北山及邻区古生代-早中生代增生与碰撞大地构造格局

The Beishan orogenic collage locates at the triple-joint among Xinjiang, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia Provinces, at which the Siberian, Tarim and North China plates join together. It also occupies the central segment of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). The main study area in the present suty focused on the southwest part of the Beishan Mountain, which can be subdivided into four units southernward, the Mazhongshan continental block, Huaniushan Arc, Liuyuan suture zone and Shibanshan-Daqishan Arc. 1. The Huaniushan Arc was formed by northernward dipping subduction from the Orcovician to Permian, in which volcanic rocks ranging from basic to acidic with island arc affinity were widely developed. The granitiod intrusions become smaller and younger southward, whichs indicates a southward rollback of slab. The granitiod intrusions are mainly composed of I type granites, and their geochemical compositions suggest that they have affinities of island arc settings. In the early Paleozoic（440Ma-390Ma）. The Shibanshan-Daqishan Arc, however, were produced in the southernward dipping subduction system from Carboniferous to Permian. Volcanic rocks from basic to acidic rocks are typical calcic-alkaline rocks. The granitiod intrusions become smaller and younger northernward, indicating subdution with a northernward rollback. The granitiod intrusions mainly consist of I-type granites, of which geochemical data support they belong to island arc granite. 2. Two series of adakite intrusions and eruptive rocks have been discovered in the southern margin of the Huaniushan Island Arc. The older series formed during Silurian (441.7±2.5Ma) are gneiss granitoid. These adakite granites intruded the early Paleozoic Liuyuan accretionary complex, and have the same age as most of the granite intrusions in the Huanniushan Arc. Their geochemical compostions demonstrate that they were derived from partial melting of the subudcted oceanic slab. These characteristics indicate a young oceanic crust subduction in the early Paleozoic. The late stage adakites with compositons of dacites associate with Nb-enriched basalts, and island arc basalts and dacites. Their geochemistries demonstrate that the adakites are the products of subducted slab melts, whereas the Nb-enriched basalt is products of the mantle wedge which have metasomatized by adakite melts. Such a association indicates the existences of a young ocean slab subduction. 3. The Liuyuan suture zone is composed of late Paleozoic ophiolites and two series of accretionary complexes with age of early Paleozoic. The early Paleozoic accretionary complex extensively intruded by early Palozioc granites is composed of metamorphic clastics, marble, flysch, various metamorphic igneous rocks (ultramafic, mafic and dacite), and eclogite blocks, which are connected by faults. The original compositions of the rocks in this complex are highly varied, including MORB, E-MORB, arc rocks. Geochronological study indicates that they were formed during the Silurian (420.9±2.5Ma and 421.1±4.3Ma). Large-scale granitiods intruded in the accretionary complex suggest a fast growth effect at the south margin of the Huaniushan arc. During late Paleozoic, island arc were developed on this accretionary complex. The late Paleozoic ophiolite has an age of early Permian (285.7±2.2Ma), in which the rock assemblage includes ultra-mafic, gabbros, gabbros veins, massive basalts, pillow basalt, basaltic clastic breccias, and thin layer tuff, with chert on the top.These igneous rocks have both arc and MORB affinities, indicating their belonging to SSZ type ophiolite. Therefore, oceanic basins area were still existed in the Liuyuan area in the early Permian. 4. The mafic-ultramafic complexes are distributed along major faults, and composed of zoned cumulate rocks, in which peridotites are surrounded by pyroxenite, hornblendites, gabbros norite and diorite outward. They have island-arc affinities and are consistent with typical Alaska-type mafic-ultramafic complexes. The geochronological results indicate that they were formed in the early Permian. 5. The Liuyuan A-type granite were formed under post-collisional settings during the late Triassic (230.9±2.5Ma), indicating the persistence of orogenic process till the late Triassic in the study area. Geochronological results suggested that A-type granites become younger southward from the Wulungu A-type granite belt to Liuyuan A-type granite belt, which is in good agreement with the accretionary direction of the CAOB in this area, which indicate that the Liuyuan suture is the final sture of the Paleo-Asin Ocean. 6. Structural geological evidence demonstrate the W-E spreading of main tectonic terrenes. These terrenes had mainly underwent through S-N direction contraction and NE strike-faulting. The study area had experienced a S-N direction compression after the Permian, indicating a collisional event after the Permian. Based on the evidene from sedimentary geology, paleontology, and geomagnetism, our studies indicate that the orogenic process can be subdivided into five stages: (1) the pre-orogenic stage occurred before the Ordovicain; (2) the subduction orogenic stage occurred from the Orcovician to the Permian; (3) the collisional orogenic stage occurred from the late Permian to the late Triassic; (4) the post-collision stage occurred after the Triassic. The Liuyuan areas have a long and complex tectonic evolutional history, and the Liuyuan suture zone is one of the most important sutures. It is the finally suture zone of the paleo-Asian ocean in the Beishan area.

