Facies and evolution of the carbonate factory during the Permian–Triassic crisis in South Tibet, China

The nature of Phanerozoic carbonate factories is strongly controlled by the composition of carbonate-producing faunas. During the Permian–Triassic mass extinction interval there was a major change in tropical shallow platform facies: Upper Permian bioclastic limestones are characterized by benthic communities with significant richness, for example, calcareous algae, fusulinids, brachiopods, corals, molluscs and sponges, while lowermost Triassic carbonates shift to dolomicrite-dominated and bacteria-dominated microbialites in the immediate aftermath of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction. However, the spatial–temporal pattern of carbonates distribution in high latitude regions in response to the Permian–Triassic mass extinction has received little attention. Facies and evolutionary patterns of a carbonate factory from the northern margin of peri-Gondwana (palaeolatitude ca 40°S) are presented here based on four Permian–Triassic boundary sections that span proximal, inner to distal, and outer ramp settings from South Tibet. The results show that a cool-water bryozoan-dominated and echinoderm-dominated carbonate ramp developed in the Late Permian in South Tibet. This was replaced abruptly, immediately after the Permian–Triassic mass extinction, by a benthic automicrite factory with minor amounts of calcifying metazoans developed in an inner/middle ramp setting, accompanied by transient subaerial exposure. Subsequently, an extensive homoclinal carbonate ramp developed in South Tibet in the Early Triassic, which mainly consists of homogenous dolomitic lime mudstone/wackestone that lacks evidence of metazoan frame-builders. The sudden transition from a cool-water, heterozoan dominated carbonate ramp to a warm-water, metazoan-free, homoclinal carbonate ramp following the Permian–Triassic mass extinction was the result of the combination of the loss of metazoan reef/mound builders, rapid sea-level changes across Permian–Triassic mass extinction and profound global warming during the Early Triassic

Estuarine clay mineral distribution:Modern analogue for ancient sandstone reservoir quality prediction

The spatial distribution of clay minerals in sandstones, which may both enhance or degrade reservoir quality, is poorly understood. To address this, clay mineral distribution patterns and host‐sediment properties (grain size, sorting, clay fraction abundance and bioturbation intensity) have, for the first time, been determined and mapped at an unprecedentedly high‐resolution in a modern estuarine setting (Ravenglass Estuary, UK). Results show that the estuary sediment is dominated by illite with subordinate chlorite and kaolinite, although the rivers supply sediment with less illite and significantly more chlorite than found in the estuary. Fluvial‐supplied sediment has been locally diluted by sediment derived from glaciogenic drift deposits on the margins of the estuary. Detailed clay mineral maps and statistical analyses reveal that the estuary has a heterogeneous distribution of illite, chlorite and kaolinite. Chlorite is relatively most abundant on the northern foreshore and backshore and is concentrated in coarse‐grained inner estuary dunes and tidal bars. Illite is relatively most abundant (as well as most crystalline and most Fe–Mg‐rich) in fine‐grained inner estuary and central basin mud and mixed flats. Kaolinite has the highest abundance in fluvial sediment and is relatively homogenous in tidally‐influenced environments. Clay mineral distribution patterns in the Ravenglass Estuary have been strongly influenced by sediment supply (residence time) and subsequently modified by hydrodynamic processes. There is no relationship between macro‐faunal bioturbation intensity and the abundance of chlorite, illite or kaolinite. Based on this modern‐analogue study, outer estuarine sediments are likely to be heavily quartz cemented in deeply‐buried (burial temperatures exceeding 80 to 100°C) sandstone reservoirs due to a paucity of clay grade material (<0·5%) to form complete grain coats. In contrast, chlorite‐enriched tidal bars and dunes in the inner estuary, with their well‐developed detrital clay coats, are likely to have quartz cement inhibiting authigenic clay coats in deeply‐buried sandstones

The association among cytochrome P450 3A, progesterone receptor polymorphisms, plasma 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate concentrations, and spontaneous preterm birth

