Uptake of dissolved organic carbon and trace elements by zebra mussels

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are widespread and abundant in major freshwater ecosystems in North America, even though the phytoplankton food resources in some of these systems seem to be too low to sustain them. Because phytoplankton biomass is greatly depleted in ecosystems with large D. polymorpha populations and bacteria do not seem to be an important food source for this species, exploitation of alternative carbon sources may explain the unexpected success of D. polymorpha in such environments. Here we examine the possibility that absorption of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from water could provide a nutritional supplement to zebra mussels. We find that mussels absorb 14C-labelled DOC produced by cultured diatoms with an efficiency of 0.23%; this indicates that DOC in natural waters could contribute up to 50% of the carbon demand of zebra mussels. We also find that zebra mussels absorb some dissolved metals that have been complexed by the DOM; although absorption of dissolved selenium was unaffected by DOC, absorption of dissolved cadmium, silver and mercury by the mussels increased 32-, 8.7- and 3.6-fold, respectively, in the presence of high-molecular-weight DOC.     

Cloned pigs produced by nuclear transfer from adult somatic cells

Since the first report of live mammals produced by nuclear transfer from a cultured differentiated cell population in 1995 (ref. 1), successful development has been obtained in sheep, cattle, mice and goats using a variety of somatic cell types as nuclear donors. The methodology used for embryo reconstruction in each of these species is essentially similar: diploid donor nuclei have been transplanted into enucleated MII oocytes that are activated on, or after transfer. In sheep and goat pre-activated oocytes have also proved successful as cytoplast recipients. The reconstructed embryos are then cultured and selected embryos transferred to surrogate recipients for development to term. In pigs, nuclear transfer has been significantly less successful; a single piglet was reported after transfer of a blastomere nucleus from a four-cell embryo to an enucleated oocyte; however, no live offspring were obtained in studies using somatic cells such as diploid or mitotic fetal fibroblasts as nuclear donors. The development of embryos reconstructed by nuclear transfer is dependent upon a range of factors. Here we investigate some of these factors and report the successful production of cloned piglets from a cultured adult somatic cell population using a new nuclear transfer procedure.     

Vascular-specific growth factors and blood vessel formation

A recent explosion in newly discovered vascular growth factors has coincided with exploitation of powerful new genetic approaches for studying vascular development. An emerging rule is that all of these factors must be used in perfect harmony to form functional vessels. These new findings also demand re-evaluation of therapeutic efforts aimed at regulating blood vessel growth in ischaemia, cancer and other pathological settings.     

Climatological significance of an ice core net-accumulation record at Mt. Qomolangma (Everest)

An ice core record at Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) since 1954 reveals a sharp decline in net-accumulation in the 1960s, and the annual net-accumulation during the 1970s to the beginning of the 1990s is only half of that at the end of the 1950s. The decreased net-accumulation is coincident with glacier retreat, which is associated with recent temperature increase in the region that intensified the ablation. Under the background of global warming, such glacier variation trends will aggravate.     

水合锰(Ⅱ)结构的量子化学和ABEEM/MM研究

应用新一代可极化分子力场——原子-键电负性均衡浮动电荷分子力场ABEEM/MM,结合精密量子化学方法, 构建了精确的Mn²⁺-H₂O 相互作用的势能函数, 确定了相关参数.将该势能函数用于计算[Mn(H₂O)_n]²⁺(n=1~12)的结构和结合能, 得到了与量子化学一致的结果. 进一步对Mn²⁺水溶液进行ABEEM/MM 动力学模拟, 得到的Mn²⁺–O 径向分布函数的第一和第二最高峰分别处于0.218 和0.435 nm 处, 积分得到第一和第二水合层的配位水分子数分别为7.03 和17.74; 对于O–Mn²⁺–O 角度分布函数, 其第一和第二最高峰分别位于80°和140°附近, 这些结果与实验和其他理论方法的结果有很好的一致性. Mn²⁺的极化作用使得第一水合层中水分子的键长明显增长, 键角明显减小; 而Mn²⁺对第二水合层及外层水分子的结构影响较小. 分析体系的电荷分布表明, 与ABEEM-7P 纯水相比, Mn²⁺水溶液中参与形成氢键的氢原子和孤对电子的电荷变化较大, 且Mn²⁺和其邻近的水分子间存在明显的电荷转移.     

人才强企战略下的人力资源开发

在知识经济时代,人才是生产力中最活跃的因素,企业竞争归根到底是人才的竞争.因此选择并且留住高素质的人才,是企业生存发展的前提.     

关于混凝土衬砌渠道遭受冻害的探究

山东气候是海洋性季风气候,属于季节性冻土地区,大部分地区在冬季存在混凝土衬砌渠道冻胀破坏问题。文章主要分析了混凝土衬砌渠道被冻胀破坏的几种形式和具体的成因,并提出防治冻害的措施。     

干挂石材幕墙施工操作工艺

文章从材料的选用、施工工艺流程、施工工法几方面阐述干挂石材幕墙施工,以供参考。     

论水泥搅拌桩在高速公路软基处理中的施工工艺

介绍了采用水泥搅拌桩处理祁临高速公路临汾北环段第四合同段软质地基的施工方法、施工要求及质量控制。