Use of curved adhesively bonded anchorage for a pultruded composite cable

International audienceIn order to join a plane composite cable to the main structure of a composite footbridge designed within (Caron, 2009), it was decided to investigate structural adhesive bonding. This technique is indeed particularly adapted to composite materials. However structural adhesive bonding induces stress concentrations at the edges of the adhesive joint, which have been studied by a large number of researchers in order to reduce these phenomena and increase the capacity and service life of the bonded joint (Kinloch, 1987). These studies are all concerned with optimizing shear stress transfer in adhesively bonded joints. This paper investigates the role of hydrostatic pressure on the ultimate capacities of common civil engineering adhesives. The conclusions led us to study a new joint geometry, the " curved " bonded joint that naturally creates compressive stresses on the edge of the bonded joint. Several experimental investigations are presented within this paper to illustrate the optimization. These are quasi-static tests that compare classical shear lap joints to curved joints. Additional testing is currently in progress, but the curved bonded joint seems to hold good prospects and a patent has been filed

Use of a curved adhesively bonded anchorage for a pultruded composite cable

7th International Conference on FRP Composites in Civil Engineering (CICE), VANCOUVER, CANADA, 20-/08/2014 - 22/08/2014In order to join a plane composite cable to the main structure of a composite footbridge designed within (Caron, 2009), it was decided to investigate structural adhesive bonding. This technique is indeed particularly adapted to composite materials. However structural adhesive bonding induces stress concentrations at the edges of the adhesive joint, which have been studied by a large number of researchers in order to reduce these phenomena and increase the capacity and service life of the bonded joint (Kinloch, 1987). These studies are all concerned with optimizing shear stress transfer in adhesively bonded joints. This paper investigates the role of hydrostatic pressure on the ultimate capacities of common civil engineering adhesives. The conclusions led us to study a new joint geometry, the 'curved' bonded joint that naturally creates compressive stresses on the edge of the bonded joint. Several experimental investigations are presented within this paper to illustrate the optimization. These are quasi-static tests that compare classical shear lap joints to curved joints. Additional testing is currently in progress, but the curved bonded joint seems to hold good prospects and a patent has been filed

Temperature and precipitation effects on agrarian economy in late imperial China

Climate change has been statistically proven to substantially influence the economy of early modern Europe, particularly in the long term. However, a detailed analysis of climate change and the economy of historical China remains lacking, particularly from a large-scale and quantitative perspective. This study quantitatively analyzes the relationship between climate change and the economy in late imperial China (AD1600–1840) at the national level. This study also compares the findings on the relationship between climate change and the economy in late imperial China with those in early modern Europe. Results of multivariate regression and Granger causality analyses indicate that (1) climate change induces economic fluctuations in late imperial China, particularly in the long term; (2) given that the economic center is located in South China during the study period, temperature has a greater influence on the economy than precipitation; (3) the population of China is statistically proven to primarily act as consumers in the long term; and (4) given the long-term role of the Chinese population, the economic vulnerability in late imperial China under climate change is further increased and is higher than that in early modern Europe, whose population mainly acts as producers in the long term. In conclusion, the late imperial Chinese society has a high economic vulnerability to climate change. These findings revisit Malthusian theory and ‘Great Divergence’ theory by including the perspective of economic vulnerability under climate change during the study period. The role of the population must be investigated further to address the socioeconomic vulnerabilities under climate change

Identification of Fast-Evolving Genes in the Scleractinian Coral Acropora Using Comparative EST Analysis

To identify fast-evolving genes in reef-building corals, we performed direct comparative sequence analysis with expressed sequence tag (EST) datasets from two acroporid species: Acropora palmata from the Caribbean Sea and A. millepora from the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Comparison of 589 independent sequences from 1,421 A. palmata contigs, with 10,247 A. millepora contigs resulted in the identification of 196 putative homologues. Most of the homologous pairs demonstrated high amino acid similarities (over 90%). Comparisons of putative homologues showing low amino acid similarities (under 90%) among the Acropora species to the near complete datasets from two other cnidarians (Hydra magnipapillata and Nematostella vectensis) implied that some were non-orthologous. Within 86 homologous pairs, 39 exhibited dN/dS ratios significantly less than 1, suggesting that these genes are under purifying selection associated with functional constraints. Eight independent genes showed dN/dS ratios exceeding 1, while three deviated significantly from 1, suggesting that these genes may play important roles in the adaptive evolution of Acropora. Our results also indicated that CEL-III lectin was under positive selection, consistent with a possible role in immunity or symbiont recognition. Further studies are needed to clarify the possible functions of the genes under positive selection to provide insight into the evolutionary process of corals

Locus specific epigenetic modalities of random allelic expression imbalance

Most autosomal genes are thought to be expressed from both alleles, with some notable exceptions, including imprinted genes and genes showing random monoallelic expression (RME). The extent and nature of RME has been the subject of debate. Here we investigate the expression of several candidate RME genes in F1 hybrid mouse cells before and after differentiation, to define how they become persistently, monoallelically expressed. Clonal monoallelic expression is not present in embryonic stem cells, but we observe high frequencies of monoallelism in neuronal progenitor cells by assessing expression status in more than 200 clones. We uncover unforeseen modes of allelic expression that appear to be gene-specific and epigenetically regulated. This non-canonical allelic regulation has important implications for development and disease, including autosomal dominant disorders and opens up therapeutic perspectives

The venom composition of the parasitic wasp Chelonus inanitus resolved by combined expressed sequence tags analysis and proteomic approach

