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Huiqiao Pan talks to students about soybeans for a BioEYES outreach activity
February 16, 2024
Spotlight

Postdoc Spotlight: Huiqiao Pan

Patterns of blue and green sea water blooms. Colorful splash green, blue, milky turquoise waters. Aerial view diatoms phytoplankton. Ink in water. Abstract background.
February 15, 2024
Science News

New model successfully connects large-scale ecological patterns with microscopic biology

Abstract
Application of the best available science to improve quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at regional and national scales is key to climate action. Here, we present a two-decade (2000-2019) GHG (CO2, CH4, and N2O) budget for Mexico derived from multiple products. Data from the National GHG Inventory, global observations, and the scientific literature were compared to identify knowledge gaps on GHG flux dynamics and discrepancies among estimates. Total mean annual GHG emissions were estimated at 695-910 TgCO2-eq year-1 over these two decades, with 70% of the emissions attributable to CO2, 23% to CH4, and 5% to N2O (2% to other gases). When divided by sectors, we found agreement across emission estimates from various sources for fossil fuels, cattle, agriculture, and waste for all GHGs. However, considerable discrepancies were identified in the fluxes from terrestrial ecosystems. The disagreement was particularly large for the land CO2 sink, where net biome production estimations from the national inventory were double those from any other observational product. Extensive knowledge gaps exist, mainly related to aquatic systems (e.g., outgassing in rivers) and the lateral fluxes (e.g., wood trade). In addition, limited information is available on CH4 emissions from wetlands and soil CH4 consumption. We expect these results to guide future research to reduce estimation uncertainties and fill the information gaps across Mexico.
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Abstract
Understanding new mechanisms for phase transformation in carbon is of considerable interest. This study investigates on the compression conditions required to create recoverable diamond during room-temperature high-pressure compression of glassy carbon. Under non-hydrostatic compression conditions when shear is present, glassy carbon transforms into an oriented graphitic structure at similar to 45 GPa, and then forms mixed diamond and lonsdaleite nanocrystals when the pressure is higher than similar to 80 GPa. In contrast, during hydrostatic compression no significant changes in the microstructure was observed, highlighting glassy carbon's resilience under compression. Molecular dynamics modelling supports the proposed model that shear drives the phase transition mechanism and causes a temperature spike that drives crystallisation. Our work demonstrates that shear is key to high-pressure diamond formation in the absence of heating.
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Abstract
Amoeboid olivine aggregates (AOAs) are the most abundant type of refractory inclusions found in most carbonaceous chondrite groups. AOAs are thought to be genetically related to calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) and potential chondrule precursor components, although the precise physical and temporal details of AOA formation and their relationship to other chondritic components remain unclear. In this study, we measured the chromium and titanium isotopic compositions of eight AOAs from four different CV chondrites with the goal of evaluating potential genetic links between AOAs, CAIs, and chondrules. These are the first Cr and Ti isotopic data reported beyond a single AOA previously measured for Cr and a different single AOA previously measured for Ti. The results presented here show that the epsilon 54Cr and epsilon 50Ti isotopic compositions of AOAs are indistinguishable from those of CAIs, suggesting that AOAs and CAIs formed from a common region of the disk. We also demonstrate, based on the comparison of the Cr and Ti isotopic composition of AOAs to previously measured chondrules, that mixing between AOAs and an NC compositional endmember alone cannot fully explain the range of measured chondrule compositions. Although AOAs may have been important chondrule precursor components along with AOA olivine, CAIs, fragments of earlier generation chondrules, and fine-grained matrix material, this observation requires another currently unknown component to be involved in chondrule formation.
