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The electrokinetic patterns of four bacterial species (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Agrobacterium radiobacter), two yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Ether extracts of cultures of 29 strains representing 6 species of Bacillus, and of individual strains of Escherichia coli, Aerobacter aerogenes, and Pseudomonas...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The speA gene in Bacillus subtilis encodes arginine decarboxylase, which catalyzes the conversion of arginine to agmatine. Arginine decarboxylase is an important enzyme...Full Text Available

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This study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial effect of BSAP-254 on Bacillus cereus with the induced stress proteins. The BSAP-254 is an antimicrobial peptide isolated from soybean-fermenting bacteria, Bacillus subtilis SC-8. It had a narrow spectrum of activity against B. cereus group. The growth inhibitory effect of BSAP-254 (50??g/mL) reduced the population of B. cereus from >108 to 104 colony-forming units per milliliter within 30?min. In B. cereus exposed to BSAP-254, 14 intracellular proteins were differentially expressed as determined by 2-DE coupled with MS. Of the differentially expressed proteins identified, the stress protein GroEL, which is heat shock protein, was induced in B. cereus exposed to antibacterial peptide.

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In this study, bacterial strains were investigated in order to determine their heavy metal tolerance. The bacterial strains were identified as Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pumilus. In the batch system, the effects of operating variables such as solution pH, initial metal concentration, contact time, and adsorbent dosage were investigated. Both isolates were highly resistance to copper and lead in comparison with the control strain examined. The adsorption capacities of B. cereus and B. pumilus were found to be 22.1mg/g and 28.06mg/g, respectively. The biosorption follows pseudo-second order kinetics and the isotherm fits well to the Langmuir isotherm model. In column experiments, the biosorption was fitted well by the Thomas model. The breakthrough and exhaustion capacity of each biosorben...

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Gene arrays containing all currently known open reading frames of Bacillus subtilis were used to examine the general stress response of Bacillus. By proteomics, transcriptional...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Mexico is located in a transition zone between the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographical regions and contains a rich and unique biodiversity. A total of 496 Bacillus thuringiensis...Full Text Available

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A number of aerobic species capable of decolorizing some of the dyes in a textile mill effluent were isolated. One of the isolates was able to decolorize Terasil black dye under aerobic conditions in the presence of an exogenous carbon source after 5 days. Glucose or starch (%1 ea) are essential for decolorization but the process proceeds faster in the presence of 0.5% yeast extract. Results of the BOD5 show that the untreated effluent samples have a low BOD value, whereas treated samples show an initial increase in BOD up to 15 days followed by a decrease after 20 days. FT-IR and GC-MS data also reveal that the initial components in the untreated effluent disappear after 20 days of treatment, confirming biodegradation of the dye. Phytotoxicity tests on the untreated effluent samples using...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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Thioredoxin, a small, ubiquitous protein which participates in redox reactions through the reversible oxidation of its active center dithiol to a disulfide, is an essential protein in Bacillus...Full Text Available

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A rapid, sensitive, inexpensive in situ hybridization technique, using 30-mer 16S rRNA probes, can

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The chaperone-encoding groESL and dnaK operons constitute the CIRCE regulon of Bacillus subtilis. Both operons are under negative control of the repressor...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In the presence of electrochemical energy, several branched-chain neutral and acidic amino acids were found to accumulate in membrane vesicles of Bacillus stearothermophilus. The membrane vesicles contained...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The reaction of iodine with glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Bacillus stearothermophilus was investigated. The active-site thiol group of the cysteine residue homologous with cysteine-149...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The use of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) endotoxins to control insect vectors of human diseases and agricultural pests is threatened by the possible evolution of resistance in major pest...Full Text Available

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Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, which is used worldwide to control Aedes aegypti larvae, produces Cry11Aa and other toxins during...Full Text Available

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SpoIIIE is an FtsK-related protein that transports the forespore chromosome across the Bacillus subtilis sporulation septum. We use membrane photobleaching and protoplast assays to...Full Text Available

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BackgroundBacillus thuringiensis is a bacterium known for producing protein crystals with insecticidal properties. These toxins are widely sought after for controlling...Full Text Available

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This study was focused on the possibility to inactivate main food pathogens, their spores and biofilms on the surface of packaging material polyolefine by Na-chlorophyllin (Na-Chl)-based photosensitization and to compare efficiency of this treatment with conventional antimicrobials. Data indicate that Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes were effectively inactivated (7 log) by Na-Chl (7.5x10-7M)-based photosensitization in vitro and on the surface of packaging. Meanwhile to achieve adequate inactivation of thermo-resistant strains, spores or biofilms the higher Na-Chl concentration and longer illumination times had to be used. Comparison of different surface decontamination treatments reveal that photosensitization is much more effective against B. cereus and L. monocytogenes attache...

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We describe a simple one-pot thermal decomposition method for the production of a stable colloidal suspension of narrowly dispersed superparamagnetic Fe3O4-Ag core-shell nanostructures. These biocompatible nanostructures are highly toxic to microorganisms. Antimicrobial activity studies were carried out on both Gram negative (Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris) and Gram positive (Bacillus megaterium and Staphylococcus aureus) bacterial strains. Efforts have been made to understand the underlying molecular mechanism of such antibacterial actions. The effect of the core-shell nanostructures on Gram negative strains was found to be better than that observed for silver nanoparticles. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of these nanostructures were found to be considerably lowe...

Science.gov (United States)

Correlates between immunological parameters and protection against Bacillus anthracis infection in animals vaccinated with protective antigen (PA)-based vaccines could provide surrogate markers to evaluate the putative protective efficiency of immunization in humans. In previous studies we demonstrated that neutralizing antibody levels serve as correlates for protection in guinea pigs (S. Reuveny et al., Infect. Immun. 69:2888-2893, 2001; H. Marcus et al., Infect. Immun. 72:3471-3477, 2004). In this study we evaluated similar correlates for protection by active and passive immunization of New Zealand White rabbits. Full immunization and partial immunization were achieved by single and multiple injections of standard and diluted doses of a PA-based vaccine. Passive immunization was carried out by injection of immune sera from rabbits vaccinated with PA-based vaccine prior to challenge with B. anthracis spores. Immunized ...

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Kong-Ming Wu (Corresponding author) The application of recombinant DNA technology has resulted in many insect-resistant varieties by genetic engineering (GE). Crops expressing Cry toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been planted worldwide, and are an effective tool for pest control. However, one ecological concern regarding the potential effects of insect-resistant GE plants on non-target organisms (NTOs) has been continually debated. In the present study, we briefly summarize the data regarding the development and commercial use of transgenic Bt varieties, elaborate on the procedure and methods for assessing the non-target effects of insect-resistant GE plants, and synthetically analyze the related research results, mostly those published between 2005 and 2010. A mass of laboratory and field studies have shown that the currently available Bt crops have no direct detrimental effects on NTOs due to their ...

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BackgroundBengal tiger Panthera tigris tigris the National Animal of India, is an endangered species. Estimating populations for such species is the main objective...Full Text Available

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Often ecologists and natural resource managers can easily access data on invasive species occurrence across a region. Yet, collecting species abundance data over a large area is arguably more important for decision making, but inherently costly, so methods which can provide robust information at low-cost are particularly valuable. Studies of species distribution often use occurrence data to build models of the environmental niche. Environmental suitability derived from such models may be used to predict the potential distributions of species. The ability of such models to predict spatial patterns in abundance have recently been demonstrated. Here we tested the relationship of environmental suitability with local abundance of an aquatic invasive species, olive hymenachne (Hymenachne amplexi...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The structure of the layers formed on a silver electrode by the adsorption of pyridine, Cl"-, CN"- and SO_4"2"- is discussed. A comparison of the amount of the species adsorbed with their Raman spectra shows that there is no simple relation between the species concentration and the enhancement of the Raman intensity. Furthermore, the inhomogeneity of the layers is shown by Raman microscopy observations. These results lead the authors to propose the formation of a new species stabilized in the colloidal silver layer. The Raman enhancement could be explained by the existence of a resonance effect. (Auth.).

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The Bacillus anthracis Sterne plasmid pXO1 was sequenced by random, “shotgun” cloning. A circular sequence of 181,654 bp was generated. One hundred forty-three open...Full Text Available

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New tetradentate N(2)O(2) donor Schiff bases and their mononuclear Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Pd(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized extensively by IR, (1)H-, (13)C-NMR, mass, ESR, conductivity measurements, elemental and thermal analysis. Specifically the magnetic and electronic spectral measurements demonstrate the octahedral structures of cobalt(II), nickel(II) complexes and square planar geometries of copper(II), palladium(II) complexes. All the ligands and complexes were screened for their in vitro antibacterial activity against two gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) and two gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia). In this study, Pd(II) complexes exhibited potent antibacterial activity against B. subtilis, S. aureus whereas other metal complexes also exerted good activity towards all tested strains even than standard drugs streptomycin and ampicillin. PMID:21297294

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Background and AimsAnnonaceae are one of the largest families of Magnoliales. This study investigates the comparative floral development of 15 species to understand the basis for...Full Text Available

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BackgroundArtificial duplicates from pyrosequencing reads may lead to incorrect interpretation of the abundance of species and genes in metagenomic studies. Duplicated reads were...Full Text Available

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The heptageniid mayflies Epeorus latifolium and Epeorus l-nigrus are often the dominant species in the upper and midstream areas of Japanese rivers; as such, they play a significant role in river ecosystems. However, although these two species have been identified using the morphological characteristics of the male in its adult stage, it is impossible to differentiate them in their nymphal stage. We conducted a study to elucidate their distribution pattern, i.e., the current distribution of these two species in the Shinano-gawa River basin, based on quantitative field sampling and genetic analysis of nymphs and also some male adults; for these, it was possible to differentiate between the two species reliably. The data collected from the 30 study sites of the 1-year-long study revealed tha...

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Toxicity and potential carcinogenicity studies of boric acid were investigated in mice to verify in a second rodent species that this was a noncarcinogenic chemical. Earlier chronic studies in rats...Full Text Available

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Inert markers (evaporated tungsten and silver) were used in growth studies of silicides formed both by thermal annealing and by ion mixing in the Ni/Si, Pd/Si, and Cr/Si systems. The markers were initially imbedded inside silicides and backscattering spectrometry was used to determine the marker displacement after different processing conditions. The results obtained in thermal annealing are quite consistent with that found in previous investigations. Ni is the dominant diffusing species in Ni/sub 2/Si, while Si is the diffusing species in CrSi/sub 2/. In Pd/sub 2/Si, both Pd and Si are moving species with Pd the faster of the two. In contrast, in growth of silicides by ion irradiation Si is the faster diffusing species in all three systems.

Science.gov (United States)

... Weiss, S., D. Kobiler, H. Levy, H. Marcus, A. Pass, N. Rothschild, and Z ... of Bacillus anthracis spores conferred by a protective antigen-based vaccine in rabbits ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The presence of highly heat-resistant spores of Bacillus sporothermodurans in ultrahigh-temperature or sterilized consumer milk has emerged as an important item in the dairy industry....Full Text Available

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An extracellular polysaccharide was purified from culture supernatants of Paenibacillus jamilae CP-7, a gram-positive bacillus that was isolated from compost prepared with olive mill...Full Text Available

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Selection of suitable species, which will survive the severe environment of low light, cool temperatures, and high winds, poses serious problems to revegetation programs in the Aleutian Islands. Selection must be based on adaptability of plants to the extremes of the Aleutian climate and, as realized more recently, on lack of disruption of the natural ecosystem. This places the emphasis on use of native species in revegetation. Elymus mollis Trin., American dunegrass, a dominant of the Aleutian dune community, was studied to better understand its potential for use in reclamation work. As the species occupies both beach and inland sites, an emphasis was placed on documenting its wide latitude of habitat occurrence. Community composition, dispersal, growth response, ecotypic variation, and nutrient relations were studied at two beach sites and two inland sites on Adak Island in the ...

CERN Document Server

Superfluidity in fermionic systems originates from pairing of fermions, and Bose condensation of these so-called Cooper pairs. The Cooper pairs are usually made of fermions of different species; for example in superconductors they are pairs of electrons with opposite spins. Thus the most favorable situation for pairing and superfluidity is when the two species of fermions that form pairs have the same density. This paper studies the possible superfluid states when the two pairing species have different densities, and show that the resultant states have remarkable similarities to the phases of liquid crystals. This enables us to provide a unified description of the possible pairing phases, and understand the phase transitions among them.

