ELECTROCHEMICALLY CONTROLLED RELEASE OF ADENOSINE 5'-TRIPHOSPHATE FROM POLYPYRROLE FILM

Polypyrrole (PPy) film is synthesized by anodic polymerization of pyrrole onto the surface of a platinum electrode in the presence of toluene-p-sulfonate and the film is used for the controlled release of the neurotransmitter, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP).

Molecular cloning and characterization of peroxiredoxin 6 from Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

Peroxiredoxin is a superfamily of antioxidative proteins that play important roles in protecting organisms against the toxicity of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, the full-length cDNA encoding peroxiredoxin 6 (designated EsPrx6) was cloned from Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis by using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) approaches. The full-length cDNA of EsPrx6 was of 1076 bp, containing a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 69 bp, a 3' UTR of 347 bp with a poly (A) tail, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 660 bp encoding a polypeptide of 219 amino acids with the predicted molecular weight of 24 kDa. The conserved Prx domain, AhpC domain and the signature of peroxidase catalytic center identified in EsPrx6 strongly suggested that EsPrx6 belonged to the 1-Cys Prx subgroup. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was employed to assess the mRNA expression of EsPrx6 in various tissues and its temporal expression in haemocytes of crabs challenged with Listonella anguillarum. The mRNA transcript of EsPrx6 could be detected in all the examined tissues with highest expression level in hepatopancreas. The expression level of EsPrx6 in haemocytes was down-regulated after bacterial challenge and significantly decreased compared to the control group at 12 h. As time progressed, the expression level began to increase but did not recover to the original level during the experiment. The results suggested the involvement of EsPrx6 in responses against bacterial infection and further highlighted its functional importance in the immune system of E sinensis. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth, survival and immune activity of scallops, Chlamys farreri Jones et Preston, compared between suspended and bottom culture in Haizhou Bay, China

We examined the growth, survival and immune response of the scallop, Chlamys farreri, during a 1-year period in deep water of Haizhou Bay. Scallops were cultured using two methods: (1) in lantern nets at a 5 m depth and (2) in a bottom culture system (sleeves) on the seabed at about a 25 m depth. Shell heights, meat dry weight and immune activities in the haemolymph (superoxide dismutase and myeloperoxidase) were measured bimonthly or quarterly from July 2007 to June 2008. Survival was measured at the end of the study and environmental parameters in the experimental layers were monitored during the experiment. The growth and immune activities of scallops were lower when the water temperature was high, which was consistent with the main mortality occurring in summer. The growth and immunity of scallops were higher in the suspended culture than in the bottom culture during the experiment, with the exception of shell growth during the last study period. Survival of scallops in the suspended culture (54.6 +/- 12.3%) was significantly lower than that in the bottom culture (86.8 +/- 3.5%) at the end of this study. We conclude from our results that the high mortality of C. farreri can be prevented by culturing them in a bottom culture system before November of the first year, and then transferring them to a suspended culture to improve scallop production.

柴达木地区唐古特白刺和西伯利亚白刺中矿物质元素的分析

白刺在传统藏医用药、民间用药中均有广泛用途。利用220FS型原子吸收光谱仪测定了柴达木地区的唐古特白刺和西伯利亚白刺各部位中钾、钠、钙、镁、铜、锌、铁、锰8种矿物质元素。结果表明，两种白刺中矿物质元素含量各异，且因部位不同而异，但又呈观一定的规律性，除锌外，其它元素含量分布大致为叶>枝>果皮>果核>果汁，锌元素主要分布在枝和果核中。

万山汞矿区地表与大气界面间汞交换通量研究

采用动力学通量箱与高时间分辨率大气自动测汞仪联用技术对万山汞矿区不同季节、不同地表与大气界面间汞交换通量和大气汞含量进行了测定. 结果显示,受人为活动和地表强烈释汞的影响,万山地区大气汞含量高出背景区1～3 个数量级,在冶炼厂附近平均值可达1 10118 ng/ m3 ,最低平均值达1718 ng/ m3 ,显示万山汞矿区已遭受较严重的大气汞污染. 万山汞矿区土壤与大气界面汞交换非常强烈,土壤向大气的释汞通量最高可达27 827 ng/ (m2·h) ,大气汞干沉降通量最高可达9 434ng/ (m2·h) . 万山汞矿区土壤与大气汞交换通量主要受光照强度、大气汞含量影响. 光照在土壤释汞过程中起促进作用,而较高的大气汞含量则抑制了土壤向大气的释放,并导致大气汞强烈的干沉降. 不同的地表类型对地表释汞影响较大,植被覆盖土壤释汞通量显著低于无植被覆盖地区,而冶炼后的矿渣堆则成为大气汞的净源.

砂金及“狗头金”次生增生的有限性

对砂金、“狗头金”的次生增生边宽度，砂金和“狗头金”的粒度和成色与原生金矿体的自然金粒度和成色的对比结果表明，砂金、“狗头金”在表生条件下的次生增生程度是十分有限的。对有限增生的原因进行了分析，认为可能与H2O2、微生物等对微细粒金具有双重作用有关，即其对微细粒金的溶解及再生均起作用。从而得出砂金及“狗头金”应由原生金矿体中的富金集合体（大块金及金的巨晶）在表生条件下遭受改造并发生有限增生所形成。