The California flooding rains during February, 1986 [abstract]

After an unusually strong and persistent pattern of atmospheric circulation over the United State[s] in Fall 1985, it became quite changeable (although high amplitude anomalies still prevailed). Following a fall that was cold in the West and warm in the East with heavy precipitation, a high pressure ridge set in over the West during December, with generally light precipitation over most of the country. Throughout the winter, the central North Pacific was very active, with large negative atmospheric pressure anomalies centered at about 45°N, l60°W. This activity may have been encouraged by an enhanced meridional eastern North Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) gradient, with positive SST anomalies in the subtropics and negative anomalies in midlatitudes. However, in January, the western high pressure ridge remained strong and temperatures were remarkably warm, increasing the threat of drought in California after the two previous dry winters. However, in February, storms from a greatly expanded and southerly displaced Aleutian Low broke into the West Coast. An unusual siege from February 11 to February 20 flooded central and northern California, with very heavy precipitation and record to near-record runoff. Upwards of 50 percent of annual average precipitation fell on locations from the upper San Joaquin to the Feather River drainage basins, and the largest flow since observations began in the early 1900's was recorded on the Sacramento River at Sacramento. The atmospheric pattern that was responsible for this remarkable stormy spell developed when the western high pressure retrograded to the northwest into the Aleutians, accompanied by the strengthened and southerly extended storm tract that moved into California. Although exact details vary from case to case, this episode displayed meteorological conditions similar to those in several other historical California winter flood events. These included a long duration of very strong westerly to southwesterly winds over a long subtropical fetch into California. Much of the precipitation during this series of storms was orographically induced by the moisture laden flow rising over the Sierra ranges. Due to the warm air mass, snow levels were relatively high (about 7500 feet) during the heaviest precipitation, resulting in copious runoff.

SiO2 coating of silver nanoparticles by photoinduced chemical vapor deposition.

Gas-phase silver nanoparticles were coated with silicon dioxide (SiO2) by photoinduced chemical vapor deposition (photo-CVD). Silver nanoparticles, produced by inert gas condensation, and a SiO2 precursor, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), were exposed to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation at atmospheric pressure and varying temperatures. The VUV photons dissociate the TEOS precursor, initiating a chemical reaction that forms SiO2 coatings on the particle surfaces. Coating thicknesses were measured for a variety of operation parameters using tandem differential mobility analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The chemical composition of the particle coatings was analyzed using energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The highest purity films were produced at 300-400 degrees C with low flow rates of additional oxygen. The photo-CVD coating technique was shown to effectively coat nanoparticles and limit core particle agglomeration at concentrations up to 10(7) particles cm(-3).

Biomimetic bone-like composites fabricated through an automated alternate soaking process.

Hydroxyapatite-gelatin composites have been proposed as suitable scaffolds for bone and dentin tissue regeneration. There is considerable interest in producing these scaffolds using biomimetic methods due to their low energy costs and potential to create composites similar to the tissues they are intended to replace. Here an existing process used to coat a surface with hydroxyapatite under near physiological conditions, the alternate soaking process, is modified and automated using an inexpensive "off the shelf" robotics kit. The process is initially used to precipitate calcium phosphate coatings. Then, in contrast to previous utilizations of the alternate soaking process, gelatin was added directly to the solutions in order to co-precipitate hydroxyapatite-gelatin composites. Samples were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and nanoindentation. Calcium phosphate coatings formed by the alternate soaking process exhibited different calcium to phosphate ratios, with correspondingly distinct structural morphologies. The coatings demonstrated an interconnected structure with measurable mechanical properties, even though they were 95% porous. In contrast, hydroxyapatite-gelatin composite coatings over 2mm thick could be formed with little visible porosity. The hydroxyapatite-gelatin composites demonstrate a composition and mechanical properties similar to those of cortical bone.

