Mass spectrometric amino acid sequencing of a mixture of seed storage proteins (napin) from Brassica napus, products of a multigene family.

The amino acid sequences of a number of closely related proteins ("napin") isolated from Brassica napus were determined by mass spectrometry without prior separation into individual components. Some of these proteins correspond to those previously deduced (napA, BngNAP1, and gNa), chiefly from DNA sequences. Others were found to differ to a varying extent (BngNAP1', BngNAP1A, BngNAP1B, BngNAP1C, gNa', and gNaA). The short chains of gNa and gNa' and of BngNAP1 and BngNAP1' differ by the replacement of N-terminal proline by pyroglutamic acid; the long chains of gNaA and BngNAP1B contain a six amino acid stretch, MQGQQM, which is present in gNa (according to its DNA sequence) but absent from BngNAP1 and BngNAP1C. These alternations of sequences between napin isoforms are most likely due to homologous recombination of the genetic material, but some of the changes may also be due to RNA editing. The amino acids that follow the untruncated C termini of those napin chains for which the DNA sequences are known (napA, BngNAP1, and gNa) are aromatic amino acids. This suggests that the processing of the proprotein leading to the C termini of the two chains is due to the action of a protease that specifically cleaves a G/S-F/Y/W bond.

Benthic foraminiferal assemblages and paleoproductivity reconstructions for the last 550 kyr of the Ontong Java Plateau, western equatorial Pacific

We analyzed foraminiferal and nannofossil assemblages and stable isotopes in samples from ODP Hole 807A on the Ontong Java Plateau in order to evaluate productivity and carbonate dissolution cycles over the last 550 kyr (kilo year) in the western equatorial Pacific. Our results indicate that productivity was generally higher in glacials than during interglacials, and gradually increased since MIS 13. Carbonate dissolution was weak in deglacial intervals, but often reached a maximum during interglacial to glacial transitions. Carbonate cycles in the western equatorial Pacific were mainly influenced by changes of deep-water properties rather than by local primary productivity. Fluctuations of the estimated thermocline depth were not related to glacial to interglacial alternations, but changed distinctly at ~280 kyr. Before that time the thermocline was relatively shallow and its depth fluctuated at a comparatively high amplitude and low frequency. After 280 kyr, the thermocline was deeper, and its fluctuations were at lower amplitude and higher frequency. These different patterns in productivity and thermocline variability suggest that thermocline dynamics probably were not a controlling factor of biological productivity in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean. In this region, upwelling, the influx of cool, nutrient-rich waters from the eastern equatorial Pacific or of fresh waters from rivers have probably never been important, and their influence on productivity has been negligible over the studied period. Variations in the inferred productivity in general are well correlated with fluctuations in the eolian flux as recorded in the northwestern Pacific, a proxy for the late Quaternary history of the central East Asian dust flux into the Pacific. Therefore, we suggest that the dust flux from the central East Asian continent may have been an important driver of productivity in the western Pacific.

Detrital zircon geochronology data, petrographic point count data and paleocurrent indicator data of Triassic turbidites in the Nanpanjiang Basin, South China

