Central Depression Research Articles

THE EFFECT OF MIXED TEACHING MODE BASED ON NETWORK OPEN COURSE AND INTELLIGENT TEACHING PLATFORM ON ALLEVIATING STUDENTS' PSYCHOLOGICAL ANXIETY

THE EFFECT OF MIXED TEACHING MODE BASED ON NETWORK OPEN COURSE AND INTELLIGENT TEACHING PLATFORM ON ALLEVIATING STUDENTS' PSYCHOLOGICAL ANXIETY

Intranasal Fentanyl to Reduce Pain and Improve Oral Intake in the Management of Children With Painful Infectious Mouth Lesions.

Painful infectious mouth conditions such as herpangina, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and herpetic gingivostomatitis can cause pain, dehydration, and hospitalization in young children. Treatment for these conditions is generally supportive and directed toward pain relief from ulcerative lesions, thus facilitating oral intake, and preventing dehydration. Attempts at oral therapy at home and in the emergency department are often refused and immediately spit back out. This study evaluated the efficacy of intranasal fentanyl (INF) compared with a commonly used oral (PO) acetaminophen/hydrocodone formulation for the treatment of children with painful infectious mouth conditions. This study was a prospective, nonblinded, randomized controlled noninferiority trial conducted in an academic tertiary care pediatric emergency department. The study enrolled children between the ages of 6 months and 18 years with painful infectious mouth lesions and poor oral intake. Patients were randomized to receive either INF (1.5 μg/kg, intervention) or PO acetaminophen/hydrocodone (0.15 mg/kg, control) based on the dose of hydrocodone. The primary outcome was volume of fluid intake per body weight (in milliliters per kilogram) 60 minutes after analgesic administration. Secondary outcomes included pain scores using a validated visual assessment scale (VAS; 1, no pain; 10, worst pain), hydration score (VAS; 1, well hydrated; 4, very dehydrated), admission rate and overall satisfaction score (VAS; 1, worst; 7, best). A priori power analysis indicated that 34 patients would achieve an 81% power with an α value of 0.05. Of the 34 patients enrolled, 17 were randomized to INF and 17 to PO. The demographics between both groups were similar in age, weight, sex, and race. There were no significant differences in parental perception of pain ( P = 0.69) or hydration status ( P = 0.78). Oral fluid intake at 60 minutes was 20 mL/kg for INF versus 18 mL/kg for PO ( P = 0.53). Pain scores at 15 and 30 minutes were 1.7 versus 2.9 ( P = 0.09) and 0.6 versus 1.6 ( P = 0.59). Parental perceptions of pain and hydration status at 60 minutes were 2.2 versus 2.4 ( P = 0.77) and 1.7 versus 1.5 ( P = 0.37). Overall parental satisfaction was 6.4 for INF versus 6.5 for PO ( P = 0.71), and admission rate was 0 vs 12% ( P = 0.49). There were no adverse events such as respiratory, cardiac, or central nervous system depression in either group. Intranasal fentanyl seems to be a safe and effective alternative to acetaminophen with hydrocodone in reducing pain and improving hydration status in children with painful infectious mouth lesions and poor oral intake.

Deferment associated to contrasting grazing intensities affects root/shoot biomass allocation in natural grasslands

