Clastic Sediments in the Butler Cave – Sinking Creek System, Virginia, USA

The Butler Cave - Sinking Creek System in Bath County, Virginia, consists of a master trunk passage along the axis of a syncline with a trellis arrangement of dip-oriented side caves. The western set of dip passages contain a sequence of massively and chaotically bedded sand and cobble sediments. Massive cobble fills also occur in the strike-oriented trunk passage. Cave passages on the eastern side of the syncline contain mostly sand and silt. The light fraction of the sediments consists predominantly of quartz and rock fragments. The sediments contain several percent heavy minerals composed of iron oxides, zircon, rutile, tourmaline and other minerals. Measurement of the visible and near infrared diffuse reflectance spectra shows at least three populations of sediments to be present: an iron-rich, clay-poor group; a clay-rich group; and a gypsiferous sediment. The iron minerals provided a paleomagnetic signal. Sediments from the trunk passage, deposited by recent underground drainage, contained a normal pole direction. Sediments from the dip passages were paleomagnetically reversed, showing the deposition dates from prior to 780,000 years. In one instance reversed polarity deposits overlie normal polarity, implying a minimum age of 990,000 years for the reversed sediments.   

Self-relevant disgust and self-harm urges in patients with borderline personality disorder and depression: a pilot study with a newly designed psychological challenge.

BACKGROUND: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common psychiatric condition associated with self-harm. Self-harm is poorly understood and there is currently no treatment for acute presentations with self-harm urges. OBJECTIVES: By using a new task (Self-relevant Task; SRT), to explore emotions related to one's own person (PERSON task) and body (BODY task), to study the correlations of these emotions, specifically disgust, with self-harm urge level changes, and to test the task's potential to be developed into an experimental model of self-harming for treatment trials. METHODS: 17 BPD patients, 27 major depressive disorder (MDD) patients, and 25 healthy volunteers performed the SRT. Emotion labels were extracted from task narratives and disgust and self-harm urge level changes measured by visual analogue scales. We used validated rating scales to measure symptom severity. RESULTS: The SRT was effective at inducing negative emotions and self-harm urge changes. Self-harm urge changes correlated with borderline symptom severity. Post-task disgust levels on the visual analogue scales were higher in BPD patients than in healthy controls in the PERSON task, and higher than in both control groups in the BODY task. Changes in disgust levels during the task were significantly greater in the patient groups. Post-task disgust levels or changes in disgust were not associated with self-harm urge changes (except the latter in MDD in the PERSON task), but self-harm urge changes and disgust (but no other emotion) narrative labels were on a whole sample level. CONCLUSION: Although associations with the analogue scale measures were not significant, self-disgust reported in the narrative of patients may be associated with a higher probability of self-harm urges. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm this relationship and to examine whether reducing self-disgust could reduce self-harm urges. The SRT was effective and safe, and could be standardized for experimental studies.This work was partly funded by a Core Award from the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust to the Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (MRC Ref G1000183; WT Ref 093875/Z/10/Z). Sawsan Abdul-Hamid received a grant from the Evelyn Trust to help to cover the costs of her research placement with the research group. The Talisman Trust also supported the study with a grant.This is the final published version, which can also be found on the PLoS website here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0099696#ac

Serum Proteins Enhance Dispersion Stability and Influence the Cytotoxicity and Dosimetry of ZnO Nanoparticles in Suspension and Adherent Cancer Cell Models

Agglomeration and sedimentation of nanoparticles (NPs) within biological solutions is a major limitation in their use in many downstream applications. It has been proposed that serum proteins associate with the NP surface to form a protein corona that limits agglomeration and sedimentation. Here, we investigate the effect of fetal bovine serum (FBS) proteins on the dispersion stability, dosimetry, and NP-induced cytotoxicity of cationic zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) synthesized via forced hydrolysis with a core size of 10 nm. Two different in vitro cell culture models, suspension and adherent, were evaluated by comparing a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) nZnO dispersion (nZnO/PBS) and an FBS-stabilized PBS nZnO dispersion (nZnO – FBS/PBS). Surface interactions of FBS on nZnO were analyzed via spectroscopic and optical techniques. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the adsorption of negatively charged protein components on the cationic nZnO surface through the disappearance of surfaced-adsorbed carboxyl functional groups and the subsequent detection of vibrational modes associated with the protein backbone of FBS-associated proteins. Further confirmation of these interactions was noted in the isoelectric point shift of the nZnO from the characteristic pH of 9.5 to a pH of 6.1.In nZnO – FBS/PBS dispersions, the FBS reduced agglomeration and sedimentation behaviors to impart long-term improvements (\u3e24 h) to the nZnO dispersion stability. Furthermore, mathematical dosimetry models indicate that nZnO – FBS/PBS dispersions had consistent NP deposition patterns over time unlike unstable nZnO/PBS dispersions. In suspension cell models, the stable nZnO – FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in a ~33 % increase in the NP-induced cytotoxicity for both Jurkat leukemic and Hut-78 lymphoma cancer cells. In contrast, the nZnO – FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in 49 and 71 % reductions in the cytotoxicity observed towards the adherent breast (T-47D) and prostate (LNCaP) cancer cell lines, respectively. Presence of FBS in the NP dispersions also increased the reactive oxygen species generation. These observations indicate that the improved dispersion stability leads to increased NP bioavailability for suspension cell models and reduced NP sedimentation onto adherent cell layers resulting in more accurate in vitro toxicity assessments

