Dynamics of morphological changes for mitochondrial fission and fusion

Mitochondria experience continuous fusion and fission in a living cell, but their dynamics remains poorly quantified. Here a theoretical model was developed, upon a simplified population balance equation (PBE), to predict the morphological changes induced by mitochondrial fission and fusion. Assuming that both fission and fusion events are statistically independent, the survival probability of mitochondria staying in the fission or fusion state was formulated as an exponentially-decayed function with time, which depended on the time-dependent distribution of the mitochondrial volume and the fission and fusion rates. Parametric analysis was done for two typical volume distributions. One was Gamma distribution and the other was Gaussian distribution, derived from the measurements of volume distribution for individual mitochondria in a living cell and purified mitochondria in vitro. The predictions indicated that the survival probability strongly depended on morphological changes of individual mitochondria and was inversely correlated to the fission and fusion rates. This work provided a new insight into quantifying the mitochondrial dynamics via monitoring the evolution of the mitochondrial volume.

Experimental study of two-proton correlated emission from S-29 excited states

An experiment of a S-29 beam bombarding a Au-197 target at an energy of 49.2 MeV/u has been performed to study the two-proton correlated emission from S-29 excited states. Complete-kinematics measurements were carried out in the experiment. The relative momentum, opening angle, and relative energy of two protons, as well as the invariant mass of the final system, were deduced by relativistic-kinematics reconstruction. The Si-27-p-p coincident events were picked out under strict conditions and the phenomenon of p-p correlations was observed among these events. The mechanisms of two-proton emission were analyzed in a simple schematic model, in which the extreme decay modes like He-2 cluster emission, three-body phase-space decay, and two-body sequential emission were taken into account. Associated with the Monte Carlo simulations, the present results show that two protons emitted from the excited states between 9.6 MeV and 10.4 MeV exhibit the features of He-2 cluster decay with a branching ratio of 29(-11)(+10)%.

Fano effect on shot noise through a Kondo-correlated quantum dot

Transport in a semiopen Kondo- correlated quantum dot is mediated through more than one quantum state. Using the Keldysh technique and the equation of motion method, we study the shot noise S for a wide range of source- drain voltages V-sd within a model incorporating the additional states as a background continuum, demonstrating the importance of the Fano interference. In the absence of the interference, the noise is revealed to be a probe of the second moment of the local density of states, and our theory reproduces the well- known peak structure around the Kondo temperature in the S-V-sd curve. More significantly, it is found that taking account of the background transmission, the voltage dependence of the noise exhibits rich peak- dip line shapes, indicating the presence of the Fano effect. We further demonstrate that due to its two- particle nature, the noise is more sensitive to the quantum interference effect than the simple current.

Experimental study of the two-proton correlated emission from the excited states of Ne-17,Ne-18 and S-28,S-29

A series of experiments have been performed by complete kinematics measurements to study two-proton (2p) correlated emission from the excited states of Ne-17,Ne-18 and S-28,S-29 via the Coulomb excitation by bombarding on Au-197 target. 2p and residua coincident events were picked Out under strict conditions. Visible p-p correlations were observed. It is shown that 2p can be emitted from the high-lying excited states. 2p halo may lead to 2p emission with large spectroscopy factor for the states close to or beyond the threshold.

Two-quasiparticle K-isomeric states in strongly deformed neutron-rich Nd and Sm isotopes: a projected shell-model analysis

Motivated by recent spectroscopy data from fission experiments, we apply the projected shell model to study systematically the structure of strongly deformed, neutron-rich, even-even Nd and Sm isotopes with neutron number from 94 to 100. We perform calculations for rotational bands up to spin I = 20 and analyze the band structure of low-lying states with quasiparticle excitations, with emphasis given to rotational bands based on various negative-parity two-quasiparticle (2-qp) isomers. Experimentally known isomers in these isotopes are described well. The calculations further predict proton 2-qp bands based on a 5(-) and a 7(-) isomer and neutron 2-qp bands based on a 4(-) and an 8(-) isomer. The properties for the yrast line are discussed, and quantities to test the predictions are suggested for future experiment.

