Environmental hypoxia as a metabolic constraint on fish: the case of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua

Hypoxia is known to provoke a wide range of effects on aquatic animals. Here we use laboratory and field data on Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, to illustrate that many of these responses can be explained within the metabolic scope (MS) framework, i.e. taking into account the directive and limiting effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the ability of animals to acquire energy for growth and activity. A MS model for cod shows that scope for activity (swimming, feeding, etc.) is proportional to DO and becomes nil, jeopardising survival, when DO is < approximately 20% air saturation. Laboratory studies have confirmed this lethal threshold and demonstrated that growth and food ingestion were significantly reduced below 70% sat. This loss of appetite has been linked to a reduction of the peak value and an increase in duration of postprandial metabolism, in agreement with the MS model. Dwindling MS during hypoxia imposes an upper limit to swimming performance. Cod may also opt to reduce spontaneous swimming activity to spare oxygen for other activities such as digestion. In the Kattegat, the Baltic Sea, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, eastern Canada, cod completely avoid waters where their MS is near zero. Furthermore, cod density increases exponentially with DO up to approximately 70% sat in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Although hypoxia results in other direct and indirect effects as well, the MS framework allows modelling of many of the responses to hypoxia for individual cod that ought to be reflected at the population and community levels. The MS framework is also useful to compare species responses. We show that the impact of hypoxia on MS is similar, when expressed as a proportion of MS in normoxia, in cod, European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), the common sole (Solea solea) and turbot (Psetta maxima). Data are required for other species to evaluate how general these findings are.     

First results on the study of metal contamination along the Corsican coastline using Posidonia oceanica

This study aims at determining the metal concentrations in blades and sheaths of Posidonia oceanica adult leaves, in 16 stations of the Corsican coastline. It shows that except for Cr, all the metals are preferentially accumulated in the blades. This result is particularly interesting as it means that trace metals analyses may be carried out only on the blades avoiding thus the removal of the shoots. Moreover, this study shows that metal concentrations generally fall within the range of the lowest values available in literature and may reflect the "background noise" of the Mediterranean. Station 15 (Canari) can however be distinguished from the others due to its high Co, Cr and Ni concentrations. This result may be related to the presence of a previous asbestos mine, located near this station. Therefore, this study reinforces the relevance of the use of P. oceanica as a tracer of metal contamination.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111001046

The role played by Paleoproterozoic cratons in southern South America from the Mesoproterozoic to the Early Cambrian is reconsidered here.This period involved protracted continental amalgamation that led to formation of the supercontinent Rodinia.followed by Neoproterozoic continental break-up,with the consequent opening of Clymene and Iapetus oceans,and finally continental re-assembly as Gondwana through complex oblique collisions in the Late Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian.The evidence for this is based mainly on a combination of precise U-Pb SHRMP dating and radiogenic isotope data for igneous and metamorphic rocks from a large area extending from the Rio de la Plata craton in the east to the Argentine Precordillera in the west and as far north as Arequipa in Peru.Our interpretation of the paleogeographical and geodynamic evolution invokes a hypothetical Paleoproterozoic block(MARA) embracing basement ultimately older than 1.7 Ga in the Western Sierras Pampeanas(Argentina),the Arequipa block(Peru),the Rio Apa block(Brazil),and probably also the Paraguaia block(Bolivia).     

Towards an operational system for oil-spill forecast over Spanish waters: initial developments and implementation test

The ESEOO Project, launched after the Prestige crisis, has boosted operational oceanography capacities in Spain, creating new operational oceanographic services and increasing synergies between these new operational tools and already existing systems. In consequence, the present preparedness to face an oil-spill crisis is enhanced, significantly improving the operational response regarding ocean, meteorological and oil-spill monitoring and forecasting. A key aspect of this progress has been the agreement between the scientific community and the Spanish Search and Rescue Institution (SASEMAR), significantly favoured within the ESEOO framework. Important achievements of this collaboration are: (1) the design of protocols that at the crisis time provide operational state-of-the-art information, derived from both forecasting and observing systems; (2) the establishment, in case of oil-spill crisis, of a new specialized unit, named USyP, to monitor and forecast the marine oceanographic situation, providing the required met-ocean and oil-spill information for the crisis managers. The oil-spill crisis scenario simulated during the international search and rescue Exercise "Gijón-2006", organized by SASEMAR, represented an excellent opportunity to test the capabilities and the effectiveness of this USyP unit, as well as the protocols established to analyze and transfer information. The results presented in this work illustrate the effectiveness of the operational approach, and constitute an encouraging and improved base to face oil-spill crisis.     

Chronology and Geochemistry of the Berezitovoe Polymetallic Gold Deposit in Eastern Siberia, Russia and its Geological Significance

