Seasonal variation in mussel Mytilus edulis digestive gland cytochrome P4501A- and 2E-immunoidentified protein levels and DNA strand breaks (Comet assay).

Mytilus edulis digestive gland microsomes were prepared from indigenous populations sampled from a clean reference site (Port Quin) and an urban-industrial contaminated site (Blackpool) in the UK. Samples were collected in March/April, May, August and December 1998. Western blot analysis was performed using polyclonal antibodies to fish CYP1A and rat CYP2E using partially purified M. edulis CYP as a positive control, to aid identification. CYP1A- and CYP2E-immunopositive protein levels showed different site-specific seasonal variation with higher levels of CYP2E determined in May (P < 0.05). At both sites, lower levels of CYP1A-immunopositive protein but not CYP2E-immunopositive protein were observed in the samples collected in December (P < 0.05). This correlated with lower levels of nuclear DNA damage (Comet assay expressed as per cent tail DNA) observed in December compared to August (P < 0.05).     

Separation of pedogenic and lithogenic components of magnetic susceptibility in the Chinese loess/palaeosol sequence as determined by the CBD procedure and a mixing analysis

Magnetic susceptibility variations in the Chinese loess/palaeosol sequences have been used extensively for palaeoclimatic interpretations. The magnetic signal of these sequences must be divided into lithogenic and pedogenic components because the palaeoclimatic record is primarily reflected in the pedogenic component. In this paper we compare two methods for separating the pedogenic and lithogenic components of the magnetic susceptibility signal: the citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite (CBD) extraction procedure, and a mixing analysis. Both methods yield good estimates of the pedogenic component, especially for the palaeosols. The CBD procedure underestimates the lithogenic component and overestimates the pedogenic component. The magnitude of this effect is moderately high in loess layers but almost negligible in palaeosols. The mixing model overestimates the lithogenic component and underestimates the pedogenic component. Both methods can be adjusted to yield better estimates of both components. The lithogenic susceptibility, as determined by either method, suggests that palaeoclimatic interpretations based only on total susceptibility will be in error and that a single estimate of the average lithogenic susceptibility is not an accurate basis for adjusting the total susceptibility. A long-term decline in lithogenic susceptibility with depth in the section suggests more intense or prolonged periods of weathering associated with the formation of the older palaeosols.
The CBD procedure provides the most comprehensive information on the magnitude of the components and magnetic mineralogy of loess and palaeosols. However, the mixing analysis provides a sensitive, rapid, and easily applied alternative to the CBD procedure. A combination of the two approaches provides the most powerful and perhaps the most accurate way of separating the magnetic susceptibility components.     

First Results of Measurements with a Newly-Designed Phased-Array Sodar with RASS

Summary At a special measuring site for boundary-layer studies as well as land-surface processes the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg of the German Weather Service (DWD) has recently put into operation a newly-desi gned phased-array SODAR/RASS, which has been developed by METEK on behalf of the DWD. This system provides the vertical profiles of the three-di mensional wind vector in the boundary layer on an operational basis and is furthermore suitable for getting information on the profile of virtual temperature up to about 400 m in height based on the addition of RASS components. The following paper describes both the technique of this SODAR/RASS and the various modes of operation as well as the different options in managing the system. First evaluations on the data availability concerning the maximum height coverage will give an impression on the system’s capabilities. Finally, the accuracy of the derived profiles of winds and temperature will be investigated by means of comparisons of the SODAR/RASS data with measurements of a six-sonde tethered-balloon system as well as meteorological data of a 99 m tower in the vicinity of the system. Received November 27, 1998 Revised April 9, 1999     

