Molecular characterization and expression profiles in response to bacterial infection of Chinese soft-shelled turtle interleukin-8 (IL-8), the first reptilian chemokine gene

In this study, an IL-8 homologue has been cloned and identified from a reptile, Chinese soft-shelled turtle for the first time. The full-length cDNA of turtle IL-8 was 1188 bp and contained a 312 bp open reading frame (ORF) coding for a protein of 104 amino acids. The chemokine CXC domain, which contained Glu-Leu-Arg (ELR) motif and four cysteine residues, was well conserved in turtle IL-8. The 4924 bp genomic DNA of turtle IL-8 contained four exons and three introns. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the amino acid sequence of turtle IL-8 clustered together with birds. RT-PCR analysis showed that turtle IL-8 mRNA was constitutively expressed liver, spleen, kidney, heart, blood and intestine tissues of control turtles. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis further indicated that the turtle IL-8 mRNA expression was apparent in various tissues at 8 h and up-regulated significantly during 8 h-7 d after Aeromonas hydrophila infection. The present studies will help us to understand the evolution of IL-8 molecule and the inflammatory response mechanism in reptiles. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of AlxGa1-xAs Auger sensitivity factors

AlxGa1-xAs Auger sensitivity factors have been determined by using PHI610 scanning Auger microprobe with pure elemental standards Al, Ag and matrix GaAs. The quantitative results of AlxGa1-xAs measured by the present method are in very good agreement with X-ray double crystal measurements. it is shown that by using sensitivity factors obtained from the self-instrument, the accuracy of the quantitative AES analysis can be considerably improved compared with that using elemental relative sensitivity factors given by the PHI handbook or internal standard method.

