Production of active oxygen species from Taxus cuspidata induced by far-UV radiation

In order to understand the role of active oxygen species in mediating plant injuries induced by far-UV radiation, seedlings of Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc. were irradiated by far-UV rays in laboratory for 4 weeks. The production of organic free-radicals in detached needles, and the production of O-2(radical anion) and O-1(2) in isolated chloroplasts were detected weekly by electron spin resonance (ESR) to evaluate their relative importance. The results show that the cumulative effect of far-UV irradiation, is best indicated by the production of organic free radicals in the needles, O-2(radical anion) production in chloroplasts is the next. The enhancement of O-1(2) production in chloroplasts by the cumulative far-UV irradiation seems to be not so important as O-2(radical anion) in mediating injuries induced by, far-UV radiation because of its high background value.

Synthesis and thermal transitional properties of side-chain liquid crystalline polyacrylates containing para-nitroazobenzene as mesogenic groups

The synthesis and characterization of side-chain liquid crystalline (LC) polyacrylates containing para-nitroazobenzene (Pn) as mesogenic groups were described. Homopolymers with 3 and 4 carbon atoms in the spacers were non-LC polymers; for homopolymers with 6 carbon atoms in the spacer, nematic LC behavior was observed. Copolymers with acrylic acid as one component exhibited an S-Ad phase according to the WAXD results which showed the d/l of 1.4-1.54 for the copolymers with 3, 4, and 6 carbon atoms in the spacers. Considering the molecular structure as well as the WAXD results of the copolymers, the possible molecular arrangement in the smectic Sad phase was proposed, in which the smectic layers were composed of the antiparallel mesogens and the antiparallel arrangement was considered to be enhanced due to the H bond between - COOH and - NO2. The stress-induced orientational phenomena of Pn in the LC states was also discussed. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

SYNTHESIS AND VARIABLE-TEMPERATURE FTIR STUDY OF 5 CHIRAL LIQUID-CRYSTALS INDUCED BY INTERMOLECULAR HYDROGEN-BONDING

Five new chiral liquid crystal systems induced by intermolecular hydrogen bonding between 4-[(S)-2-chloro-3-methyl]butyroyloxy-4'-stilbazole (MBSB, proton acceptor) and 4-alkoxybenzoic acids (nBA, proton donors) were prepared. Their liquid crystalline properties were investigated by DSC and polarized optical microscopy. Chiral nematic and chiral smectic phases were observed, and the thermal stability of one complex was studied through temperature dependent infrared spectroscopy.

LANTHANIDE-INDUCED SHIFT AND RELAXATION RATE STUDIES OF THE AQUEOUS COMPLEXATION OF CITRATE

The aqueous complexation of lanthanide ions with citrate in pH 7.4 solution has been investigated with use of the lanthanide-induced shift and paramagnetic relaxation rate enhancement methods. The results show that citrate coordinates via hydroxyl and central carboxylate groups with lanthanide ions and forms 1:2 (Ln/cit) isostructural complexes through the lanthanide series. A new possible coordination geometry deduced from our experimental data is suggested and discussed.

Effect of low-frequency Rossby wave on thermal structure of the upper southwestern tropical Indian Ocean

We investigate the influence of low-frequency Rossby waves on the thermal structure of the upper southwestern tropical Indian Ocean (SWTIO) using Argo profiles, satellite altimetric data, sea surface temperature, wind field data and the theory of linear vertical normal mode decomposition. Our results show that the SWTIO is generally dominated by the first baroclinic mode motion. As strong downwelling Rossby waves reach the SWTIO, the contribution of the second baroclinic mode motion in this region can be increased mainly because of the reduction in the vertical stratification of the upper layer above thermocline, and the enhancement in the vertical stratification of the lower layer under thermocline also contributes to it. The vertical displacement of each isothermal is enlarged and the thermal structure of the upper level is modulated, which is indicative of strong vertical mixing. However, the cold Rossby waves increase the vertical stratification of the upper level, restricting the variability related to the second baroclinic mode. On the other hand, during decaying phase of warm Rossby waves, Ekman upwelling and advection processes associated with the surface cyclonic wind circulation can restrain the downwelling processes, carrying the relatively colder water to the near-surface, which results in an out-of-phase phenomenon between sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) and sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) in the SWTIO.

Enhancement of atmospheric pressure chemical ionization for the determination of free and glycine-conjugated bile acids in human serum

A highly sensitive and accurate method based on the precolumn derivatization of bile acids (BA) with a high ionization efficiency labeling reagent 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-ethyl-benzenesulfonate (BDEBS) coupled with LC/MS has been developed. After derivatization, BA molecules introduced a weak basic nitrogen atom into the molecular core structure that was readily ionized in commonly used acidic HPLC mobile phases. Derivatives were sufficiently stable to be efficiently analyzed by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI)-MS/MS in positive-ion mode. The MS/MS spectra of BA derivatives showed an intense protonated molecular ion at m/z [M + H](+). The collision-induced dissociation of the molecular ion produced fragment ions at [MH - H2O](+), [MH - 2H(2)O](+), [MH - 3H(2)O](+). The characteristic fragment ions were at m/z 320.8, 262.8, and 243.7 corresponding to a cleavage of N - CO, O - CO, and C - OCC, respectively, and bonds of derivatized molecules. The selected reaction monitoring, based on the m/z [M + H]+ -> [MH - H2O](+), [MH - H2O](+), [MH - 2H(2)O](+), [MH-3H(2)O](+), 320.8, 262.8, and 243.7 transitions, was highly specific for the BA derivatives. The LODs for APCI in a positive-ion mode, at an S/N of 5, were 44.36-153.6 fmol. The validation results showed high accuracy in the range of 93-107% and the mean interday precision for all standards was < 15% at broad linear dynamic ranges (0.0244-25nmol/mL). Good linear responses were observed with coefficients of > 0.9935 in APCI/MS detection. Therefore, the facile BDEBS derivatization coupled with mass spectrometric analysis allowed the development of a highly sensitive and specific method for the quantitation of trace levels of the free and glycine-conjugated BA from human serum samples.

