Preparations,Characterizations and Applications of Chitosan-based Nanoparticles

Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide prepared by the N-deacetylation of chitin. In this paper we have reviewed the methods of preparation of chitosan-based nanoparticles and their pharmaceutical applications. There are five methods of their preparations： emulsion cross-linking, emulsion-droplet coalescence, ionic gelation, reverse micellar method and chemically modified chitosan method. Chitosan nanoparticles are used as carriers for low molecular weight drug, vaccines and DNA. Releasing characteristics, biodistribution and applications are also summarized.     

Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Director: Zhang Bai Address: 3195 Weishan Road Changchun 130012 China Phone: 86-431-85542266 Fax: 86-431-85542298 E-mail: neigae@neigae.ac.cn Website: http://www.neigae.ac.cnNortheast Institute of Geography and Agroecology (NEIGAE), a component of Knowled…     

Historical Changes and Characteristics of Rehabilitation, Management and Utilization of Forest Resources in South Korea

This study analyzed the causes of forest devastation, the characteristics of forest rehabilitation process, and the success factors of reforestation. And it reviewed the management of rehabilitated forest resources and identified the income sources of mountain villages in South Korea. The devastation of forest starting from the early twentieth century was continued to the 1950＇s. The main causes of deforestation were the illegal cutting of trees for fuel and the slash-and-burning agriculture in forest. The success factors of reforestation were the decrease in the dependence on forest of fuel source, strict administration system and national participation. Sustainable forest management could be made possible through the practical use of social issues like public work project for prevention of landslide damages caused by the thinned logs left in the forest. Also it could be possible by making people realize that the public benefit was obtained from forest and the income sources of mountain villages were supplemented by non-timber forest products and tourism. Food and Agriculture Organization indicated Korea as the country that forestation was succeeded in a very short period. Korea seems to be not ordinary because economic growth was accomplished with rehabilitating natural environment. Korean forestation can become a good prototype of combining environmental rehabilitation and economic development.     

Monthly Changes of Glycogen, Lipid and Free Amino Acid of Oyster

Monthly difference of the chemical composition of oyster cultured along the eastern coast of Shandong Province was analyzed. The components analyzed included glycogen, fatty acid and free amino acid （FAA）. The content of glycogen was high in January and March （2.89 and 2.82 g（100 g） ^-1 on average, respectively） and low in October （2.07g（100g）^- 1 on average）. The low content of neutral lipids in October reflected a relatively poor nutritional value of oyster （1.42 g（ 100 g）^- 1 on average）. The main fatty acids of oyster were palmitic acid （16：0）, oleic acid （18： 1）, eicosapentaenoic acid （EPA, 20： 5（0 3） and docosahexaenoic acid （DHA, 22：6（0 3）. The major FAAs of oyster were Taurine, Glutamicacid, Glycin, Alanine, Arginine and Proline. Taurine was the most abundant FAA with its content ranging from 603 mg（100 g） ^-1 to 1 139 mg（ 100 g） ^-1. The high contents of glycogen, polyunsaturated fatty acid and FAA showed that oyster cultured along the eastern coast of Shandong Province was nutritionally good in January and March.     

Examination of Silicate Limitation of Primary Production in Jiaozhou Bay, North ChinaⅢ.Judgment Method, Rules and Uniqueness of Nutrient Limitation Among N, P, and Si

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＮａｎｄＰｉｎｐｕｔｔｅｄｉｎｔｏＪｉａｏｚｈｏｕＢａｙｂｙｒｉｖｅｒｓａｎｄｂｙｓｅｗａｇｅｅｆｆｌｕｅｎｔｓｏｆｃｉｔｉｅｓ ,ｈａｖｅｍａｄｅｔｈｅＢａｙｂｅｃｏｍｅｍｏｒｅａｎｄｍｏｒｅｅｕｔｒｏｐｈｉｃｄａｙｂｙｄａｙ .Ｓｈｅｎ ( 1994)ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔｔｈａｔｐｈｙｔｏｐｌａｎｋｔｏｎｇｒｏｗｔｈｗａｓｌｉｍｉｔｅｄｂｙｔｈｅｃｈａｎｇｅｆｒｏｍｎｉｔｒｏｇｅｎｔｏｐｈｏｓｐｈｏｒｏｕｓ ;ａｎｄｔｈａｔｔｈｅｓｉｌｉｃａｔｅｃｏｎｃｅｎｔｒａｔｉｏｎｉｎＪｉａｏｚｈ…     

Geological structure, composition of ores and age of the Bamsk gold deposit, Amur region, Russia

