Stress-induced apoptosis in sea urchin embryogenesis

We find that early sea urchin embryos have the capability to induce programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in response to chemical and physical stress. Strongylocentrotus purpuratus embryos (fertilized, 4 cell, 16 cell, 64 cell, and early blastula) were exposed to known cytotoxins, in order to determine when apoptosis occurs naturally and in response to stress. Using cell permeability as an indicator of early stage apoptosis, caspase activation as a mid-stage indicator, and DNA fragmentation as a late stage indicator, we find that during the cleavage stage of embryogenesis apoptosis is almost completely absent. However, a statistically significant (p<0.001) rise in apoptosis in stressed embryos is evident around 24 h after fertilization, during the early blastula stage and shortly after hatching. Before this stage, exposed embryos show no statistically significant increases in apoptosis in comparison to the controls. This pattern of apoptosis in development is similar to that seen in lower vertebrate models in which stress-induced apoptosis occurs only around the mid-blastula transition. We conclude that apoptosis may be used to rid embryos of aberrant or damaged cells in early development, but this response is stage-dependant. Repair, rather than apoptosis, may be utilized during earlier stages, or alternatively, embryos exposed to such stressors may continue development with damaged cells and perhaps damaged DNA. Our continued studies will focus on these alternative hypotheses.     

大西洋扇贝贝壳生长年轮的氧同位素研究

两只活的大洋扇贝Placopecten magellanicus分别于1983和1985年采自加拿大诺瓦·斯科舍省布朗斯浅滩,其氧同位素记录展示出一种年度性的循环,并与由环境海水的实测温度和同位素组成所预计的贝壳同位素组成十分接近。外生长线的位置与这些循环中δ~(18)O的最大值吻合,这说明外生长线于底层海水温度最低时(春季)形成。据测定的δ~(18)O的结果证明,外生长线是年度性形成的,这与生物学证据一致。     

阳极溶出伏安法测定水体中的铅和镉

工业废水中的铅、镉等排入河道、海湾、造成了水质的污染,近年来对水体中的痕量及超痕量的铅和镉的测定有不少报导,原子吸收分光光度法虽有较高的灵敏度,但仪器昂贵;常用的萃取比色法,手续繁杂,干扰多,灵敏度不高,因此在环境污染检测中也不适用。铅和镉都有良好的极谱行为,但是经典极谱、示波极谱和方波极谱等灵敏度都不够高,对环境化学中测定镉和铅是不适用的。     

Estrogenic responses of larval sunshine bass (Morone saxatilis x M. Chrysops) exposed to New York City sewage effluent

To determine the estrogenicity of effluents from sewage treatment plants (STPs) to larval fish, 2-day-old sunshine bass were exposed to effluents from three STPs serving New York City (NYC), varying in size and treatment level. Estrogenic response was evaluated by measuring vitellogenin (VTG) and estrogen receptor (ER) expression in cytosolic fractions of whole body homogenates. Concentrations of the presumptive endocrine disruptors in the effluents were also measured. VTG and ER levels in sewage-exposed fish were 3-5 times that observed in controls. Combined concentrations of estradiol and estrone ranged from 5 to 13 ng/l and nonylphenol-ethoxylate metabolites (NPEOs: 4-nonylphenol, and 1-, 2-, and 3-nonylphenol-ethoxylates) ranged from 180 to 470 microg/l in chlorinated effluent. Results indicate that both ER and VTG can be used as biomarkers for endocrine disruption in larval fish, and that 4-day exposure to sewage effluent is sufficient to elicit significant expression of these markers in sunshine bass larvae. The extremely higher concentrations of NPEOs found in effluent relative to hormones (approximately 40,000-fold) indicates that surfactant metabolites may be contributing significantly to the estrogenic effects observed.     

