Rapid detection of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) of Penaeus monodon by latex agglutination test using monoclonal antibodies

Latex beads were sensitized with monoclonal antibodies (MAb) rose against VP28 of WSSV. The optimum concentration of MAb required to sensitize the latex beads was 125 µg/ml. The sensitized latex beads were used to detect WSSV from PCR-positive stomach tissue homogenates obtained from infected shrimp. Stomach tissue homogenates from WSSV-infected shrimp agglutinated the sensitized latex beads within 10 minutes, while uninfected samples did not produce any agglutination, although non-specific agglutinations were observed in some samples. The analytical sensitivity, analytical specificity, diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity of the (LAT) agglutination test were assessed. The analytical sensitivity of the test was 40 ng of purified WSSV (2 µg/ml). The sensitized latex beads did not agglutinate with normal shrimp tissue or MBV-infected tissue homogenate. The test has a diagnostic sensitivity of 70 and 45%, respectively, compared to single-step and nested PCR. The diagnostic specificity of the test was 82%. This test is a simple and rapid on-farm test which can be used to corroborate clinical signs for the detection of WSSV in grow-out ponds.

Effect of replacement of fish meal with soybean meal plus supplementary enzymes on growth performance, survival rate and apparent digestibility of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

This study was carried out to measure the effects of a supplementary multi enzyme on growth performance , survival rate and apparent protein digestibility of rainbow trout fed some diets containing different amounts of soy bean meal. Five exprimental diets with replacement of 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent of fish meal protein by soy bean meal protein were made and 0, 500 and 1000 ppm dosages of supplementary multi enzyme had used in each of them. By the means a diet with fish meal as the only source of protein has used as the control. So this study had 13 treatments. The trouts in 89.40±4.01 gr mean weight were stocked in 39 experimental fiberglass tanks in abundance of 30 fish per any tank. These specimens fed experimental diets for 8 weeks and ten of them in each tank fed same diets which added Cr2O3 to them for one more week to measure the apparent protein digestibility in them. The results shown that supplementary multi enzyme (Avizyme) which contains Protease , Amylase and Xylanase , caused increases in growth performance , survival rate and apparent protein digestibility in trouts which fed soybean meal. Also this study shown that using 1000 ppm of Avizyme in diets which containing soybean meal had the best results and the diet which contained 39 % soybean meal with this amount of enzymes, had no significant differences by the control in any of the studied factors.

Increasing the open-circuit voltage of photoprotein-based photoelectrochemical cells by manipulation of the vacuum potential of the electrolytes.

The innately highly efficient light-powered separation of charge that underpins natural photosynthesis can be exploited for applications in photoelectrochemistry by coupling nanoscale protein photoreaction centers to man-made electrodes. Planar photoelectrochemical cells employing purple bacterial reaction centers have been constructed that produce a direct current under continuous illumination and an alternating current in response to discontinuous illumination. The present work explored the basis of the open-circuit voltage (V(OC)) produced by such cells with reaction center/antenna (RC-LH1) proteins as the photovoltaic component. It was established that an up to ~30-fold increase in V(OC) could be achieved by simple manipulation of the electrolyte connecting the protein to the counter electrode, with an approximately linear relationship being observed between the vacuum potential of the electrolyte and the resulting V(OC). We conclude that the V(OC) of such a cell is dependent on the potential difference between the electrolyte and the photo-oxidized bacteriochlorophylls in the reaction center. The steady-state short-circuit current (J(SC)) obtained under continuous illumination also varied with different electrolytes by a factor of ~6-fold. The findings demonstrate a simple way to boost the voltage output of such protein-based cells into the hundreds of millivolts range typical of dye-sensitized and polymer-blend solar cells, while maintaining or improving the J(SC). Possible strategies for further increasing the V(OC) of such protein-based photoelectrochemical cells through protein engineering are discussed.

南方鲇的营养学研究:饲料中大豆蛋白水平对消化率及摄食率的影响

以23.78±0.09g的南方鲇为实验对象,以Cr2O3作为测定饲料消化率的指示物,以大豆蛋白分别替代0%、13%、26%、39%、52%和65%的鱼粉蛋白,配制成6种等氮(粗蛋白48%)、等能(总能20KJ/g)的饲料,用于探讨饲料中大豆蛋白替代鱼粉蛋白的比例对南方鲇消化率及摄食率的影响。实验在27.5±0.02℃水温条件下进行6周,溶氧维持在5mg/L以上,光制为14L∶10D。结果表明,饲料中不同比例的鱼粉蛋白与大豆蛋白对南方鲇的消化率及摄食率均存在显著影响(P<0.05)。其中南方鲇对于物质、蛋白

Hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells from a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and TiO2 nanotubes

Hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and TiO2 nanotubes or dye(N719) modified TiO2 nanotubes were processed from solution and characterized to research the nature of organic/inorganic hybrid materials. Compared with the pristine polymer P3HT and TiO2 nanoparticles/P3HT solar cells, the TiO2 nanotubes/P3HT hybrid solar cells show obvious performance improvement, due to the formation of the bulk heterojunction and charge transport improvement. A further improvement in the device performance can be achieved by modifying TiO2 nanotube surface with a standard dye N719 which can play a role in the improvement of both the light absorption and charge dissociation. Compared with the non-modified TiO2 nanotubes solar cells, the modified ones have better power conversion efficiency under 100 mW/cm(2) illumination with 500W Xenon lamp. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Quantum Confinement and Electronic Properties of Rutile TiO2 Nanowires

The quantum confinement effect, electronic properties, and optical properties of TiO2 nanowires in rutile structure are investigated via first-principles calculations. We calculate the size- and shape-dependent band gap of the nanowires and fit the results with the function E-g = E-g(bulk) + beta/d(alpha). We find that the quantum confinement effect becomes significant for d < 25 angstrom, and a notable anisotropy exists that arises from the anisotropy of the effective masses. We also evaluate the imaginary part of the frequency-dependent dielectric function [epsilon(2)(omega)] within the electric-dipole approximation, for both the polarization parallel [epsilon(parallel to)(2)(omega)] and the perpendicular [epsilon 1/2(omega)] to the axial (c) direction. The band structure of the nanowires is calculated, with which the fine structure of epsilon(parallel to)(2)(omega) has been analyzed.

Enhanced photoresponse from the ordered microstructure of naphthalocyanine-carbon nanotube composite film

Naphthalocyanine-sensitized multi-walled carbon nanotube (NaPc-MWNT) composites have been synthesized through the pi-stacking between naphthalocyanine (NaPc) and carbon nanotubes. The resultant nanocomposites were characterized with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and by UV - vis absorption and photocurrent spectra. The long-range ordering was observed in the NaPc - MWNT composites by using a TEM. The enhancement in the absorption intensity and the broadening of the absorption wavelength observed in the composite films, which were due to the attachment of NaPc on the MWNT surface, is discussed based on the measured UV - vis absorption spectra. Furthermore, the photoconductivity of the poly( 3-hexylthiophene)(PAT6) - NaPc - MWNT composite film was found to increase remarkably in the visible region and broaden towards the red regions. These new phenomena were ascribed to the larger donor/acceptor (D/A) interface and the formation of a biconsecutive D/A network structure, as discussed in consideration of the photoinduced charge transfer between PAT6 and NaPc - MWNT.

Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) incorporated into silicon matrix grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)

Hybrid composites composed of zinc phthalocyanine embedded in silicon matrixes have attracted attention because of the potential for solar energy conversion. We produce hybrid composites by thermal evaporation for the plithalocyanine and PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) for the silicon matrix. Deposition of ZnPc/a-Si(amorphous silicon) composites was achieved in a sequential manner. The compound films were characterized by optical transmittance spectra and photoconductivity measurement. The optical transmittance measurements were carried out in the visible region (500 - 800 nm). Compared to pure silicon film, the photosensitivity of compound functional films was enhanced by one order of magnitude. This demonstrates the Si sensitized by adding ZnPc.

Valence band offset of MgO/TiO2 (rutile) heterojunction measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The valence band offset (VBO) of MgO/TiO2 (rutile) heterojunction has been directly measured by Xray photoelectron spectroscopy. The VBO of the heterojunction is determined to be 1.6 +/- 0.3 eV and the conduction band offset (CBO) is deduced to be 3.2 +/- 0.3 eV, indicating that the heterojunction exhibits a type-I band alignment. These large values are sufficient for MgO to act as tunneling barriers in TiO2 based devices. The accurate determination of the valence and conduction band offsets is important for use of MgO as a buffer layer in TiO2 based field-effect transistors and dye-sensitized solar cells.

