Vital Effects Research Articles

Genome-wide identification and analysis of the molecular evolution and expression of type-A response regulator genes in Populus deltoids

Cytokinins have vital effects on various plant development-related processes. Type-A response regulators (RRs) are among the most important regulators in the cytokinin signaling pathway. Specifically, RR genes are the primary cytokinin-responsive genes, encode negative regulators of cytokinin signaling. Similar sex-determining mechanisms involving a type-A RR homolog have recently been identified in sister genera Populus and Salix. Here, we aimed to identify and characterize type-A RR gene family members in Populus deltoides. On the basis of the conserved receiver domain and phylogenetic analysis, we identified 9, 11, and 14 type-A RR genes were identified in P. deltoides, Populus trichocarpa, and Salix suchowensis, respectively. The exon-intron organization and chromosomal locations of these genes in P. deltoides as well as the characteristics of the encoded proteins were analyzed in detail. Gene duplication events, molecular evolution, and phylogenetic relationships were analyzed for all identified type-A RR genes along with 10 Arabidopsis thaliana homologs. These results indicated that the expansion of the type-A RR gene family was primarily due to whole-genome and segmental duplication events. The collinear type-A ARR pairs in A. thaliana were all derived from the α-whole-genome duplication (WGD) event, whereas those in the three Salicaceae species were divided into two groups, one comprising 10 pairs derived from the p-WGD event and the other consisting of 11 pairs derived from the γ-WGD event or a more ancient duplication event. All of the duplicated paralogous gene pairs had undergone purifying selection. Although different type-A RR paralogs experienced different selection pressures, convergent evolution was detected within the receiver domain-encoding sequence, indicative of the importance of this domain for the phosphorelay-related function of the encoded proteins. Three type-A RR genes (PdRR9, PtRR11, and SsRR12) associated with sex determination in Salicaceae species formed a small subclade that lacked A. thaliana counterparts. Evaluation of gene expression in vegetative tissues and at different floral developmental stages in P. deltoides revealed the specific spatiotemporal expression of each PdRR gene, with two (PdRR8 and PdRR9) of the nine PdRR genes exhibiting the opposite sex-biased expression patterns. Diverse expression levels were detected between all eight paralogous PdRR pairs. These findings support future research to elucidate the functional divergence of type-A RR genes.

SDF-1α Promotes Chondrocyte Autophagy through CXCR4/mTOR Signaling Axis.

SDF-1α, the most common isoform of stromal cell-derived factor 1, has shown vital effects in regulating chondrocyte proliferation, maturation, and chondrogenesis. Autophagy is a highly conserved biological process to help chondrocytes survive in harsh environments. However, the effect of SDF-1α on chondrocyte autophagy is still unknown. This study aims to investigate the effect of SDF-1α on chondrocyte autophagy and the underlying biomechanism. Transmission electron microscope assays and mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus double label transfection assays were performed to detect the autophagic flux of chondrocytes. Western blots and immunofluorescence staining assays were used to detect the expression of autophagy-related proteins in chondrocytes. RNA sequencing and qPCR were conducted to assess changes in autophagy-related mRNA expression. SDF-1α upregulated the number of autophagosomes and autolysosomes in chondrocytes. It also increased the expression of autophagy-related proteins including ULK-1, Beclin-1 and LC3B, and decreased the expression of p62, an autophagy substrate protein. SDF-1α-mediated autophagy of chondrocytes required the participation of receptor CXCR4. Moreover, SDF-1α-enhanced autophagy of chondrocytes was through the inhibition of phosphorylation of mTOR signaling on the upstream of autophagy. Knockdown by siRNA and inhibition by signaling inhibitor further confirmed the importance of the CXCR4/mTOR signaling axis in SDF-1α-induced autophagy of chondrocytes. For the first time, this study elucidated that SDF-1α promotes chondrocyte autophagy through the CXCR4/mTOR signaling axis.

