The protocols presently established for optimum seed storage do not account for the chemical composition of different seed species, the physiological status of the seed, and the physical status of water...Full Text Available
This investigation clearly demonstrates that through partial impregnation techniques wood-polymer composites can be formed from the Pinus species grown in South Africa with a considerable saving in monomer costs without sacrificing the important physical properties of these materials.
A new method for the determination of the cmc using a dialysis technique which allows monometric species to diffuse through but no micelles has been applied for determining the mixed micelle composition. The method is based on determining the amount of surfactant that diffuses through at two different times which allows for the calculation of the cmc by use of the appropriate equation. This method requires the preparation of only one concentration of solution and lends itself particularly well to the determination of the composition of mixed micelles. (orig.)
The composition of carotenoids, along with anthocyanins and chlorophyll, accounts for the distinctive range of colour found in the Actinidia (kiwifruit) species. Lutein and beta-carotene...Full Text Available
It has been prepared composites materials by means of monomer penetration in pores of wood samples and later curing by means of gamma irradiation. The studied species were Hura crepitans L. (catahua), Aniba puchury-minor (C. Martinez) (mohena amarilla), and Calycophyllum spruceanum (Benth.) (capirona). These new materials exhibit smaller water absorption and better mechanical properties in comparison with native wood. The test tubes of catahua treated with the styrene-polyester mixture absorb only up to 10% humidity compared to the native species whereas its hardness is increased in a 100%. (author).
Wood-plastic composites (WPC) have been prepared with five low-grade woods, native to Syria, using three monomer systems; acrylamide, butylmethacrylate, and styrene, with methanol as the swelling solvent. Polymerization was induced at various radiation doses (10, 20, and 30 kGy) at a dose rate of 3.5 kGy/h using a {sup 60}Co gamma radiation source. Some physical properties of WPC, namely polymer loading and compression strength have been measured. The polymer loading decreases approximately with increasing density of the wood species used.
Wood-plastic composites (WPC) have been prepared with five low-grade woods, native to Syria, using three monomer systems; acrylamide, butylmethacrylate, and styrene, with methanol as the swelling solvent. Polymerization was induced at various radiation doses (10, 20, and 30 kGy) at a dose rate of 3.5 kGy/h using a "6"0Co gamma radiation source. Some physical properties of WPC, namely polymer loading and compression strength have been measured. The polymer loading decreases approximately with increasing density of the wood species used.
Wood-plastic composites (WPC) have been prepared with five low-grade woods, native to Syria, using three monomer systems; acrylamide, butylmethacrylate, and styrene, with methanol as the swelling solvent. Polymerization was induced at various radiation doses (10, 20, and 30 kGy) at a dose rate of 3.5 kGy/h using a "6"0Co gamma radiation source. Some physical properties of WPC, namely polymer loading and compression strength have been measured. The polymer loading decreases approximately with increasing density of the wood species used. (author)
The application of differential optical absorption (DOA) techniques for the in-situ determination of the chemical composition of coal gasification process streams is investigated. Absorption spectra of relevant molecular species and the temperature and pressure effects on DOA-determined spectral characteristics of these species will be determined and cataloged. A system will be configured, assembled, and tested.
Coatings and sensors having both steric and chemical selectivity. Controlled porosity provides the steric selectivity, whereas chemically tailored film properties, using controlled composition or modification by coupling agents, chemical species replacement, or chemical species within pores, provide the chemical selectivity. Single or multiple layers may be provided.
The primary goal was to address several questions with regard to how soil seed banks change in a successional series. How does the composition of the viable seed bank change, and how does the relationship of the soil seed bank and vegetation change with succession? Can the seed bank be regarded as a potential as a source of seeds for wetland restoration? We collected soil seed bank samples and sampled the vegetation in four different successional stages and used the NMDS (nonmetric multidimensional scaling) to evaluate the relationship of speciescomposition between the seed banks and vegetation. The difference of seed density and species richness in different habitats and soil depths also was compared. Viable seeds of half (37) the species in the early-successional stage were found in all...
Abstract in english The main objective of the research presented here is to relate anatomical features of wood species that affect the interactions between polymeric phases and performance of wood plastic composites (WPC). These interactions are related to the probable interlocking volume and surface area for stress transfer in a WPC. Composites were produced from different wood species and analyzed using SEM (scanning electron microscopy). Results showed that wood species with high interfac (more) ial areas may increase mechanical interlocking, reflected in the viscous constant of the Maxwell model. A complicating factor is that the relation of cell wall thickness-lumen diameter and the interconnectivity between wood cells in a wood, affect the potential for cell collapse. When wood cells collapse, the penetration of the thermoplastic into the wood structure is almost always ...
The distribution of Cu, Ni, Co and Mn between an aqueous solution of constant ionic strength and Versatic Acid 911 diluted with benzene was investigated. Only one extracted species of Cu was revealed to have a dimeric structure of the composition (CuR_2.RH)_2, while both monomer and dimer were found in the extraction of Ni, Co and Mn. The curve-fitting method was employed to determine these species, from which the composition of the extracted species was found to be NiR_2.4RH and (NiR_2.2RH)_2, CoR_2.4RH and (CoR_2.2RH)_2, and MnR_2.4RH and (MnR_2.2RH)_2, respectively. The apparent equilibrium constants of the above species and those between monomer and dimer were also determined. The curve-fitting method was proved to be a precise method for determining the equilibrium constants and extracted species. (author).
In order to better understand the structure and composition of forest plant communities, we aimed to predict the abundance of understory herbaceous species locally at the stand level and according to different environments. For this, we seeked to model species distributions of abundance at a regional scale in relationship with the local stand structure (canopy openness) and regional soil resources (soil pH). Floristic inventories, performed in different light and soil conditions located in 1202 records of north eastern France, were used to analyze the combined effect of canopy openness and soil pH on the abundance of 12 common western European forest species: Anemone nemorosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca altissima, Hedera helix, Lamium galeobdolon, Lonicera periclymenum, Molinia caerulea...
The thermal stability of wood polymer composites made with extractive-free wood from four different wood species was studied. Hot water (HW) extractives, ethanol/cyclohexane (E/C) extractives and both types of extractives were eliminated from A. cyclops, E. grandis, P. radiata and Q. alba. Composites of LLDPE and 10 wt% of wood were prepared, using poly vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene (EVOH) as a compatibilizer. The thermal degradation behavior of the composites was characterized with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The obtained results showed that in all cases, the degradation temperatures shifted to higher values after removal of the extractives. The removal of E/C extractives was less effective in its improvement of the thermal stability than the removal of HW extractives. The largest improvement on the thermal stability of WPCs was achieved when both types of extractives (E/C and HW) were removed.
An ion processing element employing composite media disposed in a porous substrate, for facilitating removal of selected chemical species from a fluid stream. The ion processing element includes a porous fibrous glass substrate impregnated by composite media having one or more active components supported by a matrix material of polyacrylonitrile. The active components are effective in removing, by various mechanisms, one or more constituents from a fluid stream passing through the ion processing element. Due to the porosity and large surface area of both the composite medium and the substrate in which it is disposed, a high degree of contact is achieved between the active component and the fluid stream being processed. Further, the porosity of the matrix material and the substrate facilitates use of the ion processing element in high volume applications where it is desired to effectively process a high ...
Four species of nanocomposites organized by hydroxyapatite (HAp), hyaluronic acid (HyA), chondroitin sulfate (ChS) and type II collagen (Col), i.e. HAp/HyA, HAp/ChS, HAp/HyA/Col and HAp/ChS/Col composites, were synthesized by coprecipitation methods. The composites could retain lots of water: 40%, 32%, 42% and 58% for the HAp/HyA, HAp/ChS, HAp/HyA/Col and HAp/ChS/Col composites, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that the HAp/HyA and HAp/ChS composites consisted of island-like aggregations whose sizes were 300 nm in length and 30 nm in width, and 150 nm in length and 30 nm in width, respectively. In the aggregations, there were many HAp nanocrystals of 20 nm in length, and their c-axes were aligned along the respective polymer molecules through a self-organization process. Animal tests showed that chondrocyte-like cells penetrated into the ...
Coal slurry pH values can be used to characterize coals. pH values depend on the coal, time since slurry preparation, contact with gas atmosphere, particle size, and stirring. Measured values reflect a sequence of reactions including: carbon dioxide absorption by water from the air, wetting of the coal (pH may be affected by the elemental composition of the mineral matter), and further equilibration with species in the water. The pH initially drops as carbon dioxide is absorbed, then rapidly increases as the coal is wetted, and then slowly decreases as some reactions with species in the water take place.
Eighteen species of Thai rutaceous plants were investigated for their essential oil contents and compositions. Of these plants, four genera belong to the tribe Citreae. Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were commonly found in the essential oils of these plants species while phenylpropanoids were present only as minor components. The distribution of these monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in each plant produce its characteristic smell. The plants of Clauseneae appeared to be rich sources of sesquiterpenes while these of Citreae were found to contain both monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. In terms of chemical composition, one hundred and forty-three components were detected from the 18 selected rutaceous plants. The distribution and diversity of these components among the selected plants have been discussed. (author)
Abstract Development of inhibitors and vaccines that mitigate rumen-derived methane by targeting methanogens relies on knowledge of the methanogens present. We investigated the composition of archaeal communities in the rumens of farmed sheep (Ovis aries), cattle (Bos taurus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to generate fingerprints of archaeal 16S rRNA genes. The total archaeal communities were relatively constant across species and diets, and were less variable and less diverse than bacterial communities. There were diet- and ruminant-species-based differences in archaeal community structure, but the same dominant archaea were present in all rumens. These were members of three coherent clades: species related to Methanobrevibacter ruminan...
The formation constants of species formed in the system H"+"+alanine and VO_"2"+alanine have be determined in aqueous solution for 1.0compositions of the formed complexes and their stability constants were determined ny curve fitting method and it was shown that di oxovanadium(V) forms two mononuclear 1:1 and 1:2 species with alanine of the type VO_2L and VO_2L_2 The protonation constant of the amino group of alanine has been determined using a computer program which employ a least-squares method. The defence of the protonation of alanine and the stability constant of the species on ionic strength are described by a Debby-huckel type equation.
Selection of suitable species, which will survive the severe environment of low light, cool temperatures, and high winds, poses serious problems to revegetation programs in the Aleutian Islands. Selection must be based on adaptability of plants to the extremes of the Aleutian climate and, as realized more recently, on lack of disruption of the natural ecosystem. This places the emphasis on use of native species in revegetation. Elymus mollis Trin., American dunegrass, a dominant of the Aleutian dune community, was studied to better understand its potential for use in reclamation work. As the species occupies both beach and inland sites, an emphasis was placed on documenting its wide latitude of habitat occurrence. Community composition, dispersal, growth response, ecotypic variation, and nutrient relations were studied at two beach sites and two inland sites on Adak Island in the central Aleutian ...
Wood-plastic composites from Syrian tree species (white poplar, cypress tree, and white willow) were prepared using gamma-ray irradiation. Dry wood was impregnated with acrylamide or butylmethacrylate at various methanol compositions as the swelling solvent. Effect of inorganic additives and co-additives such as lithium nitrate (LiNO_3), copper sulfate (CuSO_4) and sulfuric acid (H_2SO_4), used at a very low concentration (1%), on the polymer loading (PL) and the compression strength (CS) was also investigated. It has been found that all the additives and co-additives, except Cu"2"+, increase the PL values and only Li"+ has a positive effect on CS. (Author)
The exceptional ability of marine sponges to adapt to often drastic changes of their environments could be due to special structural features in cell membranes, including firstly phospholipids (PL). Thus, PL class composition was investigated in marine sponges (22 species from 19 genera to 15 families) originating from various locations (East Atlantic, North Atlantic, South-West Pacific, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arabian?Persian Gulf). The quantitative determination of PL class composition was obtained by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) with scanning densitometry of the different spots. Previous reports have shown phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) as the major PL class in marine sponges, followed by phosphatidylcholine (PC), while other papers described PC as a minor class...
The diminishing clean oil reserve is driving the search for new or improved ways to reduce the level of NSO-containing species found in high abundance in heavy crude oils. Hydrotreatment is the currently preferred technique to remove those polar species. Unfortunately, nitrogen-containing compounds cause coke formation on the surface of the hydrotreatment catalyst, leading to partial or complete deactivation. Here, positive- and negative-ion electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR MS) identify those nitrogen compounds that resist hydrotreatment. ESI preferentially ionizes polar (e.g., heteroatom-containing) species: basic molecules are detected as positive ions and acidic/neutral molecules as negative ions. FT-ICR MS resolves thousands of species in a single mass spectrum, allowing for unambiguous determination of elemental ...
This study describes the chemical composition of the essential oil of Artemisia maritima (Am.Oil) and the pharmacological basis for its medicinal use in gut and airways disorders. Twenty five compounds, composing 93.7% of the oil, were identified; among these, chrysanthenyl propionate and elixene were identified for the first time from any Artemisia species. The Am.Oil (0.3?1.0 mg/mL) suppressed spontaneous and high K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions in isolated rabbit jejunum, suggestive of an antispasmodic effect mediated possibly through calcium channel blockade. The calcium channel blockade activity was confirmed when pre-treatment of the tissue with Am.Oil (0.01?0.03 mg/mL) shifted the Ca++ concentration-response curves to the right, similar to verapamil and papaverine. In isolated trach...
The thermal transformation of Al-base icosahedral phases was studied in-situ by real time neutron powder diffraction. Different compositions have been selected in order to vary the initial phase morphology and change the neutron scattering contrast between species. Alloys with low silicon and large aluminium contents produce first the orthorhombic O-Al_6Mn modification. In alloys with larger silicon content, the #alpha#-AlMnSi cubic phase appears soon after the beginning of the transformation but is still preceeded by O-Al_6Mn. Depending on compositions, the crystallization of the icosahedral phase is controlled either by the diffusion of Al through its interface with the residual fcc aluminium or that of Si within the bulk. The results are discussed in the light of current structural models. (author) 40 refs., 14 figs., 3 tabs.
Water stress and fire disturbance can directly impact stand structure, biomass and composition by causing mortality and influencing competitive interactions among trees. However, open eucalypt forests of southwest Australia are highly resilient to fire and drought and may respond differently to increased fire frequency and aridity than forests dominated by non-eucalypt species. We measured the variation in stem density, basal area, stand biomass, sapwood area, leaf area and litterfall across 16 mixed jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) forest stands along an aridity gradient in southwest Australia that had variable fire histories. Fire frequency was defined as the total number of fires over a ~30-year period and aridity as the ratio of potential evapotranspiration...
Sulfur pollution can lead to serious problems in freshwater wetlands, including phosphorus eutrophication and sulfide toxicity. We tested the effects of anaerobic iron-rich groundwater discharge in fens, simulated by iron injection, on two characteristic species (Juncus effusus and Caltha palustris) in a sulfidic environment. Biomass production of C. palustris roots showed an optimum response to the combined addition of iron and sulfide, with highest values at intermediate concentrations of both substances. Iron deficiency apparently occurred at low iron concentrations, while at high iron concentrations, growth was decreased. For J. effusus, in contrast, no toxic effects were found of both iron and sulfide. This could be explained by larger radial oxygen loss (ROL) of J. effusus and could not be explained by differences in phosphorous concentrations. The results of our experiments confirm that iron-rich groundwater discharge has the potential to affect vegetation ...
A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) electrochemical model has been created to model high-temperature electrolysis stack performance and steam electrolysis in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Integrated Lab Scale (ILS) experiment. The model is made of 60 planar cells stacked on top of each other operated as Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOEC). Details of the model geometry are specific to a stack that was fabricated by Ceramatec, Inc. and tested at INL. Inlet and outlet plenum flow and distribution are considered. Mass, momentum, energy, and species conservation and transport are provided via the core features of the commercial CFD code FLUENT. A solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) model adds the electrochemical reactions and loss mechanisms and computation of the electric field throughout the cell. The FLUENT SOFC user defined subroutine was modified for this work to allow for operation in the SOEC mode. Model results provide detailed profiles of ...
During last decade, considerable interest has been focused to assess the influence of human activities on ecosystems. The increasing trend in the atmospheric concentration of CO{sub 2} has been predicted to continue till the next century and the amount of nitrogen deposition in the northern hemisphere has increased markedly. Substantial interest has been focused on predicting how these changes will affect on plants. Most boreal mire ecosystems are dominated by mosses of the genus Sphagnum, the litter of which constitutes the main component in the peat deposits and is an important CO{sub 2} sink via peat formation. Since virtually nothing was known about the growth response of peat mosses to elevated concentrations of CO{sub 2} and alerting changes in speciescomposition were detected in the sensitive ombrotrophic mire vegetation under increased N deposition in central Europe, this study was established. Laboratory experiments focused on ...
The thermal regime immediately downstream from bottom release reservoirs is often characterized by reduced diel and seasonal (winter warm/summer cool) conditions. These unusual thermal patterns have often been implicated as a primary factor underlying observed downstream changes in the speciescomposition of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. The potential mechanisms for selective elimination of benthic species by unusual thermal regimes has been reviewed. Although the effects of temperature on the rate and magnitude of larval growth and development has been included in the list of potential mechanisms, only recently have field studies below dams focused on this interrelationship. This study investigates the overall community structure as well as the seasonal pattern of larval growth and development for several univoltine species of insects in the Delaware River below or near the hypolimnetic ...
Thermodynamic states encountered during combustion of Aluminum powder in Shock-Dispersed-Fuel (SDF) explosions were analyzed with the Cheetah code. Results are displayed in the Le Chatelier diagram: the locus of states of specific internal energy versus temperature. Accuracy of the results was confirmed by comparing the fuel and products curves with the heats of detonation and combustion, and speciescomposition as measured in bomb calorimeter experiments. Results were fit with analytic functions u = f(T) suitable for specifying the thermodynamic properties required for gas-dynamic models of combustion in explosions.
The results of theoretical and experimental investigations, describing the effect of ionizing radiation on wood and its main components and methods for production of wood-plastic composites by means of radiation-induced chemical modification are generalized. Domestic and foreign experience in their production is systematized; physico-mechanical characteristics of new material, simulation and calculation of irradiating devices, as well as calculation and experimental study of #gamma#-radiation attenuation both by wood material and by wood of different species are given. Gamma sources ("6"0Co isotope, a hot loop of a nuclear reactor) as well as electron accelerators are considered as ionizing radiation sources.
The stability constant values of Pa(V) with some complexing ligands (chloride, sulfate and oxalate) are graphically determined using solvent extraction data. The organic phase was at constant composition of HTTA in benzene while the aqueous phase was held at constant hydrogen ion concentration and ionic strength of 3. The curve-fitting method was adopted throughout this investigation, giving the following values. The stability constants obtained are used to calculate the distribution of the different Pa (V) species in the corresponding aqueous phase (expressed in mole fraction) as a function of ligand ion concentration.
Two species of wood, viz. Haldu (Adina Cordifolia) and Jamun (Syzygium Cumini) were vacuum-impregnated with two styrene-based monomer systems and polymerized in situ with gamma radiation from a cobalt-60 source. The electrical conductivity of these specimens was determined at various polymer loadings under dry conditions, after wetting and after wet recovery as per ASTM standards. The water absorption characteristics are also presented. The results are discussed with special reference to the role of water. Potential applications are also discussed. 7 figures.
This study of the inorganic chemical composition of 10 different Nigerian medicinal plant species, using the technique of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), resulted in the determination of the concentrations of 18 major, minor, and trace elements: Al, Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Eu, Fe, Ga, K, La, Mn, Na, Sb, Sc, Si, Sm, V, and Zn. The parts of the plants used were roots, leaves, and bark. The NBS SRM 1571 Orchard Leaves was also analyzed to assess the accuracy of the procedures used. 21 refs., 4 tables.
Angelin Pedra is a specie found in the north of Mato Grosso State in Brazil, where an expressive volume of waste of this wood is produced. An alternative to recycle this waste is to produce wood plastic composites. However, structural and chemical investigations are fundamental to generate information for this use. In the present work, low field NMR was used to determine the spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times with objective to investigate the molecular dynamic behavior of the alburnu and cerne regions of Angelin Pedra aiming at a potential use of this waste wood in polymeric composites. The results of the proton spin-lattice relaxation time (T1H) and the proton spin-spin relaxation time (T2H) showed at least three different mobility domains for both regions. Among the values, one was very flexible and other was rigid. Knowing that wood is a polymer composite basically constituted by cellulose, ...
A simple one-step method to fabricate hierarchically porous TiO2/Pd composite hollow spheres without any template was developed by using solvothermal treatment. Pd nanoparticles (2-5 nm) were well dispersed in the mesopores of the TiO2 hollow spheres via in-situ reduction. In our experiment, polyvinylpyrrolidone played an important role in the synthetic process as the reducing agent and the connective material between TiO2 and Pd nanoparticles. HF species generated from solvothermal reaction leaded to the formation of TiO2 hollow spheres and Ostwald ripening was another main factor that affected the size and structure of the hollow spheres. The as-prepared TiO2/Pd composite hollow spheres exhibited high electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of H2O2. The sensitivity was about 226.72 ?A mM-1 cm-2 with a detection limit of 3.81 ?M at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. These results made the hierarchically porous TiO2/Pd ...
As an explosion develops in the collapsed core of a massive star, neutrino emission drives convection in a hot bubble of radiation, nucleons, and pairs just outside a proto-neutron star. Shortly thereafter, neutrinos drive a wind-like outflow from the neutron star. In both the convective bubble and the early wind, weak interactions temporarily cause a proton excess (Y{sub e} {approx}> 0.50) to develop in the ejected matter. This situation lasts for at least the first second, and the approximately 0.05-0.1 M{sub {circle_dot}} that is ejected has an unusual composition that may be important for nucleosynthesis. Using tracer particles to follow the conditions in a two-dimensional model of a successful supernova explosion calculated by Janka, Buras, and Rampp (2003), they determine the composition of this material. most of it is helium and {sup 56}Ni. The rest is relatively rare species produced by the decay of ...
Ruthenium is one of the fission products in the reprocessing of irradiated fuels that requires a specific processing management. Its elimination, upstream by the PUREX process, has been considered. A process, called electro-volatilization, which take advantage of the RuO{sub 4} volatility, has been optimised in the present study. It consists in a continuous electrolysis of ruthenium solutions in order to generate RuO{sub 4} species that is volatilized and easily trapped. This process goes to satisfying ruthenium elimination yields with RuNO(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2} synthetic solutions but not with fuel dissolution solutions. Consequently, this work consisted in the speciation studies of dissolved ruthenium species were carried out by simulating fuel solutions produced by hot acid attack of several ruthenium compounds (Ru(0), RuO{sub 2},xH{sub 2}O, polymetallic alloy). In parallel with dissolution kinetic studies, the determination of ...
