Diamond synthesis from a system of chromium-carbide and Ni70Mn25Co5 alloy

In order to ascertain the mechanism of interaction between carbide and metallic catalyst and formation of diamond under high pressure and high temperature, and find a new method to synthesize diamond with special properties, it is necessary to investigate the reaction behavior of different carbides and metallic solvent_catalysts under high pressure and high temperature. A system of Cr-3C-2 powder and Ni 70Mn 25Co 5 alloy in weight ratio of 1∶6 was treated under 6 0 GPa and 1 500℃ for 20, 30 or 60 min respectively. X_ray diffraction of the samples indicated the Cr 3C 2 decomposed partially after high pressure and temperature treatment, and Cr 7C 3, Cr and diamond formed respectively. There was not any trace of graphite in the samples. The result suggested that the separated carbon atoms could form diamond directly without conversion process of graphite into diamond. The observation of SEI, WDX and EDX also showed that diamond crystals were synthesized in the system, which have perfect surfaces and shapes, with the average grain size of about 40 μm. The properties of the crystals are being investigated.     

Molecular recognition study on a supramolecular system (Ⅷ) --The fluoroscopic study on inclusion complexation of adamantanol with cyclodextrin derivatives

The fluorescence spectral titrations have been performed in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7 2) at room temperature to give the stability constants for inclusion complexation of a series of chemically modified β cyclodextrins bearing aromatic groups with adamantanol. The molecular recognition mechanism is discussed from the viewpoint of the structural factors, electron effect of the substitutent groups and the size and chain length of the fluorophore. The results indicate that the complex stability of the cyclodextrin derivatives bearing a positively charged pyridinio moiety can be enhanced by the electrostatic interaction between the host cyclodextrins and the adamantanol guest and the microenvironment change plays a crucial role in the inclusion complexation.     

Milestone of the meridian science──970th anniversary of the Chinese Bronze Statue of Meridian

For more than a thousand years, Chinese people were aware of the transmitted sensations by the application of needles on the body surface. This practice is called acupuncture. Acupuncture had been recorded and transcribed in writings and in drawings, until finally the acupoints were inscribed onto a bronze statue. The bronze statue was called the Meridian Figure. Deeply embodied in the bronze statue is a tripartite confrontation-prism representation of the humans body. This concept was a great scientific achievement in ancient China. The author traces the history of Meridian science described in traditional Chinese medical terms. Then he explores a clear analogy of the meridian pathway (MP) phenomenon. In a model system, by using a simple segmental in vertebrate, certain parallels can be demonstrated with the meridian concept. For example, the author demonstrated a clear correlation rule among the central mechano-sensory channels, and characteristics of positional discrimination in individual nerve cells from different receptive field inputs. The evidence suggests that the MP phenomenon is an objective neurobiological response. To clarify the research objective in this paper, the author suggests that the MP is a bi-directional pathway along which a positional message signal is transmitted. This phenomenon is evoked by physical stimulation, transmitted linearly across the human body segments, and is perceived by the brain. The MP consists of low resistance paths, is connected by the liquid media contained in the apposite membranous structure. At the cellular level, the regulation functions of MP must pass through along this low resistance path. Two aspects of the modern Meridian research are the functional regulation and the mechanism of intercellular liquid modulation at the nanometer level.     

Research advances in gene therapy for Parkinson's disease

During the long period of time when people have been seeking for an effective therapeutic method for PD, the gene therapy has shown greater and greater advantages over other methods. It can be performed mainly in two ways: ex vivo and in vivo. With the former, TH gene as well as some neurotrophic factor genes (such as GDNF, BNDF genes) can be invited to some cell lines or primary cells thus forming engineered cells and then implanting them into brain. While with the latter, viral vectors including HSV-1, Ad, AAV that can be utilized to construct recombinant viruses, or non-virus vectors can be used to delived DNA into brain directly. The present review summarizes the recent research advances in the gene therapy for PD, and it is reasonable for us to predict a notable progress in prevention and treatment for PD in the next decade.     

Discovery of Permian island-arc basalts in the Cenxi area and the tectonic significance──A piece of evidence for the paleo-Tethyan tectonic belt in western Guangdong and eastern Guangxi

Cenxi Permian basalts are the late Palaeozoic island-arc type basalts first found in South China. REE and trace element characteristics and distribution patterns show that this volcanic formation, which has been isotopically dated at 261 MaB.P. by the 39Ar/ 40Ar method, is of an active continental marginal island arc type, and that the tectonic environment at that time was an island-arc marginal sea or minor ocean basin related with the paleo-Tethyan tectonic belt in western Guangdong-eastern Guangxi.     

