information about their fossil representatives is scarce. A new species, Cyclosorus scutum Naugolnykh, Wang, Han et Jin was discovered from the Eocene Changchang Formation of Hainan Island, South China, and is described on the basis of sterile and fertile leaves, sori, sporangia and spores preserved in situ. Discovery of this new species clearly shows that climatic conditions of that time in this area were humid, i.e. warm and wet.

Mystery #7 Answer

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-22

... China and Russia. The large lakes apparent in the image form geographic   reference points and fall on or near political boundaries. ... but have not yet been constructed.   C.   Mammoth fossils have been discovered here.   D.   Railway passengers can cross ...

The age for the fossil-bearing Tabbowa beds in Sri Lanka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, S. C.; Dassanayake, S.; Wang, J.

2014-12-01

Well-preserved terrestrial fossils, mainly including conifers, cycads and ferns, were discovered from the Tabbowa beds in northwestern Sri Lanka. The high diversity and abundance of plants and insects from these Jurassic sediments provide a unique window to understand floral evolution and plant-insect co-evolution in the Mesozoic. For example, unearthed fossils from the Tabbowa beds indicate that leaf feeding and dwelling insects played a significant role in the Jurassic ecosystem. For another example, feeding and chewing marks on leaves allow studying insect behavior and paleo-ecology. Additionally, the recent discoveries of Otozamites latiphyllus and Otozamites tabbowensis from these sediments provide evidence that Bennettitales, an extinct order of seed plants, widely spread in the Gondwana during the Jurassic period. Although most fossils are yet to be well studied, and only few of the fossil occurrences have been published in western journals, plant fossils from the Tabbowa beds have great potential for substantially increasing our knowledge of Jurassic terrestrial ecosystems. The fossil-bearing Tabbowa beds are mainly composed of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone with occasional thin bands of nodular limestone. Until now, radio-isotopic age determinations for the fossil-rich Tabbowa beds are lacking. In this study, we investigate the geological and geochronological setting of this area by dating detrital zircons from the Tabbowa beds. The age data will allow testing several hypotheses regarding the plant evolution, the basin development of this region.

Directly Imaged Giant Planets: What Do We Hope to Learn?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marley, Mark

2015-01-01

As we move into an era when GPI and SPHERE are (hopefully) discovering and characterizing new young giant planets, it is worthwhile to step back and review our science goals for young giant planets. Of course for individual planets we ideally would hope to measure mass, radius, atmospheric composition, temperature, and cloud properties, but how do these characteristics fit into our broader understanding of planetary system origin and evolution theories? In my presentation I will review both the specifics of what we hope to learn from newly discovered young worlds as well as how these characteristics inform our broader understanding of giant planets and planetary systems. Finally I will consider the limitations realistic datasets will place on our ability to understand newly discovered planets, illustrating with data from any new such worlds that are available by the conference date.

A chronology of human understanding of the nitrogen cycle†

PubMed Central

Galloway, James N.; Leach, Allison M.; Bleeker, Albert; Erisman, Jan Willem

2013-01-01

Nitrogen over the ages! It was discovered in the eighteenth century. The following century, its importance in agriculture was documented and the basic components of its cycle were elucidated. In the twentieth century, a process to provide an inexhaustible supply of reactive N (Nr; all N species except N2) for agricultural, industrial and military uses was invented. This discovery and the extensive burning of fossil fuels meant that by the beginning of the twenty-first century, anthropogenic sources of newly created Nr were two to three times that of natural terrestrial sources. This caused a fundamental change in the nitrogen cycle; for the first time, there was the potential for enough food to sustain growing populations and changing dietary patterns. However, most Nr created by humans is lost to the environment, resulting in a cascade of negative earth systems impacts—including enhanced acid rain, smog, eutrophication, greenhouse effect and stratospheric ozone depletion, with associated impacts on human and ecosystem health. The impacts continue and will be magnified, as Nr is lost to the environment at an even greater rate. Thus, the challenge for the current century is how to optimize the uses of N while minimizing the negative impacts. PMID:23713118

Spin period evolution of the newly identified ULX pulsar (NGC 300 ULX1) associated with the supernova impostor SN2010da

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilopoulos, G.; Haberl, F.; Carpano, S.; Maitra, C.

2018-01-01

Following the discovery of the newly discovered ULX pulsar in NGC 300 (ATel #11158) we searched the available X-ray data for the evolution of the spin period of the neutron star and the X-ray luminosity.

A new species of Dyoros (Brachiopoda; Chonetoidea) from Nevada (United States) and stratigraphic implications for the Pennsylvanian and Permian Antler Overlap assemblage [Une nouvelle espèce de Dyoros (Brachiopoda; Chonetoidea) du Nevada (États-Unis) et implications stratigraphiques pour le Complexe chevauchant d'Antler (Pennsylvanien et Permien)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Racheboeuf, Patrick R.; Moore, Thomas E.; Blodgett, Robert B.

2004-01-01

Newly discovered fossil localities in coarse-grained deposits of the Pennsylvanian and Permian Antler overlap assemblage in the southern Shoshone Range, north-central Nevada have yielded a low-diversity assemblage consisting chiefly of a new species of chonetoidean brachiopod: Dyoros (Lissosia) nevadaensis nov. sp. The subgenus Dyoros (Lissosia), is known from Leonardian and lower Guadalupian strata in North America, mainly in Texas. The coarse-grained lithology of the host strata, their unconformable relation on deformed lower Paleozoic rocks, and the Leonardian and(or) lower Guadalupian age indicated by Dyoros (Lissosia) provide evidence that host strata are younger than strata of the Antler overlap assemblage in nearby areas of the southern Shoshone Range and suggest that an unconformity of local extent may be present within the overlap assemblage. The fossil age ranges and lithologic data suggest that the host strata may be correlative with the Guadalupian Edna Mountain Formation, an unconformity-bounded unit that forms the upper part of the Antler sequence in the Battle Mountain area to the north. This correlation suggests that the unconformity beneath these strata may have regional extent in north-central Nevada. The origin of the inferred regional unconformity is unknown and may have resulted from relative changes of sea level or regional extensional or contractional tectonism in the area of the former Antler highlands, which forms the substrate for the Antler overlap assemblage. ?? 2004 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Ophiuroids Discovered in the Middle Triassic Hypersaline Environment

PubMed Central

Salamon, Mariusz A.; Niedźwiedzki, Robert; Lach, Rafał; Brachaniec, Tomasz; Gorzelak, Przemysław

2012-01-01

Echinoderms have long been considered to be one of the animal phyla that is strictly marine. However, there is growing evidence that some recent species may live in either brackish or hypersaline environments. Surprisingly, discoveries of fossil echinoderms in non-(open)marine paleoenvironments are lacking. In Wojkowice Quarry (Southern Poland), sediments of lowermost part of the Middle Triassic are exposed. In limestone layer with cellular structures and pseudomorphs after gypsum, two dense accumulations of articulated ophiuroids (Aspiduriella similis (Eck)) were documented. The sediments with ophiuroids were formed in environment of increased salinity waters as suggested by paleontological, sedimentological, petrographical and geochemical data. Discovery of Triassic hypersaline ophiuroids invalidates the paleontological assumption that fossil echinoderms are indicators of fully marine conditions. Thus caution needs to be taken when using fossil echinoderms in paleoenvironmental reconstructions. PMID:23185442

Anatomy and histology of the newly discovered adipose sac structure within the labia majora: international original research.

PubMed

Ostrzenski, Adam; Krajewski, Pawel; Davis, Kern

2016-09-01

To determine whether there is any new anatomical structure present within the labia majora. A case serial study was executed on eleven consecutive fresh human female cadavers. Stratum-by-stratum dissections of the labia majora were performed. Twenty-two anatomic dissections of labia majora were completed. Eosin and Hematoxylin agents were used to stain newly discovered adipose sac's tissues of the labia majora and the cylinder-like structures, which cover condensed adipose tissues. The histology of these two structures was compared. All dissected labia majora demonstrated the presence of the anatomic existence of the adipose sac structure. Just under the dermis of the labia majora, the adipose sac was located, which was filled with lobules containing condensed fatty tissues in the form of cylinders. The histological investigation established that the well-organized fibro-connective-adipose tissues represented the adipose sac. The absence of descriptions of the adipose sac within the labia majora in traditional anatomic and gynecologic textbooks was noted. In this study group, the newly discovered adipose sac is consistently present within the anatomical structure of the labia majora. The well-organized fibro-connective-adipose tissue represents microscopic characteristic features of the adipose sac.

Flagstaff Robotic Survey Telescope (FRoST): Rapid Response for NEOs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avner, Louis Daniel; Trilling, David E.; Dunham, Edward W.

2016-10-01

The Flagstaff Robotic Survey Telescope (FRoST) is a robotic 0.6m Schmidt telescope that will be used for instant follow-up observations of newly discovered Near Earth Objects (NEOs). Here, we present the progress being made on FRoST as well as the remaining tasks until the telescope is fully operational. With more than one thousand NEOs being found yearly, more telescopes are needed to carry out follow-up observations. Most NEOs are found at their peak brightness, meaning that these observations need to happen quickly before they fade. By using the Catalina Sky Survey Queue Manager, FRoST will be able to accept interruptions during the night and prioritize observations automatically, allowing instant follow-up observations. FRoST will help refine the orbit of these newly discovered objects while providing optical colors. We will ingest information from the NEOCP and JPL's Scout program at five minute intervals and observe newly discovered targets robotically, process the data automatically, and autonomously generate astrometry and colors. We estimate that will we provide essentially 100% recovery of objects brighter than V~20. This work was supported by the NSF MRI program as well as by NAU and Lowell Observatory.

Mystery #7

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-22

... one is false?   A.   The lakes are in a depression formed by tectonic and volcanic activity.   B.   Several rare and ... but have not yet been constructed.   C.   Mammoth fossils have been discovered here.   D.   Railway passengers can cross ...

City Geology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markle, Sandra

1989-01-01

This article provides information on the evolution of the building material, concrete, and suggests hands-on activities that allow students to experience concrete's qualities, test the heat absorbency of various ground surface materials, discover how an area's geology changes, and search for city fossils. A reproducible activity sheet is included.…

Discovery of missing link between demosponges and hexactinellids confirms palaeontological model of sponge evolution.

PubMed

Botting, Joseph P; Zhang, Yuandong; Muir, Lucy A

2017-07-13

The two major extant groups of siliceous sponges, Demospongiae and Hexactinellida, are generally regarded as sister groups forming the clade Silicea, although the nature of their last common ancestor is uncertain. The fossil record contains a diverse range of basal demosponges that appear to have evolved from hexactine-bearing reticulosan ancestors, although a compelling morphological intermediate has not previously been discovered. Here we describe a new species of fossil sponge, Conciliospongia anjiensis gen. et sp. nov., from the Late Ordovician (~444 Ma) Anji Biota of South China. This species has a reticulate, tufted skeleton of minute monaxon spicules, characteristic of the fossil demosponge family Hazeliidae and modern heteroscleromorphs, with hexactine spicules and a globose body form inherited from reticulosan ancestors. This transitional morphology had previously been hypothesized in palaeontological studies. This morphological intermediate between two extant classes further confirms siliceous sponge monophyly and demosponge-hexactinellid spicule homology, and supports the primitive, stem-silicean interpretation of simpler-structured fossil reticulosans.

Seeking carotenoid pigments in amber-preserved fossil feathers.

PubMed

Thomas, Daniel B; Nascimbene, Paul C; Dove, Carla J; Grimaldi, David A; James, Helen F

2014-06-09

Plumage colours bestowed by carotenoid pigments can be important for visual communication and likely have a long evolutionary history within Aves. Discovering plumage carotenoids in fossil feathers could provide insight into the ecology of ancient birds and non-avian dinosaurs. With reference to a modern feather, we sought chemical evidence of carotenoids in six feathers preserved in amber (Miocene to mid-Cretaceous) and in a feather preserved as a compression fossil (Eocene). Evidence of melanin pigmentation and microstructure preservation was evaluated with scanning electron and light microscopies. We observed fine microstructural details including evidence for melanin pigmentation in the amber and compression fossils, but Raman spectral bands did not confirm the presence of carotenoids in them. Carotenoids may have been originally absent from these feathers or the pigments may have degraded during burial; the preservation of microstructure may suggest the former. Significantly, we show that carotenoid plumage pigments can be detected without sample destruction through an amber matrix using confocal Raman spectroscopy.

Erkundung tiefer, bislang unbekannter semi-fossiler Grundwasserleiter im Kalahari-Becken (südliches Afrika)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bäumle, Roland; Himmelsbach, Thomas

2018-03-01

Unlike fossil groundwater reserves, semi-fossil aquifers are still integrated in the hydrological cycle and hence, partially renewable. In Africa, semi-fossil aquifers provide an important freshwater resource that is not yet fully explored. Two recently discovered, deep porous aquifers in the northern parts of the Kalahari Basin are currently investigated, namely the Ohangwena II (KOH-2) aquifer in the border region of Namibia and Angola and the Lower Kalahari Aquifer (LKA) in northeastern Namibia. The hydrogeological characteristics of the KOH-2 are largely determined by the sedimentary structure that was defined as a paleo-delta whereas the LKA is influenced by the tectonic setting within an incipient rift zone that has repeatedly led to river captures. Hydrochemical and hydroisotope results for the LKA indicate that a presumably brackish groundwater body is undergoing "freshening" since the Late Pleistocene. The exploration of such deep groundwater systems must focus on the identification of main geological, tectonic and sedimentological structures.

Seeking carotenoid pigments in amber-preserved fossil feathers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Daniel B.; Nascimbene, Paul C.; Dove, Carla J.; Grimaldi, David A.; James, Helen F.

2014-06-01

Plumage colours bestowed by carotenoid pigments can be important for visual communication and likely have a long evolutionary history within Aves. Discovering plumage carotenoids in fossil feathers could provide insight into the ecology of ancient birds and non-avian dinosaurs. With reference to a modern feather, we sought chemical evidence of carotenoids in six feathers preserved in amber (Miocene to mid-Cretaceous) and in a feather preserved as a compression fossil (Eocene). Evidence of melanin pigmentation and microstructure preservation was evaluated with scanning electron and light microscopies. We observed fine microstructural details including evidence for melanin pigmentation in the amber and compression fossils, but Raman spectral bands did not confirm the presence of carotenoids in them. Carotenoids may have been originally absent from these feathers or the pigments may have degraded during burial; the preservation of microstructure may suggest the former. Significantly, we show that carotenoid plumage pigments can be detected without sample destruction through an amber matrix using confocal Raman spectroscopy.

The beginnings of human palaeontology: prehistory, craniometry and the 'fossil human races'.

PubMed

Goodrum, Matthew R

2016-09-01

Since the nineteenth century, hominid palaeontology has offered critical information about prehistoric humans and evidence for human evolution. Human fossils discovered at a time when there was growing agreement that humans existed during the Ice Age became especially significant but also controversial. This paper argues that the techniques used to study human fossils from the 1850s to the 1870s and the way that these specimens were interpreted owed much to the anthropological examination of Stone, Bronze, and Iron Age skeletons retrieved by archaeologists from prehistoric tombs throughout Europe. What emerged was the idea that a succession of distinct human races, which were identified using techniques such as craniometry, had occupied and migrated into Europe beginning in the Ice Age and continuing into the historic period. This marks a phase in the history of human palaeontology that gradually gave way to a science of palaeoanthropology that viewed hominid fossils more from the perspective of evolutionary theory and hominid phylogeny.

Selective Preservation of Fossil Ghost Fish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meacham, Amanda

2016-04-01

A unique type of fossil fish preservation has been discovered in the Angelo Member (Fossil Lake) of the Green River Formation. The Angelo Member is a predominately evaporative deposit dominated by dolomite, but contains facies of fossiliferous laminated calcimicrite. Fossil fish occurring in two beds conspicuously lack bones. Fish in the lower bed are only preserved as organic material, including skin, pigments, and eyes. Fish in the upper bed have three-dimensional etching where bones once existed but also contain skin, pigments, and eyes. The top third of the upper bed often contains calcite crystals that are pseudomorphs after trona and possibly halite. Preliminary mineralogical analysis and mapping of evaporate facies suggests that this unique preservation may be related to lake geochemical conditions, such as high pH and alkalinity. To our knowledge, this is the first time this type of preservation has been observed and studied. Fossils and sediments within these beds are being studied both vertically and laterally through the one-meter thick sequence containing the fossil fish using XRD, isotopic, SEM, thin section, and total organic carbon analysis. Nine quarries, 0.5-1 meter square, were excavated for both fossils and rock samples along with 17 additional rock sample locations across an approximately 25-kilometer square region. This investigation has the capability of reconstructing the paleoenvironment and lake chemistry of Fossil Lake during the deposition of the "ghost-fish" beds and solving the mystery of the "missing bones" and the unusual process of preservation.

Automated Classification of Asteroids into Families at Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knežević, Zoran; Milani, Andrea; Cellino, Alberto; Novaković, Bojan; Spoto, Federica; Paolicchi, Paolo

2014-07-01

We have recently proposed a new approach to the asteroid family classification by combining the classical HCM method with an automated procedure to add newly discovered members to existing families. This approach is specifically intended to cope with ever increasing asteroid data sets, and consists of several steps to segment the problem and handle the very large amount of data in an efficient and accurate manner. We briefly present all these steps and show the results from three subsequent updates making use of only the automated step of attributing the newly numbered asteroids to the known families. We describe the changes of the individual families membership, as well as the evolution of the classification due to the newly added intersections between the families, resolved candidate family mergers, and emergence of the new candidates for the mergers. We thus demonstrate how by the new approach the asteroid family classification becomes stable in general terms (converging towards a permanent list of confirmed families), and in the same time evolving in details (to account for the newly discovered asteroids) at each update.

The erethizontid fossil from the Uquía formation of Argentina should not be referred to the genus Erethizon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sussman, David R.

2011-04-01

In 2007, Reguero et al. described a 2.5 Ma erethizontid dentary from the Uquía Formation in Argentina (MACN5376) and referred it to the genus Erethizon, a genus found at present only in North America. They based their generic identification on the presence in the fossil of a markedly inflected angular process. I argue in this commentary that this single trait (the angular process) in a single incomplete fossil is insufficient evidence for the Erethizon attribution, for the following reasons: 1. The trait (the inflected angular process) is variable in modern South and North American porcupines and observer bias and/or allometry may be responsible for observed differences; 2. Among fossil South American porcupines, the inflected angular process is not unique to the Uquían fossil; 3. The fossil possesses other traits (including one trait newly described in this paper) associated with modern South American ( Coendou) porcupines and not modern Erethizon; and 4. The traits by which we recognize modern Erethizon, primarily related to the genus's ability to survive severe winters, are most readily explained by evolution driven by the South American porcupine immigrants' exposure in North America to that severe weather. The Uquían fossil is not Erethizon and should be attributed for the present to the genus Coendou.

The shape of pterosaur evolution: evidence from the fossil record.

PubMed

Dyke, G J; McGowan, A J; Nudds, R L; Smith, D

2009-04-01

Although pterosaurs are a well-known lineage of Mesozoic flying reptiles, their fossil record and evolutionary dynamics have never been adequately quantified. On the basis of a comprehensive data set of fossil occurrences correlated with taxon-specific limb measurements, we show that the geological ages of pterosaur specimens closely approximate hypothesized patterns of phylogenetic divergence. Although the fossil record has expanded greatly in recent years, collectorship still approximates a sigmoid curve over time as many more specimens (and thus taxa) still remain undiscovered, yet our data suggest that the pterosaur fossil record is unbiased by sites of exceptional preservation (lagerstätte). This is because as new species are discovered the number of known formations and sites yielding pterosaur fossils has also increased - this would not be expected if the bulk of the record came from just a few exceptional faunas. Pterosaur morphological diversification is, however, strongly age biased: rarefaction analysis shows that peaks of diversity occur in the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous correlated with periods of increased limb disparity. In this respect, pterosaurs appear unique amongst flying vertebrates in that their disparity seems to have peaked relatively late in clade history. Comparative analyses also show that there is little evidence that the evolutionary diversification of pterosaurs was in any way constrained by the appearance and radiation of birds.

The fossil record of ecdysis, and trends in the moulting behaviour of trilobites.

PubMed

Daley, Allison C; Drage, Harriet B

2016-03-01

Ecdysis, the process of moulting an exoskeleton, is one of the key characters uniting arthropods, nematodes and a number of smaller phyla into Ecdysozoa. The arthropod fossil record, particularly trilobites, eurypterids and decapod crustaceans, yields information on moulting, although the current focus is predominantly descriptive and lacks a broader evolutionary perspective. We here review literature on the fossil record of ecdysis, synthesising research on the behaviour, evolutionary trends, and phylogenetic significance of moulting throughout the Phanerozoic. Approaches vary widely between taxonomic groups, but an overall theme uniting these works suggests that identifying moults in the palaeontological record must take into account the morphology, taphonomy and depositional environment of fossils. We also quantitatively analyse trends in trilobite ecdysis based on a newly generated database of published incidences of moulting behaviour. This preliminary work reveals significant taxonomic and temporal signal in the trilobite moulting fossil record, with free cheek moulting being prevalent across all Orders and throughout the Phanerozoic, and peaks of cephalic moulting in Phacopida during the Ordovician and rostral plate moulting in Redlichiida during the Cambrian. This study and a review of the literature suggest that it is feasible to extract large-scale evolutionary information from the fossil record of moulting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Let your fingers do the walking: A simple spectral signature model for "remote" fossil prospecting.

PubMed

Conroy, Glenn C; Emerson, Charles W; Anemone, Robert L; Townsend, K E Beth

2012-07-01

Even with the most meticulous planning, and utilizing the most experienced fossil-hunters, fossil prospecting in remote and/or extensive areas can be time-consuming, expensive, logistically challenging, and often hit or miss. While nothing can predict or guarantee with 100% assurance that fossils will be found in any particular location, any procedures or techniques that might increase the odds of success would be a major benefit to the field. Here we describe, and test, one such technique that we feel has great potential for increasing the probability of finding fossiliferous sediments - a relatively simple spectral signature model using the spatial analysis and image classification functions of ArcGIS(®)10 that creates interactive thematic land cover maps that can be used for "remote" fossil prospecting. Our test case is the extensive Eocene sediments of the Uinta Basin, Utah - a fossil prospecting area encompassing ∼1200 square kilometers. Using Landsat 7 ETM+ satellite imagery, we "trained" the spatial analysis and image classification algorithms using the spectral signatures of known fossil localities discovered in the Uinta Basin prior to 2005 and then created interactive probability models highlighting other regions in the Basin having a high probability of containing fossiliferous sediments based on their spectral signatures. A fortuitous "post-hoc" validation of our model presented itself. Our model identified several paleontological "hotspots", regions that, while not producing any fossil localities prior to 2005, had high probabilities of being fossiliferous based on the similarities of their spectral signatures to those of previously known fossil localities. Subsequent fieldwork found fossils in all the regions predicted by the model. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

First evidence for Wollemi Pine-type pollen (Dilwynites: Araucariaceae) in South America.

PubMed

Macphail, Mike; Carpenter, Raymond J; Iglesias, Ari; Wilf, Peter

2013-01-01

We report the first fossil pollen from South America of the lineage that includes the recently discovered, extremely rare Australian Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis (Araucariaceae). The grains are from the late Paleocene to early middle Eocene Ligorio Márquez Formation of Santa Cruz, Patagonia, Argentina, and are assigned to Dilwynites, the fossil pollen type that closely resembles the pollen of modern Wollemia and some species of its Australasian sister genus, Agathis. Dilwynites was formerly known only from Australia, New Zealand, and East Antarctica. The Patagonian Dilwynites occurs with several taxa of Podocarpaceae and a diverse range of cryptogams and angiosperms, but not Nothofagus. The fossils greatly extend the known geographic range of Dilwynites and provide important new evidence for the Antarctic region as an early Paleogene portal for biotic interchange between Australasia and South America.

First Evidence for Wollemi Pine-type Pollen (Dilwynites: Araucariaceae) in South America

PubMed Central

Macphail, Mike; Carpenter, Raymond J.; Iglesias, Ari; Wilf, Peter

2013-01-01

We report the first fossil pollen from South America of the lineage that includes the recently discovered, extremely rare Australian Wollemi Pine, Wollemia nobilis (Araucariaceae). The grains are from the late Paleocene to early middle Eocene Ligorio Márquez Formation of Santa Cruz, Patagonia, Argentina, and are assigned to Dilwynites, the fossil pollen type that closely resembles the pollen of modern Wollemia and some species of its Australasian sister genus, Agathis. Dilwynites was formerly known only from Australia, New Zealand, and East Antarctica. The Patagonian Dilwynites occurs with several taxa of Podocarpaceae and a diverse range of cryptogams and angiosperms, but not Nothofagus. The fossils greatly extend the known geographic range of Dilwynites and provide important new evidence for the Antarctic region as an early Paleogene portal for biotic interchange between Australasia and South America. PMID:23894439

Approaching Pharmacometrics as a Paleontologist Would: Recovering the Links Between Drugs and the Body Through Reconstruction.

PubMed

Craig, M; González-Sales, M; Li, J; Nekka, F

2016-03-01

Our knowledge of dinosaurs comes primarily from the fossil record. Notwithstanding the condition of these vestiges, paleontologists reconstruct early reptilian life by comparison to previously discovered specimens. When relics are missing, reasonable deductions are used to fill in the gaps.

A Primary Grade (K-3) Earth Science Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Maurice L.; Slesnick, Irwin L.

1973-01-01

Describes the rationale and structure of a newly developed earth science program for elementary school children (K-3). The activities involve pre-operational and concrete operational stages, progressing from one to the other. Children show sustained interest and enthusiasm as they investigate landforms, the moon, fossils, and weather phenomena.…

Spawning sockeye salmon fossils in Pleistocene lake beds of Skokomish Valley, Washington

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Gerald R.; Montgomery, David R.; Peterson, N. Phil; Crowley, Bruce

2007-09-01

An assemblage of fossil sockeye salmon was discovered in Pleistocene lake sediments along the South Fork Skokomish River, Olympic Peninsula, Washington. The fossils were abundant near the head of a former glacial lake at 115 m elevation. Large adult salmon are concentrated in a sequence of death assemblages that include individuals with enlarged breeding teeth and worn caudal fins indicating migration, nest digging, and spawning prior to death. The specimens were 4 yr old and 45-70 cm in total length, similar in size to modern sockeye salmon, not landlocked kokanee. The fossils possess most of the characteristics of sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, but with several minor traits suggestive of pink salmon, O. gorbuscha. This suggests the degree of divergence of these species at about 1 million yr ago, when geological evidence indicates the salmon were deposited at the head of a proglacial lake impounded by the Salmon Springs advance of the Puget lobe ice sheet. Surficial geology and topography record a complicated history of glacial damming and river diversion that implies incision of the modern gorge of the South Fork Skokomish River after deposition of the fossil-bearing sediments.

HIV+ deceased donor referrals: A national survey of organ procurement organizations.

PubMed

Cash, Ayla; Luo, Xun; Chow, Eric K H; Bowring, Mary Grace; Shaffer, Ashton A; Doby, Brianna; Wickliffe, Corey E; Alexander, Charles; McRann, Deborah; Tobian, Aaron A R; Segev, Dorry L; Durand, Christine M

2018-02-01

HIV-infected (HIV+) donor organs can be transplanted into HIV+ recipients under the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act. Quantifying HIV+ donor referrals received by organ procurement organizations (OPOs) is critical for HOPE Act implementation. We surveyed the 58 USA OPOs regarding HIV+ referral records and newly discovered HIV+ donors. Using data from OPOs that provided exact records and CDC HIV prevalence data, we projected a national estimate of HIV+ referrals. Fifty-five (95%) OPOs reported HIV+ referrals ranging from 0 to 276 and newly discovered HIV+ cases ranging from 0 to 10 annually. Six OPOs in areas of high HIV prevalence reported more than 100 HIV+ donor referrals. Twenty-seven (47%) OPOs provided exact HIV+ referral records and 28 (51%) OPOs provided exact records of discovered HIV+ cases, totaling 1450 HIV+ referrals and 39 discovered HIV+ donors in the prior year. These OPOs represented 67% and 59% of prevalent HIV cases in the USA; thus, we estimated 2164 HIV+ referrals and 66 discovered HIV+ cases nationally per year. OPOs reported a high volume of HIV+ referrals annually, of which a subset will be medically eligible for donation. Particularly in areas of high HIV prevalence, OPOs require ongoing support to implement the HOPE Act. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A new lineage of Cretaceous jewel wasps (Chalcidoidea: Diversinitidae).

PubMed

Haas, Michael; Burks, Roger A; Krogmann, Lars

2018-01-01

Jewel wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are extremely species-rich today, but have a sparse fossil record from the Cretaceous, the period of their early diversification. Three genera and three species, Diversinitus attenboroughi gen. & sp. n. , Burminata caputaeria gen. & sp. n. and Glabiala barbata gen. & sp. n. are described in the family Diversinitidae fam. n., from Lower Cretaceous Burmese amber. Placement in Chalcidoidea is supported by the presence of multiporous plate sensilla on the antennal flagellum and a laterally exposed prepectus. The new taxa can be excluded from all extant family level chalcidoid lineages by the presence of multiporous plate sensilla on the first flagellomere in both sexes and lack of any synapomorphies. Accordingly, a new family is proposed for the fossils and its probable phylogenetic position within Chalcidoidea is discussed. Morphological cladistic analyses of the new fossils within the Heraty et al. (2013) dataset did not resolve the phylogenetic placement of Diversinitidae, but indicated its monophyly. Phylogenetically relevant morphological characters of the new fossils are discussed with reference to Cretaceous and extant chalcidoid taxa. Along with mymarid fossils and a few species of uncertain phylogenetic placement, the newly described members of Diversinitidae are among the earliest known chalcidoids and advance our knowledge of their Cretaceous diversity.

Using internet images to gather distributional data for a newly discovered Caloptilia species (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) specializing on Chinese tallow in North America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera (L.), Euphorbiaceae) is a noxious and highly invasive species that was deliberately introduced to GA in 1772. In early 2009, an unfamiliar caterpillar was independently discovered feeding on T. sebifera trees in Gainesville, FL and Slidell, LA. Adult moths were...

Trocara virus: a newly recognized Alphavirus (Togaviridae) isolated from mosquitoes in the Amazon Basin.

PubMed

Travassos da Rosa, A P; Turell, M J; Watts, D M; Powers, A M; Vasconcelos, P F; Jones, J W; Klein, T A; Dohm, D J; Shope, R E; Degallier, N; Popov, V L; Russell, K L; Weaver, S C; Guzman, H; Calampa, C; Brault, A C; Lemon, A P; Tesh, R B

2001-01-01

This report describes Trocara virus, a newly recognized member of the genus Alphavirus, that has been isolated from Aedes serratus mosquitoes collected at two widely separated sites in the Amazon Basin. Biological, antigenic and genetic characteristics of the new virus are given. Results of these studies indicate that Trocara virus is the first member of a newly discovered antigenic complex within the family Togaviridae genus Alphavirus. The public health and veterinary importance of Trocara virus is still unknown.

Carboniferous and Permian evolutionary records for the Paleo-Tethys Ocean constrained by newly discovered Xiangtaohu ophiolites from central Qiangtang, central Tibet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiu-Zheng; Dong, Yong-Sheng; Wang, Qiang; Dan, Wei; Zhang, Chunfu; Deng, Ming-Rong; Xu, Wang; Xia, Xiao-Ping; Zeng, Ji-Peng; Liang, He

2016-07-01

Reconstructing the evolutionary history of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean remains at the center of debates over the linkage between Gondwana dispersion and Asian accretion. Identifying the remnants of oceanic lithosphere (ophiolites) has very important implications for identifying suture zones, unveiling the evolutionary history of fossil oceans, and reconstructing the amalgamation history between different blocks. Here we report newly documented ophiolite suites from the Longmu Co-Shuanghu Suture zone (LSSZ) in the Xiangtaohu area, central Qiangtang block, Tibet. Detailed geological investigations and zircon U-Pb dating reveal that the Xiangtaohu ophiolites are composed of a suite of Permian (281-275 Ma) ophiolites with a nearly complete Penrose sequence and a suite of Early Carboniferous (circa 350 Ma) ophiolite remnants containing only part of the lower oceanic crust. Geochemical and Sr-Nd-O isotopic data show that the Permian and Carboniferous ophiolites in this study were derived from an N-mid-ocean ridge basalts-like mantle source with varied suprasubduction-zone (SSZ) signatures and were characterized by crystallization sequences from wet magmas, suggesting typical SSZ-affinity ophiolites. Permian and Carboniferous SSZ ophiolites in the central Qiangtang provide robust evidence for the existence and evolution of an ancient ocean basin. Combining with previous studies on high-pressure metamorphic rocks and pelagic radiolarian cherts, and with tectonostratigraphic and paleontological data, we support the LSSZ as representing the main suture of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean which probably existed and evolved from Devonian to Triassic. The opening and demise of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean dominated the formation of the major framework for the East and/or Southeast Asia.

Mass extinction in tetraodontiform fishes linked to the Palaeocene-Eocene thermal maximum.

PubMed

Arcila, Dahiana; Tyler, James C

2017-11-15

Integrative evolutionary analyses based upon fossil and extant species provide a powerful approach for understanding past diversification events and for assessing the tempo of evolution across the Tree of Life. Herein, we demonstrate the importance of integrating fossil and extant species for inferring patterns of lineage diversification that would otherwise be masked in analyses that examine only one source of evidence. We infer the phylogeny and macroevolutionary history of the Tetraodontiformes (triggerfishes, pufferfishes and allies), a group with one of the most extensive fossil records among fishes. Our analyses combine molecular and morphological data, based on an expanded matrix that adds newly coded fossil species and character states. Beyond confidently resolving the relationships and divergence times of tetraodontiforms, our diversification analyses detect a major mass-extinction event during the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), followed by a marked increase in speciation rates. This pattern is consistently obtained when fossil and extant species are integrated, whereas examination of the fossil occurrences alone failed to detect major diversification changes during the PETM. When taking into account non-homogeneous models, our analyses also detect a rapid lineage diversification increase in one of the groups (tetraodontoids) during the middle Miocene, which is considered a key period in the evolution of reef fishes associated with trophic changes and ecological opportunity. In summary, our analyses show distinct diversification dynamics estimated from phylogenies and the fossil record, suggesting that different episodes shaped the evolution of tetraodontiforms during the Cenozoic. © 2017 The Author(s).

Early Eocene fossils suggest that the mammalian order Perissodactyla originated in India.

PubMed

Rose, Kenneth D; Holbrook, Luke T; Rana, Rajendra S; Kumar, Kishor; Jones, Katrina E; Ahrens, Heather E; Missiaen, Pieter; Sahni, Ashok; Smith, Thierry

2014-11-20

Cambaytheres (Cambaytherium, Nakusia and Kalitherium) are recently discovered early Eocene placental mammals from the Indo-Pakistan region. They have been assigned to either Perissodactyla (the clade including horses, tapirs and rhinos, which is a member of the superorder Laurasiatheria) or Anthracobunidae, an obscure family that has been variously considered artiodactyls or perissodactyls, but most recently placed at the base of Proboscidea or of Tethytheria (Proboscidea+Sirenia, superorder Afrotheria). Here we report new dental, cranial and postcranial fossils of Cambaytherium, from the Cambay Shale Formation, Gujarat, India (~54.5 Myr). These fossils demonstrate that cambaytheres occupy a pivotal position as the sister taxon of Perissodactyla, thereby providing insight on the phylogenetic and biogeographic origin of Perissodactyla. The presence of the sister group of perissodactyls in western India near or before the time of collision suggests that Perissodactyla may have originated on the Indian Plate during its final drift toward Asia.

How can we reliably identify a taxon based on humeral morphology? Comparative morphology of desmostylian humeri

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Desmostylia is a clade of marine mammals belonging to either Tethytheria or Perissodactyla. Rich fossil records of Desmostylia were found in the Oligocene to Miocene strata of the Northern Pacific Rim, especially in the northwestern region, which includes the Japanese archipelago. Fossils in many shapes and forms, including whole or partial skeletons, skulls, teeth, and fragmentary bones have been discovered from this region. Despite the prevalent availability of fossil records, detailed taxonomic identification based on fragmentary postcranial materials has been difficult owing to to our limited knowledge of the postcranial diagnostic features of many desmostylian taxa. In this study, I propose the utilization of diagnostic characters found in the humerus to identify desmostylian genus. These characters can be used to identify isolated desmostylian humeri at the genus level, contributing to a better understanding of the stratigraphic and geographic distributions of each genus. PMID:29134151

32 CFR 719.144 - Application for relief under 10 U.S.C. 869, in cases which have been finally reviewed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of newly discovered evidence, fraud on the court, lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the... the time of trial, if applicable; (9) Type of court-martial which convicted the applicant, and... discovered evidence; (ii) Fraud on the court; (iii) Lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the offense; (iv...

32 CFR 719.144 - Application for relief under 10 U.S.C. 869, in cases which have been finally reviewed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... of newly discovered evidence, fraud on the court, lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the... the time of trial, if applicable; (9) Type of court-martial which convicted the applicant, and... discovered evidence; (ii) Fraud on the court; (iii) Lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the offense; (iv...

32 CFR 719.144 - Application for relief under 10 U.S.C. 869, in cases which have been finally reviewed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of newly discovered evidence, fraud on the court, lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the... the time of trial, if applicable; (9) Type of court-martial which convicted the applicant, and... discovered evidence; (ii) Fraud on the court; (iii) Lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the offense; (iv...

A dating success story: genomes and fossils converge on placental mammal origins

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The timing of the placental mammal radiation has been a source of contention for decades. The fossil record of mammals extends over 200 million years, but no confirmed placental mammal fossils are known prior to 64 million years ago, which is approximately 1.5 million years after the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction that saw the end of non-avian dinosaurs. Thus, it came as a great surprise when the first published molecular clock studies suggested that placental mammals originated instead far back in the Cretaceous, in some cases doubling divergence estimates based on fossils. In the last few decades, more than a hundred new genera of Mesozoic mammals have been discovered, and molecular divergence studies have grown from simple clock-like models applied to a few genes to sophisticated analyses of entire genomes. Yet, molecular and fossil-based divergence estimates for placental mammal origins have remained remote, with knock-on effects for macro-scale reconstructions of mammal evolution. A few recent molecular studies have begun to converge with fossil-based estimates, and a new phylogenomic study in particular shows that the palaeontological record was mostly correct; most placental mammal orders diversified after the K-Pg mass extinction. While a small gap still remains for Late Cretaceous supraordinal divergences, this study has significantly improved the congruence between molecular and palaeontological data and heralds a broader integration of these fields of evolutionary science. PMID:22883371

First early Mesozoic amber in the Western Hemisphere

USGS Publications Warehouse

Litwin, R.J.; Ash, S.R.

1991-01-01

Detrital amber pebbles and granules have been discovered in Upper Triassic strata on the Colorado Plateau. Although amber previously has been reported from Pennsylvanian, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary strata, we know of no other reported Triassic occurrence in North America or the Western Hemisphere. The new discovered occurrences of amber are at two localities in the lower part of the Petrified Forest Member of the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. The paper coals and carbonaceous paper shales containing the amber also contain fossil palynomorph assemblages that indicate a late Carnian age for these occurrences. -Authors

Microscopic and immunohistochemical analyses of the claw of the nesting dinosaur, Citipati osmolskae

PubMed Central

Zheng, Wenxia; Schweitzer, Mary H.

2016-01-01

One of the most well-recognized Cretaceous fossils is Citipati osmolskae (MPC-D 100/979), an oviraptorid dinosaur discovered in brooding position on a nest of unhatched eggs. The original description refers to a thin lens of white material extending from a manus ungual, which was proposed to represent original keratinous claw sheath that, in life, would have covered it. Here, we test the hypothesis that this exceptional morphological preservation extends to the molecular level. The fossil sheath was compared with that of extant birds, revealing similar morphology and microstructural organization. In living birds, the claw sheath consists primarily of two structural proteins; alpha-keratin, expressed in all vertebrates, and beta-keratin, found only in reptiles and birds (sauropsids). We employed antibodies raised against avian feathers, which comprise almost entirely of beta-keratin, to demonstrate that fossil tissues respond with the same specificity, though less intensity, as those from living birds. Furthermore, we show that calcium chelation greatly increased antibody reactivity, suggesting a role for calcium in the preservation of this fossil material. PMID:28120795

Microscopic and immunohistochemical analyses of the claw of the nesting dinosaur, Citipati osmolskae.

PubMed

Moyer, Alison E; Zheng, Wenxia; Schweitzer, Mary H

2016-11-16

One of the most well-recognized Cretaceous fossils is Citipati osmolskae (MPC-D 100/979), an oviraptorid dinosaur discovered in brooding position on a nest of unhatched eggs. The original description refers to a thin lens of white material extending from a manus ungual, which was proposed to represent original keratinous claw sheath that, in life, would have covered it. Here, we test the hypothesis that this exceptional morphological preservation extends to the molecular level. The fossil sheath was compared with that of extant birds, revealing similar morphology and microstructural organization. In living birds, the claw sheath consists primarily of two structural proteins; alpha-keratin, expressed in all vertebrates, and beta-keratin, found only in reptiles and birds (sauropsids). We employed antibodies raised against avian feathers, which comprise almost entirely of beta-keratin, to demonstrate that fossil tissues respond with the same specificity, though less intensity, as those from living birds. Furthermore, we show that calcium chelation greatly increased antibody reactivity, suggesting a role for calcium in the preservation of this fossil material. © 2016 The Author(s).

Discovery of silicified lacustrine micro-fossils and stromatolites: Triassic-Jurassic Fundy Group, Nova Scotia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cameron, B.

A unique assemblage of silicified invertebrate and algal fresh-water lake fossils has been discovered in the Scots Bay Formation at the top of the Triassic-Jurassic Fundy Group of the Fundy Basin in Nova Scotia. This is important because the basins of the eastern North American Triassic-Jurassic rift system have not yielded many invertebrate and algal fossils. These new finds will contribute significantly to evolutionary, paleoecological and biostratigraphic studies of fresh-water Mesozoic deposits. Silicified fossils have been extracted from chert-bearing, mixed carbonate and siliciclastic lithologies. They include ostracodes, gastropods, rare bivalves, charaphytes (algae), stromatolites, and chert nodules cored with well-preserved woodymore » tissues of tree trunks. Possible algal filaments occur in the silicified stromatolites. This association of charaphytes, ostracodes, microscopic gastropods and stromatolites is found in carbonate lakes today. The Scots Bay Formation is probably a near-shore carbonate facies of the more widespread silicilastic lacustrine McCoy Brook Formation. The gastropods and ostracodes, studied by SEM, indicate a Jurassic age for the Scots bay Formation, confirming speculations based on other data.« less

3D morphometric analysis of fossil canid skulls contradicts the suggested domestication of dogs during the late Paleolithic

PubMed Central

Drake, Abby Grace; Coquerelle, Michael; Colombeau, Guillaume

2015-01-01

Whether dogs were domesticated during the Pleistocene, when humans were hunter-gatherers, or during the Neolithic, when humans began to form permanent settlements and engage in agriculture, remains controversial. Recently discovered Paleolithic fossil skulls, Goyet dated 31,680 +/− 250 YBP and Eliseevichi MAE 447/5298 dated 13,905 +/− 55 YBP, were previously identified as dogs. However, new genetic studies contradict the identification of these specimens as dogs, questioning the validity of traditional measurements used to morphologically identify canid fossil skulls. We employ 3D geometric morphometric analyses to compare the cranial morphology of Goyet and Eliseevichi MAE to that of ancient and modern dogs and wolves. We demonstrate that these Paleolithic canids are definitively wolves and not dogs. Compared to mesaticephalic (wolf-like breeds) dog skulls, Goyet and Eliseevichi MAE, do not have cranial flexion and the dorsal surface of their muzzles has no concavity near the orbits. Morphologically, these early fossil canids resemble wolves, and thus no longer support the establishment of dog domestication in the Paleolithic. PMID:25654325

3D morphometric analysis of fossil canid skulls contradicts the suggested domestication of dogs during the late Paleolithic.

PubMed

Drake, Abby Grace; Coquerelle, Michael; Colombeau, Guillaume

2015-02-05

Whether dogs were domesticated during the Pleistocene, when humans were hunter-gatherers, or during the Neolithic, when humans began to form permanent settlements and engage in agriculture, remains controversial. Recently discovered Paleolithic fossil skulls, Goyet dated 31,680 +/- 250 YBP and Eliseevichi MAE 447/5298 dated 13,905 +/- 55 YBP, were previously identified as dogs. However, new genetic studies contradict the identification of these specimens as dogs, questioning the validity of traditional measurements used to morphologically identify canid fossil skulls. We employ 3D geometric morphometric analyses to compare the cranial morphology of Goyet and Eliseevichi MAE to that of ancient and modern dogs and wolves. We demonstrate that these Paleolithic canids are definitively wolves and not dogs. Compared to mesaticephalic (wolf-like breeds) dog skulls, Goyet and Eliseevichi MAE, do not have cranial flexion and the dorsal surface of their muzzles has no concavity near the orbits. Morphologically, these early fossil canids resemble wolves, and thus no longer support the establishment of dog domestication in the Paleolithic.

Armored kinorhynch-like scalidophoran animals from the early Cambrian.

PubMed

Zhang, Huaqiao; Xiao, Shuhai; Liu, Yunhuan; Yuan, Xunlai; Wan, Bin; Muscente, A D; Shao, Tiequan; Gong, Hao; Cao, Guohua

2015-11-26

Morphology-based phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of the Scalidophora (Kinorhyncha, Loricifera, Priapulida) and Nematoida (Nematoda, Nematomorpha), together constituting the monophyletic Cycloneuralia that is the sister group of the Panarthropoda. Kinorhynchs are unique among living cycloneuralians in having a segmented body with repeated cuticular plates, longitudinal muscles, dorsoventral muscles, and ganglia. Molecular clock estimates suggest that kinorhynchs may have diverged in the Ediacaran Period. Remarkably, no kinorhynch fossils have been discovered, in sharp contrast to priapulids and loriciferans that are represented by numerous Cambrian fossils. Here we describe several early Cambrian (~535 million years old) kinorhynch-like fossils, including the new species Eokinorhynchus rarus and two unnamed but related forms. E. rarus has characteristic scalidophoran features, including an introvert with pentaradially arranged hollow scalids. Its trunk bears at least 20 annuli each consisting of numerous small rectangular plates, and is armored with five pairs of large and bilaterally placed sclerites. Its trunk annuli are reminiscent of the epidermis segments of kinorhynchs. A phylogenetic analysis resolves E. rarus as a stem-group kinorhynch. Thus, the fossil record confirms that all three scalidophoran phyla diverged no later than the Cambrian Period.

Physicians’ duty to recontact and update genetic advice

PubMed Central

Stevens, Yvonne A; Senner, Grant D; Marchant, Gary E

2017-01-01

This perspective addresses whether physicians have a duty to recontact former or current patients to update clinical advice based on newly discovered genomic information. Genetic information is unique compared with other medical data in that the underlying data do not appreciably change during the patients’ lifetime, but the clinical significance of that information will continue to evolve. Based on relevant case law and guidelines, there is no general, established legal duty for physicians to affirmatively recontact former or current patients to update clinical advice based on newly discovered genetic information. However, integration of genomics into clinical practice is advancing quickly, and there may be limited, specific situations where a physician may have a duty to provide updated genetic information. PMID:29158769

A Weibull statistics-based lignocellulose saccharification model and a built-in parameter accurately predict lignocellulose hydrolysis performance.

PubMed

Wang, Mingyu; Han, Lijuan; Liu, Shasha; Zhao, Xuebing; Yang, Jinghua; Loh, Soh Kheang; Sun, Xiaomin; Zhang, Chenxi; Fang, Xu

2015-09-01

Renewable energy from lignocellulosic biomass has been deemed an alternative to depleting fossil fuels. In order to improve this technology, we aim to develop robust mathematical models for the enzymatic lignocellulose degradation process. By analyzing 96 groups of previously published and newly obtained lignocellulose saccharification results and fitting them to Weibull distribution, we discovered Weibull statistics can accurately predict lignocellulose saccharification data, regardless of the type of substrates, enzymes and saccharification conditions. A mathematical model for enzymatic lignocellulose degradation was subsequently constructed based on Weibull statistics. Further analysis of the mathematical structure of the model and experimental saccharification data showed the significance of the two parameters in this model. In particular, the λ value, defined the characteristic time, represents the overall performance of the saccharification system. This suggestion was further supported by statistical analysis of experimental saccharification data and analysis of the glucose production levels when λ and n values change. In conclusion, the constructed Weibull statistics-based model can accurately predict lignocellulose hydrolysis behavior and we can use the λ parameter to assess the overall performance of enzymatic lignocellulose degradation. Advantages and potential applications of the model and the λ value in saccharification performance assessment were discussed. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Taxonomic review of the late Cenozoic megapodes (Galliformes: Megapodiidae) of Australia

PubMed Central

Prideaux, Gavin J.

2017-01-01

Megapodes are unusual galliform birds that use passive heat sources to incubate their eggs. Evolutionary relationships of extant megapode taxa have become clearer with the advent of molecular analyses, but the systematics of large, extinct forms (Progura gallinacea, Progura naracoortensis) from the late Cenozoic of Australia has been a source of confusion. It was recently suggested that the two species of Progura were synonymous, and that this taxon dwarfed into the extant malleefowl Leipoa ocellata in the Late Pleistocene. Here, we review previously described fossils along with newly discovered material from several localities, and present a substantial taxonomic revision. We show that P. gallinacea and P. naracoortensis are generically distinct, describe two new species of megapode from the Thylacoleo Caves of south-central Australia, and a new genus from Curramulka Quarry in southern Australia. We also show that L. ocellata was contemporaneous with larger species. Our phylogenetic analysis places four extinct taxa in a derived clade with the extant Australo-Papuan brush-turkeys Talegalla fuscirostris, L. ocellata, Alectura lathami and Aepypodius bruijnii. Therefore, diversity of brush-turkeys halved during the Quaternary, matching extinction rates of scrubfowl in the Pacific. Unlike extant brush-turkeys, all the extinct taxa appear to have been burrow-nesters. PMID:28680676

Chemical Abundance Measurements of Ultra-Faint Dwarf Galaxies Discovered by the Dark Energy Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagasawa, Daniel; Marshall, Jennifer L.; Simon, Joshua D.; Hansen, Terese; Li, Ting; Bernstein, Rebecca; Balbinot, Eduardo; Drlica-Wagner, Alex; Pace, Andrew; Strigari, Louis; Pellegrino, Craig; DePoy, Darren L.; Suntzeff, Nicholas; Bechtol, Keith; Dark Energy Suvey

2018-01-01

We present chemical abundance analysis results derived from high-resolution spectroscopy of ultra-faint dwarfs discovered by the Dark Energy Survey. Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies preserve a fossil record of the chemical abundance patterns imprinted by the first stars in the Universe. High-resolution spectroscopic observations of member stars in several recently discovered Milky Way satellites reveal a range of abundance patterns among ultra-faint dwarfs suggesting that star formation processes in the early Universe were quite diverse. The chemical content provides a glimpse not only of the varied nucleosynthetic processes and chemical history of the dwarfs themselves, but also the environment in which they were formed. We present the chemical abundance analysis of these objects and discuss possible explanations for the observed abundance patterns.

The Lower Devonian marginal-marine ecosystems of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland - new discoveries and observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szrek, P.; Niedźwiedzki, G.; Dec, M.

2012-04-01

Despite of more than 100 years of study, the Lower Devonian deposits of the Holy Cross Mountains (central Poland) are still not well understood from the biostratigraphical, environmental and also paleontological point of views. During field works and excavations conducted in 2011 numerous fossils (body and trace fossils) were discovered in a few Lower Devonian outcrops of the region. The siliciclastic sequence of the Lower Devonian of the southern part of the Holy Cross Mountains, is renowned for abundant vertebrate fossils, including mainly the jawless fish and placoderm remains. During the first detailed taphonomic study of the vertebrate assemblage from the so-called "Placoderm Sandstones" cropping out at the Podłazie near Daleszyce, abundant vertebrate remains have been collected (more than 600 specimens). Their analysis (that is in progress) will be the first description of so rich and numerous vertebrates association from the Central Europe that contains placoderms, sharks, acathodians and sarcopterygians. The degree of fragmentation of the bones and disarticulation of the skeletons suggest that the carcasses were reworked and transported before burial. Sedimentological data suggest deposition in a shallow marine environment. Numerous invertebrate ichnofossils (Phycodes isp. Skolithos isp., Diplichnites isp., Monomorphichnus isp., Lockeia cf. siliquaria, Corophioides isp. and Teichinus isp.) particularly well preserved were ascertained in another Lower Devonian site near Iwaniska. Moreover a very interesting assemblage of trace fossils corresponding to traces of feeding fishes were discovered. They are very similar to those found in much younger deposits (e.g. from the Eocene of Turkey). Its interpretation found them as made by placoderms is taken into consideration recently, because of its fiting to whole morphology of small coccosteids. They are also important that they could be the first imprints of soft body of the placoderm as a life animal according to good preservation of particular specimens. The occurrence of characteristic trace fossils is taken as strong evidence of marine influences of the studied section, where sedimentological features are not so clear, with exceptions of very few surfaces covered with symmetrical wave marks. The distribution of the most common trace fossils recognized in the field allowed for different interpretation than was proposed in the past which set up the river influence in the Lower Dewonian of the eastern part of the Holy Cross Mountains, but it is not confirmed by mentioned above invertebrate ichnofossils. Instead of this the development of Skolithos and Cruziana ichnofacies in Iwaniska profile, indicate high energy conditions in foreshore zone, respectively. All the Lower Devonian sites with trace fossils and vertebrate bonebeds from the Holy Cross Mountains are associated with sandy deposits and have been formed in a sea-coastal zone during rather rapid sedimentation episodes, but differ in fossil abundance and degree of preservation.

Tephrochronology and Stratigraphy of Silicic and Basaltic Volcanic Ash Layers at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walkup, L. C.; Prassack, K. A.; Hart, W. K.; Wan, E.

2016-12-01

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (HAFO) is home to a diverse early-middle Pliocene ( 4.2-3.0 Ma) faunal assemblage. The Glenns Ferry Formation, exposed within the Monument and in surrounding areas, preserves lacustrine and fluvial deposits interbedded with tephra and lava flows establishing a broad chronostratigraphic context for the fossils. Despite multiple attempts by previous studies to date several volcanic horizons within the Glenns Ferry Formation, the precise chronostratigraphy of specific key fossil localities within the Monument remains poorly constrained. HAFO contains many type specimens, including that of the newly described river otter Lontra weiri (Prassack, 2016). The chronologies of type specimens are especially important because they establish the first and, in some cases, only known occurrence of a species in the fossil record. Refined chronology also allows for community-level reconstructions of fauna across ancient landscapes. Thus, multiple silicic and basaltic tephra distributions were mapped, sampled, petrographically characterized, analyzed by electron microprobe (EMP), and correlated across the Monument to provide a refined spatial and temporal framework for specific fossil localities. Previous tephrochronologic studies focused on the Fossil Gulch and Peters Gulch areas. This investigation extends the mapped distribution extent of the tephra layers identified by other workers. To further support the updated tephrochronologic framework, several tephra samples from type localities were also analyzed using EMP and correlated with samples collected during this study. We also present a new age of 3.07± 0.23 Ma for an upper tephra horizon, measured via ITPFT and DCFT glass fission track methods. This age is in agreement with a previously suggested age of 3.15 Ma for this horizon based on regional tephra correlation and more precisely constrains the age of an important underlying fossil site.

