A new species of the genus Tor from Yunnan, China (Teleostei : Cyprinidae)

A new species of the subfamily Barbinae, Tor yingjiangensis, is recognized from Yunnan province, China. It can be distinguished from other Tor species by the following combination of characters: last simple dorsal-fin ray osseous and non-serrated; no forward directed predorsal procumbent spine; head length considerably longer than body depth; no tubercles on the snout or sides of the face; 18-20 gill rakers on the outside of first gill arch; 24-26 lateral line scales; median lobe of lower lip short, its posterior margin truncate, not extending to the vertical across the inner corners of the mouth; and the condition of the lower lip consistent in individuals of different sizes. The new species has been misidentified previously as Tor putitora (Hamilton, F. 1822. An account of the fishes found in the River Ganges and its Branches. Edinburgh & London. 405 pp), which occurs in the Ganges and Indus River basins. The new species can easily be distinguished from T. putitora by having 3-3.5 (vs. 2.5) scales from lateral line to pelvic-fin origin, shorter caudal peduncle length (13.0% vs. 17.2% of standard length), lesser body depth (26.4% vs. 24.0% of standard length) and longer caudal peduncle depth (12.0% vs. 10.9% of standard length), no longitudinal stripe present along side of body, and eyes visible in ventral view of head.

Temporal Coherence of Chlorophyll a during a Spring Phytoplankton Bloom in Xiangxi Bay of Three-Gorges Reservoir, China

Algal bloom phenomenon was defined as "the rapid growth of one or more phytoplankton species which leads to a rapid increase in the biomass of phytoplankton", yet most estimates of temporal coherence are based on yearly or monthly sampling frequencies and little is known of how synchrony varies among phytoplankton or of the causes of temporal coherence during spring algal bloom. In this study, data of chlorophyll a and related environmental parameters were weekly gathered at 15 sampling sites in Xiangxi Bay of Three-Gorges Reservoir (TGR, China) to evaluate patterns of temporal coherence for phytoplankton during spring bloom and test if spatial heterogeneity of nutrient and inorganic suspended particles within a single ecosystem influences synchrony of spring phytoplankton dynamics. There is a clear spatial and temporal variation in chlorophyll a across Xiangxi Bay. The degree of temporal coherence for chlorophyll a between pairs of sites located in Xiangxi Bay ranged from -0.367 to 0.952 with mean and median values of 0.349 and 0.321, respectively. Low levels of temporal coherence were often detected among the three stretches of the bay (Down reach, middle reach and upper reach), while high levels of temporal coherence were often found within the same reach of the bay. The relative difference of DIN between pair sites was the strong predictor of temporal coherence for chlorophyll a in down and middle reach of the bay, while the relative difference in Anorganic Suspended Solids was the important factor regulating temporal coherence in middle and upper reach. Contrary to many studies, these results illustrate that, in a small geographic area (a single reservoir bay of approximately 25 km), spatial heterogeneity influence synchrony of phytoplankton dynamics during spring bloom and local processes may override the effects of regional processes or dispersal.

Revision of the labeonine genus Sinocrossocheilus (Teleostei : Cyprinidae) from South China

Sinocrossocheilus was recently diagnosed by Su et al. (2003) as consisting of nine species, i.e. S. bamaensis, S. guizhouensis, S. liuchengensis, S. longibullus, S. tridentis, S. microstomatus, S. nigrovittatus, S. labiatus, and S. papillolabrus. It is actually a catch-all genus that is composed of some species misidentified from Pseudocrossocheilus and Hongshuia. Sinocrossocheilus is here redefined based mainly on the details of the lower lip morphology; it is easily separated from all other Asian Labeonini genera in possessing a lower lip with its median lobe modified into a densely papillated, greatly protruded, crescentic fold and a papillose, slightly protruded, triangular fleshy pad which is posteriorly continuous with the mental region. Two species are recognized in this genus: S. guizhouensis and S. labiatus. Detailed redescriptions are given for the two species. All remaining species do not fit with the new definition of Sinocrossocheilus; six species, i.e. S. papillolabrus, S. nigrovittatus, S. bamaensis, S. longibullus, S. liuchengensis, and S. tridentis, should be moved to Pseudocrossocheilus and S. microstomatus to Hongshuia.

