Human RBCs blood group conversion from A to O using a novel α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase of high specific activity

α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase （αNAGA） can convert group A human red blood cells （RBCs） to group O. One novel αNAGA gene was cloned by PCR from Elizabethkingia meningosepticum Isolated from a domestic clinical sample. Pure recombinant αNAGA was obtained by genetic engineering and protein purification with a calculated molecule of 49.6 kD. αNAGA was selective for terminal α-N-acetylgalacto- samine residue with a high specific activity, αNAGA could completely remove A antigens of 1 U （about 100 mL） group A1 or A2 RBCs in 1 h at pH 6.8 and 25℃ with s consumption of 1.5 or 0.4 mg recombinant enzyme. Enzyme-converted group A RBCs did not agglutinate after being mixed with monoclonal snti-A or sere of groups A, B, AB and O. Other blood group antigens except ABO had no change. FCM analysis showed that A antigens and A1 antigens disappeared while H antigens increased. It indicated that αNAGA successfully converted human blood group A RBCs to universally transfusable group O RBCs without the risk of ABO-incompaUble transfusion reactions. This αNAGA was suitable for producing universal RBCs to increase clinical transfusion safety, improve the RBCs supply, and to decrease transfusion cost and support transfusion service in case of emergency.     

Vitellogenic responses of male Chinese loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) exposed to the individual or binary mixtures of 17β-estradiol and nonylphenol

Male Chinese loaches were exposed to 17β-estradiol (E2) and nonylphenol (NP) both singly and in combination for 42 days using semi-static waterborne exposure system. Plasma vitellogenin (Vtg) was chosen as determining endpoint. The results demonstrated that 0.5 μg/L E2 could induce the enhancement of Vtg contents in male Chinese loaches after exposure for 21 days, which showed a time-related increasing manner; NP was also estrogenic to male Chinese loach, and the vitellogenic responses showed in a time-and dose-related manner, which was less potent than that of E2. The bi- nary mixtures of E2 and NP can significantly elicit the production of Vtg in male Chinese loaches, which was more potent than that of individual compounds, and Vtg induced in the binary mixture groups was higher than the summation of Vtg induced in the corresponding single-compound groups at the same concentration.     

Decay of geometry for unimodal maps: The C2 case

We prove that a C2 unimodal interval map with critical order not greater than 2 has the decay of geometry property, by showing that all the cross-ratio estimates needed in the previous proof for the C3 case remain true.     

Synthesis and characterization of BiFeO3 nanotube arrays and Y-junction BiFeO3 nanotubes

Multiferroic BiFeO₃ (BFO) nanotube arrays (∼100 nm in diameter and ∼50 μm in length) were synthesized by the sol-gel method utilizing the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane technique. The microstructure and chemical components of the BFO nanotubes were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). The BFO nanotubes exhibited polycrystalline microstructures. The novel Y-junction BFO nanotubes were simultaneously fabricated. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 90306010), Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (Grant No. NCET-04-0653) and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB616911)     

Combining docking and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis （COMSIA） to predict estrogen activity and probe molecular mechanisms of estrogen activity for estrogen compounds

Estrogen compounds are suspected of disrupting endocrine functions by mimicking natural hormones, and such compounds may pose a serious threat to the health of humans and wildlife. Close attention has been paid to the prediction and molecular mechanisms of estrogen activity for estrogen com- pounds. In this article, estrogen receptor a subtype （ERa） -based comparative molecular similarity indices analysis （COMSIA） was performed on 44 estrogen compounds with structural diversity to find out the structural relationship with the activity and to predict the activity. The model with the significant correlation and the best predictive power （R^2= 0.965, Q^2 LOO： 0.599, R^2 pred ： 0.825） was achieved. The COMSIA and docking results revealed the structural features for estrogen activity and key amino acid residues in binding pocket, and provided an insight into the interaction between the ligands and these amino acid residues.     

SCFP,a novel fiber-specific promoter in cotton

To investigate the expression pattern of GhSCFP which was isolated from cotton fiber cDNA library, a 1006 bp upstream fragment of the gene was cloned by chromosome walking and fused to GUSand GFP respectively. Histochemical GUS and GFP fluorescence analysis revealed that the expression of the report genes driven by the promoter sequence was detectable only in outer layer cells during the seed development in the transgentic tobaccos. In transgenic cotton, strong GUS activity was observed in spherical protrusions on 0 dpa （days post anthesis） ovule surface, and in the 2-36 dpa fiber cells, while no GUS signals were detected in the root, leaves, stem, corolla, anther and stigma. Our data demonstrated that GhSCFP upstream sequence is a cotton fiber-specific promoter and this promoter will be useful in the molecular research on fiber cell development and in cotton fiber improvements by genetic modification.     

Stability study of saturated red polymer light-emitting diodes

Saturated red polymer light-emitting diodes have been fabricated with a single emitting polymer blend layer of poly[2-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-5-methoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and poly[9,9-dioc- tylfluorene-co-4,7-di-2-thienyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] (PFO-DBT15). Saturated red emission with the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.67, 0.33) was obtained. The device stability was investigated. The results showed that energy transfer occurred from MEH-PPV to PFO-DBT15, and MEH-PPV improved the hole injection and transportation.     

