A study of flow conditions near the substratum in an experimental channel [Translation from: Verhandlungen der Internationalen Vereinigung fur Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 18, 718-725, 1972]

In a slow flow, on a smooth uniform substratum, a limited bed allows the existence of currents slow enough for benthic invertebrates. These conditions rarely occur naturally. The investigations carried out in this work aimed, on an intermediary scale, to define the influence of irregularities in the substratum on flow near the bottom. The substrata used were made of glass marbles. The investigations were carried out in a transparent channel of 70 cm in length and a rectangular section 10 x 5 cm. The data was analysed to study the general evolution of flow in terms of average speeds and the appearance of the turbulence near the bottom.

Investigations on saprolegniosis. II. Study on the process of penetrations showing evidence of a proteolytic enzyme and histopathological aspects [Translation from: Riv.ital.Piscicolt.Ittiopatol. 11(4), 109-117, 1976]

The study of enzymatic activity is of great importance in the immunology of fungi. Indeed, knowledge of biological activity of antigenic structures is important for the elucidation of host-parasite relations as well as in the search for a taxonomic factor permitting differential diagnoses. The authors used Saprolegnia cultures to analyse soluble antigenic fractions arising from the mycelium of cultures of 4 species of Saprolegnia, which are found most frequently in the parasitic state on fish: S. parasitica, S. ferax, S. delica, S. diclina. The authors conclude that in the study of saprolegniasis, the enzymatic approach affords new elements for the examination of the etiology of fungi as well as an element of gravity concerning the biochemical modifications necessary to the change of saprophytism to parasitism.

High- and low-latitude climate interactions: evidence for enhanced aridity of Asian monsoon dust source areas after 2.4 MYR from ODP Leg 117 magnetic susceptibility data

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Whole-core magnetic susceptibility can sometimes be used as a rapid and sensitive indicator of variations in the concentration of terrigenous material. We apply this approach to study the evolution of Plio-Pleistocene climatic cycles of terrigenous sedimentation at Ocean Drilling Program Site 721, on the Owen Ridge in the Arabian Sea.

柞蚕林生态系统生物生产力与养分循环模式研究

本文研究了辽东山区不同经营强度下柞蚕林生态系统物质转运和养分循环。在同一个轮伐期内，柞蚕林叶生物量、年净生产量随剪伐年令的增加而增大，直到剪伐后5年呈下降趋势。植被总生物量介于22.23-24.56t·ha~(-1)。其中乔木层、灌木层、草本层各为17.84、2.82、3.17t·ha~(-1)。林地枯枝落叶层总量为3.56-4.37t·ha~(-1)。年净生产量介于8.51-8.92t·ha~(-1)·yr~(-1)。其中乔木层占53.7%、灌木层占16.3%、草本层占29.9%。当食叶强度为0、50%和75%时，年干物质归还总量分别为3.57-3.96、3.38-3.725和3.284-3.609t·ha~(-1)·yr~(-1)。干物质净输出各为0、93.34-117.59和140.02-176.36kg·ha~(-1)·yr~(-1)。干物质积累和分配的分隔模型阐明了系统中干物质现存量和流动量。柞蚕林植被养分积累总量为255.69-292.15kg·ha~(-1)。在乔木层中，叶 > 根桩、树干 > 侧根、多年生枝 > 当年枝、细根。柞叶在衰老过程中，养分浓度急剧下降（40.62-77.78%）。在不同食叶强度下，分别计算了营养元素的回运量、归还量、输出量和存留量、植被养分年吸收总量以及调整前后乔木层各器官的年净吸收量。养分循环的分隔模型阐明了不同经营条件下柞林-柞蚕系统养分的分配和流动特征。

Possible way to synthesize superheavy element Z=117

Within the framework of the dinuclear system model, the production of superheavy element Z = 117 in possible projectile-target combinations is analysed systematically. The calculated results show that the production cross sections are strongly dependent on the reaction systems. Optimal combinations, corresponding excitation energies and evaporation channels are proposed, such as the isotopes Bk-248,Bk-249 in Ca-48 induced reactions in 3n evaporation channels and the reactions Sc-45+Cm-246,Cm-248 in 3n and 4n channels, and the system V-51+Pu-244 in 3n channel.

Relativistic Mean Field Study of the Z=117 Isotopic Chain

The properties of the Z = 117 isotopic chain are studied within the framework of the axially deformed relativistic mean field theory (RMFT) in the blocked BCS approximation. The ground-state properties, such as binging energies, deformations as well as the possible.. decay energies and lifetimes are calculated with the parameter set of NL-Z2 and compared with results from the finite range droplet model. The analysis by RMFT shows that the isotopes in the range of mass number A = 291 similar to 300 exhibit higher stability, which suggests that they may be promising nuclei to be hopefully synthesized in the lab among the nuclei Z = 117.

Conflicts of Interest and Outcomes of Cardiovascular Trials.

