Mammalian hairs in Early Cretaceous amber

Two mammalian hairs have been found in association with an empty puparium in a ∼100-million-year-old amber (Early Cretaceous) from France. Although hair is known to be an ancestral, ubiquitous feature in the crown Mammalia, the structure of Mesozoic hair has never been described. In contrast to fur and hair of some Jurassic and Cretaceous mammals preserved as carbonized filaments, the exceptional preservation of the fossils described here allows for the study of the cuticular structure. Results show the oldest direct evidence of hair with a modern scale pattern. This discovery implies that the morphology of hair cuticula may have remained unchanged throughout most of mammalian evolution. The association of these hairs with a possible fly puparium provides paleoecological information and indicates peculiar taphonomic conditions.     

Evolution of a new sense for wind in flying phasmids? Afferents and interneurons

The evolution of winged stick insects (phasmids) from secondarily wingless ancestors was proposed in recent studies. We explored the cuticle of flying phasmids for wind sensors that could be involved in their flight control, comparable to those known for locusts. Surprisingly, wind-sensitive hairs (wsH) occur on the palps of mouthparts and on the antennae of the winged phasmid Sipyloidea sipylus which can fly in tethered position only when air currents blow over the mouthparts. The present study describes the morphology and major functional properties of these “new” wsH with soft and bulging hair bases which are different from the beaker-like hair bases of the wsH on the cerci of phasmids and the wsH described in other insects. The most sensitive wsH of antennae and palps respond with phasic-tonic afferents to air currents exceeding 0.2 ms⁻¹. The fields of wsH on one side of the animal respond mainly to ventral, lateral, and frontal wind on the ipsilateral side of the head. Afferent inputs from the wsH converge but also diverge to a group of specific interneurons at their branches in the suboesophageal ganglion and can send their integrated input from wsH fields of the palps and antennae to the thoracic central nervous system. Response types of individual wsH-interneurons are either phasic or phasic-tonic to air puffs or constant air currents and also, the receptive fields of individual interneurons differ. We conclude that the “new” wsH system and its interneurons mainly serve to maintain flight activity in airborne phasmids and also, the “new” wsH must have emerged together with the integrating interneurons during the evolution from wingless to the recent winged forms of phasmids.     

Concentration of some elements in the hair of cattle as an indicator of contamination by air pollutant deposition on grass

Some 20 elements were determined in cow hair sampled in farms located in various industrial and rural zones of Belgium. Apart from the well-documented dependence of hair contamination as a function of age, the most characteristic feature observed in this study is that the high correlations existing between concentrations of some elements in cow hair provide inter-element ratios which significantly vary from one farm to another. These variations parallel the variations observed in the air pollutants deposited on grass while the inter-element ratios remain almost constant in the soils of all the sampling sites. As a consequence, it is proposed that elemental deposition on pastures is the main source of contamination of cattle by these elements, at least in the rural sites of industrialized countries such as Belgium.     

Mechanical analysis of infant carrying in hominoids

In all higher nonhuman primates, species survival depends upon safe carrying of infants clinging to body hair of adults. In this work, measurements of mechanical properties of ape hair (gibbon, orangutan, and gorilla) are presented, focusing on constraints for safe infant carrying. Results of hair tensile properties are shown to be species-dependent. Analysis of the mechanics of the mounting position, typical of heavier infant carrying among African apes, shows that both clinging and friction are necessary to carry heavy infants. As a consequence, a required relationship between infant weight, hair-hair friction coefficient, and body angle exists. The hair-hair friction coefficient is measured using natural ape skin samples, and dependence on load and humidity is analyzed. Numerical evaluation of the equilibrium constraint is in agreement with the knuckle-walking quadruped position of African apes. Bipedality is clearly incompatible with the usual clinging and mounting pattern of infant carrying, requiring a revision of models of hominization in relation to the divergence between apes and hominins. These results suggest that safe carrying of heavy infants justify the emergence of biped form of locomotion. Ways to test this possibility are foreseen here.     

松花江主要系污染源治理对渔民发汞值影响的研究

在松花江主要污染源根治汞８年后渔民发汞较７０年代下降７８．３０％－８２．５７％,较８０年代初下降７１．４８％．取得了明显的健康效益与环境效益。但至今该地区渔民的发汞值仍超过国家诊断标准。这些渔民发汞仍显著地高于非汞污染区渔民,并有１．９２％渔民的发汞值仍超过国家诊断标准。这些渔民主要分布在三岔河口以下的第一松花江段,而在二松渔民中发汞超过标准者极少,并对其原因作了讨论。     