中国蔷薇属芹叶组（Rosa Sect. Pimpinellifoliae DC. ex Ser.）的分类学研究

本研究通过我国CDBI、 KUN、PE、SZ等主要标本馆约3, 500份馆藏标本的研究和野外考察相结合，对我国蔷薇属（Rosa L.）芹叶组(Sect. pimpinellifoliae DC. ex Ser.）植物以及相关组的一些种进行了性状特征、形态和微形态的研究，对该组的一些种的形态特征描述进行了补充，同时给出详细的地理和海拔范围分布图。综合花粉以及种子（瘦果）形态的研究结果重新制订了分种检索表，同时，对该组一些形态相近容易混淆的种进行了对比研究，特别对一直存在争议的绢毛复合体（绢毛蔷薇R. sericea Lindl.和峨眉蔷薇R. omeiensis Rolfe）进行了大量宏观形态特征的研究，并用光学显微镜（LM）和扫描电镜(SEM)对二者的花粉及种子形态、微形态进行对比研究和分析，主要研究内容包括： 1. 芹叶组孢粉研究 对芹叶组的10个种及相关的4个组共17个种（18个样品）的植物花粉进行了光镜和扫描电镜观察和比较研究。研究结果表明：蔷薇属植物花粉粒大小为中等偏小，极轴长23.98[21.82(R. graciliflora Rehd. et Wils.)～29.18(R. tsinglingensis Pax. et Hoffm.)] μm，赤道轴长28.65[24.15（R. graciliflora）～34.70(R. davidii Crép.)] μm；花粉属辐射对称等极单花粉，花粉形态赤道面观呈球形到超长球形；极面观为三裂圆形或近圆形,三孔沟，孔缘加厚,具中部突起的桥状盖。花粉外壁纹饰为条纹状，光镜下形态特征相差不大；在电镜下外壁条纹和脊沟内穿孔的形状、大小和频度等特征，常具组至种水平上的可见变异，可作为组至种水平划分的依据。 根据花粉外壁条纹特征及穿孔形状和数目等特征，本研究将这些植物的花粉归为5个类型，并编制了分组检索表。同时，根据条纹状的清晰度，排列方式、条纹形状、穿孔大小及其频度等方面的差异，各有特点，对该组的10个种编制了分种检索表。 2. 芹叶组种子形态研究 应用光学显微镜和扫描电镜对我国蔷薇属芹叶组14个种及相关组5个组共36种植物的种子宏观形态及种皮微形态特征进行了观察研究。结果显示，蔷薇属种子形态多样,形状分别为肾形、卵形或锥形等；种子颜色以淡棕色、褐色以及土黄色为主；种子大小种间相差悬殊，相对体积为（长×宽×厚）36.66（4.79～114.47) mm3。光镜下，种子宏观形态特征具组内一致性，在扫描电镜下种子表面结构特征因种而异，其纹饰以网纹为主，可分为3种类型，即近平滑型、负网纹型和网纹型。研究结果表明，蔷薇属种子表面纹饰与地理分布关系不大,具有组及种内稳定性。其种子形态、大小、表而纹饰类型等特征可作为蔷薇属组及种水平上的分类依据。 结合蔷薇属花粉形态研究结果，得出蔷薇属种皮微形态特征与花粉外壁纹饰特征相吻合，在代表组及种的特征上具相关性的结论。同时根据种子形态、微形态结构特征的组间区别和种间差异编制了分组及芹叶组14个种的分种检索表。 3. 绢毛蔷薇复合体的研究 通过对大量标本的研究、野外观察以及扫描电镜对绢毛蔷薇复合体的花粉形态和种皮表面结构进行研究，通过对小叶、花粉及种子的形态定量分析结果支持Rowley (1959)的观点，将峨眉蔷薇处理为绢毛蔷薇的一个变种。 综上研究结果得出，蔷薇属植物的小叶片数目、花被基数以及花粉及种子形态等性状是较为稳定的，这些特征可很好的作为分类学依据。 The morphology, pollen exine sculpture and seed coat structure of the species of Rosa sect. Pimpinellifoliae and related sections were studied.About 3,500 herbarium specimens at CDBI, KUN, PE, and SZ were examined. Field work in Sichuan and Yunnan were conducted. Revisions of some species were carried out and a new key to species of sect. Pimpinellifoliae was proposed based on morphology, pollen exine sculpture and seed coat structure, Detailed morphological descriptions, geographical distributions and the altitudinal ranges of some taxa are given. The systematics of the species complex, the Rosa sericea complex (R. sericea Lindl. & R. omeiensis Rolfe), was emphasized. This thesis focused on the following three aspects: 1. Pollen morphology of Rosa sect. Pimpinellifoliae The pollen morphology of 18 samples representing 10 species of the Eurasian Rosa sect. Pimpinellifoliae and 7 additional species of related sections was investigated under LM and SEM. The pollen grains are monadic, actinomorphic, equipolar, medium-sized, spheroidal to perprolate in equatorial view, 3-lobed circular or semi-circular in polar view, crassimarginate, pontoperculate, and with striate exine sculpture. The striate sculpture varies among sections and species. The equatorial axis ranges from 17.97 μm (R. sikangensis) to 29.18 μm (R. tsinglingensis) with an average of 23.98 μm in length, while polar axis varies from 24.15 μm (R. gracilifolra) to 34.70 μm (R. davidii) with an average of 28.65 μm in length. The pollens can be divided into five types based on striate sculpture and a key to the sections sampled was proposed accordingly. The pollen morphology of species of sect. Pimpinellifoliae is more homogeneous and different from other sections sampled and did not support the two-series subdivisions in sect. Pimpinellifoliae. A key is also provided based on characers of pollen morphology among species in sect. Pimpinellifoliae. 2. Seed coat structure of Rosa sect. Pimpinellifoliae The seed coat structure of 39 samples representing 14 species of Rosa sect. Pimpinellifoliae and 12 additional species of related sections was investigated under LE and SEM. The seed relative volume (Length × width × thickness) ranges from 4.79 to 114.47 mm3 with an average of 36.66. mm3. The seeds are reniform, ovate or oblong in shape, with orange-brown, light brown or deep brown color. Seed coat sculpture was reticulate or striate-like reticulate. There was no difference in sculpture character of various speices under LM, while three types of seed coat sculpture were identified under SEM and a key to species based on the seed coat sculpture was provided. The three types of seed coat sculpture were nearly smooth, areolate and reticulate. The study of the seed coat sculpture of same species sampled from different populations showed that characters on the seed coat are stable, and thus the size, shape and seed coat sculpture can be used in species level identification. Interestingly, characters in the seed coat sculpture and the pollen morphology in sect. Pimpinellifoliae are consistent at in specific or sectional levels. A key to the 14 species sampled was given based on seed coat sculpture. 3. The study on Rosa sericea complex The Rosa sericea complex contains R. omeiensis and R. sericea. They are morphologically similar to one another and the systematic status of R. omeiensis has been controversial. In this study we examined large numbers of herbarium specimens of R. omeiensis and R. sericea and conducted field observations in the Hengduan Mts.. We also performed SEM study of pollen morphology and seed coat structure of R. omeiensis and R. sericea. We further carried out intensive morphometric study on the leaflet, pollen, and seed morphology. Our results showed that R. omeiensis should be sunk to be a variety of R. sericea, just as Rowley’s treatment in 1959. In conclusion, the features in the number of leaflet and petal, and the morphological character on pollen and seed are relatively stable. Therefore these characters are very useful in taxon delimition.

