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During the last few years, the nuclear microprobe has demonstrated itself as a strong research facility in the application to biological samples. The performance is not without competition from new techniques, and to maintain special advantages of the nuclear microprobe, care must be taken in the selection and preparation of the biological samples to analyse.

Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) has a long history as a traditional Chinese medicine that is astringent, beneficial to vital energy, tonifies the kidney, tranquilizes the heart, etc. Significantly, Schisandrol A (SA) is extracted from S. chinensis and shows surprising and satisfactory biological activity, including anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, cardiovascular protection, and antitumor properties, among others. SA has a more pronounced protective effect on central damaged nerves among its numerous pharmacological effects, improving neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s through the protection of damaged nerve cells and the enhancement of anti-oxidant capacity. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that SA has a pharmacokinetic profile with a rapid absorption, wide distribution, maximal concentration in the liver, and primarily renal excretion. However, hepatic and intestinal first-pass metabolism can affect SA’s bioavailability. In addition, the content of SA, as an index component of S. chinensis Pharmacopoeia, should not be less than 0.40%, and the content of SA in S. chinensis compound formula was determined with the help of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which is a stable and reliable method, and it can lay a foundation for the subsequent quality control. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews the preparation, pharmacological effects, pharmacokinetic properties, and content determination of SA with the goal of updating and deepening the understanding of SA, as well as providing a theoretical basis for the study of SA at a later stage.

Polycrystalline single phase (La_2-xSr_x)MnO₄ (1.10≤x≤1.40) samples were prepared by a citrate precursor method. They have tetragonal K₂NiF₄ structure with a space group of 14/mmm, increasing x, unit-cell a-axis increases and c-axis decreases, which is a result of decreasing of the Jahn-Teller effect due to the increase of the Mn(IV) ion. Spin glass state exists at low temperature and a hump observed from the susceptibility (χ) measurement is probably caused by the interactions of several magnetic phases. Among them, (La_0.6Sr_1.4)MnO₄ has the largest magnetoresistance ratio ([ρ(H)-ρ(0)]/ρ(0)), which reaches to 78.4% at 48 K. It is not possible to obtain single phase materials with 0.60≤x≤1.00 in the heat treatment temperature range of 1000-1600°C. Impurities were easily observed under SEM and X-ray diffraction patterns. Increasing the heating period and decreasing the temperature, the amount of ABO₃ perovskite phase increases. In order to extend the solubility range, of the SrO in the (La_2-xSr_x)MnO₄, it probably needs a higher temperature (>1600°C) and a shorter heat treatment period (<1 h).

Here we used the iron oxide nanoparticles derived from ferritin as catalyst for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of coal gas. It has been found that the structure and morphology of CNTs can be tailored, to some degree, by varying the experimental conditions such as catalyst loading and process parameters. In addition to straight CNTs, some Y-branched CNTs were also obtained, which might be due to the sulfur species in the coal gas.

The xLi[Li${}_{1/3}$Mn${}_{2/3}$]O${}_2\cdot$(1−x)Li[Ni${}_{1/3}$Mn${}_{1/3}$Co${}_{1/3}$]O₂ was prepared by coprecipitation method in this paper. Co(NO₃)₂, NiCO${}_3\cdot 2$Ni(OH)${}_2\cdot 4$H₂O, LiOH⋅H₂O and MnSO${}_4\cdot$H₂O were used as the sources of cobalt, nickel, lithium and manganese. In the process of calcining and sintering, the temperature and time of the material were studied. The optimum conditions for the coprecipitation method synthesis were determined: precursor was pre-sintered at 500${}^{\circ }$C for 5 h, then the precursor was successively sintered at 850${}^{\circ }$C for 9 h to get the final product. The results of XRD and SEM showed that the composite particles and crystal structure of the particles exhibited basic integrity and high degree of crystallinity with $\alpha$-NaFeO₂-type structure. The first charging and discharging capacities were 183.14 mA⋅h⋅g${}^{-1}$ and 171.11 mA⋅h⋅g${}^{-1}$ at 0.1 C with a discharge efficiency of 93%. The capacity retention rate was 95% over 20 cycles. It had a good electrochemical cycling performance.

Porous anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) template was combined with sol-gel method in this work for the fabrication of high-ordered NdVO₄ nanotube arrays. The diameter, length, and wall thickness of the nanotubes can be adjusted conveniently. The sample was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), absorption spectra, and photoluminescence spectra. The results show that these uniformly distributed, high-ordered, and parallel nanotubes have great light emission in both the visible region and near-infrared region due to their corresponding energy level transitions. With this method, future application of rare-earth hollow nanostructures will be widely extended.

