Early Permian facies and paleogeography of the Southeastern Russian craton

Summary During the Early Permian deep-water basins existed in the southeastern part of the Russian craton. North and west of the Cis-Ural foredeep and the Precaspian depression (micro-ocean) carbonate platforms were formed on a shallow-marine shelf during the Asselian, Sakmarian and Early Artinskian. Reefs developed on the margin of these platforms along the slopes of the Cis-Ural foredeep and the Precaspian depression. The reefs shifted platform ward in the eastern areas, due to the tectonic subsidence of the platform margin and at the same time, prograded basinward in the south. Movements of continental blocks from the south during the Late Artinskian and Kungurian caused the separation of the Early Permian basin of the Russian craton from the Palaeo-Tethys, followed by evaporite sedimentation in the restricted basins. The existence of source rocks (bituminous deep-water sediments), thick reservoir rocks (limestones and dolostones), evaporitic seals and structural as well as stratigraphic traps are responsible for large productive gas and oil fields (e.g., Orenburg field), some of which are distinctly associated with reef carbonates.     

Early ordovician reefs from Argentina: Stromatoporoid vs stromatolite origin

Summary Late Arenigian biohermal reef mounds and biostromes within the shallow-marine platform facies of the upper San Juan Formation of the Precordillera (Western Argentina) represent a new Early Ordovician reef type. The meter-sized reefs are dominated byZondarella communis n.g. n. sp. The new taxon is characterized by domical, bulbous and laminar morphotypes exhibiting growth layers and thin horizontal and vertical as well as intermingled skeletal elements included within different sets. The fossil maybe compared with stromatolites and stromatoporoids but an interpretation as primitive stromatoporoids is favoured.     

Stimulation of the Cyclic GMP Pathway by NO Induces Expression of the Immediate Early Genes c-fos and junB in PC12 Cells

Abstract: Stimulation of several second messenger pathways induces the expression of immediate early genes such as c- fos , c- jun , junB , and junD , but little is known about their induction via the stimulation of the cyclic GMP pathway. Here we looked at the expression of early genes in pheochromocytoma PC12 cells after activation of cytosolic guanylate cyclase by sodium nitroprusside. This compound spontaneously releases NO, a molecule known to be involved in cell communication. We found that expression of c- fos and junB but not of c- jun or junD is increased upon activation of cyclic GMP pathway. c- fos mRNA expression was the most activated (fourfold at 30 min), whereas junB response was more modest (2.2-fold activation at 60 min). Nuclear extracts of stimulated cells show increased binding capacity to the AP1 binding site consistent with the dose-response curve. The activating effect of nitroprusside could be reproduced by dipyridamole, a selective cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor and by 8- p -chlorophenylthio-cyclic GMP, a permeant selective cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activator, and abolished by KT5823, an inhibitor of that kinase. The results show that NO promotes early gene activation and AP1 binding enhancement through the stimulation of the cyclic GMP pathway.     

NEW EARLY JURASSIC ACTINOPTERYGIANS FROM WEIXIN,YUNNAN

PalaeoniscidaeVogt,l852Weixiniscusgen.nov.TypespeeiesWcixiniscusmicrolepis.Genericdiagnovi8Small'palaeoniscidofelongate-fusiformbody.Dorsalfinlong-based,opposingt0thespacebetweenpelvicandanalfins.Pelvicfinwithrela-tivelylongbase,nearertoanalfinthant0pectorals.Caudalfinheterocerca1,deepcleft,upper1obelongerthanlowerlobe-Fin-rays0fallfinscompletelyandsparselysegmented,brancheddistally.Fin-'fulcrapresentontheuppercaudallobe.Postorbitalpartofmaxilliaratherexpanded,ofpalaeoniscoidshape.Suspetis…     

