The 2016 Mw 5.2 Borrego Springs earthquake occurred in the trifurcation area of the San Jacinto Fault Zone and generated more than 23,000 aftershocks. We analyze source properties of this earthquake ...along with 12,487 precisely located aftershock hypocenters to obtain an unusually detailed view of the rupture process and energy budget for this moderate earthquake. Source time functions are obtained using an empirical Green's function approach and are inverted for a slip distribution on the fault plane. The rupture propagated unilaterally to the northwest over a distance of 1.8 km, resulting in clear directivity signals. Two asperities are identified and the maximum slip is 2.54 m, resulting in a static stress drop of 78.2 MPa. Over 97% of the aftershocks occur more than 1 rupture length from the slip area. We conclude that the Borrego Springs earthquake had a complete stress drop and estimate the seismic efficiency to be 15–26%.
In this retrospective analysis using the Transplant Registry Unified Management Program, we identified 145 patients with human herpesvirus (HHV)-6 encephalitis among 6593 recipients. The cumulative ...incidences of HHV-6 encephalitis at 100 days after transplantation in all patients, recipients of bone marrow or PBSCs and recipients of cord blood were 2.3%, 1.6% and 5.0%, respectively. Risk factors identified in multivariate analysis were male sex, type of transplanted cells (relative risk in cord blood transplantation, 11.09, P<0.001; relative risk in transplantation from HLA-mismatched unrelated donor, 9.48, P<0.001; vs transplantation from HLA-matched related donor) and GvHD prophylaxis by calcineurin inhibitor alone. At 100 days after transplantation, the overall survival rate was 58.3% and 80.5% among patients with and without HHV-6 encephalitis, respectively (P<0.001). Neuropsychological sequelae remained in 57% of 121 evaluated patients. With both foscarnet and ganciclovir, full-dose therapy (foscarnet ⩾180 mg/kg, ganciclovir ⩾10 mg/kg) was associated with better response rate (foscarnet, 93% vs 74%, P=0.044; ganciclovir, 84% vs 58%, P=0.047). HHV-6 encephalitis is not rare not only in cord blood transplant recipients but also in recipients of HLA-mismatched unrelated donors. In this study, development of HHV-6 encephalitis was associated with a poor survival rate, and neurological sequelae remained in many patients.
Abstract
Genebanks provide access to diverse materials for crop improvement. To utilize and evaluate them effectively, core collections, such as the World Rice Core Collection (WRC) in the Genebank ...at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, have been developed. Because the WRC consists of 69 accessions with a high degree of genetic diversity, it has been used for >300 projects. To allow deeper investigation of existing WRC data and to further promote research using Genebank rice accessions, we performed whole-genome resequencing of these 69 accessions, examining their sequence variation by mapping against the Oryza sativa ssp. japonica Nipponbare genome. We obtained a total of 2,805,329 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 357,639 insertion–deletions. Based on the principal component analysis and population structure analysis of these data, the WRC can be classified into three major groups. We applied TASUKE, a multiple genome browser to visualize the different WRC genome sequences, and classified haplotype groups of genes affecting seed characteristics and heading date. TASUKE thus provides access to WRC genotypes as a tool for reverse genetics. We examined the suitability of the compact WRC population for genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Heading date, affected by a large number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs), was not associated with known genes, but several seed-related phenotypes were associated with known genes. Thus, for QTLs of strong effect, the compact WRC performed well in GWAS. This information enables us to understand genetic diversity in 37,000 rice accessions maintained in the Genebank and to find genes associated with different phenotypes.
The sequence data have been deposited in DNA Data Bank of Japan Sequence Read Archive (DRA) (Supplementary Table S1).
The massive tsunami generated by the 11 March 2011 Tohoku earthquake (Mw 9.0) was widely recorded by GPS buoys, wave gauges, and ocean bottom pressure sensors around the source. Numerous inversions ...for finite‐fault slip time histories have been performed using seismic and/or geodetic observations, yielding generally consistent patterns of large co‐seismic slip offshore near the hypocenter and/or up‐dip near the trench, where estimated peak slip is ∼60 m. Modeling the tsunami generation and near‐field wave processes using two detailed rupture models obtained from either teleseismic P waves or high‐rate GPS recordings in Japan allows evaluation of how well the finite‐fault models account for the regional tsunami data. By determining sensitivity of the tsunami calculations to rupture model features, we determine model modifications that improve the fit to the diverse tsunami data while retaining the fit to the seismic and geodetic observations.
