Spring Succession and Vertical Export of Diatoms and IP25 in a Seasonally Ice-Covered High Arctic Fjord

The biomarker IP25 and fossil diatom assemblages preserved in seafloor sediments are commonly used as proxies for paleo Arctic sea-ice reconstructions, but how their production varies over the seasons and is exported to the sediment remains unclear. We analyzed IP25 concentrations and diatom assemblages from a 5-week consecutive series of sea-ice cores and compared the results with sediment trap and surface sediment samples collected at the same site in the Young Sound fjord, Northeast Greenland. Our aim was to investigate the dynamics of diatom colonization of the spring sea ice and the in situ production of IP25. Additionally, selected diatom taxa observed in the sea-ice samples were isolated from in-ice assemblages and their lipid composition was analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We confirm that Haslea spicula (and not the closely related species H. crucigeroides) is an IP25-producer. All three known IP25-producing taxa (Haslea spicula, H. kjellmanii, and Pleurosigma stuxbergii var. rhomboides) were present in Young Sound sea-ice and the low IP25 concentrations measured in the sea-ice (0.44-0.72 pg mL(-1)) were consistent with the low abundance of these source species (0.21-9.66 valves mL(-1)). Total sympagic diatom production also remained very low (21-985 valves mL(-1)), suggesting that the fjord's sea ice did not provide an optimal physical-chemical environment for diatoms to thrive. Temporal changes in the sympagic diatom community were also observed, with an early presence of the pelagic Thalassiosira hyperborea and subsequent dominance of pennate taxa, including Nitzschia and Navicula species, Fossula arctica and Stauronella arctica. The assemblages observed during and after the seasonal ice melt consisted primarily of Fossula arctica, Fragilariopsis oceanica, Thalassiosira antarctica var. borealis (resting spores), and Chaetoceros spp. (vegetative cells and resting spores). The seafloor sediment assemblages largely reflected the melt and post-melt planktic production and were dominated by the resting spores of the centric Chaetoceros spp. and Thalassiosira antarctica var. borealis, and the pennate Fragilariopsis oceanica, Fossula arctica, and Fragilariopsis reginae-jahniae. This study documents that IP25 is produced in Young Sound, and that the weak fingerprint of sea ice in the sediment appears to be primarily due to the limited sea-ice diatom biomass.Peer reviewe

H4 Histamine Receptors Mediate Cell Cycle Arrest in Growth Factor-Induced Murine and Human Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells

The most recently characterized H4 histamine receptor (H4R) is expressed preferentially in the bone marrow, raising the question of its role during hematopoiesis. Here we show that both murine and human progenitor cell populations express this receptor subtype on transcriptional and protein levels and respond to its agonists by reduced growth factor-induced cell cycle progression that leads to decreased myeloid, erythroid and lymphoid colony formation. H4R activation prevents the induction of cell cycle genes through a cAMP/PKA-dependent pathway that is not associated with apoptosis. It is mediated specifically through H4R signaling since gene silencing or treatment with selective antagonists restores normal cell cycle progression. The arrest of growth factor-induced G1/S transition protects murine and human progenitor cells from the toxicity of the cell cycle-dependent anticancer drug Ara-C in vitro and reduces aplasia in a murine model of chemotherapy. This first evidence for functional H4R expression in hematopoietic progenitors opens new therapeutic perspectives for alleviating hematotoxic side effects of antineoplastic drugs

Source-specific biomarkers as proxies for Arctic and Antarctic sea ice

Over the last decade or so, certain source-specific C-25 highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) lipid biomarkers have emerged as useful proxies for Arctic and Antarctic sea ice. Thus, IP25 (Ice proxy with 25 carbon atoms) and IPSO25 (Ice proxy for the Southern Ocean with 25 carbon atoms) represent binary measures of past seasonal sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic, respectively. A further tri-unsaturated HBI (generally referred to as HBI III) appears to provide proxy evidence for the region of open water found adjacent to sea ice (i.e. the marginal ice zone (MIZ)) in both polar regions. This review provides an update on current knowledge pertaining to each proxy. The first section focuses on describing those studies that have aimed to establish the underlying features of each proxy, including source identification and spatial distribution characteristics. The second section presents some important analytical considerations pertinent to the accurate identification and quantification of HBI biomarkers. The third section describes how each HBI proxy is normally interpreted within the sedimentary record for palaeo sea ice reconstruction purposes. This includes the interpretation of individual and combined biomarker profiles such as the PIP25 index and multivariate decision tree models. A summary of all previous palaeo sea ice reconstructions based on HBIs is also given, which includes examples that clarify or reinforce our understanding of the individual or combined biomarker signatures. Some knowledge gaps and areas for future research are also briefly described

Transcriptome response of high- and low-light-adapted Prochlorococcus strains to changing iron availability

Prochlorococcus contributes significantly to ocean primary productivity. The link between primary productivity and iron in specific ocean regions is well established and iron-limitation of Prochlorococcus cell division rates in these regions has been demonstrated. However, the extent of ecotypic variation in iron metabolism among Prochlorococcus and the molecular basis for differences is not understood. Here, we examine the growth and transcriptional response of Prochlorococcus strains, MED4 and MIT9313, to changing iron concentrations. During steady-state, MIT9313 sustains growth at an order-of-magnitude lower iron concentration than MED4. To explore this difference, we measured the whole-genome transcriptional response of each strain to abrupt iron starvation and rescue. Only four of the 1159 orthologs of MED4 and MIT9313 were differentially-expressed in response to iron in both strains. However, in each strain, the expression of over a hundred additional genes changed, many of which are in labile genomic regions, suggesting a role for lateral gene transfer in establishing diversity of iron metabolism among Prochlorococcus. Furthermore, we found that MED4 lacks three genes near the iron-deficiency induced gene (idiA) that are present and induced by iron stress in MIT9313. These genes are interesting targets for studying the adaptation of natural Prochlorococcus assemblages to local iron conditions as they show more diversity than other genomic regions in environmental metagenomic databases.Gordon and Betty Moore FoundationNational Science Foundation (U.S.) (Biological Oceanography)United States. Office of Naval Research (ONR Young Investigator Award)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Chemical Oceanography)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Environmental Genomics grants

Sens et contre-sens du progrès en matière de responsabilité pénale des malades mentaux

Vous connaissez les juristes et leur manie (pathologique ?) de s’interroger sur les mots et sur les plans. Je vais donc commencer par les mots de mon intitulé. 1. « Punir les fous », c’est le thème qui m’a été proposé, thème de notre début d’après-midi. « Du siècle des lumières à nos jours » ainsi que des travaux récents que nous venons de réaliser sur la modernité – en partant de l’hypothèse de son achèvement – m’ont donné l’idée de parler du progrès. Et j’ai donc intitulé mon intervention :..