Palaeoproterozoic magnesite: lithological and isotopic evidence for playa/sabkha environments

Magnesite forms a series of 1- to 15-m-thick beds within the approximate to2.0 Ga (Palaeoproterozoic) Tulomozerskaya Formation, NW Fennoscandian Shield, Russia. Drillcore material together with natural exposures reveal that the 680-m-thick formation is composed of a stromatolite-dolomite-'red bed' sequence formed in a complex combination of shallow-marine and non-marine, evaporitic environments. Dolomite-collapse breccia, stromatolitic and micritic dolostones and sparry allochemical dolostones are the principal rocks hosting the magnesite beds. All dolomite lithologies are marked by delta C-13 values from +7.1 parts per thousand to +11.6 parts per thousand (V-PDB) and delta O-18 ranging from 17.4 parts per thousand to 26.3 parts per thousand (V-SMOW). Magnesite occurs in different forms: finely laminated micritic; stromatolitic magnesite; and structureless micritic, crystalline and coarsely crystalline magnesite. All varieties exhibit anomalously high delta C-13 values ranging from +9.0 parts per thousand to +11.6 parts per thousand and delta O-18 values of 20.0-25.7 parts per thousand. Laminated and structureless micritic magnesite forms as a secondary phase replacing dolomite during early diagenesis, and replaced dolomite before the major phase of burial. Crystalline and coarsely crystalline magnesite replacing micritic magnesite formed late in the diagenetic/metamorphic history. Magnesite apparently precipitated from sea water-derived brine, diluted by meteoric fluids. Magnesitization was accomplished under evaporitic conditions (sabkha to playa lake environment) proposed to be similar to the Coorong or Lake Walyungup coastal playa magnesite. Magnesite and host dolostones formed in evaporative and partly restricted environments; consequently, extremely high delta C-13 values reflect a combined contribution from both global and local carbon reservoirs. A C- 13-rich global carbon reservoir (delta C-13 at around +5 parts per thousand) is related to the perturbation of the carbon cycle at 2.0 Ga, whereas the local enhancement in C-13 (up to +12 parts per thousand) is associated with evaporative and restricted environments with high bioproductivity

Acúmulo de carbono em Latossolo adubado com dejeto líquido de suínos e cultivado em plantio direto

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar taxas de acúmulo de C orgânico em Latossolo Vermelho adubado com adubo solúvel e dejeto líquido de suíno e cultivado em plantio direto. O experimento foi conduzido em Campos Novos, SC, e os seguintes tratamentos foram aplicados anualmente: sem adubação; adubo solúvel; 25 m3 ha-1 de dejeto líquido + adubo solúvel; e doses de 25, 50, 100 e 200 m3 ha-1 de dejeto líquido. Foram determinados: os estoques de C orgânico (CO) na camada de 0-20 cm do solo; a adição de C pela fitomassa dos cultivos e pelo dejeto líquido de suíno; as taxas anuais de fixação de C; e os coeficientes de humificação (k1) e de mineralização (k2) de CO do solo. As taxas de fixação de C real e aparente aumentaram de acordo com as doses de dejeto, tendo variado de 0,6 a 1,7 e de 0,05 a 1,0 Mg ha-1 por ano, respectivamente. Os coeficientes k1 e k2 foram 0,17 e 0,011, respectivamente, enquanto o aporte de C requerido para manter o estoque inicial de CO do solo é de 4,14 Mg ha-1 por ano. O dejeto líquido de suíno aplicado anualmente em Latossolo Vermelho cultivado com a sucessão milho-aveia-preta em plantio direto aumenta o CO do solo em doses de até 200 m3 ha-1

MIS 3 mammoth remains from Sweden:implications for faunal history, paleoclimate and glaciation chronology

The distribution of low-arctic megafaunal remains in time and space from the area previously covered by the Scandinavian Ice Sheet(SIS) suggests the presence of breeding mammoth populations in the circum-Baltic region during the time interval from 44 to 26 ka ago. The transport history of 30 mammoth teeth and bones from southern and north-central Sweden was estimated and the remains were subjected to osteological analyses and 14C dating. Oxygen isotope analyses of tooth enamel indicate a palaeoclimate considerably more homogenous than that experienced in Sweden today, showing moderate north–south gradients in the d18O value of precipitation and temperature. In general, the results support the model of restricted ice sheet distribution during the second half of the Middle Weichselian. The clear discrepancy in the inferred absence of glaciation in the central Swedish uplands and the Baltic basin as evidenced by the Swedish mammoth data versus the Danish OSL-based glaciation chronology in the period from 40 to 30 ka ago is discussed in the light of radiocarbon calibration and glacial dynamics. r 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Pivotal Advance: Arginase-1-independent polyamine production stimulates the expression of IL-4-induced alternatively activated macrophage markers while inhibiting LPS-induced expression of inflammatory genes

