Albert Einstein on the beach; Le Coq sur Mer, Belgium Portraits; Men

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The role of ciliates in the pelagic life cycle of the Mediterranean [Translation from: Rapports et Proces Verbaux des Reunions-Conseil International pour l'Exploration de la Mer 17, 511-512, 1963]

During hydrographic and plankton studies carried out since 1960 in the coastal zone between the Ebro and Castellon (western Mediterranean), data has been collected which confirms the importance of ciliates in the composition and activity of the plankton. The ciliates in 413 samples of 100 ml of water were counted, having been examined with the Utermohl microscope after sedimentation. The samples studied were distributed according to the density of their population. subject for study. The author concludes that recognition of the role of ciliates as an important link in the food chain of the sea would simplify the interpretation of certain problems posed by the nutrition of certain groups of planktonic animals.

Communication mer-lagune: impact d'une réouverture sur l'ichtyofaune de la lagune Ebrié (Côte d'Ivoire)

The artificial reopening of the lagoon inlet, made in Grand-Bantam in September 1987 in order to reduce the aquatic weeds proliferation, induced some environmental and fish communities alterations in the eastern part of the Ebrié lagoon (Côte d'Ivoire). A preliminary field survey made in May 1988 shows an increase in the salinity rate and an increase of the marine component among fish communities, when compared to the former ecological state of this lagoon area (reference data of 1980 and 1981).

La pollution bacterienne de la lagune et de la mer autour d'Abidjan

The total coliforms, fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci were counted over 1 year at 33 stations in the Ebrié Lagoon near Abidjan (Ivory Coast). Most of the waters show high numbers of bacteria, (D category of the American standards). For the sea-beaches, high numbers of fecal germs are found where the human population is abundant.

Use of length-weight relationship in grading processed beche-de-mer

Holothurians, belonging to the species Holothuria scabra, have been collected by diver-fishermen and processed for export. There is an active fishery for these animals in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka. The absence of standardized method of grading has led to unwarranted variation in sale prices and sometimes in loss of foreign exchange in Sri Lanka. In this paper an attempt is made to present a method to grade processed beche-de-mer by using the lenght-weight relationship.

De-scummer for beche-de-mer processing

An improved method for processing sea cucumber (beche-de-mer) is described. Details of a machine named de-scummer are presented. The traditional method for preparation is discussed, and the new method outlined; this involves burying boiled sea cucumber in clean sand contained in cement pits for periods of 6-8 h. The animals are then transferred to the de-scummer for mechanical treatment and are boiled again. After this they are dried.

Study on the quality of beche-de-mer in trade and shrinkage of specimens during processing

The beche-de-mer industry in India is a cent percent export oriented industry being confined to south east coast in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu. Chemical quality of 180 trade samples of beche-de-mer of four sizes collected from the beche-de-mer curing centres of Ramanathapuram district was studied. Moisture ranged from 6.2 to 24.4% and sand content from 0.11 to 20.42% for all grades. Mean values of sand content are for grade 1=3.47%, grade 2=4.50%, grade 3=3.68%, grade 4=6.87%. Sodium chloride was almost constant for all grades at 5.7%. TVBN values ranged from 10 to 78.4 mg%. 44 laboratory samples of different grades were prepared following trade practice and examined for chemical quality. Mean moisture values are for grade 1=13.4%, grade 2=12.44%, grade 3=12.62%, grade 4=12.08% and mean values of sand are for grade 1=0.70%, grade 2=0.90%, grade 3=1.16%, grade 4=2.15%. The percentage of shrinkage of the animals ranged from 56% to 60% for dried beche-de-mer of 7.5 cm size and above.

mer-(4-aminobenzenesulfonato-kappa N)triapua(1,10-phenanthroline-kappa N-2,N ')cobalt(II) chloride

Both coordination and hydrogen bonds contribute to networking in the supramolecular title compound, [Co(C6H6NO3S)(C12H8N2)(H2O)(3)]Cl, which contains a discrete [Co(C6H6NO3S)(C12H8N2)(H2O)(3)](+) complex cation, formed by one 4-aminobenzenesulfonate ligand, one 1,10-phenanthroline ligand and three coordinated water molecules, together with one uncoordinated chloride anion. These discrete cations and chloride anions are connected by hydrogen-bonding interactions into a two-dimensional supramolecular motif. Further hydrogen-bonding interactions consolidate the structural architecture and extend the two-dimensional supramolecular structure into a three-dimensional network.

