The results showed that N stage, clinical stage and FLI-1 express

The results showed that N stage, clinical stage and FLI-1 expression were prognostic factors for OS, DMFS and PFS. Gender was a prognostic factor for both DMFS and PFS. T stage, which had a borderline significance in LRFS, was significantly associated with PFS. Advanced clinical stage was also associated with poor LRFS (Table 2). In the training set, multivariate analyses was performed by the COX proportional hazards model to determine the independent prognostic factors of NPC, including all the factors analyzed in the univariate analysis. The results indicated

that N stage, clinical stage and FLI-1 expression were independently significant E7080 research buy for OS. N stage and FLI-1 expression Epacadostat nmr were independent predictors for DMFS. Further

COX proportional hazards model analysis was required because of the interactive effects between clinical stage and T/N stage, which included clinical stage and the rest clinical characteristics except T stage and N stage. The results showed that both clinical stage and FLI-1 expression were independent predictors for both OS and DMFS (Table 3). Patients were divided into two groups according to clinical stage (I~II versus III~IVb). Survival analysis was performed to the training set, with the result indicating that clinical stage distinguished all survival curves well (Figure 3A-D). Patients in the training set were further stratified based on FLI-1 expression. Survival analysis with Obeticholic Acid solubility dmso Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test showed that the prognoses of NPC were further discriminated by FLI-1 expression ( Figure 4A-D). There were four subgroups: low risk (L), with I~II stage and negative FLI-1 expression; intermediate-low risk (IL), with I~II stage and positive FLI-1 expression; intermediate-high risk (IH), with III~IVb stage and negative FLI-1 expression; high risk (H), with III~IVb stage and positive FLI-1 expression. Similar results were obtained both in the testing set ( Figure 5A-D) and in the whole patients ( Figure 6A-D). These results conformed that supplementing FLI-1 with clinical stage led to more

accurate prognostication of NPC. In this study, we observed that cytoplasmic positive expression of FLI-1 correlated significantly with advanced N classification and survival of NPC patients. In addition, OS and DMFS of NPC patients with positive FLI-1 expression were significantly poorer than those with negative FLI-1 expression in the multivariate analysis. Incorporating the clinical stage and FLI-1 expression, by which NPC patients were classified into four risk subgroups, was more effective and accurate in predicting prognosis for NPC than clinical stage alone, especially for patients with III~IVb stage diseases. Thus, FLI-1 has potential as a biomarker to facilitate individualized treatment of NPC.

Transfusion therapy remains efficacious for SCD adults who have s

Transfusion therapy remains efficacious for SCD adults who have suffered

strokes or severe ACS, but is limited because of a lack of qualified providers comfortable with RBC exchange therapy. Moreover, the use of transfusion therapy in adults is complicated by iron overload and allo-immunization. Thus, many patients successfully treated with transfusion therapy in childhood are unable to continue that therapy as adults. On the other hand, acute care and inpatient providers may over-utilise transfusion for baseline Selleck AZD6244 anaemia or vaso-occlusive pain in adults because of a lack of SCD management experience [61]. Patients with SCD have a physiological adaptation to their anaemia; thus, it is crucial to know a patient’s baseline haemoglobin and transfuse only for life- or organ-threatening complications. Iron overload is a frequent complication in adult patients with SCD and requires chelation therapy and monitoring. Up to 10% of adult patients with SCD are noted to have complications of iron toxicity at the time of death [54]. HSCT is also curative in adults with SCD but is more difficult because

of the increased risk of treatment-related complications. Newer studies have demonstrated effective transplantation with reduced-intensity Ganetespib in vitro conditioning, which may increase the options for adult patients [58] and [59]. Additional complications for HSCT in adults include the lack of available donors and

lack of available adult transplantation centres with expertise in SCD. Regardless of treatment, pain is the most-common presenting symptom of SCD in adults. VOEs are often under-treated, Carnitine palmitoyltransferase II which may cause excessive hospital utilisation, including ED visits and inpatient hospitalisations, as well as lost work productivity [62]. Concerns regarding addiction, dependence, and tolerance to pain medication are often unfounded, but add an important layer of complexity to patient care. Pain contracts between patients and providers, as well as drug-monitoring, can be beneficial, but require outpatient follow-up. The manifestations of VOE in conjunction with a lack of preventative care and insufficient insurance coverage in this population can make it difficult to provide effective management in adults [63]. Primary and secondary prevention are also essential and are best addressed in a comprehensive setting. Some key points are presented in Table 2. Although many more children with SCD are living into adulthood, there has not been a corresponding increase in medical haematologists trained to treat older patients. Accessing adequate health and medical services for the young adult with SCD can be a challenge, and usually involves a change in the physician and location of care.

