Interactions of Nile Blue with Micelles, Reverse Micelles and a Genomic DNA

In this contribution we report studies on the nature of binding of a small ligand/drug Nile blue (NB) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles, bis-(2-ethylehexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/isooctane reverse micelles (RM) and a genomic DNA extracted from Salmon sperm. With detailed steady state and picosecond resolved optical spectroscopic techniques, we examined the fluorescence quenching of the ligand upon complexation with the SDS monomers and DNA. Polarization analyzed picosecond-resolved fluorescence measurements reveal geometrical restriction on the probe in SDS micelles, AOT-RM and DNA. Steady state and time resolved studies on the probe in nanocages of AOT RM with various degrees of hydration (w₀) reveal the existence of NB as two distinct species namely, neutral and cationic. This study confirms that the emission of NB in aqueous micelles and DNA solution is due to the cationic form of the drug. Our experiments clearly identified non-specific electrostatic and intercalative modes of interaction of the probe with the DNA at lower and higher DNA concentrations respectively. The nature of binding of NB in presence of the DNA and SDS micelles reveals that the binding affinity of the probe is higher with the micelles than with the DNA. The complex rigidity of NB with DNA and its fluorescence quenching with DNA elucidate a strong recognition mechanism between NB and DNA.     

Stable H and O isotope-based investigation of moisture sources and their role in river and groundwater recharge in the NE Carpathian Mountains,East-Central Europe†

The region situated between the mountain area and the lowlands in NE Romania (East-Central Europe) is experiencing increased competition for water resources triggered by a growing population, intensification of agriculture, and industrial development. To better understand hydrological cycling processes in the region, a study was conducted using stable isotopes of water and atmospheric trajectory data to characterize regional precipitation and vapour sources derived from the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as recycled continental moisture, and to assess and partition these contributions to recharge of surface and groundwater. Atmospheric moisture in the lowlands is found to be predominantly delivered along easterly trajectories, while mountainous areas appear to be dominated by North Atlantic Ocean sources, with moisture transported along mid-latitude, westerly storm tracks. Large-scale circulation patterns affect moisture delivery, the North Atlantic Oscillation being particularly influential in winter and the East Atlantic pattern in summer. Winter precipitation is the main contributor to river discharge and aquifer recharge. As winter precipitation amounts are projected to decrease over the next decades, and water abstraction is expected to steadily increase, a general reduction in water availability is projected for the region.     

Spatiotemporal patterns of stable isotopes and hydrochemistry in springs and river flow of the upper Karkheh River Basin,Iran

Karst springs of the Zagros Mountains contribute a significant amount to agricultural and human water demands of western and south-western Iran. For an adequate management of available water resources in semi-arid and arid regions, sufficient hydrological monitoring is needed, and hydro-chemical and isotope hydrological data provide important additional information. About 350 water samples were collected from precipitation, river water, and karst springs of the upper part of the Karkheh River Basin (20,895 km²) located between 33°35^′ and 34°55^′ North and 46°22^′ and 49°10^′ East with elevations ranging from 928 to 3563 m above sea level. Sampling was conducted in monthly time resolution from August 2011 to July 2012. All samples were analysed for hydro-chemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, and major ions) and stable isotopes (deuterium, oxygen-18). Isotope values of precipitation indicate a local meteoric water line (Zagros MWL δ²H=6.8 δ¹⁸O+10.1; R²=0.99) situated between the Mediterranean MWL and Global MWL. Spring and river water isotope values vary between?7.1 and?4.1 ‰, and?38 and?25 ‰ for δ¹⁸O and δ²H, respectively, responding to winter snowmelt and evaporation. This work implements stable isotopes and hydro-chemical information of springs and river water to understand hydrological and hydro-geological interrelations in karstic semi-arid areas and helps to improve the current water resources management practices of western Iran.     

