Particle-attached and free-living bacterial communities in a contrasting marine environment: Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong

Diversity of particle-attached and free-living marine bacteria in Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong, and its adjacent coastal and estuarial environments was investigated using DNA fingerprinting and clone library analysis. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed that bacterial communities in three stations of Victoria Harbor were similar, but differed from those in adjacent coastal and estuarine stations. Particle-attached and free-living bacterial community composition differed in the Victoria Harbor area. DNA sequencing of 28 bands from DGGE gel showed Alphaproteobacteria was the most abundant group, followed by the Bacteroidetes, and other Proteobacteria. Bacterial species richness (number of DGGE bands) differed among stations and populations (particle-attached and free-living; bottom and surface). BIOENV analysis indicated that the concentrations of suspended solids were the major contributing parameter for the spatial variation of total bacterial community structure. Samples from representative stations were selected for clone library (548 clones) construction and their phylogenetic distributions were similar to those of sequences from DGGE. Approximately 80% of clones were affiliated to Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria. The possible influences of dynamic pollution and hydrological conditions in the Victoria Harbor area on the particle-attached and free-living bacterial community structures were discussed.

Pervasive autocorrelation of the chemical index of alteration in sedimentary profiles and its palaeoenvironmental implications

The chemical index of alteration has been used widely for reconstruction of the palaeoclimate. However, the mechanisms and environmental factors controlling the chemical index of alteration of sediments are not yet fully understood. In this study, autocorrelations of the chemical index of alteration in nine sedimentary profiles, from both the land and the sea, spanning different geological times, are discussed. The sediments of these profiles have different origins (dust, fluvial or ocean sediments) and are from various climate situations and sedimentary environments. Autocorrelations of chemical index of alteration series are ubiquitously evident in all profiles. It is suggested here that autocorrelations may be caused by post-depositional changes such as persistent weathering and diagenesis. As a result, the chemical index of alteration may not reflect climatic conditions during the time of sediment deposition. This study strongly recommends the confirmation of the reliability and veracity of the chemical index of alteration before it is adopted to evaluate the weathering degree of parent rocks and to reconstruct the past climate. Significant autocorrelations in loess profiles were specifically observed, suggesting that the existing understanding of loess deposition in terms of climate conditions requires re-examination, and that previous reconstructions of rapid climate changes (for example, in centennial-millennial scales) should be treated with caution.

Living planktonic foraminifera from the northwestern Pacific Ocean: SSU rDNA sequences and their paleoceanographic significance

Living planktonic foraminifera (PF) samples from the Okinawa Trough of the northwestern Pacific Ocean were taken for DNA analysis. The SSU rDNA sequences of two PF species, Globigerina sp. and Pulleniatina obliquiloculata collected at Station WP01, were obtained and compared with those from the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Only small differences (< 0.7%-1.2% for P. obliquiloculata, and 0.3% for Globigerina sp.) were found between samples from the north- and south-western Pacific Ocean areas and this molecular evidence supported that these micropaleontological species are the same species, which implies that the West Pacific Ocean circulation system influences the planktonic foraminiferal gene communication.

Feeding habits of Calanus sinicus (Crustacea : Copepoda) during spring and autumn in the Bohai Sea studied with the herbivore index

Pigment ingestion rate (PIR) and egg production rate (EPR) of the dominant copepod Calanus sinicus, as well as chlorophyll-a concentration and phytoplankton assemblages were measured in the Bohai Sea, North China in June 1997, October 1998 and May 1999. A herbivore index (H) was also calculated as the carbon specific ratio of PIR and EPR, in order to investigate its feeding habits in the spring and autumn phytoplankton bloom respectively. On average, chlorophyll-a concentration was relatively similar (1-1.34 mg m(-3)) in the three cruises, but PIR was quite different. It was 3.24 mu g C female(-1) d(-1) in October, equivalent to one half of the PIR for June and one third of the PIR for May. Average EPR was highest in May, and quite similar during the other two months. According to H values, herbivorous feeding contributed 100% of the egg production of C. sinicus in June, 82.5% in May, but only 47.8% in October. It is possible that omnivorous feeding of C. sinicus in October was induced by a prevalence of large-sized diatoms and sufficient non-phytoplankton food resources during the autumn bloom period.

