A one-year investigation of the relationship between serum GH levels and the growth of F-4 transgenic and non-transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio

It has been demonstrated that growth hormone (GH) transgenic fish often posses a trait for fast growth. Here, we investigated the growth of F-4 'all-fish' GH transgenic carp Cyprinus carpio and their serum GH levels for a year. The results showed that F-4 all-fish GH transgenic carp were significantly larger in body mass (c. two-fold, P < 0 center dot 001) and body length (c. 1 center dot 3 fold, P < 0 center dot 001), compared with the non-transgenic group. The discrepancy of serum GH levels between the transgenic carp group and control group is 54 fold, when the water temperature was 12-34 degrees C. When the water temperature decreased to 3 center dot 5 degrees C in January, the discrepancy was 256 fold. The serum GH level of the transgenic group was relatively constant, while that of control varied greatly based on month and water temperature. The changes of growth rates between the transgenic group and the control group were similar for a year. Taken together, the results indicated that F-4 all-fish GH transgenic carp had not only higher and constant serum GH levels but also a significant fast-growing effect, compared with the control. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a one-year investigation of growth trait and serum growth hormone level in F-4 all-fish GH transgenic carp.

Role of five-quark components in radiative and strong decays of the Lambda(1405) resonance

Within an extended chiral constituent quark model, the three- and five-quark structure of the S-01 resonance Lambda(1405) is investigated. Helicity amplitudes for electromagnetic decays [Lambda(1405)->Lambda(1116)gamma, Sigma(1194)gamma] and transition amplitudes for strong decays [Lambda(1405)->Sigma(1194)pi, K- p] are derived, as well as the relevant decay widths. The experimental value for the strong decay width, Gamma(Lambda(1405)->(Sigma pi)degrees) = 50 +/- 2MeV, is well reproduced with about 50% of a five-quark admixture in the Lambda(1405). Important effects owing to the configuration mixing among Lambda P-2(1)A, Lambda P-2(8)M, and Lambda P-4(8)M are found. In addition, transitions between the three- and the five-quark components in the baryons turn out to be significant in both radiative and strong decays of the Lambda(1405) resonance.

FORMATION OF [C60C5H5] ADDUCT CATIONS AND THEORETICAL-STUDY OF THE ISOMERS

We study here the reactions between C-60 and planar C5H5+ cations that lead to the formation of [C60C5H5](+) adduct cations in the chemical ionization source of the mass spectrometer. The structures, stabilities and charge locations of some possible isomers of [C60C5H5](+): sigma-adduct, pi-complex, [1,4]- and [1,2]-addition cations, are studied by AM1 semiempirical molecular orbital calculations. We find that the most stable is the sigma-addition cation. Another interesting and stable structure is the pi-complex cation which is bonded by the electrostatic interaction at the inter-ring distance of 1.589 Angstrom with the C-5v symmetry. The C5H5+ cyclopentadienium cation seems to be an ''inverted umbrella'' sitting on a five-membered ring of the C-60 cage.