Alternate wetting and drying irrigation(AWD)significantly influences the cooking and eating quality of rice(Oryza sativa L.).However,the mechanisms by which AWD affects rice cooking and eating quality remain unclear.L...Alternate wetting and drying irrigation(AWD)significantly influences the cooking and eating quality of rice(Oryza sativa L.).However,the mechanisms by which AWD affects rice cooking and eating quality remain unclear.Lipid and free fatty acid contents in grains correlate positively with cooking and eating quality of rice.This study examined Yangdao 6(YD6,a conventional taste indica inbred)and Nanjing 9108(NJ9108,a superior taste japonica inbred)cultivated under conventional irrigation(CI),alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation(AWMD),and alternate wetting and severe drying irrigation(AWSD)from 10 days after transplanting to maturity.The research investigated the relationship between lipid and free fatty acid biosynthesis in grains and the cooking and eating quality of rice.Compared to CI treatment,AWMD significantly enhanced the contents of lipid,total free fatty acids(TFFAs),free unsaturated fatty acids(FUFAs),linoleic acid,and oleic acid in milled rice by increasing activities of enzymes associated with lipid synthesis,while AWSD produced opposite effects.Correlation analysis revealed that elevated levels of lipid,TFFAs,FUFAs,linoleic acid,and oleic acid contribute to improved rice cooking and eating quality.The findings demonstrate that AWMD enhances cooking and eating quality of milled rice through optimization of lipid and fatty acid synthesis in rice grains.展开更多
Moistube irrigation is a newly-developed irrigation technique that utilizes a semipermeable membrane to release water slowly and continuously into the plant root zone.Alternate Moistube Irrigation(AMI)is a combination...Moistube irrigation is a newly-developed irrigation technique that utilizes a semipermeable membrane to release water slowly and continuously into the plant root zone.Alternate Moistube Irrigation(AMI)is a combination of alternative irrigation and moistube irrigation.In order to investigate the effects of AMI on plant growth,greenhouse experiments were conducted on spinach(Spinacia oleracea)and water spinach(Ipomoea aquatica)plants at different time.We measured soil water content at a depth of 20 cm in the planting boxes,and also determined seed emergence rate,plant height,largest leaf area,fresh weight per plant,yield,and irrigation water productivity(IWP)for both spinach and water spinach.The results showed that the AMI treatments had significantly higher soil water content than the conventional surface irrigation control(CK).The emergence rates of spinach and water spinach were significantly higher in the AMI treatments than in the CK,and the plant height,largest leaf area,and fresh weight during the middle and late stages of spinach and water spinach growth were also significantly higher than those of the CK.Both spinach and water spinach grew well and produced high yield with high IWP under AMI with a high water head pressure of 1.5 m at tube spacing of 20 or 30 cm.We found that AMI with a suitable combination of head pressure and tube spacing can promote plant growth and increase yield and IWP under controlled conditions.展开更多
Sodium-sulfur and sodium-iodine batteries are attractive due to their low cost and high capacities.However,they suffer from polysulfide/polyiodide dissolution and fast capacity decay.To solve these issues,herein,an or...Sodium-sulfur and sodium-iodine batteries are attractive due to their low cost and high capacities.However,they suffer from polysulfide/polyiodide dissolution and fast capacity decay.To solve these issues,herein,an organic species-intercalated layered MoS_(2) with oxygen-dopant(Org-MoS_(2)) was designed for the iodine encapsulation.The chemically-bonded S^(2-) from the S-Mo-S layer can not only stabilize the in situ generated I^(+) intermediate to boost the redox kinetics and deep transformations of 2I^(-)←→I_(2)←→2I^(+),but also undergo the conversion of S^(2-)←→S^(δ-) in the high voltage range of 1.5-3.4 V without structural collapse and shuttle effect.That is owning to the I^(+)-induced local charge and the electron reservoir of multi-valent Mo,which facilitate effective charge transfer via alternate dipoles of I^(δ+)-^(δ-)S^(δ+)/^(δ-)O^(δ+)-^(δ-)Mo^(δ+)-^(δ-)S^(δ+) and promote the redox of I/S/Mo.Meanwhile,the incorporated organic species are transformed into an aromatic carbonaceous material with improved electron conductivity and thinner thickness in the cycling test accompanied by the exposure of more Mo-O-Mo linkages,resulting in an increasing ultrahigh capacity and outstanding long-term durability of Org-MoS_(2)@I_(2).展开更多
Alternate wetting and soil drying irrigation(AWD)technique is crucial in infuencing grain quality in rice(Oryza sativa L.).Lipids are the third most abundant constituents in rice grains,after starch and proteins,and a...Alternate wetting and soil drying irrigation(AWD)technique is crucial in infuencing grain quality in rice(Oryza sativa L.).Lipids are the third most abundant constituents in rice grains,after starch and proteins,and are closely related to grain quality.However,it remains unclear about the changes in lipids profling under different AWD regimes.This study set up three irrigation regimes including conventional irrigation(CI),alternate wetting and moderate soil drying irrigation(AWMD),and alternate wetting and severe soil drying irrigation(AWSD).It explored lipidome changes in milled rice of Yangdao 6(YD6)using the untargeted lipidomics approach and analyzed rice cooking and eating quality.The results identifed seven lipid classes,55 lipid subclasses,and 1,086 lipid molecular species.Compared with the CI regime,the AWMD regime mainly altered lipid subclasses consisting of triglyceride(TG),ceramide(Cer),diglyceride(DG),bis-methyl lysophosphatidic acid(BisMePA),phosphocholine(PC),phosphoethanolamine(PE),monogalactosyldiacylglycerol(MGDG),and digalactosyl diglyceride(DGDG)in milled rice and improved cooking and eating quality of rice;in contrast,the AWSD regime distinctly changed lipid subclasses like TG,Cer,DG,PC,PE,hexosylceramide(Hex1Cer),DGDG,and BisMePA and degraded cooking and eating quality of rice.Specifcally,AWMD most signifcantly altered the expressions of lipid molecules,including DGDG(18:0_18:2),DGDG(16:0_14:0),PC(33:1),Cer(t17:0_26:0),and Cer(t17:0_16:0);AWSD most obviously influenced the expressions of TG(6:0_14:0_18:3),PC(41:1),TG(19:1_18:4_18:4),Hex1Cer(d18:2_24:0+O),and Hex1Cer(d18:2_24:1).These 10 altered lipid molecules in milled rice can be preferentially used for investigating their relationships with grain quality in rice.展开更多
The preparation and functionalization of polymeric capsules attract intense attention due to their application in various areas.Herein we presented an amphiphilic alternating copolymer(ACP)-based microcapsule which is...The preparation and functionalization of polymeric capsules attract intense attention due to their application in various areas.Herein we presented an amphiphilic alternating copolymer(ACP)-based microcapsule which is both robust and readily-functionalized through interfacial click polymerization.A water-in-oil emulsion was constructed to act as the reaction medium,the hydrophilic 1,3-butadiene diepoxide(BDE)in water phase reacted with the oleophilic 1,4-dibutanedithiol(BDT)in oil phase at the water-oil interface to form the amphiphilic ACP named poly(2,3-dihydroxy butylene-alt-butylene dithioether)(abbreviated as P(DHB-a-BDT)below),which would deposite in situ to form the micro-sized capsules.Significantly,the dried capsules are robust enough to be rehydrated once the water was added and almost restored their original morphologies.Further elucidation showed that the Young's modulus of these capsules exceeded 1 GPa.As long as we know,it is the first time for the mechanical properties of the ACP-based microstructures being investigated.Besides,functionalization could be achieved simultaneously with the formation process.As a proof of concept,positive-charged capsules were successfully obtained through click copolymerization.Stemming from the unique characteristics of amphiphilic ACPs which combined both merits of click chemistry and interfacial reactions,all these features of the current method as well as the resultant capsules may promote the application of the polymeric capsules.展开更多
