Confocal microscope—A valuable tool for examining wood-coating interface

The suitability of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in examining a wood-coating interface was evaluated using a clear coating system. A comparison of the images of the wood-clear coating interface obtained using CLSM and light microscopy (LM) showed a marked superiority of CLSM in revealing the details of the physical nature of the interaction between the clear coating and the wood cell walls in the surface layer. The most distinct advantage of CLSM was in its ability to clearly resolve penetration of the coating into very fine cracks in cell walls, details not obtainable with LM. The information presented here demonstrates that CLSM has the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of the physical aspects of an interaction between the wood and coating at the interface.     

Failure of tannic acid to inhibit digestion or reduce digestibility of plant protein in gut fluids of insect herbivores

The rate of hydrolysis of the abundant foliar protein, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPC), in enzymatically active gut fluid ofManduca sexta larvae is very rapid and is unaffected by the presence of tannic acid, even when tannic acid is present in the incubation mixture in amounts in excess of the amount of RuBPC. When this protein is dissolved in the denatured gut fluids ofM. sexta larvae orSchistocerca gregaria nymphs, large amounts of tannic acid must be added to bring about the precipitation of significant quantities of protein. The ability of insect gut fluid to prevent the formation of insoluble tannin-protein complexes is due to the presence of surfactants. On the basis of our results and a review of the findings of other investigators, we argue that there is no evidence that tannins reduce the nutritional value of an insect's food by inhibiting digestive enzymes or by reducing the digestibility of ingested proteins and, further, that the failure of tannins to interfere with digestion is readily explained on the basis of well-documented characteristics of the digestive systems of herbivorous insects. In challenging the currently popular notion that tannins are digestibility-reducing substances, we do not challenge the general utility of either the apparency theory or resource availability theory of plant defense. In debating the merits of these two analyses of plant-herbivore interactions, however, the demise of tannins as all-purpose, dose-dependent, digestibility-reducing defensive substances must be taken into account.     

机制砂岩性与级配对混凝土抗硫酸盐侵蚀性能的影响

为了探究不同岩性、不同级配机制砂对混凝土性能的影响,对三种不同岩性机制砂混凝土及天然河砂混凝土的工作性和抗压强度进行研究。此外,对比分析了四种混凝土在干湿循环制度下的抗硫酸盐侵蚀性能。结果表明,天然河砂混凝土的工作性优于机制砂混凝土,钙质机制砂混凝土的工作性略好于硅质机制砂混凝土。机制砂混凝土的抗压强度优于天然河砂混凝土,在硫酸盐侵蚀循环作用下的力学性能变化趋势与天然河砂混凝土基本一致。在相同级配条件下,机制砂混凝土的抗蚀系数高于天然河砂混凝土;机制砂岩性并不会对混凝土抗硫酸盐侵蚀性能带来负面影响。级配良好的机制砂可以增强混凝土抗压强度和抗硫酸盐侵蚀性能。     

Functional properties of proteins in foods

The measurement of functionality of protein food ingredients has developed somewhat haphazardly, probably due to the wide range of proteins used as ingredients and the diversity of foods. Studies of the physiochemical properties of proteins should enable prediction of a proteins response to process environments and prove more fruitful than many of the empirical measurements of functionality. The effects of pH, salt type and concentration on the phase behaviour of the oilseed globulin and arachin, demonstrates the complexity of protein solubility and the inadequacies of simple tests that have arisen. Studies of the effects of salts and conditioning on meat fibres, coupled with measurement of the location of water in pellets from water holding tests enable the latter to be applied with increased confidence. Comparison of the endothermic transitions observed on heating with the development of storage and loss moduli allow the contributions of domains of skeletal muscle myosin to gel structure to be investigated.     