Chemisorption and reaction characteristics of methyl radicals on Cu(110)

Methyl radicals are generated by pyrolysis of azomethane, and the condition for achieving neat adsorption on Cu(110) is described for studying their chemisorption and reaction characteristics. The radical-surface system is examined by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption, low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. It is observed that a small fraction of impinging CH3 radicals decompose into methylene possibly on surface defect sites. This type of CH2 radical has no apparent effect on CH3(ads) surface chemistry initiated by dehydrogenation to form active CH2(ads) followed by chain reactions to yield high-mass alkyl products. All thermal desorption products, such as H-2, CH4, C2H4, C2H6, and C3H6, are detected with a single desorption peak near 475 K. The product yields increase with surface coverage until saturation corresponding to 0.50 monolayer of CH3(ads). The mass distribution is, however, invariant with initial CH3(ads) coverage, and all desorbed species exhibit first-order reaction kinetics. LEED measurement reveals a c(2 x 2) adsorbate structure independent of the amount of gaseous exposure. This strongly suggests that the radicals aggregate into close-packed two-dimensional islands at any exposure. The islanding behavior can be correlated with the reaction kinetics and is deemed to be essential for the chain propagation reactions. Some relevant aspects of the CH3/Cu(111) system are also presented. The new results are compared with those of prior studies employing methyl halides as radical sources. Major differences are found in the product distribution and desorption kinetics, and these are attributed to the influence of surface halogen atoms present in those earlier investigations.

Synthesis of N-Methylimidazolium Functionalized Strongly Basic Anion Exchange Resins for Adsorption of Cr(VI)

N-Methylimidazolium functionalized strongly basic anion exchange resins in the Cl- form (RCI) and SO46- form (R2SO4) were synthesized and employed for adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. FT-IR and elementary analysis proved the structures of anion exchange resins and the content of functional groups. The gel-type strongly basic anion exchange resins had high thermal stability according to TGA and good chemical stability under the experimental conditions. The adsorption behaviors of Cr(VI) on RCI and R2SO4 were studied using the batch technique. It was shown that adsorption equilibrium was reached rapidly within 60 min. The adsorption data for RCI and R2SO4 were consistent with the Langmuir isotherm equation.

Formation of Two Kinds of Hexagonally Arranged Structures in ABC Triblock Copolymer Thin Films Induced by a Strongly Selective Solvent Vapor

An order-order transition (OOT) in the sequence of a hexagonally arranged core-shell cylinder to a double-hexagonally arranged dot in polystyrene-block-poly(butadiene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (SBV) triblock copolymer thin films is reported to be induced upon exposure to a solvent vapor that: is strongly selective for the two end blocks. These two kinds of hexagonally arranged structures could form when the film thickness is 44, 3.23, and 223 nm. When the film thickness is decreased to 13 nm, the ordered structure is absent. The sizes of the cylinder structures formed with the same annealing time in films of different thickness are compared to address the effects of film thickness on the phase structure. The mechanism is analyzed from the total surface area of the blocks and the effective interaction parameter in the solvent vapor.

Radiolarian fauna in surface sediments of the northeastern East China Sea

Radiolarian abundance and species composition have been determined in 72 surface: sediment samples from the northeastern East China Sea. The results are compared with chemical and physical properties of the overlying water masses, and with sediment conditions. In the study area, radiolarian abundance and species number increase markedly from northwest to southeast, and their distributions can be divided into three provinces: the low-density zone corresponding to the shelf, the middle-density zone corresponding to the western slope of the Okinawa Trough and the high-density zone corresponding to the central part of the Okinawa Trough. The distribution of radiolarians correlates well with modem sea surface temperature and sea surface salinity, but shows a negative relation with nutrients and primary productivity of the overlying water. This distribution pattern is also strongly affected by the sediment type and terrigenous material input. Also, the Kuroshio Current has an important effect on controlling the distribution and species composition of radiolarian fauna in this area. Based on three Q-mode factors (accounting for 90.2% of the variance), three radiolarian assemblages have been distinguished, and their distributions are clearly correlated with oceanographic current patterns in the region. The mixed water assemblage dominated by Tetrapyle circularis, Tetrapyle quadriloba and Ommatartus tetrathalamus tetrathalamus is restricted to the area of the Mixed Water, but mainly influenced by the Shelf Water. The Kuroshio Water assemblage, which is dominated by Lithelius minor, Dictyocoryne profunda, Stylodictya multispina, Acrosphaera spinosa, Dictyocoryne truncatum, Spongaster tetrars, Stylodictya arachnia and Ommatartus tetrathalamus tetrathalamus, is basically controlled by the Kuroshio Surface Water. And the transition assemblage dominated by Tetrapyle quadriloba and Monozonium pachystylum is associated with the Tsushima Warm Current Water. The boundaries among these assemblages approximately coincide with the oceanographic front. And the changes in the distribution of these assemblages could be,regarded as-not only modifications of the water masses, but also indicators of the possible movements of the oceanic front. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Strongly nonlinear long interfacial waves in uniform basic flows and their dispersion relationship