The Bamsk gold-ore deposit is located in the Amur region, the Far East of Russia. It is confined to the Early Cretaceous volcanicoplutonic uplift of central type, located in the Stanov folded-clumpy Pre-Cambrian system. The deposit is presented by a series of gold-bearing quartz and carbonate-quartz vein-stringer zones. They are confined to the super-intrusive zone of the Nevachansk subvolcanic intrusion of sienite-porphyric composition. The mineralization is being controlled by zone of fractures developed in the autochthone of the Bamsk fault. Quartz, carbonates and sericite prevail in the composition of ores. The quantity of ore minerals doesn‘t exceed 1% ～ 5%. Pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and native gold are widely spread, Sheelite, gold and silver tellurides, sulphobismuthites, acanthite, sphalerite and cinnabar are less developed. Four stages of mineralization have been distinguished. Gold-sulphide-sulphosalt ore with tellurides of gold and silver is productive for gold. The following set of elements is typomorphic for the ores of the deposit: Au, Ag, Cu, Bi, Mo, Pb and Sb (W1, Pb1, Mo) -Cu- (Ag, Bi, Sb, Mn, W2,, Pb2) form the vertical series of zoning. Rocks, enclosing the mineralization are exposed to the processes of listvenitization-beresitization. The processes of gumbeization and argillization are less manifested. The age of the gold mineralization, determined by Rb-Sr method on ore-accompanying minerals, is 130.6 Ma.     

Geological features and genesis of Gaotaigou borate deposit, Jilin, China

Gaotaigou borate deposit in Ji＇an area, southeastern Jilin, is located in the easten end of Liaoning-Jilin （Liaoji） Proterozoic paleo-rift, which is a medium-sized deposit and makes up 67% of the total borate reserves in Jilin Province. The original borate ore bodies were formed by sedimentary exhalative process in Paleoproterozoic, but were activated and enriched by later metamorphism. In late stage of metamorphism, hydrothermal fluid of metamorphic origin made wallrocks be altered and the borate ore bodies be reformed. Ore bodies are strictly controlled by strata and their lithologies. In addition, the shape and spatial distribution of ore bodies are also defined by the Gaotaigou syncline. Combined with the ore-controlling factors and mineralizing features, it has been proposed that Gaotaigou borate deposit is a metamorphosed and hydrothermally altered sedimentary exhalative deposit.     

Interaction of Waves, Surface Currents, and Turbulence： the Application of Surface-Following Coordinate Systems

Surface waves comprise an important aspect of the interaction between the atmosphere and the ocean, so a dynamically consistent framework for modelling atmosphere-ocean interaction must take account of surface waves, either implicitly or explicitly. In order to calculate the effect of wind forcing on waves and currents, and vice versa, it is necessary to employ a consistent formula- tion of the energy and momentum balance within the airflow, wave field, and water column. It is very advantageous to apply sur- face-following coordinate systems, whereby the steep gradients in mean flow properties near the air-water interface in the cross-interface direction may be resolved over distances which are much smaller than the height of the waves themselves. We may account for the waves explicitly by employing a numerical spectral wave model, and applying a suitable theory of wave–mean flow interaction. If the mean flow is small compared with the wave phase speed, perturbation expansions of the hydrodynamic equations in a Lagrangian or generalized Lagrangian mean framework are useful: for stronger flows, such as for wind blowing over waves, the presence of critical levels where the mean flow velocity is equal to the wave phase speed necessitates the application of more general types of surface-following coordinate system. The interaction of the flow of air and water and associated differences in temperature and the concentration of various substances (such as gas species) gives rise to a complex boundary-layer structure at a wide range of vertical scales, from the sub-millimetre scales of gaseous diffusion, to several tens of metres for the turbulent Ekman layer. The bal- ance of momentum, heat, and mass is also affected significantly by breaking waves, which act to increase the effective area of the surface for mass transfer, and increase turbulent diffusive fluxes via the conversion of wave energy to turbulent kinetic energy.     

Geological features and genesis of Gaotaigou borate deposit, Jilin, China

Gaotaigou borate deposit in Ji'an area, southeastern Jilin, is located in the easten end of Liaoning-Jilin (Liaoji) Proterozoic paleo-rift, which is a medium-sized deposit and makes up 67% of the total borate reserves in Jilin Province. The original borate ore bodies were formed by sedimentary exhalative process in Paleoproterozoic, but were activated and enriched by later metamorphism. In late stage of metamorphistn, hydrothermal fluid of metamorphic origin made wallrocks be altered and the borate ore bodies be reformed. Ore bodies are strictly controlled by strata and their lithologies. In addition, the shape and spatial distribution of ore bodies are also defined by the Gaotaigou syncline. Combined with the ore-controlling factors and mineralizing features, it has been proposed that Gaotaigou borate deposit is a metamorphosed and hydrothermally altered sedimentary exhalative deposit.     

