A NOVEL TIME-SHARED FLUOROMETER GIVES THE MITOCHONDRIAL REDOX STATE AS THE RATIO OF TWO COMPONENTS OF THE RESPIRATORY CHAIN OF THE ANIMAL AND HUMAN BUCCAL CAVITY WITH QUANTITATIVE MEASURES OF THE REDOX ENERGY STATE

The source of energy for life is the tissue mitochondria and they demand a complex chain of biochemicals to ensure proper physiological function.Classically,the blood levels,and not the tissue levels of these metabolites,are determined by expensive and time-consuming biochemical analyses.Since the tissue mitochondria are the consumers of the substrates of glycolysis and of fatty acid metabolism,their redox state is a unique accessible monitor of tissue metabolism and its blockade due to toxins.

Preliminary investigations on Arctic microalgae by jointapplication of fluorescent instruments

In vivo fluorescence has a wide application in analyzing microalgae, including assessing phytoplankton biomass, rates of primary production and physiological status. This study describes a preliminary investigation on the joint application of the three kinds of fluorescence analysis in the physiological study of microalgae. Flow cytometry and fluorescence spectrometry were used to obtain the in vivo static fluorescence information of pigments, and a Pulsed-Amplitude-Modulation chlorophyll fluorometer was used to detect the dynamic fluorescence of chlorophyll. The validity of the joint application was proved by analyzing two labora- tory cultured Arctic microalgae, Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima （Bacillariophyceae） and Thalassiosira sp. The higher value of minimum fluorescence yield in dark-adapted state （Fo）, actual photochemical efficiency of PSll （ФPSII）, and electron transport rate （ETR） exhibited positive results in a higher cell abundance and chlorophyll a content of P. delicatissima; whereas higher fl-carotene content of Thalassiosira sp. played an important role in the protection of photosynthesis.

Prevalence of Aflatoxins in Smoked-Dried and Fresh Fish in Zambia

The food contamination is a critical public health concern at the global level. The aflatoxins are considerable food contaminants and health menace to a sizable world population. Aflatoxins originate from fungi as their toxic secondary metabolites. This study aimed to probe the contamination level of aflatoxins in smoked-dried fish and the extent of the threat it might pose on human health. The study considered five of the regularly consumed species of smoked-dried fish. The study also considered two species of fresh fish. The investigation was carried out using VICAM Series-4EX Fluorometer. The Buka fish sample had the lowest concentration of 1.3 ppb for total aflatoxins, and Bream fish was analyzed to have the highest as 3.84 ppb. As such, the total aflatoxin concentration in this study was found to be between 1.3 and 3.84 ppb. These concentrations can be considered to be a matter of concern. Prolonged intake of the aflatoxins in this range may result in a health hazard to humans. As expected, there was no trace of aflatoxins detected in fresh fish samples.