A close phylogenetic relationship between Sipuncula and Annelida evidenced from the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Phascolosoma esculenta

Background: There are many advantages to the application of complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes in the accurate reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships in Metazoa. Although over one thousand metazoan genomes have been sequenced, the taxonomic sampling is highly biased, left with many phyla without a single representative of complete mitochondrial genome. Sipuncula (peanut worms or star worms) is a small taxon of worm-like marine organisms with an uncertain phylogenetic position. In this report, we present the mitochondrial genome sequence of Phascolosoma esculenta, the first complete mitochondrial genome of the phylum. Results: The mitochondrial genome of P. esculenta is 15,494 bp in length. The coding strand consists of 32.1% A, 21.5% C, 13.0% G, and 33.4% T bases (AT = 65.5%; AT skew = -0.019; GC skew = -0.248). It contains thirteen protein-coding genes (PCGs) with 3,709 codons in total, twenty-two transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes and a non-coding AT-rich region (AT = 74.2%). All of the 37 identified genes are transcribed from the same DNA strand. Compared with the typical set of metazoan mt genomes, sipunculid lacks trnR but has an additional trnM. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the protein sequences show that Myzostomida, Sipuncula and Annelida (including echiurans and pogonophorans) form a monophyletic group, which supports a closer relationship between Sipuncula and Annelida than with Mollusca, Brachiopoda, and some other lophotrochozoan groups. Conclusion: This is the first report of a complete mitochondrial genome as a representative within the phylum Sipuncula. It shares many more similar features with the four known annelid and one echiuran mtDNAs. Firstly, sipunculans and annelids share quite similar gene order in the mitochondrial genome, with all 37 genes located on the same strand; secondly, phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated protein sequences also strongly support the sipunculan + annelid clade (including echiurans and pogonophorans). Hence annelid "key-characters" including segmentation may be more labile than previously assumed.

Sesquiterpenes from the red alga Laurencia tristicha

Seven new sesquiterpenes (1-7), together with seven known sesquiterpenes, aplysin (8), aplysinol (9), gossonorol (10), 7,10-epoxy-ar-bisabol-11-ol (11), 10-epi-7,10-epoxy-ar-bisabol-11-ol (12), johnstonol (13), and laurebiphenyl (14), have been isolated from the red alga Laurencia tristicha. The structures of new compounds were established as laur-11-en-2,10-diol (1), laur-11-en-10-ol (2), laur-11-en-1,10-diol (3), 4-bromo-1,10-epoxylaur-11-ene (4), cyclolauren-2-ol (5), laurentristich-4-ol (6), and ar-bisabol-9-en-7,11-diol (7) by means of spectroscopic methods including IR, HRMS, and ID and 21) NMR techniques. Compound 6 possessed a novel rearranged skeleton. All compounds were tested against several human cancer cell lines including lung adenocarcinoma (A549), stomach cancer (BGC-823), hepatoma (Bel 7402), colon cancer (HCT-8), and HELA cell lines. Laurebiphenyl (14) showed moderate cytotoxicity against all tested cell lines, with IC50 values of 1.68, 1.22, 1.91, 1.77, and 1.61 mu g/mL, respectively. Other compounds were inactive (IC50 > 10 mu g/mL).

Effects of azadirachtin on six inorganic cation distributions in Ostrinia furnacalis (G.)

Azadirachtin (Az), as a botanical insecticide, is relatively safe and biodegradable. It affects a wide vaariety of biological processes, including the reduction of feeding, suspension of molting, death of larvae and pupae, and sterility of emerged adults in a dose-dependent manner. However, the mode of action of this toxin remains obscure. By using ion chromatography, we analyzed changes in six inorganic cation (Li+, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+) distributions of the whole body and hemolymph in Ostrinia furnacalis (G.) after exposure to sublethal doses of Az. The results showed that Az dramatically interfered with Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ distributions in hemolymph of O. furnacalis (G.) and concentrations of these five cations dramatically increased. However, in the whole body, the levels of K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ significantly, decreased after exposure to Az, except that Na+ and NH4+ remained constant. Li+ was undetected in both the control and treated groups in the whole body and hemolymph. It is suggested that Az exerts its insecticidal effects on O. furnacalis (G.) by interfering with the inorganic cation distributions related to ion channels.

