Alginate Properties and Heavy Metal Biosorption by Marine Algae

The physical properties of the alginate component in four different brown seaweeds (Sargassumfluitans, Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculo-sus, andLaminaria japonica) were characterized using potentiometric titration,¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), chemical analysis, and viscosity measurements. The heavy metal binding capacities of the corresponding seaweeds were directly proportional to their respective total carboxyl group content, and related to the electronegativity of the elements investigated (Ca, Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb). The uronic acid composition or sequence of the alginate component did not affect the metal uptake properties of the biosorbents studied here. However, the alginate leaching owing to its solubilization by Na ions was observed to decrease with increasing intrinsic viscosity of the extracted alginate, related to its molecular weight, and with increasing apparent acidic dissociation constant, related to the alginate density inside the biomass.     

Monitoring of Fe,Mn, Cu,Pb and Cd levels in two brown macroalgae from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Heavy metal contents (Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb and Cd) were determined in two brown macroalgal species (Cystoseira crinita and Cystoseira barbata). Samples were collected during six seasons from spring 1996 to summer 2000 from five different sites of the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal zone – Tuzlata, Ravda, Sozopol, Ahtopol and Sinemoretz. The local and seasonal metal distribution and their variations were examined.

The data obtained indicate that the two investigated species demonstrate various degrees of metal accumulation and can be used as indicators for the type and quantity of anthropogenic contamination in marine ecosystems.     

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor curcumin upregulates mitochondrial uncoupling protein1 (UCP1) and mitochondrial function in brown adipocytes,in-silico study and screening natural drug library

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been associated with diverse pathological conditions globally. Specifically, in adipose tissues, mitochondrial dysfunction is the primary cause of obesity and obesity-related illnesses. An existing drugs such as atorvastatin and other lipid-lowering drugs demonstrated adverse effects and initiated other diseases. Thus, we need to explore new methods to prevent and treat obesity. In this study, we used the cell screening method to identify several natural compounds that increase adipocyte UCP1 gene expression. The identified drug Curcumin was evaluated in cell models and the In-silico model. We found curcumin is an active compound of turmeric belonging to Zingiberaceae (ginger family), which activates the Nrf2 mechanism. Curcumin potentially endorses the expression of UCP1 in the brown adipocyte in vitro cellular model. Curcumin plays an important role that modulating mitochondrial function and improving mitochondrial DNA quantification, ATP production, and cell viability. We have established an efficient in vitro cell experiment system to study the metabolic regulation of UCP1. The in-silico model revealed curcumin-UCP1 interaction. Curcumin, via enhancing mitochondrial activity, could be a helpful therapeutic molecule against metabolic disorders or obesity-related diseases. Curcumin will be the subject of more research in both human and murine models, which will provide novel therapeutic pathways for the treatment of metabolic illnesses by modulating the control of mitochondrial function.     

A structural model for the time-dependent recovery of mineral suspensions

A thixotropic recovery model has been developed that is based on consideration of the microstructural interactions that occur between particles within a suspension particle network. The model is based on Smoluchowski coagulation rate theory, utilizing second order kinetics to describe the thixotropic recovery behavior. The model is applied to Na-montmorillonite-based coal tailings suspensions and is also shown to be applicable to brown coal and bauxite residue suspensions. The model describes all the recovery data well, especially at intermediate to large recovery times. The recovery of the montmorillonite suspensions at short times was faster than predicted, indicating the existence of additional factors in early-time structure development. The discrepancy may have also been due to the highly anisotropic nature of the clay platelets. The recovery rate constant, K _r , increases with increasing solids concentration (for constant surface chemical conditions) as would be expected from the basis of the model. Received: 22 September 2000 Accepted: 16 March 2001     

非退化扩散过程的极性与相交性

本文讨论非退化扩散过程的极性，得到了几个较好的充分条件，它可看作[1]的进一步深化，此外，我们将这些结果用来研究两个独立的非退化扩散过程的相交性，得到了一些有意思的结果。     

水稻糙米粗蛋白近红外光谱定量分析模型的优化研究

筛选有代表性的191份糙米样品为试材,其中42份来自国家稻种资源库、149份来自水旱稻杂交产生的DH系,蛋白质含量变幅5.90％～14.50％,采用偏最小二乘法(PLS)建立模型,并构造模型的评价参数——目标函数[R/(1+RMSECV)], 同时借助校正集和验证集两个载荷向量得分二维空间投影图,对近红外定量模型进行评价和优化。结果表明: 在5 000～9 000 cm-1范围内,预处理方法为一阶导数,校正模型和外部检验的目标函数值分别为0.701和0.687;两载荷向量得分直观分布图显示样品的聚类结果与目标函数筛选结果一致,也进一步验证了目标函数是模型评价和优化的有效指标。     

Variations in T(2)* and fat content of murine brown and white adipose tissues by chemical-shift MRI

Purpose

The purpose was to compare T₂* relaxation times and proton density fat-fraction (PDFF) values between brown (BAT) and white (WAT) adipose tissue in lean and ob/ob mice.

Materials and Methods

A group of lean male mice (n=6) and two groups of ob/ob male mice placed on similar 4-week (n=6) and 8-week (n=8) ad libitum diets were utilized. The animals were imaged at 3 T using a T₂*-corrected chemical-shift-based water–fat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method that provides simultaneous estimation of T₂* and PDFF on a voxel-wise basis. Regions of interest were drawn within the interscapular BAT and gonadal WAT depots on co-registered T₂* and PDFF maps. Measurements were assessed using analysis of variance, Bonferroni-adjusted t test for multigroup comparisons and the Tukey post hoc test.

Results

Significant differences (P<.01) in BAT T₂* and PDFF were observed between the lean and ob/ob groups. The ob/ob animals exhibited longer BAT T₂* and greater PDFF than lean animals. However, only BAT PDFF was significantly different (P<.01) between the two ob/ob groups. When comparing BAT to WAT within each group, T₂* and PDFF values were consistently lower in BAT than WAT (P<.01). The difference was most prominent in the lean animals. In both ob/ob groups, BAT exhibited very WAT-like appearances and properties on the MRI images.

Conclusion

T₂* and PDFF are lower in BAT than WAT. This is likely due to variations in tissue composition. The values were consistently lower in lean mice than in ob/ob mice, suggestive of the former's greater demand for BAT thermogenesis and reflective of leptin hormone deficiencies and diminished BAT metabolic activity in the latter.     

基于ASP.NET的部队办公自动化系统的设计和实现

从部队的需求分析出发,介绍了系统的架构设计思想,业务分析过程以及数据库设计和实现方案,构建了一个基于ASP.NET的部队通用网络OA系统的平台,并针对一些关键技术的实现细节进行了介绍。设计充分利用ASP.NET开发WEB程序的特点,从实际项目中总结经验,阐述了一个完整办公自动化的开发过程。     

二维随机粗糙面的fBm模拟及其统计特性

数值模拟在物理建模中具有相当重要的地位。本文基于对二维分形布朗运动（ｆＢｍ）的研究，根据ｆＢｍ的特征，阐述了用二维ｆＢｍ函数模拟随机粗糙面的方法。由于很多电磁散射问题与粗糙面的各阶矩有很大的关系，我们导出了二维随机粗糙面的统计参量与分维Ｄ的关系。基于对二维ｆＢｍ的小波分析，提出了在时－频相空间估计分维Ｄ的方法。这种方法比较简单而切实可行，不但适合于粗糙面整体分维的计算，更适合于局部分数维的计算。所