Name: data processing methods for 3d seismic imaging of subsurface volcanoes: applications to the tarim flood basalt
Uploaded: 2017-08-07T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Data Processing Methods for 3D Seismic Imaging of Subsurface Volcanoes: Applications to the Tarim Flood Basalt at JoVE.com

The authors acknowledge the financial support of NSFC to WT (grant no. 41272368) and QKX (grant no. 41630205).

NOTE: The data processing procedures include: synthetic seismogram calculation, synthetic-real seismic trace correlation, and geo-body extraction. Below are the step-by-step details of each procedure.
1. Calculation of Synthetic Seismogram
<ol>
	<li>Calculate the acoustic impedance at each interval of the down-well logging curve. 
	NOTE: Acoustic impedance is the product of &#39;seismic wave velocities&#39; and &#39;density&#39; (&#961;*&#957;)). The data are often averaged to sampling ...

<ol>
	<li>Smallwood, J. R., Maresh, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+properties,+morphology+and+distribution+of+igneous+sills:+modelling,+borehole+data+and+3D+seismic+from+the+Faroe-Shetland+area.">The properties, morphology and distribution of igneous sills: modelling, borehole data and 3D seismic from the Faroe-Shetland area.</a> Geol. Soc. London Spec. Publ. 197 (1), 271-306 (2002).</li><li>Millett, J. M., Hole, M. J., Jolley, D. 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Geol. 23 (6), 631-645 (2006).</li><li>Rateau, R., Schofield, N., Smith, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+potential+role+of+igneous+intrusions+on+hydrocarbon+migration,+West+of+Shetland.">The potential role of igneous intrusions on hydrocarbon migration, West of Shetland.</a> Pet. Geosci. 19 (3), 259-272 (2013).</li><li>Magee, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lateral+magma+flow+in+mafic+sill+complexes.">Lateral magma flow in mafic sill complexes.</a> Geosphere. 12 (3), 809-841 (2016).</li><li>Magee, C., Jackson, C. A. 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T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sill+morphology+and+comparison+of+brittle+and+non-brittle+emplacement+mechanisms.">Sill morphology and comparison of brittle and non-brittle emplacement mechanisms.</a> J. Geol. Soc. 169 (2), 127-141 (2012).</li><li>Wang, L., Tian, W., Shi, Y. M., Guan, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Volcanic+structure+of+the+Tarim+flood+basalt+revealed+through+3-D+seismological+imaging.">Volcanic structure of the Tarim flood basalt revealed through 3-D seismological imaging.</a> Sci. Bull. 60 (16), 1448-1456 (2015).</li><li>Sun, Q., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neogene+igneous+intrusions+in+the+northern+South+China+Sea:+Evidence+from+high-resolution+three+dimensional+seismic+data.">Neogene igneous intrusions in the northern South China Sea: Evidence from high-resolution three dimensional seismic data.</a> Mar. Pet. Geol. 54, 83-95 (2014).</li><li>Schofield, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Seismic+imaging+of+'broken+bridges':+linking+seismic+to+outcrop-scale+investigations+of+intrusive+magma+lobes.">Seismic imaging of 'broken bridges': linking seismic to outcrop-scale investigations of intrusive magma lobes.</a> J. Geol. 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Here we demonstrate 2 methods for illustrating the morphology and structure of the plumbing system of buried basaltic volcanoes; one is opacity rendering, the other is time slicing.
The opacity rendering method is suitable for geo-bodies that have continuous and near horizontal interfaces with the encasing strata. With this method, one can extract the 3D morphology of magma lobes. Normally, flow directions should be along the long axis of the magma lobes. It is also important that the surface ...

