Microcalorimetric investigation of effect of berberine alkaloids from Coptis chinensis Franch on intestinal diagnostic flora growth

The inhibitory effect of three berberine alkaloids (BAs) from Coptis chinensis Franch, a traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herb, on Bifidobacterium adolescentis growth was investigated by microcalorimetry. The power-time curves of B. adolescentis with and without BAs were acquired, meanwhile the extent and duration of inhibitory effect on the metabolism were evaluated by the growth rate constant (k), half inhibitory ratio (IC₅₀), maximum heat-output power (P _max), peak time of maximum heat-output power (t _p) and total heat production (Q _t). k, P _max and Q _t decreased, and t _p was prolonged with the increase of BAs concentration. The IC₅₀ of BAs is 806 μg/mL for berberine, 341 μg/mL for coptisine and 236 μg/mL for palmatine. The sequence of antimicrobial activity of BAs is berberine < coptisine < palmatine. Combined with previous studies, it could be shown that the sequences of antimicrobial activity of BAs on both Bacillus shigae and Escherichia coli are berberine > coptisine > palmatine. The structure-function relationship of BAs indicates that the functional group methylenedioxy or methoxyl at C2 and C3 might be the major group inducing the activities of BAs on E. coli and B. adolescentis. Meanwhile, the substituent groups at C2, C3, C9 and C10 almost have equal effect on B. shigae. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 30625042 and 30873385) and Key Projects of National Science & Technology Pillar Program of China in the 11th Five-Year Period (Grant No. 2007BAI40B05)     

Compression behavior and equation of state of Ni77P23 amorphous alloy

The compression behavior of Ni77P23 amorphous alloy is investigated at room temperature in a diamond-anvil cell instrument using insitu high pressure energy dispersive X-ray diffraction with a syn- chrotron radiation source. The equation of state is determined by fitting the experimental data accord- ing to Birch-Murnaghan equation: -ΔV/V0=0.08606P-3.2×10-4P2 5.7×10-6P3. It is found that the structure of Ni77P23 amorphous alloy is stable under pressures up to 30.5 GPa.     

Effect of Cl- on photosynthetic bicarbonate uptake in two cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa and Synechocystis PCC6803

Photosynthetic inorganic carbon utilization was investigated in two cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa and Synechocystis PCC6803 grown in standing culture. Photosynthetic rates for the two algae reached about 10 times the theoretical CO₂ supply rate at low dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of 100 μmol/L, and the rates were unaffected by the addition of 20 mmol/L Na⁺, indicating that the two algae possessed Na+-independent HCO^-₃ utilization for photosynthesis under low DIC. Their photo- synthetic rates at low DIC were inhibited by higher Cl^- and the degrees of inhibition were increased with the rise of CI^- concentration, and in the presence of Diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC), a reported Cl^- channel inhibitor, the rates decreased by 74%－82%, implying that putative DPC-sensitive Cl^- channels participate in Na+-independent HCO₃^- uptake for photosynthesis. The experiment of intracellular 14C-DIC accumulation for photosynthesis showed that internal DIC pools decreased by about 80% with 200 μmol/L DPC and by 64%－70% with 100 mmol/L Cl^-. The experiment of chlorophyll a fluorescence quenching showed that initial rates and extents of fluorescence quenching obviously decreased with 200 μmol/L DPC or 100 mmol/L Cl^-. The two experiments gave further evidence that putative DPC-sen- sitive Cl^- channels participate in Na+-independent HCO^-₃ uptake for photosynthesis in the two algae grown in standing culture.     

