Subcellular distribution of trace elements in the liver of sea turtles

Subcellular distribution of Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Mo, Ag, Cd and Pb was determined in the liver of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from Yaeyama Islands, Japan. Also, hepatic cytosol from sea turtles was applied on a Sephadex G-75 column and elution profiles of trace elements were examined. Copper, Zn, Se, Rb, Ag and Cd were largely present in cytosol in the liver of both species, indicating that cytosol was the significant site for the accumulation of these elements in sea turtles. In contrast, Mo and Pb were accumulated specifically in nuclear and mitochondrial fraction and microsomal fraction, respectively. Gel filtration analysis showed that Cu, Zn, Ag and Cd were bound to metallothionein (MT) in the cytosol of sea turtles. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the association of trace elements with MT in sea turtles.     

Estimation of parameters of the flows forming sediment waves on the western slope of the middle caspian sea

By means of mathematical modeling, the parameters of flows forming sedimentary waves on the western slope of the Derbent basin were estimated. The height of these flows depends on the slope steepness and varies from 25 to 170 m to reach its maximum values at gentler slope areas. However, the flow rate is independent of the slope steepness and depends only on the concentration of sediment matter supplied by the flow. At the upper part of the slope (the flow starting), the rate amounts to 0.4–1.4 m/s, being almost halved at the depths where the sedimentary waves are damped. The present rates of near-bottom currents show pronounced seasonal differences, and their values are close to flow rates obtained by numerical modeling.     

Food Security of Shifting Cultivation Systems： Case Studies from Luang Prabang and Oudomxay Provinces, Lao PDR

Introduction The shifting cultivation system is one of the most important agricultural systems in Luang Prabang and Oudomxay provinces, where many production systems are found in the uplands. The factors, determining the systems, include ethnicity,Journal…     

Concentration and subcellular distribution of trace elements in liver of small cetaceans incidentally caught along the Brazilian coast

Concentrations of trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, T-Hg, Org-Hg, Tl and Pb) were determined in liver samples of estuarine dolphin (Sotalia guianensis; n = 20), Franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei; n = 23), Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis; n = 2), common dolphin (Delphinus capensis; n = 1) and striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba; n = 1) incidentally caught along the coast of Sao Paulo State and Parana State, Brazil, from 1997 to 1999. The hepatic concentrations of trace elements in the Brazilian cetaceans were comparable to the data available in literature on marine mammals from Northern Hemisphere. Concentrations of V, Se, Mo, Cd, T-Hg and Org-Hg increased with increasing age in liver of both estuarine and Franciscana dolphins. Very high concentrations of Cu (range, 262-1970 microg/g dry wt.) and Zn (range, 242-369 microg/g dry wt.) were observed in liver of sucklings of estuarine dolphin. Hepatic concentrations of V, Se, T-Hg, Org-Hg and Pb were significantly higher in estuarine dolphin, whereas Franciscana dolphin showed higher concentrations of Mn, Co, As and Rb. Ratio of Org-Hg to T-Hg in liver was significantly higher in Franciscana dolphin than estuarine dolphin, suggesting that demethylation ability of methyl Hg might be lower in liver of Franciscana than estuarine dolphins. High hepatic concentrations of Ag were found in some specimens of Franciscana dolphin (maximum, 20 microg/g dry wt.), and 17% of Franciscana showed higher concentrations of Ag than Hg. These samples with high Ag concentration also exhibited elevated hepatic Se concentration, implying that Ag might be detoxified by Se in the liver. Higher correlation coefficient between (Hg+0.5 Ag) and Se than between Hg and Se and the large distribution of Ag in non-soluble fraction in nuclear and mitochondrial fraction of the liver also suggests that Ag might be detoxified by Se via formation of Ag2Se in the liver of Franciscana dolphin.     

广东2008年低温雨雪冰冻灾害及气象应急响应

2008年初我国南方遭受了百年一遇低温雨雪冰冻灾害,广东的受灾程度属80年一遇,造成了重大经济损失和严重社会影响.分析发现:灾害过程在近年来最严重的一次"拉尼娜"事件背景下发生的,与欧亚地区持续大气环流异常密切相关.在"北脊南槽"和西太平洋副高偏北偏强的形势下,冷暖气流在我国南方地区频繁交汇,使对流层中低层形成逆温层和局地经向环流产生异常,造成了此次持续低温雨雪冰冻过程.面对灾害引发的公共事件,广东省气象部门打破常规、准确预警,启动预案,通过媒体和"公共事件预警信息发布平台",及时传播权威的公共预警信息,为安定民心、稳定社会、减少灾害起到积极作用.灾后反思发现,山区冰灾的监测、灾害的评估、公共信息发布等的能力和规范均亟待加强.     

