Nanocomposites by rapid solidification route

Nanometric aggregates of solids can be classified into two types, nanograined or nanophased materials and nanocomposites. In the present paper after a brief review including the relation between size and boundary fraction, the basic principles that can be utilized to synthesize these materials from liquid route has been discussed. We shall present examples to show that with proper choice of systems and conditions it is possible to obtain nanocomposites in systems showing clustering tendencies in liquid as well as the systems exhibiting ordering tendencies leading to compound formation

Studies of interfaces in Al-65 Cu20Fe15

The study of interfaces in quasicrystalline alloys is relatively new. Apart From the change in orientation, symmetry and chemistry which can occur across homophase and heterophase boundaries in crystalline materials, we have the additional, exciting possibility of an interface between quasicrystalline and its rational approximant. High resolution electron microscopy is a powerful technique to study the structural details of such interfaces. We report the results of a HREM study of the interface between the icosahedral phase and the related Al13Fe4 type monoclinic phase in melt spun and annealed Al65Cu20Fe15 alloy.

Evaluation of bearing capacity improvement using composite grids

Recently, composite reinforcements in which combinations of materials and material forms such as strips, grids, and strips and anchors, depending on requirements have proven to be effective in various ground improvement applications. Composite geogrids studied in this paper belong to the category of composite reinforcements and are useful for bearing capacity improvement. The paper presents evaluation of results of bearing capacity tests conducted oil a composite geogrid, made of composite reinforcement consisting of steel and cement mortar. The study shows that the behavior of composite reinforcements follows the general trends observed in the case of conventional geogrids, with reference to the depth of first layer below the footing, number of layers of reinforcement, and vertical spacing of the reinforcement. Results show that the performance is comparable to that of a conventional polymer geogrid.

Phylogeography unplugged: comparative surveys in the genomic era

In March 2012, the authors met at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) in Durham, North Carolina, USA, to discuss approaches and cooperative ventures in Indo-Pacific phylogeography. The group emerged with a series of findings: (1) Marine population structure is complex, but single locus mtDNA studies continue to provide powerful first assessment of phylogeographic patterns. (2) These patterns gain greater significance/power when resolved in a diversity of taxa. New analytical tools are emerging to address these analyses with multi-taxon approaches. (3) Genome-wide analyses are warranted if selection is indicated by surveys of standard markers. Such indicators can include discordance between genetic loci, or between genetic loci and morphology. Phylogeographic information provides a valuable context for studies of selection and adaptation. (4) Phylogeographic inferences are greatly enhanced by an understanding of the biology and ecology of study organisms. (5) Thorough, range-wide sampling of taxa is the foundation for robust phylogeographic inference. (6) Congruent geographic and taxonomic sampling by the Indo-Pacific community of scientists would facilitate better comparative analyses. The group concluded that at this stage of technology and software development, judicious rather than wholesale application of genomics appears to be the most robust course for marine phylogeographic studies. Therefore, our group intends to affirm the value of traditional (''unplugged'') approaches, such as those based on mtDNA sequencing and microsatellites, along with essential field studies, in an era with increasing emphasis on genomic approaches.

Advancing biodiversity research in developing countries: the need for changing paradigms

The world is in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, threatening essential goods and services on which humanity depends. While there is an urgent need globally for biodiversity research, growing obstacles are severely limiting biodiversity research throughout the developing world, particularly in Southeast Asia. Facilities, funding, and expertise are often limited throughout this region, reducing the capacity for local biodiversity research. Although western scientists generally have more expertise and capacity, international research has sometimes been exploitative ``parachute science,'' creating a culture of suspicion and mistrust. These issues, combined with misplaced fears of biopiracy, have resulted in severe roadblocks to biodiversity research in the very countries that need it the most. Here, we present an overview of challenges to biodiversity research and case studies that provide productive models for advancing biodiversity research in developing countries. Key to success is integration of research and education, a model that fosters sustained collaboration by focusing on the process of conducting biodiversity research as well as research results. This model simultaneously expands biodiversity research capacity while building trust across national borders. It is critical that developing countries enact policies that protect their biodiversity capital without shutting down international and local biodiversity research that is essential to achieve the long-term sustainability of biodiversity, promoting food security and economic development.