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We investigated gathering and cultivating practices and how they complement each other in a rural population of Northwestern Patagonia. We analyzed plant diversity, species similarity, biogeographic origin, and plant use by means of semi-structured interviews and field visits. Pichi Leufu inhabitants used 173 species: 138 cultivated plants, mainly for edible purposes, and 45 wild species principally for medicinal use. Most cultivated species were exotic (91.3%), whereas gathered plants were both native and exotic. While locals maintained vegetable gardens, the adoption of greenhouses improved conditions for certain crops. The integration of novel practices with ancestral knowledge suggests resilient processes in this community, probably reflected in the dynamics of current horticultural an...

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Salt stress elicits betaine accumulation to high levels in species from several diverse dicot families (Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae, Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae, and Asteraceae). FAM-MS studies with deuterated precursors showed that species from all these families synthesize betaine from choline. Enzyme assays and immunotitration data showed that all accumulating species contained betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) enzyme activity recognized by antibodies raised against purified BADH isolated from Spinacia oleracea. Immunoblotting indicated that the BADH monomer was in all cases of Mr {approx} 63,000. The similarity of BADH in the different species is consistent with a single evolutionary origin for the betaine pathway. This was supported by the presence in immunoblots of a cross-reacting band at Mr {approx} 63,000 in Magnolia x Soulangiana, a primitive angiosperm.

Environmental Research Database

DescriptionM291272: Annex A - Electronic data capture of woodland survey records (baseline for studying change and variation in woods) Rationale During the 1980s and 1990s, particularly, much woodland survey was undertaken in England by the Nature Conservancy Council and its successor English Nature. Most of the records are only in paper form and the species data they contain has not been available for further analysis or use in wider context such as species and habitat recording schemes. The aims o [continued...

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Poaching of wildlife animals for subsistence and commercial purposes has lead to population declines in Africa. In forensic cases, a need exists to identify the species of origin of carcasses, meat or blood. In the study presented here, the mitochondrial COI gene was sequenced to determine the species of unknown samples in three suspect South African forensic wildlife cases. In two cases the unknown samples were identified as originating from domestic cattle (Bos taurus) and in the third case the sample was identified as common reedbuck (Redunca arundinum). This is the first report of the COI sequence of common reedbuck. The study highlights the need for accurate wildlife reference material from each country in order to convict wildlife cases.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

This study was undertaken to determine which rodent species serve as primary reservoirs for the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi in commonly occurring woodland types...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

AbstractBackgroundIonizing radiation (IR) initiates intracellular oxidative stress through enhanced formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that attack DNA leading...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

• Background and Aims Although mangroves have been extensively studied, little is known about their ecological wood anatomy. This investigation examined the potential use of...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundSpecies with heteromorphic sex chromosomes face the challenge of large-scale imbalance in gene dose. Microarray-based studies in several independent male heterogametic...Full Text Available

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NG2 chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan is a surface marker of oligodendroglial progenitor cells (OPCs) in various species. In contrast to well-studied rat OPCs, however, we found that purified...Full Text Available

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The honeybee has been the most important insect species for study of social behavior. The recently released draft genomic sequence for the bee will accelerate honeybee behavioral genetics. Although...Full Text Available

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Several nematode species have now attained ‘model organism’ status, yet there remain many niches in basic biological inquiry for which nematodes would be ideal model systems of study....Full Text Available

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Propylene and ethylene glycol deicers are commonly used at airports in the US and other countries to remove and retard the accumulation of snow and ice on aircraft. Deicers may not only enter water bodies without treatment, due to excessive storm-related flow, but also may expose terrestrial organisms to high concentrations through surface runoff. Most available toxicity data are for aquatic vertebrates and invertebrate species; this study examined effects on terrestrial and aquatic plants. Terrestrial plant species included both a monocot (rye grass, Lolium perenne) and a dicot (lettuce, Lactuca saliva). Aquatic species included a single cell alga (Selenastrum capricomutum), and an aquatic macrophyte (duckweed, Lemna minor). Glycol deicers were obtained in the formulated mixtures used on aircraft. Pure ethylene and propylene glycol were obtained from Sigma{reg_sign}. Parameters measured included ...

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A comparison of the concentration-response effects of inhaled ozone (O/sub 3/) in different species of laboratory animals was made in order to better understand the influence of the choice of species in inhalation studies of this gas. The effect of 4-hour exposure to ozone (O/sub 3/) at concentrations of 0.0, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 ppm was determined in rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters and mice. Lavage fluid protein (LFP) accumulation 18 hr after exposure was used as the indicator of O/sub 3/-induced pulmonary edema. All species had similar basal levels of LFP (250-350 ug/ml) when a volume of saline which approximated the total lung capacity was used for lavage of the collapsed lungs. Exponential dose-response curves were seen in all species except guinea pigs, which showed significant increases in LFP at low O/sub 3/ concentrations (0.2 ppm) and a leveling off of response at ...

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A comparison of the concentration-response effects of inhaled ozone (O/sub 3/) and phosgene (COCl/sub 2/) in different species of laboratory animals was made in order to better understand the influence of the choice of species in inhalation toxicity studies. The effect of 4-h exposures to ozone at concentrations of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 ppm, and to COCl/sub 2/ and 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 ppm was determined in rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, and mice. Lavage fluid protein (LFP) accumulation 18-20 h after exposure was used as the indicator of O3- and COCl/sub 2/-induced pulmonary edema. All species had similar basal levels of LFP (250-350 mg/ml) when a volume of saline that approximated the total lung capacity was used to lavage the collapsed lungs. Ozone effects were most marked in guinea pigs, which showed significant effects at 0.2 ppm and above. Mice, hamsters, and rats showed effects at 1.0 ppm ...

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Abstract Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is ubiquitous in aerobic organisms and constitutes the first link in the enzyme scavenging system of reactive oxygen species. In the present study, species and organ diversity of SOD activity in a solution and in an in-gel assay system, as well as the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on SOD activity, were investigated. In a solution assay system, SOD activity of jackfruit root, shoot, leaves, axes, and cotyledons, of maize embryos and endosperms, of mung bean leaves and seeds, of sacred lotus axes and cotyledons, and of rice and wheat leaves was increased by 1-15 mmol/L H2 O2. However, SOD activity in rice root and seeds, maize roots and leaves, mung bean roots and shoots, and wheat seeds was decreased by 1-15 mmol/L H2O2. The SOD activity of wheat ro...

Science.gov (United States)

This is a continuation of our paper [Liu, M., Wang, K., 2010. Persistence and extinction of a stochastic single-species model under regime switching in a polluted environment, J. Theor. Biol. 264, 934-944]. Taking both white noise and colored noise into account, a stochastic single-species model under regime switching in a polluted environment is studied. Sufficient conditions for extinction, stochastic nonpersistence in the mean, stochastic weak persistence and stochastic permanence are established. The threshold between stochastic weak persistence and extinction is obtained. The results show that a different type of noise has a different effect on the survival results. PMID:20816991

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Summary During a histopathological survey of the geoduck, Panopea abbreviata (Hiatellidae), and the razor clam, Ensis macha (Pharidae), in northern Patagonian gulfs (Argentina), turbellarian worms were found in the intestine lumen. In this work, we described a new species of Paravortex (Platyhelminthes, Graffillidae). We collected the hosts by scuba diving and dissected alive for studying the turbellarians. In this new species, the pharynx continues in a short esophagus and the latter in a saccular intestine. Gravid specimens have from 2 to 8 twin embryos in the parenchyma. A short penis papilla arises from the seminal vesicle and the gonopore presents a strong sphincter. This species resembled P. nicolli Szidat, 1965, which was described paraziting Mytilus edulis platensis in Buenos Aires...

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Old World Bluestems (OWB), introduced from Europe and Asia in the 1920s, recently have begun to raise concerns in the Great Plains. Despite suggestion in the late 1950s that OWB were weedy and negatively impacted biological diversity, they were widely introduced throughout the Great Plains for agricultural purposes. Anecdotal evidence suggests that OWB exhibit invasive characteristics that promote competitive exclusion of native species. The objective of our study was to quantify the competitive abilities of two OWB species (Caucasian bluestem; Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz.) S.T. Blake (=?Bothriochloa caucasica (Trin.) C.E. Hubb.) and yellow bluestem; Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng) with three native grass species (big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), little bluestem (Schizachyrium s...

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Bacillus licheniformis ?-glutamyltranspeptidase (BlGGT) undergoes an autocatalytic process to generate 44.9 and 21.7?kDa subunits; however, a mutant protein (T399A) loses completely the processing ability and mainly exists as a precursor. For a comprehensive understanding of their structural features, the biophysical properties of these two proteins were investigated by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy. Tryptophan fluorescence and circular dichroism spectra were nearly identical for BlGGT and T399A, but unfolding analyses revealed that these two proteins had a different sensitivity towards temperature- and guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl)-induced denaturation. BlGGT and the unprocessed T399A displayed T m values of 61.4?C and 68.1?C, respectively, and thermal unfolding of b...

Science.gov (United States)

Prairie (Microtus ochrogaster) and meadow voles (M. pennsylvanicus) are closely related species that differ in life strategy and social behaviors, and thus provide an excellent comparative model for the study of neuronal and hormonal mechanisms underlying behavior. In the present study using the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, we found that male prairie voles entered the open arms of the EPM more and remained there longer, and showed a higher level of overall locomotor activity than did male meadow voles. In addition, two weeks of social isolation induced an increase in open arm entries in prairie, but not meadow, voles. Prairie voles also had a higher level of circulating corticosterone compared to meadow voles, and the EPM test increased circulating corticosterone in prairie voles. Finally, social isolation coupled with the EPM test influenced Fos-immunoreactive expression in several brain areas, including the medial ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

During spring and autumn, the total number of amoebae and the number of acanthamoeba species able to grow at 37 degrees C were determined in six thermally polluted factory discharges and the surrounding surface waters. The isolated Acanthamoeba strains were studied for growth in axenic medium, cytopathic effect in Vito cell cultures, and virulence in mice. Although more amoebae were isolated in autumn, the number of Acanthamoeba species was lower than in spring, when the percent of pathogenic strains among the isolates was highest. Higher concentrations of amoebae were found in warm discharges, and more virulent strains occurred in thermal discharges than in surface waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Abstract Bartonella are arthropod-borne, fastidious, Gram-negative, and aerobic bacilli distributed by fleas, lice, sand flies, and, possibly, ticks. The zoonotic Bartonella species, Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae, which are the causes of cat scratch disease and endocarditis in humans, have been reported from cats, cat fleas, and humans in Australia. However, to date, there has been no report of B. henselae or B. clarridgeiae in Australian wild animals and their ectoparasites. B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae were detected in fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), an introduced pest animal species in Australia, and only B. clarridgeiae was detected in blood from one red fox. Phylogenetic analysis of the ribosomal intergenic spacer region revealed that the B. henselae detected in the current study were related to B. henselae strain Houston-1, a major pathogenic strain in humans in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The scalar mixing time scale, a key quantity in many turbulent combustion models, is investigated for reactive scalars in premixed combustion. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of three-dimensional, turbulent Bunsen flames with reduced methane-air chemistry have been analyzed in the thin reaction zones regime. Previous conclusions from single step chemistry DNS studies are confirmed regarding the role of dilatation and turbulence-chemistry interactions on the progress variable dissipation rate. Compared to the progress variable, the mixing rates of intermediate species is found to be several times greater. The variation of species mixing rates are explained with reference to the structure of one-dimensional premixed laminar flames. According to this analysis, mixing rates are governed by the strong gradients which are imposed by flamelet structures at high Damkoehler numbers. This suggests a modeling approach to estimate ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The large degree of confusion and many contradictions which are evident in the literature regarding the dioxo-uranium(VI)-hydroxide system has prompted the re-investigation of the hydrolysis of UO_2"2"- in aqueous media. The hydrolysis reactions of the uranyl ion have been investigated by potentiometric (pH)-, spectrophotometric- and conductometric titrations of uranyl chloride solutions with sodium hydroxide solutions. In all these titrations two clearly defined endpoints were obtained, indicating the predominance in solution of only a limited number of species. From a consideration of all the experimentally obtained data the following set of species was proposed to be present in significant concentrations in the pH range 0 to 12: UO_2"2"-, (UO_2)_2(OH)_2"2"-, (UO_2)_2(OH)_3"- and (UO_2)_9(OH)_1_9"-. By using the proposed set of species, a mathematical model of the uranyl-hydroxo system was developed with which the ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the richest biodiversity hotspots of the world. Paleoclimatic models have predicted two large stability regions in its northern and central parts, whereas southern regions might have suffered strong instability during Pleistocene glaciations. Molecular phylogeographic and endemism studies show, nevertheless, contradictory results: although some results validate these predictions, other data suggest that paleoclimatic models fail to predict stable rainforest areas in the south. Most studies, however, have surveyed species with relatively high dispersal rates whereas taxa with lower dispersion capabilities should be better predictors of habitat stability. Here, we have used two land planarian species as model organisms to analyse the patterns ...

