Mineral exploration potential of ERTS-1 data

The author has identified the following significant results. Preliminary analysis of a mosaic composing eight individual ERTS frames (1:1,000,000) extending well beyond the test site has revealed a number of tectonic structural trends that are controlled by regional lineations. So far most of the regional lineations fall into three general directions: east by northeast, northwest, and north-south. From preliminary examination, it appears that the older Precambrian basement predominates in the NE-bearing structural trends, whereas the predominate NW trend is most likely associated with the Texas Structural Zone, and the north-south trend being the Utah-Arizona belt and/or part of the southern Basin and Range Province. One major lineation, made up of many parallel lineations, is noticeable just north of Lake Pleasant which extends for approximately 100 miles in a northern direction out of the target area. This feature corresponds to a Precambrian schist formation shown on the USGS geologic map of Arizona

Thaan Vuzha Nilam Tharisu: the land without a farmer becomes barren

This report forms a part of the international research project on policy and sustainable agriculture, Policies that Work for Sustainable Agriculture and Regenerated Rural Economies. The report details the findings of one of the constituent studies, undertaken by an Indian NGO, the Society for People's Education and Economic Change (SPEECH). The Importance of this project is that it concentrated on rainfed rather than irrigated agriculture - i.e. the sharp end of rural development in India, and that the focus was very much on the micro-level, looking at policy as seen from the ground. One of the recurring themes throughout the research was the importance of appreciating people as individuals, and in this spirit some of the personal qualities of the research team are shared. The research covers events in sites in the Virudhunagar district of Tamilnadu: Tiruchuli Panchayat Union and the Villur chain of tanks. This is an essentially rural area, where the need for sustainable forms of agriculture and rural livelihoods is clear. The political landscape is fractured and complex (§2.3), and the officials with the responsibility of implementing policy face significant obstacles and disincentives in doing so in response to the needs of local communities

Mineral exploration potential of ERTS-1 data

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 imagery of an area approximately 15,000 square miles in Arizona was interpreted for regional structure and tectonic units. Eight fault systems were identified by trend, of which two, northeast and northwest, are considered to be related to porphyry copper mineralization. Nine tectonic units can be identified on the imagery as distinct geological identities. The boundaries between these units can be correlated with theoretical shear directions related to the San Andreas stress system. Fourier analysis of the N 50 W fault trend indicates a fundamental spacing between Fourier energy maxima that can be related to distances between copper deposits

Low-cost point-focus solar concentrator, phase 1

The results of the preliminary design study for the low cost point focus solar concentrator (LCPFSC) development program are presented. A summary description of the preliminary design is given. The design philosophy used to achieve a cost effective design for mass production is described. The concentrator meets all design requirements specified and is based on practical design solutions in every possible way

Chronic rhinosinusitis and mood disturbance

BACKGROUND: This study is part of the Chronic Rhinosinusitis Epidemiology Study (CRES). The overarching aim is to determine factors that influence the onset and severity of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The aim of this analysis is to determine whether those with CRS are more likely to report psychiatric morbidity and in particular mood disturbance compared with healthy controls.  METHODS: CRES consists of a study-specific questionnaire regarding demographic and socioeconomic factors and past medical history as well as a nasal symptom score (SNOT-22) and SF-36 (QoL - quality of life tool). Both of these tools contain mental health or emotional well-being domains. Participants were specifically asked whether they had ever consulted with their General Practitioner for anxiety or depression. Questionnaires were distributed to patients with CRS attending ENT outpatient clinics at 30 centres across the United Kingdom from 2007-2013. Controls were also recruited at these sites. Patients were divided into subgroups of CRS according to the absence/presence of polyps (CRSsNPs/CRSwNPs) or allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS).  RESULTS: Consultations with a family physician for depression or anxiety were higher amongst those with CRS than controls, but this was only significant for those with CRSsNPs. Odds ratio (OR) for CRSsNPs vs controls: 1.89; OR for CRSwNPs: 1.40. Patients with CRS showed significantly higher mental health morbidity than controls across the mental health and emotional wellbeing domains of the SF-36 and SNOT-22. Mean difference in the mental health domain of SF-36 was 8.3 for CRSsNPs and 5.3 for CRSwNPs. For the emotional domain of SNOT-22, differences were 7.7 and 6.3 respectively.  CONCLUSIONS: Depression and anxiety are significantly more common in patients with CRS compared to healthy controls, especially in those with CRSsNPs. This added mental health morbidity needs consideration when managing these patients in primary and secondary care settings

