Identification of a novel uterine leiomyoma GWAS locus in a Japanese population

Uterine leiomyoma is one of the most common gynaecologic benign tumours, but its genetic basis remains largely unknown. Six previous GWAS identified 33 genetic factors in total. Here, we performed a two-staged GWAS using 13,746 cases and 70,316 controls from the Japanese population, followed by a replication analysis using 3,483 cases and 4,795 controls. The analysis identified 9 significant loci, including a novel locus on 12q23.2 (rs17033114, P = 6.12 × 10−25 with an OR of 1.177 (1.141-1.213), LINC00485). Subgroup analysis indicated that 5 loci (3q26.2, 5p15.33, 10q24.33, 11p15.5, 13q14.11) exhibited a statistically significant effect among multiple leiomyomas, and 2 loci (3q26.2, 10q24.33) exhibited a significant effect among submucous leiomyomas. Pleiotropic analysis indicated that all 9 loci were associated with at least one proliferative disease, suggesting the role of these loci in the common neoplastic pathway. Furthermore, the risk T allele of rs2251795 (3q26.2) was associated with longer telomere length in both normal and tumour tissues. Our findings elucidated the significance of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of leiomyoma

Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ~2.5 km below the ocean floor

Peer reviewedPostprin

Indian Monsoonal Variations During the Past 80 Kyr Recorded in NGHP-02 Hole 19B, Western Bay of Bengal: Implications From Chemical and Mineral Properties

金沢大学理工研究域地球社会基盤学系Detailed reconstruction of Indian summer monsoons is necessary to better understand the late Quaternary climate history of the Bay of Bengal and Indian peninsula. We established a chronostratigraphy for a sediment core from Hole 19B in the western Bay of Bengal, extending to approximately 80 kyr BP and examined major and trace element compositions and clay mineral components of the sediments. Higher δ 18 O values, lower TiO 2 contents, and weaker weathering in the sediment source area during marine isotope stages (MIS) 2 and 4 compared to MIS 1, 3, and 5 are explained by increased Indian summer monsoonal precipitation and river discharge around the western Bay of Bengal. Clay mineral and chemical components indicate a felsic sediment source, suggesting the Precambrian gneissic complex of the eastern Indian peninsula as the dominant sediment source at this site since 80 kyr. Trace element ratios (Cr/Th, Th/Sc, Th/Co, La/Cr, and Eu/Eu*) indicate increased sediment contributions from mafic rocks during MIS 2 and 4. We interpret these results as reflecting the changing influences of the eastern and western branches of the Indian summer monsoon and a greater decrease in rainfall in the eastern and northeastern parts of the Indian peninsula than in the western part during MIS 2 and 4. © 2018. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved

シャロウホ ダンソウ ソウトウ ダンソウ オヨビ スイリコウ ダンソウ ニ オケル リュウタイ イドウ トクセイ ト コウソク マサツ トクセイ ト 1999 シュウシュウ ジシンジ ニ オケル ダンソウ スベリ ウンドウ ノ コウサツ

京都大学0048新制・課程博士博士(理学)甲第12119号理博第3013号新制||理||1449(附属図書館)23955UT51-2006-J114京都大学大学院理学研究科地球惑星科学専攻(主査)教授 嶋本 利彦, 助教授 田上 高広, 教授 平島 崇男学位規則第4条第1項該当Doctor of ScienceKyoto UniversityDA

Comparison of Klinkenberg-corrected gas permeability and water permeability in sedimentary rocks

Quick measurements of permeability can be made by using gas as the pore fluid. To apply gas permeability data to the evaluation of water permeability, the difference between gas and water permeabilities needs to be assessed. We measured intrinsic permeability of sedimentary rocks from the western foothills of Taiwan by using nitrogen gas and distilled water as pore fluids in effective-pressure cycling tests at room temperature. The observed difference in gas and water permeabilities was analyzed in view of the Klinkenberg effect. This effect is due to the slip flow of gases at pore walls, which enhances gas flow when pore sizes are very small. Our experimental results showed that (1) gas permeability was larger than water permeability by several times to one order of magnitude, (2) gas permeability increased with increasing pore pressure, and (3) water permeability increased slightly as the pore-pressure gradient across the specimen increased. Results (1) and (2) can be explained quantitatively by an empirical power law in relation to the Klinkenberg constant b that is applicable in low permeable range. This correlation enables us to estimate water permeability from gas permeability. The Klinkenberg effect is important when permeability is lower than 10-18 m2 and at low pore-pressure differentials, and correction for the effect is essential to estimate water permeability from gas permeability measurement data. A simplified Bingham flow model for water can partially explain the trend of result (3), though non-Darcy flow behavior or inertial forces of water-rock interaction are needed to account for the observed deviation from Darcy's law

Frictional and transport properties of the Chelungpu fault from shallow borehole data and their correlation with seismic behavior during the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake

We carried out low- and high-velocity friction tests on fault rock samples from shallow boreholes on the Taiwan Chelungpu fault and measured their fluid transport properties under high pressure with the objective of explaining the different seismic behavior in northern and southern sections of the fault during the 1999 Chi-chi earthquake. Our results of low-velocity friction tests demonstrate that fault gouge from the southern section of the fault exhibits velocity-weakening frictional behavior, whereas gouge from the northern section exhibits velocity-strengthening friction. Friction in the northern gouge decreased strongly with increasing wetness, whereas friction in southern gouge samples was not affected by wetness. A rapid reduction of friction was observed immediately after the onset of slip in high-velocity friction tests. The results of high-velocity friction tests were similar for all fault gouge samples tested, though permeability in the northern fault zone was lower than that in the south. Numerical modeling indicated that thermal pressurization in the northern fault zone promoted stress reduction and fault instability during slip, whereas it did not in the south. This contrasting seismic behavior between north and south is caused mainly by differences in fluid transport properties of the slip zones. More efficient thermal pressurization in the north explains the large slip displacement there. The results of our low-velocity friction tests are consistent with nucleation of the Chi-Chi earthquake in the south and propagation of the rupture from south to north