Studies on decomposed crop residues by FTIR differential analysis

The decomposing process of corn leaf residues (CLR) was studied by FTIR differential analysis,and the differential spectra were compared with normal spectra. The result showed that the purification process to remove inorganic matters from decomposed CLR could be omitted when differential analysis is used, and the differential spectra were cleat and distinct. As far as the studies of decomposed crop residues, the FTIR differential analysis was a convenient and forthright method.

A double logarithmic method in thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry for distinction among mechanisms of an irreversible electrochemical process

A simple double logarithmic method in potential-controlled thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry for an irreversible electrochemical process has been studied by numerical analysis and examined by experimental examples. This simple algorithm has a novel function offering some important information about the mechanism of a complex electrochemical process directly from a limited amount of potential-spectrum data, and can be used to distinguish different reaction mechanisms such as E, EC, EE, as well as to determine the electron-transfer coefficient, a, and the kinetically modified E-0'. Combination of the double logarithmic method with nonlinear regression provides a powerful tool to examine the proposed mechanism and also to estimate other thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(98)06-090-X. All rights reserved.

Analysis of structural relaxation in a Li(2)O2SiO(2) glass using rate heating approach

The structural relaxation process of an inorganic glass (Li(2)O2SiO(2)) at different cooling rates has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. A four-parameter model-Tool-Narayanaswamy-Moynihan (TNM) model was applied to simulate the normalized specific heat curve measured. Four parameters, Delta h*/R, beta, In A, and x were obtained and compared with the values obtained from the isothermal approach. (C) 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Rapid automated in-situ monitoring of total dissolved iron and total dissolved manganese in underground water by reverse-flow injection with chemiluminescence detection during the process of water treatment

Measurement of iron and manganese is very important in evaluating the quality of natural waters. We have constructed an automated Fe(II), total dissolved iron(TDI), Mn(II), and total dissolved manganese(TDM) analysis system for the quality control of underground drinking water by reverse flow injection analysis and chemiluminescence detection(rFIA-CL), The method is based on the measurement of the metal-catalyzed light emission from luminol oxidation by potassium periodate. The typical signal is a narrow peak, in which the height is proportional to light emitted and hence to the concentration of metal ions. The detection limits were 3 x 10(-6) mu g ml(-1) for Fe(II) and the linear range extents up to 1.0 x 10(-4) and 5 x 10(-6) mu g ml(-1) for Mn(II) cover a linear range to 1.0 x 10(-4) mu g ml(-1). This method was used for automated in-situ monitoring of total dissolved iron and total dissolved in underground water during water treatment. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

THEORETICAL-ANALYSIS OF NERNSTIAN PLOTS IN THE THIN-LAYER SPECTROPOTENTIOSTATIC TECHNIQUE

The Nernstian plots in a spectropotentiostatic experiment for complex electrode processes were studied theoretically. The plots are linear for an electron transfer process coupled with a preceding or succeeding chemical reaction, and the electron stoichio

STUDY OF THE ELECTRODE PROCESS OF HEMOGLOBIN AT A POLYMERIZED AZURE A FILM ELECTRODE

The electrochemically polymerized azure A film electrode is reported. The resulting film on a platinum electrode surface was analyzed with electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The heterogeneous electron transfer processes of hemoglobin at the polymerized azure A film electrode have been investigated using in situ UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry. The formal potential (E-degrees') and electron transfer number (n) of hemoglobin were calculated as E = 0.088 V versus NHE (standard deviation +/- 0.5, N = 4) and n = 1.8 (standard deviation +/- 0.5, N = 4). Exhaustive reduction and oxidation electrolysis are achieved in 80 and 380 seconds, respectively, during a potential step between -0.3 and +0.3 V. A formal heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant (k(sh)) of 3.54(+/- 0.12) X 10(-6) cm/s and a transfer coefficient (alpha) of 0.28(+/- 0.01) were obtained by cyclic voltabsorptometry, which indicated that the poly-azure A film electrode is able to catalyze the direct reduction and oxidation of hemoglobin.

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND THERMAL ANALYSIS OF ERBIUM COMPLEX WITH BENZENE ACETIC ACID

The crystal structure of erbium (III) complex of benzene acetic acid is reported. The complex crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/a with a = 0,9008(3)nm, b=1.4242(5) nm, c=1.8437(7) nm, beta=98.80(3)degrees, V = 2.337(1) nm(3), Z = 4. The mechanism of thermal decomposition of complex has been studied by TG-DTG-DTA. The activation energy for dehydration reaction has been calculated by Freeman Carroll method. The enthalpy change for dehydration and phase change process has been determined.