钱塘江通海航运开发及其导航问题

钱塘江通海航运开发对于浙江省的经济发展具有重要意义。根据该水域的地理特征,通海航运开发务必采取多学科的综合措施,其中建立导航定位系统并提高其精度是通海航运开发中的基础环节。应用国际上近十几年来迅速发展起来的无线电导航差分技术来提高导航定位精度,则是技术上可行、经济上合算的优化方案。本文对上述问题进行讨论,并结合作者于1987年夏在渤海海域进行我国首次无线电导航差分技术试验的经验,客观地评价了差分技术在钱塘江通海航运开发中应用的意义和前景以及存在的问题及其解决办法。     

锡钨杂多酸-耐尔蓝光度法测定纳克量锡

本文报道一个光度法测定纳克量锡的新方法。在聚乙烯醇（ＰＶＡ）存在下锡（Ⅳ）与钨酸盐和耐尔蓝（ＮＢ）反应形成离子缔合物,离子缔合物的最大吸收位于５８０ｎｍ,表观摩尔吸光系数ε值２．９５×１０７Ｌ·ｍｏ１－１·ｃｍ－１,服从比耳定律范围０～２．０μｇ／Ｌ,检出限（３σ）０．０８３μｇ／Ｌ（ｎ＝１０）,对２．０μｇ／Ｌ锡测定的ＲＳＤ为１．４２％（ｎ＝１１）,离子缔合物至少稳定７２ｈ。考察了４０多种共存离子的影响,大多数常见元素不干扰。测定锡的适宜条件［Ｈ２ＳＯ４］＝１．２０ｍｏ１／Ｌ,［ＷＯ２－４］＝６．０５×１０－５ｍｏ１／Ｌ,［ＮＢ］＝５．５×１０－５ｍｏ１／Ｌ和ＰＶＡ０．０８％。本法已用于某些合金钢和锌合金中纳克量锡的测定,结果与推荐值吻合,回收率满意。     

城市河网尺度的水体光谱指数适宜性分析研究

城市地表水是城市生态环境的重要组成部分,地表水环境高光谱遥感是高光谱遥感的重要应用方向,水体提取是地表水环境高光谱遥感的第一步,其主要任务是从高光谱遥感数据中提取地表水水体轮廓。基于光谱指数的水体提取方法充分利用光谱信息,计算简单,实现容易,提取效果优异。归一化植被指数(NDVI)、归一化水体指数(NDWI)、高光谱差异化水体指数(HDWI)和基于指数的水体指数(IWI)等光谱指数已经广泛应用于湖泊、大江大河等开阔水体提取。近些年来,随着成像光谱技术的发展,高光谱遥感数据的获取能力也突飞猛进,空间分辨率和光谱分辨率不断提高。与江河湖基本在流域内沿地形分布不同,城市地表水一般细小,纵横交错,形成河网。在高光谱遥感数据用于城市体表水提取时,其面临的图像空间分辨率、地物类型和地物复杂等,与江河湖水体提取有很大不同。因此,需要对这些常用的光谱指数在城市地表水提取中的适宜性进行评价。以此做为出发点和目标,以河网密布的江南水乡中国浙江省嘉兴市为研究对象,以应用型航空成像光谱仪(Airborne imaging spectrometer for applications, AISA)获取的高空间分辨率机载高光谱遥感数据为数据源,通过Youden指数确定最佳阈值,将总体分类精度、错分误差、漏分误差、Kappa系数作为衡量指标,分析评价了NDVI,NDWI,HDWI和IWI 4种光谱指数在城市河网提取中的适宜性。结果表明,阴影与水体光谱变化趋势类似,是造成水体提取过程中高错分误差的主要因素。四种指数都可以准确抑制落在植被中的阴影,但无法有效抑制落在建筑物中的阴影。HDWI虽然可以在一定程度上抑制建筑物中的阴影,但是无法有效地抑制亮建筑物背景。通过对不同类型水体和阴影（笼罩下地物）光谱的进一步分析,虽然水体和阴影光谱曲线变化趋势相似,均在560～600 nm附近存在波峰,但是水体和阴影波峰高度存在差异,水体波峰值较大而阴影波峰值较低。因此,通过充分挖掘水体和阴影在560～600 nm处光谱反射信息,有望进一步抑制建筑物阴影,提高城市河网水体提取精度。     

