Using oxygen and carbon stable isotopes, 53Mn-53Cr isotope systematics, and petrology to constrain the history of carbonates and water in the CR and CM chondrite parent bodies

I carried out a petrologic and Mn-Cr isotopic study of carbonates in the paired CM1 chondrites, ALH 84049 and ALH 84051, in an effort to understand the origin and chronology of formation of carbonates in the most heavily altered CM chondrites. Dolomite is strongly compositionally zoned (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn), indicating very heterogeneous formation conditions, yet all carbonate Mn-Cr analyses form individual isochrons. In this study, I also analyzed the Mn-Cr isotope systematics of the CR1 chondrite GRO 95577 and determined that siderite is the youngest secondary mineral yet observed in carbonaceous chondrites. This has implications for the CR parent body as it either was large enough to retain heat for long periods of time or was heated by impact after most aqueous alteration in carbonaceous chondrites had ceased. This study also presents analyses of carbonates in the same samples (ALH 84049 and GRO 95577) in-situ for their oxygen, and, in ALH 84049, carbon isotope composition to constrain aqueous alteration. The results show that multiple generations of carbonates must have occurred in ALH 84049 from a carbon source with either heterogeneous carbon isotopes or with changing carbon isotope compositions from ongoing methane formation. Furthermore, in GRO 95577, the oxygen isotope values suggest that calcite precipitated before siderite if CR chondrite fluids followed a closed system oxygen isotope evolution path similar to CM chondrites

Terrestrial Alteration of CM2 Chondritic Carbonates in a Suite of Paired Antarctic Meteorites.

The δ18O, δ17O, δ13C, and δ14C compositions of carbonate grains were measured from paired Antarctic CM2 chondrites (EET96006, EET96016, EET96017, and EET96019). Oxygen isotopic compositions reveal both terrestrial and extraterrestrial carbonate sources. Bulk δ13C and δ14C measurements suggest at least two terrestrial carbonate components: 1) carbonate derived from equilibration of atmospheric CO2 with silicates during weathering reactions, and 2) carbonate derived from a second undefined source. Oxygen and carbon isotope data suggest that silicate weathering reactions drove oxygen isotopic composition of Antarctic water away from the terrestrial fractionation line (TFL) (D17O < 3.6). Further oxygen isotopic compositional constraints were placed by Secondary Ionization Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) of in-situ carbonates. We suggest three sources for meteoritic carbonate: 1) primary calcite formed in the presence of evolving planetesimal water and 2) secondary calcite derived from alkalinity laden terrestrial water and 3) alkalinity formed as the result of weathering of meteoritic silicates

Real-time monitoring shows substantial excess all-cause mortality during second wave of COVID-19 in Europe, October to December 2020.

The European monitoring of excess mortality for public health action (EuroMOMO) network monitors weekly excess all-cause mortality in 27 European countries or subnational areas. During the first wave of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Europe in spring 2020, several countries experienced extraordinarily high levels of excess mortality. Europe is currently seeing another upsurge in COVID-19 cases, and EuroMOMO is again witnessing a substantial excess all-cause mortality attributable to COVID-19.Funding statement: The EuroMOMO network hub at Statens Serum Institut receives funding from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Solna, Sweden, through a framework contract 2017-2020.S

The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning

This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies.Comment: 5th version as accepted to PASP; 31 pages, 18 figures; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1538-3873/acb29

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Using oxygen and carbon stable isotopes, 53Mn-53Cr isotope systematics, and petrology to constrain the history of carbonates and water in the CR and CM chondrite parent bodies

I carried out a petrologic and Mn-Cr isotopic study of carbonates in the paired CM1 chondrites, ALH 84049 and ALH 84051, in an effort to understand the origin and chronology of formation of carbonates in the most heavily altered CM chondrites. Dolomite is strongly compositionally zoned (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn), indicating very heterogeneous formation conditions, yet all carbonate Mn-Cr analyses form individual isochrons. In this study, I also analyzed the Mn-Cr isotope systematics of the CR1 chondrite GRO 95577 and determined that siderite is the youngest secondary mineral yet observed in carbonaceous chondrites. This has implications for the CR parent body as it either was large enough to retain heat for long periods of time or was heated by impact after most aqueous alteration in carbonaceous chondrites had ceased. This study also presents analyses of carbonates in the same samples (ALH 84049 and GRO 95577) in-situ for their oxygen, and, in ALH 84049, carbon isotope composition to constrain aqueous alteration. The results show that multiple generations of carbonates must have occurred in ALH 84049 from a carbon source with either heterogeneous carbon isotopes or with changing carbon isotope compositions from ongoing methane formation. Furthermore, in GRO 95577, the oxygen isotope values suggest that calcite precipitated before siderite if CR chondrite fluids followed a closed system oxygen isotope evolution path similar to CM chondrites.National Aeronautics and Space Administration, United States Department of Energy, New Mexico Space Grant, Geological Society of America, Meteoritical Society, The Moore Foundation, University of New Mexico RPT grant, New Mexico Geological Survey Beverly Wellnitz Memorial Scholarship, University of New Mexico Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences Alumni scholarshipEarth and Planetary SciencesDoctoralUniversity of New Mexico. Dept. of Earth and Planetary SciencesBrearley, AdrianHutcheon, IanSharp, ZacharyJones, RhianShearer, Charle

Episodic carbonate precipitation in the CM chondrite ALH 84049: An ion microprobe analysis of O and C isotopes