The construction of a cDNA library enriched for immune genes and the analysis of 7535 ESTs from Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis is one of the most important aquaculture crustacean species in China. A cDNA library was constructed from hemocytes of E. sinensis challenged with the mixture of Listonella anguillarum and Staphylococcus aureus, and randomly sequenced to collect genomic information and identify genes involved in immune defense response. Single-pass 5' sequencing of 10368 clones yielded 7535 high quality ESTs (Expressed Sequence Tags) and these ESTs were assembled into 2943 unigenes. BLAST analysis revealed that 1706 unigenes (58.0% of the total) or 4593 ESTs (61.0% of the total) were novel genes that had no significant matches to any protein sequences in the public databases. The rest 1237 unigenes; (42.0% of the total) were closely matched to the known genes or sequences deposited in public databases, which could be classed into 20 or 23 classifications according to "molecular function" or "biological process" respectively based on the Gene Ontology (GO). And 221 unigenes (7.5% of all 2943 unigenes, 17.9% of matched unigenes) or 969 ESTs (12.9% of all 7535 ESTs, 32.9% of matched ESTs) were identified to be immune genes. The relative higher proportion of immune-related genes in the present cDNA library than that in the normal library of E. sinensis and other crustaceans libraries, and the differences and changes in percentage and quantity of some key immune-related genes especially the immune inducible genes between two E. sinensis cDNA libraries may derive from the bacteria challenge to the Chinese mitten crab. The results provided a well-characterized EST resource for the genomics community, gene discovery especially for the identification of host-defense genes and pathways in crabs as well as other crustaceans. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation, properties and spatial site analysis of gamma subunits of B-phycoerythrin and R-phycoerythrin

Polysiphonia urceolata R-phycoerythrin and Porphyridium cruentum B-phycoerythrin were degraded with proteinaseK, and then the nearly native gamma subunits were isolated from the reaction mixture. The process of degradation of phycoerythrin with proteinaseK showed that the gamma subunit is located in the central cavity of (alpha beta)(6) hexamer of phycoerythrin. Comparative analysis of the spectra of the native phycoerythrin, the phycoerythrin at pH 12 and the isolated gamma subunit showed that the absorption peaks of phycoerythrobilins on alpha or beta subunit are at 535 nm (or 545 nm) and 565 nm, the fluorescence emission maximum at 580 nm; the absorption peak of phycoerythrobilins on the isolated gamma subunit is at 589 nm, the fluorescence emission peak at 620 nm which overlaps the absorption maximum of C-phycocyanin and perhaps contributes to the energy transfer with high efficiency between phycoerythrin and phycocyanin in phycobilisome; the absorption maximum of phycourobilin on the isolated gamma subunit is at 498 nm, which is the same as that in native phycoerythrin, and the fluorescence emission maximum at 575 nm.

Synaptonemal complex analysis in spermatocytes of diploid and triploid Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis

A modified surface spreading technique for synaptonemal complex (SC) analysis was tested to assess the process of chromosome synapsis in spermatocytes of diploid and induced triploid Fenneropenaeus chinensis. Spermatocytes of diploid shrimp showed typical morphological characteristics of eukaryote SC, with complete synapsis of bivalents. No recognizable bivalent associated with sex chromosomes was observed in spermatocytes of diploid shrimp. However, differences in morphology of SC, including unsynapsed univalents, bivalents, totally paired trivalents with non-homologous synapsis, partnerswitches and triple synapsis were identified at early pachytene stage of triploid spermatocytes. Triple synapsis was especially common at late pachytene stage in spermatocytes of triploid shrimp. The observed abnormal synapsis behavior of chromosomes in spermatocytes indicated that triploid male shrimp may find it difficult to develop normal haploid sperm. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proteomic analysis of differentially expressed proteins in lymphoid organ of Fenneropenaeus chinensis response to Vibrio anguillarum stimulation

To gain an insight into the function of shrimp lymphoid organ at protein level, we analyzed the proteome of lymphoid organ in healthy Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis (F. chinensis) through two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) based proteomic approach. A total of 95 spots representing 75 protein entries were identified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with both online and in-house database. According to Gene Ontology (GO) annotation of biological process, the identified proteins were classified into 13 categories. Among them, approximately 36% of proteins related to cytoskeleton are noticeable. Then, a comparative proteomic approach was employed to investigate the differentially expressed proteins in lymphoid organ of Vibrio anguillarum-challenged F. chinensis. At 24 h post-injection (hpi), 17 differentially expressed protein spots were successfully identified, including 4 up-regulated protein spots (represent 4 proteins: cathepsin L protein similar to squid CG16901-PC, protein kinase C and protein similar to T-complex Chaperonin 5 CG8439-PA), and 13 down-regulated protein spots (represent 9 proteins: actin, beta-actin, cytoplasmic actin CyII, alpha tubulin, beta tubulin, protein similar to proteasome delta, vacuolar ATP synthase subunit B, elongation factor 2, carboxypeptidase B). These data may help us to understand the function of lymphoid organ and the molecular immune mechanism of shrimp responsive to pathogen infection. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sporopollen analysis of Core B10 in the southern Yellow Sea and the reflected characteristics of climate changes