AbstractQuestions(i) How does a strategic deferment influence both shoot and root biomass in South American Campos natural grassland after a long time of contrasting livestock grazing intensities? (ii) How do functional strategies of plants to tolerate or avoid grazing affect patterns of aboveground and belowground biomass?LocationA natural Campos grassland in the Central Depression of Rio Grande do Sul State, Southern Brazil (latitude 30°05′27″ S, longitude 51°40′18″ W, and altitude 46 m).MethodsWe studied the effects of deferments (spring or autumn) at moderate and severe livestock grazing intensities (maintained by adjusting contrasting forage allowances during 25 years) on the cover of dominant species, and aboveground and belowground biomass. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with three replications of grazing exclusions, applied simultaneously at moderate and severe grazing intensities. Measurements of above‐ and belowground biomass and the coverage of the five dominant species were performed before and after grazing exclusion periods.ResultsUnder severe grazing intensity, erect‐growing grasses were replaced by prostrate species, which were able at least to maintain the belowground biomass found at moderate grazing intensity. In response to deferments, severe grazing intensity changed toward a significant increase in aboveground biomass and in the coverage of plants with erect growing habit. However, total belowground biomass remained unaffected by exclusions in both grazing intensities. The relation of root:shoot biomass was lower under moderate grazing intensity, and showed a negative response to deferment treatments at severe grazing intensity.ConclusionLong‐term contrasting grazing intensities applied in South American Campos grasslands determine several changes in above‐ and belowground relationships. Prevalence of prostrate plants under severe grazing is associated with a high partitioning capacity of assimilates toward the subterranean biomass, higher than in the tall species predominant under moderate grazing. The fast recovery of aboveground biomass, the maintenance of the underground biomass and the increase of tall grasses in response to deferments reveals the high resilience capacity of this ecosystem after a long‐term period of overgrazing.

3D magnetic characterization of the Aimorés structure (Brazil) aiming to identify interpretation elements under cover: Impact crater or circular intrusion?

The Aimorés intrusive complex (AIC), located in the Araçuaí belt (Brazil), has been characterized for many years as the Aimorés Impact Crater due to its topographic features, such as the circular morphology and the ring-shaped rim. Detailed geologic mapping finds a zoned igneous intrusion composed of granite and charnockite rocks in the outer rims, whereas the central part of the structure is covered by overburden. In the absence of direct evidence under the center of the structure, uncertainty remains and there is ambiguity about the geologic interpretation of the area. For this reason, we have used magnetic data to investigate the AIC structure in the subsurface. We explore the different possibilities of geologic scenarios for this region, namely, a pluton with eroded center, a zoned intrusion, a simple impact crater, and a complex impact crater through a synthetic study. Our synthetic tests revealed zoned intrusion and simple impact crater as possible geologic scenarios. Then, in the next stage, we characterize the AIC in three dimensions to unveil the subsurface geometry of the magnetic rocks. The inverted model found the geometry of a high susceptibility ring-shaped body that extends at 4 km depth, pointing to a circular zoned intrusion as the more likely interpretation. Our study has revealed two new geologic features in the study area: (1) the presence of two distinct zones under the central depression cover of the AIC and (2) a new zoned body at southeast of the AIC, which has not been mapped previously because of the overburden. We find the efficacy of using magnetic data for mapping postcollisional intrusions potentially associated with lithium mineralization in subsurface.

Development and Initial Validation of a Novel Professional Aesthetic Scale for the Female Abdomen.

A growing body of literature describes abdominal aesthetic goals to tailor surgical and nonsurgical treatment options to meet patient goals. The authors aimed to integrate layperson perceptions into the design of a novel professional aesthetic scale for the abdomen. An iterative process of expert consensus was used to choose five domains: abdominal muscle lines, abdominal shape, scar, skin, and umbilicus. A survey was developed to measure global and domain-specific aesthetic preferences on five abdomens. This was distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk to 340 respondents. Principal component analysis was used to integrate survey data into weights for each of the scale's subquestions. Attending plastic surgeons then rated abdomens using the final scale, and reliability and validity were calculated. The final scale included 11 subquestions-hourglass shape, bulges, hernia, infraumbilical skin, supraumbilical skin, umbilicus shape, umbilicus medialization position, umbilicus height position, semilunar lines, central midline depression, and scar-within the five domains. Central midline depression held the highest weight (16.1 percent) when correlated with global aesthetic rating, followed by semilunar lines (15.8 percent) and infraumbilical skin (11.8 percent). The final scale demonstrated strong validity (Pearson r = 0.99) and was rated as easy to use by seven attending plastic surgeons. The final scale is the first published professional aesthetic scale for the abdomen that aims to integrate layperson opinion. This analysis and survey data provide insights into the importance of 11 components in overall aesthetic appeal of the abdomen.

