湖北和尚洞固氮微生物群落的生境特异性及网络分析

岩溶洞穴是喀斯特地貌的重要组成部分,由于其长期黑暗、寡营养等极端条件,使其成为研究陆地深部生物圈的天然实验室。尽管近年来对洞穴微生物多样性的研究不断深入,但对洞穴中固氮微生物的认识却相对薄弱。【目的】查明洞穴中固氮微生物群落的特征以及与生物、非生物因子之间的关系。【方法】本文以湖北和尚洞为例,通过对固氮菌功能基因nifH进行高通量测序和多元统计分析,系统研究了洞穴内外3种生境(洞穴上覆土壤、洞内松散沉积物以及风化岩壁)固氮微生物群落的空间分布特征及其与环境因子之间的关系。【结果】结果表明和尚洞不同生境间固氮菌群落α多样性存在显著差异(P<0.05),以洞穴上覆土壤α多样性最高,洞穴内沉积物α多样性最低。K+、NO2-和NO3-是驱动和尚洞固氮微生物群落组成的重要因子。和尚洞内固氮菌群落组成和分布具有生境特异性,除慢生根瘤菌属(Bradyrhizobium)在3种生境中相对丰度均较高外,上覆土壤以地杆菌属(Geobacter)占主导,洞穴沉积物以固氮菌属(Azotobacter)占主导,而风化岩壁中地杆菌属(Geobacter)、固氮菌属(Azotobacter)以及需盐红螺菌属(...     

新疆低阶煤本源生物甲烷转化中微生物群落组成及变化

【目的】探究新疆低阶煤生物甲烷转化过程微生物群落组成及多样性。【方法】采用厌氧培养方法和末端限制性片段长度多态性技术(Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism,T-RFLP)分析新疆低阶煤本源微生物对甲烷转化及有机酸含量的影响,分析新疆哈密大南湖长焰煤生物甲烷转化过程中微生物群落动态变化。【结果】研究表明长焰煤和褐煤对本源微生物产甲烷影响较小,随着低阶煤生物甲烷转化时间的延长,甲烷产量呈上升趋势,转化60 d后长焰煤甲烷产量高达10.28 m L/g,挥发性有机酸(VFA)浓度则最低;微生物多样性指数变化不明显,不同转化时间微生物主要类群为放线菌门(Actinobacteria),拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes),厚壁菌门(Firmicutes),变形菌门(Proteobacteria);甲烷菌的群落结构相对于细菌较简单,在整个低阶煤生物转化产甲烷过程中共有古菌类群为甲烷八叠球菌属(Methanosarcina)、甲烷盐菌属(Methanohalobium)、甲烷叶菌属(Methanolobus)、甲烷食甲基菌属(Methanomethylovorans),它们是构成群落结构的基本菌群。【结论】低阶煤生物甲烷转化过程微生物群落具有丰富的多样性,且不同时期多样性有较大差异。甲烷菌群落结构相对于细菌较简单,共有类群明显。     

汾河入黄口夏季微生物群落结构分析

【背景】河流交汇区日益成为流域生态治理的焦点和热点之一。【目的】探明汾河入黄口微生物群落结构及其主要环境影响因子。【方法】应用16S rRNA基因Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术,分析了汾河入黄口夏季微生物群落结构,并利用典范对应分析(Canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)了解影响微生物群落的主要环境因子。【结果】多样性指数分析表明该区域微生物群落多样性较高。微生物多样性分析发现优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria);在属分类水平上,相对丰度最高的菌属为芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus),其次为乳球菌属(Lactococcus)和hgcI_clade。Spearman相关性分析及典范对应分析表明环境因子对水体微生物群落结构具有显著影响。【结论】汾河与黄河微生物群落组成具有一定的差异,不同环境因子对不同微生物的影响程度不同,p H和溶解氧(Dissolved oxygen,DO)是汾河入黄口微生物群落结构的主要影响因子。     

