Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls by GC/MS with ultrasound-assisted extraction from shellfish

An efficient extraction method by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was developed for the extraction of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB 28, 52, 101, 118, 130, 153, 180) from various shellfish. Analytes were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. All the samples were extracted by n-hexane and decontaminated by concentrated sulfuric acid. The resulting samples were determined by quantitative detection by comparing with external standards. The average recoveries of seven kinds of PCBs ranged from 80.92% to 93.89%, and the lowest detectable limit was 0.08-0.03 μg·kg⁻¹. The average concentrations of total PCBs were 14.12–30.61 μg·kg⁻¹ in the samples. This method was highly effective in reducing the cost and time for the pretreatment of samples. This method may be applied for the screening and monitoring of shellfish for organic pollutants in coastal waters.     

Application of ELISA-based kit for detecting AOZ and determining its clearance in eel tissues

Furazolidone, an antibacterial drug that was once widely used in the livestock industry and aquaculture, is now prohibited in numerous countries. It is difficult to detect residual furazolidone because it is readily metabolized in animal tissues but, by using and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, its metabolite, 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ) can be detected. Here we describe the validity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit to detect AOZ in Japanese eel Anguilla japonica tissue. ELISA is capable of detecting AOZ at 1.0 μg/kg in an eel sample with excellent accuracy and precision. Our results show that ELISA is suitable for regulatory purposes and for studying the fate of AOZ residues in eel treated with furazolidone. To measure the persistence of AOZ in eel tissues, eels (1.4–6.5g) were immersed in tanks containing 2 and 10 mg furazolidone/L for 3 h, and then maintained in a tank supplying well water for the next 160 days. The half-lives of AOZ, calculated from the linear terminal part of the excretion curve, were 25.0 days in muscle and 21.6 days in liver from fish exposed to 2 mg/L furazolidone. In the eels treated with 10 mg/L furazolidone, by contrast, high levels of AOZ were detected in liver and muscle, but the half-lives of AOZ were similar to those in fish treated with 2 mg/L furazolidone. The half-lives of AOZ in eel tissues were prolonged by the condition of low water temperature.     

Direct evidence of multiple paternities in natural population of viviparous Japanese surfperch by allelic markers of microsatellite DNA loci

This study was performed to obtain information on the occurrence of multiple paternities in three species of viviparous Japanese surfperch using allelic markers of microsatellite DNA loci. Direct evidence for multiple fertilizations was established by reconstructing paternal genotypes from the progeny of gravid females. Multiple paternities were ascertained in five of 10 broods of Ditrema temmincki and in three of nine broods of Neoditrema ransonneti, but not in Ditrema viride. The number of patrilines detected in the progeny of D. temmincki and N. ransonneti females were two or three, respectively, as determined by the GERUD v2.0 algorithm for reconstructing parental genotypes from half-sib progeny arrays.     

Mechanical insights into the effect of fluctuation in soil moisture on nitrous oxide emissions from paddy soil

Paddy fields are subjected to fluctuating water regimes as a result of the alternate drying and wetting water management, which often incurs a sensitive change in N₂O emissions from paddy soils. However, how the soil moisture regulates the emission of N₂O from paddy soil remains uncertain. In this study, three incubation experiments were designed to study the effects of constant and fluctuating soil moisture on N₂O emission and the sources of N₂O emission from paddy soil. Results showed that the N₂O emission from paddy soil at 100 % WHC (water-holding capacity) was higher than that at 40, 65, 80, 120, and 160 % WHC, indicating that 100 % WHC was the optimum soil moisture content for N₂O emission under the incubation experiment. Small peak of N₂O flux appeared when the soil moisture content from 250 % WHC decreased near to 100 % WHC, lower than that triggered by nitrogen (N) fertilization, which was mainly owing to the low NH₄ ⁺ concentration at this period. Nitrification dominated the emissions of N₂O from paddy soil at 250 % WHC (54.96 %), higher than that of nitrification-coupled denitrification (6.74 %) and denitrification (38.3 %). The contribution of denitrification to N₂O emissions (44.10 %) was equivalent to that of nitrification (44.45 %) in soil at 100 % WHC, which was higher than that of 250 % WHC treatment. In conclusion, the finding suggested that the peak of N₂O in paddy soils during midseason aeration could be attributed to the occurrence of optimum soil moisture under sufficient N availability, favorable for the production and accumulation of N₂O.     

