Radiometric Dating of Ignimbrite from Inner Mongolia Provides no Indication of a Post-Middle Jurassic Age for the Daohugou Beds

Lacustrine deposits exposed at Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China, have yielded superbly preserved vertebrate fossils. The fossil beds were first misinterpreted as of Early Cretaceous age, based on alleged occurrences of key fossils of the Jehol Biota. Compelling evidence revealed by more rigorous research involving regional biostratigraphy, radiometric dating, and paleontology supports the Middle Jurassic age of the fossil beds. Despite the awesome evidence for the Middle Jurassic age of the Daohugou beds, the age dispute has been resurrected recently by invoking an overturned stratigraphic sequence. A careful review of the data, however, found no evidence that this sequence has been overturned. In addition, many of the assumptions, on which the conjecture of the fossil beds being post- Middle Jurassic is imprudently based, are self-contradictory or otherwise misleading. Thus, the post- Middle Jurassic age of the Daohugou beds as an unfounded conclusion can readily be dismissed.

Thrombin Generation Increasing with Age and Decreasing with Use of Heparin Indicated by Calibrated Automated Thrombogram Conducted in Chinese

Objective Calibrated Automated Thrombogram（CAT） is a test to monitor the generation of thrombin. It can be described by four parameters： lag time, peak thrombin, endogenous thrombin potential （ETP） and time to peak （ttPeak）. This study aims to determine the normal ranges of CAT parameters in Chinese, and evaluate whether thrombin generation is correlated with the concentration of heparin/Iow molecular weight heparin. Methods Plasma from 120 healthy subjects were collected to determine the normal rangea of CAT parameters in Chinese. Normal plasma pool （NPP, n=25） spiked with different concentrations of heparin or enoxaparin were used to detecte CAT parameters. The overall and age specific normal ranges of CAT parameters were calculated using descriptive statistics method with mean＋-2SD. The correlation between CAT parameters and age or concentrations of heparin, enoxaparin were analyzed with linear regression model. Results The normal ranges for lag time, peak thrombin, ETP, ttPeak in the subjects were 3.648＋2.465 min, 367.39＋151.93 nmol/L, 2277＋_1030 nmol/L.min and 6.372＋_4.280 min respectively. Age was linearly correlated with lag time （r=-0.6583, P〈0.0002）, peak thrombin （r=0.4863, P〈0.0002）, ETP （r=0.3608, P〈0.0014） and ttPeak （r=-0.6323, P〈0.0002）. The values of ETP/peak ratio were linearly correlated with concentrations of heparin. Conclusion The normal ranges of four CAT parameters for Chinese were determined. CAT parameters are associated with age. ETP/peak ratio could be used to monitor the process of anticoagulation therapy.

Tectonic Environments of the Yan-Liao Rift during Earth's Middle Age(1.7～0.75 Ga): Evidence from Mafic Dyke Swarms in Eastern Hebei, North China

During the past decade,generations of Precambrian mafic dykes/sills have been investigated and revealed in the North China Craton(NCC).Researchers identified more than 20 episodes of Precambrian dyke swarms,

Effects of Ving Tsun sticking-hand training on upper-limb sensorimotor performance in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults: A randomized controlled trial

Objective:To evaluate the effects of Ving Tsun(VT)sticking-hand training on upper-limb joint position sense and muscular performance in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults.Methods:Thirty-three adults were randomly allocated to either a VT group or a control group.The VT group received VT sticking-hand training twice per week for 3 months.Measurements were taken before and after the intervention period.The primary outcome was elbow-joint repositioning error,which was measured by an elbow-joint passive positioning and active repositioning test using a universal goniometer.Secondary outcomes were upper-limb muscles'peak force and time taken to reach peak force as measured by a hand-held dynamometer.Results:No significant time,group or time-by-group interaction effects were found for elbow-joint repositioning error or upper-limb muscle peak force outcomes.Shoulder flexor time to peak force decreased by 33.8%from pre-test to post-test in the VT group(P=0.007).Shoulder abductor,internal and external rotator,and elbow extensor times to peak force decreased by 30.0%-35.9%in the VT%roup(P<0.05)and by 30.4%-37.1%in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusions:VT sticking-hand training does not improve elbow-joint position sense or the maximum strength of upper-limb muscles in middle-aged and older adults.However,VT can improve shoulder flexor muscles'time to reach peak force in these populations.VT had no obvious effect on the time required to reach peak force in other shoulder muscles and elbow extensors.