Loss of p15/Ink4b accompanies tumorigenesis triggered by complex DNA double-strand breaks

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most deleterious lesion inflicted by ionizing radiation. Although DSBs are potentially carcinogenic, it is not clear whether complex DSBs that are refractory to repair are more potently tumorigenic compared with simple breaks that can be rapidly repaired, correctly or incorrectly, by mammalian cells. We previously demonstrated that complex DSBs induced by high-linear energy transfer (LET) Fe ions are repaired slowly and incompletely, whereas those induced by low-LET gamma rays are repaired efficiently by mammalian cells. To determine whether Fe-induced DSBs are more potently tumorigenic than gamma ray-induced breaks, we irradiated 'sensitized' murine astrocytes that were deficient in Ink4a and Arf tumor suppressors and injected the surviving cells subcutaneously into nude mice. Using this model system, we find that Fe ions are potently tumorigenic, generating tumors with significantly higher frequency and shorter latency compared with tumors generated by gamma rays. Tumor formation by Fe-irradiated cells is accompanied by rampant genomic instability and multiple genomic changes, the most interesting of which is loss of the p15/Ink4b tumor suppressor due to deletion of a chromosomal region harboring the CDKN2A and CDKN2B loci. The additional loss of p15/Ink4b in tumors derived from cells that are already deficient in p16/Ink4a bolsters the hypothesis that p15 plays an important role in tumor suppression, especially in the absence of p16. Indeed, we find that reexpression of p15 in tumor-derived cells significantly attenuates the tumorigenic potential of these cells, indicating that p15 loss may be a critical event in tumorigenesis triggered by complex DSBs.

Structural characterization, stability and electrical properties of strontium niobate ceramic

The double perovskite oxide Sr2CrNbO6 has a cubic structure according to powder X-ray diffraction. After reducing in CO, Sr2CrNbO6 still exhibited a cubic structure refined by Rietveld technique. The TG analysis indicated that Sr2CrNbO6 loses 0.127 oxygen per formula unit from 400 to 700 degrees C in H-2. The morphology and compositions of this ceramic did not significantly change on reduction

Highly efficient white organic light-emitting devices based on a multiple-emissive-layer structure

Characteristics of white organic light-emitting devices based on phosphor sensitized fluorescence are improved by using a multiple-emissive-layer structure, in which a phosphorescent blue emissive layer is sandwiched between red and green&yellow ones. In this device, bis[(4,6-difluorophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C-2] (picolinato), bis(2,4-diphenyl-quinoline) iridium (III) acetylanetonate, fac bis (2-phenylpyridine) iridium, and 5,6,11,12-tetraphenylnaphthacene are used as blue, red, green, and yellow emitters, respectively.

The optical properties and the natural lifetime calculation of a Sm(III) complex

The photophysical properties of the complex Sm(PM)(3)(TP)(2) [PM = 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-isobutyryl-5-pyrazolone, TP = triphenyl phosphine oxide] are determined in crystal state, and energy transfer process is modeled for ligands to center Sm(III) ion. The characteristic luminescence of Sm(III) is sensitized by PM and TP, and most of transitions from excited state (4)G(5/2) of Sm3+ are detected.

LaGaO3 : A (A=Sm3+ and/or Tb3+) as promising phosphors for field emission displays

LaGaO3:Sm3+, LaGaO3:Tb3+ and LaGaO3: Sm3+, Tb3+ phosphors were prepared through a Pechini-type sol-gel process. X-Ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy were utilized to characterize the synthesized phosphors. Under excitation with ultraviolet light (250-254 nm), the LaGaO3: Sm3+, LaGaO3: Tb3+ and LaGaO3: Sm3+, Tb3+ phosphors mainly show the characteristic broadband emission (from 300 to 600 nm with a maximum around 430 nm) of the LaGaO3 host lattice, accompanied by the weak emission of Sm3+ ((4)G(5/2) -> H-6(5/2), H-6(7/2), H-6(9/2) transitions) and/or Tb3+ (D-5(3,4) -> F-7(6,5,4,3) transitions). However, under excitation by low-voltage electron beams (1-3 kV), the LaGaO3: Sm3+, LaGaO3: Tb3+ and LaGaO3: Sm3+, Tb3+ phosphors exhibit exclusively the characteristic emissions of Sm3+ and/or Tb3+ with yellow (Sm3+), blue (Tb3+, with low concentrations) and white (Sm3+ + Tb3+) colors, respectively.

Synthesis and luminescent properties of Lu3Ga5O12 : RE3+ (RE = Eu, Tb, and Pr) nanocrystalline phosphors via sol-gel process

Lu3Ga5O12:Eu3+, Lu3Ga5O12:Tb3+, and Lu3Ga5O12:Pr3+ phosphors were prepared through a Pechini-type sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), photoluminescence, and cathodoluminescence spectra were utilized to characterize the synthesized phosphors. The XRD results reveal that the sample begins to crystallize at 800 degrees C and fully crystallined pure Lu3Ga5O12 phase can be obtained at 1000 degrees C. The FESEM image indicates that the phosphor sample is composed of aggregated rice grainlike particles with sizes around 80-120 nm.