Role of sulphuric acid, ammonia and galactic cosmic rays in atmospheric aerosol nucleation

Atmospheric aerosols exert an important influence on climate through their effects on stratiform cloud albedo and lifetime and the invigoration of convective storms. Model calculations suggest that almost half of the global cloud condensation nuclei in the atmospheric boundary layer may originate from the nucleation of aerosols from trace condensable vapours, although the sensitivity of the number of cloud condensation nuclei to changes of nucleation rate may be small. Despite extensive research, fundamental questions remain about the nucleation rate of sulphuric acid particles and the mechanisms responsible, including the roles of galactic cosmic rays and other chemical species such as ammonia. Here we present the first results from the CLOUD experiment at CERN. We find that atmospherically relevant ammonia mixing ratios of 100 parts per trillion by volume, or less, increase the nucleation rate of sulphuric acid particles more than 100-1,000-fold. Time-resolved molecular measurements reveal that nucleation proceeds by a base-stabilization mechanism involving the stepwise accretion of ammonia molecules. Ions increase the nucleation rate by an additional factor of between two and more than ten at ground-level galactic-cosmic-ray intensities, provided that the nucleation rate lies below the limiting ion-pair production rate. We find that ion-induced binary nucleation of H(2)SO(4)-H(2)O can occur in the mid-troposphere but is negligible in the boundary layer. However, even with the large enhancements in rate due to ammonia and ions, atmospheric concentrations of ammonia and sulphuric acid are insufficient to account for observed boundary-layer nucleation.     

Correlations for the ignition delay times of hydrogen/air mixtures

Correlations for the ignition delay times of hydrogen/air mixtures were developed using the method of High Dimensional Model Representation (HDMR).The hydrogen/air ignition delay times for initial conditions over a wide range of temperatures from 800 to 1600 K,pressures from 0.1 to 100 atm,and equivalence ratios from 0.2 to 10 were first calculated utilizing the full chemical mechanism.Correlations were then developed based on these ignition delay times.Two forms of correlations were constructed:the first one is an overall general model covering the whole range of the initial conditions;while the second one is a piecewise correlation model valid for initial conditions within different sub-domains.The performance of these correlations was studied through comparison with results from the full chemical mechanism as well as experimental data.It was shown that these correlations work well over the whole range of initial conditions and that the accuracy can be significantly improved by using different piecewise correlations for different sub-domains.Therefore,piecewise correlations can be used as an effective replacement for the full mechanism when the prediction of chemical time scale is needed in certain combustion modeling.     

Skin collagen fiber-based radar absorbing materials

By using skin collagen fiber (CF) as raw material,Schiff base structure containing CF (Sa-CF) was synthesized through CF-salicylaldehyde reaction.Then a novel radar absorbing material (Fe-Sa-CF) was prepared by chelating reaction between Sa-CF and Fe 3+.The coaxial transmission and reflection method was used to analyze the complex permittivity and complex magnetic permeability of these CF-based materials,and the radar cross section (RCS) method was used to investigate their radar absorbing properties in the frequency range of 1.0-18.0 GHz.Experimental results indicated that the conductivity of CF increased from initial 1.08×10-11 to 2.86×10-6 S/cm after being transferred into Fe-Sa-CF,and its dielectric loss tangent (tanδ) in the frequency range of 1.0-17.0 GHz also increased.These facts suggest that the Fe-Sa-CF is electric-loss type radar absorbing material.In the frequency range of 3.0-18.0 GHz,Sa-CF (1.0 mm in thickness) exhibited somewhat radar absorbing property with maximum radar reflection loss (RL) of-4.73 dB.As for Fe-Sa-CF,the absorbing bandwidth was broadened,and the absorbing intensity significantly increased in the frequency range of 1.0-18.0 GHz where a maximum radar RL of-9.23 dB was observed.In addition,the radar absorbing intensity of Fe-Sa-CF can be further improved by increasing membrane thickness.When the thickness reached to 2.0 mm,the RL values of Fe-Sa-CF were-15.0-18.0 dB in the frequency range of 7.0-18.0 GHz.Consequently,a kind of novel radar absorbing material can be prepared by chemical modification of collagen fiber,which is characterized by thin thickness,low density,broad absorption bandwidth and high absorption intensity.     

Quantum key distribution using four-level particles

We present a quantum key distribution protocol based on four-level particle entanglement. Furthermore, a controlled quantum key distribution protocol is proposed using three four-level particles. We show that the two protocols are secure.     

Role of Tip60 tumor suppressor in DNA repair pathway

To prevent the damage caused by DNA strand breaks, eukaryotic cells have evolved a series of highly conserved DNA repair mechanisms. The ubiquitously expressed acetyltransferase, Tip60, plays a central role in ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) activation which is involved in DNA repair. Recent work uncovered a new mechanism of ATM activation mediated by Tip60 and demonstrated that histone methylation, specifically, trimethylation of histone H3, is a key factor in the process. Here, we review the current understanding of how Tip60 is activated and how it activates ATM in response to DNA damage.     

