Cloning of a chub metallothionein cDNA and development of competitive RT-PCR of chub metallothionein mRNA as a potential biomarker of heavy metal exposure

Metallothionein has been assayed in a range of aquatic animal tissues as an indicator of metal exposure. We sequenced chub (Leuciscus cephalus) metallothionein cDNA which showed over 90% homology to common carp, goldfish and stone loach and 77% homology to rainbow trout sequences for metallothionein. We then used the extended primer method to develop an accurate quantitative competitive RT-PCR assay for metallothionein mRNA. RT-PCR was used to measure metallothionein mRNA in feral chub from a range of field sites, with different levels of heavy metal pollution, in the West Midlands, UK. Measurements were complemented by analysis of liver and gill metallothionein protein by capillary electrophoresis. There was no significant difference in the metallothionein protein levels between fish of different rivers and there was no evidence of elevation of mRNA at the sites of highest metal exposure. The level of metal exposure (e.g. zinc, nickel and cadmium each ranging between 15 and 28 microg/l ) at the pH (7.5-8.5) of these rivers appears insufficient to elevate hepatic or gill metallothionein in chub. A lack of elevation of hepatic metallothionein mRNA in chub exposed to zinc, copper and manganese for 24 h and 10 days in the laboratory also suggests a non-responsiveness of this species.     

Phytoremediation of small-scale oil spills in fresh marsh environments: a mesocosm simulation

Research was conducted to assess the impact of oiling on fresh-marsh plant communities and to test the efficacy of techniques that may be used to enhance the bioremediation of crude oil spills in these environments while minimizing secondary anthropogenic impacts. To emulate field conditions, a mesocosm facility was used that houses 120 mesocosm vessels, each of 200-1 capacity. A five-way factorial treatment arrangement was used that included two substrates (inorganic, organic), two nutrient regimes (fertilized, not fertilized), two aeration levels (substrate aeration, no aeration), three oiling concentrations (0-, 5-, 10-1 m(-2) of South Louisiana Sweet Crude oil), and four vascular plant species (Alternanthera philoxeroides, Panicum hemitomon, Phragmites australis, Sagittaria lancifolia, and an unplanted control). Under the 5- and 10-1 m(-2) oiling concentrations, S. lancifolia displayed a short-term response of increased productivity, whereas P. hemitomon had the highest biomass production and photosynthetic rates at the end of the 18-month experiment. Overall plant growth and productivity, as well as oil degradation, were significantly higher in the inorganic substrate, indicating that biodegradation of oil spills in organic substrates may require a longer time period. Time-released fertilizer also stimulated plant productivity and resulted in higher soil respiratory quotients, suggestive of greater microbial activity, particularly in aerated mesocosms. The amount of oil remaining after 18 months was lowest in aerated and fertilized mesocosms containing either P. hemitomon or S. lancifolia and a substrate of low organic matter content.     

Sediment oxygen profiles in a super-oxygenated antarctic lake

Perennially ice-covered lakes are found in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. In contrast to temperate lakes that have diurnal photic periods, antarctic (and arctic) lakes have a yearly photic period. An unusual feature of the antarctic lakes is the occurrence of O2 at supersaturated levels in certain portions of the water column. Here we report the first sediment O2 profiles obtained using a microelectrode from a perennially ice-covered antarctic lake. Sediment cores collected in January and October 1987 from Lake Hoare in Taylor Valley show oxygenation down to 15, and in some cases, 25 cm. The oxygenation of sediments several centimeters below the sediment-water interface is atypical for lake sediments and may be characteristic of perennially ice-covered lakes. There is a significant difference between the observed January and October sediment O2 profiles. Several explanations may account for the difference, including seasonality. A time-dependent model is presented which tests the feasibility of a seasonal cycle resulting from the long photoperiod and benthic primary production in sediments overlain by a highly oxygenated water column.     

Regional trends in crude birth,death, and natural increase rates in Russia and the USSR: 1897-1989

"This paper establishes and discusses briefly regional patterns and trends in crude birth, death, and natural increase rates in Russia and the USSR from the turn of the century to 1989. The study is based on a comparable regional framework and placed in the context of the demographic transition theory. It discusses sources, collection, and quality of data, as well as necessary estimating procedures. An attempt also is made to examine briefly regional age-standardized rates."     

浅论新疆海相火山热水沉积矿床的分带及其找矿意义

新疆海相火山热水沉积矿床，一般在时间上没有明显的集中生长期。空间上依附于活动大陆边缘火山岛弧带，它在区域上和矿床本身具有矿种转化、类型转换、配套与分带特征。以块状氧化物、块状碳酸盐和块状硫化物转换序次来研究该类矿床。利用铁木尔特铅锌矿上部铅锌下部铜金，预须开普台铁矿上铁下铜；莫托沙拉铁锰矿上锰下铁中间铅锌重晶石等矿种转化规律和由块状氧化物和块状碳酸盐向块状硫化物成生过渡特点，预测诸如蒙库铁矿、赤龙峰火山盆地中铁矿和喀喇昆仑山各铁矿床(点)外围与深部转换、发展成为铜金矿的成矿前景。     

大地水准面高和垂线偏差截断系数的递推公式

基于日本的获原子幸男大地水准面高截断系数Ｑｎ（ｔ）和垂线偏差Ｃｏｏｋ截断系数ｑｎ（ｔ）的递推公式，本文推导了惯用大地水准面高截断系数Ｑｎ（ψ０）和垂线偏差截断系数Ｒｎ（ψ０）的递推公式，并列出了利用最小平方逼近方法改化Ｓｔｏｋｅｓ积分核以加速级数收敛的公式和改化后的截断系数。     

外空扰动引力分量核函数的改化

Ｍｏｌｏｄｅｎｓｋｙ最早提出了利用最小平方逼近的方法对Ｓｔｏｋｅｓ积分核进行改化以减小外区积分的截断误差，基迂个思想，许厚泽在文献中把截断系数的解算归结为解一组ｍ次一代数方程组。本文将此方法推广到扰动引力分量的计算中，并分析了改化积分核的作用，理论分析的结果与实算结果相一致。通过改化后扰动引力分量截断系数Ｑ１ｎＲ１ｎ的量级大大减小，说明截断误差大为降低，同时也表明引逼近方法对扰动引力分量来说明样是     

微量物质对海洋的大气输入

在过去的十年中，显而易见，大气是许多自然物质和污染物从大陆输送到海洋的重要途径。这些物质的大气输入对海洋生物过程和海洋化学循环有正或负的影响。例如：很明显，大气是许多区域的重要营养成分如铁，氮等的重要输送途径。在本报告中，我们评价了这些地区的期的数据，发展向海洋的微量元素，矿物气溶胶，含氮物质合成有机物的大气通量的全球范围的估算值；比较了这些物质通过大气和河流输入的海洋比率。     

单支点桩锚支护结构中土层参数的分算与合算

以单支点桩锚支护结构为例,应用等值梁法和自由端法对土层参数分别采用分算与合算两种方法进行计算,结果表明:当各土层参数差异较大时,采用分算与合算计算得出的插入深度、支点力、最大弯矩等参数均相差较大,且对支护结构的设计精度有较大的影响;从计算的结果可以看出,选用自由端分层法计算得到的结果较为合理.