Triassic turbidites of the Nanpanjiang basin of south China represent the most expansive and voluminous siliciclastic turbidite accumulation in south China. The Nanpanjiang basin occurs at a critical junction between the southern margin of the south China plate and the Indochina, Siamo and Sibumasu plates to the south and southwest. The Triassic Yangtze carbonate shelf and isolated carbonated platforms in the basin have been extensively studied, but silicilastic turbidites in the basin have received relatively little attention. Deciphering the facies, paleocurrent indicators and provenance of the Triassic turbidites is important for several reasons: it promises to help resolve the timing of plate collisions along suture zones bordering the basin to the south and southwest, it will enable evaluation of which suture zones and Precambrian massifs were source areas, and it will allow an evaluation of the impact of the siliciclastic flux on carbonate platform evolution within the basin. Turbidites in the basin include the Early Triassic Shipao Formation and the Middle-Late Triassic Baifeng, Xinyuan, Lanmu Bianyang and Laishike formations. Each ranges upward of 700 m and the thickest is nearly 3 km. The turbidites contain very-fine sand in the northern part of the basin whereas the central and southern parts of the basin also commonly contain fine and rarely medium sand size. Coarser sand sizes occur where paleocurrents are from the south, and in this area some turbidites exhibit complete bouma sequences with graded A divisions. Successions contain numerous alternations between mud-rich and sand-rich intervals with thickness trends corresponding to proximal/ distal fan components. Spectacularly preserved sedimentary structures enable robust evaluation of turbidite systems and paleocurrent analyses. Analysis of paleocurrent measurements indicates two major directions of sediment fill. The northern part of the basin was sourced primarily by the Jiangnan massif in the northeast, and the central and southern parts of the basin were sourced primarily from suture zones and the Yunkai massif to the south and southeast respectively. Sandstones of the Lower Triassic Shipao Fm. have volcaniclastic composition including embayed quartz and glass shards. Middle Triassic sandstones are moderately mature, matrix-rich, lithic wackes. The average QFL ratio from all point count samples is 54.1/18.1/27.8% and the QmFLt ratio is 37.8/ 18.1/ 44.1%. Lithic fragments are dominantly claystone and siltstone clasts and metasedimentary clasts such as quartz mica tectonite. Volcanic lithics are rare. Most samples fall in the recycled orogen field of QmFLt plots, indicating a relatively quartz and lithic rich composition consistent with derivation from Precambrian massifs such as the Jiangnan, and Yunkai. A few samples from the southwest part of the basin fall into the dissected arc field, indicating a somewhat more lithic and feldspar-rich composition consistent with derivation from a suture zone Analysis of detrial zircon populations from 17 samples collected across the basin indicate: (1) Several samples contain zircons with concordant ages greater than 3000 Ma, (2) there are widespread peaks across the basin at 1800 Ma and 2500, (3) a widespread 900 Ma population, (3) a widespread population of zircons at 440 Ma, and (5) a larger population of younger zircons about 250 Ma in the southwestern part which is replaced to the north and northwest by a somewhat older population around 260-290 Ma. The 900 Ma provenance fits derivation from the Jiangnan Massif, the 2500, 1800, and 440 Ma provenance fits the Yunkai massif, and the 250 Ma is consistent with convergence and arc development in suture zones bordering the basin on the south or southwest. Early siliciclastic turbidite flux, proximal to source areas impacted carbonate platform evolution by infilling the basin, reducing accommodation space, stabilizing carbonate platform margins and promoting margin progradation. Late arrival, in areas far from source areas caused margin aggradation over a starved basin, development of high relief aggradational escarpments and unstable scalloped margins.

(Table 1) Calcium carbonate at DSDP Hole 81-552A

DSDP Hole 552A, cored with the HPC on Hatton Drift, represents an almost complete and undisturbed sediment section spanning the late Neogene and Quaternary. Lithologic, faunal, isotopic, and paleomagnetic analyses indicate that the section represents the most complete deep sea record of climatic evolution hitherto recovered at high latitudes in the northern hemisphere. A glacial record of remarkable resolution for the late Pliocene and Pleistocene is provided by oxygen and carbon isotope ratios in benthic foraminifers. In the upper part of the section, the whole of the standard oxygen isotope record of the past million years is well preserved. The onset of ice-rafting and glacial-interglacial alternations occurs at about 2.4 m.y. ago.

(Table 1) Age determination of sediment core A-7

Detailed deglacial and Holocene records of planktonic d18O and Mg/Ca-based sea surface temperature (SST) from the Okinawa Trough suggest that at ~18 to 17 thousand years before present (kyr B.P.), late spring/early summer SSTs were approximately 3°C cooler than today, while surface waters were up to 1 practical salinity unit saltier. These conditions are consistent with a weaker influence of the summer East Asian Monsoon (EAM) than today. The timing of suborbital SST oscillations suggests a close link with abrupt changes in the EAM and North Atlantic climate. A tropical influence, however, may have resulted in subtle decoupling between the North Atlantic and the Okinawa Trough/EAM during the deglaciation. Okinawa Trough surface water trends in the Holocene are consistent with model simulations of an inland shift of intense EAM precipitation during the middle Holocene. Millennial-scale alternations between relatively warm, salty conditions and relatively cold, fresh conditions suggest varying influence of the Kuroshio during the Holocene.