Genomic Analyses Reveal Demographic History and Temperate Adaptation of the Newly Discovered Honey Bee Subspecies Apis mellifera sinisxinyuan n. ssp

PubMed Central

Chen, Chao; Liu, Zhiguang; Pan, Qi; Chen, Xiao; Wang, Huihua; Guo, Haikun; Liu, Shidong; Lu, Hongfeng; Tian, Shilin; Li, Ruiqiang; Shi, Wei

2016-01-01

Studying the genetic signatures of climate-driven selection can produce insights into local adaptation and the potential impacts of climate change on populations. The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is an interesting species to study local adaptation because it originated in tropical/subtropical climatic regions and subsequently spread into temperate regions. However, little is known about the genetic basis of its adaptation to temperate climates. Here, we resequenced the whole genomes of ten individual bees from a newly discovered population in temperate China and downloaded resequenced data from 35 individuals from other populations. We found that the new population is an undescribed subspecies in the M-lineage of A. mellifera (Apis mellifera sinisxinyuan). Analyses of population history show that long-term global temperature has strongly influenced the demographic history of A. m. sinisxinyuan and its divergence from other subspecies. Further analyses comparing temperate and tropical populations identified several candidate genes related to fat body and the Hippo signaling pathway that are potentially involved in adaptation to temperate climates. Our results provide insights into the demographic history of the newly discovered A. m. sinisxinyuan, as well as the genetic basis of adaptation of A. mellifera to temperate climates at the genomic level. These findings will facilitate the selective breeding of A. mellifera to improve the survival of overwintering colonies. PMID:26823447

Research into Inheritance and Evolution(with Dr Who's Help!)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Terry; McGuigan, Linda

2014-01-01

Even in the foundation stage (ages 3-5), children reveal an awareness of and enthusiasm for dinosaurs and fossils, so this research includes the entire primary age range. The authors sought to discover what ideas prevail as children develop and how their understanding progresses. Reviewing relevant educational research led them to define five…

Authentication of Electromagnetic Interference Removal in Johnson Noise Thermometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Britton Jr, Charles L.; Roberts, Michael

This report summarizes the testing performed offsite at the TVA Kingston Fossil Plant (KFP). This location is selected as a valid offsite test facility because the environment is very similar to the expected industrial nuclear power plant environment. This report will discuss the EMI discovered in the environment, the removal technique validity, and results from the measurements.

Fossils harbor climate clues and fuel debate over glacier stability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

At the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf near McMurdo Station in Antarctica, scientists have discovered fossils of well preserved wood and a mixture of microscopic marine organisms, dating from the Eocene epoch. This discovery promises significant clues to the onset of glaciation in Antarctica. Geologists believe that this discovery may shed light on Antarctica's link to world climate and help predict future climatic change. Debate centers around when glaciation first became extensive, 15 or 20 million years ago, and whether or not the ice sheet was dynamic and responsive to small fluctuations in climate or stable and able tomore » lock up massive amounts of the world's water. 7 refs.« less

Chandra Observations of Three Newly Discovered Quadruply Gravitationally Lensed Quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pooley, David

2017-09-01

Our previous work has shown the unique power of Chandra observations of quadruply gravitationally lensed quasars to address several fundamental astrophysical issues. We have used these observations to (1) determine the cause of flux ratio anomalies, (2) measure the sizes of quasar accretion disks, (3) determine the dark matter content of the lensing galaxies, and (4) measure the stellar mass-to-light ratio (in fact, this is the only way to measure the stellar mass-to-light ratio beyond the solar neighborhood). In all cases, the main source of uncertainty in our results is the small size of the sample of known quads; only 15 systems are available for study with Chandra. We propose Chandra observations of three newly discovered quads, increasing the sample size by 20%

Goblet Cells of the Conjunctiva: A Review of Recent Findings

PubMed Central

Gipson, Ilene K

2016-01-01

Goblet cells within the conjunctival epithelium are specialized cells that secrete mucins onto the surface of the eye. Recent research has demonstrated new characteristics of the cells, including factors influencing their differentiation, their gene products and their functions at the ocular surface. The following review summarizes the newly discovered aspects of the role of Spdef, a member of the Ets transcription factor family in conjunctival goblet cell differentiation, the newly discovered goblet cell products including claudin2, the Wnt inhibitor Frzb, and the transmembrane mucin Muc16. The current concepts of conjunctival goblet cell function, including debris removal and immune surveillance are reviewed, as are changes in the goblet cell population in ocular surface diseases. Major remaining questions regarding conjunctival cell biology are discussed. PMID:27091323

The first fossil salmonfly (Insecta: Plecoptera: Pteronarcyidae), back to the Middle Jurassic.

PubMed

Cui, Yingying; Béthoux, Olivier; Kondratieff, Boris; Shih, Chungkun; Ren, Dong

2016-10-18

The fossil record of Plecoptera (stoneflies) is considered relatively complete, with stem-groups of each of the three major lineages, viz. Antarctoperlaria, Euholognatha and Systellognatha (and some of their families) represented in the Mesozoic. However, the family Pteronarcyidae (the salmonflies; including two genera, Pteronarcys and Pteronarcella) has no fossil record to date, and the family has been suggested to have diverged recently. In this paper, we report on a set of specimens belonging to a new fossil species of stonefly, discovered from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou locality (China). Our comparative analysis of wing venation and body characters demonstrates that the new species belongs to the Pteronarcyidae, and is more closely related to Pteronarcys than to Pteronarcella. However, it differs from all known species of the former genus. It is therefore assigned to a new genus and named Pteroliriope sinitshenkovae gen. et sp. nov. under the traditional nomenclatural procedure. The cladotypic nomenclatural procedure is also employed, with the resulting combination Pteroliriope nec Pteronarcys sinitshenkovae sp. nov. The first discovery of a fossil member of the Pteronarcyidae demonstrates that the corresponding lineage is not a very recent offshoot but was already present ca. 165 million years ago. This discovery concurs with the view that divergence of most stonefly families took place very early, probably in the Triassic, or even in the Permian. This contribution demonstrates the need for (re-)investigations of the systematics of fossil stoneflies to refine divergence date estimates for Plecoptera lineages.

Cloning and heterologous expression of a novel subgroup of class IV polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase genes from the genus Bacillus.

PubMed

Mizuno, Kouhei; Kihara, Takahiro; Tsuge, Takeharu; Lundgren, Benjamin R; Sarwar, Zaara; Pinto, Atahualpa; Nomura, Christopher T

2017-01-01

Many microorganisms harbor genes necessary to synthesize biodegradable plastics known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). We surveyed a genomic database and discovered a new cluster of class IV PHA synthase genes (phaRC). These genes are different in sequence and operon structure from any previously reported PHA synthase. The newly discovered PhaRC synthase was demonstrated to produce PHAs in recombinant Escherichia coli.

Source apportionment of organic aerosol across Houston, TX during DISCOVER-AQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, S.; Clark, A. E.; Ortiz, S. M.; Usenko, S.; Sheesley, R. J.

2015-12-01

As part of the ground-based sampling efforts during DISCOVER-AQ's Houston month-long campaign in September 2013, atmospheric particulate matter (PM) samples were collected at four sites: Moody Tower (urban), Manvel Croix (southern suburb), Conroe (northern suburb), and La Porte (urban industrial). The Houston metropolitan area, especially the Houston Ship Channel, is a densely industrialized urban city with large concentrations of petroleum refining, petrochemical manufacturing, and heavy traffic during peak hours. Due to these and other emission sources, the area is heavily impacted by ambient PM. This study will be looking at fine PM (diameter less than 2.5µm, PM2.5) from all four sites. PM2.5fraction is relevant for understanding fate and transport of organic contaminants and is widely known to negatively impact human health. Chemical analysis including radiocarbon (14C) and organic tracer measurements (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanes, hopanes, steranes, and levoglucosan) were used for source apportionment. The 14C measurements constrained CMB results to estimate both primary and secondary contributions to total organic carbon (TOC). Results indicate that Moody Tower had consistent primary motor vehicle exhaust contribution (18-27%) and a fossil secondary organic aerosol (SOA) contribution from 5-33% depending on atmospheric conditions. Conroe had a lower contribution of motor vehicle exhaust (5-10%) and similarly variable fraction of fossil SOA (4-25%). Manvel Croix had an interim motor vehicle contribution (9-15%) with a variable fossil SOA (5-30%). For contemporary OC, there was minimal contribution of wood smoke during examined weeks (0-9%) but larger contributor of biogenic SOA ranging from 40-75% at Moody Tower, 56-81% at Manvel Croix and 60-79% at Conroe. Overall, the motor vehicle contribution was consistent at each site during the analysis week, biogenic SOA was consistently high, while fossil SOA showed the most variability.

Post-Late Glacial calcareous tufas from the Kurai fault zone (Southeastern Gorny Altai, Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokh, Svetlana N.; Sokol, Ella V.; Deev, Evgeny V.; Ryapolova, Yuliya M.; Rusanov, Gennady G.; Tomilenko, Anatoliy A.; Bul'bak, Taras A.

2017-06-01

Calcareous tufa deposits have been discovered in the Chibitka River valley near Lake Cheybek-Kohl, at the junction of the Kurai and Teletsk-Kurai large active faults in the southeastern Gorny Altai, Russia, at an altitude of 1800-2000 m. Fossil tufa is composed of calcite and cements Holocene grey colluvium and glacial till deposited by the Late Glacial Chibitka Glacier. Current tufa precipitation has been observed from a low-flow spring with cold (10 °C) HCO3-SO4-Ca-Mg water, pH = 6.86. The stable isotope composition of spring water is - 5.8‰ VPDB δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon and - 14.5‰ VSMOW δ18O. Modern tufa consists of thin laminated Mg-calcite and Sr-aragonite crusts, with abundant algae and biofilms on their surfaces. Both modern and fossil tufas are depleted in REE (a total of 0.40-16.4 ppm and 0.40-3.80 ppm, respectively) and share similar PAAS-normalised REE + Y spectra with HREE enrichment and slight progressive LREE depletion. The modern tufas show positive δ13C values of 0.1‰ to 0.9‰ VPDB while the fossil ones have an isotopically lighter composition of δ13C = - 4.1‰ to - 1.9‰ VPDB; the δ18O range is very narrow (- 13.0 to - 13.8‰ VPDB). Both stable isotope and trace-element signatures (including REE patterns) of the tufas indicate precipitation from cold groundwaters subjected to prolonged interaction with a carbonate aquifer (the Baratal Group of limestone and dolostone) in a cold continental climate similar to the present conditions. Tufa deposition in the Lake Cheybek-Kohl area began with the onset of post-Late Glacial global warming and permafrost degradation. Unlike the fossil tufa formation, current precipitation of freshwater carbonates has been microbially mediated. The discovered tufa deposits provide new palaeoclimatic and active tectonic proxies in the southeastern Gorny Altai.

43 CFR 3809.431 - When must I modify my plan of operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... impacts from unanticipated events or conditions or newly discovered circumstances or information... units; (6) Providing for post-closure management; and (7) Eliminating hazards to public safety. ...

43 CFR 3809.431 - When must I modify my plan of operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... impacts from unanticipated events or conditions or newly discovered circumstances or information... units; (6) Providing for post-closure management; and (7) Eliminating hazards to public safety. ...

Exploring the extremely low surface brightness sky: distances to 23 newly discovered objects in Dragonfly fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dokkum, Pieter

2016-10-01

We are obtaining deep, wide field images of nearby galaxies with the Dragonfly Telephoto Array. This telescope is optimized for low surface brightness imaging, and we are finding many low surface brightness objects in the Dragonfly fields. In Cycle 22 we obtained ACS imaging for 7 galaxies that we had discovered in a Dragonfly image of the galaxy M101. Unexpectedly, the ACS data show that only 3 of the galaxies are members of the M101 group, and the other 4 are very large Ultra Diffuse Galaxies (UDGs) at much greater distance. Building on our Cycle 22 program, here we request ACS imaging for 23 newly discovered low surface brightness objects in four Dragonfly fields centered on the galaxies NGC 1052, NGC 1084, NGC 3384, and NGC 4258. The immediate goals are to construct the satellite luminosity functions in these four fields and to constrain the number density of UDGs that are not in rich clusters. More generally, this complete sample of extremely low surface brightness objects provides the first systematic insight into galaxies whose brightness peaks at >25 mag/arcsec^2.

Armored kinorhynch-like scalidophoran animals from the early Cambrian

PubMed Central

Zhang, Huaqiao; Xiao, Shuhai; Liu, Yunhuan; Yuan, Xunlai; Wan, Bin; Muscente, A. D.; Shao, Tiequan; Gong, Hao; Cao, Guohua

2015-01-01

Morphology-based phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of the Scalidophora (Kinorhyncha, Loricifera, Priapulida) and Nematoida (Nematoda, Nematomorpha), together constituting the monophyletic Cycloneuralia that is the sister group of the Panarthropoda. Kinorhynchs are unique among living cycloneuralians in having a segmented body with repeated cuticular plates, longitudinal muscles, dorsoventral muscles, and ganglia. Molecular clock estimates suggest that kinorhynchs may have diverged in the Ediacaran Period. Remarkably, no kinorhynch fossils have been discovered, in sharp contrast to priapulids and loriciferans that are represented by numerous Cambrian fossils. Here we describe several early Cambrian (~535 million years old) kinorhynch-like fossils, including the new species Eokinorhynchus rarus and two unnamed but related forms. E. rarus has characteristic scalidophoran features, including an introvert with pentaradially arranged hollow scalids. Its trunk bears at least 20 annuli each consisting of numerous small rectangular plates, and is armored with five pairs of large and bilaterally placed sclerites. Its trunk annuli are reminiscent of the epidermis segments of kinorhynchs. A phylogenetic analysis resolves E. rarus as a stem-group kinorhynch. Thus, the fossil record confirms that all three scalidophoran phyla diverged no later than the Cambrian Period. PMID:26610151

Estimation of divergence times in cnidarian evolution based on mitochondrial protein-coding genes and the fossil record.

PubMed

Park, Eunji; Hwang, Dae-Sik; Lee, Jae-Seong; Song, Jun-Im; Seo, Tae-Kun; Won, Yong-Jin

2012-01-01

The phylum Cnidaria is comprised of remarkably diverse and ecologically significant taxa, such as the reef-forming corals, and occupies a basal position in metazoan evolution. The origin of this phylum and the most recent common ancestors (MRCAs) of its modern classes remain mostly unknown, although scattered fossil evidence provides some insights on this topic. Here, we investigate the molecular divergence times of the major taxonomic groups of Cnidaria (27 Hexacorallia, 16 Octocorallia, and 5 Medusozoa) on the basis of mitochondrial DNA sequences of 13 protein-coding genes. For this analysis, the complete mitochondrial genomes of seven octocoral and two scyphozoan species were newly sequenced and combined with all available mitogenomic data from GenBank. Five reliable fossil dates were used to calibrate the Bayesian estimates of divergence times. The molecular evidence suggests that cnidarians originated 741 million years ago (Ma) (95% credible region of 686-819), and the major taxa diversified prior to the Cambrian (543 Ma). The Octocorallia and Scleractinia may have originated from radiations of survivors of the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, which matches their fossil record well. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

News & Views Evaluation of Projects for Basic Research of Scientific Instruments in 2008 Completed NSFC Former President Tang Ao-qing Passed Away Professor Tang Aoqing and NSFC Carbon Nanotube Film-Based Speaker Developed in Tsinghua University Dinosaur Footprint Fossils Discovered in Xinjiang New Method for Early Cancer Diagnosis New Progress Achieved by NSFC Project in Basic Research of Black Hole Physics New progress in Organic FET 67 NSFC-RFBR Cooperative Projects Approved for 2008 Spin Configuration and Super-exchange Mechanism in Molecular Magnets Observed NSFC Strengthens its Funding in Wenchuan Concerns Go to Disaster's Impact on Economy and Emergency Response Thirty-seven NSFC-KOSEF Cooperative Projects Approved

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2008-01-01

Evaluation of Projects for Basic Research of Scientific Instruments in 2008 Completed NSFC Former President Tang Ao-qing Passed Away Professor Tang Aoqing and NSFC Carbon Nanotube Film-Based Speaker Developed in Tsinghua University Dinosaur Footprint Fossils Discovered in Xinjiang New Method for Early Cancer Diagnosis New Progress Achieved by NSFC Project in Basic Research of Black Hole Physics New progress in Organic FET 67 NSFC-RFBR Cooperative Projects Approved for 2008 Spin Configuration and Super-exchange Mechanism in Molecular Magnets Observed NSFC Strengthens its Funding in Wenchuan Concerns Go to Disaster's Impact on Economy and Emergency Response Thirty-seven NSFC-KOSEF Cooperative Projects Approved

Fossil Microorganisms in Archaean deposits of Northern Karelia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Astafieva, M. M.; Hoover, R. B.; Rozanov, A. Y.; Vrevskiy, A. B.

2005-01-01

Newly found biomorphic microstructures from the Upper Archaean (lopian) rocks from Northern Karelia are described. The presence of various microorganisms of bacterial nature and even cyanobacteria (and possibly eukaryotic forms) is suggested. The necessity of employing methods of electron microscopy, as well as traditional methods, while studying the very early manifestations of life in Archaean and Early Proterozoic is noted.

A new species of Meliolinites associated with Buxus leaves from the Oligocene of Guangxi, southern China.

PubMed

Ma, Fu-Jun; Sun, Bai-Nian; Wang, Qiu-Jun; Dong, Jun-Ling; Yang, Guo-Lin; Yang, Yi

2015-01-01

A new species of Meliolinites (fossil Meliolaceae), M. buxi sp. nov., is reported from the Oligocene Ningming Formation of Guangxi, South China. The fungus has hyphopodia characteristics of extant Meliolaceae, such as thick-walled, branching hyphae with appressoria and phialides. However, these fossils entirely lack mycelial or perithecial setae and have only a few phialides, thereby distinguishing the new species from most known species. The fungus was discovered on the adaxial and abaxial cuticles of several fossilized Buxus leaves. Thickening and twisting of cell walls in the Buxus leaf cuticle, along with the parasitic feeding strategy of the extant Meliolaceae, suggest that a parasitic interaction between Buxus and M. buxi seems feasible. The distribution of modern Meliolaceae suggests that they live in warm, humid subtropical-tropical climates. It is possible that the presence of M. buxi indicates a similar climatic condition. The co-occurrence of large-leaf Buxus and floristic comparisons of the Ningming assemblage also corroborate this conclusion. © 2015 by The Mycological Society of America.

A new species of Africanacetus (Odontoceti: Ziphiidae) found on the deep ocean floor off the coast of Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichishima, Hiroto; Augustin, Adolpho H.; Toyofuku, Takashi; Kitazato, Hiroshi

2017-12-01

A fossil skull of a beaked whale was newly collected by a manned submersible from the São Paulo Ridge of the Atlantic floor about 2900 m deep off the coast of Brazil. It was found in the middle of the manganese nodules on the seafloor. The whale fossil can be dated sometime between the middle Miocene and the early Pliocene based on the timing of the onset of the tectonic movements of the São Paulo Ridge whence the specimen came and the precipitation of the manganese layers, which entirely encrusted the specimen. This is the first instance of a fossil beaked whale skull retrieved from such great depths. This skull belongs to a new species of Africanacetus, which may be a genus with a broad distribution in southern oceans in Neogene times, expands the geographic distribution of the genus as the northernmost record, and adds the taxonomic and morphological diversity within the genus.

Oldest fossil flowers of hamamelidaceous affinity, from the Late Cretaceous of New Jersey.

PubMed Central

Crepet, W L; Nixon, K C; Friis, E M; Freudenstein, J V

1992-01-01

Exceptionally well-preserved staminate inflorescences, pistillate inflorescences, and detached stamens with important phylogenetic and paleoecological implications have been discovered from the Turonian (ca. 88.5-90.4 million years B.P.) Raritan Formation of New Jersey. The fossils have a combination of floral and pollen characters found in various genera of modern entomophilous and anemophilous Hamamelidaceae and anemophilous Platanus (Platanaceae). The floral characters of the fossils, including a sepal cup, staminal tube, and apparently nectariferous staminodes, indicate that this taxon was probably insect pollinated. The juxtaposition of character complexes in an extinct taxon from disparate modern taxa provides an interesting phylogenetic perspective on the origins of Hamamelidaceae and is a striking example of a fossil that is a mosaic of familial level characters relative to modern taxa. Of even broader interest, however, is the occurrence of staminodal nectaries that have structural characters intermediate between the fossil's functional stamens and modern hamamelidaceous petals. This transitional staminode morphology in the context of the other fossil characters suggests a staminodal origin of petals in the hamamelid-rosid lineage. This hypothesis is supported by the apparent staminode position within the fossil flowers where petals are found in modern genera. The character complex of morphologically transitional staminodes, a staminal tube, and sepal cup can be viewed as prehypanthial, lacking only fusion of the staminal tube to the sepal cup. The appearance of the character complex embodied in these flowers during the late mid-Cretaceous may signal the early stages of the relationship between specialized pollinators, such as bees, and the hamamelid-rosid-asterid lineage of angiosperms, arguably one of the most important events in angiosperm radiation. Images PMID:11607328

Oldest fossil flowers of hamamelidaceous affinity, from the Late Cretaceous of New Jersey.

PubMed

Crepet, W L; Nixon, K C; Friis, E M; Freudenstein, J V

1992-10-01

Exceptionally well-preserved staminate inflorescences, pistillate inflorescences, and detached stamens with important phylogenetic and paleoecological implications have been discovered from the Turonian (ca. 88.5-90.4 million years B.P.) Raritan Formation of New Jersey. The fossils have a combination of floral and pollen characters found in various genera of modern entomophilous and anemophilous Hamamelidaceae and anemophilous Platanus (Platanaceae). The floral characters of the fossils, including a sepal cup, staminal tube, and apparently nectariferous staminodes, indicate that this taxon was probably insect pollinated. The juxtaposition of character complexes in an extinct taxon from disparate modern taxa provides an interesting phylogenetic perspective on the origins of Hamamelidaceae and is a striking example of a fossil that is a mosaic of familial level characters relative to modern taxa. Of even broader interest, however, is the occurrence of staminodal nectaries that have structural characters intermediate between the fossil's functional stamens and modern hamamelidaceous petals. This transitional staminode morphology in the context of the other fossil characters suggests a staminodal origin of petals in the hamamelid-rosid lineage. This hypothesis is supported by the apparent staminode position within the fossil flowers where petals are found in modern genera. The character complex of morphologically transitional staminodes, a staminal tube, and sepal cup can be viewed as prehypanthial, lacking only fusion of the staminal tube to the sepal cup. The appearance of the character complex embodied in these flowers during the late mid-Cretaceous may signal the early stages of the relationship between specialized pollinators, such as bees, and the hamamelid-rosid-asterid lineage of angiosperms, arguably one of the most important events in angiosperm radiation.

The semi-aquatic pondweed bugs of a Cretaceous swamp

PubMed Central

Sánchez-García, Alba; Nel, André; Arillo, Antonio

2017-01-01

Pondweed bugs (Hemiptera: Mesoveliidae), considered a sister group to all other Gerromorpha, are exceedingly rare as fossils. Therefore, each new discovery of a fossil mesoveliid is of high interest, giving new insight into their early evolutionary history and diversity and enabling the testing of their proposed relationships. Here, we report the discovery of new mesoveliid material from Spanish Lower Cretaceous (Albian) amber, which is the first such find in Spanish amber. To date, fossil records of this family only include one species from French Kimmeridgian as compression fossils, two species in French amber (Albian-Cenomanian boundary), and one in Dominican amber (Miocene). The discovery of two males and one female described and figured as Glaesivelia pulcherrima Sánchez-García & Solórzano Kraemer gen. et sp. n., and a single female described and figured as Iberovelia quisquilia Sánchez-García & Nel, gen. et sp. n., reveals novel combinations of traits related to some genera currently in the subfamily Mesoveliinae. Brief comments about challenges facing the study of fossil mesoveliids are provided, showing the necessity for a revision of the existing phylogenetic hypotheses. Some of the specimens were studied using infrared microscopy, a promising alternative to the systematic study of organisms preserved in amber that cannot be clearly visualised. The new taxa significantly expand the fossil record of the family and shed new light on its palaeoecology. The fossils indicate that Mesoveliidae were certainly diverse by the Cretaceous and that numerous tiny cryptic species living in humid terrestrial to marginal aquatic habitats remain to be discovered. Furthermore, the finding of several specimens as syninclusions suggests aggregative behaviour, thereby representing the earliest documented evidence of such ethology. PMID:28890856

The semi-aquatic pondweed bugs of a Cretaceous swamp.

PubMed

Sánchez-García, Alba; Nel, André; Arillo, Antonio; Solórzano Kraemer, Mónica M

2017-01-01

Pondweed bugs (Hemiptera: Mesoveliidae), considered a sister group to all other Gerromorpha, are exceedingly rare as fossils. Therefore, each new discovery of a fossil mesoveliid is of high interest, giving new insight into their early evolutionary history and diversity and enabling the testing of their proposed relationships. Here, we report the discovery of new mesoveliid material from Spanish Lower Cretaceous (Albian) amber, which is the first such find in Spanish amber. To date, fossil records of this family only include one species from French Kimmeridgian as compression fossils, two species in French amber (Albian-Cenomanian boundary), and one in Dominican amber (Miocene). The discovery of two males and one female described and figured as Glaesivelia pulcherrima Sánchez-García & Solórzano Kraemer gen. et sp. n., and a single female described and figured as Iberovelia quisquilia Sánchez-García & Nel, gen. et sp. n., reveals novel combinations of traits related to some genera currently in the subfamily Mesoveliinae. Brief comments about challenges facing the study of fossil mesoveliids are provided, showing the necessity for a revision of the existing phylogenetic hypotheses. Some of the specimens were studied using infrared microscopy, a promising alternative to the systematic study of organisms preserved in amber that cannot be clearly visualised. The new taxa significantly expand the fossil record of the family and shed new light on its palaeoecology. The fossils indicate that Mesoveliidae were certainly diverse by the Cretaceous and that numerous tiny cryptic species living in humid terrestrial to marginal aquatic habitats remain to be discovered. Furthermore, the finding of several specimens as syninclusions suggests aggregative behaviour, thereby representing the earliest documented evidence of such ethology.

ARC-2013-ACD13-0061-007

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-04-18

Kepler News Briefing, held in the Syvertson auditorium at the NASA Ames Research Center. The briefing presented discoveries from the continuing Kepler mission (K2). The team discovered some of the smallest planets found in the habitable zone of two newly discovered planetary systems. Bill Borucki (left), Kepler Scientist, Principal Investigator, NASA Ames Lisa Kaltengger (right), Research Group Leader, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg Germany and Research Associate, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge Massachusetts.

Planetary Taxonomy: Label Round Bodies "Worlds"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margot, Jean-Luc; Levison, H. F.

2009-05-01

The classification of planetary bodies is as important to Astronomy as taxonomy is to other sciences. The etymological, historical, and IAU definitions of planet rely on a dynamical criterion, but some authors prefer a geophysical criterion based on "roundness". Although the former criterion is superior when it comes to classifying newly discovered objects, the conflict need not exist if we agree to identify the subset of "round" planetary objects as "worlds". This addition to the taxonomy would conveniently recognize that "round" objects such as Earth, Europa, Titan, Triton, and Pluto share some common planetary-type processes regardless of their distance from the host star. Some of these worlds are planets, others are not. Defining how round is round and handling the inevitable transition objects are non-trivial tasks. Because images at sufficient resolution are not available for the overwhelming majority of newly discovered objects, the degree of roundness is not a directly observable property and is inherently problematic as a basis for classification. We can tolerate some uncertainty in establishing the "world" status of a newly discovered object, and still establish its planet or satellite status with existing dynamical criteria. Because orbital parameters are directly observable, and because mass can often be measured either from orbital perturbations or from the presence of companions, the dynamics provide a robust and practical planet classification scheme. It may also be possible to determine which bodies are dynamically dominant from observations of the population magnitude/size distribution.

Genomic Analyses Reveal Demographic History and Temperate Adaptation of the Newly Discovered Honey Bee Subspecies Apis mellifera sinisxinyuan n. ssp.

PubMed

Chen, Chao; Liu, Zhiguang; Pan, Qi; Chen, Xiao; Wang, Huihua; Guo, Haikun; Liu, Shidong; Lu, Hongfeng; Tian, Shilin; Li, Ruiqiang; Shi, Wei

2016-05-01

Studying the genetic signatures of climate-driven selection can produce insights into local adaptation and the potential impacts of climate change on populations. The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is an interesting species to study local adaptation because it originated in tropical/subtropical climatic regions and subsequently spread into temperate regions. However, little is known about the genetic basis of its adaptation to temperate climates. Here, we resequenced the whole genomes of ten individual bees from a newly discovered population in temperate China and downloaded resequenced data from 35 individuals from other populations. We found that the new population is an undescribed subspecies in the M-lineage of A. mellifera (Apis mellifera sinisxinyuan). Analyses of population history show that long-term global temperature has strongly influenced the demographic history of A. m. sinisxinyuan and its divergence from other subspecies. Further analyses comparing temperate and tropical populations identified several candidate genes related to fat body and the Hippo signaling pathway that are potentially involved in adaptation to temperate climates. Our results provide insights into the demographic history of the newly discovered A. m. sinisxinyuan, as well as the genetic basis of adaptation of A. mellifera to temperate climates at the genomic level. These findings will facilitate the selective breeding of A. mellifera to improve the survival of overwintering colonies. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

A new fossil peccary from the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary of the eastern Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stinnesbeck, Sarah R.; Frey, Eberhard; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang; Avíles Olguín, Jeronimo; Zell, Patrick; Terrazas Mata, Alejandro; Benavente Sanvicente, Martha; González González, Arturo; Rojas Sandoval, Carmen; Acevez Nuñez, Eugenio

2017-08-01

Here we describe the left mandibular ramus of a fossil peccary from the submerged karst cave system in the southeastern Mexican state of Quintana Roo. The specimen, which was discovered in the Muknal cave northwest of Tulúm, is a new genus and species of peccary termed Muknalia minima. The taxon likely dates from the latest Pleistocene and differs significantly from all extant peccaries and their Pleistocene relatives by a concave notch at the caudal edge of the mandibular ramus and prominent ventrally directed angular process. These diagnostic osteological differences suggest that the masticatory apparatus differed from all other peccaries, which may hint to an ecological isolation on the late Pleistocene Yucatán Peninsula.

New geological and palaeontological age constraint for the gorilla-human lineage split.

PubMed

Katoh, Shigehiro; Beyene, Yonas; Itaya, Tetsumaru; Hyodo, Hironobu; Hyodo, Masayuki; Yagi, Koshi; Gouzu, Chitaro; WoldeGabriel, Giday; Hart, William K; Ambrose, Stanley H; Nakaya, Hideo; Bernor, Raymond L; Boisserie, Jean-Renaud; Bibi, Faysal; Saegusa, Haruo; Sasaki, Tomohiko; Sano, Katsuhiro; Asfaw, Berhane; Suwa, Gen

2016-02-11

The palaeobiological record of 12 million to 7 million years ago (Ma) is crucial to the elucidation of African ape and human origins, but few fossil assemblages of this period have been reported from sub-Saharan Africa. Since the 1970s, the Chorora Formation, Ethiopia, has been widely considered to contain ~10.5 million year (Myr) old mammalian fossils. More recently, Chororapithecus abyssinicus, a probable primitive member of the gorilla clade, was discovered from the formation. Here we report new field observations and geochemical, magnetostratigraphic and radioisotopic results that securely place the Chorora Formation sediments to between ~9 and ~7 Ma. The C. abyssinicus fossils are ~8.0 Myr old, forming a revised age constraint of the human-gorilla split. Other Chorora fossils range in age from ~8.5 to 7 Ma and comprise the first sub-Saharan mammalian assemblage that spans this period. These fossils suggest indigenous African evolution of multiple mammalian lineages/groups between 10 and 7 Ma, including a possible ancestral-descendent relationship between the ~9.8 Myr old Nakalipithecus nakayamai and C. abyssinicus. The new chronology and fossils suggest that faunal provinciality between eastern Africa and Eurasia had intensified by ~9 Ma, with decreased faunal interchange thereafter. The Chorora evidence supports the hypothesis of in situ African evolution of the Gorilla-Pan-human clade, and is concordant with the deeper divergence estimates of humans and great apes based on lower mutation rates of ~0.5 × 10(-9) per site per year (refs 13 - 15).

48 CFR 9.406-4 - Period of debarment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (see 23.506) may be for a period not to exceed 5 years; and (ii) Debarments..., upon the contractor's request, supported by documentation, for reasons such as— (1) Newly discovered...

Leafhopper viral pathogens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Four newly discovered viral pathogens in leafhopper vectors of Pierce’s disease of grapes, have been shown to replicate in sharpshooter leafhoppers; the glassy-winged sharpshooter, GWSS, Homalodisca vitripennis, and Oncometopia nigricans (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). The viruses were classified as memb...

22 CFR 16.14 - Reconsideration of a grievance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Reconsideration of a grievance. A grievant whose grievance is found not to be meritorious by the Board may obtain reconsideration by the Board only upon presenting newly discovered or previously unavailable material evidence not...

33 CFR 1.07-80 - Reopening of hearings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., if not, why the newly found evidence could not have been discovered in the exercise of due diligence... diligence, produced at the hearing. The decision is rendered in writing. (f) Following a denial of a...

Primate phylogenetic relationships and divergence dates inferred from complete mitochondrial genomes.

PubMed

Pozzi, Luca; Hodgson, Jason A; Burrell, Andrew S; Sterner, Kirstin N; Raaum, Ryan L; Disotell, Todd R

2014-06-01

The origins and the divergence times of the most basal lineages within primates have been difficult to resolve mainly due to the incomplete sampling of early fossil taxa. The main source of contention is related to the discordance between molecular and fossil estimates: while there are no crown primate fossils older than 56Ma, most molecule-based estimates extend the origins of crown primates into the Cretaceous. Here we present a comprehensive mitogenomic study of primates. We assembled 87 mammalian mitochondrial genomes, including 62 primate species representing all the families of the order. We newly sequenced eleven mitochondrial genomes, including eight Old World monkeys and three strepsirrhines. Phylogenetic analyses support a strong topology, confirming the monophyly for all the major primate clades. In contrast to previous mitogenomic studies, the positions of tarsiers and colugos relative to strepsirrhines and anthropoids are well resolved. In order to improve our understanding of how fossil calibrations affect age estimates within primates, we explore the effect of seventeen fossil calibrations across primates and other mammalian groups and we select a subset of calibrations to date our mitogenomic tree. The divergence date estimates of the Strepsirrhine/Haplorhine split support an origin of crown primates in the Late Cretaceous, at around 74Ma. This result supports a short-fuse model of primate origins, whereby relatively little time passed between the origin of the order and the diversification of its major clades. It also suggests that the early primate fossil record is likely poorly sampled. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Field-Based Biomimicry Exercise Helps Students Discover Connections among Biodiversity, Form and Function, and Species Conservation during Earth's Sixth Extinction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soja, Constance M.

2014-01-01

In a first-year seminar on mass extinctions, a field-based, paleontology-focused exercise promotes active learning about Earth's biodiversity, form and function, and the biomimicry potential of ancient and modern life. Students study Devonian fossils at a local quarry and gain foundational experience in describing anatomy and relating form to…

Do prehospital discharge pacemaker checks provide any additional clinical benefit?

PubMed

Wheelan, Kevin R; Legge, Darlene M; Sakowski, Brent C; Bruce, Susan S; Roberts, David C; Johnston, L Murphy; Moore, B Jane; Beveridge, Thomas P; Wells, Peter J; Vallabahn, Ravi; Donsky, Michael S; Franklin, Jay O

2005-08-01

We performed a retrospective analysis of 250 records of consecutive, newly implanted, pacemaker patients from a single center to determine the rate of postimplant complications and observations discovered before and during the prehospital discharge evaluation. No observations occurred in 246 of 250 patients (98.4%) (1-sided 95% confidence interval 96.4%). Of the 250 patients, 4 had observations that were discovered at the prehospital discharge check and required reprogramming to increase the sensitivity safety margin (3 atrial and 1 ventricular). We documented only 1 complication that was discovered before the predischarge evaluation through telemetry and resulted in an atrial lead revision.

Swift J1658.2-4242: Possible pulsar periodicity detected

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennea, J. A.

2018-02-01

We report on analysis of all the current Windowed Timing mode data taken on the newly discovered Galactic Transient, Swift J1658.2-4242 (GCN #22416, GCN #22417, GCN #22419, ATEL #11310, ATEL #11306, ATEL #11307).

Explosive Deep Sea Volcanism Produces Composite Volcanoes (Stratocones) with Predominantly Diffuse Flow Hydrothermal Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubin, K. H.; Chadwick, W. C.; Embley, R. W.; Butterfield, D. A.

2018-05-01

Newly-discovered extensive explosive deep sea volcanism produces distinct stratovolcano structures and physical rock characteristics, and host primarily diffuse flow hydrothermal activity, unlike focused flow systems at effusive submarine volcanoes.

First orbital solution and evolutionary state for the newly discovered eclipsing binaries USNO-B1.0 1091-0130715 and GSC-03449-0680

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elkhateeb, M. M.; Nouh, M. I.; Nelson, R. H.

2015-02-01

A first photometric study for the newly discovered systems USNO-B1.0 1091-0130715 and GSC-03449-0680 was carried out by means of recent a windows interface version of the Wilson and Devinney code based on model atmospheres by Kurucz (1993). The accepted models reveal some absolute parameters for both systems, which are used in deriving the spectral type of the system components and their evolutionary status. Distances to each systems and physical properties were estimated. Comparisons of the computed physical parameters with stellar models are discussed. The components of the system USNO-B1.0 1091-0130715 and the primary of the system GSC-03449-0680 are found to be on or near the ZAMS track, while the secondary of GSC-03449-0680 system found to be severely under luminous and too cool compared to its ZAMS mass.

Michael Maier--nine newly discovered letters.

PubMed

Lenke, Nils; Roudet, Nicolas; Tilton, Hereward

2014-02-01

The authors provide a transcription, translation, and evaluation of nine newly discovered letters from the alchemist Michael Maier (1568-1622) to Gebhardt Johann von Alvensleben (1576-1631), a noble landholder in the vicinity of Magdeburg. Stemming from the final year of his life, this correspondence casts new light on Maier's biography, detailing his efforts to secure patronage amid the financial crisis of the early Thirty Years' War. While his ill-fated quest to perfect potable gold continued to form the central focus of his patronage suits, Maier also offered his services in several arts that he had condemned in his printed works, namely astrology and "supernatural" magic. Remarks concerning his previously unknown acquaintance with Heinrich Khunrath call for a re-evaluation of Maier's negotiation of the discursive boundaries between Lutheran orthodoxy and Paracelsianism. The letters also reveal Maier's substantial contribution to a work previously ascribed solely to the English alchemist Francis Anthony.

Extensive diversity and evolution of hepadnaviruses in bats in China.

PubMed

Nie, Fang-Yuan; Lin, Xian-Dan; Hao, Zong-Yu; Chen, Xiao-Nan; Wang, Zhao-Xiao; Wang, Miao-Ruo; Wu, Jun; Wang, Hong-Wei; Zhao, Guoqiang; Ma, Runlin Z; Holmes, Edward C; Zhang, Yong-Zhen

2018-01-15

To better understand the evolution of hepadnaviruses, we sampled bats from Guizhou, Henan and Zhejiang provinces, China, and rodents from Zhejiang province. Genetically diverse hepadnaviruses were identified in a broad range of bat species, with an overall prevalence of 13.3%. In contrast, no rodent hepadnaviruses were identified. The newly discovered bat hepadnaviruses fell into two distinct phylogenetic groups. The viruses within the first group exhibited high diversity, with some closely related to viruses previously identified in Yunnan province. Strikingly, the newly discovered viruses sampled from Jiyuan city in the second phylogenetic group were most closely related to those found in bats from West Africa, suggestive of a long-term association between bats and hepadnaviruses. A co-phylogenetic analysis revealed frequent cross-species transmission among bats from different species, genera, and families. Overall, these data suggest that there are likely few barriers to the cross-species transmission of bat hepadnaviruses. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Method of determining the orbits of the small bodies in the solar system based on an exhaustive search of orbital planes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondarenko, Yu. S.; Vavilov, D. E.; Medvedev, Yu. D.

2014-05-01

A universal method of determining the orbits of newly discovered small bodies in the Solar System using their positional observations has been developed. The proposed method suggests determining geocentric distances of a small body by means of an exhaustive search for heliocentric orbital planes and subsequent determination of the distance between the observer and the points at which the chosen plane intersects with the vectors pointing to the object. Further, the remaining orbital elements are determined using the classical Gauss method after eliminating those heliocentric distances that have a fortiori low probabilities. The obtained sets of elements are used to determine the rms between the observed and calculated positions. The sets of elements with the least rms are considered to be most probable for newly discovered small bodies. Afterwards, these elements are improved using the differential method.

Improved Photometric Characteristics of the Newly Discovered EW-Type System GSC 04370-00206

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breus, V. V.; Andronov, I. L.; Dubovsky, P. A.; Hegedus, T.; Kudzej, I.; Petrik, K.

2010-12-01

We present results of two-color photometric study of the newly discovered EW-type eclipsing binary star GSC 04370-00206 in the field of the intermediate polar MU Cam. CCD V,R observations were obtained in the Astronomical Observatories in Hlohovec, Baja and Kolonica in 2007-2009. Improved photometric elements for the primary minimum were determined: Min.BJD=2454805.75635+0.44264511(27)E. The range of the brightness variations is 13.79-14.13 (V) and 13.07-13.44 (R). The accuracy of the period determination is by a factor of ˜ 7, 000 times better than the one published by the discoverers based on only one night of observations. We report on the night-to-night variability of the shape of the light curve which is interpreted by a presence of spots in the atmosphere of one or both components (O'Connel effect).

Ebolaviruses: New roles for old proteins.

PubMed

Cantoni, Diego; Rossman, Jeremy S

2018-05-01

In 2014, the world witnessed the largest Ebolavirus outbreak in recorded history. The subsequent humanitarian effort spurred extensive research, significantly enhancing our understanding of ebolavirus replication and pathogenicity. The main functions of each ebolavirus protein have been studied extensively since the discovery of the virus in 1976; however, the recent expansion of ebolavirus research has led to the discovery of new protein functions. These newly discovered roles are revealing new mechanisms of virus replication and pathogenicity, whilst enhancing our understanding of the broad functions of each ebolavirus viral protein (VP). Many of these new functions appear to be unrelated to the protein's primary function during virus replication. Such new functions range from bystander T-lymphocyte death caused by VP40-secreted exosomes to new roles for VP24 in viral particle formation. This review highlights the newly discovered roles of ebolavirus proteins in order to provide a more encompassing view of ebolavirus replication and pathogenicity.

Ebolaviruses: New roles for old proteins

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

In 2014, the world witnessed the largest Ebolavirus outbreak in recorded history. The subsequent humanitarian effort spurred extensive research, significantly enhancing our understanding of ebolavirus replication and pathogenicity. The main functions of each ebolavirus protein have been studied extensively since the discovery of the virus in 1976; however, the recent expansion of ebolavirus research has led to the discovery of new protein functions. These newly discovered roles are revealing new mechanisms of virus replication and pathogenicity, whilst enhancing our understanding of the broad functions of each ebolavirus viral protein (VP). Many of these new functions appear to be unrelated to the protein’s primary function during virus replication. Such new functions range from bystander T-lymphocyte death caused by VP40-secreted exosomes to new roles for VP24 in viral particle formation. This review highlights the newly discovered roles of ebolavirus proteins in order to provide a more encompassing view of ebolavirus replication and pathogenicity. PMID:29723187

"Old drugs" for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: will the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and anti-nociceptive pathway work?

PubMed

Pan, Xiaohua; Yu, Xiaowei; Qin, Ling; Zhang, Peng

2010-12-01

Based on the newly discovered cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, on the anti-nociceptive pathway and on our preliminary research, we raise a new strategy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) which mainly focuses on the application of old drugs that can activate both of the above mentioned pathways. It has been reported that nicotinic receptor agonists used for the treatment of neurological diseases were expected to be applied to the therapy of inflammatory diseases (RA). Therefore, it is promising that old drugs available in clinics may exert new functions for the treatment of RA, which may greatly reduce the expense of such treatment, once applied. These currently-used old drugs should be considered as another new resource in exploring anti-rheumatic agents under the guidance of the newly discovered cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and the anti-nociceptive pathway.

Decoding sORF translation - from small proteins to gene regulation.

PubMed

Cabrera-Quio, Luis Enrique; Herberg, Sarah; Pauli, Andrea

2016-11-01

Translation is best known as the fundamental mechanism by which the ribosome converts a sequence of nucleotides into a string of amino acids. Extensive research over many years has elucidated the key principles of translation, and the majority of translated regions were thought to be known. The recent discovery of wide-spread translation outside of annotated protein-coding open reading frames (ORFs) came therefore as a surprise, raising the intriguing possibility that these newly discovered translated regions might have unrecognized protein-coding or gene-regulatory functions. Here, we highlight recent findings that provide evidence that some of these newly discovered translated short ORFs (sORFs) encode functional, previously missed small proteins, while others have regulatory roles. Based on known examples we will also speculate about putative additional roles and the potentially much wider impact that these translated regions might have on cellular homeostasis and gene regulation.

The current state of korean paleoanthropology.

PubMed

Norton, C J

2000-06-01

The hominid fossil and Paleolithic archaeology records from the Korean Peninsula are extensive, but relatively little is known about the Korean human evolutionary record outside this region. The Korean paleoanthropological record is reviewed here in light of major research issues, including the hominid fossil record, relative and chronometric dating, lithic analysis, hominid subsistence, and the presence of bone tools, art and symbolism. Some of the major conclusions drawn from this review include: (1) hominid fossils have been found in nine separate sites on the Korean Peninsula; (2) possible Homo erectus fossils are present in North Korea; (3) Ryonggok Cave, in North Korea, has exposed the remains of at least five archaic Homo sapiens individuals; (4) a possible burial of an anatomically modern Homo sapiens child, discovered in Hungsu Cave in South Korea, has been tentatively dated to roughly 40,000 years ago; (5) handaxes and cleavers have been found at a number of sites near Chongokni and they appear to date to at least 100,000 years ago; and (6) taphonomic studies are necessary for addressing issues related to determining the nature of hominid-carnivore interaction over similar resources (e.g. carcasses and shelter); and the presence/absence of Early Paleolithic bone tools, art, and symbolism in Korea. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Immunospecificity of albumin detected in 1.6 million-year-old fossils from Venta Micena in Orce, Granada, Spain.

PubMed

Borja, C; García-Pacheco, M; Olivares, E G; Scheuenstuhl, G; Lowenstein, J M

1997-08-01

The Orce skull fragment from southern Spain, dated at 1.6 Myr, has been a subject of heated controversy since it was first discovered in 1982. If it is hominid, as its discoverers contend, it is by far the oldest fossil hominid yet found in western Europe and implies that human populations settled this region much earlier than was previously realized. Numerous stone artifacts found at the Orce sites provide evidence that hominids were indeed present there in the Lower Pleistocene. Some paleontologists maintain that the 8 cm diameter occipital fragment is from a horse, not a hominid. Two independent investigations of the residual proteins in the skull were undertaken, one at the University of Granada in Spain, the other at the University of California, San Francisco. Two immunological methods of comparable sensitivity were employed for detection and species attribution of protein extracted from fossil bone: the Granada team used an enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the UCSF team used a radioimmunoassay (RIA). Both teams obtained reactions characteristic of human albumin in the Orce skull and horse albumin in some of the horse fossils. These results support the lithic evidence that hominids were living in Andalusia 1.6 million years ago.

Searching for fossil fragments of the Galactic bulge formation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferraro, Francesco

2017-08-01

We have discovered that the stellar system Terzan5 (Ter5) in the Galactic bulge harbors stellar populations with very different IRON content (delta[Fe/H] 1 dex, Ferraro+09, Nature 462, 483) and AGES (12 Gyr and 4.5 Gyr for the sub-solar and super-solar metallicity populations, respectively, Ferraro+16, ApJ,828,75). This evidence demonstrates that Ter5 is not a globular cluster, and identifies it as (1) a site in the Galactic bulge where recent star formation occurred, and (2) the remnant of a massive system able to retain the iron-enriched gas ejected by violent supernova explosions. The striking chemical similarity between Ter5 and the bulge opens the fascinating possibility that we discovered the fossil remnant of a pristine massive structure that could have contributed to the Galactic bulge assembly.Prompted by this finding, here we propose to secure deep HST optical observations for the bulge stellar system Liller1, that shows a similar complexity as Ter5, with evidence of two stellar populations with different iron content. The immediate goal is to properly explore the main sequence turnoff region of the system for unveiling possible splits due to stellar populations of different ages. As demonstrated by our experience with Ter5, the requested HST observations, in combination with the K-band diffraction limited images that we already secured with GeMS-Gemini, are essential to achieve this goal.The project will allow us to establish if other fossil remnants of the bulge formation epoch do exist, thus probing that the merging of pre-evolved massive structures has been an important channel for the formation of the Galactic bulge.

Population ecology and shell chemistry of a phytal ostracode species (Loxoconcha matagordensis) in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vann, C.D.; Cronin, T. M.; Dwyer, Gary S.

2004-01-01

Population ecology and shell chemistry were studied in the phytal ostracode Loxoconcha matagordensis (Swain 1955) collected from Zostera marina seagrass beds in the Chesapeake Bay to provide seasonal constraints on shell secretion time for paleothermometry. Population density and age structure were defined by two main breeding cycles that occurred between 01 to 15 June and 02 to 16 August 2001. The time interval between breeding cycles was ???2 months and total juvenile standing crop increased almost three-fold between the first and second breeding cycles. Dark brown over-wintered adults comprised the majority of the population between March and April 2001, while newly secreted translucent adults were predominant between June and September. Seasonal shell Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios were positively correlated with water temperature at both sites, with the strongest correlations occurring between June and September from newly secreted shells at Dameron Marsh. Old, dark brown shells contained 10% to 23% and 1% to 6% less Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca, respectively, than new shells. Because a fossil assemblage of L. matagordensis will contain ???30% old shells (dark-brown), these results suggest that fossil Mg/Ca ratios yield an integrated late spring to summer temperature signal. Shell Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios of specimens of L. matagordensis collected from living Zostera were positively correlated, suggesting that temperature may influence both elemental ratios. Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios of fossil shells of the related species Loxoconcha sp. A obtained from four sediment cores were also studied and exhibited a weaker correlation between the two elemental ratios. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new troodontid dinosaur from China with avian-like sleeping posture.

PubMed

Xu, Xing; Norell, Mark A

2004-10-14

Discovering evidence of behaviour in fossilized vertebrates is rare. Even rarer is evidence of behaviour in non-avialan dinosaurs that directly relates to stereotypical behaviour seen in extant birds (avians) and not previously predicted in non-avialan dinosaurs. Here we report the discovery of a new troodontid taxon from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China. Numerous other three-dimensionally preserved vertebrate fossils have been recovered recently at this locality, including some specimens preserving behavioural information. The new troodontid preserves several features that have been implicated in avialan origins. Notably, the specimen is preserved in the stereotypical sleeping or resting posture found in extant Aves. Evidence of this behaviour outside of the crown group Aves further demonstrates that many bird features occurred early in dinosaurian evolution.

How many dinosaur species were there? Fossil bias and true richness estimated using a Poisson sampling model

PubMed Central

Starrfelt, Jostein; Liow, Lee Hsiang

2016-01-01

The fossil record is a rich source of information about biological diversity in the past. However, the fossil record is not only incomplete but has also inherent biases due to geological, physical, chemical and biological factors. Our knowledge of past life is also biased because of differences in academic and amateur interests and sampling efforts. As a result, not all individuals or species that lived in the past are equally likely to be discovered at any point in time or space. To reconstruct temporal dynamics of diversity using the fossil record, biased sampling must be explicitly taken into account. Here, we introduce an approach that uses the variation in the number of times each species is observed in the fossil record to estimate both sampling bias and true richness. We term our technique TRiPS (True Richness estimated using a Poisson Sampling model) and explore its robustness to violation of its assumptions via simulations. We then venture to estimate sampling bias and absolute species richness of dinosaurs in the geological stages of the Mesozoic. Using TRiPS, we estimate that 1936 (1543–2468) species of dinosaurs roamed the Earth during the Mesozoic. We also present improved estimates of species richness trajectories of the three major dinosaur clades: the sauropodomorphs, ornithischians and theropods, casting doubt on the Jurassic–Cretaceous extinction event and demonstrating that all dinosaur groups are subject to considerable sampling bias throughout the Mesozoic. PMID:26977060

How many dinosaur species were there? Fossil bias and true richness estimated using a Poisson sampling model.

PubMed

Starrfelt, Jostein; Liow, Lee Hsiang

2016-04-05

The fossil record is a rich source of information about biological diversity in the past. However, the fossil record is not only incomplete but has also inherent biases due to geological, physical, chemical and biological factors. Our knowledge of past life is also biased because of differences in academic and amateur interests and sampling efforts. As a result, not all individuals or species that lived in the past are equally likely to be discovered at any point in time or space. To reconstruct temporal dynamics of diversity using the fossil record, biased sampling must be explicitly taken into account. Here, we introduce an approach that uses the variation in the number of times each species is observed in the fossil record to estimate both sampling bias and true richness. We term our technique TRiPS (True Richness estimated using a Poisson Sampling model) and explore its robustness to violation of its assumptions via simulations. We then venture to estimate sampling bias and absolute species richness of dinosaurs in the geological stages of the Mesozoic. Using TRiPS, we estimate that 1936 (1543-2468) species of dinosaurs roamed the Earth during the Mesozoic. We also present improved estimates of species richness trajectories of the three major dinosaur clades: the sauropodomorphs, ornithischians and theropods, casting doubt on the Jurassic-Cretaceous extinction event and demonstrating that all dinosaur groups are subject to considerable sampling bias throughout the Mesozoic. © 2016 The Authors.

OH 83: A new early modern human fossil cranium from the Ndutu beds of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.

PubMed

Reiner, Whitney B; Masao, Fidelis; Sholts, Sabrina B; Songita, Agustino Venance; Stanistreet, Ian; Stollhofen, Harald; Taylor, R E; Hlusko, Leslea J

2017-11-01

Herein we introduce a newly recovered partial calvaria, OH 83, from the upper Ndutu Beds of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. We present the geological context of its discovery and a comparative analysis of its morphology, placing OH 83 within the context of our current understanding of the origins and evolution of Homo sapiens. We comparatively assessed the morphology of OH 83 using quantitative and qualitative data from penecontemporaneous fossils and the W.W. Howells modern human craniometric dataset. OH 83 is geologically dated to ca. 60-32 ka. Its morphology is indicative of an early modern human, falling at the low end of the range of variation for post-orbital cranial breadth, the high end of the range for bifrontal breadth, and near average in frontal length. There have been numerous attempts to use cranial anatomy to define the species Homo sapiens and identify it in the fossil record. These efforts have not met wide agreement by the scientific community due, in part, to the mosaic patterns of cranial variation represented by the fossils. The variable, mosaic pattern of trait expression in the crania of Middle and Late Pleistocene fossils implies that morphological modernity did not occur at once. However, OH 83 demonstrates that by ca. 60-32 ka modern humans in Africa included individuals that are at the fairly small and gracile range of modern human cranial variation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Symposium on Using Mechanics to Discover New Materials. Annual Technical Meeting of the Society of Engineering Science (45th) held in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois on 12-15 October 2008

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-21

celled Nitinol has recently become possiblevia a (newly discovered by Profs. D. Grummon at Michigan State Univ. and J.Shaw at Univ. of Michigan...transient-liquid reactive brazing system for creating robust metallurgical Nitinol Nitinol bonds. With this technique, prototype sparse cellularhoneycomb...Brian.Berg@bsci.com Nitinol has become a frequently used medical implant material despite its notorious complexity; especiallywith respect to fatigue [1

Swift J1658.2-4242 as observed by AstroSat LAXPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beri, Aru; Belloni, Tomaso; Vincentelli, Federico; Gandhi, Poshak; Altamirano, Diego

2018-03-01

We report on preliminary analysis of an AstroSat observation of the newly discovered X-ray transient, Swift J1658.2-4242 [J1658] (GCN #22416, #22417, #22419; ATel #11306, #11307, #11310, #11311, #11318, #11321, #11336).

