Carbonic anhydrase I in a cartilaginous fish,the shortspine spurdog (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Squalus mitsukurii</Emphasis>)

Carbonic anhydrase (CA), a ubiquitous enzyme found in many species, including fishes, is involved in physiological functions such as pH homeostasis, calcification, photosynthesis, and ionic regulation. CA I, a member of the α-CA family, is a cytoplasmic isozyme involved in carbon dioxide transport, ion exchange, and acid-base balance. Approximately half of the extant shark species occur only in deep waters; however, few published studies on sharks include these taxa. As fisheries worldwide enter deeper waters, the provision of biological data for these little-known taxa is critical to their management and conservation. To address this limitation, we aimed to detect CA I in various tissues of the shortspine spurdog (Squalus mitsukurii) and characterize its physicochemical properties by using sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing, together with immunohistochemistry. CA I was detected on SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis as a specific band at 29 kDa in various tissues of the shortspine spurdog, and as a specific band at pI 6.5 in various tissues of the shortspine spurdog by IEF and western blot analysis. CA I immunoreactivity in various tissues of the shortspine spurdog was detected in intracellular locations. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the localization of CA isozymes in various tissues of S. mitsukurii.     

Imag(in)ing Everyday Geographies: A case study of Andrew Buckles’ Why Wait? Project

This article introduces an interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together sympathetic trends in qualitative geographic visualization (from the perspective of one author who is a geographer) and contemporary generative artistic practices (from the perspective of the other author, who is an artist and theorist)—attempting to represent a diverse array of creative and multi-modal data through generative and participatory digital methods. We present how this convergence expands categories of meaning, allowing us to explore experiential/embodied as well as creative/imaginative engagements with everyday geographies distinct to a digital age. The article mediates on the idea of mapping the imagination and the ways we imagine quotidian spaces, as well as possibilities for new methods for the analysis and representation of spatial and emotional complexity. We particularly explore strategies of integrating multiple technologies and multiple-modes of representation for mapping and re-mapping complexities of social and creative living in order to help provide alternate ways to imagine, represent and engage different forms of embodied and imaginative geographies. This article presents a case study with the artist Andrew Buckles, in Seattle, Washington, correlating representational and participatory digital data including geospatial, temporal, audio, video as well as electroencephalography readings from brainwave sensors.     

Factors controlling carbon isotope ratios of dissolved inorganic carbon in two major tributaries of the Han River,Korea

Understanding the carbon cycle of the Han River system in Korea is of prime interest in managing and preserving this valuable water resource for more than 20 million residents in the area. As a part of a comprehensive carbon cycling study for the Han River system, this report focuses on the carbon isotope compositions of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in its two major tributaries, the North and the South Han Rivers. The major difference in carbonate chemistry of the tributaries originates primarily from the lithology of the catchment areas. The South Han River, draining a carbonate‐dominant terrain, has much higher alkalinities and DIC concentrations, whereas the lower concentrations in the North Han River indicate little influence of carbonate weathering. Likewise, δ¹³C_DIC values in the South Han River indicate that the DIC input from the carbonate rocks is important in controlling carbon isotope ratios of DIC. For the North Han River, the oxidation of organic material influences the amount of riverine DIC and δ¹³C_DIC values to a greater extent. Overall, remarkable seasonal and spatial variations of river chemistry and carbon isotope compositions of DIC reflect the variability in geo‐hydrologic characteristics, in the water regime, and in metabolic activities in the river water and/or the drainage areas. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Semi‐active fuzzy control for seismic response reduction using magnetorheological dampers

