Local origins of interdecadal Pacific variability in the tropical and North Pacific Ocean: evidence from a comparative study of coral oxygen isotope records

Interdecadal Pacific variability (IPV) is commonly observed in both the tropical and mid-latitude Pacific Ocean, and has a widespread influence on surface climate in the Pan- Pacific Basin. This variability is recorded by climate proxies such as geochemical parameters preserved in corals. However, the origins of IPV remain uncertain. To shed light on this, interdecadal variations in two long coral δO records from Nauru Island and the South China Sea (SCS), respectively located in the tropical Pacific and the mid-latitude North Pacific Ocean, were investigated. The interdecadal fluctuations in the δO series from Nauru Island (tropical Pacific) match those of the NINO3.4 index reasonably well (r=–0.30, n=96, p=0.0015), but are not correlated with those of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) index (r=–0.17, n=96, p=0.05). The δO time series from the SCS (northwestern Pacific), by contrast, co-vary with the PDO index (r=–0.30, n=156, p=0.0007), but are out of phase with the NINO3.4 index at the interdecadal timescale (r=0.04, n=156, p=0.31). The impact on the interdecadal variability of processes occurring outside the growth region of corals is generally weak. The results thus do not support a tropical origin of IPV, but demonstrate that the interdecadal variability in the tropical Pacific and the North Pacific originates predominantly from local coupled ocean–atmosphere processes within these regions. The results also suggest that tropical–extratropical interactions played a role in IPV between 1920 and 1940, which indicates that IPV is a complex climatic phenomenon that involves multiple forcing mechanisms

Environmental controls on coral skeletal δ13C in the northern South China Sea

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between seasonal climatic and environmental variables, and the skeletal δC of modern and mid-Holocene Porites lutea corals from the southern coast of Hainan Island in the northern South China Sea. No significant correlations were observed between δC in the modern coral and solar insolation or sea surface temperature. However, seasonal variability of δC in the modern coral covaries with rainfall on Hainan Island. Furthermore, the seasonal variations of δC in both the modern and mid-Holocene coral are synchronous with those of the coral ΔδO, which is a proxy for seawater δO and, in turn, largely controlled by local rainfall. These observations suggest that coral δC variations are closely associated with rainfall in this fregion. Given that river runoff contains dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) with a negative δC, we suggest that periods of high rainfall on Hainan Island deliver increased amounts of C-depleted DIC to coastal seawater, resulting in an enhanced negative δC in the corals. Our findings, together with previous studies, appear to demonstrate that in coastal environments, coral skeletal δC levels are controlled mainly by terrestrial carbon input and are significantly influenced by terrestrial river runoff. Consequently, the geochemical interpretation of coral δC records may differ between coastal areas and offshore areas or the open ocean

Evaluation of annual resolution coral geochemical records as climate proxies in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia

Sampling of annually banded massive coral skeletons at annual (or higher) resolutions is increasingly being used to obtain replicate long-term time series of changing seawater conditions. However, few of these studies have compared and calibrated the lower annual resolution records based on coral geochemical tracers with the corresponding instrumental climate records, although some studies have inferred the climatic significance of annual coral series derived from averages of monthly or sub-annual records. Here, we present annual resolution analysis of coral records of elemental and stable isotopic composition that are approximately 70\ua0years long. These records were preserved in two coexisting colonies of Porites sp. from Arlington Reef, on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and are used to evaluate the climatic significance of annually resolved coral geochemical proxies. The geochemical records of coral sample “10AR2,” with its faster and relatively constant annual growth rate, appear to have been independent of skeletal growth rate and other vital effects. The annual resolution of Sr/Ca and ΔδO time series was shown to be a good proxy for annual sea surface temperature (SST; r\ua0=\ua0−0.67, n\ua0=\ua073, p\ua

Sr-Nd isotopic geochemistry of Holocene sediments from the South Yellow Sea: Implications for provenance and monsoon variability

Elemental geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic signatures are used to decipher terrigenous sediments provenances and transport mechanisms in the South Yellow Sea during the Holocene. Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios in the Chinese and Korean riverine sediments overlap each other, whereas epsilon Nd values of Korean riverine sediments are generally less radiogenic in comparison to the Changjiang and Huanghe. Moreover, eNd values of these two large rivers appear unaffected by mineral sorting and are relative stable during the Holocene. We propose a three end-members (i.e., the Changjiang, the Huanghe, and Korean rivers) mixing model to explain sediment provenances in the Central Yellow Sea Mud (CYSM). Mixing calculations show that the Huanghe is the major sediment contributor to the CYSM before similar to 8 ka (thousand years before 1950 CE), whereas the Changjiang has become the predominant sediment source after similar to 8 ka. Holocene changes in riverine sediment supplies to the CYSM are closely related to the oceanic circulation, monsoon climate, and drainage changes. After examining several hypotheses to explain the variations in Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios of Core YSC-1 during the past similar to 8 kyr, we tentatively attribute that to changes in the erosion patterns of the Changjiang Basin. This in turn is associated with the asynchronous evolution of monsoon precipitation in the upper (Indian Summer Monsoon) and middle-lower Changjiang (East Asian Summer Monsoon). Therefore, our results highlight significant influences of monsoon climate on erosion patterns within the Changjiang catchment at millennial timescales

