c-Reactive protein levels as a biomarker of inflammation and stress in the Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) from three southeastern USA estuaries

Circulating c-reactive protein (CRP) levels can be used as a bioindicator of the acute phase inflammatory response and as a possible biomarker of inflammation and neurogenic stress in vertebrates. Currently, there are no data describing the ranges of CRP levels in sharks living in different habitats, especially habitats of differing degrees of pollution. Developing antibodies against CRP is a first and critical step towards developing sensitive methods for quantifying CRP, and thus inflammatory and stress responses in sharks. Sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, serum C-reactive protein was purified sequentially over AH-sepharose 4B-PC and sepharose CL-4B columns and used to immunize balb/c mice for generating stocks of polyclonal anti-sera. Serum samples from 131 sharpnose sharks were collected from three different geographical regions along the coast of SC and GA, USA between June and November 2002. Total CRP concentrations were quantified by ELISA and found to be highest in the sharpnose shark population collected in the summer from Charleston, SC, compared to Beaufort, SC and Brunswick, GA. Seasonal comparisons indicated a higher CRP concentration in the summer of the Charleston, SC population compared to the fall. These data suggest that sharks living in the Charleston, SC harbor estuary may be exposed to a suite of pathogens or other stressors that are different than those found in the Beaufort, SC and Brunswick, GA estuaries. These data support the use of CRP as a bioindicator of health status in elasmobranchs.     

Linkages between cellular biomarker responses and reproductive success in oysters--Crassostrea virginica

The purpose of these studies was to evaluate if there were relationships between lysosomal destabilization or glutathione concentrations and gamete viability of oysters, Crassostrea virginica. Oysters were collected from field sites during the peak spawning period (May-June) during 2001 and 2002. Lysosomal destabilization rates and glutathione concentrations of hepatopancreas tissues (e.g. digestive gland) were determined. Eggs and sperm from the same adults were also used to conduct embryo development assays with reference seawater collected from a clean site, site water, and also a range of Cd concentrations (the Cd exposures were used to determine if there were differences in susceptibility to pollutants). Baseline embryo development success (e.g. percent normal development when the assays were conducted with reference seawater or site water) was related to lysosomal destabilization, but not glutathione status. However, the susceptibility of embryos to metal toxicity was related to glutathione status, i.e., sensitivity to Cd exposures increased with decreasing glutathione levels. These studies support the hypotheses that there are linkages between embryo development success and susceptibility to pollutant stress and cellular biomarker responses. These kinds of effects on reproductive success could lead to subtle but significant long-term effects on recruitment and viability of oyster populations.     

沉积学发展现状与前瞻

沉积学的概念源于１９世纪初,其发展大致经历了沉积岩石学,沉积学,沉积地质学二个阶段,目前,随着各种边缘,分支,交叉及横断学科的发展,沉积学研究取得了重大进展,主要表现在层序地层学,事件沉积学,矿床沉积学,实验沉积学,大地构造沉积学,储层沉积学、全球旋回地层学等的诞生和发展。预计到２１世纪,沉积学除在大陆动力学,全球变化方面进一步深入发展外,还将与资源和环境密切结合,形成新的学科领域,主要包括资源沉     

四川西昌盆地三叠系沉积环境分析

在岩石地层划分的基础上,讨论了西昌盆地三叠系沉积相类型及特征。研究区南部及北部缺失T1-2及T3下部地层,仅中部发育较完整的三叠系。南部白果湾组主要发育沼泽、沼泽化湖泊及湖泊相。北部白果湾组包括沼泽相、沼泽化湖相及湖泊相。中部白果湾组沉积相为沼泽、沼泽化湖泊、河流、河湖三角洲及湖泊相,雷口坡组沉积相包含潮坪、湖、生物滩(丘)、广海陆棚相;嘉陵江组及飞仙关组分别以河口和河流相为主。     

