Characterization of TRPC2, an Essential Genetic Component of VNS Chemoreception, Provides Insights into the Evolution of Pheromonal Olfaction in Secondary-Adapted Marine Mammals

Pheromones are chemical cues released and sensed by individuals of the same species, which are of major importance in regulating reproductive and social behaviors of mammals. Generally, they are detected by the vomeronasal system (VNS). Here, we first investigated and compared an essential genetic component of vomeronasal chemoreception, that is, TRPC2 gene, of four marine mammals varying the degree of aquatic specialization and related terrestrial species in order to provide insights into the evolution of pheromonal olfaction in the mammalian transition from land to water. Our results based on sequence characterizations and evolutionary analyses, for the first time, show the evidence for the ancestral impairment of vomeronasal pheromone signal transduction pathway in fully aquatic cetaceans, supporting a reduced or absent dependence on olfaction as a result of the complete adaptation to the marine habitat, whereas the amphibious California sea lion was found to have a putatively functional TRPC2 gene, which is still under strong selective pressures, reflecting the reliance of terrestrial environment on chemical recognition among the semiadapted marine mammals. Interestingly, our study found that, unlike that of the California sea lion, TRPC2 genes of the harbor seal and the river otter, both of which are also semiaquatic, are pseudogenes. Our data suggest that other unknown selective pressures or sensory modalities might have promoted the independent absence of a functional VNS in these two species. In this respect, the evolution of pheromonal olfaction in marine mammals appears to be more complex and confusing than has been previously thought. Our study makes a useful contribution to the current understanding of the evolution of pheromone perception of mammals in response to selective pressures from an aquatic environment.

Aerodynamic effects in ink-jet printing on a moving web

The airflow between the fast-moving substrate and stationary print heads in a web print press may cause print quality issues in high-speed, roll-to-roll printing applications. We have studied the interactions between ink drops and the airflow in the gap between the printhead and substrate, by using an experimental flow channel and high-speed imaging. The results show: 1) the gap airflow is well approximated by a standard Couette flow profile; 2) the effect of gap airflow on the flight paths of main drops and satellites is negligible; and 3) the interaction between the gap airflow and the wakes from the printed ink drops should be investigated as the primary source of aerodynamically- related print quality issues. ©2012 Society for Imaging Science and Technology.

西秦岭晚古生代弧前盆地沉积与成矿作用

The Western Qinling Orogenie belt in the Taibai-Fengxian and Xihe-Lixian areas can be subdivided into three units structurally from north to south, which are the island-arc, forearc basin and accretionary wedge, respectively. The forearc basin developed in the Late Paleozoic mainly controls sedimentation and some larger lead-zinc and gold deposits in the western Qinling. Stratigraphically, the island arc is dissected into the Liziyuan Group, the Danfeng Group and the Luohansi Group. The metavolcanic rocks include basic, intermediate and acidic rocks, and their geochemistry demonstrates that these igneous rocks generated in an island arc. Where, the basalts are subalkaline series charactered by low-medium potassium, with enriched LREE, negative Eu anomaly, and positive Nd anomaly. Cr-content of volcanic rocks is 2-3 times higher than that of island arc tholeiite all over the world. In addition, the lightly metamorphosed accretionary wedge in the areas of Huixian, Chengxian, Liuba and Shiqun is dominated by terrigenous sediments with carbonatite, chert, mafic and volcanic rocks. The age of the wedge is the Late Palaeozoic to the Trassic, while previous work suggested that it is the Silurian. The Upper Paleozoic between the island arc belt and accretionary wedge are mainly the sediments filled in the fore arc basin. The fillings in the forearc basin were subdivided into the Dacaiotan Group, the Tieshan Group, the Shujiaba Group and the Xihanshui Group, previously. They outcropped along the southern margins of the Liziyuan Group. The Dacaotan Group, the Upper Devonian, is close to the island arc complex, and composed of a suite of red and gray-green thick and coarse terrestrial elastics. The Shujiaba Group, the Mid-Upper Devonian, is located in the middle of the basin, is mainly fine-grained elastics with a few intercalations of limestone. The Xihanshui Group, which distributes in the southern of the basin, is mainly slates, phyllites and sandstones with carbonatite and reef blocks. The Tieshan Group, the Upper Devonian, just outcrops in the southwest of the basin, is carbonatite and clastic rocks, and deposited in the shallow -sea environment. The faults in the basin are mainly NW trend. The sedimentary characteristics, slump folds, biological assemblages in both sides of and within those faults demonstrate that they were syn-sedimentary faults with multi-period activities. They separated the forearc basin into several sub-basins, which imbricate in the background of a forearc basin with sedimentary characteristics of the piggyback basin. The deep hydrothermal fluid erupted along the syn-sedimentary faults, supported nutrition and energy for the reef, and resulted in hydrothermal-sedimentary rocks, reef and lead-zinc deposits along these faults. The sedimentary facies in the basin varies from the continental slope alluvial fan, to shallow-sea reef facies, and then to deep-water from north to south, which implies that there was a continental slope in the Devonian in the west Qinling. The strata overlap to north and to east respectively. Additionally, the coeval sedimentary facies in north and south are significantly different. The elastics become more and more coarser to north in the basin as well as upward coarsing. These features indicate prograding fillings followed by overlaps of the different fans underwater. The paleocurrent analyses show that the forearc basin is composed of thrust-ramp-basins and deep-water basins. The provenance of the fillings in the basin is the island arc in the north. The lead-zinc deposits were synchronous with the Xihanshui Group in the early stage of development of the forearc basin. They were strongly constrained by syn-sedimentary faults and then modified by the hydrothermal fluids. The gold deposits distributed in the north of the basin resulted from the tectonic activities and magmatism in the later stage of the basin evolution, and occurred at the top of the lead-zinc deposits spatially. The scales of lead-zinc deposits in the south of the basin are larger than that of the gold-deposits. The Pb-Zn deposits in the west of the basin are larger than those in the east, while the Gold deposits in the west of the basin are smaller than those in the east. Mineralizing ages of these deposits become younger and younger to west.

