Experimental Study on the Mechanisms of Soil Water-Solute- Heat Transport and Nutrient Loss Control

The release and migration of nutrients, pesticides, and other chemicals in the runoff from agricultural lands is not only an economic loss but a threat to the quality of our surface and groundwater. In contrast to pollution from point sources, pollution from non-point sources is often low in intensity but high in volume. The development of a physically based model to simulate the transport of soil solutes would provide a better understanding of transport mechanisms and assist in the development of effective methods to control the loss of nutrients from soils and the pollution of waterways. As a result, numerous studies have been conducted in this area. But due to the soil genesis and human activity, the process is very complex, which can have a great impact on soil water movement, solute transport, as well as nutrient loss. In this study, we determined water movement and solute and heat transport through columns of disturbed soil samples. We also carried out simulated rainfall experiments on an artificial slope to study the nutrient loss

Investigation and protection of fishery resources in the middle of Bohai Sea

In May and October 2017, 12 stations were set up in the Central Bohai Sea for fishery resources investigation. The results show that there are many dominant species in this area, and the inshore fishery resources are higher than those in the open sea because of the abundant nutrients from land, the high density of zooplankton and the food of swimming animals. In order to effectively protect the fishery resources in the Central Bohai Sea, this paper puts forward some suggestions, such as strengthening the protection propaganda, scientific and reasonable fishing, and strengthening the management of marine environment

GEOMETRIC ANALYSIS TOOLS FOR MESH SEGMENTATION

Surface segmentation, a process which divides a surface into parts, is the basis for many surface manipulation applications which include model metamorphosis, model simplifica- tion, model retrieval, model alignment and texture mapping. This dissertation discusses novel methods for geometric surface analysis and segmentation and applications for these methods. Novel work within this dissertation includes a new 3D mesh segmentation algo- rithm which is referred to as the ridge-walking algorithm. The main benefit of this algo- rithm is that it can dynamically change the criteria it uses to identify surface parts which allows the algorithm to be adjusted to suit different types of surfaces and different segmen- tation goals. The dynamic segmentation behavior allows users to extract three different types of surface regions: (1) regions delineated by convex ridges, (2) regions delineated by concave valleys, and (3) regions delineated by both concave and convex curves. The ridge walking algorithm is quantitatively evaluated by comparing it with competing algo- rithms and human-generated segmentations. The evaluation is accompanied with a detailed geometrical analysis of a select subset of segmentation results to facilitate a better under- standing of the strengths and weaknesses of this algorithm. The ridge walking algorithm is applied to three domain-specific segmentation prob- lems. The first application uses this algorithm to partition bone fragment surfaces into three semantic parts: (1) the fracture surface, (2) the periosteal surface and (3) the articular surface. Segmentation of bone fragments is an important computational step necessary in developing quantitative methods for bone fracture analysis and for creating computational tools for virtual fracture reconstruction. The second application modifies the 3D ridge walking algorithm so that it can be applied to 2D images. In this case, the 2D image is modeled as a Monge patch and principal curvatures of the intensity surface are computed iv for each image pixel. These principal curvatures are then used by ridge walking algorithm to segment the image into meaningful parts. The third application uses the ridge walking algorithm to facilitate analysis of virtual 3D terrain models. Specifically, the algorithm is integrated as a part of a larger software system designed to enable users to browse, visualize and analyze 3D geometric data generated by NASA’s Mars Exploratory Rovers Spirit and Opportunity. In this context, the ridge walking algorithm is used to identify surface features such as rocks in the terrain models

rac-3,9-Bis(3-chloro­phen­yl)-2,4,8,10-tetra­oxaspiro­[5.5]undeca­ne

In the title compound, C19H18Cl2O4, the two non-planar six-membered heterocycles passing through the spiro-C atom both adopt chair conformations, and the dihedral angle between the two benzene rings is 7.2 (1)°. In the crystal, the enanti­omers with R and S configurations are generated by the symmetry elements of the centrosymmetric space group, forming a racemic crystal. Inter­molecular C—H⋯π and weak C—H⋯O inter­actions link the mol­ecules in the crystal structure

Dynamic adsorption and interfacial rheology of whey protein isolate at oil-water interfaces: Effects of protein concentration, pH and heat treatment

peer-reviewedThe effects of bulk protein concentration, Cp, (0.01, 0.1, 1 wt%), pH (3, 4.7 and 7) and heat treatment (unheated or 95 °C for 30 min) on whey protein isolate (WPI) stabilized interfaces were examined. The interfacial pressure and shear rheology of WPI-stabilized sunflower oil-water (o/w) interfaces were characterized using a pendant drop tensiometer and a rheometer equipped with a Du Nöuy ring. The rate of WPI adsorption was faster at higer Cp and pH 3. Heat-enhanced surface activity was more pronounced at pH 7 compared to pH 3 as a result of greater heat stability of WPI at acidic pH. The elastic modulus of WPI stabilized interfaces increased with Cp (≤0.1 wt%). A further increase in Cp (to 1 wt%) resulted in monolayer collapse and weaker films. Non-heated (NHT) WPI formed less elastic interfacial films at pH 3 than at pH7. Heat treatment enhanced the elastic behavior of interfacial films with longer relaxation times. This may be associated with the formation of intermolecular β-sheets. The knowledge gained on the nature of WPI-stabilized interfaces can be used to better understand the stability of dairy emulsions during subsequent processing, digestion or storage

Epithelial Neoplasia Coincides with Exacerbated Injury and Fibrotic Response in the Lungs of \u3cem\u3eGprc5a\u3c/em\u3e-Knockout Mice Following Silica Exposure

Exposure to crystalline silica is suggested to increase the risk for a variety of lung diseases, including fibrosis and lung cancer. However, epidemiological evidences for the exposure-risk relationship are ambiguous and conflicting, and experimental study from a reliable animal model to explore the relationship is lacking. We reasoned that a mouse model that is sensitive to both lung injury and tumorigenesis would be appropriate to evaluate the exposure-risk relationship. Previously, we showed that, Gprc5a-/- mice are susceptible to both lung tumorigenesis and endotoxin-induced acute lung injury. In this study, we investigated the biological consequences in Gprc5a-/- mouse model following silica exposure. Intra-tracheal administration of fine silica particles in Gprc5a-/- mice resulted in more severe lung injury and pulmonary inflammation than in wild-type mice. Moreover, an enhanced fibrogenic response, including EMT-like characteristics, was induced in the lungs of Gprc5a-/- mice compared to those from wild-type ones. Importantly, increased hyperplasia or neoplasia coincided with silica-induced tissue injury and fibrogenic response in lungs from Gprc5a-/- mice. Consistently, expression of MMP9, TGFβ1 and EGFR was significantly increased in lungs from silica-treated Gprc5a-/- mice compared to those untreated or wild-type ones. These results suggest that, the process of tissue repair coincides with tissue damages; whereas persistent tissue damages leads to abnormal repair or neoplasia. Thus, silica-induced pulmonary inflammation and injury contribute to increased neoplasia development in lungs from Gprc5a-/- mouse model