聚氨酯涂覆胶辊的研制

本文论述了彩色金属薄板生产用聚氨酯涂覆胶辊材料的合成原料选择、配方设计和工艺路线、以及力学性能和溶胀性能等．从测试数据看出．与美国进口样品相比．其力学性能和溶胀性能普遍优于后者。     

Factors affecting levels of some phenolic compounds,digestibility, and nitrogen content of the mature leaves ofBarteria fistulosa (Passifloraceae)

Levels of total phenolics, condensed tannins, acid detergent fiber, pepsin/cellulase digestibility, and nitrogen in mature leaves of 26 individuals of the ant-plant,Barteria fistulosa, have been determined. Analysis of the results in terms of the presence or absence of ants and the position of the branch from which the leaves were collected showed no relationship with concentrations of phenolics or fiber and only a weak relationship with digestibility and nitrogen. By contrast, light intensity strongly influenced levels of phenolics, notably condensed tannins, so that mature leaves of individuals growing in direct sunlight were less digestible and appeared to be of lower quality as food for herbivores than did mature leaves of individuals in shaded positions. Possible reasons for the variation in condensed tannin levels are discussed.     

Effect of some floral scents on host finding by thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera)

The role of floral scents in host location by flower-dwelling thrips is investigated by experiment in the field. The scent of anisaldehyde significantly increased the catches of seven species of flower-dwelling thripid, but had no significant effect on three species of cereal thripid and one species of flower-dwelling aeolothripid. The catches of white (without UV) traps were increased by a factor of 3.3 to 8.3 in the presence of the scent.     

Aggregation pheromone system of adult gregarious desert locust schistocerca gregaria (forskal)

Six electrophysiologically active aromatic compounds, viz., anisole, benzaldehyde, veratrole, guaiacol, phenylacetonitrile, and phenol, were identified in the volatiles of older-adult male desert locust. Young adults and females of all age groups produced none or only trace quantities of these compounds. Comparison of the aggregation responses of young and older adults to the crude, older-adult, volatile extract and different synthetic blends of the six compounds showed that the aggregation pheromone system of the adult gregarious locust consists of phenylacetonitrile, guaiacol, phenol, and benzaldehyde. Like the crude volatile extract of older males, neither the synthetic blend of the six compounds nor the adult pheromone blend evoked any significant aggregation responses from nymphs. These results confirm our previous report of sexual differentiation in the production of adult aggregation pheromone in the desert locust and of the evidence of two distinct aggregation pheromone systems in the two stages of the insect.     

Measured kinetics of the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of sugar cane bagasse to produce xylose

Experimental trials of the water hydrolysis of bagasse to produce xylose, arabinose and glucose were conducted using a temperature-controlled microwave digester. The experimental variables were temperature, ratio of water mass to bagasse mass, type of bagasse material and reaction time. The pH of the liquid and concentration of dissolved xylose, arabinose and glucose were measured at the completion of each trial. Kinetic modelling of the global rates of formation of monosaccharide products was performed using schemes based on earlier researchers’ models of acid hydrolysis using mineral acids. For the most plentiful product, xylose, the most accurate kinetic model of the global reactions was determined to be two parallel pathways for hydrolysis of xylan to xylose followed by a single pathway for xylose decomposition. The calculated activation energies of the reactions were within the range reported by other researchers for the hydrolysis of a range of lignocellulosic materials using mineral acids.     

沥青质引发的蜡油体系结蜡层分层现象及分层规律

利用自主研发的Couette结蜡装置,对蜡含量相同的油样1(不含沥青质)和油样2[含0.75%(质量分数)沥青质]进行结蜡实验,并研究其结蜡层的分层现象和分层规律。通过对油样1和油样2结蜡表层和底层的宏观形貌、DSC放热、析蜡量、蜡晶微观形貌的分析发现:油样1结蜡层无明显分层现象,而油样2结蜡层分层现象明显,沥青质的加入导致了结蜡层的分层。与结蜡表层相比,油样2结蜡底层的析蜡点、蜡含量与沥青质含量显著升高,蜡晶形貌发展为致密的类球状大蜡晶。油样2结蜡表层沉积量随壁温的升高、油壁温差和转速的增大而减小;结蜡底层沉积量随壁温升高而减小,随油壁温差和转速的增大而增大;总的蜡沉积量随壁温的升高和转速的增大而减小,随油壁温差的增大先增大后减小。     

