营养盐硅、光和水温对浮游植物生长的影响

本文主要阐述硅是胶州湾的浮游植物生长的限制因子。根据胶州湾1991年5月至1994年2月的观测数据，分析比较研究该水域主要理化因子（温、光、五项营养盐：NO＿3－N，NO＿2－N，NH＿4－N，SiO＿3－Si，PO＿4－P）与浮游植物的初级生产力时空分布变化之间的关系。发现硅酸盐对初级生产力的特征分布、动态周期和变化趋势有着重要影响；通过初级生产力的变化和硅酸盐的变化以统计学和微分方程为工具建立了相应的有意义的初级生产力－硅酸盐的动态模型和模拟曲线；又从胶州湾的硅酸盐成因和生物地球化学的沉积过程，浮游植物硅藻对营养盐氮、磷、硅吸收的比值分析以及浮游植物的优势种和浮游植物的结构分析，对硅酸盐是胶州湾浮植物的限制因子问题进行初步探讨，认为胶州湾的硅酸盐是浮游植物的初级生产力的限制因子并对具有明显的高营养盐浓度，却有着浮游植物的低生物量的这些海域进行了合理解释。对胶州湾的光照时间、水温进行分析，认为光照时间的变化和周期控制着水温的变化和周期，并建立了相应的有意义的光照时间时滞——水温的动态模型。又通过叶绿素a和初级生产力提出了新概念：浮游植物的增殖能力（比初级生产力）既不同于初级生产力，也不同于碳同化数。它对浮游植物的生长过程进行了定量化的深刻的揭示。对胶州湾的浮游植物的增殖能力的时空分布特征和季节变化特点进行的分析研究。使我们大体知道浮植物生长的动态周期、特征和区域。建立了相应的有意义的水温——增殖能力的动态模型和模拟曲线。认为胶州湾的水温控制着浮游植物的增殖能力的周期性和起伏性。阐述了浮游植物有夏季的单峰型（1回）增殖和春、秋季的双峰型（2回）增殖的机制。并解释了光照时间、水温对初级生产力的影响。

Is inorganic nutrient enrichment a driving force for the formation of red tides? A case study of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea in an embayment

Red tides (high biomass phytoplankton blooms) have frequently occurred in Hong Kong waters, but most red tides occurred in waters which are not very eutrophic. For example, Port Shelter, a semi-enclosed bay in the northeast of Hong Kong, is one of hot spots for red tides. Concentrations of ambient inorganic nutrients (e.g. N, P), are not high enough to form the high biomass of chlorophyll a (chl a) in a red tide when chl a is converted to its particulate organic nutrient (N) (which should equal the inorganic nutrient, N). When a red tide of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea occurred in the bay, we found that the red tide patch along the shore had a high cell density of 15,000 cells ml(-1), and high chl a (56 mu g l(-1)), and pH reached 8.6 at the surface (8.2 at the bottom), indicating active photosynthesis in situ. Ambient inorganic nutrients (NO3, PO4, SiO4, and NH4) were all low in the waters and deep waters surrounding the red tide patch, suggesting that the nutrients were not high enough to support the high chl a >50 mu g l(-1) in the red tide. Nutrient addition experiments showed that the addition of all of the inorganic nutrients to a non-red-tide water sample containing low concentrations of Scrippsiella trochoidea did not produce cell density of Scrippsiella trochoidea as high as in the red tide patch, suggesting that nutrients were not an initializing factor for this red tide. During the incubation of the red tide water sample without any nutrient addition, the phytoplankton biomass decreased gradually over 9 days. However, with a N addition, the phytoplankton biomass increased steadily until day 7, which suggested that nitrogen addition was able to sustain the high biomass of the red tide for a week with and without nutrients. In contrast, the red tide in the bay disappeared on the sampling day when the wind direction changed. These results indicated that initiation, maintenance and disappearance of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea red tide in the bay were not directly driven by changes in nutrients. Therefore, how nutrients are linked to the formation of red tides in coastal waters need to be further examined, particularly in relation to dissolved organic nutrients. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