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The effect of counter-ion species on the local conformation of fully-charged poly(L-glutamate) in added-salt aqueous solutions were studied by small-angle X-ray scattering(SAXS). In the case of presence of monovalent counter-ion, the scattering behaviour could be explained by taking into consideration the excluded volume effect and intermolecular-interface interaction on the scattering function of wormlike chain. On the other hand, since SAXS profile of the solution in the presence of divalent counter-ion well fitted to the scattering function of dendrimer, it suggested that the conformation of polymer chain in such solution would be more compact conformation than that of presence of monovalent ion.

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Activated charcoal was produced from sawdust of Pinus caribaea var. caribaea, pinus caribaea var. honduenais and pinus cocarpa, with the objective of studying a alternative of more economic uses for forest residues and the products of the first thinning. A chemical process was utilized based on Zn Cl{sub 2} at temperature of 700 deg C and 450 deg C. It was concluded that the temperature of 700 Celsius produced a activated charcoal with better quality and greater adsorption capacity. The temperature of 450 deg C produced a material with adsorption properties for utilization where greater adsorption capacity is not needed. The production of activated charcoal is possible from the three species of tropical pinus studied. (author). 16 refs., 5 tabs

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The evolution of clinal variation has become a topic widely studied for invasive species. Most studies of this kind have found significant correlations between latitude and various plant traits, usually using univariate analytic methods. However, plants are composed of multiple, interacting traits, and it is this correlation among traits that can affect how quickly or even whether the populations of invasive plants adapt to their local climatic conditions. We used data from a common garden experiment to determine the possible formation of latitudinal clines in invasive North American populations of Lythrum salicaria L. (purple loosestrife) from the central portion of its invasive range. Analyses were conducted using the more common univariate approach (nested and oneway ANOVAs; linear regr...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The thermal regime immediately downstream from bottom release reservoirs is often characterized by reduced diel and seasonal (winter warm/summer cool) conditions. These unusual thermal patterns have often been implicated as a primary factor underlying observed downstream changes in the species composition of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. The potential mechanisms for selective elimination of benthic species by unusual thermal regimes has been reviewed. Although the effects of temperature on the rate and magnitude of larval growth and development has been included in the list of potential mechanisms, only recently have field studies below dams focused on this interrelationship. This study investigates the overall community structure as well as the seasonal pattern of larval growth and development for several univoltine species of insects in the Delaware River below or near ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In recent years, Clostridium species have rapidly reemerged as human and animal pathogens. The detection and identification of pathogenic Clostridium species...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wood usage for cooking and heating is still very relevant in most developing countries especially those of sub-Saharan Africa and many parts of Asia. Therefore, sustainable means of generating it for this and other purposes are necessary bearing in mind the influence of indigenous knowledge/users' perspective on any production method regarding success and sustenance. In conformity with this view, questionnaires were administered on 240 respondents in 8 rural communities of Akinyele and Ido Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Oyo State, Nigeria, to elicit information on species that can be used as fuelwood, preferred by the respondents for incorporation into and/or retention in agroforestry plots, out of which 179 (i.e. 75% of the total number of questionnaires administered) were successfully retrieved for statistical analyses. Twelve woody species namely: Annona senegalensis, Anogeissus leiocarpus, Bridelia ferruginea, Daniellia oliveri, ...

Science.gov (United States)

The authors describe an effect of suppression of invasion of the guinea pig eye conjunctiva and the HEp-2 epithelial cells by virulent Sh. flexneri bacilli, with a simultaneous administration of the same dose of avirulent shigella mutants, genetically connected with them. The data of morphological study and experiments with 3H-glucose labeled shigellae carried out on the cell species model indicated that the bacterial competition for the specific sites for absorption on the epithelial cells underlay the observed phenomenon. PMID:331774

Science.gov (United States)

Bacteriocins are an abundant class of antimicrobial molecules that appear to mediate population dynamics within species. The bacteriocins of Escherichia coli have served as a model for exploring the ecological role of these potent toxins. Studies suggest that colicins provide a competitive edge in nutrient-poor environments and that there might be a trade-off between the costs and benefits of colicin production. PMID:10203843

Scientific Electronic Library Online (English)

Abstract in english This report deals with the identification of samples of nematodes recovered from Tropidurus nanuzae Rodrigues, 1981, with the description of a new species, and is a part of a major study on helminth parasites of reptiles in Brazil, taking into account previous data on this subject. The main approach is that referring to the first occurrence of subulurid nematodes in a reptilian host, since they have been assigned previously to birds and mammals.

Wastenet

... This study catalysed  a more comprehensive collaborative research programme, Assessment of the durability and engineering properties of lesser known hardwood timber species for use in marine and freshwater construction, jointly funded by the Environment Agency and TRADA, and managed by H R Wallingford. Additional funding was provided by British Waterways, The Crown Estate, CETMEF (Centre d'Etudes Techniques Maritimes et Fluviales) and VolkerStevin Ltd. Timber ...

Science.gov (United States)

An IR spectroscopic study of the reduction of copper-exchanged Linde Na-Y zeolite with hydrogen or carbon monoxide and oxidation with oxygen or oxygen-18 showed that copper(I) and AlO(+1) are formed during reduction, and that oxidation generates copper(II) ions but does not change the aluminum species. Trigonally coordinated aluminum was not detected.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Current investigations into the biological solubilization of coal with microorganisms focus on the production of solubilizing activity in fungi. Test organisms for this work include a species of the yeast Candida previously isolated from a lignite outcrop, and P. chrysosporium, a filamentous higher fungus which has played a major role in lignin biodegradation research. The studies described are primarily exploratory in nature, and are fundamental to the design of more sophisticated inquiries into the physiology of fungal coal solubilization.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This study identifies new information on the recent distribution of an invasive bird species, the Cattle Egret Ardea ibis, in Algeria. Breeding and wintering distributions as well as breeding numbers were obtained from large-scale surveys in 1999 and 2007, and from historical data. Between 1999 and 2007, the total number of colonies found increased from 51 to 87, and most were located in the northern part of the country. The breeding distribution area, confined to the coastal areas in the 1970s, has shifted further south, and reached the northern part of the Sahara since the 2000s. Most colonies were established during the period 1980-1995. The oldest colonies were generally larger than the recent ones. The number of colonies increased by 83% between 1999 and 2007 in the 12 administrative ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Survival and growth of terrestrial plants is negatively affected by complete submergence. This is mainly the result of hampered gas exchange between plants and their environment, since gas diffusion is severely reduced in water compared with air, resulting in O2 deficits which limit aerobic respiration. The continuation of photosynthesis could probably alleviate submergence-stress in terrestrial plants, but its potential under water will be limited as the availability of CO2 is hampered. Several submerged terrestrial plant species, however, express plastic responses of the shoot which may reduce gas diffusion resistance and enhance benefits from underwater photosynthesis. In particular, the plasticity of the flooding-tolerant terrestrial species Rumex palustris turned out to be remarkable,...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Several studies have shown that migratory birds play an important role in the ecology, circulation and dissemination of pathogenic organisms. In October 2006, a health status evaluation was performed on a large population of migratory birds passing through the territory of Ustica (Italy), an island located on the migration route of many species of birds to Africa, and various laboratory tests were conducted. In total, 218 faecal swabs and the internal organs of 21 subjects found dead in nets were collected for bacteriological and virological examination, including avian influenza and Newcastle disease. In addition, 19 pooled fresh faecal samples were collected for mycological examination. The bacteriological analysis produced 183 strains belonging to 28 different species of the Enterobacte...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Over the decades, basic research in life sciences has profited greatly from the study of the small unicellular fungal species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This yeast turned out to be key for the identification and understanding of molecular mechanisms that underlay the basic functions of all eukaryotic cells. These include, but are not limited to, the regulatory mechanisms behind cellular reproduction (cell cycle control), cellular morphogenesis (cell polarity, cytoskeleton and membrane trafficking) and the management of cellular information (chromosome biology, transcription and translation). Rapid access to genomic information of many yeast species, combined with bioinformatics analyses, provide information on the evolutionary history of yeasts and the molecular ancestry of their constituen...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper examines the pattern of introduced herbivore and predator distribution in the Tanami Desert and tests a series of propositions put forward by Stafford Smith and Morton [1990. A framework for the ecology of arid Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 18, 255-278]. regarding the functioning of arid Australian environments. These authors proposed that introduced herbivore and predator species would be largely restricted to and reliant on productive refugia. We collected occurrence data on introduced and naturalized predators and herbivores at 227 plots stratified by substrate and fire age class across a study area of 700x400km. We also collected data from 16 repetitively sampled transects stratified by substrate and latitude over a 4 year period. Each of the predator species was a...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Mapping the distribution of invasive alien plant species is significant for testing ecological hypotheses and for guiding effective management. Little is known about the distribution of invasive plants at landscape scale, and the factors controlling their dispersal and establishment are still poorly understood. This is the case for Rosa rugosa, an invasive shrub with negative effects on biodiversity in dune ecosystems of NW Europe. The aim of the study was to identify the factors which determine the distribution of R. rugosa in coastal dunes. In a large semi-natural dune area of NW Denmark (2364ha) all patches of the species (1321, 1.3-59.1m2) were GPS mapped. Patch distribution was GIS analysed, based on aerial photographs and vegetation maps. The distance of R. rugosa from the most consp...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Fitness, (biometric measurements, reproduction) and behaviour that are ecologically relevant biomarkers in assessing the quality of estuarine sediments were studied by comparing the responses of the polychaete worm Nereis diversicolor - a key species in estuaries - along a pollution gradient. Intersite differences were shown for all the measured parameters: size-weight relationships, energy reserves as glycogen and lipids, sexual maturation patterns, total number of oocytes per female, total and relative fecundity, burrowing behaviour. The physiological and behavioural status of N. diversicolor was consistently disturbed in the larger, most contaminated estuaries (Loire and Seine, Fr.) compared to reference sites (Bay of Bourgneuf, Goyen estuary, Fr.). Many classes of potentially toxic che...

