Review of the methods used for isolating pharmaceutical lead compounds from traditional medicinal plants

The possibility of finding new medicines from natural sources is one of the more commonly cited reasons for preserving biodiversity, and employing indigenous knowledge of traditional healing remedies greatly increases the likelihood of discovering these hidden medicinal compounds. The main difficulties in using natural products as a source for pharmaceutical lead compounds involve separating the plethora of compounds from the original extract, as well as the gamble of time and money invested in an activity that may not yield a novel compound. However, while these difficulties exist, the potential of natural products still far outweighs the limitations of the simple structures and known modes of action of synthetic lead compounds. As such, the production of novel medicines, particularly for cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatments as well as the inhibition of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, now requires the utilization of natural products. This paper provides a review of the current methods used in elucidating pharmaceutical lead compounds from natural sources, focusing on plant samples in particular.     

Atmospheric Metal Pollutants-Archives, Methods, and History

Pollution of the atmosphere with cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) is a consequence of human activities. Natural archives are necessary to reconstruct the long-term history of metal deposition because accurate measurement of atmospheric deposition is a recent accomplishment. Reconstructions require: (1) accurate determination of concentrations of elements and isotopes, (2) accurate chronology of archives, and (3) archives that faithfully record atmosphere deposition. The most useful long-term archives are accumulations of ice and snow, peat, and lake sediment. Quantification of Cd deposition is uncommon because of its low concentration and substantial chemical mobility. Nonetheless, trends in peat and lake sediment are similar to those of Hg and Pb since ca. 1800 a.d. Both Hg and Pb are relatively chemically immobile and thus the peat and lake archives are believed to record historic trends of atmospheric deposition. Isotopic and concentration studies of Pb indicate a history of northern hemisphere atmospheric pollution extending back prior to 0 a.d. Although measurements of Hg concentration are now routine, isotopic measurements are in their infancy. Some Hg pollution sources have unique isotopic ratios, thereby contributing unique signals to the total Hg. Maximum accumulation rates of Hg and Pb occur up to 10 years later than for Cd (1970s versus 1960s in eastern North America, perhaps slightly later in Europe). By 2004, deposition of Cd, Hg, and Pb had declined from peak values in eastern North America more than 75, 75, and 90%, respectively.     

大气化学灾害应急气象保障系统的设计与开发

大气化学灾害应急气象保障系统是针对危险化学品的泄漏、爆炸和光化学烟雾等大气化学灾害应急处置专门设计开发的技术支持系统，该系统由大气化学灾害事故信息接警、现场气象监测、气象资料综合显示、社会经济环境背景查询、危险大气成分预报、决策服务产品制作、应急指挥、预警信息发布等若干子系统组成，可以为各级政府指挥大气化学灾害的应急工作提供科技支撑平台。     

一种改进的模糊聚类方法在大气环境质量评价中的应用

一般的模糊聚类分析方法只能解决大气污染状况的顺序问题,或只能得出此地与彼地的大气质量状况的相似程度,而不能同时确定大气质量的具体等级。本文提出的一种改进的模糊聚类分析方法解决了这一问题、该方法的主要改进在于:①以各污染因子的污染程度的分级标准值为聚类中心,待分样本与聚类中心之间的相似系数或待分样本隶属于某一类的隶属函数作为聚类函数;②相似系数设计为几何平均最小型,隶属函数设计为正态分布型。实例计算和比较表明,该方法是大气环境质量评价中的一种较好的方法。     

大气环境及腐蚀性

根据近年来国内外对大气环境和腐蚀性的研究成果．描述了大气环境及腐蚀性的研究状况．介绍了国际标准化组织的分类分级标准和我国大气环境的腐蚀性的分类分级的探讨性研究以及大气腐蚀图的研究。     

用ACM技术评估低合金钢大气腐蚀及环境腐蚀严酷性

将低合金钢与铜偶合．制成Cu／Fe电偶腐蚀电池(ACM),通过薄液膜下的ACM技术．研究了4种低合金钢的大气腐蚀行为差异,研究结果与其在典型大气环境下的曝露腐蚀结果一致。通过在江津、宜昌(三峡坝区)、武汉三地的ACM长期监测和环境因素监测获得了3个典型环境下ACM腐蚀电量与环境因素之间的多元线性回归分析方程．并与Q235钢在上述3个地区的大气曝露腐蚀试验所获得的结果进行了比较．探讨了采用ACM技术评估大气腐蚀严酷性的可能性。     

发动机的绿色化学设计

发动机绿色化学设计以发动机化学设计概念和发动机化学反应器模型为基础,旨在实现发动机材料选择、能源利用和环境效应之间的最佳综合效益．发动机燃料系统绿色化学设计的范畴包括：汽油无铅化与汽油抗磨性,柴油低硫化与柴油润滑性,生态燃料与生态摩擦学,汽油机沉积物与汽油清净剂,柴油机颗粒（碳烟）与消烟助燃剂． 发动机润滑系统绿色化学设计的范畴包括：润滑油和添加剂与排放催化转化,润滑剂生物降解性与生物降解润滑剂,润滑油使用与质量监控． 发动机燃料／润滑系统材料绿色化学设计的范畴包括：催化助燃／补燃作用,低散热发动机高温润滑,发动机机械与化学材料制造． 发动机绿色效应的实现取决于发动机诸系统绿色化学设计问题的解决程度．     

大气化学模式的数值计算方法

大气化学模式计算的一个重要研究热点是如何快速精确地对相互关联的非线性常微分方程组(ODES)进行数值积分求解。由于大气中各物种寿命长短相差很大,导致ODE_s具有了很强的刚性,因而在数值求算过程中存在着计算精度和计算效率的平衡问题。笔者介绍了当前几种常见的大气化学模式的计算方法,包括GEAR,QSSA(MQSSA),Y&B(MY&B),RADM,LSODE,SMVGEAR,小参数法,Gong and Cho及TWOSTEP等,并结合当前本领域内的部分研究成果对一些重要的方法进行了比较和分析。      

欧亚大陆生物质燃烧气团的输送特征及对中国的影响

利用1997～2003年ATSR卫星火点资料,采用前向气流轨迹模式及滞留时间分析方法,研究了欧亚大陆生物质燃烧排放的时空分布特征及主要生物质燃烧区域典型排放季节低层气团的输送特征,并与MOPITT一氧化碳卫星反演资料进行对比.结果表明,春季东南亚及印度半岛生物质燃烧排放的污染气团可对中国西南、华南及华东地区的大气环境造成一定影响,尤其是四川盆地、福建和台湾周边地区;中亚、东西伯利亚及蒙古高原生物质燃烧排放的污染气团主要受西风带影响而向东输送,但明显存在一条分支经中国东北向华北或更低纬度地区输送,并逐渐下沉至大气低层,在生物质燃烧排放剧烈的年份内能够对该地区的低层大气成分造成重要影响.