Functional Materials for Catalytic and Magnetic Applications

1 Introduction Metal, metal oxide and metal compound nanoparticles (NPs) received considerable attention due to their unique properties: catalytic, magnetic, optical, electronic, etc. We believe that for different applications, there are preferable morphologies of NP-stabilizing medium composites. For example, small (1-3 nm) nanoparticles formed in micro/mesoporous hypercrosslinked polystyrene demonstrate excellent catalytic properties in various hydrogenation and oxidation reactions due to high surface...     

Preparation of polypropylene/montmorillonite nanocomposites by intercalative polymerization： Effect of in situ polymer matrix functionalization on the stability of the nanocomposite structure

The copolymerization of propylene and 5-hexenyl-9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (5-hexenyl-9-BBN) has been conducted with an MgCl2/TiCl4 catalyst intercalated in an organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) with triethylaluminum (AlEt3) cocatalyst and diphenyldimethoxysilane (DDS) external donor. This polymerization process simultaneously results in both the exfoliation of MMT layers to realize the preparation of polypropylene (PP)/MMT nanocomposites and the implantation of reactive borane groups in the formed PP matrix. The polymer-borne borane groups have been able to undergo an effi-cient hydrolysis process under very mild reaction conditions (40℃, 3 h, in THF), introducing hydroxy groups into PP without sacrificing the polymerization-formed nanocomposite structure (the exfoliation of MMT). The resultant hydroxyl-functionalized PP/MMT nanocomposites exhibit enhanced structural stability against processing compared with those based on unfunctionalized PP matrix.     

^226Ra evidence for the ecosystem shift over the past 40 years in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

Surface seawater was collected for ~(226)Ra measurement in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre from July to October, 1999 and October to December, 2003. Combined with the historical data reported for this sea area, a declined trend of surface ~(226)Ra concentrations was observed since 1960s, indicating the ecosystem shift in response to global warming. On one side, the enhanced stratification of the upper water column resulting from global warming reduced the ~(226)Ra input from the depth, on the other, the temporal increase of biological production resulting from the climate-related ecosystem structure change strengthened the ~(226)Ra removal from the surface ocean. Both the physical and biological processes resulted in the decrease of surface ~(226)Ra concentrations in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. The temporal trend of surface ~(226)Ra concentrations was consistent with the trends of chlorophyll a, silicate, phosphate and primary production previously reported. This study provided ~(226)Ra evidence for the ecosystem shift under global change.     

Benthic foraminiferal fauna turnover at 2.1 Ma in the northern South China Sea

Quantitative analysis of benthic foraminifera from ODP Site 1146 in the northern South China Sea (SCS) shows that abundance of Bulimina alazanensis, sometimes up to about 90%, decreased gradually since 3.2 Ma, especially at 2.1 Ma. Abundance of other benthic foraminiferal species, Globobulimina sub-globosa and Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi, increased after 2.1 Ma. Comparison with changes in oxygen and carbon isotopes of planktonic and benthic foraminifera shows that high abundance values of B. alazanensis corresponded with lower values of oxygen isotope, but for carbon isotope, high values of the species were consistent with heavier carbon isotope of benthic foraminifera and lighter carbon isotope of planktonic foraminifera, respectively, and vice versa. Considering factors such as uplift of Bashi Strait, expansion of the North Hemisphere Glaciation, strengthening of East Asian winter mon-soon and variations in oxygen and carbon isotope of foraminifera, changes of B. alazanensis in ODP Site 1146 suggest that the source of deep water masses of the northern South China Sea changed from the warm Pacific deep water with high oxygen content to Pacific Intermediate water with low oxygen content at 2.1 Ma. In addition, the strengthened East Asian winter monsoon resulted in increased pri-mary productivity, high nutrient and suboxic bottom water. Variations in species of B. alazanensis seemed to be unable to tolerate environmental stress induced by deep water masses and productivity changes.     

Icariin suppresses bone resorption activity of rabbit osteoclasts in vitro

The effect of icariin on the bone resorption activity of rabbit osteoclasts is assessed in vitro. Osteoclasts were isolated from Japanese white rabbits and cultured on plates with a sterilized bone slice in each well. After treatment with icariin at various concentrations, the bone resorption activity of osteoclasts was evaluated by examining pit areas, superoxide anion (·O2-) generation, size and number of actin rings and intracellular calcium concentration [Ca2 ]i. As revealed by these data, icariin elicited continuous decline of [Ca2 ]i, making actin ring constricted and ·O2- generation decreased. These events resulted in smaller and fewer pits which indicate suppressed bone resorption activity of rabbit osteoclasts by icariin.     