油气运聚动力学的模拟分析——以准噶尔盆地为例

The petroleum migration, happening in the geologic past, is the very important and complex dynamic processes in the petroleum systems. It plays a linking role among all static factors in a system. The accumulation is in fact the result of the petroleum migration. For the petroleum geology, the dynamics research of the petroleum migration refers to the mechanism and process research, as well as the use of the quantitative methods. In this thesis, combining with the qualitative analysis and quantitative modeling, the author manages to discuss theoretically some key problems dealing with migration processes, which have not been solved yet, and to apply the studied results in petroleum system analysis in actual basins. The basin analysis offers the base of the numerical modeling for geological phenomena occurring in sedimentary basins, that consists of the sedimentary facies analysis, the section reconstructing technique, eroded thickness estimating, etc. The methods to construct the geologic model, which is needed in the research of oil and gas migration and accumulation, are discussed. The basin analysis offers also the possibility for the latter modeling works to get and select the parameters, such as stratum's thickness, age, stratigraphy etc. Modeling works were done by using two basin modeling softwares: Basin_Mod and TPC_Mod. The role of compaction during the secondary migration and the heterogeneity of migrating paths within the clastic carrier are modeled. And the conclusions were applied in the migration studies in the Jungaer Basin, lying on the Northwest part of the China. To construct a reliable migration model, the author studied the characteristics of the sedimentation, the pore fluid pressure evolution, as well as the distribution and the evolution of fluid potential, following the tectonic evolution of the Jungaer Basin. The geochemical prospecting results were used to evidence and to calibrate the migration processes: the oil-source correlation, the distribution of the properties of oil, gas and water. Finally, two important petroleum systems, Permian one and Jurassic one were studied and identified, according, principally, to the studies on the petroleum migration within the Jungaer Basin. Since the oil, as well as the gas, moves mainly in separate phase during the secondary migration, their migrating behaviors would be determined by the dynamics conditions of migration, including the driving forces and pathways. Based on such a consideration, the further understandings may be acquired: the roles played by permeable carriers and low-permeable source rock would be very different in compaction, overpressure generation, petroleum migration, and so on. With the numerical method, the effect of the compaction on the secondary migration was analyzed and the results show that the pressure gradient and the flux resulted from compaction are so small that could be neglected by comparing to the buoyancy of oil. The main secondary migration driving forces are therefore buoyancy and capillary within a hydrostatic system. Modeling with the commercial software-Basin_Mod, the migration pathways of petroleum in clastic carriers seem to be inhomogeneous, controlled by heterogeneity of the driving force, which in turn resulted from the topography of seals, the fabrics and the capillary pressure of the clastic carriers. Furthermore, the direct and indirect methods to study fault-sealing properties in the course of migration were systemically summarized. They may be characterized directly by lithological juxtaposition, clay smear and diagenesis, and indirectly the comparing the pressures and fluid properties in the walls at two apartments of a fault. In Jungaer Basin, the abnormal pressures are found in the formations beneath Badaowan or Baijantan Formation. The occurrence of the overpressure seems controlled by the stratigraphy. The rapid sedimentation, tectonic pressuring, clay sealing, chemical diagensis were considered as the principal pressuring mechanisms. The evolution of fluid pressure is influenced differently at different parts of the basin by the tectonic stresses. So the basin appears different pressure evolution cycles from each part to another during the geological history. By coupling the results of thermal evolution, pressure evolution and organic matter maturation, the area and the period of primary migration were acquired and used to determine the secondary migration time and range. The primary migration in Fengcheng Formation happened from latter Triassic to early Jurassic in the main depressions. The main period of lower-Wuerhe Formation was at latter Jurassic in Changji, Shawan and Pen-1-jing-xi Depression, and at the end of early Cretaceous in Mahu Depression. The primary migration in Badaowan and Sangonghe Formation is at the end of early-Cretaceous in Changji Depression. After then, the fluid potential of oil is calculated at the key time determined from area and time of the primary migration. Generally, fluid potential of oil is high in the depressions and low at the uplifts. Synthetically, it is recognized that the petroleum migration in the Jungaer Basin is very complex, that leads us to classify the evolution of petroleum systems in Northwestern China as a primary stage and a reformed one. The remigration of accumulated petroleum, caused by the reformation of the basin, results in the generation of multiple petroleum systems. The faults and unconformities are usually the linkers among the original petroleum systems. The Permian petroleum system in Jungaer Basin is such a multiple petroleum system. However, the Jurassic petroleum system stays still in its primary stage, thought the strong influences of the new tectonic activities.