CERN Document Server

We describe a large class of chemical reaction networks, those endowed with a subtle structural property called concordance. We show that the class of concordant networks coincides precisely with the class of networks which, when taken with any weakly monotonic kinetics, invariably give rise to kinetic systems that are injective --- a quality that, among other things, precludes the possibility of switch-like transitions between distinct positive steady states. We also provide persistence characteristics of concordant networks, instability implications of discordance, and consequences of stronger variants of concordance. Some of our results are in the spirit of recent ones by Banaji and Craciun, but here we do not require that every species suffer a degradation reaction. This is especially important in studying biochemical networks, for which it is rare to have all species degrade.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The relationships between changes in energy metabolism and the antioxidant defense system in the weed species Ipomoea triloba L. during seed germination and early seedling growth were investigated. The effects of some common allelochemicals on these parameters also were studied. Respiratory activity and the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaicol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and lipoxygenase were measured. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation resumed shortly after the seed imbibition period, as indicated by considerable KCN-sensitive respiratory activity in embryos of I. triloba. The occurrence of superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaicol peroxidase, and lipoxygenase activities in the embryos, along with significant KCN-inse...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Invasive species pose serious threats to community structure and ecosystem function worldwide. The impacts of invasive species can be more pervasive than simple reduction of species numbers. By using...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Investigations of radionuclide metabolism and effects in various mammalian species revealed important similarities between animals and humans and between some animal species. These include skeletal deposition of radium and radiostrontium in bone volume; deposition on bone surfaces of plutonium and other actinides; liver deposition of actinides; induction of skeletal or liver malignancies by these radionuclides; induction of tooth and jaw abnormalities; mammary cancer induction by radium in humans and in the beagle; depression of circulating cells in blood; and induction of bone fractures. There are also inter-species differences that may not have been noted if multiple species (including humans) had not been studied. Some of these are more rapid excretion of radium in humans compared with most other mammals; induction by radium of eye melanomas in animals but not humans; rapid loss ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This work studied the effect of the nature of the metal on the performance of Co/CeO{sub 2}, Pd/CeO{sub 2} and Pt/CeO{sub 2} catalysts in the partial oxidation of ethanol. Infrared spectroscopy of adsorbed ethanol and temperature programmed desorption of ethanol were performed in order to establish the reaction mechanism. Catalytic experiments revealed that the product distribution is strongly affected by the nature of the metal. Acetaldehyde was practically the only product formed on a Co/CeO{sub 2} catalyst while methane was also produced on Pt/CeO{sub 2} and Pd/CeO{sub 2} catalysts. These results were explained through a reaction mechanism proposed by the characterization techniques. Co/CeO{sub 2} and Pt/CeO{sub 2} catalysts show mainly ethoxy species at room temperature whereas acetate species is mainly formed on the Pd/CeO{sub 2} catalyst. The ethoxy species can undergo further dehydrogenation and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The transients involved in the reaction of tetracycline (TC) with reducing radicals such as e{sub aq}{sup -}, (CH{sub 3}){sub 2}COH and CO{sub 2}{sup .-}have been characterized by the pulse radiolysis technique. The semi-reduced species formed ({lambda}{sub max} = 630 nm, {epsilon} 3.4 x 10{sup 3} dm{sup 3} mol{sup -1} cm{sup -1}) has been found to be a strong reductant with reduction potential lying in the range -0.450 to -1.40 V vs NHE. TC reacts with e{sub aq}{sup -} at diffusion-controlled rates and the rate constant, depending upon the ionic form of TC existing at a particular pH, varies from 1.2 x 10{sup 10} to 2.8 x 10{sup 10} dm{sup 3} mol{sup -1} s{sup -1}. Based on these results a plausible site of electron addition has been suggested. Reaction of H atoms with TC gives rise to a transient which exhibits spectral and kinetic features different from that of semi-reduced species. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A detailed kinetic study of the epoxidation of 1-octene with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by Pt(II) complexes is reported. The two systems analyzed were (diphoe)Pt(CF/sub 3/)(OH)/1-octene/H/sub 2/O/sub 2//THF and ((diphoe)Pt(CF/sub 3/)(CH/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/))BF/sub 4//1-octene/H/sub 2/O/sub 2//H/sub 2/O/CH/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/. Rate data were determined with GLC from epoxide formed vs time plots. Evidence for many of the organometallic intermediates and the individual steps involved was gained from IR studies, /sup 19/F NMR studies, and especially designed experiments including studies of the acidity effect. In both cases the kinetic analysis suggests a mechanism in which the actual oxidant is a PtOOH species that interacts with a Pt-olefin complex in the oxygen-transfer step (second-order dependence on platinum). 29 references, 12 figures, 3 tables.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The bacterial strain E1R-j, isolated as an endophyte from wheat roots, exhibited high antifungal activity to Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt). Strain E1R-j was identified as Bacillus subtilis based on morphological, physiological and biochemical methods as well as on 16S rDNA analysis. This strain inhibited mycelium growth in vitro of numerous plant pathogenic fungi, especially of Ggt, Coniothyrium diplodiella, Phomopsis sp. and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. In greenhouse experiments, soil drenches with cell densities of 106, 109 and 1012CFU ml-1 E1R-j reduced significantly take-all disease, caused by Ggt, in wheat seedling by 62.6%, 68.6% and 70.7%, respectively, compared to the inoculated control, 4weeks after sowing. Growth parameters such as lengths and fresh weights of roots and...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Background The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) guidelines recommend that antibiotic prophylaxis should be instituted in any patient with cirrhosis and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and that oral norfloxacin, intravenous ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone are preferable. However, the antimicrobial spectrum of the first generation of cephalosporins (cefazolin) covers a wide range of bacteria species, including community-acquired strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, but their efficacy as prophylactic antibiotics in cirrhotic patients with acute hemorrhage was seldom warranted in the literature. This study aimed to explore the effects of cefazolin on the outcome of cirrhotic patients with acute variceal hemorrhage after endoscopic interventions. Method...

Science.gov (United States)

This program is a monitoring study of foliar sodium and chloride in four different native tree species growing in the vicinity of the Chalk Point Power Plant. The sampling areas are composed of a total of 12 tree sites with ten marked trees per site. The data reported cover leaf chloride values determined for foliage which was sampled monthly from May 1977 to September 1977. These Cl/sup -/ data are presented in a reduced graphic form showing monthly trends and in a more detailed tabular listing Cl/sup -/ values for the individual trees.

CERN Document Server

Quivers (directed graphs) and species (a generalization of quivers) and their representations play a key role in many areas of mathematics including combinatorics, geometry, and algebra. Their importance is especially apparent in their applications to the representation theory of associative algebras, Lie algebras, and quantum groups. In this paper, we discuss the most important results in the representation theory of species, such as Dlab and Ringel's extension of Gabriel's theorem, which classifies all species of finite and tame representation type. We also explain the link between species and K-species (where K is a field). Namely, we show that the category of K-species can be viewed as a subcategory of the category of species. Furthermore, we prove two results about the structure of the tensor ring of a species ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A study of specific adsorption of arsenic (As) and humic acid (HM) onto Pt and PtO films using cyclic voltammetry and cyclic massogram in 0.5-M H_2SO_4 is presented, which may serve as an alternative to studies involving specific adsorption of these species on soil minerals. Adsorption of As is normally evaluated by conducting batch adsorption experiments, followed by analysis using hydride-generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HGAA) or inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). We found that specific adsorption of As and HM depends both on the surface and on these species present in the adsorption solution. HM does not desorb previously adsorbed As at the HM concentrations used in the present study, but it does co-adsorb with As from a 1 x 10"-"6-M aqueous solution of As_2O_3 containing 1 mg of carbon L"-"1 HM. Arsenic adsorbs strongly on Pt in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruthenium is one of the fission products in the reprocessing of irradiated fuels that requires a specific processing management. Its elimination, upstream by the PUREX process, has been considered. A process, called electro-volatilization, which take advantage of the RuO{sub 4} volatility, has been optimised in the present study. It consists in a continuous electrolysis of ruthenium solutions in order to generate RuO{sub 4} species that is volatilized and easily trapped. This process goes to satisfying ruthenium elimination yields with RuNO(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2} synthetic solutions but not with fuel dissolution solutions. Consequently, this work consisted in the speciation studies of dissolved ruthenium species were carried out by simulating fuel solutions produced by hot acid attack of several ruthenium compounds (Ru(0), RuO{sub 2},xH{sub 2}O, polymetallic alloy). In parallel with ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The grey-black mudstones of the Sonehat Formation form part of the Middle Jurassic fill of the Jameson Land Basin in East Greenland. The formation is exposed in the southernmost part of the north south-trending, Mesozoic rift system in East Greenland that was part of the epeiric seaway betaveen East Greenland and Norway. Sedimentological observations of the Sortehat Formation indicate deposition in an offshore marine setting that was typically low energy and periodically oxygen-deficient but was influenced by storm currents on occasion. Detailed palynological studies of the Sortehat Formation have resulted in the definition of theee palynological assemblage zones recognised at four localities, namely Enhjoerningen Dal and Pelion (north Jameson Land), the type section at Sortehat (central Jameson Land) and Albuen at Neill Klinter along Hurry Inlet (south-east Jameson Land). In stratigraphic order, these zones are termed the Botryococcus Assemblage Zone, the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) emitted from the mould species Penicillium expansum, P. chrysogenum, Aspergillus versicolor, A. fumigatus, A. niger and Cladosporium cladosporoides were analyzed by means of solid phase microextraction (SPME) and GCMS. The mould species were cultivated on the synthetic agar dichloran chloramphenicol (DG 18) and on wet wall paper. The production of MVOCs was monitored over several weeks to detect changes in the emission rates between the initial stage and later periods of growth. The cultivation on the synthetic agar resulted in MVOC patterns with a wide variety of signals. In contrast, the growth on wet wall paper led to changed MVOC patterns with less signals. The emission rates were drastically reduced. Components emitted by all six fungi species on wall paper were 2-pentanol and 2-pentanone. 1-Octen-3-ol was emitted by five fungi species. 2-Pentanol was ...

Science.gov (United States)

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was localized by an immunocytochemical technique in the thyroid-parathyroid complexes of rat, guinea pig, rabbit, and in normal human thyroids and parathyroids. Human medullary carcinomas and parathyroid adenomas were also studied. In man and all animal species examined CGRP was present in the parafollicular cell, however, in guinea pigs only in small amounts. Except in rabbits, presence of CGRP was demonstrated in nerves of the thyroid and parathyroid capsule as well as in the nerve fibers of the capsular blood vessels. In the thyroid of guinea pigs CGRP was also noted in nerve fibers and in blood vessel walls between follicles. CGRP was also present in the parathyroid glands of rat and man, in nerve fibers localized between parathyroid cells. In rabbit the parafollicular cells between parathyroid cells also expressed CGRP immunoreactivity. No CGRP was noted in the parathyroids of the guinea pig. The ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A study of two villages identified 55 woody perennial species that are maintained in contour strips across slopes and around fields in a subsistence farming system. These trees and shrubs produced fodder and firewood and reduced erosion hazards, allowing crop production on very steep slopes where it would otherwise be very difficult. Data on basic farm management, production of crops, etc. are discussed. The performance of the system is assessed and its strengths and weaknesses highlighted. It is suggested that several locally available medicinal plants could be incorporated into the system.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The results of theoretical and experimental investigations, describing the effect of ionizing radiation on wood and its main components and methods for production of wood-plastic composites by means of radiation-induced chemical modification are generalized. Domestic and foreign experience in their production is systematized; physico-mechanical characteristics of new material, simulation and calculation of irradiating devices, as well as calculation and experimental study of #gamma#-radiation attenuation both by wood material and by wood of different species are given. Gamma sources ("6"0Co isotope, a hot loop of a nuclear reactor) as well as electron accelerators are considered as ionizing radiation sources.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The nature and properties of inorganic "2"1"1At-species formed in aqueous solutions under alkaline, neutral, acidic and oxidative conditions are studied through extraction of At with a variety of organic solvents, followed by the determination of the chromatographic, re-extraction and interaction behaviour of the extracted activity. It is concluded from the Rsub(f) values (on SiO_2) and the different affinities for a large amount fo additives, that the extracted activity - formerly denoted as At-zero - exists of AtX compounds that may form AtXLsub(u) complexes, depending on the kind of solvent (L) used. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The microbial safety of foods cooked in microwave ovens was investigated. The mechanisms of microwave destruction of microorganisms were examined. Effects of time and temperature on microorganisms in different food systems were described. Studies showed that: microwave heating of food is more ''''food dependent'' than conventional heating; recommended microwave treatment time for some foods may not destroy high levels of bacteria; use of microwaves in combination with conventional heating methods results in more uniform heating of foods and destruction of bacteria; and microwaves exert different killing effects on individual bacterial species. (78 references, 2 tables)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract The white sea bream, Diplodus sargus (Teleostei, Sparidae), is a species with a high commercial importance in Mediterranean aquaculture. There is currently little information available about the genetic characteristics of cultured populations. In this survey, we have developed eight polymorphic microsatellites for the white sea bream using an enriched genome library protocol. All of them were polymorphic in the 67 individuals tested, 32 of which were wild specimens, and 35 were individuals from a captive F1 broodstock. These markers can potentially be useful tools for use in population genetic studies.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The proposed short wavelength coherent light source driven by the SLAC 3 km linac might be used to induce transitions between nuclear isomeric states. If an isotope were found with energetically adjacent isomeric states, one short-lived and one long-lived, and it were possible to separate and concentrate the long-lived species, and other nuclear and solid-state parameters were favorable, it might be possible to convert sufficient population to the short-lived state to realize {gamma}-ray lasing. Even if the x-ray intensity were insufficient, study of such driven transitions would be quite valuable.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This research programme has been under way since 1990 to study the long-term synergistic effects of air pollutants and changing climatic conditions on the northern forest ecosystem and to increase the knowledge of climatic change and its consequences for the fragile northern nature. Ecological, physiological, morphological and biochemical methods have been used to study the responses of forest trees, dwarf shrubs, lichens and soil biology to environmental changes. The research programme is divided into four subprojects concentrating on different ecosystem levels. The subprojects are: (1) life, growth and survival strategies of northern dwarf shrubs under the pressure of a changing environment, (2) forest trees under the impact of air pollutants, increasing CO{sub 2} and UV-B, (3) susceptibility of lichens to air pollution and climatic change and (4) impact of elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} and O{sub 3} on soil biology with special reference to ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Many species introduced by humans for social and economic benefits have invaded new ranges by escaping from captivity. Such invasive species can negatively affect biodiversity and economies. Understanding...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the electrorefining step of the pyrochemical process, actinide ions dissolved in the LiCl-KCl eutectic salt are recovered as pure actinide metals at a cathode for a re-use as a nuclear fuel from the aspect of its nonproliferation of the nuclear fuel cycles. The lanthanide species dissolved in the LiCl-KCl eutectic salt play an important role in an effective metal purification during the electrorefining step, so it is necessary to understand the chemical and physical behaviors of lanthanides in molten salt. The in situ spectroscopic measurement system and studies according to temperature changes are essential for better understandable information. To our knowledge, the absorption studies of lanthanides at high temperatures have been reported before, but the fluorescence studies of those at high temperature are not reported yet. We will discuss here the fluorescence behaviors of lanthanides in LiCl-KCl ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The objective of the present work is to study the chemical variation in Calophyllum inophyllum growing along the Western Ghats of India. Contents of dipyranocoumarins (inophyllums) in C.?inophyllum were determined to assess whether they could be used as a taxonomic marker for C.?inophyllum. This study also aims to establish inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers that can be used to study genetic variation within the species and explore correlation between ISSR and chemical markers. The contents of dipyranocoumarins were estimated in seeds collected from 20 locations. Leaves from plants at the same 20 locations were assayed for ISSR variation. A dendrogram based on Nei?s genetic distance as well as principal component analysis based on dipyranocoumarins and ISSR variation clustered pla...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Species invasions are a principal component of global change, causing large losses in biodiversity as well as economic damage. Invasion theory attempts to understand and predict invasion success and...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundCo-flowering plant species frequently share pollinators. Pollinator sharing is often detrimental to one or more of these species, leading to competition for pollination....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Social organisms that cooperate with some members of their own species, such as close relatives, may fail to cooperate with other genotypes of the same species. Such noncooperation may take the form...Full Text Available

