Analysis of medaka cytochrome P450 3A homotropic and heterotropic cooperativity

We have previously demonstrated that medaka CYP3A is associated with metabolism of several endobiotics including steroids and bile acids. In this study, we demonstrate that medaka CYP3A catalysis exhibits unusual kinetic behaviors consistent with allosteric interaction which cannot be described by hyperbolic kinetic models. Using 7-benzyloxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)-coumarin (BFC) and nonylphenol as CYP3A substrates, we describe both homotropic and heterotropic cooperative interactions. Given the role of CYP3A in maintaining the homeostatic balance for numerous endobiotics, enzymatic activation/inhibition by endocrine disruptors (EDCs) represents a putative (non-genomic) mechanism for endocrine disruption.     

Partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons between water and particles compared to bioaccumulation in mussels: a harbour case

Water and particles from three sites located in Halifax Harbour, near and further away from combined municipal sewage effluents (CMSE) were analysed for parental and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (par and alkPAH). Bioavailability of PAH was compared for inter-tidal mussels collected at the same sites in April and November. The PAH fingerprint determined over 9 sampling times covering a period of 19 months differed more between phases (water and particles) and seasons, than between sites. In the spring, more alkPAH associated with diesel and gasoline were detected in the soluble phase, along with more bioaccumulation of alkPAH in inter-tidal mussels. A broader number of parPAH were detected in mussels collected in the fall. The mean sum of dissolved alkPAH concentrations was higher in water at the site closer to raw CMSE than at the other two sites and particles of that site. However, lowest bioconcentration factors (BCF) were determined in mussels of this more contaminated site. Similar biota-particle accumulation factors (BPAF) were determined for parPAH in mussels from the three sites, all lower than the BCF of alkPAH. The study indicates that sewage treatment plants will reduce the amount of parPAH especially larger than fluoranthene and pyrene from being deposited in the harbour; that alk naphthalenes and fluorenes present in water will continue to be discharged; that the disturbance of sediments can make particle-bound PAH available to mussels.     

Cloning of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) genes from the hermaphrodite fish Rivulus marmoratus and the Japanese medaka Oryzias latipes

To use two small fish Rivulus marmoratus (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae) and the Japanese medaka Oryzias latipes (Belloniformes) as testing models in molecular ecotoxicology, we have cloned the cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) gene after screening of both genomic DNA libraries, and sequenced 11,863 and 7,243 bp including all the exons and introns with promoter regions, respectively. The Rivulus and the medaka CYP1A gene consisted of seven exons (including non-coding exons) with high homology to mammals. In the promoter region, Rivulus CYP1A gene has seven xenobiotic response elements (XREs) and two metal response elements (MREs), while the Japanese medaka CYP1A gene has six XREs and four MREs. Interestingly, medaka CYP1A gene has a number of MREs at the promoter, which may affect its response on metal exposure. We describe here the gene structure of both fish CYP1A genes.     

西北婆罗州深水区：活动褶皱冲断带中的烃类聚集

在西北婆罗州深水区，一个活动的海上褶皱冲断带内拥有大量已经证实的烃类聚集，相信继续的勘探活动还会发现相当可观的油气。在新近纪大规模褶皱冲断带中发现典型的圈闭几何形态是上盘背斜、前陆褶皱及隆起和逆断层下盘错动断开处。商业性钻井目标位于变形的中新统和上新统沉积地层中，其中充满的油气来自现今仍然活跃的含油气系统。此处主要面临的问题是避免钻探活动变形和近期隆起期间烃类已经排出的圈闭。构造变形阶段研究列出了控制圈闭形成史和烃类保存史的一些关键要素。本文目的是提供一个有关西北婆罗州深水区褶皱冲断带的总体看法，为今后这一地区的油气勘探介绍一些重要结果。     

制图教育在俄罗斯各综合大学的学术与教学课题

制图学教育在俄罗斯高等综合大学已有65年的历史(1929～1994),早在1929年制图专业就已在莫斯科大学地理系创建。当今在俄罗斯培养高技能制图员的综合大学有莫斯科大学、圣彼得堡大学、伊尔库茨克大学、伊热夫斯克大学、萨兰斯克大学、特维尔大学以及最近(1994年)刚刚获得工程技术综合大学地位的老牌国家测量制图高等学校——莫斯科测绘学院。     

缺少密度或孔隙度测定数据的块体堆积速率的计算

缺少密度或孔隙度测定数据的块体堆积速率的计算Ｔ．Ｊ．Ｓ．Ｓｙｋｅｓ等块体堆积速率（ＭＡＲ）计算已被应用于深海钻探计划（ＤＳＤＰ）和大洋钻探计划（ＯＤＰ）岩心，以研究大洋盆地的沉积物演化，或把ＭＡＲ数据分离成岩石学成分以决定方解石补偿深度（ＣＣＤ）的历...     

Observation of clouds and solar radiation over the Pacific Ocean as relation to global climate

ＯｂｓｅｒｖａｔｉｏｎｏｆｃｌｏｕｄｓａｎｄｓｏｌａｒｒａｄｉａｔｉｏｎｏｖｅｒｔｈｅＰａｃｉｆｉｃＯｃｅａｎａｓｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｔｏｇｌｏｂａｌｃｌｉｍａｔｅ￥ＦａｒｎＰａｒｕｎｇｏ；ＣｌａｒｅｎｃｅＮａｇａｍｏｔｏ；ＣｅｃｉｌｉａＭ．Ｉ．Ｒ．Ｇｉ...     

A quantitative analysis on the Egyptian Mediterranean waters

ＡｑｕａｎｔｉｔａｔｉｖｅａｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｎｔｈｅＥｇｙｐｔｉａｎＭｅｄｉｔｅｒｒａｎｅａｎｗａｔｅｒｓ￥Ｍ．Ａ．ＳａｉｄａｎｄＦ．Ｍ．Ｅｉｄ（ＲｅｃｅｉｖｅｄＳｅｐｔｅｍｂｅｒ２１，１９９３１ａｃｃｆｅｐｔｅｄＪａｎｕａｒｙ１５，１９９４）Ａｂｓ...     

Theoretical wind wave frequency spectra in shallow water

The method developed by Wen et al. (1988 a) for deriving theoretical wind wave frequency spectrum in deep water is extended to the case of water of finite depth, in which a parameter η=H/d is introduced, where H and d represent the average wave height and water depth respectively. The derived spectra reduce to those in deep water when η=0. The case of η=1/2 corresponds to waves impending to break because of the effect of the bottom. Simplified forms of spectra are given. The theoretical results agree with the observed spectra well.     

Assessing degradation capability of aerobic indigenous microflora in PAH-contaminated brackish sediments

A study was conducted to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) distribution and microbial population changes in brackish sediments from an Italian lagoon included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. The presence and level of PAH-degrading bacteria were estimated by the most probable number (MPN) enumeration technique, whereas degradation capability towards target compounds was checked against loss of spiked PAHs (Phenanthrene, Anthracene and Fluoranthene) in MPN tubes after incubation in optimal conditions. Chemical analyses and microbiological counts suggested a potential for PAHs biodegradation by natural occurring populations of sediment microorganisms, thus indicating an "optimal range" in sediment PAHs concentrations, outside of which the natural selection of the indigenous microflora did not occur. The MPN procedure here described, provided an effective and reliable way to simultaneously determine microbial population densities and subsequent confirmation of the biodegradation capability of sediment indigenous microflora when exposed to laboratory and environmental concentrations of PAHs.