Uranium-series ages of fossil corals from Mallorca, Spain: The “Neotyrrhenian” high stand of the Mediterranean Sea revisited

The emergent marine deposits of the Mediterranean basin have been recognized as an important record of Quaternary sea level history for more than a century. Previous workers identified what have been interpreted to be two separate high stands of sea in the late Quaternary, namely the “Eutyrrhenian” (thought to be ~120 ka) and the “Neotyrrhenian” (thought to be either ~100 ka or ~80 ka). On Mallorca, Spain, both of these named deposits lie close to present sea level, implying paleo-sea levels slightly above present during both marine isotope stages (MIS) 5.5/5e and either 5.3/5c or 5.1/5a. If these interpretations are correct, they conflict, at least in part, with sea level records from far-field localities. Weanalyzed corals fromtheNeotyrrhenian beds onMallorca,which gave U-series ages from~126 ka to ~118 ka. These ages are consistent with previously published amino acid data that show that the Neotyrrhenian and Eutyrrhenian deposits are not significantly different in age. A fossil molluscan fauna from the Neotyrrhenian deposits onMallorca has a warm-water paleozoogeographic aspect, with nine southward-ranging species and four extralimital southern species. When compared with sea surface temperatures obtained from planktonic foraminifera and alkenones from ODP core 977 in the nearby Alboran Sea, the only time period that shows comparable warmth is MIS 5.5/5e, consistent with the U-series ages of corals from the Neotyrrhenian deposits. We propose that the Neotyrrhenian deposits are a beachrock facies of the same age as the Eutyrrhenian deposits. This interpretation is consistent with the differences in physical sedimentology of the two deposits, explains the U-series and amino acid data indicating the same age, is consistent with the very slight elevation difference of the Neotyrrhenian and Eutyrrhenian beds, and explains the similar, though not identical paleozoogeographic aspects of their fossil faunas

Uranium-series ages of fossil corals from Mallorca, Spain: The “Neotyrrhenian” high stand of the Mediterranean Sea revisited

The emergent marine deposits of the Mediterranean basin have been recognized as an important record of Quaternary sea level history for more than a century. Previous workers identified what have been interpreted to be two separate high stands of sea in the late Quaternary, namely the “Eutyrrhenian” (thought to be ~120 ka) and the “Neotyrrhenian” (thought to be either ~100 ka or ~80 ka). On Mallorca, Spain, both of these named deposits lie close to present sea level, implying paleo-sea levels slightly above present during both marine isotope stages (MIS) 5.5/5e and either 5.3/5c or 5.1/5a. If these interpretations are correct, they conflict, at least in part, with sea level records from far-field localities. Weanalyzed corals fromtheNeotyrrhenian beds onMallorca,which gave U-series ages from~126 ka to ~118 ka. These ages are consistent with previously published amino acid data that show that the Neotyrrhenian and Eutyrrhenian deposits are not significantly different in age. A fossil molluscan fauna from the Neotyrrhenian deposits onMallorca has a warm-water paleozoogeographic aspect, with nine southward-ranging species and four extralimital southern species. When compared with sea surface temperatures obtained from planktonic foraminifera and alkenones from ODP core 977 in the nearby Alboran Sea, the only time period that shows comparable warmth is MIS 5.5/5e, consistent with the U-series ages of corals from the Neotyrrhenian deposits. We propose that the Neotyrrhenian deposits are a beachrock facies of the same age as the Eutyrrhenian deposits. This interpretation is consistent with the differences in physical sedimentology of the two deposits, explains the U-series and amino acid data indicating the same age, is consistent with the very slight elevation difference of the Neotyrrhenian and Eutyrrhenian beds, and explains the similar, though not identical paleozoogeographic aspects of their fossil faunas