Trichoderma stromaticum and its overseas relatives

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Trichoderma stromaticum, T. rossicum and newly discovered species form a new lineage in Trichoderma. Phylogenetic and phenotypic diversity in Trichoderma stromaticum are examined in light of reported differences in ecological parameters and AFLP patterns. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis using 4 gen...

In Vino, Veritas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Negin, Gary A.

1993-01-01

While reminiscing over wine and granola bars, some elementary teacher-survivors from the sixties pondered timeless teaching truths newly "discovered" by education reformers, including authentic assessment, cooperative learning, a national curriculum, and brain-compatible learning. Reformers are insensitive to realistic classroom contexts when…

Europa Active Surface

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-07

On June 27, 1996, during Galileo first orbit around Jupiter, a newly discovered impact crater could be seen just right of the center of this image of Jupiter moon Europa returned by NASA Galileo spacecraft camera. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00294

DNA Photolithography with Cinnamate Crosslinkers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feng, Lang (Inventor); Chaikin, Paul Michael (Inventor)

2016-01-01

The present invention relates generally to cinnamate crosslinkers. Specifically, the present invention relates to gels, biochips, and functionalized surfaces useful as probes, in assays, in gels, and for drug delivery, and methods of making the same using a newly-discovered crosslinking configuration.

ARC-2012-ACD12-0022-007

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-02

Kepler Program VIP's from left Natalie Batalha, Bill Borucki and Jon Jenkins in front of a NASA Ames Hyperwall display of newly discovered planet K-22B art at the NAS (NASA Advanced Supercomputing) Facility, Moffett Field, CA (for aviation week)

What caused the mass extinction An extraterrestrial impact

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alvarez, W.; Asaro, F.

1990-10-01

The authors and other investigators discovered iridium in the clays that mark the sudden disappearance of dinosaurs from the fossil record. Because iridium is rare in the earth's crust but abundant in some meteorites, they concluded that a giant meteorite collided with the earth, hurling megatons of debris into the atmosphere. This paper describes and discusses the accumulating evidence that suggests an asteroid or comet caused the Cretaceous extinction.

The GB/3D Type Fossils Online Web Portal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormick, T.; Howe, M. P.

2013-12-01

Fossils are the remains of once-living organisms that existed and played out their lives in 3-dimensional environments. The information content provided by a 3d representation of a fossil is much greater than that provided by a traditional photograph, and can grab the attention and imagination of the younger and older general public alike. The British Geological Survey has been leading a consortium of UK natural history museums including the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the Sedgwick Museum Cambridge, the National Museum of Wales Cardiff, and a number of smaller regional British museums to construct a web portal giving access to metadata, high resolution images and interactive 3d models of type fossils from the UK. The web portal at www.3d-fossils.ac.uk was officially launched in August 2013. It can be used to discover metadata describing the provenance, taxonomy, and stratigraphy of the specimens. Zoom-able high resolution digital photographs are available, including for many specimens ';anaglyph' stereo images that can be viewed in 3d using red-cyan stereo spectacles. For many of the specimens interactive 3d models were generated by scanning with portable ';NextEngine 3D HD' 3d scanners. These models can be downloaded in zipped .OBJ and .PLY format from the web portal, or may be viewed and manipulated directly in certain web browsers. The images and scans may be freely downloaded subject to a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike Non-Commercial license. There is a simple application programming interface (API) allowing metadata to be downloaded, with links to the images and models, in a standardised format for use in data mash-ups and third party applications. The web portal also hosts ';open educational resources' explaining the process of fossilization and the importance of type specimens in taxonomy, as well as providing introductions to the most important fossil groups. We have experimented with using a 3d printer to create replicas of the fossils which can be used in education and public outreach. The audience for the web portal includes both professional paleontologists and the general public. The professional paleontologist can use the portal to discover the whereabouts of the type material for a taxon they are studying, and can use the pictures and 3d models to assess the completeness and preservation quality of the material. This may reduce or negate the need to send specimens (which are often fragile and always irreplaceable) to researchers through the post, or for researchers to make possibly long, expensive and environmentally damaging journeys to visit far-off collections. We hope that the pictures and 3d models will help to stimulate public interest in paleontology and natural history. The ability to digitally image and scan specimens in 3d enables institutions to have an archive record in case specimens are lost or destroyed by accident or warfare. Recent events in Cairo and Baghdad remind us that museum collections are vulnerable to civil and military strife.

Insights into methane dynamics from analysis of authigenic carbonates and chemosynthetic mussels at newly-discovered Atlantic Margin seeps

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prouty, Nancy G.; Sahy, Diana; Ruppel, Carolyn D.; Roark, E. Brendan; Condon, Dan; Brooke, Sandra; Ross, Steve W.; Demopoulos, Amanda W.J.

2016-01-01

The recent discovery of active methane venting along the US northern and mid-Atlantic margin represents a new source of global methane not previously accounted for in carbon budgets from this region. However, uncertainty remains as to the origin and history of methane seepage along this tectonically inactive passive margin. Here we present the first isotopic analyses of authigenic carbonates and methanotrophic deep-sea mussels, Bathymodiolus   sp., and the first direct constraints on the timing of past methane emission, based on samples collected at the upper slope Baltimore Canyon (∼385 m water depth) and deepwater Norfolk (∼1600 m) seep fields within the area of newly-discovered venting. The authigenic carbonates at both sites were dominated by aragonite, with an average  signature of −47‰, a value consistent with microbially driven anaerobic oxidation of methane-rich fluids occurring at or near the sediment–water interface. Authigenic carbonate U and Sr isotope data further support the inference of carbonate precipitation from seawater-derived fluids rather than from formation fluids from deep aquifers. Carbonate stable and radiocarbon ( and ) isotope values from living Bathymodiolus   sp. specimens are lighter than those of seawater dissolved inorganic carbon, highlighting the influence of fossil carbon from methane on carbonate precipitation. U–Th dates on authigenic carbonates suggest seepage at Baltimore Canyon between 14.7±0.6 ka to 15.7±1.6 ka, and at the Norfolk seep field between 1.0±0.7 ka to 3.3±1.3 ka, providing constraint on the longevity of methane efflux at these sites. The age of the brecciated authigenic carbonates and the occurrence of pockmarks at the Baltimore Canyon upper slope could suggest a link between sediment delivery during Pleistocene sea-level lowstand, accumulation of pore fluid overpressure from sediment compaction, and release of overpressure through subsequent venting. Calculations show that the Baltimore Canyon site probably has not been within the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) in the past 20 ka, meaning that in-situ release of methane from dissociating gas hydrate cannot be sustaining the seep. We cannot rule out updip migration of methane from dissociation of gas hydrate that occurs farther down the slope as a source of the venting at Baltimore Canyon, but consider that the history of rapid sediment accumulation and overpressure may play a more important role in methane emissions at this site.

On the importance of stratigraphic control for vertebrate fossil sites in Channel Islands National Park, California, USA: Examples from new Mammuthus finds on San Miguel Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pigati, Jeffery S.; Muhs, Daniel R.; McGeehin, John P.

2016-01-01

Quaternary vertebrate fossils, most notably mammoth remains, are relatively common on the northern Channel Islands of California. Well-preserved cranial, dental, and appendicular elements of Mammuthus exilis (pygmy mammoth) and Mammuthus columbi (Columbian mammoth) have been recovered from hundreds of localities on the islands during the past half-century or more. Despite this paleontological wealth, the geologic context of the fossils is described in the published literature only briefly or not at all, which has hampered the interpretation of associated 14C ages and reconstruction of past environmental conditions. We recently discovered a partial tusk, several large bones, and a tooth enamel plate (all likely mammoth) at two sites on the northwest flank of San Miguel Island, California. At both localities, we documented the stratigraphic context of the fossils, described the host sediments in detail, and collected charcoal and terrestrial gastropod shells for radiocarbon dating. The resulting 14C ages indicate that the mammoths were present on San Miguel Island between ∼20 and 17 ka as well as between ∼14 and 13 ka (thousands of calibrated 14C years before present), similar to other mammoth sites on San Miguel, Santa Cruz, and Santa Rosa Islands. In addition to documenting the geologic context and ages of the fossils, we present a series of protocols for documenting and reporting geologic and stratigraphic information at fossil sites on the California Channel Islands in general, and in Channel Islands National Park in particular, so that pertinent information is collected prior to excavation of vertebrate materials, thus maximizing their scientific value.

Body mass estimates of hominin fossils and the evolution of human body size.

PubMed

Grabowski, Mark; Hatala, Kevin G; Jungers, William L; Richmond, Brian G

2015-08-01

Body size directly influences an animal's place in the natural world, including its energy requirements, home range size, relative brain size, locomotion, diet, life history, and behavior. Thus, an understanding of the biology of extinct organisms, including species in our own lineage, requires accurate estimates of body size. Since the last major review of hominin body size based on postcranial morphology over 20 years ago, new fossils have been discovered, species attributions have been clarified, and methods improved. Here, we present the most comprehensive and thoroughly vetted set of individual fossil hominin body mass predictions to date, and estimation equations based on a large (n = 220) sample of modern humans of known body masses. We also present species averages based exclusively on fossils with reliable taxonomic attributions, estimates of species averages by sex, and a metric for levels of sexual dimorphism. Finally, we identify individual traits that appear to be the most reliable for mass estimation for each fossil species, for use when only one measurement is available for a fossil. Our results show that many early hominins were generally smaller-bodied than previously thought, an outcome likely due to larger estimates in previous studies resulting from the use of large-bodied modern human reference samples. Current evidence indicates that modern human-like large size first appeared by at least 3-3.5 Ma in some Australopithecus afarensis individuals. Our results challenge an evolutionary model arguing that body size increased from Australopithecus to early Homo. Instead, we show that there is no reliable evidence that the body size of non-erectus early Homo differed from that of australopiths, and confirm that Homo erectus evolved larger average body size than earlier hominins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Twenty-million-year relationship between mammalian diversity and primary productivity

PubMed Central

Fritz, Susanne A.; Eronen, Jussi T.; Schnitzler, Jan; Hof, Christian; Janis, Christine M.; Mulch, Andreas; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Graham, Catherine H.

2016-01-01

At global and regional scales, primary productivity strongly correlates with richness patterns of extant animals across space, suggesting that resource availability and climatic conditions drive patterns of diversity. However, the existence and consistency of such diversity–productivity relationships through geological history is unclear. Here we provide a comprehensive quantitative test of the diversity–productivity relationship for terrestrial large mammals through time across broad temporal and spatial scales. We combine >14,000 occurrences for 690 fossil genera through the Neogene (23–1.8 Mya) with regional estimates of primary productivity from fossil plant communities in North America and Europe. We show a significant positive diversity–productivity relationship through the 20-million-year record, providing evidence on unprecedented spatial and temporal scales that this relationship is a general pattern in the ecology and paleo-ecology of our planet. Further, we discover that genus richness today does not match the fossil relationship, suggesting that a combination of human impacts and Pleistocene climate variability has modified the 20-million-year ecological relationship by strongly reducing primary productivity and driving many mammalian species into decline or to extinction. PMID:27621451

Twenty-million-year relationship between mammalian diversity and primary productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fritz, Susanne A.; Eronen, Jussi T.; Schnitzler, Jan; Hof, Christian; Janis, Christine M.; Mulch, Andreas; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Graham, Catherine H.

2016-09-01

At global and regional scales, primary productivity strongly correlates with richness patterns of extant animals across space, suggesting that resource availability and climatic conditions drive patterns of diversity. However, the existence and consistency of such diversity-productivity relationships through geological history is unclear. Here we provide a comprehensive quantitative test of the diversity-productivity relationship for terrestrial large mammals through time across broad temporal and spatial scales. We combine >14,000 occurrences for 690 fossil genera through the Neogene (23-1.8 Mya) with regional estimates of primary productivity from fossil plant communities in North America and Europe. We show a significant positive diversity-productivity relationship through the 20-million-year record, providing evidence on unprecedented spatial and temporal scales that this relationship is a general pattern in the ecology and paleo-ecology of our planet. Further, we discover that genus richness today does not match the fossil relationship, suggesting that a combination of human impacts and Pleistocene climate variability has modified the 20-million-year ecological relationship by strongly reducing primary productivity and driving many mammalian species into decline or to extinction.

Towards The Exo-Earth Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horner, J.

2017-09-01

In the past few years, the number of planets discovered orbiting other stars has grown dramatically, and newly discovered planets are now announced on an almost daily basis. In this presentation, I will describe how simulations of the orbital evolution of such planets can help us to better constrain their orbits, and even allow us to identify systems that are not all they seem to be. In addition, in coming years it is likely that the first truly Earth-like exoplanets will be discovered, and I will describe how those same dynamical tools will prove vital in assessing which of those planets are the most promising targets in the search for life beyond the Solar system.

Extraterrestrial Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klein, M. J.

1993-01-01

Extraterrestrial Intelligence is intelligent life that developed somewhere other than the earth. Such life has not yet been discovered. However, scientific research, including astronomy, biology, planetary science and studies of fossils here on earth have led many scientists to conclude that such life may exist on planets orbiting at least some of the hundreds of billions of stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Today, some researchers are trying to find evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence. This effort is often called SETI, which stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. SETI researchers decided that looking for evidence of their technology might be the best way to discover other intelligent life in the Galaxy. They decided to use large radio telescopes to search the sky over a wide range of radio frequencies...

Case Studies of Two American Towns That Have Recently Developed Geotourism Venues: A Comparison of Steps Taken in Geoscience Education Program Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wandersee, J. H.; Clary, R. M.

2005-12-01

In June, 2003, CNN reported that there were three US public fossil parks (in OH, NY, and IA) that embraced educational missions and allowed the public to collect and actually keep the fossils they found. The new parks moved beyond exhibiting fossils to allowing the park visitor to have a direct, tangible, and authentic geobiological field experience, typically culminating in the visitor's identification and ownership of a small number of personally collected fossils. Our site-based, qualitative, comparative geoscience educational analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the first three parks was presented at the 2004 International Geological Congress. We subsequently developed a fossil park design model for others contemplating the establishment or instructional use of such parks. Today there are five specially developed, public fossil parks in the US. All are owned and operated by city or county governments, or by non-profit organizations. Each considers its primary mission to be advancing geoscience education. In the current investigation, we conducted on-site, multiple case study research on the two newest US fossil parks. Both are located in small towns: Trammel Fossil Park in Sharonville, Ohio (population 13,000), and Fossil Beds Park in Fossil, Oregon (population 430). The former site is Ordovician in age, with four fossiliferous marine formations. The latter is an Oligocene lake bed and contains approximately 35 species of identified plant fossils. Our focus in both case studies was on identifying the steps of successful fossil park development that lead to a sound informal geoscience education program, based on principles of active, meaningful, and mindful learning (Langer, 1998; Michael and Modell, 2003; Mintzes, Wandersee, and Novak, 2000). We found that each town had developed a collaborative, community-driven, pedagogically innovative, field-based geotourism venue. Each was noteworthy in specific ways for its geoscience education potential as an outdoor teaching laboratory. We report on the results of actual fossil collecting and interpretation at each site, evaluating the opportunities we found to discover common fossils and to learn geobiology in the field. Our study's findings outline the steps of educational program development and support underlying each park. While one utilizes a very effective interpretive signage system that aims to be self-teaching, the other employs a helpful on-site geological interpreter. In one, following the collapse of the timber industry, the town's entire economic recovery plan is now predicated on geotourism and geoscience education activities centered around its fossil park. In the other, the fossil park has become the enticing geoscience jewel of the town's park system. We think the two different fossil park program development approaches we have elucidated (e.g., Wheeler County Oregon's Paleo Project and Sharonville's university-city-local developer collaboration) could be replicated at other appropriate fossil sites. We also correlated our findings with the new National Research Council study, America's Lab Report (2005), to show that fossil parks can offer scientific experiences to the public that contribute to the nation's scientific literacy.

Survey for the newly discovered Dan spinymussel in the Dan, Mayo, and South Mayo Rivers, Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

Three spined, mussel species occur in the United States along the Atlantic slope: James spinymussel (Pleurobema collina), Tar spinymussel (Elliptio steinstansana), and Altamaha spinymussel (E. spinosa). The James spinymussel was listed as endangered ...

Long Noncoding RNAs AC009014.3 and Newly Discovered XPLAID Differentiate Aggressive and Indolent Prostate Cancers.

PubMed

Cesnik, Anthony J; Yang, Bing; Truong, Andrew; Etheridge, Tyler; Spiniello, Michele; Steinbrink, Maisie I; Shortreed, Michael R; Frey, Brian L; Jarrard, David F; Smith, Lloyd M

2018-06-01

The molecular mechanisms underlying aggressive versus indolent disease are not fully understood. Recent research has implicated a class of molecules known as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumorigenesis and progression of cancer. Our objective was to discover lncRNAs that differentiate aggressive and indolent prostate cancers. We analyzed paired tumor and normal tissues from six aggressive Gleason score (GS) 8-10 and six indolent GS 6 prostate cancers. Extracted RNA was split for poly(A)+ and ribosomal RNA depletion library preparations, followed byRNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) using an Illumina HiSeq 2000. We developed an RNA-Seq data analysis pipeline to discover and quantify these molecules. Candidate lncRNAs were validated using RT-qPCR on 87 tumor tissue samples: 28 (GS 6), 28 (GS 3+4), 6 (GS 4+3), and 25 (GS 8-10). Statistical correlations between lncRNAs and clinicopathologic variables were tested using ANOVA. The 43 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs between aggressive and indolent prostate cancers included 12 annotated and 31 novel lncRNAs. The top six DE lncRNAs were selected based on large, consistent fold-changes in the RNA-Seq results. Three of these candidates passed RT-qPCR validation, including AC009014.3 (P < .001 in tumor tissue) and a newly discovered X-linked lncRNA named XPLAID (P = .049 in tumor tissue and P = .048 in normal tissue). XPLAID and AC009014.3 show promise as prognostic biomarkers. We discovered several dozen lncRNAs that distinguish aggressive and indolent prostate cancers, of which four were validated using RT-qPCR. The investigation into their biology is ongoing. Published by Elsevier Inc.

CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NEWLY DISCOVERED IODOACID DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

Iodoacid drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were recently uncovered in drinking water samples from source water with a high bromide/iodide concentration that was disinfected with chloramines. The purpose of this paper is to report the analytical chemical identification...

26 CFR 601.106 - Appeals functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Director, Foreign Operations District, the Appeals office may waive jurisdiction to the director who issued... to having the case returned to the district director for reconsideration. Where newly discovered... the Assistant Commissioner (Technical), and will usually be attended by a person who has authority to...

26 CFR 601.106 - Appeals functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Director, Foreign Operations District, the Appeals office may waive jurisdiction to the director who issued... to having the case returned to the district director for reconsideration. Where newly discovered... the Assistant Commissioner (Technical), and will usually be attended by a person who has authority to...

26 CFR 601.106 - Appeals functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Director, Foreign Operations District, the Appeals office may waive jurisdiction to the director who issued... to having the case returned to the district director for reconsideration. Where newly discovered... the Assistant Commissioner (Technical), and will usually be attended by a person who has authority to...

Discovery of New Hydrothermal Activity and Chemosynthetic Fauna on the Central Indian Ridge at 18°–20°S

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Kentaro; Watanabe, Hiromi; Miyazaki, Junichi; Takai, Ken; Kawagucci, Shinsuke; Noguchi, Takuro; Nemoto, Suguru; Watsuji, Tomo-o; Matsuzaki, Takuya; Shibuya, Takazo; Okamura, Kei; Mochizuki, Masashi; Orihashi, Yuji; Ura, Tamaki; Asada, Akira; Marie, Daniel; Koonjul, Meera; Singh, Manvendra; Beedessee, Girish; Bhikajee, Mitrasen; Tamaki, Kensaku

2012-01-01

Indian Ocean hydrothermal vents are believed to represent a novel biogeographic province, and are host to many novel genera and families of animals, potentially indigenous to Indian Ocean hydrothermal systems. In particular, since its discovery in 2001, much attention has been paid to a so-called ‘scaly-foot’ gastropod because of its unique iron-sulfide-coated dermal sclerites and the chemosynthetic symbioses in its various tissues. Despite increasing interest in the faunal assemblages at Indian Ocean hydrothermal vents, only two hydrothermal vent fields have been investigated in the Indian Ocean. Here we report two newly discovered hydrothermal vent fields, the Dodo and Solitaire fields, which are located in the Central Indian Ridge (CIR) segments 16 and 15, respectively. Chemosynthetic faunal communities at the Dodo field are emaciated in size and composition. In contrast, at the Solitaire field, we observed faunal communities that potentially contained almost all genera found at CIR hydrothermal environments to date, and even identified previously unreported taxa. Moreover, a new morphotype of ‘scaly-foot’ gastropod has been found at the Solitaire field. The newly discovered ‘scaly-foot’ gastropod has similar morphological and anatomical features to the previously reported type that inhabits the Kairei field, and both types of ‘scaly-foot’ gastropods genetically belong to the same species according to analyses of their COI gene and nuclear SSU rRNA gene sequences. However, the new morphotype completely lacks an iron-sulfide coating on the sclerites, which had been believed to be a novel feature restricted to ‘scaly-foot’ gastropods. Our new findings at the two newly discovered hydrothermal vent sites provide important insights into the biodiversity and biogeography of vent-endemic ecosystems in the Indian Ocean. PMID:22431990

Nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate induces a newly discovered hematopoietic structure in the omentum of an anemic mouse model by stimulating G-CSF production.

PubMed

Otsuka, Hirotada; Yagi, Hideki; Endo, Yasuo; Soeta, Satoshi; Nonaka, Naoko; Nakamura, Masanori

2017-02-01

We previously reported that the injection of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate (NBP) induced the site of erythropoiesis to shift from the bone marrow (BM) to the spleen. Our previous study established a severely anemic mouse model that was treated with a combination of NBP with phenylhydrazine (PHZ), which induced newly discovered hematopoietic organs in the omentum. No reports have shown that new hematopoietic organs form under any condition. We characterized the structures and factors related to the formation of these new organs. Splenectomized mice were treated with NBP to inhibit erythropoiesis in the BM and then injected with PHZ to induce hemolytic anemia. The mice showed severe anemia and wine-colored structures appeared in the omentum. Some hematopoietic cells, including megakaryocytes, and well-developed sinuses were observed in these structures. Numerous TER119-positive erythroblasts were located with cells positive for PCNA, a cell proliferation marker. C-kit-positive cells were detected and mRNAs related to hematopoiesis were expressed in these structures. Moreover, TER119-positive erythroblasts emerged and formed clusters and hematopoiesis-related factors were detected in the omentum of mice treated with NBP and PHZ. The levels of G-CSF in the serum and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) in the peripheral blood were increased upon treatment with both NBP and PHZ. These results suggest that the induced hematopoietic structures act as the sites of erythropoiesis and that NBP-induced G-CSF production causes HPC mobilization, homing and colonization in the omentum because they constitutively express some factors, including SDF-1; thus, the newly discovered hematopoietic structure in this study might be formed.

Correlative microscopy of the constituents of a dinosaur rib fossil and hosting mudstone: Implications on diagenesis and fossil preservation.

PubMed

Kim, Jung-Kyun; Kwon, Yong-Eun; Lee, Sang-Gil; Kim, Chang-Yeon; Kim, Jin-Gyu; Huh, Min; Lee, Eunji; Kim, Youn-Joong

2017-01-01

We have applied correlative microscopy to identify the key constituents of a dorsal rib fossil from Koreanosaurus boseongensis and its hosting mudstone discovered at the rich fossil site in Boseong, South Korea, to investigate the factors that likely contributed to diagenesis and the preservation of fossil bone. Calcite and illite were the commonly occurring phases in the rib bone, hosting mudstone, and the boundary region in-between. The boundary region may have contributed to bone preservation once it fully formed by acting as a protective shell. Fluorapatite crystals in the rib bone matrix signified diagenetic alteration of the original bioapatite crystals. While calcite predominantly occupied vascular channels and cracks, platy illite crystals widely occupied miniscule pores throughout the bone matrix. Thorough transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study of illite within the bone matrix indicated the solid-state transformation of 1M to 2M without composition change, which was more evident from the lateral variation of 1M to 2M within the same layer. The high level of lattice disordering of 2M illite suggested an early stage of 1M to 2M transformation. Thus, the diagenetic alteration of both apatite and illite crystals within the bone matrix may have increased its overall density, as the preferred orientation of apatite crystals from moderate to strong degrees was evident despite the poor preservation of osteohistological features. The combined effects of rapid burial, formation of a boundary region, and diagenesis of illite and apatite within the bone matrix may have contributed to the rib bone preservation.

An analytical approach for estimating fossil record and diversification events in sharks, skates and rays.

PubMed

Guinot, Guillaume; Adnet, Sylvain; Cappetta, Henri

2012-01-01

Modern selachians and their supposed sister group (hybodont sharks) have a long and successful evolutionary history. Yet, although selachian remains are considered relatively common in the fossil record in comparison with other marine vertebrates, little is known about the quality of their fossil record. Similarly, only a few works based on specific time intervals have attempted to identify major events that marked the evolutionary history of this group. Phylogenetic hypotheses concerning modern selachians' interrelationships are numerous but differ significantly and no consensus has been found. The aim of the present study is to take advantage of the range of recent phylogenetic hypotheses in order to assess the fit of the selachian fossil record to phylogenies, according to two different branching methods. Compilation of these data allowed the inference of an estimated range of diversity through time and evolutionary events that marked this group over the past 300 Ma are identified. Results indicate that with the exception of high taxonomic ranks (orders), the selachian fossil record is by far imperfect, particularly for generic and post-Triassic data. Timing and amplitude of the various identified events that marked the selachian evolutionary history are discussed. Some identified diversity events were mentioned in previous works using alternative methods (Early Jurassic, mid-Cretaceous, K/T boundary and late Paleogene diversity drops), thus reinforcing the efficiency of the methodology presented here in inferring evolutionary events. Other events (Permian/Triassic, Early and Late Cretaceous diversifications; Triassic/Jurassic extinction) are newly identified. Relationships between these events and paleoenvironmental characteristics and other groups' evolutionary history are proposed.

First discovery of colobine fossils from the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene in central Myanmar.

PubMed

Takai, Masanaru; Thaung-Htike; Zin-Maung-Maung-Thein; Soe, Aung Naing; Maung, Maung; Tsubamoto, Takehisa; Egi, Naoko; Nishimura, Takeshi D; Nishioka, Yuichiro

2015-07-01

Here we report two kinds of colobine fossils discovered from the latest Miocene/Early Pliocene Irrawaddy sediments of the Chaingzauk area, central Myanmar. A left mandibular corpus fragment preserving M1-3 is named as a new genus and species, Myanmarcolobus yawensis. Isolated upper (M(1)?) and lower (M2) molars are tentatively identified as Colobinae gen. et sp. indet. Although both forms are medium-sized colobines, they are quite different from each other in M2 morphology. The isolated teeth of the latter show typical colobine-type features, so it is difficult to identify their taxonomic position, whereas lower molars of Myanmarcolobus have unique features, such as a trapezoid-shaped long median lingual notch, a deeply concave median buccal cleft, a strongly developed mesiobuccal notch, and rather obliquely running transverse lophids. Compared with fossil and living Eurasian colobine genera, Myanmarcolobus is most similar in lower molar morphology to the Pliocene Dolichopithecus of Europe rather than to any Asian forms. In Dolichopithecus, however, the tooth size is much larger and the median lingual notch is mesiodistally much shorter than that of Myanmarcolobus. The discovery of Myanmarcolobus in central Myanmar is the oldest fossil record in Southeast Asia not only of colobine but also of cercopithecid monkeys and raises many questions regarding the evolutionary history of Asian colobine monkeys. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The 17 Ma old Turkana beaked whale fossil: new paleoaltimetry constraints for uplift and environmental change in East Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wichura, Henry; Jacobs, Louis L.; Strecker, Manfred R.; Lin, Andrew; Polcyn, Michael J.; Manthi, Fredrick K.; Winkler, Dale A.; Matthew, Clemens

2015-04-01

Timing and magnitude of vertical motions of the Earth's crust is key to evaluate the impact of tectonic processes on changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, rainfall, and environmental conditions. The East African Plateau (EAP) is a major topographic feature that fundamentally impacts the patterns of the Indian-African Monsoon and the eastward transport of air masses from the Congo Basin. Uplift of the EAP in Kenya has been linked to mantle processes, but due to the lack of reliable palaeoaltimetric data it has been challenging to unambiguously constrain plateau evolution, vertical motions associated with late Cenozoic rifting of the East African Rift System, and ensuing environmental change. We explored the fossil remains of a beaked whale (Ziphiidae) from the Turkana region in the northern Kenya Rift, 700 km inland from the present-day coastline of the Indian Ocean. The whale fossil, preserved near sea level, was discovered at an elevation of 620 m and thus constrains the uplift of the northeastern flanks of the EAP. The Kenyan ziphiid was discovered in fluvio-lacustrine sediments of the extensional Oligo-Miocene Lokichar basin (Mead, 1975) along with terrestrial mammals and freshwater molluscs below a basalt dated at 17.1 ± 1.0 Ma (Boschetto et al., 1992). The unifying characteristics of riverine occurrences of modern marine mammals include sufficient discharge in low-gradient rivers to maintain pathways deep enough to facilitate migration, and the absence of shallow bedrock, rapids, and waterfalls. The most likely route, which may have had these characteristics is a fluvial corridor controlled by protracted thermal subsidence of the Cretaceous Anza Rift, which once linked extensional processes in Central and East Africa with the continental margin of northeastern Africa. The fossil locality and analogies with present-day occurrences of marine mammals in terrestrial realms suggest that the ziphiid stranded slightly above sea level. In combination with Miocene lava flows that utilized eastward-directed drainages away from the EAP the fossil find thus provides the older of only two empirical palaeoelevation points that constrain the onset of uplift of the EAP to the interval between approximately 17 and 13 Ma. Our results show that topographic uplift of the EAP is a viable mechanism that induced palaeoclimatic change from a low-elevation humid environment to highly variable, much drier conditions, which altered biotic communities and drove evolution in East Africa, including that of primates.

Natural Organohalogens: A New Frontier for Medicinal Agents?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gribble, Gordon W.

2004-01-01

Newly discovered biogenic organo halogens with an emphasis on the biologically active examples from marine organisms, bacteria, terrestrial plants and higher life forms, including humans, are focused. Organohalogen compounds represent a valuable and expanding class of natural products, in many cases boasting exceptional biological activity.

Extraordinary Oscillations of an Ordinary Forced Pendulum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butikov, Eugene I.

2008-01-01

Several well-known and newly discovered counterintuitive regular and chaotic modes of the sinusoidally driven rigid planar pendulum are discussed and illustrated by computer simulations. The software supporting the investigation offers many interesting predefined examples that demonstrate various peculiarities of this famous physical model.…

Phytophthora ramorum and sudden oak death in California: II. transmission and survival

Treesearch

Jennifer M. Davidson; David M. Rizzo; Matteo Garbelotto; Steven Tjosvold; Garey W. Slaughter

2002-01-01

The newly discovered Phytophthora ramorum canker disease of oak (Sudden Oak Death Syndrome) threatens millions of acres of California woodlands where coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), or black oak (Quercus kelloggii) are dominant species. An important step in...

Formative Assessment Probes: Representing Microscopic Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeley, Page

2011-01-01

This column focuses on promoting learning through assessment. The author discusses the formative assessment probe "Pond Water," which reveals how elementary children will often apply what they know about animal structures to newly discovered microscopic organisms, connecting their knowledge of the familiar to the unfamiliar through…

Two inositol hexakisphosphate kinases drive inositol pyrophosphate synthesis in plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Inositol pyrophosphates are novel cellular signaling molecules with newly discovered roles in energy sensing and metabolic control. Studies in eukaryotes have revealed that these compounds turn over rapidly, and thus only small amounts accumulate. Inositol pyrophosphates have not been the subject of...

Managing a Library Binding Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merrill-Oldham, Jan

Library binding is one of the activities typically included in newly created preservation departments, but librarians continue to discover that transforming a traditional binding program into one that better meets preservation objectives requires considerable investment of time. This resource guide is intended to help libraries review their…

Phylogeography and genetic identification of the newly-discovered populations of torrent salamanders (Rhyacotriton cascade and R. variegatus) in the central Cascades (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, R.S.; Miller, Mark P.; Haig, Susan M.

2006-01-01

Newly discovered populations of Rhyacotritonidae were investigated for taxonomic identity, hybridization, and sympatry. Species in the genus Rhyacotriton have been historically difficult to identify using morphological characters. Mitochondrial (mtDNA) 16S ribosomal RNA sequences (491 bp) and allozymes (6 loci) were used to identify the distribution of populations occurring intermediate between the previously described ranges of R. variegatus and R. cascadae in the central Cascade Mountain region of Oregon. Allozyme and mitochondrial sequence data both indicated the presence of two distinct evolutionary lineages, with each lineage corresponding to the allopatric distribution of R. cascadae and R. variegatus. Results suggest the Willamette River acts as a phylogeographic barrier limiting the distribution of both species, although we cannot exclude the possibility that reproductive isolation also exists that reinforces species' distributions. This study extends the previously described geographical ranges of both R. cascadae and R. variegatus and defines an eastern range limit for R. variegatus conservation efforts.

Near-Earth Asteroid Follow-up Observations from the Astronomical Research Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linder, Tyler R.

2017-10-01

The Astronomical Research Institute (ARI) operates eight telescopes ranging in size from 0.41m to 1.3m. These telescopes are dedicated to the astrometric recovery and arc-extension of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs). Four telescopes are located outside Westfield, Illinois, USA (0.61, 0.76, 0.81, 1.3m) while the other four telescopes are at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (0.41, 0.61, 0.61, 1.0m).The increase in NEA discovery from PanSTARRS and Catalina Sky Survey continues to escalate the nightly demand for newly discovered NEA follow-up. ARI has developed a new protocol which allows the discovery rate to increase fivefold without the need for additional telescopes.ARI’s new secondary priority is to provide spectra and spectrophotometry observations of the brightest newly discovered NEAs. Proposed methods and procedures will be discussed so that other NEA researchers may have access to the results without a peer-reviewed delay.

Tick-Borne Pathogen – Reversed and Conventional Discovery of Disease

PubMed Central

Tijsse-Klasen, Ellen; Koopmans, Marion P. G.; Sprong, Hein

2014-01-01

Molecular methods have increased the number of known microorganisms associated with ticks significantly. Some of these newly identified microorganisms are readily linked to human disease while others are yet unknown to cause human disease. The face of tick-borne disease discovery has changed with more diseases now being discovered in a “reversed way,” detecting disease cases only years after the tick-borne microorganism was first discovered. Compared to the conventional discovery of infectious diseases, reverse order discovery presents researchers with new challenges. Estimating public health risks of such agents is especially challenging, as case definitions and diagnostic procedures may initially be missing. We discuss the advantages and shortcomings of molecular methods, serology, and epidemiological studies that might be used to study some fundamental questions regarding newly identified tick-borne diseases. With increased tick-exposure and improved detection methods, more tick-borne microorganisms will be added to the list of pathogens causing disease in humans in the future. PMID:25072045

Census of the Local Universe (CLU) Hα Galaxy Survey: Characterization of Galaxy Catalogs from Preliminary Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, David O.; Kasliwal, Mansi; Van Sistine, Anglea; Kaplan, David; iPTF

2018-01-01

In this talk I introduce the Census of the Local Universe (CLU) galaxy survey. The survey uses 4 wavelength-adjacent, narrowband filters to search for emission-line (Hα) sources across ~3π (26,470 deg2) of the sky and out to distance of 200 Mpc. I will present an analysis of galaxy candidates in 14 preliminary fields (out of 3626) to assess the limits of the survey and the potential for finding new galaxies in the local Universe. We anticipate finding tens-of-thousands of new galaxies in the full ~3π survey. In addition, I present some interesting galaxies found in these fields, which include: newly discovered blue compact dwarfs (e.g., blueberries), 1 new green pea, 1 new QSO, and a known planetary nebula. The majority of the CLU galaxies show properties similar to normal star-forming galaxies; however, the newly discovered blueberries tend to have high star formation rates for their given stellar mass.

Newly discovered ebola virus associated with hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Uganda.

PubMed

Towner, Jonathan S; Sealy, Tara K; Khristova, Marina L; Albariño, César G; Conlan, Sean; Reeder, Serena A; Quan, Phenix-Lan; Lipkin, W Ian; Downing, Robert; Tappero, Jordan W; Okware, Samuel; Lutwama, Julius; Bakamutumaho, Barnabas; Kayiwa, John; Comer, James A; Rollin, Pierre E; Ksiazek, Thomas G; Nichol, Stuart T

2008-11-01

Over the past 30 years, Zaire and Sudan ebolaviruses have been responsible for large hemorrhagic fever (HF) outbreaks with case fatalities ranging from 53% to 90%, while a third species, Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus, caused a single non-fatal HF case. In November 2007, HF cases were reported in Bundibugyo District, Western Uganda. Laboratory investigation of the initial 29 suspect-case blood specimens by classic methods (antigen capture, IgM and IgG ELISA) and a recently developed random-primed pyrosequencing approach quickly identified this to be an Ebola HF outbreak associated with a newly discovered ebolavirus species (Bundibugyo ebolavirus) distantly related to the Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus found in western Africa. Due to the sequence divergence of this new virus relative to all previously recognized ebolaviruses, these findings have important implications for design of future diagnostic assays to monitor Ebola HF disease in humans and animals, and ongoing efforts to develop effective antivirals and vaccines.

Newly Discovered Ebola Virus Associated with Hemorrhagic Fever Outbreak in Uganda

PubMed Central

Towner, Jonathan S.; Sealy, Tara K.; Khristova, Marina L.; Albariño, César G.; Conlan, Sean; Reeder, Serena A.; Quan, Phenix-Lan; Lipkin, W. Ian; Downing, Robert; Tappero, Jordan W.; Okware, Samuel; Lutwama, Julius; Bakamutumaho, Barnabas; Kayiwa, John; Comer, James A.; Rollin, Pierre E.; Ksiazek, Thomas G.; Nichol, Stuart T.

2008-01-01

Over the past 30 years, Zaire and Sudan ebolaviruses have been responsible for large hemorrhagic fever (HF) outbreaks with case fatalities ranging from 53% to 90%, while a third species, Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus, caused a single non-fatal HF case. In November 2007, HF cases were reported in Bundibugyo District, Western Uganda. Laboratory investigation of the initial 29 suspect-case blood specimens by classic methods (antigen capture, IgM and IgG ELISA) and a recently developed random-primed pyrosequencing approach quickly identified this to be an Ebola HF outbreak associated with a newly discovered ebolavirus species (Bundibugyo ebolavirus) distantly related to the Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus found in western Africa. Due to the sequence divergence of this new virus relative to all previously recognized ebolaviruses, these findings have important implications for design of future diagnostic assays to monitor Ebola HF disease in humans and animals, and ongoing efforts to develop effective antivirals and vaccines. PMID:19023410

The Revolution Continues: Newly Discovered Systems Expand the CRISPR-Cas Toolkit.

PubMed

Murugan, Karthik; Babu, Kesavan; Sundaresan, Ramya; Rajan, Rakhi; Sashital, Dipali G

2017-10-05

CRISPR-Cas systems defend prokaryotes against bacteriophages and mobile genetic elements and serve as the basis for revolutionary tools for genetic engineering. Class 2 CRISPR-Cas systems use single Cas endonucleases paired with guide RNAs to cleave complementary nucleic acid targets, enabling programmable sequence-specific targeting with minimal machinery. Recent discoveries of previously unidentified CRISPR-Cas systems have uncovered a deep reservoir of potential biotechnological tools beyond the well-characterized Type II Cas9 systems. Here we review the current mechanistic understanding of newly discovered single-protein Cas endonucleases. Comparison of these Cas effectors reveals substantial mechanistic diversity, underscoring the phylogenetic divergence of related CRISPR-Cas systems. This diversity has enabled further expansion of CRISPR-Cas biotechnological toolkits, with wide-ranging applications from genome editing to diagnostic tools based on various Cas endonuclease activities. These advances highlight the exciting prospects for future tools based on the continually expanding set of CRISPR-Cas systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Cretaceous stratigraphy, paleontology, and sedimentary tectonics in Paris overthrust foredeep (western Wyoming and southeastern Idaho) compared with Quaternary features of indo-gangetic plain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dorr, J.A. Jr.

1983-08-01

Fluviatile clastics of the nonmarine, early Cretaceous Gannett and Wayan groups were deposited on wet alluvial megafans and on intervening interfan piedmont slopes which declined eastward into more poorly drained lowlands from a western highland source area uplifted episodically by movements of the Paris overthrust. Lacustrine episodes of deposition intercalated Peterson and Draney limestones with Gannett fluvial clastics. Westward marine transgressions (Skull Creek, Mowry) intercalated mixed lacustrine and brackish facies (Smiths and Cokedale formations) into Wayan fluviatile clastics. Newly discovered fossil vertebrate and invertebrate materials (all fragmentary but identifiable) include: Gannett Group - large reptiles including turtles; Thomas Fork Formationmore » - freshwater gastropods and unionid pelecypods, gastroliths, two types of turtles, large reptilian fragments (dinosaur), and abundant dinosaur eggshell fragments; Wayan Formation - perennially aquatic snails, turtles, unidentifiable large reptiles, two types of crocodilians, an iguanodontid dinosaur (Tenontosaurus), an ankylosaurian dinosaur, a large ornithopod dinosaur, gastroliths, abundant and ubiquitous dinosaur eggshell fragments (numerous types and sizes), and miscellaneous unidentifiable small vertebrate bone fragments. A census of analogous modern reptile reproductive behaviors supports the conclusion that the Wayan, and probably also the Gannett, alluvial fan environments were used as upland breeding grounds by dinosaurs and perhaps other reptiles. Comparison of these Early Cretaceous data with observations on the tectonic setting, sedimentology, and biology of the Quaternary indo-gangetic plain suggests many close analogies between the two sedimentary tectonic settings.« less

A new species of Apidium (Anthropoidea, Parapithecidae) from the Sirt Basin, central Libya: First record of Oligocene primates from Libya.

PubMed

Beard, K Christopher; Coster, Pauline M C; Salem, Mustafa J; Chaimanee, Yaowalak; Jaeger, Jean-Jacques

2016-01-01

A new species of Apidium is the most common primate currently known from a newly discovered site near Zallah Oasis in the Sirt Basin of central Libya. Based on current knowledge of the associated fauna, this new species of Apidium is early Oligocene in age, being roughly contemporaneous with faunas from Quarries G and V in the upper part of the Jebel Qatrani Formation in Egypt that also contain species of Apidium. A phylogenetic analysis based on dental characters indicates that the new species of Apidium from Libya is the sister group of Apidium phiomense. Apidium bowni and Apidium moustafai from the Jebel Qatrani Formation in the Fayum are similar in age to the new species of Apidium from Libya, but both of these Egyptian species are more distantly related to A. phiomense from younger stratigraphic levels in the Fayum. This phylogenetic pattern underscores the benefit of enhanced geographic sampling of the fossil record, even in cases where local records are thought to be reasonably comprehensive and well documented. Oligocene parapithecids can be partitioned into two clades corresponding to the subfamilies Parapithecinae (containing Parapithecus and Simonsius) and Qatraniinae (including Qatrania and Apidium). Climatic deterioration during the early Oligocene may have impacted the macroevolutionary dynamics of early Afro-Arabian anthropoids by fostering the fragmentation of forest habitats, thereby promoting allopatric speciation among widespread populations of Apidium and other arboreal taxa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Active Thrusting Offshore Mount Lebanon: Source of the Tsunamigenic A.D. 551 Beirut-Tripoli Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapponnier, P.; Elias, A.; Singh, S.; King, G.; Briais, A.; Daeron, M.; Carton, H.; Sursock, A.; Jacques, E.; Jomaa, R.; Klinger, Y.

2007-12-01

On July 9, AD 551, a large earthquake, followed by a tsunami destroyed most of the coastal cities of Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon). This was arguably one of the most devastating historical submarine earthquakes in the eastern Mediterranean. Geophysical data from the Shalimar survey unveils the source of this Mw=7.5 event: rupture of the offshore, hitherto unknown, 100?150 km-long, active, east-dipping Mount Lebanon Thrust (MLT). Deep-towed sonar swaths along the base of prominent bathymetric escarpments reveal fresh, west facing seismic scarps that cut the sediment-smoothed seafloor. The MLT trace comes closest (~ 8 km) to the coast between Beirut and Enfeh, where as 13 radiocarbon-calibrated ages indicate, a shoreline-fringing Vermetid bench suddenly emerged by ~ 80 cm in the 6th century AD. At Tabarja, the regular vertical separation (~ 1 m) of higher fossil benches, suggests uplift by 3 more comparable-size earthquakes since the Holocene sea-level reached a maximum ca. 7-6 ka, implying a 1500?1750 yr recurrence time. Unabated thrusting on the MLT likely orchestrated the growth of Mt. Lebanon since the late Miocene. The newly discovered MLT has been the missing piece in the Dead Sea Transform and eastern Mediterranean tectonic scheme. Identifying the source of the AD 551 event thus ends a complete reassessment of the sources of the major historical earthquakes on the various faults of the Lebanese Restraining Bend of the Levant Fault System (or Dead Sea Transform).

Active Thrusting Offshore Mount Lebanon: Source of the Tsunamigenic A.D. 551 Beirut-Tripoli Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapponnier, P.; Elias, A.; Singh, S.; King, G.; Briais, A.; Daeron, M.; Carton, H.; Sursock, A.; Jacques, E.; Jomaa, R.; Klinger, Y.

2004-12-01

On July 9, AD 551, a large earthquake, followed by a tsunami destroyed most of the coastal cities of Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon). This was arguably one of the most devastating historical submarine earthquakes in the eastern Mediterranean. Geophysical data from the Shalimar survey unveils the source of this Mw=7.5 event: rupture of the offshore, hitherto unknown, 100?150 km-long, active, east-dipping Mount Lebanon Thrust (MLT). Deep-towed sonar swaths along the base of prominent bathymetric escarpments reveal fresh, west facing seismic scarps that cut the sediment-smoothed seafloor. The MLT trace comes closest (~ 8 km) to the coast between Beirut and Enfeh, where as 13 radiocarbon-calibrated ages indicate, a shoreline-fringing Vermetid bench suddenly emerged by ~ 80 cm in the 6th century AD. At Tabarja, the regular vertical separation (~ 1 m) of higher fossil benches, suggests uplift by 3 more comparable-size earthquakes since the Holocene sea-level reached a maximum ca. 7-6 ka, implying a 1500?1750 yr recurrence time. Unabated thrusting on the MLT likely orchestrated the growth of Mt. Lebanon since the late Miocene. The newly discovered MLT has been the missing piece in the Dead Sea Transform and eastern Mediterranean tectonic scheme. Identifying the source of the AD 551 event thus ends a complete reassessment of the sources of the major historical earthquakes on the various faults of the Lebanese Restraining Bend of the Levant Fault System (or Dead Sea Transform).

Biogeochemistry and biogeology research projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cloud, P.

1973-01-01

Summaries of work initiated or completed during the year in the areas of biochemistry and biology are reported. Topics include: studying humic substances through geologic time; analyzing the benzene and hexane soluble portions of the benzene-methanol extracts from the same standard suite for hydrocarbons; finding a pyrolytic technique and applying it to single taxa of fossil microorganisms and individual microorganisms; and discovering to what extent humic substances become converted to kerogen and retained in sediments. A list of publications is included.

It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist: Great Amateurs of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malone, John

2002-10-01

Did you know. . . . . . that the woman who discovered the largest and most complete T. rex fossil on record was a high-school dropout who became one of the world's greatest fossil hunters? . . . that the great British scientist Michael Faraday was the son of a blacksmith and had very little formal education? . . . that Gregor Mendel had time to study inherited traits in garden peas because he failed the test to qualify as a high school science teacher? This is just a small sampling of the many surprises you'll find in this enlightening survey of the mavericks, misfits, and unschooled investigators who have been responsible for some of the greatest scientific discoveries in history. It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist explains the achievements of each of these accomplished amateurs, describes how they approached their investigations, and discusses the impact of their discoveries. In these amazing and inspiring stories, you'll learn about: Grote Reber and the birth of radio astronomy Arthur C. Clarke's vision of communication satellites Joseph Priestley and the discovery of oxygen Felix d'Herelle's pinpointing of bacteriophages, killers of bacteria Thomas Jefferson and the science of archaeology You'll also discover which fields of science still offer great opportunities for modern amateurs eager to make a name for themselves. After all, it doesn't take a rocket scientist!

Colossal permittivity materials: Doping for superior dielectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homes, Christopher C.; Vogt, Thomas

2013-09-01

The search for materials with colossal permittivity for use in capacitors has been met with limited success. A newly discovered co-doped titanium oxide material has an extremely high permittivity and negligible dielectric losses, and is likely to enable further scaling in electronic and energy-storage devices.

Complete Genome Sequences of Four Novel Escherichia coli Bacteriophages Belonging to New Phage Groups

PubMed Central

Kot, Witold

2015-01-01

Here, we describe the sequencing and genome annotations of a set of four Escherichia coli bacteriophages (phages) belonging to newly discovered groups previously consisting of only a single phage and thus expand our knowledge of these phage groups. PMID:26184932

29 CFR 1904.33 - Retention and updating.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... RECORDING AND REPORTING OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND ILLNESSES Other OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping... must update your stored OSHA 300 Logs to include newly discovered recordable injuries or illnesses and... illnesses. If the description or outcome of a case changes, you must remove or line out the original entry...

29 CFR 1904.33 - Retention and updating.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... RECORDING AND REPORTING OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND ILLNESSES Other OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping... must update your stored OSHA 300 Logs to include newly discovered recordable injuries or illnesses and... illnesses. If the description or outcome of a case changes, you must remove or line out the original entry...

29 CFR 1904.33 - Retention and updating.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... RECORDING AND REPORTING OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND ILLNESSES Other OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping... must update your stored OSHA 300 Logs to include newly discovered recordable injuries or illnesses and... illnesses. If the description or outcome of a case changes, you must remove or line out the original entry...

New variable stars discovered in the fields of three Galactic open clusters using the VVV survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palma, T.; Minniti, D.; Dékány, I.; Clariá, J. J.; Alonso-García, J.; Gramajo, L. V.; Ramírez Alegría, S.; Bonatto, C.

2016-11-01

This project is a massive near-infrared (NIR) search for variable stars in highly reddened and obscured open cluster (OC) fields projected on regions of the Galactic bulge and disk. The search is performed using photometric NIR data in the J-, H- and Ks- bands obtained from the Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) Survey. We performed in each cluster field a variability search using Stetson's variability statistics to select the variable candidates. Later, those candidates were subjected to a frequency analysis using the Generalized Lomb-Scargle and the Phase Dispersion Minimization algorithms. The number of independent observations range between 63 and 73. The newly discovered variables in this study, 157 in total in three different known OCs, are classified based on their light curve shapes, periods, amplitudes and their location in the corresponding color-magnitude (J -Ks ,Ks) and color-color (H -Ks , J - H) diagrams. We found 5 possible Cepheid stars which, based on the period-luminosity relation, are very likely type II Cepheids located behind the bulge. Among the newly discovered variables, there are eclipsing binaries, δ Scuti, as well as background RR Lyrae stars. Using the new version of the Wilson & Devinney code as well as the "Physics Of Eclipsing Binaries" (PHOEBE) code, we analyzed some of the best eclipsing binaries we discovered. Our results show that these studied systems turn out to be ranging from detached to double-contact binaries, with low eccentricities and high inclinations of approximately 80°. Their surface temperatures range between 3500 K and 8000 K.

Catalog based two-color, relative photometry of NEOs at McDonald Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barker, E. S.; Györgyey Ries, J.; Shelus, P. J.; Ricklefs, R. L.

2001-11-01

The McDonald Observatory astrometry group has been involved in Solar System positional observations since the early 1970's. Since 1995, it has evolved to a CCD-based, almost totally automated, astrometry package. We are focusing our observational program on Near Earth Objects (NEOs) as part of NASA's mission to discover and catalogue 90 percent of NEOs with diameters larger than 1 km by 2008. We carry out confirmation observations of newly discovered objects and contribute to orbit improvements of under-observed objects. Understanding the overall hazard that these objects pose to Earth requires their dynamical and physical characterization. We recently adopted the USNO-A2.0 catalogue to improve our astrometric results. The catalog, however, also provides stellar magnitudes in the standard Johnson R and B photometric bands. After completing the night’s observing program, we now regularly provide the IAU with R magnitudes in addition to astrometric positions. Our limiting magnitude in R is near 22 in a 15 minute exposure over a 46 arcmin field on the 0.8m prime focus camera. Typically, we are scheduled for 4 nights each lunation, but our semi-automated, IRAF/ICE based program can be used by other 0.8m users. We are testing procedures that will include B and V exposures as part of our standard confirmation triplet. We have confirmed that switching filters between exposures on standard fields does not compromise the astrometric accurary. Thus, we should be able to provide two color, sequential, relative photometry of any newly discovered asteroid, as part of the confirmation process. The time interval between exposures is less than 20 minutes, short compared to most asteroid rotation times. Consequently, a meaningful color index can be obtained in parallel with the astrometric positions. Although B-R is not the usual color index used in asteroid classification studies, we are testing whether we can use it as a quick diagnostic tool to roughly classify newly discovered NEOs as by product of our astrometric observing sequence. Preliminary results will be presented at the meeting. This research is funded by NASA's NEO Observation Program grants NAG5-6863 and NAG5-10183.

Relative 2-color Photometry Of Neo's

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelus, P.; Gyorgyey-Ries, J.; Ricklefs, R.; Barker, E.

We have been making Solar System small body positional observations at McDon- ald Observatory since the early 1970's. In 1994 we moved to a CCD-based, almost totally automated, astrometry system (Whipple et al, 1996, Astron. J., Vol. 112, p. 316). Our present observational effort is focussed upon Near Earth Objects (NEOs) as part of NASA's mission to discover and catalogue 90 percent of NEOs with diameters larger than 1 km by 2008. Observing 4 nights per lunation, we conduct observations to confirm newly discovered NEOs, filling in the night on a target-of-opportunnity basis, with observations of under-observed NEOs. Our major intent is to understand the overall hazard that these objects pose to Earth and their dynamical and physical characterization. We recently adopted the USNO-A2.0 catalogue to improve astromet- ric results and a number of up-grades to the end-to-end system have been developed (Barker et al, 2001, Bull. AAS, Vol. 33, p. 1116). The USNO catalog also provides stellar magnitudes in the standard Johnson R and B photometric bands. We have thus taken the opportunity to expand our observational efforts to regularly provide R mag- nitudes, in addition to astrometric positions. Our limiting magnitude in R is near 22. We are now furthering our photometric efforts by including B exposures as part of our standard observation triplet. We have already confirmed that switching filters between exposures on standard fields does not compromise the astrometric accurary. Thus, we plan to provide two color, sequential, relative photometry, (B-R), of newly discov- ered or under observed asteroids, as part of our routine observation process. The time interval between exposures is always less than 20 minutes, short compared to most asteroid rotation times. Consequently, a meaningful color index can be obtained in parallel with the astrometric positions. Although (B-R) is not the usual color index used in asteroid classification studies, we are testing whether we can use it as a quick diagnostic tool to roughly classify newly discovered NEOs. The results so far obtained are presented here. This research is funded by NASA's NEO Observation Program grants NAG5-6863 and NAG5-10183.

New Middle Pleistocene hominin cranium from Gruta da Aroeira (Portugal).