HPLC法测定獐牙菜及其近缘植物中4种有效成分的含量

目的:建立反相高效液相色谱法同时测定獐牙菜及其近缘植物中番木鳖酸、獐牙菜苦苷、龙胆苦苷、芒果苷的含量。方法:采用ZORBAX SB—C18(250 mm×4.6mm,5μm)色谱柱,以流动相甲醇和水(含0.04%磷酸)的比例在0-24 min内由22:78至38:62线性梯度洗脱,流速1 mL•min～1,检测波长254 nm,柱温30℃。结果:4种成分均达到基线分离,番木鳖酸、獐牙菜苦苷、龙胆苦苷、芒果苷的线性范围分别为0.05—6.25μg(r=0.9999),0.0095—2.9 μg(r=0.9998),0.0486—2.56μg(r=0.9999),0.0056—2.8μg(r=0.9998);回收率为102%(RSD=4.4%),97.7%(RSD=4.3%),99.5%(RSD=3.5%),103%(RSD=1.1%)。结论:方法测定快速,结果准确、可靠。

湖泊沉积物中有机磷的地球化学特征及其富营养化效应——以太湖、红枫湖、百花湖和洱海为例

磷是水生生态系统初级生产力的主要限制因子，也是造成湖泊富营养化的关键营养元素。湖泊富营养化现已成为世界性的环境问题，它不但制约了湖泊资源的可利用性,而且直接影响着人类的健康生存与社会经济的可持续发展。沉积物内源磷的释放是决定湖泊水体营养水平、影响湖泊富营养化治理成效的重要因素。因此，研究沉积物中磷的组成形态、含量分布及迁移转化等对于全面了解湖泊生态系统中磷的生物地球化学循环，有效控制和管理湖泊富营养化具有重要的意义。然而目前对沉积物中的无机磷(Pi)及其生物可利用性进行了大量的研究，有机磷(Po)作为沉积物中的重要化学成分，它的地球化学特征及其对湖泊富营养化的作用却了解甚少。 长江中下游地区和云贵高原地区是我国淡水湖泊的主要分布区，也是我国湖泊富营养化最为严重的地区。本论文工作选取两地区具不同流域特征、水文状况、生态结构、污染程度的代表性湖泊(太湖梅梁湾、鼋头渚、贡湖、东太湖, 红枫湖, 百花湖和洱海)为研究对象，结合传统的化学连续提取手段和最新的液体磷核磁共振(31P NMR)波谱分析，研究了这些湖泊沉积物中Po的形态、组成以及剖面分布特征，揭示了Po对湖泊富营养化的重要作用；并运用高效体积排阻色谱法、分子荧光光谱法探讨了它们与沉积物中有机质的关系。主要研究结果如下： 1. 采用改进的土壤Po分级体系研究湖泊沉积物中Po的赋存形态，沉积物中Po的回收率可达94.3－101.1%，平均为98.5±2.2%，说明了该方法基本上包括了沉积物中全部Po。这是因为本方法对活性Po和腐殖质磷萃取的时间更长，提取更为完全；对富里酸磷和胡敏酸磷的区分更加明确；还特别增加了残渣态有机磷(Residual Po)的测定，使得Po的形态分析更为周密和准确。沉积物中Residual Po的含量占总Po的29.9－57.2%，进一步表明了此方法的可取性，这将为以后开展湖泊沉积物中Po的形态研究奠定了基础。 2. 湖泊沉积物中磷形态的不同分布特征可能与两地区不同的湖泊类型、有机质降解过程的差异以及各种磷形态之间的相互转化有关。Po形态在不同污染程度沉积物中的含量与分布也充分说明了沉积物是水体富营养化的主要内源，Po对湖泊富养化的作用不容忽视。 3.太湖梅梁湾、鼋头渚和贡湖沉积物不同提取液中有机质的分子量分布特征可能表明了其中有机质和Po组成的差异，而沉积物中有机C/N和C/P比值分析和三维荧光光谱特征的相似形可能反映了太湖(浅水湖泊)沉积物中有机质与磷的地球化学特性及其相互关系。 4. 31P NMR的测定结果显示，湖泊沉积物中磷主要由正磷酸盐(Ortho-P)、磷酸单酯(Monoester-P)与二酯(Diester-P)组成，焦磷酸盐(Pyro-P)和膦酸盐(Phosphonate)的含量非常低。Ortho-P在重富营养化和浅水湖泊沉积物中的相对含量高于富营养化、中富营养化和深水湖泊沉积物，Monoester-P的分布特征正好相反，表明了这些磷化合物在不同湖泊生态系统磷的循环中的差异。此外，Monoester-P中肌糖磷酸的大量存在，也同时证实了前面Po化学连续提取中高含量的Residual Po。 5. 梅梁湾和洱海沉积物中总磷(TP)、Pi、Ortho-P、Monoester-P、总有机碳(TOC)和总氮(TN)表现出不同的剖面分布特征，说明了有机质和磷在不同湖泊环境中的分解转化规律，可能解释了内源磷的释放对两湖富营养化的影响。此外，Diester-P中DNA-P的剖面变化和前人报道的沉积物中DNA的分布特征正好吻合，表明了DNA-P主要来源于沉积物中细菌和微生物的DNA。

