Complete chloroplast genomes of eight Delphinium taxa (Ranunculaceae) endemic to Xinjiang, China: insights into genome structure, comparative analysis, and phylogenetic relationships.

BACKGROUND: Delphinium L. represents a taxonomically intricate genus of significant phylogenetic and economic importance in Ranunculaceae. Despite the existence of few chloroplast genome datasets, a comprehensive understanding of genome structures and selective pressures within the genus remains unknown. Furthermore, several taxa in this genus are exclusively found in Xinjiang, China, a region renowned for its distribution and diversity of Chinese and Central Asian Delphinium species. Therefore, investigating the features of chloroplast genomes in this area will provide valuable insights into the evolutionary processes and phylogenetic relationships of the genus. RESULTS: In this study, the eight newly completed chloroplast genomes are examined, ranging in length from 153,979 bp to 154,284 bp. Alongside these, analysing six previously reported taxa re-annotated in Delphinium, 111 unique genes are identified across all samples. Genome structure, distributions of simple sequence repeats and short dispersed repeats, as well as gene content are similar among these Delphinium taxa. Nine hypervariable intergenic spacers and protein coding regions, including ndhF-trnL(TAG), rpl16-intron, rpl33, rps15, rps18, trnK(TTT)-trnQ(TTG), trnP(TGG)-psaJ, trnT(GGT)-psbD and ycf1, are identified among 13 perennial Delphinium. Selective pressure and codon usage bias of all the plastid genes are performed within 14 Delphinium taxa. Phylogenetic analysis based on 14 Delphinium plastomes, alongside two Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) species serving as outgroup taxa, reveals the monophyletic nature of Delphinium. Our findings further discern Delphinium into two distinct clades: perennial species (clade I) and annual species (clade II). In addition, compared with the nrDNA ITS topology, cytological data and morphological characters, D. mollifolium and D. maackianum showed potential involvement in hybridization or polyploidization processes. Excluding these two species, the perennial Delphinium (clade I) exhibits a stronger consistency with the morphology-based system that utilized seed morphology. CONCLUSION: This study represents the first comprehensive analysis of plastomic variations among Delphinium taxa, based on the examination of 14 complete plastomes. The chloroplast genome structure of Delphinium is similar to other angiosperms and possesses the typical quadripartite structure with the conserved genome arrangement and gene features. In addition, the variation of non-coding regions is larger than coding regions of the chloroplast genome. Through DNA sequence divergence across Delphinium plastomes and subsequent phylogenomic analyses ndhF-trnL(TAG) and ycf1 are identified as promising molecular markers. These highly variable loci held significant potential for future phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies on Delphinium. Our phylogenomic analyses based on the whole plastomes, concatenation of 132 unique intergenic spacer regions, concatenation of 77 unique protein-coding genes and nrDNA ITS, all support the monophyly of Delphinium and perennial taxa clusters together into one clade within this genus. These findings provide crucial data for systematic, phylogenomic and evolutionary research in the genus for future studies.

Complete chloroplast of four Sanicula taxa (Apiaceae) endemic to China: lights into genome structure, comparative analysis, and phylogenetic relationships.

BACKGROUND: The genus Sanicula comprises ca. 45 taxa, widely distributed from East Asia to North America, which is a taxonomically difficult genus with high medicinal value in Apiaceae. The systematic classification of the genus has been controversial for a long time due to varied characters in key morphological traits. China is one of the most important distributed centers, with ca. 18 species and two varieties. At present, chloroplast genomes are generally considered to be conservative and play an important role in evolutionary relationship study. To investigate the plastome evolution and phylogenetic relationships of Chinese Sanicula, we comprehensively analyzed the structural characteristics of 13 Chinese Sanicula chloroplasts and reconstructed their phylogenetic relationships. RESULTS: In present study, four newly complete chloroplast genome of Sanicula taxa by using Illumina sequencing were reported, with the typical quadripartite structure and 155,396-155,757 bp in size. They encoded 126 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 32 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. Genome structure, distributions of SDRs and SSRs, gene content, among Sanicula taxa, were similar. The nineteen intergenic spacers regions, including atpH-atpI, ndhC-trnM, petB-petD, petD-rpoA, petN-psbM, psaJ-rpl33, rbcL-accD, rpoB-trnC, rps16-trnQ, trnE-psbD, trnF-ndhJ, trnH-psbA, trnN-ndhF, trnS-psbZ, trnS-trnR, trnT-trnF, trnV-rps12, ycf3-trnS and ycf4-cemA, and one coding region (ycf1 gene) were the most variable. Results of maximum likelihood analysis based on 79 unique coding genes of 13 Chinese Sanicula samples and two Eryngium (Apiaceae-Saniculoideae) species as outgroup taxa revealed that they divided into four subclades belonged to two clades, and one subclade was consistent with previously traditional Sanicula section of its system. The current classification based on morphology at sect. Sanicla and Sect. Tuberculatae in Chinese Sanicula was not supported by analysis of cp genome phylogeny. CONCLUSIONS: The chloroplast genome structure of Sanicula was similar to other angiosperms and possessed the typical quadripartite structure with the conserved genome arrangement and gene features. However, their size varied owing to expansion/contraction of IR/SC boundaries. The variation of non-coding regions was larger than coding regions of the chloroplast genome. Phylogenetic analysis within these Chinese Sanicula were determined using the 79 unique coding genes. These results could provide important data for systematic, phylogenomic and evolutionary research in the genus for the future studies.

