DNA Sequence Analysis of South African Helicobacter pylori Vacuolating Cytotoxin Gene (vacA)

Sequence diversity and population structures can vary widely among pathogenic bacteria species. In some species, all isolates are highly similar, whereas in others most of the isolates are distinguished easily. H. pylori is known for its wide genetic diversity amongst the various strains most especially in the genes involved in virulence. The aim of this study was to evaluate by PCR and sequence analysis, the genetic profile of H. pylori vacA gene (s1, s2, m1 and m2). We sequenced small DNA segments from 13 vacAs1, 10 vacAm2, 6 vacAm1 and 6 vacAs2 strains which were amplified with amplicon size of 259/286 bp, 290 bp and 352 bp for vacAs1/s2, m1 and m2 respectively. Based on similarities among our strains accession numbers were provided for seven vacAs1 (HQ709109-HQ709115), six vacAs2 (JN848463-JN848468), six vacAm1 (JN848469-JN848474) and six vacAm2 (HQ650801-HQ650806) strains. Amongst the strains studied, 98.07%, 98.58%, 97.38% and 95.41% of vacAs1, vacAs2, vacAm1 and vacAm2 of the strains were conserved respectively. Findings of this study underscores the importance of understanding the virulence composition and diversity of H. pylori in South Africa for enhanced clinico-epidemiological monitoring and pathophysiology of disease.     

Response of Vietnam coastal upwelling to the 1997-1998 ENSO event observed by multisensor data

In this paper, we examine the behavior of the Vietnam coastal upwelling during the 1997-1998 El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. The baseline is 4 years of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sea surface temperature (SST) data taken from 1997 to 2000. Comparison of upwelling images to simultaneous ERS-2 (European Remote Sensing Satellite) wind fields indicates that the summer monsoon winds constitute a major generation forcing. During the 1997 El Niño, the monsoon winds enhanced the upwelling and induced the upwelling center to move southward. During the 1998 La Niña, the monsoon winds weakened the upwelling. In contrast with the tropical Pacific, in the study area, La Niña implies a warm event and El Niño a cold event. We use empirical orthogonal function (EOF) methods to analyze the spatial and temporal variance of the upwelling. The three principal modes account for 37%, 15%, and 8% of the total variance, respectively. The first EOF modes reveal that the SST variance in the north and south subregions underwent a positive-negative sign switch in summer 1997. The second EOF modes represent the monthly evolution in normal years. The third modes seem to be sensitive to the 1998 La Niña event. Simultaneous TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS-2 altimeter data provide further evidence for our analysis. Comparison with California coastal upwelling and mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) coastal upwelling indicates that the Vietnam coastal upwelling is the most intensive one.     

基于包裹体PVTx数值模拟恢复油藏古温压——存在的问题、对策及应用实例

包裹体PVTx数值模拟是恢复油藏古温压的重要手段。由于无法精确地确定油包裹体的组成,以及油包裹体成分在地质演化过程中可能发生不可逆的次生变化,现有方法恢复的古温压存在不确定性。一般而言,与油包裹体伴生的盐水包裹体成分相对简单,且遭受次生蚀变影响的概率较低。因此,尝试将伴生的盐水包裹体作为独立的地质压力计在塔里木盆地顺南地区SN1井进行了应用研究。包裹体岩相学研究显示,SN1井高角度裂缝充填的方解石中,发育大量遭受过次生蚀变的含沥青烃包裹体及伴生的盐水包裹体。包裹体古温压恢复显示,伴生的盐水包裹体呈现异常高的均一温度（超过170℃）,均一压力波动范围大,且存在异常高压（39.1 MPa起,甚至超过165.8 MPa）。上述现象可能与热流体活动和原油充注后所经历的裂解增压过程有关。基于盐水包裹体均一压力的最低值,结合该地区埋藏史和热演化史分析,推测热液活动时间为海西期。上述认识与该地区NE向走滑断裂活动具有较好的时空匹配关系。综上所述,油包裹体伴生的盐水包裹体作为独立的地质压力计,可以用来恢复油藏古温压的演化轨迹,并限定古流体活动的时间,能够在一定程度上弥补现有方法的不足。     

南天山库车褶皱冲断带的伸展构造

为利于库车地区天然气的勘探与开发,对该区构造提出了一些不同的认识。通常认为,自渐新世晚期至今,南天山库车地区一直处于南北向挤压构造环境。但实地考察发现,新生界地层不仅被推覆构造卷入,而且亦有受到南北向拉张构造的改造,发育有5种伸展构造:挤缩地质体后部的块断伸展构造(块断构造)、挤缩地质体的反向伸展构造(反向正断层)、挤缩地质体的横向伸展构造(横向正断层)、挤缩地质体的反转伸展构造(负反转构造)、挤缩地质体隆起部的裂陷伸展构造(正地堑)。收缩与拉伸构造的关系表现为,在同一地段,早时挤缩褶冲,后时伸展块断,先后复合;在同一时段,前缘挤缩冲断,后缘伸展正断,前后并列。南天山构造地貌景观表明,通常被否定的我国西北地区含油气盆地的伸展构造是实在的,且与推覆构造相随相伴,这对于该区推覆构造控气与伸展构造调气的分析评价具有实际意义     