Radioactivity Concentrations in Soils in the Qingdao Area, China

The specific activity concentrations of radionuclides U-238, Th-212, and K-40 of 2300 sampling points in the Qingdao area were measured by an FD-3022 gamma-ray spectrometer. The radioactivity concentrations of U-238, Th-232, and K-40 ranged from 3.3 to 185.3, from 6.9 to 157.2, and from 15.8 to 7834.4 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The air-absorbed dose at I meter above ground, effective annual dose, external hazard index, and radium equivalent activity were also calculated to systematically evaluate the radiological hazards of the natural radioactivity in Qingdao. The air-absorbed dose, effective annual dose, external hazard index, and radium equivalent activity in the study area were 98.6 nGy h(-1), 0.12 mSv, 0.56, 197 Bq kg(-1), respectively. Compared with the worldwide value, the air-absorbed dose is slightly high, but the other factors are all lower than the recommended value. The natural external exposure will not pose significant radiological threat to the population. In conclusion, the Qingdao area is safe with regard to the radiological level and suitable for living.

Food sources of three bivalves living in two habitats of Jiaozhou Bay (Qingdao, China): Indicated by lipid biomarkers and stable isotope analysis

Food Sources of three filter-feeding bivalves from two habitats (intertidal oyster Crassostrea gigas, mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. and subtidal cultured scallop Chlamys farreri) of Jiaozhou Bay (Qingdao,China) were determined by fatty acid and stable isotope in analysis. Cultured scallop was characterized by significant diatom markets such as 16:1/16:0 close to 1 and high ratio of 20:5(n - 3)/22:6(n - 3), hence we assume that the scallop mainly feeds on diatoms. Fatty acid biomarkers specific to bacteria and terrestrial materials were also found in considerable amounts in scallop tissue, which suggested that there were Substantial bacterial and terrestrial input into the food of the species. Intertidal oyster and mussel, however, exhibited significant flagellate marker. 22:6(n - 3). and lower level of diatom markers. which indicated that flagellates are also part of intertidal bivalves' Planktonic food Sources: meanwhile, high level of Chlorophyta fatty acid marker, Sigma 18:2(n - 6) + 18:3(n - 3), suggested that Ulva pertusa (Chlorophyta) seaweed bed supplied important food sources to intertidal bivalves. Additionally, result of stable isotope analysis showed that phytoplankton contributed 86.2 to 89.0% to intertidal bivalves' carbon budget; macroalga U. pertusa origin source had a contribution of MIX, to 11.0%, which indicated its role Lis in important supplemental food source to intertidal bivalves. From this study. it is concluded that the dietary difference of three bivalves probably relates to the different potential food sources in the scallop farm and intertidal zone in Jiaozhou Bay.

Assessing the potential of VEGETATION sensor data for mapping snow and ice cover: a Normalized Difference Snow and Ice Index

The VEGETATION (VGT) sensor in SPOT 4 has four spectral bands that are equivalent to Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) bands (blue, red, near-infrared and mid-infrared spectral bands) and provides daily images of the global land surface at a 1-km spatial resolution. We propose a new index for identifying and mapping of snow ice cover, namely the Normalized Difference Snow/Ice Index (NDSII), which uses reflectance values of red and mid-infrared spectral bands of Landsat TM and VGT. For Landsat TM data, NDSII is calculated as NDSIITM =(TM3 -TM5)/(TM3 +TM5); for VGT data, NDSII is calculated as NDSIIVGT =(B2- MIR)/(B2 + MIR). As a case study we used a Landsat TM image that covers the eastern part of the Qilian mountain range in the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) plateau of China. NDSIITM gave similar estimates of the area and spatial distribution of snow/ice cover to the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI=(TM2-TM5)/(TM2+TM5)) which has been proposed by Hall et al. The results indicated that the VGT sensor might have the potential for operational monitoring and mapping of snow/ice cover from regional to global scales, when using NDSIIVGT.

