Geological and thermal aspects of the southern San Joaquin Basin, California: application of the 40Ar/39Ar stepwise heating technique to detrital microclines

The depositional history of the southernmost region of the trough-shaped San Joaquin Basin spans from Upper Eocene to Recent time. The stratigraphy reveals both a predominantly marine environment which persisted until the Upper Pliocene, as well as nonmarine environments along the basin\u27s margins. Folds and faults within the basin have resulted directly from movements along the San Andreas fault. Although the exact time of origin of the Big Bend is unclear, this major feature in the San Andreas fault\u27s geometry has played an important role in recent crustal tectonics of southern California. Significantly, the southern San Joaquin\u27s depocenter has undergone an acceleration in its rate of subsidence since late Pliocene time. Data on partial loss of radiogenic argon obtained from detrital microclines analyzed by 40Ar/ 39Ar stepwise heating technique provides information on temperatures experienced at various stratigraphic levels in the basin. The results agree with a thermal history predicted for the basin\u27s recent and present rapid rate of subsidence

Geological and thermal aspects of the southern San Joaquin Basin, California: application of the 40Ar/39Ar stepwise heating technique to detrital microclines

The depositional history of the southernmost region of the trough-shaped San Joaquin Basin spans from Upper Eocene to Recent time. The stratigraphy reveals both a predominantly marine environment which persisted until the Upper Pliocene, as well as nonmarine environments along the basin\u27s margins. Folds and faults within the basin have resulted directly from movements along the San Andreas fault. Although the exact time of origin of the Big Bend is unclear, this major feature in the San Andreas fault\u27s geometry has played an important role in recent crustal tectonics of southern California. Significantly, the southern San Joaquin\u27s depocenter has undergone an acceleration in its rate of subsidence since late Pliocene time. Data on partial loss of radiogenic argon obtained from detrital microclines analyzed by 40Ar/ 39Ar stepwise heating technique provides information on temperatures experienced at various stratigraphic levels in the basin. The results agree with a thermal history predicted for the basin\u27s recent and present rapid rate of subsidence

An integrated biostratigraphy and seismic stratigraphy for the late Neogene continental margin succession in northern Taranaki Basin, New Zealand

Our aim has been to develop an integrated biostratigraphy and seismic stratigraphy for the Pliocene and Pleistocene formations (Ariki, Mangaa, Giant Foresets) in northern Taranaki Basin to better understand the evolution of the modern continental margin offshore central-western North Island, New Zealand. Detailed mapping of seismic reflectors in part of the basin, when compared with correlations of late Neogene stage boundaries between 11 well sections, has highlighted crossover between the datasets. To help resolve this issue, the biostratigraphy of the Pliocene-Pleistocene parts of each of four well sections (Arawa-1, Ariki-1, Kora-1, and Wainui-1) has been re-examined using a dense suite of samples. In addition, the biostratigraphy of seven other well sections (Awatea-1, Kahawai-1, Mangaa-1, Taimana-1, Tangaroa-1, Te Kumi-1, and Turi-1) has been re-evaluated. The crossover is partly attributed to a combination of sampling resolution inherent in exploration well sections, the mixed nature of cuttings samples, and the general scarcity of age-diagnostic planktic foraminifera in the late Neogene formations. The achievement of seismic closure suggests that error in the mapping of the seismic reflectors is not a significant source of the uncertainty (crossover). We have developed a workable time-stratigraphic framework by qualitatively weighting the biostratigraphic data in each of the well sections, thereby identifying the parts of particular well sections with the highest resolution microfossil data and the optimal stratigraphic position of stage boundaries with respect to the mapped seismic horizons/seismic units. Hence, it is possible to assign the known numerical ages for these stage boundaries to reflection horizons/seismic units mapped within the basin. We have applied this information to produce a series of isopach maps for successive stage boundaries that help show the sedimentary evolution of the continental margin succession west of central North Island

Mice deficient in ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase are viable and fertile

AbstractCreatine kinase isoenzymes (CK; EC 2.7.3.2) play a pivotal role in high-energy phosphoryl metabolism through subcellular compartmentation of the creatine-phosphate < = > ATP conversion reaction. In mouse, protein subunits constituting the ubiquitous mitochondrial CK (UbCKmit) and cytosolic B-CK isoforms are co-expressed in various cells and tissues with high and fluctuating energy demands such as brain, retina, smooth muscle, uterus, placenta and spermatozoa. Using targeted mutagenesis via homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells, we have generated mice that are deficient in UbCKmit subunits. These mice are viable and show no overt physical or behavioural abnormalities. Matings between UbCKmit-deficient mice produced normal numbers of offspring, showing that both females and males are completely fertile. Motility patterns of isolated spermatozoa were analyzed and found not to be impaired by absence of UbCKmit. From these results we conclude that UbCKmit is not essential for mouse viability, fertility, maintenance of pregnancy, or delivery

Morphological, Electrophysiological, and Synaptic Properties of Corticocallosal Pyramidal Cells in the Neonatal Rat Neocortex

