Crustal evolution of the Saykhandulaan inlier, Mongolia : implications for Palaeozoic arc magmatism, polyphase deformation and terrane accretion in the southeast Gobi mineral belt

The Saykhandulaan Inlier in South East Mongolia lies within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), and records a complex history of Palaeozoic tectonism and magmatism associated with terrane accretion on the northern margin of the Palaeo-Asian ocean. The inlier spans the boundary between the Gobi Altai back-arc basin terrane in the north and the Mandalovoo and Gurvansayhan island-arc terranes in the south which are notable for their many mineralised intrusions, including the Oyu Tolgoi gold-rich copper porphyry deposit. Results from cross-strike transects within the Saykhandulaan Inlier reveal that it can be subdivided into five parallel east–west striking litho-tectonic domains; (1) the Northern Slate Belt, comprising Devonian greenschist grade pelites and psammites with deep-marine to coastal siliciclastic protoliths; (2) the Saykhandulaan Valley Lineament Zone (SVLZ), a tectonised zone of faulted and lithologically altered volcanic rocks; (3) the High Strain Belt, consisting of tightly folded and flattened metamorphosed clastic sedimentary rocks; (4) the Molasse Succession, consisting of relatively undeformed coarse conglomerates and sandstones and, (5) the Oyut Ulaan Volcanic Group, a nearly 5 km-thick folded Carboniferous volcanic succession that hosts the mid-Carboniferous Oyut Ulaan mineralised granite. The Northern Slate Belt metasedimentary rocks record a northerly cratonic provenance, whereas all rocks to the south of the SVLZ have arc affinities. The SVLZ is thus interpreted to be the boundary between the Gobi Altai and Mandalovoo terranes. Two major deformation events are documented; (1) back-arc basin closure and inversion involving regional scale folding and greenschist grade metamorphism in the Northern Slate and High Strain Belts; (2) contraction associated with Mandalovoo terrane accretion and final closure of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean to the south. Following terrane accretion and cessation of subduction, crustal extension and strike-slip faulting further modified the crustal architecture of the inlier. The results presented here provide a useful framework for understanding the crustal evolution of adjacent regions within the southeast Gobi mineral belt

Terrorism Preparedness in State Health Departments --- United States, 2001--2003

The anthrax attacks in fall 2001 highlighted the role of infectious disease (ID) epidemiologists in terrorism preparedness and response. Beginning in 2002, state health departments (SHDs) received approximately $1 billion in new federal funding to prepare for and respond to terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health threats and emergencies (1). This funding is being used in part to improve epidemiologic and surveillance capabilities. To determine how states have used a portion of their new funding to increase ID epidemiology capacity, the Iowa Department of Public Health\u27s Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology and the Iowa State University Department of Microbiology conducted two surveys of U.S. state epidemiologists during September 2000--August 2001 and October 2002--June 2003. This report summarizes the results of these surveys, which determined that although the number of SHD epidemiology workers assigned to ID and terrorism preparedness increased by 132%, concerns remained regarding the ability of SHDs to hire qualified personnel. These findings underscore the need to develop additional and more diverse training venues for current and future ID epidemiologists

The Potential Role of Nitrite-Embedded Film Technology in Extending the Color Stability and Shelf Life of a Cured, Cooked Meat Product

Objectives Alternatively-cured meats often contain lower amounts of nitrate and/or nitrite in the formulation, which can lead to decreased color stability and reduced shelf life. Alternatively-cured meats rely on natural sources of nitrate and/or nitrite which are primarily derived from vegetable sources, but these natural sources can result in vegetablelike flavors; thus, processors often decrease the relative ingoing level of nitrite and/or nitrate. This reduction can potentially lead to decreased color stability and negatively affect the product’s shelf life. Furthermore, consumer perception of natural sources of nitrite has led to consideration of other nitrite alternatives. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of nitrite-embedded film (NEF) in extending the color stability and shelf life of all-beef bologna, a cured and cooked meat product

Pediocin for Control of Listeria monocytogenes on Frankfurters

Application of pediocin, as ALTA™ 2341, on the surface of frankfurters before packaging reduced the population of contaminating Listeria monocytogenes and delayed growth of the remaining cells. Therefore, pediocin provides an effective intervention treatment for control of L. monocytogenes on frankfurters and contributes to improved safety of these products for consumers