Electroreduction of laccase covalently bound to organothiol monolayers on gold electrodes

Cerrena unicolor laccase was immobilized on the gold electrode by covalent bonding to self-assembled monolayers of mercaptoundecanoic or mercaptopropionic acids. STM images of immobilized laccase proved high population of the laccase molecules on the monolayer modified electrode. The SERS experiments in concert with resonance Raman effect confirmed that the structure at the “blue” copper site of the immobilized protein remained intact. The accessibility of individual copper sites for electron exchange with the gold electrode surface was investigated by voltammetry. The electrode behavior of laccase is different in the presence and absence of oxygen, showing that the immobilized enzyme is reactive towards oxygen. Addition of two common mediators improved the electrical connectivity of the enzyme with the electrode, increased the catalytic efficiency of immobilized laccase and switched the onset of catalytic current to the potentials of the mediator. Immobilization of laccase on well-organized mercaptoundecanoic acid separates efficiently the enzyme from the electrode and does not allow easy access of mediators to the surface. Attachment of the enzyme at smaller distance from the electrode by means of significantly shorter spacer molecule—mercaptopropionic acid improved the efficiency of catalytic reduction of oxygen on the monolayer modified electrode.     

Strong mediated equilibrium

Stability against potential deviations by sets of agents is a most desired property in the design and analysis of multi-agent systems. However, unfortunately, this property is typically not satisfied. In game-theoretic terms, a strong equilibrium, which is a strategy profile immune to deviations by coalition, rarely exists. This paper suggests the use of mediators in order to enrich the set of situations where we can obtain stability against deviations by coalitions. A mediator is defined to be a reliable entity, which can ask the agents for the right to play on their behalf, and is guaranteed to behave in a pre-specified way based on messages received from the agents. However, a mediator cannot enforce behavior; that is, agents can play in the game directly, without the mediator's help. A mediator generates a new game for the players, the mediated game. We prove some general results about mediators, and mainly concentrate on the notion of strong mediated equilibrium, which is just a strong equilibrium at the mediated game. We show that desired behaviors, which are stable against deviations by coalitions, can be obtained using mediators in several classes of settings.     

Structure and function of maladaptive cognitions in Pathological Internet Use among Chinese adolescents

This study empirically investigated the structure and function of maladaptive cognitions related to Pathological Internet Use (PIU) among Chinese adolescents. To explore the structure of maladaptive cognitions, this study validated a Chinese Adolescents’ Maladaptive Cognitions Scale (CAMCS) with two samples of adolescents (n1 = 293 and n2 = 609). The results of the exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that CAMCS included three distinct factors, namely, “social comfort,” “distraction,” and “self-realization.” To examine the function of maladaptive cognitions, this study tested an updated cognitive-behavioral model in the third sample of 1059 adolescents. The results of structural equation model analyses verified both the direct effect of maladaptive cognitions on PIU and their mediating role in the relationships between distal factors (social anxiety and stressful life events) and PIU among Chinese adolescents. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings were discussed.     

Hydrogen production in fluidized bed by chemical-looping cycle

To investigate the feasibility of a chemical-looping hydrogen generation system, we investigated the reduction and water splitting reaction characteristics for three mediators and two reducing gas in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor (0.02 m I.D.). For three oxygen carrier particles (NiO/bentonite, Fe₂O₃/bentonite, (NiO:Fe₂O₃)/bentonite), hydrogen was used as a reduction gas and water was used as an oxidation gas. For (NiO: Fe₂O₃)/bentonite particle, carbon monoxide, which is the main component in the syngas from coal or heavy residue, was used as a reducing gas to check reactivity for the carbon containing fuels and carbon deposition characteristics. Based on the reactivity tests, (NiO: Fe₂O₃)/bentonite particle was selected as the best mediator for the chemical-looping hydrogen generation system to achieve stable continuous operation. This work was presented at the 6 ^th Korea-China Workshop on Clean Energy Technology held at Busan, Korea, July 4–7, 2006.     

漆酶用于硫酸盐竹浆TCF漂白的研究

利用3种漆酶或漆酶/介体系统处理硫酸盐竹浆,并进行TCF漂白.结果显示,与传统的CEH漂白相比,硫酸盐竹浆进行包括漆酶/介体系统处理的OLQP白,在达到相近白度情况下,纸浆强度损失小;3种不同漆酶在HBT存在下的TCF漂白浆比CEH漂白浆黏度高43.3%～56.2%;从白腐菌HG产生的漆酶在HBT存在下处理硫酸盐竹浆,经OLQP漂白后,浆的白度可达80.7%ISO,黏度在800mL/g以上.在没有外加介体的情况下,该漆酶处理纸浆仍具有较好的脱木素效果,经OL0QP(L0,无外加介体)漂白后,纸浆白度可达76.7%ISO,比OQP漂后的浆白度提高了23.2%ISO.     

DYNAMIC SURFACE EFFECT ON THE BOILING OF MIXTURES

It is possible that the critical boiling heat flux of mixtures exceeds that of the components considerably. This effect has been attributed to the slowing down in bubble growth rate caused by the exhaustion of the volatile component near the vapor-liquid interface (the F effect) and the retardation of bubble coalescence due to surface tension gradient caused by the evaporation of component of lower surface tension (the M effect). The growth and coalescence of vapor bubbles are dynamic processes. The surface tension of a fast stretching surface of a binary mixture is higher than the static value because the component of lower surface tension cannot diffuse to the adsorbed layer promptly. This dynamic effect is represented quantitatively by a Y function.

The Y values for various binary systems are plotted versus concentration along with the F and M values in comparison with the critical heat flux values. The resemblance between these curves shows that F, M and Y effects are all partial reasons for the increasing of the critical heat flux. They are interrelated and further studies are desirable. The agreement between variation of the tray efficiencies of a fractionation distillation column and that of the Y values shows another example of that the dynamic surface effect is an important factor in many heat and mass transfer operations     

Novel method for removal of NO x and SO2 by sustainable electrochemical process using Ag(I)/Ag(II) redox mediator

The objective of this work was to develop a process for removal of industrial waste gases like NO, NO₂ and SO₂ by electrochemically generated Ag(I)/Ag(II) redox mediator system in aqueous nitric acid medium. 100% removal efficiencies were achieved in these studies for removal of NO _x and SO₂ with Ag(II) ions in room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This Ag(I)/Ag(II) redox mediator system can be regenerated continuously during the scrubbing process.     

漆酶用于硫酸盐竹浆TCF漂白

利用两种漆酶或漆酶/介体系统处理硫酸盐竹浆,并进行TCF漂白。结果表明,硫酸盐竹浆进行漆酶/介体系统处理的OLQP漂白,漂白浆可以达到与传统的CEH漂白相近的白度,并且保持了更好的纸浆强度;从白腐菌HG产生的漆酶在HBT存在下处理硫酸盐竹浆,经OLQP漂白后,浆的白度可达80.7%ISO,黏度在800mL·g~(-1)以上。在没有外加介体的情况下,该漆酶处理纸浆仍具有较好的脱木素效果,经OL~0QPL~0,(无外加介体)漂白后,纸浆白度可达76.7%ISO,比OQP漂后浆的白度提高23.2%ISO。同时以苄甲基木素模型物藜芦醇为例,结合商品漆酶考察了白腐菌HG酶液催化氧化黎芦醇的反应动力学。