渤海湾湾口表层沉积物中的核心细菌群落结构及其对环境因子的响应

【背景】近年来渤海湾环境恶化加重,影响了近海生态系统的可持续发展。微生物对环境的高度灵敏性使其能够迅速对环境的变更做出反应,在海洋能量流动与物质循环过程中发挥了无可替代的作用。【目的】为探讨渤海湾湾口沉积物中细菌群落分布特征及其对环境因子的响应,选取渤海湾湾口21个站位的表层沉积物样品进行探究。【方法】利用高通量测序技术(IlluminaHiSeq2500)对细菌16SrRNA基因V3-V4高变区进行测序,并结合相关环境因子分析沉积物中细菌群落组成和空间分布特征,试图探究起驱动作用的主要环境因子。【结果】研究区域广泛存在的细菌类群包括:变形菌门(Proteobacteria)占56.8%,酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)占8.9%,绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)占8.1%,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)占6.2%,其中γ-变形菌纲(Gamma-proteobacteria)和δ-变形菌纲(Delta-proteobacteria)为变形菌门中的优势类群。陆源有机物的输入使入海口及近岸处总有机碳(Total organic carbon,TOC)、总有机氮(Total organic nitrogen,TON)含量偏高,并向周围呈辐射状降低,低值位于渤海湾中部深水区域。通过冗余性分析(Redundancy analysis,RDA)发现在研究区域中环境因素对物种组成和群落结构具有显著影响,其中粒径(4μm)和有机氮的影响较大(P0.05)。【结论】渤海湾微生物物种丰富,与环境因素关系显著,人为因素对微生物多样性和群落结构组成具有重要的影响作用。     

贵州典型煤矸石堆场微生物群落结构及功能特征

【背景】煤矸石堆场用于堆放煤矿开采过程中产生的一种热值低、含重金属的固体废弃物,会产生大量的酸性废水,对堆场周边的生态环境造成严重影响。【目的】探究煤矸石堆场的微生物群落结构和功能特征。【方法】选择贵州省六枝特区典型煤矸石堆场作为研究对象,采集堆场表层土壤、矸石层土壤、废水浸出口沉积物和堆场下游河道沉积物,通过宏基因组学技术进行分析。【结果】细菌的优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria),优势菌属为钩端螺菌属(Leptospirillum)和硫化杆菌属(Sulfobacillus);古菌的优势菌门为Candidatus＿Thermoplasmatota和泉古菌门(Crenarchaeota),优势菌属为热原体属(Thermoplasma)和金属球菌属(Metallosphaera)。不同采样点细菌和古菌的优势菌属存在显著差异,矸石层土壤和废水浸出口沉积物中的铁氧化细菌和硫氧化细菌比其他2个样点丰富。煤矸石堆场中微生物的碳、氮、硫代谢基因丰度较高,共检测到6条固碳途径、6条氮代谢途径和3条硫代谢途径。主要的固碳基因为ACAT和E2.2....     

青藏高原淡水湖普莫雍错和盐水湖阿翁错湖底沉积物中细菌群落的垂直分布

【目的】湖泊沉积物中存储着大量独特的微生物,这些微生物在湖泊生态系统生物地球化学循环中扮演着非常重要的角色。然而,很少有研究报道微生物群落在湖泊沉积物中的垂直分布。本文比较研究青藏高原淡水湖普莫雍错和盐水湖阿翁错沉积物在不同深度下细菌的丰度和群落结构。【方法】利用定量PCR(q PCR)和变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)技术分别测定细菌群落的丰度与群落结构。【结果】定量PCR结果显示,湖泊沉积物中细菌丰度均随深度增加而降低,盐水湖阿翁错和淡水湖普莫雍错的细菌丰度分别从1011数量级降到108数量级,从1012数量级降到1010数量级。在相对应的沉积物层,淡水湖沉积物的细菌丰度比盐水湖高1-2个数量级。变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)指纹图谱的分析表明,淡水湖沉积物细菌群落的DGGE条带数(丰富度)显著高于盐水湖(P=0.014);淡水与盐水湖泊沉积物细菌群落结构明显不同,同时在同一湖泊沉积物中上层(0-6 cm)和下层(7-20 cm)细菌群落结构也呈明显分异。系统发育分析表明,盐水湖阿翁错沉积物特有菌门为Gamma-变形菌、拟杆菌门、蓝细菌和栖热菌门,而淡水湖普莫雍错沉积物中特有菌门为Delta-和Beta-变形菌、酸杆菌和绿弯菌门。【结论】青藏高原淡水与盐水湖泊沉积物细菌丰度与群落结构具有明显的差异;同时,细菌群落结构在沉积物的不同深度也表现出差异。这些结果可为进一步阐明青藏高原湖泊生态系统中微生物对气候环境变化的响应提供科学依据。     