Bone Mineral Density and Associated Genetic Variants in High-level Caucasian Marathon Runners

INTRODUCTION:Endurance runners (except those who may have low energy availability) tend to have higher total and/or loading site-specific bone mineral density (BMD) in comparison with non-athletes, most likely due to the larger volume of exercise completed. A large genetic component also contributes to BMD, although little is known about which specific genes are involved, whether particular genotypes are sensitive to mechanical loading and the impact of such an interaction on BMD. This study investigated if high-level endurance runners possess enhanced BMD associated with an “advantageous” genetic predisposition, via a potential gene-physical activity interaction.METHODS:Age- and weight-adjusted total BMD (TBMD) and leg BMD (LBMD) measured via Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of 67 high-level Caucasian marathon runners (males < 2 h 45 min, n = 37; females < 3 15 min, n = 30) was compared with 40 male and 26 female non-athletes. LRP5 rs3736228, TNFRSF11B rs4355801, VDR rs2228570, WNT16 rs3801387 and AXIN1 rs9921222 variants were then investigated singularly, and collectively, as a total genotype score (TGS) via multivariate analysis of variance in a subgroup of this cohort (male runners n = 19, controls n = 26; female runners n = 17, controls n = 14). RESULTS:Male runners had higher TBMD (1.34 vs 1.28 g/cm2; P=0.02) and LBMD (1.53 vs 1.42 g/cm2; P=<0.01) than non-athletes. Female runners had higher LBMD than non-athletes (1.30 vs 1.22 g/cm2; P=0.02) but not TBMD (1.23 vs 1.18 g/cm2; P=0.22). An interaction (P=0.047) was observed between VDR rs2228570 genotype and group regarding LBMD in males: ff genotype runners had 0.02 g/cm2 higher LBMD than FF or Ff runners, but the FF genotype had the highest LBMD (1.45 g/cm2) amongst non-athletes. LBMD was also 0.12 g/cm2 higher in ff runners compared to ff non-athletes, whereas FF and Ff runners had 0.09 g/cm2 higher LBMD compared to their genotype-matched controls. No other interactions or variants, individually or collectively as part of a TGS, were associated with BMD (P≥0.11). CONCLUSION:High-level female runners possess higher LBMD but not TBMD in comparison with non-athletes whereas male runners possess both higher TBMD and LBMD than non-athletes. Consistent with prior literature, we observed higher BMD in VDR rs2228570 FF genotype in non-athletes, which may be due to increased biological activity associated with the F variant. However, our preliminary data suggest that the ff genotype may be associated with enhanced LBMD in male runners via a gene-environment interaction.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Ecotones as indicators: boundary properties in wetland-woodland transition zones

Ecotones, representing the transition zones between species or communities, have been suggested as focal points for detecting early shifts in vegetation composition due to anthropogenic impact. Here we examined if changes in ecotone location or properties can be used as reliable indicators of hydrological change in temperate wetland communities. We examined 38 woodland-wetland-woodland transitions, distributed across four sites with different anthropogenic disturbance histories and hydrological traits. We tested whether: 1) the ecotones are associated with environmental gradients, and 2) the location or properties of these ecotones change with disturbance history. Well-defined ecotones were associated with steep gradients in soil depth and soil moisture. Most ecotones showed a change in vegetation from hydrophytic to dryland species. There was also some evidence that in highly disturbed sites the link between ecotones and environmental gradients was less apparent. By sampling across boundaries we can better understand the factors controlling the distribution of species. This allows us to make better predictions about the impacts of anthropogenic change in wetland communities. By investigating the transitions between different vegetation communities we were able to highlight key indicators that could be used to monitor these ecologically sensitive and diverse wetland communities

Observation of magnetic circular dichroism in Fe L_{2,3} x-ray-fluorescence spectra

We report experiments demonstrating circular dichroism in the x-ray-fluorescence spectra of magnetic systems, as predicted by a recent theory. The data, on the L_{2,3} edges of ferromagnetic iron, are compared with fully relativistic local spin density functional calculations, and the relationship between the dichroic spectra and the spin-resolved local density of occupied states is discussed