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- Author or Editor: Z. Yang x
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Abstract
The effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on the phase change enthalpy (ΔH) and the thermal conductivity (κ) of a solid-liquid phase change materials (PCM), palmitic acid (PA), have been investigated. The results showed that both the ΔH and the κ of the composite were lower than that of PA when the loading of MWNTs was small. As the concentration of MWNTs in the composites increased, the ΔH of the composites was slightly improved and then decreased linearly. However, the κ of the composites was monotonously increased from the minimum value. When the loading of MWNTs increased to 5% and no surfactant was added, the κ of the composite was enhanced to be 26% higher than that of PA. The κ of the composite could be enhanced by CTAB instead of SDBS when the loading of MWNTs was small, as SDBS showed no obvious effect on the κ of the composites. Furthermore, the effects of surface modification of MWNTs on the ΔH and the κ of the composites have also been investigated.
Abstract
The thermal decomposition of strontium acetate hemihydrate has been studied by TG-DTA/DSC and TG coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) under non-isothermal conditions in nitrogen gas from ambient temperature to 600°C. The TG-DTA/DSC experiments indicate the decomposition goes mainly through two steps: the dehydration and the subsequent decomposition of anhydrous strontium acetate into strontium carbonate. TG-FTIR analysis of the evolved products from the non-oxidative thermal degradation indicates mainly the release of water, acetone and carbon dioxide. The model-free isoconversional methods are employed to calculate the E a of both steps at different conversion α from 0.1 to 0.9 with increment of 0.05. The relative constant apparent E a values during dehydration (0.5<α<0.9) of strontium acetate hemihydrate and decomposition of anhydrous strontium acetate (0.5<α<0.9) suggest that the simplex reactions involved in the corresponding thermal events. The most probable kinetic models during dehydration and decomposition have been estimated by means of the master plots method.
Abstract
The uranium(VI) accumulation was studied in detail by using the biomass of mangrove endophytic fungus Fusarium sp.#ZZF51 from the South China Sea. The uranium(VI) biosorption process onto the tested fungus powders was optimized at pH 4.0, adsorption time 60 min, and uranium(VI) initial concentration 50 mg L−1 with 61.89% of removal efficiency. According to Fourier transform infrared spectra for the tested fungus before and after loaded with uranium(VI), the results showed that both of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups acted as the important roles in the adsorption process. In addition, the experimental data were analyzed by using parameter and kinetic models, and it was obtained that the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model provided better correlation with the experimental data for adsorption of uranium(VI).
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether co-administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) and butyrate regulates vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1) and substance P (SP) levels in cultures of rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. DRG was dissected out from embryonic 15-day-old Wistar rat and cultured as dissociated cells for 2 days then exposed to NGF (10 ng/ml), butyrate (1 mmol/L), NGF (10 ng/ml) plus butyrate (1 mmol/L) for another 4 days. The neurons cultured continuously in media served as normal control. After that, the cultures were processed for detecting expression of mRNA for VR1 and SP in DRG neurons by RT-PCR, and expression of VR1 protein by Western blot. SP basal release levels were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Capsaicin-evoked SP release was measured by RIA after stimulation with capsaicin (100 nmol/L) for 10 minutes. The neurons exposed to vehicle solution served as vehicle control. Either NGF (10 ng/ml) or butyrate (1 mmol/L) promoted expression of SP mRNA, VR1 mRNA, and VR1 protein in DRG neurons and capsaicin-evoked SP release from DRG neurons. Co-administration of NGF and butyrate showed a synergistic effect on expression of VR1 mRNA, and VR1 protein in DRG neurons and capsaicin-evoked SP release from DRG neurons and a ceiling effect on SP mRNA expression. The elevation of SP mRNA, VR1 mRNA, and VR1 protein promoted by NGF and/or butyrate may be associated with increases of SP release evoked by capsaicin. The mechanisms of the effects of co-administration of NGF and butyrate should be clarified by further study.
Global rice supplies have been found contaminated with unapproved varieties of genetically modified (GM) rice in recent years, which has led to product recalls in several of countries. Faster and more effective detection of GM contamination can prevent adulterated food, feed and seed from being consumed and grown, minimize the potential environmental, health or economic damage. In this study, a simple, reliable and cost-effective multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for identifying genetic modifications of TT51-1, Kemingdao1 (KMD1) and Kefeng6 (KF6) rice was developed by using the event-specific fragment. The limit of detection (LOD) for each event in the multiplex PCR is approximately 0.1%. Developed multiplex PCR assays can provide a rapid and simultaneous detection of GM rice.