At greater depths hard substrates become more common; they are oc

At greater depths hard substrates become more common; they are occupied by red algal communities: at 3–4 m depth by Polysiphonia fucoides and from 4 to 16 m by Furcellaria lumbricalis ( Bučas 2009). The most conspicuous macrozoobenthos species on the hard substrates are blue mussels Mytilus trossulus and bay barnacles Balanus improvisus ( Olenin & Daunys 2004). The Baltic herring spawning grounds were mapped in 2009–2010 during the spawning period (March–May). In the 2009 season the sampling points were evenly

distributed (the average distance between the sampling points was approximately 800 m) over the F. lumbricalis biotopes, reported to be the most important for Baltic herring spawning in Lithuanian coastal waters ( BaltNIIRH 1989, Olenin SB431542 mw & Labanauskas 1995, Maksimov et al. 1996, Fedotova 2010) ( Figure 1). In the 2010 season sampling efforts were concentrated in the central part of the study area, where high resolution (1.9 × 1.9 m per pixel) multibeam bathymetry (KU MARSTEC, unpublished data) opportunistically became available. This data allowed the small geomorphological bottom features to be derived for the assessment of their role in the

distribution of Baltic herring spawning beds. Baltic herring eggs are relatively small (<2 mm) and semi-transparent, therefore hardly detectable by remote methods (e.g. underwater video), especially in learn more low visibility conditions. Field data were collected by SCUBA divers. At each sampling point the diver recorded the presence/absence of Baltic herring eggs and spawning substrate. Additionally, a benthic sample was collected from the substrate using a 0.04 m2 frame (Kautsky 1993). The benthic samples were analysed using a Nikon Eclipse E200 microscope to confirm the presence/absence of eggs, and developmental stages (from a to q) were distinguished according to Veersalu & Saat (2003). In 2009–2010 93 points were sampled by SCUBA divers. Opportunistic

data from five occasional findings Oxymatrine of Baltic herring eggs in 2006–2008 (KU MARSTEC unpublished data) were added (Table 1, Figure 1). The total data consisted of 98 sampling points, 56 of which were in the multibeam area (Figure 1). The samples were collected at depths from 3 to 14 m, whereas most of them within the 5–10 m depth interval (Figure 2). Weather conditions were very calm during the 2009 season, allowing us to perform an additional detailed survey of a single spawning bed: five transects, the lengths of which ranged from 46 to 149 m (Figure 3). The presence/absence of Baltic herring eggs was recorded by divers who used a floating buoy to signal their findings and position to the crew on the boat. During the same season the sampling window was relatively wide (22 days) with more or less evenly distributed sampling dates, which allowed egg development to be monitored.

1 1 7) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE, EC 3 1 1 8) The enzymati

1.1.7) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE, EC 3.1.1.8). The enzymatic functions of both enzymes include hydrolysis of acetylcholine ACh8(Lane and He, 2013). At the nerve synapses, AChE

terminates nerve impulse transmission by hydrolyzing this neurotransmitter. On the other hand, BChE acts as a backup for AChE and as a scavenger for poisons that might inhibit AChE activity (Masson and Lockridge, 2010). These enzymes have been very rapidly distinguished and subject of considerable research (Massoulié and Millard, 2009). AChE and BChE are well-known for their multiple selleck inhibitor molecular forms (Chen et al., 2011). Polymorphism is achieved by certain combinations of alternative gene splicing, and 3-MA in vivo by the attachment of non-catalytic structural subunits. In mammals, AChE is encoded by a single gene. However, alternative splicing at the C-terminus of AChE mRNA generates three different isoforms. Conversely, one BChE transcript has been identified so far (Johnson and Moore, 2012). The presence of ChEs in tissues that are not cholinergically innervated provides the most compelling evidence that both AChE and BChE might have functions, other than the termination of cholinergic neurotransmission (Jaganathan and Boopathy, 2000).In fact, the human placenta contains an active cholinergic

