Lithostratigraphic classification of the Tsodilo Hills Group: a Palaeo- to Mesoproterozoic metasedimentary succession in NW Botswana

The Tsodilo Hills Group strata exposed in the Tsodilo Hills are an association of metaarenites, metaconglomerates, quartz-mica schists, sandstone, red siltstone and sedimentary breccia deposited on an open siliciclastic marine shelf between the Late  alaeoproterozic and Late Mesoproterozoic, and outcropping in NW Botswana. The  uccession is dominated by three micaceous quartzite units interlayered with subordinate lenses and wedges of other rock types. Facies gradients from S to N are expressed by: decreasing content of muscovite at all levels of metasediment organisation from thin wedge-shaped units to thick quartzite complexes, as well as a decrease in pebble content and increase in arenaceous matrix in some metaconglomerate beds, matching regional palaeotransport direction. Well-rounded pebbles of extrabasinal rocks are flat, suggesting redeposition from a beach environment. Lenticular conglomeratic bodies with erosional lower boundaries represent infills of local incisions in the sandy bottom sediments. The abundance of laterally discontinuous lithological units reflects shelf palaeotopography controlled and modified by deposition and migration of large bed forms, ranging from megaripple marks (or submarine dunes) to sand waves. Deposition was influenced by tides and two regressive events. The older regression resulted in a marker unit of tidal mudflat-related red-bed facies: mudstone, siltstone, channel-fill sandstone and sedimentary breccia. The second regression is indicated by a tabular conglomerate marker reflecting increased input of coarse terrigenous material

Identification and visualisation of possible ancient ocean shoreline on Mars using submeter-resolution Digital Terrain Models

Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) produced from stereoscopic, submeter-resolution High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) imagery provide a solid basis for all morphometric analyses of the surface of Mars. In view of the fact that a more effective use of DTMs is hindered by complicated and time-consuming manual handling, the automated process provided by specialists of the Ames Intelligent Robotics Group (NASA), Ames Stereo Pipeline, constitutes a good alternative. Four DTMs, covering the global dichotomy boundary between the southern highlands and northern lowlands along the line of the presumable Arabia shoreline, were produced and analysed. One of them included forms that are likely to be indicative of an oceanic basin that extended across the lowland northern hemisphere of Mars in the geological past. The high resolution DTMs obtained were used in the process of landscape visualisation

Compositional differences between Besko and Otryt sandstones of the Krosno Beds (Oligocene) in Eastern part of the Silesian Tectonic Unit

