Microscopic Studies of Sedimentary Organic Matter: Key to Understanding Organic-Rich Strata, with Paleozoic Examples from Western Canada Basin

Organic matter in sediments and sedimentary rocks provides data and interpretations on biosphere-geosphere interactions. In modern and ancient depositional settings, a combination of anoxia and substantial bio-productivity leads to the preservation of abundant organic matter, which in turn is transformed during subsequent burial into kerogen, the source of oil and gas deposits. Kerogen can be evaluated by organic geochemistry and organic penological methods, whose parameters are used to define organic fades for fine-grained, sedimentary rock sequences. Organic geochemistry uses Rock-Eval pyrolysis and elemental analysis to determine amounts of organic C, H, and Ï in kerogen to assess petroleum potential and origin. Organic petrology uses reflected light microscopy to characterize dispersed organic matter in rocks, in terms of macerals and organic facies, which is then used to interpret the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of organic-rich sedimentary rocks. This paper outlines the organic petrology of several hydrocarbon source rocks from western Canada, illustrating the success of this method in evaluating and understanding organic-rich rocks. Résumé La matière organique dans les sédiments et les roches sédimentaires fournit des données et des informations sur les interactions entre la géosphère et la biosphère. Dans les bassins sédimentaires actuels ou anciens, la présence de conditions anoxiques en même temps qu'une forte bio-productivité conduit à la conservation de grands volumes de matière organique, lesquels se transforment par la suite en kérogène, la source des gisements de pétrole et de gaz. On utilise des méthodes de géochimie et de pétrologie organique pour étudier le kérogène et les données qu'elles fournissent permettent de définir les faciès des séquences de roches sédimentaires à grains fins. En géochimie organique, la pyrolyse Rock-Éval et l'analyse élémentaire permettent de déterminer les quantités de C, H et O organiques du kérogène et d'évaluer le potentiel pétrolier ainsi que l'origine. En pétrologie organique la microscopie en lumière réfléchie permet de caractériser la matière organique dispersée dans les roches. Ensuite, des macéraux et faciès organiques décrits on peut déduire les paramètres paléo-environnementaux et paléo-écologiques des roches sédimentaires riches en matière organique. On trouvera dans le présent article des descriptions abrégées de la pétrologie organique de plusieurs roches mères de l'Ouest canadien et qui illustrent bien l'efficacité de cette méthode dans l'évaluation et la compréhension des roches riches en matière organiques

Pancreatic β-cell imaging in humans: Fiction or option?

Diabetes mellitus is a growing worldwide epidemic disease, currently affecting 1 in 12 adults. Treatment of disease complications typically consumes ∼10% of healthcare budgets in developed societies. Whilst immune‐mediated destruction of insulin‐secreting pancreatic β cells is responsible for Type 1 diabetes, both the loss and dysfunction of these cells underly the more prevalent Type 2 diabetes. The establishment of robust drug development programmes aimed at β‐cell restoration is still hampered by the absence of means to measure β‐cell mass prospectively in vivo, an approach which would provide new opportunities for understanding disease mechanisms and ultimately assigning personalized treatments. In the present review, we describe the progress towards this goal achieved by the Innovative Medicines Initiative in Diabetes, a collaborative public–private consortium supported by the European Commission and by dedicated resources of pharmaceutical companies. We compare several of the available imaging methods and molecular targets and provide suggestions as to the likeliest to lead to tractable approaches. Furthermore, we discuss the simultaneous development of animal models that can be used to measure subtle changes in β‐cell mass, a prerequisite for validating the clinical potential of the different imaging tracers

No lockdown in the kitchen: How the COVID-19 pandemic has affected food-related behaviours

The COVID-19 pandemic and especially the lockdowns coming with it have been a disruptive event also for food consumption. In order to study the impact of the pandemic on eating habits, self-reported changes in food-related behaviours were investigated in ten European countries by means of an online survey. A latent class cluster analysis distinguished five clusters and showed that different types of consumers can be distinguished based on how they react to the pandemic as regards their eating habits. While food-related behaviours were resilient for 60% of the sample, another 35% reported more enjoyment in cooking and eating, more time in the kitchen and more family meals. Among those, a slight majority also showed signs of more mindful eating, as indicated by more deliberate choices and increased consumption of healthy food, whereas a slight minority reported more consumption of indulgence food. Only 5% indicated less involvement with food. As the COVID-19 pandemic is a disruptive event, some of these changes may have habit-breaking properties and open up new opportunities and challenges for food policy and food industry.This project has received funding from EIT Food, the European Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) on Food, under KAVA 20423Peer reviewe

