The Triassic Chang 7 Formation is a rich lacustrine source rock in the Ordos Basin, central China. Petrographic and geochemical analyses were performed in order to research the mechanism of organic ...matter (OM) enrichment in the Chang 7 shales. Bulk geochemical data indicate that the OM-rich shales were formed in a fresh and brackish water, which is not usually the case for high TOC (Total Organic Carbon Content) sediments. Therefore, there must be some special conditions favorable for OM enrichment in Chang 7 shales.
Petrography and element geochemistry show that the Chang 7 OM-rich shales are abundant in OM-enriched laminae, framboidal pyrites, collophanes, and some elements including iron (Fe), diphosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), copper (Cu), vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo), and uranium (U). High bio-productivity (algae blooming) and anoxic depositional environments are critical for OM enrichment. As the organic carbon contents increase, the Fe, P2O5, Cu, V, Mo, and U element contents increase as well and the ratios of U/Th and V/(V+Ni) are growing. Many geochemical data demonstrate that the water was oxic, while the environment under the sediment-water interface was anoxic as a result of a high organic supply that sufficiently consumed oxygen.
Taking into account the geological settings and our previous studies, we propose that the frequent volcanic events and hydrothermal activity caused by the collision of the North China landmass with the Yangtze landmass and consequential formation of the Qingling Mountains had a significant role in the OM enrichment in the fresh and brackish lacustrine shales. Deposition of volcanic ash into aqueous environments might lead to the increase of some key nutrients, such as Fe and P2O5, which might enhance primary bio-productivity. New evidence for hydrothermal activity, the reddingite, was demonstrated in this study. Not only can the hydrothermal activity provide elements necessary for life, but is also favorable for formation of anoxic settings.
The deposition of the Chang 7 lacustrine OM-rich shales can be explained using the High-Bio-Productivity-Driven Model, which is related to volcanic events and hydrothermal activity as a consequence of regional tectonic movements. An anoxic depositional setting is beneficial for OM preservation and slow sedimentation rates in the deep lacustrine environments are favorable for OM enrichment.
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•The sediment-water interface may be the oxic-anoxic interface.•A high-productivity-driven model was proposed.•Triggers for high nutrient in-flux may be volcanic events and hydrothermal activities.
A highly sensitive temperature sensor with cascaded polarization maintaining fiber–Sagnac interferometers (PMF–SIs) based on harmonic Vernier effect has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. ...Both simulation and experiment results indicate that the fundamental Vernier effect can be achieved through cascading two PMF–SIs with similar free spectral ranges (FSRs) and the first-order harmonic Vernier effect can be further realized by two PMF–SIs possessing FSRs with an approximate multiple relationship. The maximum sensitivity of the cascaded PMF–SIs based on harmonic Vernier effect has be enhanced about 35.5 times compared with that of single PMF–SI, exhibiting a high temperature sensitivity of − 53.3 nm/°C in the temperature measurement range from 30 to 37 °C. The temperature sensor with simple structure and high sensitivity has a great application prospect.
Under the background of One Belt and One Road, western cultural factors, especially western taboo culture, should be taken into consideration in the image design of tourism products when developing ...tourism. Based on the principle of image positioning, this paper puts forward some preliminary suggestions in this regard.
Insomnia and the inability to sleep affect people's health and well-being. However, its systematic estimates of prevalence and distribution in the general population in China are still lacking. A ...population-based cluster sampling survey was conducted in the rural and urban areas of Hunan, China. Subjects (n = 26,851) were sampled from the general population, with a follow-up using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for interview to assess quality of sleep and Insomnia (PSQI score >5). While the overall prevalence of insomnia was 26.6%, and little difference was found between males (26.3%) and females (27.0%); the mean PSQI score was 4.26 (±2.67), and significant higher in females (4.32 ± 2.70) than males (4.21 ± 2.64, p = 0.003). Individuals in the rural areas tended to report a higher PSQI score (4.45 ± 2.81) than urban residents did (4.18 ± 2.60) (p < 0.001) and the estimates of prevalence of insomnia was 29.4% in the rural areas, significant higher than 25.5% in the urban areas (p < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that female gender, older age, higher level of education, being unmarried, living in the rural area, cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking were associated with insomnia. Our study may provide important information for general and mental health research.