中-新元古代海洋的硫和碳同位素的演化

Data on seawater carbon isotope in the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic is abundant. However, the sulfur isotopic age curve of seawater sulfates determined through the analysis of sulfur isotopic composition of marine evaporite is uncertain in the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic since evaporites are generally rare in Precambrian. The Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic Carbonate Formations preserve not only the carbon isotopic records, but also the sulfur isotopic records of coeval seawater in the Huabei Platform and the Yangtze Platform, China. Sulfur isotopic composition can be determined by the extraction of trace sulfate from carbonate samples. Successive measurements of sulfur and carbon isotopic compositions of carbonate samples from the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic strata in the Huabei Platform and the Yangtze Platform was accomplished through the extracting of trace sulfate from carbonates. Sulfur and carbon isotopic compositions of coeval seawater were obtained from analytical results of sulfur and carbon isotopes of the same sample without diagenetic alteration. The high-resolution age curve of sulfur isotope given in this paper may reflect the trend of variations in sulfur isotope composition of seawater sulfates during the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. It can be correlated with the characteristics of variation in age curve of carbon isotope of coeval seawater carbonates. The δ34S values of seawater varied from +10.3-37.0‰ during the Mesoproterozoic, which took on oscillated variation on the whole. The δ34S values took on high values in the Mesoproterozoic Chuanlinggou stage, Tuanshanzi stage Tieling stage and in Neoproterozoic Jing'eryu stage. The average of those was about +30‰. The sulfates have low δ34S values in the Mesoproterozoic Yangzhuang stage and Hongshuizhuang stage, The average of those was all lower than +20‰. There occured large-amplitude changs in δ34S values of seawater during the Mesoproterozoic. Large-amplitude oscillate of 534S values occured in the intervals of 1600~1400Ma and 1300~1200Ma. The δ13C values of seawater are mostly negative in Changcheng stage of late Paleoproterozoic, -0 ± 1‰ range in Jixian stage of Mesoproterozoic , and the positive 2±2‰ commonly in early Neoproterozoic Jing'eryu stage. From 1000 Ma to 900 Ma, about 108 years interval of oceanic 513C record is shortage. At the end of Paleoproterozoic (1700 - 1600 Ma), the oceanic 813C values change from -3‰ to 0‰, but strongly oscillate near 1600 Ma. Two larger variations of seawater 513C values occur in the Mesoproterozoic: one is a cycle of about 4%o happens at ca. 1400 Ma; another is rise from >2‰ to>5‰ at ca. 1250 Ma and then become stable at the near 1000 Ma. There appears a large positive excursion over +20‰ in 534S value of ancient seawater sulfates in the early Doushantuo stage. Simultaneously, 8 C values of ancient seawater occur a positive excursion reaching 10‰. These allow δ4S values and 513C values to reach high values of+51.7‰ and +6.9‰, respectively. The range of variation in 834S values of seawater is relatively narrow and 513C values are quite high in the middle Doushantuo stage. Then, δ34S values of seawater become oscillating, the same happens in δ13C values. Negative excursions in 834S values and 813C values occur simultaneously at the end of the Doushantuo stage, and the minimum of δ34S values and δ13C values dropped to -11.3‰ and -5.7‰, respectively. The ancient seawater in the Dengying stage has high δS values and δ13C values. Most of the δ34S values of the trace sulfate samples varied between +23.6‰ and +37.9‰ except two boundaries of the Dengying Formation, and the S13C values of the carbonate samples of the Dengying Formation varied between +0.5‰ and +5.0‰. There appeared large negative excursion in 834S values and δ13C values of ancient seawater at the bounder of Precambrian-Cambrian. The isotopic characteristics of sulfur and carbon implicated that the organic productivity and isotopic fractionation caused by biology were low and the palaeoceanic environment was quite unstable during the Mesoproterozoic. The increase and subsequent oscillation of seawater δ13C value occurred from 1700 to 1600 Ma and near 1300 Ma may be responsible to the two global tectonic events happened at coeval time. The characteristics of variation in sulfur and carbon isotopes of ancient seawater imply strong changes in oceanic environment, which became beneficial to inhabitation and propagation of organism. The organic production and the burial rate of organic carbon once reached a quite high level during the Doushantuo stage. However, the state of environment became unstable that means the global climate and the environment possibly were fluctuating and reiterating after the global glaciation. The negative excursions of S34S values and δ13C values occurring at the end of the Doushantuo stage represent a global event, which might be relative to the oxidation of deep seawater. The isotopic characteristics of sulfur and carbon implicated that there were a high organic productivity and a high burial rate of organic carbon in the Dengying stage. It is obvious that the palaeoceanic environment in Dengying stage was stable corresponding and beneficial for biology to inhabit and propagate except for the two boundaries. The tendency of sulfur and carbon isotopic variations maybe resulted from the gradual oxygenation of ocean environment during the Dengying stage. It has been reported that the secular variations of the sulfur isotopic compositions in seawater was negative correlated with that of carbon isotopic compositions. However, our results show that it is not the case. They were negatively correlated in some intervals and positively in some other intervals of the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. The difference in correlation may be associated with the changes in conditions of redox in oceanic environment, e.g. sharp change of the oxidation-reduction interface. The strong changes in global environment may induce the abnormality to occur in the biogeo chemical S and C cycles in the ocean and accordingly sharp Variations in isotopic composition of seawater sulfur and carbon during the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. Simultaneously, the global tectonism caused large changes of 87Sr/86Sr ratios. The leading factor that causes the variation in isotopic composition is different in the different intervals of the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. Thus, there may exist different models of the biogeochemical S and C cycles in the ocean during the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic.

