But whether or

But whether or Cisplatin FDA not other proteins in smooth muscle participate in intestinal dysfunction in HSCR patients is not clear. In this study we found that circular muscle layer and longitudinal muscle layer were thickening at different extent in aganglionic and ganglionic segment of HSCR and the arrangement of circular muscle layer in aganglionic segment of HSCR was disorganized (Fig.(Fig.1).1). FHL1 was expressed in the ganglion cells of the myenteric plexus, submucosa, as well as in the longitudinal and circular muscle layer of the ganglionic colon. FHL1 expression level in ganglionic colon or aganglionic colon was significantly higher than that in normal colons. Meanwhile, we found FHL1 expression in aganglionic colon was slightly stronger than that in ganglionic colon.

Four and a half LIM domains protein 1 (FHL1) is the most widely expressed member of the FHL family of proteins, consisting of four and a half highly conserved LIM domains 35. LIM domains have been observed to act as modular protein-binding interfaces mediating protein-protein interactions in the cytoplasm and the nucleus 36. Northern blot analysis confirmed strikingly high expression of Fhl1 in skeletal muscle and heart, with considerably lower expression levels observed in several other tissues, including the colon, small intestine, and prostate. FHL1 mutations have been identified in a spectrum of human skeletal and cardiac muscle diseases 21-24. FHL1 could alter cytoskeleton and cell shape by binding with PDZ and LIM domain protein 1 (PDLIM1), Gelsolin (GSN), gamma-actin (ACTG) and a-actin (ACTN1) 37,38.

In rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) FHL1 knockdown could significantly inhibit the proliferation of SMCs but exerted no significant effect on cell apoptosis 25. Kwapiszewska G demonstrated that inhibition of Fhl-1 expression by siRNA significantly decreased pulmonary artery SMCs migration and proliferation, suggesting that Fhl1 was the key factor triggering the vascular remodeling process in pulmonary hypertension 26. Protein-protein interactions were critical for the normal membrane trafficking, localization, and function of voltage-gated ion channels. Immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed a physical interaction of FHL1 with the K (+) channel (KCNA5) complex in human atrium. With coexpression of FHL1, K (+) current density was markedly increased in atrial myocytes 39,40.

Data suggested that the alteration of delayed rectifier (IK) K+ current and Kv1.2 expression in DRG neurons from Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) model rats represented a molecular mechanism underlying visceral pain and hyperexcitability in IBS 41. In the study of chronic stress-induced colonic hypermotility, Ying Liu found that GSK-3 repeated water avoidance stress (WAS) treatment resulted in up-regulation of Kir6.1 and SUR2B of KATP channels in the colon devoid of mucosa and submucosa 42.

05 was considered statistically significant in all analyses RESU

05 was considered statistically significant in all analyses. RESULTS Caco-2-BBE Wortmannin mw cells overexpressing PHB exhibit increased TNF��-induced Nrf2 nuclear localization, ARE activation, and HO-1 and NQO-1 expression. Our previous study suggested that PHB overexpression in intestinal epithelial cells protected against inflammation and oxidative stress in association with increased Nrf2 activation (52). It is widely accepted that TNF�� is a central mediator of the proinflammatory response during intestinal inflammation (3). TNF��-induced ROS generation occurs primarily in the mitochondria, and signal transduction pathways that delineate with TNF��, including NF-��B activation and apoptosis, are reliant on mitochondrial ROS production (12, 13, 15).

Furthermore, mitochondrial function and intracellular ROS levels are regulated by relative concentrations of PHB (20). To determine whether PHB overexpression induces Nrf2 during TNF�� signaling, Caco-2-BBE cells were transfected with GFP-tagged PHB or GFP control vector and treated with TNF��. Protein expression of endogenous PHB, predominantly localized in the cytosolic fraction, is decreased by TNF�� treatment (Fig. 1A). Caco-2-BBE cells overexpressing PHB show increased Nrf2 nuclear translocation 60 min after TNF�� treatment compared with control vector-expressing cells. Blots were probed with an anti-GFP antibody to confirm expression of exogenous GFP-tagged PHB, which localized in the cytosol (Fig. 1A). PHB-overexpressing cells cotransfected with an ARE4-luciferase reporter construct exhibited more relative luciferase activity induced by TNF�� than control vector-transfected cells (Fig.

