Formation environment and hydrocarbon potential of the Paleogene Enping Formation coal measures in the ZhuⅠDepression of northern South China Sea

The coal-measure source rock in the Chinese sea area plays a significant role as a hydrocarbon source rock,with its genetic environment,development and distribution,and hydrocarbon generation potential serving as essential factors for the exploration of coal-type oil and gas fields.This study focuses on the coal-measure source rock of the Paleogene Enping Formation in the ZhuⅠDepression,located in the northern South China Sea.The main geological insights obtained are as follows.The coal measures of the Enping Formation are developed in a warm and wet tropical-subtropical climate.The development environment of the coal-measure source rock in the Enping Formation includes the braided river delta upper plain peat swamp,characterized by dry forest swamp coal facies with relatively thick coal seams and a small number of layers.The braided river delta lower plain swamp-interdistributary bay of braided river delta front represents a forest edge-wetland herbaceous swamp coal facies with numerous layers of thin coal seams and poor stability.The shore swamp corresponds to an open water swamp coal facies with multiple layers of thin coal seams and poor stability.The organic matter abundance in the braided river delta upper plain is the highest,followed by the braided river delta lower plain-braided river delta front,and the shore-shallow lake.The organic matter type is predominantly typeⅡ1.Thermal evolution analysis suggests that the organic matter has progressed into a substantial oil generation stage.The hydrocarbon generation potential of the coal-measure source rock in the Enping Formation is the highest in the braided river delta upper plain,followed by the braided river delta lower plain-braided river delta front and the shore-shallow lake.Overall,this study proposes three organic facies in the coal-measure source rock of the Enping Formation:upper-plain swamp-dry forest swamp facies,lower plain-interdistributary bay-forest-herbaceous swamp facies,and lake swamp-herbaceous swamp facies.

Genetic and Environmental Effects on the Bone Development of the Hand and Wrist in Chinese Young Twins

We assessed genetic and environmental effectson bone development of the hand and wrist, andon key anthropometric measures in Chinese youngtwins. In total, 139 monozygotic and 95 dizygotictwin pairs aged from 5 to 18 years were recruited.The twin correlations of total hand and wrist scoresfor monozygotic （MZ） and dizygotic （DZ） twins were0.71 and 0.36, respectively. Bivariate modelanalysis showed moderate genetic correlations onlyfor total skeletal maturity vs. weight and totalskeletal maturity vs. waist circumference （r, 0.51and 0.46, respectively）. Our findings demonstratedthat genetic factors played important roles in bonedevelopment of the hand and wrist in Chineseyoung twins, and that these genetic effects mightbe distinct from those influencing anthropometricmeasures.

Characterization of bla_(CTX-M) Gene in One Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolate from Sick Chickens in China

Two Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates （Kpcl and Kpc2） were obtained from liver samples of seven dead chickens and identified with Vitek-32 automated identification system. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by the microdilution broth method. Detection of genes encoding class A β-lactamases was performed by PCR amplification, and cloning of the ESBL gene was by plasmid restriction and fragments ligation. Conjugation assay, transformation experiments and plasmid profile analysis were performed. The incompatibility group of ESBL-carrying plasmid was determined by the PCR-based replicon typing method. Lastly, the genetic environment was analysed by direct sequencing of the DNA surrounding the ESBL gene. The genes associated with tetracycline and gentamicin resistance were also sought by PCR. The results revealed that the ESBL phenotype-negative strain Kpc2 only showed resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin, tetracycline, and doxycycline and carried bla TEM-1 and tet（A） genes. The ESBL-producing strain Kpcl exhibited multidrug resistant phenotype and harbored bla TEM-1 , bla CTX-M-14, tet（A）, tet（B）, and rmtB genes. K. pneumoniae Kpcl contained four plasmids with molecular sizes of approximately 59, 6.9, 2.8, and 1.6 kb, but only a 59-kb plasmid, carried bla TEM-1 and blac CTM-14 genes, was observed in its transconjugant. The incompatibility group of plasmid carrying blaCTX-M-14 gene could not be determined. The bla CTX-M-14 gene was flanked upstream by an ISEcpl insertion sequence and downstream by an IS903 element. This work shows that CTX-M-14 is present in K. pneumoniae isolates from chickens in China. The bla CTX -M-4 gene was associated with an upstream ISEcpl insertion sequence. Our results underline the need for continuous surveillance of the prevalence and evolution of this CTX-M-type β-lactamase in China.

Global Bioethical Prevention of the Collision of Biological and Cultural Evolution on Miserable Human Survival

With the cultural myth that science can only determine the way the world ＂is＂ （facts）, while humanities, social sciences, lawyers, philosophers, and theologians must determine the way the world ＂ought to be＂ （values）, those in position of global-, national-, and local-political power make major decisions of the use （or non-use） of scientific knowledge and technology. As a result, the human being has created a non-scientifically based cultural environment that is affecting his ability to survive. In effect, cultural evolution is occurring more rapidly than biological evolution that can adapt to the changes brought about in the physical and psycho-social environments. In a pluralistic cultural world, where each society has generated a different view of human nature and different ethical values, the use, misuse, or non-use of scientific and technological advances are derived from these unscientific views of human nature. Since all life depends on limiting interacting environmental and ecological factors, it is imperative that scientific information be used to govern how to minimize irreversible effects on life-sustaining ecological factors, but also scientific information bearing on understanding human nature ought to be integrated into a ＂global bioethics＂. While ethical values cannot be directly derived from scientific factors, it is also true that human values or our ＂ought＂ cannot be maintained in ignorance or defiance of the facts or the ＂is＂.