桑色素荧光分光光度法测定水和保健饮料中痕量锗

本文提出了测定水和保健饮料中痕量锗的桑色素荧光分光光度法。检出限分别为0.2μg/L和0.7μg/L,线性范围分别为1.0～25μg/L和5.0～30μg/L,平均回收率分别为97.2％～104.5％和98.8％～104.8％,相对标准偏差分别为3.66％。2.87％方法简便,准确高度,精密度好,共存离子干扰小。

η~6—芳烃希土有机配合物的合成、结构及性能研究——Ⅰ.Sm(η~6—C_6H_6)(AlCl_4)_3的合成及晶体结构

经过铝粉加热活化的AlCl_3与SmCl_3在苯中反应,得到了Sm(η~6—C_6H_6)(AlCl_4)_3·C_6H_6单晶.其晶体属于三斜晶系,P1空间群,晶胞参数a=9.456(2)(?),b=9.765(3)(?),c=16.776(4)(?),α=96.00(2)°,β=93.76(2)°,γ=111.66(2)°,V=1422.55(?)~3,Z=2.晶体结构是采用Patterson和Fourier合成法解出的,所有非氢原子的坐标及各向异性热振动参数经块矩阵最小二乘法修正,最后偏离因子R=0.031,R_ω=0.035.分子结构中,中心离子Sm(Ⅲ)与六个Cl原子及一个苯环上的六个C原子成键.Sm-C键平均距离2.92(?),Sm-Cl平均距离2.83(?).与希土相连的六个Cl原子,其中之五构成平面五边形,整个分子呈大致的五角双锥形.

Geochemical properties of the variolitic andesite from Susong in the Dabie orogenic belt, China

The variolitic andesite from the Susong County in the Dabie Mountains implies that it was erupted in water. The mineralogy of the varioles is primarily radiate plagioclase (albite sind oligoclase), with little pyroxene, hornblende and quartz (derived from alteration). The pyroxene, hornblende and quartz are in the interstices between plagiocalse. The matrix consists of glass, hornblende, chlorite, epidote and zoisite. It is clearly subjected an extensive alteration. The andesite has an uncommon chemical composition. The SiO2 content is about 56.8%, TiO2 = 0.9%, MgO = 6.4%, Fe2O3 (tot) = 6.7%similar to 7.6%, 100Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 64.1 similar to 66.2. Mg-# is significantly high. The andesite has high abundances of large-lithophile trace elements (e.g. K, Ba. Sr, LREE), e.g. La/Nb = 5.56 similar to 6.07, low abundances of high-strength-field elements (HFSE e.g. Ta, Nb, P, Ti), particularly Ta and Nb strongly depleted. These are consistent with the characteristics of subduction-related magmas. In the spider diagram of trace elements, from Ce to right hand, the abundances of elements decrease quickly, showing a character of the continental margins. There has a strong punishment of light-rare-earth elements, with a significant diffraction of REEs (the mean value of (La/Yb)(N) is 32.84). No Eu anomaly, but there are anomaly high (La/Yb)(N) = 28.63 similar to 36.74, (La/Y)(N) = 70.33 similar to 82.4. The elements Y and Yb are depleted greatly, Y<20 g/g, Y-N = 2.74 similar to 2.84, Yb-N = 2.18 similar to 2.35. From the La-(La/Sm) diagram, the andesite is derived from partial melting. But the epsilone value of Nd is - 18.7 similar to -19.2, so that the material source may be the mantle materials affected by the crustal materials. The Nd model age is 1.9 Ga indicating that the variolitic basaltic andesite was resulted from the mantle wedge of North China block, which had the Nd model age of 2.5Ga, when the Yangze block which had the Nd model age of 1.7Ga subducted beneath it. So the variolitic andesite has characteristics of the island-are volconic rocks oil a continental basement in the vicinity of the destructive continental margin.