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Parasitic wasps constitute one of the largest group of venomous animals. Although some physiological effects of their venoms are well documented, relatively little is known at the molecular level on the protein composition of these secretions. To identify the majority of the venom proteins of the endoparasitoid wasp <it>Chelonus inanitus </it>(Hymenoptera: Braconidae), we have randomly sequenced 2111 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from a cDNA library of venom gland. In parallel, proteins from pure venom were separated by gel electrophoresis and individually submitted to a nano-LC-MS/MS analysis allowing comparison of peptides and ESTs sequences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>About 60% of sequenced ESTs encoded proteins whose presence in venom was attested by mass spectrometry. Most of the remaining ESTs corresponded to gene products likely involved in the transcriptional and translational machinery of venom gland cells. In addition, a small number of transcripts were found to encode proteins that share sequence similarity with well-known venom constituents of social hymenopteran species, such as hyaluronidase-like proteins and an Allergen-5 protein.</p> <p>An overall number of 29 venom proteins could be identified through the combination of ESTs sequencing and proteomic analyses. The most highly redundant set of ESTs encoded a protein that shared sequence similarity with a venom protein of unknown function potentially specific of the <it>Chelonus </it>lineage. Venom components specific to <it>C. inanitus </it>included a C-type lectin domain containing protein, a chemosensory protein-like protein, a protein related to yellow-e3 and ten new proteins which shared no significant sequence similarity with known sequences. In addition, several venom proteins potentially able to interact with chitin were also identified including a chitinase, an imaginal disc growth factor-like protein and two putative mucin-like peritrophins.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The use of the combined approaches has allowed to discriminate between cellular and truly venom proteins. The venom of <it>C. inanitus </it>appears as a mixture of conserved venom components and of potentially lineage-specific proteins. These new molecular data enrich our knowledge on parasitoid venoms and more generally, might contribute to a better understanding of the evolution and functional diversity of venom proteins within Hymenoptera.</p

Molecular Variation at a Candidate Gene Implicated in the Regulation of Fire Ant Social Behavior

The fire ant Solenopsis invicta and its close relatives display an important social polymorphism involving differences in colony queen number. Colonies are headed by either a single reproductive queen (monogyne form) or multiple queens (polygyne form). This variation in social organization is associated with variation at the gene Gp-9, with monogyne colonies harboring only B-like allelic variants and polygyne colonies always containing b-like variants as well. We describe naturally occurring variation at Gp-9 in fire ants based on 185 full-length sequences, 136 of which were obtained from S. invicta collected over much of its native range. While there is little overall differentiation between most of the numerous alleles observed, a surprising amount is found in the coding regions of the gene, with such substitutions usually causing amino acid replacements. This elevated coding-region variation may result from a lack of negative selection acting to constrain amino acid replacements over much of the protein, different mutation rates or biases in coding and non-coding sequences, negative selection acting with greater strength on non-coding than coding regions, and/or positive selection acting on the protein. Formal selection analyses provide evidence that the latter force played an important role in the basal b-like lineages coincident with the emergence of polygyny. While our data set reveals considerable paraphyly and polyphyly of S. invicta sequences with respect to those of other fire ant species, the b-like alleles of the socially polymorphic species are monophyletic. An expanded analysis of colonies containing alleles of this clade confirmed the invariant link between their presence and expression of polygyny. Finally, our discovery of several unique alleles bearing various combinations of b-like and B-like codons allows us to conclude that no single b-like residue is completely predictive of polygyne behavior and, thus, potentially causally involved in its expression. Rather, all three typical b-like residues appear to be necessary

Expressed sequence tags from Atta laevigata and identification of candidate genes for the control of pest leaf-cutting ants

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Leafcutters are the highest evolved within Neotropical ants in the tribe Attini and model systems for studying caste formation, labor division and symbiosis with microorganisms. Some species of leafcutters are agricultural pests controlled by chemicals which affect other animals and accumulate in the environment. Aiming to provide genetic basis for the study of leafcutters and for the development of more specific and environmentally friendly methods for the control of pest leafcutters, we generated expressed sequence tag data from <it>Atta laevigata</it>, one of the pest ants with broad geographic distribution in South America.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The analysis of the expressed sequence tags allowed us to characterize 2,006 unique sequences in <it>Atta laevigata</it>. Sixteen of these genes had a high number of transcripts and are likely positively selected for high level of gene expression, being responsible for three basic biological functions: energy conservation through redox reactions in mitochondria; cytoskeleton and muscle structuring; regulation of gene expression and metabolism. Based on leafcutters lifestyle and reports of genes involved in key processes of other social insects, we identified 146 sequences potential targets for controlling pest leafcutters. The targets are responsible for antixenobiosis, development and longevity, immunity, resistance to pathogens, pheromone function, cell signaling, behavior, polysaccharide metabolism and arginine kynase activity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The generation and analysis of expressed sequence tags from <it>Atta laevigata </it>have provided important genetic basis for future studies on the biology of leaf-cutting ants and may contribute to the development of a more specific and environmentally friendly method for the control of agricultural pest leafcutters.</p

RNA-sequencing elucidates the regulation of behavioural transitions associated with mating in honey bee queens

This study was funded by a BBSRC ISIS grant BB/J019453/1, a Royal Holloway Research Strategy Fund Grant, and a Leverhulme Grant F/07537/AK to MJFB. BPO was supported by Australian Research Council Discovery grants DP150100151 and DP120101915. FM was supported by a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF-625487 to MJFB. We would like to thank Dave Galbraight (Penn State) and Alberto Paccanaro (RHUL) for support with analysis of RNAseq data and four anonymous reviewers for providing thoughtful insights that helped to improve the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD