Geographic variation of the Anderson's Niviventer (Niviventer andersoni) (Thomas, 1911) (Rodentia: Muridae) of two new subspecies in China verified with cranial morphometric variables and pelage characteristics

A total of 66 specimens of Niviventer andersoni with intact skulls was investigated on pelage characteristics and cranial morphometric variables. The data were subjected to principal component analyses as well as to discriminant analyses, and measurement

Distribution of phytoplankton in the Three-Gorge Reservoir during rainy and dry seasons

After damming of the Yangtze River, in order to explore the impacts of the Three-Gorge Dam (TGD) on the aquatic ecosystem, phytoplankton composition, abundance and biomass spatial distribution were studied in the Three-Gorge Reservoir (TGR), and the closest upstream anabranch Xiangxi River, which is 38 kin away from the Three-Gorge Dam (TGD) during August (rainy season) 2004 and April (dry season) 2005. In surveys, 6 transects (2 downstream and 4 cross-stream) and 25 stations have been investigated and 314 samples were collected from the surface to the river bed with water samplers. In TGR, 63 taxa and 60 taxa were identified in the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. In the Xiangxi River, 39 taxa were observed in the rainy and dry seasons. Algal blooms occurred in the Xiangxi River and at the influx region of the Yangtze and Xiangxi in both seasons, but had not occurred prior to damming. In the rainy season, the dominant species was Chroomonas acuta with 1.84 x 10(7) cells l(-1), and in the dry season the dominant species were Asterionella formosa and Cryptomonas ovata with 1.34 x 10(7) cells l(-1) and 1.79 x 10(6) cells(.)l(-1), respectively. In the main channel of TGR, there were no significant correlations between phytoplankton abundance and the concentrations of the main soluble nutrients. In the Xiangxi River, significant negative correlations were observed between phytoplankton abundance and nitrate (Spearman, p < 0.01, n=21), phosphate (Spearman, p < 0.05, n=21) and silicate (Spearman, p < 0.01, n=21) in the rainy season, and similar correlations were also observed with nitrate (Spearman, p < 0.05, n=28) and silicate (Speannan, p < 0.01, n=28), but not with phosphate in the dry season. Since the damming of the Yangtze River, eutrophication in the anabranch within the backwater has occurred and become severe, and the frequency of algal bloom within TGR and anabranches is expected to increase. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Moisture content in Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) tissues: a reference base for conversion factors between dry and wet weight trace element concentrations in cetaceans

Concentration of trace elements measured by dry weight basis has become more commonly used in recent studies on cetaceans than wet weight basis, which was used more in earlier studies. Because few authors present moisture content data in their papers, it is difficult to compare the concentrations of trace elements between various studies. Therefore, we felt that it would be useful if a reference conversion factor (CF) for tissue types could be found to convert between wet weight and dry weight data on trace element concentrations. We determined the moisture contents of 14 tissues of Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli), and then, calculated the CF values for those tissues. Because the moisture content of each tissue differs from other tissues, it is necessary to use a specific CIF for each tissue rather than a general CF for several tissues. We have also found that CIF values for Dall's porpoise tissues are similar to the same tissues in other cetaceans. Therefore CF values from Dall's porpoise can be reliably used to convert between wet and dry weight concentrations for other cetacean tissues as reference data. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photoluminescence characteristics of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dot arrays fabricated by dry and dry-wet etching

GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dot arrays with different dot sizes made by different fabrication processes were studied in this work. In comparison with the reference quantum well, photoluminescence (PL) spectra from the samples at low temperature have demonstrated that PL peak positions shift to higher energy side due to quantization confinement effects and the blue-shift increases with decreasing dot size, PL linewidths are broadened and intensities are much reduced. It is also found that wet chemical etching after reactive ion etching can improve optical properties of the quantum dot arrays.