The aim of most of the industrial seismic imaging projects in sedimentary basins is to explore for hydrocarbon reservoirs. In recent years, hydrocarbon exploration has expanded to basins containing large amounts of igneous rocks because many of the volcanogenic basins have considerable oil and gas reservoirs. However, because of the interface of igneous rocks in the volcanogenic basins, seismic data processing presents a series of challenges induced by various intrusions, such as reduced energy transmission, intrinsic attenuation, interference effects, refraction and scattering1. Therefore, oil field companies are focusing their efforts on reducing such a &#34;negative impact&#34; on seismic imaging2,3,4.
Igneous bodies within sedimentary basins are easily identified by two dimensional or 3D seismic reflection imaging due to the large acoustic impedance contrast with the encasing rocks1,5,6. This method can provide spectacular images of both vertical and horizontal structures of the volcanic plumbing systems7,8,9,10,11,12,13. However, the strategies of imaging subsurface volcanos are very different from that of oil and gas explorations8,14,15. This has limited the use of industrial seismic data in studies of subsurface volcanoes, apart from a few successful cases10,15,16. In this paper, we report detailed procedures of seismic data processing, which are customized for interpretation of subsurface volcanoes. We process two seismic cubes, TZ47 and YM2 (Figure 1), to show how to visualize the buried igneous bodies in the Tarim flood basalt17.

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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">The Petrel E&#38;P software platform</td>
			<td style="width:125px;">Schlumberger</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:167px;">software version:2014</td>
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data processing methods for 3d seismic imaging of subsurface volcanoes: applications to the tarim flood basalt

The morphology and structure of plumbing systems can provide key information on the eruption rate and style of basalt lava fields. The most powerful way to study subsurface geo-bodies is to use industrial 3D&#160;reflection seismological imaging. However, strategies to image subsurface volcanoes are very different from that of oil and gas reservoirs. In this study, we process seismic data cubes from the Northern Tarim Basin, China, to illustrate how to visualize sills through opacity rendering techniques and how to image the conduits by time-slicing. In the first case, we isolated probes by the seismic horizons marking the contacts between sills and encasing strata, applying opacity rendering techniques to extract sills from the seismic cube. The resulting detailed sill morphology shows that the flow direction is from the dome center to the rim. In the second seismic cube, we use time-slices to image the conduits, which corresponds to marked discontinuities within the encasing rocks. A set of time-slices obtained at different depths show that the Tarim flood basalts erupted from central volcanoes, fed by separate pipe-like conduits.

We demonstrate the usefulness of the techniques described above by applying them to 2 types of igneous bodies, horizontal sills and vertical volcanic conduits. Extraction of the sills is conducted by using the opaque rendering technique, and interpretation of the volcanic conduit is performed by using slicing technique.
Extraction of sills
Industrial drilling wells have i...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Data Processing Methods for 3D Seismic Imaging of Subsurface Volcanoes: Applications to the Tarim Flood Basalt at JoVE.com

Data Processing Methods for 3D Seismic Imaging of Subsurface Volcanoes: Applications to the Tarim Flood Basalt

Three-dimensional (3D) reflection seismology is a powerful method for imaging subsurface volcanoes. By using industrial 3D seismological data from the Tarim Basin, we illustrate how to extract the sills and the conduits of subsurface volcanoes from seismic data cubes.

The morphology and structure of plumbing systems can provide key information on the eruption rate and style of basalt lava fields. The most powerful way ...