A semi‐active fuzzy control strategy for seismic response reduction using a magnetorheological (MR) damper is presented. When a control method based on fuzzy set theory for a structure with a MR damper is used for vibration reduction of a structure, it has an inherent robustness, and easiness to treat the uncertainties of input data from the ground motion and structural vibration sensors, and the ability to handle the non‐linear behavior of the structure because there is no longer the need for an exact mathematical model of the structure. For a clipped‐optimal control algorithm, the command voltage of a MR damper is set at either zero or the maximum level. However, a semi‐active fuzzy control system has benefit to produce the required voltage to be input to the damper so that a desirable damper force can be produced and thus decrease the control force to reduce the structural response. Moreover, the proposed control strategy is fail‐safe in that the bounded‐input, bounded‐output stability of the controlled structure is guaranteed. The results of the numerical simulations show that the proposed semi‐active control system consisting of a fuzzy controller and a MR damper can be beneficial in reducing seismic responses of structures. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Die Verteilung der Lanthaniden im Tholeyit von Tholey (Saar) und in Palatiniten,Pseudopegmatiten und Apliten des permischen Vulkanismus im Saar-Nahe-Pfalz-Gebiet

Zusammenfassung Ein Teil der im Unterperm (Wende Unterrotliegendes/Oberrotliegendes) gebildeten magmatischen Gesteine des Saar-Nahe-Pfalz-Gebietes wurde auf Lanthaniden untersucht: Gesteins-Gruppe 1: doleritischer Olivinbasalt, Pigeonit-Tholeyit, Tholeyit (Originalvorkommen) aus dem Schaumberg-Sill bei Tholey (Saar), und Plagiaplit. Gesteins-Gruppe 2: Palatinit, Pseudopegmatit, Aplit.Gesteins-Gruppe 1: Der Tholeyit aus dem Schaumberg-Sill zeigt deutlich höhere absolute Lanthanidengehalte (180 und 230 ppm Y, La-Lu) und eine stärkere Anreicherung der leichteren Lanthaniden La-Eu im Vergleich zu den ozeanischen und kontinentalen tholeiitischen Basalten (100 ppm Y, La-Lu). Das ist ein weiterer Hinweis dafür, daß der Tholeyit vom Locus typicus nicht identisch ist mit dem als tholeiitischer Basalt bezeichneten Gesteinstyp. Im Gegensatz zu den absoluten Lanthanidengehalten bestehen aber praktisch keine Unterschiede bei der relativen Lanthanidenverteilung zwischen dem Liegenden und dem Hangenden des Sill. Mit ansteigendem K₂O/Na₂O-Verhältnis wird in der Reihenfolge: doleritischer Olivinbasalt, Pigeonit-Tholeyit, Tholeyit aus dem Schaumberg-Sill und Plagiaplit eine Zunahme der absoluten Lanthanidengehalte und eine fortschreitende Fraktionierung zwischen den leichteren und den schwereren Lanthaniden festgestellt. Eine aus petrographischen Befunden von Jung (1958) vermutete Differentiation zwischen den genannten Gesteinstypen deutet sich somit auch in der Lanthanidenverteilung an.Gesteins-Gruppe 2: Ähnliche Zusammenhänge bestehen zwischen Palatiniten (180 ppm Y, La-Lu, 3 Proben), Pseudopegmatit (290 ppm Y, La-Lu, 1 Probe) und Apliten (270 ppm Y, La-Lu, 3 Proben), jedoch hier ohne klar erkennbare Abgängigkeit von den K₂O/Na₂O-Verhältnissen.

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Distribution of the lanthanide elements in the tholeyite from tholey (saar, W.-Germany) and in palatinite, pseudopegmatite, and aplite of the permian volcanism in the saar-nahe-pfalz area

