Description: Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2016. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 121 (2016): 3161–3176, doi:10.1002/2016JB012928.

Description: Near-bottom magnetic field measurements made by the submersible Nautile during the 1992 Kanaut Expedition define the cross-sectional geometry of magnetic polarity reversal boundaries and the vertical variation of crustal magnetization in lower oceanic crust exposed along the Kane Transform Fault (TF) at the northern boundary of the Kane Megamullion (KMM). The KMM exposes lower crust and upper mantle rocks on a low-angle normal fault that was active between 3.3 Ma and 2.1 Ma. The geometry of the polarity boundaries is estimated from an inversion of the submarine magnetic data for crustal magnetization. In general, the polarity boundaries dip away from the ridge axis along the Kane TF scarp, with a west dipping angle of ~45° in the shallow (〈1 km) crust and 〈20° in the deeper crust. The existence of the magnetic polarity boundaries (e.g., C2r.2r/C2An.1n, ~2.581 Ma) indicates that the lower crustal gabbros and upper mantle serpentinized peridotites are able to record a coherent magnetic signal. Our results support the conclusion of Williams (2007) that the lower crust cools through the Curie temperature of magnetite to become magnetic, with the polarity boundaries representing both frozen isotherms and isochrons. We also test the effects of the rotation of this isotherm structure and/or footwall rotation and find that the magnetic polarity boundary geometry is not sensitive to these directional changes.

Description: 2016-11-12

Description: Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2017. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122 (2017): 9518–9529, doi:10.1002/2017JC013310.

Description: Microseisms generated by the super typhoon Megi (13–24 October 2010) were detected on both land-based and island-based seismic stations. We applied temporal frequency spectrum analysis to investigate the temporal evolution of the microseisms. When Megi was over the deep basins of the Philippine Sea, only weak microseisms with short-period double frequency (SPDF, ∼0.20–0.40 Hz) were observed. However, after Megi traveled into the shallower waters of the South China Sea, microseisms with both long-period double frequency (LPDF, ∼0.12–0.20 Hz) and SPDF were recorded. The excitation source regions of the microseisms were analyzed using seismic waveform records and synthetic modeling in frequency domain. Results reveal that part of the LPDF microseisms were excited in coastal source regions, while the intensity of both LPDF and SPDF microseisms correlated well with the distance from seismic stations to the typhoon center. Synthetic computations of equivalent surface pressure and corresponding microseisms show that the wave-to-wave interaction induced by coastal reflection has primary effects on microseismic frequency band of ∼0.10–0.20 Hz. The coastal generation of the dispersive LPDF microseisms is also supported by the observation of ocean swells induced by Megi through the images of C-band ENVISAT-ASAR satellite during its migration process. Two source regions of the microseisms during the life span of Megi are finally distinguished: One was mainly located in the left-rear quadrant of the typhoon center that generated both LPDF and SPDF microseisms at shallow seas, while the other one was near the coasts that generated mostly LPDF microseisms.

Description: National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant Numbers: 41104027, 91628301, U1606401, 41676044; Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province Grant Number: LZ14D060001; Opening Fund of SKLGED Grant Number: SKLGED2013-1-7-E; Chinese Academy of Sciences Grant Numbers: Y4SL021001, Y6YB011001, QYZDY-SSW-DQC005

Description: 2018-06-07

Description: Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2014. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 119 (2014): 2721–2744, doi:10.1002/2013JB010730.

Description: We use three-dimensional multistreamer seismic reflection data to investigate variations in axial magma lens (AML) physical properties along the East Pacific Rise between 9°30′N and 10°00′N. Using partial-offset stacks of P- and S-converted waves reflecting off the top of the AML, we image four 2–4 km long melt-rich sections spaced 5–10 km from each other. One-dimensional waveform inversion indicates that the AML in a melt-rich section is best modeled with a low Vp (2.95–3.23 km/s) and Vs (0.3–1.5 km/s), indicating 〉70% melt fraction. In contrast, the AML in a melt-poor section requires higher Vp (4.52–4.82 km/s) and Vs (2.0–3.0 km/s), which indicates 〈40% melt fraction. The thicknesses of the AML are constrained to be 8–32 m and 8–120 m at the melt-rich and -poor sites, respectively. Based on the AML melt-mush segmentation imaged in the area around the 2005–2006 eruption, we infer that the main source of this eruption was a 5 km long section of the AML between 9°48′N and 51′N. The eruption drained most of the melt in this section of the AML, leaving behind a large fraction of connected crystals. We estimate that during the 2005–2006 eruption, a total magma volume of 9–83 × 106 m3 was extracted from the AML, with a maximum of 71 × 106 m3 left unerupted in the crust as dikes. From this, we conclude that an eruption of similar dimensions to the 2005–2006, one would be needed with a frequency of years to decades in order to sustain the long-term average seafloor spreading rate at this location.

Description: This research was supported by NSF grants OCE-0327885 and OCE-0327872 through the RIDGE-2000 program.