Design and demonstration of a 0.22 THz gyrotron oscillator

Gyrotrons are the most powerful terahertz sources and have potential applications in many areas. A terahertz gyrotron oscillator with a pulsed solenoid producing up to an 8 T magnetic field has been designed, constructed and tested. In a 7.96 T magnetic field, 3 kW output power radiations at 0.22 THz frequency have been generated. Supported by the State Key Development Program of Basic Research of China (Grant No. 2007CB310400) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 1067611)     

Arctic dipole anomaly and summer rainfall in Northeast China

A dipole structure anomaly in summer Arctic atmospheric variability is identified in this study, which is characterized by the second mode of empirical orthogonal function （EOF） analysis of summer monthly mean sea level pressure （SLP） north of 70°N, accounting for 12.94% of the variance. The dipole anomaly shows a quasi-barotropic structure with opposite anomalous centers over the Canadian Arctic and the Beaufort Sea and between the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. The dipole anomaly reflects alternating variations in location of the polar vortex between the western and eastern Arctic regions. The positive phase of the dipole anomaly corresponds to the center of the polar vortex over the western Arctic, leading to an increase in summer mean rainfall in Northeast China. The dipole anomaly has a predominant 6-year periodicity, and shows interdecadal variations in recent decades.     

Photovoltaic properties of MEH-PPV/TiO2 nanocomposites

Photovoltaic properties of photodiodes based on nano-TiO2 and poly[2-methoxy,5-（2＇-ethlhexyloxy）-p-phenylenevinylene] （MEH-PPV） composites are investigated. By comparing composite devices with the same weight of TiO2 （nanoparticles and nanotubes）：MEH-PPV, it was found that the device with TiO2 nanotubes exhibited better performance. By further optimizing the weight radio of TiO2 nanotubes： MEH-PPV, we gained the device with a short circuit current density of 9.27μA/cm^2 with a light intensity of 16.7mW/cm^2 at the 500 nm wavelength, the highest open-circuit voltage of 1.1V, and a photosensitivity of 332 at reverse bias of -0.6V. The photosensitivity is improved by a factor of 33 compared with the undoped MEH-PPV device.     

TiO2-based building materials: Above and beyond traditional applications

In the 1910s, TiO₂ began to be used in building materials as pigments and opacifier due to its excellent optical property. Since the photocatalytic property of TiO₂ was observed in 1972, its application field was expanded to air cleaning and sterilization. Thereafter, people added TiO₂ into building materials to develop novel and facile building materials. These materials were widely used for air cleaning, sterilization, self-cleaning, anti-fogging, decoration, and building cooling. The combination of building and other functions can serve simultaneously. Although TiO₂-based building materials have bright prospects, some aspects such as improving the stability and enhancing photoactive performance of the materials are of importance for future research. Supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program (“863” Program) of China (Grant No. 2007AA061402), Chinese Key Technology Research and Development Program of the Eleventh Five-year Plan (Grant No. 2006BAJ02A08), Hangzhou Science & Technology Development Program (Grant No. 20061133B27) and Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (Grant No. 20070335197)     

Structural dependences of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">η</Emphasis><Superscript>6</Superscript> complexes of 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole with chromium tricarbonyl fragment on third-order optical nonlinearities

Degenerate four-wave mixing measurements, using the 35 ps pulses at 532 nm, have been employed to investigate the third-order nonlinear optical parameters of two chromium tricarbonyl complexes η6-bonded to 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole at either the NH2-substituted aryl ring （1） or the unsubstituted ring （2） and their precursor 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole （AECz）. The second-order hyperpolarizability y of the compounds 1 and 2 were found to be 42.9×10^-31 and 35.9×10^-31 esu, respectively, approximately one order of magnitude greater than AECz. The relation between the molecular structure and second-order hyperpolarizability of the compounds I and 2 was explored in detail based on the three-level model and the density functional theory （DFT） calculation. The theoretical results indicate that the spatial distribution of electron density has the profound role in the third-order nonlinear optical properties.     

Novel protein detection method based on proximity-dependent polymerase reaction and aptamers

In recent years, specific detection of proteins is one of the hot issues about aptamers in proteomics. Here we reported a simple, sensitive and specific proximity-dependent protein assay with dual DNA aptamers. Thrombin was used as the model protein, and two aptamer probes with complementary sequence at 3′-end were designed for the two distinct epitopes of the protein. Association of the two aptamers with thrombin resulted in stable hybrids due to the proximity of 3′-end, then polymerase reaction was induced. The amount of obtained dsDNA was indicated using the fluorescence dye Sybr Green I. The results showed that the initial velocity of polymerase reaction had a positive correlation with concentration of thrombin. The advantages of this dual-aptamer-based approach included simple and flexible design of aptamer probes, high selectivity and high sensitivity. The detection limit was 6.9 pmol/L.     