Immunocytochemical localization of neuropeptide Y, serotonin, substance P and β-endorphin in optic ganglia and brain of Metapenaeus ensis

1 INTRODUCTION Amines and peptides are important bioactive substance in crustaceans, and they function as hor- mones, neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. By far, bioactive substances that have been detected from nervous system of crustaceans include se…     

Examination of Silicate Limitation of Primary Production in Jiaozhou Bay,North China：Ⅲ.Judgment Method ,Rules and Uniqueness of Nutrient Limitation Among N,P,and Si

Analysis and comparison of Jiaozhou Bay data collected from May 1991 to February 1994 (12 seasonal investigations) provided by the Ecological Station of Jiaozhou Bay revealed the characteristic spatiotemporal variation of the ambient concentration Si∶DIN and Si∶16P ratios and the seasonal variation of Jiaozhou Bay Si∶DIN and Si∶16P ratios showing that the Si∶DIN ratios were <1 throughout the year in Jiaozhou Bay; and that the Si∶16P ratios were <1 throughout Jiaozhou Bay in spring, autumn and winter. The results proved that silicate limited phytoplankton growth in spring, autumn and winter in Jiaozhou Bay. Analysis of the Si∶DIN and Si∶P ratios showed that the nutrient Si has been limiting the growth of phytoplankton throughout the year in some Jiaozhou Bay waters; and that the silicate deficiency changed the phytoplankton assemblage structure. Analysis of discontinuous 1962 to 1998 nutrient data showed that there was no N or P limitation of phytoplankton growth in that period. The authors consider that the annual cyclic change of silicate limits phytoplankton growth in spring, autumn and winter every year in Jiaozhou Bay; and that in many Jiaozhou Bay waters where the phytoplankton as the predominant species need a great amount of silicate, analysis of the nutrients N or P limitation of phytoplankton growth relying only on the N and P nutrients and DIN∶P ratio could yield inaccurate conclusions. The results obtained by applying the rules of absolute and relative limitation fully support this view. The authors consider that the main function of nutrient silicon is to regulate and control the mechanism of the phytoplankton growth process in the ecological system in estuaries, bays and the sea. The authors consider that according to the evolution theory of Darwin, continuous environmental pressure gradually changes the phytoplankton assemblage's structure and the physiology of diatoms. Diatoms requiring a great deal of silicon either constantly decrease or reduce their requirement for silicon. This will cause a series of huge changes in the ecosystem so that the whole ecosystem requires continuous renewal, change and balancing. Human beings have to reduce marine pollution and enhance the capacity of continental sources to transport silicon to sustain the continuity and stability in the marine ecosystem. This study was funded by the NSFC (No. 40036010) and subsidized by Special Funds from the National Key Basic Research Program of P. R. China (G199990437), the Postdoctoral Foundation of Ocean University of Qingdao, the Director's Foundation of the Beihai Monitoring Center of the State Oceanic Administration and the Foundation of Shanghai Fisheries University.     

Analysis on the Status of Farmers, Agriculture and Countryside, and Development Strategies and Measures in Tibet Autonomous Region

Coordinated and sustainable development of farmers, agriculture and countryside (FAC) is key to realize the national objective of comprehensively developed well-off society. Since the peaceful liberation of Tibet, outstanding achievements have been made in FAC work. However, compared with East and Middle China, there still exists a big gap. The farmers‘ net income per capita in 2001 was 1,404 yuan, 962 yuan lower than the nation‘s average. In late 90‘s the farmers‘ income growth slowed down. Agricultural industrialization is at low level, technologies play a small role in agricultural development, rural infrastructure is weak, the rural grass root organization is much underdeveloped, and construction of towns is behind the other regions of China. Based on the problems of FAC development there, this paper proposes FAC development strategies and measures for accelerating rural development in Tibet.     

