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Boundary Bay tidal flats on the inactive southern flank of the Fraser Delta have surface sediments consisting ,almost entirely of very fine to fine, well to very well sorted sands which show a gradual fining-shorewards trend. Five floral/sedimentological zones form distinct biofacies. These are, from the shoreline seaward, the saltmarsh, algal mat, upper sand wave, eelgrass and lower sand wave zones. The lower limit of the saltmarsh lies at a constant level above which the maximum duration of continuous exposure rises abruptly from ∼ 12 to 40 days. Similarly, at the lower limit of the algal mat zone the maximum duration of continuous exposure jumps from 1 to ∼ 2 days, and at the upper limit of the eelgrass zone from ∼ 0.5 to ∼ 0.8 days,. These correlations between exposure and zonation are suggested to be causal. In the algal mat and eelgrass zones microtopography of biogenic origin, only a few centimetres high, creates lateral heterogeneity within the zonal biofacies. In the upper sand wave zone, very low amplitude (a ∼ 0.1 m) symmetrical sand waves (λ ∼ 30 m) of probable storm-wave origin have a similar effect. In the lower sand wave zone, sand waves (a ∼ 0.5 m, λ ∼ 60 m) are formed by tidal currents or wave action and physical sedimentary structures dominate over biogenic ones. The densities of the following macrofaunal organisms which produce distinctive biogenic sedimentary structures were determined on two surveyed transects: Callianassa californiensis and Upogebia pugettensis, both thalassinidean shrimps; three polychaete worms, Abarenicola sp., Spio sp. and Clymenella sp.; the bivalve Mya arenaria and the gastropods Batillaria attramentaria and Nassarius mendicus. Callianassa excavate unlined temporary feeding burrows, whereas Upogebia build mud-lined permanent dwelling burrows. Upogebia are restricted to below mean sea-level where continuous exposure is < 0.5 days, whereas Callianassa extend up to a level, just below mean higher high water, where maximum continuous exposure rises abruptly from 4 to 9 days. This difference in range is probably due to the latter's greater anoxia tolerance—a necessary adaptation for life in an unlined feeding burrow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports that Japanese pharmaceutical companies, like their counterparts in the US and Europe, are pouring increasing amounts of money into academic research. Funding that goes into non-profit foundations that provide grants to researchers in Japan's universities and government research laboratories; Japan's lack of a research-driven approach to funding by pharmaceutical companies; Structure and policy of some leading Japanese foundations; More.

Describes the development of venture businesses in research in Asian countries. Impact of the Asian economic crisis on governments' attitudes toward start-up businesses in science; Role of Asian scientists trained in the West; Survey of activity in Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China. INSETS: Singapore aims to become a hot spot for life sciences;China's scientists tap offshore funds;Taiwan targets biotechnology.

Focuses on the changes in the way government research is funded and managed in China. Research grant schemes established; Benefit from multiple sources of funding; Shift to more applied research; External evaluation of key laboratories; Benefits received by universities and scientific institutes; Benefit for young researchers. INSETS: How China runs and funds its science.;China sets ambitious goals for R&D..

Focus on the development of science in China. Percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) to be deducted to research and development; Chances of China's success in science; Economic gap between the cities and the rural areas; Literacy as priority in China's education policy; Benefits of commercial ventures; Improvements of research at major universities.

Discusses employment in Japan for foreign scientists. Postdoctoral fellowships; Top-rate laboratories; Share of fellowships by country/region (1992); Lack of permanent positions; Fellowship schemes for Japan; Micro minority of foreign faculty; More.

Evaluates the progress of scientific researchers in Japan. Poor laboratory conditions in many of Japan's universities; Wasteful spending of funds after they were increased for research; Lack of aggressiveness with which faculty members work to change their conditions.

Reports on the increasing trend in the 1990s of Chinese-born students attending universities and colleges in the West, primarily in the United States, getting established there, and then returning to upstart universities and institutes in China or Taiwan. Historic trends; Smaller-scale migrations to Hong Kong and Singapore; Why they are retuning to Asia.

Reports that, on February 16, 1996, Japan's Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) acknowledged responsibility for the disaster in July 1993 in which two-fifths of Japan's 5,000 hemophiliacs were infected with HIV. Naoto Kan's apology to a group of hemophiliacs and relatives of AIDS victims; The discovery of files which led to a perjury charge against Atsuaki Gunji; Murder charges brought against Takeshi Abe who headed the MHW AIDS study group.

Focuses on the formation and successes of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Attribution of the existence of the University; Location of the University; Highlights on the management of the University by president Chai-Wei Woo; University's method for augmenting its income; HKUST's business-like approach to patenting innovations; Prospects for the future.

Focuses on the operations of the Institute of Remote Sensing Application in Beijing, China. Formation of the Institute; Institute's role in the flooding that occurred in Jiang Xi province; Daily collection of NOAA satellite data; Application of the Institute's work in mineral and oil explorations; Involvements in international projects.

Reports on the recommendation of the University Council, an advisory body to Japan's Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Sports, to introduce limited-term appointments for university staff. Encouragement of better teaching and research; System for the evaluation of staff's performance.

Reports on the use of the Internet by Tokyo University students of a way to protest against the French government plans to restart nuclear tests in the South Pacific. Establishment of home page on Worldwide Web by Seishi Shimizu, Yuichi Nishihara and Kiroh Harada; Lukewarm reaction to nuclear tests from Japanese public.