Plant Copper Amine Oxidases: Key Players in Hormone Signaling Leading to Stress-Induced Phenotypic Plasticity

Polyamines are ubiquitous, low-molecular-weight aliphatic compounds, present in living organisms and essential for cell growth and differentiation. Copper amine oxidases (CuAOs) oxidize polyamines to aminoaldehydes releasing ammonium and hydrogen peroxide, which participates in the complex network of reactive oxygen species acting as signaling molecules involved in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. CuAOs have been identified and characterized in different plant species, but the most extensive study on a CuAO gene family has been carried out in Arabidopsis thaliana. Growing attention has been devoted in the last years to the investigation of the CuAO expression pattern during development and in response to an array of stress and stress-related hormones, events in which recent studies have highlighted CuAOs to play a key role by modulation of a multilevel phenotypic plasticity expression. In this review, the attention will be focused on the involvement of different AtCuAOs in the IAA/JA/ABA signal transduction pathways which mediate stress-induced phenotypic plasticity events.     

对“垃圾衍生燃料”RDF之探析

当前,我国水泥工业在可燃废弃物应用技术方面都还处于一家一户、自制自用、效率极低的初级阶段。发达国家的替代燃料:“垃圾衍生燃料”RDF、“固体回收燃料”SRF、“次煤”Subcoal和“纸塑垃圾衍生燃料”RPF制成的原材料都是可燃废弃物,只是处理工艺技术不同或者由垃圾中分拣出的可燃废弃物不同,制成颗粒状衍生燃料的品质不同,这些都可以替代部分甚或替代全部化石燃料在水泥窑炉中应用。我国大力发展“替代燃料”产业,有助于水泥工业消纳更多的“可燃废弃物”,为改善环境尤其是城镇环境和面貌,为我国的节能减排和绿色高质量发展发挥更大的作用。     

Speciation of copper in high chloride concentrations,in the context of corrosion of copper canisters

Canisters with a cast iron insert for mechanical strength and a 50-mm thick copper shell as corrosion protection are planned to be used for disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden and Finland. Chloride can be considered “beneficial”, as it promotes active dissolution of copper rather than passivation (which might result in pitting), but a high concentration of chloride in solution would increase the driving force for corrosion through the formation of soluble copper chloro complexes. Thermodynamic calculations are performed in this study with the PHREEQC software and three of its accompanying databases, and a comparison with experimental data is performed to select the database to be used when evaluating repository performance. The activity coefficient models are given special attention. For the assessment of chloride-assisted corrosion of a KBS-3 canister, chloride concentrations pessimistically up to 5 mol/kg are used (in Finland and Sweden, the groundwater and bentonite porewater chloride concentrations are not expected to exceed 1 mol/kg). The resulting copper solubilities are then considered in different mass transport cases.     

变压吸附制氮(PSA)设备在炼油生产中的应用

针对某炼油装置氮气供需矛盾突出的问题,提出采用变压吸附(PSA)制氮设备,利用空压站净化风生产氮气方案,(1)降低空压站多余风量放空,减少浪费;(2)正常生产情况下,利用PSA设备生产氮气,对供氮管网压力调节。针对上述方案,结合空压站供风现状进行分析,得出结论:利用PSA制氮设备满足炼油装置高峰用氮是可行的,并提出了具体措施和运行过程中应注意的问题。     

Influence of CO2 inleakage on the slight-alkalization of generator internal cooling water

The slight-alkalization of generator internal cooling water (GICW) is widely used to inhibit the corrosion of hollow copper conductor and thereby ensure the safe operation of the generator. CO₂ inleakage is increasingly identified as a potential security risk for GICW system. In this paper, the influence of CO₂ inleakage on the slight-alkalization of GICW was theoretically discussed. Based on the equilibriums of the CO₂-NaOH-H₂O system, CO₂ inleakage saturation was derived to quantify the amount of the dissolved CO₂ in GICW. This parameter can be directly calculated with the measured conductivity and the [Na⁺] of GICW. The influence of CO₂ inleakage on the slight-alkalization conditioning of GICW and the measurement of its water quality parameters were then analyzed. The more severe the inleakage, the narrower the water quality operation ranges of GICW, resulting in the more difficult the slight-alkalization conditioning of GICW. The temperature calibrations of the conductivity and the pH value of GICW show non-linear correlations with the amount of CO₂ inleakage and the NaOH dosage. This study provides insights into the influence of CO₂ inleakage on the slight-alkalization of GICW, which can serve as the theoretical basis for the actual slight-alkalization when CO₂ inleakage occurs.     

Essential (Mg,Fe, Zn and Cu) and Non-Essential (Cd and Pb) Elements in Predatory Insects (Vespa crabro and Vespa velutina): A Molecular Perspective

The recent introduction of the Asian yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina, into Europe has raised concern regarding the threat to honeybees and the competition with the European hornet, Vespa crabro. The aim of this study was to investigated essential (Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu) and non-essential (Cd and Pb) elements in these two species. Element concentrations were determined in the whole body and separately in the head, thorax and abdomen using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The changes in essential element concentration and speciation during metamorphosis were also studied using size exclusion chromatography followed by AAS and proteomic analysis. In both species, the essential elements were more concentrated in the abdomen due to the presence of fat bodies. Magnesium, Fe and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in V. crabro than in V. velutina and could have been related to the higher aerobic energy demand of the former species required to sustain foraging flight. Low concentrations of Cd and Pb were indicative of low environmental exposure. The concentration and speciation of essential elements, particularly Fe, varied among the developmental stages, indicating a modification of ligand preferences during metamorphosis. Overall, the results in the present study provide a better understanding of the hornet metal metabolism and a foundation for additional studies.     

Corrosion behavior of copper in extremely harsh marine atmosphere in Nansha Islands,China

The corrosion behavior of pure copper exposed to the atmosphere of Nansha Islands for 21 months was studied by mass loss method, composition analysis, morphology observation and electrochemical measurements. The results showed that the average corrosion rate of copper exposed for one year was approximately 7.85 μm/a, implying that Nansha Islands was classified as a corrosion category of CX. The structure and properties of the corrosion product layer generated on the front and back sides of the exposed sample differed significantly. The inner corrosion product layer (Cu₂O) on the front side was relatively thick and dense, whereas the outer product layer (Cu₂Cl(OH)₃) was extremely thin. However, the outer product layer on the back side was thicker than the inner layer. Electrochemical measurements indicated that the protection afforded by the corrosion product layer on the front side was improved gradually, while that on the back side was deteriorated.     

Process parameters influence on zone refining and thermodynamics analysis of 1,2-diphenylethane

Effective distribution coefficients of 9 impurities in 1,2-diphenylethane have been calculated by directional crystallization under different ambient frozen temperature. The effect of varied zone size, temperature difference between the melt and ambient frozen environment, number of zone on purity of 1,2-diphenylethane have been also investigated during the process of zone refining. The results indicate that the product purity in the intermediate purified region with varied zone size is higher 0.04%-0.2% than that with constant zone size. The product purity increases with temperature difference between the melt and ambient frozen environment. The appropriate temperature difference is adopted 50℃. The product purity in the intermediate region of sample bar with 2 molten zones is higher 0.05%-0.43% than that with 1 molten zone. In addition, the change of enthalpy and entropy between impurities and 1,2-diphenylethane have been determined.