IN-SITU COMPOSITE - PHENOLPHTHALEIN POLYETHERSULFONE-THERMOTROPIC LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE POLYMER BLENDS

Phase behavior, thermal, theological and mechanical properties plus morphology have been studied for a binary polymer blend. The blend is phenolphthalein polyethersulfone (PES-C) with a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCP), a condensation copolymer of p-hydroxybenzoic acid with ethylene terephthalate (PHB-PET). It was found that these two polymers form optically isotropic and homogeneous blends by means of a solvent casting method. The homogeneous blends undergo phase separation during heat treatment. However, melt mixed PES-C/PHB-PET blends were heterogeneous based upon DSC and DMA analysis and SEM examination. Addition of LCP in PES-C resulted in a marked reduction of melt viscosity and thus improved processability. Compared to pure PES-C, the charpy impact strength of the blend containing 2.5% LCP increased 2.5 times. Synergistic effects were also observed for the mechanical properties of blends containing < 10% LCP. Particulates, ribbons, and fibrils were found to be the typical morphological units of PHB-PET in the PES-C matrix, which depended upon the concentration of LCP and the processing conditions.

A novel in-situ spectroelectrochemical technique with probe beam deflection: For study of the ion exchange between films on electrode surface and solutions

A novel in-situ spectroelectrochemical technique, the combination of probe beam deflection (PBD) with cyclic voltammetry (CV), was used to study the ion exchange process of prussian blue(PB) modified film electrode in contact with various electrolyte solutions. The ion exchange mechanism was verified as following: (K2Fe2+FeII)(CN)(6) -e(-)-k(+)reversible arrow +e(-)+k(+) (KFe3+FeII)(CN)(6) -ke(-)-xk(+)reversible arrow +xe(-)+kk(+) [(Fe3+FeIII)(CN)(6)](x)[(KFe3+FeII)(CN)(6)](1-x) where on reduction PB film in contact with an acidic KCl electrolyte, it was confirmed that protons enter into the PB film before K+ cations.

STUDY ON THE REDOX PROCESS OF BILIRUBIN AND BILIVERDIN AT PLATINUM-ELECTRODE BY IN-SITU SPECTROELECTROCHEMISTRY

The electrochemical redox behavior of bilirubin (BR IValpha), biliverdin (BV IValpha) and their oxidized product bile-purpurin (Bi-Pu) have been studied by in situ spectroelectrochemical techniques, which reveals that the transformation of BR IValpha [GRA

IN-SITU UV-VISIBLE SPECTROELECTROCHEMICAL AND CIRCULAR DICHROIC ELECTROCHEMICAL STUDY OF BILIRUBIN AND BILIRUBIN PLUS HUMAN SERUM-ALBUMIN COMPLEX

The electro-oxidation of bilirubin (BR) in aqueous solution was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and in-situ thin-layer spectroelectrochemical techniques, It was found that both oxidation processes of BR are two electron transfer reactions. A mechanism

IN-SITU SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF NICKEL ELECTRODEPOSITION ON HOPG

The early stages of the electrodeposition of nickel on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) were investigated by in situ scanning tunnelling microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical measurements. Experimental results showed that t

ELECTROCHEMICAL AND IN-SITU SPECTROELECTROCHEMICAL STUDY OF (TETRAPHENYLPORPHINATO)MANGANESE(III) PERCHLORATE IN THE PRESENCE OF CHLORIDE ANIONS .2. OXIDATION PROCESSES

An investigation of electrode oxidation processes of (tetra-phenylporphinato) manganese (III) Perchlorate, (TPS)Mn(III)ClO4, was carried out during the titration of chloride anions by conventional cyclic voltammetry, thin-layer cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry. It was demonstrated that in the presence of one equivalent amount of Cl-, the first one electron oxidation reaction corresponds to the Mn(III)I cation radical oxidation, and the second one electron oxidation corresponds to the cation radical/dication generation followed by an iso-porphyrin formation reaction, however in the presence of two equivalent amount of Cl-, the first one electron oxidation of Mn(III) gives Mn(IV) porphyrin and the second one electron oxidation generates cation radicals of Mn(IV) followed by an iso-porphyrin formation reactions. Mechanisms of these redox processes are postulated.

STUDY ON THE ELECTROOXIDATION OF BILIVERDIN BY IN-SITU THIN-LAYER SPECTROELECTROCHEMISTRY

The electrooxidation reaction of biliverdin (BY) is studied by in situ spectroelectrochemistry with rapid spectra scanning in an optically transparent thin-layer cell. The study reveals that the oxidation process of BY is very complicated and involves many stages. The average formal potential of BY is obtained for the first time as E-degrees' = 0.634 V (vs- Ag/AgCl), and the electrooxidation mechanism of BY is proposed.