Study of electron transfer across the liquid/ice-like matrix interface by scanning electrochemical microscopy

In this work, we report the findings of a study on scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to investigate the interfacial electron-transfer (ET) reaction between the 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane radical anion (TCNQ(.-)) in 1,2-dichloroethane and ferricyanide in an ice-like matrix (a mixture of insulting ice and conductive liquid) under low temperatures. Experimental results indicate that the formed liquid/ice-like matrix interface is superficially similar in electrochemical characteristics to a liquid/liquid interface at temperatures above -20 degreesC. Furthermore, imaging data show that the surface of the ice-like matrix is microscopically flat and physically stable and can be applied as either a conductive or an insulting substrate for SECM studies. Perchlorate ion was selected as the common ion in both phases, the concentrations of which controlled the interfacial potential difference. The effect of perchlorate concentration in the DCE phase on interfacial reactions has been studied in detail. The apparent heterogeneous rate constants for TCNQ(.-) oxidation by Fe(CN)(6)(3-) in another phase under different temperatures have been calculated by a best-fit analysis, where the experimental approach curves are compared with the theoretically derived relationships. Reaction rate data obey Butler-Volmer formulation before and after the freezing point, which is similar to most other known cases of ET reactions at liquid/liquid interfaces. However, there is a sharp change observed for heterogeneous rate constants around the freezing point of the aqueous phase, which reflects the phase transition. At temperatures below -20 degreesC, surface-confined voltammograms for the reduction of ferricyanide were obtained, and the ice-like matrix became an insulating one, which indicates that the aqueous phase is really a frozen phase.

Molecular cloning, characterization and mRNA expression of peroxiredoxin in Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri

Peroxiredoxin V (PRX V) is known as an atypical 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin that protects the organisms against various oxidative stresses and functions in signal transduction. The cDNA of a PRX V gene (designated as CfPRX) was cloned from scallop Chlamys farreri. The full-length sequence of CfPRX cDNA was of 2,179 bp with a 564 bp open reading frame encoding a peptide of 187 amino acids. Sequence comparison showed that CfPRX shared higher identities with PRX Vs than that with other isoforms of PRX, indicating CfPRX was a member of the PRX V family. Fluorescent real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed the presence of CfPRX transcripts in gill filaments, adductor muscle, heart, gonad, kidney and hemocytes, and the stimulation of Listonella anguillarum significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the mRNA expression of CfPRX in hemocyte. These results indicated that CfPRX was a constitutive and inducible acute-phase protein which was involved in the immune resistance to L. anguillarum stimulation.

A Quantitative Analysis of the Effect of Laser Transformation Hardening on Crack Driving Force in Steels

A mechanical model of a laser transformation hardening specimen with a crack in the middle of the hardened layer is developed to quantify the effects of the residual stress and hardness gradient on crack driving force in terms of J-integral. It is assumed

Quantitative analysis of land mammal zoogeographical regions in China and adjacent regions

Quantitative analysis of land mammal zoogeographical regions in China and adjacent regions. Zoological Studies 43(1): 142-160. In this paper, our aim was to determine, by means of quantitative analysis, the distribution patterns of the land mammals in China and, adjacent regions using physiographical regions as operative geographical units (OGUs). Based, on the pre-sence or absence of 11 orders, 42 families, 197 genera, and 577 species of land mammals in their zoogeographical regions, which were used as OGUs, we studied the biotic boundary between the Oriental Region (OR) and the Palaearctic Region (PR), as well as subregion boundaries. The boundary's statistical significance was tested by G-test as described by McCoy et al. A significantly strong biotic boundary was found to separate the PR from the OR, and there is a weak biotic boundary in the PR, which divides it into 2 subregions. We concluded that the biotic boundary which separates the PR and OR is a strong boundary. We suggest that the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau should be regarded as a subregion of the PR, which can embody its characteristics of high elevations and a frigid climatic, which is called the Qing-Zang subregion of the PR (QZSP).

