Formation of a unique crystal morphology for the poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) diblock copolymer

The crystallization behaviors of the poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) diblock copolymer with the PEG weight fraction of 0.50 (PEG(50)-PCL50) was studied by DSC, WAXD, SAXS, and FTIR. A superposed melting point at 58.5 degrees C and a superposed crystallization temperature at 35.4 degrees C were obtained from the DSC profiles running at 10 degrees C/min, whereas the temperature-dependent FTIR measurements during cooling from the melt at 0.2 degrees C/min showed that the PCL crystals formed starting at 48 degrees C while the PEG crystals started at 45 degrees C. The PEG and PCL blocks of the copolymer crystallized separately and formed alternating lamella regions according to the WAXD and SAXS results. The crystal growth of the diblock copolymer was observed by polarized optical microscope (POM). An interesting morphology of the concentric spherulites developed through a unique crystallization behavior. The concentric spherulites were analyzed by in situ microbeam FTIR, and it was determined that the morphologies of the inner and outer portions were mainly determined by the PCL and PEG spherulites, respectively. However, the compositions of the inner and outer portions were equal in the analysis by microbeam FTIR.

Composition dependence of the crystallization behavior and morphology of the poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) diblock copolymer

The crystallization behavior and morphology of the crystalline-crystalline poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) diblock copolymer (PEO-b-PCL) was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and hot-stage polarized optical microscope (POM). The mutual effects between the PEO and PCL blocks were significant, leading to the obvious composition dependence of the crystallization behavior and morphology of PEO-b-PCL. In this study, the PEO block length was fixed (M-n = 5000) and the weight ratio of PCL/PEO was tailored by changing the PCL block length. Both blocks could crystallize in PEO-b-PCL with the PCL weight fraction (WFPCL) of 0.23-0.87. For the sample with the WFPCL of 0.36 or less, the PEO block crystallized first, resulting in the obvious confinement of the PCL block and vice versa for the sample with WFPCL of 0.43 or more. With increasing WFPCL, the crystallinity of PEO reduced continuously while the variation of the PCL crystallinity exhibited a maximum. The long period of PEO-b-PCL increased with increasing WFPCL from 0.16 to 0.50 but then decreased with the further increase of WFPCL due to the interaction of the respective variation of the thicknesses of the PEO and PCL crystalline lamellae.

Nanostructure and mechanical measurement of highly oriented lamellae of melt-drawn HDPE by scanning probe microscopy

Scanning probe microscopy was used to simultaneously determine the molecular chain structure and intrinsic mechanical properties, including anisotropic elastic modulus and friction, for lamellae of highly oriented high-density polyethylene (HDPE) obtained by the melt-drawn method. The molecular-scale image of the highly oriented lamellae by friction force microscopy (FFM) clearly shows that the molecular chains are aligned parallel to the drawing direction, and the periodicities along and perpendicular to the drawing direction are 0.26 and 0.50 nm, respectively. The results indicate that the exposed planes of the lamellae resulting from the melt-drawn method are (200), which is consistent with results of transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. Because of the high degree of anisotropy in the sample, coming from alignment of the molecular chains along the drawing direction, the measured friction force, F, determined by FFM is strongly dependent on the angle, theta, between the scanning direction and the chain axis. The force increases as theta is increased from 0 degrees (i.e., parallel to the chain axis) to 90 degrees (i.e., perpendicular to the chain axis). The structural anisotropy was also found to strongly influence the measurements of the transverse chain modulus of the polymer by the nanoindentation technique. The measured value of 13.8 GPa with transverse modulus was larger than the value 4.3 GPa determined by wide-angle X-ray diffraction, which we attributed to anisotropic deformation of the lamellae during nanoindentation measurements that was not accounted for by the elastic treatment we adopted from Oliver and Pharr. The present approach using scanning probe microscopy has the advantage that direct correlations between the nanostructure, nanotribology, and nanomechanical properties of oriented samples can be determined simultaneously and simply.

Mechanical relaxation time of comblike polymer electrolyte

Using poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) as the backbone and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether as side chains,three kinds of comblike polymers of different side chain length were synthesized. The Li-salt complexes and their firms were prepared. The dynamic mechanical properties were investigated. It was found that the main chain was rigid and the side chain was flexible in this comblike polymer system. Based on the time-temperature equivalence principle, a master curve was constructed. By selecting T-alpha as reference temperature, Arrhenius plots of shift factor and iso-free-volume plots were attained. The values of WLF parameters C-1 and C-2 increase with increasing salt concentration. By reference to T-0 = 50 degrees C, the relation between the average relaxation time 1g tau(c) and Li-salt concentration C is linear. The master curves are displaced progressively to higher frequencies as the M-w of side chains is increased. The relation between the average relaxation time 1g tau(n) and M-w of side chains is also linear. And the master curves are movable with the change of salts. It shows the effect of different kinds of salt on relaxation time.

