Sample Disturbance in Soft and Sensitive Clays: Analysis and Assessment

Despite the sophisticated methods employed to obtain high quality samples, they are prone to disturbance, due to stress release, let apart, due to sampling tools and techniques adopted. Critical reappraisal of different methods suggest that any method of sample quality assessment involving strength and deformation parameters would enable easier implementation and correct other engineering parameters for estimated sample disturbance. In this technical paper, sample disturbance index, using merely the slopes of compression paths, (representing mechanical response), in the pre- and post-yield stress regimes under odeometric loading conditions is proposed. This method is based on single oedometer test results on samples of unknown degrees of disturbance during sampling and handling. The unique feature of this approach is that the ideal rigid plastic material behavior is taken as reference. This eliminates the need for any additional experimental data or any calculations from the relationships formulated with any set of assumptions.     

The DNA de-methylating agent 5-azacytidine does not restore CYP1A induction in PCB resistant Newark Bay killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Newark Bay (NB) killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) have been chronically exposed to environmental contaminants that activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and are tolerant to toxic effects and CYP1A induction provoked by AHR ligands. Resistance to CYP1A induction could be due to an epigenetic mechanism such as DNA methylation. We measured in-ovo CYP1A catalytic activity (ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase, EROD) in NB and reference site killifish embryos aqueously exposed to various concentrations of the de-methylating agent 5-azacytidine, 5-AC (5, 50 and 500 μ(micro)M) with or without 0.2 μ(micro)g/l of the CYP1A inducer 3,3^′,4,4^′,5 pentachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC PCB126). Neither PCB126 alone, nor PCB126 plus 5-AC, induced EROD above levels in vehicle treated Newark Bay fish. In reference site fish, the same PCB126 dose provoked a 7.4-fold EROD induction relative to controls. We conclude that Newark Bay killifish are resistant to CYP1A induction by co-planar PCBs during early embryological development and our data suggests that DNA methylation does not play a critical role in resistance to CYP1A induction in this model.     

A Preliminary Study of Shear Wave in Seafloor Surface Sediments

This article preliminarily reports and analyses the transmission characteristics and behaviors of shear wave in the offshore seafloor surface sediments in China, discusses the relationships between the physical and mechanical features of the shear wave and the compression wave, and compares the testing results with that of Hamilton and Chen et al. The result shows that the shear wave can be tested if the seafloor surface sediment has tangent modulus. The shear wave velocity ranges from 50-600 m/s and the measuring frequency from 50-200 kHz. The sound velocity rate of shear wave and compression wave can be used to appraise the stress-strain feature of seafloor surface sediments. This study provides a basis for further describing and appraising the seafloor sedimentary acoustic-mechanical feature and building a geological-acoustic model on China's offshore sea area.     

无机碳与雨生红球藻(Haematococcus pluvialis)细胞调节物质

以单细胞雨生红球藻为材料，采用酸碱滴定和CO2加富通气培养微藻的方法，对旧液中HCO3^-和CO3^2-浓度变化以及对红球藻细胞生长的影响进行了研究。结果表明，旧液具有限制红球藻细胞生长和诱导细胞转化的作用。同时，旧液中无机碳离子浓度明显高于新液。培养液中富含CO3^2-时，各细胞数量与CO3^2-浓度呈正相关，相关系数为0．88。溶液中仅有HCO3^-时，各细胞数与HCO3^-浓度也呈正相关性。因此，排除了CO3^2-和HCO3^-作为旧液中的调节物质，限制红球藻细胞生长和诱导细胞转化的可能性。旧液乙酸乙酯提取物生物检测实验表明，在粗提取物中有降低细胞增长和诱导细胞转化的活性，表明调节物质能溶于有机相，也反过来证实无机碳离子不是旧液中的调节物质。DNA含量和倍性分析结果表明，红球藻游动细胞DNA复制可以加倍后不经过原生质分裂就可以再次进行，因此推测旧液中的调节物质对原生质分裂过程产生抑制作用，而不对DNA复制过程产生抑制作用。     

威海地区高压岩石组合及其成因演化

利用矿物地质温压计估算变质高峰期温压条件、退变质作用温压条件。研究表明,本区为鲁苏构造带的北延部分,代表本区晚元古代华南陆块与华北陆块的碰撞及三叠纪华北陆块向华南陆块推覆事件的发生和演化。