MEASUREMENT OF CATALYTIC ACTIVITY VARIATION FOR H2O2 OXIDATION AT A COBALT PORPHYRIN COATED ELECTRODE

A rapid rotation-scan method was used for the electrocatalytic oxidation of H2O2 at a cobalt protoporphyrin modified pyrolytic graphite electrode (CoPP/PG). The rate constant of H2O2 oxidation at the CoPP/PG electrode at different potentials and in different pH solutions was measured. The variation of catalytic activity with reaction charges (Q) passed through the electrode was analyzed. This provided a convenient electrochemical method to study the passivation and poisoning of catalytic sites with time.

EVALUATION OF THE RELIABILITY OF KALMAN FILTERING RESULTS IN INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA ATOMIC EMISSION-SPECTROMETRY

This paper deals with the evaluation of the reliability of the analytical results obtained by Kalman filtering. Two criteria for evaluation were compared: one is based on the autocorrelation analysis of the innovation sequence, the so-called NAC criterion; the other is the innovations number, which actually is the autocorrelation coefficient of the innovation sequence at the initial wavelength. Both criteria allow compensation for the wavelength positioning errors in spectral scans, but there exists a difference in the way they work. The NAC criterion can provide information about the reliability of an individual result, which is very useful for the indication of unmodelled emissions, while the innovations number should be incorporated with the normalization of the innovations or seek the help of the sequence itself for the same purpose. The major limitation of the NAC criterion is that it does not allow the theoretical modelling of continuous backgrounds, which, however, is convenient in practical analysis and can be taken with the innovations number criterion.

Cryopreservation of flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) sperm with a practical methodology

A simple and convenient protocol for the cryopreservation of the flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) sperm was established for "on the spot" cryopreservation of large quantities of semen. The use of three cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), glycerol (Gly) and methanol was tested in the method. The percentage of motile sperm present in semen after it had been frozen and thawed in the presence of DMSO, Gly or methanol was 60.5 +/- 3.6, 79.17 +/- 4.5 and 13.25 +/- 4.7%, respectively. The fertilization rates of this sperm were 67.06 +/- 15.1, 76.20 +/- 10.0 and 44.93 +/- 22.6%, while the hatching rates of eggs fertilized with this sperm were 37.40 +/- 8.3, 48.18 +/- 25.7 and 23.35 +/- 10.8%, respectively. It was found that Gly and DMSO were better cryoprotectants than methanol, with Gly giving the best overall results. Under scanning electron microscopy, it could be seen that while the majority of the frozen-thawed sperm remained morphologically normal, some exhibited lost or dilated mitochondria, swollen mid-pieces, broken tails, or damaged cell membrane, which probably caused the decrease in motility and fertility of the frozen-thawed sperm. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis on suspended sediment deposition rate for muddy coast of reclaimed land

A new expression for calculating suspended fine-sediment deposition rate is developed based on theoretic analysis and experiments. The resulting equation is applied to simulation of fine sediment deposition in the reclaimed land in the Hangzhou Bay, China. The hydrodynamic environment in this area is solved by use of a long wave model, which gives the 2D-velocity field and considers bathymetric changes due to fine sediment deposition. The expression is proved convenient to use in engineering practice, and the predicted deposition rate agrees with the annual data available from field measurements from the first year to the third year after the construction of the long groin as a reclaiming method.

Application of rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in detecting the toxicity of harmful algae

The toxicity of seven major HAB (harmful algal bloom) species/strains, Prorocentrum donghaiense, Phaeocystis globosa, Prorocentrum micans, Alexandrium tamarense (AT-6, non-PSP producer), Alexandrium lusitanicum, Alexandrum tamarense (ATHK) and Heterosigma akashiwo were studied against rotifer Brachionus plicatilis under laboratory conditions. The results show that P. donghaiense, P. globosa, P. micans, A. tamarense (AT-6), or A. lusitanicum could maintain the individual survival and reproduction, as well as the population increase of the rotifer, but the individual reproduction would decrease when exposed to these five algae at higher densities for nine days; H. akashiwo could decrease the individual survival and reproduction, as well as population increase of the rotifer, which is similar to that of the starvation group, indicating that starvation might be its one lethal factor except for the algal toxins; A. tamarense (ATHK) has strong lethal effect on the rotifer with 48h LC50 at 800 cells/mL. The experiment on ingestion ability indicated by gut pigment change shows that P. donghaiense, P. globosa, P. micans, A. tamarense (AT-6) and A. lusitanicum can be taken by the rotifers as food, but A. tamarense (ATHK) or H. akashiwo can be ingested by the rotifers. The results indicate that all the indexes of individual survival and reproduction, population increase, gut pigment change of the rotifers are good and convenient to be used to reflect the toxicities of HAB species. Therefore, rotifer is suggested as one of the toxicity testing organisms in detecting the toxicity of harmful algae.

Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Genetic Modified Soybean (Roundup Ready) by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification

Using the LAMP method, a highly specific and sensitive detection system for genetically modified soybean (Roundup Ready) was designed. In this detection system, a set of four primers was designed by targeting the exogenous 35S epsps gene. Target DNA was amplified and visualized on agarose gel within 45 min under isothermal conditions at 65 degrees C. Without gel electrophoresis, the LAMP amplicon was visualized directly in the reaction tube by the addition of SYBR Green I for naked-eye inspection. The detection sensitivity of LAMP was 10-fold higher than the nested PCR established in our laboratory. Moreover, the LAMP method was much quicker, taking only 70 min, as compared with 300 min for nested PCR to complete the analysis of the GM soybean. Compared with traditional PCR approaches, the LAMP procedure is faster and more sensitive, and there is no need for a special PCR machine or electrophoresis equipment. Hence, this method can be a very useful tool for GMO detection and is particularly convenient for fast screening.

Salt-assisted acid hydrolysis of chitosan to oligomers under microwave irradiation

The effect of inorganic salts such as sodium chloride on the hydrolysis of chitosan in a microwave field was investigated. While it is known that microwave heating is a convenient way to obtain a wide range of products of different molecular weights only by changing the reaction time and/or the radiation power, the addition of some inorganic salts was shown to effectively accelerate the degradation of chitosan under microwave irradiation. The molecular weight of the degraded chitosan obtained by microwave irradiation was considerably lower than that obtained by traditional heating. Moreover, the molecular weight of degraded chitosan obtained by microwave irradiation assisted under the conditions of added salt was considerably lower than that obtained by microwave irradiation without added salt. Furthermore, the effect of ionic strength of the added salts was not linked with the change of molecular weight. FTIR spectral analyses demonstrated that a significantly shorter time was required to obtain a satisfactory molecular weight by the microwave irradiation-assisted inorganic salt method than by microwave irradiation without inorganic salts and conventional technology. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of low-molecular-weight and high-sulfate-content chitosans under microwave radiation and their potential antioxidant activity in vitro

In the present paper microwave radiation has been used to introduce N-sulfo and O-sulfo groups into chitosan with a thigh degree of substitution and low-molecular weight. The sulfation of chitosan was performed in microwave ovens. It was found that microwave heating is a convenient way to obtain a wide range of products of different degrees of substitution and molecular weight only by changing reaction time or/and radiation power. Moreover, microwave radiation accelerated the degradation of sulfated chitosan, and the molecular weight of sulfated chitosan was considerably lower than that obtained by traditional heating. There are no differences in the chemical structure of sulfated chitosan obtained by microwave and by conventional technology. FTIR and C-13 NMR spectral analyses demonstrated that a significantly shorter time is required to obtain a satisfactory degree of substitution and molecular weight by microwave radiation than by conventional technology. In this present paper, we also determined antioxidant activity of low-molecular-weight and high-sulfate-content chitosans (LCTS). The results showed LCTS could scavenge superoxide and hydroxyl radical. Its IC50 is 0.025 and 1.32mg/mL, respectively. It is a potential antioxidant in vitro. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Molecular authentication of the traditional Tibetan medicinal plant Swertia mussotii

Swertia mussotii is an important species in Tibetan folk medicine. However, it is quite expensive and frequently adulterated, so reliable methods for authentication of putative specimens and preparations of the species are needed to protect consumers and to support conservation measures. We show here that the chloroplast (cp) DNA rpl16 intron has limited utility for differentiating S. mussotii from closely related species, since the cpDNA rpl16 sequences are identical in S. mussotii and two other species of Swertia. However, the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences differ significantly between S. mussotii and all of 13 tested potential adulterants. Thus, the ITS region provides a robust molecular marker for differentiating the medicinal S. mussotii from related adulterants. Therefore, a pair of allele-specific diagnostic primers based on the divergent ITS region was designed to distinguish S. mussotii from the other species. Authentication by allele-specific diagnostic PCR using these primers is convenient, effective and both simpler and less time-consuming than sequencing the ITS region.