Effects of temperature and delayed initial feeding on the survival and growth of Japanese flounder larvae

The effects of the timing of initial feeding (0, 1, 2 3 and 4 days after yolk exhaustion) and temperature (15, 18 and 21degrees C) on the point-of-no-return (PNR), survival and growth of laboratory-reared Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus larvae were studied under controlled conditions. The larvae reached PNR on 7(.)7, 5(.)2 and 4(.)2 days-post-hatching (dph) at 15, 18 and 2 V C, respectively. At each temperature, larval growth did not differ significantly among the delayed initial feedings 1 day before PNR but decreased significantly in larvae first fed after that. In the treatments where initial feeding was equally delayed, larvae grew significantly faster at 18 and 21degrees C than at 15degrees C. The larvae survived apparently better at 15 and 18degrees C than at 21degrees C when initial feeding was equally delayed. At each temperature, survival of the larvae first fed before PNR did not differ noticeably, while delayed initial feeding after that apparently reduced their survival. These results indicated that there existed a negatively temperature-dependent PNR in the Japanese flounder larvae. Survival and growth of the larvae strongly depended on temperature as well as the timing of initial feeding. High temperature accelerated the yolk exhaustion and growth of the larvae and thus reduced their starvation tolerance and survival. To avoid potential starvation mortality and obtain good growth, the Japanese flounder larvae must establish successful initial feeding within 2 days after yolk exhaustion at 15degrees C and within 1 day at both 18 and 21degrees C. (C) 2005 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Seasonal and interannual variability of primary and export production in the South China Sea: a three-dimensional physical-biogeochemical model study

To investigate the seasonal and interannual variations in biological productivity in the South China Sea (SCS), a Pacific basin-wide physical - biogeochemical model has been developed and used to estimate the biological productivity and export flux in the SCS. The Pacific circulation model, based on the Regional Ocean Model Systems (ROMS), is forced with daily air-sea fluxes derived from the NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) reanalysis between 1990 and 2004. The biogeochemical processes are simulated with a carbon, Si(OH)(4), and nitrogen ecosystem (CoSiNE) model consisting of silicate, nitrate, ammonium, two phytoplankton groups (small phytoplankton and large phytoplankton), two zooplankton grazers (small micrograzers and large mesozooplankton), and two detritus pools. The ROMS-CoSiNE model favourably reproduces many of the observed features, such as ChI a, nutrients, and primary production (PP) in the SCS. The modelled depth-integrated PP over the euphotic zone (0-125 m) varies seasonally, with the highest value of 386 mg C m (-2) d (-1) during winter and the lowest value of 156 mg C m (-2) d (-1) during early summer. The annual mean value is 196 mg C m (-2) d (-1). The model-integrated annual mean new production (uptake of nitrate), in carbon units, is 64.4 mg C m (-2) d (-1) which yields an f-ratio of 0.33 for the entire SCS. The modelled export ratio (e-ratio: the ratio of export to PP) is 0.24 for the basin-wide SCS. The year-to-year variation of biological productivity in the SCS is weaker than the seasonal variation. The large phytoplankton group tends to dominate over the smaller phytoplankton group, and likely plays an important role in determining the interannual variability of primary and new production.