吐合盆地鲁克沁构造带断块油藏形成机制及油藏预测

Lukeqin arc belt is a compound structure generated by multi-movements and composed of 6 sub-structural zones, which are connected by Huoyanshan Mountain. General characteristics of the arc belt are multi-patterns of structure, multi-phases for petroleum, multi-types of trap and multi-layers for reservoirs. As a part of the eastern Lukeqin arc belt located on the south of Taibei depression, Lukeqin structural zone behaves as a complex faulted-fold zone, in which the formation and distribution of hydrocarbons are controlled by structures. As the dominant source of dynamics for the second migration of hydrocarbon, structure stress field is closely related with the potentials of hydrodynamics. Results derived from the simulations of stress field by finite element method indicate that the northwest tending faults prefer seal to the northeast tending ones. The reason is that the northwest tending faults were squeezed more strongly than the northeast tending ones. Therefor, the northeast tending faults become always the paths for oil to migrate southeastward. Lukeqin structural zone is the main site for oil to concentration because it is surrounded by high stress. Situated on the front of the foreland basin of Turpan-Hami, Lukeqing arc belt is a dam to hold back the southward migrating oil from Shengbei depression. The axis line of Shenquan-Shengnan-Yanmuxi, Lukeqin and Yubei controls the migrating paths and concentrating process of oil and gas. Results derived from stress simulation and structure analyses indicate consistently that both Yubei and Lukeqin structural zones are the favorite areas for oil to migrate. The generally southward paths for oil to migrate out of Taibei depression can be two ways. One of them is from Taibei depression to Yubei structural zone and the other is from Taibei depression to Lukeqin structural zone. By the both ways, oil migrated upward along the faults and southeastward along the structural axis to concentrate in either Permian or Triassic system. The newly ascertained path for oil migration, which is accurately southeastward instead of coarsely southward, indicates the directions for further explorations on the compound Lukeqin block zone. Five kinds of seal models of fault are all found in Lukeqin block zone by studying the seal features of faults occurred in the zone. Having studied the fault seal and their controlling factors by fuzzy set method, the paper deems that the northwest tended faults are better than the northeast tended ones for oil to concentrate. The most important factors to decide the seal extent of faults in this zone are the characteristics of main stress and fluids instead of capillary pressure differences between the two sides of fault and smear mud factors. There exist seal differences not only between the faults of different time but also between the sections within a fault due to the variation of depths, strata and positions. The general distribution rules of reservoirs were dominated by the seal characteristics of a fault during the time reservoirs formed. While the current features of fault seal decide the conservation of reservoirs and heights of oil accumulations. Seal or not of a fault is not absolute because the essential for fault to seal is the distribution of permeability of fault zone. Therefor, the multi cyclical activities of faults create the space-time variation of seal features of the fault. Totally, the seal extent of the faults within the area is not as perfect as to accumulate ordinary crude. Crude oil can only be sealed when it becomes viscous. Process for crude oil to become viscous and viscous happened strongly because of the fault-fold movements. Shallowly burying and even revealing of the objective layers of the reservoirs made the crude oil to be thickened by water washing biologically degradation and oxidation degradation. The northwestward deepening during or after the reservoir formation of the structural zone provided the power for oil to migrate one or more times. The main reason for oil accumulation is the formation of Lukeqin block zone during Xishanyao stage, middle Jurassic Period, Early Yanshanian Movement. While the main reason for reservoir conservation is the placidity of Triassic blocks after the formation of reservoirs. Contrasting to former opinions, it is concluded that the reservoirs in Lukeqin zone, including viscous reservoirs, were formed by one time but not more times. So the author proposes the opinion that the reservoirs of viscous oil were formed by viscous oil migration under the conditions of aptitude sets of fault seals controlled by fluid and other factors. To grope the distribution rules outside Taibei depression and discuss the formation mechanism of Anjurassic reservoirs, it is necessary to study the dominate factors for the formation of reservoirs in Lukeqin structural zone such as structural stress, fault seals and thickening mechanism of crude oil. Also, the necessary studies are the key to break through the Taibei depression and Anjurassic systems. Therefor, they are significant for the future exploration and reserve increasing of hydrocarbon within the Turpan-Hami basin. The paper studied the distribution rules of block reservoirs and forecasted the favorable zones for further exploration in Turpan-Hami basin. Conclusions can be useful for not only the exploration in the area but also the theory consult in the adjacent areas.

