The Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse hydrothermal field : a hydrothermal system on an active detachment fault

© The Author(s), 2015. This is the author's version of the work and is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 121 (2015): 8-16, doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2015.02.015.Over the last ten years, geophysical studies have revealed that the Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse (TAG) hydrothermal field (26°08’N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge) is located on the hanging wall of an active detachment fault. This is particularly important in light of the recognition that detachment faulting accounts for crustal accretion/extension along a significant portion of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and that the majority of confirmed vent sites on this slow-spreading ridge are hosted on detachment faults. The TAG hydrothermal field is one of the largest sites of high-temperature hydrothermal activity and mineralization found to date on the seafloor, and is comprised of active and relict deposits in different stages of evolution. The episodic nature of hydrothermal activity over the last 140 ka provides strong evidence that the complex shape and geological structure of the active detachment fault system exerts first order, but poorly understood, influences on the hydrothermal circulation patterns, fluid chemistry, and mineral deposition. While hydrothermal circulation extracts heat from a deep source region, the location of the source region at TAG is unknown. Hydrothermal upflow is likely focused along the relatively permeable detachment fault interface at depth, and then the high temperature fluids leave the low-angle portion of the detachment fault and rise vertically through the highly fissured hanging wall to the seafloor. The presence of abundant anhydrite in the cone on the summit of the TAG active mound and in veins in the crust beneath provides evidence for a fluid circulation system that entrains significant amounts of seawater into the shallow parts of the mound and stockwork. Given the importance of detachment faulting for crustal extension at slow spreading ridges, the fundamental question that still needs to be addressed is: How do detachment fault systems, and the structure at depth associated with these systems (e.g., presence of plutons and/or high permeability zones) influence the pattern of hydrothermal circulation, mineral deposition, and fluid chemistry, both in space and time, within slowly accreted ocean crust?We acknowledge the National Science Foundation which has supported our research at the TAG hydrothermal field through many awards for cruises, technological advancement of equipment, analytical, and modeling work.2016-02-2

Manus 2006 : hydrothermal systems in the Eastern Manus Basin: fluid chemistry and magnetic structure as guides to subseafloor processes