大别山岩石圈有效弹性厚度初步研究

As powerful tools to study the lithosphere dynamics, the effective elastic thickness (Te) as well as the envelope of yielding stress of lithosphere have been attracted great attention of geoscientists in the past thirty years. The oceanic lithosphere, contrary to the continental lithosphere, has more fruits for its simple structures and evolution process. In continent, the lithosphere commonly is complex and variable in the rheological, thermal structures, and has a complicated history. Therefore, the application of the effective elastic thickness in continent is still a subject to learn in a long time. Te, with the definition of the thickness of an elastic plate in theory flexured by the equal benging of the real stress in the lithosphere plate (Turcotte, 1982), marks the depth of transition between elastic and fluid behaviors of rocks subjected to stress exceeding 100 MPa over the geological timescales (McNutt, 1990). There are three methods often adapted: admittance or isostatic response function, coherence and forwarding. In principle, the models of Te consist of thermal-rheological, non-linear Maxwell, non-linear work hardening and rheological layered models. There is a tentative knowledge of Te that it is affected by the following factors: crustal thickness, crust-mantle decoupling, plate bending, boundary conditions of plate (end forces and bending moments), stress state, sedimentary layer, faulting effect, variation in the mountain belts' strike, foreland basin, inheritance of tectonic evolution, convection of mantle, seismic depth and lithosphere strength. In this thesis, the author introduces the geological sketch of the Dabie collisional orogenic belt and the Hefei Basin. The Dabie Mts. is famous for the ultra-high pressure metamorphism. The crustal materials subducted down to the depth of at least 100 km and exhumed. So that the front subjects arise such as the deeply subduction of continent, and the post-collisional crust-mantle interaction. In a geological journey at June of 1999, the author found the rarely variolitic basaltic andesite in the Dabie Mts. It occurs in Susong Group, near Zhifenghe Countryside, Susong County, Anhui Province. It is just to the south of the boundary between the high-grade Susong melange and the ultra-high grade South Dabie melange. It has a noticeable knobby or pitted appearance in the surface. The size of the varioles is about 1-4 mm. In hand-specimen and under microscope, there are distinct contacts between the varioles and the matrice. The mineralogy of the varioles is primarily radiate plagioclase, with little pyroxene, hornblende and quartz. The pyroxene, hornblende and quartz are in the interstices between plagioclase. The matrix is consisted of glass, and micro-crystals of chlorite, epidote and zoisite. It is clearly subjected and extensive alteration. The andesite has an uncommon chemical composition. The SiO_2 content is about 56.8%, TiO_2 = 0.9%, MgO = 6.4%, (Fe_2O_3)_(Total) = 6.7% ～ 7.6%, 100 Mg/(Mg+Fe) = 64.1 ～ 66.2. Mg# is significantly high. The andesite has higher abundances of large-lithophile trace elements (e.g. K, Ba, Sr, LREE), e.g. La/Nd = 5.56-6.07, low abundances of high-strength-field elements (HFSE, e.g. Ta, Nb, P, Ti), particularly Ta and Nb strongly depleted. These are consistent with the characteristics of subducted-related magmas (Pearcce, 1982; Sun and McDonaugh, 1989). In the spider diagram of trace elements, from Ce to right hand, the abundances of elements decrease quickly, showing a characteristic of the continental margins (Pearce, 1982). There has a strongly enrichment of light-rare-earth elements, with a significant diffraction of REEs (the mean value of (La/Yb)_N is 32.84). No Eu anomaly, but there are anomaly high (La/Yb)_N = 28.63-36.74, (La/Y)_N = 70.33 - 82.84. The elements Y and Yb depleted greatly, Y < 20 ppm, Y_N = 2.74-2.84, Yb_N = 2.18 - 2.35. From the La-(La/Sm) diagram, the andesite is derived from partial melting. But the epsilone value of Nd is -18.7 ～ -19.2, so that the material source may be the mantle materials affected by the crustal materials. The Nd model age is 1.9 Ga indicating that the basaltic andesite was resulted from the post-collisional crust-mantle interaction between the subducted Yangze carton and the mantle of Sino-Korea carton. To obtain the Te of the lithosphere beneath the Dabie Mts. and the Hefei Basin, the author applies the coherence method in this thesis. The author makes two topography-gravity profiles (profiles 7~(th) and 9~(th)) across the Dabie Mts. and the Hefei Basin, and calculates the auto-coherence, across coherence, power spectrum, across power spectrum of the topography and gravity of the two profiles. From the relationships between the coherence and the wave-number of profiles. From the relationships between the coherence and the wave-number of profiles 7~(th) and 9~(th), it is obtained that the characteristic wavelengths respectively are 157 km and 126 km. Consequently the values of effective elastic thickness are 6.5 km and 4.8 km, respectively. However, the Te values merely are the minimum value of the lithosphere because the coherencemethod in a relative small region will generate a systemic underestimation. Why there is a so low Te value? In order to check the strength of the lithosphere beneath the Dabie Mts., the authore tries to outline the yielding-stress envelope of the lithosphere. It is suggested that the elastic layers in the crust and upper mantle are 18 km and 35 km, respectively. Since there exist a low viscosity layer about 3-5 km thickness, so it is reasonable that the decoupling between the crust and mantle occurred. So the effective thickness of the lithosphere can be estimated from the two elastic layers. Te is about 34 km. This is the maximum strength of the lithosphere. We can make an approximately estimation about the strength of the lithosphere beneath the Dabie Mts.: Te is about 20-30 km. The author believes that the following factors should be responsible for the low Te value: (1) the Dabie Mts. has elevated strongly since K_3-J_1. The north part of the Dabie Mts. elevates faster than the south part today; (2) there occur large active striking faults in this area. And in the east, the huge Tan-Lu striking fault anyway tends to decrease the lithosphere strength; (3) the lithosphere beneath the Dabie Mts. is heter-homogeneous in spatio-temporal; (4) the study area just locates in the adjacent region between the eastern China where the lithosphere thickness is significantly reduced and the normal western China. These factors will decrease the lithosphere strength.