Control de malas hierbas: Densidades de siembra y rotaciones de cultivo

11 páginas, tablas estadísticas, y figuras.La rotación de cultivos ha sido uno de los métodos tradicionales para el control de las malas hierbas, que se ha visto desplazada por factores económicos, monocultivo de cereal y uso de herbicidas. Por otra parte no siempre son evidentes las ventajas de una aplicación de herbicidas, particularmente en densidades bajas de infestación de malas hierbas (Pardo et al., 2002 y Chao et al., 2002). Aumentar las densidades de siembra en los cereales también han sido empleadas como forma de aumentar la competencia del cultivo frente a las hierbas acompañantes y disminuir de esa forma el daño que estas causan en los rendimientos de los cereales. Actualmente sigue empleándose la expresión de “sembrar con mucho pan” para justificar está practica tradicional. Determinar la densidad optima de siembra ha sido objeto de varios trabajos con desigual resultado (Moreno et al., 2002 y Lacasta et al., 2004), las causas son las diferentes condiciones experimentales. En este trabajo se pretende evaluar la interacción de estas dos formas tradicionales de control de malas hierbas (rotación de cultivos y densidades de siembra) y su efecto sobre la productividad del cereal en las condiciones de semiáridez de los secanos y en un experimento de larga duración (14 años).Peer reviewe

The antiquity of the Sahara Desert: New evidence from the mineralogy and geochemistry of Pliocene paleosols on the Canary Islands, Spain

The Sahara is the largest warm desert in the world, but its age has been controversial, with estimates ranging from Miocene to Holocene. Mineralogical and geochemical data show that paleosols of Pliocene to mid- Pleistocene age on Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands have developed in part from inputs of dust from Africa. These paleosols contain quartz and mica, minerals that are abundant in African dust but are rare in the basaltic rocks that dominate the Canary Islands. Trace elements with minimal mobility, Sc, Cr, Hf, Th, and Ta as well as the rare earth elements, show that paleosols have compositions that are intermediate between those of local rocks and African-derived dust. Thus, results reported here and in a recently published study by others indicate that 9 paleosols record delivery of African dust to the Canary Islands between ~4.8–2.8 Ma, ~3.0–2.9 Ma, ~2.3–1.46 Ma, and ~0.4 Ma. A long-term paleosol record of African dust input agrees with deepsea records off the coast of western Africa that imply increased dust fluxes to the eastern Atlantic Ocean at ~4.6 Ma. It is concluded that the Sahara Desert has been in existence as an arid-region dust source, at least intermittently, for much of the Pliocene and continuing into the Pleistocene

GEOLOGI DAN STRUKTUR GEOLOGI DAERAH KROBOKAN DAN SEKITARNYA KECAMATAN JUWANGI, KABUPATEN BOYOLALI, PROPINSI JAWA TENGAH

111.080.251 Lokasi Penelitian berada di Kec. Juwangi Kab. Boyolali, Provinsi Jawa Tengah. Secara astronomis berada pada koordinat 463500mE – 468500mE dan 9197000mN – 9202000mN dengan skala 1 : 20.000 dan luas daerah telitian 25 km 2 . Tujuan yang ingin dicapai adalah mengetahui keadaan geologi secara regional dan mengetahui struktur geologi yang berkembang di daerah telitian. Berdasarkan aspek – aspek geomorfologi, daerah penelitian dibagi menjadi 2 satuan bentuk asal dan 4 satuan bentuk lahan. Bentuk asal struktural yang terdiri dari perbukitan homoklin, perbukitan sinklin, dan lembah antiklin dan bentuk asal fluvial yang terdiri dari dataran alluvial. Pola pengaliran yang berkembang pada daerah telitian adalah Subparalel subdendritik, dan rectangular, dengan tipe genetic subsekuen, resekuen, dan obsekuen. Stratigrafi daerah telitian terdiri dari 3 satuan batuan dari tua ke muda: satuan batupasir gampingan Kerek, satuan batupasir tufan Banyak, dan endapan aluvial. Lingkungan pengendapan daerah telitian meliputi laut dalam, pada kedalaman neritik luar - batial atas. Struktur Geologi pada daerah telitian terdiri dari sesar naik dan sesar mendatar Kanan, sesar naik yaitu pada desa Pringjowo yaitu sesar Pringjowo dengan bidang sesar N332 o E/56 , sesar mendatar kanan pada desa Kendungjoho dengan bidang sesar N320 o E/65 o dan desa Brumbung dengan bidang sesar N121 o E/74 o , lipatan yang berupa antiklin dan siklin yang berkembang pada zona foreland akibat tektonik kompresi dengan tegasan berarah utara – selatan pada kala Plio-Plistosen Pada daerah telitian terdapat potensi positif yaitu penambangan batu apung, Mata air Kalimati dan potensi negatif berupa gerakan tanah.

