Groups Of Pots Research Articles

Peculiarities of Firing Vessels of the Beloyar and Kalinkina Cultures on the Barsova Gora in the Surgut Ob River Region (according to termal analysis)

The article presents the results of a of the features of firing hand-made pottery of the Beloyar and Kalinkinа cultures, collected during excavations from eight settlements of the first half of the Early Iron Age in the Barsova Gora tract near the western outskirts of the city of Surgut. In the course of production, the vessels of both cultures were subjected to heat treatment of a low degree of intensity. With the exception of a few containers, they were fired under approximately the same conditions. Among the Beloyar ceramics, the complex from the fortified settlement Barsov gorodok I/3 stands out. It presents three groups of pots and jars, differing in the degree of firing intensity: intensive, medium and least. It was established that the difference in the intensity of firing ceramics was due not to temperature fluctuations in the fires and hearths, but to differences in the skills of the craftsmen. These differences could manifest themselves in the temperature and / or duration of firing, the time spent by containers in fires and hearths, the design features of heat engineering devices, etc. In terms of the intensity of firing, a group of vessels from the settlement Barsova Gora III/20, made of highly sanded clays, stands out in the collection of dishes from the Kalinkina culture. On the clay component preservation diagram, the values for such samples are located closer to its center. This is especially characteristic of vessel 32, which was fired more intensively than all the other items of this group. The corresponding characteristics of the three vessels from the settlement Barsova Gora III/12 on the same diagram are at the maximum distance from the origin of coordinates. This also distinguishes them from the rest of the pottery from this site and testifies to less intense firing. It is not yet possible to reconstruct specific types and design features of devices for firing ceramics used by potters of the Beloyar and Kalinkina cultures. One can only assume that the dishes were fired in bonfires and hearths.

Label-free quantitative proteomic profiling reveals differential plasma protein expression in patients with obesity after treatment with liraglutide.

Treatment and management of obesity is clinically challenging. The inclusion of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RA) in the medical management of obesity has proven to be efficacious. However, mechanisms underlying the molecular changes arising from GLP1RA treatment in patients with obesity remain to be elucidated. A single-center, prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the changes in the plasma proteins after liraglutide 3 mg therapy in twenty patients (M/F: 7/13) with obesity (mean BMI 40.65 ± 3.7 kg/m2). Anthropometric and laboratory parameters were measured, and blood samples were collected at two time points: baseline, before initiating treatment (pretreatment group, PT), and after three months of receiving the full dose liraglutide 3 mg (posttreatment group, PoT). An untargeted label-free LC MSMS mass spectrometric approach combined with bioinformatics and network pathway analysis was used to determine changes in the proteomic profiles. The mean age of the study participants was 36.0 ± 11.1 years. A statistically significant change was observed in weight, BMI and HbA1c levels between the PT and PoT groups (paired t-test, P < 0.001). A significant dysregulation was noted in the abundances of 151 proteins (31 up and 120 downregulated) between the two groups. The potential biomarkers were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The top ten proteins (area under the curve (AUC) of 0.999 (95% CI)) were identified as potential biomarkers between PT and PoT groups and included Cystatin-B, major vault protein, and plastin-3, which were upregulated, whereas multimerin-2, large ribosomal P2, and proline-rich acidic protein 1 were downregulated in the PoT group compared with the PT group. The top network pathway identified using ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA), centered around dysregulation of MAPK, AKT, and PKc signaling pathways and related to cell-to-cell signaling and interaction, cellular assembly and organization, cellular compromise and a score of 46 with 25 focus proteins. Through label-free quantitative proteomic analysis, our study revealed significant dysregulation of plasma proteins after liraglutide 3 mg treatment in patients with obesity. The alterations in the proteomic profile between the PT and PoT groups demonstrated a decrease in levels of proteins involved in inflammation and oxidative stress pathways. On the other hand proteins involved in the glycolytic and lipolytic metabolic pathways as well as those participating in cytoskeletal and endothelial reorganization were observed to be increased. Understanding actions of liraglutide at a molecular and proteomic levels provides a holistic look into how liraglutide impacts metabolism, induces weight loss and improves overall metabolic health.

