Electrochemical Behavior and Determination of Trifluoperazine at Decanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayer Modified Gold Electrodes

0　IntroductionTrifluoperazine is a derivative of phenothiazine. It hasneuroleptic and antidepressive actions, hence has beenwidely used in the treatment of psychotic patients[1]. As it hassuch function and application, trifluoperazine’s characteristicsand detection methods were studied by means of spectropho tometry[2], capillary zone electrophoresis[3], titrimetry[4],fluorometry[5], high performance liquid chromatographyetc[6]. Because of the electroactivity of trifluoperaz…     

Can the occurrence of rare insertion/deletion polymor-phisms in human mtDNA be verified from phylogeny?

Owing to its maternal inheritance, absence of re-combination and high evolution rate, mtDNA has been widely used in unraveling the migration history of modern human and in medical genetics as well as in forensic prac-tice[1,2]. Compared with the Cambridge reference sequence (CRS) which was first sequenced in 1981[3] and the later revised CRS[4], insertions and deletions (indel) occur fre-quently in the mtDNA sequences available. Some of the indel polymorphisms are characteristic to mtDNA…     

Atmospheric Pb variations in Central Asia since 1955 from Muztagata ice core record, eastern Pamirs

Measurements of Pb in the well-preserved and dated snow and ice layers in glaciers can be used to recon- struct the past changes of atmospheric lead concentra- tions and to determine the trends of atmospheric pollu- tion. The lead data obtained from Greenland ice cap revealed severe air pollution in the Northern Hemi- sphere over the past three millennia. This lead pollution started from as early as Rome times[1], and increased remarkably from the Industrial Revolution to the end of the 1960…     

Structure and internal stress of Au films deposited on SiO2/Si(100) and mica by dc sputtering

Au films with a thickness of about 300 nm were deposited on SiO₂/Si(100) and mica substrates by dc sputtering. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the structure and internal stress of the Au films. The films grown on SiO₂/Si(100) show a preferential orientation of [111] in the growth direction. However the films grown on mica have mixture crystalline orientations of [111], [200], [220] and [311] in the growth direction and the orientations of [200] and [311] are slightly more than those of [111] and [220]. An internal stress in the films grown on SiO₂/Si(100) is tensile. For Au films grown on mica the internal stresses in the [111]- and [311]-orientation grains are compressive while those in the [200]- and [220]-orientation grains are tensile. Au films grown SiOJSi(100) have some very large grains with a size of about 400 nm and have a wider grain size distribution compared with those grown on mica.     

Efficient expression of human factor Ⅸ cDNA in liver mediated by hydrodynamics-based plasmid administration

The transfection of plasmid DNA into mammalian cells is an indispensable tool in the study of gene transfer and gene function. Since the original report in 1990 on the successful expression of a reporter gene in muscle[1], plasmid DNA injection has been widely used to mediate gene transfer study. As a gene transfer vector, naked DNA has many obvious advantages. It is easy and cheap to be prepared and more safe after transfection. But the plasmid mediated gene expression is low because of t…     

New Public Key Cryptosystems from Combinatorial Group Theory

0 IntroductionThe security of most commonly used cryptographicschemesis essentially based onthree families of compu-tational problems :the integer factoring problem(RSAprob-lem) ,the Diffie-Hell man problemand the discrete logarithmproblem,andthe elliptic curve variants thereof .Inthe middleof 1990s , Shor[1], Bonehet al[2]presented some remarkablequantumalgorithms which can solveinteger factoring problemand discrete logarithmproblemover any group including Ga-lois fields and elliptic curve…     

Development of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for High Temperature PEFCs

1 Introduction During the last decades the research has been devoted to the development of non-perfluorinated polymers[1,2], as an alternative to commercial perfluorosulphonic membranes. There are several non-perfluorinated materials suitable for these systems that should have as a fundamental requirement a good thermal stability of the original polymer. The studied polymers consist of polyaromatic or polyetherocyclic repeat units like polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Many papers have been published about the properties of this class of polymers, especially for PEEK functionalisation by the insertion of sulphonic groups[3] and for the preparation of composite membranes[4], even if they generally show lower proton conductivity than Nafion at the requested operative temperatures.Polymer inorganic composite membranes are interesting because many of the inorganicadditives used are able to operate at much higher temperatures than pure polymers. Some of the possible advantages of incorporating inorganic compounds into composite membranes include, enhanced proton conductivity, water retention at hightemperatures, and mechanical resistance.     

