Widespread abiotic methane in chromitites

Recurring discoveries of abiotic methane in gas seeps and springs in ophiolites and peridotite massifs worldwide raised the question of where, in which rocks, methane was generated. Answers will impact the theories on life origin related to serpentinization of ultramafic rocks, and the origin of methane on rocky planets. Here we document, through molecular and isotopic analyses of gas liberated by rock crushing, that among the several mafic and ultramafic rocks composing classic ophiolites in Greece, i.e., serpentinite, peridotite, chromitite, gabbro, rodingite and basalt, only chromitites, characterized by high concentrations of chromium and ruthenium, host considerable amounts of 13C-enriched methane, hydrogen and heavier hydrocarbons with inverse isotopic trend, which is typical of abiotic gas origin. Raman analyses are consistent with methane being occluded in widespread microfractures and porous serpentine- or chlorite-filled veins. Chromium and ruthenium may be key metal catalysts for methane production via Sabatier reaction. Chromitites may represent source rocks of abiotic methane on Earth and, potentially, on Mars

EPMA maps unveil the actual chemical variations and crystallisation sequence of pyroxene and plagioclase solidified from a basaltic liquid at variable cooling rates

Crystal-chemical variations of pyroxene (px) and plagioclase (plg) have been analysed by X-ray electron-microprobe (EPMA) mapping to quantify their actual chemical dispersions. These phases were experimentally crystallised from a basaltic liquid (B100, MORB from Iceland) at cooling rates of 1, 7, 60 and 180 °C/h from 1300 °C down to 800 °C. Experiments were run at ambient conditions applying defined temperature paths mirroring characteristic cooling rates from innermost to outermost portions of metre- to centimetre-thick lavas, dikes and bombs emplaced under submarine to subaerial conditions. As the cooling rate increases from 1 to 180 °C/h, the run-products become progressively enriched in pyroxene and depleted in plagioclase, while spinel is invariably low (few area%) and glass is significant only at 180 °C/h. An increase of cooling rate generally leads to enrichment of Al2O3 and depletion of MgO in px, while the opposite behaviour is observed for plg; these trends are mirrored by calculated cations (apfu: atom per formula unit) and components. Average variations as a function of cooling rate are similar to those already observed through classical analysis performed by single point EPMA. However, the actual chemical distributions of CaO versus MgO, Al2O3 and FeOtot oxides unveil the presence of a wider range in pyroxene chemistry. In particular, one px (px-1, CaO-rich, diopsidic type) is present at all the applied cooling rates; a very low CaO-px (px-2, pigeonite or orthopyroxene type) is detected at 1 °C/h; and, finally, once more population of px (px-3, CaO-poor diopsidic type) appears at 60 and 180 °C/h. By contrast, plg analyses yield invariably identical compositions. Textural variations as a function of cooling rate and geothermometric estimations indicate that px-1 crystallised at high-T (or low ΔT), while plg mainly grew in the residual melt produced by the saturation of px. If only textures were evaluated, this order of segregation would like remain unrecognised since px at low cooling rates is smaller than plg. The abundance of phases, their crystal-chemical features, and their order of segregation can be regarded through a theoretical framework of a time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram. The most significant chemical variations are displayed by MgO and Al2O3 for both px and plg, which faithfully capture the evolution of cooling conditions. The chemical compositions of px-1 is close to the thermodynamic equilibrium only at 1 °C/h. As the cooling rates increase, the px chemistry indicates disequilibrium conditions. Finally, this study shows that as ΔT/Δt increases, the most abundant px (px-1) and plg are forced towards compositions that become progressively closer to those of the parental liquid

The Metabolic Profile in Active Acromegaly is Gender-Specific.

CONTEXT: The sexual dimorphism of the somatotroph axis has been documented, but whether the acromegaly-related metabolic alterations are gender-dependent has never been investigated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of gender on the metabolic parameters in acromegaly. DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective, comparative, multicenter study. PATIENTS: The 307 newly diagnosed acromegalic patients included in the study were grouped by gender: 157 men (aged 48.01 ± 14.28 yr), and 150 women (aged 48.67 ± 14.95 yr; of which 77 were premenopausal and 73 postmenopausal). OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: We measured each component of the metabolic syndrome (MS), hemoglobin A1c, the areas under the curve (AUCs) of glucose and insulin during 2-h oral glucose tolerance test, basal insulin resistance using the homeostasis model assessment of the insulin resistance index, stimulated insulin sensitivity using the insulin sensitivity index, early insulin-secretion rate using the insulinogenic index, β-cell function relative to insulin sensitivity using the oral disposition index and the visceral adiposity index (VAI) as the surrogate of visceral fat function. RESULTS: Women showed a higher prevalence of MS (P < 0.001), higher fasting insulin levels (P < 0.001), AUC for insulin (P = 0.002), homeostasis model assessment of the insulin resistance index (P < 0.001), and VAI (P < 0.001) and a lower insulin sensitivity index (P = 0.002) than men, whereas no difference was found in fasting glucose, AUC for glucose, hemoglobin A1c, insulinogenic index, and oral disposition index. In women, fasting glucose and fasting insulin showed a significant trend toward increase (P < 0.001) and decrease (P = 0.004), respectively, from the first to the fourth quartiles of age, whereas VAI showed a trend toward increase in both groups (P < 0.001). A significantly higher prevalence of MS (P < 0.001), increased waist circumference (P < 0.001), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.001), and overt diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001) was found in postmenopausal women compared with premenopausal women, as well as with men. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of metabolic features in acromegaly are gender-specific. Active acromegaly in women is strongly associated with higher visceral adiposity dysfunction, insulin resistance, and the features of MS. We suggest more accurate metabolic management in acromegalic women, especially in the postmenopausal years