基于固有光学量的高光谱数据反演城市河网水质

水体辐射传输模型是水体光谱特性分析的理论基础,水体固有光学量由水体组成决定,与水体表面光场无关。基于统计的半经验算法虽然能获取指定区域水质参数反演结果,但是缺乏物理意义;基于生物光学模型的分析算法,针对城市河网内陆Ⅱ类水体光学特性复杂、空间分布异质性强、水体细小、流动性大等特点,利用高光谱数据,研究基于固有光学量的城市河网水质参数反演模型,对内陆城市浑浊水体光谱特性研究具有重大意义。提出了适用于内陆城市河网水体的改进QAA算法,以获取水体固有光学量,改进包括后向散射估计模型调整和参考波段优化两个方面;计算参考波段总吸收系数、颗粒物后向散射系数等固有光学量,得到浮游植物吸收系数和剔除纯水吸收系数;对浮游植物吸收系数最优波段比值与叶绿素a浓度进行线性回归分析,构建叶绿素a水质浓度反演模型,对剔除纯水吸收系数最优波段比值与悬浮物浓度线性回归分析,构建悬浮物水质浓度反演模型。针对内陆河网Ⅱ类水体,以典型的河网城市嘉兴市为研究区域,获取了研究区域航空高光谱数据,以及水质采样化验数据和水面以上光谱数据等地面准同步测量数据;利用QAA算法和IIMIW算法对实测水面以上光谱进行固有光学量反演,对比分析两个算法并结合城市河网水体特点,提出改进QAA算法;利用改进的QAA算法实现了研究区域水体的固有光学量反演,基于反演的水体固有光学量建立了叶绿素a浓度和悬浮物浓度两项水色参数定量反演模型,反演模型决定系数R2分别为0.64和0.71;并用航空高光谱数据同步区域的4个地面样点实测数据,对反演结果进行验证分析。通过水质参数浓度反演值与实测值的对比,叶绿素a和悬浮物水质浓度反演的平均相对误差分别为9.2%和9.4%,反演得到的叶绿素a和悬浮物浓度分布图,也与城市河网的特点和实际情况相符,为城市河网水质监测提供方法和模型参考。     

DODAB and DODAC bilayer-like aggregates in the micromolar surfactant concentration domain

In the millimolar concentration domain (typically 1 mM), dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide and chloride (DODAX, X representing Br⁻ or Cl⁻ counterions) molecules assemble in water as large unilamellar vesicles. Differential-scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a suitable technique to obtain the melting temperature (T _m) characteristic of surfactant bilayers, while fluorescence spectroscopy detects formation of surfactant aggregates, like bilayers. These two techniques were combined to investigate the assembly of DODAX molecules at micromolar concentrations, from 10 to 100 μM. At 1 mM surfactant, T _m ≈ 45 °C and 49 °C, respectively, for DODAB and DODAC. DSC and fluorescence of Nile Red were used to show the formation of DODAX aggregates, at the surfactant concentration as low as 10 μM, whose T _m decreases monotonically with increasing DODAX concentration to attain the value for the ordinary vesicles. The data indicate that these aggregates are organized as bilayer-like structures.     

Regional characteristics of naturally occurring radionuclides in surface sediments of Chinese deserts and the Keum River area of Korea

Naturally occurring radionuclides (NORN) such as ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th from 44 surface sediment samples collected from four desert regions of Chinese were determined to investigate the regional characteristics of the source areas of Asian dust. The radionuclides for 41 surface sediment samples collected from seven sites of the Keum River area in Korea were also determined to compare the regional characteristics with the Chinese desert area. The specific activities (SA) and the specific activity ratios (SAR) of the radionuclides were investigated for distinguishing the source region of Asian dust. The SA of ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th as well as the SAR of ²²⁶Ra/⁴⁰K and ²³²Th/⁴⁰K were found to be useful to characterize source area and tracing Asian dust.