Fractal analysis of polyferric chloride-humic acid (PFC-HA) flocs in di erent topological spaces

The fractal dimensions in di erent topological spaces of polyferric chloride-humic acid (PFC-HA) flocs, formed in flocculating di erent kinds of humic acids (HA) water at di erent initial pH (9.0, 7.0, 5.0) and PFC dosages, were calculated by e ective densitymaximum diameter, image analysis, and N2 absorption-desorption methods, respectively. The mass fractal dimensions (Df) of PFC-HA flocs were calculated by bi-logarithm relation of e ective density with maximum diameter and Logan empirical equation. The Df value was more than 2.0 at initial pH of 7.0, which was 11% and 13% higher than those at pH 9.0 and 5.0, respecively, indicating the most compact flocs formed in flocculated HA water at initial pH of 7.0. The image analysis for those flocs indicates that after flocculating the HA water at initial pH greater than 7.0 with PFC flocculant, the fractal dimensions of D2 (logA vs. logdL) and D3 (logVsphere vs. logdL) of PFC-HA flocs decreased with the increase of PFC dosages, and PFC-HA flocs showed a gradually looser structure. At the optimum dosage of PFC, the D2 (logA vs. logdL) values of the flocs show 14%–43% di erence with their corresponding Df, and they even had di erent tendency with the change of initial pH values. However, the D2 values of the flocs formed at three di erent initial pH in HA solution had a same tendency with the corresponding Df. Based on fractal Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH) adsorption and desorption equations, the pore surface fractal dimensions (Ds) for dried powders of PFC-HA flocs formed in HA water with initial pH 9.0 and 7.0 were all close to 2.9421, and the Ds values of flocs formed at initial pH 5.0 were less than 2.3746. It indicated that the pore surface fractal dimensions of PFC-HA flocs dried powder mainly show the irregularity from the mesopore-size distribution and marcopore-size distribution.     

四溴双酚A对斑马鱼胚胎体内外发育的毒性效应

四溴双酚A(TetrabromobisphenolA,TBBPA)是广泛使用的溴阻燃剂,在环境中普遍存在.采用斑马鱼胚胎体内外微环境模拟实验,研究了TBBPA对斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎体内外发育的影响.结果发现,斑马鱼胚胎直接暴露在TBBPA溶液中,会造成胚胎心包囊水肿、尾部延伸不全等畸形或使胚胎死亡;当TBBPA浓度高于1.6mg·L-1时,处理斑马鱼胚胎的致死率显著升高,与对照组有极显著差异(p<0.01),且致死效应主要发生在24h内.当TBBPA浓度为6.4mg·L-1时,斑马鱼胚胎在48h内全部死亡.在TBBPA浓度大于0.4mg·L-1的各组中,24h内斑马鱼胚胎在20s内的活动频率明显降低;当胚胎直接接触TBBPA48h,表现出的主要毒性效应为胚胎心包囊水肿,但胚胎的心率没观察到异常变化.当斑马鱼胚胎发育到72h时,TBBPA引起斑马鱼胚胎毒性的主要特征是心包囊水肿和脊柱畸形.另外,TBBPA处理后斑马鱼胚胎的孵化率和生存率均显著降低,这表明斑马鱼胚胎直接暴露在TBBPA污染的环境中,会出现明显的发育障碍,主要表现为心脏功能受损和致死效应,这些毒性特征有显著的剂量-效应关系.当成年亲代斑马鱼暴露在TBBPA溶液(1.5mg·L-1)中3～7d后,子代胚胎的发育表现出明显的毒性效应,其胚胎发育到24h和72h时的致死率均呈现一定的时间-效应关系;72h时的死亡率与对照组有极显著差异,子代胚胎的孵化率降低,但没有统计学差异;但子代胚胎的致畸率却显著升高,并呈现显著差异.研究结果表明,水体中残留的TBBPA对体内外斑马鱼胚胎的发育均有直接影响,对于鱼类的生殖和发育具有潜在的危害.     

Pleistocene survival of an archaic dwarf baleen whale (Mysticeti: Cetotheriidae)

Pliocene baleen whale assemblages are characterized by a mix of early records of extant mysticetes, extinct genera within modern families, and late surviving members of the extinct family Cetotheriidae. Although Pleistocene baleen whales are poorly known, thus far they include only fossils of extant genera, indicating Late Pliocene extinctions of numerous mysticetes alongside other marine mammals. Here a new fossil of the Late Neogene cetotheriid mysticete Herpetocetus is reported from the Lower to Middle Pleistocene Falor Formation of Northern California. This find demonstrates that at least one archaic mysticete survived well into the Quaternary Period, indicating a recent loss of a unique niche and a more complex pattern of Plio–Pleistocene faunal overturn for marine mammals than has been previously acknowledged. This discovery also lends indirect support to the hypothesis that the pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) is an extant cetotheriid, as it documents another cetotheriid nearly surviving to modern times.     