Cruise Report R/V Melville MAGELLAN-06, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea to Suva, Fiji July 21st 2006 to September 1st 2006The hydrothermal systems in the Manus Basin of Papua New Guinea (PNG) were comprehensively investigated through a combination of sampling and mapping using the Remotely-Operated Vehicle (ROV) Jason, the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) ABE (Autonomous Benthic Explorer) and ship-based CTD work and multi-beam bathymetric mapping using the RV Melville. The objectives of the cruise (July 21st to Sept. 1st, 2006) were to identify the tectonic/geologic settings of the vent systems, examine the interactions of seawater with felsic rocks that constitute the high silica end-member range of seafloor basement compositions, determine the extent of volatile magmatic inputs into these systems and to examine the evolution of hydrothermal activity through time. The first 10-day portion of the cruise was funded by Nautilus Minerals in a collaborative research effort to examine the Manus Spreading Center and the Vienna Woods basalt-hosted hydrothermal vent systems. The second 32-day portion of the cruise, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), focused on the felsic-hosted hydrothermal systems of the PACMANUS (Papua New Guinea – Australia – Canada Manus) vents drilled by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) in 2000 and the nearby seafloor volcano vent systems of Desmos and SuSu Knolls. Nautilus Minerals generously funded the add-on use of ABE throughout the NSF program allowing for high resolution mapping to be completed on all the major vent sites within the eastern Manus Basin. A total of 30 ROV dives (497 operational hours) were completed collecting 198 vent sulfides, 83 altered substrate and 43 fresh lava samples along with 104 black, gray and clear fluid samples using gastight and major samplers. ABE successfully completed 14 high resolution bathymetric, CTD and magnetic field mapping dives covering a total of 364 line km of seafloor. We located and mapped in detail the Vienna Woods and nearby Tufar-2 and -3 vent areas on Manus Spreading Center documenting the strong tectonic control on the distribution of the vent systems and the presence of reduced magnetization i.e. “magnetic burnholes”, that help define the lateral extent of the vent fields. The Vienna Woods vent systems (273°-285°C) form treetrunk- like chimneys 5-15 m tall, that emit black to gray fluids with pH and compositions similar to other documented midocean ridge (MOR) systems like the East Pacific Rise. At PACMANUS, high-resolution mapping by ABE reveals a distinctive seafloor morphology associated with dacitic lava flows along with discrete magnetic burnholes associated with the active venting systems of Roman Ruins, Satanic Mills, Snowcap, Tsukushi and a new vigorous vent system discovered southeast of the Satanic Mills area named Fenway. Another vent field in its waning stages was also discovered ~8 km northeast of PACMANUS on the Northeast Pual Ridge. At PACMANUS, the 40 m diameter Fenway mound hosts outcrops of massive anhydrite on the seafloor beneath the sulfide chimneys, a rare occurrence as anhydrite is unstable at ambient seafloor conditions. Fenway is also boiling (356°C, 172 bar) with two-phase fluid producing a ”flashing” phenomenon when the Jason lights illuminated the vent orifices. The five PACMANUS vents (271° – 356°C) have ubiquitous low pH (2.3 to 2.8) relative to Vienna Woods and typical MOR fluids, presumably reflecting water-rock reaction with the felsic hosted lava, input of magmatic volatiles and the subsurface deposition of metal sulfides. We investigated two strongly magmatically influenced vent systems associated with seafloor volcanoes. Desmos is a breached caldera with white smokers (70°-115°C) that are highly acidic (pH 1 – 1.5) and sulfur lava flows. SuSu Knolls and the adjacent Suzette mound (Solwara-1 of Nautilus Minerals) were mapped in detail and sampled intensively. Hydrothermal activity at SuSu Knolls showed a remarkable range from boiling black smokers to white sulfur-rich fluids, native sulfur flows and massive anhydrite outcrops. Vent fluids from North Su (48° – 325°C) are 2 characterized by a measured pH of 0.87, more than an order of magnitude more acidic than any deep-sea vent fluid sampled to date. Many of the low pH fluids sampled at North Su and Desmos were actively precipitating native sulfur creating thick plumes of dense white smoke. In general, sampled fluids show a considerable range in pH and gas contents, sometimes within individual hydrothermal fields. The pronounced variability of fluid chemistry within 10’s to 100’s of m at North Su is probably unparalleled in systems studied to date. The most plausible explanation for the observed variability is that different fluid-rock reaction pathways are expressed in regimes of variable magmatic volatile input and extent of subsurface cooling. This hypothesis is supported by the distribution of alteration types at the seafloor, where the occurrence of advanced argillic alteration - that relates to interactions with acid-sulfate waters such as sampled at Desmos and North Su – is patchy and spatially confined to patches of active (Desmos, North Su) and past (Snowcap) venting of such fluids. In relationship to the ODP drilling results at PACMANUS we identified and sampled examples of advanced argillic rock alteration similar to that seen in the drill core. Good examples came from Snowcap and from the North Su pillar. We sampled highly clay-altered basement from just underneath extinct chimney complexes at two locations in the Satanic Mills hydrothermal field. Both samples have dense networks of sulfide veins and may represent the stockwork or feeder zone through which hydrothermal fluids rise up to the seafloor. These samples, in addition to the other altered rock types recovered, will provide useful stepping stones in bridging the knowledge gap between the extensive surface sampling now accomplished and the basement rocks recovered by ODP, where coring was almost nil shallower than 40 m subseafloor depth. Overall, the quality and quantity of solid and fluid samples that can be put in a direct geochemical context is remarkably high. This unique dataset encompasses a broad range of geological environments that includes hydrothermal activity in basalt-hosted oceanic style spreading centers to hydrothermal systems associated with arc-style volcanism. For the first time, alteration assemblages that are commonly observed in drillcore and outcrop on land have been observed in the aqueous environment responsible for their formation.NSF Grant – OCE0327448; NSF Grant – OCE042559

Enhanced surgical site infection surveillance following hysterectomy, vascular, and colorectal surgery

