Biomarker responses in caged rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) from Masan Bay and Haegeumgang, South Korea

The purpose of this study was to compare enzymatic biomarker activities in fish caged at two sites, Masan Bay (contaminated) and Haeguemgang (reference). In the present study, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), brain acetyl cholinesterase (bAChE), muscle acetyl cholinesterase (mAChE) and butyryl cholinesterase (mBChE) in caged rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) were measured 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 30 days after caging. The level of CYP1A mRNA and Protein expression was induced higher in Masan Bay at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days after caging. EROD activity in the caged fish was significantly higher in Masan Bay than in Haeguemgang 3 and 7 days after caging, but not at 14 and 30 days after caging. bAChE activity was significantly inhibited at 7 and 14 days after caging in Masan Bay. However, mBChE activity was not significantly inhibited during the experiment. Taken together, the data suggest that the caged fish were exposed, at least transiently, to CYP1A inducers and ChE inhibitors, which is consistent with our previous observations.     

Frictional sliding in serpentine at very high pressure

Using a new four-channel system for detecting acoustic emissions in a multianvil apparatus, we have assessed the pressure–temperature range for such emissions, as well as the role of dehydration, by deforming samples of extensively serpentinized peridotite. We show that in the absence of dehydration and for samples initially faulted at low pressure, acoustic emissions occurred well outside the expected pressure–temperature field of unassisted brittle failure. Emissions were also detected during and after dehydration of serpentine. Microstructures of post-run specimens revealed fault slip with offsets up to ~ 500 μm, regardless of whether or not dehydration took place. Dehydration appears to effectively stop slip on pre-existing faults and create new ones. Analysis of P-wave travel times from the four sensors confirmed that the acoustic emissions originated within the specimen during fault slip. These observations suggest that earthquakes can be triggered by slip along an existing fault containing serpentine under significantly higher pressure and temperature conditions than previously thought possible without dehydration.     

Disector自动测量及其三维可视化系统

本文介绍了自行开发的解决Diseetor应用问题的计算机图像处理软件系统及关键技术、算法。本系统能依照Disector原理对多层组织细胞的电镜及光镜图像中的目标进行正确的分割,各层之间图像的人工交互及自动配准。针对每个目标的上下层关系实现目标的Disector自动计数及参数计算,并对每个目标进行体数据的提取和三维重建显示,通过切片级表面重建出曲面表面,再借助OpenGL的显示功能把曲面显示出来。使用Disector分析系统对多种粒子(细胞等)进行三维分析,可以简化寻找新出现粒子的过程,克服切片采集过程中的形变,在统计分析之后,立体地观察粒子结构,能够使操作者从繁琐的手工操作中解脱出来。自动统计新出现的粒子。文中同时还给出了用该系统对小白鼠神经细胞个数的Disector分析,肾小球个数统计分析和三维重建显示实例。     

Evaluation of Estrogenic Activity and Measurement of EDCs in Wastewater Treatment Plants

1IntroductionDuringthe past several years,concern hasincreasedover the potential pollution of watershed by estrogeniccompounds,including steroidal hormones fromhumanand ani mal sources.Effluents from wastewater treat-ment plants are sources of endocrine-d…     

Titanium- and water-rich metamorphic olivine in high-pressure serpentinites from the Voltri Massif (Ligurian Alps,Italy): evidence for deep subduction of high-field strength and fluid-mobile elements

