Spectra of identified high-p(T) pi(+/-) and p((p)over-bar ) in Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

We report new results on identified (anti) proton and charged pion spectra at large transverse momenta (3 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c) from Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV using the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This study explores the system size dependence of two novel features observed at RHIC with heavy ions: the hadron suppression at high-p(T) and the anomalous baryon to meson enhancement at intermediate transverse momenta. Both phenomena could be attributed to the creation of a new form of QCD matter. The results presented here bridge the system size gap between the available pp and Au + Au data, and allow for a detailed exploration of the onset of the novel features. Comparative analysis of all available 200 GeV data indicates that the system size is a major factor determining both the magnitude of the hadron spectra suppression at large transverse momenta and the relative baryon to meson enhancement.

Charged and strange hadron elliptic flow in Cu plus Cu collisions at root s(NN)=62.4 and 200 GeV

We present the results of an elliptic flow, v(2), analysis of Cu + Cu collisions recorded with the solenoidal tracker detector (STAR) at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at root s(NN) = 62.4 and 200 GeV. Elliptic flow as a function of transverse momentum, v(2)(p(T)), is reported for different collision centralities for charged hadrons h(+/-) and strangeness-ontaining hadrons K-S(0), Lambda, Xi, and phi in the midrapidity region vertical bar eta vertical bar < 1.0. Significant reduction in systematic uncertainty of the measurement due to nonflow effects has been achieved by correlating particles at midrapidity, vertical bar eta vertical bar < 1.0, with those at forward rapidity, 2.5 < vertical bar eta vertical bar < 4.0. We also present azimuthal correlations in p + p collisions at root s = 200 GeV to help in estimating nonflow effects. To study the system-size dependence of elliptic flow, we present a detailed comparison with previously published results from Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. We observe that v(2)(p(T)) of strange hadrons has similar scaling properties as were first observed in Au + Au collisions, that is, (i) at low transverse momenta, p(T) < 2 GeV/c, v(2) scales with transverse kinetic energy, m(T) - m, and (ii) at intermediate p(T), 2 < p(T) < 4 GeV/c, it scales with the number of constituent quarks, n(q.) We have found that ideal hydrodynamic calculations fail to reproduce the centrality dependence of v(2)(p(T)) for K-S(0) and Lambda. Eccentricity scaled v(2) values, v(2)/epsilon, are larger in more central collisions, suggesting stronger collective flow develops in more central collisions. The comparison with Au + Au collisions, which go further in density, shows that v(2)/epsilon depends on the system size, that is, the number of participants N-part. This indicates that the ideal hydrodynamic limit is not reached in Cu + Cu collisions, presumably because the assumption of thermalization is not attained.

UV-photooxidation as pretreatment step in inorganic analysis of environmental samples

Many laboratories deal with the determination of heavy metals, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. The first step in chemical analysis is a proper preparation of the investigated samples. The presence of organic substances can cause problems in many analytical methods. This paper describes the application of UV irradiation as a method of destruction of organic matter in the investigated samples.

Spatial distribution of soil heavy metal pollution estimated by different interpolation methods: Accuracy and uncertainty analysis

Mapping the spatial distribution of contaminants in soils is the basis of pollution evaluation and risk control. Interpolation methods are extensively applied in the mapping processes to estimate the heavy metal concentrations at unsampled sites. The performances of interpolation methods (inverse distance weighting, local polynomial, ordinary kriging and radial basis functions) were assessed and compared using the root mean square error for cross validation. The results indicated that all interpolation methods provided a high prediction accuracy of the mean concentration of soil heavy metals. However, the classic method based on percentages of polluted samples, gave a pollution area 23.54-41.92% larger than that estimated by interpolation methods. The difference in contaminated area estimation among the four methods reached 6.14%. According to the interpolation results, the spatial uncertainty of polluted areas was mainly located in three types of region: (a) the local maxima concentration region surrounded by low concentration (clean) sites, (b) the local minima concentration region surrounded with highly polluted samples; and (c) the boundaries of the contaminated areas. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetic analysis of interaction between lipopolysaccharide and biomolecules

Lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) is a major component of the outer membrane of all gram-negative bacteria. It is a heat-resistant toxin which can cause toxic shock in animals. LPS interacts with some biomolecules and triggers its toxic reaction. In this study, the interaction between LPS from Salmonella Minnesota and some biomolecules using syrface okasnib resibabce ( SPR) biosensor. biomolecules were imobilized on CM5 sensor-chip suing amion coupling method and LPS was injected over the immobilized surfaces.