岩浆－热液过渡阶段体系中不相容元素地球化学行为及其机制－以新疆阿尔泰3号伟晶岩脉研究为例

伟晶岩形成和演化中岩浆-热液过渡阶段物理化学性质、过铝质富挥发分岩浆体系岩浆液相不混溶、流体相出溶事件的相对时间尺度以及在岩浆-热液过渡阶段体系中稀土和其它微量元素地球化学行为(稀土“四重效应”机制和微量元素分异及控制因素等)是目前过铝质岩浆体系研究的焦点问题。对上述问题的研究和探讨，将有助于了解伟晶岩形成和演化的全过程，有助于了解挥发分(H_20、F、B、P)对过铝质岩浆体系物理性质以及对REE和其它微量元素地球化学行为影响，这对于理解过铝质岩浆体系成岩、成矿作用过程具有重大的理论和实际意义。本论文选择著名的新疆阿尔泰3号伟晶岩脉为研究对象，由于它具有完美的分带特征，使我们有可能通过各结构带矿物学、地球化学的研究揭示伟晶岩成因和演化过程以及讨论岩浆-热液过渡阶段体系中的稀土和微量元素地球化学行为。由于LCT型伟晶岩具有明显的分带性、矿物颗粒大小不均匀性等特点，因此利用全岩样品研究伟晶岩往往因取样没有代表性而被大多数岩石学家和地球化学家所否定。考虑到这点，本文系统采集阿尔泰3号伟晶岩脉各结构带磷灰石、电气石、碱性长石、石英矿物，部分结构带的石榴石、绿柱石、锂辉石矿物以及伟晶岩冷凝边和蚀变围岩的全岩样品，通过各结构带磷灰石矿物化学组成和~(87)Sr／~(86)Sr比值测定，电气石矿物的化学组成和硼同位素组成分析，碱性长石中磷含量的电子探针分析和碱性长石-石英矿物对的氧同位素体系研究以及蚀变围岩和冷凝边的化学组成分析，本文较为详尽系统地探讨以上所有的问题。通过本次多年的研究，我们获得了以下几点新的认识：f1) 富挥发分过铝质岩浆体系的样品存在稀土“四重效应”和Y-Ho、Zr-Hf、Nb-Ta、Sr-Eu元素对的显著分异，表明在过铝质岩浆演化过程中含氟流体相起着重要的作用；目前，稀土“四重效应”机制被认为是含水流体相与过铝质岩浆熔体相互作用的结果(Irber 1999；Bau 1997)，而不是独居石、磷钇矿、石榴石矿物等矿物的早期结晶引起的残余熔体稀土含量的异常变化。由于阿尔泰3号伟晶岩脉各带磷灰石以及与其共生的石榴石、绿柱石、碱性长石、锂辉石矿物均存存明显的稀土“四重效应”以及相同电价、相似离子半径的不相容元素间存在显著的分异，并结合最近赵振华等(1999)和Sba and Chappell(1999)报道S型花岗岩全岩和单矿物(磷灰石、独居石、长石、黄玉等)均存在稀土“四重效应”这一现象，本文研究提出，稀土“四重效应”是富挥发分过铝质岩浆体系的一个基本特征，其机制既不可能由含稀土的副矿物早期结晶引起残余熔体相中REE含量变化的结果，也不能定性地归因于流体相与熔体相相互作用过程中稀土元素在流体／熔体之间分异的结果，而很可能与伟晶岩岩浆形成之前某些过程密切相关，S型花岗岩岩浆在液相线以上存在硅酸盐熔体与高盐熔体(或卤水相)的不混溶液相分离有可能是过铝质岩浆体系产生稀土“四重效应”的主要原因。