Frontiers in early Earth history and primordial life--PartⅠ

The history of the early Earth is shrouded in mystery, and one of the major outcomes of the Apollo Program, lunar sampling, and the data acquired by subsequent orbiting missions, is that the Moon is an important analogue for the Hadean Earth, which includes primordial planet-forming materials. We assemble two special issues of ＂Geoscience Frontiers＂ with state-of-the-art contributions that provide insights into planetary formation, Earth＇s early history and primordial life. New theories show why the Earth began as a dry planetary system and was later seeded by an ocean-atmosphere system through the bombardment of carbonaceous chondrites. A combination of the information concerning the evolution of Earth, Mars, and the other terrestrial planets is important in understanding the fate of the primordial continental crustal materials and the making of habitable planets.

The Particularity of the Development of Labor Relationship in the 70-Year History of the People’s Republic of China

The past seven decades witnesses a stage marked by"ossification-consolidation-emptiness"as regards domestic labor relationship.It is highly probable that China is to be inaugurated by the stage of"falsification"in forthcoming days.A major cause is rooted in that labor relationship is the output of economic development that would request that labor relationship chime with it.The development course of labor relationship since the founding of PRC explicitly evinces that"flexibility"might be incurred in case labor relationship fails to align with economic development and with demands of marketing competitiveness.It might even propel main bodies of labor relationship to circumvent labor laws,as is verified by prevalence of large-scaled labor dispatching,and of"labor dispatching under the disguise of outsourcing".Lawmakers thus need to further ruminate over degree of tolerance on labor legislation.

THE MOVEMENT AND THERMAL HISTORY OF AN ALUMINIUM PARTICLE IN A RF PLASMA GENERATOR

In previous studies on plasma-particle interaction, as far as we know, the rf plasma flow and temperature fields are all simulated by the non-self-consistent one-dimensional electromagnetic (1-D EM) field model. In the present paper, the complete self-consistent two-dimensional electromagnetic (2-D EM) field model in- corporating the axial Lorentz force component, which is neglected in the 1-D model, is firstly adopted to calculate the aluminium particle trajectory and thermal history in atmospheric rf Ar plasma with the particle evaporation effect included. The cru- cial effect of reverse flow within the coil region on the particle trajectory is discovered and the results show that the 2-D EM field model must be adopted instead of the 1-D model when the plasma-particle interaction is studied. The effect of carrier gas flux on the particle movement and heating are also studied, resulting in some useful conclusions for both plasma theory and application.

Thermal History and Potential of Hydrocarbon Generated from Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Source Rocks in the Malita Graben, Northern Bonaparte Basin, Australia

The Malita Graben is located in the northern Bonaparte Basin, between the Sahul Platform to the northwest and the Petrel Sub-basin and Darwin Shelf to the south. The wells Beluga 1, Heron 1, Evans Shoal 1, Evans Shoal 2 and Seismic Line N11805 are selected to determine the thermal history and potential of hydrocarbon generated from the Plover, Elang, Frigate Shale (Cleia and Flamingo), and Echuca Shoals formations source rocks. The modeling was performed by using Basin Mod 1-D and 2-D techniques. The model results show that the geothermal gradients range from 3.05 to 4.05°C/100 m with an average of 3.75°C/100 m and present day heat flow values from 46.23 to 61.99 mW/m2 with an average of 56.29 mW/m2. The highest geothermal gradient and present-day heat flow values occurred on a terrace north of the Malita Graben. These most likely indicate that hot fluids are currently variably migrating into this structure. The lower geothermal gradient and heat flow values have been modeled in the southeast sites in the well Beluga 1. The northern Bonaparte Basin experienced several deformation phases including lithospheric thinning;hence, heat flow is expected to vary over the geological history of the basin. The higher paleo-heat flow values changing from 83.54 to 112.01 mW/m2 with an average of 101.71 mW/m2 during Jurassic rift event (syn-rift) were sufficient for source rocks maturation and hydrocarbon generation during Cretaceous post-breakup sequence (post-rift) in the study area. The Tuatara (Upper Frigate Shale) Formation source rock with type II & III kerogen dominantly showing mixed oil- and gas-prone, and Plover Formation with type III and gas prone have never reached the peak mature oil window in the well Beluga 1. This area indicates that the maturity of source rocks is low and considered to be from poor-to-good organic richness with poor-to-fair potential for hydrocarbons generation. The post mature Cleia (Lower Frigate Shale) and Echuca Shoals formations source rocks in the well Evans Shoal 1 and an early mature oil window Echuca Shoals formation source rock in the well Evans Shoal 2, characterized by type III kerogen dominantly showing gasprone are a fair-to-very good source richness with poor potential for hydrocarbons generation. The low to high maturity of Echuca Shoals and Petrel (Frigate Shale) formations source rocks in the well Heron 1, Plover Formation source rock in the Evans Shoal 1 well, and Cleia (Lower Frigate Shale) and Plover formations in the well Evans Shoal 2, showing gas-prone with type III and II & III kerogens predominantly, have reached the late mature oil and wet gas generation stages at present day. These last five formations source rocks are seen from poor-to-very good organic richness with poor-to-very good potential for hydrocarbons generation in the Malita Graben.