A Grassmann path from AdS(3) to flat space

We show that interpreting the inverse AdS(3) radius 1/l as a Grassmann variable results in a formal map from gravity in AdS(3) to gravity in flat space. The underlying reason for this is the fact that ISO(2, 1) is the Inonu-Wigner contraction of SO(2, 2). We show how this works for the Chern-Simons actions, demonstrate how the general (Banados) solution in AdS(3) maps to the general flat space solution, and how the Killing vectors, charges and the Virasoro algebra in the Brown-Henneaux case map to the corresponding quantities in the BMS3 case. Our results straightforwardly generalize to the higher spin case: the recently constructed flat space higher spin theories emerge automatically in this approach from their AdS counterparts. We conclude with a discussion of singularity resolution in the BMS gauge as an application.

Spatial and temporal patterns of coral bleaching around Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Since 2001, biannual fish and habitat monitoring has been conducted for the shallow (> 30 m), colonized pavement and gorgonian dominated Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM) St. Croix, USVI and adjacent waters. during October, 2005, widespread coral bleaching was observed within the ∼50 square-kilometer study area that was preceded by 10 wks of higher than average water temperatures (28.9–30.1 °C). Random transects (100 square meters) were conducted on linear reefs, patch reefs, bedrock, pavement, and scattered coral/rock habitats during October 2005, and April and October 2006, and species specific bleaching patterns were documented. During October 2005 approximately 51% of live coral cover was bleached. Nineteen of 23 coral species within 16 genera and two hydrocoral species exhibited signs of bleaching. Coral cover for Montastraea annularis and species of the genus Agaricia were the most affected, while other species exhibited variability in their susceptibility to bleaching. Bleaching was evident at all depths (1.5–28 m), was negatively correlated with depth, and positively correlated with habitat complexity. Bleaching was less prevalent at all depths and habitat types upon subsequent monitoring during April (15%) and October (3%) 2006. Four species and one genus did not exhibit signs of bleaching throughout the study period (Dendrogyra cylindrus, Eusmilia fastigata, Mussa angulosa, Mycetophyllia aliciae, Scolymia spp.).

Influence of hard bottom morphology on fish assemblages of the continental shelf off Georgia, southeastern USA

Various reef types worldwide have inconsistent relationships among fish assemblage parameters and benthic characteristics, thus there is a need to identify factors driving assemblage structure specific to each reef type and locale. Limestone ledges are known to be key habitats for bottom fish on the continental shelf of the southeastern USA, however, the specific factors that link them to fish assemblages have not been quantified. Bottom fishes and habitat characteristics on ledges were surveyed at a study site located centrally in the southeastern USA continental shelf. Species richness, diversity, abundance, and biomass of fish were higher at ledges than on flat bottom. Species richness, abundance, and biomass of fish were well explained by ledge variables including percent cover of sessile invertebrates, total height, and height of undercut recesses. Multivariate analyses based on biomass of individual species at ledges revealed two fish assemblages associated with four ledge types. One assemblage was associated with ledges that were tall, heavily colonized with sessile invertebrates, large in area, and did or did not have undercuts. The other assemblage was associated with ledges that were short, not undercut, smaller in area, and were or were not heavily colonized by invertebrates. Seafloor classification schemes presently used in the region do not adequately capture hard bottom diversity to identify the location and extent of essential fish habitats for ecological and fisheries purposes. Given that ledges cover only ∼1% to 5% of the southeastern USA continental shelf, they merit the highest levels of consideration in regional research, conservation, and management plans.

