Presence and geodynamic significance of Cambro-Ordovician series of SE Karakaram (N. Pakistan)

New geological, geochemical and geochronological data from the Southern Karakoram (NE Pakistan) indicate the presence of several unexpectedly old and well preserved units along the Asian margin: (1) a Precambrian basement, displaying a minimum amphibole Ar-Ar age of 651 Ma; (2) a thick Cambro-Ordovician platform-type sedimentary unit overlying the Precam-brian basement. These series are dated by graptolite and crinoid faunas, and are confirmed by concordant 87Sr/86Sr and 13C “ages” of the marbles; (3) a dismembered ophiolitic series formed by slices of metagabbros and metabasalts separated by ultramafic lenses (the Masherbrum Greenstone Complex). The occurrence of such Cambro-Ordovician series overlying a Precambrian basement in south-eastern Karakoram similar to the south-western Karakoram shows that the Karakoram constitutes a continuous tectonic block. The petrology and geochemistry of the Masherbrum Greenstone Complex (mineral chemistry, major and trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic data) are indicative of a supra-subductive environment. The presence of LREE-enriched calc-alkaline rocks [(La/Yb)N = 4.45.6; (Nb/La)N = 0.2-0.3; eNd565 = 5.1-7.1] and LREE-depleted tholeiitic rocks [(La/Yb)N =0.5-1.3; (Nb/La)N = 0.6-0.9; eNd565 = 5.6-7.8] are consistent with arc and back-arc settings, respectively. A high-Mg andesitic dolerite and an OIB-type metabasalt, with lower eNd ratios (eNd565 = 0.5 and 4.5) are in accordance with source heterogeneity beneath the arc. The Masherbrum Greenstone Complex, along with other Cambro-Ordovician central-eastern volcanic series give evidence of a tectonic situation governed by micro-plate convergent-divergent systems with occurrence of arc - back-arc settings during the Lower Palaeozoic, comparable to that of the current SW Pacific area

Effect of dexamethasone on carrageenin-induced inflammation in the lung

To study the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of glucocorticoids, we have compared the effects of intratracheal carrageenin (2.5 mg) on control rats and those in which inflammation was subdued by prior dexamethasone treatment (10 mg/l in drinking water). Inflammation was maximal 48 h post-carrageenin. After dexamethasone, carrageenin caused tittle inflammation or oedema (wet lung (mg), n = 6, mean ± S.E.M.; control, 995 ± 51; carrageenin + dexamethasone, 1144 ± 83; compared with carrageenin alone, 1881 ± 198), but rats had more lung lavage neutrophils than those given carrageenin alone (PMN × 106 /lung, mean ± S.E.M.; control, 0.055 ± 0.003; carrageenin + dexamethasone, 8.54 ± 1.52; compared with carrageenin alone, 6.30 ± 1.71). Proteolysis and partial inactivation of the anti-inflammatory mediator, lipocortin 1 (Lcl), in carrageenin-instilled rats was offset in those also given dexamethasone, by increased Lc1 levels (intact Lc1 ng/ml lavage fluid, n = 4, mean ± S.E.M.; control 24 ± 6; carrageenin 15 ± 4; carrageenin + dexamethasone, 40 ± 15). Maintenance of sufficient intact (fully active) extracellular Lc1 may contribute to the actions of glucocorticoids

Colors and taxonomy of Centaurs and Trans-Neptunian Objects

The study of the surface properties of Centaurs and Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) provides essential information about the early conditions and evolution of the outer Solar System. Due to the faintness of most of these distant and icy bodies, photometry currently constitutes the best technique to survey a statistically significant number of them. Our aim is to investigate color properties of a large sample of minor bodies of the outer Solar System, and set their taxonomic classification. We carried out visible and near-infrared photometry of Centaurs and TNOs, making use, respectively, of the FORS2 and ISAAC instruments at the Very Large Telescope (European Southern Observatory). Using G-mode analysis, we derived taxonomic classifications according to the Barucci et al. (2005a) system. We report photometric observations of 31 objects, 10 of them have their colors reported for the first time ever. 28 Centaurs and TNOs have been assigned to a taxon. We combined the entire sample of 38 objects taxonomically classified in the framework of our programme (28 objects from this work; 10 objects from DeMeo et al. 2009a) with previously classified TNOs and Centaurs, looking for correlations between taxonomy and dynamics. We compared our photometric results to literature data, finding hints of heterogeneity for the surfaces of 4 objects.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Pathwise Sensitivity Analysis in Transient Regimes