Is the valid species Synchaeta monopus Plate, 1889 (Rotifera: Monogononta) a product of preparation artefacts?

The morphology of soft-bodied rotifers, including those of Synchaeta spp, can be strongly affected by preparation artefacts including contraction and deformation. The long-standing, valid species Synchaeta monopus is known exclusively from ethanol- or formaldehyde-preserved material and no live specimens of it have ever been described. Although this alone is cause for concern, we could also reproduce unique characteristics diagnostic for this species (e.g. the swollen body and the rudimental foot) by subjecting specimens of Synchaeta pectinata to the preservation conditions under which it was first described. This proxy experiment and comparisons to other Synchaeta species indicate that literature occurrences of S. monopus likely represent preserved and deformed specimens of Synchaeta cecilia or other marine species of Synchaeta, thereby highlighting the importance of thorough morphological investigations of the habitus using live specimens and of features that are unaffected by preservation (e.g. the trophi). We therefore recommend that S. monopus be listed as a species inquirenda until topotypes are examined. Furthermore, in ecological studies including rotifers, where the examination of preserved material is often unavoidable, we stress that light-microscopical images of the habitus and trophi of the specimens minimally be included to facilitate independent verification of the species assignments.     

自调式镦压挤胀复合液压机的研制

从力学原理、设计原理、整机结构、关键零部件的设计和工作程序,系统地介绍了自调式镦压挤胀复合液压机．由于压机设计了顶出缸对下活动横梁调节限位结构,回程拉杆对上镦压横梁的复位结构及镦压缸和气液储能器之间的连通协调结构,这不仅使该液压机结构紧凑,同时节省了上镦压横梁的回程液压缸、下活动横梁的镦压缸,并简化了上凸模与上镦压模分设的液压系统,而且解决了直齿圆柱齿轮在塑性成形过程中齿顶难以充满、齿根易出现微裂纹,以及成形压力过大和模具寿命过低的问题．     

PPAR γ partial agonist, KR-62776, inhibits adipocyte differentiation via activation of ERK

Indenone KR-62776 acts as an agonist of PPARγ without inducing obesity in animal models and cells. X-ray crystallography reveals that the indenone occupies the binding pocket in a different manner than rosiglitazone. 2-Dimensional gel-electrophoresis showed that the expression of 42 proteins was altered more than 2.0-fold between KR-62776- or rosiglitazone-treated adipocyte cells and control cells. Rosiglitazone down-regulated the expression of ERK1/2 and suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in these cells. However, the expression of ERK1/2 was up-regulated in KR-62776-treated cells. Phosphorylated ERK1/2, activated by indenone, affects the localization of PPARγ, suggesting a mechanism for indenone-inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. The preadipocyte cells are treated with ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059, a large amount of the cells are converted to adipocyte cells. These results support the conclusion that the localization of PPARγ is one of the key factors explaining the biological responses of the ligands. Received 04 March 2009; received after revision 13 March 2009; accepted 17 March 2009     

Molecular mechanisms of BK channel activation

Large conductance, Ca²⁺-activated potassium (BK) channels are widely expressed throughout the animal kingdom and play important roles in many physiological processes, such as muscle contraction, neural transmission and hearing. These physiological roles derive from the ability of BK channels to be synergistically activated by membrane voltage, intracellular Ca²⁺ and other ligands. Similar to voltage-gated K⁺ channels, BK channels possess a pore-gate domain (S5–S6 transmembrane segments) and a voltage-sensor domain (S1–S4). In addition, BK channels contain a large cytoplasmic C-terminal domain that serves as the primary ligand sensor. The voltage sensor and the ligand sensor allosterically control K⁺ flux through the pore-gate domain in response to various stimuli, thereby linking cellular metabolism and membrane excitability. This review summarizes the current understanding of these structural domains and their mutual interactions in voltage-, Ca²⁺ - and Mg²⁺ -dependent activation of the channel. Received 25 September 2008; received after revision 23 October 2008; accepted 24 October 2008     

Functions of reticulons in plants: What we can learn from animals and yeasts

Reticulons (RTNs) are membrane-spanning proteins sharing a typical domain named reticulon homology domain (RHD). RTN genes have been identified in all eukaryotic organisms examined so far, and the corresponding proteins have been found predominantly associated to the endoplasmic reticulum membranes. In animal and yeast, in which knowledge of the protein family is more advanced, RTNs are involved in numerous cellular processes such as apoptosis, cell division and intracellular trafficking. Up to now, a little attention has been paid to their plant counterparts, i.e., RTNLBs. In this review, we summarize the data available for RTNLB proteins and, using the data obtained with animal and yeast models, several functions for RTNLBs in plant cells are proposed and discussed. Received 01 July 2008; received after revision 08 September 2008; accepted 30 September 2008