system which was associated to the amino acid uptake, the release of human placental chorionic somatotropin and prostaglandin production (González-García et

al., 2008) and to the modulation of nitric oxide effect (Bhuiyan et al., 2006). The concentrations of AChE and BChE are considerably lower in the placenta than in the nervous system (Sastry, 1997). The analysis by electron microscopy of cross sections from term placenta, cytochemically Astemizole stained for ChEs activities, showed thatterm placenta syncytiotrophoblast cells produce primarily AChE. On the other hand,epithelial cells that surround the inner part of blood vessels, as well as hematopoietic cells present in them, all intensely stained for both AChE and BChE activities (Sternfeld et al., 1997). In accordance with these observations, it was reported that both AChE and BChE activities were detectable in cultured explanted villous of term placenta (Hahn et al., 1993). Depending on the experimental conditions used, dissimilar OP effects on placental AChE activity have been reported. Gestational exposure of rats to oral doses of the OP chlorpyrifos cause no inhibition of AChE activity (Lassiter et al., 1999), while a single cutaneous dose of OP in pregnant rats decreased AChE activity (Abu-Qare et al., 2000). Nevertheless, we previously reported increased ChE activity in human placenta associated to OP environmental exposure (Souza et al., 2005). Considering that AChE up regulation was induced post OP-treatment in rodents brain (Evron et al.

Exogenous recombinant brown spider phospholipase-D binds to the s

Exogenous recombinant brown spider phospholipase-D binds to the surface of B16-F10 cells and hydrolyzes synthetic phospholipids such as sphingomyelin and lysophosphatidylcholine that are normally constituents of cell membranes. To ascertain whether this recombinant phospholipase-D is able to alter the levels of phospholipids

that are present and organized as a lipid bilayer in the cytoplasmic membrane of cells, likely containing different hydrophobic tails among their fatty acids compared to synthetic molecules, ghosts of B16-F10 cells or detergent extracts of ghosts (Fig. 4) (washed ghosts of cells were used to avoid cytoplasmic phospholipids being used as substrates for recombinant phospholipase-D) were treated with LiRecDT1, and the generation of choline was examined in a fluorimetric assay. As depicted in the figures, choline production was detected following LiRecDT1 treatment http://www.selleckchem.com/products/Vorinostat-saha.html learn more both in the presence of ghosts and detergent extracts of ghosts, supporting the accessibility and activity of recombinant brown spider phospholipase-D with respect to plasma membrane phospholipids of B16-F10 cells. Because lysophosphatidic acid, which is a lipid-derived

product generated following exogenous autotaxin activity in various cell types, can mobilize calcium in several cell types (Stunff et al., 2004; Itagaki et al., 2005), we studied the involvement of recombinant brown spider phospholipase-D activity on calcium mobilization in B16-F10 cells. We examined the calcium influx into B16-F10 cells following recombinant phospholipase-D treatment in the presence of Fluo-4, a cell-permeant, calcium-sensitive fluorophore, via spectrofluorimetry. As shown in Fig. 5A, phospholipase-D treatment caused Non-specific serine/threonine protein kinase increases in fluorescence and in the calcium influx in B16-F10 cells in a time-dependent manner. Additionally, Fluo-4-loaded

B16-F10 cells were treated with recombinant phospholipase-D (LiRecDT1) in different time intervals and observed using an inverted microscope for differential interface contrast (DIC) microscopy and to observe the fluorescence intensity (see details in the Materials and Methods). There was increased fluorescence and Calcium uptake observed according to the time following phospholipase-D treatment (Fig. 5B), strengthening the idea that exposure to exogenous recombinant brown spider phospholipase-D induced an acute ionic response associated with Calcium influx into the B16-F10 cells. To avoid the possibility that the Calcium influx into B16-F10 cells was a consequence of the deleterious effect of toxins on the plasma membrane of cells, thereby causing a change in membrane integrity and an artificial Calcium influx, the viability of cells was assayed through the Trypan blue exclusion method, and the morphology of the cells was evaluated using inverted microscopy. As indicated in Fig.