合成气经二甲醚羰基化及乙酸甲酯加氢制无水乙醇的研究进展

合成气经二甲醚羰基化及乙酸甲酯加氢路线制无水乙醇技术因具有诸多优点而备受市场关注。本文综述了该工艺的核心反应机理和最近研究进展。主要探讨了丝光沸石8元环与12元环对羰基化反应的作用。阐明了如何通过调变丝光沸石8元环与12元环的活性位来提高羰基化催化剂的活性与稳定性。评述了铜纳米粒子的粒径、分散度以及Cu⁺与Cu⁰的分布等特点对铜基催化剂加氢催化活性的影响。提高乙醇选择性与催化剂稳定性是该研究的重点与难点。指出羰基化催化剂的优化重点是调变丝光沸石的孔道结构,加氢催化剂的发展方向是构建高分散度的铜纳米粒子,并在反应过程中保持稳定。     

The Viscosity of cottonseed oil,fractionation solvents and their solutions

Cold fractionation of cottonseed oil is made difficult by the high viscosity of the oil. This study was aimed at demonstrating the effect of solvents on the viscosity of mixtures between 0°C and 25°C with a view to facilitating the fractionation of refined cottonseed oil. The solvents used were acetone, methylethylketone, methylisobutylketone, hexane and heptane. Measurements of viscosity were carried out by means of a capillary viscometer. The ratio of the viscosity of cottonseed oil to that of pure solvents is of the order of 300. The viscosities of solutions of various ratios of solvent to oil (1/3, 1/1, 3/1) are between those of cottonseed oil and the pure solvents. The effect of the solvent/oil ratio overrides that of solvent nature. The effect of solvent in reducing the viscosity of cottonseed oil is by descending order: acetone, hexane, methylethylketone, heptane, methylisobutylketone.     

Kondensation von Dampfgemischen nicht mischbarer Flüssigkeiten

Condensation of Vapour Mixtures of Immiscible Liquids In contrast to the condensation of pure vapours and vapour mixtures of miscible liquids, the condensation of vapour mixtures forming immiscible or only partly miscible condensates is still poorly understood. Models describing heat transfer in the latter kind of condensation deviate so much from one another, not only quantitatively but also qualitatively, that reliable design of condensers is impossible. The reason lies primarily in the variety of flow patterns of two‐phase condensates, which range from pure droplet to pure film condensation. This paper surveys literature reports of the flow patterns and heat transfer occurring during condensation of vapour mixtures in the miscibility gap of their liquids. Qualitative knowledge in this condensation area is shown to be satisfactory. Several models have been proposed for heat transfer. However, the heat transfer coefficients obtained from these models differ too much from one another to allow one to choose the “best” correlation. Our own experiments with a eutectic benzene–water mixture on a vertical tube show that the calculation scheme proposed by Hoon and Burnside leads to acceptable results.     

Molecular mechanics modelling of interfacial energy and flexibility on cellulose

Molecular mechanics modelling is used to calculate the energies of interaction, hence the molecular level energy of adhesion at the interface with crystalline cellulose I of three different photopolymerizable primers and of a polyester varnish at the interface with the primer/cellulose assembly. The energy of interactions for just one of the primers with the statistically most common conformation of amorphous cellulose has also been obtained for comparison. Experimental results of adhesion by a standard peel test and by thermomechanical analysis, in which the effect of viscoelastic energy dissipation by crack tip propagation has been respectively minimized or is not present, hence in which the energy of interfacial interaction is nothing else but the work of adhesion, correlated well with the energies of interaction calculated by molecular mechanics. An equation correlating the energy of interaction at each finish/cellulose interface with the deflection derived by thermomechanical analysis, and with the number of internal bond rotational degrees of freedom as well as the degree of networking of the finish, has been derived and is presented. A relationship between the intrinsic fracture energy Go and the molecular mechanics-derived energy of interaction at the interface equating this to the square of the work of adhesion is obtained and is presented.     