西南天山托云盆地白垩-新生代古地磁结果及其构造意义

Western China is regarded as an assemblage of blocks or microplates. The India/Asia postcollisional kinematics of these blocks has attracted many geologists to pay attentions, especially on the geodynamics and intracontinental deformation of Tibetan and adjoining parts of central Asia. So far there are still many debates on the amount of continental shortening and extrusion within Western China blocks. Paleomagnetism plays a very important role in the paleogeographic reconstruction and depiction of kinematics of the blocks, however the unequilibrium of paleomagentic data obtained from Western China prevents paleomagnetists from studying the kinematics and intracontinental deformation on the Tibetan plateau and the central Asia. Moreover, shallower inclinations observed in the Cretaceous and Cenozoic terrestrial red sediments in central Asia makes it difficult to precisely estimate the northward convergence of Tibetan plateau and its adjacent areas since the onset of the Indian/Asian collision. In this thesis, detailed rock magnetic, chronological and paleomagnetic studies have been carried out on the Tuoyun Basin in the southwestern Tianshan to discuss the possible continental shortening and tectonic movements since the Cretaceous-Tertiary. Ar-Ar geochronological study has been conducted on the upper and lower basalt series from the Tuoyun Basin, yielding that the lower and upper basalt series were extruded during 115-113 Ma and 61.8-56.9 Ma, respectively. Both the age spectrum and inverse isochron show that the samples from the upper and lower basalt series have experienced no significant thermal events since extrusion of the baslts. Rock magnetic studies including temperature dependence of magnetization and susceptibility during a heating-cooling cycle from temperature up to 600 ℃ suggest that the baslt samples from the lower and upper basalt series are ferromagnetically predominant of magnetite and a subordinate hematite with a few sites of titanomagnetite. The predominant magnetic mineral of the intercalated red beds is magnetite and hematite. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility shows that both the baslts and the intercalated red beds are unlikely to have undergone significant strain due to compaction or tectonic stress since formation of the rocks. The stable characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) isolated from the most samples of the upper and lower basalt series and intercalated red beds, passes fold test at the 99% confidence level. Together with the geochronological results, we interpret the characteristic component as a primary magnetization acquired in the formation of rocks. Some sites from both the upper and lower basalts yielded shallower inclinations than the reference field computed from the Eurasia APW, we prefer to argue that these shallow inclinations might be related to geomagnetic secular variation, whereas the shallow inclination in the intercalated red beds is likely to be related to detrital remanent magnetization. Paleomagnetic results from the early Cretaceous-Paleogene basalts indicate that no significant N-S convergence has taken place between the Tuoyun Basin and the south margin of Siberia. Furthermore, the Cretaceous and Tertiary paleomagnetic results suggest that the Tuoyun Basin was subjected to a local clockwise rotation of 20°-30° with respect to Eurasia since the Paleocene time, which is probably subsequent to the Cenozoic northward compression of the Pamir arc.