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Australia?s nationally consistent framework for gene technology regulation is underpinned by the Gene Technology Act 2000, administered by an independent decision-maker, the Gene Technology Regulator. The object of the Act is ?to protect the health and safety of people, and to protect the environment, by identifying risks posed by or as a result of gene technology, and by managing those risks through regulating certain dealings with genetically modified organisms?. Marketing and trade impacts are outside the scope of assessments required by the Act. Since 2001, seven licences have been issued for the commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) cotton with insect resistance and/or herbicide tolerance. Licences have also been issued for 32 GM cotton field trials with a broader range ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mannitol and sucrose are the main photosynthetic products and translocated carbon compounds in celery (Apium graveolens L.). Carbon partitioning was studied in greenhouse-grown celery plants supplied with a nutrient solution containing or lacking phosphate (P). P-deficient plants developed new leaves at about the same rate as control plants, but showed greatly reduced growth of leaves and petioles; root growth was apparently unaffected. P-deficient leaves contained less mannitol and more sucrose than control leaves. Starch content increased with P-deficiency only in mature (the most photosynthetically-active) leaves, and then amounted to less than 10 mg/g fresh weight. Similarly, when {sup 14}CO{sub 2} was supplied to intact plants, P-deficient leaves contained less label in mannitol and more in sucrose than did control leaves; labeling of starch changed little. The P-status of celery leaves apparently affects the partitioning of carbon between mannitol and sucrose ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A large variety of microwave producing devices are used in contemporary naval communications and weapons systems. Public and scientific concern about potential biological effects of microwave irradiation such as produced by these various devices requires documentations of such effects. Currently, the only well documented direct effect of microwaves is heating of the exposed organism. The present report is of a series of studies whose aim was to explore several microwave frequencies and their effect on performance and simultaneously to investigate the relationship to core heating in the exposed animals. Three difficult sized species of animals were used so that generalization to larger animals could be made. Rats, squirrel monkeys, and rhesus monkeys showed consistent effects of 60-minute exposures to microwaves when their body temperatures were increased at least 1 C above baseline temperatures. Performance was not reliably affected when body ...

Science.gov (United States)

In this study, the complete sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Atelura formicaria (Hexapoda: Zygentoma) is described. The molecule is 15.205 bp in length and it is the third complete mt genome sequenced from the Zygentoma. The genome organization conforms with the putative ancestral insect gene arrangement. All protein coding genes use standard initiation codons (methionine and isoleucine). The exception is nad4 that starts with GTG, a codon used for this purpose in other insect species. A peculiar strand skew bias is observed, given that the PCGs encoded on the J-strand contain more thymines than adenines and more cytosines than guanines. This trend in nucleotide composition has been observed also in the "firebrat" Thermobia domestica (Zygentoma, Lepismatidae), but differs from that of the majority of hexapod species, including Tricholepidion gertschi (Zygentoma, Lepidotrichidae), where adenines and cytosines ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

When a nuclear power station was installed on the Meuse in central Belgium, the impact of thermal, radioactive, and chemical waste on the water of the Neuse and on its biocenoses was studied. Three successive periods of development of the channel bed and the flood plain in Belgium have occurred, and their hydrological, physicochemical, and ecological consequences have been examined. Since the last century, the ecosystem of the Meuse has undergone, due to the increasing activity of man, modifications of increasing importance: marked reduction of the water flow, a drastic increase in the suspended material being transported, a degree of eutrophication of the water, and the disturbance of the original floral and faunal communities. The causes of this evolution of the Meuse can be itemized as different types of human interference in descending order of importance: (1) occupation of the catchment area; (2) encroachment on the flood plain; (3) encroachment on the channel ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Photochemical ozone production is observed in March-September. Highest ozone concentrations and production efficiencies are observed in spring in the northern parts and in summer in the southern parts of the country. VOC concentrations are relatively low compared to continental areas in general. During the growing season a substantial part of the total reactive mass of VOCs is of biogenic origin. Large forest areas absorb ozone substantially, decreasing the ambient ozone concentrations in central and northern parts of Finland where long-range transport of ozone is relatively important compared to local production. The aim of the work conducted at Finnish Meteorological Institute has been to characterise concentrations of photochemically active species in the boundary layer and their photochemical formation and deposition including the effects on vegetation. Also interactions between the boundary layer and free troposphere of ozone have been ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fitness, (biometric measurements, reproduction) and behaviour that are ecologically relevant biomarkers in assessing the quality of estuarine sediments were studied by comparing the responses of the polychaete worm Nereis diversicolor - a key species in estuaries - along a pollution gradient. Intersite differences were shown for all the measured parameters: size-weight relationships, energy reserves as glycogen and lipids, sexual maturation patterns, total number of oocytes per female, total and relative fecundity, burrowing behaviour. The physiological and behavioural status of N. diversicolor was consistently disturbed in the larger, most contaminated estuaries (Loire and Seine, Fr.) compared to reference sites (Bay of Bourgneuf, Goyen estuary, Fr.). Many classes of potentially toxic chemicals present in these estuaries most likely contribute to these impairments but food availability may act as a confounding factor, interfering with the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Use of high plutonia MOX as fuel is contemplated from the point of view of rapid disposition of plutonium and economic power generation. The fuel pellets are subjected to steep thermal gradients #approx# 1700 K drop across a radius of #approx# 2.5mm. This leads to evaporation-condensation of the fuel constituents to cooler regions. Vaporization depends on fuel compositions such as Pu fraction, Oxygen-to-Metal (O/M) ratio and local temperature. Knowledge of vapour chemistry is essential in understanding the fuel behavior. The vaporization behaviour of MOX was analyzed in this work using thermochemical methods. The vapour phase consisted of nine species; O, O_2, Pu, PuO, PuO_2, U, UO, UO_2 and UO_3. Oxygen formed part of the vapour phase along with other species and oxygen potential was not controlled independently. The vapour pressures were estimated at 2000 K as a function of (O/M) for several Pu-fraction. Results for MOX-28%PuO_2 is shown in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The pilot area of the Vyngapour oil field allotted for MIOR tests contains three injection and three producing wells. These wells were treated in summer 1993 and 1994. Before, during, and after MIOR treatments on the pilot area the chemical compounds of injected and formation waters were studied, as well as the amount and species of microorganisms entering the stratum with the injected water and indigenous bacteria presented in bottomhole zones of the wells. The results of monitoring showed that the bottomhole zone of the injection well already had biocenosis of heterotrophic, hydrocarbon-oxidizing, methanogenic, and sulfate-reducing bacteria, which were besides permanently introduced into the reservoir during the usual waterflooding. The nutritious composition activated vital functions of all bacterial species presented in the bottomhole zone of the injection well. The formation waters from producing wells showed the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Cooling towers of power plants are used to dissipate waste heat into the atmosphere. If saline water is used for cooling, a saline aerosol known as drift is released into the atmosphere. Drift effects on vegetation are not well known. To simulate drift for a field study, cooling tower basin water was sprayed thirty separate times during a 46-day period in 1975 on Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipfera), and California privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and white ash (Fraxinus americana) were added in 1976 and all trees were sprayed 43 times during a 59-day period. Only dogwood leaves showed significant injury. Absence of injury on other species was probably due to the ability of their leaves to exclude, or reduce absorption of, toxic concentrations of the ions supplied.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary The objective of this study was to examine the role of root carbohydrate levels and metabolism in the waterlogging tolerance of contrasting mung bean genotypes. An experiment was conducted with two cultivated mung bean (Vigna radiata) genotypes viz., T44 (tolerant) and Pusa Baisakhi (PB) (susceptible), and a wild Vigna species Vigna luteola under pot-culture to study the physiological and molecular mechanism of waterlogging tolerance. Waterlogging resulted in decrease in relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI) in root and leaf tissues, and chlorophyll (Chl) content in leaves, while the Chl a/b ratio increased. Waterlogging-induced decline in RWC, MSI, Chl and increase in Chl a/b ratio was greater in PB than V. luteola and T44. Waterlogging caused decline in tot...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The oxidation of n-butylbenzene was studied in a jet-stirred reactor (JSR) at 10atm in dilute conditions providing new experimental results over the low- and high-temperature range 550-1180K, and variable equivalence ratio (0.25ϕ1.5). They consisted of concentration profiles of the reactants, stable intermediates and final products, measured as a function of temperature, at a constant residence time of 1s, by sonic probe sampling followed by on-line GC-MS and off-line GC-TCD-FID and GC-MS analyses. The oxidation of n-butylbenzene in these conditions was modeled using a detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanism (404 species and 2210 reactions, most of them reversible) deriving from a previous scheme proposed for the ignition, oxidation, and combustion of simple aromatics (benzene,...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Case studies of natural wetlands for treating mine drainage are described. Most of the sites are in northern Canada. The natural wetlands examined suggest that constructed wetlands are a viable option for the passive treatment of mine drainage. Natural wetlands retain many metals, and many species of plants are represented in them. Processes for metal removal include sorption onto organic matter, hydrolysis, and reduction. The results show that wetlands need not be based on cattails to be effective, and that passive mine drainage treatment is feasible in northern regions. Few examples are available of constructed wetlands for treating metal mine drainage. It is concluded that the limitations of constructed wetlands are found not in the wetlands, but in information about them. 37 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.

