title: Transient fluid flow in the Binbei district of the Songliao Basin, China: Evidence from apatite fission track thermochronology

authors: Xiang, Caifu

subjects: Apatite fission track

abstract: The Songliao Basin is famous for the Daqing Oilfield, the biggest in China. However, no economic hydrocarbon reservoir has been found in the northeastern Binbei district. Its thermal history, which is of great importance for hydrocarbon generation and migration, is studied with apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronology. Samples with depositional ages of the late Cretaceous (∼108–73 Ma) are analyzed. The AFT ages of the samples from reservoir rock (depositional age > 76.1 Ma) fall between the late Cretaceous (72±5 Ma) and the early Eocene (41±3 Ma) period, indicating their total annealing after deposition. In contrast, two samples from the main seals of the Qingshankou (depositional age > 89.3 Ma) and the Nenjiang Formation (depositional age > 73.0 Ma) are not annealed or partially annealed (AFT ages of 97±9 Ma and 70±4 Ma, respectively). Because the maximum burial temperature (<90 °C) evidenced by low vitrinite reflectance (R ₒ<0.7) is not high enough to account for the AFT total annealing (110–120 °C), the transient thermal effect arising from the syntectonic fluid flow between the late Cretaceous and the early Eocene is proposed. Transient thermal effects from fluid flow explains the indicated temperature discrepancies between the AFT thermometer and the R o thermometer because the transient thermal effect from the fluid flow with a temperature high enough (110–120 °C) to anneal the AFT thermometer does not last long enough (10⁴–10⁵ yrs.) for an enhancement of the R ₒ (minimum 10⁶–10⁷ yrs. under the same temperature). This indicates that dating thermal effect from fluid flow might be a new means to reconstruct the tectonic history. It also answers why the samples from the main seals are not annealed because the seals will prohibit fluid flow and supply good thermal insulation. The large-scale fluid flow in the Binbei district calls for a new idea to direct the hydrocarbon exploration.

text: Transient fluid flow in the Binbei district of the Songliao Basin, China: Evidence from apatite fission track thermochronology The Songliao Basin is famous for the Daqing Oilfield, the biggest in China. However, no economic hydrocarbon reservoir has been found in the northeastern Binbei district. Its thermal history, which is of great importance for hydrocarbon generation and migration, is studied with apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronology. Samples with depositional ages of the late Cretaceous (∼108–73 Ma) are analyzed. The AFT ages of the samples from reservoir rock (depositional age > 76.1 Ma) fall between the late Cretaceous (72±5 Ma) and the early Eocene (41±3 Ma) period, indicating their total annealing after deposition. In contrast, two samples from the main seals of the Qingshankou (depositional age > 89.3 Ma) and the Nenjiang Formation (depositional age > 73.0 Ma) are not annealed or partially annealed (AFT ages of 97±9 Ma and 70±4 Ma, respectively). Because the maximum burial temperature (<90 °C) evidenced by low vitrinite reflectance (R ₒ<0.7) is not high enough to account for the AFT total annealing (110–120 °C), the transient thermal effect arising from the syntectonic fluid flow between the late Cretaceous and the early Eocene is proposed. Transient thermal effects from fluid flow explains the indicated temperature discrepancies between the AFT thermometer and the R o thermometer because the transient thermal effect from the fluid flow with a temperature high enough (110–120 °C) to anneal the AFT thermometer does not last long enough (10⁴–10⁵ yrs.) for an enhancement of the R ₒ (minimum 10⁶–10⁷ yrs. under the same temperature). This indicates that dating thermal effect from fluid flow might be a new means to reconstruct the tectonic history. It also answers why the samples from the main seals are not annealed because the seals will prohibit fluid flow and supply good thermal insulation. The large-scale fluid flow in the Binbei district calls for a new idea to direct the hydrocarbon exploration.

year: 2013

title: Executive dysfunction and cognitive impairment in a large community-based sample with Multiple Sclerosis from New Zealand: A descriptive study

authors: Drew, Margaret A.

subjects: multiple sclerosis

abstract: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common chronic diseases of the central nervous system, and in New Zealand an estimated 4000 people are currently affected. This study was conducted to examine executive functioning, memory and general ability in a community-based sample of 95 participants with MS. The sample included those with relapsing–remitting, secondary progressive, chronic progressive and benign MS with an average duration of illness of 11.8 years. Only 9% of the participants showed no indication of cognitive impairment with most exhibiting mild executive dysfunction across the range of shifting, inhibition, fluency and working memory categories. As this became more widespread, all other measures of cognitive ability and memory also showed evidence of deterioration, but in some, this may have been due to slowed information processing. Overall, there was a high degree of variability in the levels of performance and there was no ‘typical’ pattern of deficits associated with MS. Thus, a proportion of those living with MS may have to cope with noticeable and unpredictable cognitive decline in addition to their physical disabilities.

text: Executive dysfunction and cognitive impairment in a large community-based sample with Multiple Sclerosis from New Zealand: A descriptive study Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common chronic diseases of the central nervous system, and in New Zealand an estimated 4000 people are currently affected. This study was conducted to examine executive functioning, memory and general ability in a community-based sample of 95 participants with MS. The sample included those with relapsing–remitting, secondary progressive, chronic progressive and benign MS with an average duration of illness of 11.8 years. Only 9% of the participants showed no indication of cognitive impairment with most exhibiting mild executive dysfunction across the range of shifting, inhibition, fluency and working memory categories. As this became more widespread, all other measures of cognitive ability and memory also showed evidence of deterioration, but in some, this may have been due to slowed information processing. Overall, there was a high degree of variability in the levels of performance and there was no ‘typical’ pattern of deficits associated with MS. Thus, a proportion of those living with MS may have to cope with noticeable and unpredictable cognitive decline in addition to their physical disabilities.

year: 2008

title: Enabling conditions for professional development of te reo Māori teachers

authors: Franken, Margaret

subjects: Māori language teachers

abstract: The paper outlines a professional development programme for secondary school teachers of te reo Māori (under the auspices of Te Hiringa i te Mahara) conducted by a language teacher educator and an expert in Māori bilingualism and biliteracy. While the principles underpinning the programme reflect a strong task-based
orientation, the programme approached development needs for the teachers from the point of view of understanding “enabling conditions” (Franken, Rau, Ngata & Parata, n.d.) for effective language learning and teaching (see also Ellis, 2005),
rather than understanding task based learning and teaching per se. The programme drew on the current practices of the teachers and made use of epistemology of Māori language and Māori language learning. The paper presents observations from monitoring data collected during the programme supporting the claim that such an approach to the professional development of language teachers promotes a strong knowledge base and pedagogical reasoning skills (Richards, 1998), and in particular for te reo Māori teachers, fosters a sense of their own professional identity.

text: Enabling conditions for professional development of te reo Māori teachers The paper outlines a professional development programme for secondary school teachers of te reo Māori (under the auspices of Te Hiringa i te Mahara) conducted by a language teacher educator and an expert in Māori bilingualism and biliteracy. While the principles underpinning the programme reflect a strong task-based
orientation, the programme approached development needs for the teachers from the point of view of understanding “enabling conditions” (Franken, Rau, Ngata & Parata, n.d.) for effective language learning and teaching (see also Ellis, 2005),
rather than understanding task based learning and teaching per se. The programme drew on the current practices of the teachers and made use of epistemology of Māori language and Māori language learning. The paper presents observations from monitoring data collected during the programme supporting the claim that such an approach to the professional development of language teachers promotes a strong knowledge base and pedagogical reasoning skills (Richards, 1998), and in particular for te reo Māori teachers, fosters a sense of their own professional identity.

year: 2009