Effects of the surface chemical groups of cellulose nanocrystals on the vulcanization and mechanical properties of natural rubber/cellulose nanocrystals nanocomposites

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), as the promising reinforcing fillers in the rubber industry, their surface chemical groups have vital effects on the vulcanization kinetics, cross-linking densities, and mechanical properties of rubber composites. Herein, CNCs with acidic carboxyl (CCA) and alkaline amino groups (CCP) were produced by modifying the sulfonic CNCs (CCS) in environment-friendly ways. Studies found the CCS and CCA with acid groups have obvious inhibiting effects on the vulcanization of natural rubber (NR), while CCP with alkaline amino groups accelerates the vulcanization of NR. Differential scanning calorimeter, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Electron paramagnetic resonance, etc. were performed to clarify the effecting mechanisms of CNCs surface groups on NR vulcanization. It was found that NR/CCS and NR/CCA nanocomposites vulcanize through radical reactions, and the surface acidic groups of CCS and CCA, i.e., hydroxyl, sulfonate, and carboxyl groups inactivate the sulfur radicals generated during vulcanization and depress the vulcanization activity. The amino groups of the polyethyleneimine of CCP promote the ring opening of sulfur (S8) or the breaking of polysulfide bonds connected to NR molecular chains to form sulfur anion with a strong nucleophilic ability, which leads to the cross-linking of NR/CCP reacts via ionic reaction mainly. The vulcanization rate and cross-linking density of NR/CCP are improved by the ionic reaction. And benefiting from the higher cross-linking density and the reinforcement of CCP, NR/CCP had the best physical and mechanical properties. Our work elucidates the mechanism of the surface chemical groups of CNCs affecting NR vulcanization and may provide ideas for the preparation of high-performance rubber composites reinforced by CNCs.

Re-examining money demand function for South Asian economies

This study explores the stability of the money demand function in South Asia using the cash-in-advance theory of cointegrated monetary predictors. Due to the stationarity of the variables, the study employs CS-ARDL (cross-sectional augmented autoregressive distributed lags), and the ARDL models for panel and country-specific analysis, respectively. The short- and long-term elasticities disclose robust and significant statistical evidence of a nexus between the real monetary aggregate and the predictors, in the panel and across South Asia. The findings also reveal that real income, the real exchange rate, and foreign interest rates positively influence the real monetary aggregate, whereas the domestic interest rate and the inflation rate have contractionary effects. Besides, the results indicate that the money demand function is stable in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, and the Maldives, while the findings support only partial stability in Afghanistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The findings suggest that South Asian countries make significant allowance for the vital substitutional effects of currency on domestic holdings when articulating monetary policies. It also suggests that South Asian countries may need to build stronger coordination with respect to their monetary attempts as a “regional bloc” rather than autonomous monetary policies.

The PhanSST global database of Phanerozoic sea surface temperature proxy data

Paleotemperature proxy data form the cornerstone of paleoclimate research and are integral to understanding the evolution of the Earth system across the Phanerozoic Eon. Here, we present PhanSST, a database containing over 150,000 data points from five proxy systems that can be used to estimate past sea surface temperature. The geochemical data have a near-global spatial distribution and temporally span most of the Phanerozoic. Each proxy value is associated with consistent and queryable metadata fields, including information about the location, age, and taxonomy of the organism from which the data derive. To promote transparency and reproducibility, we include all available published data, regardless of interpreted preservation state or vital effects. However, we also provide expert-assigned diagenetic assessments, ecological and environmental flags, and other proxy-specific fields, which facilitate informed and responsible reuse of the database. The data are quality control checked and the foraminiferal taxonomy has been updated. PhanSST will serve as a valuable resource to the paleoclimate community and has myriad applications, including evolutionary, geochemical, diagenetic, and proxy calibration studies.