Embedding Recovery to Transform Inpatient Mental Health Care: The 333 Model

Objective: The 333 model is a radical redesign of acute mental health care. Time-limited inpatient pathways for assessment (≤3 days), treatment (≤3 weeks), and recovery (≤3 months) replaced traditional geographical-sector wards. By making beds available, 333 aspired to improve access, deliver early treatment, and shorten hospital stays—generating savings through reductions in beds and out-of-area placements (OAPs). This article compares the model’s performance against national benchmarking and internal targets. Methods: The complement of general adult beds (2011–2016) was mapped out. Patient flow data (April 2015–March 2017) were extracted from the National Health Service data warehouse and compared with 2016 NHS benchmarking and 333 targets. Results: Between 2012 and 2016, beds were reduced by 44% compared with 17% nationally. OAPs due to bed unavailability became extremely rare. More than 74% (N=2,679) of patients who were admitted to the assessment unit between 2015 and 2017 were discharged back to the community, minimizing fragmentation of care. Median length of stay was one-sixth as long as the national rate, but readmission rates were higher than the national mean because of the model’s innovative approach to managing treatment of patients with personality disorders. Bed occupancy was below the national average, with beds available every night for 2 years. Conclusions: With its recovery-focused approach, 333 has reduced length of stay and ensured that a stay on any ward is meaningful and adds value. The article demonstrates that bed and OAP reduction and the delivery of safe care can be achieved simultaneously

Defect Induced Ferromagnetism in Undoped ZnO Nanoparticles

Undoped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with size ∼12 nm were produced using forced hydrolysis methods using diethylene glycol (DEG) [called ZnO-I] or denatured ethanol [called ZnO-II] as the reaction solvent; both using Zn acetate dehydrate as precursor. Both samples showed weak ferromagnetic behavior at 300 K with saturation magnetization Ms = 0.077 ± 0.002 memu/g and 0.088 ± 0.013 memu/g for ZnO-I and ZnO-II samples, respectively. Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectra showed that ZnO-I nanocrystals had DEG fragments linked to their surface. Photoluminescence (PL) data showed a broad emission near 500 nm for ZnO-II which is absent in the ZnO-I samples, presumably due to the blocking of surface traps by the capping molecules. Intentional oxygen vacancies created in the ZnO-I NPs by annealing at 450 °C in flowing Ar gas gradually increased Ms up to 90 min and x-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) suggested that oxygen vacancies may have a key role in the observed changes in Ms. Finally, PL spectra of ZnO showed the appearance of a blue/violet emission, attributed to Zn interstitials,whose intensity changes with annealing time, similar to the trend seen for Ms. The observed variation in the magnetization of ZnO NP with increasing Ar annealing time seems to depend on the changes in the number of Zn interstitials and oxygen vacancies

Role of Oxygen Defects on the Magnetic Properties of Ultra-Small Sn\u3csub\u3e1−x\u3c/sub\u3eFe\u3csub\u3ex\u3c/sub\u3eO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e Nanoparticles