Comparison of brain functions between healthy participants and methamphetamine users with various addiction histories:Data analysis based on EEG and fNIRS

The electroencephalogram(EEG)rhythm and functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)activation levels have not been compared between a healthy control group(HCG)and methamphetamine user group(MUG)with different addiction histories.This study used 64-electrode EEG and fNIRS to conduct an experiment that analyzed the resting and craving states.The EEG and fNIRS data of 56 participants were collected,including 14 healthy participants,14 methamphetamine users with an addiction history of 0.5–5 years,14 users with an addiction history of 5–10 years,and 14 users with an addiction history of 10–15 years.Isolated effective coherence(iCoh)within the brain network was used to process the EEG data.Statistical analysis was performed to compare differences in iCoh among the delta,theta,alpha,beta,and gamma bands and explore oxyhemoglobin activation levels in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex,dorsolateral prefrontal cortex,orbitofrontal cortex,and frontopolar prefrontal cortex(FPC)of the control group.Finally,the Kmeans,Gaussian mixed model(GMM),linear discriminant analysis(LDA),support vector machine(SVM),Bayes,and convolutional neural networks(CNN)algorithms were used to classify methamphetamine users based on drug and neutral images.A 3-class accuracy was achieved.Changes in EEG and fNIRS activation levels of HCG and MUG with varied addiction histories were demonstrated.

Across two phylogeographic breaks: Quaternary evolutionary history of a mountain aspen (Populus rotundifolia) in the Hengduan Mountains

Biogeographical barriers to gene flow are central to plant phylogeography.In East Asia,plant distribution is greatly influenced by two phylogeographic breaks,the Mekong-Salween Divide and Tanaka-Kaiyong Line,however,few studies have investigated how these barriers affect the genetic diversity of species that are distributed across both.Here we used 14 microsatellite loci and four chloroplast DNA fragments to examine genetic diversity and distribution patterns of 49 populations of Populus rotundifolia,a species that spans both the Mekong-Salween Divide and the Tanaka-Kaiyong Line in southwestern China.Demographic and migration hypotheses were tested using coalescent-based approaches.Limited historical gene flow was observed between the western and eastern groups of P.rotundifolia,but substantial flow occurred across both the Mekong-Salween Divide and Tanaka-Kaiyong Line,manifesting in clear admixture and high genetic diversity in the central group.Wind-borne pollen and seeds may have facilitated the dispersal of P.rotundifolia following prevalent northwest winds in the spring.We also found that the Hengduan Mountains,where multiple genetic barriers were detected,acted on the whole as a barrier between the western and eastern groups of P.rotundifolia.Ecological niche modeling suggested that P.rotundifolia has undergone range expansion since the last glacial maximum,and demographic reconstruction indicated an earlier population expansion around 600 Ka.The phylogeographic pattern of P.rotundifolia reflects the interplay of biological traits,wind patterns,barriers,niche differentiation,and Quaternary climate history.This study emphasizes the need for multiple lines of evidence in understanding the Quaternary evolution of plants in topographically complex areas.