Dead lithium phase investigation of Sn-Zn alloy as anode materials for lithium ion battery

In this work, based on First-principle plane wave pseudo-potential method, we have carried out an in-depth study on the possible dead lithium phase of Sn-Zn alloy as anode materials for lithium ion batteries. Through investigation, we found that the phases Li_xSn₄Zn₄(x = 2, 4, 6, 8) contributed to reversible capacity, while the phases Li_xSn₄Zn_8−(x−4)(x = 4.74, 7.72) led to capacity loss due to high formation energy, namely, they were the dead lithium phases during the charge/discharge process. And we come up with a new idea that stable lithium alloy phase with high lithiation formation energy (dead lithium phase) can also result in high loss of active lithium ion, besides the traditional expression that the formation of solid electrolyte interface film leads to high capacity loss. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50771046), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Grant No. 05200534), Key Projects of Guangdong Province and Guangzhou City (Grant Nos. 2006A10704003 and 2006Z3-D2031) and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Project No. 20080440764)     

Low temperature thermodynamic study of the stable and metastable phases of vanadium

The low temperature thermodynamics of the stable phase of vanadium has been assessed by the polynomial and Debye models from the experimental data available in literature. By means of the con-strained nonlinear least squares curve fitting arithmetic,two sets of parameter values have been de-termined. Expressions of the thermodynamic functions Cp(T) and G(T)-H(298.15 K) at 0―298.15 K are presented. The low temperature thermodynamics of the metastable phase of vanadium can only be extrapolated by the Debye model. The expression of the thermodynamic function Cp(T) at 0―298.15 K is presented.     

Visible light-induced degradation of organic pollutants using Fe（ll） supported on silica gel as an effective catalyst

Silica gel-supported Fe（ll） （SiOFe） was prepared and used for heterogeneous degradation of sulforhodamine B （SRB） and 2,4-dichlorophenol （DCP） under visible irradiation （λ 〉 420 nm） as an effective catalyst. UV-visible spectra, and infrared Spectrophotometry （IR）, fluorescence, total organic carbon （TOC） and electron spin resonance （ESR） measurements were employed to analyze the photoreaction products. The results showed that SRB could be efficiently degraded by SiOFe/H2O2 system under visible irradiation with 100% decolorization and 72.3% TOC removal after 180 min illumination. The results of ESR and fluorescence measurements indicated that the oxidative process was predominated mainly by the hydroxyl radical （.OH） generated in the system.     

Application of Nanometer-Size Titanium Dioxide in Extreme-Trace V（Ⅴ） Analysis

0Introduction Vanadiumplaysanimportantroleinmodernindustry,es peciallyinsteelandchemicalindustry.Forinstance,itscompoundsarewidelyappliedintheproceduresofvitrioland petroleumchemicalmanufactureascatalyzers[14].Vanadium hasseveralvalences,butgenerallyitslowvalencesturnintohighoneseasilyinenvironment[5].BecauseV(Ⅴ)isthemost stableandpoisonousone,weoftenlayemphasisonitinenvi ronmentalpollutioncontrol.Vanadiumexistsinenvironmentalwaterwithextremelylowconcentration.Inseawateritscontentislessthan…     

Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of horseradish peroxidase in MnO2 nanosheet film

A novel material MnO2 nanosheet has been used as the support matrix for the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase （HRP）. HRP entrapped in MnO2 nanosheet film exhibits facile direct electron transfer with the electron transfer rate constant of 6.86 s^-1. The HRP/MnO2 nanosheet film gives a reversible redox couple with the apparent formal peak potential （E^0＇） of -0.315 V （vs. Ag/AgCl） in pH 6.5 phosphate buffer solution （PBS）. The formal potential E^0＇ of HRP shifts linearly with pH with a slope of -53.75 mV.pH^-1, denoting that an electron transfer accompanies single-proton transportation. The immobilized HRP shows an electrocatslytic activity to the reduction of H2O2. The response time of the biosensor for H2O2 is less than 3 s, and the detection limit is 0.21 μmol · L^-1 based on signal/noise = 3.     

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.     

Effects of ultraviolet radiation B （UV-B） on photosynthesis of natural phytoplankton assemblages in a marine bay in Southern China

Solar ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) is known to have inhibitive effects on phytoplankton photosynthesis. UVB light decreases rapidly with increasing depth in the water column and exerts different degrees of UVB inhibitive effects on phytoplankton photosynthesis. In this study, the objectives were to quantify effects of UVB on phytoplankton photosynthesis and quantum yield, and to examine UVB effects on phytoplankton photosynthesis when light varies. The insitu experiments were conducted in Da Ya Bay, which is a semienclosed area in the subtropical South China. The results showed a significant reduction of photosynthetic rates and quantum yield in the presence of UVB. Maximum photosynthetic rates (Pmax) and maximum quantum yield (Φmax) were 11%-22% and 17%-49% less under solar radiation with UVB than without UVB. A simplified model was developed to describe the UVB biologically effective fluence rate (E*inh) as an exponential decay function of depth. Light-shift experiments, in which water samples from the surface and at depth of 4 m were divided into several subsamples, and each subsamples were then incubated at different depths with and without UVB in the water column, showed that phytoplankton from the deeper water (4 m) had more inhibitive rates by UVB than that from the surface when exposed to the same light condition.     

