Interaction of alcohol and smoking in the pathogenesis of upper digestive tract cancers - possible chemoprevention with cysteine

Background: Alcohol consumption and smoking are the main causes of upper digestive tract cancers. These risk factors account for over 75% of all cases in developed countries. Epidemiological studies have shown that alcohol and tobacco interact in a multiplicative way to the cancer risk, but the pathogenetic mechanism behind this is poorly understood. Strong experimental and human genetic linkage data suggest that acetaldehyde is one of the major factors behind the carcinogenic effect. In the digestive tract, acetaldehyde is mainly formed by microbial metabolism of ethanol. Acetaldehyde is also a major constituent of tobacco smoke. Thus, acetaldehyde from both of these sources may have an interacting carcinogenic effect in the human upper digestive tract. Aims: The first aim of this thesis was to investigate acetaldehyde production and exposure in the human mouth resulting from alcohol ingestion and tobacco smoking in vivo. Secondly, specific L-cysteine products were prepared to examine their efficacy in the binding of salivary acetaldehyde in order to reduce the exposure of the upper digestive tract to acetaldehyde. Methods: Acetaldehyde levels in saliva were measured from human volunteers during alcohol metabolism, during tobacco smoking and during the combined use of alcohol and tobacco. The ability of L-cysteine to eliminate acetaldehyde during alcohol metabolism and tobacco smoking was also investigated with specifically developed tablets. Also the acetaldehyde production of Escherichia coli - an important member of the human microbiota - was measured in different conditions prevailing in the digestive tract. Results and conclusions: These studies established that smokers have significantly increased acetaldehyde exposure during ethanol consumption even when not actively smoking. Acetaldehyde exposure was dramatically further increased during active tobacco smoking. Thus, the elevated aerodigestive tract cancer risk observed in smokers and drinkers may be the result of the increased acetaldehyde exposure. Acetaldehyde produced in the oral cavity during ethanol challenge was significantly decreased by a buccal L-cysteine -releasing tablet. Also smoking-derived acetaldehyde could be totally removed by using a tablet containing L-cysteine. In conclusion, this thesis confirms the essential role of acetaldehyde in the pathogenesis of alcohol- and smoking-induced cancers. This thesis presents a novel experimental approach to decrease the local acetaldehyde exposure of the upper digestive tract with L-cysteine, with the eventual goal of reducting the prevalence of upper digestive tract cancers.

蒸汽引射稠油输送新技术

摘要：管线输送是稠油输运的一种主要手段。由于我国一些油田原油粘度高，常温下流动性差，管输需采用特殊工艺。根据粘度随温度沿指数下降的规律，与其它工艺比较，加热输送工艺有更大的潜力。该文提出了一种蒸汽引射直接加热稠油输送的新技术。为研究其有效性，进行了性能分析，并在辽河油田φ80mm，300m输油管线上进行了现场实验，测量了三种工况下该方法对稠油的温度、压降和含水串的影响。实验结果表明该文提出的方法是可行的。

Preliminary study on the construction and management of integrated rice-cum-fish culture system at Karabande, New Bussa

Details are given of a study carried out in Nigeria, to introduce the practice of fish-cum-rice culture, using Sarotherodon galilaeus. Two plots each measuring 360m super(2) were used for this study and were compared with the farmer's two plots measuring 300m super(2) and 350m super(2). The plots were modified and had two central canals. Rice seedlings were transplanted into the plots after 19 days using a planting distance of 20 x 20cm. Three rice seedlings were planted per hole, using rice variety FARO 40, and grown for 90 days. About 240 and 180 S. galilaeus fingerlings of mean weight of 30g and 26g were stocked in the two experimental plots, respectively. They were fed with pelleted feed of 25% C.P. and monitored for 100 days. A yield of 22.8kg was obtained in plot A while 15.66kg was obtained in plot B. A rice yield of 250kg (i.e 5 bags) was obtained in each of the plots. The results obtained were compared with plots with no fish

Evolução estrutural das zonas de cisalhamento dúcteis na porção centro-leste do domínio da Zona Transversal na Província Borborema