CSSRC小型冰水池中海冰模拟与测试研究

中国船舶科学研究中心(CSSRC)新近建成了一座小型冰水池(SIMB),用于冰相关的基础研究,诸如冰模拟、冰力学性能测试以及冰与结构相互作用研究等。该冰水池主尺度为8 m（长）×2 m（宽）×1 m（深）。模型冰为低浓度氯化钠水溶液冷冻制作而成的柱状盐冰。制冷系统可精确地控制室内降温、冷冻和回温过程,制冰过程伴有冰晶播撒和微气泡控制。对一系列模型冰物理和力学性能的测量及微观结构的观测,验证了小型冰水池设计满足功能要求,为冰相关的基础研究提供了一个有效的平台。     

Beetle adhesive hairs differ in stiffness and stickiness: in vivo adhesion measurements on individual setae

Leaf beetles are able to climb on smooth and rough surfaces using arrays of micron-sized adhesive hairs (setae) of varying morphology. We report the first in vivo adhesive force measurements of individual setae in the beetle Gastrophysa viridula, using a smooth polystyrene substrate attached to a glass capillary micro-cantilever. The beetles possess three distinct adhesive pads on each leg which differ in function and setal morphology. Visualisation of pull-offs allowed forces to be measured for each tarsal hair type. Male discoidal hairs adhered with the highest forces (919?±?104?nN, mean?±?SE), followed by spatulate (582?±?59?nN) and pointed (127?±?19?nN) hairs. Discoidal hairs were stiffer in the normal direction (0.693?±?0.111?N?m^?1) than spatulate (0.364?±?0.039?N?m^?1) or pointed (0.192?±?0.044?N?m^?1) hairs. The greater adhesion on smooth surfaces and the higher stability of discoidal hairs help male beetles to achieve strong adhesion on the elytra of females during copulation. A comparison of pull-off forces measured for single setae and whole pads (arrays) revealed comparable levels of adhesive stress. This suggests that beetles are able to achieve equal load sharing across their adhesive pads so that detachment through peeling is prevented.     

Interaction of DNA with aromatic hydrocarbons fraction in atmospheric particulates of Xigu District of Lanzhou, China

Voluminously epidemiological studies show that the relationships exist between the air pollution and human health and cancer. Aromatic hydrocarbons(AHs)in air form a large class of organic pollutants,which are widely in environment and many of them are known to be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic and contribute to ambient air pollution.In the past decades,bioassays mainly have been used to evaluate the toxicity of chemical mixtures in atmospheric particulates or aqueous environment.However,it is well known that the covalent complexes formed by carcinogens with DNA may be exert negative results in bioassay.So the main aim of this paper is to develop an evaluation method of toxicity effects of chemical mixtures in atmospheric particulates from chemical standpoint.In this study,the in vitro interaction of the AHs with DNA was investigated by absorption,fluorescence and resonance light scattering (RLS)spectroscopic techniques.The results showed that the AHs in the atmospheric particulates could combine with calf thymus DNA(ctDNA)and herring sperm DNA(hsDNA)without being activated or metabolized by organism,respectively.Intercalation may be present in the mechanism of interaction.The binding constants of the AHs with ctDNA and hsDNA were 2.5×10~2 and 2.0×10~3, respectively,which indicated that the interaction of the AHs with hsDNA is stronger than that with ctDNA.In addition,the relationships of dose-effect between the total mole concentration of chemical components and the ability of binding ctDNA and hsDNA were confirmed.This research made it possible to study the toxicity effects of chemical mixtures in atmospheric particulates by chemical method.It is believed that the composition and contents of unknown AHs and the interaction of DNA with AHs in atmospheric particulates of Xigu District of Lanzhou City,China are first reported in the past twenty years.     

石煤暴露环境发氟分布规律及影响因子

为了探明石煤暴露环境中发氟含量的分布规律及影响因子,结合病情调查,采集发样进行元素含量测定.结果表明,石煤暴露环境发氟含量个体差异显著,呈非正态分布,平均值为67.08±64.68μg/g,变异系数为96.42%;发氟含量同Ca、Mn、Se的含量呈显著正相关,同Ti含量呈显著负相关;因子分析显示发氟含量分布除受体内生化反应控制外,与表生地球化学环境、膳食结构以及饮用水的水质等因子也密切相关.     