PubMed

Daura, Joan; Sanz, Montserrat; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Hoffmann, Dirk L; Quam, Rolf M; Ortega, María Cruz; Santos, Elena; Gómez, Sandra; Rubio, Angel; Villaescusa, Lucía; Souto, Pedro; Mauricio, João; Rodrigues, Filipa; Ferreira, Artur; Godinho, Paulo; Trinkaus, Erik; Zilhão, João

2017-03-28

The Middle Pleistocene is a crucial time period for studying human evolution in Europe, because it marks the appearance of both fossil hominins ancestral to the later Neandertals and the Acheulean technology. Nevertheless, European sites containing well-dated human remains associated with an Acheulean toolkit remain scarce. The earliest European hominin crania associated with Acheulean handaxes are at the sites of Arago, Atapuerca Sima de los Huesos (SH), and Swanscombe, dating to 400-500 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11-12). The Atapuerca (SH) fossils and the Swanscombe cranium belong to the Neandertal clade, whereas the Arago hominins have been attributed to an incipient stage of Neandertal evolution, to Homo heidelbergensis , or to a subspecies of Homo erectus A recently discovered cranium (Aroeira 3) from the Gruta da Aroeira (Almonda karst system, Portugal) dating to 390-436 ka provides important evidence on the earliest European Acheulean-bearing hominins. This cranium is represented by most of the right half of a calvarium (with the exception of the missing occipital bone) and a fragmentary right maxilla preserving part of the nasal floor and two fragmentary molars. The combination of traits in the Aroeira 3 cranium augments the previously documented diversity in the European Middle Pleistocene fossil record.

At last, a Pennsylvanian stem-stonefly (Plecoptera) discovered

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Stem-relatives of many winged insect orders have been identified among Pennsylvanian fossils (Carboniferous Period). Owing to their presumed 'basal' position in insect phylogeny, stoneflies were expected to occur at this period. However, no relative has ever been designated convincingly. Results In this paper, we report specimens belonging to a new fossil insect species collected from the Tupo Formation (Pennsylvanian; China). The wing venation of Gulou carpenteri gen. et sp. nov. exhibits character states diagnostic of the order Plecoptera, but lack character states shared by unequivocal representatives of the order. Derived from this identification, the delimitation of the fossil species is ascertained based on comparison of several extant stonefly species. This comparative analysis allowed a trait present in G. carpenteri gen. et sp. nov., but rarely occurring in extant species, to be documented and highlighted as atavistic. Affinities of taxa formerly proposed as putative stem-stoneflies are reconsidered in the light of the new discovery. Conclusions Gulou carpenteri gen. et sp. nov. is considered the only genuine Plecoptera reported from the Pennsylvanian. Continuing efforts on the systematics of Pennsylvanian winged insects indicate a fauna more diverse than previously appreciated. It suggests that insects already had a long, yet undocumented, history by this time. PMID:21880126

The Haskell norm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Advocate, Dev L.

The matter of the viscosity of the mantle has started to become serious. In 1935, Norm Haskell estimated the viscosity to be about 1020 poise and there the matter stood for about half a century. For a little while, people worried about excess ellipticity of the Earth and attributed this to a “fossil bulge” that lagged the rotation rate. For this same little while, 1025 poise was thought to be the viscosity of the lower mantle, but then it was discovered that the equator was also out of shape by about the same amount, ruling out the “fossil bulge” idea. To cover their embarrassment, geodynamicists upped the viscosity of the mantle to 1021 by adopting S.I. (Satan's Invention) units. No one noticed for some time since it didn't really matter whether viscosity was given in stokes, poise, or pascal seconds. It was just a large number with a large uncertainty and no one had a feel for it anyway.

Estimating the diversity of dinosaurs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Steve C.; Dodson, Peter

2006-09-01

Despite current interest in estimating the diversity of fossil and extant groups, little effort has been devoted to estimating the diversity of dinosaurs. Here we estimate the diversity of nonavian dinosaurs at ≈1,850 genera, including those that remain to be discovered. With 527 genera currently described, at least 71% of dinosaur genera thus remain unknown. Although known diversity declined in the last stage of the Cretaceous, estimated diversity was steady, suggesting that dinosaurs as a whole were not in decline in the 10 million years before their ultimate extinction. We also show that known diversity is biased by the availability of fossiliferous rock outcrop. Finally, by using a logistic model, we predict that 75% of discoverable genera will be known within 60-100 years and 90% within 100-140 years. Because of nonrandom factors affecting the process of fossil discovery (which preclude the possibility of computing realistic confidence bounds), our estimate of diversity is likely to be a lower bound.

The Pipe Creek Sinkhole biota, a diverse late tertiary continental fossil assemblage from Grant County, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Farlow, J.O.; Sunderman, J.A.; Havens, J.J.; Swinehart, A.L.; Holman, J.A.; Richards, R.L.; Miller, N.G.; Martin, R.A.; Hunt, R.M.; Storrs, G.W.; Curry, B. Brandon; Fluegeman, R.H.; Dawson, M.; Flint, M.E.T.

2001-01-01

Quarrying in east-central Indiana has uncovered richly fossiliferous unconsolidated sediment buried beneath Pleistocene glacial till. The fossiliferous layer is part of a sedimentary deposit that accumulated in a sinkhole developed in the limestone flank beds of a Paleozoic reef. Plant and animal (mostly vertebrate) remains are abundant in the fossil assemblage. Plants are represented by a diversity of terrestrial and wetland forms, all of extant species. The vertebrate assemblage (here designated the Pipe Creek Sinkhole local fauna) is dominated by frogs and pond turtles, but fishes, birds; snakes and small and large mammals are also present; both extinct and extant taxa are represented. The mammalian assemblage indicates an early Pliocene age (latest Hemphillian or earliest Blancan North American Land Mammal Age). This is the first Tertiary continental biota discovered in the interior of the eastern half of North America.

Energy & Climate: Getting Quantitative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfson, Richard

2011-11-01

A noted environmentalist claims that buying an SUV instead of a regular car is energetically equivalent to leaving your refrigerator door open for seven years. A fossil-fuel apologist argues that solar energy is a pie-in-the-sky dream promulgated by na"ive environmentalists, because there's nowhere near enough solar energy to meet humankind's energy demand. A group advocating shutdown of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant claims that 70% of its electrical energy is lost in transmission lines. Around the world, thousands agitate for climate action, under the numerical banner ``350.'' Neither the environmentalist, the fossil-fuel apologist, the antinuclear activists, nor most of those marching under the ``350'' banner can back up their assertions with quantitative arguments. Yet questions about energy and its environmental impacts almost always require quantitative answers. Physics can help! This poster gives some cogent examples, based on the newly published 2^nd edition of the author's textbook Energy, Environment, and Climate.

Miocene Shark and Batoid Fauna from Nosy Makamby (Mahajanga Basin, Northwestern Madagascar)

PubMed Central

Andrianavalona, Tsiory H.; Ramihangihajason, Tolotra N.; Rasoamiaramanana, Armand; Ward, David J.; Ali, Jason R.; Samonds, Karen E.

2015-01-01

Madagascar is well known for producing exceptional fossils. However, the record for selachians remains relatively poorly known. Paleontological reconnaissance on the island of Nosy Makamby, off northwest Madagascar, has produced a previously undescribed assemblage of Miocene fossils. Based on isolated teeth, ten taxonomic groups are identified: Otodus, Carcharhinus, Galeocerdo, Rhizoprionodon, Sphyrna, Hemipristis, Squatina, Rostroraja, Himantura and Myliobatidae. Six are newly described from Madagascar for the Cenozoic (Galeocerdo, Rhizoprionodon, Sphyrna, Squatina, Rostroraja and Himantura). In association with these specimens, remains of both invertebrates (e.g., corals, gastropods, bivalves) and vertebrates (e.g., bony fish, turtles, crocodylians, and sirenian mammals) were also recovered. The sedimentary facies are highly suggestive of a near-shore/coastal plain depositional environment. This faunal association shares similarities to contemporaneous sites reported from North America and Europe and gives a glimpse into the paleoenvironment of Madagascar’s Miocene, suggesting that this region was warm, tropical shallow-water marine. PMID:26075723

Daughters inherit colonies from mothers in the 'living-fossil' ant Nothomyrmecia macrops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanetra, Matthias; Crozier, Ross H.

2002-02-01

Newly mated queens of monogynous (single queen) ants usually found their colonies independently, without the assistance of workers. In polygynous (multiple queen) species queens are often adopted back into their natal nest and new colonies are established by budding. We report that the Australian 'living-fossil' ant, Nothomyrmecia macrops, is exceptional in that its single queen can be replaced by one of the colony's daughters. This type of colony founding is an interesting alternative reproductive strategy in monogynous ants, which maximizes fitness under kin selection. Successive queen replacement results in a series of reproductives over time (serial polygyny), making these colonies potentially immortal. Workers raise nieces and nephews (relatedness ≤ 0.375) the year after queen replacement. Although N. macrops is 'primitive' in many other respects, colony inheritance is likely to be a derived specialization resulting from ecological constraints on solitary founding.

Digital Archives - Thomas M. Bown's Bighorn Basin Maps: The Suite of Forty-Four Office Master Copies

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKinney, Kevin C.

2001-01-01

This CD-ROM is a digitally scanned suite of master 'locality' maps produced by Dr. Thomas M. Bown. The maps are archived in the US Geological Survey Field Records. The maps feature annual compilations of newly established fossil (nineteen 7.5 degree maps) of central basin data collections. This master suite of forty-four maps represents a considerably broader geographic range within the basin. Additionally, three field seasons of data were compiled into the master suite of maps after the final editing of the Professional Paper. These maps are the culmination of Dr. Bown's Bighorn Basin research as a vertebrate paleontologist for the USGS. Data include Yale, Wyoming, Duke, Michigan and USGS localities. Practical topographic features are also indicated, such as jeep=trail access, new reservoirs, rerouted roadbeds, measured sections, fossil reconnaissance evaluations (G=good, NG=no good and H=hideous), faults, palcosol stages, and occasionally 'camp' vernacular for locality names.

The Development of Boiler Pipes Used for 700°C A-USC-PP in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhengdong; Bao, Hansheng; Xu, Songqian; Wang, Qijiang; Yang, Yujun; Zhang, Peng; Lei, Bingwang

This paper introduces the progress of boiler pipes used for the manufacturing of 700°C advanced ultra-super-critical (A-USC) fossil fuel power plants (PP) in China, with the emphasis on the detailed advancements of G115 and CN617 pipes, including technical exploration, industrial production and microstructure-property investigation. G115 is a novel ferritic heat resistant steels developed by CISRI, which is an impressive candidate material to make pipes for the temperature up to 650°C. CN617 is a recent modification of Inconel617B and the CN617 pipe with the dimension of Φ 460 × 80 mm was successfully manufactured in China. Some newly available data associated with above materials will be released. G115 and CN617 are imposing candidate materials for the manufacturing of 700°C advanced ultra-super-critical (A-USC) fossil fuel power plants (PP) in China.

Fungal and herbivore elicitation of a newly identified maize sesquiterpenoid, zealexin A4, is constrained by abiotic stress

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The existence of microbe- or abiotic stress-inducible antimicrobials, termed phytoalexins, has only recently been discovered in maize. Identification and structural elucidation of the labdane-related diterpenoid kauralexins and sesquiterpenoid zealexins has collectively resulted in 10 novel pathogen...

Biology and distribution of Lutzomyia apache as it relates to VSV

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phlebotomine sand flies are vectors of bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Lutzomyia apache was incriminated as a vector of vesicular stomatitis viruses(VSV)due to overlapping ranges of the sand fly and outbreaks of VSV. I report on newly discovered populations of L. apache in Wyoming from Albany and ...

Fast infrared photometry of the black-hole candidate MAXI J1820+070

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casella, P.; Vincentelli, F.; O'Brien, K.; Testa, V.; Maccarone, T. J.; Uttley, P.; Fender, R.; Russell, D. M.

2018-03-01

We report on near-infrared fast-photometry observations of the newly discovered X-ray transient MAXI J1820+070 (ATel #11399, #11400, #11406, #11418, #11420, , #11421, #11423, #11424, #11425, #11426, #11427, #11432, #11437, #11439, #11440, #11445), carried out with HAWK-I at VLT/Paranal.

Secrets in the Bedroom: Adolescents' Private Use of Media.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Reed

1995-01-01

The functions of solitary media use in the daily emotional lives of adolescents are discussed, suggesting that solitary television watching and music listening give adolescents an opportunity to explore and cultivate a newly discovered private self. Solitary media experiences provide an important context for dealing with stress and negative…

Fermi/GBM Update on the Orbital Ephemeris of Swift J0243.6+6124

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenke, P.; Wilson-Hodge, C. A.; Malacaria, C.

2018-02-01

Using Fermi/GBM data between MJD 58098 and 58154 (2017 December 11 to 2018 February 5) in the 12-50 keV range, we determine a new orbital ephemeris for the newly discovered (ATEL #10809) Be X-ray binary Swift J0243.6+6124.

INTEGRAL observations of MAXI J1820+070

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozzo, E.; Savchenko, V.; Ferrigno, C.; Ducci, L.; Kuulkers, E.; Ubertini, P.; Laurent, P.

2018-03-01

INTEGRAL observed the newly discovered blackhole candidate MAXI J1820+070 (ATel #11400, #11403, #11418, #11421, #11423, #11424, #11425, #11426, #11427, #11432, #11437, #11439, #11440, #11445, #11451, #11458) during a dedicated ToO campaign from 16 March 2018 at 11:07 to 18 March at 12:52 (UTC; satellite revolution 1931).

Kpna7 interacts with egg-specific nuclear factors in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nuclear proteins are required for initiation of transcription in early embryos before embryonic genome activation. The regulation of transportation of nuclear proteins is mediated by transport factors known as importins (karyopherins). Kpna7 is a newly discovered member of the importin a family, whi...

Sporulation of Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae on asymptomatic foliage and fruit

Treesearch

S. Denman; E. Moralejo; S.A. Kirk; E. Orton; A. Whybrow

2008-01-01

Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae are newly discovered invasive Phytophthoras causing leaf necrosis, shoot tip dieback (mostly on ornamental and forest understorey host species) and bleeding cankers on tree trunks of a wide range of plant species. Both pathogens are now present in south-west England....

77 FR 17498 - Recovery Plan for the Endangered Spigelia gentianoides (Gentian Pinkroot)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-26

... status when: Extant populations and newly discovered sites are identified and mapped; Inventories have... management protocols on selected populations are established for 15 years to track threats to the species and its habitat; Extant populations located on public land are stable; The minimum viable population (MVP...

Observations of Spacecraft Targets, Unusual Asteroids, and Targets of Opportunity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tholen, David J.

1998-01-01

Obtain physical and astrometric observations of: (1) spacecraft targets to support mission operations; (2) known asteroids with unusual orbits to help determine their origin; and (3) newly discovered minor planets (including both asteroids and comets) that represent a particular opportunity to add significant new knowledge of the Solar System.

Procedures of laboratory nitric oxide fumigation for pest control

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitric oxide (NO) is a newly discovered fumigant and has the potential to be a safe and effective alternative for postharvest pest control. As NO reacts with oxygen spontaneously to produce nitrogen dioxide, NO fumigation must be conducted under ultralow oxygen (ULO) atmosphere and therefore has com...

Workforce Preparedness of Information Systems Students: Perceptions of Students, Alumni, and Employers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bristow, Susan

2013-01-01

Employers of newly hired higher education graduates report their new workforce is not prepared. Further research was required to discover insights to the workforce readiness gap. This concurrent mixed methods study explored what competencies influenced employer's perceptions of the work-readiness of Information Systems (ISYS) undergraduate…

Comparative host range and aggressiveness of Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae sp. nov. on North American and European trees

Treesearch

Clive Brasier; Joan Rose; Susan Kirk; Sandra Denman; Joan Webber

2006-01-01

Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae are recently introduced, invasive pathogens in woodlands in southern Britain. P. kernoviae, previously known as Phytophthora taxon C, is a newly discovered taxon, (Brasier and others 2005), found during surveys for P. ramorum in Cornwall...

Anaerobic thermophilic culture system

DOEpatents

Ljungdahl, Lars G.; Wiegel, Jurgen K. W.

1981-01-01

A mixed culture system of the newly discovered microorganism Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus ATCC31550 and the microorganism Clostridium thermocellum ATCC31549 is described. In a mixed nutrient culture medium that contains cellulose, these microorganisms have been coupled and cultivated to efficiently ferment cellulose to produce recoverable quantities of ethanol under anaerobic, thermophilic conditions.

The Press Conferences of Eleanor Roosevelt.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beasley, Maurine H.

Newly discovered transcriptions of 87 of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's women-only press conferences held from 1933 to 1945 make possible an examination of the objectives, topics, and value of these conferences. By holding the conferences, Mrs. Roosevelt attributed to women an important function in the political communication process, and at the…

Host specificity and phylogenetic relationships of chicken and turkey parvoviruses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Previous reports indicate that the newly discovered chicken parvoviruses (ChPV) and turkey parvoviruses (TuPV) are very similar to each other, yet they represent different species within a new genus of Parvoviridae. Currently, strain classification is based on the phylogenetic analysis of a 561 bas...

MAXI/GSC detection of a hard-to-soft state transition of MAXI J1727-203, suggesting a black-hole binary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Negoro, H.; Shidatsu, M.; Mihara, T.; Serino, M.; Nakajima, M.; Sakamaki, A.; Maruyama, W.; Nakahira, S.; Yatabe, F.; Takao, Y.; Matsuoka, M.; Kawai, N.; Sugizaki, M.; Tachibana, Y.; Morita, K.; Sakamoto, T.; Sugita, S.; Kawakubo, Y.; Hashimoto, T.; Yoshida, A.; Ueno, S.; Tomida, H.; Ishikawa, M.; Isobe, N.; Sugawara, Y.; Shimomukai, R.; Ueda, Y.; Tanimoto, A.; Morita, T.; Yamada, S.; Tsuboi, Y.; Iwakiri, W.; Sasaki, R.; Kawai, H.; Sato, T.; Tsunemi, H.; Yoneyama, T.; Yamauchi, M.; Hidaka, K.; Iwahori, S.; Kawamuro, T.; Yamaoka, K.

2018-06-01

MAXI/GSC observations of the newly discovered X-ray nova MAXI J1727-203 (Yoneyama et al. ATel. #11683, also see ATel #11689, #11690, #11691, #11692) showed energy spectral softening starting from the middle of June 5 (MJD 58274).

Newly discovered natural hosts of tomato chlorosis virus in Costa Rica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) is an emerging whitefly-transmitted crinivirus. ToCV was detected in field-grown and greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants in Costa Rica in 2007, causing symptoms of severe yellowing and foliar chlorosis. To identify alternative hosts that may serve as viru...

Draft Genome Sequence of Enterococcus faecium Strain J19, Isolated from Cabbage

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Herein, we report the draft genome sequence of a newly discovered probiotic strain, Enterococcus faecium J19, which was isolated from cabbage. Strain J19 has shown antagonistic effects against the human foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in coculture and in different food matrices. PMID:29622613

The JH1 Haplotype-a newly discovered marker for infertility in the jersy breed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The focus on production traits in genetic selection programs with little consideration for traits associated with reproduction has contributed to the decline in reproductive function. Moreover, there is a negative genetic correlation between milk yield and reproduction so that selection for yield ca...

New Mode For Single-Event Upsets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zoutendyk, John A.; Smith, Lawrence S.; Soli, George A.; Lo, Roger Y.

1988-01-01

Report presents theory and experimental data regarding newly discovered mode for single-event upsets, (SEU's) in complementary metal-oxide/semiconductor, static random-access memories, CMOS SRAM's. SEU cross sections larger than those expected from previously known modes given rise to speculation regarding additional mode, and subsequent cross-section measurements appear to confirm speculation.

Lucy's back: Reassessment of fossils associated with the A.L. 288-1 vertebral column.

PubMed

Meyer, Marc R; Williams, Scott A; Smith, Michael P; Sawyer, Gary J

2015-08-01

The Australopithecus afarensis partial skeleton A.L. 288-1, popularly known as "Lucy" is associated with nine vertebrae. The vertebrae were given provisional level assignments to locations within the vertebral column by their discoverers and later workers. The continuity of the thoracic series differs in these assessments, which has implications for functional interpretations and comparative studies with other fossil hominins. Johanson and colleagues described one vertebral element (A.L. 288-1am) as uniquely worn amongst the A.L. 288-1 fossil assemblage, a condition unobservable on casts of the fossils. Here, we reassess the species attribution and serial position of this vertebral fragment and other vertebrae in the A.L. 288-1 series. When compared to the other vertebrae, A.L. 288-1am falls well below the expected size within a given spinal column. Furthermore, we demonstrate this vertebra exhibits non-metric characters absent in hominoids but common in large-bodied papionins. Quantitative analyses situate this vertebra within the genus Theropithecus, which today is solely represented by the gelada baboon but was the most abundant cercopithecoid in the KH-1s deposit at Hadar where Lucy was discovered. Our additional analyses confirm that the remainder of the A.L. 288-1 vertebral material belongs to A. afarensis, and we provide new level assignments for some of the other vertebrae, resulting in a continuous articular series of thoracic vertebrae, from T6 to T11. This work does not refute previous work on Lucy or its importance for human evolution, but rather highlights the importance of studying original fossils, as well as the efficacy of the scientific method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

First fossil of an oestroid fly (Diptera: Calyptratae: Oestroidea) and the dating of oestroid divergences.

PubMed

Cerretti, Pierfilippo; Stireman, John O; Pape, Thomas; O'Hara, James E; Marinho, Marco A T; Rognes, Knut; Grimaldi, David A

2017-01-01

Calyptrate flies include about 22,000 extant species currently classified into Hippoboscoidea (tsetse, louse, and bat flies), the muscoid grade (house flies and relatives) and the Oestroidea (blow flies, bot flies, flesh flies, and relatives). Calyptrates are abundant in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems, often playing key roles as decomposers, parasites, parasitoids, vectors of pathogens, and pollinators. For oestroids, the most diverse group within calyptrates, definitive fossils have been lacking. The first unambiguous fossil of Oestroidea is described based on a specimen discovered in amber from the Dominican Republic. The specimen was identified through digital dissection by CT scans, which provided morphological data for a cladistic analysis of its phylogenetic position among extant oestroids. The few known calyptrate fossils were used as calibration points for a molecular phylogeny (16S, 28S, CAD) to estimate the timing of major diversification events among the Oestroidea. Results indicate that: (a) the fossil belongs to the family Mesembrinellidae, and it is identified and described as Mesembrinella caenozoica sp. nov.; (b) the mesembrinellids form a sister clade to the Australian endemic Ulurumyia macalpinei (Ulurumyiidae) (McAlpine's fly), which in turn is sister to all remaining oestroids; (c) the most recent common ancestor of extant Calyptratae lived just before the K-Pg boundary (ca. 70 mya); and (d) the radiation of oestroids began in the Eocene (ca. 50 mya), with the origin of the family Mesembrinellidae dated at ca. 40 mya. These results provide new insight into the timing and rate of oestroid diversification and highlight the rapid radiation of some of the most diverse and ecologically important families of flies. ZooBank accession number-urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0DC5170B-1D16-407A-889E-56EED3FE3627.

First fossil of an oestroid fly (Diptera: Calyptratae: Oestroidea) and the dating of oestroid divergences

PubMed Central

Stireman, John O.; Pape, Thomas; O’Hara, James E.; Marinho, Marco A. T.; Rognes, Knut; Grimaldi, David A.

2017-01-01

Calyptrate flies include about 22,000 extant species currently classified into Hippoboscoidea (tsetse, louse, and bat flies), the muscoid grade (house flies and relatives) and the Oestroidea (blow flies, bot flies, flesh flies, and relatives). Calyptrates are abundant in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems, often playing key roles as decomposers, parasites, parasitoids, vectors of pathogens, and pollinators. For oestroids, the most diverse group within calyptrates, definitive fossils have been lacking. The first unambiguous fossil of Oestroidea is described based on a specimen discovered in amber from the Dominican Republic. The specimen was identified through digital dissection by CT scans, which provided morphological data for a cladistic analysis of its phylogenetic position among extant oestroids. The few known calyptrate fossils were used as calibration points for a molecular phylogeny (16S, 28S, CAD) to estimate the timing of major diversification events among the Oestroidea. Results indicate that: (a) the fossil belongs to the family Mesembrinellidae, and it is identified and described as Mesembrinella caenozoica sp. nov.; (b) the mesembrinellids form a sister clade to the Australian endemic Ulurumyia macalpinei (Ulurumyiidae) (McAlpine’s fly), which in turn is sister to all remaining oestroids; (c) the most recent common ancestor of extant Calyptratae lived just before the K–Pg boundary (ca. 70 mya); and (d) the radiation of oestroids began in the Eocene (ca. 50 mya), with the origin of the family Mesembrinellidae dated at ca. 40 mya. These results provide new insight into the timing and rate of oestroid diversification and highlight the rapid radiation of some of the most diverse and ecologically important families of flies. ZooBank accession number–urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0DC5170B-1D16-407A-889E-56EED3FE3627. PMID:28832610

Miocene fossil plants from Bukpyeong Formation of Bukpyeong Basin in Donghae City, Gangwon-do Province, Korea and their palaeoenvironmental implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Eun Kyoung; Kim, Hyun Joo; Uemura, Kazuhiko; Kim, Kyungsik

2016-04-01

The Tertiary sedimentary basins are distributed along the eastern coast of Korean Peninsula. The northernmost Bukpyeong Basin is located in Donghae City, Gangwon-do Province, Korea. The Bukpyeong Basin consists of Bukpyeong Formation and Dogyeongri Conglomerate in ascending order. The geologic age of Bukpyeong Formation has been suggested as from Early Miocene to Pliocene, In particular, Lee & Jacobs (2010) suggested the age of the Bukpyeong Formation as late Early Miocene to early Middle Miocene based on the fossils of rodent teeth. Sedimentary environment has been thought as mainly fresh water lake and/or swamp partly influenced by marine water. Lately, new outcrops of Bukpyeong Formation were exposed during the road construction and abundant fossil plants were yielded from the newly exposed outcrops. As a result of palaeobotanical studies 47 genera of 23 families have been found. This fossil plant assemblage is composed of gymnosperms and dicotyledons. Gymnosperms were Pinaceae (e.g., Pinus, Tsuga), Sciadopityaceae (e.g., Sciadopitys) and Cupressaceae with well-preserved Metasequoia cones. Dicotyledons were deciduous trees such as Betulaceae (e.g., Alnus, Carpinus) and Sapindaceae (e.g., Acer, Aesculus, Sapindus), and evergreen trees such as evergreen Fagaceae (e.g., Castanopsis, Cyclobalanopsis, Pasania) and Lauraceae (e.g., Cinnamomum, Machilus). In addition, fresh water plants such as Hemitrapa (Lytraceae) and Ceratophyllum (Ceratophyllaceae) were also found. The fossil plant assemblage of the Bukpyeong Formation supported the freshwater environment implied by previous studies. It can be suggested that the palaeoflora of Bukpyeong Formation was oak-laurel forest with broad-leaved evergreen and deciduous trees accompanying commonly by conifers of Pinaceae and Cupressaceae under warm-temperate climate.

Quaternary Geochronology, Paleontology, and Archaeology of the Upper San Pedro River Valley, Sonora, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaines, E. P.

2013-12-01

This poster presents the results of multi-disciplinary investigations of the preservation and extent of Quaternary fossil-bearing strata in the San Pedro River Valley in Sonora, Mexico. Geologic deposits in the portions of the San Pedro Valley in southern Arizona contain one of the best late Cenozoic fossil records known in North America and the best record of early humans and extinct mammals on the continent. The basin in the U.S. is one of the type locations for the Blancan Land Mammal Age. Hemiphilian and Irvingtonian fossils are common. Rancholabrean remains are widespread. Strata in the valley adjacent to the international border with Mexico have yielded the densest concentration of archaeological mammoth-kill sites known in the western hemisphere. Despite more than 60 years of research in the U.S., however, and the fact that over one third of the San Pedro River lies south of the international boundary, little has been known about the late Cenozoic geology of the valley in Mexico. The study reported here utilized extensive field survey, archaeological documentation, paleontological excavations, stratigraphic mapping and alluvial geochronology to determine the nature and extent of Quaternary fossil-bearing deposits in the portions of the San Pedro Valley in Sonora, Mexico. The results demonstrate that the Plio-Pleistocene fossil -bearing formations known from the valley in Arizona extend into the uppermost reaches of the valley in Mexico. Several new fossil sites were discovered that yielded the remains of Camelids, Equus, Mammuthus, and other Proboscidean species. Late Pleistocene archaeological remains were found on the surface of the surrounding uplands. AMS radiocarbon dating demonstrates the widespread preservation of middle- to late- Holocene deposits. However, the late Pleistocene deposits that contain the archaeological mammoth-kill sites in Arizona are absent in the valley in Mexico, and are now known to be restricted to relatively small portions of the valley immediately north of the international border.

Probabilisitc Geobiological Classification Using Elemental Abundance Distributions and Lossless Image Compression in Recent and Modern Organisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Storrie-Lombardi, Michael C.; Hoover, Richard B.

2005-01-01

Last year we presented techniques for the detection of fossils during robotic missions to Mars using both structural and chemical signatures[Storrie-Lombardi and Hoover, 2004]. Analyses included lossless compression of photographic images to estimate the relative complexity of a putative fossil compared to the rock matrix [Corsetti and Storrie-Lombardi, 2003] and elemental abundance distributions to provide mineralogical classification of the rock matrix [Storrie-Lombardi and Fisk, 2004]. We presented a classification strategy employing two exploratory classification algorithms (Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis) and non-linear stochastic neural network to produce a Bayesian estimate of classification accuracy. We now present an extension of our previous experiments exploring putative fossil forms morphologically resembling cyanobacteria discovered in the Orgueil meteorite. Elemental abundances (C6, N7, O8, Na11, Mg12, Ai13, Si14, P15, S16, Cl17, K19, Ca20, Fe26) obtained for both extant cyanobacteria and fossil trilobites produce signatures readily distinguishing them from meteorite targets. When compared to elemental abundance signatures for extant cyanobacteria Orgueil structures exhibit decreased abundances for C6, N7, Na11, All3, P15, Cl17, K19, Ca20 and increases in Mg12, S16, Fe26. Diatoms and silicified portions of cyanobacterial sheaths exhibiting high levels of silicon and correspondingly low levels of carbon cluster more closely with terrestrial fossils than with extant cyanobacteria. Compression indices verify that variations in random and redundant textural patterns between perceived forms and the background matrix contribute significantly to morphological visual identification. The results provide a quantitative probabilistic methodology for discriminating putatitive fossils from the surrounding rock matrix and &om extant organisms using both structural and chemical information. The techniques described appear applicable to the geobiological analysis of meteoritic samples or in situ exploration of the Mars regolith. Keywords: cyanobacteria, microfossils, Mars, elemental abundances, complexity analysis, multifactor analysis, principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, artificial neural networks, paleo-biosignatures

Microfossils of the Early Archean Apex chert - New evidence of the antiquity of life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schopf, J. W.

1993-01-01

Eleven taxa (including eight heretofore undescribed species) of cellularly preserved filamentous microbes, among the oldest fossils known, have been discovered in a bedded chert unit of the Early Archean Apex Basalt of northwestern Western Australia. This prokaryotic assemblage establishes that trichomic cyanobacteriumlike microorganisms were extant and morphologically diverse at least as early as about 3465 million years ago and suggests that oxygen-producing photoautotrophy may have already evolved by this early stage in biotic history.

A search for Vega-like fields in OB stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neiner, C.; Folsom, C. P.; Blazere, A.

2014-12-01

Very weak magnetic fields (with a longitudinal component below 1 Gauss) have recently been discovered in the A star Vega as well as in a few Am stars. According to fossil field scenarios, such weak fields should also exist in more massive stars. In the framework of the ANR project Imagine, we have started to investigate the existence of this new class of very weakly magnetic stars among O and B stars thanks to ultra-deep spectropolarimetric observations. The first results and future plans are presented.

Seven new carbon-enhanced metal-poor RR Lyrae stars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kennedy, Catherine R.; Stancliffe, Richard J.; Kuehn, Charles

2014-05-20

We report estimated carbon-abundance ratios, [C/Fe], for seven newly discovered carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) RR Lyrae stars. These are well-studied RRab stars that had previously been selected as CEMP candidates based on low-resolution spectra. For this pilot study, we observed eight of these CEMP RR Lyrae candidates with the Wide Field Spectrograph on the ANU 2.3 m telescope. Prior to this study, only two CEMP RR Lyrae stars had been discovered: TY Gru and SDSS J1707+58. We compare our abundances to new theoretical models of the evolution of low-mass stars in binary systems. These simulations evolve the secondary stars, post accretionmore » from an asymptotic giant-branch (AGB) donor, all the way to the RR Lyrae stage. The abundances of CEMP RR Lyrae stars can be used as direct probes of the nature of the donor star, such as its mass, and the amount of material accreted onto the secondary. We find that the majority of the sample of CEMP RR Lyrae stars is consistent with AGB donor masses of around 1.5-2.0 M {sub ☉} and accretion masses of a few hundredths of a solar mass. Future high-resolution studies of these newly discovered CEMP RR Lyrae stars will help disentangle the effects of the proposed mixing processes that occur in such objects.« less

Palaeomagnetic analysis of the Sterkfontein palaeocave deposits: implications for the age of the hominin fossils and stone tool industries.

PubMed

Herries, Andy I R; Shaw, John

2011-05-01

Palaeomagnetic analysis was conducted on speleothems from Members 1-5 at Sterkfontein Cave, South Africa. Palaeomagnetic analysis of siltstone and speleothem from the bulk of Member 4 indicate a reversed magnetic polarity that dates the deposits and its Australopithecus africanus fossils to between 2.58 and ~2.16 Ma. Further confirmation of this age comes in the form of two short normal polarity events correlated to the Rèunion (~2.16 Ma) and Huckleberry Ridge (~2.05 Ma) events in speleothem capping the bulk of Member 4 and coeval with deposition of the final phase of Member 4, including A. africanus fossil Sts 5. At ~2.16-2.05 Ma, Sts 5 is the youngest representative of A. africanus yet discovered. Palaeomagnetic analysis of the Silberberg Grotto deposits identifies a single short geomagnetic field event in flowstone overlying the StW 573 Australopithecus fossil, which is suggested to represent the Rèunion event at ~2.16 Ma. This further supports the uranium lead age estimates of 2.3-2.2 Ma for the StW 573 fossil. Based on a reversed polarity for the deposits below the skeleton it cannot be older than 2.58 Ma. If StW 573 is considered to be a second species of Australopithecus then this indicates that two species of Australopithecus are present at Sterkfontein between 2.6 and 2.0 Ma. All of the Member 5 deposits date to less than 1.8 Ma based on a comparison of palaeomagnetic, faunal, and electron spin resonance age estimates. The StW 53 fossil bearing infill (M5A) is intermediate in age between Member 4 and the rest of Member 5 (B-C) at around 1.78-1.49 Ma. The rest of Member 5 (B-C) containing Oldowan and Acheulian stone tools and Homo and Paranthropus fossils was deposited gradually between 1.40 and 1.07 Ma, much younger than previously suggested. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Newly Described Tephra Provide Middle Pleistocene Age Constraints to Stegodon Fossils in West (Indonesian) Timor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, B. J. L.; Dufrane, A.; Mark, D.; Zaim, Y.; Rizal, Y.; Aswan, A.; Hascaryo, A.; Ciochon, R.; Gunnell, G.; Larick, R.; Zonnveld, J. P.

2017-12-01

As the Asian proboscidian Stegodon dispersed across Island Southeast Asia during the Pleistocene, multiple forms developed. On Timor, a southerly island east of Wallace's Line, the Ainaro gravels have yielded a highly dwarfed S. timorensis and a larger S. `trigonocephalus.' During a half-century of exploration, the age of the fossil bearing gravels remains in question, with only one age determination of >130 ka derived from six 230Th- 238U dates on a tusk fragment found in the Raebia area (Louys et al. 2016). Here we present radiometric ages for two tephra deposits bracketing Ainaro gravels at Raebia, a S. timorensis fossil locality 8 km northeast of Atambua city. The Raebia ravine exposes 2-10 meters of coarse-grained gravels incised into silt and clay deposits, bracketed by two indurated and largely devitrified tephras. Some intact glass was present to geochemically characterize each unit, which are both high-silica rhyolites. Biotite and zircons for 40Ar/39Ar and laser ablation U-Pb dating were extracted from the upper unit (Raebia Tuff 1; RT1), and zircons from the lower unit (Raebia Tuff 2; RT2). RT1 had zircons with two distinct age populations, but the youngest yield a 230Th deficiency corrected 206Pb/238U age of 665 ± 19 ka, (2s, n = 23, MSWD = 0.81), consistent with the 40Ar/39Ar age 614.9 ± 16.4 ka (2s, full external precision). Preliminary zircon dates on RT2 are more problematic, providing a large range that suggests inheritance by xenoliths and/or locally-sourced detrital zircons. However, a single zircon yielded 230Th deficiency corrected 206Pb/238U age of 708 ± 66 ka (2s, n=17, MSWD = 0.41), which is stratigraphically consistent. These are the first reliable age constraints on a higher elevation Ainaro gravel terrace and fossils they contain. The only other direct ages on the gravels are 230Th- 238U dates on lower terraces interbedded with coral, ranging from 130 ka to Holocene in age (Roosmawati and Harris 2009). These two newly described and dated tephra are likely regionally distributed and may represent important stratigraphic horizons for this portion of Southern Wallacea. They also provide useful data for calculating uplift rates for the region from the middle Pleistocene.

Stable isotope analyses of precipitation nitrogen sources in Guiyang, southwestern China.

PubMed

Liu, Xue-Yan; Xiao, Hong-Wei; Xiao, Hua-Yun; Song, Wei; Sun, Xin-Chao; Zheng, Xu-Dong; Liu, Cong-Qiang; Koba, Keisuke

2017-11-01

To constrain sources of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is critical for effective reduction of reactive N emissions and better evaluation of N deposition effects. This study measured δ 15 N signatures of nitrate (NO 3 - ), ammonium (NH 4 + ) and total dissolved N (TDN) in precipitation at Guiyang, southwestern China and estimated contributions of dominant N sources using a Bayesian isotope mixing model. For NO 3 - , the contribution of non-fossil N oxides (NO x , mainly from biomass burning (24 ± 12%) and microbial N cycle (26 ± 5%)) equals that of fossil NO x , to which vehicle exhausts (31 ± 19%) contributed more than coal combustion (19 ± 9%). For NH 4 + , ammonia (NH 3 ) from volatilization sources (mainly animal wastes (22 ± 12%) and fertilizers (22 ± 10%)) contributed less than NH 3 from combustion sources (mainly biomass burning (17 ± 8%), vehicle exhausts (19 ± 11%) and coal combustions (19 ± 12%)). Dissolved organic N (DON) accounted for 41% in precipitation TDN deposition during the study period. Precipitation DON had higher δ 15 N values in cooler months (13.1‰) than in warmer months (-7.0‰), indicating the dominance of primary and secondary ON sources, respectively. These results newly underscored the importance of non-fossil NO x , fossil NH 3 and organic N in precipitation N inputs of urban environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eobowenia gen. nov. from the Early Cretaceous of Patagonia: indication for an early divergence of Bowenia?

PubMed

Coiro, Mario; Pott, Christian

2017-04-07

Even if they are considered the quintessential "living fossils", the fossil record of the extant genera of the Cycadales is quite poor, and only extends as far back as the Cenozoic. This lack of data represents a huge hindrance for the reconstruction of the recent history of this important group. Among extant genera, Bowenia (or cuticles resembling those of extant Bowenia) has been recorded in sediments from the Late Cretaceous and the Eocene of Australia, but its phylogenetic placement and the inference from molecular dating still imply a long ghost lineage for this genus. We re-examine the fossil foliage Almargemia incrassata from the Lower Cretaceous Anfiteatro de Ticó Formation in Patagonia, Argentina, in the light of a comparative cuticular analysis of extant Zamiaceae. We identify important differences with the other member of the genus, viz. A. dentata, and bring to light some interesting characters shared exclusively between A. incrassata and extant Bowenia. We interpret our results to necessitate the erection of the new genus Eobowenia to accommodate the fossil leaf earlier assigned as Almargemia incrassata. We then perfom phylogenetic analyses, including the first combined morphological and molecular analysis of the Cycadales, that indicate that the newly erected genus could be related to extant Bowenia. Eobowenia incrassata could represent an important clue for the understanding of evolution and biogeography of the extant genus Bowenia, as the presence of Eobowenia in Patagonia is yet another piece of the biogeographic puzzle that links southern South America with Australasia.

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve: Protecting the World's Oldest Complex Macrofossils at a Newly Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Jack

2017-04-01

The late Ediacaran rocks of the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve, Newfoundland, record the oldest known assemblage of large, complex fossils anywhere. These fossils represent the transition in the history of life on earth to large, architecturally complex organisms, following nearly three billion years of a microbially-dominated world. In July 2016, the Reserve was inscribed on World Heritage List. Inscription has led to increased geotourism demands on the locality, a consequence welcomed by the local community who wish to develop the economy. This is potentially at odds with the interests of Government and Researchers whose inclination is often to prohibit all activity that may adversely impact a site. This presentation will outline several approaches being used to quantitatively measure potential historic and current damage to the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve from geotourism activity, as well as natural events. Technologies such as LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, and time lapse cameras are compared and contrasted for their suitability to monitor the integrity of fossil sites. Footwear erosion of fossil surfaces remains a concern of policy makers at the Reserve; experimental work to test the benefits of various footwear erosion reduction protocols is discussed. The legislative and management framework for the Reserve is reviewed, and the importance of building academic-community-government relationships examined. The benefits of geoconservation are shared by all in society - as such the importance of presenting geoconservation research outcomes in ways specifically tailored to local communities and policy makes is highlighted.

Newly discovered populations of salamanders from Siskiyou County California represent a species distinct from Plethodon Stormi.

Treesearch

Louise S. Mead; David R. Clayton; Richard S. Nauman; Deanna H. Olson; Michael E. Pfrender

2005-01-01

Plethodon stormi and Plethodon elongatus are two closely related species of plethodontid salamanders that are restricted to the Klamath Province of northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. Discovery of three localities south of the Klamath River, in the Scott River drainage, not assignable to either P....

Brachyrhynchus membranaceus (Fabricius), an Old World flat bug (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae) newly discovered in the Western Hemisphere

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Old World aradid Brachyrhynchus membranaceus (Fabricius), belonging to the subfamily Mezirinae, is reported for the first time from the Western Hemisphere. Since 2005, eight specimens have been intercepted at United States ports-of-entry in international commerce from Costa Rica, Dominican Repub...

Nepetalactones from essential oil of Nepeta cataria represent a stable fly feeding and oviposition repellent

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We have discovered that catnip oil reduced the feeding of stable flies by more than 96% in the laboratory bioassays, when compared with other sesquiterpene-rich amyris and sandalwood oils. Catnip oil further demonstrated with a strong repellency against stable flies, relative to other newly identifi...

Parasitism of Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae)by Paratelenomus saccharalis (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in organic soybean plots in Georgia, USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), is a newly-invasive exotic pest of soybean in the southeastern US. In 2013, the exotic egg parasitoid Paratelenomus saccharalis (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) (Dodd) was discovered parasitizing eggs of this pest in kudzu and soybean in...

Nosema ceranae, a newly identified pathogen of Apis mellifera in the U.S. and Asia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nosemosis (Nosema disease) is one of the most serious and prevalent adult honey bee diseases worldwide. For years, Nosema apis was thought to be the only microsporidia infecting domestic bee colonies. However, recently it was discovered that N. ceranae could jump from Asian honey bees (Apis cerana...

Residual analysis of nitric oxide fumigation on fresh fruit and vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitric oxide (NO) is a newly discovered fumigant which is effective against a wide range of postharvest pests. To register NO with US EPA for commercial use as a pesticide and to ensure its safety to consumers, it is necessary to analyze residues of NO fumigated products. In this study, we analyzed ...

Distribution and etiology of aerial stem infections of Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae at three woodland sites in the U.K.

Treesearch

Anna Brown; Clive Brasier; Sandra Denman; Joan Rose; Susan Kirk; Joan Webber

2006-01-01

Phytophthora ramorum and P . kernoviae sp. nov are recently introduced, invasive pathogens in woodlands in southern Britain. P. kernoviae is a newly discovered taxon, previously referred to as Phytophthora taxon C. Both species aggressively infect foliage and shoots of understory rhododendrons...

76 FR 16439 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Availability of a Technical/Agency Draft...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-23

... populations and individuals, the lack of information about the species' biology, and the magnitude of current...; and securing extant populations are the most immediate priorities. Downlisting of S. gentianoides from endangered to threatened status will be considered when: (1) Extant populations and newly discovered sites...

Hickory Mortality

Treesearch

USDA Forest Service Northern Area State & Private Forestry and Region 8

1994-01-01

Mortality of bitternut and shagbark hickory has been observed in Wisconsin since the late 1980's. This is similar to occurrences in the 1960's. The recent tree mortality has been associated with attacks by the hickory bark beetle, Scolytus quadrispinosus Say, and a newly discovered fungus in the genus Ceratocystis (tentatively C. caryae). The fungus can be...

Reovirus genomes from plant-feeding insects represent a newly discovered lineage within the family Reoviridae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A complex set of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) was isolated from threecornered alfalfa hopper (Spissistilus festinus), a plant-feeding hemipteran pest. A subset of these dsRNAs constitute the genome of a new reovirus, provisionally designated Spissistilus festinus reovirus (SpFRV). SpFRV was prese...

Selenium hyperaccumulation - Astragalus bisulcatus, Cardamine hupingshanensis and Stanleya pinnata - may be useful for agromining selenium-rich soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Selenium hyperaccumulator plants like Stanleya pinnata, Astragalus bisulcatus and the newly discovered Se-accumulator Cardamine hupingshanensis may play an important role in the Se cycle from soil to plant to human in China. Se-hyperaccumulators can be used for agromining or for phytoremediation of ...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cong, Daoyong; Rule, Kirrily Clair; Li, Wen-Hsien

Here we describe insights into the phase transformation kinetics and lattice dynamics associated with the newly discovered confined martensitic transformation, which are of great significance to the in-depth understanding of the phase transformation behavior responsible for the rich new physical phenomena in shape memory alloys and could shed light on the design of novel multifunctional properties through tuning the confined martensitic transformation.

Human vaginal fluid contains exosomes that have an inhibitory effect on an early step of the HIV-1 life cycle.

PubMed

Smith, Johanna A; Daniel, Rene

2016-11-13

Vaginal transmission is crucial to the spread of HIV-1 around the world. It is not yet clear what type (s) of innate defenses against HIV-1 infection are present in the vagina. Here, we aimed to determine whether human vaginal fluid contains exosomes that may possess anti-HIV-1 activity. The exosomal fraction was isolated from samples of vaginal fluids. The presence of exosomes was confirmed by flow cytometry and western blotting. The newly discovered exosomes were tested for their ability to block early steps of HIV-1 infection in vitro using established cell culture systems and real time PCR-based methods. Vaginal fluid contains exosomes expressing CD9, CD63, and CD81 exosomal markers. The exosomal fraction of the fluid-reduced transmission of HIV-1 vectors by 60%, the efficiency of reverse transcription step by 58.4%, and the efficiency of integration by 47%. Exosomes had no effect on the entry of HIV-1 vectors. Human vaginal fluid exosomes are newly discovered female innate defenses that may protect women against HIV-1 infection.

A Newly Discovered Epidemic Area of Echinococcus multilocularis in West Gansu Province in China.

PubMed

Han, Jian; Bao, Genshu; Zhang, Duoqiang; Gao, Pengcheng; Wu, Tinjun; Craig, Philip; Giraudoux, Patrick; Chen, Xiao; Xin, Qi; He, Lili; Chen, Gen; Jing, Tao

2015-01-01

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a lethal parasitic disease. In Gansu Province of China, all AE cases reported in literature were from Zhang and Min Counties, the southern part of the province. Here, we report the discovery of nine AE cases and one cystic echinococcosis (CE) case from Nanfeng Town of Minle County, in the middle of Hexi Corridor in west Gansu Province. The diagnosis of these cases were confirmed by serology, histopathology, computed tomography, B-ultrasound, immunohistochemistry method, DNA polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis. Because eight of nine AE cases came from First Zhanglianzhuang (FZLZ) village, we conducted preliminary epidemiological analyses of 730 persons on domestic water, community and ecology such as 356 dogs' faeces of FZLZ, in comparison with those of other five villages surrounding FZLZ. Our studies indicate that Nanfeng Town of Minle County is a newly discovered focus of AE in China as a CE and AE co-epidemic area. Further research of Echinococcus multilocularis transmission pattern in the area should be carried for prevention of this parasitic disease.

A Newly Discovered Epidemic Area of Echinococcus multilocularis in West Gansu Province in China

PubMed Central

Han, Jian; Bao, Genshu; Zhang, Duoqiang; Gao, Pengcheng; Wu, Tinjun; Craig, Philip; Giraudoux, Patrick; Chen, Xiao; Xin, Qi; He, Lili; Chen, Gen; Jing, Tao

2015-01-01

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a lethal parasitic disease. In Gansu Province of China, all AE cases reported in literature were from Zhang and Min Counties, the southern part of the province. Here, we report the discovery of nine AE cases and one cystic echinococcosis (CE) case from Nanfeng Town of Minle County, in the middle of Hexi Corridor in west Gansu Province. The diagnosis of these cases were confirmed by serology, histopathology, computed tomography, B-ultrasound, immunohistochemistry method, DNA polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis. Because eight of nine AE cases came from First Zhanglianzhuang (FZLZ) village, we conducted preliminary epidemiological analyses of 730 persons on domestic water, community and ecology such as 356 dogs’ faeces of FZLZ, in comparison with those of other five villages surrounding FZLZ. Our studies indicate that Nanfeng Town of Minle County is a newly discovered focus of AE in China as a CE and AE co-epidemic area. Further research of Echinococcus multilocularis transmission pattern in the area should be carried for prevention of this parasitic disease. PMID:26186219

Discovery of two new large submarine canyons in the Bering Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlson, P.R.; Karl, Herman A.

1984-01-01

The Beringian continental margin is incised by some of the world's largest submarine canyons. Two newly discovered canyons, St. Matthew and Middle, are hereby added to the roster of Bering Sea canyons. Although these canyons are smaller and not cut back into the Bering shelf like the five very large canyons, they are nonetheless comparable in size to most of the canyons that have been cut into the U.S. eastern continental margin and much larger than the well-known southern California canyons. Both igneous and sedimentary rocks of Eocene to Pliocene age have been dredged from the walls of St. Matthew and Middle Canyons as well as from the walls of several of the other Beringian margin canyons, thus suggesting a late Tertiary to Quaternary genesis of the canyons. We speculate that the ancestral Yukon and possibly Anadyr Rivers were instrumental in initiating the canyon-cutting processes, but that, due to restrictions imposed by island and subsea bedrock barriers, cutting of the two newly discovered canyons may have begun later and been slower than for the other five canyons. ?? 1984.

Understanding the spectral and timing behaviour of a newly discovered transient X-ray pulsar Swift J0243.6+6124

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaisawal, Gaurava K.; Naik, Sachindra; Chenevez, Jérôme

2018-03-01

We present the results obtained from timing and spectral studies of the newly discovered accreting X-ray binary pulsar Swift J0243.6+6124 using Nuclear Spectroscopy Telescope Array observation in 2017 October at a flux level of ˜280 mCrab. Pulsations at 9.854 23(5) s were detected in the X-ray light curves of the pulsar. Pulse profiles of the pulsar were found to be strongly energy dependent. A broad profile at lower energies was found to evolve into a double-peaked profile in ≥ 30 keV. The 3-79 keV continuum spectrum of the pulsar was well described with a negative and positive exponential cutoff or high-energy cutoff power-law models modified with a hot blackbody at ˜3 keV. An iron emission line was also detected at 6.4 keV in the source spectrum. We did not find any signature of cyclotron absorption line in our study. Results obtained from phase-resolved and time-resolved spectroscopy are discussed in the paper.

Tsunamigenic potential of a newly discovered active fault zone in the outer Messina Strait, Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Lili; Heidarzadeh, Mohammad; Cukur, Deniz; Chiocci, Francesco L.; Ridente, Domenico; Gross, Felix; Bialas, Jörg; Krastel, Sebastian

2017-03-01

The 1908 Messina tsunami was the most catastrophic tsunami hitting the coastline of Southern Italy in the younger past. The source of this tsunami, however, is still heavily debated, and both rupture along a fault and a slope failure have been postulated as potential origin of the tsunami. Here we report a newly discovered active Fiumefreddo-Melito di Porto Salvo Fault Zone (F-MPS_FZ), which is located in the outer Messina Strait in a proposed landslide source area of the 1908 Messina tsunami. Tsunami modeling showed that this fault zone would produce devastating tsunamis by assuming slip amounts of ≥5 m. An assumed slip of up to 17 m could even generate a tsunami comparable to the 1908 Messina tsunami, but we do not consider the F-MPS_FZ as a source for the 1908 Messina tsunami because its E-W strike contradicts seismological observations of the 1908 Messina earthquake. Future researches on the F-MPS_FZ, however, may contribute to the tsunami risk assessment in the Messina Strait.