Lipase and esterase activity in soils from ancient burial vessels

The activity of lipolytic enzymes was assessed using the microplate method using heteromolecular exchange in soils from the bottom of burial vessels, followed by cluster analysis. Groups with a contrasting ratio of lipases C12 - C18 and esterases C4 - C8 were identified in a sample that included 57 burial pots aged two to three thousand years. The total lipolytic activity of soil samples from dishes with the presumptive initial presence of fat-containing food products was above 6% of the maximum value within the sample. Inhibition of esterases in the presence of high concentrations of fatty acids is reflected in the extremely low relative values of esterase activity of the soil microbial community against the background of maximum activity levels of C18 and C12 lipases in two groups of pots. In three groups, esterase activity was observed against the background of high relative activity of C16 lipases, average relative activity of C18 lipases and extremely low activity of true lipases. In the group of pots with high total lipolytic activity (with the exception of certain extreme values of this indicator), the proportion of true lipase activity was 1.7-1.8 times higher compared to the proportion of esterase activity. The grouping of burial vessels by the ratio of lipase and esterase activity reflects the characteristics of the funeral food, while the absolute values of enzyme activity among selected vessels with the highest total lipolytic activity are grouped according to the type of burial.

Assessment of Phyto-Remediation Quotient of Cultivated Waterleaf Talinum Triangulare on Soil Contaminated With Sodium Arsenate Pesticide

The potential of Waterleaf Talinum triangulare to abstract and consequently remediate As from As-pesticide contaminated soil was investigated by pot experiment and the concentration of As in the plant and soil was determined through mass plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (MP-AES). The composite soil in two separate groups of pots was spiked with 50 mg/kg and 70 mg/kg disodium arsenate pesticide and stands of Waterleaf were grown on them over a 9 weeks growth period. The plant parts (leave and root) and soil after harvesting were pretreated, acid digested and subjected to MP-AES analysis. The results depicted that As concentrations in the plant parts differ at all the treatment levels over the graded period of growth for frequency of harvest and time of harvest and exceeded the maximum permissible limit established by FAO/WHO, and makes the plant unfit for human and animal consumption. The experimental results revealed a statistically significant difference (p&lt;0.05) in the bioaccumulation of As over the graded period of growth at all the treatment levels. The Bio-accumulation factor (BAF) and Bio-concentration factor (BCF) were generally greater than unity (BAF &gt; 1 and BCF &gt; 1) in all treatment levels at the time of harvest which indicates that Waterleaf is suitable for phytoextraction and phytostabilization. However, BAF &lt; 1 and BCF &lt; 1 were observed in the 3rd week and 9th week in the frequency of harvest. Furthermore, Translocation factor (TF &lt;1 and TF &gt; 1) were observed for frequency of harvest and time of harvest, implying that the plant can serve as a bad and good accumulator of As in contaminated soil for phytoremediation if the plant is frequently harvested or allowed to fallow. TF &gt; 1 means that the vegetable will be suitable as a good phytoextractor. It can, therefore, be concluded that Waterleaf can be used for commercial and environmental friendly phytoremediation technology (Green technology) to clean up As polluted sites and environmental monitoring.

Clinical epidemiological study on the association between neutrophil extracellular traps and acute myocardial infarction among coronary atherosclerotic heart disease

Objective To investigate the change and its roles of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in peripheral blood from patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAHD) during their acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and post operation of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and to proride effective prevention and control of CAHD and AMI. Methods A total of 52 patients with AMI and 52 healthy controls (HCs) were involved in this study. The levels of NETs, fragment a of the factor B (Ba), fragment a of the 5th complement (C5a) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in peripheral blood were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at the onset of AMI [pre-treatment (PRT) group], post-operative treatment group (POT group) and in HC group. Their differences between the groups were detected by t test while the relationships between the parameters in PRT group were tested by Pearson correlation analysis. Results All the parameters from PRT and POT group were higher than those in the HC group, respectively. The levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), NETs, Ba, C5a and MPO in PRT group were higher than those in POT group [(0.279±0.132) ng/ml vs.(0.016±0.008) ng/ml, P Conclusions The persistent high level of NETs and its related high activity of complement alternative pathway in CAHD during the onset of AMI and post-treatment of CABG might contribute to the progression of the disease and the recurrence of myocardial infarction. Intervention on the formation of NETs might be one of the potential pathways to prevent the progression of CHAD and the occurrence of AMI.