源外斜坡区断裂对油气聚集与分布的控制作用研究——以松辽盆地尚家油田扶余、杨大城子油层为例

尚家油田扶余、杨大城子油层原油主要来自三肇凹陷青一段源岩,是三肇凹陷青一段源岩生成的油经T2源断裂向扶余、杨大城子油层倒灌运移后,再在浮力作用下沿断裂配合的砂体连通侧向运移的结果。针对尚家油田扶余、杨大城子油层油水分布关系复杂,油成藏运移过程中主要受活动性断裂控制的特点,将尚家地区断裂在源岩的大量生排烃期划分出继承性活动断裂和未发生活动的遮挡断裂,并建立活动性断裂控制断裂两盘储层砂岩对接侧向输导油的运移模式。揭示出活动性断裂控制断裂两盘砂岩对接控制油侧向运移至尚家油田扶余、杨大城子油层各断块中,运移过程中遇到遮挡断层圈闭或是断层岩性圈闭油会在其中聚集成藏,运移过程停止,这种运移模式使得油在构造高部位分布具有复杂性和随机性,且这些特性随着油源区的远离而加剧,而扩大了油在纵向上的分布层位,油在靠近油源区的断块的上部层位注入并聚集起来,为正常的上油下水的油水系统,而远离油源区的断块下部层位也可富集油气,可出现两套或是多套的油水系统,油水分布复杂;而远离油源区的圈闭油气聚集时期早于靠近油源区的圈闭油气聚集时期,同一断块上部层位油气的聚集时期早于下部层位油气的聚集时期。     

The Tolbachik Volcanic Center: The composition of ejecta,phases of activity,a petrologic model

We present new geological and isotopic geochemical data on rock compositions at the earlier stage (basement, the shield edifice) in the evolution of the Tolbachik Volcanic Center and the basement plateau of Ushkovskii Volcano. We used additional material from the literature to get a general picture of the evolution of both centers of volcanism. The increasing concentrations of nearly all trace components (except Sr) combined with decreasing degrees of differentiation in most major components and Sr isotope ratios in rocks of the Tolbachik Center are controlled by the change from a lithospheric mantle reservoir to an asthenosheric one and by a decreasing degree of melting in the reservoirs (25–20% → 15–10% → <5%). The change of mantle sources and the diminution of their endogenous activity may indicate a decay of the Tolbachik Center volcanism. Ushkovskii Volcano has no shield edifice, but the composition of this stratovolcano itself shows many signs indicating rocks of a basement plateau. Here, an asthenospheric mantle reservoir was evident at the very beginning, although the rocks show both island-arc and intraplate geochemical characteristics.     

蒙古国南戈壁Harshatewula地区二长花岗岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

对蒙古国南戈壁Harshatewula地区二长花岗岩进行LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb精确定年。结果表明,该岩体LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为326.4±1.1Ma,成岩时代为早石炭世。本次所测岩体年龄是迄今为止该区获得的较为可靠的直接测年数据,为北山构造带、哈尔力克-大南湖岛弧带与蒙古戈壁-天山古生代岛弧岩浆岩带为一条古生代岛弧岩浆岩带的认识提供了年龄依据,对该区构造地质演化研究具有重要意义。     

Specific Features of Lithological and Mineralogical Compositions of Moraines in the Don Region

Results of the detailed lithological-mineralogical study of moraines from the well-known key sections in the Don Basin are presented. Important debatable issues concerning the age of Early Pleistocene glacial sediments are considered. Together with biostratigraphic data, recent data on the mineral composition of key moraine units can be used for solving these issues. The layered moraine sequence of the Don Basin (hereafter, Don moraine) shows compositional similarity in a regional scale. However, it is characterized by a spatiotemporal variation in the mineral and petrographic associations governed by specific paleogeographic settings and stages of moraine formation. Specific features of temporal rearrangement of these associations indicate the general paleogeographic trend of glacial lithogenesis. Therefore, they make it possible to compare moraines from the Kuznetsovka and Volnaya Vershina sections that include a combination of the most stable (and, generally, local) minerals and rocks of early stages of glacial lithogenesis. The compositionally most exotic Novokhopersk and Moiseevo moraines are logically attributed to the later stage of moraine formation. This does not contradict specific features of teriofauna in the interglacial sediments underlying and overlying the moraines. It is shown the spatiotemporal variation in the mineral composition of moraines of the Don region can be used for their stratigraphic correlation.__________Translated from Litologiya i Poleznye Iskopaemye, No. 3, 2005, pp. 321–332.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Bylinskii, Ananeva, Sudakova.