Recently,with the efforts of food specialists,protein sources in the diet is rapidly changing.Consequently,novel products based on plant proteins or lab-grown proteins are increasingly being introduced to consumers.Ho...Recently,with the efforts of food specialists,protein sources in the diet is rapidly changing.Consequently,novel products based on plant proteins or lab-grown proteins are increasingly being introduced to consumers.However,the food industry is facing new challenges in creating natural,innovative,accessible,and nutritious dairy-free alternatives.Designing dairy-free cheese alternatives with beneficial nutritional profiles,bioavailability,and digestibility requires a thorough understanding of the molecular characteristics of plant-derived ingredients,their structural assembly,and their role in physicochemical and sensory properties of the final product.In other words,with a deep knowledge of the nature of plant-based ingredients and the intelligent control of intermolecular interactions,these ingredients can be used to produce dairy-free cheese alternatives with the same characteristics as dairy products.Therefore,this review aims to synthesize current knowledge on production techniques and key factors influencing the design of dairy-free cheese alternatives.By examining the interactions between carbohydrates,proteins,and other ingredients,as well as their ability to replicate the functional and textural properties of traditional dairy cheeses,this review provides valuable insights for the development of high-quality dairy-free cheese alternatives.In the design of these alternatives,fractionation and tissue disruption routes are employed.The difference in the number and distribution of their surface groups has a significant effect on ability of plant polysaccharides and proteins to interact with other molecules.Gel strength decreases with decreasing plant biopolymer concentration,bond strength,and crosslinking density.While heat treatment can unfold proteins and minimize their net charge,the hydrophobic attraction becomes the primary driver of protein-protein interactions in plant-based cheeses.In contrast,the 3D-structure of dairy cheeses is stabilized through a combination of hydrophobic interactions,hydrogen bonds,and calcium bridges.展开更多
The ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus was inoculated onto tissue-cultures of the hybrid poplar,Populus davidiana×P.bolleana,to evaluate the elemental defense effect to heavy metals copper and cadmium at d...The ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus was inoculated onto tissue-cultures of the hybrid poplar,Populus davidiana×P.bolleana,to evaluate the elemental defense effect to heavy metals copper and cadmium at different concentrations by simulating Alternaria alternata fungus infection.The enrichment capacity of Populus davidiana×P.bolleana for Cu and Cd was closely associated with the degree of heavy metal stress.There was a significant positive interaction of applying Cu and Cd and the inoculation with P.involutus on A.alternata leaf blight disease index.The incidence rate and disease index of leaf blight underwent a significant reduction compared with the controls.Similarly,the ratio of the area of disease spot to leaf area,incidence rate,and disease index for Populus davidiana×P.bolleana leaves inoculated with Paxillus involutus(Batsch)Fr.were significantly lower than those of their nonmycorrhizal counterparts.With increasing the degree of Cu and Cd stress,a gradual increase in the average value of the membership function for the incidence rate and disease index was observed,indicating the weakened pathogen's ability to cause infection and the improved resistance of Populus davidiana×P.bolleana to leaf blight disease under Cu and Cd stress.Moreover,superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in Populus davidiana×P.bolleana increased significantly,reaching levels of 411.0 U/g FW and 421.6 U/g FW under Cu and Cd treatments,respectively.These changes in metabolic products and antioxidant enzyme activities suggest that P.involutus may enhance the resistance of Populus davidiana×P.bolleana to the fungus,Alternaria alternata Fr.Keissel under heavy metal stress by modulating these physiological indicators.展开更多
In order to investigate the alternate operation characteristics of a solar-ground source heat pump system(SGSHPS),various alternate operation modes are put forward and defined.A two-dimensional mathematical model wi...In order to investigate the alternate operation characteristics of a solar-ground source heat pump system(SGSHPS),various alternate operation modes are put forward and defined.A two-dimensional mathematical model with freezing/melting phase changes is developed for the heat transfer analysis of the soil.Based on the numerical solution of the model,the variation trends of underground soil temperature of the SGSHPS operated in various alternate operation modes are discussed.The results indicate that,for the day-night and short-time interval alternate operation modes without solar energy,the operation time fraction of a solar heat source should be confined to from 50% to 58% when operated in an alternate period of 24 h.Meanwhile,the disadvantages of a natural resumption of soil temperature can be overcome effectively by solar energy filling,and an optimal operation effect can be achieved by integrating the mode of solar energy filling with other alternate modes.In addition,the accuracy of the presented model is verified by the experimental data of borehole wall temperatures.The conclusions can provide a reference for the optimization operation of the SGSHPS.展开更多
This study investigated if super rice could better cope with soil water deficit and if it could have better yield performance and water use efficiency (WUE) under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation than...This study investigated if super rice could better cope with soil water deficit and if it could have better yield performance and water use efficiency (WUE) under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation than check rice. Two super rice cultivars and two elite check rice cultivars were grown in pots with three soil moisture levels, well watered (WW), moderate water deficit (MWD) and severe water deficit (SWD). Two cultivars, each for super rice and check rice, were grown in field with three irrigation regimes, alternate wetting and moderate drying (AWMD), alternate wetting and severe drying (AWSD) and conventional irrigation (CI). Compared with that under WW, grain yield was significantly decreased under MWD and SWD treatments, with less reduction for super rice than for check rice. Super rice had higher percentage of productive tillers, deeper root distribution, higher root oxidation activity, and greater aboveground biomass production at mid and late growth stages than check rice, especially under WMD and WSD. Compared with CI,AWMD increased, whereasAWSD decreased grain yield, with more increase or less decrease for super rice than for check rice. Both MWD and SWD treatments and eitherAWMD orAWSD regime significantly increased WUE compared with WW treatment or CI regime, with more increase for super rice than for check rice. The results suggest that super rice has a stronger ability to cope with soil water deficit and holds greater promising to increase both grain yield and WUE by adoption of moderate AWD irrigation.展开更多
