The expression of CYP1A,vitellogenin and zona radiata proteins in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) after oral dosing with two commercial PBDE flame retardant mixtures: absence of short-term responses

The short-term effects of the commercial PBDE flame retardant mixtures Penta-BDE and cta-BDE on the expression of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A), vitellogenin (Vtg) and zona radiata proteins (Zrp) were investigated in juvenile salmon (Salmo salar). For this purpose, groups of fish were dosed twice (oral intake at days I and 4) with 10 and 50 mg/kg body weight of both commercial mixtures. The fishes were sacrificed at day 7 (n = 5 for each group) and 14 (n = 6 for each group), and blood, liver, fillet, and brain were collected. Blanks and positive controls were also part of the experiment. The expressions of Vtg, Zrp, and CYPIA were measured with several techniques (EROD, ELISA, Western, Northern and Slot Blot). The values in the groups of fish treated with Penta-BDE or Octa-BDE did not significantly differ from the reference group for any of the parameters tested. In contrast, the positive control groups treated with estradiol-17beta for Vtg and Zrp expression, and beta-naphthoflavone for CYP1A expression did show a significant response, indicating the potential sensitivity of the fishes for the parameters measured. Since the results of the chemical analyses showed concentrations of a number of PBDE congeners in liver, fillet, and brain that were about three orders of magnitude above those of fish from the North Sea, it is concluded that the short-term toxicity of both commercial PBDE mixtures for these endpoints was low.     

Cytochrome P450 differences in normal and imposex-affected female whelk Buccinum undatum from the open North Sea

Normal and imposex-affected female Buccinum undatum were sampled from the open North Sea at three locations, one with low, and two with high shipping densities. Cytochrome P450 components and P450 aromatase activity were determined in the microsomal fractions isolated from pooled digestive gland/gonads. Cytochrome P450 aromatase activity was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in normal females collected in the low shipping density area (1,325 +/- 295 fmol/h/mg protein) than levels from imposex animals from a high shipping density area (620 +/- 287 fmol/h/mg protein). A negative correlation was found between aromatase activity and organotin body burden (r = -0.99). Levels of CYP450, cytochrome b5 and NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity did not show differences among groups. This is the first field evidence of depressed aromatase activity in imposex affected females, although additional research under laboratory controlled conditions is required to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the development of imposex in this species.     

Residues of 14C-4n-nonylphenol in mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) oocytes and embryos during dietary exposure of mature females to this xenohormone

In order to assess in fish the maternal transfer of alkylphenolic compounds to the progeny, the identification and quantification of the labelled compounds present in oocytes and embryos was conducted after dietary exposure of mature female mosquitofish to 14C-4n-nonylphenol during vitellogenesis and embryogenesis respectively. Radioactivity found in bile and liver extracts accounted for 0.9-0.6 and 0.2-0.1% of ingested radioactivity for females exposed during vitellogenesis and embryogenesis respectively. The amount of extractable radioactivity present in oocytes and embryos was 0.19 and 0.07% of the ingested dose respectively. The radio-HPLC profiles obtained from bile, liver, oocyte and embryo extracts were similar. They showed the presence of 4n-NP-glucuronide as the major metabolite and traces of unchanged 4n-NP. The other metabolites corresponded to 8-hydroxynonylphenol, 9-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-nonanoic acid and para-hydroxybenzoic acid which is the final product of the alkyl chain oxidation. Our results indicate that exposure of ovoviviparous female fish to 4-NP during vitellogenesis and embryogenesis leads to the contamination of the progeny by 4-NP and its metabolites.     

Some observations on migration within and from the former USSR in the 1990s

"Patterns of population distribution revealed from 1989 census data are used to assess how future population movements could be affected by current political, social, and economic changes. Much migration in the USSR has reflected central planning decisions as much as the spontaneous decisions of individuals. To the extent that the influence of the command economy diminishes and a market economy emerges, major new directions of migration flows can be expected. The return of ethnic 'expatriates' to home republics can be expected to increase, as can economic migration to areas with favorably perceived economic prospects, and migration to Central and Western Europe."     

Integrated chronostratigraphy of Proterozoic-Cambrian boundary beds in the western Anabar region, northern Siberia

