Achievements and challenges in machine vision-based inspection of large concrete structures

Large concrete structures need to be inspected in order to assess their current physical and functional state, to predict future conditions, to support investment planning and decision making, and to allocate limited maintenance and rehabilitation resources. Current procedures in condition and safety assessment of large concrete structures are performed manually leading to subjective and unreliable results, costly and time-consuming data collection, and safety issues. To address these limitations, automated machine vision-based inspection procedures have increasingly been proposed by the research community. This paper presents current achievements and open challenges in vision-based inspection of large concrete structures. First, the general concept of Building Information Modeling is introduced. Then, vision-based 3D reconstruction and as-built spatial modeling of concrete civil infrastructure are presented. Following that, the focus is set on structural member recognition as well as on concrete damage detection and assessment exemplified for concrete columns. Although some challenges are still under investigation, it can be concluded that vision-based inspection methods have significantly improved over the last 10 years, and now, as-built spatial modeling as well as damage detection and assessment of large concrete structures have the potential to be fully automated.

Rearing of Procypris rabaudi during early life-history stages

The early life-history of Chinese rock carp Procypris rabaudi was investigated during a 56-day rearing period: 318 artificially propagated P. rabaudi larvae were reared throughout metamorphosis in a small-scale recirculation system (345 L water volume, 10 x 18 L rearing tanks, 150 L storage and filter compartment with bioballs, 20-30 larvae L-1) at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The newly hatched larvae had an initial total length of 8.93 +/- 0.35 mm SD (n = 10) at 3 days post-hatch and reached an average total length of 33.29 mm (+/- 1.88 mm SD, n = 10) 56 days after hatching. Length increment averaged 0.45 mm day(-1), resulting in a mean growth of 24.4 mm within the 56-day period. High mortality rates of up to 92% derived from an introduced fungus infection and subsequent treatment stress with malachite green. Our results indicate that Chinese rock carp can be raised successfully from artificially fertilized eggs. We therefore assume this species to be a candidate for commercial aquaculture.

Structure-function analysis of the inverted terminal repeats of the Sleeping Beauty transposon

Translocation of Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon requires specific binding of SB transposase to inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) of about 230 bp at each end of the transposon, which is followed by a cut-and-paste transfer of the transposon into a target DNA sequence. The ITRs contain two imperfect direct repeats (DRs) of about 32 bp. The outer DRs are at the extreme ends of the transposon whereas the inner DRs are located inside the transposon, 165-166 bp from the outer DRs. Here we investigated the roles of the DR elements in transposition. Although there is a core transposase-binding sequence common to all of the DRs, additional adjacent sequences are required for transposition and these sequences vary in the different DRs. As a result, SB transposase binds less tightly to the outer DRs than to the inner DRs. Two DRs are required in each ITR for transposition but they are not interchangeable for efficient transposition. Each DR appears to have a distinctive role in transposition. The spacing and sequence between the DR elements in an ITR affect transposition rates, suggesting a constrained geometry is involved in the interactions of SB transposase molecules in order to achieve precise mobilization. Transposons are flanked by TA dinucleotide base-pairs that are important for excision; elimination of the TA motif on one side of the transposon significantly reduces transposition while loss of TAs on both flanks of the transposon abolishes transposition. These findings have led to the construction of a more advanced transposon that should be useful in gene transfer and insertional mutagenesis in vertebrates. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Luminescence properties of multi-layer InGaN quantum dots grown on C- and R-plane sapphire substrates

In this study, we report comparative luminescence properties of multi-layer InGaN quantum dots grown on C- and R-plane sapphire substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). High-density InGaN quantum dots (QDs) are formed on GaN templates by decreasing the growth temperature and increasing the adatom hopping-barrier through surface passivation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been employed to estimate the size and height of these dots. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra recorded from (1120) InGaN QDs/(1102) sapphire show much stronger emission intensity compared to spectra recorded from (0001) InGaN QDs/(0001) sapphire. Due to the absence of strong spontaneous polarization and piezoelectric field, such (1150) InGaN QDs in the active layers would lead to high efficiency light emitting devices. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of deep levels in Pt-GaN Schottky diodes deposited on intermediate-temperature buffer layers

Gallium nitride (GaN)-based Schottky junctions were fabricated by RF-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The GaN epitaxial layers were deposited on novel double buffer layers that consist of a conventional low-temperature buffer layer (LTBL) grown at 500 degreesC and an intermediate-temperature buffer layer (ITBL) deposited at 690 degreesC. Low-frequency excess noise and deep level transient Fourier spectroscopy (DLTFS) were measured from the devices. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in the density of deep levels in the devices fabricated with the GaN films grown with an ITBL. Compared to the control sample, which was grown with just a conventional LTBL, a three-order-of-magnitude reduction in the deep levels 0.4 eV below the conduction band minimum (Ec) is observed in the bulk of the thin films using DLTFS measurements.

