Propagation en contexte arrière-arc : premiers résultats de la campagne ProFeTi (Bassin Nord-Fidjien, Pacifique SW)

Au centre du bassin Nord-Fidjien, le segment d'accrétion NS, qui se propage vers le Nord aux dépens du segment N15 depuis au moins 1 Ma, a été échantillonné pendant la campagne ProFeTi du NO Alis. Malgré sa position arrière-arc, aucune contamination géochimique caractéristique d'une subduction n'est perceptible. L'échantillonnage étudié montre que les réservoirs magmatiques de ce segment en propagation évoluent dans une perpétuelle dynamique de recherche d'équilibre thermique et chimique, perturbée par les actions conjuguées suivantes : l'éloignement de la pointe du propagateur par rapport aux zones de réalimentations focalisées sous le centre du segment, des réalimentations successives par des liquides primitifs évoluant avec l'état de maturité du propagateur, et un effet de paroi froide provenant du segment N15, dans lequel la lithosphère de la pointe du segment NS se propage. (Résumé d'auteur

Combenefit: an interactive platform for the analysis and visualization of drug combinations.

MOTIVATION: Many drug combinations are routinely assessed to identify synergistic interactions in the attempt to develop novel treatment strategies. Appropriate software is required to analyze the results of these studies. RESULTS: We present Combenefit, new free software tool that enables the visualization, analysis and quantification of drug combination effects in terms of synergy and/or antagonism. Data from combinations assays can be processed using classical Synergy models (Loewe, Bliss, HSA), as single experiments or in batch for High Throughput Screens. This user-friendly tool provides laboratory scientists with an easy and systematic way to analyze their data. The companion package provides bioinformaticians with critical implementations of routines enabling the processing of combination data. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Combenefit is provided as a Matlab package but also as standalone software for Windows (http://sourceforge.net/projects/combenefit/). CONTACT: [email protected] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.This work has been supported by the Cancer Research UK grant C14303/A17197This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Oxford University Press via http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btw23

Etude morphostructurale de la zone sud des rides Nouvelle-Calédonie et Loyauté (Zone Economique Exclusive de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Pacifique Sud-Ouest)

Les données de la campagne ZoNéCo 1 permettent de préciser la morphostructure du Sud des rides calédonienne et Loyauté qui s'avèrent plus complexes que les cartes précédentes ne le montraient, mais on retrouve les principales structures de la région Calédonie-Loyauté. L'imagerie met en évidence les zones de roches nues ou encroûtées, la présence d'écoulements gravitaires du Sud du bassin des Loyauté vers le bassin Sud-Fidjien. (Résumé d'auteur

Pituitary stem cells produce paracrine WNT signals to control the expansion of their descendant progenitor cells

In response to physiological demand, the pituitary gland generates new hormonesecreting cells from committed progenitor cells throughout life. It remains unclear to what extent pituitary stem cells (PSCs), which uniquely express SOX2, contribute to pituitary growth and renewal. Moreover, neither the signals that drive proliferation nor their sources have been elucidated. We have used genetic approaches in the mouse, showing that the WNT pathway is essential for proliferation of all lineages in the gland. We reveal that SOX2+ stem cells are a key source of WNT ligands. By blocking secretion of WNTs from SOX2+ PSCs in vivo, we demonstrate that proliferation of neighbouring committed progenitor cells declines, demonstrating that progenitor multiplication depends on the paracrine WNT secretion from SOX2+ PSCs. Our results indicate that stem cells can hold additional roles in tissue expansion and homeostasis, acting as paracrine signalling centres to coordinate the proliferation of neighbouring cells

Ensembles of global climate model variants designed for the quantification and constraint of uncertainty in aerosols and their radiative forcing