Pyrolysis of oil at high temperatures: Gas potentials, chemical and carbon isotopic signatures

Although the gas cracked from oil has been believed to be one of the important sources in highly ma-tured marine basins, there are still some debates on its resource potentials and chemical and isotopic compositions. In this study a Cambrian-sourced marine oil sample from the Silurian reservoir of well TZ62 in the central Tarim basin was pyrolyzed using sealed gold tubes with two different pyrolysis schemes: continuous pyrolysis in a closed system and stepwise semi-open pyrolysis. The results show that the maximum weight yield of C_1–5 gases occurs at EasyRo=2.3% and the residual gas poten-tial after this maturity is only 43.4 mL/g, about 12% of the yield of 361 mL/g at EasyRo=2.3%. Combined with the results of kinetic modeling, the main stage of gas generation from oil cracking is believed within the EasyRo=1.6%―2.3%. The increase in the volume yield of C_1–5 gases at EasyRo>2.3% in a closed system is mainly related to the re-cracking of previously formed C_2–5 wet gases, not the direct cracking of oil. The stepwise pyrolysis experiments show that the gas from the cracking of residual oil at EasyRo>2.3% is characterized by very high dryness index (higher than 92%) and heavy methane carbon isotopes ranging from -28.7‰ to -26.7‰, which is quite different from the gases from the con-tinuous pyrolysis in a closed system. The kinetic modeling of methane carbon isotope fractionation shows that the carbon isotopes of methane within the main stage of gas generation (EasyRo<2.3%) are far lighter than the carbon isotopes of the precursor oils under a geological heating rate of 2 ℃/Ma. The above observations and results provide some new clues to the accurate recognition and objective re-source evaluation of oil cracking gas in highly mature marine basins.     

Spectrofluorimetric determination of tetracycline using Eu3+ chelation and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

The fluorescence of tetracycline was greatly enhanced by chelation with Eu³⁺ in Tris-HCl buffer (pH8.5). The addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, a cationic surfactant, further enhanced the fluorescence of tetracycline-Eu³⁺ chelates. This spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of tetracycline yielded a linear responses in the range of 10 nmol/L–10 μmol/L. The detection limit was 5 nmol/L (or 2.22 ng/mL). The recovery of tetracycline spiked in serum at levels of 1 and 0.09 μg/mL was 97.9% and 97.8%, respectively. This method is fast, sensitive and suitable for the determination of tetracycline in biological specimens. Foundation item: Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Biography: Huang Zu-yun (1963-), male, Ph D.     

β2-Adrenoceptor affinity chromatography and its application in the screening of the active compounds from Semen Armeniacae Amarum

β2-Adrenoceptor （β2-AR） was purified from the rabbit lung tissue by sepherose-salbutamol affinity chromatographic column. To prepare the β2-AR stationery phase, β2-AR was evenly immobilized on the surface of macro-pore silica with e mild chemical coupling method through covalent bond. The retention properties of β2-AR stationery phase were characterized by four ligends, selbutamol sulfate, noredreneline bitartrete, adrenaline hydrochloride end proprenolol hydrochloride, to establish the β2-AR affinity chromatography. Then, the method was used to screen the active compounds from the total extracts of Semen Armeniacae Amarum. The results showed that β2-AR on the surface of the stationary phase could keep its original bioectivity end selectivity. Amygdalin retained in the chromatographic column was proved to be the active compound of the total extracts of Semen Armeniacae Amarum. Compared with the existing chromatographic screening approaches, this method showed e good stability end high selectivity. The active compounds which could interact with β2-AR in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） could be screened efficiently by this method, providing e new way to screen the active compounds in complicated samples such as TCM.     

