Expression of putative zinc-finger protein lcn61 gene in lymphocystis disease virus China （LCDV-cn） genome

An open reading frame (lcn61) of lymphocystis disease virus China (LCDV-cn), probably responsible for encoding putative zinc-finger proteins was amplified and inserted into pET24a (+) vector. Then it expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3), and His-tag fusion protein of high yield was obtained. It was found that the fusion protein existed in E. coli mainly as inclusion bodies. The bioinformatics analysis indicates that LCN61 is C2H2 type zinc-finger protein containing four C2H2 zinc-finger motifs. This work provides a theory for functional research of lcn61 gene. Supported by High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program, No. 2006AA100309)     

The use of acidimetric titration as a novel approach to study particulate trace metal speciation and mobility: Application to sediments of the Scheldt estuary

The study of trace metal speciation has benefited from a great deal of interest leading to the development and the diversification of sequential extraction schemes (SES), which triggered the need for harmonization by the standard, measurements and testing programme (SM & T). However, some uncertainties still persist in the application of the harmonized 3-step protocol, because of the difficulty in conceptualizing a technique that can be applied to environmental samples irrespective of their nature. The alternative method proposed in this study is based on the solubility of the sample components progressively dissolved during the course of an acidimetric titration by 1 mol L⁻¹ HCl. The major HCl-reactive mineralogical components are identified using mass balance calculation of H⁺ consumed by their dissolution together with the amount of major elements released into solution. The speciation of minor and trace elements is investigated by comparing their titrations to those of the major elements. This approach is much simpler than SES because it uses simple non-selective H⁺ at room temperature instead of a complex experimental design of so-called specific reagents. The different mineral components of the solid are no longer operationally defined and the problem of selectivity is irrelevant to the titration approach. The method was applied to several sediment samples from the Scheldt estuary and the particulate phase was further examined by Scanning Electron Microprobe and X-ray Diffraction techniques. The nearly complete consumption of H⁺ in the suspension is balanced by the total dissolution of carbonates and Fe-oxyhydroxides. In contrast to the speciation inferred from the Tessier SES, the acidimetric titration has demonstrated that the carbonate phase does not significantly contain trace metals with the exceptions of 40% of the Mn and 30% of the Co. In contrast, the Fe-oxyhydroxides seem to play a major role and account for 70% of Pb and 20% of Cr, in addition to 60% of P and additional amounts of 20% Co and 40% Mn. 70% of the Cu also occur in the oxyhydroxide phase, more likely coprecipitated with gibbsite. 90% of the Cd and 85% of Zn can be attributed to the Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS) phase as evidenced from S titration. The acidimetric titration method not only provides information on the speciation of trace metals but also allows the quantification of their reactivity and mobility, if one considers that the titration roughly mimics pH changes that may occur as a result of chemical disequilibrium in the environment. The results demonstrate the potential of the acidimetric titration as an alternative to SES protocols in geochemical and environmental regulation studies. This method is applicable to a wide variety of environmental materials with little or minor adjustments.     

Saturn's electrostatic discharges: Could lightning be the cause?

It is proposed that Saturn's electrostatic discharges (SED) might be generated in the planet's equatorial atmosphere, perhaps as lightning from a storm system. The 10^h10^m periodicity of the signal envelope duplicates that of Saturn's equatorial jet. The rings shield the atmosphere from solar EUV photons, and thereby substantially reduce the local ionospheric cutoff frequency to allow low-frequency SED to leak out. Many of the unusual properties of SED could be explained in terms of changes in the storm system, the relative spacecraft position in the beaming pattern of the source, local refraction of the signal by the highly disturbed ionosphere, and the influence of the ring particles on the highest frequency component of SED. A comparison of SED with planetary lightning on other planets shows that the two are similar in general character and some time behavior; the power output of SED may be higher than most planetary lightnings but that is unclear because of uncertainties in the measurements and variations in the signal's spectrum. Our simple discussion suggests that lightning could be a viable source for SED and that exotic ring mechanisms are not necessarily required.     

Models of travel demand with endogenous preference change and heterogeneous agents

In the literatures of regional science, urban economics, and urban development planning, a working assumption is that individuals respond to incentives and regulations, given their preferences. Models for planning and policy analyses are used to consider what might occur if the incentives or regulations were different. In these models, however, preferences are usually assumed to be given and stable, and agents are usually assumed to be homogeneous. This paper focuses on the implications of making preferences in models of policy implementation endogenously determined and time varying heterogeneous agents. We consider first the recent literature on intertemporal choice and preference change, which cuts across many disciplines, and more briefly the literature on norm-regarding behavior. We then elaborate a simple model of transportation demand—from a static to a dynamic orientation, from fixed and exogenously given preferences of strictly self-regarding agents to endogenously determined and policy-induced preferences of heterogeneous agents—and illustrate its characteristics with simple numerical examples.     

Biosorption of Rare-Earth Elements and Yttrium by Heterotrophic Bacteria in an Aqueous Environment

This paper reports the results of the experimental determination of the coefficient of sorption of rare-earth elements and yttrium (REY) under conditions of acidic pH using several strains of heterotrophic bacteria (Microbacterium sp., Curtobacterium sp., Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida, and Bacillus pumilis) that are widespread in natural and technogenic waters of the Far East (Russia). Insignificant fractionation between heavy and light rare-earth elements, negative cerium and dysprosium anomalies, and a positive europium anomaly were revealed. The selectivity of REY biosorption by gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as inertia of the biosorption process under more acidic conditions of the medium, were shown.     

Carbon-Oxidizing and Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in Mozhaisk Reservoir Soils

The population and distribution of carbon-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria in the soils of the Mozhaisk Reservoir are studied.     

Guided wave propagation in laterally varying media - II. Lg-waves in north-western Europe

Summary. Lg -wave observations at NORSAR from a sequence of explosions straddling the Central Graben in the North Sea, show that the phase is almost extinguished by passing through this structure. For models of the graben structure, based on seismic refraction experiments, with crustal thinning beneath a zone of thickened sediments, numerical modelling of Lg propagation shows very poor transmission. The inclusion of attenuation simulating the effects of scattering from faults and other complex structures further diminishes the transmittivity. The theoretical effect of a crustal pinch is to redistribute S energy over a wide range of groups velocities, a pattern that fits well with the observations.
Three components recordings at NORSAR of explosive charges fired in water covering a wide range of azimuths, show significant transverse components to the seismograms. The transverse energy builds up with travel time and for Lg is of the same order as the vertical component. These results are consistent with the theoretical prediction of progressive net transfer of energy from Rayleigh to Love modes as the wavetrain propagates through a three-dimensionally heterogeneous medium.