柴达木盆地尕斯库勒盐湖区邻近水体对湖泊微生物群落的贡献

【目的】探究尕斯库勒盐湖生态系统中邻近水体对湖泊微生物的贡献。【方法】采集尕斯库勒盐湖区湖水、沉积物以及邻近的泉水、河水和盐田的水样,对其进行地球化学分析;通过16S rRNA基因的Illumina MiSeq高通量测序分析样品的微生物群落组成。【结果】尕斯库勒盐湖区水体和沉积物中的优势门是变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和广古菌门(Euryarchaeota)。盐度和pH是影响尕斯库勒盐湖区群落组成的最主要环境因素。邻近水体对湖泊水体和沉积物的贡献分别为12.94%和7.53%。【结论】邻近水体对尕斯库勒盐湖微生物群落的贡献有限。     

大连长山群岛海岸带沉积物微生物群落结构特征

【目的】为揭示海岸带微生物群落结构在人类活动影响下的分布差异及对环境因子变化的响应趋势,【方法】本实验采用t-RFLP和DGGE技术,对大连长山群岛不同功能类型海岸潮间带沉积物中的微生物群落结构特征进行比对和分析,并通过16S rRNA基因文库解析养殖污染站位的微生物群落结构特征。【结果】T-RFLP的t-RF分析显示,养殖污染严重站位的微生物丰度、香农指数和均匀度明显高于其它站位。通过对t-RFLP色谱峰和DGGE图谱聚类分析发现,处于旅游区的2个站位微生物群落结构相似度较高,养殖区随污染程度加重与旅游区的群落结构差异增大。对污染严重站位建立的克隆文库显示变形菌门(Proteobacteria)为优势菌群,其中γ-变形菌门是主要存在的亚门微生物。【结论】T-RFLP和DGGE技术从不同方面反映了环境中的微生物群落结构特征,研究结果表明养殖污染区的微生物群落结构发生明显变化,其影响大于地理隔离效应,污染严重区域的微生物群落中存在大量肠杆菌属,且多个物种与富营养化和赤潮相关联,如拟杆菌门和α-变形细菌红细菌目的细菌。     

基于高通量测序的4种硝化细菌富集培养物微生物群落结构分析

【目的】比较分析4种硝化细菌富集培养物(以铵盐为氮源的淡水富集物A、以亚硝酸盐为氮源的淡水富集物B、以铵盐为氮源的低温淡水富集物C和以亚硝酸盐为氮源的海水富集物D)的微生物群落结构与组成。【方法】分别提取样品的总DNA,采用高通量测序技术,分析微生物群落的组成、丰度和多样性。【结果】在不同微生物的分类水平,4个样品共检测到24门47纲129属。4个样品的优势菌门均为变形菌门;样品A、B、C的优势菌纲为β-变形菌纲和γ-变形菌纲,样品D的优势菌纲为γ-变形菌纲、δ-变形菌纲和芽孢杆菌纲;而优势菌属各不相同,其中样品A为亚硝化单胞菌属(24.56%),样品B为链霉菌属(7.15%),样品C为噬菌弧菌属(19.36%)和类诺卡氏菌属(19.35%),样品D为嗜酸菌属(13.6%)和柄杆菌属(11.5%)。共检测出7种具有硝化功能的细菌,其中样品A、B和D中主要是亚硝化单胞菌属,占比分别为24.56%、4.94%和0.63%,样品C主要为Nitrospirillum(0.69%)和硝化螺旋菌属(0.69%)。此外在样品中还检测到红灯食烷菌、羽扇豆根瘤菌等有益菌,以及弧菌属、伯克霍尔德菌等致病菌。【结论】阐述了4个样品微生物群落结构的多样性,确定了不同培养物中起主要作用的硝化细菌类群以及其它与环境物质循环相关或具有特殊生理特性的菌群,研究结果为硝化细菌富集培养物的实际应用奠定了基础。     