Influence of crucible material on inclusions in 95Cr saw-wire steel deoxidized by Si–Mn

To investigate the interaction mechanism between 95 Cr saw-wire steel and different refractories,we conducted laboratory experiments at 1873 K.Five crucible materials(SiO_2,Al_2 O_3,MgO·Al_2 O_3,MgO,and MgO-CaO) were used.The results indicate that SiO_2,Al_2 O_3,and MgO·Al_2 O_3 are not suitable for smelting low-oxygen,low-[Al]_s 95 Cr saw-wire steel,mainly because they react with the elements in the molten steel and pollute the steel samples.By contrast,MgO-CaO is an ideal choice to produce 95 Cr saw-wire steel.It offers three advantages:(ⅰ) It does not decompose by itself at the steelmaking temperature of 1873 K because it exhibits good thermal stability;(ⅱ) [C],[Si],and [Mn]in molten steel cannot react with it to increase the [O] content;and(ⅲ) it not only desulfurizes and dephosphorizes but also removes Al_2 O_3 inclusions from the steel simultaneously.As a result,the contents of the main elements([C],[Si],[Mn],[Cr],N,T.O(total oxygen)) in the steel are not affected and the content of impurity elements([Al]_s,P,and S) can be perfectly controlled within the target range.Furthermore,the number and size of inclusions in the steel samples decrease sharply when the MgO-CaO crucible is used.     

Obtained transgenic wheat expressing pac1 mediated by Agrobacterium is resistant against Barley yellow dwarf virus-GPV

At present, genes used to transform wheat for the virus resistance are mostly from the virus, such as coat protein gene[1,2], replicase gene[3] and movement gene[4], and transformed wheat with these genes showed resis-tance to the corresponding virus. How…     

Fractals in Spatial Patterns of Vegetation Formations

Introduction The quantification of spatial patterns, a focal subject in ecological research, is used as a foundation for meas-urement and analysis of the quality of habitats and the biodiversity[1]. Historically, the dominant approach has been used to cho…     

Branched aliphatic alkanes of shell bar section in Qarhan Lake, Qaidam Basin and their paleoclimate significance

Blomarkers of paleolake deposits from Qarhan Salt Lake in Qaidam Basin, northwest China were systematically analyzed and the A--C series compounds of branched aliphaUc alkanes with quaternary substituted carbon atom （BAQCs） were identified. The homologous distinguished three series, A-C, were identified as 5,5-diethylalkanes, 6,6-diethylalkanes and 5-butyl, 5-ethylalkanes series, and their relative abundance was A 〉 B 〉 C. Series A and C were characterized by odd carbon numbers, whereas series B was characterized by even carbon numbers. The high values of series A corresponded with the high values of series B and C. Therefore, it can be concluded that series A, B and C possess a similar biological origin. The abundance of series A was relatively low in the lower part of the section compared with that in the upper part, implying that these series originated from bacteria and/or algae more prevalent in fresh-mesohaline water, and such kinds of bacteria and/or algae are most likely to be thermophilous species. The A25/nC25 ratio differences in the section show that such branched aliphatic alkanes can be treated as one kind of environmental change proxy for paleolake evolution and may provide important information for the climate reconstruction of the Late Pleistocene.     

Climatic and environmental implications from n-alkanes in glacially eroded lake sediments in Tibetan Plateau: An example from Ximen Co

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify a series of n-alkanes in the sediments of a typical glacially eroded lake in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.By comparing the distribution patterns of n-alkanes in lake sediments,surface soils and cow manure,it was shown that n-C 27-n-C 33 alkanes in the soil ecosystem of Ximen Co are derived from vascular plant species and that the distribution pattern of n-C 27-n-C 33 alkanes remains unchanged during the feeding and digestion processes of herbivores.The relative percentage of C 27,C 29 and C 31 n-alkanes decreased from the bottom to the top of the sediment core showing a trend of degradation of higher plants in the Ximen Co lake region during the formation of the 44 cm core.210 Pb dating,combined with pre-existing AMS 14 C dating results showed that the depositional core reflects climatic and environmental variations since about 900 years before present.The n-alkane indexes (ACL 27-33,P aq,P wax) are comparable with regional temperature variation,especially recording the Little Ice Age event (LIA).This study highlights that n-alkanes are valid proxies for paleo-climate and paleo-environment reconstruction,despite the same distribution patterns in n-alkane molecular fossils derived from a typical glacially eroded lake.     