A área estudada está inserida no Domínio Transversal da Província Borborema. As unidades litoestratigráficas que compõem o embasamento paleoproterozócio (riaciano) são representadas por rochas ortoderivadas dos Complexos Salgadinho e Cabaceiras. Esses complexos foram individualizados de acordo com as suas diferenças composicionais, texturais e/ou geocronológicas. As rochas metassedimentares de idade paleoproterozóica (Orosiriano) foram interpretadas como constituintes do Complexo Sertânia. O magmatismo no estateriano é caracterizado por ortognaisses sienogranítcos da Suíte Carnoió-Caturité e por metanortositos do Complexo Metanortosítico Boqueirão. As unidades litoestratigráficas do Neoproterozóico são representadas por sucessões metassedimentares Criogenianas do Complexo Surubim e ortognaisses granodioríticos e sienograníticos do início do Ediacarano, denominados de Complexo Sumé e Ortognaisse Riacho de Santo Antônio, respectivamente. O magmatismo granítico do Ediacarano foi caracterizado pelo alojamento dos Plutons Inácio Pereira e Marinho. Os dados geocronológicos (U-Pb em zircão) obtidos indicam, no mínimo, o desenvolvimento de três eventos tectono-magmáticos. As idades de 2042 + 11Ma e 1996 + 13Ma obtidas nos ortoanfibolitos do Complexo Cabaceiras foram interpretadas como a idade de cristalização do protólito e metamorfismo, respectivamente. A idade de 1638 + 13Ma proveniente de hornblenda ortognaisse sienogranítico da Suíte Carnoió-Caturité foi interpretada como a idade de cristalização do protólito, marcando um evento magmático Estateriano de afinidade anorogênica. A idade de 550 + 3.1Ma encontrada em monzogranito porfirítico do Pluton Marinho é um registro do último evento magmático no final do Ediacarano, associado ao estágio tardio de desenvolvimento da Zona de Cisalhamento Coxixola. Os dados estruturais permitiram a individualização de três fases de deformação dúcteis, individualizadas como D1, D2 e D3. A fase D1 foi responsável pela geração de uma foliação S1, observada somente na charneira de dobras F2. O evento D2 é assinalado por uma tectônica contracional com transporte para NNW, observado a partir de bandas de cisalhamento assimétricas e dobras de arrasto em cortes paralelos a lineação de estiramento (L2x). Zonas de cisalhamento dúcteis de geometria e cinemática distintas desenvolveram-se durante a fase D3. As zonas de Cisalhamento Boa Vista, Carnoió e Congo estão orientadas na direção NE-SW e exibem cinemática sinistral em cortes paralelos à lineação de estiramento (L3x). As terminações meridionais dessas zonas de cisalhamento estão conectadas com a Zona de Cisalhamento Coxixola. Essa zona de cisalhamento, de direção WSW-ENE e cinemática destral, atravessa toda a área de estudo, com uma espessura média de rochas miloníticas de 300m. A Zona de Cisalhamento Inácio Pereira ocorre na porção leste da área de estudo, orientada na direção WNW-ESE. A análise geométrica e cinemática dessa zona de cisalhamento sugere uma evolução deformacional através de regime transpressivo oblíquo sinistral. O padrão anastomosado final resultante do desenvolvimento de todas as zonas de cisalhamento da área é relacionado à evolução estrutural de um sistema de zonas de cisalhamento dúcteis conjugadas.

Formation and characterization of tin oxide aerogel derived from sol-gel process based on tetra(n-butoxy)tin(IV)

Transparent and translucent SnO2 aerogels with high specific surface area (>300m(2)/g) have been prepared by sol-gel process using tetra(n-butoxy)tin(IV) as a starting compound, and supercritical drying technique for solvent extraction. Light scattering measurements reveal that the polymeric cluster size distribution in sol system is gradually broadened during sol-gel transition. SEM images show that the aerogels are made up of the cottonlike oxide agglomerates with a large number of Pores. TEM images show that these aerogels seem to be self-similar at different magnifications. Their pore size distribution is pretty wide ranging, from mesopore to macropore especially for that of translucent aerogel. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The coupling of St. John, US Virgin Islands Marine Protected Areas based on reef fish habitat affinities and movements across management boundaries [Poster]

