We have developed a novel isothermal DNA amplification method with an amplification mechanism quite different from conventional PCR. This method uses a specially designed circular probe (C-probe) in which the 3 and 5 ends are brought together in juxtaposition by hybridization to a target. The two ends are then covalently linked by a T4 DNA ligase in a target-dependent manner, producing a closed...

Elevation-dependent warming in high-elevation regions and Arctic amplification are of tremendous interest to many scientists who are engaged in studies in climate change. Here, using annual mean temperatures from 2781 global stations for the 1961-2010 period, we find that the warming for the world's high-elevation stations (>500 m above sea level) is clearly stronger than their low-elevation co...