The Distribution Of Chlorine And Iodine In Soil In The Vicinity Of Lead Mining And Smelting Operations, Bixby Area, S.E. Missouri, U.S.A.

Iodine and Cl are enriched in soils in the vicinity of the Magmont and Buick lead mines near Bixby, southeastern Missouri. The enrichments, up to 5.6 ppm I and 305 ppm Cl, are against regional background of 1.26 ppm I and 41 ppm Cl. The area of highest I and Cl is thought to reflect a zone of base metal sulphide mineralization occurring about 400 m below the surface. Iodine and Cl are also enriched in soils immediately adjacent to a tailings pond, hence these elements would appear to be leached from this source. A zone of enhanced I values (up to 2.65 ppm I) to the north of a lead smelter is superimposed on a much larger zone of lead enrichment (up to 12,000 ppm Pb) and is thought to represent I released from sulphide ores on smelting. © 1988

The deal.II Library, Version 9.1

This paper provides an overview of the new features of the finite element library deal.II, version 9.1

Nuclear localization and function of polypeptide ligands and their receptors: a new paradigm for hormone specificity within the mammary gland?

The specific effects triggered by polypeptide hormone/growth factor stimulation of mammary cells were considered mediated solely by receptor-associated signaling networks. A compelling body of new data, however, clearly indicates that polypeptide ligands and/or their receptors are transported into the nucleus, where they function directly to regulate the expression of specific transcription factors and gene loci. The intranuclear function of these complexes may contribute to the explicit functions associated with a given ligand, and may serve as new targets for pharmacologic intervention

A Humanized Pattern of Aromatase Expression is Associated with Mammary Hyperplasia in Mice

Aromatase is essential for estrogen production and is the target of aromatase inhibitors, the most effective endocrine treatment for postmenopausal breast cancer. Peripheral tissues in women, including the breast, express aromatase via alternative promoters. Female mice lack the promoters that drive aromatase expression in peripheral tissues; thus, we generated a transgenic humanized aromatase (Arom(hum)) mouse line containing a single copy of the human aromatase gene to study the link between aromatase expression in mammary adipose tissue and breast pathology. Arom(hum) mice expressed human aromatase, driven by the proximal human promoters II and I.3 and the distal promoter I.4, in breast adipose fibroblasts and myoepithelial cells. Estrogen levels in the breast tissue of Arom(hum) mice were higher than in wild-type mice, whereas circulating levels were similar. Arom(hum) mice exhibited accelerated mammary duct elongation at puberty and an increased incidence of lobuloalveolar breast hyperplasia associated with increased signal transducer and activator of transcription-5 phosphorylation at 24 and 64 wk. Hyperplastic epithelial cells showed remarkably increased proliferative activity. Thus, we demonstrated that the human aromatase gene can be expressed via its native promoters in a wide variety of mouse tissues and in a distribution pattern nearly identical to that of humans. Locally increased tissue levels, but not circulating levels, of estrogen appeared to exert hyperplastic effects on the mammary gland. This novel mouse model will be valuable for developing tissue-specific aromatase inhibition strategies

Lead Speciation in the Dusts Emitted from Non-Ferrous Metallurgy Processes

The paper presents results for the speciation analysis of lead in dusts derived from dedusting of technological gasses from metallurgical processes of non-ferrous metals with different elementary content, made in accordance with two equal sequential extractions. Analytical procedure A provided possibilities for determination of fraction of Pb2+, metallic lead and fraction containing mainly lead sulfides. The second procedure (procedure B) was sequential extraction in accordance with Tessier. The results obtained in accordance with procedure A indicate that, regardless of the dust origin, the dominant group of Pb compounds is composed of lead salts which are soluble under alkaline conditions or lead compounds that form plumbites in the reaction with NaOH

Prolactin receptor is a negative prognostic factor in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Background: The influence of human prolactin (hPRL) on the development of breast and other types of cancer is well established. Little information, however, exists on the effects of hPRL on squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHNs). Methods: In this study, we evaluated prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression in SCCHN cell lines and assessed by immunohistochemistry the expression in 89 patients with SCCHNs. The PRLR expression was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics as well as clinical outcome. The effect of hPRL treatment on tumour cell growth was evaluated in vitro. Results: Immunoreactivity for PRLR was observed in 85 out of 89 (95%) tumours. Multivariate COX regression analysis confirmed high levels of PRLR expression (>25% of tumour cells) to be an independent prognostic factor with respect to overall survival (HR=3.70, 95% CI: 1.14–12.01; P=0.029) and disease-free survival (P=0.017). Growth of PRLR-positive cancer cells increased in response to hPRL treatment. Conclusion: Our data indicate that hPRL is an important growth factor for SCCHN. Because of PRLR expression in a vast majority of tumour specimens and its negative impact on overall survival, the receptor represents a novel prognosticator and a promising drug target for patients with SCCHNs

