有机磷农药对土壤动物群落结构的影响研究

本文研究了有机磷农药废水灌溉对土壤动物群落结构的影响,并探讨了影响机理,结果表明,土壤动物种类和数量随着农药影响程度的增加而减少,在农药污染影响严重的１、２区,计有土壤动物２１类和２２类,动物平均密度为２８５７１个／ｍ＾２和５１２６９个／ｍ＾２,受中度和轻蔗污染影响的３、４区分别有３５类和４７类,平均密度为５９２８５个／ｍ＾２,１５６５８７个／ｍ＾２。污染区土壤动物种类的减少主要由于常见类群和稀有     

动物细胞在鼓泡式生物反应器中的死亡速率

通过实验测定,证明生物反应器中细胞死亡速率与气体鼓泡速率成正比而与反应器体积成反比。实验发现气泡大小对细胞死亡速率具有两种作用,一种作用在于影响气泡表面积生成速率;另一种作用则在于影响细胞在气泡表面的吸附程度,其最佳直径为5mm左右。血清和Pluronic F68能显著降低细胞死亡速率,当Pluronic F68浓度达到0．1％时,kd趋于零。所有这些实验结果均与前文提出的生物反应器设计模型具有很好的一致性。     

一种模拟高原低氧复合冷冻的简易动物实验舱

以氮稀释法使舱内氧含量维持实验模拟高度,以普通冰箱制冷系统维持舱内恒温,以多功能低温浴槽作为致冻装置。该舱可于２０ｍｉｎ内升至模拟６０００ｍ高度,每次可供１６只大鼠作高原冻伤实验。实验期间高度恒定于６０００±２００ｍ,舱温２１±１℃。相对湿度５５％±１５％,冷冻液－２５．０±０．５℃。该舱结构简单、使用方便,可在实验室中模拟高原条件进行冷冻实验研究。由于不使用人体减压舱,不仅避免了减压缺氧对实验人员的不利影响,也减少了实验消耗。     

Simulation and dynamic optimisation of animal cell culture

In animal cell culture, there are some 25 substrates that both have a significant effect on the culture performance and which can be measured with relative ease. A detailed dynamic simulation for such a culture has been produced and an optimisation policy that use this model to identify ideal media conditions has been developed. This paper describes an extension of that work to include the dynamic optimisation of cultures under fed-batch operation. Two different types of feeding policy were considered – in the first, discrete shots of feed were supplied, while in the second, feed was added continuously. Both policies offered significant improvements in the predicted productivity of the culture - up to 30% that of an experimentally optimisedbatch culture.     

A geomorphic approach to global classification for natural inland wetlands and rationalization of the system used by the Ramsar Convention – a discussion

Globally, the most widely used wetland classification is that adopted by the contracting parties of the Ramsar Convention, which is the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat. A review of the Inland Wetland component of this system shows that mixed criteria are used to separate the wetlands, and that not all natural inland wetlands have been addressed. A classification system using landform and hydro-period, which results in 13 primary geomorphically non-emergent types for natural wetlands, is proposed to describe the full variety of wetlands at a primary level around the globe, and is suggested to be incorporated as the first-tier of the Ramsar classification.The proposed classification has been designed so wetlands can be described, classified and compared systematically. This paper attempts to reconcile the Ramsar Classification system with the proposed approach. The intention in this paper is not to displace the Ramsar Classification, but rather to indicate its inherent underlying geomorphic structure, and hence re-order its hierarchical framework. This adjustment to the existing classification system would highlight underlying similarities between wetlands so that global comparisons can be more readily made. It also has considerable advantages for a staged, systematic discrimination and classification of the vast array of differing wetlands globally.The use of geomorphic and hydrologic elements as the primary and secondary divisions with the more commonly used Ramsar Classification terms as a tertiary division, provides a logical structure to compare and contrast wetlands globally.     