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Abstract
For over 60 years, salicylic acid (SA) has been known as a plant immune signal required for both basal and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). SA activates these immune responses by reprogramming up to 20% of the transcriptome through the function of NPR1. However, components in the NPR1-signaling hub, which appears as nuclear condensates, and the NPR1- signaling cascade remained elusive due to difficulties in studying transcriptional cofactors whose chromatin associations are often indirect and transient. To overcome this challenge, we applied TurboID to divulge the NPR1-proxiome, which detected almost all known NPR1-interactors as well as new components of transcription-related complexes. Testing of new components showed that chromatin remodeling and histone demethylation contribute to SA-induced resistance. Globally, NPR1-proxiome shares a striking similarity to GBPL3-proxiome involved in SA synthesis, except associated transcription factors (TFs), suggesting that common regulatory modules are recruited to reprogram specific transcriptomes by transcriptional cofactors, like NPR1, through binding to unique TFs. Stepwise greenCUT&RUN analyses showed that, upon SA-induction, NPR1 initiates the transcriptional cascade primarily through association with TGA TFs to induce expression of secondary TFs, predominantly WRKYs. WRKY54 and WRKY70 then play a major role in inducing immune-output genes without interacting with NPR1 at the chromatin. Moreover, a loss of NPR1 condensate formation decreases its chromatin-association and transcriptional activity, indicating the importance of condensates in organizing the NPR1- signaling hub and initiating the transcriptional cascade. This study demonstrates how combinatorial applications of TurboID and stepwise greenCUT&RUN transcend traditional genetic methods to globally map signaling hubs and transcriptional cascades.
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Abstract
We present an analysis of spectroscopic data of the cool, highly magnetic, and polluted white dwarf 2MASS J0916-4215. The atmosphere of the white dwarf is dominated by hydrogen, but numerous spectral lines of magnesium, calcium, titanium, chromium, iron, and strontium, along with Lii, Nai, Ali, and Ki lines, are found in the incomplete Paschen-Back regime, most visibly, in the case of Caii lines. Extensive new calculations of the Paschen-Back effect in several spectral lines are presented and results of the calculations are tabulated for the Caii H&K doublet. The abundance pattern shows a large lithium and strontium excess, which may be viewed as a signature of planetary debris akin to Earth's continental crust accreted on to the star, although the scarcity of silicon indicates possible dilution in bulk Earth material. Accurate abundance measurements proved sensitive to the value of the broadening parameter due to collisions with neutral hydrogen ((Hi)), particularly in saturated lines such as the resonance lines of Cai and Caii. We found that (Hi) if formulated with values from the literature could be overestimated by a factor of 10 in most resonance lines.
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Abstract
The effects of hydrothermal alteration on primordial noble gases were investigated by analysing noble gases in aliquots of insoluble organic matter (IOM) from the Murchison meteorite (CM2) that were hydrothermally altered for different durations (27-163 days) and at a range of temperatures (250-450 degrees C). The samples contained Q gases, HL from presolar nanodiamonds, and Ne-E from presolar SiC and graphite. We observed changes in the noble gases that correlated with changes in the experimental reaction temperature. Losses of Ne-E occurred in samples reacted at 250-300 degrees C (23 % of the Ne-E present in unaltered samples) and in samples reacted at 350-450 degrees C (72 %). This indicates that temperature drives degassing of Ne-E from presolar SiC and graphite and that Ne-E can be degassed at temperatures below 400 degrees C under hydrothermal conditions. Elemental ratios of 20Ne/36Ar correlate with reaction temperature. This relationship can be used to estimate the peak hydrothermal alteration temperature experienced, as Ne is predominantly carried in presolar diamonds and Ar in Phase Q, which respond differently to hydrothermal alteration. The calculated temperatures using the correlation between 20Ne/36Ar and temperature with 20Ne/36Ar ratios from previously published data agree well with temperatures in the literature determined by other techniques when ratios are between 0.15 and 0.30. Therefore 20Ne/36Ar ratios have the potential to be used as a parent body hydrothermal alteration thermometer.