Coherent tracer correlations in deep-sea corals and implications for biomineralization mechanisms underlying vital effects

Deep-sea corals are a useful archive of thermocline, intermediate, and deep waters in past oceans. However, application of traditional oceanographic tracers to deep-sea corals remains a challenge due to our insufficient understanding of their “vital effects”. Deep-sea corals are ideal test organisms to study the mechanism underlying vital effects generally, due to the large tracer gradients in individual corals living under relatively constant environmental conditions. Lessons learned from these corals might apply to other scleractinia and to marine calcifiers more generally. Here we present stable isotope, minor and trace metal (Me/Ca ratios) data in a suite of modern Desmophyllum dianthus specimens, collected over multiple spatial scales in individual corals (bulk, micromill, SIMS, NanoSIMS), with multi-proxy analyses made on the same material whenever possible. Spatially coherent Me/Ca correlations are observed in the fibrous aragonite of individual corals, including positive correlations between Mg/Ca, Li/Ca and B/Ca, as well as negative correlations between Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca, consistent with previous studies. We also for the first time document strong correlations between the isotopic (δ18O and δ13C) and elemental compositions of the skeletons, most notably a negative correlation between δ18O and Mg/Ca. The centers of calcification (COCs) in the coral skeletons show distinct tracer correlations from the aragonite fibers that possibly reflect a more complicated formation mechanism. We interpret the spatially coherent tracer correlations in deep-sea corals with a numerical model of coral calcification previously developed for stable isotopes that considers the role of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase in the calcification processs. With the carbonate chemistry in the model constrained by the stable isotope data, we are able to explain the observed Me/Ca correlations as well as their range of variability, as a result of internal pH elevation in the extracellular calcifying fluid (ECF) of the corals with limited Ca-pumping through the calicoblastic membrane. In particular, the positive Mg/Ca–B/Ca correlation in the fibrous aragonite suggests a borate (B(OH)4–) substitution for carbonate ion (CO32–) incorporation mechanism in biogenic aragonite. We also suggest the growth rate dependence of the incorporation of minor and trace elements based conceptually on an ion-by-ion growth model may help explain the absolute Me/Ca values in biogenic aragonites. Finally, we generally find more limited tracer variability in corals from undersaturated seawater compared to their counterparts from supersaturated conditions, suggesting a limit to their internal pH elevation in response to this environmental stress. Understanding the biomineralization mechanisms underlying the vital effects is important for better use of these tracers for paleoceanographic applications, and may shed light on the response of marine calcification to future ocean acidification.

Building Stronger Brand Evangelism for Sustainable Marketing through Micro-Influencer-Generated Content on Instagram in the Fashion Industry

Micro-influencers have become powerful sources of information for consumers in the digital age. Marketers have strategically collaborated with micro-influencers as brand endorsers to generate valuable content, which attract the consumers and encourage them to engage with micro-influencers, leading to brand evangelism. This reflects the sustainable consumer-brand relationships. In Southeast Asia, Instagram stands out as the preferred choice for fashion influencers for sharing product information and boosting consumer engagement. The current study is the first one incorporating literature-based frameworks, consisting of consumer-based digital content marketing, information relevance theory, observational learning theory, consumer-influencer engagement behavior, and brand evangelism, into a unified framework to deal with the research gaps. The quantitative method was applied through using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The SmartPLS v. 3.3.9 software application was applied to explore the proposed model. The data were acquired from 499 Thai consumers who have followed and engaged the content with fashion micro-influencers on Instagram. The results revealed that the positive effect of topicality of content is the strongest antecedent that motivates consumer-influencer engagement, while novelty, understandability, reliability, interestingness, and influencers’ authenticity of content also have a positive influence on consumer-influencer engagement. Finally, the findings showed that consumer-influencer engagement have vital effects on brand evangelism.

Can element chemical impurities in aragonitic shells of marine bivalves serve as proxies for environmental variability?

