Enhanced diapycnal mixing by salt fingers in the thermocline of the tropical Atlantic

Diapycnal mixing plays a significant role in the ocean's circulation and uptake of heat and carbon dioxide, but has not been quantified in salt finger-driven thermohaline staircases. We recently performed a tracer release experiment in the western tropical Atlantic staircase at approximately 400 m depth. The observed dispersion implies an effective diapycnal diffusivity for tracer and salt of 0.8 to 0.9 x 10(-4) m2/s. Temperature microstructure data interpreted in terms of a vertical production-dissipation balance yields a smaller effective diffusivity for heat of 0.45 (+/- 0.2) x 10(-4) m2/s, consistent with salt fingers and well above the mixing ascribable to mechanical turbulence.     

Atmospheric particulates: specific surface areas and densities

Suspended particulates in Pittsburgh air were collected on glass-fiber filters. The specific surface areas of particulates brushed from the filter surface varied from 1.55 to 4.51 square meters per gram when measured by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method with nitrogen and krypton, after 8-hour degassing of the samples at 25 degrees C. Specific surfaces of the same samples varied from 4.3 to 8.00 square meters per gram after 4-hour degassing at 200 degrees C. Bulk densities and densities of samples were 0.49 to 0.64 and 2.0 to 2.6 grams per cubic centimeter, respectively. These data provide some basis for explanation of unpredictable responses reported after inhalation of mixtures of pollutant gases and particles by animals and man; they should also assist in interpretation of gas-solid phase reactions in the atmosphere.     

The Genome sequence of the SARS-associated coronavirus

We sequenced the 29,751-base genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus known as the Tor2 isolate. The genome sequence reveals that this coronavirus is only moderately related to other known coronaviruses, including two human coronaviruses, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E. Phylogenetic analysis of the predicted viral proteins indicates that the virus does not closely resemble any of the three previously known groups of coronaviruses. The genome sequence will aid in the diagnosis of SARS virus infection in humans and potential animal hosts (using polymerase chain reaction and immunological tests), in the development of antivirals (including neutralizing antibodies), and in the identification of putative epitopes for vaccine development.     

MODELLING LEACHING OF INORGANIC Hg(II) IN A SCANDINAVIAN IRON-HUMUS PODZOL - VALIDATION AND LONG-TERM LEACHING UNDER VARIOUS DEPOSITION RATES

Increasing mercury contents are reported from freshwater systems and fish in northern Europe and North America. Mercury input from soils is a major source with the leaching being affected by increased atmospheric mercury deposition compared to pre-industrial times and by other environmental conditions such as acid rain. The results of a mathematical model-calculation of vertical inorganic Hg(II) leaching in a Scandinavian iron-humus podzol under different atmospheric input rates of mercury are presented. Leaching under background rain conditions was calculated to be considerably stronger than under acid rain conditions. Increasing fractions of deposited soluble or solute atmospheric mercury were leached from the O _f(h)-horizon with decreasing soil content of soluble mercury under acid rain conditions; this effect was less pronounced under background rain conditions. The steady state concentrations of soluble mercury of the upper soil horizons were calculated and compared with the actual concentrations of total (= soluble + insoluble mercury) and extractable (= estimate of soluble) mercury measured in these horizons. The results indicate that even if the deposition of airborne mercury to soil is strongly reduced, the total mercury content of the soil decreases only slowly. It may take decades or even centuries before a new steady state concentration of total mercury is established in the soil. The decrease of the mercury concentration in the O _f(h)-horizon is probably largely dependent on the turnover of organic matter, binding most of the deposited airborne mercury in an insoluble form. Hence, present day mercury leaching is likely to be dominated by mercury deposited during former times and temporarily retained in an insoluble form in the organic matter.     

The impact of sett disturbance on badger Meles meles numbers; when does protective legislation work?

Considerable increases in badger Meles meles numbers have been reported from long-term studies on local populations and national surveys in Britain. One theory proposed to explain this population change, is that increased protective legislation has led to reduced levels of persecution, allowing the population to expand. In the present study, we show that the badger population in Northern Ireland has not increased in parallel with the British population, and investigate whether sustained high persecution levels are responsible. As legal protection of badgers in Northern Ireland was not increased at the same time as in Britain, a simultaneous decrease in persecution would not be expected. We test two hypotheses: (i) where there is no change in the level of sett disturbance, the number of social groups will remain unchanged and, (ii) if sett disturbance affects group size, those groups suffering from most disturbance will be smallest. We demonstrate that badger sett disturbance affects both social group size and the number of social groups, thus influencing overall badger density. We also show that high levels of sett disturbance are constraining the growth of the Northern Ireland badger population and discuss what lies behind the apparent failure of the protective legislation in this country.     

An appraisal of environmental conflict management provisions in New Zealand's Resource Management Act 1991

Abstract: Since the 1970s a body of literature has developed internationally which can be termed loosely as ‘environmental conflict management’ (ECM) theory and practice. When New Zealand's disparate environmental management framework was reformed during the 1980s a ‘superstatute’ known as the Resource Management Act (RMA), passed in 1991, was the major outcome. During the RMA policy formulation process in the late 1980s, known as Resource Management Law Reform (RMLR), calls were made for better integration of mediation and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) approaches into the statutory framework. The final wording of the RMA includes specific clauses on mediation and the option of ‘pre‐hearing meetings’, suggesting that ECM and environmental dispute resolution (EDR) approaches have become part of the new decision‐making framework in New Zealand. Given such provisions, and the fact that it is now more than ten years since the RMA was passed, an appraisal of ECM/EDR progress to date within this statute seems justified. It is argued that to date very little emphasis has been placed upon early EDR intervention. This lack of emphasis, it is concluded, is due primarily to low levels of awareness and inadequate training and despite limitations on its usefulness in certain resource conflict settings we suggest that there is scope for greater promotion and implementation of EDR approaches in the local government context.     

Pharmacokinetics of carprofen and firocoxib for medication control in racing greyhounds

Animals used in sport should be treated as required to ensure animal welfare but any such use of medication should also be controlled to ensure integrity. Pharmacokinetic studies on groups of six greyhounds were performed to measure plasma and urine levels of carprofen and firocoxib to inform medication control advice. Using the standard methodology for medication control the Irrelevant Plasma Concentration was determined as 20 and 2 ng/mL for carprofen and firocoxib, respectively. The Irrelevant Urine Concentration was also determined as 0.3 and 2 ng/mL for carprofen and firocoxib, respectively. These Irrelevant Plasma and Urine Concentrations will allow laboratory Screening Limits, Detection Times and Withdrawal Time advice to be determined and publicised by regulators of greyhound racing. The Screening Limits will also inform Recommended Limits of Detection if meat-containing residues of these medications are fed to greyhounds.     

Successful sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus L., propagation with synthetic LH-RH hormone

Abstract. The synthetic LH-RH (luliberine) has proved to be successful in inducing the ovulation of sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus L. Three dosages of LH-RH 50, along with carp pituitary, and 100 and 300 μg/kg of body weight were administered, and 100 and 300 μg of LH-RH/kg body weight were found to be successful in ovulation. Spawners were kept at low temperature (9–12°C). Forty-two hours after treatment the eggs entered ovulation in the ovary and became suitable for stripping. The ripening ratio for spawners varied between 75 and 83%. The eggs that could be obtained by opening the abdominal wall were fertilized with milt diluted with pond water to avoid polyspermism. The fertility of the stripped eggs was 89–90%. Despite a reduced number of subjects (12 treated, 2 control females), as a result of the favourable fertilization percentage, approximately 55 000 fingerlings were reared in tanks to approximately 5–7cm in size.