Hydrothermal evolution and source of metallogenic materials of Beiya Au polymetallic deposit,western Yunnan,China

The Beiya porphyry-skarn gold-polymetallic deposit is one of the largest gold deposits in China and it also contains significant amounts of silver and base metals.The ore-bearing monzonitic granite porphyry occurs as a stock,of which the skarn type gold-copper-iron ore bodies are controlled by the contact zone between alkali-rich monzonitic granite porphyry and the limestone,and the gold-silver polymetallic mineralization is controlled by interlayer structure.Alteration and mineralization occur around the intrusion and exterior of monzonitic granite porphyry.Ore mineral formation sequence is as follows:skarn minerals→magnetite→pyrite→chalcopyrite/bornite+pyrite+gold→pyrite+galena+gold(silver).Petrographic studies of fluid inclusions indicate that the following types of inclusions exist in the pre-mineralization quartz-pyrite stage:gas-liquid two-phase inclusions(L-type),three-phase inclusions with daughter minerals(D-type)and gas-rich inclusions(V-type).The colorless transparent quartz in the main gold-chalcopyrite-pyrite stage mainly consists of L-type and V-type inclusions,whereas the inclusions in the late gold-silver-galena stage are mainly L-type.The evolution of ore-forming fluids shows a trend from high temperature,high salinity to medium-low temperature and low salinity.Medium-low density fluids play a dominant role in mineral component migration and transportation.Fluid cooling and boiling are the main mechanisms of gold-copper precipitation,while the involvement of atmospheric water and pH reduction are the main mechanisms of gold-silver polymetallic precipitation.The fluids in the quartz-pyrite stage before mineralization and the main gold-chalcopyrite-pyrite stage are dominated by magmatic water,while in the gold-silver-galena stage the fluids are dominated by atmospheric water.Isotope tracers show that S and Pb are mainly derived from monzonitic granite porphyry,not from limestone of the Beiya Formation.     

Tectonic Characteristics and Evolution of Bohai Bay Basin,China

Synthetical analyzing the deep geophysical data within Bohai bay basin the authors detect the deep crustal struc-ture presenting high geothermal flux, thinned crust and arched Moho discontinuity, and the basin basement belongs to rigid continental crust. The development of the basin was controlled by two - dimensional faults in NNE and NWW directions. The tectonic units of the basin can be subdivided into three structural divisions: the east, middle and west division. The basin is considered as a continental rift. The tectonic background and regional right條ateral stress field during the late Cretaceous and Paleogene were a compound result of the Kula Plate W-directional subducting under Eurasia Continental Plate in 80-74Ma and the Philippine sea Plate W-directional subducting under the Eurasia Continental Plate since 60Ma, the long -rang effect of the India Continental Plate wedging into the Eurasia Continental Plate and of the Siberia Plate SE梔irectional relatively moving.     

Tectonic Characteristics and Evolution of Bohai Bay Basin, China

ＴｈｅＢｏｈａｉｂａｙｂａｓｉｎ ,ｌｏｃａｔｅｄｉｎｅａｓｔｒｅｎＣｈｉｎａ ,ｉｓｃｏｎｓｉｄｅｒｅｄａｓａｂｉｇＣｅｎｏｚｏｉｃｃｏｎｔｉｎｅｎｔａｌｒｉｆｔｂａｓｉｎ .Ｔｈｅｂａｓｉｎｐｏｓｓｅｓｓｅｓｄｅｅｐｅｒｆａｕｌｔ -ｔｒｏｕｔｈ ,ｇｏｏｄｃｏｎｓｉｓｔｅｎｃｙａｎｄｈｕｇｅｐｅｒｓｐｅｃｔｉｖｅｆｏｒｐｅｔｒｏｌｅｕｍａｎｄｎａｔｕｒａｌｇａｓｅｘ ｐｌｏｉｔａｔｉｏｎｉｎＰａｌａｅｏｇｅｎｅａｎｄｐｒｅ -Ｐａｌａｅｏｇｅｎｅｓｙｓｔｅｍｓ .Ｔｈｅｓｔｕｄｙｏｎｔｅｃｔｏｎｉｃｃｈ…     

Distribution and ultrastructure of pigment cells in the skins of normal and albino adult turbot, Scophthalmus Maximus

The distribution and ultrastructure of pigment cells in skins of normal and albino adult turbots were examined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three types of pigment cells of melanophore, iridophore and xanthophore have been recognized in adult turbot skins. The skin color depends mainly on the amount and distribution of melanophore and iridophore, as xanthophore is quite rare. No pigment cells can be found in the epidermis of the skins. In the pigmented ocular skin of the turbot, melanophore and iridophore are usually co-localized in the dermis. This is quite different from the distribution in larvae skin. In albino and white blind skins of adult turbots, however, only iridophore monolayer still exists, while the melanophore monolayer disappears. This cytological evidence explains why the albino adult turbot, unlike its larvae, could never resume its body color no matter what environmental and nutritional conditions were provided. Endocytosis is quite active in the cellular membrane of the iridophore. This might be related to the formation of reflective platelet and stability of the iridophore.     

