Simultaneous liquid chromatographic determination of 39 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in indoor and outdoor air and application to a survey on indoor air pollution in Fuji, Japan

An analytical method was established for the simultaneous determination of 39 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air. The method was applied to a survey of gaseous and particulate PAHs in household indoor air. The survey was performed in 21 houses in the summer of 1999 and in 20 houses in the winter of 1999-2000 in Fuji, Japan. Thirty-eight PAHs were determined in indoor and outdoor air in the summer, and 39 PAHs were determined in indoor and outdoor air in the winter. The concentrations of gaseous PAHs in indoor air tended to be higher than those in outdoor air in the summer and winter. The concentrations of particulate PAHs in indoor air were the same as or lower than those in outdoor air in the summer and winter. PAH profiles, correlations between PAH concentrations, and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the factors affecting the indoor PAH concentrations. These results showed that gaseous PAHs in indoor air were primarily from indoor emission sources, especially during the summer, and that indoor particulate PAH concentrations were significantly influenced by outdoor air pollution.     

近年国内固相萃取-色谱分析的进展

对近两年国内各个领域的学者在使用固相萃取做样品前处理的色谱分析方面的研究和应用作了综述, 这一综述包括10个部分: 1. 国内近两年有关固相萃取的综述报告;2. 固相萃取-色谱分析在水质分析中的应用;3. 固相萃取-色谱分析在奶制品和肉类食品分析中的应用;4. 固相萃取-色谱用于蔬菜和水果中有害物质分析的应用;5. 固相萃取-色谱用于粮食和其他食品中有害物质分析的应用;6. 固相萃取-色谱在血药浓度、体液及组织中有害物质分析中的应用;7. 固相萃取-色谱在药物分析中的应用;8. 固相萃取-色谱在其他使用色谱分析中的应用;9. 基质固相分散在色谱分析中的应用;10. 分子印迹SPE在样品前处理中的应用.     

Field studies on the photosynthesis of two desert Chilean plants: Prosopis chilensis and Prosopis tamarugo.

Photosynthetic parameters were investigated in relation to light intensity (PAR and UV-B) in two Chilean Prosopis sp., Prosopis chilensis and Prosopis tamarugo in their natural habitats. The objective of this work was to compare the photosynthetic responses and to determine the degree of adaptation of both species to visible- and UV-radiation stress. One of the study sites was Refresco in the Atacama Desert, where P. tamarugo is an endemic plant and P. chilensis was introduced, and the other was Peldehue in the valley of Central Chile where only P. chilensis is present. Due to latitude, light intensity (UV-B and PAR) is higher in Refresco than in Peldehue. The parameters investigated in both species were photosystem II fluorescence, CO(2) assimilation, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic pigment composition, flavonoid absorption patterns and composition of chlorophyll-protein complexes. Fluorescence studies, CO(2) assimilation and stomatal conductance studies demonstrated that photosynthetic activity is more efficient and stable throughout the day in P. tamarugo than in P. chilensis in Refresco. Chlorophyll-protein complexes also seemed to be more stable in P. tamarugo than in P. chilensis. Photosynthetic pigment analyses indicated possible photodamage in P. chilensis trees in Refresco, but not in Peldehue. Such photodamage was absent in P. tamarugo. There was a considerable change in the flavonoid pattern between noon and afternoon hours in both species at both study sites. The physiological implications of these changes indicate that P. tamarugo is more adapted to high solar radiation than P. chilensis.     

延边地区65～108岁健康老人头发中锌、铜、铁、锰、镁的含量

用原子吸收光谱法测定延边地区317名65～108岁老人头发中锌、铜、铁、锰、镁含量，观察不同民族、性别、年龄老人这些元素的差异。结果表明：1.朝鲜旗发锌低于汉族，满族发铜低于汉族、朝鲜族，汉族发镁高于朝鲜族、满族，发铁、发锰在汉、朝、满民族之间无区别。2．汉族、朝鲜族男发锌高于女性，汉族女性发铜高于男性，发铁、发锰、发镁在性别之间无区别。3、90岁组朝鲜族发锰、发镁低于65岁、76岁组，朝鲜族发锌、发铜、发铁在65～108岁之间无统计学意义。     

Histological study of some Echium vulgare, Pulmonaria officinalis and Symphytum officinale populations