Objective.To evaluate the use of inpatient pharmacy and administrative data to detect surgical site infections (SSIs) following hysterectomy and colorectal and vascular surgery.Design.Retrospective cohort study.Setting.Five hospitals affiliated with academic medical centers.Patients.Adults who underwent abdominal or vaginal hysterectomy, colorectal surgery, or vascular surgery procedures between July 1, 2003, and June 30, 2005.Methods.We reviewed the medical records of weighted, random samples drawn from 3,079 abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy, 4,748 colorectal surgery, and 3,332 vascular surgery procedures. We compared routine surveillance with screening of inpatient pharmacy data and diagnosis codes and then performed medical record review to confirm SSI status.Results.Medical records from 823 hysterectomy, 736 colorectal surgery, and 680 vascular surgery procedures were reviewed. SSI rates determined by antimicrobial- and/or diagnosis code-based screening followed by medical record review (enhanced surveillance) were substantially higher than rates determined by routine surveillance (4.3% [95% confidence interval, 3.6%—5.1%] vs 2.7% for hysterectomies, 7.1% [95% confidence interval, 6.7%–8.2%] vs 2.0% for colorectal procedures, and 2.3% [95% confidence interval, 1.9%–2.9%] vs 1.4% for vascular procedures). Enhanced surveillance had substantially higher sensitivity than did routine surveillance to detect SSI (92% vs 59% for hysterectomies, 88% vs 22% for colorectal procedures, and 72% vs 43% for vascular procedures). A review of medical records confirmed SSI for 31% of hysterectomies, 20% of colorectal procedures, and 31% of vascular procedures that met the enhanced screening criteria.Conclusion.Antimicrobial- and diagnosis code-based screening may be a useful method for enhancing and streamlining SSI surveillance for a variety of surgical procedures, including those procedures targeted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.</jats:sec

Family history and risk of bladder cancer:an analysis accounting for first- and second-degree relatives

Although evidence suggests that a positive family history of bladder cancer in first-degree relatives is an important risk factor for bladder cancer occurrence, results remain unclear. The influence of family history of non-bladder cancers and more distant relatives on bladder cancer risk is inconsistent. This research therefore, aims to increase the understanding of the association between family history and bladder cancer risk based on worldwide case-control studies. In total 4,327 cases and 8,948 non-cases were included. Pooled odds ratios (ORs), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were obtained using multilevel logistic regression models, adjusted by age, sex, ethnicity, smoking status, and smoking pack-years. The results show bladder cancer risk increased by having a first- or second-degree relative affected with bladder cancer (OR 2.72, 95%CI 1.55-4.77 and OR 1.71, 95%CI 1.22-2.40, respectively), and non-urologic cancers (OR 1.61, 95%CI 1.19-2.18). Moreover, bladder cancer risk increased by number of cancers affected first-degree relatives (for 1 and >1 first-degree relatives: OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.02-2.04; OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.84-3.86, respectively). Our findings highlight an increased bladder cancer risk for a positive bladder cancer family history in first- and second-degree relatives, and indicate a possible greater effect for an increment of numbers of affected relatives

Enhanced Identification of Postoperative Infections among Inpatients

Monitoring antimicrobial exposure and diagnosis codes for certain procedures identifies more postoperative infections than routine surveillance methods

Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence in Northern Ireland during 2020–2021