NOAA's Biogeograpy Branch, the National Park Service (NPS), US Geological Survey, and the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) are using acoustice telemetry to quantify spatial patterns and habitat affinities of reef fishes in the US Virgin Islands (USVI). The objective of the study is to define the movements of reef fishes among habitats within and between the Virgin Islands Coral Reef Nationla Monument (VICRNM), adjacent to Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS), and USVI Territorial waters. In order to better understand species habitat utilization patterns and movement of fishes among management regimes and areas open to fishing around St. John, we deployed an array of hydroacoutstic receivers and acoustically tagged reef fishes. A total of 150 fishes, representing 18 species and 10 families were acoustically tagged along the south shore of St. John from July 2006 to June 2008. Thirty six receivers with a detection range of approximately 300m each were deployed in shallow nearshore bays and across the shelf to depths of approximately 30m. Receivers were located within reefs and adjacent to reefs in seagrass, algal beds, or sand habitats. Example results include the movement of lane snappers and blue striped grunts that demonstrated diel movement from reef habitats during daytime hours to offshore seagrass beds at night. Fish associated with reefs that did not have adjacent seagrass beds made more extensive movements than those fishes associated with reefs that had adjacent seagrass habitats. The array comprised of both nearshore and cross shelf location of receives provides information on fine to broad scale fish movement patterns across habitats and among management units to examine the strength of ecological connectivity between management areas and habitats. For more information go to: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/ecosystems/ coralreef/acoustic_tracking.html

40Gb／s甚短距离（VSR）光传输技术

电信局内设备连接的增长使人们迫切需要开发低成本的甚短距离（VSR）光传输技术。传统的400b／S（STM-256／0C-768）接口是为长距离传输设计的，对于传输距离在300m以内的大容量、高速传输场合并不适用，因此有必要寻找一种比现有400b／s短距离方案成本低的替代方案。详细介绍了VSR5—1．0协议。

万兆以太网物理层实现的研究

在深入研究了最新高速以太网技术——万兆以太网（10GbE）的物理层实现的基础上，提出了采用四路并行的甚短距离传输（VSR）技术实现传输距离在300m以内的局域和广域万兆以太网物理介质连接子层（PMA）和物理介质相关子层（PMD）子层的方法，从而实现了万兆以太网整个物理层的功能。该方法具有构建方便、性能稳定和成本低等优点，能够满足在局域万兆以太网和较短距离上的广域万兆以太网的数据传输。

10Gbit/s甚短距离(VSR)并行光传输系统

介绍了一个适用于甚短距离(Very Short Reach,VSR)网络传输的并行光传输系统。系统的发射部分用垂直腔面发射激光器(vERTICAL cAVITY sURFACE eMITTING lASER,vcsel)1×12列阵代替传统的边发射激光器，接收部分也采用相应的探测器列阵，并由多模光纤列阵相连接，在300m距离内以单信道1．25Gbit/s速率实现的10Gbit/s的高传输速率。

南海北部陆缘深水区构造演化及其资源效应

南海北部陆缘深水区（水深>300m）蕴藏着丰富的资源，我国对深水区的地质研究刚刚起步，但相关领域已成为科研热点。深水油气盆地的构造演化是油气勘探中最重要的基础性研究之一，因此针对我国南海北部陆缘深水区开展构造演化及其资源效应的研究具有重要的理论意义和实际意义。 本文利用钻井和地震资料并结合区域地质资料，重点研究了珠江口盆地深水区的结构和构造演化，取得如下创新性成果：1）首次利用半地堑分析方法系统解剖了研究区的结构、各构造单元发育特征，在此基础上指出五个有利油气运聚带；2）采用回剥法并利用最新资料进行校正，得到了研究区更为可靠的构造沉降曲线，重新划分了裂陷期和裂后期的分界，认为32Ma南海海底扩张之后裂陷作用仍在持续，直到23Ma左右才开始大规模裂后热沉降，并进一步解释了裂陷期延迟的形成机制；3）应用非连续拉张模型计算拉张系数的方程计算了研究区的壳幔拉张系数，指出了深水区地幔相对于地壳的优势伸展作用；首次运用平衡剖面技术重建了研究区的构造发育史，计算了各构造期的拉张率和沉积速率，指出研究区新生代整体呈现持续拉张，拉张系数在1.1-1.24之间；4）精细刻画了水合物钻采区的地质构造特征，建立了该区天然气水合物成藏的概念模式；建立了一套根据地震叠加速度计算流体势的方法，为水合物成藏规律的研究提供了新的思路。