In this paper, long interfacial waves of finite amplitude in uniform basic flows are considered with the assumption that the aspect ratio between wavelength and water depth is small. A new model is derived using the velocities at arbitrary distances from the still water level as the velocity variables instead of the commonly used depth-averaged velocities. This significantly improves the dispersion properties and makes them applicable to a wider range of water depths. Since its derivation requires no assumption on wave amplitude, the model thus can be used to describe waves with arbitrary amplitude.

Close coupling between phytoplankton growth and microzooplankton grazing in the western South China Sea

We conducted 28 dilution experiments during August-September 2007 to investigate the coupling of growth and microzooplankton grazing rates among ultraphytoplankton populations and the phytoplankton community and their responses to habitat variability (open-ocean oligotrophy, eddy-induced upwelling, and the Mekong River plume) in the western South China Sea. At the community level, standing stocks, growth, and grazing rates were strongly and positively correlated, and were related to the higher abundance of larger phytoplankton cells (diatoms) at stations with elevated chlorophyll concentration. Phytoplankton growth rates were highest (> 2 d(-1)) within an eastward offshore jet at 13 degrees N and at a station influenced by the river plume. Among ultraphytoplankton populations, Prochlorococcus dominated the more oceanic and oligotrophic stations characterized by generally lower biomass and phytoplankton community growth, whereas Synechococcus became more important in mesotrophic areas (eddies, offshore jet, and river plume). The shift to Synechococcus dominance reflected, in part, its higher growth rates (0.87 +/- 0.45 d(-1)) compared to Prochlorococcus (0.65 +/- 0.29 d(-1)) or picophytoeukaryotes (0.54 +/- 0.50 d(-1)). However, close coupling of microbial mortality rates via common predators is seen to play a major role in driving the dominance transition as a replacement of Prochlorococcus, rather than an overprinting of its steady-state standing stock.

Influence of filtering and biodeposition by the cultured scallop Chlamys farreri on benthic-pelagic coupling in a eutrophic bay in China

In coastal ecosystems, suspension-cultured bivalve filter feeders may exert a strong impact on phytoplankton and other suspended particulate matter and induce strong pelagic-benthic coupling via intense filtering and biodeposition. We designed an in situ method to determine spatial variations in the filtering-biodeposition process by intensively suspension-cultured scallops Chlamys farreri in summer in a eutrophic bay (Sishili Bay, China), using cylindrical biodeposition traps directly suspended from longlines under ambient environmental conditions. Results showed that bivalve filtering-biodeposition could substantially enhance the deposition of total suspended material and the flux of C, N and P to the benthos, indicating that the suspended filter feeders could strongly enhance pelagic-benthic coupling and exert basin-scale impacts in the Sishili Bay ecosystem. The biodeposition rates of 1-yr-old scallops varied markedly among culture sites (33.8 to 133.0 mg dry material ind.(-1) d(-1)), and were positively correlated with seston concentrations. Mean C, N and P biodeposition rates were 4.00, 0.51, 0.11 mg ind.-1 d-1, respectively. The biodeposition rates of 2-yr-old scallops were almost double these values. Sedimentation rates at scallop culture sites averaged 2.46 times that at the reference site. Theoretically, the total water column of the bay could be filtered by the cultured scallops in 12 d, with daily seston removal amounting to 64%. This study indicated that filtering-biodeposition by suspension-cultured scallops could exert long-lasting top-down control on phytoplankton biomass and other suspended material in the Sishili Bay ecosystem. In coastal waters subject to anthropogenic N and P inputs, suspended bivalve aquaculture could be advantageous, not only economically, but also ecologically, by functioning as a biofilter and potentially mitigating eutrophication pressures. Compared with distribution-restricted wild bivalves, suspension-cultured bivalves in deeper coastal bays may be more efficient in processing seston on a basin scale.

