TephraKam: geochemical database of glass compositions in tephra and welded tuffs from the Kamchatka volcanic arc (northwestern Pacific)

Tephra layers produced by volcanic eruptions are widely used for correlation and dating of various deposits and landforms, for synchronization of disparate paleoenvironmental archives, and for reconstruction of magma origin. Here we present our original database TephraKam, which includes chemical compositions of volcanic glass in tephra and welded tuffs from the Kamchatka volcanic arc. The database contains 7049 major element analyses obtained by electron microprobe and 738 trace element analyses obtained by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on 487 samples collected in proximity of their volcanic sources in all volcanic zones in Kamchatka. The samples characterize about 300 explosive eruptions, which occurred in Kamchatka from the Pliocene until historic times. Precise or estimated ages for all samples are based on published 39Ar/40Ar dates of rocks and 14C dates of host sediments, statistical age modelling and geologic relationships with dated units. All data in TephraKam is supported by information about source volcanoes and analytical details. Using the data, we present an overview of geochemical variations of Kamchatka volcanic glasses and discuss application of this data for precise identification of tephra layers, their source volcanoes, temporal and spatial geochemical variations of pyroclastic rocks in Kamchatka

Interpreting Cancer Genomes Using Systematic Host Perturbations by Tumour Virus Proteins

Genotypic differences greatly influence susceptibility and resistance to disease. Understanding genotype-phenotype relationships requires that phenotypes be viewed as manifestations of network properties, rather than simply as the result of individual genomic variations. Genome sequencing efforts have identified numerous germline mutations associated with cancer predisposition and large numbers of somatic genomic alterations. However, it remains challenging to distinguish between background, or “passenger” and causal, or “driver” cancer mutations in these datasets. Human viruses intrinsically depend on their host cell during the course of infection and can elicit pathological phenotypes similar to those arising from mutations. To test the hypothesis that genomic variations and tumour viruses may cause cancer via related mechanisms, we systematically examined host interactome and transcriptome network perturbations caused by DNA tumour virus proteins. The resulting integrated viral perturbation data reflects rewiring of the host cell networks, and highlights pathways that go awry in cancer, such as Notch signalling and apoptosis. We show that systematic analyses of host targets of viral proteins can identify cancer genes with a success rate on par with their identification through functional genomics and large-scale cataloguing of tumour mutations. Together, these complementary approaches result in increased specificity for cancer gene identification. Combining systems-level studies of pathogen-encoded gene products with genomic approaches will facilitate prioritization of cancer-causing driver genes so as to advance understanding of the genetic basis of human cancer

American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research

McDonald D, Hyde E, Debelius JW, et al. American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research. mSystems. 2018;3(3):e00031-18

Sharing and community curation of mass spectrometry data with Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking

The potential of the diverse chemistries present in natural products (NP) for biotechnology and medicine remains untapped because NP databases are not searchable with raw data and the NP community has no way to share data other than in published papers. Although mass spectrometry techniques are well-suited to high-throughput characterization of natural products, there is a pressing need for an infrastructure to enable sharing and curation of data. We present Global Natural Products Social molecular networking (GNPS, http://gnps.ucsd.edu), an open-access knowledge base for community wide organization and sharing of raw, processed or identified tandem mass (MS/MS) spectrometry data. In GNPS crowdsourced curation of freely available community-wide reference MS libraries will underpin improved annotations. Data-driven social-networking should facilitate identification of spectra and foster collaborations. We also introduce the concept of ‘living data’ through continuous reanalysis of deposited data

Protección internacional de los Derechos Humanos de los trabajadores migratorios

La Convención de las Naciones Unidas sobre la protección de los derechos de todos los trabajadores migratorios y de sus familiares recoge y específica para un colectivo especialmente vulnerable, el de los trabajadores migratorios, toda una serie de derechos previamente reconocidos en otros instrumentos internacionales. Si la titularidad y el ejercicio de estos derechos corresponden a todos los seres humanos, el hecho de la migración no debe dificultar su disfrute sin que ello menoscabe el ejercicio de la competencia estatal para regular el ingreso en su territorio de extranjeros. Por ello y por el previsible incremento del fenómeno migratorio resulta necesario que los Estados más desarrollados y, específicamente, los Miembros de la Unión Europea proceden a la mayor brevedad posible a su ratificación