Analysis of arable land loss and its impact on rural sustainability in Southern Jiangsu Province of China

Rapid urbanization and industrialization in southern Jiangsu Province have consumed a huge amount of arable land. Through comparative analysis of land cover maps derived from TM images in 1990, 2000 and 2006, we identified the trend of arable land loss. It is found that most arable land is lost to urbanization and rural settlements development. Urban settlements, rural settlements, and industrial park-mine-transport land increased, respectively, by 87 997 ha (174.65%), 81 041 ha (104.52%), and 12 692 ha (397.99%) from 1990 to 2006. Most of the source (e.g., change from) land covers are rice paddy fields and dryland. These two covers contributed to newly urbanized areas by 37.12% and 73.52% during 1990-2000, and 46.39% and 38.86% during 2000-2006. However, the loss of arable land is weakly correlated with ecological service value, per capita net income of farmers, but positively with grain yield for some counties. Most areas in the study site have a low arable land depletion rate and a high potential for sustainable development. More attention should be directed at those counties that have a high depletion rate but a low potential for sustainable development. Rural settlements should be controlled and rationalized through legislative measures to achieve harmonious development between urban and rural areas, and sustainable development for rural areas with a minimal impact on the ecoenvironment. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Irreversible capacity loss of graphite electrode in lithium-ion batteries

The irreversible capacity loss of the carbon electrode in lithium-ion batteries at the first cycle is caused mostly by surface film growth. We inspected an unknown irreversible capacity loss (UICL) of the natural graphite electrodes. The charge/discharge behavior of graphite and meso-phase carbon microbeads heat-treated at 2800 degrees C (MCMB28) as the materials of the carbon anode in the lithium-ion battery were compared. It was found that the capacity loss of the natural graphite electrode in the first cycle is caused not only by surface film growth, but also by irreversible lithium-ion intercalation on the new formed surface at the potential range of lithium intercalation, while the capacity loss of the MCMB28 electrode is mainly originated from surface film growth. The reason for the difference of their irreversible capacity losses of these two kinds of carbon material was explained in relation to their structural characteristics. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science S.A.

STUDIES ON RADIATION-INDUCED LOSS OF WEIGHT OF A COPOLYMER OF TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE AND HEXAFLUOROPROPYLENE

The radiation-induced loss of weight of F-46 was found to be proportional to irradiation dose and affected markedly by irradiation temperature.

Loss of allele diversity in introduced populations of the hermaphroditic bay scallop Argopecten irradians

The bay scallop Argopecten irradians is a hermaphroditic bivalve native to the Atlantic coast of the United States that was introduced to China for aquaculture production in 1982. It now supports a major aquaculture industry in China. Introduced species often start with limited genetic variability, which is problematic for the further selective breeding. Bay scallop aquaculture is exclusively hatchery based and as the initial introduction consisted of only 26 scallops, there have been concerns about inbreeding and inbreeding depression in cultured populations in China. In this study, eleven simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to compare genetic variation in cultured populations from China with that in a natural population from the east coast of America. Although the difference in heterozygosity was small, the Chinese populations lost 9 of the 45 alleles (20%) found in the wild population. The reduced allele diversity suggests that the Chinese bay scallop populations experienced a bottleneck in genetic diversity that remains significant despite several recent introductions of new stocks aimed at expanding the gene pool. The loss of allele diversity may affect future efforts in selective breeding and domestication, and results of this study highlight the need for additional introductions, advanced breeding programs that minimize inbreeding and continued genetic monitoring. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of fractional energy loss of waves in nearshore waters using an improved high-order Boussinesq-type model

Fractional energy losses of waves due to wave breaking when passing over a submerged bar are studied systematically using a modified numerical code that is based on the high-order Boussinesq-type equations. The model is first tested by the additional experimental data, and the model's capability of simulating the wave transformation over both gentle slope and steep slope is demonstrated. Then, the model's breaking index is replaced and tested. The new breaking index, which is optimized from the several breaking indices, is not sensitive to the spatial grid length and includes the bottom slopes. Numerical tests show that the modified model with the new breaking index is more stable and efficient for the shallow-water wave breaking. Finally, the modified model is used to study the fractional energy losses for the regular waves propagating and breaking over a submerged bar. Our results have revealed that how the nonlinearity and the dispersion of the incident waves as well as the dimensionless bar height (normalized by water depth) dominate the fractional energy losses. It is also found that the bar slope (limited to gentle slopes that less than 1:10) and the dimensionless bar length (normalized by incident wave length) have negligible effects on the fractional energy losses.

Tandem duplication-random loss is not a real feature of oyster mitochondrial genomes

Duplications and rearrangements of coding genes are major themes in the evolution of mitochondrial genomes, bearing important consequences in the function of mitochondria and the fitness of organisms. Yu et al. (BMC Genomics 2008, 9: 477) reported the complete mt genome sequence of the oyster Crassostrea hongkongensis (16,475 bp) and found that a DNA segment containing four tRNA genes (trnK(1), trnC, trnQ(1) and trnN), a duplicated (rrnS) and a split rRNA gene (rrnL5') was absent compared with that of two other Crassostrea species. It was suggested that the absence was a novel case of "tandem duplication-random loss" with evolutionary significance. We independently sequenced the complete mt genome of three C. hongkongensis individuals, all of which were 18,622 bp and contained the segment that was missing in Yu et al.'s sequence. Further, we designed primers, verified sequences and demonstrated that the sequence loss in Yu et al.'s study was an artifact caused by placing primers in a duplicated region. The duplication and split of ribosomal RNA genes are unique for Crassostrea oysters and not lost in C. hongkongensis. Our study highlights the need for caution when amplifying and sequencing through duplicated regions of the genome.

