Effect of exposure to benzo[a]pyrene on SODs, CYP1A1/1A2- and CYP2E1 immunopositive proteins in the blood clam Scapharca inaequivalvis

The effects of water-borne exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (36 h; celite-bound 0.44 mg L(-1) B[a]P) on cytochrome P450 (CYP) and superoxide dismutases (SODs) were examined in digestive gland of the blood clam, Scapharca inaequivalvis. B[a]P accumulation and elimination were rapid, with maximum whole-body concentrations of 1.78 ng g(-1) wet wt after 12 h of treatment, followed by a progressive decline to 0.89 ng g(-1) at 36 h. The presence of B[a]P resulted in an increase in total CYP of digestive gland microsomes from 54+/-14 to 108+/-21 pmol/mg protein (mean+/-SD; p<0.05, 24 h). Increases were also seen in microsomal CYP1A1/1A2-immunopositive protein (50.5 kDa app. mol. wt; p<0.05), but not CYP2E1-immunopositive protein (49 kDa app. mol. wt.), indicating a specific response of the former isoform. Exposure to B[a]P produced a steady increase in Mn-SOD digestive gland activity (p<0.01; p<0.05) but no significant change in Cu/Zn-SOD activity. The respective proteins, measured by western blotting, were not significant induced after B[a]P exposure. Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD activities were correlated with total CYP levels (r=0.96 and 0.63, respectively), indicating a role for CYP in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during exposure. Both 'NADPH-independent' and NADPH-dependent metabolism of B[a]P by digestive gland microsomes was seen, producing mainly 1,6-, 3,6- and 6,12-diones, with some phenols and 7,8-dihydrodiol; putative protein adducts were also formed. Redox cycling of the diones may also have contributed to ROS production, leading to the increased SOD activities.     

Molecular characterizations of oxytetracycline resistant bacteria and their resistance genes from mariculture waters of China

Oxytetracycline-resistant bacteria were isolated from a mariculture farm in China, and accounted for 32.23% and 5.63% of the total culturable microbes of the sea cucumber and the sea urchin rearing waters respectively. Marine vibrios, especially strains related to Vibrio splendidus or V. tasmaniensis, were the most abundant resistant isolates. For oxytetracycline resistance, tet(A), tet(B) and tet(D) genes were detected in both sea cucumber and sea urchin rearing ponds. The dominant resistance type for V. tasmaniensis-like strains was the combination of both tet(A) and tet(B) genes, while the major resistance type for V. splendidus-like strains was a single tet(D) gene. Most of the sea cucumber tet-positive isolates harbored a chloramphenicol-resistance gene, either cat IV or cat II, while only a few sea urchin tet-positive isolates harbored a cat gene, actually cat IV. The coexistence of tet and cat genes in the strains isolated from the mariculture farm studied was helpful in explaining some of the multi-resistance mechanisms.     

Anthropogenic iodine-129 in the Arctic Ocean and Nordic Seas: numerical modeling and prognoses

A numerical model simulation has been used to predict extent and variability in the anthropogenic (129)I pollution in the Arctic Ocean and Nordic Seas region over a period of 100 years. The source function of (129)I used in the model is represented by a well-known history of discharges from the Sellafield and La Hague nuclear reprocessing facilities. The simulations suggest a fast transport and large inventory of the anthropogenic (129)I in the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans. In a fictitious case of abrupt stop of the discharges, a rapid decline of inventories is observed in all compartments except the North Atlantic Ocean, the deep Nordic Seas and the deep Arctic Ocean. Within 15 years after the stop of releases, the model prediction indicates that near-equilibrium conditions are reached in all compartments.     

Short-term effects of the prestige oil spill on the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)

We have monitored the distribution, population status, breeding success, turnover rate and diet of a Peregrine Falcon population in Bizkaia (North of Spain) since 1997. On the 13th November 2002, the tanker Prestige sunk off La Coruña (NW Spain) causing an oil spill that affected the whole of the Cantabrian Coast and the Southwest of France. The total number of birds affected by the Prestige oil spill was expected to be between 115,000 and 230,000, some of them raptors. The loss of clutches during the incubation period increased significantly and was correlated with the loss of females. Moreover, the turnover rate of the population increased from 21% to 30%. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in the eggs, collected from five nests after they were deserted, ranged from 21.20 ng/g to 461.08 ng/g, values which are high enough to cause the death of the embryos and poisoning of adult birds. The effects of pollution reached inland since some inland-breeding falcons prey on shorebirds that use rivers during their migratory flights. As the Prestige oil spill has clearly resulted in increased rates of adult mortality and reduced fertility, we suggest that the environmental authorities urgently undertake measures aimed at protecting the Peregrine Falcon in Bizkaia.     

Analysis of recent vessel arrivals and ballast water discharge in Alaska: toward assessing ship-mediated invasion risk

Ships are a dominant vector for biological invasions through ballast water discharge (BWD) and hull fouling. Here, we provide a first comprehensive analysis of shipping in Alaska, summarizing (a) the number, type and origin of vessel arrivals to Alaska for 2003 and 2004, (b) the spatial and temporal variation in vessel traffic, and (c) the available data on ballast water discharge in order to prioritize locations for tracking biological invasions. Most arrivals were passenger vessels, followed by ferries and fishing vessels, all of which carried little ballast water. Regional and seasonal patterns in arrivals and BWD were unevenly distributed among vessel types. The majority of vessels reporting BWD were from foreign ports, and most of this ballast was untreated. The largest volumes of ballast were from tankers at Valdez and Kenai Peninsula ports. Although Alaska has few documented invasions, opportunities for ship-mediated transfer now appear high and warrant further scrutiny.     