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In recent years, cobia has become an emerging farmed species in Asia due to its quick growth and high economic value. This study collects biological and economic data affecting the economic performance of cobia farming in three countries, namely Taiwan, China, and Vietnam. The data are collected by questionnaire sampling and analyzed by multivariate statistical analysis in order to compare the key factors affecting the production and economy of cobia farming in these three countries. The results show that Taiwan, China, and Vietnam have significant differences in input intensities and profitability. China has the highest input intensity (3372.42?TWD/m3), as its high stocking density increases feed input. Taiwan has the highest unit input cost (103.44?TWD/kg), as the high quality of the pro...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

To determine a rat strain appropriate for carcinogenicity testing of FYX-051, a xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitor, we performed a 4-week oral toxicity study by administering 0.3, 1 and 3?mg/kg, and 1, 3 and 10?mg/kg of FYX-051 to male Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Fischer (F344) rats, respectively. Histopathology revealed that the degree of FYX-051-induced nephropathy was 3-fold stronger in SD rats than in F344 rats. Our previous study demonstrated that the key factor of species differences in FYX-051-induced nephropathy is purine metabolism. This observation led us to examine the involvement of purine metabolism in differences among two strains of rats. However, purine metabolism was proven not to be implicated as an important factor. Subsequently, other factors responsible for the strain diffe...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The steam generator availability is one of the important problems encountered during the pressurized water nuclear plant operation. Various kinds of corrosion phenomena were observed in the past. These phenomena result from the concentration of impurities mainly in three locations in the steam generators: the tubesheet crevices, the tube support plate crevices, and the sludge pile. Corrections were made in the design and the materials used but a number of steam generators suffer or will suffer from corrosion processes inducing in many cases forcing their replacement. In order to prevent or to retard the corrosions several laboratories have performed experiments to reproduce and to study the corrosion processes. The first step of the degradation is the concentration of chemical species. A method using /sup 24/Na as a radioactive tracer was used to establish the concentration kinetics of caustic which was identified as the major cause of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The thermal transformation of Al-base icosahedral phases was studied in-situ by real time neutron powder diffraction. Different compositions have been selected in order to vary the initial phase morphology and change the neutron scattering contrast between species. Alloys with low silicon and large aluminium contents produce first the orthorhombic O-Al_6Mn modification. In alloys with larger silicon content, the #alpha#-AlMnSi cubic phase appears soon after the beginning of the transformation but is still preceeded by O-Al_6Mn. Depending on compositions, the crystallization of the icosahedral phase is controlled either by the diffusion of Al through its interface with the residual fcc aluminium or that of Si within the bulk. The results are discussed in the light of current structural models. (author) 40 refs., 14 figs., 3 tabs.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The desire to study negative ion structure and negative ion-photon interactions has spurred the development of ion sources for use in research and industry. The many different types of negative ion sources available today differ in their characteristics and abilities to produce anions of various species. Thus the importance of choosing the correct type of negative ion source for a particular research or industrial application is clear. In this study, the results of an investigation on the production of beams composed of negatively-charged rare-earth ions from a cylindrical-cathode-geometry, cesium-sputter-type negative ion source are presented. Beams of atomic anions have been observed for most of the first-row rare-earth elements, with typical currents ranging from hundreds of picoamps to several nanoamps.

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Abstract Plant metabolomics has been well established and applied across multiple fields including medicine, biotechnology, and environmental sciences in the post-genomic era. The Chenopodiaceae C3 halophyte Suaeda salsa is the most important plant species in the vegetation of saline soil and even intertidal zone in the Yellow River Delta, which is economically consumed as food, widely used as a bioindicator of environmental stresses (salinity, drought, and pollution) and typically applied for the phyto-remediation of degraded wetland. However, no global studies have been focused on the metabolic profile of this halophyte which is widely applied in environment related research areas. In metabolomics, the first crucial step is the preparation of plant samples. In this work, several strategi...

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Background Identifying susceptibility genes for endophenotypes by studying analogous behaviors across species is an important strategy for understanding the pathophysiology underlying psychiatric disorders. This approach provides novel biological pathways plus validated animal models critical for selective drug development. One such endophenotype is avoidance behavior. Methods In the present study, novel automated registration methods for longitudinal behavioral assessment in home cages are used to screen a panel of recently generated mouse chromosome substitution strains that are very powerful in quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection of complex traits. In this way, we identified chromosomes regulating avoidance behavior (increased sheltering preference) independent of motor activity lev...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The population of the hyporheic interstice and moss cushions by meso- and macroinvertebrates as found at the three measuring points along the Alte Riefensbeek and the Grosse Soese, respectively, in the period from March 1987 to May 1988 is studied and evaluated together with chemical measurements performed between 1987 and 1990. The six measuring points are positioned along an acidification gradient ranging from non-acid to severely acidified. Chemical and biological paramerters are studied with regard to their suitability as indicators of acidification. A model is presented which decribes the influence of abiotic anthropogenic and natural factors on invertebrate species diversity and populations and which can serve as a basis for the calculation of critical deposition burdens. (orig.).

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The gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata, represents an important economic resource for Mediterranean aquaculture. In spite of its wide geographic distribution and economic importance, only recently studies have been carried out on the genetic composition of natural populations, which have revealed a picture of a heterogeneous degree of genetic differentiation among S. aurata populations. In this study an allozyme analysis of samples from six different collecting sites along the Italian and Croatian coasts was carried out, covering an area in the Central Mediterranean sea that has yet to be investigated through gene-enzyme systems. Data on 26 gene loci, 10 of which are polymorphic, indicate a slight but significant genetic structure (FST = 0.0167) of the species. A hierarchical analysis of pop...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

AbstractBackground In recent years nano-metaloxides which easily penetrate into the cells with special interest due to their higher chemical reactivity as compared to that of similar materials in the bulk form. Of particular interest are nano-TiO2 and ZnO, which have been widely used for their bactericidal and anticancerous properties. Purpose The aim of the present study was to examine the bactericidal properties of nano-TiO2 and ZnO combined with visible light on S. aureus and S. epidermitis, known for their high prevalence in infected wounds. Study Using the technique of electron-spin resonance (ESR) coupled with spin trapping, we examined the ability of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticle suspensions in water to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) with and without visible light irradiation. Th...

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White seabream (Diplodus sargus) is today recognized as a potential species for Mediterranean aquaculture. Still, scarce information exists on weaning practices in order to reduce the live food period. This study aims to evaluate the effect of an early weaning on fish larvae digestive enzymes activities. In order to accomplish this, larvae were weaned with an inert diet at 20days after hatching (DAH) (feeding regime W20) and a control group was weaned at 27DAH (feeding regime W27). Before weaning, the onset and development of the main digestive enzymes were studied. The pattern of variation of digestive enzymes activities were analyzed at 0, 2, 9, 13 and 20DAH, and from then on at 0, 1 and 3weeks after diet introduction; that is, at 20, 27 and 41days for feeding regime W20, and days 27, 34...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

High-temperature LiCl-KCl molten salt medium provides an efficient way to produce the paramagnetic Eu(II) ion to be magnetically diluted into a diamagnetic host medium. Eu(II) was formed by a dissolution and an auto-reduction processes in a high-temperature LiCl-KCl eutectic melt at 723 K by using Eu_2O_3 as a starting material. By using EPR and luminescence spectroscopic method, we studied the nature of the magnetically isolated paramagnetic Eu(II) ion diluted in a LiCl-KCl medium. With the aid of these spectroscopic tools, it was found that stable Eu(II) species was formed spontaneously at 723 K under anaerobic conditions. EPR and luminescence spectroscopy provided detailed information regarding the nature of the europium ion in a molten salt.

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Both cultural inheritance and cultural diversification of diets may play an important role in animal evolution. Here we studied how diet innovation and cultural change relate to cultural inheritance in a changing environment. We did this by studying diet cultures in group foragers adapting to environmental change through learning, and the consequences this has for diet differentiation between groups. We used an individual-based model of `monkeys' that learn what to eat in a rich environment, and we changed resource species that are available in the environment. Relative to social influences on learning that arise spontaneously in groups, we found that more direct social learning, in the sense of observing another individual and copying what it eats, helps groups deal with high levels of en...

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Transparency is essential for normal corneal function. Recent studies suggest that corneal cells express high levels of so-called corneal crystallins, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and transketolase (TKT) that contribute to maintaining cellular transparency. Stromal injury leads to the appearance of repair phenotype keratocytes, the corneal fibroblast and myofibroblast. Previous studies on keratocytes from species such as bovine and rabbit indicate that the transformation from the normal to repair phenotype is accompanied by a loss of corneal crystallin expression, which may be associated with loss of cellular transparency. Here we investigated if a similar loss occurs with human keratocyte repair phenotypes. Human corneal epithelial cells were collected by scraping and keratocytes...

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A one-dimensional, steady-state, two-phase direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) model is developed to precisely investigate complex physiochemical phenomena inside DMFCs. In this model, two-phase species transport through the porous components of a DMFC is formulated based on Maxwell-Stefan multi-component diffusion equations, while capillary-induced liquid flow in the porous media is described by Darcy's equation. In addition, the model fully accounts for water and methanol crossover through the membrane, which is driven by the effects of electro-osmotic drag, diffusion, and the hydraulic pressure gradient. The developed model is validated against readily available experimental data in the literature. Then, a parametric study is carried out to investigate the effects of the operating temperat...

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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Some 43 papers were presented in 4 sections: Organ and bud culture of tree species (24 papers); Cell suspension and callus culture of tree species (11); Culture of haploid tissue of tree species and production of wood homozygotes (3); and Isolation, culture and somatic fusion of protoplasts as a means of somatic hybridization and genetic engineering (5).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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Science.gov (United States)

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and the medial amygdala (MeA) are anatomically connected sites necessary for chemosensory regulation of social behaviors in rodents. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are a valuable model for studying the neural regulation of social behaviors because, unlike many other rodents, they are gregarious, pair bond after copulating, and are biparental. We herein describe sex and species differences in immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine synthesis, in the BST and MeA. Virgin male prairie voles had a large number of TH-immunoreactive cells in areas analogous to the rat principal nucleus of the BST (pBST) and the posterodorsal medial amygdala (MeAPd). Virgin female prairie voles had far fewer TH-immunoreactive cells in these sites ( approximately 17% of the number of cells as males in the pBST, approximately 35% of the number of cells in the MeAPd). A ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper reported on a life cycle assessment (LCA) study that compared the environmental impacts of business-as-usual manure management with those of a manure management operation incorporating anaerobic digestion with combined heat and power generation. The case study was based on a medium sized dairy farm in northern New York State. The study identified the benefits resulting from the displacement of fossil fuels, and reduction of related emissions. Although anaerobic digestion of dairy manure with energy recovery through biogas combustion is viewed as a positive environmental approach to increase the use of renewable energy, there are potential negative impacts that can counteract the environmental benefits. The negative impacts are associated with emissions of methane and nitrogen species during digestion and after spreading of digester effluent. The environmental impacts and their causes should ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has increased significantly in the last years, as has research concerning chemical characterization of these plants. In this study, inorganic constituents were determined in leaves and in extracts from three medicinal plant species of the Casearia genus (C. sylvestris, C. decandra and C. obliqua) collected in distinct regions of the Atlantic Forest, SP. The elemental compositions of the soils in which these plants were grown were also determined. Traditionally, these plants are used due to their antiinflammatory, antiacid, antiseptic and cicatrizing properties. The antiulcer and the antitumor activities of the Casearia genus and its capacity to neutralize snake and bee venoms, have also been scientifically confirmed. The analytical methodology used was neutron activation analysis. Long and short irradiation periods of the samples and the standards were carried out at IPEN's ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proper assessment of the hypothesis which correlates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with the unidentified infrared emission bands requires additional experimental laboratory data. In order to address this need, thermal infrared emission studies were performed on a subset of PAHs suggested to be of astrophysical importance. It was proposed that infrared emission from interstellar PAHs occurs following absorption of an ultraviolet photon. Since energy transfer to the ground electronic state can be rapid for a species in which intersystem crossing is negligible, the emission spectrum may be viewed as resulting from an equilibrium vibrational temperature (Leger and d'Hendecourt, 1987). This has been the basis for using infrared absorption spectra to calculate the corresponding emission spectra at various temperatures. These calculations were made using room temperature infrared absorption coefficients instead of those at the temperature of ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Malformations in farmed fish are a prime research topic as it has a major impact on fish welfare and on the economical value of the product. In this study, the genetic component of spine deformities was estimated in European sea bass, a major species of Mediterranean aquaculture, with the use of a posteriori reconstruction of pedigree with microsatellites. Our population exhibited a very high malformation rate (81%), probably due to intense swimming of fish during pre-growing. The heritability of global spine deformities was evaluated to be 0.21?0.04 on the underlying scale (0.33?0.06 for lordosis, 0.13?0.04 for scoliosis). Deformities scored by an internal or external examination turned out to be genetically the same trait (genetic correlations>0.9), although phenotypic correlations were ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Microbiological comparison between irradiated and non-irradiated foodstuff has been studied for a long time as a way to detect whether a foodstuff has been irradiated or not. Generally, the proposed methods are based on the fact that ionization select species of bacteria which are recognized to be radioresistant. So reduction or elimination of known radiation sensitive microbes from the normal endogenous microflora could give an indication that the foodstuff has been irradiated, predominance of known radioresistant bacteria should be another indication. In the present work, we try to develop a test based on the radiosensitivity of the bacteria independently of their place. These first experiments show that the determination of radiosensitivity of strains isolated from a product or even of global radioresistance of mesophilic microflora could indicate if this product has been previously submitted to ionizing radiations. (4 tabs).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Tungsten, in the form of tungstate, polymerizes with phosphate, and as extensive polymerization occurs, cellular phosphorylation and dephosphorylation reactions may be disrupted, resulting in negative effects on cellular functions. A series of studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of tungsten on several phosphate-dependent intracellular functions, including energy cycling (ATP), regulation of enzyme activity (cytosolic protein tyrosine kinase [cytPTK] and tyrosine phosphatase), and intracellular secondary messengers (cyclic adenosine monophosphate [cAMP]). Rat noncancerous hepatocyte (Clone-9), rat cancerous hepatocyte (H4IIE), and human cancerous hepatocyte (HepG2) cells were exposed to 1-1000 mg/l tungsten (in the form of sodium tungstate) for 24 h, lysed, and analyzed for the ab...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In order to study the species composition of endophytes from wheat healthy plants in Buenos Aires Province (Argentina) and to determine their infection frequencies from leaves, stems, glumes and grains, wheat plants were collected from five cultivars at five growth stages from crop emergence to harvest. A total of 1,750 plant segments (leaves, stems, glumes and grains) were processed from the five wheat cultivars at five growth stages, and 722 isolates of endophytic fungi recovered were identified as 30 fungal genera. Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, Epicoccum nigrum, Cryptococcus sp., Rhodotorula rubra, Penicillium sp. and Fusarium graminearum were the fungi that showed the highest colonization frequency (CF%) in all the tissues and organs analysed. The number of taxa isolated...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Plants use multiple defence mechanisms comprising both constitutive and inducible barriers to prevent entering of phytopathogenic micro-organisms. In many plant species one of the most efficient responses to combat attacking microbes is the rapid synthesis of antimicrobial low molecular weight phytoalexins, for example, resveratrol, 3,5,4prime-trihydroxystilbene (1). Resveratrol and its natural derivatives, however, display only moderate antimicrobial effects. Nevertheless, resveratrol may be a useful lead structure for the chemical synthesis of antimicrobials. In this study, several series of stilbenes have been synthesized, starting from the aldehydes using Wittig reactions to access the corresponding styrenes that were subjected to Mizoroki-Heck reactions to yield the stilbenes in good ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A diffuse-reflectance capability for the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer at the Y-12 Plant Laboratory has been implemented. A sample cell with a 25 to 400/sup 0/C temperature-controlled sample stage and an ultrahigh-vacuum-to-atmospheric pressure gas-handling capability has been developed. Absorbance of light from the spectrometer beam, resulting from the beam being scattered from a powder sample, can be measured. This capability of detecting molecular species on and in powders is to be used to study chemisorption on actinide and rare-earth metals, alloys, and compounds. Cell design is described along with experiments demonstrating its performance in detecting moisture absorption on uranium oxide, moisture and carbon dioxide absorption on the lithium hydride/hydroxide system, and carbon dioxide absorption on potassium borohydride. 13 figures.