The morphological changing trend of the Yangtze Estuary, the largest estuary of Asia, has become a focus of research in recent years. Based on a long series of topographic data from 1950 to 2015, this paper studied th...The morphological changing trend of the Yangtze Estuary, the largest estuary of Asia, has become a focus of research in recent years. Based on a long series of topographic data from 1950 to 2015, this paper studied the erosion-deposition pattern of the entire Yangtze Estuary. An alternation between erosion and deposition was found during the past 65 years, which was in correspondence to the alternation between flood and dry periods identified by multi-year average duration days of high-level water flow (defined as discharge ≥ 60,000 m<sup>3</sup>/s, namely, D<sub>≥60,000</sub>) from the Yangtze River Basin. A quantitative relationship was further developed between the erosional/depositional rate of the Yangtze Estuary and the interpreting variables of yearly water discharge, D<sub>≥60,000</sub> and yearly river sediment load, with contributing rates of 1%, 59% and 40%, respectively. Mechanism behind the alternate erosion and deposition pattern was analyzed by examining residual water surface slope and the corresponding capacity of sediment transport in flood and dry periods. In flood periods, a larger discharge results in steeper slope of residual water level which permits a greater capacity of sediment transport. Therefore, more bed materials can be washed to the sea, leading to erosion of the estuary. In contrast, flatter slope of residual water level occurs in dry periods, and deposition dominates the estuarine area due to the decreased capacity of sediment transport and the increased backwater effect of flood-tide. Coastal dynamics and estuarine engineering projects alter the local morphological changes, but slightly affect the total erosional/depositional rate of the whole estuarine region. Heavy sedimentation within the Yangtze Estuary after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam can be attributed to the reduced occurrence frequency of flood years due to water regulation by the dam, and largely (at least 36%-52%) sourced from the sea. Deposition is still possible to occur in the Yangtze Estuary in the future, because the multi-year average D<sub>≥60,000</sub> is unlikely to exceed the critical value of 14 days/yr which corresponds to the future equilibrium state of the Yangtze Estuary, under the water regulation of the large cascade dams in the upper Yangtze. Nevertheless, the mean depositional rate will not surpass the peak value of the past years, since the total sediment load entering the Yangtze Estuary has presented a decreasing trend.展开更多
Since the recent discovery of barberry(Berberis spp.)as an alternate host for the stripe rust pathogen Puccinia striiformis,many Chinese Berberis species have been identified as alternate hosts for P.striiformis f.sp....Since the recent discovery of barberry(Berberis spp.)as an alternate host for the stripe rust pathogen Puccinia striiformis,many Chinese Berberis species have been identified as alternate hosts for P.striiformis f.sp.tritici.However,little is known about Berberis species and their distribution in wheat-growing regions in Xinjiang,China,where stripe rust is endemic.As the largest province or autonomous region,Xinjiang represents a relatively independent epidemic region for wheat stripe rust in China.In this study,we con ducted a survey of barberry plants in the main wheat-growi ng areas of Xinjiang.We iden tified three Berberis species,B.heteropoda,B.nummularia and B.kaschgarica,and con firmed their roles as potential alternate hosts for P.striiformis f.sp.tritici in the laboratory.展开更多
An optimization solution to roll shifting strategy for alternately rolling campaign is presented. All the strips in a rolling campaign are divided into narrow strips and wide ones, and shifting position of narrow stri...An optimization solution to roll shifting strategy for alternately rolling campaign is presented. All the strips in a rolling campaign are divided into narrow strips and wide ones, and shifting position of narrow strips is obtained by the recursive method, and then shifting position of wide strips is optimized by NSGA-II which is a multiobjective genetic algorithm. For wide strips, a multi-objective optimization model of roll shifting strategy is pro posed, which takes 3 wear contour factors including edge smoothness, body smoothness and edge drop as optimization objectives. The Pareto optimal front of roll shifting strategy can be gained quickly by NSGA-II, which suggests a series of alternative solutions to roll shifting strategy. Analysis shows that the conflict exists among the 3 objectives. The final optimal solution is selected from the Pareto optimal solutions by the weighted-sum decision-making method. Industrial production proves the validity of the solution, and it can improve strip profile of alternately rolling, reduce strip edge wave, and extend the rolling miles of rolling campaigns.展开更多
Sustainable irrigation method is now essential for adaptation and adoption in the areas where water resources are limited. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to test the performance of alternate wetting and d...Sustainable irrigation method is now essential for adaptation and adoption in the areas where water resources are limited. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to test the performance of alternate wetting and drying furrow irrigation(AWDFI) on crop growth, yield, water use efficiency(WUE), fruit quality and profitability analysis of tomato. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with six treatments replicated thrice during the dry seasons of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. Irrigation water was applied through three ways of furrow: AWDFI, fixed wetting and drying furrow irrigation(FWDFI) and traditional(every) furrow irrigation(TFI). Each irrigation method was divided into two levels: irrigation up to 100 and 80% field capacity(FC). Results showed that plant biomass(dry matter) and marketable fruit yield of tomato did not differ significantly between the treatments of AWDFI and TFI, but significant difference was observed in AWDFI and in TFI compared to FWDFI at same irrigation level. AWDFI saved irrigation water by 35 to 38% for the irrigation levels up to 80 and 100% FC, compared to the TFI, respectively. AWDFI improved WUE by around 37 to 40% compared to TFI when irrigated with 100 and 80% FC, respectively. Fruit quality(total soluble solids and pulp) was found greater in AWDFI than in TFI. Net return from AWDFI technique was found nearly similar compared to TFI and more than FWDFI. The benefit cost ratio was viewed higher in AWDFI than in TFI and FWDFI by 2.8, 8.7 and 11, 10.4% when irrigation water was applied up to 100 and 80% FC, respectively. Unit production cost was obtained lower in AWDFI compared to TFI and FWDFI. However, AWDFI is a useful water-saving furrow irrigation technique which may resolve as an alternative choice compared with TFI in the areas where available water and supply methods are limited to irrigation.展开更多
Field experiments were conducted for two years to investigate the benefits of alternate furrow irrigation on fruit yield, quality and water use efficiency of grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Rizamat) in the arid region ...Field experiments were conducted for two years to investigate the benefits of alternate furrow irrigation on fruit yield, quality and water use efficiency of grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Rizamat) in the arid region of Northwest China. Two irrigation treatments were included, i.e., conventional furrow irrigation (CFI, two root-zones were simultaneously irrigated during the consecutive irrigation) and alternate partial root-zone furrow irrigation (AFI, two root-zones were alternatively irrigated during the consecutive irrigation). Results indicate that AFI maintained similar photosynthetic rate (Pn) but with a reduced transpiration rate when compared to CFI. As a consequence, AFI improved water use efficiency based on evapotranspiration (WUEEr, fruit yield over water consumed) and irrigation (WUE~, fruit yield over water irrigated) by 30.0 and 34.5%, respectively in 2005, and by 12.7 and 17.7%, respectively in 2006. AFI also increased the edible percentage of berry by 2.91-4.79% significantly in both years. Vitamin C (Vc) content content of berry was increased by 25.6-37.5%, and tritrated acidity (TA) was reduced by 9.5-18.1% in AFI. This resulted in an increased total soluble solid content (TSS) to TA ratio (TSS/TA) by 11.5-16.7% when compared to CFI in both years. Our results indicate that alternate furrow irrigation is a practical way to improve grape fruit quality and water use efficiency for irrigated crops in arid areas.展开更多
