Preparation of monoclonal antibody based indirect competitive ELISA for detecting 19-nortestosterone residue

19-Nortestosterone (NT) has been illegally used in horse racing to boost physical performance, and in animal husbandry to accelerate weight gain. To monitor the abuse of NT, our goal was to develop a commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. For this purpose, hybridomas were prepared by fusing NS0 mouse myeloma cells with splenocytes isolated from immunized BALB/c mouse. Noncompetitive and competitive indirect ELISA were used to screen positive cell clones. To optimize the indirect competiti...     

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous analysis of 50 phenols in wastewater using deconvolution technology

Phenolic compounds exist widely in the influents and effluents of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and most are un-regulated. In this study, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the simultaneous analysis of 50 phenolic compounds in wastewater was developed. Deconvolution technology was used to identify contaminants that are covered by co-extracted materials. A mass spectral library containing all 50 silylated phenolic compounds was first established and used for deconvolution. Twelve typical phenolic compounds were selected to optimize the sample preparation procedures. Solid-phase extraction using a C18 cartridge coupled with an HLB cartridge was used for pre-concentration and dichloromethane was used for elution. The solutes were derivatized and analyzed by GC-MS. The blank and matrix spike recoveries ranged from 57.46% to 136.4% and 47.87% to 114.8%, respectively. Method detection limits ranged from 3.64 to 97.64 ng L⁻¹. The relative standard deviations of all the recovery experiments were lower than 13.6%. The instrument limits of quantification ranged from 0.7 to 87.7 pg. The method has been applied to analyze the influents and effluents of 5 Chinese STPs. Except for regulated phenolic compounds (phenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol), three un-regulated phenolic compounds, including 2-chlorophenol, 2,5-dichlorophenol and 2,4-dichloro-3-ethyl-6-nitrophenol were identified in the effluent wastewater. The detected concentrations of un-regulated phenolic compounds could possibly cause environmental effects, indicating that immediate attention is required to prevent complications.     

Optimization of flue gas turbulent heat transfer with condensation in a tube

Conservation equations for sensible and latent entransy are established for flue gas turbulent heat transfer with condensation in a tube, and the entransy dissipation expression is deduced. The field synergy equation is obtained on the basis of the extremum entransy dissipation principle for flue gas turbulent heat transfer with condensation. The optimal velocity field is numerically obtained by solving the field synergy equation. The results show that the optimal velocity field contains multiple longitudinal vortices near the tube surface. These improve the synergy not only between the velocity and temperature fields but also between the velocity and vapor concentration fields. Therefore, the turbulent heat and mass transfers are significantly enhanced.     

Rapid growth and sterility of growth hormone gene transgenic triploid carp

Triploid carp (100%) with 150 (3n=150) chromosomes were obtained by crossing the females of improved tetraploid hybrids (♀, 4n=200) of red crucian carp (♀)×common carp (♂) with the males of diploid yellow river carp (♂, 2n=100). The crosses yielded transgenic triploid carp (positive triploid fish, 44.2% of the progeny) and non-transgenic triploid carp (negative triploid fish). Histological examination of the gonads of 24-month-old positive triploid fish suggested they were sterile and the fish were not able to produce mature gametes during the breeding season. Morphologically, both the positive and negative triploid fish were similar. They had a spindle-shaped, laterally compressed, steel grey body with two pairs of barbells. Most of the quantifiable traits of the triploid carp were intermediate between those of the two parents. The positive and negative triploid fish were raised in the same pond for 2 years. The mean body weight of the positive triploid fish was 2.3 times higher than the negative triploid fish. The weight of the largest positive triploid fish was 2.91 times higher than that of the largest negative triploid fish. Thus, we produced fast-growing transgenic triploid carp that have a reduced ecological risk because of their inability to mate and produce progeny.     

Predicting the spread of nuclear radiation from the damaged Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant

Japan suffered a M9.0 earthquake and massive tsunami on March 11, 2011, which seriously damaged the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant and caused a nuclear crisis. The spread of nuclear radiation from the power plant through the atmosphere and ocean was predicted with a short-term climate forecasting model and an ocean circulation model under some idealized assumptions. If nuclear matter were leaked in the near-ground layer of 992 hPa, the climate model results show that the nuclear radiation would cover North America 10 days after the initial leakage, with the concentration at the forefront dramatically reduced to 10 millionths of the initial model concentration at the source. The radiation would span Europe in 15 days and cover much of the Northern Hemisphere in 30 days. If the initial leakage was assumed to occur in the layer 5000-m above the ground, the radiation would cover Europe in 10 days and cover much of the Northern Hemisphere in 15 days. Moreover, under the assumption that the nuclear matter leaked in the 10000-m layer, the radiation would affect much of China after 10 days. The ocean circulation model indicates that the nuclear material would be slowly transported northeast of Fukushima and reach 150°E in 50 days, and the nuclear debris in the ocean would be confined to a narrow band. Compared with the spread in the ocean, the area affected by leaked nuclear radiation in the atmosphere would be very large. Atmospheric monitors in North America and Europe will be helpful for estimating the effect in China of any leaked nuclear material.     