Analysis of the Variations of Body Build of Middle-and Old-aged and Research on the Prototype

The characteristics of body build of middle - and old -aged women and its rule of variations as well as the basic sizes of various parts are discussed. All these are based on the body measurements of this age group, and also on the statistical studies of the measurement data. By setting the regression equation, the calculating formulae of various control parts are obtained, thus establishing the prototype of this age group for women.

Georgia and Europe in the Early Middle Ages

The article deals with relations of Georgia to Europe in the late antique period and the early Middle Ages.The analyses rests on the Byzantium and the Western European,as well as on Georgian written sources:historical chronicles,hagiographic texts and other information,reflecting political relations of the Iberia and Lazika—those-days kingdoms,located on the territory of Georgia—to the Western European and Byzantine space.The offered analysis will concentrate on the shared characteristics of European space in the Middle Ages and will compare them to the general tendencies of development of Georgia in the same period.This enables to draw conclusion that Georgia was the part of the unified Christian space of the early Middle Ages.

The Issue of Genealogy of Armenians, Georgians and Other Caucasian Nations in the Historiography of the Middle Ages

The paper shows that the story about the origin of Armenians, Georgians and other Caucasians from a common ancestor, namely, from Targamos (Togormah)—The Life of the Fore-Patriarchs and Ancestors of the Georgian Kings, which is represented in the introductory part of The Georgian Chronicles and is dated back to the end of the11th, is a compiled work that mainly contains, on the one hand, an old Georgian genealogical-geographical story about Tarshish’s son Kartlos (Iber) and his six brothers ( Egros, Movakan, Heros, Bardos, Lekan and Caucas)created at the end of the 6th c.-first half of the 8th c. based on Byzantine works, and on the other hand, a genealogical story created in old Armenian historiography about Targamos and his son Hayk that went through certain steps of development as well. In the process of synthesizing, Togormah (Targamos) and his son Hayk (Haos)were inserted between Tarsish and his son Kartlos (Iber), which violated the Biblical scheme as well as the structure of the sentence in which the insertion was made. The goal of developing the synthesized scheme was to bring evidence of the common origin of Georgians and Armenians, as long as quite a large number of Armenians,because of the incorporation of a large part of Armenian territories within Georgian borders, became citizens of Georgia. At the same time, the story also offers a justification in the eyes of the Muslim world for the claims of Georgia for Armenian territories. According to the newly-created synthesized scheme, Georgia was “the successor brother” of Armenia(Haos//Hayk) and considering the absence of Armenian states, i.e., “the elder brother”,Georgia was the only legal heir of Armenian territories.

China's National Image in Western Travels in the Middle Ages

The cognition of the image of China in the West during the Middle Ages is a historical base map for the formation of China's image in the eyes of Western travelers in China since the 19 th century. During the Middle Ages, with the Crusades and the Eastward March of the Mongol Empire, the exchanges between China and Europe were frequent. For political and religious purposes, Western missionaries gradually increased in China. From the expansion of the concept of time and space, Western travelers came to China to explore the world outside the Mediterranean. For the needs of literary creation, Western writers began to write Chinese travels while traveling to China. The texts about China's images created by missionaries, travelers and writers are intertwined, depicting a vivid China's national image.