云南白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩^40Ar-^39Ar定年和地球化学特征

云南白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩全部为云煌岩.两个样品的^40Ar/^39Ar定年结果分别为32.46±0.62Ma和32.01±0.60Ma,表明矿区煌斑岩为哀牢山断裂带新生代早期高钾岩浆活动的产物.在化学组成上,矿区煌斑岩具有高M值[100×Mg/（Mg＋Fe^2＋）]（67.42～86.35）、高ALK（K2O＋Na2O为7.01%～9.81%）、富钾（K2O/Na2O为1.66～2.64）、富大离子亲石元素（如Sr、Rb、Ba等）和LREE、明显的Ta、Nb、Ti负异常的特征.Sr-Nd同位素具有高（^87Sr/^86Sr）0比值（0.70625～0.70912）和低εNd（-5.22～-3.68）的特征,位于EM1和EM2地幔端元之间,有更靠近EM2的趋势.元素和同位素地球化学特征表明矿区煌斑岩的源区为交代富集地幔,进一步判别表明源岩处于尖晶石相方辉橄榄岩和石榴石相二辉橄榄岩的混合线上,以尖晶石相方辉橄榄岩为主.源区交代富集的矿物既有金云母,也有角闪石.岩浆演化过程中经历了橄榄石＋斜长石±磷灰石±铁钛氧化物的结晶分异.岩浆形成于大陆弧的构造背景,俯冲的陆壳和古特提斯洋壳对富集的源区均有贡献.白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩和哀牢山断裂带新生代早期其它高钾岩浆岩具有相近的年代、一致的地球化学特征,表明它们具有相似的源区,受控于相同的构造背景.