Some statistical characteristics of concentration and wet deposition in relation to rainfall amount for sulfate and nitrate in rain water

Some statistical characteristics of concentration (C) and wet deposition (D) for sulfate and nitres in rain water per rain event are described in relation to rainfall amount (R), using the data obtained at Shobara in Japan. The lognormal distributions may be appropriate for C of sulfate and nitrate, and R. In addition, logC of these two compositions has significant correlations with logR. Consequently, the bivariate distribution of C and R is assumed, then, the regression model of logC on logR and that of logD on logR are presented. It is shown that the expectation of logC, given R = r, corresponding to the regression function of logC on logR, is linear to logR, whereas its variance does not depend on r. Similarly, the regression function of logD on logR is linear to logr and its variance is also the same as that of logC on logR. Based on these results, the relationship: β′ = β + 1 (ϱ ≠ 0) is obtained, where β′, β and ϱ are the coefficient of slope of logD on logR, that of logC on logR, and population correlation coefficient between logC and logR, respectively. The values of β are −0.476 for sulfate and −0.479 for nitrate. From this result, concentrations of sulfate and nitrate are approximately predicted from rainfall amount by the inverse half-power relationships.     

A new ceratopsian dinosaur from the Javelina Formation (Maastrichtian) of West Texas and implications for chasmosaurine phylogeny

Bravoceratops polyphemus gen. et sp. nov. is a large chasmosaurine ceratopsid from the lowermost part of the Javelina Formation (early Maastrichtian) of Big Bend National Park, TX, USA. B. polyphemus has a distinctive narrow snout, a long fenestrate frill, and a fan-shaped median parietal bar with a midline epiparietal on its posterior margin, as well as a symmetrical depression on its dorsal surface at the nexus of the parietal rami. This depression is interpreted to be the attachment point for a second midline epiparietal. This parietal morphology is distinct from that exhibited by Anchiceratops or Pentaceratops. The posterior midline epiparietal in B. polyphemus and its bifurcated quadratojugal–squamosal joint are features shared with the most derived chasmosaurines, Torosaurus and Triceratops. The combination of primitive and derived traits exhibited by B. polyphemus, and its stratigraphic position, is compatible with the gradual transition from basal, to intermediate, to derived chasmosaurines observed throughout the western interior of North America, and with phylogenetic analysis, which suggests that Bravoceratops may be closely related to Coahuilaceratops.     

Duplication of 9 p11.2-p13.1: a benign cytogenetic variant

The detection of very rare variants in prenatal diagnosis often causes counseling difficulties and anxiety in parents. We describe a duplication of the proximal region of chromosome 9 short arm in two cases of prenatal diagnosis and in one young woman, with evidence that such rearrangement is an uncommon variant. The duplication was investigated using Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Although the cytogenetic findings were indicative of a ‘duplication 9p syndrome’ associated with mental and developmental retardation, we were able to demonstrate that the rearrangement was a heteromorphism with no phenotypic consequence. We also determined the breakpoint regions of the rearrangement and identified the BAC probes that precisely define the duplicated region devoid of risk of phenotypic effects. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short- and long-range cues used by ground-dwelling parasitoids to find their host

Parasitoids of phytophagous insects face a detectability–reliability dilemma when foraging for hosts. Plant-related cues are easily detectable, but do not guarantee the presence of the host. Host-related cues are very reliable, but much harder to detect from a distance. Little is known in particular about the way coleopteran parasitoid females use these cues when foraging for a suitable place to lay their eggs. The question is of interest because, unlike hymenopteran larvae, coleopteran parasitoid larvae are highly mobile and able to forage for hosts on their own. We assessed whether females of the parasitoid rove beetle Aleochara bipustulata (L.) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) are attracted to plant (Swede roots, Brassica napus) and host-related cues [pupae of the cabbage root fly Delia radicum (L.) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae)]. In the field, A. bipustulata adult females were captured in selective pitfall traps containing pieces of roots damaged by D. radicum larvae, but not in traps containing pieces of healthy roots or D. radicum pupae. However, in the laboratory, the odour of D. radicum pupae attracted A. bipustulata females to mini-pitfalls. Video monitoring in the laboratory showed that foraging A. bipustulata females preferred a zone containing D. radicum pupae and larval tracks rather than one containing an extract of D. radicum-infested roots. Our results suggest a behavioural sequence where A. bipustulata females use plant-related cues at a distance, but then switch their preference to host-related cues at a close range. This would be the first observation of this behaviour in coleopteran parasitoids.     

Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) significantly decreases the hybridization efficiency of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)

Fetal cells were enriched from maternal blood using density gradient centrifugation of Histopaque followed by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) to select CD71-positive cells. For each specimen, cells partially purified by Histopaque were split into equal portions, and each portion was subjected to purification by MACS in parallel. Cells before and after MACS were subjected to dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis with X- and Y-chromosome-specific probes. We found that the hybridization rates were decreased by approximately 10% after MACS based on duplicated analysis for each sample. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

CdSe/ZnS量子点对稀有鮈鲫胚胎发育的影响及其氧化应激作用

本研究以稀有鮈鲫(Gobiocypris rarus)为对象,研究了不同浓度CdSe/ZnS量子点(QDs)暴露下,稀有鮈鲫胚胎发育过程中自主运动频率、内心率和体长的变化,以及利用体内超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和丙二醛(MDA)作为毒性指标,反映CdSe/ZnS QDs暴露对稀有鮈鲫胚胎发育的氧化应激作用.结果显示:CdSe/ZnS QDs对稀有鮈鲫胚胎72 hpf(hours post fertilization)的半致死浓度(LC50)为319.629 nmol·L-1,96 hpf的半致畸浓度(EC50)为203.312 nmol·L-1.CdSe/ZnS QDs暴露不仅影响稀有鮈鲫胚胎死亡率、畸形率、自主运动频率、孵化时间和孵化率,而且使其内心率减缓、体长缩短,导致胚胎卵凝结,心包囊肿,出现脊椎弯曲等多种毒性现象.同时发现,CdSe/ZnS QDs暴露导致稀有鮈鲫体内MDA含量增加以及SOD活力的降低.这表明CdSe/ZnS QDs对稀有鮈鲫胚胎发育具有致畸、致死作用,而氧化应激可能是引起其胚胎致畸、致死的重要机制之一.     

A Middle Jurassic heterodontosaurid dinosaur from Patagonia and the evolution of heterodontosaurids

Heterodontosauridae is a morphologically divergent group of dinosaurs that has recently been interpreted as one of the most basal clades of Ornithischia. Heterodontosaurid remains were previously known from the Early Jurassic of southern Africa, but recent discoveries and studies have significantly increased the geographical and temporal range for this clade. Here, we report a new ornithischian dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic Ca?adón Asfalto Formation in central Patagonia, Argentina. This new taxon, Manidens condorensis gen. et sp. nov., includes well-preserved craniomandibular and postcranial remains and represents the only diagnostic ornithischian specimen yet discovered in the Jurassic of South America so far. Derived features of its anatomy indicate that Manidens belongs to Heterodontosauridae, as the sister taxon of Heterodontosaurus and other South African heterodontosaurids. The presence of posterior dentary teeth with high crowns but lacking extensive wear facets in Manidens suggests that this form represents an intermediate stage in the development of the remarkable adaptations to herbivory described for Heterodontosaurus. The dentition of Manidens condorensis also has autapomorphies, such as asymmetrically arranged denticles in posterior teeth and a mesially projected denticle in the posteriormost teeth. At an estimated total length of 60?C75?cm, Manidens furthermore confirms the small size of basal heterodontosaurids.     

Toxic effects of perfluorononanoic acid on the development of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) is a nine-carbon perfluoroalkyl acid widely used in industrial and domestic products. It is a persistent organic pollutant found in the environment as well as in the tissues of humans and wildlife. There is a concern that this chemical might be a developmental toxicant and teratogen in various ecosystems. In the present study, the toxic effects of PFNA were evaluated in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. One hour post-fertilization embryos were treated with 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 350, and 400 μmol/L PFNA for 96 hr in 6-well plates. Developmental phenotypes and hatching rates were observed and recorded. Nineteen genes related to oxidative stress and lipid metabolism were examined using Quantitative RT-PCR and confirmed by whole mount in situ hybridization (WISH). Results showed that PFNA delayed the development of zebrafish embryos, reduced the hatching rate, and caused ventricular edema and malformation of the spine. In addition, the amount of reactive oxygen species in the embryo bodies increased significantly after exposure to PFNA compared with that of the control group. The Quantitative RT-PCR and WISH experiments demonstrated that mRNA expression of the lfabp and ucp2 genes increased significantly while that of sod1 and mt-nd1 decreased significantly after PFNA exposure. The mRNA expression levels of gpx1 and mt-atp6 decreased significantly in the high concentration group. However, the mRNA expression levels of both ppara and pparg did not show any significant variation after exposure. These findings suggest that PFNA affected the development of zebrafish embryos at relatively low concentrations.     