Correlation of personality with individual reproductive success in shrub-nesting birds depends on their life history style

Two questions in the research of animal personality—whether there is a correlation between a personality trait and individual reproductive success,and what is the genetic basis underlying a personality trait—remain unresolved.We addressed these two questions in three shrub-nesting birds,the Azure-winged Magpie(Cyanopica cyanus,AM),White-collared Blackbird(Turdus albocinctus,WB),and Brown-cheeked Laughingthrush(Trochalopteron henrici,BL).The personality type of an individual was first identified according to its response to a territorial intruder.Then,we compared the fleeing distance,breeding parameters,and differential expressed genes(DEGs) in the brain transcriptome between bold and shy breeders.In the three species,bold breeders exhibited more aggressiveness towards an intruder of their territory than did shy breeders.The reproductive success of bold breeders was significantly higher than that of shy breeders in AM but not in WB and BL.The three species shared one DEG,crabp1,which was up-regulated in bold relative to in shy individuals.By regulating the expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone,higher crabp1 gene expression can decrease cellular response to retinoic acid.Therefore,bold individuals are insensitive to external stresses and able to exhibit more aggressiveness to intruders than their shier counterparts.Aggressiveness is beneficial to bold individuals in AM but not in WB and BL because the former could evoke neighbors to make the same response of defending against intruders but the latter could not.Although a personality trait may have the same genetic basis across species,its correlation with reproductive success depends largely on the life history style of a species.

Apatite Fission Track Thermochronology of Granite from the Xiazhuang Uranium Ore Field,South China:Implications for Exhumation History and Ore Preservation

Xiazhuang uranium ore field,located in the southern part of the Nanling Metallogenic Belt,is considered one of the largest granite-related U regions in South China.In this paper,we contribute new apatite fission track data and thermal history modeling to constrain the exhumation history and evaluate preservation potential of the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field.Nine Triassic outcrop granite samples collected from different locations of Xiazhuang Uranium ore field yield AFT ages ranging from 43 to 24 Ma with similar mean confined fission track lengths ranging from 11.8±2.0 to 12.9±1.9μm and Dpar values between 1.01 and 1.51μm.The robustness time-temperature reconstructions of samples from the hanging wall of Huangpi fault show that the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field experienced a time of monotonous and slow cooling starting from middle Paleocene to middle Miocene(~60-10 Ma),followed by relatively rapid exhumation in the late Miocene(~10-5 Ma)and nearly thermal stability in the Pliocene-Quaternary(~5-0 Ma).The amount of exhumation after U mineralization since the Middle Paleogene was estimated as~4.3±1.8 km according to the integrated thermal history model.Previous studies indicate that the ore-forming ages of U deposits in the Xiazhuang ore field are mainly before Middle Paleocene and the mineralization depths are more than 4.4±1.2 km.Therefore,the exhumation history since middle Paleocene plays important roles in the preservation of the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field.

Genetic analyses of ancient tea trees provide insights into the breeding history and dissemination of Chinese Assam tea(Camellia sinensis var.assamica)

Chinese Assam tea(Camellia sinensis var.assamica)is an important tea crop with a long history of cultivation in Yunnan,China.Despite its potential value as a genetic resource,its genetic diversity and domestication/breeding history remain unclear.To address this issue,we genotyped 469 ancient tea plant trees representing 26 C.sinensis var.assamica populations,plus two of its wild relatives(six and three populations of C.taliensis and C.crassicolumna,respectively)using 16 nuclear microsatellite loci.Results showed that Chinese Assam tea has a relatively high,but comparatively lower gene diversity(H_(S)=0.638)than the wild relative C.crassicolumna(H_S=0.658).Clustering in STRUCTURE indicated that Chinese Assam tea and its two wild relatives formed distinct genetic groups,with considerable interspecific introgression.The Chinese Assam tea accessions clustered into three gene pools,corresponding well with their geographic distribution.However,New Hybrids analysis indicated that 68.48%of ancient Chinese Assam tea plants from Xishuangbanna were genetic intermediates between the Puer and Lincang gene pools.In addition,10%of the ancient Chinese Assam tea individuals were found to be hybrids between Chinese Assam tea and C.taliensis.Our results suggest that Chinese Assam tea was domesticated separately in three gene pools(Puer,Lincang and Xishuangbanna)in the Mekong River valley and that the hybrids were subsequently selected during the domestication process.Although the domestication history of Chinese Assam tea in southwestern Yunnan remains complex,our results will help to identify valuable genetic resources that may be useful in future tea breeding programs.