BackgroundThe study of bacterial species interactions in a mixed-species community can be facilitated by transcriptome analysis of one species in the community using cDNA microarray...Full Text Available
In this study, the complete sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Atelura formicaria (Hexapoda: Zygentoma) is described. The molecule is 15.205 bp in length and it is the third complete mt genome sequenced from the Zygentoma. The genome organization conforms with the putative ancestral insect gene arrangement. All protein coding genes use standard initiation codons (methionine and isoleucine). The exception is nad4 that starts with GTG, a codon used for this purpose in other insect species. A peculiar strand skew bias is observed, given that the PCGs encoded on the J-strand contain more thymines than adenines and more cytosines than guanines. This trend in nucleotide composition has been observed also in the "firebrat" Thermobia domestica (Zygentoma, Lepismatidae), but differs from that of the majority of hexapod species, including Tricholepidion gertschi (Zygentoma, Lepidotrichidae), where adenines and cytosines ...
One of the least understood regions of the upper atmosphere is the thermosphere, principally due to the difficulty of making observations. The neutral atmosphere is known to be highly variable, and its composition and density varies by several orders of magnitude due to solar activity, diurnal cycles, latitude, geomagnetic activity, and gravity waves. In the past, most in-situ measurements of the neutral atmosphere have utilized detectors that are dependent on arrival angle and energy accommodation of incoming species, so that information related to nascent velocity distribution and reactive species abundances is often masked. This paper will review design concepts and laboratory tests related to the development of a novel open-ionizer, neutral particle detector for space environment measurements which can overcome these limitations. The sensor features a very large field-of-view suitable for sounding rocket missions. ...
Effects of winter seismic exploration on arctic tundra were evaluated on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, four to five growing seasons after disturbance. Plant cover, active layer depths, and track depression were measured at plots representing major tundra plant communities and different levels of initial disturbance. Results are compared with the initial effects reported earlier. Little resilience was seen in any vegetation type, with no clearly decreasing trends in community dissimilarity. Active layer depths remained greater on plots in all nonriparian vegetation types, and most plots still had visible trails. Decreases in plant cover persisted on most plots, although a few species showed recovery or increases in cover above predisturbance level. Moist sedge-shrub tundra and dryas terraces had the largest community dissimilarities initially, showing the least resistance to high levels of winter vehicle disturbance. Community ...
Stearic acid (C{sub 1}8H{sub 36}O{sub 2}) was treated into Ar and Ar-O{sub 2}(10%) pulsed DC discharge created by a cathode-anode confined system. The samples were placed at the floating potential. The results show that the mass variation of the stearic acid samples after Ar-O{sub 2} plasma exposure is more important than the pure Ar plasma treatments. This comportment demonstrate that the oxygen actives species (O and O{sub 2} in all states) strongly enhance the etching process with regards to A{sup *} species, regardless of their concentration. After treatment by Ar and Ar-O{sub 2} plasma, analyses by X-ray diffraction show a significant structural modification of the samples surface, utilizing Ar-O{sub 2} plasma the modification was more pronounced. The chemical composition evolution shows that the acid function is etched preferentially in the beginning of the treatment (about 5 min) and that after 10 min the carbonic ...
Use of high plutonia MOX as fuel is contemplated from the point of view of rapid disposition of plutonium and economic power generation. The fuel pellets are subjected to steep thermal gradients #approx# 1700 K drop across a radius of #approx# 2.5mm. This leads to evaporation-condensation of the fuel constituents to cooler regions. Vaporization depends on fuel compositions such as Pu fraction, Oxygen-to-Metal (O/M) ratio and local temperature. Knowledge of vapour chemistry is essential in understanding the fuel behavior. The vaporization behaviour of MOX was analyzed in this work using thermochemical methods. The vapour phase consisted of nine species; O, O_2, Pu, PuO, PuO_2, U, UO, UO_2 and UO_3. Oxygen formed part of the vapour phase along with other species and oxygen potential was not controlled independently. The vapour pressures were estimated at 2000 K as a function of (O/M) for several Pu-fraction. Results for ...
The pilot area of the Vyngapour oil field allotted for MIOR tests contains three injection and three producing wells. These wells were treated in summer 1993 and 1994. Before, during, and after MIOR treatments on the pilot area the chemical compounds of injected and formation waters were studied, as well as the amount and species of microorganisms entering the stratum with the injected water and indigenous bacteria presented in bottomhole zones of the wells. The results of monitoring showed that the bottomhole zone of the injection well already had biocenosis of heterotrophic, hydrocarbon-oxidizing, methanogenic, and sulfate-reducing bacteria, which were besides permanently introduced into the reservoir during the usual waterflooding. The nutritious composition activated vital functions of all bacterial species presented in the bottomhole zone of the injection well. The formation waters from producing wells showed the ...
We report biological changes at several UK Acid Waters Monitoring Network lakes and streams that are spatially consistent with the recovery of water chemistry induced by reductions in acid deposition. These include trends toward more acid-sensitive epilithic diatom and macroinvertebrate assemblages, an increasing proportional abundance of macroinvertebrate predators, an increasing occurrence of acid-sensitive aquatic macrophyte species, and the recent appearance of juvenile (<1 year old) brown trout in some of the more acidic flowing waters. Changes are often shown to be directly linked to annual variations in acidity. Although indicative of biological improvement in response to improving water chemistry, 'recovery' in most cases is modest and very gradual. While specific ecological recovery endpoints are uncertain, it is likely that physical and biotic interactions are influencing the rate of recovery of certain groups of organisms at particular sites. - ...
The compositions of the Earth's crust and mantle, and those of the Moon and Mars, are relatively well known both isotopically and elementally. The same is true of our knowledge of the asteroid belt composition, based on meteorite analyses. Remote measurements of Venus, the Jovian atmosphere, and the outer planet moons, have provided some estimates of their compositions. The Sun constitutes a large majority, > 99%, of all the matter in the solar system. The elemental composition of the photosphere, the visible 'surface' of the Sun, is constrained by absorption lines produced by particles above the surface. Abundances for many elements are reported to the {+-}10 or 20% accuracy level. However, the abundances of other important elements, such as neon, cannot be determined in this way due to a relative lack of atomic states at low excitation energies. Additionally and most ...
The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has increased significantly in the last years, as has research concerning chemical characterization of these plants. In this study, inorganic constituents were determined in leaves and in extracts from three medicinal plant species of the Casearia genus (C. sylvestris, C. decandra and C. obliqua) collected in distinct regions of the Atlantic Forest, SP. The elemental compositions of the soils in which these plants were grown were also determined. Traditionally, these plants are used due to their antiinflammatory, antiacid, antiseptic and cicatrizing properties. The antiulcer and the antitumor activities of the Casearia genus and its capacity to neutralize snake and bee venoms, have also been scientifically confirmed. The analytical methodology used was neutron activation analysis. Long and short irradiation periods of the samples and the standards were carried out at IPEN's ...
Abstract Questions: How important is the choice of flow routing algorithm with respect to application of topographic wetness index (TWI) in vegetation ecology? Which flow routing algorithms are preferable for application in vegetation ecology? Location: Forests in three different regions of the Czech Republic. Methods: We used vegetation data from 521 georeferenced plots, recently sampled in a wide range of forest communities. From a digital elevation model, we calculated 11 variations of TWI for each plot with 11 different flow routing algorithms. We evaluated the performance of differently calculated TWI by (1) Spearman rank correlation with average Ellenberg indicator values for soil moisture, (2) Mantel correlation coefficient between dissimilarities of speciescomposition and dissimil...
In order to study the speciescomposition of endophytes from wheat healthy plants in Buenos Aires Province (Argentina) and to determine their infection frequencies from leaves, stems, glumes and grains, wheat plants were collected from five cultivars at five growth stages from crop emergence to harvest. A total of 1,750 plant segments (leaves, stems, glumes and grains) were processed from the five wheat cultivars at five growth stages, and 722 isolates of endophytic fungi recovered were identified as 30 fungal genera. Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, Epicoccum nigrum, Cryptococcus sp., Rhodotorula rubra, Penicillium sp. and Fusarium graminearum were the fungi that showed the highest colonization frequency (CF%) in all the tissues and organs analysed. The number of taxa isolated...
The depletion of stratospheric ozone is caused by chlorine species formed in heterogeneous processes on the surfaces of polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) particles. For studying local PSC formation processes in the Arctic a temperature lidar receiver was developed that makes use of the rotational Raman method, the only lidar technique for measuring atmospheric temperature profiles not perturbed by the presence of aerosols or cloud particles. The receiver was implemented in the mobile GKSS Raman lidar and transferred to Esrange (67.9 N, 21.1 E) near Kiruna in northern Sweden in winter 1997/98. Temperature data measured between January 22 and February 6, 1998, are presented and compared to model data analyzed by the European centre for medium-range weather forecast. Local temperature profiles are studied in three cases of type-Ib PSCs. This type is characterized by a low depolarization ratio. (orig.)
Various pyranocoumarins, calophyllolide, inophyllums B, C, G1, G2 and P, from Calophyllum inophyllum (Clusiaceae) leaves of French Polynesia (Austral, Marquesas, Society and Tuamotu archipelagos) have been determined in 136 leaf extracts using a high pressure liquid chromatography-UV-diode array detection (HPLC-UV-DAD) technique. Results show a wide range in chemical composition within trees growing on eighteen islands. The use of multivariate statistical analyses (PCA) shows geographical distribution of inophyllums and indicate those rich in HIV-1 active (+)-inophyllums. Inophyllum B and P contents (0.0-39.0 and 0.0-21.8mgkg-1, respectively) confirm the chemodiversity of this species within the large area of French Polynesia. The study suggests the presence of interesting chemotypes which...
Abstract Root exudates play a major role in the mobilization of sparingly soluble nutrients in the rhizosphere. Since the amount and composition of major metabolites in root exudates from one plant species have not yet been systematically compared under different nutrient deficiencies, relations between exudation patterns and the type of nutrient being deficient remain poorly understood. Comparing root exudates from axenically grown maize plants exposed to N, K, P, or Fe deficiency showed a higher release of glutamate, glucose, ribitol, and citrate from Fe-deficient plants, while P deficiency stimulated the release of -aminobutyric acid and carbohydrates. Potassium-starved plants released less sugars, in particular glycerol, ribitol, fructose, and maltose, while under N deficiency lower am...
Nuclear approaches for compositional characterization has bright application prospect in forensic perspective towards assessment of nature and origin of seized material. The macro and micro physical properties of nuclear materials can be specifically associated with a process or type of nuclear activity. Under the jurisdiction of nuclear analytical chemistry as well as nuclear forensics, thrust areas of scientific endeavor like determination of radioisotopes, isotopic and mass ratios, analysis for impurity contents, arriving at chemical forms/species and physical parameters play supporting evidence in forensic investigations. The analytical methods developed for this purposes can be used in international safeguards as well for nuclear forensics. Nuclear material seized in nuclear trafficking can be identified and a profile of the nuclear material can be created
The gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata, represents an important economic resource for Mediterranean aquaculture. In spite of its wide geographic distribution and economic importance, only recently studies have been carried out on the genetic composition of natural populations, which have revealed a picture of a heterogeneous degree of genetic differentiation among S. aurata populations. In this study an allozyme analysis of samples from six different collecting sites along the Italian and Croatian coasts was carried out, covering an area in the Central Mediterranean sea that has yet to be investigated through gene-enzyme systems. Data on 26 gene loci, 10 of which are polymorphic, indicate a slight but significant genetic structure (FST = 0.0167) of the species. A hierarchical analysis of pop...
Diurnal and seasonal thermal constancy, a greatly delayed seasonal temperature maximum, and summer cool and winter warm conditions characterize the stream environment below a deep-release dam in Colorado. Low diversity index and equitability values and changes in macroinvertebrate speciescomposition may result from failure of the temperature regime to provide the thermal stimuli essential for various life-cycle phenomena. It is hypothesized that the following sublethal effects, directly or indirectly resulting from the modified temperature regime, may further alter macroinvertebrate community structure: reduction of niche overlap and a shift toward an equilibrium community as a consequence of reduced environmental fluctuation; more intense competition associated with greater productivity; elimination of major invertebrate predators; and failure of the limited temperature range to provide optimal temperatures for various physiological ...
Ozone has in recent years been increasingly investigated for its potential use in the control of insect pests of stored cereals. Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent that can react directly, or via production of reactive oxygen species, with proteins, DNA and double bonds of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The aim of the present study was to investigate the mode of action in ozone toxicity using the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), as a relevant model. Transcription of focal genes thought to be involved in protection against ozone, and repair of cellular damage caused by ozone exposure, was studied together with the composition of storage lipid fatty acids and membrane phospholipid fatty acids in order to detect lipid peroxidation. Contrary to expectations, transcription ...
Coral populations have precipitously declined on Caribbean reefs while algal abundance has increased, leading to enhanced competitive damage to corals, which likely is mediated by the potent allelochemicals produced by both macroalgae and benthic cyanobacteria. Allelochemicals may affect the composition and abundance of coral-associated microorganisms that control host responses and adaptations to environmental change, including susceptibility to bacterial diseases. Here, we demonstrate that extracts of six Caribbean macroalgae and two benthic cyanobacteria have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on bacterial taxa cultured from the surfaces of Caribbean corals, macroalgae, and corals exposed to macroalgal extracts. The growth of 54 bacterial isolates was monitored in the presence of l...
The equilibrium composition and temperature resulting from the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels in combination with hydrogen have been analytically evaluated. Rich, lean and stoichiometric mixtures have been considered for this purpose. The flame temperature data obtained from computer calculations has been fitted with an equation expressed in terms of calorific value, C/H ratio, air-fuel ratio and heat of dissociation of the fuel mixture. This equation can be used to calculate the flame temperature directly without resorting to the elaborate calculation of species concentration. The results obtained using the equation have been found to have an accuracy of 0.05 to 2.5% for different fuel combinations. (author).
The software package VIBA-lab1, which incorporates PIXE and RBS energy spectra simulation has now been extended to include the simulation of elemental maps from 3D structures. VIBA-lab1 allows the user to define a wide variety of experimental parameters, e.g. energy and species of incident ions, excitation and detection geometry, etc. When the relevant experimental parameters as well as target composition are defined, the program can then simulate the corresponding PIXE and RBS spectra. VIBA-LAB2 has been written with applications in nuclear microscopy in mind. A set of drag-and-drop tools has been incorporated to allow the user to define a three-dimensional sample object of mixed elemental composition. PIXE energy spectra simulations are then carried out on pixel-by-pixel basis and the corresponding intensity distributions or elemental maps can be computed. Several simulated intensity distributions for some 3D objects are ...
Abstract As a marine carnivore exhibiting exceptionally high growth rates, cobia are considered a species for which fish oil (FO) replacement may be difficult. However, partial, if not complete, FO replacement is necessary to ensure sustainability. We evaluated the effects of graded substitution of dietary FO with soybean oil (SO) in cobia culture. Feeds contained FO (100% FO), SO (0% FO) or blends of the two (67% FO, 33% FO) as the supplemental lipid source. Production performance was largely unaffected by partial replacement of FO with SO: feed intake and final weight were reduced only in the 0% FO dietary treatment. Fillet total lipid fatty acid (FA) composition differed among the dietary treatments, closely approximating dietary FA profile. As increasing amounts of FO were replaced, SO...
of Concern; Parks; Management; Monitoring Exotic and Invasive Species Northern Arizona University. Canyons, Cultures, and Environmental Change. Species of Concern; Contacts;...
In recent years, Clostridium species have rapidly reemerged as human and animal pathogens. The detection and identification of pathogenic Clostridium species...Full Text Available
Invasive species pose serious threats to community structure and ecosystem function worldwide. The impacts of invasive species can be more pervasive than simple reduction of species numbers. By using...Full Text Available
Method for determining the concentration of atomic species in gases and solids. Measurement of at least two emission intensities from a species in a plasma containing the species after a sufficient time period has elapsed after the generation of the plasma and during a second time period, permits an instantaneous temperature to be established within the sample. The concentration of the atomic species to be determined is then derived from the known emission intensity of a predetermined concentration of that species in the sample at the measured temperature, a quantity which is measured prior to the determination of the unknown concentration, and the actual measured emission from the unknown species, or by this latter emission and the emission intensity of a species having known concentration within the sample.
The corrosion behaviour of the stainless steels 304, 316 Ti, 25Cr-20Ni-Mo-Ti, nickel base alloys Hastelloy C4, Inconel 625, Incoloy 800, Ti and Ti-0.2% Pd alloy has been studied in the aerated or deaerated solutions at 20/sup 0/C and 90/sup 0/C whose compositions are representative of interstitial ground waters: granitic or clay waters or salt brine. The electrochemical techniques used are voltametry, polarization resistance and complexe impedance measurements. Electrochemical data show the respective influence of the parameters such as temperature, solution composition and dissolved oxygen, addition of soluble species chloride, fluoride, sulfide and carbonates, on which depend the corrosion current density, the passivation and the pitting potential. The inhibition efficiency of carbonate and bicarbonate activities against pitting corrosion is determined. In clay water at 90/sup 0/C, Ti and Ti-Pd show very high passivation ...
The work presented in this report is a continuation and expansion of a previous study. The aim of the work is to provide background information about pitting corrosion of copper for a safety analysis of copper canisters for final deposition of radioactive waste. A mathematical model for the propagation of corrosion pits is used to estimate the conditions required for stationary propagation of a localised anodic corrosion process. The model uses equilibrium data for copper and its corrosion products and parameters for the aqueous mass transport of dissolved species. In the present work we have, in the model, used a more extensive set of aqueous and solid compounds and equilibrium data from a different source. The potential dependence of pitting in waters with different compositions is studied in greater detail. More waters have been studied and single parameter variations in the composition of the water have been studied ...
Full text: A novel protocol based on electrospray ionization (ESI) multiple stage high capacity ion trap (HCT) mass spectrometry (MS) was developed for glycosphingolipidomic surveys. The method was optimized for detailed structural elucidation of human brain gangliosides and particularly applied to human hippocampus-associated structures. The multiple stage MS experiments allowed for a complete structural characterization of GM1 ganglioside species, which was achieved by elucidation of the oligosaccharide sequence, identification of the GM1 a structural isomer from the data upon sialic acid localization along the sugar backbone and determination of the d18:1/18:0 of fatty acid/sphingoid base composition of the ceramide moiety. The methodology developed here is of general practical applicability for glycolipids and represents a step forward in the implementation of the advanced and most modern MS methods in glycomics. Gangliosides are ...
Quivers (directed graphs) and species (a generalization of quivers) and their representations play a key role in many areas of mathematics including combinatorics, geometry, and algebra. Their importance is especially apparent in their applications to the representation theory of associative algebras, Lie algebras, and quantum groups. In this paper, we discuss the most important results in the representation theory of species, such as Dlab and Ringel's extension of Gabriel's theorem, which classifies all species of finite and tame representation type. We also explain the link between species and K-species (where K is a field). Namely, we show that the category of K-species can be viewed as a subcategory of the category of species. Furthermore, we prove two results about the structure of the tensor ring of a species ...
Using a sample of 30,000 quasars from SDSS-DR7, we explore the range of properties exhibited by high-ionization, broad emission lines, such as CIV 1549. Specifically we investigate the anti-correlation between L_UV and emission line EQW (the Baldwin Effect) and the "blueshifting" of high-ionization emission lines. The blueshift of the CIV emission line is nearly ubiquitous, with a mean shift of 810 km/s for radio-quiet (RQ) quasars and 360 km/s for radio-loud (RL) quasars, and the Baldwin Effect is present in both RQ and RL samples. Composite spectra are constructed as a function of CIV emission line properties in attempt to reveal empirical relationships between different line species and the SED. Within a two-component disk+wind model of the broad emission line region (BELR), where the wind filters the continuum seen by the disk component, we find that RL quasars are consistent with being dominated by the disk component, while BALQSOs are ...
To investigate the potential causes of changes to bird communities in exurban areas, we examined the relationship between bird and macro invertebrate communities in exurbanized forest. We randomly located sampling points across a gradient of exurbanization. We used point counts to quantify bird communities and sweep netting, soil cores, pitfalls, and frass collectors to quantify macro invertebrates. Bird communities had higher richness and abundance in exurban areas compared to undeveloped forests, and lost some species of conservation concern but gained others. The macro invertebrate community was slightly more abundant in exurban areas, with a slight shift in taxonomic composition. The abundance of macro invertebrates in soil cores (but not pitfalls) predicted the abundance of ground-foraging birds. The abundance of macro invertebrates in sweep nets was not associated with the abundance of aerial insectivore birds. Exurbanization therefore ...
A new method for the preconcentration and determination of trace amounts of lead at the {mu}g/L level in natural waters has been established based on the formation of the thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) complex with dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) by means of synergistic extraction and back-extraction combined with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The effect of various factors (synergism with TTA and DB18C6, shaking time, preconcentration factor, composition of the extracted species, and foreign ions etc.) on the extraction and back-extraction of lead has been investigated in detail. The lead-TTA chelate in o-dichlorobenzene forms a stable adduct with DB18C6 as Pb(TTA){sub 2} DB18C6. The stability constant ({beta}) of the adduct determined by curve fitting method was log {beta} = 4.2. The amount of lead in natural waters such as tap water (Kanazawa University) and Kakehashi river (Komatsu City) determined by the present method was found to be ...
The project was designed to quantify the impacts of longwall mine subsidence (LWMS) on the production and quality of agricultural vegetated environments. This project utilised a variety of traditional ground based sampling techniques including biomass harvests and estimates, leaf area index (LAI), pasture height, speciescomposition and soil sampling along with proximal sensor data capture using a Crop Circle{trademark} and an EM38. Satellite imagery was collected using the Quickbird satellite and the high resolution imagery was used to monitor large areas of LWMS affected areas and adjacent un-mined land. Two landscapes were investigated using a whole of mine site technique including remote sensing, ground survey and traditional agricultural monitoring methods. The landscapes were at the Kestrel site in Emerald, QLD including a forage sorghum and an improved pasture and at Beltana in the Hunter Valley, NSW including an irrigated lucerne ...
The experiment was carried out on a short rotation coppice culture of poplars (POP-EUROFACE, Central Italy), growing in a free air carbon dioxide enriched atmosphere (FACE). The specific objective of this work was to study whether elevated CO{sub 2} and fertilization (two CO{sub 2} treatments, elevated CO{sub 2} and control, two N fertilization treatments, fertilized and unfertilized), as well as the interaction between treatments caused an unbalanced nutritional status of leaves in three poplar species (P. x euramericana, P. nigra and P. alba). Finally, we discuss the ecological implications of a possible change in foliar nutrients concentration. CO{sub 2} enrichment reduced foliar nitrogen and increased the concentration of magnesium; whereas nitrogen fertilization had opposite effects on leaf nitrogen and magnesium concentrations. Moreover, the interaction between elevated CO{sub 2} and N fertilization amplified some element unbalances such as the K/N-ratio. - ...