An efficient and sensitive analytical method based on precolumn derivatization and gas chromatography—mass spectrometry—selected ion monitoring (GC—MS—SIM) was proposed and validated for analysis of two cembrenediols (CBDs) which are α-cembrenediol and β-cembrenediol in tobacco samples. CBDs in tobacco samples were extracted by sonication with 50 mL dichloromethane for 10 min before derivatized with 2:3 (v/v) bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA)—pyridine at 20 °C for 100 min. CBDs’ level in tobacco samples was analyzed by GC—MS—SIM and quantified by the internal standard method. The linear range for α-CBD and β-CBD was 13.6–554.6 μg mL−1 and 4.11–162.6 μg mL−1, and the correlation coefficients of both were 0.9998. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of α-cembrenediol and β-cembrenediol were 0.40 μg g−1 and 1.34 μg g−1, and 0.27 μg g−1 and 0.90 μg g−1, respectively. Average recoveries of α-CBD and β-CBD were 94.4–99.9% and 91.9–98.2% while the relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 5) were ranged from 2.67 to 5.6% and 2.04 to 4.22%, respectively. This proposed analytical method has been successfully applied to analyze CBDs in tobacco samples.
Abstract
The effects of aluminum (Al) and nickel (Ni) powders of various grain sizes on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were investigated by TG and DSC in a dynamic nitrogen atmosphere. The TG results show that Al powders have no effect on the thermal decomposition of AP at conventional grain size, while the nanometer-sized Ni powders (n-Ni) have a great influence on the thermal decomposition of AP with conventional and superfine grain size. The results obtained by DSC and an in situ FTIR analysis of the solid residues confirmed the promoting effects of n-Ni. The effects of n-Ni have been ascribed to its enhancement on the gas phase reactions during the second step decomposition of conventional grain size AP.
The forward and reverse cDNA subtractive libraries before and after the toxic effect of α-amanitin were constructed by suppression subtractive hybridization and randomly selected clones from each subtractive library were screened by PCR and dot blot hybridization. A total of 85 genes with altered expression were finally identified, with 41 genes from the forward library and 44 from the reverse library. Subsequently, the antagonistic effects of candidate traditional Chinese medicines were evaluated based on the genetic transcription levels of the genes with significant altered expression, including Catnβ, Flt3-L, IL-7r and Rpo2-4. The results indicated that Silybum marianum (L.) Gaert and Ganoderma lucidum had significant down-regulated effects on the transcription level of Catnβ that was up-regulated by α-amanitin, and the two herbs also up-regulated the transcription levels of Flt3-L and Rpo2-4. Silybum marianum (L.) had significant up-regulated effects on the IL-7r that was down-regulated by α-amanitin. These preliminary studies suggested that Silybum marianum (L.) and Ganoderma lucidum were effective antagonists against the toxicity of α-amanitin.
Abstract
Myricetin has been reported to have a wide variety of beneficial physiological functions. The present study investigated the antihyperlipidaemic activity of myricetin against hyperlipidaemia of high-fat diet-fed obese rats. The four-week antihyperlipidaemic activity was assayed by giving different doses of myricetin to hyperlipidaemic rats. Results showed that myricetin could reduce the harm caused by oxidative stress, decrease thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value, and decrease total cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels of hyperlipidaemic rats. Quantitative analysis of gene expression showed that myricetin's lipid-lowering activity can be activated by downregulating gene expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) with upregulation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) mRNA level. Thus, myricetin had significant health benefits and could be explored as a potentially promising dietary supplement for treating hyperlipidaemia.
Abstract
The molar heat capacity, C p,m, of a complex of holmium chloride coordinated with L-aspartic acid, Ho(Asp)Cl2·6H2O, was measured from 80 to 397 K with an automated adiabatic calorimeter. The thermodynamic functions H T-H 298.15 and S T-S 298.15 were derived from 80 to 395 K with temperature interval of 5 K. The thermal stability of the complex was investigated by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TG) technique, and the mechanism of thermal decomposing of the complex was determined based on the structure and the thermal analysis experiment.