贵州省典型土法炼汞地区汞的生物地球化学循环和人体汞暴露评价

贵州省是我国最重要的汞工业基地，境内分布着大量的汞矿床，汞金属储量88000 t，占全国总储量近80%。汞矿开采、冶炼历史悠久，大规模的汞矿开采冶炼活动都已经停止。但是，由于汞矿区偏僻的自然地理位置、落后的经济水平和近期金属汞价格的攀升，这些地区仍然存在着较大规模的土法炼汞活动。大面积的土法炼汞活动和长期的大规模汞矿开采冶炼活动，给矿区生态环境造成了严重的汞污染。土法炼汞工艺十分落后，冶炼过程向周围大气释放大量的汞，而土法炼汞工人也必然会遭受严重的汞蒸气暴露。释放到大气的汞在进入周围环境后，在自然条件下通过微生物活动，会转化为毒性、生物有效性更强的甲基汞，并通过食物链富集放大，最终对矿区居民的身体健康构成一定的威胁。 本文选择贵州省务川汞矿区、万山汞矿区和铜仁垢溪、老屋场土法炼汞地区，进行了土法炼汞的汞释放量估算、汞矿地区环境汞污染调查及炼汞工人和矿区居民汞暴露调查和健康风险评价，系统阐述了贵州典型土法炼汞地区汞的生物地球化学循环特征及人体汞暴露评价。 1. 务川和铜仁垢溪地区的土法炼汞活动是当地大气的最主要人为释汞源。务川汞矿区土法炼汞的平均释汞因子为18.2%（6.9-32.1%），土法炼汞活动每年向大气排汞3.7-9.6 t；铜仁垢溪地区土法炼汞的平均释汞因子为9.8%（6.6-14.5%），土法炼汞活动每年向大气排汞1.3-2.7 t。 2. 务川汞矿区大面积的土法炼汞活动和长期大规模的汞矿活动以及垢溪、老屋场地区的土法炼汞活动，给当地的大气、地表水体和土壤造成了严重的汞污染，而汞污染程度受汞矿开采冶炼活动的历史和规模的影响显著。务川汞矿区大气汞浓度空间变化很大（7-40000 ng•m-3），受矿业活动影响的区域，大气汞含量明显升高；重污染区大气汞平均浓度为15000 ng•m-3，轻污染区为120 ng•m-3，对照区为24 ng•m-3。务川矿区地表水体的总汞含量的变化范围为43-2100 ng•L-1，总甲基汞含量变化范围为0.30-1.1 ng•L-1；垢溪、老屋场地区地表水体总汞含量的变化范围为92-2300 ng•L-1，总甲基汞含量变化范围为2.6-7.9 ng•L-1，地表水体显示了极强的甲基化能力。颗粒态汞占地表水体总汞含量的绝大部分比例，是矿区地表水体汞迁移的主要方式；而甲基汞则以溶解态为主。务川汞矿区土壤总汞含量的变化范围为1.3-360 mg•kg-1，垢溪、老屋场地区土壤总汞含量的变化范围为0.18-47.5 mg•kg-1，土壤剖面表层土壤汞的富集表明大气汞的沉降是土壤汞的重要来源，而土壤pH、有机质含量和土地利用类型影响着土壤中汞的迁移和富集。 3. 务川汞矿区土法炼汞工人尿汞含量的平均值高达1060 g•g-1 Cr，铜仁垢溪地区炼汞工人尿汞含量的平均值为347 g•g-1 Cr，铜仁老屋场地区炼汞工人尿汞含量的平均值为917 g•g-1 Cr，土法炼汞工人尿汞平均含量远远超过世界卫生组织规定的职业暴露人群的最大允许值-50 g•g-1 Cr，说明土法炼汞工人遭受严重的汞蒸气暴露。部分土法炼汞工人已经表现出轻度慢性汞中毒的症状，其肾脏已经遭受到一定程度的损伤。铜仁垢溪地区一般居民尿汞的平均值为40.0 g•g-1 Cr，铜仁老屋场地区一般居民尿汞含量的平均值为66.2 g•g-1 Cr，万山汞矿区大水溪居民尿汞含量的平均值为56.9 g•g-1 Cr，说明土法炼汞地区一般居民也遭受一定的汞蒸气暴露。对照区人群尿汞含量的平均值为1.30 g•g-1 Cr，万山下场溪村居民尿汞含量的平均值为2.5 g•g-1 Cr，其尿汞水平与对照组接近。 4. 食用大米是汞矿区居民甲基汞暴露的主要途径。万山汞矿区大水溪、下场溪和报溪3个村庄居民头发总汞含量的几何平均值分别为7.3、1.9和2.3 g•g-1，而头发甲基汞的平均含量分别为2.8、1.3和1.5 g•g-1，说明万山汞矿区居民存在一定程度的汞暴露。3个村庄居民食用大米总汞的平均含量分别为58.5、21.3和33.1 ng•g-1，大米甲基汞的平均含量分别为14.6、5.7和4.0 ng•g-1。居民食用的蔬菜、猪肉和饮水也表现出很高的总汞含量，但是甲基汞含量很低。3个村庄居民食用大米的摄入量占总甲基汞摄入量的平均比例分别为97.5%、94.1%和93.5%，且不同参与者每日通过食用大米的甲基汞摄入量和对应的头发甲基汞含量之间存在显著的相关关系 (r=0.65, p<0.01)，这证实了居民头发甲基汞的来源确实是食用大米，食用大米是汞矿区居民甲基汞暴露的主要途径。 5. 铜仁垢溪、老屋场地区炼汞工人头发甲基汞的平均含量分别为5.05 g•g-1（2.35-10.6 g•g-1）和5.63 g•g-1（2.54-9.55 g•g-1），而一般居民头发甲基汞的平均含量分别为3.53 g•g-1（1.87-5.65 g•g-1）和4.01 g•g-1（2.29-9.23 g•g-1）。万山汞矿区大水溪、下场溪和报溪3个村庄居民头发甲基汞的平均含量分别为2.8、1.3和1.5 g•g-1。务川汞矿区土法炼汞工人和居民的头发甲基汞含量的变化范围为0.47-5.69 μg•g-1。对照组头发甲基汞的平均含量为0.65 g•g-1，变化范围为0.26¬-1.38 g•g-1。食用大米甲基汞摄入量的估算表明，铜仁垢溪和老屋场地区部分居民的甲基汞摄入量已经超过世界卫生组织2003年制定的标准-0.23 g•d-1•kg-1，汞矿区大部分人群的甲基汞摄入量超过了美国环保局的推荐值－0.1 g•d-1•kg-1 (USEPA, 1997)，而对照区居民的甲基汞摄入量均没有超过这一推荐值，表明铜仁垢溪和老屋场地区居民存在一定的甲基汞暴露风险，而其他汞矿区人群也存在通过食用大米暴露甲基汞的潜在风险。