Opioids and Vitamin C: Known Interactions and Potential for Redox-Signaling Crosstalk.

Opioids are among the most widely used classes of pharmacologically active compounds both clinically and recreationally. Beyond their analgesic efficacy via μ opioid receptor (MOR) agonism, a prominent side effect is central respiratory depression, leading to systemic hypoxia and free radical generation. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid; AA) is an essential antioxidant vitamin and is involved in the recycling of redox cofactors associated with inflammation. While AA has been shown to reduce some of the negative side effects of opioids, the underlying mechanisms have not been explored. The present review seeks to provide a signaling framework under which MOR activation and AA may interact. AA can directly quench reactive oxygen and nitrogen species induced by opioids, yet this activity alone does not sufficiently describe observations. Downstream of MOR activation, confounding effects from AA with STAT3, HIF1α, and NF-κB have the potential to block production of antioxidant proteins such as nitric oxide synthase and superoxide dismutase. Further mechanistic research is necessary to understand the underlying signaling crosstalk of MOR activation and AA in the amelioration of the negative, potentially fatal side effects of opioids.

A Computational Approach Applied to the Study of Potential Allosteric Inhibitors Protease NS2B/NS3 from Dengue Virus.

Dengue virus (DENV) is a danger to more than 400 million people in the world, and there is no specific treatment. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop an effective method to combat this pathology. NS2B/NS3 protease is an important biological target due it being necessary for viral replication and the fact that it promotes the spread of the infection. Thus, this study aimed to design DENV NS2B/NS3pro allosteric inhibitors from a matrix compound. The search was conducted using the Swiss Similarity tool. The compounds were subjected to molecular docking calculations, molecular dynamics simulations (MD) and free energy calculations. The molecular docking results showed that two compounds, ZINC000001680989 and ZINC000001679427, were promising and performed important hydrogen interactions with the Asn152, Leu149 and Ala164 residues, showing the same interactions obtained in the literature. In the MD, the results indicated that five residues, Lys74, Leu76, Asn152, Leu149 and Ala166, contribute to the stability of the ligand at the allosteric site for all of the simulated systems. Hydrophobic, electrostatic and van der Waals interactions had significant effects on binding affinity. Physicochemical properties, lipophilicity, water solubility, pharmacokinetics, druglikeness and medicinal chemistry were evaluated for four compounds that were more promising, showed negative indices for the potential penetration of the Blood Brain Barrier and expressed high human intestinal absorption, indicating a low risk of central nervous system depression or drowsiness as the the side effects. The compound ZINC000006694490 exhibited an alert with a plausible level of toxicity for the purine base chemical moiety, indicating hepatotoxicity and chromosome damage in vivo in mouse, rat and human organisms. All of the compounds selected in this study showed a synthetic accessibility (SA) score lower than 4, suggesting the ease of new syntheses. The results corroborate with other studies in the literature, and the computational approach used here can contribute to the discovery of new and potent anti-dengue agents.

Factors controlling reservoir quality of a retreating delta-front in shallow-water lacustrine in the Songliao Basin, Northeast China