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the cranial and circumaxillary sutures react differently to maxillary expansion (ME) and alternate maxillary expansions and constrictions (Alt-MEC) in a rat model....The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the cranial and circumaxillary sutures react differently to maxillary expansion (ME) and alternate maxillary expansions and constrictions (Alt-MEC) in a rat model. Twenty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 weeks old) were used and divided into three groups. In ME group (n=9), an expander was activated for 5 days. In Alt-MEC group (9 animals), an al- ternate expansion and constriction protocol (5-day expansion and 5-day constriction for one cycle) was conducted for 2.5 cycles (25 days total). The control group comprised 4 animals with no appliances used, each of two sacrificed on day 5 and day 25 respectively. Midpalatal suture expansion or constriction levels were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively by bite-wing X-rays and cast models. Distances between two central incisors and two maxillary first molars were measured on cast models after each activation. Circumaxillary sutures (midpalatal, maxillopalatine, premaxillary, zygomaticotemporal and frontonasal suture) in each group were characterized histologically. Results showed that midpalatal suture was wid- ened and restored after each expansion and constriction. At the end of activation, the widths between both central incisors and first molars in Alt-MEC group were significantly larger than those in ME group (P〈0.05). Histologically, all five circumaxillary sutures studied were widened in multiple zones in Alt- MEC group. However, only midpalatal suture was expanded with cellular fibrous tissue filling in ME group. Significant osteoclast hyperplasia was observed in all circumaxillary sutures after alternate expan- sions and constrictions, but osteoclast count increase was only observed in midpalatal suture in ME group. These results suggested that cranial and circumaxillary sutures were actively reconstructed after Alt-MEC, while only midpalatal suture had active reaction after ME.展开更多
Maize is widely planted throughout the world and has the highest yield of all the cereal crops. The arid region of North- west China has become the largest base for seed-maize production, but water shortage is the bot...Maize is widely planted throughout the world and has the highest yield of all the cereal crops. The arid region of North- west China has become the largest base for seed-maize production, but water shortage is the bottleneck for its long-term sustainability. Investigating the transpiration of seed-maize plants will offer valuable information for suitable planting and irrigation strategies in this arid area. In this study, stem flow was measured using a heat balance method under alternate furrow irrigation and double-row ridge planting. Meteorological factors, soil water content (e), soil temperature (Ts) and leaf area (LA) were also monitored during 2012 and 2013. The diurnal stem flow and seasonal dynamics of maize plants in the zones of south side female parent (SFP), north side female parent (NFP) and male parent (MP) were investigated. The order of stem flow rate was: SFP〉MP〉NFP. The relationships between stem flow and influential factors during three growth stages at different time scales were analyzed. On an hourly scale, solar radiation (Rs) was the main driving factor of stem flow. The influence of air temperature (Ta) during the maturity stage was significantly higher than in other periods. On a daily scale, Rs was the main driving factor of stem flow during the heading stage. During the filling growth stage, the main driving factor of NFP and MP stem flow was RH and Ts, respectively. However, during the maturity stage, the environ- mental factors had no significant influence on seed-maize stem flow. For different seed-maize plants, the main influential factors were different in each of the three growing seasons. Therefore, we identified them to accurately model the FP and MP stem flow and applied precision irrigation under alternate partial root-zone furrow irrigation to analyze major factors affecting stem flow in different scales.展开更多
Traditionally, the process used by public transportation entities to determine the acquisition strategy for new vehicle asset is based upon a broad range of criteria. Vehicle cost has been cited as one of the more cri...Traditionally, the process used by public transportation entities to determine the acquisition strategy for new vehicle asset is based upon a broad range of criteria. Vehicle cost has been cited as one of the more critical factors which decision makers consider. It is currently a common practice to consider other factors (life-cycle cost, fuel efficiency, vehicle reliability, environmental effects, etc.) that contribute to a more comprehensive approach. This study investigates the next generation of advancements in decision making tools in the area of the application of methods to quantify and manage uncertainty. In particular, the uncertainty comes from the public policy arena where future policy and regulations are not always based upon logical and predictable processes. The fleet decision making process in most governmental agencies is a very complex and interdependent activity. There are always competing forces and agendas within the view of the decision maker. Rarely is the decision maker a single person although, within the transit environment, there is often one person charged with the responsibility of fleet management. The focus of this research examines the decision making of the general transit agency community via the development of an expert systems prototype tool. A computer-based prototype system is developed which provide an expert knowledge-based recommendation, based upon variable user inputs. The results shown in this study show that a decision making tool for the management of transit system alternate fuel vehicle assets can be modeled and tested. The direct users of this research are the transit agency administrations. The results can be used by the management teams as a reliable input to inform their urban transit buses expansion decision making process.展开更多
The alternate location method of a robot team is proposed. Three of the robots are kept still as beacon robots, not always the same ones, while the others are regarded as mobile robots. The mobile robots alternatively...The alternate location method of a robot team is proposed. Three of the robots are kept still as beacon robots, not always the same ones, while the others are regarded as mobile robots. The mobile robots alternatively measure the distance between one of them and three beacon robots with ultrasonic measurement module. The distance data are combined with its dead-reckoning information using iterated extended Kalrnan filter (IEKF) to realize the optimal estimate of its position. According to the condition the future beacon robots' positions should be desired ones, the target function and the nonlinear constrain equations are set up which are used by nonlinear optimization algorithm to estimate the position of the future beacon robots. By alternately changing the robots' roles as active beacon, the alternate location in unknown environment can'be realized. Process and result of the simulation test are given and the position estimation error is within + 10 ram, which proves the validity of this method.展开更多
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China(BK20241931 and BK 20221371)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32071943,32372214,and 31901444)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD2300304)。
文摘Alternate wetting and drying irrigation(AWD)significantly influences the cooking and eating quality of rice(Oryza sativa L.).However,the mechanisms by which AWD affects rice cooking and eating quality remain unclear.Lipid and free fatty acid contents in grains correlate positively with cooking and eating quality of rice.This study examined Yangdao 6(YD6,a conventional taste indica inbred)and Nanjing 9108(NJ9108,a superior taste japonica inbred)cultivated under conventional irrigation(CI),alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation(AWMD),and alternate wetting and severe drying irrigation(AWSD)from 10 days after transplanting to maturity.The research investigated the relationship between lipid and free fatty acid biosynthesis in grains and the cooking and eating quality of rice.Compared to CI treatment,AWMD significantly enhanced the contents of lipid,total free fatty acids(TFFAs),free unsaturated fatty acids(FUFAs),linoleic acid,and oleic acid in milled rice by increasing activities of enzymes associated with lipid synthesis,while AWSD produced opposite effects.Correlation analysis revealed that elevated levels of lipid,TFFAs,FUFAs,linoleic acid,and oleic acid contribute to improved rice cooking and eating quality.The findings demonstrate that AWMD enhances cooking and eating quality of milled rice through optimization of lipid and fatty acid synthesis in rice grains.