Is the maximum carbon number of long-chain <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-alkanes an indicator of grassland or forest? Evidence from surface soils and modern plants

The molecular distribution of long-chain n-alkanes in 62 soil samples collected from diverse locations across eastern China was analyzed.The long-chain n-alkanes were mostly dominated by n-C29 or n-C31,regardless of the overlying vegetation type at each site.The results were compared with those summarized from the literature,covering more than 100 soil samples within China and more than 300 genera of modern plants distributed worldwide.There were similar n-alkane distribution patterns for most genera, with no clear differences among grasses,shrubs,and trees.The evidence from analyses of surface soils and modern plants indicates that the relationship between the molecular distribution of long-chain n-alkanes of surface soils and source vegetation is highly complex,and is influenced by many factors.Further,it is suggested that source vegetation types should not be simply inferred from distribution patterns of long-chain n-alkanes in sediments.     

Compound-specific carbon isotope compositions of individual long-chain n-alkanes in severe Asian dust episodes in the North China coast in 2002

Asian dust storms originating from the arid regions of central and eastern Asia and from the Loess Plateau in China frequently occur in spring [1,2]. Driven by the East Asian monsoon, Asian dust can be transported to northern Pacific Ocean[2―8]. Asian du…     

Formation, structure and properties of GeCn± and Ge2Cn± binary clusters

The binary cluster ions Ge₂C_n⁺/Ge₂C_n^- and GeC_n⁺ have been produced by laser ablation. The parity effect is present in the negative ions Ge₂C_n^-, though it is not very prominent. While the experiments tell that the parity effect is totally not shown in the positive ions Ge₂C_n⁺. An extensive theoretical investigation on GeCn/GeC_n⁺/GeC_n^-(n=1-10) and Ge₂Cn/Ge₂C_n⁺/Ge₂C_n^-(n=1-9) has been carried out by density functional theory at B3LPY level. The calculation shows that the low-lying states of GeC_n/GeC_n⁺/GeC_n^-(n=1-10) and Ge₂C_n/Ge₂C_n⁺/Ge₂C_n^-(n=1-9) are linear structure with germanium atoms locating at terminals respectively. The electronic distributions, ionization potential (IP_ad), elec-tron affinity (EA) and increasing bonding energy reveal that the parity effect of neutral species is much stronger than that of ions, which is attributed to the valence π-electrons. It is explained that the differences between experiments and cal-culations are due to the kinetic factor in the formation of Ge₂C_n^±.     

Long-chain alkenones in sulfate lakes and its paleoclimatic implications

Long-chain alkenones are ubiquitous in marinesediments. The relationship between alkenone unsatura-tion and temperature has been proved by field studies andcultures of E. huxleyi[1] and G. oceanica[2]. As an idealproxy for sea surface paleotemperature estimation, theU37 index is widely applied to reconstructing paleotem- K 'perature in most oceanographic settings[3—10]. The suc-cessful progresses in the ocean invoked the researchers’attention to the study of LCAs in the liminic system.Cr…     

Temperature effects on ethylene and methane production from temperate forest soils

Change in temperature affects the activity of soil microorganisms.However,there is limited knowledge about temperature effects on ethylene(C2H4) and methane(CH4) production from forest soils.Topsoil samples(0―5 cm) collected from different temperate forest stands(e.g.,Pinus sylvestris L.,Cryptomeria japonica,and Quercus serrata) were used to compare C2H4 and CH4 production from soils at temperature from 5 to 35℃ under oxic and anoxic conditions.The rates of C2H4 and CH4 production from soils under oxic cond...     

