Developing an effective 2-D urban flood inundation model for city emergency management based on cellular automata

Flash floods have occurred frequently in the urban areas of southern China. An effective process-oriented urban flood inundation model is urgently needed for urban storm-water and emergency management. This study develops an efficient and flexible cellular automaton (CA) model to simulate storm-water runoff and the flood inundation process during extreme storm events. The process of infiltration, inlets discharge and flow dynamics can be simulated with little preprocessing on commonly available basic urban geographic data. In this model, a set of gravitational diverging rules are implemented to govern the water flow in a rectangular template of three cells by three cells of a raster layer. The model is calibrated by one storm event and validated by another in a small urban catchment in Guangzhou of southern China. The depth of accumulated water at the catchment outlet is interpreted from street-monitoring closed-circuit television (CCTV) videos and verified by on-site survey. A good level of agreement between the simulated process and the reality is reached for both storm events. The model reproduces the changing extent and depth of flooded areas at the catchment outlet with an accuracy of 4 cm in water depth. Comparisons with a physically based 2-D model (FloodMap) show that the model is capable of effectively simulating flow dynamics. The high computational efficiency of the CA model can meet the needs of city emergency management

Vibrational Relaxation of the Aqueous Proton in Acetonitrile: Ultrafast Cluster Cooling and Vibrational Predissociation

We study the ultrafast O–H stretch vibrational relaxation dynamics of protonated water clusters embedded in a matrix of deuterated acetonitrile, using polarization-resolved mid-IR femtosecond spectroscopy. The clusters are produced by mixing triflic (trifluoromethanesulfonic) acid and H₂O in molar ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3, thus varying the degree of hydration of the proton. At all hydration levels the excited O–H stretch vibration of the hydrated proton shows an ultrafast vibrational relaxation with a time constant <i>T</i>₁ < 100 fs, leading to an ultrafast local heating of the protonated water cluster. This excess thermal energy, initially highly localized to the region of the excited proton, first re-distributes over the aqueous cluster and then dissipates into the surrounding acetonitrile matrix. For clusters with a triflic acid to H₂O ratio of 1:3 these processes occur with time constants of 320 ± 20 fs and 1.4 ± 0.1 ps, respectively. The cooling of the clusters reveals a long-living, underlying transient absorption change with high anisotropy. We argue that this feature stems from the vibrational predissociation of a small fraction of the proton hydration structures, directly following the ultrafast infrared excitation

Twinning-dominated nucleation, propagation and deflection of crack in molybdenum characterized with <i>in situ</i> transmission electron microscopy

<div><p>Using <i>in situ</i> transmission electron microscopy, we have observed nucleation, propagation and deflection of cracks in a molybdenum thin film. According to characterization by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, the crack surfaces have a zigzag morphology and are parallel to the {1 1 2} twinning planes that correspond to different twin variants. {1 1 2} de-twinning in association with cracking is also suggested. These observations demonstrate a twin-crack relation whereby (a) twins nucleate cracks and define a preferred cracking path and (b) a propagating crack facilitates twinning.</p></div

Comparative analysis of differentially expressed genes related to triglyceride metabolism between intramuscular fat and abdominal fat in broilers

