Biomarker and Paleontological Investigations of the Late Devonian Extinctions, Woodford Shale, Southern Oklahoma

The Late Devonian extinctions at the Frasnian-Famennian (F-F) boundary and the Devonian-Carboniferous (D-C) boundary were investigated in the Woodford Shale of southcentral Oklahoma with organic geochemical, bulk geochemical, petrographic, and paleontologic techniques. Three sections were collected, two outcrop sections in the Arbuckle Mountains, and one measured core section from the western Arkoma basin. The ratios of extractable biomarkers including steranes, indicative of differing eukaryote input, and pristane/phytane, indicative of oxic or anoxic depositional conditions, display different responses to the F-F boundary and the D-C boundary, as do the abundances of isorenieratane, indicative of photic zone anoxia, and gammacerane, indicative of water column stratification. The ratio of C29 steranes to C27 and C28 steranes are higher in abundance around the F-F boundary and lower in abundance around the DC boundary, indicating different algal communities at each extinction. High concentrations of isorenieratane and gammacerane at the F-F boundary indicate periods of anoxia, while the absence of isorenieratane at the D-C boundary indicates oxic deposition. Similarly, microfossils from the two extinction horizons show different patterns. At the F-F boundary the abundances of the algal cyst Tasmanites are elevated, while the fossils recovered from the upper Woodford Shale by this study and previous authors show an increase in diversity of brown-algae-type microfossils and low diversity benthic faunas dominated by scolecodonts and agglutinated foraminifera. These combined microfossil data and biomarker data suggest a top-down mode of anoxia maintenance during F-F extinctions and a period oxygen-poor waters caused by upwelling during the Hangenburg event. Thus, unlike previous scenarios explaining the F-F and D-C extinctions as a result of a single cause these data suggest that the extinctions are likely results of different processes. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy is a chemical characterization technique that can be applied to fossils. In this study, select scolecodont and conodont microfossils from the Woodford Shale were analyzed with FTIR microspectroscopy to reveal different characteristic chemical structure and composition. Conodont FTIR spectra show a predominance of phosphate and carbonate stretching modes with minor aliphatic, olefinic, and carbonyl stretching modes. Scolecodont FTIR spectra are dominated by organic stretching and deformation modes with prominent aliphatic, olefinic, carbonyl, and ether bands with little evidence for inorganic minerals, and also show similarities to modern chitin, albeit with a noted absence of amide bonds. Considering that not a single analysis of extant polychaete jaws has returned significant values of chitin, scolecodont FTIR spectra are probably representative of a scleroprotein material. These data reveal that scolecodont elements can easily be distinguished from conodont elements with FTIR microspectroscopy as scolecodonts are often nearly to completely organic and conodont spectra display weak aliphatic carbon bands, and are dominated by a strong phosphate and carbonate stretching and overtone bands. This provides future fossil workers with a viable method to independently identify enigmatic tooth like microfossils that cannot be confidently assigned to either scolecodont or conodont groups by morphology alone particularly in basal assemblages

The influence of cross-breeding Zlotnicka Spotted native breed sows with boars of Duroc (D) and Polish Large White (PLW) breeds on meat quality

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of cross-breeding of Zlotnicka Spotted sows with Duroc and Polish Large White boars on the quality of meat of crossbred fatteners. The investigation was done on 50 carcasses of fatteners from four genetic groups: Zlotnicka Spotted x Zlotnicka Spotted (n = 20), Zlotnicka Spotted x Polish Large White (n = 10), Zlotnicka Spotted x Duroc (n = 10) and Zlotnicka Spotted x (Zlotnicka Spotted x Duroc, n = 10). The analysis of pH in the longissimus and semimembranosus muscles in all the genetic groups revealed typical values of meat without qualitative deviations. No statistically significant differences between the groups were observed. Pale, soft and exudative (PSE) meat was found in one carcass of Zlotnicka Spotted x Zlotnicka Spotted group and two carcasses of Zlotnicka Spotted x Polish Large White group. The results of evaluation of physiochemical characteristics indicate very good quality of meat in all the groups of animals. The highest content of intramuscular fat, that is, 3.80%, was observed in the carcasses of the Zlotnicka Spotted x (Zlotnicka Spotted x Duroc) group. Statistical differences were found between this group and Zlotnicka Spotted x Polish Large White, in which the intramuscular fat content was 2.95%. The meat of all the genetic groups of pigs was characterised by desirable and the same colour in the profile of the longissimus muscle. However, similarly to many native breeds, this muscle was characterised by lesser lightness than breeds with high meat content. Also, the results of evaluation of sensory quality determinants, that is, flavour, juiciness, tenderness and palatability, which were higher than four points on average (one to five scale), confirmed perfect quality of the meat. To sum up, it is possible to say that the raw meat of Zlotnicka Spotted pigs and their cross-breeds with Duroc and Polish Large White breeds is characterised by good quality and because of its considerable intramuscular fat content, it has a high culinary and processing value, especially for ripening products

JOINTS OF STEEL-BRASS ONE-SIDE WELDED BY EXPLOSIVE METHOD

In this paper the results of investigation of the BW08 steel and M80 brass joints are presented. These joints were formed in three-layer billets (brass-steel-brass) during two-stage and one-side explosive welding. The investigations included microhardness and metallographic examination as well as determination of the superficial distribution of elements. On the basis of the results obtained it can be stated that the process of steel-brass joining runs in a high complicated manner through a plastic deformation and adhesion phenomena