Shallow-water lacustrine delta sand bodies with large areas of high-quality reservoirs are widespread in the first member of Yaojia Formation (k2y1) of the Upper Cretaceous in Qijia–Gulong area, central depression of the Songliao Basin. The analysis of elements affecting reservoir quality has always been a focus and difficulty of oil and gas exploration and development. Seismic profile interpretations, well log analysis, lithological associations, core observations, and heavy mineral assemblage determinations are used to interpret sequence stratigraphic framework and sedimentary evolution of K2y1. The latter is interpreted as a transgressive systems tract comprising three fourth-order sequences (SQ1–SQ3). Based on core observations and wireline logs, K2y1 primarily contained a shallow lake, distal bars, sand sheets, interdistributary bay, and subaqueous distributary channel deposits. The sand ratio and scale of the channels in the formations from SQ1 to SQ3 decreased which was reflecting the continuously retrograding sedimentary evolution of deltas to the lakeshore, as observed based on mutual calibration of single well sedimentary facies and root mean square amplitude attributes. Based on petrographic analysis of thin sections, particle sizes, scanning electron microscope (SEM) as well as X-ray diffraction, the effects of diagenesis and sedimentary facies on reservoir quality are investigated. In the process of delta-front retrogradation, the changes in reservoir quality in different sequences are primarily a result of the following factors: (1) the fine sandstone has better reservoir quality and more primary pores than the siltstone, which has higher argillaceous content. Additionally, in the fine sandstone, more primary pores can be preserved in the compaction process with higher reservoir quality. (2) Less authigenic illites have little influence on reservoir quality. When the authigenic illite content is >6%, the flocculent characteristics of authigenic illite crystals easily separate the intergranular pores into tinier micropores, thereby reducing the reservoir physical properties. (3) More than 3% of Pompon-like authigenic chlorites may occupy the pore throats of sandstone reservoirs. (4) The feldspars and rock fragments in the sandstone reservoir adjacent to the source rock easily form numerous secondary dissolution pores and improve the reservoir quality. The present study reveals that large-areas of subaqueous distributary channel sand bodies with stable lateral distribution, high reservoir quality, and significant petrophysical characteristics are the best-qualities of reservoir within the early stage of retreating delta-front system.

Multi-scale classification and evaluation of shale reservoirs and ‘sweet spot’ prediction of the second and third members of the Qingshankou Formation in the Songliao Basin based on machine learning

Owing to the unique structure of shale reservoirs intercalated with thin siltstone in the second and third members of the Qingshankou Formation (K1qn2+3) in the north of the Central Depression of the Songliao Basin, it is difficult to objectively predict and evaluate multi-scale (i.e., from the micro to macro scale) physical properties of the reservoir and the ‘sweet spot’ area (the area with the best reservoir quality). Using machine learning, we present herein a new machine learning framework (GCA-CE-MGPK) specific to reservoirs for studying the shale reservoirs in K1qn2+3. According to the results of a high-pressure mercury-injection experiment, organic geochemical analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Through grey correlation analysis, clustering ensemble and the Kriging model combined with macro geological parameters, an efficient, accurate and objective multi-scale evaluation of the shale reservoirs and the prediction of the ‘sweet spot’ area were realised. This method can be used to overcome difficulty in parameter selection, time-consuming classification of a large amount of data and difficulty in macro-scale reservoir prediction in the absence of seismic data with an average accuracy of 82.4%. The reservoir prediction results showed that the Class-I reservoir, the ‘sweet spots’ area, is mainly distributed in the north of the study area with an area of 3.15 × 108 m2; the Class-II reservoir is mainly distributed in the north of the study area with an area of 9.88 × 108 m2; the Class-III shale reservoir is the most widely distributed reservoir type with an area of 4.90 × 109 m2. Overall, compared with K1qn1, K1qn2+3 offers more realistic oil and gas exploration potential and advantages.

Patterns and metacommunity processes of epiphytic bromeliad assemblages along a coastal‐inland gradient in a subtropical Brazilian geographic corridor

