Measuring the electronic decay constant of alkanedithiols by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Several methods have been used for the measurement of the electronic decay constant (beta) of organic molecules. However, each of them has some disadvantages. For the first time, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to obtain the 18 value by measuring the tunneling resistance through alkanedithiols. The tunneling resistance through alkanedithiols increases exponentially with the molecular length in terms of the mechanism of coherent nonresonant tunneling. beta was 0.51 +/- 0.01 per carbon.

Insecticide resistance in Chinese populations of the Culex pipiens complex through esterase overproduction

In most parts of China, mosquitoes have been subjected to organophosphate (OP) insecticide treatments since the mid-1960s, and resistance gene monitoring in the Culex pipiens complex (Diptera: Culicidae) started in only a few locations from the end of the 1980s. Many resistant alleles at the Ester locus have been found in field populations, including those commonly found around the world (Ester(B1) and Ester(2)), and those endemic to China (Ester(B6), Ester(B7), Ester(8), and Ester(9)). This situation is atypical, and may represent a complex situation for the evolution of insecticide resistance genes in China. To increase our understanding of the Chinese situation and our ability to manage resistance in the C. pipiens complex, a large study was performed. Twenty field populations were sampled from Beijing to Guangzhou. Bioassays with five insecticides (dichlorvos, parathion, chlorpyrifos, 2-sec-butylphenyl methyl carbamate, and propoxur) disclosed resistance levels variable according to the geographic origin, and up to 85-fold for dichlorvos. Six overproduced esterases were identified, including two that have not been previously described. Most of them were found in all samples, although at variable frequencies, suggesting variable selection or a transient situation, e.g., each one was recently restricted to a particular geographic area. The results are discussed in the context of recent alterations to insecticide campaigns, and of the evolution of resistance genes in Chinese C. pipiens populations.

Enhanced Thermal Shock Resistance of Ceramics through Biomimetically Inspired Nanofins

We propose here a new method to make ceramics insensitive to thermal shock up to their melting temperature. In this method the surface of ceramics was biomimetically roughened into nanofinned surface that creates a thin air layer enveloping the surface of the ceramics during quenching. This air layer increases the heat transfer resistance of the surface of the ceramics by about 10 000 times so that the strong thermal gradient and stresses produced by the steep temperature difference in thermal shock did not occur both on the actual surface and in the interior of the ceramics. This method effectively extends the applications of existing ceramics in the extreme thermal environments.

Effect of Microtopography, Slope Length and Gradient, and Vegetative Cover on Overland Flow Through Simulation

Overland flow on a hillslope is significantly influenced by its microtopography, slope length and gradient, and vegetative cover. A 1D kinematic wave model in conjunction with a revised form of the Green-Ampt infiltration equation was employed to evaluate the effect of these surface conditions. The effect of these conditions was treated through the resistance parameter in the kinematic wave model. The resistance in this paper was considered to be made up of grain resistance, form resistance, and wave resistance. It was found that irregular slopes with microtopography eroded more easily than did regular slopes. The effect of the slope gradient on flow velocity and flow shear stress could be negative or positive. With increasing slope gradient, the flow velocity and shear stress first increased to a peak value, then decreased again, suggesting that there exists a critical slope gradient for flow velocity and shear stress. The vegetative cover was found to protect soil from erosion primarily by enhancing erosion-resisting capacity rather than by decreasing the eroding capability of overland flow.

Microcystin accumulation in freshwater bivalves from Lake Taihu, China, and the potential risk to human consumption

The potential risk through ingestion of microcystins (MC) in contaminated mollusks has not been well studied. The present paper studied seasonal changes of MC content (determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) in various organs of three species of bivalves (Cristaria plicata, Hyriopsis cumingii, and Lamprotula leai) in Lake Taihu, China, where toxic cyanobacterial blooms occurred. Coinciding with peaks of seston MC (maximum, 5.7 mu g/L) and MC in cyanobacterial blooms (maximum, 0.534 mg/g), most organs showed sharp MC peaks during the summer, indicating both fast uptake and fast depuration by bivalves. Because hepatopancreas and intestine had considerably higher MC content than other organs, they are the most dangerous for human consumption. Both the present and previous studies show that the hepatopancreatic MC and total tissue MC often are correlated in various aquatic invertebrates. During the peak of the cyanobacterial blooms, C. plicata had higher hepatopancreatic MC content than the other bivalves, whereas H. cumingii had higher intestinal MC content than the other bivalves. Estimated daily intakes for humans from the consumption of whole tissues of the three bivalves were 0.48 to 0.94 mu g MC-LR equivalent/kg body weight (12- to 23.5-fold the tolerable daily intake value proposed by the World Health Organization), which indicates a high risk for humans consuming these bivalves.

Partially coherent tunneling through a series of barriers: Inelastic scattering versus pure dephasing

Within the Buttiker dephasing model, the backscattering in the dephasing process is eliminated by setting a proper boundary condition. Explicit expression is carried out for the effective total tunneling probability in the presence of multiple pure dephasing scatterers with partial coherence. The derived formula is illustrated analytically by various limiting cases, and numerically for its application in tunneling through multibarrier systems.