Effect of age of Japanese quail on physical and biochemical characteristics of eggs

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age of birds on egg quality in Japanese quail. The eggs were randomly selected from among all eggs laid on the same day when the birds were 15, 23 and 31 weeks old. At each time point, 90 fresh eggs were evaluated for their physical and biochemical characteristics. Egg weights were similar over time. At 23 and 31 weeks, the eggs had less shell than at 15 weeks. Crude fat and ash contents of the eggs increased with the age of the birds. Crude protein was also highest in eggs of the oldest quail. At 31 weeks old, the eggs were lowest in pH of yolk and white. Quail that were 23 and 31 weeks old laid eggs with significantly higher polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and lower saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents. The lowest cholesterol content was in egg yolks from 23-week-old quail. The oldest birds had the highest contents of sodium, potassium, zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese. The content and activity of lysozyme decreased with ageing of the birds. From the consumers’ point of view, eggs from older birds appeared to be the most valuable. At the same time, as the quail ages, the antibacterial properties of eggs deteriorate, which may indicate a shorter shelf life

Andrzej Stasiuk's Montenegro

Autor analizuje obrazy Czarnogóry w prozie Andrzeja Stasiuka, inspirując się refleksjami zawartymi w Poruszonej mapie Przemysława Czaplińskiego. Ograniczenie przedmiotu analizy do tego państwa pozwala uwypuklić istotne cechy pisarstwa Stasiuka, nie zawsze dostrzegane przez krytykę. Przywiązanie do własnej pamięci i autorskiej wizji są w tej prozie ważniejsze niż cele, które przyświecają literaturze non fiction. Jest ono przez to zależne od stereotypów na temat Bałkanów oraz własnych powierzchownych obserwacji.The author of this article analyses the images of Montenegro in Andrzej Stasiuk’s prose, inspired by the reflections contained in Przemysław Czapliński’s Poruszona mapa [A Moved Map]. Limiting the subject of the analysis to this country allows the author to highlight essential features of Stasiuk’s writing which are not always noticed by its critics. In this prose work, attachment to one’s own memory and the author's vision are more important than the goals of non-fiction literature. It is thus dependent on the stereotypes about the Balkans and the author’s own superficial observations

ДЕРЕВЕНСКАЯ ПОВСЕДНЕВНОСТЬ ПОСЛЕ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ (ГАЛИЦКИЕ РАССКАЗЫ АНДЖЕЯ СТАСЮКА И ЕЛТЫШЕВЫ РОМАНА СЕНЧИНА)

Деревня особенно сильно ощутила последствия режимной трансформации, оставаясь на периферии интересов центров власти. Кризис затронул не только экономику, но также семейные и соседские отношения, поскольку коммунизм нарушил гармонию человеческого сосуществования с природой и локальным сообществом. Автор статьи рассматривает разные аспекты деревенской повседневности конца ХХ века в Польше и России на примере Галицких рассказов Анджея Стасюка и Елтышевых Романа Сенчина. Сравнительный анализ позволяет выявить существенные различия в способах изображения польской и российской сельской действительностиThe rural areas, remaining on the periphery of the power centres’ interests, especially strongly felt the effect of the systemic transformation. This crisis had a significant impact not only on the economic issues, but also on the family and neighbour relationships, since communism had damaged the harmony of human coexistence with nature and relations inside the local communities. The author presents a look at the rural daily life of the late twentieth century in Poland and Russia using examples of Tales of Galicia by Andrzej Stasiuk and The Yeltyshevs by Roman Senchin – books describing the reality of the countryside in each of the countries. A comparison of these two works reveals significant differences in the ways of capturing reality of the countryside in Poland and Russia.Wieś szczególnie mocno odczuła skutki transformacji ustrojowej, pozostając na peryferiach zainteresowania władz centralnych. Kryzys dotknął nie tylko gospodarkę, ale także relacje rodzinne i sąsiedzkie, ponieważ komunizm naruszył harmonię koegzystencji człowieka z naturą i lokalną społecznością. Autor artykułu rozpatruje różne aspekty wiejskiej codzienności końca XX wieku w Polsce i Rosji na przykładzie Opowieści galicyjskich Andrzeja Stasiuka i Rodziny Jołtyszewów Romana Senczina. Analiza komparatystyczna pozwala na wyodrębnienie istotnych różnic w sposobach przedstawienia polskiej i rosyjskiej codzienności wsi.

THE MESSAGE OF THE CASTAWAY: ORPHIC THEMES IN THE POETRY OF KRZYSZTOF KARASEK

Although Krzystof Karasek counts among the most outstanding representatives of the Nowa Fala (New Wave) generation, his poems have not been subject to detailed analysis so far. The author attempts to highlight the meaning of the Orphic threads in Krzysztof Karasek’s poetry written after 1989. For more than twenty years Karasek’s poems have been tied to each other by a suggestive figure of a hero named by the poet a ‘castaway’. This castaway’s characteristics include distance to himself and lack of delusion about the condition of the world after personal and cultural collapse. Still, it also includes great appraisal of life. The poet, defining the figure of the castaway, calls in a number of castaway figures, characters after catastrophe, among which one can find the mythical Orpheus. The article addresses the originality of Karasek’s idea with regard to his polemical texts which engaged with Zbigniew Herbert’s and Julian Kornhauser’s works