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Major Species (major + species)
Selected AbstractsSoil-solution speciation of CD as affected by soil characteristics in unpolluted and polluted soilsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2005Erik Meers Abstract Total metal content by itself is insufficient as a measure to indicate actual environmental risk. Understanding the mobility of heavy metals in the soil and their speciation in the soil solution is of great importance for accurately assessing environmental risks posed by these metals. In a first explorative study, the effects of general soil characteristics on Cd mobility were evaluated and expressed in the form of empirical formulations. The most important factors influencing mobility of Cd proved to be pH and total soil content. This may indicate that current legislation expressing the requirement for soil sanitation in Flanders (Belgium) as a function of total soil content, organic matter, and clay does not successfully reflect actual risks. Current legal frameworks focusing on total content, therefore, should be amended with criteria that are indicative of metal mobility and availability and are based on physicochemical soil properties. In addition, soil-solution speciation was performed using two independent software packages (Visual Minteq 2.23 and Windermere Humic Aqueous model VI [WHAM VI]). Both programs largely were in agreement in concern to Cd speciation in all 29 soils under study. Depending on soil type, free ion and the organically complexed forms were the most abundant species. Additional inorganic soluble species were sulfates and chlorides. Minor species in solution were in the form of nitrates, hydroxides, and carbonates, the relative importance of which was deemed insignificant in comparison to the four major species. [source] Tagging (Arene)ruthenium(II) Anticancer Complexes with Fluorescent LabelsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 18 2007Fabio Zobi Abstract Fluorescent (arene)ruthenium(II) complexes have been prepared by tagging a small fluorogenic reporter onto the chelating ligand of complexes of the type [(,6 -arene)RuCl(Z)]+ (Z = chelating ligand). Complexes [(,6 - p -cym)RuCl(NNO)](Cl) (2), [(,6 - p -cym)RuCl(L3)](Cl) (3) and [(,6 - p -cym)RuCl(L4)](Cl) (4) {p -cym = p- cymene, NNO = 2-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]ethanol, L3 = 2-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]ethyl-2-(methylamino)benzoate and L4 = N -{2-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]ethyl}-2-(methylamino)benzamide} were obtained in good yield from the reaction of the Ru dimer [(,6 - p -cym)RuCl2]2 (1) and the corresponding ligand. The compounds have been fully characterized and their X-ray crystal structures are reported. Compounds 3 and 4 show a photoluminescence response centered at 435 nm with partial fluorescence quenching of the fluorogenic reporters L3 and L4 upon coordination to the metal center. Species 2,4 show good solubility both in water and organic solvents. In water, 2,4 readily hydrolyze to form the aqua complexes. These are stable at acidic pH forming 10,15,% of the corresponding hydroxido complexes in buffered solution (25 mM HEPES) as the pH is raised to a physiological value (pH = 7.44). Under these conditions, 4 (but not 2 or 3) undergoes a fast pH-dependent reversible intramolecular rearrangement. Experimental data and semiempirical calculations indicate that the major species arising from this transformation is a complex with a tridentate chelating ligand following deprotonation at the nitrogen atom of the amide group. Esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of 3 liberates isatoic acid (MIAH) and generates 2 indicating that the complex is a substrate for the enzyme. Complexes similar to 3 may have potential for esterase-activated Ru-based prodrug delivery systems.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007) [source] The N-glycans of yellow jacket venom hyaluronidases and the protein sequence of its major isoform in Vespula vulgarisFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 20 2005Daniel Kolarich Hyaluronidase (E.C. 3.2.1.35), one of the three major allergens of yellow jacket venom, is a glycoprotein of 45 kDa that is largely responsible for the cross-reactivity of wasp and bee venoms with sera of allergic patients. The asparagine-linked carbohydrate often appears to constitute the common IgE-binding determinant. Using a combination of MALDI MS and HPLC of 2-aminopyridine-labelled glycans, we found core-difucosylated paucimannosidic glycans to be the major species in the 43,45 kDa band of Vespula vulgaris and also in the corresponding bands of venoms from five other wasp species (V. germanica, V. maculifrons, V. pensylvanica, V. flavopilosa and