Plants living in different ecological habitats can show significant variability in their histological and phytochemical characters. The main histological features of various populations of three medicinal plants from the Boraginaceae family were studied. Stems, petioles and leaves were investigated by light microscopy in vertical and transverse sections. The outline of the epidermal cells, as well as the shape and cell number of trichomes was studied in leaf surface casts. Differences were measured among the populations of Echium vulgare in the width and height of epidermis cells in the stem, petiole and leaf, as well as in the size of palisade cells in the leaves. Among the populations of Pulmonaria officinalis significant differences were found in the length of trichomes and in the slightly or strongly wavy outline of epidermal radial cell walls. Populations of Symphytum officinale showed variance in the height of epidermal cells in leaves and stems, length of palisade cells and number of intercellular spaces in leaves, and the size of the central cavity in the stem. Boraginaceae bristles were found to be longer in plants in windy/shady habitats as opposed to sunny habitats, both in the leaves and stems ofP. officinalis and S. officinale, which might be connected to varying levels of exposure to wind. Longer epidermal cells were detected in the leaves and stems of both E. vulgare and S. officinale plants living in shady habitats, compared with shorter cells in sunny habitats. Leaf mesophyll cells were shorter in shady habitats as opposed to longer cells in sunny habitats, both in E. vulgare and S. officinale. This combination of histological characters may contribute to the plant's adaptation to various amounts of sunshine. The reported data prove the polymorphism of the studied taxa, as well as their ability to adapt to various ecological circumstances.     

γ-irradiation of polypropylene in vacuum and in air

Polypropylene films were irradiated with ⁶⁰Co γ-rays in vacuum or in air and stored in air. Just after irradiation, the concentration of carbonyl group of the sample irradiated in air only increased with dose. The concentrations of both samples increased with storage time. The more the absorbed doses, the higher the increasing rates. The increasing rate of the concentration of carbonyl group during irradiation in air was higher than those during storage in air. Just after irradiation, the tensile strengths and the elongations of the both samples somewhat increased with dose at the doses less than 5 Mrad, but decreased at doses more than 13 Mrad. The tensile strength and the elongation of the sample irradiated in air decreased with storage time. Those of the sample irradiated in vacuum also decreased with storage time but the decreasing rates were much smaller than those in the sample irradiated in air. The gel fractions of the samples irradiated in vacuum and annealed in vacuum were somewhat higher than those irradiated in vacuum and not annealed. To elucidate high oxidation rate in the sample irradiated in air during and after irradiation, reaction mechanisms were discussed. To clarify the difference of mechanical properties between the samples irradiated in vacuum and in air, the effect of crosslink was considered, together with the oxidation.     

MODIFYING FACTORS OF THE CELLULAR CONCENTRATION OF PHOTOLYASE MOLECULES IN Saccharomyces cerevisiae CELLS–I. EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND LIGHT

Abstract— The effects of temperature and light on the cellular concentration of photoreactivating enzyme (PRE) molecules in haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were investigated. (1) Temperature effect: The number of active PRE molecules per cell (N_PRE) in cells grown at 37°C was about 13% of that grown at 23°C, although the amount of proteins per cell remained the same. (2) Light effect: N_PRE in cells grown in light was about 2.8 times larger than that grown in the dark. The value of N_PRE in cells grown in the light decreased more rapidly during holding in buffer in the dark than in the light. The N_PRE decrease during holding in buffer in the dark was more rapid in cells grown in the light than grown in the dark. A comparable decrease was observed after holding in buffer in the presence of cycloheximide. (3) In cells harboring a plasmid containing the gene PHR1, N_PRE was larger in cells grown at 23 than at 30°C.     

The heat of dissolution of uranyl nitrate in aqueous nitrate solutions

Conclusions A model has been suggested to explain the observed relationship between the measured heats of dissolution of uranyl nitrate in aqueous nitrate solutions and the concentration of the salting-out agent. The model describes the change in the structure of water in the solution with change in its concentration. On the one hand, a destruction of the water structure by ions occurs, which is weakened with increase in the distance from the ion, and leads to such irregularity in the distribution of water molecules in the solution that the mean number of molecules of water in unit volume is increased with increase in the distance from the ions. In experiments on the heat of dissolution this increase leads to increased hydration of the uranyl cation and reduction in the endothermicity of the dissolution with increase in the concentration of the solution. On the other hand, an interaction occurs between the ions of the salting-out agent and the water molecules in the solution, leading to the opposite result: There is an increase in the mean number of water molecules of the solution in unit volume in the direction of these ions. In experiments on the heat of dissolution this is revealed in the dehydration of the uranyl cation, and correspondingly in an increase in the endothermicity of the dissolution with increase in the concentration of the solution. The proposed model is in harmony with data on vapor pressure above the solutions (the relationship between the activity coefficient of the water and the concentration of the solution).Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii. Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 143–150, March–April. 1962     