Polymer-Stabilized Liquid Crystal Films Containing Dithienyldicyanoethene-Based Chiral Photoswitch: Multi-Modulation for Environment-Adaptative Smart Windows.

A polymer-stabilized liquid crystal (PSLC)-based environment-adaptative smart window with multi-modulations is demonstrated. This PSLC system contains a right-handed dithienyldicyanoethene-based chiral photoswitch and a chiral dopant, S811, with opposite handedness, of which the reversible cis-trans photoisomerization of the switch can drive self-shading of the smart window under UV light stimulus because of the transition from nematic phase to cholesteric one. With the assistance of solar heat, the opacity of the smart window can be deepened because the heat promotes the isomerization conversion rate of the switch. This switch has no thermal relaxation at room temperature, therefore, the smart window exhibits dual stabilization: transparent state (cis-isomer) and opaque state (trans-isomer). Moreover, the incident intensity of sunlight can be regulated by an electric field, which allows the smart window to adapt to some specific situations. Such an energy-saving device can be used in buildings and vehicles to control indoor temperature and adapt to the required ambiance.

Structure of the protective nematode protease complex H-gal-GP and its conservation across roundworm parasites.

Roundworm parasite infections are a major cause of human and livestock disease worldwide and a threat to global food security. Disease control currently relies on anthelmintic drugs to which roundworms are becoming increasingly resistant. An alternative approach is control by vaccination and 'hidden antigens', components of the worm gut not encountered by the infected host, have been exploited to produce Barbervax, the first commercial vaccine for a gut dwelling nematode of any host. Here we present the structure of H-gal-GP, a hidden antigen from Haemonchus contortus, the Barber's Pole worm, and a major component of Barbervax. We demonstrate its novel architecture, subunit composition and topology, flexibility and heterogeneity using cryo-electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and modelling. Importantly, we demonstrate that complexes with the same architecture are present in other Strongylid roundworm parasites including human hookworm. This suggests a common ancestry and the potential for development of a unified hidden antigen vaccine.

Recent Advances of Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds' Oxidation Catalyzed by Multiple Catalysts: Reasonable Adjustment of Acidity and Redox Properties.

The severe hazard of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) to human health and the natural environment makes their abatement technology a key topic of global environmental research. Due to the existence of Cl, the byproducts of CVOCs in the catalytic combustion process are complex and toxic, and the possible generation of dioxin becomes a potential risk to the environment. Well-qualified CVOC catalysts should process favorable low-temperature catalytic oxidation ability, excellent selectivity, and good resistance to poisoning, which are governed by the reasonable adjustment of acidity and redox properties. This review overviews the application of different types of multicomponent catalysts, that is, supported noble metal catalysts, transition metal oxide/zeolite catalysts, composite transition metal oxide catalysts, and acid-modified catalysts, for CVOC degradation from the perspective of balance between acidity and redox properties. This review also highlights the synergistic degradation of CVOCs and NOx from the perspective of acidity and redox properties. We expect this work to inspire and guide researchers from both the academic and industrial communities and help pave the way for breakthroughs in fundamental research and industrial applications in this field.

Interface-Enhanced Oxygen Vacancies of CoCuOx Catalysts In Situ Grown on Monolithic Cu Foam for VOC Catalytic Oxidation.