The instantaneous relative entropy (IRE) and the corresponding instanta- neous Fisher information matrix (IFIM) for transient stochastic processes are pre- sented in this paper. These novel tools for sensitivity analysis of stochastic models serve as an extension of the well known relative entropy rate (RER) and the corre- sponding Fisher information matrix (FIM) that apply to stationary processes. Three cases are studied here, discrete-time Markov chains, continuous-time Markov chains and stochastic differential equations. A biological reaction network is presented as a demonstration numerical example

Dark-Bright Solitons in Inhomogeneous Bose-Einstein Condensates

We investigate dark-bright vector solitary wave solutions to the coupled non-linear Schr\"odinger equations which describe an inhomogeneous two-species Bose-Einstein condensate. While these structures are well known in non-linear fiber optics, we show that spatial inhomogeneity strongly affects their motion, stability, and interaction, and that current technology suffices for their creation and control in ultracold trapped gases. The effects of controllably different interparticle scattering lengths, and stability against three-dimensional deformations, are also examined.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

The Bivariate Normal Copula

We collect well known and less known facts about the bivariate normal distribution and translate them into copula language. In addition, we prove a very general formula for the bivariate normal copula, we compute Gini's gamma, and we provide improved bounds and approximations on the diagonal.Comment: 24 page

Infiltration of meteoric water in the South Tibetan Detachment (Mount Everest, Himalaya): When and why?

Publisher's version/PDF must be used in Institutional Repository 6 months after publication

Masculinity as Governance: police, public service and the embodiment of authority, c. 1700-1850

About the book: Public Men offers an introduction to an exciting new field: the history of masculinities in the political domain and will be essential reading for students and specialists alike with interests in gender or political culture. By building upon new work on gender and political culture, these new case studies explore the gendering of the political domain and the masculinities of the men who have historically dominated it. As such, Public Men is a major contribution to our understanding of the history of Britain between the Eighteenth and the Twentieth centuries

Discriminative stimulus effects of tiagabine and related GABAergic drugs in rats

Abstract Rationale Tiagabine is an anticonvulsant drug which may also have sleep-enhancing properties. It acts by inhibiting reuptake at the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter (GAT-1). Objectives The aim of the study was to determine whether tiagabine acted as a discriminative stimulus and, if so, whether other GABAergic compounds would generalise to it. Materials and methods Rats were trained to discriminate tiagabine (30 mg/kg p.o.) from vehicle, and generalisation to drugs that modulate GABA was assessed. Results Gaboxadol (5-20 mg/kg p.o.), a selective extrasynaptic GABA A agonist, generalised to tiagabine, although the extent of the generalisation was inconclusive. Indiplon (1 mg/kg p.o.), a benzodiazepine-like hypnotic, also partially generalised to tiagabine, although zolpidem and S-zopiclone did not. Baclofen, a GABA B receptor agonist, and gabapentin, which increases synaptic GABA, did not generalise to tiagabine. (+)-Bicuculline (3 mg/kg i.p.), a GABA A receptor antagonist, blocked the tiagabine cue, but the less brainpenetrant salt form, bicuculline methochloride, had no effect. Conclusions These data suggest that tiagabine generates a discriminative stimulus in rats, and provides a central GABA-mediated cue, but is distinct from the other GABAergic compounds tested

Banking from Leeds, not London: regional strategy and structure at the Yorkshire Bank, 1859–1952

Industrial philanthropist Edward Akroyd created the Yorkshire Penny Savings Bank in 1859. Despite competition from the Post Office Savings Bank after 1861 and a serious reserve problem in 1911, it sustained his overall strategy to become a successful regional bank. Using archival and contemporary sources to build on recent scholarship illustrating how savings banks were integrated into local economies and the complementary roles of philanthropy and paternalism, we analyse an English regional bank's strategy, including an assessment of strategic innovation, ownership changes and management structure. This will demonstrate that the founder's vision continued, even though the 1911 crisis radically altered both strategy and structure