Descriptive Mineralogy of Pugh Quarry, Northwestern Ohio: Sphalerite

Author Institution: Department of Geology, Miami UniversityThe Devonian rocks at Pugh Quarry have three distinct types of sphalerite (banded massive, spheroidal, and tiny euhedral). Occurrence of the banded massive sphalerite is restricted to the mineral zone, predominantly as blebs in marcasite. The color of banded sphalerite ranged from nearly colorless to various hues of yellow. The replacement of banded sphalerite by marcasite was observed. The spheroidal sphalerite occurred in association with marcasite of euhedral habit. The spherules were small, the largest no greater than 1 mm across. Where present in great profusion, the sphalerite spherules merged together forming botryoidal surfaces. The euhedral sphalerite occurred in the voids of the sponge-like and stromatolitic dolostone below the mineral zone, and in a layer of soft laminated mud associated with the dolostone. The euhedral sphalerite was predominantly red-brown, and no crystals larger than 1 mm in maximum dimension were observed

Descriptive Mineralogy of Pugh Quarry, Northwestern Ohio: Barite and Celestite

Author Institution: Department of Geology, Miami UniversityTwo sulfate minerals, barite and celestite, were identified in the Devonian rocks at Pugh Quarry. The barite occurs commonly as rosette-like clusters with wide variety of colors and crystal habits. Unusual features include paired crystals and hollow crystals. The former consist of two barite crystals growing parallel with each other on the dolostone matrix, and the latter only of a thin wall of barite commonly marked by cross striations. Celestite crystals have two different colors. The grayblue and blue crystals are prismatic to blocky and occur as well-formed individuals, whereas the colorless and white crystals are tabular to bladed and occur as distinct individuals and as compact clusters

Descriptive Mineralogy of Pugh Quarry, Northwestern Ohio: Calcite, Dolomite and Fluorite

Author Institution: Department of Geology, Miami UniversityCalcite is by far the most abundant mineral in the Devonian rocks at Pugh Quarry. The large crystals, from 5 mm to 10-15 cm long, are predominantly brown with wide variations in hue and intensity. The small crystals, smaller than 5 mm, range from colorless to gray-yellow to pale yellow. Both large and small crystals consist almost entirely of scalenohedral forms (dog-tooth spar habit). The most common and most easily recognized type of twinning in the large crystals is on the (0001) plane. Both dolomite and fluorite are minor minerals at Pugh Quarry, although fiuorite is found in all parts of the Quarry. Dolomite crystals occur as secondary encrusting material and are most common in vugs

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of one-carbon metabolism and cancers of the esophagus, stomach, and liver in a Chinese population.

One-carbon metabolism (folate metabolism) is considered important in carcinogenesis because of its involvement in DNA synthesis and biological methylation reactions. We investigated the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in folate metabolic pathway and the risk of three GI cancers in a population-based case-control study in Taixing City, China, with 218 esophageal cancer cases, 206 stomach cancer cases, 204 liver cancer cases, and 415 healthy population controls. Study participants were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire, and blood samples were collected after the interviews. We genotyped SNPs of the MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, DNMT1, and ALDH2 genes, using PCR-RFLP, SNPlex, or TaqMan assays. To account for multiple comparisons and reduce the chances of false reports, we employed semi-Bayes (SB) shrinkage analysis. After shrinkage and adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found positive associations between MTHFR rs1801133 and stomach cancer (any T versus C/C, SB odds-ratio [SBOR]: 1.79, 95% posterior limits: 1.18, 2.71) and liver cancer (SBOR: 1.51, 95% posterior limits: 0.98, 2.32). There was an inverse association between DNMT1 rs2228612 and esophageal cancer (any G versus A/A, SBOR: 0.60, 95% posterior limits: 0.39, 0.94). In addition, we detected potential heterogeneity across alcohol drinking status for ORs relating MTRR rs1801394 to esophageal (posterior homogeneity P = 0.005) and stomach cancer (posterior homogeneity P = 0.004), and ORs relating MTR rs1805087 to liver cancer (posterior homogeneity P = 0.021). Among non-alcohol drinkers, the variant allele (allele G) of these two SNPs was inversely associated with the risk of these cancers; while a positive association was observed among ever-alcohol drinkers. Our results suggest that genetic polymorphisms related to one-carbon metabolism may be associated with cancers of the esophagus, stomach, and liver. Heterogeneity across alcohol consumption status of the associations between MTR/MTRR polymorphisms and these cancers indicates potential interactions between alcohol drinking and one-carbon metabolic pathway

Current Management of Pregnancy in the Diabetic: A Team Approach

We reviewed details of 89 pregnancies in diabetic women who were delivered from 1980 through 1982. Data are presented on the obstetrical outcome and the level of diabetic control in patients with White classifications of B through R. Although the mean blood glucose levels of all groups failed to meet the criteria for ideal metabolic control (fasting less than 105 mg/dl, postprandial less than 120 mg/dl), the perinatal mortality rate of 4% compared favorably with reports from other centers. Fifty-six percent of our patients were delivered at 37 weeks gestation or later. The primary Caesarean section rate was 37%, and the overall section rate was 50%. Reasons for high rates of preterm delivery and Caesarean section are analyzed. Management of diabetic pregnancies by a high risk team consisting of an obstetrician, diabetologist, dietitian, and neonatologist is described. Modern perinatal management, which strives to maintain maternal euglycemia and accurately monitor fetal well-being and maturity, can virtually eliminate the classic causes of increased perinatal morbidity and mortality in diabetic pregnancies. The challenge for the future is to decrease the incidence of congenital anomalies in the infants of diabetic mothers

A resonant spin lifetime transistor

We present a device concept for a spintronictransistor based on the spin relaxation properties a two-dimensional electron gas(2DEG). The device design is very similar to that of the Datta and Das spin transistor. However, our proposed device works in the diffusive regime rather than in the ballistic regime. This eases lithographical and processing requirements. The switching action is achieved through the biasing of a gate contact, which controls the lifetime of spins injected into the 2DEG from a ferromagnetic emitter, thus allowing the traveling spins to be either aligned with a ferromagnetic collector or randomizing them before collection. The device configuration can easily be turned into a memory and a readout head for magnetically stored information

Daxx, a Novel Fas-Binding Protein That Activates JNK and Apoptosis

The Fas cell surface receptor induces apoptosis upon receptor oligomerization. We have identified a novel signaling protein, termed Daxx, that binds specifically to the Fas death domain. Overexpression of Daxx enhances Fas-mediated apoptosis and activates the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. A C-terminal portion of Daxx interacts with the Fas death domain, while a different region activates both JNK and apoptosis. The Fas-binding domain of Daxx is a dominant-negative inhibitor of both Fas-induced apoptosis and JNK activation, while the FADD death domain partially inhibits death but not JNK activation. The Daxx apoptotic pathway is sensitive to both Bcl-2 and dominant-negative JNK pathway components and acts cooperatively with the FADD pathway. Thus, Daxx and FADD define two distinct apoptotic pathways downstream of Fas