Increasing Critical Sensitivity of the Load/Unload Response Ratio before Large Earthquakes with Identified Stress Acclumulation Pattern

The Load/Unload Response Ratio (LURR) method is proposed for short-to-intermediate-term earthquake prediction [Yin, X.C., Chen, X.Z., Song, Z.P., Yin, C., 1995. A New Approach to Earthquake Prediction — The Load/Unload Response Ratio (LURR) Theory, Pure Appl. Geophys., 145, 701–715]. This method is based on measuring the ratio between Benioff strains released during the time periods of loading and unloading, corresponding to the Coulomb Failure Stress change induced by Earth tides on optimally oriented faults. According to the method, the LURR time series usually climb to an anomalously high peak prior to occurrence of a large earthquake. Previous studies have indicated that the size of critical seismogenic region selected for LURR measurements has great influence on the evaluation of LURR. In this study, we replace the circular region usually adopted in LURR practice with an area within which the tectonic stress change would mostly affect the Coulomb stress on a potential seismogenic fault of a future event. The Coulomb stress change before a hypothetical earthquake is calculated based on a simple back-slip dislocation model of the event. This new algorithm, by combining the LURR method with our choice of identified area with increased Coulomb stress, is devised to improve the sensitivity of LURR to measure criticality of stress accumulation before a large earthquake. Retrospective tests of this algorithm on four large earthquakes occurred in California over the last two decades show remarkable enhancement of the LURR precursory anomalies. For some strong events of lesser magnitudes occurred in the same neighborhoods and during the same time periods, significant anomalies are found if circular areas are used, and are not found if increased Coulomb stress areas are used for LURR data selection. The unique feature of this algorithm may provide stronger constraints on forecasts of the size and location of future large events.

Phase-shifting apodizers for increasing focal depth

We propose the use of a phase-shifting apodizers to increase focal depth, and we study the axial and radial behavior of this kind of apodizer under the condition that the axial intensity distribution is optimized for high focal depth. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.

Fluorescence lifetime increasing with F- ions into ytterbium-doped germanium-lead-tellurite glasses

The effects of F- ions in a germanium-lead-tellurite glass system oil the spectral and potential laser properties of the Yb3+ are investigated. The absorption spectra, lifetimes, the emission cross-sections and the minimum pump intensities of the glass system with and without F- ions have been measured and calculated. The results show that the fluorescence lifetime and the minimum pump intensity of Yb3+ ions increase evidently, which indicates that germanium lead-oxyfluoride tellurite glass is a promising laser host matrix for high power generation. FT-IR spectra were used to analyse the effect of F- ions on OH- groups in this glass system. Analysis demonstrates that addition of fluoride removes the OH- groups and results in improvement of fluorescence lifetime of Yb3+.

Increasing top-down suppression from prefrontal cortex facilitates tactile working memory

Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and tractography allows investigating functional anatomy of the human brain with high precision. Here we demonstrate that working memory (WM) processing of tactile temporal information is facilitated by delivering a single TMS pulse to the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) during memory maintenance. Facilitation was obtained only with a TMS pulse applied to a location of the MFG with anatomical connectivity to the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). TMS improved tactile WM also when distractive tactile stimuli interfered with memory maintenance. Moreover, TMS to the same MFG site attenuated somatosensory evoked responses (SEPs). The results suggest that the TMS-induced memory improvement is explained by increased top-down suppression of interfering sensory processing in S1 via the MFG-S1 link. These results demonstrate an anatomical and functional network that is involved in maintenance of tactile temporal WM. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing the genetic uniformity of bighead carp [Aristichthys nobilis (Richardson)] by means of spontaneous diploidization of gynogenetically activated eggs

Three groups of gynogenetic diploid bighead carp were successfully obtained by means of artificial gynogenesis. The activation rates of gynogenesis varied from 75.9% to 98.8%, and the frequency of spontaneous diploidization was around 0.4%. Over 2000 normally gynogenetic diploid fry were obtained in three gynogenetic groups. The haploid karyotype consisted of nine metacentric, 12 submetacentric, three subtelocentric chromosomes and 45 arms. The chromosome number was 48 from gynogenetic diploid. The results showed that the genetic material of offspring was maternal. The aneuploid hybrid embryos of bighead carp and Xingguo red common carp with chromosome numbers ranging from 28 to 73 did not survive post hatch, likely the result of incompatibility between the nucleus and the cytoplasm of two parents. Sixty RAPD primers from three groups were used for total DNA amplification of gynogenetic offspring, maternal and 'paternal' fish. A total of 451 bands were amplified from three kinds of samples above. From maternal bighead carp, 256 bands were amplified; however, there were 251 shared bands between maternal and gynogenetic bighead carp. From artificial gynogenetic offspring, two 'paternal' DNA segments without an expression function were found. An UPGMA tree showed that gynogenetic offspring were closely clustered and the genetic identity among them was very high (0.956).