台湾东北部及吕宋海峡黑潮的水文动力学分析

本论文应用一种流函数投影方法对台湾东北部黑潮近二十年的历史水文数据进行了诊断分析。 结果表明，苏澳海脊北部位于冲绳海槽西南角的黑潮中层水的盐度明显高于周围海区；而位于1000m以下的冲绳海槽黑潮深层水相对于苏澳海脊以南的黑潮深层水具有高温低盐的特征，反映了苏澳海脊对黑潮水团的阻挡作用；位于300m 以浅的冲绳海槽黑潮热带水相对于苏澳海脊以南的黑潮热带水具有低温低盐的特征。针对冲绳海槽西南角黑潮中层水高盐中心的成因，分析表明除了苏澳海脊的阻挡作用外，台湾东北部的气旋式冷涡与黑潮主体在陆架坡折交汇区的垂直混合过程是需要考虑的关键因素。另外，针对吕宋海峡黑潮表层水入侵南海的现象，本文结合卫星高度计数据对Argos漂流浮标轨迹进行了初步分析，结果显示除了风生Ekman流之外黑潮地转流也起着重要的平流作用。

Monitoring the vegetation start of season (SOS) across the island of Ireland using the MERIS global vegetation index

The aim of this study was to develop a methodology, based on satellite remote sensing, to estimate the vegetation Start of Season (SOS) across the whole island of Ireland on an annual basis. This growing body of research is known as Land Surface Phenology (LSP) monitoring. The SOS was estimated for each year from a 7-year time series of 10-day composited, 1.2 km reduced resolution MERIS Global Vegetation Index (MGVI) data from 2003 to 2009, using the time series analysis software, TIMESAT. The selection of a 10-day composite period was guided by in-situ observations of leaf unfolding and cloud cover at representative point locations on the island. The MGVI time series was smoothed and the SOS metric extracted at a point corresponding to 20% of the seasonal MGVI amplitude. The SOS metric was extracted on a per pixel basis and gridded for national scale coverage. There were consistent spatial patterns in the SOS grids which were replicated on an annual basis and were qualitatively linked to variation in landcover. Analysis revealed that three statistically separable groups of CORINE Land Cover (CLC) classes could be derived from differences in the SOS, namely agricultural and forest land cover types, peat bogs, and natural and semi-natural vegetation types. These groups demonstrated that managed vegetation, e.g. pastures has a significantly earlier SOS than in unmanaged vegetation e.g. natural grasslands. There was also interannual spatio-temporal variability in the SOS. Such variability was highlighted in a series of anomaly grids showing variation from the 7-year mean SOS. An initial climate analysis indicated that an anomalously cold winter and spring in 2005/2006, linked to a negative North Atlantic Oscillation index value, delayed the 2006 SOS countrywide, while in other years the SOS anomalies showed more complex variation. A correlation study using air temperature as a climate variable revealed the spatial complexity of the air temperature-SOS relationship across the Republic of Ireland as the timing of maximum correlation varied from November to April depending on location. The SOS was found to occur earlier due to warmer winters in the Southeast while it was later with warmer winters in the Northwest. The inverse pattern emerged in the spatial patterns of the spring correlates. This contrasting pattern would appear to be linked to vegetation management as arable cropping is typically practiced in the southeast while there is mixed agriculture and mostly pastures to the west. Therefore, land use as well as air temperature appears to be an important determinant of national scale patterns in the SOS. The TIMESAT tool formed a crucial component of the estimation of SOS across the country in all seven years as it minimised the negative impact of noise and data dropouts in the MGVI time series by applying a smoothing algorithm. The extracted SOS metric was sensitive to temporal and spatial variation in land surface vegetation seasonality while the spatial patterns in the gridded SOS estimates aligned with those in landcover type. The methodology can be extended for a longer time series of FAPAR as MERIS will be replaced by the ESA Sentinel mission in 2013, while the availability of full resolution (300m) MERIS FAPAR and equivalent sensor products holds the possibility of monitoring finer scale seasonality variation. This study has shown the utility of the SOS metric as an indicator of spatiotemporal variability in vegetation phenology, as well as a correlate of other environmental variables such as air temperature. However, the satellite-based method is not seen as a replacement of ground-based observations, but rather as a complementary approach to studying vegetation phenology at the national scale. In future, the method can be extended to extract other metrics of the seasonal cycle in order to gain a more comprehensive view of seasonal vegetation development.