AbstractMetacommunity ecology investigates how drivers of regional and local scales cause compositional variation in a network of communities potentially linked by dispersal. We examined the metacommunity structure of epiphytic bromeliad assemblages along a coastal‐inland gradient in a subtropical geographic corridor extending from the Atlantic coast to near the Uruguay River, in the central depression of Rio Grande do Sul State, in southernmost Brazil. We surveyed floristic and environmental data on a sequence of 71 testimonial hills. We used elements of metacommunity structure to identify metacommunity patterns (i.e. random, checkerboard, nested, Clementsian, Gleasonian, evenly spaced and quasi‐structured). We ran a canonical correspondence analysis to evaluate how coastal‐inland gradient influenced species distribution. Finally, we employed variation partitioning to determine archetype‐based metacommunity structuring processes (i.e. species sorting, neutral dynamics, patch dynamics and mass effects). We found that temperature‐ and moisture‐based gradients generated environmental heterogeneity that established species filtering, determining the formation of cohesive groups of epiphytic bromeliads with coincidentally occurring boundaries (i.e. quasi‐Clementsian structure). As a result, we identified four metacommunity structures embedded along the coastal‐inland gradient: In the eastern and east‐central metacommunities, species distributions were idiosyncratic due to individual species' responses to environmental gradients (i.e. quasi‐Gleasonian structure), and in the western and west‐central metacommunities, we observed Clementsian and Gleasonian structures, respectively. Habitat heterogeneity and dispersal sufficiency (i.e. species sorting archetype) were the foremost drivers establishing metacommunity structures. Ultimately, and surprisingly, in the east‐central metacommunity, we detected source‐sink dynamics among the testimonial hills (i.e. mass effects archetype). Our findings suggest that epiphytic bromeliad assemblages are linked to a gradient‐driven pattern with moderate heterogeneity (i.e. low turnover) and identify four embedded metacommunity structures. Moreover, they indicate that the species sorting archetype best represents the processes of establishing metacommunity structures.

The miRNA-34a/Sirt1/p53 pathway in a rat model of lens regeneration.

BackgroundThere are many molecular factors involved in Wolffian and corneal lens regeneration, but few in lens regeneration by lens epithelial cells (LECs) in mammals. Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) has a variety of physiological functions, such as a transport hub, and is involved in pathological conditions. We studied the expression of the microRNA (miRNA)-34a/Sirt1/tumor protein p53 (p53) pathway in a rat model of lens regeneration.MethodsWe performed extracapsular lens extraction in 42 healthy female Sprague-Dawley rats. Slit lamp observation was performed at 3, 7, 14, 21, 30, 60 and 90 days postoperatively, and the rats were killed humanely by cervical dislocation at 30, 60 and 90 days postoperatively to remove the eyeballs. We performed semiquantitative immunofluorescence analysis of Sirt1, p53, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibronectin (fn), and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to detect the relative expressions of miRNA-34a, Sirt1, p53, aquaporin 0 (AQP 0), γA-crystallin, and beaded filament structural protein 1 (BFSP1) mRNA in the lens and posterior capsule.ResultsThe posterior capsule wrinkled at 3 days and it increased at 7 days. At 14 days, pearl-like opacification appeared under the capsule, with increasing shrinkage. Greater mass-like proliferators in size and number accumulated under the capsule and at the equator after 21 days. A regenerated lens developed in the central depression of the capsule at 30 days, slightly protruding from it. Despite being thickened at 60 days, the central depression persisted, with a smaller change at 90 days than at 60 days. Although the relative mRNA expression of miRNA-34a and p53 in the lens and posterior capsule decreased over time (P=0.000), that of Sirt1 increased (P<0.01). α-SMA was uniformly expressed in the crystals and gradually decreased, while fn expression gradually increased.ConclusionsmiRNA-34a expression decreased and Sirt1 expression increased during lens regeneration. Furthermore, p53 expression decreased, thus reducing apoptosis. Therefore, Sirt1 acted as a key factor in the pathway, and played a protective role in lens regeneration.

Assessing spatial–temporal evolution and key factors of urban livability in arid zone: The case study of the Loess Plateau, China

