通痹颗粒治疗类风湿关节炎临床疗效及对氧化应激的影响

目的：观察通痹颗粒治疗气血亏虚、痰瘀互结型类风湿关节炎（RA）的临床疗效及对氧化应激的影响。方法：将60 例气血亏虚、痰瘀互结型RA患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,每组各30 例。对照组予甲氨蝶呤联合美洛昔康治疗,治疗组在对照组基础上加通痹颗粒治疗,2组疗程均为8周。比较2组综合疗效,中医证候积分,血清学指标［血沉（ESR）、C反应蛋白（CRP）］水平,氧化应激指标［超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、丙二醛（MDA）］水平及不良反应。结果：总有效率治疗组为83.33%（25/30）,对照组为60.00%（18/30）,组间比较,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;治疗后2组中医证候积分与ESR、CRP、MDA水平均较治疗前降低,SOD水平较治疗前升高,且治疗组改善程度优于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）。结论：通痹颗粒可改善气血亏虚、痰瘀互结型RA患者的临床症状、体征、实验室指标,并能调节氧化应激状态,且不良反应少,值得临床推广应用。     

Ion microprobe uranium‐thorium‐lead dating of Shergotty phosphates

Abstract— We report ion microprobe U‐Th‐Pb dating of Shergotty phosphates by means of the sensitive high‐resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) recently installed at Hiroshima University, Japan. ten analyses of whitlockite (merrillite) and three analyses of apatite indicate a ²³⁸u/²⁰⁶pb isochron age of 225 ± 200 ma and a tera‐wasserburg concordia‐constrained linear three‐dimensional isochron age of 217 ± 110 ma in the ²³⁸u/²⁰⁶pb‐²⁰⁷pb/²⁰⁶pb²⁰⁴pb/²⁰⁶pb diagram. These ages agree well with the 232Th‐208pb age of 189 ± 83 Ma, which suggests that primary crystallization or a shock metamorphic event defined the formation age of the phosphate minerals. The average of the later two ages, 204 ± 68 Ma, is consistent with the previously published Rb‐Sr age of 165 ± 11 Ma and U‐Th‐Pb age of ～200 Ma. These show marginal agreement with the ⁴⁰Ar‐³⁹Ar age of 254 ± 10 Ma but are significantly different from the Sm‐Nd age of 360 ± 16 Ma. Taking into account the closure temperature of the U‐Pb system in apatite, we suggest the time that Shergotty last experienced a temperature of ～900 °C was 204 ± 68 Ma.     

Fracturing mode analysis and relative age dating of faults by surface textures of quartz grains from fault gouges

Surface textures of quartz grains taken from about 250 samples of fault gouges in faults ranging in length from several metres to several tens of metres with the faults extending several tens to several hundreds of kilometres in length, are examined by means of the scanning electron microscope and are categorized into four groups from I to IV, based on the smoothness of the surface, degree of undulation and development of cavities, as mentioned in a previous paper. Based on surface features of quartz grains from faults the geological age of movement of which is known, the groups I to IV are tentatively related to the age of formation of quartz grains and the period of formation of surface textures. This correlation makes it clear that quartz-grain surface textures are an important clue to dating a relative age of faulting. River patterns, striations, granular fracture surfaces, and dimple-like textures are observed to appear on less corroded surfaces of quartz grains from fault gouges. Fractographic analysis of these surfaces of quartz grains should be a clue to revealing the mode of fracture of the fault movement which released the quartz grains into the fault gouge.     

Noble gas elemental and isotopic abundances in deep-sea trenches in the western Pacific

Noble gas elemental and isotopic abundances were measured in seven deep-sea water samples from five different sampling sites in the Nankai Trough, the Japan Trench and the Kuril Trench. The samples were obtained by the manned submersible “Nautile”. Most of the sampling sites are associated with clam colonies and/or fluid venting. Excesses both in³He/⁴He ratio and He concentration are observed in a seawater sample collected a few kilometers off the clam colonies which were found at a depth of 3830 m at the mouth of the Tenryu Canyon. Concentrations of noble gases (Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) in this sample show progressive depletion from Ne to Xe relative to those in 1°C air-saturated seawater, which can be attributed to mixing of hot water ( 15°C) with cold ambient water ( 1°C). Isotopic compositions of Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe in this sample are atmospheric. These observations may reflect venting of hot pore water around the Tenryu Canyon. All the other samples show a significant excess in concentration of all noble gases relative to 1°C air-saturated seawater and the isotopic compositions are atmospheric. This excess of noble gas concentrations may appear to be air contamination in the samples. However, results of hydrocarbon analyses of the Kaiko samples imply that such large amount of air contamination is improbable. Decomposition of gas hydrate in deep-sea sediments is a more likely explanation for the observed excess of noble gas concentration.     

Precise temperature measurement of groundwater for earthquake-prediction study

Precise measurements of groundwater temperature, with a resolution of 0.0001°C, have been made for the purpose of earthquake prediction at four water wells in the Tokai district in Japan. The characteristics of temporal variations in groundwater temperature differ from well to well. From records of a well located in an area where use of groundwater is heavy, movement of groundwater was sensed by temperature variations. By contrast, water temperatures in a 500 m well far from cultural areas were extremely steady, with fluctuations of less than 0.0005°C. This well appears to be suitable for monitoring possible temperature changes related to the occurrence of an impending large earthquake.     

Primordial helium isotope signature from Plio–Quaternary alkaline basalts in Yemen

Abstract Isotopic compositions of He, Ne and Ar were measured on Plio–Quaternary alkaline basalts of Marib–Sirwah and Shuqra volcanic fields in Yemen, south-western Arabian Peninsula. Very high ³He/⁴He isotope ratios were found in olivine phenocrysts of some Quaternary alkaline basalts in both volcanic fields, located on the margin of the dispersed Afar mantle plume, compared with the Afar–Ethiopian province in the center of the mantle plume. This suggests that the Afar mantle plume source may consist of common component (C or focal zone (FOZO)) with variable primordial ³He/⁴He ratio rather than high μ mantle (HIMU) component. The three component mixing C as the Afar mantle plume, depleted mantle (DM) as upper mantle and lithospheric mantle with a hybrid enriched mantle I–II (EM I–EM II) characteristics may be adequate to explain He–Sr–Nd–Pb isotope variation for the Afar–Arabian Cenozoic volcanics. The occurrence of high ³He/⁴He ratios in the Marib–Sirwah volcanic field appears to show that the primitive basaltic magma, derived from the margin of the dispersed trous-like Afar mantle plume during 15–0 Ma, was not by contamination of lithospheric and upper mantle materials in comparison with that from the center of the Afar mantle plume as a result of relatively low thermal anomaly.