Estrogenic responses of larval sunshine bass (Morone saxatilis x M. Chrysops) exposed to New York City sewage effluent

To determine the estrogenicity of effluents from sewage treatment plants (STPs) to larval fish, 2-day-old sunshine bass were exposed to effluents from three STPs serving New York City (NYC), varying in size and treatment level. Estrogenic response was evaluated by measuring vitellogenin (VTG) and estrogen receptor (ER) expression in cytosolic fractions of whole body homogenates. Concentrations of the presumptive endocrine disruptors in the effluents were also measured. VTG and ER levels in sewage-exposed fish were 3-5 times that observed in controls. Combined concentrations of estradiol and estrone ranged from 5 to 13 ng/l and nonylphenol-ethoxylate metabolites (NPEOs: 4-nonylphenol, and 1-, 2-, and 3-nonylphenol-ethoxylates) ranged from 180 to 470 microg/l in chlorinated effluent. Results indicate that both ER and VTG can be used as biomarkers for endocrine disruption in larval fish, and that 4-day exposure to sewage effluent is sufficient to elicit significant expression of these markers in sunshine bass larvae. The extremely higher concentrations of NPEOs found in effluent relative to hormones (approximately 40,000-fold) indicates that surfactant metabolites may be contributing significantly to the estrogenic effects observed.     

The concentration and isotopic composition of carbon in basaltic glasses from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, Pacific Ocean

The abundance and 13C/12C ratios of carbon were analyzed in basaltic glass from twenty locations along the Juan de Fuca Ridge using a 3-step combustion/extraction technique. Carbon released during the first two combustion steps at 400-500 degrees C and 600-650 degrees C is interpreted to be secondary, and only the carbon recovered during a final combustion step at approximately 1200 degrees C is thought to be indigenous to the samples. For carbon released at approximately 1200 degrees C, glasses analyzed as 1-2 mm chips contained 23-146 ppm C with delta 13C values of -4.8 to -9.3%, whereas samples crushed to 38-63 microns or 63-90 microns yielded 56-103 ppm C with delta 13C values of -6.1 to -9.2%. The concentrations and isotopic compositions of the primary carbon dissolved in the glasses and present in the vesicles are similar to those previously reported for other ocean-ridge basalts. The Juan de Fuca basaltic magmas were not in equilibrium with respect to carbon when they erupted and quenched on the sea floor. Evidence of disequilibrium includes (1) a large range of carbon contents among glasses collected at similar depths, (2) a highly variable calculated carbon isotopic fractionation between melt and vapor determined by comparing crushed and uncrushed splits of the same sample, and (3) a lack of correlation between vesicle abundance, carbon concentration, and depth of eruption. Variations in carbon concentration and delta 13C ratios along the ridge do not correlate with major element chemistry. The observed relationship between carbon concentrations and delta 13C values may be explained by late-stage, variable degrees of open-system (Rayleigh-like) degassing.     

Measurements in N2-CH4(C2H2) discharges of reaction rates and thermochemical constants for Titan atmosphere study

The kinetic reactions in N2-xCH4(C2H2) gas discharges with x less than 1% have been studied by emission spectroscopy in the afterglow of D.C. discharges and by mass spectroscopy from radiolysis ionization using alpha particles. The pressure range is from several Torr to 100 Torr. At the end of N2 D.C. discharges at room temperature, for a residence time of about 10(-2) s, the dominant active species are the N atoms with density of 10(14)-10(15) cm-3 for N2 density of about 10(17) cm-3 (3 Torr), the N2(X,V) vibrational molecules with for example [N2(X,V = 10)] approximately 10(14) cm-3 and the electronic metastable molecules N2(A 3 sigma u +) with a density of 10(12) cm-3. In such conditions, the following kinetic reactions have been studied: N2(A) + N2(A) --> N2(C,B,V') + N2(X), N2(A) + N2(X,V>5) --> N2(X) + N2(B,V') in pure N2 post-discharges and N2(A) + CH4 --> products, C + N + M2 --> CN(B,V') + M2, N2(X,V>4) + CN --> N2(X) + CN(B,A,V'), in N2-1% CH4 post-discharges. The clustering reactions of N2-(1-5%)CH4(C2H2) gas mixtures after radiolysis ionization have been studied for the H2CN+ nN2 ions and the equilibrium constants have been determined in the temperature range T = 140-300 K.     

精心打造天气预报——电视天气预报节目定位与创意

电视天气预报是气象科技顺应时代发展而开辟的新型服务方式.它虽然每天只播放几分钟,但它的固有因素相对于其它栏目要多,在这样短的时间内表达大量的信息,且与观众的生活息息相关.因此要把握和利用好这几分钟,就能使天气预报节目成为服务于社会生活的桥梁,成为气象和人们群众相联系的纽带.     

极点和零点——数字地震学基础(英文,续4)

9 数字地震图的反演和仿真滤波 前面讨论的主要是滤波器问题,也就是已知系统特性时,对任意输入信号系统的输出.下面,将讨论仿真问题,即将数字记录转变为其他不同地震仪的记录.这个问题很重要,因为它能使我们用已经习惯的观测系统的处理方式来处理地震纪录.仿真主要针对一些标准的仪器类型进行.由于仪器的类型不止一种,所以在分析不同类型的地震波时必须考虑仪器的类型.例如,许多地震学家认为,对于高频的近震体波,短周期仪器(A类)的记录最易于分析;长周期的体波和远震的面波,长周期仪器(B类)的记录最易于分析;而区域范围内地震的体波和面波,则中等周期仪器(C类)的记录最合适.另外,伍德-安德森地震仪在确定近震震级方面具有特殊的历史地位.     

极点和零点①——数字地震学基础(英文,续完)

10 数字地震图的波形参数测量 常规地震图的处理所测定的信号参数并不多,如初动时间、振幅、上升时间、波形宽度、信号矩以及特殊波组的初动方向(见图10.1).     

利用GIS进行山西地区的震害快速预测

引言 一个地区在发生大地震后，如何快速地预测出地震所造成的经济损失，为政府决策和抗震减灾提供早期依据？传统的评估方法是地震部门派出考察组对灾区损失进行评估，虽然评估数字比较准确，但作为宏观决策的依据相对滞后；同样，如果对一个较大范围进行震害预测，往往要收集较详细的建筑设施分类数据，但对于经济发展快速的地区，数据的更新往往很困难，如何及时搜集和更新得到地震损失估计的结果？ 针对以上问题，陈颙院士研究了新的地震危险性分析和震害预测方法，概括说来就是两点：利用地震活动性资料代替传统的潜在震源进行地震危险…