海螺沟冰川地质特征与冰川退缩防治

在全球性气候变暖的背景下,冰川退缩已成为人类面临的重大环境问题。海螺沟冰川是我国典型的季风海洋性冰川,也是世界范围内最完整的山岳冰川,具有高度的观赏性、科研性。据观察,近百年来该冰川表现出持续退缩的状态,保护已迫在眉睫。从规模、结构及分布3个方面论述了海螺沟冰川的地质特征,并探讨了冰川的形成和物质平衡的条件。根据温度、海拔以及表面覆盖物质成份3项对冰川退缩起主要作用的因子,针对海螺沟冰川退缩的严峻现状和冰川地质遗迹开发和保护的具体情况,给出5条进一步防范冰川退缩的措施。     

川滇黔桂地区石炭系层序地层研究

川滇黔桂地区石炭系地层发育,其地层划分对比清楚,沉积类型丰富,地表露头良好,是进行层序地层研究的理想场所。本文运用层序地层学的理论和研究方法,在详细的沉积学研究和精细的地层划分对比基础上,对川滇黔桂地区石炭系地层进行了精细的露头层序地层研究,详细阐述了层序建立和各种界面的露头标志,探讨了川滇黔桂地区石炭系地层的层序划分、层序区域对比。在此基础上,建立了研究区石炭系层序地层时空格架示意图。     

Genesis and Debelopment of Porosity in Carbonate Reservoirs—Fluid Inclusion Evidence

Fluid inclusions in minerals filled in pores of reservoir rocks can be used as a good indicator of pore genesis and development so as to shed light on oil generation,migration and accumulation.The relationship between pore evolution and oil generation has been established based on fluid inclusion studies on the Lower Ordovician carbonate reservoir strata in the Ordos Baisn,Northwest China.Seven stages of porosity development can be recogmized.i.e.,the penecontemporaneous,the early and middle-late diagenetic,the supergene,the early,middle and late re-burying stages.The dissolution pores an fissures formed in the supergene and middle-late reburying stage and the structural fractures formed in the late re-burying stage constitute the major traps of oil and gas.The major phase of oil migration and accumulation took place between Late Jurassic and Cretaceous,Corresponding to the middle and late re-burying stages.The generation and accumulation of oil can be closely related to Yenshanian tectonics.     

震后银厂沟资源环境可持续发展研究

银厂沟坐落于龙门山脉中段,在汶川大地震中,银厂沟资源环境遭受很大损失,山体滑坡崩塌,堰塞湖的形成,地形地貌的变形,生态系统破坏等,严重影响当地的旅游业。针对这些问题提出相应的恢复重建的方案,保证当地经济的可持续发展具有重要的意义。     

Microbenthic distribution of Proterozoic tidal flats: environmental and taphonomic considerations

Silicified carbonates of the late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic Society Cliffs Formation, Baffin Island, contain distinctive microfabrics and microbenthic assemblages whose paleo-environmental distribution within the formation parallels the distribution of these elements through Proterozoic time. In the Society Cliffs Formation, restricted carbonates--including microdigitate stromatolites, laminated tufa, and tufted microbial mats--consist predominantly of synsedimentary cements; these facies and the cyanobacterial fossils they contain are common in Paleoproterozoic successions but rare in Neoproterozoic and younger rocks. Less restricted tidal-flat facies in the formation are composed of laminated microbialites dominated by micritic carbonate lithified early, yet demonstrably after compaction; these strata contain cyanobacteria that are characteristic in Neoproterozoic rocks. Within the formation, the facies-dependent distribution of microbial populations reflects both the style and timing of carbonate deposition because of the strong substrate specificity of benthic cyanobacteria. A reasonable conclusion is that secular changes in microbenthic assemblages through Proterozoic time reflect a decrease in the overall representation of rapidly lithified carbonate substrates in younger peritidal environments, as well as concomitant changes in the taphonomic window of silicification through which early life is observed.