微波辅助对生物溶液超滤过程的影响

为验证微波场强化植物提取的"膜超滤"假说机理,以聚醚砜超滤膜为研究对象,以膜通量为考察指标,结合膜和黄芪饮片显微结构的扫描电镜(SEM)表征,讨论了微波辐射对黄芪水提液超滤过程的影响。结果表明,驱动压力相同,微波辅助超滤30 min时,膜通量下降到初始值的57.36%,且膜表面观察不到凝胶层;而常规超滤30 min,膜通量已下降到初始值的30.29%,且膜表面覆盖一层约20μm的凝胶层。说明微波辐射能够减弱浓差极化现象,促进膜超滤过程中的物质传递。     

基于电泳法和磁控溅射技术制备金纳米阵列

采用纳米球刻蚀技术中的电泳法设计了3组对照实验,通过控制电压、悬浮液的体积分数和基板正负极性,得到电泳法制备纳米球掩膜板的最佳条件,制备出排布均匀的纳米球单层密堆积结构的掩膜板.采用磁控溅射技术在掩膜板上沉积金薄膜,去除纳米球掩模板,通过扫描电子显微镜观察到周期排列的三角形棱台状金纳米颗粒阵列.测量其吸收光谱,可观察到表面等离子体共振吸收峰.     

Pressure unfolding facilitates the formation of temperature gels

Abstract

The formation of protein aggregates after pressure treatment was investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the pressure unfolded protein ends in a conformation, after the release of the pressure, which has an increased tendency to aggregate, even at temperatures lower than the denaturation temperature of the untreated protein. After pressure pretreatment the infrared spectrum shows the same intermolecular antiparallel β-structure features as observed after a temperature treatment that gives rise to protein gelation. on the other hand, this structure can be destabilized by applying moderate pressures, which are significantly lower than the corresponding denaturation pressure.     

Molecular structure and IR spectra of bromomethanes by DFT and post-Hartree-Fock MP2 and CCSD(T) calculations

The molecular parameters (geometries, rotational constants, dipole moments) and vibrational IR spectra (harmonic wavenumbers, absolute intensities) of bromomethanes (CH₃Br, CH₂Br₂, CHBr₃, CBr₄) are predicted by a density functional theory with the hybrid Becke3-LYP functional (DFT) and post-Hartree-Fock methods (MP2, CCSD(T)) using a 6-311G(2d,2p)-type basis set. The MP2 calculations are carried out with different numbers of frozen core orbitals to find how the number of bromine orbitals used for electron correlation influences the predicted molecular parameters and IR spectra of the species in question. Three options were used: (a) all electrons (full), with both the core and valence orbitals considered; (b) partial frozen core option (pfc), when the orbitals up to 3p of bromine were frozen; and (c) full frozen core option (ffc), when all core orbitals up to 3d were frozen. The CCSD(T) calculations for geometric parameters were carried out with both the pfc and ffc options, while for the prediction of the IR spectra only the ffc option was used. In addition, the calculations at the DFT and MP2(pfc) levels with inclusion of f functions on carbon and bromine atoms in bromomethanes (and also the CCSD(T)(pfc) calculations for CH₃Br) were carried out to predict the changes in the geometric parameters and/or vibrational IR spectra of the molecules upon inclusion of f functions The geometries of bromomethanes (particularly the CBr bond lengths) are predicted better by the DFT and CCSD(T) calculations when the f functions (in particular on bromine atom) are included, while the MP2 calculations without f functions are good enough for correct predictions of the molecular geometries. The molecular parameters and vibrational IR spectra of bromomethanes in question and their deuterated species predicted by the DFT, MP2(ffc) and CCSD(T)(ffc) with the 6-311G(2d,2p) basis set agree well with the available experimental data.     

Polymeric Carbon Nitride-based Single Atom Photocatalysts for CO2 Reduction to C1 Products

Photocatalytic CO₂ reduction to C₁ fuels is considered to be an important way for alleviating increasingly serious energy crisis and environmental pollution. Due to the environment-friendly, simple preparation, easy formation of highly-stable metal-nitrogen(M-N_x) coordination bonds, and suitable band structure, polymeric carbon nitride-based single-atom catalysts(C₃N₄-based SACs) are expected to become a potential for CO₂ reduction under visible-light irradiation. In this review, we summarize the recent advancement on C₃N₄-based SACs for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction to C₁ products, including the reaction mechanism for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction to C₁ products, the structure and synthesis methods of C₃N₄-based SACs and their applications toward photocatalytic CO₂ reduction reaction(CO₂RR) for C₁ production. The current challenges and future opportunities of C₃N₄-based SACs for photoreduction of CO₂ are also discussed.     

A differential-equation-based model of the glass ceiling in career progression

ABSTRACT

We introduce a model based on Ordinary Differential Equations to describe how two mutually exclusive groups progress through a career hierarchy, whether in a single organization, or in an entire economic sector. The intended application is to gender imbalance at the top of the academic hierarchy in European Universities; however, the model is entirely generic and may be applied in other contexts also. Previous research on gender imbalance in European universities has focused on large-scale statistical studies. Our model represents a point of departure, as it is deterministic (i.e., based on Ordinary Differential Equations). The model requires a precise definition of the progression rates for the different groups through the hierarchy; these are key parameters governing the dynamics of career progression. The progression rate for each group can be decomposed into a product: the proportion of group members at a low level in the hierarchy who compete for promotion to the next level a given year, multiplied by the in-competition success rate for the group in question. Either of these two parameters can differ across the groups under consideration; this introduces a group asymmetry into the organization’s composition. We introduce a glass-ceiling index to summarize this asymmetry succinctly. Using case studies from the literature, we demonstrate how the mathematical framework can pinpoint the proximate cause of the glass ceiling in European academia.     

Diffusion of magnetic field lines in a confined RFP plasma

Summary  A volume-preserving symplectic map is proposed to describe the magnetic field lines when the Taylor equilibriumis perturbed in a generic way. The standard scenario is observed by varying the perturbation strength, but the statistical properties in the chaotic regions are not simple due to the presence of boundaries and remnants of invariant structures. Simpler models of volume-preserving maps are proposed. The slowly modulated standard map captures the basic topological and statistical features. The diffusion is analytically described for large perturbations (above the break-up of the last KAM torus) in terms of correlation functions and for small perturbations using the adiabatic theory, provided that the modulation is sufficiently slow.     

H2‐Fueled ATP Synthesis on an Electrode: Mimicking Cellular Respiration

ATP, the molecule used by living organisms to supply energy to many different metabolic processes, is synthesized mostly by the ATPase synthase using a proton or sodium gradient generated across a lipid membrane. We present evidence that a modified electrode surface integrating a NiFeSe hydrogenase and a F₁F₀‐ATPase in a lipid membrane can couple the electrochemical oxidation of H₂ to the synthesis of ATP. This electrode‐assisted conversion of H₂ gas into ATP could serve to generate this biochemical fuel locally when required in biomedical devices or enzymatic synthesis of valuable products.