Eight sporopollen zones have been divided based on the results of high-resolution sporopollen analysis of Core B10 in the southern Yellow Sea. Based on the results along with C-14 datings and the subbottom profiling data, climatic and environmental changes since the last stage of late Pleistocene are discussed. The main conclusions are drawn as follows: (1) the vegetation evolved in the process of coniferous forest-grassland containing broad-leaved treesconiferous and broad-leaved mixed forest --> coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest-grassland prevailed by coniferous trees --> coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest-grassland containing evergreen broad-leaved trees- coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest-grassland prevailed by broad-leaved trees-deciduous broad-leaved forest-meadow containing evergreen broad-leaved trees- coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest-grassland prevailed by broad-leaved trees- coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest containing evergreen broad-leaved trees; (2) eight stages of climate changes are identified as the cold and dry stage, the temperate and wet stage, the cold and dry stage, the warm and dry stage, the temperate and wet stage, the hot and dry stage, the temperate and dry stage, then the warm and dry stage in turn; (3) the sedimentary environment developed from land, to littoral zone, to land again, then to shore-neritic zone; and (4) the Yellow Sea Warm Current formed during early-Holocene rather than Atlantic stage.

IMPACTS OF THE TROPICAL PACIFIC COUPLED PROCESS ON THE INTERANNUAL VARIABILITY IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

The basic features of climatology and interannual variations of tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans were analyzed using a coupled general circulation model (CGCM), which was constituted with an intermediate 2.5-layer ocean model and atmosphere model ECHAM4. The CGCM well captures the spatial and temporal structure of the Pacific El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the variability features in the tropical Indian Ocean. The influence of Pacific air-sea coupled process on the Indian Ocean variability was investigated carefully by conducting numerical experiments. Results show that the occurrence frequency of positive/negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event will decrease/increase with the presence/absence of the coupled process in the Pacific Ocean. Further analysis demonstrated that the air-sea coupled process in the Pacific Ocean affects the IOD variability mainly by influencing the zonal gradient of thermocline via modulating the background sea surface wind.

Pretreatment Method for Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of Nitrate in Seawater

A suitable method for the pretreutment of dissolved nitrate samples in seawaters for nitrogen isotopic analysis was established. First, the seawater samples were processed by removing nitrite and amonium. Then Devard's alloy was added in sample for conversion of dissolved nitrate to ammonium. The sample was distilled, and then the ammonium condensate was collected with zeolite. after distillation, the collected condensate was filtered and prepared for determining nitropic values. Some tests of the method were conducted. The distillation condition, the influence of salinity on nitrogen isotopic analysis, absorption of ammonium onto zeolite and an improved method on a large volume of seawater were discussed in this study. The results showed that the distillation step had an average recovery of (104.9 +/- 4.2) % (n = 6) when distillating every 300 mL aliquot of the sample under a strong alkaline condition with 0.5 g devard's alloy and a distillation time of 30 min. The nitrogen isotopic fractionation decreased markedly when salinity was increased from 0% to 0.5%; further increase(1% - 3.5%) showed little effect. The adsorption rate of ammonium onto zeolite had a high yield of (95.96 +/- 1.08) % (n = 6) in average. An improved collection method was used to process a large volume of seawater with several distillations, and had good effect on analysis. The method had been applied to analyze water samples collected from Changjiang estuary. The analytical results indicate that the method is suitable for delta N-15 analysis of dissolved nitrate in seawaters. The present method could provide valuable information about the source and cycle mechanism of dissolved nitrogen in estuary waters.

Three dimensional fluorescence excitation-emission on matrix spectrum of dissolved organic substance in marine microalgaes growth process

The three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum was used to detect the changes in dissolved organic substances from the cultured Skeletonema costatum, Alexandrium tamarense, Alexandrium mimutum, Scrippsiella trochodea, Prorocentrum donghaiense and Prorocentrum micans. The result indicates that all of the microalgaes can produce FDOM in the growth courses. Diatom such as Skeletonema costatum can produce humic-like FDOM. However dinoflagellate can produce protein-like FDOM at exponential growth phase. When the algae grows into decadency phase, the intensity of humic-like and protein-like fluorescence augments rapidly, which may be due to a mass of FDOM realeased by the old or dead cell fragmentation and the degradation of bacteria by using non-FDOM. The fluorescent intensity of Alexandrium tamarense, Alexandrium mimutum, Prorocentrum donghaiense and Prorocentrum micans can reduce at anaphase of decadency phase because of the degradation of bacteria and light. The same genus of algae can produce similar FDOM, for example: Alexandrium tamarense, and Alexandrium mimutum, Prorocentrum donghaiense and Prorocentrum micans, but the positions of the fluorescence peaks are different.