Fetal nucleated red blood cells from CVS washings: an aid to development of first trimester non-invasive prenatal diagnosis

Fetal nucleated red blood cells (n-rbc) occur in the maternal circulation from 7 weeks of pregnancy. The enrichment of these cells from maternal blood will depend upon their stage of differentiation, which changes during development. We characterised the fetal n-rbc from chorionic villus sample (CVS) washings and used them to model first trimester non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. The ratio of ε- to γ-globin-producing cells declined rapidly from 10 to 13 weeks, as did the ratio of nucleated to non-nucleated rbc. By 13 weeks the great majority of cells containing γ- or ε-globin are anucleate. The fetal n-rbc were highly variable in size and density and sedimented over a wide density range with a high proportion (>80%) at a density overlapping with that of maternal rbc. We have devised an enrichment procedure using Orskoff lysis to differentially lyse the maternal cells followed by density centrifugation and separation using magnetic beads. This simple protocol allowed recovery of 70% (69±22%) of fetal cells when added at approximately 10 fetal cells/ml maternal blood. When 1 fetal cell/ml millilitre maternal blood was added (total volume 10 ml) the recovery was more variable but remained at approximately 70% (72±47%), with at least one fetal cell recovered in all cases. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

城市道路绿化带不同植物叶片附尘对大气污染的磁学响应

对上海市金沙江路两侧绿化带内24个常绿植物叶片样品进行了磁性与重金属测试,以探讨城市道路绿化带不同植物叶片附尘对大气污染的磁学响应.结果表明,χ、SIRM值分别在（4～59）×10-8m3.kg-1和（496～6 114）×10-6Am2.kg-1之间变化,S-300 mT在89%～98%之间变动.所有植物样品中χARM/χ〈4,χARM/SIRM〈30×10-5mA-1.磁性参数表明,植物叶片附尘以亚铁磁性矿物为主,磁性矿物颗粒以假单畴（PSD）-多畴（MD）为主.重金属元素Zn、Cu、Pb含量与反映亚铁磁性矿物含量的χ、SIRM、χARM呈显著正相关,可以将磁性参数SIRM作为叶片重金属元素的替代指标.推荐在上海地区广泛种植的广玉兰作为道路植物污染的指示植物。     

Ocean fertilization for geoengineering: A review of effectiveness,environmental impacts and emerging governance

Dangerous climate change is best avoided by drastically and rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, geoengineering options are receiving attention on the basis that additional approaches may also be necessary. Here we review the state of knowledge on large-scale ocean fertilization by adding iron or other nutrients, either from external sources or via enhanced ocean mixing. On the basis of small-scale field experiments carried out to date and associated modelling, the maximum benefits of ocean fertilization as a negative emissions technique are likely to be modest in relation to anthropogenic climate forcing. Furthermore, it would be extremely challenging to quantify with acceptable accuracy the carbon removed from circulation on a long term basis, and to adequately monitor unintended impacts over large space and time-scales. These and other technical issues are particularly problematic for the region with greatest theoretical potential for the application of ocean fertilization, the Southern Ocean. Arrangements for the international governance of further field-based research on ocean fertilization are currently being developed, primarily under the London Convention/London Protocol.     

Assessment of the Conservation Measures Partnership's effort to improve conservation outcomes through adaptive management

Conservation practice has demonstrated an increasing desire for accountability of actions, particularly with respect to effectiveness, efficiency, and impact to clearly identified objectives. This has been accompanied by increased attention to achieving adaptive management. In 2002, practitioners representing several prominent conservation nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) launched a community of practice called the Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP). The partnership CMP has worked to establish standards of conservation practice to improve accountability of conservation actions through adaptive management. The focal organizing framework for CMP has been the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (OS). We evaluated, through an online survey and personal interviews, the first decade of CMP and the OS. The CMP has garnered a positive reputation among agencies, NGOs, and funders and has succeeded in developing a large user base of the OS. However, CMP has not fully achieved its goal of making the OS standard operating procedure for the largest NGOs (e.g., The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund), despite it being widely used within these organizations. This lack of institutionalization is attributable to multiple causes, including an increase in the number of partially overlapping decision‐support frameworks and challenges achieving full‐cycle adaptive management. Users strongly believed the OS fosters better conservation practice and highly valued the OS for improving their practice. A primary objective of the OS is to assist practitioners to achieve full‐cycle adaptive management to better integrate learning into improving the effectiveness and efficiency of actions. However, most practitioners had not yet achieved cycle completion for their projects. To improve the effectiveness of CMP, OS, and conservation practice in general, we recommend collaborative efforts among the proponents of multiple decision‐support frameworks to foster strong institutional adoption of a common set of adaptive‐management standards for conservation accountability.     

Corallina and Ellisolandia (Corallinales,Rhodophyta) photophysiology over daylight tidal emersion: interactions with irradiance,temperature and carbonate chemistry

