Phytoremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soil in Temperate Humid Regions of British Columbia,Canada

The suitability of five plant species was studied for phytoextraction and phytostabilisation in a region with temperate maritime climate of coastal British Columbia, Canada. Pot experiments were conducted using Lolium perenne L (perennial rye grass), Festuca rubra L (creeping red fescue), Helianthus annuus L (sunflower), Poa pratensis L (Kentucky bluegrass) and Brassica napus L (rape) in soils treated with three different metal (Cu, Pb, Mn, and Zn) concentrations. The bio-metric characters of plants in soils with multiple-metal contaminations, their metal accumulation characteristics, translocation properties and metal removal were assessed at different stages of plant growth, 90 and 120 DAS (days after sowing). Lolium was found to be suitable for the phytostabilisation of Cu and Pb, Festuca for Mn and Poa for Zn. Metal removal was higher at 120 than at 90 days after sowing, and metals concentrated more in the underground tissues with less translocation to the aboveground parts. Bioconcentration factors indicate that Festuca had the highest accumulation for Cu, Helianthus for Pb and Zn and Poa for Mn.     

Studies on triacylglycerol ester hydrolase from bat adipose tissue

Triacylglycerol ester hydrolase was isolated from bat adipose tissue and characterized. The partially purified enzyme had pH optimum of 8.6 and a K_m value of 0.6 mM. The enzyme was denaturated upon freezing and thawing, which was prevented by 25% glycerol. The enzyme was activated by EDTA and NaCl, while it was inhibited by serum and bovine serum albumin. Heparin, sodium fluoride and diisopropyl fluorophosphate had no effect on triacylglycerol ester hydrolase activity. It hydrolyzed triglycerides partially. Triacylglycerol ester hydrolase lost its activity during delipidation but it was reactivated by endogenous lipids and phospholipids, viz. phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline and sphingomyelin. The enzyme shows kinetic properties altogether different from lipoprotein lipase and hormone sensitive lipase     

An investigation of a mouse model to estimate the potency of the diphtheria component in vaccines

A mouse model to estimate the potency of the diphtheria toxoid components in vaccines using Vero cells to detect the neutralizing antibodies in the sera from immunized mice is described. The results obtained with this mouse model correlated significantly with those obtained in the lethal challenge test in guinea-pigs. For this reason it is suggested that the potency test in guinea-pigs be replaced by this mouse model because a considerable reduction in the number of animals used and costs can be achieved by the introduction of this mouse test for the routine control of the potency of the diphtheria component of vaccines.