The mutation load is usually expressed as FLT3 allelic ratio (FLT

The mutation load is usually expressed as FLT3 allelic ratio (FLT3-mutations/wild-type ratio). With a few exceptions, 18 most studies have shown that AML patients with a high FLT3 mutant-to-wild-type ratio have a less favourable outcome that those with lower ratios. [17] and [19] Loss of the FLT3wt allele in FLT3-ITD mutated cases usually occurs through mitotic recombination that leads to partial uniparental disomy of chromosome 13q and it is associated with a particularly poor outcome. 20 This negative prognostic effect is likely due to the fact that the wild-type FLT3 interferes with and blocks

the aberrant signalling of the ITD-mutant receptor allele. 21 It is unclear whether the site and

length of find more FLT3-ITD mutation is prognostically relevant. In fact, patients carrying ITD mutations that extend to I-BET-762 supplier the TK1 region showed a particularly poor outcome in one study 22but not in another. 16 The prognostic relevance of the FLT3-TKD mutations also remains controversial. In fact, they have been associated with no, negative or positive impact on prognosis. 23 Treatment of AML patients harbouring FLT3-ITD mutations is problematic since they usually respond poorly to standard chemotherapy regimens. 6 Allogeneic HSCT may be of benefit and this procedure is recommended for this subset of patients. [24], [25], [26] and [27] However, FLT3-ITD positivity remains a poor prognostic factor even after allogeneic HSCT since patients are at high risk of early relapse, 28 with a 100-day cumulative risk of 45% (95% CI, 33–57). 28 Molecular targeted therapy directed to the genetic lesion is under investigation. Several FLT3 inhibitors have been developed, including first generation (midostaurin, lestaurtinib, sunitinib, sorafenib)

and second generation (quizartinib) compounds.29 Unfortunately, results with early FLT3 inhibitors used as single agents have been disappointing since they showed only a limited clinical activity, mainly manifesting Astemizole as transient reduction in the count of circulating blasts. The major limitation to the use of these compounds for the treatment of AML has been their relative lack of selectivity or potency against FLT3 and suboptimal pharmacokinetics. More encouraging results have been reported with the second generation, more selective and potent anti-FLT3 agent AC220 (quizartinib).30 This small molecule exhibits excellent pharmacokinetics properties and has shown significant activity in a phase 1 study.29 Other expected obstacles to the development of an effective therapy with FLT3 inhibitors include the levels of FLT3 ligand31 and the emergence of FLT3 kinase domain mutants resistant to FLT3 inhibitors.32 Moreover, some FLT3-ITD AML may not be addicted to FLT3 signaling and response of AML to FLT3 inhibitors may be conditioned by the FLT3-mutant allelic burden.

Corroborating these findings, Cunha-Filho et al (2010) and

Corroborating these findings, Cunha-Filho et al. (2010) and

Sciani et al. (2012) did not find hemolytic activity in amphibian skin secretions from R. crucifer, R. marina, R. schneideri and R. major at a concentration of 50 μg/mL, though secretions of R. jimi, R. margaritifer and Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis showed membrane disruption after 1 h incubation. Divergent results were seen with R. guttatus venom extracts, whereas all exhibited learn more hemolytic potentiality, a contradictory finding when compared to that described by Sciani et al. (2012), who reported no membrane damage. It is likely that this difference should be correlated with range of concentrations used. The antiproliferative effects of the extracts were investigated on the basis of the incorporation of BrdU, a thymidine analog, into DNA, which occurs during the S phase of the cell cycle. R. marina extracts caused inhibition of DNA synthesis in HL-60 leukemia as evidenced by the decrease in BrdU incorporation, corroborating outcomes achieved with MTT and Alamar Blue™ PARP phosphorylation assays. In fact, investigations have demonstrated that some toad skin secretions possess compounds able to induce cell cycle

arrest in G2/M phase, decrease cell viability, activate initiator and effector caspases and provoke morphological alterations (chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, cytoplasm retraction, cell detachment, membrane blebs and apoptotic Nintedanib (BIBF 1120) bodies) in prostate and breast carcinomas ( Yeh et al., 2003 and Sciani et al., 2012). Since cardiotonic steroids of two chemical classes, cardenolides (ouabain, for example) and bufadienolides,

