Copper and arsenic (enargite) contamination of soils along a toposequence in Chinkuashih,northern Taiwan

This study investigates the species of Cu and As (enargite) residues present in soils of the Chinkuashih area, northern Taiwan. Two pedons, on the shoulder and footslope along a toposequence, were examined for their metal partitioning and geochemical origins. The bulk soils were analyzed by sequential extraction combined with mineralogical analyses, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy ∕ energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM ∕ EDS) analyses. Soil pH ranged from 4.23 to 4.91 with low base saturation, and the soils can be classified as fine, mixed, thermic, Typic Kandiudults. Mineralogical study indicated that enargite and pyrite particles mainly coexisted in silt and sand fractions, particularly in lower soil horizons of the footslope, showing high contents of Cu and As. Kaolinite and illite were dominant minerals in clay fractions. The footslope accumulated more total Cu and As than that of shoulder pedon. The sequential extraction experiments resulted in high proportions of Cu remaining in residual fractions, while the most of As was bound in amorphous Fe and Al oxyhydroxide fraction. The risk analyses of Cu and As (enargite) contamination in soils of the Chinkuashih area merits further study.     

Effect of Dietary N‐Carbamylglutamate Levels on Reproductive Performance of Gilts

The effect of dietary N‐carbamylglutamate (NCG) supplementation during the entire gestation on reproductive performance of gilts was determined. At the initial day of gestation, forty‐five cross‐bred (Landrace × Large white) gilts were randomly assigned to five groups receiving a basal diet (control group) and basal diet supplemented with 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20% NCG until parturition, respectively. At parturition, total litter size, live litter size and rate of stillbirth were not markedly affected by NCG supplementation. However, gilts in 0.05% NCG‐supplemented group had more pigs born alive than gilts in control group (+1.11 pigs, p = 0.12), and live litter weight was increased (+12.13–19.17%, p < 0.05) in 0.05%, 0.10% and 0.15% NCG‐supplemented groups relative to control group. And also, average birthweight of piglets born alive was higher (+6.57%, p < 0.05) in 0.05% NCG‐supplemented group than in control group. Furthermore, on days 30, 60, 90 and 110 of gestation, concentrations of arginine and ornithine in plasma were higher (p < 0.05) in 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20% NCG‐supplemented groups than in control group, respectively. In addition, the chorioallantois gene expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A), placental growth factor (PLGF) and angiopoietin‐2 (ANG‐2) was all increased (p < 0.05) in 0.05%, 0.10% and 0.15% NCG‐supplemented groups than in control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg NCG during the entire gestation significantly improves pregnancy outcomes in gilts, which may be associated with the improved concentrations of arginine in plasma and placental angiogenic factors gene expression of gilts.     

Virus-enabled synthesis and assembly of nanowires for lithium ion battery electrodes

The selection and assembly of materials are central issues in the development of smaller, more flexible batteries. Cobalt oxide has shown excellent electrochemical cycling properties and is thus under consideration as an electrode for advanced lithium batteries. We used viruses to synthesize and assemble nanowires of cobalt oxide at room temperature. By incorporating gold-binding peptides into the filament coat, we formed hybrid gold-cobalt oxide wires that improved battery capacity. Combining virus-templated synthesis at the peptide level and methods for controlling two-dimensional assembly of viruses on polyelectrolyte multilayers provides a systematic platform for integrating these nanomaterials to form thin, flexible lithium ion batteries.     

Estimated distribution and movement of hairtail Trichiurus lepturus in the Aru Sea, based on the logbook records of trawlers

SUMMARY: The distribution and movement of the hairtail Trichiurus lepturus stock in the Aru Sea were investigated using logbook data from four Taiwanese commercial otter trawlers. Fluctuations in population size, population density index and the distribution of catch per unit effort (CPUE) and fishing effort are discussed. The CPUE data were standardized by using the generalized linear model (GLM) in which fishing month, fishing area and size category of the hairtail were taken into account. The fishing season could be divided into three episodes: aggregation between March and April, dispersion between May and June, and aggregation again between July and December. A seasonal two-peak distribution of the population size of hairtail reflects the aggregation–dispersion pattern. The first peak in May–June can be explained in terms of the hairtails' overwintering migration. The second peak in October–December is likely to be the result of spawning aggregation.     

Free amino acid content in leaf and root tissues of clubroot-resistant and clubroot-susceptible cabbages

Summary Leaf and root tissues of clubroot-resistant cabbage line 8–41 and cultivar Badger Shipper, and clubroot-susceptible cultivars Penn State Ballhead and Golden Acre were analysed for free amino acid content. There was no relationship between total free amino acid content and susceptibility to the disease. Alanine and asparagine contents were higher in the leaf tissue in resistant cabbage. Tyrosine content appeared to be higher in the root tissue of the resistant plants than that of susceptible ones.     

Transfer of resistance to race 2 of Plasmodiophora Brassicae from Brassica napus to cabbage (B. oleracea var. Capitata). I. Interspecific hybridization between B. napus and B. oleracea var. Capitata

Summary Interspecific hybridization between Brassica napus L. (2n=38, a₁a₁c₁c₁) and B. oleracea var. capitata L. (2x- and 4x-cabbage; 2n=2x=18, cc and 2n=4x=36, cccc) was carried out for the purpose of transferring clubroot disease resistance from the amphidiploid species to cabbage. Nineteen hybrids with three different chromosome levels (2n=28, a₁c₁c; 2n=37, a₁c₁cc and 2n=55, a₁c₁cccc) were obtained. The F₁ plants were mostly intermediate between the two parents but as the number of c genomes in the hybrids increased, the more closely the hybrids resembled the cabbage parent. All F₁ hybrids were resistant when tested against race 2 of Plasmodiophora brassicae wor. The complete dominance of resistance over susceptibility suggested that the gene(s) controlling resistance to this particular race of the clubroot pathogen is probably located on a chromosome of the a genome in Brassica.Contribution No. J654.     

A cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays detected by Fermi in the Cygnus superbubble

The origin of Galactic cosmic rays is a century-long puzzle. Indirect evidence points to their acceleration by supernova shockwaves, but we know little of their escape from the shock and their evolution through the turbulent medium surrounding massive stars. Gamma rays can probe their spreading through the ambient gas and radiation fields. The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has observed the star-forming region of Cygnus X. The 1- to 100-gigaelectronvolt images reveal a 50-parsec-wide cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays that flood the cavities carved by the stellar winds and ionization fronts from young stellar clusters. It provides an example to study the youth of cosmic rays in a superbubble environment before they merge into the older Galactic population.