The overall goal of this procedure is to illustrate how to extract sills and conduits of subsurface volcanoes from seismic data cubes. This method can help answer key questions in volcanology, as the structure and the morphology of the plumbing systems can provide key information about eruption rate and the style of basaltic lava fields. The main advantage of this technique is that the 3D structure of subsurface volcanoes are extracted from industrial 3D reflection seismology images for overall exploration.In this study, we process seismic data cubes from the Tarim Basin in China, to illustrate how to visualize sills and the conduce of subsurface volcanoes. To begin the calculation, first import the seismic acoustic data cube into an appropriate data processing program. Display the data in 2D and 3D, and adjust the data set appearances, as desired.Then open the settings menu for the well of interest, and open the Time sub menu. Select Create new and name the time log. Use the velocity function DT data to create a one-way time log from the acoustic log.Next, in the 3D data window, select TWT, to display the data in the two-way time domain. Set the newly-created one-way time log as the active time-depth relationship. Select the wired logs of interest to display their seismic profiles in the 3D window.Then, use the Manipulate plane tool to adjust the profile, until it intersects the well. Next, in the Seismic tree, uncheck one plane. In the Well tops tree, select the corresponding well filter and set it to surface.Enable annotations for the Well tops and verify that wired log domains are displayed with the seismic profile. Next, open the Seismic well tie menu. Set the study to Integrated seismic well tie and select the well of interest.Set the TDR to the calibrated one-way time log. and select the seismic data cube. Select any log from the RC calculation method options and fill in the corresponding parameters.Use the Wavelet tool box to create or edit a Ricker wavelet. Click OK to generate the synthetic seismogram. Repeat the process if the synthetic trace does not satisfactorily match the seismic data.Then open the one-way time log created from the acoustic log. Identify a real continual seismic horizon that intersects the well of interest. Add a small increment of time to the Well Log, to adjust the depth of the synthetic trace.Open the calculator tool. Compare the Well log and the seismic horizon. Continue adjusting the Well log in this way to maximize the overlap of the high amplitude reflectors in the synthetic and real traces.The synthetic seismogram from the wired log we have force features. Because the log imaging does not perfectly fit with the burgherwalls. Regional geological information, and a vertical seismic profile are needed to correct and optimize the seismogram.Open the Seismic interpretation menu, and select Insert a Horizon probe. In the individual probe settings, open the Horizons tab, and select two high amplitude surfaces encasing the sills of interest. Select the new probe to display a seismic cube in the 3D window.Open the probe settings, and select the opacity tab. Use the seismic amplitude histogram, to decrease the opacity of low amplitude reflections, leaving only the basaltic sills of interest. Adjust the histogram repeatedly, until the desired shape of the interested geobody of igneous rocks, is achieved.Next, open the Volume attributes menu. Set the category to Structural methods and the Attribute to variance. Set the seismic cube as the input.Enable the Realize option to improve performance and run the process. Choose the variance cube, and select Insert time slice intersection. Use the Manipulate plane tool, in the 3D window, to move the slices to optimize the visualization of discontinuities, corresponding to vertical feeding conduits.Repeat this process with the Seismic amplitude cube. Adjust the two-way time, and vary the slicing depths, to find the best visualization parameters for the data. A 3D seismic data cube, from the Northern Tarim Basin, was processed with this technique.Separated lava lobes were observed in the extracted horizontal sills, suggesting that the lava flow, moves from the dome center to the rim of the dome. Time slices were obtained from the seismic cube, and from a variance data cube to visualize vertical volcanic conduits. Different slicing depths were required for the seismic and variance cubes to visualize the conduits.While attempting this procedure, remember to obtain adequate knowledge of regional geology, the stratigraphic framework, and the characteristics of the marker horizons. After it's development, this technique paved the way for researchers in the field of volcanology, to investigate the 3D structures of the subsurface parts of ash in volcanoes. After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to image subsurface volcanoes using our industrial, 3D seismological data cube.

data-processing-methods-for-3d-seismic-imaging-subsurface-volcanoes

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Environment

Methods for Performing Crosses in Setaria viridis, a New Model System for the Grasses

Setaria viridis is an emerging model system for C4 grasses. It is closely related to the bioenergy feed stock switchgrass and the grain crop foxtail millet. Recently, the 510 Mb genome of foxtail millet, S. italica, has been sequenced 1,2 and a 25x coverage genome sequence of the weedy relative S. viridis is in progress. S. viridis has a number of characteristics that make it a potentially excellent model genetic system including a rapid generation time, small stature, simple growth requirements, prolific seed production 3 and developed systems for both transient and stable transformation 4. However, the genetics of S. viridis is largely unexplored, in part, due to the lack of detailed methods for performing crosses. To date, no standard protocol has been adopted that will permit rapid production of seeds from controlled crosses.
The protocol presented here is optimized for performing genetic crosses in S. viridis, accession A10.1. We have employed a simple heat treatment with warm water for emasculation after pruning the panicle to retain 20-30 florets and labeling of flowers to eliminate seeds resulting from newly developed flowers after emasculation. After testing a series of heat treatments at permissive temperatures and varying the duration of dipping, we have established an optimum temperature and time range of 48 &deg;C for 3-6 min. By using this method, a minimum of 15 crosses can be performed by a single worker per day and an average of 3-5 outcross progeny per panicle can be recovered. Therefore, an average of 45-75 outcross progeny can be produced by one person in a single day. Broad implementation of this technique will facilitate the development of recombinant inbred line populations of S. viridis X S. viridis or S. viridis X S. italica, mapping mutations through bulk segregant analysis and creating higher order mutants for genetic analysis.