Prevalence and risk factors of mycobacterial infections in farm and trade cattle in southwestern Nigeria

We evaluated the prevalence of mycobacterial infections (i.e., Mycobacterium bovis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria [NTM]) and their associated risk factors among cattle herds and trade cattle in southwestern Nigeria. Through cross-sectional study design, cattle herds from three locations were screened using the single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin test based on two diagnostic standards; more than 4 mm (? 4 mm) and more than 2 mm (? 2 mm) cut-off points. Abattoir study involved screening trade cattle for tuberculous lesions. Overall, 515 cattle from 45 herds were screened. Using >?4 mm, animal level and herd prevalence of 11.7 and 46.7% were recorded, respectively. Applying the ? 2 mm cut-off, animal level and herd prevalence increased to 31.1 and 60.0%, respectively. Significantly, using the ? 2 mm cut-off, cattle in medium size herds/extensive management system (OR?=?1.6; 95% CI 1.1–2.5) and Sokoto Gudali (OR?=?2.3; 95% CI 1.4–3.8) were more at risk of being positive reactors, while Rahaji (OR?=?0.3; 95% CI 0.1–0.7) breeds of cattle and cows in the peri-urban area (OR?=?0.4; 95% CI 0.2–0.9) were less at risk of being positive reactors. Again, M. avium reactor of 21.7% was observed. In the abattoir, 1797 cattle were examined with 126 lesions suggestive of tuberculosis (TB). Culture/molecular analyses confirmed 2.2% M. bovis and 0.9% NTM infections. Risk factors associated with bovine TB among trade cattle were sex (OR?=?4.0; 95% CI 1.2–13.5) and age (OR?=?0.3; 95% CI 0.1–0.9). We confirm 11.7% prevalence of mycobacterial infections among populations of cattle screened with breed and herd size being major risk factors.     

渠系前馈蓄量补偿控制时滞参数算法比较与改进

输水明渠系统控制算法主要由前馈及反馈模块组成,其中前馈模块较大程度上影响了系统控制性能。基于蓄量主动补偿的前馈控制算法受时滞参数影响较大,为比较现有多种算法实际控制性能优劣,并寻求不依赖复杂数值计算的简化时滞参数算法,该文进行了横向的算法比较与优化开发。文章基于蓄量阶跃补偿及蓄量二次补偿2类算法,结合改进比例-积分(proportional-integral,PI)反馈控制器,对典型测试渠系及实际工程渠系建模仿真,选取稳定时间、最大超调流量、绝对值误差积分(integral of absolute magnitude of error,IAE)和绝对流量变化积分(integrated absolute discharge change,IAQ)指标分析了蓄量阶跃补偿、动力波原理、水量平衡模型3种时滞参数算法的控制效果。结果显示,在实际工程渠系中,小流量工况下,蓄量阶跃补偿算法的稳定时间比水量平衡模型算法的稳定时间减小40.42%;大流量工况下,蓄量阶跃补偿算法的最大超调流量最小,仅比目标流量高3%,该算法的稳定时间比水量平衡模型算法的稳定时间减少25.45%。结果表明蓄量阶跃补偿算法控制效果较好,但该算法在推求渠池所需蓄量补偿值时需进行水面线推求,文章依据渠道蓄量变化与流量变化间的线性关系,提出简化的时滞参数显式算法。较传统数值算法,时滞参数显式算法与蓄量阶跃补偿算法的时滞参数差值百分比小于8%,在满足实际工程需求的同时,可明显减少推求所需蓄量补偿值的计算量。文章的比较结论及所提出的简化算法对输配水渠道系统,尤其是大型渠道系统调度具有一定的理论价值和应用前景。     