INVESTIGATION OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL-BEHAVIOR OF TRYPTOPHAN BY IN-SITU CIRCULAR DICHROIC SPECTROELECTROCHEMISTRY

The electrochemical redox processes of tryptophan were studied by in situ circular dichroic (CD) spectroelectrochemistry with a long optical path length thin-layer cell. The oxidation of tryptophan at low concentrations in basic aqueous solution is a two-electron irreversible electrochemical process which results from an irreversible subsequent chemical reaction. A method of treatment of CD spectral data for the irreversible electrochemical reaction is suggested, from which the values E(p/2) = 0.46 V, alphan(alpha) = 0.313 and k0 = 2.4 x 10(-4) cm s-1 (the standard heterogeneous reaction rate constant for tryptophan oxidation) were obtained.

A centromeric satellite sequence in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization

A highly repetitive satellite sequence was previously identified in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas Thunberg. The sequence has 168 bp per unit, present in tandem repeats, and accounts for 1% to 4% of the genome. We studied the chromosomal location of this satellite sequence by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), A probe was made by polymerase chain reaction and incorporation of digoxigenin-11-dUTP. Hybridization was detected with fluorescein-labeled antidigoxigenin antibodies. FISH signals were located at centromeric regions of 7 pairs of the Pacific oyster chromosomes. No interstitial site was found. Signals were strong and consistent on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, and 7, but weak or variable oil chromosomes 5, 8, and 10. No signal was observed on chromosomes 3, 6, and 9. Our results showed that this sequence is clearly a centromeric satellite, disputing its previous assignment to the telomeric and submetacentric regions of 2 chromosomes. No signal was detected in the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin).

Topographic changes in nascent and early mesoderm in amphioxus embryos studied by Dil labeling and by in situ hybridization for a Brachyury gene

In amphioxus embryos, the nascent and early mesoderm (including chorda-mesoderm) was visualized by expression of a Brachyury gene (AmBra-2). A band of mesoderm is first detected encircling the earliest (vegetal plate stage) gastrula sub-equatorially. Soon thereafter, the vegetal plate invaginates. resulting in a cap-shaped gastrula with the mesoderm localized at the blastoporal lip and completely encircling the blastopore. As the gastrula stage progresses, DiI (a vital dye) labeling demonstrates that the entire mesoderm is internalized by a slight involution of the epiblast into the hypoblast all around the perimeter of the blastopore. Subsequently. during the early neurula stage, the internalized mesoderm undergoes anterior extension mid-dorsally (as notochord) and dorsolaterally (in paraxial regions when segments will later form). By the late neurula stage, AmBra-2 is no longer transcribed throughout the mesoderm as a whole; instead. expression is detectable only in the posterior mesoderm and in the notochord, but not in par axial mesoderm where definitive somites have formed.

Development of rRNA and rDNA-targeted probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae)

Heterosigma akashiwo (Hada) is a fragile, fish-killing alga. Efforts to understand and prevent blooms due to this harmful species to mitigate the impact on aquaculture require the development of methods for rapid and precise identification and quantification, so that adequate warning of a harmful algal bloom may be given. Here, we report the development and application of rRNA and rDNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to aid in the detection and enumeration of H. akashiwo. The designed probes were species specific, showing no cross-reactivity with four common HAB causative species: Prorocentrum micans Ehrenberg, P. minimum (Pavillard) Schiller, Alexandrium tarmarense (Lebour) Balech, and Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Cleve, or with four other microalgae, including Gymnodinium sp. Stein, Platy-monas cordiformis (Karter) Korsch, Skeletonema sp.1 Greville and Skeletonema sp.2. The rRNA-targeted probe hybridized to cytoplasmic rRNA, showing strong green fluorescence throughout the whole cell, while cells labeled by rDNA-targeted probe exhibited exclusively fluorescent nucleus. The detection protocols were optimized and could be completed within an hour. For rRNA and rDNA probes, about a corresponding 80% and 70% of targeted cells could be identified and quantified during the whole growth circle, despite the inapparent variability in the average probe reactivity. The established FISH was proved promising for specific, rapid, precise, and quantitative detection of H. akashiwo. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation and mapping of telomeric pentanucleotide (TAACC)(n) repeats of the pacific whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, using fluorescence in situ hybridization