Conflicts of interests have long been recognized as potential sources of influence in the conduct and reporting of clinical trials. This controversy was again rekindled after the publication of the latest statin guidelines and a series of studies regarding competing interests in leading medical journals. We investigate the association between declared author conflicts and the outcomes of large cardiovascular trials. We searched the Medline (PubMed) database to identify "phase 2" and "phase 3" clinical trials using the search term "cardiovascular" over the past decade using "10 years" as the filter. We perceived the competing interest as present regardless of the nature such as consulting fees, honoraria, travel imbursements, stock holding, and employment. Of the 699 titles retrieved, 114 studies met the inclusion criteria. Nearly 80% of studies had at least a single author with competing interests. The 114 studies had a total of 1,433 investigators, of which 725 had declared conflicts of interests (50.6%). A total of 66 studies (58%) had half or >50 percent of investigators who had some conflicts of interests. Of these studies, 54 studies had favorable outcomes and only 12 had unfavorable outcomes (p <0.001). Among the type of competing interests, consulting or personal fees was the most common present in 58 investigators (51%). This was followed by research grants present in 55 the researchers (48%). Among 25 (22%) studies, at least one investigator reported stakes in the industry, of which only 2 studies had unfavorable outcomes for the intervention being investigated. Just 1 of the 25 clinical trials with a sample size of >1,000 had no investigators with competing interests. In conclusion, authors conflicts are associated with favorable outcomes in cardiovascular outcome trials.

Radiocarbon calibration in the Anglo-Saxon period: AD 495-725

Radiocarbon dating has been rarely used for chronological problems relating to the Anglo-Saxon period. The "flatness" of the calibration curve and the resultant wide range in calendrical dates provide little advantage over traditional archaeological dating in this period. Recent advances in Bayesian methodology have, however, created the possibility of refining and checking the established chronologies, based on typology of artifacts, against 14C dates. The calibration process, within such a confined age range, however, relies heavily on the structural accuracy of the calibration curve. We have therefore re-measured, at decadal intervals, a section of the Irish oak chronology for the period AD 495–725. These measurements have been included in IntCal04.

Li-6 in the atmosphere of GJ 117 revisited

Detection of Li-6 has been shown for energetic solar events, one chromospherically active binary, and several dwarf halo stars. We had previously found a Li-6/Li-7 = 0.03 +/- 0.01 for active K dwarf GJ 117 using VLT UVES observations. Here we present high signal-to-noise (> 1000) high spectral resolution observations taken with the McDonald Observatory's 2.7 m and echelle spectrometer of GJ 117. We have used the solar spectrum and template stars to eliminate possible blends, such as Ti I, in the Li-6 spectral region. Our new analysis, using an updated PHOENIX model atmosphere, finds Li-6/Li-7 = 0.05 +/- 0.02. In addition, bisector analysis showed no significant red asymmetries that would affect the lithium line profile. No changes above the statistical uncertainties are found between the VLT and McDonald data. The amount of Li-6 derived for GJ 117 is consistent with creation in spallation reactions on the stellar surface, but we caution that uncertainties in the continuum level may cause additional uncertainty in the Li-6 fraction.

A puzzling periodicity in the pulsating DA white dwarf G 117-B15A

We present time-resolved optical spectrophotometry of the pulsating hydrogen atmosphere (DA) white dwarf G 117-B15A. We find three periodicities in the pulsation spectrum (215 s, 272 s, and 304 s) all of which have been found in earlier studies. By comparing the fractional wavelength dependence of the pulsation amplitudes ( chromatic amplitudes) with models, we confirm a previous report that the strongest mode, at 215 s, has l = 1. The chromatic amplitude for the 272 s mode is very puzzling, showing an increase in fractional amplitude with wavelength that cannot be reproduced by the models for any ` at optical wavelengths. Based on archival HST data, we show that while the behaviour of the 215 s mode at ultra-violet wavelengths is as expected from models, the weird behaviour of the 272 s periodicity is not restricted to optical wavelengths in that it fails to show the expected increase in fractional amplitude towards shorter wavelengths. We discuss possible causes for the discrepancies found for the 272 s variation, but find that all are lacking, and conclude that the nature of this periodicity remains unclear.

Menarche, menopause, and breast cancer risk: individual participant meta-analysis, including 118 964 women with breast cancer from 117 epidemiological studies.

BACKGROUND: Menarche and menopause mark the onset and cessation, respectively, of ovarian activity associated with reproduction, and affect breast cancer risk. Our aim was to assess the strengths of their effects and determine whether they depend on characteristics of the tumours or the affected women. METHODS: Individual data from 117 epidemiological studies, including 118 964 women with invasive breast cancer and 306 091 without the disease, none of whom had used menopausal hormone therapy, were included in the analyses. We calculated adjusted relative risks (RRs) associated with menarche and menopause for breast cancer overall, and by tumour histology and by oestrogen receptor expression. FINDINGS: Breast cancer risk increased by a factor of 1·050 (95% CI 1·044-1·057; p<0·0001) for every year younger at menarche, and independently by a smaller amount (1·029, 1·025-1·032; p<0·0001), for every year older at menopause. Premenopausal women had a greater risk of breast cancer than postmenopausal women of an identical age (RR at age 45-54 years 1·43, 1·33-1·52, p<0·001). All three of these associations were attenuated by increasing adiposity among postmenopausal women, but did not vary materially by women's year of birth, ethnic origin, childbearing history, smoking, alcohol consumption, or hormonal contraceptive use. All three associations were stronger for lobular than for ductal tumours (p<0·006 for each comparison). The effect of menopause in women of an identical age and trends by age at menopause were stronger for oestrogen receptor-positive disease than for oestrogen receptor-negative disease (p<0·01 for both comparisons). INTERPRETATION: The effects of menarche and menopause on breast cancer risk might not be acting merely by lengthening women's total number of reproductive years. Endogenous ovarian hormones are more relevant for oestrogen receptor-positive disease than for oestrogen receptor-negative disease and for lobular than for ductal tumours. FUNDING: Cancer Research UK.