Titanium- and water-rich metamorphic olivine (Fo 86–88) is reported from partially dehydrated serpentinites from the Voltri complex, Ligurian Alps. The rocks are composed of mostly antigorite and olivine in addition to magnetite, chlorite, clinopyroxene and Ti-clinohumite. In situ secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) data show that metamorphic olivine has very high and strongly correlated H₂O (up to 0.7 wt%) and TiO₂ contents (up to 0.85 wt%). Ti-rich olivine shows colourless to yellow pleochroism. Olivine associated with Ti-clinohumite contains low Ti, suggesting that Ti-rich olivine is not the breakdown product of Ti-clinohumite. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) absorption spectra show peaks of serpentine, Ti-clinohumite and OH-related Si vacancies. Combining FTIR and SIMS data, we suggest the presence of clustered planar defects or nanoscale exsolutions of Ti-clinohumite in olivine. These defects or exsolutions contain more H₂O (x ~ 0.1 in the formula 4Mg₂SiO₄·(1?x)Mg(OH,F)₂·xTiO₂) than Ti-clinohumite in the sample matrix (x = 0.34–0.46). In addition to TiO₂ and H₂O, secondary olivine contains significant Li (2–60 ppm), B (10–20 ppm), F (10–130 ppm) and Zr (0.9–2.1 ppm). It is enriched in ¹¹B (δ¹¹B = +17 to +23 ‰). Our data indicate that secondary olivine may play a significant role in transporting water, high-field strength and fluid-mobile elements into the deeper mantle as well as introduce significant B isotope anomalies. Release of hydrogen from H₂O-rich olivine subducted into the deep mantle may result in strongly reduced mantle domains.     

Lower crustal melting and the role of open-system processes in the genesis of syn-orogenic quartz diorite–granite–leucogranite associations: constraints from Sr–Nd–O isotopes from the Bandombaai Complex, Namibia

The Bandombaai Complex (southern Kaoko Belt, Namibia) consists of three main intrusive rock types including metaluminous hornblende- and sphene-bearing quartz diorites, allanite-bearing granodiorites and granites, and peraluminous garnet- and muscovite-bearing leucogranites. Intrusion of the quartz diorites is constrained by a U–Pb zircon age of 540±3 Ma.

Quartz diorites, granodiorites and granites display heterogeneous initial Nd- and O isotope compositions (_{Nd (540 Ma)}=−6.3 to −19.8; δ¹⁸O=9.0–11.6‰) but rather low and uniform initial Sr isotope compositions (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_initial=0.70794–0.70982). Two leucogranites and one aplite have higher initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.70828–0.71559), but similar initial _Nd (−11.9 to −15.8) and oxygen isotope values (10.5–12.9‰). The geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the Bandombaai Complex are distinct from other granitoids of the Kaoko Belt and the Central Zone of the Damara orogen. Our study suggests that the quartz diorites of the Bandombaai Complex are generated by melting of heterogeneous mafic lower crust. Based on a comparison with results from amphibolite-dehydration melting experiments, a lower crustal garnet- and amphibole-bearing metabasalt, probably enriched in K₂O, is a likely source rock for the quartz diorites. The granodiorites/granites show low Rb/Sr (<0.6) ratios and are probably generated by partial melting of meta-igneous (intermediate) lower crustal sources by amphibole-dehydration melting. Most of the leucogranites display higher Rb/Sr ratios (>1) and are most likely generated by biotite-dehydration melting of heterogeneous felsic lower crust. All segments of the lower crust underwent partial melting during the Pan-African orogeny at a time (540 Ma) when the middle crust of the central Damara orogen also underwent high T, medium P regional metamorphism and melting. Geochemical and isotope data from the Bandombaai Complex suggest that the Pan-African orogeny in this part of the orogen was not a major crust-forming episode. Instead, even the most primitive rock types of the region, the quartz diorites, represent recycled lower crustal material.     

Effects of natural and calcined poultry waste on Cd, Pb and As mobility in contaminated soil

