Determination and fractionation of sulphur in a contaminated dredged sediment

Conversion of sulphur compounds in reduced, contaminated sediments that are brought in upland conditions may largely affect the potential mobility of heavy metal contaminants. We applied selected methods for the determination of total sulphur and sulphur fractions in a contaminated sediment in the reduced state and after gradual drying and oxidation during 1 month. Dry ashing, followed by ion chromatographic detection, was reliable for the determination of total sulphur. Good recoveries were obtained in both reference samples and spiked samples. Total sulphur was 14.5±0.6 g kg⁻¹ relative to dry sediment. Wet chemical methods that involve the determination of acid-volatile, Zn–HCl-reducible, chromium-reducible, acetone-soluble and HI-reducible sulphur were used to estimate specific sulphur forms. Results for acetone-soluble sulphur were to high and not consistent with results for other fractions. Major part of sulphur in the sediment (90%) was inorganic. Sulphides were converted partially to sulphate and to intermediary oxidised sulphur compounds upon oxidation of the sediment. The results suggested that the intermediary oxidised sulphur pool in the reduced sediment (2.5 g kg⁻¹) mainly consisted of pyrite, that was not converted during drying and oxidation. No significant changes in organic sulphur were detected.     

Determination and fractionation of sulphur in a contaminated dredged sediment

Conversion of sulphur compounds in reduced, contaminated sediments that are brought in upland conditions may largely affect the potential mobility of heavy metal contaminants. We applied selected methods for the determination of total sulphur and sulphur fractions in a contaminated sediment in the reduced state and after gradual drying and oxidation during 1 month. Dry ashing, followed by ion chromatographic detection, was reliable for the determination of total sulphur. Good recoveries were obtained in both reference samples and spiked samples. Total sulphur was 14.5±0.6 g kg⁻¹ relative to dry sediment. Wet chemical methods that involve the determination of acid-volatile, Zn–HCl-reducible, chromium-reducible, acetone-soluble and HI-reducible sulphur were used to estimate specific sulphur forms. Results for acetone-soluble sulphur were to high and not consistent with results for other fractions. Major part of sulphur in the sediment (90%) was inorganic. Sulphides were converted partially to sulphate and to intermediary oxidised sulphur compounds upon oxidation of the sediment. The results suggested that the intermediary oxidised sulphur pool in the reduced sediment (2.5 g kg⁻¹) mainly consisted of pyrite, that was not converted during drying and oxidation. No significant changes in organic sulphur were detected.     

Black phosphorus saturable absorber for ultrafast mode‐locked pulse laser via evanescent field interaction

Black phosphorus, or BP, has found a lot of applications in recent years including photonics. The most recent studies have shown that the material has an excellent optical nonlinearity useful in many areas, one of which is in saturable absorption for passive mode‐locking. A direct interaction scheme for mode‐locking, however, has a potential to optically cause permanent damage to the already delicate material. Evanescent field interaction scheme has already been proven to be a useful method to prevent such danger for other 2‐dimensional nanomaterials. In this report, we have utilized the evanescent field interaction to demonstrate that the optical nonlinear characteristics of BP is sufficiently strong to use in such an indirect interaction method. The successful demonstration of the passive mode‐locking operation has generated pulses with the pulse duration, repetition rate, and time bandwidth product of 2.18 ps, 15.59 MHz, and 0.336, respectively.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">parkin</Emphasis> counteracts symptoms in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila</Emphasis> model of Parkinson's disease

Background

Parkinson's disease, a prevalent neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by the reduction of dopaminergic neurons resulting in the loss of motor control, resting tremor, the formation of neuronal inclusions and ultimately premature death. Two inherited forms of PD have been linked to mutations in the α-synuclein and parkin genes. The parkin protein functions as an ubiquitin ligase targeting specific proteins for degradation. Expression of human α-synuclein in Drosophila neurons recapitulates the loss of motor control, the development of neuronal inclusions, degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and the ommatidial array to provide an excellent genetic model of PD.

Results

To investigate the role of parkin, we have generated transgenic Drosophila that conditionally express parkin under the control of the yeast UAS enhancer. While expression of parkin has little consequence, co-expression of parkin with α-synuclein in the dopaminergic neurons suppresses the α-synuclein-induced premature loss of climbing ability. In addition directed expression of parkin in the eye counteracts the α-synuclein-induced degeneration of the ommatidial array. These results show that parkin suppresses the PD-like symptoms observed in the α-synuclein-dependent Drosophila model of PD.

Conclusion

The highly conserved parkin E3 ubiquitin ligase can suppress the damaging effects of human α-synuclein. These results are consistent with a role for parkin in targeting α-synuclein to the proteasome. If this relationship is conserved in humans, this suggests that up-regulation of parkin should suppress α-synucleinopathic PD. The development of therapies that regulate parkin activity may be crucial in the treatment of PD.

     

Liquid-crystalline phase behavior of a colloidal rod-plate mixture

The phase behavior of rod-plate mixtures was investigated using model systems containing unambiguously rod- and plate-shaped colloids. We find that the theoretically disputed biaxial nematic phase is unstable with respect to demixing into an isotropic and two uniaxial nematic phases. The phase behavior at very high densities is exceptionally rich and includes the coexistence of up to four different liquid crystalline phases, which stem from the coupling between the employed particle shapes and polydispersity.     

Cross-sections for deuteron photo-disintegration from 139 to 832 MeV

The cross-sections for deuteron photo-disintegration have been measured at nine c.m. angles from 37 to 143 degrees. The minimum and maximum photon energies have been 139 and 832 MeV respectively. The results are in agreement with earlier data above 300 MeV, but are significantly larger below 200 MeV, the discrepancies being up to 50% at the lowest energies measured.     

Beam maser measurements of hyperfine structure in chloroacetylene-d

The J = 1-0 transitions in ³⁵ClCCD were measured using a beam maser spectrometer giving a molecular resonance linewidth of 3 kHz (FWHM). Analysis of the data yielded quadrupole coupling strengths eqQ(D) = 208.5 ± 1.5, eqQ(³⁵Cl)= 79 739.5 ± 1 kHz and the ³⁵Cl spinrotation interaction strength C(Cl) 1.3 ± 0.1 kHz. The rotational constant obtained is B = 5 186 973.9 ± 1.0 kHz. The accuracy of measured molecular parameters is improved by a factor of 20 or better.