基金Supported by Key Research and Development Program of Shanxi Province(202302140601009).
文摘Moistube irrigation is a newly-developed irrigation technique that utilizes a semipermeable membrane to release water slowly and continuously into the plant root zone.Alternate Moistube Irrigation(AMI)is a combination of alternative irrigation and moistube irrigation.In order to investigate the effects of AMI on plant growth,greenhouse experiments were conducted on spinach(Spinacia oleracea)and water spinach(Ipomoea aquatica)plants at different time.We measured soil water content at a depth of 20 cm in the planting boxes,and also determined seed emergence rate,plant height,largest leaf area,fresh weight per plant,yield,and irrigation water productivity(IWP)for both spinach and water spinach.The results showed that the AMI treatments had significantly higher soil water content than the conventional surface irrigation control(CK).The emergence rates of spinach and water spinach were significantly higher in the AMI treatments than in the CK,and the plant height,largest leaf area,and fresh weight during the middle and late stages of spinach and water spinach growth were also significantly higher than those of the CK.Both spinach and water spinach grew well and produced high yield with high IWP under AMI with a high water head pressure of 1.5 m at tube spacing of 20 or 30 cm.We found that AMI with a suitable combination of head pressure and tube spacing can promote plant growth and increase yield and IWP under controlled conditions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22171030 and 21771028)the Large-Scale Instrument and Equipment Open Foundation in Chongqing University (202303150030)。
文摘Sodium-sulfur and sodium-iodine batteries are attractive due to their low cost and high capacities.However,they suffer from polysulfide/polyiodide dissolution and fast capacity decay.To solve these issues,herein,an organic species-intercalated layered MoS_(2) with oxygen-dopant(Org-MoS_(2)) was designed for the iodine encapsulation.The chemically-bonded S^(2-) from the S-Mo-S layer can not only stabilize the in situ generated I^(+) intermediate to boost the redox kinetics and deep transformations of 2I^(-)←→I_(2)←→2I^(+),but also undergo the conversion of S^(2-)←→S^(δ-) in the high voltage range of 1.5-3.4 V without structural collapse and shuttle effect.That is owning to the I^(+)-induced local charge and the electron reservoir of multi-valent Mo,which facilitate effective charge transfer via alternate dipoles of I^(δ+)-^(δ-)S^(δ+)/^(δ-)O^(δ+)-^(δ-)Mo^(δ+)-^(δ-)S^(δ+) and promote the redox of I/S/Mo.Meanwhile,the incorporated organic species are transformed into an aromatic carbonaceous material with improved electron conductivity and thinner thickness in the cycling test accompanied by the exposure of more Mo-O-Mo linkages,resulting in an increasing ultrahigh capacity and outstanding long-term durability of Org-MoS_(2)@I_(2).
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China(BK20241931 and BK20221371)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32071943 and 32372214)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD2300304)。
文摘Alternate wetting and soil drying irrigation(AWD)technique is crucial in infuencing grain quality in rice(Oryza sativa L.).Lipids are the third most abundant constituents in rice grains,after starch and proteins,and are closely related to grain quality.However,it remains unclear about the changes in lipids profling under different AWD regimes.This study set up three irrigation regimes including conventional irrigation(CI),alternate wetting and moderate soil drying irrigation(AWMD),and alternate wetting and severe soil drying irrigation(AWSD).It explored lipidome changes in milled rice of Yangdao 6(YD6)using the untargeted lipidomics approach and analyzed rice cooking and eating quality.The results identifed seven lipid classes,55 lipid subclasses,and 1,086 lipid molecular species.Compared with the CI regime,the AWMD regime mainly altered lipid subclasses consisting of triglyceride(TG),ceramide(Cer),diglyceride(DG),bis-methyl lysophosphatidic acid(BisMePA),phosphocholine(PC),phosphoethanolamine(PE),monogalactosyldiacylglycerol(MGDG),and digalactosyl diglyceride(DGDG)in milled rice and improved cooking and eating quality of rice;in contrast,the AWSD regime distinctly changed lipid subclasses like TG,Cer,DG,PC,PE,hexosylceramide(Hex1Cer),DGDG,and BisMePA and degraded cooking and eating quality of rice.Specifcally,AWMD most signifcantly altered the expressions of lipid molecules,including DGDG(18:0_18:2),DGDG(16:0_14:0),PC(33:1),Cer(t17:0_26:0),and Cer(t17:0_16:0);AWSD most obviously influenced the expressions of TG(6:0_14:0_18:3),PC(41:1),TG(19:1_18:4_18:4),Hex1Cer(d18:2_24:0+O),and Hex1Cer(d18:2_24:1).These 10 altered lipid molecules in milled rice can be preferentially used for investigating their relationships with grain quality in rice.