Weak-to-strong confinement transition of semi-flexible macromolecules in slit and in channel

We compare confinement of stiff macromolecule in channel and in slit. Whereas in the channel a distinct and established transition exists, we elucidate here an ongoing controversy reported from previous experiment and simulation on existence of such transition in the slit. Our extensive molecular simulations in both geometries show only a very weak conformational crossover between moderate and strong confinements in slit in the same range of confinements where the distinct transition in channel is observed. In contrast to situation in channels relatively stable hairpin-like structures are not indicated around this weak transition in the slit. Observed difference from the prediction on behavior in blob regime under moderate confinement is explained by a crossover between dimensionalities in the slit and the extent of ideal conformation statistics to which the stiffer chains are prone. The strong confinement regime of stiff chain in slit characterized here has not been interpreted yet and it differs from the respective saturation-like Odijk regime in the channel.     

化学体系随机共振现象的理论研究

化学体系中随机共振现象的特性、机理、本质和应用的研究是非常重要的前沿课题。综述中国科学技术大学非线性化学实验室,在化学体系随机共振现象的理论研究中,所取得的主要成果,并阐述化学体系随机共振现象研究中所提出来的若干重要问题：非均相化学体系中随机共振;化学体系中内信号随机共振;化学体系中多重随机共振;化学体系中随机共振的调制;化学体系中色噪声作用下的随机共振;化学体系中时空随机共振;耦合化学体系中随机共振;化学体系中双参量随机共振。     

Localisation and accumulation of a new carotenoporphyrin in two primary tumour models

We have investigated the tumour-localising properties and in vivo fluorescence kinetics of a hexamethoxylated carotenqporphyrin (CP6) in two primary tumour models: UV-B-induced early skin cancer in hairless mice and chemically induced mucosal dysplasia in the rat palate. CP6 fluorescence kinetics are investigated by measuring in vivo fluorescence spectra and images of the mouse skin and the rat palate at different time points after injection. For the tumour-localising properties, microscopic phase-contrast and fluorescence images are recorded. The in vivo fluorescence kinetics in the mouse skin show localization of CP6 in the tumours. However, fluorescence microscopy images show that CP6 localises in the dermis and structures that are not related to the malignant transformation of the mouse skin. The fluorescence kinetics in the rat palate show a significant correlation between the degree of malignancy and the CP6 fluorescence build-up time in the palate. The microscopic images show that CP6 fluorescence localises in the connective tissue and not in the dysplastic epithelium. In conclusion, CP6 does not localise preferentially in (pre-) cancerous tissue in the two primary tumour models studied here, in contrast to reports about localisation of carotenoporphyrins in transplanted tumours. However, the CP6 build-up time in rat palates correlates with the degree of malignancy and this might possibly be a useful parameter in tumour detection.     

CLIMATIC CHANGE SINCE LITTLE ICE AGE RECORDED BY DUNDE ICE CAP

The climatic change since the Little Ice Age recorded in the Dunde Ice Cap is presentedin this paper. There have been three cold periods and three warm periods since 1400AD.Among them, the coldest one was in the 17th century. Many evidences verified the three coldand warm variations recorded in the Dundc Ice Cap. But it was found from the comparison between the Dunde Icc Cap climatic record and thewinter temperature record in Shanghai that there was a temporal dfference in climatic changebetween East China and West China. The general trend is that the cooling and warmingprocesses in West China were earlier than that in East China. In the Dunde Ice Cap, it isnow in an anomalous warm period, while it is not as warm as in Dunde Ice Cap recordaccording to the winter temperature in Shanghai. In addition to the possible cause of temporaldifference in climatic change between West China and East China, another possible cause isthat the greenhouse effect of CO_2 may already be recognizable in the Dunde Ice Cap a     

Analytical strategies to determine antibiotic residues in fish

The accelerated growth of aquaculture has resulted in a series of harmful effects to human health. The widespread and unrestricted use of antibiotics in this industry, to prevent bacterial infections, leads to remaining amounts in the aquatic environment. This has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in aquaculture environments, in the increase in antibiotic resistance in fish pathogens as well as in the transfer of these resistance determinants to human pathogens. Moreover, the use of large amounts of antibiotics may lead to the presence of residual antibiotics in fish tissue and fish products. Fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, penicillins, sulphonamides and other antibiotics, exhibiting activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, are widely used for the treatment and prevention of diseases in fish. An extended and comprehensive review on the recent analytical methodologies concerning antibiotic residues in fish reported in the literature is provided in the present article. Emphasis is given on sample preparation regarding isolation and purification, chromatographic conditions and method validation according to legislation. Results of published assays are comparatively presented and criticised.     