<p>1. Lipid metabolism is an indispensable process in an organism, though little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of fat deposition in different types of adipose tissues.</p> <p>2. The differentially expressed genes related to triglyceride (TG) metabolism between abdominal and intramuscular fat (IMF) of Beijing-You chickens were investigated in this study.</p> <p>3. TG content in abdominal fat (AF) (349.7 mg/g) was significantly higher (<i>P</i> < 0.01) than in the breast and thigh (12.3 mg/g and 24.8 mg/g, respectively).</p> <p>4. Using Agilent chicken gene-expression profiling in adipose tissues between AF and muscle (breast and thigh), certain representative genes related to fatty acid metabolism, lipoprotein catabolism and esterification reactions were significantly upregulated (<i>P</i> < 0.05 or <i>P</i> < 0.01).</p> <p>5. Genes involved in fatty acid oxidation or carbohydrate utilisation were significantly up- or downregulated (<i>P</i> < 0.05 or <i>P</i> < 0.01), including those involved with highly enriched pathways of lipid metabolism (<i>PPAR, Wnt</i> pathway and inositol phosphate metabolism), cell junctions (focal adhesion and regulation of actin cytoskeleton) and muscle contraction.</p> <p>6. Overall, higher TG levels were observed in AF tissue than in adipose tissues of breast and thigh, which could be regulated through gene expression of pathways related to lipid metabolism (PPAR, Wnt pathway and inositol phosphate metabolism), cell junctions (focal adhesion and regulation of actin cytoskeleton) and muscle contraction. These results provide clues to understanding the molecular mechanisms of TG metabolism between abdominal and IMF.</p

SecReT4: a web-based bacterial type IV secretion system resource

SecReT4 (http://db-mml.sjtu.edu.cn/SecReT4/) is an integrated database providing comprehensive information of type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) in bacteria. T4SSs are versatile assemblages that promote genetic exchange and/or effector translocation with consequent impacts on pathogenesis and genome plasticity. T4SSs have been implicated in conjugation, DNA uptake and release and effector translocation. The effectors injected into eukaryotic target cells can lead to alteration of host cellular processes during infection. SecReT4 offers a unique, highly organized, readily exploreable archive of known and putative T4SSs and cognate effectors in bacteria. It currently contains details of 10 752 core components mapping to 808 T4SSs and 1884 T4SS effectors found in representatives of 289 bacterial species, as well as a collection of more than 900 directly related references. A broad range of similarity search, sequence alignment, phylogenetic, primer design and other functional analysis tools are readily accessible via SecReT4. We propose that SecReT4 will facilitate efficient investigation of large numbers of these systems, recognition of diverse patterns of sequence-, gene- and/or functional conservation and an improved understanding of the biological roles and significance of these versatile molecular machines. SecReT4 will be regularly updated to ensure its ongoing maximum utility to the research community

Large-Scale Self-Assembly of 3D Flower-like Hierarchical Ni/Co-LDHs Microspheres for High-Performance Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors

In this study, a facile and inexpensive and self-assembled strategy to massively fabricate Ni/Co layered double hydroxides (LDHs) is developed under mild reaction conditions (55 °C). The resulting composite material displays a special three-dimensional hierarchical microsphere structure with well-defined flower-like configuration. The fabrication mechanism can be ascribed to stepwise and regular reaction process of nanoparticles and nanosheets gradually growing to nanopetals and then assembling into flower-like microspheres, based on the systematically investigation of various reaction factors including the Ni:Co feeding ratio, the reaction time and the initial pH-value. Because of its large surface, ultrathin feature and synergetic results of this Ni/Co LDHs nanosheets (20 nm), these Ni/Co-LDHs microspheres deliver an excellent capacitance value about 2228 F·g^–1 (1 A·g^–1). An all-solid-state flexible asymmetric supercapacitor is designed and assembled by exploiting this Ni/Co-LDHs as the positive materials, which exhibits energy density of 165.51 Wh·kg^1– at 1.53 KW·kg^1–. It may have vast potential significance in personal wearable equipment. Moreover, this monolithic design provides a promising approach for large scale fabrication of other LDHs materials

Model for retrieval from the apoplast, based upon light, confocal, and TEM studies