Detection and quantitative analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls in tilapia from Hawaiian waters

The purpose of this study was to investigate polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) collected from the Manna stream and Ala Wai Canal of O'ahu, an island of the geographically isolated Hawaiian archipelago. Our results show that the average concentrations of PCBs varied from 51.90 to 89.42 ng g(-1) lipid weight for the sampling sites. Relative toxic potencies (RTPs) and toxic equivalencies (TEQs) were determined to be 20.38-40.60 ng TCDD g(-1) lipid weight and 2.89-4.17 ng TEQ g(-1) lipid weight by 7-ethoxy-resorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity analysis and calculation of PCB concentrations based on toxic equivalency factors (TEFs), respectively. Penta-chlorinated congeners were found to be predominant, which revealed that Aroclor 1254 was a possible major source of PCBs in our fish samples. PCB 118, an indicator PCBs, constituted more than 55% and 30% of the total PCBs and TEQs, respectively. In addition, PCB 118 was found to have a linear correlation to the total PCBs (R = 0.975) and TEQs (R = 0.782). Detection of concentrated PCBs in Hawaiian waters suggests a potentially adverse impact of this pollutant on human health, as well as ecological systems, and suggests the necessity of environmental monitoring and hazard assessment of PCBs within the Hawaiian Islands. (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Quantitative analysis of excitonic photoluminescence in nitrogen-doped ZnSe epilayers

We have investigated the photoluminescence (PL) properties of nitrogen-doped ZnSe epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy using a nitrogen radio frequency-plasma source. The PL data shows that the relative intensity of the donor-bound exciton (I-2) emission to the acceptor-bound exciton (I-1) emission strongly depends on both the excitation power and the temperature. This result is explained by a thermalization model of the bound exciton which involved in the capture and emission between the neutral donor bound exciton, the neutral acceptor bound exciton and the free exciton. Quantitative analysis with the proposed mechanism is in good agreement with the experimental data. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)09102-1].

QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF INXGA1-XAS BY AUGER-ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY

Quantitative Auger electron spectroscopy analysis for the ternary system InGa1-xAs grown by molecular-beam epitaxy has been studied. The relative sensitivity factors are determined by with an internal reference element. The matrix correction factor for In relative to Ga was shown to be 1.08. No preferential sputtering of As for the ternary compounds was found, and the sputter correction factor, K(s)InGa is 0.75. The results are compared with that measured by the x-ray double-crystal diffraction analysis, electron probe microanalysis, and Auger analysis without matrix and sputter corrections.

基于激光诱导击穿光谱技术的铝合金成分定量分析；Quantitative analysis of element concentration in Al alloy by using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

利用Nd:YAG激光器输出的532nm激光束对位于空气中的标准变形铝合金样品进行烧蚀产生了激光诱导等离子体.对测量的230—440nm波长范围的光谱进行了谱线标定,同时基于自由定标方法对样品成分进行了定量分析,确定了样品中的元素含量.分析结果与标准值具有较好的一致性.

Quantitative analysis analysis of element concentration in Al alloy by using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown plasma is produced by using Q-switched Nd: YAG laser operating at 532 nm, which interacts with the Al alloy sample target in air. The spectral lines in the 230-440 nm wavelength range have been identified, and based on the calibration-free method, the mass concentration of Al alloy are obtained, which is in good agreement with the standard value of the sample.

A Semi-Quantitative Analysis of Essential Micronutrient in Folium Lycii Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Technique

In this paper, the capabilities of laser-induced break down spectroscopy (LIBS) for rapid analysis to multi-component plant are illustrated using a 1064 nm laser focused onto the surface of folium lycii. Based on homogeneous plasma assumption, nine of essential micronutrients in folium lycii are identified. Using Saha equation and Boltzmann plot method electron density and plasma temperature are obtained, and the irrelative concentration (Ca, Mg, Al, Si, Ti, Na, K, Li, and Sr) are obtained employing a semi-quantitative method.

Influence of Laser Wavelength on Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Applied to Semi-Quantitative Analysis of Trace-Elements in a Plant Sample

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as a powerful analytical technique is applied to analyze trace-elements in fresh plant samples. We investigate the LIBS spectra of fresh holly leaves and observe more than 430 lines emitted from 25 elements and molecules in the region 230-438 nm. The influence of laser wavelength on LIBS applied to semi-quantitative analysis of trace-element contents in plant samples is studied. The results show that the UV laser has lower relative standard deviations and better repeatability for semi-quantitative analysis of trace-element contents in plant samples. This work may be helpful for improving the quantitative analysis power of LIBS applied to plant samples.

Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of quaternary alkaloids in Coptis-scute herb couple by Electrospray mass Spectrometry

A practical solution of qualitatively analyzing quaternary alkaloids in coptis-scute herb couple by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS) was developed. Without the complicated pretreatment of sample, the active ingredients including berberine, palmatine, coptisine, jatrorrhizine, epiberberine, and columbamine were identified and some relative content changing rules of alkaloids in coptis-scute couple were summarized in this article. The overall profiles of the complex extracts were obtained.