Conservation and management issues of Prespa National Park

The present article describes the human activities inthe area and their changes and trends, given that thecontemporary nature conservation key issues areclosely related to past and present socio-economic andcultural conditions, both within Prespa itself andoutside of it. The liberation of Prespa, a remote andrather socially isolated borderline area, from Ottoman occupation took place in 1912–13. Recentevents in its environmental history have been forestclearings and human depopulation in the Civil War(1944–49), irrigation system construction in the1960s, its discovery by ornithologists in the late1960s, the high emigration rates of 1960–1980, itsdesignation as a National Park in 1974, thedestructive development works of 1984–86 afterGreeces entry to the EEC and the conversion to intensivebean cultivation in the mid 1980s.The human population of ca 7000 at the start of thiscentury suffered an almost 80% decrease after theCivil War. A resettlement in the mid 1950s increasedthe population by 40% but in the 1970s emigrationreduced it to its previous size of around 1500, stillits present size. The extensive and diverse farmingsystems of previous centuries changed gradually afterthe construction of an irrigation network in the1960s, which twenty years later and along withinternational changes in production and economypatterns, made possible the present day domination ofa bean monoculture within irrigated croplands. Thiswas accompanied by increased energy inputs,mechanisation and the use of chemicals.Intensification of agriculture brought increasedincomes which attracted also livestock keepers,resulting in a 56% decrease in numbers of livestockin 1964–1993. Cattle are presently kept for meatproduction only. They graze on the mountains, and nolonger in the meadows around the lakeshore. A localshorthorn breed accounting for 93% of all cattle in1963 declined to less than 18% in 1993. Fishing aimedmainly at carp and Prespa bleak, continues today as inthe past to be a source of supplementary income.Eighty-six per cent of the – mainly oak and beech –forests are State owned and the rest belong to localmunicipalities. The forest area has not changedessentially in the last 40 years, but forest roadshave expanded. Forests provide mainly fuelwood forlocal needs and small quantities of industrial timber.No specific management is conducted to safeguard theconservation values of the forest, the majority ofwhich consists of even aged coppiced stands withlimited value for wildlife. Manufacturing never playedan important role for the economy of the area. Tourismhas increased in the last 20 years, concentratedmainly in summer and spring. Accommodation in thevillages is not yet satisfactory though it hasimproved enormously in recent years. The NationalParks infrastructure for visitors remains poor.Tourist pressure generally is not yet that high toimpact drastically the social and environmentalfabric. In places, hunting, angling and poaching cannegatively affect the target species. The constructionof the irrigation network in the eastern part of LakeMikri Prespa was the most important change to thelandscape and the habitats of Prespa the last 30years. It resulted in the embankment of free-flowingstreams, drainage of wet meadows and dramaticreduction of trees and hedges. In the last 15 years,the reedbeds, no longer burnt or mowed and assisted byincreased nutrient loadings from agricultural runoff,have expanded landward to occupy formerly open,periodically flooded, areas. The above changes inhabitats and land use have brought an impoverishmentof biodiversity which can be seen in the exterminationor the decrease in the numbers of certain plant andbird species.The problems preventing a better management of theNational Park and the perpetuation of its values areinappropriate legislation, the poor degree ofcoordination of the public services, the lack of botha specific National Park Service in Greece and amanagement authority for the Park and the hostileattitude of local people due to their limitedinformation and involvement. The scenic beauty, thewetlands and a number of rare habitats, the diversityof habitats, flora and fauna, the endemic life forms,the rare mammals and the colonial waterbirds, thelocal architecture and the cultural expressions suchas the Byzantine monuments, are the values of Prespathat must be preserved as a whole. The initialconservation efforts aimed at preserving biodiversitybut later it became apparent that not only are humansan inseparable part of the whole, but additionally,several of their extensive activities have contributedsubstantially to the rich biodiversity of the area.Through the prerequisites of keeping a balance betweenprimary and tertiary sector activities and ofrevitalizing the social fabric, the following are thekey management and conservation issues of today: anunequivocal agreement on the values to be preservedand their limits; the formation of a managementauthority; a new realistic protection and land usezoning; the diversification and extensification of allfarming activities; the restoration of the wet meadowhabitats; the ensuring of a high water level and agood water quality for both lakes through tri-lateralcooperation between Greece, Albania and FYROM; and theestablishment of a permanent environmental monitoringscheme.     

The Human Obesity Gene Map: The 1996 Update

An update of the human obesity gene map up to October 1996 is presented. Evidence from Mendelian disorders exhibiting obesity as a clinical feature, single-gene mutation rodent models, quantitative trait loci uncovered in crossbreeding experiments with mouse, rat, and pig models, association and case-control studies with candidate genes, and linkage studies with genes and other markers is reviewed. All chromosomal locations of the animal loci are converted into human genome locations based on syntenic relationships between the genomes. A complete listing of all these loci reveals that only 4 of the 24 human chromosomes are not yet represented, i.e., 9, 18, 21, and Y. Several chromosome arms are characterized by the presence of several putative loci. The following arms include at least three such loci: 1p, 1q, 3p, 4q, 6p, 7q, 8p, 8q, 11p, 11q, 15q, 20q, and Xq. Studies with negative association and linkage results are also reviewed.     

Brief overview of control of genetic expression by antisense oligonucleotides and in vivo applications

Over the past several years, the use of synthetic oligonucleotides and functional analogs thereof as a possibly general means of controlling genetic expression has received widespread attention. Following a brief overview of some of the basic principles and strategies for this approach, attention is focused here on summarizing some recent reports of in vitro and, in particular, in vivo investigations in various animal models using phosphorothioate analogs of 2′-deoxyoligo-nucleotides. In view of these findings, which include studies related to neurobiology, this field should find significant utility in applications of the antisense method for controlling genetic expression.     

Bioprocessing in space: Human cells attach to beads in microgravity

Attachment to a substrate and survival of human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells have been tested in an incubator installed in the flight-deck of the Space Shuttle ‘Challenger’ during its eighth mission.HEK cells are producing the enzyme urokinase and are presently investigated as candidates for electrophoretic separation in an apparatus developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas.Attachment of HEK cells to a substrate is mandatory for survival and production of urokinase after electrophoretic separation.Analysis of the samples shows that cells adhere, spread and survive in microgravity (< 10⁻³ ×g) conditions as well as the ground controls at 1 × g. This result represents an important step towards further bioprocessing in space.