胶北粉子山群石榴云母片岩的三叠纪独居石年龄及其地质意义

胶北地块粉子山群石榴云母片岩中石榴石变斑晶内包裹物迹线明显,保留了岩石形成过程中的多期变质变形信息。电子探针成分面扫描图显示石榴石成分环带明显,可分为核部、幔部和边部。石榴石中MgO、FeO、MnO和CaO含量变化特征表明其核部到边部温度先升高后降低,对应进变质及退变质过程。根据原位独居石Y元素成分面扫描图显示,部分独居石颗粒由核部到边部Y含量呈现逐渐降低趋势,说明测得的232.6±1.1Ma~229.5±3.7Ma的独居石U-Pb年龄,对应石榴石的进变质生长过程。结合1869±72Ma的锆石U-Pb年龄数据,可推断粉子山群石榴云母片岩至少经历了古元古代及三叠纪两期变质事件的改造。粉子山群石榴云母片岩卷入了苏鲁超高压变质带的俯冲碰撞造山事件。电子探针成分分析结果表明粉子山群石榴云母片岩中的石榴石属于铁铝榴石,反映出经受中级区域变质作用的特征。说明粉子山群石榴云母片岩虽然参与了三叠纪苏鲁超高压变质带的俯冲碰撞造山过程,但俯冲深度较浅。这可用大陆俯冲过程中上盘的俯冲剥蚀来解释,并可为陆-陆碰撞俯冲剥蚀模式提出的扬子板片在240~220Ma的深俯冲作用过程中拽动胶北地块向下俯冲又折返的运动过程提供佐证,但胶北地块是否经历了深俯冲超高压变质作用,还需要进一步验证。     

Comparing the transitional behaviour of kaolinite and bentonite suspension flows

Past research has demonstrated the dramatic effects that variations in suspended clay can have on the properties of flow by producing a range of transitional flows between turbulent and laminar states, depending on clay concentration and fluid shear. Past studies have been restricted to kaolinite flows, a clay mineral that has relatively weak cohesive properties. This paper extends these studies to suspension flows of bentonite, a clay mineral that attains higher viscosities at far lower volumetric concentrations within a flow. The results show that the types of transitional flow behaviour recognized in past studies can also be found in bentonite suspension flows, but at lower suspended sediment concentrations, thus demonstrating an even more dramatic effect on flow properties, and potentially on sediment transport and resulting bed morphology, than kaolinite flows. The paper proposes new stability diagrams for the phase space of bentonite flows and compares these to past work on kaolinite suspension flows. These new data suggest that the transitional‐flow Reynolds number can be used to delineate the types of transitional flow across different clay types and assess modern and ancient clay‐suspension flows. © 2016 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

West African palaeosynoptic patterns at the last glacial maximum

Summary The composite method and an atmospheric moisture budget is applied to study the present synoptic summer situation in the West African Sahel. This allows the information of the synoptic scale flow systems at the last glacial maximum to be obtained. Relying on the results of general circulation models and of local geological findings the palaeosynoptic situation was found to consist of the same constituents as today's given pattern. In both time slices the strength of the midtropospheric African Easterly Jet determines the intensity and frequency of the Sahelian synoptic disturbances: the Easterly Waves and the Squall Lines. The glacial rainfall intensity of the Squall Lines, the most effective rain-bearing system of the Sahel, is calculated to be 2/3 of the modern one. Additionally, only half the number of Squall Lines propagated across the West African continent per summer month. Thus the glacial rainfall amount of the Sahel was roughly 30% of the value observed today.With 6 Figures     

Spatial and Temporal Variability in Estuary Habitat Use by American Alligators

Estuarine habitat occupied by Alligator mississippiensis, a primarily freshwater species, is spatially and temporally heterogeneous largely due to a salinity gradient that fluctuates. Using long-term night light survey data, we examined seasonal patterns in alligators’ habitat use by size classes in midstream and downstream estuary zones of Shark River, Everglades National Park, in southern Florida. We observed predominantly large-sized alligators (total length?≥?1.75 m); observations of alligators in the small size classes (0.5 m?≤?total length?<?1.25 m) were rare especially in the higher-salinity downstream zone. The density of alligators in the downstream zone was lower than that of the midstream zone during the dry season when salinity increases due to reduced precipitation. Conversely, the density of the large size alligators was higher in the downstream zone than in the midstream zone during the wet season, likely because of reduced salinity. We also found a significant declining trend over time in the number of alligators in the dry season, which coincides with the reported decline in alligator relative density in southern Florida freshwater wetlands. Our results indicated high adaptability of alligators to the fluctuating habitat conditions. Use of estuaries by alligators is likely driven in part by physiology and possibly by reproductive cycle, and our results supported their opportunistic use of estuary habitat and ontogenetic niche shifts.     

Buckling of ring stiffened domes under external hydrostatic pressure

The paper reports on the buckling of three ring-stiffened prolate domes under external hydrostatic pressure. The study was partly theoretical and partly experimental, where in the case of the latter, the finite element was used. Comparison between experiment and theory was good. The effect of ring stiffening the domes was to increase their buckling resistances by factors varying from 4.43 to 5.72.