Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of glucose oxidase immobilized on glassy carbon electrode modified by Nafion and ordered mesoporous silica-SBA-15

In this paper, it was found that glucose oxidase (GOD) has been stably immobilized on glassy carbon electrode modified by ordered mesoporous silica-SBA-15 and Nafion. The sorption behavior of GOD immobilized on SBA-15 matrix was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), FTIR, respectively, which demonstrated that SBA-15 can facilitate the electron exchange between the electroactive center of GOD and electrode. The direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis behavior of GOD on modified electrode were characterized by cyclic voltammogram (CV) which indicated that GOD immobilized on Nafion and SBA-15 matrices displays direct, nearly reversible and surface-controlled redox reaction with an enhanced electron transfer rate constant of 3.89 s(-1) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) (pH 7.12).

Pressure Effects on the Structural, Electronic, and Optical Properties of Si-n@SWCNTs

Well-ordered single, double/four parallel, three/four-strands helical chains, and five-strand helical chain with a single atom chain at the center of Si nanowires (NWs) inside single-walled carbon nanotubes (Si-n@SWCNTs) are obtained by means of molecular dynamics. On the basis of these optimized structures, the structural evolution of Si-n@SWCNTs subjected to axial stress at low temperature is also investigated. Interestingly, the double parallel chains depart at the center and transform into two perpendicular parts, the helical shell transformed into chain, and the strand number of Si NWs increases during the stress load. Through analyzis of pair correlation function (PCF), the density of states (DOS), and the z-axis polarized absorption spectra of Si-n@SWCNTs, we find that the behavior of Si-n@SWCNTs under stress strongly depends on SWCNTs' symmetry, diameter, as well as the shape of Nws, which provide valuable information for potential application in high pressure cases such as seabed cable.

Room temperature ionic liquid doped DNA network immobilized horseradish peroxidase biosensor for amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide

A novel electrochemical H2O2 biosensor was constructed by embedding horseradish peroxide (HRP) in a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate doped DNA network casting on a gold electrode. The HRP entrapped in the composite system displayed good electrocatalytic response to the reduction of H2O2. The composite system could provide both a biocompatible microenvironment for enzymes to keep their good bioactivity and an effective pathway of electron transfer between the redox center of enzymes, H2O2 and the electrode surface. Voltammetric and time-based amperometric techniques were applied to characterize the properties of the biosensor. The effects of pH and potential on the amperometric response to H2O2 were studied. The biosensor can achieve 95% of the steady-state current within 2 s response to H2O2. The detection limit of the biosensor was 3.5 mu M, and linear range was from 0.01 to 7.4 mM. Moreover, the biosensor exhibited good sensitivity and stability. The film can also be readily used as an immobilization matrix to entrap other enzymes to prepare other similar biosensors.

Phase transition of BaNd2Mn2O7

Phase transition of BaNd2Mn2O7 from orthorhombic (space group Fmmm) to tetragonal phase (I4/mmm) was studied by high temperature powder X-ray diffractometry and Rietveld analysis. The transition temperature was identified at 523 K, which is almost the same transition temperature as the compounds with other rare earth ions in this BaLn(2)Mn(2)O(7) family (Ln=Sm and Eu) with Fmmm space group. During the transition an oxygen octahedron of each phase changes a little its form, in which four oxygen atoms perpendicular to C-axis make a rectangle and a square for orthorhombic and tetragonal phases, respectively. Manganese ion is not on the center of the quadrilateral consisting of these four oxygen ions, but a little apart from the center along c-axis in both phases.

Photochemical synthesis, properties and X-ray crystal structure of tetrabutylammonium dodecamolybdophosphate heteropoly blue

The title heteropoly blue, (Bu4N)(6)H-10 [(PMo11MoO40)-Mo-VI-O-V](4) . H2O has been photochemically synthesized and characterized with elemental analysis, solid diffusion reflectance electronic spectra, CV, ESR, XPS, IR spectra, conductivity measurement and X-ray single crystal analysis. The crystallographic data for C96H218Mo48N6O169P4 are as follows: M-r = 8889.76, triclinic, P (1) over bar, a = 1.4142 (3) nm, b = 2.6027 (5) nm, c = 2.6403(5) nm, alpha = 113.96(3)degrees, beta = 90.05(3)degrees, gamma = 105.71(3)degrees, V = 8.481 (3) nm(3), Z = 1, D-c = 1.741 g/cm(3), F (000) = 4264, mu = 1.798 mm(-1). The X-ray crystal structure analysis reveals that there Is one independent molecule in the unit cell of the title heteropoly blue which contains four mixed-valence heteropoly anions, six tetrabutylammonium cations and one water molecule. Its molecular structure possesses a centrosymmetrical arrangement in the unit cell. The phosphorus atom is In the crystallographic inversion center of the heteropoly anion and the eight oxygen atoms surrounding central phosphorus atom comprise of a distorted hexahedron. Heteropolyanion has two equal sets of PO4 tetrahedron. The PO4 tetrahedron and the MoO6 octahedron in the polyanion are greatly distorted.