黄土高原全新世风成沉积的岩石磁学性质

Chinese eolian deposits are especially suitable for the studies of paleoclimatic changes, environmental magnetism and remanence acquisition mechanisms. In the past two decades, many studies have documented their magnetic properties. However, some important problems, such as the origin of magnetic minerals, the mechanisms for enhancing magnetic susceptibility and the lock-in effect, remain debatable. Therefore, it is essential to detail the rock-magnetic properties of the eolian deposits. This study shows thermomagnetic analyses, petrographic measurements and soil chemistry methods can be combined to obtain a better understanding of the sequence of magnetic mineral alterations during thermal treatment and of the pedogenic mechanism responsible for the susceptibility enhancement. This helps to further develop the interpretation of paleoclimate records in the Holocene eolian deposits along a NW-SE transect of the loess plateau. A partial heating/cooling method and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were performed on representative samples of the present-day loess, in order to investigate mineralogical changes during thermal treatment. The temperature-dependent susceptibility (TDS) and XRD results show complex alteration of magnetic phases during heating and cooling. The 300 ℃ susceptibility hump in heating curves might be due to the production of maghemite from less magnetic lepidocrocite during heating. Goethite is transformed into hematite when heating to above 300 ℃. The susceptibility decrease from 300 ℃ to 450 ℃ can be interpreted as the conversion of maghemite to hematite. This thermal instability makes it possible to quantatively estimate the maghemite contribution to the pedogenically-enhanced susceptibility in loess or paleosols. Minor occurrence of thermally-stable maghemite in the present-day loess is possible; nevertheless, the TDS measurements show that the degree of the thermally-induced alteration is closely related to pedogenesis. The TDS measurement and XRD analysis results demonstrate that although magnetite and hematite both exist in the Holocene loess eolian deposits and their modern source area, magnetite is the predominant contributor to magnetic susceptibility. Both magnetite and hematite are the primary carriers of the remanent magnetization. Fine-grained maghemite, mainly produced by pedogenesis, is significantly responsible for enhancement of the magnetic susceptibility in the Chinese loess and paleosols. Since the degree of oxidation of magnetite grains depends on climate, the presence of maghemite has paleoclimatic significance, and variations in climate could be reflected as variations in the amount of low-temperature oxidation. If that is the case, the TDS curves can be used to compare the effects of climate at different sampling sites. The TDS results along the studied NW-SE transect suggest that stronger pedogenesis results in higher content of maghemite and greater susceptibility decrease during thermal treatment. This behavior seems to indicate that the final product of pedogenic magnetite in Chinese loess and paleosols is maghemite, which makes significant contributions to the enhanced magnetic susceptibility of Chinese eolian deposits. It is interesting to note that the 510 ℃ Hopkinson/alteration peak is larger in the present-day loess than in the black loam for each section. Obiviously, the Hopkinson/alteration peak of the Holocene eolian deposits is closely related to the degree of pedogenesis, which is a function of climate, and thus the peak itself could be a useful climate indicator. There are three effects that may be important in producing this trend. First, low-temperature oxidation preferentially affects the finer single-domain magnetites responsible for the Hopkinson peak, which is therefore suppressed in the more oxidized loams. Second, the possible production of uniaxial magnetite with shape anisotropy can also lead to a relatively muted Hopkinson peak. There is, additionally, a third alternative, and the one preferred here, that the natural alteration processes involved in pedogenic susceptibility enhancement have probably depleted the supply of iron-bearing precursor phases, so that less new magnetite is formed on heating. In summary, the TDS method is very reliable and highly sensitive in detecting magnetic phase changes in eolian deposits during thermal treatment, which are closely related to pedogenic processes. Thus, the studied NW-SE transect clearly exhibits paleoclimatically-induced mineral- and rock-magnetic variations. It is suggested that TDS can be used as a new method for the analysis of pedogenesis and climatic change.

Heat capacity enhancement and thermodynamic properties of nanostructured amorphous SiO2

The heat capacity of nanostructured amorphous SiO2 (na-SiO2) has been measured by adiabatic calorimetric method over the temperature range 9-354 K. TG and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) were also employed to determine the thermal stability. Glass transition temperature (T-g) for the two same grain sizes with different specific surface of naSiO(2) samples and one coarse-grained amorphous SiO2 (ca-SiO2) sample were determined to be 1377, 1397 and 1320 K, respectively. The low temperature experimental results show that there are significant heat capacity (C-P) enhancements among na-SiO2 samples and ca-SiO2. Entropy, enthalpy, Gibbs free energy and Debye temperature (theta (D)) were obtained based on the low temperature heat capacity measurement of na-SiO2. The Cp enhancements of na-SiO2 were discussed in terms of configurational and vibrational entropy. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of molar heat capacity of nanostructured Al2O3

The nanosized alumina prepared by the hydrolysis method with an average particle size of 20 nm was characterized by X-ray diffraction. The heat capacity measurements of the prepared sample were carried out using an adiabatic calorimeter in the temperature range from 78 to 370 K. Enhancement of heat capacity was observed in the nanostructured materials as the heat capacity data were compared with those of the corresponding coarse-grained materials. The enhanced heat capacity was discussed on the basis of experiments. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry were used to determine the thermal stability of the nanostructured alumina.