Effect of dexamethasone on Fc γ receptor expression in foetal and neonatal rat gut

Summary When injected into 12-day-old suckling rats, dexamethasone caused a precocious disappearance of Fc receptors from enterocytes of the proximal small intestine. However, dexamethasone appeared to be necessary for the maintenance or production of such receptors in foetal rat gut cultured in vitro.Supported by an award from the Science and Engineering Research Council.     

华夏南部可能存在Grenville期造山作用: 来自基底变质岩中锆石U-Pb定年及Lu-Hf同位素信息

对华夏地块南部粤中增城和赣南鹤仔3个基底变质岩的地球化学和碎屑锆石年代学研究表明, 它们的原岩都是形成于晚新元古代的沉积岩. 3个变质沉积岩都主要由新元古代早期(1.0~0.9 Ga)的碎屑物质组成, 并混有少量中元古代和新元古代中晚期(0.8~0.6 Ga)的碎屑物, 说明沉积物主要来源于一个遭受过Gondwana大陆聚合事件影响的Grenville期造山带. 碎屑锆石的Hf同位素成分显示这些Grenville期锆石可能是造山旋回早期形成的弧与古老大陆碰撞产生的岩浆结晶的. 结合华夏地块其他地区~1.0 Ga年龄锆石的分布及形态学特征, 本文认为华夏地块的南缘很可能曾经存在或者极其靠近一个Grenville期的造山带. 而这期造山作用的时代与东印度以及东南极的Grenville造山带一致, 且同样受到Gondwana大陆聚合事件的影响. 因此, 从Rodinia超大陆裂解到Gondwana超大陆聚合期间, 华南地块很可能位于澳大利亚西部而与东印度和东南极相邻.     

Only full-sibling families evolved eusociality

Arising from M. A. Nowak, C. E. Tarnita & E. O. Wilson 466, 1057-1062 (2010); Nowak et al. reply. The paper by Nowak et al. has the evolution of eusociality as its title, but it is mostly about something else. It argues against inclusive fitness theory and offers an alternative modelling approach that is claimed to be more fundamental and general, but which, we believe, has no practical biological meaning for the evolution of eusociality. Nowak et al. overlook the robust empirical observation that eusociality has only arisen in clades where mothers are associated with their full-sibling offspring; that is, in families where the average relatedness of offspring to siblings is as high as to their own offspring, independent of population structure or ploidy. We believe that this omission makes the paper largely irrelevant for understanding the evolution of eusociality.     

Myristic acid is coupled to a structural protein of polyoma virus and SV40

In the lytic cycle of papova viruses, both uncoating of the viral genome after infection and assembly of functional virions take place in the cell nucleus. The mechanisms by which newly internalized virions are targeted to the nucleus and viral DNA encapsidated into particles are poorly understood. Although the major capsid protein VP1 is involved in endocytosis, and largely defines virion structure, the functions of the minor proteins VP2 and VP3 have remained obscure. Here we show that VP2 from both polyoma virus and simian virus 40 (SV40) is covalently linked to myristic acid; this is the first report of a myristylated protein in the nucleus and of a fatty acid being important in the structure of a nonenveloped virus. We consider the implications of this unusual modification on encapsidation and suggest that VP2 may be a scaffolding protein for virion assembly.     

U-Pb dating of zircons from quartz diorite and its enclaves at Tongguanshan in Anhui and its petrogenetic implication

The Tongling area, Anhui Province lies in the centralpart of the Cu-Fe-Au mineralization belt of the Mid-dle-Lower Yangtze River region, and hosts the highestincidence of this mineralization belt. Geotectonically, theTongling area is located at the middle of the Lower Yang-tze fold belt in the Yangtze block. Silurian to Triassicshallow marine carbonatite and a few semi-abyssal sili-ceous rocks, continental-ocean arenites are the dominantoutcropping strata. A series of NE trending fold s…     

Formation history and protolith characteristics of granulite facies metamorphic rock in Central Cathaysia deduced from U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopic studies of single zircon grains

The petrochemical as well as zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopic studies of granulite facies metamorphic rock from the Tao＇xi Group in eastern Nanling Range, Central Cathaysia indicate that its protolith is the sedimentary rock with low maturation index. The clastic materials are mostly from middle Neoproterozoic （-736 Ma） granitoid rocks with minor Neoarchaean and Paleoproterozoic rocks. The timing of this Neoproterozoic magmatism is in agreement with the second period of magmatism widespread surrounding the Yangtze Block. Hf isotopic data indicate that the Neoproterozoic granitoids resulted from the recycled Paleoproterozoic mantle-derived crustal materials. The sedimentary rock was deposited in Late Neoproterozoic Era, and carried into low crust in Early Paleozoic. The partial melting of the meta-sedimentary rock took place at about 480 Ma and subsequently granulite facies metamorphism occurred at ca. 443 Ma. The zircons forming during this time interval （Early Paleozoic） show large Hf isotope variations, and their ZHf（t） values increase from -13.2 to ＋2.36 with decreasing age, suggesting the injection of mantle-derived materials during partial melting and metamorphism processes in the Early Paleozoic. Calculation results show that this metamorphic rock, if evolved to Mesozoic, has similar isotopic composition to the nearby Mesozoic high Si peraluminous granites, implying that this kind of granulite facies metamorphic rock is probably the source material of some Mesozoic peraluminous granitoids in eastern Nanling Range.     

Perspectives on forecasting research in accounting and finance

This paper offers some perspectives on forecasting research in accounting and finance. It is maintained that many common areas of forecasting research exist. Yet, most research has focused upon a particular (Box-Jenkins) technique and a particular (reported earnings) variable, virtually neglecting numerous other relevant forecasting research topics. This symposium issue includes papers which address several of these neglected research topics. The eight papers constituting the issue are classified into three categories: (1) univariate time-series modelling; (2) multivariate time-series modelling; and (3) comparison of experts' forecasts with those of statistical models. Following a summary of the papers, some suggestions for future research are offered.