Urban livability (UL) plays an important direction of sustainable cities and society. According to the core connotation of urban sustainable development goals (SDGs), this study deconstructed the relationship between UL and SDGs, and extracted corresponding indicators to construct a universal and scientific evaluation index system for evaluating urban livability in arid zone. The UL system was divided into seven dimensions: economic growth, urban construction and population, urban public service capacity, resource consumption and utilization, living standard of residents, current situation of urban environment, environmental pollution. TOPSIS model and SYS-GMM model were adopted to explore the spatial–temporal evolution and key factors of urban livability in arid areas, 24 cities on the Loess Plateau from 2013 to 2018 were chosen for this study. The evaluation results indicate that the overall livable level of 24 cities is not ideal, the temporal characteristic shows a rising trend of fluctuation, and the spatial characteristic shows central depression. Additionally, the empirical results show that there are six key factors for urban livability in the Loess Plateau, the fixed asset investment and population density have a negative impact on UL, while environmental regulation, industrial structure optimization, income level and Institutional quality play a positive impact on UL. The UL index system can measure the UL situation comprehensively and scientifically, which can provide a universal applicability index system for ecologically sensitive & arid areas to research UL, construct ecological livable cities, and achieve SDGs.

A comprehensive analysis of ultrasonic pulse current reducing hot cracking in Inconel 718 welds

A novel self-induced ultrasonic tungsten inert gas (U-TIG) welding has been successfully applied to weld the Inconel 718 sheet with thickness of 2 mm to reduce hot cracking. The welding arc, weld formation, microstructure and micro-hardness distribution between TIG and U-TIG welding were analyzed systematically. The relationship between micro-hardness and characteristics of grain size, grain orientation, grain boundary, segregation and recrystallization proportion in transition zone (from weld metal zone to heat affected zone) was investigated. The characteristics of sizes, disorientations and boundaries of adjacent grains, as well as the micro-strain distributions in weld metal zones of TIG and U-TIG welds were analyzed contrastively. The results indicate that the welding arc with symmetrical shrinkage induced by ultrasonic pulse current greatly intensifies the central depression of the weld bead surface, which benefits the release of welding thermal stress. With the promoted transformation of coarse columnar dendrites to fine equiaxed dendrites with similar orientation in U-TIG welds, the segregation in grain boundaries is greatly reduced, which reduces potential of the hot cracking initiation and propagation. In addition, the improvement of micro-hardness distribution is contributed by grain refinement and segregation dispersion in U-TIG welds.

Light ring images of double photon spheres in black hole and wormhole spacetimes

The silhouette of a black hole having a critical curve (an unstable bound photon orbit) when illuminated by an optically thin accretion disk whose emission is confined to the equatorial plane shows a distinctive central brightness depression (the shadow) whose outer edge consists of a series of strongly lensed, self-similar rings superimposed with the disk's direct emission. While the size and shape of the critical curve depend only on the background geometry, the pattern of bright and dark regions (including the size and depth of the shadow itself) in the image is strongly influenced by the (astro)physics of the accretion disk. This aspect makes it difficult to extract clean and clear observational discriminators between the Kerr black hole and other compact objects. In the presence of a second critical curve, however, observational differences become apparent. In this work we shall consider some spherically symmetric black hole and wormhole geometries characterized by the presence of a second critical curve, via a uniparametric family of extensions of the Schwarzschild metric. By assuming three toy models of geometrically thin accretion disks, we show the presence of additional light rings in the intermediate region between the two critical curves. The observation of such rings could represent a compelling evidence for the existence of black hole mimickers having multiple critical curves.

New evidence for sedimentary volcanism on Chryse Planitia, Mars

Kilometre-sized flows (KSFs) have been observed in many regions on Mars and have been typically interpreted as lava flows. However, sedimentary volcanism has been proposed as an alternative origin for some KSFs. Remarkable examples of such hypothesized sedimentary KSFs are located at the southern margin of Chryse Planitia. There, the flows are associated with conical and dome-shaped edifices; however their formation mechanism remains enigmatic due to the absence of ground truth. Previous studies revealed that these KSFs consist of three morphological elements: a central depression, leveed central channels, and a distal portion of the fading channel(s). Here, we present new morphological results obtained on these KSFs using seven newly available Digital Elevation Models computed from HiRISE stereo pairs. Our investigation confirms that these features are aggradational and formed by the transport of a liquid. This material emerged from identified depressions and the presence of subtle mounds inside them is interpreted to mark the position of feeder vents. We also observe that the margins surrounding the central large channels are not continuous. They are cut by meter-sized troughs linking the central channels to units which have distinctive albedo and roughness compared to their surroundings. These bright units do not have a clear topographical expression, suggesting that the effused material originally flowing away from the central channel was easily removed after its emplacement. Such surface features are unlikely to be related to igneous deposits, since once lava is released from a main channel, it would rapidly solidify due to the heat loss and hence result in topographically distinct features. In contrast, such morphological expressions are more likely related to sedimentary volcanism and the emplacement of low viscosity water-rich mud. Sublimation, evaporation, infiltration or a combination of these processes should lead to water loss from the flows without leaving a detectable topographic expression but changing the roughness and hence albedo of the surface. The southern part of Chryse Planitia is a region on Mars where subsurface sediment mobilization could have operated in the past and hence represents a promising site for future exploration where deeper-sourced sedimentary deposits are exposed at the surface.