Water and dissolved substances are carried in the xylem and are offloaded in transpiring photosynthesizing leaves (pathways shown in purple). This involves transfer from the apoplast to the symplast through the pit membrane between metaxylem vessels and xylem parenchyma (shown in the detailed images at lower right). Vesicles formed between the hydrolysed wall and the plasma membrane may carry other substances that are not directly transferable across the membrane, from the apoplast to the symplast, or vice versa, thus effecting a passively driven exchange process across this interface. BS, bundle sheath; MS, mestome sheath; MX, metaxylem; SE, sieve element; STM, sieve tube membrane; TWSE, thick-walled sieve element; VP, vascular parenchyma; XVP, xylem vascular parenchyma.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "A xylem sap retrieval pathway in rice leaf blades: evidence of a role for endocytosis?"</p><p></p><p>Journal of Experimental Botany 2008;59(11):2945-2954.</p><p>Published online 9 Jul 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2504346.</p><p></p

Confocal laser scanning micrographs showing the distribution of 5,6-CF (green) and TR (red) in vascular bundles 10–20 cm from the base of a rice leaf, after supplying with 5,6-CDFA together with TR for 60–90 min

Blue coloration indicates chloroplast autofluorescence. (a) Large vascular bundle, showing 5,6-CF and TR distribution. 5,6-CF is localized in parenchyma adjacent to the protoxylem (PX) and some in xylem parenchyma on the phloem side of this vascular bundle. The lumina of large (thin-walled) metaphloem sieve tubes (stars) showed no evidence of 5,6-CF, but the fluorophore appears in all cell walls of the phloem in this section. (b and c) Intermediate longitudinal veins, showing accumulation of 5,6-CF in vascular parenchyma cells. Note: some fluorophore has moved out into mesophyll cells. 5,6-CF is seen in parenchyma elements in the phloem, accumulated in thick-walled (paired arrowheads), but not in the large thin-walled sieve tubes (asterisks). (d) Detail showing the distribution of 5,6-CF in xylem parenchyma adjacent to a protoxylem vessel. Despite some evidence of 5,6-CF in cytoplasm and vacuoles, it was confined to the cytoplasm (arrowheads) one cell removed from the xylem–xylem parenchyma interface. The probe was absent from the protoxylem vessel. e Detail of the phloem from (a). Here, 5,6-CF is seen only in phloem parenchyma. Sieve tubes (S) and associated companion cells in this and other undamaged sections contained no 5,6-CF. (f) Transection of a small longitudinal vein, surrounded by a bundle sheath (BS). An emergent thick-walled sieve tube (paired arrowheads point to two TSTs which contain 5,6-CF) in a connecting transverse vein is visible to the right. The TSTs connect to a thick-walled sieve tube exiting from the longitudinal bundle to the right.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "A xylem sap retrieval pathway in rice leaf blades: evidence of a role for endocytosis?"</p><p></p><p>Journal of Experimental Botany 2008;59(11):2945-2954.</p><p>Published online 9 Jul 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2504346.</p><p></p

Additional file 2: Figure S1. of A retrospective paired study: efficacy and toxicity of nimotuzumab versus cisplatin concurrent with radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Overall survival of stage II patients who received h-R3/RT or CDDP/RT. Figure S2. Overall survival of patients aged more than 60 years old who received h-R3/RT or CDDP/RT. Figure S3. Overall survival in stage III and IV patients with h-R3/RT and CDDP/RT. (ZIP 12 kb

Additional file 1: Table S1. of A retrospective paired study: efficacy and toxicity of nimotuzumab versus cisplatin concurrent with radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Prognostic factors for overall survival (Univariate) (N = 104). Table S2. Prognostic factors for overall survival (multivariable) (N = 104). Table S3. Toxicities in stage III and IV patients with h-R3/RT and CDDP/RT (N = 78). Table S4. Assignment expressions for factors in the table of patients’ characteristics. Table S5. Patients’ compliance (104 cases). Table S6. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was recommended by NCCN guidelines of Head and Neck Cancer. Table S7. General information for all 302 patients of CDDP/RT and h-R3/RT group. Table S8. Prognostic factors for Overall Survival of all 302 patients (Univariate). Table S9. Prognostic factors for Overall Survival of all 302 patients (Multivariable). (ZIP 437 kb