Artificial Intelligence and NASA Data Used to Discover Eighth Planet Circling Distant Star

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-12

Our solar system now is tied for most number of planets around a single star, with the recent discovery of an eighth planet circling Kepler-90, a Sun-like star 2,545 light years from Earth. The planet was discovered in data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope. The newly-discovered Kepler-90i -- a sizzling hot, rocky planet that orbits its star once every 14.4 days -- was found by researchers from Google and The University of Texas at Austin using machine learning. Machine learning is an approach to artificial intelligence in which computers “learn.” In this case, computers learned to identify planets by finding in Kepler data instances where the telescope recorded signals from planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets. Video Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Google

Reappraisal of the extinct seal “Phoca” vitulinoides from the Neogene of the North Sea Basin, with bearing on its geological age, phylogenetic affinities, and locomotion

PubMed Central

Louwye, Stephen

2017-01-01

Background Discovered on the southern margin of the North Sea Basin, “Phoca” vitulinoides represents one of the best-known extinct species of Phocidae. However, little attention has been given to the species ever since its original 19th century description. Newly discovered material, including the most complete specimen of fossil Phocidae from the North Sea Basin, prompted the redescription of the species. Also, the type material of “Phoca” vitulinoides is lost. Methods “Phoca” vitulinoides is redescribed. Its phylogenetic position among Phocinae is assessed through phylogenetic analysis. Dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy is used to determine and reassess the geological age of the species. Myological descriptions of extant taxa are used to infer muscle attachments, and basic comparative anatomy of the gross morphology and biomechanics are applied to reconstruct locomotion. Results Detailed redescription of “Phoca” vitulinoides indicates relatively little affinities with the genus Phoca, but rather asks for the establishment of a new genus: Nanophoca gen. nov. Hence, “Phoca” vitulinoides is recombined into Nanophoca vitulinoides. This reassignment is confirmed by the phylogenetic analysis, grouping the genus Nanophoca and other extinct phocine taxa as stem phocines. Biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy expand the known stratigraphic range of N. vitulinoides from the late Langhian to the late Serravallian. The osteological anatomy of N. vitulinoides indicates a relatively strong development of muscles used for fore flipper propulsion and increased flexibility for the hind flipper. Discussion The extended stratigraphic range of N. vitulinoides into the middle Miocene confirms relatively early diversification of Phocinae in the North Atlantic. Morphological features on the fore- and hindlimb of the species point toward an increased use of the fore flipper and greater flexibility of the hind flipper as compared to extant Phocinae, clearly indicating less derived locomotor strategies in this Miocene phocine species. Estimations of the overall body size indicate that N. vitulinoides is much smaller than Pusa, the smallest extant genus of Phocinae (and Phocidae), and than most extinct phocines. PMID:28533965

Long-term mortality after community-acquired pneumonia—impacts of diabetes and newly discovered hyperglycaemia: a prospective, observational cohort study

PubMed Central

Koskela, Heikki O; Salonen, Päivi H; Romppanen, Jarkko; Niskanen, Leo

2014-01-01

Objectives Community-acquired pneumonia is associated with a significant long-term mortality after initial recovery. It has been acknowledged that additional research is urgently needed to examine the contributors to this long-term mortality. The objective of the present study was to assess whether diabetes or newly discovered hyperglycaemia during pneumonia affects long-term mortality. Design A prospective, observational cohort study. Setting A single secondary centre in eastern Finland. Participants 153 consecutive hospitalised patients who survived at least 30 days after mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia. Interventions Plasma glucose levels were recorded seven times during the first day on the ward. Several possible confounders were also recorded. The surveillance status and causes of death were recorded after median of 5 years and 11 months. Results In multivariate Cox regression analysis, a previous diagnosis of diabetes among the whole population (adjusted HR 2.84 (1.35–5.99)) and new postprandial hyperglycaemia among the non-diabetic population (adjusted HR 2.56 (1.04–6.32)) showed independent associations with late mortality. New fasting hyperglycaemia was not an independent predictor. The mortality rates at the end of follow-up were 54%, 37% and 10% among patients with diabetes, patients without diabetes with new postprandial hyperglycaemia and patients without diabetes without postprandial hyperglycaemia, respectively (p<0.001). The underlying causes of death roughly mirrored those in the Finnish general population with a slight excess in mortality due to chronic respiratory diseases. Pneumonia was the immediate cause of death in just 8% of all late deaths. Conclusions A previous diagnosis of diabetes and newly discovered postprandial hyperglycaemia increase the risk of death for several years after community-acquired pneumonia. As the knowledge about patient subgroups with an increased late mortality risk is gradually gathering, more studies are needed to evaluate the possible postpneumonia interventions to reduce late mortality. PMID:25146717

New Middle Pleistocene hominin cranium from Gruta da Aroeira (Portugal)

PubMed Central

Daura, Joan; Sanz, Montserrat; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Hoffmann, Dirk L.; Quam, Rolf M.; Ortega, María Cruz; Santos, Elena; Gómez, Sandra; Rubio, Angel; Villaescusa, Lucía; Souto, Pedro; Mauricio, João; Rodrigues, Filipa; Ferreira, Artur; Godinho, Paulo; Trinkaus, Erik

2017-01-01

The Middle Pleistocene is a crucial time period for studying human evolution in Europe, because it marks the appearance of both fossil hominins ancestral to the later Neandertals and the Acheulean technology. Nevertheless, European sites containing well-dated human remains associated with an Acheulean toolkit remain scarce. The earliest European hominin crania associated with Acheulean handaxes are at the sites of Arago, Atapuerca Sima de los Huesos (SH), and Swanscombe, dating to 400–500 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11–12). The Atapuerca (SH) fossils and the Swanscombe cranium belong to the Neandertal clade, whereas the Arago hominins have been attributed to an incipient stage of Neandertal evolution, to Homo heidelbergensis, or to a subspecies of Homo erectus. A recently discovered cranium (Aroeira 3) from the Gruta da Aroeira (Almonda karst system, Portugal) dating to 390–436 ka provides important evidence on the earliest European Acheulean-bearing hominins. This cranium is represented by most of the right half of a calvarium (with the exception of the missing occipital bone) and a fragmentary right maxilla preserving part of the nasal floor and two fragmentary molars. The combination of traits in the Aroeira 3 cranium augments the previously documented diversity in the European Middle Pleistocene fossil record. PMID:28289213

DNA analysis of a 30,000-year-old Urocitellus glacialis from northeastern Siberia reveals phylogenetic relationships between ancient and present-day arctic ground squirrels

PubMed Central

Faerman, Marina; Bar-Gal, Gila Kahila; Boaretto, Elisabetta; Boeskorov, Gennady G.; Dokuchaev, Nikolai E.; Ermakov, Oleg A.; Golenishchev, Fedor N.; Gubin, Stanislav V.; Mintz, Eugenia; Simonov, Evgeniy; Surin, Vadim L.; Titov, Sergei V.; Zanina, Oksana G.; Formozov, Nikolai A.

2017-01-01

In contrast to the abundant fossil record of arctic ground squirrels, Urocitellus parryii, from eastern Beringia, only a limited number of fossils is known from its western part. In 1946, unnamed GULAG prisoners discovered a nest with three mummified carcasses of arctic ground squirrels in the permafrost sediments of the El’ga river, Yakutia, Russia, that were later attributed to a new species, Citellus (Urocitellus) glacialis Vinogr. To verify this assignment and to explore phylogenetic relationships between ancient and present-day arctic ground squirrels, we performed 14C dating and ancient DNA analyses of one of the El’ga mummies and four contemporaneous fossils from Duvanny Yar, northeastern Yakutia. Phylogenetic reconstructions, based on complete cytochrome b gene sequences of five Late Pleistocene arctic ground squirrels and those of modern U. parryii from 21 locations across western Beringia, provided no support for earlier proposals that ancient arctic ground squirrels from Siberia constitute a distinct species. In fact, we observed genetic continuity of the glacialis mitochondrial DNA lineage in modern U. parryii of the Kamchatka peninsula. When viewed in a broader geographic perspective, our findings provide new insights into the genetic history of U. parryii in Late Pleistocene Beringia. PMID:28205612

Observations of candidate oscillating eclipsing binaries and two newly discovered pulsating variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liakos, A.; Niarchos, P.

2009-03-01

CCD observations of 24 eclipsing binary systems with spectral types ranging between A0-F0, candidate for containing pulsating components, were obtained. Appropriate exposure times in one or more photometric filters were used so that short-periodic pulsations could be detected. Their light curves were analyzed using the Period04 software in order to search for pulsational behaviour. Two new variable stars, namely GSC 2673-1583 and GSC 3641-0359, were discov- ered as by-product during the observations of eclipsing variables. The Fourier analysis of the observations of each star, the dominant pulsation frequencies and the derived frequency spectra are also presented.

Newly discovered sediment rock-hosted disseminated gold deposits in the People's Republic of China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cunningham, Charles G.; Ashley, Roger P.; Chou, I. -Ming; Huang, Zushu; Chaoyuan, Wan; Li, Wenkang

1988-01-01

Five deposits discovered in Guizhou Province, Yata, Getang, Sanchahe, Ceyang, and Banqi are described for the first time in Western literature. The deposits have geologic features and geochemical signatures that are remarkably similar to those of sedimentary rock-hosted precious metal deposits in the United States. The sizes of the deposits are as yet undetermined, but they each contain significant reserves at average grades of 4 to 5 g of gold per metric ton. Exploration and drilling are in progress at all of the deposits, and other areas where the geologic setting and geochemical anomalies are similar are being tested.

A study of binary Kuiper belt objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kern, Susan Diane

2006-06-01

About 10 5 bodies larger than 100km in diameter (Jewitt 1998) reside in the Kuiper Belt, beyond the orbit of Neptune. Since 1992 observational surveys have discovered over one thousand of these objects, believed to be fossil remnants of events that occurred nearly 4.5 billion years ago. Sixteen of these objects are currently known to be binaries, and many more are expected to be discovered. As part of the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) I have helped catalog nearly one third of the known Kuiper Belt object (KBO) population, and used that database for further physical studies. Recovery observations for dynamical studies of newly discovered objects with the Magellan telescopes and a high resolution imager, MagIC, revealed three binaries, 88611 (2001QT297), 2003QY90, and 2005EO304. One binary was found in the discovery observations, 2003UN284. Lightcurve measurements of these, and other non-binary KBOs, were obtained to look for unique rotational characteristics. Eleven of thirty-three objects, excluding the binaries, were found to have measurable variability. One of these objects, 2002GW32 has a particularly large amplitude (> 1 magnitude) of variability, and 2002GP32 has a relatively short (~3.3 hours, single-peaked) lightcurve. Among the binary population all the observed objects showed some level of variation. The secondary of 88611 was fit with a single-peaked period of 5.5±0.02 hours while the primary component appears to be non-variable above the measurement errors (0.05 magnitudes). Neither component appears to be color variable. The components of 2003QY90 are both highly variable yielding single- peaked rotation periods of 3.5±1.1 and 7.2±2.9 hours with amplitudes of 0.34±0.06 and 0.90±0.18 magnitudes, respectively. The rotation periods are comparable to those of other non-binary KBOs although distinct from that of an identified contact binary. Orbits and partial orbits for Kuiper belt binaries (KBBs) show a wide range of eccentricities, and an increasing number of binaries with decreasing binary semi-major axis. These characteristics exclude the formation models proposed by Funato et al. (2003) and Weidenschilling (2002), respectively. Conversely, the formation models of Astakhov et al. (2005) and Goldreich et al. (2002) appear to describe the observations, at least in part. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)

The Earliest Colubroid-Dominated Snake Fauna from Africa: Perspectives from the Late Oligocene Nsungwe Formation of Southwestern Tanzania

PubMed Central

McCartney, Jacob A.; Stevens, Nancy J.; O’Connor, Patrick M.

2014-01-01

The extant snake fauna has its roots in faunal upheaval occurring across the Paleogene - Neogene transition. On northern continents, this turnover is well established by the late early Miocene. However, this transition is poorly documented on southern landmasses, particularly on continental Africa, where no late Paleogene terrestrial snake assemblages are documented south of the equator. Here we describe a newly discovered snake fauna from the Late Oligocene Nsungwe Formation in the Rukwa Rift Basin of Tanzania. The fauna is small but diverse with eight identifiable morphotypes, comprised of three booids and five colubroids. This fauna includes Rukwanyoka holmani gen. et sp. nov., the oldest boid known from mainland Africa. It also provides the oldest fossil evidence for the African colubroid clade Elapidae. Colubroids dominate the fauna, comprising more than 75% of the recovered material. This is likely tied to local aridification and/or seasonality and mirrors the pattern of overturn in later snake faunas inhabiting the emerging grassland environments of Europe and North America. The early emergence of colubroid dominance in the Rukwa Rift Basin relative to northern continents suggests that the pattern of overturn that resulted in extant faunas happened in a more complex fashion on continental Africa than was previously realized, with African colubroids becoming at least locally important in the late Paleogene, either ahead of or as a consequence of the invasion of colubrids. The early occurrence of elapid snakes in the latest Oligocene of Africa suggests the clade rapidly spread from Asia to Africa, or arose in Africa, before invading Europe. PMID:24646522

Phylogenomic analysis of Copepoda (Arthropoda, Crustacea) reveals unexpected similarities with earlier proposed morphological phylogenies.

PubMed

Eyun, Seong-Il

2017-01-19

Copepods play a critical role in marine ecosystems but have been poorly investigated in phylogenetic studies. Morphological evidence supports the monophyly of copepods, whereas interordinal relationships continue to be debated. In particular, the phylogenetic position of the order Harpacticoida is still ambiguous and inconsistent among studies. Until now, a small number of molecular studies have been done using only a limited number or even partial genes and thus there is so far no consensus at the order-level. This study attempted to resolve phylogenetic relationships among and within four major copepod orders including Harpacticoida and the phylogenetic position of Copepoda among five other crustacean groups (Anostraca, Cladocera, Sessilia, Amphipoda, and Decapoda) using 24 nuclear protein-coding genes. Phylogenomics has confirmed the monophyly of Copepoda and Podoplea. However, this study reveals surprising differences with the majority of the copepod phylogenies and unexpected similarities with postembryonic characters and earlier proposed morphological phylogenies; More precisely, Cyclopoida is more closely related to Siphonostomatoida than to Harpacticoida which is likely the most basally-branching group of Podoplea. Divergence time estimation suggests that the origin of Harpacticoida can be traced back to the Devonian, corresponding well with recently discovered fossil evidence. Copepoda has a close affinity to the clade of Malacostraca and Thecostraca but not to Branchiopoda. This result supports the hypothesis of the newly proposed clades, Communostraca, Multicrustacea, and Allotriocarida but further challenges the validity of Hexanauplia and Vericrustacea. The first phylogenomic study of Copepoda provides new insights into taxonomic relationships and represents a valuable resource that improves our understanding of copepod evolution and their wide range of ecological adaptations.

Morphological variation, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of the Baenidae (Testudines), based on new specimens from the Uinta Formation (Uinta Basin), Utah (USA)

PubMed Central

Hutchison, J. Howard; Townsend, K. E. Beth; Adrian, Brent; Jager, Daniel

2017-01-01

We described newly discovered baenid specimens from the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA), in the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. These specimens include a partial skull and several previously undescribed postcranial elements of Baena arenosa, and numerous well-preserved shells of B. arenosa and Chisternon undatum. Baenids from the Uintan NALMA (46.5–40 Ma) are critical in that they provide valuable insight into the morphology and evolution of the diverse and speciose baenid family near the end of its extensive radiation, just prior to the disappearance of this clade from the fossil record. These Uintan specimens greatly increase the known variation in these late-surviving taxa and indicate that several characters thought to define these species should be reassessed. The partial cranium of B. arenosa, including portions of the basicranium, neurocranium, face, and lower jaw, was recently recovered from Uinta B sediments. While its morphology is consistent with known specimens of B. arenosa, we observed several distinct differences: a crescent-shaped condylus occipitalis that is concave dorsally, tuberculum basioccipitale that flare out laterally, and a distinct frontal-nasal suture. The current sample of plastral and carapacial morphology considerably expands the documented variation in the hypodigms of B. arenosa and C. undatum. Novel shell characters observed include sigmoidal extragular-humeral sulci, and small, subtriangular gular scutes. Subadult specimens reveal ontogenetic processes in both taxa, and demonstrate that diagnostic morphological differences between them were present from an early developmental age. PMID:28686718

Morphological variation, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of the Baenidae (Testudines), based on new specimens from the Uinta Formation (Uinta Basin), Utah (USA).

PubMed

Smith, Heather F; Hutchison, J Howard; Townsend, K E Beth; Adrian, Brent; Jager, Daniel

2017-01-01

We described newly discovered baenid specimens from the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA), in the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. These specimens include a partial skull and several previously undescribed postcranial elements of Baena arenosa, and numerous well-preserved shells of B. arenosa and Chisternon undatum. Baenids from the Uintan NALMA (46.5-40 Ma) are critical in that they provide valuable insight into the morphology and evolution of the diverse and speciose baenid family near the end of its extensive radiation, just prior to the disappearance of this clade from the fossil record. These Uintan specimens greatly increase the known variation in these late-surviving taxa and indicate that several characters thought to define these species should be reassessed. The partial cranium of B. arenosa, including portions of the basicranium, neurocranium, face, and lower jaw, was recently recovered from Uinta B sediments. While its morphology is consistent with known specimens of B. arenosa, we observed several distinct differences: a crescent-shaped condylus occipitalis that is concave dorsally, tuberculum basioccipitale that flare out laterally, and a distinct frontal-nasal suture. The current sample of plastral and carapacial morphology considerably expands the documented variation in the hypodigms of B. arenosa and C. undatum. Novel shell characters observed include sigmoidal extragular-humeral sulci, and small, subtriangular gular scutes. Subadult specimens reveal ontogenetic processes in both taxa, and demonstrate that diagnostic morphological differences between them were present from an early developmental age.

A Gigantic, Exceptionally Complete Titanosaurian Sauropod Dinosaur from Southern Patagonia, Argentina

PubMed Central

Lacovara, Kenneth J.; Lamanna, Matthew C.; Ibiricu, Lucio M.; Poole, Jason C.; Schroeter, Elena R.; Ullmann, Paul V.; Voegele, Kristyn K.; Boles, Zachary M.; Carter, Aja M.; Fowler, Emma K.; Egerton, Victoria M.; Moyer, Alison E.; Coughenour, Christopher L.; Schein, Jason P.; Harris, Jerald D.; Martínez, Rubén D.; Novas, Fernando E.

2014-01-01

Titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs were the most diverse and abundant large-bodied herbivores in the southern continents during the final 30 million years of the Mesozoic Era. Several titanosaur species are regarded as the most massive land-living animals yet discovered; nevertheless, nearly all of these giant titanosaurs are known only from very incomplete fossils, hindering a detailed understanding of their anatomy. Here we describe a new and gigantic titanosaur, Dreadnoughtus schrani, from Upper Cretaceous sediments in southern Patagonia, Argentina. Represented by approximately 70% of the postcranial skeleton, plus craniodental remains, Dreadnoughtus is the most complete giant titanosaur yet discovered, and provides new insight into the morphology and evolutionary history of these colossal animals. Furthermore, despite its estimated mass of about 59.3 metric tons, the bone histology of the Dreadnoughtus type specimen reveals that this individual was still growing at the time of death. PMID:25186586

Heritage Quay: What Will You Discover? Transforming the Archives of the University of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wickham, M. Sarah

2015-01-01

The University of Huddersfield presents a key case study of the transformation of its Archives Service, using the newly-developed Staff/Space/Collections dependency model for archives and the lessons of the UK's Customer Service Excellence (CSE) scheme in order to examine and illustrate service development. Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and…

Bacterial extracellular lignin peroxidase

DOEpatents

Crawford, Donald L.; Ramachandra, Muralidhara

1993-01-01

A newly discovered lignin peroxidase enzyme is provided. The enzyme is obtained from a bacterial source and is capable of degrading the lignin portion of lignocellulose in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The enzyme is extracellular, oxidative, inducible by lignin, larch wood xylan, or related substrates and capable of attacking certain lignin substructure chemical bonds that are not degradable by fungal lignin peroxidases.

Mechanism and stem-cell activity of 5-carboxycytosine decarboxylation determined by isotope tracing.

PubMed

Schiesser, Stefan; Hackner, Benjamin; Pfaffeneder, Toni; Müller, Markus; Hagemeier, Christian; Truss, Matthias; Carell, Thomas

2012-06-25

Eraserhead: Stem cells seem to erase epigenetic information by decarboxylation of the newly discovered epigenetic base 5-carboxycytosine (caC; see picture). This reaction is likely to involve a nucleophilic attack of the C5-C6 double bond. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Study of the Effects of Verbalization on Concept Formation in Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albig, David L.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the hypothesis that requiring a student to verbalize a newly discovered mathematical concept interferes with his ability to use that concept. Five semi-programmed lessons (dealing with function machines, exponents, marker games, geometry, and One Pile Nim) were prepared and taught to a random selection…

USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station Sudden Oak Death Research Program: 2001-2005

Treesearch

Patrick J. Shea

2006-01-01

The Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service initiated the Sudden Oak Death Research (SOD) Program in late 2000. The program was prompted by late fiscal year funding dedicated directly to begin research on this newly discovered disease. The history of discovery of Phytophthora ramorum, the...

Parenteral Transmission of the Novel Human Parvovirus PARV4

PubMed Central

Manning, Ashleigh; Kenneil, Rachel; Carnie, Frances W.; Bell, Jeanne E.

2007-01-01

Transmission routes of PARV4, a newly discovered human parvovirus, were investigated by determining frequencies of persistent infections using autopsy samples from different risk groups. Predominantly parenteral routes of transmission were demonstrated by infection restricted to injection drug users and persons with hemophilia and absence of infection in homosexual men with AIDS and low-risk controls. PMID:18252117

Newly discovered bio-control agents kill Sparganothis and cranberry fruitworm: Preliminary data on native nematode species

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Historically, two of the most destructive insect pests in Wisconsin have been the Cranberry Fruitworm (CFW) and the Sparganothis Fruitworm (SFW). Once they’ve hatched, controlling them is a lot like “trench warfare,” where we throw various weapons at the enemy, but most of them miss. Many Wisconsin ...

Orbital and Intracranial Effects of Microgravity: 3T MRI Findings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kramer, L. A.; Sargsyan, A.; Hasan, K. M.; Polk, J. D.; Hamilton, D. R.

2012-01-01

Goals and Objectives of this presentation are: 1. To briefly describe a newly discovered clinical entity related to space flight. 2. To describe normal anatomy and pathologic changes of the optic nerve, posterior globe, optic nerve sheath and pituitary gland related to exposure to microgravity. 3. To correlate imaging findings with known signs of intracranial hypertension.

Revisiting the Metaphor of the Island: Challenging "World Culture" from an Island Misunderstood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rappleye, Jeremy

2015-01-01

This article revisits the newly "discovered" island that world culture theorists have repeatedly utilised to explain their theoretical stance, conceptual preferences and methodological approach. Yet, it seeks to (re)connect world culture with the real world by replacing their imagined atoll with a real one--the island-nation of Japan. In…

Adult Higher Education: Are We Moving in the Wrong Direction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulter, Xenia; Mandell, Alan

2012-01-01

After so many years of invisibility, adult students in higher education have finally begun to come into their own. As a newly discovered marketing niche, adults are seen by budget-driven college administrators as important financial plums. As vocal advocates for their own needs, they have made the issue of access a legitimate consideration in the…

Anaerobic thermophilic culture

DOEpatents

Ljungdahl, Lars G.; Wiegel, Jurgen K. W.

1981-01-01

A newly discovered thermophilic anaerobe is described that was isolated in a biologically pure culture and designated Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus ATCC 3/550. T. Ethanolicus is cultured in aqueous nutrient medium under anaerobic, thermophilic conditions and is used in a novel process for producing ethanol by subjecting carbohydrates, particularly the saccharides, to fermentation action of the new microorganism in a biologically pure culture.

Vapor movement of the synthetic auxin herbicides, aminocyclopyrachlor and its methyl ester under laboratory and enclosed chamber environments

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aminocyclopyrachlor (DPX MAT28) a newly discovered synthetic auxin herbicide and its methyl ester (DPX KJM44) appear to control a number of perennial broadleaf weeds. The potential volatility of this new herbicide and its methyl ester were determined under laboratory conditions and were also compar...

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus salivarius L28 Isolated from Ground Beef.

PubMed

Ayala, Diana I; Cook, Peter W; Campos, David L; Brashears, Mindy M; den Bakker, Henk; Nightingale, Kendra K

2017-09-28

In this report, we describe the draft genome sequence of a newly discovered probiotic strain, Lactobacillus salivarius L28. L. salivarius L28 demonstrates antagonistic effects against human foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes , in coculture experiments and food matrices. Copyright © 2017 Ayala et al.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus salivarius L28 Isolated from Ground Beef

PubMed Central

Ayala, Diana I.; Cook, Peter W.; Campos, David L.; Brashears, Mindy M.; den Bakker, Henk

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT In this report, we describe the draft genome sequence of a newly discovered probiotic strain, Lactobacillus salivarius L28. L. salivarius L28 demonstrates antagonistic effects against human foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes, in coculture experiments and food matrices. PMID:28963206

TMAP: A NEO follow-up program utilizing undergraduate observers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez, C.; Deaver, D.; Martinez, R.; Foster, J.; Kuang, L.; Ates, A.; Anderson, M.; Mijac, M.; Gillam, S.; Hicks, M. D.

2000-10-01

In the spring of 2000 we began TMAP (Table Mountain Astrometry Project), a program designed to provide timely astrometric followup of newly discovered near-Earth asteroids. Relying on undergraduate observers from the local California State Universities, we have to date been involved with the over 50 NEO and new comet discoveries. This is a significant fraction of all near-Earth asteroids discovered over the time period. All observations are performed at JPL's Table Mountain Facility near Wrightwood California using the 0.6-meter telescope equipped with a Photometrics LN cooled 1k CCD mounted at the cassegrain focus. With this system we can routinely detect objects to R=20.5. We have typically scheduled two runs per month on weekends bracketing the new moon. The student observers man the telescope are trained to select and obtain R-band images of candidates from the Minor Planet Center's NEO Confirmation Page (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/ps/NEO/TheNEOPage.html). The astrometry is then reduced and submitted to the Minor Planet Center the following day. TMAP has proven to be an efficient way both to obtain much needed astrometric measurements of newly discovered small bodies as well as to involve undergraduate researchers in planetary research. The limiting magnitudes provided by the 0.6-meter partially fills the gap between the extremely helpful and dedicated amateur astromitrists and the followup that the NEO detection programs do themselves. This work is supported by NASA.

Precambrian uranium-bearing quartz-pebble conglomerates: exploration model and United States resource potential

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Houston, R.S.; Karlstrom, K.E.

1979-11-01

Uranium has been discovered in fluvial quartz-pebble conglomerates in most of the Precambrian shield areas of the world, including the Canadian, African, South American, Indian, Baltic, and Australian shields. Occurrences in these and other areas are shown. Two of these occurrences, the Huronian supergroup of Canada and the Witwatersrand deposit of South Africa contain 20 to 30 percent of the planet's known uranium reserves. Thus it is critical that we understand the origin of these deposits and develop exploration models that can aid in finding new deposits. Inasmuch as these uranium-bearing conglomerates are confined almost entirely to rocks of Precambrianmore » age, Part I of this review begins with a discussion of Precambrian geology as it applies to the conglomerates. This is followed by a discussion of genetic concepts, a discussion of unresolved problems, and finally a suggested exploration model. Part II summarizes known and potential occurrences of Precambrian fossil placers in the world and evaluates them in terms of the suggested exploration model. Part III discusses the potential for important Precambrian fossil-placer uranium deposits in the United States and includes suggestions that may be helpful in establishing an exploration program in this country. Part III also brings together new (1975-1978) data on uranium occurrences in the Precambrian of the Wyoming Province. Part IV is a complete bibliography of Precambrian fossil placers, divided according to geographical areas. In total, this paper is designed to be a comprehensive review of Precambrian uranium-bearing fossil placers which will be of use to uranium explorationists and to students of Precambrian geology.« less

[Earth Sciences Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

contents include the following: 1. Argentina Field Expedition (2004). NASA funds supported joint fieldwork by Peter Makovicky (Dept. of Geology, TFM) and Sebastian Apesteguia (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, Buenos Aires) in a fossil-rich locality in the Cenomanian Candeleros Formation of northern Rio Negro Province, Argentina. The goal of this fieldwork was to collect small fossil vertebrates, which are abundant in this formation, with a special emphasis on small theropod (casmivorous) dinosaurs. 2. East Greenland Field Expedition (2004). During July-August 2004 the Field Museum led a month long expedition to Jameson Land in East Greenland to collect Triassic-Jurassic aged fossil plants from one of the most productive sites of this age in the world. The project aims include the study of events leading up to catastrophic changes in the biota and atmosphere that occurred about 200 million years ago. 3. Chile Field Expedition (March, 2004). Paleontological reconnaisance of the central Andean main range by helicopter: additional new Cenozoic mammal faunas from Chile. A several thousand sq km swath of the central Andean Cordillera was prospected by helicopter during 2004, permitting rapid survey of large areas in remote or difficult to access regions. This led to the recovery of fossils from several parts of the range, and the identification of sites worthy of future attention. 4. Wyoming Field Expedition (2004). NASA funds supported a three-week field program by Curator of Dinosaurs Peter Makovicky and a crew of Field Museum staff and volunteers at several sites in the Early Cretaceous Cloverly Formation of north-central Wyoming. The nine-member team excavated a number of sites that had been discovered over the preceding two summers.

Hominin track assemblages from Okote Member deposits near Ileret, Kenya, and their implications for understanding fossil hominin paleobiology at 1.5 Ma.

PubMed

Hatala, Kevin G; Roach, Neil T; Ostrofsky, Kelly R; Wunderlich, Roshna E; Dingwall, Heather L; Villmoare, Brian A; Green, David J; Braun, David R; Harris, John W K; Behrensmeyer, Anna K; Richmond, Brian G

2017-11-01

Tracks can provide unique, direct records of behaviors of fossil organisms moving across their landscapes millions of years ago. While track discoveries have been rare in the human fossil record, over the last decade our team has uncovered multiple sediment surfaces within the Okote Member of the Koobi Fora Formation near Ileret, Kenya that contain large assemblages of ∼1.5 Ma fossil hominin tracks. Here, we provide detailed information on the context and nature of each of these discoveries, and we outline the specific data that are preserved on the Ileret hominin track surfaces. We analyze previously unpublished data to refine and expand upon earlier hypotheses regarding implications for hominin anatomy and social behavior. While each of the track surfaces discovered at Ileret preserves a different amount of data that must be handled in particular ways, general patterns are evident. Overall, the analyses presented here support earlier interpretations of the ∼1.5 Ma Ileret track assemblages, providing further evidence of large, human-like body sizes and possibly evidence of a group composition that could support the emergence of certain human-like patterns of social behavior. These data, used in concert with other forms of paleontological and archaeological evidence that are deposited on different temporal scales, offer unique windows through which we can broaden our understanding of the paleobiology of hominins living in East Africa at ∼1.5 Ma. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KSC-99pp0719

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-19

Workers in the launch tower at Launch Pad 17A, Cape Canaveral Air Station, help guide the first segment of the fairing around NASA's Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite. The satellite is scheduled for launch June 24 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. FUSE is designed to scour the cosmos for the fossil record of the origins of the universe hydrogen and deuterium. Scientists will use FUSE to study those elements to unlock the secrets of how galaxies evolve and to discover what the Universe was like when it was only a few minutes old

KSC-99pp0722

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-19

At Launch Pad 17A, Cape Canaveral Air Station, NASA's Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite (foreground) is partially covered by half of the fairing (behind it) that will protect it during launch. The satellite is scheduled for launch June 24 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. FUSE is designed to scour the cosmos for the fossil record of the origins of the universe hydrogen and deuterium. Scientists will use FUSE to study those elements to unlock the secrets of how galaxies evolve and to discover what the Universe was like when it was only a few minutes old

Late Pennsylvanian and early permian chondrichthyan microremains from San Salvador Patlanoaya (Puebla, Mexico)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Derycke-Khatir, C.; Vachard, D.; Degardin, J.-M.; Flores de Dios, A.; Buitron, B.; Hansen, M.

2005-01-01

The San Salvador Patlanoaya section (Puebla State, Mexico) is known for its richness of many fossil groups. Among them, the calcareous shells have been principally investigated. This paper deals with Missourian-Virgilian (Late Pennsylvanian) and Leonardian (late Early Permian) Mexican fish remains. A discussion about Helicoprion and related genera, is followed by the systematic description of the revised or discovered taxa: Cooperella typicalis, Moreyella cf. M. typicalis, M. (?) sp., "Sturgeonella" quinqueloba, Hybodontidae gen. sp. 1 and 2, scale indet. Palaeobiogeographic implications are suggested. ?? 2005 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

The phylogeny and evolutionary history of tyrannosauroid dinosaurs.

PubMed

Brusatte, Stephen L; Carr, Thomas D

2016-02-02

Tyrannosauroids--the group of carnivores including Tyrannosaurs rex--are some of the most familiar dinosaurs of all. A surge of recent discoveries has helped clarify some aspects of their evolution, but competing phylogenetic hypotheses raise questions about their relationships, biogeography, and fossil record quality. We present a new phylogenetic dataset, which merges published datasets and incorporates recently discovered taxa. We analyze it with parsimony and, for the first time for a tyrannosauroid dataset, Bayesian techniques. The parsimony and Bayesian results are highly congruent, and provide a framework for interpreting the biogeography and evolutionary history of tyrannosauroids. Our phylogenies illustrate that the body plan of the colossal species evolved piecemeal, imply no clear division between northern and southern species in western North America as had been argued, and suggest that T. rex may have been an Asian migrant to North America. Over-reliance on cranial shape characters may explain why published parsimony studies have diverged and filling three major gaps in the fossil record holds the most promise for future work.

The phylogeny and evolutionary history of tyrannosauroid dinosaurs

PubMed Central

Brusatte, Stephen L.; Carr, Thomas D.

2016-01-01

Tyrannosauroids—the group of carnivores including Tyrannosaurs rex—are some of the most familiar dinosaurs of all. A surge of recent discoveries has helped clarify some aspects of their evolution, but competing phylogenetic hypotheses raise questions about their relationships, biogeography, and fossil record quality. We present a new phylogenetic dataset, which merges published datasets and incorporates recently discovered taxa. We analyze it with parsimony and, for the first time for a tyrannosauroid dataset, Bayesian techniques. The parsimony and Bayesian results are highly congruent, and provide a framework for interpreting the biogeography and evolutionary history of tyrannosauroids. Our phylogenies illustrate that the body plan of the colossal species evolved piecemeal, imply no clear division between northern and southern species in western North America as had been argued, and suggest that T. rex may have been an Asian migrant to North America. Over-reliance on cranial shape characters may explain why published parsimony studies have diverged and filling three major gaps in the fossil record holds the most promise for future work. PMID:26830019

A king-sized theropod coprolite

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chin, K.; Tokaryk, T.T.; Erickson, G.M.; Calk, L.C.

1998-01-01

Fossil faeces (coprolites) provide unique trophic perspectives on ancient ecosystems. Yet, although thousands of coprolites have been discovered, specimens that can be unequivocally attributed to carnivorous dinosaurs are almost unknown. A few fossil faeces have been ascribed to herbivorous dinosaurs, but it is more difficult to identify coprolites produced by theropods because other carnivorous taxa coexisted with dinosaurs and most faeces are taxonomically ambiguous. Thus sizeable (up to 20 cm long and 10 cm wide) phosphatic coprolites from Belgium and India that have been attributed to dinosaurs might have been produced by contemporaneous crocodylians or fish. But there is no ambiguity about the theropod origin of the Cretaceous coprolite we report here. This specimen is more than twice as large as any previously reported carnivore coprolite, and its great size and temporal and geographic context indicate that it was produced by a tyrannosaur, most likely Tyrannosaurus rex. The specimen contains a high proportion (30-50%) of bone fragments, an it rare tangible evidence of theropod diet and digestive processes.

The phylogeny and evolutionary history of tyrannosauroid dinosaurs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brusatte, Stephen L.; Carr, Thomas D.

2016-02-01

Tyrannosauroids—the group of carnivores including Tyrannosaurs rex—are some of the most familiar dinosaurs of all. A surge of recent discoveries has helped clarify some aspects of their evolution, but competing phylogenetic hypotheses raise questions about their relationships, biogeography, and fossil record quality. We present a new phylogenetic dataset, which merges published datasets and incorporates recently discovered taxa. We analyze it with parsimony and, for the first time for a tyrannosauroid dataset, Bayesian techniques. The parsimony and Bayesian results are highly congruent, and provide a framework for interpreting the biogeography and evolutionary history of tyrannosauroids. Our phylogenies illustrate that the body plan of the colossal species evolved piecemeal, imply no clear division between northern and southern species in western North America as had been argued, and suggest that T. rex may have been an Asian migrant to North America. Over-reliance on cranial shape characters may explain why published parsimony studies have diverged and filling three major gaps in the fossil record holds the most promise for future work.

Research Advance on Metasequoia: Applications of New Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Qin; Yang, Hong; Wang, Li

2010-10-01

The plant genus Metasequoia Miki, 1941 and its sole living relict species Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng, 1948 have been of special interest for both the public and scientists since 1941 when the genus was established. Due to its unique discovery history (fossils discovered earlier than the living species) and incomparable scientific value in the research of plant evolution and its relationship with environmental and climatic changes, Metasequoia becomes arguably the most comprehensively studied higher plant in both fossil and living forms. This paper summarized recent advance in Metasequoia research by reviewing the research history of Metasequoia and the scientific value of this genus, while paid special attention to the application of new methods and techniques in the research field of Metasequoia in the recent decades. The application of biogeochemical (organic geochemistry and stable isotope) analysis as well as the new and innovated methods of preparing large-sized cuticular membrane from leaves with originally thin and fragile cuticles further secure Metasequoia's super star status for the research of palaeoclimatic reconstruction.

Tracking interspecies transmission and long-term evolution of an ancient retrovirus using the genomes of modern mammals

PubMed Central

Diehl, William E; Patel, Nirali; Halm, Kate; Johnson, Welkin E

2016-01-01

Mammalian genomes typically contain hundreds of thousands of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), derived from ancient retroviral infections. Using this molecular 'fossil' record, we reconstructed the natural history of a specific retrovirus lineage (ERV-Fc) that disseminated widely between ~33 and ~15 million years ago, corresponding to the Oligocene and early Miocene epochs. Intercontinental viral spread, numerous instances of interspecies transmission and emergence in hosts representing at least 11 mammalian orders, and a significant role for recombination in diversification of this viral lineage were also revealed. By reconstructing the canonical retroviral genes, we identified patterns of adaptation consistent with selection to maintain essential viral protein functions. Our results demonstrate the unique potential of the ERV fossil record for studying the processes of viral spread and emergence as they play out across macro-evolutionary timescales, such that looking back in time may prove insightful for predicting the long-term consequences of newly emerging viral infections. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12704.001 PMID:26952212

Tracking interspecies transmission and long-term evolution of an ancient retrovirus using the genomes of modern mammals.

PubMed

Diehl, William E; Patel, Nirali; Halm, Kate; Johnson, Welkin E

2016-03-08

Mammalian genomes typically contain hundreds of thousands of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), derived from ancient retroviral infections. Using this molecular 'fossil' record, we reconstructed the natural history of a specific retrovirus lineage (ERV-Fc) that disseminated widely between ~33 and ~15 million years ago, corresponding to the Oligocene and early Miocene epochs. Intercontinental viral spread, numerous instances of interspecies transmission and emergence in hosts representing at least 11 mammalian orders, and a significant role for recombination in diversification of this viral lineage were also revealed. By reconstructing the canonical retroviral genes, we identified patterns of adaptation consistent with selection to maintain essential viral protein functions. Our results demonstrate the unique potential of the ERV fossil record for studying the processes of viral spread and emergence as they play out across macro-evolutionary timescales, such that looking back in time may prove insightful for predicting the long-term consequences of newly emerging viral infections.

Fossil-Fuel C02 Emissions Database and Exploration System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krassovski, M.; Boden, T.; Andres, R. J.; Blasing, T. J.

2012-12-01

The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) quantifies the release of carbon from fossil-fuel use and cement production at global, regional, and national spatial scales. The CDIAC emission time series estimates are based largely on annual energy statistics published at the national level by the United Nations (UN). CDIAC has developed a relational database to house collected data and information and a web-based interface to help users worldwide identify, explore and download desired emission data. The available information is divided in two major group: time series and gridded data. The time series data is offered for global, regional and national scales. Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). The gridded data presents annual and monthly estimates. Annual data presents a time series recording 1° latitude by 1° longitude CO2 emissions in units of million metric tons of carbon per year from anthropogenic sources for 1751-2008. The monthly, fossil-fuel CO2 emissions estimates from 1950-2008 provided in this database are derived from time series of global, regional, and national fossil-fuel CO2 emissions (Boden et al. 2011), the references therein, and the methodology described in Andres et al. (2011). The data accessible here take these tabular, national, mass-emissions data and distribute them spatially on a one degree latitude by one degree longitude grid. The within-country spatial distribution is achieved through a fixed population distribution as reported in Andres et al. (1996). This presentation introduces newly build database and web interface, reflects the present state and functionality of the Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions Database and Exploration System as well as future plans for expansion.

Estrellas variables en campos de cúmulos abiertos galácticos detectadas en el relevamiento VVV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palma, T.; Dékany, I.; Clariá, J. J.; Minniti, D.; Alonso-García, J. A.; Ramírez Alegría, S.; Bonatto, C.

2016-08-01

The present project constitutes a massive search for variable stars in the field of open clusters projected on highly reddened regions of the galactic disk and bulge. This search is being performed using -, - and -band observations of the near-infrared variability Survey Vista variables in the Via Lactea. We present the first results obtained in four open clusters projected on the Galactic bulge. The new variables discovered in the current work, 182 in total, are classified on the basis of their light curves and their locations in the corresponding color-magnitude diagrams. Among the newly discovered variable stars, Cepheids, RR Lyrae, Scuti, eclipsing binaries and other types have been found.

Magnetar Observations with Fermi/GBM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kouveliotou, Chryssa

2009-01-01

NASA's Fermi Observatory was launched June 11, 2009; the Fermi Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) began normal operations on July 14, about a month after launch, when the trigger algorithms were enabled. In the first year of operations we recorded emission from four magnetar sources; of these, only one was an old magnetar: SGR 1806+20. The other three detections were: SGR J0501+4516, newly discovered with Swift and extensively monitored with both Swift and GBM, SGR J1550-5418, a source originally classified as an Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) and a very recently discovered new source, SGR 0418+5729. I report below on the current status of the analyses efforts of the GBM data.

Fundamental properties of resonances

PubMed Central

Ceci, S.; Hadžimehmedović, M.; Osmanović, H.; Percan, A.; Zauner, B.

2017-01-01

All resonances, from hydrogen nuclei excited by the high-energy gamma rays in deep space to newly discovered particles produced in Large Hadron Collider, should be described by the same fundamental physical quantities. However, two distinct sets of properties are used to describe resonances: the pole parameters (complex pole position and residue) and the Breit-Wigner parameters (mass, width, and branching fractions). There is an ongoing decades-old debate on which one of them should be abandoned. In this study of nucleon resonances appearing in the elastic pion-nucleon scattering we discover an intricate interplay of the parameters from both sets, and realize that neither set is completely independent or fundamental on its own. PMID:28345595

Waiting for Water

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamson-Nussbaum, Jorie

2013-01-01

The author waits in the hot and oppressive air while dust devils are born and die over the newly plowed field. It is a dry spring and she prays for rain. The lupine beans withered to dry threads last week and the corn that sprouted in a green haze over the north field is turning to brown paper. However, driving north, the author discovers the Rum…

Clinical and molecular features of human rhinovirus C

PubMed Central

Bochkov, Yury A.; Gern, James E.

2012-01-01

A newly discovered group of human rhinoviruses (HRVs) has been classified as the HRV-C species based on distinct genomic features. HRV-Cs circulate worldwide, and are important causes of upper and lower respiratory illnesses. Methods to culture and produce these viruses have recently been developed, and should enable identification of unique features of HRV-C replication and biology. PMID:22285901

Sedna Size Comparisons Artist Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-15

The artist's rendition shows the newly discovered planet-like object, dubbed "Sedna," in relation to other bodies in the solar system, including Earth and its Moon; Pluto; and Quaoar, a planetoid beyond Pluto that was until now the largest known object beyond Pluto. The diameter of Sedna is slightly smaller than Pluto's but likely somewhat larger than Quaoar. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05567

COMET KOHAUTEK - ART CONCEPTS

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-11-27

S73-37273 (24 Dec. 1973) --- An artist's concept illustrating the trajectory of the newly-discovered Comet Kohoutek in relation to the sun and to Earth and the plane of Earth's orbit. The picture show's the position of Kohoutek on Christmas Eve, 1973. The Skylab space station in Earth orbit will provide a favorable location from which to observe the passing of the comet. Photo credit: NASA

Prospect of nitric oxide as a new fumigant for postharvest pest control

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitric oxide (NO) is a newly discovered fumigant for postharvest pest control. In laboratory tests, complete control was achieved against all insect and mite species tested to date with 0.2% to 5% NO fumigations in 2 h to 48 h at 2 to 25°C depending on species and life stages. Nitric oxide reacts ...

A newly discovered Bordetella species carries a transcriptionally active CRISPR-Cas with a small Cas9 endonuclease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Cas9 endonuclease of the Type II-a clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), of Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) has been adapted as a widely used tool for genome editing and genome engineering. Herein, we describe a gene encoding a novel Cas9 ortholog (BpsuCas9) and th...

Problems and strategy of the first flight to the comets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davydov, V. D.

1980-01-01

Substantiation is given for the urgency of using space equipment to study comets in order to work out the basic problem of the origin and evolution of the solar system. The potentialities and advantages of selecting ballistically-accessible objects among the newly discovered comets are shown (as a preliminary study). The technique of early detection of such objects is discussed.

Magnetic-Flux-Compression Cooling Using Superconductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strayer, Donald M.; Israelsson, Ulf E.; Elleman, Daniel D.

1989-01-01

Proposed magnetic-flux-compression refrigeration system produces final-stage temperatures below 4.2 K. More efficient than mechanical and sorption refrigerators at temperatures in this range. Weighs less than comparable liquid-helium-cooled superconducting magnetic refrigeration systems operating below 4.2 K. Magnetic-flux-compression cooling stage combines advantages of newly discovered superconductors with those of cooling by magnetization and demagnetization of paramagnetic salts.

A closer look at the quadruply lensed quasar PSOJ0147: spectroscopic redshifts and microlensing effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chien-Hsiu

2018-04-01

I present a timely spectroscopic follow-up of the newly discovered, quadruply lensed quasar PSOJ0147 from the Pan-STARRS 1 survey. The newly acquired optical spectra with GMOS onboard the Gemini North Telescope allow us to pin down the redshifts of both the foreground lensing galaxy and the background lensed quasar to be z = 0.572 and 2.341, providing a firm basis for cosmography with future high-cadence photometric monitoring. I also inspect difference spectra from two of the quasar images, revealing the microlensing effect. Long-term spectroscopic follow-ups will shed lights on the structure of the active galactic nucleus and its environment.

Heavy metal-binding proteins from metal-stimulated bacteria as a novel adsorbent for metal removal technology.

PubMed

Sano, D; Myojo, K; Omura, T

2006-01-01

Water pollution with toxic heavy metals is of growing concern because heavy metals could bring about serious problems for not only ecosystems in the water environment but also human health. Some metal removal technologies have been in practical use, but much energy and troublesome treatments for chemical wastes are required to operate these conventional technologies. In this study, heavy metal-binding proteins (HMBPs) were obtained from metal-stimulated activated sludge culture with affinity chromatography using copper ion as a ligand. Two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed that a number of proteins in activated sludge culture were recovered as HMBPs for copper ion. N-termini of five HMBPs were determined, and two of them were found to be newly discovered proteins for which no amino acid sequences in protein databases were retrieved at more than 80% identities. Metal-coordinating amino acids occupied 38% of residues in one of the N-terminal sequences of the newly discovered HMBPs. Since these HMBPs were expected to be stable under conditions of water and wastewater treatments, it would be possible to utilize HMBPs as novel adsorbents for heavy metal removal if mass volume of HMBPs can be obtained with protein cloning techniques.

Newly discovered Late Triassic Baqing eclogite in central Tibet indicates an anticlockwise West-East Qiangtang collision.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu-Xiu; Jin, Xin; Zhang, Kai-Jun; Sun, Wei-Dong; Liu, Jian-Ming; Zhou, Xiao-Yao; Yan, Li-Long

2018-01-17

The Triassic eclogite-bearing central Qiangtang metamorphic belt (CQMB) in the northern Tibetan Plateau has been debated whether it is a metamorphic core complex underthrust from the Jinsha Paleo-Tethys or an in-situ Shuanghu suture. The CQMB is thus a key issue to elucidate the crustal architecture of the northern Tibetan Plateau, the tectonics of the eastern Tethys, and the petrogenesis of Cenozoic high-K magmatism. We here report the newly discovered Baqing eclogite along the eastern extension of the CQMB near the Baqing town, central Tibet. These eclogites are characterized by the garnet + omphacite + rutile + phengite + quartz assemblages. Primary eclogite-facies metamorphic pressure-temperature estimates yield consistent minimum pressure of 25 ± 1 kbar at 730 ± 60 °C. U-Pb dating on zircons that contain inclusions (garnet + omphacite + rutile + phengite) gave eclogite-facies metamorphic ages of 223 Ma. The geochemical continental crustal signature and the presence of Paleozoic cores in the zircons indicate that the Baqing eclogite formed by continental subduction and marks an eastward-younging anticlockwise West-East Qiangtang collision along the Shuanghu suture from the Middle to Late Triassic.

The Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) Quasar Survey: Quasar Properties from Data Release Two and Three

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, X. Y.; Wu, Xue-Bing; Ai, Y. L.; Yang, J. Y.; Yang, Q.; Wang, F.; Zhang, Y. X.; Luo, A. L.; Xu, H.; Yuan, H. L.; Zhang, J. N.; Wang, M. X.; Wang, L. L.; Li, Y. B.; Zuo, F.; Hou, W.; Guo, Y. X.; Kong, X.; Chen, X. Y.; Wu, Y.; Yang, H. F.; Yang, M.

2018-05-01

This is the second installment for the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) Quasar Survey, which includes quasars observed from 2013 September to 2015 June. There are 9024 confirmed quasars in DR2 and 10911 in DR3. After cross-match with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasar catalogs and NED, 12126 quasars are discovered independently. Among them, 2225 quasars were released by SDSS DR12 QSO catalog in 2014 after we finalized the survey candidates. 1801 sources were identified by SDSS DR14 as QSOs. The remaining 8100 quasars are considered as newly founded, and among them, 6887 quasars can be given reliable emission line measurements and the estimated black hole masses. Quasars found in LAMOST are mostly located at low-to-moderate redshifts, with a mean value of 1.5. The highest redshift observed in DR2 and DR3 is 5. We applied emission line measurements to Hα, Hβ, Mg II, and C IV. We deduced the monochromatic continuum luminosities using photometry data, and estimated the virial black hole masses for the newly discovered quasars. Results are compiled into a quasar catalog, which will be available online.

Rare Carboniferous and Permian glacial and non-glacial bryophytes and associated lycophyte megaspores of the Paraná Basin, Brazil: A new occurrence and paleoenvironmental considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ricardi-Branco, Fresia; Rohn, Rosemarie; Longhim, Marcia Emilia; Costa, Juliana Sampaio; Martine, Ariel Milani; Christiano-de-Souza, Isabel Cortez

2016-12-01

Fossil bryophytes are rare because their preservation is compromised by the presence of a thin cuticle (if any) and a lack of lignin. Except for the occurrence of one bryophyte in the glacial Dwyka Group of the Karoo Basin, the other rare Late Paleozoic records in Gondwana are notably from the Paraná Basin in Southeast/South Brazil. Four bryophyte sites (including a newly discovered one) were found in the lower part of the thick Permo-Carboniferous glacial succession of the Itararé Group, and one was found in the Guadalupian Teresina Formation, which was roughly assigned to an epeiric sea (or "lake") dominated by a warm, semi-arid climate. This study describes the fossils from the new occurrence from the Itararé Group and discusses the context in which the bryophyte beds originated in the basin. The new samples confirm that all of the bryophytes of the Itararé Group can be classified as Dwykea araroii Ricardi-Branco et al. (a possible pleurocarp) and are associated with the lycophyte megaspore Sublagenicula brasiliensis (Dijkstra) Dybová-Jachowicz. In the much younger Teresina Formation, the bryophytes are Yguajemanus yucapirus Cristiano-de-Souza et al. and Capimirinus riopretensis Cristiano-de-Souza et al., and abundant charophytes and rare dwarf lycophyte stems and bracts are present in the same layers. Although the two stratigraphic units represent distinct paleoenvironments and climates, they seem to share some characteristics: a) the bryophyte assemblages were transported very little; b) they were deposited in very calm environments; c) they were the main components (along with some lycophytes) of local or poorly diversified regional vegetation. The low number of species, which is characteristic of opportunistic communities, can be explained by local or regional conditions that would have been stressful for the vascular plants in other areas. During the deposition of the Itararé Group, the main control was probably the cold climate in addition to a relative (liquid) water deficit because the bryophyte vegetation may have belonged to a tundra biome in areas of retreating glaciers. For the Teresina Formation, it is possible that the control was scarce freshwater, an unstable environment and water-saturated soil in a scenario of bryophyte vegetation living around temporary ponds in a wide marginal area of the epeiric sea.

Groundwater depletion and sustainability of irrigation in the US High Plains and Central Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Faunt, Claudia; Longuevergne, Laurent; Reedy, Robert C.; Alley, William M.; McGuire, Virginia L.; McMahon, Peter B.

2012-01-01

Aquifer overexploitation could significantly impact crop production in the United States because 60% of irrigation relies on groundwater. Groundwater depletion in the irrigated High Plains and California Central Valley accounts for ∼50% of groundwater depletion in the United States since 1900. A newly developed High Plains recharge map shows that high recharge in the northern High Plains results in sustainable pumpage, whereas lower recharge in the central and southern High Plains has resulted in focused depletion of 330 km3 of fossil groundwater, mostly recharged during the past 13,000 y. Depletion is highly localized with about a third of depletion occurring in 4% of the High Plains land area. Extrapolation of the current depletion rate suggests that 35% of the southern High Plains will be unable to support irrigation within the next 30 y. Reducing irrigation withdrawals could extend the lifespan of the aquifer but would not result in sustainable management of this fossil groundwater. The Central Valley is a more dynamic, engineered system, with north/south diversions of surface water since the 1950s contributing to ∼7× higher recharge. However, these diversions are regulated because of impacts on endangered species. A newly developed Central Valley Hydrologic Model shows that groundwater depletion since the 1960s, totaling 80 km3, occurs mostly in the south (Tulare Basin) and primarily during droughts. Increasing water storage through artificial recharge of excess surface water in aquifers by up to 3 km3 shows promise for coping with droughts and improving sustainability of groundwater resources in the Central Valley.

Groundwater depletion and sustainability of irrigation in the US High Plains and Central Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Faunt, Claudia C.; Longuevergne, Laurent; Reedy, Robert C.; Alley, William M.; McGuire, Virginia L.; McMahon, Peter B.

2012-01-01

Aquifer overexploitation could significantly impact crop production in the United States because 60% of irrigation relies on groundwater. Groundwater depletion in the irrigated High Plains and California Central Valley accounts for ~50% of groundwater depletion in the United States since 1900. A newly developed High Plains recharge map shows that high recharge in the northern High Plains results in sustainable pumpage, whereas lower recharge in the central and southern High Plains has resulted in focused depletion of 330 km3 of fossil groundwater, mostly recharged during the past 13,000 y. Depletion is highly localized with about a third of depletion occurring in 4% of the High Plains land area. Extrapolation of the current depletion rate suggests that 35% of the southern High Plains will be unable to support irrigation within the next 30 y. Reducing irrigation withdrawals could extend the lifespan of the aquifer but would not result in sustainable management of this fossil groundwater. The Central Valley is a more dynamic, engineered system, with north/south diversions of surface water since the 1950s contributing to ~7× higher recharge. However, these diversions are regulated because of impacts on endangered species. A newly developed Central Valley Hydrologic Model shows that groundwater depletion since the 1960s, totaling 80 km3, occurs mostly in the south (Tulare Basin) and primarily during droughts. Increasing water storage through artificial recharge of excess surface water in aquifers by up to 3 km3 shows promise for coping with droughts and improving sustainability of groundwater resources in the Central Valley.

Groundwater depletion and sustainability of irrigation in the US High Plains and Central Valley

PubMed Central

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Faunt, Claudia C.; Longuevergne, Laurent; Reedy, Robert C.; Alley, William M.; McGuire, Virginia L.; McMahon, Peter B.

2012-01-01

Aquifer overexploitation could significantly impact crop production in the United States because 60% of irrigation relies on groundwater. Groundwater depletion in the irrigated High Plains and California Central Valley accounts for ∼50% of groundwater depletion in the United States since 1900. A newly developed High Plains recharge map shows that high recharge in the northern High Plains results in sustainable pumpage, whereas lower recharge in the central and southern High Plains has resulted in focused depletion of 330 km3 of fossil groundwater, mostly recharged during the past 13,000 y. Depletion is highly localized with about a third of depletion occurring in 4% of the High Plains land area. Extrapolation of the current depletion rate suggests that 35% of the southern High Plains will be unable to support irrigation within the next 30 y. Reducing irrigation withdrawals could extend the lifespan of the aquifer but would not result in sustainable management of this fossil groundwater. The Central Valley is a more dynamic, engineered system, with north/south diversions of surface water since the 1950s contributing to ∼7× higher recharge. However, these diversions are regulated because of impacts on endangered species. A newly developed Central Valley Hydrologic Model shows that groundwater depletion since the 1960s, totaling 80 km3, occurs mostly in the south (Tulare Basin) and primarily during droughts. Increasing water storage through artificial recharge of excess surface water in aquifers by up to 3 km3 shows promise for coping with droughts and improving sustainability of groundwater resources in the Central Valley. PMID:22645352

An Ochered Fossil Marine Shell From the Mousterian of Fumane Cave, Italy

PubMed Central

Peresani, Marco; Vanhaeren, Marian; Quaggiotto, Ermanno; Queffelec, Alain; d’Errico, Francesco

2013-01-01

A scanty but varied ensemble of finds challenges the idea that Neandertal material culture was essentially static and did not include symbolic items. In this study we report on a fragmentary Miocene-Pliocene fossil marine shell, Aspa marginata , discovered in a Discoid Mousterian layer of the Fumane Cave, northern Italy, dated to at least 47.6-45.0 Cal ky BP. The shell was collected by Neandertals at a fossil exposure probably located more than 100 kms from the site. Microscopic analysis of the shell surface identifies clusters of striations on the inner lip. A dark red substance, trapped inside micropits produced by bioeroders, is interpreted as pigment that was homogeneously smeared on the outer shell surface. Dispersive X-ray and Raman analysis identify the pigment as pure hematite. Of the four hypotheses we considered to explain the presence of this object at the site, two (tool, pigment container) are discarded because in contradiction with observations. Although the other two (“manuport”, personal ornament) are both possible, we favor the hypothesis that the object was modified and suspended by a ‘thread’ for visual display as a pendant. Together with contextual and chronometric data, our results support the hypothesis that deliberate transport and coloring of an exotic object, and perhaps its use as pendant, was a component of Neandertal symbolic culture, well before the earliest appearance of the anatomically modern humans in Europe. PMID:23874677

An Additional Baurusuchid from the Cretaceous of Brazil with Evidence of Interspecific Predation among Crocodyliformes

PubMed Central

Godoy, Pedro L.; Montefeltro, Felipe C.; Norell, Mark A.; Langer, Max C.

