Molten-salt synthesis of tungsten oxide nanotubes： Morphological and gas sensitivity

A very simple molten-salt method was used to synthesize WO3 nanotubes at moderate temperature （600 ）. The outer and inner diameters of the WO3 nanotubes were about 100 nm and 30 nm,with a length of dozens of micrometers. TEM and XRD analyses showed that the WO3 nanotubes were single crystal, and had monoclinic structure with the axes preferentially aligned along the [011] direction. The photoluminescence and the gas sensitivity of the nanotubes had been tested, showing that the products very well responded to acetone at 340℃.     

Proteomic analysis of long-term salinity stress-responsive proteins in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thellungiella halophila</Emphasis> leaves

Salinity is one of the most severe environmental factors that may impair crop productivity. A proteomic study based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is performed in order to analyze the long-term salinity stress response of Thellungiella halophila, an Arabidopsis-related halophyte. Four-week-old seedlings are exposed to long-term salinity treatment. The total crude proteins are extracted from leaf blades, separated by 2-DE, stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue, and differentially displayed spots are identified by MALDI-TOF MS or QTOF MS/MS. Among 900 protein spots reproducibly detected on each gel, 30 spots exhibit significant change and some of them are identified. The identified proteins include not only some previously characterized stress-responsive proteins such as TIR-NBS-LRR class disease resistance protein, ferritin-1, and pathogenesis-related protein 5, but also some proteins related to energy pathway, metabolism, RNA processing and protein degradation, as well as proteins with unknown functions. The possible functions of these proteins in salinity tolerance of T. halophila are discussed and it is suggested that the long-term salinity tolerance of T. halophila is achieved, at least partly, by enhancing defense system, adjusting energy and metabolic pathway and maintaining RNA structure.     

Nitric oxide suppresses stomatal opening by inhibiting inward-rectifying K<Stack><Subscript>in</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> channels in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis> guard cells

We explore nitric oxide （NO） effect on K^＋in, channels in Arabidopsis guard cells. We observed NO inhibited K^＋in, currents when Ca^2＋ chelator EGTA （Ethylene glycol-bis（2-aminoethylether）-N,N,N′,N;tetraacetic acid） was not added in the pipette solution; K^＋in currents were not sensitive to NO when cytosolic Ca^2＋ was chelated by EGTA. NO inhibited the Arabidopsis stomatal opening, but when EGTA was added in the bath solution, inhibition effect of NO on stomatal opening vanished. Thus, it implies that NO elevates cytosolic Ca^2＋ by activating plasma membrane Ca^2＋ channels firstly, then inactivates K^＋in, chartnels, resulting in stomatal opening suppressed subsequently.     

The mobilization of rat’s mesenchymal stem cells into peripheral blood by LiCL and its potency differentiation

Mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） are multipotent cells, which can differentiate into different tissues. It is still controversial whether MSCs can be isolated from adult peripheral blood （PB） under normal conditions and whether they can be mobilized in a way similar to that of hematopoieUc stem cells （HSCs）. In this study, rat MSCs circulating in the PB under normal conditions can be isolated and cultured, and MSCs from PB and BM can be mobilized by LiCL. The mobilized MSCs can be induced to differentiate into neuron by such factors as β-mercaptoethanol and supernatants of nerve cell cultures. The present study provides a broader perspective on the repair of neural trauma.     

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.     

Optical nonlinearity and ultrafast dynamics of ion exchanged silver nanoparticles embedded in soda-lime silicate glass

Ag nanoparticles embedded in soda-lime silicate glass were fabricated by ion-exchange and subse-quently annealing method. Z-scan technique, femtosecond time-resolved optical Kerr effect （OKE） technique and femtosecond pump-probe experiment were used to investigate the effects of laser wavelength and laser pulse duration as well as annealing temperature on the third-order optical nonlinearity and ultrafast dynamics of the composites. It was found that the third-order susceptibility of Ag nanoparticles composite glass measured by 400 nm pulse source is larger than that measured by 800 nm pulse source due to an enhancement effect of local field near surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles in silicate glass. The third-order optical nonlinearity measured by ns laser source is about two orders of magnitude larger than that measured from fs pulse. The annealing temperature has an important effect on the third-order optical nonlinearity and ultrafast dynamics of the composites. Third-order nonlinear susceptibility up to 10^-l0 esu and fast relaxation process up to 0.2 ps have been obtained in Ag nanoparticles doped glass.     