五大连池不同火山喷发沉积物的细菌群落多样性研究

【目的】揭示五大连池火山区的细菌多样性。【方法】运用Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术解析五大连池不同火山喷发沉积物中细菌的群落组成和分布规律。【结果】五大连池火山区沉积物中的细菌主要包含厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)等23个细菌门类,其中,厚壁菌门、变形菌门丰度较高,芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)为绝对优势菌群。另外,由于火山物质的同源性,导致各沉积物中细菌的代谢通路多与C、N、S、Fe等元素的生化循环相关,群落结构及功能具有一定程度的相似性。但由于各研究区域在沉积组分、环境因素及地质演化进程上的差异,致使芽孢杆菌属、地杆菌属(Geobacter)、酸杆菌属(Acidobacterium)、嘉利翁氏菌属(Gallionella)、Blastocatella等部分种群在不同火山沉积物中呈现差异化分布,具有典型的地域适应特性。【结论】五大连池火山沉积物中含有较为丰富的细菌资源,...     

Distribution of N,P, K,Ca, Mg,S, Zn,Fe, Mn and Cu in groundnut

Summary Concentration of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S in summer groundnut crop was higher than in kharif while Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu contents were higher in summer crop. Kernel's N, P and Zn; Leaflet's Ca and Mn; Stem's K and Fe; Root's S and Cu and Petiole's Mg contents were highest. Shell's N, P, K, Mg, S, Zn and Cu; Kernel's Ca, Fe and Mn contents were the least. N, P, K, S, Zn and Cu concentrations decreased linearly as the crop grew. Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn concentrations did not display any distinct pattern. Ca concentration was positively correlated with pod yield in both the seasons.     

Simultaneous measurement of the trace elements Al, As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in human serum and their reference ranges by ICP-MS

The goal of this article was to establish reference ranges of the concentration of trace elements in human serum and to compare these results with those reported by other authors. We describe the sample preparation and measurement conditions that allow the rapid, precise, and accurate determination of Al, As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in human serum samples (n=110) by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Accuracy and precision were determined by analyzing three reconstituted reference serum samples by comparison with other methods and by the standard addition procedure. The advantages of the ICP-MS method include short time of analysis of the elements mentioned, low detection limit, high precision, and high accuracy. Disadventages include a high risk of contamination due to the presence of some of the elements of interest in the environment, the relatively delicate sample handling, and the high cost of the equipment.     

Reference values for the concentrations of As,Cd, Co,Cr, Cu,Fe, I,Hg, Mn,Mo, Ni,Pb, Se,and Zn in selected human tissues and body fluids

This report attempts to formulate reference ranges of elemental concentrations for 15 trace elements in selected human tissues and body fluids. A set of samples consisting of whole blood, blood serum, urine, milk, liver, and hair were chosen and considered for 15 elements of biological significance: As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, F, Fe, I, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn. The results represent wholly or partially data received from 40 countries of the global regions of Africa, Asia, Europe, North, South, and Central America, Australia, and New Zealand. This survey, even if qualitative, has been useful in demonstrating certain trends of trace-element scenarios around the world. It is of course recognized that both diet and environment exert a strong influence on the distribution pattern of several elements, such as As, Cd, Mn, Pb, Se, and Zn. A limited comparison of the available information on soil status of different countries reflected some interesting associations for elements, such as Mn and Zn. Importantly, this study revealed that only a few countries were in a position to identify a reasonable amount of data on samples requested for this project. Regretably, for a number of countries, any dependable data for even such essential elements as Cu, Fe, and Zn were not available. In view of the nutritional importance of many elements, the time is ripe for concerted efforts by intergovernmental agencies to initiate investigations or commission task forces/projects to generate reliable reference data for selected global regions, which sadly lack data of any kind at present.     

Monovalent Cation Permeation through the Connexin40 Gap Junction Channel : Cs,Rb, K,Na, Li,TEA, TMA,TBA, and Effects of Anions Br,Cl, F,Acetate, Aspartate,Glutamate, and NO3

