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Reductive dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes is dependent upon suitable substrates promoting microbial activity and creating anaerobic conditions. At the periphery of active reductive dechlorinating zones combinations of lesser chlorinated ethenes should exist along with end products of the anaerobic metabolism that is driving reductive dechlorination. Potential end-products of anaerobic metabolism were investigated for their ability to stimulate oxidative cometabolism of dichloro ethenes (DCEs) by the butane-degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas butanovora. Organic acids that supported butane-monooxygenase (BMO) activity were acetate, propionate, lactate, and butyrate. Lactate consistently supported and sustained greater rates of cooxidation than did the other organic acids. When propane replaced butane as the growth substrate, lactate remained the superior electron donor, while the ability of butyrate and acetate to support BMO activity decreased. In contrast, propionate-supported cooxidation was only observed in propane-grown cells. Lactate supported the degradation of 1,2-trans dichloroethylene (1,2-trans DCE), 1,2-cis dichloroethylene (1,2-cis DCE) and 1,1-dichloroethylene (1,1-DCE) in butane-grown P. butanovora. 78 nmoles (25 μM) of 1,2-cis DCE were completely degraded by butane-grown P. butanovora. In contrast, smaller amounts of 1,1-DCE and 1,2-trans DCE were degraded over the twenty minute time course. Decreasing rates of cooxidation over time were observed for of all three DCEs, and 50% of BMO activity was irreversibly lost after 15 min, 6 min, and 0.5 min exposures to 1,2-cis DCE, 1,2 trans-DCE, and 1,1-DCE respectively. Cell viability decreased by over 90, 95, and 99.95% during the transformation of 25 nmoles/mg protein of 1,2-cis DCE, 1,2-trans DCE and 1,1-DCE. These results indicate that cellular viability was more sensitive to cooxidation of 1,2-cis DCE and 1,2-trans DCE than was BMO. 1,2-cis DCE and 1,2-trans DCE induced BMO activity to 25 and 45% of the butane control, respectively. Induction by 1,2-trans DCE was observed at a threshold of about 20 μM and higher concentrations did not increase BMO activity. Fusion of lacZ to the BMO catabolic promoter, with consequent knock out of BMO activity, provided the opportunity to assess substrate induction without the confounding effects of enzyme inactivation and product induction. While BMO substrates, butane, 1,2-cis DCE, and ethylene, were unable to induce lacZ activity the BMO products, 1-butanol, and ethylene oxide, effectively induced lacZ activity. 1,2-trans DCE was unique among the BMO substrates tested in it's ability to induce expression of lacZ, 2-fold above background, in the reporter strain. A wide range of concentrations induced lacZ activities (10 to 100 μM), and low levels of 1,2-trans DCE achieved high levels of induction after 4 hrs. However, lacZ activities were limited to an induction of about four-fold above background and this limit allowed lower concentrations of 1,2-trans DCE to eventually produce equal levels of beta-galactosidease. These data provide proof-of- concept that BMO-dependent cometabolism can occur independently of butane as an inducer and electron donor for BMO gene expression and activity. / Graduation date: 2004

Ethylene, a plant hormone, plays an essential role in many aspects about plant development, growth, ripening, and senescence. In addition, it also regulates several responses when plants suffer stress from drought, flood, herbivore bites, wound, etc. ACC synthase and ACC oxidase belong to two multigene families. In this study, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) methods were used to amplify the ACC oxidase sequences in Cattleya bicolor orchid flower. The results show that there exists differences in the 3¡¦-UTR (untranslated region) of orchid gene sequences. Compare the ACC oxidase sequences, including the cDNA ORF (open reading frame) sequences and the amino acid sequences, of several different species, the sequence similarity among the three Laeliinae orchids, namely C.bicolor, C. intermedia, and Laelia anceps, is the highest. The similarity of cDNA ORF sequences and amino acid sequences between orchids and the other plants, such as rice, apple and torenia, is comparatively lower. It was proposed that the protein located in cytoplasma (or in mitochondrial matrix space), agrees with the result from analysis of amino acid hydrophilicity prediction. The ultimate goal of this study is to postpone the flower senescence by the way of plant transfection. In the present findings, it only deals with the cloning and analysis of the ACC oxidase genes in C. bicolor.

The main purpose of this study confers development of China¡¦s petrochemical industry and role of transnational petrochemical corporation.(1) It is found out that current industry gathers in Guangdong, Jiangsu and Shandong through production of related petrochemical products. To contrast with the China government to open up ethylene joint ventures (JV) of four foreign corporations, a key issue has been derivated. Why the government broke situation of monopolization of original two domestic petrochemical groups of Sinopec and CNPC as well as open up the best position of the industry being gathered to four?(2) During participation of WTO, the situation of promise and practice has been analyzed. It is discovered that serious problem are existed; especially, regarding to TRIMS and TRIPS. Does it an administrative delay or consideration of involved development strategy?(3) The development strategy of the China government has been proved and the process of ethylene production capability has been compared. The average of ethylene production capability is ranked the last among Asian countries before JV. Extensive production technology has been brought in afterward as well as after related technology and knowledge being obtained; mass ethylene production capability will be invested domestically by Sinopec and CNPC in the future.(4) Therefore, it is induced that a strategy can be adapted for those technology falls behind countries. Opening and developing market attracts foreign countries and actively learns their advanced technology in another.

We investigated the different percentage of glycerol or ethylene glycol doped into PEDOT:PSS as anode buffer layer in OSC. The electrical, optical and physical properties of PEDOT:PSS were measured before and after adding glycerol or ethylene glycol. Their optical transparency was almost the same by UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Their HOMO value, measured by PESA, was around 5.1eV. Modified PEDOT:PSS with proper concentration addition increased its conductivity. Finally, surface roughness of PEDOT:PSS layer increased with higher concentration of addition resulted in bad film-forming from spin coating process. We fabricated polymer solar cells with modified PEDOT:PSS as anode buffer layer. The devise was consisted of ITO/PEDOT:PSS (different doping concentration of glycerol or ethylene glycol ) /P3HT:PCBM /Al and measured device parameter of solar cell with sunlight simulation of AM1.5G 100mW/cm2 . We found that improvement of power conversion efficiency of polymer solar cell from 2% to 3% and short-circuit current was improved for 32%, with modified PEDOT:PSS as anode buffer layer. We suggested that the improved short-circuit current was originated from increased conductivity of PEDOT:PSS that was modified by glycerol or ethylene glycol. Finally power conversion efficiency of polymer solar cell was increased with modified.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2009. / Includes graphs and tables. Title from title screen (viewed November 06, 2009). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies. Degree awarded 2009; thesis submitted 2008. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

In this study, the synergistic elfects of ethylene-propane and ethylene-dimethyl ester (DME) mirtures on soot formation were investigated experimentully using u coflow dilfusion flame burnen The soot volume fraction, soot particle diameter and number density were measured and compured to the homogenous mixture. Addition of DME and propane to the ethylene fuel increased soot volume fraction in the ethylene flames. The ethylene- propnne has more pronounced synergistic ffict in compsrison to the ethylene-DME flame* This is due to the fact that during the decomposition of propane some methyl radicals are generated, The reuctions related to these methyl radicals promote the formation of propargyl rodiculs and conseqaently the formation of benzene through propargyl self-reaction and finally to the soot formation. Althoagh DME decomposition produces methyl, the C-O bond in the DME removes some carbon from the reaction puth that produces soot, Hence the soot formation in ethylene-DME mixture is much slower than that in ethylene-propane mixtuFe,