Genetic evidence for the proto-Austronesian homeland in Asia: mtDNA and nuclear DNA variation in Taiwanese aboriginal tribes

Previous studies of mtDNA variation in indigenous Taiwanese populations have suggested that they held an ancestral position in the spread of mtDNAs throughout Southeast Asia and Oceania (Melton et al. 1995; Sykes et al. 1995), but the question of an absolute proto-Austronesian homeland remains. To search for Asian roots for indigenous Taiwanese populations, 28 mtDNAs representative of variation in four tribal groups (Ami, Atayal, Bunun, and Paiwan) were sequenced and were compared with each other and with mtDNAs from 25 other populations from Asia and Oceania. In addition, eight polymorphic Alu insertion loci were analyzed, to determine if the pattern of mtDNA variation is concordant with nuclear DNA variation. Tribal groups shared considerable mtDNA sequence identity (P>.90), where gene flow is believed to have been low, arguing for a common source or sources for the tribes. mtDNAs with a 9-bp deletion have considerable mainland-Asian diversity and have spread to Southeast Asia and Oceania through a Taiwanese bottleneck. Only four Taiwanese mtDNA haplotypes without the 9-bp deletion were shared with any other populations, but these shared types were widely dispersed geographically throughout mainland Asia. Phylogenetic and principal-component analyses of Alu loci were concordant with conclusions from the mtDNA analyses; overall, the results suggest that the Taiwanese have temporally deep roots, probably in central or south China, and have been isolated from other Asian populations in recent history.     

Tertiary treatment of municipal wastewater by cypress domes

The feasibility of using cypress domes as an alternative to physical-chemical methods for tertiary treatment of sewage effluent was demonstrated over a 5-year period. Surface water quality in domes receiving effluent was degraded (low dissolved oxygen, high nutrient levels) compared to control domes, and the degree of treatment within the dome surface waters was relatively small. However, water samples from shallow wells and ceramic soil moisture tubes indicated that the underlying organic soils and clay sands served as an effective barrier to the transport of biochemical oxygen demand, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfate, fluoride, potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium to the shallow aquifer immediately below. High percentage removals were observed for all measured water quality parameters between the surface and groundwater stations. Standing water quality following the cessation of sewage pumping did not return to the same quality as found for the natural dome within 20 months.     

Initial observations of optical injection locking of an X-band Impatt oscillator

An experiment is described in which the output of a GaAlAs laser, modulated at 2.6 GHz, was used to optically sub-harmonic injection lock a 7.8 GHz Impatt oscillator. A locking range of 1 MHz was achieved and means are suggested by which this may be increased substantially.     

Arylsulfonate esters of fatty alcohols as hypocholesterolemic agents. I: Oleyl and linoleyl p-toluenesulfonates

Cholesterol levels of both plasma and liver of cholesterol-fed rats are lowered by feeding linoleyl and oleyl esters of p-toluenesulfonic acid. A structural specificity exists, since the effect is not observed with similar amounts of sodium p-toluenesulfonate nor with linoleyl methanesulfonate. Effective levels of these arylsulfonates do not alter liver to body weight ratios and maturation, nor reduce plasma cholesterol in normocholesterolemic rats. Published as Journal Paper No. 6696, AES, Purdue University     

PETROLEUM FORMATION AND THE THERMAL HISTORY OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE

Petroleum reservoirs are known to depths of-10 km, and their ages extend to - 700 m. y. † Since ltemperature is important to petroleum-forming processes, the thermal history of this region is analyzed. From the geologic record, average surface temperature values are derived for recent geologic time adn 2.5 b. y. BP. These data are applied to the Newton cooling law to obtain a value of 2.63×10^-11 yr^-1 for the heat transfer constant for the Earth surface/space system. This in turn, yield an approximate average cooling rate for the surface of 7°C per b. y. Profiles of average surface temperature over geologic time are constructed for high, middle and low latitudes. Respective initial average surface temperatures at these latitudes were 13.6°, 41.6° and 59.6°C. Two tests are applied to the cooling curves to cheek their validity. First, they are used with teh rate constant for the mantle outgassing of water vapor and the Clausius-Clapeyron equation ot calculate the accumulation and average temperature of liquid surface water over geologic time. The results are consistent with teh geologic record pertaining ot the history of water-borne sedimets, glaciation and life. Second, the calcualted thermal characteristics of the surface are compared with publushed date for the mantle. They agree to within 2%. The surface < 10°C for the temperature change of a petroleum resrvoir buried at a depth of 10kkm over the past 700 m. y. The change for reservoirs of resrvoir age ot petroleum-forming processes lies mainly in the increased opportunity for geologic change such as depth of burial or igneous actifity that would alter conditions within the reservation.     

