Comparative analysis of methods for concentrating venom from jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum Kishinouye

In this study, several methods were compared for the efficiency to concentrate venom from the tentacles of jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum Kishinouye. The results show that the methods using either freezing-dry or gel absorption to remove water to concentrate venom are not applicable due to the low concentration of the compounds dissolved. Although the recovery efficiency and the total venom obtained using the dialysis dehydration method are high, some proteins can be lost during the concentrating process. Comparing to the lyophilization method, ultrafiltration is a simple way to concentrate the compounds at high percentage but the hemolytic activities of the proteins obtained by ultrafiltration appear to be lower. Our results suggest that overall lyophilization is the best and recommended method to concentrate venom from the tentacles of jellyfish. It shows not only the high recovery efficiency for the venoms but high hemolytic activities as well.

Theory and Application of the Transient Injection Well Test

Based on the theory of the pumping well test, the transient injection well test was suggested in this paper. The design method and the scope of application are discussed in detail. The mathematical models are developed for the short-time and long-time transient injection test respectively. A double logarithm type curve matching method was introduced for analyzing the field transient injection test data. A set of methods for the transient injection test design, experiment performance and data analysis were established. Some field tests were analyzed, and the results show that the test model and method are suitable for the transient injection test and can be used to deal with the real engineering problems.

Modeling of a coal-fired slagging combustor: Development of a slag submodel

In a slagging combustor or furnace, the high combustion temperature makes the molten slag layer cover the wall and capture the particles. If these particles contain combustible matter, they will continue to burn on the running slag. As a result, the total amount of ash deposition will be much greater than that in dry-wall combustors and the total heat flux through the deposition surface will change greatly. Considering the limitations of existing simulation methods for slagging combustion, this paper introduces a new wall burning model and slag flow model from the analysis; of particle deposition phenomena. Combined with a conventional combustion simulation program, the total computational frame is introduced. From comparisons of simulation results from several kinds of methods with experimental data, the conclusion is drawn that the conventional simulation methods are not very suitable for slagging combustion and the wall burning mechanism should be considered more thoroughly.

Introduction to Molecular Analysis of Ectomycorrhizal Communities

A number of methods are available for those researchers considering the addition of molecular analyses of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi to their research projects and weighing the various approaches they might take. Analyzing natural EcM fungal communities has traditionally been a highly skilled, time-consuming process relying heavily on exacting morphological characterization of EcM root tips. Increasingly powerful molecular methods for analyzing EcM communities make this area of research available to a much wider range of researchers. Ecologists can gain from the body of work characterizing EcM while avoiding the requirement for exceptional expertise by carefully combining elements of traditional methods with the more recent molecular approaches. A cursory morphological analysis can yield a traditional quantification of EcM fungi based on tip numbers, a unit with functional and historical significance. Ectomycorrhizal root DNA extracts may then be analyzed with molecular methods widely used for characterizing microbiota. These range from methods applicable only to the simple mixes resulting from careful morphotyping, to community-oriented methods that identify many types in mixed samples as well as provide an estimate of their relative abundances. Extramatrical hyphae in bulk soil can also be more effectively studied, extending characterization of EcM fungal communities beyond the rhizoplane. The trend toward techniques permitting larger sample sets without prohibitive labor and time requirements will also permit us to more frequently address the issues of spatial and temporal variability and better characterize the roles of EcM fungi at multiple scales.

Synthesis, characterization and assembly of BiOCl nanostructure and their photocatalytic properties

In this article, a two-dimensional (2D) nanoplate and a 3D hierarchical structure of BiOCl were synthesized through a simple sonochemical route. Compared with previous preparation methods, the 2D nanoplates can be prepared at a relatively short time (about 30 min) with low energy used. Additionally, these 2D nanoplates can easily assemble into a 3D hierarchical structure with the surfactant reagents. The obtained products were well crystallized and subsequently characterized by a range of methods, such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and Raman spectroscopy.

Development of rRNA and rDNA-targeted probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae)

Heterosigma akashiwo (Hada) is a fragile, fish-killing alga. Efforts to understand and prevent blooms due to this harmful species to mitigate the impact on aquaculture require the development of methods for rapid and precise identification and quantification, so that adequate warning of a harmful algal bloom may be given. Here, we report the development and application of rRNA and rDNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to aid in the detection and enumeration of H. akashiwo. The designed probes were species specific, showing no cross-reactivity with four common HAB causative species: Prorocentrum micans Ehrenberg, P. minimum (Pavillard) Schiller, Alexandrium tarmarense (Lebour) Balech, and Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Cleve, or with four other microalgae, including Gymnodinium sp. Stein, Platy-monas cordiformis (Karter) Korsch, Skeletonema sp.1 Greville and Skeletonema sp.2. The rRNA-targeted probe hybridized to cytoplasmic rRNA, showing strong green fluorescence throughout the whole cell, while cells labeled by rDNA-targeted probe exhibited exclusively fluorescent nucleus. The detection protocols were optimized and could be completed within an hour. For rRNA and rDNA probes, about a corresponding 80% and 70% of targeted cells could be identified and quantified during the whole growth circle, despite the inapparent variability in the average probe reactivity. The established FISH was proved promising for specific, rapid, precise, and quantitative detection of H. akashiwo. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive investigation of an offshore active fault in the Western Sagami Bay, central Japan