(2) 由于Sr~(2+)与Eu~(2+)具有相同的电价、相似的离子半径，根据经典的地球化学原理，它们具有相似的地球化学行为，在各种地质过程中其它们具有紧密的一致性。阿尔泰3号伟晶岩磷灰石中Sr／Eu比值具有二歧变化现象，其中I、Il、III和IV带磷灰石具有低的Sr／Eu比值(16:0～111.2)，而V、VI、VII带、核部带和IV带中的一个磷灰石则显示较大的Sr／Eu比值(主要在246．6～514:9范围，其中IV带的一个磷灰石该比值在10000以上)。对世界范围内的过铝质花岗岩统计表明，过铝质岩浆岩的全岩样品中的Sr／Eu也呈现二歧变化，由此本文提出Sr／Eu比值是指示过铝质岩浆体系中岩浆流体相出溶的有效地球化学参数，大于300的Sr／Eu比值是Eu~(2+)强烈分配进入流体相的地球化学标志。(3) 阿尔泰3号伟晶岩I、II、III带电气石矿物的硼同位素组成(δ~(11)B)分布在-41.11‰～-30.90‰之间，V、VI、VII带电气石矿物硼同位素组成(δ~(11)B)在-15.23‰～-9.20‰范围，IV带电气石硼同位素分布于-39.19～13.10‰范围，如此大的硼同位素分馏无法根据实验研究获得的熔体／流体相间的分馏系数进行合理解释。我们的研究表明岩浆成因电气石的B同位素组成与电气石化学组成具相关性，随电气石Y位上AI、Li阳离子数的增大，δ~(11)B值显示明显增大的趋势。阿尔泰3号伟晶岩最初形成的结构带中电气石的B同位素组成是目前所发现的最低值之一(-41.1l～39.01‰)，指示形成伟晶岩脉的初始岩浆可能由含非海相蒸发岩的泥质岩经变质深熔作用形成，或是伟晶岩岩浆在上侵定位过程中同化了含非海相蒸发岩地层的结果。本次研究利用电气石-白云母和电气石-四硼酸盐矿物间的同位索分馏以及熔体相-流体相间的同位索分馏，合理解释了阿尔泰3号伟晶岩脉电气石B同位素分馏过程，并首次获得伟晶岩形成、演化过程中B同位素组成演化的全程图谱。(4)伟晶岩岩浆形成和演化过程是否存在由过磷引起的液相不混溶现象未见确凿的岩石学和实验地球化学证据。阿尔泰3号伟晶岩脉糖粒状钠长石带(II带)明显由两种不同组构的岩性组成，而且该带是3号脉主要的Be矿化带，也是P、REE最重要的沉淀场所。阿尔泰3号伟晶岩脉梳状结构带和I带的碱性长石具较高P含量(平均值分别为0.42 wt％和0.22 wt％)，随着岩浆的演化进行，从III带到核部带，碱性长石中P含量逐渐增大(平均值由0.21 wt％增至0.50 wt％)，而II带碱性长石中异常低的P含量(平均值为0.08、wt％)是该带大量磷灰石矿物饱和结晶，导致残余熔体相中P极度亏损所造成的，而不是晚期出溶的岩浆热液交代形成的。根据Watson (1978)、Ryerson and Hess(1980)在液相线以上温度下实验研究获得的微量元素在不混溶的基性和酸性液相中分配特征，以及Webster et a1．(1997）对德国Ehrenfriedersdorf矿区伟晶岩石英中熔体包裹体的研究成果，我们推断在富磷岩浆体系中，在其演化的早期将出现由磷引起的液相不混溶作用，它对伟晶岩成岩和Be的成矿具有重大的影响。