鄂尔多斯盆地西缘中生代构造与地层分析及盆地演化研究

Through the detailed analyses of Mesozoic tectono-stratigraphy and basin formation dynamic mechanism and the styles of different units in the western margin of Ordos Basin(Abbreviated to "the western margin"), while some issues of the pre-Mesozoic in the western margin and central part of Ordos Basin also be discussed, the main views and conclusion as follows: 1. There are three types of depositional systems which are related with syndepositional tectonic actions and different tectonic prototype basins, including: alluvial fan systems, river system (braided river system and sinuosity river system), lacustrine-river delta system and fan delta system. They have complex constitutions of genetic facies. For the tectonic sequence VI, the fan sediments finning upper in the north-western margin and coarse upper in the south-western margin respectively. 2. In order to light the relationship between basin basement subsidence rate and sediment supply and the superposed styles, five categories of depositional systems tracts in different prototype basins were defined: aggrading and transgressive systems tracts during early subsidence stage, regressive and aggrading systems tracts during rapid subsidence, upper transgessive systems tracts during later subsidence stage. Different filling characteristics and related tectonic actions in different stages in Mesozoic period were discussed. 3. In order to determined the tectonic events of the provenance zones and provenance strata corresponding to basins sediments, according the clastics dispersal style and chemical analyses results of sediments in different areas, the provenance characteristics have been described. The collision stage between the "Mongolia block" and the north-China block may be the late permian; The sediments of Mesozoic strata in the north-western margin is mainly from the Alex blocks and north-Qilian Paleozoic orogeny, while the south-western margin from Qinling orogeny. The volcanic debris in the Yan'an Formation may be from the arc of the north margin of north-China block, although more study needed for the origin of the debris. The provenance of the Cretaceous may be from the early orogeny and the metamorphic basement of Longshan group. 4. The subsidence curve and subsidence rate and sedimentary rate in different units have been analyzed. For different prototype basin, the form of the subsidence curves are different. The subsidence of the basins are related with the orogeny of the basins.The beginning age of the foreland basin may be the middle Triassic. The change of basement subsidence show the migration of the foredeep and forebulge into the basin. The present appearance of the Ordos basin may be formed at the late stage of Cretaceous, not formed at the late Jurassic. 5. The structure mode of the west margin is very complex. Structure transfer in different fold-thrust units has been divided into three types: transfer faults, transition structures and intersected form. The theoretic explanations also have been given for the origin and the forming mechanism. The unique structure form of Hengshanpu is vergent west different from the east vergence of most thrust faults, the mechanism of which has been explained. 6. In Triassic period, the He1anshan basin is extensional basin while the Hengshanbu is "forland", and the possible mechanism of the seemingly incompatible structures has been explained. First time, the thesis integrate the Jurassic—early Cretaceous basins of west margin with the Hexi corridor basins and explain the unitive forming mechanism. The model thinks the lateral extrusion is the main mechanism of the Hexi corridor and west margin basins, meanwhile, the deep elements and basement characters of the basins. Also, for the first time, we determine the age of the basalt in Helanshan area as the Cretaceous period, the age matching with the forming of the Cretaceous basins and as the main factor of the coal metamorphism in the Helanshan area. 7. The Neoprotterozoic aulacogen is not the continuation of the Mesozoic aulacogen, while it is another new rift stage. In the Paleozoic, the Liupanshan—southern Helanshan area is part of the back-arc basins of north Qilian ocean. 8. The Helanshan "alacogen" is connected with the north margin of north China block, not end at the north of Zhouzishan area like "appendices". Also, I think the upper Devonian basin as the beginning stage of the extensional early Carboniferous basins, not as a part of the foreland basins of Silurian period, not the collision rift. 9. The controlling factor of the difference of the deformation styles of the north-west margin and the south-west margin is the difference of the basements and adjacent tectonic units of the two parts.