In many biogenic and geogenic materials, ion impurities can provide serviceable proxies for environmental conditions. However, the element/Ca ratios of bivalve shells are notoriously challenging to interpret. Due to strong vital effects, nonclassical nucleation and growth mechanisms, and/or kinetic processes, the concentration of trace and minor elements in marine shells typically remains below values observed in inorganic CaCO3 precipitated from a solution resembling seawater chemistry but above those expected for thermodynamic equilibrium. The interpretation is further complicated by non-lattice bound and microstructure-specific element content. If environmental conditions were still encoded in the shells, they should result in statistically significantly reproducible element/Ca chronologies between contemporaneous specimens from the same site. Here, we tested this hypothesis and exemplarily studied seven elements in twelve modern specimens of Arctica islandica collected from four different localities in the North Atlantic (Faroe Islands, NE Iceland, Isle of Man, Gulf of Maine). Age-detrended chronologies of weighted annual B, Mg, Sr and Ba/Ca ratios (Al, Zn and Pb largely remained below detection limit) measured in the shells were reproducible between most specimens from the same site, supporting the hypothesis that the incorporation of these elements was at least partly controlled by environmental forcings. Notably, the agreement (explored with linear regression analyses and sign tests) between shell element/Ca ratios and environmental quantities was weaker than the agreement of respective element/Ca ratios between specimens suggesting that the available information on temperature, food and water chemistry did not properly reflect the in-situ conditions to which the bivalves were exposed or other extrinsic factors were at work. As in inorganic aragonite – but in contrast to thermodynamic expectations –, annual Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca and B/Ca ratios were negatively correlated to water temperature (up to 40% explained variability). The link between Ba/Ca and bulk phytoplankton often remained below the significance threshold, but was otherwise positive. Quantitative environmental reconstructions based on ion impurities in bivalve shells will remain challenging or impossible unless the chemistry of the parent solution (= extrapallial fluid) from which the shell actually formed is known, including temporal changes thereof. This information is crucial to compute representative partition coefficients required to calibrate transfer functions.

On the combination of the planktonic foraminiferal Mg/Ca, clumped (Δ47) and conventional (δ18O) stable isotope paleothermometers in palaeoceanographic studies

Assuming that foraminiferal clumped isotope (Δ47) values are independent of seawater salinity and pH, the combination of Mg/Ca, δ18O and Δ47 values, may in theory allow us to disentangle the temperature, salinity/δ18Osw and pH signals. Here, we present a new Mg/Ca-Δ47 dataset for modern planktonic foraminifera, from various oceanographic basins and covering a large range of temperatures (from 0.2 to 25.4 °C). These measurements were performed on the same samples and species as the ones used for the foraminiferal Δ47 calibration of Peral et al. (2018), allowing comparison between both Mg/Ca and Δ47 paleothermometers (excluding the two benthic foraminiferal data points). There is a good agreement between these two paleothermometers when the Mg/Ca-temperature is corrected for seawater salinity and pH, suggesting that foraminiferal Δ47 may not be influenced by salinity or pH. However, our results show that Δ47 temperature uncertainties still limit our ability to reconstruct pH and δ18Osw from the combination of Mg/Ca, δ18O and Δ47 in a useful manner. We also find that disagreements between Mg/Ca and Δ47 values in G. bulloides persist after correction for vital, salinity and pH effects, suggesting that other process(es) may also influence Mg/Ca in this species.This study also provides an updated I-CDES version of the previously published planktonic and benthic foraminiferal Δ47 calibration of Peral et al. (2018), covering a range of temperature from −2 to 25.4 °C.

Stable Isotopic Variability in Individual Benthic Foraminifera from the Continental Shelf of Tropical Brazil