Pollen record and age determinations of a profile at Cape Mamontov Klyk, Siberia

Non-glaciated Arctic lowlands in north-east Siberia were subjected to extensive landscape and environmental changes during the Late Quaternary. Coastal cliffs along the Arctic shelf seas expose terrestrial archives containing numerous palaeoenvironmental indicators (e.g., pollen, plant macro-fossils and mammal fossils) preserved in the permafrost. The presented sedimentological (grain size, magnetic susceptibility and biogeochemical parameters), cryolithological, geochronological (radiocarbon, accelerator mass spectrometry and infrared-stimulated luminescence), heavy mineral and palaeoecological records from Cape Mamontov Klyk record the environmental dynamics of an Arctic shelf lowland east of the Taymyr Peninsula, and thus, near the eastern edge of the Eurasian ice sheet, over the last 60 Ky. This region is also considered to be the westernmost part of Beringia, the non-glaciated landmass that lay between the Eurasian and the Laurentian ice caps during the Late Pleistocene. Several units and subunits of sand deposits, peat-sand alternations, ice-rich palaeocryosol sequences (Ice Complex) and peaty fillings of thermokarst depressions and valleys were presented. The recorded proxy data sets reflect cold stadial climate conditions between 60 and 50 Kya, moderate inderstadial conditions between 50 and 25 Kya and cold stadial conditions from 25 to 15 Kya. The Late Pleistocene to Holocene transition, including the Allerød warm period, the early to middle Holocene thermal optimum and the late Holocene cooling, are also recorded. Three phases of landscape dynamic (fluvial/alluvial, irregular slope run-off and thermokarst) were presented in a schematic model, and were subsequently correlated with the supraregional environmental history between the Early Weichselian and the Holocene.

The comic Latin grammar : a new and facetious introduction to the Latin tongue /

Errata: p. [165].

Causación y ergatividad en la semántica relacional

En el marco de la gramática contrastiva entre inglés y castellano, asumimos la perspectiva generativista, según la cual la sintaxis humana resulta de procesos derivacionales que combinan, por medio de mecanismos innatos, elementos capaces de codificar significados primitivos. Trabajamos con datos, ya sea reales o inventados, que ilustran los distintos tipos de oraciones ?gramaticales? posibles en una lengua natural. Nos centramos en la noción de ?ergatividad?, utilizada por distintas teorías para explicar fenómenos sintácticos y semánticos no siempre coincidentes. Desde el Funcionalismo/Cognitivismo norteamericano, Scott DeLancey (2001) compara distintas lenguas y distingue morfológicamente los sujetos ?agentivos? en estructuras causadas de los sujetos ?afectados? en estructuras no causadas. Según la Lingüística Sistémica Funcional (Halliday 1985, 2004), la ergatividad abarca, no sólo la presencia o ausencia de Causa en un proceso particular, sino también la relación causal que vincula distintos procesos entre sí. El esquema ergativo de Halliday incluye, además de pares constituidos por eventos de cambio de estado no causados y de causa externa, eventos inergativos de causa externa, y eventos transitivos instigados por otro proceso, expresado lingüísticamente o bien inferido. Desde la perspectiva de la Semántica Relacional (Mateu, 2002), reducimos el número de ?constructos primitivos? disponibles de tres a dos. Consideramos dos alternancias: la ergativo-transitiva y la causa interna/externa con inergativos. No vinculamos ni sintáctica ni derivacionalmente las construcciones transitivas con los eventos inferidos que las instigan. Justificamos la relación derivacional que vincula las construcciones pasivas estáticas con las construcciones ergativas de verbos naturalmente alternantes, por un lado, y, con las construcciones transitivas de verbos de ?locatum? y de inergativos, por el otro. Reanalizamos, respecto de la bibliografía canónica, la naturaleza del clítico ?se? en las construcciones ergativas españolas. Este análisis orienta de manera teórica el abordaje de las construcciones pertinentes, y ofrece equivalencias posibles que pueden resultar útiles para la traducción

