Immune function and parasite resistance in male and polymorphic female Coenagrion puella

Background: Colour polymorphisms are widespread and one of the prime examples is the colour polymorphism in female coenagrionid damselflies: one female morph resembles the male colour (andromorph) while one, or more, female morphs are described as typically female (gynomorph). However, the selective pressures leading to the evolution and maintenance of this polymorphism are not clear. Here, based on the hypothesis that coloration and especially black patterning can be related to resistance against pathogens, we investigated the differences in immune function and parasite resistance between the different female morphs and males. Results: Our studies of immune function revealed no differences in immune function between the female morphs but between the sexes in adult damselflies. In an experimental infection females infected shortly after emergence showed a higher resistance against a fungal pathogen than males, however female morphs did not differ in resistance. In a field sample of adult damselflies we did not find differences in infection rates with watermites and gregarines. Conclusion: With respect to resistance and immune function 'andromorph' blue females of Coenagrion puella do not resemble the males. Therefore the colour polymorphism in coenagrionid damselflies is unlikely to be maintained by differences in immunity

Experimental studies on Goertler vortices

Goertler vortices arise in laminar boundary layers along concave walls due to an imbalance between pressure and centrifugal forces. In advanced laminar-flow control (LFC) supercritical airfoil designs, boundary-layer suction is primarily used to control Tollmien-Schlichting instability and cross-flow vortices in the concave region near the leading edge of the airfoil lower surface. The concave region itself is comprised of a number of linear segments positioned to limit the total growth of Goertler vortices. Such an approach is based on physical reasonings but rigorous theoretical justification or experimental evidence to support such an approach does not exist. An experimental project was initiated at NASA Langley to verify this concept. In the first phase of the project an experiment was conducted on an airfoil whose concave region has a continuous curvature distribution. Some results of this experiment were previously reported and significant features are summarized

Integrated housing supply chain model for innovation: Narrative analysis towards developing pathways methodology

There are significant problems in the supply of housing in Australia yet very little attention has been paid to the housing construction supply chain. To date the housing supply debate has been largely focussed on housing demand, affordability and land supply. It is contended that one of the key causal factors of poor housing supply is the poor coordination between supply chain actors. The development of integrated supply delivery solutions have not been extensively recognised in the Australian residential sector. Ad hoc examples and applications by some major building companies has seen some limited success, however, this has not been diffused throughout the sector with little real impact on overall sector performance and individual company competitiveness. Whole-scale industry improvement requires a concerted effort to undertake a stepwise change. A key to the solution is to investigate successful examples of integrated supply chains which have resulted in productivity and/or innovation performance improvements. The aim of this research is to undertake a case study analysis of successful implementation of delivering an innovation to the Australian housing construction industry which required an integrated construction supply chain model. The paper describes the theoretical background to the study and the preliminary results of the case study

Long-term electrode behavior during treatment of arsenic contaminated groundwater by a pilot-scale iron electrocoagulation system.

Iron electrocoagulation (Fe-EC) is an effective technology to remove arsenic (As) from groundwater used for drinking. A commonly noted limitation of Fe-EC is fouling or passivation of electrode surfaces via rust accumulation over long-term use. In this study, we examined the effect of removing electrode surface layers on the performance of a large-scale (10,000 L/d capacity) Fe-EC plant in West Bengal, India. We also characterized the layers formed on the electrodes in active use for over 2 years at this plant. The electrode surfaces developed three distinct horizontal sections of layers that consisted of different minerals: calcite, Fe(III) precipitates and magnetite near the top, magnetite in the middle, and Fe(III) precipitates and magnetite near the bottom. The interior of all surface layers adjacent to the Fe(0) metal was dominated by magnetite. We determined the impact of surface layer removal by mechanical abrasion on Fe-EC performance by measuring solution composition (As, Fe, P, Si, Mn, Ca, pH, DO) and electrochemical parameters (total cell voltage and electrode interface potentials) during electrolysis. After electrode cleaning, the Fe concentration in the bulk solution increased substantially from 15.2 to 41.5 mg/L. This higher Fe concentration led to increased removal of a number of solutes. For As, the concentration reached below the 10 μg/L WHO MCL more rapidly and with less total Fe consumed (i.e. less electrical energy) after cleaning (128.4 μg/L As removed per kWh) compared to before cleaning (72.9 μg/L As removed per kWh). Similarly, the removal of P and Si improved after cleaning by 0.3 mg/L/kWh and 1.1 mg/L/kWh, respectively. Our results show that mechanically removing the surface layers that accumulate on electrodes over extended periods of Fe-EC operation can restore Fe-EC system efficiency (concentration of solute removed/kWh delivered). Since Fe release into the bulk solution substantially increased upon electrode cleaning, our results also suggest that routine electrode maintenance can ensure robust and reliable Fe-EC performance over year-long timescales

Biochemical Studies on edible oysters Crassostrea madrasensis and Saccostrea cucullata.

n general, changes in biochemical components are closely linked to the state of sexual maturity of the mollusks and to energy supply, either directly from ingested food or from previously stored reserves. Carbohydrates are considered to be the main energy source in adult marine bivalves and are important for gamete formation and maintenance of adult condition during periods of nutritive stress or in winter. Many studies have related changes in the biochemical composition of bivalves with the reproductive cycle mostly in the natural environment. Energy storage and biochemical cycle are closely related to reproductive activity in marine bivalves. The present study indicates that major biochemical constituents in oyster Crassostrea madrasensis and Saccostrea cucullate are significantly influenced by environment condition such as quantity of food availability, temperature and salinity. The high contents of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and water content values, during summer are indicating this season as the best for harvesting this particular oyster species and the statistical analysis of the biochemical composition of the tissue sample of the oyster revealed positive correlation in both species of oyster Crassostrea madrasensis and Saccostrea cucullata. The strong Positive Correlation were observed in between the two stations and the highest value of protein, carbohydrate and lipids were observed in Crassostrea madrasensis rock and creek when it compare to Saccostrea cucullata. Keywords: Protein, Carbohydrate, Lipid , Crassostrea madrasensis, Saccostrea cucullata, oyster

Further Diversification of Nano Binary Open Sets

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and study the nano binary exterior, nano binary border and nano binary derivedin nano binary topological spaces. Also studied their characterization