The skull of the giant predatory pliosaur Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni: implications for plesiosaur phylogenetics

The predatory pliosaurs were among the largest creatures ever to inhabit the oceans, some reaching gigantic proportions greater than 15 m in length. Fossils of this subclade of plesiosaurs are known from sediments all over the world, ranging in age from the Hettangian (approximately 198 Myr) to the Turonian (approximately 92 Myr). However, due to a lack of detailed studies and because only incomplete specimens are usually reported, pliosaur evolution remains poorly understood. In this paper, we describe the three dimensionally preserved skull of the giant Jurassic pliosaur Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni. The first phylogenetic analysis dedicated to in-group relationships of pliosaurs allows us to hypothesise a number of well-supported lineages that correlate with marine biogeography and the palaeoecology of these reptiles. Rhomaleosaurids comprised a short-lived and early diverging lineage within pliosaurs, whose open-water top-predator niche was filled by other pliosaur taxa by the mid-late Jurassic. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Male-biased predation of a cave fish by a giant water bug

Male-biased predation has been described from several epigean species, and in many cases, intrinsic differences between the sexes (such as male ornaments) have been suggested as an explanation. Here we report on male-biased predation of a cave fish (Poecilia mexicana) by an aquatic insect (Belostoma sp.) in a Mexican sulfur cave. P. mexicana use aquatic surface respiration (ASR) to survive in their sulfidic, hypoxic habitat. We found that males typically exhibit more ASR activity than females, which leads to increased exposure to the sit-and-wait predator that catches fish near the water surface. Our finding is novel, because male vulnerability to predation is not directly related to male traits involved in courtship, but rather due to other sexual differences in behavior and ultimately, oxygen demands.     

In utero sonographic diagnosis of a communicating enteric duplication cyst in a giant omphalocele

Enteric duplications are rare lesions, and relatively few cases have been diagnosed prenatally. We present, to our knowledge, the first case of an associated communicating ileal duplication cyst in a huge omphalocele diagnosed prenatally. The prenatal ultrasound findings revealed four features of the cystic lesion including peristaltic movements of the cystic wall, communication between the cyst and normal bowel lumen, intra-cystic echogenic contents, and echogenic mesenteric tissue (fat) close to the cyst. These distinct characteristics helped us to make a firm in utero diagnosis. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Larger foraminifera,giant cells with a historical background

The history of foraminifera as recorded by the shell of numerous taxa illustrates the repetitive rise of benthic, large-sized K-strategists throughout geologic time. The phylogeny reconstructed by methods of comparative anatomy and supported by biostratigraphic distribution permits to identify analogous shell structures pointing to functions of the living cell. The shell registers autecological adaptation, ontogeny, protoplasmic streaming patterns, protoplasmic differentiation and patterns of differentiation at the cell surface. The high potential of shell regeneration points to the functional importance of shell shape during the long vegetative life and documents experiments performed by nature itself. The extended knowledge of their history, their size and their natural recording device in their shell predestines the foraminifera as experimental system to explore the performances of free-living single cells and many mechanisms regulating their life.     

复杂景观中营养型非点源污染物时空变异特征分析

非点源污染的形成不仅受到地表物质来源、景观格局的影响,同时还受到土壤侵蚀过程、降雨过程、灌溉过程、地表和地下水文过程的影响.由于影响非点源污染的因子复杂多样,从而导致它的时空变化较大.正确认识非点源污染的时空变异特征对于科学布设监测点和研究它的变化规律具有重要意义.本文通过野外定点监测,研究了非点源污染的时空变异.结果发现:①干旱年份各种污染物空间变异小于降雨正常年份.②对于不同污染物,无论在干旱年份还是正常年份,地表水中固体悬浮颗粒物的空间变异均较大,其他污染物的空间变异相对较小.③对于固体悬浮颗粒物,干旱年份不同水文期之间的空间变异比较接近,而正常年份的空间变异不同水文期之间差异较大.④非点源污染季节变异较小的监测点主要出现在具有稳定水源和地表径流季节变化较小的地区;而非点源污染空间变异较大的监测点主要出现在山区河流上游地表径流季节变化明显、农业用地面积较大且地表径流季节变化较大和明显受到点源污染影响的地区.     

