A laboratory study of the transfer of 234U and 238U during water-rock interactions in the Carnmenellis granite (Cornwall, England) and implications for the interpretation of field data.

Laboratory time-scale experiments were conducted on gravels from the Carnmenellis granite, Cornwall, England, with the purpose of evaluating the release of natural uranium isotopes to the water phase. The implications of these results for the production of enhanced 234U/235U activity ratios in Cornish groundwaters are discussed. It is suggested that the 234U/238U lab data can be used to interpret activity ratios from Cornwall, even when the observed inverse relationship between dissolved U and 234U/235U in leachates/etchates is taken into account.

The transfer of uranium isotopes 234U and 238U to the waters interacting with carbonates from Mendip Hills area (England).

Laboratory time-scale experiments were conducted on limestone and dolomite gravels from the Mendip Hills area, England, with the purpose of evaluating the release of 238U and 234U to different aqueous solutions. The 234U/238U activity ratio (AR) lab data were reliable to interpret the field data. The obtained values do not indicate a reduction in the amount of dissolved U and an increase in the AR of the remaining dissolved U as commonly observed for groundwater systems close to redox boundaries.

Electrophoresis of bovine erythrocyte sialic acids: existence of additional band in trypanotolerant Ndama cattle.

Mild acid-hydrolysis of erythrocyte surface sialic acids of the trypanotolerant Ndama and the trypanosusceptible White/Fulani Zebu breeds of cattle was performed. The cleaved sialic acids from the two breeds of cattle were simultaneously subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS-PAGE), along with commercial standard N-acetylneuraminic acid (MW 309.28), blank gel and plasma proteins. The cleaved sialic acids migrated in the globulin fractions, as shown by the plasma protein electrophoresis. While the Ndama and the Zebu erythrocytes had one migrating band each of which coincided with the standard N-acetylneuraminic acid, the Ndama had another trailing band of sialic acid, of an estimated molecular weight of 30 kDa, which may account for the higher erythrocyte sialic acid concentrations of the Ndama. This additional band was absent in the Zebu. All these bands were readily reproducible.