Late Mesozoic Ore-forming Events in the Ningwu Ore District, Middle-Lower Yangtze River Polymetallic Ore Belt, East China: Evidence from Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Hf Isotopic Compositions of the Granodioritic Stocks

Late Mesozoic volcanic-subvolcanic rocks and related iron deposits, known as porphyry iron deposits in China, are widespread in the Ningwu ore district （Cretaceous basin） of the middle-lower Yangtze River polymetallic ore belt, East China. Two types of Late Mesozoic magmatic rocks are exposed： one is dioritic rocks closely related to iron mineralization as the hosted rock, and the other one is granodioritic （-granitic） rocks that cut the ore bodies. To understand the age of the iron mineralization and the ore-forming event, detailed zircon U-Pb dating and Hf isotope measurement were performed on granodioritic stocks in the Washan, Gaocun-Nanshan, Dongshan and Heshangqiao iron deposits in the basin. Four emplacement and crystallization （typically for zircons） ages of granodioritic rocks were measured as 126.1±0.5 Ma, 126.8±0.5 Ma, 127.3±0.5 Ma and 126.3±0.4 Ma, respectively in these four deposits, with the LA-MC-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb method. Based on the above results combined with previous dating, it is inferred that the iron deposits in the Ningwu Cretaceous basin occurred in a very short period of 131-127 Ma. In situ zircon Hf compositions of εHf（t） of the granodiorite are mainly from -3 to -8 and their corresponding 176Hf/177Hf ratio are from 0.28245 to 0.28265, indicating similar characteristics of dioritic rocks in the basin. We infer that granodioritic rocks occurring in the Ningwu ore district have an original relationship with dioritic rocks. These new results provide significant evidence for further study of this ore district so as to understand the ore-forming event in the study area.

Basement Characteristics and Crustal Evolution of the Copper-Gold Metallogenic Belt in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River:Some Isotope Constraints

Studies of the Pb, Sr and Nd isotopic composition of Mesozoic intrusive rocks indicate that the basement of the copper-gold metallogenic belt of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has “two-layer structure” and partly has “multi-layered structure”, and is inhomogeneous and shows the distinct feature of E-W provincialism. The calculated model lead ages (t1) are mostly greater than 2600 Ma, and the model neodymium ages (TDM) vary from 953 to 2276 Ma and concentrate in two time intervals: 1800–2000 Ma and 1200–1600 Ma. It is concluded that the basement of the MBYR is composed of the Late Archaeozoic to Middle Proterozoic metamorphic series and that the crust was initiated in the Archaean and continued to grow in the Early and Middle Proterozoic, and the proportion of new crust formed by mantle differentiation during the Late Proterozoic is low.

Characteristics and Natural Gas Origin of Middle-Late Triassic Marine Source Rocks of the Western Sichuan Depression, SW China

A scientific exploration well(CK1) was drilled to expand the oil/gas production in the western Sichuan depression, SW, China. Seventy-three core samples and four natural gas samples from the Middle–Late Triassic strata were analyzed to determine the paleo-depositional setting and the abundance of organic matter(OM) and to evaluate the hydrocarbon-generation process and potential. This information was then used to identify the origin of the natural gas. The OM is characterized by medium n-alkanes(n C15–n C19), low pristane/phytane and terrigenous aquatic ratios(TAR), a carbon preference index(CPI) of ~1, regular steranes with C29 > C27 > C28, gammacerane/C30 hopane ratios of 0.15–0.32, and δDorg of-132‰ to-58‰, suggesting a marine algal/phytoplankton source with terrestrial input deposited in a reducing–transitional saline/marine sedimentary environment. Based on the TOC, HI index, and chloroform bitumen "A" the algalrich dolomites of the Leikoupo Formation are fair–good source rocks;the grey limestones of the Maantang Formation are fair source rocks;and the shales of the Xiaotangzi Formation are moderately good source rocks. In addition, maceral and carbon isotopes indicate that the kerogen of the Leikoupo and Maantang formations is type Ⅱ and that of the Xiaotangzi Formation is type Ⅱ–Ⅲ. The maturity parameters and the hopane and sterane isomerization suggest that the OM was advanced mature and produced wet–dry gases. One-dimensional modeling of the thermal-burial history suggests that hydrocarbon-generation occurred at 220–60 Ma. The gas components and C–H–He–Ar–Ne isotopes indicate that the oilassociated gases were generated in the Leikoupo and Maantang formations, and then, they mixed with gases from the Xiaotangzi Formation, which were probably contributed by the underlying Permian marine source rocks. Therefore, the deeply-buried Middle–Late Triassic marine source rocks in the western Sichuan depression and in similar basins have a great significant hydrocarbon potential.