Background Infants born <37 weeks’ gestation are of public health concern since complications associated with preterm birth are the leading cause of mortality in children <5 years of age and a major cause of morbidity and lifelong disability. The administration of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate reduces preterm birth by 33% in women with history of spontaneous preterm birth. We demonstrated previously that plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate vary widely among pregnant women and that women with 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations in the lowest quartile had spontaneous preterm birth rates of 40% vs rates of 25% in those women with higher concentrations. Thus, plasma concentrations are an important factor in determining drug efficacy but the reason 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations vary so much is unclear. Predominantly, 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate is metabolized by CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 enzymes. Objective We sought to: (1) determine the relation between 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations and single nucleotide polymorphisms in CYP3A4 and CYP3A5; (2) test the association between progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms and spontaneous preterm birth; and (3) test whether the association between plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate and spontaneous preterm birth varied by progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms. Study Design In this secondary analysis, we evaluated genetic polymorphism in 268 pregnant women treated with 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate, who participated in a placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the benefit of omega-3 supplementation in women with history of spontaneous preterm birth. Trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate were measured between 25-28 weeks of gestation after a minimum of 5 injections of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate. We extracted DNA from maternal blood samples and genotyped the samples using TaqMan (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assays for the following single nucleotide polymorphisms: CYP3A4*1B, CYP3A4*1G, CYP3A4*22, and CYP3A5*3; and rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 for progesterone receptor. We adjusted for prepregnancy body mass index, race, and treatment group in a multivariable analysis. Differences in the plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate by genotype were evaluated for each CYP single nucleotide polymorphism using general linear models. The association between progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms and frequency of spontaneous preterm birth was tested using logistic regression. A logistic model also tested interaction between 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate concentrations with each progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphism for the outcome of spontaneous preterm birth. Results The association between CYP single nucleotide polymorphisms *22, *1G, *1B, and *3 and trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate was not statistically significant (P =.68,.44,.08, and.44, respectively). In an adjusted logistic regression model, progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 were not associated with the frequency of spontaneous preterm birth (P =.29,.10,.76,.09, and.43, respectively). Low trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate were statistically associated with a higher frequency of spontaneous preterm birth (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence ratio, 0.61–0.99; P =.04 for trend across quartiles), however no significant interaction with the progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 was observed (P =.13,.08,.10,.08, and.13, respectively). Conclusion The frequency of recurrent spontaneous preterm birth appears to be associated with trough 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations. However, the wide variation in trough 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations is not attributable to polymorphisms in CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genes. Progesterone receptor polymorphisms do not predict efficacy of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate. The limitations of this secondary analysis include that we had a relative small sample size (n = 268) and race was self-reported by the patients

Grain size, composition, porosity and permeability contrasts within cross-bedded sandstones in Tertiary fluvial deposits, central Spain

Permeability measured with a portable probe pcrmcflmeter on outcrops of cross·bcdded sandstones ranges betwecn 0·9 and 19 O. The highest pcrmeability (2-19 0 with an avcrage of8·5 D) occurs in thc coarsest grained foresct laminae (CFL). intermediate values (2-120 with an average of 5·3 D) occur in fincr grained foreset laminac (FFL) and thc lowest values (0·9-1 0 0 with un avcrage of 4·8 D) occur in boltomsct laycrs (BL). In the cross·bcds the uverage grain sizc rangcs from medium graincd sand in the CFL to finc grained s,lnd in thc FFL and BL. In all three subf'lcies. the average size of the primary pores is approximately It/> unit smaller than the averagc grain size. The abundance of unstablc carbonatc clasts correlatcs with incrcasing avcrage grain size, micritic clasts being most abundant in the CFL. Converscly. quartz content incrcascs with decreasing grain size and is highest in the FFL and BL. Oiagenetic destruction of primary porosity by compact ion and cementation. as well �IS generation of sccondary porosity through dissolution, were controlled by the original mineralogical composition of the sand. Contrasts in grain size detcrmine the primary pore size contrasts and differences in composition bctwecn CFL. FFL and BL. Permeability contrasts reflect variations in averagc primary pore size rather than differenccs in total porosity. Probe permeability contrasts between eFL. FFL and BL depend on contrasts in llverage pore size and contrasts in mineralogical composition between the subfacies