龙门山北段平通河流域地貌演化过程

龙门山位于青藏高原东缘,是青藏高原周缘山脉中陡度变化最大的山脉,也是全球气候和构造活动最为强烈的地区之一,因此成为研究构造、气候如何影响山脉地貌演化过程这一科学问题的良好素材。在位于龙门山北段的平通河流域,汶川地震导致该区强烈的隆升、剥蚀作用,对研究该区地貌演化过程具有重要的启示意义。通过对平通河流域基于DEM数据的地形坡度、水系分布、河流发育程度等的分析,并综合研究区构造特征和岩性特征,获得该流域不同区域的地貌演化方向,其中两个区域的地貌演化最为剧烈:1.平通河流域位于北川-映秀断裂和彭灌断裂之间的地区,未来将发生较快的隆升,地貌向高、陡的方向演化,河流下切作用使河谷两岸形成更加陡峭的地形;2.在北川-映秀断裂上盘附近地区,在构造和气候作用下侵蚀、搬运作用强烈,山体将被快速剥蚀削低,但在河谷两岸也会形成更加陡峭的地形。     

Middle Jurassic Coptoclavidae (Insecta:Coleoptera:Dytiscoidea) from China:a Good Example of Mosaic Evolution

<正>Adults of the aquatic coptoclavid beetles(Coleoptera:Adephaga:Dytiscoidea),described from four Middle Jurassic fossil localities in Inner Mongolia and Liaoning in northeastern China,are attributed to Daohugounectes primitives Wang,Ponomarenko and Zhang,2009,which was previously proposed after study of larvae.The generic name Timarchopsis Brauer,Redtenbacher and Ganglbauer,1889 is proposed as a substitute for the preoccupied and junior homonym Necronectes Ponomarenko,1977,non Milne-Edwards,1881. Furthermore,the subfamily name Necronectinae Ponomarenko,1977 is substituted by the available name Timarchopsinae.Daohugounectes is placed into Timarchopsinae because its adults have long,slightly apically widened tibiae and small femoral plates.The adults of this genus differ from those of other Timarchopsinae in the following features:antennae short and widened in the middle part;basal segments of protarsi not cut apically; metaventrite with a triangular plate.The larvae look like somewhat primitive forms in the subfamily Timarchopsinae.In contrast to these primitive larvae,the adults with some advanced characters can be regarded as among the most advanced forms in the subfamily Timarchopsinae,and probably represent a transition between the Timarchopsinae and Charanoscaphinae.Such mosaic evolution within Daohugounectes indicates that the evolutionary process of aquatic beetles is far more complex than previously thought.     

Jurassic Amber in Lebanon

<正>Reports of amber predating the Lower Cretaceous are unusual and scarce;they mostly refer to amber pieces of millimetric dimension.In the present study,we report the discovery of 10 new outcrops of Jurassic amber in Lebanon.Some of these had large centimetric-sized pieces of amber.The new localities are described,amber is characterized,and its infrared spectra given.Although the new Jurassic amber yielded to date no more than fungal inclusions,this material is significant and promising.The discovery of several Jurassic outcrops provides crucial information on the prevailing paleoenvironment of that time.     

苏鲁高压—超高压变质带南部花岗片麻岩—花岗岩的多时代演化

苏鲁高压－超高压变质带中，广泛分布有花岗片麻岩－花岗岩系列，有关其形成的时代和成因机制长期存在争议。岩石露头表现为强烈的片麻理，并且多数和榴辉岩及榴辉岩相岩石密切伴生。其岩石类型有变化，从斜长片麻岩－花岗闪长质片麻岩－二长花岗片麻岩演化到花岗岩。矿物和地球化学变化也较大。从残留的高压和超高压矿物及其退变质反应等。说明它们中有部分曾经历了高压－超高压变质作用。该变质部连云港地区4个二长花岗片麻岩－花岗岩岩体中精的单颗粒锆石，运用Pb-Pb法（质谱计双带源逐层发－沉积法）和U-Pb法（离子探针SHRIMP分析），获得的年龄值跨度大，从859Ma到150Ma，分别属于4个年龄段（时段），但是主要数据集中在600－859Ma和220－250Ma两个时段，锆石的形貌特征研究显示，这些花岗片麻岩－花岗岩是苏鲁高压变质带中长期演化的产物。其物质来源与古元古代，乃至太古变质表壳岩密切相关。元古代大量岩浆结晶型锆石指示了当时存在强烈的花岗岩浆活动，导致大量花岗岩类岩石的形成。古生代（加里东期）和中生代早期（印支期）分别经历了变质作用，尤其是印支期，至少一部分和榴辉岩源岩一起经历了高压－超高压变质作用，并且伴随有地壳部分熔融，引起又一次花岗岩浆活动，再生花岗岩，该区南部东海地区尤为明显，中生代晚期燕山期的岩浆，热液活动对花岗片麻岩也有影响，其中新元古代和印支期则是花岗片麻岩及至大别造山带中两个重要的地质构造时期。