Zircon U-Pb ages of granites at Changba and Huangzhuguan in western Qinling and implications for source nature

Mesozoic granitoids are widespread in the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. Precise U-Pb dating on these granitoids can reveal the evolution of the continental collision orogen and thus provide information on the nature of magma sources. This study presents zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating and whole-rock geochemical analyses for two intrusions at Changba and Huangzhuguan in western Qinling. Zircon U-Pb ages for central and marginal phases of the Huangzhuguang intrusion are 214±1 Ma and 213±3 Ma, respectively. Zircons from the Changba intrusion yield a dominant cluster with an U-Pb age of 213±2 Ma. Collectively, these ages are younger than ages of 220 to 240 Ma for ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism due to the continental collision between the South China Block and the North China Block, corresponding to syn-exhumation magmatism. Some inherited zircons occur in the Changba intrusion, yielding a weighted mean of ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages at 757±14 Ma. This indicates that the Changba intrusion has the crustal source of mid-Neoproterozoic ages and a tectonic affinity to the South China Block. Geochemically, the two intrusuons are both rich in LILE and LREE but depleted in HFSE and HREE, similar to arc-type igneous rocks. The Huangzhuguang intrusion exhibits linear correlations between SiO₂ and the other major oxides, implying chemical evolution from a cognate magma source. It contains mafic enclaves, suggesting possible mixing of felsic-mafic magmas. The Changba granite is rich in Si and K but poor in Fe and Mg as well as has a high value of Fe*, suggesting strong differentiation of granitic magma. Therefore, the two intrusions were derived from the Late Triassic anatexis of the continental crust of different compositions in the northern margin of South China Block. This process may be coupled with exhumation of the subducted continental crust in the stage of late collision.     

Habitat-induced reciprocal transformation in the root phenotype of Oriental ginseng is associated with alteration in DNA methylation

Oriental ginseng is an important medicinal plant that grows in 2 major forms or ecotypes, wild and domesticated. Each form differs conspicuously in root phenotype, but can be converted from one type to another by habitat. Here we show that the habitat-induced transformation of ginseng root phenotype was accompanied by alteration in cytosine methylation at a large number of 5′-CCGG-3′ sites detected by the methylation-sensitive polymorphism (MSAP) marker. The collective CG and CHG methylation levels of all 4 landraces of the domesticated form were significantly lower than those of the wild form. Interestingly, artificially transplanted ginseng plants recreated in both directions the methylation levels (at least in CHG) of their natural counterparts. The methylation differences between the 2 ginseng ecotypes were validated at 2 isolated MSAP loci bearing homology to a 5S rRNA gene or a copia retrotransposon. Our results implicate a link between epigenetic variation and habitat-induced phenotypic flexibility in Oriental ginseng.     

Volume change behavior of unsaturated soils under non-isothermal conditions

With the development of modern geotechnical engineering practices such as the construction of high level radioactive waste repositories, exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources, energy-saving buildings and underground storage of CO 2 , research into the influence of temperature on the basic mechanical properties of unsaturated soils has become an important issue internationally. By using the work expression and considering the influence of temperature on the basic properties of unsaturated soils, the average soil skeleton stress, modified suction and temperature were selected as state variables of generalized forces in thermodynamics and the soil skeleton strain, saturation and entropy were chosen as state variables of generalized flows conjugate to the variables of generalized forces. Based on the nonlinear multi-field coupled model and by using existing experimental results, an elastic-plastic constitutive model of unsaturated soils under non-isothermal conditions was developed to analyze the influence of temperature on the deformation properties of unsaturated soils. The model was used to predict and analyze the influence of suction and temperature on the deformation properties of unsaturated soils under isotropic conditions, and was successfully verified using experimental results.     

A survey of next generation mobile communications research in China

With the rapid development of wireless communication networks, the fourth generation (4G) has emerged to move beyond the limitations of the third generation (3G), with increased bandwidth, enhanced quality of services, and reduced costs of resources. In this paper, we discuss the key technologies of 4G and focus on surveying the ongoing research in 4G communications in China. The 4G technologies under investigation include multicarrier transmission, multiple antenna techniques, carrier aggregation, relays, cognitive radio, distributed antenna systems, network convergence, and network self-optimization. These technologies are the building blocks of 4G and contribute largely to the requirements of International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMT-Advanced). For each technology, its benefits, research topics, and some existing approaches are examined. Finally, we briefly discuss the challenges and future research issues in 4G systems.     

Why endophenotype development requires families

Endophenotypes are heritable quantitative traits that are associated with disease liability, can be measured in both affected and unaffected individuals, and provide much greater power to localize and identify risk genes for mental illness than does affection status alone. Traditionally, endophenotypic markers for psychiatric illnesses include in vivo neuroanatomic and functional magnetic resonance imaging measurements and indices of neurocognitive abilities. However, neurocognitive and neuroimaging measures are by no means the only classes of endophenotypes that could be useful for identifying genes for mental illness. Given the advantages of endophenotype-based strategies for elucidating the genetic underpinnings of psychiatric disorders, it would seem prudent to develop a wide range of putative endophenotypes. In order for a measure to be considered a valid endophenotype, it must meet a number of criteria. Specifically, the trait must (1) have moderate to high heritability, (2) be associated with the illness, (3) be independent of clinical state, and (4) impairment must co-segregate with the illness within a family, with non-affected family members showing impairment relative to the general population. While each of these criteria is critical, the heritability and co-segregation requirements are really what differentiate an endophenotype from a simple biomarker. At this time, one requires an experimental design that includes families to demonstrate both heritability and co-segregation. The assertion that novel endophenotypes can not be fully established without family data does not preclude work in unrelated individuals, rather that unrelated samples will only be able to nominate potential candidate endophenotypes that subsequently need to be confirmed in family-based experiments.