Nasal saline irrigation in preschool children: a survey of attitudes and prescribing habits of primary care pediatricians working in northern Italy

It has been shown that nasal saline irrigation (NSI) alone can be effective in children with infectious and/or allergic respiratory problems, but no study has assessed the awareness or clinical use of NSI among practising pediatricians. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the use of NSI in pre-school children by primary care pediatricians working in northern Italy. Methods. Nine hundred randomly selected National Health Service primary care pediatricians with an e-mail address were sent an e-mail asking whether they were willing to respond to a questionnaire regarding the use of NSI. The 870 who answered positively were sent an anonymous questionnaire by post and e-mail that had 17 multiple-choice items. Results: Completed questionnaires were received from 860 of the 870 primary care pediatricians (98.8%). NSI was used by almost all the respondents (99.3%), although with significant differences in frequency. It was considered both a prophylactic and a therapeutic measure by most of the respondents (60.3%), who prescribed it every day for healthy children and more frequently when they were ill. Most of the primary care pediatricians (87%) indicated an isotonic solution as the preferred solution, and the most frequently recommended administration devices were a nasal spray (67.7%) and bulb syringe (20.6%). Most of the pediatricians (75.6%) convinced parents to use NSI by explaining it could have various beneficial effects, and two-thirds (527/854; 61.7%) thought that most of the parents agreed about the importance of NSI. Analysis of possible associations between NSI prescribing behaviour and the demographic data revealed an associations with age and gender, with pediatricians aged <50 years prescribing NSI more frequently than their older counterparts (p < 0.01), and females prescribing NSI more frequently than males (p < 0.01). Conclusions: In Northern Italy, most primary care pediatricians prescribe NSI for both the prophylaxis and therapy of upper respiratory tract problems in pre-school children. However, many aspects of the procedure are not clarified, and this reduces parental compliance. Given the medical and economic advantages of NSI, this situation should be changed as soon as possible. \ua9 2014 Marchisio et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Obsidians of Pantelleria (Strait of Sicily): A Petrographic, Geochemical and Magnetic Study of Known and New Geological Sources

This paper provides new petrochemical and paleomagnetic data from obsidian sub-sources on the island of Pantelleria, exploited since the Neolithic. Data has been obtained from 14 obsidian samples from 4 locations: Fossa della Pernice (2 sites), Salto la Vecchia and Balata dei Turchi. Here, we aim to better characterize these obsidians using a cross-disciplinary and multi-analytical approach, to further understand their archaeological significance. Major element analyses (EMP) have enabled two compositional super-groups to be distinguished: (i) Fossa della Pernice, less peralkaline and (ii) Balata dei Turchi-Salto la Vecchia, distinctly more peralkaline and having almost identical chemical patterns. Trace element analyses (LA-ICP-MS) corroborate major element groupings, with the Balata dei Turchi-Salto la Vecchia super-group being further characterized by a pronounced negative europium anomaly. Glass H2O contents (FT-IR) reveal an overlap among all the sub-sources (H2O = 0.1-0.3 wt. %). Magnetic methods have refined the petrochemical groupings, permitting further distinction between Balata dei Turchi-Salto La Vecchia and the Fossa della Pernice super-groups. The occurrence of sub-microscopic (&lt; 1 μm) ferromagnetic minerals results in different magnetic susceptibility and Natural Remanent Magnetization values and allows the best distinction among the products from the chosen sites. When compared with obsidian tools excavated from Bronze-age settlements on the island of Ustica (230 km NE of Pantelleria), 12% are distinctly peralkaline, indicating their provenance to be from the Balata dei Turchi sub-source

Genetic Polymorphisms of Functional Candidate Genes and Recurrent Acute Otitis Media With or Without Tympanic Membrane Perforation

Evaluation of the genetic contribution to the development of recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) remains challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the potential association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in selected genes and rAOM and to analyze whether genetic variations might predispose to the development of complicated recurrent cases, such as those with tympanic membrane perforation (TMP).A total of 33 candidate genes and 47 SNPs were genotyped in 200 children with rAOM (116 with a history of TMP) and in 200 healthy controls.INF\u3b3 rs 12369470CT was significantly less common in the children with rAOM than in healthy controls (odds ratio [OR] 0.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.25-1, P\u200a=\u200a0.04). Although not significant, interleukin (IL)-1\u3b2 rs 1143627G and toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 rs2737191AG were less frequently detected in the children with rAOM than in controls. The opposite was true for IL-8 rs2227306CT, which was found more frequently in the children with rAOM than in healthy controls. The IL-10 rs1800896TC SNP and the IL-1\u3b1 rs6746923A and AG SNPs were significantly more and less common, respectively, among children without a history of TMP than among those who suffered from this complication (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.09-4.41, P\u200a=\u200a0.02, and OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.21-0.84, P\u200a=\u200a0.01).This study is the first report suggesting an association between variants in genes encoding for factors of innate or adaptive immunity and the occurrence of rAOM with or without TMP, which confirms the role of genetics in conditioning susceptibility to AOM

