143 research outputs found
Discrete element simulation of rapeseed shear test
ArticleSuiTable equipment are required for storage and transportation of rapeseed which are
developed according to rules for bulk matters. It is one of reasons where bulk matter properties
are important to the design. Bulk matter properties are important to known as angle of repose,
internal friction, external friction, adhesivity force and other bulk properties. Experimental values
of bulk properties are added to mathematical models. The model should be calibrated with
adequate experiment. The shear test is one of popular calibration test for bulk matters so that be
able done experiment and numerical model in one. The aim of this paper is simulation of rapeseed
bulk properties during shear strain and flow and its evaluation and calibration with experimental
tests. RockyDEM software was used for numerical simulation of rapeseed. Shear test, angle of
repose, static and dynamic friction test were used to calibration of the numerical rapeseed model.
Sensitivity of numerical model is discussed on the bulk properties
Repellence and attraction of Apis mellifera foragers by nectar alkaloids
Plant secondary metabolites present naturally in nectar, such as alkaloids, may change the behavioural responses of floral visitors and affect pollination. Some studies have shown that nectar containing low concentrations of these secondary metabolites is preferred by honey bee foragers over pure nectar. However, it remains unclear whether this is caused by dependence or addictive behaviour, a simple taste preference, or by other conditions such as self-medication. In our choice experiment, free-flying bees were presented with artificial flowers holding 20% sucrose containing 0.5−50 μg ml−1 of one of the naturally occurring nectar alkaloids - caffeine, nicotine, senecionine, and gelsemine. Nectar uptake was determined by weighing each flower and comparing the weight to that of the control flower. Our experimental design minimized memorizing and marking; despite this, caffeine was significantly preferred at concentrations 0.5−2 μg ml−1 over control nectar; this preference was not observed for other alkaloids. All of the compounds tested were repellent at concentrations above 5 μg ml−1. We confirmed previous reports that bees exhibit a preference for caffeine, and hypothesize that this is not due only to addictive behaviour but is at least partially mediated by taste preference. We observed no significant preference for nicotine or any other alkaloid
Contrasting behavior of covalent and molecular carbon allotropes exposed to extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray free-electron laser radiation
All carbon materials, e.g., amorphous carbon (a-C) coatings and C60 fullerene
thin films, play an important role in short-wavelength free-electron laser
(FEL) research motivated by FEL optics development and prospective
nanotechnology applications. Responses of a-C and C60 layers to the extreme
ultraviolet (SPring-8 Compact SASE Source in Japan) and soft x-ray
(free-electron laser in Hamburg) free-electron laser radiation are investigated
by Raman spectroscopy, differential interference contrast, and atomic force
microscopy. A remarkable difference in the behavior of covalent (a-C) and
molecular (C60) carbonaceous solids is demonstrated under these irradiation
conditions. Low thresholds for ablation of a fullerene crystal (estimated to be
around 0.15 eV/atom for C60 vs 0.9 eV/atom for a-C in terms of the absorbed
dose) are caused by a low cohesive energy of fullerene crystals. An efficient
mechanism of the removal of intact C60 molecules from the irradiated crystal
due to Coulomb repulsion of fullerene-cage cation radicals formed by the
ionizing radiation is revealed by a detailed modeling
γ-Tubulin 2 Nucleates Microtubules and Is Downregulated in Mouse Early Embryogenesis
γ-Tubulin is the key protein for microtubule nucleation. Duplication of the γ-tubulin gene occurred several times during evolution, and in mammals γ-tubulin genes encode proteins which share ∼97% sequence identity. Previous analysis of Tubg1 and Tubg2 knock-out mice has suggested that γ-tubulins are not functionally equivalent. Tubg1 knock-out mice died at the blastocyst stage, whereas Tubg2 knock-out mice developed normally and were fertile. It was proposed that γ-tubulin 1 represents ubiquitous γ-tubulin, while γ-tubulin 2 may have some specific functions and cannot substitute for γ-tubulin 1 deficiency in blastocysts. The molecular basis of the suggested functional difference between γ-tubulins remains