Surface Displacements Mechanism of the Dobi Graben from ASAR Time-Series Analysis of InSAR: Implications for the Tectonic Setting in the Central Afar Depression, Ethiopia

The Dobi graben is a Quaternary, NW-trending continental rift found within the East-Central Block (ECB) of the Afar Depression (AD) in Ethiopia. The AD might be the only place where three active rifts meet on land. This diffused, Rift–Rift–Rift (RRR) triple junction in the ECB comprises the overlap zone between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden propagators. Rifting is ongoing in the Dobi graben as evidenced by the August 1989 earthquakes (of magnitude 5.7 &lt; MW &lt; 6.2). This study carried out a surface displacement time-series analysis to examine the kinematics of the Dobi graben and the surrounding area using 18 ascending orbit scenes (between May 2005 and March 2010) along tract 257 and 15 along the descending orbit (tract 006) of the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR), C-band (λ = 5.6 cm) acquired by the ENVIronmental SATellite (ENVISAT). We utilized the Small Baseline Algorithm (SBA) techniques of the distributed scatterer, which were implemented independently to generate Line of Sight (LOS) displacement maps. These LOS displacement surface movements, identified in both geometries, can be interpreted as ± signs of predominantly vertical movement in both geometries: positive for uplifting and negative for subsidence. Additionally, opposite signs of ± horizontal movement in both geometries indicate that the movement is from East to West (or vice versa). Results from the velocity and displacement maps and time series analysis suggest that creeping is associated mainly with normal faulting and could be the primary mechanism for strain distribution for the Southeastern part of the Dobi graben. The anomalous, continuous uplifting exhibited at the rift shoulder and in the horst area might be linked to the presence of temporary reactivation of normal faulting in the region. The oblique, positive LOS signals observed in different parts of the Dobi graben might serve as a proxy for understanding how strain is accommodated as normal faulting and is distributed in a distinct northeast direction. This explanation supports both the arguments for the Northeast migration of the triple junction and the transfer of strain from the southernmost Red Sea Rift (RSR) to the Central AD.

Solitary leg ulcer in a renal transplant recipient

A 44-year-old Asian woman presented 3 years after a kidney transplant with a 1-month history of a painful and enlarging lesion on the left shin. She was on 6.5 mg tacrolimus once daily, 360 mg mycophenolic acid twice a day, and 5 mg prednisolone once daily for posttransplant immunosuppression. A systemic review revealed a nonproductive cough without associated fever or neurologic symptoms. A physical examination showed a nodule on the left shin with central crateriform depression. The left shin lesion progressed to ulcerate (Fig 1, A and B), leaving a 1.5-cm shallow ulcer with a sloughy base.