中国郁金香属(广义)的系统学研究

郁金香属（Tulipa L.）是世界著名的观赏植物，广泛分布于欧洲、亚洲的温带地区以及非洲的西北部，中亚地区是其分布和多样化中心。该属包括老鸦瓣组、长柱组、郁金香组、毛蕊组、扭药组、鸡冠组和无毛组共七个组，40至150种。老鸦瓣组是东亚特有类群。中国共有郁金香属植物16种，主要分布于西北（新疆）以及中东部地区，其中老鸦瓣组有4个种，占该组全部种类的4/5。长期以来，由于对老鸦瓣组的生物学特性及其地理分布缺乏了解，该类群的归属问题一直都是该属系统学研究中争论的焦点之一。因此，本文以分布于我国的郁金香属作为主要研究对象，通过对其形态学、胚囊发育的比较胚胎学以及分子系统学研究，对老鸦瓣组的系统位置以及上述特征在该属分类中的意义进行了探讨。主要结果如下 1)通过对该属18种植物（包括土耳其的3个种）28个形态性状数据的分支分析，表明广义郁金香属并不是一个单系类群。Tulipa sect. Amana与该属其他四个组（sect. Orithyia、sect. Eriostemones、sect. Leiostemones和sect. Tulipanum）在分支树上各成一支，它们与Lloydia属构成一个大支的三个分支。同时，sect. Amana具有与子房近等长的花柱以及2-3（-4）个苞片等与郁金香属不同的形态特征。因此，我们认为sect. Amana应从广义郁金香属中独立出来，恢复其老鸦瓣属Amana Honda作为属的分类地位。 2)发现了一个新种：Amana kuocangshanica D.Y. Tan et D. Y. Hong。该种与A. erythronioides 和A. anhuiensis近缘，区别在于鳞茎皮内侧光滑无毛，下部叶披针形，自基部向上2/3处最宽，果喙长0.64±0.08 cm。 3）对16种植物叶表皮形态观察的结果表明，老鸦瓣属4个种的叶上表皮细胞为矩形或矩圆形、下表皮为菱形或矩形，垂周壁为直线形或波形，上表皮无气孔或气孔密度较小，这些特征与狭义郁金香属的种差异显著。在狭义郁金香属中，叶表皮特征在种间差异明显，可以作为分种及种间亲缘关系探讨的依据，但在组间没有明显的差异。 4）对19种植物的花粉形态观察表明，Amana属的4种为近椭球形、舟形和肾形， 外壁纹饰网状，网脊浅皱波状，与狭义郁金香属的15种具明显不同。在狭义郁金香属中，花粉外壁纹饰虽然在种间存在一定程度的差异，但对组的划分意义不大。 5）从种皮形态及微形态特征看，在所观察的16种植物中，Amana属的种子小，呈半月形，较厚，种柄明显，胚不易见;种皮纹饰为皱波状或不规则，与狭义郁金香属存在显著的差异。狭义郁金香属的12种在种皮纹饰、网眼大小及形状、网脊宽窄等方面均存在明显的差异，但组间无明显差别，说明这些特征在种的划分上具有一定的分类学意义。 6）对16种植物的胚囊发育过程观察表明：共有6种胚囊发育类型，即Fritillaria type、Drusa type、Tulipa iliensis type、Tulipa tetraphylla type、 Adoxa type和Eriostemones type。其中Tulipa iliensis type为所发现的一种新的胚囊发育类型。Tulipa iliensis、T. heterophylla和T. heteropetala3个种具有两种胚囊类型。在郁金香属中，胚囊的发育类型具有一定的系统学意义。 7）通过对21种郁金香以及猪牙花属2种植物基于nrDNA ITS区和cpDNA trnL-F 区的序列分析，发现广义郁金香属并非一单系类群，老鸦瓣属为猪牙花属的姐妹群。在狭义郁金香属中，sect. Orithyia、sect. Tulipanum以及sect. Eriostemones得到了该分子系统学分析的支持，而sect. Leiostemones是否成立及其系统关系问题尚有待于进一步研究。

