Changes in the metal content of surficial sediments of Boston Harbor since the cessation of sludge discharge

Temporal trends of metals in surficial sediments (1991-1998) at two sites in Boston Harbor were analyzed to evaluate the effect of stopping sludge dumping in December 1991. Metal contents of sediments from the old sludge disposal site were higher than those of a station in the central Harbor. Since 1991, carbon, copper, and lead contents have significantly decreased in sediments from the disposal site. Chromium and Zn have shown smaller decreases while Fe, and Mn, have remained relatively constant. Metal content in the central Harbor station, located in an area of sediment reworking, has been quite variable, but, with the exception of Zn which has shown a large decrease relative to iron, the changes seemed to be well correlated with changes in the organic carbon content at this site due to resuspension. Ratios of metals in the sediments are fairly similar at both sites and similar to those of sewage-derived particles, with the exception of Cr, which appears to be enriched in the sediments.     

黑潮海域海洋异常加热与北半球大气环流的相互作用

根据黑潮海域海洋异常加热资料（１９５０－１９７９年），计算其与北半球大气环流相关，揭示二者相互作用事实，讨论其可能的物理过程，结果指出，黑潮海域海洋异常加热具有范围广，持续时间长，量级大等特点，在长期天气变化中占有重要的地位，冬半年海所相互作用为一正反馈过程，当亚洲大陆冷空气强时，海洋异常多加热，东亚大槽加深，后者又导致冷空气进一进加强；夏半年黑潮海域海洋异常加热主要受青藏高原热力状况制约。     

21世纪国际海道测量的战略思考

今年(1996年,译注)是国际海道测量组织(IHO)成立75周年。21世纪亦将很快到来,此时正是人们反思国际海道测量界所面临的变革与挑战,反思IHO作为促进相互合作的催化剂所起的作用的一个极好时机,这种互助合作也是数字时代的要求。     

Oxidative damage to DNA: an immunohistochemical approach for detection of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxodeoxyguanosine in marine organisms

The modified nucleoside 7,8-dihydro-8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) is an index of oxidative DNA damage. An immunohistochemical approach based on the use of monoclonal antibody 1F7 against 8-oxo-dG was investigated in marine organisms with immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescent detection. Relative staining intensity as a measure of the 8-oxo-dG level was microscopically assessed. After laboratory exposures to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), higher levels of oxidative DNA damage were clearly detected in all treated animals compared to controls. While this method eliminates DNA extraction reducing the processing of biological samples, absolute values are not provided. Further, the method requires only small amounts of tissue and potentially discriminates susceptibility to oxidative damage in different cell types. These results suggest that the assay should have practical applications in marine ecotoxicology.     

Elevation of cytochrome P450-immunopositive protein and DNA damage in mussels (Mytilus edulis) transplanted to a contaminated site

Mytilus edulis were collected from a reference site (Port Quin) and an urban/industrial contaminated site (New Brighton) in the UK during June 1999. Levels of PCBs (sigma7 congeners) and CB-138 were determined to be, respectively, 21 fold and 16 fold higher in the mussel digestive glands from New Brighton. Levels of CYPIA-immunopositive protein were 1.5 fold higher (P < 0.05) at the polluted site but the levels of DNA strand breaks were 1.3 fold higher (P<0.05) at the reference site. Mussels from Port Quin were placed in cages at both sites and both transplanted and indigenous populations sampled in September (13 weeks). Mussels transplanted from the reference site to the industrial site, reported elevated levels of CYP1A-immunopositive protein (1.4 fold; P < 0.05) and higher levels of DNA damage (1.2 fold; P < 0.05) compared to caged populations at the reference site and a PCB loading similar to the populations from the polluted site. Moreover, transplanted mussels had DNA damage 1.8 fold greater (P < 0.05) than indigenous mussels at the transplant site. These changes were small but significant when compared to the observed temporal changes in the indigenous populations.     

A Study of Lift Force and Instantaneous Velocity Field Around an Oscillating Circular Cylinder

-Force measurements of oscillatory flow acting on a single circular cylinder have been carriedout.The experiments were done by oscillating a circular cylinder in still water.Instantaneous forces and ve-locity fields around the cylinder were measured by Particle Image Velocimetry(PIV).The Keulegan-Car-penter number(KC)varied in the range from 5 to 20 and the viscous parameter β=Re/KC was set at500(Re is Reynolds number).It was found that the strength and frequency of the lift force increased withKC number,the main frequency of the lift force being three times the frequency of the oscillatory flow atKC=20.The movement and strength of the vortices around the cylinder are discussed for differentKC numbers.     