The nature of the electrolyte strongly influences the electrode kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and electrochemical ozone production (EOP) mainly by affecting the degree of coverage by the intermediates of both processes. The anomalous behaviour of the Tafel coefficient, b, as a function of temperature was attributed to surface adsorption of the electrolyte species, and the competition between them, as well as gas bubble adherence. Comparison of the current efficiencies of the EOP, PHI_E_O_P, determined for different temperatures and supporting electrolyte compositions, showed the presence of fluorinated anions increases PHI_E_O_P. The influence of the anion nature on PHI_E_O_P, when analysed in the light of the proposed electrode mechanism, reveals introduction into the electrolyte of anions having a high electronegativity changes the double layer structure resulting in an increase of surface concentration of the active centres ...
For ages, herbs have been used as medicine and food. Nowadays, the interest in phytotherapeutics is increasing as well as the consumer attention. Some biochemical compounds synthesized by plants as alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, essential oils, tannins and vitamins, influence the composition of these plant pharmacologicals, which may produce various reactions in the human body. The microbial contamination in these raw plant materials is common, and the radiation processing is one appropriate technique for the reduction of microorganism. In herbs used as food products, the changes in total #beta#-carotene and flavonoids upon the radiation treatment were tested. The powdered and dehydrated herbs were irradiated with "6"0Co gamma rays applying doses of 0, 10, 20 and 30 kGy. The botanical species investigated were rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Linne), watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br), artichoke (Cynara scolymus Linne) and sweet basil ...
Vegetation is a key compartment of ecosystems. It contains a large part of the biodiversity at the species level. For the evaluation of critical loads, we have to separate different receptors: lower plants (algae, fungi, lichens and mosses) and vascular plants. Trees must be distinguished due to their economic value. We analyze the different changes that pollution produces on vegetation: the state of health of individuals, changes in the biology and genetics at the population level, changes in the biodiversity or the specific composition at the community level. Calculation of critical loads is based on observational or experimental studies, in more or less controlled environments. However, they cannot yet be obtained through models of vegetation changes. Some results have been acquired at the European level, mainly for critical loads for nitrogen, but these results have come mostly from Northern Europe. Moreover, only heathlands and acidic ...
The juvenile fish community associated with natural, degraded and replanted Sonneratia alba mangroves in Gazi Bay was sampled during the South East and North East monsoons between April 2002 and June 2003. A total of 1800 individuals belonging to 49 taxa and 34 families were collected from the intertidal forest using stake nets. Fish abundance ranged from 0.93+-0.20ind. m-2 (SEM02) to 1.16+-0.18ind. m-2 (SEM03) between seasons and between 0.54+-0.07ind. m-2 and 1.64+-0.33ind. m-2 for individual sites across seasons. Five taxa accounted for approximately 70% of the total fish abundance, with Gobidae and Gerres oyena dominating. ANOSIM revealed seasonal differences in fish speciescomposition and abundance (p=0.01) due to fluctuating abundances of primarily Terapon sp. and Thryssa sp. The ma...
A novel sorbent for SO2 removal has been investigated. The sorbent is obtained by conventional incipient wetness impregnation of abandoned biomaterials (straw or dried leaves) with an aqueous solution of Na2CO3. A material with the composition 80 wt % Na2CO3/straw shows a desulfurization activity which is both higher and faster than that of the reference sample Na2CO3/gamma-Al2O3. The breakthrough and stoichiometric SO2 adsorption efficiencies for 80 wt % Na2CO3/straw reach 48.9% and 80.6%, respectively, at a temperature of 80 degrees C. The adsorption efficiencies are almost constant in the temperature range 70 to 300 degrees C. According to IR and XPS analysis the main products observed on the spent sorbent are sulfite below 150 degrees C and sulfate at 300 degrees C. The Na2CO3 in 80 wt % Na2CO3/straw can potentially be recycled by the oxidation of the straw with concomitant reduction of the sulfite species to elemental sulfur, making the ...
Complete text of publication follows. Baikal is an ancient unique lake. The sweet water of Baikal is crystal clean; it concentrates oxygen and contains scarce silicon. This feature is provoked very particular interest for scientists and poses some awkward questions concerning the preservation of Baikal's ecosystem. A profound investigation of fish otholiths, animal teeth, sponges, valves of mollusks and diatom algae provides chronological information, possibility to reconstruct the events proceeding in the environment based on variations of their chemical composition. Because these study objects are small-sized, and some of them are micron-size, application of the electron-probe microanalysis turns to be quite productive. The goal of this study is to disclose performance capabilities of this method while investigating the Baikal flora and fauna. Investigations were performed by devices JCXA-733 and JXA-8200 using the electron microscope and x-ray microprobe modes. ...
... Risk (Adverse) for Endangered Species: Risk to aquatic species if anticipated pesticide residue levels equal one-fifth of LD10 or one-tenth of LC50; risk to ...terrestrial species if anticipated pesticide residue levels equal one-fifth of LC10 or one-tenth of LC50. Risk Assessment: Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the ... Risk for Non-Endangered Species: Risk to species if anticipated pesticide residue levels are equal to or greater than LC50. Risk Management: The process ...
Sulfuric acid and its partially or completely neutralized salts with ammonia are believed to result from the oxidation of sulfur dioxide in cloud water and in other heterogeneous media present in the atmosphere. Due to the natural abundance of ammonia and the ubiquitous presence of sulfur in the atmosphere, (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ is commonly the dominant chemical species in the ambient aerosol. The amounts of ammonium sulfates are expected to be very low in areas far removed from anthropogenic emissions of sulfur dioxide. The chemical composition of submicrometer aerosol particles was determined at the Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) on Mauna Loa in Hawaii during an eight-day period in August 1986. The MLO site was selected for this measurement because it is the only ground-based aerosol observatory in the remote Pacific Ocean that allows extended sampling of aerosols in the free troposphere. Measurements were made using an attenuated total ...
The objective of the current study was the gradual development of the formation of the nitride layer during inductive r.f. plasma nitriding. The study centers on characterization of refined layers and plasma diagnostics in the vicinity of the sample, and raises critical questions of how the layers and interfacial microstructure might affect the near-surface properties. The composition of the plasma near the surface of the sample (plasma layer) was examined by optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry during plasma nitriding and while sputtering the sample after the nitriding process. It was observed that during the nitriding process, the plasma layer contains Ti, NH[sub n] species, N (or/and N[sup +]), H[sub n] species (or/and H[sup +][sub 2]). However, when the nitrided sample was exposed to argon plasma, Ti, Al and NH were observed. It was found that two distinct sublayers, comprising [delta]-TiN and [delta]-TiN ...
Alloy 600 is commonly used in the primary systems of PWR plants because of its excellent resistance to a stress corrosion cracking and pitting. But a stress corrosion cracking and pitting corrosion are occasionally observed under PWR conditions, which may be correlated with the passive film on the Alloy 600 surface. There is little information on the composition of films growing on the surface of Alloy 600 at high temperature. Therefore, an understanding of the basic electrochemical behaviors about an anodic dissolution and the passivation of the bare surface of metals and alloys provides important information about localized corrosions like a SCC and pitting. Oxide on the steel surfaces in an aqueous solution above 100 .deg. C is composed of a duplex film structure. The inner layer of the oxide is dense and less porous, which is formed by a growth of the oxide layer on the metal surface. Outer layer of the oxide is less adhesive, which is formed by a dissolution ...
Alloy 600 is commonly used in the primary systems of PWR plants because of its excellent resistance to a stress corrosion cracking and pitting. But a stress corrosion cracking and pitting corrosion are occasionally observed under PWR conditions, which may be correlated with the passive film on the Alloy 600 surface. There is little information on the composition of films growing on the surface of Alloy 600 at high temperature. Therefore, an understanding of the basic electrochemical behaviors about an anodic dissolution and the passivation of the bare surface of metals and alloys provides important information about localized corrosions like a SCC and pitting. Oxide on the steel surfaces in an aqueous solution above 100 .deg. C is composed of a duplex film structure. The inner layer of the oxide is dense and less porous, which is formed by a growth of the oxide layer on the metal surface. Outer layer of the oxide is less adhesive, which is formed by a dissolution ...
Acidic constituents in crude oil are associated with the formation of stable emulsions during production and present a challenge for efficient oil recovery and processing. Acid molecules, including naphthenic acids and acidic sulfur in crude oil cause corrosion in refineries and pipelines. Naphthenic acids are also significant because of their surface activity and marginal water solubility, so that they may leach to wastewaters and cause adverse environmental effects. Acidic components of oil are not limited to carboxylic acids but also molecules that contain sulfur and nitrogen. As such, an improved understanding of the chemistry and physics of petroleum at the molecular level is needed in order to understand the range of problems associated with acidic oil components and to design better solutions. The applications of negative-ion electrospray ionization (ESI) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) for speciation of acidic oil compound classes was ...
... The costal plain still supports Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata ) forest, dense woodlands, coastal heath and diverse swamplands. Many species of plants are endemic. 20 species of mammals and 12 species of introduced mammals including with feral pigs, rabbits and foxes of particular concern....
Many species introduced by humans for social and economic benefits have invaded new ranges by escaping from captivity. Such invasive species can negatively affect biodiversity and economies. Understanding...Full Text Available
Numbers of non-indigenous species--species introduced from elsewhere - are increasing rapidly worldwide, causing both environmental and economic damage. Rigorous quantitative risk-analysis frameworks,...Full Text Available
The US Department of the Army, Baltimore District Corps of Engineers, oversees a long-term monitoring study to assess and evaluate effects of the Jennings-Randolph reservoir on biota in the North Branch Potomac River. The reservoir was intended, in part, to mitigate effects of acid mine drainage originating in upstream and headwater area. The present study assessed recovery of benthos and fish in this system, six years after completion of the reservoir. Higher pH and lower iron and sulfate concentrations were observed upstream of the reservoir compared to preimpoundment conditions, suggesting better overall water quality in the upper North Branch. Water quality improved slightly directly downstream of the reservoir. However, the reservoir itself was poorly colonized by macrophytes and benthic organisms, and plankton composition suggested either metal toxicity and/or nutrient limitation. One large tributary to the North Branch and the reservoir (Stony River) was ...
The role of macroinvertebrates and diatoms as indicator for metal pollution was investigated by assessing both biota along a metal gradient in the Belgian river the Dommel. Macroinvertebrates and diatoms were sampled in summer and winter and physical-chemical characteristics of the water were measured at four different sample periods and related to sediment characteristics. Although metal concentrations, except cadmium, in the water nowhere exceeded water quality standards, high metal concentrations were measured in the sediment, indicating historical contamination of the Dommel. At the sites that were situated downstream of the pollution source, high levels of conductivity and chloride were measured in the water. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) indicated pH, phosphate and zinc as the significant environmental variables explaining each respectively 7.7%, 11.6% and 22.6% of the macroinvertebrate community composition. Two clusters could be separated, with Gammarus pulex, ...
Interactions beween a high latitude, continental shelf, spring phytoplankton bloom and water column physics and chemistry were studied using /sup 15/N measured rates of nitrogen uptake. Peak bloom conditions commenced when the mixed layer shallowed and minimized respirational losses. Integrative light-mixing growth models were accurate during early bloom stages. An advection-diffusion model associated peak bloom nitrate uptake with pycnocline mixing rates of 2.1 m d/sup -1/ in an 18 m mixed layer. Maximum nitrogen specific uptake rates (hr/sup -1/), unlike those of carbon, coincided with peak bloom conditions. Although speciescompositions among peak bloom periods were similar, particulate C/N ratios were not. Apparently, both intercellular factors and prevailing mixing conditions influence specific uptake rates and cell composition. A large proportion of new (nitrate) to total productivity was associated with the dominance ...
To heighten durability and safety of materials/parts for undersea oil drilling, the development of ceramic base materials was made by developing function harmony type process technology which harmonizes on a high grade contrary characteristics and various functions. The paper summed up the fiscal 1997 results. In the design of system formation, computational simulation technology was developed to the composite process and the diploid system. The development of multifunction simultaneous manifestation materials was trially made by the higher nano structure process. A study was made of control of microstructures of porous materials and matrix filling by the gas phase precipitation control. Proposed were selective control of grain growth from species crystals and the columnar particle orientation laminated structure of simultaneous manifestation of strength and toughness. By composite precipitation reaction control, studied ...
The corrosion properties of sputtered molybdenum and molybdenum silicide films in hydrochloric acid (HCl) have been studied by means of potentiodynamic measurements. Contributions from the substrate to the corrosion behaviour was avoided by depositing the films on inert aluminium oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}). The compositions studied were Mo, MoSi{sub 0.58}, MoSi{sub 1.04}, MoSi{sub 1.4} and MoSi{sub 1.9-2.1}. Characterisation of the samples was made by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after corrosion. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) were used to analyse the polarised films. Corrosion of Mo{sub 3}Si was found in the molybdenum-rich samples (MoSi{sub 0.58}) containing the two phases Mo{sub 3}Si and Mo{sub 5}Si{sub 3}. Polarisation curves for these films showed one passivation peak at 228 mV vs. the saturated calomel electrode (SCE). The MoSi{sub 1.9-2.1} films had the best corrosion ...
BackgroundSister species divergence and reproductive isolation commonly results from ecological adaptation. In mimetic Heliconius butterflies, shifts in colour pattern...Full Text Available
Species invasions are a principal component of global change, causing large losses in biodiversity as well as economic damage. Invasion theory attempts to understand and predict invasion success and...Full Text Available
Abstract: Some conservationists argue for a focused effort to protect the most critically endangered species, and others suggest a large-scale endeavor to safeguard common species across large areas. Similar arguments are applicable to the distribution of scientific effort among species. Should conservation scientists focus research efforts on threatened species, common species, or do all species deserve equal attention? We assessed the scientific equity among 1909 mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians of southern Africa by relating the number of papers written about each species to their status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Threatened large mammals and reptiles had more papers written about them than their nonthreatened counterparts, whereas threatened...
BackgroundCo-flowering plant species frequently share pollinators. Pollinator sharing is often detrimental to one or more of these species, leading to competition for pollination....Full Text Available
Since the last review of the problem of insecticide-resistance was presented in this journal at the beginning of 1958, resistance has been discovered in 16 new species, and in at least 14 species both...Full Text Available
Social organisms that cooperate with some members of their own species, such as close relatives, may fail to cooperate with other genotypes of the same species. Such noncooperation may take the form...Full Text Available
The goal of this project is to provide materials engineers, chemical engineers and plant operators with a software tool that will enable them to predict localized corrosion of process equipment including fabricated components as well as base alloys. For design and revamp purposes, the software predicts the occurrence of localized corrosion as a function of environment chemistry and assists the user in selecting the optimum alloy for a given environment. For the operation of existing plants, the software enables the users to predict the remaining life of equipment and help in scheduling maintenance activities. This project combined fundamental understanding of mechanisms of corrosion with focused experimental results to predict the corrosion of advanced, base or fabricated, alloys in real-world environments encountered in the chemical industry. At the heart of this approach is the development of models that predict the fundamental parameters that control the occurrence of localized ...
Light Weight Composite Mirrors for Science Instruments. Composite Optics, Inc. San Diego, CA. INNOVATION. Light weight, large aperture reflectors of graphite ...
Thermodynamic Stable Metal Compositions for Improvement of an Operational Safety of Constructional Materials under Conditions of Multifactor Loadings of an Aggressive Environment
A fuel composition comprising a liquid hydrocarbon fuel and a detergent amount of the product of reaction between a polyamine and a stearic acid is described.
the progressive simplification of composite sandwich panels. The equations ... The thermal and structural behavior of composite sandwich panels with a ...
Some 43 papers were presented in 4 sections: Organ and bud culture of tree species (24 papers); Cell suspension and callus culture of tree species (11); Culture of haploid tissue of tree species and production of wood homozygotes (3); and Isolation, culture and somatic fusion of protoplasts as a means of somatic hybridization and genetic engineering (5).
Two new species of the genus Microplana are described from the Iberian Peninsula. The new taxa are compared with congeneric species. Distributional records for two other European species, Microplana monacensis (Heinzel, 1929) and Microplana groga Jones et al. 2008, are presented and the presence of Microplana terrestris (Muller, 1774) is confirmed on the Iberian Peninsula. A partial re-description of Microplana nana Mateos, Giribet and Carranza, 1998 is provided. The finding of a new and probably introduced, but unidentified, species of land planarian is reported. Land planarians were generally found in the vicinity of deciduous trees and rivers.
The construction materials used in coolant systems in nuclear power plants become covered with oxide films as a result of exposure to the aqueous environment. The susceptibility of the materials to different forms of corrosion, as well as the extent of the incorporation of radioactive species on the surfaces of the primary circuit, are greatly influenced by the physical and chemical properties of these oxide films. The composition and characteristics of the oxide films in turn depend on the applied water chemistry. This work was undertaken in order to collect and evaluate the present views on the structure and behaviour of oxide films formed on iron- and nickel-based materials in aqueous environments. This survey should serve to recognise the areas in which more understanding and research effort is needed. The review begins with a discussion on the bulk oxides of iron, nickel and chromium, as well as their mixed oxides. In addition to bulk ...
Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) followed by gamma-ray spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of As, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Eu, Fe, K, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Pr, Sb, Se, Th, U, V and Z, in 82 leaf samples belonging to two cultivars of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp). Pigeonpea, an easy cultivation legume species, probably originated from Africa and adapted to brazilian conditions, is a very promising and unconventional source of food, mainly to the grain production intended for human feeding, and that even can be used in flour products. It is an excellent proteic supplement for ruminants, due to its large potential of forage production and its high nutritive value, or in addition it can be used in the recuperation of exhausting soils either by means of its utilization as green manure or by taking free Nitrogen from the atmosphere to produce nitrates which can be utilized by the plants. However, in spite of the several possibilities and ...
Herbivores and pathogens impact the speciescomposition, ecosystem function, and socioeconomic value of forests. Herbivores and pathogens are an integral part of forests, but sometimes produce undesirable effects and a degradation of forest resources. In the United States, a few species of forest pests routinely have significant impacts on up to 20 million ha of forest with economic costs that probably exceed $1 billion/year. Climatic change could alter patterns of disturbance from herbivores and pathogens through: (1) direct effects on the development and survival of herbivores and pathogens; (2) physiological changes in tree defenses; and (3) indirect effects from changes in the abundance of natural enemies (e.g. parasitoids of insect herbivores), mutualists (e.g. insect vectors of tree pathogens), and competitors. Because of their short life cycles, mobility, reproductive potential, and physiological sensitivity to ...
In this research, hybrid composite materials were prepared from combination of oil palm Empty fruit bunches (EFB) fibre and jute fibre as reinforcement, epoxy as polymer matrix. This study intended to investigate the effect of jute fiber hybridization and different layering pattern on the physical properties of oil palm EFB-Epoxy composites. Water absorption and thickness swelling test reveal that hybrid composite shows a moderate water absorption which is 11.20% for hybrid EFB/Jute/EFB composite and 6.08% for hybrid Jute/EFB/Jute composite. The thickness swelling and water absorption of the hybrid composites slightly increased as the layering pattern of hybrid composites changed. Hybrid composites are more water resistance and dimensional stable compare to the pure EFB composites. This is...
The high rate of deforestation over the Andean forests has generated a large proportion of fragmented landscapes in the country. The distribution of oak groves in the country was determined based on ecosystem maps. Charala and Encino oak groves patches are the largest ones found at the east Andes and like others, due to the unfair use of these resources, have suffered a fragmentation process. Fifty-five species of mammals included in 10 orders and 14 families were found in these forests. Chiroptera and Rodentia were the most representative groups. Anthropic processes had produced a 68.1% loss of the habitat and constitute the main threat for these forests. The sizes of the patches were evaluated for three mammal species categories. The patches' area are not favorable for large-size species, intermediately to favorable to medium-size species and are favorable for small-size species. ...
The effect of particle/matrix interface debonding on composites consisting of elastic particles and viscoelastic matrix is studied. The interface debonding is represented by a nonlinear cohesive law for the high explosive PBX 9501. The Mori-Tanaka method gives the constitutive relation of the composite in terms of the properties of elastic particles, viscoelastic matrix, and nonlinear cohesive law for interfaces. For the example of a composite with spherical particles subject to hydrostatic tension, simple analytical expressions of the composite stress-strain relation are obtained. The strain rate and temperature have strong effects on the composite behavior. High strain rate and low temperature give high strength of the composite. However, the rate and temperature effects decrease as the ...
A method and device have been provided for distinguishing Africanized honeybees from European honeybees. The method is based on the discovery of a distinct difference in the acoustical signatures of these two species of honeybees in flight. The European honeybee signature has a fundamental power peak in the 210 to 240 Hz range while the Africanized honeybee signature has a fundamental power peak in the 260 to 290 Hz range. The acoustic signal produced by honeybees is analyzed by means of a detecting device to quickly determine the honeybee species through the detection of the presence of frequencies in one of these distinct ranges. The device includes a microphone for acoustical signal detection which feeds the detected signal into a frequency analyzer which is designed to detect the presence of either of the known fundamental wingbeat frequencies unique to the acoustical signatures of these species as an indication of the ...
The known metazoa parasite fauna of the invasive round goby Apollonia melanostoma (formerly Neogobius melanostomus) consists of 12 species. The core of the parasite fauna comprises two species: Cryptocotyle concavum and Diplostomum spathaceum; secondary species are absent; satellite species include Cercariae gen. sp. and Ergasilus sieboldi; rare species are Acanthocephalus lucii, Anguillicola crassus, Bothriocephalus sp., Dichelyne minutus, Hysterothylacium aduncum, Pomphorhynchus laevis, Piscicola geometra, and Tylodelphys clavata. Fifty percent of metazoa parasites that occurred in the invasive round goby in the Gulf of Gda?sk (an invasion that was first detected in 1990) are also typically found in the native Gulf of Gda?sk gobiids. The round goby hosts common fish parasite species: C. ...
Mowing a meadow is an example of an equalizing process that reduces differences among species by removing aboveground biomass approximately 5?cm above ground. This regular disturbance that affects all plants prevents competitive exclusion of small species and thus allows coexistence of numerous species differing in shoot size. In this paper we search for the mechanism behind this by comparing the shoot biomass of 41 common species in dry and wet species-rich meadows in mown and recently abandoned plots in June (before mowing) and in October. We asked the following questions: i) Do the plants differ in proportion of biomass lost by mowing? ii) Are the mown plants able to compensate for biomass lost by mowing? iii) Is the compensatory ability of mown plants related to their size? iv) Is the ...