Study on the biodegradation process of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate)

Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) films were biodegraded by DS9701. The degradation process was monitored by using SEM. It was shown that the PHB degradation occurred firstly in the amorphous part of PHB and then in the crystalline part, especially from the center of PHB spherulites. PHB deplymerase produced by DS9701 mainly attacked the second ester bond of PHB and the degraded product was dimmer, determined by using mass spectrometer.

The crystallization of poly (3-dodecylthiophene) in an oriented solidification environment

The crystallization behaviors of poly (3-dodecylthiophene) (P3DDT) under two different oriented solidification conditions, i.e.. two different relative relations (90 degrees and 180 degrees) between the directions of gravity and solidification, were investigated. X-ray diffraction results reveal that although similar layered structures are formed, under the condition of the relative relation 180 degrees. temperature gradient has greater effects on the perfect degree of the layered structures of P3DDT. It also can be concluded that after recrystallization, the layered structures of P3DDT can be improved at relative relation 90 degrees, but the orderly degree of the arrangements of alkyl side chains are not improved yet, even is reduced for both of the oriented solidification conditions.

Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal structure of sandwich-like heteropolymolybdophosphates

Sandwich-like heteropoly molybdochromophosphates of supermolecular compound [NH3(CH2)(6)NH3](2)H-3{Cr[Mo6O15(HPO4)(H2PO4)(3)](2)}. 4H(2)O has been hydrothermally synthesized and the single crystal structure has been determined by X-ray diffraction. The crystal data are has follows: triclinic, space group P (1) over bar a=12.156(2), b=12.809(3), c=13.530(3) Angstrom, alpha=102.46(3)degrees, beta=93.67(3)degrees, gamma=93.46(3)degrees, V=2046.9(7) Angstrom(3), Z=1, M-r=2768.69, D-c=2.246 g/cm(-3), F(000)=1337, mu=2.162 mm(-1). The structure has been refined to R=0.0666 and wR=0.1745 by full-matrix least-squares method. The title compound is composed of 1, 6-diaminohexane, water molecules, and {Cr[Mo6O15(HPO4)(H2PO4)(3)](2)}(7-) anion which consists of six oxygen atoms from two [Mo6P4] units with a sandwich-like transition metal atom Cr located at the center of symmetry.

Deformation process and mechanism of HDPE/LDPE blends

Blends of HDPE in more LDPE, with appropriate heat treatment, produce a dispersion of separate entities of HDPE in a matrix of LDPE. The system offered an especially favourable means of studying the deformation of melt-crystallized lamellae. It has been found that sheaf-like spherulites are transformed under tensile deformation into hourglass shapes i.e. a double cone aligned along the drawing direction with origin in the center of the object. This is a consequence of different modes of deformation according to the relation of an individual lamella to the tensile axis. The work shows that the lamellae have not undergone melting and recrystallization in the deformation process at room temperature.

INTERACTIONS OF RARE-EARTH LENS WITH BOVINE BLOOD CU(ZN)-SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE

The interactions of lanthanium trichloride and terbium trichloride with bovine blood Cu (Zn)-superoxide dismutase [Cu(Zn)-SOD] in the aqueous solution of hexamethylenetetrarnine buffer (pH = 6.3) have been studied by using fluorescece, CD and ESR spectra. The results indicated that rare earth ions were coordinated to the carboxyl groups of acidic amino acid residues which were far from active center of the Cu(Zn)-SOD molecule and only lightly disturbed the secondary structure of the enzyme protien, and made the coordination structure of enzyme-bound CU2+ come from the rhombchedron to the axial shape at 77 K and the activity of Cu(Zn)-SOD enzyme was not nearly changed at room temperature.

ELECTRODEPOSITION OF PLATINUM PARTICLES ON GLASSY-CARBON MODIFIED WITH COBALT PORPHYRIN AND NAFION FILM AND THEIR ELECTROCATALYTIC REDUCTION OF DIOXYGEN

In this paper, five types of chemically modified electrode (CMEs) prepared with the deposition of platinum particles on various surfaces of glassy carbon (GC) modified with cobalt porphyrin and Nafion(R) solution are characterized using the electron scanning microscope (SEM). Their activities in the four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water on the basis of their electrochemical data from cyclic voltammetric and rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) experiments are examined and compared. Platinum particles dispersed on the GC surface adsorbed with the cobalt porphyrin exhibit the highest activity for the electrocatalytic reduction of dioxygen. However it is interesting that the cobalt ion is lost from the center of the porphyrin ring during the preparation of the cobalt porphyrin + Nafion mixture solution, while the porphyrin ring still remains in the Nafion film, as shown by EDX analysis. The incorporation of the porphyrin may change the structure of the Nafion film into a looser form, since the platinum particles dispersed in the film are more readily exposed, resulting in more favourable mass transfer and higher activity for the electrocatalytic reduction of dioxygen.