2014-01-01

A new Baurusuchidae (Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia), Aplestosuchus sordidus, is described based on a nearly complete skeleton collected in deposits of the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group, Late Cretaceous) of Brazil. The nesting of the new taxon within Baurusuchidae can be ensured based on several exclusive skull features of this clade, such as the quadrate depression, medial approximation of the prefrontals, rostral extension of palatines (not reaching the level of the rostral margin of suborbital fenestrae), cylindrical dorsal portion of palatine bar, ridge on the ectopterygoid-jugal articulation, and supraoccipital with restricted thin transversal exposure in the caudalmost part of the skull roof. A newly proposed phylogeny of Baurusuchidae encompasses A. sordidus and recently described forms, suggesting its sixter-taxon relationship to Baurusuchus albertoi, within Baurusuchinae. Additionally, the remains of a sphagesaurid crocodyliform were preserved in the abdominal cavity of the new baurusuchid. Direct fossil evidence of behavioral interaction among fossil crocodyliforms is rare and mostly restricted to bite marks resulting from predation, as well as possible conspecific male-to-male aggression. This is the first time that a direct and unmistaken evidence of predation between different taxa of this group is recorded as fossils. This discovery confirms that baurusuchids were top predators of their time, with sphagesaurids occupying a lower trophic position, possibly with a more generalist diet. PMID:24809508

Gondwana Tales: an inquiry approach to plate tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domènech Casal, Jordi

2014-05-01

Plate tectonics and its effects on the constitution of seas and continents are key models in science education. Fossil evidences are usually taught in demostrative key when Wegener's discoverings about Pangea are introduced. In order to introduce inquiry-based science education (IBSE) approaches to this topic, we propose "Gondwana Tales", an activity where students are asked to use fossil data to reconstruct the geologic history of an imaginary planet. Grouped in independent teams, each team is furnished with stratigraphic columns from several sites containing faunistic successions of real organisms existing in the past in Earth. Students are told to reconstruct a model of the evolution of the continents, by making calculations of relative ages of the fossils, and relating each fossil to a geologic era. The different teams have incomplete and complementary information. After a first step where they have to propose a partial model based on incomplete data, each team receives a "visitor scientist" from another team, this implying an informal scientific communication event. This process is performed several times, engaging a discussion in each team and getting a final consensus model created by the whole class. Correct answer is not given to the students, even at the end of the activity, to keep the activity under the parameters of real scientific experience, where there is not a "correct answer" to compare. Instead of this, and following the IBSE standards, a reflection on the process is proposed to students. The lack of complete information and the need to collaborate are part of classroom dynamics focused to the understanding of the process of creation of the scientific knowledge. This activity is part of the C3 Project on Creation of Scientific Knowledge that is being applied in the school.

Understanding human impact on the Baltic ecosystem: changing views in recent decades.

PubMed

Elmgren, R

2001-08-01

Grave environmental problems, including contamination of biota by organochlorines and heavy metals, and increasing deep-water oxygen deficiency, were discovered in the Baltic Sea in the late 1960s. Toxic pollutants, including the newly discovered PCB, were initially seen as the main threat to the Baltic ecosystem, and the impaired reproduction found in Baltic seals and white-tailed eagles implied a threat also to human fish eaters. Countermeasures gradually gave results, and today the struggle to limit toxic pollution of the Baltic is an international environmental success story. Calculations showed that Baltic deep-water oxygen consumption must have increased, and that the Baltic nutrient load had grown about fourfold for nitrogen and 8 times for phosphorus. Evidence of increased organic production at all trophic levels in the ecosystem gradually accumulated. Phosphorus was first thought to limit Baltic primary production, but measurements soon showed that nitrogen is generally limiting in the open Baltic proper, except for nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. Today, the debate is concerned with whether phosphorus, by limiting nitrogen-fixers, can control open-sea ecosystem production, even where phytoplankton is clearly nitrogen limited. The Baltic lesson teaches us that our views of newly discovered environmental problems undergo repeated changes, and that it may take decades for scientists to agree on their causes. Once society decides on countermeasures, it may take decades for them to become effective, and for nature to recover. Thus, environmental management decisions can hardly wait for scientific certainty. We should therefore view environmental management decisions as experiments, to be monitored, learned from, and then modified as needed.

Natural reservoirs for homologs of hepatitis C virus

PubMed Central

Pfaender, Stephanie; Brown, Richard JP; Pietschmann, Thomas; Steinmann, Eike

2014-01-01

Hepatitis C virus is considered a major public health problem, infecting 2%–3% of the human population. Hepatitis C virus infection causes acute and chronic liver disease, including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In fact, hepatitis C virus infection is the most frequent indication for liver transplantation and a vaccine is not available. Hepatitis C virus displays a narrow host species tropism, naturally infecting only humans, although chimpanzees are also susceptible to experimental infection. To date, there is no evidence for an animal reservoir of viruses closely related to hepatitis C virus which may have crossed the species barrier to cause disease in humans and resulted in the current pandemic. In fact, due to this restricted host range, a robust immunocompetent small animal model is still lacking, hampering mechanistic analysis of virus pathogenesis, immune control and prophylactic vaccine development. Recently, several studies discovered new viruses related to hepatitis C virus, belonging to the hepaci- and pegivirus genera, in small wild mammals (rodents and bats) and domesticated animals which live in close contact with humans (dogs and horses). Genetic and biological characterization of these newly discovered hepatitis C virus-like viruses infecting different mammals will contribute to our understanding of the origins of hepatitis C virus in humans and enhance our ability to study pathogenesis and immune responses using tractable animal models. In this review article, we start with an introduction on the genetic diversity of hepatitis C virus and then focus on the newly discovered viruses closely related to hepatitis C virus. Finally, we discuss possible theories about the origin of this important viral human pathogen. PMID:26038514

Integrated life-cycle assessment of electricity-supply scenarios confirms global environmental benefit of low-carbon technologies.

PubMed

Hertwich, Edgar G; Gibon, Thomas; Bouman, Evert A; Arvesen, Anders; Suh, Sangwon; Heath, Garvin A; Bergesen, Joseph D; Ramirez, Andrea; Vega, Mabel I; Shi, Lei

2015-05-19

Decarbonization of electricity generation can support climate-change mitigation and presents an opportunity to address pollution resulting from fossil-fuel combustion. Generally, renewable technologies require higher initial investments in infrastructure than fossil-based power systems. To assess the tradeoffs of increased up-front emissions and reduced operational emissions, we present, to our knowledge, the first global, integrated life-cycle assessment (LCA) of long-term, wide-scale implementation of electricity generation from renewable sources (i.e., photovoltaic and solar thermal, wind, and hydropower) and of carbon dioxide capture and storage for fossil power generation. We compare emissions causing particulate matter exposure, freshwater ecotoxicity, freshwater eutrophication, and climate change for the climate-change-mitigation (BLUE Map) and business-as-usual (Baseline) scenarios of the International Energy Agency up to 2050. We use a vintage stock model to conduct an LCA of newly installed capacity year-by-year for each region, thus accounting for changes in the energy mix used to manufacture future power plants. Under the Baseline scenario, emissions of air and water pollutants more than double whereas the low-carbon technologies introduced in the BLUE Map scenario allow a doubling of electricity supply while stabilizing or even reducing pollution. Material requirements per unit generation for low-carbon technologies can be higher than for conventional fossil generation: 11-40 times more copper for photovoltaic systems and 6-14 times more iron for wind power plants. However, only two years of current global copper and one year of iron production will suffice to build a low-carbon energy system capable of supplying the world's electricity needs in 2050.

Integrated life-cycle assessment of electricity-supply scenarios confirms global environmental benefit of low-carbon technologies

PubMed Central

Hertwich, Edgar G.; Gibon, Thomas; Bouman, Evert A.; Arvesen, Anders; Heath, Garvin A.; Bergesen, Joseph D.; Ramirez, Andrea; Vega, Mabel I.; Shi, Lei

2015-01-01

Decarbonization of electricity generation can support climate-change mitigation and presents an opportunity to address pollution resulting from fossil-fuel combustion. Generally, renewable technologies require higher initial investments in infrastructure than fossil-based power systems. To assess the tradeoffs of increased up-front emissions and reduced operational emissions, we present, to our knowledge, the first global, integrated life-cycle assessment (LCA) of long-term, wide-scale implementation of electricity generation from renewable sources (i.e., photovoltaic and solar thermal, wind, and hydropower) and of carbon dioxide capture and storage for fossil power generation. We compare emissions causing particulate matter exposure, freshwater ecotoxicity, freshwater eutrophication, and climate change for the climate-change-mitigation (BLUE Map) and business-as-usual (Baseline) scenarios of the International Energy Agency up to 2050. We use a vintage stock model to conduct an LCA of newly installed capacity year-by-year for each region, thus accounting for changes in the energy mix used to manufacture future power plants. Under the Baseline scenario, emissions of air and water pollutants more than double whereas the low-carbon technologies introduced in the BLUE Map scenario allow a doubling of electricity supply while stabilizing or even reducing pollution. Material requirements per unit generation for low-carbon technologies can be higher than for conventional fossil generation: 11–40 times more copper for photovoltaic systems and 6–14 times more iron for wind power plants. However, only two years of current global copper and one year of iron production will suffice to build a low-carbon energy system capable of supplying the world's electricity needs in 2050. PMID:25288741

Rivaling the World's Smallest Reptiles: Discovery of Miniaturized and Microendemic New Species of Leaf Chameleons (Brookesia) from Northern Madagascar

PubMed Central

Glaw, Frank; Köhler, Jörn; Townsend, Ted M.; Vences, Miguel

2012-01-01

Background One clade of Malagasy leaf chameleons, the Brookesia minima group, is known to contain species that rank among the smallest amniotes in the world. We report on a previously unrecognized radiation of these miniaturized lizards comprising four new species described herein. Methodology/Principal Findings The newly discovered species appear to be restricted to single, mostly karstic, localities in extreme northern Madagascar: Brookesia confidens sp. n. from Ankarana, B. desperata sp. n. from Forêt d'Ambre, B. micra sp. n. from the islet Nosy Hara, and B. tristis sp. n. from Montagne des Français. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes of all nominal species in the B. minima group congruently support that the four new species, together with B. tuberculata from Montagne d'Ambre in northern Madagascar, form a strongly supported clade. This suggests that these species have diversified in geographical proximity in this small area. All species of the B. minima group, including the four newly described ones, are characterized by very deep genetic divergences of 18–32% in the ND2 gene and >6% in the 16S rRNA gene. Despite superficial similarities among all species of this group, their status as separate evolutionary lineages is also supported by moderate to strong differences in external morphology, and by clear differences in hemipenis structure. Conclusion/Significance The newly discovered dwarf chameleon species represent striking cases of miniaturization and microendemism and suggest the possibility of a range size-body size relationship in Malagasy reptiles. The newly described Brookesia micra reaches a maximum snout-vent length in males of 16 mm, and its total length in both sexes is less than 30 mm, ranking it among the smallest amniote vertebrates in the world. With a distribution limited to a very small islet, this species may represent an extreme case of island dwarfism. PMID:22348069

On the fresh-water invertebrates of the North American Jurassic

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, Charles A.

1886-01-01

Important additions having lately been made to our knowledge of the fresh-water invertebrates of the North American Jurassic strata, I have thought it desirable to present not only descriptions and figures of the new forms in this bulletin, but to make the publication an illustrated synopsis of all the forms yet discovered. I therefore reproduce on the accompanying plates figures of all the species hitherto published, in addition to those of the new forms. Besides this, I offer the following general discussion of the subject of those fresh-water fossils and theft bearing upon continental history.

Late Leonardian plants from West Texas: The youngest Paleozoic plant megafossils in North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mamay, S.H.; Miller, J.M.; Rohr, D.M.

1984-01-01

Abundant Permian plant megafossils were discovered in the Del Norte Mountains of Brewster County, Trans-Pecos Texas. The flora is dominated by a new and distinctive type of gigantopteroid leaves. Marine invertebrates are closely associated, and this admixture of continental and marine fossils indicates a deltaic depositional setting, probably on the southern margin of the Permian Basin. Conodonts indicate correlation with the uppermost Leonardian Road Canyon Formation in the Glass Mountains. These are the youngest Paleozoic plant megafossils known in North America; they add an important paleontological element to the classic Permian area of this Continent.

First Pleistocene faunas from the Arabian Peninsula: An Nafud desert, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Herbert; Geraads, Denis; Vaslet, Denis; Memesh, Abdallah; Billiou, Daniel; Bocherens, Hervé; Dobigny, Gauthier; Eisenmann, Véra; Gayet, Mireille; France de Lapparent de Broin; Petter, Germaine; Halawani, Mohammed

1998-01-01

Three Pleistocene vertebrate localities in lacustrine deposits which accumulated in interdune depressions were discovered in the south-western part of the An Nafud sand sea (northern Saudi Arabia). Although the fossil vertebrate fauna is restricted in diversity, its composition and stage of evolution suggest an Early Pleistocene age in contrast with the recent Pleistocene or Holocene lake beds occurring in several other interdune depressions in central and southern An Nafud. The Nafud fauna has clear African affinities whereas faunas from the Levant, dating from the Middle Pleistocene onwards, contain typically European elements.

Burrowing Owl Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2012

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilde, Justin W.; Lindsey, Cole T.; Nugent, John J.

The monitoring during 2012 focused on documenting the status of known burrows. Newly identified burrows were documented while examining historical locations, during ecological resource reviews, or discovered during other monitoring efforts. The timing of the monitoring effort allowed staff to perform the surveys without disrupting any breeding or hatching, while also allowing for easy discernment of adults from juveniles, which helped in determining burrow-use type.

A search for artificial signals from the newly discovered planetary systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biraud, Francois; Heidmann, Jean; Tarter, Jill C.; Airieau, Sabine

1997-01-01

We conducted a search for narrowband artificial signals from the regions of stars around which planetary companions have been recently found: 51 Pegasi, Gliese 229, 70 Virginis, and 47 Ursae Majoris. We used the large Nangay decimetric telescope, with a frequency resolution of 50 Hz, and we scanned over 0.64 and 2.24 MHz respectively around the hydrogen and hydroxyl lines.

Transverse instability of solitary waves in the generalized kadomtsev-petviashvili equation

PubMed

Kataoka; Tsutahara; Negoro

2000-04-03

The linear stability of planar solitary waves with respect to long-wavelength transverse perturbations is studied in the framework of the generalized Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation. It is newly discovered that for some nonlinearities in this family, the solitary waves could be transversely unstable even in a medium with negative dispersion. In the case of positive dispersion, they are found to be always unstable.

A new species of Megaperlodes Yokoyama et al. 1990 (Plecoptera, Perlodidae) from the South of the Russian Far East.

PubMed

Teslenko, Valentina A

2015-01-08

A new species of Plecoptera Megaperlodes tiunovi sp. n., from the South of the Russian Far East is described and illustrated. The relationships with its close relatives are discussed. Newly discovered features are added to the diagnosis of the genus Megaperlodes, especially previously overlooked eversible lobes within the paraprocts, egg structure, and wing venation.

Determination of the distance to SWIFT J0243.6+6124

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bikmaev, I.; Shimansky, V.; Irtuganov, E.; Glushkov, M.; Sakhibullin, N.; Khamitov, I.; Burenin, R.; Lutovinov, A.; Zaznobin, I.; Pavlinsky, M.; Sunyaev, R.; Dodonov, S.; Afanasiev, V.; Kotov, S.; Doroshenko, V.; Tsygankov, S.

2017-11-01

We have performed an optical photometry and spectroscopy of the Be counterpart of a newly discovered transient X-Ray pulsar SWIFT J0243.6+6124 (Kennea et al, 2017, ATel #10809) using facilities of the 1.5-meter Russian-Turkish telescope (RTT-150, TUBITAK National Observatory, Antalya, Turkey) and the 6-meter Russian telescope (BTA, Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences).

Descriptions of four new species of Struthoscelis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae: Oecophorinae), one from Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Northwestern Costa Rica, providing the first known biology for the genus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We add three species to the known fauna: Struthoscelis christianafigueresae new species, Struthoscelis konia new species, and Struthoscelis solamarita new species. We report the first known biology for a species of Struthoscelis and rediagnose the genus based on newly discovered morphology including...

B.R.N.O. Contributions #40 Times of minima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juryšek, J.; Hoňková, K.; Šmelcer, L.; Mašek, M.; Lehký, M.; Bílek, F.; Mazanec, J.; Hanžl, D.; Magris, M.; Nosál, P.; Bragagnolo, U.; Medulka, T.; Vraš&tacute; ák, M.; Urbaník, M.; Auer, R. F.; Sergey, I.; Jacobsen, J.; Alessandroni, M. R.; Andreatta, C.; Antonio, Ch. F.; Artola, R.; Audejean, M.; Balanzino, L.; Banfi, M.; Bazán, R. S.; Borgonovo, M.; Cagaš, P.; Čaloud, J.; Campos, F.; Čapková, H.; Černíková, V.; Červinka, L.; Chiavassa, A.; Dřevěný, R.; Durantini, L. H.; Ferraro, M. E.; Ferrero, G.; Girardini, C.; Gudmundsson, S.; Guzzo, P.; Guevara, N.; Hladík, B.; Horník, M.; Jakš, S.; Janoštiak, L.; Jelínek, M.; Kalášek, J.; Kalmbach, R.; Kubica, T.; Kučáková, H.; Liška, J.; Lomoz, F.; López, O. Ch.; Lovato, B. M.; Morero, S.; Mrllák, R.; Mrňák, P.; Persha, G.; Pignata, R.; Pintr, P.; Popov, A.; Portillo, L. F. T.; Quiñones, C.; Rodriguez, E.; Ruocco, N.; Scaggiante, F.; Scavuzzo, A.; Šebela, P.; Šimkovič, S.; Školník, V.; Skubák, P.; Smolka, M.; Špecián, M.; Šuchaň, J.; Tornatore, M.; Trnka, J.; Tylšar, M.; Walter, F.; Zardin, D.; Zejda, M.; Zíbar, M.; Ziková, A.

2017-03-01

This paper presents 3394 times of minima for 1096 objects acquired by 82 members and cooperating observers of the Variable Star and Exoplanet Section of the Czech Astronomical Society (B.R.N.O. Observing project). Observations were carried out between October 2014 and November 2016. Some newly discovered stars by the observers of project B.R.N.O. are included in the list.

A newly discovered impact crater in Titan's Senkyo: Cassini VIMS observations and comparison with other impact features

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buratti, B.J.; Sotin, Christophe; Lawrence, K.; Brown, R.H.; Le, Mouelic S.; Soderblom, J.M.; Barnes, J.; Clark, R.N.; Baines, K.H.; Nicholson, P.D.

2012-01-01

Senkyo is an equatorial plain on Titan filled with dunes and surrounded by hummocky plateaus. During the Titan targeted flyby T61 on August 25, 2009, the Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) onboard the Cassini spacecraft observed a circular feature, centered at 5.4?? N and 341??W, that superimposes the dune fields and a bright plateau. This circular feature, which has been named Paxsi by the International Astronomical Union, is 120??10 km in diameter (measured from the outer edge of the crater rim) and exhibits a central bright area that can be interpreted as the central peak or pit of an impact crater. Although there are only a handful of certain impact craters on Titan, there are two other craters that are of similar size to this newly discovered feature and that have been studied by VIMS: Sinlap (Le Mou??lic et al, 2008) and Selk (Soderblom et al, 2010). Sinlap is associated with a large downwind, fan-like feature that may have been formed from an impact plume that rapidly expanded and deposited icy particles onto the surface. Although much of the surrounding region is covered with dunes, the plume region is devoid of dunes. The formation process of Selk also appears to have removed (or covered up) dunes from parts of the adjacent dune-filled terrain. The circular feature on Senkyo is quite different: there is no evidence of an ejecta blanket and the crater itself appears to be infilled with dune material. The rim of the crater appears to be eroded by fluvial processes; at one point the rim is breached. The rim is unusually narrow, which may be due to mass wasting on its inside and subsequent infill by dunes. Based on these observations, we interpret this newly discovered feature to be a more eroded crater than both Sinlap and Selk. Paxsi may have formed during a period when Titan was warmer and more ductile than it is currently. ?? 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term mortality after community-acquired pneumonia--impacts of diabetes and newly discovered hyperglycaemia: a prospective, observational cohort study.

PubMed

Koskela, Heikki O; Salonen, Päivi H; Romppanen, Jarkko; Niskanen, Leo

2014-08-21

Community-acquired pneumonia is associated with a significant long-term mortality after initial recovery. It has been acknowledged that additional research is urgently needed to examine the contributors to this long-term mortality. The objective of the present study was to assess whether diabetes or newly discovered hyperglycaemia during pneumonia affects long-term mortality. A prospective, observational cohort study. A single secondary centre in eastern Finland. 153 consecutive hospitalised patients who survived at least 30 days after mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia. Plasma glucose levels were recorded seven times during the first day on the ward. Several possible confounders were also recorded. The surveillance status and causes of death were recorded after median of 5 years and 11 months. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, a previous diagnosis of diabetes among the whole population (adjusted HR 2.84 (1.35-5.99)) and new postprandial hyperglycaemia among the non-diabetic population (adjusted HR 2.56 (1.04-6.32)) showed independent associations with late mortality. New fasting hyperglycaemia was not an independent predictor. The mortality rates at the end of follow-up were 54%, 37% and 10% among patients with diabetes, patients without diabetes with new postprandial hyperglycaemia and patients without diabetes without postprandial hyperglycaemia, respectively (p<0.001). The underlying causes of death roughly mirrored those in the Finnish general population with a slight excess in mortality due to chronic respiratory diseases. Pneumonia was the immediate cause of death in just 8% of all late deaths. A previous diagnosis of diabetes and newly discovered postprandial hyperglycaemia increase the risk of death for several years after community-acquired pneumonia. As the knowledge about patient subgroups with an increased late mortality risk is gradually gathering, more studies are needed to evaluate the possible postpneumonia interventions to reduce late mortality. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Minor Planet Center Data Processing Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudenko, Michael

2015-08-01

The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the single worldwide location for receipt and distribution of positional measurements of minor planets, comets and outer irregular natural satellites of the major planets. The MPC is responsible for the identification, designation and orbit computation for all of these objects.Over 2 million observations are received each month via the internet, and are validated and processed in near real time. The observations come in batches whose formats are checked and whose observations are run through a number of other routine checks such as departure from great circle motion, prior publication, single observations, near duplicates, etc. Some or all of a batch of observations may be returned to its sender if they fail one or more of the checks. After the observations have been validated, they are processed to produce orbits of newly discovered objects or used to update the orbits of known objects.Given the volume of observations, the sheer number of known objects against which to possibly match, the shortness of the time interval over which each object was likely observed, and the uncertainties in the positions, and occasionally possible errors in times, reported, a number of data processing challenges face the MPC. These include the following: Identifying observations of objects reported as new with already known objects; linking together sets of observations from different nights (possibly at different apparitions) which may belong to the same object; determining if a set of observations has been assigned to the wrong object; determining if an object with a very short arc is possibly a Near-Earth object; determining and examining the range of possible variant orbits of newly discovered Near-Earth objects with very short observation arcs for cases which indicate an object is potentially on a collision course with Earth; linking observations to known artificial satellites and/or booster stages and other space "junk"; prioritizing newly discovered objects in order of need of follow up; and, efficiently matching one or more observations with known objects (MPChecker web service), possibly of observations in the distant past.

A description of the Omo I postcranial skeleton, including newly discovered fossils.

PubMed

Pearson, Osbjorn M; Royer, Danielle F; Grine, Frederick E; Fleagle, John G

2008-09-01

Recent fieldwork in the Kibish Formation has expanded our knowledge of the geological, archaeological, and faunal context of the Omo I skeleton, the earliest known anatomically modern human. In the course of this fieldwork, several additional fragments of the skeleton were recovered: a middle manual phalanx, a distal manual phalanx, a right talus, a large and a small fragment of the left os coxae, a portion of the distal diaphysis of the right femur that conjoins with the distal epiphysis recovered in 1967, and a costal fragment. Some researchers have described the original postcranial fragments of Omo I as anatomically modern but have noted that a variety of aspects of the specimen's morphology depart from the usual anatomy of many recent populations. Reanalysis confirms this conclusion. Some of the unusual features in Omo I--a medially facing radial tuberosity, a laterally flaring facet on the talus for the lateral malleolus, and reduced dorsovolar curvature of the base of metacarpal I--are shared with Neandertals, some early modern humans from Skhul and Qafzeh, and some individuals from the European Gravettian, raising the possibility that Eurasian early modern humans inherited these features from an African predecessor rather than Neandertals. The fragment of the os coxae does not unambiguously diagnose Omo I's sex: the greater sciatic notch is intermediate in form, the acetabulum is large (male?), and a preauricular sulcus is present (female?). The preserved portion of the left humerus suggests that Omo I was quite tall, perhaps 178-182 cm, but the first metatarsal suggests a shorter stature of 162-173 cm. The morphology of the auricular surface of the os coxae suggests a young adult age.

The CARBONATE project: Mid-latitude Carbonate Systems - Complete Sequences from Cold-Water Coral Carbonate Mounds in the Northeast Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, A.; Freiwald, A.; Hebbeln, D.; Swennen, R.; van Weering, T.; de Haas, H.; Dorschel, B.

2007-12-01

Up to now the carbonate stored in carbonate mounds has not been considered in any global carbonate budget or linked to any global carbon budget involving greenhouse gases. A major challenge exists to quantify the amount and flux of carbon stored by these newly discovered areas of enhanced carbonate accumulation in intermediate water depth. Furthermore, investigations so far reveal that all mounds possess different growth histories depending on the environmental setting and the involved faunal associations. Unfortunately, existing cores only penetrated the upper few meters of the mounds thus limiting mound research to the very late stage of mound development. Access to the longer sequences preserved in giant carbonate mounds was overcome in May 2005 when the IODP Expedition 307 (Porcupine Mound Drilling) recovered complete sedimentary records from one 155 m high "Challenger Mound" in the Porcupine Seabight west off Ireland. Furthermore, EU-FP projects have revealed late stage history of giant mounds in different settings showing that different mounds respond in different ways to environmental forcing factors with no one mound being typical of all. CARBONATE will drill complete sequences through a number of mounds in differing environmental settings using the portable drill rig MeBo (University of Bremen). By understanding how biogeochemical processes control the development of these carbonate mounds and their response to climate change, we will make an important step in quantifying their role as mid-latitude carbonate sinks. In the end, a better understanding of the processes involved in mound formation and development may also result in new views on fossil analogues many of which are less accessible hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Growth habit of the late Paleozoic rhizomorphic tree-lycopsid family Diaphorodendraceae: phylogenetic, evolutionary, and paleoecological significance.

PubMed

Dimichele, William A; Elrick, Scott D; Bateman, Richard M

2013-08-01

Rhizomorphic lycopsids evolved the tree habit independently of all other land plants. Newly discovered specimens allow radical revision of our understanding of the growth architectures of the extinct Paleozoic sister-genera Synchysidendron and Diaphorodendron. Detailed descriptions of six remarkable adpression specimens from the Pennsylvanian of the USA and three casts from the late Mississippian of Scotland are used to revise and reanalyze a previously published morphological cladistic matrix and to reinterpret their remarkable growth forms. Contrary to previous assertions, Synchysidendron resembled Diaphorodendron in having a distinct and relatively complex growth habit that emphasized serially homologous, closely spaced, deciduous lateral branches at the expense of reduced monocarpic crown branches. Lateral branches originated through several strongly anisotomous dichotomies before producing during extended periods large numbers of Achlamydocarpon strobili. The comparatively large diameter of abscission scars remaining on the main trunk and the emergence of branches above the horizontal plane suggest that the lateral branch systems were robust. Lateral branches were borne in two opposite rows on the main trunk and continued upward into an isotomously branched, determinate crown; their striking distichous arrangement caused preferred orientation of fallen trunks on bedding planes. This discovery identifies the plagiotropic growth habit, dominated by serial lateral branches, as ubiquitous in the Diaphorodendraceae and also as unequivocally primitive within Isoetales s.l., a conclusion supported by both the revised morphological cladistic analysis and relative first appearances of taxa in the fossil record. Previously assumed complete homology between crown branching in Lepidodendraceae and that of all earlier-divergent genera requires reassessment. Saltational phenotypic transitions via modification of key developmental switches remains the most credible explanation for architectural evolution in the group. The resulting architecture allowed Diaphorodendraceae to co-dominate disturbed, clastic, equatorial wetlands from the Asbian to the Early Permian.

Kepler-90 system (Artist's Concept)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-14

Our solar system now is tied for most number of planets around a single star, with the recent discovery of an eighth planet circling Kepler-90, a Sun-like star 2,545 light years from Earth. The planet was discovered in data from NASA's Kepler Space Telescope. The newly-discovered Kepler-90i -- a sizzling hot, rocky planet that orbits its star once every 14.4 days -- was found using machine learning from Google. Machine learning is an approach to artificial intelligence in which computers "learn." In this case, computers learned to identify planets by finding in Kepler data instances where the telescope recorded changes in starlight caused by planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22192

Anatomical Confirmation of Computed Tomography-Based Diagnosis of the Atherosclerosis Discovered in 17th Century Korean Mummy

PubMed Central

Kim, Myeung Ju; Kim, Yi-Suk; Oh, Chang Seok; Go, Jai-Hyang; Lee, In Sun; Park, Won-Kyu; Cho, Seok-Min; Kim, Soon-Kwan; Shin, Dong Hoon

2015-01-01

In the present study on a newly discovered 17th century Korean mummy, computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple aortic calcifications within the aortic wall that were indicative of ancient atherosclerosis. The CT-based findings were confirmed by our subsequent post-factum dissection, which exhibited possible signs of the disease including ulcerated plaques, ruptured hemorrhages, and intimal thickening where the necrotic core was covered by the fibrous cap. These findings are strong indicators that the mummy suffered from aortic atherosclerosis during her lifetime. The present study is a good example of how CT images of vascular calcifications can be a useful diagnostic tool in forming at least preliminary diagnoses of ancient atherosclerosis. PMID:25816014

Long term structural effects in water: autothixotropy of water and its hysteresis.

PubMed

Vybíral, Bohumil; Vorácek, Pavel

2007-07-01

We discovered a previously unknown phenomenon in liquid water, which develops over time when water is left to stand undisturbed, and which made precise gravimetric measurement impossible. We term this property autothixotropy (weak gel-like behaviour developing spontaneously over time) and propose a possible explanation. The results of quantitative measurements, performed by two different methods, are presented. We also report the newly discovered phenomenon of autothixotropy-hysteresis and describe the dependence of autothixotropy on the degree of molecular translative freedom. A very important conclusion is that the presence of very low concentration of salt ions, these phenomena do not occur in deionized water. Salt ions may be the determinative condition for the occurrence of the phenomena.

A low-temperature companion to a white dwarf star

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becklin, E. E.; Zuckerman, B.

1988-01-01

An infrared object located about 120 AU from the white dwarf GD165 has been discovered. With the exception of the possible brown dwarf companion to Giclas 29-38 reported last year, the companion to GD165 is the coolest (2100 K) dwarf star ever reported and, according to some theoretical models, it should be a substellar brown dwarf with a mass between 0.06 and 0.08 solar mass. These results, together with newly discovered low-mass stellar companions to white dwarfs, change the investigation of very low-mass stars from the study of a few chance objects to that of a statistical distribution. In particular, it appears that very low-mass stars and perhaps even brown dwarfs could be quite common in the Galaxy.

Identification and preliminary characterization of a protein motif related to the zinc finger.

PubMed Central

Lovering, R; Hanson, I M; Borden, K L; Martin, S; O'Reilly, N J; Evan, G I; Rahman, D; Pappin, D J; Trowsdale, J; Freemont, P S

1993-01-01

We have identified a protein motif, related to the zinc finger, which defines a newly discovered family of proteins. The motif was found in the sequence of the human RING1 gene, which is proximal to the major histocompatibility complex region on chromosome six. We propose naming this motif the "RING finger" and it is found in 27 proteins, all of which have putative DNA binding functions. We have synthesized a peptide corresponding to the RING1 motif and examined a number of properties, including metal and DNA binding. We provide evidence to support the suggestion that the RING finger motif is the DNA binding domain of this newly defined family of proteins. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 4 PMID:7681583

Biaxiality in Nematic and Smectic Liquid Crystals. Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Satyendra; Li, Quan; Srinivasarao, Mohan

2017-01-24

During the award period, the project team explored several phenomena in a diverse group of soft condensed matter systems. These include understanding of the structure of the newly discovered twist-bend nematic phase, solving the mystery of de Vries smectic phases, probing of interesting associations and defect structures in chromonic liquid crystalline systems, dispersions of ferroelectric nanoparticles in smectic liquid crystals, investigations of newly synthesized light sensitive and energy harvesting materials with highly desirable transport properties. Our findings are summarized in the following report followed by a list of 36 publications and 37 conference presentations. We achieved this with the supportmore » of Basic Sciences Division of the US DOE for which we are thankful.« less

Desulfurization of Dibenzothiophene and Diesel Oils by a Newly Isolated Gordona Strain, CYKS1

PubMed Central

Rhee, Sung-Keun; Chang, Je Hwan; Chang, Yong Keun; Chang, Ho Nam

1998-01-01

A dibenzothiophene (DBT)-desulfurizing bacterial strain was isolated and identified as Gordona strain CYKS1. Strain CYKS1 was found to transform DBT to 2-hydroxybiphenyl via the 4S pathway and to be able to also use organic sulfur compounds other than DBT as a sole sulfur source. Its desulfurization activity was susceptible to sulfate repression. Active resting cells for desulfurization could be prepared only in the early growth phase. When two types of diesel oils, middle distillate unit feed (MDUF) and light gas oil (LGO) containing various organic sulfur compounds including DBT, were treated with resting cells of strain CYKS1 for 12 h, the total sulfur content significantly decreased, from 0.15% (wt/wt) to 0.06% (wt/wt) for MDUF and from 0.3% (wt/wt) to 0.25% (wt/wt) for LGO. The newly isolated strain CYKS1 is considered to have good potential for application in the biodesulfurization of fossil fuels. PMID:9603863

Quasars in the Galactic Anti-Center Area from LAMOST DR3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Zhi-Ying; Liu, Xiao-Wei; Shi, Jian-Rong; Xiang, Mao-Sheng; Huang, Yang; Yuan, Hai-Bo; Zhang, Jian-Nan; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Jian-Ling; Wu, Yu-Zhong; Cao, Zi-Huang; Zhang, Yong; Hou, Yong-Hui; Wang, Yue-Fei

2017-03-01

We present a sample of quasars discovered in an area near the Galactic Anti-Center covering 150^\\circ ≤ l≤ 210^\\circ and | b| ≤ 30^\\circ , based on LAMOST Data Release 3 (DR3). This sample contains 151 spectroscopically confirmed quasars. Among them 80 are newly discovered with LAMOST. All these quasars are very bright, with i magnitudes peaking around 17.5 mag. All the new quasars were discovered serendipitously from objects that were originally targeted with LAMOST as stars having bluer colors, except for a few candidates targeted as variable, young stellar objects. This bright quasar sample at low Galactic latitudes will help fill the gap in the spatial distribution of known quasars near the Galactic disk that are used to construct an astrometric reference frame for the purpose of accurate proper motion measurements that can be applied to, for example, Gaia. They are also excellent tracers to probe the kinematics and chemistry of the interstellar medium in the Milky Way disk and halo via absorption line spectroscopy.

Low palaeoelevation of the northern Lhasa terrane during late Eocene: Fossil foraminifera and stable isotope evidence from the Gerze Basin.

PubMed

Wei, Yi; Zhang, Kexin; Garzione, Carmala N; Xu, Yadong; Song, Bowen; Ji, Junliang

2016-06-08

The Lhasa terrane is a key region for understanding the paleoelevation of the southern Tibetan Plateau after India-Asia collision. The Gerze Basin, located in the northern part of the Lhasa terrane, is a shortening-related basin. We discovered Lagena laevis (Bandy) fossils in upper Eocene strata of the Gerze Basin. This type of foraminifera is associated with lagoon and estuarine environments, indicating that the northern part of the Lhasa terrane was near sea level during the late Eocene. We speculate that these foraminifera were transported inland by storm surges to low elevation freshwater lakes during times of marine transgressions. This inference is consistent with the relatively positive δ(18)O values in carbonate from the same deposits that indicate low palaeoelevations close to sea level. Considering the palaeoelevation results from the nearby Oligocene basins at a similar latitude and the volcanic history of the Lhasa terrane, we infer that large-magnitude surface uplift of the northern Lhasa terrane occurred between late Eocene and late Oligocene time.

Low palaeoelevation of the northern Lhasa terrane during late Eocene: Fossil foraminifera and stable isotope evidence from the Gerze Basin

PubMed Central

Wei, Yi; Zhang, Kexin; Garzione, Carmala N.; Xu, Yadong; Song, Bowen; Ji, Junliang

2016-01-01

The Lhasa terrane is a key region for understanding the paleoelevation of the southern Tibetan Plateau after India-Asia collision. The Gerze Basin, located in the northern part of the Lhasa terrane, is a shortening-related basin. We discovered Lagena laevis (Bandy) fossils in upper Eocene strata of the Gerze Basin. This type of foraminifera is associated with lagoon and estuarine environments, indicating that the northern part of the Lhasa terrane was near sea level during the late Eocene. We speculate that these foraminifera were transported inland by storm surges to low elevation freshwater lakes during times of marine transgressions. This inference is consistent with the relatively positive δ18O values in carbonate from the same deposits that indicate low palaeoelevations close to sea level. Considering the palaeoelevation results from the nearby Oligocene basins at a similar latitude and the volcanic history of the Lhasa terrane, we infer that large-magnitude surface uplift of the northern Lhasa terrane occurred between late Eocene and late Oligocene time. PMID:27272610

New Data on the Clevosaurus (Sphenodontia: Clevosauridae) from the Upper Triassic of Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

Hsiou, Annie Schmaltz; De França, Marco Aurélio Gallo; Ferigolo, Jorge

2015-01-01

The sphenodontian fossil record in South America is well known from Mesozoic and Paleogene deposits of Argentinean Patagonia, mainly represented by opisthodontians, or taxa closely related to the modern Sphenodon. In contrast, the Brazilian fossil record is restricted to the Caturrita Formation, Late Triassic of Rio Grande do Sul, represented by several specimens of Clevosauridae, including Clevosaurus brasiliensis Bonaparte and Sues, 2006. Traditionally, Clevosauridae includes several Late Triassic to Early Jurassic taxa, such as Polysphenodon, Brachyrhinodon, and Clevosaurus, the latter well-represented by several species. The detailed description of the specimen MCN-PV 2852 allowed the first systematic revision of most Clevosaurus species. Within Clevosauridae, Polysphenodon is the most basal taxon, and an IterPCR analysis revealed Brachrhynodon as a possible Clevosaurus; C. petilus, C. wangi, and C. mcgilli as possibly distinct taxonomic entities; and the South African Clevosaurus sp. is not closely related to C. brasiliensis. These data indicate the need of a deep phylogenetic review of Clevosauridae, in order to discover synapomorphic characters among the diversity of these Triassic/Jurassic sphenodontians. PMID:26355294

Museums and disease: using tissue archive and museum samples to study pathogens.

PubMed

Tsangaras, Kyriakos; Greenwood, Alex D

2012-01-20

Molecular studies of archival and fossil samples have traditionally focused on the nucleic acids derived from the host species. However, there has recently been an increase in ancient DNA research on the identification and characterization of infectious agents within the hosts. The study of pathogens from the past provides great opportunities for discovering the causes of historical infection events, characterizing host-microorganism co-evolution and directly investigating the evolution of specific pathogens. Several research teams have been able to isolate and characterize a variety of different bacterial, parasite and viral microorganisms. However, this emerging field is not without obstacles. The diagenetic processes that make ancient DNA research generally difficult are also impediments to ancient pathogen research and perhaps more so given that their DNA may represent an even rarer proportion of the remaining nucleic acids in a fossil sample than host DNA. However, studies performed under controlled conditions and following stringent ancient DNA protocols can and have yielded reliable and often surprising results. This article reviews the advantages, problems, and failures of ancient microbiological research. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Global Biodiversity and Phylogenetic Evaluation of Remipedia (Crustacea)

PubMed Central

Neiber, Marco T.; Hartke, Tamara R.; Stemme, Torben; Bergmann, Alexandra; Rust, Jes; Iliffe, Thomas M.; Koenemann, Stefan

2011-01-01

Remipedia is one of the most recently discovered classes of crustaceans, first described in 1981 from anchialine caves in the Bahamas Archipelago. The class is divided into the order Enantiopoda, represented by two fossil species, and Nectiopoda, which contains all known extant remipedes. Since their discovery, the number of nectiopodan species has increased to 24, half of which were described during the last decade. Nectiopoda exhibit a disjunct global distribution pattern, with the highest abundance and diversity in the Caribbean region, and isolated species in the Canary Islands and in Western Australia. Our review of Remipedia provides an overview of their ecological characteristics, including a detailed list of all anchialine marine caves, from which species have been recorded. We discuss alternative hypotheses of the phylogenetic position of Remipedia within Arthropoda, and present first results of an ongoing molecular-phylogenetic analysis that do not support the monophyly of several nectiopodan taxa. We believe that a taxonomic revision of Remipedia is absolutely essential, and that a comprehensive revision should include a reappraisal of the fossil record. PMID:21625553

First evidence of “ancient deer” (cervid) in the late Miocene Bira Formation, Northern Israel

PubMed Central

Shaked Gelband, Dotan; Stein, Mordechai; Mienis, Henk K.; Rabinovich, Rivka

2017-01-01

Despite the extensive geological and paleontological searches in the south Levant, no terrestrial fauna of late Neogene age was yet reported. Here, we report the first evidence of “ancient deer”–cervid in the late Miocene (Tortonian) lacustrine section of the Bira Formation at Hagal Stream, Jordan Valley, northern Israel. The section comprises rich assemblage of macrofauna fossils, mostly freshwater mollusks. The mammalian bone was discovered among the macrofauna fossils, and is described as an almost complete left humerus of an adult animal identified as an artiodactyls element probably of a cervid. This terrestrial mammal shares similar paleoenvironmental conditions with other contemporaneous localities, where cervids prevailed with bovids and other taxa. It appears that the freshwater lakes provided favorite habitat for the development of the cervids and possibly other mammals. The specific conditions of preservation of the cervid illuminate the role of post depositional processes (taphonomic constrains) in masking terrestrial fauna remains in the region. Accordingly, further efforts will be devoted to unveil the mute part of the southern Levant–east Mediterranean terrestrial faunistic realm at the end of the Miocene. PMID:29091714

Scientific Encounters of the Insect World. Reading Activities That Explore Nature's Fascinating Insects. A Good Apple Science Activity Book for Grades 4-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Embry, Lynn

Insects comprise the largest group of animals in the world and newly discovered ones are being added to the list every year. The habits of even the most common insects are interesting to observe. This book introduces insects that many children will be able to observe in their environments. Interesting information is presented to help children…

Pantheon of Planets Similar to Earth Artist Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-07-23

A newly discovered exoplanet, Kepler-452b, comes the closest of any found so far to matching our Earth-sun system. This artist's conception of a planetary lineup shows habitable-zone planets with similarities to Earth: from left, Kepler-22b, Kepler-69c, the just announced Kepler-452b, Kepler-62f and Kepler-186f. Last in line is Earth itself. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19830

The expanding polymerase universe.

PubMed

Goodman, M F; Tippin, B

2000-11-01

Over the past year, the number of known prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA polymerases has exploded. Many of these newly discovered enzymes copy aberrant bases in the DNA template over which 'respectable' polymerases fear to tread. The next step is to unravel their functions, which are thought to range from error-prone copying of DNA lesions, somatic hypermutation and avoidance of skin cancer, to restarting stalled replication forks and repairing double-stranded DNA breaks.

Clinical characteristics of children with fever and transient neutropenia who experience serious bacterial infections.

PubMed

Bonadio, W A; Stremski, E; Shallow, K

1989-09-01

A review of consecutive previously healthy children with fever and newly discovered neutropenia without underlying malignancy, evaluated during a three-year period, was performed. A total of 68 episodes occurred in 68 patients; blood culture was performed on each. Of 17 patients who appeared compromised (ill, irritable, toxic) on presentation, five (30%) had either bacteremia or bacterial meningitis. All five patients had clinical evidence of a fulminant disease process on examination. By contrast, all 51 patients who appeared to be well on presentation were culture-negative. Fever and new-onset neutropenia in children is a heterogeneous disorder with several outcomes. Any child with fever and newly discovered neutropenia who appears ill should be presumed to be at high risk for systemic bacterial infection and receive hospitalization for parenteral antibiotic therapy. By contrast, the previously healthy child older than two months of age with fever and new-onset neutropenia who appears to be well, and whose clinical evaluation does not indicate a serious underlying disease process, is at low risk for accompanying systemic bacterial infection; hospitalization with empiric antibiotic therapy pending culture results is not warranted for the majority of such children. Close outpatient monitoring with serial evaluation of the peripheral blood absolute neutrophil count to document bone marrow recovery is recommended for such cases.

Network topological analysis reveals the functional cohesiveness for the newly discovered links by Yeast 2 Hybrid approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghiassian, Susan; Pevzner, Sam; Rolland, Thomas; Tassan, Murat; Barabasi, Albert Laszlo; Vidal, Mark; CCNR, Northeastern University Collaboration; Dana Farber Cancer Institute Collaboration

2014-03-01

Protein-protein interaction maps and interactomes are the blueprint of Network Medicine and systems biology and are being experimentally studied by different groups. Despite the wide usage of Literature Curated Interactome (LCI), these sources are biased towards different parameters such as highly studied proteins. Yeast two hybrid method is a high throughput experimental setup which screens proteins in an unbiased fashion. Current knowledge of protein interactions is far from complete. In fact the previous offered data from Y2H method (2005), is estimated to offer only 5% of all potential protein interactions. Currently this coverage has increased to 20% of what is known as reference HI In this work we study the topological properties of Y2H protein-protein interactions network with LCI and show although they both agree on some properties, LCI shows a clear unbiased nature of interaction selections. Most importantly, we assess the properties of PPI as it evolves with increasing the coverage. We show that, the newly discovered interactions tend to connect proteins that have been closer than average in the previous PPI release. reinforcing the modular structure of PPI. Furthermore, we show, some unseen effects on PPI (as opposed to LCI) can be explained by its incompleteness.

A Checklist of Chigger Mites (Acari: Trombiculidae and Leeuwenhökiidae) From Taiwan, With Descriptions of Three New Species.

PubMed

Chung, Lo-Hsuan; Wu, Wen-Jer; Kuo, Chi-Chien; Wang, Hsi-Chieh

2015-11-01

Scrub typhus is a lethal human disease transmitted by larval trombiculid mites (i.e., chiggers) that have been infected with the rickettsia Orientia tsutsugamushi. In total, 21 chigger species are known from Taiwan. We update the checklist of chiggers of Taiwan based on an intensive survey of shrew and rodent hosts in grasslands and agricultural fields in lowland Taiwan, coupled with surveys of forests in one mountainous site and an opportunistic examination of submitted host specimens. Three new species of chiggers, Gahrliepia (Gateria) lieni sp. n., Gahrliepia (Gateria) minuta sp. n., and Gahrliepia (Gateria) yilanensis sp. n., as well as 23 newly recorded chigger species, were discovered. Accordingly, recorded chigger species of Taiwan more than doubled from 21 to 47 species. Two new species and nine newly recorded chigger species were discovered in forests in one mountainous site in northeastern Taiwan, suggesting that many more chigger species may be uncovered, particularly in mountainous Taiwan. Further studies should also investigate O. tsutsugamushi infection in different chigger species to assess its risks to human health. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Emergence of a New Pathogenic Ehrlichia Species, Wisconsin and Minnesota, 2009

PubMed Central

Pritt, Bobbi S.; Sloan, Lynne M.; Johnson, Diep K. Hoang; Munderloh, Ulrike G.; Paskewitz, Susan M.; McElroy, Kristina M.; McFadden, Jevon D.; Binnicker, Matthew J.; Neitzel, David F.; Liu, Gongping; Nicholson, William L.; Nelson, Curtis M.; Franson, Joni J.; Martin, Scott A.; Cunningham, Scott A.; Steward, Christopher R.; Bogumill, Kay; Bjorgaard, Mary E.; Davis, Jeffrey P.; McQuiston, Jennifer H.; Warshauer, David M.; Wilhelm, Mark P.; Patel, Robin; Trivedi, Vipul A.; Eremeeva, Marina E.

2012-01-01

Background Ehrlichiosis is a clinically important, emerging zoonosis. Only Ehrlichia chaffeensis and E. ewingii have been thought to cause ehrlichiosis in humans in the United States. Patients with suspected ehrlichiosis routinely undergo testing to ensure proper diagnosis and to ascertain the cause. Methods We used molecular methods, culturing, and serologic testing to diagnose and ascertain the cause of cases of ehrlichiosis. Results On testing, four cases of ehrlichiosis in Minnesota or Wisconsin were found not to be from E. chaffeensis or E. ewingii and instead to be caused by a newly discovered ehrlichia species. All patients had fever, malaise, headache, and lymphopenia; three had thrombocytopenia; and two had elevated liver-enzyme levels. All recovered after receiving doxycycline treatment. At least 17 of 697 Ixodes scapularis ticks collected in Minnesota or Wisconsin were positive for the same ehrlichia species on polymerase-chain-reaction testing. Genetic analyses revealed that this new ehrlichia species is closely related to E. muris. Conclusions We report a new ehrlichia species in Minnesota and Wisconsin and provide supportive clinical, epidemiologic, culture, DNA-sequence, and vector data. Physicians need to be aware of this newly discovered close relative of E. muris to ensure appropriate testing, treatment, and regional surveillance. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) PMID:21812671

Swift Multi-wavelength Observing Campaigns: Strategies and Outcomes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krimm, Hans A.

2007-01-01

The Swift gamma-ray burst explorer has been operating since December 2004 as both a gamma-ray burst (GRB) monitor and telescope and a multi-wavelength observatory, covering the energy range from V band and near UV to hard X rays above 150 keV. It is designed to rapidly repoint to observe newly discovered GRBs, and this maneuverability, combined with an easily changed observing program, allows Swift to also be an effective multiwavelength observatory for non-GRB targets, both as targets of opportunity and pre-planned multi-wavelength observing campaigns. Blazars are particularly attractive targets for coordinated campaigns with TeV experiments since many blazars are bright in both the hard X-ray and TeV energy ranges. Successful coordinated campaigns have included observations of 3C454.3 during its 2005 outburst. The latest Swift funding cycles allow for non- GRB related observations to be proposed. The Burst Alert Telescope on Swift also serves as a hard X-ray monitor with a public web page that includes light curves for over 400 X-ray sources and is used to alert the astronomical community about increased activity from both known and newly discovered sources. This presentation mill include Swift capabilities, strategies and policies for coordinated multi-wavelength observations as well as discussion of the potential outcomes of such campaigns.

A diminutive new species of cave-dwelling Wolf Snake (Colubridae: Lycodon Boie, 1826) from Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Grismer, L Lee; Quah, Evan S H; Anuar M S, Shahrul; Muin, Mohd Abdul; Wood, Perry L; Nor, Siti Azizah Mohd

2014-06-12

A newly discovered, diminutive, cave-dwelling, lowland species of the colubrid snake genus Lycodon Boie is described from a limestone cave along the Thai-Malaysian border in the state of Perlis, northwestern Peninsular Malaysia. Lycodon cavernicolus sp. nov. is most closely related to L. butleri Boulenger, an endemic, upland, forest-dwelling species from Peninsular Malaysia of the fasciatus group but is separated from L. butleri and all other species of the L. fasciatus group and the closely related L. ruhstrati group by having the combination of 245 (male) and 232 (female) ventral scales; 113 (male) and 92 (female) paired, subcaudal scales; a single precloacal plate; nine or 10 supralabials; 10 or 11 infralabials; a maximum total length of 508 mm (female); a relative tail length of 0.25-0.27; an immaculate venter in juveniles and dark-brown, posterior, ventral scale margins in adults; and dorsal and caudal bands in juveniles white. The discovery of L. cavernicolus sp. nov. adds to a rapidly growing list of newly discovered reptiles from karst regions and limestone forests of Peninsular Malaysia, underscoring the fact that these areas should be studied before they are quarried as they harbor a significant portion of the Peninsular Malaysia's herpetological diversity.

FIRST PHOTOMETRIC INVESTIGATION OF THE NEWLY DISCOVERED W UMa-TYPE BINARY STAR MR Com

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qian, S.-B.; Liu, N.-P.; Liao, W.-P.

By analyzing multi-color light curves of the newly discovered W UMa-type binary, MR Com, we discovered that it is a shallow-contact binary with a degree of contact factor of f = 10.0% {+-} 2.1%. Photometric solutions reveal that MR Com is a W-type system with a mass ratio of q = 3.9 where the less massive component is about 90 K hotter than the more massive one. By investigating all of the available times of minimum light, we found that the general trend of the Observed-Calculated (O - C) curve shows a downward parabolic variation while it undergoes a cyclicmore » variation with a small amplitude of 0.0031 days and a period of 10.1 yr. The downward parabolic change corresponds to a long-term decrease in the orbital period at a rate of P-dot = -5.3 x 10{sup -7} days yr{sup -1} that may be caused by a combination of a mass transfer and an angular momentum loss (AML) via magnetic braking. Among the 16 shallow-contact systems with a decreasing orbital period, MR Com has the lowest mass ratio (e.g., 1/q = 0.26). The shallow-contact configuration, the low-mass ratio, and the long-term period decrease all suggest that systems similar to MR Com are on the AML-controlled stage of the evolutionary scheme proposed by Qian. They will oscillate around a critical mass ratio and evolve into a deep contact with a higher mass ratio. The small-amplitude cyclic change in the O - C curve was analyzed for the light-travel time effect via the presence of an extremely cool stellar companion.« less

Feasibility of dsRNA treatment for post-clearing SPF shrimp stocks of newly discovered viral infections using Laem Singh virus (LSNV) as a model.

PubMed

Saksmerprome, Vanvimon; Charoonnart, Patai; Flegel, Timothy W

2017-05-02

Using post-larvae derived from specific pathogen free (SPF) stocks in penaeid shrimp farming has led to a dramatic increase in production. At the same time, new pathogens of farmed shrimp are continually being discovered. Sometimes these pathogens are carried by shrimp and other crustaceans as persistent infections without gross signs of disease. Thus it is that a 5-generation stock of Penaeus monodon SPF for several pathogens was found, post-stock-development, to be persistently-infected with newly-discovered Laem Singh virus (LSNV). In this situation, the stock developers were faced with destroying their existing stock (developed over a long period at considerable cost) and starting the whole stock development process anew in order to add LSNV to its SPF list. As an alternative, it was hypothesized that injection of complementary dsRNA into viral-infected broodstock prior to mating might inhibit replication of the target virus sufficiently to reduce or eliminate its transmission to their offspring. Subsequent selection of uninfected offspring would allow for post-clearing of LSNV from the existing stock and for conversion of the stock to LSNV-free status. Testing this hypothesis using the LSNV-infected stock described above, we found that transmission was substantially reduced in several treated broodstock compared to much higher transmission in buffer-injected broodstock. Based on these results, the model is proposed for post-clearing of SPF stocks using dsRNA treatment. The model may also be applicable to post-clearing of exceptional, individual performers from grow-out ponds for return to a nucleus breeding center. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A newly discovered Bordetella species carries a transcriptionally active CRISPR-Cas with a small Cas9 endonuclease.