Analysis of Saponins from Leaves of Aralia elata by Liquid Chromatography and Multi-stage Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Four saponins were isolated from the leaves of Aralia elata, and established using NMR and other spectroscopic methods, as well as data reported in the literature. Three Aralia saponins from the leaves of Aralia elata sharing the same structures as those isolated from the root bark suggested that the leaves would be a good substitute for the root bark of Aralia elata. These four Aralia saponins were then extensively investigated using complementarily positive and negative electrospray ionization multistage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn). Two isomers of saponins with different sugar linkages were then successfully differentiated by positive ESI-MSn and verified with different retention times and the collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra by LC-MS. A simple and effective LC-MS method was thus developed for the rapid identification and screening of these saponins in plant extracts from leaves of Aralia elata.

Crystal growth and structural analysis of PrMnO3 and TbMnO3

Single crystals of PrMnO3 and TbMnO3 were grown by floating zone method and the crystal structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffractometry. The structure of these compounds belongs to the orthorhombic system (space group is Pnma, No. 62) with the lattice parameters alpha approximate to root (.) - a(p), b approximate to 2 (.) a(p) , c approximate to root 2.a(p) and Z = 4, where a(p) is ideal cubic perovskite cell parameter.

Phylogenetic analysis of epiphytic marine bacteria on Hole-Rotten diseased sporophytes of Laminaria japonica

During an occurrence of Hole-Rotten Disease of Laminaria japonica in a cultivating farm in Ma Shan Shandong province, China, 42 Gram-negative epiphytic marine bacteria were isolated and purified on Zobell 2216E marine agar medium. Morphological and biochemical characteristics of each isolated bacterium were studied, and molecular identification of bacterial strains was conducted with polymerase chain reaction amplification to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Based on nearly full length of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the isolated strains were bacteria that belong to genus Pseudoalteromonas, Vibrio, Halomonas and Bacillus. The percentage of each group was 61.9%, 28.6%, 7.1% and 2.4% respectively. The results of pathogenicity assay showed that 12 strains could cause the disease symptoms in sporophytes of L. japonica. They belonged to the genera Pseudoalteromonas, Vibrio and Halomonas with 58.3%, 33.3%, 8.3% respectively. The results suggest that these bacteria are the dominant marine bacteria on diseased sporophytes of L. japonica and may be the potential pathogenic bacteria associated with Hole-Rotten Disease of L. japonica.

Seasonal regulations of energetics, serum concentrations of leptin, and uncoupling protein 1 content of brown adipose tissue in root voles (Microtus oeconomus) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Survival of small mammals in winter requires proper adjustments in physiology, behavior and morphology. The present study was designed to examine the changes in serum leptin concentration and the molecular basis of thermogenesis in seasonally acclimatized root voles (Microtus oeconomus) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. In January root voles had lower body mass and body fat mass coupled with higher nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) capacity. Consistently, cytochrome c oxidase activity and mitochondrial uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) protein contents in brown adipose tissues were higher in January as compared to that in July. Circulating level of serum leptin was significantly lower in winter and higher in July. Correlation analysis showed that serum leptin levels were positively related with body mass and body fat mass while negatively correlated with UCP1 protein contents. Together, these data provided further evidence for our previous findings that root voles from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau mainly depend on higher NST coupled with lower body mass to enhance winter survival. Further, fat deposition was significantly mobilized in cold winter and leptin was potentially involved in the regulation of body mass and thermogenesis in root voles. Serum leptin might act as a starvation signal in winter and satiety signal in summer.