Causación y ergatividad en la semántica relacional

En el marco de la gramática contrastiva entre inglés y castellano, asumimos la perspectiva generativista, según la cual la sintaxis humana resulta de procesos derivacionales que combinan, por medio de mecanismos innatos, elementos capaces de codificar significados primitivos. Trabajamos con datos, ya sea reales o inventados, que ilustran los distintos tipos de oraciones ?gramaticales? posibles en una lengua natural. Nos centramos en la noción de ?ergatividad?, utilizada por distintas teorías para explicar fenómenos sintácticos y semánticos no siempre coincidentes. Desde el Funcionalismo/Cognitivismo norteamericano, Scott DeLancey (2001) compara distintas lenguas y distingue morfológicamente los sujetos ?agentivos? en estructuras causadas de los sujetos ?afectados? en estructuras no causadas. Según la Lingüística Sistémica Funcional (Halliday 1985, 2004), la ergatividad abarca, no sólo la presencia o ausencia de Causa en un proceso particular, sino también la relación causal que vincula distintos procesos entre sí. El esquema ergativo de Halliday incluye, además de pares constituidos por eventos de cambio de estado no causados y de causa externa, eventos inergativos de causa externa, y eventos transitivos instigados por otro proceso, expresado lingüísticamente o bien inferido. Desde la perspectiva de la Semántica Relacional (Mateu, 2002), reducimos el número de ?constructos primitivos? disponibles de tres a dos. Consideramos dos alternancias: la ergativo-transitiva y la causa interna/externa con inergativos. No vinculamos ni sintáctica ni derivacionalmente las construcciones transitivas con los eventos inferidos que las instigan. Justificamos la relación derivacional que vincula las construcciones pasivas estáticas con las construcciones ergativas de verbos naturalmente alternantes, por un lado, y, con las construcciones transitivas de verbos de ?locatum? y de inergativos, por el otro. Reanalizamos, respecto de la bibliografía canónica, la naturaleza del clítico ?se? en las construcciones ergativas españolas. Este análisis orienta de manera teórica el abordaje de las construcciones pertinentes, y ofrece equivalencias posibles que pueden resultar útiles para la traducción

Causación y ergatividad en la semántica relacional

En el marco de la gramática contrastiva entre inglés y castellano, asumimos la perspectiva generativista, según la cual la sintaxis humana resulta de procesos derivacionales que combinan, por medio de mecanismos innatos, elementos capaces de codificar significados primitivos. Trabajamos con datos, ya sea reales o inventados, que ilustran los distintos tipos de oraciones ?gramaticales? posibles en una lengua natural. Nos centramos en la noción de ?ergatividad?, utilizada por distintas teorías para explicar fenómenos sintácticos y semánticos no siempre coincidentes. Desde el Funcionalismo/Cognitivismo norteamericano, Scott DeLancey (2001) compara distintas lenguas y distingue morfológicamente los sujetos ?agentivos? en estructuras causadas de los sujetos ?afectados? en estructuras no causadas. Según la Lingüística Sistémica Funcional (Halliday 1985, 2004), la ergatividad abarca, no sólo la presencia o ausencia de Causa en un proceso particular, sino también la relación causal que vincula distintos procesos entre sí. El esquema ergativo de Halliday incluye, además de pares constituidos por eventos de cambio de estado no causados y de causa externa, eventos inergativos de causa externa, y eventos transitivos instigados por otro proceso, expresado lingüísticamente o bien inferido. Desde la perspectiva de la Semántica Relacional (Mateu, 2002), reducimos el número de ?constructos primitivos? disponibles de tres a dos. Consideramos dos alternancias: la ergativo-transitiva y la causa interna/externa con inergativos. No vinculamos ni sintáctica ni derivacionalmente las construcciones transitivas con los eventos inferidos que las instigan. Justificamos la relación derivacional que vincula las construcciones pasivas estáticas con las construcciones ergativas de verbos naturalmente alternantes, por un lado, y, con las construcciones transitivas de verbos de ?locatum? y de inergativos, por el otro. Reanalizamos, respecto de la bibliografía canónica, la naturaleza del clítico ?se? en las construcciones ergativas españolas. Este análisis orienta de manera teórica el abordaje de las construcciones pertinentes, y ofrece equivalencias posibles que pueden resultar útiles para la traducción

High-pressure adsorption capacity and structure of CO2 in carbon slit pores: Theory and simulation

We present new simulation results for the packing of single-center and three-center models of carbon dioxide at high pressure in carbon slit pores. The former shows a series of packing transitions that are well described by our density functional theory model developed earlier. In contrast, these transitions are absent for the three-center model. Analysis of the simulation results shows that alternations of flat-lying molecules and rotated molecules can occur as the pore width is increased. The presence or absence of quadrupoles has negligible effect on these high-density structures.

Plaid motion rivalry: Correlates with binocular rivalry and positive mood state

Recently Hupe and Rubin (2003, Vision Research 43 531 - 548) re-introduced the plaid as a form of perceptual rivalry by using two sets of drifting gratings behind a circular aperture to produce quasi-regular perceptual alternations between a coherent moving plaid of diamond-shaped intersections and the two sets of component 'sliding' gratings. We call this phenomenon plaid motion rivalry (PMR), and have compared its temporal dynamics with those of binocular rivalry in a sample of subjects covering a wide range of perceptual alternation rates. In support of the proposal that all rivalries may be mediated by a common switching mechanism, we found a high correlation between alternation rates induced by PMR and binocular rivalry. In keeping with a link discovered between the phase of rivalry and mood, we also found a link between PMR and an individual's mood state that is consistent with suggestions that each opposing phase of rivalry is associated with one or the other hemisphere, with the 'diamonds' phase of PMR linked with the 'positive' left hemisphere.