1B). Although the mRNA (Fig. 1C) and protein (Fig. 1D) expression patterns of NQO-1 and HO-1 in vector-transfected cells are similar to those in PHB-overexpressing cells following TNF�� treatment, the induction is significantly more robust and occurs more rapidly in cells overexpressing PHB. TNF�� treatment decreases endogenous PHB protein expression to the same magnitude in control vector- and PHB-transfected cells (Fig. 1D). Blots were probed with an anti-GFP antibody to confirm expression of exogenous GFP-tagged PHB (Fig. 1D). Fig. 1. Caco-2-BBE cells overexpressing prohibitin (PHB) exhibit increased TNF��-induced nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear localization, antioxidant response element (ARE) activation, and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone .

.. PHB-induced ARE activation, NQO-1 and HO-1 protein expression, and decreased intracellular ROS levels during TNF�� treatment are not exclusively mediated via Nrf2. To assess the role of Nrf2 in PHB-induced antioxidant responses during proinflammatory signaling, Nrf2 expression in Caco-2-BBE cells was knocked down using siRNA. Drug_discovery Basal ARE4-luciferase expression was unaffected by Nrf2 knockdown in vector- and PHB-overexpressing cells (Fig. 2A).

6), 1% Triton X-100, and 1 Complete protease inhibitor tablet (Ro

6), 1% Triton X-100, and 1 Complete protease inhibitor tablet (Roche Applied Science) per 50 ml] in a selleckchem 1.5-ml tube with an Eppendorf micropestle. Homogenized samples were centrifuged for 10 min at 12,000 rpm, and the middle liquid layer was retained for gel electrophoresis. Protein concentrations were determined with a BCA assay kit (Pierce, Rockford, IL). Electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis. Equivalent amounts of protein (30 ��g) from the oocyte total membrane preparations were boiled in 1�� Laemmli sample buffer [62.5 mM Tris?HCl (pH 6.8), 25% glycerol, 2% SDS, 5% ��-mercaptoethanol, and 0.01% bromophenol blue] at 95��C for 5 min and subjected to SDS-PAGE with an 8% separating gel and a 4% stacking gel. Proteins were electrotransferred to methanol-treated polyvinylidene difluoride membranes (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA) for 1.

5 h at 100 V at 4��C in a Tris-glycine buffer [25 mM Tris, 192 mM glycine, and 20% (vol/vol) methanol]. Membranes were blocked in 5% nonfat dry milk in Tris-buffered saline with Tween (TBST) buffer [100 mM Tris (pH 7.5), 150 mM NaCl, and 0.1% Tween] for 1 h at room temperature. Membranes were incubated overnight at 4��C with rabbit polyclonal antibody to ASIC1 (Alomone Labs, Jerusalem, Israel) at 1:200 or with mouse anti-actin (Chemicon, Billerica, MA) at 1:5,000 in 2% milk in TBST. Primary antibody incubation was followed by three washes of 15 min each with TBST. A goat anti-rabbit IgG horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated antibody (Pierce) diluted 1:10,000 or a goat anti-mouse IgG HRP-conjugated antibody (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, West Grove, PA) diluted 1:20,000 in 2% milk in TBST was used to detect the primary antibodies for 1 h at room temperature.

After three 15-min washes with TBST, membranes were treated with SuperSignal West Pico Substrate (Pierce) and exposed to Kodak Biomax XAR film (Perkin-Elmer, Waltham, MA). Single oocyte chemiluminescence. To quantify the expression of hASIC1b at the plasma membrane of oocytes in control or PKC-modulated conditions, we used the method of single oocyte chemiluminescence (SOC) as described by Zerangue et al. (45). Oocytes expressing HA-tagged WT hASIC1b were treated with PMA (1 ��M for 5 min), PdBu (1 ��M for 5 min), chelerythrine (1 ��M for 1 h) or both chelerythrine (1 ��M for 1 h) and PMA (1 ��M for 5 min), as was done for recording peak pH 4.0-activated currents.

They were then fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in ND96 pH 7.4 solution for 15 min at 4��C. All subsequent steps were performed at 4��C. Oocytes were washed three times for 5 min each time in ND96 pH 7.4 solution and incubated in blocking solution (1% BSA in ND96 pH 7.4 solution) overnight. They were then incubated in rat anti-HA antibody (clone 3F10, Roche) at 1 ��g/ml for 2 h. Carfilzomib They were washed twice in blocking solution for 30 min each time and incubated in goat anti-rat HRP-conjugated secondary antibody (Pierce) at 1:400 for 1 h.