Clay minerals in surface sediments of the Pearl River drainage basin and their contribution to the South China Sea

Clay minerals have played a significant role in the study of the East Asian monsoon evolution in the South China Sea by being able to track oceanic current variations and to reveal contemporaneous paleoclimaUc changes prevailing in continental source areas. As one of the most important rivers inputting terrigenous matters to the northern South China Sea, the Pearl River was not previously paid attention to from the viewpoint of clay mineralogy. This paper presents a detailed study on clay minerals in surface sediments collected from the Pearl River drainage basin （including all three main channels, various branches, and the Lingdingyang in the estuary） by using the X-ray diffraction （XRD） method. The results indicate that the clay mineral assemblage consists dominantly of kaolinite （35%-65%）, lesser abundance of chlorite （20%-35%） and illite （12%-42%）, and very scare smectite occurrences （generally 〈5%）. Their respective distribution does not present any obvious difference throughout the Pearl River drainage basin. However, downstream the Pearl River to the northern South China Sea, the clay mineral assemblage varies significantly： kaolinite decreases gradually, smecUte and illite increase gradually. Additionally, illite chemistry index steps down and illite crystallinity steps up. These variations indicate the contribution of major kaolinite, lesser illite and chlorite, and very scarce smecUte to the northern South China Sea from the Pearl River drainage basin. The maximum contribution of clay minerals from the Pearl River is 72% to the northern margin and only 15% to the northern slope of the South China Sea. In both glacials and interglacials, kaolinite indicates that the ability of mechanical erosion occurred in the Pearl River drainage basin.     

RESTOR多焦点人工晶体对比敏感度的研究

研究白内障术后以RESTOR为代表的多焦人工晶体与以AR40e(AMO)为代表的传统的单焦球面人工晶体早期功能视力的比较.研究组为白内障超声乳化联合人工晶体植入术后患者60例(眼),其中30例为传统的单焦球面人工晶体组,30例为多焦人工晶体组.与研究组年龄匹配的门诊患者30例为正常对照组.于术后30 d用CSV-1000E对比敏感度测试仪(由VECTOR VISION公司提供)进行CSF测定.所有患者年龄分布在50～80之间,矫正视力均大于等于0.8,并且除了白内障之外无任何影响对比敏感度的眼疾,亦无其它可能会影响对比敏感度的全身性疾病.白内障术后患者的CSF大致恢复到正常范围,但较正常年龄组降低.多焦点人工晶体植入术后提高了患者的全程视敏度,但早期功能视力不及传统的单焦球面人工晶体.     

蒽甲醇修饰单壁碳纳米管的研究

利用蒽甲醇对单壁碳纳米管进行了化学修饰，并利用透射电镜、紫外可见吸收光谱、荧光光谱、拉曼光谱对修饰后的单壁碳纳米管进行了表征分析．通过对比吸附前后的紫外可见吸收光谱发现，吸附后的光谱强度下降大约57．1％，说明单壁碳纳米管吸附上了蒽甲醇．通过拉曼光谱分析发现，吸附后单壁碳纳米管的拉曼光谱中主要峰的位置向长波方向移动了6～7cm^-1，认为拉曼光谱发生移动的原因是单壁碳纳米管吸附蒽甲醇前后状态的改变导致的．     

Carboxymethytl Pachymaram Up-Regulates Dendritic Cell＇s Function in Hepatitis B Virus Transgenic Mice

The effect of carboxymethytl pachymaram (CMP) on the function of dendritic cells(DCs) derived from spleens of hepatitis B virus transgenic mice are studied in vitro. The phenotypes of DCs are tested by flow cytometry (FCM), cytokines measured by ELISA. The expression of DCs’ phenotypes in HBV transgenic mice are low (CD80⁺CD11c⁺:59.12±11.53 vs 9.60±4.53, p<0.01; CD80⁺ MHC-II⁺: 44.86±12.31 vs 9.80±5.72, p<0.01, normal mice vs HBV transgenic mice), the ability of DCs stimulating T lymphocytes proliferation decreases (0.37±0.11 vs 0.20±0.11, p<0.05, normal mice vs HBV transgenic mice), levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ decrease whereas the level of IL-10 increases; CMP can enhance DCs’ ability of stimulating T lymphocytes proliferation, facilitate the secretion of IL-12 and IFN-γ, inhibit the secretion of IL-10, thus up regulates DCs function. The results show a good prospective use of CMP on the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Biography: HOU Anji (1963–), male, Ph.D. candidate, Associate professor, research direction: clinical virology.