In this paper, the authors use the site of Saruq al-Hadid - a 'persistent temporary place' located in the mobile dune fields of the north eastern edge of the Rub' al-Khali desert - as a lens to focus ...discussion on the variable nature of temporary sites and mobile adaptations within the archaeology of southeastern Arabia, the relationships between temporary sites and permanent settlements, and the evidence for collective events and gatherings from later prehistory into the Islamic period. They discuss evolving arguments regarding sedentary and mobile sites and groups in Arabia from the Neolithic period to the Iron Age, and summarize the material record of human activity at Saruq al-Hadid. This research emphasizes the site's changing significance as a temporary place and its emergence, in the early Iron Age, as a locus for periodic interaction between multiple community groups.
Porosity is an integral part of thermal barrier coatings (TBC) and is required to provide thermal insulation and to accommodate operational thermal stresses. The effective use of TBC in hot-section ...components of aircraft engines requires nondestructive testing (NDT) methods to detect porosity variations and measure thickness changes to reduce the risk of damage to the coating due to such variations. The eddy current method has been used to measure the thickness of a plasma-sprayed TBC coating and either ultrasonic or capacitance techniques have been applied to assess porosity content based on thickness values obtained using the eddy current tests. The porosity values estimated by the NDT methods have been confirmed by destructive testing, which included metallography and vacuum volumetric measurement using nitrogen absorption.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
A novel human plasma protein has been identified as a universal component of complement deposits, when complement is detected immunohistochemically in vivo. The protein is homologous to complement ...factor H and related proteins and has been designated factor H-related protein 5 (FHR-5). FHR-5 was identified by a monoclonal antibody raised using pathologic human glomerular preparations as the immunogen. FHR-5 was purified by affinity chromatography from complement-lysed erythrocytes, and the peptide sequence was obtained. The cDNA was cloned from a human liver library, and FHR-5 was deduced to be a protein containing 551 amino acids organized into nine short consensus repeat motifs. The short consensus repeats of FHR-5 show homology to Factor H and to other Factor H-related proteins, with some unique features demonstrated. Recombinant FHR-5, expressed in insect cells, was shown to bind C3b in vitro. The strong association of FHR-5 with tissue complement deposits in vivo suggests that this additional member of the Factor H family of proteins has a function in complement regulation.
By analyzing the whole-exome sequences of 4,264 schizophrenia cases, 9,343 controls and 1,077 trios, we identified a genome-wide significant association between rare loss-of-function (LoF) variants ...in SETD1A and risk for schizophrenia (P = 3.3 × 10(-9)). We found only two heterozygous LoF variants in 45,376 exomes from individuals without a neuropsychiatric diagnosis, indicating that SETD1A is substantially depleted of LoF variants in the general population. Seven of the ten individuals with schizophrenia carrying SETD1A LoF variants also had learning difficulties. We further identified four SETD1A LoF carriers among 4,281 children with severe developmental disorders and two more carriers in an independent sample of 5,720 Finnish exomes, both with notable neuropsychiatric phenotypes. Together, our observations indicate that LoF variants in SETD1A cause a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia. Combining these data with previous common variant evidence, we suggest that epigenetic dysregulation, specifically in the histone H3K4 methylation pathway, is an important mechanism in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
In early 2007, surface survey, geophysical analysis and excavations were carried out at the site of Qaleh Kali (Tappeh Servan/Jinjun), in the Mamasani District of Fars. The excavations revealed that ...multiple phases of occupation are preserved at the site, the earliest of which appears to have been a sizeable élite structure that may in fact have had a royal clientele, as suggested by the presence of monumental Persepolis-style column bases and the quality of the fragments of fine glass and polished stone vessels discovered in the excavations. Although it has not yet been identified with any certainty, it is likely that Qaleh Kali is mentioned in the Persepolis Fortification Texts.
Humans vary in acuity to many odors 1–4, with variation within olfactory receptor (OR) genes contributing to these differences 5–9. How such variation also affects odor experience and food selection ...remains uncertain 10, given that such effects occur for taste 11–15. Here we investigate β-ionone, which shows extreme sensitivity differences 4, 16, 17. β-ionone is a key aroma in foods and beverages 18–21 and is added to products in order to give a pleasant floral note 22, 23. Genome-wide and in vitro assays demonstrate rs6591536 as the causal variant for β-ionone odor sensitivity. rs6591536 encodes a N183D substitution in the second extracellular loop of OR5A1 and explains >96% of the observed phenotypic variation, resembling a monogenic Mendelian trait. Individuals carrying genotypes for β-ionone sensitivity can more easily differentiate between food and beverage stimuli with and without added β-ionone. Sensitive individuals typically describe β-ionone in foods and beverages as “fragrant” and “floral,” whereas less-sensitive individuals describe these stimuli differently. rs6591536 genotype also influences emotional associations and explains differences in food and product choices. These studies demonstrate that an OR variant that influences olfactory sensitivity can affect how people experience and respond to foods, beverages, and other products.
•A genetic variant, rs6591536, in OR5A1 determines sensitivity to β-ionone•rs6591536 alters β-ionone odor experience, both alone and in foods and beverages•rs6591536 affects acceptance and choice of food and products containing β-ionone
Microplastics (MPs) are of increasing concern for filter feeding marine and freshwater species. Additionally MPs can sorb hydrophobic contaminants from the water, potentially providing an additional ...pathway of exposure of aquatic species to contaminants. An acute 48 h laboratory study was conducted to investigate the effects of microplastics and triclosan, both individually and combined, on New Zealand's green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus. Biomarkers included clearance rate, oxygen uptake, byssus production; and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity and lipid peroxidation in the gill tissue. Microplastics and triclosan, both individually and combined significantly decreased oxygen uptake and byssus production. These physiological responses were not observed when the microplastics were spiked with triclosan. Triclosan, both alone and spiked to microplastics, increased mussel oxidative stress markers including SOD activity and lipid peroxidation. An enhanced effect was observed on the SOD enzyme activity when mussels were exposed to microplastics spiked with triclosan. No effects on the biochemical biomarkers were observed for mussels exposed to microplastic only. Microplastics enhanced the uptake of triclosan in mussel tissue compared with triclosan only treatments indicating that microplastics potentially provide an additional pathway of exposure to hydrophobic contaminants.
•Mussels (Perna canaliculus) were exposed for 48 hours to triclosan and polyethylene microbeads both singly and combined.•Microplastics increased whole mussel concentrations of triclosan.•Microplastics decreased oxygen uptake and bysuss thread production.•SOD activity was enhanced for mussels exposed to triclosan spiked microplastics.
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