Search Results

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 18 items for

  • Author or Editor: X. K. Wang x
  • Refine by Access: All Content x
Clear All Modify Search

Abstract  

A total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analyzer with a special structure is described. Its short X-ray path (about 15 cm) resulted in a high sensitivity, low power consumption and small volume. The structure with double total reflection path is suitable for easy change of exciting source to cover a large element range. The minimum detection limit (MDL) of 6 pg for Co under Cu exciting source and 22 pg for Sr under Mo tube. Some significant works were done, such as the detemination of sulfur content in fuel oils, the non-destructive analysis of an ancient bronze utensil and the regular analysis of tap water.

Restricted access

Abstract  

In 1951, unsaturated prairie soil was contaminated with fission products and actinides. Fifty years later, in 2001, soil samples were collected from the contaminated site. This paper describes the techniques used to analyze these samples, including gamma-spectroscopy (GS) for 137Cs, neutron activation analysis (NAA/GS) for 238U, liquid scintillation counting (LSC) for 90Sr and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) for 238U and 113mCd. As expected, ICP-MS was found to have the lowest detection level, while the techniques were ranked in order of increasing uncertainty as GS, NAA/GS, ICP-MS and LSC.

Restricted access

Two new y-type HMW-GSs in Ae. tauschii , 1Dy12.1* t and 1Dy12.2 t with the mobility order of 1Dy12.2 t > 1Dy12.1* t > 1Dy12.1 t >1Dy12, were identified by both SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF-MS. Molecular cloning and sequencing showed that the genes encoding subunits 1Dy12.1* t and 1Dy12.2 t had identical nucleotide acid sequences with 1,947 bp encoding a mature protein of 627 residues. Their deduced molecular weights were 67,347.6 Da, satisfactorily corresponding to that of 1Dy12.2 t subunit determined by MALDI-TOF-MS (67,015.7 Da), but was significantly smaller than that of the the 1Dy12.1* t subunit (68,577.1 Da). Both subunits showed high similarities to 1Dy10, suggesting that they could have a positive effect on bread-making quality. Interestingly, the expressed protein of the cloned ORF from accessions TD87 and TD130 in E. coli co-migrated with subunit 1Dy12.2 t , but moved slightly faster than 1Dy12.1* t on SDS-PAGE. The expressed protein in transgenic tobacco seeds, however, had the same mobility as the 1Dy12.1* t subunit, as confirmed by both SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Although direct evidence of phosphoprotein could not be obtained by specific staining method, certain types of post-translational modifications (PTMs) of the 1Dy12.1* t subunit could not be excluded. We believe PTMs might be responsible for the molecular weight difference between the subunits 1Dy12.1* t and 1Dy12.2 t .

Restricted access

Abstract  

This article presents results of the experimental investigation on the adsorption of the water vapor on silica gel. Two independent experimental methods has been used, viz. the constant-volume-variable-pressure (CVVP) system and variable pressure thermogravimetry (TG). Results from these two methods are compared with each other. Also the isosteric heat of adsorption of this system has been determined from the equilibrium data. The silica gels investigated here are Fuji Davison type 'A' and type 'RD'. Adsorption isotherm of water vapor have been measured under a variety of conditions all referring to chiller operation cycles, i.e. temperatures from 303 to 358 K and pressures from 500 to 7000 Pa. The data collected from the two independent experiments compare very favorably with each other and their trends are consistent with those of the adsorption chiller manufacturer. This lends significant weight to our experimental data on silica gel+water systems as being valuable to the adsorption chiller manufacturers and the scientific community.

Restricted access

Summary  

The effects of bentonite density and fulvic acid on the sorption and diffusion of 90Sr2+in compacted bentonite were investigated by using a capillary method. The experiments were carried out at pH 7.0±0.1 in the presence of 0.01M NaClO4. The results suggest that the sorption and diffusion of 90Sr2+in compacted bentonite decreases with increasing the density of compacted bentonite. The presence of FA enhances the sorption of Sr2+, but reduces the diffusion of Sr2+in compacted bentonite. The porosity of the compacted bentonite plays an important role in the sorption and diffusion behavior of 90Sr2+. Using the calculated effective diffusion coefficients the long-term relative concentration distribution of strontium was evaluated in compacted bentonite.

Restricted access

Abstract  

The distribution coefficients,K d of 36 elements from Na to Bi on a silica were determined at pH 4, 7, 9 and in the absence and presence of fulvic acid (FA) using a multitracer technique. The multitracer solution was prepared by irradiation of Th(NO3)4 with 40Ar ion beam. The effects of pH and fulvic acid on the K d values of 36 elements were studied. It was found that the sequences of the K d values of alkali elements (Cs>Rb>K>Na) and of alkaline earth elements(Ba>Ca>Mg) in the absence of FA can be qualitatively explained in terms of chemical bond formation and hydration. Various effects of pH and the negative or positive effect of FA on the adsorption of 36 elements were observed and are probably related to the species of 36 elements in the aqueous solutions containing CO3 2–, OH, Cl and FA. For most of the elements studied here the K d values are increased with increasing pH and are decreased with adding FA.