The role of animacy and definiteness in the clitic-DP nexus

We extend Cuervo's (2003) analysis of the Lower Applicative Dative DP in Spanish to account for the animate definite DP preceded by a and the fact that it is not possible to have both an animate dative definite direct object and a dative indirect object in the same clause. We argue that the presence of such a dative DP 'blocks' the upward movement of the direct object DP to the specifier of the Lower Applicative phrase. We analyse the case ‘mismatch’ between the third person accusative clitic and the co-referring dative DP with animate definite reference in River Plate Spanish as resulting from the raising of the accusative clitic to the head of the Applicative phrase and the movement of the DP to its specifier, where dative case is always assigned in Spanish. We propose that similar phenomena observed in some Australian languages are amenable to a similar analysis.

The co-ordination chemistry of tellurium and related selenium ligands

2-(2-pyridyl)phenyl(p-ethoxyphenyl)tellurium(II), (RR1Te) reacts with HgC12 at room temperature to give white HgCl2.RR1Te. On setting aside, or on warming the reaction mixture a yellow material, [R1HgCl.(RTeCl)2] is formed. Multinuclear NMR(125Te, 199Hg, 1H) and mass spectroscopy confirm the formulation, and confirm the ease of transfer of the p-ethoxyphenyl group (R1) between the metal centres. The crystal structure of the yellow material consists of two discrete RTeCl molecules together with a R1HgCl molecule. There is no dative bond formation between these species, hence the preferred description of the formation of an inclusion complex. The reaction of RR1Te with Copper(I) chloride in the cold gives an air sensitive yellow product Cu3Cl3(RR1Te)2(0.5CH3CN); under reflux in air changes to the green Cu2Cl(RR1Te)(0.5 EtOH). By contrast, the reaction of RR1Te with acetonitrile solution of Copper(II) salts under mild conditions affords the white materials CuCl(RR1Te) and CuBr(RR1Te)H2O. RR1Te reacts with PdCl2 and PtCl2 to give materials albeit not well defined, can be seen as intermediates to the synthesis of inorganic phase of the type M3XTe2XCl2X. Paramagnetism is associated with some of the palladium and platinum products. The 195Pt NMR measurement in DMSO establishes the presence of six platinum species, which are assigned to Pt(IV), Pt(III) or Pt(II). The reactions show that in the presence of PdCl2 or PtCl2 both R and R1 are very labile. The reaction of RHgCl(R= 2-(2-pyridyl)phenyl) with SeX4(X= Cl, Br) gives compounds which suggest that both Trans-metallation and redox processes are involved. By varying reaction conditions materials which appear to be intermediates in the trans-metallation process are isolated. Potentially bidentate tellurium ligands having molecular formula RTe(CH2)nTeR,Ln, (R= Ph,(t-Bu). C6H4, n = 5,10) are prepared. Palladium and Platinum complexes containing these ligands are prepared. Also complex Ph3SnC1L(L = p-EtO.C6H4) is prepared.

Understanding U.S. regional linguistic variation with Twitter data analysis

We analyze a Big Data set of geo-tagged tweets for a year (Oct. 2013–Oct. 2014) to understand the regional linguistic variation in the U.S. Prior work on regional linguistic variations usually took a long time to collect data and focused on either rural or urban areas. Geo-tagged Twitter data offers an unprecedented database with rich linguistic representation of fine spatiotemporal resolution and continuity. From the one-year Twitter corpus, we extract lexical characteristics for twitter users by summarizing the frequencies of a set of lexical alternations that each user has used. We spatially aggregate and smooth each lexical characteristic to derive county-based linguistic variables, from which orthogonal dimensions are extracted using the principal component analysis (PCA). Finally a regionalization method is used to discover hierarchical dialect regions using the PCA components. The regionalization results reveal interesting linguistic regional variations in the U.S. The discovered regions not only confirm past research findings in the literature but also provide new insights and a more detailed understanding of very recent linguistic patterns in the U.S.