Interface geometry of potential mega-thrust earthquakes beneath the westernmost Ryukyu subduction system

The interface geometry at the subduction boundary plays one of the most important roles on evaluation of both seismic and tsunami impacts as the mega-thrust earthquakes occur between two plates. Although the general feature of the subducted slab at the mantle depth is clearly delineated from the seismicity in the Wadati-Benioff zone, the exact interface geometry at the crustal depth is hardly obtained from abundant earthquakes scattering in and around the interface between the two plates. Examination of seismic data recorded at the dense seismic array in the Tatun volcano group of northern Taiwan shows two unambiguous P-waves generated by shallow earthquakes offshore the Hualien area in eastern Taiwan. The detailed analyses of travel-times of both P-waves show that the 1st P-wave was the direct wave propagating within the upper crust while the 2nd P-waves were reflected from the subducted slab dipping northward ~23 degrees. This observation reveals the general interface geometry between the subducted Philippine Sea and the overlaid Eurasian plates at the crustal depth, where is often considered as the locked zone and accumulated a lot of seismic energy for release. Thus, the interface geometry obtained here provides important parameters for estimating the possible rupture plane along the mega-thrust fault between two plates in the westernmost Ryukyu subduction system in the future

Association of TGF-β1 and IL-10 Gene Polymorphisms with Osteoporosis in a Study of Taiwanese Osteoporotic Patients

Osteoporosis is a rising health threat in the increasingly aging world population. It is a common skeletal disease strongly linked to genetic predisposition. We aim to identify the effects of the anti-inflammatory TGF-β1- and IL-10-specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) combination on the risk for osteoporosis. We investigated and analyzed the relationships between three TGF-β1 SNPs (−509C/T, +869 T/C and +29T/C), one IL-10 SNP (+1927A/C) and the level of bone mineral density (BMD), as well as the risk of osteoporosis in Taiwanese osteoporotic patients. A total of 217 subjects were recruited, including 88 osteoporotic patients and 129 healthy controls, for SNPs, BMD and clinical characteristics statistical analyses. Females with TGF-β1 SNP (−509 C/C) and IL-10 SNP (+1927 C/C) genotypes showed a great benefit for femoral neck T-scores. However, the combination of TGF-β1 SNP (−509 T/T) and IL-10 SNP (+1927 A/A) genotypes in all subjects showed a significant decrease in total hip BMD T-scores. The TGF-β1 SNP (−509 C/T) genotype in all subjects and TGF-β1 SNP (−509 T/T) and IL-10 SNP (+1927 A/C) genotypes in males showed positive effects on body height. The combination of the many SNPs in the anti-inflammatory TGF-β1 and IL-10 genes may be cooperatively involved in the development of osteoporosis. Our data suggested that the specific SNP combination of TGF-β1 (−509) and IL-10 (+1927) may act as a predictive factor for postmenopausal osteoporosis in Taiwanese women

PiggyBac Transposon-Mediated, Reversible Gene Transfer in Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Permanent and reversible genetic modifications are important approaches to study gene function in different cell types. They are also important for stem cell researchers to explore and test the therapeutic potential of stem cells. The piggyBac transposon from insects is a rising nonviral system that efficiently mutagenizes and mediates gene transfer into the mammalian genome. It is also characterized by its precise excision, leaving no trace sequence behind so that the genomic integrity of the mutated cell can be restored. Here, we use an optimized piggyBac transposon system to mediate gene transfer and expression of a bifunctional fluorescent reporter in human embryonic stem (ES) cells. We provide molecular evidence for transposase-mediated piggyBac integration events and functional evidence for successful expression of a transferred fluorescent protein genes in human ES cells and their in vitro differentiated derivatives. We also demonstrate that the integrated piggyBac transposon can be removed and an undisrupted insertion site can be restored, which implies potential applications for its use in gene therapy and genetics studies

Kefir Peptides Prevent Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Bone Loss and Modulate the Structure of the Gut Microbiota in Ovariectomized Mice

Osteoporosis is a major skeletal disease associated with estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women. Kefir-fermented peptides (KPs) are bioactive peptides with health-promoting benefits that are produced from the degradation of dairy milk proteins by the probiotic microflora in kefir grains. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of KPs on osteoporosis prevention and the modulation of the composition of the gut microbiota in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. OVX mice receiving an 8-week oral gavage of 100 mg of KPs and 100 mg of KPs + 10 mg Ca exhibited lower trabecular separation (Tb. Sp), and higher bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular number (Tb. N) and bone volume (BV/TV), than OVX groups receiving Ca alone and untreated mice, and these effects were also reflected in bones with better mechanical properties of strength and fracture toughness. The gut microbiota of the cecal contents was examined by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. α-Diversity analysis indicated that the gut microbiota of OVX mice was enriched more than that of sham mice, but the diversity was not changed significantly. Treatment with KPs caused increased microbiota richness and diversity in OVX mice compared with those in sham mice. The microbiota composition changed markedly in OVX mice compared with that in sham mice. Following the oral administration of KPs for 8 weeks, the abundances of Alloprevotella, Anaerostipes, Parasutterella, Romboutsia, Ruminococcus_1 and Streptococcus genera were restored to levels close to those in the sham group. However, the correlation of these bacterial populations with bone metabolism needs further investigation. Taken together, KPs prevent menopausal osteoporosis and mildly modulate the structure of the gut microbiota in OVX mice

Characteristics and impact of environmental shaking in the Taipei metropolitan area

Abstract Examining continuous seismic data recorded by a dense broadband seismic network throughout Taipei shows for the first time, the nature of seismic noise in this highly populated metropolitan area. Using 140 broadband stations in a 50 km × 69 km area, three different recurring, strong noise signals characterized by dominant frequencies of 2–20 Hz, 0.25–1 Hz, and  2 Hz band, however, is low, indicating a local source that changes on shorter length scales. Human activities responsible for the 2–40 Hz energy in the city, we discovered, are able to produce amplitudes approximately 2 to 1500 times larger than natural sources. Using the building array deployed in TAIPEI 101, the tallest building in Taiwan, we found the small but repetitive ground vibration induced by traffic has considerable effect on the vibration behavior of the high-rise building. This finding urges further investigation not only on the dynamic and continuous interaction between vehicles, roads, and buildings, but also the role of soft sediment on such interaction