Eastern Mediterranean surface water temperatures and d18O composition during deposition of sapropels in the late Quaternary

Water column stratification increased at climatic transitions from cold to warm periods during the lateQuaternary and led to anoxic conditions and sapropel formation in the deep eastern Mediterranean basins. Highresolutiondata sets on sea-surface temperatures (SST) (estimated from U37k0 indices) and d18O of planktonicforaminifer calcite (d18Ofc) across late Pleistocene sapropel intervals show that d18Ofc decreased (between 1 and4.6%) and SST increased (between 0.7 and 6.7 C). Maximal d18Oseawater depletion of eastern Mediterraneansurface waters at the transition is between 0.5 and 3.0%, and in all but one case exceeded the depletion seen in awestern Mediterranean core. The depletion in d18Oseawater is most pronounced at sapropel bases, in agreementwith an initial sudden input of monsoon-derived freshwater. Most sapropels coincide with warming trends ofSST. The density decrease by initial freshwater input and continued warming of the sea surface pooled freshwater in the surface layer and prohibited deep convection down to ageing deep water emplaced during cold andarid glacial conditions. An exception to this pattern is glacial sapropel S6; its largest d18Oseawater depletion(3%) is almost matched by the depletion in the western Mediterranean Sea, and it is accompanied by surfacewater cooling following an initially rapid warming phase. A second period of significant isotopic depletion is inisotope stage 6 at the 150 kyr insolation maximum. While not expressed as a sapropel due to cold SST, it is inaccord with a strengthened monsoon in the southern catchment

Living on the Margin in the Anthropocene: Engagement Arenas for Sustainability Research and Action at the Ocean-Land Interface

The advent of the Anthropocene underscores the need to develop and implement transformative governance strategies that safeguard the Earth\u27s life-support systems, most critically at the ocean-land interface - the Margin. The seaward realm of the Margin is the new frontier for resource exploitation and colonization to meet the needs of coastal nations and humanity overall. Here, we spotlight the pivotal role of the Margin for planetary resilience and sustainability, highlight priority issues, and outline a research strategy which aims to: (a) better understand Margin social-ecological systems; (b) guide sustainable development of Margin resources; (c) design governance regimes to reverse unsustainable practices; (d) facilitate equitable sharing of Margin resources; and (e) evaluate alternative research approaches and partnerships that address major Margin challenges. © 2015 The Authors

Establishing temperate crustose early Holocene coralline algae as archives for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of the shallow water habitats of the Mediterranean Sea

Over the past decades, coralline algae have increasingly been used as archives of palaeoclimate information due to their seasonal growth bands and their vast distribution from high latitudes to the tropics. Traditionally, these reconstructions have been performed mainly on high latitude species, limiting the geographical area of their potential use. Here we assess the use of temperate crustose fossil coralline algae from shallow water habitats for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction to generate records of past climate change. We determine the potential of three different species of coralline algae, Lithothamnion minervae, Lithophyllum stictaeforme and Mesophyllum philippii, with different growth patterns, as archives for pH (δ11B) and temperature (Mg/Ca) reconstruction in the Mediterranean Sea. Mg concentration is driven by temperature but modulated by growth rate, which is controlled by species‐specific and intraspecific growth patterns. L. minervae is a good temperature recorder, showing a moderate warming trend in specimens from 11.37 cal ka BP (from 14.2 ± 0.4°C to 14.9 ± 0.15°C) to today. In contrast to Mg, all genera showed consistent values of boron isotopes (δ11B) suggesting a common control on boron incorporation. The recorded δ11B in modern and fossil coralline specimens is in agreement with literature data about early Holocene pH, opening new perspectives of coralline‐based, high‐resolution pH reconstructions in deep time

Microarray analysis of Foxa2 mutant mouse embryos reveals novel gene expression and inductive roles for the gastrula organizer and its derivatives

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Spemann/Mangold organizer is a transient tissue critical for patterning the gastrula stage vertebrate embryo and formation of the three germ layers. Despite its important role during development, there are still relatively few genes with specific expression in the organizer and its derivatives. Foxa2 is a forkhead transcription factor that is absolutely required for formation of the mammalian equivalent of the organizer, the node, the axial mesoderm and the definitive endoderm (DE). However, the targets of Foxa2 during embryogenesis, and the molecular impact of organizer loss on the gastrula embryo, have not been well defined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To identify genes specific to the Spemann/Mangold organizer, we performed a microarray-based screen that compared wild-type and <it>Foxa2 </it>mutant embryos at late gastrulation stage (E7.5). We could detect genes that were consistently down-regulated in replicate pools of mutant embryos versus wild-type, and these included a number of known node and DE markers. We selected 314 genes without previously published data at E7.5 and screened for expression by whole mount <it>in situ </it>hybridization. We identified 10 novel expression patterns in the node and 5 in the definitive endoderm. We also found significant reduction of markers expressed in secondary tissues that require interaction with the organizer and its derivatives, such as cardiac mesoderm, vasculature, primitive streak, and anterior neuroectoderm.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The genes identified in this screen represent novel Spemann/Mangold organizer genes as well as potential Foxa2 targets. Further investigation will be needed to define these genes as novel developmental regulatory factors involved in organizer formation and function. We have placed these genes in a Foxa2-dependent genetic regulatory network and we hypothesize how Foxa2 may regulate a molecular program of Spemann/Mangold organizer development. We have also shown how early loss of the organizer and its inductive properties in an otherwise normal embryo, impacts on the molecular profile of surrounding tissues.</p