V. squamosa). Concomitant peptide mapping of the V. vulgaris 43 kDa band identified the known hyaluronidase, Ves v 2 (SwissProt P49370), but only as a minor component. De novo sequencing by tandem MS revealed the predominating peptides to resemble a different, yet homologous, sequence. cDNA cloning retrieved a sequence with 58 and 59% homology to the previously known isoform and to the Dolichovespula maculata and Polistes annularis hyaluronidases. Close homologues of this new, putative hyaluronidase b (Ves v 2b) were also the major isoform in the other wasp venoms. [source] Medium-term vegetation dynamics and their association with edaphic conditions in two Hungarian saline grassland communitiesGRASSLAND SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010Tibor Tóth Abstract Medium-term (5.5 years) changes in the cover of major species in "Artemisia saline puszta" (Ass) and "Pannonic Puccinellia limosa hollow" (PPlh) grassland communities in the Kiskunság region, Hungary, were monitored and analyzed in relation to abiotic factors (e.g. air temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, salinity and alkalinity). Soil salinity varied considerably, indicating leaching and desalinization of surface layers as the most typical process occurring in the region. Yearly average covers of Artemisia santonicum and Plantago maritima were negatively and positively related to surface soil salinity, respectively, in accordance with their salt tolerance. Multiple regression analysis showed soil pH and salinity to be the most important factors determining yearly average cover of plants at Ass. Increasing pH increased the cover of A. santonicum and P. maritima, but decreased the cover of Podospermum canum. Increasing salinity decreased the cover of A. santonicum and P. canum. At PPlh, pH of groundwater had a positive effect and the lakewater level had a negative effect on the cover of Puccinellia limosa. The results provide information on the ongoing changes in the soil properties and the resulting changes in plant composition in these Hungarian salt-affected grasslands. [source] Hydrogen utilization as a fuel: hydrogen-blending effects in flame structure and NO emission behaviour of CH4,air flameINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2007Jeong Park Abstract Hydrogen-blending effects in flame structure and NO emission behaviour are numerically studied with detailed chemistry in methane,air counterflow diffusion flames. The composition of fuel is systematically changed from pure methane to the blending fuel of methane,hydrogen through H2 molar addition up to 30%. Flame structure, which can be described representatively as a fuel consumption layer and a H2,CO consumption layer, is shown to be changed considerably in hydrogen-blending methane flames, compared to pure methane flames. The differences are displayed through maximum flame temperature, the overlap of fuel and oxygen, and the behaviours of the production rates of major species. Hydrogen-blending into hydrocarbon fuel can be a promising technology to reduce both the CO and CO2 emissions supposing that NOx emission should be reduced through some technologies in industrial burners. These drastic changes of flame structure affect NO emission behaviour considerably. The changes of thermal NO and prompt NO are also provided according to hydrogen-blending. Importantly contributing reaction steps to prompt NO are addressed in pure methane and hydrogen-blending methane flames. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Detection of oral streptococci with collagen-binding properties in saliva specimens from mothers and their childrenINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 4 2010RYOTA NOMURA International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 254,260 Background., Approximately 10,20% of Streptococcus mutans strains have been reported to possess collagen-binding properties, whereas other species in the oral cavity with those properties remain to be elucidated. Aim., To identify strains with collagen-binding properties and analyse their characteristics in comparison with S. mutans. Design., A total of 110 expectorated saliva specimens were collected from 55 pairs of mothers and their children. Bacterial strains with collagen-binding properties were isolated and the species specified. In addition, strains with collagen-binding properties isolated from mother,child pairs were analysed using molecular biological approaches. Results., The detection frequency of strains with collagen-binding properties was shown to be 40.9%, among which S. salivarius was the most frequently detected, followed by S. mutans. The collagen-binding activity of the S. mutans group was the highest, followed by S. salivarius. In addition, S. mutans and S. salivarius strains from 3 and 