Spectral evidence for weathered basalt as an alternative to andesite in the northern lowlands of Mars

Mineral abundances derived from the analysis of remotely sensed thermal emission data from Mars have been interpreted to indicate that the surface is composed of basalt (Surface Type 1) and andesite (Surface Type 2). The global distribution of these rock types is divided roughly along the planetary dichotomy which separates ancient, heavily cratered crust in the southern hemisphere (basalt) from younger lowland plains in the north (andesite). But the existence of such a large volume of andesite is difficult to reconcile with our present understanding of the geological evolution of Mars. Here we reinterpret martian surface rock lithologies using mineral abundances from previous work and new mineralogies derived from a spectral end-member set representing minerals common in unaltered and low-temperature aqueously altered basalts. Our results continue to indicate the dominance of unaltered basalt in the southern highlands, but reveal that the northern lowlands can be interpreted as weathered basalt as an alternative to andesite. The coincidence between locations of such altered basalt and a suggested northern ocean basin implies that lowland plains material may be composed of basalts weathered under submarine conditions or weathered basaltic sediments transported into this depocentre.     

Experimental evidence for sub-3-fs charge transfer from an aromatic adsorbate to a semiconductor

The ultrafast timescale of electron transfer processes is crucial to their role in many biological systems and technological devices. In dye-sensitized solar cells, the electron transfer from photo-excited dye molecules to nanostructured semiconductor substrates needs to be sufficiently fast to compete effectively against loss processes and thus achieve high solar energy conversion efficiencies. Time-resolved laser techniques indicate an upper limit of 20 to 100 femtoseconds for the time needed to inject an electron from a dye into a semiconductor, which corresponds to the timescale on which competing processes such as charge redistribution and intramolecular thermalization of excited states occur. Here we use resonant photoemission spectroscopy, which has previously been used to monitor electron transfer in simple systems with an order-of-magnitude improvement in time resolution, to show that electron transfer from an aromatic adsorbate to a TiO(2) semiconductor surface can occur in less than 3 fs. These results directly confirm that electronic coupling of the aromatic molecule to its substrate is sufficiently strong to suppress competing processes.     

Experimental evidence for aerobic bio-denitriflcation

Nitrate pollution of groundwater is paid more and more attention for its hazardous to environments and human health. A strain of DN11 was isolated from soil and used in the laboratory columns filled with various media for nitrate removal. The experimental results showed that DN11could reduce nitrate at different rates in different media under the aerobic condition. The mechanism for nitrate removal with DN11 is explained meanwhile.     

Effects of an Rb mutation in the mouse.

The retinoblastoma gene is mutated in several types of human cancer and is the best characterized of the tumour-suppressor genes. A mouse strain has been constructed in which one allele of Rb is disrupted. These heterozygous animals are not predisposed to retinoblastoma, but some display pituitary tumours arising from cells in which the wild-type Rb allele is absent. Embryos homozygous for the mutation die between days 14 and 15 of gestation, exhibiting neuronal cell death and defective erythropoiesis.     

Molecular evidence for new mutation at the hprt locus in Lesch-Nyhan patients

Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT; EC2.4.2.8), which functions in the metabolic salvage of purines, is encoded by an X-linked gene in man. Partial HPRT deficiencies are associated with gouty arthritis, while absence of activity results in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (L-N). L-N patients fail to reproduce and the heterozygous state appears to confer no selective advantage. Thus, Haldane's principle predicts that new mutations at the hprt locus must occur frequently in order for L-N syndrome to be maintained in the population. This constant introduction of new mutations would be expected to result in a heterogeneous collection of genetic lesions, some of which may be novel. As we report here, the mutations in the hprt gene of seven L-N patients, selected from an initial survey of 28 patients, have been characterized and all were found to be distinctly different, as predicted. The origin of one unusual mutation has been identified by analysis of DNA from four generations of family members. Further molecular analysis of the origin of new mutations at the hprt locus should aid in resolving the issue of an apparent difference in the frequency of hprt mutations in males and females.     

Experimental evidence for seismic nucleation phase

The friction experiments on macroscopically homogeneous and non-homogeneous faults were performed by using a double-shear friction rig, and the waveforms of acoustic emission and the fault slip corresponding to the stick-slip instability events were analyzed. The results indicate that there exist two types of nucleation phase for stick-slip instability of non-homogeneous faults, and one is coincident with the preslip model, the other with the cascade model. It is concluded that the seismic nucleation phase exists objectively, and its generation is related to heterogeneity of fault.``     