Context-dependent effects on spatial variation in deer-vehicle collisions

Identifying factors that contribute to the risk of wildlife‐vehicle collisions (WVCs) has been a key focus of wildlife managers, transportation safety planners and road ecologists for over three decades. Despite these efforts, few generalities have emerged which can help predict the occurrence of WVCs, heightening the uncertainty under which conservation, wildlife and transportation management decisions are made. Undermining this general understanding is the use of study area boundaries that are incongruent with major biophysical gradients, inconsistent data collection protocols among study areas and species‐specific interactions with roads. We tested the extent to which factors predicting the occurrence of deer‐vehicle collisions (DVCs) were general among five study areas distributed over a 11,400‐km2 region in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. In spite of our system‐wide focus on the same genus (i.e., Odocoileus hemionus and O. virginianus), study area delineation along major biophysical gradients, and use of consistent data collection protocols, we found that large‐scale biophysical processes influence the effect of localized factors. At the local scale, factors predicting WVC occurrence varied greatly between individual study areas. Distance to water was an important predictor of WVCs in three of the five study areas, while other variables had modest importance in only two of the five study areas. Thus, lack of generality in factors predicting WVCs may have less to do with methodological or taxonomic differences among study areas than the large‐scale, biophysical context within which the data were collected. These results highlight the critical need to develop a conceptual framework in road ecology that can unify the disparate results emerging from field studies on WVC occurrence

Perpetrating Cyber Dating Abuse: A Brief Report on the Role of Aggression, Romantic Jealousy and Gender

There is increasing evidence that the use of elec-tronic communication technology (ECT) is being integrated into romantic relationships, which can be used as a medium to control a romantic partner. Most research focuses on the vic-tims of cyber dating abuse, however, we focused on the factors that predict perpetration of cyber dating abuse. We explored whether aggression (verbal aggression, physical aggression, anger and hostility), romantic jealousy (emotional, cognitive and behavioral jealousy), and gender predicted perpetration of cyber dating abuse (n = 189). We found that hostility, behav-ioral jealousy and gender significantly predicted perpetration of cyber dating abuse. The findings of this study contribute to our understanding of the psychological factors that drive cyber dating abuse in romantic relationships

Legacy genetics of Arachis cardenasii in the peanut crop shows the profound benefits of international seed exchange

A great challenge for humanity is feeding its growing population while minimizing ecosystem damage and climate change. Here, we uncover the global benefits arising from the introduction of one wild species accession to peanut-breeding programs decades ago. This work emphasizes the importance of biodiversity to crop improvement: peanut cultivars with genetics from this wild accession provided improved food security and reduced use of fungicide sprays. However, this study also highlights the perilous consequences of changes in legal frameworks and attitudes concerning biodiversity. These changes have greatly reduced the botanical collections, seed exchanges, and international collaborations which are essential for the continued diversification of crop genetics and, consequently, the long-term resilience of crops against evolving pests and pathogens and changing climate.The narrow genetics of most crops is a fundamental vulnerability to food security. This makes wild crop relatives a strategic resource of genetic diversity that can be used for crop improvement and adaptation to new agricultural challenges. Here, we uncover the contribution of one wild species accession, Arachis cardenasii GKP 10017, to the peanut crop (Arachis hypogaea) that was initiated by complex hybridizations in the 1960s and propagated by international seed exchange. However, until this study, the global scale of the dispersal of genetic contributions from this wild accession had been obscured by the multiple germplasm transfers, breeding cycles, and unrecorded genetic mixing between lineages that had occurred over the years. By genetic analysis and pedigree research, we identified A. cardenasii–enhanced, disease-resistant cultivars in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. These cultivars provide widespread improved food security and environmental and economic benefits. This study emphasizes the importance of wild species and collaborative networks of international expertise for crop improvement. However, it also highlights the consequences of the implementation of a patchwork of restrictive national laws and sea changes in attitudes regarding germplasm that followed in the wake of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Today, the botanical collections and multiple seed exchanges which enable benefits such as those revealed by this study are drastically reduced. The research reported here underscores the vital importance of ready access to germplasm in ensuring long-term world food security.Genome sequence, genotyping, pedigree information, and yield trial data have been deposited in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), PeanutBase, and USDA Data Repository (NCBI: JADQCP000000000) (14). Datasets S1–S6 are available at USDA Ag Data Commons: https://data.nal.usda.gov/dataset/data-legacy-genetics-arachis-cardenasii-peanut-crop-v2 (17). All other study data are included in the article and/or supporting information