Continuous Hair Cell Turnover in the Inner Ear Vestibular Organs of a Mammal, the Daubenton's Bat (Myotis daubentonii)

 In both humans and mice the number of hair cells in the inner ear sensory epithelia declines with age, indicating cell death (Park et al. 1987; Rosenhall 1973). However, recent reports demonstrate the ability of the vestibular sensory epithelia to regenerate after injury (Forge et al. 1993, 1998; Kuntz and Oesterle 1998; Li and Forge 1997; Rubel et al. 1995; Tanyeri et al. 1995). Still, a continuous hair cell turnover in the vestibular epithelia has not previously been demonstrated in mature mammals. Bats are the only flying mammals, and they are known to live to a higher age than animals of equal size. The maximum age of many species is 20 years, with average lifespans of 4–6 years (Schober and Grimmberger 1989). Further, the young are fully developed and able to fly at the age of 2 months, and thus the vestibular organs are thought to be differentiated at that age. Consequently, long-lived mammals such as bats might compensate for the loss of hair cells by producing new hair cells in their postembryonic life. Here we show that the utricular macula of adult Daubenton's bats (more than 6 months old) contains innervated immature hair cells as well as apoptotic hair cells, which strongly indicates a continuous turnover of hair cells, as previously demonstrated in birds. Received: 30 August 1999 / Accepted in revised form: 20 October 1999     

某金属冶炼厂周围居民人发的6种元素含量特征

为研究金属冶炼对人体健康的危害水平,利用原子吸收分光光度计和AFS-930型原子荧光光度计对浙江富阳郊区某金属冶炼厂周围部分人发的6种元素Cu、2n、Pb、Cd、As、Se含量进行了测定.结果表明,研究区居民人发样品中具有较高含量,其中Cu、Zn、Pb和Cd最高含量分别达312、513、700和7.41 μg·g-1, As和Se最高量达10.08和0.85 μg·g-1.人发中Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、As含量呈明显相关关系,这在一定程度上反映了人发中元素污染程度的相似来源可能是小高炉冶炼.不同年龄的人发元素含量分析表明,40岁以上人发中Cu、Pb、Cd、As平均含量高于40岁以下约2倍;不同性别的人发元素含量分析表明, Cu、Zn、Cd、Se没有多大差别, Pb和As表现为男性略高于女性,但是经统计检验各元素在年龄和性别差异上均不显著.     

Occurrence and formation of disinfection by-products in the swimming pool environment: A critical review

Disinfection of water for human use is essential to protect against microbial disease; however, disinfection also leads to formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), some of which are of health concern. From a chemical perspective, swimming pools are a complex matrix, with continual addition of a wide range of natural and anthropogenic chemicals via filling waters, disinfectant addition, pharmaceuticals and personal care products and human body excretions. Natural organic matter, trace amounts of DBPs and chlorine or chloramines may be introduced by the filling water, which is commonly disinfected distributed drinking water. Chlorine and/or bromine is continually introduced via the addition of chemical disinfectants to the pool. Human body excretions (sweat, urine and saliva) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (sunscreens, cosmetics, hair products and lotions) are introduced by swimmers. High addition of disinfectant leads to a high formation of DBPs from reaction of some of the chemicals with the disinfectant. Swimming pool air is also of concern as volatile DBPs partition into the air above the pool. The presence of bromine leads to the formation of a wide range of bromo- and bromo/chloro-DBPs, and Br-DBPs are more toxic than their chlorinated analogues. This is particularly important for seawater-filled pools or pools using a bromine-based disinfectant. This review summarises chemical contaminants and DBPs in swimming pool waters, as well as in the air above pools. Factors that have been found to affect DBP formation in pools are discussed. The impact of the swimming pool environment on human health is reviewed.     

Biochemical examination of fetal skin biopsy specimens obtained by fetoscopy: Use of the method for analysis of keratins and filaggrin

This paper describes a method for biochemical analysis of proteins from fetal skin biopsy samples. The method has wide potential application for diagnosis of disorders with a known protein abnormality detectable by protein staining or a specific antibody. Analysis requires a single 1 mm biopsy, is rapid (2 days) and extremely sensitive. In the present study, fetal skin biopsies from normal fetuses and a fetus at risk for lamellar ichthyosis were obtained. The epidermis or hairs with attached follicular cells were dissected from the remaining skin. Proteins were extracted and separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Proteins from duplicate gels were transferred to nitrocellulose and immunostained for the acidic and basic keratins and for the keratin filament associated protein, filaggrin, using monoclonal antibodies. All samples contained keratins typical of fetal epidermis at 20 weeks gestation. Presence of filaggrin is variable at this age and depends on the presence of keratinized cells of hair canals. No keratin abnormalities in the fetus at risk for lamellar ichthyosis were detected, however, in one presumably normal biopsy, an abnormally low proportion of the 67 kd keratin and the presence of follicular keratins were evident. These results demonstrate that biochemical analysis of fetal biopsies is possible, thus increasing the diagnostic potential of the fetal biopsy procedure for disorders in which a known protein or antigen is altered in utero.     

