Piecewise algebraic varieties

The piecewise algebraic variety is a generalization of the classical algebraic variety. This paper discusses some properties of piecewise algebraic varieties and their coordinate rings based on the knowledge of algebraic geometry.     

Relationship between the exposure dose of high intensity focused ultrasound and the heated necrosis element

Heated necrosis element of tissues is the basis for treating tumor by high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), so study on the relationship between the HIFU exposure dose and the heated necrosis element of tissues is of great significance for both HIFU clinical applications and basic research. Using Pennes and Rayleigh formulae the relationship between the exposure dose of an annular focused transducer and the heated necrosis element (I.e. Biological focused region) in a bovine liver in vitro at a depth of 2 cm is simulated in an exposure dose range with radiation sound intensity of 7000～25400 W/cm2 and exposure time of 0～20 s. The theoretical results appear to be in quite good agreement with the experimental ones. It is shown that on the basis of existing theories the heated necrosis element produced by HIFU exposure can be predicted. The deviation of the theory from the experiments under higher exposure dose has also been discussed.     

Simulation of meridional overturning in the upper layer of the South China Sea with an idealized bottom topography

The South China Sea (SCS) is the largest marginal sea in the northwestern Pacific. Several important water gateways exist around the SCS, such as Luzon Strait, Taiwan Strait, etc., that lie in the northeastern SCS, and others like Kalimantan Strait, Balawan Strait, etc., lie in the south. Luzon Strait connects the SCS and Pacific via the Philippine Sea, and its water exchange has significant impact on the interior circulations of the SCS[1]. Since direct observation data about the …     

SEM analysis of the changes of carbon layer structure of mesocarbon microbeads heat-treated at different temperatures

Mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) with narrow size distribution, excellent sphericity and no obvious conglutination have been prepared with a coal tar pitch containing quinoline insolubles (QI) as the raw material. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to examine the structure of the MCMB. It has been found that SEM technique shows the structural information of MCMB clearly in the form of micrographs even when the structure of MCMB is complex, while the optical technique is useful for analysis of the regular structure of the mesophase spheres but cannot be effectively used to analyze either the complex structure of the green MCMB or the structures of the further heat-treated ones at different temperatures. According to the characteristics of the carbon layers, the structures of the as-prepared MCMB in the present experiment could be classified as (I) Parallel Layer type structure and (2) Bent Layer type structure with the carbon layers gathering at one or two points in the MCMB. In the experiments, SEM is also utilized to investigate the structures of MCMB that are heat-treated at different temperatures. It has been found that the MCMB without any further heat-treatment show no layered-carbons, while the ones heat-treated at temperaturehigher than 1000℃ exhibit obvious layered carbons across their sections. When increasing the heat-treatment temperature, the carbon layers become thinner and flatter.     

Induction of nicotine in tobacco by herbivory and its relation to glucose oxidase activity in the labial gland of three noctuid caterpillars

Tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L. is a host plant ofHelicoverpa armigera (Huibner), Helicoverpa assulta Guenee and Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). The difference in leaf nicotine response to the feeding by these three larvae and the mechanical simulation of their feeding was examined by HPLC. Results indicated that nicotine induction was suppressed by H. armigera and H. assulta larvae feeding or by simulated damage treated with their labial glands extracts. The production of nicotine was also suppressed by the glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger when it was treated on mechanically wounded leaf area. On the contrary, the nicotine production was stimulated by S. litura larva feeding or by simulated damage treated with its labial gland extract. Heat denature can not counteract the stimulation effect of the S. litura labial gland extracts to tobacco nicotine production. The glucose oxidase activity was detected in labial gland extracts of both H. armigera and H. assulta, but the activity in H. armigera was significantly higher than that in H. assulta. No glucose oxidase activity was detected in labial gland extracts of S. litura. It is shown that the glucose oxidase activity in labial glands of caterpillars plays an important role in the nicotine response to herbivory. The glucose oxidase was mainly contained in the labial gland of H. armigera larva, and had the highest activity at pH 7.0. D-Glucose was the optimal substrate of the glucose oxidase. Labial gland glucose oxidase activities varied daily during larval development with high activities found when larvae were actively feeding.     

Analysis of carbon isotopes in airborne carbonate and implications for aeolian sources

Methods were developed to determine the mass ratios of carbon isotopes in trace amounts of aerosol carbonate. A Finnigan MAT 252 mass spectrometer fitted with an on-line Kiel device was to determine the ^13C/^12C ratio in CO2 produced from the carbonate. A study using these methods was conducted to characterize the carbonate carbon isotopes in aerosol samples collected in Xi‘an on dusty and normal days during March and April 2002. Results of the study demonstrate that insights into the origin of the dust can be deduced from its isotopic composition. That is, the δ^13C ofcarbonate for dust storm samples ranged from -1.4‰ to -4.2‰, and this is consistent with sandy materials in dust source regions upwind. In contrast, for non-dusty days δ^13C ranged from -7.5% to -9.3‰, which is more similar to fine particles emitted from local surface soils. Comparisons of dust storm aerosols with surface soils from source regions and with aerosol samples collected downwind indicate that the δ^13C values did not change appreciably during longrange transport. Therefore, carbon isotopes have the potential for distinguishing among source materials, and this approach provides a powerful new tool for identifying dust provenance.     

An SNP polymorphism（-844C／T） in the promoter of catalase gene leads to differential expression

Imbalance of redox state has been associated with human diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, Huntington‘s disease and Alzheimer‘s disease. Catalase, an important antioxidant enzyme, decomposes H202 into O2 and H2O, therefore limiting the deleterious effect of the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Previous study showed that a C-T polymorphism, located at -844 bp from the translational start site of catalase, is strongly associated with essential hypertension in an isolated Chinese population of Xiangchang country, Anhui Province. To explore the impact of SNP-844C/T on the expression of catalase, human catalase promoters containing either SNP-844C or T variant were subcloned into the pGL3Basic luciferase vector.     

Discovery of a Miaohe-type Biota from the Neoproterozoic Doushantuo Formation in Jiangkou County, Guizhou Province, China

A megascopic algal fossil assemblage was first discovered by Ma Guogan and Chen Meng‘e in the black shales of the Neoproterozoic Doushantuo Formation in Miaohe Town, Zigui County, Hubei Province in 1978. Formal naming of the Miaohe Biota was proposed by Cheng Meng‘e and Xiao Zongzheng in 199112j, and eleven morphological genera have been previously described. including megascopic algae and putative metazoans .Ding et al. greatly expanded the scope of the Miaohe Biota to 9 phyla consisting of 140 genera, including microphytoplanctons, megascopic algae, metazoans, spongesand trace fossils. Xiao et al. further restudied this fossil assemblage, concluding that only about 18 distinct taxa could be recognized and that many Miaohe taxa are poorly defined or svnonvmous.     

Photocatalytic effect of nature and modified V-bearing rutile

A natural rutile TiO2, which displays photocatalysis on degrading halohydrocarbon pollutants, was reported. The rutile contains up to 1.22% V2O5 (weight percent). Substitutions of Ti by V, as well as Fe, Cu and Zn, result in lattice distortions and defects. Grinding, heating and quenching modify the surface characteristics of ruffle, and consequently increase its photoactivity. It is found that the heating and quenching treatments enhance visible-light absorption of ruffle, especially at 1000 and 1100℃. Ground rutile is effective to degrade tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene. While, heating at 1000℃, and quenching at 1000 and 1100℃ distinctly improve degradation rate of samples. The special properties of the natural rutile have particular capabilities in photocatalytic oxidation, especially in degradation of halohydrocarbons.