The development of highly efficient and stable monolithic catalysts is essential for the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Copper foam (CF) is a potential ideal carrier for monolithic catalysts, but its low surface area is not conducive to dispersion of active species, thus reducing the interface interaction with active species. Herein, a vertically oriented Cu(OH)2 nanorod was in situ grown on the CF, which acted as the template and precursor to synthesize CoCu-MOF. The optimized catalyst (12CoCu-R) delivers excellent performance for acetone oxidation with a T90 of 195 °C. Impressively, the catalyst demonstrated satisfactory stability in long-term, cycle, water resistance, and high airspeed tests. Therefore, the present study provides a novel strategy for rationally designing efficient monolithic catalysts for VOC oxidation and other environmental applications.

Defective Ultrafine MnOx Nanoparticles Confined within a Carbon Matrix for Low-Temperature Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds.

The development of catalysts for volatile organic compound (VOC) treatment by catalytic oxidation is of great significance to improve the atmospheric environment. Size-effect and oxygen vacancy engineering are effective strategies for designing high-efficiency heterogeneous catalysts. Herein, we explored the in situ carbon-confinement-oxidation method to synthesize ultrafine MnOx nanoparticles with adequately exposed defects. They exhibited an outstanding catalytic performance with a T90 of 167 °C for acetone oxidation, which is 73 °C lower than that of bulk MnOx (240 °C). This excellent catalytic activity was primarily ascribed to their high surface area, rich oxygen vacancies, abundant active oxygen species, and good reducibility at low temperatures. Importantly, the synthesized ultrafine MnOx exhibited impressive stability in long-term, cycling and water-resistance tests. Moreover, the possible mechanism for acetone oxidation over MnOx-NA was revealed. In this work, we not only prepared a promising material for removing VOCs but also provided a new strategy for the rational design of ultrafine nanoparticles with abundant defects.

Recent advances in ionic liquids-based hybrid processes for CO2 capture and utilization.

CO2 capture and utilization (CCU) is an effective strategy to mitigate global warming. Absorption, adsorption and membranes are methods used for CO2 separation and capture, and various catalytic pathways have also been developed for CO2 utilization. Although widely researched and used in industry, these processes are energy-intensive and this challenge needs to be overcome. To realize further optimization, novel materials and processes are continuously being developed. New generation materials such as ionic liquids (ILs) have shown promising potential for cost-effective CO2 capture and utilization. This study reviews the current status of ILs-based solvents, adsorbents, membranes, catalysts and their hybrid processes for CO2 capture and utilization. The special properties of ILs are integrated into new materials through hybridization, which significantly improves the performance in the process of CCU.

Potential applications of porous organic polymers as adsorbent for the adsorption of volatile organic compounds.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with high toxicity and carcinogenicity are emitted from kinds of industries, which endanger human health and the environment. Adsorption is a promising method for the treatment of VOCs due to its low cost and high efficiency. In recent years, activated carbons, zeolites, and mesoporous materials are widely used to remove VOCs because of their high specific surface area and abundant porosity. However, the hydrophilic nature and low desorption rate of those materials limit their commercial application. Furthermore, the adsorption capacities of VOCs still need to be improved. Porous organic polymers (POPs) with extremely high porosity, structural diversity, and hydrophobic have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for VOCs adsorption. This review generalized the superiority of POPs for VOCs adsorption compared to other porous materials and summarized the studies of VOCs adsorption on different types of POPs. Moreover, the mechanism of competitive adsorption between water and VOCs on the POPs was discussed. Finally, a concise outlook for utilizing POPs for VOCs adsorption was discussed, noting areas in which further work is needed to develop the next-generation POPs for practical applications.

Synthesis of Silanol-Rich MCM-48 with Mixed Surfactants and Their Application in Acetone Adsorption: Equilibrium, Kinetic, and Thermodynamic Studies.

