天然纤维素在生物降解过程中超分子结构的变化

纤维素是植物光合作用的主要产物,是地球上最丰富的可再生性能源物质,微生物对它的降解是自然界碳素循环的主要环节。对这个过程的有效利用可望为农业、畜牧业、发酵工业以及化学工业等持续提供廉价原料,对防治环境污染和建立良性生态系统也会发挥重要作用。 作为植物的结构性材料,由β-1,4-糖苷键联结葡萄糖苷构成的纤维素,具有很难被微生物降解的特性,与由α-1,4-糖苷键联结葡萄糖苷组成的淀粉相比,纤维素酶的分子转换率要较淀粉酶低约两个数量级。但是,由β-1,4-糖苷键构成的纤维素寡糖,却较由α-1,4-

Electron Microscopic Studies on the Silver-stained Nucleolar Cycle of Physarum polycephalum

The dynamic changes of nucleolar ultrastructure in the cell cycle of Physarum polycephalum Schw. were studied by an en bloc silver-staining method. The results showed that the nucleolus was large in size and situated in the center of the nucleus in late G(2)-phase, and the fibrillar centers, dense fibrillar components and granular components could be observed in the nucleolus. During prophase, the nucleolus moved towards the periphery of the nucleus and in late prophase disintegrated near the nuclear envelope. in metaphase, the disintegrated nucleolar components were dispersed in masses and located at the periphery of the chromosomal region of the nucleus. No specifically silver-stained area and argentophilic protein sheath were observed on the chromosomes, but there were some big dispersed silver particles within the chromosomes. During telophase the nucleolar components moved towards the two poles along with the chromosomes and co-existed with the decondensing chromatin in daughter nuclei. The nucleolar components then gradually converged with one another and separated from the chromatin. A big nucleolus was formed in the nucleus about 120 min after the completion of mitosis.

Seasonal Changes in the Ultrastructure of the Vascular Cambium in Shoots of Populus tomentosa

Wood is the product of cambial activity in trees, and the seasonal activity style of cambium directly influences wood biomass production, structures and properties. The seasonal changes in the ultrastructure of the vascular cambium activity of Populus tonientosa Carr. planted in Beijing area were examined in shoot tissues collected during 15 months by means of transmission electron microscopy. Before xylem mother cells reactivated completely, the dividing fusiform cells in cambium and new phloem cells had appeared at the same time. The initiation of cambial activity may be related to the bud sprouting and the young leaf growth in shoots. More details about the ultrastructural changes of cambial cells at the onset of cambial activity have been gained. When the large vacuole in active cambial cells divided into smaller ones during the dormant phase, proteinaceous material that disappeared in active cambial cells refilled many of these small vactioles. In addition, lipid droplets and starch granules had the same cycles as proteinaceous material. The plasmalemma invaginations of fusiform cells were observed not only in active phase but also in dormancy. The endomembrane system consisting of nuclear membrane, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), dictyosomes and their secretory vesicles, changed in form and distribution at different phases during a cycle and performed important roles at the onset of active cambium and during the wall formation process of secondary xylem cells. The tangential walls remained relatively thin throughout the year but the radial walls thickened markedly when the cambium was dormant. During the transition from dormancy to activity, a partial autolysis occurred in the radial walls of the cambial cells, especially at the cell wall junctions. A notable feature of the cells at the onset of cambial activity was the thinning of the radial walls.

Multi-Defect Generation Behavior in Ultra Thin Oxide Under DT Stresses

The saturation behavior of stress current is studied.The three types of precursor sites for trap generation are also introduced by fitting method based on first order rate equation.A further investigation by statistics experiments shows that there are definite relationships among time constant of trap generation,the time to breakdown,and stress voltage.It also means that the time constant of trap generation can be used to predict oxide lifetime.This method is faster for TDDB study compared with usual breakdown experiments.

Effect of salvianolate on intestinal epithelium tight junction protein zonula occludens protein 1 in cirrhotic rats