Myristicin,safrole, and fagaramide as phytosynergists of xanthotoxin

The methylenedioxyphenyl-containing (MDP) inhibitors of mixed-function oxidase detoxification enzymes, myristicin, safrole, fagaramide, and isosafrole, occur with xanthotoxin or other toxic furanocoumarins in plants of the families Umbelliferae and Rutaceae. All four MDP compounds have a synergistic effect on the toxicity of xanthotoxin toHeliothis zea. Myristicin also increased the phototoxicity of xanthotoxin in the presence of UV light. The term phytosynergist is used to describe plant compounds that are present at concentrations producing no toxic effect by themselves but have a synergistic effect on cooccurring toxins.Taken in part from a thesis submitted to the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, June 1987.     

Distribution of birch (Betula SPP.), willow (Salix SPP.), and poplar (Populus SPP.) secondary metabolites and their potential role as chemical defense against herbivores

Isoprenoids and phenolics, major metabolites of important browse species, are reviewed in regard to concentrations, distribution within tissues, and between species. Seasonal variation of specific substances and changes with age of the plant are also considered. The distribution of substances may affect food selection and feeding behavior of animals. Wild mammalian herbivores tend to avoid plant parts rich in these substances, in spite of high nutritional content of the plant tissue. Possible mechanisms for defense by plants against depredation by mammalian herbivores are discussed within the framework of the plants' biochemistry.     

甲烷及水蒸气对生物质催化气化合成气和焦油的影响

以松木木屑为生物质原料，在两段式反应器上进行甲烷、水蒸气对生物质催化气化影响的实验研究，考察了甲烷与生物质之比α、水碳比S/C对气体产率、碳转化率、焦油产率、焦油组分和露点温度影响的变化规律。结果表明：α从0增加到0.4，合成气中H₂的产率增加了57.4%，甲烷的加入有利于生成富含氢气的合成气；α为0.2时碳转化率最高，为86.9%，焦油产率下降了30.5%，第二、五类焦油的产率达到最低，可见适量CH₄的添加能促进焦油的转化，特别是大分子焦油和酚类的反应。随着S/C的提高，H₂产率升高，CO产率降低；S/C从1增加到1.5，各类焦油的含量均有所降低，当S/C进一步增加到2时，第二、五类焦油含量却有所上升，说明水蒸气可以促进焦油向气体分子转化的反应，但过量的水蒸气抑制酚类和大分子焦油的分解。总之，甲烷和水蒸气的适量添加均可以提高合成气中H₂的含量，降低焦油产率，提高合成气的品质，有利于气化产物的进一步利用。     

接触式机械密封界面泄漏机理研究的关键科学问题

密封界面的泄漏机理是机械密封研究与应用的焦点问题之一,涉及泄漏通道表征、粗糙表面的接触力学模型、界面微观形貌变化以及介质流体在泄漏通道中的流动阻力等问题。回顾了近几十年国内外接触式机械密封泄漏通道模型的研究,深入分析了G-W模型、M-B模型和Persson模型3种粗糙表面接触力学模型的贡献和存在的问题,提出了一种基于逾渗理论的泄漏通道新模型;探讨了密封界面的分形参数、泄漏通道的流动阻力以及密封界面的有限尺寸效应对泄漏特性的影响,指出孔隙连通贯穿界面和流体流经贯穿通道的流动阻力小是密封界面产生泄漏的成因,以及泄漏通道的形成和泄漏通道内的流体流动特性是泄漏机理研究的主要方向。     

Sr改性Cu催化剂的果糖加氢制备甘露醇性能

使用共沉淀法制备负载Cu催化剂。通过添加碱土金属Sr，对Cu催化剂进行了改性，以提高Cu催化剂在果糖加氢制备甘露醇过程中的活性和选择性。采用ICP-MS、TEM、XRD、H₂-TPR、XPS和CO₂-TPD等对所制备的催化剂进行了系统表征。结果表明：Sr的添加能增大催化剂的比表面积，促进活性组分Cu的分散，从而提高了催化剂的活性，并且增加了催化剂的碱性，使果糖优先形成β-呋喃糖中间体，从而提高了甘露醇的选择性。在果糖浓度为1.1 mol·L^-1、催化剂用量为反应物质量的6%、反应温度为373 K、反应氢压为4.0 MPa、Cu/Sr原子比为7∶1的反应条件下，果糖转化率为99%，甘露醇的选择性为79%。催化剂循环使用了20次，其催化稳定性基本保持不变。