An exquisitely preserved troodontid theropod with new information on the palatal structure from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia

Troodontidae is a clade of small-bodied theropod dinosaurs. A new troodontid, Gobivenator mongoliensis gen. et sp. nov., is described based on the most complete skeleton of a Late Cretaceous member of this clade presently known, from the Campanian Djadokhta Formation in the central Gobi Desert. G. mongoliensis is different from other troodontids in possessing a pointed anterior end of the fused parietal and a fossa on the surangular in front of the posterior surangular foramen. The skull was superbly preserved in the specimen and provides detailed information of the entire configuration of the palate in Troodontidae. Overall morphology of the palate in Gobivenator resembles those of dromaeosaurids and Archaeopteryx, showing an apparent trend of elongation of the pterygoid process of the palatine and reduction of the pterygopalatine suture toward the basal Avialae. The palatal configuration suggests that the skull of Gobivenator would have been akinetic but had already acquired prerequisites for later evolution of cranial kinesis in birds, such as the loss of the epipterygoid and reduction in contact areas among bones.     

北京城区夏季O3化学生成过程

选取2007年7月1日—8月31日中的21个晴空日,利用观测资料和光化学箱模式计算了北京城区测点的O₃生成速率G(O₃)和O₃生成效率OPE.结果表明,21个晴空日中G(O₃)日最高小时值分布在(18~82)×10^-9h^-1之间;在O₃污染和非污染日G(O₃)最高值的平均水平无显著差异,且与O_x浓度之间不存在一致的对应关系,表明O₃化学生成过程不能全面解释地面O₃浓度的累积,物理传输过程对测点O₃实测浓度有显著作用;各个化学过程对G(O₃)的贡献率对比结果显示,HO₂ 在 NO向NO₂的转化中贡献最大;OPE值分布在2.8~5.8之间,总体水平为4.1±0.1;OPE值与NO_x浓度之间为非线性关系,OPE值随NO_x浓度的增加而减少,表明消减测点附近VOCs排放能有效降低O₃浓度.     

Brainy stuff of long-gone dogs: a reappraisal of the supposed Canis endocranial cast from the Pliocene of Poland

The pre-Quaternary fossil record of Canis in the Old World is scarce, and the first appearance of this genus in Europe remains an enigma. Amongst the oldest fossils assigned to this genus, there is a natural cast of the brain (endocast) collected in W??e 1, Poland, from Pliocene deposits dated between 3.3 and 4.0 Ma. We reexamined this specimen and found that it differs from the brain of Canis in having its region medial to the coronal sulcus heart-shaped in dorsal view, its region rostral to the presylvian sulcus shorter and less constricted laterally, and its cerebellum less overlapped by the cerebrum and lacking a lateral twist of the posterior vermis. We identified this fossil, as well as another fossil canid endocast from W??e 1, as representing the raccoon dog genus Nyctereutes. The previously reported presence of Canis in W??e 1 is therefore not confirmed. Specifically, both endocasts can be referred to N. donnezani because this is the only species of Nyctereutes that has been recognised in this locality on the basis of craniomandibular and dental fossils. Our study represents a taxonomic application of comparative neuroanatomical and palaeoneurological data, an approach that may become increasingly useful with the growing knowledge of the endocranial morphology of fossil mammals.     

基于复杂网络的城市湖库藻类水华形成识别研究

在对城市湖库藻类水华形成机理深入研究的基础上,将提取的影响水华暴发的关键因子总磷(TP)、总氮(TN)、温度(T)、pH值、溶解氧(DO)、光照(I)、叶绿素a浓度(chl_a)作为网络节点,将影响因素间的关系抽象成网络的边,构建了藻类水华形成的有向网络模型.同时,计算了复杂网络的统计特征参数,构建了节点的关键度模型,并进行修正,进而构建了水华形成的复杂网络统计特征参数模型G,对其进行半定量分级,从而实现对水华暴发的有效识别,最后采用北京城市河湖水质的实验数据对模型进行了验证.结果表明,复杂网络统计特征参数G与叶绿素a浓度有显著的相关性,能够较好地表征水华形成过程.     