Study of the conductivity and side chain mobility of a comb-like polymer electrolyte using the dynamic mechanical method

Using poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) as a backbone and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether (PEGME) with different molecular weights as side chains, three comb-like polymers and their Li salt complexes were synthesized. The dynamic mechanical properties and conductivities were investigated. Results showed that the polymer electrolytes possess two glass transitions: alpha -transition and beta -transition, and the temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity shows WLF (Williams-Landel-Ferry) behavior. Based on the time-temperature equivalence principle, a master curve was constructed by selecting T-beta as reference temperature. The values of the WLF parameters (C-1 and C-2) were obtained and were found to be almost independent of the length of the PEGME side chain and the content of Li salt. By reference to T-0 = 50 degreesC. the relation between log tau (c) and c was found to be linear. The master curves are displaced progressively to higher frequencies as the molecular weight of the side chain is increased. The relation between log tau (n) and the molecular weight of the side chain is also linear. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Observations on photochemical fluorescence enhancement of the terbium(III) sparfloxacin system

Fluorescence of terbium(III) was sensitized when excited in the presence of sparfloxacin (SPFX) in the aqueous solution because a Tb(III)-SPFX complex was formed. The sensitized fluorescence was further enhanced when this system was exposed to 365 nm ultraviolet light. By the spectral properties and contrast experiments, it is proved that irradiation makes this system undergo photochemical reactions and a new terbium complex which is more favorable to the intramolecular energy transfer is formed. The mechanism of photochemical fluorescence enhancement of the Tb(III)-SPFX system is discussed and a new sensitive and selective photochemical fluorimetry for the determination of SPFX is established. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range is 1.0-50 x 10(-7) M for SPFX, the detection limit is 3.0 x 10(-9) M and the R.S.D. for 5.0 x 10(-7) M SPFX is 1.3% (n = 9). Without any pretreatment the recovery of SPFX in human urine was determined with satisfaction. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of (phenolphthalein/4,4 '-thiodiphenol) PES copolymers

Copolymers based on monomers phenolphthalein (PP)/4,4'-thiodiphenol (Bis-T)/4,4'-dichlorodiphenylsulfone (DCDPS) were prepared by a route involving the toluene, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and anhydrous potassium carbonate synthesis. The range of optimum reaction temperature was between 185 and 195 degrees C. The copolymers were characterized by C-13 NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and torsion braid analysis. It was found that all of the copolymers were random and homogeneous and their glass transition temperatures (T-g) decreased linearly with an increase of Bis-T contents in the copolymers. The thermal stability determined by thermogravimetry analysis in air atmosphere indicated that the copolymer had better resistance to thermo-oxidative degradation. Dynamic mechanical measurement showed that (PP/Bis-T) PES copolymers containing 0-50 mol% of Bis-T components had two secondary relaxations. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

RAPID-DETERMINATION OF KINETIC-PARAMETERS FOR THE ELECTROCATALYTIC REDUCTION OF DIOXYGEN BY VITAMIN-B12 ADSORBED ON GLASSY-CARBON ELECTRODE

In this paper, the electrochemical behavior of vitamin B-12, ie cyanocobalamin (abbr. VB12) in a weak acidic aqueous solution and adsorbed on glassy carbon (GC) surface (abbr. VB12(ad)/GC) in different pH buffer solutions have been described by using cyclic voltammetry (cv). It is found that VB12 and VB12(ad)/GC exhibit catalytic activity for the electroreduction of O2 according to two reduction peaks at -0.50 and -1.00 V vs. sce; but their electrocatalytic activity is very unstable. Based on the method of hydrodynamic amperometry [B. Miller and S. Bruckenstein, J. electrochem. Soc. 117, 1033 (1970)], some kinetic parameters for the electrocatalytic reduction of O2 by VB12(ad)/GC have been determined rapidly by using a linear rotation-scan method [Rongzhong Jiang and Shaojun Dong, Electrochim. Acta 35, 1451 (1990)]. These kinetic parameters indicate that the reduction of O2 on VB12(ad)/GC gives water predominantly in both potential ranges which correspond to those two reduction peaks. Possible reaction mechanisms have been suggested.