The unitary conductances and permeability sequences of the rat connexin40 (rCx40) gap junction channels to seven monovalent cations and anions were studied in rCx40-transfected neuroblastoma 2A (N2A) cell pairs using the dual whole cell recording technique. Chloride salt cation substitutions (115 mM principal salt) resulted in the following junctional maximal single channel current-voltage relationship slope conductances (γ_j in pS): CsCl (153), RbCl (148), KCl (142), NaCl (115), LiCl (86), TMACl (71), TEACl (63). Reversible block of the rCx40 channel was observed with TBA. Potassium anion salt γ_j are: Kglutamate (160), Kacetate (160), Kaspartate (158), KNO₃ (157), KF (148), KCl (142), and KBr (132). Ion selectivity was verified by measuring reversal potentials for current in rCx40 gap junction channels with asymmetric salt solutions in the two electrodes and using the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation to calculate relative permeabilities. The permeabilities relative to Li⁺ are: Cs⁺ (1.38), Rb⁺ (1.32), K⁺ (1.31), Na⁺ (1.16), TMA⁺ (0.53), TEA⁺ (0.45), TBA⁺ (0.03), Cl⁻ (0.19), glutamate⁻ (0.04), and NO₃− (0.14), assuming that the monovalent anions permeate the channel by forming ion pairs with permeant monovalent cations within the pore thereby causing proportionate decreases in the channel conductance. This hypothesis can account for why the predicted increasing conductances with increasing ion mobilities in an essentially aqueous channel were not observed for anions in the rCx40 channel. The rCx40 effective channel radius is estimated to be 6.6 Å from a theoretical fit of the relationship of relative permeability and cation radius.     

Crystal structure, detonation performance, and thermal stability of a new polynitro cage compound: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15-nonanitro-2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15-nonaazaheptacyclo [5.5.1.13, 11. 15, 9] pentadecane

A new polynitro cage compound 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15-nonanitro-2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15-nonaazaheptcyclo [5.5.1.1(3,11).1(5,9)] pentadecane (NNNAHP) was designed in the present work. Its molecular structure was optimized at the B3LYP/6-31 G(d,p) level of density functional theory (DFT) and crystal structure was predicted using the Compass and Dreiding force fields and refined by DFT GGA-RPBE method. The obtained crystal structure of NNNAHP belongs to the P-1 space group and the lattice parameters are a = 9.99 ?, b = 10.78 ?, c = 9.99 ?, α = 90.01°, β = 120.01°, γ = 90.00°, and Z = 2, respectively. Based on the optimized crystal structure, the band gap, density of state, thermodynamic properties, infrared spectrum, strain energy, detonation characteristics, and thermal stability were predicted. Calculation results show that NNNAHP has detonation properties close to those of CL-20 and is a high energy density compound with moderate stability.     

Reliability of Analyses of Hg,Fe, Ca,K, P,pH, Alkalinity,Conductivity, Hardness and Colour from Lakes

The aim of this report has been to present results concerning analytical quality controls of Hg analysis of fish and sediment, analyses of Fe, Ca, total-P, K, pH, alkalinity, conductivity, colour and hardness (Ca + Mg) of lake water samples. Despite the fact that these are standard parameters in many regular water control programs, there are major differences in the reliability with which these parameters can be determined. The focus here is on an overall inter-laboratory comparison between the parameters. Six laboratories have been involved in the analysis. Selected results: pH gives the lowest (average) relative standard deviation (error), about 2 %; conductivity gives an error of about 5–7 %; alkalinity yields an average error of as much as 13–25 %, which is the largest among the parameters studied here; colour also gives a high error, 9–15 %; hardness gives a relative standard deviation of about 6–7 %. Of the other parameters (i. e., Hg, Fe, Ca and P), Hg gives the best reliability and Fe and P the lowest. To have knowledge of the reliability of the analytical data is of paramount importance in most control programs and research projects.     

Competitive inhibition and selectivity enhancement by Ca in the uptake of inorganic elements (Be, Na, Mg, K, Ca, Sc, Mn, Co, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Ce, Pm, Gd, Hf) by carrot (Daucus carota cv. U.S. harumakigosun)

We investigated the uptake of inorganic elements (Be, Na, Mg, K, Ca, Sc, Mn, Co, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Ce, Pm, Gd, and Hf) and the effect of Ca on their uptake in carrots (Daucus carota cv. U.S. harumakigosun) by the radioactive multitracer technique. The experimental results suggested that Na, Mg, K, and Rb competed for the functional groups outside the cells in roots with Ca but not for the transporter-binding sites on the plasma membrrane of the root cortex cells. In contrast, Y, Ce, Pm, and Gd competed with Ca for the transporters on the plasma membrane. The selectivity, which was defined as the value obtained by dividing the concentration ratio of an elemental pair, K/Na, Rb/Na, Be/Sr, and Mg/Sr, in the presence of 0.2 and 2 ppm Ca by that of the corresponding elemental pair in the absence of Ca in the solution was estimated. The selectivity of K and Rb in roots was increased in the presence of Ca. The selectivity of Be in roots was not affected, whereas the selectivity of Mg was increased by Ca. These observations suggest that the presence of Ca in the uptake solution enhances the selectivity in the uptake of metabolically important elements against unwanted elements.     