Methods for Performing Crosses in Setaria viridis, a New Model System for the Grasses

We have developed a methodology for performing crosses in Setaria viridis (S. viridis). The method involves pruning the panicle prior to a hot water treatment to kill viable pollen. Crosses are performed following a well-controlled growth regime and typically result in the recovery of 1 to 7 cross-pollinated seed/s per panicle.

Setaria viridis is an emerging model system for C4 grasses. It is closely related to the bioenergy feed stock switchgrass and the grain crop foxtail ...

Surface Renewal: An Advanced Micrometeorological Method for Measuring and Processing Field-Scale Energy Flux Density Data

Advanced micrometeorological methods have become increasingly important in soil, crop, and environmental sciences. For many scientists without formal training in atmospheric science, these techniques are relatively inaccessible. Surface renewal and other flux measurement methods require an understanding of boundary layer meteorology and extensive training in instrumentation and multiple data management programs. To improve accessibility of these techniques, we describe the underlying theory of surface renewal measurements, demonstrate how to set up a field station for surface renewal with eddy covariance calibration, and utilize our open-source turnkey data logger program to perform flux data acquisition and processing. The new turnkey program returns to the user a simple data table with the corrected fluxes and quality control parameters, and eliminates the need for researchers to shuttle between multiple processing programs to obtain the final flux data. An example of data generated from these measurements demonstrates how crop water use is measured with this technique. The output information is useful to growers for making irrigation decisions in a variety of agricultural ecosystems. These stations are currently deployed in numerous field experiments by researchers in our group and the California Department of Water Resources in the following crops: rice, wine and raisin grape vineyards, alfalfa, almond, walnut, peach, lemon, avocado, and corn.

Surface renewal is a micrometeorological method that is being used increasingly to determine energy fluxes, but its technical complexity makes it inaccessible to a broad audience. We describe the steps needed to set up and calibrate a surface renewal field station, to acquire and process data, and to correctly interpret results.

Advanced micrometeorological methods have become  increasingly important in soil, crop, and environmental sciences.  For many scientists without formal ...

Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface

Evaporation is directly influenced by the interactions between the atmosphere, land surface and soil subsurface. This work aims to experimentally study evaporation under various surface boundary conditions to improve our current understanding and characterization of this multiphase phenomenon as well as to validate numerical heat and mass transfer theories that couple Navier-Stokes flow in the atmosphere and Darcian flow in the porous media. Experimental data were collected using a unique soil tank apparatus interfaced with a small climate controlled wind tunnel. The experimental apparatus was instrumented with a suite of state of the art sensor technologies for the continuous and autonomous collection of soil moisture, soil thermal properties, soil and air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. This experimental apparatus can be used to generate data under well controlled boundary conditions, allowing for better control and gathering of accurate data at scales of interest not feasible in the field. Induced airflow at several distinct wind speeds over the soil surface resulted in unique behavior of heat and mass transfer during the different evaporative stages.

A protocol for the design and construction of a soil tank interfaced to a small climate controlled wind tunnel to study the effects of atmospheric forcings on evaporation is presented. Both the soil tank and wind tunnel are instrumented with sensor technologies for the continuous in situ measurement of environmental conditions.

Evaporation is directly influenced by the interactions between the atmosphere, land surface and soil subsurface. This work aims to experimentally study ...