The photophysiology of three geniculate coralline algal species (Corallina officinalis, C. caespitosa and Ellisolandia elongata) was determined in intertidal rock pools in the south-west UK at Combe Martin (51°12′31N 4°2′19W) and Heybrook Bay (50°31′66N 4°11′41W), at the start, middle and end of summer (September 1 and 2) and winter (February 9 and 10) daylight tidal emersion periods, in relation to prevailing irradiance, temperature and carbonate chemistry conditions. Algal photophysiology was assessed from rapid light curves performed using pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry. Corallina and Ellisolandia experienced significant fluctuations in irradiance, temperature and carbonate chemistry over seasonal and tidal cycles. Rock pool carbonate chemistry was predictable (R ² = 0.82, P < 0.0001) by photodose (summed irradiance) plus water temperature, but not significantly related to photophysiology. In contrast, Corallina and Ellisolandia relative maximum electron transfer rate showed a significant negative relationship (R ² = 0.65, P < 0.0001) with irradiance plus water temperature. At a seasonal resolution, photoacclimation to maximize both light harvesting during winter months and photoprotection during summer months was observed for all species. Dynamic photoinhibition was apparent over both summer and winter tidal emersion, in relation to irradiance fluctuations. More effective photoinhibition was apparent during summer months, with greater sensitivity to irradiance and slower recovery in F _v/F _m, observed during winter. With sustained high irradiance over tidal emersion, the establishment of high pH/low inorganic carbon conditions may impact photochemistry. This study represents the first assessment of C. officinalis, C. caespitosa and E. elongata photophysiology underpinned by clear species concepts and highlights their ability to adapt to the dramatically fluctuating conditions experienced in intertidal rock pools.     

上海市免费公园中老年游客行为及满意度特征调查

中老年游客是免费公园游客人群的主要群体,以上海市27座免费公园为例,分析中老年两年龄段游客行为特征,以及其对公园设施服务的重要性和满意度。结果表明:中年游客具有择园路程范围广,公共交通利用率高,来园频率低,入园时间晚,喜爱亲子活动,停留时间短等特征;而老年游客则表现出偏爱短距离公园,以步行为主,来园频率高,入园时间早,倾向运动健身,停留时间长等特征。两年龄段游客对公园满意度评价总体相近,均认为绿化、卫生状况和安全性,以及景点、厕所和无障碍设施设置是影响游客来园的关键因子,前3项令游客满意,而后3项却达不到期望。针对两年龄段游客不同的行为和满意度特征,对免费公园的经营管理提出建议。     

Variation in and constraints upon the decomposition of woolscour sludge

The woolscouring (wool washing) industry has traditionally been viewed as highly polluting and, consequently, effluent treatment systems have been sought. The first stage in the current treatment system for woolscour wastewater, a chemical flocculation process (Sirolan CF), creates a sludge composed of soil and wool grease. We investigated the chemical and biological characteristics of this sludge. The sludge was found to be highly variable on a day to day basis in terms of its chemical composition and biodegradability; 0.8 to 27.8% of sludge total nitrogen was mineralized over 30 d at 37 degrees C. The grease component of sludge (14-40% on a dry weight basis) may retard the decomposition of the sludge but the polyacrylamide flocculant used in its production and its pesticide content had no effect on the rate of decomposition. Our results suggest that variability in substrate quality may translate into variability in treatment performance and have important implications for the biological treatment of industrial wastes, including composting.     

Biologically available trace metals in Mytilus edulis from the coast of Northeast England

The concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cd, and Ag were determined in soft tissue and shell material of mussel Mytilus edulis collected in the winter season from five coastal sites in the northeast of England. The trace metal levels observed were significantly high, particularly at locations affected by past coal mining activities (Blackhall) and present industrial sources (Middleton). The mussels from the chosen control site (Holy Island), a shellfish-designated area, were particularly enriched in Cu and Ag. The metal pollution index for the Bran Sands site, a heavily industrialised area on the Tees Estuary, was relatively low. At four sites out of five, the levels of Fe and Cu were negatively correlated with mussel size. No significant correlation with size was found for the other metals. With few exceptions, the elements Fe, Zn, and Mn accumulated preferentially in the soft tissue, whereas Pb, Cd, Cr, Ag, and Ni were more abundant in the hard part of the mussels. The Ag values in shell material were remarkably similar (about 6 mg kg⁻¹ – 7 mg kg⁻¹, dry wt) at all sites studied. In general, the data show that the mussels from the coastline studied accumulate metal concentrations comparable to or higher than the most contaminated sites reported in the literature.     

Predicting early career research productivity: the case of management faculty

We used a longitudinal design to examine the predictors of early career research productivity for 152 management professors over the first six years of their career. Results revealed early career research productivity to be a function of dissertation advisor research productivity, pre‐appointment research productivity, and the research output of a faculty member's academic origin and academic placement. However, the effects of these predictors varied over time in terms of strength. The findings are discussed in terms of guiding the evaluation and hiring of new researchers in knowledge‐based industries. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence for high taxonomic and morphologic tyrannosauroid diversity in the Late Cretaceous (Late Campanian) of the American Southwest and a new short-skulled tyrannosaurid from the Kaiparowits formation of Utah

The fossil record of late Campanian tyrannosauroids of western North America has a geographic gap between the Northern Rocky Mountain Region (Montana, Alberta) and the Southwest (New Mexico, Utah). Until recently, diagnostic tyrannosauroids from the Southwest were unknown until the discovery of Bistahieversor sealeyi from the late Campanian of New Mexico. Here we describe an incomplete skull and postcranial skeleton of an unusual tyrannosaurid from the Kaiparowits Formation (Late Cretaceous) of Utah that represents a new genus and species, Teratophoneus curriei. Teratophoneus differs from other tyrannosauroids in having a short skull, as indicated by a short and steep maxilla, abrupt angle in the postorbital process of the jugal, laterally oriented paroccipital processes, short basicranium, and reduced number of teeth. Teratophoneus is the sister taxon of the Daspletosaurus + Tyrannosaurus clade and it is the most basal North American tyrannosaurine. The presence of Teratophoneus suggests that dinosaur faunas were regionally endemic in the west during the upper Campanian. The divergence in skull form seen in tyrannosaurines indicates that the skull in this clade had a wide range of adaptive morphotypes.