Phospholipid and fatty acid compositions of the lipids of the eggs and caterpillars of the silkworm, and of artificial diets and their components

The lipids of silkworm eggs in the period of diapause and embryonic and postembryonic development, of artificial feeds, and of the main lipid-containing components of artificial nutrient media have been investigated.Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 192–197, March–April, 1994.     

The correlations of the enthalpy of vaporization and the surface tension of molecular liquids

Correlation relations based on Stefan's rule, which defined dependence between the enthalpy of vaporization, the surface tension, the molar volume and the molar mass of a substance, were obtained. For development of the correlation equations two computational procedures were used: a method of the least squares and a method of artificial neural networks. The method of artificial neural networks was shown to give somewhat better results than the linear least-squares procedure. The average deviation of the calculated values from the experimental ones did not exceed 6% for training set of substances and 10% for control set (the method of the least squares). For the method of artificial neural networks it is 3% and 8%, respectively.     

Layout of the artificial coast in Lianyungang and its implementation

The "artificial coast" refers to a coast section, with considerable spatial dimension, reformed by human activities. The purposes of coastal reform may be diversified. It should be consistent with the economic principles and must lay emphasis on the improvement of coastal ecosystems, and the affinity of man to marine environment. One of the basic studies in the artificial coast planning is to construct the dynamic model of coastal erosion and accretion. From such understandings, the West Great Seawall in Lianyungang can be considered as a successful project in artificial coast engineering.     

Layout of the artificial coast in Lianyungang and its implementation

The “artificial coast” refers to a coast section, with considerable spatial dimension, reformed by human activities. The purposes of coastal reform may be diversified. It should be consistent with the economic principles and must lay emphasis on the improvement of coastal ecosystems, and the affinity of man to marine environment. One of the basic studies in the artificial coast planning is to construct the dynamic model of coastal erosion and accretion. From such understandings, the West Great Seawall in Lianyungang can be considered as a successful project in artificial coast engineering.

     

Investigation of disused artificial zeolite on the properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer

Artificial zeolite deactivated after repeated utilization and the properties compromised formed disused zeolite. In the past, disused artificial zeolite landfilled after incineration and results in environmental pollution and resource waste. This work synthesized a new type of a new metakaolin-based geopolymer prepared by using disused artificial zeolite and metakaolin. The influence of disused artificial zeolite on the performance and pore structure of the final products was investigated. The bulk density and compressive strength of the samples were approximate 457 kg/m³ and 1.3 MPa, respectively. Moreover, disused artificial zeolite has good mesoporosity and strong foaming performance. The incorporation of disused artificial zeolite generated more pores with smaller diameters and pronounced pore grading, adjust the pore structure of the samples, forming multiscale pore structured structures. This study described one application method of disused artificial zeolite in geopolymers, synthesized a new metakaolin-based geopolymer, which is significant for exploring the potential utilization value of disused artificial zeolite.     

Light-Harvesting Artificial Cells for the Generation of ATP and NADPH†

The bottom-up construction of self-powered artificial cells is significant to understand the energy supply and metabolism of nature cells. Here, we demonstrate an efficient manner to build thylakoid-containing artificial cells, which continuously convert light energy into chemical energy to supply adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) under light illumination. The production of ATP supplies energy to promote the biological enzyme cascade reactions, where glucose is transformed into glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) under the catalysis of hexokinase (HK). G6P was further converted to gluconolactone 6-phosphate (PG) in the presence of 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), meanwhile NADP⁺ was converted to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The self-powered artificial cells were demonstrated to generate ATP and NADPH successively, which provided a way for building more complicated artificial cells.      

Investigation of the protecting envelopes of natural and synthetic emulsions

The fine structure of fatty globules in artificial emulsion, in crude human milk and in the cells of mammary glands of both virgin and nursing albino rats were studied. The envelopes of milk fatty globules have been shown to consist of a diffuse protein layer bordering upon fat followed by a trilaminar unit membrane. The envelope of the artificial fatty globule posseses only the diffuse protein layer. The spatial interrelationships of the envelopes of the milk fatty globules are discussed in relation to the mode of lactic fat formation inside the cells of the mammary gland.     

Continuous monitoring of the artificial beta-activity of the aerosol in real time

We have constructed a system to monitor the artificial beta-activity of the aerosol continuously in real time around nuclear power plants. The smaller releases of artificial radionuclides from the nuclear power plants can be lost in fluctuations of the natural background of beta-activity of the aerosol, in case that the beta-activity of the aerosol is only measured. The method to discriminate artificial beta-activity and natural beta-activity of the aerosol is based on the almost constant ratio of the natural alpha- and beta-activity of the aerosol. The detection limit of this system is below 3 Bq/m³.     