准噶尔盆地中拐东北斜坡油气成藏条件研究——西部压性盆地含油气系统理论的研究与实践

This paper builds the model of oil accumulation and achieves the prediction of exploration goal. It uses multiple subject means, the ways of synthetic research and the viewpoint of analyzing genesis, with the academic guidance of sedimentology, structural geology, petroleum geology and geochemistry, the basis of strata sequence frame and structural frame, the frame of "four history" - the burying history, the structural history, the filling history and the evolving history of oil, the masterstroke of hydrocarbon's generation, migration and accumulation, the aim of revealing the genetic relation between mature source rock and oil reservoir in space and time. Some achievements and viewpoints in this study are following. 1. It is proposed that the structural evolution in this area had many periods, and the structural movement of the Xiazijie group telophase formed the structural pattern for the first time. 2. The character of strata sequence in this area is divided by the character of episodic cycle firstly. The study of dividing the facies of single well and the facies of well tie is based on the data of single well. The character of sedimentary facies is con-structed initially. 3. It is believed that Jiamuhe group is the main source rock, which can supply considerable oil and gas resources for the first time. Some criterions of source rock such as the type ,the abundance in Jiamuhe group are analysed. Using the thermal history of source rock, we drawn a conclusion that the original type of source rock in Jiamuhe group is II_1-III, and the abundance achived the level of good source rock, and this set of source rock had contributed to this area. 4. The reservoir strata in this area are assessed and analysed with the reservoir evaluation. There are multi-type reservoirs, such as volcanic lava facies, sedimentary clast facies, continental belch facies. The physical property in reservoir strata is characterized by low porosity and low permeability. The study of diagenetic stage show that the diageneses in Jiamuhe group is A-Bsubage, and the reservoir room is mainly secondary corroded hollow and cleft. 5. The synthetic research on oil system in Jiamuhe group is made for the first time. The type of petroleum system is divided , and we consider that the petroleum system of Jiamuhe group is at the reliable rank. There are two critical time in oil accumulation through studying the critical time of oil accumulation : the early generation of hydrocarbon is oil, and the later is gas. 6. The mechanism of accumulation is analysed. We consider that the accu-mulation of oil in this area has many periods, and the early generated hydrocarbon is expeled by the later , and formed the character of zonal distribution in planar. 7. A bran-new model of oil and gas is proposed. Beneficial enrichment area of oil and gas is analyzed, which can be divided into three sections: Section I can be divided into two sections: I_1 and I_2. The lower subgroup of Jiamuhe is covered by the triassic layer of I_1 section. Fault zone and near the foot wall of fault are charactered with thick phase belt. Then the cover capability in this area is relatively poor, oil can migrate into triassic layer by vertical or lateral migration , and forms I_1 Kelamayi triassic oil pool consequently. The lower subgroup of Jiamuhe is covered by the triassic layer of I_2 section ,which is charactered with thin phase belt. Then the cover capability in this area is relatively good, and forms I_1 Kelamayi triassic oil pool consequently. Section II can be divided into two sections: II_1-I_(I~2). The cover of Jiamuhe group in section II_1 is the low resistivity segment in Wuerhe group, which has thin lithology and poor porosity and permeability. Oil and gas in Jiamuhe group can be covered to form beneficial accumulation area. There are some wells in this area, such as Ke 007 well, 561 well. The thick phase belt layer of Wuerhe high resistivity segment in section II_2 has unconformable relation with Jiamuhe group. The cover ability of the high resistivity segment is poor, petroleum in Jiamuhe can migrate into Wuerhe layer vertically. This area is the beneficial area for accumulating petroleum in Wuerhe layer. there are some wells in this area, such as Ke 75 well, Ke 76 well, Ke 77 well, Ke 78 well, Ke 79 well. Section III can also be divided into two sections: III_1 and III_2. Wuerhe group in section III_1 has unconformable relation with Jiamuhe group. There is thick lithology and poor cover in Wuerhe group, but the strata sequence evolution character of upper subgroup in Jiamuhe group has determined that it has lateral and vertical cover ability. thus, this area is petroleum abundant belt of jiamuhe group, which has the trap. Section III_2 is an area controled by wedgeout of Fengcheng group, Fengcheng group in this area has quite thick lithology so that It has beneficial resevoir phase belt. It can accumulate oil in itself or accept some oil in Jiamuhe group. Jiamuhe group has some oil accumulation condition in this area. Thus, section III_2 is jiamuhe-Fengcheng multiple petroleum accumulation belt, such as Ke 80 well. 8. The goal of exploration is suggested: Depositional trap or combination trap is the important aspect in later exploration. Both types of traps are the goal of the next drilling: Fault block trap in the east of 576 well and the NO. 2 fault block trap in the north of Ke 102 well It is suggested that we should study the law of oil and gas in Jiamuhe group and enhance the study of combination in forming reservoir and trap scale. We do some lithology forecast and reservoir diatropic forecast in order to know the area of oil and gas.