Cytogenetic Effects of Low Doses of Energetic Carbon Ions on Rice After Exposures of Dry Seeds, Wet Seeds and Seedlings

In order to investigate the biological effects of heavy ion radiation at low closes and the different radiosensitivities of growing and non-growing plants. rice at different lift stages (dry seed, wet seed and seedling) were exposed to carbon ions at closes of 0 02, 0.2, 2 and 20 Gy. Radiobiological effects on survival, root growth and mitotic activity, as well as the induction of chromosome aberrations in root meristem. were observed The results show that radiation exposure induces a stimulatory response at lower close and an inhibitory response at higher dose on the mitotic activity of wet seeds and seedlings Cytogenetic damages are induced in both seeds and seedlings by carbon ion radiation at doses as low as 0.02 Gy Compared with seedlings. seeds are more resistant to the lethal damage and the growth rate damage by high doses of carbon ions, but are more sensitive to cytogenetic damage by low closes of irradiation Different types of radiation induced chromosome aberrations are observed between seeds and seedlings. Based on these results, the relationships between low close heavy ion-induced biological effects and the biological materials are discussed.

COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF CA4Y6(SIO4)(6)O-A PHOSPHORS PREPARED BY SOL-GEL AND DRY METHODS (A=PB2+,EU3+, TB3+,DY3+)

Ca4Y6(SiO4)(6)O:A (A = Pb2+, Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+) phosphors have been prepared by two methods: the sol-gel method and the conventional dry method. The crystallization processes and the luminescence characteristics of the phosphors were studied, The sol-gel method features low-temperature formation of the phosphor, leading to successful preparation of Pb2+-activated phosphors which could not be prepared by the dry method at high temperature. The (4f)(8-)(4f)(7)(5d)(1) absorption band of Tb3+ and the charge-transfer (CT) band of Eu3+ have higher energies and narrower half-widths in the sol-gel-derived phosphors than in the phosphors prepared by the dry method, respectively. The Tb3+ and Dy3+ ions show stronger emission in the former than in the latter. Both the yellow-to-blue intensity ratio (Y:B) of Dy3+ and the red-to-orange intensity ratio (R:O) of Eu3+ in the sol-gel-derived phosphors are smaller than those for the phosphors derived by the dry method.

DRY-WEIGHT AND CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION (CHN) IN RELATION TO POPULATION-DENSITY OF CULTIVATED TISBE-HOLOTHURIAE (COPEPODA, HARPACTICOIDA)

CARBON

Hydrogen permeation and corrosion behaviour of high strength steel 35CrMo under cyclic wet-dry conditions

Hydrogen permeation behaviours of high strength steel 35CrMo under different cyclic wet-dry conditions have been investigated by using Devanathan-Stachurski's technique. Four electrolytes were used: distilled water, seawater, seawater containing 1500 ppm H2S and seawater containing 0.03 mol L-1 SO2. The corrosion weight loss of 35CrMo in the wet-dry cycles was measured simultaneously. The experimental results show that hydrogen can be detected at the surface opposite to the corroding side of the specimen during wet-dry cycles and the permeation current density during a wet-dry cycle showed a maximum during the drying process. The hydrogen permeation was obviously promoted by Cl- ions, H2S and SO2. The hydrogen permeation in the real marine atmosphere has also been investigated. There is a clear correlation between the amount of hydrogen permeated and the corrosion weight losses. Results show the importance of hydrogen permeation that merits further investigation.

Hydrogen permeation behavior and corrosion monitoring atmospheric of steel in cyclic wet-dry environment

Hydrogen permeation of 16Mn steel under a cyclic wet-dry condition was investigated by Devanathan-Stachurski's electrolytic cell with a membrane covered on the exit side by a nickel layer and the weight loss was measured for each wet-dry cycle. The results show that hydrogen permeation current change with different atmospheric environment: distilled water, seawater, and seawater containing 100 ppm H2S. The results show that seawater can induce an increase in the hydrogen permeation current due to the hydrolyzation reaction. And after the increase, equilibrium is reached due to the equilibrium of hydrolyzation reaction effect and the block of the rust layer. On the other hand, H2S contamination also can induce an increase in the maximum hydrogen permeation current due to the hydrolyzation reaction. And H2S contamination delays the time that hydrogen permeation is detected because of the formation of the FeS(1-x) film. The FeS(1-x) film can block the absorption of hydrogen onto the specimen surface. The surface potential change and the pH change of the metal surface control the hydrogen permeation current. And a clear linear correlation exists between the quantities of hydrogen permeated through the 16Mn steel and the weight loss. Based on the linear correlation, we monitored the corrosion rate by monitoring the hydrogen permeation current by a sensor outside. Good coherences were shown between results in laboratory and outside.