苯乙烯存在下的稀土催化丁二烯聚合

研究了在不同量St(St/Bd=0.02—0.50,mol比)的存在下,稀土催化剂对Bd溶液聚合的影响,Sdt/Bd=0.50时,Bd转化率大于76％,得到不含凝胶的聚丁二烯,其中顺式-1,4含量在95 ％左右,[η]=4—5 dL/g;在无链终止条件下使聚丁二烯和St热引发共聚,可得Bd和St的接枝(或嵌段)共聚物。用 IR、NMR、DSC 和透射电子显微镜等方法对聚合物进行了表征。

Experimental study on the fractionation of yttrium from holmium during the coprecipitation with calcium carbonates in seawater solutions

The partitioning of Y and Ho between CaCO3 (calcite and aragonite respectively) and seawater was experimentally investigated at 25 degrees C and I atm. Both Y and Ho were observed to be strongly partitioned into the overgrowths of calcite or aragonite. Their partition coefficients, D-Y and D-Ho, were determined to be similar to 520-1400 and similar to 700-1900 in calcite, similar to 1200-2400 and similar to 2400-4300 in aragonite, respectively. Y fractionates from Ho during the coprecipitation with either calcite or aragonite. Within our experimental conditions, the fractionation factor, k = D-Y/D-Ho, was determined to be similar to 0.62-0.77 in calcite and similar to 0.50-0.57 in aragonite, respectively. The aqueous complexation of Y and Ho, which is a function of solution chemistry, probably plays an important role in both the partitioning and the fractionation. Further analyses suggest that the difference in covalency between Y and Ho associated with changes in their coordination environments is the determinant factor to the Y-Ho fractionation in the H2CO3-CaCO3 System.

用氟里昴（freon）示踪棉兰老（Mindanao）岛以东海域海洋环流

菲律宾群岛以东的西太平洋赤道和热带海域以存在活跃和复杂的近表面环流而著称。北赤道流（North equatorial current）由东向西不断强化，当到达菲律宾群岛沿岸时，由于受菲律宾群岛的阻挡和β效应，海水在西边界堆积，在西边界形成两支强的西边界流，一支向北形成黑潮（Kuroshio current），一支向南形成棉兰老流（Mindanao current）。这两支西边界流对太平洋的热量重新分配将起着重要的作用。南下的棉兰老流到达棉兰老岛东南海域时，一部分成为印度尼西亚贯穿流（Indonesian throughflow），大部分转向东和苏拉威西海出来的海水及南赤道流（South equatorial current）越过赤道流进入这海域的海水混合，成为北赤道逆流（North equatorial countercurrent）。从1990年10月获得的水文资料算出本航次东边这条断面的纬向地转流断面图，可以看出，1990年晚秋北赤道汉分布在8°N以北的海域，强度最大的流集中在8～9°N之间相对狭窄的地带。而在76号站（3.41°N，128.76°N）到45号站（7.50°N，129.99°N）这条断面上，北赤道逆流分布在3°N～8°N之间，而强度最大流集中在靠近印度尼西亚的摩尔泰岛的南段，另从本航次获得的棉兰老岛以东海域-100米处动力米高度可以看出，在此海域存在两个气旋型涡旋（Cyclonic eddy）一个中心约在10.2°N，128°N，另一个中心在129°N以东，6.5°N左右的地方。用带~(63)Ni电子捕获检测器（ECD）的气相色谱对西太平洋的一些站在0米、50米、100米、150米、200米、300米等六层海水（有些站8～10层）中的氟里昴浓度进行了测定，发现在大部分站位位于300米以上的海水中氟里昴12浓度皆高于1.0 pmol·l~(-1)。表明表层温度混合层和温跃层之间的氟里昴-12交换的比较强烈，特别是靠近棉兰老岛的地方。用水下100米、200米氟里昴-12浓度等值线地域分布和变化，追踪北赤道流，棉兰老流，北赤道流之间的联系，结果与同一海域的动力米高度的地域分布十分吻合。再通过比较本航次东边这条断面的氟里昴-12浓度断面图和地转流断面图，我们能清楚地看的到，西向流区对应着高浓度的氟里昴-12分布，特别是在8～9°N流轴上面存在着氟里昴-12浓度最大值轴，而东向流区对应着相对低浓度的氟里昴-12分布，由以上结果，我们可以得出结论：用氟里昴示踪棉兰老岛以东海域的近表面环流是十分有效的，这样，氟里昴浓度在这海域的分布对今后建立本海域的大洋环流数学模式将能起重要作用。本文根据氟里昴主要来源是北半球的工业区，提出了一个氟里昴输入棉兰老岛以东海域的机制。