Low threshold current density, low resistance oxide-confined VCSEL fabricated by a dielectric-free approach

We present the fabrication process and experimental results of 850-nm oxide-confined vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) fabricated by using dielectric-free approach. The threshold current of 0.4 mA, which corresponds to the threshold current density of 0.5 kA/cm(2), differential resistance of 76 Omega, and maximum output power of more than 5 mW are achieved for the dielectric-free VCSEL with a square oxide aperture size of 9 mu m at room temperature (RT). L-I-V characteristics of the dielectric-free VCSEL are compared with those of conventional VCSEL with the similar aperture size, which indicates the way to realize low-cost, low-power consumption VCSELs with extremely simple process. Preliminary study of the temperature-dependent L-I characteristics and modulation response of the dielectric-free VCSEL are also presented.

Effects of the “all-fish” GH (growth hormone) transgene expression on resistance to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis infections in common carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

A study was undertaken on the susceptibility of the F-4 generation of "all-fish" growth hormone transgenic carp, Cyprinus carpio L, against Ichthyophthirius multifiliis infections. When 1-year old, transgenic carp, with non-transgenic carp and non-manipulated carp (controls) were split into three batches, and experimental infections were performed throughout the 3-month period. All 72 fish were successfully infected. It was shown that there was a significant difference (P<0.01) on infection level between transgenics and non-transgenics, and transgenics and controls. It possibly resulted from transgenics that had stronger non-specific immune functions. In addition, fish surface area affected significantly infection level (P<0.001). Carp with larger surface area harboured more parasites for each type of fish, but transgenic with larger surface area than non-transgenics and controls (P<0.01), loaded fewer parasites than others. Besides, the time of infection also greatly influenced (P<0.001) infection level. Results showed that there was a significant decline in parasite infectivity through October to November (P<0.001). It was likely to suggest that there existed senescence resulted in failure of any I. multifiliis isolate maintenance. Significant difference in infectivity between isolate G from grass carp and isolate H from gold fish suggested that different parasite strains may exist. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Suppression of ballistic electron transmission through a semiconductor II-structure by an external transverse electric field

We have conducted numerical studies of ballistic electron transport in a semiconductor II-structure when an external transverse electric field is applied. The device conductance as a function of electron energy and the strength of the transverse electric field is calculated on the basis of tight-binding Green's function formalism. The calculations show that a relatively weak electric field can induce very large decrease in the electron transmission across the structure. When the transverse electric field is sufficiently strong, electrons can hardly be transported through the device. Thus the performance of the device can be greatly improved for it is much easier to control electron transport through the device with an external transverse electric field.

NEW METHODOLOGY FOR THE ESTIMATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN A DOUBLE-TUBE-SOCKET (DTS (R)) PNEUMATIC CONVEYING

A new methodology based on the use of CFD is proposed to estimate the energy consumptions in a DTS (DOUBLE-TUBE-SOCKET) pneumatic conveying. A simple computational program based on this methodology is developed. It can directly give the lowest energy consumption and the compatible gas consumption by only input the distance of conveying and the conveying tonnage. This computational program has been validated through our experimental work.

Stress Resistance and Disease Resistance in Seaweeds:The Role of Reactive Oxygen Metabolism

It has become clear that the last 15-20 years that the immediate effect of a wide range of environmental stresses,and of infection,on vascular plants is to increase the information of reactive oxygen species(ROS) and to impose oxidative stress on the cells.Since 1994,sufficient examples similar responses in a broad range of marine macroalgae have been decribed to show that reactive oxygen metabolism also underlies the mechanisms by which seaweeds respond(and become resistant) to stress and infection.Desiccation,freezing,low temperatures,high light,ultraviolet radiation,and heavy metals all tend to result in a gradual and continued buildup of ROS because photosynthesis is inhibited and excess energy results in the formation of singlet oxygen.The response to other stresses (infection or oligosaccharides which signal that infection is occurring,mechanical stress,hyperosmotic shock) is quite different-a more rapid and intence,but short-lived production of ROS ,discribed as an "oxidative burst"-which is attributed to activation of NADPHoxidases in the plasma membrane.Seaweed species that are able to survive such stresses or resist infection have the capacity to remove the ROS through a high cellular content of antioxidant compounds,or a high activity of antioxidant enzymes.

A novel nanometer-scale "gold electrode-molecular wires-silver" junction: An efficient test bed for electrochemical investigation of electron transportation through molecular wires in self-assembled monolayers

A novel "gold electrode-molecular wires-silver" junction was facilely fabricated for electrochemical study on the electron transportation through molecular wires. Rapid electron transportation through this sandwich-like structure was indeed observed by cyclic voltammograms and ac impedance measurements. Since rather reproducible and reliable results are easily available by electrochemical techniques, it would be an efficient and reliable test bed for electrochemical investigation of charge transportation through molecular wires in self-assembled monolayers on electrodes.

Insight into permeability of protein through microcapsule membranes

The objective of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of protein permeability in alainate-polylysine-alginate (APA) and alginate-chitosan-alginate (ACA) microcapsules by mathematical models based on the balance of chemical potential. The comparison between calculated results and experimental data shows that the models can describe the process of protein diffusion from microcapsule and protein release into microcapsule successfully. The influences of membrane composition on the permeability of ACA microcapsule have been investigated and analyzed. The effect of resistance on the mass transfer is further analyzed theoretically with the aid of mathematical modeling. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.