, 1970, 1983; Booijink et al , 2010), our data indicate that the

, 1970, 1983; Booijink et al., 2010), our data indicate that the microbiota of the small intestine consists screening libraries of facultative and strict anaerobes. However, we observed a large proportion of anaerobes from the Clostridium cluster XIVa in our effluent samples, such as Coprococcus eutactus and relatives, which was detected up to 6% of the total community. Therefore, our data do not confirm a recent study that concluded oxygen exposure to have a major impact at the end of the terminal ileum in ileostomy patients (Hartman et al., 2009). Although we cannot fully exclude a potential role of oxygen, we consider it more likely that the absence of a colonic reflux explains our observations. We generically profiled the microbiota of non-medicated subjects that had an ileostoma for many years, whereas Hartman et al.

(2009) studied selected microbial targets by quantitative PCR in patients that recently underwent surgery, which might explain the difference. In this study, we generated a combination of molecular ecological data sets to describe the small intestine, using an ecosystems biology approach (Raes and Bork, 2008). On the basis of all data, we hypothesize that microbial communities in the human small intestine are dependent on the capacities of microbes to rapidly import and ferment the available carbohydrates, which are combined into a metabolic cooperative network to support maintenance of various microbial groups (Figure 4). This model is in agreement with the dominance and high-level activity of the small intestinal streptococci, which are r
Functioning as a xenosensor, human constitutive androstane receptor (hCAR, hCAR1, or NR1I3) regulates numerous hepatic genes that encode phase I oxidation enzymes [e.

g., cytochrome P450 (CYP)], phase II conjugation enzymes (e.g., UDP glucuronosyltransferases), and phase III drug transporters (e.g., multidrug resistance MDR1) upon xenobiotic stimulation (Sueyoshi et al., 1999; Honkakoski et al., 2003; Qatanani and Moore, 2005; Stanley et al., 2006). Through induction of these enzymes and transporters, hCAR is also involved in the metabolism and secretion of endogenous signaling molecules such as cholesterol and bilirubin, where bioaccumulation of these endobiotics is associated with disease conditions such as cholestasis and hyperbilirubinemia (Sugatani et al., 2001; Tien and Negishi, 2006).

In addition, recent studies also extend the roles of CAR to the regulation of various physiological and pathological processes such as energy homeostasis, cell proliferation/apoptosis, and tumor promotion (Kodama et al., 2004; Maglich et al., 2004; Yamamoto et al., 2004; Huang et AV-951 al., 2005). Thus, the need for understanding the molecular mechanisms governing CAR activation, and developing novel tools for in vitro identification of hCAR activators has become evident.

e respectively an average of 2 and 3 colonies were counted

e. respectively an average of 2 and 3 colonies were counted example at dilution eight. For Cetrimide Broth (CB) the detection range was also comparable with that of MCA and CA, i.e. P. aeruginosa could be detected up to dilution eight, but the number of colonies was too high to be countable (Table (Table11). Table 1 Comparison of the sensitivity of different DNA-extraction protocols as assessed by means of conventional PCR combined with agarose gel electrophoresis and by real-time PCR on LightCycler using TaqMan probe Based on these results, the number of culturable cells in the original sputum preparation was calculated to be 1.6 log8 cfu/ml. Comparison of DNA-extraction protocols For each sputum dilution, DNA was extracted by four protocols using the bioM��rieux easyMAG Nuclisens semi-automated DNA-extractor and by the protocol for the manual High Pure PCR Template Preparation Kit (Roche).

Results are listed in Table Table1.1. In our hands, the BioM��rieux easyMAG Nuclisens protocol Generic 2.0.1, combined with proteinase K pretreatment, was the DNA-extraction protocol that enabled the most sensitive detection of P. aeruginosa from sputum of CF patients, both with conventional and with qualitative PCR, giving amplification of the P. aeruginosa oprL target gene up to dilutions 6 and 8, respectively. This DNA-extraction protocol was used further to compare a total of two different conventional PCR and four different (quantitative) real-time PCR formats.