Diverse phenotype of Méenière’s disease associated with family history,thyroid disorder,migraine and associated disorders

Objective:To better understand the clinical phenotype of Méenière’s disease(MD),we examined family history,thyroid disorder,migraine,and associated disorders in complaints of people living with MD.Method:We designed the study as a retrospective and examined data gathered from 912 participants with MD.Their data were originally collected by the Finnish M′eni`ere Federation(FMF).The survey data included individual case histories for environmental factors,comorbidities,disease-specific complaints,impact-related questions,cognitive complaints,health-related quality of life(HRQoL),and sense of coherence(SOC).Results:We observed significant differences between those with and without sporadic occurrence,family history,thyroid disorder,and migraine-associated complaints.Family history explained 20%of variability in patient complaints.Patients with a family history of MD whose disease started at younger age experienced balance problems,more severe vertigo spells,more severe vestibular drop attacks(VDA),and less nausea,although they had good SOC.Thyroid disorder explained 14%of variability in patient complaints.MD patients with a thyroid disorder comorbidity suffered more often from constant dizziness,balance problems,greater impact of hearing problems,cognitive complaints,and poor HRQoL.Migraine explained 12%of variability in patients’complaints and was associated with poor SOC and cognitive balance problems.MD patients with both thyroid disorder and migraine used antidepressants more often than other groups.Logistic regression analysis showed comorbidities of ischemic brain disorder(among 7.1%),kidney insufficiency(among 1.2%),and diabetes(among 7.3%)had statistically significant but restricted association with balance and gait problems,VDA,and reduced HRQoL.Conclusions:Family history of MD and thyroid disorder or migraine comorbidities in MD influence the complaint pattern and partially explain complex symptom profiles,including symptoms of cognitive problems.Confounders play a minimal role in complaint profile and impact of MD whereas comorbidities influence the complaint structure and partly explain the complex symptom profile in MD.

A preliminary study on life history of marine red alga Stylonema alsidii(Zandardini)Drew f.ramosum Zheng et Li

Stylonema alsidii(Zandardini)Drew f.ramosum Zheng et Li is a common species in the genus Stylonema,but there are limited reports on morphological taxonomy and a lack of studies on life history and the regulation of early development.The early development,discoid formation,and erect thallus growth of Stylonema alsidii f.ramosum were observed under laboratory conditions.In addition,the influence of main environmental factors such as temperature and light intensity on its development was briefly studied,and various stages of its life history were observed.The result shows:(1)there are two reproductive modes:asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction;(2)the morphology of this species varies in different degrees under laboratory culture conditions;(3)sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction can coexist under suitable conditions.Five pathways of life history were inferred from experimental phenomena.Mature sporophytes form mature gametophytes by producing initially isolated or initially attached monospore,and mature gametophytes form mature sporophytes by fertilization of eggs and sperms.The sexual and asexual reproduction processes of Stylonema alsidii f.ramosum were reported for the first time,and this is also the first report on sexual reproduction in the genus Stylonema.

Editorial Commentary:The History of Controlling and Treating Infectious Diseases in Ancient China

I recently read the article by LIU et all entitled The History of Controlling and Treating Infectious Diseases in Ancient China with great interest.The paper comprehensively summarizes ancient Chinese approaches to combat epidemics,elucidating them through the lens of three key elements of infectious diseases.Summarizing thousands of years of records detailing major infectious disease occurrences across various dynasties is no small feat.

From Research on TCM Images to Historiography of TCM Images——Comments on History of Chinese Image Culture:Medical Image Volume

1 Introduction.Chinese medicine has a long and rich history,dating back to the classics of the Qin and Han dynasties and extending to the integration of Chinese and Western medicine in the modern era.The vast amount of literature and scholarly works in this field makes it essential to thoroughly study the history of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in order to understand its development path throughout the ages and boost innovation based on tradition.This is why the sages emphasized the importance of“classifying the works into different schools and tracing back to their origins”(辨章学术,考镜源流).