Use of a Battery of Chemical and Ecotoxicological Methods for the Assessment of the Efficacy of Wastewater Treatment Processes to Remove Estrogenic Potency

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds pose a substantial risk to the aquatic environment. Ethinylestradiol (EE2) and estrone (E1) have recently been included in a watch list of environmental pollutants under the European Water Framework Directive. Municipal wastewater treatment plants are major contributors to the estrogenic potency of surface waters. Much of the estrogenic potency of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents can be attributed to the discharge of steroid estrogens including estradiol (E2), EE2 and E1 due to incomplete removal of these substances at the treatment plant. An evaluation of the efficacy of wastewater treatment processes requires the quantitative determination of individual substances most often undertaken using chemical analysis methods. Most frequently used methods include Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS/MS) or Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LCMS/MS) using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Although very useful for regulatory purposes, targeted chemical analysis can only provide data on the compounds (and specific metabolites) monitored. Ecotoxicology methods additionally ensure that any by-products produced or unknown estrogenic compounds present are also assessed via measurement of their biological activity. A number of in vitro bioassays including the Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) are available to measure the estrogenic activity of wastewater samples. Chemical analysis in conjunction with in vivo and in vitro bioassays provides a useful toolbox for assessment of the efficacy and suitability of wastewater treatment processes with respect to estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds. This paper utilizes a battery of chemical and ecotoxicology tests to assess conventional, advanced and emerging wastewater treatment processes in laboratory and field studies.

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (EDC) pose a substantial risk to the aquatic environment. Municipal wastewater treatment plants are major contributors to the estrogenic potency of surface waters. The methodology provided in this paper allows for an assessment of the efficacy and suitability of wastewater treatment processes with respect to EDC removal.

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds pose a substantial risk to the aquatic environment. Ethinylestradiol (EE2) and estrone (E1) have recently been included in ...

Methods of Soil Resampling to Monitor Changes in the Chemical Concentrations of Forest Soils

Recent soils research has shown that important chemical soil characteristics can change in less than a decade, often the result of broad environmental changes. Repeated sampling to monitor these changes in forest soils is a relatively new practice that is not well documented in the literature and has only recently been broadly embraced by the scientific community. The objective of this protocol is therefore to synthesize the latest information on methods of soil resampling in a format that can be used to design and implement a soil monitoring program. Successful monitoring of forest soils requires that a study unit be defined within an area of forested land that can be characterized with replicate sampling locations. A resampling interval of 5 years is recommended, but if monitoring is done to evaluate a specific environmental driver, the rate of change expected in that driver should be taken into consideration. Here, we show that the sampling of the profile can be done by horizon where boundaries can be clearly identified and horizons are sufficiently thick to remove soil without contamination from horizons above or below. Otherwise, sampling can be done by depth interval. Archiving of sample for future reanalysis is a key step in avoiding analytical bias and providing the opportunity for additional analyses as new questions arise.

Repeated soil sampling has recently been shown to be an effective way to monitor forest soil change over years and decades. To support its use, a protocol is presented that synthesizes the latest information on soil resampling methods to aid in the design and implementation of successful soil monitoring programs.

Recent soils research has shown that important chemical soil characteristics can change in less than a decade, often the result of broad environmental ...

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The use of video camera systems in ecological studies of fish continues to gain traction as a viable, non-extractive method of measuring fish lengths and estimating fish abundance. We developed and implemented a rotating stereo-video camera tool that covers a full 360 degrees of sampling, which maximizes sampling effort compared to stationary camera tools. A variety of studies have detailed the ability of static, stereo-camera systems to obtain highly accurate and precise measurements of fish; the focus here was on the development of methodological approaches to quantify fish density using rotating camera systems. The first approach was to develop a modification of the metric MaxN, which typically is a conservative count of the minimum number of fish observed on a given camera survey. We redefine MaxN to be the maximum number of fish observed in any given rotation of the camera system. When precautions are taken to avoid double counting, this method for MaxN may more accurately reflect true abundance than that obtained from a fixed camera. Secondly, because stereo-video allows fish to be mapped in three-dimensional space, precise estimates of the distance-from-camera can be obtained for each fish. By using the 95% percentile of the observed distance from camera to establish species-specific areas surveyed, we account for differences in detectability among species while avoiding diluting density estimates by using the maximum distance a species was observed. Accounting for this range of detectability is critical to accurately estimate fish abundances. This methodology will facilitate the integration of rotating stereo-video tools in both applied science and management contexts.