Mantle-derived gaseous components in ore-forming fluids of the Xiangshan uranium

The Xiangshan U deposit, the largest hydrothermal U deposit in China, is hosted in late Jurassic felsic volcanic rocks although the U mineralization post dates the volcanics by at least 20 Ma. The mineralization coincides with intrusion of local mantle-derived mafic dykes formed during Cretaceous crustal extension in South China. Ore-forming fluids are rich in CO2, and U in the fluid is thought to have been dissolved in the form of UO2 (CO3)22− and UO2 (CO3) 34− complexes. This paper provides He and Ar isotope data of fluid inclusions in pyrites and C isotope data of calcites associated with U mineralization (pitchblende) in the Xiangshan U deposit. He isotopic compositions range between 0.1 and 2.0Ra (where Ra is the 3He/4He ratio of air=1.39×10−6) and correlates with 40Ar/36Ar; although there is potential for significant 3He production via 6Li(n,α)3H(β)3He reactions in a U deposit (due to abundant neutrons), nucleogenic production cannot account for either the 3He concentration in these fluids, nor the correlations between He and Ar isotopic compositions. It is more likely that the high 3He/4He ratios represent trapped mantle-derived gases. A mantle origin for the volatiles of Xiangshan is consistent with the δ13C values of calcites, which vary from −3.5‰ to −7.7‰, overlapping the range of mantle CO2. The He, Ar and CO2 characteristics of the ore-forming fluids responsible for the deposit are consistent with mixing between 3He- and CO2-rich mantle-derived fluids and CO2-poor meteoric fluids. These fluids were likely produced during Cretaceous extension and dyke intrusion which permitted mantle-derived CO2 to migrate upward and remobilize U from the acid volcanic source rocks, resulting in the formation of the U deposit. Subsequent decay of U within the fluid inclusions has reduced the 3He/4He ratio, and variations in U/3He result in the range in 3He/4He observed with U/3He ratios in the range 5–17×103 likely corresponding to U concentrations in the fluids b0.2 ppm.