The reuse of waste materials as soil additives could be a welcome development in soil remediation. The mobility of Cd, Pb and As in a contaminated soil was investigated using natural and calcined poultry wastes (eggshell and chicken bone), CaCO₃ and CaO at different application rates (0, 1, 3 and 5 %). The chemical composition accompanied with mineralogical composition indicated that CaCO₃ and CaO were the major components in natural and calcined eggshells, respectively, while hydroxyapatite (HAP) dominated the natural and calcined chicken bones. The results showed that soil pH tended to increase in response to increasing application rates of all soil additives. The effectiveness of the additives in reducing Cd, Pb and As mobility was assessed by means of chemical extractions with 0.1 N HCl for Cd and Pb or 1 N HCl for As, according to Korean Standard Test (KST) method. Both calcined eggshell and chicken bone were equally effective with CaO or CaCO₃ in reducing the concentration of 0.1 N HCl-extractable Cd from 6.17 mg kg^?1 to below warning level of 1.5 mg kg^?1, especially at the highest application rate. The application of calcined eggshell, CaO and CaCO₃ also decreased the concentration of 0.1 N HCl-extractable Pb from 1,012 mg kg^?1 to below warning level of 100 mg kg^?1. The Pb concentration decreased significantly with an increasing application rate of chicken bone, but remained above warning level even at the highest application rate. On the contrary, natural and calcined chicken bones led to a significant increase in the mobility of As when compared with the control soil. These findings illustrate that calcined eggshell in particular is equally effective as pure chemical additives in stabilizing Cd and Pb in a contaminated agricultural soil. The presence of As in metal-contaminated soils should be taken into consideration when applying phosphate-containing materials as soil additives, because phosphate can compete with arsenate on adsorption sites and result in As mobilization.     

Modelling Korean extreme rainfall using a Kappa distribution and maximum likelihood estimate

Summary Attempts to use the 4-parameter Kappa distribution (K4D) with the maximum likelihood estimates (MLE) on the summer extreme daily rainfall data at 61 gauging stations over South Korea have been made to obtain reliable quantile estimates for several return periods. A numerical algorithm for searching MLE of K4D by minimizing the negative log-likelihood function with penalty method has been described. The isopluvial maps of estimated design values corresponding to selected return periods have been presented. The highest return values are centered at sites in the south-western part of the Korean peninsula. The distribution of return values for annual maxima of 2-day precipitation (AMP2) is more similar to the climatological features of annual total precipitation of Korea than that of annual maxima of daily precipitation (AMP1). Our results of return values delineate well the horizontal patterns of the heavy precipitation over the Korean peninsula. Received January 15, 2001 Revised October 8, 2001     

Climate-change driven range shifts of anchovy biomass projected by bio-physical coupling individual based model in the marginal seas of East Asia

Recent studies in the western North Pacific reported a declining standing stock biomass of anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) in the Yellow Sea and a climate-driven southward shift of anchovy catch in Korean waters. We investigated the effects of a warming ocean on the latitudinal shift of anchovy catch by developing and applying individual-based models (IBMs) based on a regional ocean circulation model and an IPCC climate change scenario. Despite the greater uncertainty, our two IBMs projected that, by the 2030s, the strengthened Tsushima warm current in the Korea Strait and the East Sea, driven by global warming, and the subsequent confinement of the relatively cold water masses within the Yellow Sea will decrease larval anchovy biomass in the Yellow Sea, but will increase it in the Korea Strait and the East Sea. The decreasing trend of anchovy biomass in the Yellow Sea was reproduced by our models, but further validation and enhancement of the models is required together with extended ichthyoplankton surveys to understand and reliably project range shifts of anchovy and the impacts such range shifts will have on the marine ecosystems and fisheries in the region.     

Extending the conversation on socially engaged geographic visualization: representing spatial inequality in Buffalo,New York

This paper is situated at the intersections among GIS and geovisualization, critical social theory, and urban studies. It presents an analysis of housing segregation and unequal food and transportation access in Buffalo, New York. We demonstrate how the representation and examination of this socially complex multi-scalar issue benefits from deliberate, reflexive conversation between different critical social-spatial epistemologies. We begin with a relatively simple GIS analysis of spatial segregation and arrive through critical iteration at a more qualitatively nuanced cartogram which moves beyond representations of fixed space to reveal a much more relational situation—a case of “time-space expansion” in which the travel time needed to meet a basic daily need is much greater for the poor and people of color than it is for whiter, more affluent populations. We conclude by infusing this narrative with additional considerations from social theory to show how even a limited visualization such as ours might better critically engage broader social and discursive processes in and across urban space.