Lateral changes of organic matter preservation in the lacustrine Qingshankou Formation (Cretaceous Songliao Basin, NE China): Evidence for basin segmentation

Organic matter-rich intervals in the Cretaceous succession of the large non-marine Songliao Basin in northeastern China (covered area ~ 87 × 103 km2), including the Turonian–Coniacian Qingshankou Formation (K2qn), offer unique records to study the role of global (e.g., climate, “limno-eustasy”) and regional (tectonics, basin geometry) controls on organic matter accumulation. A wealth of scientific papers concentrate on the vertical variations in organic matter (OM) preservation along the Southeastern Uplift of the basin, which hosts its most prolific source rock intervals. However, the corresponding K2qn interval in the Central Depression is less well studied, and no lateral correlation between both parts of the basin based on direct information from well logs and drill cores exists to date. Hence, the dominant influencing factors causing lateral changes organic-richness and source potential are not yet fully understood. Basin geometry effects in particular could not be evaluated in detail, as highly resolved seismic data is lacking for the transitional zone between the Southeastern Uplift and Central Depression. This paper uses Integrated Prediction Error Filter Analysis of wireline logs together with petrographical and geochemical data from drill cores of two key wells in the Central Depression and Southeastern Uplift areas for a detailed correlation of the K2qn1 interval and its three sub-units (Sq1 to Sq3). Bulk geochemical (e.g., total organic carbon vs. total sulphur), biomarker (ratios of pristane vs. phytane, dibenzothiophene vs. phenanthrene, and total steroid vs. hopanoid compounds; Gammacerane Index; abundance of 4-methylsteranes and C29 steranes), and petrographical (e.g., maceral composition; framboidal pyrite size) data to trace changes in the depositional conditions. All data sources support a higher degree of salinity stratification and more intense anoxia at the Southeastern Uplift compared to the Central Depression particularly during accumulation of the lowermost and most organic-rich Sq1 sub-unit. These observations indicate that two depocenters may have existed during times of Sq1 deposition, and that the pronounced basin separation inhibited marine incursions from the Southeastern Uplift to the Central Depression. During deposition of the overlying Sq2 and Sq3 sub-units, a low relative lake level and dry climatic conditions likely prevailed. The geochemical data suggest similar dysoxic brackish-fresh water conditions in both depocenters. Moreover, the well log correlation indicates that a gradually connected basin may have formed at this time, reducing the effects of two separate depocenters on sediment accumulation and organic matter preservation. Thus, this study provides the first direct evidence that apart from global factors, basin segmentation strongly controlled the distribution of organic matter-rich rocks within the Qingshankou Formation.

Inappropriate use of ivermectin during the COVID-19 pandemic: primum non nocere!

Inappropriate use of ivermectin during the COVID-19 pandemic: primum non nocere!

Characteristics and Research Direction of Triassic in the South Yellow Sea Basin, China

To advance oil and gas exploration in the South Yellow Sea Basin, characteristics of Triassic, including its correlation with regional strata, distribution, lithology characteristics, and karst development characteristics, are studied by geological mapping. Results show that there exist Zhouchongcun Formation and Qinglong Formation in the Triassic. Zhouchongcun Formation corresponds to Dongma Formation in the lower Yangtze Region, Badong Formation in the middle Yangtze Region, and Lekoupo Formation in the upper Yangtze region. The upper Qinglong Formation corresponds to the Nanlinghu Formation and Longshan Formation in Xiyanzi district, and Jialingjiang Formation in the middle and upper Yangtze region. Its lithology is limestone, intercalated with marl, mudstone, and argillaceous siltstone. The lower Qinglong Formation corresponds to the Yinkeng Formation at the lower Yangtze group. The lower Qinglong group has the complex lithologic characteristics, which can be divided into six categories from top to bottom, including limestone weathering crust layer, limestone, marl with mudstone, mudstone with limestone, marl with limestone, and mudstone interbedding limestone and mudstone. Karst phenomenon is well developed in the lower Qinglong Formation, and the thickness of weathering crust, revealed by cz35-2-1 well, reaches 60.5 m. Triassic in the South Yellow Sea Basin is mainly distributed in the central uplift and southern depression, showing the regional differences in distribution. Karstification is probably the main reason for this significant difference. Identification of karst phenomenon and stratigraphic division method towards Triassic drilling coring are two important directions of Triassic study in the South Yellow Sea Basin.