ALBERT

Description: Abstract Previous studies reported that positive phases of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) tend to accompany El Niño during boreal autumn. Here we show that the El Niño/IOD relationship can be better understood when considering the two different El Niño flavors. Eastern-Pacific (EP) El Niño events exhibit a strong correlation with the IOD dependent on their magnitude. In contrast, the relationship between Central-Pacific (CP) El Niño events and the IOD depends mainly on the zonal location of the sea surface temperature anomalies rather than their magnitude. CP El Niño events lying further west than normal are not accompanied by significant anomalous easterlies over the eastern Indian Ocean along the Java/Sumatra coast, which is unfavorable for the local Bjerknes feedback and correspondingly for an IOD development. The El Niño/IOD relationship has experienced substantial changes due to the recent decadal El Niño regime shift, which has important implications for seasonal prediction.

Description: Increasing evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in diverse biological process. Mouse maternal expressed gene 3 (Meg3), is an imprinted gene and essential for development. Here, we explored the relationship between Meg3 and the function of mouse beta cells in vitro and vivo . Real-time PCR analyses revealed Meg3 was more abundantly expressed in Balb/c mouse islets than exocrine glands. Moreover, the expression of Meg3 in islets was decreased in T1DM (NOD female mice) and T2DM (db/db mice) models. Meg3 expression was modulated dynamically by glucose in Min6 cells and isolated mouse islets. The function role of Meg3 was investigated in Min6 cells and normal mouse by knockdown of Meg3 using small interfering RNA. After suppression of Meg3 expression in vitro , insulin synthesis and secretion were impaired and the rate of beta cells apoptosis was increased. Moreover, knockdown of Meg3 in vivo led to the impaired glucose tolerance and decreased insulin secretion, consisted with the reduction of insulin positive cells areas by immunochemistry assays. Notably, islets from Meg3 interference groups showed significant decrease of Pdx-1 and MafA expression in mRNA and protein levels. These results indicate that Meg3 may function as a new regulator of maintaining beta cells identity via affecting insulin production and cell apoptosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Description: ABSTRACT Osteoblasts are essential for maintaining skeletal architecture and modulating bone microenvironment homeostasis. From numerous associated investigations, the BMP-2 pathway has been well-defined as a vital positive modulator of bone homeostasis. Gremlin2 (Grem2) is a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists. However, the effect of Grem2 on the BMP-2-induced osteogenesis of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) remains ambiguous. This study aimed to analyze the procedure in vitro and in vivo. The differentiation of hBMSCs was assessed by determining the expression levels of several osteoblastic genes, as well as the enzymatic activity and calcification of alkaline phosphatase. We found that Grem2 expression was upregulated by BMP-2 within the range of 0–1 µg/mL, and significant increases were evident at 48, 72, and 96 h after BMP-2 treatment. Si-Grem2 increased the BMP-2-induced osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs, whereas over-expression of Grem2 had the opposite trend. The result was confirmed using a defective femur model. We also discovered that the BMP-2/Smad/Runx2 pathway played an important role in the process. This study showed that si-Grem2 increased the BMP-2-induced osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs via the BMP-2/Smad/Runx2 pathway. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Description: Abstract Questions Does functional diversity play a more important role than species richness in complementary resource use? Is the effect of functional diversity on complementarity greater when species evenness is higher? Does functional dominance play an important role in resource use when species evenness is low? Location An arable field in Linhai City, Zhejiang Province, China. Methods We assembled experimental plant communities with different species richness (one, two, four, eight and 12 species) and evenness (low and high). In each community, we quantified light interception efficiency (LIE) and light complementarity index (LC) to reflect light use. We measured four functional traits related to light capture to quantify functional diversity and functional dominance. We then tested effects of observed species richness, functional diversity and functional dominance on LIE, LC and above‐ground biomass in the low and high evenness communities. Results Functional diversity was positively related to LIE, LC and above‐ground biomass in the high evenness communities, but not in the low evenness communities. In contrast, functional dominance was positively related to LIE and negatively related to LC in the low evenness communities, but not in the high evenness communities. Moreover, functional dominance had a larger promotion to above‐ground biomass in the low evenness communities. Observed species richness and evenness had a significant interactive effect on LIE and LC. LIE of a species mixture of the low evenness communities was positively correlated with LIE of the monoculture consisting of the species with the highest initial abundance in the species mixture, while LC of a species mixture of the low evenness communities was negatively correlated with it. Conclusions Functional diversity and functional dominance play a crucial role in light complementary use of plant communities, and their effects on light complementarity are mediated by species evenness. Thus, interactions of functional traits and evenness may greatly affect ecosystem functioning.

Description: Subduction plays an important role in the formation of the Subtropical Mode Water (STMW). Variation of subduction in the western North Pacific was studied using gridded monthly data from Argo float profiles. The results revealed that there exists a weakening trend of subduction in the STMW formation region (28° N -35° N, 142° E-175° W) due to decreasing winter mixed layer depth (MLD) during 2003-2013. In the STMW formation region, the mean subduction rate was about 64 m yr −1 and showed a decreasing trend at -3.44±2.47 m yr −2 during 2003-2013. Meanwhile the late winter (March) MLD showed a decreasing trend at -4.02±2.41 m yr −1 . Associated with the weakening subduction, the STMW volume had a similar decreasing trend in late winter. Diagnostic calculation indicated that change of the mixed layer temperature (MLT) is the key factor in determining the MLD variations in the STMW formation region. It is demonstrated that the increasing MLT tends to decrease oceanic density and stabilize the upper ocean. This oceanic processes act to weaken the vertical mixing and decrease the MLD, resulting in the weakening of subduction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Description: Different kinds of counterions (such as NO 3 – , ClO 4 – , and Cl – ) play a special role in controlling the framework of coordination compounds. Using this strategy, 5-aminotetrazole-1-propionic acid (Hatzp) was selected to react with praseodymium(III) nitrate or perchlorate in the same solvent system, producing two different coordination compounds, [Pr 2 (atzp) 4 (H 2 O) 8 ] · 2NO 3 · 2H 2 O ( 1 ) and [Pr 2 (atzp) 6 (H 2 O) 2 ] · H 2 O ( 2 ). These compounds were structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that compound 1 displays a dinuclear structure, whereas 2 shows a one dimensional zigzag chain framework. Furthermore, the luminescence properties of compounds 1 and 2 were investigated at room temperature in the solid state.