bind specifically to the subunits of the sodium/potassium pump (Na+/K+-ATPase) ( Newman et al., 2008 and Gao et al., 2011), it is possible that the stimulation of apoptosis by bufadienolides is associated with this bioactivity. In summary, nine extracts of R. marina and R. guttatus venoms showed pronounced lethal and discriminating effects in tumor lines, especially those from R. marina, highlighting toad parotoid gland secretions as a promising source of novel lead anticancer compounds. HPLC and LC–MS analysis of the extracts of R. marina and R. guttatus venom showed significant differences between them, where four bufadienolides (1, 2, 3, and 4) were identified in different extracts from R. marina and only one (2) in R. guttatus. We are grateful to the Brazilian agencies Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Mato Grosso (FAPEMAT), Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (FUNCAP) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Piauí (FAPEPI) for financial support. The authors are indebted to Prof. Dr. M. L. dos Santos and Dr. G. A.

However, the biggest increase in the seasonal averages of the pel

However, the biggest increase in the seasonal averages of the pelagic variables in the upper layer of the three deeps takes place in spring and summer (phytoplankton), in autumn (zooplankton), and in summer (pelagic detritus, POC): a) GdD: phytoplankton (ca 145%

and 138%), zooplankton (ca 267%), pelagic detritus (ca 101%) and POC (ca 123%); b) BD: phytoplankton (ca 152% and 143%), zooplankton (ca 192%), pelagic detritus (ca 104%) and POC (ca 111%); c) GtD: phytoplankton Metformin in vitro (ca 138% and 161%), zooplankton (ca 153%), pelagic detritus (ca 125%) and POC (ca 108%). The percentage contributions of the POC components in the upper layer of the study sites for 1965–1998, 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040

and 2050 are presented in Figure 5. The increasing contribution of zooplankton in POC over decades is evident in the case of GdD, whereas the contribution is similar selleck kinase inhibitor and constant in GtD and BD. This corroborates the overview of results presented earlier. The contribution of phytoplankton to POC increases by 10%, 5% and 2%, thus leading to respective decreases in pelagic detritus by 8%, 5% and 2% in GtD, BD and GdD. The contribution of zooplankton to POC increases by 5% in GdD only; it decreases by 2% in GtD and is constant over time in BD. The data presented in this paper are the results of numerical simulations based on one of many possible assumptions. The prediction of future changes was made on the basis of the changes that took place in the period from 1965 to 1998, mainly in the Gulf of Gdańsk. It is difficult to assess how realistic our assumptions are – this is the main reason why people examine different scenarios. So we examined several options based on historical data (1965–1998). Some of them were extrapolations, some were not. The temperature increase assumed in our study (0.008°C) is somewhat lower than that accepted by the BACC Author Team (2008). Those authors suggested a temperature increase of 2.9°C in the period

this website from 1961–1990 to 2071–2100 as the most realistic for the Baltic Sea region. That finding was obtained by testing different scenarios with global and regional climate models. The other unknown is the future nutrient input to the Baltic Sea, since it is closely related to the direction in which the region’s agriculture is going to take. However, most of the scenarios based on global and regional climate models point to an increase in precipitation over the Baltic Sea region of as much as 50% of present-day values by 2050 (BACC Author Team 2008). Since the Baltic’s nutrient input enters the sea mostly from waterborne sources, it is to be expected that nutrient loads will increase together with precipitation and river runoff.

In conclusion our data indicate that – during medium-term follow-

In conclusion our data indicate that – during medium-term follow-up (3 years) and using self-reported clinical risk factors – more complex tools as FRAX® did not perform better in the fracture risk prediction compared with simpler tools such as OST, ORAI, OSIRIS and SCORE or even age alone in a screening scenario where BMD was not measured. These findings suggest that simpler tools based on fewer risk factors, which would be easier to use in clinical practice

by the GP or the patient herself, could just as well as FRAX® be used to identify women with increased risk of fracture and therefore should be referred to a DXA scan. This study is a part of the Risk-stratified Osteoporosis Strategy Evaluation study (ROSE study) which is supported by INTERREG 4A (JNR 08/4177), the Region of Southern Denmark (JNR 08/8133 and JNR 11/5761) and Odense University Hospital. The funding agencies had no direct role in the conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis Baf-A1 nmr and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review or final approval of the manuscript. Conflicts of interest None. “
“Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is the major regulator of calcium homeostasis through its actions on bone and kidney. PTH is critical for bone remodeling, exerting both anabolic and catabolic effects on bone in vivo by activating the PTH1 receptor, Galunisertib a G-protein coupled receptor, on osteoblast (OB) lineage cells [1] and [2]. Intermittent PTH was the first anabolic agent approved