DISCOVERY OF TWO MID-TERTIARY MAMMALIAN FAUNAS FROM HAIYUAN, NINGXIA, CHINA

Inl988-199otheRegionalGeologicalSurveyTeamoftheGeologicalBureauofNingxia(RGSN)foundsomefossilmammalsinthelowerpartoftheHo11g1iugouFormationandtheupperpartoftheOligocene.Inl992ajointteamoflnstituteofVertebratePaleontologyandPaleoanthropo1ogy,AcademiaSinica(IVPP),andtheRGSNwenttoHaiyuailCountyandcollectedmorefossilmamma1sfromtheYuanjia-wowoareausi11gascreen-washingmethodThemammalfaunafromthelowerpartoftheHongliugouFormationiscomposedofAprotodonsp.,Indricotheriidaeindet.,Rhinoceroti…     

Microhabitat use by marsh-edge fishes in a Louisiana estuary

Synopsis We used a drop sampler to characterize use of the marsh-edge ecotone by small fishes along two transects running inland from the Gulf of Mexico for ca. 25 km in Louisiana's Barataria-Caminada Bay System. Monthly sampling was stratified among upper, middle, and lower reaches and within reaches to characterize fish responses to salinity, depth, distance from shore, substrate, dissolved oxygen concentration, temperature, turbidity, velocity, and emergent stem density. In 681 quantitative samples, covering 658 m², collected between October 1987 and October 1989, we collected 57 fish species and 16 864 individuals, primarily larvae and juveniles. The 15 most abundant fishes, comprising 97.7% of all individuals, were concentrated near the marsh edge (i.e., 0 to 1.25 m distance). Some significant differences within species for seasonal variables (e.g., temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration) reflected the ephemeral duration of early life history stages. Other differences reflected ontogenetic microhabitat shifts (e.g., depth and distance from shore). Within ecological groups, characterized as demersal residents, nektonic transients, and demersal transients, spatial and temporal segregation reflected the particular habitat requirements of each species. In a principal component analysis of microhabitat use, the first three components were interpreted as seasonal, depth-and-distance, and salinity axes, respectively. The array of species and size classes in principal component space reflected the complex dimensionality of microhabitat use. The high density of fish larvae and juveniles near the marsh edge confirmed the importance of the marsh-edge ecotone as a nursery for many estuarine-dependent fishes.     

Ethical obligation and legal requirements: On informed consent practices in Bangladesh

Informed consent to medical intervention is fundamental in both ethics and law. But in practice it is often not taken seriously in developing countries. This paper provides an appraisal of informed consent practices in Bangladesh. Following a review of the ethical and legal principles of informed consent, it assesses the degree to which doctors adhere to it in Bangladesh. Based on findings of non-compliance, it then investigates the reasons for such non-compliance through an appraisal of informed consent practices in Bangladesh and provides recommendations aimed at improving such practices. The significance of this paper lies in unveiling the interdependence between the ethical and legal traits of informed consent and their ramifications on strengthening the patient-oriented approach of duty to care.     

浙西早寒武世梅树村期棒状化石

该文记述了浙江省西部江山县新塘坞地区灯影组(梅树村期)中新发现的矿化骨骼化石——浙江棒(新属)Zhejiangorhabdion gen.nov.。该化石的形态与以往化石类群均不相同,为个体微小的棒状,表面具较复杂的纹饰,不同个体间的纹饰都有一定变化,推测是动物体内不同部位的骨棒所具有的特征,代表了一个新的化石类群。新属的发现丰富了梅树村期动物群的内容,对了解具骨骼动物群体在这一时期的演化具有一定的意义。     

Palynological and palaeobotanical investigations in the area of the post-medieval Helsinki Old Town

Pollen, phytolith, and plant macrofossil analyses were carried out on the cultural layers of Helsinki Old Town excavated by the Helsinki City Museum and dated to the 15–17th centuries. Cultural mineral soil layers, a former ditch, a well, one waste pit, one waste heap and three house areas were investigated. The results show that-within certain limits-pollen in the mineral soil reflects the cultural changes of the local settlement from rural to urban. Among the main anthropogenic indicators, the high NAP (non-arboreal pollen) frequencies, the low pollen concentration values, and especially the high frequencies of Cichoriaceae (Liguliflorae) pollen should be emphasized. The macrofossil data were used to determine the species list of the herb pollen and to make a more detailed reconstruction of the local vegetation at Helsinki Old Town.