In this work, silicon-steel magnesium oxide was fabricated from light-burned magnesia by several steps. Light-burned magnesia was first slaked and carbonated to afford magnesium bicarbonate liquor and then the impurities in the liquor were removed by activated carbon. The purified liquor was then pyrolyzed to obtain basic magnesium carbonate which was calcined to result in silicon-steel magnesium oxide. The effects of carbonization time and solid to liquid ratio on the leaching process were discussed, and the impacts of adsorption temperature and time on removing impurities were also investigated. An insight into pyrolytic temperature, time and temperature rise rate indicates that fast temperature rising and high temperature lead to magnesia powders with large particle size while pyrolytic time has little effect on the particle size of magnesium oxide. The results show that the mass fraction of MgO in silicon-steel magnesium oxide is more than 99.5%, the mass fractions of CaO and Fe are less than 0.09% and 0.05%, boron content between 30–1000 ppm and more than 72.3% of magnesia particles are less than 5 µ in size by means of this process.

Yb³⁺-doped 32CaO-12Y₂O₃-24Al₂O₃-31SiO₂-1Yb₂O₃ glasses were prepared by melting method, and then annealed at 950°C, 1050°C and 1100°C, respectively. We analyzed the crystallographic structures of the glasses annealed at different temperatures by XRD, and observed the glass annealed at 1050°C by TEM. The spectroscopic properties of glass before and after annealing were also investigated. Results show that the glasses annealed at 1050°C are YAG glass-ceramics with no impurity crystalline phase. Variances in the spectroscopic properties before and after heat treatment indicate that Yb³⁺ ions were preferentially partitioned into the YAG crystal phase, and the transparent Yb:YAG glass-ceramics were obtained.

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) exhibits unique advantages for the preparation of functional thin films which are widely used in microelectronics, photoelectrons, integrate circuits, superconductors and biomedical fields. The principle of and the characteristics of PLD are introduced, its applications in ferroelectrics, high-temperature superconductors, diamond-like and superlattices. The future application trend is reviewed.

Porous titania coatings with Ca and P elements were synthesized by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The treatment was carried out in an electrolyte containing calcium acetate monohydrate and disodium phosphate dodecahydrate (Ca/P = 5), and 4–20 μm micropores were prepared on the coatings by applied pulse frequencies of 200–1000 Hz. The surface structure, chemical composition of the TiO₂ coatings, and time-dependent variation of electric currents were studied. The result revealed that the coating micropores, which could be controlled in size, increased with higher frequency, and the coatings mainly consisted of anatase and rutile phases with varying fractions. Based on our experiment, the formation mechanism of micropores and phases of the PEO coatings was further discussed in details.

Nano-sized Ni–AlN thin films were prepared by pulse electrodeposition (PE) on A3 steel substrates. The microstructures, surface root-mean-square roughnesses, microhardness values, and corrosion performances of obtained nano-sized Ni–AlN thin films were investigated. Corrosion weight losses of Ni–AlN thin films were predicted by Backward propagation (BP) networks model. The results indicated that average diameters of Ni and AlN embedded in the films were evaluated to 57.9 and 29.2nm, respectively. Also, thin films were observed with uniform and compact surface structures, and Rq value was estimated to only 32.75nm.

In order to supply high quality silver source to photothermographic material based on silver carboxylate, silver plamitate was prepared by chemical deposition method using palmitic acid, sodium hydroxide, silver nitrate as raw materials and PVP as surfactant in water system. The morphology, crystal structure and thermal properties of silver palmitate were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Thermogravimetry (TG). The results indicate that silver palmitate has good purity and well-defined layer structure with triclinic phase. The diameter of fiber-like silver palmitate is about 200 nm, which shows excellent dispersion properties. DSC curves demonstrate that silver palmitate has seven endothermic peaks below 240°C. Five endothermic peaks below 190°C assign to different phase transitions. Silver palmitate decomposed step-by-step at 204.1, 223.6, and 253.9°C.

Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoids insecticide, which is important for the cash crops such as tomato, rape and so on. The conventional formulation does not only increase the loss of pesticide but also leads to environmental pollution. Controlled-release formulations of pesticide are highly desirable not only for attaining the most effective utilization of the pesticide, but also for reducing environmental pollution. Pesticide imidacloprid was incorporated in poly (styrene–diacetone crylamide)-based formulation to obtain controlled release properties, and the imidacloprid nanocontrolled release formulation was characterized by infrared (IR) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Factors related to loading efficiency, swelling and release behaviors of the formulation were investigated. It showed that the loading efficiency could reach about 40% (w/w). The values for the diffusion exponent "n" were in the range of 0.31–0.58, which indicated that the release of imidacloprid was diffusion-controlled. The time taken for 50% of the active ingredient to be released into water, T₅₀, was also calculated for the comparison of formulations in different conditions. The results showed that the formulation with higher temperature and more diacetone crylamide had lower value of T₅₀, which means a quicker release of the active ingredient. This study highlighted some pieces of evidence that improved pesticide incorporation and slower release were linked to potential interactions between the pesticide and the polymer.

Urethane modified bismaleimide (UBMI) was synthesized by the reaction of maleic anhydride (MA) with NCO group terminated polyurethane prepolymer (PUP) in presence of acetone. The product was determined by infrared analysis. Then ultrasonic assistant process was introduced into the solvent removal of the prepolymer mixture of UBMI and PUP. Polyurethane-imide (PUI) elastomer was synthesized from the above PUP-UBMI prepolymer mixture by the infusion technology with 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-hexane (B25) as liquid initiator at 120°C. The thermal properties and stress-strain behavior of PUI elastomer was characterised by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and tensile testing apparatus, respectively. Compared with pure polyurethane elastomer, the PUI elastomer composite showed the better thermal stability.