Hydrocarbon potential of Permian coals of South Karanpura Coalfield,Jharkhand, India

The present study investigates the hydrocarbon generative potential of the coal seams of Barka Sayal Area of South Karanpura Coalfield, India, using petrological and geochemical characteristics. These coals are vitrinite rich followed by liptinite and inertinite. Rank wise these are sub-bituminous ‘A’ to high volatile bituminous ‘C’ and fall in the early catagenesis stage of evolution. The presence of Type III kerogen and high hydrogen index value indicates excellent gaseous hydrocarbon generative potential, but low T_max suggests a characteristic of immature source rock. The calculated high conversion (%) and sufficient oil yield (%) justifies the suitability of these coals for liquefaction processes.     

南海的偶极子模式

为了了解南海的海平面变化规律，利用希尔伯特 黄变换（HHT）对南海卫星高度计资料进行了分析.对南海卫星高度计资料进行潮汐校正和空间插值得到时间序列数据，对这些时间序列数据进行HHT，得到了南海海平面高度变化的三维能量 频率 时间谱和海平面高度距平（SSA）.结果表明，在南海有一个偶极子存在，它的两极分别位于海南岛西南侧和吕宋岛西侧.冬季海南岛西南的SSA为正值约10 cm，而在吕宋岛的西侧为负值约-10 cm；夏季前者具有负的水位距平约-10 cm，而后者为正值约10 cm.春季和秋季为SSA季节变化的过渡季节，东西向SSA梯度很小.     

深水区——南海北部大陆边缘盆地油气勘探新领域

南海北部大陆边缘经历了前裂谷期、裂谷期、热沉降期和新构造期4大构造演化阶段,形成了多个新生代盆地。在深水区(水深大于300m)裂谷期(古近纪)伸展断裂活动强烈,形成凸凹相间的构造格局,凹陷中沉积了厚度为3 000-6 000m的古近系;热沉降期(早—中中新世)发生了区域性拗陷作用,形成了隆坳相间格局,沉积厚度小于2 000m;新构造期(晚中新世—第四纪)沉降幅度加大,并沉积了巨厚的地层,断裂活动东强西弱。上述3期构造演化均形成了沉积厚度很大的叠加伸展盆地。深水区生烃凹陷是裂谷期的断陷,已经证实的主力烃源岩是渐新统下部中深湖相泥岩、海陆过渡相泥岩、海相泥岩与煤系地层,可能的烃源岩是始新统中深湖相泥岩,潜在的烃源岩是渐新统上部和中新统海相泥岩,生、排烃产物主要是天然气。深水区至少有3套储层,即渐新统海陆过渡相砂岩、新近系海相砂岩及生物礁、始新统陆相砂岩。盖层发育广泛,区域性盖层是新近系海相泥岩和渐新统泥岩。圈闭数量较多,其类型主要有披覆背斜、断层圈闭和深水扇体等。油气运移方式随时间和空间的不同变化很大,受新构造期断裂活动控制,琼东南盆地深水区以侧向运移为主;白云凹陷早期以侧向运移为主,晚期以垂向运移或断坡-断坪运移为主。深水区成藏单元有凸起、凹中次凸、断裂带和深水扇等。深水区油气勘探的策略是优先勘探凹陷内部及其周边正向构造上的构造圈闭,然后逐渐向凹陷内的非构造圈闭拓展。     

利用东线南水北调工程治理黄河

将黄河下游治理成窄深河槽，能输送高含沙洪水，进而解决防洪问题，是国家“上拦”治黄战略的完善。利用东线南水北调工程向黄河增水，促使窄河道河床冲刷下切，以形成宽河道溯源冲刷。调整南四湖流域以泄为主的水利体系，实行蓄泄结合，促进东线引江淮汛期水优化，使增水刷黄有了水源。小浪底水库拦沙期泄水冲刷，东线南水北调工程通过东平湖向黄河增水冲刷，两种冲刷共同作用，给黄河治理带来了难得的机遇。     

全面安排突出重点做好南水北调西线规划

南水北调西线工程地处青藏高原东南部，规划从长江上游调水170亿^3，经输水隧洞穿越分水岭巴颜喀拉山人黄河上游。由于工程区寒冷缺氧、地质条件复杂，西线工程涉及一些世界前列的关键技术。因此，抓住这些关键问题，全面安排，突出重点，以做好南水北调西线规划。     

PREVI-Lima’s Time: Positioning Proyecto Experimental de Vivienda in Peru’s Modern Project

Launched in 1968, the PREVI-Lima housing competition brought informal urbanisation to the attention of architects worldwide. The competition brief required the design of low-rise, high-density expandable homes, grouped in neighbourhoods. Here Sharif S Kahatt puts PREVI’s experimental project within the social, political and theoretical context of the time. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.