Analysis of underivatized amino acids in geological samples using ion-pairing liquid chromatography and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

The capability of detecting biomarkers, such as amino acids, in chemically complex field samples is essential to establishing the knowledge required to search for chemical signatures of life in future planetary explorations. However, due to the complexities of in situ investigations, it is important to establish a new analytical scheme that utilizes a minimal amount of sample preparation. This paper reports the feasibility of a novel and sensitive technique, which has been established to quantitate amino acids in terrestrial crust samples directly without derivatization using volatile ion-pairing liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry equipped with an electrospray ionization source. Adequate separation of 20 underivatized amino acids was achieved on a C(18) capillary column within 26 min with nonafluoropentanoic acid (NFPA) as ion-pairing reagent. Each amino acid was identified from its retention time as well as from its characteristic parent-to-daughter ion transition. Using tandem mass spectrometry as a detection technique allows co-elution of some amino acids, as it is more specific than traditional spectrophotometric methods. In the present study, terrestrial samples collected from 3 different locations were analyzed for their water-extractable free amino acid contents, following the removal of metal and organic interferences via ion exchange procedures. This is the first time that amino acids in geological samples were directly determined quantitatively without complicated derivatization steps. Depending on the amino acid, the detection limits varied from 0.02 to 5.7 pmol with the use of a 1 microl sample injection loop.     

Numerical investigation of unsteady vortex breakdown past 80°/65° double-delta wing

An improved delayed detached eddy simulation （IDDES） method based on the k-x-SST （shear stress transport） turbulence model was applied to predict the unsteady vortex breakdown past an 80o/65o double-delta wing （DDW）, where the angles of attack （AOAs） range from 30° to 40°. Firstly, the IDDES model and the relative numerical methods were validated by simulating the massively separated flow around an NACA0021 straight wing at the AOA of 60°. The fluctuation properties of the lift and pressure coefficients were analyzed and compared with the available measurements. For the DDW case, the computations were compared with such mea-surements as the mean lift, drag, pitching moment, pressure coefficients and breakdown locations. Furthermore, the unsteady properties were investigated in detail, such as the frequencies of force and moments, pressure fluctuation on the upper surface, typical vortex breakdown patterns at three moments, and the distributions of kinetic turbulence energy at a stream wise section. Two dominated modes are observed, in which their Strouhal numbers are 1.0 at the AOAs of 30°, 32° and 34° and 0.7 at the AOAs of 36o, 38° and 40°. The breakdown vortex always moves upstream and downstream and its types change alternatively. Furthermore, the vortex can be identified as breakdown or not through the mean pressure, root mean square of pressure, or even through correlation analysis.     

FeS/S/FeS(2) redox system and its oxidoreductase-like chemistry in the iron-sulfur world

The iron-sulfur world (ISW) theory is an intriguing prediction regarding the origin of life on early Earth. It hypothesizes that life arose as a geochemical process from inorganic starting materials on the surface of sulfide minerals in the vicinity of deep-sea hot springs. During the last two decades, many experimental studies have been carried out on this topic, and some interesting results have been achieved. Among them, however, the processes of carbon/nitrogen fixation and biomolecular assembly on the mineral surface have received an inordinate amount of attention. To the present, an abiotic model for the oxidation-reduction of intermediates participating in metabolic pathways has been ignored. We examined the oxidation-reduction effect of a prebiotic FeS/S/FeS(2) redox system on the interconversion between several pairs of α-hydroxy acids and α-keto acids (i.e., lactate/pyruvate, malate/oxaloacetate, and glycolate/glyoxylate). We found that, in the absence of FeS, elemental sulfur (S) oxidized α-hydroxy acids to form corresponding keto acids only at a temperature higher than its melting point (113°C); in the presence of FeS, such reactions occurred more efficiently through a coupled reaction mechanism, even at a temperature below the phase transition point of S. On the other hand, FeS was shown to have the capacity to reversibly reduce the keto acids. Such an oxidoreductase-like chemistry of the FeS/S/FeS(2) redox system suggests that it can determine the redox homeostasis of metabolic intermediates in the early evolutionary phase of life. The results provide a possible pathway for the development of primordial redox biochemistry in the iron-sulfur world. Key Words: Iron-sulfur world-FeS/S/FeS(2) redox system-Oxidoreductase-like chemistry. Astrobiology 11, 471-476.     

