Major, trace and rare earth element (REE) geochemistry of the late Cretaceous lower Zhoutian Formation from the Jitai Basin of Southeast China were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis to infer the provenance of the sediments and to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate. The wide range of Sr/Cu ratios point to a fluctuating palaeoclimate, and the negative correlation between the FeO/MnO and Al₂O₃/MgO ratios and the Sr/Cu ratio indicates that the late Cretaceous climate during the lower Zhoutian Formation in the Jitai Basin can be divided into two parts. The lower part experienced two cooling periods, whilst the upper part was dominated by warm-humid climate. Mostly corresponding trends of the B/Ga, Sr/Ba and Sr/Cu ratios show that the salinity changed consistently with the late Cretaceous climate during the lower Zhoutian Formation in the Jitai Basin. During the lower part, the salinity changed from salt water to fresh/brackish water. In the upper part, water was mainly fresh/brackish, and there were many changes from fresh/brackish water to salt water. The relatively stable Ni/Co, V/Cr, V/(V + Ni) and Ce/Ce* data indicate a long period of oxic conditions. The La-Th-Sc, Th-Sc-Zr/10 and La/Th-Hf data of the silt- and sandstones of the lower Zhoutian Formation show that its provenance was mainly a mixture of felsic upper crust sediments and older sedimentary rocks.

The Li-enriched oilfield brine is a very important lithium resource. It has gained much attention and become the target of active Li surveys with the growing global demand for Li. However, only little is known about their feature and nature. In the study, hydrochemical data from 155 oil wells tapping the Eocene to Lower Oligocene Qianjiang Formation of the Jianghan Basin, central China indicate that the brines are of the Na–Cl or Na–Ca–Cl type and are characterized by highly variable Li contents of 7.56 to 150 mg/L, with Mg/Li ratios less than 11.65. High Na/Cl and Cl/Br molar ratios indicate distinct contributions from halite dissolution. The Ca excess, Na deficit and Ca/Mg and Ca/Sr molar ratios in the brines imply multiple diagenetic processes, including halite dissolution, dolomitization, albitization and calcite or anhydrite cementation. The lithium contents of these brines have a weak relationship with the salinity and a negative correlation with Cl/Br ratios, possibly indicating that these Qianjiang oilfield brines have been diluted by secondary brines derived from halite dissolution. The spatial distribution patterns for Li and B concentrations of the brines are different from those for salinity and Br contents and show a geographic pattern, indicating that Li enrichment in the Qianjiang brines is likely connected with geothermal sources associated with volcanic activity.

This study investigated resident microbiota in the whole gastrointestinal (GI) tract to explore gut microbiota development in early life and found that early-life antibiotic exposure exacerbated alterations in gut microbiota and murine dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Furthermore, the presence of bacteria in the GI tract of mice before birth and the importance of the lactation period in GI microbiota development were confirmed.