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Entomological survey was conducted to know the breeding habitat preference of the forest breeder malaria vector Anopheles baimaii, known earlier as An. dirus species D in the northeastern region of India. Breeding potential of the vector in forest areas was found to be high in water stored in jungle pool (69.84%) followed by elephant footprints with clear water (39.13%) and with turbid water (26.19%), whereas in forest fringe areas, the vector breeding was more prominent in elephant footprints: 65.11% in clear water and 62.5% in turbid water. Although other habitats had shown only low breeding of the vector, all types of habitats were positively correlated with malaria occurrence. Cattle hoof marks (r?=?0.998) and elephant footprint (turbid; r?=?0.999) explained nearly the same amount of v...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In order to investigate the potential role of arctic geese in the epidemiology, the spatial and temporal spread of selected avian diseases, in autumn 2002, a virological and serological survey designed as capture-mark-resighting study was conducted in one of the most important coastal resting sites for migratory waterfowl in Germany. Oropharyngeal, cloacal swabs and blood samples were collected from a total of 147 birds comprising of three different arctic geese species including White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons), Tundra Bean Goose (Anser fabalis rossicus), Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) as well as from 29 non-migratory Canada Geese (Branta canadensis). Altogether, six adeno-like viruses (ALV; 95% CI, 1.74?9.92%) and two avian paramyxoviruses (APMV-4; 95% CI, 0.19?5.53%) were...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Various pyranocoumarins, calophyllolide, inophyllums B, C, G1, G2 and P, from Calophyllum inophyllum (Clusiaceae) leaves of French Polynesia (Austral, Marquesas, Society and Tuamotu archipelagos) have been determined in 136 leaf extracts using a high pressure liquid chromatography-UV-diode array detection (HPLC-UV-DAD) technique. Results show a wide range in chemical composition within trees growing on eighteen islands. The use of multivariate statistical analyses (PCA) shows geographical distribution of inophyllums and indicate those rich in HIV-1 active (+)-inophyllums. Inophyllum B and P contents (0.0-39.0 and 0.0-21.8mgkg-1, respectively) confirm the chemodiversity of this species within the large area of French Polynesia. The study suggests the presence of interesting chemotypes which...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary 1.-The modules of plants experience different levels of resources, and clonal plants can integrate resource heterogeneity. However, no studies have tested whether the benefits of clonal integration depend on patterns of heterogeneity in multiple resources, like high levels of above-ground and below-ground resources in the same patches (-coincident patchiness-) or different patches (-reciprocal patchiness-). 2.-We hypothesized that the benefits of clonal integration can vary depending on whether patchiness is reciprocal or coincident, and that clonal species experience greater benefits from integration when qualitative patterns of resource heterogeneity are more like those likely to occur in their habitats. To test these hypotheses, we grew pairs of connected ramets of Cynodon dacty...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, is the most important shrimp species in volume in world aquaculture. However, in recent decades, outbreaks of diseases, especially viral diseases, have led to significant economic losses, threatening the sustainability of shrimp farming worldwide. In 2004, Brazilian shrimp farming was seriously affected by a new disease caused by the Infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV). Thus, disease control based on rapid and sensitive pathogen detection methods has become a priority. In this study, a specific quantitation method for IMNV was developed using real-time PCR with SYBR Green chemistry and viral load of the principal target tissues of chronically infected animals was quantified. The quantitative analysis revealed that mean viral load ranged from ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Native to Southeast Asia, Hygrophila polysperma is an invasive aquatic weed of lotic habitats in the southern United States and Mexico. An increase in the number of water bodies invaded by hygrophila since 1990 suggests that current methods employed to control this weed are inadequate. Classical biological control may be a viable option for long term regulation of hygrophila in the invaded range. In this study, we used the Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Model (MaxEnt) to prioritize climatically suitable native habitats in India and Bangladesh for conducting exploratory surveys to collect biological control agents. In total, 164 point occurrences from the United States and Mexico and 20 predictor variables, including 19 bioclimatic variables and altitude, were used to predict the nati...

CERN Document Server

Community ecologists are principally occupied with the proposition that natural assemblages of species exhibit orderliness and with identifying its causes. Plant-pollinator networks exhibit a variety of orderly properties, one of which is 'nestedness'. Nestedness has been attributed to various causes, but we propose a further influence arising from the phylogenetic structure of the biochemical constraints on the pollen diets of bees. We use an artificial assemblage as an opportunity to isolate the action of this mechanism. The properties of the network that we studied are consistent with the proposition that nestedness is caused by the phylogeny of diet range in bees, but the claim is preliminary and we propose that valuable progress in understanding plant-pollinator systems may be made through applying the techniques of chemical ecology at the community scale.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The winter syndrome in the gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata indicates that the species is exposed to critically low temperatures in Mediterranean aquaculture in winter. The present study of metabolic patterns and molecular stress responses during cold exposure was carried out to investigate this ?disease?, in light of the recent concept of oxygen and capacity limited thermal tolerance. The metabolic profile of fuel oxidation was examined by determining the activities of the enzymes hexokinase (HK), aldolase (Ald), pyruvate kinase (PK), l-lactate dehydrogenase (l-LDH), citrate synthase (CS), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (HOAD) in heart, red and white muscle after exposure to temperatures of 10, 14 and 18?C. Especially, the increase in LDH activity combined ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

There are 2 models of male adjustment of sperm investment in the ejaculate in relation to sperm competition. The "risk model" predicts that as "risk" of sperm competition increases, sperm investment also increases. This prediction has been supported in many species, including mammals. The "intensity model" involves the number of competing males copulating with the same female and predicts that males will allocate the highest sperm investment at low sperm competition intensity (SCI) and then decreasing sperm investments as SCI increases. Two alternative outcomes are that sperm investment is unaffected by SCI and that sperm investment increases as SCI increases. There are studies supporting all 3 possible outcomes in relation to SCI but no data on mammals. The present paper presents the firs...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Heme peroxidases are a class of multifunctional redox-active proteins found in all organisms. We recently cloned, expressed, and characterized an ascorbate peroxidase from Leishmania major (LmAPX) that was capable of detoxifying hydrogen peroxide. Localization studies using green fluorescent protein fusions revealed that LmAPX was localized within the mitochondria by its N-terminal signal sequence. Subcellular fractionation analysis of the cell homogenate by the Percoll density-gradient method and subsequent Western blot analysis with anti-LmAPX antibody further confirmed the mitochondrial localization of mature LmAPX. Submitochondrial fractionation analysis showed that the mature enzyme (?3.6?kDa shorter than the theoretical value of the whole gene) was present in the intermembrane space ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Seed priming technique has been known to improve germination and seedling emergence under different environment stresses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of seed priming in improving the seed germination and seedling vigor of Agropyron elongatum and Bromus inermis in response to five concentrations of the allelopathic extract of Thymus kotschyanus (0, 5%, 25%, 50% and 75%) under laboratory conditions. Pretreatments included gibberellic acid (250, 500 and 1000 ppm), potassium nitrate (0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3%) and salicylic acid (100, 200 and 300 mg/L). This experiment was carried out as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with four replications. The results showed that seed germination, germination speed and seedling vigor were significan...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Hybrid power plants consisting of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a gas turbine show high electrical efficiencies, however require pressurisation of the SOFC to several bar. This paper presents a theoretical investigation of the pressure influence on SOFC performance and durability. A two-dimensional elementary kinetic model is used to predict the performance of a single cell in the pressure range of 1-20-bar. The influence of pressure on thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, porous electrode diffusion, channel transport and efficiency is assessed. It was found that polarisation resistance decreases with increasing pressure due to increased diffusion through porous electrodes and a higher electrode surface coverage with reactant species. Furthermore, open-circuit voltage increases...