Often ecologists and natural resource managers can easily access data on invasive species occurrence across a region. Yet, collecting species abundance data over a large area is arguably more important for decision making, but inherently costly, so methods which can provide robust information at low-cost are particularly valuable. Studies of species distribution often use occurrence data to build models of the environmental niche. Environmental suitability derived from such models may be used to predict the potential distributions of species. The ability of such models to predict spatial patterns in abundance have recently been demonstrated. Here we tested the relationship of environmental suitability with local abundance of an aquatic invasive species, olive hymenachne (Hymenachne amplexi...
The association between invasive and native species varies across spatial scales and is affected by phylogenetic relatedness, but these issues have rarely been addressed in aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we used a non-native, highly invasive species of Poaceae (tropical signalgrass) to test the hypotheses that (i) tropical signalgrass success correlates negatively with success of most native species of macrophytes at fine spatial scales, but its success correlates positively or at random with natives at coarse spatial scales, and that (ii) tropical signalgrass is less associated with native species belonging to the family Poaceae than with species belonging to other families (Darwin?s naturalization hypothesis). We used a dataset obtained at fine (0.25?m2) and coarse (ca. 1,000?m2) sca...
The oxygen vacancies distribution in the rigid lattice and the thermally activated motion of oxygen atoms are studied in La1-xSrxGa1-xMgxO3-x (x=0.00; 0.05; 0.10; 0.15 and 0.20) compounds. For that 71Ga, 25Mg and 17O NMR was performed from 100 K up to 670 K, and ion conductivity measurements were carried out up to 1273 K. The comparison of the electric field gradients at the Ga- and Mg-sites evidences that oxygen vacancies appear exclusively near gallium cations as a species trapped below room temperature in local clusters, GaO5/2-#square#-GaO5/2. These clusters decay at higher temperature into mobile constituents of the structural octahedra Ga(O5/6#square#1/6)6/2. At the same time, the nearest octahedral oxygen environment of magnesium cations persists at different doping levels. The case of two adjacent vacant anion sites is found highly unlikely within the studied doping range. The thermally activated oxygen motion starts to develop above room temperature as is ...
A new method for the separation and determination of trace amounts of cadmium and zinc in water as their thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) complexes with dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) in o-dichlorobenzene has been established by means of synergistic extraction and back-extraction combined with atomic absorption spectrometry. The effect of various factors (synergism with TTA and DB18C6, shaking time, composition of the extracted species, and mutual separation etc.) on the extraction and back-extraction of cadmium and zinc has been in- vestigated. When the mixtures were extracted for 4 min at pH 4.9, only zinc was extracted quantitatively, whereas cadmium remained in the aqueous phase. After the phases were separated, cadmium was again extracted quantitatively at pH 7.5. Then, the two phases were each shaken with 0.05-0.1 mol/l HCl in order to back-extract cadmium and zinc from the organic phases; the ions were determined individually by atomic ...
Silicon on insulator (SOI) structures are promising candidates for the fabrication of VLSI circuits with very high packing densities. The preparation of such structures can now be achieved by high dose implantation of reactive ion species such as oxygen to produce buried layers of SiO/sub 2/ in silicon. In this paper we report experiments to depth profile these layered structures by SIMS. SOI samples have been prepared by implanting (100) silicon wafers with 400 keV molecular oxygen ions at a dose of 1.8x10/sup 18/ O/sup +/ cm/sup -2/. During the implantation the wafers were maintained at temperatures between 325 and 600/sup 0/C, using beam heating, which achieved in situ-annealing and ensured that the top silicon layer remained single crystal. Analysis was carried out on an Atomika DIDA-II spectrometer using 10 keV Ar/sup +/ ions with a low current density of less than 1 mA cm/sup -2/. During analysis negative secondary ions were monitored which provided a high ...
Coal fired combined cycle power systems will be a sufficient way to increase the efficiency of coal combustion. However, combined cycle power systems require a reliable hot gas cleanup. Especially alkali metals, such as sodium and potassium, can lead to hot corrosion of the gas turbine blading if they condensate as sulphates. The actual work deals with the release and sorption of alkali metals in coal fired combined cycle power systems. The influence of coal composition, temperature and pressure on the release of alkali species in coal combustion was investigated and the relevant release mechanisms identified. Alumosilicate sorbents have been found that reduce the alkali concentration in the hot flue gas of the Circulating Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustion 2{sup nd} Generation (CPFBC 2{sup nd} Gen.) at 750 C to values sufficient for use in a gas turbine. Accordingly, alumosilicate sorbents working at 1400 C have been found for the ...
Field studies were conducted May 28-June 1, 1979, to determine the chemical composition and physical behavior of discharges from an offshore gas drilling rig in the central basin of Lake Erie. The drilling operation was observed for four days, from rig jackup to the circulation of mud through the borehole after drilling had been completed. Resuspension studies using nephelometry, supplemented with chemical analyses, indicated little resuspension of lake bottom materials or release of metals to the water column during rig jack-up. Portions of the turbidity plumes generated during drilling were buoyant. Three surface turbidity plumes were mapped with nephelometry to a point at which particulate concentrations reached background levels in the Lake. Detectable plumes were approx. 400 to 1500 m in length and had maximum widths < 230 m. A chemical survey conducted in the plume during early gas shows indicated that discharged inorganic chemical ...
Manganese is a common contaminant of mine water and other waste waters. Due to its high solubility over a wide pH range, it is notoriously difficult to remove from contaminated waters. Previous systems that effectively remove Mn from mine waters have involved oxidising the soluble Mn(II) species at an elevated pH using substrates such as limestone and dolomites. However it is currently unclear what effect the substrate type has upon abiotic Mn removal compared to biotic removal by in situ micro-organisms (biofilms). In order to investigate the relationship between substrate type, Mn precipitation and the biofilm community, net-alkaline Mn-contaminated mine water was treated in reactors containing one of the pure materials: dolomite, limestone, magnesite and quartzite. Mine water chemistry and Mn removal rates were monitored over a 3-month period in continuous-flow reactors. For all substrates except quartzite, Mn was removed from the mine water during this period, ...
High quality single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) have been synthesized at large scales by the method of direct evaporation of carbon black and metallic catalyst mixtures, using induction thermal plasma technology. The processing system consists mainly of an RF plasma torch, which generates a plasma jet of extremely high temperature (?15 000 K), with a high energy density and abundance of reactive species (ions and neutrals). With the present reactor system, it has been demonstrated that carbon soot product which contains approximately 40 wt% of SWNT can be continuously synthesized at the high production rate of ?100 g h-1. The processing parameters involved have been examined closely in order to evaluate their individual influences on SWNT synthesis. The results have shown that the quality and purity of the SWNT produced are critically affected by the grade of carbon black, the plasma gas composition and the metallic catalyst employed. ...
The goal of the present work has been to clarify the influence of sulphate ions on the oxide films formed on stainless steel and Ni-based alloys in simulated crack chemistry conditions using different ex situ analytical techniques. The main observations of this work can be summarised as follows: The thickness of the films formed in simulated oxygen-free crack chemistry conditions during an exposure of circa 4 days varies roughly in the range 200..500 nm, which corresponds to observations reported in the literature [2]. The presence of 10000 ppb sulphate ions in simulated crack tip conditions seems to lead to a considerably lower thickness of the oxide films when compared to sulphate-free conditions. The presence of 10000 ppb sulphate ions leads also to considerable changes in the morphology of the oxide crystals on the material samples. In the absence of sulphate the outer oxide layer contains elongated round-edged crystals, while in the presence of sulphate ions the crystals are ...
Modern nuclear spectroscopy boosts the study of the nuclear matter towards extreme conditions: large excitation energies, high spins, and new nuclear species with unusual ratio between the numbers of neutrons and protons. One of the 'exotic' nuclear regions, practically not studied until now, is the upper part of the N=Z line, from about N#approx#Z#approx#36 to Sn-100, probably the heaviest bound nucleus with N=Z. These nuclei lie close to the proton-drip line. Due to their special composition, it is expected that their study will reveal some phenomena which are less encountered in the nuclei studied till now. In particular, of outstanding interest is the fact that these are the only nuclei which may provide information on the properties of the neutron-proton pairing forces. In spite of its large interest, this nuclear region is exceedingly difficult to reach with the present techniques. The lecture follows the latest results and efforts in the ...
Fully fluorinated compounds (perfluoro compounds) represent a class of chemicals which include many extremely inert species-inert to both chemical reaction and photodissociation. Well known examples include SF6 and the perfluorocarbons (PFCs) CF_4 and Teflon. SF_6 is used industrially in electrical switch gear and as an atmospheric tracer. CF_4 and C_2F_6 are released into the atmosphere as a by-product of aluminum manufacture. Several perfluoro compounds have been proposed as substitutes for the ozone-destroying Freons and halons; proposed substitutes include SF_6, c-C_4F_8, C_5F_1_2, and C_6F_1_4. These chemicals were chosen in part because they do not harm the stratospheric ozone layer and were therefore considered environmentally friendly. Recently, Ravishankara et al. reported that perfluoro compounds have significant global warming potential (GWP), contributing to the greenhouse effect due to strong infrared absorption. The perfluoro compounds have ...
Some magnetron sputtering systems experience rapid oscillations in the current and voltage of the plasma discharge after several hours when equipped with certain targets. These oscillations often lead to the plasma becoming extinguished, a condition known as ''flame-out.'' This article details the study of two 90% W--10% Ti magnetron targets which differed in density. The higher density targets sometimes experienced flame-out after approximately 3 h of sputtering. The less dense material could be sputtered for the entire 15 h life of the target. Scanning electron microscopy pictures and atomic composition depth profiles were obtained using Auger electron spectroscopy. In addition, a Colutron-based ion source with a high vacuum system was used to measure ion-induced secondary electron emission coefficients as a function of energy, ion specie, and gas coverage. Analysis of the sample from the group that suffers flame-out showed large regions of ...
A tobermorite/hydroxyapatite composite was prepared by hydrothermal treatment using diatomaceous earth, ?-tricalcium phosphate and slaked lime starting materials. The XRD patterns of the composite confirmed that tobermorite and hydroxyapatite were formed after the hydrothermal process. The bending strength of the composite reached a level higher than 9?MPa after the hydrothermal process. The development of the bending strength was due to the formation of tobermorite and hydroxyapatite during the hydrothermal process. The composite had a high specific surface area due to these newly formed crystals.
Silicon/carbon composite anode materials were prepared by pyrolyzing the phenol-formaldehyde resin (PFR) mixed with silicon and graphite powders. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation showed that the morphology stability of the composite electrodes can be retained during cycling. A structure evolution mechanism is proposed to illuminate the enhancement of cycleability of the composite electrode. The composite used as anode material for lithium ion batteries possesses a reversible capacity of over 700 mAh/g.
A process is provided for conducting organic compound conversion over a catalyst composition comprising a supported crystalline zeolite having a high initial silica-to-alumina mole ratio, said supported zeolite being prepared by compositing said crystalline zeolite with alumina, reacting the composite with a particular hydrogen fluoride solution in a specified way, drying the hydrogen fluoride reacted composite, treating the dried composite by hydrolysis, ammonolysis and/or by contact with an ammonium salt solution, and calcining the resulting material.
Mating signals are often directed at numerous senses and provide information about species identity, gender, receptiveness, individual identity and mate quality. Given the diversity of colourful body...Full Text Available
Invasive species are increasingly becoming a policy priority. This has spurred researchers and managers to try to estimate the risk of invasion. Conceptually, invasions are dependent both on the receiving...Full Text Available
Unlike most mammalian species, the prairie vole is highly affiliative, forms enduring social bonds between mates, and displays biparental behavior. Over two decades of research in this species...Full Text Available
Six species having characteristics of plants with the C4 dicarboxylic photosynthetic pathway, Echinochloa utilis L. Ohwi et Yabuno (Japanese millet), Cynodon dactylon...Full Text Available
Alterations in mass transport patterns of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and oxygen are known to cause atherosclerosis in larger arteries. We hypothesise that the species transport processes in coronary...Full Text Available
Organisms ranging from bacteria and corals to plants and vertebrates can form intransitive competitive networks, in which coexistence can be maintained because no one species or genotype is superior...Full Text Available
... presumed first instar Geocharidius. Anillines occur in deep forest litters, beneath rocks and in soil (endogean), or as ... their small size and cryptic mode of life. Forest litter inhabiting anillines ma...
The presence of albumin structures with the capacity to bind to a surface receptor in group C and G streptococci was studied in serum samples from 45 mammalian species representing 15 different orders,...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe genus Vibrio is a diverse group of Gram-negative bacteria comprised of 74 species. Furthermore, the genus has and is expected to continue expanding...Full Text Available
Some common decay organisms of vegetables and ripened fruits are Alternaria species. Even fruits and vegetables kept under refrigeration can be spoiled by Alternaria species because the mold grows at...Full Text Available
Evolutionary biologists have long been fascinated by both the ways in which species respond to ecological conditions at the edges of their geographic ranges and the way that species' body sizes evolve...Full Text Available
Oryza sativa or Asian cultivated rice is one of the major cereal grass species domesticated for human food use during the Neolithic. Domestication of this species from the wild grass...Full Text Available
Background and AimsPlant species from various taxa ‘escape’ from low oxygen conditions associated with submergence by a suite of traits collectively called the low...Full Text Available
Species of bacteria associated with Stylophora pistillata were determined by analyses of 16S ribosomal genes. Coral samples were taken from two distinct sites at Kenting, in the far...Full Text Available
BackgroundPopulation densities of many species throughout the world are changing due to direct persecution as well as anthropogenic habitat modification. These changes may induce...Full Text Available
Background and AimsVariation in mating patterns may be particularly evident in colonizing species because they commonly experience wide variation in plant density. Here, the role...Full Text Available
BackgroundBengal tiger Panthera tigris tigris the National Animal of India, is an endangered species. Estimating populations for such species is the main objective...Full Text Available
Several Bartonella species have now been implicated as human pathogens. The recovery of these fastidious organisms in the clinical microbiology laboratory remains difficult, and current...Full Text Available
Despite their ecological and economical importance, fishes of the family Ariidae are still genetically and cytogenetically poorly studied. Among the 133 known species of ariids, only eight have been...Full Text Available
Species differences in lifespan have been attributed to cellular survival during various stressors, designated here as ‘cell resilience’. In primary fibroblast cultures, cell...Full Text Available
Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria underlies major systemic diseases, and this clinical problem stimulates a great scientific interest in the mechanism of ROS generation....Full Text Available
Consistent holistic view of sexual species as the highest form of biological existence is presented. The Weismann's idea that sex and recombination provide the variation for the natural...Full Text Available
Thaxtomin A is a phytotoxin produced by Streptomyces scabies and other Streptomyces species, the causative agents of common scab disease in potato and other taproot...Full Text Available
by American scientists, ecosystems containing a greater number of plant species, produce more biomass.This result ...to meet the increasing demand for land for farmland planted with monocultures, buildings and roads.For ...have hypothesized that greater ecological diversity (diversity of plant and animal species) leads to a greater
Effect of nitrogen-containing additives in the study of wood plastic composites of MMA with simul and mango wood of Bangladesh has been investigated. Nine different additives were used and the additives containing carboamide group induce the highest tensile strength to the composite. (author).
Effect of nitrogen-containing additives in the study of wood plastic composites of MMA with simul and mango wood of Bangladesh has been investigated. Nine different additives were used and the additives containing carboamide group induce the highest tensile strength to the composite. (author).
Effect of nitrogen-containing additives in the study of wood plastic composites of MMA with simul and mango wood of Bangladesh has been investigated. Nine different additives were used and the additives containing carboamide group induce the highest tensile strength to the composite.
A composite is any combination of two or more resources held together by some type of mastic or matrix. This report will describe several different types of composites with regard to thermoplasticization, improved mechanical properties, and stiffness.
This study investigated weathering effects on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based wood plastic composites (WPC), with a focus on the color and structure that is attributed to the material composition. It is directed towards quantifying the main chemical modifi...
Dimethacrylate polymers and composites are seeing increased usage in orthopedics. As these applications require the material to integrate with the surrounding tissues, direct contact cytotoxicity...Full Text Available
... Southeastern Forests Feral Pig Fishes of Georgia: Georgia Freshwater Fish Distribution, Classification, and Information Flora of the Oconee National ... ...
The wet and dry venom yields for most Australian native dangerous snakes and a number of non-Australian species are presented. Snakes from the Pseudonaja genus yielded higher than previously published amounts and suggest reconsideration be given to increasing the volume of antivenom in each vial. Higher percentage solids were obtained from venoms from the 4 cobra species (Naja) and Pseudechis genus included in this series. PMID:16937075
The structure of the layers formed on a silver electrode by the adsorption of pyridine, Cl"-, CN"- and SO_4"2"- is discussed. A comparison of the amount of the species adsorbed with their Raman spectra shows that there is no simple relation between the species concentration and the enhancement of the Raman intensity. Furthermore, the inhomogeneity of the layers is shown by Raman microscopy observations. These results lead the authors to propose the formation of a new species stabilized in the colloidal silver layer. The Raman enhancement could be explained by the existence of a resonance effect. (Auth.).
The primary objective of this project is to investigate the effects of global change on the biodiversity of aphid communities in Western Europe. Biodiversity has been examined at 3 levels: total number of species, phenology and reproductive strategy. Data were provided by EXAMINE, the European suction traps network which has been now operating for 35 years. 392 different species have been identified. At each location, total number of species has been regularly increasing, one additional species being caught every 1 or 2 years depending on location. This is due to introduced species but also to warming which favours rare species. No general trend of increasing density has been detected, but phenological earliness of almost all species (annual date of first appearance in suction traps) is strongly correlated with temperature and especially ...
DescriptionPhytoplankton is the collective name given to the microscopic floating plants in seas and lakes. Under certain conditions, the abundance of phytoplankton as a whole or of one or more species in particular, can reach a magnitude at which it is visible through discolouration of the sea. Some of these blooms because of the colour of the water have been called 'Red Tides'. Blooms of some 300 species of the phytoplankton are known as Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species in recognition of their poten [continued...
Demidospermus annulus sp. nov. (Platyhelminthes, Monogenea, Ancyrocephalidae) is described from the gills of the catfish Parapimelodus valenciennis L?tken collected in Samboromb?n Bay, Argentina. The new species differs from all congeneric species mainly by the structure of the accessory piece of the male copulatory organ, the sclerotized ring-shaped vaginal aperture and the dorsal bar articulation.
This report presents a brief description of the fabrication and advantages of a composite, carbon-metal fiber material which does not require lubrication.
The relative role of the maternal source and the filial sink in controlling the composition of maize (Zea mays L.) kernels is unclear and may be influenced by the genotype and the N...Full Text Available
Composite Sandwich Panels under Different Thermal Environments, Composite Structures, Vol. 25,. July 1993, pp. 227239. 11. Ko, William L., Mechanical and ...
As a new composition of matter, alkali metal or ammonium or tetraalkylammonium diazidoperfluorophthalocyanatoferrate. Other embodiments of the invention comprise compositions wherein the metal of the coordination complex is cobalt, manganese and chromium.
This article addresses the need for new data on indirect effects of natural and anthropogenic aerosol particles on atmospheric ice clouds. Simultaneous measurements of the concentration and composition...Full Text Available
Aesthetic dentistry continues to evolve through innovations in bonding agents, restorative materials, and conservative preparation techniques. The use of direct composite restoration in posterior teeth...Full Text Available
hlgh fiber content composites met the minlmum requirements. (1400 O F ) , the hlgher fiber content as-fabricated composites have impact strengths distinctly ...
structures made out of composite laminates and/or composite sandwich panels. A Spectral Finite Element Method (SFEM) [19, 20] is used for evaluating the ...
The objectives of the Phase-I research address the development of mechanics- based structural integrity analysis methodologies for composite sandwich panels ...
A Composite Architecture for Network Security at JPL. Robert B. Mead, Tom G. Dearmond, and Joseph S. Sherif. JPL, California Institute of Technology ...
We advance a tentative composite model for computer security at JPL, together with inter and intra networking with other NASA centers and overseas clients.
Abstract Mitochondrial ribosomal gene sequences were used to investigate the status of several populations of hydromedusae belonging to the genus Turritopsis (family Oceaniidae). Several nominal species have been described for this genus, but most of them had been synonymized and attributed to one cosmopolitan species, Turritopsis nutricula. A recent revision based on morphological and reproductive characters, however, has shown that many different populations can be distinguished and that several of the nominal Turritopsis species are likely valid biological species. Our investigation using molecular sequence data of 16S mitochondrial gene confirms these results. The Mediterranean Turritopsis must be attributed to Turritopsis dohrnii and the Turritopsis of New Zealand must be referred to ...
Pulse radiolysis was used to examine the nature of the silver species obtained when an aqueous solution containing sequestered Ag"+ ions was reduced by hydrated electrons in the presence of a surfactant macrocyclic crown ether, labeled L, and/or a maltoside surfactant. The initially formed product is the Ag"0(L) species which rapidly loses its ligand (half-life #<=#5 #mu#s) and reacts with another Ag"+(L) ion to form Ag_2"+(L). The latter species decays by a bimolecular process to form the Ag_4"2"+(L)_n species at a faster rate than its ligand free analogue. Ultimately, colloidal metallic silver, (Ag)_n, forms which is stabilized by the surfactant moieties. No long-term stability to the reduced monomolecular species could be obtained.
Surveys were carried out in 2006 and 2007 in Umbria (central Italy) to evaluate the presence of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in maize grain sampled at harvest. Fusarium spp., were the most abundant species detected in maize kernels, followed by Aspergillus species of sections Flavi and Nigri and by Penicillium spp. Among Fusarium species, F. verticillioides was the most prevalent species, as detected by PCR directly on the kernels and on the fungi isolated from the kernels, followed by F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans. Fumonisins were the predominant mycotoxins with values, on average, of 4.3 and 5.7mgkg-1, in 2006 and 2007, respectively, with a maximum of 76.3mgkg-1 in the second year. Deoxynivalenol ranged from 0.2 to 3.98mgkg-1 in 2006 (average 1.04mgkg-1) and from undetectable...
We tested two approaches to forecast species distributions while balancing the impact of climate change against the inertia promoted by other influential factors that have been forecast as not changing. Given that mountain species are presumed to be more at risk due to climate warming, we selected an amphibian, a reptile, a bird, and a mammal species present in the Spanish mountains, to model their distributional response to climate change during this century. The climatic forecasts were made according to the general circulation models CGCM2 and ECHAM4 and to the A2 and B2 emission scenarios. We modelled the response of the species to spatial, topographic, human, and climatic variables separately. In our first approach, we compared each of these single-factor models using the Akaike Inform...