Offshore active faults, especially those in the deep sea, are very difficult to study because of the water and sedimentary cover. To characterize the nature and geometry of offshore active faults, a combination of methods must be employed. Generally, seismic profiling is used to map these faults, but often only fault-related folds rather than fracture planes are imaged. Multi-beam swath bathymetry provides information on the structure and growth history of a fault because movements of an active fault are reflected in the bottom morphology. Submersible and deep-tow surveys allow direct observations of deformations on the seafloor (including fracture zones and microstructures). In the deep sea, linearly aligned cold seep communities provide indirect evidence for active faults and the spatial migration of their activities. The Western Sagami Bay fault (WSBF) in the western Sagami Bay off central Japan is an active fault that has been studied in detail using the above methods. The bottom morphology, fractured breccias directly observed and photographed, seismic profiles, as well as distribution and migration of cold seep communities provide evidence for the nature and geometry of the fault. Focal mechanism solutions of selected earthquakes in the western Sagami Bay during the period from 1900 to 1995 show that the maximum compression trends NW-SE and the minimum stress axis strikes NE-SW, a stress pattern indicating a left-lateral strike-slip fault.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry with a matrix of carbon nanotubes for the analysis of low-mass compounds in environmental samples

The use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for environmental analysis has been mainly focused on qualitative analysis of high-mass molecules, such as toxins, humic acid, and microorganisms. Herein,we describe a novel MALDI-TOF-MS method with a matrix of oxidized carbon nanotubes for analysis of low-mass compounds in environmental samples. A number of chemicals in the environment were qualitatively analyzed by the present method, and it was found that most of them, especially the highly polar chemicals, were measurable with high sensitivity. With the intrinsic ability to measure high-mass chemicals, this method can compensate for the current shortage of methods for environmental analysis for the measurement of highly polar or high-mass chemicals. For sample analysis, arsenic speciation in Chinese traditional medicines was qualified and diphenylolpropane in water samples was quantified. With the relatively high tolerance of the method to interfering molecules, a simple pretreatment or even no pretreatment could be employed before MS detection. Furthermore, this method can be employed in a high-throughput format.

Pattern Recognition With Weighted Complex Networks

In this paper we introduce a weighted complex networks model to investigate and recognize structures of patterns. The regular treating in pattern recognition models is to describe each pattern as a high-dimensional vector which however is insufficient to express the structural information. Thus, a number of methods are developed to extract the structural information, such as different feature extraction algorithms used in pre-processing steps, or the local receptive fields in convolutional networks. In our model, each pattern is attributed to a weighted complex network, whose topology represents the structure of that pattern. Based upon the training samples, we get several prototypal complex networks which could stand for the general structural characteristics of patterns in different categories. We use these prototypal networks to recognize the unknown patterns. It is an attempt to use complex networks in pattern recognition, and our result shows the potential for real-world pattern recognition. A spatial parameter is introduced to get the optimal recognition accuracy, and it remains constant insensitive to the amount of training samples. We have discussed the interesting properties of the prototypal networks. An approximate linear relation is found between the strength and color of vertexes, in which we could compare the structural difference between each category. We have visualized these prototypal networks to show that their topology indeed represents the common characteristics of patterns. We have also shown that the asymmetric strength distribution in these prototypal networks brings high robustness for recognition. Our study may cast a light on understanding the mechanism of the biologic neuronal systems in object recognition as well.

钝体尾流控制机理及方法研究进展

首先从涡脱落生成理论出发对钝体尾流控制方法进行了分类,并简单介绍r国内尾流控制研究情况.之后介绍r我们用窄条或小方柱取代小圆柱后,对Strykowsky和Sreenivasan控制方法的改进及其在高雷诺数下对圆柱和方柱尾流涡脱落的有效抑制情况,并探讨了控制件钝度对抑制效果的影响.第3部分用实验数据对各个涡脱落生成模型做了分析与检验,指出控制件方法的机理与改变钝体分离位置、减小钝体背压吸力、改变流动的腱向相关性、防止钝体两侧剪切层相互作用等无关,而与钝体近尾流速度剖面的局部修正及其稳定性的改变有关.最后简单介绍了控制件方法今后研究工作展望及其工程应用前景.

在役设备材料断裂力学参数测定方法综述——小冲杆实验力学研究进展之二

20多年以来, 用小型试件的小冲杆实验技术来测量在役设备材料的各种力学参数已经取得了很大进展. 小冲杆实验的试样虽然还没有标准, 但一般均采用直径为3～10mm,厚度为0.1～0.5mm的圆片试样.这个方法已经用来确定材料的弹性模量、屈服强度、塑性性能、抗拉强度、断裂形态转变温度、断裂韧性、蠕变性能以及表示塑性硬化和韧性损伤的微观力学参数和黏塑性性能等各种力学性能.该方法兼具取样方便和几乎无损的优点,非常适用于那些无法取出传统试样或取样不经济的场合,因此引起科技界和工业界的关注.本文综述了小冲杆试验的测量技术及从测量数据来确定材料断裂形态转变温度、断裂韧性和主曲线的移动温度的各种计算方法研究进展.

图像处理在光路自动准直系统中的应用

光路自动准直系统应用于惯性约束聚变的高功率激光装置中的光束自动调整。图像处理是光路自动准直的关键技术之一。针对神光Ⅲ原型装置，结合阈值化、重心法、中值滤波和圆拟合等多种不同的图像处理方法设计了一套合理的准直方案，并且在模拟实验平台上进行了实验验证。实验结果表明，光路自动准直系统能够在15min之内顺利完成光路的自动调整，光束近场调整精度优于近场光斑的±0．5％，光束远场调整精度≤±0．3″，满足了原型装置的总体要求。

软件需求工程--方法及工具评述

文中从需求工程的基本概念和研究内容出发，简单介绍了需求工程生命周期和需求规范等概念；比较全面地总结了现有的有代表性的需求工程开发方法和工具，对其中一些重要的方法及工具作了分类和评述，并指出了需求工程方法和工具开发与实际领域相脱离等不足之处；最后探讨了需求工程研究现状中存在的一些主要问题及一些相应的解决方案