Knowles, Tanya
Taylor, Paul D.
Williams, Mark
Haywood, Alan M.
Okamura, Beth
Previous studies have shown an inverse correlation between zooid size in cheilostome bryozoans and ambient water temperature. This relationship underlies the MART technique which uses intracolonial variation in zooid size to predict mean annual range in temperature experienced by bryozoan colonies during their life. Here we apply the MART technique to study Early and Mid Pliocene bryozoans from Central America (Panama, Costa Rica), the USA (Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia) and the UK (Suffolk) to reconstruct palaeoseasonality across a range of latitudes for the North Atlantic during the Pliocene Epoch. Compared to the present-day, our analyses suggest greater seasonality (ca 4.5 degrees C) in the southern Caribbean at the time of Cayo Agua Formation deposition (ca 4.25 Ma), in keeping with inferred upwelling prior to the closure of the isthmian barrier at 2.7 Ma. Bryozoans also indicate seasonal upwelling on the Gulf Coast of Florida in a similar manner to the present-day. Because upwelling can be highly localised and prone to spatial and temporal variation in the Gulf of Mexico today, it contributes little to a broad understanding of Pliocene North Atlantic waters. However, MART estimates for the coastal plain region indicate a general reduction in the annual range in temperature relative to the present, suggesting that the colder surface waters that today reach south to Cape Hatteras had less influence in Early to Mid Pliocene times. These results, along with evidence from other proxies, strongly support reduced seasonality and warmer conditions along the eastern seaboard of the USA in the Early to Mid Pliocene. Finally, the MART estimates amongst Coralline Crag localities provide evidence for an increased annual range in temperature in the southern North Sea than at present. Our study shows that bryozoan MART estimates provide a powerful, independent proxy for palaeoseasonality and is the first to demonstrate that the MART technique can be applied to infer palaeoclimates across a wide range of latitudes focusing on a variety of geological formations and geographical regions. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Xiao, Hua
Rodrigues, Richard R.
Bonierbale, Merideth
Veilleux, Richard
Williams, Mark
Iron (Fe) is a crucial nutrient for plant growth (e.g. chlorophyll production), and though it is one of the most abundant elements in soil, very low bioavailability can limit plant growth. Studies indicate that many soil bacteria and fungi (e.g. mycorrhizal) play a role in Fe nutrient cycling and plant production, but the evidence for fungal support of plant growth is overwhelmingly correlative and in need of experimental corroboration. An Andean native potato landrace was grown in a greenhouse under Fe limitation and using three levels (Low, Medium, High) of foliar fertilization (FeEDDHA). Application occurred at 45, 60 and 70 days of growth corresponding to periods where Fe limitation is expected to be greatest. The rhizosphere soils were sampled at the flowering stage (80 days). Soil bacterial and fungal communities were examined using high-throughput sequencing of 16S and ITS regions of ribosomal RNA gene, respectively, followed by analysis using Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME v1.8). Multivariate data analyses showed that Fe fertilization of leaves significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the beta diversity of fungi but not bacterial communities in the rhizosphere. Using our novel approach, it was expected and confirmed that fungal communities would shift and mycorrhizal genera (Glomus) would be altered, however, the degree to which community change was observed was more than expected. Glomeromycota (-16.3%) related to the family Gigasporaceae accounted for 2.8% of OTU and were 2-3 times greater in the rhizosphere of high relative to medium and low Fe conditions. Overall, the results indicate that foliar addition of Fe influences plant Fe and resonates into the root system to affect rhizosphere fungal communities. Potato Fe status thus appears to impact potato root-fungal interactions potentially mediated through mycorrhizal fungi.
Novel and improved TRPML3 expressing cell lines and TRPML3 assays for identifying TRPML3 modulators (enhancers and blockers) by use of membrane potential, calcium sensitive and other dyes that permit detection of TRPML3 modulators by use of fluorescence detection are provided. The invention provides preferred assay conditions using specific buffers for loading such dyes and provides cell lines that express TRPML3 at basal levels sufficient to detect TRPML3 activity in the absence of induction. These assays are very reliable and sensitive and are demonstrated to identify different TRPML3 enhancers and blockers in high throughput format using FLIPR and VIPR devices.
The present invention features HCV protease inhibitors, which act by affecting the activity of the HCV protease NS3, or by preventing its activation by NS4A. The invention also features methods of use of the inhibitors of the invention in the treatment of HCV infection in a subject.
We have investigated the effects of forskolin on enterocyte membrane expression of the glucose transporters, SGLT1 and GLUT2, which are thought to be the main entry and efflux pathways for glucose, respectively. Forskolin treatment increased SGLT1 but decreased GLUT2 expression in mid and lower villus enterocytes. No change in transporter expression was noted in upper villus cells. Likewise, cyclic AMP levels were raised in mid and lower but not upper villus cells. The implications of these data for glucose transport are discussed.
Harvey, Thomas H. P.
Williams, Mark
Condon, Daniel J.
Wilby, Philip R.
Siveter, David J.
Rushton, Adrian W. A.
Leng, Melanie J.
Gabbott, Sarah E.
