A Lacustrine Paleoenvironment Recorded at Vera RubinRidge, Gale Crater: Overview of the Sedimentology and Stratigraphy Observed by the Mars ScienceLaboratory Curiosity Rover

For ~500 Martian solar days (sols), the Mars Science Laboratory team explored Vera Rubin ridge (VRR), a topographic feature on the northwest slope of Aeolis Mons. Here we review the sedimentary facies and stratigraphy observed during sols 1,800–2,300, covering more than 100 m of stratigraphic thickness. Curiosity's traverse includes two transects across the ridge, which enables investigation of lateral variability over a distance of ~300 m. Three informally named stratigraphic members of the Murray formation are described: Blunts Point, Pettegrove Point, and Jura, with the latter two exposed on VRR. The Blunts Point member, exposed just below the ridge, is characterized by a recessive, fine‐grained facies that exhibits extensive planar lamination and is crosscut by abundant curvi‐planar veins. The Pettegrove Point member is more resistant, fine‐grained, thinly planar laminated, and contains a higher abundance of diagenetic concretions. Conformable above the Pettegrove Point member is the Jura member, which is also fine‐grained and parallel stratified, but is marked by a distinct step in topography, which coincides with localized meter‐scale inclined strata, a thinly and thickly laminated facies, and occasional crystal molds. All members record low‐energy lacustrine deposition, consistent with prior observations of the Murray formation. Uncommon outcrops of low‐angle stratification suggest possible subaqueous currents, and steeply inclined beds may be the result of slumping. Collectively, the rocks exposed at VRR provide additional evidence for a long‐lived lacustrine environment (in excess of 106 years via comparison to terrestrial records of sedimentation), which extends our understanding of the duration of habitable conditions in Gale crater

Revealing Repton: bringing landscape to life at Sheringham Park

The year 2012 marked 200 years since Humphry Repton (1752–1818) produced his design for Sheringham Park in north Norfolk, bound as one of his Red Books. On paper, Repton is England’s best-known and most influential landscape gardener. On the ground, his work is much harder to identify, focused as it was on light touches that equated more to landscape makeover than the landscape making of his predecessor Lancelot “Capability” Brown. This paper documents and evaluates a project that celebrated this bicentenary through a temporary exhibition within the visitor centre of Sheringham Park, whilst also making reference to the commemoration of his work in other places and on paper. In attempting to reveal Repton at Sheringham, we explore the context of the 1812 commission and the longer landscape history of the site, as well as the different methods of representing Repton on site that are open to site owners and managers

Microclimate monitoring in the Carcer Tullianum: temporal and spatial correlation and gradients evidenced by multivariate analysis; first campaign

Too often microclimate studies in the field of cultural heritage are published without any or scarce information on sampling design, sensors (type, number, position) and instrument validation. Lacking of this fundamental information does not allow an open discussion in the scientific community. This work aims to be an invitation for a different approach

Future therapeutic targets in rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by persistent joint inflammation. Without adequate treatment, patients with RA will develop joint deformity and progressive functional impairment. With the implementation of treat-to-target strategies and availability of biologic therapies, the outcomes for patients with RA have significantly improved. However, the unmet need in the treatment of RA remains high as some patients do not respond sufficiently to the currently available agents, remission is not always achieved and refractory disease is not uncommon. With better understanding of the pathophysiology of RA, new therapeutic approaches are emerging. Apart from more selective Janus kinase inhibition, there is a great interest in the granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor pathway, Bruton's tyrosine kinase pathway, phosphoinositide-3-kinase pathway, neural stimulation and dendritic cell-based therapeutics. In this review, we will discuss the therapeutic potential of these novel approaches

UK Space Agency ``Mars Utah Rover Field Investigation 2016'' (MURFI 2016): Overview of Mission, Aims, and Progress

The Mars Utah Rover Field Investigation “MURFI 2016” is a Mars Rover field analogue mission run by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). MURFI 2016 took place between 22nd October and 13th November 2016 and consisted of a field team including an instrumented Rover platform, at the field site near Hanksville (Utah, USA), and an ‘Operations Team’ based in the Mission Control Centre (MOC) at the Harwell Campus near Oxford in the UK.The field site was chosen based on the collaboration with the CSA and its Mars-like local geology. It was used by the CSA in 2015 for Mars Rover trials, and in 2016, several teams used the site, each with their own designated working areas. The two main aims of MURFI 2016 were (i) to develop logistical and leadership experience in running field trials within the UKSA, and (ii) to provide members of the Mars Science community with Rover Operations experience, and hence to build expertise that could be used in the 2020 ExoMars Rover mission, or other future Rover missions. Because MURFI 2016 was the first solely UKSA-led Rover analogue trial, the most important objective was to learn how to best implement Rover trials in general. This included aspects of planning, logistics, field safety, MOC setup and support, communications, person management and science team development. Some aspects were based on past experience from previous trials but the focus was on ‘learning through experience’ - especially in terms of the Operations Team, who each took on a variety of roles during the mission

Evidence for a Diagenetic Origin of Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater, Mars: Summary and Synthesis of <i>Curiosity's</i> Exploration Campaign