Mesoporous silica MCM-48 with rich silanol was prepared using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as mixed templates, and the dynamic adsorption performance of acetone was evaluated by testing breakthrough curves. The mixed micelle formed by CTAB and PVP, as well as the hydrogen bond between the carbonyl group of PVP and silanol group affected the condensation process of Si-OH group during the formation of mesoporous structure, resulting in the increase of Si-OH group number on the surface of MCM-48. Compared with MCM-48 synthesized by single template (CTAB), the acetone adsorption capacity of MCM-48 (1:3) synthesized by mixed templates (PVP:CTAB = 1:3) improved by 23.86%, which was attributed to the increase of silanol group amount and the decrease of pore size. In addition, Bangham model had the highest goodness of fit to describe the adsorption process among four kinetic models for the adsorbents, conforming to the mechanism of pore diffusion. The Langmuir and Freundlich models were used to fit the adsorption isotherm data, and the Freundlich model could better describe the adsorption of acetone. Freundlich model fitting results showed that MCM-48 with rich silanol had a strong affinity for acetone, and the adsorption of acetone on MCM-48 belonged to multilayer adsorption. The thermodynamic results showed that the adsorption of MCM-48 for acetone was physical adsorption, and the adsorption behavior was exothermic. This work provided insight into how the inherent properties of an adsorbent and environmental factors (including initial concentration and adsorption temperature) affected the adsorption performance of ketones, thus more ideas could be provided for the accurate design of adsorbents. Furthermore, silanol-rich MCM-48 synthesized by mixed templates is expected to be a promising adsorbent for acetone removal.

Quantitative Characterization of Bone Viability of Femoral Head and Subchondral Bone by Using Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography/Computerized Tomography (SPECT/CT).

BACKGROUND Vascularized fibular grafting (VFG) has been successfully employed for treating avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the bone viability of the femoral head and subchondral bone following VFG by using single photon emission computerized tomography and computerized tomography (SPECT/CT). MATERIAL AND METHODS Between March 2011 and June 2014, 14 ANFH patients (17 hips) treated with VFG at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, were prospectively enrolled. The patients included 9 males and 5 females with an average age of 26.6 years (range, 18-34 years). According to the ARCO (Association Research Circulation Osseous) stage criteria, 3 hips corresponded to stage IIA, 4 hips to stage IIB, 2 hips to stage IIC, 5 hips to stage IIIA, and 3 hips to stage IIIB. A novel method based on SPECT/CT was developed to quantitative characterized the bone viability of femoral head and subchondral bone prior to surgery and at 3 months after VFG. All patients were followed for an average duration of 3.8 years (ranging 2.6-5.5 years). RESULTS The bone viability of the femoral head (Vfh) and subchondral bone (Vsb) of patients' hips at ARCO stage III was 58.9±7.6 and 48.9±6.1, respectively, which were significantly lower than the preoperative Vfh (78.1±5.2) and Vsb (69.8±4.3) of hips at stage II (P<0.05). The Vfh of hips at stage II improved to 104.0±9.7 at 3 months post-intervention, and there was no significant difference compared with the Vfh (97.3±7.4) of hips at stage III (P=0.15). The Vsb of hips at stage III improved to 80.4±7.3 at 3 months after VFG; however, this value was significantly lower than that of hips at stage II (92.7±5.5) (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The Vfh and Vsb of our patients were associated with their ARCO stages, and could be improved after vascularized fibular grafting procedure as measured by SPECT/CT.

[Study on the Fast Quantitative Analysis of the Content of DME Adulterated in LPG].

A new analytical method of analyzing dimethyl ether (DME) content in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is proposed in this paper. An unsolved problem about quick detection of the composition of LPG has been settled with this method. A set of precise preparation apparatus for DME/ LPG solution and a set of quickly analytical system of LPG based on near infrared technology were designed. The analytical equipment can be conveniently connected to the sampling cylinder because it can bear 3.5 MPa pressure. Oblique projection algorithm was used to separate the pure spectra of DME from that of the LPG's solutions. The standard curve of the concentration of DME (c) has been built by using the Intensity (I) of pure signal of DME in the LPG solution and the concentrations. The correlation coefficient of the equation is 0.999 4. The result of external validation shows that the relative error is less than 2.0%. The new method has the advantages such as fast, easy and noneed of expensive multivariate modeling.

[Rapid FTIR-ATR Method for the Quantification of Bitumen Property].

The quality of bitumen directly affects road performance and road life. Traditional analytical methods-for wax content, softening point and penetration of bitumen are tedious and time-consuming. A new fast method, with which the three properties can be determined at same time, is proposed in this paper. The spectra of 220 bitumen were collected and their wax content, softening point and penetration data were determined according to the standard JTJ052-2000. The quantitative calibration models for wax content, softening point and penetration were established using partial least squares (PLS), with SECV 0.13, 0.88, 3.18 and SEP 0.14, 1.06, 3.90, less than the reproducibility error stipulated in the standard method. Three samples were in random selected to test the repeatability, the results met the precision requirement of the standard method. With its advantages of better repeatability, fast, easy operation, the new method can be used as an alternative for the determination of wax content, softening point and penetration of bitumen.