ESTUDO DA PAISAGEM DO COREDE NORTE BASEADO EM SISTEMA SIG: INTELIGÊNCIA TECNOLÓGICA ESSENCIAL NA CONSTRUÇÃO DE CIDADES SUSTENTÁVEIS

O presente artigo tem por objetivo apresentar um processo de leitura da paisagem regional, a partir do método de Unidades de Paisagem (UPs) com o auxílio de Sistema de Informações Geográficas (SIG). Aplicou-se aos municípios pertencentes ao Perfil Socioeconômico COREDE Norte, do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Esse estudo foi desenvolvido na disciplina de Projeto Urbano e Paisagem, da Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul - UFFS, fundamentado em discussões teórico-metodológicas, levantamento fotográfico, elaboração de cartografia fundamentados nos elementos e na estrutura da paisagem, cujos fatores antrópicos e ecológicos compõem os mosaicos paisagísticos da região. O SIG aplicado ao planejamento da paisagem, apresentou-se como importante mecanismo para o conhecimento e sistematização da realidade territorial, resultando na identificação e caracterização de UPS, que são porções territoriais estratégicas para o desenvolvimento e a gestão espacial. Nesta perspectiva, o SIG ainda apresenta-se como uma ferramenta eficiente para o monitoramento, e gestão dos espaços urbanos, o que pode contribuir significativamente para a construção de cidades inteligentes e sustentáveis

Acromegaly is associated with increased cancer risk: A survey in Italy

It is debated if acromegalic patients have an increased risk to develop malignancies. The aim of the present study was to assess the standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of different types of cancer in acromegaly on a large series of acromegalic patients managed in the somatostatin analogs era. It was evaluated the incidence of cancer in an Italian nationwide multicenter cohort study of 1512 acromegalic patients, 624 men and 888 women, mean age at diagnosis 45 \uc2\ub1 13 years, followed up for a mean of 10 years (12573 person-years) in respect to the general Italian population. Cancer was diagnosed in 124 patients, 72 women and 52 men. The SIRs for all cancers was significantly increased compared to the general Italian population (expected: 88, SIR 1.41; 95% CI, 1.18-1.68, P &lt; 0.001). In the whole series, we found a significantly increased incidence of colorectal cancer (SIR 1.67; 95% CI, 1.07-2.58, P = 0.022), kidney cancer (SIR 2.87; 95% CI, 1.55-5.34, P &lt; 0.001) and thyroid cancer (SIR 3.99; 95% CI, 2.32-6.87, P &lt; 0.001). The exclusion of 11 cancers occurring before diagnosis of acromegaly (all in women) did not change remarkably the study outcome. In multivariate analysis, the factors significantly associated with an increased risk of malignancy were age and family history of cancer, with a non-significant trend for the estimated duration of acromegaly before diagnosis. In conclusion, we found evidence that acromegaly in Italy is associated with a moderate increase in cancer risk

Ultrapotent Broadly Neutralizing Human-llama Bispecific Antibodies against HIV-1

Broadly neutralizing antibodies are proposed as therapeutic and prophylactic agents against HIV‐1, but their potency and breadth are less than optimal. This study describes the immunization of a llama with the prefusion‐stabilized HIV‐1 envelope (Env) trimer, BG505 DS‐SOSIP, and the identification and improvement of potent neutralizing nanobodies recognizing the CD4‐binding site (CD4bs) of vulnerability. Two of the vaccine‐elicited CD4bs‐targeting nanobodies, G36 and R27, when engineered into a triple tandem format with llama IgG2a‐hinge region and human IgG1‐constant region (G36×3‐IgG2a and R27×3‐IgG2a), neutralized 96% of a multiclade 208‐strain panel at geometric mean IC80s of 0.314 and 0.033 µg mL−1, respectively. Cryo‐EM structures of these nanobodies in complex with Env trimer revealed the two nanobodies to neutralize HIV‐1 by mimicking the recognition of the CD4 receptor. To enhance their neutralizing potency and breadth, nanobodies are linked to the light chain of the V2‐apex‐targeting broadly neutralizing antibody, CAP256V2LS. The resultant human‐llama bispecific antibody CAP256L‐R27×3LS exhibited ultrapotent neutralization and breadth exceeding other published HIV‐1 broadly neutralizing antibodies, with pharmacokinetics determined in FcRn‐Fc mice similar to the parent CAP256V2LS. Vaccine‐elicited llama nanobodies, when combined with V2‐apex broadly neutralizing antibodies, may therefore be able to fulfill anti‐HIV‐1 therapeutic and prophylactic clinical goals