Comparison of different PCR and real-time PCR formats Conventional PCR, using the Veriti 96-Well Thermal Cycler (Applied Biosystems), combined with visualisation of the PCR products by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining respectively by capillary electrophoresis and fluorescence measurement, was compared with three different real-time PCR formats using the LightCycler 1.5 (Roche) and with a commercially available P. aeruginosa specific real-time PCR (TaqMan assay) using the ABI7000 (Applied Biosystems). One real-time PCR format used SybrGreen fluorescence as the detection method, whereas the other three real-time PCR formats relied on the fluorescence generated by probes for detection. Results are listed in Table Table2.2. For the conventional PCR, combined with agarose gel electrophoresis, P. aeruginosa DNA could be detected up to dilution 6, while with capillary electrophoresis amplified P.

aeruginosa DNA could be detected up to dilution 7. P. aeruginosa DNA could be detected up to dilution 7 with real-time PCR using SybrGreen, and up to dilution 8 with real-time PCR with the Hybprobes, with the TaqMan probe and with the commercial Pseudomonas aeruginosa TaqMan probe detection kit on the ABI7000. Anacetrapib In conclusion, the three probe based real-time PCR formats were the most sensitive molecular assays. Table 2 Comparison of the sensitivity of the different PCR formats for sputum dilutions extracted with easyMAG Generic 2.0.

2 ClassificationAccording

2. ClassificationAccording selleck kinase inhibitor to Tang et al., GCC can be classified as typical GCC (Group A) and adenocarcinoma ex-GCC on the basis of the histologic features at the primary site of the tumor. The adenocarcinoma ex-GCC group can be further divided into signet ring cell type (Group B) and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma type (Group C). The classification is based only on morphologic features at the primary site, that is, the appendix. Group A has well-defined goblet cells arranged in clusters or cohesive linear pattern, minimal cytologic atypia, minimal to no desmoplasia, minimal architectural distortion of the appendiceal wall, and degenerative change with extracellular mucin is acceptable.

Group B has goblet cells or signet ring cells arranged in irregular large clusters, but lack of confluent sheets of cells, discohesive single file, or single cell infiltrating pattern, significant cytologic atypia, and desmoplasia and associated destruction of the appendiceal wall. Group C has at least focal evidence of goblet cell morphology, a component (>1 low power field or 1mm2) not otherwise distinguishable from poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, which may appear as either (a) gland forming, (b) confluent sheets or signet ring cells, or (c) undifferentiated carcinoma [12].A recent study by Jiang et al. from 2012 shows a possible connection between GCC and schistosomiasis, which is the only potential risk factor for GCC identified to date [13]. They examined appendix samples from 3 patients with combined GCC and appendiceal schistosomiasis, 6 patients with GCC only, 12 patients with appendiceal schistosomiasis only, and 12 cases with normal appendix.

In this study, their findings suggest that appendiceal schistosomiasis is associated with both increased proliferation and neuroendocrine differentiation of mucosal pluripotent crypt cells, and that it hereby may contribute to development of GCC [13]. However, these data needs to be confirmed by other research groups.3. EpidemiologyGoblet cell carcinoids are considered a distinct entity of appendiceal tumors and occur in 0.3%�C0.9% of appendectomies where they comprise 35%�C58% of all appendiceal neoplasm [4, 14, 15], and less than 14% of all malignant GSK-3 tumors of the appendix [16]. Thus GCCs are extremely rare and in the period 1973�C2001 with an incidence of approximately 0.05/100,000 per year compared to appendiceal endocrine tumors with an incidence of 0.63/1,000,000 per year in the SEER database.They are most often seen in patients in their fifties or sixties with a second peak in the seventies [2, 16, 17], but McCusker et el.

Table 2Function classification of lncRNAs Signal ��Some lncRNAs h

Table 2Function classification of lncRNAs.Signal ��Some lncRNAs have been reported to respond to diverse stimuli, hinting they may act as molecular signals [12, 24, 25, 27, 35]. For example, selleck screening library lncRNAs can act as markers for imprinting (Air and Kcnq1ot1), X inactivation (Xist), and silencing (COOLAIR). ChIP-Seq studies showed that the gene-activating enhancers produce lncRNA transcripts (eRNAs) [29, 95], and their expression level positively correlates with that of nearby genes, indicating a possible role in regulating mRNA synthesis. This is supported by a recent Loss-of-Function study that found the knockdown of 7 out of 12 lncRNAs affects expression of their cognate neighboring genes [8]. Decoy ��lncRNA can function as molecular decoy to negatively regulate an effector.