Inducement of Sechenov inhibition by EtOH and NA in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bufo</Emphasis> toad

Central inhibition, discovered by Sechenov in 1862, suggests that electrically stimulating the forebrain or medulla oblongata in frog generally suppresses reflexes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Using ethanol （EtOH）, noradrenalin （NA）, and other neurotransmitters in thalamic preparations, Sechenov inhibition was stimulated in Bufo toads in this study. The result showed that, similar to Sechenov inhibition, the acute application of EtOH or NA excited the thalamus and prolonged the latency of withdrawal reflex. Our study evidences the involvement of α-adrenoceptors in such central inhibition, and explains the role of acute EtOH application in the induction of reflex inhibition.     

On the development of the GRAPES——A new generation of the national operational NWP system in China

Numerical weather prediction （NWP） has become one of the most important means for weather forecasts in the world. It also mirrors a nation＇s comprehensive strength in meteorology. In 2000, China Meteorological Administration （CMA） established the National Innovative Base for Meteorological Numerical Prediction in the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences （CAMS）, to work on developing a new generation of the national operational NWP system-Global/Regional Assimilation and PrEdiction System （GRAPES）, to enhance meteorological services in China in the new century. In recent years, the GRAPES has witnessed a fast development. The GRAPES has been set up as an integration of the model framework, data assimilation, regional and global NWP system, which can be commonly used for both operation and research. In this paper, a brief review is made for illustrating the GRAPES system, including the advanced designs of the GRAPES, its diverse applications in multi-fields, and efficiencies of the regional and global GRAPES in operational applications based on hindcast results.     

Temperature-sensitive gold-nanotube array membranes modified with poly（N-isopropylacrylamide）

A kind of temperature-sensitive nanotube array membrane was developed by modifying gold-nanotube array membranes with poly（N-isopropylacrylamide） （PNIPAm）. The permeation ability of the mem-branes at different temperatures was investigated using sodium fluorescein and quantum dots as probes. The results showed that the pore diameter of nanotube was changed due to the reversible response of PNIPAm-modified membranes to temperature, and then the permeation ability of the mem-branes was changed. The permeation of fluorescence probes was slow and even almost blocked at 25℃ （below the lower critical solution temperature, LCST）, since PNIPAm formed expanded structures and decreased the pore size. While at 40℃ （above the LCST）, the permeation was increased, since PNIPAm became compact structures and the pore diameter was increased. Furthermore, the permeation ability of the temperature-sensitive nanotube array membranes could be adjusted reversibly and it is possible to use the membranes in nanofluidic devices, nanogates, etc.     

Folding of a single polymer chain and phase transition

Using an ultra-sensitive differential scanning calorimetry （US-DSC）, we have investigated the folding and aggregation behaviors of poly（N-isopropylacrylamide） （PNIPAM） chains in dilute and semidilute solutions. In the heating process, the intrachain folding and interchain aggregation simultaneously occur in the dilute solutions, and the ratio of intrachain folding increases with decreasing concentra- tion. In the semidilute solutions, PNIPAM chains show limited interchain aggregation with elevated temperature, because most of the PNIPAM chains have been collapsed at lower temperature. In an ex- tremely dilute solution, PNIPAM chains undergo a single folding transition in the heating process. By extrapolating heating rate and concentration to zero, we have obtained the phase transition tempera- ture （Ts） and enthalpy change （Arts） of the single chain folding. AHs is higher than that for a phase transition involving intrachain collapse and interchain aggregation, indicating that a single chain fold- ing can not be taken to be a macroscopic phase transition.     

Tracing the major source area of the mountainous runoff generation of the Heihe River in northwest China using stable isotope technique

Based on the data of δ^18O in precipitation during the period of April 2006 through May 2007 in the upper catchment of the main stream of the Heihe River in the Qilian Mountains, we found that there existed an evident altitude effect on δ^18O in precipitation, and the δ^18O-altitude gradient was -0.18‰/100 m. When δ^18O in river water at the outlet of the mountainous drainage area of the main stream of the Heihe River was combined with the δ^18O-altitude relation, it was realized that the mountainous runoff was generated mostly at high altitudes. Using two component models, we revealed that 80.2% of the annual total mountainous runoff amount was generated at the alpine permafrost-snow-ice zone with an altitude of above 3600 m a.s.I.     

Preparation and performance of LiNi0. 8Co0.2O2 cathode material based on Co-substituted α-Ni（OH）2 precursor

Co-substituted α-Ni（OH）2 was synthesized by a novel microwave homogeneous precipitation method in the presence of urea. LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 cathode material was synthesized by calcining Co-substituted α-Ni（OH）2 precursor and LiOH·H2O at 900℃for 10 h in flowing oxygen. XRD, FTIR, FESEM and electrochemical tests were used to study the physical and the electrochemical performances of the materials. The results show that the prepared LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 compound has a good layered hexagonal structure. Moreover, the LiNi0.8Co0.2O2cathode material demonstrates stable cyclability with a high initial specific discharge capacity of 183.9 mAh/g. The good electrochemical performance could be attributed to the uniform distribution of Ni^2＋ and Co^2＋ ions in the crystal structure and a minimal cation mixing in LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 host structure.