Procedure for radiolabeling gizzerosine and basis for a radioimmunoassay.

A method for the labeling of gizzerosine (GZ), a biogenic amine found in fish meal, is described. The labeling procedure with (125)I using a water-soluble Bolton-Hunter reagent and a mild water-insoluble oxidant (Iodogen) reagent is rapid and reproducible. The (125)I-GZ hapten was demonstrated to be immunologically active in a radioimmunoassay developed with polyclonal antibodies to GZ absorbed with a histamine-Sepharose column. The curves were linear in the range of 0.0001 and 0.1 microgram/mL. Samples of fish meal previously extracted of histamine with methanol and submitted to acid hydrolysis were contaminated with known amounts of GZ and submitted to the assay. The fish meal samples contaminated with GZ show a dose-response effect similar to the standard curve, and apparently the other component present in the sample did not interfere with the binding of the antibodies to (125)I-GZ. These data indicate the suitability of the radioimmunoassay to determine specifically GZ in fish meal.     

Catholics and Muslims for Choice

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution -     

Remote sensing and GIS for identification of suitable sites for soil and water conservation structures

Formulation of a proper watershed management plan requires reliable and up‐to‐date information about various factors such as morphologic (size and shape of the watershed, drainage parameters, topography), soil and their characteristics, land use, and land cover, etc. that affect the behavior of a watershed. Satellite based remote sensing technology and GIS meets both the requirements of reliability and speed and are ideal tools for generating spatial information needs. In this study, a locale‐specific watershed development plan was generated for the case study area of a small agricultural watershed of Karso, Hazaribagh, India using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS‐1C), Linear Imaging Self Scanner (LISS‐III) satellite data along with other datasets, e.g. existing maps and field observation data have been utilized for generating a land use/land cover map and to extract information on morphological parameters (bifurcation ratio, elongation ratio, drainage density, ruggedness number, relief ratio, and circulatory ratio) and other thematic maps which are an essential prerequisites for watershed development. Morphological parameters of subwatersheds were derived to understand its usefulness for surface water development. The conceptual framework for plan and site suitability mapping for soil and water conservation structures is developed and subsequently, these parameters were integrated with other thematic information viz., land use/cover, drainage, slope, and soil in the GIS environment to arrive at a decision regarding a suitable site for having soil and water conservation structures ( nala bund , check dam, and percolation tank) in its place adopting a holistic approach. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

魔芋DNA快速微量提取及其ISSR-PCR扩增

魔芋属天南星科魔芋属草本植物,其组织富含多糖和多酚等次生物质,这类物质的存在不仅使DNA提取变得困难,还会影响下游的分子生物学操作。采用改进的提取方法,主要包括在2mL Eppendorf离心管中液氮研磨,CTAB-SDS裂解细胞,β-巯基乙醇浓度从2％提高到5％和添加PVP抑制多酚氧化,缓冲液去多糖等步骤,成功的提取了魔芋鲜叶的高质量DNA,其A260／A280位于1．80-2．00之间,产率超过470μg／g,ISSR0PCR扩增效果好。该方法具有快速、低廉、微量、稳定等特点,为深入研究魔芋资源遗传多样性、标记辅助育种和种芋纯度的鉴定奠定了基础。     

ELISA for sulfonamides and its application for screening in water contamination

Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were tested for their suitability for detecting sulfonamides in wastewater from various stages in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the river into which the wastewater is discharged, and two swine-rearing facilities. The sulfamethoxazole ELISA cross-reacts with several compounds, achieving detection limits of <0.04 microg/L for sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfamethoxypyridine, sulfachloropyridine, and sulfamethoxine, whereas the sulfamethazine (SMZ) ELISA is more compound specific, with a detection limit of <0.03 microg/L. Samples from various stages of wastewater purifications gave 0.6-3.1 microg/L by SMX-ELISA, whereas river samples were approximately 10-fold lower, ranging from below detection to 0.09 microg/L. Swine wastewater samples analyzed by the SMX-ELISA were either at or near detectable limits from one facility, whereas the other facility had concentrations of approximately 0.5 microg/L, although LC-MS/MS did not confirm the presence of SMX. Sulfamethazine ELISA detected no SMZ in either WWTP or river samples. In contrast, wastewater samples from swine facilities analyzed by SMZ-ELISA were found to contain approximately 30 microg/L [piglet (50-100 lb) wastewater] and approximately 7 microg/L (market-weight hog wastewater). Sulfamethazine ELISA analyses of wastewater from another swine facility found concentrations to be near or below detection limits. A solid phase extraction method was used to isolate and concentrate sulfonamides from water samples prior to LC-MS/MS multiresidue confirmatory analysis. The recoveries at 1 microg/L fortification ranged from 42 +/- 4% for SMZ to 88 +/- 4% for SMX ( n = 6). The ELISA results in the WWTPs were confirmed by LC-MS/MS, as sulfonamide multiresidue confirmatory analysis identified SMX, sulfapyridine, and sulfasalazine to be present in the wastewater. Sulfamethazine presence at one swine-rearing facility was also confirmed by LC-MS/MS, demonstrating the usefulness of the ELISA technique as a rapid and high-throughput screening method.     