ABSTRACT We analyzed nine benthic foraminiferal species from the Açu Reef belonging to the orders Rotaliida and Miliolida, symbiont-bearing (Rotaliida: Amphistegina gibbosa, Heterostegina depressa; Miliolida: Peneroplis carinatus, Archaias angulatus, Amphisorus hemprichii, and Archaias compressus) and symbiont-barren (Rotaliida: Buccella peruviana, Pseudononion atlanticum; Miliolida: Quinqueloculina lamarckiana). Stable isotopes measured on individual tests display a large intraspecific variability (δ18O: ∼1–1.5‰; δ13C: ∼2–3.5‰) that is not associated with site location, sampling season, or water depth. Positive correlation between δ13C and δ18O values is significant in three of the species (A. gibbosa, B. peruviana, and Q. lamarckiana), with a regression slope similar to other marine calcifiers (∼2‰ δ13C/‰ δ18O), perhaps related to the carbonate chemistry of the calcifying fluid. With the exception of A. gibbosa, offsets from δ18O equilibrium, when distinct, tend to be positive. Offsets from δ13C of ΣCO2 of sea water are negative for two of the rotaliids (A. gibbosa and H. depressa) and positive for three of the miliolids (P. carinatus, A. angulatus, A. hemprichii), with non-symbiont-bearing species of both orders being close to the sea water values (∼ 1.3–2‰). These δ13C differences are consistent with calcification pathways of rotaliids versus miliolids, with the former drawing carbon from an internal pool and the latter from ambient seawater. Our study contributes a large data set that illustrates the importance of vital and abiotic effects on the stable isotopic composition of large benthic foraminifera in a tropical continental shelf, limiting their applicability as paleoenvironmental tracers.

Role of Interleukin-1 family in bone metastasis of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most fatal diseases in male patients with high bone metastatic potential. Bone metastasis severely shortens overall survival and brings skeletal-related events (SREs) which reduces the life quality of patients, and this situation is currently regarded as irreversible and incurable. The progression and metastasis of PCa are found to be closely associated with inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. As pivotal members of inflammatory cytokines, Interleukin-1 (IL-1) family plays a crucial role in this process. Elevated expression of IL-1 family was detected in PCa patients with bone metastasis, and accumulating evidences proved that IL-1 family could exert vital effects on the progression and bone metastasis of many cancers, while some members have dual effects. In this review, we discuss the role of IL-1 family in the bone metastasis of PCa. Furthermore, we demonstrate that many members of IL-1 family could act as pivotal biomarkers to predict the clinical stage and prognosis of PCa patients. More importantly, we have elucidated the role of IL-1 family in the bone metastasis of PCa, which could provide potential targets for the treatment of PCa bone metastasis and probable directions for future research.

Oxygen and carbon isotope variations in Chamelea gallina shells: Environmental influences and vital effects.

Stable isotopes in mollusc shells, together with variable growth rates and other geochemical properties, can register different environmental clues, including seawater temperature, salinity and primary productivity. However, the strict biological control over the construction of biominerals exerted by many calcifying organisms can constrain the use of these organisms for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Biologically controlled calcification is responsible for the so called vital effects that cause a departure from isotopic equilibrium during shell formation, resulting in lower shell oxygen and carbon compared to the equilibrium value. We investigated shell oxygen and carbon isotopic composition of the bivalve Chamelea gallina in six sites along with a latitudinal gradient on the Adriatic Sea (NE Mediterranean Sea). Seawater δ18 O and δ13 CDIC varied from North to South, reflecting variations in seawater temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll concentration among sites. Shell δ18 O and δ13 C differed among sites and exhibited a wide range of values along with the ~400 km latitudinal gradient, away from isotopic equilibrium for both isotopes. These results hampered the utilization of this bivalve as a proxy for environmental reconstructions, in spite of C.gallina showing promise as a warm temperature proxy. Rigorous calibration studies with a precise insight of environment and shell growth are crucial prior to considering this bivalve as a reliable paleoclimatic archive.

238U, 235U and 234U in seawater and deep-sea corals: A high-precision reappraisal