福建省基性岩的年代学和地球化学：晚中生代以来中国东南部地幔演化

中国东南部地处太平洋板块与欧亚板块的接合部位，其独特的地理位置和构造运动长期以来引起了地质学家的广泛关注。自印支运动以来，板内构造演化复杂而多样。最引人注目的无疑是燕山期广泛而强烈的构造一岩浆热事件。近年来随着研究的深入，逐渐凸显出两个重要的地质问题需要解决：（1）中国东南部晚中生代构造属性的转变时间及地球动力学演化过程；（2）多金属成矿作用与岩石圈伸展减薄及地壳拉张的关系。基于此，本文以中国东南部福建省的基性脉岩、岩体为研究对象，运用系统的矿物学、岩石学、岩石地球化学、同位素地球化学及同位素年代学证据，详细论述了晚中生代中国东南部板块俯冲、地慢演化、壳幔相互作用及岩石圈伸展减薄的地球动力学过程，探讨了地壳拉张期次在福建省区域构造上的响应。本研究主要获得以下几点认识：1、岱前山辉长岩体沿福建长乐一南澳大断裂带分布，侵位于沿海的绿片岩相和角闪岩相的变质岩中及内陆的中生代火山岩中。岩体的微量元素特征表现为与俯冲作用有关的岛弧特点。岱前山岩体由低程度部分熔融形成（约7％），伴有角闪石、单斜辉石的分离结晶作用和斜长石的堆晶作用。时间上与古太平洋板块低角度一歪斜俯冲、晚中生代的变质事件、平潭一东山变质带抬升和长乐一南澳剪切带运动在时间上基本一致。岩体是受俯冲流体交代的上地慢，经部分熔融沿长乐一南澳断裂一应力转换带侵入。它与中国东南部出露的其它基性岩同源，但未受到地壳的混染作用。2、闽南茅坪一晒鞍角基性侵入体具独特的地球化学属性，表现为高Al2O3、CoO、MnO，低FeOT、MgO、TiO2含量，富集轻稀土元素（LREE）和大离子亲石元素（LILE），并具正的Pb异常和负的Ti异常；Sr-Nd-Pb同位素结果显示，该基性岩有EM2组分的参与。模拟计算表明，该基性岩墙群是尖晶石二辉橄榄岩地慢5-15％部分熔融的产物；微量元素配分模式及理论模拟表明茅坪一晒鞍角基性岩体的地慢源区在熔融前曾受到1％俯冲沉积物熔体的源区混染和5％流体交代作用。基性岩浆在上升过程中还受到10％左右的地壳物质的混染作用，导致该区基性岩富放射成因Sr、Pb同位素。3、福建省晚中生代基性脉岩富Al2O3（14.0-20.4 wt%）、CaO（4.09-12.7wt％）。按地球化学特征可分为两组：第一组脉岩具较低稀土总量（53.8-145.5μg／g）和平缓的稀土配分模式L（La/Yb）n=1.68-4.651，而第二组脉岩的稀土总量较高（63-247μg／g），且轻稀土富集［（La/Yb）n＝4.63-19］。在原始地慢标准化图解上，第一组脉岩显示Pb的正异常和Ti负异常，无Nb、Ta异常，而第二组脉岩显示明显的Nb一Ta一Ti负异常和Pb正异常。两组脉岩经历了不同的源区混合和陆壳混染过程，第一组脉岩显示了以陆壳混染为主的地球化学过程，不具有岛弧特点的微量元素配分模式表明该类基性岩的地慢源区可能未受俯冲作用过程影响，第二组脉岩的岛弧地球化学特点暗示该类基性岩地慢源区是经俯冲作用改造过的富集岩石圈地慢。第一组基性脉岩来源于石榴石一尖晶石二辉橄榄岩地慢，而第二组脉岩来源于尖晶石或尖晶石一斜长石二辉橄榄岩地慢。地球化学数据显示，不同类型的地慢存在不均一性，反映了不同程度的交代作用或不同量俯冲沉积物的加入。福建省晚中生代基性脉岩产生于拉张构造背景，与岩石圈的伸展减薄及软流圈的上涌紧密联系；4、福建省基性脉岩的同位素特征显示，第一组脉岩具较高的143Na／144Nd，第二组脉岩的143Nd／144Nd较低；Th/Nd、Ba/La比值及理论模拟结果表明，第二组脉岩可能受到流体交代和俯冲沉积物的源区混合作用，而第一组脉岩基本未受俯冲组分（沉积物＋流体）的改造。地壳混染对两组脉岩可能起着重要的作用。EC-AFC理论模拟表明，福建省基性脉岩在上升过程中受到前寒武纪变质岩的影响，这种混染作用在一定程度上改变了同位素组成。因此，福建省晚中生代基性脉岩的地球化学特点是太平洋板块俯冲与壳慢相互作用共同作用的结果；5、K-Ar年龄结果表明，出露于福建省的基性脉岩年龄具周期性分布，表现为五个周期：70-75Ma士，85 Ma士，105-110Ma，125Ma士和135-140Ma。这与前人的研究结果基本一致，表明福建省与中国东南部区域上有相似的地壳拉张期次。K-Ar年龄主要集中分布在14OMa→65Ma之间，这表明：①140M。限定了中国东南部岩石圈伸展作用开始的下限，也就是说中国东南部晚中生代的岩石圈伸展至少开始于140Ma左 右，而并非90Ma；②标志着中国东南部大规模拉张作用的开始，表明构造属性由令挤压为主转变为以拉张作用为主。

