Effects on UDP glucuronosyl transferase, glutathione transferase, DT-diaphorase and glutathione reductase activities in rainbow trout liver after long-term exposure to PCB

In the present study, long-term exposure to PCB resulted in marked induction of the xenobiotic biotransformation enzymes UDP glucuronosyl transferase, glutathione transferase and DT-diaphorase (measured as menadione reductase and DCPIP reductase) in rainbow trout 15 or 20 weeks post-injection during the experimental period. The increase of the phase II enzymes were paralleled by a marked increase of the glutathione reductase activity. These results indicate that prolonged exposure to PCB results in increased production of organo-radicals.     

Prediction of ocean waves based on the single-parameter growth equation of wind waves

A method for the prediction of ocean waves was developed on the basis of the single-parameter growth equation of wind waves, proposed byToba (1978) on the basis of similarity in growing wind waves. The applicability of the method to actual problems was tested by hindcasting the wave characteristics with the method, for two cases with differing time and space scales, one in Kii Channel Approach, Japan, and the other in the North Atlantic Ocean. The results showed that the present method can predict waves within an error of 1.3 m in wave heights, which ranged from 3 to 12 m.     

The Structure of A Turbulent Jet in A Crossflow-Effect of Jet-Crossflow Velocity

A comprehensive numerical study on the three-dimensional structure of a turbulent jet in crossflow is performed. The jet-to-crossflow velocity ratio (R) varies in the range of 2 - 16; both vertical jets and inclined jets without excess streamwise momentum are considered. The numerical results of the Standard two-equation k-ε model show that the turbulent structure can be broadly categorised according to the jet-to-crossflow velocity ratio. For strong to moderate jet discharges, i.e. R> 4, the jet is characterized by a longitudinal transition through a bent-over phase during which the jet becomes almost parallel with the main freestream, to a sectional vortex-pair flow with double concentration maxima; the computed flow details and scalar mixing characteristics can be described by self-similar relations beyond a dimensionless distance of around 20-60. The similarity coefficients are only weakly dependent on R. The cross-section scalar field is kidney-shaped and bifurcated, vvith distinct double concentr     

The utility of the terms "bioavailability" and "bioavailable fraction" for metals

Because concentrations of total or dissolved metal usually are not good predictors of the acute toxicity of metals to aquatic biota (i.e. not all of the metal appears to be bioavailable), it has been tempting for researchers and regulators to attempt to identify a form or combination of forms of a metal that is the bioavailable fraction. But from geochemical, biological, and analytical perspectives, the term 'bioavailable fraction" is context-specific (i.e. not generalizable) and quantitatively elusive. Although the term "bioavailability" conveys a useful, general concept and should be retained in the aquatic-toxicology lexicon, the term "bioavailable fraction" should be avoided.     

Twelve years of tracking 52-Hz whale calls from a unique source in the North Pacific

A unique whale call with 50–52 Hz emphasis from a single source has been tracked over 12 years in the central and eastern North Pacific. These calls, referred to as 52-Hz calls, were monitored and analyzed from acoustic data recorded by hydrophones of the US Navy Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) and other arrays. The calls were noticed first in 1989, and have been detected and tracked since 1992. No other calls with similar characteristics have been identified in the acoustic data from any hydrophone system in the North Pacific basin. Only one series of these 52-Hz calls has been recorded at a time, with no call overlap, suggesting that a single whale produced the calls. The calls were recorded from August to February with most in December and January. The species producing these calls is unknown. The tracks of the 52-Hz whale were different each year, and varied in length from 708 to 11,062 km with travel speeds ranging from 0.7 to 3.8 km/h. Tracks included (A) meandering over short ranges, (B) predominantly west-to-east movement, and (C) mostly north-to-south travel. These tracks consistently appeared to be unrelated to the presence or movement of other whale species (blue, fin and humpback) monitored year-round with the same hydrophones.     

北阿尔金地区米兰红柳沟的早古生代蛇绿岩

阿尔金地区以巨型阿尔金走滑断裂而著称,断裂以西为阿尔金山地区,以东为祁连山地区.近年来人们陆续在阿尔金断裂两侧发现榴辉岩带,即南阿尔金榴辉岩带(车自成等1995;刘良等1996)和柴北缘榴辉岩带(杨经绥等,1998,2000),指出阿尔金断裂两侧的岩石单元可以对比,并推断阿尔金断裂左行走滑位移了约400 km(许志琴等,1999;葛肖虹等,1999).