Chemical composition of waters and the phytoplankton of the lakes within the delta of the Selenga river

Field observations showed that the characteristics of chemical composition of waters and the development of plankton algae in the lakes within the delta of the Selenga river are determined by their flowage. The most open Lake Nekipelovskoe communicates with the Selenga outlets throughout a year, and Lake Zavernyaikha only at the period of an open channel. Lake Semenovskoe and Lake Khlystov Zaton are located in the islands and are isolated from the outlets. According to composition of main ions, the lakes under investigation refer to the hydrocarbonate class, the calcium group. The sum of ions in the water of Lake Nekipelovskoe approaches the one in the Selenga (86?221 mg/dm³), and the highest sums of ions were recorded in the wintertime in the lakes isolated from the outlets (446?743 mg/dm³). The lakes of the delta are characterized by a high trophicity. The maximum concentrations of total phosphorus in Lake Nekipelovskoe and Lake Zavernyaikha were 68 and 122 μg mg/dm³, and in Lake Semenovskoe and Lake Khlystov Zaton ?0.8 and ?0.63 μg mg/dm³, respectively. The most intense development of algae is observed in Lake Zavernyaikha, which is due to the high population of Baikal endemics. Lake Zavernyaikha showed a close negative correlation between the concentration of NO ₃ ^? , mineral phosphorus and phytoplankton biomass; the correlation coefficient was ?0.8 and ?0.63, respectively. The lakes exhibited increased contents readily hydrolysable organic matter, and a decrease in dissolved oxygen concentration in winter; hydrogen sulfide was repeatedly recorded in Lake Khlystov Zaton. The water quality in the lakes during the springtime varies from “quite clean” to “weakly polluted”; at low-water periods, especially in winters, it can drop to the category of “exceedingly dirty”. The water quality of the Selenga can be influenced by the lakes during spring floods when material accumulated during the wintertime is transported to the river outlets and further to Lake Baikal.     

Tectonics and metallogeny of the junction zone between the North Asian craton and Pacific tectonic belt

The tectonics and metallogeny of the junction zone between the North Asian craton and Pacific tectonic belt are considered. This zone is characterized by a wide variety of structures superposed on the metamorphic basement, which was formed in the course of a multistage geologic development of the craton from the Precambrian to the Cenozoic. They are related to the craton evolution and its response to the collision and subduction processes in the adjacent orogenic belt, processes in the passive and active continental margins, and plume magmatism. The geological structure of the region includes blocks of metamorphic rocks of the Aldan–Stanovoi shield, Paleoproterozoic volcanogenic troughs, Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic and Early Paleozoic structures of the platform cover, Late Paleozoic volcanic and terrigenous troughs, structures of the Late Mesozoic Okhotsk–Chukotka volcanic belt of the active continental margin, and Late Cretaceous riftogenic structures formed in response to plume magmatism. In total, six metallogenic epochs are recognized in the development of ore mineralization: Archean–Early Paleoproterozoic, Late Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic, Late Paleozoic, and Late Mesozoic. The minerageny of the junction zone between the craton and Pacific belt is highly diversified, being characterized by distinct evolution in time and space. Each development stage features its own set of mineral resources.     

Sedimentology of the Baluti Formation in the Galley Derash,Amadiya, North Iraq: insight on carbonate turbidite facies and their depositional environmental

The Baluti Formation is exposed succession of the Rhaetian age (Upper Triassic). These strata are interpreted herein for the first time to redeposit in a deep marine setting (distally steepened carbonate ramp/medial to distal slope) on the northwestern margin of the Neo-Tethys. The Galley Derash section is apparently continuous with no evidence for either subaerial exposure or submarine erosion. The absence of erosional scours in the study area confirms emplacement of these strata below both fair-weather and storm wave base. Event beds, particularly those resulting from sediment gravity flows, dominate the Rhaetian interval. The Upper Rhaetian strata are primarily assigned to the Galley Derash Valley. It records an upward transition from moderate-scale, olistolith-bearing debris flow deposits (debrite) to medium-/thin-bedded turbidites remobilized as sediment slumps/slides. The succession is dominated by medium- to thin-bedded calcareous turbidites and hemipelagic suspension deposits. Very low fossil assemblages, particularly stromatolite fragments, and planktonic bivalves occur within some intervals in the section. Rapid and relatively continuous sedimentation is attested to by the thickness of the section, the abundance of calcareous turbidites, and the thin nature of the intercalated hemipelagic beds. Low content of badly preserved fossils and evidence of continuous and rapid sedimentation refer to alteration by tectonic disturbances or diagenesis. This makes the Baluti Beds as a supplementary section for the Rhaetian successions in Iraq.     

Pharmacokinetics and acetylation of sulfamethoxazole in turbot <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scophthalmus maximus</Emphasis> after intravascular administration

The pharmacokinetic profiles and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) acetylation process in turbot reared at 18°C were investigated. Either SMX (parent drug) or its acetylized metabolite, N₄-acetylsulfamethoxazole (AcSMX), was administered intravascularly to turbot at a dosage of 50 mg/kg BW. Serum concentrations of the parent drug and its metabolite were both measured by HPLC, and the changes in concentration over time were analyzed in two- and non-compartment models because SMX treatment produced multiple peaks. The results demonstrated that the elimination half-life of the parent drugs, SMX and AcSMX, were 159.2 and 5.9 h, respectively. The apparent volume of distribution was 0.2 and 0.8 L/kg, and the clearance was 0.038 and 0.222 L/(h·kg), for SMX and AcSMX, respectively. SMX acetylation in turbot was 2.8%, and the deacetylation of AcSMX was 0.2%. These findings may be useful in optimizing SMX dosage regimens in turbot aquaculture.     

Faults and Source Parameters of Earthquakes in the Baikal Rift Zone: Dip Angles of Fault Planes

Analysis of gentle, intermediate, and steep dip angles of fault planes in earthquake sources of the Baikal region is carried out with the slips in seismic sources being taken into account. The areas where normal faulting slips at steep, intermediate, and gentle angles took place are distinguished, and this can be interpreted as transformation of a steep dip to gentle one. It is found that the increase in energy class is accompanied by the number of earthquakes with steep dip angles, whereas the proportion of earthquakes with intermediate angles decreases, and the fraction of earthquakes with gentle angles remains quasi-stable and small.     

<Superscript>230</Superscript>Th/U Chronology and Geochemistry of Irinovskoe Hydrothermal Field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

The results of ²³⁰Th/U dating and mineralogical–geochemical studies of sulfide ores from the Irinovskoe hydrothermal field and the Severo-Zapadnoe ore occurrence (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) are presented. Sulfides are represented primarily by copper–sulfide ores with 12–30% Cu content; sulfur- and zinc-sulfide ores are distributed less frequently. The analysis of a change in the composition of sulfides over time has made it possible to identify three stages of formation. Each stage assumes that mineral associations are changed from high-temperature (sulfur and copper sulfide) to medium temperature (Zn–Cu and Zn-sulfide) sulfide ores. The whole age range of formation of the hydrothermal deposits falls within the time interval of about 58000–8000 for the Irinovskoe field and 69000–11000 years ago for the Severo-Zapadnoe ore occurrence.