PubMed

Ivanov, Yury V; Shariat, Nikki; Register, Karen B; Linz, Bodo; Rivera, Israel; Hu, Kai; Dudley, Edward G; Harvill, Eric T

2015-10-26

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated genes (cas) are widely distributed among bacteria. These systems provide adaptive immunity against mobile genetic elements specified by the spacer sequences stored within the CRISPR. The CRISPR-Cas system has been identified using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) against other sequenced and annotated genomes and confirmed via CRISPRfinder program. Using Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCR) and Sanger DNA sequencing, we discovered CRISPRs in additional bacterial isolates of the same species of Bordetella. Transcriptional activity and processing of the CRISPR have been assessed via RT-PCR. Here we describe a novel Type II-C CRISPR and its associated genes-cas1, cas2, and cas9-in several isolates of a newly discovered Bordetella species. The CRISPR-cas locus, which is absent in all other Bordetella species, has a significantly lower GC-content than the genome-wide average, suggesting acquisition of this locus via horizontal gene transfer from a currently unknown source. The CRISPR array is transcribed and processed into mature CRISPR RNAs (crRNA), some of which have homology to prophages found in closely related species B. hinzii. Expression of the CRISPR-Cas system and processing of crRNAs with perfect homology to prophages present in closely related species, but absent in that containing this CRISPR-Cas system, suggest it provides protection against phage predation. The 3,117-bp cas9 endonuclease gene from this novel CRISPR-Cas system is 990 bp smaller than that of Streptococcus pyogenes, the 4,017-bp allele currently used for genome editing, and which may make it a useful tool in various CRISPR-Cas technologies.

Fossil and genomic evidence constrains the timing of bison arrival in North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Froese, Duane; Stiller, Mathias; Heintzman, Peter D.; Reyes, Alberto V.; Zazula, Grant D.; Soares, André E. R.; Meyer, Matthias; Hall, Elizabeth; Jensen, Britta J. L.; Arnold, Lee J.; MacPhee, Ross D. E.; Shapiro, Beth

2017-03-01

The arrival of bison in North America marks one of the most successful large-mammal dispersals from Asia within the last million years, yet the timing and nature of this event remain poorly determined. Here, we used a combined paleontological and paleogenomic approach to provide a robust timeline for the entry and subsequent evolution of bison within North America. We characterized two fossil-rich localities in Canada’s Yukon and identified the oldest well-constrained bison fossil in North America, a 130,000-y-old steppe bison, Bison cf. priscus. We extracted and sequenced mitochondrial genomes from both this bison and from the remains of a recently discovered, ˜120,000-y-old giant long-horned bison, Bison latifrons, from Snowmass, Colorado. We analyzed these and 44 other bison mitogenomes with ages that span the Late Pleistocene, and identified two waves of bison dispersal into North America from Asia, the earliest of which occurred ˜195-135 thousand y ago and preceded the morphological diversification of North American bison, and the second of which occurred during the Late Pleistocene, ˜45-21 thousand y ago. This chronological arc establishes that bison first entered North America during the sea level lowstand accompanying marine isotope stage 6, rejecting earlier records of bison in North America. After their invasion, bison rapidly colonized North America during the last interglaciation, spreading from Alaska through continental North America; they have been continuously resident since then.

A new fossil mammal assemblage from the southern Chilean Andes: implications for geology, geochronology, and tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flynn, John J.; Novacek, Michael J.; Dodson, Holly E.; Frassinetti, Daniel; McKenna, Malcolm C.; Norell, Mark A.; Sears, Karen E.; Swisher, Carl C.; Wyss, André R.

2002-07-01

A diverse (36 taxa), new fossil terrestrial mammal assemblage has been recovered from the Santacrucian South American Land Mammal 'Age' (SALMA; latest Early Miocene) in the southern Andes of Chile. This is the westernmost high latitude mammal fauna known in South America and the first in a string of new mammal assemblages discovered in Chile after a lapse of nearly a century. The terrestrial mammal-bearing sequence conformably overlies a marine section of Late Oligocene to Early Miocene age. The combined marine-terrestrial sequence, as well as a locality with fossil whales and bracketing basalts, bear significantly on theories regarding the extent of the late Tertiary Patagonian epicontinental seaway and the onset of later Cenozoic phases of uplift in the southern Andes. Uplift in this region likely began by Santacrucian SALMA (˜16-17.5 Ma) time, but it remains uncertain whether this occurred in two phases (Pehuenchic and Quechuic) or one. These discoveries substantiate propositions of sharp geologic contrasts north and south of the Lago General Carrera/Lago Buenos Aires area (Magellanes basin to the south and Río Mayo embayment to the north). Minimum estimates of uplift rate are approximately 0.05-0.07 mm/yr (but as high as 0.22 mm/yr), comparable to or slightly lower than those from other parts of the Andes (e.g. Bolivia). The timing and location of uplift may be correlated with major plate tectonic events associated with the Chile Margin Triple Junction.

Preservation of large titanosaur sauropods in overbank fluvial facies: A case study in the Cretaceous of Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González Riga, Bernardo J.; Astini, Ricardo A.

2007-04-01

Patagonia exhibits a particularly abundant record of Cretaceous dinosaurs with worldwide relevance. Although paleontological studies are relatively numerous, few include taphonomic information about these faunas. This contribution provides the first detailed sedimentological and taphonomical analyses of a dinosaur bone quarry from northern Neuquén Basin. At Arroyo Seco (Mendoza Province, Argentina), a large parautochthonous/autochthonous accumulation of articulated and disarticulated bones that represent several sauropod individuals has been discovered. The fossil remains, assigned to Mendozasaurus neguyelap González Riga, correspond to a large (18-27-m long) sauropod titanosaur collected in the strata of the Río Neuquén Subgroup (late Turoronian-late Coniacian). A taphonomic viewpoint recognizes a two-fold division into biostratinomic and fossil-diagenetic processes. Biostratinomic processes include (1) subaerial biodegradation of sauropod carcasses on well-drained floodplains, (2) partial or total skeletal disarticulation, (3) reorientation of bones by sporadic overbank flows, and (4) subaerial weathering. Fossil-diagenetic processes include (1) plastic deformation of bones, (2) initial permineralization with hematite, (3) fracturing and brittle deformation due to lithostatic pressure; (4) secondary permineralization with calcite in vascular canals and fractures, and (5) postfossilization bone weathering. This type of bone concentration, also present in Rincón de los Sauces (northern Patagonia), suggests that overbank facies tended to accumulate large titanosaur bones. This taphonomic mode, referred to as "overbank bone assemblages", outlines the potential of crevasse splay facies as important sources of paleontological data in Cretaceous meandering fluvial systems.

Fossil and genomic evidence constrains the timing of bison arrival in North America

PubMed Central

Stiller, Mathias; Zazula, Grant D.; Meyer, Matthias; Hall, Elizabeth; Jensen, Britta J. L.; Arnold, Lee J.

2017-01-01

The arrival of bison in North America marks one of the most successful large-mammal dispersals from Asia within the last million years, yet the timing and nature of this event remain poorly determined. Here, we used a combined paleontological and paleogenomic approach to provide a robust timeline for the entry and subsequent evolution of bison within North America. We characterized two fossil-rich localities in Canada’s Yukon and identified the oldest well-constrained bison fossil in North America, a 130,000-y-old steppe bison, Bison cf. priscus. We extracted and sequenced mitochondrial genomes from both this bison and from the remains of a recently discovered, ∼120,000-y-old giant long-horned bison, Bison latifrons, from Snowmass, Colorado. We analyzed these and 44 other bison mitogenomes with ages that span the Late Pleistocene, and identified two waves of bison dispersal into North America from Asia, the earliest of which occurred ∼195–135 thousand y ago and preceded the morphological diversification of North American bison, and the second of which occurred during the Late Pleistocene, ∼45–21 thousand y ago. This chronological arc establishes that bison first entered North America during the sea level lowstand accompanying marine isotope stage 6, rejecting earlier records of bison in North America. After their invasion, bison rapidly colonized North America during the last interglaciation, spreading from Alaska through continental North America; they have been continuously resident since then. PMID:28289222

Fossil and genomic evidence constrains the timing of bison arrival in North America.

PubMed

Froese, Duane; Stiller, Mathias; Heintzman, Peter D; Reyes, Alberto V; Zazula, Grant D; Soares, André E R; Meyer, Matthias; Hall, Elizabeth; Jensen, Britta J L; Arnold, Lee J; MacPhee, Ross D E; Shapiro, Beth

2017-03-28

The arrival of bison in North America marks one of the most successful large-mammal dispersals from Asia within the last million years, yet the timing and nature of this event remain poorly determined. Here, we used a combined paleontological and paleogenomic approach to provide a robust timeline for the entry and subsequent evolution of bison within North America. We characterized two fossil-rich localities in Canada's Yukon and identified the oldest well-constrained bison fossil in North America, a 130,000-y-old steppe bison, Bison cf. priscus We extracted and sequenced mitochondrial genomes from both this bison and from the remains of a recently discovered, ∼120,000-y-old giant long-horned bison, Bison latifrons , from Snowmass, Colorado. We analyzed these and 44 other bison mitogenomes with ages that span the Late Pleistocene, and identified two waves of bison dispersal into North America from Asia, the earliest of which occurred ∼195-135 thousand y ago and preceded the morphological diversification of North American bison, and the second of which occurred during the Late Pleistocene, ∼45-21 thousand y ago. This chronological arc establishes that bison first entered North America during the sea level lowstand accompanying marine isotope stage 6, rejecting earlier records of bison in North America. After their invasion, bison rapidly colonized North America during the last interglaciation, spreading from Alaska through continental North America; they have been continuously resident since then.

Eochrysis, a new replacement name for the fossil Protochrysis Bischoff, 1916 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) nec Pascher, 1911 (Protista: Cryptomonada).

PubMed

Doweld, Alexander B

2015-12-18

The genus Protochrysis (type species P. succinalis Bischoff, 1916, by monotypy) was established by Bischoff (1916: 139) for distinctive fossil insect remains of Eocene (Lutetian) age from the former Königsberg outskirts of East Prussia (now Kalinigrad, Russian Federation), referred at present to the Chrysididae (Hymenoptera) (Brues 1933; Carpenter 1985, 1992). However, an identical generic name Protochrysis had previously been proposed by Pascher (1911: 191) for a living protist (Cryptomonada). Bischoff's (1916) name is therefore an invalid junior homonym. Carpenter (1985: 577) proposed a new replacement name for the fossil genus, but overlooked the fact that his newly proposed generic name Protochrysidis was also preoccupied, again by the name of another protist genus, Protochrysidis [Protista: Chrysomonada] described by Skvortzov (1969: 346) from Harbin (China). In fact, the protistan genus Protochrysidis had initially been published as chrysophyte algae following the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (McNeill et al. 2012) by Skvortzov (1961: 4) who had failed to designate holotype of the species, but later fulfilled all conditions for valid publication in 1969 by providing necessary typification and reference to formerly published description and illustrations. At present chrysophyte algae are still maintained as Chrysomonada in protozoology due to a continued somewhat archaic tradition (Preisig & Anderson 2002). Protochrysidis Skvortzov, 1969 remained little studied since the time of its first description and is currently treated as an incertae sedis protistan taxon.

The LAMOST survey of background quasars in the vicinity of the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies. II. Results from the commissioning observations and the pilot surveys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huo, Zhi-Ying; Bai, Zhong-Rui; Chen, Jian-Jun

We present new quasars discovered in the vicinity of the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies with the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope, also named the Guoshoujing Telescope, during the 2010 and 2011 observational seasons. Quasar candidates are selected based on the available Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Kitt Peak National Observatory 4 m telescope, Xuyi Schmidt Telescope Photometric Survey optical, and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer near-infrared photometric data. We present 509 new quasars discovered in a stripe of ∼135 deg{sup 2} from M31 to M33 along the Giant Stellar Stream in the 2011 pilot survey data sets, and also 17more » new quasars discovered in an area of ∼100 deg{sup 2} that covers the central region and the southeastern halo of M31 in the 2010 commissioning data sets. These 526 new quasars have i magnitudes ranging from 15.5 to 20.0, redshifts from 0.1 to 3.2. They represent a significant increase of the number of identified quasars in the vicinity of M31 and M33. There are now 26, 62, and 139 known quasars in this region of the sky with i magnitudes brighter than 17.0, 17.5, and 18.0, respectively, of which 5, 20, and 75 are newly discovered. These bright quasars provide an invaluable collection with which to probe the kinematics and chemistry of the interstellar/intergalactic medium in the Local Group of galaxies. A total of 93 quasars are now known with locations within 2.°5 of M31, of which 73 are newly discovered. Tens of quasars are now known to be located behind the Giant Stellar Stream, and hundreds are behind the extended halo and its associated substructures of M31. The much enlarged sample of known quasars in the vicinity of M31 and M33 can potentially be utilized to construct a perfect astrometric reference frame to measure the minute proper motions (PMs) of M31 and M33, along with the PMs of substructures associated with the Local Group of galaxies. Those PMs are some of the most fundamental properties of the Local Group.« less

Onset of uplift and environmental change in East Africa: paleoaltimetry constraints from a 17 Ma beaked whale fossil from northern Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wichura, H.; Jacobs, L. L.; Strecker, M. R.; Lin, A. S.; Polcyn, M. J.; Manthi, F. K.; Winkler, D. A.; Clemens, M.

2014-12-01

Deciphering the timing and magnitude of vertical crustal motions is key to understanding the impact of tectonic uplift on changes in atmospheric circulation, rainfall, and environmental conditions. Uplift of the East African Plateau (EAP) of Kenya has been linked to mantle processes, but paleoaltimetry data are still too scarce to unambiguously constrain plateau evolution and subsequent vertical motions associated with late Cenozoic rifting. Here we assess the fossil remains of a beaked whale (Ziphiidae) from the Turkana region of Kenya, 700 km inland from the present-day coastline of the Indian Ocean. The whale fossil was found at an elevation of 650 m and helps constraining the uplift of the northeastern flanks of the EAP. The Kenyan ziphiid was discovered in fluvio-lacustrine sediments of the extensional Oligo-Miocene Lokichar basin (Mead, 1975) along with terrestrial mammals and freshwater mollusks below a basalt dated at 17.1 ± 1.0 Ma (Boschetto et al., 1992). The unifying characteristics of riverine occurrences of modern marine mammals include sufficient discharge in low-gradient rivers to maintain pathways deep enough to facilitate migration, and the absence of shallow bedrock, rapids and waterfalls. The most likely route, which may have had these characteristics is a fluvial corridor controlled by thermal subsidence of the Cretaceous Anza Rift, which once linked extensional processes in Central and East Africa with the continental margin. The fossil locality and analogies with present-day occurrences of marine mammals in terrestrial realms suggest that the ziphiid stranded slightly above sea level. In combination with 13.5. Ma phonolite flows that utilized eastward-directed drainages away from the EAP the fossil find thus provides the older of only two empirical paleoelevation points that constrain the onset of uplift of the EAP to the interval between approximately 17 and 13 Ma. Topographic uplift of the EAP induced paleoclimatic change from a low-elevation humid environment to highly variable, much drier conditions, which altered biotic communities and drove evolution in East Africa, including that of primates.

High Resolution Biostratigraphy and the Origin of the Basal Cambrian Bedded Chert from the Aksu Area (Tarim Block, Northwestern China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Z.; Liu, H.; Dong, L.

2017-12-01

The early Cambrian Yurtus Formation in the Aksu area (Tarim block, northwestern China) consists of two lithostratigraphic units, lower black shale with interbedded chert unit and upper siltstone/carbonate unit. This time period represents the most important Proterozoic- Phanerozoic transition in earth's history. In recent years, the black shale has been confirmed to have high hydrocarbon generation potential. However, the depositional environment of the Yurtus Formation remains controversial and the biostratigraphic constrains are rather poor. The chert that is interbedded with black shale in the Yurtus Formation provides an exceptional taphonomic window to capture the diversity of the early Cambrian microfossils. Meanwhile, the origin of the bedded chert would give us some insight into the environmental background when the source rock was deposited. Therefore, in this research, we focus on the chert in the lower Yurtus formation and our purpose is to establish high resolution biostratigraphic framework and to better understand the depositional environment of the source rock. We investigated 4 sections in the Tarim basin: Kungaikuotan, Sugaite, Kule, and Yurtus VI. Abundant acritarch fossils have been identified, including Heliosphaeridium ampliatum, Yurtusia uniformis, and Comasphaeridium annulare. The tubular fossil Megathrix longus is also very common in this formation. In addition, two new types of specimens have been discovered, sheet-like encrolled fossils ( 0.5 mm in size) and regular spindle-like double layered microfossils ( 10μm in diameter). All of these fossils have constant occurrences in the studied sections, and can be well correlated with those yielded from the equivalent interval in South China. The biostratigraphic work suggests the source rock in the lower unit of the Yurtus Formation could be correlated with the Meishucunian small shelly fossil assemblage I and II. The Gemenium/Silicon ratio of the Yurtus chert is less than 1μmol/mol, suggesting the primary Si source is from normal sea water instead of hydrothermal fluids. The sea water origin and petrological evidence also indicate that the chert is unlikely mainly from the replacement of carbonate. This recognition fundamentally challenges the previous interpretation of the depositional environment.

Predatory Dinosaurs from the Sahara and Late Cretaceous Faunal Differentiation

PubMed

Sereno; Dutheil; Iarochene; Larsson; Lyon; Magwene; Sidor; Varricchio; Wilson

1996-05-17

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) fossils discovered in the Kem Kem region of Morocco include large predatory dinosaurs that inhabited Africa as it drifted into geographic isolation. One, represented by a skull approximately 1.6 meters in length, is an advanced allosauroid referable to the African genus Carcharodontosaurus. Another, represented by a partial skeleton with slender proportions, is a new basal coelurosaur closely resembling the Egyptian genus Bahariasaurus. Comparisons with Cretaceous theropods from other continents reveal a previously unrecognized global radiation of carcharodontosaurid predators. Substantial geographic differentiation of dinosaurian faunas in response to continental drift appears to have arisen abruptly at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous.

A mammal-like reptile from Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thulborn, Richard A.

1983-05-01

New fossil evidence indicates that a mammal-like reptile inhabited Australia in the early part of the Triassic period (~220 Myr ago). There are no previous reports of mammal-like reptiles from this continent, and the earliest known Australian mammals have been dated as no older than Oligocene (~23 Myr)1,2. The evidence is an isolated quadrate bone, recently discovered in Lower Triassic rocks of the Arcadia Formation, south-east Queensland. This bone has morphological peculiarities matched only in dicynodonts (mammal-like reptiles of the infraorder Dicynodontia, order Therapsida) and was probably derived from an animal similar or identical to the common African dicynodont Kannemeyeria.

Pluto and the platypus: An odd ball and an odd duck - On classificatory norms.

PubMed

Slater, Matthew H

2017-02-01

Many astronomers seem to believe that we have discovered that Pluto is not a planet. I contest this assessment. Recent discoveries of trans-Neptunian Pluto-sized objects do not militate for Pluto's expulsion from the planets unless we have prior reason for not simply counting these newly-discovered objects among the planets. I argue that this classificatory controversy - which I compare to the controversy about the classification of the platypus - illustrates how our classificatory practices are laden with normative commitments of a distinctive kind. I conclude with a discussion of the relevance of such "norm-ladenness" to other controversies in the metaphysics of classification, such as the monism/pluralism debate. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A Framework for the Evaluation of Biosecurity, Commercial, Regulatory, and Scientific Impacts of Plant Viruses and Viroids Identified by NGS Technologies

PubMed Central

Massart, Sebastien; Candresse, Thierry; Gil, José; Lacomme, Christophe; Predajna, Lukas; Ravnikar, Maja; Reynard, Jean-Sébastien; Rumbou, Artemis; Saldarelli, Pasquale; Škorić, Dijana; Vainio, Eeva J.; Valkonen, Jari P. T.; Vanderschuren, Hervé; Varveri, Christina; Wetzel, Thierry

2017-01-01

Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have generated huge new opportunities for discovering and diagnosing plant viruses and viroids. Plant virology has undoubtedly benefited from these new methodologies, but at the same time, faces now substantial bottlenecks, namely the biological characterization of the newly discovered viruses and the analysis of their impact at the biosecurity, commercial, regulatory, and scientific levels. This paper proposes a scaled and progressive scientific framework for efficient biological characterization and risk assessment when a previously known or a new plant virus is detected by next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. Four case studies are also presented to illustrate the need for such a framework, and to discuss the scenarios. PMID:28174561

New findings of the butterfly Phengaris teleius at the border between Hungary and Serbia (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

PubMed Central

Šašić, Martina

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Due to its interesting life cycle, vulnerability and conservation importance, the butterfly Phengaris teleius is one of the most studied insects in Europe. It was discovered in Serbia only in 2012 and there were no data on its distribution from the south of Hungary. New information Phengaris teleius was recorded for the first time in four localities in Hungary and in additional locality in Serbia. This suggests that the local populations are more interconnected than previousely thought and that conservation efforts should be done in collaboration between the two countries. All localities are inside protected areas and management measures for preserving several target species already exist. This represents a solid base for the conservation of newly discovered populations of P. teleius. PMID:27099563

Regarding the Charmed-Strange Member of the 23 S 1 Meson State

PubMed Central

Feng, Xue-Chao; Chen, Jing

2013-01-01

By employing the mass relations derived from the mass matrix and Regge trajectory, we investigate the masses of charmed and charmed-strange members of the 23 S 1 meson. The masses are compared with the values predicted by other theoretical approaches and experimental data. The results may be useful for the discovery of the unobserved meson and the determination of the quantum number of the newly discovered states. PMID:24250272

The Quest for Pi

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, David H.; Borwein, Jonathan M.; Borwein, Peter B.; Plouffe, Simon

1996-01-01

This article gives a brief history of the analysis and computation of the mathematical constant Pi=3.14159 ..., including a number of the formulas that have been used to compute Pi through the ages. Recent developments in this area are then discussed in some detail, including the recent computation of Pi to over six billion decimal digits using high-order convergent algorithms, and a newly discovered scheme that permits arbitrary individual hexadecimal digits of Pi to be computed.

The Fast Follower: Coming Up Behind Development Leaders

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

DoD faces a shrinking defense industrial base and a more global tech marketplace and competes with the rise of consumer electronics that have short...to others and positions itself to rapidly exploit the newly discovered technical knowledge by quickly applying that knowledge to the unique needs of...technical aware- ness, organized for speed in innovation and has an intimate knowledge of its customer. From its vantage point on the first mover’s

Relationships between fire danger and the daily number and daily growth of active incidents burning in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA

Treesearch

Patrick H. Freeborn; Mark A. Cochrane; W. Matt Jolly

2015-01-01

Daily National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) indices are typically associated with the number and final size of newly discovered fires, or averaged over time and associated with the likelihood and total burned area of large fires. Herein we used a decade (2003-12) of NFDRS indices and US Forest Service (USFS) fire reports to examine daily relationships between fire...

Retrovirus XMRV Is Inhibited by Host Proteins and Anti-HIV Drugs AZT, Tenofovir, and Raltegravir | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

A newly discovered retrovirus, XMRV, isolated from prostate cancer tissues for the first time in 2006, has recently been reported in patients with this cancer, as well as in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). However, five subsequent studies could not validate these reports. Since XMRV was isolated from the T and B cells of CFS patients, Vinay Pathak and his

Compositions and methods for improved plant feedstock

DOEpatents

Shen, Hui; Chen, Fang; Dixon, Richard A

2014-12-02

The invention provides methods for modifying lignin content and composition in plants and achieving associated benefits therefrom involving altered expression of newly discovered MYB4 transcription factors. Nucleic acid constructs for modifying MYB4 transcription factor expression are described. By over-expressing the identified MYB4 transcription factors, for example, an accompanying decrease in lignin content may be achieved. Plants are provided by the invention comprising such modifications, as are methods for their preparation and use.

Optical observations of MAXI J1820+070 suggest it is a black hole X-ray binary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baglio, M. Cristina; Russell, Dave M.; Lewis, Fraser

2018-03-01

We report on optical observations of the newly discovered transient MAXI J1820+070 (ATel #11399, #11400, #11403, #11404, #11406). We performed optical (g', i') observations of the field with the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) 1-m robotic telescope located at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile, on March 13th, 2018 (MJD 58190.38) obtaining one 200-second integration image of the field for each filter.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Asiago Supernova Catalogue (Version 2008-Mar)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbon, R.; Buondi, V.; Cappellaro, E.; Turatto, M.

2008-02-01

This catalogue supersedes the previous version by Barbon et al. (1999A&AS..139..531B, Cat. II/227), and contains data about the supernovae observed since 1895 and their parent galaxies until the beginning of 2008. In addition to the list of newly discovered SNe, the literature has been searched for new information on past SNe as well. The data for the parent galaxies have also been homogenized. (1 data file).

Hidden MHC genetic diversity in the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica).

PubMed

Angelone, Samer; Jowers, Michael J; Molinar Min, Anna Rita; Fandos, Paulino; Prieto, Paloma; Pasquetti, Mario; Cano-Manuel, Francisco Javier; Mentaberre, Gregorio; Olvera, Jorge Ramón López; Ráez-Bravo, Arián; Espinosa, José; Pérez, Jesús M; Soriguer, Ramón C; Rossi, Luca; Granados, José Enrique

2018-05-08

Defining hidden genetic diversity within species is of great significance when attempting to maintain the evolutionary potential of natural populations and conduct appropriate management. Our hypothesis is that isolated (and eventually small) wild animal populations hide unexpected genetic diversity due to their maintenance of ancient polymorphisms or introgressions. We tested this hypothesis using the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) as an example. Previous studies based on large sample sizes taken from its principal populations have revealed that the Iberian ibex has a remarkably small MHC DRB1 diversity (only six remnant alleles) as a result of recent population bottlenecks and a marked demographic decline that has led to the extinction of two recognized subspecies. Extending on the geographic range to include non-studied isolated Iberian ibex populations, we sequenced a new MHC DRB1 in what seemed three small isolated populations in Southern Spain (n = 132). The findings indicate a higher genetic diversity than previously reported in this important gene. The newly discovered allele, MHC DRB1*7, is identical to one reported in the domestic goat C. aegagrus hircus. Whether or not this is the result of ancient polymorphisms maintained by balancing selection or, alternatively, introgressions from domestic goats through hybridization needs to be clarified in future studies. However, hybridization between Iberian ibex and domestic goats has been reported in Spain and the fact that the newly discovered allele is only present in one of the small isolated populations and not in the others suggests introgression. The new discovered allele is not expected to increase fitness in C. pyrenaica since it generates the same protein as the existing MHC DRB1*6. Analysis of a microsatellite locus (OLADRB1) near the new MHC DRB1*7 gene reveals a linkage disequilibrium between these two loci. The allele OLADRB1, 187 bp in length, was unambiguously linked to the MHC DRB1*7 allele. This enabled us to perform a DRB-STR matching method for the recently discovered MHC allele. This finding is critical for the conservation of the Iberian ibex since it directly affects the identification of the units of this species that should be managed and conserved separately (Evolutionarily Significant Units).

The Eugen Seibold coral mounds offshore western Morocco: oceanographic and bathymetric steering of a newly discovered cold-water coral province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glogowski, Silke; Dullo, Christian; Flögel, Sascha; Feldens, Peter; Hühnerbach, Veit; von Reumont, Jonas; Krastel, Sebastian; Wynn, Russ B.; Liebetrau, Volker

2015-04-01

This study presents new seafloor bathymetric and sidescan sonar data identifying a previously unknown cold-water coral (CWC) province on the Atlantic margin off western Morocco (ca. 31° N). Applying the concept of seawater density as a predictive tool for living CWC reef occurrence during research cruise 32 aboard RV Maria S. Merian in October 2013 CTD casts revealed potential sites. Direct sampling retrieved living coral patches within an extensive field of carbonate mounds, covering an area of ~410 km2 on the upper slope ~40 nautical miles north of Agadir Canyon. Individual mounds are up to 12 m high and are mainly composed of dead cold-water corals Lophelia pertusa thickets at present-day water depths of 678-863 m. Living CWCs represent only a thin veneer and were sampled by box coring in the shallower parts of the mound field between 678 and 719 m. CTD measurements in these shallower areas revealed that the occurrence of these living CWC reefs coincides with the deeper part of the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) mass exhibiting conservative temperatures Φ of 9.78-9.94° C, absolute salinity SA of 35.632 g/kg, and a sea water density σΦ of 27.31-27.33 kg/m3). This is in good agreement with observations from the Renard Ridge (35° N, Gulf of Cadiz) to the north and sites off Mauretania (17° N-18° N) to the south, 'with the exception of sparse live corals in the latter region, the CWC reefs of both regions consist of a dead fabric in the deeper layer of the NACW slightly above the Mediterranean Outflow Water. The bathymetric and oceanographic settings of this newly discovered CWC site, with its thin veneer of living corals and much larger accumulations of coral rubble, are consistent with published evidence that, over the past three glacial-interglacial cycles, active CWC reef growth south of 50° N was more favourable during glacial times (possibly up to the very early Holocene) in this sector of the northeast Atlantic Ocean. The newly discovered province is here named the Eugen Seibold coral mounds in honour of the pioneering marine geologist Eugen Seibold (1918-2013).

An Estimation of Erinaceidae Phylogeny: A Combined Analysis Approach

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki; Ai, Huai-Sen; Wang, Ying-Xiang; Zhang, Ya-Ping; Jiang, Xue-Long

2012-01-01

Background Erinaceidae is a family of small mammals that include the spiny hedgehogs (Erinaceinae) and the silky-furred moonrats and gymnures (Galericinae). These animals are widely distributed across Eurasia and Africa, from the tundra to the tropics and the deserts to damp forests. The importance of these animals lies in the fact that they are the oldest known living placental mammals, which are well represented in the fossil record, a rarity fact given their size and vulnerability to destruction during fossilization. Although the Family has been well studied, their phylogenetic relationships remain controversial. To test previous phylogenetic hypotheses, we combined molecular and morphological data sets, including representatives of all the genera. Methodology and Principal Findings We included in the analyses 3,218 bp mitochondrial genes, one hundred and thirty-five morphological characters, twenty-two extant erinaceid taxa, and five outgroup taxa. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using both partitioned and combined data sets. As in previous analyses, our results strongly support the monophyly of both subfamilies (Galericinae and Erinaceinae), the Hylomys group (to include Neotetracus and Neohylomys), and a sister-relationship of Atelerix and Erinaceus. As well, we verified that the extremely long branch lengths within the Galericinae are consistent with their fossil records. Not surprisingly, we found significant incongruence between the phylogenetic signals of the genes and the morphological characters, specifically in the case of Hylomys parvus, Mesechinus, and relationships between Hemiechinus and Paraechinus. Conclusions Although we discovered new clues to understanding the evolutionary relationships within the Erinaceidae, our results nonetheless, strongly suggest that more robust analyses employing more complete taxon sampling (to include fossils) and multiple unlinked genes would greatly enhance our understanding of the Erinaceidae. Until then, we have left the nomenclature of the taxa unchanged; hence it does not yet precisely reflect their phylogenetic relationships or the depth of their genetic diversity. PMID:22745729

SEVEN NEW BINARIES DISCOVERED IN THE KEPLER LIGHT CURVES THROUGH THE BEER METHOD CONFIRMED BY RADIAL-VELOCITY OBSERVATIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faigler, S.; Mazeh, T.; Tal-Or, L.

We present seven newly discovered non-eclipsing short-period binary systems with low-mass companions, identified by the recently introduced BEER algorithm, applied to the publicly available 138-day photometric light curves obtained by the Kepler mission. The detection is based on the beaming effect (sometimes called Doppler boosting), which increases (decreases) the brightness of any light source approaching (receding from) the observer, enabling a prediction of the stellar Doppler radial-velocity (RV) modulation from its precise photometry. The BEER algorithm identifies the BEaming periodic modulation, with a combination of the well-known Ellipsoidal and Reflection/heating periodic effects, induced by short-period companions. The seven detections weremore » confirmed by spectroscopic RV follow-up observations, indicating minimum secondary masses in the range 0.07-0.4 M{sub Sun }. The binaries discovered establish for the first time the feasibility of the BEER algorithm as a new detection method for short-period non-eclipsing binaries, with the potential to detect in the near future non-transiting brown-dwarf secondaries, or even massive planets.« less

Disk Detective: Discovery of New Circumstellar Disk Candidates Through Citizen Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuchner, Marc J.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; Garcia, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris;

Screening the receptorome to discover the molecular targets for plant-derived psychoactive compounds: a novel approach for CNS drug discovery.

PubMed

Roth, Bryan L; Lopez, Estela; Beischel, Scott; Westkaemper, Richard B; Evans, Jon M

2004-05-01

Because psychoactive plants exert profound effects on human perception, emotion, and cognition, discovering the molecular mechanisms responsible for psychoactive plant actions will likely yield insights into the molecular underpinnings of human consciousness. Additionally, it is likely that elucidation of the molecular targets responsible for psychoactive drug actions will yield validated targets for CNS drug discovery. This review article focuses on an unbiased, discovery-based approach aimed at uncovering the molecular targets responsible for psychoactive drug actions wherein the main active ingredients of psychoactive plants are screened at the "receptorome" (that portion of the proteome encoding receptors). An overview of the receptorome is given and various in silico, public-domain resources are described. Newly developed tools for the in silico mining of data derived from the National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program's (NIMH-PDSP) K(i) Database (K(i) DB) are described in detail. Additionally, three case studies aimed at discovering the molecular targets responsible for Hypericum perforatum, Salvia divinorum, and Ephedra sinica actions are presented. Finally, recommendations are made for future studies.

Millisecond Pulsars at Gamma-Ray Energies: Fermi Detections and Implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harding, Alice K.

2011-01-01

The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope has revolutionized the study of pulsar physics with the discovery of new populations of radio quiet and millisecond gamma-ray pulsars. The Fermi Large Area Telescope has so far discovered approx.20 new gamma-ray millisecond pulsars (MSPs) by both folding at periods of known radio MSPs or by detecting them as gamma-ray sources that are followed up by radio pulsar searches. The second method has resulted in a phenomenally successful synergy, with -30 new radio MSPs (to date) having been discovered at Fermi unidentified source locations and the gamma-ray pulsations having then been detected in a number of these using the radio timing solutions. Many of the newly discovered MSPs may be suitable for addition to the collection of very stable MSPs used for gravitational wave detection. Detection of such a large number of MSPs was surprising, given that most have relatively low spin-down luminosity and surface field strength. I will discuss their properties and the implications for pulsar particle acceleration and emission, as well as their potential contribution to gamma-ray backgrounds and Galactic cosmic rays.

Disk Detective: Discovery of New Circumstellar Disk Candidates through Citizen Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuchner, Marc J.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; García, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L.; Rebull, Luisa M.; Wisniewski, John P.; Nesvold, Erika; Schawinski, Kevin; Thaller, Michelle L.; Grady, Carol A.; Biggs, Joseph; Bosch, Milton; Černohous, Tadeáš; Durantini Luca, Hugo A.; Hyogo, Michiharu; Wah, Lily Lau Wan; Piipuu, Art; Piñeiro, Fernanda; Disk Detective Collaboration

2016-10-01

The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μm excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectroscopy on the FLWO Tillinghast telescope. This approach should allow us to unleash the full potential of WISE for finding new debris disks and protoplanetary disks. We announce a first list of 37 new disk candidates discovered by the project, and we describe our vetting and follow-up process. One of these systems appears to contain the first debris disk discovered around a star with a white dwarf companion: HD 74389. We also report four newly discovered classical Be stars (HD 6612, HD 7406, HD 164137, and HD 218546) and a new detection of 22 μm excess around the previously known debris disk host star HD 22128.

CD4+ T cell count, HIV-1 viral loads and demographic variables of newly identified patients with HIV infection in Wuhan, China.

PubMed

Liu, Man-Qing; Tang, Li; Kong, Wen-Hua; Zhu, Ze-Rong; Peng, Jin-Song; Wang, Xia; Yao, Zhong-Zhao; Schilling, Robert; Zhou, Wang

2013-10-01

In China, the rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing is increasing among men who have sex with men. The purpose of the present study was to describe HIV-related biomarkers and selected demographic variables of persons with newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS, among men who have sex with men in particular, in Wuhan China. Demographic indicators, and CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 viral load were collected from individuals newly identified as HIV-1 antibody positive during 2011. Of 176 enrolled patients, 132 (75.0%) were men who have sex with men. This group was significantly younger and had higher CD4+ T cell counts than patients who were likely infected through heterosexual contact. Most men who have sex with men (56.6%) were discovered by initiative investigation. Among heterosexual patients CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 viral load were significantly correlated; among the group of men who have sex with men, no such association was found. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A unified thermal and vertical trajectory model for the prediction of high altitude balloon performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, L. A.; Horn, W. J.

1981-01-01

A computer model for the prediction of the trajectory and thermal behavior of zero-pressure high altitude balloon was developed. In accord with flight data, the model permits radiative emission and absorption of the lifting gas and daytime gas temperatures above that of the balloon film. It also includes ballasting, venting, and valving. Predictions obtained with the model are compared with flight data from several flights and newly discovered features are discussed.

The Identification of a Legionella pneumophila Toxin with in vivo Lethality

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

It lacked hydroxy fatty a similar extract, obtained from a newly acids , was minimally inhibited by treat- discovered, but genetically unrelated, ment...applied to the Molecular Weight Estimation column depending upon the individual acid supernatant preparation. There A Sephadex G-50 column (1.5 x...Table 1). Although 0.5 ml of the first peak readi- One-milligram amounts of protein ly kills mice within 18 hours, as much as from Legionella acid

CO(2) fixation through hydrogenation by chemical or enzymatic methods.

PubMed

Beller, Matthias; Bornscheuer, Uwe T

2014-04-25

Two birds with one stone: The simulaneous fixation of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and storage of the alternative fuel hydrogen can be accomplished with the formation of formic acid. In principle, this is now possible either with an enzymatic system based on a newly discovered bacterial hydrogen-dependent carbon dioxide reductase or by using organometallic catalysts at room temperature and ambient pressure. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High Fill-out, Extreme Mass Ratio Overcontact Binary Systems. X. The Newly Discovered Binary XY Leonis Minoris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, S.-B.; Liu, L.; Zhu, L.-Y.; He, J.-J.; Yang, Y.-G.; Bernasconi, L.

2011-05-01

The newly discovered short-period close binary star, XY LMi, has been monitored photometrically since 2006. Its light curves are typical EW-type light curves and show complete eclipses with durations of about 80 minutes. Photometric solutions were determined through an analysis of the complete B, V, R, and I light curves using the 2003 version of the Wilson-Devinney code. XY LMi is a high fill-out, extreme mass ratio overcontact binary system with a mass ratio of q = 0.148 and a fill-out factor of f = 74.1%, suggesting that it is in the late evolutionary stage of late-type tidal-locked binary stars. As observed in other overcontact binary stars, evidence for the presence of two dark spots on both components is given. Based on our 19 epochs of eclipse times, we found that the orbital period of the overcontact binary is decreasing continuously at a rate of dP/dt = -1.67 × 10-7 days yr-1, which may be caused by mass transfer from the primary to the secondary and/or angular momentum loss via magnetic stellar wind. The decrease of the orbital period may result in the increase of the fill-out, and finally, it will evolve into a single rapid-rotation star when the fluid surface reaches the outer critical Roche lobe.

Ketorolac salt is a newly discovered DDX3 inhibitor to treat oral cancer

PubMed Central

Samal, Sabindra K.; Routray, Samapika; Veeramachaneni, Ganesh Kumar; Dash, Rupesh; Botlagunta, Mahendran

2015-01-01

DDX3 belongs to DEAD box RNA helicase family and is involved in the progression of several types of cancer. In this work, we employed a High Throughput Virtual screening approach to identify bioactive compounds against DDX3 from ZINC natural database. Ketorolac salt was selected based on its binding free energy less than or equals to −5 Kcal/mol with reference to existing synthetic DDX3 inhibitors and strong hydrogen bond interactions as similar to crystallized DDX3 protein (2I4I). The anti-cancer activity of Ketorolac salt against DDX3 was tested using oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. This compound significantly down regulated the expression of DDX3 in human OSCC line (H357) and the half maximal growth inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Ketorolac salt in H357 cell line is 2.6 µM. Ketorolac salt also inhibited the ATP hydrolysis by directly interacting with DDX3. More importantly, we observed decreased number of neoplastic tongue lesions and reduced lesion severity in Ketorolac salt treated groups in a carcinogen induced tongue tumor mouse model. Taken together, our result demonstrates that Ketorolac salt is a newly discovered bioactive compound against DDX3 and this compound can be used as an ideal drug candidate to treat DDX3 associated oral cancer. PMID:25918862

Ketorolac salt is a newly discovered DDX3 inhibitor to treat oral cancer.

PubMed

Samal, Sabindra K; Routray, Samapika; Veeramachaneni, Ganesh Kumar; Dash, Rupesh; Botlagunta, Mahendran

2015-04-28

DDX3 belongs to DEAD box RNA helicase family and is involved in the progression of several types of cancer. In this work, we employed a High Throughput Virtual screening approach to identify bioactive compounds against DDX3 from ZINC natural database. Ketorolac salt was selected based on its binding free energy less than or equals to -5 Kcal/mol with reference to existing synthetic DDX3 inhibitors and strong hydrogen bond interactions as similar to crystallized DDX3 protein (2I4I). The anti-cancer activity of Ketorolac salt against DDX3 was tested using oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. This compound significantly down regulated the expression of DDX3 in human OSCC line (H357) and the half maximal growth inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Ketorolac salt in H357 cell line is 2.6 µM. Ketorolac salt also inhibited the ATP hydrolysis by directly interacting with DDX3. More importantly, we observed decreased number of neoplastic tongue lesions and reduced lesion severity in Ketorolac salt treated groups in a carcinogen induced tongue tumor mouse model. Taken together, our result demonstrates that Ketorolac salt is a newly discovered bioactive compound against DDX3 and this compound can be used as an ideal drug candidate to treat DDX3 associated oral cancer.

Geodetic imaging: A new tool for Mesoamerican archaeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, William E.; Shrestha, Ramesh L.; Fisher, Christopher; Leisz, Stephen

2012-10-01

On 15 May 2012, Honduran President Porfirio Lobo convened a press conference to announce that researchers mapping areas of the Mosquitia region of Honduras, using airborne light detection and ranging (lidar), had discovered what appeared to be an extensive complex of archaeological ruins hidden beneath the dense canopy of rain forest that shrouds the terrain [UTL Scientific, LLC, 2012]. President Lobo released preliminary images of the ruins derived from the airborne lidar observations (Figure 1a) but withheld information about their precise location so that measures could be taken to protect and preserve this newly discovered cultural heritage. The coordinates of the ruins, determined from the lidar observations with an accuracy of a few decimeters, will enable archaeological teams to use the Global Positioning System to navigate through the dense forest directly to features of interest.

Kepler-90 System Compared to Our Solar System (Artist's Concept)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-14

Our solar system now is tied for most number of planets around a single star, with the recent discovery of an eighth planet circling Kepler-90, a Sun-like star 2,545 light years from Earth. The planet was discovered in data from NASA's Kepler Space Telescope. This artist's concept depicts the Kepler-90 system compared with our own solar system. The newly-discovered Kepler-90i -- a sizzling hot, rocky planet that orbits its star once every 14.4 days -- was found using machine learning from Google. Machine learning is an approach to artificial intelligence in which computers "learn." In this case, computers learned to identify planets by finding in Kepler data instances where the telescope recorded changes in starlight caused by planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22193

PTF1 J191905.19+481506.2—A partially eclipsing AM CVn system discovered in the Palomar transient factory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levitan, David; Groot, Paul J.; Prince, Thomas A.

2014-04-20

We report on PTF1 J191905.19+481506.2, a newly discovered, partially eclipsing, outbursting AM CVn system found in the Palomar Transient Factory synoptic survey. This is only the second known eclipsing AM CVn system. We use high-speed photometric observations and phase-resolved spectroscopy to establish an orbital period of 22.4559(3) minutes. We also present a long-term light curve and report on the normal and super-outbursts regularly seen in this system, including a super-outburst recurrence time of 36.8(4) days. We use the presence of the eclipse to place upper and lower limits on the inclination of the system and discuss the number of knownmore » eclipsing AM CVn systems versus what would be expected.« less

The hydrobioid freshwater gastropods (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea) of Greece: new records, taxonomic re-assessments using DNA sequence data and an update of the IUCN Red List Categories

PubMed Central

Radea, Canella; Parmakelis, Aristeidis; Papadogiannis, Vassilis; Charou, Despoina; Triantis, Kostas A.

2013-01-01

Abstract Hydrobioid freshwater gastropods were collected from mainland and insular Greece. Several threatened taxa, such as Graecoanatolica vegorriticola, Pseudamnicola negropontina, Pseudamnicola pieperi, Pseudobithynia eubooensis and Pseudoislamia balcanica, were recorded from new localities. Trichonia trichonica, which has been considered extinct from its type locality for the last twenty eight years, was re-discovered, whereas the presence of Daphniola exigua, G. vegorriticola, Marstoniopsis graeca, P. pieperi and Pseudobithynia trichonis in their type localities was verified. The taxonomic status of P. negropontina and the newly discovered populations of G. vegorriticola was elucidated using COI sequence data. The new data recorded during this survey indicate that the IUCN status of some Greek endemic hydrobioids needs to be updated. PMID:24294081

Newly discovered Wolf-Rayet and weak emission-line central stars of planetary nebulae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DePew, K.; Parker, Q. A.; Miszalski, B.; De Marco, O.; Frew, D. J.; Acker, A.; Kovacevic, A. V.; Sharp, R. G.

2011-07-01

We present the spectra of 32 previously unpublished confirmed and candidate Wolf-Rayet ([WR]) and weak emission-line (WELS) central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPNe). 18 stars have been discovered in the Macquarie/AAO/Strasbourg Hα (MASH) PN survey sample, and we have also uncovered 14 confirmed and candidate [WR]s and WELS among the CSPNe of previously known PNe. Spectral classifications have been undertaken using both Acker & Neiner and Crowther, De Marco & Barlow schemes. 22 members in this sample are identified as probable [WR]s; the remaining 10 appear to be WELS. Observations undertaken as part of the MASH spectroscopic survey have now increased the number of known [WR]s by ˜30 per cent. This will permit a better analysis of [WR] subclass distribution, metallicity effects and evolutionary sequences in these uncommon objects.

Near-Earth Asteroids: Destinations for Human Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.

2014-01-01

The Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS) is a system that monitors the near-Earth asteroid (NEA) population to identify NEAs whose orbital characteristics may make them potential destinations for future round-trip human space flight missions. To accomplish this monitoring, Brent Barbee (GSFC) developed and automated a system that applies specialized trajectory processing to the orbits of newly discovered NEAs, and those for which we have updated orbit knowledge, obtained from the JPL Small Bodies Database (SBDB). This automated process executes daily and the results are distributed to the general public and the astronomy community. This aids in prioritizing telescope radar time allocations for obtaining crucial follow-up observations of highly accessible NEAs during the critical, because it is often fleeting, time period surrounding the time at which the NEAs are initially discovered.

Near-Earth asteroids: Observer alert network and physical observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Donald R.; Chapman, Clark R.

1992-01-01

This project strives to obtain physical observations on newly discovered Near-Earth Objects (NEO's) in order to provide fundamental data needed to assess the resources available in the population. The goal is acquiring data on all objects brighter than magnitude V= 17.0. To accomplish this, an electronic mail alert and observer information service that informs observers around the world as to the status of physical observations on currently observable NEO's was established. Such data is also acquired ourselves through a cooperative program with European colleagues that uses telescopes on La Palma to obtain spectra of NEO's and through observations made from a local telescope on Tumamoc Hill. This latter telescope has the advantage that large amounts of observing time are available, so that whenever a new NEO's discovered, we can be assured of getting time to observe it.

NV: Nessus Vulnerability Visualization for the Web

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrison, Lane; Spahn, Riley B; Iannacone, Michael D

2012-01-01

Network vulnerability is a critical component of network se- curity. Yet vulnerability analysis has received relatively lit- tle attention from the security visualization community. In this paper we describe nv, a web-based Nessus vulnerability visualization. Nv utilizes treemaps and linked histograms to allow system administrators to discover, analyze, and man- age vulnerabilities on their networks. In addition to visual- izing single Nessus scans, nv supports the analysis of sequen- tial scans by showing which vulnerabilities have been fixed, remain open, or are newly discovered. Nv was also designed to operate completely in-browser, to avoid sending sensitive data to outside servers.more » We discuss the design of nv, as well as provide case studies demonstrating vulnerability analysis workflows which include a multiple-node testbed and data from the 2011 VAST Challenge.« less

Middle Pleistocene Human Remains from Tourville-la-Rivière (Normandy, France) and Their Archaeological Context

PubMed Central

Faivre, Jean-Philippe; Maureille, Bruno; Bayle, Priscilla; Crevecoeur, Isabelle; Duval, Mathieu; Grün, Rainer; Bemilli, Céline; Bonilauri, Stéphanie; Coutard, Sylvie; Bessou, Maryelle; Limondin-Lozouet, Nicole; Cottard, Antoine; Deshayes, Thierry; Douillard, Aurélie; Henaff, Xavier; Pautret-Homerville, Caroline; Kinsley, Les; Trinkaus, Erik

2014-01-01

Despite numerous sites of great antiquity having been excavated since the end of the 19th century, Middle Pleistocene human fossils are still extremely rare in northwestern Europe. Apart from the two partial crania from Biache-Saint-Vaast in northern France, all known human fossils from this period have been found from ten sites in either Germany or England. Here we report the discovery of three long bones from the same left upper limb discovered at the open-air site of Tourville-la-Rivière in the Seine Valley of northern France. New U-series and combined US-ESR dating on animal teeth produced an age range for the site of 183 to 236 ka. In combination with paleoecological indicators, they indicate an age toward the end of MIS 7. The human remains from Tourville-la-Rivière are attributable to the Neandertal lineage based on morphological and metric analyses. An abnormal crest on the left humerus represents a deltoid muscle enthesis. Micro- and or macro-traumas connected to repetitive movements similar to those documented for professional throwing athletes could be origin of abnormality. PMID:25295956

A new squamate lizard from the Upper Cretaceous Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group), São Paulo State, Brazil.

PubMed

Nava, William R; Martinelli, Agustín G

2011-03-01

The record of non-mosasaur squamates (Reptilia, Squamata) is sparse in the Cretaceus fossil record of Brazil and include six putative reports, three from the Aptian-Albian of the Araripe Basin (Tijubina pontei Bonfim-Júnior and Marques, Olindalacerta brasiliensis Evans and Yabumoto, and a lizard indet.) and three from the Upper Cretaceous of the Bauru Group (Pristiguana brasiliensis Estes and Price, Anilioidae gen. et sp. indet., and Squamata gen. et sp. indet.). In this contribution, a new genus and species of lizard, Brasiliguana prudentis gen. et sp. nov., is described based on an isolated left maxilla with teeth. The material was discovered in an outcrop of the Upper Cretaceous Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group) located in the proximity of Presidente Prudente Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil. The new taxon is considered a basal non-Priscagamidae+Acrodonta iguanian based on the presence of a weakly inclined anterior margin of the maxillary nasal process and maxillary tooth shape and tooth implantation similar to that of iguanians rather than of other lizard groups (e.g. teiids). This finding significantly increases the squamate lizard diversity of South America, which is still poorly understood and sparsely represented in the fossil record.

Late Cretaceous terrestrial vertebrate fauna, North Slope, Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clemens, W.A.; Allison, C.W.

1985-01-01

Closely related terrestrial vertebrates in Cretaceous mid-latitude (30/sup 0/ to 50/sup 0/) faunas of North America and Asia as well as scattered occurrences of footprints and skin impressions suggested that in the Late Mesozoic the Alaskan North Slope supported a diverse fauna. In 1961 abundant skeletal elements of Cretaceous, Alaskan dinosaurs (hadrosaurids) were discovered by the late R.L. Liscomb. This material is being described by K.L. Davies. Additional fossils collected by E.M. Brouwers and her associates include skeletal elements of hadrosaurid and carnosaurian (.tyrannosaurid) dinosaurs and other vertebrates. The fossil locality on the North Slope is not at about 70/supmore » 0/N. In the Late Cretaceous the members of this fauna were subject to the daylight regime and environment at a paleolatitude closer to 80/sup 0/N. Current hypotheses attributing extinctions of dinosaurs and some other terrestrial vertebrates to impact of an extraterrestrial object cite periods of darkness, decreased temperature (possibly followed by extreme warming) and acid rain as the direct causes of their demise. Unless members of this North Slope fauna undertook long-distance migrations, their high latitude occurrence indicates groups of dinosaurs and other terrestrial vertebrates regularly tolerated months of darkness.« less

Confirmation of a late middle Pleistocene age for the Omo Kibish 1 cranium by direct uranium-series dating.

PubMed

Aubert, Maxime; Pike, Alistair W G; Stringer, Chris; Bartsiokas, Antonis; Kinsley, Les; Eggins, Stephen; Day, Michael; Grün, Rainer

2012-11-01

While it is generally accepted that modern humans evolved in Africa, the specific physical evidence for that origin remains disputed. The modern-looking Omo 1 skeleton, discovered in the Kibish region of Ethiopia in 1967, was controversially dated at ~130 ka (thousands of years ago) by U-series dating on associated Mollusca, and it was not until 2005 that Ar-Ar dating on associated feldspar crystals in pumice clasts provided evidence for an even older age of ~195 ka. However, questions continue to be raised about the age and stratigraphic position of this crucial fossil specimen. Here we present direct U-series determinations on the Omo 1 cranium. In spite of significant methodological complications, which are discussed in detail, the results indicate that the human remains do not belong to a later intrusive burial and are the earliest representative of anatomically modern humans. Given the more archaic morphology shown by the apparently contemporaneous Omo 2 calvaria, we suggest that direct U-series dating is applied to this fossil as well, to confirm its age in relation to Omo 1. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age and depositional conditions of the marine vertebrate concentration Lagerstätte at Gomez Farías, southern Coahuila, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zell, Patrick; Beckmann, Seija; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang

2014-12-01

A 1.5 m thick coquinite discovered in the Upper Jurassic La Casita Formation of the Sierra El Jabalà near Gomez Farías, Coahuila, northeastern Mexico qualifies as a concentration Lagerstâtte owing to its richness in marine vertebrates. Ichthyosaurs, pliosaurs and crocodilians were described to some detail, but other taxa remained unstudied and the precise biostratigraphical age, as well as paleoecological conditions that led to the formation of the fossil deposit, are not known in detail. Here we describe ammonites, aptychi, bivalves and radiolarians, which allow for a stratigraphic assignation of the deposit to the uppermost Kimmeridgian Beckeri Zone. The unit under consideration accumulated in a hemipelagic mud bottom environment during a period of time characterized by low oxygen conditions, while a short term benthic colonization phase near the top of the coquinite corresponds to increased oxygen availability. A combination of upwelling, bottom currents, winnowing, offshore winds, storm events, circulatory nutrient traps, low oxygenated bottom waters, and a transgressional regime with reduced net sedimentation was crucial factors for the subsequent concentration of fossils, as well as for marine phosphate generation and phosphorus migration.

Large-scale association analyses identify new loci influencing glycemic traits and provide insight into the underlying biological pathways.