Restricted access

In this paper, 633 species (involving 10 classes, 48 families, 205 genera) collected from the alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau were studied. We tested potential factors affecting variation in mean germination time (MGT), i.e., plant traits (adult longevity, dispersal mode and seed size) or phylogeny, to evaluate if these factors were independent or they had interaction. Nested ANOVA showed that taxonomic membership accounted for the majority of MGT variation (70%), and in the generalized linear model, family membership could explain independently the largest proportion of MGT variation (29%). The strong taxonomic effect suggests that MGT variation within taxonomic membership is constrained. The other plant traits could also explain MGT variation independently (1% by adult longevity and dispersal mode, respectively, and 2% by seed size). Thus, the phylogeny was an important constraint to maintain the stability of species, and we could simplify the question if we regarded the phylogeny as an individual factor, but we could not negate the adaptive significance of the relationship between other plant traits and seed MGT. In addition, a large percentage of the variance remained unexplained by our model, thus important selective factors or parameters may have been left out of this analysis. We suggest that other possible correlates may exist between seed germination time and additional ecological factors (for example, altitude, habitat and post-dispersal predation) or phylogenetic related morphological and physiological seed attributes (e.g., endosperm mass) that were not evaluated in this study.

Restricted access

Abstract

Renal injury is reported to have a high mortality rate. Additionally, there are several limitations to current conventional treatments that are used to manage it. This study evaluated the protective effect of hesperidin against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced kidney injury in rats. Renal injury was induced by generating I/R in kidney tissues. Rats were then treated with hesperidin at a dose of 10 or 20 mg/kg intravenously 1 day after surgery for a period of 14 days. The effect of hesperidin on renal function, serum mediators of inflammation, and levels of oxidative stress in renal tissues were observed in rat kidney tissues after I/R-induced kidney injury. Moreover, protein expression and mRNA expression in kidney tissues were determined using Western blotting and RT-PCR. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was done for histopathological observation of kidney tissues. The data suggest that the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine in the serum of hesperidin-treated rats were lower than in the I/R group. Treatment with hesperidin also ameliorated the altered level of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress in I/R-induced renal-injured rats. The expression of p-IκBα, caspase-3, NF-κB p65, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) protein, TLR-4 mRNA, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was significantly reduced in the renal tissues of hesperidin-treated rats. Histopathological findings also revealed that treatment with hesperidin attenuated the renal injury in I/R kidney-injured rats. In conclusion, our results suggest that hesperidin protects against renal injury induced by I/R by involving TLR-4/NF-κB/iNOS signaling.

Restricted access

Aegiolops kotschyi cytoplasmic male sterile system often results in part of haploid plants in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). To elucidate the origin of haploid, 235 wheat microsatellite (SSR) primers were randomly selected and screened for polymorphism between haploid (2n = 3x = 21 ABD) and its parents, male-sterile line YM21 (2n = 6x = 42 AABBDD) and male fertile restorer YM2 (2n = 6x = 42 AABBDD). About 200 SSR markers yielded clear bands from denatured PAGE, of which 180 markers have identifiable amplification patterns, and 20 markers (around 8%) resulted in different amplification products between the haploid and the restorer, YM2. There were no SSR markers that were found to be distinguishable between the haploid and the male sterile line YM21. In addition, different distribution of HMW-GS between endosperm and seedlings from the same seeds further confirmed that the haploid genomes were inherited from the maternal parent. After haploidization, 1.7% and 0.91% of total sites were up- and down-regulated exceeding twofold in the shoot and the root of haploid, respectively, and most of the differentially expressed loci were up/down-regulated about twofold. Out of the sensitive loci in haploid, 94 loci in the shoot, 72 loci in the root can be classified into three functional subdivisions: biological process, cellular component and molecular function, respectively.

Restricted access

Summary  

In 1951, 6.7 liters of an aqueous acidic solution of irradiated uranium (360 GBq) leaked from a buried storage tank into unsaturated prairie soil, where it has remained, undisturbed. In October 2001, sonic drilling was conducted to recover core samples around and below the tank location. This paper describes the measurements and investigative approaches being pursued to determine the transport properties of the various fission and daughter products and actinides. Separate effects laboratory experiments are also being conducted involving both inert and radioactive samples in similar soil, to examine the effects on transport properties (diffusion and sorption) of temperature, recharge and discharge rates, concentration and soil porosity. Finally, transport modeling approaches are discussed.

Restricted access