A NOVEL METAL THIAMINE COMPLEX WITH A CYCLIC DIMER FORMED BY METAL-BRIDGED 2 THIAMINE LIGANDS - CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF [MN(THIAMINE)CL2(H2O)]2[THIAMINE]2CL4.2H2O

The crystal structure of [Mn(thiamine)Cl2(H2O)]2[thiamine]2Cl4.2H2O has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The compound contains a cyclic dimer of a complex cation with two thiamine ligands bridged by two Mn(II) ions across a crystallographic center of symmetry. Each Mn(II) is coordinated by two chloride atoms, a water molecule, a N(1') atom of the pyrimidine from a thiamine and an O(53) atom of the hydroxyethyl side chain from another thiamine. There are two free-base thiamine molecules related by a center of symmetry in the unit cell, which form a base-pair through the hydrogen bonds. Both the independent thiamine molecules in the asymmetric unit assume the common F conformation with phi-T = 10.0(9) and 3.6(10) and phi-P = 85.6(7) and 79.6(7), respectively. The compound provides a possible model for a metal-bridged enzyme-coenzyme complex in thiamine catalysis. Crystallographic data: triclinic, space group P1BAR, a = 12.441(4), b = 13.572(4), c = 11.267(3) angstrom, alpha = 103.15(2), beta 89.03(3), gamma = 115.64(2)-degrees, Z = 1, D(calc) = 1.524 g cm-3, and R = 0.050 for 3019 observed reflections with I > 3-sigma(I).

Expressed sequence tags from the zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri): Discovery and annotation of host-defense genes

A high-quality cDNA library was constructed from whole body tissues of the zhikong scallop, Chlamys farreri, challenged by Listonella anguillarum. A total of 5720 clones were sequenced, yielding 5123 expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Among the 3326 unique genes identified, 2289 (69%) genes had no significant (E-value < 1e-5) matches to known sequences in public databases and 194 (6%) matched proteins of unknown functions. The remaining 843 (25%) genes that exhibited homology with genes of known functions, showed broad involvement in metabolic processes (31%), cell structure and motility (20%), gene and protein expression (12%), cell signaling and cell communication (8%), cell division (4%), and notably, 25% of those genes were related to immune function. They included stress response genes, complement-like genes, proteinase and proteinase inhibitors, immune recognition receptors and immune effectors. The EST collection obtained in this study provides a useful resource for gene discovery and especially for the identification of host-defense genes and systems in scallops and other molluscs. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated cultivation of the red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii and the pearl oyster Pinctada martensi

The effect of simultaneously cultivating the pearl oyster Pinctada martensi and the red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii on growth rates of both species was investigated in laboratory and field studies conducted from December 1993 to June 1995. The two study sites were in subtidal areas 100 km apart off the east coast of Hainan Island, China. Pearl oysters were cultivated in the center of an algal farm and red alga was cultivated in the center of the pearl oyster farm. These field experiments showed higher growth rates of both P. martensi and K. alvarezii in a co-culture system than in a monospecies culture system. Laboratory studies showed that the algae removed nitrogenous wastes released by pearl oysters. Algae treated with pearl oyster wastes grew much faster than those without oyster wastes. Algae treated with the seawater to which NH4Cl, NaNO3 and NaNO2 were added grew at the same rate as those treated with natural seawater containing oyster nitrogenous wastes, suggesting that enhanced growth of algae in the co-culture system was largely due to nitrogenous metabolites of the pearl oysters. In the co-culture, growth of pearl oysters was positively influenced by the presence of rapidly growing algae but when seawater temperature decreased below 20 degrees C, the algae grew slowly and there was no measurable benefit of mixed culture to either algae or pearl oyster.

Development of expressed sequence tags from the bay scallop, Argopecten irradians irradians

The bay scallop, Argopecten irradians irradians, introduced from North America, has become one of the most important aquaculture species in China. Inan effort to identify scallop genes involved in host defense, a high-quality cDNA library was constructed from whole body tissues of the bay scallop. A total of 5828 successful sequencing reactions yielded 4995 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) longer than 100 bp. Cluster and assembly analyses of the ESTs identified 637 contigs (consisting of 2853 sequences) and 2142 singletons, totaling 2779 unique sequences. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis showed that the majority (73%) of the unique sequences had no significant homology (E-value >= 0.005) to sequences in GenBank. Among the 748 sequences with significant GenBank matches, 160 (21.4%) were for genes related to metabolism, 131 (17.5%) for cell/organism defense, 124 (16.6%) for gene/protein expression, 83 (11.1%) for cell structure/motility, 70 (9.4%) for cell signaling/communication, 17 (2.3%) for cell division, and 163 (21.8%) matched to genes of unknown functions. The list of host-defense genes included many genes with known and important roles in innate defense such as lectins, defensins, proteases, protease inhibitors, heat shock proteins, antioxidants, and Toll-like receptors. The study provides a significant number of ESTs for gene discovery and candidate genes for studying host defense in scallops and other molluscs.