The main subject of this work is about the preparation of T-ZnOw/PS composites through different methods and the evaluation of mechanical properties of the composites. Different surface modification methods of T-ZnOw whiskers, the so called wet-type modification and dry-type modification, and different molding processing methods of T-ZnOw/PS composites, namely compression molding and injection molding, have been employed. Two different coupling agents, titanate coupling agent (NDZ105) and silane coupling agent (KH560), have been used to treat T-ZnOw. Both the interface structure between T-ZnOw whiskers and PS and the distribution of integrated T-ZnOw whiskers in composites have been studied by SEM. The mechanical properties of T-ZnOw/PS composites obtained through the above different methods have been studied comparatively. Although the tensile strength of the composites decreases slightly, the impact strength and tensile modulus increase with increasing the content of T-ZnOw in the composites. Both coupling agents and molding methods have great influence on the mechanical properties of the composites. The study of the impact-fractured surface shows that craze formation in PS matrix during the impact process is the main reason for the improvement of the composite toughness.

Military modernization is a complicated process of force building by which a nation fulfills its defense requirements. Professionally, it is measured by the sophistication of the combat capabilities of a country’s armed forces as defined by the effectiveness of strategies and doctrines, commanding heights, soldier training, organization and structure, and the jointness of services and weapons systems. Technological progress is a primary driver for a military to modernize through transformation. More broadly, military modernization is an integral component of a country’s overall modernization, either facilitating or obstructing its socio-political, economic, and technological development. Military modernization is also affected by the nature of a country’s political system, as it determines the relations between civilian leaders and the top brass, the status of the military in society, and the internal shape of the organization, i.e., officer corruption and force cohesiveness. Yet, whether the system of state governance decisively impacts the patterns and pace of military modernization is a subject of debate. As discussed in detail in this paper, one-party rule is a specific political structure that can affect military modernization either positively or negatively. Positively as in the case of China, systemic factors such as the undisrupted CPC control of the military, concentrated inputs of resources into force building, and targeted capability acquisition contribute to the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as a beneficiary of one-party rule. Negatively, one party-rule may disrupt military/society interactions and is prone to structural corruption, undermining the quality of military modernization.

A novel method of fabricating composite mosaic membranes was studied on the basis of interfacial polymerization (IP) by coating a thin selective layer onto the surface of a micro-porous hollow-fiber membrane, in which, 2,5-diaminobenzene sulfonic acid was used as one monomer of the IP reaction, and a mixture of trimesoyl chloride (TMCl) and 4-(chloromethyl) benzoyl chloride as the other monomer. Through the IP reaction a thin selective layer with negatively charged groups could be first formed on the polyethersulfone (PES) support membrane. Then trimethylamine solution was introduced to modify the IP layer through a quaternization reaction. Thus the selective layer of this composite membrane contained both negatively charged and positively charged groups to perform the mosaic functionality. Characterization of the composite mosaic membranes was carried out through permeation experiments using different inorganic salts and dyes. The experimental results showed that the membranes could permeate both mono- and bi-valent inorganic salts, but reject larger organic molecules. Such a mosaic membrane is potentially useful for the separation of salts from water-soluble organics, especially in dye and textile industries.

Nano nalidixic acid was prepared by ultrasonic method in carbon tetrachloride. Nano nalidixic acid (quinolone antibiotic) was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The antibacterial activities of nano nalidixic acid were tested against microorganisms and compared with the microscale drug. The results show that nano nalidixic acid has good inhibitory properties against two Gram-positive species, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. Nano nalidixic acid also showed good antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Nano nalidixic acid can be injected into the human body as a decontaminating agent to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms more effectively than the micro-sized drug.

Uniform rare-earth ytterbium oxide (Yb₂O₃) hollow microspheres have been successfully prepared via a urea-based homogenous precipitation method using carbon spheres as template, followed by a heat treatment. The main synthesis process was carried out in aqueous conditions without any organic solvents, surfactants or etching agents. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area measurement were employed to characterize the samples. The results show that the final products can be indexed to cubic Yb₂O₃ phase with high purity. The as-obtained Yb₂O₃ microspheres with spherical shape and hollow structure are uniform in size and distribution of about 450nm and wall thickness of approximately 15nm.

Electrochemical energy storage and conversion have been in a significant position for meeting the increasing demand for the development of the society. The design and preparation of high-performance functional semiconductor materials have played a critical role in the development of electrochemical energy storage and conversion. In this context, the nanostructures in functional semiconductor materials provide an alternative route by virtue of their unique and promising nanoscale. Controlling the geometrical parameters of nanostructures and thus forming expected nanomaterials is very important to the investigation and applications of functional semiconductor materials. In this review, we summarized the preparation and applications of the nanostructures for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. It demonstrates simple and controllable design methods for functional materials with ideal nanostructures.