Mechanistic studies of methane partial oxidation to syngas over LiNiLaOx/Al2O3 catalyst

Temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) characterization of the LiNiLaOx/Al2O3 catalyst before or after partial oxidation of methane (POM) reaction and a series of O-2, CH4 and CH4/O-2 pulse reaction experiments over the catalyst under different pretreatments were performed. It was found that CH4 dissociatively adsorbs on active center nickel producing H-2 and surface carbon, C(a). The surface carbon reacts with surface lattice oxygen or surface adsorbed oxygen to produce CO. Because the activation barrier for the reaction C(a)+ O(a) =CO(a) is the highest among all the elementary reactions, the rate-determining step of the POM may be the reaction C(a) + O(a) =CO(a).

Urinary naphthalene and phenanthrene as biomarkers of occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

OBJECTIVES: The study investigated the utility of unmetabolised naphthalene (Nap) and phenanthrene (Phe) in urine as surrogates for exposures to mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). METHODS: The report included workers exposed to diesel exhausts (low PAH exposure level, n = 39) as well as those exposed to emissions from asphalt (medium PAH exposure level, n = 26) and coke ovens (high PAH exposure level, n = 28). Levels of Nap and Phe were measured in urine from each subject using head space-solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Published levels of airborne Nap, Phe and other PAHs in the coke-producing and aluminium industries were also investigated. RESULTS: In post-shift urine, the highest estimated geometric mean concentrations of Nap and Phe were observed in coke-oven workers (Nap: 2490 ng/l; Phe: 975 ng/l), followed by asphalt workers (Nap: 71.5 ng/l; Phe: 54.3 ng/l), and by diesel-exposed workers (Nap: 17.7 ng/l; Phe: 3.60 ng/l). After subtracting logged background levels of Nap and Phe from the logged post-shift levels of these PAHs in urine, the resulting values (referred to as ln(adjNap) and ln(adjPhe), respectively) were significantly correlated in each group of workers (0.71 < or = Pearson r < or = 0.89), suggesting a common exposure source in each case. Surprisingly, multiple linear regression analysis of ln(adjNap) on ln(adjPhe) showed no significant effect of the source of exposure (coke ovens, asphalt and diesel exhaust) and further suggested that the ratio of urinary Nap/Phe (in natural scale) decreased with increasing exposure levels. These results were corroborated with published data for airborne Nap and Phe in the coke-producing and aluminium industries. The published air measurements also indicated that Nap and Phe levels were proportional to the levels of all combined PAHs in those industries. CONCLUSION: Levels of Nap and Phe in urine reflect airborne exposures to these compounds and are promising surrogates for occupational exposures to PAH mixtures.

Recruitment in a changing environment: the 2000s North Sea herring recruitment failure

Environmentally induced change appears to be impacting the recruitment of North Sea herring (Clupea harengus). Despite simultaneously having a large adult population, historically low exploitation, and Marine Stewardship Council accreditation (implying sustainability), there have been an unprecedented 6 sequential years of poor juvenile production (recruitment). Analysis suggests that the poor recruitment arises during the larval overwintering phase, with recent survival rates greatly reduced. Contemporary warming of the North Sea has caused significant changes in the plankton community, and a recently identified regime shift around 2000 shows close temporal agreement with the reduced larval survival. It is, therefore, possible that we are observing the first consequences of this planktonic change for higher trophic levels. There is no indication of a recovery in recruitment in the short term. Fishing mortality is currently outside the agreed management plan, and forecasts show a high risk of the stock moving outside safe biological limits soon, potentially precipitating another collapse of the stock. However, bringing the realized fishing mortality back in line with the management plan would likely alleviate the problem. This illustrates again that recruitment is influenced by more than just spawning-stock biomass, and that changes in other factors can be of equal, or even greater, importance. In such dynamically changing environments, recent management success does not necessarily guarantee future sustainability.