Improved THETA-1 for light olefins oligomerization to diesel: Influence of textural and acidic properties

The increase in diesel demand, especially in Europe, and the need for high fuel quality requirements are forcing refiners to move into additional processes for production of high cetane diesel in order to meet the present market trends. Oligomerization of light olefins into middle distillate range products is a viable option. The fuel produced through this technology is environmentally friendly, free of sulfur and aromatics, and the adequate choice of the heterogeneous catalyst will direct the selectivity towards low branched oligomers, which will result in a high quality product. In this work we show the benefits of combining basic desilication treatments for generation of additional mesoporosity in mono-directional Theta-1 zeolite, with selective acid dealumination steps that restore not only the microporosity to values close to those of the parent samples, but also the total and strong Bronsted acidity. These modified Theta-1 zeolites present an outstanding catalytic behavior for oligomerization of propene, with a largely increased initial activity, a much higher resistance to deactivation with time on stream, and an improved selectivity to products in the diesel fraction, as compared to the original microporous Theta-1.The authors thank BP Products of North America for their financial support and permission to publish this work, and Consolider Ingenio 2010-Multicat, the "Severo Ochoa Program", and MAT2012-31657 for financial support. R. Sanchis is acknowledged for technical support.Martínez, C.; Doskocil, EJ.; Corma Canós, A. (2014). Improved THETA-1 for light olefins oligomerization to diesel: Influence of textural and acidic properties. Topics in Catalysis. 57(6-9):668-682. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-013-0224-xS668682576-9Bellussi G, Mizia F, Calemma V, Pollesel P, Millini R (2012) Microporous Mesoporous Mater 164:127–134Bellussi G, Carati A, Millini R (2010) In: Cejka J, Corma A, Zones S (eds) Zeolites and Catalysis. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co., Weinheim, pp 449–491Martinez C, Corma A (2011) Coord Chem Rev 255:1558–1580de Klerk A (2005) Ind Eng Chem Res 44:3887–3893de Klerk A (2006) Energy Fuels 20:439–445de Klerk A (2006) Energy Fuels 20:1799–1805Egloff G (1936) Ind Eng Chem Res 28:1461–1467Degnan TF Jr, Smith CM, Venkat CR (2001) Appl Catal A Gen 221:283–294Apelian MR, Boulton JR, Fung AS (1994) US5284989, to Mobil OilQuann RJ, Green LA, Tabak SA, Krambeck FJ (1988) Ind Eng Chem Res 27:565–570Tabak SA, Krambeck FJ, Garwood WE (1986) AIChE J 32:1526–1531Corma A, Martínez C, Doskocil EJ (2013) J Catal 300:183–196Martens JA, Ravishankar R, Mishin IE, Jacobs PE (2000) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 39:4376–4379Martens JA, Verrelst WH, Mathys GM, Brown SH, Jacobs PA (2005) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 117(5833–583):6Pater JPG, Jacobs PA, Martens JA (1998) J Catal 179:477–482Tabak SA (1981) US4254295, to Mobil OilOccelli ML, Hsu JT, Galya LG (1985) J Mol Catal A: Chem 32:377–390Tabak SA (1984) US4504693, to Mobil Oil CorpKholer E, Schmidt F, Wernicke HJ, Pontes MD, Roberts HL (1995, Summer) Hydrocarbon Technology InternationalMartens JA, Verduijn JP (1995) WO95/19945, to Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.Verrelst WH (1995) Martens LRM, WO95/22516, to Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.Verrelst WH, Martens LRM (2000) US6143942, to Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.Verrelst WH, Martens LRM, Verduijn JP (2006) US6013851, to Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.Dakka JM, Mathys GMK, Puttemans MPH (2003) WO03/035583 to Exxon-Mobil Chemical LimitedMatias P, Sa CC, Graca I, Lopes JM, Carvalho AP, Ramoa RF, Guisnet M (2011) Appl Catal A 399:100–109Chal R, Gérardin C, Bulut M, van Donk S (2011) ChemCatChem 3:67–81Perez-Ramirez J, Christensen CH, Egeblad K, Groen JC (2008) Chem Soc Rev 37:2530–2542Verboekend D, Perez-Ramirez J (2011) Catal Sci Technol 1:879–890Serrano DP, Escola JM, Pizarro P (2013) Chem Soc Rev 42:4004–4035Verboekend D, Chabaneix AM, Thomas K, Gilson JP, Perez-Ramirez J (2011) Cryst Eng Comm 13:3408–3416Emeis CA (1993) J Catal 141:347–354Perego C, Peratello S (1999) Catal Today 52:133–145Abello S, Bonilla A, Perez-Ramirez J (2009) Appl Catal A Gen 364:191–198Corma A, Martinez C, Doskocil EJ, Yaluris G (2011) WO2011002631A2, to BP Oil International Limited. BP Corporation North America Inc., UKCorma A, Martinez C, Doskocil EJ, Yaluris G (2011) WO2011002630A2, to BP Oil International Limited. BP Corporation North America Inc, UKHan S, Heck RH, DiGuiseppi FT (1993) US5234875, to Mobil Oil CorporationPeratello S, Molinari M, Bellussi G, Perego C (1999) Catal Today 52:271–27