Preliminary laboratory-scale model auger installation and testing of carbonated soil-MgO columns

This paper presents details of the installation and performance of carbonated soil-MgO columns using a laboratory-scale model auger setup. MgO grout was mixed with the soil using the auger and the columns were then carbonated with gaseous CO2 introduced in two different ways: one using auger mixing and the other through a perforated plastic tube system inserted into the treated column. The performance of the columns in terms of unconfined compressive strength (UCS), stiffness, strain at failure and microstructure (using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy) showed that the soil-MgO columns were carbonated very quickly (in under 1 h) and yielded relatively high strength values, of 2.4-9.4 MPa, which on average were five times that of corresponding 28-day ambient cured uncarbonated columns. This confirmed, together with observations of dense microstructure and hydrated magnesium carbonates, that a good degree of carbonation had taken place. The results also showed that the carbonation method and period have a significant effect on the resulting performance, with the carbonation through the perforated pipe producing the best results. Copyright © 2013 by ASTM International.

Distribution and bioaccumulation of microcystins in water columns: A systematic investigation into the environmental fate and the risks associated with microcystins in Meiliang Bay, Lake Taihu

For the purpose of understanding the environmental fate of microcystins (MCs) and the potential health risks caused by toxic cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu, a systematic investigation was carried out from February 2005 to January 2006. The distribution of MCs in the water column, and toxin bioaccumulations in aquatic organisms were surveyed. The results suggested that Lake Taihu is heavily polluted during summer months by toxic cyanobacterial blooms (with a maximum biovolume of 6.7 x 10(8) cells/L) and MCs. The maximum concentration of cell-bound toxins was 1.81 mg/g (DW) and the dissolved MCs reached a maximum level of 6.69 mu g/L. Dissolved MCs were always found in the entire water column at all sampling sites throughout the year. Our results emphasized the need for tracking MCs not only in the entire water column but also at the interface between water and sediment. Seasonal changes of MC concentrations in four species of hydrophytes (Eichhornic crassipes, Potamogeton maackianus, Alternanthera philoxeroides and Myriophyllum spicatum) ranged from 129 to 1317, 147 to 1534, 169 to 3945 and 124 to 956 ng/g (DW), respectively. Toxin accumulations in four aquatic species (Carassius auratus auratu, Macrobrachium nipponensis, Bellamya aeruginosa and Cristaria plicata) were also analyzed. Maximum toxin concentrations in the edible organs and non-edible visceral organs ranged from 378 to 730 and 754 to 3629 ng/g (DW), respectively. Based on field studies in Lake Taihu, risk assessments were carried out, taking into account the WHO guidelines and the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for MCs. Our findings suggest that the third largest lake in China poses serious health threats when serving as a source of drinking water and for recreational use. In addition, it is likely to be unsafe to consume aquatic species harvested in Lake Taihu due to the high-concentrations of accumulated MCs. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predicted glycosyl transferase genes located outside the HEP island are required for formation of heterocyst envelope polysaccharide in Anabaena sp strain PCC 7120

During maturation, heterocysts form an envelope layer of polysaccharide, called heterocyst envelope polysaccharide (HEP), whose synthesis depends on a cluster of genes, the HEP island, and on an additional, distant gene, hepB, or a gene immediately downstream from hepB. We show that HEP formation depends upon the predicted glycosyl transferase genes all4160 at a third locus and alr3699, which is adjacent to hepB and is cotranscribed with it. Mutations in the histidine kinase genes hepN and hepK appear to silence the promoter of hepB and incompletely down-regulate all4160.

Seasonal pattern of reproduction of Hizikia fusiformis (Sargassaceae, Phaeophyta) from Nanao Island, Shantou, China

The maturation pattern of sexual reproduction in Hizikia fusiformis (Harvey) Okamura (Sargassaceae, Phaeaophyta) was examined in 2003 at Yunao Bay, Nanao Island, Shantou, China. Maturation began in mid-April (seawater temperature 19-21 degrees C), reached the peak in mid-May (maturation rate ca. 70%, and seawater temperature 23.5-25 degrees C) and finished in late-June (seawater temperature 27.5-30 degrees C). The Hizikia plants continued to gain the length from the beginning of maturation season to reach a maximum mean length of 34.8 cm in mid-May, after which the mean length was reduced drastically due to the senescence and rupture of the larger plants in size. The major portion of the mature plants belonged to the larger plants between April and May, but to the smaller ones in June. It is suggested that the plant must achieve a critical size before reproductive maturation occurred. There was a positive relationship between the number of receptacles (NR), as well as the reproductive allocation (RA), and the plant size of Hizikia population, with the recorded maximum values of NR and RA being 1220 and 64.3% respectively, for a single plant.

Marine species of Ainudrilus and Heterodrilus (Oligochaeta : Tubificidae : Rhyacodrilinae) from Hainan Island in southern China

Six species of Rhyacodrilinae (Oligochaeta: Tubificidae) are reported from intertidal and shallow water subtidal habitats around Hainan Island in southern China. Four species are new to science: Ainudrilus pauciseta n. sp., Heterodrilus chenianus n. sp., Heterodrilus nudus n. sp., and Heterodrilus uniformis n. sp. Japanese material of Ainudrilus lutulentus (Erseus, 1984) is also briefly described. Hitherto, 27 species belonging to Tubificidae have been recorded from Hainan.