火炬松体细胞无性系建立及其形态发生调控的研究

火炬松（Pinus taeda L.）原产美国东南部，是世界南方松中最重要的绿化和造林用速生针叶树种，现广泛分布于全球亚热带和部分热带地区，在我国的栽植面积居世界第2位，仅次于美国。目前，火炬松离体快速繁殖、遗传转化和品种改良研究中最大的障碍是没有获得良好的植株再生体系。本研究以火炬松的成熟种子为试材，建立了可调控的体细胞胚胎发生和器官发生植株再生系统，并对再生过程中的形态学变化进行了细胞学观察和扫描电镜观察;建立了胚性细胞悬浮系，测定了其重要生长参数的变化动态，优化了悬浮条件下体细胞胚胎发生的培养条件及悬浮细胞原生质体直接体细胞胚胎发生的培养条件。 进行了HA、HB、HC、MA、MB、MC、LA和LB等8种不同基因型的成熟合子胚在BMS、DCR、GD、LM、LP、MNCI、MS、SH及自行设计的TE等9种不同基本培养基上的愈伤组织诱导试验，筛选获得了愈伤组织发生频率较高的基因型HB、MA和MC，及基本培养基DCR和TE。激素组合试验表明，2,4-D和BA最有利于愈伤组织发生。两因子5水平等重复的愈伤组织诱导试验及方差分析结果证实，8 mg•L~(-1)2,4-D和4 mg•L~(-1)BA是愈伤组织诱导的最佳激素组合。诱导产生的愈伤组织经2次继代后，可明显分为4种类型，它们是1）白色、半透明、有光泽的粘性愈伤组织（WTGM）;2）淡黄色、疏松、有光泽的颗粒状愈伤组织（YLGG）;3）淡绿色、疏松的颗粒状愈伤组织（GLG）;和4）浅白色、水浸状的粘性愈伤组织（WMM）。其中白色、半透明、有光泽的粘性愈伤组织有较强的体细胞胚胎发生能力，淡黄色、疏松、有光泽的颗粒状愈伤组织有较强的不定芽发生能力。这两种愈伤组织的最高诱导频率分别是28.1%和35.7%。 在附加2,4-D、IBA和BA的DCR体细胞胚诱导培养基上，白色、半透明、有光泽的粘性愈伤组织中的胚性细胞形成胚性胚柄细胞团和早期原胚。提高培养基中的渗透压后，早期原胚发育成后期原胚。在附加ABA、PEG和活性炭的DCR体细胞胚成熟培养基上，后期原胚发育成子叶胚。在无激素DCR培养基上，子叶胚萌发形成再生完整植株。体细胞胚转换成小植株的最高频率是18.4%。在直接体细胞胚诱导增养基和直接体细胞胚发育培养基的作用下，成熟合子胚的子叶和胚轴上直接形成体细胞胚。直接体细胞胚胎发生的最高频率是18%。 在附加NAA、IBA和BA的TE不定芽原基诱导培养基上，淡黄色、疏松、有光泽的颗粒状愈伤组织中的胚性细胞形成不定芽原基。在附加IBA和BA的TE不定芽分化培养基上，不定芽原基分化产生不定芽。用基因型HB、MA和MC的淡黄色、疏松、有光泽的颗粒状愈伤组织进行的试验表明，不定芽分化的最佳低温（4 ℃）处理时间是5～6周，最佳蔗糖浓度是25～30 g•L~(-1)。分化产生的不定芽在附加IBA、GA_3和活性炭的TE培养基上，幼茎伸长。附加IBA、BA和GA_3的TE培养基上，伸长的不定芽生根形成完整植株。伸长不定芽的最高生根频率是46%。成熟合子胚在直接不定芽原基诱导培养基及直接不定芽分化培养基的作用下，从子叶和胚轴的不同部位产生直接不定芽。直接不定芽发生的最高频率是58.2%。 由成熟合子胚诱导愈伤组织形成过程中的形态学观察表明：在附加2,4-D和BA的DCR愈伤组织诱导培养基上，HB、MA和MC3种基因型中，MA主要在下胚轴形成愈伤组织，MC主要在子叶和胚根形成愈伤组织，HB主要在胚根形成体积较小的愈伤组织。在附加NAA和BA的TE愈伤组织诱导培养基上，HB、MA和MC3种基因型中，MA在单个子叶的顶端形成生长较快的愈伤组织，MC的所有子叶都形成愈伤组织，HB在所有子叶的顶端形成愈伤组织。 石蜡切片观察表明：4类愈伤组织的细胞组成不同．第1类愈伤组织主要由核大、质浓、体积小的园形胚性细胞及核呈柱状或新月形的体积较大的非胚性细胞组成;第2类愈伤组织主要由核大、质浓、体积小的园形胚性细胞组成，第3类愈伤组织主要由体积较大的棒状、葫芦形、新月形、盾片状细胞组成、第4类愈伤组织主要由体积较大的薄壁细胞和细胞壁加厚、细胞间连结紧密、无细胞核的分化细胞组成，第1类愈伤组织上形成的早期原胚的特点是：胚性头部由排列紧密、体积小的园形细胞组成，轮廓十分清晰、呈半圆形，胚柄由排列疏松的长形细胞组成，细胞体积大、细胞中有大的液泡，早期原胚在发育过程中和母体组织保持一定的隔离状态。第2类愈伤组织上形成的不定芽的特点是t结构上为单极性，其维管束和母体组织保持密切联系。扫描电镜观察表明;直接体细胞胚基部和母体组织保持较少的联系，其子叶是直立生长的．直接不定芽基部和母体组织保持较多的联系，其幼叶是向心卷曲生长的。 在培养周期内，基因型HB、MA和MC胚性细胞悬浮培养物的几个生长参数的变化动态相似。鲜重增长高峰在12—15 d，干重增长高峰在15～18 d，细胞体积增长高峰和胚数增长高峰在18—21 d。在培养的18—21 d，培养液中的pH值、电导率和蔗糖浓度接近或降到最低点。在悬浮培养条件下，体细胞胚形成的最佳起始细胞密度是5～6×103个／ml。继代培养时间延长，体细胞胚胎发生能力下降。热激处理促进基因型HB和MA体细胞胚的形成，抑制基因型MC体细胞胚的形成。在悬浮培养物中，观察到了裂生多胚。 对数生长期的火炬松胚性悬浮细胞，在以甘露醇作为渗透压稳定剂的酶混合液Cel-lulase“Onozuka”RS l%+Cellulase“Onozuka”R-10 2.5%+Pectolyase Y-23 0.2%的作用下，原生质体的产量和活力均最高。原生质体在DCR和KM8P两种培养基上形成了体细胞胚（包括胚性胚柄细胞团、早期原胚和后期原胚）．体细胞胚形成的最佳起始原生质体密度是7×l04个/ml，最佳ABA浓度是4 mg．L-I．