天山南北山前盆地中-新生代沉积记录及其动力学分析

It has been long known that intense multiple Mesozoic-Cenozoic intracontinental deformations have controlled the grand scale basin-range structural evolution of the Tianshan and its adjacent basins. So it is important to study the sedimentary records of the piedmont basins along the two sides of the Tianshan synthetically for the continental geodynamic research.We carried out a magnetostratigraphy study on Cretaceous- Tertiary succession and U-Pb dating analysis of detrital zircons from the representative sandstone samples of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic deposits in Kuqa Subbasin, northern Tarim Basin, combining our previous results of multiple depositional records from different profiles including paleocurrent data, conglomerate clast, sandstone framswork grains, detrital heavy minerals and geochemistry analysis, so the multiple intracontinental tectonic processes of Tianshan and their depositional response in the Kuqa Subbasin can be revealed. The results show that the tectonic evolution of the Tianshan Orogen and the sedimentary processes of the Kuqa Subbasin can be divided into four periods: early Triassic(active period), from middle Triassic to late Jurassic(placid period), from early Cretaceous to Tertiary Paleocene(active period) and from Neogene to present (intensely active period). Simultaneously，the depositional records reveal the provenance types and tectonic attributes in different periods. As follows, the lower Triassic with a dominant age ranging from 250 to 290Ma of the Zircons, which were principally derived from alkali feldspar granites and alkaline intrusion obviously, relative to the magma activity in Permian. In middle Triassic-late Jurassic, the two samples collected from the Taliqike formation and the Qiakemake formation respectively show the age peak at 350～450Ma, which was relative to the subduction of the Tarim Block to Yili-Central Tianshan Plate. In this period the provenance of the Kuqa deposits was the Central Tianshan arc orogenic belts distantly with little height predominance.During early Cretaceous-Paleogene, two major zircons age spectra at 240~330Ma and 370~480Ma have been acquired, with some other not dominant age ranges, indicating complicated provenance types. In Neogene, the detrital zircons age dating ranges from 460 to 390 Ma primarily. What’s more, the newer chronology of the stratigraphy and the older source age, indicating that Tianshan was uplifted and exhumated further strongly. Further study on the heavy mineral and the detrital zircons age dating of the Mesozoic-Paleogene representative profiles in southern Junggar Basin, combined with the published results of the sandstone framework grains, we consider that it occurred obvious sedimentary and tectonic changes occurred in the inside of Jurassic, from late Jurassic to early Cretaceous and form early Cretaceous to late Cretaceous. On this faces, there are remarkable changes of the steady minerals and unstable minerals, the sandstone maturity and the age spectra of the detrital zircons. Compared the sedimentary records from the two sides of the Tianshan, We find that they are different obviously since Middle Jurassic. It can be concluded that Tianshan have uplifted highly enough to influence the paleo-climatic. According to the current strata division, the structural activity apparently showed a migration from north to south. That is to say, the South Tianshan uplift later than the north, especially from late Jurassic to early Cretaceous , but it was uplifted and exhumated more strongly. Furthermore, correlating the depositional records and tectonic styles in the Kuqa-South Tianshan basin-range conjugation site in the east with the west, the obvious differentiation between the west and the east from the Cretaceous especially in Tertiary along the Tianshan-Kuqa belt was revealed, probably showing earlier uplifting in the east while greater exhumation depth and sediment rates in the west. In addition, the contacting style of Kuqa subbasin to the Tianshan Orogenic belts and the basement structure are also inconsistent at different basin-range conjugation sites. It is probably controlled by a series of N-S strike adjusting belts within the Kuqa subbasin, or probably correlated with the material difference at the complicated basin-range boundary. The research on the Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic-depositional response in the piedmont basins along the two sides of the Tianshan shows that the basin-filling process was controlled by the intracontinental multicyclic basin-range interactions, especially affected by the intense tectonic differentiations of basin-range system, which can’t be illuminated using a single evolutionary model.