3-5岁幼儿认知灵活性的发展

To test preschoolers’ development of cognitive flexibility--an ability to solve a problem in one way and to then switch solution strategies, and the mechanism involved in the development, 3-5-year-olds are asked to perform switching tasks in which the experimenter manipulates the way the stimuli are presented: consecutive or simultaneous; the way the switching happens: between dimensions or within a dimension; the conceptual domains involved: shape, color, number and direction; the specific labels used. The main results of this work are presented below: (1) 3-5-year-olds’ cognitive flexibility develops with age, yet its development is not of the same speed in extra-dimensional switch tasks and inter-dimensional reversal tasks. 3-year-olds manifest some cognitive flexibility, but their performance is significantly worse than that of 4- and 5-year-olds. For the 3-year-olds, in reversal tasks, although 80% of the children passed the post-switch phrase in color task; less then 60% children passed the post-switch phrase in shape, number and direction tasks. In extra-dimensional tasks, 3-year-olds performance is worse than that in the reversal tasks. Less than 50% of the children passed the tasks. Children’s cognitive flexibility develops fast from 3-year-olds to 4-year-olds. Both 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds demonstrate high flexibility without significant difference between them. (2) Children’s flexibility in the conceptual domains of shape, color, number and direction follows different developing patterns. In inter-dimensional reversal tasks, 3-year-olds’ performance is not the same in the 4 conceptual domains, but the difference among the domains is insignificant in 4-and-5-year-olds. In extra-dimensional switching tasks, children’s performance on the 4 domain tasks is significantly different from one another in 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds. (3) The way the stimuli are presented affects children’s development of cognitive flexibility. In inter-dimensional reversal tasks, 3-year-olds’ performance in consecutive presentation is significantly better than that in simultaneous presentation. 4- and 5-year-olds’ performance in the 2 presentations is not significantly different from each other. In extra-dimensional switch tasks, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds’ performance in the consecutive presentation is not significantly better than that in the simultaneous presentation (4) 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds’ self-issued labeling aids their performance on the switching tasks. Children’ performance in the labeling condition is significantly better than that of no labeling. (5) 3-5-year-olds’ cognitive flexibility is highly correlated with their working memory and inhibition. Children’ development of cognitive flexibility is a process that involves activation of working memory and inhibition, in which the complexity of the task also plays a role.

Synthesis of a 1,4-benzodiazepine containing palladacycle with in vitro anticancer and cathepsin B activity

The reaction of the five-membered C,N-palladacycle [(L)PdCl](2), where LH = 1-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2(3H)-one, with 1,2-ethanebis(diphenylphosphine), dppe, leads to the formation of the bridged palladacycle. [Pd(2)L(2)(mu-dppe)Cl(2)] 3, which was characterised in solution by (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by X-ray crystallography. Complex 3 was tested in vitro against a number of cell lines. For example, it inhibited K562 leukaemia cells with an IC(50) value of 4.3 microM (1 h exposure) and displayed cathepsin B inhibitory action with an IC(50) value of 3 microM.

Tetrahedra and vertex-sharing double tetrahedra in the ammonium iodomercurates(II) (NH4)(7)[HgI4](2)[Hg2I7](H2O) and (NH4)(3)[Hg2I7]

The new ammonium iodomercurates(II), (NH4)(7)[HgI4](2)[Hg2I7](H2O) (1) and (NH4)(3)[Hg2I7] (2) contain isolated tetrahedra and vertex-sharing double tetrahedra as the anions. The crystal structures were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data: 1: orthorhombic, Pnma (no. 62), a = 2175.9(2), b = 1781.8(2), c = 1256.2(2) pm, Z = 4. R-1 [I-0 > 2 sigma(I-0)] = 0.0520; 2: monoclinic, P2(1)/c (no. 14), a = 1259.0(2), b = 773.2(1), c = 2172.4(3) pm, beta = 101.18(2)degrees, Z = 4, R, [I-0 > 2 sigma(I-0)] = 0.0308.

The ammonium bromomercurates(II) (NH4)Hg5Br11 and (NH4)(4)HgBr6

The crystal structures of two ammonium bromomercurates(II), (NH4)Hg5Br11 (1) and (NH4)(4)HgBr6 (2), were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data: 1: monoclinic, C2/m (no. 12), a = 1231.3(3), b = 1517.4(3), c = 680.4(2) pm, beta = 118.78(2)degrees, Z = 2, R-1 = 0.0391 for I-0 > 2 sigma(I-0); 2: tetragonal, P4/mnc (no. 128), a = 925.6(1), c = 887.2(1) pm, Z = 2, R-1 = 0.0370 for I(0 >)2a(I-0). According to (NH4)Br[HgBr2](5) and (NH4)(4)Br-4[HgBr2] they both contain [Br-Hg-Br] molecules. Additional bromide ions are only loosely attached to the mercury atoms, however involved in (NH4)(+)-Br- bonding.

