An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) vitellogenin and comparison of vitellogenin responses in rare minnow and zebrafish (Danio rerio)

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to determine vitellogenin (Vtg) in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) based on the separation and purification of rare minnow Vtg (r-Vtg) as well as the production of polyclonal antibody against r-Vtg in rabbits. Three different ELISAs for measuring r-Vtg were then compared: (1) indirect ELISA with the antibody against carp (Cyprinus carpio) Vtg (c-Vtg) (IC-ELISA); (2) competitive ELISA with the antibody against c-Vtg, and using r-Vtg for coating the plates and preparing standard curve (CC-ELISA); (3) competitive ELISA with the antibody against r-Vtg, and using r-Vtg for coating the plates and preparing standard curve (CR-ELISA). The result showed that the homologous CR-ELISA was the most sensitive among the three assays for quantifying r-Vtg. The sensitivities to 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) Of rare minnow and zebrafish (Danio rerio) were compared upon the establishment of homologous competitive ELISA. The lowest observed effect concentrations (LOECs) to induce Vtg were found to be 0.8 ng EE2 l(-1) for rare minnow and 4 ng EE2 l(-1) for zebrafish respectively. Afterwards, CR-ELISA was applied to measure Vtg concentration in whole body homogenate (WBH) of juvenile rare minnow fed by three diets (tubifex from wastewater treatment plant, Artemia nauplii and commercial pellet food), and the agreements between bioassay and GC-MS analysis demonstrated that rare minnow was a sensitive fish model for assessing estrogenic effects of endocrine disrupting compounds in aquatic environment. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrogenic impurity in double quantum dots

The ground state binding energy and the average interparticle distances for a hydrogenic impurity in double quantum dots with Gaussian confinement potential are studied by the variational method. The probability density of the electron is calculated, too. The dependence of the binding energy on the impurity position is investigated for GaAs quantum dots. The result shows that the binding energy has a minimum as a function of the distance between the two quantum dots when the impurity is located at the center of one quantum dot or at the center of the edge of one quantum dot. When the impurity is located at the center of the two dots, the binding energy decreases monotonically. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DEVELOPMENT OF CURRENT-BASED MICROSCOPIC DEFECT ANALYSIS-METHODS AND ASSOCIATED OPTICAL FILLING TECHNIQUES FOR THE INVESTIGATION ON HIGHLY IRRADIATED HIGH-RESISTIVITY SILICON DETECTORS

Current based microscopic defect analysis methods such as current deep level transient spectroscopy (I-DLTS) and thermally stimulated current (TSC) have been further developed in accordance with the need for the defect analysis of highly irradiated (Phi(n) > 10(13) n/cm(2)) high resistivity silicon detectors. The new I-DLTS/TSC system has a temperature range of 8 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 450 K and a high sensitivity that can detect a defect concentration of less than 10(10)/cm(3) (background noise as low as 10 fA). A new filling method using different wavelength laser illumination has been applied, which is more efficient and suitable than the traditional voltage pulse filling. It has been found that the filling of a defect level depends on such factors as the total concentration of free carriers generated or injected, the penetration length of the laser (laser wavelength), the temperature at which the filling is taking place, as well as the decay time after the filling (but before the measurement). The mechanism of the defect filling can be explained by the competition between trapping and detrapping of defect levels, possible capture cross section temperature dependence, and interaction among various defect levels in terms of charge transferring. Optimum defect filling conditions have been suggested for highly irradiated high resistivity silicon detectors.

A velocity map ion-imaging study on C2H5SH and C3H7SH photodissociation at 243 nm

Photodissociation dynamics Of C2H5SH, i-C-3-H7SH and n-C3H7SH at 243.1 nm were investigated using velocity map ion-imaging method. H-atom photolysis products were detected by a (2 + 1) resonance enhanced ionization scheme. Both the angular distribution and translational energy distribution of the H-atom elimination processes were determined from the ion images of the H-atom products. The experimental results indicate that the H-atom eliminations from these molecules are mainly direct and fast dissociation processes from a repulsive potential energy state. And a more statistical dissociation process that likely occurs oil the ground state via internal conversion has also been observed. Dissociation energies of the S-H bonds are also derived from the H-atom product translational energy distributions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

In situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy investigation of renewing graphite surface accompanied by electrochemical reaction

In situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (ECSTM) has been employed to follow the renewal process of a graphite electrode accompanied by flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) electrochemical reaction which involves adsorption of the reduced form (FADH(2)) and desorption of the oxidized form (FAD). The renewal process initiates from steps or kinks on the electrode surface, which provide high active sites for adsorption. This renewal depends on the working electrode potential, especially in the range near the FAD redox potential. Our experiment suggests that delamination of the graphite surface is caused by interaction between the substrate and adsorbed molecules. A simple model is proposed to explain this phenomenon.