[Determination of Alcoholysis Degree and Volatile Matter of Poly-Vinyl Alcohol Using Diffuse-Reflection Near Infrared Spectroscopy].

A new method using reflection NIR technology was developed to determine the alcoholysis degree and volatile matter of Poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA). 120 samples were used in this research. NIR spectra of the sample were scanned by the spectrometer from 1 000 to 1 800 nm. The alcoholysis degree and volatile matter were determined by the national standard method of volumetric and gravimetric method respectivily. Partial least squares (PLS1) was used to establish the quantitative correction model of alcoholysis degree and volatile matter of PVA. The corrected relationship (Rc) of alcoholysis degree and volatile matter was 0.976 and 0.981 respectively. The corrected standard deviation(SEC) was 0.176 and 0.197. The predicted relationship (R(p)) was 0.967 and 0.969. The predicted deviation(SEP) was 0.202 and 0.193. The test for actual samples showed that the NIR method was fitted for the requirement of PVA analysis.

Protective effects of lithium chloride treatment on repeated cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

Lithium is a renowned pharmacological treatment for mood disorders. Recent studies suggest that lithium chloride (LiCl) performs neuroprotective effects on cerebrovascular diseases. The present study is to investigate the protective effects of LiCl treatment on the hippocampus of mice with repeated cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (IR). Mice were subjected to IR through repeated bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. LiCl (2 mmol/kg) was administered daily postoperative until the mice were sacrificed. Swimming time was prolonged and error count increased in the model group through learning and memory tests. Pathological changes such as reduction in cell count and obvious pyknosis were seen in haematoxylin-eosin staining, and apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining in hippocampal CA1 regions in the model group. The model animals exhibited more phospho-Akt Ser473 and phospho-GSK3ß Ser9 than the sham group when measured by Western blot. LiCl treatment mitigated the prolonged swimming time and the increased error count compared with NaCl-treated group and improved the pathological changes. Meanwhile, LiCl further up-regulated phospho-Akt Ser473 and phospho-GSK3ß Ser9 expression. The highest level of diversity was at 4 weeks postoperative. Therefore, repeated IR can severely damage the hippocampus and decrease the learning and memory functions in mice. Changes in the Akt and GSK3ß protein activity were involved in the IR process. LiCl treatment exerted a neuroprotective effect on learning and memory by potentiating the Akt/GSK3ß cell-signaling pathway.

[Research on Rapid Discrimination of Edible Oil by ATR Infrared Spectroscopy].

A rapid discrimination method of edible oils, KL-BP model, was proposed by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy. The model extracts the characteristic of classification from source data by KL and reduces data dimension at the same time. Then the neural network model is constructed by the new data which as the input of the model. 84 edible oil samples which include sesame oil, corn oil, canola oil, blend oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, olive oil, soybean oil and tea seed oil, were collected and their infrared spectra determined using an ATR FT-IR spectrometer. In order to compare the method performance, principal component analysis (PCA) direct-classification model, KL direct-classification model, PLS-DA model, PCA-BP model and KL-BP model are constructed in this paper. The results show that the recognition rates of PCA, PCA-BP, KL, PLS-DA and KL-BP are 59.1%, 68.2%, 77.3%, 77.3% and 90.9% for discriminating the 9 kinds of edible oils, respectively. KL extracts the eigenvector which make the distance between different class and distance of every class ratio is the largest. So the method can get much more classify information than PCA. BP neural network can effectively enhance the classification ability and accuracy. Taking full of the advantages of KL in extracting more category information in dimension reducing and the features of BP neural network in self-learning, adaptive, nonlinear, the KL-BP method has the best classification ability and recognition accuracy and great importance for rapidly recognizing edible oil in practice.

[Rapid Quantitative Analysis of Content of the Additive in Gasoline for Motor Vehicles by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy].