Vegetative growth of vanilla cuttings after addition of weed clippings mulch under 2 climatic condition, wet and dry seasons

Experiments were performed to determine the effect of allelochemicals released by weed clipping on the growth of vanilla cuttings. The objective of these experiments was to find out safe plant material for mulching vanilla plantation. The first experiment was conducted in the wet season, where two nodes cuttings were transplanted into 5 groups of pots containing topsoil and mulched with grass (G), fern (F), taro (T), dry leaf (DL) and without mulch as control cuttings (C). The second experiment was under dry season but using a similar procedure like that in the first experiment except dry leaf was replaced with coconut husk (CH). These two experiments were using 8 replicates and grown in a shaded greenhouse. Phenolic compounds in weed clippings were examined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. This study found that fern and taro clipping decreased soil pH, delayed emergence of new root and bud burst in vanilla cutting. By contrast, grass clipping, dry leaf and coconut husk did not decrease soil pH and did not delay root emergence and bud burst. The growth rate of the new stem in grass added plant was 1.4 folds relative control but only 0.4 fold in taro added plants. It is concluded that vanilla plant resistant to phenolic compound released by grass clipping, but susceptible to phenolic compound released by taro clipping.

Newly deposited atmospheric mercury in a simulated rice ecosystem in an active mercury mining region: High loading, accumulation, and availability

Mercury (Hg) mining activities are an important anthropogenic source of atmospheric Hg. The Xunyang Hg mine located in Shaanxi Province is the largest active Hg producing centre in China. To understand the biogeochemical processes of atmospheric Hg through Hg mining activities, six groups of experimental pots were carefully designed to investigate the effect of Hg mining activities on Hg contamination from atmospheric deposition in the local surface soils. Based on the variations of Hg in the soil from the experimental pots, the deposition flux and loading of Hg in the Xunyang Hg mining district were investigated. The results showed that the average concentration of total gaseous mercury (TGM) as high as 193 ± 122 ng m-3 was observed in the ambient air, which was orders of magnitude higher than that in remote areas. The average deposition flux and annual loading of atmospheric Hg were 72 mg m-2 y-1 and 10 t y-1, respectively. The dominant atmospheric Hg deposition is within a distance range of 6.0-12 km from the Hg retorting facility, accounting for approximately 85% of the total Hg loading. After 14 months of exposure, total mercury (THg) concentrations in the soil from the experimental pots increased 0.35-9.5 times, and the highest concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg) (3.7 ± 2.9 μg kg-1) in soil were observed in February. Concentrations as high as 643 μg kg-1 THg and 13 μg kg-1 MeHg in rice were observed in the second experimental year. Elevated concentrations of both THg and MeHg in rice indicated that the newly deposited atmospheric Hg was bioavailable, readily methylated, and taken up by rice, suggesting that the ongoing Hg mining activities cause serious Hg contamination in the soil-rice ecosystem and posed a threat to local residents in the Xunyang Hg mining area.