Ascorbic acid in nasal and tracheobronchial airway lining fluids

Ascorbic acid (AA) is thought to be an important antioxidant in the respiratory tract, whose regulation is yet to be fully characterized. We investigated whether AA in respiratory tract lining fluids (RTLFs) can be augmented by oral supplementation with AA. Plasma, nasal lavage fluids (NLFs), induced sputum (IS), and saliva were analyzed for AA immediately before and 2 h after ingestion of 2 g of AA in 13 healthy subjects. Concentrations of AA (median and range) were 52.5 (16.0-88.5), 2.4 (0.18-4.66), 2.4 (0.18-6.00), and 0.55 (0.18-18.90) micromol/l, respectively. Two hours after ingestion of AA, plasma AA increased 2-fold (p = .004), NLF AA increased 3-fold (p = .039), but IS and saliva AA did not increase. As AA concentrations in saliva and tracheobronchial secretions were low compared with other common extracellular components (such as urate), we evaluated the fate of AA in these fluids. Addition of AA to freshly obtained saliva or IS resulted in rapid depletion, which could be largely prevented or reversed by sodium azide or dithiothreitol. These findings suggest that oxidant-producing systems in saliva and airway secretions, such as heme peroxidases and other oxidizing substances, rapidly consume AA. Whereas oral supplementation resulted in detectable increases of AA in NLFs, its levels in tracheobronchial lining fluid, as measured by IS, were unaffected and remained relatively low, suggesting that AA may play a less significant antioxidant role in this compartment as compared with most other extracellular compartments.

Spectroscopic measurements of phase-resolved electron energy distribution functions in RF-excited discharges

The reliable measurement of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) of plasmas is one of the most important subjects of plasma diagnostics, because this piece of information is the key to understand basic discharge mechanisms. Specific problems arise in the case of RF-excited plasmas, since the properties of electrons are subject to changes on a nanosecond time scale and show pronounced spatial anisotropy. We report on a novel spectroscopic method for phase- and space-resolved measurements of the electron energy distribution function of energetic (> 12 eV) electrons in RF discharges. These electrons dominate excitation and ionization processes and are therefore of particular interest. The technique is based on time-dependent measurements during the RF cycle of excited-state populations of rare gases admixed in small fractions. These measurements yield � in combination with an analytical model � detailed information on the excitation processes. Phase-resolved optical emission spectroscopy allows us to overcome the difficulties connected with the very low densities (107�109 cm�3) and the transient character of the electrons in the sheath region. The EEDF of electrons accelerated in the sheath region can be described by a shifted Maxwellian with a drift velocity component in direction of the electric field. The method yields the high-energy tail of the EEDF on an absolute scale. The applicability of the method is demonstrated at a capacitively coupled RF discharge in hydrogen.

The impact of virtual simulation in palliative radiotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background and purpose: Radiotherapy is widely used to palliate local symptoms in non-small-cell lung cancer. Using conventional X-ray simulation, it is often difficult to accurately localize the extent of the tumour. We report a randomized, double blind trial comparing target localization with conventional and virtual simulation.Methods: Eighty-six patients underwent both conventional and virtual simulation. The conventional simulator films were compared with digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) produced from the computed tomography (CT) data. The treatment fields defined by the clinicians using each modality were compared in terms of field area, position and the implications for target coverage.Results: Comparing fields defined by each study arm, there was a major mis-match in coverage between fields in 66.2% of cases, and a complete match in only 5.2% of cases. In 82.4% of cases, conventional simulator fields were larger (mean 24.5+/-5.1% (95% confidence interval)) than CT-localized fields, potentially contributing to a mean target under-coverage of 16.4+/-3.5% and normal tissue over-coverage of 25.4+/-4.2%.Conclusions: CT localization and virtual simulation allow more accurate definition of the target volume. This could enable a reduction in geographical misses, while also reducing treatment-related toxicity.