The separation of zinc from copper by di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid - an equilibrium study

The extraction of copper and zinc from sulphate media by di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid (D2EHPA) is reported. The equilibrium data for the extraction of (1) zinc alone (2–40 g/l), and (2) copper alone (2–60 g/l) by both 10 v/v % and 20 v/v % D2EHPA are given.The general case of extraction of two metals which compete for the same extractant is considered, and the data for the binary metal system zinc/copper extracted by 20 v/v % D2EHPA are reported. Specific chemical models and empirical models have been developed to correlate the data.Because the extractant has a high affinity for zinc in the presence of copper, the binary data can be modelled on the assumption that the interaction of copper with zinc can be neglected. However, the effect of zinc in reducing the extraction of copper is significant.We show that zinc can be decontaminated from copper and test the predictions with a laboratory scale counter current apparatus. Typical predictions show that in five stages, a 20 v/v % D2EHPA feed and an aqueous feed of 1.98 g/l Zn, 36.78 g/l Cu, zero g/l H₂SO₄ would give a 89.9% recovery of zinc with purity of 90%; with lower copper to zinc ratios in the feed the purity may be improved.     

Mesodermal patterning by an inducer gradient depends on secondary cell-cell communication

BACKGROUND: Gradients of inducing molecules, or morphogens, could impose pattern on early embryos. Although there are candidates for morphogens in several systems, it is not well understood how cells might translate differences in extracellular inducer concentration into an orderly arrangement of cell types. With this question in mind, we have re-examined mesodermal patterning in Xenopus in response to the secreted growth factor activin. Previous work has shown that activin can initiate the formation of a variety of mesodermal tissues in a concentration-dependent fashion. We have sought to disentangle the roles played by individual cell responses to activin and subsequent interactions among induced cells in producing this outcome. RESULTS: We find that the initial response of dispersed cells to activin concentration is unexpectedly simple, showing neither the thresholds of activin concentration nor the distinct domains of gene expression that characterize the later response. The eventual emergence of an ordered series of coherent differentiation steps requires the reaggregation of the induced cells, implying that secondary interactions occur. Furthermore, when cells induced at different doses of activin are mixed, the final response apparently represents a consensus, rather than a mosaic, of the mixed populations. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that communication among responding cells underlies much of the remarkable patterning influence of activin. Moreover, we suggest that these findings can inform thinking about how inducer gradients might act in other systems, shifting emphasis from the initial response of cells to inducer concentration toward the elaboration of complex pattern by secondary interactions.     

Ethical and legal issues in AIDS-related practice.

The AIDS epidemic has presented many new ethical dilemmas regarding psychologists' obligations to their clients and third parties. Both ethical and legal norms remain unsettled in regard to most of these dilemmas. In general, psychologists should strive to protect the privacy of their clients and to promote the welfare of individuals affected by AIDS. When compelling interests of third parties lead to a different result, intrusions on clients' interests should be no greater than necessary. Although a lack of training about AIDS may limit psychologists' competence and constrict their duties to people with AIDS, the duty remains for clinicians to obtain training to remediate such gaps in knowledge or skills and to advocate for resources and protection from discrimination for people affected by AIDS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in family law and family life: Challenges for psychology.

In the past two decades, striking changes in family demographics have been accompanied by equally dramatic shifts in family law. The development of constitutional principles to guide state involvement in the lives of children and families has raised questions about the competence of minors and the sensitivity of parents to children's interests. At the same time, legal realism finally has emerged as an approach to the construction of new standards for resolution of family disputes and new definitions of the family itself. These changes in family law present new challenges to psychology to generate and diffuse the knowledge necessary for careful policy-making. Care must be taken, though, to ensure that legitimate limits of role and expertise are acknowledged and respected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuity of care and delivery of ambulatory services to children in community health clinics

This study assesses how continuity of care influences receipt of preventive care and overall levels of ambulatory care among children and adolescents in community health clinics (CHCs). It is a secondary data analysis of the 1988 Child Health Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey. Of 17,110 children in the sample population, the 1465 who identified CHCs as their routine source of care formed the study population. Continuity of site was defined as identification of a CHC as a source of both routine and sick care, and continuity with a clinician was defined as identification of a specific clinician for sick visits. In bivariate analyses both continuity with the CHC and with a specific clinician were associated with increased levels of preventive care and overall ambulatory care. In logistic regression models, continuity of care was associated with nearly a two-fold increase in the odds of receiving age-appropriate preventive care. Alternatively, insurance status was a better predictor of receipt of overall levels of ambulatory care. We conclude that expanding financial access alone is unlikely to sufficiently improve low-income children's access to Community Health Clinics. Additional emphasis on localizing the delivery of both routine and sick care services in a single site or with a specific clinician may be needed to achieve higher levels of both preventive care and overall ambulatory care.