High-temperature gas effects on aerodynamic characteristics of waverider

This paper focuses on the analysis of high-temperature effect on a conical waverider and it is a typical configuration of near space vehicles. Two different gas models are used in the numerical simulations, namely the thermochemical non-equilibrium and perfect gas models. The non-equilibrium flow simulations are conducted with the usage of the parallel non-equilibrium program developed by the authors while the perfect gas flow simulations are carried out with the commercial software Fluent. The non-equilibrium code is validated with experimental results and grid sensitivity analysis is performed as well. Then, numerical simulations of the flow around the conical waverider with the two gas models are conducted. In the results, differences in the flow structures as well as aerodynamic performances of the conical waverider are compared. It is found that the thermochemical non-equilibrium effect is significant mainly near the windward boundary layer at the tail of the waverider, and the non-equilibrium influence makes the pressure center move forward to about 0.57% of the whole craft’s length at the altitude of 60 km.     

China’s Leading Geo-information Provider Siwei Worldview

Siwei Worldview Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd (Siwei Worldview for short), a high-resolution satellite image provider, was founded in Beijing in 2011 by China Siwei Surveying & Mapping Technology Corporation (CSMTC, or China Survey), Digital Globe and China Survey subsidiary company NavInfo Co., Ltd. CSMTC is a subcompany of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). As the only authorized supplier of Digital Globe to distribute satellite image products in China, Siwei Worldview provides     

Academy Day of IAA Held in Beijing

Academy Day of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) was held in Beijing on September 3, 2011. The conference was chaired by Mrs. Gong Jinyu, Executive Deputy Director of IAA Studies Center in China.Mr. Hu Zhongmin, Director of IAA Studies Center in China, reported on the work     

CASC Vice President Attended 27th US National Space Symposium

A Chinese space delegation led by Lei Fanpei, Vice President of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC),     

Consensus based on learning game theory with a UAV rendezvous application

Multi-agent cooperation problems are becoming more and more attractive in both civilian and military applications. In multi-agent cooperation problems, different network topologies will decide different manners of cooperation between agents. A centralized system will directly control the operation of each agent with information flow from a single centre, while in a distributed system, agents operate separately under certain communication protocols. In this paper, a systematic distributed optimization approach will be established based on a learning game algorithm.The convergence of the algorithm will be proven under the game theory framework. Two typical consensus problems will be analyzed with the proposed algorithm. The contributions of this work are threefold. First, the designed algorithm inherits the properties in learning game theory for problem simplification and proof of convergence. Second, the behaviour of learning endows the algorithm with robustness and autonomy. Third, with the proposed algorithm, the consensus problems will be analyzed from a novel perspective.     

Numerical simulation of RCS for carrier electronic warfare airplanes

This paper studies the radar cross section(RCS) of carrier electronic warfare airplanes.Under the typical naval operations section, the mathematical model of the radar wave’s pitch angle incidence range analysis is established. Based on the CATIA software, considering dynamic deflections of duck wing leading edge flaps, flaperons, horizontal tail, and rudder, as well as aircraft with air-to-air missile, anti-radiation missile, electronic jamming pod, and other weapons, the 3D models of carrier electronic warfare airplanes Model A and Model B with weapons were established. Based on the physical optics method and the equivalent electromagnetic flow method, by the use of the RCSAnsys software, the characteristics of carrier electronic warfare airplanes’ RCS under steady and dynamic flights were simulated under the UHF, X, and S radar bands. This paper researches the detection probability of aircraft by radars under the condition of electronic warfare, and completes the mathematical statistical analysis of the simulation results. The results show that: The Model A of carrier electronic warfare airplane is better than Model B on stealth performance and on discover probability by radar detection effectively.