To develop genetic and physical maps for shrimp, accurate information on the actual number of chromosomes and a large number of genetic markers is needed. Previous reports have shown two different chromosome numbers for the Pacific whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, the most important penaeid shrimp species cultured in the Western hemisphere. Preliminary results obtained by direct sequencing of clones from a Sau3A-digested genomic library of P. vannamei ovary identified a large number of (TAACC/GGTTA)-containing SSRs. The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the frequency of (TAACC)(n) repeats in 662 P. vannamei genomic clones that were directly sequenced, and perform homology searches of these clones, (2) confirm the number of chromosomes in testis of P. vannamei, and (3) localize the TAACC repeats in P. vannamei chromosome spreads using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Results for objective I showed that 395 out of the 662 clones sequenced contained single or multiple SSRs with three or more repeat motifs, 199 of which contained variable tandem repeats of the pentanucleotide (TAACC/GGTTA),, with 3 to 14 copies per sequence. The frequency of (TAACC)n repeats in P. vannamei is 4.68 kb for SSRs with five or more repeat motifs. Sequence comparisons using the BLASTN nonredundant and expressed sequence tag (EST) databases indicated that most of the TAACC-containing clones were similar to either the core pentanucleotide repeat in PVPENTREP locus (GenBank accession no. X82619) or portions of 28S rRNA. Transposable elements (transposase for Tn1000 and reverse transcriptase family members), hypothetical or unnamed protein products, and genes of known function such as 18S and 28S rRNAs, heat shock protein 70, and thrombospondin were identified in non-TAACC-containing clones. For objective 2, the meiotic chromosome number of P. vannamei was confirmed as N = 44. For objective 3, four FISH probes (P1 to P4) containing different numbers of TAACC repeats produced positive signals on telomeres of P. vannamei chromosomes. A few chromosomes had positive signals interstitially. Probe signal strength and chromosome coverage differed in the general order of P1 > P2 > P3 > P4, which correlated with the length of TAACC repeats within the probes: 83, 66, 35, and 30 bp, respectively, suggesting that the TAACC repeats, and not the flanking sequences, produced the TAACC signals at chromosome ends and TAACC is likely the telomere sequence for P. vannamei.

A new empirical model for retrieving sea surface salinity in L band

Sea surface salinity is a key physical parameter in ocean science. It is important in the ocean remote sensing to retrieve sea surface salinity by the microwave probe technology. Based on the in situ measurement data and remote sensing data of the Yellow Sea, we have built a new empirical model in this paper, which can be used to retrieve sea surface salinity of the Yellow Sea by means of the brightness temperature of the sea water at L-band. In this model, the influence of the roughness of the sea surface is considered, and the retrieved result is in good agreement with the in situ measurement data, where the mean absolute error of the retrieved sea surface salinity is about 0.288 psu. This result shows that our model has greater retrieval precision compared with similar models.

Density-dependent effects on seston dynamics and rates of filtering and biodeposition of the suspension-cultured scallop Chlamys farreri in a eutrophic bay (northern China): An experimental study in semi-in situ flow-through systems

Effects of stocking density on seston dynamics and filtering and biodeposition by the suspension-cultured Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri Jones et Preston in a eutrophic bay (Sishili Bay, northern China), were determined in a 3-month semi-field experiment with continuous flow-through seawater from the bay. Results showed that the presence of the scallops could strongly decrease seston and chlorophyll a concentrations in the water column. Moreover, in a limited water column, increasing scallop density could cause seston depletion due to scallop's filtering and biodeposition process, and impair scallop growth. Both filtration rate and biodeposition rate of C. farreri showed significant negative correlation with their density and positive relationship with seston concentration. Calculation predicts that the daily removal of suspended matter from water column by the scallops in Sishili Bay ecosystem can be as high as 45% of the total suspended matter; and the daily production of biodeposits by the scallops in early summer in farming zone may amount to 7.78 g m(-2), with daily C, N and P biodeposition rates of 3.06 x 10(-1), 3.86 x 10(-2) and 9.80 x 10(-3) g m(-2), respectively. The filtering and biodeposition by suspension-cultured scallops could substantially enhance the deposition of total suspended particulate material, suppress accumulation of particulate organic matter in water column, and increase the flux of C, N and P to benthos, strongly enhancing pelagic-benthic coupling. It was suggested that the filtering-biodeposition process by intensively suspension-cultured bivalve filter-feeders could exert strong top-down control on phytoplankton biomass and other suspended particulate material in coastal ecosystems. This study also indicated that commercially suspension-cultured bivalves may simultaneously and potentially aid in mitigating eutrophication pressures on coastal ecosystems subject to anthropogenic N and P loadings, serving as a eutrophic-environment bioremediator. The ecological services (e.g. filtering capacity, top-down control, and benthic-pelagic coupling) functioned by extractive bivalve aquaculture should be emphasized in coastal ecosystems. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.