Saltier sea surface water conditions recorded by multiple mid-Holocene corals in the northern South China Sea

The typical features of the mid-Holocene can be used to better understand present-day climate conditions and the potential trends of future climate change. The surface conditions, including sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface salinity (SSS), of the South China Sea (SCS) are largely controlled by the East Asian monsoon system. Surface water conditions reconstructed from coral proxies can be used to study the evolution of the East Asian monsoon during the mid-Holocene. However, there are some discrepancies among existing coral-based studies regarding whether the mid-Holocene sea surface water was much saltier than the present day surface waters. Based on paired Sr/Ca and δO of modern and three fossil corals, this paper reconstructs the patterns of seasonal variation in SSS during the mid-Holocene in the northern SCS. The ΔδO records (a proxy for SSS) derived from the three fossil corals were all heavier than that from the modern coral, which suggests the presence of more saline surface waters during the mid-Holocene in the northern SCS. These results are consistent with previous studies based on records reconstructed from coral and foraminifera, as well as from numerical simulations. Reduced rainfall caused by the strengthened Asian Monsoon and/or the northward shift of the intertropical convergence zone during the mid-Holocene would explain the increased salinity of the surface waters of the northern SCS. The findings presented here clarify the discrepancies among previous studies and confirm the existence of saltier surface waters in the northern SCS during the mid-Holocene

Wet and cold climate conditions recorded by coral geochemical proxies during the beginning of the first millennium CE in the northern South China Sea

The past two millennia include some distinct climate intervals, such as the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA), which were caused by natural forcing factors, as well as the Current Warm Period (CWP) that has been linked to anthropogenic factors. Therefore, this period has been of great interest to climate change researchers. However, most studies are based on terrestrial proxy records, historical documentary data, and simulation results, and the ocean and the tropical record are very limited. The Eastern Han, Three Kingdoms, and Western Jin periods (25–316 CE) cover the beginning first millennium CE in China, and were characterized by a cold climate and frequent wars and regime changes. This study used paired Sr/Ca and δO series recovered from a fossil coral to reconstruct the sea surface water conditions during the late Eastern Han to Western Jin periods (167–309 CE) at Wenchang, eastern Hainan Island in the northern South China Sea (SCS), to investigate climate change at this time. The long-term sea surface temperature (SST) during the study interval was 25.1 °C, which is about 1.5 °C lower than that of the CWP (26.6 °C). Compared with the average value of 0.40‰ during the CWP, the long-term average seawater δO (−0.06‰) was more negative. These results indicate that the climate conditions during the study period were cold and wet and comparable with those of the LIA. This colder climate may have been associated with the weaker summer solar irradiance. The wet conditions were caused by the reduced northward shift of the intertropical convergence zone/monsoon rainbelt associated with the retreat of the East Asian summer monsoon. Interannual and interdecadal climate variability may also have contributed to the variations in SST and seawater δO recorded over the study period

Activating Transcription Factor 3 Deficiency Promotes Cardiac Hypertrophy, Dysfunction, and Fibrosis Induced by Pressure Overload

Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), which is encoded by an adaptive-response gene induced by various stimuli, plays an important role in the cardiovascular system. However, the effect of ATF3 on cardiac hypertrophy induced by a pathological stimulus has not been determined. Here, we investigated the effects of ATF3 deficiency on cardiac hypertrophy using in vitro and in vivo models. Aortic banding (AB) was performed to induce cardiac hypertrophy in mice. Cardiac hypertrophy was estimated by echocardiographic and hemodynamic measurements and by pathological and molecular analysis. ATF3 deficiency promoted cardiac hypertrophy, dysfunction and fibrosis after 4 weeks of AB compared to the wild type (WT) mice. Furthermore, enhanced activation of the MEK-ERK1/2 and JNK pathways was found in ATF3-knockout (KO) mice compared to WT mice. In vitro studies performed in cultured neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes confirmed that ATF3 deficiency promotes cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II, which was associated with the amplification of MEK-ERK1/2 and JNK signaling. Our results suggested that ATF3 plays a crucial role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy via negative regulation of the MEK-ERK1/2 and JNK pathways