Raman microspectrometry, FT-IR and inclusion characteristics of gem garnets from Tanzania and Madagascar

Chemical composition, Raman microspectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-1R) and SEM-CL (Cathodluminescence) analyses are carried out for Tanzania and Madagascar garnets for locality identification. Inclusion study was sustained after electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Needle-like illmenites, apatites and zircons were the most common solid inclusions in Tanzania garnets. Madagascar garnets revealed rutile needles and apatites were also observed, but differences in size, shape and distribution patterns were noticed compared to Tanzania garnets. Tanzania garnets exhibited all types of observable fluid inclusions such as ““ fingerprint““ pattern, called Type Ⅰ-A, liquid-only (L) single phase fluid inclusion, called Type Ⅰ-B and Type Ⅱ-A ( L S), Type Ⅱ-B ( L V) and Type Ⅲ-A (L Sylvite even if all examined garnets from three localities retained ““fingerprint““ features, so called, partially healed fractures, in common. Chemical composition, Raman microspectrometry and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis taken turned out to be useful methods for the purpose of this study. Using consequences of SEM-CL and inclusion study, accordingly, the locality identification of gem-quality garnets is capable of being available in further application for other kinds of gemstones.     

The structures of eye and surrounding tissues of Longman's beaked whale,Indopacetus pacificus

Observations were made on one eye from a Longman’s beaked whale Indopacetus pacificus, which was probably one of the least known extant cetaceans. The whale died shortly after swimming aground on the coast in the Nishikata Beach, Sendai-shi, Kagoshima-ken Prefecture, Japan, on July 26, 2002. It was a mature female with body length 6.45 m. This paper documented the basic structural characteristics of her visual organ of the whale in order to better understand this animal.     

Classification and Gradation of Cultivated Land Quality in Bishan County of Chongqing, China

The conflicts among food security, economic development and ecological protection are the “sticking point” of undeveloped southwestern mountainous areas of China. The objectives of this study are to identify appropriate inte- grated indicators influencing the classification and gradation of cultivated land quality in the southwestern mountainous area of China based on semi-structure interview, and to promote the monitoring of cultivated land quality in this region. Taking Bishan County of Chongqing as a study case, the integrated indicators involve the productivity, protection, ac- ceptability, and stability of cultivated land. The integrated indicators accord with the characteristics of land resources and human preference in southwestern mountainous area of China. In different agricultural zones, we emphasize different indicators, such as emphasizing productivity, stabilization and acceptability in low hilly and plain agricultural integrative zone (LHP-AIZ), protection, productivity and stability in low mountain and hill agro-forestry ecological zone (LMH-AEZ), and acceptability in plain outskirts integrative agricultural zone (PO-IAZ), respectively. The pronounced difference of classification and gradation of cultivated land, regardless of inter-region or intra-region, is observed, with the reducible rank from PO-IAZ, LHP-AIZ to LMH-AEZ. Research results accord with the characteristics of assets management and intensive utilization of cultivated land resources in the southwestern mountainous area of China. Semi-structure interview adequately presents the principal agent of farmers in agricultural land use and rural land market. This method is very effective and feasible to obtain data of the quality of cultivated land in the southwestern mountainous area of China.     

Abundance, biomass and composition of spring ice algal and phytoplankton communities of the Laptev Sea （Arctic）

Abundance,biomass and composition of the ice algal and phytoplank-ton communities were investigated in the southeastern Laptev Sea in spring 1999.Diatoms dominated the algal communities and pennate diatoms dominated the dia-tom population.12 dominant algal species occurred within sea ice and underlyingwater column,including Fragilariopsis oceanica,F.cylindrus,Nitzschiafrigida,N.promare,Achnanthes taeniata,Nitzschia neofrigida,Naviculapelagica,N.vanhoef fenii,N.septentrionalis,Melosira arctica,Clindrothecaclosterium and Pyrarnimonas sp.The algal abundance of bottom 10 cm sea icevaried between 14.6 and 1562.2×10~4 ceils l~(-1)with an average of 639.0×10~4cells l~(-1),and the algal biomass ranged from 7.89 to 2093.5μg C l~(-1)with an av-erage of 886.9μg C l~(-1),which were generally one order of magnitude higherthan those of sub-bottom ice and two orders of magnitude higher than those ofunderlying surface water.The integrated algal abundance and biomass of lower-most 20 cm ice column were averagely 7.7 and 12.2 times as those of upper 20 mwater column,respectively,suggesting that the ice algae might play an importantrole in maintaining the coastal marine ecosystem before the thawing of sea ice.Icealgae influenced the phytoplankton community of the underlying water column.However,the“seeding”of ice algae for phytoplankton bloom was negligible be-cause of the iow phytoplankton biomass within the underlying water column.