Key Points
We find finite‐source rupture models that match near‐field tsunami data
We iterate on inversions of seismic/tsunami and geodetic/tsunami rupture models
We characterize the slip distribution responsible for large 2011 tsunami
The 27 February 2010 Chile (Mw 8.8) earthquake is the fifth largest earthquake to strike during the age of seismological instrumentation. The faulting geometry, slip distribution, seismic moment, and ...moment‐rate function are estimated from broadband teleseismic P, SH, and Rayleigh wave signals. We explore some of the trade‐offs in the rupture‐process estimation due to model parameterizations, limited teleseismic sampling of seismic phase velocities, and uncertainty in fault geometry. The average slip over the ∼81,500 km2 rupture area is about 5 m, with slip concentrations down‐dip, up‐dip and southwest, and up‐dip and north of the hypocenter. Relatively little slip occurred up‐dip/offshore of the hypocenter. The average rupture velocity is ∼2.0–2.5 km/s.
A new strategy for a P wave‐based, on‐site earthquake early warning system has been developed and tested on Japanese strong motion data. The key elements are the real‐time, continuous measurement of ...three peak amplitude parameters and their empirical combination to predict the ensuing peak ground velocity. The observed parameters are compared to threshold values and converted into a single, dimensionless variable. A local alert level is issued as soon as the empirical combination exceeds a given threshold. The performance of the method has been evaluated by applying the approach to the catalog of Japanese earthquake records and counting the relative percentage of successful, missed, and false alarms. We show that the joint use of three peak amplitude parameters improves the performance of the system as compared to the use of a single parameter, with a relative increase of successful alarms of about 35%. The proposed methodology provides a more reliable prediction of the expected ground shaking and improves the robustness of a single‐station, threshold‐based earthquake early warning system.
Key Points
A P wave‐based method for an on‐site earthquake early warning system is proposed
Three parameters are jointly used for the ground shaking prediction
The combination of three parameters improves the robustness of the system
Lying below Vatnajökull ice cap in Iceland, Bárðarbunga stratovolcano began experiencing wholesale caldera collapse in 2014 August 16, one of the largest such events recorded in the modern ...instrumental era. Simultaneous with this collapse is the initiation of a plate boundary rifting episode north of the caldera. Observations using the international constellation of radar satellites indicate rapid 50 cm d−1 subsidence of the glacier surface overlying the collapsing caldera and metre-scale crustal deformation in the active rift zone. Anomalous earthquakes around the rim of the caldera with highly nondouble-couple focal mechanisms provide a mechanical link to the dynamics of the collapsing magma chamber. A model of the collapse consistent with available geodetic and seismic observations suggests that the majority of the observed subsidence occurs aseismically via a deflating sill-like magma chamber.
High-dose methotrexate (Hd-MTX) therapy has recently been applied to the treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) based on pediatric protocols; however, its effectiveness for adult ALL ...has not yet been confirmed in a rigorous manner. We herein conducted a randomized phase III trial comparing Hd-MTX therapy with intermediate-dose (Id)-MTX therapy. This study was registered at UMIN-CTR (ID: C000000063). Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative ALL patients aged between 25 and 64 years of age were enrolled. Patients who achieved complete remission (CR) were randomly assigned to receive therapy containing Hd-MTX (3 g/m
) or Id-MTX (0.5 g/m
). A total of 360 patients were enrolled. The CR rate was 86%. A total of 115 and 114 patients were assigned to the Hd-MTX and Id-MTX groups, respectively. The estimated 5-year disease-free survival rate of the Hd-MTX group was 58%, which was significantly better than that of the Id-MTX group at 32% (P=0.0218). The frequencies of severe adverse events were not significantly different. We herein demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of Hd-MTX therapy for adult Ph-negative ALL. Our results provide a strong rationale for protocols containing Hd-MTX therapy being applied to the treatment of adult ALL.
The effect of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) on transplant outcomes after unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCBT) has not been fully elucidated. We analyzed the impact of acute and chronic GVHD ...on outcomes in adult patients with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome who underwent their first UCBT (n=2558). The effect of GVHD on outcomes was analyzed after adjusting for other significant variables. The occurrence of GVHD was treated as a time-dependent covariate. The occurrence of grade 1-2 or 3-4 acute GVHD was significantly associated with a lower relapse rate. Grade 3-4 acute GVHD was associated with a higher risk of non-relapse and overall mortality than no acute GVHD, whereas grade 1-2 acute GVHD was associated with a lower risk of non-relapse and overall mortality than no acute GVHD. Limited or extensive chronic GVHD was significantly associated with a lower relapse rate. Limited chronic GVHD was associated with a lower overall and non-relapse mortality than no chronic GVHD. In conclusion, mild acute or chronic GVHD was associated not only with a low risk of relapse but also with a low risk of non-relapse mortality, and provides a survival benefit in UCBT.
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