Interaction of catechins with aluminum in vitro

Tea is one of the most popular beverages, consumed by over two thirds of the world's population; but the aluminum accumulation property of tea plant is becoming the focus of many researches because of aluminum's known adverse effect on human health. Investigation of the interactions of catechins with Al(3+) showed that during the interaction of catechins with Al(3+), the UV-vis spectrum of catechins was changed. Absorption of EGCG at 274 nm decreased and increased at 322 nm; EC and C's at 278 nm changed little. The ratio of Al(3+) to EGCG was 1:1 in pH 5.0 buffer solution; in pH 6.2 buffer solution, the ratio in the Al-EGCG complex was 1:1. Interestingly, while the ratio reached to over 2, after the complex of Al-EGCG started polymerization, the ratio in the polymer was 2:1. In pH 6.2 buffer solution, the complex behavior of C with Al(3+) was the same as that of EGCG, with a little difference for EC. When the ratio of Al(3+) to EC was <1, the complex in ratio was 1:2, but, the complex polymerized when the ratio of Al(3+) to EC was >1. It was found that the ratio of Al(3+) to EC in the polymer was 1:1. Polymerization of Al-catechin complexes might reduce aluminum absorption in the intestine. Kow value was also employed to study the properties of aluminum species in tea infusion (at gastric and intestine pH condition) and the effect of catechins and tea polyphenols on Kow in buffer solution. Results showed that Kow value rose much higher at the intestine pH than at the gastric pH. Tea polyphenols and catechins could greatly reduce aluminum Kow value in acetic buffer, indicating that these compounds may reduce aluminum absorption during tea intake.     

Supergene mobility of noble metal elements in black rock series

In order to discuss the supergene mobility of noble metal elements in black rock series, measurements have been conducted with ICP-MS method for the contents of Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, Au and Ag in the primary jordisite-rich black shale ore, in the supergene leached jordisite-rich black shale ore, in the pyrite-rich black shale ore and in the water of pit, well and stream of the mining area near Zhongnan Village, Zunyi District of Guizhou Province. The temperature, pH, electric conductivity, dissolved oxygen of the water were also measured. The pit water is acidic with high electrical conductivity and low dissolved oxygen. The total content of platinum group elements in the primary pyrite-rich black shale ore is only 1/13 of that in the primary jordisite-rich black shale ore. The Ag content in the former is only a half of that in the latter while the Au contents in the two kinds of ores are almost the same. Being leached under supergene condition, the contents of most of the noble metal elements except Au in the jordisite-rich black shale ore greatly decrease; the leaching rates of Rh, Pd, Pt, the total platinum group elements and Ag reach as high as 66.72%～74.79%, revealing that under supergene condition, platinum group elements and Ag can migrate along with water; the ratios of Ag/Au, Pd/Ru, Pt/Ir and(Pt+Pd)/(Ru+Rh+Ir) are remarkably decreased, displaying that Pt and Pd relative to Ru, Rh and Ir, Ag relative to Au bear more active mobility. The noble metal elements in the black rock series near Zhongnan Village might be mobilized and migrate under the procession of "cold water" rich in [SO4]2- with pH value being about 2.4 at a temperature below 50 ℃.     

从《危舍府的倒塌》看男性人格自我完善的趋势

在爱伦·坡众多女性受害题材的作品中 ,《危舍府的倒塌》是比较典型的一篇。本文试图通过该文男主角性格转变的过程 ,从一个侧面说明坡作品中男性人格自我完善的一种趋势。这种趋势也显示了坡描写的接受女人既是“其他的人”又是“自己的一部分”的能力是人类自我完善的一种尝试。     

Evidence for ubiquitous strong electron-phonon coupling in high-temperature superconductors

Coupling between electrons and phonons (lattice vibrations) drives the formation of the electron pairs responsible for conventional superconductivity. The lack of direct evidence for electron-phonon coupling in the electron dynamics of the high-transition-temperature superconductors has driven an intensive search for an alternative mechanism. A coupling of an electron with a phonon would result in an abrupt change of its velocity and scattering rate near the phonon energy. Here we use angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to probe electron dynamics-velocity and scattering rate-for three different families of copper oxide superconductors. We see in all of these materials an abrupt change of electron velocity at 50-80 meV, which we cannot explain by any known process other than to invoke coupling with the phonons associated with the movement of the oxygen atoms. This suggests that electron-phonon coupling strongly influences the electron dynamics in the high-temperature superconductors, and must therefore be included in any microscopic theory of superconductivity.     