Tropospheric aerosol radiative forcing has persisted for many years as one of the major causes of uncertainty in global climate model simulations. To sample the range of plausible aerosol and atmospheric states and perform robust statistical analyses of the radiative forcing, it is important to account for the combined effects of many sources of model uncertainty, which is rarely done due to the high computational cost. This paper describes the designs of two ensembles of the HadGEM-UKCA global climate model and provides the first analyses of the uncertainties in aerosol radiative forcing and their causes. The first ensemble was designed to comprehensively sample uncertainty in the aerosol state, while the other samples additional uncertainties in the physical model related to clouds, humidity and radiation, thereby allowing an analysis of uncertainty in the aerosol effective radiative forcing. Each ensemble consists of around 200 simulations of the pre-industrial and present-day atmospheres. The uncertainty in aerosol radiative forcing in our ensembles is comparable to the range of estimates from multi-model intercomparison projects. The mean aerosol effective radiative forcing is –1.45 W m–2 (credible interval –2.07 to –0.81 W m–2), which encompasses but is more negative than the –1.17 W m–2 in the 2013 Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Model Intercomparison Project and –0.90 W m–2 in the IPCC 5th Assessment Report. The ensembles can be used to reduce aerosol radiative forcing uncertainty by challenging them with multiple measurements as well as to isolate potential causes of multi-model differences

Plasmodium berghei Hsp90 contains a natural immunogenic I-A^b-restricted antigen common to rodent and human Plasmodium species

Thorough understanding of the role of CD4 T cells in immunity can be greatly assisted by the study of responses to defined specificities. This requires knowledge of Plasmodium-derived immunogenic epitopes, of which only a few have been identified, especially for the mouse C57BL/6 background. We recently developed a TCR transgenic mouse line, termed PbT-II, that produces CD4+ T cells specific for an MHC class II (I-Ab)-restricted Plasmodium epitope and is responsive to both sporozoites and blood-stage P. berghei. Here, we identify a peptide within the P. berghei heat shock protein 90 as the cognate epitope recognised by PbT-II cells. We show that C57BL/6 mice infected with P. berghei blood-stage induce an endogenous CD4 T cell response specific for this epitope, indicating cells of similar specificity to PbT-II cells are present in the naïve repertoire. Adoptive transfer of in vitro activated TH1-, or particularly TH2-polarised PbT-II cells improved control of P. berghei parasitemia in C57BL/6 mice and drastically reduced the onset of experimental cerebral malaria. Our results identify a versatile, potentially protective MHC-II restricted epitope useful for exploration of CD4 T cell-mediated immunity and vaccination strategies against malaria

Characterizations and first plasma operation of the WEST load-resilient actively cooled ICRF launchers

The paper discusses the characterization of the three high power steady-state and load-resilient ICRF launchers of WEST before their installation in the tokamak. These launchers have been characterized and validated in low-power experiments (milliwatt range) as well as in experiments at the nominal RF voltages and currents in the TITAN vacuum chamber (~30 kV and 915 A peak). The successful commissioning of two of the launchers during the WEST C3 campaign at ~1 MW power level is illustrated. Manual and real-time controlled impedance-matching of the launchers are discussed, as well as the validation of their load-resilience. Furthermore, several redundant and complementary protection systems have been validated and are reviewed in the paper

Cool Roofs: High Tech Low Cost solution for energy efficiency and thermal comfort in low rise low income houses in high solar radiation countries

Cool roofs are most effective in reducing cooling loads and alleviating overheating in locations with high solar radiation and external air temperature. This paper presents results of an experimental study of a low income house in Jamaica and a computational study in three countries around the equator: Jamaica, Northeast Brazil (Recife) and Ghana. A case-study typical of single storey houses in Jamaica was monitored before and after the installation of a cool paint on the roof; on days with average solar radiation intensity of ∼420 W/m2 and ambient air temperature of ∼28 °C, internal ceiling surface temperature is reduced by an average of 6.8 °C and internal air temperature by 2.3 °C. Monitoring results were used to calibrate successfully an EnergyPlus model; similar models were developed for Ghana and Brazil differing in size and/or construction to reflect country specific practices. Annual simulations indicate that internal ceiling surface temperatures are reduced on average by 3.2–5.5 oC and internal air temperatures by 0.75–1.2 °C. Cooling demand simulations (setpoint 24 °C) indicate similar annual potential savings in the three locations (∼190 kWh/m2/year) although estimated CO2 emissions reduction differ reflecting electricity generation fuels. Aging of the cool roof has an impact reducing load savings by 22–26 kWh/m2/year.This work was carried out as part of EPSRC Global Challenges Research Fund Institutional Sponsorship Award 2016 - Brunel Uni- versity ( EP/P510749/1 )