Household Solid Waste Generation and Composition: A Case Study in Palapye, Botswana

The purpose of this case study was to conduct a case study in the generation rate, composition, and characterise solid wastes from low, middle and high income households during weekdays and weekends in Palapye, Botswana. The study was conducted through sampling and analysis of the wastes from sampled households from each of the three categories. Palapye village does not have an engineered solid waste management system in place;hence the study can be used as a starting point. The village is rapidly urbanising with many shopping complexes coming up which will generate high amounts of solid wastes of different compositions. The lowest generation rate was 0.038 kg/capita/day from low income households during weekends and the highest was 0.364 kg/capita/day generated from high income households during weekends. The composition of the wastes was dominated by food wastes ranging from 46.44% to 80.78% with low income households generating the highest percentage during weekdays. The average moisture contents of samples from low, middle and high income households were 71% ± 0.0%, 66.3% ± 1.25% and 74.3% ± 2.2% respectively during weekdays compared to 77% ± 0.0%, 66.5% ± 3.5% and 69.3% ± 3.3% during weekends. The average moisture contents from low, middle and high income households were 71% ± 0.0%, 66.3% ± 1.25% and 74.3% ± 2.2% respectively during weekdays compared to 77% ± 0.0%, 66.5% ± 3.5% and 69.3% ± 3.3% during weekends. The results can be used as part of the waste management planning purpose by the Administrative Council of the area.

Immigrants,Citizenship and Social Integration in French Urban Society in the Late Middle Ages:A Case Study of Avignon

An important feature of the urban demographic structure in France in the late Middle Ages was the significant increase in immigrants as a proportion of the population.The influx of immigrants and their successful assimilation were necessary for urban society to cope with the crisis of the late Middle Ages.There were two principal pathways for integration.Firstly,the municipal authority granted citizenship to some selected immigrants,accepting them legally into the citizen community.Secondly,immigrants constructed spontaneous and autonomously diversified social relationships and interacted with other residents through religious-based confraternities.The two routes were mutually complimentary and promoted the absorption of multiple immigrants into urban society achieving a revival in early modern times.That said,social participation was the only way for all immigrants to integrate into urban society and reveals the initiative and autonomy of the newcomers.

Dark Ages 欧洲中世纪前期

欧洲中世纪前期,又称中世纪早期、中古早期(Early Middle Ages),指在西欧历史上从罗马帝国衰亡(约公元500年)至公元10世纪之间的一段时期。在这段时期内,从罗马帝国后期开始的衰落趋势在整个欧洲一直持续:人口(尤其是城市人口)减少、贸易萎缩、外族迁徙规模扩大与持续入侵。当年罗马统治过的辽阔大地最终分成了三种后续文明:西欧文明。

Bystanders or not?Microglia and lymphocytes in aging and stroke

As the average age of the world population increases,more people will face debilitating aging-associated conditions,including dementia and stroke.Not only does the incidence of these conditions increase with age,but the recovery afterward is often worse in older patients.Researchers and health professionals must unveil and understand the factors behind age-associated diseases to develop a therapy for older patients.Aging causes profound changes in the immune system including the activation of microglia in the brain.Activated microglia promote T lymphocyte transmigration leading to an increase in neuroinflammation,white matter damage,and cognitive impairment in both older humans and rodents.The presence of T and B lymphocytes is observed in the aged brain and correlates with worse stroke outcomes.Preclinical strategies in stroke target either microglia or the lymphocytes or the communications between them to promote functional recovery in aged subjects.In this review,we examine the role of the microglia and T and B lymphocytes in aging and how they contribute to cognitive impairment.Additionally,we provide an important update on the contribution of these cells and their interactions in preclinical aged stroke.

