The UN/ECE International Programme on Mapping Critical Loads and Levels

Critical Loads and levels have played a centralrole in the successful development of effect-based emissionreduction strategies for Europe in the fields of acidification,eutrophication and ground-level ozone. The aim of theInternational Programme on Mapping Critical Loads and Levelsled by Germany, with participation of 24 countries, is todetermine critical loads and levels for forest, crops, naturalvegetation, soils, water and materials. The exceedances ofcritical loads and critical levels are used to quantify the riskfor environmental damage by air pollution and tosupport the development of optimised abatement strategies.     

Turanoceratops tardabilis—the first ceratopsid dinosaur from Asia

Turanoceratops tardabilis from the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) Bissekty Formation of Dzharakuduk, Uzbekistan, represents the first definite ceratopsid dinosaur recorded from Asia. Reexamination of the original and study of newly collected material indicate that Turanoceratops has well-developed supraorbital horns and apparently lacks a nasal horn. Turanoceratops is more derived than the more or less coeval Zuniceratops from the Moreno Hill Formation of New Mexico in the presence of double-rooted teeth and of two or three teeth in each vertical dental file.     

Chorionic villus metaphase chromosomes and interphase nuclei analysed by chromosomal in situ suppression (CISS) hybridization

Metaphase chromosomes and interphase nuclei of chorionic villus samples (CVS) in five cases were studied after treatment with trypsin and post-fixation in formaldehyde by chromosomal in situ suppression (CISS) hybridization. Our modified protocol enables the use of in situ hybridization. techniques on CVS preparations after 42 h ofculture. A balanced translocation and trisomy 13 were identified with the aid of CISS hybridization.