葛属(豆科)的分类学修订

本论文对葛属（Pueraria DC.）进行了形态学、解剖学及植物地理学研究，重点分析了小叶、托叶、花序及花的形态变异规律。首次发现葛属生长习性和种皮纹饰特征在组的划分上具有重要的分类学意义，支持前人运用托叶着生方式、花序类型及每节簇生花的数目等特征划分组的观点。首次在光学显微镜下对葛属植物14种1变种叶表皮性状做了较为全面、深入的观察，发现葛属叶表皮细胞的形状、垂周壁的式样以及气孔大小有一定分类学意义，为葛属的分类修订提供了新资料。首次应用电子扫描显微镜观察了葛属10种1变种和2个外类群广西土黄芪Nogra guangxiensis C. F. Wei和琼豆Teyleria koordersii (Backer ex Koord.-Schum.) Backer的种皮纹饰特征，发现葛属的种皮纹饰有网纹型、断棱型、复网纹型和锐棱型等4种类型，他们与托叶的着生方式具有一定的关联性。托叶背着的类群为网纹型，其中采自中国和越南不同居群的山野葛Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr.种皮次级纹饰有差别，这显示山野葛分化比较活跃。托叶基着的三裂叶野葛P. phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.、大花三裂叶野葛P. phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth. var. javanica (Benth.) Baker、苦葛P. peduncularis (Graham ex Benth.) Benth.以及云南野葛P. yunnanensis Franch.的种皮纹饰为断棱形，小花野葛P. stricta Kurz种皮纹饰为复网纹型，喜玛拉雅葛藤P. wallichii DC.种皮纹饰为锐棱型。依据种皮纹饰推断，喜玛拉雅葛藤最原始，黄毛葛藤P. calycina Franch.最进化，与形态学特征演化方向相吻合。广西土黄芪种皮纹饰为网纹型，琼豆种皮纹饰为复网纹型，表明它们与葛属亲缘关系较近。这与形态学和分子证据相吻合。本文首次运用广义线形模型（GLM）结合地理信息系统（GIS）对葛属现有地理分布、潜在分布及50年后潜在分布进行了分析。所预测的潜在分布范围与观察到的地理分布范围一致，说明对特化的气候忍耐性是限制葛属物种地理分布的主要因素。温度、降水和海拔高度对葛属地理分布限制作用比较大。未来潜在分布预测显示葛属有向南、北扩散的趋势。 作者在研究了四千余份腊叶标本及野外形态考察的基础上，结合叶表皮及种皮纹饰资料，确认葛属分为3组，共19种3变种。其中，对Sect. Breviramulae Maesen ex Z. F. Le & X. Y. Zhu进行了合格发表，运用形态学、解剖学及种皮纹饰资料恢复了云南野葛种的地位，并为其指定了后选模式，P. pulcherrima (Koord.-Schum.) Merr. ex Koord.-Schum.正确的学名为P. sericans Schum.，对4个名称进行了归并。本文还给出了组和种的检索表、葛属各个种的形态描述、地理分布图及模式标本照片。

On the troll line investigations off Cochin during five fishing seasons. Pt. 2. Investigations during 1963-64 season

During this season the investigations were mainly directed towards elucidation of the selective action of trolling lures. Feather jigs, buffalo horn jigs, stainless steel jigs, Japanese whale bone jigs and plastic jigs were selected. Operations were carried out from Fisheries technology No. 5.

The elastic-plastic indentation response of a columnar thermal barrier coating

Thermal barrier coatings with a columnar microstructure are prone to erosion damage by a mechanism of surface cracking upon impact by small foreign particles. In order to explore this erosion mechanism, the elastic indentation and the elastic-plastic indentation responses of a columnar thermal barrier coating to a spherical indenter were determined by the finite element method and by analytical models. It was shown that the indentation response is intermediate between that of a homogeneous half-space and that given by an elastic-plastic mattress model (with the columns behaving as independent non-linear springs). The sensitivity of the indentation behaviour to geometry and to the material parameters was explored: the diameter of the columns, the gap width between columns, the coefficient of Coulomb friction between columns and the layer height of the thermal barrier coating. The calculations revealed that the level of induced tensile stress is sufficient to lead to cracking of the columns at a depth of about the column radius. It was also demonstrated that the underlying soft bond coat can undergo plastic indentation when the coating comprises parallel columns, but this is less likely for the more realistic case of a random arrangement of tapered columns. © 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Inhibition of seafood-borne bacteria in cooked mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) fish meat by lactic acid bacteria