Sea surface temperature and terrestrial biomarker records of the last 260 ka of core MD05-2904 from the northern South China Sea

This paper reports high-resolution biomarker records of the last 260 ka for core MD05-2904 from the northern South China Sea （SCS）. The sea surface temperature （SST） record using the U37^k＇, index reveals a minimum of 21.5℃（MIS 2） and a maximum of 28.3℃（MIS 5.5）, for a temperature difference of almost 7℃, and provides the longest high-resolution U37^k＇ SST record in northern SCS. The content of odd-number long chain n-alkanes and several n-alkanes indexes such as the CPI, ACL and the C31/C27 ratio, all reveal generally higher values during the glacials and lower values during the interglaclals. Terrestrial input as Indicated by n-alkane content was mostly controlled by sea-level changes： During the glacials, lower sea-level exposed the continental shelf to enable rivers to transport more terrestrial materials to the slope; and the situation reverses during the interglacials. The n-alkane indexes changes reveal more n-alkanes from contemporary vegetation during glacials as a result of the proximity of the core site to the source region, while the increases in ACL and C81/C27 ratio during glaclals indicate a change to more grassy vegetation. However, the highest values for CPI, ACL and the C81/C27 ratio all occurred during late MIS 3, and it was suggested that this period was characterized by a strong summer monsoon-dominated humid climate which resulted in a denser vegetation for the exposed continental shelf region.     

Comparison of the carbon isotope composition of total organic carbon and long-chain <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-alkanes from surface soils in eastern China and their significance

Surface soil samples collected over a high spatial resolution in eastern China were analyzed for carbon isotope composition （δ^13C） of total organic carbon （TOC） and higher plant-derived long-chain n-alkanes, with the latter reported as weighted mean values. The two sets of δ^13C values are significantly correlated and show similar trends in spatial variation. The spatial distribution of δ^13C shows less negative values in the mid-latitudes between 31°N and 40°N and more negative ones at higher and lower latitudes. This is consistent with previously reported carbon isotope data from surface soil phytoliths in the same region and suggests that the mid-latitude area provides relatively favorable growing condi- tions for C4 plants. Furthermore, δ^13C values of both TOC and long-chain n-alkanes from 12 surface soil samples collected from a small grassland in north China displayed similar carbon isotope values and the difference between paired δ^13C of a soil samples remains relatively constant. Our data demonstrate that in eastern China, soil δ^13C composition of both TOC and long-chain n-alkanes is effective indicators of C3/C4 ratios of the prevailing vegetation. This work suggests that -22‰ and -32‰ are good es- timated end members for the weighted mean δ^13C values of long-chain n-alkanes （C27, C29 and C31 n-alkanes） from soils under dominant C4 or C3 vegetation, allowing us to reconstruct paleovegetation trends.     

Effects of nitrogen sources and glucose on the consumption of ethylene and methane by temperate volcanic forest surface soils

There is limited knowledge with regard to the consumption of ethylene (C2H4) and methane (CH4) in volcanic forest soils containing low microbial carbon-to-organic carbon ratio, and to the responses of both consumptions to nitrogen and carbon additions. Temperate volcanic forest surface soils under three forest stands (e.g. Pinus sylvestris L., Cryptomeria japonica and Quercus serrata) were used to compare CH4 and C2H4 consumption by forest soils, and to study the effects of nitrogen sources and glucose on both consumptions. There was a good parallel between CH4 and C2H4 consumption by for- est soils, but mineralization reduced CH4 consumption rather than C2H4 consumption in forest soils, particularly in a Pinus forest soil. The stimulatory effect of glucose addition on both CH4 and C2H4 consumption by forest soils was increased by increasing the pre-incubation period after glucose addi- tion, and a largest stimulation occurred in the Pinus forest soil. The addition of KNO3-N at the rate of 100 μg·g1 significantly reduced the consumptions of both C2H4 and CH4 by forest soils (P≤0.05). In the presence of urea plus dicyandiamide, the consumption rates of C2H4 and CH4 by forest soils were higher than those in the KNO3-N and urea-N treated soils at the same N rate (P≤0.05), but were similar to those of the control. Hence, under experimental conditions, there was a strong inhibitory effect of NO3 rather than NH4 addition on the CH4 and C2H4 consumption in these forest soils. When amount of the added NO3-N increased up to more than 2―3 times the soil initial NO3-N concentrations, both C2H4 and CH4 consumption rates were reduced to 10%―20% of the rates in soils without nitrate addition. By comparing the three forest stands, it was shown that there was a smallest effective concentration of the added nitrate that could inhibit C2H4 and CH4 consumption in the Pinus forest soil, which indicated that C2H4 and CH4 consumption of the soil was more sensitive to NO3-N addition.