Relations of the Al,B, Ba,Br, Ca,Cl, Cu,Fe, K,Li, Mg,Mn, Na,P, S,Si, Sr,and Zn mass fractions to morphometric parameters in pediatric and nonhyperplastic young adult prostate glands

The variation with age of the 18 trace element mass fractions and some histological characteristics of intact prostate glands of 50 subjects aged 0–30 years was investigated by instrumental neutron activation analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, and a quantitative morphometric analysis. Mean values ± standard error of the mean (M ± SΕΜ) for the mass fractions (in milligrams per kilogram wet tissue) of these trace elements in pre-puberty were: Al 28.5 ± 9.0, B 0.40 ± 0.11, Ba 1.48 ± 0.44, Br 10.5 ± 1.5, Ca 241 ± 30, Cl 3,203 ± 278, Cu 3.51 ± 0.89, Fe 33.7 ± 4.1, K 2,364 ± 145, Li 0.020 ± 0.004, Mg 153 ± 23, Mn 0.46 ± 0.06, Na 2,286 ± 130, P 1,391 ± 100, S 1,698 ± 132, Si 62 ± 11, Sr 0.38 ± 0.08, and Zn 27.6 ± 2.3. During puberty and postpuberty, when there is a significant increase in circulating androgens, the mean values were: Al 7.2 ± 1.4, B 0.21 ± 0.05, Ba 0.25 ± 0.06, Br 5.8 ± 1.0, Ca 433 ± 81, Cl 2,314 ± 201, Cu 1.77 ± 0.13, Fe 20.9 ± 1.6, K 2,585 ± 118, Li 0.0088 ± 0.0014, Mg 232 ± 27, Mn 0.34 ± 0.04, Na 1,875 ± 107, P 1,403 ± 98, S 1,673 ± 73, Si 22.2 ± 3.1, Sr 0.22 ± 0.03, and Zn 93.3 ± 8.9. Mean values (M ± SΕΜ) of percent volumes (%) of the stroma, epithelium and lumen in the prostate before puberty were 73.4 ± 2.6, 20.4 ± 1.7, and 4.45 ± 0.94, respectively, versus 46.5 ± 2.5, 38.5 ± 1.9, and 14.9 ± 1.2 during puberty and postpuberty. This work’s results confirm that the Zn mass fraction in prostate tissue is an androgen-dependent parameter. For the first time it has been demonstrated that the glandular lumen is a main pool of Ca, Mg, and Zn accumulation and that the stroma is a main pool of Al, B, Ba, Br, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Na, and Si accumulation in the normal human prostate, for the age range 0–30 years. It was concluded that the Ca, Mg, and Zn binds tightly within the prostatic fluid, because the volume of glandular lumen reflects the volume of prostatic fluid.     

The Effect of Age and Gender on Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Sr, V, and Zn Contents in Rib Bone of Healthy Humans

The effect of age and gender on major, minor, and trace element contents in the intact rib bone of 80 relatively healthy 15–55-year-old women and men was investigated. Contents or upper limit of contents of 16 chemical elements in the rib bone were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Mean values (M?±?SΕΜ) for the mass fraction of Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Na, P, S, Sr, and Zn (milligram per kilogram of dry bone) were as follows: 2.54?±?0.16, 171,400?±?4,050, 1.35?±?0.22, 140?±?11, 1,874?±?71, 0.049?±?0.011, 2,139?±?38, 5,378?±?88, 75,140?±?1,660, 1,881?±?51, 291?±?20, and 92.8?±?1.5, respectively. The upper limits of contents of Al, B, Mn, and V were <7.20, <0.65, <0.36, and <0.03, respectively. Statistically significant tendency for the Ca, Mg, and P content to decrease with age was found in the human rib bone, regardless of gender. The mass fraction of Fe in the male rib bone increases with age. It was shown that higher Ca, Mg, Na, P, and Sr mass fractions as well as lower Fe content were typical of female ribs as compared to those in male ribs.