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Kava is known for its recreational, ceremonial and medicinal use in the Pacific. The aqueous non-alcoholic drink of kava rhizome produces intoxicating, relaxing and soothing effects. While kava's medicinal effects receive worldwide recognition, kava-containing products came under scrutiny after over 100 reports of spontaneous adverse hepatic effects. Many mechanisms have been postulated to explain the unexpected toxicity, one being pharmacokinetic interactions between kavalactones and co-administered drugs involving cytochrome P450 enzyme system. Alcohol is often co-injested in kava hepatotoxicity cases. This review evaluates the possible hepatotoxicity mechanisms involving alcohol and kava.

Thin films deposited on the phosphonate 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) were prepared on the hydroxylated silicon substrate by a self-assembling process from specially formulated solution. Chemical compositions of the films and chemical state of the elements were detected by X-ray photoelectron spectrometry. The thickness of the films was determined with an ellipsometer, whereas the morphologies and nanotribological properties of the samples were analyzed by means of atomic force microscopy. As the results, the target film was obtained and reaction may have taken place between the thin films and the silicon substrate. It was also found that the thin films showed the lowest friction and adhesion followed by APTES-SAM and phosphorylated APTES-SAM, whereas silicon substrate showed high friction and adhesion. Microscale scratch/wear studies clearly showed that thin films were much more scratch/wear resistant than the other samples. The superior friction reduction and scratch/wear resistance of thin films may be attributed to low work of adhesion of nonpolar terminal groups and the strong bonding strength between the films and the substrate. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009

Low temperature is one of the major abiotic stresses limiting the productivity and geographical distribution of many important crops. To gain a better understanding of chilling stress responses in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), we carried out a comparative proteomic analysis. Cotyledon proteins of 1-week-old cotton seedlings treated with or without chilling treatment at 4 °C were extracted, separated by a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and compared. Among 1500 protein spots reproducibly detected on each gel, 25 protein spots were down-regulated and 29 were up-regulated. Seven cotton proteins were identified by mass spectrometry analysis as beta-globulin A precursor fragments. One was identified as a Rubisco large subunit fragment, providing evidence of both seed storage protein and photosynthetic protein destruction by chilling stress. The related physiological and biochemical analysis showed that there was a significant increase in endopeptidase activity and activated oxygen generation rate, and an obvious decrease in carboxylation efficiency and maximum net photosynthetic rate of cotton seedlings under chilling stress. Based on the above results, the degradation mechanisms of beta-globulin and Rubisco under chilling stress were discussed. In conclusion, our study provides new insights into chilling-stress responses in cotton and demonstrates the advantages of proteomic analysis.

A 173-point genetic linkage map of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), consisting of 116 SRAPs, 33 RAPDs, 11 SSRs, 9 SCARs, 3 ISSRs, and 1 STS, was constructed using 130 F 2 progeny derived from a narrow cross between line S94 (Northern China open-field type) and line S06 (greenhouse European type). The seven linkage groups spanned 1016 cM with a mean marker interval of 5.9 cM. Using the F 2 population and its F 3 derived families, a total of 38 QTLs were detected on five linkage groups with an LOD threshold of 3.0 for nine fruit-related traits: fruit weight, length, and diameter, fruit flesh thickness, seed-cavity diameter, fruit-stalk length, fruit pedicel length, length/diameter and length/stalk ratio. Of the identified QTLs, /?/4.3 for fruit-stalk length explained the largest portion of phenotypic variation (r 2 =∼30%). Several QTLs were detected, in the same linkage region in different generations and different seasons. Additionally, several QTLs for various fruit traits were mapped to the same or neighbouring marker intervals, suggesting they are possible character associations for controlling cucumber fruit development.

Hong Kong is one of the very few coastal cities in the world that use ‘dual water supply systems’. Dual water supply involves two distribution systems: a freshwater system for potable use and a seawater system for toilet flushing. This study looks into the feasibility, from an engineering cost point of view, of extending seawater supply into districts where potable water is still being used for toilet flushing, including South District of Hong Kong Island, Sai Kung, Northern New Territories and Northwest New Territories. Besides seawater, raw (untreated) freshwater and reclaimed water (treated effluent from local sewage treatment works) are also considered to be used for toilet flushing for these districts. Six cases are developed for comparison by using the lowest net present value of cost criterion. The result shows that using seawater for toilet flushing in these districts has the best engineering economy.

Hong Kong is an Asian city with nearly 7 million people. Because of the lack of natural resources, the local water supply is not adequate to meet the demand. Fresh water supply in Hong Kong relies on the cross border import of water from the East River (Dongjiang) in China. To conserve fresh water, seawater has been used for toilet flushing since the 1950s. In this paper, the current status of seawater for toilet flushing in Hong Kong is reviewed, and the future strategy toward sustainable toilet flushing water supply, including other alternatives, is discussed.

The crystal structure of a high temperature (HT) Al3Co phase, which is isostructural to the Al13Os4 phase, was determined by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction: space group C2/m (No. 12), a = 16.989(4) A, b = 4.098(1) A, c = 7.478(2) A, β = 115.812(5)°, V = 467.9(2) A3, Dc = 3.998 g cm−3, λ(Mo Kα) = 0.71073 A, F(0 0 0) = 532, Mr = 140.81, μ = 8.044 mm−1, Z = 8, R = 0.068 for 373 reflections with I > 2 σ(I), w R 2 = 0.182 for 522 unique reflections, Np = 59, S = 1.037. The HT-Al3Co phase is a crystalline approximant of decagonal quasicrystals. Crystalline phases with the composition among Al11Co4–Al13Co4 have been briefly reviewed.

Using the57Fe Mossbauer effect the influence of the Ga content in amorphous (Fe1−xGax)84B16 on the average hyperfine fields\(\bar H\) and isomer shift has been studied. For the sample (Fe0.98Ga0.02)84B16 the\(\bar H\), as well as the recoilless fraction,fa were measured as functions of temperature ranging from 12 K to 300 K. The experimental results show a linear correlation between Infa and δ, and well as between δ andx. In the temperature range\(\bar H(T)\) can be described by the Brillouin function and the second-order Doppler shift is appreciable. The characteristic temperature for such an amorphous alloy is 372 K. the effective vibrating massMeff=79 a.u.