基于线性不变矩和角度向量的立体匹配算法

针对室内场景双目立体匹配有别于一般场景立体匹配的特殊性,提出了一种计算简便、准确度高的立体图像匹配算法。该算法首先利用canny算子检测物体的边缘,根据边缘的线性不变矩寻找出目标物体,然后提取出目标物体轮廓的特征点,利用角度直方图计算出左右图像的旋转角度,最后利用角度向量实现左右图像的对应像素点的匹配。线性不变矩有效地将计算复杂度由二维降低到一维,大大降低了计算量。角度向量的提出降低了特征点匹配的复杂度,而且计算简便,准确率高。实验表明,该算法对图像的缩放、旋转、平移均免疫,具有较高的识别精度和良好的抗干扰性,计算效率高于传统方法,有着较高的应用价值。

基于Labview开发统计过程控制软件

统计过程控制是质量管理的重要内容,介绍了SPC的原理,并用Labview软件实现了SPC软件。这种开发方法应用了Labview软件提供的统计过程控制模块,方便了程序的开发,很容易被质量人员掌握,设备改动或软件应用于别的设备时,只需简单地修改参数,大大方便了统计过程控制的普及,提高企业的质量水平。

仿人机器人腰部机构的动力学建模、控制与仿真

本文介绍的仿人机器人具有差动腰部机构,它除了受自身的动力学影响以外,还受到手臂和车体运动以及外力、外力矩等对腰部机构关节力矩的影响。笔者利用高效牛顿-欧拉算法完成了仿人机器人的整体建模;在不考虑各关节间耦合运动的情况下,对整体动力学模型进行适当简化,得到了腰部机构的动力学模型。简化后的动力学模型既反映了机器人车体、腰部及双臂的动力学关系,又大大地减小了计算量,易于实现基于动力学的控制算法。基于动力学模型,给出了腰部机构PD伺服轨迹跟踪控制算法,并结合计算力矩方法用于补偿腰部机构两关节受到的力矩扰动。仿真分析表明,该控制方法可以明显提高腰部机构的位置跟踪精度,并提高仿人机器人的整体作业精度。

全地形轮式移动机器人运动学建模与分析

提出全地形轮式移动机器人的正逆运动学问题。将机器人看成一个混合串-并联多刚体系统,从每个轮-地接触点到机器人车体分别构成一个串联子系统,抛弃车轮纯滚动假设,在轮-地接触点处建立瞬时坐标系,考虑车轮的平面滑移,从而对每个串联子系统形成一个封闭的速度链。对于每个速度闭链,可直接在驱动轮轮心处写出从机器人各驱动轮到机器人本体之间的运动方程,将每个速度闭链的运动方程合并即可得到机器人的整体运动学模型。以一个具有被动柔顺机构的六轮全地形移动机器人为对象进行推导,该方法既考虑了地形不平的影响,又考虑了车轮的前向、侧向及转向滑移,已知机构参数后就可以直接写出机器人的速度方程,且便于运动学求解。该方法对于轮式移动机器人的运动学建模具有一般性,且具有物理意义明确、推导过程简洁等特点。

可重构模块化机器人模块及构形设计

对可重构模块化机器人模块的结构进行了研究,并归纳设计出7种功能模块,其中包括3种1自由度的关节模块,2种连杆模块和2种辅助模块·所有模块的功能都是独立的,并且每个模块的连接界面都设计成了圆筒形以便重组和提高其刚度·每一种模块都可设计成不同尺寸系列,这些不同类型和尺寸系列的模块便可构成一个模块库·作者对3个自由度串联机器人的构形进行了系统的研究,并应用制作的实验模块对研究结果的可行性进行了验证·

一种新的仿人控制方法研究

以模拟人对混水阀的调节过程为基础,提出一种新的仿人控制算法.该控制算法模拟人在控制时的粗调和微调,并使控制量逐步逼近最终稳定控制量的过程.算法中的参数具有明确的物理意义,可根据不同的控制指标方便地调节,并且能够获得足够的稳态误差.采用本文控制算法,不需要有精确的被控对象模型,即使在有较大干扰的情况下,仍可以获得较好的控制性能.