1 mother,child pairs, respectively, were shown to be the same clones. Conclusions., Our results indicate that S. mutans and S. salivarius are major species with collagen-binding properties in the oral cavity, and that strains with such properties may be related to mother,child transmission. [source] The epidemiology of the sea lice, Caligus elongatus Nordmann, in marine aquaculture of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in ScotlandJOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES, Issue 7 2002C W Revie Although Caligus elongatus is one of two major species of sea lice that parasitize farmed salmon, its epidemiology has not been extensively studied. In this communication, the abundances of the adult stage of C. elongatus in salmon populations from 33 farms in the West of Scotland between 1997 and 2000 have been analysed for evidence of seasonal and annual patterns. The findings indicate that the pattern of C. elongatus is remarkably consistent from year to year, and directly opposed to that reported for Lepeophtheirus salmonis, the other major caligid species. In particular, adult infestations rapidly increase from the start of July each year, and are more prevalent on salmon in the first year of production than the second year. Treatment is seen to have an effect on levels of infestation but it is not clear why this species should have significantly lower levels of abundance in the second year of production. There is also evidence that fallowing has no effect on abundance. Strategic management programmes for the control of sea lice on salmon farms, which are increasingly effective in controlling L. salmonis, may also have to give greater consideration to C. elongatus. [source] Cerebral vascular accumulation of Dutch-type A,42, but not wild-type A,42, in hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis, Dutch typeJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 13 2007Kazuchika Nishitsuji Abstract Hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis, Dutch type (HCHWA-D), is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by the Dutch mutation (E693Q) in the ,-amyloid precursor protein. This mutation produces an aberrant amyloid , (A,) species (A,E22Q) and causes severe meningocortical vascular A, deposition. We analyzed the A, composition of the vascular amyloid in the brains of HCHWA-D patients. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the vascular amyloid contained both A,40 and A,42, with a high A,40/A,42 ratio. In Western blotting of cerebral microvessel fractions isolated from the brains, both wild-type and Dutch-type A,40 were observed as major species. Reverse-phase HPLC-mass spectrometric analysis of the fractions revealed both wild-type and Dutch-type A,38 as the other main components of the vascular amyloid. Moreover, we detected peaks corresponding to Dutch-type A,42 but not to wild-type A,42. These results suggest a pathogenic role for the mutant A,42 in addition to the mutant A,40 in the cerebral amyloid angiopathy of HCHWA-D. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Improvement of rotational CARS thermometry in fuel-rich hydrocarbon flames by inclusion of N2 -H2 Raman line widthsJOURNAL OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY, Issue 7 2009Alexis Bohlin Abstract In rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) thermometry applied to air-fed flames, the temperature sensitivity mainly depends on the intensity distribution of the nitrogen spectral lines. Temperatures are estimated by numerical fitting of theoretical spectra to experimental ones, and one uncertainty in the calculation of theoretical CARS spectra for specific flame conditions is the accuracy in utilized line-broadening coefficients. In a previous article, self-broadened N2 -N2 line widths were considered in the spectral calculations as well as those of N2 -CO, N2 -CO2, N2 -H2O, and N2 -O2. In the present article, we also include N2 -H2 line widths calculated from a newly developed model, and it is shown that the evaluated temperature from flame spectra increases with increasing mole fractions of hydrogen. For example, in a very rich flame at , = 2.5, the use of available line-width data for all major species gives a temperature raise of 72 K at a temperature of ,1700 K, in comparison with using self-broadened N2 -N2 line widths only. Half of this temperature raise is related to the inclusion of N2 -H2 line widths. This article emphasizes the importance of using adequate line-broadening models for rotational CARS thermometry in flames. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Quantitative diagnostics of a methane/air mini-flame by Raman spectroscopy,JOURNAL OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY, Issue 1-3 2006J. M. Fernández Abstract We present a quantitative investigation by linear Raman spectroscopy of a methane/air premixed flame from a commercial burner. Rotational temperatures and absolute densities of the major species, N2, O2, CH4, CO2, and H2O have been measured in a grid of points across the flame section. Axial and radial profiles of temperature and densities are reported, and mass balances along the flame axis are discussed. We show the capabilities of this technique for combustion studies by using currently available standard detectors and spectrometers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Superficial community-acquired skin infections: prevalence of bacteria and antibiotic susceptibility in FranceJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 12 2009G Lorette Abstract Objective, Evaluation of the susceptibility to currently used antibiotics of bacteria, particularly S. aureus isolated from superficial community- acquired skin infection and to compare results with those from an earlier study. Methods, Every dermatologist in community practice participating in the study was asked to include the first two patients consulting them for superficial cutaneous bacterial infection. Swab specimens collected from the skin infection were sent to a central laboratory. Results, The dermatologist enrolled 390 patients in the study. The rate of positive culture was 49%, 259 bacterial strains were isolated. S. aureus was the major species (56.8% of all isolated strains). S. aureus was resistant to methicillin in 4%. All strains of S. aureus were susceptible to pristinamycin and mupirocin. Conclusions, The results of the two epidemiological studies of superficial community acquired skin infections with a comparable methodology at a 6-year interval demonstrated that the prevalence of CA-MRSA skin infection remained low in this setting. [source] Insecticide resistance in vector mosquitoes in ChinaPEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 11 2006Feng Cui Abstract Because of their special behaviour, physiology and close relationship with humans, mosquitoes act as one of the most important vectors of human diseases, such as filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, dengue and malaria. The major vector mosquitoes are members of the Culex, Aedes and Anopheles genera. Insecticides play important roles in agricultural production and public health, especially in a country with a huge human population, like China. Large quantities of four classes of insecticides, organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids, are applied annually to fields or indoors in China, directly or indirectly bringing heavy selection pressure on vector populations. The seven major species of vector mosquito in China are the Culex pipiens L. complex, C. tritaeniorhynchus Giles, Anopheles sinensis Wied., A. minimus Theobald, A. anthropophagus Xu & Feng, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Ae. aegypti L., and all have evolved resistance to all the above types of insecticide except the carbamates. The degree of resistance varies among mosquito species, insecticide classes and regions. This review summarizes the resistance status of these important vector mosquitoes, according to data reported since the 1990s, in order to improve resistance management and epidemic disease control, and to communicate this information from China to the wider community. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Chaperonin-assisted folding of glutamine synthetase under nonpermissive conditions: Off-pathway aggregation propensity does not determine the co-chaperonin requirementPROTEIN SCIENCE, Issue 12 2000Paul A. Voziyan Abstract One of the proposed roles of the GroEL-GroES cavity is to provide an "infinite dilution" folding chamber where protein substrate can fold avoiding deleterious off-pathway aggregation. Support for this hypothesis has been strengthened by a number of studies that demonstrated a mandatory GroES requirement under nonpermissive solution conditions, i.e., the conditions where proteins cannot spontaneously fold. We have found that the refolding of glutamine synthetase (GS) does not follow this pattern. In the presence of natural osmolytes trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) or potassium glutamate, refolding GS monomers readily aggregate into very large inactive complexes and fail to reactivate even at low protein concentration. Surprisingly, under these "nonpermissive" folding conditions, GS can reactivate with GroEL and ATP alone and does not require the encapsulation by GroES. In contrast, the chaperonin dependent reactivation of GS under another nonpermissive condition of low Mg2+ (<2 mM MgCl2) shows an absolute requirement of GroES. High-performance liquid chromatography gel filtration analysis and irreversible misfolding kinetics