Uranium isotope ratios are widely utilized in paleoceanography. The 238U/235U ratio (expressed as δ238U) is leveraged as a proxy for the areal extent of anoxic seafloor, and the 234U/238U ratio (expressed as δ234Usec) tracks riverine and estuarine inputs to the ocean, in addition to featuring prominently in U-series geochronology. Both of these ratios are thought to be recorded by biological carbonates precipitating from seawater, with corals serving as one of the most commonly-used archives of seawater U isotope ratios in the past. The utility of the U isotope proxy in biological carbonate archives relies not only on this faithful archiving of ambient seawater signatures, but also on the homogeneity of the seawater U isotope composition, which enables samples to be leveraged as proxy for the entire ocean.Here we revisit the foundational assumption of homogeneity of the marine U reservoir, and the capacity of deep-sea corals to record the U isotopic composition of ambient seawater. We begin by evaluating the analytical limits of precision and accuracy achievable for both δ238U and δ234Usec analysis by MC-ICP-MS. We then report data for 45 seawater and 26 deep-sea coral samples from multiple sites around the world. We find subtle δ238U and δ234Usec heterogeneity that correlates with U concentrations, which allows us to calculate new salinity-normalized global mean seawater values for δ238U (−0.379 ± 0.023 ‰) and δ234Usec (+145.55 ± 0.28 ‰). At each site, biological carbonates act as precise archives of the seawater δ238U value. The same is true for δ234Usec, with a few exceptions where samples appear to show vital effects that cause intra-sample 234U/238U re-partitioning. In sum, these observations support deep-sea corals as a robust archive of seawater U isotope ratios, but highlight the importance of utilizing multiple sample sites and replicate analyses to overcome coral vital effects (for δ234Usec) and subtle marine U isotopic heterogeneity.

Variation of the Urban Heat Island Intensity over One Year in Putrajaya, Malaysia

This research was conducted to evaluate the variation of the urban heat island (UHI) effects in the planned city of Putrajaya over one year. Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia, is known for its meticulous town planning. The main observations are temperature variation, the changes in wind speed, percentage of relative humidity, and subsequently, the intensity of UHI in the research area. Putrajaya Corporation Complex Precinct 3 (P3) and Precinct 9 (P9) are located in the central business district (CBD) and residential areas respectively. These two places are representatives of UHI's effects on CBD and residential areas. Ultrasonic anemometers which measure 3 components of wind velocities and temperature were employed to analyse temperature and wind patterns. The result indicates the city experienced high temperatures during the day causing human heat stress and discomfort. The UHI intensities of the city are within the range of temperature differences 2 to 3 °C. Land surface cover and numbers of the population are the vital effects of the UHI. Thus, strategies to reduce the existing high air and surface temperature are required in the future.

Levetiracetam "Narrative Review of Neuropsychiatric Issues"

Introduction
 Levetiracetam, an anti-epileptic drug, is usually used as an adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalization. In this article, various neuropsychiatric effects of Levetiracetam are investigated.
 Methods
 The following databases were searched: PUBMED, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Embase, ProQuest, and Science Direct. The articles searched in the mentioned databases were from 2003 to 2021. Ninety-nine articles were selected, fifteen articles such as case reports and letters to the editor were removed due to low scientific credibility, and eighty-four articles were selected. Due to the small number of articles, articles in the form of case reports and letters to the editor were also used to write about mania.
 Results
 Case reports showed that some cases of behavioral disorders, aggression, and depression had been observed following the use of Levetiracetam. In this study, various evidence were collected to determine the performance of Levetiracetam and to what extent it can have important and vital side effects. This drug can strengthen suicidal thoughts and aggression in consuming patients, especially the patients with other underlying diseases.
 Conclusion
 According to the side effects mentioned for Levetiracetam, it is suggested that psychiatrists and neurologists pay more attention to these side effects when prescribing.

Role of selenite on the nitrogen conservation and greenhouse gases mitigation during the goat manure composting process.

This study aimed to explore the roles of selenite (Se) on nitrogen conservation and greenhouse gases (GHGs) mitigation during the composting process. Six levels of Se(IV) dosages (i.e. 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mg/kg) were examined for 80-day composting of goat manure and wheat straw mixtures, where the different blending proportions were marked as T1 (Control), T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively. The results showed that adding Se(IV) was beneficial for reducing NH3 by 3.50-42.41% by buffering pH and promoting nitrification. For N2O, it showed different responses to different Se(IV) dosages, and it was increased by 29.62-71.29% in T2-T4 but reduced by 30.45-69.54% in T5-T6. Methane (CH4), another main component of GHGs, was increased by 1.35-107.42% by adding 2-10 mg/kg Se(IV). To further evaluate the effect of Se(IV) on GHGs, global warming potential value was calculated, which was 103.32-499.80 and minimum value was in T5. Furthermore, the physicochemical indexes, especially temperature and OM, had vital effects on microbial community. Overall, the results obtained from this study demonstrated that the application of Se (IV) in composting was reasonable to generate Se-rich organic fertilizer, and the 8 mg/kg was suggested from perspectives of nitrogen conservation and GHGs reduction.