for osteoporosis therapy IMP dehydrogenase in the USA [1] and [3]. For reasons still not completely understood, daily injections of PTH increase bone formation more than resorption, thereby increasing bone mass, while continuous infusion increases bone resorption more than formation, resulting in bone loss [4], [5] and [6]. Despite the anabolic effects of PTH in vivo and the demonstration that PTH can stimulate OB precursors or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to differentiate into OBs [2] and [7], it has been difficult to demonstrate

osteogenic effects of PTH in vitro. A number of in vitro studies have reported that PTH present continuously in culture inhibits OB differentiation [8], [9], [10] and [11]. These observations suggest that the bone loss associated with continuous PTH is not simply the result of increased resorption but may also involve suppressed differentiation of bone-forming cells. PTH is also a potent inducer of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin (PG) production, especially PGE2, in OB lineage cells [12] and [13]. PGs are locally produced lipids that have receptors on both OB and osteoclast (OC) lineage cells [14] and [15]. PGE2 is abundantly expressed in bone and can have important roles in skeletal metabolism. Although originally identified as a resorption agonist, PGE2 also increases bone formation in vivo [16] and OB differentiation in vitro [14] and [15]. Multiple regulators of bone metabolism induce COX-2, the major enzyme responsible for PG production.

For example, the pathway from the tropical North Pacific in our E

For example, the pathway from the tropical North Pacific in our Experiments NE and NW suggests that spiciness anomalies can enter the Indonesian Seas. Since there is strong selleck screening library vertical mixing in the Indonesian Seas, such subsurface spiciness signals may impact SST there (Ffield and Gordon, 1992, 1996).] Below the mixed layer, temperature anomalies along the equator are a superposition of dynamical and spiciness components. Their structure generally depends on the strength and spatial patterns of the signals in the regions where they are locally generated and on the processes by which they spread to the equator. Forcing near and at the equator (Regions ESE, ESW, ENE, ENW, EQE, and EQW), however,

has common influences on the equatorial temperature structure. It generates positive dynamical anomalies (deepening of isopycnals) in the lower pycnocline and weaker negative dynamical anomalies in the upper pycnocline;

it also generates negative spiciness anomalies in the pycnocline, which partially cancel Pirfenidone purchase the positive anomalies due to dynamical signals in the lower pycnocline (Fig. 8b, Fig. B.3b and Fig. B.4b). An assumption underlying our split of the domain into subregions is that the ocean’s response to δκbδκb is (approximately) linear, that is, the total response is close to the sum of the individual responses. Linearity should hold in the limit of small δκbδκb, since δTδT will then be well approximated by the first-order term in the Taylor expansion of T   with respect to δκbδκb. To test this property, we compared the sum of the temperature anomalies (∑eδTe)∑eδTe to δTFBδTFB (see Sections 2.2 and 2.3) along a few representative meridional sections (not shown). The two solutions are very similar at year 1, consistent with the fact that not much signal has yet propagated from each forcing region to other regions. At year 20, the large-scale patterns of ∑eδTe∑eδTe and δTFBδTFB are still similar (by the eye). On the ZD1839 chemical structure other hand, ∑eδTe∑eδTe is much noisier with strong mesoscale features superimposed on the large-scale signals. This difference suggests that mesoscale disturbances caused by δκbδκb

in one region are not much attenuated in other regions in regional experiments because κbκb is small outside their respective forcing regions, whereas they are attenuated by δκbδκb everywhere in Experiment FB. This difference can be interpreted as a nonlinear effect due to terms like δκbδTezzδκbδTezz in Experiment FB. Although we have restricted forcing by δκbδκb to be depth-independent, a number of studies point toward the importance of its vertical structure. For example, Sasaki et al. (2012) increased the background vertical diffusivity, κbκb, only above the center of the equatorial pycnocline in the equatorial Pacific ( analogous to our Regions EQE and EQW), in order to simulate the enhanced mixing recently found there (Richards et al.