Several types of magmatic rocks from the Saar-Nahe-Pfalz area (lower Permian) have been analysed for the 14 lanthanide elements and yttrium: rocks of group 1. doleritic olivine basalt, pigeonite tholeyite, tholeyite (type locality) from the Schaumberg sill near Tholey (Saar), and plagiaplite; rocks of group 2. palatinite, pseudopegmatite, aplite.Rocks of group 1. It is important to note the higher absolute Y and La-Lu contents (180 and 230ppm Y, La-Lu) and the relative enrichment of the lighter lanthanides in the tholeyite from the Schaumberg sill as compared with oceanic and continental tholeiitic basalts (100 ppm Y, La-Lu). This is additional evidence against the assumption that the tholeyite from the type locality has genetic relations to the so-called oceanic and continental tholeiitic basalts. The lanthanide elements in the tholeyite increase in concentration from the lower to the upper part of the Schaumberg sill, but there is little change in relative abundances within the sill. Increasing K₂O/Na₂O ratios are accompanied by an increase of the absolute lanthanide concentrations and by a progressive accumulation of the lighter lanthanides in the sequence: doleritic olivine basalt, pigeonite tholeyite, tholeyite from the Schaumberg sill, plagiaplite. The distribution pattern of the lanthanides in these rocks confirms the explanation of the petrographic observation by Jung (1958) as a magmatic differentiation series.Rocks of group 2. Similar relations were observed between palatinites (180 ppm Y, La-Lu, 3 samples), pseudopegmatite (290 ppm Y, La-Lu, 1 sample), and aplites (270 ppm Y, La-Lu, 3 samples), but there was no clear evidence for a correlation of lanthanide distribution with K₂O/Na₂O ratios.

     

Flow-based seismic risk assessment of a water transmission network employing probabilistic seismic hazard analysis

Natural Hazards - In this study, a seismic risk assessment model was proposed to evaluate the seismic reliability of a water transmission network. The proposed risk assessment model involves...     

Impact of river network type on the time of concentration

Time of concentration (T _c) is one of the frequently used parameters to characterize the response of a drainage basin to a rainfall event. Conceptually, it is the time runoff travels from the hydraulically most distant location in a basin to its outlet. T _c was found to vary depending on river basin characteristics such as slope, soil infiltration, and flow path. In this study, we investigate if the drainage network type information can be used as an input to hydrological models, by estimating the time of concentration separately for different network types. Sixty-eight basins which have areas ranging from 24 to 965 km² in arid and non-arid regions of the USA are compared and the effect of climate is also analyzed. It is found that the slope of the linear relationship between T _c and the maximum hydraulic length of flow path shows different correlation coefficients ranging from 0.80 to 0.98 for different network types. It is observed that the slope of the regression line between T _c and the maximum hydraulic length of flow path is the lowest for dendritic networks (slope of 0.26), while pinnate networks have the steepest slope of the regression line (slope of 0.59). This indicates that the drainage network type has a direct impact on the hydrological behavior of the basin and can represent a direct input in hydrological modeling.     

Toxicity identification in metal plating effluent: implications in establishing effluent discharge limits using bioassays in Korea

Because of complexity and diversity of toxicants in effluent, chemical analysis alone gives very limited information on identifying toxic chemicals to test organisms. Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) techniques have been widely used to identify toxicants in various samples including industrial wastewater as well as natural waters. In response to new regulation for effluent discharge in Korea, which will be effective from 2011, a necessity of studies emerges that investigates toxicity levels in industrial effluents. This work was a preliminary study examining toxicity levels in effluent from one metal plating factory using Daphnia magna (48 h immobility) and identifying toxicity-causing substances. Toxicity tests showed variability on different sampling occasions and the results of TIE methods indicated that both organic compounds and metals contributed to the observed toxicity in metal plating effluent. Further studies are necessary to help reduce effluent toxicity especially from direct dischargers, who will have to comply with the new regulation.     

Does heavy oil pollution induce bacterial diseases in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus?

As basic research for the effect of heavy oil on the fish immune system, in this study, the number of leukocyte was counted in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, after exposure to heavy oil at a concentration of 30 g/8 L for 3 days. To compare the numbers of bacteria in the skin mucus between oil-exposed and control fish, viable bacteria were enumerated by counting colony forming unit (CFU). Compared with 5.79 ± 1.88 × 10⁷ leukocytes/mL in the controls, the exposed fish demonstrated higher counts, averaging 1.45 ± 0.45 × 10⁸ cells/mL. The bacterial numbers of control fish were 4.27 ± 3.68 × 10⁴ CFU/g, whereas they were 4.58 ± 1.63 × 10⁵ CFU/g in the exposed fish. The results suggest that immune suppression of the fish occurred due to heavy oil stressor, and bacteria could invade in the mucus, resulting in the increasing leukocyte number to prevent infectious disease.