巨型遮阳伞将为地球防暑降温

地球在升温，这似乎已经是个不争的事实，人类对此都十分关注。从签订减少温室效应气体排放的《京都议定书》，到26℃空调的节能行动，地球人为了未来的发展从生活的各个方面都开始注意到环保、节能，为不让自己生存的空间变得更恶劣而努力。但是科学家们的想法更为大胆，最近，他们提议为地球造遮阳伞，减少地球吸收太阳光的热量，以缓解升温的压力。     

Geocybernetics: Controlling a Complex Dynamical System Under Uncertainty

   Global change, i.e. the mega-process radically transforming the relationship between nature and human civilization since the end of World War II, is investigated from the point of view of systems analysis. It is argued that this unbridled process should rather be domesticated by planetary control strategies transpiring from a new science called “geocybernetics”. The formal aspects of geocybernetic theory are sketched and illustrated in a tutorial theatre world reflecting the overall environment and development problematic. Within this setting a straightforward operationalization of the sweeping “sustainable development” ideal through a set of concise paradigms can be achieved. Evidence is provided that geocybernetics is actually feasible on the basis of earth system modelling and fuzzy-control techniques.     

Complex cardiac defect with hypoplastic right ventricle in a fetus with valproate exposure

We describe a fetus with a hypoplastic right ventricle detected by prenatal ultrasound examination. A possible causal relationship with prenatal valproate exposure is discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new giant pterosaur with a robust skull from the latest cretaceous of Romania

A new giant pterosaur, Hatzegopteryx thambema, nov.gen., nov.sp., from the Maastrichtian Densu?-Ciula Formation of Romania is remarkable for its very large size (estimated wing span > or = 12 m) and for the robustness of its large skull, which may have been nearly 3 m long. The stout skull bones contrast with the usually thin and slender skull elements of other pterosaurs, and raise the question of how the weight of the skull was reduced in order to make flight possible. The answer probably lies in the very peculiar internal structure of the bones, which consists of a dense network of very thin trabeculae enclosing small alveoli. This structure is reminiscent of expanded polystyrene and, like it, probably combined strength with lightness.     

Detoxification of ferrocyanide in asoil–plant system

The detoxification of iron cyanide in a soil–plant system was investigated to assess the total cyanide extracted from contaminated soil and allocated in the leaf tissue of willow trees(Salix caprea). They were grown in soil containing up to 1000 mg/kg dry weight(dw) of cyanide(CN),added as ~(15)N-labeled potassium ferrocyanide and prepared with a new method for synthesis of labeled iron cyanides. CN content and ~(15)N enrichment were monitored weekly over the exposure in leaf tissue of different age. The ~(15)N enrichment in the young and old leaf tissue reached up to 15.197‰ and 9063‰, respectively; it increased significantly over the exposure and with increasing exposure concentrations(p 0.05). Although the CN accumulation in the old leaf tissue was higher, compared to the young leaf tissue(p 0.05), the ~(15)N enrichment in the two tissue types did not differ statistically. This indicates a non-uniform CN accumulation but a uniform ~(15)N allocation throughout the leaf mass. Significant differences were detected between the measured CN content and the C~(15)N content, calculated from the ~(15)N enrichment(p 0.05), revealing a significant CN fraction within the leaf tissue, which could not be detected as ionic CN. The application of labeled iron CN clearly shows that CN is detoxified during uptake by the willows. However, these results do not exclude other detoxification pathways, not related to the trees. Still, they are strongly indicative of the central role the trees played in CN removal and detoxification under the experimental conditions.     

一种修复Pb-Cd污染污泥的复合淋洗剂的研究

以某自来水厂污泥为背景泥样,人工添加重金属后泥样为研究对象,考察了葡萄糖酸、氯化钠、六偏磷酸钠复配溶液对污泥中重金属的洗脱效果.研究发现,复配淋洗剂对污泥中Pb和Cd有较好的萃取效果.形态分析表明,葡萄糖酸对污泥中的水溶态、离子交换态、碳酸盐结合态及部分弱有机结合态形式的重金属Pb、Cd有较好的萃取效果;六偏磷酸钠主要...     

Sustainability assessment of a giant bamboo plantation in Brazil: exploring the influence of labour,time and space

Bamboo presents physical and mechanical characteristics, which turn it an alternative option for product development, replacing native or reforested wood. The sustainability assessment of a Dendrocalamus Giganteus species plantation in Brazil through the emergy methodology evidences a great weight of renewable (30% sej/sej) and human labour contributions (33% sej/sej). These contributions account for the great interface with environment and to the intensive work, respectively. The transformity value of bamboo production is 2.42E + 04 sej/J. The influence human labour has on the total emergy flow and on indicators is evaluated by taking into account different country locations (Brazil, Australia and China). Thus, a different transformity value for labour is assumed for each country. A ranking based on emergy sustainability index (ESI) values shows that bamboo production in China was the first placed, followed by Brazil and Australia (values of 1.18, 0.50 and 0.09, respectively). The insertion of indirect renewability embedded in labour results in the ranking modification, leading to plantation in Brazil in the first place, followed by the Australian and Chinese ones. The relative position of the bamboo systems is visualized in the ternary diagram expressed in terms of emergy. In an attempt to explore the relationship between sustainability and time, a graphic of ESI vs. global productivity is discussed in terms of a prospective evaluation. Indirect support areas of the bamboo production are calculated as a way to evaluate the sustainability-space relationship.     