Description of a new genus and two new species of labeonine fishes from South China (Teleostei : Cyprinidae)

A new genus and two new species are described from the Pearl River drainage in Guangxi Province, South China. Hongshuia, new genus, can be distinguished from all other Asian genera of the Labeonini by having a lower lip with its median lobe modified into a round, fleshy plate peripherally greatly protruded so as to form a ring-like fold that is posteromedially continuous with the mental region, and centrally sunken so as to form a round, flat, fleshy pad. This genus is distinct from all other Asian labeonine genera of the Garrina except for one newly described species of Parasinilabeo ( P. longibarbus), Pseudocrossocheilus, and Sinocrossocheilus, in the presence of well-developed maxillary barbels. Hongshuia differs from the above three genera in the lower lip morphology, and further from both Pseudocrossocheilus and Qianlabeo in the number of pharyngeal tooth rows and from Sinocrossocheilus in the colour pattern. Two new species, H. banmo and H. paoli, differ in the distribution density and degree of development of papillae on the rostral fold, depth of indentations on the distal edge of the rostral fold, presence or absence of papillae on the lower lip, size and shape of tubercles on the tip of the snout and anterior portion of the lachrymal, length, position and colour pattern of the dorsal fin, and snout length.

Acrossocheilus spinifer, a new species of barred cyprinid fish from south China (Pisces : Teleostei)

Acrossocheilus spinifer sp. nov. is described from the river basins in Fujian Province and the Han Jiang basin in Guangdong Province, south China. It is one of the barred Acrossocheihis species sharing five or six vertical bars on the flanks, with each bar being two scales in width. Acrossocheilus spinifer sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to Acrossocheilus wenchowensis. but distinguished from it by: a colour pattern of all vertical bars extending ventrally to the second scale row below the lateral line, and having the second bar placed posterior to the base of the last simple dorsal-fin ray, a blunt snout; and a stout, last simple dorsal-fin ray. Acrossocheilus spinifer sp. nov. resembles Acrossocheilus kreyenbergii and Acrossocheilus stenotaeniatus with which it shares a stout, last simple dorsal-fin ray with a serrated posterior edge, but is separated from both species by having a narrow median interruption in the lower lip, a lower jaw fully covered by the lower lip when viewed ventrally and the second vertical bar placed posterior to the base of the last simple dorsal-fin ray. The absence of a longitudinal stripe extending along the lateral line on the flanks in males readily distinguishes A. spinifer sp. nov. from Four other species, namely Acrossocheilus fasciatus, Acrossocheilus paradoxus, Acrossocheilus parallens, and Acrossocheilus jishouensis. (c) 2006 The Authors Journal compilation (c) 2006 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Development of tolerance against toxic Microcystis aeruginosa in three cladocerans and the ecological implications

This is the first experimental study to compare difference in the development of tolerance against toxic Microcystis among multi-species of cladocerans (Daphnia, Moina and Ceriodaphnia) pre-exposed to two M. aeruginosa PCC7820 strains (MC-containing and MC-free). Zooplankton were divided into S population (fed Scenedesmus), M-F population (fed Scenedesmus + MC-free Microcystis), and M-C population (fed Scenedesmus + MC-containing Microcystis). M-F and M-C populations were pre-exposed to Microcystis strains for 4 weeks, and their newborns were collected for experiments. A pre-exposure to MC-containing or MC-free Microcystis increased tolerance against toxic Microcystis. The marked increases in survival rate and median lethal time (LT50, 100-194% increase) in the M-C population of Ceriodaphnia suggest that small-sized cladocerans may develop stronger tolerance against Microcystis than large-sized ones when both groups are exposed to toxic Microcystis. This may explain why dominant Daphnia is usually replaced by small-sized cladocerans when cyanobacteria bloomed in summer in eutrophic lakes. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fixation of the type species of the genus Sinilabeo and description of a new species from the upper Yangtze river basin, China (Pisces : Cyprinidae)

The type species of the cyprinid genus Sinilabeo was misidentified as Varicorhinus tungting, and the species under the generic name belong to Bangana and Linichthys. In order to make Sinilabeo available, its type species is fixed under Article 70.3.2 of the 1999 edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature as S. hummeli, a new species herein described from the upper Yangtze River basin in Chongqing City and Sichuan Province, South China. A re-definition is provided for Sinilabeo. It resembles Qianlabeo in having an upper lip only present in the side of the upper jaw and uncovered by the rostral fold, but missing in the median part of the upper jaw that, instead, bears a thin, flexible, and cornified sheath, covered by the rostral fold, a character that can separate both from all other existing genera of Asian labeonins. However, Sinilabeo is distinguished from Qianlabeo in the presence of a rostral fold disconnected from the lower lip; a broadly interrupted postlabial groove only restricted to the side of the lower jaw; an upper lip, which is only present in the side of the upper separated from it by a groove; 9-10 branched dorsal-fin rays; two pairs of tiny maxillary barbels.