The neodymium isotopic characteristic and geological significance of Kuokesu plagioclase amphibolites from the Kuruktag, Xinjiang, China

The plagioclase amphibolites from Kuokesu area, Kuruktag, Xinjiang occur as enclaves embedded in the granodioritic gneiss. In the light of major elements and REE data, the parent rocks of the plagioclase amphibolites belong to weak_alkaline basalts. Their Nd model ages mainly range from 2 832 to 3 075 Ma. The seven plagioclase amphibolites yield a reasonable good isochron age of (828±86) Ma(2σ) with I Nd =0.510 981±82, ε Nd ( t )=-11.5±1.6. Such a case shows the existence of great proportion of the Archaean mafic crustal basement on the Kuokesu area. The strong tectonic_thermal event at about 820 Ma made the Sm_Nd isotope of the metamorphic rocks homogenization. This event would be associated with the Tarim Movement.     

Isotope composition of helium in eclogite from the Dabie Mountains, central China and its geological significance

Isotopic geochemical characteristics of helium in garnet and omphacite of eclogite in the Dabie Mountains are discussed. Concentrations of 3He and 4He in garnet and omphacite are 3.9×10 -14- 24.0×10 -14 and 0.48×10 -7-9.42×10 -7cm+3·g -1, respectively. Values of 3He/ 4He have a range of (1.19-4.63)×10 -7. Helium in the eclogite is derived from both mantle and crust. Isotopic geochemical data of helium indicate that eclogite in the Dabie Mountains might be formed in depleted mantle and the age of the cologite would be Indo-China epoch.     

Two tyrosines in CD3ε-ITAM are required to induce T lymphocyte apoptosis

CD3ε of T cell antigen receptor complex (TCR/CD3) plays an important role in the resembling of the complex and activation signaling through its conservative immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) in the cytoplasmic tail. Previous study showed that a chimera molecule, consisting of the extracellular-transmembrane domain of human CD8α fused to the cytoplasmic domain of CD3ε, induced apoptosis of T lymphocytes, indicating that apoptotic signals were transduced through the CD3ε- ITAM. To elineate involvement of the two tyrosines in apoptotic signaling pathway, cDNAs with mutations at Y170F, Y181F and Y170F/Y181F in CD8-ε-ITAM were made by point mutation and PCR, and then cloned into pcDNA3 eukaryotic expression vectors. Stable expression cell lines were established after transfection of the expression vectors into CD8+- Jurkat T lymphocytes. Stimulation of these cell lines with anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody showed that only the cells with expression of wild type chimera CD8-ε died by apoptosis, but not those cells with expressions of mutated CD8-ε chimera, indicating that the two tyrosines in CD3ε-ITAM were required for the apoptotic signal transduction in T lymphocytes.     

Effect of calcium ions on the secondary structures of photosystemⅡ and its relations with photoinhibition

Calcium ions play an important role in the oxygen_evolving process of photosystem Ⅱ as demonstrated in many experiments. The changes of the secondary structures of PS Ⅱ induced by the depletion of Ca 2+ were reported. The results indicated that the removal of Ca 2+ led to the transition of α helix to turns and sheet structures. While Ca 2+ was re_added to the media, only the structures changed to turns could be recovered. The protein conformational changes of PS Ⅱ during the donor side photoinhibition induced by the depletion of Ca 2+ were also studied. This showed that the protein conformational changes differed between the control and Ca 2+ _depleted samples in a short period of illumination (within 10 min). However, the changes became similar when the illumination time was increased.     

Third-order optical nonlinearities for lanthanum (Ⅲ) complexes with 1,10-phenanthroline components

The nonlinear refractive indexes n 2 for the ethanol solutions of 1,10-phenanthroline (2.0×10 -3 mol·L -1), [bis(1,10-phenanthroline) lanthanum (Ⅲ)] nitrate (1.0×10 -3 mol·L -1), and [nitrato-fluoracil-bis (1,10-phenanthroline) lanthanum (Ⅲ)] nitrate (1.0×10 -3 mol·L -1) are first measured, the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities χ (3) and <γ> are calculated, and the mechanisms of the third-order optical nonlinearities enhanced by lanthanum (Ⅲ) are discussed preliminarily.