论周必大诗歌的禅趣

南宋著名宰相周必大与佛教有着千丝万缕的联系。其与佛禅结缘有着时代、地域、个人经历等三方面的因素,他对佛教既"近"又"远"的态度使他合理接受佛学思想的同时又保持儒家进取心。佛教启迪了周必大的世界观、人生观,从他的诗歌中可以看到周必大运用禅宗的般若空观思想来帮助自己解决世间烦恼,求得心之安宁。同时,禅宗思想丰富了他的诗歌创作技巧,使他在诗歌创作过程中喜用佛禅语、通俗语入诗,善用与佛禅有关的典故和意象来传达诗情。     

Complex karyotypic mosaicism as a result of non-disjunction and subsequent centromere fission

Karyotypic discrepancy among four different cell types is described in tissues derived from a pregnancy terminated because of chromosomal anomalies. Chorionic villus cells demonstrated 46,XX (direct preparation) and 46, XX/47,XX,+marl (cultured cells) karyotypes, while fetal skin fibroblasts had a karyotype of 47,XX,+ 18 and the placenta showed a triple mosaicism of 47,XX, + 18/47,XX,+mar1/48,XX,+ 18,+mar2. The origin of this complex chromosomal distribution and its significance are discussed in comparison with findings in similar cases.     

Field survey of a sustainable sanitation system in a residential house

Sustainable sanitation is an approach for more ecological and sustainable water resources management. In this paper, we proposed one of the new integrated waste treatment systems： an ＂sustainable sanitation system＂ that includes separation of the black water from water system by a non-flushing toilet （bio-toilet）, and a gray water treatment based on a biological and ecological concept. Sustainable sanitation system also converts the domestic waste to soil conditioners and fertilizers, for farmland use. As one of the case studies, Environmentally Symbiotic Housing in which people actually live using the bio-toilet for the black water treatment and the household wastewater treatment facility for the gray water was introduced. The availability of this system was investigated by analyzing the sawdust used in the bio-toilet and the quality of the effluent in the household wastewater treatment facility. As the result, the water content of the sawdust did not exceed 60% in any of the sampling points and the BOD and COD of the effluent of the household wastewater treatment facility were below 10 and 20 mg/L respectively, due to the low loading. Compared to the pollution load on the water environment created by the conventional system, it was found that the effluent of the house has a lower load than the tertiary treatment and the volume of the water consumption is 75% of the conventional system.     

Social waves in giant honeybees (Apis dorsata) elicit nest vibrations

Giant honeybees (Apis dorsata) nest in the open and have developed a wide array of strategies for colony defence, including the Mexican wave-like shimmering behaviour. In this collective response, the colony members perform upward flipping of their abdomens in coordinated cascades across the nest surface. The time–space properties of these emergent waves are response patterns which have become of adaptive significance for repelling enemies in the visual domain. We report for the first time that the mechanical impulse patterns provoked by these social waves and measured by laser Doppler vibrometry generate vibrations at the central comb of the nest at the basic (=‘natural’) frequency of 2.156?±?0.042 Hz which is more than double the average repetition rate of the driving shimmering waves. Analysis of the Fourier spectra of the comb vibrations under quiescence and arousal conditions provoked by mass flight activity and shimmering waves gives rise to the proposal of two possible models for the compound physical system of the bee nest: According to the elastic oscillatory plate model, the comb vibrations deliver supra-threshold cues preferentially to those colony members positioned close to the comb. The mechanical pendulum model predicts that the comb vibrations are sensed by the members of the bee curtain in general, enabling mechanoreceptive signalling across the nest, also through the comb itself. The findings show that weak and stochastic forces, such as general quiescence or diffuse mass flight activity, cause a harmonic frequency spectrum of the comb, driving the comb as an elastic plate. However, shimmering waves provide sufficiently strong forces to move the nest as a mechanical pendulum. This vibratory behaviour may support the colony-intrinsic information hypothesis herein that the mechanical vibrations of the comb provoked by shimmering do have the potential to facilitate immediate communication of the momentary defensive state of the honeybee nest to the majority of its members.