Three dated (U-Pb, zircon) ash beds from biostratigraphically constrained Avalonian successions of Shropshire (England) and Pembrokeshire (Wales) delimit the traditional 'Lower'-'Middle' Cambrian boundary and resolve a problematic regional correlation. In Shropshire, a date of 514.45 +/- 0.36 [0.81 including tracer calibration and U-238 decay constant errors] Ma from near the top of the Lower Comley Sandstone Formation provides a maximum age for the boundary between Cambrian Stages 3 and 4, and a date of 509.10 +/- 0.22 [0.77 including tracer calibration and U-238 decay constant errors] Ma from the basal Quarry Ridge Grits, Upper Comley Sandstone Formation, provides a minimum age for the boundary between Cambrian Stages 4 and 5 (and thus Series 2 and 3). These dates offer a calibration of early metazoan evolution by directly constraining the age of the intervening Comley Limestones, which contain diverse small shelly fossils in addition to trilobites, and also a key early occurrence of exceptional, three-dimensionally preserved arthropods. In Pembrokeshire, an ash bed from the Caerfai Bay Shales Formation dates to 519.30 +/- 0.23 [0.77 including tracer calibration and U-238 decay constant errors] Ma, equivalent to a horizon low in the Lower Comley Sandstone Formation of Shropshire, possibly around the level at which trilobites make their first local appearance.
Mannik, Peep
Maekawa, Takumi
Tanaka, Gengo
Komatsu, Toshifumi
Siveter, David
Williams, Mark
Hints, Olle
Vandenbroucke, Thijs R. A.
Conodont-bearing Ordovician and Silurian rocks have a wide geographical distribution in Japan. They are exposed on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu islands. Two recently studied samples from Gionyama, in Kyushu, yield conodont assemblages of Telychian (Distomodus sp., Apsidognathus sp. (cf. A. tuberculatus arcticus), Oulodus cf. rectangulus, Ozarkodina cf. waugoolaensis, Panderodus cf. amplicostatus) and probably the earliest Sheinwoodian (?Distomodus sp. (cf. D. staurognathoides), Ozarkodina sp., Oulodus sp., Walliserodus sp. (cf. Walliserodus sp. nov. c Mannik), Panderodus sp.) ages, providing further biostratigraphical constraints for the age of the Gionyama Formation in the Kurosegawa Terrane. Most of the conodont taxa identified have wide paleobiogeographical distribution, but probable occurrence of Oulodus rectangulus, Ozarkodina waugoolaensis, and Panderodus amplicostatus suggests a relationship between Australia, the South China paleocontinent, and the Kurosegawa Terrane of 'Proto-Japan' during the Silurian. These paleogeographic interpretations agree with the existing notions based on rugose corals.
Armstrong, Howard A.
Williams, Mark
Paris, Florentin
Zalasiewicz, Jan A.
Sabbe, Koen
Nolvak, Jaak
Challandsa, Thomas J.
Verniers, Jacques
Servais, Thomas
Our new data address the paradox of Late Ordovician glaciation under supposedly high pCO(2) (8 to 22x PAL: preindustrial atmospheric level). The paleobiogeographical distribution of chitinozoan ("mixed layer") marine zooplankton biotopes for the Hirnantian glacial maximum (440 Ma) are reconstructed and compared to those from the Sandbian (460 Ma): They demonstrate a steeper latitudinal temperature gradient and an equatorwards shift of the Polar Front through time from 55 degrees-70 degrees S to similar to 40 degrees S. These changes are comparable to those during Pleistocene interglacial-glacial cycles. In comparison with the Pleistocene, we hypothesize a significant decline in mean global temperature from the Sandbian to Hirnantian, proportional with a fall in pCO2 from a modeled Sandbian level of similar to 8x PAL to similar to 5x PAL during the Hirnantian. Our data suggest that a compression of midlatitudinal biotopes and ecospace in response to the developing glaciation was a likely cause of the end-Ordovician mass extinction.
Hauptmann, Christian
Strobel, Armin
Williams, Mark
Patel, Nitesh
Wurzer, Hannes
von Stackelberg, Tatjana
Brinkmann, Uwe
Langguth, Berthold
Tass, Peter A
PURPOSE: Primary tinnitus has a severe negative influence on the quality of life of a significant portion of the general population. Acoustic coordinated reset neuromodulation is designed to induce a long-lasting reduction of tinnitus symptoms. To test acoustic coordinated reset neuromodulation as a treatment for chronic, tonal tinnitus under real life conditions, an outpatient study "RESET Real Life" was commissioned by ANM GmbH. Herein we present the results of this study.; METHODS: In a prospective, open-label, nonrandomized, noncontrolled multicenter clinical study with 200 chronic tinnitus patients, tinnitus questionnaire TBF-12 and Global Clinical Improvement-Impression Scale (CGI-I7) are used to study the safety and efficacy of acoustic coordinated reset neuromodulation. 189 patients completed the last 12-month visit, 11 patients dropped out (8 because of nontreatment related reasons; 2 because tinnitus did not change; and 1 because tinnitus got louder).; RESULTS: Acoustic coordinated reset neuromodulation caused a statistically and clinically significant decrease in TBF-12 scores as well as in CGI-I7 after 12 months of therapy under real life conditions. There were no persistent adverse events reported that were related to the therapy.; CONCLUSION: The field study "RESET Real Life" provides evidence for safety and efficacy of acoustic coordinated reset neuromodulation in a prospective, open-label, real life setting.=20