Potential Use of a Poultry Manure Digestate as a Biofertiliser: Evaluation of Soil Properties and Lactuca sativa Growth

Anaerobic digestion is a process that is widely used for the treatment of organic wastes. The digestate can be used as a soil amendment or crop fertiliser. The aims of our work were to evaluate 1) the physicochemical composition and pathogen content in a digestate from poultry manure, according to international regulations, and 2) the effect of its soil application on the major chemical and biological soil properties and on the growth of Lactuca sativa. The experiment consisted of two groups of pots (with and without crop). Treatments applied to each group were as follows: low and high doses of digestate and inorganic fertiliser, and no application (control) (low dose: 70 kg nitrogen (N) ha−1 and 21 kg phosphorus (P) ha−1; high dose: 210 kg N ha−1 and 63 kg P ha−1). Soil samples were taken 7 and 34 d (harvest) after treatment applications. Heavy metal and pathogen contents in the digestate were below the upper limit values. Despite the high pH and electrical conductivity values of the digestate, both soil parameters presented acceptable values for crop growth. Although there were no initial increases in total inorganic N and available P in soil with digestate application, an increase in the fresh weight of crop was observed with the high dose application. This is probably associated with the slow nutrient release from the digestate during the development of the crop. Changes in the microbial community were temporary and occurred at the initial sampling stage of the experiment.

Avaliação da rugosidade superficial de resinas acrílicas quimicamente ativadas e bisacrílica

Objetivo: Este trabalho avaliou a rugosidade superficial de uma Resina Acrílica Ativada Quimicamente (RAAQ) e uma Resina Bisacrílica, em diferentes técnicas de manipulação, para confecção de coroas provisórias.&#x0D; Materiais e Métodos: Foram confeccionadas matrizes de silicone (20x10x3mm) que serviram para confecção dos corpos de prova. Foram confeccionadas matrizes de silicone (20x10x3mm) que serviram para confecção dos corpos de prova, que formaram 4 grupos: Grupo Panela, Grupo Pincel, Grupo Fabricante e Grupo Bisacrílica (n=12). Após a polimerização, foram realizadas 3 leituras longitudinais e 3 transversais com auxílio de um rugosímetro digital. As leituras foram repetidas após acabamento e polimento dos corpos de prova em Politriz Metalográfica. Os valores de rugosidade foram somados e criada uma média para cada corpo de prova, os quais foram somados novamente dentro do seu grupo criando uma média e desvio padrão, antes e após o polimento. Os dados foram submetidos a ANOVA a 2 critérios e Sidak's multiple comparisons test (P

Atmospheric deposition of antimony in a typical mercury-antimony mining area, Shaanxi Province, Southwest China

Mercury-antimony (HgSb) mining activities are important anthropogenic sources of Hg and Sb to the local environment. The Xunyang HgSb mine situated in Shaanxi Province is an active Hg mine in China. To understand the emission, transportation, and deposition of Sb through HgSb mining activities, current study systematically monitored the Sb concentration in precipitation in the Xunyang HgSb mining district. Five groups of experimental pots were carefully designed to further investigate the influence of HgSb mining activities on the Sb contamination in the local surface soil. Based on the overtime increasing of the Sb concentrations in soil from experimental pots, for the first trial, we estimated the atmospheric deposition flux/mass of Sb in the Xunyang HgSb mining district. Our results showed that the concentrations of Sb in precipitation in the Xunyang HgSb mining district ranged from 0.71 μg L−1 to 19 μg L−1 (mean = 4.2 ± 4.5 μg L−1), which was orders of magnitude higher than that at the control site. As expected, the concentration of Sb in precipitation was highly elevated near of the HgSb smelter and gradually decreased with distance from the smelter. After 12 months exposure, Sb concentrations in soil of experimental pots were increased by 1.2–8.5 times. The average atmospheric wet and dry deposition flux of Sb in the Xunyang HgSb mining district were 7.2 ± 6.9 μg m−2 day−1 and 2.1 ± 4.7 mg m−2 day−1, respectively; the annual wet and dry deposition mass of Sb through HgSb mining activities were estimated to be 1.6 t y−1 and 158 t y−1, respectively, indicating that dry deposition was the dominant pathway (98 ± 1.2%) for the removal of Sb from the atmosphere. Our results confirmed that the ongoing HgSb mining activities resulted to serious Sb contamination to terrestrial ecosystems, posing a potential threat to local residents in the Xunyang HgSb mining district.

Potassium octatitanate fibers induce persistent lung and pleural injury and are possibly carcinogenic in male Fischer 344 rats.