辐射诱导的HeLa细胞旁效应信号通路研究

随着肿瘤认识的不断深入，肿瘤外科学、肿瘤放射治疗学、肿瘤化学治疗学构成了现代肿瘤治疗学的三大支柱，而放射治疗学的研究对于肿瘤的治疗有重要的临床意义。本文通过对HeLa进行辐射来观察其产生的旁效应信号通路，从而对临床工作的起到一定的帮助。辐照过的细胞通过释放信号分子引起周围未辐照细胞产生一系列的生物学反应的现象，称之为辐射诱导的旁效应。活性氧（Reactive oxygen species, ROS）和一氧化氮（Nitric oxide, NO）是辐射诱导的旁效应信号通路中的两个重要信号分子。本文研究了这两种重要的信号分子在辐射诱导的HeLa细胞旁效应信号通路中的关系。通过微核实验，我们发现X射线以及12C6+ 辐照过的HeLa细胞及其旁观者细胞的微核形成明显增加，而1%的二甲亚砜（Dimethyl sulfoxide，DMSO，ROS清除剂）预处理X射线辐照的细胞则显著抑制了受辐照细胞及其旁观者细胞的微核形成。1 Gy的X射线辐照能够抑制细胞的增殖速率而0.5%和1%的DMSO预处理则能减少X射线的增殖抑制作用，并且DMSO预处理的效果与浓度有关：1%的DMSO比0.5%的DMSO处理更大程度的恢复了受辐照细胞的增殖速率。另一方面，接受条件培养基（Conditioned medium）的旁观者细胞的增殖速率增加，而DMSO预处理产生条件培养基的受辐照细胞则使旁观者细胞的增殖速率降低，且DMSO预处理的效果同样与其浓度相关：浓度越高，条件培养基的刺激生长作用越小。Western blotting和DAF-FM DA荧光探针检测分别显示了辐照过后细胞的诱导型一氧化氮合酶（Inducible nitric oxide synthase, iNOS）和NO水平均升高，而DMSO预处理则降低其水平。因此，我们推测在X射线辐照的HeLa细胞旁效应信号通路当中ROS是NO的上游信号。另外，我们采用培养基转移后立即加DMSO或BMS－345541（IKK/NF-κB抑制剂）的方法研究了旁观者细胞当中的旁效应信号通路。我们发现DMSO和BMS－345541均显著抑制了旁观者细胞的NO水平。因此，在旁观者细胞当中ROS与NF-κB均为NO的上游信号