基金financially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities(No.24D110627)。
文摘The preparation and functionalization of polymeric capsules attract intense attention due to their application in various areas.Herein we presented an amphiphilic alternating copolymer(ACP)-based microcapsule which is both robust and readily-functionalized through interfacial click polymerization.A water-in-oil emulsion was constructed to act as the reaction medium,the hydrophilic 1,3-butadiene diepoxide(BDE)in water phase reacted with the oleophilic 1,4-dibutanedithiol(BDT)in oil phase at the water-oil interface to form the amphiphilic ACP named poly(2,3-dihydroxy butylene-alt-butylene dithioether)(abbreviated as P(DHB-a-BDT)below),which would deposite in situ to form the micro-sized capsules.Significantly,the dried capsules are robust enough to be rehydrated once the water was added and almost restored their original morphologies.Further elucidation showed that the Young's modulus of these capsules exceeded 1 GPa.As long as we know,it is the first time for the mechanical properties of the ACP-based microstructures being investigated.Besides,functionalization could be achieved simultaneously with the formation process.As a proof of concept,positive-charged capsules were successfully obtained through click copolymerization.Stemming from the unique characteristics of amphiphilic ACPs which combined both merits of click chemistry and interfacial reactions,all these features of the current method as well as the resultant capsules may promote the application of the polymeric capsules.
基金funding from the European Union's Horizon 2022 Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie(MSCA-Postdoctoral Fellowships 2022),grant agreement No.101105558-NovelPBC-HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01。
文摘Recently,with the efforts of food specialists,protein sources in the diet is rapidly changing.Consequently,novel products based on plant proteins or lab-grown proteins are increasingly being introduced to consumers.However,the food industry is facing new challenges in creating natural,innovative,accessible,and nutritious dairy-free alternatives.Designing dairy-free cheese alternatives with beneficial nutritional profiles,bioavailability,and digestibility requires a thorough understanding of the molecular characteristics of plant-derived ingredients,their structural assembly,and their role in physicochemical and sensory properties of the final product.In other words,with a deep knowledge of the nature of plant-based ingredients and the intelligent control of intermolecular interactions,these ingredients can be used to produce dairy-free cheese alternatives with the same characteristics as dairy products.Therefore,this review aims to synthesize current knowledge on production techniques and key factors influencing the design of dairy-free cheese alternatives.By examining the interactions between carbohydrates,proteins,and other ingredients,as well as their ability to replicate the functional and textural properties of traditional dairy cheeses,this review provides valuable insights for the development of high-quality dairy-free cheese alternatives.In the design of these alternatives,fractionation and tissue disruption routes are employed.The difference in the number and distribution of their surface groups has a significant effect on ability of plant polysaccharides and proteins to interact with other molecules.Gel strength decreases with decreasing plant biopolymer concentration,bond strength,and crosslinking density.While heat treatment can unfold proteins and minimize their net charge,the hydrophobic attraction becomes the primary driver of protein-protein interactions in plant-based cheeses.In contrast,the 3D-structure of dairy cheeses is stabilized through a combination of hydrophobic interactions,hydrogen bonds,and calcium bridges.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31800542)Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province(LH2023C105)Heilongjiang Research Institutes Basic Research Funding Project(LKSB2024-9)。
文摘The ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus was inoculated onto tissue-cultures of the hybrid poplar,Populus davidiana×P.bolleana,to evaluate the elemental defense effect to heavy metals copper and cadmium at different concentrations by simulating Alternaria alternata fungus infection.The enrichment capacity of Populus davidiana×P.bolleana for Cu and Cd was closely associated with the degree of heavy metal stress.There was a significant positive interaction of applying Cu and Cd and the inoculation with P.involutus on A.alternata leaf blight disease index.The incidence rate and disease index of leaf blight underwent a significant reduction compared with the controls.Similarly,the ratio of the area of disease spot to leaf area,incidence rate,and disease index for Populus davidiana×P.bolleana leaves inoculated with Paxillus involutus(Batsch)Fr.were significantly lower than those of their nonmycorrhizal counterparts.With increasing the degree of Cu and Cd stress,a gradual increase in the average value of the membership function for the incidence rate and disease index was observed,indicating the weakened pathogen's ability to cause infection and the improved resistance of Populus davidiana×P.bolleana to leaf blight disease under Cu and Cd stress.Moreover,superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in Populus davidiana×P.bolleana increased significantly,reaching levels of 411.0 U/g FW and 421.6 U/g FW under Cu and Cd treatments,respectively.These changes in metabolic products and antioxidant enzyme activities suggest that P.involutus may enhance the resistance of Populus davidiana×P.bolleana to the fungus,Alternaria alternata Fr.Keissel under heavy metal stress by modulating these physiological indicators.
基金The National Key Technology R&D Program of Chinaduring the 11th Five-Year Plan Period(No.2008BAJ12B04)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.20090461050)+1 种基金the Project of Researchand Development of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development ofChina(No.2008-K1-26)the New Century Talent Project of Yangzhou University for Excellent Young Backbone Teacher(2008)
文摘In order to investigate the alternate operation characteristics of a solar-ground source heat pump system(SGSHPS),various alternate operation modes are put forward and defined.A two-dimensional mathematical model with freezing/melting phase changes is developed for the heat transfer analysis of the soil.Based on the numerical solution of the model,the variation trends of underground soil temperature of the SGSHPS operated in various alternate operation modes are discussed.The results indicate that,for the day-night and short-time interval alternate operation modes without solar energy,the operation time fraction of a solar heat source should be confined to from 50% to 58% when operated in an alternate period of 24 h.Meanwhile,the disadvantages of a natural resumption of soil temperature can be overcome effectively by solar energy filling,and an optimal operation effect can be achieved by integrating the mode of solar energy filling with other alternate modes.In addition,the accuracy of the presented model is verified by the experimental data of borehole wall temperatures.The conclusions can provide a reference for the optimization operation of the SGSHPS.
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31461143015,31271641,31471438)the National Key Technology Support Program of China(2014AA10A605,216YFD0300206-4)+1 种基金the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD),Chinathe Jiangsu Creation Program for Post-graduation Students,China(KYZZ15_0364)
文摘This study investigated if super rice could better cope with soil water deficit and if it could have better yield performance and water use efficiency (WUE) under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation than check rice. Two super rice cultivars and two elite check rice cultivars were grown in pots with three soil moisture levels, well watered (WW), moderate water deficit (MWD) and severe water deficit (SWD). Two cultivars, each for super rice and check rice, were grown in field with three irrigation regimes, alternate wetting and moderate drying (AWMD), alternate wetting and severe drying (AWSD) and conventional irrigation (CI). Compared with that under WW, grain yield was significantly decreased under MWD and SWD treatments, with less reduction for super rice than for check rice. Super rice had higher percentage of productive tillers, deeper root distribution, higher root oxidation activity, and greater aboveground biomass production at mid and late growth stages than check rice, especially under WMD and WSD. Compared with CI,AWMD increased, whereasAWSD decreased grain yield, with more increase or less decrease for super rice than for check rice. Both MWD and SWD treatments and eitherAWMD orAWSD regime significantly increased WUE compared with WW treatment or CI regime, with more increase for super rice than for check rice. The results suggest that super rice has a stronger ability to cope with soil water deficit and holds greater promising to increase both grain yield and WUE by adoption of moderate AWD irrigation.