Mercurous azide, Hg-2(N-3)(2)

White polycrystalline mercurous azide, Hg-2(N-3)(2), is obtained by combining aqueous solutions of NaN3 and Hg-2(NO3)(2).2H(2)O (made viscuous by addition of tetramethoxysilane and heating at 65 degreesC). The crystal structure was solved and refined from X-ray powder diffraction data (monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 596.07(2) pm, b = 1259.07(4) pm, c = 357.95(1) pm, beta 103.253(2)degrees, Z = 2, R-B = 0.0519). Solid Hg-2(N-3)(2) contains, essentially, molecules of that composition with Hg-Hg distances of 254.4(3) pm, Hg-N distances of 218(2) pm and Hg-Hg-N angles of 178.7(6)degrees. Weak intermolecular interactions with Hg-N distances starting at 280(3) pm lead to a three-dimensional structure.

A study of HPV 1, 2 and 4 antibody prevalence in patients presenting for treatment with cutaneous warts to general practitioners in N. Ireland

Three hundred and seventy-six patients attending their general practitioner with cutaneous warts at five health centres in Northern Ireland were screened for human papilloma virus (HPV) types 1 and 2 IgM antibody using an indirect immunofluorescence test. Eight-eight (23.4%) patients were positive for HPV type 1 IgM and 156 (41.5%) for HPV type 2 IgM. HPV 1 IgM antibody was significantly more likely to be associated with plantar warts than warts elsewhere (P less than 0.0001). HPV 2 IgM was present in 45 (34.1%) patients with plantar warts and 99 (45.6%) patients with warts at other sites (P = 0.1). Evidence of multiple infection by HPV types 1 and 2 was demonstrated by the finding of HPV 1 and 2 IgM antibodies in the sera of 16 (4.3%). HPV 4 was found in only 1 out of 30 biopsies and HPV 4 IgM was undetectable in 50 randomly chosen sera.

The distribution of arsenic in soils affected by the Aznalcóllar mine spill, SW Spain

In April 1998, a holding lagoon containing pyrite ore processing waste, failed and released an estimated 5-6 million m(3) of metal rich sludge and acidic waters into the Rio Guadiamar, SW Spain. Over 2700 ha of the internationally important Doñana National and Natural Parks were contaminated. The sludge component of the waste contained up to 0.6% arsenic. This paper presents an extensive set of 0-5 cm soil analyses results from samples taken 6-8 months after the spill. Data are presented on pseudo-total arsenic levels in these samples, and on arsenic removed by both single batch and sequential extraction techniques. Pseudo-total levels of arsenic in the sludge ranged from 1521 to 3510 mg kg(-1), and a mean 4.4% of this was found to be extractable using 2.5% acetic acid. Soils in the Guadiamar Valley and Entremuros areas (those worst affected by the spill) were found to contain 85.4-782 mg kg(-1) and 7.1-196 mg kg(-1) pseudo-total arsenic, respectively. The mean acetic acid extractable component in these areas was 2.5% and 4.9%, respectively. Background pseudo-total arsenic levels in the soils of the area have been found to be 4.2-13.6 mg kg(-1). Rapid input of acidic waters, and the acidic nature of the sludge itself, may have caused depletion of Mg, Na and K, and to a lesser extent Mn, Ca and PO(4) in the upper 5 cm of the worst affected soils. Sequential extraction results suggest clear As-Fe associations, and possible As-Mn associations within the more soluble phases.

Mechanism of arsenate resistance in the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Hymenoscyphus ericae

Arsenate resistance is exhibited by the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Hymenoscyphus ericae collected from As-contaminated mine soils. To investigate the mechanism of arsenate resistance, uptake kinetics for arsenate (H(2)AsO(4)(-)), arsenite (H(3)AsO(3)), and phosphate (H(2)PO(4)(-)) were determined in both arsenate-resistant and -non-resistant H. ericae. The uptake kinetics of H(2)AsO(4)(-), H(3)AsO(3), and H(2)PO(4)(-) in both resistant and non-resistant isolates were similar. The presence of 5.0 microM H(2)PO(4)(-) repressed uptake of H(2)AsO(4)(-) and exposure to 0.75 mM H(2)AsO(4)(-) repressed H(2)PO(4)(-) uptake in both H. ericae. Mine site H. ericae demonstrated an enhanced As efflux mechanism in comparison with non-resistant H. ericae and lost approximately 90% of preloaded cellular As (1-h uptake of 0.22 micromol g(-1) dry weight h(-1) H(2)AsO(4)(-)) over a 5-h period in comparison with non-resistant H. ericae, which lost 40% of their total absorbed H(2)AsO(4)(-). As lost from the fungal tissue was in the form of H(3)AsO(3). The results of the present study demonstrate an enhanced H(3)AsO(3) efflux system operating in mine site H. ericae as a mechanism for H(2)AsO(4)(-) resistance. The ecological significance of this mechanism of arsenate resistance is discussed.

