RESUMEN
MnO2nanowires-reduced graphene oxide composite (MnO2-RGO) was used to modify glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) and applied for the electrochemical determination of dopamine (DA). The microstructure of MnO2nanowires and MnO2-RGO nanocomposite material was characterized by scanning microscope and X-ray powder diffraction. Then the electrochemical reduction condition for preparing MnO2-RGO/GCE and experimental conditions for determining DA were optimized systematically. The electrochemical behavior of DA on the bare electrode and RGO or MnO2-RGO modified electrodes was also investigated in pH 3.5 phosphate buffer solution (PBS) by cyclic voltammetry. The results shows that the oxidation peaks of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) can be well separated and the peak to peak separations were 268 mV (AA-DA) and 128 mV (DA-UA), respectively. Moreover, the linear response ranges for the determination of DA were 0.06-1.0 μmol/L and 1.0-80 μmol/L with the detection limit of 1.0 nmol/L (S/N=3). The proposed method has been applied to the determination of dopamine in human blood serum sample with satisfactory results.
RESUMEN
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the aromatase inhibitor (AI) letrozole on gonadal development, serum steroids and aromatase activities in 2-year-old female red spotted grouper (Epinephelus akaara) during reproductive season. Groupers were divided into two groups, one implanted with aromatase inhibitor (AI, 5 mg/kg body weight) and the other elastomer without AI into peritoneal cavity once every four weeks for 8 weeks. Spermiation was checked through gentle abdominal pressure every 2 weeks. Blood samples were obtained from 6 fish of each group every 4 weeks for later analysis of sex steroids. After blood samples were collected, forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain, and gonads were collected and stored at -70 degrees C for later aromatase activity measurement and gonadal histological study. Significantly lower gondadosomatic index (GSI) was observed in AI-implanted group. Fish implanted with AI once showed complete degradation of oocytes and sex inversion with developing testicular tissues in the 4th week. AI induced females to develop into functional males with authentic males testes similar in structure to those in normal males. Spermiating rate of AI-treated males were 14.3%, 35.3%, and 48.4%in the 4th, 6th, and 8th week, respectively, while all fish in the control group were still female with developing ovaries. Aromatase activities in gonads decreased significantly after implantation with aromatase inhibitor, but showed no significant difference between control and AI-implanted group. No difference in serum testosterone (T) levels was observed in control and AI-treated group, while serum levels of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) decreased but 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) concentration increased significantly. The present results suggest that the decrease in serum 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) and increase in 11-KT levels may be important for sex inversion induced by aromatase inhibitor in red spotted grouper.