基金Youth Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41601275Open Research Fund of Key Laboratory of Water-Sediment Sciences and Water Disaster Prevention of Hunan Province,No.2019SS06Scientific Research Key Project in Hunan Province Education Department,No.2014A006。
文摘The morphological changing trend of the Yangtze Estuary, the largest estuary of Asia, has become a focus of research in recent years. Based on a long series of topographic data from 1950 to 2015, this paper studied the erosion-deposition pattern of the entire Yangtze Estuary. An alternation between erosion and deposition was found during the past 65 years, which was in correspondence to the alternation between flood and dry periods identified by multi-year average duration days of high-level water flow (defined as discharge ≥ 60,000 m<sup>3</sup>/s, namely, D<sub>≥60,000</sub>) from the Yangtze River Basin. A quantitative relationship was further developed between the erosional/depositional rate of the Yangtze Estuary and the interpreting variables of yearly water discharge, D<sub>≥60,000</sub> and yearly river sediment load, with contributing rates of 1%, 59% and 40%, respectively. Mechanism behind the alternate erosion and deposition pattern was analyzed by examining residual water surface slope and the corresponding capacity of sediment transport in flood and dry periods. In flood periods, a larger discharge results in steeper slope of residual water level which permits a greater capacity of sediment transport. Therefore, more bed materials can be washed to the sea, leading to erosion of the estuary. In contrast, flatter slope of residual water level occurs in dry periods, and deposition dominates the estuarine area due to the decreased capacity of sediment transport and the increased backwater effect of flood-tide. Coastal dynamics and estuarine engineering projects alter the local morphological changes, but slightly affect the total erosional/depositional rate of the whole estuarine region. Heavy sedimentation within the Yangtze Estuary after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam can be attributed to the reduced occurrence frequency of flood years due to water regulation by the dam, and largely (at least 36%-52%) sourced from the sea. Deposition is still possible to occur in the Yangtze Estuary in the future, because the multi-year average D<sub>≥60,000</sub> is unlikely to exceed the critical value of 14 days/yr which corresponds to the future equilibrium state of the Yangtze Estuary, under the water regulation of the large cascade dams in the upper Yangtze. Nevertheless, the mean depositional rate will not surpass the peak value of the past years, since the total sediment load entering the Yangtze Estuary has presented a decreasing trend.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFD0200408, 2018YFD0200402)the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (2017JM3006)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (3107164)the National Basic Research Program of China (2013CB127700)
文摘Since the recent discovery of barberry(Berberis spp.)as an alternate host for the stripe rust pathogen Puccinia striiformis,many Chinese Berberis species have been identified as alternate hosts for P.striiformis f.sp.tritici.However,little is known about Berberis species and their distribution in wheat-growing regions in Xinjiang,China,where stripe rust is endemic.As the largest province or autonomous region,Xinjiang represents a relatively independent epidemic region for wheat stripe rust in China.In this study,we con ducted a survey of barberry plants in the main wheat-growi ng areas of Xinjiang.We iden tified three Berberis species,B.heteropoda,B.nummularia and B.kaschgarica,and con firmed their roles as potential alternate hosts for P.striiformis f.sp.tritici in the laboratory.
基金Item Sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation of China(50974039)
文摘An optimization solution to roll shifting strategy for alternately rolling campaign is presented. All the strips in a rolling campaign are divided into narrow strips and wide ones, and shifting position of narrow strips is obtained by the recursive method, and then shifting position of wide strips is optimized by NSGA-II which is a multiobjective genetic algorithm. For wide strips, a multi-objective optimization model of roll shifting strategy is pro posed, which takes 3 wear contour factors including edge smoothness, body smoothness and edge drop as optimization objectives. The Pareto optimal front of roll shifting strategy can be gained quickly by NSGA-II, which suggests a series of alternative solutions to roll shifting strategy. Analysis shows that the conflict exists among the 3 objectives. The final optimal solution is selected from the Pareto optimal solutions by the weighted-sum decision-making method. Industrial production proves the validity of the solution, and it can improve strip profile of alternately rolling, reduce strip edge wave, and extend the rolling miles of rolling campaigns.
基金Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh for providing fund and facilities for sustainable irrigation and water management practices
文摘Sustainable irrigation method is now essential for adaptation and adoption in the areas where water resources are limited. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to test the performance of alternate wetting and drying furrow irrigation(AWDFI) on crop growth, yield, water use efficiency(WUE), fruit quality and profitability analysis of tomato. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with six treatments replicated thrice during the dry seasons of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. Irrigation water was applied through three ways of furrow: AWDFI, fixed wetting and drying furrow irrigation(FWDFI) and traditional(every) furrow irrigation(TFI). Each irrigation method was divided into two levels: irrigation up to 100 and 80% field capacity(FC). Results showed that plant biomass(dry matter) and marketable fruit yield of tomato did not differ significantly between the treatments of AWDFI and TFI, but significant difference was observed in AWDFI and in TFI compared to FWDFI at same irrigation level. AWDFI saved irrigation water by 35 to 38% for the irrigation levels up to 80 and 100% FC, compared to the TFI, respectively. AWDFI improved WUE by around 37 to 40% compared to TFI when irrigated with 100 and 80% FC, respectively. Fruit quality(total soluble solids and pulp) was found greater in AWDFI than in TFI. Net return from AWDFI technique was found nearly similar compared to TFI and more than FWDFI. The benefit cost ratio was viewed higher in AWDFI than in TFI and FWDFI by 2.8, 8.7 and 11, 10.4% when irrigation water was applied up to 100 and 80% FC, respectively. Unit production cost was obtained lower in AWDFI compared to TFI and FWDFI. However, AWDFI is a useful water-saving furrow irrigation technique which may resolve as an alternative choice compared with TFI in the areas where available water and supply methods are limited to irrigation.