In this thesis, increased hemicellulose retention during kraft pulping has been studied. The work has been divided into three parts: i) Development of an accessible and reliable method for determination of carbohydrate composition of kraft pulps ii) Investigation of the composition and molecular mass distributions of the carbohydrates in kraft pulps with increased hemicellulose content iii) Investigation of the effect of increased hemicellulose content on the sheet properties of kraft pulps with increased hemicellulose content. A method for carbohydrate determination was developed. In this method, enzymes are used to hydrolyse the pulp into monosaccharides. A relatively mild acid hydrolysis is performed prior to detection on an HPLC with an RI-detector. The pulp is not derivatized and no pre-treatment (mechanical or chemical) is needed to determine the carbohydrate composition using the method developed here. Peak ...
The high temperature abrasive wear resistant of the composites with different Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} volume fractions, particle coating and size were investigated and the failure action of composites under different conditions at high temperature was analyzed. The results showed that the high temperature abrasive wear resistant of composite with Ni coating and wide size and 39% volume fraction of particle is the best among all composites examined. (orig.)
... and testing of unidirectional composites, there are serious doubts about the possibility of obtaining a true ultimate compressive strength for this kind ...
The method of production of xAl{sub 2}O{sub 3}-yTiO{sub 2} compositions provides for the depth distribution of coating components and specifies its mechanical properties. In case of the composition obtained by cladding, titanium is mainly concentrated at the substrate. In case of mechanical mixture or composition obtained by sintering the oxides, the depth distribution of coating components is random.
Characteristics of advanced composites are investigated. The fibers considered are Kevlar and carbon. The greatest advantage of composites over metals is emphasized, and lies in their permitting designers to obtain properties in exactly the locations desired. Kevlar replaced S-glass on the Trident 2 missile, saving 800 lbs. and adding 800 miles to its range. Military aircraft builders find that advanced carbon composites more often than not win out over Kevlar.
Wood plastic composites are prepared under radiation of "6"0Co gamma source with simul, a low grade wood of Bangladesh using a water soluble monomer acrylamide (AM) mixed with a swelling solvent methanol, water or methanol/water (1:1) at different compositions in the presence of a number of additives and co-additives such as NVP (N-vinylpyrrolidone), TPGDA (tripropylene glycol diacrylate), TMPTA (trimethylol propane triacrylate), sulfuric acid, urea and copper sulfate. Polymer loading (PL) and tensile strength (TS) of the composites are measured. The role of these additives on the composites is also discussed. It is observed that nitrogen-atom containing-materials like urea, NVP and AM produce composites with the highest mechanical strength, and incorporation of copper into this system provides additional property of protection and preservation of the composites ...
The thermal properties of five types of radiation-induced wood-polymer composites based on a tropical hardwood, rubberwood (Hevea braziliensis), was studied by oxygen index measurement, differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetry (TG). The DTA and TG curves of composites were different from those of rubberwood, which can be attributed to the presence of the incorporated polymers. Of the five composites, the one impregnated with bis(2-chloroethyl)vinyl phosphonate reduced the initial temperature of decomposition, increased the peak temperatures of exothermic reactions, and increased the char yield. Comparison with physical blends of rubberwood and the corresponding polymer provided some evidence of chemical interaction of wood and polymer in some of the composites. (author).
Polymerizing effects of high energy radiation has been found suitable for preparation of wood-polymer composites. In the present work after evaluating polymer products that have been obtained by irradiation method, wood-polymer composites have been prepared by in situ polymerization of vinyl acetate, acrylic acid and acrylic acid/styrene mixture using two samples of Iranian hardwoods, Beech and Hornbeam. These woods and their composites have been tested for their physical and mechanical properties. The results have shown that chemical bonding between polymer and the cell wall component lead to better strength properties in the composites. (author).
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must account for legally protected and endangered species. Uncertainties relating to the validity and sensitivity of EIA arise from predictions and valuation of effects on these species. This paper presents a validity and sensitivity analysis of a model (BIO-SAFE) for assessment of impacts of land use changes and physical reconstruction measures on legally protected and endangered river species. The assessment is based on links between species (higher plants, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies and dragon- and damselflies) and ecotopes (landscape ecological units, e.g., river dune, soft wood alluvial forests), and on value assignment to protected and endangered species using different valuation criteria (i.e., EU Habitats and Birds directive, Conventions of Bern and Bonn and Red Lists). The validity of BIO-SAFE has been tested ...
An updated listing of the vascular plants of the Hanford Site is provided, along with discussions of how humans may interact with local plants and have influenced the regional flora. Based on examinations of herbarium collections at the Westinghouse Hanford Company, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Washington State University, and Brigham Young University, 590 vascular plant species have been identified on or near the Hanford Site. This is more than twice the number of species on previously published lists of Hanford Site vascular plants. A review of the plant species that are currently listed as endangered, threatened, sensitive, or otherwise of concern to the Washington State Natural Heritage Program and the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service is included. Color photographs of selected species are included to aid identification. Lists are provided of the Hanford Site plant species that ...
The use of entire plant communities of native species is gaining interest in the green roof industry. Plant communities must be matched with environmental conditions that mimic conditions in their original habitats. Urban built environments do not differ significantly from the rocky outcrops with poor, shallow soil that many plants colonize. This paper provided details of an experiment investigating the impact of plant community structure and species diversity on living roof performance. The aim of the experiment was to determine the impact of species diversity on precipitation interception, nutrient retention, temporal biomass constancy and roof temperature constancy. The diversity treatment included separate monocultures of 8 species in the community, randomly determined mixtures of 4 species, and a mixture of all 8. Functional groups included mosses, liverworts, colonial algae ...
Composites based on pure gypsum and polyester-styrene resin have been prepared using various doses of gamma radiation. Some physical properties of the prepared composites and the influence of irradiation dose on it have been studied as: compression strength, hardness, thermal decomposition temperature in nitrogen or oxygen, and the change in weight in aqueous solutions with different pH values. The glass transition temperature of the pure polymer and the composites increases with increasing the irradiation dose up to a plateau, and the glass transition temperature of the pure polymer is lower than that of the composites. The irradiation dose does not seem to affect the decomposition temperature of the pure polymer or the composites significantly and the decomposition temperature in presence of nitrogen is higher than that in presence of oxygen. Increasing the irradiation dose leads ...
There is growing interest in the use of natural fibres as the reinforcements for polymer composites in the automotive industry and as matrix for composites in building products application to replace synthetic fibres. In this respect the aim of this study is to develop an environmental friendly composites for furniture industry based on EFB fibres and sago starch. In this preliminary study, a basic composition and processing of EFB fibres-sago starch composites were established and the properties of the composites were determined. EFB fibre content was varied between 50-80% by weight. The amount of sago starch in liquid form was also varied and final weight percentage of sago starch added into the EFB fibres was adjusted accordingly. The mixtures of EFB fibres and sago starch were blended using Haake Rheomixer. The preliminary results indicate that the impact ...
Quasi-carbon fibers (QCFs) were prepared from Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor by pyrolysis in the temperature range from 400{degrees}C to 950{degrees}C. The QCF-reinforced composites were fabricated by impregnating the QCFs with the PAN resin. The microstructural changes of both QCFs and their composites were characterized by the X-ray diffraction method. The stacking size and the crystallinity of the QCFs increased with the increasing heat treatment temperature (HTT). The crystallinity of the PAN matrix in a composite was also affected by various QCFs. DSC data indicated that thermal reaction mechanism of the composite could be altered due to the interaction between the fiber and the matrix. DMTA studies showed that good adhesion existed at the interface of the QCF-reinforced composites containing lower HTT fibers. The modulus magnitudes of QCFs and their ...
Total mercury content and its distribution in muscles and viscera of male and female blue crab (Callinectes sapidus Rothbum) and deep water pink shrimp (Parapenacus longirostris) collected from the 3 main fishing grounds near the Alexandria coast in the Mediterranean sea was estimated. The results indicate that the mercury content in the muscles of both species differ according to fishing areas, size, sex, and species. More than 75% of total mercury were accumulated in the viscera of both species which indicates that the mercury entered in these organisms via the feed chain. PMID:3696196
During solvent extraction of At"-, [At(H_2O)_2]"+, AtCl, AtCl_2"- as well as of astatine compounds with higher oxidation states like AtO_n"-, the astatine species are changed into astatine of the oxidation state zero at the phase boundary independent on the organic solvent used. At(O) probably reacts with components of the organic phase or with decomposition products formed by chemical reactions or by radiolysis. The extraction coefficients of the astatine species depend on the experimental conditions applied, the redox potential, and on complex forming reactions or associations, resp., occuring in the aqueous phase. (author).
The marine environment is becoming increasingly contaminated by environmental pollutants with the potential to damage DNA, with marine sediments acting as a sink for many of these contaminants. Understanding genotoxic responses in sediment-dwelling marine organisms, such as polychaetes, is therefore of increasing importance. This study is an exploration of species-specific and cell-specific differences in cell sensitivities to DNA-damaging agents in polychaete worms, aimed at increasing fundamental knowledge of their responses to genotoxic damage. The sensitivities of coelomocytes from three polychaetes species of high ecological relevance, i.e. the lugworm Arenicola marina, the harbour ragworm Nereis diversicolor and the king ragworm Nereis virens to genotoxic damage are compared, and dif...
DescriptionOrchids belong to the family Orchidaceae which, with around 20,000 species, is the largest in the Plant Kingdom. Orchids hold a particular fascination because of their spectacular flowers and the rarity of many species- which has increased in recent years as a result of plant collecting, intensification of agriculture and land use changes have placed many species in jeopardy. One feature of orchids that distinguishes them from many other plants is that their seeds are so reduced in size that th [continued...
The need for a Combustion and Melting Research Facility focused on the solution of glass manufacturing problems common to all segments of the glass industry was given high priority in the earliest version of the Glass Industry Technology Roadmap (Eisenhauer et al., 1997). Visteon Glass Systems and, later, PPG Industries proposed to meet this requirement, in partnership with the DOE/OIT Glass Program and Sandia National Laboratories, by designing and building a research furnace equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostics in the DOE Combustion Research Facility located at the Sandia site in Livermore, CA. Input on the configuration and objectives of the facility was sought from the entire industry by a variety of routes: (1) through a survey distributed to industry leaders by GMIC, (2) by conducting an open workshop following the OIT Glass Industry Project Review in September 1999, (3) from discussions with numerous glass engineers, scientists, and executives, and (4) during visits to ...
Ultraconserved elements (UCEs) are sequences that are identical between reference genomes of distantly related species. As they are under negative selection and enriched near or in specific classes...Full Text Available
Mar 30, 2007 ... Tropical forests are home to half the Earth's species, and their trees are an immense standing reservoir of carbon. Deforestation will have ...
... including exotic species such as Hydrilla verticellata (hydrilla), Hygrophila polysperma (hygrophila), Cryptocoryne beckettii (water trumpet), leaving little space ... ...
Mitochondrial superoxide production is an important source of reactive oxygen species in cells, and may cause or contribute to ageing and the diseases of ageing. Seven major sites of superoxide...Full Text Available
Diet overlap and niche breadth are well-known species traits from trophic ecology that can assist in explaining how species interact and coexist as well as the ecological mechanisms that influence biodiversity. In the present study, we analyzed the relationships between these trophic variables and indicators of resource availability with some attributes of fish assemblages (species richness, Shannon diversity index, evenness, density and individual body size). The physical and chemical characteristics of the biotopes (topography, water quality and conservation of slopes) were examined to identify possible patterns. Monthly sampling using electrofishing was conducted in 2003 along five streams located in the Cuiab? River watershed. The relationships between environmental variables and attri...
Cultures of chick skin fibroblasts were dissolved in solutions of sodium dodecyl sulphate, and their entire protein content was examined by gel electrophoresis. The most abundant species migrated in...Full Text Available
BackgroundUnderstanding the mechanisms that control rates of disease progression in humans and other species is an important area of research relevant to epidemiology and to translating...Full Text Available
... Congo. It is probable that the type locality Matadi is in error and is the location from ... specimens of this species have been collected between Matadi and Luozi. (click map to view...
The in vivo photochemical activity of photosystem II was inferred from modulated chlorophyll fluorescence and photoacoustic measurements in intact leaves of several plant species (Lycopersicon...Full Text Available
Legionella pneumophila is a gram-negative bacterial species that is ubiquitous in almost any aqueous environment. It is the agent of Legionnaires’ disease, an acute and often...Full Text Available
The Sirtuins are a family of orthologues of yeast Sir2 found in a wide range of organisms from bacteria to man. They display a high degree of conservation between species, in both sequence and function,...Full Text Available
Superfluidity in fermionic systems originates from pairing of fermions, and Bose condensation of these so-called Cooper pairs. The Cooper pairs are usually made of fermions of different species; for example in superconductors they are pairs of electrons with opposite spins. Thus the most favorable situation for pairing and superfluidity is when the two species of fermions that form pairs have the same density. This paper studies the possible superfluid states when the two pairing species have different densities, and show that the resultant states have remarkable similarities to the phases of liquid crystals. This enables us to provide a unified description of the possible pairing phases, and understand the phase transitions among them.
BackgroundSection Calochroi is one of the most species-rich lineages in the genus Cortinarius (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) and is widely distributed...Full Text Available
BackgroundPhotorhabdus luminescens is a Gram-negative luminescent enterobacterium and a symbiote to soil nematodes belonging to the species Heterorhabditis...Full Text Available
Roads function as prime habitats and corridors for invasive plant species. Yet despite the diversity of road types, there is little research on the influence of these types on the spread of invaders. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), a plant producing large amounts of allergenic pollen, was selected as a species model for examining the impact of road type on the spread of invasive plants. We examined this relationship in an agricultural region of Quebec, Canada. We mapped plant distribution along different road types, and constructed a model of species presence. Common ragweed was found in almost all sampling sites located along regional (97%) and local paved (81%) roads. However, verges of unpaved local roads were rarely (13%) colonized by the plant. A model (53% of variance expla...
Ethane oxidation was studied in ethane-grown resting cells (mycelia) of an Acremonium sp. and in cell-free preparations of such mycelia. From resting cell experiments evidence was found for a pathway...Full Text Available
In order to clarify the taxonomic status and to preserve the stability of the species, a neotype is designated for the tuliptree scale: Coccus liriodendri Gmelin (now Toumeyella...Full Text Available
Rosas-Valdez, R., Choudhury, A. & Prez-Ponce de Len, G. (2011). Molecular prospecting for cryptic species in Phyllodistomum lacustri (Platyhelminthes, Gorgoderidae). -Zoologica Scripta, 40, 296-305. Partial sequences of the 28S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) genes were compared among populations of a widely distributed and morphologically uniform digenean species in North America, Phyllodistomum lacustri, a parasite characteristically associated with ictalurid catfishes. Specimens were collected from the urinary bladder of ictalurid hosts in six localities of North America, spanning most of the latitudinal range of this freshwater fish group. Sequences of other congeneric species, including a potentially close relative, P.-staffordi, were also obtained and used for comparis...
Weaning of beef calves is usually done abruptly and early compared to the natural weaning of the species, and is associated with simultaneous exposure of calves to a range of social and environmental...Full Text Available
BackgroundBorrelia lonestari infects Amblyomma americanum, the tick species that is the most common cause of tick bites in southeast...Full Text Available
The acute acetoclastic methanogenic inhibition of several inorganic and organic arsenicals was assayed. Trivalent species, i.e., methylarsonous acid and arsenite, were highly inhibitory, with 50% inhibitory...Full Text Available
Inert markers (evaporated tungsten and silver) were used in growth studies of silicides formed both by thermal annealing and by ion mixing in the Ni/Si, Pd/Si, and Cr/Si systems. The markers were initially imbedded inside silicides and backscattering spectrometry was used to determine the marker displacement after different processing conditions. The results obtained in thermal annealing are quite consistent with that found in previous investigations. Ni is the dominant diffusing species in Ni_2Si, while Si is the diffusing species in CrSi_2. In Pd_2Si, both Pd and Si are moving species with Pd the faster of the two. In contrast, in growth of silicides by ion irradiation Si is the faster diffusing species in all three systems.
Inert markers (evaporated tungsten and silver) were used in growth studies of silicides formed both by thermal annealing and by ion mixing in the Ni/Si, Pd/Si, and Cr/Si systems. The markers were initially imbedded inside silicides and backscattering spectrometry was used to determine the marker displacement after different processing conditions. The results obtained in thermal annealing are quite consistent with that found in previous investigations. Ni is the dominant diffusing species in Ni/sub 2/Si, while Si is the diffusing species in CrSi/sub 2/. In Pd/sub 2/Si, both Pd and Si are moving species with Pd the faster of the two. In contrast, in growth of silicides by ion irradiation Si is the faster diffusing species in all three systems.
Background and AimsIt is well known that genome size differs among species. However, information on the variation and dynamics of genome size in wild populations and on the early...Full Text Available
BackgroundIt is well established that Legionella pneumophila is a waterborne pathogen; by contrast, the mode of Helicobacter pylori transmission...Full Text Available
This Memorandum, after summarizing the life cycle of the different species of human schistosome, reviews the present knowledge of the immunology of schistosomiasis. Each stage of the parasite contains...Full Text Available
Pork identification in four types of food products, which are sausages and the casings, bread and biscuits, using species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of a conserved region in the mitochondrial (mt) 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene was developed. Genomic DNA of the food products were successfully extracted except for the casing samples, where no genomic DNA was detected. The extracted genomic DNA was then subjected to PCR amplification targeting the specific regions of the 12S rRNA gene. The genomic DNA from the food products were found to be of good quality and produced clear PCR products on the amplification of 12S rRNA gene of 387 base pairs (bp) from pork species. The species-specific PCR identification yielded excellent results for identification of pork derivatives...
The diversity of ectoparasites in Southeast Asia and flea-host associations remain largely understudied. We explore specialization and interaction patterns of fleas infesting non-volant small mammals in Bornean rainforests, using material from a field survey carried out in two montane localities in northwestern Borneo (Sabah, Malaysia) and from a literature database of all available interactions in both lowland and montane forests. A total of 234 flea individuals collected during our field survey resulted in an interaction network of eight flea species on seven live-captured small mammal species. The interaction network from all compiled studies currently includes 15 flea species and 16 small mammal species. Host specificity and niche partitioning of fleas infesting diurnal treeshrews and ...
We investigated gathering and cultivating practices and how they complement each other in a rural population of Northwestern Patagonia. We analyzed plant diversity, species similarity, biogeographic origin, and plant use by means of semi-structured interviews and field visits. Pichi Leufu inhabitants used 173 species: 138 cultivated plants, mainly for edible purposes, and 45 wild species principally for medicinal use. Most cultivated species were exotic (91.3%), whereas gathered plants were both native and exotic. While locals maintained vegetable gardens, the adoption of greenhouses improved conditions for certain crops. The integration of novel practices with ancestral knowledge suggests resilient processes in this community, probably reflected in the dynamics of current horticultural an...
Aging is a biological process that affects most cells, organisms and species. Human aging is associated with increased susceptibility to a variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease,...Full Text Available
The heptageniid mayflies Epeorus latifolium and Epeorus l-nigrus are often the dominant species in the upper and midstream areas of Japanese rivers; as such, they play a significant role in river ecosystems. However, although these two species have been identified using the morphological characteristics of the male in its adult stage, it is impossible to differentiate them in their nymphal stage. We conducted a study to elucidate their distribution pattern, i.e., the current distribution of these two species in the Shinano-gawa River basin, based on quantitative field sampling and genetic analysis of nymphs and also some male adults; for these, it was possible to differentiate between the two species reliably. The data collected from the 30 study sites of the 1-year-long study revealed tha...
... accidentally released from a Soviet military laboratory (Meselson ... Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur worked to introduce ... species (eg, rat, mouse, dog, monkey) for ...
Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative bacterium capable of causing the zoonotic disease tularaemia in a large number of mammalian species and in arthropods. F. tularensis...Full Text Available
Sufficient genetic diversity exists in Indian tree species to give large genetic gains. Improvement potential, using wild gene resources for selection and breeding is vast as there are over 244 genera and 400 forest tree species in India. Of these over 30 species and 22 genera are of outstanding forestry value. Selective genetic-variation can be lifted from wild populations, multiplied vegetatively or by seed, and planted with controlled germplasm sources. Among the Indian species no less than 74 reproduce by cutting, 11 by layers, 9 by grafting and buding and 104 by root suckers. More than 161 species coppice vigorously. Afforestation techniques of over 170 species have been worked out. Tree genetic approach of survey of natural variability, quick evaluation, selection, conservation multiplication and planting superior variability directly in the field can give ...
... perennials; the dominant species included, in order of their relative importance, Polygonum lapathifolium (C = 0 Heartsease), Arctium minus (C = 0 ...
Background and AimsAnnonaceae are one of the largest families of Magnoliales. This study investigates the comparative floral development of 15 species to understand the basis for...Full Text Available
Reactive chemical transport models developed over the past decade have generally relied on the assumption that local thermodynamic equilibrium is achieved at all times between aqueous species in a given system. Consequently, homogeneous aqueous systems characterized by a number of kinetically slow reactions, particularly problems involving organic species, cannot be satisfactorily modeled. In this study, we present a prototype computer model, KINETRAN, which is designed to handle kinetically-controlled homogeneous reactions in the aqueous phase, along with the transport of the various species involved, through geologic media. 31 refs., 53 figs., 10 tabs.
Periodontitis is an infectious process characterized by inflammation affecting the supporting structures of the teeth. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major oral bacterial species implicated...Full Text Available
In natural ecosystems, hundreds of species typically share the same environment and are connected by a dense network of interactions such as predation or competition for resources. Much is known about...Full Text Available
Behavioral responses to wind are thought to play a critical role in controlling the dispersal and population genetics of wild Drosophila species1,Full Text Available
Summary 1.-Plant-plant interactions fluctuate between competition and facilitation depending upon ecological conditions and species traits. Facilitative interactions are expected to increase in frequency via associational defences with increasing consumer pressure. The ability of species to cope with competition and/or ecological stressors may alter the outcome of plant-plant interactions. 2.-We conducted a transplant experiment to determine if native and non-native grasses and forbs respond similarly to interactions with Juncus effusus L., an unpalatable benefactor species, along a grazing intensity gradient in two contrasting pasture types: intensively managed and semi-natural. We expected competitive taller, erect species (grasses) and non-natives to obtain stronger facilitative effects...
