Surface deformations of the 6 February 2023 earthquake sequence, eastern Türkiye.

Two powerful earthquakes struck Türkiye on 6 February 2023. The initial rupture was on the Dead Sea fault zone, yet maximum displacements and energy release [moment magnitude (Mw) 7.8] occurred 24 seconds later when rupture transferred to the East Anatolian fault zone (EAFZ). More than 7 hours later, a Mw 4.5 aftershock at the junction of the EAFZ with the east-west striking Çardak-Sürgü fault was followed 86 minutes later by the second large (Mw 7.5) earthquake, suggesting a causal relationship. We provide quantitative ground and aerial documentation of surface offsets and kinematics from the slipped faults, providing important data on surface deformation during large continental strike-slip earthquakes, rupture propagation mechanisms, and how slip may be transferred between complex fault systems. We also provide insight into how slip along linked fault systems accommodates global plate motions.

Investigation of the antidepressant mechanism of combined Radix Bupleuri and Radix Paeoniae Alba treatment using proteomics analysis of liver tissue.

Depression is a chronic, common mental illness characterized by depressed mood, anxiety, insomnia, cognitive impairment, and even suicidal tendency. In traditional Chinese medicine theory, the cause of depression is deemed to be "stagnation of liver qi". So relieving "stagnation of liver qi" is effective for depression. The combination of Radix Bupleuri and Radix Paeoniae Alba, which is used to soothe the liver and relieve depression, has antidepressant effects, but the mechanisms of the effects are still unclear. In this study, a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress was established as a model of depression, and proteomics analysis was used to explore the potential mechanisms of this combination in alleviating depression. Biological information analysis was performed on the selected differential proteins, and the enriched pathways mainly included the Jak-STAT signaling pathway, valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation, and oxidative phosphorylation. The expression of key proteins included metallothionein-1, cyclin-dependent kinase, ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase-1, and Cryab was further verified by western blotting, and the results which were consistent with the proteomics results, confirmed the reliability of the proteomic analysis. The antidepressant mechanism of combined Radix Bupleuri and Radix Paeoniae Alba treatment may be related to the oxidative stress response, neuroplasticity, the immune response, and neuroprotection.

Greece and Turkey Shaken by African tectonic retreat.

Earthquakes are a consequence of the motions of the planet's tectonic plates, yet predicting when and where they may occur, and how to prepare remain some of the shortcomings of using scientific knowledge to protect human life. A devastating Mw 7.0 earthquake on October 30, 2020, offshore Samos Island, Greece was a consequence of the Aegean and Anatolian upper crust being pulled apart by north-south extensional stresses resulting from slab rollback, where the African plate is subducting northwards beneath Eurasia, while the slab is sinking by gravitational forces, causing it to retreat southwards. Since the retreating African slab is coupled with the overriding plate, it tears the upper plate apart as it retreats, breaking it into numerous small plates with frequent earthquakes along their boundaries. Historical earthquake swarms and deformation of the upper plate in the Aegean have been associated with massive volcanism and cataclysmic devastation, such as the Mw 7.7 Amorgos earthquake in July 1956 between the islands of Naxos and Santorini (Thera). Even more notable was the eruption of Santorini 3650 years ago, which contributed to the fall of the Minoan civilization. The Samos earthquake highlights the long historical lack of appreciation of links between deep tectonic processes and upper crustal deformation and geological hazards, and is a harbinger of future earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, establishing a basis for studies to institute better protection of infrastructure and upper plate cultures in the region.