草甘膦的土壤酶效应研究

为了探讨当今世界使用量最大的除草剂——草甘膦的土壤环境效应,本文采用室内模拟方法,较为系统地研究了我国4类土壤:褐土、黄绵土、风沙土和红壤,共11个土样中4种主要酶类(脲酶、转化酶、磷酸酶以及脱氢酶)活性与草甘膦间的关系,计算并得到了能够表征土壤轻度污染的生态剂量值ED10。结果表明:非缓冲液法较好地反映了土壤酶的实际情况;草甘膦总体上激活土壤脲酶、转化酶和脱氢酶活性,最大增幅分别为190%、1372%和42%;抑制磷酸酶活性,最大幅度为35%;磷酸酶与草甘膦间为完全抑制作用机理;激活脱氢酶活性揭示出草甘膦导致了土壤中微生物活性增强,从侧面反映出草甘膦是一种毒性较低的农药。计算获得4类供试土壤褐土、黄绵土、风沙土和红壤ED10值分别为168.3、438.5、35.1和141.4mg·kg-1;在一定程度上用土壤酶活性比生物来表征土壤污染程度更敏感。土壤性质对草甘膦的毒性有重要影响。

盐和有机物对氨基酸热力学性质的影响-NaCl氨基酸-葡萄糖-水体系

在278.15-318.15范围内，本文测定了以下四个无液接电池的电动势：Pt,H_2(g, 1 atm)|HCl(m)、X Mass% Glucose-H_2O|Ag-AgCl (A) Pt,H_2 (g, 1 atm)|G(m_1), HGCl (m_2), X Mass% Glucose-H_2O|Ag-AgCl (B) Pt,H_2 (g, 1 atm) |HCl (m), NaCl (M-m), X Mass% Glucose-H_2O|Ag-AgCl (C) Pt,H_2 (g, 1 atm)|G(m_1), HGCl (m_2), NaCl (M-m), X Mass% Glucose-H_2O|Ag-AgCl (D) 其中G为中性甘氨酸，NH_3CH_2COO~-, HGClm为甘氨酸的盐酸盐，为相应电解质的质量摩尔浓度，X为葡萄糖在葡萄糖-水混合溶剂中的质量百分数，M为恒定的离子强度且M = 1.0mol/kg。并且测定了Glucose-H_2O的密度和介电常数。利用传统的D-H公式外推法和基于Pitzer理论的多项式逼近法分别确定了电池的标准电动势E°_3、E°_3，以及甘氨酸的一级热力学解离1.0mol/kg）-葡萄糖-水-HCl的HCl无限稀释溶液为参考态，并将两种方法得到的结果作了比较。甘氨酸的一级热力学解离常数符合Harned-Robinson方程：pK = A_1/T + A_2 + A+3 T 本文讨论了盐和有机物对pK_1的影响，并根据前人及我们的工作，指出在极性质子溶剂中和在极性非质子溶剂中的pK_1对1/D作图，分别得到直线和曲线。同时讨论了混合溶剂中甘氨酸的一级解离过程的各个热力学量ΔG°，ΔH°，ΔS°，ΔCp°，并讨论HCl的迁移性质和有机物葡萄糖、盐对它们的影响。最后将不同混合溶剂中甘氨酸解离过程的迁移能，迁移熵等作了比较。