Gas5 contains a hairpin sequence motif that resembles the DNA-binding site of the glucocorticoid receptor [31]. It can serve as a decoy to release the receptor from DNA to prevent transcription of metabolic genes [14]. Another example is the telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA). It interacts with the telomerase protein through a repeat sequence complementary to the template sequence of telomerase RNA [11, 34].Guide ��Upon interaction with the target molecular, lncRNA may have the ability to guide it into the proper position either in cis (on neighboring genes) or in trans (on distantly located genes). The newly found eRNAs appear to exert their effects in cis by binding to specific enhancers and actively engaged in regulating mRNA synthesis [11, 29].

HOTAIR and HOTTIP are transcribed within the human HOX clusters, and serve as signals of anatomic positions by expressing in cells that have distal and posterior positional Entinostat identities; they both require the interacting partners to be properly localized to the site of action [6]. In this process, chromosomal looping of the 5�� end of HOXA brings HOTTIP into the spatial proximity of multiple HOXA genes, enforcing the maintenance of H3K4me3 and gene activation [14]. This long-range gene activation mechanism suggests that chromosome looping plays a central role in delivering lncRNA to its site of action [11, 45].Scaffold ��Recent studies found that several lncRNAs have the capacity to bind more than two protein partners, where the lncRNAs serve as adaptors to form the functional protein complexes. The telomerase RNA TERC (TERRA) is a classic example of RNA scaffold, and is essential for telomerase function. HOTAIR binds the polycomb complex PRC2 to exert its ��signal�� function. A recent study found that the 3,700nt of HOTAIR also interact with a second complex consisting of LSD1, CoREST, and REST to antagonize gene activation, further emphasizing its important role as the scaffold of the functional complex [11, 51].

In all cases samples were used with informed consent of subjects

In all cases samples were used with informed consent of subjects. The approval of the Institutional Ethics Committee was obtained for these studies (KHEC-31/2005). The cancer patients were at different stages of cancer of the cervix. All samples were collected from patients who came for treatment. This so has resulted in availability of very few samples from stages other than II and III, for example, CIN 1, CIS, and so forth, 19 patients were in stage III, 7 in stage II, 1 stage 0 (CIN I), 1 stage IV, and 1 from dysplasia of cervix. A total of 15 normal samples and 29 malignant samples were analyzed. All the malignant samples were of squamous cell carcinoma. The sample details are given in Table 1.Table 1Sample details.

All the samples, irrespective of whether they belonged to normal or cancer patients, were transported to the lab immediately after collection in normal saline. In the lab the tissues were washed with saline several times to remove any traces of blood. If the tissue samples were to be stored, they were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at ?80��C in the deep freeze. They were passively thawed to room temperature just before use. We have verified that this procedure did not show any noticeable difference in the protein profile of a given sample. The samples were weighed and minced with 20% wet weight of Tris-EDTA buffer. They were then homogenized by a manual homogenizer (T8 blade IKA-WERKE), centrifuged at 5000rpm for 20 minutes twice. Supernatant was collected through a syringe fitted with 0.45micron filter.

50 microliters of the sample homogenate was injected into the HPLC-LIF system, which had a 20 microliter loop.2.3. Data AnalysisData processing of recorded protein profiles involved background correction, smoothing, calibration, and normalization [14]. All protein profiles were normalized Carfilzomib with respect to the 1594 seconds peak, which remained more or less constant in all samples. Data analysis was done by Principal Component Analysis (GRAMS/32, PLS PLUS/IQ software, in Galactic Corporation, USA). Diagnosis of tissue type as normal/malignant was achieved by classification of samples using Match/No Match condition of statistical parameters to those of normal and malignant calibration sets. The details of these have already been discussed in our earlier paper [14].To start with, PCA was run with all the samples, (15 normal and 29 malignant), combined, irrespective of whether they belong to normal or malignant group. The analysis was performed using 12 factors. PCA was extended further to see whether a given tissue sample can be identified more objectively as belonging to a specific group, say, normal or malignant.