An Autonomous Sailing Robot for Ocean Observation

Sauze, C. and Neal, M. 'An Autonomous Sailing Robot for Ocean Observation', in proceedings of TAROS 2006, Guildford, UK, Sept 4-6th 2006, pages 190-197.

A New Analysis of Mars "Special Regions": Findings of the Second MEPAG Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2)

A committee of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) has reviewed and updated the description of Special Regions on Mars as places where terrestrial organisms might replicate (per the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy). This review and update was conducted by an international team (SR-SAG2) drawn from both the biological science and Mars exploration communities, focused on understanding when and where Special Regions could occur. The study applied recently available data about martian environments and about terrestrial organisms, building on a previous analysis of Mars Special Regions (2006) undertaken by a similar team. Since then, a new body of highly relevant information has been generated from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (launched in 2005) and Phoenix (2007) and data from Mars Express and the twin Mars Exploration Rovers (all 2003). Results have also been gleaned from the Mars Science Laboratory (launched in 2011). In addition to Mars data, there is a considerable body of new data regarding the known environmental limits to life on Earth—including the potential for terrestrial microbial life to survive and replicate under martian environmental conditions. The SR-SAG2 analysis has included an examination of new Mars models relevant to natural environmental variation in water activity and temperature; a review and reconsideration of the current parameters used to define Special Regions; and updated maps and descriptions of the martian environments recommended for treatment as “Uncertain” or “Special” as natural features or those potentially formed by the influence of future landed spacecraft. Significant changes in our knowledge of the capabilities of terrestrial organisms and the existence of possibly habitable martian environments have led to a new appreciation of where Mars Special Regions may be identified and protected. The SR-SAG also considered the impact of Special Regions on potential future human missions to Mars, both as locations of potential resources and as places that should not be inadvertently contaminated by human activity. Key Words: Martian environments—Mars astrobiology—Extreme environment microbiology—Planetary protection—Exploration resources. Astrobiology 14, 887–968.

Inland shell midden site-formation:Investigation into a late Pleistocene to early Holocene midden from Trang An, Northern Vietnam

Over the course of the past two decades there has been growing research interest in the site formation processes of shell middens. This stands along-side and is being used to inform cultural, dietary and palaeo-environmental reconstructions. Just as midden site formation processes have turned out to be many and varied, however, the kinds of shell-bearing sites that past human communities created are likely to have been no less diverse. Subsuming such sites under a single category - shell middens - normalises that variation and may lead to the misinterpretation of site function. The greater part of research in this field also continues to focus on coastal shell middens; comparatively little attention has been paid to middens containing freshwater and especially terrestrial molluscs from hinterland locations. As a result, much of the current understanding about shell-midden sites carries a spatial as well as a functional bias. This paper hopes to contribute towards discussion on both fronts. It presents a detailed examination of the formation processes that went into the creation of a land snail-dominated late- to post-glacial midden from northern Vietnam, and considers the role that it may have played in the early settlement of this area. The data presented comes from ongoing archaeological excavations at Hang Boi, a cave located in the sub-coastal karstic uplands of Trang An park, in the Vietnamese Province of Ninh Binh. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.

Ecology of the invertebrate macrofauna of a Ria Formosa lagoon salt marsh

Tese de doutoramento, Ecologia, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Universidade do Algarve, 2003

Transposable Elements Are a Significant Contributor to Tandem Repeats in the Human Genome

Sequence repeats are an important phenomenon in the human genome, playing important roles in genomic alteration often with phenotypic consequences. The two major types of repeat elements in the human genome are tandem repeats (TRs) including microsatellites, minisatellites, and satellites and transposable elements (TEs). So far, very little has been known about the relationship between these two types of repeats. In this study, we identified TRs that are derived from TEs either based on sequence similarity or overlapping genomic positions. We then analyzed the distribution of these TRs among TE families/subfamilies. Our study shows that at least 7,276 TRs or 23% of all minisatellites/satellites is derived from TEs, contributing ∼0.32% of the human genome. TRs seem to be generated more likely from younger/more active TEs, and once initiated they are expanded with time via local duplication of the repeat units. The currently postulated mechanisms for origin of TRs can explain only 6% of all TE-derived TRs, indicating the presence of one or more yet to be identified mechanisms for the initiation of such repeats. Our result suggests that TEs are contributing to genome expansion and alteration not only by transposition but also by generating tandem repeats.