In macrophages, basal polyamine (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) levels are relatively low but are increased upon IL-4 stimulation. This Th2 cytokine induces Arg1 activity, which converts arginine into ornithine, and ornithine can be decarboxylated by ODC to produce putrescine, which is further converted into spermidine and spermine. Recently, we proposed polyamines as novel agents in IL-4-dependent E-cadherin regulation in AAMs. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that several, but not all, AAM markers depend on polyamines for their IL-4-induced gene and protein expression and that polyamine dependency of genes relies on the macrophage type. Remarkably, Arg1-deficient macrophages display rather enhanced IL-4-induced polyamine production, suggesting that an Arg1-independent polyamine synthesis pathway may operate in macrophages. On the other side of the macrophage activation spectrum, LPS-induced expression of several proinflammatory genes was increased significantly in polyamine-depleted CAMs. Overall, we propose Arg1 independently produced polyamines as novel regulators of the inflammatory status of the macrophage. Indeed, whereas polyamines are needed for IL-4-induced expression of several AAM mediators, they inhibit the LPS-mediated expression of proinflammatory genes in CAMs

Pivotal Advance: Arginase-1-independent polyamine production stimulates the expression of IL-4-induced alternatively activated macrophage markers while inhibiting LPS-induced expression of inflammatory genes

In macrophages, basal polyamine (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) levels are relatively low but are increased upon IL-4 stimulation. This Th2 cytokine induces Arg1 activity, which converts arginine into ornithine, and ornithine can be decarboxylated by ODC to produce putrescine, which is further converted into spermidine and spermine. Recently, we proposed polyamines as novel agents in IL-4-dependent E-cadherin regulation in AAMs. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that several, but not all, AAM markers depend on polyamines for their IL-4-induced gene and protein expression and that polyamine dependency of genes relies on the macrophage type. Remarkably, Arg1-deficient macrophages display rather enhanced IL-4-induced polyamine production, suggesting that an Arg1-independent polyamine synthesis pathway may operate in macrophages. On the other side of the macrophage activation spectrum, LPS-induced expression of several proinflammatory genes was increased significantly in polyamine-depleted CAMs. Overall, we propose Arg1 independently produced polyamines as novel regulators of the inflammatory status of the macrophage. Indeed, whereas polyamines are needed for IL-4-induced expression of several AAM mediators, they inhibit the LPS-mediated expression of proinflammatory genes in CAMs

Measurements from ground and balloons during APE-GAIA – A polar ozone library

Many long-term monitoring sites in Antarctic regions, which deploy ground-based stratospheric remote sensors and fly radiosondes or ozonesondes on balloons, supported the Airborne Polar Experiment in September and October 1999. Support consisted of supplying data to the campaign in real time, and in some cases by increasing the frequency of measurements during the campaign. The results will strengthen scientific conclusions from the airborne measurements. But results from these sites are allowing important scientific studies of new aspects of the ozone hole in their own right, because like the aircraft and its campaign, many sites traverse the vortex edge and are close to the largest source of lee waves, or measure infrequently observed trace gases such as HNO3. Examples of such studies are the behaviour and value of NO2 in midwinter, ozone filamentation with no apparent horizontal advection, the frequency and amplitude of gravity waves over the Antarctic Peninsula, mixing in the lowest stratosphere in Antarctic spring, the mechanism and frequency of HNO3 enhancement above the ozone peak in midwinter, and trends in UV dose in southern South America

Growth of Bauhinia forficata Link, Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe and Phaseolus vulgaris L. cell suspension cultures with carbon sources Crescimento de cultura de células em suspensão de Bauhinia forficata Link, Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe e Phaseolus vulgaris L. em fontes de carbono

Cell suspension cultures of Bauhinia forficata Link, Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe and Phaseolus vulgaris L. were used to test plant ability to utilize an alternative to sucrose as carbon source and energy for growth. Glycerol, sorbitol and galactose were the alternative carbon sources tested. Cell suspension cultures established on liquid medium containing sucrose were transferred to culture medium supplemented with sucrose or glycerol, or sorbitol, or galactose as the sole carbon source. Fresh and dry weight increasing and protein content showed marked differences among the different carbon sources used. Sucrose was the best carbon source for all the three plant species tested. Galactose and glycerol promoted slow or no growth of the three studied species. Sucrose in liquid medium promoted initiation of meristemoid formation. Sorbitol, which was ineffective on promoting significant growth, was the only alternative carbon source tested that also promoted this effect.<br>Culturas de células em suspensão de Bauhinia forficata Link, Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe e Phaseolus vulgaris L. foram usadas para avaliar a eficiência de fontes alternativas de carbono e energia. Glicerol, sorbitol e galactose foram as fontes alternativas estudadas. As culturas de células estabelecidas em meio líquido contendo sacarose foram transferidas para meios de cultura suplementados com sacarose ou glicerol ou sorbitol ou galactose. A fonte de carbono afetou distintamente os ganhos de matéria fresca, matéria seca e o acúmulo de proteína. A sacarose foi a melhor fonte de carbono para as três espécies estudadas. Galactose e glicerol promoveram pequeno crescimento das três espécies estudadas. A sacarose utilizada como fonte de carbono no meio líquido, promoveu o início de organização celular conhecido como a formação de meristemóides. Sorbitol, que não promoveu crescimento significativo, foi a única fonte alternativa de carbono testada que também promoveu este efeito