澳大利亚海岸概况

澳大利亚是个大陆岛,界于南纬11°—43°,东西长5000公里,面积约770万平方公里(包括塔斯马尼亚岛等)。她与南极大陆隔以3000公里的海域。在澳大利亚和亚洲大陆之间有一列岛屿,其中新几内亚位于与澳大利亚相同的大陆架上,在第四纪时通常是相连的。     

一个与转移作用有关的盆地的演化：Ardea盆地（意大利中部拉齐奥地区）

一个与转移作用有关的盆地的演化：Ａｒｄｅａ盆地（意大利中部拉齐奥地区）Ｃ．Ｆａｃｃｅｎｎａ等地层Ａｒｄｅａ盆地是拉齐奥边缘最深的盆地之一。充填了１６００ｍ中新－更新统沉积。这套沉积物覆盖在一套中新统以泥灰质－砂泥质为主的复理石异地构造层上，复理石上覆...     

Species, tissue and gender-related organochlorine bioaccumulation in white-sided dolphins, pilot whales and their common prey in the northwest Atlantic

Organochlorine concentrations were measured in white-sided dolphins, pilot whales, and their prey from the Gulf of Maine and used to identify species, tissue, and gender differences, and trophic transfer trends, in bioaccumulation. Polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations ([PCB]) in dolphin blubber (13 +/- 7.1 micrograms/g fresh wt.) were twice those in pilot whales, but pesticide concentrations (20 +/- 13 micrograms/g fresh) were similar between species. 4,4'-DDE, trans-non-achlor, Cl6(153) and Cl6(138) concentrations were highest. Skin tissues had more recalcitrant organochlorines than the internal organs. Male dolphins bioaccumulated higher concentrations of nonmetabolizable PCBs and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers, whereas pilot whales had no gender-related differences in bioaccumulation. Pilot whales, mackerel, and herring had proportionately higher concentrations of DDTs, whereas [PCB] were higher in dolphins and squid. Although these odontocetes feed at the same trophic level and store a similar suite of contaminants, dolphins bioaccumulated higher and potentially hazardous 4,4'-DDE and PCB concentrations from food in their more geographically restricted range.     

南海中部叶绿素a分布和光合作用及其与环境因子的关系

本文描述了1983年9月-1984年12月4个航次南海中部(12°-19°30'N,111°-118°E)综合调查期间有关叶绿素a和光合作用的测定结果,并对叶绿素a时空分布,光合作用及其与环境因子的关系进行了讨论.调查表明:次表高值层为叶绿素分布的一个特征,其深度在50-100m左右,含量范围多在0.1-0.6mg/m³之间.叶绿素a的垂直变化与温、盐跃层,营养盐以及光的分布有关,而垂直积分的总量平面分布则与不同水团的消长有关.光合作用随深度的变化说明某些浮游植物适于低光下生长,而这些生物的活动也影响着亚硝酸盐和溶解氧的生成.     

南海陆坡天然气水合物成藏的构造环境

南海是西太平洋最大的边缘海之一，其复杂的构造演化，形成了构造特征迥异的南海陆缘，有利于天然气水合物的发育，南海地区在中中新统以上发育了上中新统，上新统和第四系3套地层，3套地层所对应的地质时期的沉降速率在纵横向上的差别均较为悬殊，总体而言，南海第四纪整体沉降速率较大，为天然气水合物压力场环境的形成提供了有利条件，南海复杂的构造背景形成了丰富多彩的构造地质体，特定的构造地质体与水合物形成关系密切，这里讨论了滑塌体、泥底辟、增生楔等构造地质体在南海的分布情况，分析了上述构造体与气体水合物地震标志BSR之间的关系，以及特殊构造带在南海的展布规律，提出了特殊的造带中天然气水合物的成藏模式。     

重金属对海洋围隔生态系中初级生产力的影响

1985年4月,中国和加拿大科学家首次在厦门合作进行添加重金属(Cu,Hg,Zn,Pb,Cd)的围隔生态系实验,实验是在海边大水池内的塑料袋中进行,实验结果说明低水平(ppb)混合重金属对浮游植物的影响首先表现在对光合作用速率的抑制作用,以及在浓度较低的情况下可能引起的种群演替现象,本文还阐述了颗粒有机碳(POC)和颗粒有机氮(PON)与初级生产力的相关性.