Formation of artificial micro‐pits on Al alloy with the photon rupture method and the localized corrosion behavior of the formed pits

An in situ artificial micro‐pit fabrication method with an area selective electrochemical measurement technique was applied to investigate the effect of the geometry of artificially formed pits on their localized corrosion behavior in anodized 1000 series aluminum. This technique enables the fabrication of artificial micro‐pits with different aspect ratios (pit depth/pit diameter) in solutions. The aspect ratios of the fabricated artificial micro‐pits in this experiment could be varied from 0.13 to 1.83 by controlling the irradiation time of the focused pulsed YAG laser beam. By applying a constant potential to the final laser‐beam‐irradiated spot in chloride environments, localized dissolution occurred only at the laser beam irradiated area, because the anodic oxide film acted as an insulator. The corrosion current and charge increase with increasing aspect ratio at any applied potential. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Searching for the main anti-bacterial components in artificial Calculus bovis using UPLC and microcalorimetry coupled with multi-linear regression analysis

The fingerprints of artificial Calculus bovis extracts from different solvents were established by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and the anti-bacterial activities of artificial C. bovis extracts on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) growth were studied by microcalorimetry. The UPLC fingerprints were evaluated using hierarchical clustering analysis. Some quantitative parameters obtained from the thermogenic curves of S. aureus growth affected by artificial C. bovis extracts were analyzed using principal component analysis. The spectrum-effect relationships between UPLC fingerprints and anti-bacterial activities were investigated using multi-linear regression analysis. The results showed that peak 1 (taurocholate sodium), peak 3 (unknown compound), peak 4 (cholic acid), and peak 6 (chenodeoxycholic acid) are more significant than the other peaks with the standard parameter estimate 0.453, -0.166, 0.749, 0.025, respectively. So, compounds cholic acid, taurocholate sodium, and chenodeoxycholic acid might be the major anti-bacterial components in artificial C. bovis. Altogether, this work provides a general model of the combination of UPLC chromatography and anti-bacterial effect to study the spectrum-effect relationships of artificial C. bovis extracts, which can be used to discover the main anti-bacterial components in artificial C. bovis or other Chinese herbal medicines with anti-bacterial effects.     

Droplet microfluidics for the study of artificial cells

In this review, we describe recent advances in droplet-based microfluidics technology that can be applied in studies of artificial cells. Artificial cells are simplified models of living cells and provide valuable model platforms designed to reveal the functions of biological systems. The study of artificial cells is promoted by microfluidics technologies, which provide control over tiny volumes of solutions during quantitative chemical experiments and other manipulations. Here, we focus on current and future trends in droplet microfluidics and their applications in studies of artificial cells.     

人工模拟酶的研究与应用进展

人工模拟酶具有性质稳定、易于制备、环境耐受性强等优点,在某种程度上解决了天然酶易失活、难制备的缺点。本文按照人工模拟酶的分类,综述对比了传统模拟酶与纳米材料模拟酶的研究现状,对人工模拟酶优缺点进行总结分析,并对其应用前景进行了展望。     

Determination of V(IV) and V(V) by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry following selective solid-phase extraction and the study on the change in the oxidation state of vanadium species in seawater during the sample storage.

The changes in the oxidation state of vanadium in artificial and natural seawater samples were studied by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) with a direct injection of a resin suspension. V(IV) and V(V) were extracted as the complex with Chromazurol B and with N-cinnamoyl-N-2,3-xylylhydroxylamine, respectively, using a suspension of an anion-exchange resin and determined by ETAAS independently. The detection limits of both methods were 0.02 ng ml(-1) for 40 ml of a sample solution. The recovery tests for an artificial seawater sample spiked with V(IV) and/or V(V) were carried out carefully. The results showed that the recoveries of V(IV) or V(V) were 99.2-109% and the standard deviations were 1-6%. The total V was also determined after V(V) was reduced by ascorbic acid. In artificial seawater at pH 7.8, V(V) was stable but V(IV) was oxidized rapidly. In acidified artificial seawater (pH 2.0), V(IV) was oxidized slowly but only a small tendency of such reduction of V(V) was observed. In a natural seawater sample, V(IV) was not detected. The acidification of the natural seawater sample resulted in the reduction of V(V).     

Concentrations of 137Cs and 40K radionuclides and some heavy metals in soil samples from the eastern part of the Main Ridge of the Flysch Carpathians

The aim of the study is to present the results of determination of radioactivity of artificial ¹³⁷Cs and natural ⁴⁰K and certain heavy metals in soil samples collected from the eastern part of the Main Ridge of Carpathians, including the Beskid Niski Mts and the Bieszczady Mts. The evaluation of level of radionuclides was based on the bulk density analysis of the soil. A valuable finding of the study was a good linear correlation between the level of ¹³⁷Cs concentration and bulk density of the soil as well as an inverse correlation between radioactivity of natural ⁴⁰K and tested soil density. This might indicate though a high competitiveness of these elements between each other. Moreover, a good correlation between the concentrations of artificial element ¹³⁷Cs and Pb has been also observed in soil samples collected from the Beskid Niski Mts. In most cases, the level of artificial ¹³⁷Cs was lower comparing to an average ¹³⁷Cs concentration established for soils in Poland.     