AIM:To study the effect of salvianolate on tight junctions(TJs) and zonula occludens protein 1(ZO-1) in small intestinal mucosa of cirrhotic rats.METHODS:Cirrhosis was induced using carbon tetrachloride.Rats were randomly divided into the untreated group,low-dose salvianolate(12 mg/kg) treatment group,medium-dose salvianolate(24 mg/kg) treatment group,and high-dose salvianolate(48 mg/kg) treatment group,and were treated for 2 wk.Another 10 healthy rats served as the normal control group.Histological changes in liver tissue samples were observed under a light microscope.We evaluated morphologic indices of ileal mucosa including intestinal villi width and thickness of mucosa and intestinal wall using a pathological image analysis system.Ultrastructural changes in small intestinal mucosa were investigated in the five groups using transmission electron microscopy.The changes in ZO-1 expression,a tight junction protein,were analyzed by immunocytochemistry.The staining index was calculated as the product of the staining intensity score and the proportion of positive cells.RESULTS:In the untreated group,hepatocytes showed a disordered arrangement,fatty degeneration was extensive,swelling was obvious,and disorganized lobules were divided by collagen fibers in hepatic tissue,which were partly improved in the salvianolate treated groups.In the untreated group,abundant lymphocytes infiltrated the fibrous tissue with proliferation of bile ducts,and collagen fibers gradually decreased and damaged hepatic lobules were partly repaired following salvianolate treatment.Compared with the untreated group,no differences in intestinal villi width between the five groups were observed.The villi height as well as mucosa and intestinal wall thickness gradually thickened with salvianolate treatment and were significantly shorter in the untreated group compared with those in the salvianolate treatment groups and normal group(P < 0.01).The number of microvilli decreased and showed irregular lengths and arrangements in the untreated group.The intercellular space between epithelial cells was wider.The TJs were discontinuous,which indicated disruption in TJ morphology in the untreated group.In the treated groups,the microvilli in the intestinal epithelium were regular and the TJs were gradually integrated and distinct.The expression of ZO-1 decreased in the small intestine of the untreated cirrhotic rats.The high expression rate of ZO-1 in ileal mucosa in the untreated group was significantly lower than that in the medium-dose salvianolate group(21.43% vs 64.29%,χ 2 = 5.25,P < 0.05),high-dose salvianolate group(21.43% vs 76.92%,χ 2 = 8.315,P < 0.01) and normal group(21.43% vs 90%,χ 2 = 10.98,P < 0.01).CONCLUSION:Salvianolate improves liver histopathological changes,repairs intestinal mucosa and TJ structure,and enhances ZO-1 expression in the small intestinal mucosa in cirrhotic rats.

Ultrastructural changes in non-specific duodenitis

AIM: To investigate the ultrastructural and morphological changes of non-specific duodenitis (NSD) in an attempt to grade them according to the extent of the lesions. METHODS: Biopsies were taken from the mucosa of duodenal bulb of 44 patients selected from the patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for epigastric discomforts. From each patient, two pinch biopsies on the same area were obtained from duodenal bulb. One was for scanning electron microscopy and the other was stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Warthin-Starry silver and both were then examined under light microscope. A total of 12 specimens (three from each degree of the normal and I-III of NSD diagnosed and graded by histology) selected from the 44 patients were dehydrated, critical point dried, coated with gold palladium and examined under a JEOL JSM-30 scanning electron microscope (SEM) at 20 kV. RESULTS: According to the ultrastructural morphologic changes, non-specific duodenitis was divided into normal (as control group), mild, moderate and severe degrees according to results of SEM. The normal villi of duodenal bulb were less than 0.2 mm. There were inflammation cells, occasionally red blood cells and macrophages on the mucosal epithelial surface. Erosion and desquamation of epithelium could be seen. Three cases (25%, 3/12) had gastric metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori(H pylori) infection could be found in 5 cases (41.67%, 5/12) in duodenal bulb mucosa. The most distinctive feature was the ulcer-like defect on the surface of epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: Non-specific duodenitis is a separate entity disease caused by different factors. SEM is of value as an aid in the diagnosis of mucosal diseases of duodenum.

Nanophase separation and structural evolution of block copolymer films： A ＂green＂ and ＂clean＂ supercritical fluid approach

Thin films of block copolymers （BCPs） are widely accepted as potentially important materials in a host of technological applications including nano- lithography. In order to induce domain separation and form well-defined structural arrangements, many of these are solvent-annealed （i.e. solvent swollen） at moderate temperatures. The use of solvents can be challenging in industry from an environmental point of view as well as having practical/cost issues. However, a simple and environmentally friendly alternative to solvo-thermal annealing for the periodically ordered nanoscale phase separated structures is described herein. Various asymmetric polystyrene-b-poly（ethylene oxide） （PS-b-PEO） thin films were annealed in a compressible fluid, supercritical carbon dioxide （scCO2）, to control nanodomain orientation and surface morphologies. For the first time, periodic well defined, hexagonally ordered films with sub-25 nm pitch size were demonstrated using a supercritical fluid （SCF） process at low temperatures and pressures. Predominant swelling of PEO domains in scCO2 induces nanophase separation, scCO2 serves as green alternative to the conventional organic solvents for the phase segregation of BCPs with complete elimination of any residual solvent in the patterned film. The depressurization rate of scCO2 following annealing was found to affect the morphology of the films. The supercritical annealing conditions could be used to define nanoporous analogues of the microphase separated films without additional processing, providing a one-step route to membrane like structures without affecting the ordered surface phase segregated structure. An understanding of the BCP self- assembly mechanism can be realized in terms of the deviation in glass transition temperature, melting point, viscosity, interaction parameter and volume fraction of the constituent blocks in the scCO2 environment.