The coefficients

The coefficients selleckchem of ownership structure (X3) are not significant both for VRS hypothesis and the CRS hypothesis, but the ownership structure has significantly positive influence on environmental TFP. The estimation result indicates that the influence of ownership depends on complex factors and is not easy to be expected. The coefficients of energy consumption structure (X4) have significantly positive influence on environmental efficiency and environmental TFP. While the electricity consumption increased by 1%, the environmental efficiency and environmental TFP increased by more than 15%. The empirical results show that compared with coal, petroleum, and other fossil energy, electricity is clean energy, which can greatly improve China’s efficiency and productivity under resource and environmental constraints.

Environmental regulation intensity (X5) has a negative impact on the environmental efficiency under the hypotheses of VRS and CRS, but positive impact on the environmental TFP. This empirical result shows that environmental regulation will increase enterprise production costs and lead the environmental regulation and enterprise competitiveness to be in a dilemma in the short term.5. Conclusions and Policy Implications Using SBM directional distance function and Luenberger productivity index, this paper measures the environmental efficiency, environmental TFP, and its components at the level of subindustry in China over the period from 1999 to 2009 and tests the impacts of industrial capital structure, endowment structure, ownership structure, energy consumption structure, and intensity of environmental regulation.

The findings of this study are crucial for environment administration and industrial upgrading. The specific policies are suggested as follows. 5.1. Optimizing Industrial StructureConsidering the fact that both environmental efficiency and environmental TFP are different among subindustries, the government should accelerate the development of high-tech industries and environment friendly industries and limit the development of pollution-intensive industries and energy-intensive industries. Brefeldin_A The policy makers should also make vigorous guidance to draw FDI to high-tech industries and environmental-friendly industries and promote the industrial upgrading of FDI, protecting China from the pollution heaven of FDI.5.2. Promoting Technological Innovation on Energy Saving and Emission reductionExcessive energy consumption and pollutant emissions are the main sources of environmental inefficiency of China’s industry.

Therefore, the EKE of TIWs and related TIW activity were much low

Therefore, the EKE of TIWs and related TIW activity were much lower south of the equator. To depict the longitudinal propagation features of a TIW, Bt and Bc, a longitude-time plot was drawn of climatological Bt and Bc, as well as the moving variance of temperature and meridional current, which was used in Figure 4. All values in Figure 5 were averaged between 0��C5��N and a depth of 0�C50m. As EPZ-5676 mll shown in Figure 5, TIW activity associated with both temperature and meridional current grew first at the eastern edge of the eastern Pacific around May and spread to the west slowly over time [10]. The maximum activity occurred around 130��W and in August. Consistent features were found in Bt and Bc as seen in Figures 5(c) and 5(d), respectively, and their contributions were almost equal over this region.

Figure 5Longitude-time plot of the climatological cycle of the 30-day moving variance of filtered temperature (a) and meridional current (b), and barotropic (c) and baroclinic (d) conversion rates averaged between 0 and 5��N over the upper 50m. …To illustrate the detailed seasonal features of Bt and Bc, the zonal averages during the June to September (JJAS) and March to April (MA) seasons were computed, that is, the maximum and minimum TIW activity, respectively. In JJAS (Figure 6(a)), a strong positive conversion was observed near a depth of 80m between the equator and 3��N, and near the surface between 2�� and 6��N. On the other hand, in MA (Figure 6(c)), the maximum but small magnitude of Bt was observed only at a depth of 40m near the surface between 2�� and 6��N.

Just north of the equator, negative conversion occurred during MA, while a positive conversion occurred during JJAS. Spatial distributions of Bc (Figures 6(b) and 6(d)) were similar between the two seasons, but their magnitudes were different. A strong positive conversion appeared just north of the equator, and a weak positive conversion appeared just south of the equator. Figure 6Vertical distributions of zonal mean barotropic ((a), (c)) and baroclinic ((b), (d)) conversions averaged from June Drug_discovery to September (a) and (b) and from March to April (c) and (d). Units are W/m3. Positive values are shaded. The seasonal variations of Bt and Bc are related to the seasonality of mean fields. Figure 7 shows the zonal-averaged zonal currents for JJAS and MA. Between the two seasons, EUC and NECC did not change much, although NECC was somewhat weaker in MA. However, there was a significant change in SEC. The westward SEC had its maximum value during JJAS at 1��-2��N, and its influence reached below 100m, which produced a large shear between EUC and SEC, inducing a high Bt.