The Berezitovoe deposit is a large-sized Au-Ag-Zn-Pb deposit in the east of the SelengaStanovoi superterrane, Russia. Au-Ag orebodies are hosted by tourmaline-garnet-quartz-muscovite metasomatic rocks; Zn-Pb orebodies are hosted by granodiorites, porphyritic granites and tourmalinegarnet-quartz-muscovite metasomatic rocks. These orebodies are surrounded by wall rocks dominated by the Tukuringra Complex granodiorites, porphyritic granites, and gneissic granodiorites. The alteration includes silicification and garnet, sericitization chloritization, carbonatization and kaollinization. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon dating indicates that the gold mineralization can be divided into two stages in the Berezitovoe polymetallic gold deposit(at 363.5 ± 1.5 Ma, and133.4± 0.5).Hornblende-plagioclase gneisses of the Mogocha Group in the study area underwent Paleoproterozoic metamorphism(at 1870 ± 7.8 and 2400 ± 13 Ma), gneissic granodiorite of the Tukuringra Complex yields a late Paleozoic magmatic age(at 379.2 ± 1.1 Ma),and subalkaline porphyritic granitoid of the Amudzhikan Complex yield late Mesozoic magmatic ages(133-139 and 150-163 Ma). Granodiorites of the Tukuringra Complex in the study area have high concentrations of SiO_2(average of 60.9 wt%), are aluminum-oversaturated(average A/CNK of 1.49), are enriched in the large ion lithophile elements(e.g.,K, Rb, and Ba), U, Th, and Pb, are depleted in high field strength elements(e.g., Ta, Nb, and Ti), and have slightly negative Eu and no Ce anomalies in chondrite-normalized rare earth element diagrams.Fluid inclusions from quartz veins include three types: aqueous two-phase, CO_2-bearing three-phase,and pure CO_2. Aqueous two-phase inclusions homogenize at 167℃-249℃ and have salinities of 4.32%-9.47% NaCl equivalent, densities of 0.86-0.95 g/cm~3, and formed at depths of 0.52-0.94 km. In comparison, the C0_2-bearing three-phase inclusions have homogenization temperatures of 265℃-346℃,salinities of 7.14%-11.57% NaCl equivalent, and total densities of 0.62-0.67 g/cm~3. The geochemical and zircon U-Pb data and the regional tectonic evolution of the study area, show that the Berezitovoe polymetallic gold deposit formed in an island arc or active continental margin setting, most probably related to late Paleozoic subduction of Okhotsk Ocean crust beneath the Siberian Plate.     

Comet assay in phytoplankton as biomarker of genotoxic effects of environmental pollution

The alkaline comet assay was tested on different microalgae: the dinoflagellates, Karenia mikimotoi and Alexandrium minutum, and the diatom, Chaetoceros gracilis. The microalgae were exposed during their exponential growth to the model direct genotoxicant, hydrogen peroxide (1h, 5 and 100muM H2O2). Following H2O2 exposure, the comet assay was validated only for K. mikimotoi for which genotoxicity was observed from the lowest tested concentration of 5 microM with a concentration-dependent effect. C. gracilis was too small in size (4 microm) to be correctly analysed. For A. minutum, our lysis buffer was not strong enough to digest the cellulosic thecal plates. For K. mikimotoi, the comet assay was thus applied for the study of the genotoxic effects of different pesticides: epoxiconazole (as Opus formulation), chlorpyriphos-ethyl (as Dursban formulation) and endosulfan at 1, 10 and 100 microg of active substance/L for 24h. Exposure to epoxiconazole in formulation resulted in an increase in the extent of DNA strand breaks at the highest tested concentration icro/L. Endosulfan exposure resulted in DNA damage for K. mikimotoi nuclei. Genotoxicity was observed from 1 microg/L of endosulfan and was not concentration dependent.     

用电子束CT作冠状动脉血管造影

本文介绍用电子束ＣＴ作冠状动脉可视化造影的方法,说明本项成就的特征和在应用这项技术的局限性,并指出这种技术在临床上,可能成为新无创伤性的诊断工具。     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S167498711400108X

We present three 3D numerical models of deep subduction where buoyant material from an oceanic plateau and a plume interact with the overriding plate to assess the influence on subduction dynamics,trench geometry,and mechanisms for plateau accretion and continental growth.Transient instabilities of the convergent margin are produced,resulting in:contorted trench geometry;trench migration parallel with the plate margin;folding of the subducting slab and orocline development at the convergent margin;and transfer of the plateau to the overriding plate.The presence of plume material beneath the oceanic plateau causes flat subduction above the plume,resulting in a "bowed" shaped subducting slab.In plateau-only models,plateau accretion at the edge of the overriding plate results in trench migration around the edge of the plateau before subduction is re-established directly behind the trailing edge of the plateau.The plateau shortens and some plateau material subducts.The presence of buoyant plume material beneath the oceanic plateau has a profound influence on the behaviour of the convergent margin.In the plateau + plume model,plateau accretion causes rapid trench advance.Plate convergence is accommodated by shearing at the base of the plateau and shortening in the overriding plate.The trench migrates around the edge of the plateau and subduction is re-established well behind the trailing edge of the plateau,effectively embedding the plateau into the overriding plate.A slab window forms beneath the accreted plateau and plume material is transferred from the subducting plate to the overriding plate through the window.In all of the models,the subduction zone maintains a relatively stable configuration away from the buoyancy anomalies within the downgoing plate.The models provide a dynamic context for plateau and plume accretion in Phanerozoic accretionary orogenic systems such as the East China Orogen and the Central Asian Orogen(Altiads),which are characterised by accreted ophiolite complexes with diverse geochemical affinities,and a protracted evolution of accretion of exotic terranes including oceanic plateau and terranes with plume origins.     

Satellite estimates and subpixel variability of rainfall in a semi-arid grassland

卫星估雨精度的不确定性受到当地降雨类型和像元内降雨非均匀性影响,而结合这两个关键因素开展半干旱草原卫星估雨的研究有限.2009年夏,我们在中国锡林郭勒半干旱草原用多部微雨雷达和雨量计构建了9 km卫星像元降雨观测网,观测了像元内降雨非均匀性(空间变异系数CV),并评估了卫星估雨精度.结果表明:(1)CV值受像元内平均降雨量,降雨类型,降雨云面积及移向等影响,如高Cv值的降雨过程大多为平均降雨量小,对流性降雨过程,降雨云边缘像元CV值较高;(2)TRMM 3B42V7卫星估雨产品适用性较好,CMORPH和PERSIANN次之,但TRMM 3B42V7易在半干旱草原湖泊处高估降雨.