Although the role of oxygen defects in the magnetism of metal oxide semiconductors has been widely discussed, it is been difficult to directly measure the oxygen defect concentration of samples to verify this. This work demonstrates a direct correlation between the photocatalytic activity of Sn1−xFexO2 nanoparticles and their magnetic properties. For this, a series of ~2.6 nm sized, well characterized, single-phase Sn1−xFexO2 crystallites with x = 0−0.20 were synthesized using tin acetate, urea, and appropriate amounts of iron acetate. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the concentration and 3+ oxidation state of the doped Fe ions. The maximum magnetic moment/Fe ion, μ, of 1.6 × 10−4 μB observed for the 0.1% Fe doped sample is smaller than the expected spin-only contribution from either high or low spin Fe3+ ions, and μ decreases with increasing Fe concentration. This behavior cannot be explained by the existing models of magnetic exchange. Photocatalytic studies of pure and Fe-doped SnO2 were used to understand the roles of doped Fe3+ ions and of the oxygen vacancies and defects. The photocatalytic rate constant k also showed an increase when SnO2 nanoparticles were doped with low concentrations of Fe3+, reaching a maximum at 0.1% Fe, followed by a rapid decrease of k for further increase in Fe%. Fe doping presumably increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies, and both Fe3+ ions and oxygen vacancies act as electron acceptors to reduce e−-h+ recombination and promote transfer of electrons (and/or holes) to the nanoparticle surface, where they participate in redox reactions. This electron transfer from the Fe3+ ions to local defect density of states at the nanoparticle surface could develop a magnetic moment at the surface states and leads to spontaneous ferromagnetic ordering of the surface shell under favorable conditions. However, at higher doping levels, the same Fe3+ ions might act as recombination centers causing a decrease of both k and magnetic moment μ

Comparative metal oxide nanoparticle toxicity using embryonic zebrafish

AbstractEngineered metal oxide nanoparticles (MO NPs) are finding increasing utility in the medical field as anticancer agents. Before validation of in vivo anticancer efficacy can occur, a better understanding of whole-animal toxicity is required. We compared the toxicity of seven widely used semiconductor MO NPs made from zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide, cerium dioxide and tin dioxide prepared in pure water and in synthetic seawater using a five-day embryonic zebrafish assay. We hypothesized that the toxicity of these engineered MO NPs would depend on physicochemical properties. Significant agglomeration of MO NPs in aqueous solutions is common making it challenging to associate NP characteristics such as size and charge with toxicity. However, data from our agglomerated MO NPs suggests that the elemental composition and dissolution potential are major drivers of toxicity. Only ZnO caused significant adverse effects of all MO particles tested, and only when prepared in pure water (point estimate median lethal concentration=3.5–9.1mg/L). This toxicity was life stage dependent. The 24h toxicity increased greatly (∼22.7 fold) when zebrafish exposures started at the larval life stage compared to the 24h toxicity following embryonic exposure. Investigation into whether dissolution could account for ZnO toxicity revealed high levels of zinc ion (40–89% of total sample) were generated. Exposure to zinc ion equivalents revealed dissolved Zn2+ may be a major contributor to ZnO toxicity

A screen for nuclear transcripts identifies two linked noncoding RNAs associated with SC35 splicing domains

BACKGROUND: Noncoding RNA species play a diverse set of roles in the eukaryotic cell. While much recent attention has focused on smaller RNA species, larger noncoding transcripts are also thought to be highly abundant in mammalian cells. To search for large noncoding RNAs that might control gene expression or mRNA metabolism, we used Affymetrix expression arrays to identify polyadenylated RNA transcripts displaying nuclear enrichment. RESULTS: This screen identified no more than three transcripts; XIST, and two unique noncoding nuclear enriched abundant transcripts (NEAT) RNAs strikingly located less than 70 kb apart on human chromosome 11: NEAT1, a noncoding RNA from the locus encoding for TncRNA, and NEAT2 (also known as MALAT-1). While the two NEAT transcripts share no significant homology with each other, each is conserved within the mammalian lineage, suggesting significant function for these noncoding RNAs. NEAT2 is extraordinarily well conserved for a noncoding RNA, more so than even XIST. Bioinformatic analyses of publicly available mouse transcriptome data support our findings from human cells as they confirm that the murine homologs of these noncoding RNAs are also nuclear enriched. RNA FISH analyses suggest that these noncoding RNAs function in mRNA metabolism as they demonstrate an intimate association of these RNA species with SC35 nuclear speckles in both human and mouse cells. These studies show that one of these transcripts, NEAT1 localizes to the periphery of such domains, whereas the neighboring transcript, NEAT2, is part of the long-sought polyadenylated component of nuclear speckles. CONCLUSION: Our genome-wide screens in two mammalian species reveal no more than three abundant large non-coding polyadenylated RNAs in the nucleus; the canonical large noncoding RNA XIST and NEAT1 and NEAT2. The function of these noncoding RNAs in mRNA metabolism is suggested by their high levels of conservation and their intimate association with SC35 splicing domains in multiple mammalian species