We have determined the O and C isotope compositions of dolomite grains and the C isotope compositions of calcite grains in the highly altered CM1 chondrite, ALH 84049, using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). Chemically-zoned dolomite constitutes 0.8 volume percent (vol%) of the sample and calcite 0.9 vol%. Thirteen separate dolomite grains have δ13C values that range from 37 to 60 (±2) ‰, δ^(18)O values from 25 to 32 (±3) ‰, and δ^(17)O values from 10 to 16 (±3) ‰ (VSMOW). Intragrain δ^(13)C values in dolomite vary up to 10‰. The δ^(13)C values of three calcite grains are distinct from those of dolomite and range from 10 to 13 (±2) ‰ (PDB). Calcite and dolomite appear to record different precipitation episodes. Carbon isotope values of both dolomite and calcite in this single sample encompass much of the reported range for CM chondrites; our results imply that bulk carbonate C and O isotope analyses may oversimplify the history of carbonate precipitation. Multiple generations of carbonates with variable isotope compositions exist in ALH 84049 and, perhaps, in many CM chondrites. This work shows that one should exercise caution when using a clumped isotope approach to determine the original temperature and the isotopic compositions of water for CM chondrite carbonates. Less altered CM meteorites with more-homogeneous C isotope compositions, however, may be suitable for bulk-carbonate analyses, but detailed carbonate petrologic and isotopic characterization of individual samples is advised

A chromosome-scale epigenetic map of the Hydra genome reveals conserved regulators of cell state.

The epithelial and interstitial stem cells of the freshwater polyp Hydra are the best-characterized stem cell systems in any cnidarian, providing valuable insight into cell type evolution and the origin of stemness in animals. However, little is known about the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that determine how these stem cells are maintained and how they give rise to their diverse differentiated progeny. To address such questions, a thorough understanding of transcriptional regulation in Hydra is needed. To this end, we generated extensive new resources for characterizing transcriptional regulation in Hydra, including new genome assemblies for Hydra oligactis and the AEP strain of Hydra vulgaris, an updated whole-animal single-cell RNA-seq atlas, and genome-wide maps of chromatin interactions, chromatin accessibility, sequence conservation, and histone modifications. These data revealed the existence of large kilobase-scale chromatin interaction domains in the Hydra genome that contain transcriptionally coregulated genes. We also uncovered the transcriptomic profiles of two previously molecularly uncharacterized cell types: isorhiza-type nematocytes and somatic gonad ectoderm. Finally, we identified novel candidate regulators of cell type-specific transcription, several of which have likely been conserved at least since the divergence of Hydra and the jellyfish Clytia hemisphaerica more than 400 million years ago

Perceptions of uncertainties about carrier results identified by exome sequencing in a randomized controlled trial.

How individuals perceive uncertainties in sequencing results may affect their clinical utility. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of uncertainties in carrier results and how they relate to psychological well-being and health behavior. Post-reproductive adults (N = 462) were randomized to receive carrier results from sequencing through either a web platform or a genetic counselor. On average, participants received two results. Group differences in affective, evaluative, and clinical uncertainties were assessed from baseline to 1 and 6 months; associations with test-specific distress and communication of results were assessed at 6 months. Reductions in affective uncertainty (∆x̅ = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.53, 1.02) and evaluative uncertainty (∆x̅ = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.87) followed receipt of results regardless of randomization arm at 1 month. Participants in the web platform arm reported greater clinical uncertainty than those in the genetic counselor arm at 1 and 6 months; this was corroborated by the 1,230 questions asked of the genetic counselor and residual questions reported by those randomized to the web platform. Evaluative uncertainty was associated with a lower likelihood of communicating results to health care providers. Clinical uncertainty was associated with a lower likelihood of communicating results to children. Learning one\u27s carrier results may reduce perceptions of uncertainties, though web-based return may lead to less reduction in clinical uncertainty in the short term. These findings warrant reinforcement of clinical implications to minimize residual questions and promote appropriate health behavior (communicating results to at-risk relatives in the case of carrier results), especially when testing alternative delivery models

Genome-wide mapping of DNase hypersensitive sites using massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS)

A major goal in genomics is to understand how genes are regulated in different tissues, stages of development, diseases, and species. Mapping DNase I hypersensitive (HS) sites within nuclear chromatin is a powerful and well-established method of identifying many different types of regulatory elements, but in the past it has been limited to analysis of single loci. We have recently described a protocol to generate a genome-wide library of DNase HS sites. Here, we report high-throughput analysis, using massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS), of 230,000 tags from a DNase library generated from quiescent human CD4(+) T cells. Of the tags that uniquely map to the genome, we identified 14,190 clusters of sequences that group within close proximity to each other. By using a real-time PCR strategy, we determined that the majority of these clusters represent valid DNase HS sites. Approximately 80% of these DNase HS sites uniquely map within one or more annotated regions of the genome believed to contain regulatory elements, including regions 2 kb upstream of genes, CpG islands, and highly conserved sequences. Most DNase HS sites identified in CD4(+) T cells are also HS in CD8(+) T cells, B cells, hepatocytes, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and HeLa cells. However, ∼10% of the DNase HS sites are lymphocyte specific, indicating that this procedure can identify gene regulatory elements that control cell type specificity. This strategy, which can be applied to any cell line or tissue, will enable a better understanding of how chromatin structure dictates cell function and fate