BackgroundWith the spread of SARS-CoV-2 impacting upon public health directly and socioeconomically, further information was required to inform policy decisions designed to limit virus spread during the pandemic. This study sought to contribute to serosurveillance work within Northern Ireland to track SARS-CoV-2 progression and guide health strategy.MethodsSera/plasma samples from clinical biochemistry laboratories were analysed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Samples were assessed using an Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 or anti-SARS-CoV-2 S ECLIA (Roche) on an automated cobas e 801 analyser. Samples were also assessed via an anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA (Euroimmun). A subset of samples assessed via the Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 ECLIA were subsequently analysed in an ACE2 pseudoneutralisation assay using a V-PLEX SARS-CoV-2 Panel 7 for IgG and ACE2 (Meso Scale Diagnostics).ResultsAcross three testing rounds (June–July 2020, November–December 2020 and June–July 2021 (rounds 1–3 respectively)), 4844 residual sera/plasma specimens were assayed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Seropositivity rates increased across the study, peaking at 11.6 % (95 % CI 10.4%–13.0 %) during round 3. Varying trends in SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity were noted based on demographic factors. For instance, highest rates of seropositivity shifted from older to younger demographics across the study period. In round 3, Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant neutralising antibodies were most frequently detected across age groups, with median concentration of anti-spike protein antibodies elevated in 50–69 year olds and anti-S1 RBD antibodies elevated in 70+ year olds, relative to other age groups.ConclusionsWith seropositivity rates of &lt;15 % across the assessment period, it can be concluded that the significant proportion of the Northern Ireland population had not yet naturally contracted the virus by mid-2021

International pooled study on diet and bladder cancer: The bladder cancer, epidemiology and nutritional determinants (BLEND) study: Design and baseline characteristics

In 2012, more than 400,000 urinary bladder cancer cases occurred worldwide, making it the 7th most common type of cancer. Although many previous studies focused on the relationship between diet and bladder cancer, the evidence related to specific food items or nutrients that could be involved in the development of bladder cancer remains inconclusive. Dietary components can either be, or be activated into, potential carcinogens through metabolism, or act to prevent carcinogen damage

Genotype-Phenotype Correlation in NF1: Evidence for a More Severe Phenotype Associated with Missense Mutations Affecting NF1 Codons 844–848

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a common genetic disorder with a birth incidence of 1:2,000–3,000, is characterized by a highly variable clinical presentation. To date, only two clinically relevant intragenic genotype-phenotype correlations have been reported for NF1 missense mutations affecting p.Arg1809 and a single amino acid deletion p.Met922del. Both variants predispose to a distinct mild NF1 phenotype with neither externally visible cutaneous/plexiform neurofibromas nor other tumors. Here, we report 162 individuals (129 unrelated probands and 33 affected relatives) heterozygous for a constitutional missense mutation affecting one of five neighboring NF1 codons—Leu844, Cys845, Ala846, Leu847, and Gly848—located in the cysteine-serine-rich domain (CSRD). Collectively, these recurrent missense mutations affect ∼0.8% of unrelated NF1 mutation-positive probands in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) cohort. Major superficial plexiform neurofibromas and symptomatic spinal neurofibromas were more prevalent in these individuals compared with classic NF1-affected cohorts (both p < 0.0001). Nearly half of the individuals had symptomatic or asymptomatic optic pathway gliomas and/or skeletal abnormalities. Additionally, variants in this region seem to confer a high predisposition to develop malignancies compared with the general NF1-affected population (p = 0.0061). Our results demonstrate that these NF1 missense mutations, although located outside the GAP-related domain, may be an important risk factor for a severe presentation. A genotype-phenotype correlation at the NF1 region 844–848 exists and will be valuable in the management and genetic counseling of a significant number of individuals

A sequence variant at 4p16.3 confers susceptibility to urinary bladder cancer

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldPreviously, we reported germline DNA variants associated with risk of urinary bladder cancer (UBC) in Dutch and Icelandic subjects. Here we expanded the Icelandic sample set and tested the top 20 markers from the combined analysis in several European case-control sample sets, with a total of 4,739 cases and 45,549 controls. The T allele of rs798766 on 4p16.3 was found to associate with UBC (odds ratio = 1.24, P = 9.9 x 10(-12)). rs798766 is located in an intron of TACC3, 70 kb from FGFR3, which often harbors activating somatic mutations in low-grade, noninvasive UBC. Notably, rs798766[T] shows stronger association with low-grade and low-stage UBC than with more aggressive forms of the disease and is associated with higher risk of recurrence in low-grade stage Ta tumors. The frequency of rs798766[T] is higher in Ta tumors that carry an activating mutation in FGFR3 than in Ta tumors with wild-type FGFR3. Our results show a link between germline variants, somatic mutations of FGFR3 and risk of UBC.info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/21807