A comparison of the climates of the Medieval Climate Anomaly, Little Ice Age, and Current Warm Period reconstructed using coral records from the northern South China Sea

For the global oceans, the characteristics of high-resolution climate changes during the last millennium remain uncertain because of the limited availability of proxy data. This study reconstructs climate conditions using annually resolved coral records from the South China Sea (SCS) to provide new insights into climate change over the last millennium. The results indicate that the climate of the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, AD 900–1300) was similar to that of the Current Warm Period (CWP, AD 1850-present), which contradicts previous studies. The similar warmth levels for the MCA and CWP have also been recorded in the Makassar Strait of Indonesia, which suggests that the MCA was not warmer than the CWP in the western Pacific and that this may not have been a globally uniform change. Hydrological conditions were drier/saltier during the MCA and similar to those of the CWP. The drier/saltier MCA and CWP in the western Pacific may be associated with the reduced precipitation caused by variations in the Pacific Walker Circulation. As for the Little Ice Age (LIA, AD 1550–1850), the results from this study, together with previous data from the Makassar Strait, indicate a cold and wet period compared with the CWP and the MCA in the western Pacific. The cold LIA period agrees with the timing of the Maunder sunspot minimum and is therefore associated with low solar activity. The fresher/wetter LIA in the western Pacific may have been caused by the synchronized retreat of both the East Asian Summer Monsoon and the Australian Monsoon

Loss of Regulator of G Protein Signaling 5 Exacerbates Obesity, Hepatic Steatosis, Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

BACKGROUND: The effect of regulator of G protein signaling 5 (RGS5) on cardiac hypertrophy, atherosclerosis and angiogenesis has been well demonstrated, but the role in the development of obesity and insulin resistance remains completely unknown. We determined the effect of RGS5 deficiency on obesity, hepatic steatosis, inflammation and insulin resistance in mice fed either a normal-chow diet (NC) or a high-fat diet (HF). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Male, 8-week-old RGS5 knockout (KO) and littermate control mice were fed an NC or an HF for 24 weeks and were phenotyped accordingly. RGS5 KO mice exhibited increased obesity, fat mass and ectopic lipid deposition in the liver compared with littermate control mice, regardless of diet. When fed an HF, RGS5 KO mice had a markedly exacerbated metabolic dysfunction and inflammatory state in the blood serum. Meanwhile, macrophage recruitment and inflammation were increased and these increases were associated with the significant activation of JNK, IκBα and NF-κBp65 in the adipose tissue, liver and skeletal muscle of RGS5 KO mice fed an HF relative to control mice. These exacerbated metabolic dysfunction and inflammation are accompanied with decreased systemic insulin sensitivity in the adipose tissue, liver and skeletal muscle of RGS5 KO mice, reflected by weakened Akt/GSK3β phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data suggest that loss of RGS5 exacerbates HF-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, inflammation and insulin resistance

Let-7b Inhibits Human Cancer Phenotype by Targeting Cytochrome P450 Epoxygenase 2J2

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNA molecules of 20 to 22 nucleotides that regulate gene expression by binding to their 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). Increasing data implicate altered miRNA participation in the progress of cancer. We previously reported that CYP2J2 epoxygenase promotes human cancer phenotypes. But whether and how CYP2J2 is regulated by miRNA is not understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using bioinformatics analysis, we found potential target sites for miRNA let-7b in 3'UTR of human CYP2J2. Luciferase and western blot assays revealed that CYP2J2 was regulated by let-7b. In addition, let-7b decreased the enzymatic activity of endogenous CYP2J2. Furthermore, let-7b may diminish cell proliferation and promote cell apoptosis of tumor cells via posttranscriptional repression of CYP2J2. Tumor xenografts were induced in nude mice by subcutaneous injection of MDA-MB-435 cells. The let-7b expression vector, pSilencer-let-7b, was injected through tail vein every 3 weeks. Let-7b significantly inhibited the tumor phenotype by targeting CYP2J2. Moreover, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to determine the expression levels of let-7b and CYP2J2 protein from 18 matched lung squamous cell cancer and adjacent normal lung tissues; the expression level of CYP2J2 was inversely proportional to that of let-7b. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that the decreased expression of let-7b could lead to the high expression of CYP2J2 protein in cancerous tissues. These findings suggest that miRNA let-7b reduces CYP2J2 expression, which may contribute to inhibiting tumor phenotypes