Grenvillian orogeny in the Southern Cathaysia Block: Constraints from U-Pb ages and Lu-Hf isotopes in zircon from metamorphic basement

Metamorphic basement rocks in the Cathaysia Block are composed mainly of meta-sediments with different ages. New zircon U-Pb geochronological results from the meta-sedimentary rocks exposed in the Zengcheng and Hezi areas, southern Cathaysia Block, show that they consist dominantly of early Neoproterozoic （1.0-0.9 Ga） materials with minor Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic and late Neoproterozoic （0.8-0.6 Ga） components, suggesting that the detritus mostly come from a Grenvillian orogen. The youngest detrital zircon ages place a constraint on the deposition time of these sediments in Late Neoproterozoic. Zircon Hf isotopic compositions indicate that the Grenvillian zircons were derived from the reworking of Mesoproterozoic arc magmatic rocks and Paleoproterozoic continental crust, implying an arc-continent collisional setting. Single-peak age spectra and the presence of abundant euhedral Grenvillian zircons suggest that the sedimentary provenance is not far away from the sample location. Thus, the Grenvillian orogen probably preexisted along the southern margin of the Cathaysia Block, or very close to the south. Similarity in the ages of Grenvillian orogeny and the influence of the assembly of Gondwana in South China with India and East Antarctic are discussed, with suggestion that South China was more likely linked with the India-East Antarctica continents in Early Neoproterozoic rather than between western Laurentia and eastern Australia.     

A general pairwise key predistribution scheme for wireless sensor networks

This paper develops a general hypercube-based key predistribution scheme for establishing pairwise keys between sensor nodes using polynomials, which is parameterized by the dimension of hypercube and the Hamming distance threshold variables. The scheme addresses the weaknesses of existing key predistribution schemes, which have either worse security or lower efficiency. It exhibits a nice property--when the Hamming distance between any two neighboring sensor nodes is less than the pre-defined threshold, the pairwise key can be established directly. Extensive performance and security analysis shows that by increasing Hamming distance threshold value, we can trade off the resilience against node capture attack for higher probability of direct pairwise key establishment, so as to save the energy consumption which is the most important issue for sensor networks.     

An ontology reasoning architecture for data mining knowledge management

In order to realize the intelligent management of data mining （DM） domain knowledge, this paper presents an architecture for DM knowledge management based on ontology. Using ontology database, this architecture can realize intelligent knowledge retrieval and automatic accomplishment of DM tasks by means of ontology services. Its key features include：①Describing DM ontology and meta-data using ontology based on Web ontology language （OWL）.② Ontology reasoning function. Based on the existing concepts and relations, the hidden knowledge in ontology can be obtained using the reasoning engine. This paper mainly focuses on the construction of DM ontology and the reasoning of DM ontology based on OWL DL（s）.     

Analysis of the design methods of word oriented linear feedback shift registers

Based on analysis of the structure characteristics and implementation methods of some representative word oriented linear feedback shift registers （LFSRs） in several modem software oriented stream ciphers, this paper firstly classifies the word oriented LFSRs into two classes： the machine instruction type and the arithmetic type. The similarities and differences between each type are illustrated by concrete examples. Then we give a detailed analysis about the word oriented LFSRs in each category from design structure, cryptographic properties and implementation issue aspects. Finally, some basic design criteria for modem word oriented LFSRs and suitable for software implementation are summarized.