Linichthys: A new genus of Chinese cyprinid fishes (Teleostei : Cypriniformes)

yLinichthys, new genus, is proposed for Barbodes laticeps Lin and Zhang, 1986. It can be separated from all other genera of Asian Barbinae in having a shallow depression extending along the median portion of the upper lip. Linichthys is superficially very similar to the type species of a monotypic Chinese cyprinid cavefish genus, Typhlobarbus nudiventris, in having an elongate and somewhat compressed body form, a truncate distal margin of the dorsal fin, and a soft and smooth last unbranched dorsal-fin ray, all of them being atypical for most of Asian barbins. The two genera differ in size of the eye and the number of rows of pharyngeal tooth. Although the same body form and/or structure of the dorsal fin are also shared with some species currently placed in other genera of Asian barbins, the recognition of Linichthys is warranted because of their marked differences in other characters. A redescription is also provided for the type species of the monotypic genus, Linichthys laticeps. It is known only from the upper and middle Zhu Jiang basin and the upper Chang Jiang basin in the city of Guiyang, Guizhou Province, South China.

Qianlabeo striatus, a new genus and species of Labeoninae from Guizhou Province, China (Teleostei : Cyprinidae)

Qianlabeo striatus gen. et sp. nov. is described from a stream tributary to the Beipan Jiang of the upper Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) drainage in Matou, Anshun County, Guizhou Province, China. This monotypic genus is mainly characterized by its oromadibular morphology, namely an upper lip only present in and fully adnate to the side of the upper jaw, not covered by the pendulous rostral fold; the median portion of the upper jaw lacking an upper lip but bearing a thin, flexible and cornified cutting edge that is fully covered by the pendulous rostral fold; a postlabial groove prolonged, extended anteromedially close to the anteromost point of the midline of the lower lip but not to meet with its counterpart. The type species of this genus, Q. striatus has a longitudinal dark stripe along the side of the body.

Dioxin-like components in human breast milk collected from Hong Kong and Guangzhou

The H4IIE rat hepatoma cell line was employed as a cell model to screen 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD)-TCDD equivalents (EROD-TEQ) of human breast milk samples collected from Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. The screening methods employed a 96-well plate spectrofluorometer-EROD assay. For cell-line validation, our results demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in the Ah receptor-mediated response (i.e., CYP1A1 mRNA and EROD) of the cells upon exposure to a number of known Ah receptor agonists, including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzothiophene, benzo[a]pyrene, and beta-naphthaflavone. TCDD induced CYP1A1 mRNA and EROD was in a close positive correlation (r = 0.98). For the screening of dioxin-like compounds, breast milk samples collected during lactation weeks 3-5 were used. One hundred (from Hong Kong) and 48 (from Guangzhou) breast milk samples were assayed, of which 65% and 68% of the samples, respectively, showed detectable dioxin-like activities using the H4IIE cell EROD screening method. For sixty-five samples from Hong Kong the mean EROD-TEQ values ranged from 58.1 to 96.5 pg/g of milk fat for those aged 21-36 years while 32 samples from Guangzhou had mean values of 98.8-202.1 pg/g of milk fat. In comparisons of the EROD-TEQ values for different age groups from both cities, there were no significant differences (P < 0.05). However, the mean and median EROD-TEQ values of the Guangzhou population were in general higher than those of the Hong Kong population. The results of the present study indicate that it is feasible to use the H4IIE cell-line as a model for screening dioxin-like compounds in human breast milk. In addition, the method is rapid and cost-effective, particularly for a routine and high-throughput sample screening analysis, compared to the costly and time-intensive chemical analytical techniques. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative ontogenetic behavior and migration of kaluga, Huso dauricus, and Amur sturgeon, Acipenser schrenckii, from the Amur River