Description: Key Points Conventional and in situ (U‐Th)/He dating methods were conducted on apatite megacrysts MK‐1 from Myanmar. Apatite MK‐1 yielded a reproducible (U‐Th)/He date of 18.0 ± 0.2 Ma with an homogeneous Th/U ratio of 0.7. MK‐1 has the potential to become a new reference material for both conventional and in situ (U‐Th)/He geochronology. The (U‐Th)/He dating technique has been widely used for several decades to constrain the timing of low temperature geological processes. Recent research has shown that the commonly used reference material (the Durango apatite) often yields dispersed fragment dates that are beyond analytical uncertainties. Here, we report a new apatite (U‐Th)/He dating reference material, MK‐1, which was collected from the Mogok metamorphic belt in Burma. Electron probe microanalysis and backscattered electron images of two randomly selected fragments indicate that this apatite is chemically and structurally homogeneous. We performed single‐grain (U‐Th)/He dating on thirty randomly selected fragments of this material. (U‐Th)/He dating results from multiple laboratories show that fragments of the MK‐1 apatite megacryst yielded reproducible results, with a mean date of 18.0 ± 0.2 Ma. The Th/U ratio of this apatite is homogeneous. Nine randomly selected fragments registered a narrow range of effective uranium (eU) mass fractions (326–354 μg g−1), with a mean value of 336.6 ± 10.3 μg g−1. Twenty‐four in situ (U‐Th)/He dates yielded a mean value of 18.0 ± 0.2 Ma (MSWD = 0.41), indistinguishable from the results obtained by the conventional method. All the results suggest that this apatite has the potential to become a new reference material for (U‐Th)/He geochronology.

Description: This study involved modification of the surface of Ti by micro-arc oxidation (MAO). A rough and porous oxide film with good wettability was formed on the Ti surface. This MAO-treated film exhibited a meta-amorphous structure comprising crystalline anatase and rutile TiO 2 as well as amorphous phases. In addition, the incorporation of Ca and P in the MAO-treated film was induced by micro-arc discharge. The biological responses of the MAO-treated surfaces were evaluated by observing the adhesion of MG63 osteoblast-like cells and platelets. The MAO-treated Ti had a considerably better biocompatibility and blood compatibility than untreated Ti .

Description: The pattern of meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the South China Sea (SCS) is studied using a numerical Lagrangian tracing method with the HYCOM + NCODA Global 1/12˚ Analysis (GLBa0.08) data. The SCS MOC has a 'sandwich' structure, which consists of a layer of stronger clockwise circulation above 500 m depth, a counterclockwise layer in the mid layer between 500 to 1000 m depth and a weaker clockwise layer below 1000 m. The deep (below 1000 m depth) clockwise layer is divided into three cells, namely, the deep southern MOC cell, DSMOC; the deep middle MOC cell, DMMOC; and the unclosed deep northern MOC cell, DNMOC. The inflow through the Luzon Strait is the main source for the SCS MOCs. The upper layer Luzon Strait inflow dominates the upper SCS MOC structure but has relatively less contribution to the DNMOC, whereas the deep layer Luzon Strait inflow mainly influences the DNMOC and it mostly rises near 18 o N. The inflow through the Taiwan Strait mainly contributes to the upper layer MOC. Moreover, inflows from the Mindoro and Karimata straits contribute negatively to the upper MOC but play a significant role on the DSMOC. The backward integration of Lagrangian trajectories further validates that the SCS deep water comes not only from the deep inflow but also from the entrainment of the middle and upper layers inflow through the Luzon Strait. In the SCS basin there are three northwest-southeast tilted zones where particles upwell, which correspond to the three deep MOC cells. One possible mechanism for these upwelling zones is the interaction between the continental slope-trapped waves and the westward planetary Rossby waves.

Description: ABSTRACT The relationship between the Palaeolithic–Neolithic cultural transition and environmental changes is important for understanding human history. However, the timing and nature of human behaviour at the transition, and their relationship to local environmental conditions, remain poorly understood. The Yujiagou archaeological site in the Nihewan Basin, northern China, provides valuable chronological and archaeological information about cultural changes in northern China due to its continuous archaeological sequence of cultural layers from the Palaeolithic to Neolithic. In this study, we apply post‐infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (pIRIR) dating on individual feldspar grains to date the Yujiagou deposits. We provide a revised chronology for the archaeological sequence at the site. We combine these results with multi‐proxy climatic indicators to gain insights into palaeoenvironmental changes in the region. The results show that the age of the artefact‐bearing deposits ranges from 13.5 to 9.7 ka. Polished stones and pottery begin to occur in the archaeological layer around 13 ka, corresponding to a transitional period when the local climate changed from cold to warm. This site provides evidence for understanding the process that led to the regional transition from hunter‐gathering to farming.