Biomorpher: interactive evolution for parametric design

Combining graph-based parametric design with metaheuristic solvers has to date focussed solely on performance based criteria and solving clearly defined objectives. In this paper, we outline a new method for combining a parametric modelling environment with an interactive Cluster-Orientated Genetic Algorithm (COGA). In addition to performance criteria, evolutionary design exploration can be guided through choice alone, with user motivation that cannot be easily defined. As well as numeric parameters forming a genotype, the evolution of whole parametric definitions is discussed through the use of genetic programming. Visualisation techniques that enable mixing small populations for interactive evolution with large populations for performance-based optimisation are discussed, with examples from both academia and industry showing a wide range of applications

Symmetry of elements of temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

Introduction: Dysfunction of temporomandibular joint is present in 70-75% of orthodontic patients. Evaluation of TMJ and detailed characteristics of its elements with additional methods of examination in children and adults is necessary for clinical definition of proposed disturbances of the structure and functions of the joint. The aim of the investigation is to study morphological symmetry ofTMJ in patients with dentofacial abnormalities and with dentofacial abnormalities complicated by secondary edentulism. Materials and Methods: 57 patients were involved in the examination. Based on gender principle patients'distribution was almost equal: there were 30 women and 27 men. Cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) Galileos (SIRONA DENTAL, Germany) was used to all patients. Results: It was done analysis of parameters (height and length) of right and left heads (condyles) of temporomandibular joint in both groups. Asymmetry of parameters of heads' length in saggital area in patients of the second group was defined. It was proved statistically (left 10,38±0,76, right 8,16±0,78). Conclusions: Increase of asymmetry of length of heads of TMJ in saggital area with age was determined. It can be explained by complication of dentofacial abnormalities and the presence of secondary edentulism. Depending on bite type length of condyle, especially at prognathism (in saggital) area peculiar clinical problems with TMJ can be present due to asymmetry of condyles. The size ofjoint gaps ofTMJ due to the presence of dentofacial abnormalities with age demonstrates compensatory ability and saves its

The Biomolecular Interaction Network Database and related tools 2005 update

The Biomolecular Interaction Network Database (BIND) (http://bind.ca) archives biomolecular interaction, reaction, complex and pathway information. Our aim is to curate the details about molecular interactions that arise from published experimental research and to provide this information, as well as tools to enable data analysis, freely to researchers worldwide. BIND data are curated into a comprehensive machine-readable archive of computable information and provides users with methods to discover interactions and molecular mechanisms. BIND has worked to develop new methods for visualization that amplify the underlying annotation of genes and proteins to facilitate the study of molecular interaction networks. BIND has maintained an open database policy since its inception in 1999. Data growth has proceeded at a tremendous rate, approaching over 100 000 records. New services provided include a new BIND Query and Submission interface, a Standard Object Access Protocol service and the Small Molecule Interaction Database (http://smid.blueprint.org) that allows users to determine probable small molecule binding sites of new sequences and examine conserved binding residues

Appearance of dark neurons following anodal polarization in the rat brain.

An anodal direct current of 3.0 microA or 30.0 microA was unilaterally applied for 30 min or 3 h to the surface of the sensorimotor cortex of rats, and the effects of polarization on the morphology of brain cells were examined by light microscopy. After five repeated anodal polarization trials, dark neurons appeared mainly in the polarized neocortex regardless of the intensity and duration of the polarizing currents. Such dark neurons were scarce in the control animals or the animals receiving only one trial of polarization. The dark neurons were most abundant in the second to fourth layers of the ipsilateral superior-lateral convexity of the frontal cortex, but a few were present in the contralateral cortex. The dark neurons began to appear 24 h after the last polarization; thereafter almost all of these neurons gradually reverted to their normal morphological profiles through a transitory state within 1 month of the last trial of repeated polarization. No morphological changes were apparent in any of the brain structures other than the cerebral cortex. These findings indicate that repeated anodal polarization has reversible morphological effects on the cortical neurons, suggesting that the appearance of dark neurons after anodal polarization is an important index for evaluation of cortical plastic change induced by polarization.</p

Controls on explosive-effusive volcanic eruption styles

One of the biggest challenges in volcanic hazard assessment is to understand how and why eruptive style changes within the same eruptive period or even from one eruption to the next at a given volcano. This review evaluates the competing processes that lead to explosive and effusive eruptions of silicic magmas. Eruptive style depends on a set of feedbacks involving interrelated magmatic properties and processes. Foremost of these are magma viscosity, gas loss, and external properties such as conduit geometry. Ultimately, these parameters control the speed at which magmas ascend, decompress and outgas en route to the surface, and thus determine eruptive style and evolution

Sol Bunker

Sol Bunker is a successful yet eccentric sound designer who searches for the elusive ‘frequency of life’ to help save his dying wife. Whilst Sol progressively falls deeper into obsession, it is up to his son Addie to take on the role of parent and to help Sol understand reality