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway is intricately connected with bone mass regulation in humans and rodent models. We designed an antibody-based platform that generates potent and selective Wnt ...mimetics. Using this platform, we engineer bi-specific Wnt mimetics that target Frizzled and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related proteins and evaluate their effects on bone accrual in murine models. These synthetic Wnt agonists induce rapid and robust bone building effects, and correct bone mass deficiency and bone defects in various disease models, including osteoporosis, aging, and long bone fracture. Furthermore, when these Wnt agonists are combined with antiresorptive bisphosphonates or anti-sclerostin antibody therapies, additional bone accrual/maintenance effects are observed compared to monotherapy, which could benefit individuals with severe and/or acute bone-building deficiencies. Our data support the continued development of Wnt mimetics for the treatment of diseases of low bone mineral density, including osteoporosis.
Sleep problems are common in the general population. Cigarette smoking is common in the general population of China. Examinations of the prevalence of poor sleep quality among Chinese smokers and ...nonsmokers are still lacking. This study was designed to examine sleep quality and sleep disturbances among cigarette smokers and nonsmokers in the general population in central China.
In this population-based sampling project, we used a multi-stage sampling method to recruit survey participants from September 2012 to October 2012 in rural and urban areas of Hunan province, China. A total of 27,300 subjects were sampled from the general population and 26,282 completed the self-report of cigarette smoking characteristics. Cigarette smoker was defined as having smoked ≥100 cigarette in a lifetime and smoked during the last 28 days. Cigarette smoking characteristics were obtained from smokers, including cigarettes per day, years of smoking, quit attempts, and smoking cravings. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was applied to assess quality of sleep and sleep disturbances (PSQI score > 5).
Significantly more smokers than nonsmokers demonstrated poor sleep quality and sleep disturbances. Among smokers, linear regression analyses showed that poor sleep was inversely associated with cigarettes per day, and positively associated with years of smoking, quit attempts, and smoking craving. Logistic regression analysis showed that quit attempts and smoking cravings were associated with higher odds of sleep disturbances.
Sleep disturbances were more prevalent among cigarette smokers than nonsmokers. Smokers also varied in sleep problems on the basis of the characteristics of their smoking. Smokers should be informed about the link between cigarette smoking and poor sleep quality, and should be advised that one of several important health benefits from smoking cessation could be the improvement of sleep quality. Sleep therapy should be recommended as an adjunctive treatment for smoking cessation.
Mechanical signals are recognized as anabolic to both bone and muscle, but the specific parameters that are critical to this stimulus remain unknown. Here we examined the potential of extremely ...low-magnitude, high-frequency mechanical stimuli to enhance the quality of the adolescent musculoskeletal system. Eight-week-old female BALB/cByJ mice were divided into three groups: baseline controls (BC, n = 8), age-matched controls (AC, n = 12), and whole body vibration (WBV, n = 12) at 45 Hz (0.3 g) for 15 min/day. Following 6 wk of WBV, bone mineralizing surfaces of trabeculae in the proximal metaphysis of the tibia were 75% greater (P < 0.05) than AC, while osteoclast activity was not significantly different. The tibial metaphysis of WBV mice had 14% greater trabecular bone volume (P < 0.05) than AC, while periosteal bone area, bone marrow area, cortical bone area, and the moments of inertia of this region were all significantly greater (up to 29%, P < 0.05). The soleus muscle also realized gains by WBV, with total cross-sectional area as well as type I and type II fiber area as much as 29% greater (P < 0.05) in mice that received the vibratory mechanical stimulus. The small magnitude and brief application of the noninvasive intervention emphasize that the mechanosensitive elements of the musculoskeletal system are not necessarily dependent on strenuous, long-term activity to initiate a structurally relevant response in the adolescent musculoskeletal system. If maintained into adulthood, the beneficial structural changes in trabecular bone, cortical bone, and muscle may serve to decrease the incidence of osteoporotic fractures and sarcopenia later in life.