Science.gov (United States)

Pulse radiolysis studies of the formation kinetics and the yields of various phenylcarbenium ions from several different solutes in 1,2-dichloroethane solution have been carried out. The results indicate that there are two kinetically distinguishable cationic species of the solvent which react selectively with the different solutes to form the phenylcarbenium ions. It is suggested that one is a cation radical (yield 0.68 molecule/100 eV) and the other a carbocation (yield 0.20 molecule/100 eV). Rate constants for their separate reactions with selected aromatic compounds and with ammonia have been determined. Molar extinction coefficients have been estimated for benzyl cation, diphenyl cation radical, and anthracene cation radical. 6 figures, 1 table.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Using hydrogen at high pressures of up to 150 bar as an OH scavenger in aqueous MV"2"+ solutions (pH 1) it is possible to differentiate between two kinds of transient formed simultaneously by H-atom attack on methyl viologen. One of them is assigned to an H adduct on the N atom, MV"+H"+, with absorption bands identical to those of the radical cation, MV"+. The MV"+H"+ species deprotonates forming the long-lived radical cation, MV"+. The second type of transient produced is attributed to an H-adduct on the ring carbon, MV"2"+H, decaying by second-order kinetics. The formation of MV"+ by electron transfer from the propan-2-ol radical has been reinvestigated (pH 0 to 7); its absorption spectrum does not change in this pH range. Rate constants and molar extinction coefficients are presented. (U.K.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Although thee are descriptions of a range of radioimmunoassays for human prolactin in various biological fluids, only one of these is an homologous assay using human prolactin as the reference standard and tracer as well and an anti-human prolactin antiserum (Sinha, Y.N., Selby, F.W.; Lewis, U.; and Vanderlaan, W.P., 1973, J. Clin. Endocr., Vol. 36, 509). A homologous radioimmunoassay using human putuitary prolactin has been developed. The separation method is based on the double antibody solid phase system. Cross reactivity with human growth hormone (GH), placental lactogen (HPL), the pituitary protein hormones and prolactins of various species were studied as were values found in normal subjects in basal conditions and after a TRH injection. (author).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The greater amberjack, Seriola dumerilii (Risso 1810) is a semi-pelagic fish and a worldwide species; it is considered a promising candidate for the diversification of Mediterranean aquaculture. In this paper an experimental injection with Listonella (Vibrio) anguillarum was performed to study the immune response of S. dumerilii. Antibody titres to L. anguillarum O1 were determined with indirect-ELISA at different times over a period of 42 days. Results showed that the antibody levels against L. anguillarum were significantly higher in the challenged fish compared to the control. They started developing since the 5th day reaching the highest peak on day 20 after injection, indicating a fast response of the immune system. The observed antibody titre was very high versus L. anguillarum if co...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Sand-filled splash cups were used to study the erosive power of rainfall and throughfall in the humid subtropics of Southeast China. The splash cup measurements yielded precise and reproducible results under both open field conditions and forest vegetation. The splash cups were exposed to specific forest stands of different ages and to selected species (Schima superba, Castanopsis eyrei, Daphniphyllum oldhamii, Lithocarpus glaber) in the Gutianshan (???) National Nature Reserve (GNNR). The results of the measurements under forest vegetation show that the erosive power of throughfall drops to be 2.59 times higher compared to the open field. This accentuates the importance of shrub, herb and litter layers in forest ecosystems to protect the soil against erosion. Coalescing drops from leaves ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dissociative electron capture to CCl_4 is studied by measuring the angular and velocity distribution of Cl"- ions produced in collisions with velocity selected K(np) Rydberg atoms. Analysis of the data using a Monte Carlo collision code that models the detailed kinematics of the reaction indicates that the lifetime of the CCl_4"- intermediate formed by Rydberg electron capture is 7.5 #+-# 2.5 ps and that, upon dissociation, only a small fraction of the excess energy of reaction appears as translational energy of the Cl"- and CCl_3 fragments. The present approach is one of the few experimental techniques yet devised that can probe the lifetimes of collisionally-produced excited states on a picosecond timescale, and demonstrates that Rydberg atoms provide a unique tool with which to investigate the dynamics of dissociative electron attachment. Measurements are being extended to additional species, including CFCl_3.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

As the main forestry species in the Canary Islands (Spain), Pinus canariensis is frequently used in afforestation programs. Several nursery techniques are commonly employed to modify its morphology and physiology with the aim of improving post-planting survival and growth. In this work, we studied how fertilization and light regime treatments applied during the nursery period modify biomass allocation patterns and produce effects in gas exchange and root hydraulic conductance. Seedlings were grown for a 6-month period in the nursery under two light regimes (full sunlight and 40% PAR reduction), and three fertilization levels were applied in each light regime. Morphology, biomass allocation patterns, leaf gas exchange and hydraulic conductance of the whole root system were evaluated. Fertil...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract This study aimed at developing a suitable cryopreservation protocol for embryonic stem (ES)-like cells of a tiny freshwater fish Leopard danio (Brachydanio frankei). Embryonic stem (ES)-like cells derived from blastomeres of the early blastulae stage of the developing embryo were cultured in vitro in a medium containing Leibowitz-15 supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum, leopard danio embryo extract, sodium bicarbonate, sodium selenite, basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor and leukaemia inhibitory factor. The ES-like cells showed properties similar to ES cells in other species. They were morphologically small, round to polygonal and present in patches and extensively expressed alkaline phosphatase and stage-specific embryonic antigen. The toxicity and chilli...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Native plant individuals often persist within communities dominated by exotics but the influence of this exposure on native populations is poorly understood. Selection for traits contributing to competitive ability may lead to native plant populations that are more tolerant of the presence of exotic invaders. In this way, long-term coexistence with an exotic may confer competitive advantages to remnant (experienced) native populations and be potentially beneficial to restoration. In past studies we have documented genetic differentiation within native grass populations exposed to the exotic invader Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens). Here, we examine populations of a cool-season grass, needle-and-thread (Hesperostipa comata [Trin. & Rupr.]) and a warm season, alkali sacaton (Sporobolus a...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Teleost gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) consists of leucocyte populations located both intraepithelially and in the lamina propria with no structural organization. The present study aims to assess different protocols for the isolation of GALT cells from an important fish species in the Mediterranean aquaculture, the gilthead seabream. Mechanical, chemical and enzymatic treatments were assayed. Nylon wool columns and continuous density gradients were used for further separation of cell subpopulations. Light microscopy and flow cytometry showed that the highest density band (HD) consisted of a homogeneous lymphocytic population, whereas the intermediate density band (ID) corresponded to epithelial and secretory cells and some lymphocytes. Respiratory burst activity of total cell suspen...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Experimental wetlands are being constructed on mined lands in the United States as an inexpensive alternative to conventional acid mine water treatment facilities. The US Bureau of Mines is conducting an inventory of these constructed wetlands as part of a long-term evaluative study. Preliminary results, based on the 20 sites surveyed to date, indicate that the wetlands dominated by emergent species are out-performing the Sphagnum-dominated wetlands, and that much of the water treatment is accomplished by other aspects of the wetland, including bacteria, algae, amendments and other plants. Iron concentrations as high as 85 mg/l are reduced to less than 3 mg/l after flow through the constructed wetlands. Manganese is also removed, though somewhat less efficiently. 12 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

T-2 toxin, a highly toxic member of the type-A trichothecenes, is produced by various Fusarium moulds that can potentially affect human health. It is strongly cytotoxic for human hematopoietic progenitors. Alimentary toxic aleukia (ATA), a disease typically associated with human, is primarily induced by T-2 toxin. A comparison of the metabolism of T-2 toxin incubated with hepatocytes of rats, piglets, chickens, and the hepatic subcellular fractions (microsomes and cytosol) of piglets, chickens, rats, and carp (common carp and grass carp) was carried out. The activities of the recombinant pig CYP3A29 on the transformation of T-2 and HT-2 toxins were preliminary studied. Metabolites were identified by novel LC/MS-IT-TOF. Qualitative similarities and differences across the species were observ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The high rate of deforestation over the Andean forests has generated a large proportion of fragmented landscapes in the country. The distribution of oak groves in the country was determined based on ecosystem maps. Charala and Encino oak groves patches are the largest ones found at the east Andes and like others, due to the unfair use of these resources, have suffered a fragmentation process. Fifty-five species of mammals included in 10 orders and 14 families were found in these forests. Chiroptera and Rodentia were the most representative groups. Anthropic processes had produced a 68.1% loss of the habitat and constitute the main threat for these forests. The sizes of the patches were evaluated for three mammal species categories. The patches' area are not favorable for large-size species, intermediately to favorable to medium-size species and are favorable for small-size species. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The resistance of several packaging materials to penetration by 4 species of rice insect pests was determined. Five insects of adult or larval stage were confined in pouches made from 9 different packaging materials with or without irradiated rice. It was observed that both adults and larvae of species Tribolium castaneum Herbst., Sitophilus zeamais L., Oryzaephilus surinamensis L. and Cocyra cephalonica Stainton, were incapable of penetrating pouches made from white polyvinychloride of 0.175mm thickness, low density polyethylene of 0.130mm thickness and 0.150mm thick low density polyethylene. However, penetrations marks were found in pouches made from hard paper with a thickness of 0.155mm, clear polivinylchloride of 0.130mm thickness, low density polyethylene of 0.085mm thickness, low density polyethylene 0.100mm thick, high density polyethylene of 0.06mm thickness and 0.080mm thick polypropylene. Tribolium castaneum could be considered as a ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The adsorption of glycolate anions at sputtered gold thin-film electrodes was studied in perchloric acid solutions by cyclic voltammetry experiments combined with in situ Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and Surface Enhanced Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy under attenuated total reflection conditions (ATR-SEIRAS). Theoretical harmonic vibrational frequencies and band intensities obtained from B3LYP/LANL2DZ,6-31+G(d) calculations for glycolate species adsorbed on Au clusters with (1 1 1) orientation were used to interpret the experimental spectra. Vibrational data confirm the bidentate bonding of glycolate anions through the oxygen atoms of the carboxylate group, in a bridge configuration with the OCO plane perpendicular to the metal surface. The DFT calculations show no significant effect of the total charge of the metal cluster-adsorbate adduct on the vibrational frequencies of adsorbed glycolate ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The known metazoa parasite fauna of the invasive round goby Apollonia melanostoma (formerly Neogobius melanostomus) consists of 12 species. The core of the parasite fauna comprises two species: Cryptocotyle concavum and Diplostomum spathaceum; secondary species are absent; satellite species include Cercariae gen. sp. and Ergasilus sieboldi; rare species are Acanthocephalus lucii, Anguillicola crassus, Bothriocephalus sp., Dichelyne minutus, Hysterothylacium aduncum, Pomphorhynchus laevis, Piscicola geometra, and Tylodelphys clavata. Fifty percent of metazoa parasites that occurred in the invasive round goby in the Gulf of Gda?sk (an invasion that was first detected in 1990) are also typically found in the native Gulf of Gda?sk gobiids. The round goby hosts common fish parasite species: C. ...

Science.gov (United States)

Our research in the general area of acid catalysis involves the characterization of solid acidity and the corresponding assessment of catalytic performance of acidic materials. Acid characterization studies are required to provide essential information about the type of acid site (i.e., Lewis versus Bronsted), the strength of the sites, and the mobility of molecules adsorbed on the acid sites. An accurate measure of acid strength is given by the heat of adsorption of a basic probe molecule on the acid site. A thermodynamic representation of the mobility of adsorbed species on these sites is given by the entropy of adsorption. Important techniques used in these acid site characterization studies include microcalorimetry, thermogravimetric measurements, temperature programmed desorption, infrared spectroscopy and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance. The combination of these acid site characterization ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this work the authors study the stabilization point of a lifted, reacting jet of nitrogen diluted methane in co-flowing air. The jet flow is acoustically forced so as to organize the large scale vortical structures. The validation of the numerical results is possible through a concurrent experimental investigation of a similar planar jet. The use of an acoustically forced planar jet allows for significant savings by the restriction of the computation to two dimensions; the model is otherwise applicable in three dimensions. The authors based their study on the following parameters, which are derived from the experimental setup: a jet width of 1.16 cm, a mean jet velocity of 0.8 m/s, and a coflow velocity of 0.1 m/s. The acoustical forcing is studied at frequencies of 7.5 MHz and 90 MHz, which have been established experimentally as being characteristic of two broad behavioral modes. The authors restrict themselves to five ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The phenomenology of wire chamber aging is discussed and fundamentals of proportional counters are presented. Free-radical polymerization and plasma polymerization are discussed. The chemistry of wire aging is reviewed. Similarities between wire chamber plasma (>1 atm dc-discharge) and low-pressure rf-discharge plasmas, which have been more widely studied, are suggested. Construction and use of a system to allow study of the plasma reactions occurring in wire chambers is reported. A proportional tube irradiated by an {sup 55}Fe source is used as a model wire chamber. Condensable species in the proportional tube effluent are concentrated in a cryotrap and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Several different wire chamber gases (methane, argon/methane, ethane, argon/ethane, propane, argon/isobutane) are tested and their reaction products qualitatively identified. For all gases tested except those containing ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palladium/magnetite nanoparticulate catalysts were developed for efficient elimination of halogenated organic pollutants from contaminated wastewater. Particle recovery from treated water can be ensured via magnetic separation. However, in worst-case scenarios, this catalyst removal step might fail, leading to particle release into the environment. Therefore, a toxicological study was conducted to investigate the impact of both pure magnetite and palladium/magnetite nanoparticle exposure upon human skin (HaCaT) and human colon (CaCo-2) cell lines and a cell line from rainbow trout gills (RTgill-W1). To quantify cell viability after particle exposure, three endpoints were examined for all tested cell lines. Additionally, the formation of reactive oxygen species was studied for the human cells. The results showed only minor effects of the particles on the tested cell systems and support the assumption that palladium/magnetite ...