The isolation and secondary functionalisation of the mer- and fac-isomers of tris(5-hydroxymethyl-2,2 '-bipyridine) complexes of ruthenium(II)

Tris-chelate 5-hydroxymethyl-2,2 '-bipyridine complexes of ruthenium (II) and the structurally related benzo- and naphthoesters have been isolated. The mer-isomer of the alcohol functionalised complex has been isolated by selective precipitation from methylene chloride and was subsequently functionalised to the benzoester with retention of the geometrical isomerism. The fac- and merisomeric forms of the ester complexes were separated using preparative plate silica chromatography and characterised by H-1 NMR spectroscopy. X-ray structural analysis of the fac-isomer of both the ester complexes confirmed the product assignment. The photophysical properties of the three isomers were investigated, indicating very similar absorption spectra to [Ru(biPY)(3)](2+). The emission wavelength was comparable in each case, with the aromatic ester complexes giving a much longer lifetime and higher quantum yields. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The comparison of fac and mer ruthenium(II) trischelate complexes in anion binding

The synthesis of three new homoleptic trischelate ruthenium( II) complexes bearing new 2,2'-bipyridine ligands, 5,5'-dibenzylamido-2,2'-bipyridine (L1) and 5-benzylamido-2,2'- bipyridine (L2) has been achieved. In the case of [Ru(L2)(3)](2+), the mer and fac isomers have been separated. H-1 NMR spectroscopic anion binding studies indicate that the two C-3-symmetric pockets provided by [ Ru(L1)(3)](2+) is conducive to receive a range of anions, although this is not readily reflected in the photophysical behaviour. The fac-isomer of [Ru(L2)(3)](2+) does appear to have an enhancement in the binding interactions over the mer form with dihydrogenphosphate salts, although the difference is much less marked with the spherical chloride ions. From X-ray crystallographic evidence, the ability to hold water in the "anion" binding cleft can inhibit the strength of the interactions with anions, giving rise to the observed selectivity for directional oxoanions such as dihydrogen phosphate.

Testate amoebae as indicators of hydroseral change: an 8,500 year record from Mer Bleue Bog, eastern Ontario, Canada.

Testate amoebae have been used widely as a proxy of hydrological change in ombrotrophic peatlands, although their response to abiotic controls in other types of mire and fenland palaeo-environments is less well understood. This paper examines the response of testate amoebae to hydroseral and other environmental changes at Mer Bleue Bog, Ontario, Canada, a large ombrotrophic peatland, which evolved from a brackish-water embayment in the early Holocene. Sediments, plant macrofossils and diatoms examined from a 5.99 m core collected from the dome of the bog record six stages of development: i) a quiet, brackish-water riverine phase (prior to ca. 8500 cal BP); ii) a shallow lake (ca. 8500–8200 cal BP); iii) fen (8200–7600 cal BP); iv) transitional mire (7600–6900 cal BP); v) pioneer raised mire (6900–4450 cal BP); and vi) ombrotrophic bog (4450 cal BP-present).

Testate amoebae, notably small (<25 µm diameter) specimens of Centropyxis aculeata type, first appear in low abundances in sediments ascribed to the lacustrine phase. Diatoms from the same horizons record a shallowing in water depth, a decline in salinity and the development of emergent macrophytic vegetation, which may have provided favourable conditions for testate amoeba colonization. The testate amoeba communities of the inferred fen phase are more diverse and include centropyxids, cyclopyxids, Arcellidae and Hyalospheniidae, although the assemblages show some differences to those recently reported in modern European fen environments. The Fen–Bog Transition (FBT) is also dominated by C. aculeata type. The change in testate amoeba communities around this key transition is apparent in the results of Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA), and appears to reflect a latent nutrient gradient and a secondary moisture gradient. DCA analyses of plant macrofossil remains around the FBT show a similar trend, although the sensitivity of the two proxies to the inferred environmental changes differs. Comparisons with other regional mid-Holocene peatland records confirm the important influence of reduced effective precipitation on the testate amoeba communities during the initiation and development of Sphagnum-dominated, raised bog communities.