Analysis of nuclear apoptotic process in a cell-free system

We report an analysis of the apoptotic process of mouse liver nuclei induced in a cell-free carrot cytosol system by cytochrome c. Typical characteristics of apoptosis were observed, such as chromatin condensation, margination, apoptotic bodies and DNA ladders. Furthermore, transmission and scanning electron microscope analysis of the apoptotic nuclei detected chromatin-free nuclear vesicles before apoptotic bodies appeared at a comparatively late phase. When AC-YVAD-CHO, an inhibitor of caspase 6, was introduced into the system, these vesicles and apoptotic bodies disappeared completely within our study sections. We confirmed the results using whole-mount electron microscopy, and found that although the nuclear lamina was destroyed early, the nuclear matrix largely remained intact during the course of apoptosis. The nuclear matrix played an important role in maintaining the integrity of apoptotic cells and connecting the apoptotic bodies and apoptotic nucleus. Received 29 September 2000; revised 10 December 2000; accepted 13 December 2000     

基于椭圆曲线密码体制的盲身份认证研究

提出了一个基于椭圆曲线密码体制的盲数字签名方案,并在此基础上设计了一个盲身份认证方案,该方案的安全性是建立在目前还没有有效攻击方法的有限域上非超奇异椭圆曲线的离散对数问题之上的,它能够防止非法用户对系统的访问以及非法用户对合法用户信息的窃取,由于在认证过程中涉及到有限域上椭圆曲线的模逆和点和,运算相对简单,因而实现也较为容易,从理论上讲方案是安全的,并且具有较低的复杂性,对于电子商务和电子投票应用场合具有一定的实用价值。     

Topography of acoustic response characteristics in the midbrain inferior colliculus of Kunming mouse

Topography of acoustic response characteristics of the midbrain inferior colliculus(IC)of the Kunming mouse was studied by using extracellular recording techniques.The characteristic frequency(CF)range represented in the different divisions of the IC differed markedly:4-15 kHz in the dorsal cortex(DC),10-70 kHz in the central nucleus(CN),and 4-35kHz in the external cortex(EC).The CF in the CN increased from dorsal and lateral to ventral and medial,higher CFs represented at its ventromedial part and lower CFs at its dorsal part.The isofrequency contours of CFs were incurvate.Minimum thresholds(MT)of the auditory neurons in DC and the central part of CN were lower(about 10dB SPL),but considerably higher in the dorsal and ventral region of EC.Results suggest that each of the divisions in the mouse IC may have different auditory functions.     

Recombinant PsbF from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 forms β:β homodimeric cytochrome b559

All organisms with oxygenic photosynthesis contain two photosystems:photosystem Ⅰ(PSⅠ)and photo-systemⅡ(PSⅡ),The minimal photosystem Ⅱ particles which are photochemically active contain three subunits:D1,D2 and cytochrome b559 (Cyt b559),The function of Cyt b559 remains unclear,We have successfully overxpressed the psbF gene,encoding the β subunit of Cyt b559,from a marine cyanobacterium Synechoccous sp.PCC 7002 as a fusion gene and obtained a redox-active from of Cyt b559,When the N-terminal GST protein of the fusion gene product was removed with thrombin ,the PsbF protein was still redox-active,suggesting that the recombinant PsbF can form dimer in Escherichia coli.The absorption spectra of either the oxidized from or the reduced form of both GST fusion protein and the purified PsbF dimer and the difference Spectra between the two forms are the same as that of the Cyt b559 isolated from the higher plants .Redox titration analysis of recombinant PsbF showed that the mid-point redox potential of the recombinant Cyt b559 was approximately 50 mV, which is close to the low potential of Cyt b559 ,The results are helpful to the understanding of locatlization and function of Cyt b559 on thylakoid membranes.Ⅰ     

NMR study on self-assembled cage complex of hexamethylenetetramine and cucurbit[n]urils

Self-assembled complexes between cage com-pounds cucurbit[n = 5—8]urils and hexamethylenetetramine were studied by using NMR techniques. Experimental results reveal that hexamethylenetetramine can lid cucurbit[5]uril to forming self-assembled capsules in which nothing is encap-sulated yet; the cavity of the cucurbit[7]uril can accommo-date a hexamethylenetetramine molecule to form a self- assembled host-guest inclusion. Moreover, both the cavity interaction of the cucurbit[7]uril with hexamethylenetetra-mine稨Cl and the portal interaction of the dipole carbonyl of the cucurbit[7]uril with hexamethylenetetramine稨Cl lead to form self-assembled capsules in which the hexamethylene-tetramine稨Cl are encapsulated in the hexamethylenetetra-mine稨Cl lidded cucurbit[7]uril. Although the structures of the portal and cavity to cucurbit[5]uril are similar, there is no obvious interaction between decamethylcucurbit[5]uril and hexamethylenetetramine, and also between cucurbit [6]uril or cucurbit[8]uril and hexamethylenetetramine.