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Abstract
Elucidating the role of sulfur on the structure of silicate glasses and melts at elevated pressures and temperatures is important for understanding transport properties, such as electrical conductivity and viscosity, of magma oceans and mantle-derived melts. These properties are fundamental to modeling the evolution of terrestrial planets and moons. Despite several investigations of sulfur speciation in glasses, questions remain regarding the effect of S on complex glasses at highly reducing conditions relevant to Mercury. Glasses were synthetized with compositions representative of the Northern Volcanic Plains of Mercury and containing quantities of S as high as 5 wt.%. Multiple spectroscopic methods and microprobe analyses were employed to probe the glasses, including in situ impedance spectroscopy at 2- and 4-GPa pressures and temperatures up to 1740 K using a multi-anvil press, 29Si NMR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Electrical activation energies (Ea) in the glassy state range from 0.56 to 1.10 eV, in agreement with sodium as the main charge carrier. The electrical measurements suggest that sulfide improves Na+ transport and may overcome a known impeding effect of the divalent cation Ca2+. The glass transition temperature lies between 700-750 K, and for temperatures up to 970 K Ea decreases (0.35-0.68 eV) and the conductivities of the samples converge (~5-8 *10-3 S/m). At Tquench, the melt fraction is 50-70% and melt conductivity varies from 0.7 to 2.2 S/m, with the sample containing 5 wt.% S the most conductive among the set. 29Si NMR spectra reveal that a high fraction of S bonds with Si in these complex glasses, an important insight that has not been recognized previously. Raman spectra and maps reveal regions rich in Ca-S or Mg-S bonds. The evidence of sulfide interactions with both Si and Ca/Mg suggest that alkaline earth sulfides can be considered weak network modifiers in these glasses, under highly reduced conditions. Experimental data from impedance spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and electron microprobe analyses. The description of the experiments and analyses is explained the manuscript. # Title of Dataset Data used in manuscript GCA-D-23-00571 entitled Experimental Investigation of the Bonding of Sulfur in Highly Reduced Silicate Glasses and Melts by A. Pommier, M. J. Tauber, H. Pirotte, G.D. Cody, A. Steele, E.S. Bullock, B. Charlier, and B.O. Mysen (Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta). The spreadsheet lists all the measurements shown in the figures of the manuscript. Each tab correspond to a figure: -Figures 2 and 3: electron microprobe analyses. -Figures 4 and 5: impedance spectroscopy -Figure 6: NMR spectroscopy -Figures 8 and 9: Raman spectroscopy -Figure 10: NBO/T estimates The reader is referred to the manuscript for details about the experimental procedures and results. ## Description of the data and file structure * Figure 2 tab: Each sample name starts with BBC. For each sample, electron microprobe analyses are shown for traverses across the sample and the content of each oxide is in wt.%. * Figure 3 tab: Microprobe traverse in sample BBC16. The content of each oxide is in wt.%. * Figure 4: Impedance spectra of samples BBC13 and BBC17 at selected temperatures. For each temperature, the different columns correspond to the frequency, time, real component (Z') and imaginary component (Z"). * Figure 5 tab: electrical resistance (R) and conductivity (EC) of different samples as a function of temperature (T). Each sample name starts with BBC. For each sample, the different columns correspond to temperature (in degC and K), inverse T, resistance, conductivity and Ln (conductivity). * Figure 6: NMR spectra for four starting glasses (VT48, 52, 53, 54). The first column is the chemical shift, and the other columns correspond to the intensity of each sample. * Figure 7: Raman spectrum of starting glass VT55. The first column is the Raman shift, and the second column corresponds to the intensity of the sample. * Figure 8: Raman spectra of sulfide components in starting glass VT52 and samples from experiments BBC17 and BBC18. For each sample, the first column is the Raman shift, and the second column corresponds to the intensity of the sample. Copyright: CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
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Abstract
Sulfur plays a major role in martian geochemistry and sulfate minerals are important repositories of water. However, their hydration states on Mars are poorly constrained. Therefore, understanding the hydration and distribution of sulfate minerals on Mars is important for understanding its geologic, hydrologic, and atmospheric evolution as well as its habitability potential. NASA's Perseverance rover is currently exploring the Noachian-age Jezero crater, which hosts a fan-delta system associated with a paleolake. The crater floor includes two igneous units (the Seitah and Maaz formations), both of which contain evidence of later alteration by fluids including sulfate minerals. Results from the rover instruments Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemistry and Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry reveal the presence of a mix of crystalline and amorphous hydrated Mg-sulfate minerals (both MgSO4 center dot[3-5]H2O and possible MgSO4 center dot H2O), and anhydrous Ca-sulfate minerals. The sulfate phases within each outcrop may have formed from single or multiple episodes of water activity, although several depositional events seem likely for the different units in the crater floor. Textural and chemical evidence suggest that the sulfate minerals most likely precipitated from a low temperature sulfate-rich fluid of moderate pH. The identification of approximately four waters puts a lower constraint on the hydration state of sulfate minerals in the shallow subsurface, which has implications for the martian hydrological budget. These sulfate minerals are key samples for future Mars sample return.
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