Micromonospora: An important microbe for biomedicine and potentially for biocontrol and biofuels

Micromonospora species have long been recognized as important sources of antibiotics and also for their unusual spores. However, their involvement in plant-microbe associations is poorly understood although several studies demonstrate that Micromonospora species function in biocontrol, plant growth promotion, root ecology, and in the breakdown of plant cell wall material. Our knowledge of this generally understudied group of actinomycetes has been greatly advanced by the increasing number of reports of their associations with plants, by the deployment of DNA cloning and molecular systematics techniques, and by the recent application of whole genome sequencing. Efforts to annotate the genomes of several Micromonospora species are underway. This information will greatly augment our knowledge of these versatile microorganisms.     

Recommendations for establishment of reference standards for recombinant-DNA-derived proteins and polypeptides

An integrated approach is presented for the establishment of purified protein and peptide reference standard materials suitable for both biological and chemical assays. Preliminary considerations, handling and storage conditions, and a variety of chemical methods for defining the reference standards are examined in detail. Of the chemical methods, liquid chromatography (LC), amino acid analysis, Kjeldahl protein assay, electrophoresis, and ion chromatography are key assays in determining the potency, purity, and identity of the reference standard preparation. Finally, the role of liquid chromatography in assessing reference standards for identity and chemical purity is examined and correlated with other methods.     

Simple and Rapid Laboratory Method for Rewetting Dry Soil for Incubations

Soil microbial activity is greatly affected by soil water content. Determining the appropriate moisture content to rewet soils that have been dried in preparation for laboratory incubations to determine microbial activity can be laborious and time-consuming. The most common methods used achieve sufficient moisture content for peak microbial respiration are gravimetric water content, soil matric potential, or percentage of water-filled pore space (WFPS). Alternatively, a fast, simple, and accurate way to ensure that a given soil receives the appropriate amount of water for peak soil microbial respiration is to rely on natural capillary action for rewetting the dry soil. The capillary method is related to the gravimetric method for water uptake and has a strong correlation with WFPS. A microbial respiration test was conducted to compare rewetting methods. The 24-h carbon dioxide (CO₂) / carbon (C) results were very similar and strongly correlated using the gravimetric method and the capillary method for rewetting dried soil.     

日光温室保温帘揭盖时间的确定

适宜的保温帘揭盖时间对室内作物生长及温室的保温性能有很大影响，尤其对冬季温室生产影响显著。该文对冬季日光温室保温帘覆盖时间进行了理论分析和试验研究。利用保温帘揭盖前后温室能量平衡的变化及多元回归方法，推导出确定揭盖保温帘时间的数学模型，并分晴天、阴天两种典型天气展开讨论和试验，结果表明按计算所得保温帘揭盖时间达到了预期效果。     

Evidence for the existence of different uptake mechanisms in soybean and sorghum for iron and manganese

A greenhouse experiment was conducted in which four varieties of soybean (Glycine max L.) and three varieties of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) were grown in a calcareous soil with and without soil applied FeEDDHA (0 and 2 mg Fe/kg soil). Soil applications of FeEDDHA increased Fe concentrations and reduced Mn concentrations in all varieties of soybean and eliminated Mn toxicity symptoms in Corsoy soybeans. Soil applications of FeEDDHA did not increase Fe uptake or affect Mn uptake into sorghum leaves. This study tends to support the hypothesis that there are distinct plant mechanisms between dicots and graminaceous species for the uptake of Fe, and that these mechanisms have a direct effect on Mn availability for plant uptake.     

江西省水土保持场站建设成效及发展对策

江西省现有各类水土保持场站 3 3 5个 ,承担着全省水土保持试验、示范、推广、开发、服务等工作 ,为全省水土流失综合治理发挥了积极的作用。在新形势下 ,要调整结构、创新机制、加快发展 ,进一步促进全省水保场站建设     

罗定江流域水土保持林存在的问题与改造建议

经过十几年的整治 ,罗定江流域的水土流失得到了较好的控制 ,但还存在“上绿下赤”的现象 ,主要原因是现有水土保持林树种结构单一 ,大多数是以马尾松为主的针叶林 ,并且不注意人为促进水土流失区的生态修复。因此 ,必须对现有水土保持林进行改造 ,并采取封山育林、封山禁牧等方法促进水土流失区的生态修复