Carbonate Control of H(2) and Ch(4) Production in Serpentinization Systems at Elevated P-Ts

Serpentinization of forsteritic olivine results in the inorganic synthesis of molecular hydrogen (H(2)) in ultramafic hydrothermal systems (e. g., mid-ocean ridge and forearc environments). Inorganic carbon in those hydrothermal systems may react with H(2) to produce methane (CH(4)) and other hydrocarbons or react with dissolved metal ions to form carbonate minerals. Here, we report serpentinization experiments at 200 degrees C and 300 bar demonstrating Fe(2+) being incorporated into carbonates more rapidly than Fe(2+) oxidation (and concomitant H(2) formation) leading to diminished yields of H(2) and H(2)-dependent CH(4). In addition, carbonate formation is temporally fast in carbonate oversaturated fluids. Our results demonstrate that carbonate chemistry ultimately modulates the abiotic synthesis of both H(2) and CH(4) in hydrothermal ultramafic systems and that ultramafic systems present great potential for CO(2)-mineral sequestration

Phosphine Generation Pathways on Rocky Planets

The possibility of life in the venusian clouds was proposed in the 1960s, and recently this hypothesis has been revived with the potential detection of phosphine (PH3) in Venus\u27 atmosphere. These observations may have detected ∼5–20 ppb phosphine on Venus (Greaves et al., 2020), which raises questions about venusian atmospheric/geochemical processes and suggests that this phosphine could possibly be generated by biological processes. In such a claim, it is essential to understand the abiotic phosphorus chemistry that may occur under Venus-relevant conditions, particularly those processes that may result in phosphine generation. Here, we discuss two related abiotic routes for phosphine generation within the atmosphere of Venus. Based on our assessment, corrosion of large impactors as they ablate near Venus\u27 cloud layer, and the presence of reduced phosphorus compounds in the subcloud layer could result in production of phosphine and may explain the phosphine detected in Venus\u27 atmosphere or on other rocky planets. We end on a cautionary note: although there may be life in the clouds of Venus, the detection of a simple, single gas, phosphine, is likely not a decisive indicator

Occurrence and cycling of trace elements in ultramafic soils and their impacts on human health: A critical review

The transformation of trace metals (TMs) in natural environmental systems has created significant concerns in recent decades. Ultramafic environments lead to potential risks to the agricultural products and, subsequently, to human health. This unique review presents geochemistry of ultramafic soils, TM fractionation (i.e. sequential and single extraction techniques), TM uptake and accumulation mechanisms of ultramafic flora, and ultramafic associated health risks to human and agricultural crops. Ultramafic soils contain high levels of TMs (i.e. Cr, Ni, Mn, and Co) and have a low Ca:Mg ratio together with deficiencies in essential macronutrients required for the growth of crops. Even though a higher portion of TMs bind with the residual fraction of ultramafic soils, environmental changes (i.e. natural or anthropogenic) may increase the levels of TMs in the bioavailable or extractable fractions of ultramafic soils. Extremophile plants that have evolved to thrive in ultramafic soils present clear examples of evolutionary adaptations to TM resistance. The release of TMs into water sources and accumulation in food crops in and around ultramafic localities increases health risks for humans. Therefore, more focused investigations need to be implemented to understand the mechanisms related to the mobility and bioavailability of TMs in different ultramafic environments. Research gaps and directions for future studies are also discussed in this review. Lastly, we consider the importance of characterizing terrestrial ultramafic soil and its effect on crop plants in the context of multi-decadal plans by NASA and other space agencies to establish human colonies on Mars

Combining Asian and European genome-wide association studies of colorectal cancer improves risk prediction across racial and ethnic populations

Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have great potential to guide precision colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention by identifying those at higher risk to undertake targeted screening. However, current PRS using European ancestry data have sub-optimal performance in non-European ancestry populations, limiting their utility among these populations. Towards addressing this deficiency, we expand PRS development for CRC by incorporating Asian ancestry data (21,731 cases; 47,444 controls) into European ancestry training datasets (78,473 cases; 107,143 controls). The AUC estimates (95% CI) of PRS are 0.63(0.62-0.64), 0.59(0.57-0.61), 0.62(0.60-0.63), and 0.65(0.63-0.66) in independent datasets including 1681-3651 cases and 8696-115,105 controls of Asian, Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White, respectively. They are significantly better than the European-centric PRS in all four major US racial and ethnic groups (p-values < 0.05). Further inclusion of non-European ancestry populations, especially Black/African American and Latinx/Hispanic, is needed to improve the risk prediction and enhance equity in applying PRS in clinical practice

Deciphering colorectal cancer genetics through multi-omic analysis of 100,204 cases and 154,587 controls of European and east Asian ancestries

In the version of this article initially published, the author affiliations incorrectly listed “Candiolo Cancer Institute FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo (TO), Italy” as “Candiolo Cancer Institute, Candiolo, Italy.” The change has been made to the HTML and PDF versions of the article

Fine-mapping analysis including over 254,000 East Asian and European descendants identifies 136 putative colorectal cancer susceptibility genes

