The Late Paleocene–Eocene Extension and Differential Denudation in the Eastern Daqingshan Mountains Around the Northeastern Margin of the Ordos Block, Western North China Craton, Constrained by Apatite (U-Th)/He Thermochronology

The initial timing of extension during the Cenozoic around the northeastern margin of the Ordos Block, western North China Craton (NCC), is still poorly constrained. Apatite (U-Th)/He low-temperature thermochronology was thus applied on eight pre-Cenozoic granitic and gneissic samples transecting the eastern Daqingshan Mountains, northeastern margin of the Ordos Block, to investigate the denudation and cooling event related to the onset of extension therein. Four mean corrected AHe ages in the southern part are overlapped within the standard deviations of 50.0 ± 0.4 to 45.0 ± 8.0 Ma. However, three mean corrected AHe ages in the northern part are prominently older of 99.2 ± 11.0 to 86.6 ± 17.1 Ma, with the rest one of 56.1 ± 8.6 Ma. Altogether, they show a younger-older-younger-older pattern along the transect correlated with the normal faults. AHe thermal history modeling results further demonstrate extensive cooling during the Late Cretaceous but differential cooling during the Late Paleocene–Eocene. The Late Cretaceous extensive cooling in the eastern Daqingshan Mountains, as well as the contemporaneous deposition hiatus in both the eastern Daqingshan Mountains and the Hohhot Depression, together indicates overall denudation in the northeastern margin of the Ordos Block at that time. The Late Paleocene–Eocene differential cooling is probably induced by the tilting of the eastern Daqingshan Mountains as a result of the extension suggested by the distribution of AHe ages. It corresponds to the syn-tectonic subsidence in the Hohhot Depression, indicating a basin-mountain coupling. Regional comparative analysis manifests similar extension around the Ordos Block and more widely across the NCC during the Late Paleocene–Eocene. Temporally, kinematically, and dynamically coupled with this regional extension event, the subduction of the Izanagi-Pacific plate probably plays a major role. However, the contribution of the India-Asia collision could not be ignored

Middle Jurassic ooidal ironstones (southern Tibet): Formation processes and implications for the paleoceanography of eastern Neo-Tethys

The major facies changes documented in shallow-marine sediments of the northern Indian passive margin of Neo-Tethys throughout the Jurassic, from widespread platform carbonates in the Early Jurassic to organic-rich black shales in the Late Jurassic, imply a substantial turnover in oceanic conditions. All along the Tethys (Tibetan) Himalaya, from the Zanskar Range to southern Tibet, a peculiar interval characterized by ooidal ironstones of Dingjie Formation (Ferruginous Oolite Formation, FOF) marks the base of the organic-rich Spiti Shale. This laterally-extensive ooidal ironstone interval is a fundamental testimony of the mechanisms that led to major paleoceanographic changes that occurred in the eastern Neo-Tethys during the Middle Jurassic. In this article, we illustrate in detail the petrology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of ooidal ironstones and the major element contents of the entire Lanongla section. The FOF is characterized by significantly high contents of Fe2O3 (56.80% ± 9.07%, n = 7) and P2O5 (1.72% ± 1.19%, n = 7). In contrast, the Fe2O3 and P2O5 contents average 3.58% and 0.15% in the overlain carbonates of Lanongla Fm., and 5.55% and 0.16% in the overlying Spiti Shale. The ooidal ironstones are mainly composed of iron ooids with a few quartz grains and bioclasts cemented by sparry calcite. The iron ooids consist of concentric dark layers of francolite (carbonate fluorapatite), hence enriched in Ca, P, and F, and bright layers of chamosite, enriched in Fe, Si, Al, and Mg. Precipitation of francolite ensued from oversaturation of phosphorous ascribed to intensified upwelling, high biogenous productivity, and degradation of organic matter, whereas the formation of chamosite reflects enhanced continental weathering and erosion leading to increased Fe input to the ocean during transgressive stages characterized by low sedimentation rate and scarce oxygenation at the seafloor. Modern upwelling zones in outer shelf or slope areas perform similar geochemical characteristics to those as observed in this study. Under the Mesozoic greenhouse background, fluctuating redox conditions induced the alternate growth of francolite under anoxic conditions and of chamosite under suboxic conditions. Ooids were thus formed on the seafloor during continued resuspension and vertical oscillations of the chemocline rather than from interstitial waters after burial. The mineralogy of iron ooids indicates mainly reducing conditions in the water column, suggesting that extensive upwelling along the continental margin of eastern Neo-Tethys contributed significantly to the transition from carbonate deposits to organic-rich black shales during the Jurassic, as testified by the transition from well-oxygenated in Lanongla Fm. To a reduceing condition in Spiti Shale indicated by the Mn/Al ratios compared to PAAS

Development and Efficacy Evaluation of an SP01-adjuvanted Inactivated Escherichia Coli Mutant Vaccine Against Bovine Coliform Mastitis

Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) is one of the most common pathogens causing clinical mastitis in cattle, but no vaccine is available to prevent this disease in China. Therefore, development of an E. coli vaccine against bovine clinical mastitis is urgently needed. The candidate vaccine (Ch-O111-1) and challenge (LZ06) strains were screened from milk samples of cows with clinical mastitis. To extend the cross-protection of the Ch-O111-1 strain, we deleted the galE gene fragment of the Ch-O111-1 strain through homologous recombination between the Ch-O111-1 strain and pCVD442/ΔgalE plasmid, which was identified through conventional methods, including PCR, SDS-PAGE and sequencing. The Ch-O111-1/ΔgalE (Z9) strain was characterized by extensive cross-reactivity and attenuated virulence. We prepared inactivated Z9 vaccines with different adjuvants. Immunization of inactivated Z9 antigen induced adjuvant-, dosage- and inoculation time-dependent antibody titers in cows and mice. Furthermore, immunization with SP01-adjuvanted inactivated Z9 vaccine protected cows against severe clinical mastitis caused by LZ06 and protected mice against death due to LZ06. An SP01-adjuvanted inactivated Z9 vaccine was successfully developed and found to protect cows against severe mastitis caused by Escherichia coli

Purified Immunoglobulin F(ab′) 2 Protects Mice and Rhesus Monkeys against Lethal Ricin Intoxication

Ricin is a highly toxic ribosome-inactivating lectin derived from castor beans. To date, no antidote is available to treat ricin-poisoned patients, and the development of a safe and effective antidote is urgently needed. First, ricin was prepared and used to construct a mouse model and a rhesus monkey model of ricin intoxication. Second, pepsin-digested F(ab′) 2 fragments of serum IgG from horses injected with Freund’s-adjuvanted purified ricin were prepared. Third, the protective efficacy was evaluated in mouse and rhesus monkey models of lethal ricin intoxication. The purity quotient of the prepared ricin and F(ab′) 2 fragments exceeded 90% and 85% in the mouse and monkey models, respectively. The LD 50 of ricin in mice and rhesus monkeys was 2.7 and 9 μg/kg, respectively. A quantity of 6.25 and 1.85 mg/kg F(ab′) 2 was sufficient to treat lethal ricin intoxication in the mice and rhesus monkeys, respectively. Finally, the effect of this therapeutic antibody on peripheral blood immune cells was examined by analysis of peripheral blood immune cells through single cell sequencing. The underlying mechanism was found to involve restraining neutrophil activation, proliferation, and differentiation. Purified F(ab′) 2 fragments administered with needle-free devices fully protect mice and rhesus monkeys against lethal doses of ricin intoxication

Preparation of Equine Immunoglobulin F(ab′) 2 against Smallpox and Evaluation of its Immunoprotective Effect

Smallpox, a severe infectious disease caused by the smallpox virus, causes a death rate as high as 30% within 15-20 days after infection. Therefore, development of anti-Smallpox product as a strategic reserve is urgently needed. We prepared and tested pepsin-digested F(ab′) 2 fragments of serum IgG from horses. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the purified virus showed morphology consistent with VVTT. The titer was above 1.0 × 10 7 PFU/mL. The purity of the antigen exceeded 90%, according to HPLC. After purification and cleavage, the yield of the purified product F(ab′) 2 was approximately 1.3%, its purity exceeded 90%, and the neutralizing antibody titer exceeded 1:3200. F(ab′) 2 fragments had good preventive and therapeutic effects in mice at antibody doses of 5.2 mg/mL and 2.6 mg/mL. The viral loads of the drug-treated mice were suppressed to varying degrees, and the higher dose groups (5.2 and 2.6 mg/mL) showed a 2-3 fold lower viral load than that in the control group. A process for producing equine immunoglobulin F(ab′) 2 against VVTT was established. The prepared horse anti-smallpox immunoglobulin product had good neutralizing antibody effects on VVTT. The highly purified preparation may serve as a potential candidate for smallpox treatment

Study on measurement of sound attenuation coefficient in bubble wake by pool

In this paper, bubbles are generated by controlling the air inlet volume of the ceramic tube array with a gas divider valve. Stimulation tests of sound attenuation characteristics of the wake of bubbles in a laboratory pool are performed. A measurement experiment of sound attenuation coefficient was carried out in the case of still water and bubbles with different particle sizes. The signal frequency is 20-200kHz. Through experimental research, it is found that the existence of bubbles makes the sound attenuation coefficient significantly larger. And the attenuation coefficient is related to the frequency of the sound waves and the size of the bubbles. At the same frequency, the larger the bubble size , the larger the attenuation coefficient will be. When the bubble size is constant, the attenuation of the acoustic signal in small bubbles will change greatly below 50kHz. Above 50kHz, the attenuation coefficient changes relatively smoothly and the fluctuation is small. In the case of medium and large bubbles, the fluctuation of the attenuation coefficient becomes larger than that in the small bubbles. Finally, the theoretically calculated sound attenuation coefficient is compared with the experimentally measured results. And the change trends of the two results are basically the same

