Crustal thickness variations along the Southeast Indian Ridge (100°–116°E) from 2-D body wave tomography

Axial morphology along the Southeast Indian Ridge (SEIR) systematically changes from an axial high to a deep rift valley at a nearly uniform intermediate spreading rate between 100°–116°E, west of the Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD). Basalt geochemistry has a consistent Indian–mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) type isotopic signature, so changes in axial topography are attributed to variations in both mantle temperature and melt supply. Wide-angle seismic refraction lines were shot to four ocean bottom hydrophones within SEIR segments P1, P2, S1, and T, where each segment is characterized by a different morphology. We constructed 2-D crustal velocity models by jointly inverting hand-picked P wave refraction (Pg) and Moho reflection (PmP) traveltime data using a top-down, minimum-structure methodology. The results show a 1.5 km eastward decrease in crustal thickness across the study area, with segment averages ranging from 6.1 km at P1 to 4.6 km at T. Melt generation models require a ~30°C decrease in mantle temperature toward the AAD to account for the crustal thickness trend. Significant changes in axial morphology accompany small-scale variations in crustal thickness, consistent with models of crustal accretion where ridge topography is determined by a balance between mantle temperature, melt supply, and cooling from hydrothermal circulation. Layer 3 thins by 3.0 km as layer 2 thickens by 1.4 km between segments P1 and T, reflecting the eastward decrease in melt supply and increase in melt lens depth. The trade-off in seismic layers may be explained by models relating the increase in overburden pressure on a deepening melt lens to the volume of magma erupted into the upper crust rather than cooling at depth to form new lower crustal material

Enantioselective Protein-Sterol Interactions Mediate Regulation of Both Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Inward Rectifier K+ Channels by Cholesterol

Cholesterol is the major sterol component of all mammalian cell plasma membranes and plays a critical role in cell function and growth. Previous studies have shown that cholesterol inhibits inward rectifier K+ (Kir) channels, but have not distinguished whether this is due directly to protein-sterol interactions or indirectly to changes in the physical properties of the lipid bilayer. Using purified bacterial and eukaryotic Kir channels reconstituted into liposomes of controlled lipid composition, we demonstrate by 86Rb+ influx assays that bacterial Kir channels (KirBac1.1 and KirBac3.1) and human Kir2.1 are all inhibited by cholesterol, most likely by locking the channels into prolonged closed states, whereas the enantiomer, ent-cholesterol, does not inhibit these channels. These data indicate that cholesterol regulates Kir channels through direct protein-sterol interactions likely taking advantage of an evolutionarily conserved binding pocket

IODP Expeditions 309 and 312 drill an intact section of upper oceanic basement into gabbros

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program's (IODP) Expeditions 309 and 312 successfully completed the first sampling of an intact section of upper oceanic crust, through lavas and the sheeted dikes into the uppermost gabbros. Hole 1256D, which was initiated on the Ocean Drilling Program's (ODP) Leg 206, now penetrates to >1500 mbsf and >1250 m sub-basement. The first gabbroic rocks were encountered at 1407 mbsf. Below this, the hole penetrates 3c100 m into a complex zone of fractionated gabbros intruded into contact metamorphosed dikes

Earthquake Swarm Activity Beneath the Tokaanu-Waihi Geothermal System, Lake Taupo, New Zealand

The hypocenters of 4 earthquake swarms (total of 54 events), recorded with a local network between 1986 April and 1987 January, occur within upper crustal rocks of the deeper Tokaanu-Waihi geothermal reservoir; all the events had a magnitude M{sub L} {le} 3.2. Most foci are aligned along two NW-trending basement fault structures along which young rhyodacitic extrusions can be found. The swarm activity has been interpreted in terms of injections into basement fractures of magma from deeper chambers (dyke injection swarm activity)

Formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles of different shapes in water-in-oil microemulsion

In this paper we report the direct synthesis of pure monodispersed zinc oxide nanoparticles of different shapes by basic hydrolysis of zinc nitrate with suitable control of the reactant concentrations in the water in oil microemulsion of Triton X-100/hexanol/cyclohexane. Pure hexagonal wurtzite zinc oxide nanoparticles were obtained in each case. Reaction with a weak base ammonium hydroxide yields highly monodispersed nearly spherical nanoparticles in the range 2.1-7.7 nm whereas reaction with strong base sodium hydroxide forms nanorods at lower reactant concentration and larger rectangular nanoparticles at higher reactant concentration. Optical properties of these zinc oxide nanoparticles were studied at room temperature by taking the optical absorption and luminescence spectra. All samples show strong absorption in the UV range and are nearly transparent in the visible range. The band gap luminescence is predominant in the zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared by this technique, along with two smaller defect induced peaks at 426-488 nm,while the green defect induced luminescence (between 500 and 550 nm) typical of zinc oxide is strongly quenched. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Management of anemia in patients with diabetic kidney disease: A consensus statement

This consensus statement focuses on the window of opportunity, which exists while treating patients with diabetic kidney disease and anemia