The dust environment of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from Rosetta OSIRIS and VLT observations in the 4.5 to 2.9 au heliocentric distance range inbound

Context. The ESA Rosetta spacecraft, currently orbiting around comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, has already provided in situ measurements of the dust grain properties from several instruments,particularly OSIRIS and GIADA. We propose adding value to those measurements by combining them with ground-based observations of the dust tail to monitor the overall, time-dependent dust-production rate and size distribution.
Aims. To constrain the dust grain properties, we take Rosetta OSIRIS and GIADA results into account, and combine OSIRIS data during the approach phase (from late April to early June 2014) with a large data set of ground-based images that were acquired with the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) from February to November 2014.
Methods. A Monte Carlo dust tail code, which has already been used to characterise the dust environments of several comets and active asteroids, has been applied to retrieve the dust parameters. Key properties of the grains (density, velocity, and size distribution) were obtained from Rosetta observations: these parameters were used as input of the code to considerably reduce the number of free parameters. In this way, the overall dust mass-loss rate and its dependence on the heliocentric distance could be obtained accurately.
Results. The dust parameters derived from the inner coma measurements by OSIRIS and GIADA and from distant imaging using VLT data are consistent, except for the power index of the size-distribution function, which is α = −3, instead of α = −2, for grains smaller than 1 mm. This is possibly linked to the presence of fluffy aggregates in the coma. The onset of cometary activity occurs at approximately 4.3 AU, with a dust production rate of 0.5 kg/s, increasing up to 15 kg/s at 2.9 AU. This implies a dust-to-gas mass ratio varying between 3.8 and 6.5 for the best-fit model when combined with water-production rates from the MIRO experiment.

Worldwide trends in diabetes since 1980: a pooled analysis of 751 population-based studies with 4.4 million participants.

One of the global targets for non-communicable diseases is to halt, by 2025, the rise in the age-standardised adult prevalence of diabetes at its 2010 levels. We aimed to estimate worldwide trends in diabetes, how likely it is for countries to achieve the global target, and how changes in prevalence, together with population growth and ageing, are affecting the number of adults with diabetes. We pooled data from population-based studies that had collected data on diabetes through measurement of its biomarkers. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in diabetes prevalence-defined as fasting plasma glucose of 7.0 mmol/L or higher, or history of diagnosis with diabetes, or use of insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs-in 200 countries and territories in 21 regions, by sex and from 1980 to 2014. We also calculated the posterior probability of meeting the global diabetes target if post-2000 trends continue. We used data from 751 studies including 4,372,000 adults from 146 of the 200 countries we make estimates for. Global age-standardised diabetes prevalence increased from 4.3% (95% credible interval 2.4-7.0) in 1980 to 9.0% (7.2-11.1) in 2014 in men, and from 5.0% (2.9-7.9) to 7.9% (6.4-9.7) in women. The number of adults with diabetes in the world increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014 (28.5% due to the rise in prevalence, 39.7% due to population growth and ageing, and 31.8% due to interaction of these two factors). Age-standardised adult diabetes prevalence in 2014 was lowest in northwestern Europe, and highest in Polynesia and Micronesia, at nearly 25%, followed by Melanesia and the Middle East and north Africa. Between 1980 and 2014 there was little change in age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adult women in continental western Europe, although crude prevalence rose because of ageing of the population. By contrast, age-standardised adult prevalence rose by 15 percentage points in men and women in Polynesia and Micronesia. In 2014, American Samoa had the highest national prevalence of diabetes (>30% in both sexes), with age-standardised adult prevalence also higher than 25% in some other islands in Polynesia and Micronesia. If post-2000 trends continue, the probability of meeting the global target of halting the rise in the prevalence of diabetes by 2025 at the 2010 level worldwide is lower than 1% for men and is 1% for women. Only nine countries for men and 29 countries for women, mostly in western Europe, have a 50% or higher probability of meeting the global target. Since 1980, age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adults has increased, or at best remained unchanged, in every country. Together with population growth and ageing, this rise has led to a near quadrupling of the number of adults with diabetes worldwide. The burden of diabetes, both in terms of prevalence and number of adults affected, has increased faster in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. Wellcome Trust.