We describe a new method for counting fishes, and estimating relative abundance (MaxN) and fish density using rotating stereo-video camera systems. We also demonstrate how to use distance from camera (Z distance) to estimate species-specific detectability.

The use of video camera systems in ecological studies of fish continues to gain traction as a viable, non-extractive method of measuring fish lengths and ...

Experimental Methods of Dust Charging and Mobilization on Surfaces with Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation or Plasmas

Electrostatic dust transport has been hypothesized to explain a number of observations of unusual planetary phenomena. Here, it is demonstrated using three recently developed experiments in which dust particles are exposed to thermal plasma with beam electrons, beam electrons only, or ultraviolet (UV) radiation only. The UV light source has a narrow bandwidth in wavelength centered at 172 nm. The beam electrons with the energy of 120 eV are created with a negatively biased hot filament. When the vacuum chamber is filled with the argon gas, a thermal plasma is created in addition to the electron beam. Insulating dust particles of a few tens of microns in diameter are used in the experiments. Dust particles are recorded to be lofted to a height up to a few centimeters with a launch speed up to 1 m/s. These experiments demonstrate that photo and/or secondary electron emission from a dusty surface changes the charging mechanism of dust particles. According to the recently developed &#34;patched charge model&#34;, the emitted electrons can be re-absorbed inside microcavities between neighboring dust particles below the surface, causing the accumulation of enhanced negative charges on the surrounding dust particles. The repulsive forces between these negatively charged particles may be large enough to mobilize and lift them off the surface. These experiments present the advanced understanding of dust charging and transport on dusty surfaces, and laid a foundation for future investigations of its role in the surface evolution of airless planetary bodies.

Dust charging and mobilization is demonstrated in three experiments with exposure to thermal plasma with beam electrons, beam electrons only, or ultraviolet (UV) radiation only. These experiments present the advanced understanding of electrostatic dust transport and its role in shaping the surfaces of airless planetary bodies.

Electrostatic dust transport has been hypothesized to explain a number of observations of unusual planetary phenomena. Here, it is demonstrated using ...

Harvesting Venom Toxins from Assassin Bugs and Other Heteropteran Insects

Heteropteran insects such as assassin bugs (Reduviidae) and giant water bugs (Belostomatidae) descended from a common predaceous and venomous ancestor, and the majority of extant heteropterans retain this trophic strategy. Some heteropterans have transitioned to feeding on vertebrate blood (such as the kissing bugs, Triatominae; and bed bugs, Cimicidae) while others have reverted to feeding on plants (most Pentatomomorpha). However, with the exception of saliva used by kissing bugs to facilitate blood-feeding, little is known about heteropteran venoms compared to the venoms of spiders, scorpions and snakes.
One obstacle to the characterization of heteropteran venom toxins is the structure and function of the venom/labial glands, which are both morphologically complex and perform multiple biological roles (defense, prey capture, and extra-oral digestion). In this article, we describe three methods we have successfully used to collect heteropteran venoms. First, we present electrostimulation as a convenient way to collect venom that is often lethal when injected into prey animals, and which obviates contamination by glandular tissue. Second, we show that gentle harassment of animals is sufficient to produce venom extrusion from the proboscis and/or venom spitting in some groups of heteropterans. Third, we describe methods to harvest venom toxins by dissection of anaesthetized animals to obtain the venom glands. This method is complementary to other methods, as it may allow harvesting of toxins from taxa in which electrostimulation and harassment are ineffective. These protocols will enable researchers to harvest toxins from heteropteran insects for structure-function characterization and possible applications in medicine and agriculture.