A Wide Database for a Multicenter Study on Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in Intensive Care Units

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is an opportunistic fungal infection that may affect patients with immunosuppression. In order to improve the diagnosis accuracy for PJP, facilitating the collection of data across Europe to reliably assess the performance of diagnostic tests for PJP is essential to improve the care of critically ill patients developing this severe condition. Such large data can be collected thanks to the contribution of several European hospitals in the compilation of a dedicated electronic Case Report Form (eCRF). The main focus of this work is to create an interface with high ergonomics both in the compilation and in the subsequent validation of the records

hTERT Transduction Extends the Lifespan of Primary Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma Cells While Preserving the Biological Response to NGF

The neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF) modulates the growth of human gliomas and is able to induce cell differentiation through the engagement of tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) receptor, although the role played in controlling glioma survival has proved controversial. Unfortunately, the slow growth rate of low-grade gliomas (LGG) has made it difficult to investigate NGF effects on these tumors in preclinical models. In fact, patient-derived low-grade human astrocytoma cells duplicate only a limited number of times in culture before undergoing senescence. Nevertheless, replicative senescence can be counteracted by overexpression of hTERT, the catalytic subunit of telomerase, which potentially increases the proliferative potential of human cells without inducing cancer-associated changes. We have extended, by hTERT transduction, the proliferative in vitro potential of a human LGG cell line derived from a pediatric pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) surgical sample. Remarkably, the hTERT-transduced LGG cells showed a behavior similar to that of the parental line in terms of biological responses to NGF treatment, including molecular events associated with induction of NGF-related differentiation. Therefore, transduction of LGG cells with hTERT can provide a valid approach to increase the in vitro life-span of patient-derived astrocytoma primary cultures, characterized by a finite proliferative potential

The death receptor antagonist FAIM promotes neurite outgrowth by a mechanism that depends on ERK and NF-κB signaling

Fas apoptosis inhibitory molecule (FAIM) is a protein identified as an antagonist of Fas-induced cell death. We show that FAIM overexpression fails to rescue neurons from trophic factor deprivation, but exerts a marked neurite growth–promoting action in different neuronal systems. Whereas FAIM overexpression greatly enhanced neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells and sympathetic neurons grown with nerve growth factor (NGF), reduction of endogenous FAIM levels by RNAi decreased neurite outgrowth in these cells. FAIM overexpression promoted NF-κB activation, and blocking this activation by using a super-repressor IκBα or by carrying out experiments using cortical neurons from mice that lack the p65 NF-κB subunit prevented FAIM-induced neurite outgrowth. The effect of FAIM on neurite outgrowth was also blocked by inhibition of the Ras–ERK pathway. Finally, we show that FAIM interacts with both Trk and p75 neurotrophin receptor NGF receptors in a ligand-dependent manner. These results reveal a new function of FAIM in promoting neurite outgrowth by a mechanism involving activation of the Ras–ERK pathway and NF-κB

The NAC transcription factor FaRIF is a key regulator of fruit ripening in strawberry

In contrast to climacteric fruits such as tomato, the knowledge on key regulatory genes controlling the ripening of strawberry, a non-climacteric fruit, is still limited. NAC transcription factors are proteins that mediate different developmental processes in plants. In this work, we have identified and characterized FaRIF (Ripening Inducing Factor), a novel NAC transcription factor which is highly expressed and induced in strawberry receptacles during ripening. Functional analysis establishing stable transgenic lines with RNAi, driven by either the constitutive 35S or the ripe receptacle-specific EXP2 promoters, and overexpression constructs showed that FaRIF controls critical ripening-related processes such as fruit softening and pigment and sugars accumulation. Physiological, metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of receptacles of FaRIFsilenced and overexpression lines point to FaRIF as a key regulator of strawberry fruit ripening from early developmental stages, controlling ABA biosynthesis and signaling, cell wall degradation and modification, the phenylpropanoid pathway, and the balance of the aerobic/anaerobic metabolism, being therefore a target to be modified/edited to control the quality of strawberry fruits.ERC Starting Grant ERC-2014-StG 63813