Ether extracts of cultures of 29 strains representing 6 species of Bacillus, and of individual strains of Escherichia coli, Aerobacter aerogenes, and Pseudomonas...Full Text Available
This is the first record from China of the bopyrid isopod genus Asymmetrione, of which the new species Asymmetrione globifera, a parasite of the hermit crab Dardanus hessii (Miers) in Beibu Gulf and South China Sea, is described. The female A. globifera differs from Asymmetrione nossibensis Bourdon in the shape of its barbula and ornamentation of the first oostegite. A tabulation of the occurrence of all currently known species of Asymmetrione is included. New genus Parasymmetrione is described. The type species, Parasymmetrione tuberculineata, sp. nov., a parasite of Clibanarius corallinus (H. Milne-Edwards) Xisha, is similar in appearance to Asymmetrione spp. but differs, in the female, in not having the propodi of its pereopods produced into sockets and having uniramous uropoda; the mal...
As adulterated and substituted Chinese medicinal materials are common in the market, therapeutic effectiveness of such materials cannot be guaranteed. Identification at species-, strain- and locality-levels,...Full Text Available
The data were collected over three growing seasons. They include density, vegetative biomass, and seed biomass of the two species within the plots. There ... ...
The study of genetic variability within natural populations of pathogens may provide insight into their evolution and pathogenesis. We used a Mycobacterium tuberculosis high-density...Full Text Available
Salt stress elicits betaine accumulation to high levels in species from several diverse dicot families (Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae, Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae, and Asteraceae). FAM-MS studies with deuterated precursors showed that species from all these families synthesize betaine from choline. Enzyme assays and immunotitration data showed that all accumulating species contained betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) enzyme activity recognized by antibodies raised against purified BADH isolated from Spinacia oleracea. Immunoblotting indicated that the BADH monomer was in all cases of Mr {approx} 63,000. The similarity of BADH in the different species is consistent with a single evolutionary origin for the betaine pathway. This was supported by the presence in immunoblots of a cross-reacting band at Mr {approx} 63,000 in Magnolia x Soulangiana, a primitive angiosperm.
A tunable diode laser is used to obtain infrared spectra of carbon dioxide in biological materials. The spectral resolution is sufficient to readily distinguish differing isotopic species. The technique may prove useful in clinical tests.
We report the isolation of adherent, clonogenic, fibroblast-like cells with osteogenic and adipogenic potential from the blood of four mammalian species. These cells phenotypically resemble but are...Full Text Available
Due to the use of a limited number of species and subchronic exposures, current ecological hazard assessment processes can underestimate the chronic toxicity of environmental contaminants resulting...Full Text Available
In recent years, there have been major advances in knowledge of Vibrio species and related organisms that are responsible for diarrhoeal diseases, particularly V. cholerae...Full Text Available
Epizootics of neoplasms in freshwater fish species are considered in relation to circumstantial and experimental evidence that suggest that some epizootics of neoplasia of hepatocellular, cholangiocellular,...Full Text Available
The CERL Code was developed to describe the solution chemistry of the water on the steam generating side of PWR reactors. It is designed to calculate the equilibrium species distribution resulting from the interaction of impurities, corrosion products, and additives in the aqueous solution. It calculates the extent of ion-ion interactions, the precipitation of insoluble species and the amount of solute that partitions into the vapor phase when some of the water evaporates. This knowledge of the bulk phase equilibrium distribution of species, especially the pH should be useful in describing the corrosion processes at the solid liquid boundary. The code does not calculate any changes in oxidation states or any rates of reaction. Therefore, it is incapable of calculating the actual corrosion rates. It is anticipated that it will be used as a subprogram of a larger program that will include the redox reactions and the rates of ...
site for reference information. Other recipients include Google's Translator, WikiLeaks, The ICUN Red List of Threatened Species, and the Public Library of Science (PLOS)....
Recent field observations have shown that the atmospheric plumes of quiescently degassing volcanoes are chemically very active, pointing to the role of chemical cycles involving halogen species and...Full Text Available
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are mutualistic symbionts living in the roots of 80% of land plant species, and developing extensive, below-ground extraradical hyphae fundamental for the uptake of...Full Text Available
BackgroundArtificial duplicates from pyrosequencing reads may lead to incorrect interpretation of the abundance of species and genes in metagenomic studies. Duplicated reads were...Full Text Available
The effects of antimalarials, chloroquine and quinacrine, on the generation of reactive oxygen species were examined both in polymorphonuclear leucocytes and in the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system....Full Text Available
A model is described for simulating thermal hydraulic and chemical conditions within fuel crud deposits. Heat transfer takes place by wick boiling in which water flows through the porous deposit and evaporates into steam at the surface of chimneys. The transport and chemistry of dissolved species within the deposit is also modelled. This chemistry includes the equilibrium chemistry of Li/boric acid species, the equilibrium chemistry of Fe/Ni species and the radiolysis chemistry of water. The unique feature of this model is that the chemistry is coupled to the thermal hydraulics via the increase in the saturation temperature with the concentration of dissolved species. This has a profound effect on evaporative heat transfer within thick deposits, leading to conditions that explain the precipitation of LiBO{sub 2} and the possible formation of bonaccordite. The model helps understand several crud scrape ...
BackgroundMycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis causes systemic infection and chronic intestinal inflammation in many species including...Full Text Available
To study the effect of CuO on the electrochemical properties of MgNi alloy, the MgNi-xCuO (x = 3, 5 and 10 wt%) composites were prepared by ball-milling method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the structures of the composites were amorphous. The cycle stability of the composites was improved compared to pure MgNi alloy due to the enhancement of the anti-corrosion property in the alkaline electrolyte, and the composite with 5 wt% CuO ball-milled for 15 h exhibited the best performance. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potential-step measurements indicated that the electrochemical kinetics of the composites was improved.
Tri layer hybrid composites of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) and jute fibres was prepared by keeping oil palm EFB as skin material and jute as the core material and vice versa. The chemical resistance, void content and tensile properties of oil palm EFB/Jute composites was investigated with reference to the relative weight of oil palm EFB/Jute, i.e. 4:1, the fibre loading was optimized and different layering pattern were investigated. It is found from the chemical resistance test that all the composites are resistant to various chemicals. It was observed that marked reduction in void content of hybrid composites in different layering pattern. From the different layering pattern, the tensile properties were slightly higher for the composite having jute as skin and oil palm EFB as core ...
The purpose of this study was to assess changes in dairy herd milk production and milk composition associated with changes in Salmonella contamination of bulk milk on dairy farms in southwestern Ontario....Full Text Available
The effect of reinforcement in the cross-linked poly(propylene fumarate-co-caprolactone diol) thermoset composites based on Kevlar fibres and hydroxyapatite was studied. Cross-linked poly(propylene...Full Text Available
ABSTRACTPurpose: To describe previously reported locomotor muscle and whole-body composition factors related to mobility in older individuals.Methods:...Full Text Available
Superconducting Cu-rich composites containing the A-15 compounds V_3Si or V_3Ga were made by the ''Tsuei'' process (melting into ingots followed by cold working and heat treatment). Superconducting transition temperatures of the composites were measured. X-ray diffraction analyses were performed. Microstructures were studied using both the optical metallograph and the scanning electron microscope. For some composites containing V_3Ga, the critical current densities as functions of transverse magnetic field up to 60 kG, and as functions of temperature from 4.2 to 12"0K were measured. It was found that the Tsuei process does not work for the composites containing V_3Si, but works satisfactorily for V_3Ga; reasons are discussed. Relations between measured properties and various metallurgical factors such as alloy compositions, cross-section reduction ratios, and heat treatment are ...
Rheological properties of moderately concentrated solutions of cellulose in methylmorpholine N-oxide-dimethylformamide mixtures containing hydrophilic montmorillonite nanoparticles were studied. Film composite materials were prepared, and their physicomechanical properties and structural organization were studied.
In this study, we report the physico-chemical and biological properties of a novel biodegradable composite scaffold made of nano-hydroxyapatite and natural derived polymers of chitosan and carboxymethyl...Full Text Available
A polyolefin composition is described comprising: 100 parts by weight of polyolefin, not less than 0.5 part by weight of a polyamide selected from the group consisting of nylon 6 and nylon 66, and from 3 to 30 percent by weight of a novolak based on the weight of the polyamide.
The present invention relates to a method of acidizing a subterranean formation or well bore employing an acidic solution containing a corrosion inhibitor composition comprising an inhibiting effective amount of an acetylenic alcohol, a quaternary ammonium compound, an aromatic hydrocarbon and an antimony compound.
Ca #alpha#-sialon is a high hardness material that exhibits in-situ growth of elongated grains during pressureless sintering. This potentially gives the material very good fracture toughness. This paper examined the effects of a number of variables on microstructural development during sintering. The effect of composition was investigated by studying seven different compositions. Densification was seen to be hindered in compositions that produced only small quantities of liquid phase during sintering. Elongated #alpha#-sialon was observed in all the compositions. It was in combination with equiaxed #alpha#--sialon in low liquid compositions, but only elongated #alpha#-sialon was present in the liquid rich compositions. The effects of using P-Si_3N_4 instead of #alpha#-Si_3N_4 starting powders were also examined. Compositions using only ...
Improving the anti-demineralizing/remineralizing and mechanical properties of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) composites has been the focus of our recent research. In this study, an ethoxylated...Full Text Available
This report documents the collaborative effort between the United States and Canada to investigate the impact of process-induced defects on strength and stiffness under static and fatigue loading and for low-cost composite aircraft structures, in particul...
This study compared the effectiveness of collaborative group composition and instructional method on reasoning gains and achievement in college biology. Based on initial student reasoning ability (i.e.,...Full Text Available
Thermal behaviors of eucalyptus wood residue (EWR) filled recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites have been measured applying the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning...Full Text Available
A summary of research conducted during the first year is presented. The research objectives were sought by conducting two tasks: (1) investigation of probabilistic design techniques for reliability-based design of composite sandwich panels, and (2) examin...
In this study we determined the composition and biogeochemistry of novel, brightly colored, white and orange microbial mats at the surface of a brine seep at the outer rim of the Chefren mud volcano....Full Text Available
The report gives results of an examination, including mutagenic screening, of the chemical composition of residual fuel oils and their column chromatography pre-fractions. A degree of correlation between composition and mutagenicity has been achieved. Radionuclide data has been o...
The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of 16 ppm of dietary monensin on milk production and composition of dairy cows, and to investigate factors having a potential impact on this...Full Text Available
Using acrylic-group containing isocyanates together with methyl methacrylate as impregnating mixture and gamma rays for curing wood-plastic composites have been produced, which show high-dimensional stability and toughness (low brittleness) compared to commonly used wood-plastics. The syntheses of proper acrylic-group containing isocyanates are as well described as the properties of the produced composites, made from maple wood. Also the direct use of the initial compounds, necessary for the syntheses, resulted in products of similar properties. These wood-plastic composites are to be suggested for the production of high-class products, e.g. wood-wind instruments. (author).
The load-carrying capacity and ultimate deformation capacity of timber-concrete composite systems can be significantly influenced by the ductility of the connection between the two materials. The use of more ductile connections can increase the load-carrying capacity of the composite system as well as its ultimate deformation capacity. In this work, the potential increase that might be expected for these two parameters due to the use of ductile connections will be assessed through numerical simulations, taking the non-linear behaviour of the connections into account. Furthermore, the connection ductility required to achieve the maximum load capacity depends on the mechanical properties of the connection as well as on the geometric and mechanical properties of the composite system. There ar...
One of the greatest opportunities for using of biomass as a precursor in the production of polymeric materials is the lignocellulose composites that can combine high performance with low costs. This work is a initial study on the production of a lignocellulose reinforced polyethylene composite. A compatibilization made by a induced gamma radiation grafting reaction was used to increase the adhesion between the matrix and the reinforced or filled fibers. The lignocellulose materials were exposed to gamma radiation in order to promote a molecular degradation and increase its reactivity. The polymer, the lignocellulose material and the compatibilization were processed by extrusion and the composite produced by this process were characterized by mechanical tests. (author)
This is a preliminary study on the sound absorption properties of two tropical hardwoods, Light Red Meranti and Ramin, and their wood-polymer composites. Sound absorption is measured using a standing wave apparatus. The samples are of one thickness (7 mm) and cut longitudinally. Wood-polymer composites are made by impregnating the samples with methyl methacrylate which is polymerized in situ through #gamma#-irradiation. Both woods and their composites are better sound absorbers at higher sound frequencies. With partial impregnation, the absorption coefficients are improved upon particularly in the region between 1-3 kHz. (author).
Compositions (oligomers with suitable properties and Al, Fe, Cu, Ta, W powders) were hardured by the flux of accelerated electrons at 10 mA beam current and 1.5 MeV energy. Dielectric and mechanical properties of metal-filled polymeric compositions as well as their radioply sicl properties in SHF-range are studied. It is shown that the produced compositions belong tot he absorbing protective materials in which the protection effect is mainly achieved through the absorption losses. 6 refs.; 3 tabs.
... interactive surfaces and interfaces, and 3) the more complex a ... carbonate or calcium phosphate with a thin interface ... diameter) for nerve prosthesis. ...
Analytical models for predicting the deformation and failure of composite sandwich panels subjected to blast and projectile impact loading are presented in this paper. The analytical predictions of the transient deformations and damage initiation in the composite sandwich panels were compared with finite element solutions using ABAQUS Explicit. For the blast model, the predicted transient deformation of the sandwich panel was within 7%of FEA results, while the predicted damage initiation using Hashin's composite failure criteria was about 15%higher than FEA results in most cases. For the high velocity impact model, the predicted transient deformations were within 20%of FEA results.
... The task consisted of determination of the most economical composition of the charge of the cupola furnace of the foundry. 21s was no simple task. ...
A heat storage compostion comprises sodium sulfate decahydrate as main component, a supercooling inhibitor, and a solid-liquid separation inhibitor. The composition is characterized in that hydraulic calcium sulfate and/or calcium sulfate dihydrate is contained as the solid-liquid separation inhibitor in an amount of 2-15 wt% base on the whole weight of the composition, whereby the solid-liquid separation, i.e. the sedimentation of the anhydrous sodium sulfate during the phase transition, is effectively prevented and the long-term stability is improved. The long-term stabilty of the composition can be more improved by addition of a silcia series of thickener.
The Cu- and Ni-based bulk metallic glass matrix composites were fabricated by spark plasma sintering of a mixture of gas-atomized metallic glass powders and ductile brass powders. The brass powders added for the enhancement of plasticity are well distributed in the matrix after consolidation. The matrix of the composite materials remains as a fully amorphous phase after consolidation process. With increasing the brass content, the level of plasticity strain increased, although the level of strength decreased. The successful consolidation of metallic glass matrix composite with high density was attributed to viscous flow in the supercooled liquid state during spark plasma sintering.
A variety of engineering and experimental applications require primary support structures which are self-centering. High mechanical strength, low-density, carbon fiber/epoxy matrix composite springs are used in unique planar, cylindrical, conical, and spherical configurations to self-center components. The sinusoidal and triangular-shaped composite springs are readily manufactured and assembled into component hardware. Design considerations, flexural strength properties, load bearing and centering data plus procedures for the manufacture of composite springs are presented.
... energy absorption characteristics of composite sandwich panels, thermoplastic energy-absorbing subfloor structures, and shoulder belt pre- tensioners. ...
A new high capacity anode composite based on mesoporous silicon is proposed. By virtue of a structure that resembles a pseudo one-dimensional phase, ...
We used microarrays and a previously established linkage map to localize the genetic determinants of brain gene expression for a backcross family of lake whitefish species pairs (Coregonus sp.). Our...Full Text Available
A comparison of the concentration-response effects of inhaled ozone (O/sub 3/) in different species of laboratory animals was made in order to better understand the influence of the choice of species in inhalation studies of this gas. The effect of 4-hour exposure to ozone (O/sub 3/) at concentrations of 0.0, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 ppm was determined in rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters and mice. Lavage fluid protein (LFP) accumulation 18 hr after exposure was used as the indicator of O/sub 3/-induced pulmonary edema. All species had similar basal levels of LFP (250-350 ug/ml) when a volume of saline which approximated the total lung capacity was used for lavage of the collapsed lungs. Exponential dose-response curves were seen in all species except guinea pigs, which showed significant increases in LFP at low O/sub 3/ concentrations (0.2 ppm) and a leveling off of response at the higher O/sub 3/ ...
The evolutionary history of the reef fish genus Naso (F. Acanthuridae) was examined using a complete species-level molecular phylogeny of all recognized (19) species based on three loci (one nuclear ETS2 and two mitochondrial 16S, cyt b). This study demonstrates that distinct foraging modes and specialized body shapes arose independently at different times in the evolutionary history of the genus. Members of the subgenus Axinurus, characterized by a scombriform morphology, caudal fin structure and pelagic foraging mode, were consistently placed basal to the remaining Naso species, suggesting that pelagic foraging is plesiomorphic and benthic foraging derived in this genus. We used a genus-level phylogeny (nuclear marker, ETS2), which included several taxa from all other acanthurid genera, to obtain a range of age estimates for the most recent common ancestor of the genus Naso. These age estimates (range of 52-43.3 MY) were ...
DescriptionM291272: Annex A - Electronic data capture of woodland survey records (baseline for studying change and variation in woods) Rationale During the 1980s and 1990s, particularly, much woodland survey was undertaken in England by the Nature Conservancy Council and its successor English Nature. Most of the records are only in paper form and the species data they contain has not been available for further analysis or use in wider context such as species and habitat recording schemes. The aims o [continued...
A ligase chain reaction assay based on a single-base-pair difference in the V9 region of the 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA) was developed to distinguish between Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species....Full Text Available
Sputter-removal rates of overlayer and interfacial species on silicon are analyzed to determine sputtering yields for the species involved. Sputtering yields up to two orders of magnitude lower than those measured for silicon are found, and the results are interpreted in terms of a cascade mixing process which continually reburies much of the overlayer material beyond the escape depth of the sputtered atoms.
Sputter-removal rates of overlayer and interfacial species on silicon are analyzed to determine sputtering yields for the species involved. Sputtering yields up to two orders of magnitude lower than those measured for silicon are found, and the results are interpreted in terms of a cascade mixing process which continually reburies much of the overlayer material beyond the escape depth of the sputtered atoms.
A flutter-motion equation is presently derived for a 2D composite sandwich panel considering the total lateral displacement of the plate as the sum of the displacement due to bending of the plate, and that which is due to shear deformation at the core. The effects of core thickness and stacking sequence of the faces on the flutter boundary of the plate are discussed; it is shown that the sandwich panel greatly improves the flutter boundary over that of a composite laminate panel, provided it has sufficient core thickness.
The physics and technology of a new class of efficient composite piezoelectrics are described. This material combines nanostructured and micropiezoelectric matrix composites. They consist of a polymer matrix, an insulating nanodimensional phase, and a microdimensional piezoelectric phase. It is shown that the nanostructuring of the near-surface region of polymer-PZT piezoelectric composites greatly improves their piezoelectric, mechanical, and electromechanical characteristics. A plausible mechanism underlying this effect is suggested.
X-ray scattering methods suitable for the investigation of the morphology and chemical composition of self-organized quantum dots and quantum wires are reviewed. Their application is demonstrated in experimental examples showing that a combination of small angle X-ray scattering with high-resolution X-ray diffraction can reveal both the shape and the chemical composition of the self-organized objects. (author)
The structure and properties of composite powder coatings on the base of titanium carbide are studied. It is shown the electron-beam welding deposition of powders on the base of nickel and titanium carbide allows to produce of high-quality wear-resistant coatings which superior in density and hardness compared with sputtered ones. Changes of hardening phase volume percentage as well as composition of metal matrix make possible to control coatings hardness
Annealing of magnetostrictive Metglas foils, subsequently incorporated into laminated Metglas/Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 magnetoelectric (ME) composites, is shown to result in improved magnetic properties, as well as ME coefficients. Annealing of the foils at 350 ?C resulted in partial crystallization, without oxidation or magnetic cluster formation that would reduce the magnetization. Laminate composites made with these annealed Metglas foils had improved ME coefficients.
The gas composition of recent thermal waters is in perfect conformity with their geologic-tectonic positions. The composition of gas-liquid inclusions in the basic-hyperbasic xenoliths of basaltoid lavas depends on the depth from which xenoliths are supplied. (The depth is determined by using the methods of geological thermobarometers). By comparing available data the conclusion was drawn that the gas compositions of thermal waters reflect the depth of generation of deep fluid which heats them and depends on the penetration depth of the fluid-conducting fissure zones.
Radiation processed wood-polymer composites (WPC) can replace conventional wood in many industrial applications. However, for proper utilization of the composites, adequate testing and evaluation programmes are essential. The paper briefly describes the development of WPC at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay, and the evaluation of WPC for various applications in greater details. The various mechanical properties and their significance in overall performance of WPC are also discussed. (author).
We consider a general, neutral, dynamical model of biodiversity. Individuals have i.i.d. lifetime durations, which are not necessarily exponentially distributed, and each individual gives birth independently at constant rate \\lambda. We assume that types are clonally inherited. We consider two classes of speciation models in this setting. In the immigration model, new individuals of an entirely new species singly enter the population at constant rate \\mu (e.g., from the mainland into the island). In the mutation model, each individual independently experiences point mutations in its germ line, at constant rate \\theta. We are interested in the species abundance distribution, i.e., in the numbers, denoted I_n(k) in the immigration model and A_n(k) in the mutation model, of species represented by k individuals, k=1,2,...,n, when there are n individuals in the total population. In the immigration model, we prove that the ...
Propylene and ethylene glycol deicers are commonly used at airports in the US and other countries to remove and retard the accumulation of snow and ice on aircraft. Deicers may not only enter water bodies without treatment, due to excessive storm-related flow, but also may expose terrestrial organisms to high concentrations through surface runoff. Most available toxicity data are for aquatic vertebrates and invertebrate species; this study examined effects on terrestrial and aquatic plants. Terrestrial plant species included both a monocot (rye grass, Lolium perenne) and a dicot (lettuce, Lactuca saliva). Aquatic species included a single cell alga (Selenastrum capricomutum), and an aquatic macrophyte (duckweed, Lemna minor). Glycol deicers were obtained in the formulated mixtures used on aircraft. Pure ethylene and propylene glycol were obtained from Sigma{reg_sign}. Parameters measured included germination, root and shoot ...
Transient experiments in a Temporal Analysis of Products (TAP) Reactor were performed to elucidate the role of surface oyxgen species in the oxidation of benzene to phenol on ZSM-5 type zeolites with nitrous oxide as a selective oxidant. It was shown by puls experiments with nitrous oxide that the mean lifetime of the generated surface oxygen species is between 0.2s at 500 C and about 4.2 s at 400 C. Afterwards the surface oxygen species desorb as molecular oxygen into the gas phase where total oxidation will take place if hydrocarbons are present. Dual puls experiments consisting of a nitrous oxide puls followed by a benzene puls allowed studying the reactivity of the surface oxygen species formed during the first puls. The observation of the phenol formation was impeded due to the strong sorption of phenol. Multipulse experiments were necessary to reach a pseudo steady state phenol yield. (orig.)
The Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program (ISEMP - BPA project No.2003-0017) has been created as a cost effective means of developing protocols and new technologies, novel indicators, sample designs, analytical, data management and communication tools and skills, and restoration experiments that support the development of a region-wide Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (RME) program to assess the status of anadromous salmonid populations, their tributary habitat and restoration and management actions. The most straightforward approach to developing a regional-scale monitoring and evaluation program would be to increase standardization among status and trend monitoring programs. However, the diversity of species and their habitat, as well as the overwhelming uncertainty surrounding indicators, metrics, and data interpretation methods, requires the testing of multiple approaches. Thus, the approach ISEMP has adopted is to develop a broad template ...
Finland has some 10 million hectares of peatland, accounting for almost a third of its total area. Macroclimatic conditions have varied in the course of the Holocene growth and development of this peatland, and with them the habitats of the peat-forming plants. Temperatures and moisture conditions have played a significant role in determining the dominant species of mire plants growing there at any particular time, the resulting mire types and the accumulation and deposition of plant remains to form the peat. While in a natural state the mires of Finland have functioned as carbon dioxide sinks throughout the post-glacial period, but the ditching of peatland for forestry and agriculture, amounting to some 5,7 million hectares in Finland, has affected their water balance, especially over the last hundred years, and has thereby altered the quantity and speciescomposition of the mire vegetation. The invasion of trees and woody ...
Waste is a heterogeneous fuel, often with high levels of chlorine, alkali and heavy metals. This leads to much more severe corrosion problems than combustion of fossil fuels. The corrosion rates of the materials used can be extremely high. Materials used for heat transferring parts are usually carbon steel or low alloyed steel. These are significantly cheaper than other steels. Austenitic stainless steel is also used, but is often avoided due to its sensitivity to stress corrosion cracking. More advanced materials, such as nickel base alloys, can be used in extremely aggressive environments. Since these materials are expensive and do not always have sufficient mechanical properties, they are often used as coatings on carbon steel tubes or as composite tubes. A new method, which shows good results at the first tests in plants, is electroplating with nickel. Plastic materials can be used in low temperature parts if the temperature does not exceed 150 deg C. A glass ...
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans form a family of more than 200 compounds which are relatively stable in the biosphere and tend to accumulate in the human body. The tetra- to hexa-chlorinated dioxins and furans are considered highly toxic. To facilitate the assessment of the total toxicity of dioxin and furan mixtures, the estimated toxic effects of the individual compounds relative to the 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) were introduced as Toxic Equivalent Factors which yield, when multiplied with the respective concentrations, the Toxic Equivalent (TE) of the mixture. Toxic dioxins and furans are unintentionally formed in a number of industrial combustion processes such as waste incineration and iron ore sintering, in the chemical industry and in household heating. To keep the emissions as low as possible, off-gas clearing systems for the collection of dioxins and furans are increasingly prescribed by the authorities. In addition, it appears desirable ...
The integration of the environmental problem in the design of industrial products leads us to incorporate vegetal fibres and recycled polymers into composite materials. The aim of this work is to study the behaviour and the environmental interest of a recycled PP/hemp fibre after several injection cycles. The mechanical and rheological behaviour of recycled PP/hemp composite was first studied by using tensile, dynamical mechanic analysis and rheological measurements. Then, to better understand the influence of the recycling, a morphology study was carried out on composites by using optical and electron microscopy. Finally, we investigated the environmental advantages of our composite thanks to a simplified environmental assessment. Our results highlighted the environmental interest of usin...
A highly sensitive and stable tris(2,2prime-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)32+) electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) sensor was developed based on carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersed in mesoporous composite films of sol-gel titania and perfluorosulfonated ionomer (Nafion). Single-wall (SWCNT) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) can be easily dispersed in the titania-Nafion composite solution. The hydrophobic CNT in the titania-Nafion composite films coated on a glassy carbon electrode certainly increased the amount of Ru(bpy)32+ immobilized in the ECL sensor by adsorption of Ru(bpy)32+ onto CNT surface, the electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of hydrophobic analytes, and the electronic conductivity of the composite films. Therefore, the present ECL sensor based on the CNT-...
The age hardening behavior of Al-4.5%Cu alloy composite reinforced with zircon sand particulates and produced by stir casting route has been investigated in different quenching media viz, water, oil, and salt brine solution (7wt%). Optical microscopy of the as cast alloy composite indicates that the matrix of the composite has the cellular structure. Copper rich CuAl2 precipitates have been found near particle matrix interface. The results of ageing demonstrate that the microhardness of age hardenable Al-Cu based alloy composites depend on the quenching medium in which they are heat treated. Salt brine quenching is faster as compared to water and oil, even if higher strength is obtained but cannot be used for complex shapes and thin sections where oil quenching is the alternative due to mi...
This study investigated the effect of board type (unmodified vs. MAPE modified) on the surface quality and thickness swelling-water absorption properties of recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE) based wood plastic composites. Additionally, two commercially available coatings (cellulosic coating and polyurethane lacquer coating) were also applied to composite surfaces and their adhesion strength, abrasion and scratch resistance, and gloss values were determined. This study showed that modification of the composites with MAPE coupling agent increased the surface smoothness and reduced the water absorption and thickness swelling of the panels. Abrasion resistance of the composites was also improved through MAPE modification. Regardless of board type, higher scratch resistance and gloss values were observed for polyurethane lacquer coated samples compared to those of cellulosic varnish coated ones. ...
This study is an attempt to measure the quantities of elements in a composite by irradiating that composite with #gamma#-rays of various energies and detecting the transmitted radiation through the composite. A previous knowledge of the number of the elements and their attenuation coefficients is required. The quantities are calculated by solving the matrix of a linear system of equations. A computer program was developed to select the best combinations of the available energies. Five criteria were established to determine these energy combinations: (i) the determinant of the attenuation coefficient matrix; (ii) the condition number, (iii) the number of times the solution of the matrix leads to acceptable results; (iv) the indicator, (a new concept); (v) the standard deviations of the results. The intended application of this technique in medicine is to measure the bone mineral content of the skeleton. An examination of the ...
The patent describes a method for repairing leakage-causing cracks and fissures in a cryogenic heat exchanger. It comprises: reducing the interior pressure of the heat exchanger to a level which does not exceed the external pressure upon the hear exchanger while maintaining the temperature of the heat exchanger at a low level relative to the ambient external temperature; applying a curable liquid filler composition to the surface of the heat exchanger proximal the leakage site for seepage into the cracks and fissures located at the leakage. The composition upon a relatively short period of cure at low temperature forming a solid material which fills the cracks and fissures; curing the filler composition; and, applying a sealant composition to the surface of the heat exchanger at the filled leakage site. The sealant composition having long-term sealing performance under cyrogenic ...
Abstract Poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) composites containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared using a melt-blending process and used to examine the effects on the composite structure and properties of replacing PBT with acrylic acid-grafted PBT (PBT-g-AA). PBT-g-AA and multihydroxyl-functionalized MWCNTs (MWCNTs-OH) were used to improve the compatibility and dispersibility of the MWCNTs within the PBT matrix. The composites were characterized morphologically using transmission electron microscopy, and chemically using Fourier transform infrared, solid-state 13C NMR and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The antibacterial and electrical conductivity properties of the composites were also evaluated. MWCNTs or MWCNTs-OH enhanced the antibacterial activity and electric...
Twelve powders of TiO_2-Y_2O_3-ZrO_2 solid solution of the methodically changed composition were prepared by a coprecipitation-calcination technique. After mixing with phenol-formaldehyde resin, the powders were calcinated for 2 hours at 1200"oC in vacuum. The resultant composite powders contained TiC and non-reacted carbon. Green compacts were sintered in vacuum at 1500"oC for 2 hours. A temperature increase was stopped at 1200"oC to react remains of carbon. There were two carbides in the composites TiC and ZrC. TiC non-stoichiometry depended on carbon content in the system. Phase composition of the depended on of titania and yttria in zirconia solid solution. The majority of the samples showed two tetragonal zirconia phases differing in lattice parameter and tetragonality. (author)
The effect of the coated composite surface of particles on the mechanical properties of the powder bed was investigated. Polyethylene-silica surface composite powder was prepared at several coating ratios with Hybridizer. Various tests on mechanical properties of the powder bed were carried out with the prepared powder, and the following results were obtained: The ultimate tensile strength depends only on the cohesive force between particles, and the contact probability model of composite particles led to good agreement between the experimental and calculated values. The coefficient of internal friction and cohesive shear strength were influenced due to the interlocking effect of the surface roughness of composite particles. The effects of coating particles became small with dynamic properties like angle of repose. It is possible to control the mechanical properties in a step wise fashion by changing ...
The microstructure of the interphase in semicrystalline polymer matrix composites has a dramatic influence on their mechanical properties. Studies have been performed to alter this region and to correlate various interphase morphologies with changes in fiber-matrix adhesion. A reinforced nylon 66 composite, when subjected to specific thermal histories, contains an interphase composed of transcrystallinity. This region has been altered by coating fibers with a diluent, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), and/or adding the diluent to the matrix material in very small quantities. Interphase morphology was investigated with optical microscopy, and adhesion was measured using a modified fiber pull-out test. It was found that transcrystallinity increases the interfacial shear strength. The effect different interphase morphologies have on the durability of bulk composite samples is currently under investigation.
To improve the friction and wear behavior of carbon fabric reinforced polymer composites (CFRP), nano-SiO2 was deposited on the fabric surface. The friction and wear behavior of the resulting composites were investigated on a model ring-on-block test rig. Experimental results revealed that fiber surface treatment contributed to largely improve the tribological properties of the CFRP composites. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) investigation showed that the worn surface of the surface modified CFRP composite was smoother under given load and sliding rate. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies of the carbon fiber surface showed that nanostructured Sio2 thin film can be obtained by SiO2 sols deposition, which improved th...
Composite materials of synthetics (based on monomers, oligomers and thermoplastics) and of natural polymers (wood and other fibrous cellulosics) prepared by radiation processing, offer valuable structural materials with enhanced coupling forces between the components. The applied polymer chemistry of such composites shows several common features with that of radiation grafting. E.g. the polymerization rate of oligomer-monomer mixtures in wood remains in most cases proportional to the square-root of the initiating dose-rate, just as in the simultaneous grafting, demonstrating that the chain termination kinetics remain regularly bimolecular in the corresponding dose-rate ranges. In the processing experiences of such composites, low dose requirement, easy process-control, and good technical feasibility have been found for composites of wood with oligomer-monomer mixtures, for coconut fibres with ...
Composite materials of synthetics (based on monomers, oligomers and thermoplastics) and of natural polymers (wood and other fibrous cellulosics) prepared by radiation processing, offer valuable structural materials with enhanced coupling forces between the components. The applied polymer chemistry of such composites shows several common features with that of radiation grafting, e.g. the polymerization rate of oligomer-monomer mixtures in wood remains in most cases proportional to the square-root of the initiating dose-rate, just as in the simultaneous grafting, demonstrating that the chain termination kinetics remain regularly bimolecular in the corresponding dose-rate ranges. In the processing experiences of such composites, low dose requirement, easy process-control, and good technical feasibility have been found for composites of wood with oligomer-monomer mixtures, for coconut fibres with ...
Energy from biomass is a CO{sub 2} neutral, sustainable form of energy. Anaerobic digestion is an established technology for converting biomass to biogas, which contains around 60% methane, besides CO{sub 2} and various contaminants. Most types of biomass contain material that cannot be digested; in woody biomass, this portion is particularly high. Therefore, conventional anaerobic digestion is not suited for the production of biogas from woody biomass. While wood is already being converted to energy by conventional thermal methods (gasification with subsequent methanation), dung, manure, and sewage sludge represent types of biomass whose energy potential remains largely untapped (present energetic use of manure in Switzerland: 0.4%). Conventional gas phase processes suffer from a low efficiency due to the high water content of the feed (enthalpy of vaporization). An alternative technology is the hydrothermal gasification: the water contained within the biomass serves as reaction ...
To make the surface composites with hard ceramics particles is an effective means for satisfying the request for the wear-resistance of the casting products. Covering casting is a general method for forming the composites by adding the adhesive into ceramics particles. However, due to the using of adhesive, pore and intermediate are easy to generate, and it is one of the reasons making the wear-resistance unstable. In the present study, it is attempted to form the wear-resistant composite layer by dispersing cast tungsten carbide (CTC) particles on the surface of wear-resistant 7 mass% Mn steel without using adhesives. Subsequently, the experiments on the wear-resistance of the obtained surface composites under several wear conditions are carried out. It is revealed by the results thereof that 7 mass% Mn steel surface composites with CTC particles have the wear-resistance which is ...
Spherical nanostructured Si/C composite was prepared by spray drying technique, followed by heat treatment, in which nanosized silicon and fine graphite particles were homogeneously embedded in carbon matrix pyrolyzed by phenol formaldehyde resin. Cyclic voltammetry tests showed two pairs of redox peaks corresponding to lithiation and delithiation of Si/C composite. The Si/C composite exhibited a reversible capacity of 635 mAh g"-"1 and good cycle performance used in lithium ion batteries. To improve cycle performance of this Si/C composite further, the carbon-coated Si/C composite was synthesized by the second spray drying and heat treatment processing. The cycle performance of carbon-coated Si/C composite was improved significantly, which was attributed to the formation of stable SEI passivation layers on the outer surface of carbon shell which protected the ...
The ultrafine fibers based on the composites of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and a series of fatty acids, lauric acid (LA), myristic acid (MA), palmitic acid (PA), and stearic acid (SA), were prepared successfully via electrospinning as form-stable phase change materials (PCMs). The morphology and thermal properties of the composite fibers were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. It was found that the average fiber diameter increased generally with the content of fatty acid (LA) in the LA/PET composite fibers. The fibers with the low mass ratio maintained cylindrical shape with smooth surface while the quality became worse when the mass ratio is too high (more than 100/100). Moreover, the latent heat of the composite fibers increased with the increase of LA content and the phase transition temperature of the ...
The composite of doped lanthanum gallate (La_0_._9Sr_0_._1Ga_0_._8Mg_0_._2O_2_._8_5, LSGM) and doped ceria (Ce_0_._8Sm_0_._2O_1_._9, CSO) was investigated as an electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The LSGM-CSO composite was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and impedance spectroscopy. It was found that the sintered LSGM-CSO composite contains mainly fluorite CeO_2 phase and a minority impurity phase, Sm_3Ga_5O_1_2. The LSGM-CSO composite electrolyte shows a small grain boundary response in the impedance spectroscopy as compared to LSGM and CSO pellets. The composite electrolyte exhibits the highest conductivity in the temperature range of 250-600 "oC, compared to LSGM and CSO. The LSGM-CSO composite can be expected to be an attractive intermediate temperature electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells.
MmMg{sub 12}-Ni amorphous or nanocrystalline composites (Mm: Ce-rich mischmetal) were prepared through the ball-milling method, and their electrochemical hydrogen storage performance was investigated and compared with that of ball-milled CeMg{sub 12}-Ni composites. It was found that the ball-milled MmMg{sub 12}-Ni composites had larger initial discharge capacities and better high rate dischargeability. Analysis of electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) shows that the reaction resistance and hydrogen diffusion resistance of the ball-milled MmMg{sub 12}-Ni composites are lower as a result of the decrease in Ce content, and thus can contribute to the larger discharge capacity and better high rate dischargeability. Additionally, the cycle performance of the ball-milled MmMg{sub 12}-Ni composites is better than those of the ball-milled CeMg{sub 12}-Ni composites. ...
The ultimate goal of this research was to develop technology to convert recycled wood fiber and plastics into durable products that are recyclable and otherwise environmentally friendly. Two processing technologies were used to prepare wood-plastic composites: air-laying and melt-blending. Research was conducted in (1) developing laboratory methods for converting waste wood, wastepaper, and waste plastics into forms suitable for processing into composites; (2) optimizing laboratory methods for making composite panels from the waste materials; (3) establishing a database on the effects of formulation and bonding agent on physical and mechanical properties of composites; (4) establishing the extent to which the composites can be recycled without unacceptable loss in properties; and (5) reaching out to industry to provide education, to develop applications, and to extend the database. ...
A comparison of the concentration-response effects of inhaled ozone (O/sub 3/) and phosgene (COCl/sub 2/) in different species of laboratory animals was made in order to better understand the influence of the choice of species in inhalation toxicity studies. The effect of 4-h exposures to ozone at concentrations of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 ppm, and to COCl/sub 2/ and 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 ppm was determined in rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, and mice. Lavage fluid protein (LFP) accumulation 18-20 h after exposure was used as the indicator of O3- and COCl/sub 2/-induced pulmonary edema. All species had similar basal levels of LFP (250-350 mg/ml) when a volume of saline that approximated the total lung capacity was used to lavage the collapsed lungs. Ozone effects were most marked in guinea pigs, which showed significant effects at 0.2 ppm and above. Mice, hamsters, and rats showed effects at 1.0 ppm O3 and above, while ...
The massive star-forming core MM1 of W75N was observed using the Submillimeter Array with #approx#1'' and 2'' spatial resolutions at 217 and 347 GHz, respectively. From the 217 GHz continuum we found that the MM1 core consists of two sources, separated by about 1'': MM1a (#approx#0.6 M_s_u_n) and MM1b (#approx#1.4 M_s_u_n), located near the radio continuum sources VLA 2/VLA 3 and VLA 1, respectively. Within MM1b, two gas clumps were found to be expanding away from VLA 1 at about #+-#3 km s"-"1, as a result of the most recent star formation activity in the region. Observed molecular lines show emission peaks at two positions, MM1a and MM1b: sulfur-bearing species have emission peaks toward MM1a, but methanol and saturated species at MM1b. We identified high-temperature (#approx#200 K) gas toward MM1a and the hot core in MM1b. This segregation may result from the evolution of the massive star-forming core. In the very early phase of star ...
Vermicompost preparations are increasingly used in agricultural practice. There is a possibility, that crop plants are sensitive to negative effect of vermicompost at early stages of development. The aim of the present study was to test the effects of vermicompost on seed germination and seedling growth of different vegetable crop species. Vermicompost substitution inhibited seed germination and seedling growth with almost linear decrease of growth with increasing concentration of vermicopost in the substrate. However, both leaf chlorophyll content and photochemical activity of photosynthesis increased in all crop species with the exception of pea seedlings. Vermicompost extract as a watering solution showed positive effect on growth of bean and pea seedlings. Germination response of vermi...
Biomarkers are biometric measurements that provide critical quantitative information about the biological condition of the animal or individual being tested. In drug safety studies, established toxicity biomarkers are used along with other conventional study data to determine dose-limiting organ toxicity, and to define species sensitivity for new chemical entities intended for possible use as human medicines. A continuing goal of drug safety scientists in the pharmaceutical industry is to discover and develop better trans-species biomarkers that can be used to determine target organ toxicities for preclinical species in short-term studies at dose levels that are some multiple of the intended human dose and again later in full development for monitoring clinical trials at lower therapeutic ...
Benthic biological samples were taken in 1977 from the vicinity of the Farallon Islands radioactive waste disposal sites for characterization of the infaunal macroinvertebrates and foraminifera. A total of 120 invertebrate species were collected, of which 75 species (63 percent) were polychaetes. Forty-three of these polychaete species have not previously been reported from depths greater than 1000m. A total of 1044 macroinvertebrate specimens were collected of which 54 percent were polychates. Only the nematods were present at all six benthic stations, but the community structure was dominated by the polychaetes Tauberia gracilis, Allia pulchra, Chaetozone setosa, and Cossura candida. Living and dead foraminifera were reported. The possible role of polychaetes in bioturbation and in the marine food chain is briefly discussed with respect to the various polychaete feeding mechanisms.
Summary Despite the great interest of red porgy as a new species for Mediterranean aquaculture, its commercial production is constrained by the high incidence of skeletal deformities occurring in this species under culture conditions. Several studies have been conducted to better understand the origin of these anomalies in this species, using different system intensiveness, rotifers enrichment products or rotifers docosahexaenoic acid content. The first study showed that culture intensification increased the number of fish with an extra vertebrae, what was probably related to the different nutritional quality of live preys employed in each treatment, since water temperature, salinity and genetic background were identical for the different batches of fish studied. Total incidence of skeleta...
Abstract Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is ubiquitous in aerobic organisms and constitutes the first link in the enzyme scavenging system of reactive oxygen species. In the present study, species and organ diversity of SOD activity in a solution and in an in-gel assay system, as well as the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on SOD activity, were investigated. In a solution assay system, SOD activity of jackfruit root, shoot, leaves, axes, and cotyledons, of maize embryos and endosperms, of mung bean leaves and seeds, of sacred lotus axes and cotyledons, and of rice and wheat leaves was increased by 1-15 mmol/L H2 O2. However, SOD activity in rice root and seeds, maize roots and leaves, mung bean roots and shoots, and wheat seeds was decreased by 1-15 mmol/L H2O2. The SOD activity of wheat ro...
A survey of wetlands on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) was conducted in 1990. Wetlands occurring on ORR were identified using National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) maps and field surveys. More than 120 sites were visited and 90 wetlands were identified. Wetland types on ORR included emergent communities in shallow embayments on reservoirs, emergent and aquatic communities in ponds, forested wetland on low ground along major creeks, and wet meadows and marshes associated with streams and seeps. Vascular plant species occurring on sites visited were inventoried, and 57 species were added to the checklist of vascular plants on ORR. Three species listed as rare in Tennessee were discovered on ORR during the wetlands survey. The survey provided an intensive ground truth of the wetlands identified by NWI and offered an indication of wetlands that the NWI remote sensing techniques did not detect.
A survey of wetlands on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) was conducted in 1990. Wetlands occurring on ORR were identified using National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) maps and field surveys. More than 120 sites were visited and 90 wetlands were identified. Wetland types on ORR included emergent communities in shallow embayments on reservoirs, emergent and aquatic communities in ponds, forested wetland on low ground along major creeks, and wet meadows and marshes associated with streams and seeps. Vascular plant species occurring on sites visited were inventoried, and 57 species were added to the checklist of vascular plants on ORR. Three species listed as rare in Tennessee were discovered on ORR during the wetlands survey. The survey provided an intensive ground truth of the wetlands identified by NWI and offered an indication of wetlands that the NWI remote sensing techniques did not detect.
