Phenotypic plasticity in gut length in the planktivorous filter-feeding silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)

Phenotypic plasticity widely exists in the external morphology of animals as well as the internal traits of organs. In the present study, we studied the gut length plasticity of planktivorous filter-feeding silver carp under different food resources in large-net cage experiments in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu in 2004 and 2005. There was a significant difference in stocking density between these 2 years. Under a low stocking density and abundant food resources, silver carp increased their energy intake by feeding on more zooplankton. Meanwhile, silver carp adjusted their gut length to match the digestive requirements of food when exposed to different food resources. In the main growth seasons (from April to October), silver carp significantly increased their relative gut length when feeding on more phytoplankton in 2005 (p < 0.01, 9.23 +/- 1.80 in 2004 and 10.77 +/- 2.05 in 2005, respectively). There was a nearly significant negative correlation between zooplankton proportion in the diet and the relative gut length when silver carp were stocked in a high density (p = 0.112). It appears that silver carp might have evolved plasticity to change their gut length rapidly to facilitate efficient utilization of food resources. Such resource polymorphisms in the gut may be a good indication of temporal adaptation to resource conditions. Our work provided field evidence for understanding the functional basis of resource polymorphisms and the evolution of phenotypic plasticity in planktivorous filter-feeding fish.

花岗岩-LiF-NaF-H_2O体系液相不混溶的实验研究

Liquid segregation phenomena have been found and explained in the F(Li)-rich granites in south China by Wang Linakui et al. (1979; 1983). A number of experimental investigations into the liquid immiscibilities in the granites systems have been carried out (Anfilogov et al., 1983; Glyuk et al., 1971; Glyuk et al., 1973a; 1973b; kovalenko, 1978; Wang Liangkui et al., 1987). Nevertheless, the detailed scenarios of the liquid immiscibilities in the granitic magmas are much less understood. This experimental study is amide to get access to this problem. Starting materials are biotite granite +LiF(3-10%)+NaF(3-10%)+H_2O(30%). The experimental results have shown that the liquid immiscibilities of melts of different compositions occur at 1 kbar and 840 ℃ when 5wt% (LiF + NaF) are added to the granite samples. three kinds of glasses indicating of three types of coexisting immiscible melts have been observed: light blue matrix glass, melanocratic glass balls and leucocratic glass balls. It is interesting that we have observed various kinds of textures as follows: spherulitic texture, droplets, flow bands, swirls. All these textures can be comparable to those in the natural granitic bodies. Electron microprobe data suggest that these different kinds of glasses are of different chemical compositions respectively; matrix glasses are F-poor silicate melts; melanocratic balls correspond to F-rich silicate melts; and leucocratic balls are the melts consisting mainly of fluorides. Raman spectrometric data have indicated that different glasses have different melt structures. TFM Diagrams at 1000 * 10~5 Pa have been plotted, in which two miscible gaps are found. One of the two gaps corresponds to the immiscibility between F - poor silicate melt and F-rich silicate melt, another to that between the silicate melt and fluoride melt. The experiments at different pressures have suggested that the decreases in pressures are favorable to the liquid immiscibility. Several reversal experiments have indicated that the equilibria in different runs have been achieved. We have applied the experimental results to explain the field evidence of immiscibilities in some of granites associated with W-Sn-Nb-Ta mineralization. These field phenomena include flow structure, globular structures,mineralized globular patche and glass inclusions in topaz. We believe that the liquid immiscibility (liquid segregation) is a possible way of generation of F(Li)-rich granites. During the evolution of the granitic magmas, the contents of Li, F, H_2O and ore-forming elements in the magmas become higher and higher. The granites formed in the extensional tectonic settings commonly bear higher abundences of the above-mentioned elements. the pressures of the granitic magmas are relatively lower during the processes of their emplacements and cooling. The late-staged magmas will produce liquid immiscibilities, leading to the production of several coexisting immiscible melts with different chemical compositions. The flow of immiscible consisting magmas will produce F(Li)-rich granites. It is also considered that liquid immiscibilities are of great significance in the production of rare metal granites. The ore-forming processes and magmatic crystallization and metasomatic processes can be occur at the same time. The mineralisations of rare metals are related to both magmatic and hydrothermal processes.

Implication of scaling hierarchy associated with nonequilibrium: field and particulate

The advent of nanotechnology has necessitated a better understanding of how material microstructure changes at the atomic level would affect the macroscopic properties that control the performance. Such a challenge has uncovered many phenomena that were not previously understood and taken for granted. Among them are the basic foundation of dislocation theories which are now known to be inadequate. Simplifying assumptions invoked at the macroscale may not be applicable at the micro- and/or nanoscale. There are implications of scaling hierrachy associated with in-homegeneity and nonequilibrium. of physical systems. What is taken to be homogeneous and equilibrium at the macroscale may not be so when the physical size of the material is reduced to microns. These fundamental issues cannot be dispensed at will for the sake of convenience because they could alter the outcome of predictions. Even more unsatisfying is the lack of consistency in modeling physical systems. This could translate to the inability for identifying the relevant manufacturing parameters and rendering the end product unpractical because of high cost. Advanced composite and ceramic materials are cases in point. Discussed are potential pitfalls for applying models at both the atomic and continuum levels. No encouragement is made to unravel the truth of nature. Let it be partiuclates, a smooth continuum or a combination of both. The present trend of development in scaling tends to seek for different characteristic lengths of material microstructures with or without the influence of time effects. Much will be learned from atomistic simulation models to show how results could differ as boundary conditions and scales are changed. Quantum mechanics, continuum and cosmological models provide evidence that no general approach is in sight. Of immediate interest is perhaps the establishment of greater precision in terminology so as to better communicate results involving multiscale physical events.

ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF WILD BLACK-CRESTED GIBBONS (HYLOBATES-CONCOLOR) IN CHINA WITH A RECONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE FOR POLYGYNY

The black-crested gibbon, Hylobates concolor, is one of the few species of gibbons that has not yet been the subject of a long term field study. Field observations in the Ai Lao and Wu Liang Mountains of Yunnan Province, China indicate that in this area the habitat and ecology of this species differ markedly from those of other gibbons that have been studied to date. These differences are correlated with some behavioral differences. In particular, these gibbons apparently have greater day ranges than other gibbons. It has also been suggested that this species lives in polygynous groups. To demonstrate this requires observation of groups with two or more females with young. Our own observations and those from other recent studies suggest that there are alternative explanations consistent with available data.

High-field cyclotron resonance and electron-phonon interaction in modulation-doped multiple quantum well structures

A systematic study of electron cyclotron resonance (CR) in two sets of GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As modulation-doped quantum-well samples (well widths between 12 and 24 nm) has been carried out in magnetic fields up to 30 T. Polaron CR is the dominant transition in the region of GaAs optical phonons for the set of lightly doped samples, and the results are in good agreement with calculations that include the interaction with interface optical phonons. The results from the heavily doped set are markedly different. At low magnetic fields (below the GaAs reststrahlen region), all three samples exhibit almost identical CR which shows little effect of the polaron interaction due to screening and Pauli-principle effects. Above the GaAs LO-phonon region (B > similar to 23 T), the three samples behave very differently. For the most lightly doped sample (3 x 10(11) cm(-2)) only one transition minimum is observed, which can be explained as screened polaron CR. A sample of intermediate density (6 x 10(11) cm(-2)) shows two lines above 23 T; the higher frequency branch is indistinguishable from the positions of the single line of the low density sample. For the most heavily, doped sample (1.2 x 10(12) cm(-2)) there is no evidence of high frequency resonance, and the strong, single line observed is indistinguishable from the lower branch observed from sample with intermediate doping density. We suggest that the low frequency branch in our experiment is a magnetoplasmon resonance red-shifted by disorder, and the upper branch is single-particle-like screened polaron CR. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence of Gamma-X sequential resonant tunneling in GaAs/AlAs superlattices

We have studied the sequential resonant tunneling of doped weakly coupled GaAs/AlAs superlattices under hydrostatic pressure up to 4.5 kbar. The pressure coefficient obtained from the experiment, 15.3 meV/kbar, provides a strong evidence for the formation of the electric field domain due to Gamma-X sequential resonant tunneling, At the same time, we have observed the transition between two kinds of sequential resonant tunneling processes within the pressure range from 0 to 4.5 kbar, where the transition pressure between Gamma-Gamma and Gamma-X sequential resonant tunneling is P-t similar to 1.6 kbar. For P < P-t, the electric field domain is formed by Gamma-Gamma sequential resonant tunneling, while for P > P-t, the electric field domain is preferably formed by Gamma-X sequential resonant tunneling. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.

High-field cyclotron resonance and electron-phonon interaction in modulation-doped multiple quantum well structures

A systematic study of electron cyclotron resonance (CR) in two sets of GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As modulation-doped quantum-well samples (well widths between 12 and 24 nm) has been carried out in magnetic fields up to 30 T. Polaron CR is the dominant transition in the region of GaAs optical phonons for the set of lightly doped samples, and the results are in good agreement with calculations that include the interaction with interface optical phonons. The results from the heavily doped set are markedly different. At low magnetic fields (below the GaAs reststrahlen region), all three samples exhibit almost identical CR which shows little effect of the polaron interaction due to screening and Pauli-principle effects. Above the GaAs LO-phonon region (B > similar to 23 T), the three samples behave very differently. For the most lightly doped sample (3 x 10(11) cm(-2)) only one transition minimum is observed, which can be explained as screened polaron CR. A sample of intermediate density (6 x 10(11) cm(-2)) shows two lines above 23 T; the higher frequency branch is indistinguishable from the positions of the single line of the low density sample. For the most heavily, doped sample (1.2 x 10(12) cm(-2)) there is no evidence of high frequency resonance, and the strong, single line observed is indistinguishable from the lower branch observed from sample with intermediate doping density. We suggest that the low frequency branch in our experiment is a magnetoplasmon resonance red-shifted by disorder, and the upper branch is single-particle-like screened polaron CR. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Improvement of low-field magnetoresistance and Curie temperature in the hole doping of double perovskites Sr2FeMoO6 polycrystals

Polycrystalline Sr2FeMoO6 compounds with most vacancies at normal Fe sites were fabricated through Mo hole doping; its effect is similar to Fe3+ by our estimation. Sharp increase of magnetoconductance at low field was evidence of spin-polarized tunneling between the grains. The room temperature low-field magnetoresistivity at optimal doping x=0.03 is 8.5% in 3000 Oe and increases to 11.4% in 1 T associated with soft magnetic behaviors; furthermore it exhibits a ferromagnetic Curie temperature of 450 K, connected with hole doping effect. The improved magnetoresistivity behavior was related to Curie temperature.