Starch accumulation and activities of key enzymes involved in starch synthesis in the grains of maize inbred lines with different starch contents.

Amylose, amylopectin and starch dynamic accumulation and key enzymes activities in the grains of 4 maize inbred lines (two high-starch ones and two low-starch ones) were studied. The amounts of amylose, amylopectin and starch in the grains of 4 maize inbred lines increased as sigmoid curves during grain filling period. The changes in amylose, amylopectin and starch accumulation rates followed single-peaked curves, and reached their peaks in the 25-30 days after pollination (DAP).

Optimal electrogram voltage recording technique for detecting the acute ablative tissue injury in the human right atrium.

Background: The optimal recording technique of the electrogram voltage for detecting abnormal atrial tissue remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of various recording techniques on the electrogram voltage after the delivery of ablation therapy in the human right atrium (RA).

Material And Methods: Noncontact mapping was performed in 27 patients with typical atrial flutter (mean age = 63 +/- 16, males = 20).

Linear and star-shaped polynuclear Ru(II) complexes of 2-(2'-pyridyl)benzimidazolyl derivatives: syntheses, photophysical properties and red light-emitting devices.

Two new star-shaped ligands with a 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene core, tmpb (1,3,5-tris[p-2-(2'-pyridyl)benzimidazolylphenyl]benzene), and a 2,4,6-tris(p-biphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine core, tmbt (2,4,6-tris[p-2-(2'-pyridyl)benzimidazolylbiphenyl]-1,3,5-triazine), have been synthesized. Their corresponding trinuclear Ru(II) complexes [Ru3(tmpb)(bpy)6](PF6)6 (3) and [Ru3(tmpt)(bpy)6](PF6)6 (4) have been obtained. Two dinuclear linear Ru(II) complexes with previously reported ligands bmb (1,4-bis[2-(2'-pyridyl)benzimidazolyl]benzene) and bmbp (4,4'-bis[2-(2'-pyridyl)benzimidazolyl]biphenyl) and formulae [Ru2(bmb)(bpy)4](PF6)4 (1) and [Ru2(bmbp)(bpy)4](PF6)4 (2) have also been synthesized.

The semi-ideal solution theory for mixed ionic solutions at solid-liquid-vapor equilibrium.

The semi-ideal solution theory has been presented to describe the changes in thermodynamic properties accompanying the process of mixing the nonideal electrolyte solutions M(i)X(i)-(NY)sat-H2O (i = 1 and 2) at constant activities of NY and H2O, including concentration, chemical potential, activities of all M(i)X(i), Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy, thermal properties, and volumetric properties. The theory states that, under the conditions of equal activities of NY and H2O, the average hydration numbers characterizing the ion-solvent interactions have the same values in the mixture as in the subsystems and the process of mixing these nonideal electrolyte solutions is as simple as that of mixing the ideal solutions if the contributions from the ion-ion interactions to the solvent activity are assumed to be the same in the mixture as in its subsystems, which has been justified by the calculations of the Pitzer equation. Therefore, a series of novel linear equations are established for the thermodynamic properties accompanying the process of mixing these nonideal solutions as well as mixing the ideal solutions M(i)X(i)-(NY)sat-H2O (i = 1 and 2) of equal mole fractions of NY and H2O.

Effect of the structures of ionic liquids and alkylbenzene-derived amphiphiles on the inhibition of asphaltene precipitation from CO2-injected reservoir oils.

The inhibition of asphaltene precipitation from high-pressure, CO(2)-injected reservoir oils by ionic and nonionic amphiphiles, the ionic liquids based on p-alkylpyridinium ([C(n)()py](+)) and N-butylisoquinolinium ([C(4)iql](+)) cations, and the alkylbenzene-derived amphiphiles p-alkylphenol (C(n)()phol), p-alkylbenzenesulfonic acid (C(n)()bsa), and sodium p-alkylbenzenesulfonate (C(n)()bsNa) was investigated for the first time. The influences of the structures of these compounds and the effect of the combination of their cations and anions were studied. The results show that the inhibition abilities of the alkylbenzene-derived amphiphiles first increase when n = 2-8 and then remain almost constant when n >/=8 and that the effectiveness follows the order C(n)()phol < C(n)()bsa approximately C(n)()bsNa.

[Quality of life in the treatment assessment of postmenopausal osteoporosis].

Objective: To evaluate quality of life (QOL) in the treatment assessment of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) by comparing the QOL of three treatments: hormone replacement treatment, supplement of calcium and vitamin D and risedronate.

Methods: All patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) in this clinical trial had been allocated into 4 groups: placebo therapy group, vitamin D addition calcium therapy group, hormone replacement treatment (HRT) therapy group, and risedronate therapy group. We measured the bone mineral density (BMD) and quality of life sale (QOLS) of patients in three times, before the treatment, 3 months after the treatment,and 12 months after the treatment.

[Impact of epidural anesthesia during delivery on breast feeding].

Objective: To explore the influence of epidural anesthesia during delivery on breast feeding.

Method: A total of 170 healthy women hospitalized for vaginal delivery without obstetric complications during the year 2001 to July 2003 were analyzed, who were divided into observation group (n=96) with continuous epidural anesthesia and control group (n=74) without continuous epidural anesthesia or postpartum analgesia. The data of analgesic efficacy, postpartum mental state, starting time of lactation, milk quantity and the feeding times in 24 h and prolactin level before and 48 h after delivery were analyzed statistically.

Prediction of the surface tension of mixed electrolyte solutions based on the equation of Patwardhan and Kumar and the fundamental Butler equations.

The predictive equation of Patwardhan and Kumar for the water activity of mixed electrolyte solutions has been used together with the fundamental Butler equations to establish a new simple predictive equation for the surface tension of mixed electrolyte solutions. This newly proposed equation can provide the surface tensions of multicomponent solutions using only the data of the corresponding binary subsystems of equal ionic strength. No binary interaction parameters are required.