Analytical methods developed to sample and characterize ambient organic aerosols often face the trade-off between long sampling times and the loss of detailed information regarding specific chemical species present. In the work presented here, high-time resolution ambient measurements (3.5 minutes) are achieved by using the Photoionization Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (PIAMS) in conjunction with the mini-Versatile Aerosol Concentration Enrichment System (m-VACES). Aerosol sampling took place for one week at State of Delaware Air Quality Monitoring Site in Wilmington, Delaware in June 2006. The soft, universal ionization scheme of PIAMS allows for identification of various chemical compounds by a signature ion, often the molecular ion. Meteorological data was used to link some species, such as...
Hyperquenching of liquid water with cooling rates of 10{sup 6}-10{sup 7} K s{sup -1} yields glassy water. Upon {gamma}-irradiation at 77 K, the only paramagnetic species accumulating in hyperquenched glassy water are the hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals. There are no hydrogen atoms or electrons seen by the ESR technique. For irradiation doses up to about 70 kGy, the relative contributions of hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals to the total amount of paramagnetic species remain virtually constant. The total amount of paramagnetic species, n, is sublinear in dose, d, well approximated by n=8.55x10{sup 16}d{sup 0.8} for n in spin g{sup -1} and d in kGy.
The effect of mean daily air temperature (MDT) on flowering rate (the reciprocal of days to flower) was quantified for 18 species of annual bedding plants. Plants were grown in environmental growth chambers at constant air temperature set points of 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 25, or 30^oC and under an irradiance of 160-180mmolm^-^2s^-^1, with a 16-h photoperiod. Nonlinear mathematical equations were developed to predict the effect of MDT on flowering rate and to estimate the base, optimum, and maximum temperatures (Tmin, Topt, and Tmax), which are the temperatures at which flowering rates are zero (low temperature), maximal, and zero once again (high temperature), respectively. The estimated Tmin varied among species and ranged from 1.1^oC in French marigold (Tagetes patula L.) to 9.9^oC in angelonia ...
An hydrazone derivative, 1,2-cyclohexanedione bis-benzoyl-hydrazone (1,2-CHBBH), has been used as a selective reagent for an advanced environmental application consisting of separating the different species of nickel in natural waters by solvent extraction. The effects of pH and reagent concentration on the extraction process were studied, as well as the influence of both organic (humic acids) and inorganic ligands (Cl-). Under natural conditions, organic and inorganic nickel species presented different extraction behaviors, and the variations in extraction yields could be correlated with the concentrations of organic complexes in the samples, allowing the separation of labile and non-labile nickel species in both fresh and marine waters.
Abstract Aim- To explore whether the subspecific genetic entities of Acacia saligna occupy different bioclimatic niches in their native and introduced ranges and whether these niches are predictable using species distribution models (SDMs). Location- Australia, South Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. Methods- Species distribution models were developed in MAXENT using six climatic variables to calculate the climatic suitability of the ranges of A.saligna. We assessed (1) the subspecific niche differences identified by SDMs using measures of niche overlap and model performance; (2) the ability of SDMs to predict the most likely subspecific genetic entities present in South Africa based on comparisons to genetic data; and (3) the ability of SDMs to predict the most likely subspecific geneti...
This is a continuation of our paper [Liu, M., Wang, K., 2010. Persistence and extinction of a stochastic single-species model under regime switching in a polluted environment, J. Theor. Biol. 264, 934-944]. Taking both white noise and colored noise into account, a stochastic single-species model under regime switching in a polluted environment is studied. Sufficient conditions for extinction, stochastic nonpersistence in the mean, stochastic weak persistence and stochastic permanence are established. The threshold between stochastic weak persistence and extinction is obtained. The results show that a different type of noise has a different effect on the survival results. PMID:20816991
Pathway analyses are regarded by National Plant Protection Organizations as a very efficient way to address the risks posed by invasive alien species. Data on import of aquatic plants was obtained from 10 EPPO countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Latvia, Switzerland and Turkey) and aggregated in order to consider whether invasive or potentially invasive alien plants could be introduced in the EPPO region through this pathway. This study highlights that this pathway mainly consists of the import of tropical plants for use in aquaria, and which do not represent a risk due to their climatic requirements. However, a few species require thorough attention owing to the threats they cause. Of the 247 species recorded as imported, only 10 are curr...
Summary During a histopathological survey of the geoduck, Panopea abbreviata (Hiatellidae), and the razor clam, Ensis macha (Pharidae), in northern Patagonian gulfs (Argentina), turbellarian worms were found in the intestine lumen. In this work, we described a new species of Paravortex (Platyhelminthes, Graffillidae). We collected the hosts by scuba diving and dissected alive for studying the turbellarians. In this new species, the pharynx continues in a short esophagus and the latter in a saccular intestine. Gravid specimens have from 2 to 8 twin embryos in the parenchyma. A short penis papilla arises from the seminal vesicle and the gonopore presents a strong sphincter. This species resembled P. nicolli Szidat, 1965, which was described paraziting Mytilus edulis platensis in Buenos Aires...
The management programs for invasive species have been proposed and implemented in many regions of the world. However, practitioners and scientists have not reached a consensus on how to control them yet. One reason is the presence of various uncertainties associated with the management. To give some guidance on this issue, we characterize the optimal strategy by developing a dynamic model of invasive species management under uncertainties. In particular, focusing on (i) growth uncertainty and (ii) measurement uncertainty, we identify how these uncertainties affect optimal strategies and value functions. Our results suggest that a rise in growth uncertainty causes the optimal strategy to involve more restrained removals and the corresponding value function to shift up. Furthermore, we also...
One of vector-borne avian protozoa, Leucocytozoon lovati, has been found in the Japanese rock ptarmigans (Lagopus mutus japonicus), the endangered bird species distributed in the alpine regions in Japan. Vector arthropod species of L. lovati has also been estimated as Simuliidae black flies distributed in the same habitat of the host bird, however, possible blood meals of the black flies were not identified yet. To reveal host animals of black flies, we estimated the blood resources by using molecular techniques. Black flies were collected at Mt. Chogatake, one of the alpine regions of Japan in which Japanese rock ptarmigans live in June 2005. The analyzed 144 specimens were morphologically identified into five species including Simulium japonicum (n?=?87), Prosimulium hirtipes (n?=?48), P...
Abstract: The cane toad (Bufo marinus), a large, toxic, American anuran, was introduced to Australia in 1935. Populations of many of Australia's reptiles (snakes, varanid lizards, crocodiles) and carnivorous mammals (dasyurid marsupials) have declined because these predators are killed by the toad's powerful toxins. In contrast to these well-studied species, little is known about the cane toads impacts on Australian birds. We reviewed published and unpublished data on behavioral interactions between Australian avian predators and cane toads and collated distributional and dietary information to identify avian taxa potentially at risk from cane toad invasion. Cane toads are sympatric with 172 frog-eating bird species in Australia, and an additional 8 bird species overlap with the predicted ...
The benefits provided by underutilised fruit tree species such as baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) in combating increasing malnutrition and poverty become more apparent as awareness grows regarding concerns of climate change and food security. Due to its multiple uses, its high nutritional and medicinal value, drought tolerance and relatively easy cultivation, baobab has been identified as one of the most important edible forest trees to be conserved, domesticated and valued in Africa. In order to contribute towards the cultivation of the species, suitability of sites in Africa and worldwide was evaluated for potential cultivation using species? locality data and spatial environmental data in MAXENT modelling framework. A total of 450 geo-referenced records of the baobab tree were assembled ...
Long-term fishery datasets can provide valuable insights into fishing histories, and represent a baseline against which to examine current status and plan for future management. For coral reef-associated fisheries, however, such datasets are extremely rare. We analyse a unique 45-year set of landings data on six reef fishes of commercial importance in Cubas coastal fisheries, together with information on management interventions, and examine the likely implications of over-fishing and management on the long-term condition of one grouper (Serranidae) and five snapper (Lutjanidae) species. The data clearly demonstrate differential responses to fishing and management according to the biology of the different species examined. In particular, those species that aggregate most predictably, and a...
30 species belonging to 18 genera were isolated from floor dust of 30 homes in Riyadh. Out of them 16 species and 10 genera were isolated from dust of air conditioners of the same homes. The most common genera in floor dust were Aspergillus, Penicillium and Cladosporium. Aspergillus repens, A. amstelodami, A. versicolor, A. fumigatus, Penicillium purpurogenum, P. crustosum, Cladosporium cladosporoides and C. herbarum were frequently isolated. The most abundant genera in air conditioner dust were Aspergillus and Penicillium. Aspergillus fumigatus, A. ochraceus, A. terreus, Penicillium oxalicium and P. crustosum were most frequent species. PMID:2330766
We report experimental evidence of a previously unseen species-dependent effect in the transverse emittances of momentum-analyzed {sup 28}Si{sup {minus}}, {sup 58}Ni{sup {minus}}, and {sup 197}Au{sup {minus}} negative-ion beams generated by cesium-ion sputtering. The differences in the emittances are found to be principally correlated with differences in the energy spreads in the respective ion beams, which have their origins in the sputter-ejection negative-ion formation process. The experimental equipment and techniques utilized for emittance data acquisition and analysis, and evidence for a species-dependent effect in the emittances and brightnesses of the subject ion beams, are presented in this paper.
Abstract: Environmental synergisms may pose the greatest threat to tropical biodiversity. Using recently updated data sets from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, we evaluated the incidence of perceived threats to all known mammal, bird, and amphibian species in tropical forests. Vulnerable, endangered, and extinct species were collectively far more likely to be imperiled by combinations of threats than expected by chance. Among 45 possible pairwise combinations of 10 different threats, 69%, 93%, and 71% were significantly more frequent than expected for threatened mammals, birds, and amphibians, respectively, even with a stringent Bonferroni-corrected probability value (p= 0.003). Based on this analysis, we identified five key environmental synergisms in t...
Thinning and burning forests established on revegetated mine pits in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forests of south-west Australia is being considered as a management option to accelerate succession in sites with excessive tree densities. To assess the impact of thinning and burning on reptiles and small mammals, we installed trapping grids in eight thinned and burned sites, each paired with untreated controls. Of the eight pairs, four were in rehabilitated sites (planted with nonlocal species) and four were in restored sites (seeded with local species). Thinning and burning had no significant impact on the small mammal community, although Cercatetus concinnus was more abundant in rehabilitated sites. In contrast, thinning and burning significantly increased reptile abundance and species r...
Summary 1.-Traditional views of ecological disturbance emphasize the role that physical disturbances play in reducing competition between populations and maintaining species coexistence. I present an alternative view that employs a simple Lotka-Volterra model to demonstrate how disturbance resistance, disturbance resilience and resource storage can increase competition between individual perennial plants of similar growth form along a resource supply gradient. 2.-In contrasting the growth of individual genets of two hypothetical species, I assumed that traits associated with inherently low module (i.e. plant part) mortality in infertile soils resulted in greater resource storage, but traded off with maximum potential net photosynthesis rates and thus disturbance resilience. 3.-The species ...
Forensic signatures are present in any Pu sample that can determine the sample`s origin: isotopic ratio of Pu, progeny species that grow into the sample, and contaminant species left over from incomplete purification of the Pu in fuel reprocessing. In the context of intelligence information, this can result in attribution of responsibility for the product of clandestine proliferant operations or material smuggled from existing stockpiles. A list of signature elements and what can be determined from them have been developed. Work needs to be done in converting concentrations of signature species into a quantitative forensic analysis, particularly in regard to reactor performance, but this should require only a small effort. A radiochemical analysis scheme has been developed for measuring these nuclides; more work is needed, particularly for determining fission product concentrations. A sample of Pu metal has been analyzed ...
Poaching of wildlife animals for subsistence and commercial purposes has lead to population declines in Africa. In forensic cases, a need exists to identify the species of origin of carcasses, meat or blood. In the study presented here, the mitochondrial COI gene was sequenced to determine the species of unknown samples in three suspect South African forensic wildlife cases. In two cases the unknown samples were identified as originating from domestic cattle (Bos taurus) and in the third case the sample was identified as common reedbuck (Redunca arundinum). This is the first report of the COI sequence of common reedbuck. The study highlights the need for accurate wildlife reference material from each country in order to convict wildlife cases.
Titanium stabilized austenitic steel is sensitive to SCC in the secondary water under the horizontal steam generator operating conditions. SCC was observed under crevice conditions both at the primary collector flanges and the heat exchange tubes. In the crevice environment sulfates and chlorides as aggressive species and silicates and alumino-silicates as ''non-aggressive'' species are present in significant amounts. Local water chemistry parameters were evaluated using the MULTEQ Code. SCC experiments were carried out by rising displacement tests ar 275 deg C in an environment simulating the crevice conditions. Crack growth rate and K{sub IS}8C{sub C} were determined for the environment where contents of some species were from 10{sup 2} to 10{sup 4} times higher than in blowdowns. (authors)
Titanium stabilized austenitic steel is sensitive to SCC in the secondary water under the horizontal steam generator operating conditions. SCC was observed under crevice conditions both at the primary collector flanges and the heat exchange tubes. In the crevice environment sulfates and chlorides as aggressive species and silicates and alumino-silicates as ''non-aggressive'' species are present in significant amounts. Local water chemistry parameters were evaluated using the MULTEQ Code. SCC experiments were carried out by rising displacement tests ar 275 deg C in an environment simulating the crevice conditions. Crack growth rate and K_I_S8C_C were determined for the environment where contents of some species were from 10"2 to 10"4 times higher than in blowdowns. (authors)
Old World Bluestems (OWB), introduced from Europe and Asia in the 1920s, recently have begun to raise concerns in the Great Plains. Despite suggestion in the late 1950s that OWB were weedy and negatively impacted biological diversity, they were widely introduced throughout the Great Plains for agricultural purposes. Anecdotal evidence suggests that OWB exhibit invasive characteristics that promote competitive exclusion of native species. The objective of our study was to quantify the competitive abilities of two OWB species (Caucasian bluestem; Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz.) S.T. Blake (=?Bothriochloa caucasica (Trin.) C.E. Hubb.) and yellow bluestem; Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng) with three native grass species (big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), little bluestem (Schizachyrium s...
The lower condition factors for two catfish species in water heated by effluents from APCo's Glen Lyn, Virginia plant as compared to control areas probably is not due to lack of food as evidenced by macroinvertebrate sampling and the fact that only 4.3 percent of the catfish stomachs were empty. Results suggested that young-of-the-year channel catfish were nonselectively eating food organisms present at both control and heated stations. The difference between stomach contents of flatheat catfish from the heated site and fauna available at that site indicated that fish were either moving out of the heated area to feed or were selectively feeding on organisms (particularly mayflies) which were in the substrate or drifted into the heated area. Stomach contents of the two species and distribution and abundance of the macroinvertebrate benthos community are detailed.
Here we present a revision of the fossil record of chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) of Late Pleistocene and Holocene marine deposits of Uruguay and discuss their potential for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Chitons were recorded as isolated valves in bivalve- and gastropod-rich assemblages. They are represented by the species Chaetopleura angulata (Spengler), C. isabellei (d'Orbigny), C. asperrima (Gould) and Ischnochiton striolatus (Gray). The last two species are recorded for the first time as fossils not only in Uruguay but also in South America. Exclusively recorded for the Late Pleistocene is the warm water species I. striolatus, whose current southern range limit is located in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Higher temperatures than at present are inferred for the Uruguayan coast duri...
Bothriochloa ischaemum L. and Lespedeza davurica (Laxm.) Schindl. are two co-dominant species of great importance in reducing soil and water loss and maintaining the distinctive natural scenery of the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. Our aim was to determine the growth and interspecific competition between these species under water stress to facilitate the prediction of community succession and guide the selection of appropriate methods of conservation and use in the area. A pot experiment was designed to investigate the effects of water stress and competition on biomass production and allocation, relative competitive ability and water use efficiency of the two species. Bothriochloa ischaemum (a C4 perennial herbaceous grass) was planted in the same pot with L. davurica (a C3 perennial leg...
Abstract Question: How do the diversity, size structure, and spatial pattern of woody species in a temperate (Mediterranean climate) forest compare to temperate and tropical forests? Location: Mixed evergreen coastal forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA. Methods: We mapped, tagged, identified, and measured all woody stems (?1 cm diameter) in a 6-ha forest plot, following Center for Tropical Forest Science protocols. We compared patterns to those found in 14 tropical and 12 temperate forest plots. Results: The forest is dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and three species of Fagaceae (Quercus agrifolia, Q. parvula var. shrevei, and Lithocarpus densiflorus), and includes 31 woody species and 8180 individuals. Much of the diversity was in small-diameter shrubs,...
Effects of avian gut-passage on seed germination are important to assess the effectiveness of frugivores in woodland regeneration, particularly in biodiversity hotspots that have a high incidence of avian frugivory. We examined the effect of avian gut-passage on seed germination in contrast to seeds that remain uneaten in five shrub species in Mediterranean central Chile and sought to determine the physiological mechanism(s) by which seed germinability is modified. Germination assays were conducted in a glasshouse for five common shrub species of the sub-Andean matorral: Azara dentata (Flacourtiaceae), Schinus polygamus and Schinus molle (Anacardiaceae), Cestrum parqui (Solanaceae), and Maytenus boaria (Celastraceae). We estimated germinability (final percent germination), dormancy length ...
The raw materials used in manufacturing of phosphate fertilizer products were derived from rocks. Rocks contain a remarkable of natural radioactivity. Uranium and phosphorous were originally initiated at the same time of the initiated rocks. The purpose of this research is to investigate solubility of uranium phosphate species at the phosphate fertilizer samples, samples including; raw phosphate material, single super phosphates (SSP) granules and powdered, triple super phosphates (TSP) and phosphogypsum samples were obtained from Abu-Zabal factory in Egypt. Solubility of uranium phosphate species was estimated. It was found that, less than half of the uranium phosphate species are soluble in water. The soluble uranium may be enter into the food chains by plant. Therefore, restriction should be done in order to limit contamination of land and the public.
An efficient micropropagation protocol was established for Cryptocoryne wendtii and Cryptocoryne becketti using shoot tips explants. Multiple shoots were induced from shoot tip explants of both species cultured on agar-gelled as well as liquid MS medium supplemented with 0.5?mg/L BA and 0.2?mg/L IBA (proliferation medium). The multiple shoots of both the species formed on agar-gelled as well as liquid medium were vigorously growing with well-developed roots and leaves after 4?weeks of culture. Highest number of multiple shoots was obtained from shoot tip explants of both the species cultured in liquid proliferation medium after 4?weeks of culture. The shoot tip explants of C. wendtii and C. becketti, that were cultured in liquid proliferation medium (2?weeks) followed by culturing on agar-...
This study concerns the thermotolerance of spores of mesophilic fungi isolated from a tropical semi-arid habitat subject to dry season fire in the Western Ghats, southern India. Among 25 species of Ascomycota isolated from leaf litter, nine were able to grow after incubation in a drying oven for 2h at 100degreeC; the spores of two of these species survived 2h incubation at 110degreeC, and one survived exposure to 115degreeC for 2h. The range of thermotolerance among mesophilic fungi isolated from the leaf litter was surprising: filamentous fungi from other habitats, including species that colonize scorched vegetation after fires and thermophilic forms occurring in self-heating plant composts, cannot survive even brief exposure to such high temperatures. It is possible that the exceptional ...
In order to investigate the role of amorphous SiO{sub 2} particles in corrosion and wear resistance of Ni-based metal matrix composite alloying layer, the amorphous nano-SiO{sub 2} particles reinforced Ni-based composite alloying layer has been prepared by double glow plasma alloying on AISI 316L stainless steel surface, where Ni/amorphous nano-SiO{sub 2} was firstly predeposited by brush plating. The composition and microstructure of the nano-SiO{sub 2} particles reinforced Ni-based composite alloying layer were analyzed by using SEM, TEM and XRD. The results indicated that the composite alloying layer consisted of {gamma}-phase and amorphous nano-SiO{sub 2} particles, and under alloying temperature (1000 deg. C) condition, the nano-SiO{sub 2} particles were uniformly distributed in the alloying layer and still kept the amorphous structure. The corrosion resistance of ...
In order to investigate the role of amorphous SiO2 particles in corrosion and wear resistance of Ni-based metal matrix composite alloying layer, the amorphous nano-SiO2 particles reinforced Ni-based composite alloying layer has been prepared by double glow plasma alloying on AISI 316L stainless steel surface, where Ni/amorphous nano-SiO2 was firstly predeposited by brush plating. The composition and microstructure of the nano-SiO2 particles reinforced Ni-based composite alloying layer were analyzed by using SEM, TEM and XRD. The results indicated that the composite alloying layer consisted of ?-phase and amorphous nano-SiO2 particles, and under alloying temperature (1000 deg. C) condition, the nano-SiO2 particles were uniformly distributed in the alloying layer and still kept the amorphous structure. The corrosion resistance of composite alloying layer was ...
Gas exchange between the plant and the environment is severely hampered when plants are submerged, leading to oxygen and energy deficits. A straightforward way to reduce these shortages of oxygen and...Full Text Available
Most insects are thought to fly by creating a leading-edge vortex that remains attached to the wing as it translates through a stroke. In the species examined so far, stroke amplitude is large, and...Full Text Available
Mapping the restriction fragments of the Brucella melitensis 16M genome with a new restriction endonuclease, PacI, which cut the DNA into only eight fragments, indicated that this species contains two...Full Text Available
Simian retroperitoneal fibromatosis (RF) is a vascular fibroproliferative neoplasm which has many morphological and histological similarities to human Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Like epidemic KS in AIDS...Full Text Available
The Carassius auratus complex in natural populations includes diploid triploid and polyploidy individuals. Diploid individuals belong to the species Carassius auratus...Full Text Available
The biological accumulation of heavy metals and cesium, strontium, and uranium in plants is discussed. The role of nutrient deficiencies and foliar treatments of manganese and iron compounds is described.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ecologically important root symbionts of most terrestrial plants. Ecological studies of AMF have concentrated on differences between species; largely assuming...Full Text Available
The role of pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) in the regulation of pheromone biosynthesis of several female moth species is well elucidated, but its role in the males has been a...Full Text Available
BackgroundA previous study showed for Anopheles gambiae s.s. a gradation of feeding preference on common plant species growing in a malaria holoendemic area in western...Full Text Available
Species of the large family Orchidaceae display a spectacular array of adaptations and rapid speciations that are linked to several innovative features, including specialized pollination syndromes,...Full Text Available
In most insect species, juvenile hormones regulate critical physiological processes such as metamorphosis and reproduction. In insects, these sesquiterpenoids are synthesized by retrocerebral endocrine...Full Text Available
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate biotrophs, known to play an important role in ecological processes. Conventional light microscopy is the most common method used to detect their presence...Full Text Available
Cells of the terrestrial plant species bromegrass (Bromus inermis L.) are not naturally adapted to withstand the hydrostatic pressures encountered in aquatic environments. However,...Full Text Available