句容海安区块热史、成烃史与二次生烃

Jurong -Hai'an block of lower Yangtz area is one of the important petroleum exploration area among the residual marine basins in the south China. In the history of the basin's evolution, the strongly compressing, napping, folding and deforming during Indosinian to Yanshan epoch resulted in destruction of the early formed petroleum pool. Therefore, the strategy exploration of the secondary hydrocarbon generation and later formation of petroleum pool was brought forward for petroleum exploration and planning in the study area..On the basis of tectonic and sedimentary as well as present-day thermal regime evolution, using vitrinite reflectance and apatite fission track data and the paleo-heat flow based method, the basin's thermal history is reconstructed and hence the strata's temperature history are obtained. In addition, the maturation histories of the main four sets of marine hydrocarbon source rocks in the block are calculated. Furthermore, taking the maturity in the end of early Cretaceous as the original maturity and according to the formulas fitted by the secondary hydrocarbon generation model, the secondary hydrocarbon generation potential of the four sets of source rock is evaluated.The results of thermal history reconstruction show that Jurong-Hai'an block was under an uniform thermal setting during the Caledonian to Hercynian period and characterized by middle heat flow (52~57rnW/ m2). The uniform thermal setting was divided during and after Indosinian to Yanshan epoch. Wuwei area of southern Anhui province was under the high heat flow setting(~90 mW/m2)between 236Ma and 137Ma; Jurong area of southern Jiangsu ,Huangqiao area and Subei basin reached its maximum heat flow of 90,84 and 78-82 mW/m2 at 101Ma,157Ma and 56Ma respectivelyThe study of secondary hydrocarbon generation shows that the upper Paleozoic and Triassic source rocks have excellent secondary hydrocarbon generation potential. Silurian source rock posses some secondary hydrocarbon generation. Cambrian source rock, however, nearly has no secondary hydrocarbon generation. Overall there are no advantages of secondary hydrocarbon generation in the southern area of Jiansu. The intensity of secondary hydrocarbon generation in North Jiangsu basin is definitely better than that in the southern area of Jiangsu.

The Early Detection of Motion Boundaries

This thesis shows how to detect boundaries on the basis of motion information alone. The detection is performed in two stages: (i) the local estimation of motion discontinuities and of the visual flowsfield; (ii) the extraction of complete boundaries belonging to differently moving objects. For the first stage, three new methods are presented: the "Bimodality Tests,'' the "Bi-distribution Test,'' and the "Dynamic Occlusion Method.'' The second stage consists of applying the "Structural Saliency Method,'' by Sha'ashua and Ullman to extract complete and unique boundaries from the output of the first stage. The developed methods can successfully segment complex motion sequences.