Description: 2014-10-29

Description: Background: South Pacific Gyre (SPG) is the largest and clearest gyre in the world, where the concentration of surface chlorophyll a and primary production are extremely low. Aquimarina longa SW024 T was isolated from surface water of the SPG center. To understand how this bacterium could survive in this ultra-oligotrophic oceanic environment and its function in biogeochemical cycle, we sequenced the genome of A. longa SW024 T and performed extensive genomic analyses. Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted and sequenced using Illumina Hiseq 2000 and Miseq platform. Genome annotation, genomic comparison and phylogenetic analyses were performed with the use of multiple bioinformatics tools like: BLAST+ 2.2.24, Glimmer3.0, RAST server, Geneious 4.8.5, ClustalW2 and MEGA5. Physiological and morphological features were tested by bacterial culture, electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and exopolysaccharides extraction. Results: Analysis of seven Aquimarina genomes and 30 other genomes of Flavobacteriaceae isolated from seawater showed that most of the strains had low DNA G + C contents, and Aquimarina had larger genomes than other strains. Genome comparison showed varying genomic properties among seven Aquimarina genomes, including genome sizes and gene contents, which may warrant their specific adaptive strategies. Genome of A. longa SW024 T was further compared with the genomes of two other Aquimarina species which were also isolated from the SPG and A. longa SW024 T appeared to have much more genes related to replication, recombination and repair. As a copiotroph, A. longa SW024 T is long in length, and possesses large genome size and diverse transporters. However, it has also evolved many properties to survive in the oligotrophic marine environment. This bacterium grew better on solid medium than in liquid medium, suggesting it may be liable to attach to particle surfaces in order to survive in the nutrient-limiting environment. Gliding motility and the capacity to degrade various polymers possibly allow the bacterium to grow on detritus particles and use polymeric substances as carbon and energy sources. Moreover, genes related to carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolisms were identified, which showed that A. longa SW024 T might be involved in various elemental cycles. Conclusions: Genomic comparison of Aquimarina genus exhibits comprehensive capabilities of the strains to adapt to diverse marine environments. The genomic characteristics of A. longa SW024 T reveal that it evolves various strategies to cope with both copiotrophic and ultra-oligotrophic marine environment, which provides a better understanding of the survival abilities of bacteria in prevalent and even extreme oceanic environments. Furthermore, carbon, nitrogen and sulfur utilization of A. longa SW024 T may represent its potential functions in the global biogeochemical cycle.

Description: Edible mushrooms, especially the genus of Pleurotus, have been well studied for their nutrition as well as non-toxic medicinal properties. Recently, much attention has been paid to the therapeutic values of mushr...

Description: Sushi Domain Containing 2 (SUSD2) has been identified as a regulator of colon and breast cancer. Increasing evidence suggests that SUSD2 plays a key role in tumorigenesis. However, the SUSD2 expression status ...

Description: Concerted hormone secretion is essential for glucose homeostasis and growth. The oocyte testis gene 1 (Otg1) has limited information in mammals before. Human OTG1 has been identified as an antigen associated with...

Description: The application of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in treating patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) remains uncertain. This update meta-analysis was performed to re-evaluate the therapeutic potential ...

Description: Rationale:Human pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiovascular progenitor cells (hPSC-CVPCs) should be thoroughly investigated in large animal studies before testing in clinical trials.Objective:The main of this study is to clarify whether hPSC-CVPCs can engraft for long time in the heart of primates after myocardial infarction (MI) and compare the effectiveness and safety of immunosuppression with cyclosporine alone or multiple-drug regimen (MDR) containing cyclosporine, methylprednisolone, and basiliximab in cynomolgus monkeys that had received intramyocardial injections of 1×107 EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein)-expressing hPSC-CVPCs after MI. A third group of animals received the immunosuppression MDR but without cell therapy after MI (MI+MDR group).Methods and Results:Measurements of EGFP gene levels and EGFP immunofluorescence staining indicated that the hPSC-CVPC engraftment rate was greater in the MI+MDR+CVPC group than that in the MI+cyclosporine+CVPC group. However, even in the MI+MDR+CVPC group, no transplanted cells could be detected at 140 days after transplantation. Concomitantly, immunofluorescent analysis of CD3, CD4, and CD8 expression indicated that T-lymphocyte infiltration in the CVPC-transplanted hearts was less in the MDR-treated animals than in the cyclosporine-alone–treated animals. The recovery of left ventricular function on day 28 post-MI in the MI+MDR+CVPC group was better than that in the MI+MDR group. Apoptotic cardiac cells were also less common in the MI+MDR+CVPC group than in the MI+MDR group, although both immunosuppression regimens were associated with transient hepatic dysfunction.Conclusions:This is the largest study of hPSCs in nonhuman primates in cardiovascular field to date (n=32). Compared with cyclosporine alone, MDR attenuates immune rejection and improves survival of hPSC-CVPCs in primates; this is associated with less apoptosis of native cardiac cells and better recovery of left ventricular function at 28 days. However, even with MDR, transplanted hPSC-CVPCs do not engraft and do not survive at 140 days after transplantation, thereby excluding remuscularization as a mechanism for the functional effect.

Description: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in older individuals. Our study aims to identify the key genes and upstream regulators in AMD.