Simultaneous kinetic-spectrophotometric determination of carbidopa, levodopa and methyldopa in the presence of citrate with the aid of multivariate calibration and artificial neural networks

The kinetic methodology based on the difference of reaction rates, is based on the reaction between a common oxidizing agents such as tris(1,10-phenanthroline) and iron(III) complex (ferriin, [Fe (phen)₃]³⁺) in the presence of citrate and spectrophotometrically, monitoring the changes of absorbance at the maximum wavelength of 511 nm. Experimental conditions such as pH, reagents and citrate concentrations were optimized, and the data obtained from the experiments were processed by several chemometric approaches, such as artificial neural network (ANN) and partial least squares (PLS). A set of synthetic mixtures of carbidopa (CD), levodopa (LD) and methyldopa (MD) was evaluated and the results obtained by the applications of these chemometric approaches were discussed and compared. It was found that the back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) method afforded better precision relatively than those of radial basis function artificial neural networks (RBF-ANN) and PLS. The proposed method was also applied satisfactorily to the determination of carbidopa, levodopa and methyldopa in real samples.     

Steroid binding by antibodies and artificial receptors: Exploration of theoretical methods to determine the origins of binding affinities and specificities

Binding mode calculations for complexes between an artificial paracyclophane receptor and digoxins, cholic acids as well as cortisone steroids show encapsulation of different ring combinations. Docking experiments were performed between the 26-10 antibody and digoxins. Coordination affinity arises from hydrophobic desolvation and van der Waals interactions rather than from hydrogen bonds. The specificity and affinity arises mainly from shape complementarity. Computed binding free energies and Kohonen neural network computations both point to physicochemical and structural similarities of natural antibodies and artificial receptors.     

Surface and bulk aspects of the natural and artificial photo-ageing of Bisphenol A polycarbonate as revealed by ESCA and difference UV spectroscopy

ESCA and difference uv spectroscopy have been used to monitor the changes in surface and bulk chemistry, respectively, of Bisphenol A polycarbonate during natural and artificial weathering. It is shown that photo-oxidation, and not a photo-Fries rearrangement mechanism, is the predominant process in the surface regions for both types of exposure. For a close correlation with natural weathering the use of a black lamp as an artificial uv source is advocated. Difference uv spectra obtained for natural and black lamp exposures reveal that changes in bulk chemistry cannot be interpreted in terms of a photo-Fries reaction.     

Comparative study of the energy transfer kinetics in artificial BChl e aggregates containing a BChl a acceptor and BChl e-containing chlorosomes of Chlorobium phaeobacteroides

Chlorosomes are the light-harvesting organelles of green bacteria, containing mainly special bacteriochlorophylls (BChls) carrying a 3(1)-hydroxy side chain. Artificial aggregates of BChl c, d, and e have been shown to resemble the native chlorosomes in many respects. They are therefore seen as good model systems for understanding the spectroscopic properties of these antenna systems. We have investigated the excitation energy transfer in artificial aggregates of BChl e, containing small amounts of BChl a as an energy acceptor, using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence. Global analysis of the kinetic data yields two lifetimes attributable to energy transfer: a fast one of 12-20 ps and a slower one of approximately 50 ps. For comparison, BChl e-containing native chlorosomes of Chlorobium phaeobacteroides and chlorosomes in which the energy acceptor had been degraded by alkaline treatment were also studied. A similar behavior is seen in both the artificial and the natural systems. The results suggest that the artificial aggregates of BChls have a potential as antenna systems in future artificial photonic devices.     

人工核酸酶的设计和与核酸的相互作用

人工核酸酶在基因药物设计和分子生物学研究领域具有重要的科学意义,因此人工核酸酶的设计和酶模拟方面的研究引起了广泛关注并取得了重要进展．本文介绍近年来国内外学者和作者研究组在“双功能协同催化”、“双核协同催化”、“无金属催化”的人工核酸酶方面的研究进展,尤其是氮杂冠醚衍生物作为人工核酸酶与DNA相互作用的研究进展．     

Hydrogel polymer appears to mimic the performance of the GroEL/GroES molecular chaperone machine

Controlled protein folding/refolding remains a substantial challenge to the biotechnology industry. Robust and adaptable artificial polymer molecular chaperones could make important contributions towards solving this problem. Taking inspiration from the mechanism of the GroEL/GroES molecular chaperone machine, we report the preparation and testing of a selection of cross-linked thermo-responsive hydrogels, one of which is shown to assist quantitative refolding of a stringent unfolded protein substrate (mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase [mMDH]) during temperature cycling between hydrophobic and hydrophilic states. To our knowledge, this is the first hydrogel-only artificial polymer molecular chaperone to be derived, which is also potentially a generic artificial polymer molecular chaperone for use in a folding bioreactor.