Prediction of polycrystalline materials texture evolution in machining via Viscoplastic Self-Consistent modeling

The crystallographic orientation or anisotropy is one of the main microstructural attributes strongly affecting the mechanical properties of materials. It is also an influential parameter to be considered during the manufacturing process especially for ultra-precision machining since it affects part quality, tool performance, and process productivity through material properties. In this study, a prediction toolset constituted of a Viscoplastic Self-Consistent model and machining process mechanics model is used to predict the texture evolution on the machined surface. The VPSC (Viscoplastic Self-Consistent) methodology which uses the mechanisms of slip and twinning that are active in single crystals of arbitrary symmetry was used. For this, an analytical model for the process mechanics is derived to understand the forces and stresses generated by the cutting tool at each workpiece point, then the strain and strain rate to capture the rate at which the material is deforming and finally the crystallographic orientations under various machining conditions. Experiments were performed on the orthogonal cutting of aluminum alloy AA-7075-T651 and the texture results were compared to model predictions.     

热空气作用下FM-2D橡胶材料老化本构模型研究

目的 建立热空气作用下氟醚-2D(FM-2D)橡胶材料的老化本构模型,形成老化作用下橡胶材料力学响应分析方法,为准确评估橡胶密封件使用寿命提供依据。方法 探究热空气作用下FM-2D橡胶材料老化机理,基于连续介质有限变形理论框架,采用热力学耗散势函数法,引入橡胶老化过程的势能函数,据此建立考虑橡胶材料老化的超弹性本构模型,基于橡胶老化试验,完成本构模型参数标定,实现老化作用下橡胶力学响应的预测。结果 建立了热空气作用下橡胶材料的老化本构模型,依据老化试验数据标定模型参数,分析了热空气作用下橡胶材料本构模型的可靠性。结论 建立的热空气作用下橡胶材料的老化本构模型可准确预测橡胶随老化时间演变的力学响应,有效模拟了橡胶材料的老化过程。     

长江三角洲初冬一次重污染天气成因分析

利用站点气象和PM_2.5资料以及NCEP的全球再分析数据集研究了2015年12月17~28日长江三角洲地区一次重污染天气过程.结果表明：地面弱气压场是此次污染事件发生发展的主要天气背景,而冷空气带来的大风使PM_2.5浓度迅速下降,有效清除了PM_2.5.区域热力因子和动力因子分析发现,此次过程中大气中低层层结稳定、近地面逆温强,有利于PM_2.5和水汽的累积,使其浓度水平升高;对于动力因子来说,较小的通风率和较低的边界层高度不利于污染物扩散,同样使PM_2.5浓度上升.两者相比,热力因子对PM_2.5浓度值的贡献比动力因子大.结合后向轨迹和排放源分布发现,此次污染过程中长江三角洲地区的PM_2.5主要受来自其西北方向的大陆气团（占46%左右）的影响,这些气团途经高污染排放源并把污染物远距离传输至长江三角洲地区.最后利用PSCF和CWT对长江三角洲地区污染物的潜在来源进行了分析,发现PM_2.5的来源主要集中在安徽、河南、山西、山东以及长江三角洲本地,说明此次过程中长江三角洲地区的污染物浓度受到远距离输送和局地过程的共同影响.     

2004年辽宁地区一次沙尘天气过程的动力机制分析

利用NCEP再分析资料、气溶胶指数资料和污染物监测资料,从气候背景和环流形势入手,着重探讨了2004年4月14-16日辽宁地区的一次典型沙尘天气过程的形成动力机制.研究结果表明:2004年春季我国北方的气候背景为春季沙尘天气的发生提供了丰富的沙尘源;此次过程中,高空大槽引导极地强冷空气南下,配合低层强大的蒙古气旋构成了东北地区沙尘过程的典型天气环流形势.在起沙的动力机制方面,高低空急流的耦合加速了低层的辐合上升运动,加速了低层的辐合上升运动,高低空急流的有利配置所触发的强烈上升运动构成此次沙尘过程的主要动力机制.螺旋度上负下正的垂直分布是此次沙尘过程发生发展的重要动力机制,这是由于这种垂直结构对于沙尘过程这种中尺度天气系统而言,构成了低空辐合、高空辐散的深厚上升区,这种螺旋度的垂直分布十分有利于沙尘的发展.     

青岛市大气污染的因素及防治对策

本文旨在研究和探索青岛市大气污染的主要因素,并根据这些主要污染因素,对青岛市大气污柒防治提出了有效的防治对策.研究表明,青岛市大气污柒严重,是由于以煤炭为主的能源消费构成造成的.为此,青岛市大气污染防治的基本对策,应是以煤炭燃烧利用为核心的综合防治对策.     

Die Pterosaurier

During the Mesozoic the pterosaurs, or flying reptiles, were widely spread over the world. The distribution of the pterosaur fossils shows a restriction to a zone within 40 ° latitude in relation to the paleoequators. Probably all pterosaurs had hairs, thus indicating homoiothermic conditions. The brain structure is similar to the bird's brain but relatively smaller. With regard to certain osteologic features the pterosaurs have to be classified as archosaurs. Their origin is not known and they probably became extinct due to the change of climate during the late Cretaceous.