基金grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51222905, 51079147 and 50939005)the National High-Tech R&D Program of China(863 Program, 2011AA100502)+1 种基金the Program of New Century Excellent Talents in University, Ministry of Education of China (NCET-11-0479)Hong Kong Research Grants Council, China (HKBU 262307)
文摘Field experiments were conducted for two years to investigate the benefits of alternate furrow irrigation on fruit yield, quality and water use efficiency of grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Rizamat) in the arid region of Northwest China. Two irrigation treatments were included, i.e., conventional furrow irrigation (CFI, two root-zones were simultaneously irrigated during the consecutive irrigation) and alternate partial root-zone furrow irrigation (AFI, two root-zones were alternatively irrigated during the consecutive irrigation). Results indicate that AFI maintained similar photosynthetic rate (Pn) but with a reduced transpiration rate when compared to CFI. As a consequence, AFI improved water use efficiency based on evapotranspiration (WUEEr, fruit yield over water consumed) and irrigation (WUE~, fruit yield over water irrigated) by 30.0 and 34.5%, respectively in 2005, and by 12.7 and 17.7%, respectively in 2006. AFI also increased the edible percentage of berry by 2.91-4.79% significantly in both years. Vitamin C (Vc) content content of berry was increased by 25.6-37.5%, and tritrated acidity (TA) was reduced by 9.5-18.1% in AFI. This resulted in an increased total soluble solid content (TSS) to TA ratio (TSS/TA) by 11.5-16.7% when compared to CFI in both years. Our results indicate that alternate furrow irrigation is a practical way to improve grape fruit quality and water use efficiency for irrigated crops in arid areas.
基金supported by Peking University School of Stomatology Youth Scientific Research Fund of China(No.PKUSS20120113)
文摘The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the cranial and circumaxillary sutures react differently to maxillary expansion (ME) and alternate maxillary expansions and constrictions (Alt-MEC) in a rat model. Twenty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 weeks old) were used and divided into three groups. In ME group (n=9), an expander was activated for 5 days. In Alt-MEC group (9 animals), an al- ternate expansion and constriction protocol (5-day expansion and 5-day constriction for one cycle) was conducted for 2.5 cycles (25 days total). The control group comprised 4 animals with no appliances used, each of two sacrificed on day 5 and day 25 respectively. Midpalatal suture expansion or constriction levels were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively by bite-wing X-rays and cast models. Distances between two central incisors and two maxillary first molars were measured on cast models after each activation. Circumaxillary sutures (midpalatal, maxillopalatine, premaxillary, zygomaticotemporal and frontonasal suture) in each group were characterized histologically. Results showed that midpalatal suture was wid- ened and restored after each expansion and constriction. At the end of activation, the widths between both central incisors and first molars in Alt-MEC group were significantly larger than those in ME group (P〈0.05). Histologically, all five circumaxillary sutures studied were widened in multiple zones in Alt- MEC group. However, only midpalatal suture was expanded with cellular fibrous tissue filling in ME group. Significant osteoclast hyperplasia was observed in all circumaxillary sutures after alternate expan- sions and constrictions, but osteoclast count increase was only observed in midpalatal suture in ME group. These results suggested that cranial and circumaxillary sutures were actively reconstructed after Alt-MEC, while only midpalatal suture had active reaction after ME.
基金grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51222905, 51321001, 51439006)the National High-Tech R&D Program of China (863 Program, 2011AA100505)+1 种基金the Ministry of Water Resources of China (201201003)the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University, Ministry of Education, China (NCET11-0479)
文摘Maize is widely planted throughout the world and has the highest yield of all the cereal crops. The arid region of North- west China has become the largest base for seed-maize production, but water shortage is the bottleneck for its long-term sustainability. Investigating the transpiration of seed-maize plants will offer valuable information for suitable planting and irrigation strategies in this arid area. In this study, stem flow was measured using a heat balance method under alternate furrow irrigation and double-row ridge planting. Meteorological factors, soil water content (e), soil temperature (Ts) and leaf area (LA) were also monitored during 2012 and 2013. The diurnal stem flow and seasonal dynamics of maize plants in the zones of south side female parent (SFP), north side female parent (NFP) and male parent (MP) were investigated. The order of stem flow rate was: SFP〉MP〉NFP. The relationships between stem flow and influential factors during three growth stages at different time scales were analyzed. On an hourly scale, solar radiation (Rs) was the main driving factor of stem flow. The influence of air temperature (Ta) during the maturity stage was significantly higher than in other periods. On a daily scale, Rs was the main driving factor of stem flow during the heading stage. During the filling growth stage, the main driving factor of NFP and MP stem flow was RH and Ts, respectively. However, during the maturity stage, the environ- mental factors had no significant influence on seed-maize stem flow. For different seed-maize plants, the main influential factors were different in each of the three growing seasons. Therefore, we identified them to accurately model the FP and MP stem flow and applied precision irrigation under alternate partial root-zone furrow irrigation to analyze major factors affecting stem flow in different scales.
文摘Traditionally, the process used by public transportation entities to determine the acquisition strategy for new vehicle asset is based upon a broad range of criteria. Vehicle cost has been cited as one of the more critical factors which decision makers consider. It is currently a common practice to consider other factors (life-cycle cost, fuel efficiency, vehicle reliability, environmental effects, etc.) that contribute to a more comprehensive approach. This study investigates the next generation of advancements in decision making tools in the area of the application of methods to quantify and manage uncertainty. In particular, the uncertainty comes from the public policy arena where future policy and regulations are not always based upon logical and predictable processes. The fleet decision making process in most governmental agencies is a very complex and interdependent activity. There are always competing forces and agendas within the view of the decision maker. Rarely is the decision maker a single person although, within the transit environment, there is often one person charged with the responsibility of fleet management. The focus of this research examines the decision making of the general transit agency community via the development of an expert systems prototype tool. A computer-based prototype system is developed which provide an expert knowledge-based recommendation, based upon variable user inputs. The results shown in this study show that a decision making tool for the management of transit system alternate fuel vehicle assets can be modeled and tested. The direct users of this research are the transit agency administrations. The results can be used by the management teams as a reliable input to inform their urban transit buses expansion decision making process.
文摘The alternate location method of a robot team is proposed. Three of the robots are kept still as beacon robots, not always the same ones, while the others are regarded as mobile robots. The mobile robots alternatively measure the distance between one of them and three beacon robots with ultrasonic measurement module. The distance data are combined with its dead-reckoning information using iterated extended Kalrnan filter (IEKF) to realize the optimal estimate of its position. According to the condition the future beacon robots' positions should be desired ones, the target function and the nonlinear constrain equations are set up which are used by nonlinear optimization algorithm to estimate the position of the future beacon robots. By alternately changing the robots' roles as active beacon, the alternate location in unknown environment can'be realized. Process and result of the simulation test are given and the position estimation error is within + 10 ram, which proves the validity of this method.