Pseudo-particle modeling for gas flow in microchannels

The velocity profiles and temperature distributions of gas flow in microchannels, for Knudsen numbers ranging from 0.01 to 0.20, are investigated with pseudo-particle modeling (PPM). It has been found that the velocity profiles are mainly affected by Knudsen number and the external force fields applied. When Knudsen number was increased, the slip velocities on the walls increased at the beginning, and then decreased. The temperature distributions were also significantly affected by the external force. The Darcy friction factor increased with increasing Knudsen number, and its variation with Mach number under increased Knudsen number was similar to the so-called premature laminar-turbulent transition observed in experiments.     

Inhibiting effect of melittin on pathogens of crops

The spectrum of antimicrobial effects of melittin were investigated on 19 pathogens by using a cylin-der-plate method with serial dilutions. Bacteriostatic efficiency and possible mechanistic effects were monitored via growth curves. The mechanism of inhibition was further analyzed by SDS-PAGE, flow cytometry and electron microscopy. Melittin had a wide inhibition spectrum and killed pathogens ef-fectively, and bacteriostatic action was influenced by factors such as pH and temperature. We eluci-dated three inhibitory mechanisms: melittin integrated with the cell membrane causing cell bursting and cytoplasm release, inhibited the synthesis of proteins and caused the cytoplasm to condense, and delayed pathogens in phase I (or phase G1) so that they could not complete the cell cycle. These re-sults suggest that melittin could serve as a broad-spectrum biological pesticide with fast-action and high-efficiency.     

Molecular dynamics simulation and continuum modelling of granular surface flow in rotating drums

Numerical simulations of granular flows in rotating drums operated at medium to high rates (Fr=0.1― 0.2) have been carried out by using a Molecular Dynamics (MD) algorithm that incorporates inelastic particle interactions, sliding friction and rolling friction. The results indicate that the behavior of granular flow in rotating drums can be classified into two distinct zones: a shear active layer at the bed surface and a quasi-static plug flow region adjacent to the wall. The residence time of a tracer particle in the active layer is approximately a third or a half of that in the plug flow region. The thickness of the active layer at mid-chord is about 0.57―0.61 times that of the plug flow region. It is found that all cases simulated in this work are in the rolling-cascading intermediate regime instead of the pure rolling re-gime. The simulated tangential velocity at the mid-chord is also compared with experimental results reported in the literature and good agreement has been obtained. Based on the MD simulations and experimental results, a continuum approach has also been developed. It is shown that the behavior of granular solids in the plug flow region experiences plastic deformation along the radial direction from the wall with the velocity profiles well described by an exponential function, whereas the active layer velocity follows a simple expression for the Couette shear flow. Discussion has also been made on the granular temperature and concentration profiles.     

Importance of NPA motifs in the expression and function of water channel aquaporin-1

The asparagine-proline-alanine sequences (NPA motifs) are highly conserved in aquaporin water channel family. Crystallographic studies of AQP1 structure demonstrated that the two NPA motifs are in the narrow central constriction of the channel, serving to bind water molecules for selective and effi-cient water passage. To investigate the importance of the two NPA motifs in the structure, function and biogenesis of aquaporin water channels, we generated AQP1 mutations with NPA1 deletion, NPA2 de-letion and NPA1,2 double deletion. The coding sequences of the three mutated cDNAs were subcloned into the mammalian expression vector pcDNA3.1 to form expression plasmids. We established stably transfected CHO cell lines expressing these AQP1 mutants. Immunofluorescence indicated that all the three mutated AQP1 proteins are expressed normally on the plasma membrane of stably transfected CHO cells, suggesting that deletion of NPA motifs does not influence the expression and intracellular processing of AQP1. Functional analysis demonstrated that NPA1 or NPA2 deletion reduced AQP1 water permeability by 49.6% and 46.7%, respectively, while NPA1,2 double deletion had little effect on AQP1 water permeability. These results provide evidence that NPA motifs are important for water per-meation but not essential for the expression, intracellular processing and the basic structure of AQP1 water channel.     

Study on crustal, lithospheric and asthenospheric thickness beneath the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its adjacent areas

Based on the results of pure dispersions of Rayleigh wave tomography in the Qinghai-Tlbet Plateau and its adjacent areas, tsklng S wave velocities from previous linear inversion as the initial model, using the simulated annealing algorithm, a nonlinear simultaneous inversion has been carried out for S wave velocity and thickness of different layers, including the crust, the lithosphere and the asthenosphere. The results indicate： The crustal thickness shows strong correlation with geology structures sketched by the sutures and major faults. The crust is very thick in the Qinghal-Tibet Plateau, varying from 60 km to 80 kin. The Ilthospherlc thickness in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Is thinner （130-160 kin） than Its adjacent areas. And two blocks can be recognized, divided by an NNE strike boundary running between 90°E-92°E inside the plateau. Its asthenosphere is relatively thick, varies from 150 km to 230 kin, and the thickest area is located in the western Qiangtsng. India has a thinner crust （32-38 kin）, a thicker lithosphere of 190 km and a rather thin asthenosphere of only 60 kin. Sichuan and Tarlm basins have the crust thickness less than 50 kin. Their Iithospheres are thicker than the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and their asthenospheres are thinner. A discussion has been made on the character and formation mechanism of the typical crust-mantle transition zone in the western Qiangtsng block.     

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.     

Establishment of the model of vascular endothelial cell membrane chromatography and its preliminary application

A model of vascular endothelial cell membrane chromatography was established by using an ECV304 cell membrane stationary phase (ECV304 CMSP) prepared by immobilizing the ECV304 cell membrane onto the surface of silica carrier. The surface and chromatographic characteristics of ECV304 CMSP were studied. The active component from Caulophyllum robustum was screened by using the model of vascular endothelial cell membrane chromatography. The interaction between the active component and membrane receptor was determined by using a replace experiments. The effect of the active component was tested by using tube formation of ECV304 cell. The results indicated that the model of ECV304 cell membrane chromatograph (ECV304 CMC) can stimulate the interaction between drug and receptor in vitro and the retention characteristics of taspine as active component was similar to that of model molecule in the model of ECV304 CMC. And therefore, taspine acted on VEGFR2 and inhibited the tube formation of ECV304 cell induced by VEGF. This model can be used to screen definite active component as a screening model.     

Construction of a novel economy-climate model

An attempt has been made to construct a novel economy-climate model by combining climate change research with agricultural economy research to evaluate the influence of global climate change on grain yields. The insertion of a climate change factor into the economic C-D (Cobb-Dauglas) production function model yields a novel evaluation model, which connects the climate change factor to the eco-nomic variation factor, and the performance and reasonableness of the novel evaluation model are also preliminarily simulated and verified.     

Magnetism in Mn and Co doped ZnO bulk samples

Bulk samples with nominal composition Zn0.95Co0.05O and Zn0.92Co0.05Mn0.03O were fabricated by a solid-state reaction method at 600℃.X-ray diffraction experiment showed that the peaks of secondary phase Co3O4 with a cubic structure were visible in both samples,besides the main peaks of wurtzite structure as ZnO.Magnetization measurement indicated that doping Co alone can induce ferromag- netism in ZnO itself,while the introduction of Mn significantly enhances ferromagnetism.However, both samples showed different magnetic behavior at temperatures below 50 K.It was also noted that ferromagnetic coupling interaction was weakened due to the presence of antiferromagnetic Co3O4.     

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.