Inbreeding depression for various traits in two cultured populations of the American bay scallop, Argopecten irradians irradians Lamarck (1819) introduced into China

This paper examines the effect of inbreeding level of population on the magnitude of inbreeding depression expressed by comparing them between two cultured populations (A and B) in the hermaphroditic animal of the bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians. Population A is expected to have less genetic variations and higher inbreeding level due to longer cultured history (20 generations) and less "ancestral" individuals (26 individuals) than population B due to shorter cultured history (4 generations) and more "ancestral" individuals (406 individuals). Two groups within each population were produced, one using self-fertilization and one using mass-mating within the same population. Selfed offspring (AS and BS) from two populations both had lower fitness components than their mass-mated counterparts (AM and BM) and exhibited inbreeding depression for all examined traits, e.g. lower hatching, less viability and slower growth, indicating that inbreeding depression is a common feature in this animal. Fitness components in all traits of offspring from population A significantly differed those from population B and the magnitude of inbreeding depression for all traits in population A with higher inbreeding level was significantly smaller than that in population B with lower inbreeding level, indicating that both fitness components and magnitude of inbreeding depression were significantly affected by inbreeding level of populations and genetic load harbored in population A may be partially purged through inbreeding. Moreover, the magnitude of inbreeding depression in the two populations both varied among traits and life history stages. The present results support the partial-dominance hypothesis of inbreeding depression. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interference Effects in Hyperfine Induced 2s2p P-3(0), P-3(2) -> 2s(2) S-1(0) Transitions of Be-like Ions

In this paper, we explored the characteristics of the interference effects between perturbative states in hyperfine induced 2s2p P-3(0), P-3(2) -> 2s(2) S-1(0) transitions of Be-like ions. It was found that the interference effects non-monotonically change with increasing atomic number Z in these two transitions. The strongest interference effect is near Z = 9 for 2s2p P-3(0), -> 2s(2) (1)S(0)transition and near Z = 7 for the other.

Metabolic profiling of serum from gadolinium chloride-treated rats by H-1 NMR spectroscopy

Metabolic profiling of serum from gadolinium chloride (GdCl3, 10 and 50 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneal [i.p.])-treated rats was investigated by the NMR spectroscopic-based metabonomic strategy. Serum samples were collected at 48, 96, and 168 h postdose (p.d.) after exposure to GdCl3. H-1 NMR spectra of serum were analyzed by pattern recognition using principal components analysis. The studies showed that there was a dose-related biochemical effect of GdCl3 treatment on the levels of a range of low-molecular weight compounds in serum. The liver damage induced by GdCl3 was characterized by the elevation of lactate, pyruvate, and creatine as well as the decrease of branched-chain amino acids (valine and isoleucine), alanine, glucose, and trimethylamine-N-oxide concentration in serum samples. The biochemical effects of GdCl3 in rats could be consulted when evaluating the biochemical profile of gadolinium-containing compounds that are being developed for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.

荧光衍生试剂1-[2-（对甲苯磺酸醋）乙基]2-苯基咪唑[4,5-f]9,10-菲的合成及其在长链脂肪酸分析中的应用

合成了新的荧光衍生试剂1-[2-（对甲苯磺酸酯）乙基]-2-苯基咪唑[4,5-f]9,10-菲（TsEPIP），并将其作为柱前衍生化试剂，在Eclipse XDB-C：色谱柱上采用梯度洗脱实现了11种长链（C_(20)～C_(30)）游离脂肪酸（FFA）衍生物的基线分离。利用柱后在线的串联质谱并以大气压化学电离源（APCI）的正离子模式实现了各组分的质谱定性。对土壤及3种苔醉（东亚毛灰鲜、锦丝鲜、羽平鲜）中FFA组分的定量结果表明，苔鲜植物从土壤中富集了大量的长链游离脂肪酸。荧光检测的激发波长和发射波长分别为260 nm和380 nm。线性回归系数大于0.9996，检测限为26.19～76.67 fmol。所建立的方法具有良好的重现性，对实际样品的测定结果令人满意。