show that a major species of the GS folding intermediates, generated under these "low Mg2+" conditions exist as long-lived metastable monomers that can be reactivated after a significantly delayed addition of the GroEL. Our results indicate that the GroES requirement for refolding of GS is not simply dictated by the aggregation propensity of this protein substrate. Our data also suggest that the GroEL-GroES encapsulated environment is not required under all nonpermissive folding conditions. [source] Determining the important environmental variables controlling plant species community composition in mesotrophic grasslands in Great BritainAPPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 4 2009Veronika Kalusová Abstract Question: What is the relative importance of local site effects and selected important environmental variables in determining plant species composition? How do species respond to these environmental variables? Location: Ten mesotrophic grassland sites of high conservation value in southern England. Methods: Species cover was assessed in between 10 and 25 randomly selected 1-m2 quadrats at each site. At each quadrat degree of waterlogging (W), soil Olsen extractable phosphorus (P) and soil pH were measured. Variation partitioning was used to separate site and soil effects, and HOF (Huisman, Olff & Fresco) modelling was used to produce response curves for the major species on soil gradients, based on coenoclines derived from partial canonical correspondence analysis (pCCA). Results: Variation partitioning identified Site as the most important environmental variable (34.6%). Only 18.7% was accounted for by the three soil variables together; W (degree of waterlogging), P and pH accounted for 11.1%, 5.7% and 4.3%, respectively in raw form with 2.4% shared. However, when Site and the other soil variables were removed the variation explained reduced to 2.3% for W, 1.1% for P and 1.0% for pH. The species responses to each of these soil environmental factors could be separated into four types on each gradient. Most species were abundant at low W, low soil P and intermediate pH. Conclusions: Site-based factors were more important than the three soil variables, which were assumed to be directly or indirectly associated with productivity. This implies that each site has unique properties that are more important than the soil variables. The three soil factors were, however, significant and the groups of the most common species, based on significant response curves, can be used as a first approximation of indicators of environmental conditions in British mesotrophic grasslands for conservation. However, W accounted for most variation, and the current reliance on soil available P and soil pH for assessing conservation/restoration potential should be viewed with caution. [source] The Role of Ion Pairs in the Second-Order NLO Response of 4-X-1-Methylpiridinium Salts,CHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 2 2010Francesca Tessore Dr. Abstract A series of 4-X-1-methylpyridinium cationic nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores (X=(E)-CHCHC6H5; (E)-CHCHC6H4 -4,-C(CH3)3; (E)-CHCHC6H4 -4,-N(CH3)2; (E)-CHCHC6H4 -4,-N(C4H9)2; (E,E)-(CHCH)2C6H4 -4,-N(CH3)2) with various organic (CF3SO3,, p -CH3C6H4SO3,), inorganic (I,, ClO4,, SCN,, [Hg2I6]2,) and organometallic (cis -[Ir(CO)2I2],) counter anions are studied with the aim of investigating the role of ion pairing and of ionic dissociation or aggregation of ion pairs in controlling their second-order NLO response in anhydrous chloroform solution. The combined use of electronic absorption spectra, conductimetric measurements and pulsed field gradient spin echo (PGSE) NMR experiments show that the second-order NLO response, investigated by the electric-field-induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) technique, of the salts of the cationic NLO chromophores strongly depends upon the nature of the counter anion and concentration. The ion pairs are the major species at concentration around 10,3,M, and their dipole moments were determined. Generally, below 5×10,4,M, ion pairs start to dissociate into ions with parallel increase of the second-order NLO response, due to the increased concentration of purely cationic NLO chromophores with improved NLO response. At concentration higher than 10,3,M, some multipolar aggregates, probably of H type, are formed, with parallel slight decrease of the second-order NLO response. Ion pairing is dependent upon the nature of the counter anion and on the electronic structure of the cationic NLO chromophore. It is very strong for the thiocyanate anion in particular and, albeit to a lesser extent, for the sulfonated anions. The latter show increased tendency to self-aggregate. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||