Benthic studies adjacent to Sakhalin Island, Russia, 2015 I: benthic biomass and community structure in the nearshore gray whale feeding area

Okhotsk or western gray whales feed in summer along the northeastern coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia, a region with oil and gas extraction facilities. Seismic surveys increased sound levels in the nearshore feeding area in 2015 for part of the summer, potentially displacing whales from preferred foraging habitat or reducing foraging efficiency. Since lost foraging opportunities might lead to vital rate effects on this endangered species, detailed benthic surveys were conducted to characterize benthic community biomass patterns and spatial and temporal differences. Benthic biomass demonstrated strong spatial–temporal interactions indicating that prey biomass differences among locations were dependent on sampling period. Of greatest interest, Amphipoda biomass declined from June to October in the northern and southern portions of the nearshore study area but increased in the middle and Actinopterygii biomass increased in the northern area in mid-summer. Water depth and sediment type were significant covariates with community structure, and water depth strongly covaried with bivalve biomass. Total average prey biomass was ~ 100 g/m2 within the nearshore feeding area with no evidence of reduced biomass among sampling periods or locations, although there were fewer amphipods in the south. Multi-prey investigations provide a stronger basis for inferences than single-prey studies of amphipods when gray whales feed on diverse prey. Benthic community-level variability was moderate to high as would be expected for a shallow-water nearshore area. Overall, spatial and temporal changes in dominant macrofauna biomass reflected small to medium-sized effects that were well within the natural boundaries expected for benthic communities.

Evaluation of shallow-water corals and associated carbonate sediments as seawater Ba isotope archives in the South China Sea

Barium isotopes (δ138Ba) obtained in carbonates have a great potential for reconstructing past changes in marine productivity and associated biogeochemical cycling. Although coral skeletons and inorganic carbonates have been used as archives for seawater Ba isotopes, few studies have investigated other confounding factors that influence Ba isotope fractionation (e.g., vital effects and carbonate mineralogy), hindering their use as paleo-proxies. In this paper, we report Ba isotope data for multi-species corals, including paired sets of living and fossil coral skeletons in the inner shelf (Paipu Reef, Hainan Island) and the open-sea (Jiuzhang Reef corals) in the South China Sea (SCS). We also present Ba isotope datasets of bulk carbonate sediments from two shallow-water drill cores (A and B) in the Jiuzhang Reefs, SCS. The δ138Ba data for the Paipu Reef corals have a relatively narrow range of values (0.12‰ to 0.21‰, mean 0.17 ± 0.06‰; 2 SD, n = 8) regardless of living and fossil coral skeletons. The corals of Jiuzhang Reef show a relatively consistent δ138Ba value (0.30 ± 0.04‰; 2 SD, n = 4). The coral skeletal δ138Ba values show no significant differences across multiple species within the individual colony, which suggests that vital effects do not affect coral δ138Ba records. These findings, together with the fact that a relatively constant δ138Ba offset exists between coral skeletons and seawater, indicate that coral skeletons may be reliable archives for past seawater δ138Ba. All bulk carbonate sediment samples yield constant δ138Ba values of 0.38 ± 0.04‰ (2 SD, n = 30) with a fairly consistent deviation (Δ138Babulk_carb-sw = −0.21 ± 0.04‰) from the reported typical surface seawater of SCS. In addition, mass balance calculation suggests that Ba isotope fractionation between inorganic High-Mg calcite (HMC) and seawater is derived to be Δ138BaHMC-sw = −0.13 ± 0.12‰, exhibiting a difference less than Δ138Baaragonite-sw = −0.28 ± 0.04‰ in aragonite precipitation. Our findings suggest that shallow-water carbonates are reliable archives of past seawater δ138Ba when considering Ba isotope deviations during marine carbonate deposition.

