Detailed examination of sedimentary cores retrieved from Sugan Lake in the northern Qaidam Basin of northwest China’s Tibetan Plateau reveal that fine laminated beddings form in the sediments where water depth exceeds 3 m. Seasonal surface sediments trapped at the bottom of the lake suggest that sediments deposited during summer and autumn are mainly light colored monohydrocalcites, while those deposited in winter are dark organic matter, indicating that varve layers form under modern limnological conditions. Continuous varve sediments comprising four types have accumulated in the upper 5.5 m of Core SG03I from the center of the lake. All types exhibit clear seasonality indicative of annual deposition. Varve counts correspondence with 210Pb dates on recent sediments in the upper core suggest the continuous varves of the upper 5.5 m of the core formed in the late Holocene (2670 a BP). The Sugan Lake varve sequence is the first demonstration of annually laminated sediments re-ported in arid western China.
Let△(φ,ψ)=(ABMA ANBB)be a Morita ring which is an Artin algebra.In this paper we investigate the relations between the Gorenstein-projective modules over a Morita ring△(φ,ψ)and the algebras A and B.We prove that if△(φ,ψ)is a Gorenstein algebra and both Ma and aN(resp.,both NB and BM)have finite projective dimension,then A(resp.,B)is a Gorenstein algebra.We also discuss when the CM-freeness and the CM-finiteness of a Morita ring△(φ,ψ)is inherited by the algebras A and B.
The hourly data of the vertical Z and the horizontal H components of 37 ground-based DC-ULF geomagnetic stations are examined during 20 April-12 May 2008. On 9 May 2008, three days before the Wenchuan MS 8.0 shock, anomalies-a double low-point and a decreased amplitude-are registered on the curves of the Z component at 25 stations in a large-scale area surrounding the Wenchuan epicentral area. The H component shows none of the double low-point phenomenon but does exhibit a reduced magnitude at the same time. The geomagnetic index Kp is also examined and indicates that the anomalies appear at a solar quiet period. The appearing time shift(Tzs) between the first low-point on May 9 and the minimum point occurring time of May 1-5, 2008 is also checked.The results show that Tzs is on the order of 1-2 hours earlier or later than usual and there is a 2-6 hours’ gap between these two lowpoints. However, there is still a transition area which includes the epicenter where Tzs=0. Variation amplitude examined on vertical Z increases as the distance from the epicenter decreases. An Earth-air-ionosphere model has been employed to investigate a possible mechanism of this phenomenon and positive results have been unexpectedly attained. All these above-related results tend to prove that the variations of the Z and H on May 9, 2008 during the solar quiet period are probably associated with the forthcoming Wenchuan MS 8.0 earthquake.
Mei LiLi YaoYaLi WangMichel ParrotMasashi HayakawaJun LuHanDong TanTao Xie
BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine has already been used in septic patients as a new sedative agent, few studies have examined its effects on immunomodulation. Therefore, the authors have designed a controlled experimental study to characterize the immunomodulation effects of dexmedetomidine in the cecal ligation and puncture(CLP) model in rats. METHODS: After CLP, 48 Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups:(1) CLP group;(2) small-dose treatment group(2.5 g·kg^(-1)·h^(-1));(3) medium-dose treatment group(5.0 g·kg^(-1)·h^(-1)); and(4) large-dose treatment group(10.0 g·kg^(-1)·h^(-1)). HLA-DR and plasma cytokine(IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α) levels were measured, and the mean arterial blood pressure(MAP), heart rate(HR), arterial blood gases, lactate concentrations and mortality were also documented. RESULTS: The HLA-DR level, inflammatory mediator levels, MAP and HR had no obvious changes among Dexmedetomidine treatment groups(DEX groups). Compared with the CLP group, the DEX groups exhibited decreased HLA-DR levels(P_(group)=0.0202) and increased IL-6 production, which was increased at 3 h(P= 0.0113) and was then attenuated at 5 h; additionally, the DEX groups exhibited decreased HR(P<0.001) while maintaining MAP(P_(group)=0.1238), and remarkably improving lactate(P<0.0001). All of these factors led to a significant decrease in the mortality, with observed rates of 91.7%, 66.7%, 25% and 18% for the CLP, DEX2.5, DEX5.0, DEX10.0 groups, respectively.CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine treatment in the setting of a CLP sepsis rat model has partially induced immunomodulation that was initiated within 5 h, causing a decreased HR while maintaining MAP, remarkably improving metabolic acidosis and improving mortality dosedependently.