高压脉冲电场对酿酒酵母蛋白质及DNA的影响

为探究高压脉冲电场（PEF）对微生物的钝化机理,本实验主要采用Lowry法、SDS-PAGE电泳、APIZYM试剂盒、流式细胞仪等方法测定PEF处理对酿酒酵母蛋白质含量、胞内酶活性和DNA等的影响。结果显示：PEF处理后,酿酒酵母胞内蛋白质含量显著降低(p<0.05),SDS-PAGE 电泳图分析发现酿酒酵母胞内蛋白谱图不清晰,且有小分子和 60 KDa 以上大分子蛋白谱带缺失,酿酒酵母细胞内 13 种酶的活性均有不同程度的下降,细胞DNA含量降低,部分DNA变性。结论：PEF钝化微生物与其胞内酶失活、蛋白质和DNA发生外泄或变性有关。     

广东地质发展简史及植物区系溯源

广东植物区系的发展由来已久，现代的广东植物是晚白垩世或早第三世的孑遗物，地层中存在磊量的古植物化石。如本内苏铁，银杏，苏铁等极为丰富，种子特别是大羽羊齿尤为突出，而且在白垩纪晚期至第三纪的广东地层中，存在着丰富的现代植物的化石或化石孢粉组合，如朴树，桦木、鹅耳枥及松、冷杉、雪松等，还有其它阔叶树和针叶树，所有这些都与广东复杂的地质发展史密切相关，它预示着广东植物区系可能起源于亚带山地，而且广东无颖     

Evaluation of Particle Size Influence on Proximate Composition,Physicochemical, Techno-Functional and Physio-Functional Properties of Flours Obtained from Persimmon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Diospyros kaki</Emphasis> Trumb.) Coproducts

The aim of the work was to study the influence of particle size in the composition, physicochemical, techno-functional and physio-functional properties of two flours obtained from persimmon (Diospyros kaki Trumb. cvs. ‘Rojo Brillante’ (RBF) and ‘Triump’ (THF) coproducts. The cultivar (RBF and THF) and particle size significantly affected all parameters under study, although depending on the evaluated property, only one of these effects predominated. Carbohydrates (38.07–46.98 g/100 g) and total dietary fiber (32.07–43.57 g/100 g) were the main components in both flours (RBF and THF). Furthermore, insoluble dietary fiber represented more than 68% of total dietary fiber content. All color properties studied were influenced by cultivar and particle size. For both cultivars, the lower particle size, the higher lightness and hue values. RBF flours showed high values for emulsifying activity (69.33–74.00 mL/mL), while THF presented high values for water holding capacity (WHC: 9.47–12.19 g water/g sample). The bile holding capacity (BHC) and fat/oil binding values were, in general, higher in RBF (19.61–12.19 g bile/g sample and 11.98–9.07, respectively) than THF (16.12–12.40 g bile/g sample and 9.78–7.96, respectively). The effect of particle size was really evident in both WHC and BHC. Due to their dietary fiber content, techno-functional and physio-functional properties, persimmon flours seem to have a good profile to be used as potential functional ingredient.     

Dynamics of dissolved ions in the soil of abandoned terraced paddy fields in Sado Island, Japan

We investigated the soil and soil water chemistry in abandoned terraced paddy fields (reed stand) and a thicket of deciduous broad-leaved trees (thicket stand) on the same slope in Sado Island, Japan. The soils gathered from these plots were incubated under different water conditions to examine the dynamics of dissolved ions. The organic carbon pool in the soil in the reed stand at the lower slope position was greater than the thicket stand at the middle slope position. The high concentration of base cations and an almost neutral pH of the soil water at the reed stand corresponded with the high exchangeable cation concentrations and base saturation in the soil. These results reflect the mineral-rich groundwater percolating down the slope, which may be produced by chemical weathering. An in situ sulfate reduction in the reed stand at deeper soil horizons was identified. The different water conditions in the incubated soils affected the soil pH(H₂O), transformation of Fe, and dominant anions (NO₃ ⁻, HCO₃ ⁻, and SO₄ ²⁻). These biogeochemical processes were more conspicuous in the reed stand at the lower slope position where the concentrations of organic matter and base cations were high. When the abandoned terraced paddy field is developed for the conservation of the Japanese crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) habitat in Sado Island, the reductive subsoil at the lower slope position should be kept waterlogged to limit sulfuric acid generation.