Marine Phallodrilinae (Oligochaeta, Tubificidae)of Hainan Island in southern China

Six species of Phallodrilinae are reported from Hainan Island in southern China. The mesopsammic Aktedrilus yiboi sp. nov. is new to science. It is characterized by a combination of (1) small, straight, conical, strongly cuticularized penis sheaths, (2) posterior prostate glands being associated with the most ectal parts of the atria, and (3) small spermathecal ampulla. Bathydrilus ampliductus Erseus, 1997 is recorded for the first time since it was originally described from Australia's Northern Territory.

Changing planar thin film growth into self-assembled island formation by adjusting experimental conditions

Illustrated in this paper are two examples of altering planar growth into self-assembled island formation by adapting experimental conditions. Partial oxidation, undersaturated solution and high temperature change Frank-Van der Merwe (FM) growth of Al0.3Ga0.7As in liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) into isolated island deposition. Low growth speed, high temperature and in situ annealing in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) cause the origination of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) to happen while the film is still below critical thickness in Stranski-Krastanow (SK) mode. Sample morphologies are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or atomic force microscopy (AFM). It is suggested that such achievements are of value not only to fundamental researches but also to spheres of device applications as well. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface morphology control of strained InAs/GaAs(331)A films: From nanowires to island-pit pairs

We have studied the effect of molecular beam epitaxy growth conditions on the surface morphology of strained InAs/GaAs(331)A films. Our results reveal that InAs nanowires aligned along the [1 (1) over bar0] direction are formed under As-rich conditions, which is explained by the effect of anisotropic buffer layer surface roughing. Under In-rich conditions, however, the surface morphology of the InAs layers is characterized by a feature of island-pit pairs. In this case, cooperative nucleation of islands and pits can lower the activation barrier for domain growth. These results suggest that the surface morphology of strained InAs layers is highly controllable. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Changing the size and shape of Ge island by chemical etching

Self-assembled Ge islands were grown on Si (1 0 0) substrate by Si2H6-Ge molecular beam epitaxy. Subjected to a chemical etching, it is found that the size and shape (i.e. ratio of height to base width) of Ge islands change with etching time. In addition, the photoluminescence from the etched Ge islands shifted to the higher energy side compared to that of the as-deposited Ge islands. Our results demonstrated that chemical etching can be a way to change the size and shape of the as-deposited islands as well as their luminescence property. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

A narrow photoluminescence linewidth of 19.2 meV at 1.35 mu m from In0.5Ga0.5As/GaAs quantum island structure grown by molecular beam epitaxy

A self-organized In0.5Ga0.5As/GaAs quantum island structure emitting at 1.35 mum at room temperature has been successfully fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy via cycled (InAs)(1)/GaAs)(1)monolayer deposition method. The photoluminescence measurement shows that a very narrow linewidth of 19.2 meV at 300 K has been reached for the first time, indicating effective suppression of inhomogeneous broadening of optical emission from the In0.5Ga0.5As island structure due to indium segregation reduction by introducing an AlAs layer and the strain reduction by inserting an In0.2Ga0.8As layer overgrown on the top of islands. The mound-like morphology of the islands elongated along the [1 (1) over bar0] azimuth are observed by the atomic force microscopy measurement, which reveals the fact that strain in the islands is partially relaxed along the [1 (1) over bar0] direction. Our results present important information for the fabrication of 1.3 mum wavelength quantum dot devices.

Microstructure evolution of GaN buffer layer on MgAl2O4 substrate

Microstructure of GaN buffer layer grown on (111)MgAl2O4 substrate by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It has been observed that the early deposition of GaN buffer layer on the substrate at a relatively low temperature formed a continual island-sublayer (5 nm thick) with hexagonal crystallographic structure, and the subsequent GaN buffer deposition led to crystal columns which are composed of nano-crystal slices with mixed cubic and hexagonal phases. After high-temperature annealing, the crystallinity of nano-crystal slices and island-sublayer in the buffer layer have been improved. The formation of threading dislocations in the GaN him is attributed not only to the lattice mismatch of GaN/MgAl2O4 interface, but also to the stacking mismatches at the crystal column boundaries. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of Global Signal Networks for Island-Style FPGAs

We present a staggered buffer connection method that provides flexibility for buffer insertion while designing global signal networks using the tile-based FPGA design methodology. An exhaustive algorithm is used to analyze the trade-off between area and speed of the global signal networks for this staggered buffer insertion scheme, and the criterion for determining the design parameters is presented. The comparative analytic result shows that the methods in this paper are proven to be more efficient for FPGAs with a large array size.

DCXRD Investigation of a Ge/Si（001） Island Multilayer Structure

A Ge/Si（001） island multilayer structure is investigated by double crystal X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy,and atomic force microscopy. We fit the satellite peaks in the rocking curve by two Lorentz lineshapes, which originate from the wetting layer region and the island region. Then from the ratio of the thick- nesses of the Si and Ge （GeSi） layers as determined by TEM,tbe Ge compositions of the wetting layer and islands are estimated to be about 0. 51 and 0. 67, respectively,according to the positions of the fitted peaks. This proves to be a relatively simple way to investigate the Ge/Si （001） island multilayer structure.