This paper provides an overview of the Curiosity rover's exploration at Vera Rubin ridge and summarizes the science results. Vera Rubin ridge (VRR) is a distinct geomorphic feature on lower Aeolis Mons (informally known as Mt. Sharp) that was identified in orbital data based on its distinct texture, topographic expression, and association with a hematite spectral signature. Curiosity conducted extensive remote sensing observations, acquired data on dozens of contact science targets, and drilled three outcrop samples from the ridge, as well as one outcrop sample immediately below the ridge. Our observations indicate that strata composing VRR were deposited in a predominantly lacustrine setting and are part of the Murray formation. The rocks within the ridge are chemically in family with underlying Murray formation strata. Red hematite is dispersed throughout much of the VRR bedrock, and this is the source of the orbital spectral detection. Gray hematite is also present in isolated, gray‐colored patches concentrated towards the upper elevations of VRR, and these gray patches also contain small, dark Fe‐rich nodules. We propose that VRR formed when diagenetic event(s) preferentially hardened rocks, which were subsequently eroded into a ridge by wind. Diagenesis also led to enhanced crystallization and/or cementation that deepened the ferric‐related spectral absorptions on the ridge, which helped make them readily distinguishable from orbit. Results add to existing evidence of protracted aqueous environments at Gale crater and give new insight into how diagenesis shaped Mars’ rock record

Increasing occurrence of sandstone cemented with calcium sulfate on Mount Sharp, Gale Crater, Mars

The Mars Science Laboratory Rover Curiosity has observed calcium sulfate veins in all of the bedrock examined to date in Gale Crater, with the exception of the Bradbury Rise area. The veins are also ubiquitous in the Murray Formation, which is interpreted as fine-grain mudstone. But recently when the rover reached the Murray Buttes on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp, the presence of light-toned rocks with moderate CaO have been observed, suggesting the presence of a cementd porous sandstone. The substantial increase in ChemCam analyses consistent with cemented sandstone (instead of mudstone), along with changes in other sedimentary structures may signal a change in the depositional environment and/or provenance of the lake deposits

A novel diffuse large B-cell lymphoma-associated cancer testis antigen encoding a PAS domain protein

Here we report that the OX-TES-1 SEREX antigen, which showed immunological reactivity with serum from four out of 10 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients, is encoded by a novel gene, PAS domain containing 1 (PASD1). PASD1_v1 cDNA encodes a 639 amino-acid (aa) protein product, while an alternatively spliced variant (PASD1_v2), lacking intron 14, encodes a 773 aa protein, the first 638 aa of which are common to both proteins. The PASD1-predicted protein contains a PAS domain that, together with a putative leucine zipper and nuclear localisation signal, suggests it encodes a transcription factor. The expression of PASD1_v1 mRNA was confirmed by RT-PCR in seven DLBCL-derived cell lines, while PASD1_v2 mRNA appears to be preferentially expressed in cell lines derived from non-germinal centre DLBCL. Immunophenotyping studies of de novo DLBCL patients' tumours with antibodies to CD10, BCL-6 and MUM1 indicated that two patients mounting an immune response to PASD1 were of a poor prognosis non-germinal centre subtype. Expression of PASD1 mRNA was restricted to normal testis, while frequent expression was observed in solid tumours (25 out of 68), thus fulfilling the criteria for a novel cancer testis antigen. PASD1 has potential for lymphoma vaccine development that may also be widely applicable to other tumour types

The 2016 UK Space Agency Mars Utah Rover Field Investigation (MURFI)

The 2016 Mars Utah Rover Field Investigation (MURFI) was a Mars rover field trial run by the UK Space Agency in association with the Canadian Space Agency's 2015/2016 Mars Sample Return Analogue Deployment mission. MURFI had over 50 participants from 15 different institutions around the UK and abroad. The objectives of MURFI were to develop experience and leadership within the UK in running future rover field trials; to prepare the UK planetary community for involvement in the European Space Agency/Roscosmos ExoMars 2020 rover mission; and to assess how ExoMars operations may differ from previous rover missions. Hence, the wider MURFI trial included a ten-day (or ten-‘sol’) ExoMars rover-like simulation. This comprised an operations team and control centre in the UK, and a rover platform in Utah, equipped with instruments to emulate the ExoMars rovers remote sensing and analytical suite. The operations team operated in ‘blind mode’, where the only available data came from the rover instruments, and daily tactical planning was performed under strict time constraints to simulate real communications windows. The designated science goal of the MURFI ExoMars rover-like simulation was to locate in-situ bedrock, at a site suitable for sub-surface core-sampling, in order to detect signs of ancient life. Prior to “landing”, the only information available to the operations team were Mars-equivalent satellite remote sensing data, which were used for both geologic and hazard (e.g., slopes, loose soil) characterisation of the area. During each sol of the mission, the operations team sent driving instructions and imaging/analysis targeting commands, which were then enacted by the field team and rover-controllers in Utah. During the ten-sol mission, the rover drove over 100 m and obtained hundreds of images and supporting observations, allowing the operations team to build up geologic hypotheses for the local area and select possible drilling locations. On sol 9, the team obtained a subsurface core sample that was then analyzed by the Raman spectrometer. Following the conclusion of the ExoMars-like component of MURFI, the operations and field team came together to evaluate the successes and failures of the mission, and discuss lessons learnt for ExoMars rover and future field trials. Key outcomes relevant to ExoMars rover included a key recognition of the importance of field trials for (i) understanding how to operate the ExoMars rover instruments as a suite, (ii) building an operations planning team that can work well together under strict time-limited pressure, (iii) developing new processes and workflows relevant to the ExoMars rover, (iv) understanding the limits and benefits of satellite mapping and (v) practicing efficient geological interpretation of outcrops and landscapes from rover-based data, by comparing the outcomes of the simulated mission with post-trial, in-situ field observations. In addition, MURFI was perceived by all who participated as a vital learning experience, especially for early and mid-career members of the team, and also demonstrated the UK capability of implementing a large rover field trial. The lessons learnt from MURFI are therefore relevant both to ExoMars rover, and to future rover field trials