New exocrine glands in ants: the hypostomal gland and basitarsal gland in the genus Melissotarsus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Fisher and Robertson (Insect Soc 46: 78–83, 1999) discovered the production of silk-like secretions emerging from slit-shaped openings along the anterior margin of the ventral hypostoma of Melissotarsus ant workers. The current histological study describes a hitherto unknown hypostomal gland from which this silk-like substance originates. In addition, this study describes a new basitarsal gland in the three pairs of legs of Melissotarsus workers.     

NAPLs污染物垂向指流迁移分形表征中图像处理的影响研究

染色示踪技术是研究多孔介质中指流形态的主要手段之一,而如何更精确地对所采集的图像数据进行分析,是该研究工作中非常重要的组成部分.分形理论在染色示踪影像的基础上对指流形态进行定量描述,以质量分形维数(D m)表征渗流面积,以界面分形维数(D s)表征渗流驱替边界长度,对于识别和预测指流形态有一定的实际意义.而分形维数的计算基于二值化图像完成,因此明确图像二值化过程对分形维数表征的影响对分形维数的应用有重要意义.本研究以4种非水相流体在二维砂箱中迁移的130幅染色图像为目标影像,详细比较了图像预处理过程中不同饱和度(红色)阈值、不同亮度(灰度)阈值以及图形中"湖"的填充3个因素分别对D m和D s的影响.结果表明,在砂箱实验中,与田间实验相比由于染色污染物与石英砂颜色对比度较大,红色阈值调整对两种分形维数影响相对较小;随着灰度阈值的提高D m平均降低0.02,D s平均增加0.05;图形中"湖"的填充对D m几乎没有影响,而使D s平均降低0.10.研究发现与D s相比,D m在图像处理过程中受各种因素影响较小,建议在进一步研究中以D m为指流形态指示指标以避免图形处理过程中主观因素的影响.     

Isolines as a new tool to assess the energy costs of the production and distribution of multiple sources of seafood

Consumer-based ocean conservation efforts focus attention on seafood that is produced in an “eco-friendly” manner. However, many species can be produced either in aquaculture operations or harvested within wild capture fisheries, and each mode of production differs in their environmental impacts as well as their energy requirements. Complicating the assessment of eco-friendly seafood is the fact that seafood is a global commodity, the suppliers of which utilize a variety of methods to distribute the product from producer to consumer (e.g. ship, truck, airplane). Like the modes of production, these various modes of distribution differ in their energy intensity. This analysis assesses the overall energy requirements of production and distribution (E_P&D) of seafood to evaluate how the energy costs of distribution influence the total energy cost of seafood produced by different methods. This paper develops the concept of energy isolines as a tool to assess E_P&D. Isolines are a graphical method to succinctly integrate multiple distance assessments so that the best sourcing option can be determined. The isolines are then used to assess how the energy cost of distribution functions as a component of the overall energy cost, and how this influences the E_P&D of a product originating from two different sources with inherently different energy costs of production. Using scallops and salmon as examples, this analysis has revealed that an “eco-friendly” seafood commodity (one produced with less energy) produced far from its destination market could have a higher total E_P&D compared to a local, less “eco-friendly” product (that takes more energy to produce). Finally, this paper evaluates strategies to minimize the overall E_P&D of seafood. Overall, further work on energy audits of seafood focused the need to maintain a global perspective to determine seafood with the lowest overall energy cost of production and distribution.     

CdSe/ZnS量子点对斑马鱼胚胎发育的毒性效应

本研究以模式生物斑马鱼(Danio rerio)为对象,观察在不同浓度Cd Se/Zn S量子点(Cd Se/Zn S QDs)暴露下,斑马鱼胚胎形态发育、氧化应激以及金属硫蛋白MT基因和应激蛋白Hsp70基因表达变化情况.结果表明,Cd Se/Zn S QDs对斑马鱼胚胎72 hpf(hours post fertilization)的半致畸效应浓度(EC50)为316.994 nmol·L-1.QDs暴露影响了斑马鱼胚胎的死亡率、畸形率、孵化率、自主运动频率和体长,以及引起胚胎卵凝集,心包囊肿,脊椎弯曲等多种毒性效应;同时导致斑马鱼体内超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性变化以及丙二醛(MDA)含量增加.QDs还诱导斑马鱼MT基因和Hsp70基因表达上调,斑马鱼机体产生一系列自我保护反应来减轻QDs所造成的伤害.这表明:Cd Se/Zn S QDs对斑马鱼胚胎产生了毒性效应,其毒性可能与其核心Cd2+的释放、粒径大小以及氧化应激有关.