The Effects of Tamoxifen on Tolerogenic Cells in Cancer.

Simple SummaryTamoxifen is a very well-known hormonal therapy used to treat breast cancer patients. It works by blocking the effects of estrogen in breast tissue by competing with estradiol (E2) in the receptor site and binding to DNA to inhibit carcinogenesis. Moreover, it is less clarified that TAM is also involved indirectly via a Foxp3 knockout model through the CreER system to target specific immune checkpoints, especially checkpoints arising in cancer therapy. The suppressive function of tolerogenic cells is very important in the TME. Hence, in our study, we observed the effects of TAM on Tregs, in which it is involved indirectly via the CreER system. In addition, we also review the effects of TAM on other cells, which are MDSCs and DCs, that act by bridging the innate and adaptive immune systems.Tamoxifen (TAM) is the most prescribed selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) to treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer patients and has been used for more than 20 years. Its role as a hormone therapy is well established; however, the potential role in modulating tolerogenic cells needs to be better clarified. Infiltrating tumor-microenvironment-regulatory T cells (TME-Tregs) are important as they serve a suppressive function through the transcription factor Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3). Abundant studies have suggested that Foxp3 regulates the expression of several genes (CTLA-4, PD-1, LAG-3, TIM-3, TIGIT, TNFR2) involved in carcinogenesis to utilize its tumor suppressor function through knockout models. TAM is indirectly concomitant via the Cre/loxP system by allowing nuclear translocation of the fusion protein, excision of the floxed STOP cassette and heritable expression of encoding fluorescent protein in a cohort of cells that express Foxp3. Moreover, TAM administration in breast cancer treatment has shown its effects directly through MDSCs by the enrichment of its leukocyte populations, such as NK and NKT cells, while it impairs the differentiation and activation of DCs. However, the fundamental mechanisms of the reduction of this pool by TAM are unknown. Here, we review the vital effects of TAM on Tregs for a precise mechanistic understanding of cancer immunotherapies.

Palaeoecological implications of stable isotope analyses of late Valanginian ammonites from central Poland

Analyses of δ18O and δ13C of original shells of late Valanginian (verrucosum to triptychoides ammonite zones) ammonites preserved in clay at localities in central Poland, and of some Berriasian samples from well cores have been carried out for the first time. Analyses of carbon stable isotope composition have revealed diverse values, representing vital effects rather than recording the palaeoenvironment. In turn, analyses of oxygen stable isotope composition in samples from the verrucosum and triptychoides ammonite zones clearly indicates the connection between particular species and stable isotope ratios, and thus palaeotemperature. The interpretation of ammonite palaeoecology in the present paper is based on estimated palaeotemperatures and supports other interpretations of ammonite behaviour, mainly based on functional morphology of shells. There are two main groups of ammonites associated with lower and higher temperatures. The first group of δ18 O values indicates lower palaeotemperatures. Genera analysed include Bochianites, Dichotomites and Prodichotomites; a nekto-benthic (demersal) habitat is suggested for these. The second group, characterised by higher palaeotemperatures, includes Saynoceras, Valanginites and Olcostephanus, with a suggested nektonic (or planktic) habitat (free-floating), Neohoploceras and Neocomites with a suggested nektonic habitat (free-swimming) and a seasonal migration from warmer (Tethys) to cooler waters of the Polish Basin or lived in the Polish Basin for several summer and winter seasons. Co-occurring bivalves, echinoid spines and scaphopods were analysed for comparison with results obtained from ammonites for a better overview of the palaeoenvironment. The estimated palaeotemperatures for the Polish Basin are between 12 and 13 °C (at the sea floor) to 21–24 °C (in the upper water column), while for the Tethys or summer surface waters of the Polish basin, these were in the range of 26–30 °C.