Carbonate-rich sedimentary rocks of the western Anabar region, northern Siberia, preserve an exceptional record of evolutionary and biogeochemical events near the Proterozoic/Cambrian boundary. Sedimentologically, the boundary succession can be divided into three sequences representing successive episodes of late transgressive to early highstand deposition; four parasequences are recognized in the sequence corresponding lithostratigraphically to the Manykal Formation. Small shelly fossils are abundant and include many taxa that also occur in standard sections of southeastern Siberia. Despite this coincidence of faunal elements, biostratigraphic correlations between the two regions have been controversial because numerous species that first appear at or immediately above the basal Tommotian boundary in southeastern sections have first appearances scattered through more than thirty metres of section in the western Anabar. Carbon- and Sr-isotopic data on petrographically and geochemically screened samples collected at one- to two-metre intervals in a section along the Kotuikan River, favour correlation of the Staraya Reckha Formation and most of the overlying Manykai Formation with sub-Tommotian carbonates in southeastern Siberia. In contrast, isotopic data suggest that the uppermost Manykai Formation and the basal 26 m of the unconformably overlying Medvezhya Formation may have no equivalent in the southeast; they appear to provide a sedimentary and palaeontological record of an evolutionarily significant time interval represented in southeastern Siberia only by the sub-Tommotian unconformity. Correlations with radiometrically dated horizons in the Olenek and Kharaulakh regions of northern Siberia suggest that this interval lasted approximately three to six million years, during which essentially all 'basal Tommotian' small shelly fossils evolved.     

石油：不要喊"狼来了"——-石油时代远未过去

第一次世界大战后，国内石油枯竭的预测震动了美国。1919年，包括美国地质调查局(USGS)局长在内的许多人发表了充满忧虑的预测：美国的石油将在9年内耗尽。面对这种甚嚣尘上的歇斯底里般的叫嚣，1924年美国总统古利格(Coolidge)设立了“联邦石油保护委员会”(Federal Oil Consedation Board)，起草相关法规来保护国家的自然资源。     

可持续发展评估指标、方法及应用研究

可持续发展评估指标及方法研究是可持续发展定量评估研究的基础,是实施可持续发展管理的依据,是生态经济学与可持续发展研究的前沿领域和热点问题之一. 在概括介绍可持续发展评估的工具--指标/指数的概念和功能、国际上代表性可持续发展研究机构指标选取的原则的基础上,全面分析归纳了可持续发展指标(体系)的类型及其框架模式. 详细介绍了联合国可持续发展委员会(UNCSD)、经济合作与发展组织(OECD)、世界保护同盟(IUCN)、世界银行等国际上代表性机构的可持续发展系统性指标体系的最新研究进展,并分析了这些系统性指标体系的优缺点. 深入分析了国际上典型的社会发展类、经济发展类、生态环境类可持续发展指标(指数)的研究、开发与实际评估应用的情况. 最后,总结了当前可持续发展指标(体系)研究的特点与趋势.     

区域发展战略研究的力作——《区域发展战略论》评价

中国科学院地理科学与资源研究所方创琳研究员著的《区域发展战略论》一书已于 2 0 0 2年由科学出版社正式出版 ,这是我国区域发展战略研究的一部力作 ,为系统研究我国区域可持续发展战略奠定了理论基础。战略是重大的、带全局性的或决定全局的谋划。发展战略是关于经济发展的重大的、带全局性的或决定全局的谋划 ;区域发展战略是根据区域发展的优势与条件、进一步发展要求和目标 ,对未来一定时空范围内的经济和社会发展等方面所做的高层次、全局性的宏观谋划。研究和制定不同类型区域发展战略对特定区域的经济社会可持续发展有着极其重要的…     

国际地球科学与资源环境科学发展战略分析

介绍了国际主要地学机构（NASA、USGS、NOAA、NERC、BGS）、主要组织（ICSU、EU、OECD、UNESCO）、国际主要基金机构（NSF、ESF）21世纪初10～20年有关地球科学与资源环境科学的研究与发展战略的目标、研究计划、主要研究内容与优先研究领域。这些机构与组织的地学与资源环境科学发展战略，反映了国际上地球科学与资源环境科学的研究重点和发展趋势，对把握国际地球科学与资源环境科学发展方向、明确我国地球科学与资源环境科学的战略重点和优先领域具有重要的参考价值。同时，依据美国科学信息研究所（ISI）的基本科学指标数据库（ESI），分析了过去20年国际地学（geosciences）、环境／生态学（environment／ec ology）领域著名科学家的国别和机构分布状况，分析了国际地学、环境／生态学过去10年成果产出最多、论文被引频次最多、篇均被引频次最高的前10个研究机构，反映了过去10年国际地学、环境／生态学研究的影响力。最后，简要分析了国际地球科学与资源环境科学的优先研究领域与主要特点。     

国际科学跨世界的重大研究主题

全球变化研究是国际科学界跨世纪的重大研究主题，国际全球变化研究从其组织、计划制定与实施已逐渐形成了一套有机的完整的框架体系，整体推动着全球变化研究的深入开展，文章从国际全球变化的组织框架、计划体系和主要研究环节等主要方面概述了国际全球变化研究实施十年后的进展与现状，特别是分析概括了全球变化研究的主要环节－－观测研究，过程研究、预测研究、数据与信息管理研究、影响（后果）分析研究，对策研究与政策评估研