unknown. Here we show that exogenous γ-tubulin 2 is targeted to centrosomes and interacts with γ-tubulin complex proteins 2 and 4. Depletion of γ-tubulin 1 by RNAi in U2OS cells causes impaired microtubule nucleation and metaphase arrest. Wild-type phenotype in γ-tubulin 1-depleted cells is restored by expression of exogenous mouse or human γ-tubulin 2. Further, we show at both mRNA and protein levels using RT-qPCR and 2D-PAGE, respectively, that in contrast to Tubg1, the Tubg2 expression is dramatically reduced in mouse blastocysts. This indicates that γ-tubulin 2 cannot rescue γ-tubulin 1 deficiency in knock-out blastocysts, owing to its very low amount. The combined data suggest that γ-tubulin 2 is able to nucleate microtubules and substitute for γ-tubulin 1. We propose that mammalian γ-tubulins are functionally redundant with respect to the nucleation activity
The patterns of Corylus and Alnus pollen seasons and pollination periods in two Polish cities located in different climatic regions
GrassPlot - a database of multi-scale plant diversity in Palaearctic grasslands
GrassPlot is a collaborative vegetation-plot database organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) and listed in the Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases (GIVD ID EU-00-003). GrassPlot collects plot records (releves) from grasslands and other open habitats of the Palaearctic biogeographic realm. It focuses on precisely delimited plots of eight standard grain sizes (0.0001; 0.001;... 1,000 m(2)) and on nested-plot series with at least four different grain sizes. The usage of GrassPlot is regulated through Bylaws that intend to balance the interests of data contributors and data users. The current version (v. 1.00) contains data for approximately 170,000 plots of different sizes and 2,800 nested-plot series. The key components are richness data and metadata. However, most included datasets also encompass compositional data. About 14,000 plots have near-complete records of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in addition to vascular plants. At present, GrassPlot contains data from 36 countries throughout the Palaearctic, spread across elevational gradients and major grassland types. GrassPlot with its multi-scale and multi-taxon focus complements the larger international vegetationplot databases, such as the European Vegetation Archive (EVA) and the global database " sPlot". Its main aim is to facilitate studies on the scale-and taxon-dependency of biodiversity patterns and drivers along macroecological gradients. GrassPlot is a dynamic database and will expand through new data collection coordinated by the elected Governing Board. We invite researchers with suitable data to join GrassPlot. Researchers with project ideas addressable with GrassPlot data are welcome to submit proposals to the Governing Board
Classification of mesic grasslands and their transitions of South Transdanubia (Hungary)
Relevés from meadows and pastures of South Transdanubia (Hungary) are evaluated by clustering and ordination methods. The relevé selection focused on the Arrhenatheretalia order but its transitions towards other types were also included. The groups of relevés are delimited and described according to differential, dominant and constant species. Ecological conditions of the groups were compared using indicator values. Nine groups were distinguished, four of them belonging strictly to the order Arrhenatheretalia. Each alliance of Arrhenatheretalia presented in the study area (Cynosurion, Arrhenatherion) was represented by two groups. Groups from these two alliances are separated along a light gradient, while groups of the same alliance differ in nutrient values. Within Cynosurion, the nutrient-poor group cannot be identified unambiguously as any syntaxa previously known from Hungary. The nutrient-rich Cynosurion meadows are similar to Lolio–Cynosuretum, however, they show a stronger relationship with wet meadows. Within Arrhenatherion, Pastinaco–Arrhenatheretum is recognised as a hay meadow of nutrient-rich soils. The other meadow type is similar to Filipendulo–Arrhenatheretum, thus raising syntaxonomical problems. There are transitional groups towards semi-dry and wet meadows, one dynamic phase and one outlier group among the other five clusters
Development of Rich Fen on the SE Baltic Coast, Latvia, during the Last 7500 Years, Using Paleoecological Proxies: Implications for Plant Community Development and Paleoclimatic Research
Temporal and spatiotemporal autocorrelation of daily concentrations of Alnus, Betula, and Corylus pollen in Poland
- …