We conducted laboratory experiments with kaluga, Huso dauricus, and Amur sturgeon, Acipenser schrenckii, to develop a conceptual model of early behavior. We daily observed embryos (first life phase after hatching) and larvae (period initiating exogenous feeding) to day-30 (late larvae) for preference of bright habitat and cover, swimming distance above the bottom, up- and downstream movement, and diel activity. Day-0 embryos of both species strongly preferred bright, open habitat and initiated a strong, downstream migration that lasted 4 days (3 day peak) for kaluga and 3 days (2 day peak) for Amur sturgeon. Kaluga migrants swam far above the bottom (150 cm) on only 1 day and moved day and night; Amur sturgeon migrants swam far above the bottom (median 130 cm) during 3 days and were more nocturnal than kaluga. Post-migrant embryos of both species moved day and night, but Amur sturgeon used dark, cover habitat and swam closer to the bottom than kaluga. The larva period of both species began on day 7 (cumulative temperature degree-days, 192.0 for kaluga and 171.5 for Amur sturgeon). Larvae of both species preferred open habitat. Kaluga larvae strongly preferred bright habitat, initially swam far above the bottom (median 50-105 cm), and migrated downstream at night during days 10-16 (7-day migration). Amur sturgeon larvae strongly avoided illumination, had a mixed response to white substrate, swam 20-30 cm above the bottom during most days, and during days 12-34 (most of the larva period) moved downstream mostly at night (23-day migration). The embryo-larva migration style of the two species likely shows convergence of non-related species for a common style in response to environmental selection in the Amur River. The embryo-larva migration style of Amur sturgeon is unique among Acipenser yet studied.

Surface characteristics of SiO2-TiO2 strip fabricated by laser direct writing

SiO2-TiO2 sol-gel films are deposited on SiO2/Si by dip-coating technique. The SiO2-TiO2 strips are fabricated by laser direct writing using all ytterbium fiber laser and followed by chemical etching. Surface structures, morphologies and roughness of the films and strips are characterized. The experimental results demonstrate that the SiO2-TiO2 sol-gel film is loose in Structure and a shrinkage concave groove forms if the film is irradiated by laser beam. The surface roughness of both non-irradiated and laser irradiated areas increases with the chemical etching time. But the roughness of laser irradiated area increases more than that of non-irradiated area under the same etching time. After being etched for 28 s, the surface roughness value of the laser irradiated area increases from 0.3 nm to 3.1 nm.

Electron beam and laser testing on the novel stripixel detectors

The novel Si stripixel detector, developed at BNL (Brookhaven National Laboratory), has been applied in the development of a prototype Si strip detector system for the PHENIX Upgrade at RHIC. The Si stripixel detector can generate X-Y two-dimensional (2D) position sensitivity with single-sided processing and readout. Test stripixel detectors with pitches of 85 and 560 mu m have been subjected to the electron beam test in a SEM set-up, and to the laser beam test in a lab test fixture with an X-Y-Z table for laser scanning. Test results have shown that the X and Y strips are well isolated from each other, and 2D position sensitivity has been well demonstrated in the novel stripixel detectors. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface roughness and high density of cubic twins and hexagonal inclusions in cubic GaN epilayers

Surface roughness and its correlation with the polarity of internal hexagonal inclusions and cubic twins have been investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface roughness resulted from large amount of strips, which prolonged in [1 (1) over bar0] direction with small size in [110] or [110] direction. The sidestep of each strip is just the top of high density of hexagonal inclusions or cubic microtwins. Moreover, XRD shows that the amount of hexagonal inclusions and cubic microtwins measured in [110] direction are twice or more as much as in [110] direction. Therefore, it is hexagonal inclusions, cubic twins and their distributive polarity that is responsible to the surface characteristics of cubic GaN epilayers.

Thermal induced facet destructive feature of quantum cascade lasers

We present a study on the facet damage profile of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). Conspicuous cascade half-loop damage strips on front facet are observed when QCLs catastrophically failed. Due to the large difference on thermal conductivities between active region and the substrate, dominant heat is compulsively driven to the substrate. Abundant heat accumulation and dissipation on substrate build large temperature gradient and thermal lattice mismatch. Thermal-induced stress due to sequential mismatch leads to the occurrence of the multistep damages on front facet. Good agreement is achieved between the observed locations of damaged strips and the calculated results.