Pure mechanical wear loss measurement in corrosive wear

The method for the measurement of the pure mechanical wear loss for 321 stainless steel, 1045 steel and pure iron in the study of the synergy between corrosion and wear was studied, The methods studied included the measurement in distilled water, by cathodic protection and by adding inhibitor KI, and all were compared with the wear loss in air. The experiment showed that the pure mechanical wear losses and friction coefficients obtained by the three methods were close to each other and can be used to calculate the various wear components in the study of the interaction of corrosion and wear, but the measurements in distilled water for pure iron and 1045 steel are not recommended due to their corrosion.

Experimental warming causes large and rapid species loss, dampened by simulated grazing, on the Tibetan Plateau

We investigated the independent and combined effects of experimental warming and grazing on plant species diversity on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau, a region highly vulnerable to ongoing climate and land use changes. Experimental warming caused a 26-36% decrease in species richness, a response that was generally dampened by experimental grazing. Higher species losses occurred at the drier sites where N was less available. Moreover, we observed an indirect effect of climate change on species richness as mediated by plant-plant interactions. Heat stress and warming-induced litter accumulation are potential explanations for the species' responses to experimental warming. This is the first reported experimental evidence that climate warming could cause dramatic declines in plant species diversity in high elevation ecosystems over short time frames and supports model predictions of species losses with anthropogenic climate change.

Volumetric consequences of particle loss by grading entropy.

Chemical and biological processes, such as dissolution in gypsiferous sands and biodegradation in waste refuse, result in mass or particle loss, which in turn lead to changes in solid and void phase volumes and grading. Data on phase volume and grading changes have been obtained from oedometric dissolution tests on sand–salt mixtures. Phase volume changes are defined by a (dissolution-induced) void volume change parameter (Λ). Grading changes are interpreted using grading entropy coordinates, which allow a grading curve to be depicted as a single data point and changes in grading as a vector quantity rather than a family of distribution curves. By combining Λ contours with pre- to post-dissolution grading entropy coordinate paths, an innovative interpretation of the volumetric consequences of particle loss is obtained. Paths associated with small soluble particles, the loss of which triggers relatively little settlement but large increase in void ratio, track parallel to the Λ contours. Paths associated with the loss of larger particles, which can destabilise the sand skeleton, tend to track across the Λ contours.

Islamic corporate financing : does it promote profit and loss sharing?

Islamic financing instruments can be categorised into profit and loss/risk sharing and non-participatory instruments. Although profit and loss sharing instruments such as musharakah are widely accepted as the ideal form of Islamic financing, prior studies suggest that alternative instruments such as murabahah are preferred by Islamic banks. Nevertheless, prior studies did not explore factors that influence the use of Islamic financing among non-financial firms. Our study fills this gap and contributes new knowledge in several ways. First, we find no evidence of widespread use of Islamic financing instruments across non-financial firms. This is because the instruments are mostly used by less profitable firms with higher leverage (i.e., risky firms). Second, we find that profit and loss sharing instruments are hardly used, whilst the use of murabahah is dominant. Consistent with the prediction of moral-hazard-risk avoidance theory, further analysis suggests that users with a lower asset base (to serve as collateral) are associated with murabahah financing. Third, we present a critical discourse on the contentious nature of murabahah as practised. The economic significance and ethical issues associated with murabahah as practised should trigger serious efforts to steer Islamic corporate financing towards risk-sharing more than the controversial rent-seeking practice.

Herbal supplements: Recent findings in exercise, health and weight loss

Natural herbs have been in use for weight loss purposes since history began. However, the current global obesity epidemic and the rise in obesity-related chronic diseases, including type-II diabetes and cancer, have highlighted the need for novel and effective approaches for herbal remedies. Whilst the popularity of several prescribed and non-prescribed slimming aids and herbal plant supplements have been marketed for their weight loss efficacy, single and multi-ingredient herbal supplements are still being investigated for their single or combined weight loss benefits. Limited research have highlighted an interesting efficacy for several popular herbal plant supplements including caffeine and capsaicin, Ayurvedic preparations and herbal teas, resulting in various degrees of effectiveness including thermogenic, appetite control and psychological benefits such as mood state. Recent research has suggested acute augmented weight-loss effects of combining herbal ingestion with exercise. For example, ingesting green tea, yerba mate and/or caffeine have been shown to increase metabolic rate, and augmented fatty acid metabolism and to increase energy expenditure from fatty acid sources during exercise with various intensities, particularly at low and moderate intensities. Other promising weight-loss effects have also been also reported for combining exercise with multi-ingredient herbal supplements, particularly those that are rich in phytochemicals and caffeoyl derivatives. Combining herbal ingestions with exercise still require further research in order to establish the supplementation most effective protocols in terms of dosage and timing, and to determine the long-term benefits, particularly those related to exercise protocols, and the long term adherence to sustain the weight loss outcomes.

The nature of emotional support and counselling provision for people with sight loss in the United Kingdom

People with sight loss in the United Kingdom are known to have lower levels of emotional wellbeing and to be at higher risk of depression. Consequently ‘having someone to talk to’ is an important priority for people with visual impairment. An on-line survey of the provision of emotional support and counselling for people affected by sight loss across the UK was undertaken. The survey was distributed widely and received 182 responses. There were more services offering ‘emotional support’, in the form of listening and information and advice giving, than offered ‘counselling’. Services were delivered by providers with differing qualifications in a variety of formats. Waiting times were fairly short and clients presented with a wide range of issues. Funding came from a range of sources, but many felt their funding was vulnerable. Conclusions have been drawn about the need for a national standardised framework for the provision of emotional support and counselling services for blind and partially sighted people in the UK