Effect of essential fatty acid deficiency on activity of liver plasma membrane enzymes in the rat.

Liver plasma membranes (LPM) were isolated from rats fed an essential fatty acid-supplemented diet (+EFA) or from rats fed an essential fatty acid-deficient diet (-EFA). The proportions of linoleate and arachidonate in membrane total fatty acids in the -EFA preparations were one-half or less than the values for the +EFA preparations. Basal, F-, or glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities were significantly lower in EFA-deficient livers than in nondeficient ones. Addition of GTP significantly enhanced glucagon-stimulated adrenylate cyclase in both groups, but extent of stimulation above basal was greater in EFA-deficient livers. Portal vein injection of glucagon in vivo resulted in significantly higher cAMP formation in +EFA livers than in -EFA livers. When glucagon was used in vitro at 1-1,000 nM, stimulation of adenylate cyclase remained lower in EFA-deficient membranes, but extent of stimulation above basal activity was larger in -EFA membranes than in +EFA. Total Na+, K+ (Mg2+)-ATPase from EFA-depleted LPM exhibited significantly higher values of apparent Km and Vmax-5'-Nucleotidase activity, in contrast, was considerably decreased in EFA-deficient rats. These findings show that, in animals, changes in unsaturated fatty acid composition can affect the properties of membrane-bound enzymes. These alterations could be due to changes in membrane physical properties and/or prostaglandin formation.     

Calibration methods for microdialysis sampling in vivo: muscle and adipose tissue

Calibration methods for microdialysis sampling were studied in the muscle and adipose tissue of rats. Both the delivery method and the no-net-flux method were used to determine the extraction efficiency (EE) of acetaminophen and caffeine in both tissues. There was no concentration dependence of the EE either in vitro or in vivo for either acetaminophen or caffeine. The EEs determined by the delivery and no-net-flux methods were not different. However, the EEs of both caffeine and acetaminophen determined in vitro were significantly higher than those determined in the muscle and adipose. This indicates that mass transfer in the tissue is the rate-determining factor for the EE in vivo. The relative difference between the EE in vitro and the EE in the muscle was smaller than the difference between the EE in vitro and the EE in the adipose. In addition, the EE in the muscle decreased more than the EE in the adipose after the animal was euthanized. This indicated that exchange between the extracellular fluid and plasma is the rate-determining step in mass transport relative to microdialysis sampling. This has a more significant effect on the EE in the muscle than the EE in the adipose. Both the delivery and no-net-flux methods can be used to calibrate microdialysis probes in the muscle and adipose.     

Angiotensin II receptor blocker attenuates overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor in diabetic podocytes

VEGF expressed in glomerular podocytes, is known to increase vascular permeability to macromolecules. Angiotensin II can stimulate the release of VEGF, and the protective effects of angiotensin II antagonist against diabetic glomerular injury suggest that the angiotensin II-induced VEGF is an important pathogenetic mechanism in the development of proteinuria during diabetic nephropathy although this mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, the changes of VEGF expression was examined in the experimental diabetic nephropathy to determine whether these changes were modified by renoprotective intervention by blockers of angiotensin II receptors. The streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats were treated with L-158,809, a blocker of angiotensin II receptors, for 12 weeks. Age-matched rats with L-158,809 served as controls. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to assess and quantify gene and protein expression of VEGF. A progressive increase in urinary protein excretion was observed in diabetic rats. Glomerular VEGF expression was significantly higher in diabetic rats than in the control groups, with a significant reduction in glomerular VEGF expression and proteinuria in L-158,809- treated diabetic rats. VEGF mRNA was also significantly higher in diabetic kidneys than in the control groups, with a significant reduction in VEGF mRNA in L-158,809-treated diabetic kidneys. These results demonstrates that VEGF expression is significantly increased in diabetic podocytes, and angiotensin II receptor antagonist attenuated these changes in VEGF expression and prevented the development of proteinuria in vivo. Attenuation of increased VEGF expression in podocytes could contribute to the renoprotective effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonists in diabetic nephropathy.     