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 200 common genetic variants independently associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, but the causal variants and target genes are mostly unknown. We sought to fine-map all known CRC risk loci using GWAS data from 100,204 cases and 154,587 controls of East Asian and European ancestry. Our stepwise conditional analyses revealed 238 independent association signals of CRC risk, each with a set of credible causal variants (CCVs), of which 28 signals had a single CCV. Our cis-eQTL/mQTL and colocalization analyses using colorectal tissue-specific transcriptome and methylome data separately from 1299 and 321 individuals, along with functional genomic investigation, uncovered 136 putative CRC susceptibility genes, including 56 genes not previously reported. Analyses of single-cell RNA-seq data from colorectal tissues revealed 17 putative CRC susceptibility genes with distinct expression patterns in specific cell types. Analyses of whole exome sequencing data provided additional support for several target genes identified in this study as CRC susceptibility genes. Enrichment analyses of the 136 genes uncover pathways not previously linked to CRC risk. Our study substantially expanded association signals for CRC and provided additional insight into the biological mechanisms underlying CRC development

Origin of warm springs in Banks Peninsula, New Zealand

Thermal springs present rare opportunities to locate and interpret the geological drivers of upper-crustal fluid flow. Interpreting the conditions through which crustal fluids are heated and released to the surface is important for advancing our understanding of crustal deformation and geothermal resource potential across tectonic contexts. In New Zealand, the majority of thermal springs are associated with magmatic-hydrothermal systems in the central North Island or with the rapidly uplifting bedrock in the South Island's convergent fault systems. However, low enthalpy systems outside of these areas represent attractive targets for potential geothermal resource development. The low enthalpy warm springs of Banks Peninsula, located immediately adjacent to Christchurch, represent a highly understudied but potentially significant resource to the South Island's most densely populated metropolitan area. Hosted within the eroded 11–5.8 Ma volcanic complex of Banks Peninsula, these warm springs (14.5–33.6 °C) represent an anomalous hydrothermal system that has been perturbed by the 2010–2016 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES). The February 22, 2011, Mw 6.2 earthquake induced observable changes to the Banks Peninsula warm springs system, including the appearance of new warm springs within the peninsula's north-western Hillsborough Valley. We assess the origins of the volcanically-hosted Banks Peninsula warm springs post-CES using an integrated isotopic, geochemical, and soil gas flux approach. Additionally, we elucidate the tectonic context and geological drivers of upper-crustal fluid flow in the Banks Peninsula warm spring system. Aqueous phase emissions from the springs predominantly plot within the Na+ + K+/HCO3− type waters and exhibit , , and values of −8.30 to −9.26‰ V-SMOW, −60.15 to −64.19‰ V-SMOW, and −12.37 to −15.06‰ V-PDB, respectively. Soil gas flux surveys of the springs at Rapaki Bay revealed CO2 fluxes that average 6.93 ± 10 gm-2 day−1, with an average value of −19.81 ± 5‰ V-PDB, and CH4 fluxes that average 5.58 ± 12 gm-2 day−1, with an average value of −59.52 ± 1‰ V-PDB. Our results suggest that the Banks Peninsula warm springs are a structurally controlled, upper-crustal metamorphic hydrothermal heated system, sourced from high-altitude Southern Alps derived meteoric waters. Carbon isotope compositions of gaseous emissions associated with the Banks Peninsula thermal springs are consistent with an upper-crustal metamorphic decarbonation and decarboxylation carbon source. Based on their geochemistry, we propose that the Banks Peninsula warm springs should be considered an outboard extension of the South Island's plate-boundary hydrothermal system. Such connectivity implies that long-lived low-enthalpy geothermal resources may be associated with permeable and distributed fault networks in the periphery of convergent margins

Potassium and Metal Release Related to Glaucony Dissolution in Soils

Plant nutrients such as potassium (K) may be limited in soil systems and additions (i.e., fertilizer) are commonly required. Glaucony is a widely distributed and abundant marine-derived clay mineral present in soils worldwide which may serve as a source of potassium. The South Island of New Zealand contains numerous deposits of glaucony-rich rocks and related soils providing an opportunity to explore how glaucony might be a beneficial source of potassium. Here, the geochemistry of glaucony and its suitability as a mineral source of soil K from four deposits in New Zealand was examined using spatially resolved chemical analyses and dissolution experiments. Geochemical and morphological analyses revealed that glaucony from all deposits were K-enriched and were of the evolved (6%&ndash;8% K2O) to highly evolved type (&gt;8% K2O). Glaucony derived from growth inside pellets contain elevated K and Fe concentrations compared to bioclast-hosted glaucony. Solubility analysis showed that K was released from glaucony at rates higher than any other metal present in the mineral. Additionally, decreasing the pH and introducing an oxidizing agent (i.e., birnessite which is ubiquitous in soil environments) appeared to accelerate K release. Trace metals including Cr, Zn, Cu, and Ni were present in the solid phase analysis; however, further investigation with a focus on Cr revealed that these elements were released into solution at low concentrations and may present a source of soil micronutrients. These results suggest that glaucony may offer a source of slow releasing K into soils, and so could be used as a locally sourced environmentally sustainable K resource for agriculture, whether in New Zealand or worldwide