中国都江堰汉族人群线粒体DNA 控制区遗传变异与长寿的相关性研究

随着社会的进步和医疗卫生水平的不断提高，人类获得了更高的平均寿 命，很多国家都步入了老龄化社会的行列。由于长寿具有遗传的倾向，所以 科学家们致力于人类长寿及衰老性疾病发生机理的研究，目的是为了使人类 在获得更长寿命的同时能够抵御或减缓老年性疾病的侵袭，远离衰老带来的 困扰，享受高质量的生活。 线粒体是真核生物的重要细胞器，具有长度为约为16569bp 的环状 DNA 分子。在人类群体，特别是欧洲群体的相关性研究中，线粒体DNA （mtDNA）编码区和控制区的一些多态性位点显示出与长寿及衰老性疾病的 相关。特别是mtDNA 控制区的C150T 变异除了在多个长寿人群中富集之外， 更是具有改变mtDNA 重链复制起始位点的功能。 为了探讨mtDNA 控制区多态性位点与中国汉族长寿人群是否存在相关 性，本研究在中国四川省都江堰地区采集了556 名年龄90 至108 岁的互无 关系的长寿老人血液样本，其中男性202 名，女性354 名。同时还采集了 214 名长寿老人的亲属和312 名无关对照的血液样本，年龄分别在10 至69 岁之间和22 到73 岁之间。我们对这些样本的mtDNA 通过测序和RFLP 等 手段进行了扫描，采集并记录了mtDNA 单倍型类群信息和控制区位点多态 信息。 在该人群中，本研究发现mtDNA 的主要单倍型类群与长寿没有显著的 相关性，总体单倍型类群频率分布在三个组别中基本一致（p=0.318）。对 mtDNA 控制区C150T 变异的频率在三个组别中做了包括总体频率差异，区 分mtDNA 单倍型类群的频率差异，区分样本性别的频率差异以及mtDNA 单倍型类群与性别信息联合的频率差异的分析。虽然在个别的比较中得到了 显著差异，但经过多重检验校正后，结果均变得不显著。此外，对146、152189 和195 等四个同样处于mtDNA 控制区复制起始区域的变异位点的初步 分析，同样没有获得显著的差异。不支持此前在欧洲长寿人群和日本长寿人 群得到的结论。 综上所述，本研究第一次在中国汉族人群中对mtDNA 控制区多态性与 长寿的相关性进行了研究。mtDNA 与人类长寿的关系还有待于更深层次的 机理性研究和功能性研究来揭示。

GAAS/GAALAS GRADED INDEX SEPARATE CONFINEMENT SINGLE QUANTUM-WELL SINGLE-MODE WAVE-GUIDE ELECTROABSORPTION LIGHT-MODULATOR

A GaAs/GaAlAs graded-index separate confinement single quantum well heterostructure single-mode ridge waveguide electroabsorption modulator was fabricated and investigated. For the modulator with a quantum well width of 100 angstrom and device length of 700-mu-m, an on/off ratio of 29.7 dB and estimated absorption insertion loss of 3 dB were obtained for TE polarised light with wavelength 8650 angstrom, and for TM polarisation the on/off ratio was 28.5 dB. With a switching voltage of 1 V, an on/off ratio of 15 dB was achieved. Photocurrent spectra exhibited a red shift of 600 angstrom of the absorption edge when the voltage applied to the PIN diode was varied from 0.5 to -7 V. The corresponding shift of the room temperature exciton peak energy was 96 meV.

UHV/CVD法生长硅基低位错密度厚锗外延层

采用超高真空化学气相淀积系统,以高纯Si_2H_6和GeH_4作为生长气源,用低温缓冲层技术在Si（001）衬底上成功生长出厚的纯Ge外延层.对Si衬底上外延的纯Ge层用反射式高能电子衍射仪、原子力显微镜、X射线双晶衍射曲线和Ra-man谱进行了表征.结果表明在Si基上生长的约550nm厚的Ge外延层,表面粗糙度小于1nm,XRD双晶衍射曲线和Ra-man谱Ge-Ge模半高宽分别为530″和5.5cm~(-1),具有良好的结晶质量.位错腐蚀结果显示线位错密度小于5×105cm~(-2).可用于制备Si基长波长集成光电探测器和Si基高速电子器件.

脊形结构LiNbO3光波导调制器的扩展点匹配法分析

将点匹配法扩展应用于脊形结构LiNbO3光波导调制器电极的准静态分析中.将调制器各区域的势函数表示为该区域中满足Laplace方程的一系列基函数的级数,匹配边界上有限个点的边界条件以确定出级数项的系数.通过势函数得到脊形结构LiNbO3光波导调制器结构中电场分布的解析表达式,利用求得的电场可以得到调制器特性阻抗及有效折射率.所得的特性阻抗和有效折射率与采用有限元法得到的结果十分吻合.这一分析方法简便快捷,精度高,能够处理电极有一定厚度的多层光波导调制器结构.