Antagonistic activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) namely Streptococcus faecalis, Pediococcus cerevisiae and Lactobacillus casei was tested against seafood-borne bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens and Listeria monocytogenes. Three lactic acid bacteria such as Streptococcus faecalis, Lactobacillus casei and Pediococcus cerevisiae were coated on cooked mackerel meat, individually and in combination against fish-borne bacteria. S. faecalis inhibited C. perfringens in individual coat by 3.7 log units as compared to control, whereas L. casei did not inhibit C. perfringens. P. cerevisiae inhibited S. aureus by 5 log units. L. casei, inhibited L. monocytogenes by 3.3 log units on the third day of storage as compared to control. On the other hand, S. aureus and B. cereus were inhibited on the third and second day by 4.9 log and 5.2 log units respectively. B. cereus, S. aureus, L. monocytogenes were the most sensitive to all three LAB. C. perfringens was the least inhibited among all the seafood-borne bacteria tried. Multiple LAB or LAB strains in combination showed much earlier inhibitory activity on seafood-borne bacteria than single LAB coat.

Experimental formulation of an anti fouling paint with tributyl tin oxide as toxic pigment

Results of the experimental formulation of an antifouling paint incorporating TBTO as toxic pigment are presented in this paper. Of the various resins tested, namely, phenolic, cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), epoxy linseed oil with rosin and limed rosin, the paint composition with limed rosin gave the critical leaching rate of TBTO. Acid alkali test showed dissolution of matrix and visible migration of toxin to the surface. Accelerated corrosion tests had not recorded any signs of corrosion in panels painted with or without barrier coat. Raft exposure studies indicated that the new formulation could resist fouling accumulation on painted panels for 9 months.

Value-adding through coatings

The paper presents the three categories of food coatings that are used, individually or in combination, to produce battered or breaded foods. These are predust, batters and breadcrumbs. Predusts are usually a blend of flours, starches and other functional ingredients such as proteins, vegetable gums and seasonings or flavors; batters are blends of flours, starches, leavening agents and seasonings which, when mixed with water, forms a viscous liquid used to evenly coat a food item; while breadcrumbs are baked or otherwise thermally processed cereal-based ingredients which are applied to a moistened food item prior to cooking.

Matrilineal Components and Genetic Relationship of Silkies from China and Japan

Silkie is a famous black-bone chicken breed with beautiful silky feather. The unique medical property of this chicken was recorded in Chinese traditional medicine dictionary about 700 years ago. In this study, we analyzed the mtDNA D-loop sequence variation of 26 Bairong Silkies from Fujian Province, China, together with 100 reported Silkie mtDNAs from China and Japan, and studied their matrilineal components and genetic relationship. A total of 21 haplotypes were detected, which could be assigned to six haplogroups (A-E, G). Among them, haplogroups D and G were exclusively presented in Japanese Silkies and Chinese Silkies, respectively. Chinese Silkies had higher frequency of lineages belonging to haplogroups A, B, and E, and lower frequency of haplogroup C than Japanese Silkies. For the four Chinese Silkie populations, most of samples of Taihe, Chengdu, and Hubei Silkies were grouped in haplogroups A, B, and C, whereas most of Bairong Silkies were grouped in haplogroup E. Five haplotypes were shared by Japanese and Chinese Silkies. The genetic diversity of each Silkie population varied, but the overall diversity of Chinese Silkies was similar to that of Japanese Silkies. Taken together, our results confirmed the genetic connection between Chinese and Japanese Silkies, but also clearly showed that the matrilineal genetic structures of Chinese and Japanese Silkies had some differences.

Gas-phase production of multifunctional composite nanoparticles by photoinduced chemical vapor deposition

As these results indicate, photo-CVD coating is a robust process that allows for the creation of core-shell nanoparticles. In the present work we demonstrated that photo-CVD can effectively coat Fe2O3 particles with silica for purposes of biological applications. TDMA results combined with TEM images indicate that all particles are effectively coated and that particle coating thicknesses can be tuned to desired thickness depending on the application. In addition, the ability to vary coating properties and to coat high concentrations of particles makes this technique of interest for industrial production where uniform properties are needed for large quantities of particles [2]. Copyright © 2010 by ASME.