海带蓝光受体及相关基因的研究

本研究中运用四种不用的方法提取海带孢子体RNA，通过对比分析，确定了采用CTAB提取液[2% (w/v) CTAB,100 mM Tris-HC1 (pH 8.0), 50 mM EDTA, pH 7.5, 2 M NaCl, 50 mM DTT]提取RNA的方法，该方法的主要改进之处： (1) 高浓度（50 mM）的 DTT作为防止多酚氧化的还原剂加入提取液中；(2) 1/4 体积的乙醇和 1/9 体积的3 M 醋酸钾（pH 4.8）用来沉淀去除多糖；(3) 1/10倍体积的3 mol/L醋酸钠（pH 5.0）和两倍体积的乙醇选择性沉淀RNA；(4) -80℃沉淀30 min沉淀RNA。CTAB改进法提取的海带孢子体RNA质量好（A260/280 =1.96±0.05)，产量高（68 μg/g），分离的RNA可用于RT-PCR反应，扩增相关基因片段。该方法提取海带配子体RNA效果也很好。 根据拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)、 莱茵衣藻(Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) 、铁线蕨(Adiantum capillus-veneris)、转板藻(Mougeotia scalaris)和无隔藻(Vaucheria frigida)等的蓝光受体蛋白保守序列，设计一系列简并引物，进行RT-PCR扩增，筛选并克隆测序了4条序列片段，通过比对分析，所得序列与已知的蓝光受体基因序列不一致。在所获得的序列中，一条783 bp的序列与肌醇-1-磷酸合成酶基因的片段有较高的相似性，通过RACE法克隆出该基因的3’末端，5’末端克隆没有成功，全长序列有待深入分析。

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.

Studies on nitric oxide synthase activity in haemocytes of shrimps Fenneropenaeus chinensis and Marsupenaeus japonicus after white spot syndrome virus infection

The nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the haemocytes of shrimps Fenneropenaeus chinensis (Osbeck) and Marsupenaeus japonicus (Bate) was Studied after white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection to determine its characteristics in response to virus infection. First, the NOS activity in haemocytes of shrimps was determined by the means of NBT reduction and changes in cell conformation. And the variations of NOS activity in shrimps after challenge with WSSV intramuscularly were evaluated through the analysis Of L-citrulline and total nitrite/nitrate (both as NO derivates) concentrations. The result showed that NOS activity in the haemocytes of F chinensis increased slightly from 0 to 12 h postchallenge, indicated by the variations Of L-Citrulline (from 11.15 +/- 0.10 to 12.08 +/- 0.64 mu M) and total nitrite/nitrate concentrations (from 10.45 +/- 0.65 to 12.67 +/- 0.52 mu M). Then it decreased sharply till the end of the experiment (84 h postchallenge), the concentrations Of L-Citrulline and total nitrite/nitrate at 84 It were 1.58 +/- 0.24 and 2.69 +/- 0.70 mu M, respectively. The LPS-stimulated NOS activity kept constant during the experiment. However, in M. japonicus, the NOS activity kept increasing during the first 72 It postchallenge, the concentrations Of L-Citrulline and total nitrite/nitrate increased from 7.82 +/- 0.77 at 0 h to 10.79 +/- 0.50 mu M at 72 h, and from 8.98 +/- 0.43 at 0 h to 11.20 +/- 0.37 mu M at 72 h, respectively. Then it decreased till the end of the experiment (216 h postchallenge), and the concentrations of L-Citrulline and total nitrite/nitrate at 216 h were 5.66 +/- 0.27 and 4.68 +/- 0.16 mu M, respectively. More importantly, an apparent increase of I-PS-stimulated NOS activity was observed in M japonicus at 48 h postchallenge, which was about 4 times higher than that in the control group of health shrimps. In correspondence with the difference of NOS activity between the two species of shrimps, the Cumulative mortalities of the shrimps were also different. All shrimps of F. chinensis in the mortality experiment died in 66 h, much more quickly than M. japonicus, Whose accumulative mortality reached 100% after 240 h. Data here reported let us hypothesize that NOS activity in the haemocytes of shrimps F chinensis and M. japonicus responses to WSSV infection differently, and this might be one of the reasons for the different susceptibility of F chinensis and M. japonicus to WSSV infection. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic parameter estimates for growth traits at early stage of Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai Ino

Heritability and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for juvenile growth traits of Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai Ino. The estimates were calculated from shell length and shell width measurements on progeny resulting from 12 half-sib families and 36 full-sib families obtained using artificial fertilization of mating three females to each male. The measurements were taken at 10, 20 and 30 d after fertilization. It was found that heritability estimates based on sire component ranged from 0.23 to 0.36 for shell length and 0.21 to 0.32 for shell width. Heritability estimates from dam component were larger than those from sire component at three ages, indicating presence of maternal effects, non-additive genetic effects and common environmental effects. Phenotypic correlations were significant at three ages (P < 0.05), with values of 0.92, 0.93 and 0.92, respectively. Genetic correlations from the paternal half-sib correlation analysis were highly positive at three ages, with values of 0.50, 0.78 and 0.81, respectively. The results suggest that selective breeding is an effective approach to improving growth traits of Pacific abalone stocks.