Potassium octatitanate fibers (K2O·8TiO2, POT fibers) are widely used as an alternative to asbestos. We investigated the pulmonary and pleural toxicity of POT fibers with reference to 2 non‐fibrous titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO 2), photoreactive anatase (a‐nTiO 2) and inert rutile (r‐nTiO 2). Ten‐week‐old male F344 rats were given 0.5 mL of 250 μg/mL suspensions of POT fibers, a‐nTiO 2, or r‐nTiO 2, 8 times (1 mg/rat) over a 15‐day period by trans‐tracheal intrapulmonary spraying (TIPS). Rats were killed at 6 hours and at 4 weeks after the last TIPS dose. Alveolar macrophages were significantly increased in all treatment groups at 6 hours and at 4 weeks. At week 4, a‐nTiO 2 and r‐nTiO 2 were largely cleared from the lung whereas a major fraction of POT fibers were not cleared. In the bronchoalveolar lavage, alkaline phosphatase activity was elevated in all treatment groups, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was elevated in the a‐nTiO 2 and POT groups. In lung tissue, oxidative stress index and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) index were elevated in the a‐nTiO 2 and POT groups, and there was a significant elevation in C‐C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) mRNA and protein in the POT group. In pleural cavity lavage, total protein was elevated in all 3 treatment groups, and LDH activity was elevated in the a‐nTiO 2 and POT groups. Importantly, the PCNA index of the visceral mesothelium was increased in the POT group. Overall, POT fibers had greater biopersistence, induced higher expression of CCL2, and provoked a stronger tissue response than a‐nTiO 2 or r‐nTiO 2.

Quaternary ammonium salts substituted by 5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol as novel antibacterial agents with low cytotoxicity.

Twenty-one novel 5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol (POT) substituted N-hydroxyethyl quaternary ammonium salts (6a-g, 7a-g, 8a-g) were prepared and characterized by FTIR, NMR, and elemental analysis. Compounds 6a, 6c, and 8a were confirmed by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. They display the unsurpassed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, α-H-tococcus, Escherichia coli, P.aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Canidia Albicans, especially 6g, 7g, 8g with dodecyl group. Compounds 8a-d with N,N-dihydroxyethyl and POT groups display unsurpassed antibacterial activity and non-toxicity. The structure-activity relationships indicate that POT and flexible dihydroxyethyl group in QAS are necessary for antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. SEM and TEM images of E.coli morphologies of 8d show the antibacterial agents can adhere to membrane surfaces to inhibit bacterial growth by disrupting peptidoglycan formation and releasing bacterial cytoplasm from cell membranes.

Physiological and Biochemical Effects of 24-Epibrassinolide on Heat-Stress Adaptation in Maize (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Zea mays&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; L.)

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a family of about 70 structurally related polyhydroxy steroidal phytohormones that regulate a number of physiological processes in plants. Among these, brassinolide (BL), 28-homobrassinolide (28-homoBL) and 24-epibrassinolide (24-EpiBL) are more common. The present study aims at studying the usefulness of 24-epiBL in ameliorating the impacts of heat-stress in maize along with its role in regulating cellular antioxidant defense system. Maize hybrid PMH 3 was grown in pots in a green house maintained at 14 hours day (25℃)/10hours night (17℃). A solution of 24-epiBL (1 μM) was applied externally at V4 stage. Leaf tissues were sampled from both treated and control plants. Subsequently, both the groups of pots were placed in plant growth chamber maintained at high temperature (48℃; RH 50%). Plants were sampled for biochemical analysis after 3, 6, 9, 24 and 48 hours of high temperature exposure. Exogenous application of 24-EpiBL arrested protein degradation and enhanced cell membrane stability, as compared to the control. The biochemical activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POX) were found to be dynamically and variably modulated post 24-epiBL treatment. Thus, the study supports the role of BRs as anti-stress agents.