Comparison of water-soluble CdTe nanoparticles synthesized in air and in nitrogen

It is commonly believed that high-quality CdTe nanoparticles with strong luminescence can only be prepared under the protection of an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon. Here, we report the preparation of highly luminescent CdTe nanoparticles in air and compare their luminescence properties with CdTe nanoparticles made in nitrogen. We find that both water-soluble CdTe nanoparticles made in air and in nitrogen exhibit strong photoluminescence as well as upconversion luminescence at room temperature. However, differences do exist between the particles made in air and those made in nitrogen. In particular, the particles prepared in air display a faster growth rate, grow to larger sizes, and display stronger electron coupling relative to the particles prepared in nitrogen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates that the oxygen content in the nanoparticles synthesized in air is higher that that in particles synthesized in N(2), likely resulting in a higher availability of excess free cadmium. Cytotoxicity measurements reveal that the particles made in air appear slightly more toxic, possibly due to the excess of free cadmium.     

Über die Herkunft der Lactatdehydrogenase und anderer Zellenzyme im normalen Blutserum

The origin of cell enzymes in normal blood serum is as yet unexplained. In a comparative study in man, marmoset monkey, rat and mouse we have investigated which of 10 major organs could be excluded as significant sources of LDH in normal serum. LDH-1, LDH-2 and LDH-3 are the strongest isoenzyme fractions in serum of man and marmoset. Based on the LDH isoenzyme patterns liver and skeleton muscle were excluded in man; liver, skeleton muscle, spleen, large intestine and leucocytes were excluded in the marmoset. LDH-5 is the predominat isoenzyme in the serum of the rat and of the mouse. Heart and kidney were excluded as LDH sources in the rat; heart, kidney and lung were excluded in the mouse. One must assume that the mechanism of cell enzyme release into the blood is identical in all species. Hence, if an organ is excluded as source of LDH in one species it is also to be excluded in all other species. Erythrocytes and thrombocytes were recognized as the sources of LDH in normal serum of the four species. Species differences of the LDH isoenzyme patterns in these organs are reflected in comparable differences of the isoenzyme patterns in serum. The major portion of LDH in normal serum is released during the physiological turnover of these cells. This hypothesis includes all enzymes which are present in erythrocytes and thrombocytes. Only few organ specific enzymes which are present in normal serum, originate from other tissues.     

高分子在生物工程中的应用进展

在生物工程中所用的高分子材料一般统称为高分子生物材料,其涉及的范围很广。医用高分子是其中很重要的一类,另一类就是在生物技术中所用的高分子材料。对于高分子生物材料可根据其材料性质进行分类,也可按使用范围进行分类。如体内应用的材料,半体内应用的材料和体外应用的材料。本文着重介绍了抗凝血材料、药用高分子材料及应用于生物技术中高分子材料的研究进展,并总结分析了这几个研究领域中的发展趋势。     

History of Polyolefins

The history of polyolefins actually began in the 1890s with the synthesis of polymethylene from diazomethane. In the 1930s researchers in England discovered that ethylene at high pressure and in the presence of oxygen polymerized to a high molecular weight resin. Further research there and in the United States at still higher pressures yielded essentially straight chain, higher density polyethylenes. Early in the 1950s, groups in the United States and Europe independently discovered that linear, high-density polyethylenes could be made at low pressure over heterogeneous catalysts. Concurrently, groups catalytically produced polyolefin plastics from propylene and higher a-olefins. The inventorship of crystalline polypropylene was awarded to Phillips Petroleum Co. by United States courts in early 1980 (subject to final appeal). Commercial production of low-density polyethylene began in England (ICI) in 1939. High-pressure plants appeared in the United States (Du Pont and Union Carbide) and in Germany during World War II. Production of linear polyethylene started in late 1956 in the United States (Phillips). A semiworks Koppers plant began polyethylene production for commercial use earlier in 1956. Other plants quickly followed suit, using Phillips and Ziegler processes. Polypropylene production began in Europe and in the United States in 1957-1958. Two other polyolefin plastics have been produced in small commercial quantities, starting about 1965: poly(4-methyl-l-pentene) and poly-1-butene.