Experimental evidence for formation water promoting crude oil cracking to gas

Crude oil cracking to gas is the key to determining the exploration potential and strategy for deep hydrocarbon resources.Identifying the factors that affect the threshold and potential of crude oil cracking to gas as well as other possible influencing factors will provide the scientific basis for deep hydrocarbon exploration.A comparison of pyrolysis simulation experiments of crude oil,hydrous crude oil,and various water media under a constant temperature(350℃) and pressure(50 MPa) shows that water plays a large role in crude oil cracking to gas.(1) When water is added,the gas yields increase significantly,including those of alkane gases and non-hydrocarbon gases:the yield of alkane gases increases 1.8-3 times;the yields of H2 and CO2 also increase significantly.This means that water takes part in the process of crude oil cracking to gas,and supplies hydrogen.Therefore,the presence of water will dramatically enhance the potential of crude oil cracking to gas.(2) Mg2+ ions in the formation water promote the crude oil + water reaction to some extent and increase the total yield of alkane gases and the yields of both H2 and CO2 ;more interestingly,the i-C4/n-C4 and i-C5/n-C5 ratios increase significantly.This indicates that Mg2+ ions in formation water act as a catalyst,and a disproportionation reaction is involved in the crude oil + water reaction.This study helps us to understand the factors influencing crude oil cracked gas and to evaluate the hydrocarbon resources in deep sedimentary basins.     

Recurrent mutations in haemophilia A give evidence for CpG mutation hotspots

Haemophilia A is a common disorder of blood coagulation caused by a deficiency of factor VIII. It is inherited as an X-linked recessive trait, and one-third of all cases are thought to result from de novo mutations. The clinical severity of haemophilia A varies markedly among different families and a subset of the patients with severe disease develop antibodies against factor VIII, called inhibitors. Because of this heterogeneity, it is likely that many different molecular lesions result in haemophilia A. Indeed, of the nine mutations described to date, all appear to be unique changes. However in this study of 83 patients with haemophilia A we have identified two different point mutations, one in exon 18 and one in exon 22, that have recurred independently in unrelated families. Each mutation produces a nonsense codon by a change of CG to TG, and each occurred de novo on the X-chromosome donated by the maternal grandfather. These observations strongly support the view that CpG dinucleotides are mutation hotspots.     

Electron microscope evidence for an 80 A unit in collagen fibrils.

Connective tissues are composite structures containing collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycans, minerals, water and other minor components. In all cases the collagen exists predominantly in fibrillar form. The size distribution of the fibrils does, however, vary markedly with both age and the mechanical requirements of the tissue. Little is known about the mechanism of fibril formation in vivo, although some information is now available form in vitro polymerisation studies. We have now collected new and extensive electron microscope data on the size of collagen fibrils from tendon, skin, cornea and other tissues from both fetal and immature animals. The results reported here show that the diameters of the collagen fibrils thus measured lie close to a multiple of 80 A, a result which may be simply and readily interpreted in terms of the collagen microfibril and its mode of packing.     

Experimental evidence for the existence of iron-rich metal in the Earth's lower mantle

The oxidation state recorded by rocks from the Earth's upper mantle can be calculated from measurements of the distribution of Fe3+ and Fe2+ between the constituent minerals. The capacity for minerals to incorporate Fe3+ may also be a significant factor controlling the oxidation state of the mantle, and high-pressure experimental measurements of this property might provide important insights into the redox state of the more inaccessible deeper mantle. Here we show experimentally that the Fe3+ content of aluminous silicate perovskite, the dominant lower-mantle mineral, is independent of oxygen fugacity. High levels of Fe3+ are present in perovskite even when it is in chemical equilibrium with metallic iron. Silicate perovskite in the lower mantle will, therefore, have an Fe3+/total Fe ratio of at least 0.6, resulting in a whole-rock ratio of over ten times that of the upper mantle. Consequently, the lower mantle must either be enriched in Fe3+ or Fe3+ must form by the disproportionation of Fe2+ to produce Fe3+ plus iron metal. We argue that the lower mantle contains approximately 1 wt% of a metallic iron-rich alloy. The mantle's oxidation state and siderophile element budget have probably been influenced by the presence of this alloy.     

Structural evidence for dimerization-regulated activation of an integral membrane phospholipase.

Dimerization is a biological regulatory mechanism employed by both soluble and membrane proteins. However, there are few structural data on the factors that govern dimerization of membrane proteins. Outer membrane phospholipase A (OMPLA) is an integral membrane enzyme which participates in secretion of colicins in Escherichia coli. In Campilobacter and Helicobacter pylori strains, OMPLA is implied in virulence. Its activity is regulated by reversible dimerization. Here we report X-ray structures of monomeric and dimeric OMPLA from E. coli. Dimer interactions occur almost exclusively in the apolar membrane-embedded parts, with two hydrogen bonds within the hydrophobic membrane area being key interactions. Dimerization results in functional oxyanion holes and substrate-binding pockets, which are absent in monomeric OMPLA. These results provide a detailed view of activation by dimerization of a membrane protein.