Impact of Early Postnatal Androgen Exposure on Voice Development

Background: the impact of early postnatal androgen exposure on female laryngeal tissue may depend on certain characteristics of this exposure. We assessed the impact of the dose, duration, and timing of early androgen exposure on the vocal development of female subjects who had been treated for adrenocortical tumor (ACT) in childhood.Methods: the long-term effects of androgen exposure on the fundamental vocal frequency (F0), vocal pitch, and final height and the presence of virilizing signs were examined in 9 adult (age, 18.4 to 33.5 years) and 10 adolescent (13.6 to 17.8 years) female ACT patients. We also compared the current values with values obtained 0.9 years to 7.4 years after these subjects had undergone ACT surgery, a period during which they had shown normal androgen levels.Results: of the 19 subjects, 17 (89%) had been diagnosed with ACT before 4 years of age, 1 (5%) at 8.16 years, and 1 (5%) at 10.75 years. Androgen exposure (2 to 30 months) was sufficiently strong to cause pubic hair growth in all subjects and clitoromegaly in 74% (14/19) of the subjects, but did not reduce their height from the target value. Although androgen exposure induced a remarkable reduction in F0 (132 Hz) and moderate pitch virilization in 1 subject and partial F0 virilization, resulting in F0 of 165 and 169 Hz, in 2 subjects, the majority had normal F0 ranging from 189 to 245 Hz.Conclusions: Female laryngeal tissue is less sensitive to androgen exposure between birth and adrenarche than during other periods. Differential larynx sensitivity to androgen exposure in childhood and F0 irreversibility in adulthood are age-, concentration-, duration-, and timing-dependent events that may also be affected by exposure to inhibitory or stimulatory hormones. Further studies are required to better characterize each of these factors.

Early determinants of overweight and obesity at 5 years old in preschoolers from inner of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Introduction: Brazil is experiencing a nutritional transition characterized by a reduction in the prevalence of nutritional deficits and an increase in overweight and obesity, not only in adults but also in children and adolescents.Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the factors associated with overweight and obesity in Brazilian 5-year-old preschoolers.Methods: A cross-sectional study of a cohort of 232 preschoolers born in Diamantina/Minas Gerais, Brazil, was undertaken. the data, including socioeconomic status, anthropometry, diet, previous history of the preschoolers and family history, were collected between July of 2009 and July of 2010. To identify the factors associated with overweight and obesity, a logistic regression and a hierarchical model were undertaken.Results: Overweight and obesity occurred in 17.2% of the preschoolers. After adjusting for mother's obesity, per capita income, protective food intake, weight gain at age 0-4 months and time spent playing, the factors associated with overweight and obesity that reached statistical significance were mother's obesity [OR = 3.12 (95% CI 1.41-6.91), P = 0.01], weight gain of more than 0.85 kg/month in the first four months of life [OR = 2.16 (95% CI 1.01-4.64), P = 0.041 and lower per capita income [OR = 0.32 (95 %CI 0.13-0.79), P = 0.01].Conclusion: the results show that more weight gain during the first four months of life and being born of mothers with obesity increased the odds of overweight/obesity in the preschoolers, while lower per capita income was a protective factor.

A multidisciplinary approach for puzzling over fish connectivity in the Mediterranean Sea: The role of early life history stages of red mullet (Mullus barbatus)

Integrating connectivity patterns into marine ecosystem management is a fundamental step, specially for stock subjected to the combined impacts of human activities (overfishing, habitat degradation, etc.) and climate changes. Thus, management of marine resources must incorporates the spatial scales over which the populations are connected. Notwithstanding, studying these dynamics remains a crucial and hard task and the predictions of the temporal and spatial patterns of these mechanisms are still particularly challenging. This thesis aims to puzzle over the red mullet Mullus barbatus population connectivity in the Western Mediterranean Sea, by implementing a multidisciplinary approach. Otolith sclerochronology, larval dispersal modelling and genetic techniques were gathered in this study. More particularly, this research project focused on early life history stages of red mullet and their role in the characterization of connectivity dynamics. The results show that M. barbatus larval dispersal distances can reach a range of 200 km. The differences in early life traits (i.e. PLD, spawning and settlement dates) observed between various areas of the Western Mediterranean Sea suggest a certain level of larval patchiness, likely due to the occurrence of different spawning pulses during the reproductive period. The dispersal of individuals across distant areas, even not significant in demographic terms, is accountable for the maintenance of the genetic flow among different demes. Fluctuations in the level of exchange among different areas, due to the variability of the source-sink dynamics, could have major implications in the population connectivity patterns. These findings highlight the reliability of combining several approaches and represent a benchmark for the definition of a proper resource management, with considerable engagements in effectively assuring the beneficial effects of the existent and future conservation strategies.