Abstract Background It is difficult to improve negative symptoms and cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. A previous pilot study has shown that minocycline, a semi-synthetic second-generation ...tetracycline, is effective in treating for negative and/or cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia. Objectives The present study was designed to examine the efficacy and safety of minocycline for the treatment of negative symptoms and cognitive impairments in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Ninety-two patients with early stage schizophrenia treated with risperidone entered this 16-week, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive minocycline (200 mg per day) or the placebo. The primary outcome was evaluated using the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). Secondary outcomes included the response rate of SANS, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), and cognitive tests. Results Subjects receiving minocycline had greater improvements on SANS total scores and PANSS negative subscale scores (P < 0.001) when compared with those receiving the placebo. Rates of treatment response (43.6%) in the minocycline group were significantly higher than those in the placebo group (10.0%) after 16 weeks of treatment. There was no significant difference between the seven cognitive domains (P > 0.05), except for the attention domain (P = 0.044). Conclusions The addition of minocycline to atypical antipsychotic drugs in early schizophrenia had significant efficacy on negative symptoms but had a slight effect on the attention domains of patients with schizophrenia. It may be considered as a new adjunct treatment for negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Clinical trials.gov identifier: NCT01493622.
The Wnt antagonist Sost has emerged as a key regulator of bone homeostasis through the modulation of Lrp4/5/6 Wnt coreceptors. In humans, lack of Sclerostin causes sclerosteosis and van Buchem (VB) ...disease, two generalized skeletal hyperostosis disorders that result from hyperactive Wnt signaling. Unlike sclerosteosis, VB patients lack SOST coding mutations but carry a homozygous 52 kb noncoding deletion that is essential for the transcriptional activation of SOST in bone. We recently identified a putative bone enhancer, ECR5 , in the VB deletion region, and showed that the transcriptional activity of ECR5 is controlled by Mef2C transcription factor in vitro. Here we report that mice lacking ECR5 or Mef2C through Col1-Cre osteoblast/osteocyte-specific ablation result in high bone mass (HBM) due to elevated bone formation rates. We conclude that the absence of the Sost -specific long-range regulatory element ECR5 causes VB disease in rodents, and that Mef2C is the main transcription factor responsible for ECR5 -dependent Sost transcriptional activation in the adult skeleton.
, an aquatic pathogenic bacterium, has been found to infect many fish species and cause huge aquaculture losses. Antibiotics are the most common drugs used to treat these infections. However, ...antibiotic abuse can lead to the development of antibiotic resistance. Probiotics have the potential to replace antibiotics for preventing infections. Zebrafish (
) is a model organism used to study the innate immune system and host-pathogen interactions. Currently, there is little information on how the fish immune system responds to
and probiotic treatment. To increase the understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind the zebrafish defense against
and provide evidence that antibiotics can be replaced by probiotics, a transcriptome analysis of the zebrafish spleen was conducted 48 hours after infection by
, as well as after treatment using
KUST48 4 hours after infection. A total of 36,499 genes were obtained. There were 3,337 genes found to have significant differential expression between treatment and control groups. According to further annotation and enrichment analysis, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in signal transduction, endocrine system cancer, and the immune system. Insulin resistance disappeared in the zebrafish after treatment. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to confirm the significant regulation of immune defense DEGs, the results of which were consistent with the RNA-sequencing data. These results could serve as a basis for future studies on the immune response to
and provide suggestions for probiotic alternatives to antibiotics, which will be of great significance to aquaculture and environmental protection.IMPORTANCEIn recent years, the unreasonable use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic residues, cross infection, toxic side effects, and so on, which has caused a serious threat to human food safety and life health. In recent years, many studies have demonstrated the potential of probiotics as a substitute for antibiotics, but there is still a lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying probiotic therapy. We conduct a research on the impact of
KUST48 on the transcription profile of
-infected zebrafish spleen. Mortality of zebrafish infected with
was significantly reduced after treatment with
KUST48. Our results can help to strengthen our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of zebrafish and provide a valuable reference for the molecular mechanisms of probiotic therapy.
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