Increasing the photoluminescence intensity of Ge islands by chemical etching

Self-assembled Ge islands were grown on Si(100) substrate by Si2H6-Ge molecular beam epitaxy. After being subjected to chemical etching, it is found that the photoluminescence from the etched Ge islands became more intense and shifted to the higher-energy side compared to that of the as-deposited Ge islands. This behaviour was explained by the effect of chemical etching on the morphology of the Ge islands. Our results demonstrate that chemical etching can be a way to change the luminescence property of the as-deposited islands.

分离扇回旋加速器的接受度及效率；Acceptance and efficiency of sector-separated cyclotron

以9.7MeV/u的238U36+,5.62MeV/u的70Zn10+为典型离子,分析并模拟了分离扇回旋加速器(SSC)的注入、加速和引出,得到了SSC在理论等时场下横向和纵向的接受度。为了研究SSC在实际情况下的接受度,在实测场的基础上采用Kr-Kb方法以及Lagrange插值方法建立了与实际比较符合的等时场,计算了该等时场下SSC横向和纵向的接受度,发现了导致SSC实际接受度和传输效率低的主要原因在于注入系统中的MSI3元件和引出系统中的MSE3元件设计存在缺陷。模拟结果显示,通过改变MSI3和MSE3的曲率或者垫铁改变元件内部的场分布可以改善SSC的实际接受度和传输效率。

Short-term effect of increasing nitrogen deposition on CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

National Key Research and Development Program [2010CB833500]; Natural Science Foundation of China [30590381]; Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences [KZCX2-YW-432]

[Ru(bpy)(2)(dcbpy)NHS] Labeling/Aptamer-Based Biosensor for the Detection of Lysozyme by Increasing Sensitivity with Gold Nanoparticle Amplification

A novel [Ru(bpy)(2) (dcbpy)NHS] labeling/aptamer-based biosensor combined with gold nanoparticle amplification for the determination of lysozyme with an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) method is presented. In this work, an aptamer, an ECL probe, gold nanoparticle amplification, and competition assay are the main protocols employed in ECL detection. With all the protocols used, an original biosensor coupled with an aptamer and [Ru(bpy)(2)(dcbpy)NHS] has been prepared. Its high selectivity and sensitivity are the main advantages over other traditional [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+) biosensors. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterization illustrate that this biosensor is fabricated successfully. Finally, the biosensor was applied to a displacement assay in different concentrations of lysozyme solution, and an ultrasensitive ECL signal was obtained. The ECL intensity decreased proportionally to the lysozyme concentration over the range 1.0 x 10-(13)-1.0 x 10(-8) mol L-1 with a detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-13) mol L-1.

Change of the dominant luminescent mechanism with increasing current density in molecularly doped organic light-emitting devices

We have fabricated and measured a series of electroluminescent devices with the structure of ITO/TPD/Eu(TTA)(3)phen (x):CBP/BCP/ ALQ/LiF/Al, where x is the weight percentage of Eu(TTA)3phen (from 0% to 6%). At very low current density, carrier trapping is the dominant luminescent mechanism and the 4% doped device shows the highest electroluminescence (EL) efficiency among all these devices. With increasing current density, Forster energy transfer participates in EL process. At the current density of 10.0 and 80.0mA/ cm(2), 2% and 3% doped devices show the highest EL efficiency, respectively. From analysis of the EL spectra and the EL efficiency-current density characteristics, we found that the EL efficiency is manipulated by Forster energy transfer efficiency at high current density. So we suggest that the dominant luminescent mechanism changes gradually from carrier trapping to Forster energy transfer with increasing current density. Moreover, the conversion of dominant EL mechanism was suspected to be partly responsible for the EL efficiency roll-off because of the lower EL quantum efficiency of Forster energy transfer compared with carrier trapping.

STUDIES ON INCREASING THE ACTIVITY OF SELENIUM-CONTAINING ABZYME .1. SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND PROPERTIES OF HAPTEN AND ANTIGEN

The thiol group of glutathione (GSH) reacts specifically with 2,4-di-ni-trochlorobenzene to give S-substituted dinitrophenyl glutathione (GSH-S-DNP); two carboxyl groups of GSH-S-DNP were further esterified by n-butanol to produce the hapten, multisubstrate analog GSH-S-DNP Butyl Ester (GSH-S-DNP BE). The primary structure of the hapten was characterized by the free. amino group analysis, H-1 NMR, IR determinations and the elemental analysis. The hapten was then conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the presence of glutaraldehyde. The reaction mixture was purified by Ultrogel AcA54 colum chromatography to give the antigen. On an average, 25 haptens were bound to each BSA molecule. Electrophoresis analysis showed that the average molecular weight of the antigen was 87 KD. CD spectrum showed that the a-helix content of the antigen increased.