Clinical evaluation of Basti administered by Basti Putak (Pressure method), Enema pot method (Gravity fed method), and syringe method in Kshinashukra (Oligozoospermia)

The objective of this study was to determine which method of administration of Basti is more efficacious. The study design was open randomized clinical trial and main outcome measures are Administration time, Retention time, Pervasion of Basti, Semenogram study, and Sexual parameters. The result: Sperm count was increased by 70.75% in Basti putak group and 54.07% in Enema pot group. Overall average retention time of Asthapana Basti and Anuvasana Basti was 1.5 times more in Basti putak group than the Enema pot group. The conclusion of this study was that Basti putak is more efficacious than Enema pot method.

As Canadian as Hockey: Examining the Cultural Mosaic Approach to Multicultural Work Groups

The term “cultural mosaic” reflects Canadian social ideology regarding multiculturalism. Unlike a “melting pot” that emphasizes blending and abandonment of cultural heritage, a cultural mosaic describes a society in which cultural groups live and work together maintaining their unique heritages while being included in the larger fabric of society. This study empirically examines the meaning of this term extending it to the work group setting and exploring implications for group conflict and performance. Drawing on relevant literature, we define cultural mosaic as a characteristic of culturally diverse work groups in which members' distinct cultural heritages, values, and practices are mutually recognized and accepted by the group, and utilized in the group's activities. A survey of 85 Canadians working in multicultural groups tested their understanding, awareness, and preference for a mosaic (versus melting pot or homogenous groups) when given a choice, and the evidence of a mosaic in their work groups. Results show high awareness of the concept and strong preference for mosaic groups, particularly among those who are satisfied with their current multicultural work groups; those least satisfied were less aware of the mosaic concept and strongly preferred homogenous groups. Although respondents expressed positive attitudes toward their preferred type of group, and anticipated least interpersonal conflict in those groups, across the board respondents expected significantly higher levels of conflict in melting pot groups compared to either mosaic or homogenous groups. We discuss implications for research and theory on intra-group conflict and diversity, and for the practice of managing multicultural groups.

Adequacy of Benzo(A)Pyrene and Benzene Soluble Materials as Indicators of Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Söderberg Aluminum Smelter

Occupational and environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) occurs as a complex mixture that is evaluated using specific components, such as benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and benzene soluble materials (BSM). Factors that influence the relationship between BaP, BSM, and other PAHs within an aluminum smelter were investigated. Personal samples collected from 1978 to 2001 were used: 576 samples were analyzed for both BaP and BSM; 479 samples were analyzed for BaP and nine other particulate PAHs. Differences in the log-transformed ratios (PAH/BaP, BaP/BSM) due to anode paste composition, pot group, season, and job were examined using linear regression. Pot groups represented differences in technology, process conditions, and building properties. The models' predicted PAH/BaP ratios were multiplied by BaP relative potency factors to estimate the relative toxicity of the mixture. The correlation between BaP and BSM depended on the anode paste source (range 0.1–0.8). In linear regression, 27% of the variability in the log-transformed BaP/BSM ratio was explained by coal tar pitch, work area, and job; no seasonal or pot group differences were observed. Within the potrooms, BaP was very strongly correlated with other PAHs (majority > 0.9). Depending on the PAH, between 23% and 89% of the variability in the log-transformed PAH/BSM was explained by season, coal tar pitch, pot group, and job. The BaP toxic equivalency factors of the mixture varied more across job (2.1–3.5) than across coal tar pitch source (1.8–2.8) or pot group (2.3–2.5). Seasonal and work area differences in the relationship between BaP and other PAHs have not been reported previously. Until these relationships are better understood, BaP seems to be a reasonable, albeit imperfect, indicator due to the strong correlation between BaP and other PAHs for a given set of conditions and due to the relative abundance of BaP exposure measurements.