PubMed

Scott, Robert A; Lagou, Vasiliki; Welch, Ryan P; Wheeler, Eleanor; Montasser, May E; Luan, Jian'an; Mägi, Reedik; Strawbridge, Rona J; Rehnberg, Emil; Gustafsson, Stefan; Kanoni, Stavroula; Rasmussen-Torvik, Laura J; Yengo, Loïc; Lecoeur, Cecile; Shungin, Dmitry; Sanna, Serena; Sidore, Carlo; Johnson, Paul C D; Jukema, J Wouter; Johnson, Toby; Mahajan, Anubha; Verweij, Niek; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Shah, Sonia; Smith, Albert V; Sennblad, Bengt; Gieger, Christian; Salo, Perttu; Perola, Markus; Timpson, Nicholas J; Evans, David M; Pourcain, Beate St; Wu, Ying; Andrews, Jeanette S; Hui, Jennie; Bielak, Lawrence F; Zhao, Wei; Horikoshi, Momoko; Navarro, Pau; Isaacs, Aaron; O'Connell, Jeffrey R; Stirrups, Kathleen; Vitart, Veronique; Hayward, Caroline; Esko, Tõnu; Mihailov, Evelin; Fraser, Ross M; Fall, Tove; Voight, Benjamin F; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Chen, Han; Lindgren, Cecilia M; Morris, Andrew P; Rayner, Nigel W; Robertson, Neil; Rybin, Denis; Liu, Ching-Ti; Beckmann, Jacques S; Willems, Sara M; Chines, Peter S; Jackson, Anne U; Kang, Hyun Min; Stringham, Heather M; Song, Kijoung; Tanaka, Toshiko; Peden, John F; Goel, Anuj; Hicks, Andrew A; An, Ping; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Franco-Cereceda, Anders; Folkersen, Lasse; Marullo, Letizia; Jansen, Hanneke; Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Bruinenberg, Marcel; Pankow, James S; North, Kari E; Forouhi, Nita G; Loos, Ruth J F; Edkins, Sarah; Varga, Tibor V; Hallmans, Göran; Oksa, Heikki; Antonella, Mulas; Nagaraja, Ramaiah; Trompet, Stella; Ford, Ian; Bakker, Stephan J L; Kong, Augustine; Kumari, Meena; Gigante, Bruna; Herder, Christian; Munroe, Patricia B; Caulfield, Mark; Antti, Jula; Mangino, Massimo; Small, Kerrin; Miljkovic, Iva; Liu, Yongmei; Atalay, Mustafa; Kiess, Wieland; James, Alan L; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Palmer, Colin N A; Doney, Alex S F; Willemsen, Gonneke; Smit, Johannes H; Campbell, Susan; Polasek, Ozren; Bonnycastle, Lori L; Hercberg, Serge; Dimitriou, Maria; Bolton, Jennifer L; Fowkes, Gerard R; Kovacs, Peter; Lindström, Jaana; Zemunik, Tatijana; Bandinelli, Stefania; Wild, Sarah H; Basart, Hanneke V; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Grallert, Harald; Maerz, Winfried; Kleber, Marcus E; Boehm, Bernhard O; Peters, Annette; Pramstaller, Peter P; Province, Michael A; Borecki, Ingrid B; Hastie, Nicholas D; Rudan, Igor; Campbell, Harry; Watkins, Hugh; Farrall, Martin; Stumvoll, Michael; Ferrucci, Luigi; Waterworth, Dawn M; Bergman, Richard N; Collins, Francis S; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Watanabe, Richard M; de Geus, Eco J C; Penninx, Brenda W; Hofman, Albert; Oostra, Ben A; Psaty, Bruce M; Vollenweider, Peter; Wilson, James F; Wright, Alan F; Hovingh, G Kees; Metspalu, Andres; Uusitupa, Matti; Magnusson, Patrik K E; Kyvik, Kirsten O; Kaprio, Jaakko; Price, Jackie F; Dedoussis, George V; Deloukas, Panos; Meneton, Pierre; Lind, Lars; Boehnke, Michael; Shuldiner, Alan R; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Morris, Andrew D; Toenjes, Anke; Peyser, Patricia A; Beilby, John P; Körner, Antje; Kuusisto, Johanna; Laakso, Markku; Bornstein, Stefan R; Schwarz, Peter E H; Lakka, Timo A; Rauramaa, Rainer; Adair, Linda S; Smith, George Davey; Spector, Tim D; Illig, Thomas; de Faire, Ulf; Hamsten, Anders; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Kivimaki, Mika; Hingorani, Aroon; Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi, Sirkka M; Saaristo, Timo E; Boomsma, Dorret I; Stefansson, Kari; van der Harst, Pim; Dupuis, Josée; Pedersen, Nancy L; Sattar, Naveed; Harris, Tamara B; Cucca, Francesco; Ripatti, Samuli; Salomaa, Veikko; Mohlke, Karen L; Balkau, Beverley; Froguel, Philippe; Pouta, Anneli; Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Wareham, Nicholas J; Bouatia-Naji, Nabila; McCarthy, Mark I; Franks, Paul W; Meigs, James B; Teslovich, Tanya M; Florez, Jose C; Langenberg, Claudia; Ingelsson, Erik; Prokopenko, Inga; Barroso, Inês

2012-09-01

Through genome-wide association meta-analyses of up to 133,010 individuals of European ancestry without diabetes, including individuals newly genotyped using the Metabochip, we have increased the number of confirmed loci influencing glycemic traits to 53, of which 33 also increase type 2 diabetes risk (q < 0.05). Loci influencing fasting insulin concentration showed association with lipid levels and fat distribution, suggesting impact on insulin resistance. Gene-based analyses identified further biologically plausible loci, suggesting that additional loci beyond those reaching genome-wide significance are likely to represent real associations. This conclusion is supported by an excess of directionally consistent and nominally significant signals between discovery and follow-up studies. Functional analysis of these newly discovered loci will further improve our understanding of glycemic control.

Large-scale association analyses identify new loci influencing glycemic traits and provide insight into the underlying biological pathways

PubMed Central

Scott, Robert A; Lagou, Vasiliki; Welch, Ryan P; Wheeler, Eleanor; Montasser, May E; Luan, Jian’an; Mägi, Reedik; Strawbridge, Rona J; Rehnberg, Emil; Gustafsson, Stefan; Kanoni, Stavroula; Rasmussen-Torvik, Laura J; Yengo, Loïc; Lecoeur, Cecile; Shungin, Dmitry; Sanna, Serena; Sidore, Carlo; Johnson, Paul C D; Jukema, J Wouter; Johnson, Toby; Mahajan, Anubha; Verweij, Niek; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Shah, Sonia; Smith, Albert V; Sennblad, Bengt; Gieger, Christian; Salo, Perttu; Perola, Markus; Timpson, Nicholas J; Evans, David M; Pourcain, Beate St; Wu, Ying; Andrews, Jeanette S; Hui, Jennie; Bielak, Lawrence F; Zhao, Wei; Horikoshi, Momoko; Navarro, Pau; Isaacs, Aaron; O’Connell, Jeffrey R; Stirrups, Kathleen; Vitart, Veronique; Hayward, Caroline; Esko, Tönu; Mihailov, Evelin; Fraser, Ross M; Fall, Tove; Voight, Benjamin F; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Chen, Han; Lindgren, Cecilia M; Morris, Andrew P; Rayner, Nigel W; Robertson, Neil; Rybin, Denis; Liu, Ching-Ti; Beckmann, Jacques S; Willems, Sara M; Chines, Peter S; Jackson, Anne U; Kang, Hyun Min; Stringham, Heather M; Song, Kijoung; Tanaka, Toshiko; Peden, John F; Goel, Anuj; Hicks, Andrew A; An, Ping; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Franco-Cereceda, Anders; Folkersen, Lasse; Marullo, Letizia; Jansen, Hanneke; Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Bruinenberg, Marcel; Pankow, James S; North, Kari E; Forouhi, Nita G; Loos, Ruth J F; Edkins, Sarah; Varga, Tibor V; Hallmans, Göran; Oksa, Heikki; Antonella, Mulas; Nagaraja, Ramaiah; Trompet, Stella; Ford, Ian; Bakker, Stephan J L; Kong, Augustine; Kumari, Meena; Gigante, Bruna; Herder, Christian; Munroe, Patricia B; Caulfield, Mark; Antti, Jula; Mangino, Massimo; Small, Kerrin; Miljkovic, Iva; Liu, Yongmei; Atalay, Mustafa; Kiess, Wieland; James, Alan L; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Palmer, Colin N A; Doney, Alex S F; Willemsen, Gonneke; Smit, Johannes H; Campbell, Susan; Polasek, Ozren; Bonnycastle, Lori L; Hercberg, Serge; Dimitriou, Maria; Bolton, Jennifer L; Fowkes, Gerard R; Kovacs, Peter; Lindström, Jaana; Zemunik, Tatijana; Bandinelli, Stefania; Wild, Sarah H; Basart, Hanneke V; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Grallert, Harald; Maerz, Winfried; Kleber, Marcus E; Boehm, Bernhard O; Peters, Annette; Pramstaller, Peter P; Province, Michael A; Borecki, Ingrid B; Hastie, Nicholas D; Rudan, Igor; Campbell, Harry; Watkins, Hugh; Farrall, Martin; Stumvoll, Michael; Ferrucci, Luigi; Waterworth, Dawn M; Bergman, Richard N; Collins, Francis S; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Watanabe, Richard M; de Geus, Eco J C; Penninx, Brenda W; Hofman, Albert; Oostra, Ben A; Psaty, Bruce M; Vollenweider, Peter; Wilson, James F; Wright, Alan F; Hovingh, G Kees; Metspalu, Andres; Uusitupa, Matti; Magnusson, Patrik K E; Kyvik, Kirsten O; Kaprio, Jaakko; Price, Jackie F; Dedoussis, George V; Deloukas, Panos; Meneton, Pierre; Lind, Lars; Boehnke, Michael; Shuldiner, Alan R; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Morris, Andrew D; Toenjes, Anke; Peyser, Patricia A; Beilby, John P; Körner, Antje; Kuusisto, Johanna; Laakso, Markku; Bornstein, Stefan R; Schwarz, Peter E H; Lakka, Timo A; Rauramaa, Rainer; Adair, Linda S; Smith, George Davey; Spector, Tim D; Illig, Thomas; de Faire, Ulf; Hamsten, Anders; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Kivimaki, Mika; Hingorani, Aroon; Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi, Sirkka M; Saaristo, Timo E; Boomsma, Dorret I; Stefansson, Kari; van der Harst, Pim; Dupuis, Josée; Pedersen, Nancy L; Sattar, Naveed; Harris, Tamara B; Cucca, Francesco; Ripatti, Samuli; Salomaa, Veikko; Mohlke, Karen L; Balkau, Beverley; Froguel, Philippe; Pouta, Anneli; Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Wareham, Nicholas J; Bouatia-Naji, Nabila; McCarthy, Mark I; Franks, Paul W; Meigs, James B; Teslovich, Tanya M; Florez, Jose C; Langenberg, Claudia; Ingelsson, Erik; Prokopenko, Inga; Barroso, Inês

2012-01-01

Through genome-wide association meta-analyses of up to 133,010 individuals of European ancestry without diabetes, including individuals newly genotyped using the Metabochip, we have raised the number of confirmed loci influencing glycemic traits to 53, of which 33 also increase type 2 diabetes risk (q < 0.05). Loci influencing fasting insulin showed association with lipid levels and fat distribution, suggesting impact on insulin resistance. Gene-based analyses identified further biologically plausible loci, suggesting that additional loci beyond those reaching genome-wide significance are likely to represent real associations. This conclusion is supported by an excess of directionally consistent and nominally significant signals between discovery and follow-up studies. Functional follow-up of these newly discovered loci will further improve our understanding of glycemic control. PMID:22885924

Sperm carriers in Silurian sea scorpions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamenz, Carsten; Staude, Andreas; Dunlop, Jason A.

2011-10-01

Invasion of the land by arachnids required adaptations of numerous organs, such as gills evolving into lungs, as well as mechanisms facilitating sperm transfer in a terrestrial environment. Many modern arachnids use spermatophores for this purpose, i.e. sperm transmitters detached from the body. Exceptionally preserved Silurian (423 Ma) fossils of Eurypterus tetragonophthalmus Fischer, 1839 (Chelicerata: Eurypterida) preserve so-called `horn organs' which we here demonstrate as being equivalent to the spermatophore-producing parts of the genital tract in certain modern arachnids. This clarifies a long-running debate about sexing eurypterids based on the shape of the median abdominal (or genital) appendage. To our knowledge this is also the oldest direct evidence for spermatophore-mediated sperm transfer in the fossil record and suggests that eurypterids had evolved mating techniques using spermatophores as early as the Silurian, a valuable prerequisite for life on land. Spermatophores are absent in sea spiders (Pycnogonida) and horseshoe crabs (Xiphosura); thus the shared presence of sclerotized sperm-transfer devices in eurypterids and arachnids is a novel character, newly elucidated here, which offers explicit support for (Eurypterida + Arachnida). For this clade the name Sclerophorata n. nov. is proposed. Arachnida can be further defined by fusion of the originally paired genital opening.

Sterol and genomic analyses validate the sponge biomarker hypothesis.

PubMed

Gold, David A; Grabenstatter, Jonathan; de Mendoza, Alex; Riesgo, Ana; Ruiz-Trillo, Iñaki; Summons, Roger E

2016-03-08

Molecular fossils (or biomarkers) are key to unraveling the deep history of eukaryotes, especially in the absence of traditional fossils. In this regard, the sterane 24-isopropylcholestane has been proposed as a molecular fossil for sponges, and could represent the oldest evidence for animal life. The sterane is found in rocks ∼650-540 million y old, and its sterol precursor (24-isopropylcholesterol, or 24-ipc) is synthesized today by certain sea sponges. However, 24-ipc is also produced in trace amounts by distantly related pelagophyte algae, whereas only a few close relatives of sponges have been assayed for sterols. In this study, we analyzed the sterol and gene repertoires of four taxa (Salpingoeca rosetta, Capsaspora owczarzaki, Sphaeroforma arctica, and Creolimax fragrantissima), which collectively represent the major living animal outgroups. We discovered that all four taxa lack C30 sterols, including 24-ipc. By building phylogenetic trees for key enzymes in 24-ipc biosynthesis, we identified a candidate gene (carbon-24/28 sterol methyltransferase, or SMT) responsible for 24-ipc production. Our results suggest that pelagophytes and sponges independently evolved C30 sterol biosynthesis through clade-specific SMT duplications. Using a molecular clock approach, we demonstrate that the relevant sponge SMT duplication event overlapped with the appearance of 24-isopropylcholestanes in the Neoproterozoic, but that the algal SMT duplication event occurred later in the Phanerozoic. Subsequently, pelagophyte algae and their relatives are an unlikely alternative to sponges as a source of Neoproterozoic 24-isopropylcholestanes, consistent with growing evidence that sponges evolved long before the Cambrian explosion ∼542 million y ago.

Sterol and genomic analyses validate the sponge biomarker hypothesis

PubMed Central

Gold, David A.; Grabenstatter, Jonathan; de Mendoza, Alex; Riesgo, Ana; Ruiz-Trillo, Iñaki

2016-01-01

Molecular fossils (or biomarkers) are key to unraveling the deep history of eukaryotes, especially in the absence of traditional fossils. In this regard, the sterane 24-isopropylcholestane has been proposed as a molecular fossil for sponges, and could represent the oldest evidence for animal life. The sterane is found in rocks ∼650–540 million y old, and its sterol precursor (24-isopropylcholesterol, or 24-ipc) is synthesized today by certain sea sponges. However, 24-ipc is also produced in trace amounts by distantly related pelagophyte algae, whereas only a few close relatives of sponges have been assayed for sterols. In this study, we analyzed the sterol and gene repertoires of four taxa (Salpingoeca rosetta, Capsaspora owczarzaki, Sphaeroforma arctica, and Creolimax fragrantissima), which collectively represent the major living animal outgroups. We discovered that all four taxa lack C30 sterols, including 24-ipc. By building phylogenetic trees for key enzymes in 24-ipc biosynthesis, we identified a candidate gene (carbon-24/28 sterol methyltransferase, or SMT) responsible for 24-ipc production. Our results suggest that pelagophytes and sponges independently evolved C30 sterol biosynthesis through clade-specific SMT duplications. Using a molecular clock approach, we demonstrate that the relevant sponge SMT duplication event overlapped with the appearance of 24-isopropylcholestanes in the Neoproterozoic, but that the algal SMT duplication event occurred later in the Phanerozoic. Subsequently, pelagophyte algae and their relatives are an unlikely alternative to sponges as a source of Neoproterozoic 24-isopropylcholestanes, consistent with growing evidence that sponges evolved long before the Cambrian explosion ∼542 million y ago. PMID:26903629

Diet and environment of a mid-Pliocene fauna in the Zanda Basin (western Himalaya): Paleo-elevation implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Xu, Y.; Khawaja, S. N.; Wang, X.; Passey, B. H.; Zhang, C.; Li, Q.; Tseng, Z. J.; Takeuchi, G.; Deng, T.; Xie, G.

2011-12-01

A mid-Pliocene fauna (3.1-4.0 Ma) was recently discovered in the Zanda Basin in western Himalaya, at an elevation of about 4200 m above sea level. These fossil materials provide a unique window for examining the linkage among tectonic, climatic and biotic changes. Here we report the initial results from isotopic analyses of this fauna and of modern herbivores in the Zanda Basin. The δ13C values of enamel samples from modern wild Tibetan ass, horse, cow and goat from the Zanda Basin are -9.1±2.1%, which indicate a diet comprising predominantly of C3 plants and are consistent with the current dominance of C3 vegetation in the area. The enamel-δ13C values of the fossil horse, rhino, deer, and bovid are -9.6±0.8%, indicating that these ancient mammals, like modern herbivores in the area, fed primarily on C3 vegetation and lived in an environment dominated by C3 plants. The enamel-δ18O values of mid-Pliocene obligate drinkers (i.e., horse and rhino) are lower than those of their modern counterpart, most likely indicating a shift in climate to much drier conditions after ~3-4 Ma. Preliminary paleo-temperature estimates derived from a fossil-based temperature proxy as well as the "clumped isotope" thermometer for the mid-Pliocene Zanda Basin, although somewhat equivocal, are close to the present-day mean annual temperature in the area, suggesting that the paleo-elevation of the Zanda Basin in the mid-Pliocene was similar to its present-day elevation.

Undrowning a lost world — The Marine Isotope Stage 3 landscape of Gibraltar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Vidal, Joaquín; Finlayson, Geraldine; Finlayson, Clive; Negro, Juan J.; Cáceres, Luis M.; Fa, Darren A.; Carrión, José S.

2013-12-01

The Rock of Gibraltar, at the south-western extreme of the Iberian Peninsula and 21 km from the North African coast, is a 6-km long limestone peninsula which was inhabited by Neanderthals from MIS 5e until the end of MIS 3. A total of 8 sites, either with Neanderthal fossils or their Mousterian lithic technology, have been discovered on the Rock. Two, Gorham's and Vanguard Caves, are the subject of ongoing research. These caves are currently at sea level, but during MIS 3 faced an emerged coastal shelf with the shoreline as far as 5 km away at times. They hold a unique archive of fauna and flora, in the form of fossils, charcoal and pollen, helping environmental reconstruction of now-submerged shelf landscapes. In addition, geological and geomorphological features - a 300-metre dune complex, elevated aeolian deposits, raised beaches, scree, speleothems - complement the biotic picture. The work is further complemented by a study of the ecology of the species recorded at the site, using present-day observations. The species composition in this fossil record closely matches the present day fauna and vegetation of the Doñana National Park, SW Spain: a mosaic of pine groves, coastal dunes, shrubland and seasonal wetlands and currently the richest reserve in terms of biodiversity in the Iberian Peninsula, located only 100 km to the northwest from Gibraltar. All this information permits, for the first time, the quantification of the vegetation structure of the ancient coastal plain and the modelling of the spatio-temporal dynamics of the MIS 3 coastal shelf off Gibraltar.

Stable isotopes in fossil mammals, fish and shells from Kunlun Pass Basin, Tibetan Plateau: Paleo-climatic and paleo-elevation implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yang; Wang, Xiaoming; Xu, Yingfeng; Zhang, Chunfu; Li, Qiang; Tseng, Zhijie Jack; Takeuchi, Gary; Deng, Tao

2008-06-01

We report the results of a stable isotope study of a late Pliocene fauna recently discovered in the Kunlun Mountain Pass area (˜ 4700 m above sea level) on the northern Tibetan Plateau. The δ13C values of enamel samples from modern herbivores from the Kunlun Pass Basin range from - 14.8 to - 10.6‰, with a mean of - 12.0 ± 0.7‰, indicating pure C3 diets consistent with the current dominance of C3 vegetation in the area. In contrast, enamel samples from fossil herbivores yielded δ13C values of - 5.4‰ to - 10.2‰ (with a mean of - 7.9 ± 1.3‰), significantly higher than those of modern herbivores in the area. The higher δ13C values indicate that these ancient herbivores, unlike their modern counterparts, had a variety of diets ranging from pure C3 to mixed C3/C4 vegetation. The local ecosystems in the Kunlun Pass area in the late Pliocene likely included grasslands that had small amounts of C4 grasses. The δ18O values of enamel from large herbivores shifted to higher values after the late Pliocene, indicating a significant change in the δ18O of local meteoric water. We estimate that there has been approximately 3.2‰ increase in annual δ18O values of meteoric water since ˜ 2-3 Ma, most likely driven by changes in the regional hydrological cycle possibly as a result of tectonic and climate change. The δ18O values of fossil fish teeth/bones and gastropod shells, along with abundance of aquatic plants and other invertebrate fossils, clearly indicate that the Kunlun Pass Basin once had plenty of water and was occupied by a freshwater lake in the late Pliocene. Our isotope data from both terrestrial and aquatic fossils suggest that the Kunlun Pass Basin was a hospitable place with a much warmer and wetter climate in the late Pliocene, very different from today's rock desert and cold steppe environments. The mean annual temperature in the late Pliocene estimated from the δ18O of fossil bone carbonate and paleo-water was about 10 ± 8 °C, much higher than the present-day mean annual temperature in the basin. If valid, the estimated temperature change would imply that the elevation of the basin has increased by ˜ 2700 ±1600 m since ˜ 2-3 Ma.

First diatomyid rodent from the Early Miocene of Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Antoñanzas, Raquel

2011-02-01

The Asian family Diatomyidae is known from the Early Oligocene to the present. Among living rodents, this group comprises only the recently discovered Laonastes aenigmamus from Laos. Fossil diatomyids are known from only a few sites, in which they are often rare. The discovery of Pierremus explorator gen. nov. sp. nov. in the Lower Miocene of As-Sarrar (Saudi Arabia) raises to ten the number of extinct diatomyid species recognized. Pierremus explorator is the first record of a diatomyid from the Afro-Arabian plate. This discovery provides evidence that, together with other rodents (ctenodactylids, zapodids…), the diatomyids took advantage of the corridor that was established between Afro-Arabia and Eurasia in Early Miocene times.

Fossil diatoms imply common cometary origin of space-dust and the Polonnaruwa meteorite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, N.; Wallis, M. K.; Wickramasinghe, N. C.

2013-09-01

IDPs collected in 2001 at 40km altitude by cryosamplers studied via scanning electron microscopy and EDX were found to contain siliceous fibres and whiskers, some isolated but often embedded in a mineral matrix. The newly-arrived Polonnaruwa meteorite gives strong evidence for the hypothesis that they are fragments of diatoms agglomerating on solar system icy bodies. Diatom frustules and even whole diatom skeletons are identifiable within the meteorite. Specimens of a siliceous exoskeleton with multiple spines/whiskers have also been found, thought to be freshwater diatoms. As diatoms are dependent on a source of nitrogenous organics, the siliceous whiskers within IDPs would be an indicator of a photosynthesizing ecosystem, probably on a comet.

Geology of the De Queen and Caddo Gap quadrangles, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miser, Hugh D.; Purdue, Albert Homer

1929-01-01

The field study of the geology of the De Queen and Caddo Gap quadrangles extended over a period of many years, and although the scientific and economic results from the study are here set forth fully for the first time in a single report, a number of publications have been issued that have presented some of the more important results.The field work was begun in 1907 and continued intermittently until 1925. The work in 1907 was done under a cooperative agreement between the United States Geological Survey and the Arkansas Geological Survey and involved primarily an investigation of the slate deposits of west-central Arkansas but also the mapping of the rocks in the mountainous part of the Caddo Gap quadrangle. In that year A. H. Purdue, State geologist of Arkansas, had charge of the work and was assisted by R. D. Mesler and H. D. Miser. All the subsequent work in the Caddo Gap quadrangle, as well as all in the De Queen quadrangle, was done by the United States Geological Survey. The work since 1907 is briefly outlined below. In 1908 Mr. Purdue, assisted by Mr. Miser, completed the mapping of the rocks of the Caddo Gap quadrangle with the aid of valuable suggestions from C. W. Hayes, chief geologist, J. A. Taff, and E. O. Ulrich, who visited the field for several days. In 1910 Mr. Purdue, assisted by Mr. Miser, reviewed a part of the previous work in the Caddo Gap quadrangle and mapped the rocks in most of the mountainous portion of the De Queen quadrangle. In 1911 these geologists did additional work in both the De Queen and Caddo Gap quadrangles, and in 1912 Mr. Miser, assisted by Mr. Mesler, completed the mapping of the rocks in the De Queen quadrangle and then reviewed some of the earlier work in the Caddo Gap quadrangle. In 1913 Arthur Keith, and Messrs. Purdue and Miser spent several days in a field conference in the Caddo Gap quadrangle. During the conference the first identifiable fossils in the Blaylock sandstone, of Silurian age, were discovered. In 1914 Mr. Miser obtained a small collection of fossil plants from the Stanley shale near Gillham, Ark., also the first fossils from the Arkansas novaculite. In 1916 he made a special study of some of the mineral deposits of the quadrangles, including the deposits of diamonds, manganese ore, gravel, and asphalt, and in 1917 he revisited the diamond mines. An investigation of the volcanic ash and tuff in the "Bingen formation," of Upper Cretaceous age, in the Caddo Gap quadrangle and adjoining areas to the south and southwest was made in 1923 by Clarence S. Ross and Mr. Miser.Also in that year other fossil plants were collected from the Stanley shale at the earlier discovered locality near Gillham by Mr. Miser. (See pl. 9, A.) The aggregate time spent in collecting fossils at this locality was eight days, so scare are the fossils and so difficult are the conditions for collecting them. Besides the above work the authors made frequent reconnaissance studies of adjoining areas, and Mr. Miser was joined in 1923 by C. W. Honess for a field conference of a few days in the De Queen and Caddo Gap quadrangles. In 1925 Mr. Miser joined in the field Messrs. L. W. Stephenson and C. H. Dane for a few days in a study of the " Bingen " (Woodbine and Tokio) and other formations of Upper Cretaceous age in and near the Caddo Gap quadrangle. Mr. Dane was making at that time a special study of the deposits of Upper Cretaceous age in southwestern Arkansas under a cooperative agreement between the United States Geological Survey and the Arkansas Geological Survey. For some of the information on the Tokio formation the present writers are indebted to Mr. Dane.

Human interleukin for DA cells or leukemia inhibitory factor is released by Vero cells in human embryo coculture.

PubMed

Papaxanthos-Roche, A; Taupin, J L; Mayer, G; Daniel, J Y; Moreau, J F

1994-09-01

In the light of the newly discovered implications of human interleukin for DA cells and leukemia inhibitory factor in embryology, we searched for the presence of this soluble cytokine in the supernatant of Vero cell coculture systems. Using a bioassay as well as a specific ELISA, we demonstrated that Vero cells are able to release large quantities of human interleukin for DA cells and leukemia inhibitory factor in the embryo-growing medium of such cocultures.

Photometry and spectroscopy of a newly discovered polar - Nova Cygni 1975 (V1500 CYG)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaluzny, Janusz; Chlebowski, Tomasz

1988-01-01

The paper reports photometric and spectroscopic observations which led to the conclusion that Nova Cygni 1975 (V1500 Cyg) is a polar (of AM Her-type).The CCD photometry confirms the constancy of the photometric period which is again interpreted as an orbital cycle. The time-resolved MMT spectra make it possible to reconstruct, under several assumptions, the basic system parameters: M1=0.9M solar mass and M2=0.31M solar mass.

Newly discovered geological features and their potential impact on Darlington and Pickering. Report No. INFO-0342

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wallach, J.L.

1990-01-01

The design basis seismic ground motion for the nuclear generating stations at Darlington and at Pickering were determined solely through the assessment of previous earthquakes with no geological, or any other geophysical, input. Since then geophysical maps, showing a north-northwest oriented linear feature with some possible associated seismic activity, were examined. This report discusses the impact of these new discoveries on the Darlington and Pickering nuclear generating stations and on the already known geophysical features of the area.

Discovery of Benzofuran Derivatives that Collaborate with Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) to Promote Neuroprotection.

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Takeshi; Tokunaga, Norihito; Tokumaru, Kazuyuki; Ohra, Taiichi; Koyama, Nobuyuki; Hayashi, Satoru; Yamada, Ryuji; Shirasaki, Mikio; Inui, Yoshitaka; Tsukamoto, Tetsuya

2016-05-26

A series of benzofuran derivatives with neuroprotective activity in collaboration with IGF-1 was discovered using a newly developed cell-based assay involving primary neural cells prepared from rat hippocampal and cerebral cortical tissues. A structure-activity relationship study identified compound 8 as exhibiting potent activity and brain penetrability. An in vitro pharmacological study demonstrated that although IGF-1 and 8 individually exhibited the neuroprotective effect, the latter acted in collaboration with IGF-1 to enhance neuroprotective activity.

Newly discovered orally active pure antiestrogens.

PubMed

Kanbe, Yoshitake; Kim, Myung-Hwa; Nishimoto, Masahiro; Ohtake, Yoshihito; Yoneya, Takaaki; Ohizumi, Iwao; Tsunenari, Toshiaki; Taniguchi, Kenji; Kaiho, Shin-ichi; Nabuchi, Yoshiaki; Araya, Hiroshi; Kawata, Setsu; Morikawa, Kazumi; Jo, Jae-Chon; Kwon, Hee-An; Lim, Hyun-Suk; Kim, Hak-Yeop

2006-09-15

In order to develop orally active pure antiestrogens, we incorporated the carboxy-containing side chains into the 7alpha-position of the steroid scaffold and found that 17-keto derivative CH4893237 (12b) functioned as a pure antiestrogen with its oral activity much superior to clinically used pure antiestrogen, ICI182,780. Results from the pharmacokinetic evaluation indicated that the potent antiestrogen activity at oral dosing in mice attributed to both improved absorption from the intestinal wall and metabolic stability in liver.

New records of larval stages of the eel cod genus Muraenolepis Günther 1880 (Gadiformes: Muraenolepididae) from the western Antarctic Peninsula.

PubMed

Konstantinidis, P; Hilton, E J; Matarese, A C

2016-08-01

Three newly discovered larval specimens of the genus Muraenolepis collected from the waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula are described. Knowledge of their natural history is sparse and information about their early life history is based on only a few larval stages. Here, the available literature on larval eel cods is reviewed, and the specimens placed in context. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

ARC-1986-A86-7032

NASA Image and Video Library

1986-01-24

P-29516 BW Range: 125, 000 kilometers (78,000 miles) Voyager 2's wide-angle camera captured this view of the outer part of the Uranian ring system just 11 minutes before passing though the ring plane. The resolution in this clear-filter view is slightly better than 9 km (6 mi). The brightest, outermost ring is known as epsilon. Interior to epsilon lie (from top) the newly discovered 10th ring of Uranus--designated 1986UR1 and barely visible here--and then the delta, gamma and eta rings.

Qualification test results for DOE solar photovoltaic flat panel procurement - PRDA 38

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffith, J. S.

1980-01-01

Twelve types of prototypes modules for the DOE Photovoltaic Flat Panel Procurement (PRDA 38) were subjected to qualification tests at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory according to a new specification. Environmental exposures were carried out separately and included temperature cycling, humidity, wind simulation, and hail. The most serious problems discovered were reduced insulation resistance to ground and ground continuity of the metal frames, electrical degradation, erratic power readings, and delamination. The electrical and physical characteristics of the newly received modules are also given.

tirant, a newly discovered active endogenous retrovirus in Drosophila simulans.

PubMed

Akkouche, Abdou; Rebollo, Rita; Burlet, Nelly; Esnault, Caroline; Martinez, Sonia; Viginier, Barbara; Terzian, Christophe; Vieira, Cristina; Fablet, Marie

2012-04-01

Endogenous retroviruses have the ability to become permanently integrated into the genomes of their host, and they are generally transmitted vertically from parent to progeny. With the exception of gypsy, few endogenous retroviruses have been identified in insects. In this study, we describe the tirant endogenous retrovirus in a subset of Drosophila simulans natural populations. By focusing on the envelope gene, we show that the entire retroviral cycle (transcription, translation, and retrotransposition) can be completed for tirant within one population of this species.

Clostridiumm ljungdahlii, an anaerobic ethanol and acetate producing microorganism

DOEpatents

Gaddy, J.L.; Clausen, E.C.

1992-12-22

A newly discovered microorganism was isolated in a biologically pure culture and designated Clostridium ljungdahlii, having the identifying characteristics of ATCC No. 49587. Cultured in an aqueous nutrient medium under anaerobic conditions, this microorganism is capable of producing ethanol and acetate from CO and H[sub 2]O and/or CO[sub 2] and H[sub 2] in synthesis gas. Under optimal growth conditions, the microorganism produces acetate in preference to ethanol. Conversely, under non-growth conditions, ethanol production is favored over acetate. 3 figs.

"Non-Vocalization": A Phonological Error Process in the Speech of Severely and Profoundly Hearing Impaired Adults, from the Point of View of the Theory of Phonology as Human Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpern, Orly; Tobin, Yishai

2008-01-01

"Non-vocalization" (N-V) is a newly described phonological error process in hearing impaired speakers. In N-V the hearing impaired person actually articulates the phoneme but without producing a voice. The result is an error process looking as if it is produced but sounding as if it is omitted. N-V was discovered by video recording the speech of…

Clostridiumm ljungdahlii, an anaerobic ethanol and acetate producing microorganism

DOEpatents

Gaddy, James L.; Clausen, Edgar C.

1992-01-01

A newly discovered microorganism was isolated in a biologically pure culture and designated Clostridium ljungdahlii, having the identifying characteristics of ATCC No. 49587. Cultured in an aqueous nutrient medium under anaerobic conditions, this microorganism is capable of producing ethanol and acetate from CO and H.sub.2 O and/or CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 in synthesis gas. Under optimal growth conditions, the microorganism produces acetate in preference to ethanol. Conversely, under non-growth conditions, ethanol production is favored over acetate.

Functional Expression. Ephrin Receptor Tropism, and Heterotypic Functionality of the Attachment and Fusion Glycoproteins of Cedar Virus, a Newly Discovered Henipavirus

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-20

in West Africa. Despite this broad range of seropositivity in bats, HeV and NiV outbreaks have only been described in Australia, Malaysia , India...to Hendra infection (http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/4790_2900.htm). Nipah virus was described during an outbreak of encephalitis in Malaysia and...measures which brought the outbreak to an end [7], even as it caused a devastating amount of damage to the economy of Malaysia . Following the

Molecular detection of kobuviruses in European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Italy.

PubMed

Di Martino, Barbara; Di Profio, Federica; Melegari, Irene; Di Felice, Elisabetta; Robetto, Serena; Guidetti, Cristina; Orusa, Riccardo; Martella, Vito; Marsilio, Fulvio

2015-08-01

Kobuvirus RNA was found in 6.6 % (13/198) of stool specimens from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) captured during the regular hunting season. Upon sequence analysis of a fragment of the 3D gene, nine strains displayed the highest nucleotide sequence identity (91.2-97.4 %) to bovine kobuviruses previously detected in either diarrhoeic or asymptomatic calves. Interestingly, four strains were genetically related to the newly discovered caprine kobuviruses (84.2-87.6 % nucleotide identity) identified in black goats in Korea.

¹⁹F magnetic resonance probes for live-cell detection of peroxynitrite using an oxidative decarbonylation reaction.

PubMed

Bruemmer, Kevin J; Merrikhihaghi, Sara; Lollar, Christina T; Morris, Siti Nur Sarah; Bauer, Johannes H; Lippert, Alexander R

2014-10-21

We report a newly discovered oxidative decarbonylation reaction of isatins that is selectively mediated by peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) to provide anthranilic acid derivatives. We have harnessed this rapid and selective transformation to develop two reaction-based probes, 5-fluoroisatin and 6-fluoroisatin, for the low-background readout of ONOO(-) using (19)F magnetic resonance spectroscopy. 5-fluoroisatin was used to non-invasively detect ONOO(-) formation in living lung epithelial cells stimulated with interferon-γ (IFN-γ).

Examining the diversity and distribution of microbial communities from newly discovered methane seeps along the Cascadia Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seabrook, S.; Thurber, A. R.; Embley, R. W.; Raineault, N.; Baumberger, T.; Merle, S. G.

2016-12-01

Methane seeps provide biogeochemical and microbial heterogeneity in deep-sea habitats. In June of 2016 the E/V Nautilus, exploring for methane seeps along the Cascadia continental margin, discovered over 450 bubble streams, indicative of active seepage, and collected biological samples at 6 of the resulting newly discovered seeps. These seeps covered a range of depths, latitudes, habitat types and biogeochemical environments and included: Juan de Fuca (150m), Astoria canyon (800m and 500m), Nehalem Bank (185m), Heceta SW (1200m), SW Coquille Bank (600m), and Klamath Knoll seep (700m). Geologic environment types included continental shelf, canyons and slopes, and these sites spanned the zone of hydrate stability and the Oxygen Minimum Zone. A range of seep-specific habitat were found and sampled including: reduced sediments, microbial mats, methane hydrates, clam beds (Calyptogena spp.), Siboglinidae tubeworm assemblages and sparse assemblages of stalked barnacles. Here, we present an initial characterization of the microbial communities collected via push cores by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) at the six aforementioned sites. With high throughput amplicon sequencing of the V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene, we characterize the diversity and microbial composition of the seep sites sampled. This characterization is furthered with digital drop PCR of the pmoA gene (involved with aerobic methanotrophy) to allow for a comparison of the community composition with functional gene abundance of critical microbial processes. These data will be placed in the greater biogeochemical context of the region, including direct comparison with paired gas-tight sampling at key locations. The results of these analyses will provide the first microbial description of this broad range of seep ecosystems along the Cascadia Margin adding to our overall understanding of microbial diversity, the dominant physiological processes at seep ecosystems, and the connection between community structure, function and biogeochemistry in habitats which we are just starting to appreciate for their ubiquity in marine environments.

Relativistic Astrophysics in Black Hole and Low-Mass Neutron Star Binaries LTSA98

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cui, Wei

2000-01-01

My group, in close collaboration with Dr. Zhang's group at University of Alabama-Huntsville, have been systematically analyzing and re-analyzing a substantial amount of archival data from previous and ongoing X-ray missions, in order to study possible relativistic effects around stellar-mass black holes and neutron stars. Our effort has been focused primarily on the data from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. We carefully studied interesting quasi-periodic X-ray variability in newly discovered black hole candidates (XTE J1859+226 and XTE J1550-564), which, as we had proposed earlier, could be caused by general relativistic process (e.g., frame dragging) around the central black hole. We also discovered an intriguing temporal correlation between X-ray photons at different energies that is associated with the quasi-periodic signals of interest. The results provided new insights into the physical origin of the phenomena. Furthermore, we studied the spectral lines of black hole candidates which provide another avenue for studying general relativistic processes around black holes. The lines-may originate in the relativistic jets (which could be powered by the spin of the black hole) or in the disk around the black hole, as in the cases of 4U 1630-47 and GX 339-4 (two well-known black hole candidates), and may thus be distorted or shifted due to relativistic effects. Of course, neutron star systems were not forgotten either. After examining the properties of newly discovered fast quasi-periodic variability (at kiloHertz) associated with such systems, we proposed a relativistic model to explain the origin of the signals. We have also started to use new great observatories in orbit (such as Chandra and XMM-Newton) to observe the sources that are of interest to us. Finally, interesting results were also been obtained from our collaborations with other groups who are interested in some of the same objects. Such collaborative efforts have greatly enhanced the project and will likely continue in the future.

Flightless Notaris (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Brachycerinae: Erirhinini) in Southwest China: monophyly, mtDNA phylogeography and evolution of habitat associations.

PubMed

Grebennikov, Vasily V; Kolov, Sergey V

2016-04-26

This paper reports the recent discovery of flightless populations of weevils of the genus Notaris in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces of China. Specimens were found in the middle or high altitude mountains (2440-4195 m), by either sifting leaf litter in the deciduous forest and among alpine Rhododendron shrubs, or by turning rocks in the alpine zone. These finds extend southwards the Asian range of this Holarctic genus and report its highest altitudinal records. DNA barcodes of 127 specimens were phylogenetically analysed, of them 42 are those of newly discovered Notaris from Southwest China. The genera Notaris and Tournotaris consistently formed a clade, with Tournotaris nested inside Notaris in Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) analysis. The newly discovered flightless Notaris from Southwest China were either monophyletic (MP) or paraphyletic with respect to volant Holarctic N. aethiops (ML); the latter placement being likely an artefact. A strict linear molecular clock approach suggests a pre-Pliocene separation of Notaris populations in Southwest China. Habitat associations of these high-altitude flightless Notaris contrast sharply with that of the predominantly volant lowland riparian Notaris and other Erirhinini. We hypothesis that evolution of habitat selection in Notaris went from lowland riparian, to high altitude (via uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions of Central Asia), and then to forest leaf litter (via subsequent erosions of isolated mountains such as Emei Shan in Sichuan losing the alpine zone and forcing Notaris into the forest floor). Taxonomic uncertainty of Asian Notaris is addressed and remains unresolved due to uninformative morphology and conflicting DNA signal. Identities of two obscure and likely closely related species, Notaroides brevirostris and Notaris kozlovi from nearby SE Qinghai and NW Sichuan, respectively, are discussed and illustrated. Pending further research, all reported flightless Notaris from Yunnan and Sichuan are hypothesised to form a clade, for which the available name N. kozlovi is used. Habitus and genitalia of Notaris specimens from the newly detected populations are illustrated.

Novel Bacterial Proteins and Lipids Reveal the Diversity of Triterpenoid Biomarker Synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, J. H.; Banta, A. B.; Gill, C. C. C.; Giner, J. L.; Welander, P. V.

2017-12-01

Lipids preserved in sediments and rocks function as organic biomarkers providing evidence for the types of organisms that lived in ancient environments. We use a combined approach utilizing comparative genomics, molecular biology, and lipid analysis to discover novel cyclic triteprenoid lipids and their biosynthetic pathways in bacteria. Here, we present two cases of bacterial synthesis of pentacylic triterpenols previously thought to be indicative of eukaryotes, which address current incongruities in the fossil record. Cyclic triterpenoid lipids, such as hopanoids and sterols, are generally associated with bacteria and eukaryotes, respectively. The pentacyclic triterpenoid tetrahymanol, first discovered in the ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis, and its diagenetic product gammacerane, have been previously interpreted as markers for eukaryotes and linked to water column stratification. Yet the occurrence of tetrahymanol in bacteria implies our knowledge of extant tetrahymanol producers is not complete. Through comparative genomics we identified a new gene required for tetrahymanol synthesis in the bacterium Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum. This gene encodes a novel enzyme, Tetrahymanol synthase (THS), that synthesizes tetrahymanol from the hopanoid diploptene demonstrating a pathway for tetrahymanol production in bacteria distinct from that in eukaryotes. We bionformatically identified THS homologs in 104 bacterial genomes and 472 metagenomes, implying a great diversity of tetrahymanol producers. Lipids of the arborane class, such as iso-arborinol, are commonly found in modern angiosperms. Arobranes are synthesized by the enzyme oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC), which in plants can form both tetra and pentacyclic molecules. While bacteria are known to produce tetracyclic sterol compounds, bacterial synthesis of pentacyclic arborane class triterpenols of this class were previously undiscovered. We have identified a bacterium, Eudoraea adriatica, whose OSC synthesizes arborinols, specifically the novel compounds Eudoraenol and Adriaticol. Discovery of these compounds in bacteria also sheds light on the occurrence of arboranes in Permian sediments predating the angiosperm fossil record, further demonstrating bacteria as a potential source for other orphan biomarkers.

The origin of modern metabolic networks inferred from phylogenomic analysis of protein architecture.

PubMed

Caetano-Anollés, Gustavo; Kim, Hee Shin; Mittenthal, Jay E

2007-05-29

Metabolism represents a complex collection of enzymatic reactions and transport processes that convert metabolites into molecules capable of supporting cellular life. Here we explore the origins and evolution of modern metabolism. Using phylogenomic information linked to the structure of metabolic enzymes, we sort out recruitment processes and discover that most enzymatic activities were associated with the nine most ancient and widely distributed protein fold architectures. An analysis of newly discovered functions showed enzymatic diversification occurred early, during the onset of the modern protein world. Most importantly, phylogenetic reconstruction exercises and other evidence suggest strongly that metabolism originated in enzymes with the P-loop hydrolase fold in nucleotide metabolism, probably in pathways linked to the purine metabolic subnetwork. Consequently, the first enzymatic takeover of an ancient biochemistry or prebiotic chemistry was related to the synthesis of nucleotides for the RNA world.

G306.3-0.9: A Newly Discovered Young Galactic Supernova Remnant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reynolds, Mark T.; Loi, Syheh T.; Murphy, Tara; Miller, Jon M.; Maitra, Dipankar; Gueltekin, Kayhan; Gehrels, Neil; Kennea, Jamie A.; Siegel, Michael H.; Gelbord, Jonathan;

A Hybrid Computational Method for the Discovery of Novel Reproduction-Related Genes

PubMed Central

Chen, Lei; Chu, Chen; Kong, Xiangyin; Huang, Guohua; Huang, Tao; Cai, Yu-Dong

2015-01-01

Uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying reproduction is of great importance to infertility treatment and to the generation of healthy offspring. In this study, we discovered novel reproduction-related genes with a hybrid computational method, integrating three different types of method, which offered new clues for further reproduction research. This method was first executed on a weighted graph, constructed based on known protein-protein interactions, to search the shortest paths connecting any two known reproduction-related genes. Genes occurring in these paths were deemed to have a special relationship with reproduction. These newly discovered genes were filtered with a randomization test. Then, the remaining genes were further selected according to their associations with known reproduction-related genes measured by protein-protein interaction score and alignment score obtained by BLAST. The in-depth analysis of the high confidence novel reproduction genes revealed hidden mechanisms of reproduction and provided guidelines for further experimental validations. PMID:25768094

The pressure is all in your head: A cilia-driven high-pressure pump in the head of a deep-sea animal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nawroth, Janna; Katija, Kakani; Shelley, Michael; Kanso, Eva

2017-11-01

Motile cilia are microscopic, hair-like structures on the cell surface that can sense and propel the extracellular fluid environment. In many ciliated systems found in nature, such as the mammalian airways and marine sponges, the organization and collective behavior of the cilia favors the pumping of fluids at low pressures and high volumes. We recently discovered an alternate design located in the head of a deep-sea animal called Larvacean. Here, cilia morphology, kinematics and flow indicate a role in maintaining the hydrostatic skeleton of the animal by generating a high-pressure flow. We describe our empirical and computational approaches toward understanding the design principles and dynamic range of this newly discovered pumping mechanism. In ongoing work, we further explore the fluid dynamic constraints on the morphological diversity of cilia and the resulting categories of fluid transport functions.

A hybrid computational method for the discovery of novel reproduction-related genes.

PubMed

Chen, Lei; Chu, Chen; Kong, Xiangyin; Huang, Guohua; Huang, Tao; Cai, Yu-Dong

2015-01-01

Uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying reproduction is of great importance to infertility treatment and to the generation of healthy offspring. In this study, we discovered novel reproduction-related genes with a hybrid computational method, integrating three different types of method, which offered new clues for further reproduction research. This method was first executed on a weighted graph, constructed based on known protein-protein interactions, to search the shortest paths connecting any two known reproduction-related genes. Genes occurring in these paths were deemed to have a special relationship with reproduction. These newly discovered genes were filtered with a randomization test. Then, the remaining genes were further selected according to their associations with known reproduction-related genes measured by protein-protein interaction score and alignment score obtained by BLAST. The in-depth analysis of the high confidence novel reproduction genes revealed hidden mechanisms of reproduction and provided guidelines for further experimental validations.

CRISPRTarget

PubMed Central

Biswas, Ambarish; Gagnon, Joshua N.; Brouns, Stan J.J.; Fineran, Peter C.; Brown, Chris M.

2013-01-01

The bacterial and archaeal CRISPR/Cas adaptive immune system targets specific protospacer nucleotide sequences in invading organisms. This requires base pairing between processed CRISPR RNA and the target protospacer. For type I and II CRISPR/Cas systems, protospacer adjacent motifs (PAM) are essential for target recognition, and for type III, mismatches in the flanking sequences are important in the antiviral response. In this study, we examine the properties of each class of CRISPR. We use this information to provide a tool (CRISPRTarget) that predicts the most likely targets of CRISPR RNAs (http://bioanalysis.otago.ac.nz/CRISPRTarget). This can be used to discover targets in newly sequenced genomic or metagenomic data. To test its utility, we discover features and targets of well-characterized Streptococcus thermophilus and Sulfolobus solfataricus type II and III CRISPR/Cas systems. Finally, in Pectobacterium species, we identify new CRISPR targets and propose a model of temperate phage exposure and subsequent inhibition by the type I CRISPR/Cas systems. PMID:23492433

A Mountain Range within Pluto Heart

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-07-21

A newly discovered mountain range lies near the southwestern margin of Pluto heart-shaped Tombaugh Regio Tombaugh Region, situated between bright, icy plains and dark, heavily-cratered terrain. This image was acquired by NASA's New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on July 14, 2015, from a distance of 48,000 miles (77,000 kilometers) and sent back to Earth on July 20. Features as small as a half-mile (1 kilometer) across are visible. These frozen peaks are estimated to be one-half mile to one mile (1-1.5 kilometers) high, about the same height as the United States' Appalachian Mountains. The Norgay Montes (Norgay Mountains) discovered by New Horizons on July 15 more closely approximate the height of the taller Rocky Mountains The names of features on Pluto have all been given on an informal basis by the New Horizons team. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19842

Serology and cytokine profiles in patients infected with the newly discovered Bundibugyo ebolavirus.

PubMed

Gupta, Manisha; MacNeil, Adam; Reed, Zachary D; Rollin, Pierre E; Spiropoulou, Christina F

2012-02-20

A new species of Ebolavirus, Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was discovered in an outbreak in western Uganda in November 2007. To study the correlation between fatal infection and immune response in Bundibugyo ebolavirus infection, viral antigen, antibodies, and 17 soluble factors important for innate immunity were examined in 44 patient samples. Using Luminex assays, we found that fatal infection was associated with high levels of viral antigen, low levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and high levels of immunosuppressor cytokines like IL-10. Also, acute infected patients died in spite of generating high levels of antibodies against the virus. Thus, our results imply that disease severity in these patients is not due to the multi-organ failure and septic shock caused by a flood of inflammatory cytokines, as seen in infections with other Ebolavirus species. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Prediction of Low-Thermal-Conductivity Compounds with First-Principles Anharmonic Lattice-Dynamics Calculations and Bayesian Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seko, Atsuto; Togo, Atsushi; Hayashi, Hiroyuki; Tsuda, Koji; Chaput, Laurent; Tanaka, Isao

2015-11-01

Compounds of low lattice thermal conductivity (LTC) are essential for seeking thermoelectric materials with high conversion efficiency. Some strategies have been used to decrease LTC. However, such trials have yielded successes only within a limited exploration space. Here, we report the virtual screening of a library containing 54 779 compounds. Our strategy is to search the library through Bayesian optimization using for the initial data the LTC obtained from first-principles anharmonic lattice-dynamics calculations for a set of 101 compounds. We discovered 221 materials with very low LTC. Two of them even have an electronic band gap <1 eV , which makes them exceptional candidates for thermoelectric applications. In addition to those newly discovered thermoelectric materials, the present strategy is believed to be powerful for many other applications in which the chemistry of materials is required to be optimized.

Research trend in thermally stimulated current method for development of materials and devices in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwamoto, Mitsumasa; Taguchi, Dai

2018-03-01

Thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurement is widely used in a variety of research fields, i.e., physics, electronics, electrical engineering, chemistry, ceramics, and biology. TSC is short-circuit current that flows owing to the displacement of charges in samples during heating. TSC measurement is very simple, but TSC curves give very important information on charge behaviors. In the 1970s, TSC measurement contributed greatly to the development of electrical insulation engineering, semiconductor device technology, and so forth. Accordingly, the TSC experimental technique and its analytical method advanced. Over the past decades, many new molecules and advanced functional materials have been discovered and developed. Along with this, TSC measurement has attracted much attention in industries and academic laboratories as a way of characterizing newly discovered materials and devices. In this review, we report the latest research trend in the TSC method for the development of materials and devices in Japan.

Clinical implications of infection with a novel metastrongyloid species in the red panda (Ailurus fulgens).

PubMed

Willesen, Jakob L; Meyland-Smith, Frederik; Wiinberg, Bo; Monrad, Jesper; Bertelsen, Mads F

2012-06-01

In a recent survey, 30% of the European red panda (Ailurus fulgens) population was found to be infected with a newly discovered metastrongyloid nematode. In a following prospective study, four naturally infected captive-bred red pandas infected with this parasite were examined and compared with two uninfected control animals. On clinical examination, no abnormalities were detected with respect to vital parameters and cardiovascular system in all six examined animals. Similarly, few and nonspecific changes were recorded on serum biochemistry. No changes on pulmonary pattern were noted on thoracic radiographs. Vertebral heart scores were between 7.2 to 8.6, and no difference was noted between infected and control animals. Two animals had slightly prolonged clotting time and reaction time on thromboelastography but not likely to be of clinical relevance. In conclusion, infection with the newly identified metastrongyloid nematode in the red pandas seems to have little or no clinical importance.

Implementing a rational and consistent nomenclature for serine/arginine-rich protein splicing factors (SR proteins) in plants.

PubMed

Barta, Andrea; Kalyna, Maria; Reddy, Anireddy S N

2010-09-01

Growing interest in alternative splicing in plants and the extensive sequencing of new plant genomes necessitate more precise definition and classification of genes coding for splicing factors. SR proteins are a family of RNA binding proteins, which function as essential factors for constitutive and alternative splicing. We propose a unified nomenclature for plant SR proteins, taking into account the newly revised nomenclature of the mammalian SR proteins and a number of plant-specific properties of the plant proteins. We identify six subfamilies of SR proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa), three of which are plant specific. The proposed subdivision of plant SR proteins into different subfamilies will allow grouping of paralogous proteins and simple assignment of newly discovered SR orthologs from other plant species and will promote functional comparisons in diverse plant species.

New species, new records and new morphological characters of the genus Tillicera Spinola from China (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae)

PubMed Central

Yang, Ganyan; Montreuil, Olivier; Yang, Xingke

2011-01-01

Abstract Two new species of the genus Tillicera Spinola, 1841 from China are described and illustrated: Tillicera sensibilis sp. n. from Yunnan (also from Myanmar, Thailand and Laos) and Tillicera wenii sp. n. from Taiwan. Tillicera bibalteata Gorham, 1892, Tillicera hirsuta (Pic, 1926) and Tillicera michaeli Gerstmeier & Bernhard, 2010 are newly recorded from China. Tillicera auratofasciata (Pic, 1927) is newly recorded in some provinces of China. A key to species of the genus from China is provided. Relationships between species are discussed with emphasis on characters of male phallus, female internal reproductive organs and pit-like sensilla in male terminal antennomere, which is discovered in Tillicera for the first time. The present generic definition of Tillicera is discussed as well. Photos of terminalia of the previously known species are also provided for comparison. PMID:21998525