Nucleation and stabilization of Eocene dolomite in evaporative lacustrine deposits from central Tibetan plateau

In past decades, the formation of dolomite at low temperature has been widely studied in both natural systems and cultured experiments, yet the mechanism(s) involved in the nucleation and precipitation of dolomite remains unresolved. Late Eocene dolomitic deposits from core in the upper Niubao Formation (Lunpola Basin, central Tibetan Plateau, China) are selected as a case study to understand the dolomitization process(es) in the geological record. Dolomite formation in Lunpola Basin can be ascribed to a different mechanism forming the large quantities of replacive dolostones in the geological record; and provides a potential fossil analogue for primary dolomite precipitation at low temperature. This analogue consists of an alternation of laminated dolomitic beds, organic-rich and siliciclastic layers; formed in response to intense evaporation interpreted to take place in a continental shallow lake environment. Mineralogical, textural and stable isotopic evaluations suggest that the dolomite from those dense-clotted laminated beds is a primary precipitate. At the nanoscale, these dolomitic beds are composed of Ca–Mg carbonate globular nanocrystals (diameter 80 to 100 nm) embedded in an organic matrix and attached to clay flakes. Micro-infrared spectroscopy analyses have revealed the presence of aliphatic compounds in the organic matrix. Microscopic and elemental compositional studies suggest that clay surfaces may facilitate the nucleation of dolomite at low temperature in the same way as the organic matrix does. The dolomite laminae show values for δ18OVPDB from −3.2 to −1.76‰ and for δ13CVPDB from −2.62 to −3.78‰. Inferred δ18OSMOW values of the lake water reveal typical evaporitic hydrological conditions. These findings provide a potential link to primary dolomite formation in ancient and modern sedimentary environments; and shed new light on the palaeoenvironmental conditions in central Tibet during the Eocene

Research on the Tolerance and Degradation of o-Cresol by Microalgae

o-Cresol shows high toxicity and stability. To explore a better degradation method of o-cresol, the degradation of o-cresol by three kinds of microalgae (Selenastrum capricornutum, Scenedesmus obliquus, and Microcystis aeruginosa) was researched in this paper. The growth status and degradation rate were used to reflect the tolerance and degradation effect of microalgae. The effects of the medium’s initial pH, microalgal density, and different exogenous pollutants on the degradation of o-cresol by Selenastrum capricornutum were investigated. The results showed that Selenastrum capricornutum had the best degradation effect on o-cresol. microalgal density increased after adaptation to different concentrations of o-cresol for some time. At pH 7.0 as the initial condition, the microalgal exhibited the best results of degradation. When the microalgal density OD680 was 0.20, o-cresol was the first to be completely degraded within 5 days. At higher initial concentrations of o-cresol, the microalgae preferentially degraded glucose to promote the growth of the microalgae under mixotrophic cultivation. Selenastrum capricornutum could degrade phenol and o-cresol at the same time, and the degradation was completed within 8 days when the initial concentration of o-cresol and phenol were 100 and 120 mg/L. It was proven that the degradation of o-cresol by Selenastrum capricornutum is feasible under suitable conditions

Desalination Characteristics of Cellulose Acetate FO Membrane Incorporated with ZIF-8 Nanoparticles

Forward osmosis membranes have a wide range of applications in the field of water treatment. However, the application of seawater desalination is restricted, so the research of forward osmosis membranes for seawater desalination poses new challenges. In this study, zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) was synthesized by a mechanical stirring method, and its crystal structure, surface morphology, functional group characteristics, thermochemical stability, pore size distribution and specific surface area were analyzed. The cellulose acetate (CA)/ZIF-8 mixed matrix forward osmosis membrane was prepared by using the synthesized ZIF-8 as a modified additive. The effects of the additive ZIF-8 content, coagulation bath temperature, mixing temperature and heat treatment temperature on the properties of the CA/ZIF-8 forward osmosis membrane were systematically studied, and the causes were analyzed to determine the best membrane preparation parameters. The structure of the CA membrane and CA/ZIF-8 mixed matrix forward osmosis membranes prepared under the optimal conditions were characterized by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle and Atomic force microscope (AFM). Finally, the properties of the HTI membrane (Membrane manufactured by Hydration Technology Innovations Inc.), CA forward osmosis membrane and CA/ZIF-8 mixed matrix forward osmosis membrane were compared under laboratory conditions. For the CA membrane, the water flux and reverse salt flux reached 48.85 L·m−2·h−1 and 3.4 g·m−2·h−1, respectively. The reverse salt flux and water flux of the CA/ZIF-8 membrane are 2.84 g·m−2·h−1 and 50.14 L·m−2·h−1, respectively. ZIF-8 has a promising application in seawater desalination