Group therapy for memory impaired patients: A partial remediation is possible

To analyse the prospect of memory training for patients with organic brain damage. Sixty-two patients with memory disorder were assigned to three different groups: a control group (n=16) with low dose memory training, a process oriented memory training group (POT) (n=24) and a group (ST) who was taught to compensate for memory problems with different strategies (n=22). Most of the patients had suffered a stroke. Inclusion criteria were medium to weak memory impairment defined by the patients' performance in the California Verbal Learning Test. Patients with complete amnesia were excluded. Specific care was taken that the groups did not differ in age, time since illness, duration of rehabilitation effort, verbal and performance IQ, memory and attention performance. The two treatment groups received 20 hours memory training, the low dose memory training control group 7 sessions. The treatment groups improved in verbal and prospective memory, but only the group with POT experienced a significant improvement compared with the control group. Training effects were specific, i. e. they affected verbal memory, but were not encapsulated, i. e. generalized to the recall of prose passages and of appointments. The POT group also showed a statistically weak outperformance compared with the ST group and some attentional improvement as well. Memory training is effective in patients with organic brain lesion, but only if applied frequently. Comparing the two training high intensity treatments, a POT focus seems to be superior to teaching a set of compensation strategies.

Effect of daily oxytocin injection on milk yield and lactation length in sheep

The effects of daily oxytocin (OT) (2 IU) injection (i.m.) on lactation performance of 25 Mehraban ewes were studied. Eight control ewes were injected with 1 ml of saline. Eight ewes were injected with OT after weaning (POT), and nine ewes were injected with OT from day 15 of lactation (WOT). Total milk production for WOT ewes was 55.5 and 24.7% greater ( P<0.05) than for control and POT ewes, respectively. POT group produced 24.7% more milk than control group. Lactation length was 175 days for WOT and POT groups, and 143 days for control ewes. Daily milk yield after weaning was greater for WOT and POT as compared with control ewes. WOT lambs had a greater daily weight gain as compared with POT and control lambs. WOT ewes lost more weight during the suckling period, but the difference in ewe live weight loss after weaning was not significant between the experimental groups. Fat content as a percentage of milk dry matter was greater for WOT than for control and POT ewes. Milk density, pH, freezing point, and protein, lactose and ash contents were not affected by OT treatment. Somatic cell count (SCC) was greater for control than for POT and WOT groups and increased as lactation progressed. The results of this experiment support the hypothesis that OT may be involved in mammary cell maintenance and metabolism, in addition to causing myoepithelial cell contraction and milk letdown.

Racism, Marxism, Labelling, and Genocide in Ben Kiernan’s The Pol Pot Regime

This in-depth review suggests that Kiernan's argument that Pol Pot's Democratic Kampuchea regime was more racist and genetically total itarian than Marxist or specifically Communist is unconvincing. It also takes issue with his argument about the predominance in Democratic Kampuchea of a French-educated ‘Pol Pot group’ permanently allied with ‘warlords’ heading two of the regime's Zones. Kiernan's suggestion that this coalition was solely accountable for war against Viet Nam is found to be faulty, as is his presentation of another Zone, the East, as the main locus of opposition to Pol Pot. The review considers Kiernan's theoretical categories to be empty and stresses that Marxism and Communism were at the root of racism and genocide in Democratic Kampuchea.

Relatedness and Intraspecific Competition in Plantago lanceolata

This experiment looked for an effect of relatedness on plant performance under competitive conditions in the perennial weed Plantago lanceolata L. (Plantaginaceae). Seeds from a diallel breeding design were used to establish green-house pots containing three competing individuals. Three groups of pots were set up: those with full-sib, half-sib, and unrelated plants. Plants were not given nutrients after the first 5 wk and were watered only when wilting. At the end of the growing season, all plants were harvested and their parts counted, dried, and weighed. Relatedness among competitors did not affect aboveground dry weight. There was, however, a significant decrease in the within-pot variance of vegetative and total dry weights. There was also an increase in the number of plants flowering per pot with an increase in relatedness. The differences in within-pot dry-weight variances and the propensity for reproduction among relatedness treatments are at least partially explained by the differences among relatedness treatments in the contribution of maternally inherited variation in performance to the within-pot variances of performance. The contribution of inherited variation in performance to the fitness effects of local relatedness can strongly reflect environmental variation. Inherited variation is likely to be a major determinant of the differences in the fitness effects of relatedness seen in existing empirical studies.