CO2H2O and energy exchange of an Inner Mongolia steppe ecosystem during a dry and wet year

We used an eddy covariance technique to measure evapotranspiration and carbon flux over two very different growing seasons for a typical steppe on the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China. The rainfall during the 2004 growing season (344.7 mm) was close to the annual average (350.43 mm). In contrast, precipitation during the 2005 growing season was significantly lower than average (only 126 mm). The wet 2004 growing season had a higher peak evapotranspiration (4 mm day(-1)) than did the dry 2005 growing season (3.3 mm day(-1)). In 2004, latent heat flux was mainly a consumption resource for net radiation, accounting for similar to 46% of net radiation. However, sensible heat flux dominated the energy budget over the whole growing season in 2005, accounting for 60% of net radiation. The evaporative rate (LE/R-n) dropped by a factor of four from the non-soil stress to soil water limiting conditions. Maximum half-hourly CO2 uptake was -0.68 mg m(-2) s(-1) and maximum ecosystem exchange was 4.3 g CO2 m(-2) day(-1) in 2004. The 2005 drought growing stage had a maximum CO2 exchange value of only -0.22 mg m(-2) s(-1) and a continuous positive integrated-daily CO2 flux over the entire growing season, i.e. the ecosystem became a net carbon source. Soil respiration was temperature dependent when the soil was under non-limiting soil moisture conditions, but this response declined with soil water stress. Water availability and a high vapor pressure deficit severely limited carbon fixing of this ecosystem; thus, during the growing season, the capacity to fix CO2 was closely related to both timing and frequency of rainfall events. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Behavioural responses by yaks in different physiological states (lactating, dry or replacement heifers), when grazing natural pasture in the spring (dry and germinating) season on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Using heterogeneous vegetation in alpine grassland through grazing is a necessary component of deintensification of livestock systems and conservation of natural environments. However, better understanding of the dynamics of animal feeding behaviour would improve pasture and livestock grazing managements, particularly in the early part of the spring season when forage is scarce. The changes in behaviour may improve the use of poor pastures. Then, enhancing management practices may conserve pasture and improve animal productivity. Grazing behaviour over 24 In periods by yaks in different physiological states (lactating, dry and replacement heifers) was recorded in the early, dry and later, germinating period of the spring season. Under conditions of inadequate forage, the physiological state of yaks was not the primary factor affecting their grazing and ruminating behaviour. Forage and sward state affected yaks' grazing and ruminating behaviour to a greater extent. Generally, yaks had higher intake and spent more time grazing and ruminating during the later part of the spring season, following germination of forage, than during the earlier dry part of the season. However, the live weight of yaks was less during pasture germination than during the early dry part of the season because the herbage mass is low, and the yaks have to expend much energy to seek feed at this particular time. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Digestibility, nutrient balance and urinary purine derivative excretion in dry yak cows fed oat hay at different levels of intake

A feeding trial A as conducted at the farm of Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Science, Xining, China during 1996 - 1997 with three dry yak cows (initial body weight 163 - 197 kg, age 5 - 6 years) by using 3 x 3 Latin Square Design to determine the effect of levels of feed intake on digestion, nitrogen balance and purine derivative excretion in urine of yak cows. The animals were fed oat hay (nitrogen 13.5 g/kg dry matter (DM), metabolisable energy 8.3 MJ/kg DM), i.e., 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 of voluntary intake (VI). Each intake treatment lasted for 17 days and the samples (feeds, faeces and urine) were collected during last 7 days of each period. The results indicate that digestibility of dietary DM, OM, NDF and ash declined when intake levels increased from 0.3 to 0.9 VI [DM, from 66.1% to 59.1% (P < 0.05); OM, from 68.1% to 59.9% (P < 0.05); NDF, from 62.1% to 54.3% (P < 0.05); and ash, from 33.9% to 11.8% (P < 0.05)]. Around 0.10 g N/kg W-0.75 was deficient daily in yak cows at 0.3 VI, and positive N balances were observed at 0.6 and 0.9 VI. Intake levels significantly (P < 0.05) affected total PD excretion in yak urine. The proportion of allantoin increased (P < 0.05) and uric acid decreased (P < 0.05) as intake level of feed increased. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.