Seasonal shelf-sea front mapping using satellite ocean colour and temperature to support development of a marine protected area network

Front detection and aggregation techniques were applied to 300m resolution MERIS satellite ocean colour data for the first time, to describe frequently occurring shelf-sea fronts near to the Scottish coast. Medium resolution (1km) thermal and colour data have previously been used to analyse the distribution of surface fronts, though these cannot capture smaller frontal zones or those in close proximity to the coast, particularly where the coastline is convoluted. Seasonal frequent front maps, derived from both chlorophyll and SST data, revealed a number of key frontal zones, a subset of which were based on new insights into the sediment and plankton dynamics provided exclusively by the higher-resolution chlorophyll fronts. The methodology is described for applying colour and thermal front data to the task of identifying zones of ecological importance that could assist the process of defining marine protected areas. Each key frontal zone is analysed to describe its spatial and temporal extent and variability, and possible mechanisms. It is hoped that these tools can provide guidance on the dynamic habitats of marine fauna towards aspects of marine spatial planning and conservation.

Seasonal shelf-sea front mapping using satellite ocean colour and temperature to support development of a marine protected area network

Front detection and aggregation techniques were applied to 300m resolution MERIS satellite ocean colour data for the first time, to describe frequently occurring shelf-sea fronts near to the Scottish coast. Medium resolution (1km) thermal and colour data have previously been used to analyse the distribution of surface fronts, though these cannot capture smaller frontal zones or those in close proximity to the coast, particularly where the coastline is convoluted. Seasonal frequent front maps, derived from both chlorophyll and SST data, revealed a number of key frontal zones, a subset of which were based on new insights into the sediment and plankton dynamics provided exclusively by the higher-resolution chlorophyll fronts. The methodology is described for applying colour and thermal front data to the task of identifying zones of ecological importance that could assist the process of defining marine protected areas. Each key frontal zone is analysed to describe its spatial and temporal extent and variability, and possible mechanisms. It is hoped that these tools can provide guidance on the dynamic habitats of marine fauna towards aspects of marine spatial planning and conservation.

Introduced taxa in disturbed ecosystems

In the literature, introduced taxa are assumed to be present, more abundant, and occupy greater physical space in portions of ecosystems disturbed by human activity. This study tested this principle in two sites, Short Hills provincial Park ("SHU) and Backus Woods ("B~l"). spatial distribution of introduced taxa of vegetation, isopods, and earthworms was determined with the runs test along 300m transects encompassing gradients of anthropogenic disturbance severity. The hypothesis was that introduced taxa would be aggregated along these transects; the null hypothesis was that they would not be aggregated. The null hypothesis was rejected for the introduced taxa as a unit, and vegetation and earthworms individually. Introduced taxa were aggregated along 53.33% (N~30) and 57.14% (N~21) of the transects in SH and BW (respectively). Introduced vegetation (90.00%, N~10 and 100.00%, N~7) and earthworms (50.00%, N~10 and 50.00%, N~8) were also significantly aggregated within the sites. Introduced isopods, however, were not significantly aggregated at either place (20. 00%, N-=10 and 16. 67%, ~J~6). This study demonstrated that introduced taxa are aggregated within ecosystems disturbed by human activity. However, since introduced isopods were not significantly aggregated it was also shown that taxa respond differently.