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.     

Estimating divergence times among subfamilies in Nymphalidae

The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit Ⅰ （COⅠ） gene and the nuclear elongation factor 1α （EF-1α） gene were sequenced from 13 species of Nymphalidae. Phylogenetic trees of Nymphalidae, which is the largest family in butterflies, were constructed based on the sequences determined from 13 species sequenced in our laboratory and an additional 43 species obtained from GenBank using the maximum likelihood （ML） and Bayesian methods. Relative-rate tests between lineages in these phylogenetic trees were performed. On the basis of the results of the relative-rate tests and fossil information of Satyrinae, Nymphalinae and Biblidinae, the average divergence times among the subfamilies are estimated as 44.2-87.1 million years ago （Ma）. These results will be helpful for better understanding of the origin and evolution of this family, as well as the divergence time of butterflies and other complex taxa.     

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.     

Gauge field theory of quantum and the mass empirical formulas of lepton and quarks

In this paper, we discuss the mathematical relation determined by the basic physical constant between three types of quarks and the masses of leptons with charges in detail. First, by further theoretical analysis, we wonderfully see that the result got from the mass empirical formula of quark and charged lepton is identical with the data received by theoretical estimating from the gauge field theory. Second, we also gladly see that the result got from quark and lepton （with charges） mass empirical formula is completely accordant with experiment data. These mass formulas reveal the essential relation between me, mμ, mτ and mq. At the same time, the empirical formula may also derive the mass formula of neutrinos. As to the mass of neutrinos, at present we only know the square difference of its mass, and so this is meaningful to theoretically estimating the mass.     

Pollen flux and vertical dispersion in coniferous and deciduous broadleaved mixed forest in the Changbai Mountains

The pollen flux in coniferous and deciduous broadleaved mixed forest in the Changbai Mountains is presented in one year's experiments. The results indicate that arboreal pollen percentages are more than 65% and pollen flux is higher than 5000 grain·cm-2·a-1,while less than 2% and lower than 1000 grain·cm-2·a-1 for shrubby pollen,and less than 20% and lower than 3000 grain·cm-1·a-1 for herbaceous pollen for most samples at different heights. The pollen assemblages are similar to those in the samples under 8 m height where Pinus and Ouercus are dominant and followed by the few non-local pollen types,and Fraxinus percentages are high with a few non-local pollen types at 16 m to 32 m height as well as non-local pollen clearly increased at 40 m height. Comparisons between pollen assemblages and vegetation composition suggest that similarities are higher for pollen trap samples than for surface moss samples.     

Tunable multiple-channel filters based on photonic heterostructures using single-negative materials

We studied the multiple-channel filters based on photonic heterostructures consisting of single-negative permittivity and single-negative permeability media. The results showed that the number of resonance modes inside the zero-φeff gap increases as the number of heterogenous interface M increases. The number of resonance modes inside the zero-φeff, gap is equal to that of heterogenous interface M, and it can be used as M channels filter. This result provides a feasible method to adjust the channel number of multiple-channel filters. When losses are involved, the results showed that the electric fields of the resonance modes decay largely with the increase of the number of heterogenous interface and damping factors. Besides, the relationship between the quality factor of multiple-channel filters and the number of heterogenous interface M is linear, and the quality factor of multiple-channel filters decreases with the increase of the damping factor. These results provide feasible methods to adjust the quality factor of multiple-channel filters.     

The uptake of ethyl iodide on black carbon surface

The importance of the iodine chemistry in the atmosphere has been demonstrated by recent obserations. The uptake of ethyl iodine on black carbon surface was inestigated at 298 K for the first time. Degussa FW2 （an amorphous black carbon comprising medium oxides） was used as black carbon sample. Black carbon surface was found to be deactiated in reaction with C2H51, and the uptake coefficient （r） was dependent on the time of exposure. The alue of （2.3±0.9）×10^-2 was determined for the initial uptake coefficient （No）. The result suggests that the heterogeneous loss of C2H51 on carbonaceous aerosols may be important under the atmospheric conditions.