Removal of NO by microwave discharge with the addition of CH4

Removal of NO by a continuous microwave discharge at atmospheric pressure with the addition of CH4 is reported. The conversion of NO to N-2 is approximately 80%, and the energy efficiency is up to 0.55 g-NO/kWh. The effects of CH4 addition and three discharge modes on NO conversion and energy efficiency are investigated. The dependence of NO conversion on experimental time is also observed.

Effect of pore ring number of zeolites on catalytic performance of Mo/Zeolite in methane aromatization under non-oxygen condition

The catalytic behavior of Mo-based zeolite catalysts with different pore structure and size, particularly with 8 membered ring ( M R), 10 M R, coexisted 10 and 12 M R, and 12 M R, was studied in methane aromatization under the conditions of SV=1500 ml/(g.h), p=0.1 MPa and T = 973 K. It was found that the catalytic performance is correlated with the pore structure of the zeolite supports. The zeolites that possess 10 MR or 10 and 12 MR pore structure with a pore diameter equal to or slightly larger than the dynamic diameter of benzene molecule, such as ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZRP-1 and MCM-22, are fine supports. Among the tested zeolite supports, MCM-22 exhibits the highest activity and selectivity for benzene. A methane conversion of 10.5% with benzene selectivity of 80% was achieved over Mo/MCM-22 catalyst. The Mo/ERS-7 catalyst with 8 MR (0.45 nm) does not show any activity in methane dehydro-aromatization, while Mo/JQX-1 and Mo/SBA-15 catalysts with 12 MR pore exhibit little activity in the reaction. It can be concluded that the zeolites with 10 MR pore or coexisted 10 and 12 MR, having pore size equal to or slightly larger than the dynamic diameter of benzene molecule, are fine supports for methane activation and aromatization.

Synthesis and characterization of manganese-modified MCM-41

Manganese-modified mesoporous MCM-41 molecular sieves were synthesized at the absence of alkaline metal ions under mild alkaline condition using cetylpyridinium bromide surfactant as a template, and characterized with X-ray diffraction, N-2 adsorption, transmission electron microscopy, electron spin resonance (ESR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. The synthesized MnMCM-41 has a high pore volume of 1.30 cm(3) g(-1) with a corresponding surface area of 1510 m(2) g(-1). The ESR and Si-29 MAS NMR spectra revealed the presence of framework manganese ions in either the as-synthesized or calcined forms. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.