Research on Improving Artistry of Exhibitions in History Museums in China

Chinese civilization,with its long and continuous history and rich cultural heritage,plays a central role in China’s dialogue with other civilizations.Therefore,it is necessary to collect and refine the defining symbols and best elements of Chinese culture and showcase them to the world;develop discourse and narrative systems with Chinese characteristics,better tell China’s stories,and make China’s voice heard.This effort can help Chinese civilization shine globally,interact with other civilizations,and promote its communication and influence worldwide.In China,history museums,as physical carriers of Chinese civilization,are an important component in developing Chinese discourse and narrative systems and an important channel to better tell China’s stories and make China’s voice heard.Improving the artistry of museum exhibitions caters to the public’s growing demand for a more enriching cultural experience and substantially promotes Chinese culture on a global scale.With the communication of Chinese civilization as the main focal point,this study investigated the current issues related to the artistry of history museum exhibitions in China and defined the artistry of history museum exhibitions and their connotations.Based on an in-depth analysis of the artistry of historical museum exhibitions within China,this paper enumerated the areas where improvements could be made to enhance exhibition artistry,intending to promote the communication of Chinese civilization.

Time-History Dynamic Characteristics of Reinforced Soil-Retaining Walls

Given the complexities of reinforced soil materials’constitutive relationships,this paper compares reinforced soil composite materials to a sliding structure between steel bars and soil and proposes a reinforced soil constitutive model that takes this sliding into account.A finite element dynamic time history calculation software for composite response analysis was created using the Fortran programming language,and time history analysis was performed on reinforced soil retaining walls and gravity retaining walls.The vibration time histories of reinforced soil retaining walls and gravity retaining walls were computed,and the dynamic reactions of the two types of retaining walls to vibration were compared and studied.The dynamic performance of reinforced earth retaining walls was evaluated.

A New Perspective in the Study of Medical History through Visuals

In pre-modern cultural history,both textual and visual documentation played crucial roles,each possessing its own narrative logic.Historically,text has been a dominant medium for cultural documentation,whereas images,which predate text,have often been undervalued.

The Islamic Religion in Course Curriculums of High School History Textbooks in the Republic of Macedonia

History textbooks can and primarily should contribute to the strengthening of students’awareness of universal human values.However,history textbooks can also deepen the divisions,prejudices,and uncritical attitudes,contrary to the goals of education.The youth population,which is still building and creating their point of view towards the world is the main group in the education process.The learning period,in the elementary,as well as in the secondary education is of utmost importance for the development of every human.To that end,history,through the contents of the past largely shapes our perceptions of every individual,ourselves,and the others.Since we are living in a multiethnic and multi-confessional society,I have decided to conduct an analysis of the teaching contents of high school textbooks related to religion.Another reason for the analysis is the role of religion in the formation of Balkan nations,which have made it one of the key elements of their national identities.It is often given the role of raising and strengthening the national awareness,patriotism,as well as the country homogeneity,which most often leads to forming prejudices,divisions,and discrimination towards people of minority religions.The large volume of content related to the religion,and also the mere fact that Muslims are the second largest religion group in the population,I have decided to analyze the contents which are related only to the Islamic religion.The goal is to look for both the positive and negative sides of those contents in history textbooks in secondary schools,which are backed by state institutions that are supposed to take care of the development of competitive,creative,progressive,and ethically formed human potential.The critical review will give an additional impulse to the efforts of eliminating those parts of the teaching contents that create divisions and prejudices,especially in history textbooks,so that its studying can become the key factor in the building of trust between people of different religions.

The Islamic Studies in China:Research in the Field of History

A history of the Islamic studies in China,not only includes studies on world Islam,it also includes research on Islam and Muslims in China.Before the Reform and Opening Up,China did not achieve much in this field,since then,the research field of Islam and Muslim in China has been expanding and the results have been published,forming a new trend.In this field,scholars such as Jin Yijiu,Li Xinghua,Qin Huibin,Zhou Guoli,Sha Qiuzhen,Zhou Xiefan,Wu Yungui,and Yang Huaizhong have made the most outstanding achievements.Especially in the collation of reference books and historical materials,in the past 20 years,The Encyclopedia of the history of Islam,The Chinese Encyclopedia of Islam have emerged,and the Chinese and World Encyclopedia of Islamic Law and other important historical books have been published.This paper focuses on the field of historical research and divided into academic research history at home and abroad,which is discussed from several fields such as general history,special history,national history,and regional history.