水-岩土反应的力学与环境效应研究

The research on mechanical effects of water-rock and soil interaction on deformation and failure of rocks and soils involves three aspects of mechanics, physics and chemistry. It is the cross between geochemistry and rock mechanics and soil mechanics. To sum up, the mechanical effects of water-rock and soil interaction is related to many complex processes. Research in this respect has been being an important forward field and has broad prospects. In connection with the mechanism of the effects of the chemical action of water-rock on deformation and failure of rocks and soils, the research significance, the present state, the developments in this research domain are summarized. Author prospects the future of this research. The research of the subject should be possessed of important position in studying engineering geology and will lead directly to a new understand on geological hazard and control research. In order to investigation the macroscopic mechanics effects of chemical kinetics of water-rock interaction on the deformation and failure, calcic rock, red sandstone and grey granite reacting chemically with different aqueous solution at atmospheric temperature and atmospheric pressure are uniaxially compressed. The quantitative results concerning the changes of uniaxially compressive strength and elastic modulus under different conditions are obtained. It is found that the mechanical effects of water on rock is closely related to the chemical action of water-rock or the chemical damage in rock, and the intensity of chemical damage is direct ratio to the intensity of chemical action in water-rock system. It is also found that the hydrochemical action on rock is time-dependent through the test. The mechanism of permeation and hydrochemical action resulting in failure of loaded rock mass or propagation of fractures in rocks would be a key question in rock fracture mechanics. In this paper, the fracture mechanical effects of chemical action of water-rock and their time- and chemical environment-dependent behavior in grey granite, green granite, grey sandstone and red sandstone are analyzed by testing K_(IC) and COD of rock under different conditions. It is found that: ①the fracture mechanical effect of chemical action of water-rock is outstanding and time-dependent, and high differences exist in the influence of different aqueous solution, different rocks, different immersion ways and different velocity of cycle flow on the fracture mechanical effects in rock. ②the mechanical effects of water-rock interaction on propagation of fractures is consistent with the mechanical effects on the peak strength of rock. ③the intensity of the mechanical fracture effects increases as the intensity of chemical action of water-rock increases. ④iron and calcium ion bearing mineral or cement in rock are some key ion or chemical composition, and especially iron ion-bearing mineral resulting in chemical action of water-rock to be provided with both positive and negative mechanical effects on rock. Through the above two tests, we suggest that primary factors influencing chemical damage in rock consist of the chemical property of rock and aqueous solution, the structure or homogeneity of rocks, the flow velocity of aqueous solution passing through rock, and cause of formation or evolution of rock. The paper explores the mechanism on the mechanical effects of water-rock interaction on rock by using the theory of chemistry and rock fracture mechanics with chemical damage proposed by author, the modeling method and the energy point of view. In this paper, the concept of absorbed suction between soil grains caused by capillary response is given and expounded, and the relation and basic distinction among this absorbed suction, surface tension and capillary pressure of the soil are analyzed and established. The law of absorbed suction change and the primary factors affecting it are approached. We hold that the structure suction are changeable along with the change of the saturation state in unsaturated soils. In view of this, the concept of intrinsic structure suction and variable structure suction are given and expounded, and this paper points out: What we should study is variable structure suction when studying the effective stress. By IIIy κHH's theory of structure strength of soils, the computer method for variable structure suction is analyzed, the measure method for variable structure suction is discussed, and it reach the conclusions: ①Besides saturation state, variable structure suction is affected by grain composition and packing patter of grains. ②The internal relations are present between structure parameter N in computing structure suction and structure parameter D in computing absorbed suction. We think that some problems exit in available principle of effective stress and shear strength theory for unsaturated soil. Based on the variable structure suction and absorbed suction, the classification of saturation in soil and a principle of narrow sense effective stress are proposed for unsaturated soils. Based on generalized suction, the generalized effective stress formula and a principle of generalized effective stress are proposed for unsaturated soils. The experience parameter χ in Bishop's effective stress formula is defined, and the principal factors influencing effective stress or χ. The primary factor affecting the effective stress in unsaturated soils, and the principle classifying unsaturated soils and its mechanics methods analyzing unsaturated soils are discussed, and this paper points out: The theory on studying unsaturated soil mechanics should adopt the micromechanics method, then raise it to macromechanics and to applying. Researching the mechanical effects of chemical action of water-soil on soil is of great importance to geoenvironmental hazard control. The texture of soil and the fabric of soil mass are set forth. The tests on physical and mechanical property are performed to investigate the mechanism of the positive and negative mechanical effects of different chemical property of aqueous solution. The test results make clear that the plastic limit, liquid limit and plasticity index are changed, and there exists both positive and negative effects on specimens in this test. Based on analyzing the mechanism of the mechanical effects of water-soil interaction on soil, author thinks that hydrochemical actions being provided with mechanical effects on soil comprise three kinds of dissolution, sedimentation or crystallization. The significance of these tests lie in which it is recognized for us that we may improve, adjust and control the quality of soils, and may achieve the goal geological hazard control and prevention.The present and the significance of the research on environmental effects of water-rock and soil interaction. Various living example on geoenvironmental hazard in this field are enumerated. Following above thinking, we have approached such ideals that: ①changing the intensity and distribution of source and sink in groundwater flow system can be used to control the water-rock and soil interaction. ②the chemical action of water-rock and soil can be used to ameliorate the physical and mechanical property of rocks and soils. Lastly, the research thinking and the research methods on mechanical effects and environmental effects of water-rock and soil interaction are put forward and detailed.