L’intégration du milieu naturel dans l’aménagement de quartiers de banlieue : le cas du Faubourg de la Pointe-aux-Prairies, Montréal

Les nombreux exemples réussis où l’aménagement du territoire intègre des milieux naturels nous ont amenée à nous questionner sur les techniques d’intégration des milieux naturels et les outils de planification disponibles au Québec. La présente recherche porte sur le volet environnemental du projet résidentiel le Faubourg de la Pointe-aux-Prairies à Montréal (FPP) situé dans l’Arrondissement Pointe-aux-Trembles/Rivière-des-Prairies/Montréal est. Un premier objectif relié aux résultats nous a permis d’analyser le taux de succès du quartier FPP à intégrer efficacement des préoccupations environnementales concernant la mise en valeur des milieux naturels. En nous basant sur le taux de conservation, l’intégrité écologique et les témoignages des intervenants de la Ville de Montréal, nous avons déterminé que le plan d’aménagement du projet présente un bilan environnemental mitigé. Un second objectif relié aux processus nous a permis de déterminer si les outils sollicités pendant la conception et la mise en œuvre du projet ont facilité l’intégration des milieux naturels. En nous basant sur les outils d’encadrement et proactifs utilisés tout au long de la mise en oeuvre, nous avons déterminé que ceux-ci sont inadaptés à certaines situations. La non intégration des milieux protégés dans les outils de planification, la destruction des milieux aquatiques avec l’accord du Ministère de l’environnement (MDDEP), le manque de vérification des ententes lors de l’attribution des certificats d’autorisation, l'absence de protection des milieux naturels terrestres et la difficulté d’évaluer les bénéfices économiques de l’intégration de la nature ont été les défis majeurs observés.

Thermohaline variability in the upper layers of the Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea is an area of complex air-sea interaction processes with seasonal reversing monsoons. The associated thermohaline variability in the upper layers appears to control the large scale monsoon flow which is not yet completely understood. The variability in the thermohaline fields is known to occur in temporal domain ranging from intra-diurnal to inter-annual time scales and on spatial domains of few tens of kilometers to few thousands of kilometers. In the Arabian Sea though the surface temperature was routinely measured by both conventional measurements and satellites, the corresponding information on the subsurface thermohaline field is very sparse due to the lack cw adequate measurements. In such cases the numerical models offer promise in providing information on the subsurface features given an initial thermohaline field and surface heat flux boundary conditions. This thesis is an outcome of investigations carried out on the various aspects of the thermohaline variability on different time scales. In addition to the description of the mean annual cycle. the one dimensional numerical models of Miller (1976) and Price et a1 (1986) are utilised to simulate the observed mixed layer characteristics at selected locations in the Arabian Sea on time scales ranging from intra-diurnal to synoptic scales under variable atmospheric forcing.

Drastic variation in the surface boundary layer parameters over Cochin during the annular solar eclipse: Analysis using sonic anemometer data

Atmospheric surface boundary layer parameters vary anomalously in response to the occurrence of annular solar eclipse on 15th January 2010 over Cochin. It was the longest annular solar eclipse occurred over South India with high intensity. As it occurred during the noon hours, it is considered to be much more significant because of its effects in all the regions of atmosphere including ionosphere. Since the insolation is the main driving factor responsible for the anomalous changes occurred in the surface layer due to annular solar eclipse, occurred on 15th January 2010, that played very important role in understanding dynamics of the atmosphere during the eclipse period because of its coincidence with the noon time. The Sonic anemometer is able to give data of zonal, meridional and vertical wind as well as the air temperature at a temporal resolution of 1 s. Different surface boundary layer parameters and turbulent fluxes were computed by the application of eddy correlation technique using the high resolution station data. The surface boundary layer parameters that are computed using the sonic anemometer data during the period are momentum flux, sensible heat flux, turbulent kinetic energy, frictional velocity (u*), variance of temperature, variances of u, v and w wind. In order to compare the results, a control run has been done using the data of previous day as well as next day. It is noted that over the specified time period of annular solar eclipse, all the above stated surface boundary layer parameters vary anomalously when compared with the control run. From the observations we could note that momentum flux was 0.1 Nm 2 instead of the mean value 0.2 Nm-2 when there was eclipse. Sensible heat flux anomalously decreases to 50 Nm 2 instead of the mean value 200 Nm 2 at the time of solar eclipse. The turbulent kinetic energy decreases to 0.2 m2s 2 from the mean value 1 m2s 2. The frictional velocity value decreases to 0.05 ms 1 instead of the mean value 0.2 ms 1. The present study aimed at understanding the dynamics of surface layer in response to the annular solar eclipse over a tropical coastal station, occurred during the noon hours. Key words: annular solar eclipse, surface boundary layer, sonic anemometer