Neocortical pyramidal cells (PCs) project to various cortical and subcortical targets. In layer V, the population of thick tufted PCs (TTCs) projects to subcortical targets such as the tectum, brainstem, and spinal cord. Another population of layer V PCs projects via the corpus callosum to the contralateral neocortical hemisphere mediating information transfer between the hemispheres. This subpopulation (corticocallosally projecting cells [CCPs]) has been previously described in terms of their morphological properties, but less is known about their electrophysiological properties, and their synaptic connectivity is unknown. We studied the morphological, electrophysiological, and synaptic properties of CCPs by retrograde labeling with fluorescent microbeads in P13-P16 Wistar rats. CCPs were characterized by shorter, untufted apical dendrites, which reached only up to layers II/III, confirming previous reports. Synaptic connections between CCPs were different from those observed between TTCs, both in probability of occurrence and dynamic properties. We found that the CCP network is about 4 times less interconnected than the TTC network and the probability of release is 24% smaller, resulting in a more linear synaptic transmission. The study shows that layer V pyramidal neurons projecting to different targets form subnetworks with specialized connectivity profiles, in addition to the specialized morphological and electrophysiological intrinsic propertie

Radioactive Scandium in the Youngest Galactic Supernova Remnant G1.9+0.3

We report the discovery of thermal X-ray emission from the youngest Galactic supernova remnant G1.9+0.3, from a 237-ks Chandra observation. We detect strong K-shell lines of Si, S, Ar, Ca, and Fe. In addition, we detect a 4.1 keV line with 99.971% confidence which we attribute to 44Sc, produced by electron capture from 44Ti. Combining the data with our earlier Chandra observation allows us to detect the line in two regions independently. For a remnant age of 100 yr, our measured total line strength indicates synthesis of $(1 - 7) \times 10^{-5}$ solar masses of 44Ti, in the range predicted for both Type Ia and core-collapse supernovae, but somewhat smaller than the $2 \times 10^{-4}$ solar masses reported for Cas A. The line spectrum indicates supersolar abundances. The Fe emission has a width of about 28,000 km/s, consistent with an age of about 100 yr and with the inferred mean shock velocity of 14,000 km/s deduced assuming a distance of 8.5 kpc. Most thermal emission comes from regions of lower X-ray but higher radio surface brightness. Deeper observations should allow more detailed spatial mapping of scandium, with significant implications for models of nucleosynthesis in Type Ia supernovae.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Conflitos entre justiça comum x justiça desportiva: a (im) possibilidade de revisão pela justiça comum das decisões proferidas pela justiça desportiva - o “caso portuguesa”

A origem do futebol é desconhecida, muito se especula sobre seu surgimento e seu desenvolvimento. Com a sua profissionalização, sua esfera cresceu muito e vários aspectos podem ser analisados dentro do esporte. Um deles é o âmbito jurídico, isso é, em caso de conflitos que não se resolvam ou não podem ser resolvidos na esfera administrativa do futebol, quem é o responsável pela tutela do direito no âmbito do esporte? A Constituição Federal do Brasil diz que pode ser os tribunais do poder judiciário. Já as normas da FIFA ordenam os esportistas, clubes, dentre outras entidades desportivas a buscarem a tutela somente por meio da justiça especializada desportiva, nesse caso, o Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva e seus tribunais estaduais. Será desenvolvida a história do futebol e seu contexto legislativo, partindo das leis que regulam o esporte, até o conflito de competências entre Poder Judiciário e Justiça Desportiva. As análises serão feitas sob a metodologia de análise de decisões, que verificará o julgamento da Associação Portuguesa de Desportos, a Portuguesa, que foi punida pela CBF com o descenso à série B do Campeonato Brasileiro, além de ser multada, de acordo com a legislação desportiva brasileira. O estudo do presente trabalho buscará soluções para que não se limite as opções jurídicas dos envolvidos no mundo do futebol, amparando assim seus direitos reais sobre tutela de tribunais para dirimir seus conflitos

Somatic CTG•CAG repeat instability in a mouse model for myotonic dystrophy type 1 is associated with changes in cell nuclearity and DNA ploidy

Contains fulltext : 52050.pdf ( ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Trinucleotide instability is a hallmark of degenerative neurological diseases like Huntington's disease, some forms of spinocerebellar ataxia and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). To investigate the effect of cell type and cell state on the behavior of the DM1 CTG*CAG repeat, we studied a knock-in mouse model for DM1 at different time points during ageing and followed how repeat fate in cells from liver and pancreas is associated with polyploidization and changes in nuclearity after the onset of terminal differentiation. RESULTS: After separation of liver hepatocytes and pancreatic acinar cells in pools with 2n, 4n or 8n DNA, we analyzed CTG*CAG repeat length variation by resolving PCR products on an automated PAGE system. We observed that somatic CTG*CAG repeat expansion in our DM1 mouse model occurred almost uniquely in the fraction of cells with high cell nuclearity and DNA ploidy and aggravated with aging. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that post-replicative and terminal-differentiation events, coupled to changes in cellular DNA content, form a preconditional state that influences the control of DNA repair or recombination events involved in trinucleotide expansion in liver hepatocytes and pancreatic acinar cells