Retrospective analysis: bile hydrocarbons and histopathology of demersal rockfish in Prince William Sound,Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Demersal rockfish are the only fish species that have been found dead in significant numbers after major oil spills, but the link between oil exposure and effect has not been well established. After the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, several species of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) from oiled and reference sites were analyzed for hydrocarbon metabolites in bile (1989-1991) and for microscopic lesions (1990 and 1991). Biliary hydrocarbons consistent with exposure to Exxon Valdez oil were elevated in 1989, but not in 1990 or 1991. Significant microscopic findings included pigmented macrophage aggregates and hepatic megalocytosis, fibrosis, and lipid accumulation. Site differences in microscopic findings were significant with respect to previous oil exposure in 1991 (P=0.038), but not in 1990. However, differences in microscopic findings were highly significant with respect to age and species in both years (P<0.001). We conclude that demersal rockfish were exposed to Exxon Valdez oil in 1989, but differences in microscopic changes in 1990 and 1991 were related more to age and species differences than to previous oil exposure.     

地球海底的消减──ODP科学家着手调查哥斯达黎加洋壳的再循环

由来自9个国家的科学家组成的研究队为研究哥斯达黎加外的活动大陆边缘在圣地亚哥登上了“JOIDES决心”号大洋钻探船．这些科学家将确定该处岩石和沉积物的年龄、物理化学性质，并将利用新开发的被称作‘随钻测井”（LWD）的测井工具．LWD技术可在钻井施工的同时在钻孔中适当的位置测量物理化学性质，并给出不受钻孔中钻具垂直运动影响的原始结果．该研究队由EliSlyer博士（加里福尼亚大学大地构造研究所所长）和GakuKimura博士（日本大皈大学地球科学系主任）领导，其他科学家分别来自美国、日本、法国、德国、大不列颠、加拿大、意…     

Evaluation of ecotoxicological effects of endocrine disrupters during a four-year survey of the Mediterranean population of swordfish (Xiphias gladius)

In this project we investigated the ecotoxicological effects of endocrine disrupters in a four-year survey of the Mediterranean population of swordfish (Xiphias gladius). In the Mediterranean environment, top predators, such as swordfish, accumulate high concentrations of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) and toxic metals, potentially incurring high toxicological risk. The effects of organochlorines and trace elements (Hg, Cd and Pb) in 192 swordfish specimens, caught in the Strait of Messina, Sicily, Italy, were investigated using vitellogenin (Vtg), zona radiata proteins (Zrp) and CYP1A (BPMO, EROD) activities. Vtg and Zrp were found to be dramatically induced in some adult male specimens, suggesting that this species is highly exposed to estrogens in the Mediterranean Sea. A role of organochlorines in this induction phenomenon is suggested by the statistically significant correlations between Zrp in plasma and PCB concentrations in muscle (p<0.032) and Vtg in plasma and PCB concentrations in liver (p<0.034) of male specimens. Levels of trace elements in liver were in the following ranges: Hg 1-22, Cd 1-28 and Pb 0-1.6 ppm d.w. These data indicate potential reproductive alterations in large pelagic fish and suggest the need for continuous monitoring to avoid reductions in the population of this fish species of high commercial and ecological interest.     

Persistence of yessotoxin under light and dark conditions

The change in concentration of the disulfated polyether yessotoxin (YTX) produced by a culture of the marine dinoflagellate Protoceratium reticulatum was measured in laboratory experiments under light and dark conditions. Experimental cultures were inoculated and grew at a growth rate of 0.14 d(-1) until stationary phase was reached, after approximately 21 days. Cultures were maintained in the stationary phase until 31 days after inoculation. Cells of P. reticulatum contained a concentration of approximately 10-15 pg YTX cell(-1) during stationary phase but this was considerably lower (<5 pg cell-1) during the growth phase. Low amounts of 45-hydroxy-YTX were also detected. At day 32, P. reticulatum was killed by cooling to 1 degrees C (confirmed microscopically) and YTX concentrations were measured periodically under light and dark conditions. YTX concentrations decreased rapidly to approximately 10% of the initial concentration within the first 3 days and depleted to near zero within a week in the light treatment. In the dark environment, YTX persisted longer with approximately 10% of the initial YTX concentration still remaining after 18 days.