The aim of this research was to quantitatively and qualitatively analyse under microscope sandstones representing two lithofacies called Otryt and Besko (or Lesko) facies of the Krosno Formation (Oligocene), Silesian Tectonic Unit in the E part of the Polish Outer Carpathians. Four samples were taken into consideration — two from each lithofacies. Special attention was paid to  structural and textural characteristics and  mineral composition that reflects mainly  provenance. The results have been compared and analysed between and within facies, in terms of source and transport of the material, mineralogical and textural maturity and sedimentary processes that affect the deposition. Ślączka & Unrug (1972) and Shideler at al. (1976) concluded that mineralogical variations exhibited by sandstones in Krosno Formation were attributed to both regional (provenance) and local (sorting) effects.The samples have been taken from the northern (Otryt)  and southern (Besko) limbs of the Otryt Syncline. They represent different sources of the material -  Silesian Ridge in NW in case of Besko facies and Maramures Massif in the the SE in case of Otryt facies (Wendorff 1981). The result of the analysis confirm statement about two different sources.Transport and deposition mechanism results in considerable difference in grain size and its distribution. Besko facies sandstones display classic Bouma sequence at structures (Tb - c) indicative of deposition from normally diluted, waning turbidity currents, with incremental deposition layer-by-layer (Talling 2012) and this results in very fine grained sandstones and in better sorting. Deposits of that lithofacies appear much relatively uniform and well organized (Wendorff 1987). By contrast, sedimentary features of the Otryt facies suggest deposition from rapidly decelerating high density turbidity currents — “sandy debris flows” (Talling 2012), conditions and mechanisms of transportation and deposition must have been very variable (Wendorff 1987). These sandstones are medium grained, but the bottom sample is characterized by coarse tail caused by rapid deposition. The detrital material of the top sample was deposited also of high density turbidity current, however slightly less dense than that of the bottom sample.The diversity of mineral composition between Besko and Otryt lithofacies is very clear. There are probably three reasons for that — completely different source rocks, initially different maturity of the detritus involved in density flows and the depositional processes within the basin . Besko (Leslo) lithofacies is dominated by nonundulatory quartz. Other components are rather minor. The only difference between carbonate components is in the proportion of detrital calcite/limestone (or dolomite) to carbonate cement, which may have resulted from diagenetic processes. Carbonate cements are very rich in both samples. In Otryt facies mineral composition is more differentiated. Quartz predominates, but not as distinctly as in Besko facies. The most abundant and the coarsest are polycrystalline grains. Nonundulatory quartz is similarly abundant. Altered K-feldspars and metamorphic rock fragments are important however they occur less frequently. The bottom and top samples differ in quantity of coarse to very coarse metamorphic rock fragments and polycrystalline quartz — the bottom sample is richer in such grains. This is the result of grain-size sorting — coarser grains have been deposited first and this sorting process affects the mineral composition of the top-of-bed sample in which the coarse tail is absent and the proportion of metamorphic grains is less pronounced. There is very little cement in both samples. Next to high mineralogical maturity, Besko facies sandstones show also high textural and  mineralogical maturity (presence of well-rounded grains and high quartz content). On the other hand, Otryt facies sandstones are immature both texturally and mineralogically, which results from both source area composition and rapid deposition.According to provenance diagrams (Dickinson 1983), source of the Besko facies is recycled orogen, but close to craton interior field. Whereas source of the Otryt facies should be recycled orogen too.Despite the fact that all samples are the same age and occur in one formation,  they are totally different.In summary, differences in mineral composition and textural features, observed under the microscope, between the analysed samples of the Besko/Lesko and Otryt lithofacies turbidite sandstones reveal different mineral composition of the source areas and are comparable to the macroscopically observed sedimentary features. The latter indicate pronounced differences in the transportation and deposition mechanisms – from normally diluted turbidity currents to rapidly decelerating high sandy debris flows

Influence of the endocannabinoid system on the antidepressant activity of bupropion and moclobemide in the behavioural tests in mice

Background Though there are several classes of antidepressant drugs available on the pharmaceutical market, depression that affects globally over 320 million people is still undertreated. Scientists have made attempts to develop novel therapeutical strategies to maximize effectiveness of therapy and minimize undesired reactions. One of the ideas is use of either dual-action agents or combined administration of two substances that affect diverse neurotransmissions. Thus, we investigated whether the selected CB receptor ligands (oleamide, AM251, JWH133, and AM630) can have an impact on the activity of bupropion and moclobemide. Bupropion belongs to the dual acting drugs, whereas moclobemide is an inhibitor of monoamine oxidase. Methods The mice forced swim test and the tail suspension test were applied in order to determine the potential antidepressant-like activity, whereas the HPLC method was used in order to assess the brain concentrations of the tested antidepressants. Results An intraperitoneal injection of sub-effective doses of oleamide (5 mg/kg), AM251 (0.25 mg/kg), and AM630 (0.25 mg/kg) increased activity of bupropion (10 mg/kg) in both behavioural tests. Effects of moclobemide (1.5 mg/kg) were potentiated only by AM251. These results were not influenced by the hypo- or hyperlocomotion of animals. Conclusion The outcomes of the present study revealed that particularly activation or inhibition of the CB1 receptor function may augment the antidepressant activity of bupropion, whereas only inhibition of the CB1 receptor function manages to increase activity of moclobemide. Most probably, an interplay between CB receptor ligands and bupropion or moclobemide takes place at the cellular level