A new rapid quantitative method for the determination of oxygenates and the compounds not included in the national standard in gasoline using near-infrared spectroscopy is raised by this paper. This method combine near-infrared spectroscopy with oblique projection. This experiment choose four different types of gasoline, including reconcile gasoline, FCC refined gasoline, reformed gasoline and desulfurizing gasoline. Prepare series gasoline samples containing different concentrations and different types of compounds. Using FTIR spectrometer to measure those samples and got transmission spectrums. Oblique projection method could separate quantity spectral signal from mixed spectrum signal, and using projection to calculate and analyze the separated signal to obtain the content of measured component. The deviation between this method and the real content is low, the absolute error is less than 0.8 and the relative error is less than 8%. For the actual gasoline samples, compare results of this method with gas chromatography, the absolute error are less than 0.85 and the relative error are less than 6.85%. This method solves the problem of general multivariate calibration methods. It is very significant for the development of rapid detection technology using NIR suitable for on-site and the improvement of the quality of gasoline.

[A correction method of baseline drift of discrete spectrum of NIR].

In the present paper, a new correction method of baseline drift of discrete spectrum is proposed by combination of cubic spline interpolation and first order derivative. A fitting spectrum is constructed by cubic spline interpolation, using the datum in discrete spectrum as interpolation nodes. The fitting spectrum is differentiable. First order derivative is applied to the fitting spectrum to calculate derivative spectrum. The spectral wavelengths which are the same as the original discrete spectrum were taken out from the derivative spectrum to constitute the first derivative spectra of the discrete spectra, thereby to correct the baseline drift of the discrete spectra. The effects of the new method were demonstrated by comparison of the performances of multivariate models built using original spectra, direct differential spectra and the spectra pretreated by the new method. The results show that negative effects on the performance of multivariate model caused by baseline drift of discrete spectra can be effectively eliminated by the new method.

[An optimal selection method of samples of calibration set and validation set for spectral multivariate analysis].

The side effects in spectral multivariate modeling caused by the uneven distribution of sample numbers in the region of the calibration set and validation set were analyzed, and the "average" phenomenon that samples with small property values are predicted with larger values, and those with large property values are predicted with less values in spectral multivariate calibration is showed in this paper. Considering the distribution feature of spectral space and property space simultaneously, a new method of optimal sample selection named Rank-KS is proposed. Rank-KS aims at improving the uniformity of calibration set and validation set. Y-space was divided into some regions uniformly, samples of calibration set and validation set were extracted by Kennard-Stone (KS) and Random-Select (RS) algorithm respectively in every region, so the calibration set was distributed evenly and had a strong presentation. The proposed method were applied to the prediction of dimethylcarbonate (DMC) content in gasoline with infrared spectra and dimethylsulfoxide in its aqueous solution with near infrared spectra. The "average" phenomenon showed in the prediction of multiple linear regression (MLR) model of dimethylsulfoxide was weakened effectively by Rank-KS. For comparison, the MLR models and PLS1 models of MDC and dimethylsulfoxide were constructed by using RS, KS, Rank-Select, sample set partitioning based on joint X- and Y-blocks (SPXY) and proposed Rank-KS algorithms to select the calibration set, respectively. Application results verified that the best prediction was achieved by using Rank-KS. Especially, for the distribution of sample set with more in the middle and less on the boundaries, or none in the local, prediction of the model constructed by calibration set selected using Rank-KS can be improved obviously.

[Determination of degree of polymerization of natural cellulose pulp using near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy].

A new method of near-infrared (NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy is proposed to rapidly determine the degree of polymerization (DP) of natural cellulose (cotton and wood) pulp produced by a new clean pulping process. One hundred and ninety five samples were collected and their DP data were determined by standard method GB/T 9107-1999. The spectroscopy measurement method of the samples was studied and their near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectra were collected. The quantitative DP calibration models of one mixed cotton & wood and two separate cotton and wood pulps were established by partial least squares (PLS). The optimum models were developed using the spectra pretreated by derivative, autoscaling and mean-centering, and their performance is as follows: correlation coefficient of 0.980, 0.993 and 0.886, and RMSEP of 147, 143 and 53, respectively. The accuracy of NIR method was also studied. The results show that the accuracy of the two separate models of cotton and wood is better than that of the mixed model, and the precision of the two separate models is better than that of GB/T9107-1999. The identification model of cotton and wood was also established using principal component analysis (PCA). The result shows that the spectra of cotton and wood pulp have obvious difference, and the model can identify successfully the two kinds of pulp. The result indicates that the new NIR method is feasible to realize the on-line analysis of polymerization degree of natural cellulose pulp with its advantage of rapidness and easy operation.