几种幔源岩石铂族元素赋存状态研究进展

本文综述了几种幔源岩石PGE赋存状态和分布规律方面的研究进展。众多的分配系数实验和分离的硫化物测试均表明PGE易进入硫化物而主要受硫化物控制，氧化物和硅酸盐对幔源岩石中PGE也具有一定的控制作用。不同成因的幔源岩石具有不同的PGE矿物共生组合，硫化物和合金是幔源岩石中两类最主要的铂族元素矿物(PGM)。虽然PGE特别是Pt、Pd和贱金属硫化物(BMS)紧密相关，但仍没有查明PGE是以独立矿物形式存在干其中还是以类质同象形式进入铁-镍-铜硫化物的晶格。对IPGE和铬铁矿及橄榄石的关系仍有两种不同的解释，两种解释均没有充分的证据否定对方。成岩的物理化学条件如氧逸度、硫逸度对幔源岩石PGE赋存状态有重要影响。铬铁矿中的Os-Ir合金包裹体并不代表早期的结晶相，而是从铬铁矿中退火出熔的结果。

Efficient building management with IP-based wireless sensor network

Existing Building/Energy Management Systems (BMS/EMS) fail to convey holistic performance to the building manager. A 20% reduction in energy consumption can be achieved by efficiently operated buildings compared with current practice. However, in the majority of buildings, occupant comfort and energy consumption analysis is primarily restricted by available sensor and meter data. Installation of a continuous monitoring process can significantly improve the building systems’ performance. We present WSN-BMDS, an IP-based wireless sensor network building monitoring and diagnostic system. The main focus of WSN-BMDS is to obtain much higher degree of information about the building operation then current BMSs are able to provide. Our system integrates a heterogeneous set of wireless sensor nodes with IEEE 802.11 backbone routers and the Global Sensor Network (GSN) web server. Sensing data is stored in a database at the back office via UDP protocol and can be access over the Internet using GSN. Through this demonstration, we show that WSN-BMDS provides accurate measurements of air-temperature, air-humidity, light, and energy consumption for particular rooms in our target building. Our interactive graphical user interface provides a user-friendly environment showing live network topology, monitor network statistics, and run-time management actions on the network. We also demonstrate actuation by changing the artificial light level in one of the rooms.

Development of miniaturized wireless sensor nodes suitable for building energy management and modelling

Buildings consume 40% of Ireland's total annual energy translating to 3.5 billion (2004). The EPBD directive (effective January 2003) places an onus on all member states to rate the energy performance of all buildings in excess of 50m2. Energy and environmental performance management systems for residential buildings do not exist and consist of an ad-hoc integration of wired building management systems and Monitoring & Targeting systems for non-residential buildings. These systems are unsophisticated and do not easily lend themselves to cost effective retrofit or integration with other enterprise management systems. It is commonly agreed that a 15-40% reduction of building energy consumption is achievable by efficiently operating buildings when compared with typical practice. Existing research has identified that the level of information available to Building Managers with existing Building Management Systems and Environmental Monitoring Systems (BMS/EMS) is insufficient to perform the required performance based building assessment. The cost of installing additional sensors and meters is extremely high, primarily due to the estimated cost of wiring and the needed labour. From this perspective wireless sensor technology provides the capability to provide reliable sensor data at the required temporal and spatial granularity associated with building energy management. In this paper, a wireless sensor network mote hardware design and implementation is presented for a building energy management application. Appropriate sensors were selected and interfaced with the developed system based on user requirements to meet both the building monitoring and metering requirements. Beside the sensing capability, actuation and interfacing to external meters/sensors are provided to perform different management control and data recording tasks associated with minimisation of energy consumption in the built environment and the development of appropriate Building information models(BIM)to enable the design and development of energy efficient spaces.