Influence of the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor ligands on the activity of atypical antidepressant drugs in the behavioural tests in mice

Available data support the notion that cannabinoids, whose therapeutic value is limited due to severe adverse reactions, could be beneficial as adjunctive agents in the management of mood disorders. Polytherapy, which is superior to monotherapy in the terms of effectiveness, usually requires lower doses of the individual components. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to determine whether administration of cannabinoid (CB) receptor ligands would enhance the antidepressant activity of atypical antidepressant drugs, i.e. agomelatine and tianeptine. To evaluate the antidepressant-like potential of the tested combinations, the mouse forced swim test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST) were used. The HPLC method was applied to assess the brain levels of agomelatine and tianeptine. Both behavioural tests demonstrated that per se an ineffective intraperitoneal dose of oleamide (CB1 receptor agonist, 5 mg/kg) potentiated the anti-immobility activity of tianeptine (15 mg/kg), whereas AM251 (CB1 receptor inverse agonist/antagonist, 0.25 mg/kg) enhanced the antidepressant effects of tianeptine and agomelatine (20 mg/kg). Intraperitoneal co-administration of per se inactive doses of AM630 (CB2 receptor inverse agonist/antagonist) and agomelatine or tianeptine significantly reduced the immobility time of animals only in the FST. CB receptor ligands did not affect the brain levels of the tested atypical antidepressants. In summary, the outcomes of the present study showed that activation and inhibition of CB1 receptors as well as inhibition of CB2 receptors may increase the antidepressant activity of tianeptine, whereas only inhibition of CB1 and CB2 receptors has a potential to augment the antidepressant activity of agomelatine

A conception of a mountain geopark in a SPA region; example of a projected Geopark „Wisłok Valley – The Polish Texas”, in the Krosno region // Koncepcja górskiego geoparku na obszarze uzdrowiskowym na przykładzie projektowanego geoparku „Dolina Wisłoka –

The Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PGI – NRI), in cooperation with AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow carried out the project of new geopark in Poland – “Wisłok Valley – The Polish Texas”. It is located in the Polish Outer Carpathians (SE part of Poland). Oil fields, mineral water, nappe tectonics and other geological components of the Outer Carpathians constitute important elements of the geodiversity of this region. The area is located in the Krosno neighbourhood and encloses a zone of about 1000 km2. The Iwonicz-Zdrój – Rymanów-Zdrój SPA region is also included in the research area. It covers 20 municipalities of the Podkarpackie province. For the project of the Geopark, a geotouristic map, geosites, geological-educational paths, website, advertising brochures, geological-educational tables and a movie were made, which promote geotourism. The final product will be targeted at regional and local public administration bodies, national and landscape Parks, the State Forests National Forest Holding and local tourist organizations.//Państwowy Instytut Geologiczny – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy we współpracy z Akademią Górniczo-Hutniczą w Krakowie zrealizował projekt nowego geoparku w Polsce „Dolina Wisłoka – Polski Teksas”. Ma się on znajdować w Karpatach zewnętrznych. Złoża ropy naftowej, wody mineralne, tektonika płaszczowinowa i inne geologiczne cechy Karpat zewnętrznych składają się na georóżnorodność tego rejonu. Obszar tego opracowania obejmował ponad 1000 km2 w rejonie Krosna włączając w to również teren uzdrowisk Iwonicza-Zdroju i Rymanowa Zdroju. Projekt ten objął swym zasięgiem 20 gmin województwa podkarpackiego. W ramach projektu wykonano mapę geologiczno-turystyczną, udokumentowano ponad 150 geostanowisk i zaprojektowano dziewięć ścieżek geologiczno-edukacyjnych. Przygotowano też dwa foldery, 12 tablic geologiczno-edukacyjnych, zaprojektowano stronę internetową o projekcie oraz nakręcono film promocyjny. Produkt końcowy skierowany jest do wykorzystania w promocji regionu do samorządów lokalnych, parków krajobrazowych i narodowych, lasów państwowych oraz lokalnych organizacji turystycznych