Middle Permian Seamount from Xiahe Area, Gansu Province, Northwest China: Zircon U-Pb Age, Biostratigraphy and Tectonic Implications

The well-preserved seamount buildups are documented from the northwestern Qinling （秦岭） orogenic belts, Northwest China. The study sections are located in the Ganjia （甘加） area of the Xiahe （夏河） County, Gansu （甘肃） Province. The dark basalt and overlying massive reef carbonate characterize the Xiahe seamount buildup. Basalts are dominated by the olivine type of rocks and bear distinct porphyritic textures, and fumarole and amygdaloidal structures. The basalts are dominated by SiO2 （up to 48.49 wt.%-52.29 wt.%） followed by （Na2O＋ K2O） （3.80 wt.%-4.96 wt.%） and TiO2 （2.04 wt.%-2.52 wt.%）. They are featured by considerably high content of Ti. The tholeiiteseries rocks dominate the basalts, while calc-alkali-series rocks are also present. The REE of the basalts shows the LREE-enrichment type with distinct positive Eu abnormal. The trace elements of the basalts are characterized by the lack of P and high content of Ti. These geochemical signals suggest that the Xiahe basalts were formed in an ocean-island setting. The LA ICP-MS zircon U-Pb age of the basalts is 267.6±5 Ma, which is reinforced by the presnce of the fusulinid Neoschwagerina Zone of the Wordian （Middle Permian） in the limestone interbeds of the basalts. Integration of petrological and geochemical studies of seamount basalts and lateral correlation of seamount buildups reveals that the Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun orogenic belts were probably the archipelagic oceans during the Permian.

Research and Exploration on the Teaching of World Medieval History under the Innovative Education Concept

The development of the Middle Ages is an inevitable stage in the development of human history,and it has a very important historical significance.During the Middle Ages,the struggle between religious power and secular kingship became a big driving force for medieval education.While strengthening the Christian worldview,education in the Middle Ages also completed the connection between classical civilization and modern European civilization.Medieval educational developments and explorations have had a major impact on contemporary education,especially medieval universities,cathedrals and parliaments.

Peak systolic velocity Doppler of middle cerebral artery in small for gestational age （SGA） fetus

BACKGROUND： Small for gestational age （SGA） has high frequency which increases the risk of long-term adverse outcomes. Thus the aim of this study was to evaluate peak systolic velocity Doppler of middle cerebral artery （MCA） in SGA fetus in order to find appropriate method to diagnosis SGA sooner. MATERIALS and METHODS： This prospective longitudinal study was conducted on 90 pregnant women with a diagnosis of SGA fetus and 90 pregnant women with normal fetus. Then MCA and umbilical artery assessment were performed for all subjects and compared between two groups. RESULTS： Doppler assessment showed that umbilical artery PI was significantly higher in SGA group as compared to normal group （1.114-0.37 vs 0.984-0.18, P = 0.003）, while MCA PI was significantly lower in SGA group （1.77±0.44 vs 1.92±0.47, P = 0.028）. On the other hand, PSV did not differ between the groups （P = 0.592）. Moreover, we found that PSV was more in SGA group by grouping maternal age （〈 27 years） （P = 0.006）, and gestational age （〉 34 weeks） （P 〈 0.001）. CONCLUSION： The results of this study suggest that MCA PI decreased significantly in SGA fetuses, while UA PI increased in this group. Moreover, PSV increased in this group when evaluated in different subgroups （based on maternal age and gestational age）.

Study on Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes in Middle and Aged Women with Kidney Deficiency and Bone Metabolic Disturbance

Objective: To study the therapeutic effect of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for supplementing Qi, activating blood circulation and tonifying Kidney on prevention and treatment of diabetes in middle and aged women with Kidney Deficiency and bone metabolic disturbance. Methods: Clinical observation was taken in 52 patients, who were divided into two groups, the control group (treated with hypoglycemic agent alone) and the treated group (treated with hypoglycemic agent and CHM). Results: Before treatment, patients in both groups showed obviously higher blood alkaline phosphatase, β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) level, urinary β2-MG, calcium and phosphorus level, but lower serum estradiol level than those in normal subjects. After 3 months' treatment, no apparent change in serum estradiol level was observed, but other parameters were all lowered obviously in the two groups, with the changes revealed more obviously in the treated group. The symptoms of Kidney Deficiency, such as lumbodorsal pain, fatigue, palpitation and vertigo, were improved after treatment, which was also more obviously in the treated group. Conclusion: CHM for supplementing Qi, activating blood circulation and tonifying Kidney was effective in improving Kidney Deficiency and mineral substance loss in bones in middle and aged diabetic women patients. The CHM and western drugs acted synergistically.