Although many insects in the suborder Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera) are venomous, their venom composition and the functions of their venom toxins are mostly unknown. This protocol describes methods to harvest heteropteran venoms for further characterization, using electrostimulation, harassment, and gland dissection.

Heteropteran insects such as assassin bugs (Reduviidae) and giant water bugs (Belostomatidae) descended from a common predaceous and venomous ancestor, ...

Composition and Distribution Analysis of Bioaerosols Under Different Environmental Conditions

Variable microorganisms in particulate matter (PM) under different environmental conditions may have significant impacts on human health. In this study, we described a protocol for multiple analyses of the biological compositions in environmental PM. Five experiments are presented: (1) PM number monitoring by using a laser particle counter; (2) PM collection by using a cyclonic aerosol sampler; (3) PM collection by using a high-volume air sampler with filters; (4) culturable microbes collection by the Andersen six-stage sampler; and (5) detection of biological composition of environmental PM by bacterial 16SrDNA and fungal ITS region sequencing. We selected hazy days and a livestock farm as two typical examples of the application in this protocol. In this study, these two sampling methods, cyclonic aerosol sampler and filter sampler, showed different sampling efficiency. The cyclonic aerosol sampler performed much better in terms of collecting bacteria, while these two methods showed the same efficiency in collecting fungi. Filter samplers can work under low temperature conditions while cyclonic aerosol samplers have a sampling limitation for temperature. A solid impacting sampler, such as an Andersen six-stage sampler, can be used to sample bioaerosols directly into the culture medium, which increases the survival rate of culturable microorganisms. However, this method mainly relies on culture while more than 99% of microbes cannot be cultured. DNA extracted from the culturable bacteria collected by the Andersen six-stage sampler and samples collected by cyclonic aerosol sampler and filter sampler were detected by bacterial 16S rDNA and fungal ITS region sequencing.All the methods above may have wide application in many fields of study, such as environmental monitoring and airborne pathogen detection. From these results, we can conclude that these methods can be used under different conditions and may help other researchers further explore the health impacts of environmental bioaerosols.

Understanding the biological composition of environmental particulate matter is important for the study of its significant impacts on human health and disease spread. Here, we used three types of bioaerosol sampling methods and a biological analysis of airborne microbes to better explore airborne microbial communities under different environmental conditions.

Variable microorganisms in particulate matter (PM) under different environmental conditions may have significant impacts on human health. In this study, ...

Standardized Methods for Measuring Induction of the Heat Shock Response in Caenorhabditis elegans

The heat shock response (HSR) is a cellular stress response induced by cytosolic protein misfolding that functions to restore protein folding homeostasis, or proteostasis. Caenorhabditis elegans occupies a unique and powerful niche for HSR research because the HSR can be assessed at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. Therefore, changes at the molecular level can be visualized at the cellular level and their impacts on physiology can be quantitated at the organismal level. While assays for measuring the HSR are straightforward, variations in the timing, temperature, and methodology described in the literature make it challenging to compare results across studies. Furthermore, these issues act as a barrier for anyone seeking to incorporate HSR analysis into their research. Here, a series of protocols is&#160;presented for measuring induction of the HSR in a robust and reproducible manner with RT-qPCR, fluorescent reporters, and an organismal thermorecovery assay. Additionally, we show that a widely used thermotolerance assay is not dependent on the well-established master regulator of the HSR, HSF-1, and therefore should not be used for HSR research. Finally, variations in these assays found in the literature are discussed and best practices are proposed to help standardize results across the field, ultimately facilitating neurodegenerative disease, aging, and HSR research.

Standardized Methods for Measuring Induction of the Heat Shock Response in Caenorhabditis elegans

Here, standardized protocols are presented to assess induction of the heat shock response (HSR) in Caenorhabditis elegans using RT-qPCR at the molecular level, fluorescent reporters at the cellular level, and thermorecovery at the organismal level.

The heat shock response (HSR) is a cellular stress response induced by cytosolic protein misfolding that functions to restore protein folding homeostasis, ...