Leaving Planet Earth (Follow-on Voucher Project).

SFC FOLLOW-ON VOUCHER The project was undertaken as a SFC Follow-on Voucher (£40K) alongside a student project with BDes (Hons) Design & Digital Arts (D&DA).James Blake (Centre for Media & Culture) brought together students and staff to develop digital content, including films, for a transmedia project and the induction video on the coaches to Ratho. Malcolm Innes, Ian Lambert, Andrew O’Dowd, and Euan Winton (Centre for Design Practice & Research) developed the Old Earth Museum (both physical and virtual), and transmedia designer and research student Beata Zemanek oversaw the transmedia strategy and making of the Gatekeeper film, supported by D&DA students and graduates.

A probabilistic index for completely positive maps and an application

Gohm, Rolf, (2003) 'A probabilistic index for completely positive maps and an application', Journal of Operator Theory 54(2) pp.339-361 RAE2008

Search/ing for missing people: families living with ambiguous absence

Families of missing people are often understood as inhabiting a particular space of ambiguity, captured in the phrase ‘living in limbo’ (Holmes, 2008). To explore this uncertain ground, we interviewed 25 family members to consider how human absence is acted upon and not just felt within this space ‘in between’ grief and loss (Wayland, 2007). In the paper, we represent families as active agents in spatial stories of ‘living in limbo’, and we provide insights into the diverse strategies of search/ing (technical, physical and emotional) in which they engage to locate either their missing member or news of them. Responses to absence are shown to be intimately bound up with unstable spatial knowledges of the missing person and emotional actions that are subject to change over time. We suggest that practices of search are not just locative actions, but act as transformative processes providing insights into how families inhabit emotional dynamism and transition in response to the on-going ‘missing situation’ and ambiguous loss (Boss, 1999, 2013).

Synteza i charakterystyka wybranych nanocząstek o potencjalnych zastosowaniach w medycynie

Zakład Biofizyki Molekularnej, Centrum NanoBioMedyczne UAM

The Encyclopaedia of missions : descriptive, historical, biographical, statistical : with a full assortment of maps, a complete bibliography, and lists of Bible versions, missionary societies, mission stations, and a general index / edited by Edwin Munsell Bliss.

http://www.archive.org/details/encyclopaediamis02unknuoft